We know that Donald Trump and Republicans have done everything they can to sell the country a false bill of goods about vote-by-mail, Cecil said during a briefing to reporters this week. We want to make sure that access to the ballot, especially in the context of a potential outbreak in the fall, is available to every single American, and in particular those that are typically underrepresented in civic life.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia Urmas Reinsalu has confirmed the death of Estonian citizen in Donbas on July 13.

"On Monday, July 13, an Estonian citizen died as a result of hostilities in Donbas," Reinsalu said, ERR portal reports.

He said that the victim had received Estonian citizenship in 2016 by naturalization. The details are being specified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

"He [the deceased] came to Estonia in 2006 as a fellow of a project and had refugee status," Reinsalu said, adding that the man had applied for citizenship he had later received and therefore renounced Belarusian citizenship.

According to the Estonian Foreign Minister, the Ukrainian authorities now specify the status and role of the man in the hostilities in Donbas. "Citizens of Estonia can stay in the military units of other countries with the permission of the government," the minister said, adding that such permit was not issued, as far as he knows.

On Wednesday, July 15, Estonian media reported that Estonian citizen Nikolai Ilyin, born in Belarus, was killed during the hostilities in Donbas on July 13. He was a combat medic in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

ol
* European stocks tip-toe higher ahead of recovery fund summit

* Hopes of more U.S. fiscal spending suppress China tensions

* Gold clinging on for sixth weekly gain in a row

* World stocks set for modest weekly gain

* FAANGs pranged by Netflix flop

* World FX rates in 2020 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh

By Marc Jones

LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) - Europe's stock markets and fast charging currencies were left treading water on Friday, as EU leaders met in Brussels to try to hammer through a 750 billion euro post-pandemic recovery fund.

European and world equity markets were heading for their third weekly gain in a row, but they were the smallest yet and Friday's go-slow involved all the main asset classes from commodities to bonds.

London's FTSE, Paris, Milan and Madrid had all sagged into the red in early trading and though the euro ticked up, Italian and Spanish bond yields were struggling to stay anchored to their recent lows.

"Presumably, as is the way of Europe, they will agree to come back from more talks followed by a compromise and a watered down deal," Societe Generale's Kit Juckes said of the EU discussions. "The positive though is that we are getting a recovery fund."

An eventual green light to the 750 billion euro plan should finally lead to joint European debt, but investors are seeing their broader list of uncertainties and questions growing again.

Will the COVID-19 pandemic force economies into lockdown again? Will governments and central banks keep feeding the markets beast with stimulus? And finally, are tech shares losing their mojo?

Netflix shares had dived 9% after the bell in Wall Street on Thursday after its results had flopped.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei slid 0.3% on concerns about rising virus infections in Tokyo. China's CSI300 index climbed 0.25%, though that was after a near 5% slump on Thursday.

Adding to the recent rise in U.S.-Sino tensions, Washington had said it was considering banning members of the Chinese Communist Party travelling to the United States. The party totals more than 90 million people.

Story continues

Market watchers said investors were counting on more stimulus. As well as Europe's recovery fund, the U.S. Congress is set to begin debating a new aid package next week, as several states in the country's south and west implement fresh lockdown measures to curb the virus.

While retail sales for June released on Thursday beat market expectations, real-time measures of retail foot traffic and employee working hours and shifts have flatlined after steady growth since April.

"We now see higher risk of a market correction, considering the improvement in hard economic data we have seen over the past couple of months is likely to halt," said Tomo Kinoshita, global market strategist at Invesco in Tokyo.

STUCK IN A RUTTE

In currencies, the euro hovered below the four-week high it touched earlier this week, but was barely budging as European Union leaders met.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, one of the main resisters to the recovery fund including mass grants, said that he was "not optimistic" that agreement would be reached on Friday as he arrived for the meeting.

The Netherlands wants countries receiving EU support from the fund to agree to reforms in their labour markets and pension systems, and is leading a group of several smaller EU nations calling for stricter conditions.

The euro fetched $1.14, up 0.2% on the day and heading for its fourth straight week of gains against a dollar that has been struggling globally.

The yen was up fractionally at 107.13 per dollar and Sweden's high-flying crown was up again.

In commodities trading, oil prices were little changed with Brent down 0.25% at $43.26 per barrel and U.S. crude down 0.15% at $40.87.

The United States reported at least 75,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, a daily record. Spain and Australia reported their steepest daily jumps in more than two months, while cases continued to soar in India and Brazil.

The two benchmark crudes had fallen 1% on Thursday too after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, agreed to trim their record supply cuts of 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2 million bpd, starting in August. ($1 = 0.8783 euros)

(Reporting by Marc Jones; Editing by Alex Richardson)
K Krishnachand By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has received widespread criticism on social media for conducting the Kerala Engineering, Architecture and Medical (KEAM) exams on Thursday amid the steep rise in COVID-19 cases in the state.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan faced flak for his "stubbornness" in conducting the exams in these testing times after photos and videos of crowds of students and parents in front of exam centres went viral on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Whatsapp groups.

The photo of a heavy crowd of parents and candidates in front of a centre at St Mary's higher secondary school at Pattom in the capital without adhering to any social distancing norms was shared by several people. Unlike other districts, Thiruvananthapuram remains an epicentre of the virus spread. The exam centre is in a neighbourhood where local transmission of cases with unknown sources of infection has been reported.

For the last two weeks, the situation in the capital has deteriorated and is widely considered to be a prelude to community transmission. Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor shared a photo on Twitter and stated, "This crowd of students crowding to enter an exam centre for #keam2020 have made a mockery of the social distancing norms. A Govt which wants to combat #Covid19 would not be foolish enough to persist with these exams when students (&this M.P.) have pleaded for their postponement!"

Celebrities also shared photos of the crowds. Malayalam film actor Sunny Wayne posted a photo on Facebook saying that all the centres in Thiruvananthapuram had similar crowds.

Film director Ashiq Abu, who is a Left sympathiser, criticized the government on Facebook. "Examinations to test the lives of students should come to an end. Give more value to life than the competitive exams," he said in the post with a picture and video of the crowd in front of the school.

Many also said that the state government has shown double standards in handling the COVID-19 situation in the state. "The Chief Minister lashed out against the opposition for holding a large gathering in protest. On the other hand, he wanted to conduct the examination to prove that Kerala has succeeded in the smooth conduct of exams. However, the government could have postponed the exams," a techie working in Technopark said.
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A Sandy Bay woman has been missing in Trinidad since Thursday 9th July and family members and friends are praying for her safe return.





Grace Esther Roberts, 24, was born in Trinidad to Vincentian parents. She was brought to live in Sandy Bay, St. Vincent when she was five, and lived there until her return to Trinidad some two years ago.





Now family members here are hoping for her safety even as some of them fear for the worst.





Her sister, Symorne Roberts told THE VINCENTIAN that she last spoke to her via telephone on Thursday 9th July, sometime around 7:34pm, and she was at work in good spirits.





She said that the last person "who we know saw her was a male co-worker who told police in Trinidad and Tobago that they took the same taxi to get home, after their shift had ended.





He said that he disembarked the taxi before Grace and she continued on her way in the company of the taxi driver.





He didnt get the number of the vehicle but said it was a white motor car.





Grace, Trinidad and Tobago Police said, resided at LP#78 Andrew Trace, Blue Basin Road, Diego Martin, a 15 to 20-minute drive to her work place.





The police also confirmed that she was last seen in Diego Martin on Thursday 9th July, 2020, and was reported missing on Saturday 11th July, 2020.





Symorne, meanwhile, is hoping her sister is alive, telling THE VINCENTIAN, "Hopeful she is alive and we will see her soon. Its a tough one because thats not only my sister but my best friend were talking about.





She described her sister as fun loving, free-spirited, straight forward and great company.





"Whoever has her or wherever she is, I pray shes released safely back to us. I miss my best friend and this situation is too painful. But we, as a family, have put our faith in the Most High, God, because with Him anything is possible, said Symorne.




You may have seen the reports about how the ever-beneficent auto insurance industry will be offering credits of up to $150 or up to 15 per cent on premiums, because people are not driving as much due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hence are not exposed to as much risk.

And yet, our provincial government is re-introducing photo radar to deal with the carnage on our roads.

More on that next week; one shameless scandal at a time...

At Kenzie World Headquarters, we got the insurance premium credit from our insurance company the other day.

$7 a month for three months.

Twenty-one whole dollars! Start planning the fully masked socially distanced parade.

I guess $7 is in the range of up to $150.

Its just not very close to $150.

As former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne might have put it, thats a stretch goal...

Our household must look damn near ideal to an insurance company.

Safe, well-trained drivers.

Excellent driving records.

No more teenagers at home.

Neither of us drives to work. (OK, so I drive FOR work, but I am not a regular commuter.)

Lifelong abstainers.

In fact, we were originally with Abstainers Insurance  yes, there was such a thing before it was bought out, and we ended up in the hands of Aviva.

We live out in the country, away from the congestion and fender-benders of the city.

Youd think insurance companies would be pressing rubies into our ears, trying to sign us up.

So if we only qualify for a $7 discount, who the heck is getting $150?

Certainly nobody I know.

When I told a friend of mine, a former insurance broker, about my massive rebate, he chuckled and said, Most people didnt get anything!

It is sounding more and more like a PR ploy to make it look like the insurance industry is doing their bit in this difficult time.

(Emphasis on the word bit.)

My insider told me there are big changes happening within this industry.

First, a couple of definitions.

A broker represents several different insurance companies, and will shop around to get you the best package for your particular needs. They get a commission from the sale, which runs about 12.5 per cent in automobile insurance, and up to 20 per cent for life insurance.

An agent represents only one company, so will sell you a product which his company supplies.

No commission.

Should also make insurance cheaper for you, yes?

Not sos youd notice.

My insider told me about a guy he knows. Lives north of Lindsay. Retired, so no longer drives to work. When his policy came up for renewal recently, his premium rose 22 per cent.

Same car. Same driver. Same location. Nearly a one-quarter increase in his premium.

So the insurance industry giveth with one hand  that $7  and taketh away with the other.

From what my ex-broker sees, the insurance companies are trying to get rid of brokers altogether.

Makes some sense at least from the perspective of the companies  no need to pay that commission.

They are doing this by paying handsomely to buy up these formerly independent brokerages to gain access to their book  industry-speak for their client portfolio.

There is also a lot of interest in them from U.S.-based hedge funds.

So the industry is becoming ever more concentrated in ever fewer hands.

When the number of people who can supply you with insurance decreases, what happens to the price?

You betcha.

Maybe not a complete monopoly.

But increasingly an oligopoly, in which a few big players can have a significant impact on the scene, which needless to say leads to higher prices.

And greater profits for themselves.

No wonder the share prices of insurance companies keep going up.

Not that I am against profit.

But if its acquired using underhanded and possibly illegal means, off with their heads!

Insurance companies also have a stranglehold on the auto-body repair business.

You have a crash (they are almost never accidents, because somebody is always to blame, never mind no-fault insurance).

Your insurance company tells you to take the car to their appraiser, who arranges everything for you. You may never meet the people who fix your car.

Fortunately, when a tree almost crushed our Miata a few years ago, we took it to the company-appointed body shop. They asked if we wanted steel or aluminum for the hood and trunk lid.

Um, what the car came with, please, aluminum.

How many people unknowingly let their cars be diminished by this shady practice?

Many years ago, a friend of mine who ran a body shop here in Milton had a list of insurance companies posted on his office wall. If you were insured with one of them, he told you to take your business elsewhere.

He was good enough he could afford to do that.

Most shops cannot.

Other body shops I know of wont take much, if any, collision work.

Insurance companies specify how much they will pay per hour for body repairs. With the complexity of todays cars  aluminum and high-strength steels, composites, sensors that must be adjusted to a millimetre of precision in order to be effective  body shop technicians need to be highly trained and skilled, and they require expensive tools to do the job correctly.

This shop cant make a profit on what the insurance companies will pay, so they focus on restoration work for high-end cars because their owners can and will pay for a proper job.

So, why arent car owners up in arms over these rate increases, when the service they need might well be compromised?

At least one regular reader is  he put me onto this scam. Thanks, Jeff.

But maybe its because we have become distracted by the current crisis.

Now, you wouldnt think this industry, a paragon of virtue for generations, would try to take advantage of this pandemic, do you?

Perish the thought.

But I wouldnt put it past them.

Geez, I hope I dont get cancelled now...
Alhaji Saalim Bamba, the Ashanti Regional Nasara Coordinator of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has applauded the Electoral Commission (EC) for ensuring a smooth registration exercise despite initial challenges.



He said the ability of the EC to overcome the technical challenges it faced in the first few days of the exercise demonstrated that they were capable of managing the electoral process to the satisfaction of Ghanaians.



Alhaji Bamba who was speaking to Ghana News Agency (GNA) after leading a team to monitor the exercise at Ahafo-Ano North, said he was particularly impressed by the Queue Management System put in place to check overcrowding at registration centres.



The Nasara Coordinator is leading one of the numerous monitoring teams deployed by the regional secretariat of the NPP to observe the exercise as key stakeholders of the process.



He said the introduction of the queue management system had brought sanity to the various registration centres and also ensured compliance of the social distancing protocol.



The EC has also done extremely well in enforcing the other safety protocols at the registration centres to protect both the officials and the registrants, he observed.



He encouraged all eligible voters across the country to take part in the exercise to enable them to exercise their franchise in December as citizens.



He said only registered voters could show appreciation to the numerous policy interventions by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo by renewing his mandate on December 07 and reiterated the need for Ghanaians to register.



Alhaji Bamba said the NPP was poised to retain power and would continue to keenly participate in all the electoral processes until victory was achieved.





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 Minister for Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, says government has targeted earning $16.1 billion from seven tree crops within eight years, through the Tree Crop Development Authority.



The minister said this at the commissioning of an office complex as the headquarters for the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) at Cantonments in Accra yesterday.



The occasion also saw the handing over of four refrigerated vehicles, known as the reefer vans, for the GIDA under the Ghana Peri-Urban Vegetable Value Chain Project (GVVCP).



The vans were presented to four implementing partners, HMR Organics, BBs Veggies, AB Farm Ventures, and Dzi Fresh.



The $50 World Bank funded GIDA office complex comprises a server room, irrigation promotion centre, electronic library centre, computer room, legal, among others.



According to Dr Akoto, although cocoa has been the countrys leading crop earner, there were other crops which have remained untapped into, despite their significant economic gains to the country.



There are other cocoas which God has given us, yet we have not developed, he said.



Against this background, Dr Akoto indicated that, the government has selected the seven crops and has targeted to grow each one of them to produce as much as cocoa is giving the country.



We want each one of these crops to also earn $2.3 billion in the next seven to eight years, Dr Akoto stated.



The $2.3 billion set target for each of the seven crops was a reaffirmation of a pronouncement by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, during his second edition of the encounter with the media in December last year.



The crops were cashew, oil palm, coffee, coconut, citrus, oil palm, mango and rubber.



On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the GIDA, Mr Wilson Kwabena Darkwa said that, the reefer vans would be of importance to the vegetable production sector in peri-urban areas, because they will be used to cart the produce to the warehouse, and also to the market centres.



Senior Agriculture Economist with the World Bank, Mr Sheu Salau said, the reefer vans would help in preventing post-harvest loses by farmers, and also provide assurance to farmers of ready market for their produce.

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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The site where the set of the movie Northmen is being erected on Torr Head County Antrim (Niall Carson/PA)

The shooting of a big-budget US film will showcase Northern Irelands dramatic north coast on a global stage, a local representative said.

Viking-age drama The Northman stars Nicole Kidman.

It was due to begin filming on County Antrims scenic Torr Head earlier this year, but coronavirus halted production.

Fresh pictures show progress made on the construction of a wooden village set, a short distance from the expansive Atlantic swell, over recent weeks.

Local councillor Cara McShane said: It is a privilege that we live where we do and it is great to see more and more of the media industry using this remote area.

Expand Close The Viking-age drama stars Nicole Kidman (Matt Crossick/PA) PA / Facebook

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The Northman is set in Iceland at the turn of the 10th century and is directed by Robert Eggers.

Claes Bang, the Dracula star, previously said it is confusing and depressing not knowing when production on film and television will be able to resume amid the coronavirus crisis.

The Danish actor was in Northern Ireland preparing to shoot The Northman, which also features Alexander Skarsgard and Willem Dafoe, before production was shut down and lock down was introduced.

Industry development body Northern Ireland Screen has said there were millions of US dollars in the production budget and hundreds of crew.

Ms McShane represents the Torr Head area on Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, and said the community was proud of the natural beauty on its doorstep.

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She added: It is testament to the strong background that this area provides.

She noted that local people had a great love of the landscape and displayed generosity of spirit in allowing its use for filming.

She said: It is also an opportunity to showcase this area on a global stage and we have seen the benefits on offer of screen tourism, where people come to the locations where films are produced.

That is a positive spin-off economically for the area attracting more and more people.

Expand Close Northern Irelands creative industry has been building on the phenomenal success of fantasy drama series Game Of Thrones (Liam McBurney/PA) PA / Facebook

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Dozens of productions were suspended due to the pandemic.

They also included the hit BBC series Line Of Duty.

Northern Irelands creative industry has been building on the phenomenal success of fantasy drama series Game Of Thrones, which was partly filmed there between 2011 and 2019.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 04:56:03|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Egypt registered on Friday 703 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total infections in the country since mid-February to 86,474, said the health ministry.

It is the lowest number of daily infections since May 26 in Egypt, as the country's single-day increase has been below 1,000 for the ninth consecutive day.

The death toll from the respiratory disease has reached 4,188 after 68 patients died in the past 24 hours, while 611 patients were cured and discharged from hospitals, taking the total recoveries to 27,302, Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

Egypt announced its first confirmed COVID-19 case on Feb. 14 and the first death from the highly infectious virus on March 8.

The North African country resumed international flights on July 1 after more than three months of suspension, amid a coexistence plan to maintain anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming economic activities.

The government has recently lifted a partial nighttime curfew it has been imposing since late March, and reopened restaurants, cafes, theaters and cinemas, as well as hotels, museums and archeological sites for tourists, all with limited capacity.

Egypt and China have been joining hands in fighting the pandemic through exchanging medical aid and expertise.

In early February, Egypt provided aid to China to help with its fight against COVID-19 and China later sent three batches of medical aid to Egypt, the latest of which was in mid-May.

"So far, Chinese medical experts have held eight video conferences with Egyptian counterparts over COVID-19," Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said earlier this month. Enditem
On the 6th anniversary of MH17's downing U.S. calls on Russia to cooperate with investigation to establish accountability

On the sixth anniversary of the crash of the Malaysia Airlines flight 17 in the sky over Donbas, the United States urges Russia to cooperate with the investigation to identify 298 perpetrators of the deaths, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine reports.

"On the 6th anniversary of MH17's downing, we extend our condolences to the families & friends of the 298 innocent civilians who lost their lives. We call on Russia to cooperate fully with the investigation & efforts to establish accountability, in line with UNSC Resolution 2166," the Embassy said on Twitter on Friday morning.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 en route from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was downed in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on July 17, 2014. None of the 298 people on board survived.

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which includes law enforcement from Ukraine, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, and Malaysia, is probing the incident.

In September 2016, the JIT made public conclusions that the aircraft was downed by a missile fired from a Buk air defense missile system, and the JIT identified the ownership of the Buk missile a year ago. According to the JIT, the missile launcher belongs to the Russian 53rd Air Defense Missile Brigade, which is deployed in Kursk.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp adjusts his mask prior to a bill signing at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital where the hospital opened a new Emergency Room space, Thursday, July 16, 2020, in Marietta, Ga. Mayors in Atlanta and other Georgia cities deepened their defiance of Gov. Kemp on Thursday, saying they want their requirements for people to wear masks in public to remain in place, even after the Republican governor explicitly forbade cities and counties from mandating face coverings. AP



Officials in the U.S. state of Georgia on Thursday appeared headed for a clash over face masks to fight the spread of the coronavirus after the governor barred mayors from requiring residents to wear them.



Governor Brian Kemp issued an executive order late on Wednesday suspending local regulations requiring "face coverings, masks, face shields or any other personal protective equipment" in public. The order said residents were "strongly encouraged" to wear face coverings in public. Kemp, a member of President Donald Trump's Republican Party, suggested any order mandating masks would be too restrictive.



Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, who issued a mask mandate in his Georgia city on July 1, reacted swiftly.



"It is officially official. Governor Kemp does not give a damn about us. Every man and woman for himself/herself. Ignore the science and survive the best you can," Johnson, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter.



COVID-19 cases have spiked across the American South and West after local officials started loosening economic and social restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. On Thursday, Florida reported its third record increase in deaths this month, up 156. The previous record was 133 on July 9.



Health experts say people should wear masks and adhere to social distancing as lockdowns ease. In Atlanta, Georgia's largest city, Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms required masks on July 8. Ethan Padgett, 37, a furloughed arts museum worker, said he believed the governor's order was a "bad idea."



"We need to wear masks to stop the spread. The mayor knows that," he said, talking through his mask outside Joe's Coffee in the East Atlanta Village neighborhood.



"So many people aren't following this day-to-day, but are taking their cues from our leaders. If the governor takes it more seriously, people will."



The governor was just encouraging people to do the right thing, said Pat Walker, 54, who was also wearing a mask.



"People should have a choice but choose wisely," she said.






Since the 2016 campaign there have been claims that Trump used the n-word on the set of his television show, The Apprentice. Bill Pruitt, an original producer on the reality show, first hinted at it in October 2016, claiming there were tapes of Trump using far worse language than was heard on the Access Hollywood tape in which Trump is heard boasting about grabbing women by their genitals.
US decides to hold contribution payments to WHO

President Trump to build pressure on WHO

The US bags the position of the biggest assessed contributor this year again!

Assessed contributions and voluntary supplementary assessed contributions





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The organization that first declared a health emergency due to COVID-19 was the World Health Organization (WHO). Being a victim of this global virus Trump, the president of US, declared that their contributions to the WHO would be put to a halt because of certain factors that have stirred more risk to the people of US.President Trump did not hold back and blamed WHO publicly for not delivering the critical information related to coronavirus to the US in time. He also accused the organization of acquiring a solid demeanour for China centricity. These events, however, unfolded the new and much riskier chapter for the WHO as the most contributing country retreated from making any more contributions to the organization at this critical time. President Trump also emphasizes the pressure they are going to build for WHO as he stated that the hold on contributions would be for an extended period of time which clearly depicts a powerful action.The charts below show that the US has been the biggest assessed contributor to WHO followed by China, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy, and Brazil. Even after withdrawing payment because of the recent events, the US is still the highest assessed contributor to the WHO.WHO is basically a funded organization where two types of contributions called assessed contributions, and voluntary supplementary assessed contributions are welcomed. When the countries contribute to this organization based on their country's total wealth and population, it is called an assessed contribution. In contrast, the second one is completely voluntary contribution that is made by some of the countries.
CAIRO  During his two-day visit to Cairo on July 6-7, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki held bilateral talks with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, focusing on the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and security in the Red Sea, with the aim to support regional security and stability, spokesman for the Egyptian presidency Bassam Radi said.

This is the fifth visit Afwerki has paid to Cairo since Sisi took office in 2014. This time, however, his visit came as Egypt failed to reach a binding agreement with Ethiopia on the filling and operation of the GERD, which Cairo believes will damage its interests in the Nile waters.

Afwerki had previously visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on May 2, and Khartoum, Sudan, on June 25. Observers believe that such visits are part of Eritrea's mediation efforts to resolve the dispute between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

The Egyptian-Eritrean rapprochement over the decades has always been a source of trouble for Ethiopia, which has repeatedly accused Egypt of using Eritrea as a pressure card and of destabilizing the situation in Ethiopia. This rapprochement has also furthered the Eritrean-Ethiopian conflict that dates to the Eritrean War of Independence in the 1990s, while the situation of no war, no peace between the two countries has constantly fueled regional tension in past years.

The historic conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea ended after the two parties signed a peace agreement in July 2018; as a result, Ethiopias Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2019.

Yet, following Afwerkis visit to Cairo, the Eritrean Ministry of Information said July 11 that the peace agreement with Ethiopia had not met Eritreas expectations. The ministry added in a statement on its website, Two years after the signing of the Peace Agreement, Ethiopian troops continue to be present in our sovereign territories.  Trade and economic ties of both countries have not resumed to the desired extent or scale.

In this context, a diplomatic official specialized in African affairs told Al-Monitor, Cairo is open to all regional and international initiatives designed to resolve the dispute over the GERD. Egypt and Eritrea have common interests that are not limited to bilateral files. There is ongoing coordination in handling the regional dossiers in the Red Sea region on the one hand, and the relations with Ethiopia on the other.

Speaking to Al-Monitor on the role Eritrea can play in the conflict between Cairo and Addis Ababa over the GERD, Hamdy Abdel Rahman Hassan, a professor of political sciences at Cairo University, said, Under the rule of Afwerki, Eritrea [became] a key actor in the power equation in the Horn of Africa given its important geostrategic position. President Afwerki is able to act at the foreign level and exploit the [disputes] to his own interests.

Abdel Rahman Hassan added, Eritreas president already announced his position on the GERD in 2016. He believes that the dam exceeds the development needs of Ethiopia. There are multiple signs indicating that the Eritrean position is in favor of Egypt, particularly after the tripartite negotiations [on the dam] have come to a crossroad.

Since he took office in April 2018, Ethiopias Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been seeking to resolve his countrys disputes with Eritrea and Somalia. Yet the tension and domestic challenges have prevented a genuine implementation of the rapprochement policies.

Eritrea has been reluctant to rely on him [Ahmed] in light of the unstable domestic situation in Ethiopia, while Ethiopian forces continue to occupy the disputed areas, Abdel Rahman Hassan said.

He noted, Eritreas geographical location and relations with the Gulf countries  especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates  can serve as strategic support for Egypt, particularly in case of escalation.

Speaking to Al-Monitor, Eritreas Ambassador to Cairo Fasil Gebreselasie denied that Sisi and Afwerki touched on the aspects of military cooperation when it comes to the GERD crisis. He said, There is focus on enhancing cooperation and coordination in handling the regional security and economic files.

He added, President Afwerki offered whats within Eritreas ability to resolve the dispute over the GERD. However, he refused to give details on the Eritrean initiative.

Suleiman Hassan, an Eritrean political analyst and expert on African affairs, told Al-Monitor, The Eritrean president is aware of the nature and complexities of the political stage in Ethiopia, as well as of the stalled talks on the GERD. He can play an important role in bringing closer the views of the political regimes in Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan in order for them to overcome the differences.

Hassan added, The Ethiopian opposition  which supports the former regime that belongs to the Tigrayan ethnic group, and which was the source of historical enmity with Eritrea  has used Ahmeds policies of rapprochement with Egypt to oppose him. This will make it difficult for the current [Ethiopian] political regime to strike an agreement with Egypt on the GERD.

However, it is in Eritreas interests to mediate the GERD dispute, according to Suleiman, who explained, Eritrea is well aware that the return of the former regime to the rule in Ethiopia is not in its [Eritreas] interest. This is especially true in light of attempts to push Ethiopia and Eritrea into military skirmishes on the border, like what happened with Sudan in March.

Any Egyptian-Ethiopian interim agreement on the GERD that serves domestic peace and stabilization in Ethiopia will have a positive impact on Eritrea's interest, he added.

The success of the mediation efforts led by Eritrea or the African Union to resolve the Nile dam dispute still depend on the Ethiopian current political regimes ability to adopt a clear position and control the volatile situation  and this without using the GERDs dossier to gain popularity and confront the opposition campaigns that believe any agreement on the GERD with Egypt goes against Ethiopias interests.
Tourists from the United Kingdom arrive at Athens International Airport after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted by Greece. AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris

Greece and Cyprus may be among the European sun destinations in next week's 'green list' of countries where Irish holidaymakers can enjoy quarantine-free breaks.

This means that Irish tourists returning home will not have to restrict their movements for two weeks as a precaution in case they pick up Covid-19 abroad.

The list is expected to be quite limited and will exclude many holiday destination favourites.

However, the finalisation of the list will go down to the wire and not be signed off until Monday's Cabinet meeting. This is because a few days of virus flare-ups can dramatically change a country's rate of virus per 100,000.

Ireland's prevalence is now nearly four per 100,000, which has deteriorated in recent weeks. The aim is to find countries which are on a par with or better than us that Irish holidaymakers can travel to.

The UK, France and Italy are not expected to be on the list. Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) - which is advising against non-essential foreign travel - has not seen it. He said he accepted that the Nphet recommendation to avoid going abroad, while at the same time publishing a green list, gave a mixed message.

"From a public health perspective, if a country has a disease rate more or less the same as here and people take all the precautions they need to take - getting there and while they are there, getting back and when they come back - then you can't say there is an additional risk," he said.

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"But the vast majority of countries that people would want to go to for non-essential travel do not have similar epidemiological profiles to ourselves and we have been very clear that people should not go to those countries."

He said Nphet's position in relation to foreign travel had been very clear for many months, and that was to avoid any non-essential journeys abroad.

He said Nphet had no input into the list, which is being drawn up by the Department of Health with input from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The list is based on incidence of the disease, trends and clusters, as well as the direction of disease in other European countries.

"Ultimately the list will be a matter for Government," he said.

There is an agreed European methodology behind air bridges which looks at the 14-day incidence and whether this is rising or falling, along with other key information about a country.

The information has not been provided to Government yet because the picture changes every day.

It will be given at the point closest to when they make the decision at Cabinet on Monday.

Dr Colm Henry of the HSE said that because of the "frailty" of our position in this country, people should not go on holidays.

"We should not take the gains we have made for granted. There have been enormous gains to get to where we are," he said.

There were health services that had been paused that needed to resume and school had to restart, he added.
The European Aviation Safety Agency has recently issued a warning stating that all passenger aircraft that operate through Iranian Airspace are at risk of being targeted and shot down by the countrys air-defence system. According to reports, the EASA released a statement wherein they advised aircraft to be cautious.

EU agency cautions passenger aircrafts

As per reports, the EASAs statement further added that there is very poor coordination between the Iranian civil aviation agency and the military, therefore there is a real possibility that passenger aircraft could be misidentified as hostile aircraft. The EASA also warned of the presence of advanced air-defence systems in the country.

The European Union agency claimed that the risk is high for aircraft that fly below 25,000 feet and it recommended caution till at least January 16, 2021. This warning has been issued after Iran admitted that due to a series of human errors that resulted in miscommunication, it mistakenly shot down a Ukraine International Airlines Flight back in January that killed 752 souls on board.

Read: Iran: Seven Ships Damaged In Fire At Bushehr Port, No Casualties Reported

Read: Iran Supremo Khamenei's Backing Breaks Back Of Hardliner Motion Against President Rouhani

The downing of the Ukrainian flight took place just days after the death of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in a bombing which was carried out by the United States. The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has also stated in a televised statement that all persons responsible for the shooting down of the airliner will be held accountable and punished. After initially denying its involvement in the January 8 crash, Iran on January 11 admitted that it accidentally shot down the jetliner because of a human error.

Read: Ukraine Says Too Soon To Blame Human Error For Downing Of Passenger Plane In Iran

Read: Iran Executes Former Defence Ministry Official Convicted Of Spying For CIA
Schools out but more than 8,000 students across Niagara are still spending time this summer furthering their education and catching up to improve their marks.

District School Board of Niagara has 5,980 pupils taking classes virtually, a significant jump from the 2,450 enrolled in 2019.

There are 1,200 elementary DSBN students signed up for courses. Thats a result of the Summer Heat program being cancelled due to COVID-19 and the elementary summer program being modified to include more literacy and numeracy courses. It was expanded, too, to include grades four and five, said spokeswoman Carolyn Loconte.

Secondary and intermediate elementary students (grades seven to 12) is where DSBN is seeing the big increase in enrollment.

Last summer, the public board had 1,250 students registered. This year, it has soared to 4,780.

Loconte said the board attributes the major increase to the Ministry of Educations expectation that Ontario school boards offer more options for students to continue learning this summer.

In response to the impact of COVID-19, the board made it a priority to offer increased learning opportunities and resources for students in all grades, said DSBN education director Warren Hoshizaki.

Many students adapted very quickly to the online learning, which allowed them to easily transition and enrol into summer school. Were pleased to see students engaged and learning during a time when their options for summer have been more limited than usual, he said.

Niagara Catholic District School Board, meanwhile, has 2,304 students studying in July and August, also through online programming  nearly 70 fewer students than last year at the Catholic board.

DSBN has been able to expand its course list, providing more humanities studies, French immersion, English as a second language and a program called Bootcamp Upgrade, a two-week course for students in grades seven to 12 to improve their grades.

The public board has added an addictions and youth counsellor to its summer team, supporting students in grades seven to 12, said Loconte.

The DSBNs virtual summer school programs are being offered to students in kindergarten through Grade 12.

For students in Grade 5 and under, summer school is an excellent opportunity for them to continue learning, stay engaged with school and even make new friends, said Loconte.

For students Grades 6 to 12, it is a way to upgrade their marks and get a head start by earning credits in advance.

For example, students going into Grade 9 are taking summer courses so they can start working on their high school credits now, said Loconte.

This is giving them the advantage of getting ahead, and is also preparing them for their next chapter by giving them a taste of what high school will be like, she said.

At the elementary level, Niagara Catholic has 320 students taking international and Indigenous language courses, 90 taking part in the boards virtual summer learning program, and 57 in special education programs.

For high school students, there are 1,395 in online credit courses, 76 in community co-op placements, and 19 who are upgrading credit courses online, according to a statement from Niagara Catholic.

There are 254 adult students participating in the English as a second language program and 15 adult students signed up for literacy and basic skills.

The largest reach-ahead programs are Grade 10 civics/careers and senior English, said the Catholic board.

Niagara Catholic had hoped to offer students in-person learning this summer, as it normally does, said director of education John Crocco, who will retire at the end of August.

As always, the health and safety of our students and staff is our primary concern. The continued school closure, and no decision as to how they will operate in September, meant we had to limit our summer school options to e-learning courses for this summer, he said.

Although they are not together, our staff are continuing to offer summer school students engaging programs that will allow them to either reach-ahead, refresh skills or work toward a higher grade.
Mumbai, July 17 : Actress-director Nandita Das, who starred in "Fire" that explored the love story of two women, is all praise for Aarti Neharsh's short film "The Song We Sang", which is about two women falling in love.

"The Song We Sang, directed by a young filmmaker, Aarti Neharsh, celebrates the beginning of romance between two strangers. The short film is simple and sweet. It treasures and mourns its moments at the same time," said Nandita.

Neharsh's debut short film featuring Serena Walia and Ayushi Gupta, will have its India premiere at the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival soon.

"It has been an overwhelming journey so far right from making the film to now, bringing it to people who have received it with so much love and I am really excited for the Indian premiere. It is definitely special because it is also the first time the film will reach people here back home," said Neharsh.

"I want to thank Nandita Das for her gracious and kind words on the film. It has really uplifted this journey," she added.

The short film had its European Premiere at London Indian Film Festival in June in Satyajit Ray Short film competition category where it won Special Jury Mention.

The film was originally scheduled for a world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) 2020, but the event has been postponed to next year due to the Covid outbreak.

It will be screened at the International Film Festival of South Asia Toronto in August and The Imagine India Film Festival Madrid in September.
Angela Rv Taneja By

The World Bank last month approved the quarter trillion rupees Project STARS or Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States. Its a significant move not just in terms of its sheer scale, but also the policy direction it would set for India. It is unfortunate that this large project with long-term policy impact was finalised without due consultation and any criticism was drowned in the noise of the current pandemic. As we move from approval to implementation, it is critical to reiterate the need for clearer safeguards to ensure focus on equity for the marginalised.

The project aims to reform the educational governance system in six states of India- Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan (high performance- Lighthouse States), Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha (whose performance needs strengthening- Learning States) and also includes a national component. The project promotes partnerships with private sector as a tool of system reform and calls for expansion of government funding for private schooling. A National Framework for Partnership with Non-State actors would be developed to help identify schools for PPPs and non-state partners. It also brings a heavy component of standardized testing (in line with PISA), use of distance education for teacher training and other measures.

The projects promotion of a PPP approach overlooks the growing body of academic evidence which shows that PPPs and private education do not necessarily deliver better outcomes and also risk increasing inequalities in education. The model includes private providers taking over school operations and management, outsourcing specific services (e.g. teacher training and school leadership), seeking support of management firms/NGOs and school vouchers.

This is not the first time that these specific modes of PPPs and school vouchers are being proposed. Similar large scale experiments in other countries (many of them flagged in a previous version of the Bank project document as being worthy of emulation) like the Liberia school pilot, the PPP administered in Pakistans Punjab, Rajasthan Education Initiatives and School Excellence Programme by BMC have not yielded the expected results. Yet, the project aims to scale similar interventions to new states. Pilots of partnerships with management firms, private schools and tech providers should be dropped since such interventions have already been attempted with questionable results. Particularly mysterious is the inclusion of a provision of a Multi-Donor Trust Fund. This is being envisaged as a pooled resource for additional activities that may not adhere strictly to government norms. A first investment appears to be coming from JP Morgan. One cannot wonder why a grant that bypasses government norms is necessary.

The case for the project is based on the need to address poverty and inequality in India. However, adequate measures have not been spelled out to address intergenerational, social and economic barriers to address discrimination or correct inequalities in the Indian context. The project should prioritize the development of policy frameworks for equity in learning. Sensitisation of teachers on gender discrimination and exclusion, institutionalisation of accelerated learning, development of materials for students and teachers in diverse languages and formats and equity audits of all schools should be part of the project.

The project fails to prioritise developing State capacity and innovation win the public sector in order for change to be sustainable. Successful reforms are managed from within the system and are built on trust of those tasked to implement them. While the project document starts with the recognition that availability of good education infrastructure, teaching and learning materials and human resources and mechanisms for community interventions are critical for strengthening schools, it introduces no concrete new measures to address these critical drivers of change. The project fails to address the most critical needs of the system. Instead, governance and decentralized management is viewed as help reduce government tasks, expand private initiatives and form new partnerships for enhanced efficiency.

It is unclear how these would lead to education being more relevant to local needs or democratically promote peoples participation by empowering local authorities - both stated goals of the project. The project brings risk of increased reliance on external consultancies and non-state entities instead of fostering problem solving and implementation capabilities in public sector. One reason behind these gaps in the project is inadequate consultation. The representative education networks, teacher unions or CSOs have not been consulted in the project design. The project should not be implemented without adequate transparent public debate.

Angela Rv Taneja

Policy Expert,Oxfam India
Jane Fonda has once again proven that age is just a number by showing off her incredibly youthful complexion in a striking new beauty campaign to celebrate her partnership with CBD brand Uncle Bud's.

While months of lockdown left many feeling far less than glamorous, Fonda, 82, looks better than ever in one of her first post-quarantine shoots, in which she is seen flaunting her smooth skin while posing with a host of her favorite CBD and hemp products.

The actress and activist, who is based in LA, was first announced as the newest celebrity ambassador for Uncle Bud's in May at the height of the pandemic - and was therefore unable to celebrate the partnership with a conventional shoot, instead relying on social media to mark her newest role.

Peace out! Jane Fonda, 82, showed off her incredibly youthful complexion in a new campaign for CBD and hemp brand Uncle Bud's

OK! The actress and activist was announced as the newest celebrity ambassador for the brand in May at the height of the pandemic - and wasn't initially able to pose for a shoot

Safety first: Fonda finally got the chance to pose for the Uncle Bud's cameras in early June as lockdown restrictions in California began to ease up

But as lockdown restrictions in California eased up last month, Fonda emerged from quarantine looking every inch the glamorous Hollywood star in order to pose for her first official campaign for the brand.

'In early June, the campaign came to life on set in Los Angeles, with Uncle Buds, Fonda and all parties taking utmost precaution in a safe and mindfully orchestrated socially distanced photoshoot,' a spokesperson for the company told DailyMail.com.

In the images, the Grace and Frankie star can be seen modeling a chic white button-down and simple blue pants, while striking some fun-filled poses and showing off some of her top picks from the brand's product range.

However it is Fonda's smooth and youthful complexion that truly steals the show - with the simple ensemble and plain backdrop drawing all the more focus to her glowing skin.

But for the actress, the shoot was all about celebrating her new role as an Uncle Bud's ambassador - while opening up about the different ways in which she uses the brand's products.

'[The Hemp Roll-On Pain Relief] is my go-to for aches and pains,' Fonda - who suffers from osteoarthritis - said in a statement about the shoot.

Top pick: Fonda flaunts flawless skin, as well as her favorite products from the Uncle Bud's range - naming this blue light mask as being perfect for those who spend too much time online

Precautions: One of the products featured by Fonda in the shoot is a hemp hand sanitizer - which will no doubt fly off the shelves amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic

Treatment: Fonda, who suffers from osteoarthritis, also revealed that she uses the products to help ease her 'aches and pains'

'Just roll it on and go. No mess, no stiffness, no BS...'

She certainly isn't keeping all of the CBD brilliance to herself however, revealing that she has also been sharing the products with her nearest and dearest.

'I gave this blue light face mask to a good friend of mine,' she revealed. 'It protects your skin from harmful blue light that emits from your computer or phone. Its terrific.

'So, if you happen to know someone who spends too much time online, get this mask.'

This is by no means the first time that Fonda has expressed her fondness for hemp-based products, with the actress revealing in May that she actually uses a weed pen in order to help her sleep - explaining that she finds it works better for her than sleeping pills.

'I use a pen that limits how many doses you get, which is way better than taking sleeping pills.' she explained. 'But I was never majorly into pot to tell you the truth. However, I have osteoarthritis, so things that help with pain and inflammation are good.'

Fonda - who lives in California, where the use of marijuana is legal - has previously been revealed as a fan of LA-based weed pen brand Dosist, which sells the kind of pens that she is referring to.

Celebrate: In May, when the partnership was first announced, Fonda celebrated by posting a funny Instagram video

Helping hand: At the time, Fonda revealed that she uses a weed pen to sleep

The company, which uses recycled plastic to create its products, in line with Fonda's strong sustainability-focused stance on eco-activism, offers a range of pens that contain THC and are aimed at helping with different day-to-day issues.

For someone like Fonda, who is looking to get better rest at night, the brand has a 'sleep' version of its THC and CBD pens - which dispenses a 2.25mg dose per inhale. Dosist also offers bliss, calm, relief, arouse, and passion varieties.

In a 2015 interview with DuJour magazine, the Grace and Frankie star revealed: 'I still smoke pot every now and then,' while joking that she cannot watch movies while under the influence of marijuana because it impairs her judgment.

'The number of movies I've seen thinking, "This is probably the best I have ever seen," and then I'll see it again sober and think, "What was I thinking?"'

Fonda has also recently begun incorporating more CBD-based product into her daily life - as well as sharing them with her close friends and family, particularly those who need help with 'pain and inflammation'.

'I have relatives who are elderly and I have sent them [Uncle Bud's CBD] products and they have really made a difference for them,' she shared while discussing her new role for the hemp brand.

The two-time Oscar winner said that he is also looking into the environmental benefits of hemp, explaining that she has been a fan of hemp clothing for two years now, but has recently learned more about the ways in which the material can be used to create other things.

Busy bee: The two-time Oscar winner, who has been sharing regular updates from her life in lockdown, described the coronavirus pandemic as a 'huge crossroads in history'

Joker: In a recent video, Fonda filmed her daily routine, joking that she likes to end the day with a giant martini

'I have indigenous friends who grow industrial hemp, and Im learning a lot about hemp as a viable economic sector we need to foster,' she said.

'I found out recently, for example, that Henry Ford made a car out of industrial hemp fiber, and theres something on YouTube that shows a guy with a sledge hammer trying to make a dent in this hemp fiber car, and he couldnt. So it was a hemp fiber car that couldnt be dented that ran on hemp oil!'

Although Fonda has long been an outspoken activist for environmentalism and sustainability, she explained that her time in quarantine has given her all the more motivation to make a change in the world around her.

Describing this time as a 'huge crossroads in history', she explained that she 'feels very motivated' to impact the way the world deals with the impact of the pandemic.

'Humanity is at a unique crossroads in history and we need to define whats happening and make sure the right people are controlling how it turns out, so I feel very motivated to do what I can,' she added.

While in quarantine, Fonda did her best to spread the word about climate change, regularly calling for people to get involved in the movement on social media - while also documenting her day-to-day life in lockdown.

In April, she turned TikTok's 9 To 5 trend into a way to talk about her activism, revealing how fighting for the environment makes up part of her daily routine.

Funny girl: She also documented her lockdown workout routine, joking around that she did the same squats in jail after being arrested during a public protest

'Now this pandemic is causing terrible suffering and changing what we can do in this time of social distancing,' she wrote in a recent issue of People.

'But its also an important teachable moment for the other pandemic that confronts us: the climate crisis.'

'COVID-19 is teaching us how dangerous denial is and how important science and preparedness is. Its also proving that we are able to take massive collective action when the stakes are high.

'Clearly we are capable of fundamentally changing our behavior to protect the health and safety of our families. Were also seeing how nature can heal when we take action.'

Her partnership with Uncle Bud's is also something that aligns perfectly with her activist ideals, with the actress explaining that if the products weren't eco-friendly and animal-kind, 'she wouldn't have gone near them'.

'[The brand] reached out to me thinking the alignment between them and me made sense,' she explained. 'I wasnt so sure in the beginning. Then I tried the products out for a few months, and I really like em.

'I like the skin creams, I like the aching muscle creams, I like the lip balm, I like the hand sanitizers, I like the fact they were giving free hand sanitizers to a homeless youth organization. And I think they work. If it wasnt a U.S.-made product and eco-friendly and animal-kind, I wouldnt have gone near them.'
Ian Youngblood The median survival for a patient with glioblastoma today is 16 months and this statistic has shown no notable improvement for decades. The need for a bold approach to rapidly identify new, effective therapies for those impacted by this disease is greater than ever. - Dr. Sanai

Nader Sanai, M.D., director of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center at Barrow Neurological Institute and Ian Youngblood, RN, have come together for the second annual Glioblastoma Awareness Day (#GBMDay) on July 22, 2020 to raise national consciousness.

Glioblastoma Awareness Day (GBM Day) is dedicated to increasing public awareness of glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer. It also honors those who have been impacted by the disease and supports efforts to develop better treatment options that will improve patients long-term prognosis.

The median survival for a patient with glioblastoma today is 16 months and this statistic has shown no notable improvement for decades, said Nader Sanai, M.D., director of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and neurosurgical oncologist at Barrow Neurological Institute. The need for a bold approach to rapidly identify new, effective therapies for those impacted by this disease is greater than ever.

U.S. Senator for Arizona, John McCain, died of glioblastoma nearly two years ago on August 25, 2018. Following his death, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators sponsored a resolution to allocate a day in July to raise awareness and leverage support for the research and treatment of glioblastoma. The resolution passed unanimously shortly after Senators Martha McSally and Kyrsten Sinema toured the Ivy Brain Tumor Center in Phoenix, AZ where Dr. Sanai and his team are pioneering a novel clinical trials program funded by the largest grant in the history of brain cancer research.

Youngblood, a 29-year-old Arizona-based Registered Nurse, spent three months in New York offering his support to doctors in the fight against coronavirus. But toward the end of his deployment, Youngblood began experiencing sudden headaches, nausea and decreased motor function. He received a devastating diagnosis and had an emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor. His family arranged a GoFundMe page to help cover medical bills but despite surpassing the initial goal of $180,000 in the first week, it did not cover his first hospital bill of $254,000. The new GoFundMe goal has been set at $550,000 in anticipation of his aggressive treatment plan.

I am so grateful to Hoda Kotb at the TODAY Show for helping to tell my story, as well as People Magazine, ABC 15 Phoenix, Marie Claire, and the list goes on. For everyone who has donated toward helping to cover my medical bills, I am so overwhelmed by your generosity. And for those who have shared my GoFundMe page, written a comment, emailed me, and prayed for me, thank you. Not everyone has a story like mine, so I want to utilize this awareness for those going through a similar battle. My true desire is for everyone to stay safe and healthy. We need more research so raising awareness and supporting the groundbreaking work happening at the Ivy Center is part of what gives me hope, said Youngblood.

After returning from New York to Phoenix, Youngblood was also honored by The Bonnie Fang Foundation (BFF), established in 2002 to honor nurses who demonstrate the dedication and desire to deliver outstanding patient care, while continuing Bonnie Fangs legacy of giving to the community.

"Ian is an incredibly strong and positive individual and we are committed to getting him back to his passion for serving patients and all of the things in life he finds meaningful, said Dr. Sanai.

About Ivy Brain Tumor Center

Ivy Brain Tumor Center at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ is a non-profit translational research program that employs a bold, early-phase clinical trials strategy to identify new treatments for aggressive brain tumors, including glioblastoma. The Ivy Centers Phase 0 clinical trials program is the largest of its kind in the world and enables personalized care in a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional drug development. Unlike conventional clinical trials focusing on single drugs, its accelerated trials program tests therapeutic combinations matched to individual patients. Learn more at IvyBrainTumorCenter.org. Follow the Ivy Brain Tumor Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.


WISE  The chancellor of the University of Virginias College at Wise has been named the 2020 Outstanding Woman Leader in Virginia higher education.

The Virginia Network for Women in Higher Education surprised Chancellor Donna Price Henry with the award after conducting a webinar for the Network on Leading with Passion and Perseverance.

Henry has led UVa-Wise since January 2013 and is the first woman chancellor at the college, according to a news release from the organization.

As chancellor, she has played a vital role in establishing new initiatives such as the innovate2elevate iPad project, recruitment expansion into the Appalachian Regional Commission and increasing experiential learning opportunities for students through internships, undergraduate research and study abroad, the release said.

Henry also promotes leadership development within her organization and serves as a mentor and encourager for many women in higher education, the release said.

Henry recently served as chairwoman of the Council of Presidents in Virginia, for which she helped lead conversations with peer institutions and other state agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organization established a committee and solicited nominations from across the state. It received 29 nominations advocating for women who serve as role models to women, have a commitment to developing and fostering the empowerment of women leaders and who exemplify leadership, success and service, the release said.

Henry was gifted a piece of art created by Cyndi Gusler, a professor of art at Eastern Mennonite University.

The Virginia Network is one of more than 50 state networks created and supported by the American Council on Educations Office of Women in Higher Education.
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Bernard Bravenboer, founder and CEO of hellohr

Can you tell us a bit about hellohr?

We offer an easy-to-use online system where businesses can run payroll, work out the PAYE and manage their employees

When, how and why did you get started?

As part of the SnapScan founding team, even though we were pioneers in mobile payments and used smart tech to grow our business, at the time, I struggled to find a platform that really met our needs as we grew the team, and complied with local legislation. Years later, this is still a problem I see many small businesses and SA startups facing.

What is the core function of hellohr?

The platform calculates taxes (PAYE), sends payslips to employees, keeps track of leave and allows business owners to keep track of employee information.

What are some of the obstacles you've had to overcome since starting out?

The way to get to understand what people need and what their problems are, is by spending time with them: understanding their day-to-day processes and needs, where the stumbling blocks are.

Covid-19 and the national lockdown has impacted many businesses. What impact did it have on hellohr?

Some leaders may expect their employees to work like robots, but this pandemic has taken a huge mental toll on all of us.

How did you prepare for the lockdown?

What's the biggest challenge you are facing during this pandemic?

Were presenting a product in a sector where people tend to be averse to change  they stick to what they know and whats been available. The pandemic is, in some ways, giving business owners and operators a licence to relook decisions they made years ago, to look at the plumbing of their businesses.

Will you need any assistance going forward? If so, what will you need?

What measures are you taking to keep your employees safe?

Communication is of utmost importance. How are you communicating with your customers?

This means that customers can ask questions at any point as they navigate the hellohr platform. We built this initially because we wanted to make the onboarding process as easy as possible for clients. And its worked really well during lockdown.

What do you predict the next 6 months will be like for hellohr?

hellohr is certainly an innovative platform. What has been your biggest lesson from all this?

We dont want to spend two years in a basement building tech that were unsure people might even want by the time it launches. We want to offer people what they need now, which means weve had to build quickly and execute and get real-world feedback in a short amount of time.

We looked at the current problem, what the available solutions are and how this can be done better. We can use tech to solve problems previously solved by manual, archaic processes, says Bernard Bravenboer, founder and CEO of hellohr.Bernard Bravenboer, who was also part of the founding team of SnapScan, shares more about hellohr - the tech-forward payroll and HR platform.Hellohr is a software startup I founded to make handling payroll and HR administration easier for small businesses.Historically, these kinds of tools have been quite hard to use, and theyve often been limited to the tax practitioner or linked to long-term contracts.As a small business owner, you dont often have that kind of capital or an in-house tax practitioner, and we wanted to make this process easier for business owners. This way they can spend their time and energy building their business, not worrying about the things that dont earn them revenue.For me, its always been this mind-boggling thing that you can work at a modern, tech company with cool tools and forward-thinking processes, but if you want to query a payslip, it takes two weeks. You get referred to someone you dont know, who doesnt know your history and your hands feel tied. Why is the employee experience still stuck in the 80s?So, it led me to think How do we give employees access to and control of their data without adding a burden to the business owner; and how do we support small businesses who grow and need an adaptable payroll structure?This is the problem I set out to solve. I wanted to create a better experience for managers and employees. I believe that small businesses and employees should have the same access that their South African counterparts have in big corporates. We know and have seen that tech can make this a lot easier. Even a company of two or three should be able to give their employees the same benefits and access that corporates have. I want to democratize the employee experience.Payroll is at the core of what hellohr offers, but that is just the beginning. Or shall we say, Phase One.When you hire someone, you need to have their contact details, a copy of their employment contract and their bank and tax information. We provide an easy place where you can do all of that. And, also, on a monthly basis calculate taxes that the employer would need to pay and file at SARS and send employees their payslips.In turn, employees then have direct and easy access to their payslips and leave information. We are very excited about the future too: there are so many opportunities for us to add additional value to the business owners and employees once we have this in place: everything from better employment contract management to employee benefits.When you want to innovate in a space, you really have to try get to the core of what the problem is. But typically, you only see what the current, available solutions are. Like the fastest horses theory, where Henry Ford posed the question of what people need and the answer was faster horses as opposed to a whole new mode of transport. Which is why building a new startup or business is always hard.And thats quite hard to do remotely. Luckily, I had done most of the research pre-lockdown, because some of the best learnings come out of a face-to-face chats over a coffee.A few weeks before lockdown hit, Id hired my first team members  one who moved down from Joburg. Very soon after that, as the fear around Covid-19 set in, we made the move to work from home. It was hard to try establish a new team and then to suddenly be separate, to work remotely. But, it was a priority for me to make sure that we felt safe. It also meant that I looked very strictly at our cash position, ensuring that no money was wasted and that we operate as leanly as possible.I think the hardest thing was to maintain a real sense of focus when it felt like the world around us was burning.I soon set up a system where we check in with one another daily and score our mental health and happiness levels. Its a way to check in and see how we can support each other.We saw the effects on other countries and this is why I motivated the team to prepare to work from home two weeks before lockdown hit. This was for general safety and to help prevent further spread as well as ease fear as much as possible. We used this time to appropriately set up the WFH spaces, upgrade internet connectivity and set up a new routine.Actually, the pandemic is creating a great opportunity for hellohr.Businesses are relooking their contracts, assessing whether they are still adding value and worth the hefty fees. There is an appetite for change and increased efficiency. Time-saving and money-saving measures have never been more important to the survival of businesses emerging out of lockdown. And were here to help.As hellohr grows and we onboard more and more customers, we will need to look at growing the team  but this is a real positive for us.Were maintaining a WFH setup, so the team is luckily able to keep physical contact to a minimum. Were conducting all meetings and sales calls via video call too.On the site and app we have a built-in chat box, which is a direct line to the team.We also set up regular video calls.Huge growth. Weve seen a massive amount of interest already, in such a short space of time, Were signing up loads of companies and we will use this momentum to expand the product and team too.There are two significant learnings that stand out for me. The first has been that in recent years the internet and available tooling options have changed a lot. Its so much easier now to create a mock-up of a product and get real feedback than it was just a few years ago. Previously you would have to hire an expensive dev team, use expensive tech and the process would be much slower.As en example, weve used tools like webflow for the website, which allows us to quickly execute on messaging or design updates. I think these new technologies will make it a lot easier for everyone to test out solutions and make it more accesible to build products.The second major learning is that there is a real balancing act between quick execution and maintaining a long-term vision  and having a business model that supports both.But at the same time, its been so important to design a business that can be healthy and support itself in the long run. If there arent margins in the beginning, its quite hard to find them down the line.In the startup scene, I dont think theres enough attention on building a business that is real  that has scale. And that has been a priority for me too.
Connie Kleinschmidt, 85, poses for a portrait in front of the Rite Aid on Garrett Road in Upper Darby. Read more

For years, Connie Kleinschmidt has been hearing the same question from friends:

Are you still working?

Kleinschmidt, 84  shell be 85 at the end of the month  doesnt know many people her age who are employed. And shes clearly the oldest clerk at Rite Aid in Upper Darby, where she chats up customers while ringing up their orders.

Oh, she tried the retirement thing once  and found it to be overrated. In 1998, she left Verizon (formerly the Bell Telephone Company) after 30 years. Her retirement lasted just nine months.

It got old pretty quick, Kleinschmidt said. I wanted to get back to work.

So Kleinschmidt, who lives in Aldan, took a full-time job in Folcroft with Eckerd Drugs, which later became Rite Aid. When the store closed last year, she transferred to the Garrett Road Rite Aid in Upper Darby, about three miles from her home. She drives her 2001 Toyota Solara to and from the store.

I cant believe shes still working, said her friend Patricia Henry, a former Bell Telephone coworker, who is also 84. Are you kidding me? I admire her.

Sal Calabrese feels the same way.

He used to be a regular at Kleinschmidts first Rite Aid location, in Folcroft, where Calabrese had a business.

For about six or seven years, I would go there almost every day to talk to her, even if I didnt need anything to buy, he said. It was great to interact with her. She knows the Phillies inside out and she was so easy to talk to, so engaging.

These days, he said, When I go to Folcroft to work, Im kind of lost without her, he said. Rite Aid is lucky to have her as an employee. I cried when they closed. I love her.

Kleinschmidt said its easy to be lovable when the customers are so nice to her. In fact, interaction with them is what keeps her going.

When I worked for the phone company, I worked in directory assistance and sometimes customers were not nice, she recalled. In 21 years of my current job, I can count probably no more than five nasty people. I greet them all by saying, Good morning. How are you? she said.

Kleinschmidt, whose husband, Paul, died three years go, used to work full-time at Rite Aid but now pulls an 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. shift, five days a week. She lives in Aldan, Delaware County, with daughter Connie Gilchrist, and Connies son. She has three other adult children (she lost a fourth, a daughter who died at 48; and, long ago, an infant who lived only a day). She has 11 other grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Oh, and a cat, Meow-Meow. I have been told a key to living long is having a pet, she said.

Shes at the register all day long. It keeps her brain going, Gilchrist said of her mom. Shes tired when she gets home and sleeps a couple of hours.

Kleinschmidt said she rises at 5 a.m. each morning to get ready for work, which, compared to her old job, feels like sleeping in. While working for the phone company, she had a 4 a.m. wake-up call.

When the sun goes down I need to be down, she said. And when sun goes up I need to be up.

Kleinschmidt sometimes wonders aloud about when she should retire, said Gilchrist. I keep saying, What will you do?

A better question might be, what will devoted customers like Calabrese do without her? Who will they look up to?

Kleinschmidt, who stands just 4-foot-6, waves off the remark.

People have to look down to me, she laughed.
New Delhi, July 17 : YouTube has lifted restrictions on 1080p HD video streaming in India after limiting the streaming quality to 480p or Standard Definition (SD).

At the end of March this year, YouTube had temporarily restricted its video playback quality for users in India to lessen the burden on servers.

The streaming quality is only available when the user is watching videos using WiFi. Mobile data browsing is still restricted to SD quality. The change seems to have been enabled via a server-side switch and does not require to update the YouTube app, reports XDA Developers.

Depending on the quality of the video, the quality settings now features 720p, 1080p, and 1440p, other than the standard definition 144p, 240p, 360p, and 480p.

YouTube was not the only streaming platform to restrict or reduce streaming quality as telecom operators had also urged Netflix, Amazon, Hotstar to lower streaming quality on their respective platforms to reduce the impending strain on network connectivity.
A Jersey City man threatened a man with a hammer at a Hoboken eatery early Thursday and then assaulted two police officers while being booked for the alleged crime, authorities said.

Osvaldo Martinez, 31, approached the man in the area of First and Washington streets just after 2 a.m. and threatened to hurt him if he didnt hand over the keys to his vehicle, Lt. Danilo Cabrera said. When victim told the assailant that he didnt own a car, Martinez held a large hammer over his head, but he didnt strike the man, Cabrera said.

When approached by Hoboken police officers Mathew Isler and Mark Mullins, Martinez complied with orders to drop the hammer and the weapon was seized, Cabrera said.

The investigation by led to the arrest of Martinez, who was charged him with robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon.

While Martinez was being fingerprinted and photographed, he pushed Mullins, causing the officer to scrape his right elbow on a wall. While helping regain control of Martinez Police Officer Brandon Fitzgibbons injured his right thumb. Both officers were treated for their injuries and returned back to full duty without restrictions.

As a result of the scuffle, Martinez was additionally charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. Martinez, who also had a warrant for his arrest for failing to appear in Hoboken Municipal Court, was taken to Hudson County jail, Cabrera said.
By AFP

OSLO: A British national was arrested on Friday after a Ryanair plane flying from London to Oslo received a bomb threat, Norwegian police said, the second threat against a Ryanair flight in a week.

Fighter jets from neighbouring Denmark escorted the plane to the Norwegian capital, where it landed safely.

A large police presence awaited the aircraft as it touched down at Gardemoen airport about 50 kilometres (30 miles) northeast of Oslo.

"Police have the situation under control and have arrested a 51-year-old man suspected of being behind the bomb threat," police said in a statement, adding that the suspect was British.

Police said the passengers had been evacuated off the plane, which was being examined by the bomb squad.

On Tuesday, British police arrested two men after a note claiming explosives were on board was found in a plane toilet during another Ryanair flight.

Police said nothing suspicious had been found on the plane that was flying from the Polish city of Krakow to the Irish capital Dublin.
The Police Executive Research Forum will conduct an independent review of Fredericksburgs law enforcement practices and use of force and arrests during demonstrations between May 31 and June 2 in the city.

Fredericksburg City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved hiring the Washington-based organization for $125,000 after an extensive review by staff and Richmond attorney Cynthia E. Hudson to identify a qualified third-party reviewer. Hudson chairs Gov. Ralph Northams Commission to Examine Racial Inequity in Virginia Law and is a former Virginia chief deputy attorney general.

The city has an exemplary vision to be an administration that strives to be its best self, and City Council has wisely called for a response to address circumstances that are not business as usual, Hudson said in a news release.

A number of city residents have been urging City Council to have a third-party review of the police department since officers used tear gas during protests May 31 and June 2, and arrested 50 protesters for breaking curfew June 2. A few asked Council members during Tuesdays meeting to seek community input before hiring PERF, or to hire a different firm.
As much of Ontario further reopened pandemic-stricken businesses and attractions, the province reported 111 new cases of COVID-19.

There were also nine more deaths, bringing the governments official count to 2,746 people Friday.

But a Star tally has determined there have actually been 2,781 COVID-19 deaths in the province since the virus struck in March.

Health Minister Christine Elliott said on Twitter that locally, 28 of Ontarios 34 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 18 of them reporting no new cases.

There are 108 people in Ontario hospitals with COVID-19, 30 of whom are in intensive care units. Of those, 21 are on ventilators.

Most of Ontario enters stage three today, tweeted Elliott, referring to the fact that 24 regions allowed indoor restaurants, bars, and gyms to open and outdoor playgrounds. The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and southwestern Ontario will remain in stage two until at least late next week.

Please continue to practice physical distancing and wear a face covering when doing so is a challenge, such as safely visiting a favourite local store, the minister said.

The Star is reporting 35 more deaths than the official count. The additional fatalities were not recorded earlier in the pandemic because COVID-19 tests had not been conducted before those elderly residents of long-term-care homes died.

According to the government, there have been 37,274 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province.

But as of 5 p.m. Friday, Ontarios regional health units were reporting a total of 39,359 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, according to the Stars latest count.

Ontario has been in a state of emergency since March 17. That is due to next Friday, but the Progressive Conservative government is expected to pass legislation by Wednesday that will ensure more permanent powers so temporary emergency orders will be unnecessary.

The rate of new infections in Ontario has fallen sharply over the last two months and is down so far in July.

Over the last seven days, the provinces local health units have reported an average of 127 new infections daily  well down from a sustained peak of nearly 600 cases per day, seen in late April.

Fridays total saw another 53 new cases reported in Toronto, somewhat higher than the citys average of about 37 cases daily over the last week.

Meanwhile, another five new fatal cases were reported in the last 24 hours, three in Toronto and one each in York and Waterloo regions. At the worst of the pandemic, health units reported as many as 94 deaths in a single day.

As bars, which had been limited to patio service, reopened for indoor drinking in much of the province, the Ontario Medical Association urged Premier Doug Fords government to rethink allowing that.

The evidence from other jurisdictions is that the reopening of bars carries significant risk, said OMA president Dr. Samantha Hill.

When people consume alcohol, inhibitions are lowered, making them much less likely to practise physical distancing, proper masking behaviours and good hand hygiene, she said.

Indoor locations with decreased air ventilation present a particularly high risk of transmission.

Hill noted indoor bars have been tied to spike in cases in Montreal as well as in the U.S., England, and Spain.

She warned that those outbreaks have led to even more restrictions as officials scramble to contain the virus.

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Friday delivered a sharp comeback to Rahul Gandhi after the Congress leader accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of blunders that he said had weakened India. Jaishankar responded to the barbs, one by one, in 9 tweets. The ministers 10th tweet was his counteroffensive.

In the 10th tweet, Jaishankar reminded Rahul Gandhi that he appeared to have glossed over Pakistan in his video message.

And #Pakistan (that you skipped) surely notes the difference between Balakot & Uri on the one hand, and Sharm-el-Sheikh, Havana & 26/11 on the other. Ask yourself, Jaishankar said, his counterpunch to the Congress leader.

The reference to Balakot and Uri are a reference to the 2019 airstrikes at a terror camp in Pakistans Balakot after the Pulwama bombing and the surgical strike at terror camps across the line of control after a terror attack on soldiers in Uri in 2016.

Jaishankars tweet compared these two instances of cross-border action against terrorists to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks - that went unpunished due to the lack of political will by the UPA-1 leadership - and the two agreements signed by the Congress-led UPA government with Pakistan in 2006 and 2009 which, many strategic experts had contended, weakened Indias position.

It was in the 2006 Havana joint statement that India, for the first time, recognised Pakistan not just as a perpetrator of terrorism but also a victim. In a newspaper article back in 2006, Ajit Doval, now the National Security Adviser, had then described the joint statement as Indias first strategic setback in the fight against terrorism.

At another meeting three years later, PM Manmohan Singh agreed to let Pakistan slip in a reference to terrorism in Balochistan in the joint statement issued after his 2009 meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani in the Red Sea Resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

Both leaders agreed that the two countries will share real time credible and actionable information on any future terrorist threats Prime Minister Gilani mentioned that Pakistan has some information on threats in Balochistan and other areas, the joint statement said. From Pakistans perspective, it was seen to imply that India had a role in violence in Balochistan.

Jaishankar, responding to Rahul Gandhis attempt to fault the governments foreign policy, said Indias major partnerships are stronger and international standing higher than before. This is why India has regular summits and informal meetings with the US, Russia, Europe and Japan. India engages #China on more equal terms politically, Jaishankar said, adding that he could check with the analysts for more.

On Rahul Gandhis criticism over China, Jaishankar - who was a career diplomat before joining the government - said the government speaks its mind more openly now than it did in the past, alluding to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Belt and Road Initiative, South China Sea and on UN-sanctioned terrorists.

The government, Jaishankar continued, was also addressing the border infrastructure imbalance legacy, pointing that the budget on border infrastructure had gone up by 280% between 2014-20 and 2008-14, road building by 32%, bridges by 99% and tunnels by 6 times.

On Rahul Gandhi expressing concern over Sri Lanka giving a port to the Chinese, Jaishankar reminded him that the Hambantota Port agreement between #SriLanka and China was concluded in 2008.

Ask those who dealt with it, Jaishankar said in his riposte.

India had transformed ties with Maldives that had been in a difficult phase because India had watched President Nasheed being toppled in 2012 when the UPA was in power.

A settled land boundary (2015) with #Bangladesh; opens path to more development and transit. And terrorists no longer find safe haven there. Ask our security, he said. On Nepal, Jaishankar kept the focus on improving people to people ties. Nepal after 17 years is getting Prime Ministerial visits. And a swathe of developmental projects: power, fuel, housing, hospital, roads, etc. Ask their citizens, he said, before going to refer to better relations with Bhutan and Afghanistan.

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With the passing of the new national security law in Hong Kong, many residents are fearful of prosecution in the city since the new law gives a lot of overarching power to authorities. According to reports, because of this, many residents have been considering relocation to Taiwan in order to protect themselves from Chinese prosecution and to also enjoy the same freedoms they enjoyed in Hong Kong before the new law.

Taiwan and Hong Kong share cultural similarities

As per reports, many residents see Taiwan as a viable option for relocation due to its close proximity and the cultural similarities shared by Hong Kong and Taiwan. In anticipation of an influx of residency requests, the Taiwanese government has even made arrangements such as opening an office from July 1 onwards that will efficiently evaluate and judge applications on a case-by-case basis.

According to reports, the Mainland Affairs Council in Taiwan that evaluates and sets all of Taiwans policies towards mainland China has revealed that only a few days after opening the new office, it has received hundreds of calls and emails from people enquiring on how to relocate to Taiwan.

A council member was quoted saying "We think the number of inquiries could increase as the Chinese government continues to impose the national security law. The Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchange Office will closely monitor the development in Hong Kong,".

Read: China's Top Hong Kong Office Calls Trump's Sanctions gangster Logic And Bullying

Read: 'China Broke Promise To Great Britain That It'd Keep Hong Kong Free': Trump Signs Order

According to statistics by Taiwan's immigration agency, 2019 saw 6,000 Hong Kong residents move to Taiwan, this was a steep rise from the number of relocations in previous years. One of the most prominent Hong Kong residents to relocate to Taiwan has been renowned bookseller Lam Wing-Kee. He moved to Taiwan in 2019 after stumbling into legal trouble and reopened his bookstore and still continues to be critical of Beijing and the drastic change taking place in Hong Kong.

(Input credit ANI) (Image Credit AP) (Representative Image)

Read: China Vows 'retaliatory Sanctions' Against US After Trumps Signs Hong Kong Autonomy Act

Read: Hong Kong Pro-democracy Primaries Organiser Steps Down Amid Pressure From Beijing
At least three civilians were killed on Friday evening when Pakistan resorted to ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. At about 9.20 pm, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars in Khari-Karmara village in Gulpur sector of the district.

During the firing by the Pakistan Army, a shell landed on the house of a civilian Mohd Rafiq, a resident of Karmara village in which Rafiq (58), his wife Rafia Bi (50) and son Irfan (15) died on the spot. Another family member was injured and has been taken to a hospital for treatment, amid heavy shelling in the area.

The Indian Army retaliated befittingly. Officials said that Pakistan heavily shelled Khari Karmara village and one of the 120 mm mortar shelling hit a residential house in the village.

In the incident, their teenage son Irfan Ahmad also got killed, added an official. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Poonch, Rahul Yadav confirmed that three persons were killed and another one injured in the cross-border shelling.
Last month, he proudly announced that he was bringing his Yeezy label to Gap, after signing a 10-year-deal with the fashion retailer.

And on Thursday, Kanye West teased the impending collection to his nearly 30million followers on Twitter by uploading a video from a 'YZY GAP fitting.'

In the five-second clip, a model donning a pair of iridescent utility pants can be seen standing in a warehouse, while a tank roared behind her.

It's coming: On Thursday, Kanye West teased his impending Yeezy/Gap collection to his nearly 30million followers on Twitter by uploading a video from a 'YZY GAP fitting'

The model also happened to be wearing a white tee with holes near the neckline as a stylist worked on securing a silver belt around her waist.

On the floor of the warehouse, there were a number of different clothing items in a variety of tones.

Many of the pieces on the ground appeared to be tank tops, which were tie-dyed or given a mix media look.

There also appeared to be a pair of gold shorts, a neon orange puffer jacket, and a slew of bright colored cropped tops.

Futuristic: In the five-second clip, a model donning a pair of iridescent utility pants and a white tee can be seen standing in a warehouse, while a tank roared behind her

Endless: On the floor of the warehouse, there were a number of different clothing items in a variety of tones

In the far left section of the clip, what looked like a yellow, fleece hoodie with black lining could be seen resting on the floor.

The most jarring element of Kanye's video happened to be the futuristic tank that roared out of the warehouse on a track.

Kanye's Twitter clip comes nearly two-weeks after the 43-year-old rapper trademarked the hashtagged #WestDayEver' phrase for use on clothing and footwear.

The hashtag was used by West on June 26, when he announced his partnership with Gap on Twitter, tweeting: 'Yeezy and Gap form partnership #WestDayEver.'

Big move: Last month, he proudly announced that he was bringing his Yeezy label to Gap, after signing a 10-year-deal with the fashion retailer; West pictured in February

Trademark: Kanye's Twitter clip comes nearly two-weeks after the 43-year-old rapper trademarked the hashtagged #WestDayEver' phrase for use on clothing and footwear

The legal filing means Kanye can put 'West Day Ever' on a slew of products ranging from t-shirts and hoodies to sportswear and babywear as well as shoes and sneakers

The 10-year deal with the high-profile apparel company is called Yeezy Gap and is expected to launch early in 2021.

It was also confirmed on the day of the trademark filing that Kanye's Yeezy company had received a loan from the federal government of between $2 and $5 million.

The money was handed over as part of the Payment Protection program that's part of the coronavirus stimulus package and was listed in information released by the Small Business Administration.

According to the SBA's records, the money was need to protect 160 jobs at the rapper's clothing company.

Loan: It was also confirmed on the day of the trademark filing that Kanye's Yeezy company had received a loan from the federal government of between $2 and $5 million; Kanye and wife Kim Kardashian pictured in 2015

In a press release from Gap last month about its partnership with Kanye, it was stated that West is the sole owner of his Yeezy brand which has a valuation of $2.9 billion.

Not surprisingly, the use of taxpayer money to help out Ye has raised plenty of eyebrows, not least because of the highly extravagant 'billion dollar' lifestyle that Kanye and reality star wife Kim Kardashian enjoy.

On July 4, The Life of Pablo recording artist decided to declare his intention to run for president in November's election.

'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,' he tweeted.

It was announced on Wednesday that Kanye would officially make the presidential ballot in November in Oklahoma after spending the $35,000 fee and meeting the FEC requirements to make a run.
Actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood, who has been frequently in the news over the past months for helping migrant labourers during the coronavirus lockdown, has come forward to help corona warriors this time around.

The actor donated 25,000 face shields to the Maharashtra Police on July 16. This news was shared by Home Minister Anil Deshmukh .

For live updates on coronavirus, click here



I thank @SonuSood Ji for your generous contribution of giving 25,000 #FaceShields for our police personnel. pic.twitter.com/bojGZghy23

 ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) July 16, 2020

Taking to Twitter to thank the actor for his generous contribution, Deshmukh wrote:To this, the actor humbly replied:

Sood had helped thousands of stranded migrant workers during the coronavirus lockdown by arranging transportation for them to return home and providing them with food and essential supplies for the journey. He even launched a toll-free number so that such stranded migrants could easily get in touch with him.

Additionally, the actor has promised to provide financial support to more than 400 migrant households whose members sustained injuries or died during the stringent lockdown period.

Follow our coverage of the coronavirus crisis here
BOULDER COUNTY, CO  Over the past week, 126 new cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Boulder County, according to public health data. In comparison, the previous week  ending July 9, only 71 new cases were reported.

As of Thursday, 1,618 people in the county had tested positive for the virus since the outbreak began. The death toll has reached 74.

Around 622 people have recovered and 179 have been hospitalized since the outbreak began, according to Boulder County Public Health. More than 22,000 people have been tested in the county.



The agency released the following municipal breakdown of case numbers in the county, which include both probable and confirmed cases as of Thursday:

New cases over the previous week, ending July 9 New cases over the past week Total cases since outbreak began Boulder 33 44 562 Longmont 16 27 550 Lafayette 5 6 122 Louisville 4 6 78 Superior 4 1 22 Erie 0 4 23





Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials in Boulder: Free Newsletters and Email Alerts | Facebook | Twitter

Longmont has the highest rate of cases per 100,000 people  601.1, followed by Boulder (569.2) and Lafayette (442.1).

>> View the full Boulder County data report here.

There were 25 new coronavirus cases reported in Boulder County Monday the highest one-day new case increase since the spike in mid-June, which was linked primarily to large gatherings, health officials said.

Until Monday, there had been a "steady plateau" of new cases, averaging 12 to 13 per day, according to Boulder County Public Health. Before the spike in mid-June, there were only about five new positive tests among Boulder County residents reported each day.

The increase on Monday does not appear to be associated with college students  fewer than 25 percent of the reported cases were confirmed to be college students, health officials said.

Carol Helwig, the county's Communicable Disease Control program manager, called the trends "highly concerning."

Story continues

"We are seeing an explosion of new cases in many of the states around Colorado," Helwig said. "If we want to avoid going backwards, every single one of us needs to do what we can: Stay home if you can, and if you must go out, please be very diligent about social distancing, wearing a face covering, and washing your hands."

Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order Thursday that mandates Coloradans wear masks when they are in all indoor public spaces. The announcement was made amid growing pressure from many Colorado business owners and lawmakers to issue a statewide face covering mandate. The mask order, which applies to everyone over 10 years old, went into effect at midnight.



Over the past week, more than 3,200 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Colorado.

As of Thursday, 38,726 people have been infected with the coronavirus in our state among 421,313 people who have been tested since the outbreak began, health officials confirmed. Around 5,966 people have been hospitalized, and the death toll has reached 1,615.

Graphs courtesy of Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. Data reported Thursday, but may differ from Boulder County Public Health numbers as the state's reporting is a day behind.





This article originally appeared on the Boulder Patch
The following is a contributed piece written by Tom Dryden of McGill & Partners.

As of July 04, pubs, restaurants, bars and a number of other businesses across the UK have been permitted to re-open their doors after months of forced closure. The next phase of the UK governments plan to return the country to some sort of normal will be a huge relief to business owners and pub punters nationwide, although it will not be without its significant challenges.

Among the number of COVID-19 safety guidelines that these businesses will be required to adopt, the government has requested that the contact details of customers and visitors are recorded and retained for 21 days to assist with the UKs contact-tracing efforts. This is important, but it brings with it several data protection headaches for the hospitality and retail industry.

The government announced that it would work with the sector to make this manageable, meanwhile the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) said that key data protection principles must be considered so that peoples data is handled responsibly. Government guidelines on how to properly approach this additional data protection burden have been released, while the ICO has reminded companies of their obligations to abide by the GDPRs core principles by releasing six key data protection steps for organisations recovering from COVID-19.

Clearly, there are obvious data protection pitfalls for businesses, many of whom will not be used to collecting and handling such a volume of customer data. There is a distinct worry that staff will be improperly trained in how to collect and handle customer contact information, and the rush for businesses to adopt third party applications to manage the collection and storage of data may come with hasty configuration or security flaws.

The fears of the hospitality sector are not without precedent, after a Subway sandwich employee in New Zealand was suspended when a woman from Auckland alleged harassment by the Subway employee who used the contact details she had left in store to approach her on social media, by email, text message and phone.

It is easy to foresee the potential scope of the problem for chains of pubs and restaurants. Should UK organisations fall foul of their data protection obligations, they may find themselves facing two areas of potential liability under the GDPR: regulatory action by the ICO; and private claims for compensation by individuals for damage or distress caused by a breach or misuse of data.

What are the implications for my cyber insurance if I have to adopt new customer information practices?

In short: very few, hopefully. A well-drafted cyber policy should include coverage not just for a breach of customer data, but also broader data protection considerations such as wrongful collection or handling of customer information. If you are a customer-facing business approaching the renewal of your insurance, you will likely face additional scrutiny and questioning from underwriters around some of the practices you are adopting to ensure the safe collection, handling and retention of customer information. It is also worth clarifying that the government guidelines stipulate that businesses should rather than must adopt the new track and trace practices.

Those businesses adopting new track and trace protocols should:

Carefully consider the method by which you are collecting and storing customer contact information. Preferably adopt a third-party booking application such as OpenTable or Quandoo and not via pen-and-paper forms. Third party applications will bring their own security and operational considerations, however, and may not be practical in all cases. Consider rolling out additional staff training on your obligations around the collection and handling of customer information. Ensure you have implemented a strict data retention policy that maps out a process to delete collected contact information following the expiry of the 21-day window. Also consider a sunset procedure to phase out the practice at the end of the crisis. Check the language of your cyber insurance policy. A good wording will already include cover for wider breaches of data protection legislation, including wrongful collection, processing or retention of data, and not just disclosure of personal data. However, not all cyber policies were created equally. There are a number of forms in the market whereby data protection liability coverage is triggered only by an actual or suspected breach of data, and some even include explicit exclusions for wrongful collection, or limit coverage by craftily constructed GDPR extensions. Work with your broker to ensure you have language that adequately addresses your increased data protection risk.

While the ICO appears sympathetic to the data protection challenges faced by organisations in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, there are certainly a number of thorny privacy issues that re-opening businesses face. If your pub or restaurant chain has done well to last through a global pandemic, a subsequent ICO investigation may just be a step too far!

Tom Dryden, Partner, Financial Lines, McGill and Partners

Tom Dryden and Noona Barlow from McGill and Partners will be joined by a panel of experts including Mark Camillo, Head of Cyber, EMEA  AIG and Ben Hobby, Partner - Baker Tilly for a webinar, Navigating the cyber insurance labyrinth, at 2.00pm BST, July 22, 2020. To sign up to attend visit: https://mailchi.mp/mcgillpartners/cyberwebinar

The contents of this publication, current at the date of publication, are for reference purposes only and set out the views of the author. They do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific advice about your particular circumstances should always be sought separately before taking any action based on this publication.
U.S. President Donald Trump hosts an event celebrating law enforcement in the East Room of the White House in Washington, July 13, 2020. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters

Your paycheck could get bigger if the White House gets its way. President Trump said this week that he won't sign the next coronavirus relief package into law if it doesn't include a payroll tax cut for workers, according to published reports. However, his past calls for going this route to help people during the continuing economic crisis have been met with opposition from both Republicans and Democrats.

"Both sides have said it's not well-targeted," said Garrett Watson, senior policy analyst at the Tax Foundation. "The benefits primarily would accrue to folks who already are working, and we currently have record unemployment." As the U.S. economy continues to struggle amid the pandemic and new unemployment claims are still exceeding 1 million weekly, lawmakers in the Republican-dominated Senate are expected to unveil their version of a stimulus bill next week. More from Personal Finance:

Small businesses rehire staff but cut pay and hours

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Coronavirus unemployment claims are worst in history Other strategies lawmakers are weighing to help Americans include extending extra unemployment benefits, which critics say could encourage people to stay home to avoid the pandemic, or back-to-work bonuses, which would reward them for resuming their jobs. You and your employer split payroll taxes, which are used to fund government programs  largely Social Security and Medicare. Those taxes are on top of your federal and state income tax withholdings. For Social Security, 6.2% of your wages  up to $137,700 for 2020  are withheld from your paycheck and sent to the IRS, and your company also remits a matched amount. In other words, the IRS receives the equivalent of 12.4% of your wages to support Social Security. For Medicare, you and your company each chip in 1.45%, with no cap on wages subject to that portion of payroll taxes. In fact, an extra 0.9% Medicare tax is withheld for incomes above $200,000.

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Self-employed workers pay both the employer and employee share  but are generally able to deduct half of it on their tax return. For illustration: If a worker paid no payroll taxes on $10,000, it would mean getting $765 extra over the months the payroll holiday were in effect. While it's uncertain whether a payroll tax cut or suspension will make it into the next stimulus package out of Congress, or exactly how it would look, Trump has suggested in the past that the entire payroll tax should be suspended for the rest of the year. Proponents have argued in part that bigger paychecks would help encourage people to return to work and would stimulate the economy by putting more cash in people's pockets.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 00:30:24|Editor: huaxia

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Protesters rally in front of the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Thursday said the United States is the "biggest human rights violator" in the world and its accusations about Xinjiang-related human rights issues are "the biggest lies of the century."

The comments were made to refute remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said on Wednesday that the U.S. is going to impose visa restrictions on certain employees of Chinese tech firms that provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights violations and abuses globally. He called China "the stain of the century" in the area of human rights.

"In fact, the United States is the biggest human rights violator in the world, though it refers to the issue of human rights constantly, and its accusations about Xinjiang-related human rights issues are the biggest lies of the century," spokesperson Hua Chunying told a daily press briefing when asked to make comments.

"The relevant U.S. officials should feel ashamed of themselves, and the U.S. media and people should feel sorry for having such officials full of lies."

It is up to the Chinese people, rather than U.S. politicians, to judge China's performance in human rights, Hua said.

The spokesperson said since the founding of the People's Republic of China more than 70 years ago, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Chinese people have scored remarkable achievements by seeking a development path suited to their own national conditions.

Hua said over the past four decades and more, China has experienced a 25-fold plus increase in its per capita income, lifted 850 million people out of poverty, and contributed more than 70 percent to the global poverty alleviation effort.

At the same time, Hua said China has become the second-largest economy in the world without resorting to wars, colonialism or slavery, the only one among all major countries to do so. For more than a decade in a row, China has contributed more than 30 percent to global GDP growth.

"These are the biggest human rights projects, the best human rights practices, and the biggest contributions to the world human rights endeavor," Hua said, adding these achievements are there for all to see as long as it is viewed without bias.

Pertaining to the human rights situation in the United States, Hua said the U.S. uprooted and killed Indians in the Westward Movement for nearly a century after its founding, noting their population plunged from 5 million to 250,000, only one-twentieth of the original number.

Hua said during more than 240 years of American history since its founding, it has been war-free for only 16 years, adding the wars and military actions waged since 2001 in countries like Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Afghanistan caused more than 800,000 deaths, and tens of millions of civilians were displaced as a result.

A woman takes part in a protest against the killing of George Floyd in Istanbul, Turkey, June 5, 2020. (Photo by Yasin Akgul/Xinhua)

In the U.S., ethnic minorities including African Americans find themselves in a tough situation, Hua said. "George Floyd was not the only person suffocated to death because he 'couldn't breathe', as racial discrimination is pervasive in the United States."

In all Western countries, the U.S. suffers from the most serious polarization between the rich and poor, Hua said, adding the bottom 50 percent saw essentially zero net gains in wealth from 1989 to 2018, and the wealth gap has hit a 50-year high.

"I wonder how Pompeo, in the face of these hard facts, has the confidence to talk to China about human rights," said the spokesperson.

"I'd rather suggest he first asks George Floyd and other ethnic minorities about how they see human rights conditions in the United States, and ask those innocent lives tragically lost in Iraq, Libya, and other countries about how they see the U.S. performance on human rights," Hua added. 
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 05:31:33|Editor: huaxia

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BRUSSELS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said on Friday he was deeply concerned over the growing use of sanctions, or the threat of sanctions, by the United States against European companies and interests.

"We have witnessed this developing trend in the cases of Iran, Cuba, the International Criminal Court and most recently the Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream projects," Borrell said in a statement.

Emphasizing that "European policies should be determined in Europe not by third countries," Borrell said the EU opposes the use of sanctions by third countries on European companies carrying out legitimate business, and the bloc "considers the extraterritorial application of sanctions to be contrary to international law."

He said the EU is always open to dialogue, but "this cannot take place against the threat of sanctions."

On Thursday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas rejected Washington's latest threat of sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.

The Kremlin also said Thursday that Washington's threat to impose sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 as well as the second line of the TurkStream pipeline stretching from Russia to Turkey across the Black Sea is "unfair competition."

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent fresh warnings of possible sanctions to companies involved in Nord Stream 2 and the second line of the TurkStream pipeline.

Pompeo claimed that the projects are not commercial but serve as Moscow's tools to exploit European dependence on Russia's energy supplies. Enditem
A child from Saudi has died in Shagra General Hospital after he took a swab test. Unfortunately, the stick for the nasal swab test broke inside the child's nose. According to Sabag news, the little boy was rushed to the hospital because he had a fever and his parents feared that he may have contracted the coronavirus.

A swab test was done to check if he has COVID-19 but the stick broke during the process. The doctors then used general anesthesia to perform a swab extraction from his throat.

Swab accident

After performing a swab extraction from the child's throat, the doctors left the boy without removing the swab that broke inside his nose. The child then fainted because of the obstruction on his respiratory tract. He was declared dead 24 hours after he was rushed to the hospital.

The father of the little boy, Abdullah Al Joufan, talked about the details of the tragic accident. He said that he did not want the doctors to use general anesthesia but the doctors insisted on the method. After the operation, he asked that his son be examined by a specialist but the staff at the hospital said that the specialist was on leave.

According to Joufan, everyone was surprised when his child fainted the next morning. They found out that he lost consciousness due to obstruction of his respiratory tract. He was told that his son's health was deteriorating and that doctors were trying to revive him, but he wanted to transfer his son to another hospital in Riyadh.

Also Read: Man Reported Missing Girlfriend, But Was Charged of Murder After Police See Bloody Residence

The news site Al Arabiya reported that Joufan's request was approved by the hospital but by the time that the ambulance came, it was too late. The ambulance arrived just after the child was declared dead.

Joufan said that he had submitted two reports regarding the mishandling of the whole situation and the negligence that killed his child. He requested the Minister of Health to investigate the incident.

The father of the child also said that he got a phone call from the Director of Health Affairs in Riyadh Hassan Al Shahrani, and promised that he will investigate the case himself, as reported by Gulf News.

A nasal swab is used to diagnose respiratory tract infections such as COVID-19. It is a quick test and it feels uncomfortable since it will go through your nose but it is not painful. There are instances wherein a suction device is used to gently remove the secretions, which is called a nasal aspiration.

The secretions are then sent to a laboratory where they are examined and grown. That is when viruses, fungi, or bacteria are present.

How are swab tests done?

According to Health Navigator, a small, soft-tipped swab will be slowly inserted into your nostril. The swab will be twirled a few times until it is covered in secretions. For COVID-19 testing, only a single swab is done.

Although a nose swab is the most common one done for COVID-19, throat swabs are also sometimes performed. As for the nasal aspiration method, a small tube is inserted into the nostril. The tube is then connected to a suction device, which gently removes secretions from your nose.

Related Article: How Accurate Is the COVID-19 Finger Stick Test

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The wife of BJP MLA Debendra Nath Roy filed a petition before the Calcutta High Court on Friday, seeking a CBI investigation into his death, alleging that her husband was murdered.

The Hemtabad MLA, who the West Bengal Police claim had died by suicide, was found hanging from a bamboo pole of a

shop about a kilometre away from his home at Bindal village in North Dinajpur district on Monday morning.

Chandima Roy alleged that her husband's killing was a case of preplanned murder and prayed for an investigation by a central agency, preferably by the CBI, her lawyer Brajesh Jha said.

The petition was filed online and the court has been urged for early hearing of the matter, Jha said.

Judicial and administrative work of the Calcutta High Court have been suspended till July 19 by Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan on account of a new phase of lockdown in containment zones in Kolkata and its suburbs.

The petitioner claimed that the state police had arrived at the conclusion of Roy's suicide even before the postmortem report was out, and also questioned its findings.

The West Bengal government has handed over the investigation of Roy's death to the state CID.
What is clear is that the diocese carefully crafted a response and asked for a correction to the news story, saying that the review board had found Does allegations against two priests credible, but not those against Bishop Weldon. According to copies of internal emails included in the Velis report, an attorney for the diocese recommended taking out a reference to Bishop Weldon being present in a group setting where boys were being sexually abused.

At the end it should be that the individual said Bishop Weldon never abused him, the attorney wrote diocese officials. On the possibility of Bishop being present, I would say the allegation was Bishop had actual knowledge of the abuse or he should have known because he was present at a gathering where some abuse took place. Can we say it was a large gathering I cant tell[?]

The longtime communications director for the diocese was also protective in what was included in the statement.

My only concern is we may be feeding him more information than we need to and inadvertently fueling this story, he wrote in the correspondence.

Though the official letter to the Eagle appeared to be crafted by others, it was formally sent from the chairman of the volunteer review board.
Women at the bar may be right enough in the legal sense, but woman at the bar parlor is a condition of things which is not commonly approved in Australia. Reports from Sydney suggest that drinking by women of alcohol in hotels and cafes is increasing. A police raid on an unlicensed cafe in that city recently resulted in the prosecution of nearly a score of young women under the age of 28 for unlawfully imbibing. In Melbourne last week the plans for a new hotel in the metropolitan area were submitted to the Licensing Court, and one of the members of the bench drew attention to a room marked Ladies Parlor. The court, he said, was decidedly opposed to ladies parlors.

A representative of ''The Age" yesterday brought the subject of ladies parlors under the notice of the chief licensing inspector for the Melbourne district (Inspector Calwell). He said:- "There are no ladies parlors in Collingwood, Fitzroy, Carlton or North Melbourne. Parlors exist in which women are served with liquor, but none is specifically reserved for that purpose. Nor is there any in the city hotels. Ladies' parlors are practically non-existent. As for wine shops, the licensees discourage as much as possible the drinking by women. Two or three years ago provision used to be made for women in wine saloons, but conditions have changed. There is a fair amount of 'mixed' drinking in wine shops today but in every instance, the men predominate.

But dont women drink occasionally in the bars, as they do in various parts of England ?" the inspector was asked.

The inspector's answer was emphatic:- "I have never in my thirty-five years police experience, he said, seen an Australian woman drinking in an open bar."

Mr. A. D. Grant, general secretary in Australia of the Licensed Victuallers Association, was also consulted.
A High Court judge has expressed his condolences to the family of film-maker Sophie Toscan du Plantier, whose badly beaten body was found outside her holiday home in Schull nearly 24 years ago, on the second day of Ian Bailey's extradition hearing.

Addressing the court yesterday, Mr Justice Paul Burns said court hearings of any kind are distressing but the "dry nature" of these extradition proceedings should not be taken that anyone has forgotten the tragic nature of Ms du Plantier's death.

Ronan Munro SC, for Mr Bailey, also submitted to the court that it seems the European Arrest Warrants (EAWs) against his client will never stop and very little consideration has been given to the prejudicial effect on him.

He asked the judge to "put a stop to" this abuse of process and let him get on with his life.

Mr Bailey is wanted in France to face a 25-year prison sentence for the murder of Ms du Plantier. The three-day extradition hearing began on Wednesday in the High Court.

Farce

It is the third time French authorities have sought Mr Bailey's surrender in relation to the mother-of-one's death in Schull in December 1996.

The Englishman (63), of Schull, west Cork, was convicted of the murder in his absence in a Paris court in May last year.

Mr Bailey, who denies any involvement in Ms du Plantier's death, did not attend the French court and had no legal representation in the proceedings, which he has described as a "farce".

In a sworn affidavit to the High Court, Mr Bailey said he had nothing to do with the murder of Ms du Plantier.

Mr Bailey was arrested on foot of a EAW in December last year.

He was remanded on bail after a High Court judge subsequently endorsed the EAW seeking his extradition to France.

At the outset of yesterday's hearing, Mr Justice Burns expressed his condolences to the family of Ms du Plantier but pointed out that the court must deal with the law.

Opposing an application for Mr Bailey's surrender, Mr Munro argued that the French authorities lost the entitlement to mount a further attempt to extradite his client in 2017, when the High Court dismissed the second extradition request as an "abuse of process".

"This court should put a stop to it and find it's an abuse of process and let Mr Bailey get on with his life and let the police get on with their job," he added.

Mr Bailey and film-maker Jim Sheridan were in court for yesterday's hearing.
Modulus Housing, an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras-incubated start-up, has developed a portable hospital unit. This unit can be easily installed by four people in less than two hours. It has been designed such that six units can easily fit in a truck and then be transported anywhere.

The start-up is calling this unit 'MediCAB'. The purpose of MediCAB is to provide a decentralised approach to screening, detecting, testing, isolating and treating coronavirus patients in their homes or in their localities as the portable micro-hospitals can be installed in small spaces, according to Business Standard.

The first batch of MediCABs was recently deployed in Wayanad District of Kerala to treat COVID-19 patients. The start-up plans to send MediCAB units all across the nation as soon as possible.

A MediCAB unit is foldable and is composed of four zones. These zones are - the doctor's room, an isolation room, a medical room and a room with a twin ICU bed.

Modulus Housing was founded by two IIT alumnus in 2018. It is being supported by the incubation cell at IIT-Madras. According to the founder, the vision of the company is to completely revolutionise housing through modular prefab structures. They had specially designed MediCAB to help the nation fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shreeram Ravichandran, Chief Executive Officer, Modulus Housing, said to the daily, "The outcome of this pilot project in Kerala will help in proving the applicability of the technology and advantages of micro-hospitals, with MediCAB as an instant infrastructure solution. It can be easily assembled in eight hours by four people. When folded, our collapsible cabins are reduced five-fold, making it very cost-effective for transportation."

Modulus Housing has a dual purpose in mind for the MediCAB. Initially, they can be deployed across the nation to be used as COVID-19 isolating/treating centres in rural areas and they can later be converted into micro-hospitals/clinics. The start-up wants to concentrate on rural India for this plan as these areas don't have the same level of healthcare infrastructure as urban India. India only has 0.7 beds per 1,000 citizens.

Also Read: How Roshni Nadar, the new HCL Chairman, stepped into her father's shoes

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On Friday, PM Narendra Modi virtually addressed the High-Level Segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) session in New York. Multilateralism after COVID 19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary is the theme of this year's high-level segment of ECOSOC.

On Friday, PM Narendra Modi virtually addressed the High-Level Segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) session in New York.

We have extended medical and other aid to over 150 countries in our joint fight against Covid-19, Modi said highlighting the various initiatives by the Indian government to fight COVID-19.

Multilateralism after COVID 19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary is the theme of this years high-level segment of ECOSOC.

Also read: Community transmission of Covid-19 in Kerala, confirms CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Also read: Hardik Pandya, Natasa Stankovic pose for dreamy family photo

When India completes 75 years of independence, Pm Modi said, our housing for all programme will make sure that by 2022 every Indian will have 3 safe and secure roof over their head.

Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas (Together, for everyones growth, with everyones trust), is our motto which resonates with the core SDG principle of leaving no one behind, said Modi while addressing the session.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Prime Minister of Norway also attended this session.

Modi stressed on Indias active support in the UNs development work and the ECOSOC, from the very beginning.

Pm Modi said that we are again playing an important role in achieving agenda 2030 and Sustainable development through our domestic efforts.

Since Indias election as a non-permanent member of the Security Council on June 17, this is the first time PM Modi addressed the larger membership of the United Nations.

ECOSOC emphasizes coordination for the economic, social, and cultural activities of the UN. It is one of the principal Organs of the UN.

Also read: Eat More Ji: Amul India on World Emoji Day

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Christopher Dickey, a foreign correspondent and editor whose authoritative dispatches on war, terrorism and espionage spanned continents and decades, died Thursday in Paris. He was 68.

His death was reported by The Daily Beast, where he worked as the foreign editor. The cause was not immediately known, but his death was unexpected.

Colleagues and competitors recalled Dickey as a giant of the international press, whose mastery of sourcing and extensive travels made him one of the most knowledgeable writers on world affairs. He was said to be an enthusiastic mentor to young journalists, fine-tuning their copy and regaling them with stories of his past.

Brian Williams, in an on-air tribute on MSNBC, said Dickey, who regularly appeared on that channel, was one of those great and curious storytellers who seemed to know just about everything and everyone.

Dickeys range as a writer and reporter was evident in the seven books he published. His first, With the Contras: A Reporter in the Wilds of Nicaragua (1986), recalled his days covering conflict there. He wrote nonfiction books about foreigners in Arabia in 1990, counterintelligence efforts by the New York City Police Department in 2009 and, in 2015, an Englishmans role in the Confederacy during the Civil War. He also published novels in 1997 and 2004.

In Summer of Deliverance, published in 1998, Dickey, born in 1951, offered a brutally honest memoir of growing up as the son of James Dickey, the former poet laureate who wrote the best-selling novel Deliverance. Describing his struggles to cope with his fathers alcoholism and abusiveness, he explained that he had become a foreign correspondent partly to get far away from home. His mother, Maxine Dickey, died in 1976, when she was 50.

Dickey has done a remarkable job of picking his way through a minefield of emotions, knitting together a dangerous present and a painful past, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt of The New York Times wrote in a review.

A graduate of the University of Virginia, Dickey began his international reporting career in 1980 with The Washington Post covering Central America; he later moved to the Middle East. He covered Egypt and France for Newsweek, and he worked in Paris for The Daily Beast until his death.

Dickey, who wrote for The Times books section as recently as March, is survived by his wife, Carol; a son, James; his sister, Bronwen Dickey; a brother, Kevin; and three grandchildren.

Asked what advice he would give to aspiring foreign correspondents, Dickey once told the Overseas Press Club of America, Learn languages, but more importantly learn cultures. The two are inseparable.

He reported from at least 42 countries, including El Salvador. John Avlon, a former editor of The Daily Beast, said Thursday that he had once asked if Dickey had read Joan Didions book Salvador, to which Dickey responded without pretense: Yes. Its dedicated to me.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
A video conference of the ASEAN Peacekeeping Centres Network (APCN) was held by the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (VDPO) yesterday, focusing on ways to enhance cooperation among the networks members in COVID-19 response.

Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh speaks at the ASEAN Peacekeeping Centres Network videoconference on July 16

This was the first APCN videoconference held by Vietnam as APCN Chair and host of the eighth annual APCN general meeting.

The APCN, established in 2011 within the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) framework, is intended to promote the partnership in peacekeeping training in ASEAN, thereby helping with the ASEAN Community building and practically contributing to the UNs peacekeeping missions for the sake of a region and a world of peace, cooperation and common development.

Opening the conference, Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh said the complex developments of COVID-19 have considerably affected defence cooperation activities.

However, he noted, ASEAN countries have been actively responding to this pandemic in line with the 2020 ASEAN theme of Cohesive and Responsive.

Stressing the importance of concurrently fighting against COVID-19 and preventing disruptions to peacekeeping activities, VDPO Director Maj. Gen. Hoang Kim Phung said the videoconference aimed to make all-round preparations for peacekeeping forces to stay ready to take part in the UNs joint efforts to perform their duties and combat the pandemic in the areas the missions are based in.

He also expressed his belief that the APCN would adopt a suitable approach in the blocs spirit of Cohesive and Responsive so that the member countries can together maintain and enhance effective cooperation in UN peacekeeping activities amid complex developments of COVID-19.

At the event, participants looked into ways to reinforce ties among APCN members in the face of the pandemic, the Vietnamese armys experience in COVID-19 prevention and control, and disease prevention measures for UN peacekeeping forces. They also got updates on the disease situation at UN peacekeeping missions./.VNA
Canada is concerned by violence along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, Canada's MFA reported.

The FM Francois-Philippe Champagne has issued the following statement:

Canada is concerned by the violence along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Alongside the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europes Minsk Group, Canada urges both sides to refrain immediately from using force, to respect the ceasefire and protect civilians.

A resolution to this conflict must take into account the Helsinki Final Act, in particular the principles of non-use of force, territorial integrity and self-determination.
When youre Asian, there are all these expectations youll be good with numbers or work in medicine. But I was passionate about drama and the arts. Square peg, round hole. I grew up in an environment where it wasnt unusual to have people scream Go back to your own country as youre going about your business. Thats sad in itself but one of the things thats been concerning me lately is the fetishisation of Asian women. Ive been stalked on trains by masturbating men and once I was followed home by a guy who kept asking, Are you an accountant? Do you work in finance? Ive been anxious about going out in public and I ask myself, Do people see me, or do they see generic Asian spreading disease? Its a terrible way to live. It happens in the workplace, too; earlier in my career, I remember one of my company directors picking me up and swinging me around as he told me how much he loves Asian women. Its a strange fixation thats rooted in male dominance and white supremacy. The COVID-19 era has brought to light an overt form of racism I havent experienced for a long time. Recently I was standing in line at Aldi with my four-year-old son and, even though I was following social distancing guidelines, the woman in front turned around and spat, "Maintain social distancing because you are Asian".

I told her that I was born here and that I didnt personally cause the virus, but it fell on deaf ears. I understand its a time of fear for everyone but that incident has really shaken me. I've been anxious about going out in public and I ask myself, Do people see me, or do they see generic Asian spreading disease? Its a terrible way to live. I dont think Australia is more racist than other countries but I think we believe were a lot more tolerant than we really are. This is a country filled with citizens who think nothing of saying,"Oh, you speak really good English" to someone with a broad Aussie accent. And "I dont normally like Asians but youre pretty nice", and then laughing it off as some kind of joke. As a stand-up comedian [Ngo is a member of the Tight 5 Comedy group], I can tell you with some experience that "casual racism" is no laughing matter. 'Most of the racism Ive experienced has come from other recent arrivals' Maie Sufan, a 40-something engineer and support relations co-ordinator for Islamic Relief Australia, moved to Australia from her native Syria in 2006. When I moved to Australia for love, I left behind a very successful life as an engineer and lecturer. It was hard to leave my country but even though I wasnt sure about how different things would be culturally in Australia, I wasnt too worried. I knew it to be a multicultural nation and Australians have a reputation overseas for being friendly and inclusive. I felt welcomed as soon as I landed.

Maie Sufan: "The poison often trickles from the top down." When you wear a headscarf you get used to people openly staring, but while Ive had my share of "fing Muslim" comments in the streets, Ive only ever had two major incidents where the behaviour has been extreme. The first time was not long after I arrived, when a woman in her 50s followed me around a shopping centre screaming in my face about why I was in "her country". She yelled, "We have a stupid government letting stupid Muslims like you into our country." She was aggressive and intimidating. The second time was at the Royal Sydney Easter Show when I picked up an egg in the barn, not knowing this was something I was not allowed to do, and a man nearby began screaming at me. He was annoyed about the egg but made his argument about my religion, background and about people not understanding where they belong. Both times I held my ground and defended my right to be in Australia but these experiences are infuriating. Yes, of course its their country but its my country, too. Whats more, I love this country by choice.

Over the years Ive discovered that the people who think its okay to make hurtful comments are not necessarily who you think they might be. Most of the racism Ive experienced over the last 14 years has come from those with different cultural backgrounds and other recent arrivals to this country. The biggest problem with racism in our country is that the poison often trickles from the top down. By contrast, the majority of "typical" Australians have been very friendly and accepting and Ive made some lovely friends. When the Lindt Cafe situation unfolded in 2014, people went out of their way to ensure I was okay and that I remained safe. I think two major incidents and a handful of comments in 14 years isnt unreasonable. The biggest problem with racism in our country is that the poison often trickles from the top down. It seems as though if anyone wants to be successful in politics in Australia, they have to start spouting hate speech about other cultures. These are our leaders and our role models, and if were learning how to treat our fellow Australians from them, were going to be in big trouble moving forward. 'Being told youre too pretty to be Aboriginal isnt a compliment'

Sasha Sarago, a 39-year-old filmmaker and founder and editor of Ascension, was born in Australia to an Aboriginal mother and African-American father. Sasha Sarago: "Australia needs to acknowledge its own black history first." Born to a proud Wadjanbarra Yidinji and Jirrbal mother and an African-American father, I often refer to myself as "double black". It took me years to claim that identity because so much of my childhood was spent figuring out who I was. When we moved to the States, I was told I couldnt identify as black because I had "lighter skin and good hair". To them, I was mixed. When we moved back to Australia, when I was 10, it was just as strange. I didnt grow up on country and didnt look like my extended family. As a kid I didnt feel Aboriginal enough and I grew up confused about what being black even meant. I was 11 when I first heard the words "Youre too pretty to be Aboriginal", and thats the moment I realised being Aboriginal was considered dirty, like no good can come of it. Over the years, there have been others: "Youre not like the rest", "Youre too articulate" and "You could pass yourself off as Brazilian  thats much better".

There is this view that I should be happy by my proximity to whiteness, as though assimilation is something Im trying desperately to achieve, but people dont realise comments like that perpetuate genocide on my culture. In efforts to explore my Aboriginality and beauty I created the documentary Too Pretty to Be Aboriginal, which screened in 2019 on NITV Our Stories. When theres hate bubbling up around you, theres also a level of internal racism you experience. When theres hate bubbling up around you, theres also a level of internal racism you experience. I was raised with messages like, "Youre black so you have to work twice as hard." And, "Dont behave in a way that can be deemed as too urban or show too much attitude lest youre labelled aggressive." You learn to present yourself in a way thats socially acceptable for the masses but its at the cost of your identity. When I started my magazine, Ascension, I wanted it to be a one-stop shop for women of colour but since the Black Lives Matter protests began, Ive noticed a significant shift in the demographic of my readership. For the first time ever, people from all backgrounds are coming to us, eager to embrace diversity. And while one part of me feels like shouting, "Yes! This is the opportunity weve been waiting for", another part cant help wondering if were just a trend. Is it Black Lives Matter today and then something else tomorrow? Im opting to remain positive.
Berlin:

Life began on land as early as 3.2billion years ago - 300 million years earlier than previously thought - say scientists who have found the oldest evidence of life on land.

The research led by Sami Nabhan from the Free University of Berlin in Germany, studied ancient rock formations from South Africa's Barberton greenstone belt.

These rocks are some of the oldest known on Earth, with their formation dating back to 3.5 billion years.

In a layer that has been dated at 3.22 billion years old, tiny grains of the iron sulfide mineral pyrite were discovered that show telltale signs of microbial activity.

These signs are recorded both in trace element distributions as well as in the ratio between the Sulphur isotopes 34S and 32S in the pyrite.

Scientists showed that the fraction of 34S in the core of some crystals differ characteristically from that of the same crystal's rim, indicating that the exterior of the grain involved a processing of sulphur by microbes, so-called biogenic fractionation.

The determination of the 34S/32S ratio, using sample masses less than one billionth of a gramme, was carried out at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences by Michael Wiedenbeck.

The composition of the rock, the shape of the crystals, and the layering visible in the field all indicate that the studied rock sequence was derived from an ancient soil profile; this so-called paleosol developed on a river flood plain 3.22 billion years ago.

Field data collected during this study imply that a braided river system transported the sediment containing the iron sulfide crystals.

It is interpreted that microbes living in the soil, at a level that was continually shifting between wet and dry conditions, subsequently produced the rim overgrowths on the pyrite crystals.

Based on this evidence, the scientists conclude that they found evidence for biological activity on land at this very early date.

The research pushes back the date for the oldest evidence of life on land to some 300 million years earlier than previously documented.

The study was published in the journal Geology.

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A Victorian man allegedly trying to enter Queensland for a third time is the latest person to be hit with a $4003 fine under the state's border restrictions.

Police stopped the 27-year-old on Thursday afternoon at a checkpoint near Texas, about 300 kilometres south-west of Brisbane on the Queensland-NSW border.

It's alleged the man had already been refused entry twice and claimed to have not recently been in his home state, which is a declared hotspot under Queensland public health directions.

Ten people have been fined since the laws came into effect on July 10 as part of efforts to block those entering Queensland from COVID-19 hotspots while reopening the border to others.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the delay by the Federal Government to arraign the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, over allegations of fraud is raising public apprehensions over the integrity of the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

The party said the delay is heightening suspicion in the public space over alleged attempt to give Magu a soft landing in order to cover up for certain top officials of the Buhari administration as well as some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alleged to have been indicted by the suspended EFCC chairman, in the course of his investigation by the Presidential Panel.

The PDP, in a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Thursday, said its position is predicated on conflicting reports on the status of the processes related to Magus on-going investigations and the direction of the Federal Government on the matter.

Part Of The Statement Reads:

Our party holds that where there are no undesirable underhand dealings, any government that is committed to the fight against corruption, in such a manner that the Buhari Presidency wants the world to believe it does, should have since perfected its processes and arraign the suspended EFCC acting Chairman in court, particularly with the weight of allegations and revelations unearthed at the Presidential panel.

The fact is that the allegations of fraud including alleged stealing of billions of naira recovered by the EFCC among other accusations, which also include alleged transfer of stolen money to certain government officials, are already in the public domain.

The expectation of Nigerians therefore is for the Federal Government to immediately arraign Magu before a court of competent jurisdiction and prosecute him in line with the dictates of our laws.

Nigerians are apprehensive that the EFCC investigation might go the way of the huge cover up in the handling of cases of unbridled treasury looting in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) among others where indicted officials were given a pat on the wrist without prosecution.

Our party charges the Buhari Presidency to note that the world is watching the handling of the EFCC fraud case with keen interest. The Federal Government should therefore take immediate steps to arraign Magu and all those indicted in the matter before a court of competent jurisdiction without any further delay.
A Covid-19 survivor has spoken of his heartbreak at emerging from a coma only to be told his 83-year-old mother had died from the virus on the same hospital ward.

Ian O'Sullivan, from Cork, was a full-time carer for his mother, Mary.

On March 14, he felt unwell and arranged for a Covid test.

He adhered to Government guidance and was nine days in self-isolation before suddenly feeling desperately unwell and being taken to hospital.

"I didn't feel 100pc. The following day I wasn't feeling good and it was that day the country was shutting down. I was aware of the virus," he said.

Mr O'Sullivan added that before that, he had been out and about in Cork, visiting a few pubs to watch the Cheltenham racing. "I don't know if that was it. It is the million dollar question," he told RedFM's 'Neil Prendeville Show'.

"Because of my mother's age I was very worried about her. At the time the protocol was to self-isolate and to get tested.

"I did just that - I stayed at home in my room. Friends dropped medicines to my house. I was like that for nine days. I was in the bed most of the time - it really knocked me, I was exhausted."

On the 10th day, he was rushed to Mercy University Hospital (MUH) in Cork and became its first Covid-19 case.

"I wasn't well enough to have a conversation (with my mam). I kind of said goodbye to her with my eyes. I even had (personal protective equipment) on me leaving the house," he said.

Mr O'Sullivan was eventually placed in an induced coma at MUH.

His mother was rushed to the same hospital 48 hours later having become seriously ill. She died while he was still unconscious on April 2.

Doctors attempted to bring Mr O'Sullivan out of the coma on April 3 but he became seriously ill. Eventually, on April 6, he was successfully brought out of the coma, and some time later learned from his family via FaceTime that his mother had passed away.

"I found out my mother took ill two days later and followed me into the same ward, St Joseph's. She was in a room directly across the hall from me," he said.

"I came around and I was asking for my daughter and my mother - my sisters didn't want the news coming from anyone but a family member.

"They couldn't get into the ward in person. My sister called me and broke the news about mam.

"She died four days before I came out of the coma. I will take it to my own grave that I couldn't go to my own mother's funeral. I was so close to her but I couldn't see her.

"I left my home fighting for my life and I never saw my mother again."
At around 6 a.m. every morning, Jiao Shengding rides his motorbike to a local market to buy ingredients for preparing lunches, before heading to the school where he teaches.

Jiao, 52, is the only teacher at the school in Zhangji village in Aidian Township of Ningming County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The tiny school accepts pupils below the third grade from Zhangji and two nearby hamlets.

The three small villages, whose residents are people of the Yao ethnic group, perch on the Gongmu Mountain on the border between China and Vietnam.

China offers a nine-year compulsory education for students, even in the most remote areas. In addition to 160,000 regular primary schools, there are about 96,500 teaching sites like Jiao's nationwide to ensure all children can enjoy the benefits of education.

Jiao began teaching at age 22 here in his home county of Ningming, and has been working at the school ever since.

Dilapidated bungalows, peeled blackboards, broken tables and chairs, and stained walls were the first things that greeted Jiao when he arrived at his classroom for the first time 30 years ago.

"There was no dormitory, tap water, or electricity," he recalled. "That was a bumpy start."

Back in the 1990s, the towering mountains and rocky landscape kept locals locked in extreme poverty. Due to their traditional views and poor family conditions, many parents did not send their children to school.

Jiao went from door to door along the rugged mountain trails and persuaded parents to let their kids receive an education.

"Every child deserves to be educated. Well-educated children can lift their families out of poverty and change their own fates," he said.

At present, there are eight students in one class; two first-graders, and six second-graders. When they are old enough to go to Aidian Primary School on their own, the only regular primary school 4 km away in the township, they will be enrolled in higher grades.

Jiao teaches for six hours every day; four hours in the morning and two in the afternoon. He teaches Chinese and math and cooks lunch with his wife for the kids at school. After class, he helps the students with their homework.

As an ethnic Yao himself, Jiao often teaches students ethnic folk customs. He also organizes children to participate in various ethnic cultural events, such as the "Dujie" ceremony, a special coming-of-age ritual for Yao boys to greet their journey into adulthood.

Being the only teacher, Jiao is not only in charge of the children's studies, but also cares about their lives.

During a home visit, Jiao learned that a student named Zhao Xiaomei led a difficult life, as her father, the breadwinner of the family of five, died in a cliff fall. Jiao bought her health insurance and school supplies, and sought donations to cover her living expenses.

In the spring of 2014, Jiao was injured while riding a motorcycle. He left the hospital only seven days after an operation and hurried back to the children.

"My students couldn't attend school for a week because of me. I could walk and write with my left hand, so it was okay to teach," Jiao recalled. He taught classes with steel plates holding his fractured bones in place, and had bandages around his right arm.

Supported by the local government, Jiao and some villagers built a new school, half-way up the Gongmu Mountain in 2002.

In recent years, local authorities paved the roads linking the school and households and installed modern teaching hardware like audio equipment, sliding blackboards, and LED touch screens.

Over the years, Jiao got offers from several better-off schools in the county, but he turned all of them down.

"Who's going to teach my students if I leave?"

Eight years from retirement, Jiao thinks his time is limited and he should spend as much of it as possible on the children.

"The better foundation I lay for them, the brighter future they can have through further study," he said.

Jiao's perseverance has paid off. During the past three decades teaching in the border village, he has taught more than 400 pupils, many of whom have left the mountains to start their own businesses. Some students have entered universities, including his daughter Jiao Lingxia.

After graduating from a college in 2016 in the city of Baise in Guangxi, she returned home to teach Chinese at Aidian Primary School.

"My father set an example for me in that education can change the fate of children," said Jiao Lingxia, 24. "I will carry on his cause and devote myself to lighting up the way ahead for these rural children."
Actor Mouni Roy, who flew to London earlier this week, has posted a fresh black-and-white picture of hers. The actor is in London for the shoot of a film.

Sharing the picture, she wrote: @yangkathie said,there are two kind of problems, one that cannot be resolved no matter what & the other would sort itself out eventually; in both cases its useless you worry... & thats how we became friends! Mouni also posted a bunch of pictures and short video clips of London, giving view of the citys architecture. Sharing one such a picture, she had written What not to live as its caption.

Earlier, she had put up pictures of herself enjoying, as it were, the English weather. Sharing some, she quoted lines from a popular Hindi film song from the 70s and wrote: Hawa ke saath saath, ghataa ke sang sang, oh saathi chal. Two days back, on Tuesday, she had shared pictures from London, one of which showed her at a cafe, with a book for company. Many of her industry friends commented on it. Actor Karan Tacker wrote: Kindly tell me this is a throwback! More so, as in India, people largely stay at home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Talking about her fears of shooting in Covid-19 times, she told Hindustan Times, I am quite petrified and nervous as actors are the only people on a set, who wouldnt wear any masks or gloves while shooting or in a shot. But I was dying to work and be on a set, so we kind of have to get used to the new normal. Lets see how it goes. It is my first time under the circumstances, so I will know and understand better as we start shooting. I have been promised that all the safety measures would be taken and social distancing would be practised on set. So, I am hoping for the best. One day at a time.

Also read: Richa Chadha says same directors who posted condolence messages have replaced actresses who refused to sleep with them

Mouni had been stuck in Abu Dhabi for the past four months and had been staying with her friend there. Then, July 13, she posted videos of herself in full Covid-19 protective gear with mask, face shield and gloves gear as she was set to take a flight. In the videos, it was not clear whether she was on her way home. It was later reported that she left for London.

In an earlier interview to Times of India, however, the actor had expressed a desire to get back home. She had been quoted as saying: I am enjoying my stay here, in the company of my friend, who I grew up with, and her family. However, I am missing my mother and brother, who are in Cooch Behar. I am dying to come back to India, but I havent finalised a return date yet.

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Analysis Will Outlawing of Polling Stations on Military Bases Change Myanmars Electoral Landscape?

Troops march at the Myanmar Armed Forces Day Parade in March 2019. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

YANGONFor the first time, Myanmars military personnel and their family members will have to cast their votes at polling stations outside their military compounds when Myanmar goes to the polls on Nov. 8. Parliaments abolition of military polling stations this year has raised hopes that military personnel will feel free to vote for the candidates of their choice.

There are over 1 million military-affiliated voters in Myanmar, including both the armed forces estimated 500,000 personnel and their relatives. Until 2018, they could vote only at polling stations inside military camps under the watchful eyes of their superiors. Myanmar has held three general elections in the past nearly six decades, in 1990, 2010 and 2015, and three by-elections, in 2012, 2017 and 2018.

At first glance, military voters casting ballots at a polling station in a military compound may not seem a big deal.

But in Myanmar, where the military (or Tatmadaw) has maintained a long and deep involvement in politics through successive proxy parties, the setting up of voting stations on military bases has serious implications. Suspicions have long been raised that voting by military personnel is rigged in favor of the proxy party. The number of military voters across the country is substantial enough that manipulating their ballots could affect the outcome of an election. Transparency is a major issue, as most of the polling stations on bases are off limits to election observers for security reasons.

Given these concerns, political parties, including the ruling National League for Democracy, objected to the existence of polling stations in cantonment areas ahead of previous elections. Action was taken in May, when the countrys Parliament passed amendments to electoral by-laws resulting in the abolition of military polling stations on the grounds that they do not comply with the standards of a free and fair election.

With military polling stations moving out, we cant take it for granted that the NLD will win. But it gives military voters an opportunity to vote freely for the party they support, NLD vice chairman Dr. Zaw Myint Maung told reporters on July 2, after the partys Central Executive Committee meeting in Naypyitaw.

Former military officer U Kyaw Swa Win told The Irrawaddy that during a previous election he had witnessed cases of military voters being intimidated by their superiors to vote for the militarys current proxy party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), whose leadership includes former senior military officers.

The ex-major, who was jailed and expelled from the army in 2014 for signing an NLD-organized petition in support of reforms to the military-drafted Constitution, served as a vote-counting officer at a military polling station in 2010.

He recalled how any ballot on which the voter had not selected the USDP was deliberately invalidated at his polling station, helping pave the way for the partys victory.

If the box beside the USDP was unticked, they personally added one more mark with a pen to turn it to an invalid vote, he said, admitting that the soldiers were following the order of a commanding officer. According to voting guidelines, a ballot on which more than one choice has been selected must be rejected.

So we only had two kinds of ballot: those for the USDP, and invalid ones, he said, adding that, As there will be no military polling stations now, this problem shouldnt occur.

Unsurprisingly, the 2010 election, which was boycotted by the NLD and many ethnic parties, was widely viewed as flawed. The USDP won a landslide victory in that election, becoming the ruling party in early 2011.

Political analyst U Ye Tun, who is also a former Lower House lawmaker for the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, said there had always been questions over whether military personnel and their family members were free to exercise their own judgment when casting ballots under the eyes of their commanders.

Citing army colleagues, he said that in some cases in 2010 and 2015, military voters superiors simply cast ballots on their behalf.

Military voters in areas with a large Tatmadaw presence boosted the USDPs results and in some places secured victory for the party.

In the 2015 general election, while the NLD won a landslide victory nationwide and secured enough seats to claim the presidency and form the government, the USDP won a majority of parliamentary seats in Shan State, which is home to large army troop deployments, even defeating the locally popular Shan Nationalities League for Democracy.

USDP spokesperson Dr. Nanda Hla Myint, however, disputed the claims of irregularities, saying that whether polling stations are placed inside or outside of military barracks has nothing to do with the partys performance at the polls.

He pointed out that in 2015 his party lost to the NLD in garrison towns like Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay Region and Mingaladon and Hmawbi townships in Yangon.

It doesnt matter whether polling stations are inside or outside military barracks. Those who like our party will vote for us and those who dont, they wont, he told The Irrawaddy.

However, his comments did not convince Gumgrawng Awng Hkam, the vice chair of the Kachin State Peoples Party (KSPP), which was recently created from a merger of smaller ethnic Kachin parties.

In the 2018 by-election, Aung Hkam ran for an Upper House seat representing the capital of Kachin State, Myitkyina, under the locally popular Kachin Development Partys ticket. But he finished second, losing to the USDP candidate. He said it appeared that all advance votes from a military cantonment in the city voted for the USDP, swinging the result.

With polling stations having been removed from the barracks, he expected there would be changes among the military voters.

In a democracy, military voters should cast their ballots outside, rather than in, their compounds. Only this can ensure their families freedom to vote [as they wish], he said, adding that it is a democratic right to vote for the candidate of ones choice.

What has happened in Myanmar is, I have to say, an injustice, as the military has been able to channel its entire vote to one party, said he.

Awng Hkam said placing voting stations inside restricted military camps does not comply with democratic standards. He added that individual members of the military must be able to vote independently for the candidate of their choice in order for an election to be considered free and fair.

NLD Central Information Unit Secretary Monywa Aung Shin said the party secured victory in the above-mentioned garrison towns thanks to voters who lived outside of military compounds. He said that since the 1990 election, the military-backed partyknown as the National Unity Party at that timehad seen landslides at military cantonment polling stations, with other parties winning very few votes.

He also pointed to problems with military polling stations in the by-elections in 2017 and 2018, particularly in Kachin and Shan states and in the Sagaing Region township of Tamu. At military compounds in those places the NLD never won more than one votein some places it won none at all, he said.

In the 2017 by-election the USDP won a regional parliament seat in Kengtung Township in Shan State, and in 2018 it won an Upper House Seat in Kachin State and a regional parliament seat in Tamu township of Sagaing Region. In those places, several polling stations were located inside military compounds.

As the military voters will vote outside military barracks in the coming election, the NLD may win more votes, political analyst U Ye Tun said.

Apart from military polling stations, advance voting is another concern.

Ex-major Kyaw Swa Win called on the election commission to develop clear procedures and regulations to ensure transparency in the advance voting process for the military.

In previous elections, there were reports of electoral fraud involving advance military voting. Even then Union vice president Sai Mauk Kham, of the USDP, was accused of manipulating advance votes in his constituency, Shan States Lashio, in the 2015 general election. The then state election sub-commission denied the accusation and stood firm on its official vote count.

Election observer groups said that while advance voting is hard to monitor at the best of times, advance voting by the military is even less transparent. In some cases, the ballots arrive directly from far-flung military bases where the commanding officers have sole responsibility for arranging advance votes and the number of people who cast such votes is unknown. This raises legitimacy issues such as whether the ballots were cast in secret, without intimidation and by the actual voters themselves.

Election observer Daw Mya Nandar Thin said the number of advance votes is always much higher at polling stations inside military camps than at civilian polling stations. She said that while there were difficulties accessing the military camps on election day in 2015, her group was able to conduct poll monitoring in some cantonment areas during the 2017 and 2018 by-elections.

But we couldnt assess casting of ballots during out-of-constituency military advance voting, she said.

However, she is hopeful that advance military voting will become more transparent under the electoral by-law amendments passed in May, as the countrys Union Election Commission will now publish lists of voters who request advance voting. This should make it easier for observers and others to get an idea of how many advanced votes are out there.

Parliaments success in amending electoral by-laws to bring polling stations out of military compounds was achieved over resistance from the military.

Military spokesperson Major General Tun Tun Nyi told reporters during a press conference in Naypyitaw late last year that it is difficult for both military personnel and their family members to leave their bases to vote, as they are on duty 24 hours per day.

As Parliament was debating the proposed changes to the electoral by-laws, Brigadier-General Maung Maung told reporters in Naypyitaw that it would cause security and transport problems in some places for military personnel and their family members to leave their military barracks to vote.

I think this is wrong. There was no problem with the military polling stations in the 2010 and 2015 general elections; the elections were free and fair and that is why the ruling party is in power today. There is no reason for it.

For all their resistance, however, the abolition of polling stations on military bases succeeded. According to Daw Mya Nandar Thin of New Myanmar Foundation, a local election observation group, the move will ensure transparency in the election process.

Greater transparency will strengthen the credibility of the whole election, she said.

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Holidaymakers worried about catching coronavirus have a new option with a deal that pays your medical expenses if you catch the virus abroad.

Travel insurers have begun to tentatively reintroduce policies after pulling most deals in the outbreak of the pandemic.

Today, the Association of British Travel Agents has launched a new policy designed to cater to holidaymakers who are worried about contracting the disease while overseas.

ABTA's new 'Travel Sure' is underwritten by Axa and provides up to 5million cover for those heading to countries that the Government says are exempt from its 'all but essential travel' list.

Insurers have begun to tentatively reintroduce policies after pulling most from the shelves

These countries currently include most of Europe and large parts of South East Asia, but doesn't include for example the US. A full list of exempt counties can be found here.

Crucially, this insurance will pay your medical bills if you fall ill with coronavirus in any of these countries and need to seek medical treatment before you can come home. They will also pay any costs associated with getting you home.

The cover also includes as standard cover for things like cruises, terrorism, airline failures and gadget cover  things that most insurance policies would make you pay extra for.

Unlike some policies there's also no upper age limit, meaning older holidaymakers can also apply.

There's also a 'gold' and a 'platinum' package, which offer higher levels of cover for a higher premium.

The move from ABTA, which is most associated by consumers as offering protection in the event of a travel firm going bust, comes as it looks to help the industry recover from the devastating blow coronavirus has had.

Ian Hall, head of travel insurance at ABTA said: 'In these circumstances we know that insurance has an important role to play in giving people confidence to book now travel is restarting, and ABTA Travel Sure will appeal to people who require cover for coronavirus medical expenses whilst on holiday.'

How to save on insurance bills now Millions of people are needlessly overpaying when their insurance automatically renews. But you don't have to and it's easier than you might think to fight back to beat the loyalty penalty. With our new partner, Compare the Market, you can compare insurance and exclusive deals. Could you save hundreds of pounds a year on your home insurance, car insurance, travel insurance as well as pet, motorbike and van insurance? Ue the tool to check. >> Check to see if you can start saving money now

Brian Brown, consumer finance expert at Defaqto, said: 'You must remember that most insurers won't cover you if, having booked your holiday, you can't travel due to either catching coronavirus or being told to quarantine by the Government track and trace team.'

Defaqto's consumer expert Brian Brown

Previously just Coverwise, Southdowns, Cedertree, British Airways and Cover for You offered this service.

These represent only a miniscule proportion of the providers in the market  just 6 out of 162, or 4 per cent of the whole market.

Travel Sure will now also protect against cancelling or cutting a trip short for up to 2,000.

If you plan to travel, its worth bearing in mind that many airlines and holiday providers are offering flexible booking policies which allow you to move holidays and flights to different dates without a change fee.

Brown added: 'You should try to book travel and accommodation that is cancellable with a full refund before your date of travel.

'If you are determined to go abroad this summer then you should be prepared to buy travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday, and make sure that the insurer will definitely cover you for both cancellation and medical treatment arising from coronavirus.'

>> For This is Money's full guide to travelling during the pandemic, click here
Newly disclosed records show a California Highway Patrol officer resigned after more than a dozen women accused him of propositioning them for sex or dates while he was on duty. (Fox-5 San Diego)

Nicole remembers feeling grateful that Officer Morgan McGrew agreed to meet her so early in the morning. The 7:30 a.m. appointment would let her verify her cars vehicle identification number and still make it to work on time.

But when she met McGrew in the parking lot of the West Valley California Highway Patrol Office in Woodland Hills, the officer said he was having trouble finding the VIN sticker on her car door. Then the conversation abruptly shifted.

I'll pass this car, and you'll be able to get your registration, if you go out on a date with me, she remembers McGrew saying. I kind of froze, she says.

Nicole, who spoke on condition that her full name not be published to respect her privacy, was one of 21 women McGrew propositioned and harassed during VIN verification appointments, according to records from a 2016 internal investigation obtained by KQED and the California Reporting Project. Four women said McGrew offered to pass their vehicles if they would go on a date or to a nearby motel with him. Two said McGrew sent them text messages soliciting sex after he took down their phone numbers during a VIN appointment. Fifteen described McGrew making comments that ranged from proposing sex to asking intrusive personal questions.

McGrew resigned in 2017 when the California Highway Patrol notified him that it planned to fire him for a variety of misconduct, including improperly trying to foster relationships with members of the public, making inappropriate sexual comments and propositioning women for sex while on duty, the documents show.

The records provide details about the type of sexual misconduct by law enforcement that remained secret for decades in California until a landmark transparency law required agencies last year to publicly disclose a variety of documents, including investigations of officers found to have committed sexual assault while on duty. The Right to Know Act has exposed repeated instances of abuse, ranging from correctional officers in prison and jail who assaulted women under their guard to an officer fired for soliciting sex from an arrestee and one accused of beating and raping his girlfriend.

Story continues

In McGrew's case, the CHP did not refer him to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office to decide if criminal charges were warranted. A CHP spokeswoman wrote in an email that had there been sufficient evidence that a crime had occurred, it would have been investigated and potentially referred to the district attorney's office.

The district attorney's office declined to comment on the case. The California Assn. of Highway Patrolmen, which represented McGrew, also did not respond to requests for comment.

Efforts to reach McGrew were unsuccessful. The CHP records show he admitted making the comments during VIN inspections but argued that termination was an excessive punishment after his 14 years of service.

"While I do not dispute that I made inexcusable comments to members of the public, the remarks were never mean-spirited," he wrote in a letter to internal affairs.

Former U.S. Attorney for Northern California Joe Russoniello, who reviewed the internal affairs files, described McGrew's conduct as "a wanton abuse of his badge" and said he was shocked the CHP did not refer McGrew to the DA.

An agency needs to show that it's serious about rejecting this kind of behavior, Russoniello said. And the serious way to do that is a criminal referral.

Phil Stinson, a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio who has studied police crime, said officers like McGrew are often dismissed as bad apples, but that such behavior is normalized in many U.S. police departments.

Victims are often in a vulnerable position, and McGrew held particular sway as a result of his work. A registered vehicle is often key to a persons mobility, employment and family life. Without proper registration people can face fines, or even lose their car.

You're dealing with a law enforcement officer who has a gun and a badge. Theyre a person in a position of authority," Stinson said. "And it's very threatening for a woman to find themselves in that situation where the officer's suggesting that they engage in a sex act. Its absolutely terrifying.

The number of times the CHP has disciplined an officer for sexual misconduct in the past five years is still unknown. A coalition of news organizations including KQED and The Los Angeles Times requested such records on Jan. 1, 2019, but the agency stalled for over a year before providing a single case file. In May, KQED filed a lawsuit against the CHP to force disclosure. The agency produced the internal investigation of former Officer McGrew shortly thereafter.

The agency has also released its investigation into former CHP Officer Timothy Larios, whose romantic relationship with a female confidential informant compromised an interagency narcotics operation and endangered the woman. Larios retired when the CHP notified him it was moving to fire him, the records show. A third file details the agencys probe into former Officer John Frizzell, who was fired in 2014 for fondling a womans breasts during a traffic stop and asking another female motorist to lift her shirt.

In both cases, the documents give no indication that the CHP referred the officers for prosecution.

Records show the CHP began investigating McGrew after a woman made a complaint in 2016. Like Nicole, this woman made an appointment with McGrew to get her VIN verified so she could get her car registered with the DMV. She had her son with her.

McGrew gave the child a CHP sticker and looked at the vehicle.

McGrew then told the woman he would pass her car if she went to a nearby motel with him, according to the documents. The woman, who spoke Spanish, didnt immediately understand what McGrew was asking. So McGrew repeated the proposition twice.

The woman went inside the office to complain about McGrews behavior. A sergeant asked her if she misunderstood McGrew due to the language barrier and if shed been drinking or taking drugs. She said there was no misunderstanding and that she wasnt under the influence.

She could not explain the expression on Officer McGrew's face, but she said he was smiling when he asked the question about getting a motel room, the documents say.

As part of the internal investigation, the CHP sent three rounds of surveys to about 150 women ages 18-40 whod made appointments with McGrew during his time as an inspection officer.

The CHP improperly redacted dates showing the length of the investigation and time span of McGrews abuse. But it is clear that the agencys investigation did not include anything in the officers career before he was assigned to vehicle inspections.

By limiting the scope of the investigation to those over 18, investigators may well have missed more vulnerable victims.

What about the 16- or 17-year-old driver that may own a car that he had come into contact with? Stinson said.

One woman who said she felt violated after her experience at the CHP office told investigators that McGrew asked her what she would do for him if he passed her car.

Officer McGrew asked her what she was going to do for him if he passed her car. She said she tried to laugh it off, but believed it was inappropriate," according to the records. "She said he then made comments about handcuffing her and getting her in the back seat of her car."

The woman said McGrew "mentioned taking her to a motel at the end or up the street.

McGrew admitted to investigators that he had made inappropriate comments to women while on duty, but said he never intended to act on them. When asked why he propositioned the women, McGrew replied; Just to see if theyll say yes, according to interview transcripts in the investigation file.

McGrew, however, did date at least one woman he harassed on the job, he told investigators, and he repeatedly texted another for a few months. Both said they cut off contact with him after his explicit messages made them uncomfortable.

McGrew solicited two other women for sex via text message after their appointments. Documents show that McGrew got rid of that untraceable prepaid cell phone before investigators could look at it.

Many of the women told investigators they didnt file complaints about McGrew because they were afraid of what he might do with the power of his office. One reported being scared to come back to the CHP for her follow-up appointment because she would have to see McGrew again.

Nicole recalled the moment when McGrew told her he would pass her car if she went out with him. She said she was suddenly hyper-aware of her surroundings  alone in a deserted parking lot with a man who was sitting in the front seat of her car.

At first, she said, she tried to laugh off his proposition. She needed him to sign off on her cars VIN. But McGrew didnt drop it; he kept asking. Twice more, she says, he offered to pass her car in exchange for a date.

At that point I just shut down completely, and just kind of gave him this look like, I'm so uncomfortable, she says. And then he got more awkward and finally just kind of stepped out of my car, handed me paperwork and said I was good to go. And then I drove off.

Nicole said she was contacted by CHP investigators months later and told them what had happened. She said the CHP never got back to her to let her know what happened with McGrew. She says she would also have expected the agency to make some changes as a result of the investigation. They have not.

No changes to CHP policy were necessary because the behavior was against policy then and is today, a CHP spokeswoman wrote via email. The employee's conduct was investigated and the employee was appropriately disciplined.

In the three years since this happened, Nicole says she has thought about it a lot. Her father was a police officer and before this experience, Nicole says she felt really positively about police. She doesnt anymore.

She says she would have liked the CHP to do more intensive screening of potential officers to weed out people like McGrew.

How does someone like that even get that far? she asked.

This article was reported by KQED and produced as part of the California Reporting Project, a collaboration of 40 newsrooms across the state, including The Times, to obtain and report on police misconduct and serious use-of-force records made public in 2019.
DETROIT, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Quicken Loans, the nation's largest mortgage lender, along with Amrock, the nation's leading electronic closing (eClosing) provider, today completed North Carolina's first-ever Remote Online Notarization (RON) mortgage closing. With the recent passage of the Emergency Video Notarization law in North Carolina enabling the implementation of RON eClosings, the precedent has been set for consumers and notaries in the state to securely sign electronic documents remotely from different locations, creating a convenient and safe solution for all parties involved in the mortgage transaction.

"Modern technology continues to turn a process that has historically been cumbersome and paper intensive into a simple, seamless experience. RON is a convenience in normal circumstances, but it has become a necessity in these unprecedented times of social distancing as we focus on our clients' health and safety," said Jay Farner, CEO of Quicken Loans. "Pioneering this technology in North Carolina was a priority for Rocket Mortgage. We are consistently driving digital solutions to antiquated problems and we continue our mission to have RON adopted in all 50 states."

In 2019, Quicken Loans became the first mortgage lender to offer eClosings in all 50 states. Amrock has successfully completed 85% of all eNotes in the U.S. in 2020. Consumers across the country can work with Quicken Loans and Amrock to complete a closing  though eClosing eligibility varies depending on individual state legislation and other factors.

The spread of COVID-19 highlighted the need for digital solutions in the mortgage industry, enabling notaries to carry out their duties without the need to sit across the table from their client. Currently, 26 states have legislation in place permitting RON eClosings, with 17 of them actively conducting them today. The balance of states have enacted emergency legislation or executive orders providing temporary authorizations allowing notaries to perform electronic closings of some sort  including North Carolina.

"We are focused on innovations that remove pain points from mortgage transactions and make the process easier for the end client," said Brian Hughes, CEO of Amrock. "I salute North Carolina's Secretary of State's efforts to move the mortgage closing experience online and enable clients and closing agents to quickly, securely and safely work together."

North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall is an active advocate for eClosings in North Carolina. She has a longstanding mission to bring the state's business practices into the 21st century. A critical aspect of that is creating an environment suitable for fast and secure homebuying experiences for consumers, notaries and lenders alike.

"North Carolina's many years of leadership and preparedness in making eClosings an important option for consumers has never been more important than it is now in the face of this global pandemic," said Secretary Marshall. "The passage of the temporary Emergency Video Notarization law was paramount to ensuring vital real estate and business transactions could move forward, while also considering the health and safety of all involved. I commend Quicken Loans and Amrock for taking this major step forward here in North Carolina."

North Carolina's first RON eClosing was completed for a Quicken Loans team member living in Asheville. Amrock partnered with Brady & Kosofsky, P.A., a real estate law firm located in Matthews, North Carolina, to serve as the signing agent.

About Amrock

Amrock is a leading national provider of title insurance, property valuations and settlement services. The company delivers FinTech solutions to streamline the real estate and mortgage experience for lenders, consumers and real estate professionals.

Amrock is a preferred provider to top retail mortgage lenders, with a wide range of clients throughout the residential and commercial real estate finance industries. Driven by thousands of professional partners and team members nationwide, Amrock is headquartered in the heart of downtown Detroit, Michigan with regional service centers in California, Pennsylvania and Texas and additional locations in several other states.

About Quicken Loans / Rocket Mortgage

Detroit-based Quicken Loans, the nation's largest home mortgage lender, enables the American Dream of homeownership and financial freedom through its obsession with an industry leading, digital-driven client experience. The company closed $145 billion dollars of mortgage volume across all 50 states in 2019. In late 2015, Quicken Loans introduced Rocket Mortgage, the first fully digital mortgage experience. Currently, 98% of all home loans originated by Quicken Loans utilize Rocket Mortgage Technology.

Quicken Loans moved its headquarters to downtown Detroit in 2010. Today, Quicken Loans and the Rock Family of Companies employs more than 19,000 full-time team members in Detroit's urban core. The company generates loan production from web centers located in Detroit, Cleveland and Phoenix and operates a centralized loan processing facility in Detroit. Quicken Loans ranked highest in the country for customer satisfaction for primary mortgage origination by J.D. Power for the past 10 consecutive years, 2010  2019, and also ranked highest in the country for customer satisfaction among all mortgage servicers the past six consecutive years, 2014  2019.

Quicken Loans was once again named to FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list in 2019 and has been included in the magazine's top 1/3rd of companies named to the list for the past 16 consecutive years. In addition, Essence Magazine named Quicken Loans "#1 Place to Work in the Country for African Americans."

For more information and company news visit QuickenLoans.com/press-room.

SOURCE Quicken Loans

Related Links

www.quickenloans.com


We know that whatever the punishment, it will not ease the loss and pain we feel, the familys statement said. AJ was an innocent, precious little boy whose life was taken from him after he endured, what we now know, was much pain and suffering. We had expected JoAnn would pay for that by spending her natural life in prison.
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- It was 1978.

Hank Berumen was a fledgling musician, hoping to land his first professional gig when he auditioned for the owners of now-closed Timothy OSullivans in Gulfport.

It was horrible, Berumen recalled. They asked me to play stuff that even now I couldnt play. But they hired me. So I get there that night and Ive invited all my friends.

So Im sitting there, waiting to start and right next to me a lady is asking the bartender Whos playing tonight?' The bartender tells her and the lady says Oh, hes great! Ive heard him many times in Mobile. Remember, this is my first gig. So I turned to her and said Excuse me, Im playing tonight.' She looks at me and says (disappointedly) Oh.

That first gig also coincided with a 1978 World Series game between the Dodgers and Yankees.

Everyones glued to the TV, he said. Im just in the wind, alone -- which, in retrospect, was probably a good thing for my first gig. Id written my set on these 3x5 index cards. In my naivete, I had planned seven songs per set. I went through seven songs in 15 minutes.

One of my friends told me at the end of the night You know, you shook my hand like 15 times and thanked me for being here -- before you even started.' It was horrible. It was great, but it was horrible.

Despite that inauspicious start, Berumen has forged a career that now spans 42 years and counting. Once the new kid on the local music block, he is now the elder statesman, who has outlasted dozens of now-closed businesses and seen a new generation of live music venues open in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Born in San Bernardino, Calif., as the son of an Air Force father, Berumen and his family relocated to Biloxi when he was six and it would become his hometown. He got his first guitar at 13 and got serious about it by 15. He lists Buffalo Springfield, Stephen Stills, The Byrds, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell as early influences; later, Elton John, Nick Drake and John Martyn.

He credits his love of music and initial interest in playing to his parents -- both of whom are 95 years old and living, unassisted, in Biloxi.

I think a lot of its hereditary, Berumen said. My mom came from a large Catholic family and her brothers all played guitar. I think it was always in me, but I was largely influenced by my mother. She was a great big band fan, then acoustic music.

Berumens parents were -- and continue to be -- supportive of his pursuit of a music career.

My mom and dad  they never said no, he said. Im sure they had aspirations for me to be something else. But they never said no. Never, ever had a negative word. To me, thats fantastic. My mom and dad are the best. They really are.

After receiving that first guitar, Berumen started lessons -- or lesson, as it turned out.

The guy had me do one chord for a half an hour, he said. I thought Nope. I aint going to do this. This is ridiculous. So I picked up a Gene Autry guitar beginners book and it had all the basic chords. I tell people all the time, if you want to learn to play the guitar, start on an acoustic guitar with the basic chords. Thats what I did.

Berumen continued to learn to play and mentions hearing Stephen Stills recording of Bluebird as a major influence. I listened to that and I knew I wanted to do more than listen, he said.

In his teen years, Berumen had a lot of friends who were playing in teen clubs and other places and he would audition to play with them.

They said We like you. We really do. We dont want to hurt your feelings, but you dont have much future in this, he remembered. Fortunately for Berumen and the countless audiences he has entertained, those friends were 42 years worth of wrong.

Berumen said theres no possible way to speculate on how many gigs hes played over 42 years. While much of his career has been here on the coast, he also spent a few years in the Jackson music scene, as well as playing in other parts of the country, including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Arizona and California. Many of those gigs were early in his career.

It was very lonely going to these places where you didnt know anybody, he said. I was still trying to get my legs under me.

Berumen credits jam sessions which used to be the norm among local musicians back in the 1970s, as well as the years he spent in Jackson during the 1980s, as vital to his development as a musician.

There would be jam sessions every night, he says of the coast music scene in the 70s. Youd all play your individual shows, but so many nights there were jam sessions. Everyone was friends and would help each other out. Thats how I grew as a musician.

And the music going on in Jackson was so good in the 80s. Those guys were rich, musically speaking, Berumen continued. They were great musicians. Those guys were really important to my career. They were playing all this music during a time when the coast was more into Top 40, dance music, because there were a lot of dance clubs down here at that time.

Everything was a process  learning stage presence, how to develop rapport with an audience. Theres so much more than just musical talent and learning how to play.

Although Berumen has played larger venues in front of thousands, the bulk of his career has been spent performing in small bars and nightclubs, with a typical audience of 50-100. He says he prefers it that way.

I like it that way. Theres an intimacy to it, especially when you play acoustic, Berumen said. I like being able to talk to people, to interact. I grew up playing in bars. I like playing in bars. I like the ambient noise. I like people talking.

Someone told me once that anytime people are talking and you think they arent listening, that youre just background noise, look at their feet and see how many are tapping their feet to the beat. They may be talking, but theyre still hearing you. It took me a long, long time working in bars to realize that. People are listening more than you think they are.

Berumen is asked if he ever considered pursuing a career in music beyond that of a local musician.

I never wanted to be the front guy, he says, also recalling how painfully shy he was about performing as a teenager. I just wanted to play the guitar. I just wanted to sing. Thats all Ive ever wanted to do. Ive never had illusions of grandeur. Never wanted to be on the big stage, to be that guy.

Fear of failure?

Theres always fear involved, he replied. Theres always the thing of the higher you go, the further the fall is. Theres fear youll fall short. But my thought was always just to play.

In his 42 years in music, Berumen has never held another job. Never had to -- a fact he calls unbelievably lucky.

He does admit, however, to periods when he considered, albeit briefly, quitting.

Forty-two years is a long time, Berumen said. There have been times I thought about it, but then all of the sudden you dont play for a while and you remember how much you love it. When youve played all around and feel like youre burned out and you stop, you start missing it again and I remember that its always been about the music.

Ive been blessed. Not lucky, blessed, to do this as long as I have. Music has brought me a beautiful wife, its brought me a lot of great friends  its brought me so much.

Its noted that the vast majority of Berumens gigs have been in places where the audience is drinking. As such, hes seen a lot of what can be described as interesting things, to put it mildly.

One of the things I learned early on was something a club owner told me  no matter what happens, keep playing, he said. Dont stop, just keep playing.

I was in a biker bar once in Hattiesburg and watched two dogs mating inside the bar, he recalled. Another time, I was playing in this small club and theres a girl who has a glass eye. Shes looking at this guy and her glass eye is going this way and her good eye is going the other, and meanwhile hes trying to grope her, but shes giving him the elbow in the side. She finally tells him to leave, that shell find a ride home. The whole thing was comical to watch.

Hes seen plenty of bar fights break out, but says hes never feared for his safety.

The most uncomfortable situation Ive been in is realizing Im playing somewhere I shouldnt be, he said, when Ive been out of my element.

Its almost impossible to put a label on what kind of music Berumen plays. In fact, hes asked how he describes his music to those interested in booking him for a performance.

If they ask What kind of music do you play?' I say What do you want to hear?

Berumen is asked if its occurred to him that he is now likely performing in front of the children -- or grandchildren -- of his early audiences.

Yes, it has, he replied, leading to this exchange:

Question: Any thoughts on that?

Berumen: Im f---ing old.

But he admits the idea of performing for generations of coast music fans is pretty cool and recounts a story near and dear to his heart.

In the 1990s, he said, a friend would bring her small daughter to see Berumens shows and would always ask him to play the Jimmy Buffett hit Margaritaville.

I would hold her in my arms and let her sing along, because I loved her family.

Three years ago, that little girl got married and asked Berumen to perform at her wedding reception at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Ocean Springs. Naturally, she asked him to play Margaritaville and he happily obliged as her mom and family were beaming.

Berumen has frequently performed in the downtown Ocean Springs area since its conversion to a popular night spot after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, calling the storm the best thing to happen to Government Street.

What was it (Friedrich) Nietzsche said  out of chaos comes order. The best thing that happened to this street (Government) was Katrina, for music and restaurants. Biloxi dropped the ball, because View Marche could have been that, but no. Gulfport said no. Government Street Grocery and Kwitzkys were the first  and its exploded since then and its great.

To come through here on a Friday or Saturday and hear live music up and down the street, its just terrific.

Berumen and his wife, Lorie, reside in DIberville. These days, he still performs in casino, clubs, private shows and corporate events. During the statewide shutdown due to COVID-19, he performed live-streamed shows for his local audiences.

He will also soon release his newest CD, entitled The Ice Box Sessions, an acoustic/roots set of songs written and recorded during the quarantine. He also has two other projects currently in the works.

Berumen says, after 42 years, he has no regrets and there really isnt anything else he aspires to do.

Other than winning the lottery, no, he said. I knew what I was getting into when I did it. Ive been a working musician all my life. Ive been in the trenches. Ive played music I didnt necessarily want to play or dont like. But when Im playing those songs Im not fond of, I think to myself  youre not digging ditches, youre still playing music, doing what you love, so shut up and play.

Thats what I always try to remember. Youre playing music, doing the thing you love, youve been given the God-given talent and opportunity to do this  so what are you bitching about? For me, its always been about the music.
In one of the most significant shake-ups in years, the Taliban put the son of the movement's feared founder in charge of its military wing and added powerful figures to its negotiating team ahead of expected talks aimed at ending Afghanistan's decades of war, Taliban officials say.

As head of a newly united military wing, 30-year-old Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, brings his father's fiercely uncompromising reputation to the battlefield.

Equally significant is the addition of four members of the insurgent group's leadership council to the 20-member negotiating team, Taliban officials told The Associated Press.

The shuffle overseen by Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhunzada is meant to tighten his control over the movement's military and political arms, the officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the inner workings of the movement.

Analysts say the shake-up could be good news for negotiations with Afghanistan's political leadership in Kabul, and a sign of just how serious the Taliban are taking this second  and perhaps most critical  step in a deal Washington signed with the insurgents in February.

I'd say it appears to be a positive development because the Taliban are creating a delegation that seems more senior and more broad-based than they've used to date, or than might be strictly necessary for the opening stages of talks, said Andrew Wilder, vice president of the Asia Program at the Washington-based US Institute of Peace.

If you want to see the glass as half full this strengthened Taliban delegation could be interpreted as a sign that the group is planning to engage in serious discussions, he said.

When the US signed the deal with the Taliban on February 29, after more than a year and a half of negotiations, it was touted as Afghanistan's best chance at peace in four decades of war.

It was also seen as a road map for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, ending America's longest war.

On Monday, four-and-a-half months since the signing, chief US negotiator and peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted that a key milestone in the implementation of the US-Taliban agreement had been reached as American troop numbers dropped to 8,600 from about 12,000 and five bases were closed.

Even as Khalilzad chastised increased insurgent attacks on Afghan security forces, he said the Taliban had been true to their word not to attack US and NATO troops.

No American has lost his/her life in Afghanistan to Taliban violence. Regional relations have improved, he tweeted.

The Taliban have stepped up their military activity against government forces since Yaqoob's appointment in May, a sign that the religious militia under Yaqoob's leadership may see battlefield wins as upping their leverage at the negotiation table.

I can see a lot of reasons for the Taliban to be pushing the envelope - perhaps as a negotiation tactic, but equally likely as a means to test U.S limits, said Daniel Markey, a senior research professor at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies.

So far, the Trump administration looks like it is heading for the exit, no matter what. Why not ratchet up the violence to see what greater victories can be won?  Surprisingly the shuffle also sidelined senior Taliban leader Amir Khan Muttaqi, removing him from the negotiating committee. Seen as close to neighbor Pakistan, his removal could limit Pakistan's influence and buttress their position with Kabul, which is deeply suspicious of Islamabad.

Already a deputy head of the movement, sudden appointment of the son of Mullah Mohammed Omar as military chief reportedly ruffled feathers among members of the leadership council, who had not been consulted. Yaqoob, however, met with the council and won over his dissenters, said officials.

Yaqoob's appointment appears to be, at least in part, an effort by Mullah Akhundzada to shore up oversight of battlefield operations at a key moment for war fighting, as the insurgents ramp up violence to strengthen their negotiating position in preparation for potential peace talks with the Afghan government, said Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Programme at the Washington-based Wilson Center.

In recent weeks, hopes have been raised of a July start to negotiations even as the Taliban and the Kabul government seem bogged down in the final release of prisoners, a prerequisite to the start of negotiations. The United Nations had expressed hope the negotiations could begin this month.

Countries have been lining up to host talks, with Germany being the latest to put in an offer. Turkey, Iran, Indonesia, Japan and Norway are reportedly among the nations volunteering to play host. However, Taliban and Afghan government officials say the first round is likely to be held in Doha, the capital of the Middle Eastern State of Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office.

The newly strengthened negotiating team includes Abdul Hakeem, a former Taliban chief justice and confidant of Akhunzada, as well as Maulvi Saqib, chief justice during the Taliban rule.

Under the US-Taliban deal, the militant group that hosted al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden as he planned the 9/11 attacks on the US may not host terrorist groups and guaranteed Afghanistan will not be used as a launching arena for future attacks against America.

In a tweet this week, Khalilzad said more progress is needed on counter-terrorism without elaborating.
As relations between the West and China plummet to new depths, we can at least take comfort from the fact that many of our leading academic institutions are still enjoying a healthy collaboration with their Chinese equivalents.

Or can we? At times of conflict, the very word collaboration has unfortunate connotations.

An investigation by the Mail has found Chinas collaboration with British universities often smacks more of infiltration and is potentially lethal to our national interest.

Many of the UK's top universities  some from the prestigious Russell Group  are unwittingly sharing their most advanced research with secretive elements of the Chinese military

Research from Britains most eminent academic institutions may be ending up in the hands of the Chinese military at a time when we can ill-afford such security breaches.

Many of our top universities  some from the prestigious Russell Group  are unwittingly sharing their most advanced research with secretive elements of the Chinese military which specialise in state-of-the-art fighter jets, hypersonic missiles and supercomputers used to develop nuclear weapons.

The revelations come in the week the British Government kicked out Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from our 5G mobile network. The company, which is seen as an arm of the Chinese state, is increasingly regarded as a major threat to our national security.

The current tensions between the UK and China were also highlighted by an explosive book, Hidden Hand: How the Chinese Communist Party Is Reshaping The World, serialised in the Mail this week, which revealed how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has penetrated the British Establishment and City of London to promote its own interests.

Our new investigation details how Chinas defence establishment has an astonishing reach into the very heart of British academia. It makes for deeply disturbing reading. Our revelations include:

Cambridge Universitys links with a Chinese military institution blacklisted by the U.S. Government for posing a nuclear threat;

Imperial College Londons recruitment drive at the military university whose scientists sit on Peoples Liberation Army advisory committees;

Glasgow Universitys ties to a company manufacturing surveillance technology used to monitor persecuted Uyghur muslims in Xinjiang province;

A Manchester University laboratory has been funded jointly with a Chinese developer of intercontinental ballistic missiles;

Nottingham Universitys multi-million pound deal with Chinas main supplier of military aircraft.

The evidence originally came from a report published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a defence think-tank, which warned against espionage by the CCP. The Party is known to be building links between Chinas universities and its military and security agencies.

In a state policy known as military-civil fusion, Beijing has embarked on a huge programme to merge its academic institutions with its massive military machine. The ultimate goal is to maximise Chinas power across the globe.

Thousands of Chinese scientists are sent every year by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to work abroad. According to the report, some use civilian cover or other forms of deception to travel, playing down their military links when applying to study internationally.

They are sent to gain skills and expertise much-prized by the Chinese military. Once their mission is complete, they are ordered to return.

The sheer scale of Chinas infiltration into our universities is breath-taking  and the evidence for it is compelling. In the course of its research, the ASPIs findings came from a database of 160 Chinese universities which have close links with the military.

The sheer scale of Chinas infiltration into our universities, such as Cambridge University (pictured) is breath-taking  and the evidence for it is compelling

It ranked these institutions according to the security threat they pose to foreign universities which collaborate with them, designating them Very High Risk, High Risk, Medium Risk or Low Risk.

For almost a decade, the CCP has embedded itself in some of the most prestigious universities in Britain and across the West.

In 2017, the Guangdong Education Service of International Exchanges, part of Chinas education ministry, published an account of the relationship between Cambridge University and Chinas National University of Defence Technology (NUDT).

This revealed that the NUDT had cooperated with Cambridge Universitys Cavendish Laboratory to produce the next generation of supercomputer . . . talents for China. Once such a supercomputer . . . is successfully developed, it will greatly enhance [our] countrys strength in the fields of national defence, communications and higher-precision navigation.

NUDT was developing what was the worlds most powerful supercomputer, Tianhe-2, until 2016 when the U.S. government had blacklisted the institution  and prevented the U.S. manufacturer Intel from supplying chips to it  because of the supercomputers capabilities.

These included what the U.S. Commerce Department said were nuclear explosive activities which were contrary to national security. The ASPI think-tank has designated NUDT Very High Risk for international collaborations, describing it as Chinas premier institution for scientific research . . . directly subordinate to the Central Military Commission.

The author of the ASPI report wrote: Some of NUDTs leading experts on drone swarms, hypersonic missiles, supercomputers, radars, navigation and quantum physics have been sent to study or work abroad.

The Mail has identified Cambridge scholars who arrived in this country from NUDT, including a visiting professor who returned to the Chinese university in 2013, and a PhD student who studied at the Cavendish Laboratory for five years before returning to NUDT as a lecturer in March this year.

For almost a decade, the CCP has embedded itself in some of the most prestigious universities in Britain and across the West

According to the Guangdong website, Cambridge University accepts between three and eight students from the NUDT each year, who come to pursue doctorates. It adds Chinas foreign cooperation units encompassed 252 world-class universities, scientific research institutions or international organizations in 47 countries.

Lt Col Chris Mitchell, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Defence, told the Mail last night: We are aware that Chinas Military-Civilian Fusion Strategy has enabled the militarisation of the civilian sector [to] support their military modernisation goals.

He added that the American military was also aware of Chinas efforts to gain technological advantage, which includes theft of intellectual property and sensitive technology.

Chinese military websites further offer a chilling insight into how the PLA is making the most of western academic largesse. Chinas 81st Group Army explains on its website how in 2011 a Communist Party member was selected to be a visiting scholar in a certain country.

The website suggested in a vivid phrase that Party members travel to the West to pick exotic flowers to make Chinese honey.

For many years Chinas overtures to British academia were welcomed with open arms. In 2015, then-PM David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne hosted a state visit for President Xi Jinping, Mr Cameron declaring he hoped to usher in a Golden Era of Sino-British relations.

Mr Osborne  this week revealed to be linked to pro-Beijing lobby group The 48 Club  was a key player in a period, during which billions of pounds worth of deals with China were agreed.

In 2015, then-PM David Cameron (pictured right) hosted a state visit for President Xi Jinping (left), with Mr Cameron declaring he hoped to usher in a Golden Era of Sino-British relations

As Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Osborne toured Imperial College London with President Xi, accompanied by Prince Andrew. Neither the Prince nor Mr Osborne wished to comment when their offices were contacted by the Mail.

The campus tour included a visit to the Joint Lab for Applied Data Science, a collaboration between Imperials Data Science Institute and Zhejiang University  an institution at the centre of the Chinese defence system which is (according to the ASPI) part-funded by Chinas civilian intelligence agency.

Imperial is also affiliated with Chinas Harbin Institute of Technology, which is directly linked to the military and one of only eight Chinese universities with Top Secret level access to classified weapons research.

Imperial held a recruitment drive there in 2013, and the Mail has identified several scholars who returned there after studying in London.

Many in Britain are expressing deep reservations about Chinese infiltration of top universities.

Tom Tugendhat MP told the Mail: The Foreign Affairs Committee has been raising concerns about Chinese Communist Party influence in UK universities for many years.

Declaring that the Mails investigation raises more concerns, Mr Tugendhat went on: We need to ensure the UK works with others around the world to defend both our academic freedom and our intellectual property.

The Mail found several further examples of British academic collaborations with Chinese military universities.

In 2016, the University of Glasgow worked with the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC)  allegedly linked to Chinas nuclear weapons programme and surveillance technology used in Xinjiang, where Uyghur muslims have suffered human rights abuses, according to the ASPI.

An estimated 1.5 million Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities have been persecuted in these camps. ASPI alleges that a professor recruited through the Thousand Talents Plan established in 2015 an artificial intelligence company, Koala AI, that produces surveillance systems used in Xinjiang.

The University of Birmingham founded a joint project with the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC)  one of the main suppliers of aviation technology to the Chinese military.

Professor Robin Mason, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) of the University of Birmingham, said his institution has extensive Codes of Practice . . . to mitigate risks from overseas collaborations.

The University of Manchester, too, partnered with the AECC in 2015, and the following year opened the Sino-British Advanced Control System Technology Joint Laboratory with a Chinese body that launches space vehicles and intercontinental ballistic missiles.

A spokesman for Manchester said it carries out due diligence on all research collaborations . . . We take all necessary measures to assure ourselves that our research is not used beyond its agreed application.

In 2016, Exeter University opened an Advanced Structure Manufacturing Technology Laboratory with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT).

Four years earlier, the University of Strathclyde had worked with CALT to found a joint laboratory. Exeter University said it had a robust ethical review process which governs all research projects.

The Universities of Nottingham, Warwick and Cranfield have all collaborated with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), which is designated a Very High Risk institution  it is Chinas primary supplier of military aircraft.

In 2012, AVIC entered into a 1 million-a-year deal with Nottingham University to establish an Innovation Centre on its campus and sponsored 20 of its employees to take masters and doctorates at the university.

A University of Nottingham spokeswoman said the now-expired agreement had been subject to rigorous internal ethical procedures.

Warwick University also hosts Chinese aerospace executives for three-week courses at its Warwick Manufacturing Group. The University emphasises these are taught modules and not research.

In 2012, the University of Southampton partnered with the Wuhan University of Technology  a High Risk institution with Secret security credentials  to launch a High Performance Ship Technology Joint Centre.

The centre is now closed, but a spokesman for the university confirmed that it continues to collaborate with Wuhan University of Technology.

In 2012, the University of Southampton partnered with the Wuhan University of Technology (pictured)

In managing our collaborations, we also closely monitor UK Government advice on . . . university-business relationships, he added. The Universities of Cambridge, Glasgow and Strathclyde did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Our universities often benefit from collaborating with their Chinese equivalents. The latter invest in laboratories on British campuses and Chinese students bring in a colossal amount of fees to the higher education sector.

Some 16 UK universities receive one-fifth of all their income from the country, and by 2022 China is on track to be the worlds biggest investor in research and development. The academic sector is keen to receive its slice of the pie.

In recent years the Russell Group has responded warmly to Chinas charm offensive, exchanging students to study abroad in its universities.

And Nottingham University even constructed its own campus  complete with facsimile buildings  near Shanghai, creating the University of Nottingham Ningbo China.

Of course, most of the 120,000 Chinese who study in Britain do so independently  with no intention of infiltrating universities on behalf of the Chinese military.

Its really unfortunate [Chinese students] have been caught up in these wider geopolitical tensions, Jo Johnson, former Universities Minister, told Radio 4s Today programme this week, adding: Everyone needs to have their eyes open in terms of dealing with national security and there are protocols in place . . . to ensure that national security isnt imperilled by science collaborations.

Many of the Chinese universities with links to the military  including the Harbin Institute of Technology and NUDT  are eminent places of learning in their own right. But thats what makes their infiltration so pernicious.

As Anglo-Sino relations continue to sour, there is mounting apprehension about Chinas soft espionage in universities.

In academic research, international cooperation is vital, but increasingly China does not behave like a normal country, said Elisabeth Braw, a non-military warfare specialist at the defence think-tank RUSI (Royal United Services Institute). Joint research that even remotely aids Chinas aggression against other countries and its own citizens is extremely problematic.

Tobias Ellwood MP, chair of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, last night echoed these sentiments.

This investigation sharply illustrates . . . the fusion between Chinese military and civilian doctrine to pursue its geo-political ideology, he said. This calls for a full re-set of our wider foreign policy towards Communist China, including how we protect the integrity of academic institutions, business and public organisations.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said: The UK is a world-leading destination for international students and we have robust procedures in place to protect national security interests.

A spokesman for lobby group Universities UK explained that in the autumn it was publishing new guidelines for universities on a range of issues including security, adding that a responsible attitude to risk is essential for engagement in teaching and research.

As relations between London and Beijing grow ever colder, perhaps a re-set is long overdue. It might start first in our universities  before too many flowers are picked to make all that Chinese honey.

Could search for corona vaccine be targeted by infiltrators?

A quiet corner of the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London is home to scientists working on a piece of research with the potential to transform the world.

As soon as it became apparent that the only way to free us from the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic was an effective vaccine, academics at this London campus began toiling away.

By early June, Imperial had become one of only a handful of institutions in the world to progress to human trials of a potential vaccine. The stakes are high  and the rewards likely to be enormous. Yet intelligence agencies have already warned of foreign cyber-spies trying to penetrate vaccine research centres.

Bill Evanina, director of the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Centre, said in May: We have every expectation that foreign intelligence services, to include the Chinese Communist Party, will attempt to obtain what we are making.

In todays world there is nothing more valuable or worth stealing than any kind of biomedical research that is going to help with a coronavirus vaccine.

His words seemed even more apposite on Thursday evening, when the UKs National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) announced that Russian spies had hacked British, American and Canadian coronavirus research facilities. Russia denies the claims.

Similar attempts had been made in May, which security sources linked to Russia, China and Iran, and which led to GCHQ implementing measures to guard another vaccine trial taking place in Oxford.

The Mail understands that Imperial is working closely with the Government on security matters relating to the trial: the campus is considered to be at particular risk.

Academics from a Chinese institution deemed a High Risk to British interests in the ASPI report are based just a few yards from the laboratory where Imperials coronavirus vaccine is being developed.

The Harbin Institute of Technology in North-Eastern China is one of the countrys most prestigious universities, and one with inextricable links to the Chinese military  in particular satellite and nuclear technology  and funding arrangements with Chinas civilian intelligence agency.

In 2013, Imperial College London held a recruitment drive on Harbins campus for PhD students. The Mail has identified at least three academics who studied at Imperial and have since returned to the Harbin Institute of Technology.

One who spent three years as a research associate, another who was a visiting research engineering student before returning to Harbin as a PhD candidate, and a third who was a visiting researcher at Imperial while still an academic at Harbin. Several students who arrived at Imperial from Harbin are now based on the Kensington campus.

As far back as 2012, Imperial College London collaborated with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the primary suppliers of aviation technology to the Peoples Liberation Army, on a lab based on aircraft design.

The conglomerate is regarded as a Very High Risk institution by ASPI, which writes that AVIC has a long history of Sino-Russian defence co-operation and is a regular attendee at international arms expositions.

In August 2018, AVIC attended the Russia International Military Technology Forum at the Patriot Expocenter in Moscow . . . Russia continues to co-operate with China on the development of armaments.

When approached for comment, Imperial College London emphasised the academic reputations of the Chinese institutions it is involved with.

An Imperial spokesman said the ASPI report references collaborations that support research into technologies which could help develop lighter, safer and more efficient commercial aircraft worldwide.

We are open about this work and conduct no classified research. All of the centres scientific outputs are in the public domain and are routinely published in leading international journals. The spokesman added: All relationships with third parties are subject to prior and continued review.

Imperial denied there was any threat or connection between these academic collaborations and the work it is undertaking to develop a Covid-19 vaccine.

Lets hope they are not mistaken. A breakthrough here could lead to the most significant scientific innovation for generations.
In a statement on Wednesday, Martin said the delay was due to the reproduction rate or the R number, which refers to the number of people infected by a virus carrier, has now risen over 1 compared with about 0.5 recorded a few weeks ago, reports Xinhua news agency.

Dublin, July 16 (IANS) Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin announced that the government's planned move to phase 4 of reopening the society and businesses has been postponed till August 10.

"The priority now must be to get that R number back below 1," he said, adding that by doing so the country will have the best chance possible to fully reopen schools in late August.

To achieve the target, the government has decided to take five additional measures with immediate effect on Wednesday, he said.

The five measures comprised compulsory wearing of face coverings by all customers in shops and shopping centers; demanding pubs, bars, hotel bars, casinos and nightclubs to remain closed until August 10; limiting the number of visitors to people's homes to a maximum of 10; extending restrictions on indoor gathering of no more than 50 people and outdoor gathering of no more than 200 people until August 10; and continuing to advise against all non-essential overseas travel.

He also said that the government will announce a green list of countries with virus levels similar to Ireland on July 20, which will be reviewed every two weeks.

People from the countries on the green list can visit Ireland without a 14-day self-isolation upon their arrivals in the country, according to local media reports.

Ireland embarked on a four-phase roadmap of reopening society and business on May 18 with each phase scheduled to last three weeks subject to the actual situation on the ground.

The fourth phase was originally scheduled to commence on July 20.

Ireland has so far reported 31,482 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 2,304 deaths.

--IANS

ksk/
Twice a year, migratory birds in North America embark on journeys that can carry them hundreds of miles each day. In their quest to seek optimal breeding ranges in the north and wintering grounds further south, birds travel up and down the Western Hemisphere while potentially carrying diseases across borders, over oceans, and through various ecosystems.

Krisangel Lopez, a first-year Ph.D. student in Jonathan Augustes lab at Virginia Tech, received a Fulbright Fellowship to research how migratory birds can transmit diseases and which pathogens they may carry. When its safe to travel again, she will spend a year at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.

We know that theres a very large population of birds that winter in Trinidad, so we wanted to look at what viruses are being introduced during the winter months and the likelihood that these birds can bring new viruses into North America, said Lopez.

Birds like the barn swallow spend the winter months in Trinidad and might stop in Virginia on their journeys back north. By screening birds for various diseases in both Trinidad and Virginia, Lopez will determine which types of vectors  like ticks, mites, and fleas  hitched a ride on the birds. She will also examine the arthropod community (specifically ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas) to determine which arthropod-borne viruses  known as arboviruses  birds may carry during their long journeys. These viruses can cause significant illnesses in both wildlife and humans.

Since birds can spread diseases rapidly and over a wide geographical range, scientists study them to better understand their potential to act as a reservoir species, or a species that acts like an incubator until the disease can infect a host. Additionally, studying the transmission of a disease can help researchers predict the pathogens emergence potential, or when and how the pathogen might emerge in the future.

For example, Powassan virus is an emerging tick-borne disease that causes swelling around the brain and spinal cord in humans. It has been detected in chickens and backyard birds in northern latitudes, but Lopez said that studies on Powassan virus in wildlife are still limited. In the lab, she analyzed tissue samples to determine if birds can play a role in the transmission of the virus and what those implications might be.

Arboviruses remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and they continue to emerge unexpectedly. Dengue virus alone affects around 350 million people annually. Forecasting the emergence of new arboviruses with pandemic potential is critical to developing appropriate intervention strategies to reduce their outbreak potential and/or diminish their associated disease burden, said Auguste, an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and an affiliated faculty member of the Fralin Life Sciences Institute.

Lopez is broadly interested in infectious diseases and public health. After completing her undergraduate degree at Villanova University, she spent a year working in Peru with Bob Gilman, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, to study the effects of climate change on disease transmission in communities. As a fluent Spanish speaker, Lopez connected with families to explain how good hygiene and healthy habits can reduce the transmission of potentially fatal diseases.

When Lopez returned to academia to complete her masters degree at the University of Oklahoma, she studied how viruses circulate in avian communities. Part of her lab work took her to the University of Texas medical branch, where she met Auguste, her future advisor.

I mentioned [to him] that I was interested in pursuing a Fulbright, and he said, I think itd be really neat if you did something like that in Trinidad. Then he introduced me to a number of people there, through his collaborators in Trinidad. We put in a Fulbright application in 2018, and I was waitlisted for that year. Then I decided to pursue a Ph.D. after my masters work. I submitted a second Fulbright, and then I got it, Lopez said.

Beyond her field and lab work, Lopez will work directly with the community and hopes to engage more children in science. She plans to teach kids more about biodiversity and conservation while also providing tips for preventative healthcare practices to do at home, like building homemade mosquito traps.

Other than the biodiversity, which Im really excited about as a biologist, Im excited to work directly with the community, which goes back to what I did when I was in Peru. I grew up in the Caribbean as a kid, and I wanted to go back to my roots. I thought this would be a good way of giving back to the community and continuing the work that Ive always wanted to do, Lopez said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is delivering keynote address virtually at High-Level Segment of UN Economic and Social Council Session.

Here are the highlights of PM Modis address:

- While celebrating 75 years of UN, let us pledge to reform global multilateral system

- With our deep commitment to maintaining global harmony, to improving socio-economic equity, and to preserving natures balance, India will play its role in full support of the UN agenda

- Only reformed multilateralism with reformed UN at its center can meet aspirations of humanity

- India firmly believes that path to achieve sustainable peace and prosperity is through multilateralism

- In fight against Covid, our grass-roots health system is helping India ensure one of the best recovery rates in the world

- In India, we have tried to make the fight against the pandemic a peoples movement

-In our joint fight against Covid, we have extended help to over 150 countries.

- Our Housing for All programme will ensure that every Indian will have a safe and secure roof over their head by 2022, when India completes 75 years as an independent nation.

- Our motto is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas - meaning Together, for everyones growth, with everyones trust. This resonates with the core SDG principle of leaving no one behind

- Today, through our domestic efforts, we are again playing a salient role in achieving Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. We are also supporting other developing countries in meeting their Sustainable Development Goals.

- From the very beginning, India has actively supported the UNs development work and the ECOSOC. The first president of ECOSOC was an Indian. India also contributed to shaping the ECOSOC agenda

- Making great progress through our inclusive policies: PM at UN Economic And Social Council session




A Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officer on night duty at Whawha Medium Prison allegedly plunged to his death from a guard tower that is over 30 metres high.





Sources said Correctional Officer Grade 1 Joseph Makwenya fell from the tower between 3AM and 6AM yesterday.





Prison sources said no one knows what really happened as his lifeless body was only discovered around 6AM by another correctional officer who had gone to the tower to take over watch duty.





The source said CO Makwenyas head had a crack and there were blood clots on the ground.





ZPCS national spokesperson Superintendent Meya Khanyezi said investigations into the death were underway.





I can confirm that we lost a correctional service officer from Whawha Medium Prison who allegedly died while on duty at the guard tower. His lifeless body was discovered yesterday morning by fellow officers. We are awaiting post mortem results and we have since launched our own investigations to understand what happened, said Supt Khanyezi.





She said ZPCS had lost a dedicated officer.





We are so saddened by this occurrence; we lost a dedicated officer and we want to know what happened. Our deepest condolences go to his wife and kids, said Supt Khanyezi.





ZPCS sources said CO Makwenya was alone when he made his way to the guard tower to take on his duties.





They said the tower is steep and he could have slipped and fell to his death.




CEO Joshua Littlejohn (Photo by Ryan Parker) Business is hard enough as it is, and of course a pandemic makes it harder

According to the National Small Business Association (NSBA), over 60% of small businesses are not confident they will fully recover from the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. With that in mind, it is important for companies to craft new ways of meeting their strategic goals.

For this reason, CEO Joshua Littlejohn, in association with his company Norgress, has launched Get Ready World, a commitment to help support small businesses.

Norgress provides companies with digital media and information technology services designed to help them connect with customers, increase productivity, and reduce costs. Adopting a model somewhat akin to traditional outsourcing, Norgress allows companies to produce white-labelled services and projects that resemble the works of large in-house teams. Norgress uses a network of independent contractors and companies, coupled with technology-based systems to get projects done at a fraction of the cost.

Get Ready Worlds complimentary services will utilize Norgress's infrastructure to provide consultation and ongoing support in the fields of marketing, development, communications, system support, and customer service.

When asked why he wanted to launch this project now, he said, "I'm at a place where I want to leverage the experience and knowledge that I've gained building Norgress for the past four years. I know what it's like to face difficulties in business. Business is hard enough as it is, and of course a pandemic makes it harder."

As a young Jamaican-born entrepreneur stepping inside the technology realm, Littlejohn says he has certainly come in contact with his fair share of setbacks.

The 22-year-old founder went to four different high schools as a teen and moved to Canada with his family in the 9th grade. While undoubtedly not the steadiest of upbringings, he stressed that this helped him to construct himself and establish his preeminent viewpoint.

I think the lack of consistency in my teenage years allowed me to construct myself towards the idea that nothing lasts forever, everything comes and goes. This has helped me to accept the philosophy that the only thing which is constant is change. Get Ready World launched with that same ideal, he said.

With the widespread effect that COVID-19 has had on business, companies have been looking for ways to cut costs and restructure their operations. Joshua hopes that Get Ready World can provide access to these resources through its partnership with Norgress.

I started Norgress while unemployed and broke. Since then it has been a frontrunner in providing a way for companies to reduce expenses and better serve their customers. And for that Im thankful and would like to help more businesses. To join Get Ready World, the only prerequisite is that your company must, in some way, encourage people to get involved, be creative or advance values that contribute to building a more prosperous and safe world, Joshua concluded.

To participate in the program, one can visit https://getreadyworld.org/, connect with Joshua directly by visiting https://joshualittlejohn.com/ or by calling 780-444-7887.
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREAAfter North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office on its own soil last month, plunging relations with South Korea to a diplomatic nadir, a conservative activist lawyer in the South decided that one person was responsible: Kim Yo Jong, the only sister of North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un.

So he filed a lawsuit against her.

South Korean prosecutors said on Friday that they were looking into the litigation, but it was not clear whether they would begin a formal investigation. Their hands appeared to be tied: They have practically no way to summon her to court to face the accusation.

The suit is largely symbolic, but if it triggers an angry reaction from the North, it could lead to the further deterioration of the relationship between the two Koreas.

The activist lawyer, Lee Kyung-jae, a vocal critic of Moon Jae-in, South Koreas president, told reporters last week that he had been driven to file the lawsuit in part because Moons government had not been aggressive enough in dealing with the Norths destruction of the liaison office.

Inter-Korean relations were warmer in 2018 when Kim Jong Un held summit meetings with Moon, who helped arrange meetings between Kim and President Donald Trump. But ties turned frosty once Kims second meeting with Trump, held in Vietnam in February 2019, collapsed.

Tension mounted between the two Koreas as Kim Yo Jong became the hard-line face and voice of North Korea. After activists in the South sent anti-North Korean leaflets over the border into the North, she issued a series of statements threatening retaliation  including the destruction of the liaison office.

The North Korean military last month did blow up the office, which was in the border city of Kaesong. But her brother later suspended any further military actions aimed at scuttling the relatively warm relationship that had developed between the two Koreas in recent years.

Last week, Lee filed the lawsuit asking prosecutors to indict Kim Yo Jong, along with Pak Jong-chon, chief of the general staff of the North Korean military, on charges of destroying a building constructed with South Korean taxpayers money.

A legal complaint in South Korea is generally assigned to a prosecutor to decide whether it merits a full investigation. Prosecutors usually suspend attempts to indict criminal suspects when they cannot be brought to court. Even Lee acknowledged that there was no way for prosecutors to present Kim in a court in the South.

The lawsuit against her comes on the heels of a landmark ruling this month in a civil suit filed on behalf of two South Korean prisoners from the 1950-53 Korean War. With the help of conservative lawyers, the men, who spent decades in the North before escaping to the South, won their case when a Seoul court ordered Kim Jong Un and North Korea to compensate them for the forced labour they suffered while in the North.

Under South Koreas constitution, North Korea and its people are technically part of South Korea. And in South Korea, lawsuits can be tried without the defendants in court. The ruling in the PoW case was also largely symbolic because there was no way South Korea could force Kim Jong Un and North Korea to pay.

Still, it encouraged politically active conservative lawyers to file or consider other lawsuits against North Korea over a host of issues, such as the widespread abuse of human rights.

Prosecutors have yet to decide whether to seek criminal charges against Kims sister. But given past practices, they will most likely drop the case after studying the complaint.

In the past, activists had sued top North Korean leaders, like Kims father, Kim Jong Il, over incidents like the sinking of a South Korean navy ship in 2010. But prosecutors indicted no one.

Read more about:
New Delhi:

Thirty-two Indian peacekeepers were injured and 1 local child was killed in an explosion in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, according to UN Mission. According to reports, the Indian peacekeepers were out on a morning run in the western Goma neighbourhood of Keyshero.

Army officials in New Delhi said two of the 32 injured soldiers require surgery but are not critical. They said that none of the soldiers were seriously injured in the blast that happened at 0615 IST when the Indian troops were doing physical training. Sources said a girl, about eight-years-old, was killed in the blast. The peacekeepers were taken to a UN military hospital.

India has an impeccable record when it comes to making contributions for peacekeeping missions under the UN Flag in disturbed areas or regions in the world which are affected by internal conflict, civil war or armed rebellion by local militia or guerrilla outfits.

Read: India criticises UN Security Council for 'unimplementable' peacekeeping mandates

India has been the largest troop contributor to UN missions since its inception. So far India has taken part in 43 peacekeeping missions with a total contribution exceeding 180,000 troops and a significant number of police personnel having been deployed.

As per the latest records, India has a total contribution of 7499 comprising of 899 policemen, 6507 troops and 65 military experts as on 31st August 2016.

Recently Indian Peacekeepers were lauded by the UN for their efforts in preventing a carnage in the South Sudan conflict which resulted in the death of two of its soldiers..

The Indian Army has a brigade of about 3,500 soldiers posted in Congo on UN peacekeeping duty. The injured soldiers belong to Indian Battalion 1.



The UN missions troops and police personnel are drawn from over 50 countries and was deployed in 1999.



United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or MONUSCO is a peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which was established by the United Nations Security Council to monitor the peace process in the country.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
A thug facing jail for kicking a police officer in the back and sparking violence at far right pro-statue protests has more than 100 previous convictions.

Daniel John Allan, 35, carried out the unprovoked attack on a Met Police Sergeant after travelling to London from his home in Sunderland to join the demonstration last month.

He was caught on CCTV and identified thanks to the luminous shorts he had worn for the day, and is due to be sentenced at Southwark crown court today.

When Allan appeared in court in 2017 after a break-in at his former partners home, Newcastle crown court heard he had 110 previous convictions on his record.

At least one was a violent offence, and chroniclelive.co.uk revealed how Allan had threatened to smash his ex-partners windows and start a fire at the home if she did not speak to him.

During the January 2017 incident, which followed the breakdown of the relationship, Allan drunkenly broke a window and climbed into the home while continuing to make threats.

His latest conviction comes after protests in Whitehall and Trafalgar Square on June 13 which descended into violence with missile thrown at police lines.

Responding to the Black Lives Matters movement and the removal of statues, a counter demonstration led by far right activists was organised with the stated aim of defending statues.

Prosecutor Jennifer Gatland told an earlier hearing how Allan had kicked out at a police officer from behind in Bridge Street, Westminster, and the attack was carried out suddenly and without provocation.

Allans lawyer, Eleanor Fraser, said he suffered from depression and anxiety and told the court he had a panic attack when arrested.

The seriousness of your conduct consists of being part of wider protesters in which missiles were thrown, said District Judge Nicholas Rimmer told him. You personally kicked out at (the police sergeant), that appears to have catalysed the violence.

Detective Constable Steve Nicholls, from Scotland Yard, called the attack shameful and totally unacceptable.

Allan, from Sunderland, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
The New York Police Department has arrested the first suspect in the murder ofFahim Saleh the founder of Gokada, a bike-hailing tech company in Nigeria.

Saleh was found dismembered in his multimillion-dollar condo in Manhattans Lower East Side on Tuesday when his sister came to check on him.

The first suspect, Tyrese Devon Haspil, 21, was the former personal assistant to Fahim Saleh.

According the New York Times, Haspil was arrested by the police on Friday on the suspicion that he had intentions of killing his former boss.

Haspil, Saleh had found out, embezzled tens of thousands of dollars from him, the paper reported.

It was also reported that Saleh did not report the alleged theft to authorities, but brokered a repayment plan with him.

Haspil is expected to be charged in a criminal complaint with second degree murder and other crimes.
A New Mexico police officer has been charged with second-degree murder after authorities said he killed a Latino detainee he placed in a chokehold.

Christopher Smelser was fired from the Las Cruces Police Department and initially slapped with a manslaughter charge over the death of Antonio Valenzuela on February 29.

However, the charge was revised Thursday following nationwide demonstrations sparked by the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in police custody.

Protesters have put pressure on police departments to change policies involving the use of force and interactions with black, Latino and Native American residents.

Police say Valenzuela, 40, fled during a traffic stop in the early hours of February 29.

Two officers unsuccessfully tried to taser Valenzuela twice before Smelser put him in the chokehold. Valenzuela, 40, had a warrant for parole violation.

Bodycam footage obtained by La Cruces Sun News showed Smelser struggling with Valenzuela for about four minutes.

'I'm going to f***ing choke you out bro,' Smelser can be heard telling the suspect in the footage.

Las Cruces police officer Christopher Smelser has been charged with second-degree murder over the death of 40-year-old Antonio Valenzuela on February 29

Valenzuela could be heard gasping for air soon after.

The father of four fell unconscious and died at the scene. Paramedics were called but they were unable to revive him.

Smelser, who joined the force in 2016, was put on administrative leave immediately following the February 29 incident, pending the results of Valenzuela's autopsy.

The autopsy, which only came back on June 4, showed that Valenzuela died from asphyxial injuries caused by the choke hold.

Bodycam video captured Las Cruces police officer Christopher Smelser using a vascular neck restraint, or choke hold, on Christopher Smelser in the moments before he died during an arrest in February

Valenzuela's autopsy report found he had petechial, or pinpoint, hemorrhaging in his eyes and eyelids, which is indicative of asphyxiation and may occur when the neck or chest is compressed.

His neck had a deep muscle hemorrhage, his Adam's apple was crushed and his ribs were fractured.

The report states methamphetamine also played a role in his death because the drug likely placed stress on his cardiovascular system.

Valenzuela lived with his grandparents and worked a painter and mechanic.

He had a history of felony drug possession charges and minor traffic violations.

Valenzuela lived with his grandparents and worked a painter and mechanic. He had a history of felony drug possession charges and minor traffic violations

State Attorney General Hector Balderas announced the revised charges Thursday, saying he wanted to 'focus on appropriate charges for violent and dangerous chokeholds.'

However, Smelser's attorney, Amy L. Orlando, called the new charge 'sad' and suggested it was a political move meant to grab headlines.

'Officer Smelser used a technique that was sanctioned by the department. He was trained in the technique. And of a sudden it's banned after and he's a criminal,' she told The Associated Press.
PUNE The opposition parties in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have appealed to the municipal commissioner to dissolve the fix deposits of the civic body and purchase ventilators and other medical equipment amid the rising Covid-19 positive cases in the city.

Opposition party leader Deepali Dhumal, Congress leader Aba Bagul, Shiv Sena leader Prithviraj Sutar and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Vasant More have jointly written a letter to the municipal commissioner.

Bagul said, Many PMC clinics and hospitals are lying idle. The civic body needs funds to purchase necessary medical equipment and install them. The fixed deposits of the civic body can be utilised for this purpose.

The local self-government has to handle the health crises and the ruling party is failing at it, said Bagul.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is in power in PMC has asked the Central government to intervene and take control of the city.

BJP MLA Siddharth Shirole has written a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah regarding the issue.

The situation in Pune is critical and the state government has failed to handle the crisis. The central government should intervene and take control of the city, said Shirole.

The Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) which is ruling in the centre has failed to handle the crisis, said Shirole.
Mumbai, July 17 : Actress Radhika Apte says peeling the layers of her character in upcoming film "Raat Akeli Hai" was an inspiring challenge.

The trailer of the film was released on Friday. The movie promises to take the audience on a mysterious journey, as police officer Jatil Yadav investigates a murder of powerful local politician.

"The crime thriller explores the lives of various family members while the murder of its patriarch is being investigated. I play the character of Radha, the new bride of the deceased, who is stubborn, feisty, arrogant and yet mysterious," Radhika said, adding: "She alternates between suspicion and being vulnerable. To peel the layers of her character has been an inspiring challenge for me. Honey Trehan's vision is truly unparalleled and I can't wait for audiences around the world to watch it."

"Raat Akeli Hai" is the story of a high profile murder in small-town India that sends a tough yet narrow-minded police officer on a twisted investigation, as he navigates deeper into the dark past and toxic patriarchy of the victim's family, having to battle the inherent patriarchy within himself in the process.

Raat Akeli Hai Trailer

It marks casting director Honey Trehaan's directorial debut, and also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Aditya Srivastava, Shweta Tripathi, Ila Arun, Khalid Tyabji, Shivani Raghuvanshi and Tigmanshu Dhulia.

Nawazuddin plays the role of Jatil Yadav, and feels "Raat Akeli Hai" is the kind of story that draws "you in immediately and takes you along the winding journey".

"I play the role of inspector who is investigating the murder of a powerful man. A complex character, Jatil is a social misfit and awkward around women. He is always in the search of justice -- and does not rest until he finds out the truth," he added.

Talking about the film, Trehan said: "Crime thrillers have always been one of my favourite genres in cinema, right from the early noir films of the 40s to Hitchcock's 'wrong man' films and Agatha Christie's whodunnits. I always wanted to tell a story that is grounded in the reality that I know, while also honouring the classical features of a noir thriller and that is what 'Raat Akeli Hai' is."

"Raat Akeli Hai" will be released on Netflix on July 31.

-- Syndicated from IANS
The United States got off to a slow start in its efforts to test for the novel coronavirus after delays caused by federal red tape and an initial flawed test created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In early March, U.S. manufacturers were able to sell tests abroad but were not authorized by the FDA to sell them inside the United States.
Beauty mogul Kim Kardashian took to her Twitter to express concern over an aggravation of the situation at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Her statement runs as follows:

"Despite an ongoing global pandemic, Azerbaijan has violated the UN's appeal for a global ceasefire by unprovoked attacks against the Republic of Armenia. Civilian structures in Armenia have been targeted, and Azerbaijan has now threatened to bomb the nuclear power plant in Armenia. In the meantime, congressional amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act will be voted on next week to ensure that the US does not enable Azerbaijan with military aid that would be used against Armenia and Artsakh. The international community needs to pay attention and intervene now with such political and diplomatic measures to prevent unnecessary escalation and the loss of human life.

I stand with my fellow Armenians and pray for those that are involved in recent tensions on the border of the country. I urge for a peaceful resolution for these unprovoked attacks during this already very difficult pandemic."
Like all good debaucherous nights, it starts out tame.

Its 6 p.m. on a foggy Saturday when Judy Tsang leans out the back window of her Hayes Valley apartment. How was your week? she calls to her neighbors a few windows over. Tom Broxton is busy pouring brandy, while Sarah Hingston arranges a platter of homemade bruschetta.

Its a bit like The Muppet Show: windows keep opening and heads keep popping out of them. While bars in San Francisco remain closed due to coronavirus concerns, this apartment building is picking up the slack. Cocktail shakers and ice appear on banisters alongside lemons, bottles of rye and absinthe. Tonights theme is speakeasy, and everyone has dressed the part: newsie vests, red lipstick and flapper-inspired headwear.

Between the small talk, ropes and carabiners emerge, tossed from windowsill to windowsill with practiced ease. Festive string lights are attached to railings. And then theres the star of the show. Its gray and plastic, and typically found in a janitors closet.

But when you accept an invitation to Bucket Bar  a weekly event for which a group of about 10 San Francisco neighbors have perfected a lo-fi, socially distant system for sending cocktails sailing through the air between their apartments  it should come as no surprise that the bucket is king.

Hoist-ING! yells Broxton, as he maneuvers a big jar of mezcal cocktail skyward to his upstairs neighbor, Matthew Zavislak, who retrieves it, removes the lid and pours himself a glass. Someone fetches a Bluetooth speaker, and soon theyre all passing snacks and laughing and blasting Brit-pop into the crisp air.

Its a Saturday night in June of 2020, and three months ago, none of these people knew each other. But three months ago, they didnt need to.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

I was losing it a little bit, says Zavislak, a software developer whos lived here for eight years, of Bucket Bars origins. He lives alone and was having a frustrating time with remote work. One day in April, he decided to make a catapult out of a bungee cord and launch a rubber ball into his friend Connies window across the way. Instead, he hit the window of a different neighbor, Laura Thornton.

She came out and was like What the f, he recalls with a laugh. But then she was bored as hell, and I was bored as hell, so we started talking. As they did, other neighbors leaned their heads out their windows, too.

At that point Thornton, a speech pathologist with Oakland Unified School District, had been testing the limits of jigsaw puzzles to stay busy. She and her wife, designer Alexis Bustos, were intrigued by the idea of a catapult competition  and their roommate, musician and game designer Matthew Stein, has a penchant for mixology. A group text started. Broxton, an avid rock climber, offered his ropes and carabiners. Connie and Brian McGrath joined in, supplying each participant with artisanal hand sanitizer from Veer & Wander, Connies (currently shut down) apothecary and salon.

Each week, they fine-tuned the mechanics of the system, eventually incorporating three buckets that could each move a different direction among apartments as needed. When a new neighbor joined, they rejiggered the ropes to get a bucket to their window. As the happy hour took shape, each Saturday became another chance to level up, says Zavislak  to improve upon last weeks party and outdo each other with contributions.

Everyone brings booze to share, but otherwise certain specialties have emerged. Hingston is the lead chef, carefully packaging her homemade appetizers into takeout containers before sending them through the air. For birthdays, Stein plays the fiddle. Around 8 p.m. each Saturday, Tsang asks, So what are we doing next week? and attendees confer about a theme, usually centered on a spirit. The week they wanted to taste rums, for example, they went with pirates. For Memorial Day, they held Bucket Bar and Grill, with burgers cooked to order and wrapped in parchment for bucket delivery. On Lost in Translation night, they drank sake, ate homemade vegetarian sushi, donned colorful wigs and aimed a projector at their building wall in order to sing karaoke.

Its a motley crew, born of necessity. Ages range from 20s to 50s, and some participants have little in common aside from an address. But at a time when dining or drinking out means navigating an ever-shifting patchwork of regulations and glorified sneeze guards, theres an easy grace to their shenanigans. The buildings exterior is a playground. Shortbread cookies arrive by bungee cord. A pack of cigarillos appears from someones trip to Portugal.

Its simple, thrilling and illicit-feeling in a teenage way, like a 21st century Robinson Crusoe: the kind of thing kids imagine adults do when kids go to sleep.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Honestly, its breathed so much life into me, says Tsang, who works in event programming for documentary films. I live by myself, and just having friends to talk to face-to-face ... I look forward to it every week. Tsang has lived in the building for about 10 years, but before the pandemic, her interactions were limited to the occasional hi in the halls. If it werent for coronavirus, she says, I never would have known my neighbors were cool.

Indeed, at this particular evenings Bucket Bar, an air of wistfulness seems to have settled over the group. Perhaps its this weeks level-up: pocket-size newspapers distributed at the start of the evening, complete with a bucket-theme crossword, a bucket list of past Bucket Bar treats, and a quarantine advice column called Dear Liza. (Sample advice: Theres nothing wrong with elastic-waist pants.)

Or perhaps its the knowledge that Bucket Bar, like so much of 2020, is temporary. I know Im going to remember this time very fondly, says Hingston softly, sometime past 9, as the Verves Bittersweet Symphony rings out into the night. They dropped the news at a previous Bucket Bar: She and Broxton, who seem to have lived several mysterious, vaguely rock n roll lives in Europe before settling in S.F. six years ago, are moving back to Zurich in a few weeks. And after nine years in the city, Thornton and Bustos are relocating to Oakland, their first place as a married couple without roommates.

But Zavislak, for his part, is hopeful that some of this will stick  even after quarantine ends, when Saturday nights come with the possibility of real bars. There are encouraging signs. Sarah Coburn, who moved in a few weeks ago from Amsterdam, has already blended seamlessly into the crew. I was worried about meeting people, says Coburn, but then I just opened my window and  she gestures at her friends, making a sound like the heavens just opened up.

For now, its just after 10, and there are glasses in need of refills. Theres a bucket to be passed; there are five conversations happening at once. Another platter of baguette and hummus appears. Tina from the third floor has joined in with a bottle of Moscato. The plan for next week will be a Pride theme, they all agree; there will be rainbow lighting, and Bustos will DJ. Journeys Dont Stop Believing comes over the speaker then, and everyone tries to hit the high note, as people on their third sazerac are wont to do.

Itd be a cliche at any other bar in San Francisco, at any other time, during any other year. But here, for a moment, its just about the sweetest sound in the world.

Emma Silvers is a San Francisco freelance writer. Email food@sfchronicle.com
Officers pull a protester in to the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon: AP

Federal law enforcement officers sent to quell demonstrations in Portland, Oregon last night used tear gas on hundreds of protesters at the citys federal courthouse.

It comes amid an escalating row with the federal government over the need to impose law and order on the streets, with the citys mayor at odds with the Department of Homeland Security.

The demonstrations that began after the killing of George Floyd have continued in Portland for more than six weeks, with clashes between protesters and law enforcement sometimes erupting into violence and damage to property. Federal forces have now been sent in to shut the protests down  sometimes with violent consequences.

Last Saturday, 26-year-old protester Donavan LaBella was shot in the face by federal officers using so-called less lethal munitions  which the local police are currently barred from deploying against non-violent protesters. The incident, captured on graphic video by bystanders, left Mr LaBella in hospital with a fractured skull.

Meanwhile, according to local news investigations and videos distributed on social media, federal officers have for several days been picking protesters up then detaining them without explanation or charge. One clip widely shared on Twitter shows two officers in camouflage uniform and helmets walking silently up to a protester and walking him to a black SUV, apparently without explanation.

Portland mayor Ted Wheeler has said that he did not request help from federal forces and that they have been asked to leave, but as the protests continue, there is increasing pressure from the federal government to restore order to the streets.

The same day that tear gas was used on the hundreds-strong crowd at the courthouse, homeland security chief Chad Wolf visited the city, issuing a long statement in which he cast the long-running demonstrations as a violent siege and raged that local and state authorities have emboldened the violent mob as it escalates violence day after day.

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Our men and women in uniform are patriots. We will never surrender to violent extremists on my watch. pic.twitter.com/kG8w8kyw9E  Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 17, 2020

The statement also offered a long list of incidents at and around the courthouse, blaming them on violent anarchists no fewer than 72 times.

Mr Wolfs statement tallies with weeks of complaints from Donald Trump about the protests on the streets of American cities, with the president repeatedly threatening to send in troops if mayors and police departments cannot impose order.
If you follow N.C. 16 north to its intersection with N.C. 88, you could turn left to get to Jefferson or right to reach Wagoner Access, one of three sections of New River State Park. Another option is to drive under the overpass at this intersection where Bill Bledsoe Road begins. This stretch of dirt and gravel road runs just a few miles along the South Fork of the New River  a more scenic way to reach the entrance to Wagoner Access.

At a bend of the river along Bill Bledsoe Road on a recent trip, a little yellow bird settled into a cup-shaped mass of dried vegetation in a dogwood tree.

Yellow warblers are prone to all the usual hazards when theyre nesting: severe winds, extreme cold snaps, depredation by rat snakes, crows, jays, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, and more. But theyre adept at dealing with a common threat to nesting songbirds  the brown-headed cowbird.

Cowbird behavior has evolved unusual methods of reproduction by foregoing nesting altogether. Instead of going through the rigors of nest-building, incubation of their eggs and rearing their young, they just let other birds do that for them.
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Ade Coker is not happy with some New Patriotic Party (NPP) members deliberate attempt to flout all COVID-19 protocols in the ongoing voters registration exercise.



He has questioned if the rules were only made for his party members to deter them from visiting some registration centres to encourage their supporters to partake in the exercise.



His comment follows Ablekuma North Member of Parliament (MP), Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie's alleged campaign at some registration centres during her tour.



The lawmaker was captured on video without properly wearing her facemask and talking to some Senior High School students to consider voting for the NPP in the December polls.



Her move has been described as reckless by Ade Coker in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie.



Mr. Coker told host Mac Jerry Osei Agyemang that the conduct of the MP is a product of a desperate move to remain relevant and also remind the powers that be in the NPP that she has not jumped ship after losing the Parliamentary primaries, it is an act that flies in the face of the advocacy against the spread of the coronavirus and electoral regulations, and as such the EC must not remain tight-lipped on it.



What she did was unacceptable. Is the NPP exempted from the COVID-19 safety protocol by the EC and government? This is totally unfair. She must be arrested, he added.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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

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Republican lawmakers and some county officials have been highly critical of Gov. Tom Wolfs handling of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic but three of Pennsylvanias former governors are not among them.

Wolfs office released statements of support on Friday from former Govs. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, and Republicans Tom Ridge and Mark Schweiker.

The former governors expressed their support for how Wolf and his team have handled the situation, including endorsing this weeks statewide mitigation efforts and Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levines mask-wearing order.

The governors newly imposed restrictions on restaurants, bars and other businesses to try to avoid a surge in cases of the coronavirus as the state experienced in the spring was denounced by Republican lawmakers and business groups as a move that would kill some small businesses struggling to survive.

Instead of issuing statewide restrictions, GOP Sens. Ryan Aument and Scott Martin, both of Lancaster County, said the should be targeted to the regions where cases are spiking.

But based on the statements from three of the men who once occupied Wolfs seat, the former governors disagree.

As a former governor of Pennsylvania, I know all too well the importance of swift action to keep Pennsylvanians safe during a crisis, Schweiker said. Governor Wolf has worked throughout this pandemic to both safeguard our citizens and keep our economy moving during this hard time.

Yesterdays executive order is meant to help us all avoid the public health issues which we faced this past spring. These summer measures, as I see it, are part of a strategy to help us avoid a second public health and economic crisis later in the year. Wearing your mask amounts to saying lets beat the virus now, not later when it might be too late.

Ridge stated: All Pennsylvanians should heed the Wolf Administrations directives to wear a mask when out of the home. Like all Pennsylvanians, Governor Wolf and Secretary Levine are hoping to avoid the COVID-19 spikes impacting other states so that we can get our economy back up and running as soon as possible. Wearing a mask is a simple, selfless act all of us should support.

Rendell said: A global pandemic like this requires leadership and swift action to prevent devastating effects on our citizens and our society. Governor Wolfs mitigation efforts have been both effective and strong, and, as a result has saved the lives of countless Pennsylvanians.

The recent spike means we must pull together again as a commonwealth to stop the spread of this disease and keep our citizens and communities safe. The governors new executive order on mitigation is the right thing to do, is measured and Pennsylvania will be better and safer for it. I encourage all of my fellow Pennsylvanians to stay safe, to wear a mask, to practice social distancing, and to help stop the spread of this disease.

All three of the former governors shared some thoughts back in March with PennLive and expressed confidence in Wolfs handling of the crisis at its outset.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
JKT48, who released their first original Indonesian single "Rapsodi" earlier this year, will be holding a virtual concert with SKE48 at JEMY 2020.

17 Jul  After AKB48 charmed their Malaysian fans' hearts last year at Japan Expo Malaysia 2019, now it is JKT48 and SKE48 turn to do so.

The Jakarta-based and Nagoya-based sister groups of AKB48 will be holding a joint virtual concert at Japan Expo Malaysia (JEMY) 2020, which will take place from 18 to 19 July.

Here are the details for JKT48 and SKE48's first performance together:

Date: 18 July 2020 (Saturday)

Time: 16:00-16:35 (Malaysia Time)

Where to stream: Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/japanexpomalaysiaa/ or YouTube https://bit.ly/JapanNavi.

Here's an updated schedule. Check out the full list of performers and activities at www.japanexpomalaysia.com and www.gyucreative.com.

JKT48 members who will be performing are:

1. Feni Fitriyanti (Team J)

2. Fransisca Saraswati (Team J)

3. M. G. Desy (Team KIII)

4. Shani Indira (Team KIII)

5. Shania Gracia (Team KIII)

6. Tan Zhi Hui Celine (Team J)

We spoke to Shani and Feni about their upcoming performance with SKE48 (Photo source: Shani's Instagram | Feni's Instagram).

TheHIVE.Asia, as an official media partner for JEMY 2020, got the chance to interview two of the bubbly JKT48 members.

Fans can tell just how energetic and fun their performance will be (especially if they ever get to come and perform live in Malaysia) based on their lively answers below!

TheHive.Asia: This is your first time performing together with SKE48, how do you feel about that?

Shani: I am both proud and happy that we get to perform in a collaboration with SKE48 in such a great and huge event!

Feni: We have previously announced that we will do some collaboration project with SKE48, but these circumstances force us to postpone them. I hope that this performance will kickstart our plans! Please look forward for information regarding our next project!

Shani: Yes! And with this performance we hope that even though we are apart, our energy will reach you, and on the other hand we will receive your love and support!

This time you'll only be performing virtually but if you get the chance, would you like to come perform a concert in Malaysia? What songs do you think you would sing at a Malaysian concert?

Shani: We would love to! We would also love to greet our fans and meet new people in Malaysia! We will make the presence of JKT48 known and loved by the world!

Story continues

Feni: Yes! And for the songs... I would love to perform "Rapsodi" (JKT48's first original song). I really love the song, and since I believe that Malaysians and Indonesians have a lot in common, you might love this song as much as I do. "RIVER" will also be a nice choice because it is so uplifting and a good song to be performed.

You perform songs by AKB48 and your other sister groups that are translated into Indonesian, have you ever gotten to perform any of the original songs in Japanese? If yes, how was that like?

Shani: Yes, we have! The words are hard to memorise; I have to listen to the song a dozen times!

Feni: It's an interesting experience. I have no basic skills in Japanese, so in a way it became a challenge for me.

Congratulations on your first original single "Rapsodi" that was released earlier this year, can fans look forward to more original songs from JKT48?

Shani: We'd love to!

Feni: We will present another great song for all of you, so please support us!

Aside from singing, some of you also act in movies. Will anyone star in any new movie soon?

Shani: Sisca from Team J, our friend from the third generation, is starring in a movie entitled "Sobat Ambyar". Don't miss it!

We only have Shani and Feni here but don't forget to catch the rest of the idol group when JKT48 performs with SKE48 at JEMY 2020!
A statue of Jesus Christ in the courtyard of a South Florida church was beheaded in an act of vandalism now being investigated by the Miami-Dade police and the Department of Homeland Security.

The statue was destroyed between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning in the courtyard of the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in West Kendall, Florida.

'This is an attack on the church,' Mary Ross Agosta, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Miami, told the Miami Herald. 'This is not only private property, it is sacred property.'

A statute of Jesus was found beheaded and knocked off its pedestal at The Good Shepherd Catholic Church. The vandalized statue is shown here, moved indoors, after the incident

A close up view of the decapitated statue head found on the ground outside the church

The statue's head was found on the ground just before 8 am on Wednesday, she said. The statue itself had also been knocked off its pedestal.

'This is not something you can trip over and say, "Oh, sorry,"' she said. 'Someone did this intentionally.'

She said surveillance video has been handed over to police.

The church's Deacon Edivaldo da Saliva told Local 10 News that even though there are multiple surveillance cameras at the church, none of them were pointed at the exact spot where the statue stood, however.

Since the incident, the church has hired an overnight security guard.

The pedestal where the statue had been standing before it was knocked down shows it was screwed down into place, leading the church to believe the incident wasn't an accident

The church's Deacon Edivaldo da Saliva (pictured) said the church has security cameras, but none were pointed at exactly where the statue stood

The Good Shepherd Catholic Church (pictured) has now hired an overnight security guard

The Archdiocese of Miami told the news station that its members expect authorities to 'Investigate this desecration as a hate crime.'

'People find peace at these types of places, especially during these times,' police spokesman Argemis Colome told the newspaper. 'We want to ensure the community that MDPD will look into the matter so people can continue to feel safe.'

'This incident has saddened the parish community,' the Good Shepherd church said in a statement, according to Fox News. 'It is too soon to arrive to any conclusion, but we have seen other churches vandalized around the country. We totally "condemn" this action. We invite our community to pray for peace.'

There have been a number of vandalism incidents at Catholic churches over the last week.

In Ocala, Florida, 24-year-old Steven Anthony Shields was arrested and now faces multiple charges, including attempted murder, after he allegedly rammed his car into a Queen of Peace Catholic Church before setting the building on fire on Saturday.

The same day, the pastor of St. Stephen Catholic Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee found that a statue of the Virgin Mary had been decapitated. It's head has not yet been located.

Across the country, in Los Angeles, a 249-year-old Catholic church also caught fire.
Only the United States and Brazil have a higher number of cases. More than 25 thousand dead in the country. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu the most affected states. Lockdown restored in several areas. Red Cross: The Indian subcontinent is the new epicenter of the pandemic. Economist mitigates the alarm: Per capita, the country has one of the lowest mortality rates in the world.

New Delhi (AsiaNews / Agencies) - As of today, India has exceeded one million Covid-19 infections according to the Ministry of Health. Only the United States and Brazil have a higher number of cases. The worst hit Indian states are Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, with 284,281 and 156,369 infected respectively. The number of deaths in the country now stand at 25,602, and over 635 thousand hospitalized.

With over 600 cases of contagion per day, the lockdown has been restored in several areas. Authorities in Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Goa have adopted the most restrictive measures.

In the past month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government had eased the restrictions on circulation and economic activities imposed on March 24 to curb the spread of the disease.

Initially, the main outbreaks of infection were concentrated in large megacities such as the capital and Mumbai. Now Covid-19 is spreading rapidly in the countryside, where 70% of the population lives.

Analysts believe the coronavirus emergency in India has far higher numbers and that the figure is underestimated because local health authorities are not carrying out enough diagnostic tests. The International Federation of the Red Cross said yesterday that India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are becoming the new epicenter of the pandemic.

Economist Prof. Shamika Ravi maintains the epidemiological models used so far are not appropriate for India. In an interview with AsiaNews on July 10, she points out that in absolute terms India is among the top countries in terms of deaths from Covid-19, but compared to the population (1.3 billion) it has one of the lowest rates : 15 victims per million inhabitants.
NOTHING INDOOR IN PHASE 4: Big changes to bar rules, and latest coronavirus updates. (Hot Zone) Posted by Staten Island Advance on Thursday, July 16, 2020

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The coronavirus pandemic has turned our world upside-down. We need information like we never have before.

How many new cases were there on Staten Island today? How many deaths? How many people have been released from the hospital?

What did President Donald Trump say about the pandemic? What about Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio?

More importantly, when is this pandemic going to be over? When are we going to get back to normal, whatever normal is?

Its almost too much to keep up with.

So twice a day, Mark Stein and I take to Facebook Live to give you all the Island information you need. Look for us around 2 p.m. and again at around 5:30 p.m. Then look for this wrap-up on SILive.com at the end of the day.

Well give you the numbers and all the latest news. Well answer your questions. Well follow up on your news tips.

Well share the good news too, the way that the Staten Island community is coming together in this time of crisis. Or well just share this strange and unique pandemic moment with you, as fellow Staten Islanders.

On Thursday, we talked about how Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that malls, museums and other indoor spots would not yet re-open in New York City under Phase 4, which could start on Monday.

Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio are concerned about coronavirus spikes being seen in other states.

Cuomo also said that you must order food and be seated if looking to buy alcohol at a bar or restaurant. He also said that New Yorkers would no longer be able to order booze from walk-up spots outside bars.

This is being done in an attempt to curb crowds outside bars and restaurants. See the video above for those conversations.

In the video below, Mark and I talked about how Kohls and Walmart on Monday will join other retailers in requiring patrons to wear a mask while in company stores.

Were all in this together. Well all get through this together.
Rumour has it that Samsung will be introducing a successor to the Galaxy A71 that supports OIS. The so-called Galaxy A72 will not arrive until 2021 at the earliest, but the inclusion of OIS should yield a leap in camera performance for Samsung's mid-range Galaxy A series.

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

We remarked that the Galaxy A71 was a "good mid-range smartphone" when we reviewed it earlier this year, with its quad rear-facing cameras being some of the areas in which we thought Samsung could have done better. The cameras in the Galaxy A71 certainly looked good on paper, with Samsung including a 64 MP primary sensor and a 12 MP ultra-wide, along with 5 MP depth and macro cameras. However, our tests revealed that the Galaxy A71 is only good for daylight lights. While it does well in these conditions, it struggles to pick out any details in low-light shots.

However, a new report from South Korea media claims that Samsung has plans to improve the camera performance of Galaxy A series going forward. Starting with the Galaxy A72, the Galaxy A series will support optical image stabilisation (OIS), which should reduce image noise by compensating for any shaking to which the device is subjected. It is worth noting that the Galaxy A5 (2016) supported OIS. Samsung dropped the functionality from its successor, the Galaxy A5 (2017), though.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Dead at the borders for no apparent reason, but the tension in the two countries is very high. In Baku demonstrations and invasion of parliament. Azerbaijani defense minister Ragim Gaziev, arrested for "treason". Armenia tries to involve Russia; Azerbaijian Turkey in an attempt to give a "confessional" color to the war. Russia and Hagia Sophia.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The eternal conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijian has reignited. After attempts to establish peace during the pandemic months, on July 12th, the two sides accused each other of having opened fire in the province of Tovuz, on the border between the two countries.

Since then the tension has been building in the region exploding with the first deaths. On the morning of July 14, the Azerbaijian Ministry of Defense reported the death of a major general and a colonel following an Armenian shooting; agencies report five more victims, including two officers. Armenian armed forces have also admitted the loss of two border soldiers, Major Garush Ambartsumyan and Captain Sosa Elbakyan.

The cause of the new escalation of the conflict is unclear, beyond the historical enmity between Azeris and Armenians: there are no particular provocative events to have detonated an armed confrontation. The border clash does not appear to be connected to the long-standing struggle for the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Apparently, the clashes were generated by the violation of some border line.

But some observers point out military or geo-political causes and believe they see a reflection of the conflict between Russia and Turkey in these clashes.

These hypotheses are generated by the tendency of Armenia to involve Russia in the opposition to Azerbaijian; the latter in turn tries in various ways to involve Turkey in a "religious" war between Christians and Muslims.

In reality, Russia has not even reacted to Erdogan's provocative decision to transform the basilica of Aghia Sofia into a mosque again, declaring itself satisfied with the freedom of access granted to Christians. The Russians also intend to claim ownership of some Orthodox churches in Turkey, which in various ways date back to the initiative of the Russian Orthodox.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijian, in any case, is not easily resolved despite the apparent superiority of the Azerbaijani forces, whose population is several times that of the Armenian state. Azeris are particularly frustrated by the number of victims: Defense Minister Ragim Gaziev had declared 12, but in fact the victims are slightly less. Yet he was arrested on charges of betraying the interests of the country.

Russia is not indifferent to the conflict in such a strategic ex-Soviet region, on the borders between Europe and Asia; Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, has already stated that Russia is ready to organize a mediation between the two contenders. The fear is that the clashes could lead to an escalation according to the "eye for an eye" law.

There were mass demonstrations in defense of the armed forces in the center of Baku, the Azeri capital, on 14 July (see photo). At the cry of "Karabakh is ours!", And "Soldiers, come on!", The crowd tried to invade the parliament building, and the police carried out dozens of arrests. Similar actions have taken place in several cities in Azerbaijian.

According to statements by the Azerbaijian ambassador to Moscow, Aleksandr Aleshkin, the Armenians intend to pose obstacles to his country's foreign policy, which seeks to overcome international isolation, trying to involve the Organization of the collective security treaty between the ex-Soviets countries (ODKB), of which Azerbaijian - unlike Armenia - is not part.

In turn, the Armenians, according to the words of former defense minister Seyran Oganyan, accuse the Azeris of wanting to force peace talks to gain international benefits. Confusion reigns not only at the borders, but also on the information front.
OH, NO! Will this give the Duke and Duchess of Sussex yet another reason to be resentful?

I hear that Westminster Abbey will not ring its bells for Meghans birthday next month.

To add insult to injury, it did ring them for the birthday of beleaguered Prince Andrew in February, even though hed stepped down from royal duties.

They are due to ring for Princess Annes birthday, 11 days after Meghans. And they will chime again to celebrate the Duchess of Cambridge turning 39 in January.

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex visits the University of Johannesburg on October 1, 2019, in South Africa. Westminster Abbey will not ring its bells for Meghan's birthday

A spokesman for the Abbey, where Prince William and Kate were married in 2011, tells me: The bells are usually rung to mark the birthdays of senior members of the Royal Family, and through the line of succession to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children.

However, Harry is sixth in line to the throne, two places ahead of Andrew.

Meghan currently lives with Harry and their one-year-old son Archie in an ultra-luxury Beverly Hills hideout that belongs to Hollywood tycoon Tyler Perry - after moving from Canada to LA in March.

The couple left Britain to stay in a $14.1 million waterfront mansion on Vancouver Island in Canada last Christmas.

They are due to ring for Princess Annes birthday, 11 days after Meghans. And they will chime again to celebrate the Duchess of Cambridge turning 39 in January. The Abbey is pictured

They carried out their last public royal duty before walking away from the monarchy at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9.

It comes as royal author Tom Quinn told the Daily Star that while the Duke of Sussex 'doesn't hate' LA - he is struggling to find his 'role' in the US.

He said Harry getting 'swept up in Meghan's positive energy' has always been a problem in their relationship.

'Harry does feel slightly lost because he is now experiencing in America what Meghan was experiencing here', said Tom.

The bells rang for the birthday of beleaguered Prince Andrew (pictured on July 15) in February, even though hed stepped down from royal duties

He went on to explain that while Harry was 'swept along' by Meghan's 'positive' energy when they tied the knot in May 2018, he has since been struggling to 'fill the days' in LA.

'It's always been a problem, early on in the relationship, Meghan is a dynamo, she's full of positive energy that would sweep Harry along but once the honeymoon is over, you still have to fill the days'.

The author went on to claim that after speaking to sources close to the couple, he believes Harry is 'really struggling' with his living situation, and is finding it difficult to find work.

Harry was 'swept along' by Meghan's 'positive' energy when they tied the knot in May 2018, he has since been struggling to 'fill the days' in LA, according to a royal author

He added that while he 'doesn't hate' living in the US, he is experiencing the same confusion the Duchess of Sussex faced while living in the UK.

Earlier this week, the Duchess faced criticism from London-based veteran royal photographer Arthur Edwards, 79, who claimed she had 'no intention' of living in the UK after marrying Prince Harry.

He alleged that staying in the UK was not in Meghan Markle's 'plans' - despite spending 2.4million of taxpayers' money to refurbish Frogmore Cottage.

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.

Arthur - who has been photographing the Duke of Sussex since the day the royal was born - also described seeing a change in Prince Harry's behaviour towards the media.

The couple are currently living in an ultra-luxury Beverly Hills hideout that belongs to Hollywood tycoon Tyler Perry with their one-year-old son Archie

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their baby son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2019

'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.'

After heading to LA at the start of the pandemic, the photographer claimed 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.'

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.'
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Udacity , the global online training platform that prepares the world's workforce for the careers of the future, today announced a partnership with Business and Enterprise Systems Product Innovation (BESPIN), a United States Air Force (USAF) agile development lab, for its airmen to strengthen their skills or upskill in areas of AI, data analysis, programming, and machine learning and improve the development of software being used by USAF. Udacity's Nanodegree programs are available to BESPIN via Digital University , a new USAF initiative being developed by BESPIN that focuses on democratizing technical training across the Air Force.

Udacity's Nanodegree programs feature hands-on learning with projects tailored to real-world scenarios that complement instructor-led sessions. After weighing its training options, BESPIN selected Udacity because of its focus on building skills in core and emerging technologies, with a particular emphasis on the latter. This training model enabled BESPIN teams to accelerate the app delivery process from ideation to delivered product in as little as 88 days. While BESPIN has taken the lead on collaborating with Udacity, there also are plans to offer Nanodegrees to other groups within USAF through Digital University.

"BESPIN started with eight airmen in 2018 and has since grown to 100+ personnel, all of whom are committed to overcoming legacy technology challenges and accelerating USAF's digital transformation," said Lt. Col. Paul Cooper, CEO, BESPIN. "These ambitions, along with BESPIN's start-up mentality and work ethic, led us to Udacity's Nanodegree programs. Programs our airmen have completed, which include classes on Swift, Kotlin, Kubernetes, and data science, have given them the skill sets needed to create powerful, mission-ready software."

"Udacity is committed to creating and nurturing technological talent and closing organizations' skills gaps. It's a mission that aligns well with BESPIN's strategic initiatives," said Gabe Dalporto, CEO, Udacity. "We're proud to support USAF in meeting its goals of creating a ' Digital Air Force ' and empowering its service members to achieve an ongoing competitive edge."

As well as governments around the world, Udacity's online training platform is used by global corporate customers to skill and reskill their workforces. These customers include Airbus, AT&T, BMW, IBM, Nike, and Shell. Between 2019 and 2020, Udacity's enterprise business more than doubled.

About Udacity

Udacity is a global, online training platform powering digital transformation and accelerated time-to-market initiatives for Fortune 500 and Global 2000 enterprises. Udacity programs provide industry-created practitioner skills through a series of Nanodegree programs consisting of online courses and real-world projects in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, autonomous systems, and cloud computing, among other disciplines. Udacity collaborates with expert instructors and over 200 global industry partners including AT&T, Google, Facebook, Mercedes-Benz, and NVIDIA to power technical education. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., the private company has operations in the United Kingdom, Egypt, Germany, India, and the United Arab Emirates. Udacity has raised $163 million in funding to date from investors including Bertelsmann, Andreessen Horowitz, Charles River Ventures, and Drive Capital. For more information, please visit www.udacity.com .

Media Contact

Andrea Heuer for Udacity

[email protected]

SOURCE Udacity

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The Zamboanga del Norte provincial government is requiring returning individuals to have a negative RT-PCR test beginning Monday.

According toExective Order 20-57, repatriated or returning overseas Filipino workers (ROFs), locally stranded individuals (LSIs), and authorized persons outside of residence (APORs), will have to test negative of COVID-19 before granted entry to the province.

The general community quarantine measure was extended in Zamboanga del Norte on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the country now has 63,001 confirmed COVID-19 infections with 1,660 deaths and 21,748 recoveries.
Members of the Azerbaijani community of London have attacked the Embassy of Armenia in the United Kingdom, as Chairperson of the Armenian National Committee of London Annette Moskofian reported to Yerkir.am.

Moskofian also informed that the police failed to keep the situation under control, leaving it up to the members of the Armenian community to show resistance on their own.

The situation escalated after the Azerbaijanis tried to organize a discussion on Armenias aggression against Azerbaijan in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, but the discussion wasnt held since only 4 out of the 150 representatives signed under the proposal.

The Azerbaijani demonstrators gathered in front of the Embassy of Armenia. First, there were very few policemen, and the Azerbaijanis showed their aggression against the Armenians and tried to provoke a beating. The members of the Armenian community demanded more police officers to come and managed to suppress the crowd of Azerbaijanis.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Two groups formed by Republicans opposed to President Donald Trump are launching offensives on the president this week in a bid to swing a state Trump won handily in 2016 to former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden.

Both The Lincoln Project and Republican Voters Against Trump are going up on the airwaves in a plan theyve dubbed Operation Grant to woo conservative-leaning voters away from Trump as public polling indicates a tighter race. Trump won the state in 2016 by 8 percentage points, but souring opinions on the presidents handling of multiple crises has both organizations believing the state, once presumed to be in the GOP column, is up for grabs.

Both groups are launching six-figure television ad buys on network and cable television as well as digital with plans to build out from there with grassroots efforts led by volunteers.

From our perspective, this is a real opportunity along with RVAT to remind Ohioans why theyve been a swing state for so long, that they should be a swing state, said Reed Galen, co-founder of The Lincoln Project, in an interview.

The Lincoln Project will air its spot on network and cable television in Columbus and on cable in Akron. Republican Voters Against Trump will be up in the Cincinnati area.

The ads are targeted at suburban voters who may have voted for Trump in 2016 either out of loyalty to the Republican Party or because they did not like Democrat Hillary Clinton.

After some conversations looking at public and private polling data, we feel theres value to push this campaign into Ohio and that Trump can be defeated in Ohio, said Tim Miller, a co-founder and political director for Republican Voters Against Trump, in an interview.

The two groups, while complementary, are taking somewhat different approaches in their advertising strategy.

The Lincoln Projects is titled Mourning in America  a play on the famous 1984 television spot from Republican President Ronald Reagans campaign. The Lincoln Projects spot has a much darker depiction of Ohio and the country than the Reagan ad, pinning the more than 125,000 who have died from coronavirus and the resulting recession on Trump.

Theres mourning in America, and under the leadership of Donald Trump, Ohio is weaker and sicker and poorer, the narrator of the ad says. And now, Americans are asking, If we have another four years like this, will there even be an America?

Republican Voters Against Trumps ad, titled Its okay to change your mind Ohio, opens with images from the 2016 Republican National Convention held in Cleveland and features testimonials from former Trump voters who have changed their minds for a variety of reasons.

What we found in research is using testimonial videos of voters who are conservative and voted for Trump, they are more likely to vote for this message than some of the more aggressive attacks that turn them off, Miller said.

Miller said his group is planning to air more spots in the future exclusively featuring voters from Ohio who supported Trump in 2016, but have since become disenfranchised by the president.

The Lincoln Project and Republican Voters Against Trump were formed out of the GOP diaspora following Trumps nomination in 2016. Veteran politicos from the more traditional wing of the party are leading the tandem effort with an overlapping goal of beating Trump in the November election.

The Lincoln Projects founders include John Weaver, a former adviser to former Ohio GOP Gov. John Kasich, and George Conway, husband of White House adviser Kellyanne Conway. Galen is an Ohio native with experience working under former President George W. Bush and former Arizona Sen. John McCain. Republican Voters Against Trumps co-founders include Miller, communications director for former Florida GOP Gov. Jeb Bushs 2016 presidential campaign, and Bill Kristol, a conservative political analyst who founded the now-defunct publication The Weekly Standard.

The Ohio ads are part of a larger planned strategy that include thousands of volunteers utilizing different types of communication including direct text messaging campaigns and video town halls. Neither group will be sending volunteers door-to-door because of the pandemic.

Miller said Republican Voters Against Trump has 5,000 Ohioans who have signed up with them while Galen said 11,000 have signed up with The Lincoln Project. Miller and Galen said they plan to roll out a list of prominent Ohio supporters for each of their organizations in the coming weeks.

Trump campaign spokesman Chris Walker said they werent fretting about attacks against the president in Ohio.

Disgruntled losers looking to make a quick buck do not concern us, Walker said.

While the two groups plans are still in their opening stages, the fact that theyve decided to focus on Ohio is another indicator that the Buckeye State is much more competitive than this time a year ago.

Following Trumps 450,000-vote victory in 2016 and Republicans dominance in the 2018 midterms, national Democrats had largely abandoned the state. Priorities USA, one of the largest Democratic super PACs, has not included Ohio in its plans and a PowerPoint from a recent press briefing by them lists it as less competitive than Texas and Georgia, two longtime GOP strongholds.

However, recent public polling points to a more competitive race, routinely showing a slim margin between Trump and Biden. The Trump campaign purchased more than $18 million in network television spots for the fall, another sign that the state may be competitive.

I do believe that Ohio is a gettable state and we want to make sure Trump has to fight for it and its not just conceded, Miller said. I think thats whats driving a lot of this. I think theres a mistaken conventional wisdom.
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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 18:42 550 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406672e4a8 1 Business coal-miner,Bukit-Asam,Tuhup-mine,Samin-Tan Free

Coal mining heavyweight PT Bukit Asam (PTBA) has expressed a desire to acquire a lucrative coal mine in Tuhup, Central Kalimantan, to increase and diversify its coal reserves, amid an alleged bribery case implicating the mines former owner.

As a state-owned enterprise (SOE), Bukit Asam has the privilege of first pick to the mine, which was formerly operated by coal mining heavyweight PT Asmin Koalindo Tuhup (AKT), said PTBAs newly appointed corporate secretary Apollonius Andwie on Tuesday.

The founder of AKTs parent company, Samin Tan, was named a corruption suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in February in relation to a case concerning the Tuhup mine.

PTBA will look into it and study it, Apollonius said during an online press briefing. As a company that still wants to grow, acquisitions are, of course, one of our strategies.

However, the government may only offer AKTs mine to Bukit Asam after everything is legally clear, he noted.

Coal miners across Indonesia have been hit hard by worldwide lockdowns in the first quarter, as global electricity demand slumped after businesses and factories cut back on operations.

Bukit Asams acquisition plan also aligns with the governments policy to tighten state control over Indonesias mineral wealth, a principle enshrined in the recently-passed Coal and Mineral Mining Law.

Legislators claimed that tighter control would improve accountability, but activists have lambasted the claim, pointing out that Indonesias natural resources industry has been rife with corruption.

For Bukit Asam, acquiring AKTs coal mine, prized for its high-carbon coal, will not only increase but also diversify the companys reserves.

AKTs metallurgical coal reserves can be very beneficial for PTBA, which has, until now, been very reliant on thermal coal, said investment analyst Robertus Yanuar Hardy of Kresna Sekuritas.

High-carbon metallurgical coal is used to produce steel, whereas lower-carbon thermal coal is used to generate electricity. The former commodity is about triple the price of the latter.

Selling metallurgical coal would allow PTBA to diversify its revenue streams during periods of low thermal coal demand, as has been the case amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

PTBAs latest quarterly financial report revealed that the company's profits fell 20.5 percent annually to Rp 903.24 billion (US$61.8 million) in the January-March period amid weakening coal demand and prices. Bukit Asams sales volume rose 2.1 percent yoy to 6.8 million tons yet its revenue fell 4.01 percent yoy to Rp 5.12 trillion

AKT lost control over the Tuhup mine in 2017 when the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry cancelled its mining permit because of maladministration. The permit was otherwise valid until 2023. Thus began a protracted legal battle between the ministry and AKT.

Samin then allegedly paid legislator Eni Maulani Saragih, a Golkar party politician, a Rp 5 billion bribe to lobby the energy ministry to allow AKT regain control over the prized mine, according to the KPK.

The KPK said on May 6 that Samin had been added to its most-wanted list (DPO) after skipping two summons over the case.

Meanwhile, AKT is currently attempting to switch its legal status from a contract of work (PKP2B) miner to a special mining permit (IUPK) miner, which would allow it to legally regain control.

Bukit Asams coal reserves will significantly increase if it can gain control of PKP2Bs former mine, assuming the government rejects converting that [AKTs] PKP2B into an IUPK, Rizal Kasli, chairman of the Indonesian Mining Experts Association (Perhapi) told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Rizal added that state-owned companies were given priority access to mines by the government as a means to boost state revenue and ultimately bring benefits to the public.
A day after the results of the HSC (Class 12) exams were declared, the Mumbai divisional board said that it has taken action against 18 students for cheating in the exams.

One student who tried to find a dummy candidate to appear on his behalf has been barred for the next five exams, while the police had taken action against the dummy candidate.

In the case of the 17 other students who were caught in different cheating cases, the board has said that they will have to re-appear for the exams in which they cheated.

Strict action has been taken against such candidates as per the boards rule book after the internal committee found them guilty, said Sandeep Sangave, secretary, Mumbai divisional board. While the inquiry is usually conducted in the presence of retired gazetted officers, owing to the Covid-19 situation this year and the ensuing lockdown, the board gave powers to local education inspectors to conduct the probe and students were asked to report to the for the purpose.

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Scott Morrison has stated he wants to govern in the Howard tradition, but sadly that has also entailed adopting the worst of John Howards strategies: to admit or explain as little as possible. Recall the former prime ministers commitment to the Iraq war without parliamentary debate, the Tampa and children-overboard affairs, the Wheat Board scandal, and the bugging of the government of Timor-Leste, just to mention the most conspicuous cases.

Trial to be heard partly in secret: Barrister Bernard Collaery. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

There has never been a full accounting for these decisions. Indeed, in some cases there has been blatant cover-up. Moreover, there has been little discussion of the longer-term consequences. Successive governments since have acted as if they are beyond reproach.

In this vein, the Morrison government has avoided accountability for the sports rorts and other slush fund excesses. It is not commenting on ABC findings that Australian troops killed as many as 10 Afghan civilians during a 2012 raid in Kandahar Province, hiding behind an expected report from the Inspector-General of the Defence Force on alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. This begs the question of the appropriateness of the ADF investigating itself.

The government is also attempting to stop the Auditor-General providing evidence that was critical of their $1.3 billion deal to purchase a new combat vehicle from arms manufacturer Thales, some two years after having used extraordinary powers to redact aspects following complaints from an aggrieved Thales.
China has moved a rocket into position to launch a rover to Mars in one of three upcoming missions to the red planet, one from the U.S. and another by the United Arab Emirates.

The Long March-5 carrier rocket is Chinas heaviest-lift launch vehicle and has been used experimentally three times, but never with a payload. Dubbed Tianwen-1, Chinas first mission to Mars aims to land a rover to gather scientific data.

The rocket is due to blast off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in the southern island province of Hainan in late July or early August, according to state media reports Friday that quoted the China National Space Administration.

The mission is one of the most ambitious yet for Chinas space program, which has advanced rapidly since launching its first crewed mission in 2003. Since then, it has sent astronauts to an experimental space station, begun work on a larger, more permanent facility and landed a probe on the less-explored far side of the moon.

This summers trio of missions in the most sweeping effort yet to seek signs of ancient microscopic life while scouting out Mars for future astronauts.

The timelines for such missions are daunting and the countries involved are striving to take best advantage of a one-month window in which Mars and Earth are in ideal alignment on the same side of the sun, minimizing travel time and fuel use. Such a window opens only once every 26 months.

Preparations have continued amid the coronavirus outbreak, which in part prompted Europe and Russia to drop their plans to send a life-seeking rover to Mars this summer.

Each spacecraft will travel more than 480 million kilometers (300 million miles) before reaching Mars next February. In the process, they will loop out beyond Earths orbit and sync up with Mars more distant orbit around the sun.

The U.S. is sending over a car-sized six-wheeled rover named Perseverance to collect rock samples to be returned to Earth for analysis in about a decade. Its launch date has been set for between July 30 and Aug. 15.

The UAE spacecraft, named Amal, or Hope in Arabic, is an orbiter built in partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder and is now scheduled to launch from Japan on Monday. It will be the Arab worlds first interplanetary mission.

Scientists want to know what Mars was like billions of years ago, back when it had water sources that may have supported tiny life forms before turning into the frozen world it is today.

So far, the U.S. has been the only country to successfully put a spacecraft on Mars, doing it eight times. Two NASA landers are operating there, InSight and Curiosity. Six other spacecraft are exploring the planet from orbit: three U.S., two European and one from India.

Chinas last attempt at a Mars mission in collaboration with Russia ended in failure in 2011. The Chinese space programs close military connections and the relative secrecy within it operates has limited its opportunities for cooperation with those of the U.S. and other countries.
WASHINGTON  A watchdog report on Thursday harshly criticized a $174 million Pentagon drone program that was meant to give Afghan forces an advantage over the Taliban but has instead shown few gains.

The report from the special inspector general for Afghan reconstruction cited delays and a lack of oversight or clear metrics for success for the program, known as ScanEagle. The report found several issues plaguing the program, including inadequate training for Afghan forces, who displayed an inability to account for ScanEagle equipment and failed to exploit the intelligence gathered by the drones for military missions.

As a result of these delays and challenges, the Defense Department lacks information necessary to track, understand and improve the return on its $174 million investment in the program, and is poorly positioned to transfer responsibilities to the Afghan National Army, the report said.

In written responses to the report, the American-led mission in Afghanistan defended the program, noting that the Afghan army now requires minimal assistance from military advisers, that it rigorously vets troops working on the drones and that the equipment is used daily for operations even though it may not be to Western standards.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- The Westcott Theater is set to reopen for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began in March.

The Syracuse concert venue will host its first socially distant event with a series of live-streamed simulcast shows by Billy Strings on July 23-26. Doors will open at 7 p.m. and the show will begin at 8 p.m. each night.

Strings, a bluegrass musician from Michigan, will be performing live at crowd-less venues around Nashville as part of a virtual tour that will be shown on stage at the Westcott Theater.

According to a press release, the theater will follow CDC and New York state guidelines, requiring all attendees wear face masks and practice social distancing. Tables will be assigned, and food and drinks can be delivered to guests tables through the NOBLE app.

We are honored to have been chosen as one of 9 independent venues around the country who will be hosting this live-stream viewing event in partnership with @NIVAssoc and @IndiePromoterAlliance. You can support us, our staff and enjoy Billy Strings phenomenal live show in a safe, socially distanced manner, a statement said.

Tickets are on sale at thewestcotttheater.com. Prices are $40 for up to four people per table; additional fees may apply.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Backline.

The concert industry has been largely shut down to slow the spread of Covid-19, but some artists have pivoted to other options such as livestreamed performances online or drive-in concerts. Every show at St. Josephs Health Amphitheater at Lakeview has been canceled or rescheduled for 2021, and health experts say its unlikely concerts and festivals will resume as normal until next year.

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FILE PHOTO: A Star Ferry boat crosses Victoria Harbour in front of a skyline of buildings during sunset, as a meeting on national security legislation takes place in Hong Kong

By Carol Mang Natalie Thomas

HONG KONG/LONDON (Reuters) - 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 Harbour 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 defences 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.

Story continues

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.

(Reporting by Carol Mang and Natalie Thomas; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
New Delhi, July 17 : Months after deadly riots broke out in the northeastern district of the national capital, a report from the Delhi Minorities Commission has brought a fresh twist to the whole story, claiming that "the police used chants of 'Azadi to sexually harass women and attack them" "While the slogans of 'Azadi' (a cry for freedom from the discriminatory laws and practices) were used by the protesters, the police used the same chants of 'Azadi' to sexually harass women and attack them, including at least one incident of a police officer flashing his genitals in front of women protesters," said a fresh report by the panel.

The report further said that the nature of verbal abuse was also sexual and communal in nature while adding that the testimonies suggested that Muslim women were attacked on the basis of their religious identity as their hijabs and burqas were pulled off. "Women have also recounted instances of acid attack by the mobs," the report claimed.

The report which runs into hundreds of pages also stated that women have also lost their social and financial security, as their houses were looted and their jewellery was specifically robbed; they had to spend hours hiding, without access to food and water, with their children on terraces but no one came to their help.

"Several women also reported being threatened with sexual assault. For those women who locked themselves inside their homes to protect their children, tear gas shells were thrown inside, causing severe suffocation, eye burning and nausea," said the report.

The commission has in its report recounted the statements of many other women including a 45-year-old woman who lived in Shiv Vihar Area.

"They pulled my dupatta and tore my salwar's sleeve. I was saved by a family that was still living in the area," Fatima said. "The family said I was with them, the men abused them but left me alone," she said, adding that the family hid her for some time till everything was clear. "If it weren't for them, I don't know if I would be here," said the woman, who went back to her home in Shiv Vihar to look for her goats.

Another woman from Shiv Vihar area recalled the sexual violence that she had witnessed saying that she saw the mob tearing clothes of a girl and then throwing her into the fire. Her husband has been mentally unstable since they have been rescued.

The commission has also recounted the ordeal of 37-year-old woman, who was then three months pregnant. "She recalls the communal slurs and slogans of 'Jai Shree Ram' and 'Yeh Le Azadi' when a man in police uniform tried to kill her with a stone rendering her unconscious. She was taken to Al-Hind Hospital and later to the AIIMS Trauma Centre," the report said.

Another 30-year-old Bhagirath Vihar resident narrated that while fleeing from her home, she was caught by six to seven men who started beating and molesting her. "They did whatever they could, hit me with what they had, and touched me in my private parts. They did everything...the only thing they didn't do was rape me," she said.

According to the report, at least 55 people died and property, including homes, shops and 22 places of worship, were destroyed during the riots.

The commission said that the violence started in different pockets "almost immediately" after the short speech of BJP leader Kapil Mishra on February 23 at Maujpur in which he openly called for forcefully removing the protestors at Jafrabad in northeast Delhi.

"He clearly said that he and his supporters will take matters into their own hands, alluding to extra-legal vigilante tactics, in saying: 'But after that we will not listen to the police if roads are not cleared after three days," the report stated.

The committee said that Deputy Commissioner of Police, North East district, Ved Prakash Surya, was standing right next to Mishra when he made the incendiary speech.

Communal clashes broke out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after clashes between Citizenship Amendment Act supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.
The Azerbaijani media, citing the Investigative Committee of Armenia, has spread information about Armenian armed forces allegedly losing four soldiers and having 36 more wounded as a result of recent armed clashes with Azerbaijan .



The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said the news was an absolute fake, as Armenia is trying to hide the real losses on the battlefield.



"The armed forces of Armenia lost about 100 servicemen killed and wounded as a result of the fighting in the direction of the Tovuz district. As always, Armenia exerts itself to hide its military losses from the public. But after a while the truth will come out and it will be forced to admit the losses, the ministry stressed.



The defence ministry urged the Azerbaijani media "not to disseminate the false information published by the Armenian side, and to expose the fake news."
Statue Honoring Union Civil War Regiment Destroyed

A monument honoring a regiment that fought for the Union during the Civil War was destroyed this week in New York state.

Saratoga Springs Police Department Lt. Robert Jillson told The Epoch Times that the statue was found on the ground around 3:30 a.m. Thursday morning.

The investigation into the situation is still active.

Nothing new has come up since yesterday, so were still exploring any physical evidence, video, seeing if anybody calls with information. Typical of any investigation, Jillson said.

According to a press release from the city, the statue honors New Yorks 77th Regiment, which fought in the Army of the Potomac from 1861 to 1865.

Photographs from the scene showed the statue in over a dozen pieces on the grass next to the pedestal it was on.

The statue, erected in 1875, was located in Congress Park.

The toppling was the second act of vandalism in recent days; people spray-painted various objects, including benches, in the park over the weekend.

The city of Saratoga Springs condemns these recent acts of vandalism in the strongest possible terms and will hold the parties responsible to the fulliest extent of the law, Robin Dalton, the citys public safety commissioner, said in a statement. The Department of Public Works and Department of Public Safety will be taking additional measures to secure Congress Park from these unprecedented acts of violence.

James Parillo of the Saratoga Springs History Museum and Samantha Bosshart of the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation said in a statement that they were sad and disappointed to learn of the toppling.

The monument was put up to honor the men of the 77th who lost their lives fighting for the Union Army, they said, urging people to contact the police with information about the vandals.

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) added in a statement: Whoever this criminal is should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. The desecration of a Union Army veteran memorial is inexcusable and every elected official needs to speak out against this sick destruction.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Based on positive results in preclinical studies reported today, potently neutralizing antibodies identified by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center are showing promise as a potential therapy for preventing and treating COVID-19.

The monoclonal antibodies were isolated from the blood of a couple from Wuhan, China, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 after traveling to Toronto, Canada, in late January. They were two of the earliest confirmed cases of COVID-19 in North America.

During the past two years, VUMC researchers led by James Crowe, Jr., MD, and Robert Carnahan, PhD, have developed ultra-fast methods for discovering highly potent antiviral human monoclonal antibodies and validating their ability to protect small animals and non-human primates, all in less than three months.

Reporting last week in the journal Nature Medicine, the researchers and colleagues from across the country describe how they used this rapid antibody discovery platform to isolate hundreds of human monoclonal antibodies against the surface spike (S) protein that enables SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to infect lung cells.

In a separate report published today in the journal Nature, VUMC scientists and their colleagues describe how two of the antibodies, COV2-2196 and COV2-2130, bind to distinct sites on the S protein and either alone or in combination reduce the viral "burden" in infected mice and protect them from weight loss and lung inflammation.

They also found that COV2-2196 and another potent antibody, COV2-2381, given alone protected rhesus macaques from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Collectively these results suggest that these monoclonal antibodies, either alone or in combination, "are promising candidates for prevention or treatment of COVID-19," the researchers concluded.

Last month, the global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca licensed from Vanderbilt University one set of the antibodies described in the Nature paper for clinical evaluation and development. IDBiologics, a Nashville-based biotechnology firm, has licensed a separate set of the antibodies. Both companies are planning clinical trials this summer.

Explore further Researchers identify potent antibody cocktail with potential to treat COVID-19

More information: Seth J. Zost et al. Rapid isolation and profiling of a diverse panel of human monoclonal antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, Nature Medicine (2020). Journal information: Nature Medicine , Nature Seth J. Zost et al. Rapid isolation and profiling of a diverse panel of human monoclonal antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-0998-x
Managing Covid-19 India just hit a million Covid-19 cases but here's what should really be worrying us: The Covid-19 pandemic has required us all to get comfortable with an array of numbers as well as a glut of statistical methods.

But of the three numbers used by governments and the media to convey the extent of the viruss spread  the total number of cases, the number of active cases and the number of new cases daily  it is the first number that grabs most headlines. Read more here. 70 per cent of new Kerala cases due to local spread: Kerala crossed the ...
Turkey's defence industry chief said on Friday that his sector was ready to help Azerbaijan, which has seen border clashes with Armenia in which 16 people have been killed.

Turkey has strong historical and cultural ties with Azerbaijan, as well as joint energy projects.

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that it would not hesitate to "stand against any attack" on Azerbaijan and that Armenia was "out of its depth" in the conflict.

On Friday, Defence Industry Director Ismail Demir tweeted that "Our defence industry, with all its experience, technology and capabilities, from our armed drones to our ammunition and missiles and our electronic warfare systems, is always at the disposal of Azerbaijan!".

Fifteen soldiers from both sides and one civilian have died since Sunday in the clashes between the neighbouring former Soviet republics, which fought a war in the 1990s over the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh region.

International concern is high because of the threat to stability in a region that hosts pipelines taking oil and gas from the Caspian Sea to global markets.

Demir, who met Azerbaijan's deputy defence minister and air force commander Ramiz Tahirov in Ankara, said Turkey would help to modernise Azerbaijan's army.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Armenia had started the border clashes, and that it would be "drowned under the plot that they initiated".

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There can be a hollowness in the word love, if its used incorrectly, invoked in the place of, say, anger or empathy, self-examination or remorse. Consider Derek Walcotts poem Love After Love, which implores us to Take down the love letters from the bookshelf, / the photographs, the desperate notes, / peel your own image from the mirror. To Give back your heart / to itself.

What Walcott accomplishes in his poem  love deployed right, facing inward, uplifting  Ingrid Persaud accomplishes in her stellar debut novel, titled Love After Love in tribute to Walcott, who lived in her native Trinidad as an adult. She has taken the spirit of Walcotts poem and exploded it into a bighearted prose narrative about an unconventional family, fear, hatred, violence, chasing love, losing it and finding it again just when we need it most.

Set in contemporary Trinidad, the novel is told from three perspectives: those of Betty Ramdin, an insightful school administrator and widow whos inherited a large house from her grandmother; Mr. Chetan, a closeted gay teacher at Bettys school who is in need of a place to live; and Bettys only child, Solo. Persaud displays an ease in inhabiting each of these distinct, colloquial yet poetic voices, jumping back and forth between them without losing each speakers unique personality. With them we smell the food of the Caribbean, sit in the traffic, enjoy the sun, feel the remnants of colonial oppression pressing down on struggling citizens.

This book about love begins with an act of violence. Sunil, Bettys alcoholic husband, lashes out at her and their son. But after this harrowing first chapter, after breaking Bettys arm with a rolling pin, Sunil dies off the page. At the funeral, her arm in a cast, Betty recalls others having mistakenly called her real lucky to have her husband, equating love and violence. That man only gave love you could feel, she thinks in response.
An American lethal injection chamber photographed in 2010: AP

A meth kingpin convicted of killing five people has become the third person this week to be executed by the US government.

Former Iowa chemistry student Dustin Honken, 52, was pronounced dead by lethal injection at 4.36 pm, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

Mr Honken's death sentence on Friday followed the executions of Daniel Lewis Lee and Wesley Purkey.

Lawyers, who were hoping for a last-minute reprieve, said Mr Honken was "redeemed" and had repented for his crimes.

"There was no reason for the government to kill him, in haste or at all. In any case, they failed. The Dustin Honken they wanted to kill is long gone," lawyer Shawn Nolan told the Associated Press.

"The man they killed today was a human being, who could have spent the rest of his days helping others and further redeeming himself. May he rest in peace."
PHILADELPHIA (July 17, 2020) - Scientists at Fox Chase Cancer Center and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have received a new grant from the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) that will fund continuing research on an antibody developed as part of a longstanding collaboration between the two organizations.

The research focus is to test the effectiveness of an immune-stimulating antibody developed by BGU researcher Angel Porgador, PhD, to attack multiple myeloma, a blood cell tumor localized in the bone marrow. The antibody helps the immune system kill multiple myeloma tumor cells. Since it may work on many different types of tumors, future research will explore its use as a wide-ranging treatment option for patients with cancer.

"Our collaboration with Fox Chase encompasses many different cancer research studies and enables our students to pursue their degree research in Fox Chase Labs," said Porgador, a professor in BGU's Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology and Immunology. "I look forward to further development of this project to help cancer patients around the world."

When tumor cells develop, they can be detected by receptors on the human body's natural killer (NK) cells, which are part of the innate immune system. These NK cells can either target tumor cells for destruction or release immune-boosting molecules called cytokines.

"Different receptors on the surface of NK cells scan molecules and structures on the surface of other cells as they travel throughout the body, and these receptors can activate a response to structures on tumors but inhibit responses toward molecules on normal cells," said grant co-recipient Kerry S. Campbell, PhD, director of the Cell Culture Facility and co-director of the Immune Monitoring Facility at Fox Chase.

To protect itself, a tumor cell can express a molecule called PCNA on its surface that can bind to an NK cell receptor known as NKp44. Previous work by Campbell and Porgador, who is also the deputy vice president for research and development at BGU, led to the discovery that PCNA could bind to NKp44 and thereby prevent NK cells from functioning effectively. This interaction can serve as an "immune checkpoint" to shut down NK-mediated attack.

"In this case, the expression of PCNA by a tumor hijacks the inhibitory receptor, NKp44, thereby putting the brakes on NK-mediated attack. On the other hand, the unique antibody binds PCNA and blocks its detection by NKp44, thereby releasing the brakes, so NK cells can again attack the tumor," said Campbell.

The $320,000 BSF grant is the fourth consecutive awarded for this team. Campbell is among several Fox Chase faculty members who have received joint grants with BGU through the BSF.

Campbell and Porgador's 16-year partnership began when they were encouraged by Alton Sutnick, MD. Sutnick founded the American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) Health Sciences and Academic Affiliations Committee, based in Philadelphia. Sutnick was once director of clinical development at the American Oncologic Hospital, a precursor to Fox Chase Cancer Center.

The two researchers exchanged data and began collaborating, leading to their first grant proposal in 2008. Since then, the team has jointly published 14 academic papers and trained graduate students at BGU, where Campbell is also an adjunct professor.

"We appreciate the support of the BSF to expand BGU's longstanding and successful collaboration with Fox Chase," says AABGU Chief Executive Officer Doug Seserman. "And we are grateful to Dr. Al Sutnick for making this extraordinary collaboration on cancer treatment possible."

###

About Fox Chase Cancer Center

The hospital of Fox Chase Cancer Center and its affiliates (collectively "Fox Chase Cancer Center"), a member of the Temple University Health System, is one of the leading cancer research and treatment centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation's first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Fox Chase researchers have won the highest awards in their fields, including two Nobel Prizes. Fox Chase physicians are also routinely recognized in national rankings, and the Center's nursing program has received the Magnet recognition for excellence five consecutive times. Today, Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research, with special programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship and community outreach. It is the policy of Fox Chase Cancer Center that there shall be no exclusion from, or participation in, and no one denied the benefits of, the delivery of quality medical care on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, disability, age, ancestry, color, national origin, physical ability, level of education, or source of payment. For more information, call 1-888-FOX CHASE or (1-888-369-2427).

About American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) plays a vital role in sustaining David Ben-Gurion's vision: creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community and sharing the University's expertise locally and around the globe. Celebrating the 50th birthday of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) this year, AABGU imagines a future that goes beyond the walls of academia. It is a future where BGU invents a new world and inspires a vision for a stronger Israel and its next generation of leaders. Together with supporters, AABGU will help the University foster excellence in teaching, research and outreach to the communities of the Negev for the next 50 years and beyond. AABGU, headquartered in Manhattan, has regional offices throughout the United States. For more information visit http://www.aabgu.org.
Is new Cold War emerging between China and US? FM spokesperson suggests two countries work together

Global Times

Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/16 18:52:20

Is a new Cold War emerging between China and the US? The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the current US policy is based on a strategic misjudgment that lacks factual evidence, and is full of emotional catharsis and McCarthy-like paranoia. China has always believed that the two countries should not seek to transform each other, but jointly explore ways for their different systems and civilizations to peacefully coexist, and this requires the US to work with China in the same direction.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying answered the question at Thursday's routine news briefing, saying that some people in the US are now under ideological prejudice, and are making every effort to render China an opponent or even an enemy. They are trying every means to curb China's development and unscrupulously hindering bilateral relationship.

China did not want to provoke the US, whose unjustified suspicion of China has reached the point where it will be shunned. It seems that every Chinese investment has a political purpose, every student studying abroad has a spying background, and every cooperation initiative has an ulterior motive.

"If the US is so lacking in self-confidence, openness and tolerance, and artificially creating various 'China threats', then it may eventually become a self-fulfilling prophecy," Hua said.

China has always believed that the two countries should not seek to reform each other, but should jointly explore ways for their different systems and civilizations to peacefully coexist, as China insists that the path taken by each country is based on its own cultural traditions and historical experience.

China adheres to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which is in line with the needs of China's national conditions, and practice has proven that this path not only freed 1.4 billion Chinese people from poverty and backwardness, but also allowed the Chinese nation to once again make contributions to human progress.

Many opinion polls conducted by international organizations have shown that the Chinese people's support for the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the government is the highest in the world. A recent study conducted by the Kennedy School, Harvard University, over the course of more than a decade shows that the Chinese government led by the CPC enjoys a support and satisfaction rate of more than 93 percent among the Chinese people.

"No people, country, or force can deny the Chinese people's choice. It has been proven to be the correct path," Hua said.

China has never intended to challenge or replace the US, and has no intention of confronting the US in a comprehensive manner. "We care about improving the well-being of our people and satisfying the people's growing desire for a better life, so China's policy toward the US has never changed," she noted.

Hua urged the government and some policy makers in the US to look at China more rationally and objectively, and formulate a more rational and pragmatic policy toward China, because only this way is most in line with the long-term interests of both peoples and the expectations of the world.

Hua noted that over the past few decades, China-US cooperation has done many important things, which have not only promoted the development of the two countries, but also contributed to world peace and jointly resolved some urgent global issues.

"We feel that there is no reason to terminate this process. We still expect those policy makers in the US to return to rationality, be responsible to their own people, responsible for China-US relations, and responsible for world peace and development," Hua said.

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While governments across states have been trying hard to flatten the Covid infection curve, the top brass of Odisha police has asked the cops in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to focus on flattening their bellies and bringing down their weight to ward off co-morbidities that increase vulnerability to coronavirus.

In a notice to the policemen and policewomen of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack police commissionerate, police commissioner Sudhansu Sarangi has made it clear that cops with high body mass index would be given a chance to get in shape by November failing which they may be given compulsory retirement.

While joining service, our officers receive physical training apart from learning technicalities of the job and are physically fit. But over the passage of time, the training is forgotten and they do not take care of their health. They then suffer from health issues such as high/low blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Any person with such comorbid conditions is at a high risk because of Covid-19. We might even see some new kind of virus attack in the future and have to be prepared for any eventuality, said Sarangi in his notice to over 7,000 policemen of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

Sarangi said height and weight of all cops will be measured to calculate Body Mass Index. Those with more than 30 BMI would be guided on what measures to follow to have a healthy lifestyle. If by November, a staffs BMI is still above 30 then they would have to mandatorily attend a six-week refresher course.

The commissioner said those who dont take the order seriously may face a cut in increment and compulsory retirement.

Incidentally, in 2017, union ministry of Home Affairs had issued a circular to all the states for making it compulsory for all cops to adhere to the norms of SHAPE  1, the highest physical fitness standard for cops. As per MHA, SHAPE-1 is an acronym for S  Psychological, H  Hearing, A  Appendages, P  Physical Fitness and E  Eye Sight. The 2017 circular had also clearly advised states not to recommend obese cops for police medals.

The Odisha Police Association welcomed the move saying it was necessary, but added that the cops need time to exercise regularly. Referring to the Status of Policing in India Report-2019 by Common Cause and Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, OPA president Satyajit Mishra said about 60 percent police personnel in Odisha work for more than 16 hours and 22 percent work for more than 13 hours a day.

The policemen need enough time. During the lockdown, the work hours of policemen have been very hectic. All policemen want to come back to shape. Its just that the work burden is way too much, said Mishra.
Contributed photo / Patrick Sikes / For Hearst Connecticut Media

DANBURY  Three volunteers are needed to help beautify Main Street and the surrounding areas.

CityCenter Danbury is looking to fill three open positions on the Architectural Advisory Committee, which reviews signage and architectural design of all buildings and facades and other structures to ensure that they fit the downtown character.
Make the Hatch Act Great Again. Wouldn't it be great to return to the days when the biggest public concern about the White House is about a staffer shilling for a commercial product?

Clueless Ivanka Trump, who somehow doesnt see nepotism in her selection as a White House adviser, mugged for the camera on July 15, while holding a can of Goya beans, for a picture on her Twitter, Facebook and Instagram feeds. That promo followed kind words about her dad from the CEO of the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the US.

Ethics experts say Ivanka violated the Hatch Act's ban on public figures using their office to endorse or promote a product or service.

And of course, scandal-loving Team Trump took it up a notch, with the president putting a line-up of Goya products on his desk in the Oval Office and giving them two thumbs-ups.

Sadly, the Hatch Act is small potatoes when the White House denies the reality of a global pandemic, fails to express any empathy for the families of the 135K-plus Americans killed by COVID-19, plays footsy with Vladimir Putin by taking no action against him for putting bounties on the heads of American soldiers, dishes out lie after lie after lie (e.g., the Washington Post has counted more than 20K so far), tears mothers away from their children, guts environmental regulations, begs China for help in the upcoming election, and pardons Roger Stone, who was convicted of obstructing a Congressional probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

A Joe Biden presidency would certainly restore luster to the Hatch Act.

The White House has finally found a press secretary who tells it like it is. The incomparable Kayleigh McEnany told reporters on July 16 that Donald Trump wants schools to open hell or high water in the fall and won't let any inconvenient science stand in the way.

The President has said unmistakably that he wants schools to open... and when he says open he means open and full, kids being able to attend each and every day at their school, McEnany said at a press briefing. The science should not stand in the way of this.

Realizing she committed the mortal sin of Team Trump, which is telling the truth, McEnany then went into full magical thinking mode. The science is on our side here, and we encourage localities and states to just simply follow the science," she said. "Open our schools. Its very damaging to our children."

As McEnany hustled to return to Trump's honor roll of sycophants, the Center for Public Integrity released a White House coronavirus task force report, warning that 18 states are in the "red zone" for COVID-19, meaning they should go into lockdown mode.

Those school bells aren't going to be ringing any day soon.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper is all over news that Russia paid Taliban fighters to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan. He's tracking down leakers, not Russians.

He promises to figure out who in the Pentagon leaked the information to the press. My hunch: a patriot either amazed or embarrassed that the Trump administration failed to take action against Russia.

The defense secretary is pretty defenseless about his inaction on bounties. He opts for a semantics game. He denies seeing the word "bounty" in any report, though he did see words about Russia making payments to militants to kill Americans in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is tipping off staffers to see if the information winds up in the press.

It's the ultimate game of "gotcha."

Esper and Meadows should worry more about what the administration does or fails to do, rather than how things play out in the press.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted resolution "On the Statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the Illegal Conduct of All-Russian Voting on Amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation in the Temporarily Occupied Territory of Ukraine - the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and City of Sevastopol" (No. 3736).

The resolution was supported by 306 lawmakers, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to the explanatory note, the statement calls on members of parliaments of foreign states and international parliamentary organizations to ensure non-recognition of the results of mentioned voting with regard to their holding in the temporarily occupied Crimea. It is noted that all-Russian voting on constitutional amendments aims to legalize and enshrine in the Russian constitution the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, to limit the priority of international law in the territory of the Russian Federation.

The adoption of the resolution is expected to draw the attention of the international community to the problems of human rights protection related to the temporary occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation; to continue to step up international political and economic pressure on the Russian Federation, including in the form of restrictive measures related to the temporary occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and city of Sevastopol; and to restore the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine within internationally recognized borders.

As reported, the referendum on amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation lasted from June 25 to July 1. The constitutional amendments, which zero out the presidential term of Vladimir Putin, were supported by 77.9% of referendum participants.

At the same time, Russia held voting on the territory of the occupied Crimea. The so-called authorities stated that the Crimean peninsula became one of the regions with the greatest support for amendments - more than 90%. The voter turnout in Russia was 67.9%, in Crimea - 81%.

The Embassy of the United Kingdom in Ukraine stated that Russias use of Crimea for voting on amendments to the Russian constitution was unacceptable, and the UK did not and would not recognize such voting on sovereign Ukrainian territory.

Co-Chairs of the European Parliaments Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group David McAllister and Tomas Tobe stated that the European Parliament was not involved in observing the constitutional referendum in Russia and would not recognize the holding of this consultation in the annexed Crimea.

The Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol were illegally annexed by the Russian Federation on 18 March 2014.

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A group of seven two-year-old baby races were contested on a warm Friday morning (July 17) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Jody just got picked off in her first on-track appearance but was much the best in her second qualifier. Driver Bob McClure had the daughter of Betterthancheddar - Topgun Lady on top through every call with fractions of :29.1, :57.4 and 1:27.4 before opening up on her rivals through a :30.2 closer to win in 1:58.1.

Murray Brethour trains Jody, a half-sister to Battle Of Waterloo elimination winner and $200,000 earner Semi Automatic from the family of Hall of Famer Invitro and O'Brien Award winner Bigtime Ball. The black filly is owned by Krista Thomas of Havelock, Ont.

A pair of freshmen shared the fastest mile of the day for the rookies on the trot. Spruce Creek and driver Louis-Philippe Roy finished 17 lengths ahead of their closest foe in the first qualifier of the day, a wire-to-wire score in 2:00.3.

Rob Fellows trains Spruce Creek, a $27,000 Harrisburg yearling owned by Yolanda Fellows of Rockwood, Ont., Erna Corbeil of Beaumont, Alta., and Ted Wilson of Seagrave, Ont. The daughter of Muscle Hill - Sahalee is a sister to the dam of double millionaire Resolve.

Lifelong Wish came back to the qualifiers after a few less-than-ideal performances and behaved beautifully for driver Mike Saftic en route to a gate-to-wire 2:00.3 win in his Friday morning test.

Pam Forgie of Goderich, Ont. trains and co-owns Lifelong Wish with Donald Sholdice of Brussels, Ont. Lifelong Wish (Royalty For Life - Anniecrest) was a $10,000 London Selected yearling.

To view the results from the Friday session, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).
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Every investor in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. Large companies usually have institutions as shareholders, and we usually see insiders owning shares in smaller companies. We also tend to see lower insider ownership in companies that were previously publicly owned.

With a market capitalization of US$300b, Mastercard is rather large. We'd expect to see institutional investors on the register. Companies of this size are usually well known to retail investors, too. In the chart below, we can see that institutions own shares in the company. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about Mastercard.

View our latest analysis for Mastercard

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Mastercard?

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.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Mastercard. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone, since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. 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 Mastercard's earnings history, below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Mastercard. The MasterCard Foundation, Endowment Arm is currently the company's largest shareholder with 11% of shares outstanding. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 7.3% and 6.7% of the stock.

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A closer look at our ownership figures suggests that the top 19 shareholders have a combined ownership of 51% implying that no one share holder has a majority.

While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of Mastercard

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. 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.

I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions.

Our information suggests that Mastercard Incorporated insiders own under 1% of the company. As it is a large company, we'd only expect insiders to own a small percentage of it. But it's worth noting that they own US$324m worth of shares. 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 holds a 13% stake in MA. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Mastercard better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Mastercard 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.
Chinese regulators will assume control of nine financial firms that are linked to a financier who was taken from a hotel in Hong Kong by Chinese authorities in 2017 and hasnt been seen in public since.

Among the companies being taken over are Huaxia Life Insurance Co., Tianan Life Insurance Co., Tianan Property Insurance Co., New Times Trust Co., YiAn Property Insurance Co., and New China Trust Co., the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission said in a statement on its website Friday.

The takeover wont change the firms debt obligations or creditor rights, and business operations will continue as normal. Also going into state custody will be Guosheng Securities Co., New Times Securities Co. and Guosheng Futures Co., the securities regulator said in a separate statement.

All nine are linked to Tomorrow Group, the investment conglomerate owned by Xiao Jianhua. The firms are among more than 40 financial institutions identified by New Fortune Magazine in a 2017 article as being part of Xiaos network.

Chinese authorities are stepping up their bid to maintain financial stability as Covid-19 proves ruinous for economic growth and soured loans pile up. Beijing seized control of Baoshang Bank Co.  another company linked to Xiao  in May last year citing its serious credit risks.

Last month, regulators were said to be mulling increased oversight of Huaxia Life, including sending a group of executives from state-owned China Life Insurance Group Co. to assist. Insurers earnings have been under pressure, and the coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated that.

Anbang Echoes

The CBIRC said in its statement that authorities will seek market-oriented restructurings for the six insurance and trust firms and the bottom line is to avoid any systematic financial risks.

The three broking and futures entities were seized for hiding the identity of their ultimate owner or their real holdings, as well as poor corporate governance, the securities regulator said.

The moves echo the treatment of Anbang Insurance Group Co. Authorities are in the process of finding strategic investors for Dajia Insurance Group Co., the company that took over the operations of once-acquisitive Anbang after a two-year period of state custody.

Anbangs former Chairman Wu Xiaohui was convicted of fraud and the CBIRC was tasked with selling many of the assets Anbang had accumulated during an overseas buying binge.

Four Seasons

Xiao has been missing since early 2017 when he was taken from his room at the Four Seasons in Hong Kong. Xiao had been staying there for several years after fleeing China, where he is still pending trial. Its as yet unclear what charges may be laid against him.

Tomorrow Group invested primarily in financial services and used shell companies to control many of its assets. Before his disappearance, the Hurun Report of Chinas richest people said Xiao, a student leader at the time of 1989 pro-democracy protests, is part of a fortune estimated at almost $6 billion.

In 2018, Chinas central bank identified Tomorrow as one of several financial holding companies that need to be scrutinized in their ownership structure, related transactions and source of funding.

Some financial holding companies, mainly those formed by investments of non-financial enterprises, have been expanding blindly into the financial industry, the Peoples Bank of China said at the time. There has been a regulatory vacuum, and risks are accumulating and being exposed continuously.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Carriers China
Part two of a new movie filmed in Syracuse is coming soon.

Gabriels Inferno Part II, directed by Tosca Musk and based on the best-selling erotic romance novels by Sylvain Reynard, will premiere on the streaming service Passionflix Friday, July 31. The first part was released in May.

Gabriels Inferno, which is the first story in a steamy trilogy thats been compared to Fifty Shades of Grey, follows Professor Gabriel Emerson (played by Italian actor Giulio Berruti) as his uninhibited life of pleasure and a dark past collide when he meets sweet and innocent graduate student Julia Mitchell (Australian actress Melanie Zanetti).

Its a great opportunity for me but also a big responsibility. Im honored to be a part of this great project and am sure that fans of the series will love the film, Berruti told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard.

Central New York serves as the setting for outdoor scenes in Toronto, while indoor scenes were largely shot last fall at the Greater Syracuse Soundstage in DeWitt (previously known as the nano film hub).

Zanetti, known for The Bureau of Magical Things and the animated series Bluey, said being here in the fall was just magical. Im Australian and where Im from, we dont get these very distinct seasons, so seeing everything golden in fall and then covered in snow has been an absolute delight!

Were loving it here. Everyones so nice, Musk told syracuse.com in November.

An upcoming sequel, Gabriels Rapture, filmed in Syracuse earlier this year before the coronavirus pandemic began. A third movie, Gabriels Redemption, is tentatively scheduled to shoot later this year. Its unclear if the other films will be split up into multiple parts.

Musk, whose credits include A Cinderella Christmas and The Matchmakers Playbook, directs all three films.

Were loving it here. Everyones so nice, Musk told syracuse.com in November.

How to watch Gabriels Inferno parts 1 and 2:

Sign up for a subscription at passionflix.com for $5.99 a month. The streaming service can be viewed on the website, through Apple and Android devices through the Passionflix app, as an add-on for Roku or Amazon Prime, through smart TVs (Chromecast, Android Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Apple TV) and the Amazon Fire app.

Musk, the sister of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, founded Passionflix in 2017 to focus on adaptations of romance novels. The streaming service includes classic titles like Shakespeare in Love and The English Patient, plus Passionflix originals like Driven, Hollywood Dirt and The Matchmakers Playbook.

See the trailer for Gabriels Inferno Part II:

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:09:18|Editor: huaxia

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URUMQI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The so-called "forced demolition of mosques" in Xinjiang is totally nonsense, an official of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region said on Friday.

Mehmut Usman, director of the regional ethnic affairs commission, made the comment in response to the 2019 report on international religious freedom issued by the U.S. State Department, which claims that Xinjiang is dismantling mosques.

He told a press conference that as long as venues for religious activities are registered with the government under the law, they have legal status, and all their rights and interests are protected by law.

He said the Jami Mosque and Idkah Mosque, which the U.S. State Department report said had been demolished, are well protected.

"Xinjiang has always attached great importance to the protection and repair of mosques, and the governments at all levels in Xinjiang have not only helped and supported the improvement of mosques, but also guaranteed the normal religious needs of religious believers," the official said.

According to the official, some mosques in Xinjiang were built in the 1980s and 1990s and even longer ago, with shabby facilities and potential safety hazards.

"Through new construction, building on the original site of demolition, and expansion measures according to urban-rural construction planning, we have improved the conditions of the mosques and met the needs of the religious believers, which is widely welcomed by religious personages and believers," he said.

Abdukerim Mamut, who works for the Jami Mosque in Xinjiang's Yecheng County, said that the Jami Mosque was originally founded in 1540 and expanded in 1860. It underwent repair in 1937, 2014, and 2019 respectively.

"Considering the long history of the mosque, the government consolidated it in 2019 to provide better and safer services for religious believers," he said.

Elijan Anayit, the spokesperson of the information office of the regional people's government, said at the press conference that the government has no restrictions on ethnic customs of wedding and funeral ceremonies and giving Islamic names.

According to the spokesperson, among ethnic minorities who have the habit of burial, the government does not promote cremation. Instead, it takes specific measures to protect their custom, such as allocating special land for cemeteries.

As for the U.S. report claim that "the Sulitan cemetery in Hotan and the cemetery of Tazhong road in Aksu have been destroyed," the spokesperson said the report calls white black. "The cemeteries have not been destroyed, but rather well protected." Enditem
A more than $2 million donation from a Lowcountry couple will fund a new chaplaincy center at Charleston Southern University, marking one of the largest philanthropic donations in the school's history.

The Rev. Rob Dewey, founder of Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy, and his wife Kathy have begun providing annual gifts to resource the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy and have included CSU as the beneficiary of their estate.

CSU president Dondi Costin expressed gratitude for the couple's generosity, adding that the center will extend their legacy of ministry for generations.

It will allow us to equip chaplains to go and do the kind of work Rob has done all these years," Costin said.

The couple considered locations locally and nationally, but entrusted CSU with the funds to move the vision further.

Rob Dewey, a retired Episcopal priest, and Kathy, a retired school psychologist, considered the next step after careers of helping others. The couple does not have children so they say they have informally adopted CSU.

We started thinking, 'This earthly life is not going to continue. What can we do to provide something that has eternal significance?' " he said. "This was it.

School officials said the new center will develop academic programs to train chaplains for any of the over 60 forms of chaplaincy identified by the North American Mission Board, a missions agency of the Southern Baptist Convention.

The center will also develop noncredit, certificate courses to train volunteer chaplains in first responder, corporate and community chaplaincy, as well as conferences to support professional chaplains serving in the Lowcountry.

The Dewey Center for Chaplaincy is already underway. Dr. Ron Harvell, current deputy chief of chaplains with the Air Force at the Pentagon, was recently hired as director of the center and will begin Aug. 1 to kick off the new program. School officials expect the program to begin accepting students as early as next spring.

Costin said the center will have a regional impact.

"This is a new thing for the Lowcountry," he said.

For Rob Dewey, who in the 1970s served as a police officer in North Carolina, it was while serving as an assistant with officers on Johns Island and doing ride-alongs with law enforcement that he first recognized the need for a chaplain program to address the stress, post-traumatic stress disorder and high suicide rate among first responders.

He also served as a chaplain for the FBI for 24 years, elected as lead chaplain in 2015, and was a chaplain for the State Law Enforcement Division and the Lowcountry Hospitality Association, a nonprofit group.

The years leading up to 2015 and the events of that year, which included the murders of nine Black members of Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston and a 1,000-year flood that ravaged the state, led to Robs own experience with PTSD and the need for a breather. He retired and rested.

He later started the Lowcountry Community Chaplaincy in 2017, and plans to continue running that program.

As the number of people attending church declines, Rob Dewey said he hopes the CSU program will offer a resource to persons who may not have direct relationships with church pastors.

"We are becoming an unchurched society," he said. "This will hopefully be a point of contact to give folks ... that they know they can call on that person for spiritual guidance."

He reflected the importance of chaplains, recalling an incident 10 years ago when he prayed with a family who'd just lost a loved one to a drug overdose. About two year ago, the father of the deceased saw Dewey in a store and thanked the minister.

You never know how youre going to touch somebody's life," Rob Dewey said.
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The company plans 10 chemical plants and four other major facilities on 2,500 acres in St. James Parish.



By JANET McCONNAUGHEY

Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS  Opponents of a Taiwan-based company's plans for a $9.4 billion plastics complex asked a federal judge on Tuesday to stop work at the site in Louisiana.

Planned construction would irreparably harm the community and environment by destroying wetlands, increasing chances of offsite flooding, and desecrating grave sites of enslaved persons, which bear witness to both our country's shameful past and the faith, resilience, and perseverance of the present-day St. James community, according to the 55-page request.





. . .
As millions of workers around the US remain out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic, employers are pushing cuts to wages, eliminating health insurance and other benefits, and terminating workers rather than furloughing them.

Rodney Watts worked at the Atlanta international airport employed by the retail and concessions contractor HMS Host for nine years as a warehouse shift supervisor before getting laid off in March.

Watts says he is using his unemployment benefits to pay for his insulin, as he lost his health insurance with his job termination.

Related: 1.3m more file for unemployment as US economy continues to reel

Without insurance I have to pay out of pocket  I take insulin shots three times a day. Now Im using unemployment to pay for it, said Watts. My diabetes is a rollercoaster. If I dont take my shots, I feel real bad. The insulin runs me almost $400 for just a small bottle and I also take metformin.

Research on the impact of the crisis shows:

Almost 27 million Americans may have lost their employer-tied health insurance during the pandemic, according to a May 2020 report by the Kaiser Foundation, taking into account the family members of workers who lost health insurance due to job losses.

At least 4 million workers in the private sector have received a pay cut during the pandemic. Some 6 million workers have had their schedules reduced to part-time. Nearly 11% of the US workforce is out of work with no reasonable chance of returning to their job before the pandemic.

Some employers are pushing to avoid providing workers with health insurance, even as the workers begin to return to work, and others out of work who have kept their health insurance are struggling to afford co-pays for life-saving medications.

Hanna Castano of Euclid, Ohio, who has type 1 diabetes, lost her job as a server at a Bob Evans restaurant in March 2020 when the pandemic shutdown began. She found a new job at a local drug mart but was shortly laid off due to lack of customer demand the store had anticipated. The change in employment disrupted her unemployment benefits, of which she has only received one week of pay, and the loss of income left her struggling to afford the $50 co-pay for her insulin under her Medicaid coverage. Though her restaurant reopened, she is still waiting to be called back into work when customer demand recovers.

Story continues

I will go sick because my daughter needs something that I have to get, said Castano, who has relied on financial support from friends and family while living in a motel. I dont know how much longer I can keep paying for my insulin and not being able to get the food and diapers that my daughter needs because I will die without it.

The Fontainebleau hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, is suing the Unite Here union, seeking to stop making healthcare payments for more than 1,000 workers under the current union contract.

A housekeeper for 10 years at the hotel, Cristina Aguirre-Sevillano, cannot afford medicine prescribed to her, which costs nearly $400 out of pocket, after recently testing positive for Covid-19.

I havent been able to get the medicine my doctor recommended me to take, said Aguirre-Sevillano. My daughter is also under my health insurance plan, so she lost her health insurance. I dont have health insurance, I cant afford medicine and I cant pay my rent either because I only received one payment of $275 from unemployment since being furloughed in March.

Initially furloughed in March, Aguirre-Sevillano was called back to work in June but has worked only five days. She is one of several workers in Florida who have not received their full unemployment benefits yet, and she continues to experience problems with the state system.

Wendi Walsh, the Unite Here Local 355 secretary-treasurer, said union contract language stipulates hotels must continue healthcare coverage for employees until they have not worked the required number of hours for two consecutive quarters. She said: Every other hotel we represent has that same contract language and they are abiding by it because they are legally required to do so and amidst a pandemic its the moral thing to do, but the Fontainebleau has taken a different path, going so far as to file a lawsuit to avoid taking care of their employees during a deadly outbreak of a virus.

Tourists visit the pool outside of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel. Photograph: Brynn Anderson/AP

According to Walsh, the hotel also proposed implementing wage cuts of between 10% and 20% for workers in the bargaining unit. The union is rejecting that proposal and would oppose the company unilaterally implementing those wage cuts, added Walsh.

Monalisa Rodriguez, a server and hostess at Terranea Resort outside Los Angeles, for seven years, was terminated in May after initially being furloughed.

It was devastating. At the same time they fired us, they took away our health benefits, said Rodriguez, who was hoping to eventually retire from the resort. She relies solely on her income to provide for two children and take care of her mother. Its been extremely hard. Ive struggled a lot trying to figure out how to provide for my family, relying on food banks and the Salvation Army to make ends meet.

A spokesperson for Terranea Resort said in an email that 550 out of 1,100 employees were laid off in May 2020 for the resorts survival. We will continue to bring back all employees according to our seniority policy and will rehire laid-off employees should we have the opportunity to do so.

Mozes Bautista, who has worked at Hilton Embassy Suites in Phoenix, Arizona, for five years, recently returned to work after being terminated, but he has to wait until September 2020 for his health insurance to restart with the company.

They said they would give back the paid time off but only gave back some of it. Because they fired us, were reclassified as new hires so we dont have health insurance until September, said Batista. Theyre no longer matching our 401(k) either.

Gate Gourmet, an airliner catering contractor, was one of several airline companies to receive federal bailout funds to prevent layoffs, but it terminated workers anyway. Over $170m is allocated from the Cares Act to Gate Gourmet for payroll protection. According to Unite Here, Gate Gourmet had about 8,000 employees before the pandemic, with only 1,100 currently working and plans to bring back just 1,600 additional workers on 1 September.

Lamar Banks worked as a customer service assistant for nearly six years at Gate Gourmet in Chicago before he was laid off in May 2020, just weeks after he had a child and had to use all his paid time off to quarantine after a supervisor tested positive for coronavirus.

I got a letter in the mail shortly after saying it was going to be a permanent layoff, said Banks. They stopped health insurance. Banks said Cobra, which allows Americans to continue benefits they once received from a job, costs $500 a month, and he had not received unemployment yet. I dont know what Im going to do or what that means. I was thinking when things got better, Id be able to go back to work.

Gate Gourmet would not clarify its current employment numbers. We are committed to complying with all our obligations, including covid safety measures, seriously and will use all Cares Act funds exclusively for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries and benefits, said a spokesperson. We continue to be a proud employer to thousands of workers in the United States and are ready to serve our customers as they begin to resume operations.

Related: Workers fight back as US hotels try to lay off staff and hire on the cheap

The Fontainebleau Hotel and HMS Host did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Speaking to the Miami Herald, Silvia Pereda, Fontainebleau vice-president of human resources, said the hotel was focused on recovering its financial stability so that it can return as many of its laid-off, former employees as possible to employment, which will, critically, result in them receiving a paycheck and benefits once again.

The unions demands for payment of benefits for laid-off workers was making this harder, Pereda said.
Public health specialists have for months warned the US government that shuffling detainees among immigration detention centers will expose people to COVID-19 and help spread the disease.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has continued the practice, saying it is taking all necessary precautions.

It turns out the health specialists were right, according to a Reuters review of court records and ICE data.

The analysis of immigration court data identified 268 transfers of detainees between detention centers in April, May and June, after hundreds in ICE custody had already tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Half of the transfers Reuters identified involved detainees who were either moved from centers with COVID-19 cases to centers with no known cases, or from centers with no cases to those where the virus had spread.

The Reuters tally is likely just a small fraction of all transfers, former ICE officials said. ICE does not release data on detainee moves, and court records capture only a smattering of them.

At least one transfer resulted in a super-spreading event, according to emails from ICE and officials at a detention center in Farmville, Virginia, court documents and interviews with more than a dozen detainees at the facility.

Until that transfer, only two detainees had tested positive at the Farmville center - both immigrants transferred there in late April. They were immediately isolated and monitored and were the only known cases at the facility for more than a month, court records state.

Then on June 2, ICE relocated 74 detainees from Florida and Arizona, more than half of whom later tested positive for COVID-19. By July 16, Farmville was the detention center hardest-hit by the virus with 315 total cases, according to ICE data.

'THE WALKING DEAD'

Serafin Saragoza, a Mexican detainee at Farmville, said he and another detainee - who confirmed Saragoza's account to Reuters - had contact with the transferees when they first arrived. His job was to distribute shoes and clothing to the new arrivals.

The new group was kept in a separate dormitory, but about two weeks after their arrival, dozens of other detainees began falling ill, 15 detainees said in interviews. The Centers for Disease Control says COVID symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

"There are people with fevers, two guys collapsed on the floor because they fainted," Saragoza said. "There is one guy who has a really high fever. He looks like the walking dead."

Faced with an outbreak, Farmville tested all detainees in the first few days of July. Of 359 detainees tested, 268 were positive, according to an ICE statement in response to questions from Reuters. While the majority are asymptomatic, it said, three detainees are hospitalized.

The ICE statement said the agency was committed to the welfare of all detainees and continued some transfers to reduce crowding. ICE did not respond to a request for comment on Reuters analysis.

Former ICE officials and immigration attorneys say the agency regularly transfers people in custody for myriad reasons, including: bed space, preparing migrants for deportation, and security reasons. With the pandemic still raging in the United States, lawmakers have called on ICE to halt the practice.

Carlos Franco-Paredes, an infectious disease doctor studying COVID-19 outbreaks in correctional settings, said it is not possible to transfer detainees safely in the current environment.

"If you're moving people, particularly from an area where there is an ongoing outbreak, even though you sequester them for two weeks or so, there is contact with people," said Franco-Paredes. "You're basically spreading the problems."

In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19, ICE halted detention center visits in mid-March and has slowed arrests. US-Mexico border crossings have also fallen, leading to smaller detained populations overall.

RISING CASES

Prisons and detention centers have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus outbreaks. Large numbers of people confined in close quarters with insufficient access to medical care and poor ventilation and sanitation all create a breeding ground for viral infections, infectious disease doctors say.

As of July 16, ICE had reported 3,567 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its detention centers. The actual number of infected detainees is almost certainly higher, Franco-Paredes said, since not all centers are doing widespread testing.

About 22,000 detainees are in ICE custody now, and about 13,500 tests have been done, but that likely includes some immigrants who have since been released.

To be sure, detainee transfers are not the only means of introducing the virus to a detention center. Employees with the disease are another main source of transmission, public health specialists said. Nearly 1,000 detention center employees have tested positive for the virus.

Before it transfers detainees, ICE policy is to screen them for fevers and other symptoms, but not to test for the disease. Those with positive or suspected cases of COVID-19 are isolated from other detainees, ICE says.

MASS TRANSFER

But the case of Farmville shows that efforts to keep sick and healthy detainees separate don't always prevent the spread.

A week after the out-of-state transferees arrived at the Farmville center, three of them tested positive for the virus while still quarantined from the general population. In response, center officials decided to test the entire group of new arrivals, according to an email from ICE deputy field office director Matthew Munroe to immigration attorneys. Fifty-one tested positive.

ICE data shows that the day before the transfers, two of the three centers where the detainees came from had reported cases. ICE's Krome North Service Processing Center in Florida had 15 confirmed COVID cases, and Eloy Detention Center in Eloy, Arizona had one.

The Reuters review of immigration court records identified 195 transfers to or from detention centers where ICE had reported confirmed cases. These include:

- A May 6 transfer from New Mexico's Otero County Processing Center, which at the time had 10 confirmed cases, to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington, which had no known cases until two weeks later on May 19.

- A transfer on May 7 from the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, which at the time had 41 confirmed cases, to the Johnson County Jail in Dallas, which had no known cases until May 19.

- Four transfers in late May from a detention center in Glades County, Florida, which at the time had no known cases, to the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, Florida, which at the time had 19 known cases.

Immigration court data notes when the government notifies the court that it has moved a detainee in its custody to another location. Reuters only counted transfers if the data showed a detainee having a hearing in a new, known detention facility, prison or jail. The news agency then compared those records to ICE counts of infections at detention centers.

Saragoza, the Mexican detainee in Farmville, lived in the United States for 21 years before his arrest. He has diabetes and high blood pressure - two conditions that the CDC says puts coronavirus patients at higher risk of falling seriously ill. He said he started feeling ill in late June but was not as sick as some others in his dormitory.

On July 9, he got bad news. He and almost all the men in his dorm had tested positive for coronavirus.
Covid-19 has caused immense disruption in every sector of work including education. It has forced institutions to shut down campuses midway without finishing the courses and in certain cases even without completing the examinations. While the issue of public examination at the school stage has been addressed with the timely intervention of the Supreme Court, it is hanging fire in the university system because of lack of unanimity amongst policy makers and the rest of the stakeholders.

The matter has reached such a sorry pass that besides students, even some of the states have come out in open to contest the guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission which requires all universities to conduct the final-year examination by September 2020. It is learnt that the Delhi Government has already asked all its universities to declare their results based on previous performance, letting out a sigh of relief by anxious parents and students.

The entire issue needs to be examined from four perspectives.

The first and the foremost is professional credibility. If students are promoted without ensuring the end product of instructional efforts and without determining whether the learning is sufficiently complete to move on to the next stage, then it raises legitimate questions about the professional credibility of the entire process. Clause 4.1 of the UGC (Minimum Standards of Instruction for the Grant of the First Degree through Formal Education) Regulations, 1985, stipulate that the University shall adopt the guidelines issued by the UGC from time to time in regard to the conduct of examination. Clause 4.2 of the same Regulations also mandates Universities to show separately the continuous sessional evaluation and the year-end examination marks. Though the UGC has not done any wrong in issuing the guidelines, they have created ripples which cannot be wholly discounted under the present circumstances.

Secondly, if some of the students have really worked hard and are confident of a much better performance in the last leg than the previous ones, and they get promoted on the basis of earlier averages, then it raises the genuine question of its legal defensibility unless adequate provisions are made for addressing concerns of such candidates.

Thirdly, if our institutions are not able to put in place infallible systems to shatter the coronavirus pandemic, which is lethal and not unfolding its mystery, then it raises serious questions about the safety and security of our students. In fact, it is this aspect which has led to serious reservations in the mind of parents and students about the resilience of most of our institutions and their safety and security measures.

Fourthly, if the majority of stakeholders disregard the consequences of the earlier three standpoints because of the fear of worldwide mayhem caused by the pandemic, then it raises an undisputable question of its public acceptability which need not be dismissed without exploring reasonable alternative measures in these trying times.

One of the serious shortcomings of our system has been that we have never made sincere efforts to institutionalise open book, take home and online examinations due to serious issues of integrity, quality, lack of motivation and adoption and scaling of information communication technology ICT tools. Though we have been talking about the digital transformation of higher education for over two decades, much leaves to be desired. Had we institutionalised the proctored online examinations in our teaching and learning, we would not have faced the current crisis as it allows the candidates to take online exams from any reliable location ensuring all the safety measures required for the conduct of a fair examination. But it is going to take a long time before it percolates down into the system.

This is an issue that cannot be allowed to linger on as it is causing disquiet of limitless proportion amongst parents and students. Having regard to the harsh realities of the ground, we may allow the 2nd and 4th semester students to move on to the 3rd and 5th semester and their exams could either be taken during ensuing vacations, if the situation permits, or clubbed with the 3rd and 5th semester exams. The final semester candidates could be cleared and declared fit for the award of degrees on the basis of the aggregate performance of their previous semesters coupled with sessional evaluation of the final semester, which together would constitute over 83 percent of their course contents. A similar approach could be followed for the final year students of the four-year Bachelors and two or three-year Masters programmes. If there remain some candidates who do not subscribe to this offer, which of course is going to a miniscule number, then a provision could easily be made for their online or offline examinations maintaining all norms of social distancing.

When risk and nervousness are gripping the mind of students and parents amid the pandemic, it is best to negotiate a little with the process of evaluation for the much-needed respite. The alternative suggested is to tide over divergent scenarios being perceived by stakeholders in higher education in view of Covid-19. But surely, no time should be lost any more to work out all dimensions of curriculum, its transaction and assessment, in an integrated manner. The future beckons to blended learning through offline and online modes. Let us move in that direction in real professionalism.

[Prof Ved Prakash is former chairman of the University Grants Commission]

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Candid: Aisha Saeed, 40, from Atlanta, Georgia, revealed the 'sobering' conversation she had with her children's pediatrician about sending them back to school

As parents around the country grapple with whether or not they should send their children back to school, a mother has revealed her family's trusted pediatrician told her that her kids will eventually come home with coronavirus if they resume in-person classes.

Aisha Saeed, a New York Times bestselling author from Atlanta, Georgia, shared the details of their 'sobering' conversation in a Twitter thread this week, explaining that while it's just one pediatrician's point of view, the doctor is someone she trusts.

'I asked her point blank "Youve known me since my kids were infants what should I do?"

'She said that though the rhetoric is kids are not as affected, she has seen a lot of kids coming in w/ COVID. Not much March thru May but ever since summer camps opened, kids are coming in,' Saeed, 40, explained.

'She said its a 10% positive test rate at their clinic. And kids are coming in with high fevers. Not the asymptotic stories I mostly hear,' the writer continued. 'No Kawasaki yet either thankfully, but definitely kids who are pretty ill.'

'She said if I choose to send my kids to in person school I need to accept that my children will come home with it eventually. There is so much community spread here.'

Not advice: The New York Times bestselling author stressed that she was just sharing what her family doctor told her and not telling anyone what they should or shouldn't do

Brutal honesty: Saeed was warned that if she chooses to send her children to in-person school, she needs to 'accept' they will come home with coronavirus eventually

Saeed stressed that she was just sharing what her family doctor told her and not telling anyone what they should or shouldn't do. She also noted that it was just one opinion and each region is different.

'Thats it. Thats the thread. It may be nothing revolutionary but it was sobering for me because headlines and pundits are one thing, but a doctor Ive trusted my childrens well being too since each were born... that opinion goes a long way for me,' she concluded.

'Also- I want to add, It was NOT what I wanted to hear. I asked her secretly hoping shed comfort me and talk me down (as she has since they were babies). I wanted the solace of her waving the worries away. Didnt happen today.'

Many parents who are also stressing about making the difficult decision thanked her for sharing what her children's pediatrician told her.

'I am agonizing over this,' one mom responded. 'We have a 5yo. She's supposed to start Kindergarten in a month. She can't learn online. My husband and I work full time from home. If I keep her home, I'll lose my job and she'll have delays. I don't know what to do.'

'Thanks for sharing. Ive secretly also wanted to chat up our pediatrician and my oldest is 19. You confirmed my fear that this would be like the time I took in my 3rd kiddo at 5 wks old wanting the its fine, nothing to worry about and instead was admitted ASAP,' someone else commented.

Hard to handle: Saeed admitted that she was 'secretly hoping' her children's pediatrician would talk her down and wave her worries away, but that didn't happen

Decision: A few days later, the author shared on Instagram that she has decided to homeschool her children for the time being

'I talked to my doctor about sending my son to daycare. He said dont do it. Not what I was expecting to hear,' another shared.

'Right??' Saeed responded. 'Idk why but I thought shed say its fine if they are masked and distanced and checked for temps. Nope.'

A few days later, the author shared on Instagram that she has decided to homeschool her children for the time being.

'Sent the hardest email Ive ever written to my kids school, letting them know we wont be back. Kids are grieving. So am I,' she wrote. 'I promise them as soon as its safe, theyll be back. When is that? They ask. And for this I have no response.

Saeed recalled how she looked to her own mother for comfort when she was their age, and now she is the adult.

'I so wish I could make it all better. I wish I had an answer. All Im staring down right now is a well of fear,' she admitted. 'In the meantime, I tell them what I do know to be true: we can mourn what could have been but what we have is this, right now. And that includes each other.

'Well spend this coming year figuring things out together together together as we have since March and we will find moments of grace and joy alongside the rest of it. This is not easy. But the only way out is through.'

Georgia has seen a steady increase in the number coronavirus cases over the past few months - with more than 121,000 reported in the state so far. Statewide, 3,043 people have died from the illness.

Grateful: Many parents who are also stressing about making the difficult decision thanked her for sharing what her children's pediatrician told her

Fulton County, the area in which Atlanta is located, has seen the greatest impact in the state thus far, with more than 12,180 cases and 333 deaths.

On July 7, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms - who has been named as a potential running mate for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden - revealed that she had tested positive for coronavirus and announced plans to quarantine for two weeks.

'My symptoms won't get any worse. they told me I have a low positive which means I'm on the way up or down. They told me to treat it like I'm positive, in terms of quarantining,' she said during an appearance on GMA.

One week later, it was revealed that three people in their 20s who took a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to upstate New York on July 6 had tested positive for coronavirus the following day.

All of the passengers, two 22 year olds and one 27-year-old, live in Troy, which is about eight miles from Albany, New York. All three became symptomatic on July 7. It's unclear the passengers were traveling together.
Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George has accused the Akufo-Addo government making the first step in a renewed attempt to close down the state broadcaster through the back door.



According to the Member of Parliaments Communication Committee, the NPP led government is trying to privatize the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) with its directive for the state broadcaster to reduce the number of channels it has on the DDT platform.



Last year we saw an attempt to take away the kids educational channel and give to another private entity. GBC had to go to the National Media Commission to reverse that decision. So this is not the first time the Communications Ministry under Ursula Owusu is trying to take away GBCs channels, he said on Joy FMs Top Story.



Communications Ministry under the leadership of Ursula Owusu Ekuful on Tuesday directed GBC to reduce the number of channels it is operating on the National Digital Terrestrial Television platform.



In the letter signed by the Minister, the move is to ensure there is redundancy on the National DTT platform which is currently at full capacity and make way for other channels including those that government intends to broadcast information about Covid-19 and issues of national interest.



The Ningo Prampram lawmaker in reaction to the letter insists that it is the part of the scheme of the government to clamp down and privatize the state broadcaster.



If government has any information it needs to broadcast, it needs to do that using the state broadcaster. What is happening is just an attempt to clamp down and privatize GBC through the back door.



Whats going to happen to the staffs who work at the other three channels? Are they going to be redundant or are they going to be maintained on the booth? This would mean that you have doubled the staff you need and then they [the government] will later turn around and tell us that GBC is bleeding and for that reason we need to sell GBC, he asserted.



He further indicated that the Communications Committee in Parliament will summon the Information Ministry to respond to the said illegality; adding that he will invoke the powers of the committee with the support of his ranking member Hon. AB Fuseini on the issue.



We will invoke the powers of the Committee to summon the Ministry of Information that has oversized responsibility of the GBC to draw to the attention the illegality being perpetuated on an agency of their by the Ministry of Communications, he added.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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SEATTLE - Charging documents filed Friday in the fatal shooting of a suburban Seattle police officer say it was the officers partner, not the suspect, who fired the deadly shot.

Prosecutors charged Henry Eugene Washington with aggravated first-degree murder in the death of rookie Bothell officer Jonathan Shoop.

They said that Washington began firing into the drivers window of the patrol car after he was pulled over Monday night. Shoop was in the drivers seat, and his partner, Mustafa Kumcur, was in the passenger seat.

They returned fire, and one of the bullets Kumcur fired struck Shoop in the head.

Casey McNerthney, a spokesman for the King County Prosecutors Office, said in an emailed statement that Washington was legally responsible for the death.

But for Mr. Washingtons directed attack on the officers, Officer Shoop would be alive today, he said.

An attorney for Washington did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The shooting occurred Monday night after the two officers tried to pull over a black sedan without license plates, Snohomish County Sheriffs Detective David Fontenot wrote in a probable cause statement filed in court.

The driver fled, striking a 20-year-old man on a scooter and crashing through a median before coming to a stop. According to the probable cause statement, as the patrol car pulled up, Washington hustled around the front to its drivers side and fired two shots into the vehicle.

A witness told investigators that the shooter shouted Come on, pig as he fired, Fontenot wrote.

One of the bullets Washington fired struck the rear sight of Kumcurs raised weapon, then cut a deep graze wound in his head, the statement said. The officers fired nine shots in return.

After the suspect ran off, Kumcur pulled Shoop from the vehicle and tried to save his life, Fontenot wrote. Medics arrived as well, but Shoop died at the scene.

Kumcur was treated and released from Harborview Medical Center early Tuesday.

Police hunted for the suspect for five hours, saying they were searching for a man who was armed and wearing a gray tank top and baggy sweatpants. They finally found and arrested him on a nearby rooftop where he had been hiding, they said.

Washington, who is listed as homeless in court documents, called the Junction City, Kansas, police department during the manhunt, identified himself and confessed to the shooting, saying he did it in self-defence, the detective wrote.

It wasnt immediately clear why he called the department in Kansas, but police there alerted authorities in Washington state about it and provided investigators a recording of the call.

Washington also spoke with detectives following his arrest, confirming what he told the Junction City police, Fontenot wrote. In a recorded interview, Washington said he shot at Shoop because he instinctively believed the officer was going to kill him, and he was afraid his weapon, vehicle and marijuana were going to be seized.
Artsakh Foreign Minister: Unacceptable to bracket NKAO and NKR together

Karabakh FM: Format of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs' visits needs to be restored

Media: Air communication between Turkey and Armenia will start on February 2

Artsakh FM: Azerbaijan attack on Karabakh will mean attack on Russia

American professor angers Erdogan's son-in-law

15 years pass since Hrant Dink assassination

563 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Guterres offers Merkel job at UN

Armenian church revamped in Iran

World oil prices going up

Newspaper: ECHR rulings increase after Armenia revolution in 2018

Newspaper: Armenia ex-President Sargsyan to give interview instead of press conference

Azerbaijan MFA falls into hysterical rage by France FM statement

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
Bigg Boss 4 Telugu has been creating a lot of buzz amongst the masses. Ever since the report about the next season of the reality show came out, fans are curious to know who will be a part of the madhouse. Interestingly, the reports floating on the internet suggest that Nagarjuna Akkineni will be seen hosting the show again, after hosting season 3 of Bigg Boss Telugu.

Amidst all, the latest report in a leading portal states that Krishna And His Leela actor Sidhu Jonnalagadda and RX 100 actor Kartikeya Gummakonda were approached for Bigg Boss 4 Telugu. However, the two young actors politely refused to be a part of the show as contestants.

Sidhu Jonnalagadda has recently caught everyone's attention after the release of his much-delayed film Krishna And His Leela directed by Ravikanth Perepu. On the other hand, Kartikeya Gummakonda impressed fans with his versatile roles in films like RX 100, Hippi, 90ML, Gang Leader and others.

Apart from Sidhu Jonnalagadda and Kartikeya Gummakonda, actors like Adith Arun and Sudhakar Komakula are also in talks with the show makers to be Bigg Boss 4 Telugu contestants. Moreover, it's being heard that actresses like Shraddha Das, Ramya Pasupuleti, Yamini Bhaskar Priya Vadlamani, Hamsa Nandini and others were approached to be a part of the show.

Also Read : Anchor Jhansi Refuses To Enter Bigg Boss 4 Telugu House, Says 'I Don't Want To Trouble Myself'

Bigg Boss 3 Telugu was won by Rahul Sipligunj and it was hosted by Nagarjuna. Amid the Coronavirus crisis and spike in positive cases, the makers are planning to start the new season with all the safety measures. The contestants' health will be thoroughly checked. After that, they will be sent into the house.

Also Read : Nagarjuna Akkineni Or Mahesh Babu: Who Will Be The Host Of Bigg Boss 4 Telugu?

Now, all we can do is wait for the official announcement by the channel!
(Newser)  Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says it was "kind of a foolish action" for more than 100 Utah County residents to pack a room for a hearing on the state's mask mandate for schoolchildren.The Provo meeting was adjourned in just over a minute Wednesday after county commissioner Tanner Ainge observed that the crowd was neither following social distancing guidelines nor wearing masks. "This is the exact opposite of what we need to be doing," Ainge said, to boos and jeers from the crowd. Herbert said Thursday that experts would agree that the crowd's behavior was foolish, the Daily Herald reports. "We get together, and who knows who's got the COVID-19 virus, and cheek to jowl, where you have an opportunity to spread it," he said.

story continues below

The meeting had been called over a letter from county commissioner Bill Lee asking Herbert to waive the mask requirement for schools when they reopen, ABC reports. Ainge walked out of the meeting Wednesday after the motion to adjourn passed 2-1, but Lee and the third commissioner, Nathan Ivie, stayed to hear residents' thoughts on the letter, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Speakers called the mandate "tyranny." Some parents expressed worries about the emotional impact on children, while one grandmother declared that COVID-19 is a "hoax" and a "political stunt." The few that spoke in favor of masks, including a teacher, were shouted down by the crowd, the Tribune notes. Herbert called for "better dialogue" Thursday, but noted that the mask issue is for the state health department to deal with, not county commissioners. (Read more Utah stories.)
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.
When the White House made it clear that most of China's claims in the South China Sea (SCS) are not acceptable, the US Guided-Missile Destroyer USS Ralph Johnson made a beeline close to the Spratly Islands, said the 7th Fleet.

Navigation was conducted near the Spratlys or Nansha in Mandarin, which is has been militarized by Beijing as a foothold for its claims. Several international tribunals have refuted Beijing's claims, but communist ignored it arbitrarily, reported Navy Times.

The US and western nations say that no one owns the waters around Nansha, thus is international waters for all to pass through. Stepping up the pressure with another FONOPS close to reclaimed sea holding is the USS Ralph Johnson.

During the FONOPs, a press release from the Japan-based U.S. 7th Fleet, declared the right to navigate the seas as required by international law that prohibits any one country restricting innocent passage. It was a terse statement that challenged any dominion in the SCS.

Many countries have claims that are legal in the Spratly Isles in this swathe of the China sea.

Why the Communists are Overstepping Their Bounds

A spokesman of the 7th Fleet made it clear why the US is getting an uptick in its military presence.

There is a concern that some countries are overbearing when it comes to claiming territory that is not their own. Ignoring international law and pushing aside the rights of those entitled to it. Thus, the United States intends to protect the rights and freedoms of the sea for all. It opposes those entities who would limit these rights.

A swipe at Beijing's actions was mentioned by citing that no nation will be threatened or forced to relinquishing rights and freedoms, cited Business Insider.

Also read: US Navy Sends Two Carrier Strike Groups as Show of Force Against PLA Naval Exercises

Recently, the US took a stance that all sea-related disputes with Beijing should have a peaceful resolution by international arbitration.

On Monday, the mood of Washington changed as Mike Pompeo stated the United States call Beijing's sea claim as illegal and illegitimate according to Associated Press.

In a statement by Pompeo, he said that China will not ever be allowed to rule over the South China Sea, adding that the US will stand with allies and partners in protecting equal rights of all. These include resources and control of the sea according to international law. He openly condemned the use of force by the Beijing communists in forcing weaker nations to back off.

Last Tuesday, Beijing vented and called the US a trouble maker that is driving a rift between China and those whom it bullied. The PLA Navy and its militias have actively threatened and coerced other nations.

The Chinese Embassy said that the US is just interfering and creating tension leading to hostile actions.

Change in Washington's mood came when two carrier strike groups with an Air Force B-52 bomber that joined the exercises. To show Beijing that the US can move any place on the globe allowed by law.

China's inability to do anything, made mention of missiles that can kill the USS Ronald Reagan and Nimitz on Twitter.

Still, China would react via spokesperson Zhao Lijian who cited vague references that China owns the South China Sea for 1000 years.

Yet, a US guided-missile destroyer passed near the Spratly's, and the PLA Navy can do nothing while Beijing rankles.

Related article: US Navy Aircraft Carriers Are Hard to Sink, Will the PLA Navy Dare to Bring It Down?

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Indian National Congress has given India six prime ministers  three descended from Pandit Motilal Nehru and three others. All six have left a stamp on the Republic.

It is not a party that is meant to wither away. Like the sentiments in Shelleys iconic poem The Cloud, it can  and must  change; it cannot die.

When Rahul Gandhi, leaving the presidentship of the party after the 2019 election results, said neither he nor anyone from the Nehru-Gandhi family was going to lead it thereafter, he signalled change. The change that was going to breathe new life into it. But the party didnt dare to face the change. It did not dare to read the writing on the wall. It reversed time, recoiled progress in standing Rahul Gandhis bold idea on its head, and brought Sonia Gandhi, richly deserving a respite, back.

Time is walking the Congress through another reality check today, another chance to self-assess, self-renew, self-redeem. It has to but look at the arc of its six prime ministerships.

Playing on the new prime ministers first name, Gandhi blessed Indias first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in January 1948: Bahut varsh jiyo aur Hind ke Jawahar bane raho (Live many a long year and remain Indias jewel). Jawaharlal was not to live all that long ; 75 is not a hoary old age. But he was prime minister for 17 consecutive years from age 58 to 75, a substantial achievement. When that span is seen against the further plus of him and his party winning every election held, free and fair, during that period, the accomplishment becomes all the more impressive.

India loved him during that time more than it loved any other contemporary politician. Two younger opponents of his in north India also enjoyed esteem and even adoration  Jayaprakash Narayan (1902-1979) and Rammanohar Lohia (1910-1967), with Sheikh Abdullah being a hero for the people of Kashmir, C N Annadurai (1909-1969) with Tamil Nadus discerning population, Phizo with the Naga people. But Nehru was all-India. Truly, Hinds jewel. Atal Bihari Vajpayees moving tribute to the leader on his death  surya ast ho gaya hai, the sun has set  has gone into the transactions of political Hindi literature.

Succeeding Hind ka Jawahar was no ordinary task. But Lal Bahadur Shastri (1904-1966) startled India by his ability to hold the reins of power with his own distinctive style of leadership  consultative in method and consolidative in effect. His masterly handling of the military challenge posed by Pakistan in 1965 made Shastri an unexpected star. But, alas, one that shot out of the sky as fast as it had entered it.

Shastris succession by Indira Gandhi (1917-1984) stood vindicated in the triumphant 1971 India-Pakistan war and Bangladeshs birth, though the Emergency she unleashed in 1975 spread the darkest of stains in her copybook. An un-Nehruvian cult of personality rose in her years in office, undermining institutions of governance.

Rajiv Gandhi raised Indias profile globally in a technologically-transforming era as only someone as young and venturesome as he could have. And he concluded momentous accords with leaders of regional sub-nationalist movements. Ingenuously trusting untrustworthy party operatives he, not they, paid a heavy price.

For PV Narasimha Rao (1921-2004), history has reserved praise for pulling India out of the foetid listlessness of the licence-permit raj, kickstarting our economic engines of growth. When on selecting Manmohan Singh as his finance minister, Rao was asked if the man he had picked was not too far to the Left. He said: If the finance minister of India is not a Leftist, what else is he to be?If Rao had been given another term in office, would he and his finance minister have ensured that equity and distributive justice were not sacrificed at the altar of growth? I believe they would have, both knowing the heart of Indias living truth  disabling adversity.

As a citizen, I recall the 10 years of Indias sixth Congress prime minister, Manmohan Singh, for his having made the Right to Information real, if still vulnerable; the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Schemes (MGNREGS) also real, if patchily administered; and for changing Indias stance on the climate crisis by making it part of the solution instead of the negative attitude of we did not cause it and getting the National Green Tribunal Act in place. To him also goes the credit for pioneering legislation on two unlit areas  domestic violence and mental health , getting, in these life-nurturing initiatives, crucial support from Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

When, faced with the partys poor electoral showing, Congress president Rahul Gandhi resigned and said what he did, the nation waited for the partys next step.

Some leaders in the party should, at that point, have offered themselves for the role. A healthy contest should have ensued with the elected victor becoming the next Congress president. With Bhopal and Jaipur, now, another opportunity knocks at the partys door. An opportunity to see  and show  that change is the only guarantor of continuity. Democratic opposition to the government is not sedition; proposing an alternative leadership to the present one in the party is not disloyalty.

Hind ka Jawahar is not a patented title, but a golden trophy to be won and passed on by one deserving hand to another.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi is a former administrator, diplomat and governor

The views expressed are personal

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Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 17.07.2020 - At Switzerland's initiative, the Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests. In addition, Switzerland has submitted a resolution with partner states on the 15th anniversary of the Responsibility to Protect.

The Human Rights Council, founded 14 years ago, is the central international institution for the promotion, protection and implementation of human rights worldwide. It is also committed to addressing human rights violations and finding common solutions to protect human rights. Switzerland contributed towards finding such solutions by means of two resolutions at the 44th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, which came to a close on Friday 17 July 2020.

Human rights apply online as well as offline

On the initiative of Switzerland and Costa Rica, the Human Rights Council adopted, among other things, a resolution calling on all states to promote and protect human rights in the context of peaceful protests. The resolution places a particular focus on the impact of modern technologies on human rights during peaceful protests. In this regard, the resolution reaffirms the applicability of the right to peaceful assembly both online and offline, and underscores the importance of ensuring that protesters are not hindered by internet blocking or surveillance in the digital space.

The resolution also reminds all states that restrictions adopted in times of crisis, for example in connection with combating COVID-19, must in no circumstances serve as a pretext for banning protests or the repression of civil society.

Responsibility to Protect as a means of preventing atrocities

In addition to the resolution on the protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests, Switzerland submitted a further resolution in conjunction with Costa Rica, Liechtenstein, Morocco, Peru and Qatar. This resolution focuses on the 15th anniversary of the 2005 World Summit, during which the UN member states adopted the concept of the Responsability to Protect (Responsibility to Protect R2P). The concept underscores the responsibility of states, but also of the international community, to prevent the most heinous of crimes, such as genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. The 15th anniversary is an occasion to renew the commitment to R2P and with a first thematic resolution to emphasise the importance of the Human Rights Council in implementing the concept.

In view of the human rights situation in certain countries, Switzerland sustained its call for systematic compliance with human rights and, where applicable, international humanitarian law by all parties. With this in mind, it participated in the interactive dialogues and negotiations on resolutions on the human rights situation in Belarus, Eritrea and Syria. Switzerland also defended respect for human rights during the dialogues on Burundi, Myanmar, the Philippines and Venezuela. Switzerland also supported a declaration initiated by the United Kingdom and co-sponsored by a total of 28 states in which these States expressed their concern about the human rights situation in China (Xinjiang und Hongkong).

Urgent debate on racially motivated violence

In the run-up to this 44th session, from 15 to 23 June, the Human Rights Council was able to complete the work of the previous session, which had to be suspended on 13 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This session was marked in particular by the holding of an urgent debate on racist human rights violations, systemic racism and police violence.

At the conclusion of this urgent debate, the 47 member states of the Human Rights Council adopted by consensus a resolution on this thematic. In the course of the debate Switzerland took the opportunity to emphasise the need to ensure respect for and the protection of the human rights of all without discrimination.

Address for enquiries

FDFA Communication

Federal Palace West Wing

CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53

Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55

E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @SwissMFA

Publisher

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




The three white men who have been charged with the murder of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia pleaded not guilty this morning, in a case that sparked a nationwide outrage after cellphone video of the shooting appeared online.

A former law enforcement officer, Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis, 34, are charged with murder and aggravated assault in the February 23 killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery.

Arbery was unarmed while jogging outside the coastal town of Brunswick when he was shot by the father and son.

Their neighbor who took the cellphone video of the killing, William 'Roddie' Bryan Jr., 50, was charged with murder and attempt to illegally detain and confine.

Cobb County prosecutor Jesse Evans said in court Bryan was facing a separate state criminal investigation into possible sex crimes.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation then tweeted: 'On Wednesday, July 15, 2020, the Glynn County Police Department requested that the GBI initiate a sex crimes investigation based on allegations made against William Roddie Bryan, Jr. The investigation is active and ongoing.'

The GBI said the alleged crimes occurred in Camden County, Georgia.

It was also alleged in court that Bryan struck Arbery with his vehicle and had messages on his phone that were 'replete' with racist remarks, a prosecutor said in court Friday.

Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis, 34, on Friday morning pleaded not guilty to murder and aggravated assault charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery

Neighbor William 'Roddie' Bryan Jr., 50, who took video of the killing, pleaded not guilty to murder and attempt to illegally detain and confine

Arbery was killed February 23 when the McMichaels armed themselves and pursued the unarmed jogger through a Georgia town

Police say Gregory McMichael saw Arbery running through his neighborhood and believed he looked like a burglary suspect. The elder McMichael called his son and the two armed themselves and drove after Arbery.

Bryan joined the chase in his own vehicle, police say, and took video of the incident on his phone, which appears to show the McMichaels confronting Arbery before Arbery was shot with a shotgun.

Judge Timothy Walmsley accepted the not guilty pleas and waived arraignment at the request the defendants' lawyers.

No court date was immediately set, but there were several motions pending for later Friday morning on behalf of Bryan, including a request for bond.

'Keeping him in jail isn't going to accomplish anything,' Bryan's attorney, Kevin Gough, told reporters on Thursday.

Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arbery's mother, center, walks to the Glynn County Courthouse with attorney Lee Merritt, right, and chief investigator Charles Prescott III on Friday

It was not until May 7 - two days after Bryans cellphone video leaked online and stirred a national outcry - that the McMichaels were arrested

Arbery is seen in a video stumbling and falling to the ground after being shot as Travis McMichael stands by holding a shotgun

'Going in and out of jail is difficult because of the virus, and being in jail is tough with the virus,' Gough said.

Arbery's parents addressed the court after noon, urging the judge to deny Bryan's bond request, according to Atlanta Journal Constitution.

'He must remain in custody,' Wanda Cooper-Jones, the victim's mother, said. 'Hes dangerous and unapologetic.'

One of the motions filed by the defense attorney seeks to submit more than 50 questions to prospective jurors concerning their opinions on race and personal biases, reported TMZ.

The list of questions includes 'What in your opinion is the principal cause of crime in America today?' and 'What steps do you think people who are frightened about crime should take to protect themselves?'

Gough also asked that the state replace the lead prosecutor, Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmesy, but Judge Timothy Walmsley denied his motion.

During the hearing, Gough took issue with Arbery family attorney's face mask bearing the name 'George Floyd,' the unarmed black man who was killed by a white police officer in Minnesota in May, reported NBC News.

'If we are permitted to wear masks making political statements, then Mr. Evans and I and his office should be free to wear MAGA masks if we wanted to in the courtroom,' Gough said, referring to prosecutor Evans.

'I imagine the court wouldnt appreciate that,' he added. 'And I think the same rules should apply and any political statements whether on masks, on lapels, bumper stickers, T-shirts.'

Bryan and the McMichaels were arrested in May and indicted in June on nine felony counts

The presiding judge rejected Gough's request that only 'content-neutral' masks be allowed in the courtroom.

No arrests were made in Arbery's killing for three months. It was not until after Bryan's recording of the shooting was leaked online and went viral that police arrested the father and son. Bryan was arrested two weeks later.

All three were indicted in June on nine felony counts, including malice and murder.

During a probable cause hearing, Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Richard Dial testified that Bryan told investigators Travis McMichael said 'f***ing n*****' as he stood over Arbery, moments after he fatally shot him.'

Arberys death has often been invoked during protests against racial injustice that have broken out across the nation since Floyds death. Arberys death also fueled a renewed push for a state hate crimes law in Georgia, which state lawmakers passed in late June.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 14:03:44|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has approved a 100-million-U.S. dollar credit for Cambodia's road connectivity improvement project, according to its press statement on Friday.

The project will enhance rural communities' access to critical services, such as health centers, referral hospitals, schools and markets, through the improvement of climate-resilient rural roads, the statement said.

By improving selected sections of national and provincial roads, it will also reduce transportation costs and road disruption risks, helping to facilitate agriculture supply chains and tourism development, it added.

Despite significant improvements of past years, transportation costs remain high in Cambodia, the statement said. Roads are the predominant transportation mode for the country, and investments are needed, particularly in rural areas.

Rural roads account for more than 75 percent of the road network, yet only 5 percent are paved, it said, adding that with a changing climate, heavy rainfalls and flooding pose an increasing risk of disruptions for road connectivity.

The statement said rural accessibility analysis conducted as part of the project preparation indicates that during floods, more than 26 percent of the population in the project area face risks of losing access to emergency health facilities and schools and another 18 percent would have to spend 30 minutes more in travel time to reach hospitals, even in a life-or-death situation.

The selected road sections for investment prioritize those that connect households to hospitals, schools and markets, it said, adding that the targeted project area includes Kampong Cham, Tboung Khmum and Kratie provinces with a population of over 2 million people, of whom 80 percent live in rural areas.

Access to health and school facilities and moving goods to markets, in particular during the rainy season, has posted great challenges for the Cambodian people in rural areas, said Inguna Dobraja, World Bank country manager for Cambodia.

The new project continues the commitment to support the development of Cambodia's road infrastructure. It will help better connect people to services, reduce disruptions, and generate jobs for local communities during road construction, thus supporting economic recovery, she added.

The project will also support the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the Ministry of Rural Development, two implementing agencies, with critical institutional development, the statement said. Enditem
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My nephew is 13 and so is my niece and her little brother is 9. They live with me here on the Galindo compound and I am often entrusted with their care, especially in the summer while their parents work.

This summer is harder than usual because we cannot go to many places. What am I going to do with these kids? I ask myself that question a lot these days. And there's really no end in sight. School boards are weighing their options for the next school year, which is set to start for most L.A. students this August. Los Angeles Unified has already said classes will resume online only.

That means the kids will be home for the foreseeable future, which also means -- like a lot of us -- I'm still wondering, What am I going to do with these kids?

It's weird to be living in this moment.

Every week feels like a song from the Hamilton musical -- there's an overwhelming amount of information, people are getting shot and there are government leaders defending slavers.

But the weirdest part is how, even in this new world, some things don't change.

A few days ago I had all three kids and all three dogs in the car as we were driving to a park in Paramount. We have been doing this regularly all summer. The chaotic car rides are worth the peace and fun of a large outdoor space.

This time, though, that chaos would hit a new level.

We were stopped at a red light on a small street when I spotted this big beautiful Saint Bernard running around one of the backyards right at the corner where we were idling.

I told the kids, "Look at that dog. It's so cool." We were too distracted to notice this couple entering the crosswalk. The woman was on a bike pulling a large wagon behind her. The man was walking and pushing a wheelbarrow full of large pieces of wood.

***

In the old world, perhaps my spidey senses would have clocked this strange duo, but they were lost in the chaos of the moment and in the edges of this new world where my fight-or-flight system has been overloaded for months.

This man crossed the street and was standing on the corner near the passenger side. The woman rolled up to the very front of the car and asked me something. I turned to look at her with a stupid smile on my face only to hear her say again, "Let the kids out of the car so we can kick it."

My jaw tightened as I said no with the kind of attitude the moment suddenly required. The immortal words of Curtis James Jackson III came to my mind: "In the 'hood, summertime is the killing season."

For a beat, I felt like I was young again, back in the 'hood having to act tough to avoid getting eaten alive. Having to make split-second decisions fueled by adrenaline. Having to act on a set of instincts sharpened by past trauma.

The woman moved to block my car from moving into the intersection. Then she started talking at a rapid clip, vulgarly insisting I let the kids out of the car in a threatening manner. Kanoshi, the German Shepherd, jumped to the dashboard, barked and snarled viciously at her. So did the two other tiny dogs in the car. My niece stayed calm and collected. The two boys in the car began trying to argue with her with the kind of bravado I would have probably used in this situation 13 years ago.

Damn. Even five years ago I might have acted brash and foolish.

The light turned green and I said "Move!," which prompted her to say, "I'll f------- kill you." She was motioning to her waist like she was strapped, but I couldn't see over the edge of my car. Besides, I was too distracted by the man standing a few feet away holding two large wooden sticks. I tried to remember if he was holding them before. It didn't matter. He was quiet. Too quiet.

"Don't you know bad boys move in silence and violence?" Christopher Wallace's words rattled in my brain.

I asked the women why she wanted to kill me. "Because I can. Because I want to steal all your s----," she said.

My 13-year-old nephew and 3-year-old German Shepherd snarled and I had to physically restrain them from jumping out of the car. "Shut up. Don't say anything!" I yelled at them.

Now we were all quiet, all boiling with adrenaline.

I felt so angry and helpless. I had a million thoughts running through me. Some were more violent than others. But the biggest, most important one was, What am I going to do about these kids?

A big truck pulled up behind us and honked. The man put his wood back in in his wheelbarrow and the woman pulled back from her threatening posture and yelled a homophobic slur at me. She rolled through the crosswalk yelling it over and over again, telling the whole block that I was an F word. She was still yelling as we drove through to the park.

Erick Galindo's nephew walks the dog at the park. (Photo illustration by Erick Galindo and Chava Sanchez)

At the park, we walked the dogs and talked about what happened. I told the kids the best thing we can do in situations like that is stay calm and try not to escalate the situation. "You never know who can have a gun or a knife," I told them matter of factly.

And I told them, "That's just the way it is," echoing the late Tupac Amaru Shakur.

Maybe they're too young to learn these kinds of lessons. And I'm not sure, as a surrogate parent, if I handled that situation well. But I know it's going to be a long summer. And that the chaos of that car ride was worth the peace and fun of being in the park, running around with my favorite people and my favorite dogs.

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:
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah is very optimistic about Ghanas development under the Nana Addo-led administration.



He argued that there has been major improvement in infrastructure under the current administration in less than four years  hence, another term for the NPP government led by Nana Addo will result in the country witnessing massive economic and development progress.



In an exclusive interview on Wontumi Radio in Kumasi, the Regional Minister stressed that the NPP does not even need another four years to do more rather about twenty years to do more for the country.



He added that, should the NPP government be given more years to rule, the country would be transformed like Malaysia and the other advanced countries.



According to him, "from 1992 to date, only the NPP government has been able to introduce critical social intervention programmes such as free maternal health care, free SHS, NHIS, NABCO, School feeding, Planting for food and jobs, etc for the citizenry".

Source: king Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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

Featured Video
Teen Suspect in Killing of 8-Year-Old Turns Himself in to Police

An Atlanta teen who is a suspect in the killing of an eight-year-old turned himself in to the authorities on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.

Julian Conley, the 19-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, currently faces a murder charge and an aggravated assault charge in connection to the death of Secoriea Turner, the eight-year-old who was shot on July 4, according to Fox News.

Currently, Conley is being held at the Fulton County jail, according to the news outlet.

Jackie Patterson, Conleys attorney, told the news outlet that Conley had been at the scene where the shooting occurred for peaceful protesting, and happened to witness the shooting. Patterson stated that though Conley was carrying a firearm with him at the time, Conley did not shoot at the girl nor the car.

Patterson also said that Conley alleged that there were around three to four people who fired at the car, according to CNN. Police investigators have said they believe two males were the shooters in the deadly incident, according to the news outlet.

When that person started shooting, somebody thought that a person inside the car was shooting back so thats when three other individuals fired upon the car, Patterson said, according to Fox News.

Patterson also said that Conley did not know who the other shooters were, the New York Times reported.

He does not know these people by name or have any affiliation with them. The police dont have anyone else they can charge, so they decided to charge my client, Patterson said.

Secoriea Turner was in the vehicle along with her mother and another family friend when she was shot and killed.

Prior to the shooting, the three of them just came back from setting off fireworks for the fourth of July, according to Mawuli Davis, Secoriea Turners family lawyer.

However, the vehicle that they were in happened upon a makeshift roadblock that was guarded by various armed individuals. Later, as the driver of the vehicle tried to go around the roadblock via a U-turn, the vehicle was shot at, Fox 6 Now reported.

According to the New York Times, Secoriea Turner was taken to the Atlanta Medical Center. However, despite receiving treatment from the hospital, Secoriea Turner did not survive her injuries.

Following Secoriea Turners death, authorities have turned to the public for help to catch the person responsible. They are offered a $20,000 reward for information. Private donors have added $30,000 in reward money.

From NTD News
London

Britain, the United States and Canada accused Russian hackers on Thursday of trying to steal information from researchers seeking a coronavirus vaccine, warning scientists and pharmaceutical companies to be alert for suspicious activity.

Intelligence agencies in the three nations alleged that the hacking group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear and said to be part of the Russian intelligence services, is attacking academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in COVID-19 vaccine development.

"It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic," British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement, accusing Moscow of pursuing "selfish interests with reckless behavior."

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, rejected the British accusations, saying: "We may say one thing: Russia has nothing to do with those attempts," Peskov said, according to the state news agency Tass.

The attacks are seen by intelligence officials as an effort to steal intellectual property. The campaign of "malicious activity" is ongoing and includes attacks "predominantly against government, diplomatic, think tank, health care and energy targets," Britain's National Cyber Security Centre said in a statement.

Britain said its assessment was shared by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Security Agency, and by the Canadian Communication Security Establishment. The move at a coordinated position seemed designed to add heft and gravity to the announcement  hopefully prompting the targets to take protective action. It was unclear whether any information was stolen.

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

The U.K. statement did not say whether Putin knew about the vaccine research hacking, but British officials believe such intelligence would be highly prized.

Relations between Russia and the U.K. have plummeted since former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a Soviet-made nerve agent in the England in 2018 and later recovered. Britain blamed Moscow for the attack, which triggered a round of retaliatory diplomatic expulsions between Russia and Western countries.

In a separate report Thursday, Britain accused "Russian actors" of trying to interfere in December's U.K. national election by circulating leaked or stolen documents online.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being accused by opponents of suppressing a report into Russian interference in British politics that was completed last year by the committee that oversees the U.K. intelligence services. The document was not cleared for publication before the general election in December, and the delay since then in appointing new members to the Intelligence and Security Committee led to allegations that Johnson's government was deliberately stalling.
* Govt makes first reference to digital currency in roadmap

* Pandemic may spur momentum as people shift to cashless payment

* Govt approves growth strategy, seeks interbank transfer fee cut

TOKYO, July 17 (Reuters) - Japan will look closer into whether to issue central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), the government said in its annual policy roadmap, a sign that Tokyo may be warming to the idea as the coronavirus heightens demand for cashless payments.

In its first-ever reference to digital currency in the annual plan, the government urged the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to liaise with other countries to jointly examine its feasibility.

"The BOJ will coordinate with other countries to consider CBDCs by examining and verifying technological tests," according to the document, which serves as guidance for the government's long-term economic and fiscal policies.

Facebook's efforts to launch its Libra cryptocurrency stablecoin have forced central banks to look more seriously into issuing their own digital currencies.

China has been among countries leading in the drive toward issuing CBDCs, prompting some Japanese ruling party lawmakers to urge Tokyo to catch up. However, the government and the BOJ have been cautious about moving too quickly given the legal barriers and social disruptions it may cause in a country that has the most cash-loving population in the world.

Still, the pandemic may add momentum to calls for Japan to look into CBDCs more seriously, if more people avoid handling hard cash, and to move towards digital settlement, analysts say.

While the BOJ has said it has no immediate plans to issue a digital currency, it is conducting research with other central banks on the issue.

As part of a wider move to boost digital payment systems, the government is seeking a cut in interbank transfer fees.

It will review the fees, which have been unchanged for more than four decades, by the current fiscal year end next March, a government official said.

The issue was included in this year's economic growth strategy that was approved by the cabinet alongside the annual policy plan on Friday. In the growth strategy, the government said it would make it easier for working people to take on multiple jobs and that it would come up with new rules for freelance work.
Lorraine Kelly was moved to tears as she bid farewell to her show for the summer on Friday.

The presenter, 60, struggled to hide her emotions as she watched a montage documenting her best moments this series, having continued to present the programme during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fighting back tears Lorraine told fashion expert Mark Heyes it was 'lovely' watching back some of her best moments, and thanked the show's crew for their hard work in keeping her on the air during the crisis.

Scroll down for video

Goodbye! Lorraine Kelly, 60, was moved to tears as she bid farewell to her show for the summer on Friday, after watching emotional video montage of her highlights from this series

As Lorraine prepared to wrap up the show she was joined by Mark and Dr Hilary Jones, who was also departing the show for a summer break.

Mark then revealed the crew had put together a montage of her highlights from her time on the show, including her time in the GMB studio as ITV scaled back the show's crew due to the pandemic.

Struggling to hide her emotions, Lorraine wiped away a tear as she said: 'What a time it's been.'

She's off! The presenter struggled to hide her emotions as she watched a montage displaying her best moments this series after continuing to host during the COVID-19 pandemic

She kept going! In recent months Lorraine continued to host her show from the Good Morning Britain studio, as ITV scaled back staffing numbers during the crisis

She admitted the hardest part of lockdown had been being unable to visit her family, with her daughter Rosie even having to isolate for two weeks after returning home from Singapore.

Adding he really wanted to give her a hug, Mark praised: 'You really have got everyone through it. It's been amazing. Thank you.'

Lorraine's emotional farewell also left many viewers on the brink of tears, with one writing: 'Oh #Lorraine Enjoy your break.

'We've loved watching you, Dr Hilary & Mark every morning these last 4 months. You've started our days off with a smile. @lorraine @reallorraine.'

Tearful: After watching the montage, Lorraine was praised by fashion expert Mark Heyes and Dr Hilary Jones

Moving: Mark himself even fought back tears as he admitted he wished he could give Lorraine a hug in a world of social distancing

Another penned: 'Oh my goodness @reallorraine started me off now!!! I just want to hug her! She's been an absolute shining star throughout this awful time and I'll miss her dearly! Enjoy your time off! #lorraine #doctorhillstobeknighted @DrHilaryJones.'

During the summer holiday, Christine Lampard will first fill in for Lorraine from July 20 to August 7, and she will be followed by Andi Peters, the first man to helm the show in a decade.

TV personality Andi, who has long presented competition slots on the show, said: 'I love Lorraine, I've known her for ten years, I'm on her show every day with competitions and it's great to be part of that family.'

Moving: Struggling to hide her emotions, Lorraine wiped away a tear as she said: 'What a time it's been'

Leaving: Lorraine will return to present her programme in early September, with Christine Lampard and Andi Peters filling for her

Bye Lorraine! Viewers were equally moved by Lorraine's departure, with many admitting they broke down in tears

He added: 'So, sitting in for her is an honour, Lorraine is an institution. As much as I adore always giving away money on the competition slots, I'm looking forward to chatting to people and having a whole hour to actually relax into it. I'm a bit of a chatterbox.

'I'll enjoy having guests on, who want to have a bit of a chinwag and also to be able to do some serious stuff. I am happy and jolly, and that will always be there, but obviously I do have an opinion... I'm genuinely really excited.'

Andi's stint on the show will kick off next month, seeing him sit in the presenting seat from August 10-21, and Christine will then return to once again host from August 24 and September 1.

Lorraine airs weekdays from 9am on ITV.
LOS ANGELESA federal lawsuit filed yesterday sheds light on a new scheme operating in the shadows of the Copyright Act and the DMCA that can get Instagram accounts taken down.

New York City-based Paper magazine alleged in a suit filed yesterday that Okularity Inc. has created software for the express purpose of disabling valuable commercial accounts on social media platforms, in this case Instagram, so that it can then demand extortionate sums from account holders to have the accounts restored.

Okularity, based in Beverly Hills, Calif., is headed by CEO Jon Nicolini, a former software engineer for Copyright Enforcement Group, which worked with Prenda Law, the notorious law firm that extracted settlements from hundreds of people who feared being exposed as pornography consumers.

Through its proprietary software Okularity has developed software that crawls the internet for images that infringe on allegedly protected works, the suit said.

Its software automatically generates and submits DMCA notices to social media platforms, including Instagram, containing an image in Okularitys database, which comprises inventory from partnering photo copyright clearinghouses BackGrid, Splash and Xposure.

Papers lawsuit contends that an editorial mistake prompted Okularity to send a certain amount of DMCA notices, which had a devastating effect: On July 8, Instagram shut down Papers account that had more than 1 million followers.

Most social media platforms, including Instagram, have policies whereby accounts are disabled once a certain amount of DMCA notices have been submitted on a particular account, said the suit, filed at Los Angeles federal court. Once an account reaches this threshold, Instagram will not reinstate the account until the underlying copyright dispute is resolved.

Given the massive financial incentives provided to mercenary litigants by the Copyright Act, would-be claimants have leveraged advances in technology to create economies of scale in pursuing claims, the suit said.

Okularity does this without any of the investigation, warning, or legal analysis required by the DMCA, let alone any demand letter to the alleged infringer, the suit said. Rather, Okularity lies in wait while DMCA notices accumulate to the point where Instagram disables the account. Only then does Okularity begin to negotiate settlement for the alleged copyright claims.

Okularity operates this way because Okularity knows that Instagram is the lifeblood of any digital media company, the suit said. Okularity knows that if a business like Paper has its Instagram account disabled, it has a metaphorical gun to the head of the target company, since it also knows that Instagram will not reinstate the account without a resolution of the dispute.

According to the suit, Nicolini demanded $4.6 million in exchange for informing Instagram that the dispute was resolved so that Paper could get its Instagram account back.

Indeed, Mr. Nicolini has been engaged in the development of copyright trolling software since at least 2012, when he worked as chief technological officer for a similar scheme that scraped bit torrent websites for information about users downloading copyrighted pornographic material, according to a footnote in Papers lawsuit.

The software was used to obtain IP addresses for the individuals who downloaded the material, and who were subsequently threatened with a public lawsuit if they did not pay Mr. Nicolinis former employer their extortionate demands, the footnote said. That rodeo ended with the attorney mastermind [John Steele] being sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Further, the suit claims, Nicolini, who is not an attorney, implies that he is an attorney to victims by interpreting the application of the Copyright Act to images, engaging in damages analysis regarding claims of his clients and by negotiating resolution of legal claims on their behalf.

Nicolini operates the scheme with the sole objective to disable social media accounts. Not only is no demand letter needed, the scheme makes it so that its victims come to Okularity, often in a state of desperation, once they realize their asset is being held hostage, said the suit, which seeks injunctive relief, unspecified damages and attorneys fees.

Paper, in the suit, has sued for violation of the DMCA, RICO violations, intentional interference with economic advantage and unfair competition.

Attorney Robert Tauler, who represents Paper in the lawsuit, told AVN that more individuals and companies with big-number social media accounts should be wary of similar schemes.

This is happening more and more often, Tauler said.

Papers lawyer noted that Instagrams suspension policies are somewhat of a mystery.

I can only speculate as to certain procedures they have, he said. But as to DMCA notices, they have to follow the law, which I dont think had Instagram in mind when it was written.

Nicolini did not respond to AVN queries about the case by post time.
International flights between India and the US will start from today, after nearly a four-month hiatus, putting an end to the long wait for international flyers. This comes after both countries signed an international arrangement with each other called an 'air bubble'. India has inked similar agreements with France and Germany.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced on Thursday that India has established individual bilateral bubbles with the said countries granting permission to airlines of each country (in the pact) to operate international flights.

Also Read: Unlock 2.0 in India: International flights may resume in July

Puri also said that a similar agreement will soon be reached with the UK.

In an initiative to further expand our international civil aviation operations, air bubble arrangements with US, UAE, France & Germany are being put in place while similar arrangements are also being worked out with several other countries. Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) July 16, 2020

What is an air bubble?

An air bubble is a bilateral agreement comprising a set of regulations and restrictions the airlines of the two countries have to abide by to operate international flights.

"Under this arrangement airlines from the concerned countries will be able to operate flights from and to India along with Indian carriers. I have no doubt these will be beneficial for our citizens who are stressed and distressed abroad or those who want to fly out," Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in a tweet.

Under this arrangement airlines from the concerned countries will be able to operate flights from & to India along with Indian carriers. I have no doubt these will be beneficial for our citizens who are stressed & distressed abroad or those who want to fly out. - Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) July 16, 2020

India had announced an air bubble with the UAE on July 9 which would be in place from July 12 to 26.

Air bubbles with France, US, Germany

Air France will operate 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Paris from July 18 to August 1, Puri stated at a press conference.

American carrier United Airlines will be flying 18 flights between India and the US from July 17 to 31, he added.

"They (United) are flying a daily flight between Delhi and Newark and a thrice-a-week flight between Delhi and San Francisco," Puri noted.

The minister on Thursday said India is planning to establish a bubble with the UK soon, under which there would be two flights per day between Delhi and London.

"We also got a request from the Germans. I think the arrangement with Lufthansa is almost done...We are processing that request," Puri articulated.

However, later during the day, the Civil Aviation Ministry issued a statement that said, "Air bubbles established with the US, France, and Germany...Lufthansa will also be operating (flights)."

The statement also said, "Talk of an air bubble in an advanced stage with the UK."

From India, Air India will be operating flights to France, Germany, and the US under these bubbles.

Also Read: India likely to allow some international flights to resume after US criticism

The minister said at the press conference, "Now we have many demands for air bubbles, but we need to be careful. We should permit that many only that we can handle."

Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After nearly two months of suspension to combat the coronavirus outbreak, the government resumed scheduled domestic passenger flights on May 25.

However, it had then allowed the airlines to operate a maximum of 33 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) increased the limit on June 26 from 33 per cent to 45 per cent.

"We are assuming that by the time Diwali comes this year, we will have of 55-60 per cent of pre-COVID domestic flights operating in India," Puri said at the press conference.

"I had imagined we would reach 33 per cent of our domestic capacity by July 15 but we have not," the minister said.

Various states like Maharashtra have put restrictions on the number of flights their airports can handle per day, he said, adding that he expects this would change in the coming 2-3 weeks.

He said once domestic capacity reaches 50-55 per cent of its pre-COVID capacity, the government will get the confidence about opening up international air travel further.

The fact of the matter is that international flights will take place between bigger metros in India and outside locations, the minister mentioned.

Giving the example of Mumbai airport, he said if more international flights are allowed to Mumbai, those passengers will need forward flights to go to other places in India but it will be a constraint as the airport handles only 50 flights per day.
Health experts for months warned the U.S. government that transferring detainees between immigration detention centers will expose people to the ravaging coronavirus and cause a major outbreak.

However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] continued the practice, stressing it has always taken necessary precautions.

Now it turns out the public health specialists were right, according to a Reuters review of court records and ICE data.

The analysis of immigration court data identified 268 transfers of detainees between detention centers in April, May and June, after hundreds in ICE custody had already tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Half of the transfers Reuters identified involved detainees who were either moved from centers with COVID-19 cases to centers with no known cases, or from centers with no cases to those where the virus had spread.

Serafin Saragoza, a Mexican detainee at Farmville, Virginia, jail said he and another detainee - who confirmed Saragoza's account to Reuters - had contact with a group of transferees when they first arrived.

Pictured: Serafin Saragoza with his wife and children. The Mexican national became infected with the coronavirus at an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Farmville, Virginia, after he came into contact with more than 70 undocumented detainees who were transferred from other ICE detention centers. The Farmville center has reported 315 cases

Pictured: Serafin Saragoza with his wife. Saragoza is a citizen from Mexico who is being held by ICE at the Immigration Centers of America-Farmville detention center in Virginia

Data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows the rapid outbreak of the coronavirus at detention facilities. As of July 17, the immigration agency had tested 13,563 detainees, of which 3,567 have tested positive, including three from Latin America who died. There are currently 1,110 undocumented immigrants in custody of ICE who are in isolation or being monitored for COVID-19

The Reuters tally is likely just a small fraction of all transfers, former ICE officials said. ICE does not release data on detainee moves, and court records capture only a smattering of them.

At least one transfer resulted in a super-spreading event, according to emails from ICE and officials at Immigration Centers of America-Farmingville detention center in Farmville, Virginia, court documents and interviews with more than a dozen detainees at the facility.

Until that transfer, only two detainees had tested positive at the Farmville center -- both immigrants transferred there in late April. They were immediately isolated and monitored and were the only known cases at the facility for more than a month, court records state.

Then on June 2, ICE relocated 74 detainees from Florida and Arizona, more than half of whom later tested positive for COVID-19. By July 16, Farmville was the detention center hardest-hit by the virus with 315 total cases, according to ICE data.

Saragoza, whose job was to distribute shoes and clothing to the new arrivals, was among those who were infected with the viral bug that has killed more than 592,000 people in the world.

Aerial view of the Immigration Centers of America-Farmingville detention center in Farmville, Virginia. The ICE holding center is the worst-hit facility with 315 confirmed COVID-19 cases

Carlos Ernesto Escobar Mejia contracted the virus at Otay Mesa Detention Center in California and died May 6. The 57-year-old native from El Salvador became the first undocumented immigrant in custody of ICE to die from the coronavirus pandemic in the United States

The new group was kept in a separate dormitory, but about two weeks after their arrival, dozens of other detainees began falling ill, 15 detainees said in interviews. The Centers for Disease Control says COVID-19 symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

'There are people with fevers, two guys collapsed on the floor because they fainted,' Saragoza said. 'There is one guy who has a really high fever. He looks like the walking dead.'

Faced with an outbreak, Farmville tested all detainees in the first few days of July. Of 359 detainees tested, 268 were positive, according to an ICE statement in response to questions from Reuters. While the majority are asymptomatic, it said, three detainees are hospitalized.

The ICE statement said the agency was committed to the welfare of all detainees and continued some transfers to reduce crowding. ICE did not respond to a request for comment on Reuters analysis.

Former ICE officials and immigration attorneys say the agency regularly transfers people in custody for myriad reasons, including: bed space, preparing migrants for deportation, and security reasons. With the pandemic still raging in the United States, lawmakers have called on ICE to halt the practice.

Carlos Franco-Paredes, an infectious disease doctor studying COVID-19 outbreaks in correctional settings, said it is not possible to transfer detainees safely in the current environment.

'If you're moving people, particularly from an area where there is an ongoing outbreak, even though you sequester them for two weeks or so, there is contact with people,' said Franco-Paredes. 'You're basically spreading the problems.'

In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19, ICE halted detention center visits in mid-March and has slowed arrests. U.S.-Mexico border crossings have also fallen, leading to smaller detained populations overall.

Prisons and detention centers have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus outbreaks. Large numbers of people confined in close quarters with insufficient access to medical care and poor ventilation and sanitation all create a breeding ground for viral infections, infectious disease doctors say.

As of July 16, ICE had reported 3,567 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its detention centers. The actual number of infected detainees is almost certainly higher, Franco-Paredes said, since not all centers are doing widespread testing.

About 22,000 detainees are in ICE custody now, and about 13,500 tests have been done, but that likely includes some immigrants who have since been released.

To be sure, detainee transfers are not the only means of introducing the virus to a detention center. Employees with the disease are another main source of transmission, public health specialists said. Nearly 1,000 detention center employees have tested positive for the virus.

Before it transfers detainees, ICE policy is to screen them for fevers and other symptoms, but not to test for the disease. Those with positive or suspected cases of COVID-19 are isolated from other detainees, ICE says.

But the case of Farmville shows that efforts to keep sick and healthy detainees separate don't always prevent the spread.

A week after the out-of-state transferees arrived at the Farmville center, three of them tested positive for the virus while still quarantined from the general population. In response, center officials decided to test the entire group of new arrivals, according to an email from ICE deputy field office director Matthew Monroe to immigration attorneys. Fifty-one tested positive.

ICE data shows that the day before the transfers, two of the three centers where the detainees came from had reported cases. ICE's Krome North Service Processing Center in Florida had 15 confirmed COVID cases, and Eloy Detention Center in Eloy, Arizona had one.

The Reuters review of immigration court records identified 195 transfers to or from detention centers where ICE had reported confirmed cases. These include:

On May 6, an undocumented individual was moved from New Mexico's Otero County Processing Center, which at the time had 10 confirmed cases, to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington, which had no known cases until two weeks later on May 19.

An undocumented immigrant was transferred May 7 from the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, which at the time had 41 confirmed cases, to the Johnson County Jail in Dallas, which had no known cases until May 19.

In late May, detainees were shuffled from a detention center in Glades County, Florida, which at the time had no known cases, to the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, Florida, which at the time had 19 known cases.

Immigration court data notes when the government notifies the court that it has moved a detainee in its custody to another location. Reuters only counted transfers if the data showed a detainee having a hearing in a new, known detention facility, prison or jail. The news agency then compared those records to ICE counts of infections at detention centers.

Saragoza, the Mexican detainee in Farmville, lived in the United States for 21 years before his arrest. He has diabetes and high blood pressure - two conditions that the CDC says puts coronavirus patients at higher risk of falling seriously ill. He said he started feeling ill in late June but was not as sick as some others in his dormitory.

On July 9, he got bad news. He and almost all the men in his dorm had tested positive for coronavirus.
Environmental groups have sued the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection over what they say is the agencys failure to adhere to federal reporting requirements for a coal mine reclamation fund.

The lawsuit filed Thursday by the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition and the Sierra Club seeks to force the state to address the states dramatically underfunded program whose purpose is to cover the costs of coal mine reclamation, according to a news release.

The groups said the DEP failed to notify the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement if significant funding or budget changes were to affect the enforcement and administration of the special reclamation fund.

The DEP in March sued a company that acquired more than 100 mining permits from Patriot Coal Corp.s 2015 bankruptcy. Most of the permits are in West Virginia and others are in Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee.

The DEP has said the company, ERP Environmental Fund Inc., laid off all of its employees, ceased operations and abandoned its mining sites.

An earlier notice of a pending suit from the environmental groups said the DEP indicated in its March lawsuit that the special reclamation fund would be overwhelmed if it were to take responsibility for ERPs permits. But a letter sent this week from the DEP to the federal enforcement office indicated DEP does not believe there is a problem with its reclamation program, the environmental groups statement said.

This lawsuit ensures that state and federal agencies can no longer deny the existence of this pervasive and urgent crisis, Karan Ireland of the Sierra Clubs West Virginia chapter said in the statement.

The DEP did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Money from the fund is used to complete mine reclamation when the amount of bonds that are forfeited by companies are less than the actual cost of reclamation. Most of the funding for the special reclamation fund comes from a tax of 27.9 cents on each ton of clean coal mined in the state.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Pollution Virginia
"The Golden Girls" house is for sale for the first time everand for a famous property, some might say this 2,901-square-foot, four-bedroom house in Los Angeles is a bargain, listed for a mere $2,999,000.

With lush landscaping full of exotic plants, the propertylocated in the Brentwood neighborhoodwas used only for the exterior shots on the show, which ran from 1985 to 1992 and starred Rue McClanahan as Blanche, a widow who opened up her home to three roommates played by Betty White (Rose), Bea Arthur (Dorothy), and Estelle Getty (Sophia).

Yet most of these spunky senior citizens' anticswhich occurred inside the house, around the kitchen table, or in the living roomwere filmed on a Hollywood set.

As such, while this house has attracted a few fans to snap pictures curbside, the home's interior has long remained a mysterywhich is all the more reason why this home is bound to receive tons of attention now.

"The Golden Girls" house today. Brandon Valente, Brandon V Photography

The reality behind 'The Golden Girls' house

In real life, this house served as the longtime residence of David Noble Barry III and Margaret Carr Barry, a married couple who had the house built in 1955. The Barrys lived in the house for more than 60 years until their deaths in 2017 and 2019, respectively. The property is being sold by a trust.

James Barry, the late couple's son, reported that location scouts first noticed the property because of its verdant landscaping, thinking it had just the right aesthetic to represent the four friends' fictional home in Miami at 6151 Richmond St. (FYI, no such address actually exists.)

So the NBC network paid the Barrys a small sum of money to film exterior shots at the home. They agreed, in part because they wanted to show off their home's unique architecture.

In fact, the home was primarily used as a filming location for only the first season of the show. For later seasons, the Barrys loaned NBC the home's original blueprints so the network could build a replica at Disney's Hollywood Studios, where fans could tour the house until it was torn down in 2003.

So what's the original "Golden Girls" house really like?

An inside tour of 'The Golden Girls' home today

The Barrys modeled their Brentwood property after the Honolulu home of David Noble Barry III's father. Japanese and Hawaiian influences abound throughout the property, which features original oak floors, high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, sliding Shoji screens, built-in cabinets, and an engawa, a traditional Japanese wood flooring surrounding the home.

The living room inside the Los Angeles home used for exterior shots on "The Golden Girls" Natalie Way

The retro kitchen, which is original to the home, has turquoise and avocado cabinets, yellow accents, and turquoise Formica countertops.

The retro kitchen inside the Los Angeles home used for exterior shots on "The Golden Girls" Natalie Way

Who will buy 'The Golden Girls' houseand how much will it cost?

So, who will be the lucky new owner of this iconic TV home? Many real estate experts say it's priced aggressively to sell and the buyer will likely be a toss-up between TV or movie producers who may want to use the location, or private buyers who may be fans of the show.

The backyard features plenty of outdoor lounging areas. Brandon Valente, Brandon V Photography

"The list price is strategic and meant to attract a lot of attention and interest," says Rachelle Rosten, the home's listing agent with Douglas Elliman. "The beauty of this pricing strategy is the market ultimately determines the value. I anticipate this property will sell over the list price. Its an exciting and emotional house as well as being a nice-sized lot on a desirable street. The market will respond accordingly. It will be very interesting to see who ends up buying this property."

A bedroom inside the Los Angeles home used for exterior shots on "The Golden Girls" Natalie Way

One potential buyer? HGTV, which in 2018 outbid Lance Bass to purchase the home used for exterior shots for "The Brady Bunch." The network renovated the house back to its 1970s glory on the hit show "A Very Brady Renovation."

"'The Golden Girls' home reminds me of 'The Brady Bunch' home sale scenario all over again," says Cara Ameer, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker in California and Florida. "A television network could be an ideal buyer for the property, such as HGTV or even NBC, which originally aired the series. Perhaps Amazon, Netflix, or a studio like Paramount will want it for future projectsa 'Golden Girls' remake or a similar show with a new twist or even a movie."

The house is on a nice quarter-acre lot. Brandon Valente, Brandon V Photography

As for dollars and cents, Ameer says it's hard to put a specific price tag on a home with celebrity status.

"I would venture that this is going to be subject to multiple offers and may go well above asking priceas much as by $1 million or a bit more," she says.

The living room inside the Los Angeles home used for exterior shots on "The Golden Girls" Natalie Way

But not all celebrity-status homes sell quickly. Just look at the famous "Full House" home in San Francisco, which was last sold for $4 million in 2016 and has been listed twice since then with no success. One possible reason could be all the "Full House" tourists crowding the front, which might become a nuisance at "The Golden Girls" house as well, especially if it becomes the subject of a pop culture revival.

"A buyer of this house will need to contend with tourists and fans constantly taking photos and the privacy concerns that come along with that," says Shane Ray, a real estate agent in San Francisco with Domicile Properties/Compass.

The dining room inside the Los Angeles home used for exterior shots on "The Golden Girls" Natalie Way

Some real estate agents think that the headaches of owning a famous home make them a poor investment.

Cedric Stewart, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Capital Properties in Washington, DC, thinks "The Golden Girls" house will sell for under asking, at around $1.95 million.

"Is there a chance someone would buy it for sentimental purposes or use it as an attraction of sorts? Sure," Stewart says. "But the generation that would most appreciate that is on their way out, so this is not a place you buy to make money."

Only time will tell what will happen to this house, but in the meantime, it's fun to get a chance to see a piece of TV history.

The post An Eye-Opening Tour of 'The Golden Girls' HouseNow for Sale for the First Time appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
(Natural News) Mea culpa: I spent a lot of time on these here digital pages defending Dr. Anthony Fauci. Brother, was I wrong. Fauci is a stone-cold liar. And if hes not a stone-cold liar, his only defense is that he is a fraud. Either way, shame on him  and me.

(Article by John Nolte republished from Breitbart.com)

For months Fauci has been everywhere, all over TV, urging Americans to lock themselves down, to abandon their jobs, their sick and dying family members, the small businesses they spent their lives getting off the ground; he urged us to drive our economy into the dirt, pull children who desperately need structure out of school, forgo once-in-a-lifetime graduations and graduation parties, cancel weddings and vacations

Faucis message was clear, militant, terrifying, and relentless: If you dont do these things, if you dont sacrifice these things, if you dont give up your liberty and prosperity, you are no better than a serial killer. The coronavirus is a unique and deadly killer, a particularly infectious and fatal disease unlike anything weve seen in more than a century.

And because Fauci became Americas trusted scientific (and moral) authority, because he assured us he spoke only as a scientist and infectious disease expert, because he assured us he would always tell us like it is, and do so at any cost because public health was his only priority, look at what happened

A woman was arrested for reopening the business that fed her family. Christians were persecuted for attending church in the safety of automobiles. Teens were held up to national ridicule for behaving like teens in Florida and the Ozarks. Countless Americans suffered untold anguish after hospital visits were forbidden and funerals canceled. Everyday Americans were relentlessly demonized for daring to speak out or even question the Holy Writ of Fauci

And God help those who came out to protest the lockdowns, because bitter, power-hungry tyrants such as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) and the hate-filled media that empower her, waved the Holy Writ of Fauci to justify smearing these Americans as racists and punishing them with lockdown extensions.

Heh, heh, heh Take that, Deplorables!

All this was allowed, all the inhumanity, all the flagrant violations of our Constitutional rights, all these Kafka-esque rules that protected Big Businesses like Walmart and further empowered massive corporations like Amazon, while small business withered and died. Democrat New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was finally allowed to openly practice his antisemitism All this was excused and even made virtuous by the Holy Writ of Fauci and the Cult of Personality he allowed to build up around his heroic fidelity to facts, science, and public health.

Well, we now know Fauci is either a fraud or liar.

We know this because for ten whole days Fauci said nothing as the Perfect Infection Storm hit America, as massive violations of social distancing and lockdowns took place all across the country (including the Ground Zero of New York City). There it was, everywhere Faucis nightmare scenario come to vivid life: crowd after massive gathering after mob after parade Protesters and rioters shouting, shoulder to shoulder  and Fauci said nothing And when he did finally speak out, it was to squeak on some local radio station.

Worse still, Fauci said nothing as the very same sanctimonious health care workers and experts who used the emotional blackmail of Were at work for you, stay home for us came out in full-throated support of leaving home and gathering in massive crowds.

So, which is it

Is Fauci a fraud or liar?

Was all his talk about concern for public health, his duty to tell it like it is no matter the personal or political fallout, just a big lie? Is he a fraud who still believes these mass gatherings are a nightmare scenario, but is unwilling to use his massive public platform to say so out loud because shaming protesters who hold the approved views among Americas hideous elite would risk Fauci feeling the disapproval of those elites?

Or is he a liar, does he in fact know the coronavirus is nowhere near as deadly as he played it up to be? Is he a liar who misled us into agreeing to destroy our amazing economy in order to undermine the Bad Orange Mans re-election?

Either way, Faucis a sociopath. Either hes a sociopath who furthered his political ambitions and abused his authority and public trust to talk hundreds of millions of Americans into shattering their own lives and mental wellbeing when there was no real danger, or hes a sociopath who chooses the good opinion of elites over raising the alarm to save the lives of thousands and thousands of protesters, and the countless millions those thousands will infect.

What kind of man raises the alarm about the fact the black population is disproportionately killed by this virus and then remains silent as the black population gathers en masse, and remains silent as his fellow healthcare workers openly encourage the mass gathering of black America?

Im almost as disgusted with myself for trusting Fauci as I am with him.

Never again will I trust the experts.

Fuck them.

Fuck them all forever.

Read more at: Breitbart.com
An Australian personal trainer has shared a photo of her body 3.5 weeks after giving birth to her second child, and said she's been focusing on healing her ab separation instead of rushing to exercise again.

Emily Skye, 35, went into labour in June at 37 weeks along, bringing her son Izaac into the world with the assistance of ambulance workers on her living room floor.

The Queensland mother and her husband Declan Redmond are already proud parents to two-year-old daughter Mia Elise.

Scroll down for video

On July 15 Emily updated her 2.5million followers by posting an image of her healing stomach (right), saying that while she was 'feeling really good' she is focused on easing her ab separation

Emily Skye, 35, went into labour in June at 37 weeks along, bringing her son Izaac into the world with the assistance of ambulance workers on her living room floor

On July 15 Emily updated her 2.5million followers by posting an image of her healing stomach, saying that while she was 'feeling really good' she is focused on easing her ab separation.

The condition is a gap in between your right and left abdominal wall muscles that can result in a rounded, protruding belly.

It is best treated soon after birth with physiotherapy, and in rarer cases, cosmetic surgery.

'So many women are focused on how their body looks after childbirth but many women don't even think about what's happening internally - in particular the function of the pelvic floor and whether they have diastasis recti (ab separation),' she captioned the image.

She hasn't started any formal exercise yet aside from doing ' pelvic floor work and specific core work' to close the gap between her abs (pictured while pregnant with Izaac)

Izaac arrived quickly and three weeks early, not giving Emily and Declan enough time to drive to the hospital

She hasn't started any formal exercise yet aside from doing 'pelvic floor work and specific core work' to close the gap between her abs.

'It's very gentle but it's already making a difference and my abs are not far off being back together and my pelvic floor is recovering well,' she said.

Emily warned other women from 'rushing' into exercise without first healing their core, saying that it can be 'harder' to fix down the track.

'Learn as much as you can about how to get your pelvic floor functioning normally and how to heal your DR.'

Emily has been using a towel to help bring her abs 'closer together', starting by breathing into her diaphragm before pushing her pelvic floor 'up' and tightening the towel around her waist.

'Well THAT was unexpected!! Little Izaac just couldn't wait any longer to enter the world!' Emily said on June 18

Emily (pictured before her second pregnancy) has helped plenty of women get in shape pre and post baby

Izaac arrived quickly and three weeks early, not giving Emily and Declan enough time to drive to the hospital.

'Well THAT was unexpected! Little Izaac just couldn't wait any longer to enter the world,' Emily said on June 18.

'I'll share with you our birth story soon! Be ready, it's a wild one.'

Emily accompanied her birth announcement with photos of the delivery, which involved a lot of towels and a frazzled looking husband.

She looked understandably exhausted as she lay on the floor with little Izaac resting on her lap underneath a blanket.
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China opposes Britain's exclusion of Chinese 5G companies: spokesperson - Xinhua | English.news.cn

China firmly opposes the British government's latest decision to ban Chinese companies from the building of 5G networks, said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.



The discriminatory practice goes against the free trade principles that the British government has always advocated, the ministry's spokesperson Gao Feng told a press conference.

It severely breaches World Trade Organization rules, undermines Chinese investors' confidence in Britain, affects the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, damages Britain's credibility, and undermines its status in the international trade system, Gao added.

Concerning Britain's action, which violates free trade principles, China is evaluating the incident, Gao said. He added that the country will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

Gao urged Britain to adopt concrete measures to correct its wrong decisions with the big picture in mind.

He also called on Britain to take a long-term perspective to provide an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies investing in Britain, as well as maintain the sound development momentum of economic and trade ties between the two countries.
Visitors from another four states must self-quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in New York, Gov.



Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday, meaning nearly half the country is now covered by the coronavirus travel restrictions.



In a statement, Cuomo said he had added Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio and Wisconsin to the self-quarantine advisory after infection rates in those states surpassed his administration's thresholds.



Delaware, meanwhile, saw its infection rates decline to the degree that Cuomo said he had removed it from the list of states impacted by the advisory.



Cuomo's announcement leaves 22 states on the self-quarantine list. Most of them are in the South and Midwest, where the virus has bounced back at unprecedented rates after states rushed to reopen their economies, in many cases at President Trump's urging.



Cuomo said the travel restrictions are justified because, contrary to most parts of the country, New York's coronavirus metrics are consistently trending in the right direction.



"Rising cases around the country continue to threaten our progress, which is why four new states have been added," Cuomo said. "No one wants to go back to the hell we experienced three months ago, so please stay vigilant."



Violating the self-quarantine order is punishable by a 2,000-dollar fine. Second offenses can result in 5,000-dollar or even 10,000-dollar fines.



The quarantine advisory expansion came as New York's Covid-19 metrics continued to improve.



Just five New Yorkers died from the virus Monday, the lowest number since the outset of the pandemic, according to state Department of Health data. About 820 New Yorkers remained hospitalized with the virus and, out of more than 60,000 tests performed, just 1.5 per cent came back positive, the data showed.



Tuesday also marked the first day that travelers from coronavirus hot spots were required to fill out Department of Health forms upon landing at New York airports.



The forms, which can be submitted electronically, instruct travelers to provide information on where they are coming from, going to and how to contact them, along with a promise to self-quarantine. Failing to fill out the form is punishable by a 2,000-dollar fine.



In tandem with the beefed-up travel advisory enforcement, Cuomo reiterated his plea for New Yorkers to stay "vigilant."



"I cannot be more clear: Look at what's happening in the rest of the country - if we are not smart, if we don't wear masks and socially distance, cases will spike," he said.

Source: GNA









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Tony Rodham signed a contract in June 1998 with the Edgar and Vonna Jo Gregory's circus company, United Shows of America, Inc., and several related businesses to serve as their "independent consultant." Perhaps not coincidentally, the Gregorys negotiated the contract with Hillary Clinton's youngest brother at the same time they began pursuing presidential pardons. Years earlier, Edgar and Vonna Jo Gregory pleaded guilty in a banking fraud case. Edgar received five years of probation and Vonna Jo three.

The Gregorys were no strangers to the Clinton clan. They donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the political campaigns of Bill and Hillary Clinton and to various Democrat political parties during Bill's eight years as president. In the two years leading up to their pardons, the Gregorys, their children, and their company and key employees contributed nearly $300,000 to political campaigns, with nearly all of it going to Democratic causes.

The campaign checks were not the only checks the Gregorys wrote. From the time he signed on as an independent consultant, Tony Rodham was paid $244,769, including a $25,000 signing bonus, and he received health care benefits and use of a 1995 Chevrolet Suburban.

Edgar and Vonna Jo Gregory were keen to get pardons because their felony convictions were preventing them from bidding for government-sponsored fairs and circuses. They needed to have their criminal records wiped clean.

In 1998, the Gregorys were told their criminal records posed an obstacle to winning the contract in future years to manage the Florida State Fair, one of their largest revenue-generators. This development was immediately followed by the "independent consultant" contract they signed with Rodham.

The Gregorys submitted their pardon application through proper channels to the Justice Department with a copy sent directly to President Clinton in November 1998. By late 1999, the Gregorys became impatient with waiting. So they approached Rodham, gave him a copy of the clemency petition, and pressed him to get deeply involved in their pardon request. "I did ask him after we weren't on that Christmas pardon list of '99 if he could help us, and I don't see anything wrong with that," explained Edgar Gregory.

After Bill Clinton's 2001 pardon scandal broke, Rodham told CNN's Larry King Live in March 2001 that he asked Clinton to pardon Edgar and Vonna Jo Gregory. "Yeah, I talked to my brother-in-law. I told him that Ed Gregory is a good guy, he is a guy that, you know, this was hurting his business. He needs it, his business, to support his family, and he is the kind of person that the pardon system was designed for."

Rodham also admitted that he informed his sister ahead of time that he was seeking a pardon for the Gregorys. Rodham told King, "Yes  she  I talked to her about it."

The Gregorys knew exactly what they were getting when they hired Tony Rodham. It was access. "You've got a man that is the brother-in-law of the president of the United States," said Edgar Gregory as he gave the reason why he hired Tony Rodham. He added, "He's the brother of the First Lady of the United States and certain people are going to know his name." Certainly, everyone on the White House staff and the Justice Department knew exactly who Tony Rodham was.

As far as the Gregory pardons were concerned, no one aside from Rodham was in favor of them. They failed to meet objective Justice Department guidelines of accepting responsibility for their crimes. Jeff Sessions, who was the U.S. Attorney whose office prosecuted the Gregorys for bank fraud in 1982, was appalled that they had received pardons. He was never consulted, as required by Justice Department guidelines. Ginny S. Granade, who was the assistant U.S. attorney who tried the case, commented, "They drained the banks that they were majority shareholders in and just ran them into the ground for this interconnecting web of companies they owned. They ran those banks with an iron fist."

The trial judge was opposed to clemency, as was the Justice Department. Even Bill Clinton's own White House counsel was not in favor of pardons for the Gregorys. Everyone was against Clinton granting executive clemency for the Gregorys, yet Hillary's brother wanted the pardons, and Bill granted them.

The Gregorys' pardons are clear examples of a quid pro quo. The Gregorys were longtime, generous campaign contributors to the Clintons and other Democratic candidates and causes, and it was no secret that Hillary had designs on running for president one day. The Clintons could not continue to benefit from the Gregorys' largesse unless the Gregorys' businesses continued to be extremely profitable.

The Gregorys told Rodham they needed to have pardons no later than February 2000 if they were to continue to operate the Florida State Fair. The March 2000 presidential pardons wiped the slate clean and gave them the opportunity to continue bidding for the fair. Meanwhile, the Clintons continued feeding from the Gregorys' campaign contribution gravy train. Edgar and Vonna Jo Gregory contributed more than $15,000 to Hillary's Senate campaign before everything began to unravel for them.

After Bill Clinton left office, the Gregorys hit rock bottom. News of the pardons led to several creditors reassessing their business relationships with the Gregorys and their companies. Dateline NBC reported that in the 1990s, games in the Gregorys' United Shows of America were rigged against the public and there were concerns that the Gregorys had made false representations in order to gain investors in various projects.

Creditors began calling due loans, and by August 2002, Edgar Gregory and several of his businesses entered bankruptcy protection. One creditor accused Edgar of making false representations about business opportunities in which the creditor invested $2.9 million. The Gregorys' bankruptcy case listed more than 200 creditors.

Edgar Gregory's death from natural causes in April 2004 may have ended his fallout from the pardon fiasco, but it only continued trouble for Tony Rodham.

Michael Collins was designated the U.S. trustee overseeing the bankruptcy of United Shows of America. Documents showed that the Gregorys had loaned at least $107,000 to Rodham, right after they were given the pardons. Rodham hadn't paid back any of the loans. Collins demanded that Rodham repay the original loan amount plus $46,034 in interest for a total debt of $153,034.

By now, Rodham's version of events had changed significantly. No longer was the money given to him after the Gregorys received their pardons considered a loan, he claimed. Rodham made this assertion despite the fact that the word "loan" was written on the memo line of all 16 Bank of Nashville checks that were made out to Anthony D. Rodham. Instead, Rodham argued, it was payment for unspecified "consulting services."

Neither the Gregorys, United Shows of America, nor Rodham offered any documentation that supported Rodham's contention that he had performed any services after the pardons were received that justified the payments. Moreover, Rodham could have easily ended disagreement over the nature of the payments if he had simply provided copies of his income tax records documented that he had claimed the $107,000 as income. That he did not proffer his tax records supported Collins's assertion the money was a loan.

In March 2006, Collins won a judgment against Rodham for the money owed. Rodham appealed the case, and it dragged into the following year. Tony Rodham was able to finally close the sordid "pay for no work" chapter of his life when he reached a settlement regarding the money that he owed the Gregorys' estate in September 2007, just before the case was to go to trial. Details of Rodham's repayment were kept confidential as part of the settlement agreement.

Mark Hyman is an investigative television correspondent. This essay was adapted from Pardongate: How Bill & Hillary Clinton and Their Brothers Profited from Pardons, which was released on June 30, 2020.
Israels government has advised the countrys regulator to block Bezeq Israel Telecoms proposal to combine its fixed infrastructure unit with its mobile, internet and TV operations.

Reuters reported that the committee made the same recommendation regarding the merger plans of cable firm HOT, which is controlled by Altice Europe. In both instances, the panel advised against allowing the mergers due to the market dominance of the firms in question.

Despite this, the committee noted that in light of the changes in the market, Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel may wish to reconsider such actions in the future. The ministry has denied Bezeqs request in the past in a bid to encourage smaller firms such as Cellcom and Partner Communications.

Bezeq is the largest operator in Israel, and owns a nationwide copper network. It argues that folding its landline operation into its three other units would allow it to reduce costs and thereby provide lower tariffs for subscribers.

However, the government committee countered that Bezeqs significant market power and dominance in the telecoms sector meant that structural separation was still required to allow fair competition. It did note that it could potentially permit a smaller scale merger between ISP Bezeq International, mobile operator Pelephone, and TV provider YES.

Similarly, while it advised against allowing a full merger of HOTs units, the panel advocated considering whether the company should be permitted to merge its cable infrastructure and internet companies.

Additionally, TeleGeography reports that Bezeq has been granted permission to deploy Vplus technology in order to boost the download speeds that it provides to fixed broadband customers to 200Mbps. The Ministry of Communications allowed the move after Bezeq pledged to deliver faster speeds on a wholesale basis, as well as demonstrating that it would deliver a wide and diverse deployment between the districts and towns and villages throughout the country.
Americas current reckoning with racism forces a critical question: Why are existing laws failing to protect people of color? Employment discrimination laws offer an analogy as a response.

State and federal laws protecting employees from workplace discrimination deem race a protected class, providing relief through either disparate treatment or disparate impact claims.

A disparate-treatment claim arises when an employer discriminates against an employee and is motivated substantially by race. Usually, direct evidence of such as comments, photos or emails is levied to call out racist intent and prove discrimination.

Conversely, disparate-impact claims do not require racial animus. An employee must instead identify a facially neutral policy or practice that negatively impacts her as a person of color. A racial lens is applied to ask: How are people of color adversely impacted by a policy that is purportedly neutral to the naked eye?

These laws exist because lawmakers recognize that employees deserve equal protection and opportunity in the workplace. Race should not factor into the equation.

These laws also offer an analog to racism in our country right now.

We have progressed in our ability to recognize, stigmatize and call out overt racism in the form of disparate treatment. A demonstrable, direct act of racism such as a hate crime or racial slur is generally understood  at least in mainstream culture  to be wrong. Although this slow progress is incomplete, most generally agree that no one deserves unequal treatment on account of race.

Far too few of us, however, fully grasp how facially neutral laws and systems disparately impact people of color.

Similar to proving a disparate-impact employment claim, explicit racist intent is not necessary for a system to have pervasive, damaging, discriminatory impacts. This phenomenon is widespread and statistically supported: Our education, housing, criminal justice, home ownership, financial, and health care systems do not discriminate with explicitly racist policies. Far worse, they appear neutral while underrepresenting, underserving or outright excluding people of color. The purported neutrality of these systems has obscured their discriminatory effects.

Deniers of systemic racism will rely upon the widely used American adage pick yourself up by the bootstraps to justify the view that success is created exclusively from hard work. But this claim ignores the well-documented historical prejudices against people of color, the bricks from which our countrys foundation is formed. The truth is, labeling laws neutral ignores the fact that most were drafted within a system of oppression, by the oppressors themselves. For George Floyd and far too many others, the failure to acknowledge this has been fatal. The critical takeaway from recent heartbreaking events is: Laws and systems purportedly designed to protect all of us equally, do not.

The current global crisis emphasizes this phenomenon. Coronavirus does not discriminate along racial lines in selecting whom it infects, but it definitively impacts people of color more than white people. This is no coincidence: When COVID-19 hit, more people of color lived in densely packed areas, worked essential jobs outside the home, had underlying health issues and lacked affordable health care. These vulnerabilities allowed coronavirus to sweep through our communities of color with tragic, unforgiving abandon. Other recent catastrophes produced similarly lethal results.

Ultimately, it is hypocritical to ignore the effects of systemic discrimination. Disparate impact-employment claims are a tacit acknowledgment from legislators that facially neutral policies can yield discriminatory results. Lawmakers and their constituents should not be permitted to cabin this analysis to the employment context. Rather, it should be extrapolated into carefully considered society-wide change. And those who created discriminatory systems should now be charged with fixing them.

Tamarah Prevost is an employment attorney representing employees in race discrimination, sexual harassment, and other civil rights cases. She is a senior associate at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy LLP in Burlingame.
HONOLULU, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (HEI) (NYSE - HE) will announce its second quarter 2020 financial results on Thursday, August 6, 2020. In addition, American Savings Bank, F.S.B. (American), a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of HEI, will announce its second quarter 2020 financial results on Thursday, July 30, 2020.

HEI also announced that it will conduct a webcast and teleconference call to discuss second quarter 2020 consolidated earnings, 2020 earnings guidance and outlook, and regulatory and other matters on Thursday, August 6, 2020, at 10:15 a.m. Hawaii time (4:15 p.m. Eastern time).

Parties within the United States may listen to the conference by calling (844) 834-0652. International parties may listen to the conference by calling (412) 317-5198. Parties may also access any presentation materials for the conference and/or listen to the conference by accessing the webcast on HEI's website at www.hei.com under "Investor Relations," sub-heading "News and Events  Events and Presentations." HEI and Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (Hawaiian Electric) intend to continue to use HEI's website, www.hei.com , as a means of disclosing additional information; such disclosures will be included in the Investor Relations section of the website. Accordingly, investors should routinely monitor the Investor Relations section of HEI's website, in addition to following HEI's, Hawaiian Electric's and American's press releases, HEI's and Hawaiian Electric's SEC filings and HEI's public conference calls and webcasts. Investors may also sign up to receive e-mail alerts (based on each investor's selected preferences) by visiting the "Investor Relations" section of the website, sub-heading "Contact Us  Email Notification." The information on HEI's website is not incorporated by reference into this document or into HEI's and Hawaiian Electric's SEC filings unless, and except to the extent, specifically incorporated by reference. Investors may also wish to refer to the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Hawaii (PUC) website at dms.puc.hawaii.gov/dms in order to review documents filed with, and issued by, the PUC. No information on the PUC website is incorporated by reference into this document or into HEI's and Hawaiian Electric's SEC filings.

An on-line replay of the August 6, 2020 webcast will be available on HEI's website beginning about two hours after the event. Audio replays of the teleconference will be available through August 20, 2020, by dialing (877) 344-7529 or (412) 317-0088 and entering passcode: 10146073.

HEI supplies power to approximately 95% of Hawaii's population through its electric utility, Hawaiian Electric; provides a wide array of banking and other financial services to consumers and businesses through American, one of Hawaii's largest financial institutions; and helps advance Hawaii's clean energy and sustainability goals through investments by its non-regulated subsidiary, Pacific Current, LLC.

Contact: Julie R. Smolinski Telephone: (808) 543-7300

Director, Investor Relations E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hei.com


Telangana: Gay couple enter into wedlock, say it has sent out a message

SC refuses to entertain plea to stop Telangana secretariat demolition

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 17: The Supreme Court has refused to entertain a plea to stop the Telangana government from demolishing State Secretariat Buildings.

The petition challenged the decision to demolish the buildings spanning 10 lakh square feet set in 25.5 acres. The new secretariat would cost Rs 10,000 crore of public money and hence the demolition should be stopped the petitioner contended.

However, the court refused to entertain the petition and rejected the same. While rejecting the petition, the Supreme Court quoted the High Court which had said that there were several deficiencies in the buildings.

Coronavirus: Telangana BJP slams TRS govt for being 'opportunistic' during pandemic

The K Chandrashekhar Rao-led Government began razing to the ground the old secretariat on July 7, days after the HighCourtdismissed a bunch of PILs challenging the states decision to construct a new secretariat complex by demolishing the existing one.

The petitioners alleged that the demolition of the existing structures is an "arbitary action" of the state government in a pandemic situation, and deprives five lakh people of the surrounding areas from getting clean air.

Rajnath Singh speech at Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken | Oneindia News

After the High Court cleared the decks for the construction of the new secretariat, the demolition of the old secretariat building complex beganand the foundation stone for the new one was laid on June 27, 2019.

The state government earlier indicated that the new secretariat which would come up in about seven lakh sq ft would cost around Rs 400 crore and it had decided to equip the new one with state-of-the-art connectivity and other features.
Some bars across New York state are creating snarky $1 menus in response to Gov. Andrew Cuomos new rule requiring food be purchased with alcohol.

The new rules, announced Thursday, went into effect Friday as the latest attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The State Liquor Authority has issued guidance on the new rules for bars, restaurants and tasting rooms (such as breweries and wineries), including prohibiting customers from ordering drinks directly from the bar itself to maintain social distancing.

The purpose of the requirement that food be sold with alcohol is to permit outside and limited indoor dining (outside of New York City), with alcoholic beverages, while restricting the congregating and mingling that arise in a bar service/drinking only environment, the guidance says. NYC has not yet reopened indoor dining, while Upstate New York has been able to for weeks.

Some pubs have responded with creativity and snark.

Jake Hafners Restaurant & Tavern in North Syracuse is selling a variety of $1 compliance items, including a handful o croutons, a bag of chips, and a four-ounce cup of whipped cream.

NewsChannel 9s Andrew Donovan reports the Home Team Pub in Liverpool has created a dollar menu selling one pretzel bite (no really just one bite and its gone), a handful of tortilla chips (maybe with salsa if your lucky), or some tater tots (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 tater tots. We are not sure how to count. Schools closed.) for $1 each.

Home Team Pub in Liverpool has a $1 menu to comply with @NYGovCuomos no food-no booze order. @RichAzzopardi has responded to similar tactics with approval: As long as everyone is seated and not mingling at the bar and could be an app or a small plate. pic.twitter.com/OLw8QtncnN  Andrew Donovan (@AndrewDonovan) July 17, 2020

Harveys in Saratoga Springs, New York, created a $1 menu offering called Cuomo Chips.

Heres your food Cuomo, owner Matthew Brian Bagley wrote on Facebook. Ill buy your first chip.

Heres your food Cuomo. Come on by. Ill buy your first chip. Posted by Matthew Brian Bagley on Thursday, July 16, 2020

Sickenberger Lane in Utica similarly said on Facebook it would be serving our house made potato chips all night long to be served with your alcohol or non alcohol beverage purchase.

The Lafayette Brewing Company in Buffalo created a $1 menu with options like the smallest piece of cheesecake in Buffalo or just a few grapes, not sure the color.

But chips or grapes likely dont count as food.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon suggested Thursday that Doritos might be food under the rule, but its not clear that he was being serious. For most bars or restaurants, food is defined as sandwiches, soups or other foods, whether fresh, processed, precooked or frozen. It suggests snacks do not qualify, but doesnt explicitly rule out items like chips, grapes, pretzels, peanuts and crackers.

For manufacturers like wineries, breweries, distilleries and hard cider makers with tasting rooms, food can also include items intended to compliment the tasting of alcoholic beverages, which shall mean a diversified selection of food that is ordinarily consumed without the use of tableware and can be conveniently consumed, including but not limited to: cheese, fruits, vegetables, chocolates, breads, mustards and crackers.

WIVB reports Hamburg Brewing tried to offer Dum Dums  lollipops  for a penny to satisfy the rule, but is now adding $0.01 crackers to all beer orders.

There are also ways for customers to minimize costs while following the new rule. If youre at a table with a group, one or more shareable food item(s) may be purchased, so long as it/they would sufficiently serve the number of people in the party. (This appears to mean customers dont need to keep ordering food as they order more alcohol.)

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Cuomos new booze rules: What bars can and cant do (and do chips count as food?)

CNY bar owners react to Cuomos new rules: It creates more gray areas

US can get coronavirus under control in 8 weeks if everyone wears masks, CDC director says

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has assured parents and guardians of final year Senior High school (SHS) students in the country that it will do everything humanly possible to protect all children against COVID-19.



The Greater Accra Regional Director of the GES, Mrs Monica Ankrah, gave the assurance on the sideline of a mass disinfection exercise in the Accra Girls Senior High School, in the national capital.



She said that the school authorities had also been charged with the task of ensuring that, the students together with the teaching and non-teaching staff members observed strictly the COVID-19 safety protocols.



The exercise, which was a collaboration between the Ministry of Education (MoE), and Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), was undertaken yesterday, and it lasted for about five hours.



According to the Greater Accra Regional GES Director, the lives of the students were a priority and encouraged parents to have confidence in the GES and school authorities to take very good care of their children.



She also assured the teaching and non-teaching staff members that the GES would continue to implement measures that would protect them from the virus.



While empathising with parents gripped with panic and fear, following reported cases of COVID-19 in some of the SHSs, she indicated that the best option was for the infected students to be isolated and treated.



In the wake of reported COVID-19 cases in some of the schools, the best thing to do which we [at GES] are doing is isolating and treating those infected by the virus, instead of sending them home where there is the high risk of exposing them to their families and others to the virus, she said.



Mrs Ankrah disclosed that many of the students who contracted the virus had recovered and had been discharged back to their various schools.



She reiterated that the GES would continue to extend support to the SHSs in the form of providing them with nose masks, alcohol-based hand sanitisers, liquid soaps among others.



Mrs Ankrah seized the opportunity to appeal to political parties to refrain from politicising the COVID-19 in the schools.



We should all be seen supporting the fight against the pandemic in the country, cautioning that we wont allow politics on the various campuses of the SHSs, she stated.



The Head of Vector Control Unit, ZGL, Reverend Ebenezer Kwame Addae, explained that the reason for the disinfection was to make the schools environment and its facilities safe for the students and the staff members.



He said that regular disinfection together with the strict practising of the COVID-19 preventive protocols was key in battling the virus.



He, therefore, advised corporate Ghana to engage in regular disinfection against the virus.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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(Alliance News) - Essentra PLC on Friday announced its UAE subsidiary Essentra FZE Co Ltd reached a public settlement with the US Department of Justice over an investigation into some unauthorised transactions made in 2018.

The transactions made by two Essentra FZE employees were not approved or known by senior management outside the UAE and had links to North Korea.

The Buckinghamshire, England based plastic and fibre supplier has agreed to pay a cash penalty of USD666,544.

Court filings described what US officials in Washington called "egregious" wrongdoing by the firm in exporting cigarette filters to North Korea through a network of front companies in China and other countries, using deceptive practices to move money through US banks, The Washington Post reported.

Both employees have exited the company.

Essentra Chief Executive Paul Forman said: "A very thorough and in depth investigation has been carried out to fully understand the root cause of the issues we have seen.

"We have made a very significant investment of both time and money, which has now equipped us with enhanced protection against any potential future issues of this nature."

Essentra shares were up 0.6% at 326.20 pence each on Friday morning in London.

By Greg Roxburgh; gregroxburgh@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the President of Belarus warmly greeted the Armenian PM and referred to the cooperation and solution of problems in the Eurasian Economic Union.

Frankly speaking, there are numerous problems in the EAEU linked with the fact that we have not implemented our agreements. We still have enough obstacles, there are obstacles on interstate borders. Even the business community has started to voice about that. It seems that there are no borders and the tensions on the borders are exaggerated. You also see that. Therefore, there is much to be done. But I would like very much that the meeting of the Prime Ministers should foster the solution of those problems.

The Eurasian Intergovernmental Council was a clear step for deepening relations in the EAEU zone, at least, I would like it to be so. There was a serious exchange of opinions. As far as I was informed, you were the driving force of that meeting, the President of Belarus said.

According to him, Belarus and Armenia have almost the same problems in the EAEU. Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that Armenia and Belarus do not have vast natural resources, which makes the situation more complicated for them.

Thanking for the warm reception, PM Pashinyan mentioned, I am very glad to see you. We had not met for a long period due to coronavirus. I hope our works will return to the normal state of affairs and we will meet regularly.

During todays session we listened to the report on the elimination of obstacles. And I can say that we have quite good results. I can bring the example of Armenia. We had to eliminate two obstacles and we have already done that. One of the decisions has already entered into force, the other has been adopted but will enter in to force a bit later.

Russia also has eliminated two obstacles, and so our other partners. Today we listened to a report on 10 obstacles 8 of which have already been eliminated, PM Pashinyan said,a dding that other important issues were also discussed.

It was an effective meeting. Yes, it lasted longer, but I think that it was worth working on projects, since concrete issues were solved. Those issues concern all of us. I know that there are issues that are particularly important for Belarus, and there are issues that are particularly important for Armenia. I think if we manage to preserve the political will at this level, all the issues will be solved. We just have to work for it, Pashinyan said.

During the meeting the interlocutors also discussed a number of issues about the relations between Armenia and Belarus, exchanged views on the possibilities of overcoming the coronavirus pandemic.

PM Pashinyan also referred to the escalation of situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and presented details to his Belarusian colleague.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Washington, D.C.  White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says science should not stand in the way of schools fully reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.

NBC reports McEnany was asked during a press briefing Thursday about President Donald Trumps push for schools to reopen classrooms this fall despite Covid-19 cases rising in more than 30 states. Many school districts have proposed online-only learning or a hybrid of in-person and home education.

The president has said unmistakably that he wants schools to open, McEnany responded. When he says open, he means open in full, kids being able to attend each and every day in their school. The science should not stand in the way of this.

The science is on our side here and we encourage for localities and states to just simply follow the science, open our schools.

WH Press Sec. McEnany says that the science should not stand in the way of reopening schools, and asserts that the science is on our side here. pic.twitter.com/gxzs6EAlvo  NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) July 16, 2020

Backlash ensued on social media, as McEnany and science became trending topics on Twitter. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot even called the White House press secretary Karen.

McEnany, who replaced Stephanie Grisham as White House press secretary in April, said the controversy was an example of media bias and claimed her words had been twisted.

I said: The science is very clear on this ... the science is on our side here. We encourage our localities & states to just simply follow the science. Open our schools, she tweeted. But leave it to the media to deceptively suggest I was making the opposite point!

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was expected to release new guidelines for reopening schools this week, but the CDC told CNN that theyre not ready to come out this week.

The CDCs initial recommendations included keeping desks six feet apart, requiring masks and closing communal areas, such as cafeterias and playgrounds, but Trump complained they were expensive and asking schools to do very impractical things. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has also opposed a mixed model of virtual and in-person learning as not a valid choice for families.

While were giving guidance from the CDC about the best way to safely reopen schools, weve made it very clear we dont want federal guidance to be a barrier to reopening schools, Vice President Mike Pence told Fox News on Thursday. And so were going to be working very closely with local school officials, as well as governors around America, to make sure they have not only the guidance but the resources to get our kids back.

But concerns are still high as the U.S. has confirmed 3.6 million cases of Covid-19 and more than 138,000 deaths nationwide. Some teachers worried about schools reopening have said theyve begun preparing their last will and testament.

Portland Public Schools, Oregons largest school district, has already announced plans to provide at least some learning online, limiting the number of days students would be in the classroom.
A Ryanair flight that received a bomb threat midair was evacuated after landing safely in Oslo on Friday, Norwegian authorities said.

Police in Norway sent "a large force" to the main airport outside of the capital on Friday. They were assisted by special forces in evacuating the passengers from the plane, police said in a tweet. Passengers were transported away from the runway in buses, they said.
The Police administration says Interpols Red Alert issued for the arrest of Samuel Adam Foster, also known as Adam Mahama and three others was upon the request of the Office of the Special Prosecutor regarding the Airbus bribery scandal.

This comes to clarify earlier reports that suggest that Interpol had issued an arrest warrant for the said individuals.

Adam Mahama is being charged with accepting a bribe to influence a public officer and acting in collaboration with a public officer for the public officer's private profit.

Following an arrest warrant approved by a Circuit Court in Accra, the Interpol subsequently placed a Red Alert for the capture and possible extradition of Mr. Adam Mahama and three other suspects following the role they allegedly played in the Airbus bribery scandal.

If arrested and prosecuted, Mr. Mahama could be facing a jail term of about 25 years.

According to the police, its Criminal Investigation Department (CID) facilitated the request for the Office of the Special Prosecutor with the Interpol General Secretariat to get other security agencies to help arrest the four persons described as fugitives.

In a statement, the police said the Red Alert on the said persons including one Philip Sean Middlemiss, Leanne Sarah Davis, and Sarah Furneaux is in connection with the Airbus scandal being investigated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

Read the police statement below:

Following a request by the Office of the Special Prosecutor through the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to the Interpol General Secretariat, the latter has issued a Red Notice in respect of following individuals.

The individuals are:

Samuel Main Foster alias Adam Mahama Philip Sean Middlemiss Leanne Sarah Davis Sarah Furneaux.

The above-mentioned individuals have been published on the INTERPOL Red Notice in connection with the Airbus scandal being handled by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

Background

Adam Mahama is being charged with accepting a bribe to influence a public officer and acting in collaboration with a public officer for the public officer's private profit in Ghana.

He faces up to 25 years in prison if he is duly arrested and found guilty.

A notice of request for the arrest of Mahama sighted by Citi News noted that extradition will be sought upon the arrest of the person, in conformity with national laws and/or the applicable bilateral and multilateral treaties.

On January 31, Ghana was cited as one of five countries in which global aerospace group, Airbus SE, allegedly bribed or promised payments to senior officials in exchange for business favours between 2009 and 2015, according to the UK's Serious Fraud Office.

This led to a record 3 billion in settlement by Airbus with France, the United Kingdom and the United States to avoid corporate criminal charges.

President Akufo-Addo later referred the Airbus bribery scandal to the Office of the Special Prosecutor for investigations.

Meanwhile, some members of the opposition have described as bogus the said red alert issued for the arrest of the four persons including Adam Mahama who is a brother of former President John Mahama.

---citinewsroom
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small has almost $4 million at her disposal in her bid to keep her 2nd Congressional District seat.

That gives the first-term Democrat about a 10-to-1 advantage over her Republican rival, former state Rep. Yvette Herrell, at the start of the general election campaign.

Herrell reported having about $380,000 cash on hand at the end of the second quarter, according to her Federal Election Commission report.

Wednesday was the deadline for filing campaign finance reports with the FEC for the period ending June 30.

Torres Small raised almost $800,000 during the quarter. The contributions include $160,000 in political action committee money. Shes raised $4.6 million so far in her election bid.

I am proud to do this work, and proud that New Mexicans see the work that I am doing and want to send me back to Congress, she told the Journal. Its an honor to serve my home, and Im working hard to continue that work.

According to OpenSecrets.org, about 65% of Torres Smalls donations have come from out of state. But she has also received more in-state contributions than any other candidate in New Mexicos congressional races, except Democratic Senate nominee Ben Ray Lujan.

Herrell raised almost $400,000 during the quarter, bringing her total overall to about $1.3 million. She received about $66,000 in PAC funds. More than 37% of her campaign contributions have come from out of state, according to OpenSecrets.org.

We are humbled by the outpouring of support for Yvette since her decisive victory in the Republican primary, Herrell campaign manager Michael Horanburg said in a statement. Thanks to the hundreds of hardworking New Mexicans who donated, Yvette is in a strong position heading into the general election.

Herrells campaign said she has been raising an average of $12,000 a day since she won the nomination following a bitter contest with Roswell oil and gas executive Claire Chase.

Outside groups have already poured more than $3 million into the campaign, and more is expected to flow in from Republican- and Democratic-affiliated groups.

The Congressional Leadership Fund has booked $1.1 million in advertisements against Torres Small for the general election. Thats in addition to the almost $220,000 the American Action Network spent in advertisements against her that ran late last year. Both are affiliated with the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee.

And television advertising has already started for the general election. The Torres Small campaign launched its first ad campaign this week in the Albuquerque and El Paso markets.
A decade ago, when someone else was president of the United States, when there was no covid-19, when George Floyd was alive, the writer Rebecca Solnit gave an interview to The Believer magazine. It was not a presidential election year. We tend to think of politics as a tiny fenced-off arena of unpleasantness, which most Americans avoidexcept for the horse race of a primary season or fun moral questions often centered in irrelevant individual crimes and acts, she said. But politics is pervasive. Everything is political and the choice to be apolitical is usually just an endorsement of the status quo and the unexamined life.

When we look around now, its impossible not to see politics everywhere. Campaign politics swerve into public health politics; racial politics underlie everything. Journalists have sometimes pictured themselves standing outside of it all, pencils up, observing the news as it flashes by. But coverage is political, tooand to say otherwise is a failure to appreciate the nature of the work. That has always been so. But now more than evergiven the confluence of events in the spring of 2020it is a reality that is impossible to deny.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Betsy Morais is the managing editor of CJR.
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: A portion of access path leading to a bridge across the river Gandak towards a 1.6 km long bridge caved-in at Bihars Gopalganj district on Wednesday evening, snapping road connectivity between Saran and East Champaran.

According to Nand Kishore Yadav, minister of Bihar governments road construction department, the Sattarghat based main bridge that was inaugurated by CM Nitish Kumar on June 16, is safe but a portion of access-path of a nearby small bridge located about 2 km away towards Gopalganj, had caved in.

Both the main 1.6 km long Sattarghat Bridge and the small bridge of 18 meter length are safe without any damages to them. Traffic would be restored soon, he added.

The minister accused Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav of spreading false news of a bridge damaged just for political gains.

Meanwhile, an official source said that the access-path was built in a hurry to show the works completed without using solid materials like boulders that provide strength to the metaled road.

Tejashwi and LJP chief Chirag Paswan both demanded an independent probe into the incident.

Corruption rules the roost in the Nitish Kumar governments every departments. The company engaged in the construction of the road and the bridge must be blacklisted, Tejashwi said.

Similarly, Paswan also demanded a high-level investigation into the cave-in. Later, BJP spokesperson Dr Nikhil Anand released a video showing the main bridge standing at its location.

The approach road of main bridge. The Opposition should not make such blunder and mislead the media as well people for political gains, he said in response to the allegations.
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The local lockdown will be lifted in parts of Leicestershire as soon as this weekend following a review by public health experts, the Government has said.

Areas outside of Leicester City and the borough of Oadby and Wigston will align with national lockdown rules in England from Saturday.

From July 18 non-essential shops, bars, restaurants and hairdressers not in the continuing protected zone will be permitted to open.

Schools and childcare settings outside the protected area will also be able to open from the same date, in line with national restrictions.

The emergency lockdown in Leicestershire is set to be lifted from July 18 to allow non-essential shops, bars, restaurants and hairdressers to re-open. The city of Leicester and the borough of Oadby and Wigston will remain closed off though

Thanking the people of Leicester for following public health advice, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: 'I know the past two weeks have been difficult for those living in and around Leicester, especially those who have been shielding for so many weeks.

'While we are not yet in a position to lift all the restrictions in place, we are now able to take cautious steps to allow areas outside of Leicester City and the borough of Oadby and Wigston to fall in step with national guidelines and introduce some relaxations within the City of Leicester and the borough of Oadby and Wigston.

'I realise that this will be frustrating for those areas that remain under additional restrictions and I am determined to be straight with you all, we will ease restrictions as soon as the data shows that it is safe to do so.'

However, non-essential shops and schools in Leicester City and the borough of Oadby and Wigston will only be allowed to re-open from July 24 as there is a higher prevalence of coronavirus in these two areas.

Bars, restaurants and hairdressers in these areas must remain closed and are set to be reviewed on August 1.

Non-essential shops and schools in Leicester City and the borough of Oadby and Wigston will only be allowed to re-open from July 24 as there is a higher prevalence of coronavirus in these two areas

The Government said shielding advice remains in place for the entire area of Leicester, including where restrictions have been eased.

It said the changes to measures follow a fall in the seven-day infection rate and the percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19, but warned they remained above the national average.

According to data published on Friday, Leicester's rate of new coronavirus cases per 100,000 population dropped from 126.1 in the seven days to July 7 to 92.9 in the seven days to July 14.

It was 132.3 in the seven days to June 30.

People were reminded to continue to socially distance, regularly wash their hands and self-isolate and get a test if they develop coronavirus symptoms.

Leicester's mayor has slammed Matt Hancock for taking a 'sledgehammer approach' to the city's lockdown and accused the government of 'party political' aims after restrictions were focused on areas run by Labour and the Lib Dems.

The Mayor of Leicester Sir Peter Soulsby reacts as he remotely watches this evening's announcement by Health Secretary Matt Hancock

The Health Secretary announced last night that only schools and nurseries will be allowed to reopen from next Friday, July 24, with the rest of the city still facing a raft of limitations on their freedom.

Under the plans, councils would be given local powers to shut non-essential shops where necessary, pubs and restaurants will remain closed, and restrictions on non-essential travel and only having social gatherings of up to six people will remain in force, pending another review in a fortnight.

In an urgent statement to the House of Commons, Mr Hancock said the coronavirus infection rate in the city is still too high for lockdown to be lifted.

Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby was critical of the decision to keep restrictions in force across the Labour-run city of Leicester and Liberal Democrat-controlled Oadby and Wigson.

He said: 'They have chosen to focus on the city geographical area - effectively the area of the county that votes Labour, and that's just scandalous.

A map outlining the new boundaries of the local lockdown in Leicester, which Matt Hancock announced will come into effect on July 24

WHAT CAUSED A SPIKE IN CASES IN LEICESTER? Government officials, local politicians and scientists were initially divided over whether Leicester was experiencing a real surge in cases or whether better testing was simply finding more of them where it wasn't before. It is also not clear whether there are any characteristics of Leicester which make it more likely to see a surge in cases, or if random chance has meant the first 'second wave' is happening there. Experts say many of the risk factors in Leicester are the same in all major cities in England. The mayor of the city, Sir Peter Soulsby, said on BBC Radio 4 that a report sent to him by the Government 'actually acknowledges that it's very likely that the increase in number of positives identified is a result of increased testing, and that actually there's perhaps nothing of any great significance in those results.' Director of Public Health for the city, Ivan Browne, said: 'Interestingly it [the surge in cases] is very much around the younger, working age population and predominantly towards the east part of our city. We started to see this level through our testing programme. 'Young people work in many industries across the city so at this stage what we're trying to do is gather as much epidemiological information as we can to really try and get underneath and have an understanding. I don't think at the moment that we are seeing a single source or a single smoking gun on this'. It was always likely that surges in cases would be seen in cities first. There are more people, raising the risk, and those people are more likely to live in densely populated areas and come into contact with strangers on a regular basis. Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, from the University of Cambridge, said: 'There will be differences in the ease with which people can maintain physical distance between densely populated areas and rural environments  so it isn't surprising to me that we may see localised flare-ups, which in turn may need suppressing through delayed easing or temporary re-introduction of some constraints on some movements and activities.' Leicester also has high levels of deprivation, which affects people's lives in ways that put them at risk of catching the virus. Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, told MailOnline: 'In deprived areas people are more likely to have to go to work, less likely to be able to work from home, and more likely to use public transport. They can't distance themselves from others.' The Samworth Brothers sandwich factory in the city reported over the weekend that it had diagnosed cases of Covid-19 among its staff. Food processing factories are a higher transmission risk because cold environments allow the virus to survive for longer on hard surfaces and make people's airways more susceptible to infection. Dr Clarke added that the types of work people do may increase their risk. 'Blue collar cities are now at higher risk than places like London and Manchester which have more financial services,' he added. Advertisement

'If they were going to alter the boundary, they should have gone down to the area that they now know where the virus is.

'They have left two areas in there - one that has a Liberal Democrat council, the other that has a Labour mayor.

'The fact is they have focused in a way that is clearly party political and that's not a way to deal with the virus.

'That's not a way to deal with the people who will be very angry and very frustrated that they are being punished for the way in which they voted.'

He went on: 'I am determined of course to continue to focus on what the data now does tell us - to continue to focus on the neighbourhoods, the streets, the households, where we now know there is the virus.

'They are prepared not just to penalise this city, but also to penalise its economy.

'Because right at the start of this, there were promises from the Secretary of State that there would be a financial package - compensation scheme - for our businesses that are being held back.

'Now two weeks on, he's still not delivering on that promise.

'That obviously is a matter of great concern to me and those who care about the future wellbeing of this city.'

In the rest of England all non-essential shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes have been allowed to open since July 4, but this will now not happen in the Midlands city until the end of this month at the earliest.

Sir Peter added: 'I am not surprised by this decision but remain extremely frustrated that a sledgehammer approach is being taken to deal with an issue in a very small part of the city.

'Now that we finally have the very detailed data we have been calling for over the past few months, we can take targeted local action to get the virus under control, without the need for the force of law or a full city lockdown.

'We have already showed the Government what can be achieved when they work with local councils on the ground, by helping them to set up the biggest testing operation in the country which is now responsible for more than 10% of all testing in England.

'If the Government allowed us to focus on the 10% of the city where infection rates are higher, we are more than capable of doing what is needed.'

Mr Hancock said the Covid-19 infection rate in Leicester has dropped to 119 cases per 100,000 people.

It was 135 per 100,000 when the lockdown was introduced on June 30, which was three times higher than the next worst-hit city.

The Health Secretary said he 'paid tribute' to the 'fortitude' of people living in Leicester and said it was their co-operation that would help stamp out the virus.

Mr Hancock said: 'The latest data shows that the seven-day infection rate in Leicester is now 119 cases per 100,000 people and the percentage of people testing positive is now at 4.8 per cent.

'These are positive indicators, especially in light of the huge increase in testing.'

He compared the figures to when the lockdown was imposed and the seven-day infection rate was 135 and 10 per cent of tests were positive.

He added: 'I committed to reviewing the measures in Leicester every two weeks.

'This morning I chaired a gold meeting of the local action committee to discuss the latest situation and this afternoon I held a further meeting with local leaders, Public Health England, the JBC, the local resilience forum and my clinical advisers.'

Mr Hancock added: 'Some say the local lockdown is unnecessary.

'I wish this were true but sadly it remains vital for the health of everyone in Leicester, and the rest of the country, that these restrictions stay in place. We will review them again in a fortnight.'

Meanwhile, the city's three Labour MPs all gave reactions to the announcement on social media.

Leicester West MP Liz Kendall tweeted: 'People across Leicester will be v disappointed that whilst non-essential retail can now open our hospitality sector can't & travel restrictions still apply. I'll continue to push for extra support for our businesses & public services & to get our infection rates even further down.'

Her counterpart in Leicester South, Jonathan Ashworth, added: 'Leicester stays in lockdown & we have no clarity of how we will be released.

'Our local health officials need more testing data & we must increase testing locally. And we need the public health advice why city stays lockdowned but neighbourhoods next to city can be released.'

Claudia Webbe, the MP for Leicester East, wrote on Twitter: 'Its disappointing many parts of Leicester will remain in #LeicesterLockdown.

'However, high rates of positive testing particularly in parts of the city with high levels of deprivation, poverty and inequality remains. In defeating the virus we cannot return to business as usual.'

Leicester must spend another two weeks in a tighter lockdown than the rest of England, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced today (Pictured: People walking through the city centre)

This was the area around Leicester that first went into lockdown last month when officials realised cases were dangerously high in the city. Restrictions may now apply to a smaller area - incorporating the city centre and Oadby and Wigston only

Speaking on Sky News this morning, Sir Peter criticised what he described as the Government's 'blanket political-led lockdown' of the whole of the city, and said he was angry and frustrated.

He said: 'Frankly we have not been involved in any of the decision-making about this.

'We have been told what the political decisions will be, and we will be told again what the political decision will be - whether or not we come out of it.'

Asked what his reaction would be if the Government announced a further two-week lockdown - which it now has, for the most part - the city's mayor said: 'I think if we are told that, there are going to be an awful lot of Leicester people who are very angry indeed.

'It was quite clear that it was a political decision taken without the advice of Public Health England to take us into this lockdown in the first place. It'll be a political decision to let us out and the sooner that political decision is taken, the better.'

The mayor had said inner-city areas of Leicester with high levels of deprivation are the 'most significantly' affected by coronavirus and keeping the remaining 90 per cent of the city under lockdown is no longer justified.

Leicester became the first place in the country to have tight measures re-imposed on June 30 following a rise in coronavirus infections.

Officials realised that people were getting infected at alarming rates in certain parts of the city and the only option was to send the area back into lockdown.

Various factors have been blamed for Leicester suffering more than other areas, among them large numbers of people working in factories or cramped industrial jobs, increased testing, Asian families living in large households or language barriers meaning people don't follow Government guidelines.

When the spike began, however, experts said they always expected it to happen in a city and that a blue collar one like Leicester was a greater risk than somewhere like London or Manchester where more people do office jobs and worked from home.

Leicester, as a city with high levels of deprivation, is also densely populated meaning people come into contact with strangers more often.

Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, told MailOnline: 'In deprived areas people are more likely to have to go to work, less likely to be able to work from home, and more likely to use public transport. They can't distance themselves from others.'

Dr Clarke added that the types of work people do may increase their risk.

'Blue collar cities are now at higher risk than places like London and Manchester which have more financial services,' he added.
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Telematics devices can provide real-time data that measure driver behavior and help insurance companies understand their risk. Data like miles clocked, acceleration & deceleration, cornering speed, etc. is collected by the telematics system. The data is used by the insurance companies to determine the risk associated with a policyholders driving events.

Insurance companies provide telematics devices that connect with GPS and onboard electronics to record driving behavior. Different telematics systems use different devices to record driving data. The most common devices are the following:



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Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week?
WILTON  Close to 20 percent of Wilton Public School staff surveyed last week said they may not come back if school reopens completely in-person next month.

Superintendent of Schools Kevin Smith reported to the Board of Education that 112 of the 318 respondents to the survey sent to 600 staff members said they would not be back because of virus-related concerns for in-person instruction.

The survey did not collect individual reasons behind each response, though respondents as a group were prompted with general potential reasons that included health concerns of individuals or family members, and child care issues.

I guess the biggest question is, if that came anywhere near fruition, what do we do? Board of Education Chairwoman Deborah Low asked.

Were looking at a number of different options, said Maria Coleman, director of human resources and general administration who said not all of the survey results were collected as of Thursday nights meeting.

The district is considering certain paraprofessionals and substitutes employed in the district who already have their teaching certifications if a large number of those who did not return were among the certified teaching staff.

Currently, the state has not changed its requirements regarding certification, she said, in terms of who can teach classes, but theres a possibility that certified teachers may be able to direct staff in certain pedagogical tasks.

Weve been trying to think a little bit out of the box, she said.

Its definitely a concern.  If we had 30 percent of our staff not returning to work, that would be a significant concern in terms of being able to run our courses, Coleman said.

Smith said he and Coleman met with Wiltons union president and representatives from the Connecticut Education Association.

The concerns that some of our staff hold are not unique to our staff, he said, pointing out the fears are shared in other districts as well. New Canaan Superintendent of Schools Bryan Luizzi announced last week his district is looking to hire more substitute teachers to make sure they have enough people to teach students.

Smith said there was no drop-dead date when staff members need to notify the district about returning, but said he hoped the information would become available as reopening plans are solidified.

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Theres a lot of complexity to the questions and concerns around this, and so were going to try to the best extent possible to have as much in place over the next three weeks so we can have a clear understanding, Smith said.

Theres a lot to unpack here, he said.

Coleman said a previous survey showed that 78 staff members were specifically concerned about their own child care in the event they had to return to school.

Toward that end, the district has been investigating the possibility of having on-site child care available for staff.

We have lots and lots of staff members who have more generalized concerns.  Its just a conversation we have to have, Smith said.

Parent concerns

Like staff, Wilton parents are expressing different opinions of whether theyll feel comfortable sending their children back to school, despite a general edict from the state that hopes to urge everyone back.

Smith said that as of Thursday, 2,996 people had responded to a survey on what they would likely decide to do next month.

Within that, 65 percent of our families are choosing to have their children participate in full-time, in-person instruction, 12 percent suggested they would opt for the remote learning option, he said, while 22 percent said they were unsure.

Obviously, those numbers have serious implications for how were scheduling, how were structuring, Smith said, noting that later in the summer they would reach out to those 300-plus families that are choosing to opt out.

Smith said the families who have expressed interest in opting out so far represent children at all grade levels.

The board heard other details on the evolving school reopening plans from Smith, including early cost estimates for COVID-related needs, including the addition of seven new custodians.

There are significant financial considerations as we are making modifications, he said, noting he would soon begin providing some rough numbers.

The school building that causes me the most concern  is the high school, Smith said, and just thinking about the logistics of managing that  how we navigate all of their very complex schedules as well as the movement through the hallways as they transition.

Social distancing

Based on burgeoning information about the spread of the virus, Smith said the rule of thumb will be a 3-foot social distance barrier between students, since he said young children are apparently less prone to transmit or contract the virus at shorter distances.

Older children, however, could be more susceptible, so the administration  based on feedback from local health officials  is still considering the plans at Middlebrook and Wilton High School.

Glenn Hemmerle, BOE vice chairman, said one constituent suggested the high school meet alternating weeks between two different student cohorts, with each group using distance learning every other week.

It was a very thoughtful message and to some degree it does address your concerns about moving kids through the high school, he said.

There are benefits and drawbacks to each of the various models, Smith said.

He said he continues to examine the latest research, but noted the 3-foot buffer rule might need to be expanded at the high school.

Low said the scenarios raise hundreds of questions, but stressed their plans would center on health and safety.

We know that the plans will contain elements that not everyone will agree with, she said, but noted the district would follow the health data and the best scientific thinking at the time of the reopening.
Agra: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed P7 Heavy Drop System which is capable of para dropping military stores up to 7-ton weight class from IL 76 aircraft.

This system is fully indigenous and being manufactured by L&T who makes the platform system, parachutes manufactured by Ordnance Factory, DRDO said.

This system has been made under the Make in India programme.

"As part of mandatory requirement prior to accord Bulk Production Clearance (BPC), joint team of Indian Army, IAF and ADRDE conducted validation Trials at Agra today, on two systems, which were dropped from IL76 ac from an altitude of 600 mtrs at 280 kmph speed. The store landed safely with the help of cluster of five large size parachutes (750 sqm each)," according to a release by DRDO.

The system would be a force multiplier for armed forces, while enabling the rapid delivery of combat store in the far flung inaccessible areas.

"The system has been manufactured with 100 per cent indigenous ferrous/non ferrous materials. Engineering textiles for Parachutes have been developed with the latest combination of Fluorocarbon and Silicon treatment to provide water/oil repellency and improved abrasion resistance," read the release.
Asserting that only reformed multilateralism can meet the aspirations of humanity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the United Nations was originally born from the furies of the Second World War and the fury of the COVID-19 pandemic provides the context for its "rebirth and reform."

Addressing the high-level segment of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) session via a video link, Modi said the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the UN is an opportunity to assess its role and relevance in today's world.

Noting that a lot has changed since its formation, he said the UN now brings together 193 member countries and along with its membership, the expectations from the organisation have also grown.

At the same time, multilateralism is facing many challenges, he said in the address -- his first since India was overwhelmingly elected as a non-permanent member of the powerful Security Council last month.

"India firmly believes that the path to achieve sustainable peace and prosperity is through multilateralism...However, multilateralism needs to represent the reality of the contemporary world.

"Only reformed multilateralism with a reformed United Nations at its centre can meet the aspirations of humanity," Modi said.

The prime minister urged all nations, while celebrating 75 years of the UN, to pledge to reform the global multilateral system. He also called for enhancing the UN's relevance, its effectiveness, and to make it the basis of a new type of human-centric globalisation.

"The United Nations was originally born from the furies of the Second World War. Today, the fury of the pandemic provides the context for its rebirth and reform. Let us not lose this chance," he asserted.

Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, Modi said India has always prided itself as the first responder in the region - a friend in need.

"Be it earthquakes, cyclones or any other natural or man-made crisis, India has responded with speed and solidarity. In our joint fight against COVID, we have extended medical and other assistance to over 150 countries.

"We also helped create a SAARC COVID emergency fund in our neighbourhood," he said.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has severely tested the resilience of all nations. In India, we have tried to make the fight against the pandemic a people's movement, by combining the efforts of government and society," he said.
By Ayya Lmahamad

The Turkish National Assembly issued a statement today condemning Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan, local media reported.

"Armenia is on the wrong path. By keeping Azerbaijani lands, Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas under occupation for years, it is creating a serious obstacle to peace and stability in the South Caucasus. We call on the international community to respond to such behavior of Armenia, which ignores law and regulations. We reiterate our support for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the internationally recognized borders and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, the statement reads.

Moreover, the parliamenterians stressed that Armenia should implement the resolutions of the UN Security Council and OSCE, and leave the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavushoglu and Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar condemned Armenia's cross-border agression against and voiced support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

The cross-border fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan started on July 12 with Armenia's firing artillery at Azerbaijan's positions in the direction of Tovuz region.

The cross-border clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia started on July 12 noon after Armenian troops fired artillery at Azerbaijani military post in Tovuz region. Three Azerbaijani servicemen died while thwarting the Armenian attack.

Azerbaijani armed forces retaliated destroying a stronghold, bombshells, vehicles and servicemen on the territory of the Armenias military unit by using artillery, mortars and tanks during the night leading to July 13. Another Azerbaijani soldier lost his life during the battle.

The battles continued on the night leading to July 14 during which five Azerbaijani servicemen, including a major general and a colonel, were killed.

Armenian forces have also been shelling civilians in villages in Tovuz. An Azerbaijani civilian in Tovuzs Aghdam village was killed as a result of artillery shelling by the Armenian armed forces on July 14.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Mumbai, July 17 : Joining a string of publications, Midday -- one of the oldest eveningers of Mumbai -- on Friday announced retrenchment of staff citing 'losses' in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a terse announcement, the management said: "Since March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has hit the world badly and most businesses have not been spared the ill effects. We have also faced the similar situation of severe economic losses due to the lockdown since March 25, 2020." Signed by an authorised signatory, the Head of Human Resources, the statement added that there was a drastic fall in the production of the newspaper as readers as well as advertisements have reduced significantly since the lockdown.

"The readers are not keen on ordering newspaper due to the fear of coronavirus. There is also a shortage of distributors and people supplying newspapers at the readers' door," said the notice issued by the management of the 41-year old tabloid.

Consequently, it said the company had no resources for releasing monthly wages and hence had taken the 'unpleasant' decision to effect retrenchment as per the law.

Attaching the list of employees whose services would be terminated, the company said that it has also informed the Deputy Labour Commissioner, Thane, of its decision.

Besides Midday, which was launched in 1979, its owners the Jagran Prakashan Ltd -- a listed company -- also runs the venerable Urdu daily, Inquilab (1938), Gujarati Midday (1995) and other prominent media brands.
An artists impression of the 48m plans at UCD to expand the campus at the college

Plans by University College Dublin for a major expansion of its Belfield campus, including a 48m landmark building at its main entrance on the N11, are on hold after a local objected.

An appeal has been lodged against Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council's granting of planning permission for the first phase of UCD's Future Campus project.

If approved, the 180m development will provide 2.25 hectares of new state-of-the-art, teaching, learning and research facilities.

The planning application by UCD under appeal only seeks approval for landscaping, the demolition of several small buildings and the construction of a new arrival plaza as well as a reconfiguration of the internal road network on the campus.

But the appeal to An Bord Pleanala will effectively put the entire project on hold for at least four months.

The others, for which planning permission has also been granted, relate to an iconic new UCD Centre for Creativity as well as another large building - the Centre for Future Learning.

Inspiration

The design features angled 49m-tall hexagonal towers and was inspired by the Giant's Causeway in Co Antrim.

But the appellant, Daniel Brennan, claims UCD's plan for the campus should be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment. Describing the UCD Centre for Creativity as "a form of modern folly", Mr Brennan claimed the upper floors of the leaning towers appeared to have "minimal practical use".

"This totally unnecessary tilt greatly adds to cost and to the environmental impact through much greater use of steel and concrete, releasing much more carbon into the atmosphere than vertical towers or no towers," said Mr Brennan.

He also criticised plans to cut down 177 trees and the threat to four species of bat.

A student society has also expresssed concerns about the university's proposal to consolidate its architecture, planning and civil engineering departments from eight buildings into two buildings. A decision on the appeal is due by November 11.
ST-APOLLINAIRE, QUE.Quebec provincial police deployed in large numbers southwest of Quebec City Friday, the ninth day of the manhunt for the father of two young girls found dead last weekend.

Sgt. Helene Nepton said authorities are searching the St-Apollinaire area on foot with the help of dog handlers, ATVs and Wildlife Department officers in the search for Martin Carpentier.

Cabin and outbuilding owners are being asked to call 911 to facilitate police searches.

The goal of this deployment is to search for new hints and secure properties, the force said in a Twitter message.

The 44-year-old suspects two daughters, Norah and Romy Carpentier, aged 11 and six, were found dead Saturday following an Amber Alert.

Nepton said the search has intensified since police reported Thursday Carpentier had allegedly stolen items from a trailer within the search perimeter.

Police believe Carpentier may be desperate and try to enter barns, trailers and cabins looking for materials to help him survive.

Owners are asked to have a police escort to search their buildings, but Nepton said theres no indication Carpentier is violent or poses a danger to the public.

Nine days into the search, she said theres also a chance he is unconscious or dead.

Investigators have said the girls and their father were believed to have been in a serious car crash on Highway 20 in the Quebec City suburb of St-Apollinaire July 8, but there was nobody inside the vehicle when they arrived on scene.

RELATED STORIES Canada Police suggest missing Quebec father may be alive and seeking shelter

An Amber Alert was issued July 9 but cancelled two days later after the bodies were found.

Autopsies were performed on the two girls, but police said they wont reveal the cause of death until Carpentier is found.

Their funeral is scheduled for Monday in Levis, south of Quebec City.

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By Aisha Jabbarova

A serviceman of the Azerbaijani army Nazim Ismayilov has been killed during the combat operations in the direction of Tovuz region on the border with Armenia, the ministrys press service reported on July 16.

The fighting in Tovuz resumed at 05.45 on July 16.

Azerbaijan army units have destroyed about 20 Armenian troops, 1 armored vehicle, 1 radio-electronic combat vehicle, posts and an outpost, the ministry said.

Azerbaijani units are taking retaliatory measures to prevent Armenian troops military activities.

The cross-border fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan started on July 12 with Armenia's firing artillery at Azerbaijan's positions in the direction of Tovuz region on the border.
New York, July 17 : US President Donald Trump is now avoiding taking a stand on the India-China conflict in contrast to his earlier critical remarks about Beijing or that of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

In a terse and enigmatic remark about possible US action with other allies or sending a message to Beijing over its aggressive action in Ladakh, he said: "I love the people of India, and I love the people of China, and I want to do everything possible to keep the peace for the people." That was the sum total of his comment on Thursday on the issue, as quoted by his spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany, who said that she had taken a reporter's question about the issue to Trump.

She ended her response by saying, "Thank You" after conveying the quote as if to forestall further discussion.

As he often does on various issues, Trump appears to be vacillating on China's confrontation with India and at variance with others in his administration.

Trump's tepid response on the India-China standoff was in contrast to his recent strident comments about China's role in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, undermining human rights in Hong Kong, intellectual property theft and trade manipulation and his signing order stripping the Chinese territory's special trade status.

It also appeared to backslide from a remark McEnany attributed to him earlier this month that Beijing's confrontation with India showed its true nature.

She said on July 1: "Trump had said that China's aggressive position along the India-China border is part of the broader pattern of Chinese aggression in other parts of the world. And these actions only confirm the true nature of the Communist Party of China (CPC)." Before that on June 21, he had given a non-committal answer to a question about the clash along the Line of Actual Control in which troops from both sides were killed: "It's a very tough situation. We're talking to India. We're talking to China. They've got a big problem there.

"We'll try and help them out." In May as tensions were building up, Trump tweeted that he had offered to mediate the dispute between India and China, which both countries rejected.

Pompeo was forthright on Wednesday about China's aggressive behaviour with India and other Asian countries.

"I think that the whole world is coalescing around the challenge that we face (from China) I am confident that democracies, the free nations of the world, will push back on these," he said while replying to a question at a news conference about the Ladakh region situation.

Pompeo, who is on a mission to isolate China and forge a united front of Asian and European allies, week earlier had called China's recent actions against India "incredibly aggressive" and said: "The Indians have done their best to respond." (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Life and death

For Egypt, the matter of the Nile is a matter of life and death, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said in an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor in September 2019, adding, I dont think anybody would agree that Ethiopian development should come at the expense of the lives of Egyptians.

Those are the stakes, as Egypt, sees it, if Ethiopia ignores Cairos appeals to hold off on filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) before an agreement is reached on how the Niles waters should be shared among Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

After the collapse of the latest round of talks, brokered by South Africa and mediated by the African Union, the diplomatic thread is running out, and while armed conflict seems a remote possibility, it cant be dismissed, either.

After the collapse of the talks, Shoukry said, Any serious harm caused by the Renaissance Dam to the water security of Egypt and Egyptians is a red line, and Egypt and its apparatuses cannot stand idly by without responding to the damage caused.

While Egypt dealt with dispute by the book  working with and through the United States, the World Bank, the African Union and the UN Security Council  in Ethiopia, the dam has become a point of nationalist pride, making it difficult for Nobel Peace Prize-winner Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to compromise, especially as he faces unrest at home (more below).

The stakes

The Blue Nile, which joins with the White Nile to form the Nile in Sudan, originates in Ethiopia. The GERD has been under construction since 2011 and is nearing completion. The dam would be the largest hydroelectric power generator in the region. The GERD would not only satisfy the energy needs of Ethiopias 110 million people, it would allow Ethiopia to export power throughout the region, another boost for its economy. The dam has cost nearly $5 billion so far and many Ethiopians pitched in by buying bonds to support its development.

Egypt, more than 2,000 miles upriver, is 90% desert and the Nile is the countrys only source of water; indeed, 95% of Egypts estimated 100 million citizens live in cities and towns along the river. Yet the Niles water barely meets Egypts needs. Reduction of those waters could be a massive hardship for its people and economy.

Egypt has suggested Ethiopia only fill the dam over 10 years, to give time to work out the technical problems of Nile water management.

Ethiopia, in contrast, says Egypt is overstating the impact of the dam, and that seasonal and climate variations make technical commitments now impractical. Addis Ababa says that another decade to work out these matters is therefore far-fetched, and that the process of filling the dam should begin now and proceed over the next five to seven years.

Sudan, the third party to the talks on the dam, has tilted toward Egypt in being supportive of mediation to resolve the issue peacefully. But Khartoum also stands to gain from the dam. Episodic flooding, which has disrupted Sudanese agriculture, is likely to be curtailed by the GERD. And Sudan will likely be a beneficiary of the cheaper and more plentiful energy option offered by the GERD.

Ethiopia cant blame political unrest on the weather

Less than 48 hours after the African Union talks broke down, Ethiopian Water and Energy Minister Seleshi Bekele said on state television that Ethiopia had begun filling the dam. The TV announcement included a video showing that the dam's reservoir had begun filling up.

After expressions of alarm from Cairo and Khartoum, the Ethiopian Water and Energy Ministry backtracked, saying the rise in dam water was the result of heavy rainfall and runoff.

The Ethiopian government, whether it had deliberately started filling the dam or not, experienced some diplomatic loss of face by the garble, as Ayah Aman reports. But the confusion reflected a capital facing massive political unrest.

The Nile dam is one among many crises Ahmed is facing, constraining his options and at a minimum causing a massive distraction for diplomacy. The prime minister, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Price for ending a 20-year conflict with Eritrea (more below), is under siege at home. Those who placed hope in Ahmeds initial peacemaking, bold reforms and ambitious economic development programs have since been disappointed. Ahmed has centralized power, shut down the internet, cracked down on independent media and violently suppressed political protesters in the capital and regions calling for more autonomy. The killing of Hachalu Hundessa, a popular musician who backed Ahmeds rise to the premiership but had become disenchanted with Ahmeds seeming autocratic turn, brought even more demonstrators into the streets. Hundessa, like Ahmed, hails from the Oromia region; the Oromo, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, have felt marginalized politically. More than 230 protesters have been killed and thousands arrested over the past week.

Regional fault lines: Eritrea, Somalia, UAE, Libya and Turkey

The dispute over the GERD has spilled over into regional fault lines in the Horn and North Africa.

Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hosted his Eritrean counterpart, Isaias Afwerki, in Cairo on July 6-7 for talks, which included a discussion of the dam.

Less than a week after Afwerkis visit, the Eritrean Ministry of Information released a statement that its peace deal with Ethiopia, the reason for Ahmeds Nobel prize, had so far been a disappointment for Eritrea, adding, Two years after the signing of the Peace Agreement, Ethiopian troops continue to be present in our sovereign territories.  Trade and economic ties of both countries have not resumed to the desired extent or scale.

Especially given its problems at home, Ahmed cant afford new trouble with Eritrea. Eritrea may not be looking for trouble, but Ahmeds troubles can allow Afwerki to position itself as a mediator, with an eye to perhaps pressing Eritrea's own concerns about the 2018 peace deal with Ethiopia.

Eritreas ambassador to Cairo, Fasil Gebreselasie, told Ayah Aman, who has the scoop on Afwerkis visit, that in his meeting with Sisi Afwerki offered whats within Eritreas ability to resolve the dispute over the GERD.

The dam has created regional pressures. Egypts relations with Somalia have worsened over the GERD. Turkey may also view the GERD dispute as an opportunity to challenge regional rival Egypt in Africa. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with the Ethiopian prime minister's special representative and former Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome Wirtu this week in Ankara, and they likely shared views about the dam.

Could Trump administration help close the deal on the GERD?

With the African Union is expected to call a meeting on the GERD next week, as Rasha Mahmoud reports, Egypt seems well positioned to hold the diplomatic high ground, at least for now. A return to the Security Council is also likely. And there is also an opening for the United States.

US President Donald Trump got involved in mediation of the GERD dispute at the request of Sisi in September 2019. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin worked out an agreement with the three parties and the World Bank in February, but when it came time to sign, Ethiopia never showed up.

No other country can match the United States with such well-established and close ties with both Egypt and Ethiopia. And the United States is already invested in the process. US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft said June 29 that finalizing an agreement on the GERD still is a priority of Trump and his Cabinet.

It deserves the administrations attention. The impact of an agreement on the GERD will be substantial for water usage and energy consumption not only for the three countries, but for Africa more broadly. And better to invest diplomacy in preventing a war, rather than ending one.
Actress Shraddha Kapoor recently crossed the milestone of 50 million followers on Instagram, and to thank her fans for all the love, she shared handwritten notes in Marathi, Hindi and English on Thursday.

Her note in English read: "To all my dearest sweetest, gems, babudis, fan clubs, and well wishers. I've been going through all the videos, edits, and posts that you have made with a much love and I'm so so so overwhelmed and humbled! I am here because of you all. I wish you all lots and lots of love right back along with happiness and peace. Please take the best care of yourselves, spread kindness and keep shining bright. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! 50 Million Times."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shraddha  (@shraddhakapoor) on Jul 15, 2020 at 8:11pm PDT

Shraddha's feed has everything from fashion to fun to behind-the-scenes slices from her film shoots, and more.

Being an environment activist as well, the actress often uses her social media platforms to urge her fans to do their bit for animals.

On the film front, she will next be seen in Luv Ranjan's upcoming directorial alongside Ranbir Kapoor.
In support of South Africa's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Standard Chartered has donated 25,000 N95 face masks to the Smile Foundation to help ensure the health and safety of frontline and healthcare workers. Worth around R4m, the masks will go to hospitals in the four provinces most impacted by Covid-19, namely the Western Cape, Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

L-R: Daniel Harrisberg, co-founder, CoronaCare; Marc Lubner, co-founder and executive chairperson, Smile Foundation; Kweku Bedu-Addo, CEO South Africa and Southern Africa, Standard Chartered; Hedley Lewis CEO, Smile Foundation

L-R: Marc Lubner, co-founder and executive chairperson, Smile Foundation; Kweku Bedu-Addo, CEO South Africa and Southern Africa, Standard Chartered

We recognise that communities in South Africa and around the world need all the support that can be garnered to fight this pandemic. We also acknowledge the impressive effort and sacrifice that healthcare professionals have put into the fight against the coronavirus so far and will continue to do into the future, says Kweku Bedu-Addo, CEO Standard Chartered South Africa and Southern Africa.Various organisations are facing challenges surrounding the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect healthcare workers who are on the forefront fighting the pandemic.Smile Foundation CEO Hedley Lewis says, We are honoured to partner with Standard Chartered Bank to protect and support the medical heroes and heroines on the frontline. With immense gratitude, we thank them on behalf of all of the doctors, nurses and medical personnel who are supporting South Africans while risking their own lives to overcome this pandemic. This collaboration is a true private/public partnership made possible because of the CoronaCare Cause, which is fundraising to support the vulnerable in our communities.
Looking for a polite way to tell someone to give you 6 feet of social distancing or to mask up? Maybe refer to Centro San Antonio's new, hyper-San Antonio messaging.

The organization, volunteers who promote downtown, tapped local artist Isabel Castro, to design signage reminding residents of social distancing etiquette to combat the coronavirus.

RELATED: San Antonio restaurant offering 'disinfecting portal' for guests to walk through before entering

Her work puts a pandemic spin on some of the city's most-beloved pop culture references, like "Bidi Bidi Back Up" or "Hey Baby, Que Paso? Where's Your Mask," a la Selena and the Texas Tornados, respectively.

Centro spokesman Matthew Sirgo said the graphics are a way to promote public health safety as well as the arts and culture during the pandemic, which has put a financial strain on the sector.

"We learned early on that it was important that her work speaks to the people in our community," Sirgo said. "While funding for the arts has taken a major hit, we know that the impact of art and arts programs are more than just economic."

He added that Castro told him "There's no culture if there are no artists to create and maintain it."

"The health posters and the humorous graphics were a way to work with a local artist to focus attention on the importance of keeping each other safe," Sirgo said.

The graphics are being shared throughout social media and are available for download here. Castro's work will also be featured on the Chamoy City Limits truck for upcoming downtown personal protective equipment and paleta distribution events. Centro San Antonio will be handing out "PPE" and the icy treats for the next two Fridays downtown from 2 to 6 p.m.

Madalyn Mendoza covers news and puro pop culture for MySA.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @maddyskye
By Phil Murphy and Catherine R. McCabe

As important conversations about racial, social, and economic justice unfold across the country, New Jersey is working to address another longstanding source of racism and inequality  the unjust imposition of pollutants on our Black and brown communities.

While federal and state environmental laws have been effective in reducing air, water and hazardous waste pollution for most New Jerseyans, the sad truth is that they fall short in protecting the health of the people who live in low-income, communities of color. Some particularly noxious facilities are concentrated in these communities, including incinerators, waste transfer stations, and other major sources of air pollution.

As a result, residents in our urban centers suffer from adverse health conditions at rates many times that of residents elsewhere. The facts on this are clear.

New Jerseys current environmental laws do not empower our Department of Environmental Protection to consider this cumulative burden when issuing permits for these facilities. While our laws require individual facilities to use pollution control technology to limit their emissions, those controls rarely, if ever, completely eliminate pollutants.

Existing federal environmental laws require states to have state implementation plans to ensure that our ambient air meets federal health-based air quality standards. However, those standards are measured and averaged over wide areas, hiding the existence of pockets of higher pollution that do not meet federal standards.

In short, our environmental laws fail to provide equal protection under the law.

The cumulative effect of pollution from too many polluting facilities concentrated in marginalized neighborhoods is an important part of the reason we see a significantly higher incidence of asthma and other respiratory illnesses among the residents of these overburdened communities. These are the same communities whose underlying health conditions (in part the result of environmental stresses) have made them disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

COVID-19 did not create the disparities in our state  it has simply laid them bare. As we see, more clearly than ever, the tragic health effects of the cumulative environmental and public health stressors that disproportionately affected vulnerable New Jersey communities, we are called to action.

Senator Troy Singleton and his colleagues in the New Jersey Senate, with the support of the administration, have taken necessary action by passing Senate bill S232, to begin to address the environmental injustice caused by these gaps in our laws. This bill, if enacted, would require consideration of the potential for disproportionate cumulative health impacts on the local community when certain types of new facilities, or expanded facilities, are proposed in an overburdened neighborhood. It would also give members of the community greater notice and opportunities to be heard.

Contrary to the portrayals by some advocates in defense of the status quo, this bill would not halt all economic development in urban areas in New Jersey. In truth, the scope of the bill is limited to only a few types of facilities, such as incinerators, waste transfer stations, scrap metal, sludge processing, and major air pollution sources.

While wealthier and more powerful communities in New Jersey have long used zoning laws and other means to protect their residential neighborhoods from these types of facilities, our low income, and communities of color have been powerless to prevent this concentration in the areas surrounding their homes. This is an injustice that has affected the lives and health of millions of people.

The legislation would not affect any facilities or development that are not specifically listed in the bill. It would not prevent the expansion of universities, hospitals or other facilities in our urban centers. Such disingenuous exaggerations are an effort to stop this long-overdue bill in its tracks.

We can no longer allow a system to continue that has essentially told residents who have lived with the cumulative impacts of past decades of development decisions, We cant hear you over the money. Studies have repeatedly shown that protection of the environment and public health does not detract from our economic prosperity; in fact, it is essential to that prosperity.

We all must recognize that environmental justice, like so many other types of justice, has long been denied. We must work together with a sense of urgency to build a better environmental future for all nine million New Jerseyans.

We look forward to working with Assemblyman John McKeon and his colleagues to pass this bill as it proceeds to New Jerseys General Assembly on Monday, July 20, 2020. As we continue to confront racial, social, and economic inequities throughout our country, we will be judged not by our intention to do justice, but by our actions.

After 40-plus years of implementing our environmental laws, and seeing clearly their shortcomings, New Jersey must seize this opportunity to deliver on the promise of environmental justice for all.

Gov. Phil Murphy has served as the governor of New Jersey since 2018.

Catherine R. McCabe is New Jerseys commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo expressed her concern over the recent clashes on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

I am deeply concerned over the fatal border clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia, a country that is dear to me and which currently is chairing the Summit. I wish an ease in tension and return to the ceasefire regime, the OIF Secretary General said on Twitter.

Since July 12th, Azerbaijan has launched a series of cross-border attacks against Armenias northern Tavush province.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
The Holy Rosary National School in Wicklow town has been refused an additional third class teacher by the Department of Education.

The school's initial application for a third teacher for third class was refused by the Department so they launched an appeal, which was also rejected. The school now has to contend with 33 pupils in each of the two third class rooms for the upcoming school year. The average number of children per Irish primary school classroom is 25, while the EU average stands at 20.

Social Democrat TD Jennifer Whitmore has expressed her disappointment at the Department's decision, which she feels will make social distancing difficult to implement due to the number of children in the two third class rooms.

She said: 'After parents of the school contacted me, I wrote to the Minister outlining the urgent need for an extra teacher to deal with the school's large class size. I made the point that the large the class size, the more difficult for teachers to work with students. Large classrooms make discussion and group work more difficult making it harder for children to learn.

'As you can understand, the parents of the 66 children impacted by this decision, along with the wider school community are very disappointed with this outcome. Transitioning into a new school year is difficult for children anyway without having to face an amalgamation of classes and changes as a result. Crucially, I expressed the concern that large class sizes will make it harder for the school to implement health and safety protocols in relation to Covid-19. The bigger the class, the more difficult it will be for the school to maintain a safe environment for the students.'

Deputy Whitmore is adamant that the best way to combat Covid-19 in schools is through reduced numbers of pupils in each class room.

'I am disappointed at this refusal by the Department of Education to grant extra teacher resources to address large classrooms in the County. What I can't understand about the Department's rationale is that at this time schools are in dire need of extra resources ahead of the new school year to address Covid-19. Funding is being secured to help implement health and safety protocols yet the most effective way to tackle Covid-19 in schools is to reduce class sizes. I will continue to make representations on behalf of Wicklow schools in an effort to highlight the growing concern of large classrooms.'
A key mystery about the gas comprising most of our atmosphere is closer to being solved following a discovery by University of California, Irvine biologists. Their findings are the first step in understanding the biological mechanism for breaking down nitrogen gas. Besides yielding groundbreaking knowledge, the information holds promise for developing environmentally friendly and cheaper ways to make products such as fertilizer and fuel. The team's research has just been published in the journal Science.

Activation of the nitrogen gas (N2), which composes 78% of the atmosphere, has long stymied scientists. "The strong triple-bond between the nitrogen atoms in N2 makes this compound difficult to break apart, and thus nearly inert." said Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Chancellor's Professor Markus Ribbe. "Researchers have worked for decades to fully understand how nature can activate the nitrogen gas and break it down for biological purposes."

However, the teams of Professors Yilin Hu and Markus Ribbe, from the department of moleculary biology and biochemistry, have discovered how the enzyme nitrogenase can bind to N2 as the initial step towards its activation. X-ray crystallographic analysis showed that the three sulfur sites at the "belt region" of the FeMo cofactor in the active site of the enzyme are labile during catalysis, with the cofactor in one subunit of the enzyme having one, and the other subunit of the enzyme having two, of the three belt sulfur atoms replaced by distinct nitrogen species during the binding and reduction of N2. These findings are entirely unexpected and shed light on the sparsely understood mechanism of N2 reduction, pointing to a key role of belt sulfur displacement in proper nitrogenase function.

"We are optimistic that with further research, we will be able to demonstrate how this entire mechanism works," said Professor Hu.

In addition to revealing important scientific insights, the discovery could ultimately transform manufacturing. Because this natural process is poorly understood, industries turn nitrogen gas into commercial products through other methods that take an environmental toll. For example, the most common procedure for breaking down N2 to produce ammonia fertilizer for agriculture, called the Haber-Bosch process, relies on very high heat and pressure.

Professor Ribbe said: "Once we understand how nature activates nitrogen gas under ambient conditions, it opens the way for developing manufacturing processes that use less energy and are also cheaper." In addition to fertilizer, the discovery could have implications for alternative fuel production. Professors Hu and Ribbe, who have focused much of their research on nitrogenase over the years, have already discovered that the enzyme can convert carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into hydrocarbons, which are major components in carbon fuels.

###

Collaborating closely with Professors Ribbe and Hu on the project were Wonchull Kang, Chi Chung Lee and Andrew Jasniewski from UCI. Funding for the study was provided by the U. S. Department of Energy - Basic Energy Sciences (BES) and the National Institutes of Health.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 222 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu.
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




Alaska Air Group, Inc. ALK announced plans of adding total 12 new destinations to meet the gradually increasing demand amid COVID-19. The carrier plans to add seven new routes from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to boost connectivity between Southern California and key markets around the country.

The new routes are in addition to the five new routes that link LAX to cities across the West. Alaska Air aims to fly to 35 non-stop destinations from Los Angeles this winter. The new routes are expected to generate significant traffic as well as boost the top line and drive growth.

The new routes will connect Alaska Airs passengers in Southern California to destinations in Florida, Hawaii, Montana and Oregon. The carrier is expected to start its service from Oct 1 for the Oregon markets. Service to the remaining destinations is anticipated to start between Nov 20 and Dec 18.

Alaska Air Group, Inc. Price

Alaska Air Group, Inc. Price

Alaska Air Group, Inc. price | Alaska Air Group, Inc. Quote

Also, Alaska Air is expected to commence its new service in November from its additional West Coast airports like Seattle-Fort, Portland-Fort and San Diego-Fort. Further, the carrier will fly 14 new routes between West Coast and Florida in the upcoming winter.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Alaska Air Group currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

A few better-ranked stocks in the Zacks Transportation sector are Canadian National Railway Company CNI, Wabtec Corporation WAB and Werner Enterprises WERN. All the stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Long-term earnings (three to five years) growth rate for Canadian National, Wabtec and Werner Enterprises is estimated at 6.9%, 30.8% and 2.9%, respectively.

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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.
Representative image

The CBI on Thursday carried out searches at 19 premises in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru after registering an FIR against two firms of Faridabad-based SRS Group of Companies and its directors for allegedly defrauding Canara Bank to the tune of Rs 135 crore, officials said.

Besides SRS Real infrastructure and SRS Real Estate Ltd which are into development of malls, commercial spaces etc, the agency has also booked the company's group chairman Anil Jindal and directors Rajesh Singla, Nanak Chand Tayal, Bishan Bansal, Vinod Jindal and Jitender Kumar, they said.

"It was alleged that the said borrower group of companies had availed term loans from the bank. It was further alleged that the borrower defrauded the bank and diverted the funds by not routing the proceeds of sale/booking of the flats through accounts maintained with the bank," CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said here.

The searches were conducted at the premises of the company and its directors in Delhi, Faridabad and Bengaluru, they said.

The agency acted on a complaint from Canara Bank which had done a forensic audit of the companies' accounts showing massive diversion of fund, with over Rs 89 crore of funds parked in the Republic of Congo.

"There were massive diversion of funds, and unkept promises, the company and promoters dragged into courts, besides investigation by Economic Offence wing, etc," the bank alleged in its complaint which is now part of the FIR.

"The group appears to have not only not paid the banks, but also a slew of operational and financial creditors, as well as many home buyers who have reportedly paid large sums to the developers which have been diverted by the promoters to various other ventures in India and abroad," it said.

The FIR said that the balance with scheduled banks in current account of SRS Real Infrastructure zoomed to Rs 95.23 crores by March 31, 2017, from mere Rs.5.64 crores the previous year.

"The net increase in the current account balance in the bank is Rs 89.51 crores, out of which Rs 89.50 crores is only due to amount received and held for specific project to be executed in the Republic of Congo (Central Africa). To this extent, there is a diversion of funds," it said.

Both the companies, booked by the CBI, are of SRS group of Companies with same promoters and thereafter common guarantors in both the accounts, the bank alleged.

Their accounts were classified as NPA on June 6, 2016.
Country

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The Philippines will allow foreign nationals with long-term visas to enter the country starting August, COVID-19 task force spokesperson Harry Roque said on Friday as the country continues to ease air travel restrictions.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases laid out the guidelines in Resolution No. 56. Conditions for inbound travel include securing a pre-arranged COVID-19 swab test and booking with an accredited quarantine facility where they will be housed while waiting for their test results, he said.

"They are likewise subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry, as returning overseas Filipinos will be given priority," Roque added in a statement.

In June, Roque said the IATF was considering several embassies' request to allow the entry of foreign employees working on flagship projects despite flight restrictions.

Also on Friday, the National Task Force against COVID-19 increased the number of inbound international passengers allowed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and Clark International Airport.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, NAIA can now accommodate an additional 3,000 inbound international passengers daily, while Mactan and Clark can accept 1,500 more.

CAAP said the new rule was issued "taking into consideration the respective airports' COVID-19 testing capacities, and subject to close and full coordination with airport authorities."

No commercial international flights had been allowed since mid-March when President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine. But the country gradually eased lockdowns starting June.

Earlier this month, the government also allowed Filipinos to exit the country for non-essential travel.
New Delhi: IT firm HCL Technologies on Friday announced that its Chairman Shiv Nadar has stepped down and named Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Nadar's daughter as the new Chairman.

Roshni will succeed him with immediate effect, the IT major said in a BSE filing, adding that Shiv Nadar would continue to be the Managing Director of the company.

The Board of Directors has appointed Ms. Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Non-Executive Director as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors and the Company w.e.f. July 17, 2020, in place of Mr. Shiv Nadar who expressed his desire to step down from the position of the Chairman. Mr. Shiv Nadar would continue to be the Managing Director of the Company with the designation as the Chief Strategy Officer of the Company, HCL said in a BSE filing.

The company on Friday posted 31.7 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 2,925 crore for the June 2020 quarter.

The IT major had registered a net profit of Rs 2,220 crore in the April-June 2019 quarter (as per US GAAP), HCL Technologies said in a regulatory filing.

Its revenue grew 8.6 per cent to Rs 17,841 crore in the quarter under review, from Rs 16,425 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. On a sequential basis, the topline was lower by 4 per cent from Rs 18,590 crore in the March quarter.

HCL said that the Board of Directors has declared an Interim Dividend of Rs 2 per equity share of Rs 2 each of the Company for the Financial Year 2020-21. The Record date of July 25, 2020 fixed for the payment of the aforesaid interim dividend has been confirmed by the Board of Directors. The Payment date of the said interim dividend shall be August 7, 2020.
A year after the Supreme Court struck down the Trump administrations attempt to add a citizenship question to the census form, the integrity of the 2020 census is once again under threat. And once again, the stakes are highest for communities of color. On Friday, Politico reported that President Donald Trump was planning to reup his push to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count. Such a move this late in the count would be unprecedented; it would also fundamentally alter apportionment and likely depress the response rates of immigrants who have not yet filled out their forms. This change would be consistent with the Trump administrations long and unsuccessful bid to add a citizenship question as well as with recent apparent attempts to politicize census operations more broadly.

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At the end of last month, the White House and the Commerce Department placed two new political appointees at the Census Bureau, renewing fears that the Trump administration was again seeking to interfere with the census, a sprawling operation whose results will shape the distribution of political power and federal funds for the next decade. One of the roles went to Adam Korzeniewski, a Marine Corps veteran who consulted for the unsuccessful congressional campaign of Joseph Saladino, a controversial YouTube prankster who once wore a swastika to a Trump rally and claimed in one of his videos that the Black community is very violent towards Trump and his supporters. The other position went to Nathaniel T. Cogley, a radio commentator and assistant professor at Tarleton State University in Texas, who will be the deputy director for policythe highest post a political appointee has held at the bureau for decades (besides the director, who is also a political appointee).

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Neither Cogleys nor Korzeniewskis job descriptions have been made publicthe roles did not even exist prior to the announcementand neither man has sustained experience with census operations. Adding political appointees in the middle of the count is virtually unprecedented, not to mention doing so right at the start of what is sure to be one of the most difficult in-person counting operations in the bureaus history. The American Statistical Association decried the news as creating the perceptionif not realityof improper political influence. The inspector general has asked the bureau to provide additional information about the positions, and Democratic lawmakers recently accused the Trump administration of failing to explain why political appointees are running what should be an ideologically neutral count of the people in our country.

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In addition to undermining the reputation of an agency that prides itself on nonpartisanship, political meddling poses a serious risk to the accuracy of the census. If the White House pressures the bureau to curtail efforts to reach nonresponsive households, as some career bureaucrats fear, it will be historically undercounted communitiespeople of color, the poor, the homelesswho will suffer most. This is especially so amid a pandemic that has already upended the bureaus door-knocking operation, which is designed to count people who do not respond on their own.

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As of mid-July, only 62.1 percent of households nationally had responded to the census. If the remainder are to be counted, Census Bureau employees will need to visit nonresponding households in person, a process that is starting now on a phased basis and will continue through the fall. This non-response follow-up is especially critical for counting historically undercounted groups, who tend to respond to the census on their own at lower rates than do the general population.

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Already, the response rate in some predominantly Black communities is far lower than the national average. In Jefferson County, Mississippi, home to a population that is more than 80 percent Black, the self-response rate is just 42.2 percent; in Hancock County, Georgia, which has a population that is nearly three-quarters Black, the self-response rate is a staggeringly low 24.8 percent. Even with a full door-knocking operation, the 2010 Census had a net undercount of Black citizens and residents by 2.1 percent and Latinos by 1.5 percent, missing the equivalent of two congressional districts. (The net undercount measures the share of people missed less the share of people counted multiple times or otherwise erroneously.) Before the pandemic hit, the 2020 census was already at risk of an even worse net undercount given low levels of trust in government and the Trump administrations botched attempt to add a citizenship question to the census form. If the Trump administration does decide to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count, that could skew the data even further.

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The new political appointees could further undermine the census if they propose cutting back on the door-knocking operation, such as by limiting the number of times door knockers can try to contact unresponsive households. (Currently, door knockers can make up to six attempts to visit a home.) While working in a previous role as a senior adviser in the Commerce Department, Cogley reportedly questioned some of the bureaus methodologies, including those used to reach historically hard-to-count communities. Any last-minute changes to census operations would be highly disruptive. Even before Cogleys appointment, it was not clear whether the bureau would be able to conduct door-knocking safely, although all field workers will be required to wear masks (a policy announced only last week) and the bureau will also distribute hand sanitizer and gloves. The recent surge in COVID-19 caseloads across the country makes their job even more difficult.

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The new appointees could also pressure the Census Bureau to cut costs by increasing the use of administrative records, rather than in-person visits, to count the population. Despite the concerns of some activists and experts, the Census Bureau was already planning to rely on such recordswhich include federal tax returns, Medicare enrollment information, and 2010 census datato fill in data for households they fail to reach in person. Using administrative records for this purpose was already risky, given that such records typically underrepresent communities of color. Relying more heavily on these records would be a mistake.

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Now is the time for the bureau to fortify its operations, not shortchange them. The bureau should make sure it has enough staff to count homeless people, for example, an effort that will not begin until late September, just a month before the census ends. The bureau should also continue to spend money on advertising and outreach, which has been the primary way of spreading awareness about the census, especially among undercounted populations who tend to be less familiar with the questionnaire.

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After the counting period is over, the Census Bureau typically reviews the data for accuracy, to try to ensure that no one is missed or counted more than once. The pandemic makes this stage more important than ever, given the risk of double-counting people who have moved during the counting periodcollege students living away from home, in particular, who tend to be disproportionately higher-income and white.

An accurate count benefits everybody, but it is especially important for Black citizens and residents and other racial minorities. Since the very first census, in 1790, Black people have never been counted equally: the text of the Constitution mandated that enslaved persons count as merely three-fifths of a free person. Even now, people of color continue to be omitted from census data. The current census could yield a particularly severe undercount in light of COVID-19, which has sickened racial minorities at disproportionately high rates and reduced opportunities for in-person outreach.

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As the nation grapples with the effects of systemic racism, the census may appear dry and technocratic compared to debates about police brutality or Confederate statues. But failing to fully count communities of color will have deep repercussions, depriving Black and Latino communities of their share of political representation and federal funding for the next 10 years.

Census data provides the basis for determining which states will gain and lose seats in the House of Representatives, and states rely on census data for redistricting and often to allocate seats in state legislatures. The federal government, meanwhile, uses census data to distribute more than $1 trillion per year in funding to programs that cover everything from education to roads to Medicare. Prince Georges County, Maryland, a majority Black county, estimates that an undercount would result in a loss of $18,250 per person over the course of a decade.

The census should be above politics, and its data above reproach. To ensure this remains the case, the bureau should make Cogleys and Korzeniewskis job descriptions public and disclose any operational changes it is seriously considering. Everyone has a right to be counted. Amid COVID-19 and a national reckoning over race, the stakes have rarely been higher.
Cross-border co-operation in the battle against coronavirus was top of the agenda for the Executive parties meeting the new Taoiseach yesterday.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood called the restoration of the Irish Government "an unmissable opportunity" to face the pandemic crisis, as well as push forward on infrastructure projects.

"More than ever, we need closer cooperation between north and south," he said. "The coordination of the coronavirus response to date has not been adequate and it needs to improve if we're to keep people and communities safe. A key part of that should be harmonising our approach to international travel.

"We've had useful discussions about that today. And we've had further discussions about the need for an all island recovery plan that invests in infrastructure projects and skills in those communities that have been left behind."

Mr Eastwood cited the promise of projects like the Narrow Water Bridge and expanding university provision in the North West.

"The scale of the challenge is stark but we have a chance to fundamentally reshape the lives of people in communities across Ireland.

"That's a critical objective of the partnership between the SDLP and Fianna Fail. With both parties now in government, we have an opportunity to deliver."

Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken said there was firm agreement on working to prevent a second wave of the pandemic.

"The thing we've discussed with the Taoiseach is the importance of doing what's best, to make sure we follow the right scientific advice," he said.

"Covid hasn't gone away and there are real concerns now about what happens if it comes back in the autumn and how we get not just an all-Ireland, but an all-island approach to this problem."

Asked for the Taoiseach's specific response to criticism over Sinn Fein leaders attending Bobby Storey's funeral in Belfast, he said the anger shown by political parties in Northern Ireland "was probably mirrored" across Ireland and beyond.

Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry said he discussed the shared challenges of Covid-19, and navigating the Brexit transition period without a free trade agreement in place.

"Ultimately, the meeting was an opportunity to explore his vision and commitment to a shared Ireland," he said.

"There is a fluid situation across these islands at present. The Good Friday Agreement must remain the cornerstone of how relations are facilitated - there are huge opportunities to further develop north-south cooperation and to enhance the all-island economy. Such pragmatic engagement should not threaten any political or constitutional perspective.

Welcoming the return of the North-South Ministerial Council, he added: "Much of the engagement can be advanced by government agencies, businesses, civil society and others, and clear opportunities lie around healthcare, infrastructure, energy, research and criminal justice."
(TNS)  Cullman County, Ala., is one of seven Alabama counties receiving $2.9 million in grants to upgrade high-speed broadband internet services.The grants were awarded through the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund, which was created by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey. It was created to assist broadband providers in extending high-speed internet service for households, businesses and community anchors in unserved areas of the state or in areas lacking minimum threshold service. A community anchor is an establishment like a police or fire department, city hall, library, school or medical facility.Cullman County's Cyber Broadband Inc. received $1.33 million to provide service availability to 1,600 households, 125 businesses and 50 community anchors in the vicinity of Baileyton and Joppa.In a May interview with The Times, Jay Fuller, CEO and owner Cyber Broadband said his company's original request filed at the end of 2019 was denied because two other telecommunications companies objected to the project going into territory they say they already provide service to. The companies are not identified, but both AT&T and Spectrum have service in the area. Fuller said he adjusted the grant application to request funding to run 55 miles of fiber past 610 houses, although the overall project will be much larger than that.Rep. Randall Shedd, who represents the area, told The Times in May that the issue of rural broadband internet is finally being addressed. When I first got in the legislature I addressed this issue with my colleagues and it seems like its taken a while, but its been a grass-roots issue, he said. Its the people who dont have it, or have slow or no internet, thats really reaching out to us for it to do whatever we can.With the latest funding about $18.5 million has been awarded this year to expand high-speed internet access in mainly unserved rural areas.The COVID-19 pandemic further emphasized how essential broadband services are to the unserved and underserved residents of Alabama, Ivey said in a press release. Thanks to the Broadband Accessibility Fund and broadband providers, we are making progress in ensuring that Alabamians have access to high-speed internet services, but there is no question we have a long way to go on completing this mission.The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the program.Having access to high-speed internet can make a huge difference in the lives of Alabamians in terms of doing business, obtaining an education and improving the overall quality of life, ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. ADECA is pleased to be a part of this process that will change lives for the better.In June, the Cullman Electric Cooperative announced the launch of its new internet service, Sprout Fiber.Sprout Fiber Internet will offer Cullman Electric members upload and download speed starting at 300 Mbps and going as high as a gigabit per second.Cullman Electric has already started building a fiber network that will connect all of the co-ops substations and offices to further enhance the quality of its electrical service. In the process, Sprout Fiber Internet will make gigabit- speed internet access available to more than 12,000 co-op members.Construction on the first phase started this month and should be complete in 12 to 18 months. According to the cooperative, its an $18 million investment for the co-op.If the first phase is successful, future phases will be designed and built with the ultimate goal of making Sprout Fiber Internet available to every Cullman Electric member.Other grants awarded through the Broadband Accessibility Fund and coverage areas include:Butler County: Hayneville Fiber Transport Inc. (Camellia Communications) - $128,797 to provide service availability to 48 households and four community anchors in the Sherling Lake community which is northwest of the city of Greenville.Choctaw County/Washington County: Millry Telephone Co. Inc. - $954,902 to extend broadband service in the third phase of a project covering south Choctaw and north Washington counties. The project includes 559 households, 16 businesses and two anchors including Millry City Hall and Millry School.Cleburne County: Gigafy - $178,782 to provide access availability to 486 households and 38 businesses in the vicinity of the city of Heflin.Dallas County: Spectrum Southeast - $55,481 to extend broadband service availability to 55 households in the Deerfield subdivision west of the city of Selma.Lee County: Spectrum Southeast - $8,407 to provide high-speed cable access to eight households along Lee County Road 279 near the Halawaka community.Tallapoosa County: Spectrum Southeast -$245,567 to extend service availability to 316 households in the Marina Marin area of Lake Martin near Alabama Highway 50.
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.
Despite her early starts, Sam Armytage is always primped to perfection while hosting Channel Seven's Sunrise.

And on Friday, the 43-year-old breakfast TV anchor looked particularly glamorous as she showed off her new fringe.

Sam, who announced her engagement to horse breeder Richard Lavender last month, showed off her sandy tresses and slightly off-centre parting as she broadcast live from Brekky Central.

Looking good! Sunrise host Sam Armytage showed off her new fringe during Friday's show. Her chic hairstyle is rather different to the trendy side fringe she is known for (left)

Sam had shared a selfie with celebrity hair stylist Rosemary Saffioti on Thursday.

During her glam session, she wore makeup comprising bronzed cheeks and a hint of blush, as well as lashings of mascara and matte pink lipstick.

Sam is no stranger to getting her hair and makeup done early in the morning.

Working her magic: Sam had shared a selfie with hair stylist Rosemary Saffioti on Thursday

Glam: Despite her early starts, Sam always looks primped to perfection while hosting Channel Seven's Sunrise. Pictured with her co-host David 'Kochie' Koch

Samantha has been co-hosting the show with David 'Kochie' Koch since 2013, but recently reduced her on-air duties to four days a week, from Tuesday to Friday.

She told the Australian Women's Weekly in June that she'd decided to focus on her private life and put her health first after years in the fast lane.

'I wanted to prioritise my life, my health, my private life and my happiness over work,' she explained.

Engaged! Sam announced her engagement to horse breeder Richard Lavender last month

The change of pace comes after Sam announced her engagement to equestrian businessman Richard Lavender.

She told Kochie on air last month that her fiance had proposed on the spur of the moment 'weeks ago' in the paddock of his rural property in the Southern Highlands.

The journalist said they'd held back the announcement because they were waiting for the personalised ring to arrive.

Samantha and Richard, who began dating in April last year after meeting at a party, confirmed their romance to WHO magazine in November.
Ripple Effects

More Tests, More Needs

11 Days Wait

(TNS)  When John Lederer came down with mild flu-like symptoms earlier this month, he and his wife got coronavirus tests at a Swedish Medical Center clinic in Edmonds, Wash. A doctor stuck swabs deep into their nostrils and told them results would be back in a day or two.But after several days passed without word, Lederer grew restless. His symptoms had disappeared, and he found it increasingly difficult to heed his doctors advice to self-quarantine while awaiting the results, he said.It took 10 days for Lederer and his wife to finally learn Sunday theyd tested negative. As they waited anxiously, the Swedish clinics director called three times to apologize for the delay and explained that LabCorp, the national commercial lab testing the Lederers specimens, was overwhelmed by soaring demand as infections have spiked in other states, Lederer said.I think the general perception out there is that whats going on in Texas and Arizona isnt hurting us here in Washington, said Lederer, 59. But it is. Other parts of the country are on fire now and thats slowing everything down.Attempts to meet rising demand by LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics, two major commercial reference labs, have caused massive backlogs of test results, meaning waits of several days or more that are now being felt in Washington. Most people getting tested here continue to get results back within a few days, officials say. But Lederers experience is hardly rare.While Swedish and other large health care networks can turn to in-house labs or other options for the most urgent testing needs, independent and smaller medical practices, hospitals and community clinics  that often serve low-income families, immigrant communities and other at-risk groups  dont have those alternatives and rely almost exclusively on the big national labs. The delay in test results imposed by those labs can exacerbate the risk of the diseases spread in communities that have been hit disproportionately hard by COVID-19.The patients we work with () have challenges to begin with, barriers to access to care, and this is a population that we train to reach out to, because they were neglected in this pandemic, said Dr. Ricardo Jimenez, chief medical officer for Sea Mar Community Health Centers.Sea Mars clinics, which serve thousands of patients across the state, including people who are homeless and migrant farm workers, say theyve recently experienced average waits of seven to nine days for results from Quest. Neighborcare Health, a local community health organization that relies on LabCorp, has also reported delays in turnaround times.Test results that take more than a week can destroy the chance to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission, said Dr. Matt Logalbo, medical director for Country Doctor Community Health Centers, which serves people with low incomes and homeless people in Seattle.If test results are taking five to seven days, thats actually longer than the typical timeframe between someone acquiring the virus and the point where they become most contagious, so its by definition a losing battle, said Logalbo, whose patients have seen such delays.Lederer, whose job as executive dean of North Seattle College requires him to work on campus amid its limited reopening, added that waiting days for results makes testing useless.Its really hard for people to quarantine themselves for that long, especially if theyre asymptomatic and need to go to work to support their families or buy groceries, he said. Toward the end, I couldnt wait that long.For low-income workers, it can be even more difficult to wait. They often have the least flexibility in their jobs and are still required to show up for work, Logalbo said.Theres a fundamental failure of organization at the top that is leading to unnecessary disease, unnecessary deaths and the incredible societal disruption were seeing, Logalbo said. The brunt of that impact falls on the patients were here to take care of.LabCorp and Quest acknowledged in statements this week that spiking cases nationwide have caused a widespread slowdown in test results, with Quest blaming the rapid, continuing spread of COVID-19 infections across the nation, but particularly in the South, Southwest and West regions for throttling available testing capacity.The lab companies  each of which already has performed more than 3 million tests and is now running more than 125,000 tests daily  vowed to accommodate the spiking demand by adding equipment and capacity to perform a combined 300,000 tests per day by months end.The out-of-state reference labs account for about 20 percent of the test results of Washingtons positive COVID cases, said Reed Schuler, an adviser to Gov. Jay Inslee. Despite some problems, Washingtons lab capacity so far hasnt been significantly disrupted, with in-state labs, such as the University of Washington Medicine virology lab, able to turn around results significantly faster, he said.There are a wide variety of potential pinch points for labs, and we know some of the out-of-state labs are experiencing lengthy delays in turnaround times that are impacting some clinics in this state, Schuler said. Thats a warning sign.He noted the enormous strain on testing nationwide may portend problems for Washington in the long term by depleting availability of testing instruments and supplies here.If left unaddressed by the Trump administration, these shortages could force us to restrict, even ration testing down the line precisely at the moment we need to expand operations, Schuler said.Already, the national testing strain has led to a reduction in some testing equipment and supplies that UW Medicines lab has used while performing about 40 percent of diagnostic testing on specimens statewide.The UW lab has consistently returned the bulk of its test results within a day. But now, vendors have reallocated to labs in other states a substantial portion of the chemical reagents needed to run tests on one of the UWs fastest automated testing platforms.Thus, we have had to move testing to our less automated, more manual processes that are slower, said Dr. Geoffrey Baird, interim chair of the UW laboratory medicine department. This reduces overall daily capacity and thus increases turnaround time and daily backlogs of specimens.Baird noted vendors have explained they needed to help fill spiking testing demand in states where COVID has exploded, such as Florida, Texas and Arizona.Were not an island, he said. Everything has ripple effects.Problems with testing have plagued Washingtons response throughout the pandemic, with escalating demand for testing previously swamping LabCorp and Quest in late March. That caused test result lags of days, even weeks in some cases, at clinics across Washington and elsewhere.But that was early in the crisis, before the variety of testing and lab options that exist today had become widely available. Washingtons testing has rocketed to new heights in recent weeks, at times attaining more than 16,000 tests per day, according to state Department of Health data.During the first week of June, the number of daily tests performed statewide ranged from about 5,000 to 6,000. By the end of last month, the state cracked the 15,000 mark for the first time, logging its single-day high of 16,601 tests on June 29 and averaging 14,029 tests per day over the five days leading to the July 4th holiday.The gains attained in overall testing numbers appear to put Washington on track to achieve one of Inslees targets, announced in late April, for daily testing statewide to increase up to 20,000 to 30,000 tests per day by the time the flu season arrives this fall.But testing numbers statewide are deceiving, with access and availability drastically varying from community to community. Scarcity of diagnostic testing continues to hamper parts of Yakima, Franklin, Benton and Spokane counties  hot spots where outbreaks have erupted even as the pandemics curve has flattened on the more populous western side of the state.Latino patients, including some in the Yakima area, make up a large percentage of Sea Mars clients  nearly 40 percent in 2019. Latino patients are now the No. 1 group testing positive for COVID-19 in Washington state, with a whopping 44 percent of all confirmed cases with race and ethnicity data available despite making up only 13 percent of the population statewide.Testing delays not only put medical decision-making on hold, but can also hamper the trust Sea Mar has worked to build with underserved populations, said Jimenez, Sea Mars chief medical officer. Trying to get people to show up to a clinic, and then having them wait more than a week for results, can create anxiety and discourage people from getting tested.A Quest Diagnostics spokesperson said that the highest priority patients, including hospital patients and symptomatic health care workers, see average testing turnaround times of slightly more than a day. Turnaround time for everyone else is now more than seven days.But one Sea Mar patient who came to an outdoor clinic waited 11 days for results, according to Jimenez.My medical directors across the clinics are saying this is completely unacceptable, Jimenez said.
Three terrorists were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmirs Kulgam on Friday, the police said. They have been identified as members of the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), according to news agency ANI, which quoted Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh.

Three terrorists were killed in a joint operation launched in the wee hours of Friday by the Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) units, Army and the Kulgam Police on a credible input about the presence of terrorists in village Chimmer, Singh said.

The DGP said that the terrorists were given instructions by their Pakistani handlers and were responsible for a large number of attacks.

Out of the three terrorists, one has been identified as Walid, a Pakistan national. He was active in Jammu and Kashmir for past one and half years, the police said. He had escaped our cordon four times and was the most wanted terrorist, said Vijay Kumar, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir.

The DGP said that Walid was a top IED expert.

Three soldiers were injured in the encounter, which began early in Friday after the security forces got inputs about the presence of terrorists in the Nagnad-Chimmer area. A search and cordon operation was launched, and when the security forces reached the area the terrorists opened fire and the gunfight began, the police said.

The injured soldiers have been admitted to the army hospital.

Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition have been recovered from the terrorists, the police said.
Police in southeastern Brazil are searching for the boyfriend of a woman whose body was found stuffed inside her apartment's refrigerator.

The gruesome discovery of Elisangela Vespermann, 30, was made Wednesday by her 43-year-old estranged husband, who visited her residence in Belo Horizonte.

Authorities did not release the name of Vespermann's 26-year-old ex-boyfriend, but did say he lived in the nearby city of Sete Lagoas.

According to Brazilian newspaper Estado de Minas, the military police said the 30-year-old woman was wearing a dress with no underwear and her body showed signs of strangulation and had bruises in her face and arms.

Vespermann was last seen Friday at a cafe where she worked at in the Belo Horizonte neighborhood of Gurani. The same day the suspect visited the shop looking for her.

Authorities in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, are looking for a 26-year-old man who has been linked to the murder of Elisangela Vespermann (pictured) whose body was found inside a refrigerator at her home Wednesday

Investigators said Vespermann had filed a police report in June following a domestic violence incident in which her ex-boyfriend threatened her after she called off their four-month old relationship. The man reportedly also made violent threats against Vaspermann's family members.

Her husband, whom she was married to for 12 years, said he last saw her June 15 and and had not spoken to her since last week.

He was accompanied by his brother and sister-in-law and went to Vaspermann's apartment to retrieve some documents that she was holding for him and required the help of a locksmith because he did not have the keys.

Vespermann's husband was searching for the documents when he saw that the refrigerator was taped up and its door facing the kitchen wall. He pried the door open and found his wife.

Neighbors did not report any noises or foul odors from Vespermann's apartment to building the building management or authorities.

'She was a very beautiful girl. She was well-groomed but she never spoke to anyone,' said a building tenant, who wished to remain anonymous. 'I am upset about her death.'
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Sofia Richie and Scott Disick have reportedly gotten back together, after having ended their nearly three-year relationship in May.

Amid rumors of her recent romantic rekindling, the 21-year-old daughter of Lionel Richie looked relaxed and carefree, as she sported a tiny blue bikini in Malibu on Wednesday.

While soaking up the sunshine with friends, the model put her incredibly toned midriff and summer glow on full display in a pair of low-rise black trousers and, later, threw her lightened tresses in a sleek ponytail.

Poolside: Amid rumors of her recent romantic rekindling, Sofia Richie looked relaxed and carefree, as she sported a tiny blue bikini in Malibu on Wednesday

As she appeared deep in lively conversation with a cold beverage in her hand, Richie leaned back on a lounge chair and chatted away with blonde pal, who appeared to be her longtime friend Tess Kemper, and a male acquaintance.

Eventually, Richie stripped down to just her barely-there two-piece, which showcased every inch of her envy-inducing form.

Her very high-cut bottoms highlighted her perky posterior, as she smiled confidently under a massive pair of black shades.

Bikini body: While soaking up the sunshine with friends, the model put her incredibly toned midriff and summer glow on full display in a pair of low-rise black trousers and, later, threw her lightened tresses in a sleek ponytail

Cheeky display: Her very high-cut bottoms highlighted her famous curves and perky posterior, as she smiled confidently under a massive pair of black shades

Bliss: Eventually, Richie stripped down to just her barely-there two-piece, which showcased every inch of her envy-inducing form

Her minimal makeup look consisted of a radiant bronzed complexion and a nude lip, as she opted against wearing a CDC-recommended face mask amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The recent Cosmopolitan cover girl accessorized her poolside attire with a few delicate gold chains around her neck and kept her hair, initially, in loose waves.

In addition to flashing major cleavage in her plunging bandeau-inspired top, all eyes were on Richie's gym-honed abs.

Natural beauty: Her minimal makeup look consisted of a bronzed complexion and a nude lip, as she opted against wearing a CDC-recommended face mask amid the coronavirus pandemic

Relaxed: On Tuesday, a source confirmed to Us Weekly that Scott and Sofia were 'hanging out again romantically' and that their relationship was 'back on'

Friends: As she appeared deep in lively conversation with a cold beverage in her hand, Richie leaned back on a lounge chair and chatted away with blonde pal, who appeared to be Tess Kemper, and a male acquaintance

Her outing comes one day after Disick joined the mother of his three children, sons Reign, five, and Mason, 10, and seven-year-old daughter Penelope, at the beach on Wednesday.

A source recently revealed Richie and the Talentless founder are 'taking things slow.'

'[They are] trying to make things work while taking things slow,' explained the insider told People, as the pair continue to spend quality time together.

Amicable exes: Her outing comes one day after Disick joined the mother of his three children, sons Reign, five, and Mason, 10, and seven-year-old daughter Penelope, at the beach on Wednesday

Friendly: Kourtney was seen spending time with her ex, who she dated from 2006 to 2015

On Tuesday, a source confirmed to Us Weekly that Scott and Sofia were 'hanging out again romantically' and that their relationship was 'back on.'

News of the pair's reconciliation came just two days after Sofia posted a clip from what appeared to be Disick's living room.

Scott and Sofia reunited for the first time since their split on the Fourth Of July, while grabbing lunch at Nobu.

They then left the popular restaurant and headed to a friend's beachfront party in Malibu.

Taking it slow: A source revealed to People on Wednesday that this time around Disick, 37, and Richie, 21, are 'taking things slow'; the pair pictured in February

At the time, a different source told People that although Scott and Sofia 'seemed happy together,' they were acting 'more friendly than romantic.'

Us Weekly's source also alleged that Scott and Sofia 'weren't getting along' prior to their split and that they used the time apart to 'work on having a life separate from each other.'

Their break-up occurred shortly after Scott's brief rehab stint at a Colorado treatment facility in late April.

'Sofia wanted Scott to get through and overcome any issues he has and Scott wanted to put a bigger focus on himself and his family before any sort of romantic relationship,' explained a second source to the outlet.

Making it work: '[They are] trying to make things work while taking things slow,' explained the insider, as the pair continue to spend quality time together

But absence made their hearts grow fonder and Scott and Sofia, ultimately, decided to give their relationship another shot.

The source added: 'Scott's family is always what is most important to him.'

He recently traveled with Kourtney and their children to Utah for his birthday in late May, then, ventured to Wyoming for another family vacation.

Family time: Scott traveled with Kourtney and their kids to Utah for his birthday in late May and, most recently, ventured to Wyoming for a family vacation.

'Scott has been much more calm and responsive to people outside of his family over the last month or so,' the source alleged.

'Whatever issues that were bubbling up between Sofia and Scott at the start of the pandemic have simmered down and Scott has returned to a place where Sofia feels comfortable being around him and being in his life again.'

Scott and Sofia, who is the sister of Nicole Richie, first began dating in 2017.
A man was stabbed to death near a busy high street last night in the third killing in 48 hours within a three-mile radius in north west London.

Witnesses heard shouting and cries of pain as the victim in his mid-thirties was attacked in Victoria Road, off Kilburn High Road at 10.30pm.

Police found the victim collapsed next to the side entrance of a McDonalds. He was taken to a central London hospital and pronounced dead half an hour later.

Scotland Yard said officers are in the process of informing next of kin and a post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

Detectives from the Specialist Crime Command have been informed and a crime scene remains in place.

There have been no arrests.

On Wednesday Ahmed Yasin-Ali, 18, was stabbed to death in a car park by Harrow Road in Maida Hill.

Two arrests have been made by detectives investigating the shooting of a 27-year-old outside a wake in Windrush Road, Harlesden, at 3am yesterday.

The three killings are not believed to be connected, police said, but have fuelled concern of an upsurge in street violence as lockdown is eased.

The stabbing in Kilburn last night is the 68th murder investigation opened by the Metropolitan Police so far this year.

It comes as Government figures today revealed the number of homicides went up by almost a quarter (23 per cent) in the 12 months to April on the previous year.

Overall crime rose five per cent in the capital, compared to a one per cent increase across the rest of the country.

The ONS data published today also revealed that the number of killings involving a blade rose from 67 to 86 in the capital in the year to April, a 28 per cent increase on 2018.

Total offences rose by five per cent, with robberies and thefts both up by 15 per cent, and drug offences 23 per cent higher. In hopeful signs, the Met recorded a 5 per cent fall in home burglaries, and a 16 per cent drop in possession of weapons, suggesting operations to take knives off the streets were working.

Anyone with information is asked to call police via 101 quoting reference Cad 8686/16Jul. To remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Ever since the Wuhan virus appeared on the scene, Americans have been bombarded with information, misinformation, re-information, and disinformation. In the beginning, this information soup was understandable, given that the virus was new. For that reason, many communities agreed to be shut down for a couple of weeks "to flatten the curve."

Since those murky beginnings, though, we've learned a lot about the virus, including how to treat it and how to protect the elderly, making it significantly less lethal. Still, politicians  usually Democrats  are using the virus as an excuse to achieve non-virus goals. For example, they're pushing for more government handouts and dependency, a weakened economy favorable to Biden, mail-in voting, and limited religious worship. And even as they lock people in their homes and shut down businesses, they encourage mass protests and riots that also achieve pro-Democrat party political goals.

Currently, the primary way Democrats are manipulating people is by pointing to an increase in the number of virus cases and deaths. None, they say, is due to the protests and riots. All, they insist, are due to opening locked down states too soon. Even worse than that, they claim, is the Petri-dish horror of Republican states that refused to lockdown in the first place.

What's starting to leak out, though, is that these new data about rising cases and deaths are being manipulated, whether intentionally or accidentally. This is especially true for data coming from Florida and Texas, two states that seemed to be handling the virus successfully without destroying their economies.

Here are five stories to remind you that you're being lied to:

1. Matt Margolis ran the numbers and shows pretty conclusively that, contrary to all media reports about how Trump is killing Americans by the tens of thousands, America is actually doing a better job than major European nations and Canada:

COVID-19 Case Fatality Rate (CFR) comparison of USA and select European countries.



I wonder why the media doesn't report this. 



(Chart via https://t.co/SXYUO5VBEt) pic.twitter.com/0FNd0wr4H9  Matt Margolis  (@mattmargolis) July 16, 2020

COVID-19 Case Fatality Rate (CFR) comparison of USA with European Union and Canada.



Again, why does the media pretend the USA is doing the worst in the world? 



(Chart via https://t.co/SXYUO5VBEt) pic.twitter.com/29SW2uYzLn  Matt Margolis  (@mattmargolis) July 16, 2020

2. Texas is in the Democrats' crosshairs as a state they've targeted to flip from red to blue, in part by saying Republican governance has killed Texans. Texas is also the state that just removed 3,484 cases from its running Wuhan virus case count. It turned out that San Antonio had been miscounting and misclassifying tests.

3. Some testing labs in Florida were providing information about only positive Wuhan virus test results, leading to the assumption that between 80100% of their tests were positive. This led to overstating the infection rate by as much as a factor of ten. In Orlando, for example, an official report showed a facility with a 98% positive rate when the real rate was only 9.4%.

4. Larry O'Connor reports on the fight his wife's family in Oklahoma is having with the state over her grandfather's cause of death. He was in the terminal stages of Alzheimer's when he was diagnosed with a mild case of the Wuhan virus that quickly passed. Nevertheless, when he died, he was classified as a Wuhan virus death, and the state's not about to change it.

5. Anecdotally, I'm seeing several people on Facebook say that they made an appointment to get tested, missed the appointment, and nevertheless got a notice that their test was positive. Right now, this observation is hearsay, but it's intriguing.

None of the information I set out above means that the Wuhan virus isn't something dangerous that we need to take seriously. It just means you're being lied to, either deliberately to advance political goals or inadvertently, as people make errors and muddle through major decisions.

My personal, nonmedically informed belief is that I can protect myself by taking Vitamin D, Melatonin, and a baby aspirin; sleeping well; and wearing a mask when I feel the situation calls for it, all while keeping my hands super-clean and well away from my face. So far, that regimen, or sheer good luck, is keeping me healthy.

Image: Twitter screen grab.
The Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang (Photo: VNA)



Regarding US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos statement on the US position on maritime claims in the East Sea, Hang said peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the sea is the aspiration and goal of countries in the waters and the region as well as the international community.

The respect of maritime legal order and the full and responsible implementation of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS) are significant in realising these goals, she said.

Hang reiterated the view contained in the statement issued at the recent 36th ASEAN Summit that the 1982 UNCLOS is a legal framework on all activities at sea.

Vietnam hopes that countries will make efforts to contribute to maintaining peace, stability, and cooperation in the East Sea and settle disputes through dialogues and other peaceful measures, in accordance with international law and for the common interest, the spokesperson stressed.

Vietnam always actively and responsibly contributes to the process, she said./.
House parties that are being held despite the coronavirus crisis are being targeted by the Broward County Sheriffs Office due to an uptick in gun violence at the events.

The announcement by Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony on Friday came after four separate shootings last weekend that left seven injured and three dead.

We see the connectivity to where, at the end of these events, shootings are occurring, Tony said. Even homicides.

There have been more than 1,100 calls about house parties in Broward since March, many of which are organized through social media.

Deputies are monitoring social media to target locations of parties and shut them down in order to reduce the potential for violence, the sheriff said.

In addition, two violent crime suppression teams and other detectives are going to crack down on boisterous house parties and whats referred to as rolling car shows, where the parties are mobile to avoid being spotted by law enforcement.

The operation will focus on District Five, a central area of unincorporated Broward County, Tony said.

The sheriff said violators could face fines and possible arrest.

There will be no warnings. Well enforce the laws. Well hold people accountable, he said. This isnt just a matter of statistical data thats driving us out here. This is a call out from the community.

Broward County issued an order that took effect last Friday, restricting the occupancy of vacation rental properties solely to the people who rented them. The order was passed, because the rentals are being used to host parties.

Broward dispatchers received more than 170 calls about parties and gatherings that were too large or loud, from July 1 to July 6. The sheriffs office responded to 13 calls about large, loud, parties or gatherings on July Fourth. Police records show officers responded to complaints about pool parties with more than 20 people, large parties where DJs set off fireworks, and large gatherings of 10 to 15 people setting off fireworks in the street, according to a review of police records. No one was arrested. Records for the other 157 complaints made between July 1 and July 6 were not immediately available.

Story continues

The city of Miami shut down seven venues and parties over the July Fourth holiday weekend for not following social-distancing ordinances.

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has publicly singled out partygoers for accelerating the spread of COVID-19. We saw a rapid rise in young people ... being positive to COVID-19 around mid-June, he told CBS Face The Nation. I think that that had a lot to do with probably socializing, young kids going to parties, maybe graduation parties at homes, because its been pretty locked down here for some time.

Tony urged residents to call the Broward Sheriffs non-emergency helpline at 954-764-4357 to report unlawful or unusual activity in their neighborhoods, and to call 911 in an emergency.

Sun Sentinel reporter Mario Ariza contributed to this report.

Wayne K. Roustan can be reached at wkroustan@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4303 or on Twitter @WayneRoustan



2020 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The airstrip on Woody Island, Chinas largest settlement in the Paracels, where eight fighter aircraft are clearly visible lined up on the tarmac, July 17, 2020.

Eight Chinese fighter jets were visible Friday at its key military base in the disputed Paracel Islands, as two U.S. aircraft carriers performed their second exercise in the South China Sea in two weeks amid mounting tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Satellite imagery reviewed by RFA showed the Chinese planes on the runway at Woody Island. At least four of them appeared to be J-11Bs, which are fighter jets in service with the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and Naval Aviation Force (PLANAF).The other four appear similar to and fit the dimensions of the JH-7, an anti-ship fighter-bomber in service with the PLAAF and PLANAF as well.

Experts said it was the most fighter aircraft that have been spotted at one time at Woody Island, which is Chinas largest military base and settlement in the Paracels, a grouping of features in the north of the South China Sea that is claimed by China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Military aircraft have shown up at Woody Island before, as have Chinese warships, most notably during Chinas military exercises in the area from July 1-5.

Forbes reported the presence of four J-11Bs at Woody Island on Wednesday but they were not in the same place on Thursday. They reappeared with the four other fighter aircraft on Friday.

Their presence points to growing militarization of Chinese-occupied features in the South China Sea, and increased displays of military power by both China and the U.S. It also coincides with another round of naval exercises Thursday involving two U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups  the USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan. The first maneuvers began on July 4 and lasted six days, the first such dual carrier drill by the U.S. in the South China Sea in at least four years.

Alongside like-minded regional partners, these efforts are in direct support of U.S. resolve to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows," said Commander of the U.S. Navys 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. Bill Merz, in a statement. "The capability and flexibility of our Navy is on full display as we support Indo-Pacific security and stability. There is no better example of our regional commitment, and periodically we will bring multiple teams together in 7th Fleet to practice large-scale coordinated operations."

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton transit the Balabac Strait, which connects the South China Sea with the Sulu Sea in this July 15, 2020 photo. The Nimitz is currently on a military drill in the South China Sea. Credit: U.S. Navy.

The maneuvers also come after theU.S. performed a freedom of navigation exercise on Wednesday through the Spratly Islands , which China considers part of its territory on the basis of historic rights. That followed U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeos announcement this week of a new U.S. position on Chinas expansive claims in the South China Sea, calling Chinas claims to low-tide elevations in the Spratlys and to the waters around land features in the area illegal under international law.

The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, David Stilwell, then signaled that the U.S. was considering sanctions against Chinese companies responsible for building Chinas bases like Woody Island in disputed waters.

Chinas Foreign Ministry issued a stern response to that threat on Wednesday, and said it will continue firmly upholding our sovereignty, security and legitimate rights and interests.

We hope the U.S. will not go further down the erroneous path, ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press conference in Beijing. It should behave like a major country and play a constructive role for regional peace and stability.

Zack Cooper, a research fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based American Enterprise Institute, said China could be using the U.S. military maneuvers and policy shift as a pretext for what they planned to do anyway - deploying a more permanent fighter aircraft presence to Woody Island.

I think the Chinese are probably using this [U.S. approach to the South China Sea this week] as an excuse to put the fighter jets on these island, as they always intended to, and they think this is a good time to do it where they can try and argue that the United States is to blame, Cooper said in an interview. He cited the presence of hangers on Woody Island, which were constructed years ago seemingly for the purpose of housing fighter aircraft.

Regional countries are notably concerned about the heightened tension in the South China Sea. Malaysias Foreign Minister Hishammudin Hussein expressed concern over the military posturing of both the U.S. and China in a press conference Wednesday , and the head of Indonesias coastguard mentioned the growing rivalry between the U.S. and China in a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs this week.

I don't think that this is likely to lead to some sort of direct conflict, Cooper said. I do think it's a clear sign that Beijing is going to use this as an opportunity to bolster its presence in the region.
They come in different sizes so they can be fit to the face to provide a tight seal. That forces the user to pull air through the devices filter rather than through gaps on the sides. They are designed to keep out not only respiratory droplets but also smaller aerosolized particles that can carry infectious agents and float for a time through the air. (In July, the WHO said it doesnt rule out the possibility of airborne transmission of the coronavirus in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation but that more research is needed. Previously it had cast doubt on airborne transmission for Covid-19, except possibly during certain medical procedures.) Respirators are uncomfortable to wear for a long period of time. They retain heat and exert pressure on the face, and some people find they make it difficult to breathe, which can make them unsuitable for those with cardiac and respiratory conditions.
HIGHLAND PARK, IL  Only one in five Highland Park Patch readers who participated to a recent poll said they opposed allowing pot shops in town.

Among nearly 1,700 responses across north suburban towns, self-identified members of the Highland Park-Highwood community were the most supportive of the state legislature's June 2019 decision to legalize recreational cannabis. Nearly 85 percent saying Illinois made the right call, according to the unscientific survey.

Six months after the legalization of cannabis in Illinois took effect, the Highland Park City Council has initiated a process to lift restrictions it imposed last year prohibiting new cannabis businesses from operating and prohibiting the existing medical marijuana dispensary from selling to people without medical cards.



Highwood had planned to allow a single dispensary, but the coronavirus pandemic has prevented new licenses from being issued and none of the existing license-holders have sought to open up a location in town.

Of the nearly 300 people who identified themselves as Highland Park Patch readers, almost 80 percent supported opting in or allowing more recreational marijuana shops.

(Patch)

Local respondents broadly shared the view of their North Shore counterparts when it comes to how the implementation of cannabis legalization has proceeded when compared to expectations, although they were slightly more likely to say it had gone better than expected and less likely to say it has gone worse.



(Patch)

Respondents who supported allowing recreational marijuana businesses in town were asked where they would like the tax revenue to be allocated. The most common responses were schools, infrastructure and support for local businesses.

When respondents were asked what they would change about the state's cannabis rules, many said nothing. A few wanted the rules loosened and more home delivery or cultivation permitted. Under current law, people with medical marijuana cards may grow up to six plants under certain conditions.

Story continues

"I wish people would get over their own personal bias around the substance," one respondent said.



"If dogs are allowed to poop at the beach, cannabis smokers should be allowed in a small area on the beach. It is about feeling better, introspection," said another, who suggested health insurance should cover medical cannabis. "Especially now with a pandemic causing lonely people a bit more loneliness."

This article originally appeared on the Highland Park Patch
Sebis move to reduce time period required between subsequent QIPs to two weeks would help companies raise capital at regular intervals and time their share sale better.

Several listed companies are making most of the relaxed capital raising norms by market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).

But concerns remain where the promoters have neither the capacity nor the liquidity to capitalise their companies.

A spate of fund-raising plans by listed companies hogged the headlines of business media in June.

Among the various instruments to raise funds, Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) is turning out to be a notable one, with around Rs 35,000 crore expected to come in through this route in the July-August period this year.

The first six months of the current calendar year saw around Rs 28,500 crore being raised through QIPs, according to data from Prime Database.

The surge in fund-raising activity follows a series of relaxations by the market regulator to help companies tide over the liquidity crunch triggered by a drop in revenue in the pandemic-induced lockdown period.

Sebi amended the Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirement (ICDR) regulations to relax the norms for QIP issue, which is used to raise fresh capital from institutional investors.

The time period required between subsequent QIPs has been reduced to two weeks, a significant reduction from the previous mandatory six-month cooling-off period between two QIPs.

This would help companies raise capital at regular intervals and time their share sale better, say experts.

As an incentive to promoters to infuse funds in their business, the market regulator amended the Takeover Code to relax norms for substantial acquisition of shares or voting rights, and for voluntary open offers.

A new provision has been introduced as an exception to the Open Offer Rule.

Promoters are now allowed additional acquisition of up to 10 per cent of the voting rights (against 5 per cent earlier) for FY21.

However, such an acquisition can be done only through the preferential issue of equity shares.

Clearly, this move is directed to incentivise promoters to infuse fresh capital into their business.

Further, regulations around voluntary open offer have been relaxed till March 31, 2021 for preferential issue in companies with stressed assets.

This move will help settle such matters outside the National Company Law Tribunal, and also prevent steep haircuts by lenders where fund infusion is done in a timely manner, experts point out.

The market regulator has also relaxed the eligibility conditions of a fast-tracked rights issue.

The minimum subscription threshold for a rights issue to be successful has been reduced from 90 to 75 per cent.

Further, any listed entity with a market cap of Rs 100 crore can use the fast-track route for a rights issue.

Earlier, the market cap norm was set at Rs 250 crore for such offerings.

Also, a company could go for fast-track rights issue after being listed for 18 months.

Earlier, companies had to be listed for a minimum of three years.

Experts say these changes should encourage deal flow by companies where the promoters are willing to infuse funds.

It also gives promoters the incentive to substantiate their holding at a cheaper price, subject to the minimum public shareholding requirements of 26 per cent.

The temporary relaxation in pricing norms for preferential issues - applicable till December 31, 2020 - is seen as positive for promoters who want to up their stake in the company, and for investors to invest at a lower price.

However, grey areas remain.

There is, for instance, a lock-in period of three years for non-promoter allottees of shares under the relaxed pricing norms.

This might be a dampener for a non-promoter investor, says Bhakta Patnaik, partner and head, capital markets at law firm Trilegal.

But the real concern, experts point out, is for businesses where promoters have neither the capacity nor the liquidity to capitalise their companies.

In such cases, third-party investors need to step in and the market regulator needs to do more to enable such companies to attract capital.

Although these measures by the market regulator will go some way towards infusing confidence among investors, promoters and other stakeholders, much more needs to be done.

Some further refinements will be required to assist companies in survival mode that are in dire need of funds without compromising on the interests of the public shareholders, says Rajat Sethi, partner, S&R Associates.

For instance, the government has already indicated that it is open to direct listing of Indian companies in foreign stock exchanges.

This would open the capital raising market for corporate India.

However, seamless execution of the move would require amendments in several regulations, including those related to the Companies Act and taxation laws, says Bhavikaa Gohil, a specialist in capital market laws.

Clearly, the ball is in the governments - and by default the regulators - court to build on current momentum of relaxations in fund raising norms.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan presented some details of the activities of the newly appointed foreign minister of Azerbaijan Ceyhun Bayramov, which prove his hatred against Armenians and encouragement of Armenophobia by him.

When Ceyhun Bayramov was deputy minister of education of Azerbaijan in 2013 and later minister, Armenophobia was more rigid in the Azerbaijani society and had an important place in the educational sphere. There is a famous footage released in March 2018 on one of the Facebook pages of their kindergartens, which former Ombudsman Ruben Melikyan had attached to the fact finding materials. The footage clearly shows how teachers teach the children at the kindergarten that Armenians are their enemies and that they have allegedly killed their compatriots, have stolen their golds and so on, Artak Beglaryan told ARMENPRESS, adding that there are a number of other proofs. He noted that the extraordinary report of the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh provides detailed presentation of Armenophobic demonstrations in the educational system of Azerbaijan.

According to Artsakhs Ombudsman, Ceyhun Bayramov, as one of the key actors in the sphere, bears at least political responsibility for the dissemination of Armenophobia.

We attach particular importance to the educational system, since the hate propaganda is carried out among children, Beglaryan said.

Beglaryan noted that the next factor that is important at least from a symbolic point of view is that Ceyhun Bayramov had his first official meeting with the Ambassador of Hungary.

But we all know that Hungary is the country that extradited Ramil Safarov, who axed-dead the Armenian officer, to Azerbaijan by a very suspicious corrupt deal. This can mean that its done for promoting Armenophobia, Beglaryan added.

According to Artsakhs Ombudsman, examining the speech of Ilham Aliyyev where he condemns the Azerbaijani foreign ministry for moderate actions that allegedly they do not present the crimes of Armenians against Azerbaijan properly, it can be supposed that Bayramov already has received a political task from Aliyev to be included in Armeniophobic propaganda more rigidly.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
By PTI

LEH: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Leh on Friday on a day-long visit to carry out a comprehensive review of the security scenario in the region in wake of the border row with China.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Army chief Gen M M Naravane are accompanying Singh on the visit.

Singh is set to visit Stakna and Lukung forward areas.

His trip comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Ladakh on July 3 during which he also addressed troops and signalled the country's firmness in dealing with the India-China border row.

#WATCH Ladakh: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inspects a Pika machine gun at Stakna, Leh. pic.twitter.com/MvndyQcN82  ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2020

Singh was originally scheduled to visit Ladakh on July 3 but the trip was deferred.

Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for over eight weeks since May 5.

The tension escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.

However, following a series of diplomatic and military talks, the two sides began a mutual disengagement process on July 6 and withdrew troops from most of the friction points.
Joel Jay Gunz, a rapper based in the Bronx, New York was killed in a shooting on Sunday.



According to New York Police Department (NYPD), On Sunday, July 5th, Police Officers from the 44 Precinct responded to a 911 call for a male shot at 306 East 171 Street. Upon arrival, they discovered three males with gunshot wounds. Two of the victims, later died from their injuries, while one remains hospitalized.





The two who died were Jay Gunz and Eno (Edubb). They were pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital. Jay Gunz is originally from Sekondi and his mother is said to own a popular store in The Bronx, New York. Eno also has Nigerian roots. Both were rappers.



Jay Gunz has been linked to gang crimes in the past. He recently returned from doing time in jail according to sources.



See a video from the incident below:





On Sunday, July 5th, Police Officers from the 44 Precinct responded to a 911 call for a male shot at 306 East 171 street. Upon arrival they discovered three males with gunshot wounds. Two of the victims, later died from their injuries, while one remains hospitalized. pic.twitter.com/EyKg6eduYj

 Chief Rodney Harrison (@NYPDDetectives) July 6, 2020









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Supporters of Confederate statues and symbols display a Confederate flag under a U.S. flag during the Lee-Jackson Day state holiday in Lexington, Virginia, U.S. January 17, 2020.

WASHINGTON  The Pentagon on Friday unveiled what's effectively a ban on public displays of the Confederate flag on U.S. military installations.

The policy change may draw ire from President Donald Trump, who said last month that his administration would "not even consider" the removal of Confederate symbols.

The carefully worded policy approved by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Thursday does not specifically mention the Confederate battle flag. Instead it clarifies that the American flag is the "principal flag we are authorized and encouraged to display."

The memo also lists authorized flags that may be displayed. The Confederate flag is not named.

"The flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols," Esper wrote in a Friday memo explaining the policy change. "With this change in policy, we will further improve the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the force in defense of our great nation," the statement added.

A push to remove Confederate symbols has gained renewed force after the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly eight minutes.

Esper recently told lawmakers that a process was underway to evaluate the potential removal of Confederate symbols from U.S. military installations.
When faced with a complicated decision, some people take their courage in their hands and make a bold choice. Others, maybe most of us, just dither and hope things will become clearer as events unfold.

On the thorny matter of Huawei Technologies and Canadas 5G wireless network, put the Trudeau government firmly in the camp of the ditherers.

Its not the most admirable stance, but it can often be the best way to go. Because in the two years-plus that Ottawa has been pondering the issue, it has indeed become clearer.

So clear, in fact, that it makes no sense for the government to prolong the agony any further. Its time for it to ban Huawei from involvement in building the 5G network that will be a crucial part of the economic infrastructure taking digital connection to the next level.

Another piece of the puzzle dropped into place this past week when the British government reversed course and banned the Chinese company from involvement in developing its 5G network.

Britain took that step mostly for economic reasons; the United States has banned the sale of microchips to companies that use Huawei technology, making it much harder to develop 5G. But its decision is coloured by geopolitical considerations as well, since it will be the latest member of the Five Eyes group of countries to shun Huawei.

Canada is now the only member of that key intelligence-sharing group not to ban or restrict Huawei. The U.S., Australia and now Britain have banned it outright, while New Zealand restricted its use by a national telecom provider. The U.S. has warned bluntly that Canadas role in the Five Eyes would be put in question if it uses Huawei technology that would act as a Trojan horse allowing Chinas government to compromise our security.

Chinese law, after all, obliges its companies to support, cooperate with and collaborate in national intelligence work. Canadas own intelligence agency and military reportedly take that seriously, and see Huawei as a threat to our cyber-security.

But even if one believes that fears it will act as an agent of Beijing are exaggerated, the reality is that Canada risks being shunned by its closest intelligence allies if it goes with Huawei. At a certain point, one must choose sides, and Canada should choose the side of its friends.

It certainly shouldnt choose the side of a country that has treated it with such disdain over the past year and a half. The fate of the two Michaels, Canadian citizens effectively seized as hostages in the extradition case of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, is ample evidence of that.

Add to that various insults and manufactured export bans, as well as Beijings crackdown on Hong Kong, and theres no reason to play nice with the Chinese government. Restraint by Canada has so far accomplished nothing for the imprisoned Michaels, who have now been held for 586 days and counting on trumped-up spy charges, so its doubtful that banning Huawei will make things much worse for them.

Meanwhile, as Ottawa dithers, the world moves on. All three of Canadas big telecom providers  Rogers, Telus and Bell Canada  have made their own decisions to shun Huawei equipment for their 5G networks, even though it arguably offers the best value for money.

The companies can see which way the global winds are blowing, and they dont want to be caught buying expensive equipment that theyll have to junk down the road when the government eventually makes up its mind. Wisely, theyre going with European providers like Nokia and Ericsson instead.

This has all worked out rather well for the ditherers in the Trudeau government. As time marches on, a decision against Huawei seems inevitable. Indeed, many might think it has already been made. When it becomes official it will be an anti-climax  and that may be just the result the government is seeking.

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Tokyo, July 17 : The Japanese government said that it will go ahead with its divisive plan to spur domestic travel by offering subsidies next week, although a rebound in COVID-19 cases in the capital will see the virus-hit Tokyo removed from the campaign.

According to Kazuyoshi Akaba, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, trips within Japan by Tokyo residents as well as visits to and from Tokyo will not be supported by the planned subsidy program aimed at bolstering domestic travel, reports Xinhua news agency.

The government has said its 'Go To Travel Campaign' would start on July 22, with the idea being that by subsidizing accommodation and transport fees, more people would be encouraged to take domestic trips.

Thus, according to the government's original reasoning, local economies and the overall domestic tourism sector would get a boost from increased consumer spending after a prolonged virus-triggered slump, which in turn would benefit the broader recession-hit economy.

But the campaign has met with resistance from concerned parties who fear that the plan will only serve to increase the number of COVID-19 infections as more people cross prefectural borders.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has spoken out against the plan as the the city's metropolitan government, while announcing COVID-19 cases had hit record 286 in the capital on Thursday, has urged people to refrain from making unnecessary trips across prefectural borders.

The number of infections in the capital has been increasing since the state of emergency was completely lifted on May 25.

The metropolitan government amid a recent uptick in cases has raised its coronavirus alert level to the highest on its four tier scale.

A reading of four means that "infections are spreading" and as such Tokyo residents have been urged to refrain from making non-essential trips across prefectural borders in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus to other prefectures.

Tokyo's cumulative number of COVID-19 infections has risen to 8,640 as of Thursday evening, the highest among the nation's 47 prefectures and accounting for more than one-third of all cases nationwide.

Tokyo's neighbouring prefectures of Saitama and Kanagawa have also recorded an increase in COVID-19 cases recently, commensurate with the capital's rise in infections.

Japan's cumulative number of COVID-19 cases has now risen to 23,645, not including those related to a cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo earlier this year.

Other local government's along with opposition parties have called on the government to rethink its Go To Travel Campaign, urging the idea to be postponed or its introduction staggered amid the virus' resurgence and due to numerous areas being flooded and hit by landslides following torrential rain hitting wide swathes of the country recently.

Main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan head Yukio Edano said it is untimely to be promoting tourism right now.

Toshio Nakagawa, president of the Japan Medical Association, said that "extreme caution" would be required by the government in launching the campaign.
NAN reports that Mrs Deborah Joseph has urged the Karu Upper Area Court, sitting in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, to nullify the 10-year-old marriage between her and her husband, Mr Pious Joseph, accusing him of planning to use their child for money ritual.

Mr. Joseph, however, denied the allegation.

Mrs Joseph also told the court that her husband had no care for his family anymore.

She also alleged that the husband was always coming home late and drunk.



We have two kids and I have been the one catering for the family.

I feed them and pay rent.

I want this court to separate us because there is no love again and he has not paid my dowry, she said.

The respondent denied the petitioners claim saying that since he married her, he had always provided for them, and that he had never raised his hand on her.



Since I lost my job, life has never been the same, he told the court and begged it not to grant his wifes request.

The presiding judge, Mr Ibrahim Shekarau, urged the parties to go home and make peace.

Shekarau, therefore, adjourned the matter until Aug. 12, for judgement.
Shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday, Alberto Sanchez was riding the freight elevator of the Manhattan apartment building where he had worked as a porter for more than 30 years when he heard what sounded like an explosion.

Mr. Sanchez said he ran outside and discovered a horrific scene: A suspended platform, which had been carrying workers up and down as they restored the facade of the 11-story building in Murray Hill, had plummeted onto a scaffolding that covered the sidewalk. One worker was still hanging from what appeared to be a cable, Mr. Sanchez said, as people screamed.

Everybody was screaming, Cut the cable, cut the cable, he said. They eventually cut it. That was the first one that they put in the stretcher.

By the end of the afternoon, the authorities would discover that a worker had been killed and that two others in addition to the one Mr. Sanchez saw had been injured when the platform fell, rattling bystanders and building residents and causing a block of East 36th Street near Lexington Avenue to be sealed off for several hours.
Findings from the first international prostate cancer quality of life study conducted by patients themselves reports that significant numbers of men treated for the disease are struggling with continence and sexual problems after treatment. Results suggest that any treatment apart from active surveillance may negatively affect quality of life, and indicate that for many men these effects may be greater than previously thought.

The findings of the Europa Uomo Patient Reported Outcomes Study (EUPROMS) were announced today by Europa Uomo Chairman Andre Deschamps at the European Association of Urology's Virtual Congress. He reported that "The analysis of survey responses showed that urinary incontinence and sexual function were the two areas where men reported the lowest quality of life scores - much lower compared to the averages reported in clinical studies".

EUPROMS gathered data from 2,943 European men from 25 countries. The respondents had an average age of 70 (all were over 45), and on average had been diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 64, meaning that they were reporting on quality of life 6 years after treatment.

Overall, 50% of men who replied to the questionnaire and had been treated for prostate cancer said that loss of sexual function (including the ability to have an erection or reach orgasm) was a big (28%) or moderate (22%) problem for them.

"We often hear that decline in sexual functioning is a relatively small problem for prostate cancer patients and the effect on their quality of life should not be exaggerated," said Andre Deschamps. "We also hear that prostate cancer is typically a disease of 'old men', implying that the loss of sexual function is less relevant. This survey paints a different picture."

Respondents also report that different treatments have different effects on quality of life; radical prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate) has the largest reported impact on urinary incontinence. Radiotherapy was shown to double the fatigue a patient experiences in comparison to surgery, whereas chemotherapy triples the fatigue score. The impact of radiotherapy on sexual function is worse than radical prostatectomy but both have a severe impact.

Results indicate that the best quality of life scores are seen where the cancer is discovered in an early, curable stage. "This means efforts toward early detection and awareness are essential to avoid unnecessary deterioration in quality of life. Wherever it is possible and safe, active surveillance should be considered the first line treatment to ensure best quality of life." said Andre Deschamps.

He continued, "Our findings provide patients and health care professionals with a snapshot of the impact of treatments. We hope they will be used to set realistic expectations of the effects of the different treatments for prostate cancer on quality of life. They show that the effects of prostate cancer often don't stop after treatment, and even those who are treated successfully for their cancer may have significant problems".

He added "The results of this survey are different from clinical studies using the same validated questionnaires. This doesn't replace previous studies, but it does, suggest further investigation is needed. This is a huge survey, which is the great strength of the work, so I'd like to say thank you to all patients and volunteers who spent hours making this survey a success."

Commenting, Professor Arnulf Stenzl (Tubingen University, Germany), the European Association of Urology's Adjunct Secretary General - Executive Member Science, said:

"This is a valuable survey, the largest of its kind ever undertaken. It uses the same questionnaires used in standard clinical settings, but it is both qualitatively and quantitatively different to the kind of study usually undertaken, so it needs to be read alongside these previous studies. It has several strong points, not least that this is multi-national, and so will reflect the impact of treatment on a wide range of patients, with different health systems. We completely agree that early detection and treatment is essential if we are to avoid problems with quality of life later on. It shows that for many men, quality of life can be poor after most prostate cancer treatment, especially in advanced disease. This message is clear, and we need to listen to the voices of these patients".

Survey details

The EUPROMS survey was available in nineteen languages, via a link advertised by Europa Uomo's member organisations, its website, newsletter and social media. Europa Uomo also used its network of supportive urologists to promote the survey and encourage patients to complete it. Respondents were asked to complete a 20-minute online survey, using the following 3 standard validated quality of life questionnaires, EPIC-26, EORTC-QLQ-C30, and EQ-5D-5L

Analysis of the data was conducted by Professor Monique Roobol of the Erasmus University Medical Centre, Department of Urology, Rotterdam, who said:

"This study is important because it was initiated by patients and meant for patients. The questionnaires were completed unrelated to a hospital visit, which means respondents had more freedom to answer and provides insight into the effect of treatment on quality of life over a longer period."

###

Background information

Europa Uomo is a European advocacy movement for men representing and supporting 27 prostate patients' groups across Europe. It works to improve diagnosis, treatment and support by influencing policy at national and international level. It works with health professionals throughout Europe to help them understand patient perspectives. It also supports its member organisations as they strive to improve services and awareness in their own countries. http://www.europa-uomo.org Twitter: @europa_uomo

The 35th European Association of Urology conference takes place online from 17-19 July, 2020. This replaces the physical conference which was scheduled to take place in Amsterdam. The EAU conference is the largest and most important urology congress in Europe, with up to 14,000 attendees. Conference website

Funding: The study was sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies Bayer, Ipsen, and Janssen. They had no influence over any aspect of this study.

Note: the headline of this press release was changed to comply with Eurekalert text limits.

Type of Study: not peer-reviewed/patient survey/human subjects
I am so happy to be stuck in a hotel in South Korea for 14 days.



I left the United States on July 8, and I still have ten days left in this hotel room. I can't leave for anything, not even to stroll in the halls. But when I do leave for good in two weeks, I'll be able to explore the country, dine at restaurants, and meet friends, in safety and good health.

The same cannot be said about life in America. Sure, lots of things are open, but they sure aren't safe.

The day I flew out of the U.S., there were over 60,000 new coronavirus cases reported. That's twice as much as the worst dates of April, when the virus was ravaging New York City. The next day, there were 72,300 cases reported.

Is the government doing anything to try to slow the spread? On July 1, Trump said, "I think that, at some point, that's going to sort of just disappear, I hope."

As an American, it's frankly embarrassing to look at what's happening. My country of citizenship was the world's sole superpower three decades ago. Now it is a place where residents are testifying against mask mandates at city council meetings: "You cannot mandate that people wear a mask when that mask is literally killing people!"

The country whose inventors created the light bulb, the automobile assembly lines, and the iPhone is now a country where a crowd of plump populists surround a grilled cheese sandwich restaurant to protest the fact that authorities have closed the restaurant for refusing to enforce a mask mandate.

Some states that are now running out of hospital beds are finally taking more serious measures only because they have to. Yet, even while Florida closed bars and gyms again, which never should have been allowed to open in the first place, Walt Disney World was allowed to reopen on the same day that Florida recorded 15,000 new cases, the most of any state in a single day.

Theme parks are open, restaurants are open, and all manner of businesses are open that would never be opened in any competent country facing the same amount of transmissions.

The day I departed for South Korea, there were 49 new cases in the entire country. We can be relatively confident that the number represents most of the real cases, because South Korea has a robust testing and tracing regime, and its test positivity rate is 1%, meaning they catch most of the new cases that occur. Meanwhile, the all-time test positivity rate in the United States is 6%, higher than the WHO's 5% target, and states like Florida and Arizona are at well over 20% this past week.

With 50 new cases a day in a population of 51 million, South Korea is at less than 1 new case per million. For the U.S. to be at the same rate, they would need to have 330 new cases or fewer per day.

In South Korea, when two elementary school students in one city tested positive, it was national news, and the authorities came in to test all the students. In the U.S., at a time when the sheer numbers mean some students certainly have it, Donald Trump is demanding schools dismiss the government health department's own guidelines and open up schools.

The South Korean government knows how to do a real quarantine. They took us on buses straight from the airport to the hotel. They tested us all; they deliver food to the room; and they monitor us with cameras and the cell phone app where we do daily health checks.

In the U.S., by contrast, where some states are demanding that anyone who travels to their state should "quarantine," the quarantines are really optional, as nobody is observing or enforcing it, and people would have to go to the grocery stores to get food.

Quarantine in South Korea is tough to deal with, but it's the right policy. After just four days in the facility, I'm starting to get cabin fever. The food is meh. The view out my window is bland. But I know, when I get out, I'll enter a world where I can feel assured that the person standing next to me on the subway probably doesn't have coronavirus.

In America, a lot of places are open, but there's not much you can actually do if you are a rational person who pays attention to the news. As one member of the Trump administration said, "We have to live with it."

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.
Washington

The United States has become overly reliant on Chinese goods and services, including face masks, medical gowns and other protective equipment designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Attorney General William Barr said Thursday.

He also accused hackers linked to the Chinese government of targeting American universities and businesses to steal research related to vaccine development, leveling the allegation against Beijing hours after Western agencies made similar claims against Russia.

Barr's address in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is part of a full-court press by the Trump administration to denounce China. President Donald Trump is trying to fend off criticism of his handling of the coronavirus and the U.S. economic downturn and to shift the blame back onto Beijing.

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

Barr's speech amounted to a condemnation of what he said were Beijing's tactics to gain an economic upper hand in the 21st century and to pressure American corporate leaders to promote policies favorable to the Communist government.
A new facility at Hackensack University Medical Center, set to open in 2022, has received a $25 million gift from the projects namesake, businesswoman and philanthropist Helena Theurer, the hospitals parent company announced Thursday night.

The 9-story Helena Theurer Cancer Pavilion will include 24 operating rooms, 150 private patient rooms and a 50-bed Orthopedic Institute  a $714.2 million endeavor billed as one the largest healthcare capital projects in the state.

The John Theurer Cancer Center in Hackensack, which was named after Helena Theurers husband, a truck trailer company executive, was built with the help of a $10 million donation a decade ago.

Helena Thuerers gift is the largest donation ever received by the flagship hospital of Hackensack Meridian Health, CEO Robert Garrett said.

Her meaningful giving has empowered us to deliver the most innovative and compassionate care at John Theurer Cancer Center over the years, Garrett said. Her inspiring contribution helps us fulfill our mission, which is to transform health care and be a leader of positive change.

The project broke ground last year. When completed, it will connect to the main hospital, an existing parking garage and the Heart and Vascular Institute, according to the announcement.

I am truly amazed at how far John Theurer Cancer Center has come, Helena Theurer, who continued on in the trucking and real estate industries, said in a statement Thursday. As a young woman, a cancer diagnosis was considered a death sentence. Today, many cancers are not only treatable, but curable. My gift reflects my commitment to the cancer program at Hackensack Meridian Health. I am so proud to have Johns name, and now mine, forever associated with excellence, innovation, and this visionary mission.

New Jersey has the sixth highest cancer rate in the nation, with about 51,000 people diagnosed a year and 17,000 deaths, according to 2016 data analyzed by USA Today.

Cancer treatment is also big business, with New Jersey competing alongside New York and Philadelphia in addition to large hospitals in the state. RWJBarnabas and the Rutgers Cancer Institute have announced plans to build a $750 million, free-standing cancer hospital in New Brunswick by 2023.

The John Theurer Cancer Center also holds treatment and research partnerships with Memorial Sloan Kettering, a renowned cancer hospital based in New York.

Correction: An earlier version of the story stated the new pavilion was an expansion of the John Theurer Care Center. It will serve all patients, not those with just cancer.

Local journalism needs your support. Subscribe at nj.com/supporter.



Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio.
A group of people surround Vauhxx Booker as he is bent over leaning against a tree, at Monroe Lake near Bloomington, Ind., on July 4, 2020. (Brennan Golightly via AP File)

Two Men Charged In Alleged Racially-Tinged Assault at Indiana Lake

Two men were charged Friday in connection with an altercation in southern Indiana in which opposing parties suffered minor injuries and a black man claimed his assailants shouted racial slurs and threatened to get a noose.

Sean Purdy has been charged with felony criminal confinement, battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, and intimidation. Jerry Cox II has been charged with felony criminal confinement and battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, as well as two misdemeanors. Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Erika Oliphant said warrants have been issued for their arrest.

Purdys defense attorney, David Hennessy, had no immediate comment on the charges but previously said Vauhxx Booker, a black civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, presented a false narrative about what happened. Hennessy alleged Booker was the instigator and the agitator of the violent confrontation.

Booker said a group of five men accused him of trespassing on private property at Monroe Lake near Bloomington over Independence Day weekend. He said that after he tried to apologize, the situation became physical. Booker described the incident to AJ Plus in an interview.

I thought they were going to try to do anything they could to seriously injure me, if not kill me, and if I had a doubt, the doubt was removed when I heard one of them yell at their friend man, get a noose!' Booker told AJ Plus.

Asked about his injuries, Booker said, I was diagnosed with a minor concussion. I also had abrasions and bruising, neck strain, and patches of hair that were ripped out of my head.

Officers with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources who responded to the incident released a 68-page investigatory report, which paints a conflicting picture of the incident. It suggests that Purdey, Cox, Booker, and one of Bookers acquaintances potentially committed crimes.

Some of the witnesses cited in the report denied claims that any kind of racist language or threats were directed at Booker. They described a situation in which, in context of a dispute over presence on private property, Booker approached Purdy and members of his group and, claiming to be a county official, threatened them with some kind of administrative action before taking a very aggressive stance. This culminated in a fight that involved an exchange of blows and saw Booker pinned against a tree, before eventually being let up, before both parties went their separate ways.

Other witnesses described a posture of racially-tinted intimidation, including reporting that they heard the words go get a noose several times.

I asked him to describe the calling for a noose incident, Detective Sergeant Trent Stinson, Indiana Conservation Officer, wrote in the report. He said he heard someone call for a rope. Then, he described the guy in the red shirt, looking him in the eye, and changing the language from rope to noose. Walsh heard him say go get a noose several times, Stinson wrote.

Stinson also noted he asked whether the witness, Frederick Walsh, thought the comment was just for intimidation purposes, or if it was a legit threat.

Walsh said both. He thought they would have enjoyed killing a black person, Stinson wrote.

The FBI earlier said it was investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow our live coverage of the 2020 election between Joe Biden and President Trump.

It wasnt so long ago that Ohio was looking like a lost cause for Democrats, after Donald J. Trump scored a convincing victory there and humiliated the party that had twice carried the state under Barack Obama.

Now, unexpectedly, Ohio looms as a tantalizing opportunity for Joseph R. Biden Jr.

Two prominent polls of the state last month showed the presidential race in a statistical tie. Turnout in the Ohio primary elections in April was higher for Democrats than Republicans for the first time in a dozen years, evidence of enthusiasm in the Democratic base. And the Trump campaign recently booked $18.4 million in fall TV ads in Ohio, more than in any state besides Florida  a sign that Mr. Trump is on the defensive in a state that until recently seemed locked down for Republicans.

With Democratic leaders urging Mr. Biden, the presumptive nominee, to expand his ambitions to states previously considered out of reach, Ohio offers Democrats the possibility of seizing on suburban gains they have made in the Trump era, while restoring parts of the old Obama coalition.

The definition of Trump being in trouble is that hes forced to spend $18 million on TV in Ohio and hes mired in a battle for his life here, said David Pepper, the chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party.
Spider- Man: No Way Home beats Scream and is still No. 1 at UK box office for the 5th week in a row
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro on Friday filed a lawsuit seeking to shut down three Philadelphia towing companies that he said repeatedly towed cars that were not illegally parked and demanded that their owners pay cash to get them back.

In one case, an owner was charged more than state law allows, while other owners reported that when they went to retrieve their cars, a pit bull was used to intimidate them and make them pay, according to the suit filed in Common Pleas Court by the attorney generals Bureau of Consumer Protection.

You cant just drive off with someones car and hold it hostage because you dont like where they parked it, Shapiro said in a statement. Using the authority of a towing service to extort money from Philadelphians is wrong and illegal, and were holding these companies accountable.

Named as defendants are Miguel Caban, 47; Miguel Caban Jr., 26; and their companies: Sianis Towing & Recovery, Aubrys Towing, and Angelinas Towing & Recovery. Each is based at the same address, 3209 Germantown Ave. in North Philadelphia.

A representative of the companies provided a phone number to reach the Cabans, but neither responded to a text message seeking comment about the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges that the businesses wrongfully towed cars when they were not illegally parked in some instances, or where signs regulating parking were not clearly and conspicuously displayed.

It also alleges that the owners used tactics to threaten, intimidate and coerce consumers so they would not refuse to pay when their vehicles had been illegally towed. Intimidation tactics allegedly included having pit bulls in the owners office when consumers came to pick up their cars.

Citing the accounts of seven unnamed motorists, the lawsuit also alleges that in certain instances, the businesses demanded cash to release vehicles they had impounded, a violation of city towing laws.

Among the victim stories included in the lawsuit was that of a consumer from Philadelphia who said in January 2019, Sianis towed her car from her apartment complex despite the proper parking permit being on the window. Three men, two big dogs, and word that the credit card machine was broken greeted the consumer when she went to retrieve her car.

Consumer felt intimidated, the lawsuit stated, so she just paid what they demanded. That was $205.

An Upper Darby woman whose car was towed by Angelinas from Allegheny Avenue in Philadelphia in September 2019 complained that her receipt stated that her car was towed from another location, and that when she went to pay $265 to get the vehicle, an employee told her she only had a few seconds to get out her registration and insurance or he would get the pit bull out.

The lawsuit asks the court to order the defendants to make full restitution to all consumers who suffered losses; and to pay civil penalties of $1,000 for each violation of the Consumer Protection Law, which will increase to $3,000 for each violation involving victims age 60 or older.

In addition, the lawsuit seeks an order permanently enjoining the defendants, in any capacity, from doing business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania involving towing or storage of motor vehicles, and ordering defendants to forfeit their right to engage in such trade and commerce within the commonwealth.

The case is not the first Shapiro has brought over towing practices in Philadelphia. In March 2018, the attorney general announced that another towing company had agreed to pay $13,700 in fines and restitution after an investigation found that it had illegally towed 28 cars in the city.

Shapiro said the George Smith towing company, owned by Anthony DAngelo, illegally towed the cars from various locations in the city, and each of the 28 owners had to pay $205 to get the car back.
Specialty chemicals company LANXESS continues to develop its portfolio and is reorganizing its water treatment technologies business: the company will focus on the ion exchange resins business and intends to grow here primarily in markets for high-end applications.

As part of this realignment, LANXESS is selling its business with reverse osmosis membranes to French group SUEZ. Both companies have signed an agreement to this effect July 15, 2020. It was agreed not to disclose the purchase price. LANXESS expects the transaction to be completed by the end of 2020.

The membrane business no longer fits in with our strategic focus on specialty chemicals, said Matthias Zachert, Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS. We are convinced that under the SUEZ umbrella, the business has the necessary conditions to develop its full growth potential in the future.

The membranes, which play an important role in the treatment of brackish and seawater, are manufactured by LANXESS at its site in Bitterfeld, Germany. SUEZ will take over this plant and the research facilities with all employees. In 2019, the business generated sales in the low double-digit million euro range.

Ion exchange resins: Growth in future industries

LANXESS will further expand its ion exchange resins business. The company plans to build a new production facility, for which it intends to invest between 80 and 120 million euros in the coming years. We invest in additional capacities for ion exchange resins in order to be able to meet the growing global demand. At the same time, we want to grow especially in promising market segments, said Matthias Zachert.

The new ion exchange resin plant will have a production capacity of between 20,000 and 30,000 cubic meters and is scheduled for completion within the next five years. LANXESS will decide on the exact location shortly. The specialty chemicals company currently manufactures ion exchange resins at its sites in Leverkusen, Germany, Bitterfeld, Germany, and Jhagadia, India.

With our applications for water filter cartridges, we are already one of the leading manufacturers. We are now additionally focusing on highly specialized applications that are characterized by high demand and strong growth. For example, in the field of biotechnology, in the semiconductor industry or in the selective removal of metals, such as for the battery industry. With our technological diversity, we are ideally positioned for this, said Bettina Blottko, head of the Liquid Purification Technologies business unit at LANXESS.
Algeria Thursday re-imposed a partial lockdown in 29 governorates in a move to curtail a spike in covid-19 cases.

The North African country has witnessed in recent days a steady increase in number of cases.

An average of 500 cases have been reported daily since the beginning of this week. At least 585 cases were reported on Thursday July 16.

The overall toll of infections as of Thursday stood at 21,351 including 15,047 recoveries and 1,052 deaths.

The partial lockdown will be re-enforced in Adrar, Chlef, Laghouat, Oum El Bouaghi, Batna, Bejaia, Biskra, Bechar, Blida, Bouira, Algiers, Djelfa, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Annaba, Constantine, Medea, MSila, Mascara, Ouargla, Oran, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Boumerdes, Tissemsilt, El Oued, Khenchela, Souk Ahras, Tipaza et Relizane, all considered as spots containing most cases.

The Algerian government has banned traffic from and to the governorates. The emergency measure will last for 10 days.

Algeria in March closed it borders and imposed a lockdown as parts of efforts to stem the spread of the respiratory disease. The measure was partially lifted on June 29th  a move several observers believe caused the surge in numbers because people brought their guards down as beaches reopened, and people resumed family visits and holding weddings.
The Russian effort to create and mass produce a fifth-generation stealth fighter continues to encounter obstacles and delays. In mid-2019, Russia officially placed an order for 76 production model Su-57s. Russia already had 16 Su-57s on order, but the official reason for the larger order was that the manufacturer cut the price 20 percent contingent on a larger order. Then the situation gets more complicated. In December 2019, another Su-57 prototype crashed during a test flight. In the aftermath of the accident investigation, the government initially insisted the 76 aircraft order was going to proceed. Then came the news that there was interest in making a major change in the Su-57 to reduce maintenance costs. This would involve replacing hydraulic systems with electromechanical ones. A test aircraft is being modified in this respect but wont be ready for testing until 2022. It would make sense to delay the production of the 76 Su-57s until it was determined if the electromechanical version worked as expected. After all, money is a major consideration when it comes to the Su-57 and maintenance costs are a major part of that. Russia is broke and that condition continues to get worse because of low oil prices, covid19 economic disruptions and continued economic sanctions on Russia for its continued aggression against Ukraine and lesser mischief elsewhere.

Despite all the technical and financial problems, Russia is still intent on having a fifth-generation fighter, in part because the first ones in service, the American F-22 and F-35 are performing so well. Russia tries to downplay the American success but that is difficult when Israeli F-35s, the first once to undertake combat missions, are doing so on a regular basis. There are reports of Israeli F-35s quietly evading Russian air defense and EW (Electronic Warfare) systems in Syria. Iran also calls the F-35 a fraud while internally the Iranian government is very upset about reports, from Iranian sources, of Israeli F-35 missions over Iran. Worse, hundreds of foreign pilots of export F-35s are praising the capabilities of the latest stealth fighter. The F-22 was never exported and the F-35 is a more advanced stealth warplane. American, and the few foreign, pilots who have experience in both the F-22 and F-35 point out that while the more expensive F-22 might have a bit more stealth than the F-35, the more recent stealth fighter has a lot more new features that no other fighters can match. Thats what bothers the Russians and Chinese most.

China is having problems with its own J-20 stealth fighter but agrees the F-35 is a success and that the Su-57 is at best a good fourth-generation fighter. That criticism stings because it is valid. Russia has still not completed implementing all the planned stealth features of the Su-57. Then there are the powerful engines the Su-57 was designed to use. These new engines have been constantly delayed. For the moment the Su-57 is, in terms of actual capabilities, a fourth-generation warplane.

China also points out that the best new Russian fighter, the Su-35 is indeed excellent even if only fourth-generation. Introduced in 2014, about 150 are in service or on order. China bought some Su-35s, the better to closely study them for possible reverse-engineering and production of an improved Chinese version. China sees nothing worth copying in the Su-57 and admits its own J-20 stealth fighter is having problems but that China is making better progress fixing those problems than the Russians are doing with the Su-57.

Despite all this Russia remains determined to get the Su-57 into service, even if only in small numbers like the very expensive F-22. A dozen new Su-57s are supposed to be delivered in 2020 but that is now in doubt.

The first production Su-57 was supposed to arrive in 2019 but that wont happen because the specified engine, the Saturn Izdeliye 30, was (and is) still in development. The current delivery date of that engine, which will enable the Su-57 to perform as specified, is not expected until 2030 or so. Production models of the Su-57 are arriving with the less powerful AL-41F1 engine, although an upgrade for this engine is in the works. The 76 aircraft order specifies deliveries ending in 2028. The way Russian military procurement has worked since the 1990s is that orders for new items are always aspirational, as in what Russia would like to buy, rather than based on a realistic expectation of delivery. This is especially true with the troubled Su-57.

All nations have problems meeting delivery dates for weapons that incorporate a lot of new technologies. Along with that comes problems keeping the costs of developing these new technologies under control. Russia has set new standards for aspirational production orders. In short, post-1990s Russia rarely meets these aspirational goals. Compared to other nations, Russian delivery dates always tend to be very optimistic, which is why the term aspirational is used.

When it comes to fifth-generation fighters Russia is very much in third place behind the United States and China. There is an element of the aspirational even with that third-place status. The U.S. and China already have fifth-generation aircraft in service. Well at least the Americans do and the Chinese J-20 is a lot more operational than the Su-57. One reason for all the contrived optimism over the Su-57 becoming operational is that Russia needs export customers. That has been difficult because the Su-57 as described on the spec sheet wont be available until the mid-2020s at the earliest. The spec sheet Su-57 is a stealthy, single-seat, twin-engine multirole fifth-generation fighter aircraft developed for air superiority and attack operations. This is the first Russian aircraft in military service to use stealth technology. The Su-57 also has supercruise (going supersonic without the afterburner) capability and advanced avionics capable of dealing with older warplane electronics as well as ground and naval air defense systems.

Russia developed the Su-57 as a successor to its Cold War era MiG-29 and Su-27/30 fighters. But the Su-57 is so expensive, and the Russian Air Force budget so small (and shrinking), that Russia cannot afford many of these stealth fighters. Moreover, it is essential to obtain export sales to make mass production possible at all, not to mention profitable. The recent Russian claim that the manufacturer cut the price 20 percent is also aspirational because a growing number of Russian defense firms are sliding towards bankruptcy. Orders for new equipment have been scaled back since 2014 because of a contracting economy. Russia likes to describe its economic growth as stalled but the reality is that entire categories of proposed (before 2014) new weapons purchases are being slowly eliminated. Efforts to hide all this, especially the continued decline of the Russian ability to develop and manufacture new weapons, has become less successful as the missed production and in service goals increase.

The Su-57 is a prime example of how a system of constantly shifting goals and missed deadlines works. The Su-57 began development in 2002 and the first of ten flyable prototypes flew in 2010. Four non-flying prototypes were also built for ground tests and such. From the beginning, there were problems perfecting the high-performance engines. For example, the first two flight prototypes had to use a less capable variant of the AL-31 engine that was already used by the Su-27 aircraft. The other flyable prototypes used a more powerful AL-41F1S engine, which was also used in the Su-35, the most advanced (so far) Su-27 variant. Flight testing soon made it clear that even the AL-41F1 was not powerful enough for the spec sheet Su-57. This meant that the Izdeliye 30 variant of the Al-F41, originally designed for the Su-57, had to be perfected before the Su-57 could enter production as an export aircraft. The Izdeliye 30 possessed increased thrust and fuel efficiency as well as 3D thrust vectoring nozzles. At the end of 2017, the tenth flight prototype was equipped with Izdeliye 30 engines and demonstrated its superior performance, including supercruise. However, the Izdeliye 30 was still not reliable enough for sustained use, so mass production of this essential Su-57 engine was delayed. Russia proposed shipping production models of the Su-57 with an Al-F41 variant that enables the aircraft to get the most out of its stealth and high-performance electronics but without the promised supercruise and thrust vectoring maneuverability features. Potential customers, including the Russian Air Force, were not interested in purchasing a developmental aircraft because thats what the Su-57 was without the fully functional Izdeliye 30 engines.

India, which agreed in 2010 to invest $6 billion for development and production of the Su-57, pulled out of that deal in 2018 because of the many missed deadlines and attempts by Russia to hide the degree to which Su-57 development was aspirational. Russia was providing aspirational data when India was demanding realistic updates on where Su-57 development was. India originally planned on purchasing 214 slightly modified (for Indian use) Su-57s. That is now gone and Russia is unlikely to get it back because too much of existing Su-57 progress is still more aspirational than reality.

Development got off to a bad start as Russia encountered unexpected (or just unwanted) technical complications that, by 2012, caused India to reduce its planned purchase to 144 fighters. Development problems persisted, as did the unreliability of progress reports and in early 2018 India pulled out of the Su-57 project. India noted the Su-57 was way behind in completing the development of the stealth technology as well as the advanced electronics. Russia disagreed but without Indian development money and initial aircraft purchases proceeding as planned, the Su-57 faced cancellation. Instead, Russia came up with a plan to continue development but with significantly reduced performance goals. To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach in February 2018 two Su-57 prototypes were sent to Syria to demonstrate the existing capabilities of the aircraft as it performed various types of missions during a major air support operation for ground forces clearing rebels from a Damascus suburb. This lasted until April and the Su-57s successfully completed an operational testing program that included combat trials. The capabilities of multiple Su-57 weapon systems were tested during ten flights. The most significant test was when a Su-57 fired a Kh-59MK2 cruise missile against an Islamic terrorist target. Russia concluded that, although the intent and purpose of the Su-57 program had changed since development began, the aircraft represented a significant advance in Russian military aircraft performance and was a worthy competitor to American and Chinese stealth designs, but only if the Su-57 got its specified engine and stealth capabilities.

The reality was that the Su-57s sent to Syria were mainly carrying out promotional stunts. Those two aircraft had little of the promised fifth-generation capabilities and the Americans and Israelis were able to monitor the Su-57 performance closely and in great detail. That confirmed the Indian complaints, their belief that the Su-57 development was still in trouble the prognosis was grim.

Russia now justifies the expensive Su-57 because it could serve up to 35 years and be used in smaller quantities as a special mission aircraft. That means the Su-57 would only be used for specific missions that require the unique capabilities of the aircraft. This would include developing an anti-ship missile that would not compromise Su-57 stealth qualities. The Su-57 could also be used for SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses). Earlier in 2019, the Russian Air Force placed an order for 15 Su-57s to be used for developing weapons and tactics for these especial missions. The order was rolled into the later one because 76 is more impressive than 61.

All this is basically in support of attracting export customers for the Su-57. The Su-57 has to pay its own way because most of the Russian aircraft procurement budget is needed to purchase Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft to replace the Cold War era Su-27 and MiG-29 aircraft that are too old and worn out to be useful any longer. The Russian Air Force is receiving fewer and fewer new aircraft each year.

Unlike India, China was never seen as a major export customer for Su-57 aircraft but Su-57 tech is another matter because the Chinese fifth-generation stealth fighter, the J-20A, is experiencing developmental delays. The reason is more technical problems than expected. This has delayed J20 entry into service. A key technical challenge is that the J-20A lacks a locally developed high-performance engine and, like the Su-57, continues to rely on older Russian engine models that are almost powerful enough but also reliable enough for sustained service. China developed its military jet engine industry with Russian help and is encountering some of the same performance and reliability problems the Russians still endures. By continuing to buy Russian high-performance engines China can monitor Russian progress in overcoming development and production problems that have been a major problem for stealth and high-performance military aircraft in general. This is not unusual and has been the trend when you view how each generation of new warplanes was developed and performed.

Getting from generation to generation of combat aircraft has become a lot more expensive with the last two generations. The generation reference is mainly about the emergence of jet fighters and much other new tech during and after World War II. The first generation was developed during and right after World War II (German Me-262, British Meteor, U.S. F-80, and Russian MiG-15). Actually, the first jet-powered aircraft (a German He 178) flew in August 1939. The first jet aircraft were, even by the standards of the time, difficult to fly and unreliable. especially the engines. The 2nd generation (1950s) included more reliable but still dangerous to operate aircraft like the F-104 and MiG-21. The 3rd generation (1960s) included F-4s and MiG-23s. The 4th generation (1970s) included F-16s and MiG-29s.

Each generation has been about twice as expensive (on average, in constant dollars) as the previous one. But each generation is also about twice as safe to fly and somewhat cheaper to operate. Naturally, each generation is more than twice as effective as the previous one. Increasingly it looks like the 6th generation may well be pilotless aircraft. Thats because producing fifth-generation fighters has proved difficult as well as very expensive. So far only the United States has managed to get 5th gen fighters (F-22 and F-35) into service. The Russians are still trying as are the Chinese, though one of the latter's stealth fighter designs (J-20) is technically in service, J-20 production has been suspended after less than a dozen were produced.

The Russians have said they will keep working on their 5th generation Su-57, although some of the derivatives of their Su-27 are at least generation 4.5. One of the reasons the Soviet Union collapsed was the realization that they were unable to develop 5th generation warplanes to stay competitive with America. The Russians had a lot of interesting stuff on the drawing board and in development but the bankruptcy of most of their military aviation industry during the 1990s left them scrambling to put it back together. At the moment the Russians are thinking of making a run for the 6th generation warplanes, which will likely be unmanned and largely robotic. As of now, they dont have many options and those options are gradually fading into the not likely zone as Russian military and financial resources continue to diminish.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The U.S. government on Friday put to death an Iowa chemistry student-turned-meth kingpin convicted of killing five people, the third execution by the federal government in a week.

Dustin Honken, 52, who prosecutors said killed key witnesses to stop them from testifying in his drugs case, received a lethal injection at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. Two others were also put to death during the week after a hiatus of nearly 20 years, including Wesley Purkey. His lawyers contended he had dementia and didnt know why he was being executed.

The first in the spate federal executions happened Tuesday, when Daniel Lewis Lee was put to death for killing a family in the 1990s as part of a plot to build a whites-only nation. Lees execution, like Purkeys, went ahead only after the U.S. Supreme Court gave it a green light in a 5-4 decision hours before.

Honken, who had been on death row since 2005, was pronounced dead at 4:36 p.m. The inmate  known for his verbosity at trial and for making a long statement of his innocence at his sentencing  spoke only briefly, neither addressing victims family members nor saying he was sorry. His last words were, Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for me.

Honkens lawyer, Shawn Nolan, said his client was redeemed and had repented for his crimes. Honken was a devout Catholic who cared for everyone he came into contact with in prison, Nolan said.

There was no reason for the government to kill him, in haste or at all. In any case, they failed. The Dustin Honken they wanted to kill is long gone, Nolan said. The man they killed today was a human being, who could have spent the rest of his days helping others and further redeeming himself. May he rest in peace.

In a statement, Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said just punishment has been carried out.

Nearly three decades after Honken coldly ended the lives of five people, including two young girls, all in an effort to protect himself and his criminal enterprise, he has finally faced justice, Kupec said.

After officials began administering the lethal injection, Honken began blinking his eyes and his fingers twitched. After several minutes his breathing became more laboured. He turned increasingly ashen as blood drained from his face and hands. His hands gradually stopped twitching, and his breathing became shallower.

Honken was pronounced dead about 30 minutes after the process began  longer than the other two executions. An official with a stethoscope walked into the small death chamber, put his fingers on Honkens neck to check for a pulse, listened for a heartbeat, then exited.

Seconds later, officials announced the time of death.

Honken, whose crimes struck at the foundation of the U.S. justice system, always seemed the least likely to win a reprieve from the courts. After the two previous executions were stopped and started amid back-and-forth legal manoeuvring, Honkens began almost on the minute it was scheduled.

While out on bond in his drugs case in July 1993, Honken and his girlfriend Angela Johnson kidnapped Lori Duncan and her two daughters from their Mason City, Iowa, home, then killed and buried them in a wooded area nearby. Ten-year-old Kandi and 6-year-old Amber were still in their swimsuits on the hot summer day when they were shot execution-style in the back of the head.

Their primary target that day was Lori Duncans then-boyfriend, Greg Nicholson, who also lived at the home and was also killed. He and Lori Duncan were bound and gagged and shot multiple times. Honken had recently learned Nicholson, a former drug-dealing associate, was co-operating with investigators and would likely testify against Honken at trial.

Lori Duncan didnt know Nicholson was an informant and she wasnt involved in drugs.

As the investigation into Honken continued, he killed another drug dealer working with him, Terry DeGeus, beating him with a bat and shooting him.

Honken had earlier informed the judge in his drug case that he would plead guilty at the end of July. But days after the still-undiscovered killings of Nicholson and the Duncans, he told the court he would stick to his not guilty plea.

A statement from the Duncan family said the execution provided a degree of justice and closure to the family.

The two young Duncan girls never had a chance to grow up and share in the joys and sorrows of their life, it said. Their mother never got to see them having their first dance, first date or first walk down the aisle at their wedding.

We will continue to live with their loss, it said. However, this is a step toward healing of broken hearts and shattered lives.

Investigators found the Nicholson and Duncan bodies only seven years after the killings, in 2000, after Johnson scrawled out a map showing a jailhouse informant where they were buried. DeGeus body was found a few miles from the wooded area.

Honken was considered so dangerous that the judge took the rare step of impaneling an anonymous jury. Other security measures included fitting Honken with a stun belt under his clothes to prevent him from trying to escape.

Johnson, Honkens girlfriend, was convicted in a separate trial and sentenced to death. A judge later reduced her sentence to life behind bars.

In recent days, prison authorities permitted Honken to make his last calls to family and friends, according to Sister Betty Donoghue, a Catholic nun whom he called Wednesday.

On death row, Honken befriended Lee and knew his execution was called off one hour, then was back on another hour, Donoghue said.

He was very upset with the way Danny died, said Donoghue, who visited Honken regularly over the past decade.

Yet Donoghue, of the Sisters of Providence just outside Terre Haute, said she was startled by how calm Honken sounded over the phone.

He was at peace. I was totally amazed, she said. He believed he would go to heaven. He is ready to meet his maker.

At his sentencing in 2005, Honken denied killing anybody, but Donoghue said she never heard him say he was innocent.

Honkens mother, brother and college-age daughter visited him in prison in recent days, she said.
The salon has practiced a strict masking and safety protocol since the pandemic began, she said. Customers make an appointment in advance and call from the parking lot when they show up. Staff members provide customers a mask if they dont have one, and request that they wash their hands when they enter the business, Kris Carpenter said.

Since a masking policy was put into place at The Joy of Living Wednesday, Kris Carpenter said that most people are willing to comply. A few customers have refused to go into Kris Carpenters businesses after being asked to wear a mask.

We would just ask them to come back later when the order is lifted, Kris Carpenter said. We just want to be part of the solution and its something that our management and leadership decided we will support.

Staff members at the Poly Food Basket grocery store on Poly Drive are also asking customers to wear face masks when they enter, even though a sign requiring a face covering wasnt placed at the entrance Thursday. Employees have been wearing masks while on shift even before the order was implemented.

Since the order was just announced Wednesday, the store hasnt had the opportunity to hang a sign, said store manager Sage DAmbrosia.
The Socialist Equality Party (Australia) concluded a successful series of online lectures entitled Why study the history of Trotskyism last week.

The events introduced an important layer of students, young people and workerswho are being radicalised by the deepening crisis of capitalism expressed most sharply by the pandemicto the essential strategic lessons of the Trotskyist movements protracted fight for a socialist and internationalist perspective.

A memo outlining the purpose of the lectures had explained that they would seek to elaborate the fight for world socialist revolution which runs as a red thread, the central component of, the struggle of the Trotskyist movement from the formation of the Left Opposition in 1923 to today.

The lectures provided a concise overview of some of the major events of the 20th century, including the Russian Revolution, the emergence of Stalinism, the upheavals of the 1930s, the coming to power of the Nazis, the Second World War, the post-war boom of capitalism and the Cold War, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

They were not, however, an exercise in academic history. Rather, the presentations reviewed the way in which these events impacted on, and were responded to, by the revolutionary Marxists and the most conscious sections of the working class.

Each of the meetings related the historical issues under discussion to the contemporary questions confronting the working class.

They outlined the essential lessons of the complex struggles waged within the Trotskyist movement, and provided an overview of some of the fundamentals of contemporary Marxism. These included the primacy of international strategy over national tactics and the necessity for a continuous fight against national-opportunism as a central component of establishing the political independence of the working class.

Above all, the lectures emphasised the decisive importance of building a revolutionary leadership in the working class, based on the heritage of Trotskyism. This was the only way in which the developing struggles of the working class could be provided with a conscious orientation and perspective that would guide them to victory.

The first lecture was delivered by Nick Beams, who has played a leading role in the Trotskyist movement for more than four decades, and was titled October 1917: The Opening Shot of the World Revolution.

It outlined Leon Trotskys theory of permanent revolution, which provided an integrated perspective of world socialist revolution in an era of global economy and politics. Beams explained that Trotskys theory had established the decisive revolutionary role of the working class in carrying through the unresolved democratic tasks in countries of a belated capitalist development, including Russia.

Trotskys breakthrough was central to the October 1917 revolution, the first time the working class took political power. Beams stressed that the revolution was conceived of by Lenin, Trotsky and the Bolsheviks as the opening shot in a global social transformation, arising out of the breakdown of capitalism expressed in World War I.

He argued that the same fundamental contradictions of the profit system were expressed today in the pandemic, and the response to it by governments around the world, including their stoking of nationalism and subordination of public health to the profit dictates of a corporate aristocracy. The perspective that had guided the Russian Revolution was therefore more relevant than ever.

October 1917: The Opening Shot of the World Revolution

The second lecture, presented by Cheryl Crisp, the assistant national-secretary of the SEP (Australia), was headlined The Left Oppositions struggle against Stalinism.

Crisp explained that Stalinism emerged in the early 1920s, out of the isolation of the Soviet Union and its material backwardness. Revolutions in Germany and elsewhere had been defeated as a result of the betrayals of social democracy. Russia, already devastated by World War I, was further impoverished by an imperialist instigated civil war aimed at overthrowing the first workers state.

Crisp explained that Stalinism expressed the interests of a privileged bureaucratic caste, whose emergence was a product of the pressures of imperialism on the young workers state. She detailed the struggles of the Left Opposition against it, over questions of internal party democracy, economic planning and international strategy.

Crisp stressed that the nationalist perspective of Stalinism had a devastating impact globally. The policies of the Stalinists divided the working class in Germany, creating the conditions for the coming to power of the Nazis.

The Left Opposition's struggle against Stalinism

The third lecture by Max Boddy, an SEP national committee member, was titled The founding of the Fourth International.

Boddy outlined the conditions of intense political repression under which the Trotskyists established the Fourth International. He reviewed the political context, including the betrayal of revolutionary struggles of the working class and the approach of World War II.

The lecture detailed Trotskys struggle against various centrist tendencies, which opposed the founding of the Fourth International as premature, a position that expressed their unwillingness to break with the national milieu. Boddy provided an analysis of the founding program of the Fourth International, the Transitional Program, and argued that its characterisation of the world situationThe historical crisis of mankind is reduced to the crisis of the revolutionary leadershipapplies with even greater force today.

The founding of the Fourth International

The fourth lecture was on The ICFI and the war against Pabloism and was delivered by SEP national committee member Zac Hambides.

It reviewed the emergence of Pabloite national-opportunism within the Fourth International, in the context of the post-World War II boom of capitalism and the apparent strengthening of Stalinism. Hambides explained that the Pabloites rejected the revolutionary role of the working class and the Fourth International, by ascribing a progressive role to the Stalinists and various bourgeois-nationalist formations.

He explained that the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) was established in 1953 to prevent the Pabloites from liquidating the Trotskyist movement. Its founding document, the Open Letter by James P Cannon had restated the fundamental perspectives outlined by Trotsky and exposed the dangerous implications of the revisions advanced by Michel Pablo and his supporters.

Over the following decades, the Pabloites would function as a critical adjunct of the bureaucracies, serving to prevent the genuine Trotskyists from coming to the leadership of the working class. Hambides particularly reviewed the disastrous consequences of Pabloite politics in Latin America, which created the conditions for a series of bloody military coups.

The ICFI and the war against Pabloism

The fifth lecture, delivered by Oscar Grenfell, an SEP national committee member and regular writer for the WSWS, was on The 1985-86 split with the WRP and the renaissance of Marxism.

It outlined the reversion to Pabloite positions by the Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP), the British section of the ICFI, beginning in the 1970s. This had included a turn to bourgeois nationalist regimes in the Middle East and to the Labour and union bureaucracy within Britain.

Grenfell noted that this opportunist course provoked opposition from within the ICFI, expressed in a series of interventions by David North and the US Workers League beginning in 1982.

The split between the ICFI and the WRP in 1985 had ensured the survival of the Trotskyist movement. It was based on the entire heritage of the Fourth International, and centred on the question of nationalism versus internationalism. The successful struggle waged by the ICFI expressed new and more favourable conditions for the socialist internationalists and was the basis for a renaissance of Marxism spearheaded by the ICFI over the following decades.

The 1985-86 split with the WRP and the renaissance of Marxism

The final lecture by Nick Beams was on the subject A new period of socialist revolution and the tasks of the Fourth International.

Beams explained that the pandemic had vindicated the ICs assessment, in a January 3 perspective document, that the world had entered a decade of socialist revolution.

He outlined the critical importance of the initiatives undertaken by the ICFI since 1985, including the establishment of Socialist Equality Parties and perspectives work unprecedented in the history of the Marxist movement since the founding of the Fourth International. He stressed that this heritage was the foundation for the development of mass revolutionary parties around the world, and appealed to those in attendance to join the ICFI.

A new period of socialist revolution and the tasks of the Fourth International

The lectures were attended by an appreciative audience, including workers, students and youth across Australia. There was important participation from Sri Lanka, India, New Zealand, Britain, the US, and in countries as diverse as Spain, the Philippines and South Korea.

At each of the lectures, the speakers stressed the need for those entering socialist politics to study the history of the Fourth international, including by purchasing works from Mehring Books.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Hongqi, the premium auto brand of FAW Group, will launch its first supercar model, the Hongqi S9, at the end of 2020, which is expected to be priced at over 10 million yuan ($1,429,000), according to Wang Guoqiang, vice president of FAW Group.

The Chinese state-owned automaker offered the first glance of the S9's concept at the 2019 Frankfurt International Auto Show on Sept. 10, 2019.

(Hongqi S9's concept, photo source: FAW Group)



The S9 grabbed the attention of many viewers with its exceptionally streamlined car body, large-sized the aerodynamics package, massive rear spoiler and Hongqi's signature design at the front. In addition, it boasts a great lightweight design by largely using carbon fiber materials.

Hongqi said the S9 is equipped with a V8T engine that pumps out 1,400 horsepower (around 1,030kW). Thanks to the powerful powertrain and outstanding aerodynamics design, the car features a top speed of 400km/h and can sprint from 0 to 100km/h in 1.9 seconds.

Any more information has remained uncovered as the project is panning out in confidence.

FAW Group signed in April a letter of intent with Silk EV, a U.S.-based automotive engineering and design company, to move faster on building a joint venture, which is set to produce Hongqi-branded vehicles of the S-series lineup. The significant model will be put into mass production in Changchun, while the design work will take place in Italy. It is said that the Hongqi S9 would be the first product of the joint venture.

Founded in 2019, Silk EV is an automotive engineering and design company headquartered in New York with operations in Italy, China and the United States. It has partnered with such global auto brands as Bugatti, Pagani, Porsche, Ferrari, and Lotus. It plans to pump RMB10 billion ($1.429 billion) into the project with FAW Group over the next five years.
FAIRFIELD  A controversial proposal for a housing development took center stage at a Plan and Zoning Commission meeting Tuesday.

According to the attorney for the applicant, 131 Beach Road LLC, the proposal would see a 40-unit development on 131 Beach Road  a .65 acre lot that currently hosts a Masonic temple. Attorney Christopher Smith also said 12 units would be affordable housing.

But residents in the neighborhood began organizing to prevent the approval of the development before the meeting. A petition created by resident Walter Shaw opposing the development had 500 signatories as of Wednesday night.

In the description, Shaw said the petition was an effort to maintain the historic character and scale of the neighborhood. Shaw pointed to the size of the project  a five-story, 60-foot high building in the area of the old town hall, according to the developers application.

Smith said the development was filed under the states affordable housing statute (8-30g). A state regulation, 8-30g allows developers of affordable housing to bypass municipal laws and regulations in order to get such housing into communities with fewer affordable units than the state recommends  about 10 percent in Fairfield. Smith said 2.43 percent of the towns housing was considered affordable in 2019.

Regarding the affordability plan, Smith said six of the one and two bedroom apartments would be offered to people earning equal to or less than 80 percent of the median income. He said the other six affordable units would be offered to people making equal to or less than 60 percent of the median income.

Shaw said in the petition that the Old Post Road Area Association  a neighborhood group founded in 1951 to protect the historic character of the area  understands the need for affordable housing in Fairfield. But Shaw contends the developer is using 8-30g to build the largest building possible in a neighborhood most Fairfield residents consider sacred.

A five-story Apartment complex is simply incongruous to this neighborhood, the petition reads, adding that the building would tower above all others and be in stark contrast to the Old Town Hall.

Shaw also brought up possible traffic and parking issue that the development could create. Shaw did not respond to a request for comment.

Alexis Harrison, a Fairfield resident operating the Connecticut Needs 8-30g Reform Facebook page, also said she understands the need for more affordable housing in Fairfield. She said she believes there are significant issues with the height and density of the project.

Harrison said she was also concerned about the traffic safety issues the development could generate, adding that the area is already congested.

Beach Road alone has multiple medical buildings, a church, social club, a funeral home and other businesses, Harrison said. We have to realize that not every site will accommodate every development. I would hope the developer, Glen Tatangelo, the owner of 131 Beach Road, would be agreeable to scale back the project in a way that addresses the concerns of the community and neighbors.

In the public hearing, Smith and experts hired by the developer to work on the project presented their plans to the commission. Members asked about aspects of the building, including parking, drainage, traffic, and the amount of room for delivery and emergency vehicles.

The presentation did not finish by the end of the meeting. Chairman Matthew Wagner said rest of the hearing, including public comment, would be adjourned until the commissions Sept. 15 meeting.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada mid-March, health experts feared Vancouver's impoverished Downtown Eastside would be decimated  the coronavirus expected to tear through its vulnerable population.

That didn't happen, and now a B.C. medical sleuth is trying to find out why only a handful of residents have tested positive for the virus in one of Canada's poorest neighbourhoods.

It's a medical mystery given there are an estimated 15,000 people crammed into 30 square blocks around Vancouver's infamous Main and Hastings intersection.

Many residents have mental health issues, are infected with HIV or hepatitis C, and have compromised immune systems.

The answer to the apparent low infection count could benefit all Canadians in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus, says Dr. Brian Conway, medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre.

"The thrill of the chase is exciting," says Conway. "The more we learn, the more we will be able to help."

Martin Diotte/CBC

'Pop-up clinics' test for antibodies

Conway has launched a series of free community "pop-up clinics" to test blood for telltale coronavirus antibodies among Downtown Eastside (DTES) residents.

Antibodies are formed when a person's body attempts to fight off infection.

They are an indication that the individual was, at some point, infected with the virus, even if there were no symptoms of illness or only mild symptoms.

Conway says if antibodies are found in a large percentage of volunteer test subjects, that would mean the virus has been more common in the Downtown Eastside than previously thought.

Symptoms of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, could have been masked by underlying health and addiction issues.

Ben Nelms/CBC

"It is possible that certain cases were missed since opioid withdrawal might look a little bit like an acute [coronavirus] infection," Conway said. "So we want to just make sure that we understand exactly what happened in that community since the middle of March."

Story continues

'Is there something here ... protecting them?'

If antibodies aren't found, Conway says, that could mean the coronavirus has skipped over an easy target, perhaps due to the community's social isolation from the rest of the Vancouver area.

There's another intriguing possibility: that Downtown Eastside residents have some form of resistance to the potentially deadly virus.

"Is there something here that is protecting them against becoming infected?" Conway said. "This is a thing that we need to learn."

Conway says the clinics have been approved by Health Canada, and are staffed and funded by his non-profit centre, independent from local health authorities.The centre's stated mission is to provide expert diagnosis and treatment of chronic infectious diseases in Vancouver. Conway says that now includes COVID-19.

He hopes to test approximately 20 DTES residents at each pop-up, to be held once a week throughout the summer. Conway says the blood samples taken at the clinics will be analyzed for coronavirus antibodies in the weeks ahead, likely by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).

The presence or absence of antibodies against coronavirus could help researchers understand infection rates as compared to illness rates. But, Health Canada cautions, it's not yet clear how long antibodies stay in the body, and it's not yet know whether people with antibodies are immune to re-infection or if they are still infectious to others.

There is also research suggesting that antibody tests may not be reliable.

COVID-19 recovery facility had just 3 patients

Social advocates on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside say they, too, have been baffled by the lack of reported COVID-19 cases.

"It may be that the people who live in the Downtown Eastside tend not to travel outside of the country," says Janice Abbott, CEO of Atira, which operates social housing in the neighbourhood. "Many of them spend all of their time [here], so maybe there's a protective factor in geography  I don't know."

B.C. Housing/Twitter

In April, Atira joined forces with the B.C. government and Vancouver Coastal Health to convert a local hotel into a 60- room recovery facility for local residents who become sick with COVID-19.

It was quietly closed in June  after housing just three patients.

'I don't think it should have taken this long'

Downtown Eastsiders who spoke with CBC News welcome the antibody testing.

They, too, want answers.

Randy Hyman describes himself as a former resident and frequent visitor to the neighbourhood.

Martin Diotte/CBC

"It's great that it's finally arrived that the testing will be done," said Hyman, 40. "Despite the fact that some people may not feel they have a voice and cannot advocate for their own health ... I'm sure they would appreciate the opportunity to be tested."

Selling plastic jewellery from her central spot on East Hastings Street, Edith Delmo wonders why the apparent absence of COVID-19 on the Downtown Eastside wasn't investigated sooner.

"I don't think it should have taken this long," said Delmo, 60.

Eric Rankin/CBC

Through his pop-up clinics  building on similar testing he's done for HIV and hepatitis C on the Downtown Eastside since the 1980's  Conway hopes to find out why COVID-19 seems to have passed over this community, and how that information could help fight the pandemic in the rest of the country.

"I think we need to understand exactly how much the virus has penetrated in the [DTES] population," says Conway.

"That's going to help us plan better on how to deal with this going forward ... [and] that's going to be very useful to the general public."

CBC Vancouver's Impact Team investigates and reports on stories that impact people in their local community and strives to hold individuals, institutions and organizations to account. If you have a story for us, email impact@cbc.ca.
NEWS FLASH

Italy is expanding a list of countries from which planes wont be allowed to land. These include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro. Other countries on the list include Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Kuwait, Moldova, Oman, Panama, Peru and the Dominican Republic. Individuals who have been to these countries in the past fourteen days will be denied entry into Italy or transfer through the country. It comes after Austria recently introduced a similar ban . The new measure, in place until the end of the month, will affect airlines operating from the region to Italy, including Air Serbia, Montenegro Airlines, Ryanair and Wizz Air.
TikTok found itself caught up in a myriad of allegations after various regulators began scrutinising ByteDance's most popular app. After facing a ban in India a few weeks back, TikTok may be banned in the US over the allegations that it siphoned off user data to Beijing. To evade the ban, TikTok is mulling to break away from its parent company ByteDance, which is based in China.

The information comes courtesy White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow, who told local media that although TikTok has preliminary plans to take its own course, there is nothing concrete as of now. "We haven't made final decisions (on the ban) but as has been reported in some places, I think TikTok is going to pull out of the holding company which is China-run and operate as independent company," said Kudlow.

TikTok, which is now all the rage among millennials in India, the US, and several other countries, has been subjected to various regulations over the type and quality of content that goes viral on its platform. Among other concerns, US accused TikTok of aiding Beijing in its plans to surveil US users - something that India likely feared, as well and decided to ban it among 58 other 'Chinese' apps. The White House even threatened to ban TikTok as the tensions between the US and China simmered over the coronavirus pandemic.

Kudlow said TikTok could either operate as a standalone company or be bought. He declined to speculate on who could buy TikTok but said it will be a "much better solution" than banning it in the US. TikTok has nearly 45 million active users in the US and its customer base is set to zoom past the 60-million mark by the year 2024, according to a report by Statista.

TikTok's popularity has scared off heavyweights, such as Facebook, so much so that the Mark Zuckerberg-led company outed at least two replicas of TikTok called Lasso and Reels subsequently. While Lasso could not take off, Reels is making inroads in additional markets, such as India to fill the TikTok-sized void. The government banned TikTok over cybersecurity concerns days after the face-off between India and China at the LAC took place. The overarching move is being viewed as the government's decision to punish China and promote local apps at the same time.

Days after TikTok disappeared from India's internet ecosystem, local counterparts, such as Chingari, Rhoposo, and Mitron, began flourishing at a meteoric pace, garnering hundreds of downloads in a day.
As many states continue the rocky path to reopening  and, in some cases, reverse course  some people might feel pressured to attend gatherings and events during the coronavirus pandemic before theyre ready. Declining invitations and setting boundaries around personal comfort can be especially fraught for people-pleasers, who already struggle with saying no, according to experts.

Maybe you grudgingly agree to attend a family members birthday party when youd prefer to stay home, or a friend insists on meeting for brunch when youre not yet ready to dine at a restaurant. Guilt  Itll break your brothers heart if you dont show up  and flattery  Seeing you will lift my spirits. Just stay for one mimosa!  can sometimes be used in these scenarios to nudge people-pleasers in a certain direction or to convince them to agree to something theyre not comfortable with, experts say.

When we get honest about the why behind our actions, it becomes clear how unhealthy it is, said Natalie Lue, an author, podcaster and founder of Baggage Reclaim, a self-help blog. Ms. Lue, who calls herself a recovering people-pleaser, said the why could be because were trying to control how others perceive us, were hoping to get something in return, or because we feel afraid, obliged and guilty.

No one is born a people-pleaser  its a coping mechanism learned over time. Perhaps this behavior was adopted as a survival strategy, said Morgan McCain, a psychologist. She said sometimes the thinking goes, If I can anticipate peoples needs, I can sidestep their becoming angry, upset or disappointed with me. For others, it might be a pattern they fell into, thinking that if they made themselves likable enough, then they would be accepted. People-pleasing might also be a strategy to avoid vulnerability. The idea, Dr. McCain said, is that if you keep the attention on other peoples needs, you wont have to reveal too much about yourself.
Renowned poet, critic and political activist was arrested in 2018 for alleged links to Maoist fighters.

The condition of an 80-year-old prominent poet in India who has contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, while in prison has sparked public outrage with calls for public authorities to release him immediately.

Varavara Rao, a renowned Indian poet, critic and political activist, often regarded as a Marxist in Telegu literature, was arrested in 2018 for alleged links to Maoist fighters and violence between Dalits and Hindu nationalists in January that year.

Rao denied the accusations while the case has not been formally brought to the courts.

Held in Navi Mumbais Taloja prison, the writer was reported to be suffering from health complications in May.

In July, he was transferred to a private facility for treatment after his family issued a statement titled Dont kill Varavara Rao in jail, in which they expressed grave concern for his failing health.

According to the statement, the poet was suffering from hallucinations while he was not able to walk, go to the toilet or brush his teeth on his own.

Press note from the family on #VaravaraRao pic.twitter.com/BCAgiP4t4F  meena kandasamy ||  (@meenakandasamy) July 12, 2020

On a visit by his wife and his three daughters to the hospital, he was found lying on a bed soaked in urine.

The ward was stinking, and he was unattended, one of his daughters said.

He tested positive for coronavirus the next day.

During the pandemic, the jailing of Indias most committed and public-spirited writers, academics, doctors and activists amounts to an attempt to kill them in custody, Kavita Krishnan, a member of the Communist Party, wrote on Twitter.

Govt of India is weaponising the pandemic to turn jails into death camps for political undertrials, she added.

Rao is currently held under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), anti-terrorism legislation under which the accused can be jailed for years without bail.

During the pandemic, the jailing of Indias most committed and public-spirited writers, academics, doctors and activists amounts to an attempt to kill them in custody.  Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) July 17, 2020

Human Right Watch (HRW) recently questioned the detention of activists and has demanded the government drop all charges under the counterterrorism law.

Indian authorities are using draconian counterterrorism laws against activists simply for criticising the government or raising their voices against injustice, said HRWs South Asia director, Meenakshi Ganguly, in April.

The organisation has also questioned the government for not pursu[ing] investigations in cases that implicated Hindu nationalist leaders for inciting the violence.
A New Milford High School graduate was recently part of a team of lifeguards that rescued a pilot whose banner plane crashed in New Jersey.

Charlie Osborne, 20, son of CJ Osborne of New Milford and Kathleen Osborne of New Jersey, quickly acted on June 27 when he and fellow lifeguard Scott Meggitt, 21, saw a plane edge closer to the water, then hit the water and flip over.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a banner falling off a plane and I thought Thats weird,  Charlie said. I watched the plane get lower and lower and then it hit the water, flipped forward and went upside down.

Osborne said everything happened so fast. As it all unfolded, he hopped off his Surf City stand, grabbed a board and ran into the water.

There wasnt too much thinking, the lifeguard of five years said. I just went into rescue mode.

Joining him in the approximate quarter-mile swim to the scene of the accident was Meggitt, who was at another lifeguard stand nearby.

As we got farther out, I spotted (the pilots) head, the 2018 New Milford High School graduate said, noting he and Meggitt immediately padded over to the pilot and settled him onto Osbornes board.

After asking the pilot if he was alone and if he had any major injuries, the lifeguards transferred the pilot to Meggitts board, which was bigger, and they all paddled to shore.

The pilot of the Cessna 150 had slipped out the window when the plane flipped over, Osborne said.

Emergency crews were waiting on the shore to receive the pilot, who had called mayday moments before the plane began to go down.

By time we were in, there were tons of people there, Osborne said.

The lifeguard, who studies aerospace at the University of Virginia, said one of the surf cameras in the area captured the whole accident and rescue.

Its a great video, Osborne said, emphasizing the timing of the video.

Word of the rescue quickly spread across news outlets in New Jersey and social media.

Osbornes grandmother, Sonnie Osborne, of New Milford, received a call from her grandson a few hours after the accident.

He called us about two hours after it happened, she said. He could barely speak.

He also received some text messages from people asking, Did you save someone from a plane crash?

Osborne said lifeguards are taught in training how to respond should a plane go down.

People are always like, As if,  he said. Ive participated in some serious rescues on the beach and had to call the paramedics, but added this one tops his list of rescues.

Osborne is a lifeguard on the Jersey Shore each summer.
IN 1900, there were 100,000 horses used as the primary mode of transportation in New York City. The number of cars surpassed the number of horses in 1908. By 1920, the transition from horses to cars was nearly complete.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/7/2020 (551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

IN 1900, there were 100,000 horses used as the primary mode of transportation in New York City. The number of cars surpassed the number of horses in 1908. By 1920, the transition from horses to cars was nearly complete.

While the transition in technology for transportation in New York City took about two decades, the technology transition expectations for students, parents and educators, from in-person learning to online learning, was only a matter of weeks due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education system.

Geoffrey Canada, a prominent African-American educator who established the Harlem Childrens Zone, argues that the sudden school closures owing to COVID-19 are unprecedented. "Weve always worried about poor kids in the summer melt," he said. "Kids are not academically engaged over the summer. They come to school actually behind."

Canada adds, "Weve thrown another three months on top of that. And then on top of that, weve thrown teachers, and iPads, with no training, with no best practice, and were all trying to figure this thing out, I think its an educational disaster right now plus you have the issue that some kids dont have internet. They dont have devices. They dont have headphones. There may be only two devices for five kids. Thats education malpractice."

According to Canada, not only has the COVID-19 pandemic created a health and economic crisis, it has produced an education crisis as well: "We cant be cutting budgets and teachers and not investing in our young people because if we care about income inequality, we are seeing it develop right in front of our eyes."

The summer melt referred to by Geoffrey Canada involves the loss of knowledge and academic skills over the summer months, when students are out of school. Research indicates that summer learning loss is experienced more harshly by low-income students; it can result in the equivalent of up to three months of declines in measures of grade-level equivalency, and its effect is cumulative, with lower-income students falling behind their more-affluent peers throughout their high school education.

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The evidence on summer learning loss can be used to help understand the likely impact of school closures owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Initiatives to address COVID-19 learning loss will be required. One of the strategies currently underway in Winnipegs inner city is what can be described as a "back to the future" effort to address COVID-19 learning loss.

Between 1970 and 2000, the Community Education Development Association (CEDA) and the Winnipeg School Division worked in partnership to operate the Summer Enrichment Program for inner-city students in Grade 1 to 6. The Community School Investigators (CSI) Summer Program, established in 2005 by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg, was the successor to the Summer Enrichment Program intended to address the issue of summer learning loss for inner-city elementary school students.

CEDA, a United Way-funded organization, is once again working in partnership with the WSD to establish an in-person Summer Enrichment Program for Grade 7 to 9 students to begin to address the effect of COVID-19 learning loss for older students. The program will operate at various inner-city school sites and will be compliant with the recently announced provincial government public-health orders.

The Summer Enrichment Program is a good example of various sectors of the community working together to support young people who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The provincial and federal governments are providing funding for summer student grants for program staff through their respective Green Team and Canada Summer Jobs Program; the Winnipeg School Division is supplying teachers to co-ordinate each of the school sites; and programming funds will be contributed by the Winnipeg Foundation, along with the government of Canadas Emergency Community Support Fund, which is administered by United Way Winnipeg.

There will be many challenges faced by schools and educators in the coming months in addressing the impact of COVID-19. Schools cannot be expected to face these challenges alone. The Summer Enrichment Program for Grade 7 to 9 inner-city students is a good example of the authentic partnership collaborations our community will need to embrace in order to meet the learning recovery needs of inner-city students.

Tom Simms is co-director of the Community Education Development Association, a United Way-funded agency that has provided community development services to Winnipegs inner city since 1979.
Telstra has been slammed for hiking prices at a time when many Australians are facing finical ruin due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Australia's biggest telecommunications company increased the price of all of their plans in early July by between $5 and $15 per month.

Telstra said the price increase was due to the company investing heavily in the 5G network.

The move would see their plans increase from a minimum of $50 per month to a minimum of $65 per month if customers wants to access the 5G network.

It comes as data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics found 3.5million Australians were forced to withdraw money from their savings or super to cover the cost of their basic expenses between mid-May and mid-June.

Australia's biggest telecommunications company lifted the price of all of their plans in early July by between $5 and $15 per month

Telstra said the price increase was due to the company investing heavily in the 5G network

Telstra said customers who have switched to a new plan before September 30 would not see their bill increase for 12 months.

The telco also said they would sweeten the deal by increasing the data cap of their plans.

'It's important we find the right balance between adapting to market circumstances and ensuring we are a sustainable business for the future,' a Telstra spokesperson said.

Many Australians were outraged by the price increase during the tough financial times caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

'Telstra has always put profit over the people of Australia. Disgusting corporate behaviour and looking forward to cancelling my broadband service next week,' one angry customer said on Facebook.

Another wrote: 'There should be coronavirus price reductions.'

'It sounds just like business doing what they do best and ripping off all of their customers,' one man wrote.

Another man said: 'Telstra are unquestionable the worst Australian company when it comes to customer relations.'

The Telstra spokesperson said any price increase during the coronavirus wouldn't be met with a positive response from customers and the telco understands their frustrating.

'We acknowledge that the timing of any price rise is always difficult and that is why we have offset the impact of this particular price rise for 12 months,' a Telstra spokesperson said.

They said Telstra has implemented many changes to plans that will help alleviate some of the financial stress their customers currently face.

'We have removed late fees for customers who are on direct debit, to ensure they are not stung twice for a direct debit dishonour,' the spokesperson said.

'We have allowed small business owners and consumers to suspend their services online if their circumstances change or they simply need to reduce their spend.'

The move would see their plans increase from a minimum of $50 per month to a minimum of $65 per month if customers wants to access the 5G network

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics found 3.5million Australians were forced to withdraw money from their savings or super to cover the cost of their basic expenses between mid-May and mid-June

Telstyle analyst Foad Fadaghi said customers don't need more data as so many are working from home and are connected to their wifi.

'Telsyte research shows although data usage is growing, data allowances are growing much faster,' Mr Fadaghi said.

'The average data utilisation rate in a given month  was 30 per cent in 2019, down from 41 per cent in 2018 and 50 per cent in 2017.'

He said customers want to spend less money, especially during a pandemic, because they are struggling to support themselves and their familie

ABS data showed 227,700 people lost their job or gave up looking for one in May following the second full month of coronavirus shutdowns.

May's unemployment figure was the highest jobless rate since October 2001, when 7.2 per cent of the labour force was without work.



The official number of unemployed, where recipients are either receiving the dole or looking for work, rose in May by 85,700 to 927,600 - a 30.9 per cent increase compared with a year earlier.





Following the grim economic news, Prime Minister Scott declared: 'This is the biggest economic challenge this country has ever faced.'




Evening Standard

Boris Johnson may have to resign if he is found to have lied to Parliament over the partygate scandal, a minister has suggested. Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab refused to be drawn into a hypothetical situation of the Prime Minister finding himself in such a position. Mr Raabs comments came after the bombshell accusation by Mr Johnsons former top adviser, Dominic Cummings, that the Prime Minister lied to the Commons over the bring-your-own-booze gathering on May 20, 2020, in the garden of No10 when the UK was in lockdown.
This week began with the rumor that the Toronto Blue Jays might have to host their home games during the coronavirus-shortened 60-game season in Buffalo.

The week will end with the Blue Jays being assured they will be north of the border for their home games in 2020. Per YardBarker:

On Thursday, Ontarios Heritage, Sport, Tourism, and Culture Minister Lisa MacLeod told TSN 1200 that the MLB club can host regular-season games at Rogers Centre. After Canada extended the countrys United States border closure through at least Aug. 21, there were concerns that Toronto would have to relocate all home games to Buffalo, where the teams Triple-A affiliate resides, or to its Florida spring training facilities. Per MacLeod, that wont be a concern.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Before Thursdays report, the Buffalo News had reported the Bisons parent club has finally reached out ... in the last couple of days to examine the possibility of Torontos home schedule being played in Buffalo this summer.

Buffalo is home to the Bisons, the Blue Jays Triple-A club. But using the Bisons Sahlen Field poses some big-league problems. The Buffalo News reported lighting at the ballpark, as well as clubhouse and training space, posed significant challenges.

Buy coronavirus face coverings: MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA

The Yankees are scheduled to visit the Blue Jays for seven road games in 2020: Sept. 7-9 and Sept. 21-24.

The New York Mets are scheduled to visit the Blue Jays Sept. 11-13.

The Philadelphia Phillies are scheduled to visit the Blue Jays July 31-Aug. 2.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
Pilots of crashed chopper tried to avoid crashing into houses: Army

ROC Central News Agency

07/16/2020 09:32 PM

Taipei, July 16 (CNA) Two pilots of a military OH-58D helicopter did their best to avoid crashing into civilian houses before their chopper made a fatal crash-landing in northern Taiwan's Hsinchu Air Base Thursday afternoon, killing both of them, according to a senior Army official.

Major General Chang Tai-sung (), commander of the Taoyuan-based 601st Brigade where the chopper was listed, told reporters that the incident happened when the pilot, Army Major Chien Jen-chuan () and co-pilot Captain Kao Chia-lung () of the chopper were on their way back to Taoyaun City from Hsinchu Air Base after concluding a round of live-fire drill as part of the annual week-long Han Kuang military exercises.

Initial probes of the incident showed that two minutes after their chopper took off at 3:25 p.m., the pilots had reported back to the air traffic control tower that the helicopter was showing low rotor speed while flying 400 feet above the ground, Chang said.

The standard response to such a warning is to land the chopper immediately instead of keep flying, Chang said.

However, the chopper was flying above a residential area at the time so both pilots decided that they should turn around and head back to the air base to avoid causing civilian casualties, the general said.

They attempted to perform an 180 degree left turn but probably due to the lack of rotor speed, the aircraft crashed at 3:28 p.m. in the air base, Chang added, citing initial findings.

Both pilots were critically injured after the crash and were immediately sent to the nearby Hsin Chu Armed Forces Hospital but could not be resuscitated and were pronounced dead, according to the military.

Chien and Kao had logged 1,101 and 250 flying hours respectively and were both listed under the 601st Brigade of the Army Aviation and Special Forces Command.

In response, the Army said it has grounded all of its OH-58D helicopters, which were purchased from the U.S., pending safety checks. An ad hoc investigative committee was also set up to probe the reason behind the crash, said an Army Command Headquarters press release.

Thursday's accident marks the third crash involving an OH-58D operated by Taiwan's military in two years. The previous two crashes occurred in March 2018 and May this year, neither of which resulted in any fatalities.

Thursday was the fourth-day of the Han Kuang live-fire exercises, which are being held from Monday through Friday. Despite the chopper crash, Taiwan military said Friday's exercises will be staged as scheduled.

The major war games, involving all branches of the military and reserve forces, have been held every year since the early 1980s to test Taiwan's combat readiness in the event of an attack by China.

(By Kuo Hsuan-wen, Lu Kang-chun, Shen ru-feng, Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/cs

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Cover girl Elsa Hosk has been working as a model for 15 years and has saved up enough money to live in a very stylish apartment in New York City.

And the 31-year-old supermodel has being showing off the tasteful Manhattan dwelling on Instagram much to the delight of her 6.2M followers as she has given traveling the world a break to nest inside her cozy quarters during the coronavirus pandemic.

The blonde bombshell recently revealed that her abode is so beloved that it will be featured in an upcoming issue of Architectural Digest.

DailyMail.com compiled some of her best images taken inside the roomy pad. In some shots, her beloved cat can be spied.

Like a painting: Cover girl Elsa Hosk has been working as a model for 15 years and has saved up enough money to live in a very stylish apartment in New York City

She knows how to pose: The import has built a career on her slender body that has landed her plenty of high-profile swimsuit and lingerie campaigns

On Thursday she shared an image from her home, with her trusty cat near her, with the caption, 'Bts at home for @archdigest today cant wait to show you guys the result.'

She was in a beige suit with her hair down as she sat on a large, puffy sectional sofa that was the focus of the room as floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a view of the a brick building were behind her.

Hailey Bieber liked the shot as did 132K others.

The main color in the apartment is sandy beige mixed in with dark brown hardwood furniture that looks mid century.

And on the walls are also tastefully framed sketches that go with the muted, relaxed theme of the roomy home.

Snuggled up with her cat: And the 31-year-old supermodel has been able to show off the tasteful Manhattan dwelling on Instagram much to the delight of her 6.2M followers as she has given traveling the world a break to nest inside her cozy quarters during the coronavirus pandemic

So Mad men: The main color in the apartment is sandy beige mixed in with dark brown hardwood furniture that looks mid century

Art on the walls: But here and there are pops of color thanks to post-modern paintings with saturated primary colors and abstract designs

But here and there are pops of color thanks to post-modern paintings with saturated primary colors and abstract designs.

Often the star models fashion inside the home that she shares with boyfriend Tom Daly.

Hosk and Daley first got together in 2015 after being friends for a number of years.

In June she was seen in her bed saying she felt like she was on 'vacation.'

Artsy: And on the walls are also tastefully framed sketches that go with the muted, relaxed theme of the roomy home

Plenty of room for all her supermodel pals: This sectional sofa could sit 15 people; it is dotted by large beige pillow

Snap away: Modeling a tight dress at her posh pad

The Swedish catwalk princess was modeling a bra and shorts.

They showed off her slender figure that has helped her get jobs with Victoria's Secret, H&M and Shiseido.

She was also photo-bombed by her cat.

'Taking you through a week of looks in @voguemagazine,' said the looker from Stockholm.

And she also said, 'This look is Jacquemus.'

Simon Porte Jacquemus is a 30-year-old French fashion designer and the founder of the Jacquemus fashion label.

She added, 'It's raining today, and this look makes me feel like it's sunny and I'm on vacation. I love Jacquemus; I met Simon for the first time at a dinner he had in Paris. He is so sweet. I respect the brand he has built so much.

'And he has such a clear and beautiful aesthetic from the colors he uses to the food, places, architecture, and ceramics. I put these sheets on from a Swedish brand called Tekla to match my look. They make the prettiest colors.'

In April the Marie Claire model applied a beauty mask to make sure her skin has a supermodel glow.

The CoverGirl vet made sure her post was anything but dull as she wore not a robe but something with much less fabric: her bra and underwear.

Strike a pose: The curvy lady was seen in a belted white blouse with matching pumps in this mid century wood chair

A great place to sleep in: The bed is placed near the large windows and has a pink nightstand with a lamp that looks like a bent mushroom; a fur throw is on the floor

The lingerie was beige silk and both items put her incredible figure on display.

Elsa wore her hair pulled up in a scrunchie and proving she is on trend, the siren had blue nail polish on.

'Self-care monday, happy Easter,' the runway vet wrote in the caption to her 6.1M followers.

She has been seen often this year with her beau

Daly, who's the co-founder and creative director of Running Vision, has long hair and favors a bohemian look when running errands with his photogenic partner.

Light colors equal light mood: The 31-year-old supermodel put colorful sheets on her bed to feel like she is on 'vacation,' she said on Instagram

Hosk also said in the spring that she is taking care of her mental health during the scary pandemic.

'I spend time doing meditation, cooking, not sleeping longer than usual, working out, staying creative, taking pictures, drawing, painting , playing games, and checking in on family and friends.'

During the crisis, Hosk has been very open proactive about spreading the word of home sequestering to her six million followers.
Sudha Bharadwaj



One who has been a visiting professor at the National Law University (NLU), Delhi, calling her a peoples advocate, the petition says, Through her advocacy, her teaching, and her life, Sudha Bharadwaj exemplifies the transformative role of a lawyer in a society like ours, claiming, NLU Delhi students feel fortunate to have benefitted from her academic prowess. Her students can testify her unwavering commitment to the transformative vision of the Indian Constitution.

Text: We the undersigned request you to order the immediate release of Prof. Sudha Bharadwaj* - a civil rights activist who has been in jail since August 2018. She was taken into police custody on 26 August 2018 on suspicion of being involved in Maoist terror activities after Republic TV claimed that she had allegedly written a letter to Maoists and is conspiring to create public disorder and unrest in India. The said channel felt no shame in broadcasting that the elderly Professor was planning to murder the Prime-Minister of India.

Prof. Bharadwaj is a dedicated trade unionist lawyer and a civil rights activist who has diligently worked for the poor and marginalized. As a general secretary of Chhattisgarh Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), she has often led protests against the unfair land acquisition policies of the state. She has campaigned to protect the lives and livelihoods of tribals including those from indigenous Adivasi communities, to secure them land and forest rights and exposing administrative corruption.

She has been at the forefront in raising her voice against the systematic state oppression and injustices against the downtrodden. She has also been a visiting professor at the National Law University, Delhi, and has impressed students with passionate lectures on law and poverty.

This does not seem to be an isolated attack on an individual but appears to be a part of a planned and systematic agenda of some groups with vested interests to target various civil rights activists, pro-bono lawyers, and intellectuals who have vehemently criticized the anti-people policies the State. Also, the way these individuals are being maliciously branded as Urban Naxals and anti-nationals on national television, especially in such times of shrinking democratic spaces is extremely dangerous. Through a petition to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Prof Sandeep Pandey, the Magsaysay award winning social activist, along with university academics, students and other activists*, have sought wider support for immediate release of Prof Sudha Bharadwaj, in jail since August 2018 for her alleged involvement in Maoist terror activists following a Republic TV report said she was conspiring to create public disorder and unrest in India. One who has been a visiting professor at the National Law University (NLU), Delhi, calling her a peoples advocate, the petition says, Through her advocacy, her teaching, and her life, Sudha Bharadwaj exemplifies the transformative role of a lawyer in a society like ours, claiming, NLU Delhi students feel fortunate to have benefitted from her academic prowess. Her students can testify her unwavering commitment to the transformative vision of the Indian Constitution.We the undersigned request you to order the immediate release of Prof. Sudha Bharadwaj* - a civil rights activist who has been in jail since August 2018. She was taken into police custody on 26 August 2018 on suspicion of being involved in Maoist terror activities after Republic TV claimed that she had allegedly written a letter to Maoists and is conspiring to create public disorder and unrest in India. The said channel felt no shame in broadcasting that the elderly Professor was planning to murder the Prime-Minister of India.Prof. Bharadwaj is a dedicated trade unionist lawyer and a civil rights activist who has diligently worked for the poor and marginalized. As a general secretary of Chhattisgarh Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), she has often led protests against the unfair land acquisition policies of the state. She has campaigned to protect the lives and livelihoods of tribals including those from indigenous Adivasi communities, to secure them land and forest rights and exposing administrative corruption.She has been at the forefront in raising her voice against the systematic state oppression and injustices against the downtrodden. She has also been a visiting professor at the National Law University, Delhi, and has impressed students with passionate lectures on law and poverty.This does not seem to be an isolated attack on an individual but appears to be a part of a planned and systematic agenda of some groups with vested interests to target various civil rights activists, pro-bono lawyers, and intellectuals who have vehemently criticized the anti-people policies the State. Also, the way these individuals are being maliciously branded as Urban Naxals and anti-nationals on national television, especially in such times of shrinking democratic spaces is extremely dangerous.

Many who have interacted with Prof Bharadwaj in both professional and personal capacities have been pained to witness this deplorable attempt to attack a peoples advocate and an elderly professor who has been a vehement supporter of the transformative values of the Indian constitution.

In the opinion of Prof Aparna Chandra and other leading professors of the National Law University Delhi:

Prof Sudha Bharadwaj is an embodiment of the best in the academic profession and a fearless critic of governmental lawlessness, an emphatic and empathetic advocate amplifying the voices of those who are rarely heard within the corridors of power, and a beacon for future generations of lawyers in this country.

"Through her advocacy, her teaching, and her life, Sudha Bharadwaj exemplifies the transformative role of a lawyer in a society like ours. We can only hope to be as brave, insightful, and conscientious as her in our work and our daily lives. Citizens like Sudha Bharadwaj are the reason that our democracy lives and thrives. It is worth noting that previously Prof Bharadwaj had been invited to the national and state judicial academies for her positive contributions to labor law, development, environment, womens rights, and access to justice. She had also been nominated to the governing body of the Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority.

NLU Delhi students feel fortunate to have benefitted from her academic prowess. Her students can testify her unwavering commitment to the transformative vision of the Indian Constitution and she has constantly emphasized the use of constitutional methods in addressing injustice and not violence. One wonders, how can a professor who owes unwavering allegiance to the supreme law of this land and non-violence can be accused of toppling the government using questionable means.

It is sad and unfortunate that this elderly professor and crusader of peoples rights along with many others is being continuously harassed and mistreated by the state and its agencies on one pretext or other.

Through her advocacy, her teaching, and her life, Sudha Bharadwaj exemplifies transformative role of lawyer in our society It is worth noting that previously Prof Bharadwaj had been invited to the national and state judicial academies for her positive contributions to labor law, development, environment, womens rights, and access to justice. She had also been nominated to the governing body of the Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority.NLU Delhi students feel fortunate to have benefitted from her academic prowess. Her students can testify her unwavering commitment to the transformative vision of the Indian Constitution and she has constantly emphasized the use of constitutional methods in addressing injustice and not violence. One wonders, how can a professor who owes unwavering allegiance to the supreme law of this land and non-violence can be accused of toppling the government using questionable means.It is sad and unfortunate that this elderly professor and crusader of peoples rights along with many others is being continuously harassed and mistreated by the state and its agencies on one pretext or other.

She has been falsely labeled as Maoist and Naxalite and booked under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code, that include but is not limited to sedition (section 124 A), the punishment of criminal conspiracy (section 120 B), unlawful association (section 153 A) and imputations, and assertions prejudicial to national-integration (section 153 B).

These sham accusations and trials just to keep these civil rights activists under incarceration flies in the face of several leading Supreme Court judgments wherein the apex court has held that arrest could not be made by police in a routine manner.

This is certainly not the characteristics of the swaraj that Gandhi and other freedom fighters dreamt of. They did not fight tooth and nail against the colonial rule for an independent India, in which the harassment and arbitrary arrests of activists would become commonplace and where even basic civil liberties would be under threat.

Whereas the father of the nation enjoined upon the Indian state to strive to bestow freedom and Swaraj to the poorest and weakest, the current dispensation seems to be doing the opposite. It seems to be determined to depriving them of their freedom and liberty by arbitrarily arresting and throwing them in dark and filthy dungeons.

Now in this time of deadly Covid pandemic, the continued incarceration of Prof. Sudha Bharadwaj is inhumane and unconscionable. Prof Bharadwaj recently sought interim bail on medical grounds stating that she suffers from two severe comorbidities, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and also has a history of pulmonary tuberculosis.

But the agencies opposed the bail by arguing that she is taking undue benefit of the Covid-19 pandemic in seeking interim bail on medical grounds. The state must either prove its charges conclusively or set her free. The Socialist Party (India) demands Prof Sudha Bharadwaj and other political prisoners be released and the charges against them dropped immediately.

---

*Endorsed by: Sandeep Pandey, Ph.D., UC Berkeley, visiting faculty IIT Kanpur, IIT Gandhinagar, BHU Varanasi, IIM Ahmedabad; Shreekumar, organic farmer, taught at National Institute of Technology, Karnataka; Lubna Sarwath, PhD and former visiting lecturer, Trisakti University, Jakarta, Indonesia; Surabhi Agarwal, MPhil, Hyderabad University, with the Socialist Party (India); Poornima Padma, artist (alumnus of Shantiniketan), organic farmer, Karnataka; Bobby Ramakant, Citizen News Service; Atul, law student, National Law University, Delhi
Trump Warns Iran Not to Execute 3 Protesters as Their Lawyers Request Retrial

By Michael Lipin, Behnood Mokri July 16, 2020

Iranian lawyers representing three men sentenced to death for involvement in antigovernment protests last November say they have asked the judiciary for a retrial of their clients, potentially averting executions that many Iranians and President Donald Trump fear are imminent.

Defense lawyers Babak Paknia and Hosein Taj were quoted Wednesday by Iranian state media as saying they and a third attorney, Mostafa Nili, jointly submitted a request to the office of Iranian judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi to overturn the death sentences against their three clients and retry the men. Nili tweeted that he, Paknia and Taj got full access to their clients' court files for the first time earlier in the day.

Iran's Supreme Court upheld the death sentences against defendants Amir Hossein Moradi, Mohammad Rajabi, and Saeid Tamjidi last Friday, according to an earlier tweet by Nili. The men, all in their mid-20s, had been convicted of vandalism, arson, waging war against the state and armed robbery for participating in the November 2019 nationwide protests against the government's 50 percent increase in subsidized gasoline prices in a recession-hit economy.

Their lawyers, in a July 1 open letter published by state-approved news site jamaran.ir, already had denounced the judiciary's case against their clients as based on "confessions that were extracted under aberrant conditions." They also criticized what they said were irregularities in legal procedures, such as the judiciary's persistent refusal up to that point to grant them access to the case files.

In a July 10 interview with the jamaran.ir, Paknia also said the three defendants "absolutely did not set fire to banks and cars" while participating in the November 2019 protests.

While some of the demonstrators looted and set fire to banks, gas stations and stores, London-based rights group Amnesty International (AI) said most were peaceful. Iranian security forces killed at least 300 people in a violent crackdown on the protests, AI has said.

Moradi was arrested as part of that crackdown in November 2019. Rajabi and Tamjidi were detained in December after being extradited to Iran from neighboring Turkey, to where they had fled the month before.

The lawyers said they based their request for a retrial of the three men on Article 477 of Iran's Code of Criminal Procedure. It gives Iran's judiciary chief the power to order the nation's Supreme Court to overturn a verdict that he deems to be "evidently in contravention of Sharia (Islamic law)" and issue a new one.

In a 2016 report on Iran's criminal code, Amnesty said Article 477 "provides a window of opportunity to reverse unjust decisions and miscarriages of justice." But it said the legal provision also lends itself to abuse because the phrase "evidently in contravention of Sharia" allows the judiciary chief "to resort to uncodified laws to order that a judgment be overturned."

In an interview with Iranian state news agency ISNA published Wednesday, Taj, one of the lawyers, expressed hope that next week, Raisi would order a retrial and suspend any plans to execute the three defendants.

In comments reported by Iranian state media Tuesday, Iranian judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili confirmed the Supreme Court's finalizing of the death sentences but did not say when they would be carried out.

Iran's upholding of the death sentences, and its executions of several other Iranians in recent days for drinking alcohol, allegedly spying for the United States and membership of a banned Kurdish political party, prompted Iranians worldwide to flood Twitter with messages calling for a stop to Iran's use of capital punishment. The Persian hashtag "Don'tExecute" trended globally on Tuesday, appearing in almost 4.5 million tweets according to The New York Times.

Trump took notice of the social media outpouring of support for the three Iranian protesters.

In his first Persian-language tweet in months, along with an identical English tweet posted Wednesday, Trump said the executions of Moradi, Rajabi and Tamjidi were "expected momentarily."

"Executing these three people sends a terrible signal to the world and should not be done! #StopExecutionsInIran," Trump wrote.

"There are not many issues on which Iranians are united," said Nazanin Boniadi, an Iran-born British-American actress and human rights activist, in a message to VOA Persian.

"Millions of us reacted to the upholding of the death sentences of these three young men and condemned it," Boniadi wrote. "I hope Iran will hear these voices and stop forced confessions, imprisonments and executions of innocents."

This article originated in VOA's Persian Service.

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Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung speaks at the 22nd ASEAN-India Senior Officials' Meeting on July 16 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  Senior officials of ASEAN countries and India agreed to enhance the two sides cooperation in various fields at their 22nd annual meeting held online on July 16.

Deputy Foreign Minister of India Vijay Thakur Singh said her country always attaches importance to ASEAN and supports the blocs central role in the regional architecture.

India also highly values Vietnams ASEAN chairmanship as well as effective guiding and coordinating capacity in promoting the blocs efforts to overcome COVID-19-induced difficulties and challenges and in devising suitable orientations for ASEAN cooperation and development in the current context, according to her.

At the meeting, ASEAN and India agreed to step up partnerships in economy, trade, investment, maritime cooperation, terrorism and transnational crime fight, science  technology, innovation, disaster prevention and mitigation, climate change response, cultural and people-to-people exchange, and development gap narrowing.

They concurred in making efforts to achieve 200 billion USD in bilateral trade by 2022.

Besides, ASEAN welcomed Indias credit package of 1 billion USD for bilateral connectivity projects, along with the countrys provision of 1,000 scholarships for PhD students from ASEAN countries.

Regarding COVID-19 response, India said it supports the use of the ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund to assist projects on addressing pandemic aftermath, and that it will coordinate closely with ASEAN in developing and producing COVID-19 vaccines and medicine.

Meanwhile, ASEAN countries applauded Indias attainments in curbing COVID-19 and encouraged the country to support the blocs initiatives in settling pandemic aftermath, maintaining regional and global supply chains, and promoting sustainable recovery.

The two sides also agreed to continue assisting each others citizens affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Regarding international and regional issues, India provided ASEAN countries with detailed information about the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 16th ASEAN-India Summit in 2019, along with the situation of India-China relations.

The South Asian nation also emphasised that it welcomes ASEAN bringing into play its role in fostering cooperation, dialogue and trust building in the region, and it also supports efforts to seriously and fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and build an efficient and effective Code of Conduct in the waters in line with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Representing Vietnam  Chair of ASEAN in 2020, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung, head of the countrys ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting delegation, noted the blocs priorities and major cooperation directions in the Cohesive and Responsive spirit this year. He also highlighted the ASEAN Communitys proactive and active efforts to weather current difficulties and challenges.

He suggested ASEAN and India continue actively contributing to the building of an open, free, equal and rules-based multilateral trading system, facilitate trade and investment liberalisation, and encourage businesses to optimize the ASEAN-India free trade agreement so as to bolster bilateral trade and investment amid challenges facing the regional and global economy.

The deputy minister also affirmed that ASEAN countries attach importance to Indias participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.

They believe this deal will reflect the bloc and its partners strong commitment to economic liberalisation and connectivity and greatly help with recovery and efforts to overcome pandemic-induced challenges, he added.
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Brian Eisch is welcomed back from Afghanistan by his sons Isaac, left, and Joey in 2010. (Marcus Yam / The New York Times)

Theres a scene in the devastating new Netflix documentary Father Soldier Son where the Eisch family goes to the local Regal cinema in upstate New York to see American Sniper, Clint Eastwoods 2014 action-drama about Navy SEAL sharpshooter Chris Kyle. Beyond its nonfiction status, Father is a very different type of war movie, viewing military service on a more human scale and questioning the ultimate costs.

The Eisches are first introduced in 2010. Brian Eisch, then 36, is a U.S. Army Ranger platoon sergeant based at Fort Drum, N.Y., serving in Afghanistan for a year. A single father following a divorce, his two sons, 12-year-old Isaac and 7-year-old Joey, stay with family in Wautoma, Wis., while he is away.

An emotional reunion during a two-week mid-deployment visit home is an early sign of the toll these separations take on troops and the families they leave behind. Even under the best of circumstances, this is not an easy life.

A third-generation military man, Eisch is a strong believer in the meritocracy of the military: if you work hard and do well, you will be promoted. He instilled pride and patriotism in his boys and despite the long absences, there is a strong bond. However, just two months after the tearful reunion, Eisch suffered serious wounds, resulting in a lost leg, and returned home, forever changing the familys dynamic.

Produced by the New York Times and directed by journalists Leslye Davis and Catrin Einhorn, Father Soldier Son follows the Eisches over a very difficult decade. Einhorn first encountered Brian while covering his Army battalion as part of the multimedia project A Year at War, and the charismatic soldier became the focus of an article.

For the documentary, Davis and Einhorn repeatedly visited the family in Lacona, N.Y., 40 miles from Ft. Drum, documenting Brians rehabilitation process and eventual retirement from the Army. He gets a girlfriend, Maria, and they are joined by her youngest son, Jordan, creating a blended family.

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Brian struggles with a loss of identity, being not mission capable as he puts it, and despite being home all the time, his relationships with his sons suffer. Seeing their father in a different way has a profound effect on both boys, setting them on different courses. The exuberant Joey loves Army life and cant wait to grow up and enlist. The more introspective Isaac plans for college and a career in law enforcement.

The generous access given and the verite approach used by the filmmakers allow them to create an intimate portrait not only of a family in crisis, but a deep examination of the underlying issues related to patriotism, fatherhood, family and masculinity.

Father Soldier Son is a demanding film, a sometimes brutal story told with immense empathy. There is sorrow and joy; success and failure; marriage, birth and death. The Eisches are a tough crew, absorbing the challenges and even tragedy with a fragile resilience.

Is it worth the sacrifice? may be the films key question and the response seems to be an evolving one. Even the Eisches may not know the real answer for another generation.
For the third week in a row, cases of COVID-19 that could not be traced back to a known infection source are driving an increase in Oregons coronavirus caseload.

On Thursday, the state recorded its highest single-day case count in history: 437.
The Group of Eight, comprising Australias elite public universities, has projected that 6,700 jobs will be lost at its member universities in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The forecasts indicate that sackings will include 4,400 contract staff and 2,300 permanents and academics.

The job cuts are part of a major assault on university staff and students, being enforced by governments and the trade unions. They are in line with the federal Liberal-National governments announcement of a further pro-business restructuring of tertiary education last month, and a broader corporate offensive against the entire working class.

Two Group of Eight universities, Monash University in Melbourne and the University of New South Wales in Sydney, this week announced 277 and 493 sackings respectively.

The University of New South Wales (Credit: UNSW promotions)

The so-called tsunami of job losses has also already seen purges at smaller universities, with 400 jobs axed at Deakin, 271 at Central Queensland and between 200 and 300 at Wollongong. Universities Australia has previously predicted up to 30,000 positions will be destroyed in the next three years21,000 over the next 12 months aloneto overcome the expected $16 billion of lost revenue across higher education.

In comments to the media, executives at the elite University of Melbourne and University of Queensland described job losses as inevitable. They cited the dramatic fall in international students as a chief cause.

An estimated 120,000 international students, accounting for around 20 percent of total international enrolments at Australian universities, are stuck in their home countries after returning as the pandemic broke out in March. They are unable to return to Australia and resume their studies, as a result of the resurgence of the coronavirus, including as a result of the reckless back-to-work campaign of the Australian federal and state governments.

Group of Eight chief executive Vicki Thomson said research staff would likely be hit with lay-offs in the next six to nine months. After decades of government spending cuts, funding for research comes largely from revenue generated by grants and international students who have been used as cash cows by universities.

Monash Universitys 277 sackings will be implemented by the end of the month, as it seeks to overcome an estimated $300 million shortfall. According to the Australian, 105 of the layoffs will be academic positions, while the rest are in administration.

A Monash spokeswoman told the Australian: Job losses are an unfortunate result of the COVID-19 global health crisis across many industries. They will continue to be a reality without further government support in particular for research.

The spokeswoman pointed to the National Tertiary Education Unions (NTEU) role in greenlighting job cuts, adding: Without the [enterprise agreement] variation, instead of 277 sackings, this figure would have been 467. The variation at Monash, approved by the NTEU, included a delay in pay rises, a leave-purchase scheme and a moratorium on bonuses, introduced on the bogus pretext that concessions would save jobs.

The Monash announcement was made a day after the University of New South Wales (UNSW) unveiled the destruction of 493 full-time jobs, accounting for around 7.5 percent of the universitys full-time staff. This will go hand in hand with an overhaul of teaching, including the merger of three separate faculties. The university has already eliminated 115 casual positions since January.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, UNSW is facing a budget shortfall of $370 million as a result of COVID-19.

The NTEUs UNSW branch president, Sarah Gregson told the paper: Nobody denies theres a crisis, but the detail of whats necessary is difficult. Were obviously going to challenge every job loss we can.

Such empty posturing is belied by the fact that the NTEU has played the key role in the attacks on academic staff, engaging in backroom deals with university managements for decades. Gregsons comments, moreover, demonstrate that the union is merely appealing to management for it to be fully involved in devising and implementing the pro-business restructure.

Following the collapse of its pay-cutting national framework with university managementswhich was met with revulsion from university workersthe NTEU is redoubling its efforts to help university managements impose cuts in pay, conditions and jobs, pushing through sackings and concessions at campuses across the country.

At the same time, the union is seeking to promote illusions in the big business Labor Party and cover-up its own responsibility for the jobs bloodbath.

NTEU national president Alison Barnes told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that responsibility for these losses lies squarely with the Liberal-National Coalition government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Education Minister Dan Tehan.

In reality, Labor governments, with the crucial assistance of the unions, have spearheaded the assault on higher education. This included the introduction of full fees for international students by the Hawke Labor government in the 1980s, and its abolition of free education for domestic students.

In 2013, the Greens-backed Labor government of Julia Gillard introduced the largest ever reduction to university funding, which slashed $2.7 billion from the sector.

This offensive has been deepened by successive Liberal-National Coalition governments, including through the announcement last month of plans to more than double fees for humanities and communications students and raise payments for law, economics and commerce by 28 percent.

Dan Tehan told the Australian Financial Review earlier this month that the move is aimed at encouraging students to tailor their studies to learn the skills that will be in demand in areas of future jobs growth.

This would serve to better align the total combined public and private funding for higher education units with contemporary data on the cost of delivering university education.

In other words, the government is taking the corporatisation and vocationalisation of universities, enforced by Labor and the unions, to its logical conclusion. Education, which has already been gutted, is to be subordinated even more directly to the dictates of big business.

The record demonstrates that university academics, staff and students can only defend jobs and fight for free, high-quality education, through a rebellion against the unions and a complete break with Labor and the political establishment.

The Committee for Public Education and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality call for staff to form independent rank and file committees, to prosecute a genuine industrial and political struggle against all of the sackings and union-enforced concessions.

This is the only means of breaking the isolation imposed by the unions, and mobilising the social power of university workers and students.
British Airways 747

British Airways

British Airways will retire its iconic Boeing 747 fleet effective immediately.

British Airways had been slowly phasing the plane type out. The carrier has also invested millions in a project to modernize the cabins of its remaining 31 aircraft.

However, the collapse in air travel demand due to the coronavirus pandemic led the airline to retire the older, less-efficient airplane sooner in favor of newer models.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

British Airways announced that it will retire its iconic fleet of Boeing 747 aircraft, a surprise development as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on air travel demand.

The UK flagship carrier will retire all 31 of its remaining 747-400s over the next few months, according to the airline.

British Airways has used the 747 as a staple of its long-haul fleet for decades, as well as on high-demand or premium routes such as London to New York. In recent years, the plane type has flown from London to cities including Miami, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Cape Town, Mumbai, Accra, Dubai, and more.

British Airways 747

British Airways

Although British Airways was already in the process of slowly phasing out the plane, the airline said that it was moving up the retirement due to the collapse in travel demand during the pandemic, with demand not expected to recover to 2019 levels for at least three years.

The Boeing 747, sometimes referred to as "the queen of the skies," ushered in a new era of global connectivity and air travel prestige when it was introduced in 1969 with Pan Am. It also helped democratize long-haul travel, making it more affordable and accessible for more people.

British Airways 747-100

British Airways

The original wide-body, the double-decker was the first true "jumbo jet." Many airlines used the planes' upper deck as a bar or lounge for first class passengers, though most eventually shifted towards installing passenger seating on the upper decks.

However, many airlines have retired their 747 fleets in recent years. Even the newest variant of the plane  the 747-8  uses four engines and is significantly less fuel efficient than newer twin-engined airframes.

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For British Airways, each of its remaining 747-400s is at least 21 years old, according to FlightRadar24. Older planes often require more mostly maintenance. British Airways said it will focus on its more efficient Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 fleets, although the airline still operates several double-decked A380 aircraft as well.

BOAC British Airways 747

British Airways

British Airways' predecessor, British Overseas Airways Corporation, or BOAC, received its first 747 in 1971. The airline's first flight with the new plane, from London to New York, took place on April 14 of that year. The airline received its first of the current variant, the 747-400, in 1989.

The airline operated as many as 57 of the -400 at one point. Each plane was equipped to carry between 319-345 passengers, depending on the cabin configuration. The airline recently completed a multi-million dollar refurbishment of the aircraft's interiors. In 2019, to mark the airline's 100th anniversary, British Airways painted four of the jets in heritage liveries, part of a tribute to older airlines that merged and were acquired to create the current carrier.

Read the original article on Business Insider
She's known for garnering attention on social media with her revealing posts, but on Friday, Kim Kardashian was also trying to raise awareness.

The 39-year-old reality star struck a sultry pose in a tight-fitting leather ensemble, while asking her 179 million Instagram followers to support Armenia amid conflicts and unrest on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Kim - who is Armenian descent - started off her post by comparing her outfit to the Armenian flag, with her red hair, yellow ensemble, but said she was missing the color blue, telling followers: 'For those of you that may not be aware of what is happening in Armenia right now I would like to share so you can all help!'

Global diplomacy: Kim Kardashian West has urged her fans to support Armenia amid conflict in the country... after posting an eye-catching shot of herself on Instagram Friday

'Despite an ongoing global pandemic, Azerbaijan has violated the UNs appeal for global ceasefire by unprovoked attacks against the Republic of Armenia,' Kim explained in her post.

She added: 'Civilian structures in Armenia have been targeted, and Azerbaijan has now threatened to bomb the nuclear power plant in Armenia.'

'The international community needs to pay attention and intervene now with such political and diplomatic measures to prevent unnecessary escalation and the loss of human life.'

Getting her message out: Kim, 39, took time to explain the current struggles of the Armenian people

The wife of Kanye West concluded: 'I stand with my fellow Armenians and pray for those that are involved in recent tensions on the border of the country. I urge for a peaceful resolution for these unprovoked attacks during this already very difficult pandemic.'

Kim recently endorsed husband Kanye after he formally announced he is running for president this year in a challenge to Trump.

Meanwhile, the budding law student, who is studying to take the bar in California, baptized her three youngest children in Armenia last year.

Urging reform: On Thursday, the 39-year-old reality star-turned-justice warrior informed her 179 million Instagram followers that Azerbaijans Ministry of Defense threatened to bomb her father's ancestral homeland

Homeland: The budding law student, who is studying to take the bar in California, baptized her three youngest children in Armenia last year

In October, she praised news that the US House of Representatives passed a resolution to recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

'Yesterday was such a huge victory for the Armenian people when the US House Of Representatives acknowledged the Armenian Genocide!' the E! star wrote.

'This photo was taken of me and my children this month in Armenia,' she noted, in addition to crediting the photographer, Jackie Nickerson.
In the last two weeks, Sweden was only second to Luxembourg in the EU in terms of new cases per capita with new infections more than six times the European Union average.

Sweden, whose softer approach to fighting the novel coronavirus drew global attention, has one of the EU's highest rates of new cases but authorities say the spread is slowing.

In the last two weeks, Sweden was only second to Luxembourg in the EU in terms of new cases per capita with new infections more than six times the European Union average.

Unlike most European nations, Sweden never imposed a lockdown and made headlines for its high death toll.

It has kept schools for under-16s open and has not shuttered cafes, bars, restaurants and most businesses. Masks have been recommended only for healthcare personnel.

Over the past 60 days, Sweden has seen a drastic increase in the number of new cases, but authorities stress that serious COVID-19 cases and associated deaths have declined.

"If you increase testing you will find more cases," deputy state epidemiologist Anders Wallensten told AFP.

"But the more serious cases, those who become sick and need hospital care have rather decreased," Wallensten added.

State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said the WHO had 'totally misinterpreted' Swedish data /  TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP

In May, Sweden was testing roughly 30,000 people a week but throughout June that was scaled up and in July the figure had more than doubled.

On May 31, the country had recorded a total of 39,160 cases. On July 16, the number had almost doubled at 76,877, but deaths had only increased by just over 20 percent to 5,593.

- Row with WHO -

In late June, the rising number of cases led the World Health Organization's European branch to put Sweden on a list of 11 countries witnessing an "accelerated transmission."

But Sweden's state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell lashed out, calling it a "total misinterpretation" of data.

Sweden's Public Health Agency instead has repeatedly stressed that the large increase is mostly made up of milder cases, which would have gone unnoticed previously.

US President Donald Trump has similarly said that the surges in cases around the US are related to increased testing.

COVID-19: Total deaths vs deaths per million /  AFP

But unlike the US, the rise in cases in Sweden has not been accompanied by an increase in intensive care unit admissions.

Karin Tegmark Wisell, head of microbiology at the Public Health Agency, told AFP that the decline in serious cases is also likely a product of barrier gestures.

"People have learnt how to relate to the disease, to keep distance. We have become better at protecting the risk groups," Tegmark Wisell said.

Sweden's high mortality has often been traced to the disease hitting retirement homes. Nearly half of all Swedish COVID-19 deaths are from care homes.

- Missing component -

Peaking at over 600 deaths a week at retirement homes alone in early April, the numbers have progressively gone down.

Emma Spak, head of healthcare at the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, said healthcare has improved after many health workers were caught off guard when the virus first struck.

"It's not only elderly care that's got better at handling COVID-19 during these months, but all healthcare," Spak said.

Swedish officials have argued that lockdowns only work temporarily and that drastic short-term measures are too ineffective to justify their impact.

Antoine Flahault, a professor of public health at the University of Geneva, said Sweden's mistake was not the no-lockdown policy but late mass testing.

"What is really sad for Sweden is that it did not combine the ambitious policy with massive testing," Flahault told AFP.

Flahault, while stressing that the current number of deaths was still significant, said the high mortality rate was more due to shortfalls in testing than not shuttering schools, bars or restaurants.

Testing milder cases, he said, allows these people to self-isolate for fear of "contaminating their families," he said.
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Indigenous knowledge, including oral histories, mythologies, place names, and classification schemes, can span many generations, preserving information that has helped native communities adapt to natural hazards as well as gradually changing conditions. Although Western scientists have historically deemed such information unreliable, during the past decade there has been increasing recognition of the advantages of bicultural approaches to scientific research, including demonstration of reliability.

Now a review published in the European Geosciences Union's journal Earth Surface Dynamics offers a roadmap for weaving together Indigenous knowledge with modern research, with a focus on the geosciences. "One goal is to encourage scientists to consider how their project might be of interest or relevance to Indigenous communities and to make conducting research with such groups more accessible," says Clare Wilkinson, a Ph.D. student at Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury and the paper's lead author.

The review, which is co-authored by native and non-native researchers from both Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury and Te Whare Wananga o Tamaki Makaurau | The University of Auckland, showcases a variety of tools for weaving Indigenous knowledge with Western science that maintain the integrity and validity of both methodologies, Wilkinson says. "There are clear links between Indigenous knowledge and values with respect to geomorphology," states Wilkinson, "but there is not much research that weaves these two cultural knowledge bases together."

Bicultural research: benefits for all

Bicultural research undertaken within respectful, reciprocal relationships can yield benefits for everyone involved, according to Wilkinson. Oral histories, for example, may provide insight into events that have been erased from the geologic record. Filling such gaps is crucial for projects such as the Aotearoa New Zealand Palaeotsunami Database, a catalogue of tsunamis that occurred prior to the start of historical written recordkeeping that is being used to better understand the distribution and magnitudes of these potentially destructive mega-waves.

Weaving of Indigenous knowledge with Western scientific research also has the potential to support native communities to make informed decisions regarding potential hazards on their ancestral lands. An example cited in the review describes native Maori purakau (stories) about a ngarara: a mythological, lizard-like creature, who lives in the Waitepuru River in Aotearoa New Zealand (a name that reflects the country's bicultural foundation). According to the authors, many Maori purakau are codified knowledge expressed through metaphors. These particular stories document the river's past geomorphic activity, expressed through the analogy of the ngarara flicking its tail back and forth.

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"These stories, which my co-author Dan Hikuroa first published in 2017, document flood events," says Wilkinson, who notes that these have implications for understanding both the area's geomorphic history and the potential risks of living there. "The stories of the danger posed by the ngarara were taken into consideration when Maori built their homes, leaving them unharmed by past river-related hazards that have affected other nearby settlements," Wilkinson says.

Braided rivers tool: merging knowledge streams

In the review the authors describe tools that may help other researchers find respectful ways to initiate bicultural research projects. These include several potential frameworks -- methodologies used during the theoretical design of the research -- as well as step-by-step methods for acquiring data that incorporates Indigenous values.

The most transferable framework, suggest the authors, is the He Awa Whiria | Braided Rivers, which is based on the iconic Aotearoa New Zealand river systems characterised by networks of frequently shifting, sediment-choked river channels. This framework consists of two streams, one symbolising Maori knowledge and a second representing Western science. "The two knowledge streams operate collaboratively as well as independently, but both have the same objective of providing a balanced research outcome," Wilkinson says.

An element of reciprocity

When working with Indigenous communities, it's essential to understand -- or at least respect -- Indigenous priorities, interests and worldview, according to Wilkinson. "You need to anticipate that rock formations and rivers can be ancestors; that when communities talk about fish, they are speaking about brothers and sisters; and when communities talk about the soil, they are describing their Earth mother."

Shifting language is also a challenge, explains Wilkinson; words must be chosen very carefully to maintain mutual respect and safety for all involved, and researchers shouldn't expect Indigenous input on a project that doesn't interest them or provide them with any benefit. "Purely extractive research is not acceptable; there must be an element of reciprocity," says Wilkinson. The authors strongly recommend that scientists wishing to participate in bicultural research find cultural advisors who know the preferred procedures for engaging with Indigenous people.

Ultimately, suggest the review authors, drawing from multiple knowledge systems will help researchers and native communities realise novel understandings that could not be reached in isolation. "It is an exciting time to be a researcher and to play a part in increasingly important engagements with Indigenous culture and knowledge," concludes Wilkinson.
A little-known group shaved off the hair of a Nepalese man in Varanasi to protest Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis comments on the origins of Lord Ram, prompting Nepals envoy to take up the matter with the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday.

Members of Vishwa Hindu Sena tonsured the Nepalese man and forced him to shout Jai Sri Ram and anti-Nepal slogans in Varanasi on Thursday. The members of the group, who made a video of the incident, also wrote Jai Sri Ram on his scalp.

After the video made by the group went viral on social media, Nepals ambassador Nilamber Acharya spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Friday and raised the matter of ensuring the safety and security of all Nepalese citizens in the state, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity.

We have raised the matter with authorities in India. Peoples safety is important, one of the people cited above said, without giving details.

The people said Nepals envoy was given an assurance about the safety of Nepalese citizens in the country. The two sides also agreed such matters shouldnt have an impact on bilateral relations, they said.

Oli sparked a controversy with his recent remarks that the real Ayodhya is in Nepal and that Lord Ram was Nepalese. He had also said Nepal had become a victim of cultural encroachment and its history was manipulated.

Although the real Ayodhya lies at Thori in the west of Birgunj, India has claimed the Indian site as the birthplace of Lord Ram, Oli was quoted as saying by the media.

The Nepal government subsequently clarified Olis remarks reflected the many myths about Lord Ram and highlighted the need for further research on the vast cultural geography of the Ramayana. It also clarified the remarks are not linked to any political subject and there was no intention at all to hurt the feeling and sentiment of anyone.

The controversy came close on the heels of a border row between India and Nepal, which erupted after New Delhi opened a new road to Lipulekh on the Tibet border and Kathmandu published a new map showing Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura as part of Nepalese territory.

Meanwhile, police in Varanasi have registered a first information report (FIR) against Vishwa Hindu Sena chief Arun Pathak, who acknowledged in a Facebook post that members of his group had tonsured the Nepalese man over Olis remarks.

Vishwa Hindu Sena had also put up posters in Varanasi that said Nepals prime minister should stop acting at the instance of China.
She compares illnesses caused by coronaviruses to the common cold caused by rhinoviruses. People can get colds from rhinoviruses every year because the antibodies wear off. That, she added, makes it highly unlikely that herd immunity to COVID-19 through infection could even be achieved. Everyone would have to get sick within a few months of one another, and months later it could all wear off  after overwhelming the health care system.
Published on 2020/07/16 | Source

New stills and behind the scenes images added for the Korean drama "Backstreet Rookie" (2020).

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There were no significant cases of ceasefire violations by Armenia on the border with the Tovuz region of Azerbaijan that night.

Azerbaijani MP Arzu Nagiyev, who is in Tovuz now, told Vestnik Kavkaza that the situation on the border of the two countries is calm now.



"It was relatively calm at night. No shots from large-caliber howitzers and guns were recorded, only small arms fire was heard. And at the moment there has been silence, not yet broken," he said.

The MP also said that there have been no movements of the Armenian Armed Forces in the Tavush region, which would speak of the preparation of a new battle.

"There have been no movements or attempts of new provocations as of now," Arzu Nagiyev noted.

"At present, relative calm is observed in the Tovuz district direction of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, our settlements are not being shot at, but in general the tension remains," the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said, adding that over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 97 times.



Starting from July 12 afternoon, while grossly violating the ceasefire regime in Azerbaijans Tovuz district on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border, the Armenian armed forces opened fire at the Azerbaijani positions by using artillery. As a result of the appropriate measures, the Armenian armed forces were silenced.
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American Airlines executives warned employees late Wednesday that the airline will have to lay off as many as 25,000 front-line workers this fall because travel has not rebounded from the coronavirus crisis as they had hoped.

The job cuts, which cover unionized employees including pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and airport workers, represent nearly 30% of the company's 85,000 front-line workers in its U.S. mainline operation. American previously cut 30% of its corporate staff, or 5,000 employees.

In a memo to employees, American CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom said the goal when the payroll protection provisions of the federal CARES Act were signed in March was to buy time for travel to rebound so no layoffs were needed when the program ends Oct. 1.

"That unfortunately has not been the case,'' they said.

American Airlines executives say the airline will have to lay off as many as 25,000 front-line workers.

American's revenue in June was 80% lower than June 2019, the executives said, and travel demand is slowing again after an uptick, due to a spike in COVID-19 infections and new travel restrictions and quarantines.

The bottom line: The airline expects to have more than 20,000 more workers on its payroll than it needs this fall as it shrinks its schedule to reflect the reality of depressed travel demand for the foreseeable future.

The airline is sending notices to 25,000 workers, however, because the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) requires companies with mass job cuts looming to include employees who may be transferred, in addition to those facing layoffs. In American's case, the airline said its airport and tech operations teams face that possibility.

Flight attendants face the biggest cuts, with notices going out to nearly 10,000 American flight attendants, or 37%.

Parker and Isom said they hope the final number of layoffs can be reduced "significantly'' by voluntary leave and early-out programs it announced Wednesday.

"Although this is a day none of us wanted to see, we have created new, generous programs intended to help offset as many frontline furloughs as possible,'' the executives said. "We encourage everyone to carefully consider these enhanced voluntary options."

Story continues

Another factor that could change the ultimate number: an extension of the payroll protection provisions. Airline unions have been pushing hard for it in Washington, but airline executives have not been counting on it. American executives said only that they support any legislation that would "protect our team's jobs during these extraordinary times.''

American's announcement, which the company had warned for months was a possibility, comes a week after United Airlines announced similarly grim job cuts.

'A gut punch:' United to lay off up to 36,000 workers

Delta Air Lines is an outlier, at least so far, thanks to wide acceptance of the airline's voluntary leave and exit programs. The airline's CEO, Ed Bastian, said Tuesday that Delta might not have to lay off any workers. He said 17,000, or 20%, of the airline's workers accepted voluntary early retirement.

"Im optimistic if we do have a furlough, its going to be relatively minimal numbers,'' he said on CNBC.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: American Airlines to lay off as many as 25,000 amid travel crisis
Hyderabad, July 17 : On a day the Supreme Court dismissed a petition that challenged a Telangana High Court refusal to order the state against the demolition of the old Secretariat buildings, the High Court on Friday lifted a stay on the demolition work to pave way for the building of a grand complex on the spot.

Dismissing the petitions filed by PL Vishweshwar Rao of Telangana Jana Samithi and Cheruku Sudhakar of Telangana Inti Party, the High Court agreed with the KCR government's contention that no environmental clearance from the Centre was required to demolish the buildings.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy observed that the government was demolishing the buildings after taking all permissions from the authorities concerned. It asked the state government to continue the works keeping in view the COVID-19 protocol.

Earlier, the Solicitor General had submitted to the court that there is no need for clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest for demolition. He informed the court that the Ministry permission is required for the new construction.

Advocate General BS Prasad told the court that the state will take all the required permissions while taking up construction of the new building.

The petitioners' counsels argued that demolition is part of land preparation and that the state government has not sought environmental clearance for the same.

The government started demolition of the existing buildings on July 7, following the June 29 order of the High Court to dismiss petitions that challenged the government's decision to build a new complex even when the existing buildings were structurally sound.

The High Court had ruled that the construction of the new Secretariat is a policy decision and it can't interfere with it.

However, on the fresh petitions, the High Court on July 10 temporarily stayed the demolition work till July 13 and twice extended the stay.

The petitioners had complained that the demolition of 10 blocks of the Secretariat building occupying 10 lakh square feet of space was without following the procedure laid down under the Demolition and Construction Rules.

The petitioners 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 High Court order cleared the final hurdle in the resumption of demolition work.

This came as the second victory of the day for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government headed by K. Chandrashekhar Rao after the Supreme Court dismissed the petition filed by Telangana Congress leader T. Jeevan Reddy to challenge a High Court verdict that refused to direct the state government against the demolition of the old Secretariat buildings and construction of a new complex.

The apex court made it clear that the construction of the new Secretariat is totally a prerogative of the state government and it would not interfere in the policy matter.

Ruling TRS termed the Supreme Court's verdict a "slap on the faces of those opposing the construction of the new Secretariat".

Jeevan Reddy, a member of the Telangana Legislative Council, had challenged the June 29 order of the High Court.

Jeevan Reddy and others, in their petitions in the High Court, had contended that the government was wasting public money on building the new complex when the existing buildings are structurally sound and can cater to the needs of the state administrative headquarters.

It was on June 27 last year that the Chief Minister had laid the foundation stone of the new Secretariat complex to be built at a cost of Rs 400 crore.

Subsequently, all the offices in the Secretariat were temporarily shifted to BRK Bhavan.
ISTANBUL  The conversion of Istanbul's symbolic, shape-shifting Hagia Sophia edifice back into a mosque is being described as a victory for the conservative religious agenda of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Hagia Sophia was once a cathedral, and then it was a mosque. And then, in 1934, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk the founder of modern Turkey, who aspired to build a secular state  declared it a museum.

After a Turkish court annulled Ataturk's decision one week ago, Erdogan swiftly declared the Hagia Sophia to be  once again  a mosque.

Analysts said the decision showed how desperate the president is to maintain his popularity among his religious and nationalist conservative base, which has kept him in power for years  but which is now seen to be waning.

Erdogan was once celebrated for overseeing Turkey's rapid development and booming economy. But praise has long since given way to deep concern over the country's shaky finances and imperfect democracy, intensified by the coronavirus pandemic.

Last year, the fears led to his greatest political defeat since he came to power, as his Justice and Development Party lost control of Turkey's two biggest cities in municipal elections.

Erdogan now governs with the stinging public rejection of having had the voters choose the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party, to lead both the capital, Ankara, where he lives, and Istanbul, his hometown, where he was once mayor.

The government, which is disinclined to brook criticism, has launched investigations into opposition figures, removed elected mayors and imprisoned journalists during the coronavirus pandemic while passing a bill to release tens of thousands of inmates, lest they contract COVID-19 because of crowding.

"Turkey wanted to be a member of the democratic world, but that story has ended," said Garo Paylan, 48, a Christian Armenian who is one of the founders of Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party.

Story continues

Erdogan "can't give bread to the people, and he's giving more radicalism to the Muslim majority," Paylan said over the phone.

While the Hagia Sophia decision was a major symbolic win for the country's Islamists, Paylan argued that it shut the door to the future for minorities in the country and took away a symbol of respect for the country's diversity. He has stopped telling his fellow Armenians to stay in the country.

Last year, the U.S. Senate declared that the mass killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during the early 1900s was genocide, a label Turkey strongly rejects.

In any event, minority rights were not well supported after the Ottoman Empire ended, either.

With the founding of modern Turkey, Ataturk established a nationalist approach to Turkish identity that often ran counter to the struggles for greater minority rights.

Kurds, who are almost 20 percent of the population, have found themselves at odds with both secular and Islamist nationalists, many of whom fear the country could slide into a civil war if there were to be a push for self-governance.

The calculus has driven many of Erdogan's nationalist policies, but, analysts say, so have the threats to his power from the Peoples' Democratic Party.

In 2015, the party entered the Grand National Assembly, Turkey's parliament, for the first time, stopping Erdogan's party from getting a majority. That led him to partner with the ultranationalist Nationalist Movement Party, further cementing his need to push a conservative agenda.

Image: The Hagia Sophia (Murad Sezer / Reuters)

Erdogan's supporters counter that he has increased language rights and living standards for Kurds, many of whom vote for his party.

Paylan said he will likely go to prison when he is no longer a member of parliament with immunity.

Other Peoples' Democratic Party members are already there, accused of being connected to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a Turkish militant group designated a terrorist organization by Ankara and Washington.

Paylan rejected the allegation. However, it has led the government to remove his party's members from mayoral posts they won in last year's municipal elections.

Elmira Bayrasli, a Turkish American who is director of Bard College's globalization and international affairs program, said the Hagia Sophia decision represented Erdogan's going on "the offense" in the face of increasing challenges, some of them from new splinter parties from his Justice and Development Party.

"My guess is it's only going to get worse," Bayrasli said. "He's desperate to hold onto power."

Feminist activists blame the government's conservatism for what they say is a steady rise in gender-based violence.

The deputy chairman of the Justice and Development Party suggested this month that Turkey might exit the Istanbul Convention, a treaty to protect women from violence.

In a telephone interview, Neslihan Duran, 24, a student at Gaza University in Ankara, said that "with such policies, women are designated as an inferior gender."

Duran helped set up a Twitter campaign to call for justice for fellow university student Sule Cet, who was raped and killed in 2018. Duran argued that the government's promotion of conservative religious values led to Cet's being criticized during the trial for not being a virgin.

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For Yusuf Erim, 40, a Muslim Turk, Erdogan's conservatism is a reminder to the country's Muslims that they are part of a larger Islamic community.

Erim, an editor-at-large for the Turkish state broadcaster, TRT, said turning the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque was another way to do that. He said he believed Muslims around the world would flock to pray at the historic building.

"Let's call it an Islamic bucket list," he said over the phone.

The almost 1,500-year-old monument is significant both for Christians, because it was built as a cathedral during the Byzantine Empire, and Muslims, because it was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman Turks conquered Istanbul in 1453.

Image: The Hagia Sophia (Murad Sezer / Reuters)

Erim said that under Erdogan, Turkey has been transformed into a regional power because of its major infrastructure projects and military campaigns.

"How can you not be proud?" he asked. "I can say, 'Wow, my country has come a long way.'"

Others were less excited about the Hagia Sophia's being converted into a mosque. The U.S. State Department said it was "disappointed."

Asked for comment, the Turkish government pointed to Erdogan's speech last week in which he said the building would be open to "locals and foreigners, Muslims and non-Muslims."

Paylan, the member of parliament with the Peoples' Democratic Party, feared that the decision would lead to a backlash against Muslims while Christians in Turkey have a sacred symbol of their history taken away.

"This is going to make the tension bigger between the Muslims and the Christians," he said.
US President Donald Trump loves the people of India and China and wants to do everything possible to bring peace for them, according to his spokesperson.

Over the past several weeks, the senior members of the Trump administration has come out in strong support of India against Chinas aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

He (Trump) said I love the people of India and I love the people of China and I want to do everything possible to keep the peace for the people, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters at a news conference here on Thursday.

She was responding to a question on Trumps message to India, which recently had a violent standoff with China in eastern Ladakh along the LAC in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed. The Chinese military also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details.

Welcoming the White House statement, Al Mason, co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian American Finance Committee, said that unlike his predecessor, President Trump has come out openly in support of India.

Most of the Indian-Americans have observed that every earlier president - be it a Democrat or Republican, like Bill Clinton or Bush Senior or Bush Jr or Barack Obama have been very scared to side with India openly, for fear of hurting China.

Only President Trump has had the courage to say that I love India, America respects India US stands with India - and that also, to over one billion Indians in India at the Namaste Trump rally held in India and that too near Indias neighbour China, Mason said in a statement.

And he is consistent in his love for India and Indian-Americans, he added.

Earlier on Thursday, White House Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow described India as a great ally, saying President Trump is a great friend of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Heres some of what you told us. (Emails have been edited and condensed.)

Seeing the demands school districts are putting on teachers is heartbreaking and unjust. Class sizes are not reduced, but teachers are expected to keep students socially distant. Students are not required to wear masks, but will spend most of their day inside a single classroom. There is, of course, no hazard pay. So we add to the load of already overworked and underpaid teachers.

 Amanda Deal, a retired teacher in Winston-Salem, N.C.

My personal worries about online school are relatively minor: I have Wi-Fi and a functioning computer, but I find it to be very unpleasant to sit in front of a laptop all day. Interesting classroom discussions are lost and it is hard to concentrate and be productive. But for the hundreds of kids in our district with disabilities, families with siblings and not enough electronics to go around, and any unmotivated students, the prospect of online school seems like it will create a lot of problems.

 Rosa Fabian, a high school sophomore in Larimer County, Colo.

My days are typically spent in clients homes and offices  eclipsing the entire school day. That leaves my wife having to figure out how to teach her 180 high school students from home (lets not forget grading time, planning time, and meeting time), while simultaneously helping our own kids with their schoolwork. Any parent who is working from home with school-age children can tell you how impossible it is, but theres no imagination big enough that can begin to grasp the truly impossible nature of being employed from home as a public teacher with school-age children.

 Shane Oakes, a self-employed handyman in Laguna Hills, Calif.

Yes, children seem to have milder symptoms, but they still do get sick. Some still die. And no one knows what the long-term effects of the virus are going to be for these children five or 10 years down the road. I am not willing to take that chance with my children. It is my No. 1 responsibility as a parent to ensure my childrens safety. Sending them back to in-person school without having confidence in the government response to this pandemic does not meet my criteria of that responsibility.

 Kristin Vosburgh, a health care worker and mother of two young children in Englewood, Fla.

Going back to school at the start of my third trimester does make me nervous, but doesnt deter me. I feel vulnerable, but heres how I see it: Front-line workers, from doctors to grocery store cashiers to auto repair folks, have been working direct service jobs this entire time. Teachers are front-line workers. We are so used to kids getting us teachers sick that we are more hesitant than we may need to be in this case. But kids have lost socializing and learning opportunities and, in too many cases, theyve lost the safe space that is school when their houses do not provide that.

 Rachel VanScoy, a high school science teacher in Colorado Springs who is expecting her first child this fall

For my 5- and 6-year-olds, kindergarten is a time when they learn how to do school. They learn how to listen, take turns, share toys, play together and learn together in a group. They learn how to learn and they begin to understand how their actions affect others. Unfortunately, those arent things they can learn online or from a workbook.

 Holly Kanz, a kindergarten teacher in Portland, Ore.

I am a single mother of a first-grade child with Down syndrome. I am extremely concerned with the opening of schools in my area. We only locked down for three weeks with limited closings. The school opened for summer school in June but I refused to send my daughter. When August comes, I will be forced to choose between my childs health and our survival.

 Melissa Wakefield, a humanities teacher in Springfield, Mo.

I am afraid to send my child to school in fall. Im afraid of the cognitive and emotional consequences of not sending my child to school in the fall. I am seriously concerned with how I will be able to maintain employment and continue to provide for my child if I also need to provide intensive at-home learning. Kids with special needs, and the families that care for them, already slip through the cracks in the system.

 Lorissa Hughes, a mother of a special-needs child in Eugene, Ore.

Seeing that I am a science teacher, not a math teacher, I have a challenge for you. My classroom is 30 feet wide by 24 feet deep. Drop one student into that room and social distance six feet on all sides. How many students can you fit in that room? When it comes to protecting our kids and our communities, is there anyone willing to speak the truth about how opening schools with no realistic plans to protect kids and adults is just a recipe for more infection?

 Sergio Diana, a high school science teacher in Colonie, N.Y.

I am a rising high school senior who commutes on public transit to school in Philadelphia. I am also immunosuppressed and thus at increased risk. I am worried for the next school year that both the city and state governments wont take students needs into account. How can I know that the subway pole I am holding onto is safe? Once I arrive at school, will the other students take this seriously?

 Joe Massaua, a high school senior in Villanova, Pa.

I am leaning toward staying home this fall. I am uncertain if the experience I would have at school would be worth going through the complications of traveling. Returning to campus means going through two sets of 14-day quarantine. After 28 days of isolation, if all I could do on campus would be studying for my classes, it looks like studying at home could achieve the same effect.

 Alice Liu, an international college student from Beijing

Im concerned for my own health. As a bus driver, were the first ones to see the students. In normal times, many of the kids are sent to school with runny noses and stomachaches because the parents have to go to work. It will be a challenge for all of us.

 Mike Pal, a school bus driver outside Chicago

I must admit, Im exhausted. This balancing act is getting old, my nerves are often frayed, and Im worried every day that someone in the household will get sick. I understand that my children are extremely low risk for contracting a severe form of Covid-19. But how can I consider sending my children back to school when it means risking Covid-19 for us all? My parents have many pre-existing conditions including diabetes and kidney disease. My mother is especially prone to viral lung conditions. I worry for my childrens well-being, too. My son misses having playmates. My daughter is still young enough that she doesnt seem bothered, but I see how her education is lagging. Shes not where her brother was at her age because I had to pull her out of preschool. So now I have the daunting task of learning how to be a teacher this fall while also running my business, taking care of the house, feeding everyone, and caring for anyone who gets sick.

 Xochi Kao, a self-employed mother in Sacramento
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 10:57:49|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on July 17, 2020 shows the Long March-5 rocket at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province. The Long March-5 rocket, to be used to launch China's first Mars exploration mission, was vertically transported to the launching area at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province on Friday. The carrier rocket, coded as Long March-5 Y4, is planned to be launched in late July or early August, according to the China National Space Administration. (Photo by Zhang Gaoxiang/Xinhua)

WENCHANG, Hainan, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The fourth Long March-5 rocket, to be used to launch China's first Mars exploration mission, was vertically transported to the launching area at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province on Friday.

The carrier rocket, coded as Long March-5 Y4, is planned to be launched in late July or early August, according to the China National Space Administration.

Space engineers have conducted a general assembly and tests on the rocket, after it was transported to Wenchang at the end of May.

It took about two hours to vertically transport the large rocket to the launching area of the center Friday morning. Final examinations and tests will be conducted on the rocket before the launch.

This is the first time the Long March-5 carrier rocket, currently China's largest launch vehicle, to be put into practical use after three experimental launches. The rocket is expected to send the Mars probe into the Earth-Mars transfer orbit, which is also the first such mission to be carried out by China's carrier rocket.

China's first Mars exploration mission Tianwen-1 aims to complete orbiting, landing and roving in one mission, and to obtain scientific exploration data on Mars. Enditem
Mr. Summers (far right) was a member of the Navy Seals during the Vietnam War. Read more

People Weve Lost LaGuardia Summers

72 years old

Grew up in West Oak Lane

He moved to Detroit and became a charter-school principal More Memorials

LaGuardia Arthur Summers was named after former New York Mayor Fiorello Henry La Guardia.

He was very proud of his name, said his wife, Verdena Jamison-Summers. Friends didnt dare shorten it. It was always LaGuardia.

Mr. Summers grandmother was familiar with Mayor La Guardia because she left South Carolina for New York every summer to work as a house cleaner, and La Guardia was popular among Black New Yorkers. After a 1943 uprising against police brutality in Harlem, the mayor pledged more public housing and created a biracial committee on race relations.

Mr. Summers was born in Orangeburg, S.C. , in 1947, less than two months after his namesake died in September. An accountant in Philadelphia, he moved to Detroit in his 40s, and earned a masters degree in education and became a teacher and principal.

Mr. Summers, 72, died Tuesday, May 26, from complications of COVID-19 at Ascension Providence Hospital in Southfield, Mich.

He was the second of two children born to Blanche Stokes and Arthur Summers. At 11, after his parents divorce, Mr. Summers moved with family, including stepfather Saul Glover, to Philadelphia.

His stepfather, an electrician, and his mother, a Philadelphia schoolteacher, bought a house in West Oak Lane, and Mr. Summers attended Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School.

He had a lot of friends, and he was Mr. Popular, said his sister, Patricia Brockington. He was the type to go start conversations with anyone. I was the shy one.

For high school, the parents sent Mr. Summers to St. Emmas Military Academy in Powhatan, Va., to avoid gang activity in Philadelphia.

After returning to Philadelphia to attend Peirce Junior College, Mr. Summers attended the University of Maryland at Eastern Shore for one year. He left to enlist in the Navy as the Vietnam War escalated. He served as a Navy SEAL and earned a National Defense Service Medal and a Vietnam Service Medal with a Bronze Star, his family said .

After his service, Mr. Summers worked while earning a degree in business from St. Josephs University. In 1990, Mr. Summers moved to Detroit and married his wife in 1991.

Both their families were from Orangeburg, and their grandparents and parents had been good friends. They had first dated during the 1970s when he visited relatives in Detroit.

He had a positive outlook on life, his wife said.

Everywhere he went, people called him Simply Marvelous, " she said, because when they asked how he was doing, he would say, Simply marvelous.' "

Mr. Summers formed a brotherhood with other Black men he worked with in a mentoring program for teenage boys. On Friday nights, they gathered to watch old TV westerns, sessions they dubbed Friday Night Cowboys. Mr. Summers called the back of his house where they gathered the West Wing.

In addition to his wife and sister, Mr. Summers is survived by a stepdaughter, Faelan Jamison, and other relatives. He was buried near Detroit on July 9.

 Valerie Russ, vruss@inquirer.com
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...
Its been five years since Amy Schumer made her leading lady debut in Trainwreck. The Judd Apatow-directed comedy, written by Schumer, also stars actor Bill Hader. Discover why Apatow felt it necessary to make his two leads uncomfortable before filming even began.

Amy Schumer became famous for her comedy

RELATED: Amy Schumer Bombed Right After Her Netflix Special

Schumer started as a stand-up comic in the mid-00s. She began to appear in TV series such as 30 Rock and Curb Your Enthusiasm around this time. She also began to release comedy specials.

Through her work with Comedy Central, Schumer was able to create her own show, Inside Amy Schumer. Premiering in 2013, the sketch series, which brought on notable guest stars like Selena Gomez, earned her more mainstream recognition.

Her first starring film role was Trainwreck

Aside from a couple of small roles, Schumer didnt make an impression on the big screen until Trainwreck. In the movie, she stars as Amy Townsend, a journalist at a mens magazine. Growing up, she was taught that monogamy isnt realistic. So she refuses to settle down, leading a party girl lifestyle.

Though Amys younger sister, Kim (played by Brie Larson), is happily married with a baby on the way, Amy chooses not to recognize her own arrested development. That is until she interviews Dr. Aaron Conners (Hader), with whom she hits it off. The film sees her address her issues with her father (played by Colin Quinn) and intimacy as a whole.

How Apatow changed her life

RELATED: Amy Schumers Net Worth: How Rich Is the Comedian and Actress?

In 2011, Schumer was on The Howard Stern Show, where she opened up about her personal life, including her relationship with her dad. This is when, according to Apatow, he became interested in working with her. After she appeared in a few episodes of Girls, the HBO series he executive produced, they set out on a new project, which heavily drew from her personal life.

I asked her if she wanted to work on a movie, Apatow told Vanity Fair in 2020. And at first we worked on a different movie for a while. Then one day, we just sat down, and we started talking about relationships, and Amy came up with the idea for Trainwreck. And it was one of the great, fun experiences.

The way he cast Hader opposite Schumer

(L-R) Actors Bill Hader and Amy Schumer with director Judd Apatow attend the Trainwreck New York Premiere on July 14, 2015 | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Apatow often works with the same people. One such actor is Hader, who has been in Apatow-produced films like Knocked Up and Superbad. Of Trainwreck, Apatow said, It was real fun to try to have him play this leading romantic lead, which he always found funny. He thought it was a weird thing that he would be the romantic lead.

He continued, But before he got the part, I went to New York with Bill and had him and Amy hang out and have dinner, almost like a date. And I sat at the table and just watched them, and he said it was the most uncomfortable thing hes ever gone through. Just me creepily deciding if they were sexy together.
Tori Spelling had money 'seized' from her bank account in April 2020, after being ordered by a court to pay more than $88,000 in unpaid credit card debt, according to new reports.

The actress, 47, was sued by American Express in 2016 after she reportedly 'failed' to pay 'months' of credit card bills - and in 2019, a court ordered her to pay the debt back to the credit card giant.

Court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Thursday revealed that the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department 'seized' money from the star's bank account after a formal 'writ of execution' was ordered by the court in March.

Seized: Court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Thursday revealed that Tori Spelling had money 'seized' from her bank account by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department in April of 2020; Spelling pictured in 2019

As of yet, it is remains unclear if the money has been collected.

A writ of execution is a court order granted to a judgement creditor (American Express) that 'typically orders a sheriff or other similar official to take possession of property owned' by the judgment debtor (Spelling), according to DirectLegal.

The grand total of Tori's credit card debit rested at a startling $88,731.25, prior to the court's March ruling.

Spelling's battle with American Express began in 2016. The amount of money owed by Spelling was revealed in October of that year when American Express filed paperwork that listed the debt total as $87,594.55, according to Us Weekly.

Many years: Spelling's battle with American Express began in 2016, when the credit giant sued the actress after she reportedly 'failed' to pay 'months' of credit card bills

In the midst of the American Express lawsuit, Tori and her husband Dean McDermott entered into a public legal battle with City National Bank.

City National Bank sued the couple in December of 2016 for 'nearly $200,000 after failing to repay a $400,000 bank loan,' according to court documents.

Spelling and McDermott's lawsuit with City National Bank is still ongoing.

Even with the obvious stress that comes with legal woes, Spelling attempted to lighten her load by poking fun at the situation in an episode of BH92010 in August of 2019.

Piling on: In the midst of the American Express lawsuit, Tori and her husband Dean McDermott entered into a public legal battle with City National Bank; Tori and Dean pictured with their five children daughters Stella, 12, and Hattie, eight, and sons Liam, 13, Finn, seven, and Beau, three, in 2019

As to why she felt it was necessary to draw attention to her legal troubles, Spelling admitted in an interview with Good Day New York that she wanted to 'face it straight on' in the show.

'That was a decision I made and we made together to put that in there. Thats such speculation, media loves to talk about it, so we were like, "Lets face it straight on. Lets put it in there,"' Tori explained

Tori and her husband Dean wed in 2006 and share five children, daughters Stella, 12, and Hattie, eight, and sons Liam, 13, Finn, seven, and Beau, three.
A new study identified strategies to improve care for older adults that could save hundreds of millions to billions of dollars each year in health care costs. Credit: Sabine van Erp

Francesca Rinaldo, MD, Ph.D., became interested in the plight of older adults during a rotation in the intensive care unit at Stanford Hospital. She noticed how often elderly patients were admitted after sustaining rib fractures, head gashes and other injuries from falls at home, and she wondered what could be done to keep them safer.

Rinaldo decided to put her surgical residency training on hold to accept a yearlong fellowship at Stanford's Clinical Excellence Research Center, where clinicians and researchers use scientific evidence to design less costly approaches to providing high-quality health care. She was assigned to a team investigating late-life care, and she wasn't surprised by her initial research. She found that for older people, health care costs are high, and satisfaction is low.

"Most older adults value their independence," Rinaldo said. "They want to age in place. They want to remain functionally independent. They don't want to be a burden on their familieseither for their daily living or financially, as we all know that health care's very expensive. And they don't want to burden loved ones with end-of-life care decisions. Unfortunately, the reality right now is pretty much exactly the opposite of that."

Rinaldo and her colleagues synthesized information from site visits, peer-reviewed literature and interviews with more than 50 national experts. Eventually, they zeroed in on three approaches, based on programs from around the country, that showed promise in improving the well-being of older adults while also reducing health spending. The approaches include peer support, occupational therapy, home repairs and telephone conversations about health care goalsservices that fall outside the traditional definition of medical care. With recent changes to government rules, however, these benefits are now covered by private Medicare Advantage plans, making these strategies feasible on a broad level.

Billions in savings

The study estimates that national cost savings of the approaches could range from hundreds of millions to billions of dollars annually. A paper describing the findings was published online June 17 in NEJM Catalyst. Rinaldo, now a surgical resident at Stanford, is the lead author.

"People are starting to pay more attention to how we distribute our resources and how much health care costs," Rinaldo said. "We're focusing more on value than volume, and there's evidence that when you tailor care toward the preferences of older adults, they not only have better outcomes, but you actually significantly save on health care costs."

Arnold Milstein, MD, MPH, the study's senior author, said innovations in health care delivery designed to lower health care spending tend to be adopted slowly in the United States, but that having a good blueprint for late-life care could help.

During Rinaldo's fellowship year, the center focused on late-life care for two reasons, Milstein said. First, previous models for redesigning care for older adults have focused on the last month or two of life, whereas late-life care typically begins one to three years before that. Second, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that spending for health care, especially for older Medicare beneficiaries, will be the single largest source of federal budget growth over the next 20 years.

"The only reason that most clinicians change their methods of work to lower health care spending is if either the government forces them to or markets force them to," said Milstein, professor of medicine and director of the Clinical Excellence Research Center. "Greater pressure, in turn, enables health insurance plans to be more successful in persuading doctors and hospitals in their networks to make changes in their care delivery that lowers health care spending."

Successful programs

When they started their research, the team noted the increased risk of social isolation for older adults and how it often leads to cognitive and physical decline. They identified a pilot program by AgeWell Global that employed well-functioning older adults to visit chronically ill peers after hospitalizations, offer companionship and screen them for needed services. That program reduced 30-day readmission rates by 25%, according to the study. Rinaldo and her colleagues calculated that a similar program could result in annual net savings as high as $483 million if adopted widely.

The team also investigated ways to bolster the physical and emotional health of older adults. They discovered a successful model from Johns Hopkins HealthCare Solutions called CAPABLE, for Community Aging in PlaceAdvancing Better Living for Elders, that had deployed interdisciplinary teams to visit elderly people in their homes. A registered nurse oversaw pain and medication management, gauged symptoms of depression and communicated with the patient's primary care doctor. An occupational therapist helped ensure the patients could perform daily tasks, and a home-repair specialist made the homes safer from hazards.

The program led to reduced spending on hospitalizations and long-term services. Rinaldo and her colleagues estimated that broad use of such a benefit by Medicare Advantage plans could save up to $29.1 billion annually.

In addition, the team explored end-of-life care wishes. They noted that although 71% of Americans say they'd prefer to die at home, 73% of people who are 65 or older die in a hospitaland more than 25% of Medicare spending is incurred in a patient's last year of life. Rinaldo and her colleagues zeroed in on the Vital Decisions model, an approach that offered three to five telephone sessions with a behavioral health specialist, who assisted patients in defining their values and health goals and in communicating that information to their loved ones.

The program received high satisfaction ratings from patients and saved an average of $13,956 per person in the final six months of life, according to the study. Rinaldo's team estimated that such an intervention could lower Medicare spending by as much as $8.3 billion.

Overall, Rinaldo said, she thinks the three late-life care approachestogether or individuallycould work well for Medicare Advantage plans. The private plans receive a monthly amount from the government for each beneficiary, no matter what care the patient receives. In contrast, traditional Medicare pays health care providers a set amount for each service rendered.

"Medicare Advantage plans are actually much more incentivized to move toward value, and do more preventive care and procedures, tests and interventions that will prevent more acute-care utilization," she said. "If you are a value-incentivized organization, these are the top three things that you could do that would not only save you money, but would greatly increase the outcomes and the satisfaction for your beneficiaries."

Explore further Report looks to improve quality measures for medical care of homebound older adults

More information: Francesca Rinaldo et al. Slowing Medicare Spending by Optimizing Late-Life Needs, NEJM Catalyst (2020). Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine Francesca Rinaldo et al. Slowing Medicare Spending by Optimizing Late-Life Needs,(2020). DOI: 10.1056/CAT.20.0290
We do not want a director who might know a few words about anti-racism and anti-oppression.

We need a director to be bold like weve never seen before and not be afraid to challenge the status quo.

The new director needs to understand and value the importance of Indigenous history.

As school boards across Ontario teeter on the cusp of change, with at least 14 boards looking to select a new director of education, academics, parents and community members of the countrys largest stepped forward at a trustee meeting on Thursday. Over two hours as they discussed their concerns about students marginalized in the Toronto District School Board, they wrestled with two key issues.

The first was straightforward enough  that a new director prioritize disrupting racism in the school system.

The power of a director is enormous, TDSB trustee Parthi Kandavel told the Star. They establish the climate, set the tone. Every day they make policy and budget decisions that impact, in our case, 500-plus schools, 40,000 staff, 250,000 students.

Its fair to ask how the trustees would go about choosing a director at this time where a number of things are coming to the fore, when theres much discussion about systemic racism, said York University professor Carl James, who studies anti-Black racism in education.

Will they choose someone who has the expertise and knowledge of doing anti-racism work? Staff training doesnt cut it. Its going to need leadership.

Just this week, two of Canadas largest school boards  Toronto and Peel  saw their first appointment of two Black women as interim directors.

Torontos equity chief Colleen Russell-Rawlins moved to Peel in the oxymoronic position of permanent interim director  likely a title to distinguish it from the outgoing temporary interim director Jaspal Gill. Torontos chief of business Carlene Jackson took the TDSBs top spot. While both are placeholder positions, they are generally seen as markers of the direction the boards are taking.

However, being racialized is only part of the equation. Jacksons move comes on the heels of an announcement by the education ministry last week that the top spot contenders do not have to be teachers. This would ensure a wider pool of candidates, a ministry memo to school boards said.

Senior staff and trustees in various boards told the Star they feared the flip side of this decision, that it opens the door to more neo-liberal decisions in education, especially under a conservative government; that it could pave the way for privatization of education. Its also, as a superintendent in a GTA board said, akin to appointing a judge who is not a lawyer.

The hunt for directors also exposes the holes in representation. Jackson may be in the top spot in the Toronto board, but the associate directors and executive superintendents of the senior team are all white.

Just how messy sorting issues of equity can get came through in the second point the Toronto community members raised Thursday. Its a subtler behind-the-scenes detail, out of sight of the public gaze: just how representative would the committee of trustees selecting the director be?

The selection process for a director typically takes three to four months.

The board had decided last week that the decision-making body would comprise 11 out of the 22 trustees. The question Thursday was: which 11? The existing plan was to decide with a popularity vote, but how would that ensure experience in equity work?

Have they themselves done the work of challenging the status quo? Debbie King chair of a Parkdale schools Black Student Success Committee asked the trustees.

We want a selection committee that reflects diverse communities, said Vincent Wong, a lawyer who also works at the International Human Rights Program at the University of Toronto. Wong highlighted the plight of undocumented youth in school, many struggling without access to health care or to post-secondary education. The selection committee and new directors should be thinking ... of how school, teachers and the TDSB community can fully support these students.

Vidya Shah, assistant professor in the Faculty of Education, York University, turned the discussion on who would be director on its head. Who will be dismissed as a choice in director of education and why? she asked the trustees.

I urge you to ask yourself, she told them, if your track record as a trustee is one that has centred anti-racism in your decision-making. Or whether another trustee might be better suited to serve on the committee because of their expertise, lived experiences and the geographic region they serve.

We are watching the selection process very closely to see if trustee actions reflect their commitments to close certain gaps, said Michael Lashley, former consul-general of Trinidad and Tobago.

Largely in response to these demands, trustee Anu Sriskandarajah put forward the idea that the selection committee include up to three trustees from the four geographical learning centres the school board is divided into. This, she said, would ensure representation across racial lines and class lines.

This was a transformational proposal  one that would decentralize decision making from Toronto and share it with the suburbs.

There is an idea that progressive politics only lie in the centre of the city, Sriskandarajah told the Star. The racialized trustees (mostly from the suburbs) that have been voted are second-generation and younger than trustees have traditionally been. We represent a shift in where progressive politics lie.

The trustees tediously debated the proposal. Should there be two members per Learning Centre or three? Should the total number of members on the committee be 11 or 12? It took four-and-a-half hours, but the amendment finally passed.

After that, matters speeded up. Trustees made short work of consensus-based decisions on who should be on that selection committee.

The final selection: four white women, two racialized women, three racialized men, two white men, from across the city. Two of the men are gay.

We have arrived at a place thats groundbreaking not just to our board but to the city, trustee Kandavel told the board. Posterity will speak to what we achieved today in terms of diversity.
A petition has been circulating calling on the federal government to increase resources for Indigenous communities to deal with COVID-19 outbreaks, as well as for Canadians to rethink their road trips.

One of the petitions four requests, along with increased funding, enhanced testing and response planning, is that non-essential travel to Indigenous communities continue to be limited.

To date over 52,000 people have signed on in support.

At the start of the pandemic, First Nations in Ontario were quick to close to non-residents and implement road check points. It was a strategy also outlined in a Yellowhead Institute report on First Nations response to COVID-19 published in April.

Dr. Anna Banerji, co-chair of the Indigenous Health Conference and one of the authors of this recent petition, said as Ontario begins Stage 3 of reopening people are feeling free to take trips, leaving Indigenous communities worried that the flow of people in and out could expose them to the virus.

Before it was easier when transportation was shut and people werent thinking about going canoeing and camping, Dr. Banerji said in an interview with the Star.

She pointed out that widespread illness and death could risk not just the loss of life, but culture as well. I think having people suddenly come up and not understanding that if they bring the virus up there, it could kill off their elders and their culture.

While this is something individuals can consider, what the authors of the petition would like to see most is action and funding from the federal government.

The amount of funding for Indigenous communities to respond to COVID is simply unacceptable, the Indigenous leaders who started this petition said, via a press release.

Compared to overall money spent on pandemic response, the federal governments initial pledge of $305 million for Indigenous communities is less than one per cent of the $82 billion in funding assistance for mainstream Canadians, the petition continues.

At the end of May $650 million of additional funding for Indigenous communities was announced.

Indigenous communities often face poverty, overcrowding, food and water insecurity, as well as a higher rate of chronic disease and less access to adequate health care, all of which increases the risk of Indigenous people experiencing a case of severe COVID-19, the petition states.

In addition to funding to provide access to PPE and enhanced access to rapid testing, Dr. Banerji said detailed planning is needed.

If 20 people were to get sick and need ICU, whats the plan, she asked. No one knows, no one can tell me what the plan is. And so you need to get that plan in place now ... A lot of these communities they dont have a public health person to help guide them, she said.

While we recognize that one approach will not meet the needs of all communities, the petition stated, we believe urgent intervention will be needed NOW to avert catastrophic consequences to many communities.
NIA is investigating two cases, which were initially registered at Chandmari and Chabua police stations, related to Gogoi's alleged role in the violent protests

Guwahati: Peasant leader Akhil Gogoi was on Thursday granted bail by the Gauhati High Court in three cases lodged by the Assam Police in connection with the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in December, 2019.

However, he will remain in jail for the cases being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Hearing the bail applications in the three cases registered at Chabua police station in Dibrugarh district, Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak granted bail to the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader.

Gogoi's advocate Santanu Borthakur said: "Now he has got bail in all cases, except the two NIA cases. The hearing in one of these two cases will start in the next few days. We hope the court will grant bail to him."

The three cases, for which Gogoi was arrested on 29 May while he was already in jail, were related to burning of a post office, a circle office and a branch of the United Bank of India in Chabua during violent protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act.

NIA is investigating two cases, which were initially registered at Chandmari and Chabua police stations, related to the alleged role of Gogoi in the violent protests.

Gogoi, the adviser of KMSS, tested positive for COVID-19 inside Guwahati Central Jail on 11 July and is being treated at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) at present.

In the midst of the intense anti-CAA movement, Gogoi was arrested on 12 December, 2019, from Jorhat as a "preventive measure" in view of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and his three colleagues were taken into custody the next day.

The four leaders were later arrested in a number of old cases registered across different police stations in Assam. They have got bail in most of these cases.

The special NIA court had granted bail to Gogoi on 17 March in the Chandmari police station case and subsequently to others after the investigating agency failed to file a charge sheet within the specified period of 90 days. The Gauhati High Court later stayed the bail.

On 29 May, the NIA filed the charge sheet against Gogoi and three of his colleagues for sedition and terror activities.

KMSS leader Bittu Sonowal, who was arrested by NIA along with Gogoi, was granted bail by a special NIA court on Wednesday.

On Monday, another KMSS leader Manash Konwar got bail by the special NIA court here and he was released from the jail on Tuesday.

The fourth associate, Dhaijya Konwar, has not yet received bail. He, along with Gogoi and Sonowal, is being treated at GMCH after testing positive for COVID-19.
A notorious killer is suing the Scottish Prison Service after claiming the beatings he endured in jail amounted to torture and gave him dementia.

Hugh Collins, 69, served 16 years of a life sentence for stabbing 26-year-old gangland rival Willie Mooney to death outside a Glasgow pub in 1977.

He was branded Scotland's most dangerous prisoner after attempting to kill three guards, and he later admitted he was an out-of-control 'animal' in the cell.

But Collins, who has produced works of art since leaving jail in 1992, has claimed the treatment he suffered in prisons at the hands of guards was 'beyond brutal' as he consults with lawyers for what could be a landmark case.

The reformed killer has alleged the beatings in HMP Barlinnie and HMP Perth, which included being tied to a bed, handcuffed and having the soles of his feet smashed with batons until he was unconscious, may have also given him dementia.

A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service declined to comment.

One of Scotland's most notorious killers is suing the Scottish Prison Service after claiming the beatings he endured in jail amounted to torture and caused dementia. Hugh Collins, 69, has claimed the treatment he suffered in prisons at the hands of guards was 'beyond brutal' as he consults with lawyers for what could be a landmark case

The reformed killer has revealed that the beatings in HMP Barlinnie and HMP Perth, which included being tied to a bed, handcuffed and having the soles of his feet smashed with batons until he was unconscious, may have also given him dementia

Collins said he considered taking legal action after having an MRI scan which showed up old injuries, including a punctured lung.

Collins graphically describes 'sickening feeling' when he stabbed gangland rival Mooney in first book Collins served 16 years for the murder of 26-year-old gangland rival Willie Mooney (pictured) in a knife fight in 1977 In his first book Autobiography of a Murderer, Collins described the killing of Willie Mooney in 1977. Collins had a tip-off that friends of a gang friend of his called 'Albert' were planning to take him to a party, spike his drink with acid and fling him out of the high flats, he alleges. 'Coincidentally' he had an appointment to 'go for a walk' with an old prison acquaintance, Willie Mooney, the same night. Collins wrote that he and Mooney had a history - Mooney had beaten him up badly and had growled at Collins' 14-year-old nephew. Collins walked into the Lunar Seven pub and found Mooney with Alberts pals. Fighting broke out and Collins went berserk and savaged Mooney. In that world he wasnt a bad guy. He was kind of half-cut that day and I just exploded in his face,' he said. Collins wrote: 'As a young man, you think a life of crime and violence earns you respect. People fear you, and you like it. You get to like the buzz from the adrenaline when you fight, and if you're winning the fight it gives you an incredible high. 'But you can be the hardest guy in your area, your town, or the whole of Scotland and there will always be someone harder, or more vicious, or someone who just gets lucky. It's a mug's game.' Collins said: 'This is the side of it that most young lads who carry knives won't know until it happens to them. It's a sickening feeling to strike a blow with a knife and look into that person's eyes and see the fear and horror there, especially if they know they're dying. 'I stabbed other people in fights, I stabbed prison officers inside. I was supposed to be this raging animal in jail, but I was just a scared laddie. When I struck with a blade, I always felt sick. I felt like a monster. 'When I got out of jail after the lifer, people wanted me to apologise for what I'd done and I didn't want to seem weak. I didn't want to be bullied and I maybe came across as arrogant or unfeeling. But the truth is I was overwhelmed. What words can you find that are adequate when you've ended someone's life? 'Of course I'm sorry I killed Willie Mooney. I'm sorry for it every day, and have been every day since it happened.' Advertisement

He told The Daily Record: 'The nurse that was giving me the news said she wondered if I'd ever been tortured.The state of my body, with so many old injuries showing up on the scan, was unlike anything she'd seen before.

'It got me thinking and I talked to some people about suing the prison service, but the advice was that any action would be time-barred.

'I know time-bar can be waived in exceptional circumstances and I would hope torture would be considered exceptional.

'But I've also been told that if my injuries, especially any brain injuries, can be linked by medics to the beatings, that the clock starts ticking from the time a link is made.

'It's not about looking for money. I live quietly and don't need any. It's about getting recognition for the abuse that was routine to hundreds of prisoners at that time.

'Some of them might have suffered what I did and been unable to work, and maybe struggled to support families, so they might need money.

'But my motivation is to make sure that prisoners' rights are stronger now and that the treatment my generation suffered will never be repeated.'

Collins said he remembers most of the guards who brutalised him, including one who 'liked a fight with a prisoner so much his nickname was Square Go'.

He described how he would be visited by 10 officers in Perth early in the morning, bound in leather strappings and beaten with batons and kicked, adding that on one occasion he was so brutally attacked that he was rushed to Perth Royal Infirmary.

At an induction course at HMP Barlinnie in Glasgow, he and the other prisoners were struck with batons as they left the van, and were regularly beaten at Friarton.

'All prisoners were locked up overnight until 6am. However, about 5.30am, I would receive a visit from around 10 officers who would bind me in leather strappings and beat me with batons and kick me repeatedly with their boots on,' he said.

'On more than one occasion, I was tied face down on a metal-framed bed and the soles of my feet were beaten with batons.

'The damage to my feet has affected me all my life.

'On one occasion, I was visited in my cell by four officers at 10pm.

'They bound me in leather strapping and stuffed a pair of recently used underpants in my mouth, so breathing was so difficult I was afraid for my life.

'They gave me such a brutal kicking that I had to be taken to Perth Royal Infirmary.

'I remember the doctor asking the officers exactly what had happened to me and why my body was covered in boot polish and boot marks, but he did not receive a reply.'

Collins' lawyer believes a formal claim could be prepared 'provided that a link can be established to his current health problems [dementia]'.

The lawyer said: 'Provided that a link can be established to his current health problems, and that would require experts to believe that, on the balance of probability, the beatings have caused any dementia, then a case could succeed.

'There would be a very high bar set but if medical records show he was hospitalised and detailed his injuries at the time, that would help provide the necessary support to his claims.'

The former prisoner also believes an inquiry should be held into the Scottish Prison System at the time he was detained for killing Mooney.

A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service told MailOnline that 'it would not be appropriate to comment'.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating Wednesday's major Twitter hack, in which scammers tapped into high-profile accounts to scam users out of over $100,000 in Bitcoin, the agency confirmed Thursday.

"The FBI is investigating the incident involving several Twitter accounts belonging to high profile individuals that occurred on July 15, 2020. At this time, the accounts appear to have been compromised in order to perpetuate cryptocurrency fraud," said the FBI's San Francisco division in a statement. "We advise the public not to fall victim to this scam by sending cryptocurrency or money in relation to this incident."

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement Thursday that the state's Department of Financial Services would also conduct a "full investigation into this massive hack."

On Wednesday, hackers targeted accounts from celebrities and politicians, including Jeff Bezos, Joe Biden, Kim Kardashian and Barack Obama, with tweets that promised to send users back double the money they paid to an anonymous Bitcoin address. The hackers received over $100,000 in cryptocurrency off the brazen attack, according to Bitcoin's public blockchain records.


BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Co- rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) have expressed concern by the loss of life that the violation of the cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan has caused, Trend reports.

We remind both countries that facilitating peace is a commitment they took on when they became members of the Council of Europe. We therefore urge them to show the restraint needed on the ground to de-escalate the situation and to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric, said the co-rapporteur PACE for Armenia, Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland, SOC), and the PACE co-rapporteurs for Azerbaijan, Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) and Sir Roger Gale (United Kingdom, EC/DA), in a joint statement.

We also call on both countries to resume peace talks in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, in the manner indicated by its co-Chairs in their statement of 15 July: creating an atmosphere conducive to the peace process, holding negotiations on a settlement for Nagorno-Karabakh, and allowing the return of OSCE monitors to the region, they concluded.

Starting from noon on July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, opened artillery fire at Azerbaijani positions.

Azerbaijan's armed response forced the Armenian army to retreat suffering losses.

Azerbaijani personnel, sergeant of military service Vugar Sadigov and corporal Elshad Mammadov, died while repelling the attack of the Armenian armed forces.

Despite the efforts of the Azerbaijani doctors, severely wounded serviceman of the Azerbaijani army Khayyam Dashdemirov also died.

The tension remained in Tovuz district on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border on July 12 night.

During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, bombshells, vehicles and servicemen on the territory of the Armenias military unit.

Azerbaijani serviceman, senior lieutenant Rashad Mahmudov was killed during the battles.

The battles continued on the night of July 13. Major General Polad Hashimov, Colonel Ilgar Mirzoyev, Major Namig Ahmadov, Major Anar Novruzov, Ensign Ilgar Zeynalli, Ensign Yashar Babayev and soldier Elchin Mustafazade became martyrs during the battles.

Another serviceman of the extended military service of the Azerbaijani army, Private Nazim Ismayilov died in the battle in the direction of Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border on July 16.
What is happening with the Leaving Cert?

Thousands of students will get their leaving cert results on Monday, September 7, three weeks later than usual.

In May, Joe McHugh, the previous Minister for Education, had indicated students would get their results as close as possible to the traditional date in August.

So why are the Leaving Cert results delayed?

Its still unclear. Norma Foley, the new Minister for Education, said it has to do with the standardisation process, which is being carried out by the Department of Education. More than 450,000 individual grades have to be prepared and checked.

These outcomes need to be reviewed using different demographic characteristics which will include gender and socio-economic status to ensure that the grades are as fair and equitable as possible, according to Ms Foley.

I want to make sure that this work is done rigorously  so that the results of Leaving Certificate 2020 are of the same high quality and reliability as the results in any other year," she said.

This work is so important for students  we need to take the time it takes, to get it right."

When was this announced?

The Department of Education released a statement last night confirming the dates for this year.

Did schools know about this delay?

No. The majority of schools submitted their data for students calculated grades to the Department of Education by the end of June.

Some schools had expressed reservations around how students would get their results this year. As teachers and principals were involved in awarding students marks, some were concerned about what would happen if students were unhappy.

But the announcement that results were to be given to students much later than usual has taken a lot by surprise.

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD during a session of Dail Eireann at the Convention Centre, Dublin. Pictue: Gareth Chaney/Collins

How does this affect me?

The Minister for Education says the delay wont affect first round offers from the CAO, or the UCAS system.

But many universities and colleges have already announced that first year students were due to start around the end of September.

This leaves a very short turnaround time, just a little over two weeks, for students searching for accommodation.

Theres also a lot of uncertainty around appeals, which will now open on September 14.

It's not quite clear how this whole process will work when it comes to offers. Students who are unhappy can still sit the exams when they are rescheduled.

However, this wont be in time for college this year.

This delay is also likely to affect students who are planning on studying in Europe, or abroad.

Could this affect other students?

We dont really know yet, but it could. Many universities and colleges have indicated that returning students will begin college after first years.

This is to give first-years a bit of extra time on-campus, and a start at college as close as possible to a normal freshers week.

Whose decision will that be?

The Minister said it will be a decision for each individual college if they chose to defer the start dates for first years.

What next?

From Monday July 20, students will be asked to register for calculated grades through the online portal. Students can opt to sit the written exams instead. A date for these exams hasn't yet been set, but the Department has indicated it could be in November.

What has been the reaction to this?

It hasnt been good. The Irish Second Level Students Union (ISSU) said it was not consulted about this delay.

Politically, the reaction has been swift. Aodhan O Riordain has called on Norma Foley to return to the Dail to answer questions.

A stressful time for many families has been made a lot more stressful because of this revised timeline, he said.

Sinn Fain education spokesman Donnchadh O Laoghaire said the delay raises serious questions about how the new third level year will work and when it will commence.

We need real clarity now on how this announcement is going to impact on the beginning of the new third level year and what this means for students who have applied for third-level places in other jurisdictions; many of whom have been offered a course and are awaiting their results to secure their place.
Were not going to give up. Our villagers dont give up. This is what resident of Chinari village Aramayis Hovakimyan, who was wounded after being struck by Azerbaijans unmanned combat aerial vehicle yesterday, said in the video disseminated by the Armenian Unified Information Center today. Nine years ago, I became disabled after losing a leg, but Ill stand with the Armenian army, if necessary, Aramyis Hovakimyan said and added the following:

We have brave men who proved that they are stronger than us. Ill always stand with them, even in this condition, if necessary. Ive said it before and Ill say it again  theres no turning back. This is our sacred place, our village.

Yesterday resident of Chinari village Aramayis Hovakimyan was wounded after being struck by Azerbaijans unmanned combat aerial vehicle. He is currently at the hospital, and doctors say his condition is stable.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th July, 2020) Syria's upcoming legislative elections, scheduled for Sunday, will take place in a much better climate than previous elections since much of the country's territory has returned under the government's control, Syrian Justice Minister Hisham al-Shaar told Sputnik.

Elections to the Syrian People's Council took place in 2012 and 2016, as well as a constitutional referendum and a presidential election. Large swathes of the country's north and east were beyond Damascus' control during those elections. Despite this, al-Shaar believes it a success that the elections were held on time and under the constitution.

"Despite the harsh terrorist conditions that the country went through at that time, and many areas were out of state control, two constitutional elections and two People's Council elections were held in their specified time and successfully," al-Shaar said.

The justice minister said that the current elections will take place in a much better setting than any of those that have taken place during the Syrian Civil War.

"The current legislative elections enjoy a better climate, especially after the Syrian Arab Army restored stability and safety to large areas of the Syrian geography," the minister said.

He went on to say that all preparations have been made in coordination with all relevant ministries and local authorities.

Al-Shaar underscored the independent Supreme Judicial Committee for Elections, an institution which he headed in the past, will oversee the elections, guaranteeing integrity and transparency.

The election was initially scheduled to take place on April 13 but was postponed due to pandemic fears. Syrians will head to the polls on July 19 to elect 250 lawmakers for the country's unicameral parliament.
While the president and his strategists have been intent on portraying him as tough on China for reelection purposes, Trump has vacillated wildly in both his language and actions.

The Donald Trump administration is considering a sweeping ban on travel to the United States by members of the Chinese Communist Party and their families, according to people familiar with the proposal, a move that would almost certainly prompt retaliation against Americans seeking to enter or remain in China and exacerbate tensions between the two nations.

The presidential proclamation, still in draft form, could also authorise the US government to revoke the visas of party members and their families who are already in the country, leading to their expulsion.

Some proposed language is also aimed at limiting travel to the United States by members of the Peoples Liberation Army and executives at State-owned enterprises, although many of them are likely to also be party members.

Details of the plan, described by four people with knowledge of the discussions, have not yet been finalised, and President Donald Trump might ultimately reject it. While the president and his campaign strategists have been intent on portraying him as tough on China for reelection purposes, Trump has vacillated wildly in both his language and actions on the Chinese government since taking office in 2017.

He has criticised China on some issues, particularly trade. But he has also lavished praise on President Xi Jinping, pleaded with Xi to help him win reelection and remained silent or even explicitly approved of the repression in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

There are practical issues as well. The Chinese Communist Party has 92 million members. Almost three million Chinese citizens visited the United States in 2018, although the numbers have plummeted because of the coronavirus pandemic and the current ban on most travelers from China.

The US government has no knowledge of party status for a vast majority of them. So trying to immediately identify party members to either prevent their entry or expel those already in the United States would be difficult.

The presidential order would cite the same statute in the Immigration and Nationality Act used in a 2017 travel ban on a number of predominantly Muslim countries that gives the president power to temporarily block travel to the US by foreign nationals who are deemed detrimental to the interests of the United States. The 2017 ban was fought in the courts and expanded this year.

Such a broad ban would be the most provocative action against China by the United States since the start of the trade war between the two countries in 2018. It would further poison US-China relations, even after several years of open clashes over economics, technology and global influence have led some diplomats and analysts to draw comparisons to a new Cold War.

Officials at the White House, state department and Department of Homeland Security have been involved in the discussion over the ban. Spokesmen for the White House National Security Council and the state department declined to comment Wednesday, and one for the Department of Homeland Security did not return a request for comment.

Officials at those agencies also continue to debate a variety of formulations for banning Chinese travel to the United States short of barring all party members, such as targeting only the 25 members of the ruling Politburo and their families.

In recent months, top administration officials have tried to draw a distinction between party members and other Chinese, saying the party must be punished for its actions  and its global ambitions must be thwarted. They have loudly denounced what they call the evils of the Chinese Communist Party, pointing to the role of its officials in the cover-up of the initial coronavirus outbreak, the detentions of 1 million or more Muslims in internment camps and the dismantling of civil liberties in Hong Kong.

The Communist Party is both a powerful and mundane part of life in China. While its leaders maintain control of domestic and foreign policy, those on lower rungs do everything from supervising schools to managing neighbourhood-level governance.

In recent decades, many citizens joined to get a leg up in a wide range of sectors: business, academia and even the arts. Many party members do not conform to official ideology; some are Christians who attend underground churches, for example.

Many Chinese outside the party praise the top leadership but complain about corruption among local officials.

Counting party members as well as their families, the ban could technically bar travel to the United States for as many as 270 million people, according to one internal administration estimate.

The overwhelming majority of CCP members have no involvement or input into Beijings policy-making, so going after the entire party membership is like China sanctioning all Republicans because of frustrations with Trump, said Jude Blanchette, a China scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Such a move would inflame public opinion in China, as this would target nearly 10 percent of the entire Chinese population and would do so based on blanket assertions of guilt.

Besides the iterations of the 2017 travel ban, the Trump administration has put in place other entry restrictions. This year, during the pandemic, it has banned entry for most citizens of China as well as those from the European Union and some other nations. And last month, it blocked employment visas and extended restrictions on issuance of green cards, moves that would keep as many as 525,000 foreign workers out of the United States for the rest of the year.

The state department has also announced visa restrictions on various categories of Chinese citizens. These include officials responsible for the mass internment and surveillance of Muslim ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region and journalists working in the United States.

In May, US officials said the government was canceling the visas of graduate or higher-level students in the United States who had ties to certain Chinese military institutions  the first ban on a category of Chinese students, who make up the largest group of international students in the country.

After Trump signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act on Tuesday, the state department was expected to propose names of Chinese officials overseeing repression in Hong Kong for visa and economic sanctions.

And on Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a ban on some employees of Chinese technology companies, including Huawei, that provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights abuses globally.

He added, Telecommunications companies around the world should consider themselves on notice: If they are doing business with Huawei, they are doing business with human rights abusers.

Despite Trumps admiration for Xi, national security officials have tried to push tough policies on China that are designed to counter what they view as dangerous expansionist actions by Chinese leaders and agencies. The pandemic and Beijings recent actions on Hong Kong have helped push relations between the two nations to the lowest point in decades.

At the same time, some of Trumps top economic advisers have promoted a softer approach to China, warning of further damage to the world economy and falling stock markets. Those advisers and allies among American executives are likely to oppose a broad visa ban on Communist Party members, some of whom do business with American corporations.

A broad ban would give the state department new powers to block top Chinese political and business leaders and their families from entering the United States. (Xis daughter, Xi Mingze, attended Harvard University under a pseudonym several years ago.) It would also allow the department to formalize a process by which US officials could inquire about party status during visa application interviews and on forms. Under the draft proclamation, the Department of Homeland Security would share responsibility for carrying out the ban.

Several Chinese citizens who have traveled to the United States in recent years said they did not recall any question on visa applications asking if they were party members.

Language in the draft proclamation stresses recent egregious behaviour by China, in particular theft of intellectual property by Chinese State actors and so-called exit bans used by security officials to prevent some US citizens from leaving China.

This month, the state department renewed a travel warning saying the Chinese authorities engaged in arbitrary enforcement of local laws for purposes other than maintaining law and order, which could include detention and the use of exit bans.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration reversed course on an order that would have subjected international students to deportation if they did not physically attend classes during the pandemic, after American universities filed a lawsuit.

Still, the administration has stood by its visa actions focused more narrowly on China.

The Chinese government has continued with its own harsh visa actions, and even widened them to the nonrenewal of work permits for Western journalists in Hong Kong.

At a speech in Beijing this month, Wang Yi, the foreign minister of China, said the China-US relationship was facing its most severe challenge since the normalisation of diplomatic ties in 1979.

Some say that China-US relations will not be able to return to its past, he said. But that should not mean ignoring the history altogether and starting all over again, let alone impractical decoupling. It should mean building on past achievements and keeping pace with the times.

Paul Mozur and Edward Wong c.2020 The New York Times Company
Infectious disease ward nurse, Isabella Scaffidi, had just rushed a critically ill coronavirus patient to the intensive care unit at Footscray Hospital when The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald spoke to her early Friday afternoon. It was her third COVID-19 patient to deteriorate rapidly and who needed to be intubated and hooked up to a ventilator to survive this week. "The second wave feels a lot worse than the first," Ms Scaffidi said. "People seem to be coming in a lot sicker and more people are needing intubation. This time its bad and its a lot more stressful. As well as caring for critically patients who have tested positive, Ms Scaffidi, who spends her shifts in a protective gown with face mask and face shield, is also screening the growing number of unwell patients presenting at the hospital in Melbournes west.

The 22-year-old nurse has only been out of university for two years and already is on the coalface of the biggest health crisis in more than a century. "We feel really worried about whats to come," she said. "In the past week it has gotten so much busier. We are seeing more and more patients coming in." The Austin, the Royal Melbourne and Western Health, which runs the Footscray Hospital, are among those with plans to double or triple their ICU capacity, and The Alfred has remodelled the entire second floor of the hospital into a dedicated ward to treat those with COVID-19. Isabella Scaffidi and Kate Wight at Footscray Hospital on Friday. The Western Health nurses have been working with COVID-19 patients. Credit:Penny Stephens A spate of coronavirus outbreaks have spread through major Melbourne hospitals and aged care homes, infecting patients, doctors and nurses. About 150 healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19 infected in recent weeks and hundreds more have been sidelined and placed in quarantine due to potential exposure.

That trend has left Ms Scaffidi on edge. "Im a bit nervous about getting the virus, but not so much about myself, more if I did get it and pass it onto to my family members," Ms Scaffidi said. "We are all concerned for our families and for each other." In the last week, senior emergency physician Stephen Parnis, who works across three Melbourne hospitals, has treated coronavirus patients aged in their teens to elderly people in their 80s. "We dont know what the next few days and weeks hold," the former Australian Medical Association president said. "My worry is that if these numbers continue to rise at 300 or more a day for the foreseeable future then the need to increase capacity at hospitals is inevitable."

While the healthcare workers all agree the system is well-prepared to deal with influx of seriously ill COVID-19 patients, they said anxiety levels are rising as infections continued to soar. Dr Parnis has had to self-quarantine in recent months due to exposure to the virus and he has had numerous colleague and friends in isolation. "Every time these numbers rise so does the demands on the health system," he said. "If we continue down this road the number of healthcare workers who are unavailable because of illness or isolation will increase and with that the risks will increase in all hospitals so its a very concerning state of affairs." Dr Parnis said Victorians heeding health warnings, like self-isolation and social distancing, was the only way to slow down the rising tide of infections threatening to overwhelm hospitals. HSU national secretary Lloyd Williams said the union had fielded an increasing number of calls from workers who were anxious about prospect of personal protective equipment shortages if cases continued to rise.
Pakistan on Friday again offered to provide consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, a day after Indian officials walked out of a meeting saying they werent given unhindered contact with the former Indian Navy officer sentenced to death for alleged involvement in spying.

The offer was made by foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while speaking to a TV news channel. He said the consular access could be provided as early as Friday or Saturday and Pakistan would agree to the terms set by the Indian side.

There was no immediate response from the Indian side to the offer.

He also claimed the Indian side had engaged in a drama by walking out of Thursdays meeting Jadhav. He contended the Indian officials were allowed to meet Jadhav without any glass partition between the two sides and without any recording of the meeting.

Today, you are making the excuse that you want to meet him without any security personnel being present. Even that will be done, Qureshi said, speaking in Urdu.

On Thursday, two Indian officials registered a protest and walked out of the planned meeting with Jadhav, and New Delhi accused Islamabad of breaching its assurance of providing unimpeded and unconditional access to the former naval officer.

Pakistan offered consular access to Jadhav for only the second time since he was detained in March 2016. But when the Indian officials went to meet him, they found Pakistani officials with an intimidating demeanour near Jadhav and a camera being used to record the conversation.

The Indian officials had gone to talk to Jadhav about filing a review petition in Islamabad high court against his death sentence by the deadline of July 20, but were prevented from obtaining his written consent for arranging his legal representation, external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.

Qureshi, however, contended that despite being offering all concessions, the Indian officials left without hearing Jadhav. Indias ill intentions have come to light. They didnt want consular access. [Jhadav] kept asking the Indian diplomats to talk to him and they left, he said.

Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui reiterated Pakistans offer to India to file an appeal in the Islamabad high court against Jadhavs death sentence. It is hoped that India will cooperate with the Pakistan court in giving full effect to the [International Court of Justices] judgement, she said.

In a separate development, Qureshi said he had recovered from Covid-19 and resumed his duties. He paid tribute to healthcare and frontline workers for being Pakistans backbone in the fight against this pandemic with unyielding commitment and dedication.

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On Monday, an Estonian citizen died as a result of hostilities in Donbas, said Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu, the Estonian Public Broadcasting Company ERR reported.

The ERR said, quoting Reinsalu, that he came to Estonia in 2006 as a project scholarship holder and had a refugee status.

Reinsalu added that the deceased man was granted citizenship in 2016 by naturalization after renouncing Belarusian citizenship.

He said the status and role of the man's activities in Ukraine are still being clarified with the Ukrainian authorities.

"In Estonia, the rule is that Estonian citizens can operate in military units of other countries with the permission of the government," the minister noted.

He added that to his knowledge no valid permit had been issued at present.

As reported, on July 13, Russia-occupation forces fired at a group of Ukrainian soldiers who were evacuating the body of a Ukrainian soldier near the village of Zaitseve. As a result of enemy fire, a military medic was killed, one soldier was wounded, and another one was injured in combat.

According to the JFO headquarters' statement on Facebook, a group of servicemen in white helmets and relevant identification marks headed for the body of the deceased person after confirming the "Ceasefire" regime. As a result of the open fire by the mercenaries, the military medic was killed, one soldier wounded, and another one received a combat wound.

Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said that the Foreign Ministry will inform international partners about the killing of a military medic by the occupation forces, stressing that Ukraine will do everything to ensure that the enemy pays a high price for this crime. The Foreign Minister said that from a legal point of view, this murder has signs of a war crime.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 19:26:07|Editor: huaxia

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XI'AN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Xi'an Satellite Control Center announced on Friday it has built a super-strong deep space monitoring network to support the country's first Mars exploration.

As scheduled, China plans to launch its Mars probe Tianwen-1 between late July and early August. Once the probe was sent into the Earth-Mars transfer orbit, the control center's two monitoring stations, in Kashgar of northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Jiamusi, in northeastern Heilongjiang Province, will provide monitoring support for it.

Experts at the center said the spaceflight control would be challenging as the probe would take nearly seven months to land on the red planet, which at the farthest point of its orbit is about 400 million km from Earth.

Efforts have been made to upgrade equipment at the two stations. Test results showed that they could meet the demands of spacecraft control on Mars, according to the center.

The two stations completed control tasks for China's lunar probes including Chang'e-2, Chang'e-3, Chang'e-4 and the test model of Chang'e-5.

The Jiamusi station is equipped with a large-caliber antenna, and with a diameter of 66 meters, it is the largest in Asia. In addition, China's first deep-space antenna array system, consisting of four 35-meter-diameter antennas, will be put into use in the Kashgar station by the end of this year, said the control center. Enditem
Photo of an NYPD vehicle in Brooklyn, New York on Feb. 17, 2019. (Mimi Nguyen Ly/The Epoch Times)

NYPD Arrest Three Men For Fatal Shooting of Bronx Man in Front of Daughter

Three men have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a New York man who was killed while crossing a Bronx street with his 6-year-old daughter on July 5, authorities said Thursday.

Bronx residents Davon Delks, 21, and Devon Vines, 27, and Laquan Heyward, 25, of Staten Island, were arrested in connection with the death of Anthony Robinson, 29, the New York Police Department (NYPD) said in a statement.

Robinson, a father of three, was fatally shot in broad daylight in a drive-by shooting as he held hands with his daughter, Khloe, at Sheridan Avenue and East 170th Street. The incident was captured on surveillance footage released by the NYPD.

Earlier this morning, members of the Bronx Violent Felony Squad with the assistance of Bronx Warrants, 44 Pct Squad, the Criminal Enterprise Investigations Section, and TARU apprehended & arrested Davon Delks, Laquan Heyward, and Devon Vines for the Homicide of Anthony Robinson. pic.twitter.com/0sddj0OVZZ  Chief Rodney Harrison (@NYPDDetectives) July 16, 2020

Earlier this morning, members of the Bronx Violent Felony Squad with the assistance of Bronx Warrants, 44 Pct Squad, the Criminal Enterprise Investigations Section, and TARU apprehended & arrested Davon Delks, Laquan Heyward, and Devon Vines for the Homicide of Anthony Robinson, NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison announced on Twitter.

According to the New York Daily News, the three men are members of of the violent Sev-O gang, an offshoot of the Bloods. A fourth suspect in the case, Joel Baba, 22, was reportedly killed in a double-homicide in Bronx just hours after Robinsons death.

All four men had previously been arrested in November 2016 in a gang take-down, the news outlet reported.

On Sunday, July 5th, police officers from the 44th Precinct responded to a 911 call for a male shot at Sheridan Avenue and East 170th Street. pic.twitter.com/kiEmmJfuEW  Chief Rodney Harrison (@NYPDDetectives) July 6, 2020

A sedan is seen in the video footage pulling up to the victim and his daughter at an intersection shortly before 6 p.m., then a passenger points a handgun and opens fire, appearing to hit Robinson in the chest multiple times. The 29-year-old later succumbed to his injuries at BronxCare Health System.

Robinson was visiting Brooklyn to spend the holiday weekend with his eldest daughter, who lives with her mother in the Bronx. Khloe wasnt injured in the incident. The motive behind the fatal shooting is not yet clear.

The Epoch Times contacted the NYPD for comment, but didnt immediately hear back.

The incident came amid a wave of deadly shootings in the nations most populous metropolis and other cities over the Fourth of July weekend.

In New York, 64 people were wounded and 11 were killed in 45 shootings, marking almost a threefold increase compared with the same three-day period last year.

NYPD Chief Terence Monahan said the violence was linked to a multitude of factors, including a sharp decrease in jail population because of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic and a measure that requires judges to release defendants awaiting trial on misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies.

Monahan also said animosity toward law enforcement after the May 25 death of black American George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police has emboldened some people who believe that cops cant do anything anymore.

Despite the recent uptick, the number of violent crimes in the United States has decreased by about half since the 1990s. In New York City, major crimes have fallen by more than 80 percent since 1990.

NYPD Assistant Chief Jason Wilcox described Robinsons shooting as a very, very cruel crime.

Obviously, Mr. Robinson isnt the only victim of that crime, Wilcox said, the New York Daily News reported. That young girl is the victim of that crime. That community is also the victim of that crime.

Robinson is survived by two other childrena 2-year-old son, and another daughter who was born in Florida just after Fathers Day, Robinsons cousin Michael Parker told the news outlet.
On July 1, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station's (TEES) National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing (NCTM) received funding from the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) to help find a way to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus from binding to cells, protecting people from future infections.

NCTM is producing spike proteins to identify antibodies that can attach to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain and prevent the virus from binding to key sites, thus obstructing the virus from entering and infecting human cells.

"There are hundreds of virus-fighting antibodies in plasma, and using recombinant spike proteins is the fastest way to detect the correct ones we need to fight COVID-19," said Zivko Nikolov, professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Texas A&M University and director of NCTM.

NCTM's strategy is derived from the case of Kent Brantly, an American doctor who donated his plasma after surviving Ebola to help others recover as well. Doctors and scientists identified antibodies in his blood that could recognize the Ebola virus and prevent it from multiplying further in patients. Similarly, NCTM researchers are making versions of COVID-19 spike proteins that can be used to measure antibody responses to the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike proteins in order to aid in the recombinant development of these antibodies in the future.

NCTM's spike proteins will also be useful once a COVID-19 vaccination is available.

"Beyond screening convalescent plasma, the spike proteins will be needed to determine if protective responses are being generated in response to the vaccination, how long responses persist and if having antibodies to the spike protein provides a person with immunity such that they can safely return to the workplace without fear of reinfection," said TEES research scientist Susan Woodard.

NCTM is collaborating with the Army Research Lab (ARL), where research affiliates have been studying coronavirus spike proteins since 2013. The most promising constructs designed by ARL partners have been shared with NCTM to produce more proteins. The proteins that NCTM make in cell culture will be provided to ARL, and they will work with Houston Methodist Hospital to use the purified material in serology assays to screen donors for convalescent plasma therapy. ARL will also use NCTM's proteins to screen monoclonal antibodies that neutralize the virus.

The purified spike proteins are important for determining the strength of antibodies present in recovered COVID-19 patients, and antibodies made against the spike proteins are expected to prevent the virus from binding to and infecting human cells.

"I am excited to scale up the effort to produce spike proteins and to deliver hundreds of milligrams of purified proteins to collaborators at the ARL, Houston Methodist Hospital, the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology and NIIMBL," Nikolov said. "I truly believe NCTM is uniquely qualified to respond to the education, training and applied research needs of Texas A&M University and the broader community."

###

Funding: U. S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology #70NANB20H037
The government have announced face coverings and masks will be mandatory for people visiting shops and supermarkets in England from July 24.

If you do not comply, the police have been given powers to enforce measures and you could risk being fined 100. However, this will be reduced to 50 if the fine is paid within 14 days.

Children under the age of 11 and those with certain disabilities will be exempt. Face coverings in shops are already compulsory in Scotland.

With this in mind and to ensure you're stocked up on the new wardrobe necessity of 2020, here are 15 reusable and non-medical face masks and coverings that are still in stock.

Amazon has an abundance of simple but practical face masks available online. Plus, with an Amazon Prime subscription, members can take advantage of the two-day shipping.

This face mask, which costs 6.95, is available in a variety of block colours from black to lime green and fits snugly around the mouth and nose while stretching comfortably around your ears.

The mask has an adjustable nose bridge wire which can help prevent your glasses from fogging up and is available in a number of sizes so you can pick the one that fits you best.

Buy now on Amazon

These printed face masks from Pacamask promise to protect users from dust, pollen, pet dander and other irritants thanks to their superior polyester-cotton antibacterial Silver Ion fabric, which claims to kill 99 per cent of bacteria for up to 50 washes.

They feature fun designs from fruit to animal prints for both adults and children, plus adjustable elastic ear-loops for a tailored and comfortable fit.

One mask costs 17.95, or you can purchase multiple masks at a reduced rate.

Buy now on Pacamask

Each face mask bought from Casetify has a filter insert and comes with two filters. You can purchase additional filters from their website or use your own supply.

For every mask sold, the phone cover brand will donate a surgical mask to a health worker in need. The cotton face masks, which cost 12 for one, come in four colours: blue, black, white and pink.

Buy now on Casetify

High street retailer Boden is selling a set of three beautiful face masks in a mix of vibrant colours and fun prints.

The non-medical face coverings have a wire across the nose for a perfect fit, and if you're environmentally conscious, you'll be pleased to hear they're made using the ends of fabric rolls so they're kind to the planet too.

The masks come in one size, and each three-pack features a mystery mix of Boden colours and prints. Like many other reusable face mask designs, they're machine washable at up to 60 degrees.

Buy now on Boden

With over 60,000 sales and thousands of positive reviews, these bestselling and handmade face masks sold on Etsy come in an array of patterns and colours from fox animal print to classic polka dot.

Made in Nottingham, each cotton mask features elasticated straps and a pocket for a filter. Mask designs start from 7.99 and filters are available to purchase for an additional 2.49. You can use coffee filters or kitchen paper in the slots if you run out.

Buy now on Etsy

This pack of masks from Just Hype offers a comfortable fit with breathable cotton and an earloop design. The three-pack, which contains red, pink and grey masks, costs 24.99. they not come with a filter pouch.

Just Hype also offer masks in a variety of sought-after prints, including, the speckle fade, camo and tie-dye.

Buy now on Justhype

The British Fashion Council has teamed up with Bags of Ethics to manufacture sustainable and reusable non-medical face coverings.

From British designers Julien Macdonald, RIXO and Liam Hodges, the stylish face masks come in unique prints, with 100 per cent of sale profits plus VAT going to charities including NHS Charities Together.

The masks don't have a pocket for a filter. However, a handy and protective carrying pouch is included.

Buy now on John Lewis

Each of Oliver Bonas' masks have fabric loops to hook over the ears and a pocket in the back to insert your own filter (filters are not included).

The gorgeous set features animal print, gingham floral and a plain pattern in black, white and neutral tones.

Even better, from every sale 4 is donated to the UK Youth, a leading national charity that provides access to high-quality services for young people in every community to empower them to build bright futures.

Buy now on Oliver Bonas

We love this set of three non-medical face coverings from Anthropologie, crafted from soft, organic cotton. They offer a comfortable fit that's perfect for everyday use, and the designs are pretty, muted and neutral.

All profits from masks will be donated to NHS Charities Together. There is no pocket for a filter, and the pack costs 18.

Buy now on Anthropologie

These masks from high street retailer Urban Outfitters are made with 100 per cent cotton and feature a solid weave design with elasticated loops. Each mask costs 10 and they come in various colours, including black, grey and dark turquoise.

Urban Outfitters donates 1 from every mask sold to charity.

Buy now on Urban Outfitters

Protect your little ones with Disney's collection of colourful face masks for children. The face coverings, which come in a pack of four, are available in an array of designs to suit any Disney fanatic from Star Wars and Princesses to Marvel and Mickey Mouse.

Buy now on Disney

Silk pillowcase brand SLIP has created a selection of silky face masks in black, leopard print and pink, crafted from pure mulberry silk.

Unlike that of cotton face masks, this ultra-comfortable and luxurious design will reduce friction and is less likely to leave crease marks on the skin when worn for long periods of time.

The mask is lined with soft cotton, while an adjustable nose wire and elastic ear loops allow for a perfect fit for comfortable, long-term wear. It's also machine washable and includes ten spare nose wires and two silicone stoppers to adjust the ear loops.

Buy now on Space.NK

Made from recycled polyester to save resources and avoid waste, the Reebok Face Cover is comfortable, washable and reusable.

The face covering is double-layered, stretches around your ears and has a tight fit for coverage. Plus, the three-pack is available in a range of sizes for a perfect fit.

Buy now on Reebok

These fabulously fun machine-washable coverings from Kurt Geiger are made from thick interlocked cotton and feature elastic straps with stopper, a soft jersey lining for additional comfort, and wiring for a snug fit across the nose. And there's an accessible pocket for the addition of filters (filters not included nor sold by Kurt Geiger).

Additionally, 100 per cent of the profits will be donated to either NHS Charities Together or UK Black Pride depending on the design you choose.

Buy now on Kurt Geiger

Prezzybox has a ton of face masks for sale, from pet-themed and artistic patterns to rainbow designs. This non-medical face mask has elasticated straps is fully CE-certified and comes with a filter pocket and two filters.

Remember to ensure your hands are clean before putting on your mask. Your mouth and nose must be covered for the mask to be effective and check there are no gaps. While wearing, avoid touching the mask.

Buy now on Prezzybox

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Every week the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is compiling a list of the top news articles from across the world in which it is mentioned. Check all the international media coverage of IFJ, divided by language, in the period between 10 and 17 July, 2020
To the Editor:

Re Reopening Schools Will Be a Huge Job (editorial, July 11):

I graduated from high school a month ago. I know that distance learning is ineffective and bolsters inequalities. I want more than anything for kids to be able to return to school in the fall. However, this editorial doesnt adequately account for the realities of how schools actually function and the concerns teachers have for their safety.

You say that schools need more space. At my high school of 3,000 students, you cant just create space. The classrooms are small, the hallways are skinny and the bathrooms are cramped. The gyms and outdoor areas are already used for physical education classes.

Even if you separate students during school, no one will be forcing them to separate outside school hours. This puts school staff at risk. Its not fair to ask teachers to place their lives on the line in order to fast-track a return to normalcy.

I understand that keeping schools closed hurts kids and working parents, but many schools were closed when there were fewer than 10,000 U.S. cases. Does it really make sense to open them now that there are more than 3.5 million?
Judo is known for its killer throws and lightning-fast grappling moves but the sport has a lesser-known application popular in Japan: the ancient healing art of "judo therapy." Over its decades-long history, judo has branched into two areas. The "sappo" or "kill method" developed into the Olympic sport and the "kappo" or "resuscitation method" grew into the art of "judo therapy." Judokas use their knowledge of how joints, limbs and muscles move to defeat opponents but in "kappo", therapists attempt to speed up the body's natural healing mechanism to treat injuries that do not require surgery or hospital treatment. "Simply put, we are specialists in things such as broken bones, dislocations, bruises and sprains," said Hiroyuki Mitsuhashi, an executive at the Japan Judo Therapist Association. "Rather than performing surgery like in orthopaedics, we use our hands to heal," he told AFP. More than 73,000 licensed judo therapists work at more than 50,000 clinics across Japan. All of them are required to have some judo experience before becoming certified clinicians. They are especially popular with student athletes and those suffering from the nagging pains of old injuries that conventional doctors would consider already healed. Travel agent Yoshie Takahashi, 59, broke her right wrist in early January. She went to hospital but later X-rays showed her treatment had failed to align the fracture properly. She ditched her specialist in favour of Mitsuhashi, who used judo therapy techniques to manipulate the joints and realign the bones correctly. "I am much more comfortable here. I am feeling less pain," Takahashi said after a visit to Mitsuhashi's clinic where she received various treatments including dipping her wrist in a tub of warm water with ultrasound waves, a treatment said to accelerate healing. "I think (judo therapists are) more patient-focused. They are well-educated and explain things fully until you understand," she said. - 'You stop falling' - As well as treating injuries, judo therapists are also finding a niche in keeping Japan's ageing population fit and healthy in the country's super-aged society, where more than 28 percent of people are 65 and older. Many judo therapists offer regular classes of low-impact exercise inspired by the martial art that are keeping pensioners sprightly and more resistant to falls. During one such evening class earlier this year, judo therapist Taisuke Kasuya put five elderly pupils through their paces in a small room with straw tatami mats at a Tokyo community centre. For some three decades, Kasuya has taught modified versions of a low-intensity exercise with slow movements, using a breathing technique similar to the Chinese practice of Tai Chi. But the original exercise was devised by none other than Jigoro Kano, the revered father of modern judo. "Use your body efficiently. That promotes your metabolism and stabilises your mental state," said Kasuya, a judo black-belt reciting Kano's teachings. "Unlike other exercise, we use the philosophy of working on both your body and your mind," he said. The judo-based exercise has eased chronic pains for septuagenarian Yasue Ikezumi, a retired pharmacist who has taken Kasuya's exercise class for 15 years. "I feel this is different from other exercises. I feel my joints are becoming flexible," she said. "I was in such pain in my 60s. But I am now almost 80 and I am able to keep up my fitness. It's like I am able to restore my body," she said. Judo-based exercises can help improve the sense of balance and prevent falls for many elderly people, said Koichi Haramaki, a martial artist who teaches judo in the western Wakayama region. He gives a weekly class to local senior citizens on how to fall at his "dojo" or martial arts training centre. "The ultimate purpose of it is not for the elderly to master the moves. But by rolling on mats and practising moves, they use their semicircular canals (part of the inner ear that governs balance) and stimulate their cerebellum," he told AFP. "If you practice how to fall, in the end, you stop falling. Your balance improves." Hiroyuki Mitsuhashi, who uses 'judo therapy', treats a rugby player at his Tokyo clinic Hiroyuki Mitsuhashi treats a woman who broke her right wrist, using healing techniques of 'judo therapy', designed to speed up the body's natural healing mechanism Therapist Taisuke Kasuya (C), a judo black belt, says judo therapy "works on both your body and your mind"
East Belfast GAA has revealed its new crest, which features the club motto "Together" in English, Irish and Ulster-Scots.

The recently formed club revealed the badge yesterday ahead of its first competitive game this evening.

According to the club, it was established with the aim of promoting cross-community involvement.

The crest features the Harland & Wolff cranes, a sunrise, the Red Hand of Ulster, a shamrock and a thistle, which the club says represents the communities coming together.

The club said the crest brought together the rich tapestry of the character of the area and the inclusive nature of the new team.

The motto is written in the Farset Feirste typeface, which was donated by John McMillan, Emeritus Professor of Graphic Design at Ulster University and is inspired by the famous tiled street signs of the city and the river that gave it its name.

Crest designer Rory Millar said: "What was required was an authentic tribute to the area's unique character that also clearly communicates the progressive ethos of the club itself.

"Inspired by the GAA tradition of crests becoming vessels for visual storytelling, I created a selections of symbols, each adding their own chapter to the story."

Linda Ervine, a well-known Irish language activist and sister-in-law of the late loyalist politician David Ervine, is its president. After the club announced its formation it was inundated with interest.

East Belfast men's side faces St Michael's Magheralin today, with the ladies' team taking on Saval tomorrow.

The new club has rekindled memories of former club St Colmcille's which really lit the GAA torch in the east of the city.

St Colmcille's was initially founded in the Ballyhackamore area in the late 1940s before going out of existence in the 1950s, only to resurface in the 1960s in the wake of Down's All-Ireland winning feats in 1960 and 1961.

St Colmcille's flourished before eventually being forced out of existence by the Troubles in the 1970s, during which the club suffered numerous setbacks.
EU leaders are meeting in their first face-to-face summit since the coronavirus crisis, with low expectations of a deal on a 750bn (670bn) post-Covid stimulus package.



French President Emmanuel Macron said it was a "moment of truth" for Europe and the next hours would be decisive.



The main issue is how much of the recovery fund will be handed out in grants and how much in loans.



They also need to agree on a seven-year budget worth another 1.07 trillion.



Arriving for the talks, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said "the differences are very very big and I cannot say if we will find a solution this time". It would be desirable, she said, but people had to remain realistic.



The Brussels meeting is due to continue on Saturday but EU leaders may need longer to reach a deal.



European Council President Charles Michel acknowledged that the talks would be "very difficult", but Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said nobody should lose sight of the big picture - "we're faced with the biggest economic depression since the Second World War".



Why is the fund so tricky?



Southern states including Italy and Spain want an urgent decision "not weakened by a lesser compromise", in the words of Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. They need to revive economies battered by a devastating pandemic that claimed 35,000 lives in Italy and a further 28,400 in Spain.



The Frankfurt-based European Central Bank has already forecast an 8.7% slump in the eurozone economy this year because of the pandemic. But economies that only recently pulled out of a financial crisis want grants rather than taking on further debt.



The recovery plan, backed by France and Germany, for 500bn in grants and subsidies and 250bn in loans, is being resisted by several "frugal" Northern European countries, led by the Netherlands.



The EU recovery fund is already controversial as the money would be borrowed on the financial markets, to be paid back some time after 2027. It's made up of a number of different instruments, but the biggest part of it would be geared to supporting green and digital investment and reform. Some 30% of the funding could be tied to climate projects.

Source: BBC









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MADRID, July 17 (Reuters) - Catalonia's regional authorities on Friday announced they would restrict some activities in Barcelona, including asking people not to gather in groups of more than ten, to fight an increase in coronavirus cases.

But they stopped short of imposing a lockdown and said the measures were meant to avoid having to do so for Spain's second-largest city. (Reporting by Inti Landauro Writing by Ingrid Melander)
Father Soldier Son

Directed by Leslye Davis and Catrin Einhorn

WATCH NOW ON NETFLIX

A New Documentary, 10 Years in the Making

War enlists generations.

In Father Soldier Son, an award-winning new documentary from The New York Times, journalists Catrin Einhorn and Leslye Davis chronicle the cost of combat and the call to service for Master Sgt. Brian Eisch and his family. Through joy and grief, their bonds are tested as they struggle to find their way in the shadow of the nations longest war.

When The Times started following the Eisch family in 2010, Sergeant Eisch was a single father who had left his two young sons for a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan. The boys  vulnerable, funny, deeply attached to their father  offer a compelling lens into how one generations service in combat affects the lives of the next.

Over a decade, from Afghanistan to Wisconsin to New York, Father Soldier Son tells the intimate narrative of one American family.
Chennai, July 17 : The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has asked non-life insurers to settle Covid-19 claims even if the patient is admitted in makeshift or temporary hospitals recognised by the government.

In a circular, the insurance regulator told the general insurers that the makeshift or temporary hospitals permitted by central and state governments shall be considered as a hospital or a network provider.

As a result, any person who tests positive for coronavirus and has been advised by a doctor or a government to get admitted in a make-shift or temporary hospital then the cost of treatment for the policyholder will be settled by the insurers.

The IRDAI said even when a hospital or a network provider sets up a make-shift or temporary facility to treat Covid-19 patients then that facility will be considered as an extended facility and cashless treatment facility be provided to the policyholder.

Recently the IRDAI had asked insurers to take action against hospitals that decline cashless treatment facility for Covid-19 to policy holders.

Citing complaints against such hospitals' refusal despite their agreements with insurers and claims processing agencies, the IRDAI has asked insurers to make complaints to the appropriate government agencies in different states.

The IRDAI also asked the insurers to publish the action taken on the complaints against hospitals on their website.

The General Insurance Council had recently come out with a standardised rate for hospitals to charge for Covid-19 treatment.

Industry officials told IANS that big corporate chain hospitals were not agreeable to the rates.

The hospitals feel that this will not be the last time the insurers come up with a standardised rates, and may later come out with rates for other treatment procedures as well.
By Ayya Lmahamad

The strict special quarantine regime introduced in a number of cities and regions of Azerbaijan will be extended for another two weeks, Presidential aide Shahmar Movsumom told AZTV channel on July 16.

"Unfortunately, I must say that after many discussions in the Operational Headquarters, certain decisions were taken to extend the quarantine regime. Quarantine regime will be extended for two more weeks - 15 days. We have to do it," Movsumov said.

Thus, the lockdown will be extended from July 20 till August 3. The current coronavirus regime was introduced on July 5 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.

As part of the lockdown, Baku metro was suspended from July 4 midnight till July 20, and the entire public transport does not operate on weekends in cities and districts in which the special quarantine regime was 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 first introduced quarantine regime on March 24, and on June 18 decision was taken to extend special quarantine regime until August 1. The country mandated wearing face masks on May 31.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Fox Chase and Ben-Gurion University receive cancer treatment study grant

PHILADELPHIA (July 17, 2020) - Scientists at Fox Chase Cancer Center and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have received a new grant from the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) that will fund continuing research on an antibody developed as part of a longstanding collaboration between the two organizations.

The research focus is to test the effectiveness of an immune-stimulating antibody developed by BGU researcher Angel Porgador, PhD, to attack multiple myeloma, a blood cell tumor localized in the bone marrow. The antibody helps the immune system kill multiple myeloma tumor cells. Since it may work on many different types of tumors, future research will explore its use as a wide-ranging treatment option for patients with cancer.

"Our collaboration with Fox Chase encompasses many different cancer research studies and enables our students to pursue their degree research in Fox Chase Labs," said Porgador, a professor in BGU's Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology and Immunology. "I look forward to further development of this project to help cancer patients around the world."

When tumor cells develop, they can be detected by receptors on the human body's natural killer (NK) cells, which are part of the innate immune system. These NK cells can either target tumor cells for destruction or release immune-boosting molecules called cytokines.

"Different receptors on the surface of NK cells scan molecules and structures on the surface of other cells as they travel throughout the body, and these receptors can activate a response to structures on tumors but inhibit responses toward molecules on normal cells," said grant co-recipient Kerry S. Campbell, PhD, director of the Cell Culture Facility and co-director of the Immune Monitoring Facility at Fox Chase.

To protect itself, a tumor cell can express a molecule called PCNA on its surface that can bind to an NK cell receptor known as NKp44. Previous work by Campbell and Porgador, who is also the deputy vice president for research and development at BGU, led to the discovery that PCNA could bind to NKp44 and thereby prevent NK cells from functioning effectively. This interaction can serve as an "immune checkpoint" to shut down NK-mediated attack.

"In this case, the expression of PCNA by a tumor hijacks the inhibitory receptor, NKp44, thereby putting the brakes on NK-mediated attack. On the other hand, the unique antibody binds PCNA and blocks its detection by NKp44, thereby releasing the brakes, so NK cells can again attack the tumor," said Campbell.

The $320,000 BSF grant is the fourth consecutive awarded for this team. Campbell is among several Fox Chase faculty members who have received joint grants with BGU through the BSF.

Campbell and Porgador's 16-year partnership began when they were encouraged by Alton Sutnick, MD. Sutnick founded the American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) Health Sciences and Academic Affiliations Committee, based in Philadelphia. Sutnick was once director of clinical development at the American Oncologic Hospital, a precursor to Fox Chase Cancer Center.

The two researchers exchanged data and began collaborating, leading to their first grant proposal in 2008. Since then, the team has jointly published 14 academic papers and trained graduate students at BGU, where Campbell is also an adjunct professor.

"We appreciate the support of the BSF to expand BGU's longstanding and successful collaboration with Fox Chase," says AABGU Chief Executive Officer Doug Seserman. "And we are grateful to Dr. Al Sutnick for making this extraordinary collaboration on cancer treatment possible."

###

About Fox Chase Cancer Center

The hospital of Fox Chase Cancer Center and its affiliates (collectively "Fox Chase Cancer Center"), a member of the Temple University Health System, is one of the leading cancer research and treatment centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation's first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Fox Chase researchers have won the highest awards in their fields, including two Nobel Prizes. Fox Chase physicians are also routinely recognized in national rankings, and the Center's nursing program has received the Magnet recognition for excellence five consecutive times. Today, Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research, with special programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship and community outreach. It is the policy of Fox Chase Cancer Center that there shall be no exclusion from, or participation in, and no one denied the benefits of, the delivery of quality medical care on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, disability, age, ancestry, color, national origin, physical ability, level of education, or source of payment. For more information, call 1-888-FOX CHASE or (1-888-369-2427).

About American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) plays a vital role in sustaining David Ben-Gurion's vision: creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community and sharing the University's expertise locally and around the globe. Celebrating the 50th birthday of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) this year, AABGU imagines a future that goes beyond the walls of academia. It is a future where BGU invents a new world and inspires a vision for a stronger Israel and its next generation of leaders. Together with supporters, AABGU will help the University foster excellence in teaching, research and outreach to the communities of the Negev for the next 50 years and beyond. AABGU, headquartered in Manhattan, has regional offices throughout the United States. For more information visit http://www. aabgu. org .

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Gangster Vikas Dubeys killing on July 10 cannot be likened to the 2019 killings of four men accused of raping and murdering a 26-year-old Hyderabad veterinarian, the Uttar Pradesh government said in an affidavit submitted in the Supreme Court on Friday.

The submission came days after the court, in response to a plea demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the killings of Dubey and his accomplices, on Tuesday indicated that it may order a judicial probe into them since we have done it in the other case pertaining to Telangana.

In that case, the court in December constituted a three-member commission to investigate the killing of the four days after they were arrested . The Telangana police have insisted the four accused were killed in an exchange of fire on December 6 after they allegedly broke free and snatched the weapons of the police when they were taken to the crime scene.

The UP affidavit maintained that Dubey was killed in retaliatory firing when the state polices Special Task Force (STF) was trying to recapture him when he fled after a car bringing him from Madhya Pradesh, where he was arrested for his alleged involvement in the July 3 killing of eight policemen in Kanpur, overturned following an accident.

The facts of the present [Dubey] case are completely and diametrically different from the facts emerging in the incident which took place in Hyderabad.

The affidavit argued that the four accused were not hardened criminals unlike Dubey, who faced 64 criminal cases including those related to murder, attempt to murder, and dacoity. It added that the Uttar Pradesh government on July 12 appointed a one-member judicial commission to probe the killing of eight policemen in Kanpur as well as that of Dubey .

It added that there was no accident in the Hyderabad case. In this instance, there was an accident that led to Dubeys escape that culminated in the encounter, it added.

The affidavit said the accident was real and not sham, while insisting that the circumstances itself establish the truth. A herd of cattle was passing through the road and heavy rain led to the accident which was beyond the control of anybody. There is clinching material evidence which establishes that the vehicle skid on the wet road. Policemen have also sustained injuries due to accident as well as firearm injuries inflicted by the criminal, the affidavit said. All four police persons in the vehicle got seriously injured and lost consciousness.

The affidavit said Dubey snatched a pistol from inspector Rama Kant Pichauri and escaped. It added that an STF team, which was part of the convoy taking Dubey to Kanpur, reached the spot under deputy superintendent TB Singh. The affidavit said the team chased Dubey, who fired nine rounds. TB Singh was hit on the chest but survived as he was wearing a bulletproof jacket, it added. The affidavit said Dubey was repeatedly asked to surrender but he ignored the warnings and kept firing and left two STF personnel wounded.

In defence, the STF fired six shots at Vikas Dubey. Three shots hit him. He was then rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead. It rejected claims that Dubey surrendered in Madhya Pradesh (as video clips suggested) and added he was arrested.

Politicians, former police officers, and rights groups have demanded a probe into Dubeys killing, saying the police version of what happened does not add up. Five people linked to Dubey were killed between July 3 and July 9.

The only difference I can see between the UP encounter and the Hyderabad encounter is that the UP government has set up its own judicial commission to inquire into the Dubey killing. However, the commission has been asked to go into a lot of other issues as well related to Vikas Dubey and has been given a really wide ambit. The time frame given (of two months) and the fact that the report will be given only to the UP government does not give me too much confidence about whether truth will come out from this process, said Alok Prasanna Kumar , Senior Resident Fellow at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

The table in the affidavit comparing the two encounters is amusing. It seems to suggest that the encounter killing of Dubey was more credible than the Hyderabad encounter and somehow seems to insinuate that the Hyderabad encounter was fake. The grounds cited in the affidavit to claim that UP encounter was different (from Hyderabad encounter) does not hold much water in the eyes of law, said Supreme Court lawyer MF Philip.
A US Navy officer stationed in Virginia was charged with feeding classified information to a Russian national.

Authorities did not disclose the specific content leaked, but Chief Petty Officer Charles T. Briggs faces a slew of charges as a result.

Briggs, an information and technology officer at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, will be arraigned next Wednesday at a general court-martial, The Virginian-Pilot reports.

He has been accused of unauthorized distribution of classified information obtained from a government computer, obstructing justice and communicating defense information.

Additionally, he was charged with possessing child pornography, attempting to view child pornography, two counts of violating a general regulation and three counts of making false official statements.

Chief Petty Officer Charles T. Briggs of the US Navy is accused of leaking classified information to a Russian national. Briggs is stationed at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia (pictured)

Briggs reportedly used a government computer to obtain secret information on or around January 9, 2019, while stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.

A charge sheet obtained by The Virginian-Pilot said Briggs had reason to believe the intel could be used to 'injure the United States or benefit a foreign national.'

Under President Trump, the US has attempted to bridge a relationship with President Vladimir Putin and Russia.

The already shaky tie appeared to partially unravel last month when The New York Times published an explosive report that claimed Russia paid Islamic militants in Afghanistan to kill US soldiers.

Although the White House called the report a 'hoax,' they've reportedly launched an internal hunt for the alleged leaker.

And tensions further soured this week when the US, UK and Canada launched a joint statement that accused Russian hackers of trying to steal intellectual property about COVID-19 vaccine research.

White House officials are on the hunt for the person or persons who leaked the intelligence about the Russian bounties on U.S. troops in Afghanistan

The charge sheet said Briggs then passed the classified information to an individual, whose name is redacted from the document, identified only as a 'Russian National' not authorized to see such intel.

The extent of the relationship between the Russian national and Briggs is unclear, but they reportedly knew each other.

While with the US Navy, Briggs reportedly did not reveal his connection to a Russian national or an additional Italian national.

The allegations have also said Briggs lied on a pre-screening questionnaire that questioned if he had a 'close and continuing relationship,' with anyone who was not an American citizen.

Briggs also allegedly did a disappearing act in 2018.

The charge sheet says Briggs failed to report a trip he took to Serbia that year to military officials.

Instead, he allegedly filed paperwork falsely stating he was staying in Nebraska during leave.

Briggs is currently being held in a pretrial holding cell.

DailyMail.com reached out to the US Navy for further comment.

President Donald Trump has tried to find leakers in his administration on previous occasions and failed to do so

After the shocking New York Times article about potential Russia bounties, President Trump claimed to have never seen the report and called it a 'a made up by fake news hoax.'

But National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien told Fox & Friends that Trump wasn't briefed on the matter because it was 'uncorroborated' and 'unverified intelligence.'

O'Brien also admitted that the documents were in one of Trump's briefings, but wasn't specifically presented by a CIA agent.

And it appears to search for the intelligence leaker has continued as Politco reports that administration officials have dwindled a suspect list to less than 10 people.

Meanwhile, the US was among three countries who accused Russia of using hackers to steal information about COVID-19 research.

Authorities on Thursday pointed to a Russian hacking group called APT29, which also go by 'Cozy Bear' and 'The Dukes.'

The UK, US and Canada issued a bombshell joint statement yesterday afternoon claiming a hacking group called APT29, also known as Cozy Bear, is engaged in an ongoing campaign of 'malicious activity'.

Security chiefs believe the group is 'almost certainly' operating as part of Russian Intelligence Services, with officials confident the Kremlin has given the green light for the activity.

The NCSC has concluded that APT29 'almost certainly operate as part of Russian Intelligence Services'. Russian President Vladimir Putin is pictured in Moscow on July 16

The three nations believe the purpose of the Russian attacks is to steal intellectual property so that Moscow can develop a coronavirus vaccine first or at least at the same time as the UK, US and Canada.

Targets have included Oxford University and Imperial College London, which are undertaking world-leading work to develop a vaccine. Security sources said the sophisticated espionage attacks were authorised at the 'highest levels' of the Russian regime, and may have been ordered by Vladimir Putin himself.

Paul Chichester, director of operations at the National Cyber Security Centre, urged organisations involved in coronavirus research to shore up their defences.

He added: 'We condemn these despicable attacks against those doing vital work to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

As the US continues to research potential vaccines, infections numbers have soared to 3,576,430 confirmed cases and 138,360 deaths.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged localities nationwide to hasten the disbursement of more than VND633 trillion (nearly US$28 billion) of public investment this year.

A rendering of the proposed Long Thanh International Airport in the southern province of Dong Nai.  Photo courtesy of Airports Corporation of Vietnam

Strict penalties will be imposed on leaders of localities and sectors which postpone disbursement and investment will be transferred from localities and sectors with slow disbursement to others which disburse investment faster, he said.

At a teleconference between the Government and localities on Thursday, PM Phuc said labourers are experiencing a tough time with many having their wages cut or losing their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social and State investment remains low and disbursement is slower than the plan. This is one of the primary reasons behind the slow growth of the national economy.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in the first half of this year, three ministries, State agencies and nine localities had a disbursement rate of more than 50 per cent.

The disbursement rate of 33 ministries and State agencies, as well as three localities, was below 20 per cent.

Among national key projects, the project retrieving land, compensation and resettlement support for Long Thanh International Airport had a disbursement rate of only 10.1 per cent in the first half.

The southern Dong Nai Provinces authorities will struggle to complete land clearance, land transfer and disburse all of the State budget allocation to meet dealines for the airport, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

At the meeting, localities with slow disbursement rates were named and shamed, including Quang Tri, Tra Vinh, Khanh Hoa, Hoa Binh, Can Tho, Ninh Thuan, Dong Nai and Thai Nguyen.

He asked mass media to publicise the list of localities and sectors with good and slow investment disbursement.

Public investment is key to helping the country overcome difficulties. According to the General Statistics Office, 1 per cent of investment contributes to increasing GDP by 0.06 per cent, he said.

The Government leader told localities and sectors to solve unsettled capital, debts and accelerate procedure settlement to speed up investment disbursement.

Bureaucracy affects the progress of investment disbursement, especially land clearance, he said, asking State inspection teams and chairpersons of local peoples committees to step up inspections on disbursement and address difficulties in policies and procedures.

Noting that Ninh Binh Province holds Peoples Council meeting every month to hasten investment disbursement instead of once every six months like many other localities, PM Phuc requested localities and sectors to update disbursement once every two weeks.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment was assigned to compile and submit to the Government a list of projects that need to be prioritised for capital for investment transferring plans. VNS

Economists: speed up public investments If the huge capital for public investment can be brought into the economy, Vietnam would be able to save GDP growth.
The cover of Jim Carreys new semi-fictional memoir has an unusual backstory - its the face he made when he found out he had 10 minutes to live. In a recent interview, the actor revealed he had been writing his book in Hawaii in 2018 and was there when a fake ballistic missile alert was sent to everyone in the state.

A message reading Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill was mistakenly sent to the people of Hawaii in 2018 by a state worker. It caused widespread panic in the community and Governor David Y. Ige said at the time that many were "deeply affected by this.

The cover of Carreys book Memoirs and Misinformation, written alongside Dana Vachon, features an abstract edit of Carrey with a distraught expression on his face. Speaking to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, he explained, The cover is actually my face after being told that I have 10 minutes to live. And thats for real.

At the time, Carrey was with his daughter in Hawaii working on the novel and was alerted to the missile alert by his assistant. I was writing, my assistant Linda called me. She was crying. She said, We have ten minutes left. And I said, What do you mean? And she said, The missiles are coming from North Korea.

Saying it was completely real to us, he said that he and his daughter had tried to escape from the island - but were unable to. My brain started winding...then the question was posed, Should we all try to get together? And I said, I dont want to die in my car. And we had to say goodbye.

I sat on the lanai and looked out at the ocean and at that point, I started going: okay, well, what can I do with this last moment in time? And I just decided to go through a list of gratitudes and honest to god, I just could not stop thinking of wonderful things that have happened to me and blessings that Ive had and it was lovely, he said.

I got to a point of grace with about two minutes to spare when I found out it wasnt actually happening. And all I was planning to do was close my eyes and be thankful cause its been a good ride.

Of course, Carrey later found out that the alert was false. As for how he reacted? Then I got pissed and heads rolled.

Carreys book was released earlier on July 7 and in it, a fictional version of Carrey reflects on his life. One notable highlight from the book was Carrey calling his ex Renee Zellwegger, who he was with for a year starting in 1999, the last great love and he elaborated that she was very special to him in a follow up interview with Howard Stern.

He said of his book, I want [readers] to be so struck by the strangeness and the invention of this book that they rip their nipples off and run into the streets screaming my name. And then when they get hit by [a] car, they lay there and they cant even remember their own name. Thats all Im really after.

Memoirs and Misinformation by Jim Carrey and Dana Vachon is currently available in stores and online now.
Doctors at India's largest hospital treating coronavirus patients said on Friday they are prepared if infections increase again in the national capital, while rising cases in other parts of the country pushed the number of infections past one million on Friday.

The 2,000-bed Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital has been at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic in New Delhi, having treated over 6,000 COVID-19 patients. Now patient numbers have fallen in the city.

"Even if we have larger number and a second wave comes (in New Delhi), then we have very excellent facility... and we are prepared for that," the hospital's medical director, Suresh Kumar, told Reuters during a visit to the government-run hospital.

The COVID-19 ward, bustling with patients at the start of pandemic, was largely quiet with only a few beds occupied when Reuters visited on Friday.

But patients were trickling in. Staff wheeled in a 29-year-old man on a stretcher with a hand on his chest, his mother walking in next to him. The ICU had relatively more patients.

When the pandemic started to sweep New Delhi a few months ago, the hospital scrambled to find enough beds or equipment.

Infections numbers are now rising in the smaller towns and villages rather than in cities like New Delhi and Mumbai that were the initial hotspots, so doctors at the hospital say they have had a chance to catch a breath.

Kumar said that in the course of the fight against the disease, two hospital staff had died.
















According to a fascinating new study, the Andean condor spend almost all of their flying time in soaring mode, flapping their wings only 1.3 percent of the time.Weighing up to about 16 kilograms and with a wingspan of roughly 3.3 meters, the condor is the largest flying bird in the world by combined measurement of weight and wingspan. With that in mind, its almost impossible to believe that it can stay airborne for at least five hours and cover a distance of over 100 miles without flapping its enormous wings once. But that was the most interesting finding of a study published by researchers at the University of Swansea after monitoring a group of condors for five years.Between 2013 and 2018, biologist Emily Shepard and her team monitored eight Andean condors near Bariloche, Argentina by attaching flight-recorders capable of logging every single flap of the wings during the birds flight. They aimed to study the effects of different weather conditions on the condors flight, but they ended up learning something far more surprising.In the most extreme example logged by the flight recorder, one of the condors spent over five hours soaring through the air without once flapping its wings, during which time it covered a distance of 106 miles or 172 km. Even over mountains, where the condors have to mitigate complex airflow conditions, they were able to navigate air currents with very little movement.The extraordinary low investment in flapping flight was seen in all individuals, which is notable, as none were adult birds, the study authors wrote. Therefore, even relatively inexperienced birds operate for hours with a minimal need to flap.Researchers obtained more than 230 hours of flight data from the eight tracked condors, and out of all that, only one percent of it was spent flapping wings. Most of that one percent was during take-offs. Because of their size and weight, it takes a lot of energy for condors to take off, but once they become airborne they conserve their energy with maximum efficiency.The finding that Andean condors basically almost never beat their wings and just soar is mind-blowing, David Lentink, an expert in bird flight from Stanford University, told The Associated Press.
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Charlie Holland has been the CEO of Gusbourne PLC (LON:GUS) since 2016, and this article will examine the executive's compensation with respect to the overall performance of the company. This analysis will also evaluate the appropriateness of CEO compensation when taking into account the earnings and shareholder returns of the company.

See our latest analysis for Gusbourne

Comparing Gusbourne PLC's CEO Compensation With the industry

At the time of writing, our data shows that Gusbourne PLC has a market capitalization of UK29m, and reported total annual CEO compensation of UK101k for the year to December 2019. Notably, that's an increase of 22% over the year before. In particular, the salary of UK96.0k, makes up a huge portion of the total compensation being paid to the CEO.

For comparison, other companies in the industry with market capitalizations below UK159m, reported a median total CEO compensation of UK288k. Accordingly, Gusbourne pays its CEO under the industry median.

Component 2019 2018 Proportion (2019) Salary UK96k UK79k 95% Other UK5.0k UK4.0k 5% Total Compensation UK101k UK83k 100%

On an industry level, roughly 30% of total compensation represents salary and 70% is other remuneration. Gusbourne is focused on going down a more traditional approach and is paying a higher portion of compensation through salary, as compared to non-salary benefits. If salary dominates total compensation, it suggests that CEO compensation is leaning less towards the variable component, which is usually linked with performance.

Gusbourne PLC's Growth

Gusbourne PLC has seen its earnings per share (EPS) increase by 11% a year over the past three years. Its revenue is up 31% over the last year.

Shareholders would be glad to know that the company has improved itself over the last few years. It's great to see that revenue growth is strong, too. These metrics suggest the business is growing strongly. We don't have analyst forecasts, but you could get a better understanding of its growth by checking out this more detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Story continues

Has Gusbourne PLC Been A Good Investment?

With a total shareholder return of 26% over three years, Gusbourne PLC shareholders would, in general, be reasonably content. But they probably wouldn't be so happy as to think the CEO should be paid more than is normal, for companies around this size.

To Conclude...

Charlie receives almost all of their compensation through a salary. As previously discussed, Charlie is compensated less than what is normal for CEOs of companies of similar size, and which belong to the same industry. At the same time, earnings growth has been exceptional over the past three years. However, shareholder returns have failed to show the same level of growth. Shareholder returns could be better but we're pleased with the positive EPS growth. So it's fair to say Charlie has done quite well despite modest compensation and shareholders might not be averse to a raise.

CEO compensation is an important area to keep your eyes on, but we've also need to pay attention to other attributes of the company. We did our research and identified 4 warning signs (and 2 which shouldn't be ignored) in Gusbourne we think you should know about.

Important note: Gusbourne is an exciting stock, but we understand investors may be looking for an unencumbered balance sheet and blockbuster returns. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.

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 Marc Jones and Karin Strohecker

LONDON (Reuters) - The European Commissions proposed 750 billion euro ($853.35 billion) coronavirus recovery fund for EU member states implies an unexpectedly generous package for countries in central and eastern Europe that could significantly benefit their economies.

The CEE region accounts for around 11% of the 27-member European Union's gross domestic product but has been provisionally allocated 187 billion euros, or 25%, of the 'Next Generation EU' plan's money.

In gross terms, Poland and Romania would receive the largest sums in CEE at 65 billion euros 33 billion euros respectively. Scaled as share of GDP, Croatia and Bulgaria would get the biggest boost.

"The extent to which CEE countries, many outside of the Euro area, are supported by the ECs recovery package came as a positive surprise to the market," analysts at JP Morgan said.

Graphic: Potential allocation of EU recovery fund as share of GDP - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/xegpbmrxkvq/Pasted%20image%201594924346874.png

The recovery fund proposal is currently split between 500 billion euros of loans and 250 billion of 'grants'. The money is intended for projects spanning 2021-2024, though absorption could be allowed to leak into 2025-2026 as well.

It comes alongside the proposed 1.1 trillion euros EUs regular seven-year budget for 2021-2027, meaning the CEE bloc could draw in a lot of money over that period.

The recovery fund will likely come with substantial strings attached. The 'grants' portion will be distributed to finance specific projects in line with the Commissions agenda and subject to its authorisation.

That has rankled with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose criticisms of Brussels and clampdowns on academics, media freedom and civil society have long been a thorn in the EU's side.

What Poland gets will be also be closely watched. The EU has been voicing concerns about an erosion of democracy there too https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200109IPR69907/rule-of-law-in-poland-and-hungary-has-worsened and Poland's freshly re-elected President Andrzej Duda ran an acrimonious campaign laced with homophobic language and attacks on private and foreign-owned media.

Story continues

Graphic: Coronavirus has caused huge slump in CEE economies - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/jbyvrrgagve/Pasted%20image%201594920899785.png

Central and eastern European economies outperformed after the global financial crisis a decade ago. Taking into account the increased funding, they should be able to consistently outgrow their Western European neighbours.

However, given the lags in absorbing EU money, the degree to which this can materialise is unclear.

Looking only at investment-related disbursements, analysts calculate annual investment funding for CEE countries could range from 2.4% of GDP in the Czech Republic to 8.5% in Croatia. In some countries, such as Bulgaria and Croatia, available funds could exceed public sector investment.

Disbursements of EU funds could also significantly reduce borrowing needs for many countries, though the loan portion would have to be repaid.

Due to the Czech Republic's high income and low debt levels, it could find itself a net contributor to the pot for the first time under NGEU, even if only by a symbolic net 0.3% of GDP.

Graphic: EU investment funds per year to 2024 as share of GDP - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/gjnvwwqabvw/Pasted%20image%201594982884732.png

Graphic: Net allocation of EU recovery fund money as share of GDP - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/rlgpdldbmpo/Pasted%20image%201594918074652.png

In the short term, German stimulus could prove even more important, Societe Generale's Marek Drimal added, given how much CEE firms sell to Germany and its manufacturers.

Graphic: CEE exposure to large European economies - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/ygdpzwxljvw/CEE%20exposure%20to%20large%20European%20economies.PNG

(Editing by Louise Heavens)
On Tuesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agreed to rescind a controversial new policy on international students announced on July 6. Under the rescinded policy, international students on F-1 and M-1 visas, including most international undergraduate and graduate students, would have been required to leave the country if their fall 2020 course load was entirely online.

This ICE policy arrived in a tense moment where universities are facing a challenging choice for our students: how to balance the benefits of campus life and face-to-face learning against the risks of COVID-19. The decision to move courses online is not made lightly, and its a step taken solely to protect the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and community.

While some schools, including several Texas A&M campuses, are planning for completely in-person instruction, others, including some of our most prominent institutions such as Harvard University, have already committed to a fully online fall semester for undergraduates. Yet more, including my own institution, Rice University, are tentatively planning a hybrid dual-mode approach with classes capable of being both online and face-to-face; however, many classes over 25 students are to be offered online-only at Rice.

Under current fall 2020 plans, many international students at colleges across the country will have an entirely online fall 2020 semester to protect our communities and minimize the spread of COVID-19. Under the rescinded ICE policies, these same students would have had to leave the country.

The day this policy was announced, I experienced firsthand the chilling effect it had on the U.S. academic community. International members of my lab worriedly asked if they would have to abruptly halt their research and leave the country, losing critical momentum in their multi-year projects. Incoming graduate students, top scholars that we worked hard to recruit from across the globe, reached out to explore deferring their admission to Rice until the next year or indefinitely.

While the exact effects that this policy would have had remain unresolved, the message it was sending was clear: International students are not welcome here.

This message runs counter to the lived experience of researchers across our country. International students are an irreplaceable part of the campus fabric of U.S. universities, bringing unique perspectives, ideas and motivations to our dynamic institutions and fueling groundbreaking discoveries. Some of the most brilliant coworkers and collaborators Ive had during my career have been from other countries and my lab would not be able to do cutting-edge cancer research without international scholars.

Many of the key results that have pushed U.S. science and competitiveness forward would have been impossible without international students contributions.

I was proud when Rice joined more than 200 other U.S. universities and colleges to legally challenge the new ICE regulations and I was overjoyed when these hurtful policies were overturned.

I hope the message U.S. universities send in this legal victory is clear: we will fight to support our international students, no matter the opponent. You are welcome here.

West (@pushingarrows) is a CPRIT Scholar and professor of chemistry at Rice University.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Cloudy. Gusty winds this morning. Morning high of 22F with temps falling to near 10. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Bitterly cold. Mostly clear. Low -3F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
The number of new COVID-19 cases in New South Wales continues to rise with all customers of a popular mall being urged to look out for symptoms.

There are now five coronavirus cases linked to the Stockland Wetherill Park shopping centre in Sydney's west.

NSW Health on Friday afternoon said a customer who dined at Thai Rock restaurant in the centre on July 10 has tested positive for COVID-19.

The case is the third linked to the restaurant, with NSW Health directing anyone who visited there between July 9 and 14 to 'immediately be tested and self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of symptoms'.

NSW Health workers collect samples at a testing clinic in Sydney's south west on Friday (pictured) amid calls for anyone in the hot spot suburbs to get tested

There are now five coronavirus cases linked to the Stockland Wetherill Park shopping centre (pictured) in Sydney's west

Anyone who develops COVID-19 symptoms has also been urged to get re-tested even if they had a negative result previously.

NSW had recorded eight new COVID-19 cases to 8pm on Thursday with six a result of community transmission, including a man in his 80s who dined at the Crossroads Hotel in Casula.

That cluster now numbers 42 people, the majority of whom were not patrons.

Another case was a person who worked while ill last week at the Thai Rock restaurant, while at least five COVID-19 cases attended the surrounding Stockland Mall.

Shoppers are urged to be on high alert as a cluster grows out of a shopping centre in Western Sydney (Pictured: Sydney residents flock to a food court after they were reopened in NSW)

Stockland confirmed inferctious visitors had attended Coles, Thai Rock, Priceline and Trims Fresh in the Stockland Shopping Centre at Wetherill Park (Pictured: shoppers wait outside a Coles supermarket)

Anyone who has visited Stockland Mall in the past 14 days should watch out for respiratory symptoms and seek testing.

Six additional COVID-19 cases were recorded after 8pm, including three hotel-connected cases, and the latest case linked to the Thai Rock restaurant.

As a result of the increase in cases, Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Friday said funerals and religious gatherings in NSW will from July 24 have a limit of 100 people while weddings and corporate events will be capped at 150 people.

No dancing, singing or mingling will be permitted at weddings.

Previously-announced restrictions on pubs and hotels - including a cap of 300 people, mandatory sign-ins and maximum group bookings of 10 people - will also be extended to all NSW hospitality venues, such as clubs and restaurants.

Anyone who develops COVID-19 symptoms has also been urged to get re-tested even if they had a negative result previously (pictured, a Sydney testing clinic on Friday)

Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) on Friday announced new restrictions for funerals and religious gatherings

The 20-person limit for private indoor and outdoor gatherings remains in place for now but NSW Health has encouraged residents to keep gatherings below 10 people.

'What we need to do in NSW is minimise the risk of those activities which we know super-spread the virus, those activities indoors which we know act as a catalyst, and this will also take pressure off our health authorities,' Ms Berejiklian told reporters on Friday.

Ms Berejiklian said industry associations were on board with the hospitality changes and that funerals carried an additional risk due to mingling and expressions of emotion.

Australian Funeral Directors Association president Andrew Pinder echoed Ms Berejiklian's remarks and said the restrictions were 'sustainable, responsible and respectful'.

The number of new COVID-19 continues to rise across New South Wales after restrictions were lifted (pictured, a post lockdown Pitt Street)

Cases have been surging across Sydney's Western suburbs such as Liverpool which was quickly declared a hot spot by NSW health

Meanwhile, Virus-hit Victoria recorded 428 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.

NSW Health on Wednesday confirmed the 'patient zero' of the Crossroads Hotel outbreak was most likely a Melbourne freight company employee who attended the venue on July 3 for a work party. At least six of his colleagues have since caught COVID-19.

The man entered NSW on June 30, before the state's border with Victoria closed.

'It is a good case study of how quickly and how widely the disease can spread and it is a good wake-up call for all of us, because I feel there was too much complacency in the community and we thought that the worst was behind us but unfortunately it is not,' Ms Berejiklian said.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant also confirmed on Friday that pop-up testing sites around southwest Sydney amid the Crossroads Hotel cluster would not shut as originally planned.
Precious for me is the worst form of luxury, says Alexander Werz. Luxury is something you need to live with, something you need to useevery day. Certainly, hes one to know. A longtime veteran of the fashion industry, Werz has, for the past decade, directed the international expansion of Karla Ottoa leading public relations and branding firm with creme-de-la-creme clients that include Chloe, YSL, Calvin Klein, Marni, and Oscar de la Renta.

Its a career that has brought him around the world and back many, many times over. I have been a restless bird, notes Werz, who was just named Karla Ottos cochief executive officer this past winter. I usually never stay more than three days in one place.

Like all of us, however, Werz has found himself staying put these past months, the pandemic having halted his peripatetic ways. In his case, its turned out to be a happy, productive pausean opportunity to hit reset and enjoy his new Milan apartment, a plant-filled oasis in a modernist building off the Piazza della Repubblica. It was work that led him there. When I joined Karla Otto, I started to come even more to Milan, recalls Werz, who, at the time, lived primarily between Paris and London. It became my dream to live here. I love Italythe architecture, the colors, the food. Nowhere is the art de vivre more inspiring.

His wish list included great bones1950s or 60s, to be exactwith great light and great floors. (Here in Milan, you are obsessed with marble, terrazzo, wood.) And it needed to be comfortable but not vast. I live alone, he notes. Its good to live alone but not good in a too-big apartment. After visiting several listings, among them buildings by Gio Ponti, he experienced what he describes as a mamma mia moment. Ushered through a Lucio Fontanadesigned lobby and up the elevator, Werz arrived on the seventh floor to find a sun-dappled apartment that had previously been transformed by Milanese maestro Renzo Mongiardino. Just like that, he says, I fell in love.

Story continues

Working with local architect Giorgia Longoni, a repeat Karla Otto collaborator, Werz set about refreshing the interiorspreserving Mongiardinos cheerful pilasters, arches, and alcoves but updating the systems and cladding the walls in new moss-colored silk. Green is very Italian, he notes. Everyone looks great in green. Three bedrooms became two, making way for a leather-tiled platform on which to do his daily exercises and a walk-in closet inspired by American Gigolo and The Great Gatsby, two favorite movies. The kitchen, meanwhile, was reorganized to the German-born signores satisfaction, with meticulously planned white cabinetry and a central marble table at which to dine and work. And his en-suite bathroom was lined in a richly veined gray marble reminiscent of the local landmark and perennial source of inspiration Villa Necchi.

Inside a Fashion-World Stars Chic Milan Aerie

Whereas the abundant planters and greenery reveal the hand of Derek Castiglioni, the celebrated Milanese landscape designer, the eclectic furnishings reveal Werzs own style evolution. I am German by education but a bon vivant by trade, he says. As such, family heirlooms (Meissen porcelain, gilded mirrors) mingle with vintage treasures by the likes of Joe Colombo, Pierre Paulin, Kai Kristiansen, and Josef Hoffmann. Snaking through the living room, meanwhile, is a Non Stop sofa by De Sede, an iconic piece that Werz has coveted since childhood, when he grew up not far from the companys factory. It helps carve the apartment into a series of conversation spacesperfect for entertaining intimately or for a crowd. If you have an apartment like this, its about creating a generous feeling. People who come must feel welcome. Gatherings range from seated dinners for 15 to parties for many more, with a big buffet in the dining room. But as Werz points out, the rooms work just as well when its only him. I can work in my bedroom, in the dining room, or in the kitchen. I can sit on three different sofas. I take my coffee on the terrace. I exercise. I cook a lot. In other words, no preciousness here. Says Werz: I like an apartment that livesyou need to make it livable.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
My friends in the United States didnt have a light at the end of the tunnel. They didnt know if their kids would return to school in the fall or when they would be able to work uninterrupted by requests for snacks or toilet help.
Sydney, July 17 : Australia's Sydney city on Friday provided further support for restaurants, bars and venues to get back on track, as businesses have slowly reopened after the COVID-19 lockdown.

In its latest round of business support grants announced on Friday, the City of Sydney has awarded A$222,334 ($155,100) to night-time and live music businesses, reports Xinhua news agency.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for Sydney's night-time economy, which was only just beginning to breathe again after the lockout laws were lifted in January," Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

"Sydney's core night-time economy is not only critical to our city's future -- generating more than A$4.2 billion in revenue each year and employing more than 35,500 people across nearly 5,000 businesses -- it is key to our vision for Sydney as a thriving global city," she said.

Moore said businesses operating at night were hardest hit by the COVID-19 restriction measures, so it is critical to support these businesses to get back to normal as restrictions ease.

"We recently approved COVID-19 relief grants for 654 projects, worth a total of A$8.85 million, which included 144 businesses operating at night," she said.

The latest round of grants will help to create a wide range of new events across the city, including literary dinners, live music, dance workshops and cooking classes.

A further 12 not-for-profit or members-based organizations have been awarded A$350,000 to promote local economies and improve access to industry information, upskilling and networking.
The Rev. C.T. Vivian, an early and key advisor to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who organized pivotal campaigns in the civil rights movement and spent decades after advocating for justice and equality, died Friday at the age of 95.

Vivian began staging sit-ins against segregation in Peoria, Illinois, in the 1940s  a dozen years before lunch-counter protests by college students made national news. He met King soon after the budding civil rights leaders leadership of the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott, and helped translate ideas into action by organizing the Freedom Rides that eventually forced federal intervention across the South.

Vivian boldly challenged a segregationist sheriff while trying to register Black voters in Selma, Alabama, where hundreds, then thousands, later marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

You can turn your back now and you can keep your club in your hand, but you cannot beat down justice. And we will register to vote because as citizens of these United States we have the right to do it, Vivian declared, wagging his index finger at Sheriff Jim Clark as the cameras rolled. The sheriff then punched him, and news coverage of the assault helped turned a local registration drive into a national phenomenon.

Former diplomat and congressman Andrew Young, another close King confidant, said Vivian was always one of the people who had the most insight, wisdom, integrity and dedication.

President Barack Obama honored Vivian with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, saying that time and again, Reverend Vivian was among the first to be in the action: In 1947, joining a sit-in to integrate an Illinois restaurant; one of the first Freedom Riders; in Selma, on the courthouse steps to register blacks to vote, for which he was beaten, bloodied and jailed.

Obama continued: Rosa Parks said of him, Even after things had supposedly been taken care of and we had our rights, he was still out there, inspiring the next generation, including me, helping kids go to college with a program that would become Upward Bound. He praised Vivian, then 89, for being still in the action, pushing us closer to our founding ideals.

Speaking with students in Tennessee 50 years after the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, Vivian urged them to act strategically as they advocated for justice and equality. The civil rights movement was effective not only because of its nonviolence, but because activists used made sure their messages were amplified, he said.

This is what made the movement; our voice was really heard. But it didnt happen by accident; we made certain it was heard, Vivian said.

Cordy Tindell Vivian was born July 28, 1924, in Howard County, Missouri, but moved to Macomb, Illinois, with his mother as a young boy. He later studied theology alongside John Lewis at the American Baptist College in Nashville, Tennessee, where they trained waves of activists in non-violent protest.

King made Vivian his national director of affiliates at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and sent him around the South to register voters, an effort that brought Vivian to Selma in 1965. Standing on the Dallas County courthouse steps as a line of Black people stretched down the block behind him, he argued for their voting rights until Clark's punch knocked him flat.

Vivian stood back up and kept talking before he was stitched up and jailed, and his mistreatment helped draw thousands of protesters, whose determination to march from Selma to Montgomery pressured Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act later that year.

Vivian continued to serve in the SCLC after Kings assassination in 1968, and became its interim president in 2012, lending renewed credibility and a tangible link to the civil rights era after the organization stagnated for years amid financial mismanagement and infighting.

There must always be the understanding of what Martin had in mind for this organization, Vivian said in a 2012 interview. Nonviolent, direct action makes us successful. We learned how to solve social problems without violence. We cannot allow the nation or the world to ever forget that.

Vivian died at home in Atlanta of natural causes Friday morning, his friend and business partner Don Rivers confirmed to The Associated Press.

Vivian had a stroke about two months ago but seemed to recover, Rivers said. Then, he just stopped eating, he said.

Rivers, 67, said he was 21 when he met Vivian at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Back then, he worked as an audio director when Vivian was the dean of the universitys divinity school. The two remained close over the years and Rivers said he handled the business side of Vivians work.

Hes such a nice, gentle, courageous man, Rivers said, adding that the reverend wasnt in it for the money but, he was always giving, giving, giving.
U.S. regulators have approved a request from Kinder Morgan to authorize the start of the seventh train of the Elba Island liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plant in Georgia, Reuters reported on Friday.

Kinder Morgan owns 51 percent in the Elba Island LNG project which cost around US$2 billion. Trains one through six are already operational, with four more planned for this year, Kinder Morgan said earlier this year.

Elba Island began LNG exports in December last year, but hasnt exported superchilled fuel from the facility since January because the pandemic and the economic recession in many parts of the world depressed demand for natural gas.

Historically low natural gas prices from Asia to Europe and lower demand in the pandemic have resulted in U.S. exports of LNG crashing by more than 50 percent this year, the EIA said last month.

Last year, the U.S. became the worlds third-biggest LNG exporter after Qatar and Australia. Three of Elba Islands small-scale moveable modular liquefaction system units are expected to come online later this summer, the EIA said in June. The new units at Elba Island, together with the third train at Freeport LNG in Texas which began commercial operations in May 2020, will boost Americas overall liquefaction capacity to 8.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of baseload LNG export capacity and 10.1 Bcf/d of peak export capacity, according to EIA estimates.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a final long-term order to authorize LNG exports from a project in Oregon that are expected to boost U.S. gas supply to the fastest-growing import market, Asia.

Jordan Cove LNG, expected to come online in 2025, is poised to create 6,000 jobs during peak construction and an estimated 8,500 spin-off jobs in sectors like hospitality, retail, tourism, and healthcare, the project owner Pembina Pipeline Corporation says.

The project, however, continues to face opposition, including from citizen organizations, Oregon lawmakers, and the state of Oregon, which has yet to issue vital permits for the project.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Two separate shootings in the New Orleans area Friday afternoon left a total of four people injured, according to the New Orleans Police Department.

The first shooting happened around 2:10 p.m. in the 1900 block of Chippewa Street in the St. Thomas Development.

Police said two people were injured in that shooting and later arrived at an area hospital by private vehicle seeking treatment for their wounds.

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About 10 minutes later, police reported another double shooting -- this time in the 3000 block of Lancaster Street in Algiers.

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Two women sustained non-life-threatening injuries in that shooting and were both taken to an area hospital by EMS for treatment.

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No other identifying information on the victims, possible suspects or a motive was given for either shooting.

More to come.
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Ruth Ammon doesnt normally come in on the second season of shows as a production designer, but for The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, set in 1897 New York, she was willing to make an exception.

Ammon picked up where Mara LePere-Schloop left off in Season 1, having turned areas in Budapest into New Yorks Gilded Age for the shows murder mystery, in which Sara (Dakota Fanning) reunites with Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Bruhl) to investigate the kidnapping of a baby.

More from Variety

Ammon expanded on the period-appropriate sets built by LePere-Schloop (who picked up for Ammon in the second season of Tom Clancys Jack Ryan), using locations like the Metropolitan Ervin Szabo Library for Delmonicos steakhouse and building a meat market to visually enhance the shows macabre and mysterious world. Here, she highlights key locations for the TNT series, which premieres July 19.

The Direction of Season 2

Mara did a beautiful job building that backlot, and I felt there was room for me to come in there. The backlot had aged a year, so it had wear and tear and had a nice feel to it. But it required more moving around than building from a blank slate. We made changes to what existed through layering, building up architecture and changing types of carriages. We created the Bowery from last season and added 100% more to create the Ganesvoort meat market, which is our dark underbelly world. We added in the train station and designed it to the story.

Sara Howards Detective Agency

We made Saras office quite dark to separate it from the world outside. When I first moved to New York as a young woman, I was on 87th Street, and this place had that exact glass hallway that allowed light to enter the dark building. I felt the diffused glass would add to the layer of mystery.

Story continues

We wanted her office to be very smart and well-tailored. She has wealthy clients, so we made the street have a middle-class feel to it among other office buildings so [clients] could feel safe. Theres a space for tea in the front room.

We had a separate entrance for Sara to come in and out, and clients couldnt see Saras private area and her desk. Its something you didnt see at that time in history  a woman having her own office.

Absynthe Bar

I love the Absynthe Bar. Its one of my favorite sets because my grandfather was a bar owner. I love that it was for Cyrus [Robert Wisdom]. We wanted him to have a nice place. That [one] had elements of beautiful things in it, like some of the fabrics we use  velvets and worn silks. We found a quilt that reminded me of an African American quilt from Southern Colonial times. We hung that over by the bar and piano.

Sing Sing Prison

At that point, Sing Sing was this revolutionary new institution [for holding] prisoners, but its still dreadful. I found the perfect location on the outskirts of Budapest, which worked for the exteriors and the suffragette protests.

There was a lot of prep work with 3D models, concept sketches and virtual-

reality models. I spent time in close collaboration with cinematographer Cathal Watters. He asked if we could cut half the light out of the windows and add an extra window. That change he made in lowering the horizon line of the light was so impactful.

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AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- Airmen gave high marks to the Air Force's new service pistol, the SIG Sauer M18, which they've been training with at this base in northern Italy since last month.

The M18 is "more modern, easier to use and easier to understand for an inexperienced shooter" than the M9 Beretta, which has been in service for 30 years, said Capt. Taylor Buraczewski, officer in charge of supply and logistics for the 31st Security Forces Squadron.

Related: The Air Force Is Getting a Replacement for Its Cold War-Era Pistols

It also has "a much lighter and crisper trigger and  balances much better than the old M9," Buraczewski said, calling the 9 mm M18 "an amazing evolution for us as a career field."

The M18 was chosen as the Air Force's new service pistol as part of the Reconstitute Defender Initiative, a program that aims to modernize and improve weapons systems, according to previous reports from the Air Force Small Arms Program Office.

With small, medium or large handgrips, the M18 can be customized to individual shooters, and because it's made of polymer, not metal, it's lighter than the M9.

"I really like it," said Senior Airman Jaclyn R. Edwards, a monitoring facility operator assigned to the 31st SFS. "It fires  much smoother than the M9, maybe due to the fact that the M18 lacks a double safety pull."

Staff Sgt. Brandee Hahn, a combat arms instructor assigned to the 31st SFS, said the pistol "fits better in airmen's hands, it's more tactical and it just fits our needs better than the M9."

Although many airmen at Aviano were full of praise for the M18, the Pentagon had some reservations before fielding the weapon.

Testing conducted in 2017 found that the M18 could fire accidentally if dropped and sometimes ejected a live round along with a spent cartridge case during normal use, said a report released in January 2018 by the Pentagon's Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation.

SIG Sauer fixed the problems before shipping the guns to the military, media reports said.

Airmen training with the pistol identified other issues, including that the M18 lacks a visual aid on the safety lever, to let users know if it's "on safe or in the fire position," said Staff Sgt. Enrique Salas, a combat arms instructor with the 31st SFS.

Its predecessor, the M9, indicated this using a red marker on the safety, but "with the M18, you have to remember that up' is safe and down' is to fire," he said.

The M18 also "tends to pull a little to the left," he added, but overall he rated it as "way better than the M9, and it's easier to teach how to fire it."

The Army was the first service to use the M18 and its sister handgun, the M17, starting in 2017. Today, each U.S. military service uses the pistols.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 04:26:51|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A commander of an Iraqi army's brigade was killed on Friday in an attack by Islamic State (IS) militants in the north of the capital Baghdad, the Iraqi military said.

"A terrorist act targeting a military vehicle in Tarmiyah area resulted in the killing of the commander of the Army's 59th Brigade," the media office of the Joint Operations Command said in a brief statement.

Meanwhile, a separate statement by Iraqi Defense Ministry identified the killed commander as Ali Hamid Ghaidan "who was killed while carrying out his security duties in Tarmiyah area."

The response to the killing of Ghaidan will be "swift and harsh ... with an iron fist" on the militants who carried out the attack, said the ministry statement

Tarmiyah, some 30 km north of Baghdad, is characterized by the intensity of orchards and connected to the vast deserts of the provinces of Anbar and Salahudin.

The attack in Tarmiyah came as the extremist IS militants have intensified their attacks on the security forces and civilians in the formerly IS-controlled Sunni provinces, resulting in the killing and wounding of dozens.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS militants across the country late in 2017.

However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Enditem
and the US are working together on combating the and collaboration is underway for co-development of a COVID-19 vaccine and a partnership between the two countries in health, life sciences and technology sectors can bring benefits to the entire world, the Indian envoy here has said.

During a virtual interaction with the eminent members of the Indian-American community from the Mid-Western parts of the US, India's Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu said, "During the pandemic, and the United States have been collaborating closely. Our network of scientific institutions, in and the United States, are in touch with each other, on a real-time basis.

The deadly that first emerged in China's Wuhan city has drastically spread around the world, infecting 13,767,548 people and causing 589,192 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins tracker.

Our pharmaceutical companies are working closely together, for co-development of a vaccine. There are at least three, such collaborations. Gilead has entered into an agreement, with seven Indian pharmaceutical companies, to manufacture and distribute Remdesivir, which has been authorised for treating COVID-19, he said.

India has been a reliable partner, during the crisis, and stepped up to supply medicines, and equipment, to over 150 countries including the United States, he said.

Closer cooperation in health, life sciences, technology, will be the way forward, he said, adding that the partnership between India and the United States can bring benefits to the entire world.

Noting that the pandemic has created a new normal, he said an early lockdown helped India delay the spread of the virus. Restrictions have now largely been lifted in the country. Except for containment zones, where the number of active cases are still high. Economic activity is coming back to normal in other parts.

The recovery rate in the country which is over 65 per cent is high and a low death rate.

We have put in a system to face the pandemic and are well-prepared to deal with the situation, he told the members of the Indian American community.

During the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Indian Ambassador has been regularly having virtual meetings with different sections of the Indian American community. This was his sixth such interaction.

Last week, he had virtual interaction with members of the Sikh Americans. These interactions are in addition to the various virtual meetings he had with various business and professional groups and think tanks during this pandemic.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has taken historic decisions, to address the long-standing issues, he said.

As a democracy, our commitment to the welfare of our people, sabka saath sabka vikas sabka vishwas' remains central to our governance. Prime Minister Modi has given the call for, Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, he said.

We want to build a self-reliant India and one that is integrated to the global economy. We want to seize opportunities to become part of the global value chain, Sandhu said.

As the oldest and largest democracies in the world, India and US are natural allies, he said asserting the relationship has enjoyed bipartisan support over the years.

President of the United States' visit to India in February this year, elevated our relationship to a global comprehensive strategic partnership. This reflects the desire of both countries to work closely together, on a range of areas, Sandhu said.

The relations between India and the United States are underpinned by the shared values of democracy, freedom of speech, and rule of law. The India-US relationship has also enjoyed bipartisan support over the years. The Indian diaspora has played an important role, of projecting a positive image of India, as a vibrant, democratic, and pluralistic society and a valuable partner, for the United States, said the Indian Ambassador.

(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.)
If there was a need in the Conroe community in the early- to mid-1900s, Dr. John L. Hicks and his wife Cordia would try their best to meet it.

Hicks practiced denistry in Conroe for many decades and along the way served the community in a variety of ways, from being a charter member of the Rotary of Conroe Club to serving on the Conroe ISD school board and on the Conroe City Council. He was also a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Conroe and charter member of the Conroe Chamber of Commerce.

This week in 1939 he was named president of the Conroe Chamber of Commerce.

His wife Cordia as well was community minded and always sought to fill a need when one arose.

She planted all the oak trees in front of Travis Junior High, said her grandson, John Hicks.

She would pass by and saw there werent any shade trees and she thought those children needed shade trees. So she and some of her friends went out and planted a whole row of oaks.

Text of J.L. Hicks Building Marker J. L. HICKS BUILDING Dr. J. L. Hicks came to Conroe in 1902 to establish a dental practice. The February 1911 fire that destroyed downtown Conroe also took his wooden office building. By the end of 1911 he built this brick building with his dental office on the second floor. Over the years, the first floor housed many businesses serving the downtown area such as Modern Cleaners. Dr. Hicks was an active civic leader who helped mold the City of Conroe for seven decades. Crighton Theatre Foundation purchased the building in 1977 and restored it. The J.L. Hicks Building is still serving the community as part of the Crighton Theatre complex. SPONSORED BY JOHN AND CAROL HICKS PROPERTY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TEXAS - 2016 See More Collapse

They were always doing stuff like that and were very generous with everything, said Hicks, who carries the name of his grandfather John L. Hicks. If they saw a need, they tried to meet it.

In January 2017, the Montgomery County Historical Commission unveiled a County Historical Marker at the JL Hicks Building in downtown Conroe at 117 Simonton Street in downtown Conroe.

A young man with a vision

Dr. John L. Hicks was born in Tyler County on July 1, 1881.

When it came time for him to choose a career, his brothers, who were dentists, gave him some sound advice.

He wanted to go out to West Texas and be a cowboy, grandson John Hicks said.

His brothers knew that wasnt going to work and they encouraged him to become a dentist.

Hicks traveled to Atlanta by train to attend dental school. He came to Conroe in 1902 after graduating from Atlanta Dental College that April.

According to a narrative of Hicks life, he established his dental practice in Conroe and returned to Woodville to marry his sweetheart Cordia Sidney McCarty on Dec. 17, 1902.

Then the two returned to Conroe to start their life together.

They knew Houston was going to move this way and wanted to get out in front of growth, John Hicks said.

According to the narrative, at the time he was the only dentist between Huntsville, Houston, Navasota and Beaumont.

Hicks said he would travel to neighboring communities in a buckboard wagon to provide dental services and build up his business.

Hicks bought the property at 117 Simonton Street for $425 on Oct. 7, 1905. He established his practice in the two-story wooden structure that faced Simonton Street.

Rising from the ashes

The Great Conroe Fire consumed most of the wooden buildings in downtown Conroe in February 1911, including Hicks dental practice and all of his equipment.

According to the narrative, Hicks went to work right away, constructing a new brick office building. His new 3,000 square foot, two-story brick building was known as the J.L. Hicks Building.

The Golden Rule Drug Store operated out of the bottom of the structure, and Hicks dental practice was on the second story.

According to John Hicks, during the World War II era, Hicks would give dental exams and do all the dental work to get soldiers ready to go overseas.

He did it for free because he knew the war effort needed it, John Hicks said.

For his support, Hicks received a letter from the U.S. Congress.

Another important part of the buildings life was when it served as homebase for Modern Cleaners. Hicks sold the building to his son, Carl E. Hicks, in June 1937 with the stipulation that the second story would remain his dental practice.

By that time, his other son, Dr. Paul Hicks, John Hicks father, joined him in his dental practice.

In April 1958, Drs. John and Paul Hicks opened a new dental practice on San Jacinto Street.

Then the upstairs space was rented to various lawyers.

The ownership of the building changed frequently in this period until June 1977 when it was bought by the Montgomery County Foundation for the Performing Arts to serve as an adjunct space for the nearby Crighton Theatre.

It still serves in this capacity today with rehearsal space and storage.

Hicks died Dec. 22, 1977 and is buried in the Conroe Memorial Cemetery. A street in Conroe still carries his name and his brick home near Sacred Heart Catholic Church still serves as a home today.

For more information about the Montgomery County Historical Commission, visit www.montgomerycountyhistoricalcommission.com.
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NEW YORK - A personal assistant arrested Friday in the death and dismemberment of a 33-year-old tech entrepreneur was believed to have owed his boss a significant amount of money, New York City police said.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/7/2020 (550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A New York Police cruiser is parked at 265 East Houston Street Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in New York. Police say the dismembered body of a 33-year-old tech entrepreneur has been found inside his luxury Manhattan condo. Fahim Saleh was found at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday inside his apartment on the Lower East Side. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NEW YORK - A personal assistant arrested Friday in the death and dismemberment of a 33-year-old tech entrepreneur was believed to have owed his boss a significant amount of money, New York City police said.

Tyrese Haspil faces a murder charge in the death of Fahim Saleh, whose beheaded, armless body was found Tuesday by a cousin who had gone to his luxury Manhattan condo to check on him.

Haspil, 21, handled finances and personal matters for Saleh, whose ventures included a ride-hailing service in Africa.

New York City Police Department Chief of Patrol Rodney Harrison speaks during a news conference at NYPD headquarters, Friday, July 17, 2020, in New York. A person was taken into police custody Friday in the killing of Fahim Saleh, a 33-year-old tech entrepreneur found dismembered inside his luxury Manhattan condo, two law enforcement officials said. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Haspil, who grew up on Long Island and lives in Brooklyn, was taken into police custody Friday morning in the lobby of another luxury apartment building several blocks from where Saleh was killed, NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said.

Information on Haspil's arraignment and a lawyer who could speak on his behalf was not immediately available.

Officers responding to the cousin's 911 call discovered Salehs clothed torso, bags containing a head and arms and an electric saw in the living room of his luxury seventh-floor apartment on the Lower East Side, police said.

Investigators recovered security video showing Saleh exiting an elevator that leads directly into the full-floor, two-bedroom apartment, closely followed by a masked person dressed entirely in black, according to a law enforcement official who was briefed on the case.

This undated photo, provided by Gokada, shows company founder and CEO Fahim Saleh. A personal assistant arrested Friday, July 17, 2020, in the slaying of thge 33-year-old tech entrepreneur who was found dismembered inside his luxury Manhattan condo was believed to have owed his boss a significant amount of money, police said. Tyrese Haspil, 21,2 faces a murder charge in the death of Saleh. (Ademola Odusami/Gokada via AP)

The video also showed a struggle between the two that ensued at the entrance to the apartment, said the official, who wasn't authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Harrison said investigators determined that Haspil assaulted Saleh in the elevator with a stun gun a day before his body was found. Speaking to reporters about the arrest, Harrison would not say when police believe Saleh was killed, nor would he discuss other details about the case or take questions.

Investigators initially believed that the cousin who went to check on Saleh may have interrupted the attack and that the assailant fled out a back exit. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide after an autopsy found the cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the body.

Saleh was the chief executive officer of ride-hailing motorcycle startup Gokada that started operating in Nigeria in 2018.

Saleh's LinkedIn biography described him as a self-taught businessman who founded Gokada, building on his experience of first seeing an opportunity in his parents native country of Bangladesh and starting that country's largest ride-sharing company. It said he also invested in a similar venture in Colombia.

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The headlines talk about a crime we still cannot fathom, Salehs family said in a statement after his death. Fahim is more than what you are reading. He is so much more. His brilliant and innovative mind took everyone who was a part of his world on a journey and he made sure never to leave anyone behind.

Apartments in the 10-story building where Saleh's remains were found sell for more than $2 million. The building was completed in 2017 as part of a wave of gentrification in the neighbourhood.

___

Associated Press writer Tom Hays contributed to this report.

___

Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak
When she ran for Land Commissioner in 2018, Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard campaigned as someone who knew the importance of the State Land Office generating revenue for New Mexico schools. As an educator, she said she would bring a completely different perspective to the office.

Late last month, Garcia Richard certainly fulfilled the latter, refusing to renew an agreement that requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to coordinate with tribes, state agencies, other federal agencies and nongovernmental groups in the project development process. The agreement says tribes and other land managers shall provide as much information as possible early in the process about cultural sensitivity concerns, the nature and location of any historic properties and whether traditional cultural properties are present. The Obama administration agreement from 2015 requires CBP to consider alternative methods, routes and locations offered by stakeholders here and in Arizona, California and Texas to avoid/minimize impact on historic properties.

The agreement is an important protection for a state steeped in culture and cultural sites. But now that Garcia Richard has declined to renew it, New Mexico (via the State Land Office) no longer has a seat at that table.

Garcia Richard said she was siding with those who urged her not to work with CBP. She said she refuses to support federal immigration authorities discrimination against people of color via operations along the border, including building a border wall. OK fine; but her personal beliefs should not translate into stomping her foot, walking away and giving CPB carte blanche on N.M. state lands.

The land commissioners job is to oversee 14,000 square miles of state trust lands and leverage those resources responsibly to generate hundreds of millions of dollars for public schools and other beneficiaries each year. A big part of that is protecting the land and whats on or in it. Playing border and presidential politics isnt part of the job.

For the good of the state and its cultural resources, Garcia Richard should reconsider so the Land Office has a voice in ensuring CBP meets environmental regulations and commitments to cultural stewardship. Walking away to make a statement does a long-term disservice to all New Mexicans who want to protect our rich cultural resources.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
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The CDC has now confirmed that coronavirus was already spreading throughout New York City from Europe by the time Donald Trump banned travelers from the EU and UK entering the US in March.

A new report from the health agency released Friday provides more evidence that the first cases of the deadly virus in NYC came from Europe and not from Wuhan, China, where the global health crisis originated.

It also shows stay-at-home orders, travel bans and school closures all came too late to stop the outbreak ravaging the Big Apple - which soon became the virus epicenter with more than 18,000 being killed in the outbreak.

The CDC described the findings as 'unanticipated' while New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said it was 'damning' and proved key flaws in the president's handling of the crisis.

The CDC report released Friday shows stay-at-home orders, travel bans and school closures all came too late to stop the outbreak ravaging the Big Apple

The chart shows positive cases of the strain from Europe throughout March

CDC researchers analyzed the genetic code of virus samples collected from three dozen infected New Yorkers in early March and found it matches the strain of the virus from Europe.

Between March 1 and March 20, 36 people tested positive for the European strain of SARS-CoV-2 out of 544 people with influenza-like symptoms, the report read.

None of the cases matched the different strain which came from Wuhan.

'Using genetic sequencing, CDC determined that the sequences of most SARS-CoV-2positive specimens resembled those circulating in Europe, suggesting probable introductions of SARS-CoV-2 from Europe, from other U.S. locations, and local introductions from within New York,' the report read.

These findings come despite the virus samples being collected from emergency departments based in New York ZIP codes with high populations of Chinese speakers.

Five of the six EDs - across Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx - were selected in these areas because of the virus's known origins in China.

The genetic history of the coronavirus had been mapped by Cambridge University scientists from December 24 to March 4, revealing three distinct, but closely related, variants. Scientists believe the virus may be constantly mutating to overcome differing levels of immune system resistance in different populations

The map above shows how the three strains identified by Cambridge University scientists traveled around the world

The CDC said the research shows the travel ban failed to prevent widespread community transmission in New York City - which soon became the virus epicenter of the world.

'Although travel restrictions are an important mitigation strategy, by the time the European restrictions were implemented, importation and community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 had already occurred,' the report reads.

Trump issued a travel ban on China on February 2 but it was more than a month later on March 13 that he placed restrictions on people coming from Europe.

The research shows cases were already rampant in New York by this time, with an estimated 11.3 percent of New Yorkers already infected in the week starting March 8.

In the week beginning March 1, there were already 26 confirmed cases of the virus, which rose to 1,917 by the week of March 8.

The research shows the reality of the outbreak was far worse, however, with an estimated 15 undetected cases that first week.

Passengers at JFK airport in New York in March. Trump issued a travel ban on China on February 2 but it was more than a month later on March 13 that he placed restrictions on people coming from Europe

The CDC has now confirmed that coronavirus was already spreading throughout New York City from Europe by the time Donald Trump banned travelers from the EU and UK entering the US in March

By the next week, undetected cases are estimated to have reached 1,170.

Travel data shows 343,402 arrived into the US from Italy, 418,848 from Spain and about 1.9 million more came from Britain ahead of the Europe flight ban.

The CDC findings reinforce previous research that the Big Apple's outbreak started from European travelers.

Analysis of viral genomes by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in April found the strain that ravaged New York and the East Coast came from Europe, while the strain that spread across the West Coast came from China.

Cambridge University scientists found in April that there are three distinct strains of the virus that account for most of the world's cases.

The first strain to hit humans was 'type A' which started in China and took hold in Japan, Australia and parts of the US.

Type B is a mutated version which became the dominant spread in China, before moving on to Europe, South America and Canada, and type C became the dominant version in Singapore, Italy and Hong Kong.

This map shows the trajectory of various strains of the coronavirus as it criss-crosses the globe, according to an ongoing genome analysis by Nextstrain.org

Governor Andrew Cuomo (pictured) said the report was 'damning' and proved flaws in the government's handling of the crisis

NEW YORK'S OUTBREAK CAME MOSTLY FROM EUROPE - NOT CHINA The first cases of coronavirus in New York spread mostly from Europe, according to two scientific studies. Researchers believe the virus was being spread around the city by mid-February - weeks before New York's first confirmed case. The scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai N.Y.U. and Grossman School of Medicine studied DNA from thousands of samples of coronavirus patients and concluded the first travelers to bring the virus to the city came from Europe, not Asia. But they also found that the strain of the virus that arrived in Washington state came from China. Both research teams analyzed genomes from coronaviruses taken from New Yorkers starting in mid-March. One of the studies detected seven separate strains of viruses that arrived in the New York City area and researchers expect to find more. Despite examining different examples of the outbreak, researchers from both teams reached largely the same conclusions about its origins, according to specialists. Dr Harm van Bakel, a geneticist and co-author of the Icahn School's study, told the New York Times: 'The majority is clearly European.' Advertisement

The new CDC research marks another blow for Trump after he spent much of the early days branding the infection the 'China virus'.

The report also cast fresh concerns over the role children played in spreading the virus and how effective closing schools was on stopping the outbreak in its tracks.

During the weeks of March 8 and March 15, there was an increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19 among children under 18 years in NYC.

The report also estimates a vast number of COVID-19 cases among young people went undetected, with an estimated 17.7 percent of under 18-year-olds thought to have the virus in the week beginning March 15.

Cuomo told MSNBC Thursday the report was 'damning' and leveled blame at Trump's China and Europe travel bans for failing to slow the spread of the virus.

'There's going to be a second failure which is now all this explosion across the rest of the country was totally predictable,' Cuomo said on MSNBC.

'We still don't have the operation set up. We're going to see that infection come back to New York and reinfect New York unless we're very lucky.

'It's not only the first failure that allowed the virus to come. It's the second failure that four months later we're still talking about eight days to get testing results.'

New York - once the virus epicenter of the world - has been driving down cases of the deadly virus.

A total of 367 new cases were confirmed in New York City Friday and two deaths - a far cry from the city's deadliest day in April when more than 800 were killed by the virus.

Across the state, there were another 776 cases, taking the state total to 405,551, and another 10 people died.

Hospitalizations dropped to 765, marking the lowest daily total since March 18.

Several other states that rushed to reopen their economies have seen cases skyrocket to shocking new heights, leading Cuomo to mandate a 14-day quarantine on travelers from many states.

People arriving from 22 states with the highest infection rates are now required to quarantine on arriving into New York and provide details on where they will isolate or face fines of up to $2,000.

Cuomo said compliance with this rule went up to 92 percent after the state announced fines.

On Friday, Cuomo will announce whether or not New York City can enter phase four of reopening.

The governor said Thursday the city is currently on track to move to the final phase Monday, but his administration will review the latest infection data and decide by 4 p.m. Friday.

All other regions of the state have already entered phase four.

However, he warned that even if the region does enter the phase, no 'additional indoor activity' will reopen.
Federal agents deployed tear gas and fired less-lethal rounds into a crowd of protesters in Portland, Ore., late Thursday. Other agents have reportedly cruised streets in unmarked vans and detained people they suspected of engaging in protests  a blatant violation of constitutional rights. (Beth Nakamura / Oregonian)

Taking a page from the playbooks of autocrats around the globe, President Trump has deployed federal agents to patrol the streets of Portland, Ore., where, dressed in camouflage uniforms that identified them only as "police," they have reportedly used tear gas to dispel protesters  and more darkly, cruised the city in unmarked vans in search of suspected protesters before spiriting them off.

Protester Donavan La Bella, exercising his fundamental right to free speech last weekend by standing across the street from a federal courthouse and holding up a loudspeaker, was hit in the head with a less than lethal projectile, fracturing his skull and sending him into surgery. (Warning: the audio in the tweet below is laced with profanities.)

This appears to be the moment that #Portland protester was struck in the head and suffered a gruesome injury. pic.twitter.com/Na1h5BUaAO  Simulation Warlord (@zerosum24) July 12, 2020

Another man, Mark Pettibone, told reporters that he and a friend were walking home from a protest at 2 a.m. Wednesday when, a couple of blocks from the site, an unmarked van pulled up. Four men jumped out and, without identifying themselves, grabbed me and threw me into the van as his friend escaped. He spent two hours detained in the federal courthouse before being released without charges.

It was basically a process of facing many walls and corners as they patted me down and took my picture and rummaged through my belongings, Pettibone said. One of them said, This is a whole lot of nothing. I just happened to be wearing black on a sidewalk in downtown Portland at the time. And that apparently is grounds for detaining me.

No, its not.

Arrests require probable cause that a federal crime had been committed, that is, specific information indicating that the person likely committed a federal offense, or a fair probability that the person committed a federal offense, Berkeley Law School professor Orin Kerr told the Washington Post. If the agents are grabbing people because they may have been involved in protests, thats not probable cause.

Story continues

The federal deployment is part of Trumps effort to take forceful action against protesters who have engaged in at-time raucous demonstrations around the country, never mind that public safety is the responsibility of state and local officials.

Remember, this is the same president whose underlings violently ejected protesters from a park outside the White House so Trump could have his photo taken as he held a Bible in front of a vandalized church.

President Trump holds up a Bible outside St. John's Church near the White House after protesters were cleared to make way for him. (Associated Press)

What is happening now in Portland should concern everyone in the United States, said Jann Carson, interim executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, which successfully sued local police over the use of tear gas to disrupt protests. Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping. The actions of the militarized federal officers are flat-out unconstitutional and will not go unanswered.

Carson argued that under the direction of the Trump administration, militarized federal agents have flouted court orders protecting the rights of protesters, used sharpshooters to deliberately maim people, and deployed indiscriminate weapons of war  including sonic weapons and dangerous tear gas formulations.

Portland has been marked by demonstrations for weeks, sometimes involving tense standoffs between protesters and police. And authorities there have struggled to keep the peace  the ACLU won an injunction after police allegedly targeted journalists and legal observers. But Oregon Gov. Kate Brown joined other state and local officials in denouncing the federal actions, arguing that the federal agents had made the situation worse and have acted as provocateurs.

Trump is looking for a confrontation in Oregon in the hopes of winning political points in Ohio or Iowa, she said.

The Times editorial board warned this month that the nation is facing a potentially dangerous period in the Trump administration, as the flailing president sees his political support flagging. The only way he knows how to campaign is through disruption, destruction of norms, and exploiting racial, regional and class divides.

Add to that strong-arm tactics and deploying federal agents to patrol city streets  not their job and against the wishes of local officials  and apparently willy-nilly violating the constitutional rights of people they encounter.

Perversely, Trumps actions play into the dystopian fantasies of 2nd Amendment hard-liners and "boogaloos" who say they need their weapons to defend against a tyrannical government.

Im not sure how many political points such egregious behavior scores for Trump in Ohio or Iowa, because even conservatives  in fact, especially conservatives  should blanch over this blatant misuse of government power.
Paolo Giordano, trans. from the Italian by Anne Milano Appel. Viking/Dorman, $28 (410p) ISBN 978-1-98-487731-4

Giordanos extraordinary novel of fateful friendships and obsessive love (after The Solitude of Prime Numbers) revolves around an Italian womans memories of her summers in Puglia in the late 1990s. Teresa Gasparro is 14 and on one of her annual summer visits from Turin to her grandmothers house in the small village of Speziale when she gets her first glimpse of the three boys who will change her life. Brothers Bern and Tommaso Coriano, and cousin Nicola Belpanno, live next door in a farmhouse and sneak in at night to swim naked in the villas pool. As Teresa gets to know the boys, she is invited to the farmhouse, which turns out to be home to a Christian sect that believes in reincarnation of all living things. Teresa is drawn instantly to Bern and constantly thinks about him and his world while back at school throughout the years, and during the summer she turns 17, they consummate their relationship. Before she leaves, she asks Bern to kiss her in front of the other boys, and the awkwardness reveals intense jealousy. Giordano then shifts to 2012, when Teresa reconnects with Tomasso, reflects on the disappearance of the other two from their lives, and learns the dark details of the boys past. Lush regional details, indelible characters, and a riveting story line make this an overwhelmingly emotional read. Giordanos captivating tale is a magnificent testament to the lingering impact of a charged romance. Agent: Andrew Wylie, the Wylie Agency. (July)
BY Oscar Kasya *

Thirty-three years after it broke ranks with the African Union (AU), then known as the OAU, Morocco was in 2017 readmitted amidst stiff resistance during an AU Summit held in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia. Morocco left the AU in 1984 in protest of the organizations recognition of the legitimate struggle for independence of Western Sahara, also known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), against Moroccan occupation. The organization admitted Western Sahara as its 51st Sovereign Member State led by the Polisario Front, prompting the angry reaction from Morocco.

For starters, Spain which had colonized Western Sahara for about a century, signed a secret colonial agreement with Morocco and Mauritania in 1975 to partition Western Sahara between the two countries without consulting the Saharawis. The Saharawi Polisario Front which had fought and exhausted the Spanish colonial army between 1973 and 1975, opposed the new colonial deal. This pitted the Moroccan and Mauritanian invading Forces against the Polisario freedom fighters.

Despite being overwhelmed by numbers, the Polisario Front defeated the Mauritanian army in 1978 forcing her to withdraw from the unjust war. The defeat resulted in an overthrow of the government back in Mauritania. Consequently, the new government recognized the sovereignty of Western Sahara.

Meanwhile, Morocco advanced with the assistance of mostly France. This resulted in the Polisario losing about 70% of its territory while many civilians were forced out of their country by deliberate devastating Moroccan plane bombings. They walked hundreds of kilometers into Western Algeria where they have lived as refugees for over four decades amidst deplorable living conditions.

The founding principles and values of the AU are premised on Africas liberation. In particular, objective number two of the AU states; to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its member states. The AU is supposed to espouse Pan-Africanism ideology under which we fought colonialism and apartheid in Africa. Indeed, the recognition and subsequent admission of Western Sahara as AUs member state despite having its government seated in exile in Western Algeria, was in the spirit of solidarity against Moroccan imperialism.

Rather than take a hard stance to prevail over Morocco to respect territorial rights of a fellow African state, Morocco was received with pomp at an AU Summit in 2017 for readmission, posturing with a sense of entitlement and self-importance to no objection among some African leaders mostly those who had been enticed with Moroccan trade deals!

This prompted angry protest from the late President Robert Mugabe who chastised the AU for what he termed as lack of ideology. He cited that the organization had been easily influenced by financial incentives from Morocco. In interpretation, Mugabe was as if saying that the AU members who voted in favour of Morocco had been bribed with money! Being a member of the organization he was describing, it is very difficult to disagree with him from the outside.

Meanwhile, the Western Saharas inhabitants are suffering severe violations of their Human rights committed by Moroccan occupation authorities. Many of these violations have been considered as crimes against humanity by many credible well-known international organizations including Amnesty International, US State Department of Human Rights, the Front Line and Human Rights Watch.

As a Pan-Africanist who still has hope in the AU, I wish to see the organization become more proactive on the struggle to decolonize Africas last colony of Western Sahara in accordance with its founding principles and values. Slapping sanctions on Morocco as advised by a fact-finding mission of the Pan African Parliament issued in 2013 in Midrand, South Africa is long overdue.

* The writer is the National Chairman of Pan African Club Think Tank in Uganda", (SPS)

090/500/60 (SPS)

SOURCE: New vision (The biggest Ugandan Newspaper)
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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 19:34 550 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066730941 1 Business SKKMigas,Oil-and-gas-production,incentives,Indonesian-Petroleum-Association Free

The Upstream Oil and Gas Special Regulatory Task Force (SKK Migas) said on Wednesday that it would allow upstream companies to postpone paying annual Abandonment and Site Restoration (ASR) fees in a bid to keep Indonesias production levels on track as the COVID-19 crisis continues.

The fees, which are used to address environmental issues associated with inactive oil and gas wells, will be collected next year instead. Companies are required to apply to SKK Migas for the relief.

This is our way to ensure that targets for this year and the following years are met, said SKK Migas head Dwi Soetjipto in a statement.

Postponing ASR payments is one of several relaxations SKK Migas has promised to oil and gas companies to keep their output in line with annual targets, despite this years crude oil price crash and the collapse in fuel demand.

The price of Brent, an international oil trading benchmark, hit a low of US$19.33 per barrel on April 21. On Friday, it was $43 per barrel. Experts say that despite signs of recovery, crude oil prices will likely remain low  below $50 a barrel  until next year, when the health crisis is expected to abate.

The task force has already revised down its 2020 oil production target by 4 percent to 725,000 barrels per day. It also revised down its gas production target by 14.2 percent to 5,727 million metric standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd), as a result of economic pressures.

The contribution of annual ASR fees to expenses is, as far I know, a fixed amount, and its quite significant under such price conditions, oil and gas observer Tumbur Parlindungan told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

He said with the ASR relaxation, companies would have more liquidity to service and maintain their existing oil and gas wells.

Without that incentive, in the short term  two or three years ahead  the production decline might be sharper than in previous years, he wrote in a text message.

Oil and gas producers in Indonesia have welcomed SKK Migas ASR relaxation as it gives them more room to adjust their cash flow, said Indonesian Petroleum Association (IPA) executive director Marjolijn Wajong.

IPA members comprise many of Indonesias top oil and gas producers, such as California-based Chevron, Texas-based ExxonMobil and London-based BP.

But at the end of the day, the incentive will help some companies while, for others, it may [not], she told the Post on Thursday, explaining that IPA members financial circumstances differed.

Many multinational oil companies have winded down investment in Southeast Asia because of economic pressures, said Angus Rodger, upstream research director at energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie Asia Pacific, in a press note on July 15.

If governments genuinely want more spending on big development throughout the region, they are going to have to fight for it, he said.
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Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Angel Rodriguez and Mario Rico were one of the few couples at a Protest for Freedom on Civic Plaza with masks.

Although, on closer inspection, their masks were just painted on.

We feel our mask is as good as your mask, Rodriguez said.

Hundreds of people crowded together in Downtown Albuquerque on Thursday evening to listen to speeches and to curse public health orders that have closed or restricted businesses and schools in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. The gathering itself was an apparent violation of those health orders, namely the ones that prohibit large gatherings and require people wear masks in public places.

Rodriguez, an artist and owner of The Heads Creation, said her career has suffered during the pandemic. She does body paintings for events, which there are none. And struggling galleries have stopped buying her other pieces, she said.

Its about choices. Its about freedom, she said when asked why she was at the protest.

The demonstration appears to have been organized through a Facebook group calling itself We the people of New Mexico. Several organizers left shortly after the protest and others declined to comment.

The events Facebook page promised that parents, business owners and medical professionals would be among the speakers. No medical professionals spoke. But Louie Sanchez, owner of Calibers gun shop, donned a pair of scrubs and said he plays a doctor on the radio while delivering a speech that targeted Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for her public health orders.

We have the right to bear arms. Our children have the right to go to school, he said.

Other speakers included Steve Smothermon, pastor of Legacy Church, state Sen. Greg Baca and Couy Griffin, an Otero County commissioner and founder of Cowboys for Trump.

In the crowd, many people waved American flags, and held up pro-Trump signs and other messages decrying liberals.

Uniformed APD officers mingled around the perimeter of the demonstration in masks. It didnt appear that they attempted to enforce public health orders. Gilbert Gallegos, a police spokesman, didnt respond to a request for comment.

The governors office also didnt respond to a request for comment.
Russian drugmaker R-Pharm has signed a deal with AstraZeneca for it to manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the British pharmaceuticals giant and Oxford University, it said on Friday.

Following allegations from Britain, Canada and the United States that hackers backed by Russia were trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research, the head of Russia's wealth fund said the deal showed that Moscow has no need to steal anything.

"We have formalised this plan in the form of signed agreements in the area of production and supply of the vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, using R-Pharm to fulfil the project," said R-Pharm's board chairman, Alexey Repik.
The federal government is preparing a radical shake-up of the immigration system as coronavirus leaves one million Australians out of work.

Immigration Minister Alan Tudge has said the list of industries that are allowed to hire skilled foreign workers will be 'significantly reduced.'

Daily Mail Australia understands the new, shorter list is likely to be drawn up late this month or in August.

The National Skills Commission, a new body set up to advise the government during the coronavirus crisis, is helping draw up the list based on which industries have skills shortages.

Several trades are included on the medium-term skills list that allow foreign workers. Pictured: construction workers in Sydney

Immigration lists were updated as recently as 2018 but the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically altered the economy, with sectors such as healthcare suffering exacerbated skills shortages. Pictured: Nurses in Sydney

There are currently 242 occupations on the short-term skilled migration list which lets a foreigner stay for two years, including farmers, dog trainers and bishops.

The medium term list - which allows visa holders to apply for permanent residency after three years - has 267 jobs, including nurses, accountants, locksmiths, bricklayers and zookeepers.

The lists were updated as recently as 2018 but the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically altered the economy, with sectors such as healthcare suffering exacerbated skills shortages.

With 992,300 Australians - or 7.4per cent of the workforce - unemployed, the government wants to temporarily reduce skilled immigration and encourage Australians to learn new skills that will score them a job.

Visa holders whose job is removed from the list will be allowed to stay in Australia until their visa runs out as long as they keep the same employer.

After the pandemic is over, the occupation list will be altered again to fit the needs of the economy and boost growth.

Skilled immigrants are net contributors to the economy because they pay taxes but are not allowed welfare and other benefits such as medicare.

The medium-term skills list includes zookeepers. Pictured: Marine mammals unit supervisor Danielle Fox at Taronga Zoo in Sydney

The short-term skills list includes archbishops. After the pandemic is over, the occupation list will be altered again to fit the needs of the economy and boost growth

As of March this year, there were 139,331 skilled visa holders in Australia, which is about one per cent of the working population.

That figure is expected to have declined significantly as Australia's tough border controls prevent foreigners entering the country.

Total immigration is predicted to drop to just 36,000 in 2020-21, down from 240,000 in 2018-19, due to the impact of coronavirus.

That would be Australia's lowest population increase in more than 40 years, posing a major threat to economic growth which is strongly linked to population growth.

Immigration will become even more important for Australia's economic success in the coming decades as the country's birthrate is forecast to decline.

A study by the University of Washington in Seattle published in The Lancet predicted Australia's birth rate will decrease from 1.86 to 1.69 births per year per 1,000 people by 2100.

'Nations that sustain their working-age populations over the long-term through migration, such as Canada, Australia, and the USA, would fare well,' the study read.

'The optimal strategy for economic growth, fiscal stability, and geopolitical security is liberal immigration with effective assimilation into these societies.'
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Leh on July 17, on a day-long visit to carry out a comprehensive review of the security scenario in the region in wake of the border row with China.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army chief General MM Naravane are accompanying Singh on the visit.

Singh will visit Stakna and Lukung forward areas.

Also read | Indian Army shopping for lightweight battle tanks: Report

His trip comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Ladakh on July 3 during which he also addressed troops and signalled the country's firmness in dealing with the India-China border row.

Singh was originally scheduled to visit Ladakh on July 3 but the trip was deferred.

Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for over eight weeks since May 5.

Also read | High-power China Study Group reviews disengagement efforts: Report

The tension escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.

However, following a series of diplomatic and military talks, the two sides began a mutual disengagement process on July 6 and withdrew troops from most of the friction points.
New Delhi, July 17 : The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has asked 64 officials, including the Horticulture Director, doctors and teachers, to vacate their official quarters within 30 days after finding irregularities in the allotments.

The action came on a complaint forwarded by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

According to the NDMC sources privy to the development, this is the first time the council has cancelled allotments made to a number of senior officials.

Apart from the Horticulture Director, they include executive engineers, teachers, two contractual doctors, including a member of district surveillance committee on Covid-19, among others.

The NDMC had received two complaints from the ministry in 2016 and 2017 regarding irregularities in allotment of municipal accommodation on out-of-turn basis and a report was sought from the civic body.

Following this, two committees were constituted - one to enquire into the allotment through out-of-turn basis, and the other on complaint regarding sub-letting of municipal accommodation by officials.

NDMC accepted the recommendations of both the committees and initiated disciplinary action against the officials responsible. As many as 53 employees were again asked to apply on seniority basis to avail the quarters.

"Employees were unable to retain their quarters on a seniority basis or did not apply, hence, competent authority approved cancellation of municipal quarters by order dated July 7, 2020," the section officer of NDMC's Municipal Housing Department said, in an order dated July 16.

In the same way, the NDMC cancelled the accommodation allotted in the names of two doctors. "With the approval of the Chairman dated July 7, 2020, it has been decided that contractual doctors are not eligible for the accommodation and their allotment were already found illegal by the committee," the order added.

Similarly, all nine officials of the Navyug School Educational Society (NSES) have been asked to vacate the accommodation within 30 days after the NDMC's committee found the irregularities in the allotment.

"You are therefore, directed to vacate the above said flat within thirty days of issuing this office order, failing which action will be initiated against you and the market rent or damage charges will be charged from the date of cancellation as well as action for eviction and recovery will be initiated," it added.

"The allotment was cancelled after various officials availed the quarters on out-of-turn basis through recommendation or strong backup. Two doctors were not eligible for the accommodation as they were contractual. Even NSES employees were not eligible as per the policy," an official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told IANS.

However, NDMC Karamchari Sangh President, Sudhakar Kumar, shot a letter to the NDMC Secretary seeking revocation of order passed by the council, on humanitarian grounds.

He averred that due process was not followed by the officials of the Municipal Housing as all the cases were supposed to be put up before the out-of-turn committee.

"In the past, a judgment was also passed by the High Court in the same matter... that disciplinary proceedings should be taken against the officials who are involved in this matter and relief should be given to the beneficiaries (allottee) as they have no fault," he said.

(Aakanksha Khajuria can be contacted at aakanksha.k@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Ndjike Paulin (left) receives delivery items for international students at Hubei University of Technology in Wuhan, Hubei province. China Daily

Over the past five months, Ndjike Paulin has been on the front lines of epidemic control and prevention on his campus.

As a counselor for international students, he endured the difficult times together with more than 300 international students at a university in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, the hardest-hit region in China.

Hailing from Cameroon, the 30-year-old African man graduated from the Hubei University of Technology in June last year, after which he accepted his counselor position.

When the outbreak emerged in Wuhan, Ndjike's father in Cameroon was concerned and called from time to time to ask him to return home.

But Ndjike chose to stay. He said he wanted to express gratitude to the university and teachers who had helped him.

"When I was a student at the university, my teachers were always ready to help me when I needed them," he said. "Now the university needs me, and I can't leave it alone and go back home."

He comforted his father, saying he was good and everything would turn out fine.

"I was right. Now the epidemic has been under control in Wuhan," he added.

During the outbreak, Ndjike started his workday at 8 am, disinfecting public areas of international students' apartment buildings. The university provided work suits, masks, protective goggles, boots and rubbing alcohol to ensure his health and safety.

Then from 3 pm to 7 pm, Ndjike would go to the entrance of the university to pick up mail and deliver food for students.

In the evening, he patrolled the dormitories to ensure students' safety. He typically ended his day around 10 pm.

Sometimes, Ndjike would receive dozens of calls from students a day, expressing their anxiety and complaining about the inconvenience brought by the outbreak.

Ndjike would urge them to stay calm and encourage them to keep studying during the epidemic, acting as a companion for them and providing stress relief.

The tight, daily schedule didn't make him feel tired.

"My father has always trained me to be a diligent person," he said.

"I like my busy life during the epidemic, which means that I've lived the days to the fullest and achieved a lot."

Ndjike was not alone. Ten international students helped him purchase and distribute daily essentials for students and take temperatures.

Ndjike said he was proud of two of his students from Bangladesh.

"They didn't leave the university when their country evacuated citizens of Bangladesh from the city. Rather, they stayed to work as volunteers to serve other international students," Ndjike said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Coordination Council of Azerbaijanis of France made a statement in protest against provocations made by Armenian armed forces on the state border with Azerbaijan in the direction of Tovuz district, Trend reports.

According to the statement, starting from noon on July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, opened artillery fire at Azerbaijani positions.

Azerbaijan's armed response forced the Armenian army to retreat suffering losses. The strong will of our Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the professionalism of our officers, the high spirit of the soldiers and the level of material and technical support of our military units once again pre-determined the superiority of Azerbaijani army and state over Armenian armed forces, the statement said.

May Allah rest the souls of our dead servicemen. We wish the wounded soldiers and officers a speedy recovery! said the statement.

As one of the largest organizations of the Azerbaijanis Diaspora, the Coordination Council of Azerbaijanis of France stated the following:

1. Instead of eliminating the consequences of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, withdrawing the occupying forces from the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, the Armenian government, continuing its aggressive policy, makes provocations in order to seize new positions and raise tension. We urge the international community to objectively assess such provocations, which impede the settlement of the conflict and create new threats, make decisions that force Armenia to abandon its aggressive policy.

2. We express support and solidarity with our army, which defends our lands and is always ready to fight for the restoration of our territorial integrity.

3. We stress again that the policy of military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, which has been going on for many years, is the greatest threat to peace, stability and development in the region. We urge members of the diaspora to be active in social networks and share publications under #KarabakhestAzerbaidjan #Arretezagressionarmenienne hashtags to bring the fact of the occupation to the attention of international organizations, heads of states, international public figures, brain trusts of foreign countries, advanced universities.

As the Coordinating Council of Azerbaijanis in France, we urge members of the Azerbaijani Diaspora around the world to support this activity," the statement concluded.

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.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. The Austrian APA news agency has published an article about the recent developments on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Armenpress presents the article:

The situation has escalated on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border since July 12 due to the aggression and ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan. On July 12, at 12:30 the Azerbaijani armed forces launched provocative actions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, attempting to violate the state border of Armenia in direction of Tavush province in a military vehicle. After the warning of the Armenian side, the Azerbaijani troops left the vehicle and returned to their positions. An hour later the Azerbaijani side started an attack on an Armenian positions with mortars, but was again pushed back. Its worth noting that that position is located in Armenias territory, and the actions taken by Azerbaijan are obviously an aggression towards Armenias territory.

The target of the Azerbaijani armed forces has been the military position of the Armenian Armed Forces located in the sovereign territory of Armenia. As a sovereign state Armenia has a full right to protect both its territory and the military positions located in its territory.

On July 13 and 14 the Azerbaijani side continued and expanded its provocative actions on the norther-eastern section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, shelling several villages in Tavush province, with the use of 83mm and 120mm mortars, artillery and a tank.

Despite the agreements reached with the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, the Azerbaijani side continues violating the ceasefire, targeting the Armenian town of Berd and civilian infrastructures, as a result of which some civilian infrastructures, including a factory producing 300,000 face masks for COVID-19 daily, a kindergarten and a vehicle of the emergency situations, have been damaged.

In recent years Azerbaijan has consistently run a policy aimed at keeping the situation tense in different parts of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, gradually expanding also the geographical borders of that tension and always trying to strengthen its combat positions, trying to keep Armenias bordering villages and towns under a direct fire.

Like in the past, Azerbaijan is deploying its artillery units, with which it bombards the Armenian settlements, directly in the Azerbaijani settlements, thus using its own civilian population as a shield in case of a possible counter response.

Commenting on reasons, the Armenian Prime Minister said that the Azerbaijani leadership, instead of calling on its own people to keep the healthcare rules, was making calls for military war, it seems the anti-Armenianism is the best way of fighting the coronavirus in Azerbaijan.

All this is connected with the difficulties Azerbaijans dictatorial regime is currently facing: absence of divergence and free media, political prisoners, fruitless fight against COVID-19, drop in oil prices. Its obvious that the healthcare and economic consequences of the pandemic, the recent ongoing reshuffles in Azerbaijans domestic political life which are accompanied with arrests in different public administration structures, including in the foreign ministry, have caused domestic political challenges.

Azerbaijan, one again trying to deviate the public attention from the domestic problems, is speculating the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and is trying to conduct an internal unity around the image of external enemy.

Azerbaijans defense ministry and political leadership present these provocative actions as key achievements and a military victory against Armenia, emphasizing with a vivid military rhetoric that they can use force towards Armenias military and civilian infrastructures in case of necessity.

An obvious ignoring attitude towards human lives is seen in the actions of the Azerbaijani military-political leadership. The evidence of this is also the fact that Azerbaijan has not joined the UN Secretary-Generals recent call for global ceasefire during the pandemic.

Contrary to the calls of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to refrain from provocative actions, hostile rhetoric and strengthen the ceasefire regime, as well as the call of the UN Secretary-General for global ceasefire, Azerbaijan not only continues acting with threats of use of force and military escalation, but also, unfortunately, implements them today.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has strongly condemned the provocative actions of the Azerbaijani armed forces, stating that Azerbaijans military-political leadership will bear the whole responsibility for the unpredictable consequences of the regional destabilization.

We want to highlight that Armenia, decisively defending its borders and population, is acting from the positions of mitigating the tension. At the same time any attempt directed against Armenia will receive a proportionate response. Armenia has consistently urged to solve all issues through peaceful means and negotiations, this is the only guarantee for the establishment of lasting and stable peace in the region.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
powerpoint cuomo

Office of Governor Andrew Cuomo

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state will launch an investigation into the Twitter hack that compromised dozens of prominent accounts Wednesday.

Hackers took over accounts belonging to Kim Kardashian, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and others and used them to post messages urging people to hand over thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency as part of an apparent scam.

Twitter has said that the hacks were carried out after attackers compromised a Twitter employee's account using social engineering, but many details remain unclear.

Cuomo said the security of Twitter's systems is "critical as we approach the upcoming presidential election."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

New York State will launch a "full investigation" into the massive Twitter hack that compromised dozens of high profile accounts this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday morning.

Dozens of high-profile verified accounts, including those of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Gates, Kim Kardashian West, and Elon Musk, were taken over by hackers Wednesday. The accounts posted tweets claiming they would double people's contributions of $1,000 in bitcoin as part of an apparent cryptocurrency scam. A slew of Twitter accounts belonging to cryptocurrency exchanges were also compromised.

Cuomo said in a press release the investigation will be led by the New York Department of Financial Services.

"The Twitter hack and widespread takeover of verified Twitter accounts is deeply troubling and raises concerns about the cybersecurity of our communications systems, which are critical as we approach the upcoming presidential election," Cuomo said in the announcement.

New York DFS superintendent Linda Lacewell said in a statement that the attack targeted cryptocurrency servers that are licensed by the department, among others.

"The department will leverage its deep expertise to bring the facts to light," Lacewell said.

Story continues

A Twitter spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the New York investigation.

Twitter said on Wednesday that it was looking into the causes of the hack, but that it detected "what we believe to be a coordinated attack by people who successfully targeted some of our employees with access to internal systems and tools."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Mumbai, July 17 : Taapsee Pannu is all praise for veteran actress Amrita Singh, her co-star in Sujoy Ghosh's 2019 thriller "Badla". Taapsee describes Singh as "one of the rare actors who has a very nonchalant depth in her performance".

On Friday, Taapsee took to Instagram to recall her experience of shooting for the revenge drama, which released on Women's Day last year. She shared a photograph from the set of the film, where she is dressed up as her character Naina Sethi.

"Being Naina Sethi. This picture I clicked while we were shooting for the interval sequence of 'Badla'. First day of shooting with the fierce Amrita Singh. I don't know if it's the Sardarni in me or the no holds barred way of life that connected us n it's so cool to see her so excited n nervous to approach her scenes like a debutant wanting to do her best n listening to the director with the intention to do her best. One of the rare actors who has a very nonchalant depth in her performance. I would've loved to click a picture with her that day but she was too busy rehearsing her 'bhaari' lines while I didn't have much to say in the scene and I didn't want to disturb her. #Throwback #Archive #QuarantinePost," Taapsee wrote on her verified Instagram account.

"Badla", toplined by Amitabh Bachchan, is a remake of Oriol Paulo's 2016 Spanish hit, "The Invisible Guest".

-- Syndicated from IANS
17.07.2020 LISTEN

To some of us, the biggest alleged bribery and corruption scandal ever happened in the history of Ghanaian politics, remains the cloudy Brazilian Aircraft deal negotiated by the then vice president under Mills administration, John Dramani Mahama.

Truly, no one can deny or ignore the fact that the squeamishly cyclical corrupt practices amongst the political elites have unfortunately been resulting in economic downslide amid excessive public spending, less efficient tax system , needless high public deficit and destabilisation of national budgets, heightened capital flight and the creation of perverse incentives that stimulate income-seeking rather than productive activities.

If you may remember, a few years ago, Mr Amidu boldly came out and told the good people of Ghana that President Mills of blessed memory set up a Committee to investigate an alleged dubious Brazilian aircraft purchases negotiated by the then vice president, John Dramani Mahama (Source: martinamidu.com).

So, to the well-meaning Ghanaians, Ex-President Mahama may choose to continue to claim birth right to incorruptibility, we will only take him seriously if he comes clean on the Brazilian Aircraft deal as revealed by former Attorney General under the late Mills and the current Special Prosecutor, Mr Martin Amidu.

In fact, back then, some of us were extremely surprised when the erstwhile Attorney General under the late Mills and the current Special Prosecutor, Mr Martin Amidu disclosed somewhat sensationally that the late Mills somehow lost trust in his vice president, Mahama, over the dubious Brazilian Aircrafts deal and therefore ordered an investigation into the deal.

However, according to Mr Amidu, the late Mills could not stand on his ground and woefully stooped and allowed the Committee to somehow turn a blind eye to his directives.

Indeed, there is serious question here that the well-meaning Ghanaians must ruminate over and probe carefully: did Ex-President Mahama really indulge in dubious transaction?

Mind you, the allegation is extremely serious and the only way former President Mahama can obliterate the doubts from the minds of discerning Ghanaians is to lock horns with Mr Martin Amidu or face him in a competent court of jurisdiction.

In fact, a carefully considered reflection on Mr Amidu's chilling exposition would conclude that the late Mills lost trust in his then vice president Mahama.

We should, however, not lose sight of the fact that Mr Martin Amidu was the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice under President Mills administration, who duly prepared the terms of reference of the Committee constituted by the late Mills to probe into the alleged bribery and corruption scandal.

So, who says that Mr Martin Amidu is lying through his teeth and therefore did not have in his possession the necessary documentation?

Whatever the case, we shall keep our fingers cross and look forward to observing the court proceedings.

In fact, I will venture to stress that if, indeed, the late Mills set up a committee to investigate his vice Mahama, and then he had an irrevocable gleam of suspicion on his mind.

In other words, we can conclude that the late Mills felt Mahama was trying to rip off the nation, hence setting up a committee to unravel the furtive deal.

So upon a carefully considered deliberation, reflective thinkers may draw an adverse inference that the late Mills was not prepared to allow any member of his administration to dupe the country through corrupt practices.

If that was not the case, why would he set up a committee to investigate his vice president, Mahama, the sole negotiator of the alleged dubious deal?

Shockingly though, we have heard the NDC faithful time and time again contesting vehemently that the late Mills did not constitute any such Committee to look into the cloudy deal negotiated by Mahama.

But contrary to the NDC loyalists persistent denials, Mr Amidu, the then Attorney General, has been maintaining consistently that the Committee members included Mr William Aboah, Mr George Amoah, and Brig. Gen. Allotey (Rtd) former Judge Advocate-General.

Mr Amidu would thus stress: the terms of reference of the Committee as I was instructed and drafted them for the late President were: (i) to investigate the processes adopted in selecting, negotiating, and agreeing on the acquisition of the aircrafts; (ii) to investigate the competitive advantage, prices of the aircrafts and the level of economic and financial due diligence conducted by relevant agencies in the process of acquisition of the aircrafts; and (iii) to investigate any other matter that in the opinion of the Committee is reasonably related to the foregoing terms of reference. Pressure groups never allowed the Committee to take off.

But the very fact that the late President Mills even contemplated this Committee meant that he was uncomfortable with and suspicious of the alleged inflated prices of the aircrafts.

Undoubtedly, the Late President Mills put his trust in his vice president, John Dramani Mahama, but if we are to believe Mr. Amidu's account of the corruption saga, we can draw an adverse inference that former President Mahama betrayed the trust the late Mills reposed in him. It therefore explains why the late President Mills set up a committee to investigate him.

In fact, there are serious issues here that need to be considered by well-meaning Ghanaians.

If, indeed, the late President Mills did not trust Mahama prior to his death, why should discerning Ghanaians go ahead and hand over our sovereignty to a supposedly 'untrustworthy' once again?

It is, however, important to note that the President of a nation is a serious job, and as such it requires a serious and committed person.

Therefore, if corruption cases are hanging on the neck of an individual who is going to look after the national coffers and has so far unwilling to seriously disprove such allegations, then discerning Ghanaians have to be really careful about handing him another term in office.

In sum, until former President Mahama meets Mr Martin Amidu in the law court over the alleged dubious Brazilian Aircraft deal, the reflective observers will continue to stand with the indefatigable Mr Martin Amidu.

K. Badu, UK.

[email protected]
Picking up a can of soft drink may be a simple task for humans, but this is a complex task for robots -- it has to locate the object, deduce its shape, determine the right amount of strength to use, and grasp the object without letting it slip. Most of today's robots operate solely based on visual processing, which limits their capabilities. In order to perform more complex tasks, robots have to be equipped with an exceptional sense of touch and the ability to process sensory information quickly and intelligently.

A team of computer scientists and materials engineers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has recently demonstrated an exciting approach to make robots smarter. They developed a sensory integrated artificial brain system that mimics biological neural networks, which can run on a power-efficient neuromorphic processor, such as Intel's Loihi chip. This novel system integrates artificial skin and vision sensors, equipping robots with the ability to draw accurate conclusions about the objects they are grasping based on the data captured by the vision and touch sensors in real-time.

"The field of robotic manipulation has made great progress in recent years. However, fusing both vision and tactile information to provide a highly precise response in milliseconds remains a technology challenge. Our recent work combines our ultra-fast electronic skins and nervous systems with the latest innovations in vision sensing and AI for robots so that they can become smarter and more intuitive in physical interactions," said Assistant Professor Benjamin Tee from the NUS Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He co-leads this project with Assistant Professor Harold Soh from the Department of Computer Science at the NUS School of Computing.

The findings of this cross-disciplinary work were presented at the conference Robotics: Science and Systems conference in July 2020.

Human-like sense of touch for robots

Enabling a human-like sense of touch in robotics could significantly improve current functionality, and even lead to new uses. For example, on the factory floor, robotic arms fitted with electronic skins could easily adapt to different items, using tactile sensing to identify and grip unfamiliar objects with the right amount of pressure to prevent slipping.

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In the new robotic system, the NUS team applied an advanced artificial skin known as Asynchronous Coded Electronic Skin (ACES) developed by Asst Prof Tee and his team in 2019. This novel sensor detects touches more than 1,000 times faster than the human sensory nervous system. It can also identify the shape, texture and hardness of objects 10 times faster than the blink of an eye.

"Making an ultra-fast artificial skin sensor solves about half the puzzle of making robots smarter. They also need an artificial brain that can ultimately achieve perception and learning as another critical piece in the puzzle," added Asst Prof Tee, who is also from the NUS Institute for Health Innovation & Technology.

A human-like brain for robots

To break new ground in robotic perception, the NUS team explored neuromorphic technology -- an area of computing that emulates the neural structure and operation of the human brain -- to process sensory data from the artificial skin. As Asst Prof Tee and Asst Prof Soh are members of the Intel Neuromorphic Research Community (INRC), it was a natural choice to use Intel's Loihi neuromorphic research chip for their new robotic system.

In their initial experiments, the researchers fitted a robotic hand with the artificial skin, and used it to read braille, passing the tactile data to Loihi via the cloud to convert the micro bumps felt by the hand into a semantic meaning. Loihi achieved over 92 per cent accuracy in classifying the Braille letters, while using 20 times less power than a normal microprocessor.

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Asst Prof Soh's team improved the robot's perception capabilities by combining both vision and touch data in a spiking neural network. In their experiments, the researchers tasked a robot equipped with both artificial skin and vision sensors to classify various opaque containers containing differing amounts of liquid. They also tested the system's ability to identify rotational slip, which is important for stable grasping.

In both tests, the spiking neural network that used both vision and touch data was able to classify objects and detect object slippage. The classification was 10 per cent more accurate than a system that used only vision. Moreover, using a technique developed by Asst Prof Soh's team, the neural networks could classify the sensory data while it was being accumulated, unlike the conventional approach where data is classified after it has been fully gathered. In addition, the researchers demonstrated the efficiency of neuromorphic technology: Loihi processed the sensory data 21 per cent faster than a top performing graphics processing unit (GPU), while using more than 45 times less power.

Asst Prof Soh shared, "We're excited by these results. They show that a neuromorphic system is a promising piece of the puzzle for combining multiple sensors to improve robot perception. It's a step towards building power-efficient and trustworthy robots that can respond quickly and appropriately in unexpected situations."

"This research from the National University of Singapore provides a compelling glimpse to the future of robotics where information is both sensed and processed in an event-driven manner combining multiple modalities. The work adds to a growing body of results showing that neuromorphic computing can deliver significant gains in latency and power consumption once the entire system is re-engineered in an event-based paradigm spanning sensors, data formats, algorithms, and hardware architecture," said Mr Mike Davies, Director of Intel's Neuromorphic Computing Lab.

This research was supported by the National Robotics R&D Programme Office (NR2PO), a set-up that nurtures the robotics ecosystem in Singapore through funding research and development (R&D) to enhance the readiness of robotics technologies and solutions. Key considerations for NR2PO's R&D investments include the potential for impactful applications in the public sector, and the potential to create differentiated capabilities for our industry.

Next steps

Moving forward, Asst Prof Tee and Asst Prof Soh plan to further develop their novel robotic system for applications in the logistics and food manufacturing industries where there is a high demand for robotic automation, especially moving forward in the post-COVID era.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08XyaXlxWno&feature=emb_logo
By Express News Service

The 81-year-old Hyderabad-based poet and activist Varavara Rao, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, has tested positive for COVID-19.

Rao was admitted to the Sir JJ hospital on July 13 after his health deteriorated in jail and following repeated pleas from his family and was shifted to St. George's around 8:30 PM Thursday evening.

The veteran is suffering from neurological problems, sources at St. George's told TNIE. His ECG and X-Ray showed no abnormalities, the source added.

A routine swab test done on July 14 confirmed he was COVID-19 positive on July 16 evening.

"Mr Rao will be shifted to St George's hospital for further treatment. In Sir JJ hospital, the patients are not given COVID treatment. Therefore, he will be shifted to St George's hospital, a doctor from Sir JJ hospital had said.

Susan Abraham, lawyer for Rao, was scathing in her condemnation of the treatment meted out to her client.

"The COVID finding highlights the criminal negligence of the state jail authorities, who have been repeatedly warned about the danger of COVID in the Taloja Jail, and the fragile condition of the Hyderabad-based poet-writer. It is a matter of concern too that the trial court handling the Bhima Koregaon/Elgar Parishad case turned a deaf ear to pleas for medical bail despite the poor health condition of VV Rao and the danger of COVID," she said.

ALSO READ | State trying to kill Varavara Rao in jail, he needs immediate hospitalisation, say family

She also spoke of how the jail authorities had, after growing protests about the neglect of Varavara Rao, put another Bhima Koregaon accused, Vernon Gonsalves, to look after Rao in jail "thus putting Veron too at grave risk".

Abraham said the possible shifting of Rao to St George's hospital, which has a poor healthcare record, will be bad news.

"It may hardly be the place where VV Rao has a chance to recover. The only way VV stands a good chance is if the Bombay High Court, hearing the matter on Friday, gives him medical bail, and he is shifted to a decent private specialty hospital," she insisted.

Abraham further revealed that Varavara Rao's wife, Hemlata, his two daughters and nephew Venugopal, had met him in hospital on Wednesday. "They found him in a pathetic condition with the patient having to lie in urine-soaked clothes for hours, and with very little nursing aid available at the hospital," she said.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday had demanded to shift the activist to a super speciality hospital at the earliest.

"The condition of Shri Varavara Rao as described by his family is a matter of grave concern. It is beyond belief that the State, the police and the prison authorities can behave in such an inhuman manner under the watch of the NHRC," Chidambaram said on Twitter.

"Shri Varavara Rao should be released immediately and admitted to a super speciality hospital that will treat him properly," he demanded.
MIT-BU renew law clinics that help students bring innovations into the world

In 2015, the first of two MIT-Boston University law clinics was formed to provide free legal services to student innovators while giving law students experience working on technology-related legal matters.

Several metrics could be used to measure the clinics' success since then: More than 750 student teams have received support through the program over the course of its lifetime. Those interactions have led to about 50,000 hours of client work performed by BU law students, accounting for around $17.5 million worth of legal services to students from both campuses.

The extent to which the clinics have become ingrained into each schools' operations also underscores their success. In last year's MIT delta v summer accelerator, two-thirds of the teams benefited from the clinics' support. On BU's side, 44 law students worked in the clinics during the last school year and over the summer, accounting for almost one-sixth of the entire law class.

The numbers show the importance students place on being on sound legal footing as they bring a disruptive startup or revelatory research paper out into the world. The numbers also made the two schools' recent decision to renew the clinics' operations for five more years an easy one.

"For a startup or an academic researcher, it's not knowing [about potential issues] that can be the most paralyzing thing," says Andy Sellars, a member of BU Law's faculty who directs the Technology Law Clinic. "What we can give them is the map. We can say here are the legal issues, here's where the law is pretty settled, here's where the law is unsettled, here are some things to do to mitigate your risk. And by doing all that we can add some extra confidence and energy to the venture or research project."

Coming into form

MIT and BU's collaboration began in September of 2015, with the launch of the Startup Law Clinic as part of a new Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, and Cyberlaw program at BU. A year later, as planned, the Technology Law Clinic was formed.

The Startup Law Clinic helps student entrepreneurs navigate issues associated with launching a venture, like establishing a corporation or LLC, securing intellectual property, and hiring employees. The Technology Law Clinic, whose client base includes researchers as well as entrepreneurs, helps ensure students' work aligns with laws around data collection, privacy, information disclosure, encryption, and more.

At the time of their founding, both clinics consisted of a supervising lawyer and eight student advocates.

"What we realized pretty much immediately was that wasn't going to do it -- we needed to grow," Sellars says. "And the major story of the last four years has been figuring out what the needs are and growing to meet those needs."

Today each clinic includes three licensed attorneys, although BU's law students do most of the work advising and representing clients. The clinics held regular office hours at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, the Media Lab, MIT Sandbox, and elsewhere to expand access to clinic services; they have since shifted to virtual office hours due to the Covid-19 pandemic. BU's law students also write white papers on specific legal areas and conduct presentations at locations around MIT to reach a broader audience.

"Our goal is to educate our law students to do the work and maintain the client relationships, although we're there supervising," says James Wheaton, who directs the Startup Law Clinic.

Since 2017, the collaboration has been bolstered by the Matthew Z. Gomes Fellowships, a program at BU Law that supports students from underrepresented communities in order to foster greater diversity among the next generation of technology and startup lawyers. Four of the seven fellows working for the clinics this summer are Gomes Fellows.

"The tech sector has known this about itself for some time: We have a major diversity problem in all corners of tech, including among the lawyers who represent tech companies," Sellars says. "We wanted to think of some ways to improve diversity in technology by improving the pipeline."

Legal support for impact

In 2014, MIT anthropology PhD candidate Amy Johnson filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act with the CIA,seeking information about the organization's Twitter account. When the CIA failed to produce any documents, Johnson worked with the Technology Law Clinic to file a lawsuit against the agency, which then sent her 30 documents related to her request. Johnson and her legal team decided that wasn't enough, and following several more rounds of litigation, she has received around 400 records. That case is ongoing and Johnson is still seeking more documents.

"We really kicked in the door by suing the CIA our first year," Sellars says.

The CIA case is one of several high-profile projects the law clinics have been involved with. The Technology Law Clinic also advised MIT researchers who were publishing a study revealing bias in multiple company's facial-analysis programs. The clinic helped the students ensure the study complied with computer access laws and share the results with the companies in advance of the paper's publication.

More recently, the clinic helped researchers in MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory as they published technical papers that exposed security vulnerabilities in a mobile voting application that had been used in the 2018 midterm elections. The vulnerability gave hackers the opportunity to alter, stop, or expose how users voted.

"A popular area we work in is computer science, both because of the huge population of CS students at MIT, and also because a lot of advanced computer science research can feel like the sort of 'hacking' that is prohibited by laws like the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act," Sellars says. "So often we're helping clients stay on the right side of 'anti-hacking' laws. Then there are a lot of data related questions ... [dealing with] data privacy, access to data, use of data, and web scraping, which is writing a script that systematically gathers info across the web."

Even as the field of computer science accounts for a large portion of the clinics' work, students from across MIT's campus have benefited from the clinics' support, something people familiar with MIT's innovation ecosystem expected from the start.

"I'm not surprised at all that the clinics have supported students from all five of MIT's schools," says Michael Cima, MIT's associate dean for innovation, who also serves on the board of the clinics. "Student-led startups, in particular, are very diverse in their makeup. These include not only for-profit oriented businesses but also sustainable non-profits."

A bright future

The disruptions caused by Covid-19 have forced everyone to adjust to remote work, but they haven't slowed the number of innovations coming out of MIT, or the law clinics' work in support of those innovations. In fact, April 2020 was the busiest month in the clinics' history, and they've continued to see a dramatic increase in work as students pursue ideas to help with the pandemic.

Now that the clinics have been renewed for five more years, its directors are brainstorming ways to further expand their services. The pandemic has shown the clinics can work even if members can't meet their clients in person, and has reinforced the idea that technology can help scale operations.

"We know no matter how big we grow, the program will never fully meet the needs of the MIT student body, and because of that we're trying to think of more ways to have an impact, even if you're not a client," Sellars says, noting the clinics have started work on guides and "how to" documents for students that will be offered on the clinics' websites.

Regardless of where the clinics go from here, it's clear they've already blossomed into an integral part of MIT's innovation ecosystem, which bodes well for the Institute's next generation of innovators.

"The clinics have been successful teaching and learning labs for both MIT and BU students, and have helped our students advance their passion for innovation and entrepreneurship," says Mark DiVincenzo, vice president and general counsel at MIT. "The issues have been varied, cutting edge in many ways, allowing BU students to assist MIT students in projects that are or will impact the world."

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Additional background

MIT-BU Startup Law Clinic https:/ / sites. bu. edu/ startuplaw/

MIT-BU Technology Law Clinic https:/ / sites. bu. edu/ techlaw/

Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship http://entrepreneurship. mit. edu/

This story has been published on: 2020-07-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Irene Godinez said she is still shocked by recent comments from Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., suggesting that Latinos in North Carolina are harder hit by the coronavirus pandemic because they are not practicing social distancing or wearing masks.

"These comments from a sitting senator were pretty shocking and upsetting to our community," Godinez, director and founder of the Latino advocacy group Poder NC Action, told NBC News. "Our community is being used as a distraction from the real issue, which is that our elected officials in Congress and at the presidential level haven't been doing a good job."

During a telephone town hall on Tuesday, Tillis said, "One of the concerns that weve had more recently is that the Hispanic population now constitutes about 44 percent of the positive cases and we do have some concerns that in the Hispanic population we've seen less consistent adherence to social distancing and wearing a mask."

Tillis' remarks gained more attention Thursday after a short audio clip of the event was posted on social media, prompting critics such as Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, to call out the Senator's "racist BS" on Twitter.

Godinez said her aunt, an "essential worker" who identifies as a conservative Christian, was outraged by Tillis' comments, Godinez said.

"She told me, 'I can't believe that he is saying that when we are here showing up to work so that everyone else can be able to stay home safely,'" said Godinez.

Godinez said Tillis' remarks are similar to those from government officials who use Latino communities "as a scapegoat."

Mauricio Castro, an organizer with the North Carolina Congress of Latino Organizations, told NBC News he is staying away from calling Tillis' comments "racist" because he did not explicitly use a racial slur, "but we are using our common sense and we know that his remarks have an underlying message."

Story continues

Related: Trump claims "Goya Foods is doing GREAT" but the tweet added to fresh backlash over the Latino brand's CEO's praise for the president's leadership.

"In any of the different media sources I've seen, we have not seen any Latinos opposing and fighting against rules to wear face masks. I think that is one thing that he fails to really understand," said Castro, referring to the news reports and videos of groups, who appear to be majority white and mostly Republican, who have staged protests to oppose the state's face mask mandate and urge Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, to reopen the state despite a surge in cases.

North Carolina has reported 95,477 coronavirus cases as of Friday morning, according to the state's Department of Health and Human Services. Latinos make up 43 percent of all positive COVID-19 cases even though they represent about 10 percent of the state's population.

Godinez said she called Tillis' office as a constituent Thursday "just to express my dismay and demand an apology for our community."

His staff responded by saying that "he was taken out of context," Godinez said.

Tillis' Senate office did not respond to a request for comment, but Tillis' campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo  Tillis is up for re-election in the fall  said the senator is concerned about COVID-19's disproportionate impact on the state's Latinos.

"The community faces significant challenges, including multi generational households that make it tougher to social distance, and the increased exposure risk for essential workers on the frontlines who are keeping our economy running," Romeo said in an email. "The government at all levels should assist the community in the fight to beat the virus and promote ways to keep residents safe and healthy, which is Senator Tillis' priority."

"Senator Tillis has also been clear that not enough North Carolinians of all backgrounds have been wearing masks and has consistently advocated that all his constituents do so," said the statement.

Castro and Godinez said that Tillis' remarks deny the issues that put Latinos at a disadvantage and more vulnerable to coronavirus infections. Among these are a lack of health care access as well as a lack of educational opportunities that could help improve their job prospects.

"This is the individual who has voted repeatedly against the expansion of Medicaid," said Castro, adding that Tillis voted to deviate $80 million "earmarked to improve education and help military families to build a wall that his idol, the current administration and the president, is promoting."

Castro, who is working to organize Latino voters in the state ahead of the elections, said: "We're not telling people who to vote for. We're telling people, here's how these people are referring to us. This is the level of respect they seem to give to us  which is disrespect, not respect."

"We're in a new era in North Carolina where Latinos are here, we are North Carolinians, we have a voice and we are proudly exercising our voice," Godinez said.

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Hiawu-Besiase, a farming community in the Atwima-Nwabiagya South Municipality, was on Wednesday thrown into shock and mourning when the lifeless body of a 71-year-old hunter was found on the banks of river Offin.



The body of Mr Ortis Osei Kofi, who was also a fisherman, was found on Wednesday morning by a search party formed by members of the community, after he failed to return home from the farm on Monday.



Mr Osei Tutu, Assembly member for the community, told the Ghana News Agency that the deceased went to farm on Monday, but failed to return in the evening.



He said after a fruitless effort by his family to locate him, a search party was organized by members of the community to look for him.



Mr Tutu said after several search in the bush, some members of the team located the body of the deceased lying on the banks of river Offin, which was a few kilometres away from the community.



He said a report was made to the Nkawie police, who after inspection permitted the burial of the corpse due the covid-19 pandemic.



A source at the Nkawie Police confirmed the story and said investigations were underway to ascertain the cause of death.

Source: GNA









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

Featured Video
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired an online meeting on July 16 between permanent Government members and localities on speeding up public investment disbursement.

PM Phuc cited the calculation of the General Statistics Office as saying that every 1 percent of domestic investment contributes to raising GDP by 0.06 percent, so the Government and localities nationwide must therefore take responsibility for disbursing public capital of over 633 trillion VND (nearly 28 billion USD).

The PM asked that subjective and objective causes of delays in disbursement of investment and official development assistance (ODA) be identified.

Secretaries of Party Committees, Chairpersons of Peoples Committees at all levels, and ministers were assigned to directly deal with problems in the disbursement process, while inspection delegations from the Party Central Committee, the Government, and Chairpersons of the provincial Peoples Committees must monitor their efforts, he said.

The government leader also pledged to promote emulation, commendation, and personnel assessments, and directed that disbursement, debt repayments, and construction payments not be delayed.

He hailed several localities for performing the task well, including Nghe An, Ha Nam, Thai Binh, Hung Yen, Tien Giang, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho, Lao Cai, and Bac Ninh.

Cities and provinces such as Quang Tri, Tra Vinh, Khanh Hoa, Hoa Binh, Can Tho, Ninh Thuan, Dong Nai, and Thai Nguyen, meanwhile, have posted a disbursement rate of below 20 percent.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) reported that disbursement remained low overall in the first half of the year. Three ministries and central agencies and nine localities reported disbursement of more than 50 percent and 33 ministries and central agencies and three localities disbursed less than 20 percent, while seven ministries and agencies posted a figure of below 5 percent.

Concluding the meeting, the PM called for more political determination among ministries and agencies in the task. Ministries must devise their own action plans for disbursement while localities must support social investment and attract domestic and foreign investment to propel growth, he noted.

With the greatest determination, he suggested launching a patriotic emulation movement in the disbursement of public capital and attraction of private and foreign investment in sectors and localities.

Heads of sectors and localities were asked to report to the PM about the task every two weeks and to resolutely punish those who shirk their responsibility.

From early August, the MPI must prepare a list of capital allocation, for the Government to decide on which projects should be given priority, he stressed.

At the same time, ministries and agencies performing the task well should be lauded on the media, while those slow at the task must be criticised, he said.

Regarding site clearance, local authorities must assist communes and districts in holding dialogues with residents and offer compensation in line with regulations.

The PM called for the prevention of corruption in construction and ensuring progress in payments for projects.
B oris Johnson sought to revive the economy today by scrapping official guidance to work from home if you can from August 1.

The Prime Minister responded to fears that cities including London are being hollowed out by coronavirus by giving more discretion to firms to ask staff to come in, as long as they do so in a safe and socially responsible way.

At a press conference, he unveiled the toughest lockdown powers yet, allowing ministers to seal off communities and order people to stay at home.

Mr Johnson acknowledged the draconian measures will be hard going for people caught up in them.

From August, employers will be able to discuss with staff proposals for them to return to offices and workplaces that have been made safe against Covid-19.

The Government is asking employers to behave in a socially responsible manner and listen to the concerns of staff who have problems accessing public transport, have special health worries, or are constrained by looking after children.

The guidance will give employers more discretion to decide whether employees should come into work or stay at home. We are not prescribing what businesses should do, said a government source.

Meanwhile, new powers to deal with Leicester-style local outbreaks of Covid-19 will be available to local authorities from tomorrow, while the most extreme powers will be set out in draft to Parliament next week.

They include:

Local stay-at-home orders that will bar people from entering or leaving defined areas without permission.

Powers to shut down or restrict transport systems, effectively cutting off a town or area where there is an outbreak.

Special measures to cancel events or shut down individual businesses and venues.

Means to limit gatherings more severely than national rules.

The measures go beyond the extended lockdown being experienced by Leicester, which was imposed after a wave of cases in the citys crowded centre . They will be subject to appeal routes and oversight to guard against misuse, but Mr Johnson was clear that they are necessary.

There will be powers to shut down or restrict transport systems / Getty Images

The Prime Minister said: I know that it will be hard going for people affected by these local measures. It isnt easy, and for some it may seem unjust that people just a short distance away can live their lives closer to normal.

But it has to be right that we take local action in response to local outbreaks  there is no point shutting down Newcastle to contain an outbreak in Bristol.

A huge increase in testing for the disease will be rolled out, with up to half a million tests a day being considered. Squads of health officials and tracers will be at readiness to swoop if a town or borough shows signs of getting out of control.

Downing Street says there is no new example of a Leicester-style outbreak at the moment. The powers are being taken now in preparation for the future, especially this winter , amid rising concerns that coronavirus will be a long-lasting problem.

Local lockdown in Leicester during Coronavirus pandemic 1 /41 Local lockdown in Leicester during Coronavirus pandemic Leicester has seen 866 cases in the past two weeks PA A city council worker carries rubbish from a coronavirus testing centre at Spinney Park which will be incinerated Getty Images Leicester could be the site of the UK's first local lockdown PA The Government says it is supporting officials in Leicester in their battle against Covid-19 PA Members of the military set up a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester PA A worker for Leicester City Council disinfects public toilets PA A man cleans the windows of a launderette in Leicester PA A member of military personnel uses a tub to collect used a self-test kit from a member of the public at a COVID-19 drive-through mobile testing unit set up at Evington Leisure Centre in Leicester, AFP via Getty Images Members of the military operate a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester PA People queue at walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester PA A man wearing a protective visor crosses the road on mobility scooter in Leicester PA Members of the military operate a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester PA People walk by an electronic billboard displaying a government message AFP via Getty Images Robin Dignall and Maria Demetriou-Clamp disinfect chairs at their hair salon Hair@1RD in Leicester as the city may be the first UK location to be subjected to a local lockdown after a spike in coronavirus cases PA A woman wearing a PPE mask walks past social distance advisory singns in Leicester's North Evington neighbourhood Getty Images People walk by an electronic billboard displaying a government message AFP via Getty Images Soldiers from the Royal Logistics Corp operate a mobile coronavirus (Covid-19) testing site at Evington Leisure Centre Getty Images A youth cycles past a sign telling local residents to "Social Distance" and advising on how to help "Prevent the Spread" of coronavirus, in the North Evington district of Leicester AFP via Getty Images Gallowtree Gate in Leicester after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock imposed a local lockdown following a spike in coronavirus cases in the city. PA A man sits on a bench, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Leicester Reuters A worker disinfects a bin following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Leicester, Reuters A worker disinfects a McDonald's restaurant Reuters A police car on Gallowtree Gate in Leicester PA Shops open their shutters in Leicester after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock imposed a local lockdown following a spike in coronavirus cases in the city PA AFP via Getty Images Reuters PA AFP via Getty Images Getty Images PA PA

Local authorities will have the powers to close premises and outdoor spaces from tomorrow. If councils refuse to take action, ministers will have the power to intervene and take over the local response.

Mr Johnson said: These powers will enable local authorities to act more quickly in response to outbreaks, where speed is paramount.

Action by local councils will not always be sufficient. So next week we will publish regulations enabling central government to intervene more effectively at a local level.

Where justified by the evidence, ministers will be able to close businesses and venues, introduce local stay-at-home orders, prevent people entering or leaving defined areas, limit the size of gatherings beyond national rules, and restrict transport systems serving local areas.

Boris Johnson unveiled the measures at a special press conference on Friday / PA

Security minister James Brokenshire stopped well short of urging people to stop working from home during interviews this morning.

We will continue to be informed by the advice we get from Sage, from Sir Patrick Vallance, he said on BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Sir Patrick, the chief scientific adviser, said yesterday there was no reason to stop working from home. Asked if the advice was go back to work or stay at home if you can, Mr Brokenshire said: Ultimately, its for the employers to make those decisions based on their individual businesses. Thats what we support while encouraging people where we can get people back to do so.

The NHS in England will get an extra 3 billion of funding to prepare for a possible second wave of coronavirus. The funding will also help ease winter pressures on the NHS, Downing Street said. It follows warnings that a second wave in winter could see about 120,000 Covid-19 deaths in UK hospitals .

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Nearly one in 10 adults in Britain visited a hair salon or barber in the week starting July 1, according to the Office for National Statistics. A further 10 per cent ate or drank in a restaurant, cafe, bar or pub.
A family in Nigeria is currently in search of one of their own, Ambrose Ogbu Adaikwu, pictured above, who is married with two children and the wife is currently expecting their third child.

According to a family member, Stephen Ogah who spoke with LIB, Adaikwu has been missing for one month now.

He left his home at Alapere, Ketu for work at Agbara on 15th June 2020 about 4:00am and since then nothing has been heard of him. Complaints have been lodged at different police stations coupled with individual search yet no positive result. Ambrose is from Benue State, Igede by tribe. He speaks Igede, English and Yoruba, 1.64m, and chocolate in complexion. He said

Anyone with useful info should please contact any of these numbers: 07086238866, 09031870370 or report to any nearest police station.
Delhi Minority Commission report accuses police of inaction in cases related to the worst violence in decades.

A government-appointed commission promoting the rights of Indias religious minorities said police failed to protect Muslims campaigning against a new citizenship law during violent riots in Delhi state this year.

At least 53 people, mostly Muslims, were killed and more than 200 were injured in the worst communal violence in the Indian capital since more than 3,000 people of the Sikh minority community were killed in 1984.

The Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) said on Thursday that Muslim homes, shops and vehicles were selectively targeted during days of rioting that coincided with US President Donald Trumps trip to India.

Release of Delhi Minorities Commissions Fact-Finding Report on Delhi Riots From Left to Right: Shri Gurminder Singh Matharu,

Devika Prasad,

Saleem Baig,

Anastasia Gill,

Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan,

M R Shamshad Adv,

Prof Haseena Hashia,

Abu Bakr Sabbaq Adv pic.twitter.com/KxRGanGto5  Zafarul-Islam Khan (@khan_zafarul) July 16, 2020

The violence erupted in February after the leaders from the governing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and their supporters attacked peaceful sit-ins in northeast Delhi organised against the new citizenship law.

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) passed in December by the Indian Parliament fast-tracked the path to citizenship for religious minorities from neighbouring countries except for Muslims. Critics said the law was against the spirit of the countrys secular constitution.

Fundamentally discriminatory law

The law, which the United Nations called fundamentally discriminatory, triggered nationwide protests, mostly led by Muslim women and posed the biggest political challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he took over in 2014.

At least 53 people, mostly Muslims, were killed and more than 200 were injured in the worst communal violence in Delhi in decades [File: Adnan Abidi/Reuters]

In all, 11 mosques, five madrasas or religious schools, a Muslim shrine and a graveyard were attacked and damaged, a fact-finding team from the commission said in its report released on Thursday.

Recommendations made in the commissions report to safeguard minority rights are not binding.

Seemingly, to crush the protests, with support of the administration and police, a retaliatory plan of pro-CAA protesters was worked out to trigger violence at a large scale, it said.

The commission said police had charged Muslims for the violence even though they were the worst victims.

Delhi police spokesman Anil Mittal rejected the allegation of bias and said police had acted fairly.

We have filed 752 first information reports, over 200 chargesheets, arrested over 1,400 people in connection with the riots. We have also formed three special investigation teams and are still open to receiving complaints, Mittal said.

Critics of Prime Minister Modis BJP government say it has been promoting a Hindu-first India and that the citizenship law aimed to further marginalise the countrys 170 million Muslims.

BJP denies bias

The BJP has denied any bias but says it is opposed to the appeasement of any community. But critics say BJPs charges of Muslim appeasement does not hold water, as a government commission report in 2006 said the minority community is at the bottom of the most development indices.

The DMC report also alleged some senior BJP leaders like former member of Delhi legislative assembly Kapil Mishra of fuelling the February 23 violence, but a party spokesman said there was no basis of such allegations.

When Delhi police has already stated in court that there is no role proved of Kapil Mishra, then on what grounds DMC is saying this, BJP spokesman Harish Khurana said.

The minorities commission said witnesses spoke of police failure to intervene in the rioting.

Multiple testimonies collected by this Fact-Finding Committee recount reports of police inaction even as violence unfolded before them, or of police not arriving despite being called repeatedly, it said.
The penchant of Indian banks to write off a pile of bad debt due to an alacrity to lower stressed assets on their books has accelerated in recent years, according to new data reviewed by Moneycontrol.

Public sector banks wrote off bad loans worth Rs 5,48,734 crore in the six years to 2019  six times more than what they did in the six years prior to that, according to data compiled by All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA). Between 2008 and 2013, these banks wrote off Rs 86,528 crore, the data showed.

The write-offs illustrate the recurring  and unbridled  problem of the mountain of bad loans, or non-performing assets (NPAS), that banks are saddled with as borrowers struggle to pay off debt in a slowing economy.

We have collected these figures from the official documents of all member banks and from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The outcome is shocking. Banks have been writing off huge amounts, mostly corporate loans, said CH Venkatachalam, general secretary of AIBEA. Ultimately, the burden to compensate for these losses falls on taxpayers and also on customers by way of high service charges and reduced return on deposits, he said.

AIBEA is the largest body of bank employees in the country.

The AIBEA data showed the growing trend of bad loan write-offs by public sector banks. NPAs worth Rs 1.96 lakh crore and Rs1.3 lakh crore were written off in 2019 and 2018, respectively. In 2017, PSBs wrote off Rs 81,684 crore loans, in 2016, Rs 59,400 crore loans and in 2015, Rs 49,976 crore. In other words, every year, the chunk of loans being written off has been swelling rapidly.

A loan is written off when the bank finds the account non-recoverable through normal operations. Such accounts need to be fully provided for. Provisions refer to the amount lenders need to set aside under RBI norms to cover problematic loans.

If one looks at the last decade alone (2010-2019), banks wrote off loans worth Rs 6.2 lakh crore compared with Rs 73,760 crore in the decade before that (2001-2009).

The biggest loan write-off has come from State Bank of India (SBI). The countrys largest lender alone has written off loans worth Rs 1.79 lakh crore in the past four years, of which Rs 52,387 crore was written off in FY20 alone, data published in SBIs annual report 2019-20 shows. The bank did a write-off worth Rs 58,905 crore in FY19 and Rs 40,196 crore in FY18.

SBI recovered Rs 9,250 crore from the Advance Under Collection Account (AUCA) in FY20 as against Rs 8,345 crore in FY19, the bank said in its 2019-20 annual report. AUCA refers to chronic bad debt cases where recovery is unlikely in the normal course.

The bank moves such accounts to AUCA, known as technical write-off, although recovery efforts will continue. The improvement in recoveries in AUCA augurs well for the bank. In FY18, SBI had recovered only Rs 5,333 crore from AUCA and Rs 3,963 crore in FY17.

Recoveries from loan write-off have been less compared to the quantum of money involved. In most cases, banks were forced to take a huge write off. According to CARE rating agency, so far, 3,774 companies have been admitted to Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code  aimed to help state banks resolve bad debts proceedings on a cumulative basis.

Of this, 24 percent cases are closed by liquidation while only six percent cases have been closed through resolution. The manufacturing sector accounts for the highest share at 40 percent of the overall cases, followed by the real estate (20 percent), construction (11 percent) and trading sectors (10 percent). In Q4, the sectors have remained constant compared with the previous quarter.

Of the total 12 cases that were directed to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Court by the RBI in 2017, a resolution has been arrived at in six cases while liquidation orders were passed against two companies. In two companies, resolution has happened but banks have not received payment. Besides, in the case of another company, the resolution plan failed and hence the process has been restarted, a report by CARE rating agency said.

The six companies that had found a resolution are Electrosteel Steels, Bhushan Steel, Monnet Ispat, Essar Steel, Alok Industries and Jaypee Infratech. In Jyoti Structures and Bhushan Power and Steel, resolution happened but payment is yet to be received.

Against the admitted amount of Rs 236,907 crore, the creditors realised Rs 113,076 crore from these eight firms. Only in the case of Jaypee Infratech, the creditors managed 100 percent realisation of the admitted amount. These 12 companies had outstanding claims of Rs.3.45 lakh crore compared to a liquidation value of Rs.73,220 crore. In the case of Amtek Auto, the resolution failed and the process has been restarted, said the CARE report.

Covid  a double whammy

The number of IBC cases has been increasing over the last three years. But with COVID-19 increasing the stress on the economy, the IBC cases are likely to escalate further. But it wont happen for the next one year since the government has said no to admission of fresh cases. This, most likely, will impact the very purpose of bringing in IBC-- a time-bound resolution of bad assets.

Given the blanket ban, banks do not have any option for recovery if these loans go bad. A binding framework of resolution outside of IBC has found very little success in the Indian market. Suspending IBC in entirety, while it looks like a relief to corporates, could actually lead to the corporates being in a state of flux, as all creditors coming together without the sword of IBC on them, has never really won the popularity vote, said Veena Sivaramakrishnan, Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.

But the problem is not limited to COVID-related cases. In non-COVID cases as well, buyer interest has declined significantly on account of the present economic environment, said Anand Dama, banking analyst at Emkay Global. Even in non-COVID cases, the resolution process has slowed considerably as there are hardly any buyers in the market. In the normal course, banks could have recovered some money, but that looks difficult now, said Dama.

What is the implication of big loan write-offs on the banking sector? The damage is already done. Banks wont have a further impact on their balance sheets because of the loan write-off that are already executed. This is because these loans are already fully provided. However, at the time of write-off, the expectation of the bank is to recover the maximum possible amount through recovery. That hope is fading now due to the coronavirus lockdown onslaught.
Hong Kong activist in exile Nathan Law has praised Britain, the US and Australia for standing up to China over its national security law. They have moved to expedite visas or citizenship to Hong Kongers who want to flee, which has enraged Beijing. It is the "first step of the world recognising we need to hold China accountable, Law told RFI.

Chinas top office in Hong Kong on Wednesday deplored United States measures, including sanctions against the semi-autonomous island, adding that dropping the citys special trading status was gangster logic and bullying.

The Hong Kong liaison office said the US would be affected more than the Asian financial hub.

"No external force can block China's determination and confidence to maintain national sovereignty and security for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability," read the statement.

The national security law imposed by Beijing targets what it chiefly determines as subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. That includes international advocacy work, Nathan Law, a Hong Kong politician and activist in exile told RFI.

'Responsibility to tell the truth'

Law recently moved to Britain to continue his advocacy for a free Hong Kong.

Yes indeed, theres a possibility that I will be arrested, and for me, its also more than a personal choice, because it is important for us to have a public figure, says the former student leader.

Its really my responsibility to tell the truth to the international community, he says.

A number of measures have been taken by Australia, Britain, and the US after China announced its application of their national security law on Hong Kong.`

Australia is offering five-year visa extensions to Hong Kongers, which has angered China, its biggest trading partner. Britains Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he would offer three million Hong Kong residents the chance to settle in the UK with a view to obtaining citizenship. The US levied sanctions and took away Hong Kongs special status.

Story continues

I see these acts as the first step of the world recognising we need to hold China accountable, he says.

Yes indeed, there will be some possible harm to Hong Kong, but this is for the communist party to take the blame, he adds.

End of one country, two systems

Hong Kong was previously under a "one country, two systems" agreement where Hong Kongers ruled their own special administrative region and elected their chief executive.

Now, Beijing has set up a secret agency in Hong Kong that will override...the Hong Kong government. It is definitely the end of one country, two systems, Law says.

China says it has the sovereign right to maintain national security and put an end to the chaos after many peaceful demonstrations turned violent over the last year.

Hong Kongers have little choice but to protest more forcefully, because they are frustrated, says Law.

Courage on the streets

I think peaceful demonstrations are still very importantbut we understand why people are fighting with more aggressive means. Its because nothing can hold the government accountable, he says, paying tribute to those who have the courage to go out on the streets.

Meanwhile, the Chinese-backed Hong Kong government said it fully supported Chinas plan to impose sanctions on US interests.

"It is hypocritical for the US to introduce measures to attack China by creating issues in (Hong Kong) under the pretext of human rights, democracy and autonomy out of its own political considerations," it said in a statement late Wednesday.
The logo of the social media video-sharing app Tiktok displayed on a tablet screen in Paris, on Nov. 21, 2019. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images)

EXCLUSIVE: TikTok Hires Internet Police to Monitor US Users, Former Censor Says

A former Chinese internet censor said he was interviewed for the role of monitoring and policing videos posted by international users of TikTok, a Chinese-owned short video app used by millions of Americans.

Liu Lipeng, who worked as an online censor in China for a decade, said he was passed over for the job in 2018 after suggesting during the interview that TikTok shouldnt overly censor content because Americans value freedom of speech.

He described TikToks parent company ByteDance Technology Co., the Beijing-based digital technology firm with a reported valuation of $100 billion as of May, as the largest and most terrifying censorship machine he has ever seen.

Lius claims coincide with rising public concerns over TikToks ties to the Chinese regime, and come as the Trump administration considers banning the app over national security risks. U.S. officials and experts have sounded the alarm that the app could be used to spy on and censor American users.

The company rejects those claims.

Liu, from the northern Chinese city of Tianjin, built his career as a content reviewer for the popular Chinese media apps Weibo, a Twitter-like platform, and Leshi, a video platform similar to YouTube. In China, all social media companies must comply with the regimes tight censorship rules, and use algorithms and human censors to monitor and scrub posts deemed sensitive by the Chinese Communist Party.

Liu says he wasnt asked only to monitor content inside Chinas walled-off internet. He said he interviewed with ByteDance on Oct. 18, 2018, for a content manager position that would inspect globalized videos on TikTok, according to the job recruitment notice.

Alongside TikTok, ByteDance runs a Chinese version of the app named Douyin.

Liu, who moved with his family to the United States in March, described the interview experience as ridiculousthe firm took extreme measures to ensure secrecy, which baffled him at the time.

A ByteDance staff member was waiting for Liu as he arrived at the companys office in Tianjin and took him to walk in circles inside the building. The employee also instructed him not to look around.

You may as well put a black cover over my eyes, he told The Epoch Times. It felt like visiting the den of a drug lord. He couldnt turn his head sideways, nor would they let him see the work cubicles, he said.

I wont be able to find it [the ByteDance office] if I go there now, he said, adding that there were surveillance cameras monitoring the workers to make sure they wouldnt remove any materials from the site. He estimated that the ByteDance facility housed at least 4,000 employees at the time, with a portion of the staff working on TikTok.

He said the level of secrecy puzzled him, until he realized the purpose of the role for which he was interviewing.

They are directly censoring Americans speech, he said. The ByteDance staff have gone through over a decade of the Chinese Communist Partys [CCP] political indoctrination  people who are scared out of their wits by the CCP and live in fear.

During the job interview, Liu expressed a different vision for the role. Having previously lived abroad for a number of years, Liu said he told the interviewer, I understand more about how much Americans care about freedom of speech, and therefore, we shouldnt overregulate.

Liu was ultimately rejected because of those views, he believes. The company approached him about another job after he came to the United States earlier this year, which he declined.

TikTok didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

The app has previously said it doesnt use Chinese moderators to handle content on TikTok. In March, the company announced it would open a transparency center in Los Angeles to allow outside experts to see how TikTok moderates content.

Liu says being in the United States means that he needs to defend U.S. interests and theres no turning back, he said.

We [were] doing the dirtiest work, with polices guns behind our backs, he said, noting that the CCPs censorship apparatus has ballooned and become more restrictive over the past decade.

Party membership wasnt mandatory when he first entered the trade, and hiring was conducted furtively, he said. These days, recruitment is out in the open, while one of the main qualifications is to have strong political awareness.

He noted that posts with CCP-endorsed ideologies, such as patriotism and socialism, are allowed to stay on the platform.

The recruiters also target college graduates whose worldviews have been shaped by years of the regimes brainwashing education, according to Liu. This new generation of recruits have a tendency to zealously over-censor, and even have to be trained on how not to delete mindlessly, he said.

Censorship

This isnt the first time TikTok has drawn scrutiny for imposing Beijing-style censorship on overseas users. The Epoch Times recently reported that the app closed the account of a Chinese international student in New Jersey after he posted a video spoofing the Chinese national anthem.

The company came under fire last December for suspending the account of a U.S. teen who posted a video criticizing Beijings suppression of Uyghur Muslims in Chinas far-western Xinjiang region.

In September 2019, The Guardian reported that TikTok instructed its moderators to censor certain videos that mention topics considered taboo by the Chinese regime, such as the Tiananmen Square Massacre and Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that has been severely persecuted in China since 1999. The report was based on leaked documents detailing the apps moderation guidelines.

TikTok, in its response at the time, said that such policies were replaced in May 2019 and are no longer in use.

A U.S. review panel is currently probing ByteDances $1 billion acquisition of U.S. social media app Musical.lywhich was rebranded to TikTokin 2017. It is investigating whether the deal raised national security risks.

The Pentagon last year ordered U.S. military personnel to delete TikTok from their work phones. Wells Fargo recently followed suit, while the Democratic and Republican National Committees have warned staff members about using the app.

Following Indias recent decision to ban TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps, the Trump administration confirmed that it was also considering a similar move. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said on July 15 that a number of administration officials were looking at the national security risk as it relates to TikTok, WeChat, and other apps.

I dont think theres any self-imposed deadline for action, but I think we are looking at weeks, not months, Meadows said.

This article was updated to include a previous comment from TikTok.

Cathy He CHINA EDITOR Follow Cathy He is a New York-based reporter focusing on China-related topics. She previously worked as a government lawyer in Australia. She joined the Epoch Times in February 2018.
President Donald Trump speaks on the "Rebuilding of America's Infrastructure: Faster, Better, Stronger" in Atlanta on July 15.

At the weeklong event, Trump tried to reassure donors that his administration had everything under control regarding the virus, as CNBC first reported . Vice President Mike Pence at the time echoed Trump's sense of calm.

The payments to the president's business came in the second quarter, as the coronavirus pandemic was spreading. The payments were largely for the RNC donor retreat at Trump's private Mar-a-Lago resort in early March, just before the end of the first quarter, according to a Republican official familiar with the matter.

That includes close to $400,000 recently paid by Trump Victory, Trump's joint fundraising committee with the Republican National Committee, to the Trump Hotel Collection.

President Donald Trump's properties have made over $17 million from the Trump campaign and his joint fundraising committees since 2016.

Following that gathering, Trump and the RNC opted to go to a fully virtual campaign, including for fundraising events. A person familiar with the matter said that even though the meeting was in March, the payments showed up on the second-quarter filing due to a delay in processing the payments during the start of Covid-19. The second-quarter filing shows data ranging from April through June.

The second-quarter payments to Trump Hotels were first flagged by Anna Massoglia, a researcher at the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, or CRP.

Beyond Trump's hotels getting paid the massive six-figure totals, a company run by a business ally of the president's also saw campaign expenditures come its way. Las Vegas Sands, the massive casino company owned by longtime Trump and GOP donor Sheldon Adelson, saw payments from Trump Victory last quarter.

The payments totaled nearly $250,000 and they came on the heels of the president looking to take part in a fundraiser in March at Adelson's home. That gathering and the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual event were eventually cancelled. The RJC conference was supposed to take place at the Venetian, a property of Sands.

Adelson and many other large casino owners have had their facilities mostly shut down for months due to the pandemic.

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The vendor payments to Trump's hotels have rankled government ethics experts and triggered debates over whether his company is benefiting from his presidency.

An RNC official defended holding events at Trump-owned facilities.

"We hold some of our events at Trump properties because they are great venues that fit our needs," the official said.

Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, said: "The campaign pays fair market value and abides by all FEC laws and regulations."

A representative from the Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment.

The data from CRP shows that in the 2020 election cycle alone, Trump's properties have been paid close to $4 million by the president's campaign, RNC and joint committees, including thousands of dollars to Trump Tower, Trump Restaurants and Mar-a-Lago.

The same groups paid Trump's businesses nearly $13 million during the 2016 election, data shows.
IndiGo launched a scheme on Friday that allows a passenger to book two seats for himself or herself to ensure additional safety amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The charges for the extra seat will be effectively up to 25% of the original booking cost. This offer is effective travel starting July 24, 2020, the airline said in a statement.

The low-cost carrier said the 6E double seat scheme will not be available through travel portals, IndiGo call centre or airport counters. The scheme can only be availed using IndiGos website.

Lack of social distancing by other passengers is a top concern among flyers, according to a survey by IndiGo that was conducted online between June 20 and June 28 among 25,000 travellers.

Factors such as lack of social distancing by other passengers (62% of respondents), quarantine measures by states (55%) and sitting in the aircraft with so many people (55%) have been identified as key deterrents for air travel, the survey said.

On Friday, IndiGos chief strategy and revenue officer Sanjay Kumar said, Even though air travel is the safest mode of travel at this point, we understand the customers emotional need for safety.

We had been receiving such requests and are happy to introduce the option to book two seats for a single passenger to ensure additional safety, he added.
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.
Ryanair is refusing to refund customers who have booked flights to Cyprus, even though passengers from the UK are currently being denied entry into the country.

The Foreign Office advice reads: You cannot enter Cyprus if you have been in the UK in the last 14 days. You can only enter Cyprus if you can show proof that you are a legal resident of Cyprus or a Cypriot ID holder and a negative PCR test result (taken in the previous 72 hours).

But the airline has said that, since flights are still going ahead, passengers are not entitled to their money back.

Alternatively, passengers can rebook their flights for a later date. But while other carriers are waiving their normal fee for doing this, Ryanair is not.

Sarah Hutchinson, who had booked flights from Liverpool to Cyprus back in January departing this week, told Which?: It took me five days to get through to Ryanair, then the woman just told me that they werent offering refunds because the flights were going, but how could I get on the flight when I wouldnt have been allowed into Cyprus?

Hutchinson had paid out more than 1,300 for the familys flights.

Meanwhile, Nicola Loizidou, who had booked flights from Liverpool to Paphos departing 8 July, was told she would have to pay a change fee of 270 to rebook for May next year  despite the fact the new flights cost 75 less.

Ryanair said it wasnt their problem if I couldnt get in to Cyprus, they were just a carrier flying me from A to B, and they refused a refund for the higher fare or any credit against the change fee, she said.

Technically, Ryanair is right. Airlines arent obliged to refund passengers if Foreign Office advice or border restrictions stop them from travelling. As long as the carrier still provides the service, they can keep the money.

However, other airlines have been more generous when it comes to relaxing the regular T&Cs.

For example, easyJet said its letting passengers rebook for free until later in the summer, in addition to waiving any fare difference.

Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Show all 13 1 /13 Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Ringwood, Hampshire With flights grounded around the world due to the coronavirus outbreak, photographers have been able to capture stunning images of star trails - the streaks of light left by stars as the earth rotates - without the usual interruption caused by air traffic. Nick Lucas/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Miserden, Gloucestershire Using long exposure times, the shifting positions of the stars relative to Earth's rotation can be captured to create a striking orbital effect. Brian Johns/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Highams Park, London One photographer who has been taking advantage the quiet of skies, Jawad Saleem, said: I've travelled up and down the country in search of elusive clear skies. Isolation and lockdown meant I had to be creative in capturing my favourite subject. Jawad Saleem/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Ramshaw Rocks, Staffordshire Ben Lockett, a student from Staffordshire, also noted how the new social conditions assisted him greatly in capturing pictures during his daily exercise slot. Ben Lockett/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Shropshire I usually end up spending a lot of time removing light trails caused by passing aircraft, but I only had one plane to remove from these images, instead of the usual 20-30! Andrew Fusek Peters/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Hampshire Photographer Andrew Whyte described the process of getting his shots despite the restrictions to travel imposed by the government. Andrew Whyte/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Hampshire On Friday night I continued to observe the lockdown and didnt even cross the threshold of my front door, he said. Andrew Whyte/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Coaly Peak, Gloucestershire One photographer who has been taking advantage the quiet of skies, Jawad Saleem, said: I've travelled up and down the country in search of elusive clear skies. Isolation and lockdown meant I had to be creative in capturing my favourite subject. Brian Johns/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Shropshire At a time when thered usually be a steady passage of friends and couples on their way home from the pub or taxis dropping off partygoers, I saw a single person out for a walk and no cars at all. Nick Jackson/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Hampshire - Before lockdown Light trails through the sky from air traffic can cause a major visual distraction in star trail images. Removing these trails is a time-consuming task so its a real bonus to not have to do it. Andrew Whyte/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Leicestershire Mark Humpage/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Shropshire Nick Jackson/SWNS Grounding of flights allows stunning photos of star trails Portishead, North Somerset Jon Mills/SWNS

And British Airways passengers booked to fly to Cyprus before the end of August can cancel at any time up until the day of the flight, and receive a voucher for the same value.

A Ryanair spokesperson said: For non-cancelled flights, standard T&Cs apply. Travel restrictions update regularly, so Ryanair urges all passengers to check the latest travel updates on the Ryanair website and with the relevant authorities before they fly.

The Independent has contacted Ryanair for further comment.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 10:20 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066702231 2 Business Bank-Mayapada,profit,financial-record,banking-industry,capital,dividend Free

Publicly listed private lender PT Bank Mayapada will channel almost all of its Rp 528 billion (US$36.2 million) in net profit from 2019 into strengthening its capital as Taiwan-based Cathay Life Insurance prepares to increase its ownership stake in the lender.

Bank Mayapada decided to allocate 2.56 percent of its 2019 net profit, equal to Rp 13.5 billion, to meet its paid-up capital requirement as stipulated in Law No. 40/2007 on limited liability companies.

Meanwhile, the remaining Rp 514.61 billion will be recorded as retained earnings to strengthen the companys capital structure, the lender wrote in a statement following its shareholders meeting on Thursday.

The decision not to provide any dividend payouts to its shareholders came after Bank Mayapadas shareholders agreed to inject funds into the lender to strengthen its capital.

Bank Mayapada president director Hariyono Tjahjarijadi told The Jakarta Post on Monday that Cathay Life Insurance, a subsidiary of Cathay Financial Holdings, was preparing to increase its ownership stake.

The publicly listed insurance company now owns 37.33 percent of Bank Mayapada, making it the banks biggest shareholder, followed by PT Mayapada Karunia Corporation, which owns 26.42 percent of the total shares.

Bank Mayapada also received a deposit of Rp 1 trillion from its controlling shareholder in two injections of Rp 750 billion on July 1 and Rp 252 billion on April 24, according to a statement it issued on July 3, as published by the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX).

PT Mayapada Karunia channeled Rp 230 billion of the Rp 252 billion in April, while PT Mayapada Kasih funneled Rp 22.09 billion, according to a statement published on the IDX website on April 28.

The fund placement strengthened [the banks] capital and is part of the companys plan to carry out rights issues in 2020 worth a total of Rp 4.5 trillion, the banks statement reads.

In the first quarter of this year, Bank Mayapadas net profit plunged 44.52 percent to Rp 79.22 billion from Rp 142.78 trillion in the same period last year.

Its non-performing loan (NPL) rate stood at 6.94 percent as of March 31, up from 4.99 percent last year and above the Financial Services Authoritys (OJK) health threshold of 5 percent. The banking industrys NPL rate, on the other hand, was 2.77 percent in March, showing an upward trend, as peoples purchasing power declined during the COVID-19 outbreak.

During a shareholders meeting on Thursday, Bank Mayapada shareholders also agreed to use Rp 626.03 billion of its Rp 997.33 billion rights issue proceeds in 2019 to expand credit. Meanwhile, the remaining Rp 371.3 billion will be placed in Bank Indonesias repo facility.

The meeting also agreed on remuneration for commissioners and directors, with a maximum of Rp 56.87 billion set, for the 2020 financial year.

As of Monday, Bank Mayapadas shares, traded on the IDX under the code MAYA, had lost 28.57 percent of their value year-to-date (ytd). Over the same period, the finance sector experienced a 17.5 percent drop, while the benchmark Jakarta Composite Index declined 19.61 percent.
Twitter CEO and Co Founder, Jack Dorsey addresses students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), on November 12, 2018 in New Delhi, India.

Twitter said late Thursday that about 130 people were targeted in a cyberattack that took control of high-profile accounts to promote a bitcoin scam.

The hackers received $121,000 from over 400 payments to three separate bitcoin addresses, according to blockchain analysis firm Elliptic. Roughly half of those payments were made from U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchanges, Elliptic added.

"Based on what we know right now, we believe approximately 130 accounts were targeted by the attackers in some way as part of the incident," the social media firm tweeted.

Tweet

"For a small subset of these accounts, the attackers were able to gain control of the accounts and then send Tweets from those accounts."

The hack, which took place on Wednesday, compromised the accounts of several prominent figures in business and politics.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama were all affected, as well as the corporate accounts of Apple and Uber.

The accounts were seen posting tweets trying to persuade people to send them bitcoin, with the promise of sending back double the funds in return.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of a complaint filed by Maja Daruwala, special monitor, NHRC, about the deplorable health condition of P Varavara Rao (81), an acclaimed Telugu poet and social activist and an accused in the 2018 Elgar Parishad case.

The commission on Friday issued notice to the state chief secretary, Sanjay Kumar, and SN Pandey, the director-general (DG), prisons, Maharashtra, and directed them to submit a report about Raos health condition within two weeks after the undertrial tested Covid-19 positive a day ago.

The complaint mentioned that Rao is suffering from multiple old-age-related health complications and also tested Covid-19 positive on Thursday, which has further aggravated his condition.

NHRC observed that the right to life and medical care are one of the basic human rights. The commission said the onus is on the state to provide to a prisoner, who is in its custody, appropriate medical care in a bid to ensure that there is no danger to his life.

NHRC has also directed the state government to constitute a medical board to examine Raos health condition and ensure that the treatment being provided to him is appropriate.

The commission has said the board is required to decide whether Rao should be admitted to a government-run or private hospital that could provide him the best possible treatment.

Pandey denied receiving any notice from NHRC.

Meanwhile, Raos bail plea could not be heard by Bombay high court (HC) on Friday due to lack of time.

His lawyer R Sathyanarayan said that he would move a praecipe for the bail plea to be heard on an urgent basis on Monday.

Rao had moved the HC appealing against the order of the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, which had rejected his interim bail application on June 26.

Rao had sought interim bail on the grounds of failing health and susceptibility to Covid-19 amid the viral outbreak in Maharashtras prisons and correctional homes.

On May 28, Rao was taken to Sir JJ Hospital after he had lost consciousness. Later, he was discharged on June 1.

At that time, the family members had alleged that he was hurriedly discharged in a bid to obstruct his bail plea before the special (NIA) court, a fear that came true on June 26.

On July 13, Rao was again admitted to Sir JJ Hospital after his health condition worsened and he showed signs of delirium.

On Thursday, he was shifted to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-run St Georges Hospital, whose healthcare facilities are few and far between, after he tested Covid-19 positive and amid the protestations of his family members.

The NIA, which had taken over the Elgar Parishad case from Pune Police in February, had opposed the bail plea, as Rao was charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, where there is no provision to grant him temporary bail.

NIA had submitted that the jail authorities could be directed to ensure that Rao was provided proper medical attention, whenever required.

Earlier, on January 1, 2018, violence erupted between Dalits and Marathas near the village of Bhima Koregaon in Pune district, where thousands of Dalits had gathered to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon.

In that battle, the British Armys Dalit Mahar soldiers had defeated the Brahmin Peshwa rulers of the Maratha empire.

The commemoration took place a day after an event in Pune called the Elgar Parishad was held.

The Pune Police conducted a preliminary probe and claimed that the violence in Bhima Koregaon was the result of speeches made at the Elgar Parishad event.

They alleged that banned Maoist groups organised the event, and a first information report (FIR) was also filed.

In June 2018, the Pune Police arrested five activists and lawyers from Pune, Nagpur, and Delhi  Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, and Shoma Sen  for their alleged links to the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), and also for organising the Elgar Parishad event.

In August 2018, the police arrested four more activists  Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, and Rao.

While Gautam Navlakha and Dr. Anand Teltumbde were arrested on April 14 this year, taking the total number of the accused in the case to 11.
If its appropriate to pay tribute to a country that, during its formation, killed millions upon millions of Indigenous, Black and Brown peoples, then surely I can pay tribute to Micah X, he wrote in a statement.

Chambers, who said he doesnt know Fox, questioned why Fox should be punished for exercising his First Amendment rights when police officers who assault or kill people of color are praised generally.

Mere words result in a man being kicked off this (advisory board), but cops are not punished when they kill people? When they brutalize people? When they make false arrests? he said.

The longtime state senator arrived at the City-County Building at 18th and Farnam Streets about 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Chambers carried signs that said Police unions back every killer-cop, End police arbitration and Killing is not valorous  to reward it is immoral.

He criticized instances in which police officers who had been fired for using excessive force, or whose actions resulted in someones death, were reinstated to their jobs because of third-party arbitration.
Former US ambassador Bill Richardson has failed to bring back jailed Americans from Venezuela after meeting President Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington is seeking to topple. The Democratic political figure said he met Thursday with Maduro -- whom, unlike President Donald Trump's administration, he referred to as president -- and earlier spoke to him by telephone. "I am glad we were able to meet with President Maduro to discuss the potential release of the American prisoners and other COVID-19 humanitarian issues," said Richardson, a former US ambassador to the United Nations and governor of New Mexico. "We regret that we were not able to secure the release of the Americans," he said in a statement. Richardson said he was seeking to free two US military veterans, Airan Berry and Luke Denman, who were detained amid a shady, failed sea attack on Venezuela in May. Officials said that a private US security company backed by Venezuelan dissidents carried out the mission in a purported bid to snatch leaders. Richardson was also seeking to free six former executives of the oil company Citgo -- five of them dual US-Venezuela nationals and the other a US resident -- who were first arrested in November 2017. Roger Carstens, the US envoy for hostage affairs, said last month that all six men were "in mortal danger," with several displaying symptoms in line with COVID-19. Richardson has repeatedly undertaken missions with US adversaries such as Iran and North Korea to free Americans. A fluent Spanish speaker, he said he also met twice in Venezuela with Vice President Jorge Rodriguez. Richardson's non-governmental efforts have drawn criticism from some hawkish Americans, although Richardson in his statement said had a "partnership" with officials in the Trump administration. Trump has sought unsuccessfully since January 2019 to overthrow Maduro, a leftist who presides over a crumbling economy and whose re-election was widely seen as marred by irregularities. Former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, seen here in 2016, says he has failed to bring back jailed Americans after a trip to Venezuela
Defence minister Rajnath Singh, who arrived in Ladakh on Friday morning, said that talks are underway to resolve the border dispute with China in Ladakh, but stopped short of giving any guarantees on the resolution. However, Singh underlined that not an inch of our land can be taken by any power in the world.

India and China have held many talks over the past few weeks, even activating the Special Representatives Group to resolve the issue.

Talks are underway to resolve the border dispute but to what extent it can be resolved I cannot guarantee. I can assure you, not one inch of our land can be taken by any power in the world. If solution can be found by talks, there is nothing better, said Singh.

On Thursday, reflecting on the disengagement process between the two armies along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the army said it is an intricate process and requires constant verification.

The senior commanders reviewed the progress on implementation of the first phase of disengagement and discussed further steps to ensure complete disengagement, army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said yesterday.

The disengagement effort involves rival troops pulling back a specified distance from face-off sites, with further retreat taking place in phases as the plan progresses on a verifiable basis on the ground every 72 hours by both sides.

The governments high-powered China Study Group (CSG) on Wednesday reviewed the latest developments in eastern Ladakh, with focus on the next stage of disengagement between the two sides.

The tension between the two countries has been going on for months, but flared up after 20 army soldiers were killed in a violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops on June 15.

Recently what happened between troops of India and China at PP14, how some of our personnel sacrificed their lives protecting our border. I am happy to meet you all but also saddened because of their loss. I pay my tributes to them, added the minister.

Singh arrived in Leh as part of his two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. He will go to J&K on Saturday.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane are accompanying the defence minister.

Singh witnessed para dropping while interacting with the soldiers in Stakna.
The new docuseries Down to Earth with Zac Efron is currently the second most-watched program on Netflix. The eight episodes take actor Zac Efron and his co-host Darian Olien all over the world: from Iceland to Sardinia to France to Puerto Rico. But what is the shows objective, and what exactly is Efron up to on Down to Earth?

What is the show Down to Earth with Zac Efron about?

Zac Efron Down to Earth with Zac Efron | Courtesy of NETFLIX

Teen heartthrob Zac Efron is probably best known for his roles in High School Musical, Hairspray, and The Greatest Showman. Now age 31, Efron was born in California and has one brother, Dylan. Both Efron brothers appear on YouTube in a program called Off the Grid.

Efron describes the new series mission in the Down to Earth trailer:

We are traveling around the world to find some very new perspectives on some very old problems to see how change is an inside job.

As you see in the Netflix show, the American actor travels around the world, meeting with local health experts and cooks to sample new foods. Efron also interviews energy engineers and sustainability experts, discussing wellness trends and looking for the secrets to a long, healthy life.

For example, in the first episode set in Iceland, Efron and his co-host Olien visit energy plants, attend restaurants where they eat raw reindeer and rutabaga-based desserts, and hit up the infamous Icelandic tourist hotspot, the Blue Lagoon.

How is Netflixs Down to Earth different from other environmental documentary series?

In the opening sequence of Down to Earth Episode 1, Efron imitates Sir David Attenborough, the English author and narrator internationally known for a lifetime of work on environmental, wildlife, and natural history, primarily on the BBC. (Attenborough is, of course, best-known for his incomparable Planet Earth narration).

Although Efrons frequent, youthful exclamations, such as dude, thats gnarly, or bro, are not replicative of an Attenboroughs typical educational commentary, Efron does provide educational and science-based narration in each episode. He enlightens viewers with facts such as this one: 100% of the electrical energy comes from a renewable energy source on Iceland.

Who is Zac Efrons travel partner in the Netflix series?

Zac Efron and Darin Olien in the first episode of Down to Earth with Zac Efron | Courtesy of NETFLIX

RELATED: Is Zac Efron Married?

Efrons co-host on Down to Earth is an author and wellness expert named Darin Olien. Efron describes his friend as a guru of healthy living and superfoods. Olien quite literally wrote the book on it: SuperLife: The 5 Forces that Will Make You Healthy, Fit, and Eternally Awesome. The Minnesota-born entrepreneur also helped found a company that sells, Barukas, a Brazilian super-nut. Olien claims that theyre the healthiest nuts on the planet, since Barukas are filled with protein and micronutrients (according to a recent Bustle article.)

Throughout the series, Olien encourages Efron to find healthy, sustainable ways to live, while also encouraging him to take risks in trying new experiences or foods.

We need to start rethinking everything, from our food to our power, Efron tells the viewers in Down to Earth with Zac Efron.

What has the reaction to the 2020 show Down to Earth been like?

How are Down to Earth viewers feeling about the show?

While Twitter users have posted mostly positive reactions to the Netflix series, some publications have come down on Down to Earth for not being science-based enough. Some episodes in the eight-part series have drawn criticism for promoting non-scientific practices, such as energy, healing, and mediumship.

A recent Cosmopolitan article expressed a more negative view of the series, writing:

The problem with Down to Earth is that while it attempts to tell viewers about these sustainable ways of living, it doesnt actually dive deep on any of the topics. It hops from scene to scene so quickly that the two hosts dont get to ask real, meaningful questions of the people theyre interviewing to give viewers any real takeaways.

RELATED: What is Zac Efrons Net Worth?

However, whether youre looking for a new take on a travel show or a new show to binge during quarantine, Down to Earth, is, in our humble opinion, educational and entertaining. Sure, its no Planet Earth  but its not trying to be. And, just maybe, Efron and Oliens more casual tone makes these complicated, science-heavy topics a bit more accessible to the masses. And thats never a bad thing.

Just possibly, the new environmental show will also result in re-thinking how we live on planet earth.

Change has to start somewhere, Efron says in Down to Earth. Maybe its time we all change.
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Linkedin Marine Strauss (Reuters) Brussels, Belgium  Fri, July 17, 2020 07:50 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666f1480 2 World YouTube,copy-right,copyright-issues,copyright,copyright-protection Free

Google's YouTube and other online platforms are not liable when users illegally upload copyrighted works onto their platforms, but rightholders can ask for injunctions against the companies, a European Union Court of Justice adviser said on Thursday.

EU judges, who have followed such opinions in four out of five cases, rule on the issue in the coming months.

In recent years, online platforms and social media have found themselves at the center of a debate about how much responsibility they should bear for illegal or hateful content posted on their platforms.

The European Commission aims to address this issue with new rules known as the Digital Services Act at the end of the year.

Existing EU rules exempt YouTube and its peers from such responsibility when they are told of violations and remove them, Advocate General Henrik Saugmandsgaard e said in a non-binding opinion relating to two cases before the court.

"As EU law currently stands, online platform operators, such as YouTube and Uploaded, are not directly liable for the illegal uploading of protected works by the users of those platforms," he said.

"Otherwise, there would be a risk of platform operators becoming judges of online legality and a risk of 'over-removal' of content stored by them at the request of users of their platforms in so far as they also remove legal content," he said.

The first case before the court concerns Frank Peterson, a music producer, who sued YouTube and Google in Germany for the uploading to YouTube in 2008 of several phonograms to which he holds the rights.

The second case concerns publishing group Elsevier's lawsuit against Cyando in Germany for uploading several Elsevier works on its file-hosting and file-sharing platform Uploaded in 2013.

The cases are C-682/18 YouTube & C-683/18 Cyando.
For politically-minded Australians, some parts of the story of the dismissal of the Whitlam government in 1975 by then governor-general Sir John Kerr have been known by heart for decades. Gough Whitlam, again the Member for Werriwa after his sacking as prime minister, intoning "well may we say 'God save the Queen', because nothing will save the governor-general", is chief among them.

But others, like Sir John's discussions with former chief justice Sir Anthony Mason and this week's release of his private letters with Buckingham Palace, we only know thanks to the work of Professor Jennifer Hocking.

Who is she?

Hocking's family is not shy of a High Court battle. Her mother, Barbara Hocking, a barrister, made it her life's work to argue against the doctrine of terra nullius and represented Eddie Mabo early in his fight for land rights. Both Barbara and her husband, Fred, were Labor supporters and so when Hocking, then almost 21 and politically engaged, was told by a friend that Whitlam had been sacked, she found it "almost unbelievable".
New Delhi/Leh, July 17 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached the eastern Ladakh region on Friday to review the ground situation of troops at the hostile border areas with China. Singh will also interact with the soldiers and review the operational preparedness of the force.

The Minister, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh region, flew from Delhi to Leh early morning. Accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, he reached Leh at around 8 a.m.

Sources said that after reviewing the ground situation and interacting with the soldiers he would be flying for Srinagar in the late afternoon. The Minister would also interact with the soldiers injured in the barbaric attack carried out by Chinese People's Liberation Army on June 15. In the attack, India lost 20 soldiers and Chinese Army too had casualties, figures still unknown.

Image Source: IANS News

Since the worst confrontation with China over the border issue, Singh had been ensuring that Indian armed forces are equipped with all the latest arms and materials and are logistically approachable at the borders. He had been meeting to all the stakeholders to ensure the force is ready for any confrontation.

Singh had earlier on July 3 planned to visit Leh, however, he had to drop it as Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to visit the forward location in Eastern Ladakh.

Image Source: IANS News

Currently, both India and China are engaged in military and diplomatic deliberation to de-escalate the tense situation at the border areas. The countries are locked in 10-week-long standoff at multiple points, hitherto unprecedented along the border.

On Tuesday both countries military delegates held deliberations about disengagement and de-escalation of troops and materials at the borders in Eastern Ladakh for 15 long hours. The talks started at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday and ended up at 2 a.m. on Wednesday. Indian delegates asked Chinese People's Liberation Army troops to completely withdraw from Pangong Lake and Depsang.

Image Source: IANS News

This is the fourth meeting between the delegates. The third meeting in June between the two countries delegates continued for almost 12 hours wherein India has put a strong message that to Chinese People's Liberation Army troops have not abided by the disengagement consensus.

-- Syndicated from IANS
GREENFIELD  The Greenfield Center School plans to relocate to a brand new building next year with help from a $7.94 million tax-exempt bond announced Friday by MassDevelopment.

The independent day school serving students in preschool through eighth grade plans to buy 30 acres of land at 741-743 Bernardston Road (Routes 5 and 10), not far from Stoneleigh-Burnham School, a private school for girls in grades seven through 12.

Greenfield Center School will demolish one of two existing buildings on the new site and build and equip a 23,678-square-foot structure in its place. The schools current location is 71 Montague City Road.

GSB Securities Corp., an affiliate of Greenfield Savings Bank, purchased the bond.

The Greenfield Planning Board approved the project in February, according to meeting minutes (PDF).

The project is estimated to cost $10 million, according to consultants working on it.

MassDevelopment is pleased to help finance a new home for Greenfield Center School, agency President and CEO Lauren Liss said in a statement. This modern facility and surrounding campus will offer students an enhanced educational experience and plenty of space to explore, learn, and grow.

Construction is expected to be completed in the summer of 2021.

According to a news release, Greenfield Center School was founded in 1981 under the umbrella of Northeast Foundation for Children. The two organizations separated into independent entities in 2001.

Today, the school serves approximately 137 students from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, with a one-to-seven teacher-student ratio.

Greenfield Center School identifies its educational programming as emergent, constructivist, social justice-oriented, child-centered and nature-focused, with an emphasis on hands-on learning and outdoor play.

The educational landscape has changed forever, Head of School Charlie Spencer said in a statement. What a perfect time to respond by building our dream school.

MassDevelopment is the states finance and development agency.
For many years, Ngo Thanh Toai, 66, who has Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and dyslipidemia, regularly visited doctors once a month at Go Vap District Hospital in HCM City.

Nguyen Thi Thuong, head of the Health Station in Go Vap District's Ward 16, conducts a remote medical examination for a senior patient via telemedicine.

Today, a nurse at the Health Station in Go Vap Districts Ward 16 visits his house each month to check his blood pressure and health conditions before being connected to a doctor at the station via live telemedicine. Based on the conversation and the nurses report, the doctor will offer advice and prescribe medicine.

His sister, Ngo Thi Ngoc Mai, 70, who lives with the family, has also chosen remote medical care to monitor her high blood pressure and joint pains.

Toai's wife, Hau Thi Yen, said she had previously taken her husband and sister-in-law to the hospital by taxi for their periodic health examinations. "Now it is so convenient and cost-saving for us to have remote health care services as it is a bit difficult for the three of us to travel to the hospital for regular examinations. I only go to the health station to pick up medicine prescriptions each month."

Toai and his family can also call the health station at any time if they need to see a nurse at his home.

A nurse at Ward 16 Health Station in HCM City's Go Vap District visits a senior patient and connect her to a doctor at a health station via telemedicine.  VNS Photos Thu Hang

Innovative care

Dr. Nguyen Trung Hoa, director of Go Vap Districts Health Centre, said the centre began using telemedical health care technology for telemedicine consultations in October.

Remote medical care services for senior patients with chronic medical conditions have been a pressing need during the Covid-19 pandemic, Hoa said.

In March the centre kicked off remote medical care via live communication between doctors and patients to meet the demand of senior patients, he said.

The innovative model used at three health stations in Go Vap District and the Nguyen Thai Son Clinic has received positive feedback from senior patients.

Nurses visit patients houses for health check-ups and connect to doctors via telemedicine for further examination and treatment as well as for drug prescriptions, without the need for a face-to-face visit, he said.

Over the last three months, nearly 800 patients have received remote medical care services that have helped reduce costs and time.

Nguyen Thi Thuong, head of the Ward 16 Health Station, said the health monitoring of seniors has been closely managed with remote medical care via telemedicine.

Most senior patients with chronic non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and musculoskeletal diseases want to receive healthcare services at home, Thuong said.

With only one or two doctors working at the health station, it is impossible to closely monitor a large number of patients, she said.

Nearly 3,000 people aged 60 and above live in the districts Ward 16, and only 20 per cent of them have their medical conditions monitored at the wards health station.

Tang Chi Thuong, deputy director of the citys Department of Health, said that the remote medical care model met the demand of senior patients for services at home. It has also helped to ensure the continuity of care, which is a cornerstone of primary care for public health and reduced overcrowded at hospitals.

Because of the initial positive results, the department will develop a standard procedure and model for remote health care and scale it up in other city districts, he said. VNS

Thu Hang

Telemedicine  Vietnams new approach to healthcare service Telemedicine, a technology-based model to support medical treatment and healthcare, is in wide use in many countries.
Unless Congress acts, the $600 per week boost to unemployment benefits will be cut off at a time when a record number of Americans depend on that assistance.

The $600 weekly payments from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program were put in place as part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act that Congress passed in late March amid the coronavirus pandemic. Americans who are eligible for unemployment insurance receive an extra $600 on top of what they normally claim under their state's benefits. Yet this boost is scheduled to end for all states except New York, on Saturday July 25, 2020. New York's end date is Sunday, July 26, according to the Department of Labor.

Roughly 25.6 million workers are set to be impacted by this benefit loss, according to recent estimates by the progressive think tank The Century Foundation. That includes 15.6 million Americans enrolled in regular state unemployment programs who currently receive the extra $600 boost and about 9 million people on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which specifically covers business owners, self-employed Americans, gig workers and independent contractors who are not typically eligible for unemployment. Approximately 1 million Americans receiving benefits through the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation also get the $600 boost. While the $600 unemployment boost program is set to end this month, the PUA and PEUC programs will run until the end of 2020.

The economic impact of the extra benefits adds up to $15.4 billion per week nationwide, up from states spending less than $1 billion per week on unemployment before the crisis, the Century Foundation reports.

"Working families from all over the country, including more than 1 million who signed one petition, have made clear that these extra UI funds have made the difference in helping families pay their medical bills, care for their children and keep a roof over their head as they await the opportunity to return to work safely," says Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation and a leading unemployment expert.
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Sarawak, State of

Global Credit Research - 16 Jul 2020

Singapore, July 16, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Sarawak, State of 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.

Sarawak's baa1 Baseline Credit Assessment and A3 rating reflect its long-term track record of generating strong operating surpluses, coupled with conservative budgetary practices, which allowed the state to build-up substantial cash reserves during periods of strong commodity prices. Such reserves are a key source of financial flexibility, particularly because they exceed the state's sizeable debt burden. In addition, the Institutional framework for Sarawak provides more sources of revenue than most other states in Malaysia (A3 stable) and Sarawak has demonstrated its ability to expand its revenue base. Sarawak's rating also considers the moderate likelihood of support from the federal Government of Malaysia in the event that the Sarawak faces acute liquidity crisis.

Story continues

These strengths are balanced by Sarawak's exposure to commodity prices via its resource-based economy which is still developing; and a substantial debt burden, reflecting the reliance on borrowings to fund a material proportion of the capital spending for economic development.

The A3 ratings of SGOS Capital Holdings Sdn. Bhd., SSG Capital Holdings Sdn. Bhd. and SSG Resources Limited are underpinned by the close institutional ties to, and therefore, strong support from the State of Sarawak.

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 methodologies used for this review were Regional and Local Governments published in January 2018, Rating Transactions Based on the Credit Substitution Approach: Letter of Credit-backed, Insured and Guaranteed Debts published in May 2017 and Government-Related Issuers Methodology published in February 2020. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.

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.

Ray Tay Senior Vice President Public, Project & Infrastructure Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd. 50 Raffles Place #23-06 Singapore Land Tower Singapore 48623 Singapore JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350 Client Service: 852 3551 3077 Marie Diron MD - Sovereign Risk Sub-Sovereign Group JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350 Client Service: 852 3551 3077 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd. 50 Raffles Place #23-06 Singapore Land Tower Singapore 48623 Singapore JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350 Client Service: 852 3551 3077

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An Illinois woman has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for the tortuous murder of her five-year-old son.

JoAnn Cunningham, 37, pleaded guilty last year to killing AJ Freund.

Cunningham, who has been diagnosed with 'significant personality dysfunction' and has a long history of drug abuse, never detailed the circumstances surrounding the child's death.

But AJ's father, Drew Freund, 61, told authorities that Cunningham engaged in 'some hitting' and the boy was placed in a cold shower until he would admit the truth about hiding his soiled underwear.

Scroll down for video

JoAnn Cunningham, pictured in court on Friday, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison

AJ Freund, five, was killed by his parents in Crystal Lake, Illinois, in April 2019

Freund described watching Cunningham question AJ in the shower as 'she was like taking the spray nozzle thing and putting it like right in his face. Sometimes lose his balance and fall in the tub'.

Cunningham awoke Freund at 3am on April 15, 2019, to tell him AJ, who had been sent to bed earlier, was not breathing.

The couple searched for information on child CPR on Freund's phone and, after realizing AJ was dead, Freund told Cunningham he would 'handle it,' placing AJ's body in a plastic tote in the basement and burying him days later.

Freund called 911 early April 18, 2019, to report AJ missing.

Drew Freund, the boy's father, described how Cunningham had caused AJ's death

After a frantic six-day search, his battered remains were unearthed from a shallow grave about seven miles from his home in Woodstock.

Cunningham, pictured at the time of her arrest last spring by Illinois police

Cunningham pleaded for help finding the boy the day after he was reported missing.

Freund was also charged with first-degree murder, has pleaded not guilty. He is due in court at the end of the month.

Sentencing Cunningham on Friday, Judge Robert Wilbrandt told her that her actions were 'inhumane, repulsive and, frankly, shocking.'

He said she lied, cheated and manipulated her way through life while 'terrorizing her small son.'

A forensic pathologist who conducted the child's autopsy described fatal head injuries and cuts and bruises across his entire body and limbs.

Tributes to murdered 5-year-old boy AJ Freund outside his family home in Crystal Lake, Illinois

AJ, five, suffered a painful death at the hands of his mother in April 2019

AJ inhaled his own blood before his painful death and had small, circular marks on his forehead consistent with the pattern of a detachable shower head.

'It's a pretty bad case,' testified Dr Mark Witeck, who estimated he has conducted some 7,000 autopsies throughout his career.

'Not the worse one I've seen but very bad.'

Cunningham was known to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services long before AJ's fatal beating, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The case became emblematic of the systemic failures of the social services.

A 2019 review by the paper found evidence of 10 hotline calls since 2012 regarding her care of children  including her firstborn son and a foster son she raised for a short time  from police, hospital staff, neighbors and even her own mother.

Four of the 10 calls were before AJ was born.

Cunningham, with her attorney George Killis, pleaded on April 19, 2019 for help finding him

'It was a horrible death, preceded by a horrible life,' said Judge Wilbrandt.

He added: 'Ms Cunningham was responsible for that life and now she must be responsible for his death.'

The judge spared her the maximum 60 year sentence.

AJ's family said they were disappointed at the sentence.

'We know that whatever the punishment, it will not ease the loss and pain we feel,' the statement said.

'AJ was an innocent, precious little boy whose life was taken from him after he endured, what we now know, was much pain and suffering.

'We had expected JoAnn would pay for that by spending her natural life in prison.'

Cunningham has two other sons, 20 and 5, and a nearly 14-month-old daughter.

'I've always felt abandoned, unloved, insignificant, forgotten and rejected,' Cunningham told the judge on Thursday.

'I've been mentally and physically abused, all without a single moment of encouragement, which slowly drained my heart of joy and peace.'

She tearfully described herself as someone who was viewed as a throwaway in society or an outcast, spending her life on 'autopilot, hanging on by a thread.'

'Nobody will ever understand unless they've walked in my shoes or know the torment I've suffered,' she said.

'And I will try to rise above human scorn and judgment. I never thought of my own well-being and even if I did, I couldn't help myself. I was mentally unavailable even to myself.

'Unfortunately, I managed to dispel my anxiety, depression and pain with drugs.'

Of the son she murdered, stopping short of apologizing, Cunningham said she loves and misses him. The mother said she is working to be a better person.

'I want my children to be proud of me,' she said.
Moscow Court Upholds Space Agency Aide's Pretrial Detention In High Treason Case

By RFE/RL's Russian Service July 16, 2020

MOSCOW -- The Moscow City Court has upheld the two-month pretrial detention of former journalist Ivan Safronov, currently an aide to the chief of Russia's Roskosmos space agency, who is charged with high treason.

One of Safronov's lawyers, Danila Nikiforov, was ordered at the July 16 hearing to leave the courtroom after he refused to sign documents obliging him not to reveal details of the case's materials.

Safronov's other lawyer, Ivan Pavlov, told MBKh Media news that the Federal Security Service for the first time provided him with case materials that contain what investigators called classified information.

Safronov, who has worked since May as an adviser to Roskosmos head Dmitry Rogozin, is a prominent journalist who covered the military-industrial complex for the newspapers Kommersant and Vedomosti.

He was arrested on July 7 amid allegations that he had passed secret information to the Czech Republic in 2017 about Russian arms sales in the Middle East.

Safronov has rejected the accusations and many of his supporters have held pickets in Moscow and other cities demanding his release.

Human rights organizations have issued statements demanding Safronov's release and expressing concerns over an intensifying crackdown on dissent in Russia.

The chairman of the Union of Journalists of Russia, Vladimir Solovyov, said on July 13 that his organization will "continue to closely monitor Safronov's case."

With reporting by MBKh Media

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/moscow-court- upholds-space-agency-aide-s-pretrial-detention-in -high-treason-case/30730555.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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Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour has applauded moves by Interpol to arrest and prosecute Samuel Adam Foster, also known as Adam Mahama for his alleged role in the Airbus bribery scandal.

Rev. Ntim Fordjour in February 2020 called for a parliamentary inquiry into the airbus scandal to uncover the identities of the Government Official 1 and Intermediary 5, who were named as the local accomplices in the international saga.

Rev. Ntim Fordjour made the request in a statement he read on the Floor of the Parliament urging the House to lift the veil on the said officials whose identity still remained a mystery.

According to the Assin South MP, such an inquiry remains the only true way of putting the matter to rest.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Ntim Fordjour said the move by Interpol is an important step in fighting corruption, adding that it also justifies his calls for a probe into the matter.

I must say that this action is a very important and creditable step in the fight against corruption and justifying the calls that I earlier made that the Parliament of Ghana as an institution ought to show more interest in the persons so named in the judicial pronouncement; Intermediary 1, Government official 1 and such other people that were mentioned. We recall that this was a matter that brought international embarrassment in no mean scale to the name of Ghana as a country together with five other countries that were named in the scandal. This was a scandal that warranted the confession of Airbus and they conceded to the issues raised and actually accepted to pay a fine of three billion dollars, and this is not a fine that can be downplayed.

On January 31, Ghana was cited as one of five countries in which global aerospace group, Airbus SE, allegedly bribed or promised payments to senior officials in exchange for business favours between 2009 and 2015, according to the UK's Serious Fraud Office.

This led to a record 3 billion in settlement by Airbus with France, the United Kingdom and the United States to avoid corporate criminal charges.

The Assin South legislator also argued that the investigation and prosecution or otherwise of the suspects involved in the scandal will go a long way to absolve the name of Ghana.

We must be interested in exonerating the name of Ghana and the only way to exonerate the name of Ghana is to investigate and probe. We have to unravel this charade, and once we are able to unravel the people behind these nomenclatures and the roles, they played in the entire scandal then a court of competent jurisdiction can look into the matter. If the court acquits and discharges them of any wrongdoing then the name of Ghana will be purged from this international embarrassment. And if they are found to be complicit and prosecuted, it will be a very good step in giving credence in the collective fight against corruption.

President Akufo-Addo had earlier referred the Airbus bribery scandal to the Office of the Special Prosecutor for investigations.

These investigations were expected to be conducted in collaboration with UK authorities, according to a statement from the presidency.

In addition to Ghana, the company allegedly paid bribes to officials in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Taiwan within the same period.

The UK's Serious Fraud Office, however, in its statement of fact did not name the individual Ghanaian officials nor the Airbus agents involved in the crime because investigations were still ongoing.

Interpol issue Red Alert

Adam Mahama is being charged with accepting a bribe to influence a public officer and acting in collaboration with a public officer for the public officer's private profit.

Following an arrest warrant approved by a Circuit Court in Accra, the Interpol subsequently placed a Red Alert for the capture and possible extradition of Mr. Adam Mahama.

If arrested and prosecuted, Mr. Mahama could be facing a jail term of about 25 years.

---citinewsroom
Outspoken Member of Parliament for the Ningo Prampram constituency, Hon. Sam Dzata George has descended heavily on the country's Special Prosecutor, Mr. Martin Amidu, referring to him as a "lazy Special Prosecutor".

Speaking on the Interpol red alert notice via zoom on today's Good Morning Show on TV3, the Member of Parliament accused the Special Prosecutor of mishandling the airbus saga which involves Samuel Adam Mahama who is said to be a relative to former president John Dramani Mahama.

Sam George refuted claims that Samuel Adam Mahama is on Interpol red alert saying it is never true and that Samuel Adam Mahama has done nothing wrong, a reason he said is why the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in the UK has not invited him [Samuel Mahama] for questioning since the case came to spotlight.

The MP further revealed that it was Martin Amidu gave legal advise and signed some documents for the purchase of the aircraft when he was Attorney General in the Mahama administration. He added that if anyone should be held responsible; it should then be Martin Amidu whom he also indirectly described on the show as an old grey hair man without wisdom.

Sam George also indicated that a letter which was written and sent to the Serious Fraud Office of the UK by the Special Prosecutor was not replied nor acknowledged by the SFO as they see the letter to be lacking integrity.

Further, Hon. Sam George pointed at Deputy Minister for Defense, Major (Rtd) Derrick Oduro as one of the persons to be held responsible for the corruption that surrounds the acquisition of the military aircraft

According to the MP, Maj. Oduro was part of a team that certified the aircraft's acquisition in 2011.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The local government of Manila is planning to set up a second free drive-thru testing site in Quirino Grandstand.

Lanes will be designated for four-wheel vehicles, tricycles, pedicabs as well as motorized and non-motorized vehicles, Mayor Francisco Isko Moreno" Domagoso said in a statement on Friday.

Residents and non-residents may get tested, provided they present a valid I.D., the LGU said.

Their test results will be sent to them via text messages, it added.

Moreno in a later statement announced that the testing center will have a "soft launch" Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. before officially opening on Monday.

The city launched its first free drive thru testing center at the Andres Bonifacio Monument beside Manila City Hall on Wednesday. It is open from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Domagoso said that the two sites could accommodate up to 900 individuals a day.

The mayor added he is looking for extra funds to expand the testing capacity of Manila.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jul. 17, 2020 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 17, 2020 | 12:13 PM | PADUCAH

A missing teenager was found Wednesday and a Florida man was arrested after a local man realized his debit card information had been used at several area businesses.



A man told Paducah Police on July 10 that someone had made purchases on the south side of town, totaling over $1,500. He discovered the charges after a July 9 call made to the him by someone claiming to be from his bank, saying charges to his account had been made in California. The caller reportedly knew the victim's phone number, address and the last four digits of his debit card, but when the caller asked to confirm the PIN number, the man refused to provide it.



Employees at the Kroger store notified police Wednesday afternoon when the suspect came into the store again, and an officer found him at the nearby Post Office. The suspect was identified as 31-year-old Pierce F. Davis of Miami, and police learned he was wanted on arrest warrants in Georgia and Virginia. Pierce was arrested.



A 17-year-old-girl was in Pierce's vehicle, and she had been reported missing from Florida. She was detained and is awaiting transportation back to Florida. The girl told police she had sexual contact with Pierce while they were in Paducah.



Police detectives say they found approximately 20 fake credit or debit cards, and an instrument used to make fraudulent cards.



Davis was taken to McCracken County Jail, where he faces charges of fraudulent use of a credit card between $500 and $10,000, third-degree rape, third-degree sexual abuse, and on two counts of being a fugitive from another state. Police say the investigation is continuing and more charges are possible.
NDO - Politburo member and permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong, on July 14, sent a message to Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China, to offer sympathy over the great loss of human lives and property caused by heavy rains and serious floods in many localities in China.
Aerochine Aviation, a portfolio company of Dragon General Aviation Group, sold its leading China MRO business Zhenjiang Aerochine Aviation Limited to Bell Textron.

The acquisition enables Bell to directly provide MRO services to all operational models, including Bell 505, Bell 407, Bell 429, Bell 412 and legacy models, to operators in China.

In celebrating Aerochines 10-year anniversary as a Bell Independent Representative, the sale of the MRO operation is a vote of confidence in, and recognition of, the companys contribution to the China market. We will continue to work alongside Bell to serve our customers, said Diana Chou, Founder & Chairman of Aerochine. Founded in 2016, the Aerochine Zhenjiang MRO was as part 145 company certified by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). In November of that year, the company was appointed as an authorized customer service center (CSF) by Bell. Zhenjiang Aerochine was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aerochine Aviation Limited. In 2009, Aerochine was appointed as an authorized Independent Representative of Bell in China.

"Bell is known worldwide for its industry leading support and services, and this milestone will enhance our award-winning customer service in China," said Michael Reagan, Director of Bell Support & Services - International. "The growing fleet in China warrants an in-house Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) MRO center, so we decided to further increase our investment in China."

About Aerochine Aviation

http://www.aerochine.com/

Aerochine Aviation is the official representative of Bell for Greater China. With full support from Bell, Aerochine offers state-of-the-art helicopters to cater for commercial, EMS, homeland security and offshore oil and gas operations and provide world-class customer services, spare parts, maintenance, repairs and financing.

About Dragon General Aviation Group

http://www.dga.group

Dragon General Aviation Group (DGA) is an exceptional model of general aviation expertise and performance. For 20 years, DGA has been at the forefront of the general aviation industry in Greater China; and offers a track-record of experience and partnerships that is unequalled in the region. This growth has been built on a foundation of astute entrepreneurship, sound business values and enduring business networks.

DGAs reputation extends beyond the Greater China region. Leading international companies such as Bombardier Inc. and Bell have sought our service solutions to help them develop their businesses in China, Hong Kong and Macau, while Asian government bodies regularly seek DGAs counsel on general aviation issues.

Through DGAs offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Ningbo, the company offers end-to-end solutions that include private aviation consultancy, acquisition, resales, jet chartering, helicopter acquisition and maintenance service. DGAs private aviation expertise is significant and covers the full range of aircraft; from private jets to turboprops and helicopters.
The National Assembly is reviewing plans to get death benefits for the families of healthcare workers who die from COVID-19 in the line of duty, a lawmaker has said.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) on Thursday, Tanko Sununu, the Chairman, House of Representatives committee on health services said lawmakers were looking into what kind of compensation to be given to families of health workers who lost their lives trying to save others.

We are not unmindful of our health workers in the front line who paid the ultimate price. This is why we are working out a plan to compensate their families, Mr Sununu said.

Health workers have watched several of their colleagues die while treating people suffering from COVID-19, a rare strain of coronavirus that has killed more than half a million people globally.

The lack of personal protection equipment (PPE)  the gowns, gloves, masks, and aprons  prompted protests among different cadres of the health workforce who are questioning governments inability to provide the much-needed protection that could have saved lives.

Resident doctors, certified doctors undergoing residency to become consultants, had downed tools in protest over unpaid salaries and a dearth of PPE. JOHESU, a body of other health workers other than doctors have also threatened strike over similar demands.

The government had promised frontline health workers life insurance but this promise has not been kept, according to the president of the National Association of Residents Doctors (NARD), Aliyu Sokomba.

Doctors in Lagos, Nigerias coronavirus epicentre, are currently on strike over unpaid wages.

Health workers, being the first respondents to patients, have continued to be at risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

Lacking the equipment needed to keep staff and residents safe as well as being unable to maintain social distancing, nearly a 1000 health workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in Nigeria. Scores have died.

Hospitals are increasingly becoming unwilling to admit patients for fear of being contaminated.

Compensation

During Thursdays courtesy visit, the lawmaker explained the compensation plans of the National Assembly for the families of deceased health workers.

A committee has been set up. We will call for a public hearing where the strategy and method to be used in disbursing the compensations will be agreed on.

The families of the deceased will be located and we must ensure the money reaches them, he said.

Mr Sununu also asked all Nigerian health workers to consider millions of lives being put at risk when they down tools.

He said the House of Representatives has set up a committee to interface in all pending issues concerning the payment and welfare of health workers.

Mr Sununu, a gynecologist, said the committees primary responsibility is to ensure that all demands of health workers are met.

Receiving the lawmaker and his entourage, JOHESU national president, Josiah Biobelemoye, said the union is hoping that all pending issues and disagreements are settled through the intervention of the National Assembly.
British Airways, the world's largest operator of Boeing 747, said late Thursday it would retire its entire jumbo jet fleet with immediate effect due to the downturn in travel industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Global curbs imposed to stem the spread of the virus led to a turbulence in air travel, placing the future of many airline companies in doubt.

"It is unlikely our magnificent 'queen of the skies' will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again," the company said in a statement. British Airways, which is owned by International Consolidated Airlines Group, added that it will operate more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as its new A350s and 787s and expects such aircraft to help in achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

A wave of restructuring triggered by the virus outbreak is hitting airlines and industrial firms across the world. The Sun reported last month that British Airways had reached an agreement with its pilots to sack 350 and another 300 in 'pool' for rehiring when needed.

The majority of pilots being 'pooled' were expected to be the jumbo jet first officers, according to the report. Boeing Co's 747, a plane that democratized global air travel in the 1970s but fell behind modern twin-engine aircraft, marked its 50-year flying anniversary in February 2019.

The US-based aerospace company and its suppliers signalled the end of the plane, when they set the final number of parts it would need for the 747 jumbo jet program at least a year ago. However, the decision was left in limbo for years amid falling orders and pricing pressure.

Also read: Cost-cutting is necessary: Aviation minister on Air India's leave without pay plan
Real Madrid fans listen to the recommendations and don't go to Cibeles Real Madrid - La Liga A heavy police presence

The goddess Cibeles was practically alone as Real Madrid won their 34th LaLiga Santander title.

This is because Real Madrid asked their supporters to not celebrate the title on the city's streets, something they fulfilled almost to the letter.

Instead, the horns began to sound as hundreds of vehicles drove past Cibeles, but there were hardly any fans around the fountain where Real Madrid usually celebrate their titles.

Both the authorities and Los Blancos recommended not celebrating the LaLiga Santander title in order to avoid contagion due to the threat of COVID-19.

The strong security measures in the surroundings prevented some who were going with the intention of celebrating from approaching the area.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

World-first research by Monash University in Australia has been able to detect positive COVID-19 cases using blood samples in about 20 minutes, and identify whether someone has contracted the virus.

In a discovery that could advance the worldwide effort to limit the community spread of COVID-19 through robust contact tracing, researchers were able to identify recent COVID-19 cases using 25 microlitres of plasma from blood samples.

The research team, led by BioPRIA and Monash University's Chemical Engineering Department, including researchers from the ARC Center of Excellence in Convergent BioNano Science and Technology (CBNS), developed a simple agglutination assayan analysis to determine the presence and amount of a substance in bloodto detect the presence of antibodies raised in response to the SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Positive COVID-19 cases caused an agglutination or a clustering of red blood cells, which was easily identifiable to the naked eye. Researchers were able to retrieve positive or negative readings in about 20 minutes.

While the current swab / PCR tests are used to identify people who are currently positive with COVID-19, the agglutination assay can determine whether someone had been recently infected once the infection is resolvedand could potentially be used to detect antibodies raised in response to vaccination to aid clinical trials.

Using a simple lab setup, this discovery could see medical practitioners across the world testing up to 200 blood samples an hour. At some hospitals with high-grade diagnostic machines, more than 700 blood samples could be tested hourlyabout 16,800 each day.

Study findings could help high-risk countries with population screening, case identification, contact tracing, confirming vaccine efficacy during clinical trials, and vaccine distribution.

This world-first research was published today (Friday 17 July 2020) in the prestigious journal ACS Sensors.

A patent for the innovation has been filed and researchers are seeking commercial and government support to upscale production.

Dr. Simon Corrie, Professor Gil Garnier and Professor Mark Banaszak Holl (BioPRIA and Chemical Engineering, Monash University), and Associate Professor Timothy Scott (BioPRIA, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University) led the study, with initial funding provided by the Chemical Engineering Department and the Monash Center to Impact Anti-microbial Resistance.

Dr. Corrie, Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at Monash University and Chief Investigator in the CBNS, said the findings were exciting for governments and health care teams across the world in the race to stop the spread of COVID-19. He said this practice has the potential to become upscaled immediately for serological testing.

"Detection of antibodies in patient plasma or serum involves pipetting a mixture of reagent red blood cells (RRBCs) and antibody-containing serum/plasma onto a gel card containing separation media, incubating the card for 5-15 minutes, and using a centrifuge to separate agglutinated cells from free cells," Dr. Corrie said.

"This simple assay, based on commonly used blood typing infrastructure and already manufactured at scale, can be rolled out rapidly across Australia and beyond. This test can be used in any lab that has blood typing infrastructure, which is extremely common across the world."

Researchers collaborated with clinicians at Monash Health to collect blood samples from people recently infected with COVID-19, as well as samples from healthy individuals sourced before the pandemic emerged.

Tests on 10 clinical blood samples involved incubating patient plasma or serum with red blood cells previously coated with short peptides representing pieces of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

If the patient sample contained antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, these antibodies would bind to peptides and result in aggregation of the red blood cells. Researchers then used gel cards to separate aggregated cells from free cells, in order to see a line of aggregated cells indicating a positive response. In negative samples, no aggregates in the gel cards were observed.

"We found that by producing bioconjugates of anti-D-IgG and peptides from SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and immobilizing these to RRBCs, selective agglutination in gel cards was observed in the plasma collected from patients recently infected with SARS-CoV-2 in comparison to healthy plasma and negative controls," Professor Gil Garnier, Director of BioPRIA, said.

"Importantly, negative control reactions involving either SARS-CoV-2-negative samples, or RRBCs and SARS-CoV-2-positive samples without bioconjugates, all revealed no agglutination behavior."

Professor Banaszak Holl, Head of Chemical Engineering at Monash University, commended the work of talented Ph.D. students in BioPRIA and Chemical Engineering who paused their projects to help deliver this game changing COVID-19 test.

"This simple, rapid, and easily scalable approach has immediate application in SARS-CoV-2 serological testing, and is a useful platform for assay development beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. We are indebted to the work of our Ph.D. students in bringing this to life," Professor Banaszak Holl said.

"Funding is required in order to perform full clinical evaluation across many samples and sites. With commercial support, we can begin to manufacture and roll out this assay to the communities that need it. This can take as little as six months depending on the support we receive."

COVID-19 has caused a worldwide viral pandemic, contributing to nearly 600,000 deaths and more than 13.8 million cases reported internationally. Australia has reported 10,810 cases and 113 deaths, as of July 17, 2020.

Explore further Small study suggests COVID-19 antibody test shows promise

More information: Diana Alves et al. Rapid Gel Card Agglutination Assays for Serological Analysis Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Humans, ACS Sensors (2020). Journal information: ACS Sensors Diana Alves et al. Rapid Gel Card Agglutination Assays for Serological Analysis Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Humans,(2020). DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c01050
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
A new coronavirus cluster emerged in a western Sydney shopping centre on Friday, hours after NSW announced tougher restrictions on gatherings at restaurants, weddings and funerals.

A worker and two customers at the Thai Rock restaurant, at Stockland Mall in Wetherill Park, have tested positive to COVID-19. The cluster has not yet been genomically linked to the outbreak at the Crossroads Hotel at Casula, from which 42 people have contracted the virus.

The cluster emerged after Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a tranche of restrictions on gatherings, including a new 150-person limit at weddings, while funerals and church services will be capped at 100 people.

The measures, which will be effective from next Friday, will also include an extension on the 10-person limit on group bookings at pubs, announced earlier this week, to restaurants, cafes and bars.
Yale pharmacology professor Barbara Ehrlich and her team have uncovered a mechanism driving a rare, lethal disease called Wolfram Syndrome and also a potential treatment. Their findings appear in the July 6 edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Wolfram Syndrome -- a progressive degenerative disease that affects about one in 500,000 people worldwide -- is characterized by the onset of diabetes in childhood, and, in teen years, psychiatric symptoms, loss of vision, deafness, and incontinence. Most patients die in their 30s. There are no treatments.

The new study confirms that calcium inside the body's cells play a key role, and proposes a potential treatment involving two existing drugs.

Specifically, Ehrlich's team confirmed that when the protein Wolframin is lost in cells in the pancreas -- the organ that produces insulin, which regulates blood sugar -- "calcium signaling goes awry," Ehrlich said. This, the team found, results in reduced cell viability and lower insulin secretion, which, in turn, triggers the debilitating symptoms of the disease.

The researchers tested a number of compounds for their effectiveness in restoring calcium signaling and improving cell functions, and found two drugs that worked -- ibudilast and a calpain inhibitor. Ibudilast has been approved for nearly 20 years to treat asthma in South Korea and Japan. It is now being tested in a number of clinical trials in the U.S., including for possible treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and, in a trial underway at Yale, for COVID-19.

Some 99% of the body's calcium can be found in the bones and teeth. The other 1% -- found in solution inside cells and bodily fluids -- supports a variety of critical biological functions, said Ehrlich. It is this latter form of calcium that her lab has scrutinized in relation to Wolfram Syndrome. This fluid-based calcium is necessary for muscle contraction, nerve function, and insulin secretion, she said.

Calcium is a signaling molecule. It will signal, for instance, when insulin should be secreted." Barbara Ehrlich, Pharmacology Professor, Yale University

Calcium signaling, in turn, is regulated by calcium-binding proteins, including neuronal calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1), a protein Ehrlich's lab has studied for the past 20 years. When a research group from Europe proposed that NCS-1 was involved in Wolfram Syndrome pathology, Ehrlich started investigating the disease.

"The first step was to better understand what the protein Wolframin does," said Tom T. Fischer, a medical student from Germany working in Ehrlich's lab. "In our cell model that is lacking Wolframin, we measured intracellular calcium and found that calcium signaling as well as calcium-dependent cell functions, particularly insulin secretion and cell viability, were disrupted."

They then tested a number of drug compounds and found that ibudilast and the calpain inhibitor restored intracellular calcium and cell functions, Fischer said.

With support from the Blavantik Fund for Innovation at Yale, Ehrlich's team will begin a mouse study within the next six months to further confirm the effectiveness of the drugs in correcting calcium signaling and preventing the progression of Wolfram Syndrome. If the results of the animal study show promise, the researchers said, they could move quickly into human trials.

Although Wolfram Syndrome is a rare disease caused by genetic mutations in a single gene, it is tied to a number of other diseases that could be viable targets for this treatment, including diabetes and bipolar disorder, the researchers said.

"Some people with bipolar disorder also have mutations in Wolframin," Ehrlich said. "This might be one of the first genetically identified mood disorders -- and we will definitely be exploring this more."
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov had a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif on July 17, 2020, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend.

During the telephone conversation, Zarif congratulated Bayramov on his appointment as the minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and wished him every success in his activities.

The ministers exchanged views on a number of issues on the agenda of the bilateral relations based on strong historical and cultural roots.

Stressing the importance of ensuring peace and security in the region, Bayramov briefed his counterpart on the military provocation committed by the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Tovuz district along the Azerbaijan-Armenia border and the current escalated situation in the region.

It was emphasized that only the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the return of IDPs to their homes can ensure the lasting peace, security, and prosperity in the region.

Bayramov thanked Iran for its position on supporting the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

In turn, Zarif stressed that his country is always ready to provide assistance in achieving progress towards the resolution of the conflict.
MTN Nigeria Plc has recently confirmed that they have been given a green light by the Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC) to begin trial for their ingrained SIM services on the Network.

MTN Chiefs Transformation Officer, Bayo Adekanmbi, gave confirmation to the recent development, during a media launch of the e-SIM, he said the the SIM, would be available only to specific number of persons; people with adaptable devices for that matter.

The SIM which would work for a one year period, will be issued to few early lucky customers that will be around when it will be launched.

According to the Officer, the e-SIM boosts, and is embedded with features never been seen before in the telecommunication industry, features such as creating variety of profiles, coupled with the ability of adding several numbers to one e-SIM at a go.

Officer Adekanmbi further disclosed that the SIM would eventually turn out to be of great assistance mostly to individuals who prefers owning their personal lines for businesses, as well as possess different profiles on the SIM. Trial and Tourists alike would also benefit from it; as it will allow them the opportunity to keep a local subscription when next they visit the Country.

The e-SIM, unlike other regular ones used in mobile phones, are built into devices and allows for an easy and flexible use of the Network, he said.

In same development, the Company has advised intending users of the SIM that the process of registrating a regular SIM is further applicable and synonymous to registration done before using an e-SIM.

The Chief Operating Officer of MTN Nigeria, Mazen Mroue further stated that the Company is working as rapid as it can to get through the trial stages, so Nigerians can finally benefit from the services offered by the SIM.
Thursday night's finale of "Labor of Love" had all the hallmarks of a reality dating show: The lead introduces her two finalists to her family, she says a tear-filled goodbye to the runner-up and she has the joy of telling her finalist that she's picking him. They kiss. Happy music swells.

After the "it's you!" reveal, the Fox show splits from the usual script: The happy couple heads straight to the lead's fertility specialist. This was to be expected in the rare show in the genre where the protagonist was a woman in her 40s looking for a partner who was ready to have children.

"That was literally at 3 a.m.," Kristy Katzmann, 41, recalls in an interview of the show's final scene, where her fertility specialist tells her and Kyle Klinger, 38, to start trying for a baby the old-fashioned way. "This is really good preparation for motherhood," Katzmann told herself while filming that scene at the end of a very long day.

Katzmann and Klinger dated for a few months after the show wrapped in April 2019. But shortly after she moved from Chicago to Austin to give their relationship a shot, "it became really clear we weren't compatible," Katzmann says. "We have different personalities and different timelines."

Katzmann and Klinger did not freeze embryos together, so they've avoided getting into a Sofia Vergara-Nick Loeb scuffle over who gets custody of their joint genetic material. "I would never go down that road if I wasn't sure about the relationship," Katzmann says of her decision after the show to retrieve more eggs that would be fertilized later, rather than create embryos with Klinger right away.

While Katzmann says she was "certainly disappointed that I didn't get the love story that I wanted, I really loved the story that I am having," that of becoming a mother on her own. She's found that taking a break from dating to focus on getting pregnant through in vitro fertilization removes the pressure of looking for love while on a tight timeline.

After looking at donors whose genetic testing aligned with hers, she says she had a gut feeling when she landed on "the one." "It's kind of the same as when we're dating ... you're going to choose the person that you have that 'it' factor with," she says.

"I thought as soon as I decided I was ready, I would get pregnant," Katzmann says, later realizing it can take many tries over a long period. Her first round of IVF didn't take and her second try has been delayed because of covid-19. She's in the process of moving from Austin back to Chicago, so that she has a larger support system around her as she prepares to become a single mother. "I'm going into this next round feeling more supported," she says.

In the meantime, her Instagram account has been flooded with direct messages and comments from women telling their own stories of how they became mothers or have struggled to get there.

"You almost should be starting these things before you think you're ready," Katzmann says, adding that she hopes her televised quest to get pregnant will help women and couples dealing with infertility talk about it more.

In the meantime, this is the first time in her life she hasn't cared about dating - and she finds that freedom incredibly refreshing. "My mind and heart is somewhere else right now," Katzmann says. "I'm really focused on motherhood."
Born in Sacramento in 1974, Adrian Tomine has gone from the boy wonder of mini-comics (per Daniel Clowes) to master of the form, and for the past 20 years his books have moved from strength to strength. His seductively clean line makes for instantly romantic images  think of his iconic New Yorker cover depicting two cuties sitting in passing subway cars who spot each other clutching the same book.

But the key to Tomines fiction is the rage and fragility beneath the pristine compositions. In his 2007 graphic novel Shortcomings, race becomes a live wire, as its antihero, a Gen-X Japanese-American slacker in Berkeley, utterly loses his cool in a stew of interracial dating and infidelities. The book begins with the skewering of an Asian-American film festival, and the bad vibes only get worse (and funnier) from there. Its a controlled mess of a classic, from the titles micropenis innuendo to its final silent panels: a crystalline snapshot of Asian-American identity in the aughts. Perversely, the six impeccable, at times brutal stories in his next major fiction, Killing and Dying (2015), avoid such charged cross-cultural material  indeed, the one inarguably Asian character (who narrates the enigmatic Translated, From the Japanese) is never seen.

THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG-DISTANCE CARTOONIST (Drawn + Quarterly, 168 pp., $29.95) finds Tomine in the gentler autobiographical mode of 2011s Scenes From an Impending Marriage, in which he transforms into an unexpected Groomzilla. Constructed in a loose, appealingly humble style on a Moleskine-like grid, the 26 vignettes here trace a lifetime of neuroses and humiliations, from Fresno, 1982, to Brooklyn, 2018, blurring the line between character trait and occupational hazard. In The Sbarro Incident, he goes from being the star of a popular book event to a friendless schlub sitting alone at a pizzeria, as attendees gawk through the window at him. At the Javits Center for Book Expo in 2015, hes heartened  that in this day and age, this many people still care about books and authors!  only to have his Q&A session interrupted by Khloe Kardashian fans cheering for her tome Strong Looks Better Naked.
Pinnacle West Capital Corporations PNW focus on expanding its renewable capacity along with its systematic investments positions it well to benefit from the economic improvement in its service territories.



The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2020 earnings is pegged at $4.80 per share, indicating growth of 0.63% from the year-ago reported figure. Also, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2020 revenues stands at $3.52 billion, suggesting 1.49% growth from the prior-year reported number. Additionally, long-term (three-five years) earnings growth of the company is pegged at 5.18%.



In the past three months, shares of the company have inched up 0.8% against the industrys decline of 7.3%.





Whats Driving the Stock?



Pinnacle Wests investments in clean power generation, and transmission & distribution lines will help it serve customers efficiently. Improving economic conditions in its service territories are also driving demand.



The company projects capital expenditures of $1,331 million, $1,650 million and $1,725 million for 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. It expects to invest heavily in infrastructure upgrades to cater to its expanding customer base with responsibility and better efficiency.



Apart from growing its utility infrastructure, Pinnacle West continues to focus on enhancing its renewable strength. As of Mar 31, 2020, the companys existing and planned renewable resources amounted to 1,951 megawatt (MW), which includes solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and biogas. Of this portfolio, energies worth 1,864 MW are currently in operation while the same worth 87 MW is under construction. The company plans to invest $1.66 billion in clean generation during the 2020-2022 time period.



Headwinds



However, its progress could be hindered by fluctuations in commodity prices, stringent environmental regulations and unplanned outages in nuclear generation facilities.



Zacks Rank & Key Picks



The company currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A few better-ranked electric utilities are Korea Electric Power Corporation KEP, NextEra Energy NEE and Fortis Inc. FTS, all carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Korea Electric Powers 2020 earnings has moved 31.4% north in the past 60 days. The companys long-term (three-five years) earnings growth rate is pegged at 5%.



NextEra Energy delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 2.39%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has moved 0.4% up in the past 60 days.



Fortis came up with an earnings surprise of 6.28%, on average, in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2020 earnings has been revised 1% upward in the past 60 days.



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Zacks Investment Research
Good entrepreneurs need to have courage to thrive, but courage is becoming increasingly difficult to come by. Between a global recession and an accelerating pandemic, the deck can seem more stacked against you than ever.

Theres no easy way to overcome your fears as an entrepreneur, but reading is one of the best places to start. Countless innovators before you have faced down challenges of their own, and hearing their stories is a great way to start forming your own. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Create and Orchestrate: The Path to Claiming Your Creative Power from an Unlikely Entrepreneur by Marcus Whitney

If Marcus Whitney can go from a college dropout without a place to call home to one of Nashvilles most exciting entrepreneurs in just two decades, theres nothing stopping you from forging a path entirely your own. Create and Orchestrate tells Whitneys incredible story and offers some of his invaluable insights, ensuring that everyone who reads it walks away with a deeper understanding of how to make their dreams a reality.

2. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown

As a businessperson, being risk-averse can seem like an asset. Daring Greatly not only proves this wrong, but it also shows how leaning into your vulnerabilities can make you a greater entrepreneur along the way. Brene Browns research has shown the power that vulnerability can have in a professional environment, and this book can help you see how to turn your anxieties into assets.

Related: There Is No Success Without Risk

3. Fireproof: A Five-Step Model to Take Your Law Firm from Unpredictable to Wildly Profitable by Mike Morse with John Nachazel

Lawyers are intelligent, accomplished and highly educated, but few are trained in how to run an actual business. When Mike Morse decided to open his own law firm, he quickly learned that theres much more to running a company than he had imagined. Fireproof is an account of everything Morse learned during his journey, a fantastic showcase of how taking that leap may not be easy, but the results are almost always worth it.

4. Invisible Marketing: A Hidden Tool for Connecting with Consumers through Licensing by Jeff Lotman

For business leaders, nothing is scarier than the idea of handing off the brand youve created to someone else, but Jeff Lotman shows in his new book that doing so might just be the secret to growth. Invisible Marketing is dedicated to exploring the art of brand licensing and how letting others spread word about your company can be as liberating as it is terrifying.

5. Breaking the Code: Five Steps to a Life-Changing Software Development Job by Bobby Davis Jr.

More people than ever are leaving their old sectors behind and starting anew in the world of tech. While doing so can offer the possibility of big returns down the line, its never easy to carve out a niche in a new market. Breaking the Code is Bobby Davis Jr.s how-to guide for landing big professional opportunities once youve decided that tech is for you. Having the skills is one thing, but being able to do something with them is another, and this book ensures youll be able to break into your chosen market more easily.

6. Broken, Bankrupt, and Dying: How to Solve the Great American Healthcare Rip-off by Brad Spellberg

Healthcare is consistently a top issue for all Americans, yet no one can seem to agree on what the fix is. Brad Spellbergs book is one of the most lucid and comprehensive looks yet at whats gone wrong with our countrys healthcare and what our next steps should be. Broken, Bankrupt, and Dying is far from an easy read, but its a powerful marker of just how much courage its going to take to fix a system so dilapidated.

Related: Why Your Next Startup Should Focus on Healthcare

7. Dont Be a Stranger: Create Your Own Luck in Business through Strategic Relationship Building by Lawrence R. Perkins

As frustrating as it can be, the old adage is as true as ever: In business, its not what you know; its who you know. Creating a powerful network is the first step to forging your own path in business, and Dont Be a Stranger can help you know how. Lawrence R. Perkins has compressed a whole careers worth of wisdom into a single book, and entrepreneurs looking to take the next step cant afford to ignore it.

Entrepreneurs who are ready to make big leaps in their careers need to be fully prepared before they do so. Preparation is a key part of courage. Reading a few of these books may not guarantee success, but theyll show you exactly what it looks like.

Related:

Master the WILO Model for Enrolling High-Paying Clients

The 10 Commandments of Podcasting

5 Must-Have Resources for Anyone Looking to Make Money Online



Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 17, 2020 | 05:13 PM | PADUCAH

Officers with the Paducah Police Department performed a traffic stop on a vehicle Friday morning. According to officers, 48-year-old Byrone Keith Burns was arrested as a result of the stop due to indictment warrants charging him with trafficking in synthetic drugs.





At the time of his arrest, Burns was reportedly in possession of six grams of synthetic drugs. Detectives obtained a search warrant for his home on Atkins Avenue. After a search of the property, officers reportedly found 5.22 pounds of synthetic marijuana spread out on baking sheets to dry, along with plastic bags, a digital scale, and a handgun which was allegedly reported stolen from Mississippi. Burns has multiple prior felony convictions and is not allowed to own a handgun.





Officers claim the synthetic marijuana was emitting a strong chemical smell, and the house was evacuated. According to officers, there was a 10-year-old living in the home as well, and the mother said the smell was making her sick.





Burns was lodged in the McCracken County Jail.





He is being charged with trafficking in synthetic drugs, endangering the welfare of a minor, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and receiving stolen property. He was also charged on indictment warrants charging him with trafficking in synthetic drugs (first offense), and two counts of trafficking in synthetic drugs (second offense).

A Paducah man is facing numerous charges after a traffic stop.
A Co Down pensioner, inspired by the incredible fundraising achievements of Captain Sir Tom Moore, has completed her own challenge of walking 1,000 paces a day for Macmillan Cancer Support in time for her 95th birthday.

In April Maureen Lightbody set herself the epic target of striding a 'Roman mile' every day around the playing fields near her Groomsport home until she turned 95 on Friday.

Her efforts have raised over 17,000 so far for Macmillan, a charity close to her heart.

Maureen lost her husband George to cancer over 30 years ago and has known many others who have had a cancer experience in their lives.

She wanted to show solidarity with Captain Sir Tom after learning of his efforts raising almost 33m for healthcare staff battling Covid-19.

Like the war veteran, Maureen played her own part in World War Two.

At the age of 18, she was a visual signaller with the Wrens, helping to dispatch American ships from Belfast Lough en route to the Normandy beaches.

Maureen says that she would love "to give everyone a hug" for their donations and encouragement since she started her challenge.

"I've been spurred on by every kindness and I'm so glad that I've been able to raise so much for Macmillan at a time when charities really need our help," she said.

Maureen even received a birthday video message from Captain Tom's family to mark her special day on Friday.

"He gave me the idea and confidence to set my goal so it means a lot," she added.

Despite completing her challenge, Maureen says she is still planning to keep walking each day as it's had such a positive impact on her health.

Macmillan area fundraising manager for NI Tania Bailie said Maureen's energy, enthusiasm and spirit was "inspirational".

Donate online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/maureenlightbody.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co.s power equipment ignited the Kincade Fire that ravaged part of Sonoma County in October, scorching tens of thousands of acres and destroying 374 buildings, state authorities announced Thursday.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a brief statement that PG&E transmission lines northeast of Geyserville were responsible for the blaze, which prompted massive evacuations and an intense firefight to protect Wine Country communities from destruction.

Cal Fire said it has forwarded its investigative report to the Sonoma County district attorneys office. The agency noted that tinder dry vegetation and strong winds combined with low humidity and warm temperatures contributed to extreme rates of fire spread.

Nearly 78,000 acres burned in the Kincade Fire and four people experienced injuries that were not life-threatening. About 200,000 people fled the fire.

PG&E said it appreciates the heroic efforts of first responders who battled the Kincade Fire and prevented anyone from dying. The company said it was aware of Cal Fires announcement but had not been able to review the agencys report or the evidence it collected.

We look forward to reviewing both at the appropriate time, PG&E said. We want our customers and communities to know that safety is our most important responsibility and that we are working hard every day to reduce wildfire risk throughout our service area.

PG&E previously estimated that the Kincade Fire could cost it more than $600 million, an amount the company said is at the lower end of possible losses.

Cal Fires announcement comes a little more than two weeks after PG&E emerged from bankruptcy protection. The utility and parent PG&E Corp. filed for bankruptcy in January 2019 because of their responsibility for a series of other blazes, including the October 2017 firestorm that tore through parts of Sonoma County and nearby areas.

Survivors of the Kincade Fire are not among those who will share in a projected $13.5 billion fire victims trust created as part of the bankruptcy.

PG&E power lines have long been the likeliest cause of the Kincade Fire because the company said while the flames were still burning that one of its high-voltage power lines malfunctioned right about the time and place the incident began.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

The fire started the same month that PG&E implemented a historic series of intentional blackouts designed to prevent its power lines from starting catastrophic wildfires during dry, fast winds  as they did in 2015, 2017 and 2018. When the Kincade Fire broke out on the night of Oct. 23, PG&E had turned off lower-voltage lines in the area but kept a system of heavy-duty 230,000-volt wires energized.

The Kincade Fire marks the second time in recent years that PG&Es high-voltage transmission lines have been implicated in a major wildfire. In November 2018, a hook supporting a 115,000-volt PG&E transmission tower broke and led to the Camp Fire, which nearly leveled the Butte County town of Paradise. PG&E just pleaded guilty to 85 felony counts over its responsibility for the disaster.

Former PG&E CEO Bill Johnson discussed the companys likely role in the Kincade Fire when he was questioned by a 2017 Santa Rosa wildfire survivor at a regulatory hearing in late February. At the time, Johnson said that PG&E cannot stop all problems with its electrical equipment and sometimes things just break. He noted that the tower at the fires origin point had been inspected several times in recent years by qualified workers who determined that it was fit for purpose.

J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris
While the first season of Love Island may have aired in Australia back in 2018, the hit reality show has only just made its way onto British TV screens.

And in an interview with 9Now on Friday, former Love Island Australia stars Josh Moss and Amelia Plummer spoke about how they've been received by British audiences.

The couple - who first met on the show and are still together two years later - said they'd received 'a lot of love' from the UK.

Winning new fans: Former Love Island Australia stars Josh Moss and Amelia Plummer spoke about how they've been received by British TV audiences

'I've received less than one per cent of hate. I've had a lot of support, a lot of love, a lot of people getting behind Amelia and I,' said Josh, 27.

'Because when we were on there [when the show aired in Australia] we did cop a little bit of hate and love as well.'

Amelia, 25, added that Australian audiences seemed skeptical about whether she and Josh were actually a 'genuine' couple.

Positive experience: The couple - who first met on the show and are still together two years later - said they'd received 'a lot of love' from the UK

'From the Australian audience there was a lot of questioning about us. There was a lot of "oh are they actually genuine"' she explained.

'The UK, I haven't seen anyone question us at all or my authenticity. In Australia when it was airing, everyone was questioning.'

She added: 'But it's been really nice. Everyone has been really supportive, but there's definitely a difference.'

'I've received less than one per cent of hate. I've had a lot of support, a lot of love, a lot of people getting behind Amelia and I,' said Josh

Josh thought one major difference between the Australian and British audiences was that the show's Aussie fans were more 'caught up with the big drama'.

Instead, he said British audiences chose to focus on 'the positives in the relationships and the humour'.

The couple regularly feature on each other's Instagram pages, with Josh labelling Amelia his 'favourite human' in a post on Thursday.
N aga Munchetty has called out a troll who described her as that Asian bird.

The BBC Breakfast presenter, 45, responded to a message on Twitter which also criticised her on-air outfit choices.

I never understand why Charlie has to wear a formal business suit and that Asian bird seems to be able to wear whatever the hell she wants? a Twitter user named Paul wrote.

Munchetty simply answered with an exasperated Oh Paul.

Replying to another, now-deleted message, apparently also sent by a social media user named Paul, Munchetty provided three suggestions to improve his Twitter account.

1. Add a picture of yourself to your Twitter profile, she wrote. 3. Ill leave you to guess this one.

Munchettys comebacks were met with support from her Twitter followers, who praised her professional demeanour and fantastic interviewing style.

I was just thinking this morning - and actually every morning you are on that a) you do a fantastic job when you are presenting and especially when interviewing (Alok Sharma today prime example!) and b) you always look amazing, one follower wrote.

Another added: Naga, you have amazing style! I love seeing what you wear in the morning, especially your shoes! Just ignore the man who isnt brave enough to have a photo on his profile! You rock!

Earlier this year, Munchetty was applauded for her takedown of a troll who criticised her choice of footwear.

After a Twitter user questioned why she feel[s] the need to wear high-heeled shoes like these on a BBC TV breakfast news programme, she immediately hit back with Because I want to.
Pubs have been given a week to clean up their act and adhere to coronavirus rules or risk being shut down.

New South Wales Customer Services Minister, Victor Dominello, has written to every operator to ensure they comply with the strict safety measures, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Venues have been warned they need to fall in line with COVID-19 restrictions including customer limits and caps on group bookings by Monday or face closure.

Pubs across New South Wales (Crossroads Hotel in Casula pictured) have been given a week to adhere to coronavirus regulations or risk a $5000 fine and temporary shut-downs

Customer Services Minister Victor Dominello (pictured) sent a letter to every pub stating they need to fill out a COVID-19 safety plan by Thursday or be shut down for a week

'Businesses need to take this COVID pandemic seriously and if they can't do this then they should not be in business,' Mr Dominello's letter says.

The warning comes after Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Tuesday that pubs must limit patron numbers to 300 and restrict group bookings to 10 people.

Venues must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan, enforce contact tracing, space out tables and have hand sanitiser at all times as part of the current Public Health Order.

Only half of the state's pubs have completed a coronavirus safety plan and registered as 'COVID-safe'.

'In addition, businesses that have not registered by Monday 20 July, will be the target of the first batch of inspections as part of our state-wide general compliance regime,' Mr Dominello said in the letter.

The letter warned pubs that had not completed a coronavirus safety plan by close of business on Monday would be hit with a $5000 fine.

Venues that were not registered as 'COVID-safe' by COB on Thursday would be shut down for a week and those still unregistered by July 27 would be closed for a month.

Some of the areas and venues within Sydney that have been identified as potential coronavirus hotspots. Anyone who has visited these places are urged to get tested

Coronavirus compliance inspections and testing in south-west Sydney (pictured) will be ramped up to fight a growing COVID-19 cluster

The NSW Government is also implementing tighter rules in high risk venues like restaurants, funerals and weddings.

People at weddings and corporate events will need to remain seated.

'No dancing, no singing, no mingling,' NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

It will step up restaurant and cafe inspections in the emerging COVID-19 cluster area of southwest Sydney to battle against a second wave of coronavirus.

A Plus Fitness 24/7 gym in Campbelltown was temporarily closed for deep cleaning on Wednesday night after an infected member visited the gym on July 11.

Plus Fitness 24/7 in Campbelltown has been forced to temporarily close after one of its members tested positive to COVID-19

The further infection followed seven new COVID-19 cases being linked to the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, bringing the total cases associated with the pub cluster to at least 40.

NSW Health reported 10 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday from almost 23,000 tests, with six cases locally acquired.

An additional four cases after the 8pm deadline have been connected to the hotel including a child of a known case, a man in his 30s who was a contact of a known case, a male patron in his 80s and a teen who attended Hurricane Grill in Brighton-Le-Sands with a known case.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said another case confirmed after 8pm on Wednesday involved a NSW man who on July 12 returned to Ballina from Melbourne on Jetstar flight JQ466, with passengers on that flight being contact traced.

New South Wales Health is urging anyone who attended the Crossroads Hotel between Friday, July 3 and Friday, July 10 to immediately self-isolate for 14 days.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:38:57|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A series of Senior Officials' Meetings (SOM) on East Asia cooperation, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-China, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK) SOM, the East Asia Summit (EAS) SOM, and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) SOM, will be held via video link from July 20 and 21, and Chinese vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui will attend the above meetings, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Friday.

Spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press briefing that currently, regional countries in East Asia are all at a critical stage in fighting COVID-19 and resuming development. China is willing to work with all parties to coordinate epidemic control and economic development, build political consensus, and promote practical cooperation via these meetings.

"The SOMs will prepare for the series of the leaders' meetings and foreign ministers' meetings on East Asia cooperation, which will be held in the second half of this year," Hua said.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious impact to people's safety and health, as well as to the socio-economic development of the world, the spokesperson said, adding that against this adverse situation, regional countries have joined hands in combating COVID-19 under the East Asia regional cooperation mechanisms.

"The special summit of ASEAN, China, Japan and ROK (ASEAN Plus Three countries or 10+3), and the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting have demonstrated our will and determination to overcome difficulties with concerted efforts," she said.

"These countries have set an example of jointly fighting against COVID-19," she said.

These regional countries have made remarkable achievements in mutually providing material assistance, sharing experience and technology, promoting joint construction of "fast lanes" for personnel exchanges and "green channels" for cargo transportation, and keeping the supply and industrial chains stable, she said.

She said the first half of this year has witnessed a growth in China's imports and exports with ASEAN. The total trade volume between China and ASEAN has grown by 5.6 percent, and ASEAN has emerged as China's largest trading partner, while China has been ASEAN's biggest trading partner for 11 consecutive years. Enditem
NHS to get 3bn extra funding to protect against possible second wave of Covid-19

The NHS will get an extra 3 billion in funding to prepare for a possible second wave of coronavirus, Boris Johnson is set to announce.

In the wake of a dire warning of the consequences of Covid-19 rebounding, Number 10 said the funding will allow extra hospital capacity and routine treatments and procedures to continue.

The Prime Minister will also use a Downing Street press conference later to commit to a new target of reaching the capacity for 500,000 coronavirus tests a day by November.

The funding for the NHS in England will allow private hospital capacity to be used and for Nightingale hospitals to be maintained until the end of March.

British Airways retires entire fleet of Boeing jumbo jets

British Airways has announced it is retiring its entire Boeing jumbo jet fleet with immediate effect.

The move is due to the downturn in travel industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the airline said last night.

Global curbs imposed to stem the spread of the virus led to a turbulence in air travel, placing the future of many airline companies in doubt.

BA is the world's largest operator of the Boeing 747.

130 Twitter accounts targeted in major bitcoin scam

Hackers targeted about 130 Twitter accounts this week in an attack which saw the profiles of many US celebrities and politicians compromised.

The FBI has launched an investigation after hackers hijacked the accounts of the likes of Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Barack Obama and Joe Biden as part of the bitcoin scam.

"The accounts appear to have been compromised in order to perpetuate cryptocurrency fraud," said the FBI as it launched the probe.

Trump's niece Mary says she's heard him use n-word and anti-Semitic slurs

Donald Trumps niece Mary has said that she's heard her uncle use the n-word and anti-Semitic slurs.

She said the president is clearly racist". Asked on Thursday if she had heard the president use racist slurs, specifically the n-word, she replied: Yes.

The White House called Mary's allegations a book of falsehoods. It added: The president doesn't use those words.

She is the author of a scathing new book about her family, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the Worlds Most Dangerous Man.

It hit the shelves on Tuesday and became an instant bestseller.

Netflix boosts global subscriptions by more than 10 million amid coronavirus pandemic

Netflix boosted its total number of global subscriptions by more than 10 million in the last quarter amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The streaming giant has now seen the number of paid memberships it receives grow by 26 million in the first half this year, according to a company letter to shareholders.

The figure is nearly on a par with the 28 million that were added throughout the whole of 2019 and the company has exceeded its targets.

On this day...

1453: The Hundred Years War ended when the French defeated the English at Castillon.

1717: George I, Hanoverian King of England, held a public concert on the Thames for Handel to conduct his hour-long Water Music. The King enjoyed it so much he asked for two complete encores.

1841: The first issue of the magazine Punch was published in London.

1917: The British Royal Family adopted the name House of Windsor in place of House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

1945: The Potsdam Conference began with world leaders Truman, Stalin and Churchill planning for the future peace at the end of the Second World War.

1955: Walt Disney's Disneyland was opened in California.

1969: Oh Calcutta!, the sex revue devised by theatre critic Kenneth Tynan, opened in New York. Critic Clive Barnes said the show gave pornography a dirty name.

1975: An international space link-up between US astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts took place when they crossed over from their docked spacecraft and shook hands 140 miles above Britain's south coast.
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The global Radar Sensor Market is anticipated to reach USD 44.4 billion by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the non-imaging radar sensor segment accounted for the highest Radar Sensor market share in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global Radar Sensor market revenue in 2017

.

The growing military expenditure in countries such as China, U.S, and others have resulted in radar sensor market growth. The advancements in technologies and increasing need for national security would further lead to radar sensor market growth. Increasing demand for high range and enhanced radar accuracy, along with stringent security regulations supplement the growth of radar sensors market. Growing adoption of radar sensors in developing nations provide growth opportunities for the market.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/radar-sensor-market/request-for-sample

Features of radar sensors such as increased discrimination accuracy, enhanced sustainability, greater detection ranges and high reliability are propelling the growth of global radar sensor market. Furthermore, viewing the real-time data with the help of Radar through interfaces such as internet is opportunistic for the market expansion. Increasing cases of road accidents and stringent vehicle safety regulations supplement the market growth. Increasing development of self-driving and autonomous vehicles provide growth opportunities for radar sensor industry.

North America generated the highest Radar Sensor market share in terms of revenue in 2018, and is expected to lead the global Radar Sensor industry throughout the forecast period. The adoption of radar sensors is expected to increase significantly in this region owing to increasing need to offer safety and security. The increasing demand for surveillance and border monitoring also drives the radar sensor market across various countries. Market players in the global radar sensor industry are introducing highly efficient and low-cost radar sensors to cater to the growing consumer needs. These market players are also integrating advanced technologies to improve the radar systems to cater to wider audiences. Increasing safety concerns, growing military expenditure, and development of autonomous vehicles are factors encouraging market players to launch efficient radar sensors across the globe.

Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/radar-sensor-market

Leading global players are expanding their presence in developing nations of India, China, and Japan to tap the growth opportunities offered by these countries. For instance Continental AG, a German automotive manufacturer company on November 2017 incorporated their extensive, long standing expertise in vehicle surrounding sensors into fifth generation of short and long range radar sensors. This resulted in more accurate detection of smaller objects such as a lost spare wheel or an exhaust that has fallen off. Long range radar, has maximum range of 300 m and an opening angle of 60 depending on required performance. The series production of the same will start in 2019.

The well-known companies profiled in the Radar Sensor market report include Delphi Automotive LLP, Autoliv Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Continental AG, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Denso Corporation, Infineon Technologies AG, Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., and Smart Microwave Sensors GmbH. These companies launch new products and collaborate with other market leaders to innovate and launch new products to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers.

Check for discount: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/radar-sensor-market/request-for-discount-pricing

About Polaris Market Research

Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world.

Contact us-

Polaris Market Research

Phone: 1-646-568-9980

Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com

Web: www.polarismarketresearch.com
View of St Petersburg - Peter Kovalev/TASS

The Kremlin was cock-a-hoop. Vaccine trials for coronavirus, funded by Russia's sovereign wealth fund, had gone so well at two separate institutions that Vladimir Putin could look forward to announcing the world's first approved vaccine for the virus by the end of the year.

Kirill Dmitriev, the chief executive of the powerful Russian Direct Investment Fund, a close ally of President Putin, announced at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday that advanced Phase III trials would begin next month, with a plan to produce 30 million doses of coronavirus vaccine by December.

Lucrative manufacturing deals had been signed with five other countries to produce a further 170 million doses, said Mr Dmitriev.

Almost 2,000 miles away in London, just as Russia was boasting of its breakthrough, intelligence agencies in the UK were painting a different picture, announcing that they had uncovered a plot by "Russian actors" that has targeted coronavirus vaccine development in the UK, the US and Canada.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a branch of GCHQ, said it had found evidence that a cyber hacking group  Advanced Persistent Threat 29 (APT29), better known in the cyber sphere as Cozy Bear  had attempted to steal vaccine secrets being developed in the UK at both the University of Oxford and Imperial College London.

Cozy Bear is run by Russian intelligence agencies, either the SVR (equivalent to MI6) or the domestic FSB (formerly the KGB).

The prize is clear, because any country that produces a coronavirus vaccine first will have a huge advantage in getting their economy fully functioning before any other.

APT 29 had also tried to hack into vaccine research centres in the US and Canada, and on Thursday, the three allied countries decided they had had enough and chose to call out the Russians.

Intelligence agencies were guarded about the success of the attacks, which have been launched regularly since the centres first started trying to find a vaccine.

Story continues

"We condemn these despicable attacks against those doing vital work to combat the coronavirus pandemic," said Paul Chichester, NCSC Director of Operations, in a rare intervention in the normally secret world in which the intelligence agencies operate.

A source said: "APT29's campaign of malicious activity is ongoing, predominantly against government, diplomatic, think tank, healthcare and energy targets to steal valuable intellectual property."

Hackers launched 'sophisticated' attacks

The NCSC gave a large amount of detail, even releasing the "digital fingerprints" of the tools used by the Cozy Bear hackers in an attempt to help institutions update their cyber defences to protect themselves against similar attacks.

That information, released on Thursday, included the IP addresses of servers used by the Russian hackers to control their software, as well as other snippets of code which cybersecurity experts can use to update their networks to automatically scan for and remove the malware.

Experts said the attacks were sophisticated, reliant on funding from Russian intelligence to develop Cozy Bear's cyber weaponry. Cozy Bear had developed two new forms of malicious software  WellMess and WellMail  which allowed them to silently search for research data and funnel it out of the university computer systems without raising alarms.

WellMess acts as a portal to smuggle out stolen documents, while WellMail sends hackers information on the username of whoever is logged in to a computer.

The software had never publicly been named or examined until the disclosure of the coronavirus hacking attempts.

Whitehall sources said there was "nothing audacious" about the attacks. In stark contrast to the Kremlin-sanctioned, attempted assassination in Salisbury of Sergei Skripal using military-grade nerve agent, the hackers have been operating from the safety of Russian soil.

"This is a classic Russian modus operandi of trying to steal our intellectual property," said a Whitehall security source. This graph shows how it can work.

Group declared Russian intelligence offshoot

Reports have suggested the Cozy Bear hackers work from office blocks in St Petersburg and Moscow, as well as universities.

The Putin regime has for years recruited thousands of promising young computer programmers who could use their expertise for hacking into computer systems in other countries, and on Thursday, investigators working within GCHQ, NCSC and MI5 were confident enough to declare for the first time that Cozy Bear is an offshoot of Russian intelligence.

The hackers strike by testing vulnerable systems and finding weak points. They can send out so-called "spear phishing" emails which impersonate someone the target already knows, such as their manager or a university IT administrator.

According to experts, these fake emails tricked targets into logging on to websites which appear to be legitimate university web pages but are actually cleverly designed fakes.

When university researchers logged on to the fake pages, they handed their usernames and passwords to Russian hackers.

The hackers also frequently scanned the internet in search of any stolen passwords and saved up a large database of stolen credentials in case they ever became useful for future hacking campaigns.

British vaccine experts knew of cyber threat

It is not as though Oxford wasn't aware of the threat. The vaccine research is being carried out at the state of the art Jenner Institute, on the edge of Oxford and a couple of miles from the historic university centre.

Last month, Professor Adrian Hill, the director of the Jenner Institute and the co-leader of the Oxford vaccine project, told The Telegraph that his team were regularly targeted by "nuisance people" sending so-called "phishing" emails.

The NCSC, he said, was helping the university defend its research from cyber attackers.

"You know, there are serious IT people who are giving us a huge amount of priority," he said. "We treat it very carefully.

Guards had been placed at entrances to the building. "I guess they're stopping anyone who might want to break in and steal the vaccine, which we could take as a compliment, I suppose," he said. "But the main issue is data security. We take it extremely seriously."

Hack 'may have changed the course of US presidential election'

Cozy Bear has spent years honing its skills, and has become particularly adept at breaking into organisations in search of classified information.

It first came to public attention when hackers broke into an American research organisation and planted what appeared to be an innocent-looking video of monkeys wearing shirts and ties. But when amused employees shared the video, in the background the file spread malware inside networks that gave hackers access to secret files.

Cozy Bear hacked into the US Democratic National Committee alongside a rival Russian group, Fancy Bear, in 2016

In 2014, the Dutch secret services pulled off an audacious intelligence coup by hacking into the security camera system used in a Moscow university building that housed members of Cozy Bear. Dutch spies watched them plan an attack on a US government network which was subsequently thwarted.

It didn't stop the group and, in 2016, Cozy Bear hacked into the US Democratic National Committee alongside a rival Russian group, Fancy Bear. The hack may have changed the course of the US presidential election. After that, Cozy Bear went quiet for a couple of years before targeting Eastern European countries.

It is unclear whether the attempts to steal vaccine secrets were successful. There are currently two rival research teams developing coronavirus vaccines in Russia  one at the Gamalei National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology and another at the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University.

Sechenov is backed by the Russian health ministry, while vaccine trials at the Gamalei Institute are funded by Russia's sovereign wealth fund. The Gamalei Institute, it should be stressed, is a reputable research centre.

Russia has denied responsibility. "We do not have information about who may have hacked into pharmaceutical companies and research centres in Great Britain," said Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Putin.

"We can say one thing  Russia has nothing at all to do with these attempts."
As the coronavirus pandemic tears through Brazil, researchers and pharmaceutical companies are turning to the South American giant in search of a vaccine.(CNN) 

Brazil, where the number of cases has now surpassed 2 million, is one of a small handful of sites for testing experimental coronavirus vaccines. It offers an unusual and appealing mix for research: a skyrocketing rate of transmission, as well as internationally respected research centers and a public health system experienced in creating and distributing vaccines.

According to the World Health Organization, as of July 14, 163 Covid-19 vaccines were being developed around the world, and 23 of them had started clinical trials involving humans. But only two have reached Phase 3  the last scientific stage before approval to be marketed  which requires large-scale trials with thousands of individuals to assess the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.

Both Phase 3 trials will include Brazil and are scheduled to involve at least 14,000 Brazilians. Advanced talks are also underway to launch three more vaccine trials in the country, according to Brazilian institutes consulted by CNN.

Why test in Brazil?

While Brazil's president, Jair Bolsonaro, has repeatedly downplayed the virus as a "little flu" and been criticized by experts for his unwillingness to implement forceful nationwide containment measures, the vaccine research being carried out now inside Brazil's borders could prove to be a global game changer as the northern hemisphere braces for a possible second wave in the winter.

Julio Barbosa, a 42-year-old nursing technician who has already lost five colleagues to the coronavirus, has volunteered to participate in one of the mass vaccination trials, conducted by Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. The Phase 3 trial will involve 50,000 volunteers worldwide.

After taking the shot, Barbosa says he had a low-grade fever and mild muscular pain which disappeared the next morning. In the trial, involving mostly health workers, half of the volunteers are receiving the trial Covid-19 vaccine and half are receiving a meningitis vaccine, which can provoke similar symptoms.

"This vaccine has to come out soon so we can have a break at the hospital. I haven't stopped working in the last four months," he told CNN after receiving a shot at a medical warehouse erected in Sao Paulo for the trial.

Chinese biotech company Sinovac is also beginning a Phase 3 trial in Brazil, in collaboration with Brazil's Butantan Institute in Sao Paulo. Its CoronaVac trial vaccine uses inactivated virus cells to stimulate an immune response in patients. The tests will begin next Monday with 9,000 volunteers in five Brazilian states plus the capital.

Like the Oxford vaccine, CoronaVac will be given mostly to health professionals. Ricardo Palacios, medical director of research at Butantan, says that the institute is also in "very advanced conversations with two other vaccines under development" and in talks with dozens of pharmaceutical companies about Covid-19 research studies.

"All producers in the world will always look for a place where there is high transmission to attest to the effectiveness of the vaccine. But infection rate is not enough. A country needs to have institutions that work with international scientific, regulatory, and ethical protocols to carry out the tests," Palacios told CNN.

Brazil is just such a place, said Natalia Pasternak, researcher at the vaccine development laboratory of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at Sao Paulos University (USP). She pointed out that Brazil has advanced logistics and manufacturing installations compared to many other countries with rampant Covid-19, such as Mexico.

"It is necessary to go to a country where the disease is circulating strongly and where there are institutes and qualified professionals to carry out the tests. Brazil offers these two crucial factors," she said.

More than 76,000 people have died in Brazil from the coronavirus, and the Pan American Health Organization has warned that case numbers in this nation of 211 million people likely won't peak until mid-August.

Preliminary results from the trials are expected to come out by the end of the year, and should help to shorten the time that vaccines in earlier stages of development will need to be developed.

Guaranteeing Brazilians access to future vaccines

The "number one goal" of Brazil's health system is to have the freedom to produce a vaccine, Interim Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello told Congress last month. "We cannot be left out," he said.

As part of the agreements to host trials, Brazil expects to be able to produce both vaccines at home if they prove effective, rather than buying them abroad -- a crucial benefit for both the country and even its neighbors.

Butantan, which produced 100 million flu vaccines last year, is preparing to produce a similar number of doses for Sinovac's CoronaVac, if that vaccine proves effective.

"To have a pre-existing structure already installed is necessary because Brazil will help to make other vaccine agreements. Latin America has few (vaccine) manufacturing plants. Brazil will need to export the vaccine to other countries after attending its public health system," Palacios, Butantan's medical director, said.

The Biomanguinhos complex in Rio de Janeiro, owned by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, is also preparing to produce 70 million doses of the Oxford vaccine next year, in the hopes that ongoing negotiations between the Brazilian government, Oxford and AstraZeneca will be completed by then.

Meanwhile, the results are yet to come in from the Brazilian government's own experiments with mass distribution of hydroxychloroquine. Medical trials have not proven hydroxychloroquine effective as a coronavirus treatment. Nevertheless, Brazilian mayors, doctors, and medical insurance companies continue to distribute a "Covid kit"  comprised of hydroxychloroquine, the antibiotic azithromycin, anti-parasitic drug ivermectin, zinc, and vitamin C  in cities in the South, Center-West, and Northeast regions of the country. With the exception of conflicting results on hydroxychloroquine, none of these treatments has been shown to help coronavirus, either alone or in combination.

Last week, after his own diagnosis with Covid-19, Bolsonaro released a video in which he praised the unproven drug, swallowing a tablet with a smile on camera. "It is working for one more person. I trust hydroxychloroquine. What about you?" the president said.

More trials and more data in the future

Soon, more Brazilians may soon be recruited as test subjects for other potential coronavirus-related treatments.

The Federal University of Sao Paulo (Unifesp), responsible for carrying out the Oxford vaccine trial that started on June 20 in Brazil, says it will soon announce a joint trial with Italy's Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute, which participated in the development of the European vaccine against Ebola virus.

The Italian institute is currently finishing Phase I testing of its vaccine against Covid-19. As the infection curve declined in Italy, it began looking at hard-hit Brazil as a location for Phase II and III trials, according to Unifesp's dean Soraya Smaili.

"We hope to start it at the end of August. We will see where the infections will be more prominent in the country to make the selection of volunteers, because infections appear to be slowing in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo," Smaili said.

For Barbosa, the nursing technician, developing any successful vaccine in Brazil would feel like a personal victory. "I've been dreaming about this. The first thing I would do is go to a samba and hug my friends. I would even lick the beer that drips on the counter," he said.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Brazil's coronavirus chaos provides a global laboratory for the vaccine race"
Beachfront homes on the state's Central Coast are at significant risk of structural collapse after large and powerful surf smashed the beaches on Thursday.

Police, the State Emergency Service and NSW Fire and Rescue were called to homes on Ocean View Drive in Wamberal on Thursday night following reports of serious beach erosion at the properties.

Erosion due to wild weather at Wamberal Beach on the Central Coast. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

The NSW coast was hit by a low pressure system, with large swells and a high tide damaging the region's beaches and leaving some homes perched dangerously close to collapsing into the ocean.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Bimal Kc said waves at the beach were up to 7.8 metres high.
By Zhang Xiaojun

I cant breathe!

These were the desperate words uttered by Eric Garner with his last breaths in July 2014, and they were repeated by George Floyd in May 2020 before he died.

The recurrence of the scene six years later filled American people with outrage, panic, and despair. When white policemen could impose minutes-long chokehold on black people and turn a deaf ear to their dying pleas, Americans have every reason to worry that they themselves may be the next.

The US that has been trumpeting about human rights has actually had the worst human rights records. It has been almost 60 years since Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream speech, but what arrives today is the continued strangulation of the dream of equality and freedom.

A UN special report pointed out that the number of African Americans killed or abused in the hand of American law enforcement remains appalling, but barely anyone has ever been held accountable. A study by the American Journal of Public Health showed that African males are three times more likely to die from police enforcement than white males. Ibram Kendi, director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, described the US as being in a crisis of white supremacy.

Systemic racism exists not only in law enforcement. It has become a chronic disease in American society. The consequences of racism are just brought to the fore more tragically by the raging COVID-19, which hit African Americans disproportionately hard. The nationwide statistics released by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that by May 13, 22.4% of COVID-19 deaths in the US were African Americans, much higher than their proportion of 12.5% in the population .

Its true that human right is a high-profile value in the US, but its exclusive to the white, the elites, and the capitalist interest groups. Britains The Guardian wrote an article on its website saying that On the Titanic, it was women and children. With COVID-19, it's wealthy and powerful. When confronted why ordinary people couldnt get a chance to be tested, the US president replied with the famous answer perhaps that's been the story of life...

Lives are negligible, but wealthy peoples pocket isnt. More than 2 million infections and 110,000 deaths - the self-claimed beacon of human rights experienced such an immeasurable human rights tragedy because those powerful and wealthy interest groups insist on putting their political and economic interests over peoples lives, thus missing the best window to curb the transmission of the virus. Dan Patrick, lieutenant governor of Texas, said he would rather die than see public health measures damage the US economy, and he believed lots of grandparents across the US would sacrifice themselves for the sake of the economy. Thats how the pandemic has exposed Americas cruel capitalism to the fullest, which has put vulnerable groups like elders, children, ethnic minorities, and the homeless in sheer misery.

A country that would squash its own peoples human rights with capital power would never advocate such rights in the world in good faith. For many years, the US has been using human rights as a weapon to attack other countries and imposing its so-called universal values worldwide. In reality, these actions are nothing but hegemonic infringements on others sovereignty, leaving nothing but war, tears, and blood. Trump tweeted on June 7 that Didnt Powell say that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction? They didnt, but off we went to WAR!

Trumps tweet on social media

The spat within the Republicans was reminiscent of a series of chokeholds around the world - countries like Iraq, Libya, and Syria are lying on the ground, barely breathing, and on their neck is the US, the self-claimed world beacon.

This is the real America, a country that is free on the mouth but selfish at heart, a hegemony cloaked in human rights, and a God believer in name but devil incarnation.
LATEST July 17 6:48 p.m. Santa Rita Jail in Dublin said Friday that more than 100 inmates have now tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.

In their daily update, officials said there are now 101 positive cases among inmates. On Wednesday, the facility reported six coronavirus cases, with 40 added Thursday and 55 added Friday.

July 17, 4:40 p.m. A San Francisco Sheriff's Deputy tested positive for the coronavirus, KTVU and the Sheriff's Office reported Friday. The deputy, who was asymptomatic, was working at the Hall of Justice. He is the seventh person in the sheriff's office to test positive.

July 17, 4 p.m. Santa Clara County released a statement Friday following the governor's announcement that counties must remain off the state's watch list for at least 14 days before schools can reinstate in-person instruction. Santa Clara County, which is currently on the state's watch list, hadn't yet decided whether or not in-person classes would be held in the fall, but released a plan for in-person instruction earlier this month.

Our highest priority is the safety and well-being of students and school staff in our community," said Santa Clara County Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan. "There are elements of distance learning that are extremely challenging, and we will work through these challenges together. We are committed to supporting districts and schools to provide students with multifaceted educational experiences that help them progress academically and keep them engaged while keeping them safe. Teachers and school employees are passionate about students, and I am inspired by their agility and hard work in educating students during this pandemic.

The statement also added that local health officers could grant a waiver for elementary schools should the superintendent request it.

July 17, 3 p.m. Home supply stores Home Depot and Lowe's are following suit with other retailers and implementing a mandatory mask policy for all shoppers. At Lowe's, employees had already been wearing masks, but shoppers nationwide will now also need to do so beginning Monday, July 20.

Throughout this pandemic, our associates have worked tirelessly so customers could get the goods and services they needed for their homes and small businesses," said Lowe's President and CEO Marvin R. Ellison. "For the safety of everyone in our stores, we ask that customers wear masks, and to make this new standard less restrictive, we will make masks available to those who need them.

A similar policy goes into effect two days later, on July 22, at Home Depot stores across the country. Most of its locations, however  about 85%, the company says  had already implemented such a policy.

July 17, 1 p.m. San Francisco is now on the state's coronavirus watch list, Mayor London Breed announced in a press conference Friday. As a result, the city must close malls and non-essential offices Monday, July 20.

July 17, 12:45 p.m. San Francisco Department of Public Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax stated in a virtual press conference Friday that while the state of California experiences a resurgence of the coronavirus, the average age of those hospitalized at the city's Zuckerberg General is just 41 years old.

The revelation, he says, suggests that the virus can seriously affect not just "the elderly and most frail," but also people much younger and healthier.

"Young people, middle-aged people, older people," he said, "we are all at risk for this disease and all at risk of serious consequences."

Read more from SFGATE Editor Alyssa Pereira.

July 17, 11:55 a.m. UC Berkeley told ABC News Thursday that "eight student athletes involved in voluntary workouts have tested positive for COVID-19."

July 17, 11:50 a.m. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to announce at a Friday press briefing that schools in counties on the state watch list open with distance learning, according to the Sacramento Bee. Counties would need to meet strict criteria for schools to offer in-class instruction.

This marks a change in what Newsom has said in the past with the state initially giving school districts the flexibility to reopen on their own timelines in consultation with local public health officials.

Read the full story on SFGATE.

July 17, 11:45 a.m. San Francisco Mayor London Breed said at a Friday press briefing she was tested for COVID-19 a second time and the results were negative.

Breed received her first test at the start of the month and it was also negative.

When the mayor was initially tested she had been told by the director of public health that a person with COVID-19 was at an event she attended and that she may have been exposed, according to NBC Bay Area.

Im really angry, and Im angry that someone would be told they have COVID-19, and be told what to do and to defy that request to not to keep themselves healthy and safe, but to keep people healthy and safe, Breed said. I could have infected somebody unknowingly.

July 17, 11:30 a.m. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) released a statement Thursday saying that states that haven't implemented a mask mandate should not receive federal relief funding.

The senator cited the increases in coronavirus cases in 41 states, including California, for the idea, stating, "it's time for serious action."

"The situation is getting worse daily," she said. "Several states including California, Alabama and Montana already require masks in public. This should be universal. My hope has been that other governors would show the leadership to institute their own mask mandates, but so far that hasnt happened. Its time for Congress to step in. This is a matter of life or death, and partisan politics shouldnt play a role."

Red more from SFGATE Editor Alyssa Pereira.

July 17, 10:15 a.m. After weeks of believing no visitors to Yosemite had been infected with the coronavirus, park administrators discovered "dozens"  about 170 people  had the virus while in the park, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday.

The revelation came by way of testing the park's sewage, a method of testing that can identify the presence of the virus in a person up to a week before nasal swabbing could.

A team at Stanford is now working to analyze the park's wastewater, to "unravel such unknowns as the true scale of infections and how the virus is mutating." Read more here.

July 17, 8:45 a.m. UC Berkeley's student health services detected 25 new cases of coronavirus between July 8 and 14, only a week after a a small outbreak in cases was identified among students and linked to parties within the CalGreek system. In this new batch of cases, officials suspect "maybe half to three quarters" are connected to parties.

University Health Services spokesperson Janet Gilmore said these new cases are "actually good news" as it's a minimal increase after a notable increase in cases occurred at the start of the month.

"The number of new cases has not jumped exponentially, it is actually instead moving in the right direction," Gilmore said in an email. "People that we asked to come in for testing because they were in close contact with someone who tested positive are doing so, they are coming in."

Gilmore added, "We have to remain vigilant, though, and UHS outreach to various student communities regarding COVID19 education has been positive."

Between July 1 and 8, the university detected 47 new cases and found the notable increase was likely tied to fraternity parties.

"The majority of cases involve a series of recent parties and other gatherings connected to the CalGreek system, which included students both within the CalGreek community and others," according to a statement from University Health Services. "Generally these infections were shared at social events where students did not follow basic safety measures such as social distancing, wearing face coverings, limiting event size, and gathering outside. Individuals were mixing with those from other households and some, once infected, brought the virus to their own households, causing secondary infections."

See a full report of cases detected at UC Berkeley here.

Hector Amezcua/Associated Press

July 17, 8 a.m. Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to announce new guidance for the reopening of California schools Friday, with many of the states 1,000 districts just weeks away from returning to school and still undecided on whether to allow students back in classrooms.

(You can watch the governor's noon press conference on Facebook.)

Several school districts have already said their schools will begin the new term virtually, including Los Angeles and San Diego, the states two largest with a combined population of 720,000 K-12 students.

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

San Francisco Unified School District announced this week fall semester classes will begin August 17 via distance learning exclusively.

The news, sent in a letter by Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews, notes that the district eventually hopes to implement a "hybrid approach" to learning. This involves a combination of in-person classroom learning and virtual instruction, but only "when science and data suggest it is safe to do so."

Administrators intend to release a plan detailing ways in which virtual learning can be improved in a meeting with the San Francisco Board of Education on July 28 at 3 p.m. The "most essential details" will be shared with parents the following day.

Oakland, Sacramento, Long Beach, Santa Ana and San Bernardino are among the other districts opting not to immediately return to classrooms.

Some districts are opening with hybrid models. The Palo Alto Unified School District recently approved a plan for distancing learning for high school and middle school students and a return to classrooms for elementary school students. The Alum Rock district in San Jose said 90% of students will continue with online school while 10% will come to class. Students in foster care and with disabilities will be prioritized for on-site school.

The decisions were made amid growing concern by teachers and parents over the state's surge of coronavirus cases and uncertainty surrounding the safety of both students and staff on campuses. The state this week reported its second-highest one day totals in infection rates and deaths since the start of the pandemic and more than 7,200 have died.

State officials have placed at least 31 of California's 58 counties on a watch list because of concerning coronavirus transmission and hospitalization rates. Being on the list puts restrictions on the ability to reopen various segments of the economy.

Earlier this week, Newsom said he had approved new rules on wearing masks, playing sports, singing, busing and keeping our kids safe and furthering our efforts around distance learning. His administration did not immediately make those rules public but his office said Newsom would announce COVID-19 guidance for schools on Friday.

The decision whether to reopen rests with local districts and school boards, but Newsoms administration and the state Department of Education released guidelines in early June for districts to follow when reopening, which include implementing temperature checks for students, remaking activities such as lunch and recess, and recommending cloth face coverings for students and teachers.

Since weve issued our guidance, conditions have changed dramatically, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said during a media briefing Wednesday, adding that he expects more districts will decide to begin the term virtually. In any place where there is uncertainty, we should proceed with caution. In many cases, thats going to be opening in distance learning.

Many small, rural communities argue they shouldnt have to comply with the same rules as big cities where infection rates are higher. Thurmond indicated Wednesday he agreed.

We have some counties in this state where the number of cases is actually quite low, Thurmond said. As long as schools in those counties follow state guidance on hand washing, 6 feet (1.8 meters) of spacing, maintaining physical distance and face coverings, Thurmond said, we believe that those schools can open safely.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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

Coronavirus cases in California are surging: When will the spike end?

SF's health director: Avoid 'hard-to-resist' gatherings

WHEN WILL THE BAY AREA REOPEN?

Gavin Newsom and state officials vs. Bay Area counties: 7 days of confusion

San Francisco Unified to begin fall semester in August with distance learning only

San Francisco releases guidelines for schools
Lucknow, July 17 : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has expressed concern over the economic condition of migrant workers. Apart from this, the government has been asked to pay attention to the cleanliness of the Covid centres.

Mayawati, in tweet on Friday, said: "The victims of the Corona epidemic and the lockdown caused by it have returned to their homes in Uttar Pradesh in a very disastrous state. Now the economic condition of these lakhs of migrant labour families is now very bad and now they are again forced to wander here and there for livelihood, it is a matter of great concern." She further wrote that proper sanitation and maintenance is not being done in most of the government Covid centres set up in UP for prevention of corona disease. In such a situation, they should not become new centres of illness. It would be better if the government pays serious attention to this as well.
21:03

Scientists are dismissing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's hope the country may emerge from coronavirus lockdown and return to normality by Christmas.

Johnson has announced more easing of restrictions, with people urged to return to public transit and workplaces.





He says sports fans should return to stadiums by October and remaining restrictions could be lifted from November, possibly in time for Christmas.





But epidemiologist John Edmunds, a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, says a return to pre-pandemic normality wouldn't be possible until there's a vaccine for the virus.





He says a world where people can "go to work normally, travel on the buses and trains, go on holiday without restrictions, meet friends, shake hands, hug each other and so on -- that's a long way off, unfortunately."





England's Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, also says social distancing rules would have to be in place for a "prolonged period".





Britain has registered more than 45,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, the highest total in Europe
Danut Cirpaci and Toader Perdun leaving the Courthouse in Mallow on Friday. Pic. Provision

A judge who refused to hear the evidence of a motor assessor in a personal injury case said I am not here to amuse insurance companies as he awarded two men damages for mild injuries.

Danut Cirpaci and his uncle Toader Perdun brought personal injury claims after they were involved in an accident in Mallow, Co Cork, on the May bank holiday in 2018.

Mallow Circuit Civil Court heard how Mr Cirpaci and Mr Perdun were previously involved in another road accident in April 2013 and were compensated for injuries suffered.

The incident occurred when the defendant, Jonathan Sweeney, insured by Aviva, was pulling out of a parking space on the Park Road.

Mr Sweeney, who was travelling with his daughter and two sons, was parked in a designated area on the left-hand side of the road and his car was facing the oncoming traffic, the court heard.

In his evidence, he claimed he did not see the vehicle coming towards him, had his indicator on and was only a foot over the yellow line when Mr Cirpaci struck his car.

Mr Cirpaci gave evidence in the court through an interpreter that Mr Sweeney pulled out in front of him as he was travelling around 40 kmh.

He said he suffered pain in his neck for about three months after the accident.

He also claimed that a cyst on his chest was caused to rupture by the seatbelt after the collision.

Counsel for the defence alleged that based on the assessment of forensic investigator Seamus Walsh, Mr Cirpaci had turned his car to the left before the collision and hit Mr Sweeneys car.

The defence also alleged he was driving too fast and that there was ample space to avoid a collision.

Do you think I wanted to hurt myself? Mr Cirpaci said through his interpreter in response.

Mr Cirpaci told the court that Mr Perdun was in the passenger seat and his wife, Maria Cirpaci was in the back seat.

The defendant and his daughter disputed this, claiming there were only two people in the car at the time and that Ms Cirpaci arrived at the scene later.

The court heard that Maria Cirpaci is also bringing an injury claim but was unavailable to give evidence as she is currently in Romania.

Deirdre Keane, for the defence, also asked Mr Cirpaci about another accident he was involved in in October 2017 in Kenmare, Co Kerry, for which he did not bring an injury claim.

Judge Sean O Donnabhain said this crash was irrelevant as he did not bring a claim.

I am not interested in amusing insurance companies, he said.

Mr Perdun said he suffered neck injuries after the accident but felt better about a month later.

Ms Keane questioned why he submitted two PPS numbers when bringing the claim, asking if he had any other aliases or sometimes used his wifes surname. Counsel for the plaintiff said this was a typographical error on behalf of Mr Perduns solicitor and details of his Irish PPS number were provided to the court.

Out of the blue you ask if you have any other aliases, I dont know whats going on here, if you dont prove that, hell get a few bob extra I am not going to be a paper tiger for any insurance company excursion, Judge O Donnabhain said.

He said he was refusing the evidence of assessor Seamus Walsh as it was not relevant.

To say the injuries are mild would be an exaggeration, he said.

He found Mr Sweeney at fault for the accident.

Mr Cirpaci was awarded 2,500 and Mr Perdun 3,000, together with costs.
After a record-breaking fast start to the Atlantic hurricane season with the third, fifth and sixth named storms -- Cristobal, Edouard and Fay, respectively -- becoming the earliest storms by number for the basin, the tropics have been inactive since the demise of Fay last Saturday, July 11. However, it is not uncommon for the tropics to "take a break" during this time of the year in the Atlantic.

The main reason for this is the northward retreat of the jet stream. This prevents cold fronts from moving over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the western Atlantic Ocean. Oftentimes, areas of low pressure can develop along these fronts and foster development of tropical depressions and storms. This is precisely what gave birth to the formation of Tropical Storm Fay earlier this month.

The location of the jet stream farther to the north combined with dry air, dust and wind shear across much of the Atlantic makes for an unfavorable environment for tropical development.

Despite the current lull, there are a few areas that AccuWeather meteorologists are keeping an eye on for potential trouble.

One area of focus is located over the area of the Atlantic Ocean west of Africa. In this part of the world, dozens of disturbances move off of the African continent and travel westward during every hurricane season. While most of these disturbances do not develop, a few can become better organized and some eventually develop into tropical depressions, storms, and even powerful hurricanes.

A few such waves are traversing the central Atlantic Ocean at this time. However, given the extensive hostile conditions, none of these waves are forecast to develop over at least the next few days.

In the Gulf of Mexico, the leftover part of an old complex of thunderstorms was moving westward just offshore of the western Louisiana and southeastern Texas coast on Friday morning. This area, too, did not develop as it began to weaken and move inland.

Story continues

"Proximity to the coast and the disturbance's very weak state did not allow enough time for development before pushing onshore in Texas Friday night," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

While this area of showers and thunderstorms is not forecast to develop into a tropical depression or tropical storm, there is expected to be an increase in the coverage of showers and thunderstorms over the Gulf of Mexico this week. However, there will still be obstacles to overcome for potential tropical development.

"Factors for some slow development are an increase in moisture over the Gulf and the warm water this week," Miller said, with water temperatures in the mid to upper 80s.

Typically, tropical systems develop when water temperatures are at or above 80 degrees.

"But wind shear may be too strong to allow a tropical system to develop and catch on," Miller continued.

The Gulf of Mexico is not a common breeding ground for tropical systems in the middle of July.

"Only four tropical systems have developed during the stretch from July 11 to 20 in the Gulf of Mexico over the last 170 years," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike Doll said.

The next tropical storm that forms in the Atlantic will take the name Gonzalo.

Despite only a very low potential for development in the near future, AccuWeather is still forecasting a busy season, with 14-20 named tropical storms, seven to 11 hurricanes and four to six major hurricanes -- Category 3 or higher.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

An international team of scientists from NUST MISIS, Russian Academy of Science and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf has found that instead of lithium (Li), sodium (Na) "stacked" in a special way can be used for battery production. Sodium batteries would be significantly cheaper and equivalently or even more capacious than existing lithium batteries. The results of the study are published in the journal Nano Energy.

It is hard to overstate the role of lithium-ion batteries in modern life. These batteries are used everywhere: in mobile phones, laptops, cameras, as well as in various types of vehicles and space ships. Li-ion batteries entered the market in 1991, and in 2019, their inventors were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for their revolutionary contribution to the development of technology. At the same time, lithium is an expensive alkaline metal, and its reserves are limited globally. Currently, there is no remotely effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries. Due to the fact that lithium is one of the lightest chemical elements, it is very difficult to replace it to create capacious batteries.

The team of scientists from NUST MISIS, Russian Academy of Science and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, led by Professor Arkadiy Krashennikov, proposes an alternative. They found that if the atoms inside the sample are "stacked" in a certain way, then alkali metals other than lithium also demonstrate high energy intensity. The most promising replacement for lithium is sodium (Na), since a two-layer arrangement of sodium atoms in bigraphen sandwich demonstrates anode capacity comparable to the capacity of a conventional graphite anode in Li-ion batteriesabout 335 mA*h/g against 372 mA*h/g for lithium. However, sodium is much more common than lithium, and therefore cheaper and more easily obtained.

A special way of stacking atoms is actually placing them one above the other. This structure is created by transferring atoms from a piece of metal to the space between two sheets of graphene under high voltage, which simulates the process of charging a battery. In the end, it looks like a sandwich consisting of a layer of carbon, two layers of alkali metal, and another layer of carbon.

Ilya Chepkasov, researcher at NUST MISIS Laboratory of Inorganic Nanomaterials, says, "For a long time, it was believed that lithium atoms in batteries can only be located in one layer, otherwise the system will be unstable. Despite this, recent experiments by our German colleagues have shown that with careful selection of methods, it is possible to create multilayer stable lithium structures between graphene layers. This opens up broad prospects for increasing the capacity of such structures. Therefore, we were interested in studying the possibility of forming multilayer structures with other alkali metals, including sodium, using computer simulation."

Zakhar Popov, senior researcher at NUST MISIS Laboratory of Inorganic Nanomaterials and RAS, says, "Our simulation shows that lithium atoms bind much more strongly to graphene, but increasing the number of layers of lithium leads to less stability. The opposite trend is observed in the case of sodiumas the number of layers of sodium increases, the stability of such structures increases, so we hope that such materials will be obtained in the experiment."

The next step of the research team is to create an experimental sample and study it in the laboratory. This will be handled in Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart, Germany. If successful, it could lead to a new generation of Na batteries that will be significantly cheaper and equivalently or even more capacious than Li-ion batteries.

Explore further Sodium-based batteries could make your smartphone cheaper and cleaner

More information: Ilya V. Chepkasov et al. Alkali metals inside bi-layer graphene and MoS2: Insights from first-principles calculations, Nano Energy (2020). Journal information: Nano Energy Ilya V. Chepkasov et al. Alkali metals inside bi-layer graphene and MoS2: Insights from first-principles calculations,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.104927
Nigara Bakoieva, a 58-year-old formerly stateless woman from the city of Odesa, fought for Ukrainian citizenship for years before finally being granted it this year.  UNHCR/The Tenth of April/MykhailSorochyshyn

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes a new statelessness law in Ukraine which came into effect this week. The law will give thousands of people who lack a nationality a chance to work legally, study and access healthcare among other rights and opportunities, and will ultimately provide a pathway to citizenship, once they are recognized as stateless.

The law, known as the Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Concerning Recognition as a Stateless Person, was signed by the President of Ukraine this week after being adopted by Parliament on 16 June.

The measure is an important step towards ending statelessness in the country.

It formally establishes a Statelessness Determination Procedure which is expected to benefit an estimated 35,000 people in the country who are either stateless or whose nationality is undetermined.

These include people who have been residing in Ukraine for many years many since the dissolution of the former Soviet Union  but have not been able to acquire Ukrainian citizenship or any other nationality due to a lack of documentation or ties to post-Soviet countries.

With the introduction of the procedure, recognized stateless people will now be able to regularize their stay by obtaining temporary residence permits. They will have the right to freedom of movement, to work, and to access education and health services.

Crucially, the law will pave the way for their naturalization as Ukrainian citizens. After five years of permanent residence in Ukraine, people recognized as being stateless will be eligible to apply for naturalization.

The law was drafted by members of Parliament in close collaboration with the State Migration Service, the Ministry of Interior and in consultation with other government entities, experts from civil society and UNHCR.

UNHCR has been advocating for the introduction of a Statelessness Determination Procedure since 2013 when Ukraine acceded to the two UN statelessness treaties - the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

UNHCR stands ready to support authorities in the implementation of the law and has offered its assistance to Ukraines State Migration Service, providing training to key staff in their regional departments as well as to legal practitioners, including from the state-run Free legal Aid Centers. UNHCR will also raise awareness among concerned populations on the possibility to apply for statelessness status.

Worldwide, statelessness blights the lives of millions of people, leaving them without access to basic rights and official recognition. Some 4.2 million stateless people are reported by 76 countries, but UNHCR believes the actual number to be significantly higher.

UNHCR launched a global #IBelong Campaign in 2014 aimed at ending statelessness within a decade. Since then, 95 governments, civil society and international and regional organizations have made commitments to tackle statelessness, a major cause of human rights deprivations for millions of people worldwide.

In addition to supporting the efforts of the Government to address statelessness, UNHCR in Ukraine provides assistance to refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced and other conflict-affected people and supports the search for solutions Almost 1.7 million people have been affected by the conflict including 734,000 who are internally displaced.

UNHCR has been supporting national authorities and civil society in responding to the needs of those displaced, providing legal, material and social assistance, including as part of the Covid-19 response. UNHCR focuses its activities on strengthening their rights and freedoms, improving their living conditions and providing long-term solutions.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
ROBERT FIELDING: ROUTES / ROOTS

Robert Fielding, Echoes #2 (Kapi Pilki Kapi Ilu), 2019 C-type print on lustre paper. Credit:Courtesy of the artist, Mimili Maku Arts and Blackartprojects.

Robert Fielding, Routes / Roots [installation view], 2020. Image courtesy of the artist, Mimili Maku Arts and Blackartprojects. Credit:Theresa Harrison Photography

Robert Fielding traverses time. He melds traditional Indigenous cultural forms with contemporary art practices, where thousands of years of ancestral history are held in tandem with the colonial injustices of the past and present. Practising from Mimili in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia, Fielding shows no formal boundaries: there are low-lit photographs of oil barrels and fire, referencing mining and missions; large, sandblasted sheets of water tank panels adorned in browns and gold; traditional objects forged in bronze cast; and nearby LED sculptures.

Upon entry, there is a mesmerising grid of carved plywood, showing lines of movement that read like infinite trajectories. It is formally exciting. It is also serious. Fielding, with an eye that's poetic and political, interrogates colonial mythology, questioning who owns cultural knowledge and sacred artefacts. Building from research at the South Australian Museum, Fielding recently reconnected with objects taken from the Mimili community since the beginning of colonisation (Mimili was formerly known as the Everard Park cattle station and returned to traditional owners in 1981).
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San Francisco, 17 July 2020: The Report Activated Carbon Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Powdered, Granular), By Application (Liquid, Gas), By End Use (Water Treatment, Air Purification), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025

Activated carbon, also known as activated charcoal, is a porous form of carbon which is made by processing with oxygen. It is in a non-graphite carbon form which is produced from any carbonaceous material such as coconut shell, paddy husk, wood, lignite, coir pith, coal, etc. It is used in refining and bleaching of chemical solutions and vegetable oils, recovery of solvents and other vapors, water purification, recovery of gold, in filters to protect against gases and in gas masks.

Activated carbon is manufactured using chemical activation and steam activation which is a two-step process. The first step includes carbonizing raw material such as coal, peat, coconut shell or any other material; the second step involves activating with the help of oxygen or chemical treatment to develop pores. Products manufactured from lignite, bituminous and anthracite, sub-bituminous, coconut shell charcoal and wood are the key activated carbon products that are used globally. Activated carbon can be classified as powdered carbon, granular carbon and others. Powdered carbon is used for water treatment and mercury removal and is made by chemical activation process. Granular carbon is made by steam activation process and is used in purification of gas.

The activated carbon market is a highly attractive and important one, owing to the following factors:

The implementation of MATS (Mercury and Air Toxic Standard) by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is a major driver for the market as industries will turn to ACI that uses activated carbon.

With provision of purified water to the population a major aim of Governments across the globe, and activated carbon playing a major role in water purification, the market will receive further boost across the globe.

It also finds critical application in vehicles, improving engine performance and reducing hydrocarbon emissions. This is again a major driving factor for the market.

With the focus now being continuously on environmental protection and recovery, the market is expected to make big inroads.

Use of regenerated or reactivated carbon by the industry, which helps in reducing the carbon footprint, again makes it an attractive prospect.

Key opportunities over the next few years include developing market for coal fired plants or for removing mercury from flue gas. The application areas include vapor, gas and liquid treatments such as removal of chlorine and its by-products, medicinal uses, in gas masks and water treatment. Additionally, it is used for decolorizing sweetener and sugar, off gas treatment, production of fine chemicals, deodorization of fruit juices, gold recovery, catalytic process, automotive transistors, etc. Carbons manufactured from coal or coconut shells are used in water filters. Prices of coal differ from country to country, with the U.S. and China deemed to be the most important ones.

Major industry participants include:

Haycarb PLC

CarboTech

Carbon Resources LLC

Cabot Corporation

Calgon Carbon Corporation

Jacobi Carbons

Osaka Gas Chemical Co. Ltd.

Evoqua Water Technologies LLC.

Carbon Activated Corporation

Access Blog of Activated Carbon Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/blog/activated-carbon-market

Recent developments in Activated Carbon Market

In June 2019, Jacobi Carbons, headquartered in Ohio, partnered with Air 2 Public GmbH, a German company, to provide special materials for their technology involving the removal of Nitrous oxide from street air. This poisonous gas would be sent underground to an adsorption tower, where cleaning of the air would take place through use of activated carbon. The system would also be used to remove fine dust.

In May 2019, Carbon Activated Corporation announced a new facility at Mount Hope in West Virginia. Besides setting up operations for air and water purification, this development also resulted in the creation of 55 new jobs.

In September 2018, Kuraray Corporation, based in Japan, announced its acquisition of Calgon Carbon, headquartered in Pennsylvania. With this development, Kuraray would strengthen its focus on human health as well as environment sustainability through innovative products.

In July 2018, Cabot Corporation, based in Boston, Massachusetts, introduced the NORIT CNR 120 extruded activated carbon, a product that focuses on maximum adsorption and desorption of volatile hydrocarbons. Additionally, it enables control of diurnal bleed loss as well as onboard refueling vapor recovery in automotive evaporative loss control devices (ELCD) that are found in gasoline fueled vehicles.

In August 2019, a team of research scientists at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, have announced a new method of containing and cleaning contaminated underwater sediments, which is a sediment cap made of sand, coated in PAC (Powdered Activated Carbon). The discovery will potentially be highly useful for cleaning the Hudson river, which has for decade been a dumping ground for toxic PCBs by companies. The technique has been prototyped and tested.

Access Press Release of Activated Carbon Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-activated-carbon-market
A woman sells stuffed toys through livestreaming in Neiqiu County, Xingtai City, Hebei Province, July 13, 2020. [Xinhua]

Key Meeting Decides Growth Drivers Will Be Fully Harnessed to Support Jobs

China will roll out new policies to boost entrepreneurship and innovation, with a special focus on employment and business startups by college graduates and other key groups, the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang decided on Wednesday.

The meeting urged keeping to the strategy of innovation-driven development and spurring society-wide entrepreneurial activities and innovation to unleash market vitality and people's creativity.

New drivers of growth will be fully harnessed to support jobs and market entities, with a particular focus on the employment of college graduates, rural migrant workers who have returned to their

hometowns and other key population groups.

"Stimulating entrepreneurship and innovation is highly important for providing employment for key groups of people and increasing their income. Competent departments should work out greater support for the employment of college graduates and rural migrant workers," Li said.

A series of measures were adopted at the meeting.

Support for entrepreneurs and innovators will be scaled up. Special funds will be earmarked from central budgetary investment for the development of entrepreneurship and innovation demonstration centers.

Idle factory buildings and underused land will be brought into full play as part of the greater support for key entrepreneurial and innovation projects.

Government-invested incubators will provide a portion of their venues free of charge to college graduates and rural migrant workers.

One-off subsidies may be granted to first-time entrepreneurs returning or moving to the countryside, who have kept their business startups in regular operation for no less than a year.

Enterprises, entrepreneurship and innovation demonstration centers and online platforms will be encouraged to jointly provide training on entrepreneurial skills in nursing, elderly care, domestic services, tourism and e-commerce to help shape the expectations of job seekers and broaden their employment prospects.

"We need to provide proper guidance for college graduates in their expectations for jobs, and encourage them to start their own businesses," Li said.

Financial institutions will be encouraged to provide insurance services for the financial leasing of equipment and entrepreneurial activities.

Restrictions on sectors where insurance funds may be used for financial equity investment will be lifted, and the quota transfer of equity investment and venture capital investment will be piloted in regional equity markets.

The meeting urged stepping up basic research in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, and encouraging teenagers to learn and explore basic theories.

(Source: China Daily)
- Korina Sanchez is undoubtedly one of the most seasoned employees of ABS-CBN

- Despite being a Kapamilya for how many years, she was told that she will be laid off

- The decision was made after the Congress rejected the franchise renewal bid of the media giant

- The Rated K host recently posted about the on-going retrenchment in the Kapamilya network

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Korina Sanchez is reportedly one of the employees of ABS-CBN who will be affected by the on-going retrenchment following the decision of Congress to deny the network another 25-year franchise.

KAMI learned that the media giant sadly announced a few days ago that it will start to lay off employees effective August 31.

Korina Sanchez (Photo from Google Images)

Source: UGC

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As reported by Inquirer.net, the Rated K host is one of the big names who will be removed from the network amid the heavy issues that it is facing.

The said broadcast-journalist stated in an Instagram post that the ABS-CBN family is slowly being torn apart after 70 lawmakers voted to reject the networks franchise renewal bid.

Korina hinted in the post that she has been officially notified already with regards to the decision to decrease the number of employees in the said broadcasting firm.

You're hearing it correctly, so far, I guess. It is a bloodbath. This family is slowly but surely being torn apart, she wrote.

We are called one by one, personally, to be told that we are discontinued. Not news to me. I tried to be prepared. But how can you prepare for comatose, or death, really? she added.

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Korina Sanchez is one of the most popular broadcast-journalists and magazine show hosts in the Philippines. She is the wife of former Senator Mar Roxas.

Just recently, she shared some adorable photos of her growing twins named Pepe and Pilar amid community quarantine.

The said journalist also engaged in an intense word war with netizens who commented negatively about the shutdown of ABS-CBN.

POPULAR: Read more news about Korina Sanchez!

Please like and share our Facebook posts to support KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinion about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts!

Source: KAMI.com.gh




Papa Jato Ndarfa

A 75 year old internally displaced blind man, Papa Jato Ndarfa has called for help after Boko Haram members demanded N20 million from him before his daughter and niece will be released to him.

TheNation reported that the traumatized blind old man currently living at the CAN Centre IDPs Camp Maiduguri told journalists that he has appealed to the insurgents to have mercy on him and release his daughter and niece as he could not to raise such amount of money being demanded.

The distraught old man narrated that his daughter, Lami Jato, 25 a graduate of Sir Kashim Ibrahim College of Education Maiduguri including his niece, Renita Bitrus were both abducted by some suspected Boko Haram terrorists two weeks ago at a farm in Tungushe, Magumeri Local Government area of Borno State alongside a tractor driver.

Tungushe is located along Maiduguri- Monguno road, just 15km, north east from Maiduguri, the state capital.

Papa Jato informed that his children abductors made contact through his nieces phone and requested for N20 million before his daughter, niece and the tractor driver will be released to him.

The old man who fought with tear down his eyes lamented where and how he could raise such a huge amount of money to pay the terrorists but instead called on the insurgents to show mercy by releasing his children unconditionally.

He disclosed that, his daughter Lami has remained the pillar of the family since 2014 when Boko Haram sacked their village and his three wives were missing up to this moment.

He added that Lami and his niece decided to engage in the farming venture so as to raise money for the sustenance of the family at the camp and his personal care as well.

His words: It was two of them, my daughter, Lami Jato and my niece, Renita Bitrus who is married with two children that were abducted by the Boko Haram. It is 15 days now from the day they were abducted when they went for farming in Tungushe, along Maiduguri-Monguno road.

Initially they were 7 in number at the farm that were abducted. Five men, my daughter and my niece, but they later released four of the men and held one of the men, the tractor driver and my two children.

I am not fighting or quarrelling with the Boko Haram, they are my children. I am appealing to them to please have mercy on me and release my daughter, niece and the tractor driver.

I am a poor blind old IDP living in a Nylon House in a camp. There is no means of getting money to feed talk more of getting N20 million to offer. Please my children pity me and release the women who are also your sisters.

I am also appealing to our hardworking Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum to come to my aid and intervene. I should not be allowed to die of frustration from what I am facing now. The situation is terrible for me here, Papa Ndarfa appealed.

Another appeal made by the old man was for the IDPs at the CAN Centre camp to be considered by State Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA ) and the National Emergency Management Agency ( NEM) for the distribution of food, stressing that, it has been a long time we received food from SEMA and NEMA at this camp.

Papa Jato, an indigene of Gava from Gwoza Local Government while speaking on his journey to IDP camp in Maiduguri said they fled to Maiduguri when Boko Haram attacked their village in 2014 and killed over 100 villagers and burnt down several houses.

He added that since 2014 they have been living in the CAN Centre IDPs camp.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday directed all district magistrates to maintain daily data on violations of Covid-19 rules such as maintaining of social distancing and prohibition on spitting in public places in their respective districts and upload a weekly report on a government portal.

Last month, the government had issued a notification, saying that fines would be imposed for the violations of guidelines  observation of quarantine rules, maintaining of social distancing, wearing of face masks in public and work places, prohibition of spitting in public places and prohibition of paan, gutka, tobacco in public places.

It had also authorised district magistrates, chief district medical officers, sub-divisional magistrates, district surveillance officers and zonal municipal deputy commissioners among others to impose fines for such violations.

All the district magistrates...are hereby directed to maintain the data in respect of the violations noticed and action taken for these violations by all the aforesaid authorised persons in their respective district on daily basis and to submit a weekly report...on the Corona Foot Warrior Portal of revenue department, DDMA CEO Vikas Anand said in an order.

The order stated that the sub-divisional magistrates will monitor the weekly reports and follow up with the districts for timely updation.
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Meghan Markle will reportedly not take back her dog Bogart after leaving him in Canada when she moved to UK - because the rescue pup 'never took to' Harry.

The couple are currently living in an ultra-luxury Beverly Hills hideout that belongs to Hollywood tycoon Tyler Perry with their one-year-old son Archie. They already have two dogs, including Meghan's other beloved rescue beagle Guy.

But the former actress, 38, was said to have been left devastated when when she was forced to leave Labrador-shepherd mix Bogart in Toronto when she moved to the UK to live with Prince Harry in 2017.

Now a source told The Sun she is unlikely to take him back, telling the paper: 'Meghan adored that dog but the decision not to take him back was based on Bogart's relationship with Harry.'

Animal lover Meghan has previously said Guy and Bogart 'mean the absolute world' to her and has referred to them as 'my loves' and 'my boys'.

But the source said Bogart 'never took to Harry' and 'didn't like' him. They added: 'Of course, her staff in the UK who knew about her decision found her statement quite strange, but they accepted it at face value because Meghan knows her dogs.'

Animal lover Meghan has previously said Guy and Bogart 'mean the absolute world' to her and has referred to them as 'my loves' and 'my boys'. She is pictured with the two rescue dogs

Meghan Markle will reportedly not take back her dog Bogart, pictured, after leaving him in Canada when she moved to UK - because the rescue pup 'never took to' Harry

The couple are currently living in an ultra-luxury Beverly Hills hideout that belongs to Hollywood tycoon Tyler Perry with their one-year-old son Archie. They already have two dogs, including Meghan's other beloved rescue beagle Guy

Meghan and Prince Harry adopted black Labrador Oz in London in 2018, and he and Guy were flown to Canada in December shortly before the couple stepped back from royal duties.

The Prince's communication secretary Jason Knauf had said Bogart was living 'with friends' after news first broke that he had been left behind.

Meghan often used the #adoptdontshop hashtag in her Instagram posts and she chose animal welfare charity Mayhew as one of her first patronages during her time as a royal.

She also revealed it was Ellen DeGeneres who convinced her to adopt Bogart, her first pet, after she bumped into the TV host in a shelter.

A source said Bogart 'never took to Harry' and 'didn't like' him

The former actress, 38, was said to have been left devastated when when she was forced to leave Labrador-shepherd mix Bogart, right, in Toronto when she moved to the UK to live with Prince Harry in 2017. She took beagle Guy, left, with her

Meghan and Prince Harry adopted black Labrador Oz in London in 2018, and he and Guy, pictured, were flown to Canada after the couple stepped back from royal duties

In June last year Meghan wrote about the 'life-changing joy' of adopting a pet as she urged people to support the Mayhew Animal Home, in a foreword to the charity's annual report

She penned: 'As a proud rescue dog owner, I know from personal experience the joy that adopting an animal into your home can bring.

'The role that we, as people, play in rehoming and rescuing these animals is vital, but the role of organisations such as Mayhew is unparalleled.'

The mother-of-one went on to urge readers to support the animal welfare charity in 'whatever way they can' - be it through adoption, volunteering, donation or spreading the word.
The Summer Author Series

The series continues on Sunday, July 19 at 1 p.m. Rachel Beanland, will discuss her book, Florence Adler Swims Forever, in a Zoom conversation.

Based on a true story and told in the vein of J. Courtney Sullivans Saints for All Occasions and Anita Diamants The Boston Girl, Beanlands family saga is a breathtaking portrait of just how far we will go to in order to protect our loved ones and an uplifting portrayal of how the human spirit can endure  and even thrive  after tragedy. Beanland will be interviewed by Fiona Davis, best-...
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: In a unique initiative, the Bihar Pradesh Marawari (Bihar Regional Marwari Conference) has started an Oxygen Cylinder Bank (OCB) in Patna to provide free oxygen cylinders to home quarantined Covid-19 patients.

The OCB is functioning at Patnas Dak Bungalow on all working days.

Speaking to this newspaper, regional president of Bihar Marwari Sammelan, Vindo Todi said: A person in need of an oxygen cylinder for the Covid-19 patient

at home isolation can avail the service from this bank after depositing an amount of Rs 5,000 with a copy of Aadhaar card.

The security money deposited at the OCB is refundable at the time the cylinders are returned.

Todi said: Only a little amounts are deducted from the security money in case the gas metre or pipe of the cylinder is found damaged. Otherwise, the service is totally free to Covid-19 patients.

He said that an order for 30 new oxygen cylinders has been placed in addition to the present strength of 21 cylinders.

This bank is only meant for the corona-infected patients, Todi further said, adding that OCB service may be considered in other places of the state on a later stage.

Each cylinder carries 100 kg of oxygen and can give a patient respiratory support for 6 to 8 days.
Nushrat Bharucha says she felt scared when she stepped out of her house after three months of staying indoors during lockdown. The actor reportedly asked her driver many times if he had sanitised the car and refused to sit on the sofa at the dubbing studio.

The Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety actor told Mumbai Mirror in an interview, I saw people that werent my family and that was scary. Sharing her directors reaction on seeing her precautionary measures to keep safe, she added, My director asked me if I was going on a space mission since I was covered from head to toe.

According to the report, Nushrat lives in a beachside building but refrains from walking to the beach. Now I have started going there on some days, but only till the gate. The only thing I would risk stepping outside for is work and that is not happening right now, she says. She has also refrained herself from visiting the salon and gym even after lockdown and wishes to buy all the equipment and open a gym in her building.

Nushrat will be seen next opposite Rajkummar Rao in Chhalaang and in Sunny Kaushal-starrer, Hurdang. She has also been signed to play the female lead in Chhori, the Marathi remake of the horror film Lapachhapi. Vishal Furia, who directed the original, will be helming the Hindi remake as well.

Also read: Kushal Tandon on Sushant Singh Rajputs death: I want to tell people that theres nothing more than your life

A few months back, Nushrat was joined by her mother for joint interview. Talking about how eager they are to get the actor married, her mom had told Pinkvilla, We do get upset because we want her to settle down now. She is going to get married very soon, we are going to push her now. We given her enough time and now she has to listen to us.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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KT&G's lil hybrid 2.0 tobacco heating device / Courtesy of KT&G



By Nam Hyun-woo



KT&G is maintaining its silence on e-cigarette and e-liquid companies' battle against the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, showing a stark contrast to their efforts to convince the regulator that e-cigarettes are less harmful than burning tobacco.



Industry officials claimed KT&G is refraining from joining the e-cigarette companies' crusade, despite its sizable share in the domestic heated tobacco market and its status as the largest tobacco company in the country, because the company is wary of publicly challenging the government.



Such criticism came amid growing opposition from tobacco and e-cigarette companies in Korea against the country's strengthening of regulations on e-cigarettes and other related devices.



During an online press conference on July 7, Philip Morris Korea (PMK) Managing Director Paik Young-jay said "the ministry's 2018 analysis on heat-not-burn e-cigarette products is fueling greater confusion among consumers" and the government is underscoring an "ideological approach" by only regulating e-cigarettes.



In 2018, the ministry revealed its analysis on heated tobacco products and claimed those products contain greater amounts of tar than conventional cigarettes. Also, the ministry said it is difficult to say heated tobacco products are less harmful than conventional cigarettes.



As the ministry refused PMK's request to reveal detailed data supporting the analysis, the tobacco company filed a complaint with the Seoul Administrative Court against the ministry in October 2018 and the court in May this year partially favored PMK.



During the conference, Paik said creating an environment that encourages smokers to choose "a better option" cannot be accomplished with the efforts of "PMK alone," and the government needs to present "a differentiated regulation based on science, and fact-based constructive discussion is necessary across society."



The tobacco company's move is in line with the country's strengthening regulations and taxation on heated tobacco products.



The heated tobacco market opened in Korea in 2017, when PMK introduced the IQOS heating device and HEETS tobacco sticks, but the products faced a tax hike just six months after their launch. Currently, the government is attempting to ban e-cigarette companies from issuing discount coupons on heating devices by revising the National Health Promotion Act.



Along with heated tobacco, the government is attempting to impose heavier duties on vaping devices using e-liquid, a move that is also facing a strong opposition from vaping device companies and retailers, mostly small enterprises. Major tobacco companies are also paying attention to this, because a tax hike on e-liquids will likely result in an additional tax hike on heated tobacco products too.



Due to this, BAT is carrying out a large-scale clinical study on the harmfulness of e-cigarettes and its Korean unit, BAT Korea, plans to reveal that in Korea given the country's importance as a major e-cigarette market.





KT&G CEO Baek Bok-in, left, and Philip Morris International CEO Andre Calantzopoulos pose after signing a partnership agreement on heated tobacco products at the Four Seasons hotel in Seoul, Jan. 29. Courtesy of KT&G
The relevant resolution was backed by 238 lawmakers on July 17.

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has adopted Resolution No. 3650 on the formation and liquidation of districts in Ukraine, which provides for creating 138 districts in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (ARC) and the country's regions and liquidating the existing 490 ones.

Read alsoUkraine preparing appeal to ICC over persecution of journalists in Russian-occupied Crimea

The document was backed by 238 lawmakers on July 17, an UNIAN correspondent reported on Friday.

In particular, 138 districts were formed in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Ukraine's regions, including 17 in the temporarily occupied territories of the ARC, and Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian citizens would not have to change their passports and documents on ownership of real estate after the reduction in the number of the districts.

Residents of new districts will not be required to change stamps in their passports and incorporate changes to their IDs. Only documents related to legal entities are subject to respective amendments.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has stepped up its collaboration with Australian university managements to impose unprecedented attacks on the jobs, pay and conditions of university workers.

This has sparked an incipient rebellion among staff members. They have been shocked and disgusted at the role the NTEU has played in offering pay cuts of up to 15 percent and job cuts in March, and then working with individual managements to inflict similar reversals, even after the defeat and collapse of its national framework offer to the employers.

The NTEUs conduct, however, is no aberration. Like the rest of the trade union movement, it has performed an industrial policing function for the employers for decades via retrograde enterprise agreements. These agreements have assisted governments and managements transform the universities into corporate entities with about 70 percent of their workforces on insecure or casual contracts.

Various pseudo-left organisations, such as Socialist Alliance and Socialist Alternative, are desperately seeking to defend the union. As a recently revised six-point plan released by the pseudo-left-dominated NTEU Fightback group makes clear, their aim is to channel university workers back into the arms of the NTEU, then join the union leadership and preside over cuts themselves.

The document does not mention the worsening global COVID-19 pandemic, which is destroying the lives and livelihoods of workers worldwide, due to the profit-driven responses of governments and big business. Yet the same ruling class is exploiting the international catastrophe to accelerate its decades-long assault on public education and the conditions of the entire working class.

NTEU Fightbacks glaring omission is no accident. Despite the monumental failure of global capitalism to protect lives and the mercenary return to work drive of capitalist governments everywhere, the group offers no political perspective to oppose the dictates of the financial elite.

An NTEU rally at Macquarie University late last year

While the pseudo-left groups misleadingly label themselves socialist, the document opposes any struggle for a socialist program. Instead, the documents preoccupation is keeping university workers straitjacketed within the NTEU and the pro-capitalist perspective of trade unions, which is to tie workers to the needs of their employers.

The document begins by dismissing the NTEUs proposal to cut wages by 15 percent, while agreeing to 18,000 job cuts, as a pathetic surrender that put the union on the wrong side. In fact, the NTEU was neither surrendering nor switching sides when it proposed job and wage cuts. It was intensifying its longstanding role in enforcing government and management cuts via enterprise agreements that have made the union a partner with the employers.

This time, however, the NTEU actively volunteered outright pay and job cuts, which is why the pseudo-left groups are attempting to downplay the significance of this naked collaboration.

The document reiterates NTEU Fightbacks appeal to the union leadership to have a red hot go at defending the existing, legally protected, enterprise agreement conditions. In other words, NTEU Fightback defends the existing agreements, which have created the worsening conditions facing academics and staff, including high levels of casualisation, and permitted hundreds of job cuts already since the start of the pandemic.

While NTEU Fightback claims it will fight against massive cuts and job losses, it opposes taking any unprotected industrial actionthat is, outside the straitjacket of the industrial laws. This directly echoes the position of the NTEU, which has repeatedly told its members they cannot take any industrial action.

In fact, NTEU Fightback directly attacks calls for industrial action by members, declaring: Nor are we going to build union strength by wishing unprotected industrial action into existence in the next couple of months: it requires serious and sustained organising. This essentially ensures that workers hands are tied as the federal Liberal-National government implements a major attack on university students and workers.

Australia has draconian anti-strike laws. Individual workers can be fined thousands of dollars for taking any kind of industrial action except during narrow enterprise agreement bargaining periods every three years, and under strict conditions agreed to by the union. This legislation was introduced by the former Rudd Labor government and fully endorsed by the unions, including the NTEU, in order to entrench their place as industrial police forces.

Point one of the NTEU Fightback document vaguely calls for a no vote on concessional variations to enterprise agreements, but only to send a signal to management, and to the union, that further demands for concessions will face substantial opposition. In other words, a no vote is not to be part of a campaign to fight for jobs and conditions, but rather a pathetic threat of future opposition if management and the union go further.

The primary concern of the group is to build union strength, that is, to keep workers tied to the very organisation responsible for implementing cuts. In point three, it criticises the leadership for being too preoccupied with using wage-cutting schemes to get a seat at the negotiating table, rather than fostering concrete organising activity.

That is because NTEU Fightback would like its own seat at the table. Point 6 calls for the election of NTEU Fightback members into union positions. Getting into office has never been what has motivated NTEU Fightback, it claims. On the other hand, giving a good shakeup to the incumbents who have advocated the terrible attacks in the National Framework is a worthwhile aim.

The document speaks of having a few officials committed to organise and fight in response to a crisis. This is a complete fraud. The clearest indication of the fight the NTEU Fightback group intends is demonstrated by its model for our own circumstances in point four. It hails the 2012 Chicago teachers strike as an important defensive win on conditions, that broke the pattern of defeat and retreat.

The nine-day strike by 26,000 teachers in Chicago was a major development in the class struggle but it was betrayed by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), which then collaborated in the largest school closings in US history.

Within one year, 50 schools were closed in Chicago, and 3,500 teachers and support staff were laid off. By contrast, it represented a major gain for then CTU vice-president and now president Jesse Sharkey, who was a member of the pseudo-left International Socialist Organization (ISO) until it dissolved itself in 2019.

The trade-off for the betrayal of the strike was that the CTU would be permitted to organise staff at a major charter school, thereby ensuring the continued flow of dues into union coffers despite the sackings.

The NTEU Fightback document claims that the 2012 Chicago strike became an inspiration for detailed workplace organising that eventually led to the incredible wave of teacher strikes in the US in 2018 and 2019.

The teacher strikes of 201819 were part of an international upsurge of the working class, and took the form of a rebellion against the unions. In West Virginia, 33,000 teachers and school staff struck between February 22 and March 6, 2018. The strike was organised in cafeteria meetings and on social media, in defiance of the union leadership.

As the World Socialist Web Site explained at the time: By revolting, the striking workers had, at least temporarily, broken through the straitjacket imposed by the unions, and this incipient working class movement became a powerful pole of attraction for workers and youth throughout the state, the country and the world.

In opposition to the determination of workers to keep fighting, pseudo-left organisations, such as the ISO and Socialist Alternative, having largely ignored the strike, suddenly swung into action to declare a sellout proposed by the education unions as a major victory and the strike over. This facilitated the unions betrayal of the strike. On March 6, they pushed through a deal, without any discussion, that addressed none of the substantial concerns of the workers, including their healthcare costs.

This provides an illustration of the real role of the pseudo-left critics in the NTEU. Their aim is to do everything they can to prevent a break with the unions, and to become part of the union apparatuses themselves.

As in the US, the manoeuvres of the pseudo-left flow from their class basis, as organisations that are hostile to the fight for socialism and the independent interests of the working class.

Groups such as Socialist Alternative and Socialist Alliance speak for affluent layers of the upper-middle class. Through their promotion of the unions, along with Labor and the Greens, they seek to advance the interests of this privileged constituency and prevent any movement from below that would threaten the political establishment, of which they are a part.

University staff need to draw the necessary lessons about the role of the unions and their pseudo-left accomplices, both in Australia and internationally. Above all, rank-and-file committees independent of the unions are needed to unite academics, professional staff, and students in a coordinated struggle, as advocated by the recent joint statement of the Committee for Public Education (CFPE) and International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE).

In this fight, university workers and students will find their allies among school teachers, parents, and workers more broadly, who face the same union-management assault. The defence of public education, jobs and conditions requires a socialist program to meet the needs of all, not the dictates of the wealthy capitalist elite. We are holding a joint CFPE and IYSSE online public forum this Saturday, July 18, to take forward this struggle and urge you to attend.
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Linkedin Yunindita Prasidya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 12:12 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406670e493 1 Business World-Bank,economic-growth,GDP-growth,Indonesia-economy,COVID-19,social-restriction,Sri-Mulyani-Indrawati Free

The World Bank has warned that the Indonesian economy might contract 2 percent this year if mobility restrictions are further implemented to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Under somewhat harsher assumptions on the global economy of a deeper contraction, and if there is a need for mobility restrictions to be reinstated going forward, we do think that the economy could actually contract by 2 percent in 2020, World Bank Indonesia lead economist Frederico Gil Sander said during the virtual launch of World Banks Indonesia Economic Prospect report on Thursday.

The coronavirus outbreak in Indonesia has not shown any signs of abating as more than 1,000 new cases have been recorded daily since June. Infections stood at 81,600 as of Thursday afternoon with 3,800 deaths, official data show.

Despite the rising number of cases, the government and regional administrations relaxed social restrictions amid concerns of a slumping economy.

Read also: Indonesias economy could enter recession in Q3: Sri Mulyani

The government projects the countrys economy to grow by 1 percent this year under the baseline scenario or contract by 4 percent under the worst case scenario as the pandemic batters business activity and hits demand. The economy grew 2.97 percent in the first quarter, the lowest in 19 years.

The World Banks report, titled The Long Road to Recovery, published this month, states that Indonesias GDP is expected to be unchanged from 2019. Last year, the countrys GDP grew 5 percent.

World Bank Indonesia country director Satu Kahkonen explained during the webinar that the zero percent growth forecast was predicated on three things, namely: the global GDP to contract by 5.2 percent this year, the economy to be fully open in August and no second wave infections.

The report suggested that a 2 percent contraction would take place if the global economy slipped into a deeper recession, wherein the global GDP shrank by 7.8 percent, impacting investment and exports.

Under this scenario where the economy would actually contract, poverty would increase quite significantly, especially if there is no additional social assistance, Sander went on to say.

The Washington, DC-based development bank estimated that without the governments social assistance, 5.5 million to 8 million Indonesians could fall into poverty this year as a result of an aggregate decline in household income of 5 percent to 7 percent due to lower earnings and unemployment.

Read also: Bank Indonesia cuts rate for fourth time to four-year low to bolster growth

Around 1.63 million people fell into poverty in March, increasing the number of people living below the poverty line to 26.42 million people, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data show.

Aside from ensuring robust health system preparedness to handle the pandemic curve, the government needs to assist firms to stay afloat and push for reforms to increase financial sector resilience, Sanders said, as he outlined suggestions for the government.

Most importantly, he went on to say, the government should invest more on human and physical capital as the post-COVID-19 economy was likely to require different skills from workers. The country also needed to flatten its debt curve when it started to recover.

The idea that Indonesia can flatten the debt curve by cutting expenditure is very risky in terms of competitiveness. So, the only way out is [by increasing] tax [collection], he said.

According to the Finance Ministry, Indonesias borrowing needs of around Rp 1.53 quadrillion (US$104.53 billion) this year to fund the budget deficit will increase the countrys debt-to-GDP ratio to 37.64-38.5 percent by year-end from around 30 percent in 2019.

The government has allocated Rp 695.2 trillion to help strengthen the healthcare system, provide social aid and support economic recovery.

Read also: Administrative issues hamper COVID-19 budget disbursement: Sri Mulyani

This is not about Do you really know what kind of policy design would be good? We know. But do we have all the necessary infrastructure to be able to execute those good policy designs so that they are going to be able to then reach the objective that we want to achieve? This is always the challenge, Sri Mulyani said in the webinar.

She explained that the government struggled when it came to data collection, as the country depended on local government database updates to identify and target poor families. On that basis, she is working alongside the Social Affairs Ministry and the Home Ministry to provide incentives for local governments to update the needed data.

Data will not only help you to better target but to also monitor whether what you are doing is [bringing results], World Bank managing director for development policy and partnership Mari Elka Pangestu said.

A lot of what Indonesia is doing for households, cash transfers, food and other measures, as well as for small and medium enterprises and the informal sector, is actually pretty much best practice, Mari said.
Theres a category of people in the U.S., Jewish and non-Jewish, who had been like me committed to the two-state solution for a long time and have been quietly losing faith in it but didnt necessarily see an alternative, Beinart said in an interview, after publishing a July 8 op-ed in The New York Times and a longer piece in the magazine Jewish Currents, where he is an editor at large.
Hitting back at former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that India's partnerships with other nations are stronger and the country's international standing is higher than ever. Jaishankar was responding to Gandhi's comments made earlier in the day on the current government's foreign policy.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, earlier today, launched a scathing attack on the Modi government over its rule of the past six years in the country. He said that constant blunders since 2014 have left India vulnerable to such an attack by China. Gandhi, in a video posted on his official Twitter handle, mulled over the reasons that prompted China to take an aggressive stance against India over the past few months.

Beginning the video with questions around the Chinese offensive in the Galwan Valley of Ladakh, the Congress leader said, "Why have the Chinese chosen to violate the LAC with India at this point in time? Why have the Chinese chosen this particular time to move against India? What is about India's situation that has made China act in such an aggressive way? What is it about this moment in time that has allowed them to have the confidence to make a move against a country like India?"Also read: Shiv Nadar quits as HCL Tech chairman, hands over reins to daughter Roshni

Also read: Big GST scam! 1,377 'untraceable' exporters claim IGST refunds worth Rs 1,875 crore
More than 15 years after initially being convicted on murder charges, and more than 27 years after the crime occurred, Britt native Dustin Honken has died.

Honken, 52, was killed by lethal injection on Friday, July 17, 3:36 p.m, at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Prosecutors in the case said that the Iowa chemistry student-turned-meth kingpin killed key witnesses to stop them from testifying in his drugs case.

As the Associated Press noted, the Britt native had been on death row since 2005 and was the first Iowan with a death sentence imposed by Iowa jurors to be executed since 1963. Though Iowa struck the death penalty from state statutes in 1965, Honken was eligible for the death penalty under U.S. law because he was tried in federal court.

Honken and Timothy Cutkomp, formerly of Mason City, were first arrested in Mason City on drug charges on March 21, 1993, and indicted days later in federal court for alleged methamphetamine trafficking in Iowa from his residence, then in Tempe, Ariz. A month later, Greg Nicholson testified against Honken before a federal grand jury. On July 3, Angela Johnson of Klemme, filed an application for and obtained a permit to buy a handgun. Four days later, she purchased a Tech-9 9-mm handgun at a pawn shop in Waterloo.

Then, on July 26, Nicholson and Nicholsons girlfriend, Lori Ann Duncan, 31, and her two daughters, 10-year-old Amber and 6-year-old Kandace, were reported missing. Months later, on November 5, Terry DeGeus, 32, of rural Britt, another potential witness in the investigation against Honken, was reported missing as well.

Almost two years later, the initial charges against Honken were dismissed on March 21, 1995, because none of the witnesses could be located. It took until February 7, 1996, for local, state and federal law enforcement officers to execute a search warrant at Honken's Mason City home, where they reported a meth lab.

In April 1996, Honken and Cutkomp were arrested in Mason City for conspiring to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine from 1993 to 1996. After a lengthy trial, Honken was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

It wouldn't be until October 2000, seven years after Nicholson and the Duncans disappeared, that their remains were found in a wooded area just off Cerro Gordo County Road S34 west of Mason City. The body of DeGeus wasn't discovered until the next month in a farm field one mile west of Burchinal. The state medical examiner determined all five people died of gunshot wounds.

The Associated Press said that during the murder trial, Honken was considered so dangerous that the judge took the rare step of impaneling an anonymous jury. Other security measures included fitting Honken with a stun belt under his clothes to prevent him from trying to escape.

Both Honken and Johnson were initially sentenced to death, but former federal judge Mark Bennett later reduced Johnson's sentence to life in prison.

Right up until the execution, Honken and his legal aid appealed the sentencing, but each and every request was ultimately denied. According to the Associated Press, over recent days, prison authorities permitted Honken to make his last calls to family and friends, including Sister Betty Donoghue, a Catholic nun whom he called Wednesday. One of his last conversations was with Daniel Lewis Lee, who was put to death July 14 for killing a family in the 1990s as part of a plot to build a whites-only nation.

"He was very upset with the way Danny died," said Donoghue, who visited Honken regularly over the past decade.

At his sentencing in 2005, Honken denied killing anybody, but Donoghue said she never heard him say he was innocent. Along with Donoghue, Honken visited with his mother, brother and college-aged daughter at the prison in the past few weeks and months. The Associated Press noted that Honken wrote in a 2006 journal that he felt a great crushing weight of despair for failing his two children, one of whom he had with Johnson.

"When those people finally get around to killing me theyll realize only the shell of me remains, the heart of me died long ago," he wrote. For his final words, Honken recited the poem "Heaven-Haven" by Jesuit priest Gerard Manley Hopkins which reads, in part, "And I have asked to be, where no storms come."

Just after the execution, Honken's attorney, Shawn Nolan, saying: "There was no reason for the government to kill him, in haste or at all. In any case, they failed. The Dustin Honken they wanted to kill is long gone. The man they killed today was a human being, who could have spent the rest of his days helping others and further redeeming himself."

In July 2019, Attorney General William P. Barr directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to resume capital punishment by changing the drugs used in federal death by injection from a mix to just pentobarbital.

As the Associated Press noted, after an Oklahoma state execution failed in 2014, President Barack Obama directed the Justice Department to conduct a broad review of capital punishment and issues surrounding lethal injection drugs. With that particular case, the inmate, Clayton Lockett, died after writhing in pain on a gurney.

Previous reports from the National Institutes of Health have found that pentobarbital can cause: pentobarbital, which is used in veterinary medicine for anesthesia and euthanasia, can lead to airway compromise, aspiration, cardiovascular collapse, sedation, coma, respiratory or cardiac arrest and, eventually, death. In 2011, Danish drugmaker Lundbeck, which manufactured pentobarbital, put a halt on allowing the drug to be sold and used in U.S. executions after scrutiny from human rights organizations such as Amnesty International.

Based on data from the Marshall Project, which covers executions by the state, 1,522 people have been executed since 1976, despite the fact that a full 16 states no longer perform executions.

An October 2019 Gallup poll about the death penalty for someone convicted of murder found that 56% of people were in favor of it while 42% were opposed and 2% had no opinion. That number has drifted downward over the years from a high in 1994 of 80%.

With the Honken case, Bennett said previously that he generally opposed the death penalty but that if anyone deserved it, it was Honken.

Before the execution, Lori Duncans sister-in-law Susan Torres said that Honken deserved what he got "a long time ago."

Honken is the third inmate to be executed by the federal government this week after Lee and Wesley Ira Purkey, who was convicted for raping and murdering 16-year-old Jennifer Long and killing 80-year-old Mary Ruth Bales who suffered from polio.

Jared McNett covers local government for the Globe Gazette. You can reach him at Jared.McNett@globgazette.com or by phone at 641-421-0527. Follow Jared on Twitter at @TwoHeadedBoy98.

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Connecticut has followed its nation-leading performance in controlling COVID-19 in June with even better numbers in July.

Thats partly the result of an ad campaign that includes geo-coded messages telling people in cities to get tested, and mobile vehicles that pull up to churches in urban neighborhoods, ready to swab the deep nasal passages of faithful residents.

The result, whatever the reason: The number of people in hospitals with COVID-19 dropped below 100 on June 29, kept falling and shows no sign of rising again, as other states sweat out their hospital ICU capacity.

Total new cases have leveled off at about 2 per day for every 100,000 Connecticut residents for the last four weeks. By comparison, states with 10 per 100,000 per day land on the quarantine list and there are many of those.

And Connecticuts decline has happened despite sharply higher testing numbers  72,000 per week this month, up from 46,000 in June  as a result of the marketing efforts.

Florida? A sickly 9,942 new cases a day this month, or 46 per day for every 100,000 Sunshine State residents. And to think they reopened Disney World, and still hope to mount a Republican National Convention. Thanks but no thanks, boss, Ill pass on that plum politics assignment.

There are lots of reasons for Connecticuts recent success including the obvious fact that we were hit brutally hard early on. Florida just passed us in total deaths on Tuesday and its six times bigger than Connecticut. So we can hold the smugness.

Still, Connecticuts marketing campaign, formally launched in a very low-key way in late June and early July, has been a factor. Dubbed Connecticut Respect, its a broad push at a cost so far of $1.5 million including production and media buys.

Broad, that is, when it comes to mask-wearing and social distancing, with video ads and other mass outreach as Gov. Ned Lamont mounts a daily fight against complacency.

When it comes to testing, the states outreach narrows sharply. Thats where it gets tricky and where the states message has been a bit confusing.

In Bridgeport on June 26, for example, Lamont, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Mayor Joe Ganim and others converged at a mobile testing rig in the parking lot of the Mount Aery Baptist Church. They touted the states outreach for testing urban residents, especially Black and Hispanic people whose incidence of the disease has been higher.

Thats one group Lamont wants to be tested in large numbers. Here are the others: Anyone living in congregate housing such as a prison, nursing home or state hospital. Anyone with symptoms, even just a persistent cough or a low-grade fever. Anyone whos been exposed to a person with COVID-19, such as front-line workers.

Thats it. If you live in the suburbs, feel fine and havent been exposed to a known coronavirus carrier, you dont need to submit to the swab.

If youve traveled to a hotspot like Florida, stay home for 14 days after you return. Get a test if and only if you start to feel symptoms or find out the old school pal you stayed with in Sarasota now has COVID.

Trouble is, the strategy doesnt make clear to everyone whether we should or shouldnt get a test  it targets those who should, in their separate silos.

Its working well, Lamont told my colleague Ken Dixon on Wednesday, as the numbers of tests rise and the number of new coronavirus cases falls.

Were going to the churches, and were paying to put the mobile van in the church parking lot, and having the ministers encourage people why its really important to get tested, the goveror told Dixon. So were doing a lot of unorthodox ways of reaching people, and right now our testing is near the top, according to most of the reports Ive seen.

He added, Can we always do better? Yeah.

The testing messaging is reaching the right people even if the overall message for many remains muddy. At various times Lamont and others  recently New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo  have said everyone should be tested. At other times the tests have been more limited. And the availability of tests rises and falls depending on conditions here and across the nation.

Why not a broad, statewide campaign aimed at letting everyone know who should and who should not head on down to the testing site, sign a form and lean back? The answer is money and market psychology.

In terms of where were investing our scarce marketing budget, were really focusing on trying to reach those people that are in the high risk categories that should be tested, sad Josh Geballe, the states chief operating officer. The message of singling someone out and saying We dont want you to be tested could be easily misinterpreted.

Besides, he said, the testing sites arent reporting a huge number of the wrong people getting tested. State data shows that the testing rates in the largest majority-minority cites, chiefly Hartford, Bridgeport and New Haven, are among the highest in the state, all well above the state median of 9,960 tests per 100,000 as of this week.

Lamont, Mounds, Geballe & Co. proclaimed the Connecticut Respect campaign on the afternoon of July 2, as everyone was chomping to start the holiday weekend. The rollout didnt have a splashy press event. It was just part of the days news, after a soft release a week or so before.

Too low-key? Yes. Too much confusion in the general population about who should seek out a COVID test? Yes.

But two caveats. First, Lamont has been clearer and quicker than most govenors with mask and sistancing orders, and minute details for reopening.

And second, its hard to knock success.

To punctuate the point: Connecticuts percentage of tests that come up positive for coronavirus stands at 0.8 percent in July, down from 8.8 percent in May, even though were testing more people, even though were targeting the tests at people more likely to have the illness.

Florida? After three days of declines on Sunday, the health department there was pleased to announce the ratio was just over 11 percent.

In the end, getting the right people tested matters more than having everyone know the big-picture strategy.

Were really focused on the things that are in our control, Geballe said, because if we execute well we can increase the odds that we keep a lid on COVID in Connecticut.

dhaar@hearstmediact.com
'Designing furniture is like composing music," said Brendan Dunne, furniture maker and musician. "You must bring to each a sense of rhythm and line and good workmanship." Irish mid-century modern furniture is thin on the ground.

Look through the catalogue of any mid-century modern auction in the country and you'll find few, if any, Irish pieces. But there were a handful of people designing and making Scandinavian-inspired furniture in 1950s and 1960s Ireland. One of these was Brendan Dunne.

Overlooked for decades, Dunne is now back on the design radar. There's a whole room at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, devoted to his furniture amid general atmosphere of rediscovery. "He's one of the best Irish designers you've never heard of," says Geoff Kirk, who sourced the collection for the museum.

Dunne, who trained as a classical musician, often referenced music in the naming of his work. His A Minor dressing table is one of his most elegant pieces. "It stands up against most designs that were around at the time," says Kirk. "In good condition, one of those could be worth between 1,200 and 1,500."

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The museum collection shows Dunne at his elegant best, but not all his furniture was of the same standard. "There's a fair bit of it around," says Kirk, "but not all of it is nice. The good pieces are rare. He did an awful lot of jobbing woodwork - I suppose he had to make ends meet - and he seemed to operate on a couple of levels. He made sturdy furniture for the locals and a few really beautiful bespoke pieces. The nicely designed furniture seems to have been made for special orders and you don't come across it that often."

An unsigned hall table or coffee table is worth about 120 and an unrestored chair, between 200 and 300. Once restored, a Brendan Dunne chair will sell for between 600 and 700.

Dunne abandoned his musical career to become a furniture maker. In 1951, he set up a large factory and workshop on Dublin's Merrion Row. His business partner was Michael McMullin (1916-2012), music critic for The Irish Times and "an outspoken virulent critic of the official musical establishment". He was probably fairly critical of the furniture establishment too.

By this time, McMullin had already visited Sweden and Finland - he was a fan of Sibelius - and must have seen what Scandinavian furniture designers were up to. He may have encouraged Dunne in that direction.

Dunne's furniture was in line with what was happening in northern European furniture design, but very far from the Irish norm. The Irish buying public preferred old reliable copies of 19th century styles, and the furniture industry complied. "If there was a demand for that sort of stuff, we'd stock it," an Irish furniture manufacturer told a reporter from The Irish Times in 1953.

"Don't blame us for those depressing little furniture suites, blame the public taste." Eight years later, the Scandinavian Design Group's famous report on Irish design concurred: "In the stores, we are told, it is more difficult to sell contemporary furniture than period furniture, despite the fact that the reproduction of the old forms is without any understanding of the original work."

Despite this, Dunne's work seems to have been popular. His factory was tremendously busy and employed 24 workers.

One of these, Sidney Baldwin, was a former member of the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army. He met an Irish lass and came to live in Dublin where Dunne employed him as a delivery driver and presumably offered him a discount on some furniture.

When his house was cleared, following Baldwin's death in 2017, Katharine Deas of Oriana B went to have a look. "He furnished his house entirely from his workplace," she said.

"By the time I arrived, a lot of the furniture was already sold. A suite was left - it was absolutely knackered and needed a lot of work, but I loved it enough to buy it. It still had its original brass feet!"

These were the bread-and-butter pieces (the suites in the National Museum are the icing on the cake), but still recognisable as Brendan Dunne designs, and a little snapshot of an unusual chapter in Irish design history.

See museum.ie, kirkmodern.com and orianab.com.
Trump's campaign denounced the move, claiming that Snapchat is trying to rig the 2020 election, illegally using their corporate funding to promote Joe Biden and suppress President Trump. (Photo | AFP)

San Francisco: Snapchat on Wednesday became the latest social network moving to curb the reach of US President Donald Trump, claiming the president has been inciting racial violence.

The youth-focused social network said it would no longer promote Trump on its Discover platform for recommended content.

We will not amplify voices who incite racial violence and injustice by giving them free promotion on Discover, a statement from Snapchat said.

The move came days after Twitter took an unprecedented stand by hiding a Trump post it said promoted violence, heating up the White House war with Silicon Valley and social media.

Snapchat parent Snap chief executive Evan Spiegel over the weekend sent a lengthy memo to employees condemning what he saw as a legacy of racial injustice and violence in the US.

Snapchat will not promote accounts in the US that are linked to people who incite racial violence on or off the messaging platform, according Spiegel.

Every minute we are silent in the face of evil and wrongdoing we are acting in support of evildoers, Spiegel wrote as companies responded to the outrage over the police killing of a black man in Minnesota.

I am heartbroken and enraged by the treatment of black people and people of color in America.

The Discover feature at Snapchat is a curated platform on which the California-based company gets to decide what it recommends to users.

No longer recommended

Trumps account remains on the platform, it will just no longer be recommended viewing, according to Snapchat.

We will make it clear with our actions that there is no gray area when it comes to racism, violence, and injusticeand we will not promote it, nor those who support it, on our platform, Spiegel said in the memo.

Snapchat is particularly popular with young internet users, claiming that about half of the US Generation Z population tapping into news through its Discover feature.

There are plenty of debates to be had about the future of our country and the world, Spiegel said.

But there is simply no room for debate in our country about the value of human life and the importance of a constant struggle for freedom, equality, and justice.

Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale denounced the move, claiming that Snapchat is trying to rig the 2020 election, illegally using their corporate funding to promote Joe Biden and suppress President Trump.

Parscale said in a statement: Snapchat hates that so many of their users watch the presidents content and so they are actively engaging in voter suppression... If youre a conservative, they do not want to hear from you, they do not want you to vote. They view you as a deplorable and they do not want you to exist on their platform.

Facebook looks away

The move by Twitter last week prompted an angry response by Trump, who within days signed an executive order calling for heightened government oversight of social platforms.

Trump accuses the platforms of censorship and limiting free speech, but his critics say the president has distorted the interpretation of those terms and is himself seeking to regulate online content.

In contrast to Twitter and Snapchat, Facebook has defended his decision not to interfere with posts by Trump.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reiterated his position in a call with employees this week, according to reports, despite criticism of the Facebook policy by civil rights activists.

The coronavirus pandemic has put an abrupt stop to traditional US political means of courting young votersforcing presidential candidates to turn to Snapchat instead.

The photo-sending app that boasts 229 million usersbetter known for filters that turn your face into a puppy or a vampireis a new battlefield for opponents Trump and Biden, both of whom are in their 70s.

Last month, Ken Farnaso, the Trump campaign deputy press secretary, told AFP that Snapchat was an important element of the re-election effort and that the Republican was ahead of Biden on the platform.

Its clear that were wiping the floor with Bidens campaign, Farnaso said of the Snapchat effort.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
The township of Khayelitsha in Cape Town. South Africa has adopted First World Covid-19 responses for Third World reality.

Capacity problems

Elitist approach

Exceptionalism

It has become common to point out that Covid19 has highlighted South Africas inequalities . It is less common, but just as important, to recognise that inequality shapes how the country is governed, ensuring that, while South Africa is located in Africa, those who govern it may be closer to their counterparts in Latin America.The first reason South Africa has been unable to stem the tide of infections is that its strategy always assumed a severe epidemic was inevitable . It is hard to fight anything if you assume you are bound to lose. This followed advice from South Africas medical scientists, almost all of whom embrace this view despite the fact that scientists in other parts of the world have helped to prevent great damage.Why is this? Possibly because their points of comparison on the pandemic were not Asia and parts of Africa where infections were curbed, but the rich countries of the global North, many of which were overwhelmed . They also probably assumed that while some countries might be able to prevent a severe outbreak, South Africa could not.If so, this would reveal a common way of thinking in South Africa: the belief that the country must compare itself to the rich countries of the North  but that it will never match up.This pessimism is born of the view that South Africas government has very limited capacity. The failure to curb Covid-19 does show glaring capacity gaps. But the problem is not, as critics usually assume, a lack of technical know-how. It is, rather, a particular view of the world and the difficult relationship between those who govern and the governed.Despite appearing to give up before the fight began, South Africa could have contained Covid-19 had it done what its government said it would do: create an effective testing and tracing programme which would identify people with the virus, trace their contacts and isolate them if they were infected.The government likes to boast about the large number of tests its many community health workers have conducted . It talks much less about why testing has not stemmed the virus: a bottleneck at the National Health Laboratory Service , which supports provincial and national government health departments.In May, doctors complained that it took on average a week to receive Covid-19 test results for outpatients and three to four days for patients in hospitals. Other doctors reported cases in which it took weeks to receive results. At the end of May, Gauteng, the countrys economic hub, was waiting for test results for over 20,000 people.Testing can contain Covid-19 only if results are received speedily so that the contacts of infected people can be traced. The laboratory backlog meant that testing and tracing could not work no matter how many tests were conducted and how many health workers were hired.This seems to be an obvious technical failure. Some test results were, according to doctors, lost, which seems to show that the lab was simply not up to the task. But the real problem may be that the government put far too much faith in a high-tech laboratory which was, because too much was expected of it, simply overwhelmed (hence the lost results).By contrast, Senegal, a far poorer country, knowing that it had no laboratory service that could have coped, developed a test which cost only $1 and produced results very quickly.So, South Africa believed it had capacity which it lacked. It also assumed that a laboratory which operated like those in rich countries was the most effective way to test for Covid-19. And so, unlike Senegal, it failed to come up with a solution fitted to its needs. Again, the desire to be like the North made it impossible to contain the virus.The second problem is that the behaviours which are needed to stem Covid-19 are very difficult for most South Africans  those who live in the formerly blacks-only urban townships and in shack settlements . Overcrowding makes physical distancing very hard, clean water may not be available for hand washing and people are forced to travel in full minibus taxis The government could have overcome these problems if it had chosen to work with people in these areas to find ways to protect themselves. But it did not try  it relied on instructing people to do things they clearly could not do.To South Africas elite, of which the government is now a part, people in low-income townships lack sophistication and maturity: poverty is confused with inability. And so there is no point in working with them.The problem here is the governments lack of political capacity, its inability to form a relationship with voters which would enable them to work together against a common threat.Why is South Africa governed this way? Unlike other sub-Saharan African countries and like several Latin American countries, South Africa is both First World and Third World . A significant section of its people lives like, and measure themselves by the standards of, the affluent in North America and Western Europe.This is why it has facilities other African countries lack and why it insists on relying on them.People who live in First World conditions also find it much easier to lobby politicians. That is why the governments claim that it would be guided only by the science of Covid-19 collapsed as lobby groups persuaded it to open activities which allowed the virus to spread But most people live in the same conditions as the poor of the Third World. Facilities designed for the First World one-third of the population cannot meet the needs of the other two-thirds. The elites deep admiration for the First World ensures that the government always wants to rely on what works only for the one-third because only this is respectable.The issue is not that many South Africans are wealthy and live well  so do elites in other African countries. It is that the country is divided into two worlds. An entire economy and social system serves one-third of the people and excludes the rest from its benefits. This shapes attitudes as well as who gets what. The government may be elected by people outside the charmed circle but it is a product of it, hence its response to Covid-19.Another consequence, common to South Africa and much of Latin America, is that those who live in First World conditions tend to see those who dont as people who have not attained their exalted standards: they must be told what to do and controlled if they do not listen. Working with the majority to fight the virus isnt possible when they are seen as backward embarrassments.Many South Africans like to think the country is unique in sub-Saharan Africa. Its contrasts of wealth and poverty certainly are one of a kind. Its response to Covid-19 shows how much this prevents the government from doing what it needs to do.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Two thirds of children and young people have their first sexual activity unexposed to herpes but risk catching it in adulthood, say researchers

Fewer people are being exposed to herpes simplex type 1also known as oral herpesin their childhood and the prevalence amongst the population in Europe is falling by 1% per year, suggests research published in the journal BMJ Global Health.

The prevalence of the virus, which often manifests itself with cold sores, appears to be declining in younger people but it could be increasingly likely to be transmitted sexually.

Herpes simplex type1 (HSV-1) is mainly transmitted by oral-to-oral contact during childhood, causing oral herpes, but it can also cause genital herpes. The other form of the virus (HSV-2) is sexually transmitted and causes genital herpes.

Both forms of the virus are lifelong and the World Health Organization estimates there are 3.7 billion people under age 50 (67%) who have HSV-1 infection globally and 491 million people aged 15-49 (13%) worldwide with HSV-2 infection.

Previous research data focused on North America and Europe has suggested that there is a decrease in acquisition of HSV-1 in childhood, a decline in its population prevalence in youth, and an increase in genital herpes cases that are caused by HSV-1.

A team of researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar of Cornell University set out to examine the epidemiology of HSV-1 in Europe.

They systematically reviewed HSV-1 related publications, conducted various meta-analyses, assessed pooled prevalence rates in populations, and estimated pooled proportions of HSV-1 viral detection in clinically diagnosed genital ulcer disease and in genital herpes.

Their analysis gathered information from 142 suitable previous publications.

From these publications, they extracted 179 overall population prevalence measures, four overall proportions of HSV-1 in genital ulcer disease, and 64 overall proportions of HSV-1 in genital herpes.

The results showed that more than two-thirds (67.4%) of the population in Europe tested positive for HSV-1, which is far lower than the historical level of universal infection in childhood in other parts of the world, such as Africa. Around 32.5% of children and 74.4% of adults were infected in Europe.

Prevalence in the population increased steadily with age, being lowest in those aged below 20 years and highest in those aged over 50 years.

Population prevalence in Europe was declining by 1% per year, and the contribution of HSV-1 to genital herpes was rising, also by 1% per year.

As many as two-thirds of European children were reaching their first sexual activity unexposed to this infection and were at risk of acquiring the virus sexually in adulthood, said the researchers.

They speculated that reasons for falling prevalence rates of HSV-1 could include a general decrease in both family size and school crowding, as well as improved hygiene and living conditions.

The results also showed that half of first episode genital herpes cases in Europe were already due to HSV-1, as opposed to HSV-2 infection.

The authors acknowledged that their systematic review had some limitations, primarily the unavailability of data for 25 of 53 European countries, and had comparatively less data for genital ulcer disease and genital herpes than population prevalence.

Nevertheless, these limitations did not appear to have posed a barrier to the interpretation of the results of the study, they said.

They conclude: "HSV-1 epidemiology in Europe is in transition and shifting away from its historical pattern of oral acquisition in childhood.

"HSV-1 transition in Europe is leading to more heterogeneous and variable transmission by age and geography, and an increasing role for HSV-1 in genital herpes and as a sexually transmitted disease.

"The findings highlight the importance of disease surveillance and monitoring of HSV-1 seroprevalence and genital herpes aetiology, and strengthen the case for an HSV-1 vaccine to limit transmission."

More information: Wajiha Yousuf et al, Herpes simplex virus type 1 in Europe: systematic review, meta-analyses and meta-regressions, BMJ Global Health (2020). Wajiha Yousuf et al, Herpes simplex virus type 1 in Europe: systematic review, meta-analyses and meta-regressions,(2020). DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002388
ALTON  The YWCA of Alton Get Out the Vote Project is hosting a Madison County Candidates Forum 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23 at Haskell Park in Alton.

Leaders we elect today make decisions that affect our lives in the future, said Dorothy Hummel, Executive Director of YWCA of Alton said. Attending a voter forum is an excellent way to educate yourself before casting your ballot in November.
In this July 24, 2019, photo, red-hot steel rolls along a conveyor inside a mill of Ansteel's Bayuquan Production Base in Yingkou in northeastern China's Liaoning Province.

As China's government highlights signs of an early economic recovery, it is making a strong case with record production of steel.

China's output of crude steel hit an all-time monthly high of 92.2 million metric tons (mmt) in May. The surge topped the 90-mmt mark for the first time with a 4.2-percent gain, putting the country on course to produce 1 billion tons this year.

In June, the steel industry set a second record with average daily output of 3.05 mmt in the shorter 30-day period as monthly production of 91.5 mmt rose 4.5 percent from a year earlier.

In the first half of the year, China pumped out 499 mmt of crude steel, increasing 1.4 percent while industrial output fell 1.3 percent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The break-out volumes of steel in May and June made up for a moderate slackening during the COVID-19 lockdown period. But judging from NBS data, there has been hardly any slackening this year at all.

Production rose 3.1 percent from a year earlier in the combined January-February period and fell only 1.7 percent in March, closing the quarter with a 1.2-percent gain when China's gross domestic product plunged 6.8 percent.

Steel has been a bright spot for China as first-half GDP growth remained down 1.6 percent after rising 3.2 percent in the second quarter, according to the NBS.

Even before the pandemic, steel output outperformed the economy, climbing 8.3 percent to 996 mmt in 2019 while GDP growth fell to 6.1 percent, the slowest pace in 29 years.

Now with May and June production posting new highs, the question is whether steel should be seen as a cause or an effect of economic growth.

One measure of the strength in the steel industry is that it has relied almost entirely on the domestic market with little help from exports as foreign producers remained stuck in the pandemic slump.

In the first six months, China's steel exports of 34.4 mmt dropped 16.5 percent as June shipments sank to an eight-year low, Mysteel Global said.

Government guidance

Despite high inventories and uncertain consumption, China's steelmakers have kept their eyes on prospects for government-driven infrastructure investment.

In April, the official Xinhua news agency said the government would speed up renovation of 39,000 communities in older residential areas this year. Local governments have also spurred new infrastructure with bond-backed investments planned to reach 6.7 trillion yuan (U.S. $956 billion).

Although the central government has promoted the local government bond program as a source for funding "new infrastructure" like 5G telecom networks and artificial intelligence (AI) applications, much of the financing is expected to flow into traditional infrastructure like highways and railroads with demand for more steel.

The steel industry is banking on existing megaprojects like the Xiongan New Area to absorb high production of materials like reinforcing bars for construction. The Xiongan development was announced in 2017 to ease congestion and shift non-governmental functions away from Beijing,

"Rebar demand in north China will remain strong in the summer season, especially in Hebei (province). Demand for construction steel from the Xiongan New Area will support rebar consumption in north China this year," said a steel trader quoted by Argus Media.

Steel producers may also be buoyed by a reported rebound in the auto industry after 21 months of declining sales and plans for at least 4,400 kilometers (2,734 miles) of new rail lines this year.

The multiple factors may be enough for China's steel industry to build a bridge over the economic uncertainties that have overtaken competitors.

"While steel mills fell quieter in Europe, the U.S. and India, Chinese producers kept running through its COVID crisis and are producing at an even faster rate than they did last year," the Financial Times reported last month.

In the first five months of the year, profits of China's major steelmakers fell 50.9 percent to 41.9 billion yuan (U.S. $6 billion), but earnings in May jumped 81.8 percent from a month before to 14.8 billion yuan (U.S. $2.1 billion), Xinhua reported.

The relative success of the steel industry in continuing production growth during the historic economic downturn follows a pattern of maintaining high output during good times and bad.

Government policies have served to support high levels of output despite a three-year campaign to cut overcapacity launched by Premier Li Keqiang in January 2016.

Replacement of older mills with newer-technology production has left the industry with a total capacity of

some 1.2 billion tons, the same as in 2016, according to estimates by Platts and the NBS.

Last month, the government's top planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said it would "accelerate the cuts in overcapacity" this year, but it provided no figures.

The government has helped to boost profitability in the energy-intensive industry during the slower-growth period by reducing electricity rates for the third consecutive year along with lowering taxes and fees.

Filling demand

The industry's record production underscores its importance to economic recovery.

"Production of the metal is an important indicator for an otherwise opaque set of government policies, which draw on an array of state-controlled or state-influenced sectors to lift output," the Financial Times said.

The paper also pointed to another potential motive for maintaining high production at a low point for China's competitors. During the pandemic crisis, Chinese steelmakers have dramatically increased their world market share.

In April, China raised its share of world production to 62 percent from 54 percent a year earlier, based on World Steel Association data. In 2017, China's share stood at 49.2 percent.

The crisis "is putting China on course to dominate global steel production to an even greater extent than before, accelerating a trend that has gathered pace for more than half a century," the Financial Times said.

If some western producers are forced to close, China's share could rise even further, it warned.

Other reports on China's production spurt during the pandemic raise the question of whether its rising market share is a consequence of government stimulus policy or a deliberate attempt to take advantage of world economic conditions that have stalled manufacturing abroad.

As in the steel industry, China appears to be pursuing a strategy for market dominance of COVID-19 medical supplies, The New York Times reported earlier this month.

"China has laid the groundwork to dominate the market for protective and medical supplies for years to come," The Times said.

"Factory owners get cheap land courtesy of the Chinese government. Loans and subsidies are plentiful. Chinese hospitals are often told to buy locally, giving suppliers a vast and captive market," it said.



Dangerous dependence

If domination is the goal, the dangers are clear.

Countries weakened by the coronavirus will become dependent on China for the medical supplies to fight it, if they are not dependent already.

Some may become more cautious about objecting to China's political policies, territorial claims and rights abuses, like the suppression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.

In a recent paper for the American Enterprise Institute urging a partial decoupling from China, resident scholar Derek Scissors cited "claims the U.S. cannot act against China for COVID-19 deceptions while dependent on Chinese supply of COVID-19-related material."

A lengthy commentary by the website of the official English-language China Daily on July 2 connected some of the consequences in arguing against the United Kingdom's pending decision to bar 5G leader Huawei from its high-speed telecom network due to security concerns.

"Many in the business community are worried that any such U-turn would deny the UK the opportunity to be a European leader in the technology at a time when the country's economy needs a significant boost.

"The UK has seen the third-highest number of deaths globally from the coronavirus pandemic, its GDP contracted by 20.4 percent in April and the country may fail to reach a trade deal with the European Union by its self-imposed deadline of the end of this year," the paper said.

Despite the warnings, the UK announced its decision on July 14 to remove Huawei equipment from its network by 2027, drawing angry threats of consequences from Beijing.

Linkages between China's industrial policies, its drive for market dominance and President Xi Jinping's political goals are becoming more apparent as the pandemic strains foreign economies, suggested Gary Hufbauer, nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.

"My guess is that Xi decided ... 'Might as well take advantage of the Cold War to suppress domestic opposition and ramp up a few industries, including steel, face masks and protective gear, where there's a willing market of world buyers,'" said Hufbauer.

"That's one way to help China reach positive growth in 2020," he said.
MILWAUKEE, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Phoenix Investors, a national private commercial real estate firm headquartered in Milwaukee, is investing $25,000 in the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), specifically to UPAF Bright Minds, presented by BMO Harris Bank. UPAF Bright Minds provides essential funding to arts education initiatives delivered by UPAF Member Groups, touching the lives of over 100,000 students each year.

"UPAF serves an incredible and imperative role in making the arts more accessible for all of Southeastern Wisconsin, especially our children," said Frank P. Crivello, Chairman & Founder of Phoenix Investors. "UPAF's wide reach, admirable mission, and undeniable impact on our youth and the whole of our cultural identity are more than worthy of our support, especially amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Phoenix Investors' gift will be directed to two distinct arts education programs, First Stage's Theater Academy and Milwaukee Ballet's Releve program. First Stage Theater Academy, the nation's largest theater training program for young people, teaches life skills through stage skills to over 2,500 students in the Greater Milwaukee area each year. Milwaukee Ballet's Releve program directly links the benefits of dance and education for grade school students, through providing 220 Milwaukee Public Schools students with a variety of professional level ballet experiences including classes, tickets to Ballet performances and in-school visits from Ballet dancers, all at no cost to students or schools.

"We are so fortunate to have Phoenix Investors in our community," said Deanna Tillisch, UPAF president & CEO. "Frank Crivello and his team have made a tremendous commitment to improving lives in neighborhoods across our region through their support of UPAF Bright Minds. During difficult times, arts education and outreach programming is often the first to be reduced or eliminated. Support from organizations like Phoenix Investors is of the utmost importance to ensure that arts education remains a critical part of students' lives."

About UPAF

The United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF) has been setting the stage since 1967 by providing critical investment in our region's vibrant performing arts scene. UPAF's mission is to secure community resources, promote the performing arts as a regional asset and improve the quality of life through responsible investment in and financial support of the performing arts in Southeastern Wisconsin. In 2019 UPAF raised more than $11.9 million to support the area's performing arts environment. UPAF proudly bears Charity Navigator's highest distinction for nonprofits  a four-star rating  and is the No. 1 united arts fund in the country in terms of dollars raised.

As an umbrella organization, UPAF supports a breadth of performing arts groups that collectively offer something for everyone through its 14 Member Groups and numerous Affiliates. More than one million people are touched each year through performances, educational outreach, special events and community partnerships.

SOURCE United Performing Arts Fund
However, these seemingly promising numbers are not necessarily all good news, Zoocasa said.

Although the average home price increased substantially in these York region markets, sales in June have yet to catch-up to last years levels, Zoocasa said in its analysis. Richmond Hill had the largest sales gap, with transactions still down 17% from last year.

An earlier RE/MAX analysis said that Ontario remained ripe for investment despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the Greater Toronto Area is still the provinces premier investment destination, London was also considered a high-quality option considering that it plays host to institutions like major post-secondary schools and large hospitals.

London maintained a sellers market throughout 2019, and is projected to stay this way through 2020, even despite a COVID-19-related cooling of demand, RE/MAX said. While the popularity of London as a place to live and work has certainly contributed to steadily rising average home prices over the past few years, property price tags are still immensely more affordable than those within the GTA.
Auburn, IN (46706)

Today

Cloudy skies. Morning high of 42F with temps falling to near 25. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 14F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
Contrary to what you may have been hearing, there is no shutdown looming for the Lone Star State.

As reported by the Texas Tribune, Gov. Greg Abbott said on Thursday that the rumors are not true and if people wear masks, they may never have to be. (yay?)

"I get this question, it seems like, a thousand times a day," he said to KPRC-TV. "People are panicking thinking Im about to shut down Texas again. The answer is no. That is not the goal. Ive been abundantly clear."

By 'abundantly clear', he's referring to an appearance on CBS19 last week, where he said he might have to implement another shutdown if Texans don't abide by his July 2 mask mandate.

The mandate requires all Texans to wear a face covering over the nose and mouth in public spaces in counties with 20 or more positive COVID-19 cases, with few exceptions."

In addition to the mask mandate, Abbott also ordered bars shutdown once again and he scaled back on restaurant capacity. These steps were crucial in preventing another shutdown, but it will take a few weeks before they start to actually slow the spread, Abbott said.

COVID-19: Bexar county reports thousands of backlogged cases

"If we do not all join together and unite in this one cause for a short period of time, of adopting a mask, what it will lead to is the necessity of having to close Texas back down," he said to CBS19. "That should be the last thing that any government wants  the last thing that any business owner wants."

After seeing the economic impact of the previous shutdown, it's no surprise why. "That is my message when I issued my executive order," Abbott told KPRC. "I said that what I want to do is make sure everyone begins to wear a mask so that we will be able to get COVID-19 under control so that we will not have to shut Texas back down."

Chron.com reported that from Wednesday to Thursday, the statewide total of new cases went from 14,430 to 306,490, a 4.94 percent increase. The death count went up by 4.4 percent, or 154 deaths, to a total of 3,637 deaths. According to a Houston Chronicle analysis, Texas saw its highest numbers on Thursday due to Bexar County reporting 4,810 backlogged positive cases.

Seriously people, just wear a mask.
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
Since Australia is the only country that is also a continent, people across the world are familiar with its distinctive outline.

So much so, that many have spotted the outline of Australia in everyday items such as steaks, eggs, clouds and even a blister.

Father-of-three Santino Ruisi, 40, spotted an Australia-shaped cloud while camping with his two sons in Edensor Park, in Sydney's west, in April.

An image captured by Mr Ruisi showed the sun's rays bursting through a gap in the clouds to highlight the shape.

Father-of-three Santino Ruisi, 40, spotted an Australia-shaped cloud Edensor Park, in Sydney's west, in April

Iconic: Australia is instantly recognisable as it's the only country that is also a continent

Mr Ruisi told Daily Mail Australia: 'The rays were going right across the sky. Me and my three kids thought it was incredible.

'I wish I could have captured it three or five seconds earlier so I could have shown that there was also a glowing ball for Tasmania.'

Another social media user claimed to have spotted the shape of Australia while cooking a piece of steak.

The juicy steak, posted on Reddit, appeared startlingly similar to the great southern land, only missing the one or two features.

The Australian-shaped steak grabbed at the attention of Reddit users who said Tasmania and Queensland were missing but the rest was spot on.

A woman shared a snap of her healing blister at the ball of her foot to Instagram in October that had no missing features.

Another social media user claimed to have created The Land Down Under while cooking a piece of steak

A woman shared a snap of her healing blister at the ball of her foot to Instagram in October that had no missing features

The skin below the big toe appears to have peeled away leaving behind the uncanny shape.

The similarity to Australia is so close that the outline mirrors some of the finer details of the Australian coastline.

Cape York, in northern Queensland, and The Great Australian Bight, along the southern coastline, can be traced in the outline.

Even Tasmania is depicted and separated not too far below the main shape.

A fourth Australian cook managed to crack an egg roughly in the shape of Australia - but one key state was missing.

A fourth Australian cook managed to crack an egg roughly in the shape of Australia - but one key state was missing

The social media user uploaded the picture of the cracked egg being cooked in a fry pan to Reddit on Wednesday.

The fried egg appeared to be in the shape of Australia.

One side of the egg bulged out similar to Western Australia while the bottom of the egg was cut like the Great Australian Bight.

Another section of the egg appeared to spike above the rest of the breakfast food in a similar manner to Queensland.
Buckle up, more hacks ahead: That's the loud message Wednesday's wild attack on Twitter is sending to public officials, business executives and leaders of political campaigns.

Why it matters: With the election less than four months off, the takeover of high-profile Twitter accounts provided a grim reminder of the vulnerability of our communications platforms, government systems and business networks.

Driving the news: On Wednesday, messages promoting a bitcoin scam started appearing on prominent Twitter accounts, including those of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Mike Bloomberg, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffett.

For several hours Twitter blocked its "verified" users  those with blue checkmarks  from posting as it tried to lock down its systems.

Experts immediately assumed, and Twitter later confirmed, that this wasn't a series of individual account break-ins but rather a compromise at its administrative level.

The big picture: Four years ago at this time, the Clinton campaign was reeling from a public dump of pilfered Democratic party emails that turned the 2016 election cycle upside down.

Partly as a result of that fiasco, potential hacking targets are more aware than ever of the potentially catastrophic consequences of losing control of their online accounts.

More people are taking precautions, and fewer are likely to fall for the most obvious threats.

But attackers have learned a lot since 2016, too. And the pandemic's work-from-home era has created fresh vulnerabilities for users who are adapting to new online work arrangements without ready access to onsite support.

What they're saying: Thursday saw both the FBI and the New York State attorney general announce investigations into the incident, and a wave of demands by members of Congress for information and remedies.

This hack bodes ill for November balloting," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in a statement. "Twitter was long put on notice by the Federal Trade Commission about its repeated security lapses and failure to safeguard accounts. Count this incident as a near miss or shot across the bow. It could have been much worse with different targets."

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued a statement warning that the hack revealed "a worrisome vulnerability in this media environment  exploitable not just for scams, but for more impactful efforts to cause confusion, havoc, and political mischief."

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wants Twitter to encrypt direct messages. (It's worth remembering that a number of his colleagues want to make strong encryption illegal.)

Be smart: Many observers noted that the attackers' apparent goal of fleecing gullible users of their bitcoin was relatively low-key compared to the kind of mayhem they could have pursued, like manipulating markets, triggering international crises, or falsifying voting information on election eve.

There's a lot we still don't know, including:

whether the Twitter attackers also gained access to the direct messages in the compromised accounts;

whether the "social engineering attack" aimed at Twitter employees had any inside help;

who the attackers are and what their goal was. (Here's some good detective work from Brian Krebs.)

One thing we know: For the moment, at least, the attackers came out on top.

If they aimed just to make money, they appear to have collected north of $100,000 worth of bitcoin.

If they aimed to sow further confusion and doubt about the communications network relied on by the U.S. president, they did a pretty good job of that, too.

Our thought bubble: You'd think Twitter would have hardened its defenses by now, as well as tightened its controls on administrative access.

After all, there was that time in 2017 when a rogue employee deactivated President Trump's account, "inadvertently due to human error," for 11 minutes.

Nearly a decade ago, the company entered into a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over similar issues surrounding administrative security.

What's next: The FTC could get involved again.
Police are searching for the person who killed a mother and shot her 4-year-old daughter Friday morning inside their west Houston apartment.

The shooter possibly forced his way into the apartment in the 1800 block of Barker Cypress around 4:15 a.m., according to Houston Police Department Lt. Christopher Bruce. He went upstairs and started an argument with the woman before pulling a gun and opening fire, Bruce said.
SAN DIEGO (July 12, 2020) Sailors and Federal Firefighters combat a fire onboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) at Naval Base San Diego, July 12. On the morning of July 12, a fire was called away aboard the ship while it was moored pier side at Naval Base San Diego. Local, base and shipboard firefighters responded to the fire. Bonhomme Richard is going through a maintenance availability, which began in 2018. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Christina Ross)

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The United Nations is increasing to $10.3 billion its appeal for humanitarian aid funding to handle the fallout from the coronavirus crisis around the world. Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said in Geneva on Friday that the number of people in the world who need humanitarian assistance has more than doubled because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the effects of the global lockdown of economies and societies.

At the beginning of the year, humanitarian agencies targeted around 110 million people, he said. They now need to reach ...
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 10:03:45|Editor: huaxia

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LUSAKA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The United States should not use Hong Kong as a launchpad for its selfish agenda, a Zambian trade expert said on Thursday.

The signing of the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act" into law by the White House is irrational and only meant to bolster President Donald Trump's dwindling political fortunes at home, said Trevor Simumba, managing director of Sub-Saharan Consulting Group.

"This move has to do with Trump who wants to divert attention from political issues in his country," he told Xinhua.

It was naive for Washington to try to split Hong Kong from China.

"History is there for all to see," he said.

Simumba cautioned that instability in Hong Kong will hurt the city's status as a global financial hub.

China has firmly opposed and strongly condemned the U.S. move, saying that it seriously violates international law and the basic norms underpinning international relations and constitutes gross interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs. Enditem
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Attention is being paid to the challenges that are being faced right now with the Armenian-Azerbaijani issue, US Ambassador to OSCE James S. Gilmore said in a statement, Trend reports.

The Minsk Group Co-Chairs: Russian Federation, the United States, and France, are active, that they are participating. The United States is speaking here today strictly in our national capacity, not on behalf of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, from whom we have already heard in one capacity or another.

I want to make it clear that attention is being paid to the challenges that are being faced right now with the Armenian-Azerbaijani issue. Yesterday, there was a press statement issued by the Co-Chairs that welcomed the decrease in hostilities at that time and appealed to both sides to make every effort to continue de-escalation.

The Co-Chairs also urged the sides to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and any attempts to change the situation on the ground.

I wanted to make all the countries assembled here today aware of the contents of their press release.

In addition, I wish to simply state that yesterday the three Permanent Representatives of France, the United States, and the Russian Federation, along with other members of the Minsk Group, were briefed in our national capacities by the Co-Chairs.

At that time, I, in my individual capacity, stated that it was important for the Co-Chairs to be transparent and active, and to be in a position to aid in mediation and response, if that occasion presented itself in accordance with the Minsk process.

In the past two days, both the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Morgan Ortagus, the Spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, have made statements in which the United States condemned in the strongest terms the violence along the border and urged the sides to stop using force immediately and to strictly adhere to the ceasefire.

The United States is strongly committed to helping the sides achieve a lasting peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and we will remain active in efforts to accomplish that goal, Ambassador Gilmore said.




NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GateHouse Treatment, long-time behavioral healthcare leader in the addiction treatment field, today launches a new drug and alcohol rehab center in the Nashville, TN area. Since its founding in Nashua, New Hampshire, more than ten years ago, GateHouse Treatment has continually expanded its offerings and facilities to better serve clients seeking recovery from drug or alcohol addiction.

Why Tennessee? Why Now?

Fatal overdoses recently reached a five-year record high in Tennessee, most of them opioid-related. In 2019 there were 5.3 million prescriptions filled for opioids, according to the Tennessee Department of Health; the state's population at the time was only 6.7 million. Nationwide, COVID-19 has caused a near 50-percent surge in overdoses. In the face of such overwhelming, preventable tragedy, GateHouse Treatment's founders felt this was the time and place to focus its resources.

"We cannot stand by while so many lives are being destroyed by this crisis, which is playing out right here in my backyard," said GateHouse Treatment's Chief Science Officer Dr. Samuel MacMaster, long-time Tennessee resident and national expert on substance use disorder. "GateHouse's proven drug rehab programs have been a force for recovery from addiction for so many people. We felt it was time to expand our reach and continue to fight on the front lines of the battle against drug and alcohol addiction."

With more than 30 years of experience in addiction treatment, Dr. MacMaster is a pioneer and thought leader in the behavioral health field. He has served as a tenured associate professor at the College of Social Work, University of Tennessee for 16 years, where he published more than 75 articles on addiction and substance abuse.

How Is GateHouse Treatment Different From Other Drug Rehabs?

"What sets GateHouse apart is our offering of long-term, extended care, and aftercare," said Chad Clardy, Senior VP of Clinical Outreach. "We're not just another 30-day program. We have a real community feeling, working closely with families, repairing social connections, and focusing on accountability. But it's our people, our talented group of licensed, professional clinicians and therapists, who make lasting recovery possible for our clients."

What Can You Expect as a Client Seeking Recovery?

GateHouse Treatment brings its unique blend of therapies and techniques plus years of experience with proven, evidence-based treatments to the Nashville basin. Far from limiting itself to one geographic area, the center hopes to reach potential clients from the neighboring states of Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, and others, as well as anyone in the country seeking a remote treatment solution.

The new center offers IOP (Intensive Outpatient) and OP (Outpatient Program) levels of care and a sober living community. PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program) will be added soon.

GateHouse Treatment prides itself on offering traditional and cutting edge therapies to clients, each of whom receives a customized treatment plan. Examples of therapies and services provided at GateHouse Treatment of Tennessee include:

Individual Mental Health Counseling

Biofeedback Therapy

EMDR Trauma Therapy

Experiential Psycho-Dramas

Individual and Group Therapy

Family Program

Adventure Therapy

Alumni Program

Brainspotting

MAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment)

"GateHouse Treatment of Tennessee pledges to offer the structure, the support, and the love that our clients need to heal," said CEO Antwon Bailey, an experienced drug counselor who has held clinical and leadership positions in several other recovery centers. "Collectively, we have the experience and the capacity to honor this pledge from day one. We offer a trauma-informed, evidence-based, and eclectic mix of interventions that will meet our clients in the moment."

About GateHouse Treatment

GateHouse Treatment is a nationally recognized provider of drug and alcohol addiction treatment services, with facilities in Nashua, New Hampshire, and Nashville, Tennessee. The GateHouse group offers a full range of inpatient and outpatient services, including exclusive, innovative, and evidence-based treatment methods provided by staff with unparalleled levels of dedication and compassion. GateHouse Treatment is accredited by the Joint Commission. For more information about GateHouse Treatment, visit www.GateHouseTreatment.com.

SOURCE GateHouse Treatment

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Mexico City has officially reopened its tourism industry as of June 29. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has encouraged people to get out, and has refused to reimpose stricter nationwide restrictions.

This was part of an effort to lift an economy that was forecasted to decrease by as much as 10 percent his year.

Mexico has been one of the countries to reopen its tourism industry despite its continuing struggle to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. But industry experts predict that the Mexico tourism industry could take years to recover.

Head of the Ministry of Tourism Miguel Torruco said Mexico's tourism industry will not fully recover until 2023.

"It has to happen this year and next year, with a lot of effort, so that by 2023 tourism can be somewhat normalized, it will again quite successful, but not yet, it will time to see the same levels that we had at the end of 2019, Torruco was quoted in a report.

Mexico was one of the 10 most visited countries in the world. It received more than 45 million international tourists with an economic worth of $24.5 billion. But the pandemic caused a decrease on foreign visitors of around 34.4 percent annually in the first quarter of 2020.

Mexico's tourism industry and COVID-19

Authorities in the Caribbean beach resort of Tulum threatened to fine or arrest people disobeying rules on wearing face masks on Wednesday.

With the reopening of the country's tourism industry, some local authorities worry that their livelihoods will be hit worse if they do not take precautions. Tulma's mayor Victor Mas Tah said they can not play with the health of the citizens.

The state of Yucatan has also implemented an overnight curfew and banned the sale of alcohol and closed marinas. In the eastern state of Veracruz, where fewer tourists visit the area, authorities have issued curbs in travel and group gatherings in some of its municipalities.

Mexico COVID-19 cases

Confirmed cases in Mexico are around 324,000 with 203,000 recoveries, and 37,574 deaths.

Mexico City has the highest number of positive cases at 57,674 with 38,917 recoveries, and 7,657 deaths. Followed by the State of Mexico at 42,372 with 22,128 recoveries, and 5,184 deaths. Next is Tabasco with 14,958 with 10,462 recoveries, and 1,405 deaths.

On July 13, Mexico surpassed Italy to become the world's fourth-highest death toll, according to data. But the pandemic was already losing its intensity in the state and the "conservative media" has been the one who's causing the alarm, according to Lopez Obrador.

Its neighboring country Brazil stands as the second worst-hit country by the pandemic with over 2 million positive cases, around 1.37 million recoveries, and 76,822 deaths.

Brazil's badly hit areas are the State of Sao Paulo with 402,000 confirmed cases, and 19,038 deaths. Next is the State of Ceara with 144,000 positive cases, and 7,127 deaths. Third is the state of Rio de Janeiro with 135,000 positive cases and 11,849 deaths.

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Raab also said that he was almost certain that Russians sought to interfere in the U.K.'s general election in 2019 but he didn't point the figure at any specific group. Russia denied both of the allegations.

"It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic," U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement. "While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour, the U.K. and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health."

The U.S. Department for Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, the National Security Agency, Canada's Communications Security Establishment and the U.K.'s National Cyber Security Centre joined forces Thursday in accusing Russia of the hacking campaign.

Security officials have accused Russian hackers of trying to steal information about coronavirus vaccine research in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

So who exactly was trying to steal the coronavirus vaccine? Well, security officials think they know.

There are two hacking groups that are thought to be linked to Russian spy agencies: one is Fancy Bear and the other is Cozy Bear.

In this case, the lesser-known Cozy Bear is said to be the main culprit. It is formally known as ATP29 where APT stands for advanced persistent threat.

Over the last few months, Cozy Bear hackers allegedly used spear phishing and custom malware software to try to extract files crucial to developing a vaccine.

"This latest campaign fits with their modus operandi of disruption, stealing intellectual property, and sowing distrust in democracy," said Andrew Tsonchev, director of technology at security firm Darktrace.

"We are at the stage where groups like this are able to send malicious emails that are impossible for humans to distinguish from genuine communication."

Cozy Bear is thought to be linked to Russia's foreign intelligence service, or the SVR RF, which collaborates with the country's Federal Security Service (FSB).

The U.K.'s NCSC said that Cozy Bear "almost certainly operates as part of Russian intelligence services," adding that it was 95% sure.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations Thursday, according to the state-owned TASS news agency.

"We do not have information about who may have hacked into pharmaceutical companies and research centres in Great Britain. We can say one thing  Russia has nothing at all to do with these attempts," he said.

Cozy Bear was involved in the hack on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) during the U.S. presidential election in 2016, according to security firm CrowdStrike.

Norway's PST security agency said Cozy Bear targeted Norway's Labor Party in 2017, as well as the country's defense and foreign ministries.
China's V-shaped rebound must be taken with heaps of salt. The country has reclaimed all lost output since the pandemic, but only by doubling down on an exhausted model of market-Leninism that leads nowhere.

Retail sales fell 11 per cent in the first half and have yet to recover fully. The service sector is still depressed. The 3.2 per cent rise in GDP from a year ago has been flattered by a massive surge in metal-bashing for infrastructure projects of diminishing value, or no value at all.

Diving deeper into China's economic numbers raises concerns. Credit:China Photos

It has gone into cement-mixing for a real-estate market with over 60 million empty flats. Little of this "economic activity" is responding to any meaningful market signal, and it amounts to ecological vandalism.

The funds are being channelled through the 150,000 chronically-inefficient state enterprises (SOEs), which serve chiefly as a machine of patronage and control for Xi Jinping's Communist Party. The more dynamic private sector saw a 7.3 per cent fall in investment over the first half.
Since the US passed the Caesar Act, allies of Syria have been promising to stand by the country and continue to provide support and services.

A number of Syrias friends reiterated their support for the Assd government, despite possible consequences that arise from the Caeser Act.

In an interview with Sputnik Arabic, on the sidelines of the First Conference of Syrian Businessmen and Women, held by the Association of Political Science Graduates over a two-day period in Damascus, The Iranian Ambassador to Syria, Javad Turkabadi said, I assure you, we will stand by each other, and the Syrian people stand steadfast alongside their country and its institutions.

On Syrias urgent need for oil derivatives, which are an essential input for agricultural and industrial production, which was specifically targeted by the Caesar Act, the Iranian ambassador said, The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to provide all of your oil and energy needs. We and the Syrians are in one boat together. We are working hard to overcome the obstacles that the United States and its agents are trying to impose on us.

Ambassador Turkabadi reiterated his countrys condemnation of unilateral economic measures against Syria, concluding his speech by saying, Soon, God willing, we will all celebrate the victory with our brother Syria.

In Prague, the head of the Czech Parliamentary Group for Friendship with Syria, Stanislav Grospic, affirmed that the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria target the Syrian people of all walks of life.

In a statement to SANAs correspondent in Prague, Grospic renewed his condemnation of the continuation of these measures which complicate the lives of Syrians and make them difficult, indicating that the European Union adopts a colonial approach towards Syria, which is unacceptable.

He noted that the coercive measures imposed by the West on Iran, Syria and Cuba aimed to subjugate the peoples of these sovereign states to the colonization schemes and the terrorism backers.

In Islamabad, Pakistani President Arif Alvi stressed his countrys keenness to enhancing bilateral ties with Syria, describing them as fraternal and close, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

During a meeting in Islamabad with the Ambassador-designate to Syria, Saeed Muhammad Khan, Alvi affirmed that his country attaches the utmost importance to its ties with Syria, underlining the necessity of enhancing these ties in different domains of mutual interest.

Alvi called on the Pakistani ambassador to focus on expanding bilateral cooperation, especially in the trade, economic and social sectors.

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.
Q. My father purchased this painting at a local auction in 1973 for $200. We have researched this artist to no avail and would be most appreciative for any information concerning our little treasure. The plaque name is V. DeBree. It measures 22.5 cm x 20 cm (10 x 8 inches) within its original frame. The back has a label of The Cooling Galleries Ltd. Established 1797. 92, New Bond Street, LONDON. and 5 Temperance Street, Toronto. Thank you!

Harriet, Kitchener

A. Artist names can be confusing and name plaques added by art dealers  not the artists  can be incorrect. I consulted International Art Specialist Susan Robertson, of Waddingtons.ca auction house in Toronto. Ms. Robertson determined that your painting is most likely Belgian and the artists last name could be Van Bree leading to three possibilities: Mathieu-Ignace Van Bree (1773-1839), his pupil, Philippe Van Bree (1786-1871) or Jos. van Bree (early 19th century). Gallery labels are important provenance for paintings and Cooling Galleries commands great respect. She also referred to the art dealers gold seal label indicating it is a fine quality work and suggested getting help to look for a signature that might be hidden by the frame. All hold exciting possibilities with this detailed interior genre scene with a rack of pewter plates above an open hearth fireplace coupled with the drama of a standoffish maid and suitor for a good value above $1,000.

Q. This candelabra, measuring 47.5 cm in height (18.75 inches) was a gift to my great-great-grandmother from her nieces in Quebec City in the late 1800s. They were the daughters of Joseph Knight Boswell (1812-1890) of Boswell Breweries. When my great grandfather died (1848-1886) at a very young age he left my great grandmother a widow with six young girls in age from 9 to six weeks. The Boswell nieces would send her their hand-me-downs with the candelabra being one. Now in possession of it I will soon hand it down to my son. I dont think there is great value to it but the history is interesting.

Marg, Lac Beauclair, Que.

A. This is a great story of kindness and a note to the successful brewery business of Irishman Joseph Boswell. Expensive items were bought by those who could afford them. Your handsome candelabra was either made in England or Canada. The decoration, with repeated scrolls and gadrooning spaced by plain sections is very elegant and caters to tastes of the late 1890s. They were usually in pairs. The silver plating, on copper is in very good condition. It could, once again grace a large dining room table or sideboard. It is worth about $175.

Q. I have had this little dance card from the U.S.N.A (United States Naval Academy) Winter Hops (1911-1912) for over 40 years. It is lovely to see cadet names beside the various dances. It brings a sweet image of a young miss filling out her dance card for what would have been a lovely evening! I wonder if it has any value?

Deborah, Ottawa

A. Ephemera at its best  informative, historical and charming. The Academy located in Annapolis, Md., prepares students to become officers to serve in the U.S. navy and Marine Corps. They are midshipmen on active duty in the Navy while attending as students. The quality crest depicted, of the USNA with trident, galley, open book, pillars and much more symbolizes the principals of the academy. A hop was a colloquial term for an informal dance  this one consisting of 20 waltzes and two-steps. The artwork is a great hook showing a couple through a porthole and her dance card hanging out the window on her arm. Its well worth $40. Thanks for the invite!
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A lower-caste Dalit couple in India attempted suicide after police beat them and destroyed their crops, triggering calls yesterday for an end to brutal evictions of poor minorities.

An online video showing half a dozen police officers dragging and beating the couple with sticks to evict them from government-owned land in central Madhya Pradesh state has been viewed more than one million times since it took place on Tuesday.

The couple consumed pesticide moments after the eviction and were rushed to hospital, S. Vishwanath, head of the local administration, told a news conference late on Wednesday, hours before he and the police chief were removed from their posts.

A lower-caste Dalit couple in India attempted suicide after police beat them and destroyed their crops, triggering calls yesterday for an end to brutal evictions of poor minorities

An online video shows half a dozen police officers dragging and beating the couple with sticks to evict them from government-owned land in central Madhya Pradesh state

'To force a couple to attempt suicide by damaging their crops ... is most cruel and shameful,' Kumari Mayawati, a Dalit political leader, said on Twitter.

'Nationwide condemnation of the incident is natural. Government should take strict action.'

Government and senior police officials were not immediately available for comment.

The eviction was part of a drive to stop encroachment on land and the area the couple was farming had been allotted for the construction of a college, said a policeman who declined to be named as he was not authorised to talk to the media.

Six police officers were suspended yesterday and the state government has ordered an investigation into the incident.

'To force a couple to attempt suicide by damaging their crops ... is most cruel and shameful,' Kumari Mayawati, a Dalit political leader, said on Twitter

India banned discrimination based on caste - a system which divided Hindus into groups based on occupations - in 1955. But centuries-old biases against lower-caste groups persist, making it harder for them to access education, jobs and homes.

A growing population and rising pressure on land to build homes, highways and industry is triggering conflicts, with lower-caste citizens often facing eviction, particularly in rural areas where biases are most entrenched, campaigners say.

More than half of India's lower-caste population is landless, according to census data. Several states have laws aimed at giving land to Dalits but few have produced results, according to Dalit activists and leaders.

'They were begging the police to not destroy their crops as they were in debt ... but the police did not listen to them,' N. Kumar, a neighbour of the couple, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Nankhedi village.

He said the couple had asked the police to wait two months so that they could harvest their crops.

Ram Prakash Sharma, a tribal and Dalits' rights activist in Madhya Pradesh, described the incident as 'unfortunate' and urged authorities to do more to help the couple.

'The Dalits in Madhya Pradesh are one of the most backward people and they do not own farming land,' he said.

'The government must provide this couple a house and employment so that they can feed their kids and not die of starvation.'
A primary school teacher who ran a lunchtime magic club and home tutoring is accused of posing as a 13-year-old girl on Instagram to trick more than 70 male students into sending him sexually explicit material.

Melbourne man Timothy Patrick Cordova, 25, allegedly created a fake account under the alias 'Matilda Roberts' to ask young boys for photos of their 'd**ks' and 'junk', as well as videos of them performing sex acts, to satisfy his own sexual gratification.

He was arrested and charged on July 2 after detectives allegedly uncovered a collection of child abuse material on computers and hard drives seized during a raid of his Rowville home.

Cordova fronted Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with 31 offences relating to soliciting and producing child abuse material, the Herald Sun reports.

A Melbourne primary school teacher has been charged with 31 offences after allegedly posing as a teenage girl on Instagram and asking more than 70 boy students for sexually explicit images and videos (stock image)

The educator had worked at three schools in the city's south east, St Mark's Primary Catholic School in Dingley Village, St Francis De Sales Primary in Lynbrook, and Killester Girls' College in Springvale.

The schools' principals are assisting police to identify children in the lewd material allegedly found in his possession and investigators suspect more charges will be laid.

The court heard more than 60 of his alleged victims were past or present students from St Mark's, including 26 of which he had taught.

At the time of the June 26 raid on his home, Cordova was employed at St Francis De Sales, where his mother is also a teacher.

The electronic devices taken allegedly contained dozens of items in hidden folders labelled 'boys on boys' and 'boys sex duo', while other folders contained the full names of the school children.

Timothy Patrick Cordova, 25, was previously employed at St Mark's Primary Catholic School (pictured) in Dingley Village, where more than 60 of the alleged victims are past or present pupils

Detective Senior Constable Kellie Mervin told the court officers also found collages where head shots of students from yearbooks were superimposed onto child abuse material.

He had also taken pictures of children's 'private parts' at a school swimming carnival, the court heard.

Cordova taught economics, maths and reading classes at his home, with detectives also trying to speak to anyone he had tutored.

He also ran a magic club and cards club during school lunch breaks.

He resigned three days before his arrest and his teaching registration has since been suspended.

Magistrate Luisa Bazzani said the allegations were of a 'heinous nature' due to the nature of Cordova's position and the vulnerability of the students.

At the time of the June 26 police raid on his home, Cordova was employed at St Francis De Sales Primary School in Lynbrook (pictured) where his mother also works as a teacher

During the bail hearing on Thursday, police argued Cordova should remain in custody because he stood as an unacceptable risk of reoffending.

However, the judge granted bail under strict conditions, including he must live with his ex-policeman uncle.

Cordova is also prohibited from going within 200 metres of any learning centre, kindergarten, primary or high school and is only permitted to leave the house under supervision.

He must remain home between 8pm to 5am and is not allowed to access the internet or communicate with anyone under 18.

He will face court again in October.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 22:32:59|Editor: huaxia

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HANOI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam reported one new case of COVID-19 infection on Friday, bringing its total confirmed cases to 382 with zero deaths so far, according to its Ministry of Health.

The latest case was a 64-year-old Russian man recently entering Vietnam, said the ministry, noting that he was quarantined upon arrival.

Meanwhile, one more patient was given all-clear on Friday, bringing the total cured cases in the country to 357, said the ministry.

Vietnam has recorded no local transmission for 92 straight days while there are over 10,100 people being quarantined and monitored in the country, Vietnam News Agency reported. Enditem
Representative image

Rajeev Bhattacharyya

Myanmars concern over Chinese support to certain insurgent outfits which was articulated to a Russian state media recently is a cause of great concern for India. Among the groups that have been named by Myanmars Army Chief Min Aung Hlaing is Arakan Army, which is active in the countrys Chin and Rakhine states bordering Mizoram. A fierce battle has been on for the past several months in the region between the rebels and government forces with both sides suffering reverses.

The Arakan Army was founded in 2009 as the military wing of the United League of Arakan with the objective to secure The Rakhita Way  the right of self-determination for the people of Arakan who are perceived to suffer from Myanmarese colonial rule and safeguarding their identify and cultural heritage. It was originally trained by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and currently part of the seven-member Northern Alliance. Over the past six years, the Arakan Army has steadily expanded its operations to cover most towns in the northern zone of Rakhine state.

The Arakan Armys Beijing connection is well established and the chances are high that it would assume the same role as the United Wa State Army in Myanmars Shan state, which is believed to be Chinas proxy. It has been Chinas policy to promote rebel groups in Myanmar as a carrot and stick policy to fulfil its strategic objectives including the vital Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the country to gain access to the Indian Ocean. A strengthened Arakan Army, on the other hand, could have adverse implications for India in many aspects.

The future of the multi-crore Kaladan Multi-Model Transit Transport Project could be rendered more uncertain with the ongoing disturbance in Chin and Rakhine states. In November, the outfit abducted five Indian employees working on the project. While four of them were released, one died in rebel custody. A month later, the Arakan Army announced that the Indian government would have to negotiate and pay taxes to continue its flagship connectivity project considered a key element of Indias Act East Policy. Given such obstructions, it will be difficult to go ahead and complete the project in the near future.

The project will connect with Sittwe in Myanmar, but China may not prefer a formidable Indian presence in the region. Sittwe is not far from the deep seaport of Kyaukphyu that is integral to the BRI. This would mean that the plan to link the Northeast with Myanmar would have to undergo a major change, and the only option for the time being would be through Manipurs Moreh which would eventually link up with the trilateral highway in Myanmar.

Since the Galwan Valley faceoff with Chinas PLA in eastern Ladakh, some separatist rebel outfits in Indias Northeast, such as the anti-talks faction of ULFA, have become active although their immediate objectives are unclear. ULFA has compiled pro-China videos and sources revealed that its chief of staff Paresh Baruah is making serious efforts at reviving the outfit.

These groups are in need of safer locations to establish camps and training facilities after Tatmadaws (Myanmar military) raids early last year at Taga, in north western Hukwang Valley. The possibility of the Arakan Army allowing ULFA and the other rebel groups to establish a presence in its territory cannot be ruled out. This region will certainly not be advantageous for the groups given the long distance and terrain, but they can survive for a few more years. Already, there are rumours suggesting the presence and activities of some Manipur groups in Chin and Rakhine states.

A formidable presence of the Arakan Army could also lead to an increase in the flow of synthetic drugs into India and Bangladesh. There is speculation that the outfit is engaged in the illicit trade in narcotics and the profits diverted to sustain the armed campaign. The trend in the last couple of years in Indias Northeast would point to the inescapable conclusion that the region has emerged as the corridor of drugs. This is evidenced from the seizures made by the Border Security Force (BSF) at regular intervals, even during the lockdown, most of which are in Dhubri and Cooch Behar along the India- Bangladesh border.
The contents of Celbridges Temple Mills House are to be sold via an online auction to be conducted by Prosperous-based Reilly Antiques.

The sale will take place next Saturday, July 18, at 12 midday.

Temple Mills House is a restored Georgian residence, dating back to 1785, on seven acres on the outskirts of Celbridge, which was sold last May for 850,000.

It was restored by a previous owner and the catalogue for sale contains a lifetime collection of antique furniture, fine art and collectables.

Reilly's Antiques is a long established and renowned showrooms and auction rooms with over 10,000 sq feet over two storeys, trading for over 50 years. The business has built a solid reputation, both nationally and internationally.

Saturdays auction is their first since the Covid-19 Lockdown and there are over 380 quality lots , comprising of 19C Gilt Overmantle Mirrors, Pair of Edw. Mah Display Cabinets, 19C Mah Server/Console, Vict Grandfather Clock, Reg Mah Teapoy, Pair of Vict Inlaid Rosewood Miniature Cabinets, Vict Walnut Butterfly Couch, Early Vict Mah Irish Library Table M & W Jackson, Dublin, Paintings. Large Selection of Quality Period Display Cabinets, Sideboards, Work Boxes, Desks, Canterbury's, Games Tables, Centre Tables, Clocks, Royal Doulton, Masons Mandalay, Rugs, Object DArt, etc.

Sale procedure

In an effort to follow best practice in line with the Government & the HSE guidelines for Covid-19 and for the safety of staff and customers this auction will be online only.

Bidding will be conducted in five ways.

1. Leaving absentee bids online

2. Filling out the absentee bid form while viewing the auction in person.

3. Telephoning or emailing Reilly's Antiques with your absentee bids. Call 045 868650 or info@reillysantiques.ie.

4. Arranging a telephone bid with Reillys Antiques by phoning 045 868650.

5. Bidding in Real Time via the saleroom

Follow the auction or bid online by clicking HERE

Social distance rules must be adhered to during viewing. Please bring your own pen and print own catalogue.

Viewing on the morning of the sale from 9am.

Contact

Tel: 045 868650/ 087 2226814.

www.reillysantiques.ie Email: info@reillysantiques.ie

View our catalogue online and bid online at www.the-saleroom.com.

Showrooms are also open for daily sales from Tuesday- Friday, 10am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm and every Sunday from 2pm to 5pm.
PHOTO: Getty Images

SINGAPORE  Under the pretext of wanting to bond with his lovers two young children, a paedophile asked for them to spend nights with him at a hotel.

The 47-year-old man would then force the siblings, a nine-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl then, to watch pornography and reenact the sexual acts on each other over a period of three years, from 2012 to 2014. Both children have been assessed to have low intelligence.

The former kitchen staff was jailed 24 years and given 24 strokes of the cane on Friday (17 July) after he pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault by penetration of a minor under 14 and one charge of abetting the sexual assault of a minor under 14. Another 16 charges, the bulk of which involve him offending against the two children, were taken into consideration for his sentencing.

The man cannot be named to protect the identities of the victims. A diagnosed paedophile, the man has three children and was jailed from 2010 to 2011 for molesting one of them - his then-four-year-old daughter.

Affair with mother, filming lewd acts

He first came to know of the two children through their mother, a cleaner who was the mans work subordinate. The man and the childrens mother had an affair, but the man continued to have regular dinner with the family  including the childrens father. After a few months, the man asked his lover permission to bring the children out by himself.

The mother agreed as she trusted the man, who then took the children out on meals and visits to the arcade.

He also obtained permission from the mother to have the siblings spend the night with him at Seng Wah Hotel, located in Geylang. Records showed that the man checked into the hotel a total of 24 times between 4 May 2012 and 31 July 2014.

During each sleepover, the man would make the siblings watch pornographic videos and instruct them to re-enact the scenes depicted. As the two siblings were afraid of the man, they complied with his instructions. The man would then film the acts for his own viewing pleasure.

Story continues

If he was unsatisfied with the recording, the man would make the children repeat the acts. He threatened them with violence to ensure their compliance, and also told the children to keep silent about the incidents and they did.

The acts only stopped after the girl found the courage to tell her mother that she did not wish to meet the man anymore, lying that the man would beat them up. She did not reveal the sexual abuse out of fear and shame that her parents would not believe her.

That was not the end of the offences however. In 2018, the siblings had a chance encounter with the man in his neighbourhood. He gave the siblings his mobile number and the girl, then 14, contacted the man to ask for cigarettes.

Taking advantage of the request, the man told the girl to meet him alone at his apartment, where he made sexual advances on her. The girl agreed to the acts in exchange for money and cigarettes and met him on multiple occasions. She was aware that the man filmed these acts.

Apart from recording the sexual activity, the man obtained three audio files of the girl mimicking the sound of moaning at his request.

Offences exposed in 2019

The offences were exposed last year, after the boy, then around 16, was arrested for theft offences and for engaging in consensual sexual intercourse with a minor.

While undergoing a mandatory psychological assessment at the Institute of Mental Heath, the victim disclosed that he had been sexually abused as a boy. The police were alerted about this allegation and the man was arrested on 30 January last year.

Both the victims underwent psychological assessment and were found to have a low intelligence range. The boys IQ placed him within the intellectual disability range.

The girl, when interviewed by psychiatrists, described feeling disgusted and bad at what the man had done to her.

She also reported occasionally thinking about what had happened to her and feeling sad and angry that her parents might blame her and and her elder brother for the mans offences. The brother stated that he felt as if he had been tortured by the man. He also felt sad that he was forced to commit such acts against his sister.

The prosecution sought for the man to be jailed at least 26 years and given 24 strokes of the cane, citing a need to protect children and the mans high risk of sexual reoffending.

Undeterred by the 12-month imprisonment term meted out on this conviction (against his daughter), the accused went on to reoffend against the (siblings) less than two years after his release, and even embarked on a further offending spree against (the girl) when he reconnected with her in 2018, said Deputy Public Prosecutors Eunice Lau and Mark Yeo.

The mans lawyer, Sofia Bennita, pointed out in mitigation that the man had not taken advantage of the childrens low IQ, nor did he inflict physical harm on them.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Other Singapore stories:

SCDF ragging death: 2 fire station commanders have charges reduced at trial verdict

3 teens prosecuted after vaping on train and uploading video on social media

MOE to train teachers in discussing race, language, religion issues: Ong Ye Kung
Russia, Germany criticize U.S. threat to sanction Nord Stream 2 as disregard for Europe's energy sovereignty

Russia and Germany have rejected the recent U.S. threat to sanction the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, criticizing the move as disregard for Europe's energy sovereignty.

The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, stretching 1,230 km from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea, involves the construction of two pipelines with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year from the Russian coast to Germany. The project is scheduled to start operation in the middle of 2020.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Washington's threat to impose sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 as well as the second line of the TurkStream pipeline stretching from Russia to Turkey across the Black Sea is "unfair competition."

"This is a continuation of negative manifestations, a continuation of a rough line on the introduction of various restrictions, a rough pressure on European business, which includes our companies," Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

He reiterated that with its threat, the United States is trying to force Europeans to buy more expensive U.S. liquefied gas on less favorable terms.

Kremlin's statement came one day after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent fresh warnings of possible sanctions to companies involved in the two projects.

Pompeo claimed these projects are not commercial but serve as Moscow's tools to exploit European dependence on Russia's energy supplies that ultimately undermine transatlantic security.

"Companies aiding and abetting Russia's malign influence projects will not be tolerated," he noted. "Get out now or risk the consequences."

As a matter of fact, U.S. President Donald Trump has long voiced his discontentment about the Nord Stream 2 project, complaining about Germany's large payment to Russia on energy and "delinquency" on military spending.

In response to Washington's threat, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said "European energy policy is made in Europe."

"By announcing measures that will also sanction European companies, the U.S. government is disregarding the right and sovereignty of Europe to decide where and how we source our energy," said Maas in a statement.

"European energy policy is made in Europe and not in Washington. We clearly reject extraterritorial sanctions," Maas added.

Mass said that the German government had held numerous talks with the United States in recent weeks as Washington was planning to tighten a sanctions law against Nord Stream 2. The law -- U.S. Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act -- was enacted in late December 2019.

Peter Beyer, the German government coordinator for transatlantic relations, also tweeted Thursday that the United States should grant Europe comprehensive energy sovereignty.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) released a statement Thursday saying that states that haven't implemented a mask mandate should not receive federal relief funding.

The senator cited the increases in coronavirus cases in 41 states, including California, for the idea, stating, "it's time for serious action."

"The situation is getting worse daily," she said. "Several states including California, Alabama and Montana already require masks in public. This should be universal. My hope has been that other governors would show the leadership to institute their own mask mandates, but so far that hasnt happened. Its time for Congress to step in. This is a matter of life or death, and partisan politics shouldnt play a role."

Twenty-two states, including Arizona, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia have not issued statewide mandates. California, New York, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas are among those that have.

Some studies, including one out of Cambridge and Greenwich universities in England, found that 100% use of masks  even homemade cloth ones  could force the reproduction number (R0) for the virus down to below 1.0. Essentially, that would mean the mitigation of the spread of the virus.

"Wearing masks in public should be mandatory. Period," Feinstein added. "Leader [Mitch] McConnell said the Senate will take up the next coronavirus economic relief bill later this month. At that time, I intend to offer an amendment to prohibit sending funds to states that havent adopted a statewide mask requirement."

Feinstein's announcement met immediate critics. U.S. House Candidate James P. Bradley, a Republican running in California's 33rd District (Los Angeles County), called the idea "the height of overreach." Fox News host Laura Ingraham also commented on the proposal, saying, "If you vote for Biden, youll be wearing masks for the next four years. "

The Senate will begin considering the next coronavirus stimulus bill as early as next week. When that happens, Feinstein says she plans to introduce the proposed amendment.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

 San Francisco's health director discourages 'hard-to-resist' gatherings

 Gauging the early impact of Fourth of July gatherings on Bay Area coronavirus spread

 'The PPP thing was a joke': Why gov't loans did nothing for this SF neighborhood

 Were going to be put on the watch list any day now: July 4 COVID-19 transmissions worry officials

 Calif. Lt. Gov. Kounalakis refutes CNN's characterization of state's virus surge

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGate digital editor. Email: alyssa.pereira@sfgate.com | Twitter: @alyspereira


The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted resolution on formation and liquidation of districts.

The corresponding decision was supported by 238 lawmakers with the minimum required vote of 226, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In particular, 490 districts are liquidated in Ukraine and 136 new districts are formed.

The boundaries of districts are established along the external boundary of territories of village, town, and city territorial communities that are a part of a certain district.

According to the resolution, the districts in the temporarily occupied areas of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Donetsk region, and Luhansk region will be liquidated and reformed after these territories return under the general jurisdiction of Ukraine (after the territorial integrity of Ukraine is restored and the powers of Ukrainian government agencies in the territories are resumed in the manner prescribed by the legislation of Ukraine).

As reported, the Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on June 12 approved draft resolutions on the formation of 129 new districts and liquidation of 490 districts.

However, the final version of the draft resolution No. 3650 "On Formation and Liquidation of Districts", additionally agreed upon by the relevant parliamentary committee, stipulated the formation of 136 new districts.
Nearly 100,000 mink will be slaughtered at a farm in Spain after seven staff and most of the animals tested positive for coronavirus, health authorities have said.

The outbreak in the village of La Puebla de Valverde was first noticed when the wife of one of the employees developed Covid-19 in May.

Officials in the Aragon region placed the farm into lockdown to prevent the virus spreading and began regular random testing of the mink.

By last week nearly 87 per cent of those tested were found to be infected, prompting the local government to order a mass cull of all 92,700 animals on the farm as a preventive measure.

Joaquin Olona, head of the Aragon agriculture department, said officials did not know whether the virus had been passed from humans to animals or vice versa.

Such a conclusion should be the subject of another study, he said at a press conference on Thursday.

None of the animals or their by-products have been allowed to enter or leave the farm since the seven workers tested positive on 22 May, the minister said. The company running the farm will be compensated for the loss of the mink, which are killed using carbon monoxide gas.

Similar outbreaks in the Netherlands have already resulted in the culling of more than one million mink across 23 farms, according to the Dutch public broadcaster NOS.

Officials clear culled minks at a farm in Ospel, Netherlands, on 10 July. (ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

Animal protection charity Humane Society International said the spread of the disease among mink was a compelling reason to end the practice of fur farming.

The risk from failing to eliminate this virus reservoir is clear and yet still the Dutch government is not acting decisively by fast-tracking the early closure of this cruel and dangerous industry, said Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs.

In addition to fur factory farming being inherently cruel, the potential for zoonotic disease spread, and for mink fur farms in particular to act as reservoirs for coronaviruses, incubating pathogens transmissible to humans, is an unavoidably compelling reason for the world to call time on fur farming.

While the creation of new mink farms in the Netherlands was banned in 2013, existing fur farms have until 2024 to close. In 2018 there were still 4.5 million mink on 128 working farms across the country.

Experimental evidence suggests that SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, can also infect cats, dogs, monkeys, ferrets, and hamsters.

Last month a team of British scientists called for more research into domesticated animals to assess the likelihood they may re-infect humans who are seeking to prevent the spread of the disease.
TSA officers inspect airline passengers before they board their flights, at Lambert, St. Louis International Airport in St Louis, Mo., on Oct. 10, 2016. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

Lawmakers Introduce Pilot Program for Temperature Checks at Airports

Amidst a push to make air travel safer lawmakers have introduced legislation for a pilot program that would check the temperature of travelers as they go through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints.

Reps. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), and John Larson (D-Conn.) introduced a bill on Thursday to require TSA to check passengers temperatures as they go through screening.

The program would mandate the airport TSA officers screen all airline passengers for their temperatures, in an effort to prevent COVID 19 positive patients to board a flight.

Reopening America should be the top priority of our government. Making sure air travelers are healthy enough to fly is a common-sense way to boost passenger confidence and jumpstart economic activity, Budd said in a statement.

Norman said taking temperatures at checkpoints could help slow the spread of the virus.

Air travel poses unique challenges on this front, and its important to study and understand how TSA checkpoints might play a role in our fight against this and future pandemics, Norman said.

The bill announcement comes days after a letter Budd, Norman, and several other Republican members of Congress sent to White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows July 1, asking for the administrations support on this issue.

It ensures that regardless of where a passenger travels or on which air carrier, they experience a consistent nationwide process that identifies passengers with elevated temperatures while also creating a disincentive for those who know they may be sick from attempting to travel, the letter states.

Finally, adding temporary temperature screening to TSAs toolkit will also ensure their preparedness for any future health pandemics that threaten American lives and prosperity, the letter continues.

Major airlines are expected to start requiring passengers to complete a health acknowledgment form during check-in for a flight, which encourages passengers to evaluate their own health before traveling.

TSA has incorporated a series of measures, based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to help halt the spread of the virus including physical distancing, disinfecting, personal protective gear for officers, and plastic screens.

TSA Administrator David Pekoske offices spokesperson referred The Epoch Times to the Federal interagency position (pdf) on temperature checks which states, The policy should note that a temperature check does not verify that a person does or does not have COVID-19, and industry screening protocols should include a process to allow individuals with known reasons for having elevated temperatures, other than COVID-19, to fly with appropriate medical documentation.

Other lawmakers have criticized airlines for not doing enough to make air travel safer and to help stop the spread of the virus on airplanes.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) specifically called out American Airlines for being irresponsible, in a July 2 tweet.

@AmericanAir: how many Americans will die bc you fill middle seats, w/your customers shoulder to shoulder, hour after hour. This is incredibly irresponsible. People eat and drink on planes and must take off masks to do so. No way you arent facilitating the spread of COVID infection, Merkley said.

On July 2, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) shared Merkleys concern, saying full commercial flights pose a health threat.

Sanders wrote a letter to the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration, Secretary Elaine Chao, and Administrator Stephen Dickson on July 2, seeking immediate steps to mandate that airlines protect passengers and employees and put safety over profit.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at We Day on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa on July 2, 2017. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

Ethics Committee Punts Decision on Seeking Trudeau Familys Speaking Contracts

OTTAWAThe House of Commons ethics committee has put off to next week a decision on whether to demand records of the Trudeau familys speaking engagements as part of a probe of how WE Charity was given responsibility for a vast federal volunteer program.

Conservatives on the committee want the documents; Liberals said the committee has no business inserting itself into an investigation the federal ethics commissioner is already conducting.

WE gave up running the $912 million volunteer program amid controversy over hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees the WE organization paid to members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus family for appearances at WE events.

Trudeau has said he should have recused himself from the decision but didnt.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau, one of whose daughters works for an arm of the WE organization, has said the same.

The Tories say the committee needs to understand how well the governments conflict-of-interest regime works and the WE Charity deal presents a case study.

Lets put some sunlight on this, said Ontario Conservative MP Michael Barrett, his partys ethics critic, as the meeting began.

According to WE, most of the fees went to Trudeaus mother, Margaret, a mental health advocate, for events between 2016 and 2020, and Justin Trudeau has never been paid anything.

Quebec Liberal MP Brenda Shanahan argued the ethics committee is not an investigative body. It broadly oversees the work of people such as federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion, she said, but doesnt do probes itself.

Dion is investigating Trudeau and Morneau in the affair, to determine whether they violated the Conflict of Interest Act.

Shanahan said thats the way the probe should be carried out, rather than have a Commons committee nosing through the finances of Trudeaus relatives.

Is that really the way we want to go? Investigate everyone publicly? When there are other tools available? she asked.

Other Liberals on the committee such as Greg Fergus and Elisabeth Briere echoed her, insisting the committee only has a role to play if the ethics commissioner somehow cant act.

Both padded their ideas out with long disquisitions on the history of democracy, back to Greek city-states, and how members of the executive branch are properly held to account.

New Democrat MP Charlie Angus accused them of filibustering, running out the clock on the meeting, and not even doing it particularly well under the rules.

I mean, I love the stuff about ancient Athens, he can talk about ancient Sparta  but he needs to be introducing new material, Angus said of Fergus.

In the end, Angus proposed a compromise that would see the committee seek the speaking records only so they can be handed over to Dion, and also directly call the prime minister to testify before the group.

He voted with the Liberals to break until next week to consider the idea, a move Fergus promised is not just a delaying tactic to defend Trudeau.

The Conservatives accused the Liberals of seeking to shut the committee down in a coverup.

Thursday, the Commons finance committee heard from Youth Minister Bardish Chagger and senior public servants about how the arrangement with WE came together after Trudeau announced plans in April for a volunteering program for students who couldnt find work this summer because of COVID-19.

That committee heard WE pitch the government on a different but related project days before the announcement, and officials saw the groups connections with young people as vital to making the governments program work.

The Conservatives wrote to the lobbying commissioner Friday, seeking an investigation of whether WEs contacts with the government should have been recorded on the federal lobbying registry.

The Conservatives have also called on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to investigate whether anything in the affair was criminal. The Mounties said Friday that theyre examining the matter carefully with all available information and will take appropriate actions as required.
Jaipur: Jaipur: Rajasthan High Court accepted the amended petition filed by Sachin Pilot camp challenging the disqualification of MLAs by Rajasthan Speaker CP Joshi from the assembly. A two-judge bench will hear the matter at 1 pm today, which is also the deadline that the Speaker's office gave MLAs to file their replies to the notices.

Pilot and 18 other dissident leaders on July 16 moved the Rajasthan HC challenging notices from Speaker CP Joshi over a Congress move to disqualify them from the state assembly, in a dramatic escalation of the party's crisis in the state. In his initial appearance, counsel Harish Salve argued that the MLAs wanted to challenge the constitutional validity of the notices and needed some time to file it afresh.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is also a Congress leader, represents the Speaker's office. Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, who have represented the BJP-led government at the Centre in the past, are the lawyers for the Pilot's camp.

Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi, who had written to the Speaker seeking the MLAs' disqualification, also approached the court, asking to be heard before it passes any order.

The 19 MLAs were sent notices by the assembly secretariat on Tuesday and allowed up to Friday to give their replies. The notices said Speaker C P Joshi will take up the matter at 1 pm on Friday. The notices were served after the ruling party complained to the Speaker that the MLAs had defied a party whip to attend two Congress Legislature Party meetings, on July 13 and 14. The Pilot camp, however, argues that a party whip applies only when the assembly is in session.

In its complaint to the Speaker, Congress sought action against Pilot and other dissidents under paragraph 2 (1) (a) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. The provision disqualifies MLAs if they voluntarily give up membership of the party they represent in the House.

Congress said in a letter to the Speaker that the Supreme Court has unequivocally held in the past that the provision comes into effect when the conduct of an MLA leads to this inference.

Among those sent notices are Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena, who were sacked along with Pilot from the state cabinet after their rebellion against Ashok Gehlot. Pilot was also removed from the post of the state unit of the Congress.

Apart from the three sacked ministers, the other MLAs served notices are Prithviraj Meena, Ved Prakash Solanki, Suresh Modi, Deependra Singh, Bhanwar Lal Sharma, Gajraj Khatana, Indraj, Gajendra Singh Shaktawat, Hema Ram Chaudhary, Ram Niwas Gawriya, Amar Singh, Brijendra Singh Ola, Murari Lal, Mukesh Kumar Bhakar, Rakesh Parekh and Harish Meena.

The initial petition filed by the dissidents said Pilot has issued statements saying he had no intention of leaving Congress. It argued that that the show-cause notice is contrary to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly (Disqualification) Rules, which allows seven days to file a reply.

It said no action has been taken by the Speaker on a similar complaint, alleging defection by Bahujan Samaj Party members, since it was filed 10 months back.

Pilot has reportedly been upset since Congress picked Ashok Gehlot for the Chief Minister's post after the 2018 assembly polls. His supporters said he deserved credit for the party's victory election after a campaign helmed by him as its state unit chief.

If the 19 Congress dissidents are disqualified, the current strength of the state assembly will reduce to 181, slashing the half-way mark to 91 and seemingly making it easier for Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to retain majority support.

In the 200-member assembly, the Congress has 107 MLAs and the BJP 72.

In the past, the ruling party has claimed the support of 13 independents, two MLAs each from the CPM and the Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP), and one from the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).
Nurses collect swab tests for COVID-19 at a new, large-scale testing site at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Anaheim, Calif., on July 15, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Big Testing Center at Anaheim Convention Center Focuses on Essential Workers

ANAHEIM, Calif.The City of Anaheim has partnered with the 360 Clinic to convert a parking structure at the Anaheim Convention Center into a large-scale, drive-thru COVID-19 testing site.

It opened on July 15, and Supervisor Andrew Do said at a press conference onsite, We want to really emphasize that we are prioritizing individuals with symptoms, and those in a high-risk category. Right now, the testing really is emphasizing symptomatic, as well as high-risk individuals because of the nature of their work.

First responders, senior living facility workers and residents, and those in the food industry are among those who will be given priority for testing. Patients must have an appointment to be tested.

For patients who are insured, their insurers will be billed accordingly, but others will be covered by the county, using federal funds.

Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do speaks at the opening of a new COVID-19 testing site at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif., on July 15, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Patients proceed through a new drive-thru test site for COVID-19 at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Anaheim, Calif., on July 15, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Accuracy

Dr. Vanessa Ho of 360 Clinic told The Epoch Times the new testing site is very careful with accuracy in reporting. She said their lab partners use PCR testing, also known as nucleic acid-based testing, which is considered the gold-standard in COVID testing.

They also ensure that each person tested is only counted once, even if that person is tested multiple times. How we trace them is a unique identifier. So, one person will be actually just one person, no matter how many times they get tested, Ho said.

When that persons test is entered in the system, it is marked with identifiers to trace it back to its source. And when that same person is tested again, it combines with his or her previous entry.

So, Ho explained, the ratio of tests to people infected will not be based on the number of individual tests done, but rather the number of people tested.

Earlier this month, county health officials said they made an error in counting tests, inflating the number of tests conducted about 30,000. The problem was that they included in the total counts serology tests, along with diagnostic tests.

Diagnostic tests tell whether a person is infected at the time of testing. Serology tests tell whether a person has developed an immunity to the virus in recent weeks, but they are ineffective in testing for current infection.

Officials say they have corrected the problem and that it did not affect the count of those who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Quick Results

One of the countys partners in operating the Anaheim Convention Center site is LabCorp, one of the largest clinical laboratories in the United States, with more than 30 locations. Swabs collected at the site are sent to LabCorp laboratories at the end of each day. Patients can expect to receive results within 2448 hours.

Nurses work at a new COVID-19 testing site at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif., on July 15, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

It takes more than a week sometimes to get a result and thats presently not the case here, so I compliment those doing the testing and running it and making sure that you could get a proper result, said Supervisor Doug Chaffee.

Dr. Rachel Ngo, one of the 360 Clinic administrators, said on opening day things ran smoothly.

Patients go through three steps: sign in, receive a swab kit in a plastic bag, administer the test themselves. Nurses guide them on how to perform the swab on themselves in their vehicles. Once the swab is completed, theyre placed in a specimen sample bin and transported to LabCorp.

So far, Ngo told The Epoch Times, the majority of patients are between the ages of 4060.

Asymptomatic Testing

Do said its important to prioritize testing for people with symptoms, because we dont want a situation . where we roll this out for widespread testing for asymptomatic non-frontline people, run short on tests, and then have to roll back.

Prioritizing testing also helps ensure tests can be processed quickly. That way you dont get the results  7 days, 10 days after the test, which in my opinion defeats the very purpose of doing the test, because 7 to 10 days out there, people can spread to a lot of people and they wouldnt be able to quarantine, Do said.

Some nurses have been concerned about being unable to get tested unless they are symptomatic, though they may have been exposed to the virus. A nurse at St. Josephs hospital in Orange told The Epoch Times that nurses there must fill out paperwork and clearly show symptoms before they are permitted to get tested or quarantine. The hospital has recently taken in a large number of COVID-19 patients.

Dr. Ho said it depends on the hospital as to whether staff are thus restricted. Donna Fleming, a public health consultant who spoke at the opening of the test site, told The Epoch Times that some nurses may not be able to get tested because of such policies, but its definitely a priority group for any of the test sites; medical workers that are asymptomatic are perfectly appropriate to come in.

Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu encouraged the public to diligently wear masks and social distance to mitigate the spread of the virus. As of July 16, Anaheim had a total of 4,654 positive COVID-19 cases.

Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu speaks at the opening of a new COVID-19 testing site at the Anaheim Convention Center on July 15, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

We opened the economy, but now we are shutting down the economy, he said at the press conference. But we must start thinking, a positive way, how are you going to stop this. And this is the first way of saying widespread testing, and it is going to be very easy.
A demonstrator holds a sign with the image of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police Department officers, during a protest against the death George Floyd in Minneapolis, in Denver, Colorado on June 3, 2020: AFP / Jason Connolly

Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville, Kentucky, is to be investigated for his handling of the Breonna Taylor case, the death of David McAtee, and the protests that followed that have seen hundreds of arrests.

The Louisville Metro Councils Government Oversight and Audit Committee (GOA) filed an order to officially launch the investigation into the action and inaction of the Fischer Administration, according to a statement.

Breonna Taylor was killed by police on 13 March when Louisville Metro officers carried out a narcotics raid on her home.

The emergency medical technician had been asleep when the officers entered her apartment and was shot eight times when they confronted her boyfriend. No drugs were found on the property.

Anger at the death of the 26-year-old led to demonstrations both locally and then nationwide demanding the officers involved be arrested.

David McAtee was fatally shot as police and the Kentucky National Guard broke up a large crowd of protesters in June. An investigation showed that Mr McAtee had fired a shot from a pistol, believed to be into the air as a warning.

Since protests began 435 individuals have been arrested, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department.

Demonstrators are not deterred, and continue to demand action against the officers responsible for Ms Taylors death.

On Tuesday 87 people were arrested during a peaceful protest on the Kentucky attorney generals lawn demanding action in the case.

Dozens spent the night in jail and some face felony charges for intimidating a participant in the legal process.

The investigation aims to identify any shortcomings in training policies, or control systems, that led to the execution of a no-knock warrant at Ms Taylors residence in the middle of the night.

In addition, it aims at identifying any errors or omissions in following procedures, best practices, or follow-up decisions after the death of Ms Taylor and Mr McAtee, and the responses to the protests that followed.

Story continues

The GOA plans to subpoena former Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Steve Conrad and current Police Chief Robert Schroeder as part of the investigation.

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Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was barred Friday from leaving Moscow as police carried out a new raid on his offices. Russia's opposition has accused the authorities of cracking down on opponents to President Vladimir Putin after he oversaw a vote this month allowing him to potentially remain in power until 2036. Navalny said he had been questioned by investigators and banned from leaving the capital as part of a new criminal case against him. Law enforcement officers searched the offices of his Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK) in southern Moscow while he was being interrogated. The 44-year-old claimed the ban was an attempt to prevent him from travelling the country to promote a tactical voting strategy to oppose pro-Putin candidates in more than 30 regional elections in September. "This wretched regime, we have to fight it," Navalny said in a video address on Instagram. "Take part in the smart voting campaign to crush the swindlers and thieves that have seized power in our beautiful country." - 'Putin's ratings have crashed' - Pro-Kremlin politicians suffered losses in Moscow city polls last year after the opposition leader called on supporters to vote tactically. He has called on Russians to use the same strategy to oust members of the increasingly unpopular ruling party United Russia in the regional ballots. Navalny said he was questioned by investigators as part of a new probe into suspected slander over comments he made on social media. He said 15 investigators would be involved in the probe. In June, the Investigative Committee, which probes major cases, said Navalny was suspected of defaming a World War II veteran. The trained lawyer said in the video that law enforcement also planned to search two apartments, including one where he lives. Police have repeatedly raided Navalny's offices, and the Kremlin critic has personally been the target of multiple criminal probes. He was barred from challenging Putin in a presidential election in 2018 over a prior conviction his supporters said was poltically motivated. Navalny's ally and up-and-coming opposition politician Lyubov Sobol accused the Kremlin of tightening the screws on critics. "Putin's approval ratings have crashed, the economy is in doldrums, thousands-strong protests in the regions," said Sobol, referring to anti-Kremlin rallies in the Far-Eastern region of Khabarovsk. "What to do? Come search the FBK for the umpteenth time!" she wrote on Twitter. Navalny says the seven-day vote on the changes to the constitution was not properly monitored and set a record for falsified ballots. This week Moscow police detained nearly 150 people who marched in the city centre against the constitutional reforms. Russian police searched the offices of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund in southern Moscow while he was being interrogated  Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said he was questioned by investigators as part of a new probe into suspected slander over comments he made on social media
In Brandon Wislocki's fifth grade class this spring in California, daily virtual classes were an experiment in creativity.

The Zoom sessions featured guitar playing, group discussions about literature, live math lessons, checks for understanding through Zoom's chat function and silly games, such as Oreo stacking and household scavenger hunts.

The remote lessons featured something many students didn't get this spring when the coronavirus forced instruction online: the learning of new material.

Wislocki's students at Stonegate Elementary in Irvine, California, still covered the core math and English standards that would have been taught in person from mid-March to the end of the school year.

Brandon Wislocki, a fifth grade teacher at Stonegate Elementary School in Irvine, Calif., starts many of his virtual classes by singing to students.

The experience suggests online learning doesn't have to be bad. There are ways to make it more engaging and effective, education experts said. But schools have little time to figure out how to do that before schools reopen this fall, and they haven't devoted much effort to it.

A growing number of districts, including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Atlanta and Austin, Texas, plan to start the year with online-only instruction amid a surge in coronavirus cases. In Richmond, Virginia, schools will be online for the first semester. Prince George's County Schools in Maryland called for all students to learn online until at least February of next year.

Many other districts plan a mix of in-person and remote learning  and many ask parents to choose an instruction model for their children.

How can parents tell if what their school has planned for online learning is any good?

Here are nine questions to help you vet the quality of your school's virtual learning program.

Will you have the tech and a teacher for online learning ? (If not, ask for paper)

Because virtual teaching is so new  the world has never seen so many traditional teachers shift to online instruction  there's little conclusive research on what methods produce the best academic outcomes.

Story continues

The widely agreed-upon basics: You need a computer, preferably one per student, internet access and a teacher who is comfortable teaching online. A lot of disadvantaged and rural students didn't have the technology this spring, and a lot of teachers weren't comfortable teaching through a computer.

If you don't have the technology your child needs, or if the teacher seems to be struggling online, ask whether there's a plan to receive high-quality, tailored materials in print form.

Wislocki worked in TV production and on movies in Los Angeles before becoming a teacher, so the shift to managing Zoom rooms and recording educational videos came naturally to him. His daughter's third grade teacher was not as technologically adept.

"Still, he created good paper packets, and he called a few times a week for a one-on-one conversation," Wislocki said.

"Low-tech" distance learning programs can be effective, said Michael Barbour, a professor at Touro University in California who has studied virtual learning.

He said countries around the world that did the best job of reaching all students during the pandemic were ones that effectively employed old-school tools, such as comprehensive paper packets and lessons broadcast on television or the radio.

"Australia still provides programming through educational radio," he said. "Both New Zealand and Nebraska had strong correspondence programs with paper packets, which could be dropped off at the driveway. Several states partnered with local television stations to provide instructional programming."

Teaching on TV: While schools closed, these teachers aired TV lessons

Whether online or paper-and-pencil, remote instruction should include study materials and assignments that are personalized and relevant to students' lives.

Will there be a common online learning platform?

When schools moved online in the spring, teachers within the same district or even the same school often used different online platforms to create assignments, engage with students and offer feedback. Harried parents had to figure out multiple logins.

Online education experts said schools should commit to having students access all their classes through a single system.

"A lot of districts thought they had done a lot around instructional technology, but it wasn't enough," said Christine Voelker, director of K-12 programs for Quality Matters, a company in Maryland that reviews and offers standards for virtual courses.

"It may have been that I have one kid who is using Google Classroom and another teacher was using Schoology," she said, referring to a learning management system that's seen a surge of business during the pandemic. "There needs to be more consistency."

Jack Hartman, left, and his brother, Luke, work on their laptop for their virtual learning lessons this spring in Oak Creek, Wis.

Will there be live , virtual instruction?

No expert would recommend exactly how many minutes students should be online each day at various grade levels.

They did say some instruction should be live, with consistent teachers and a consistent schedule.

"There is some evidence that synchronous instruction is important," said Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education in Washington state, which has been following how schools respond to the pandemic.

"It's important for kids to see their friends and feel like theyre part of the classroom," she said.

There should be activities for students to pursue off screen, especially for younger students.

Los Angeles Superintendent Austin Beutner called for all teachers to commit to live, daily instruction this fall when the school year starts online. Students will have a regular class schedule, and attendance will be taken  two other signs that expectations will be higher than in spring, when LA teachers could create their own work schedules, didn't have to use live video and didn't have to work more than four hours daily, an agreement reached through extensive union bargaining.

Online-only for fall: LA, San Diego students will start virtually  a growing trend against what Trump wants

California's budget bill outlines that schools must meet minimum daily instructional time requirements even if schooling remains online: 180 minutes for kindergartners, about four hours for other students. Documented student work can count toward those minutes, in addition to time spent online with a teacher.

What kind of individual communication will my child receive?

Teachers should provide students with more individual communication in a remote learning environment compared with an in-person class, said Cindy Carbajal, manager of teacher programs for Pearson's online and blended learning programs.

"Phone calls and individual communication allow you to get to know your student's strengths and know what theyre into," she said.

Carbajal said that's especially important when it comes to grading feedback, which should be friendly, include the student's name and always start with what he or she did well.

Students learning virtually may never meet their teacher in person, and they're not going to be very motivated to succeed if the first thing they read on the work says, Redo!  Carbajal said.

What's the plan for grading, attendance and testing?

In spring, many schools did away with grades altogether and didn't penalize children who missed online class.

States received waivers from annual federal testing requirements.

Parents should ask how that will change in the fall, said Wayne Banks, a seventh-grade math teacher at KIPP TEAM Academy in Newark, New Jersey. Banks is teaching a virtual math class this summer to students around the country as part of the National Summer School Initiative.

Ask your school: Will attendance count by simply signing in  or by completing assignments?

Whatever the answer, the expectations should be clearly communicated from the beginning.

Banks said parents should ask whether students will be assessed on their work through online tests or some kind of performance or project. It's good to ask how schools will maintain the integrity of tests when children can take them online at home, potentially outside the supervision of an adult, he said.

What are accommodations for students with special needs , or students learning English ?

In general, students with disabilities have not been well-served in the transition to remote learning. Neither have students who are still learning to speak English.

Some of those concerns can be addressed with online accommodations such as closed captioning, speech-to-text or text-to-speech programs, translation programs and tools to support learners with physical impairments, said Liz Kolb, an associate professor at the University of Michigan's School of Education.

It may take some time for teachers to understand how to meet all these needs and for support staff like paraprofessionals to figure out how to do this virtually, Kolb said. Most virtual (charter) schools are able to make these accommodations, but they've had years to put these supports in place. Traditional schools are aware they need to do this, but they may still be working on the how.

Is online school illegal? While schools are closed from coronavirus, special education concerns give districts pause

What feedback can you offer your school ?

Successful distance learning requires families to be more involved in their children's education, said Justin Reich, director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab in Massachusetts.

Parents already learned that: Many dread having to supervise their children's education while juggling full-time jobs.

There's an upside: Districts that incorporate feedback from teachers, parents and students are far more likely to make changes work better for everybody.

"There's exactly one generation who have gone to school online during a pandemic, and we need to find ways to listen to them," Reich said during a webinar on remote learning hosted by Harvard University.

Neema Avashia, a civics teacher in Boston Public Schools, said her eighth grade students readily offered feedback about what parts of online instruction worked for them and what parts they could do without.

"Theyre not bogged down in what the budget is saying and what the president is saying," Avashia said during the same webinar. "Young people will talk about what they value."

Keep it simple. Discard whats nonessential. Spark joy. @bjfr, @jal_mehta and I are on the front page of the Globe today amplifying what weve learned from youth and educators about values and priorities that should drive Sept. planning. https://t.co/MwxTXnJPW0  Neema Avashia (@AvashiaNeema) July 15, 2020

What do teachers plan not to cover this year ?

Despite the best intentions, it's likely schools won't be able to cover the same amount of content as in a normal year, education experts said.

"We need to Marie Kondo the curriculum," said Jal Mehta, a professor at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, referring to the Japanese tidying expert famous for chucking everything that doesn't add value. "What are the most important skills, knowledge and competencies we really need kids to learn this year?"

Parents can press their children's teacher or school about that. They can ask about how teachers will cover topics in a way that helps catch up kids who fell behind.

And they can ask about whether there's a plan for addressing students' social and emotional needs  which most experts said is harder to do in a virtual space.

How do teachers plan to make online learning more fun?

In California, Wislocki was able to keep his students engaged for 90 minutes each day by interspersing goofy antics and games into his instruction.

One day, everyone ate donuts during class. Another day it was yogurt. One of the most highly anticipated games was a scavenger hunt. Wislocki called out basic household items, and students scampered away to search for them. Whoever returned with the item first and held it up to the computer camera won.

Other teachers across the country have donned costumes, sung songs or danced on screen to keep kids' attention.

What might seem exaggerated for in-class teaching, Wislocki said, is often welcomed online.

Several education experts stressed that giving students project-based assignments that incorporate their lives or their interests  and that take them away from the screen  should be prioritized. In spring, many students were asked to watch videos, then hand in a written response. That's poor teaching, the experts said.

"We have an opportunity right now to try things that weve wanted to try but have never had the time to do," Wislocki said. "So lets do some new stuff."

Contact Erin Richards at (414) 207-3145 or erin.richards@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @emrichards.

Education coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation does not provide editorial input.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Back to school: Reopening online or in-person? What parents can ask
The revelations from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) that Russian-backed hackers targeted UK researchers working on a coronavirus vaccine is the latest instance of Russia being linked to cyber attacks.

Here is a look at some of the major cyber attacks the country has been accused of orchestrating in recent years.

 2016  Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton

In the run-up to the 2016 US presidential election, the Democratic National Committee was the subject of a cyber attack which saw hacked emails published linked to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

US intelligence officials would later determine that the hack was carried out by Russia as a means of interfering in the election with the aim of aiding the campaign of Donald Trump.

 2016  World Anti-Doping Agency

In September 2016, The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) revealed it had been the subject of a cyber attack, where hackers accessed the personal information of athletes.

Russian cyber espionage group Tsar Team (APT28), also known as Fancy Bears, is said to have accessed information concerning substances for which athletes have sought and received therapeutic use exemption.

The attack targeted high-profile athletes including Serena Williams and Simone Biles, and was said to be an attempt to smear clean athletes in the wake of the McLaren Report, a damning investigation into Russian state-sponsored doping in sport.

 2017  NotPetya ransomware

In June 2017, businesses and infrastructure across around the world, but predominantly Ukraine, were hit by a malware attack known as NotPetya.

The ransomware infected and encrypted computer files, locking out users and preventing computers from booting.

It crippled banks, airports, transport systems, power grids and energy companies, with both the UK and US blaming Russia and its military for carrying out the attack as tensions continued between Russia and Ukraine following the formers annexation of Crimea in 2014.

 2018  Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

In October 2018, it was revealed a joint operation by UK and Dutch authorities had thwarted four Russian nationals who were caught attempting to hack into the chemical weapons watchdog investigating the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

The four men were expelled from the Netherlands after being found outside the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, with hacking equipment.

Read More Clerics in Northern Ireland can conduct same-sex marriages if supported by church leaders

Details released in the wake of the operation linked the Russian group to its military intelligence service, the GRU.

It also linked the GRU of an unsuccessful cyber attack on the UK Foreign Office and defence laboratories at Porton Down, who were also investigating the Salisbury attack, another incident linked to Russia.

The OPCW operation also linked Russian operatives to a 2017 cyber attack on the Malaysian investigation into the shooting down of flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014.

 2019  Institute for Statecraft

The charity was the subject of cyber attack last year after having received Government funding for an initiative to tackle Russian disinformation.

An investigation was launched into the theft of data from the initiative, and there were reports that Whitehall sources had suggested the GRU was behind the attack.

The Institute for Statecraft said at the time that it believed the attack was an attempt to undermine its efforts to counter the treat of disinformation.

 2020  Coronavirus vaccine research

The NCSC, along with its cybersecurity counterparts in the US and Canada, revealed hacking group ATP29 had targeted organisations working on Covid-19 vaccines.

It said the hacking group was almost certainly linked to the Russian state.

The cyber security agencies added that they believe the aim of the attacks was to steal information about vaccine development, rather than trying to disrupt the UK and other countries own efforts to make a vaccine.
Matthew Bryza: "I think its a shame if Georgia doesnt participate in this digital hub project" - GeorgianJournal
It would not be wrong to say that not only naysayers but the Congress too saw the political crisis coming in Rajasthan where swords are drawn between chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his now sacked deputy Sachin Pilot. The cold war between the leaders began with the Congress picking Gehlot for the chief minister's post after the 2018 assembly polls in a snub to Pilot. Pilots supporters said he deserved credit for the party's victory election after a campaign helmed by him as its state unit chief.

As the drama reaches the doors of the Rajasthan High Court, Gehlot spoke to News18 India on his equation with Pilot, revealing that he had not been on talking terms with his deputy for over a year. I have not been speaking to Pilot for the last year-and-a-half as he has been conspiring against my government ever since we were elected, he said.

The chief minister also expressed disappointment with Pilots decision to go public with his grievances. He should have resolved this matter within the party forum but now nothing is left. Pilot should not betray a party which has given him everything. He was unaware of ground realities so he indulged in such a thing, Gehlot said, adding that it was not wrong to be ambitious but to play foul is wrong. Gehlot alleged that Pilot wanted to join the BJP but did not have sufficient numbers.

The chief minister also hit out at the BJP, saying he had proof of how they indulged in horse trading during the Rajya Sabha polls and were trying to do the same now.

However, striking a conciliatory note, Gehlot said former Congress president Rahul Gandhi knows he is not against the now-sacked deputy CM. I am not against Sachin Pilot and Rahul Gandhi knows this. Even if he decides to come back, I will hug him with love. I have been seeing him since he was only 3 years old and I was an MP, he said.

Sources in the Congress have said Pilot was told unequivocally that the Congress party's "doors are still open" for him, but he would have to return unconditionally. He was also reportedly told that he would first have to come out of the "BJP camp and not hobnob" with them.

According to sources, Pilot was also told that the Congress party is ready to forget this chapter, and that he will be accorded equal respect on his return.

After Pilot on Wednesday declared that he is not joining the BJP, the party asked the rebel leader to stop fraternizing with the BJP and give up the hospitality of a BJP-ruled state.

"We want to tell Pilot that if you don't want to go to the BJP then don't accept Haryana's hospitality. If you don't want to go to the BJP, stop talking to any BJP leader or member," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said, while asking the rebel leader to return to the party fold and resolve any differences within.

The Congress on Tuesday removed Pilot as Rajasthan deputy chief minister and state party chief after he mounted a rebellion against Gehlot, and also the Rajasthan speaker sent disqualification notice to him and 18 other MLAs after they defied a party whip to attend two Congress Legislature Party meetings.

Pilot and the dissident leaders on Thursday moved the Rajasthan high court, challenging the notices to disqualify them from the state assembly. After Pilot moved the court, a senior leader said it now seems "he has gone a bit too far".

The choice of lawyers --Mukul Rohatgi and Harish Salve--selected by Pilot to plead on his behalf in the Rajasthan High Court have also raised eyebrows within the Congress, with some party leaders saying the selection suggested the BJP involvement.

Meanwhile, the BJP in Rajasthan is in a "wait and watch" mode as a meeting convened by the party on Wednesday was postponed.
The Maharashtra forest departments longest ever reunion attempt of four leopard cubs with their mother over 16 days failed at Akola. The department on Thursday relocated the abandoned 45-day-old cubs to Gorewada rescue centre in Nagpur.

On June 30, local villagers at the Pastul village adjacent to the Patur forest reserve in Akola district came across three cubs abandoned at a forest patch and immediately informed the forest department. A day later, another cub was found at the same spot.

Since all four cubs were identified from the same area, we were sure that the mother would return, and commenced efforts for the reunion, said Vijay Mane, divisional forest officer, Akola.

With camera traps already in place to document the movement of the mother, the forest department installed a CCTV camera atop an electric pole near the forest patch where the cubs were found. The cubs were placed in a crate as the forest officers awaited the mothers return on the night of July 1.

The CCTV camera does not give out a flash when there is movement close to it as opposed to the camera trap which could have scared the mother away, said Mane, adding that he was glad the mother returned the same night. We thought this could be the fastest reunion carried out by the department.

However, after sniffing her cubs for a while, the mother leaped back into the forest without collecting any of her cubs. This pattern continued for the next eight days, with forest officers keeping the four cubs around 8pm and waited through the night monitoring the area.

After the first attempt, we spotted the mother moving in this zone but did not come close to the crate even after loud cries made by her cub, said one of the forest guards.

Mane added that the team decided to dispatch a surveillance drone in the area to follow the mothers movements. We wanted to check whether she was tending to other cubs or there was another male leopard in the area. Though we identified a male leopard approximately 2 km, it seemed the mother was disinterested in taking back her cubs, he said.

The department waited another few days. While there is no written rule or directives that the reunion should happen within a specific time frame, it needs to be done as early as possible. Generally, reunion attempts are made for a maximum of eight to 10 days. After that, cubs are relocated to captivity, said Bilal Habib, scientist, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.

We lost all hope when a mating call of one of the male leopards in the area was answered by the mother, said Mane adding, A decision, based on the approval from the chief wildlife warden, was taken to transport the cubs to the rescue centre in Nagpur, putting an end to our efforts.

Nandkishore Kale, divisional manager, Gorewada project said, A health examination of all four cubs showed they were healthy and had no external injuries. All efforts are being made to ensure they have a stress-free environment and no separation anxiety from the mother.

A female leopard refusing to respond to persistent reunion attempts could have multiple reasons, said senior veterinarian Dr Shailesh Pethe from the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai. A primary reason could be early age pregnancy where she is not ready to accept the cubs. Another reason could be the mother realising that the cubs would not survive in the wild, and in such cases the cubs die within a couple of days. Lastly, the mother avoids taking her cubs back if she senses the presence of humans in the area or human scent off the cubs, he said.

Nurturing abandoned leopard cubs from the wild in captivity alters the natural course of life that these cats would have lived. However, what is important is to save the animal when there is no other alternative, said Dr KD Batwe, former veterinarian, SGNP.

Why is reuniting them important?

A variety of factors including deforestation, habitat encroachment and poaching, leopards are continuously forced to leave their forested homes and move out into buffer areas. The reunion plays a significant role in avoiding man-animal conflict cases within the forest division. When leopards are unable to locate their cubs, it is natural for them to turn hostile, aggressive and defensive on seeing humans in close proximity to that area and this poses an immediate threat to farmers in the area. The harvest season witnesses highest instances of conflict because the farmers move into the fields to cut down the long sugarcane stalks, said Dr Ajay Deshmukh, wildlife veterinarian, who had successfully reunited 50 leopard cubs with their mothers over 10 years in Junnar.

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Two persons are in the grips of the police in Tamale, in the Northern Region, for allegedly registering people for the voters ID card at a secret location.

The suspects were arrested after some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) alerted the police of an alleged illegal registration ongoing in the Tamale South constituency on Friday, July 17, 2020.

Citi News gathers that the suspects were arrested with the Electoral Commissions biometric registration kit in their possession and were handed over to the police.

The partys executives in the Savannah Region told Citi News that their preliminary findings reveal the machine in question was the one assigned to the region but was supposed to be sent to Damongo for repairs as it has become faulty.

However, the device allegedly found its way to the Northern Region and was used to register members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) at a hideout.

Malik Basintale, the Savannah Regional Communication officer of the NDC told Citi News that the arrest vindicates their earlier position that the NPP was manipulating the registration system.

The Northern Regional executives intercepted a machine that was undertaking registration in the Tamale South constituency. Upon investigations, it was revealed that, this was the machine that was said to have broken down yesterday [Thursday, July 16, 2020] and was meant to be carried to Damongo [the regional capital] for maintenance and be brought back to continue the registration process but the machine found itself in the Tamale South constituency registering NPP persons.

This so-called Electoral Commission officer who is a card bearing member of the NPP will be used as a scapegoat in this matterWe are sending a caution that operation protect your polling station is on course and everybody will take charge of their polling station. Anybody who will be caught anywhere in the region or across the country will be dealt with severely, he warned.

Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Police Command has confirmed the arrest of the two persons and says investigations are ongoing into the case.

In a statement, the police gave the name of the two suspects as Mumuni Abilla Yusif 26, and Mohammad Yushaw Kongsoha 32.

Read the police statement below:

On 17 July 2020 at 0800 hours, the police acting upon intelligence arrested suspect Mumuni Abilla Yusif 26, data entry clerk at Kpanshegu Registration cluster in the North East Gonja district in the Savanah region at Vittin in the Tamale Metropolis.

A search in his room recovered one Biometric Voter Registration(BVR) kit. Further investigation led to the arrest of a second suspect Mohammad Yushaw Kongsoha 32 years, and the registration officer at Kpanshegu cluster.

At the time of the arrest of two, 12 persons including 10 males and 2 females had been registered on 17 July 2020 between 0704 hours and 0800 hours at Vittin, which is not a designated registration centre. The two are currently in the custody of the police assisting with the investigation.

After investigation, they will be be charged with the appropriate Offences and put before court.

 citinewsroom
Twin red-ruffed lemurs have been born at Singapore zoo, officials said Thursday, a rare double delivery that is a boost for the endangered saucer-eyed primates.

It was the first birth at the zoo of the endangered creatures, which are native to Madagascar, in over a decade, Wildlife Reserves Singapore said.

The arrival of the yet-to-be-named twins was "particularly special" because the creatures breed only once a year, it said.

The fluffy lemurs are a distinctive rust colour, with black faces, hands, feet and tails, and a distinctive white patch on their heads.

The last of the species to be born at the zoo was the twins' father, Bosco, 11 years ago. The mother is eight-year-old Minnie, who arrived in Singapore from a Japanese zoo in 2016.

Although the twins were born earlier this year, they have only recently become an attraction as the zoo was closed for months as a result of a coronavirus lockdown.

Red-ruffed lemurs are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to logging and hunting.

Of the 107 surviving lemur species on Madagascar, some 103 are threatened, including 33 that are critically endangered -- the last stop before "extinct in the wild", the group said earlier this month.
75 years after the first atomic bomb, talk of new U.S. testing deeply concerns those who have first-hand knowledge of nuclear devastation, The Diplomat writes in the article 75 Years After Trinity: The Human Cost of Nuclear Tests.

Seventy-five years ago today, the United States conducted the Trinity test, the worlds first nuclear detonation. In the ensuring years, the U.S. ultimately conducted more than 1,000 nuclear tests, half of all known tests conducted by the worlds nine nuclear nations since 1945. Now, on the 75th anniversary of the nuclear age, the United States is contemplating the resumption of live testing for the first time in nearly three decades.

A nuclear test, the Washington Post reported in May, could be used as leverage in negotiations with China and Russia. The news provoked widespread criticism, not only from the Chinese government, but also Nevadas congressional delegation (the state where a future test would presumably be conducted). The idea that the Trump administration could carry out the first U.S. nuclear detonation since 1992 was lambasted broadly across the arms control, national security, and scientific communities.

The Trump administrations special presidential envoy for arms control, Marshall Billingslea, who recently said the United States could spend China and Russia into oblivion in a nuclear arms race, has since stated that a nuclear weapons test isnt immediately necessary. The Senate Armed Service Committee has approved $10 million for a future nuclear test, just in case. Meanwhile, across the Asia-Pacific region, those who have been directly affected by nuclear testing, have condemned the Trump administration plan as a painful reminder of the human and environmental costs of nuclear weapons.

In the Marshall Islands, the United States carried out 67 nuclear tests at Bikini and Enewetak atolls between 1946 and 1958, detonating the equivalent of 1.6 Hiroshima-sized bombs daily for a dozen years.

Speaking from the Marshall Islands capital Majuro, former Bikini Atoll Mayor Alson Kelen described how Bikinians were told that resettling to other islands would be a holy pilgrimage for the good of mankind to bring world peace. A 1946 propaganda film declared that by transforming Bikini into a hellish, roaring blast of ghastly power, the United States could determine the basic facts of atomic warfare.

Kelen, one of three commissioners with the Marshall Islands government-established National Nuclear Commission, recalled being relocated back to Bikini with his parents in 1974 only to be told it was too dangerous and theyd have to relocate again four years later. While on Bikini, Kelen said Bikinians were studied to learn more about the effect of radiation on human beings.

Besides the premature deaths, severe birth defects, cancers, and other illnesses resulting from radiation exposure, U.S. nuclear testing upended entire communities, forcing repeated relocations. That disrupted centuries-old systems of land ownership and customs like canoe building and navigational skills tied to specific islands. Despite this, Kelen and others are working to perpetuate their traditions.

Kelen finds it unbelievable that the United States is considering renewed nuclear testing. This kills people. This kills culture. This relocates so many people theres nothing good that came out of nuclear, he said over Skype.

Marshallese Senator Hilda Heine, who served as the countrys first female president (2016-20), told The Diplomat in an email, President Trumps plan to restart a nuclear arms race should terrify us all. By his action, including talks of resuming live explosive testing, the U.S. is once again putting humanity at risk.

As a close U.S. ally, Heine said the Marshallese people are saddened by the direction the United States is headed. She called the U.S. nuclear legacy in the Marshall Islands a sad reminder of how policy is made with little regard for people and their rights to live in peace. The U.S. refusal to fully address its nuclear obligations and to right the wrong known as the U.S. nuclear legacy in the Marshall Islands, Heine said, is shameful.

Christmas Island Testing

In total, 106 nuclear tests were carried out at Bikini Atoll, Enewetak Atoll, Johnston Island, and Christmas Island (called Kiritimati), in the Gilbert Islands, part of the nation of Kiribati. Like the French nuclear weapons tests at Mururoa and Fangataufa atolls, the British-American tests in the Pacific Proving Grounds took a terrible toll, not only on the indigenous people whose lives were upended and homelands contaminated, but on the soldiers sent to help carry out the tests.

After conducting 12 nuclear tests at three sites in Australian territory (1952-57), the British moved on to Kiritimati and other parts of the Pacific where they conducted additional tests, some in partnership with the United States. In all, the British carried out 45 nuclear tests on their own.

In 2018, nuclear researcher Becky Alexis-Martin was invited to join a British Nuclear Test Veterans Association delegation to Kiribati to mark the 30th anniversary of Operation Grapple, a series of nine thermonuclear tests on Kiritimati.

Speaking from England, Alexis-Martin noted how the impacts of the British tests have been studied far less than the U.S. tests. After spending time interviewing victims of the tests in Kiritimati and the United Kingdom, she described nuclear weapons today as obsolete, redundant, and needlessly destructive.

I have essentially a pragmatists argument in that [nuclear weapons] are an old, dirty technology We dont need them. They should go the way of chemical weapons, the way of landmines, Alexis-Martin said. As long as countries maintain nuclear weapons, Alexis-Martin argues, its impossible to have an equitable society and its impossible to have balanced geopolitical relationships.

I have seen the dragon

One veteran affected by nuclear tests was James Ronald Owen, a British Naval officer who participated in Operation Dominic (1961-62) on Kiritimati Island, where he witnessed 31 atmospheric nuclear detonations. Owen died in 1994, shortly before his 52nd birthday, his son Alan Owen recalled. Its difficult to attribute any one event to his fathers presence during the tests, but Owen told The Diplomat that his sister was born blind in her left eye and his brother died 18 months after their father.

Recently Owen helped launch the Legacy of the Atomic Bomb Recognition for Atomic Test Survivors or LABRATS website, a portal with information, resources, and a new health survey for Pacific nuclear veterans.

When Owen joined the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association years after his fathers death, he came to appreciate how U.K.-U.S. nuclear testing in the Pacific impacted the indigenous people in each test site, as well as British and American military personnel.

Owen recalled the words of one British nuclear vet, paraphrasing him: You watch these old newsreels from the 1950s when we were there  theyre all in black and white. You dont see what it was like in full color  the wave, the heat, the blast, the noise, as well as the sight. You have no idea. Owen said the impacts of nuclear testing have been airbrushed from history.

Today, the 1,500 or so veterans and their descendants want formal recognition of the sacrifices made. All they want is for the U.K. government to say we admit that we did this we were wrong to do it, said Owen. Some British nuclear vets also want monetary compensation to help cover healthcare costs. When asked about the possibility of the United States resuming nuclear testing, Owen was incensed. Were actually appalled by the fact that they would even reconsider live testing.

Unbelievable waste

The people living around the area formerly called Semipalatinsk (today its called Semey) are still paying a heavy price for the more than 450 Soviet nuclear tests conducted at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (known as the Polygon) between 1949 and 1989. Those tests not only devastated peoples health, well-being, and the environment, they were an affront to Kazakh people for whom the region is sacred and a center for nomadic culture, home to the great poets Shakarim, Mukhtar Auezov, and Abai Kunanbayev, the father of Kazakh literature. The steppe also supported agricultural abundance and provided critical habitat for Arkhar sheep, Saiga antelope, and the eagles that circled over patches of pine forest and willow and aspen-lined rivers that flowed across the steppe.

Togzhan Kassenova is a nuclear policy expert and senior fellow with the Project on International Security, Commerce, and Economic Statecraft at the Center for Policy Research, SUNY-Albany. It pains her to see how generations of people in her homeland continue to suffer as a result of Soviet nuclear testing. Children are born with severe deformities, there are elevated cancer rates, and people of the region still experience other physical, mental, and psychological effects.

An estimated 1.5 million people have been affected but, as Kassenova points out: These are not numbers. These are real people with their own lives, their own dreams. Kassenova uses her own voice to tell the stories of Kazakh nuclear victims who suffer unseen. I dont think anybody who would go and meet these people and see how they live would have the same ease of asking for $44 billion to keep nuclear weapons, she said, alluding to the Trump administrations fiscal year 2021 budget request for the Defense and Energy Departments to sustain and modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

Speaking critically of the continued pursuit of nuclear weapons, Kassenova said, Weve learned nothing. Were wasting all this money that could be channeled into something much more important, much more useful for people. And we dont respect enough the memory and also the current lives of the people who are still paying for whatever has been done such a long time ago.

Kassenova also questioned why the United States, which spends almost as much on conventional forces as the next 10 countries combined, still feel so insecure that it is spending $2 trillion to modernize and build up its nuclear weapons.

In 2019, Kassenova joined Alimzhan Akhmetov, director of Center for International Security and Policy in Kazakhstans capital Nur-Sultan, to travel to the Semey region to interview four generations of communities still affected 30 years after the test site was shut down.

Akhmetov recalled meeting a family with five daughters. Two of the girls were born healthy, one daughter died when she was 6 years old, a fourth survived facial bone cancer, and the fifth was born missing fingers on one hand. If he could speak to the U.S. president and members of Congress, Akhmetov said he would tell them not to think in abstractions, but to imagine their own family members in a nuclear war. Because when you talk about abstract things  millions of people  its easy to talk about it. But when you imagine its your relatives then its different.

Akhmetov believes that only when the unnamed millions have faces can the awful nature of these weapons be fully appreciated; only then will people move to eliminate them. The risks are too high to have these weapons. Thats why we must disarm, said Akhmetov.

Today, 75 years after the advent of nuclear weapons, the earliest victims of nuclear weapons are aging, their numbers dwindling. Those whose lives have been altered by nuclear weapons have varied experiences, but they are united in their suffering, resilience, and determination to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

On July 7, 2017, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), spearhead by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), was adopted at the United Nations with support from 122 nations. Currently, of the 40 nations that have ratified the treaty, 12 are in Asia and the Pacific including Kazakhstan, Kiribati, and most recently, Fiji. Botswana, on July 15, became the latest country to ratify the treaty . Notably, neither Japan nor the Marshall Islands has ratified the TPNW, despite the heavy toll nuclear weapons have taken on both countries.

The United States government and eight other nuclear weapons states do not support the ban treaty, but once it has been ratified by 50 nations, it will enter into force, at which time nuclear weapons will become illegal under international law.
STAMFORD  The blood of Jennifer Dulos was splattered on the floor, door and wall of the garage of her New Canaan home, Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelo described.

The 50-year-old mother of fives blood was also found on the hood, bumper and rear fender of her 2014 Range Rover, and blood-like stains were discovered on her kitchen sink faucet and cabinet door, Colangelo said.

The epicenter of the criminal enterprise  the place where Jennifers murder occurred  lies squarely within the ambit of this venue in New Canaan, Colangelo wrote in his response this week to Michelle Troconis request for a change of venue.

Troconis has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in the May 24, 2019 death and disappearance of Jennifer Dulos.

Although some of the charges are related to incidents police say occurred in Hartford and Avon, Colangelo said a judge should deny Troconis request to have the cases moved from the Stamford-Norwalk Judicial District.

Defense attorney Jon Schoenhorn made the request in February soon after he was hired to replace Andrew Bowman as Troconis lawyer. The motion has remained pending as court proceedings have been limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The state had also not responded to the request until Wednesday when Colangelo filed his objection in state Superior Court in Stamford.

In his response, Colangelo said Schoenhorn did not make a strong argument that his client would not receive a fair trial in Stamford and there was no reason to move two of the cases to Hartford, while the conspiracy to commit murder charge remained in Stamford.

The court should not indulge this procedural gamesmanship, Colangelo said.

Colangelo said Troconis was arraigned three times with her previous attorney, who did not seek a change of venue at those court appearances.

The request for a change of venue is due to her inconvenience or that of her new counsel  that is the impetus for her untimely objection, Colangelo said. Tellingly, Troconis did not utter a peep that the Stamford-Norwalk Judicial District was the wrong venue while she was represented by Attorney Bowman, whose office is located in Westport, within the Stamford-Norwalk Judicial District.

Schoenhorn, a Hartford-based attorney, was hired in the days after Troconis former boyfriend, Fotis Dulos, died from an apparent suicide on Jan. 30.

Fotis Dulos was facing murder, kidnapping and other charges in the case when he died.

According to arrest warrants, police believe Fotis Dulos used an employees pickup truck to drive from his Farmington home to New Canaan the morning of May 24, 2019. Police said Fotis Dulos parked the truck near Waveny Park and rode a vintage French bicycle to his estranged wifes home on Welles Lane.

According to arrest warrants, Fotis Dulos was lying in wait when his estranged wife returned from dropping off their children at school. Police said Jennifer Dulos was the victim of a serious physical assault and has been presumed dead based on the blood evidence found in her garage, the arrest warrants state.

Around the time Jennifer Dulos was reported missing that night, police said Hartford surveillance cameras captured two people resembling Fotis Dulos and Troconis making a series of stops along Albany Avenue.

The man was seen dumping trash bags and a license plate that was later discovered to be registered to Fotis Dulos, according to arrest warrants. The bags contained Jennifer Dulos blood and clothing, the arrest warrants state.

Video also captured Fotis Dulos and Troconis taking the employees pickup truck to a car wash in Avon a few days after police believe Jennifer Dulos was killed, according to arrest warrants. Police later discovered Jennifer Dulos blood on one of the vehicles seats, arrest warrants state.

In a search of the Farmington home Fotis Dulos and Troconis shared, police said they found alibi scripts, containing false information that was supposed to account for their whereabouts the day Jennifer Dulos vanished, according to arrest warrants.

Court documents, including dozens of search warrants, outline how police believe Fotis Dulos, Troconis and Kent Mawhinney allegedly conspired to kill Jennifer Dulos and cover up the crime.

Mawhinney, 54, a former attorney and friend of Fotis Dulos, remains jailed on $2 million bond on a conspiracy to commit murder charge. His case has been continued to Sept. 3.

Troconis is released on house arrest on $2.1 million bond and is scheduled to return to Stamford court on Aug. 6 when the change-of-venue motion and several others, including a request to be taken off electronic monitoring, could be heard.
A flock of pigeons caused a power outage that left 12,000 central Laredo residents without power, according to AEP officials.

The pigeons made contact with electric equipment at an AEP Texas substation causing the outage, AEP officials said.

The outage occurred at about 1 p.m. and included Laredo Medical Center and other health care facilities, the Laredo Police Department, part of the airport and adjoining airport facilities, officials said.

AEP Texas crews restored power to the hospital around 3 p.m. by rerouting circuits to another substation. Crews continued their restoration efforts and restored power to all customers around 4:30 p.m., AEP said in a statement.
HOLLAND, MI -- A 32-year-old man was shot five times Thursday afternoon near the Washington Square neighborhood in what police believe was a gang-related shooting.

The man was first taken to Holland Hospital and later transferred to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. His condition was not immediately known.

Holland police responded to the area of Washington Avenue and 19th Street about 2:30 p.m. July 16 for a report of a fight. Officers arrived at the scene to find that people had mostly separated.

Officers then heard shots fired on 18th Street nearby and went to that scene. They discovered that shots were fired from a vehicle on 18th Street at two people on the sidewalk.

One person was struck five times and the other person was not injured, police said.

Detectives think the shooting is gang-related.

Anyone with information about the shooting can call police at 616-355-1150, email investigators at policetips@cityofholland.com or call Silent Observer at 1-877-887-4536.

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo deplored the detention by Chinese Communist Party authorities of Chinese legal scholar Xu Zhangrun, who was reportedly taken from his home on July 6th:

We were deeply troubled to learn that the CCP detained Xu Zhangrun for criticizing Secretary Xi Jinpings repressive regime and the CCPs mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. He should be released. He was simply telling the truth.

But the truth is something the CCP refuses to acknowledge.

Secretary Pompeo said PRC authorities failed to tell the truth about the COVID-19 virus, and now hundreds of thousands of peoples all across the world are dead:

We need the truth. . .This is about science, not politics, and the Chinese Communist Party needs to come clean with the world about this virus.

Secretary Pompeo pointed out that the world still does not know the identity of patient zero  that is, the first human being infected by the virus. And while Beijing said the World Health Organization can come into China to investigate the origins of the pandemic, Secretary Pompeo declared, We need to make sure the right people are there to engage in this investigation, and we need real answers not a perfunctory political solution.

He noted too that Beijing claimed for months that it reported the outbreak of the virus to the WHO:

Now we know thats not true, too. We know that the WHOs Country Office in China reported the outbreak, only after it picked up a media statement from the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission.

Beijings lack of credibility about the COVID-19 virus has helped show the world the Chinese Communist Partys true colors, said Secretary Pompeo. And the CCPs deceit is manifest in many areas: for example, he noted, in its preposterous description of Xinjiangs horrific internment camps as vocational training camps; as well as in its imposition of a draconian national security law that dramatically undermines Hong Kongs rule of law, despite Beijings assurances in the UN-filed Sino-British Joint Declaration that Hong Kong would be given a high degree of autonomy and its civil liberties left intact.

Secretary of State Pompeo said that he is convinced more than ever that the free and democracy-loving peoples of the world will recognize the CCPs dangerous impact both inside and outside the PRC, and will come together in response to preserve sovereign nations operating under the rule of law for the benefit of people everywhere.
By Trend

In the process of Armenian armed forces training they are taught the tactics of shooting at civil objects, Assistant to Azerbaijans President, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said.

He made the remark at a press conference held on July 16, Trend reports.

According to Hajiyev, this was clearly displayed during the Khojaly genocide and other events.

"We were eyewitnesses of this in 2016. Such are the philosophy and intentions of the Armenian armed forces. This process continues in Tovuz. The Armenian side even deployed its military facilities in settlements. Shelling from these territories, they accuse Azerbaijan of alleged firing at civil objects," the assistant to Azerbaijani president said.

By hiding behind civil objects, the Armenian armed forces resort to the methods used by terrorists, while accusing Azerbaijan for alleged doing this, Hajiyev said.

Such a tactic is never used by Azerbaijani army, he added.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Latest figures indicate that there have been no new cases of Covid-19 reported in Longford in the last ten days. Longford has had a total of 287 cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began.

The Longford cases amount to 1.1% of the overall figure nationally.

In neighbouring counties, Cavan has had a total of 866 cases of Covid-19; Westmeath has had 676 cases in total; Roscommon has had 346 cases, while Leitrim has had 82 cases in total.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been informed that three people with Covid-19 have died.

There has now been a total of 1,752 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland.

As of midnight Thursday 16 July, the HPSC has been notified of 34 confirmed cases of Covid-19. There is now a total of 25,730 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

Read also: Two confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Longford in past 37 days

The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: "Covid-19 is extremely infectious. It wants to spread, but it needs people to come into contact with each other to do so.

"All of the measures that we have been talking about for many months now are so important; physical distancing, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, wearing a face covering where appropriate, avoiding large crowds - are all actions each of us can take to cut the chains of transmission and stop this virus in its tracks.

"It now depends on the actions we take as individuals, as to whether this virus gets an opportunity to spread through our communities. Continue to follow the public health advice, know the risks, know the symptoms and stay safe."

The Covid-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of Covid-19 in the community.

EXPLAINED | What does the deferral of Phase 4 of reopening the country mean?
Courtesy photo

Greetings from the Greatest Noon Lions Club in the World! A wise man once said, Tough times dont last, but tough people do. This wise man just happened to be our own club president Ralph Perez at the end of this weeks Conroe Noon Lions club weekly No Show meeting. Once again we are back to meetings on Facebook live. This is a tribute to our club and our community being so incredibly tight knit, that it will take a lot more than a pandemic to keep us apart. As always, the goal of these meetings is to bring us together as a community which starts as bringing us together as Lions. If we take it back to the definition of what Lionism stands for it basically means We Serve.

The main take-away from todays meeting was President Ralph Perez using a very good Acronym for T.E.A.M. The T stands for Teaching members and prospective members to understand what service to our community is and learn how we can adapt to the current environment. The E stands for Engaging new members and ourselves in new committees and stretching our imagination to create new ideas for our club and the future of our youth and community everywhere. The A stands for Acknowledging each other as Lions and non-Lions when it comes to going above and beyond. It costs you nothing as a human being to tell someone at work, at home, or when you are out and about that they are doing a good job. Finally, the M equals the fact that having More members means more happy faces. We must take this opportunity to use the four letters of the TEAM acronym and apply them in coordination with each other to maintain and grow from what is already something very special here in our community.
Seven months after the first human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed in China, the method of transmission remains unsettled. Is the virus airborne in tiny infective particles? Or do infected people expel the virus in large droplets that fall on surfaces or can be inhaled by people nearby?

Current control measureswashing hands, maintaining a 6-foot distance from other people, disinfecting surfacesare based on the latter theory. But in July, 239 scientistsincluding Johns Hopkins engineer Peter DeCarlopublished an open letter urging the World Health Organization and medical authorities to recognize the potential for airborne spread of COVID-19. The signatories claimed to have demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking, and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in air and pose a risk of exposure.

All the studies of airborne coronavirus transmission to date have used observational data and epidemiological modeling because conducting scientific experiments to detect tiny infective particles in large volumes of air is extremely difficult. In fact, there has been only one replicable, controlled experiment that definitively proved airborne spread of infectious respiratory disease.

Airborne and Doubly Dangerous

In 1956, tuberculosis was a major global killer, and it disproportionately affected military veterans hospitalized in the Veterans Administration hospital system. Then, as now with COVID-19, epidemiologists held that tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases were spread by large infected droplets through person-to-person contact or contaminated surfaces. But Richard L. Riley, an expert on lung physiology at the then Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, and his mentor, William F. Wells, had identified another possible mode of transmission.

Atop the Baltimore VA Hospital, they constructed an air-tight closed ventilation system that connected a six-room tuberculosis ward to an exposure chamber with 150 guinea pigs. (Among rodent animal models, only guinea pigs could cough and sneeze, making them ideal for studying how respiratory diseases spread.) The guinea pigs were exposed to the infected air over a four-year period. A second group of 150 guinea pigs acted as controls: their air ducts were irradiated with UV-C lamps to kill TB bacilli.

In the test group, an average of three guinea pigs per month contracted TB, while no controls were infected. The experiment not only proved the airborne disease transmission of tuberculosis for the first time, but also quantified how many TB infections could be expected to result from exposure to a given number of patients over a defined interval.

The Baltimore VA study demonstrated that an infected droplet expelled from a tuberculosis patients nose or mouth could evaporate into a microscopic droplet, from 2 to 5 microns in diameter, that was easily carried on air currents. Once it assumed this aerosol form, it was doubly dangerous: the airborne droplet became inhalable and could spread TB from far away. This mode of transmission could infect far more people and was more difficult to trace than direct person-to-person contact.

Clearing the Air

Lamps that produce ultraviolet light disinfect a Moscow Underground train carriage. This method of disinfection was used in the first experiment proving airborne transmission of respiratory diseases. Photo by Sergei Bobylev/TASS via Getty Images

The insights from the Baltimore VA Hospital studies were later used to develop the Wells-Riley equation, which quantifies infection risk and informs strategies to ensure staff and patient safety in contagious clinical environments. The model can also calculate the risks of transmission for airborne infections on planes and trains, in prisons, and in other public and institutional spaces.

As chair of the Department of Environmental Medicine from 1960 to 1977, Riley warned that the danger of infection from airborne diseases was increasing as people spent more time indoors and air conditioning became more widespread. He patented ultraviolet-C disinfection technology for air purification systems that were installed in health care facilities, factories, and NASA space capsules. Today, this technology is being used in Shanghai, Moscow, and New York City to protect subway and bus passengers against SARS-CoV-2, and China is also using the technology to disinfect hospitals.

Especially until effective vaccines and antiviral treatments are developed, Rileys research points to wearing masks and disinfecting air in enclosed spaces as two of the most effective tools for fighting COVID-19.

Karen Kruse Thomas, PhD, is the Bloomberg School historian.

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The US Pentagon in designing a mini space station that will be used for research and development, training and operational missions.

The Department of Defense has awarded a contract to the Sierra Nevada Corporation, allowing the aerospace firm to transform its Shooting Star transport vehicle into an orbital outpost.

Shooting Star is a 16-foot cargo craft designed to hold 10,000 pounds and was originally developed for NASA resupply mission to the International Space Station.

The firm and the Pentagon group is eye 2021 for when the craft will take flight for its first demonstration mission to the International Space Station.

However, experts have raised concerns that combined with the US Space Force this space station could mean 'Starship Troopers' are on the horizon.

The US Pentagon in designing a mini space station that will be used for research and development, training and operational missions

The Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is an aerospace and national security contractor focused on aircraft modification and integration.

And it was chosen by the Pentagon to design a small space station set for low Earth orbit.

SNC CEO Fatih Ozmen said: 'We're excited by the multi-mission nature of Shooting Star.'

'It was originally developed for NASA resupply missions to the International Space Station, and since then we keep identifying new capabilities and solutions it offers to a wide variety of customers.'

The Department of Defense has awarded a contract to the Sierra Nevada Corporation, allowing the aerospace firm to transform its Shooting Star transport vehicle into an orbital outpost

'The possible applications for Shooting Star are really endless.'

The Shooting Star is much smaller compared to NASA's International Space Station, but will mainly be used for to 'space assembly, microgravity, experimentation, logistics, manufacturing, training, test and evaluation,' according to SNC.

However, the outpost can hold up to two people, allowing the Pentagon to send a crew to conduct experiments in orbit.

The firm is set to redesign the Shooting Star to include guidance, navigation and control for sustained free-flight operations.

The craft will keep its two solar panel arrays that can generate six kilowatts of onboard power and is currently designed to move autonomously using six thrusters.

Former NASA space shuttle commander and retired USAF pilot Steve Lindsey said: 'The current Shooting Star is already designed with significant capabilities for an orbital outpost and by adding only a few components we are able to meet Department of Defense needs.'

'We are proud to offer our transport vehicle to DoD as a free-flying destination for experimentation and testing, expanding beyond its current payload service capabilities for Dream Chaser cargo missions.'

The firm and the Pentagon group is eye 2021 for when the craft will take flight for its first demonstration mission to the International Space Station. However, experts have raised concerns that combined with the US Space Force this space station could mean 'Starship Troopers' are on the horizon

However, the move of the Pentagon to launch its own space station has raised concerns.

'Secure World Foundation's Victoria Samson told Breaking Defense: 'It does raise a lot of questions: namely, what R&D/scientific research did they want to work on that really necessitated this?'

'I would argue the optics are pretty questionable: if the Chinese military announced that it was creating its own space station, purely for scientific reasons of course, there would be a lot of people who find it pretty threatening.'

'One only has to look at how Chinese lunar missions have been perceived to get a sense of it.

'Combine this with concerns that the creation of the Space Force means that Starship Troopers are eventually in our future, and it looks like the US has plans for space that it's not talking about publicly.'
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  On the heels of the citys 19th homicide in 2020, Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Payne will hold a press conference Friday morning to address the increase in gun violence in the community.

The city experienced 18 homicides in 2019 and nine killings the year before.

In addition to the killings, police officers responded to multiple shooting incidents and reports of shots fired over the last two nights in the city.

Related: Grand Rapids killings already exceed last years total, police identify latest victim

Grand Rapids Police spokesperson Raul Alvarez told MLive that Payne will be joined by community leaders from several neighborhood associations, along with other city officials and members of the newly formed community police advisory council.

The chief is expected to address the increase in gun violence in the city and call on the community to continue working together to help put a halt to all these senseless acts. Its been a horrific and sad week, Alvarez said.

On Wednesday, July 15, 23-year-old Martell Deon-Daajon Phillips became the citys 19th homicide victim this year, when he was shot and killed outside Wealthy Market at Diamond Avenue and Wealthy Street SE.

Phillips was found dead in the markets parking lot.

The alleged shooter, also a 23-year-old man, called 911 from a location across the street from the market and he surrendered to police peacefully.

Later Wednesday night, police broke up a fight involving between 50 and 60 people at a vigil for Phillips and responded to multiple reports of shots fired in the area near where Phillips was killed.

One man who attended the vigil was hospitalized late Wednesday night with two gunshot wounds to each hand.

On Thursday night, Grand Rapids Police responded to three more incidents of people being shot and a fourth of shots fired. One incident involved a 2-year-old being struck by gunfire in the area of Burton Street and Union Avenue.

Related: 2-year-old struck by bullet in Southeast Grand Rapids, police say

The other three were drive-by shootings, police said.

The first occurred at about 7 p.m. in the area of 11th Avenue and Quarry Street, where police said a woman was struck in the face by broken glass due to gunfire.

The second drive-by occurred at around 9:35 p.m. at a house in the 500 block of Lane Avenue NW.

A 14-year-old girl inside the house was hit by gunfire near her back right shoulder and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, Alvarez said. More than seven children were inside the home, he said.

Alvarez said there is no suspect information at this time. Police located 24 casings in the street and more than 30 rounds were fired into the house, he said.

Officers believe two vehicles were involved in the incident.

Police responded to a third drive-by at about 4 a.m. Friday July 17 in the 1000 block of McReynolds Avenue NW, Alvarez reported. Upon arrival, officers discovered damage caused by gunfire in a home in the 900 block of McReynolds and a home in the 1000 block.

No one was injured in the incidents on McReynolds, Alvarez said.

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The Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo has voiced concern over an increase in Covid-19 related hospital admissions while France recorded 18 new fatalities in 24 hours.

Hidalgo said hospitals in Paris indicated a slight rise in the number of Covid-19 admissions after having recorded none in the last few weeks.

We need to be very, very cautious. Hospitals and doctors have recorded an increase in the number of Covid-19 related cases even if is not yet alarming, Hidalgo told France Info radio.

She warned that people around Paris were now being less vigilant.

It was so hard to be confined for several months  especially for young people who felt they sacrificed a few months of their life and who now want to go out in groups.

The French Public Health Agency on Thursday announced 18 new fatalities in the last 24 hours. It brings the total Covid-19 related fatalities to 30,138 since the beginning outbreak.

The agency said 16 departments across the country had seen increases in hospital admissions. Health Minister Olivier Veran said 1.5 million screening tests have been delivered across the Ile-de-France region, which remains one of the main hotspots.

More than 70 percent of people in intensive care are in four French regions: Grand-Est, Haut-de-France, French Guiana and Ile-de-France, which includes Paris.

Meanwhile, the department of Mayenne in northwest France (Pays de la Loire region) has far surpassed the alert threshold, with 50.1 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days. The threshold limit is 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Pamela McLoughlin was abused more than 100 times by Kenneth Tracey

A brave child abuse survivor has hit out after her attacker avoided jail time.

Pamela McLoughlin (37) said the justice system must be harder on predators, after Kenneth Tracey (48), who began abusing her when she was just four, left Wicklow Circuit Court without heading to prison.

Ms McLoughlin spoke of her disappointment after Tracey, who abused her over 100 times when she was aged between four and eight, was spared a custodial sentence.

Father-of-two Tracey, of Oak Drive, Blessington, was handed a four-year suspended jail sentence after he pleaded guilty to seven sample charges of indecent assault.

He was given the suspended sentence on the date of Ms McLoughlin's birthday.

"I feel disappointed that he did not receive a jail sentence but it was not unexpected," she told the Herald.

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"It was too lenient in my opinion and I believe the justice system needs to be harder on this type of predator.

"Despite the suspended sentence handed down in my case I would still encourage other victims to come forward.

"I also want to say that I still have serious concerns about this man, who has two children and lives close to a playground."

The court heard that Tracey abused Ms McLoughlin between July 1987 and July 1991.

He was aged 15 when the abuse started and it continued until after his 19th birthday.

The facts of the case were outlined by Detective Patrick Twomey, of Blessington Garda Station, who said the sexual abuse happened at Tracey's family home in Rocky Pool Crescent, in the Co Wicklow town.

Tracey and Ms McLoughlin's mothers were almost next-door neighbours and on friendly terms, which meant the victim's mother often visited his property with her daughter.

The detective estimated that there were at least 100 incidents of sexual abuse which happened almost every time she visited the house.

The abuse began in July 1987 when Ms McLoughlin was aged just four and continued until around the time that she made her first Holy Communion.

Det Twomey said it was around this time that she heard a radio report about sexual abuse and realised that she had been the victim of this crime.

She went to her mother and talked about what had happened and from that time on she did not visit Tracey's home or have any contact with him.

However, no complaint was made to gardai at that stage in 1991.

Det Twomey said the abuse had two main forms - one was the then teenage Tracey placing the victim's hands on his erect penis, while the other most common form of abuse was when he placed his hands inside her underwear and fondled her numerous times.

Harrowing evidence of a number of specific incidents were outlined, including an occasion when he spread her legs and then pretended to take a photograph of her.

On another occasion, the victim had been playing with her cousin when Tracey called her into a bedroom and grabbed her arm but she screamed and he allowed her to leave.

Det Twomey said Ms McLoughlin grew up and went to Australia in 2009 with her then husband and while there she attended counselling.

Complaint

She made a complaint about the childhood sexual abuse to police in Sydney, who passed on the information to gardai.

Ms McLoughlin came back home in August 2015, and made a complaint to gardai. In December of that year, Tracey was interviewed by appointment at Blessington Garda Station.

He stated that he had "no knowledge of the accusations".

Tracey was charged with multiple counts of indecent assault in July 2016, but did not plead guilty until last November at Wicklow Circuit Court when he was placed on the sex offenders register.

In a moving victim impact statement, Ms McLoughlin spoke about the impact of the abuse, the anger and isolation she felt, the depression and anxiety it caused her, the paranoia she feels about her own son's safety and her severe difficulties with the Irish justice and criminal process.
S adiq Khan has said he has no confidence in Government plans to enforce a local coronavirus lockdown in London.

The Mayor of London said on Friday that ministers are likely to be "too slow" to react to a potential second wave in the capital.

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out plans to ease guidance on employees returning to their workplaces.

Mr Khan said that London borough councils were unprepared for the possibility of a local lockdown.

He said: I havent got any confidence that we could have a geographical lockdown in London.

We probably could lock down a building, if its a factory or a place of worship or a school.

Lockdown London 1 /18 Lockdown London

Thats why its really important at long last that the Government provides us with the power, resources, clarity and information, should there be a need, heaven forbid, for a local lockdown in London.

He added that workplaces must be properly prepared with hand sanitisers and social distancing measures, and that employers stagger start times to avoid overcrowding on public transport.

Mr Khan made the comments while visiting an east London school to announce City Halls 2.1 million investment in providing activities for disadvantaged children over summer.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan watching young people take part in socially-distanced sports, during a visit to Mossbourne Riverside Academy in Hackney. / PA

On Friday it was announced that a limited number of Greater London Authority staff will be able to return to work at City Hall from July 30.

The building, which will remain closed to the public, will have a maximum initial capacity of just over 200 people, with two metres between desks, one way systems in place, and an enhanced cleaning and hygiene regime.

On a visit to Mossbourne Riverside Academy in Hackney Mr Khan said as parents return to workplaces, funding needs to be focused on youth services to avoid disadvantaged children turning to crime.

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He said: Im really worried about the huge and profound impact the coronavirus will have on young people, from mental health issues, loneliness, isolation, and a lack of opportunity.

Im also well aware about complex causes for why violent crime occurs.

And one of the reasons why violent crime is occurring is deprivation, lack of opportunity and inequalities.

Sport, education and culture are huge ways to get young people involved in constructive things, so were supporting over the summer more than 2.1 million of activities to give young people the confidence, as the lockdown is being eased, so they can start making up for lost ground, but also so they can get involved in constructive things rather than criminal gangs or violence.

Youth service funding in the capital has been cut by 46 per cent since 2011, according to City Hall.

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Following lockdown, a UK Youth report highlighted that 72 per cent of youth services say they need access to emergency funds.
Pulling yet another turn in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday said that the country is offering another round of consular access to India. Speaking to a Pakistani news channel, he said a note verbale has been sent meeting India's demand to not have security personnel during the meeting.

'When would they like to come?'

He said, "Ready to give another access to India without a security personnel present. I say in your program today that India needs access to Kulbhushan without security personnel? We'll give it. Today, we are also removing that objection. Now tell me what they want. When would you (India) like to meet Kulbhushan? When would they like to come? Tomorrow? Or Tonight?"

Pakistan on Thursday provided consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, but the Indian government said the access was "neither meaningful nor credible," and the death row prisoner appeared visibly under stress. On Thursday, Pakistan Foreign Office claimed that two consular officers of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad were provided "unimpeded and uninterrupted" consular access to Jadhav.

'Not given unimpeded, unhindered & unconditional access'

"Though Pakistan Foreign ministry had assured India that the consular access would be unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional, it turned out that the arrangements of the meeting were not in accordance with the assurances made by Islamabad," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in New Delhi.

"Neither the environment nor the arrangements of the meeting were in accordance with the assurances of Pakistan," he said in a statement.

"The Consular Officers were not given unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional access" to Jadhav. On the contrary, Pakistani officials with an intimidating demeanour were present in close proximity of Jadhav and Consular Officers despite the protests of the Indian side, Srivastava said. It was also evident from a camera that was visible that the conversation with Jadhav was being recorded, he said.

'Jadhav himself was visibly under stress'

"Jadhav himself was visibly under stress and indicated that clearly to the Consular Officers. The arrangements did not permit a free conversation between them," the MEA spokesperson said. "The Consular Officers could not engage Jadhav on his legal rights and were prevented from obtaining his written consent for arranging his legal representation," he said.

"In the light of these circumstances, the Indian Consular Officers came to the conclusion that the consular access being offered by Pakistan was neither meaningful nor credible. After lodging a protest, they left the venue," the MEA spokesperson said.

The second consular access provided by Pakistan on Thursday came days ahead of a deadline to file a review petition in a court in Islamabad against his conviction by a military court. The first consular access was provided by Pakistan on September 2, 2019. The mother and wife of Jadhav were allowed to meet him on December 25, 2017.

READ | Kulbhushan Jadhav consular access: MEA rebuts Pak claim; say yet to hear from officials

"Pakistan remains committed to fully implementing the International Court of Justice's judgment of 17 July 2019. It is hoped that India will cooperate with the Pakistan court in giving full effect to the said judgement, the statement of the Pakistan Foreign Office said.

READ | 'Hope Pakistan fulfills its obligations':Harish Salve on Kulbhushan Jadhav consular access

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi later claimed that the two officials of the Indian high commission who came to meet Jadhav left without hearing him. Qureshi claimed that Pakistan granted consular access to India according to the terms agreed upon.

READ | Kulbhushan Jadhav visibly under stress, Pakistan denied unimpeded consular access

"They had objected to the glass that had been placed in the middle so we removed it. They had also objected to audio and video recordings, so that was also not done. We fulfilled all their requests, but still, they left," he said.

READ | India gets second consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, meeting with officials underway

(With PTI inputs)
Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has announced that three more airports will open for business travel from Tuesday 21 July 2020.

ACSA spokesperson Senzeni Ndebele said that reconnecting regional centres through air links is an essential element of reigniting local economies.

Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula announced that airports serving East London, George, and Kimberley had met the requirements of the SA Civil Aviation Authority and would be able to open for business travel from 21 July.

ACSA said suitable health screening resources had been allocated by the provincial governments of Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Northern Cape.

These resources are an essential required element of the health protocols and procedures at airports, Ndebele said.

Other airports that opened earlier already had Port Health resources in place by virtue of their international status.

We are therefore most appreciative of the efforts of the three provincial governments in identifying and allocating qualified people who can perform the screening role which is a critical aspect of ensuring that air travel is safe, he said.

The support of the provincial governments is all the more appreciated at a time such as this when healthcare resources across the country are stretched.

Protocols and available flights

All protocols and processes applied when other airports reopened from the beginning of June will also be in place at the airports serving East London, George, and Kimberley.

Ndebele advised business travellers to check with airlines for available flights, however.

Our experience of the past several weeks is that airlines will not necessarily commence with flights on the first day that airports are officially open again, Ndebele said.

Business passengers needing to travel to and from these centres should monitor the airline web sites for flight availability.

She also advised passengers to give themselves enough time to get through the required protocols to adapt to new arrangements in terms of parking and terminal access points.

The airport protocols and procedures are outlined below.

Arriving at the airport

Passengers must use drop-and-go facilities or public transport. Only passengers will be allowed into the terminal

Limited parkade options will be available. These are signposted at each airport.

Meeters and greeters will not be allowed in the terminal building.

Airport entrances and access control

Access to terminal buildings will be restricted.

Physical distancing rules will apply at the terminal entrance.

Masks are compulsory from entry to the airport all the way through a flight and out of the destination airport.

Health screening of all passengers and staff will be conducted at entrances.

Passengers must produce their business travel permission letters at the entrance.

It is the passengers responsibility to ensure that they have the necessary permission letter before they book a flight.

Check-in process

Passengers should check in online before going to the airport.

Online check in can be done at the screens in the terminal building.

A limited number of check-in counters will be open. Physical distancing rules will apply in queues.

Using a check-in counter will take longer.

Security checkpoint process

Passengers will scan their own paper-based or mobile device-based boarding pass to the scanner at the security checkpoint.

Passengers should remove any metal and electronic items from their person before entering the security queue. This includes mobile devices, watches, jewellery, wallets, keys and so on.

These items must be placed in the tray at the security scanner.

This process will minimise the need for security officers to do physical pat downs at the checkpoint.

Boarding the aircraft

Physical distancing rules apply for queues to board an aircraft.

Passengers must scan their own boarding pass at the boarding gate.

Boarding will be done in a controlled manner with passengers travelling in the rear seats of the aircraft boarding first. Passengers with tickets for Row A, for example, will board last.

Masks must be worn for the duration of the flight.

Disembarking from an aircraft
We all agree collectively that the health and safety of our students and staff must come first, CPS CEO Janice Jackson said Friday as she presented the proposal with Mayor Lori Lightfoot. We believe that a hybrid model will be the best model to meet the needs of all of our students throughout the city. This model allows many of our students to reap the benefits that they can only achieve through in-person instruction in front of a highly qualified teacher.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

How do you solve problems in the face of adversity? The question is perhaps oxymoronic or tautological given that a problem equates to adversity. So, we might as well ask how do you solve problems?

Leandro Ferreira Pereira of the Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL) at ISCTE and Jose Pedro Santos of Winning Scientific Management in Portugal, explain that one of the current challenges in organizations relates strongly to decision-making in adverse, uncertain, and complex environments. There are many formal approaches to problem solving that managers might use: the fishbone diagram, root cause analysis and five whys, for instance.

Pereira and Santos point out that most of them have significant limitations in how they assess a problem and its causes. As such the team has developed and tested 'Pereira problem solving' and compared it with ad hoc approaches used in various organizations. The Pereira approach has a more mathematical stance in problem solving. The team explains that the study was preliminary in nature and utilized convenient samples to test the model. Future work will be broader and compare different business sectors, including energy, telecommunications, banking, and retail.

Explore further Creativity important to lift math education

More information: Leandro Ferreira Pereira et al. Pereira problem solving, International Journal of Learning and Change (2020). Leandro Ferreira Pereira et al. Pereira problem solving,(2020). DOI: 10.1504/IJLC.2020.108348
Two Manitoba Hutterite colonies have one resident each who has tested positive for COVID-19 in cases that can be traced to a funeral for three teenagers in Alberta.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/7/2020 (551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two Manitoba Hutterite colonies have one resident each who has tested positive for COVID-19 in cases that can be traced to a funeral for three teenagers in Alberta.

The Springfield Hutterite Colony, located 50 kilometres east of Winnipeg off Highway 15, has one family in isolation after the father tested positive for COVID-19 upon returning from a business trip to Alberta. The Clearview Hutterite Colony, located 50 kilometres west of Winnipeg near Elm Creek, has one woman in isolation after she tested positive.

Josh Waldner, the secretary-treasurer of the 108-member Springfield colony, said one of its residents was in Alberta when the funeral took place for three females who died in a boating accident south of Lethbridge.

JESSE BOILY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Springfield Colony has one family in isolation after their father tested positive for COVID-19 upon returning from a business trip to Alberta.

Naomi Waldner, a 17-year-old member of Alberta's Spring Valley Hutterite Colony, and her cousins, Linda Waldner, 17, and Martha Waldner, 16, were part of a group of 10 who went swimming and boating on the river on June 10.

Earlier this month, Alberta Health confirmed there were people with COVID-19 at the funeral while the nearby County of Warner had 39 active cases. The county was the only one on "watch" status in the province as public health officials monitored the outbreak.

"They asked for him to come (to the funeral) and he went there," Josh Waldner said on Thursday. "Otherwise, he would have come home.

"He later tested positive... but he has been on lockdown well beyond 14 days now. He has been in his own house and his meals are delivered. He's now clear, but you don't want to trust it. We want him to take another test before he comes out."

"We're not immune to it - we're all just flesh and blood."  Josh Waldner, the secretary-treasurer of Springfield Hutterite Colony

Waldner said the man's wife and teenage children have joined him in the lockdown.

"His whole family was isolated and they are still in isolation," he said. "On Friday he will get tested. But, as far as we know, no one else has had symptoms.

"We're not immune to it - we're all just flesh and blood."

At the 87-member Clearview colony, secretary Henry Gross said a woman had tested positive for the coronavirus about two or three weeks ago.

Although she never went to the funeral, "the Springfield (Colony) group dropped by for a visit," Gross said.

"They should have just stayed there."

As for the woman, who Gross said is isolating by herself, "she's always the healthiest person around.

"She just has to stay at home for another couple of days. She stays in her own home. Everybody else is good."

Meanwhile, Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief public health officer, would not confirm Thursday if any of the people who tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days are from Hutterite colonies.

Roussin did confirm that one of the five new cases announced on Tuesday is a woman in her 20s who lives in the Southern Health region and who is classified as an unknown acquisition, which means community spread. He said three of the five cases confirmed that day were connected to travel. The province said one of the travellers flew on WestJet from Winnipeg to Calgary on June 26 and returned from Calgary on July 2.

Roussin said information about an infected person, including where they live or had travelled to, would only be divulged if it's necessary for community health reasons.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer.

Mark Waldner, of the Hutterian Safety Council, who initially responded to an email from the Free Press, by saying he was curious about the newspaper's sources, did not respond to any further messages for comment on the virus in the two Manitoba colonies.

But, in a July 8 bulletin to Hutterite communities in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and South Dakota, the council said "in Manitoba, Hutterite communities have been fortunate thus far, but COVID-19 will inevitably arrive as well."

While the council said in the bulletin that travel between Alberta and Saskatchewan is now allowed by the two provinces, "due to the numerous outbreaks in Hutterite communities in Saskatchewan and Alberta, the council recommends strong caution when travelling to or from the west and that travel is best avoided for now."

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

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.
Rating Action: Moody's assigns first-time B3 deposit ratings to Bakai Bank, outlook stable

Global Credit Research - 16 Jul 2020

London, 16 July 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's) has today assigned a B3 first-time long-term local and foreign currency deposit ratings to Kyrgyzstan-based Bakai Bank OJSC (Bakai Bank). The outlook on the deposit ratings is stable. Concurrently, the rating agency assigned Bakai Bank a Baseline Credit Assessment (BCA) of b3 and an Adjusted BCA of b3.

Moody's has also assigned the bank a long-term local and foreign currency Counterparty Risk Rating (CRR) of B2, a long-term Counterparty Risk Assessment (CR Assessment) of B2(cr) and Not Prime (NP) short-term local and foreign currency CRRs and NP(cr) short-term CR Assessment. The bank was also assigned NP short-term local and foreign currency deposit ratings.

A full list of assigned ratings can be found at the end of this press release.

RATINGS RATIONALE

KYRGYZSTAN VERY WEAK+ MACRO PROFILE

The macro profile of Kyrgyz republic (B2 stable) in part reflects the small size of the economy, characterised by a lack of scale in key industry sectors and low per capita incomes, which limit its shock absorption capacity. The economy is also highly exposed to external shocks, as it relies substantially on trade with and remittances from Russia (Baa3 stable), as well as volatile domestic gold production. The global coronavirus outbreak weighs heavily on Kyrgyzstan economy and its banking sector, dragging down loan growth. Banks are primarily funded with customer deposits and funding and liquidity conditions will remain steady, supported by limited dependence on market funding, ample liquidity and gradual de-dollarization in the long term.

In January 2020, Bakai Bank merged with its sister bank- Kyrgyzstan based BTA Bank, which was previously acquired by Bakai Bank's shareholders from Kazakhstan based BTA Bank. As a result of the merger, Bakai Bank's market shares more than doubled.

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BASELINE CREDIT ASSESSMENT

Bakai Bank's b3 BCA is constrained by: (1) macro-profile of Very Weak +; (2) modest profitability, which will remain under pressure amid worsened economic conditions and weakening asset quality and (3) potential challenges related to post-merger integration. At the same time the bank's BCA is underpinned by its robust capital levels, limited reliance on market finding, and ample liquidity buffer.

Moody's estimates that Bakai Bank's post-merger problem loans (defined as Stage 3 loans) accounted for around 4.1% of gross loans and loan loss coverage exceeded 100% of problem loans. Moody's, however, expects that problem loans will increase in 2020 because the slowdown in the economic activities in Kyrgyzstan as a result of the coronavirus outbreak will undermine borrowers' debt servicing capacity. This, in turn, will put pressure on the bank's solvency metrics, in particular asset quality and profitability.

Following the merger, Bakai Bank's capital position materially improved driven by highly capitalized BTA Bank. Moody's estimates that Bakai Bank's post-merger tangible common equity (TCE) ratio was around 18%, up from around 12% in 2019 and the rating agency expects the ratio to remain above 15% in the next 12-18 months.

Moody's expects that Bakai Bank's profitability will be strained by increasing loan-loss provisions and declining revenues amid worsened economic conditions and weakening asset quality. However, in the long run, Bakai Bank's profitability will benefit from increased scale of operations as a result of the merger with BTA Bank, which will help the bank to strengthen its operating efficiency and income generating capacity.

Bakai Bank's liquidity and funding profiles will remain stable over the next 12-18 months, supported by its ample liquidity buffer, which accounted for around 30% of total assets and limited reliance on market funding. Bakai Bank's funding base is highly dollarized which is typical for Kyrgyzstan banks.

Moody's does not have any particular governance concerns for Bakai Bank. The bank has not shown any material governance shortfall in recent years and its risk management framework is commensurate with its risk appetite.

Moody's assumption of a moderate likelihood of government support takes into account the bank's sizable post- merger market shares in Kyrgyzstan, however this support assumption does not result in any ratings uplift from the bank's BCA.

STABLE OUTLOOK

The stable outlook on Bakai Bank's long-term deposit ratings reflects Moody's view that the elevated risks stemming from the deteriorated operating conditions will be counter-balanced by the bank's ample liquidity and robust capital position. Thus, a likelihood of any rating changes for Bakai Bank in the next 12 to 18 months is limited.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

Bakai Bank's deposit ratings will not likely be upgraded in next 12-18 months because of increased challenges amid unfavourable operating conditions related to the coronavirus outbreak. Negative pressure could be exerted on Bakai Bank if its financial fundamentals, notably asset quality, capitalization and profitability, were to deteriorate significantly beyond Moody's expectation as a result of material deterioration in economic conditions.

LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS ..Issuer: Bakai Bank OJSC Assignments:

.... Adjusted Baseline Credit Assessment, Assigned b3

.... Baseline Credit Assessment, Assigned b3

.... Long-term Counterparty Risk Assessment, Assigned B2(cr)

.... Short-term Counterparty Risk Assessment, Assigned NP(cr)

.... Long-term Counterparty Risk Rating, Assigned B2

.... Short-term Counterparty Risk Rating, Assigned NP

.... Short-term Bank Deposits, Assigned NP

....Long-term Bank Deposits, Assigned B3, Outlook Assigned Stable

Outlook:

....Outlook, Assigned Stable

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.

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.

Lev Dorf Asst Vice President - Analyst Financial Institutions Group Moody's Investors Service Limited, Russian Branch 7th floor, Four Winds Plaza 21 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya St. Moscow 125047 Russia JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Nicholas Hill MD - Banking 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

 2020 Moody's Corporation, Moody's Investors Service, Inc., Moody's Analytics, Inc. and/or their licensors and affiliates (collectively, "MOODY'S"). All rights reserved.

CREDIT RATINGS ISSUED BY MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. AND/OR ITS CREDIT RATINGS AFFILIATES ARE MOODY'S CURRENT OPINIONS OF THE RELATIVE FUTURE CREDIT RISK OF ENTITIES, CREDIT COMMITMENTS, OR DEBT OR DEBT-LIKE SECURITIES, AND MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY MOODY'S (COLLECTIVELY, "PUBLICATIONS") MAY INCLUDE SUCH CURRENT OPINIONS. MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE DEFINES CREDIT RISK AS THE RISK THAT AN ENTITY MAY NOT MEET ITS CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS AS THEY COME DUE AND ANY ESTIMATED FINANCIAL LOSS IN THE EVENT OF DEFAULT OR IMPAIRMENT. SEE MOODY'S RATING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS PUBLICATION FOR INFORMATION ON THE TYPES OF CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS ADDRESSED BY MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE CREDIT RATINGS. CREDIT RATINGS DO NOT ADDRESS ANY OTHER RISK, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LIQUIDITY RISK, MARKET VALUE RISK, OR PRICE VOLATILITY. CREDIT RATINGS, NON-CREDIT ASSESSMENTS ("ASSESSMENTS"), AND OTHER OPINIONS INCLUDED IN MOODY'S PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT STATEMENTS OF CURRENT OR HISTORICAL FACT. MOODY'S PUBLICATIONS MAY ALSO INCLUDE QUANTITATIVE MODEL-BASED ESTIMATES OF CREDIT RISK AND RELATED OPINIONS OR COMMENTARY PUBLISHED BY MOODY'S ANALYTICS, INC. AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT CONSTITUTE OR PROVIDE INVESTMENT OR FINANCIAL ADVICE, AND MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AND DO NOT PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PURCHASE, SELL, OR HOLD PARTICULAR SECURITIES. MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT COMMENT ON THE SUITABILITY OF AN INVESTMENT FOR ANY PARTICULAR INVESTOR. MOODY'S ISSUES ITS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS AND OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLISHES ITS PUBLICATIONS WITH THE EXPECTATION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT EACH INVESTOR WILL, WITH DUE CARE, MAKE ITS OWN STUDY AND EVALUATION OF EACH SECURITY THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR PURCHASE, HOLDING, OR SALE.

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A lower-caste Dalit couple in Madhya Pradesh state attempted suicide after police beat them and destroyed their crops.

A lower-caste Dalit couple in India attempted suicide after police beat them and destroyed their crops, causing outrage over the latest case of police brutality against marginalised sections of society.

An online video showing half a dozen police officers dragging and beating the couple with sticks to evict them from government-owned land in central Madhya Pradesh state has been viewed more than one million times since it was posted on Tuesday.

Videos and photos shared on social media showed police assaulting the couple  Ram Kumar Ahirwar, 38, and Savitri Devi, 35  along with their children, who were seen sobbing as their parents fell unconscious.

 When our standing crop has been destroyed, we dont have other option, but to kill ourselves, Devi was quoted as saying by the ndtv.com news website.

The couple consumed pesticide moments after the eviction and were rushed to hospital, S Vishwanath, head of the local administration, told a news conference late on Wednesday, hours before he and the police chief were removed from their posts.

1/ These policemen must get the same treatment from the people, watch that lady!  $#! Consider this happening to your Parents? Only the poor is going to suffer. A Dalit couple in Guna, Madhya Pradesh tried to commit suicide in front of the police administration. #Guna pic.twitter.com/MdRpbixrRs   Vikesh Tiwari  (@tvicky002) July 16, 2020

The couple are believed to be in a stable condition at a government hospital in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh. But the police have registered a case against them for trying to obstruct public servants from the discharge of their duty.

Cruel and shameful

To force a couple to attempt suicide by damaging their crops  is most cruel and shameful, Kumari Mayawati, a Dalit political leader, said on Twitter.

Nationwide condemnation of the incident is natural. Government should take strict action.

Government and senior police officials were not immediately available for comment.

The eviction was part of a drive to stop encroachment on land and the area the couple was farming had been allotted for the construction of a college, a policeman told Reuters. He declined to be named as he was not authorised to talk to the media.

They were begging the police to not destroy their crops as they were in debt ... but the police did not listen to them. N Kumar, a neighbour of the couple, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation

Six police officers were suspended on Thursday and the state government has ordered an investigation into the incident.

The main opposition party in the state, the Congress, blamed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the police brutality. [Chief Minister] Shivraj Singh Chouhans shameless display of arrogance, the party tweeted. His police force brutally beat up a farmer couple and tore the womans clothes. The children are screaming. The end of this blind, deaf and dumb government is near.

Former chief minister of the state, Kamal Nath, also condemned the merciless beating of the Dalit couple. What kind of jungle raj [rule] is this? he tweeted.

The case comes weeks after a father-son duo died in police custody in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. At least five policemen have been arrested over the deaths that caused a public outcry.

Biases against lower-caste groups persist

India banned discrimination based on caste  a system which divided Hindus into groups based on occupations  in 1955. But centuries-old biases against lower-caste groups persist, making it harder for them to access education, jobs and homes.





A growing population and rising pressure on land to build homes, highways and industry is triggering conflicts, with lower-caste citizens often facing eviction, particularly in rural areas where biases are most entrenched, campaigners say.

More than half of Indias lower-caste population is landless, according to census data. Several states have laws aimed at giving land to Dalits but few have produced results, according to Dalit activists and leaders.

They were begging the police to not destroy their crops as they were in debt  but the police did not listen to them, N Kumar, a neighbour of the couple, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Nankhedi village.

He said the couple had asked the police to wait for two months so that they could harvest their crops.

Ram Prakash Sharma, a tribal and Dalits rights activist in Madhya Pradesh, described the incident as unfortunate and urged authorities to do more to help the couple.

The Dalits in Madhya Pradesh are one of the most backward people and they do not own farming land, he told Reuters.

The government must provide this couple a house and employment so that they can feed their kids and not die of starvation.
HYENAS

Ami Diakhate in Hyenas. Credit:MIFF

After many years, an elderly woman named Linguere Ramatou (Ami Diakhate) returns with her entourage to her hometown of Colobane, a destitute outpost in the Senegalese desert. She has made her fortune, by whatever dubious means, and is willing to share the wealth around. But theres a catch, which puts the community in a moral bind: she demands the death of a man, Draman Drameh (Mansour Diouf), who seduced and abandoned her in her teens.

Djibril Diop Mambetys 1992 film derives from German writer Friedrich Durrenmatts well-known play The Visit, which has been adapted repeatedly for the screen (the 1964 Hollywood version starred Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn). But Mambety makes the source material his own, in vivid, witty images. Often filmed from low angles, the actors in their brightly coloured garb are posed against the landscape in a manner that suggests the artifice of all social arrangements and imbues the bleak story with a paradoxical feeling of carnival.

Mambety was able to complete only two features before his death in 1998, but these are enough to show that he was a born filmmaker: this recent restoration is a guaranteed highlight of this years MIFF.
By AFP

GENEVA: The new coronavirus outbreak in hard-hit Brazil has plateaued, the World Health Organization said Friday, urging the country to seize the opportunity to drive down transmission.

"The rise in Brazil is no longer exponential, it has plateaued," WHO health emergencies chief Michael Ryan told a virtual news conference.

Brazil is the second-worst virus affected country in the world after the United States, counting nearly 77,000 deaths and more than two million cases.

Figures published by the health ministry Thursday showed there were more than 45,000 new cases over the previous 24 hours, and an extra 1,300 deaths.

READ| Impatient Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for coronavirus again

But Ryan said the rate of infection had now "stabilised".

He pointed out that the reproduction rate (R0) for the virus, which indicates how quickly it is spreading, had been "quite high" in April and May, standing at 1.5 and in many places over 2.0.

That means that each person infected was infecting at least two other people.

But now the number had dropped to between 0.5 and 1.5, he said, hailing that "the virus is not in a sense doubling itself in the community as quickly as it was before."

Ryan stressed that while this was good news, "there is absolutely no guarantee that (transmission) will go down by itself".

But he pointed out that there was "an opportunity here now for Brazil to push the disease down, to suppress the transmission of the virus".

He urged Brazil to "take control", acknowledging that "it is going to take a very sustained, concerted action in order for that to occur".

"Up to now, in many countries, including in Brazil, the virus has been in charge, the virus sets the rules," he said.

"We need to set the rules for the virus."

Since the beginning of the crisis, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has dismissed the seriousness of the epidemic and criticised containment measures ordered by governors in Brazilian states.

The far-right leader has himself tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently in quarantine.
With Pune reporting more Covid-19 positive cases than Mumbai for the past two days, Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister and Pune guardian minister, on Friday asked Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal to guide the Pune administration to take steps to contain the virus spread. Pawar on Friday invited Iqbal to Pune.

The minister took the meeting at the VIP circuit house attended by Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar, officer on special duty at Pune division Saurabh Rao, PMC commissioner Vikram Kumar, PCMC commissioner Sharavan Hardikar and other IAS officers.

Pawar instructed Iqbal to share the Mumbai coronavirus prevention measures with the Pune administration.

Iqbal underlined the need for contact tracing, testing, infrastructure improvement, bed management and containment zone policy implemented in Mumbai.

After the meeting, Pawar said, Mumbai has been successful in controlling the spread of Covid-19. Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad need to follow and execute the capitals good practices. Steps need to be taken to ensure critical patients get timely medical attention. As finance minister, I would ensure that fund does not become a hindrance for treatment.

The deputy chief minister instructed officials to take care of institutional quarantine facilities in the city.

Contact tracing is the key

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said that the civic body ramped up contact tracing, especially in slums, and municipal wards after the first few cases were reported in Mumbai in March. We mainly concentrated on testing, ambulance management, bed management and medical and para medical staff management. It helped to bring down Covid cases in the city, he said.
Mutual of Omaha is removing the Native American imagery from its corporate logo as a part of a drive to address issues of racial equity and social justice.

We believe the decision to retire our corporate symbol is the right thing to do and is consistent with our values and our desire to help overcome racial bias and stereotypes, said Mutual of Omaha chairman and CEO James Blackledge. We feel strongly our logo should reflect who we are as a company and our commitment to positive change.

The company has says that it has earmarked $1 million in additional funding for community-based initiatives and non-profit organizations committed to racial equity, inclusivity, economic equality and social justice. It also plans to directly involve its associates in these initiatives, as well as providing its management team with additional training on diversity and inclusion, and expanding its efforts to recruit, hire, promote, develop and retain a diverse workforce.

Mutual of Omana will begin transitioning away from the Indian head logo, which was adopted by the company in 1950, immediately.
White House Trade and Manufacturing Policy Director Peter Navarro speaks during a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic in the press briefing room of the White House on March 27, 2020.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

USA Today added a disclaimer to White House trade advisor Peter Navarro's controversial op-ed attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci, saying that the piece "did not meet fact-checking standards."

Bill Sternberg, USA TODAY editorial page editor, wrote in the disclaimer that the op-ed was published to serve as an "opposing view" to its editorial that largely hailed Fauci as a "national treasure."

"We felt it was newsworthy because it expanded on those comments, put an on-the-record name to the attacks on Fauci, and contradicted White House denials of an anti-Fauci campaign," Sternberg wrote in the disclaimer.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

After facing backlash, USA Today responded to publishing White House trade advisor Peter Navarro's controversial op-ed attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci, saying it "did not meet fact-checking standards."

USA Today explained its reasoning for publishing the op-ed in a disclaimer above the piece, saying it was published with the intent to display it an "opposing view" on the publication's editorial, which largely hailed Fauci as a "national treasure" and leading health expert amid the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We felt it was newsworthy because it expanded on those comments, put an on-the-record name to the attacks on Fauci, and contradicted White House denials of an anti-Fauci campaign," Bill Sternberg, USA TODAY editorial page editor, wrote in the disclaimer.

"However, several of Navarro's criticisms of Fauci  on the China travel restrictions, the risk from the coronavirus and falling mortality rates  were misleading or lacked context," he continued. The disclaimer also included a link to a fact-checking article disputing some of the claims Navarro made in the op-ed about Fauci.

Sternberg wrote that USA Today reached out to Navarro to write the op-ed due to him being openly critical of Fauci, but added that they did not confirm with the trade advisor if he had gotten the go-ahead from the White House to publish it.

Story continues

Following the release of the op-ed, the White House said the Navarro's op-ed was an "independent action" that had violated its "well-established" protocols.

"Peter Navarro's statement or op-ed, or whatever you want to classify it as, was an independent action that was a violation of well-established protocols that was not supported overtly or covertly by anybody in the West Wing," Meadows told reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday.

A report from the Los Angeles Times, however, quotes an anonymous official saying about the op-ed: "Not only was he authorized by Trump, he was encouraged."

President Donald Trump then condemned Navarro for publishing the op-ed, reiterating that the trade advisor was "representing himself" in expressing his viewpoints about Fauci, and that "he shouldn't be doing that."

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Plain View Project was a wake up call that exposed the fact that some of our officers had views with respect to race, which were inconsistent with our departments core values and the oath to which we swear, Hayden said in a statement.

By the time the project published its findings, 20 of the St. Louis officers included in the project database were no longer with the department. That left 23 officers who faced an internal investigation. After a six-month review, Sgt. Ronald Hasty and Detective Thomas Mabrey were fired in December for their Facebook posts.

Other officers were disciplined, though the department would not say how many. Three of the officers were given desk jobs, Director of Public Safety Jimmie Edwards has previously said.

City employees, including officers, are expected to abide by a social media policy that prohibits content that disparages a person or group of persons based on that persons or groups race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, religion, among other identities. The policy also speaks against posting violent material.
The state reiterated its stand that it will not be allowing any final year examination of both professional and non-professional courses offered by various universities in light of the raging Covid 19 pandemic. The state informed the bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice Anuja Prabhudessai while hearing multiple petitions seeking cancellation as well as conduction of exams that it had appealed to the apex bodies of the respective courses to overlook conduction of final year exams and permit degrees issued by the respective universities and to allow the students to commence working.

However, one of the petitioner represented by advocate Dr Uday Warunjikar submitted that as the future of many students was compromised by not conducting the exams, appropriate directions should be issued to ensure that the interests of the students are safeguarded.

Advocate Rajshekhar Govilkar for Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) submitted that post graduate examinations had to be conducted as they had to be assessed physically to ascertain their skills and comprehension and hence MUHS would conduct the exams from August 25. With regards to undergraduate exams he submitted that a decision in that regard was yet to be taken as a meeting for the same had been conducted on Thursday.

Advocate Kuldeep Nikam appearing for one of the petitioners sought interim reliefs with regards to dental exams scheduled to start on August 3. Nikam submitted that as per the directions by the concerned authority, students had to reach the exam centres and also undergo quarantine however as Bombay Dental College had conveyed that it did not have sufficient facilities for providing quarantine to the students, the exams should be cancelled. In light of these submissions Nikam sought that the exams be held online rather than asking students to appear in person.

As there were multiple petitions, advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni submitted that to avoid confusion, a compilation of all petitions, public interest litigations, intervention applications pertaining to conducting exams would be submitted so that the court was able to give directions. Kumbhakoni submitted that the state was firm in its stand that exams could not be conducted physically.

After hearing the submissions the court accepted the suggestion of the state and directed all parties to submit their affidavits and replies by Tuesday, July 21 and posted all matters on July 31 for hearing.

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A 10-year-old boy has died after suffering serious injuries when he fell down a hole at a building site.

The youngster, who has been named locally as Shea Ryan, was discovered near a housing estate in Drumchapel, Scotland, just before 10pm.

He was rushed to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital but died a short time later.

His death is not being treated as suspicious.

The youngster, who has been named locally as Shea Ryan (pictured), was discovered near a housing estate in Drumchapel, Scotland, just before 10pm

His cousin has since paid an emotional tribute to him on social media.

She wrote: 'Cant believe it absolutely devastated, never in my life did I think that my beautiful, kind, caring wee cousin would be sent to heaven at this time of year and age.

'I'll love you forever wee guy forever 10 ONLY ONE SHEA RYAN.' (sic)

The boy died after suffering serious injuries when he fell down a hole at a building site (pictured)

His cousin paid an emotional tribute to him online this morning in a post that began: 'Cant believe it absolutely devastated, never in my life did I think that my beautiful, kind, caring wee cousin would be sent to heaven at this time of year and age'

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: 'Around 9.55pm on Thursday, 16 July, police were called to a report of a boy seriously injured at a works site near Glenkirk Drive, Drumchapel, Glasgow.

'Emergency services attended, and the 10-year-old was taken by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where he died a short time later.

'Enquiries are continuing to establish the exact circumstances surrounding this incident, however the death is not being treated as suspicious.

'The Health and Safety Executive have been informed.'

Several police vehicles are still at the scene this morning and the construction site remains cordoned off

Tributes have since been left at the construction sire which is thought to be part of a 5million drainage project to help combat flooding

A spokesman for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: 'We were alerted at 9.54pm on Thursday, July 16 to reports of a person in the water in Drumchapel.

'Operations Control mobilised two fire appliances and two water rescue units to the town's Southdeen Avenue, where firefighter assisted their emergency service colleagues before leaving the scene.

'Sadly, a 10-year-old child died a short time after being transported to Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.'

A spokeswoman for HSE said: 'HSE are aware and assisting police with their enquiries.'

Several police vehicles are still at the scene this morning and the construction site remains cordoned off.

It is believed that work had been ongoing in the area as part of a 5million drainage project to help combat flooding.
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The NDC Member of Parliament for South Dayi constituency, Hon. Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has described the ruling by the Supreme Court on the birth certificate as 'shallow'.



The Supreme Court giving its full judgement on the reason to dismiss the NDCs case brought against the Electoral Commission (EC) last month, explains that birth certificate does not establish the identity of the bearer.



However, Hon. Dafiamekpor who doubles as a member of the Judiciary Committee of Parliament in an interview with JoyNews said the decision of the Supreme Court is wrong.



I humbly disagree with the Court. The court construed identification to mean that you should have a photograph on a certain material to be identified, which is wrong."



The construction that the Court placed on the term identification is wrong, he added.



"If a person is in possession of their university transcript or certificate that is a prima facie evidence that they have attended that institution and have been issued with a certificate or transcript reflecting their academic records . . . that presumption is only rebutted if a verification or a search is conducted and it turns out that indeed I did not attend UCC [University of Cape Coast] or the documents that I bear which I am seeking to be linked to its contents do not reflect the output that I gave when I was in University of Cape Coast or University of Ghana, he explained further.



He, therefore, without mincing words concluded that for the Supreme Court to simply say that anybody who is in possession of Ghanas birth certificate does not constitute a proper linkage of the birth certificate and the bearer is, with all due respect, shallow."



Birth Certificate not a form of identification



Ghanas Supreme Court has unanimously held that birth certificate is not a form of identification. The court explains that the document does not establish the identity of the bearer.



This is contained in the courts judgment in the case filed by private citizen Mark Takyi Banson which court delivered judgment on June 25 together with the case filed by the opposition NDC.



While the NDC case wanted the current voter's ID card to be used in the registration exercise, Mr. Banson made a case for the inclusion of birth certificate insisting it proves the identity of prospective voters as Ghanaians who have turned 18.



The Apex Court dismissed these reliefs and deferred its full judgment to July 15. A copy of the judgment sighted by joynews explains why the Birth certificate was rejected.



The decision written by Justice Ashie Kotey states that a birth certificate does not link its holder to the information it contains. It adds that it provides no evidence of citizenship.



The court compares it to another document it has already rejected; the National Health Insurance Cards and concludes its actually better than the Birth Certificate.



It is worthwhile to note that the birth certificate is used as a source document for various registrations including passports which are currently being used in voter registration.





Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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

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Baby's Journey Serta icomfort Premium Infant Napper and Baby's Journey Serta Perfect Sleeper Deluxe Infant NapperHealthis advising consumers and retailers that these two inclined sleeper products pose potential suffocation and strangulation hazards and do not comply with theStop using and selling them immediately, disassemble and safely dispose of them in such a way that they cannot be used again./CNW/ - Health Canada has identified two inclined sleeping products sold between 2016 and 2018, potentially circulating on the second-hand market, that do not meet the safety requirements for bassinets under the(CCBR).The products involved are:Both products' inclined sleeping surface increases the risk of the baby's head falling forward when asleep which makes breathing difficult. Additionally, the design of both products have a restraint system used to hold the child in place, which is not permitted under the CCBR, as the presence of cords and loops in an infant's sleeping environment has the potential to lead to serious injury or death.Although Health Canada is not aware if these products continue to be sold on the retail market, they may still be in households, handed down to family or friends, or sold through the second-hand market. Given that possibility, Canadians with these products should immediately stop using, disassemble and safely dispose of them in such a way that they cannot be used again.Healthreminds consumers to prioritize safety when shopping for consumer products, and to use caution when buying second-hand items, particularly those intended for use by children. Under the(CCPSA), which is administered by Health Canada, everyone has the responsibility to ensure that the products they sell or give away, whether new, used or homemade, meet current Canadian safety requirements.Healthencourages buyers and sellers of second-hand products, particularly products intended for use by children, to stay informed about product recalls and advisories as well as the regulatory requirements of products they sell.Consumers and retailers who have these affected products should immediately stop using or selling them, as well as disassemble and safely dispose of the items in such a way that they cannot be used again. It is a violation of the CCPSA to sell or give away these products. If these products were being used for sleep, Health Canada recommends caregivers to find alternative, safe sleeping arrangements.To make informed decisions on second-hand purchases, consult Health Canada's guidance and information on buying second-hand products. Information is also available on selecting a safe sleep environment for your children.Healthreminds Canadians to report any health or safety incidents related to the use of these products or any other consumer product or cosmetic by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.Protecting the health and safety of Canadians, especially children, from unsafe consumer products is a top priority for Health Canada.has some of the most stringent requirements for cribs, cradles and bassinets in the world. All cribs, cradles and bassinets manufactured, imported, advertised or sold inmust comply with the CCBR under the CCPSATo date, Health Canada has not received any reports of injuries related to these products.Healthcontinues to monitor this issue and will take action as required.Healthadvises consumers to check the Government ofRecalls and Safety Alerts website regularly for any recalled products and to report any consumer product-related health or safety concerns.Safe sleep environment for your childrenBuying second-hand productsSOURCE Health Canada
One of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwals major promises in the 2015 election was that his government will make Delhis government schools better than even private schools in the city. At that time, people took this promise lightly because no one could believe that government schools could be better than Delhis expensive private schools. But 5 years later, the CBSE Class 12 results announced yesterday have shown yet again why the Delhi model of education reforms is the best in the country.

Sharing the news of Delhi government schools spectacular performance, CM Kejriwal said (sic), Feeling v proud to announce that the CBSE class 12 result of Delhi govt schools this year is 98% - highest ever so far. Its historic. Congratulations to my Team Education, all students, teachers, parents and education officers. Proud of you all.

Feeling v proud to announce that the CBSE class 12 result of Delhi govt schools this year is 98% - highest ever so far. Its historic. Congratulations to my Team Education, all students, teachers, parents and education officers. Proud of you all.  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 13, 2020

This years results are truly most special for two reasons: one, for the fifth year on the trot, Delhi government schools pass percentage in Class 12 CBSE exams have set new records; two, they have brought some much needed good news for the country at a time when Coronavirus and its impacts dominate the news.

Delhis Dy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia explained the significance of this years remarkable performance in his tweet (sic), Over the past 5 years, we at #DelhiGovtSchools have been competing with ourselves to break our own record each time. This year is no exception!

2020: 98%

2019: 94.24%

2018: 90.6 %

2017: 88.2%

2016: 85.9%.

The question that is on everyones minds is, what is so special about Arvind Kejriwals model of education? These are the 10 reasons why Delhi schools are the best in the country:

1. Highest Education Budget in India: Delhis education budget is 25% of the governments total budget for the past 6 years - highest in the entire country

2. Doubled classrooms in 6 years: In just 6 years, Delhis schools now have more than double the number of classrooms from just 17,000 to 37,000

3. World-class infra: Modern infrastructure like swimming pools, auditoriums, laboratories, libraries, etc have made children enjoy their school environment

4. Teacher training at Cambridge, Singapore, Finland: Delhis teachers get trained at the worlds best institutions and bring back their exposure to teach the children of Delhi

5. Direct Involvement of Political Leadership: CM Kejriwal personally interacts regularly with children, teachers and parents of government schools, which lifts their morale. Just last year, he had attended a parent teacher meeting in a Delhi govt school in ITO. Dy CM Manish Sisodia too regularly visits schools and monitors all developments.

6. Expert Advisors: Led by Oxford-educated advisor and AAP MLA Atishi, the Core Education team of Delhi govt has brought the countrys best talent in education reforms from NGOs and other model schools and deployed them for the benefit of Delhis children.

7. Mega Parent Teacher Meeting: Delhi govt believes in involving parents very closely in the childrens performance. Delhi is the only state which holds regular mega parent teacher meetings for facilitating regular parent-teacher interaction, similar to the big private schools.

8. Ex-army men as Estate Managers: Like the big private schools of Delhi, the management of every government school is in the hands of ex-army men who are recruited by CM Kejriwal as estate managers. School principals only look after the academics of the school, while estate managers look after the other aspects.

9. Innovation In Teaching: Delhi govt schools have been running innovative programs to instill specific skills among its students. For example, it launched the Mission Chunauti and Mission Buniyaad to ensure that every child is able to read and write. Similarly, many other innovative teaching methods are adopted.

10. Technological intervention: All Delhi govt school teachers use mobile tablets to aid them in teaching students. Projectors are used in most higher classes to facilitate digital education, so that children are exposed to the knowledge of the world.
From the first reported case of novel coronavirus disease in December 2019, the illness, now termed COVID-19 disease, fanned out across the entire world, and in March 2020, it was declared a pandemic. While China, where it originated, apparently stamped out the fire with Draconian restrictions on public mobility, other countries had longer epidemics with many more deaths.

Currently, hundreds of thousands of cases are being reported from the Americas, from India, and Russia, taking the total number of cases beyond 13.8 million, with a death toll nearing 600,000. Now, a study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in July 2020 reports on the low seroprevalence of antibodies to the virus, now designated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), among blood donors in Wuhan, the Chinese city it all started in, and two other equally large cities in China. The authors point out that effective early management of the infection appears to have resulted in the efficient control of viral spread.

Testing for the new virus depends primarily on nucleic acid testing using upper respiratory swabs, in most cases. Early diagnosis could conceivably prevent the virus from spreading, but the vast majority of cases are mild or asymptomatic. These are diagnosed only by a systematic large-scale screening of contacts or simply testing at random among a specific population.

However, identification of the asymptomatic infection is vital to reduce the burden of viral spread and to understand the exact number of cases, which is essential to calculate the true case fatality rate of the infection. This appears to be possible only by using widespread serologic screening using specific antibodies.

Weekly seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody during different periods from January to April 2020 in the cities of Wuhan, Shenzhen and Shijiazhuang. The number of donors tested for total antibody (TAb) every week (the black numbers on the top of each histogram) is shown in histograms. The number of confirmed positive cases is shown in red numbers on the top of each histogram. The confirmed seropositive rate (number of ppNAT-confirmed donors/number of donors tested for TAb) in each week is shown in red lines. The first donor confirmed positive by the pseudotype lentivirus-based neutralization tests in Wuhan were on January 20, the fourth week of 2020. Lockdown of Wuhan City started on January 23 and on April 8, all the travel restrictions in Wuhan were lifted. The period of study in Wuhan is divided into three stages: pre-lockdown (Jan 15-Jan 22), lockdown (Jan 23- Apr 7), and lifting restrictions (Apr 8-Apr30). The confirmed seroprevalences of the three stages varied: two from 2607 donors were confirmed in the first stage (0.08%, 95%CI: 0.02%- 0.28%); 256 donations with confirmed serological evidence from 185 donors were identified from 7903 samples of 6004 donors, suggesting a seroprevalence of 3.08% (95%CI: 2.67%-3.55%) in the lockdown stage; After April 8, we further tested a total of 10,973 samples of 10,708 donors, and found out that 257 samples of 249 donors were confirmed SARS-CoV-2 seropositive (2.33%, 95%CI: 2.06%-2.63%). The peak of seroprevalence (4.63%, 12/259) occurred in the stage of lockdown.

The Pattern of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Production

The earliest and most sensitive serologic test for COVID-19 appears to be total antibody (Tab), which returns positive from the second week after the onset of symptoms. At two complete weeks, all confirmed cases have positive Tab. In the second or third week, IgM and IgG antibodies appear, the first transient and the second sustained.

Prior studies on specific groups of asymptomatic individuals yielded a seroprevalence of 1.6% to 4.1%. The current study looks at antibody tests in asymptomatic groups in China.

The Study: Seroprevalence Among Chinese Blood Donors

The investigators looked at donors from three cities, Wuhan, Shenzhen, and Shijiazhuang, in central, south, and north China, with similar populations but different COVID-19 burdens. All donors who donated blood in the study period from January to April 2020 were included, at above 38,000.

Of these, the median age of the approximately 18,000 Wuhan donors was 33; of the almost 7,000 from Shenzhen was 36 years; and for the 13.500 from Shijiazhuang, it was 40 years. Most were male, at about 70%.

Antibody Testing

The researchers tested over 43,000 samples of the donated blood (some donated twice) for Tab, and found about 700 positives. Of these, about 590 were from Wuhan, about 30 and 60 from Shenzhen and Shijiazhuang, respectively. This comes to about 2.7% for Wuhan, and 0.4% for the other two cities.

The Tab positive samples were tested for specific SARS-CoV-2 IgG-RBD, IgG-N, IgM, and finally, a neutralizing assay against a pseudotyped virus (ppNAT). The seroprevalence was found to be 2.3%, 0.03%, and less than 0.01% in Wuhan, Shenzhen, and Shijiazhuang, respectively. This prevalence of asymptomatic infection among blood donors is lower than that seen in blood donors in European countries, which ranged from 3% to over 5%.

IgG-RBD positivity is seen in 96% of the 519 confirmed seropositive donation samples; 78% were positive for IgG-N and 66% for IgM.

Among the about 2,600 samples collected before the lockdown of Wuhan on January 23, 2020, there were about 1,600 and 1,000 samples from January 15 to 18, and January 19 to 22, respectively. Only two were seropositive at this time, for a blood donor seropositivity of less than 0.1%.

Once the quarantine of Wuhan began, the seroprevalence increased to 3%, while it dropped to 2.3% after the relaxation of lockdown on April 8, 2020. The highest seroprevalence was at the sixth week of 2020, from February 2 to 9, 2020, in blood donors from Wuhan, and has then been decreasing constantly.

However, the seropositivity was constantly low in blood donation samples from the other two cities, even during the quarantine period.

Antibody Markers and Neutralization Assay Markers

The researchers found that the average ppNAT titer went up as the Tab increased. The percentage of samples with a ppNAT ID50 above 20, which is the confirmatory level, was 38% at a Tab titer of 1-5. It increased progressively as the Tab titer increased from 81% with a Tab titer of 5-10 to 99% at a Tab over 15.

The ppNAT titer also went up as IgG-RBD, IgG-N, and IgM all increased. The closest correlation was with IgG-RBD. The N antigen appears to elicit the weakest antibody response.

The positive predictive value (PPV) of the Tab varies among different levels of seropositivity. While a positive Tab correctly predicted infection in 87% of Wuhan samples, the positive predictive value fell to 11% and 1.6% respectively in Shenzhen and Shijiazhuang, where cases were much fewer. This emphasizes that Tab-positive samples must be confirmed by other antibody tests.

The highest confirmatory value was with the addition of IgG-RBD testing, which improved the PPV to 99%, missing only 2.3% of true positives among Wuhan donors. However, this addition still cannot improve the PPV when the case burden is very low as with the other two cities.

Risk Factors for Asymptomatic Infections

The researchers searched for risk factors among the Wuhan donors since the other two cities contributed only three confirmed antibody-positive results. None of the confirmed cases among any of the donors in any city had a history of symptoms of COVID-19, making them asymptomatic cases.

Sex

The analysis shows that the independent risk factors for seropositivity include the female sex, which has 80% higher adjusted odds relative to males, and age. Males, however, have been shown to have more than double the mortality at 22% and 10%, respectively, and have a longer mean duration of hospitalization. Earlier research has shown that the case fatality rate is 1.64 times higher in males.

The IgG-RBD titer is also higher in females as a whole. All these findings imply that perhaps females are likely to have more chances for asymptomatic infection, while males are at greater risk for symptomatic disease. This is perhaps due to estrogen receptor signaling mediated protections, coupled with the increased prevalence of smoking among Chinese men, which may have resulted in more common lung damage.

Age

The adjusted odds increased from 10% higher among people aged 26 to 35 years old to 40% in the 36 to 45 years age group, 60% in the 46 to 55 years group, and fourfold higher for those above 55 years.

IgG-N antibodies were higher in older patients, while males tend to produce fewer IgG-RBD antibodies.

Implications

The findings suggest that Wuhan largely remained uninfected in the first wave of COVID-19 infection, due to the effective containment measures. This is also responsible, say the researchers, for the low antibody prevalence among donors in other cities.

The very low rate of seropositivity before January 23, 2020, indicates that since Tab appears about 10 days from infection, the virus is unlikely to have emerged in Wuhans donor population before January 10, 2020. This is supported by the seropositivity peak two weeks later, from February 2 to 8, 2020, followed by a fall during the quarantine of the city.

The seroprevalence continued to be low, at 2.3%, after the lockdown was relaxed. The researchers comment, These data provided scientific evidence that demonstrated the effectivity in blocking viral community spread of strict public health measures performed in Wuhan. It is worth noting; however, that other scientists have not always found Chinese data regarding the early phase of the outbreak to be reliable.

The study also brings out the need to confirm Tab-based testing using neutralization assays. The PPV of Tab testing depends on the case incidence of the population screened. When combined with neutralization results, the false-positives of Tab are around 0.4%, while the PPV value increases from 87% without additional IgG-RBD testing to 99% with it. This combination missed only 2.3% of true positives in the group of donors.

The investigators comment, Neutralization confirmations are indeed required to exclude the false-positive reaction derived from immunoassays that may overestimate the real infection status, in particular for serological studies in a low-prevalence area. The neutralization titer was also closely related to the IgG-RBD, so the latter can be used as a substitute if the former is unavailable.

*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.
Since the times of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, nearly all the most famous composers of classical music have been men. There are exceptions: The German pianists Fanny Mendelssohn, sister of Felix Mendelssohn, and Clara Schumann, wife of Robert Schumann, are noted composers of the romantic era. Amy Beach, born in 1867, was the first American woman to earn renown as a composer of large-scale works. In 1983, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for music.

But generally, "conductors or musicians see a woman's name on a score, and they won't look at the music," composer Marga Richter once told the New York Times. "Like math and the sciences, music is supposed to be too rigorous for women. Oh, as musicians we were allowed to play it if someone handed it to us, but we weren't supposed to write it ourselves."

Richter, who forged a noted career as a composer, writing nearly 200 works of music, including orchestral, instrumental and choral pieces, chamber music, ballet music and an opera, died June 25 at her home in Barnegat, N.J. She was 93 and had pulmonary ailments not related to the novel coronavirus, said her son, Michael Skelly.

The daughter of an American soprano and granddaughter of a German orchestra conductor, Richter began taking piano lessons by age 4, started composing at 12, and studied at the Juilliard School in New York before launching her career.

"If you try to find another woman composer who has had as much success in orchestral music from her time period, you wouldn't find her," Sharon Mirchandani, a professor of musicology at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in New Jersey and the author of a 2012 biography of Richter, said in an interview.

Richter's works, she said, were distinguished by the beauty they achieved through chromaticism and by the deep, even dark emotions they evoked.

"Music was her primal language, her spiritual path through which she shared her elemental emotional experiences," Rain Worthington, a friend and fellow composer, wrote in an online tribute. "From within her open, unguarded approach to life, she was able to plumb the deepest complexities and depths of human emotion in her profound music."

Richter conceded that her music could be "emotionally draining." "I would not say that people enjoy it," she remarked to Newsday, the newspaper on Long Island, where she was a longtime resident, "but they are drawn to it. It provides a kind of catharsis, in a sense."

In creating her music, she drew on a wide universe of artistic, cultural and intellectual influences. "Landscapes of the Mind" - a three-part series that she began in the 1970s, consisting of a concerto for piano and orchestra, a work for violin and piano, and a trio for violin, cello and piano - was inspired in part by the contrasting textures in the paintings of Georgia O'Keeffe.

"Landscapes of the Mind I" transitions from what Mirchandani described as "a highly chromatic Western style" to one that employs an amplified sitar, an instrument from the Indian subcontinent, and a raga, a melodic framework typical of Indian music.

Richter called "Qhanri," a work for cello and piano that she composed after a trip to Tibet in 1986, a "paean to the fortitude and resilience of the oppressed Tibetan people." She traveled to the Aran Islands, off the western coast of Ireland, in the course of composing "Riders to the Sea," an opera based on an early 20th-century play by the Irish dramatist J.M. Synge about an elderly Irishwoman who loses her husband and six sons to the sea. It premiered in 2002.

One of Richter's vocal pieces, "Sarah, Do Not Mourn Me Dead," was drawn from the text of a letter that a Union officer, Sullivan Ballou, wrote to his wife before his death during the First Battle of Bull Run. Even science animated her compositions: She titled one of her lighter works "Quantum Quirks of a Quick Quaint Quark."

"I see the quark, looking like a composite of Peter Pan and E.T., gleefully touring the starry universe, wherever his fancy may take him," she told Newsday.

Richter's music was performed by ensembles including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, said Mirchandani. But it was not presented in a comprehensive way until 1981, when, with help from grants, Richter rented Merkin Hall in Manhattan for a concert.

"After writing music for 33 years," she said at the time, "I wanted to present myself to New York. Say, 'Here's my life's work and what do you make of it?' "

A reviewer for the Times, Theodore W. Libbey Jr., observed that repeated rhythms and melodies could make her music feel "routine" if taken in a "large dose." But he also praised her music as "intriguing" and "enjoyable because it is highly melodic and takes advantage of sustained and accumulated sounds that are often, if not always, kind on the ear."

Another music critic, Frank Behrens, once wrote in the Brattleboro Reformer of Vermont that "her works remind me somehow of James Joyce's prose in parts of 'Ulysses.' Wandering and never quite arriving, but worth the while all the same."

Florence Marga Richter was born in Reedsburg, Wis., on Oct. 21, 1926, and grew up in Robbinsdale, Minn. Her music studies took the family to New York City, where Richter enrolled at Juilliard as a piano major but changed her major to composition, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1949 and a master's degree in 1951.

In the 1960s she composed two ballets for the New York-based Harkness Ballet - "Abyss," which later became part of the Joffrey Ballet's repertoire, and "Bird of Yearning."

She sought to promote the works of female composers through dedicated associations and concerts but warned against the dangers of excessive attention on the sex of the composer, rather than the quality of his or her work.

"I think it's a good idea for a while," she told the Times in 1978, discussing a festival of music by female composers, "until people realize there are a great number of people composing good music."

"Once the point has been mark," she continued, "then we should just be absorbed into the mainstream of concerts and not have anything as exclusive as women's concerts."

Her first marriage, to Vernon Hughes, ended in divorce. Her second husband, Alan Skelly, died in 1988 after 35 years of marriage. Survivors include their two children, Michael Skelly, who is a pianist, of Hyde Park, N.Y., and Maureen Raj of Barnegat; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Richter continued composing until the end of her life. She relied on the help of a hearing aid but told the Times that it was "no big handicap" - and that indeed it put her in "good company."

She evoked the memory of one of the most celebrated male composers in the Western canon, who suffered profound hearing loss before his death in 1827, adding: "I don't mind being compared to Beethoven."
Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com reveals how the BMC has contained the spread of COVID-19 in Dharavi, India's largest slum, which WHO wants to know more about.

IMAGE: A health camp in Dharavi, north central Mumbai. Photograph: PTI Photo

On July 7, Dharavi reported just one COVID-19 positive patient.

It was a significant achievement no doubt given the sheer scale of Dharavi's population and the abysmal living conditions posing severe challenges to hundreds of healthcare workers -- doctors, community workers, and paramedics -- that made this happen.

On May 3, India's largest slum cluster, with more than 750,000 people residing in cramped tenements, at places rising vertically up to four floors, had reported 94 patients.

For those oblivious to what Dharavi is all about, imagine a slum cluster spread over 2.5 sq km of prime real estate with 227,000 people crammed per sq km.

A slum where 80 per cent of the residents have to make do with 450 community toilets for their daily needs; where eight to 10 people live in space-starved eight by 10 sq feet tenements, without access to clean air or open breathing spaces just as they step out of their homes, and a place where most of the residents depend on outside food for want of adequate kitchen space or because most of the residents here are migrant labourers; a place where residents occupy the ground floor and about 1,500 single-room factories occupy the floors above them; a place that has 5,000 GST registered units and boasts of an annual turnover of over $1 billion.

That's Dharavi: A place that offers rozi-roti (livelihood) to lakhs of Mumbaikars; and against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, a place where social distancing and home quarantine is a practical nightmare.

It is in this situation, in a slum cluster as difficult as Dharavi, that the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai strategised, plannned and executed Mission Dharavi with solid support from hundreds of healthcare workers.

Doctors, voluntary medical healthcare givers, community workers toiled without much care for their own selves to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic that has now almost affected close to one million Indians.

Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com spoke to doctors, community healthcare workers and volunteers working at Ground Zero to find out how the number of COVID-19 positive patients was brought down from 94 on May 3 to just one on July 7.

While the number of positive patients spiked thereafter -- about 23 were reported on July 15 -- after July 7, this story is about the ongoing efforts, in very difficult working conditions, to fight a novel virus that has brought the world to its knees.

The number of conversations with COVID-19 WARRIORS for this special report has been combined into the voice of one person. Every single person who spoke for this report began with: "This achievement is the effort of a committed team."

***

The beginnings

On July 7 we found two COVID-19 positive patients in Dharavi. But one of the patients' residential address was Dharavi as per his Aadhaar card. He lived somewhere else. That brought the figure to just one on July 7.

Before July 7, the figures kept fluctuating between five, eight and nine.

End of May and June first week (please see the images below) is when COVID-19 frontline warriors began to see a dramatic fall in the number of positive patients identified per day.

In the first week of May, the number of such patients kept fluctuating between the 50s and 80s. These were the figures only for Dharavi and not the entire G/North ward (Mumbai is divided into 24 such municipal wards).

Photograph: Kind courtesy The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai

In May the COVID-19 patients per day ranged between 94 on the maximum side and 18 on the minimum side.

It was in June that everybody began to see a huge ray of hope.

For the entire month, the number of patients maxed up to 43; it never went above this number.

And in the first few days of July, this number further fell down to under 20 every day.

For a few days in July we also had this number in single digits and that's when everybody realised that we can bring it down to one.

The two factors that made it possible

Photograph: Kind courtesy The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai

Of course, it is a team effort -- a massive one at that.

There are several highlights and several factors that worked together; one of them being our ability to forge public-private partnerships.

Initially, we had private doctors who did home-to-home screenings which led to a surge in identification of COVID-19 positive patients.

And it was, of course, the 4Ts: Tracing, tracking, testing and treating that just about sums up what this model can achieve.

Many more clusters like Dharavi are planning to follow the Dharavi model. Even WHO consultants are eager to know about the Dharavi model.

Tracing and tracking

Photograph: Kind courtesy The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai

Maximum identification of high-risk contacts and shifting them to quarantine centres played a big role in bringing down the number of positive patients gradually over a period of three months.

I remember the first case in Palika Nagar (a locality in Dharavi). We even managed to trace the milkman who would come to that society; the garbage collectors who visited the society; each and every person who came in contact with this first positive person in that society was traced, tracked and identified.

Every person who came in contact with this patient was treated as a high-risk contact.

Sometimes, many people who came into contact with a positive patient are neglected due to various reasons and they, in fact, act as spreaders.

Normally, everyone -- like the milkman or the garbage collector -- is not considered as a high-risk contact of the patient.

So, in effect, everybody who worked inside Dharavi was considered a high-risk contact, was traced and tracked. And, if that person turned out to be positive, was tested and treated.

Containing the chain: An illustration

Let me give you an example of a case where the man in the house worked in a garment factory. He would report to work every day even after the lockdown.

This was in the first week of May. Since his daughter had reported positive, we traced each and every garment worker and shifted them to the quarantine centre, even though this worker himself was not positive then.

But he was already a high-risk contact of his daughter and we decided to trace the high-risk contacts of the primary high-risk contact.

If any member of your family reports positive, then every member of your family who came in contact with this person will be treated as a high-risk contact.

Not just that, we also tracked and traced the people who came in contact with you or other members of your family.

That's how we managed to contain the chain of potential spreaders.

Screening the entire population; the risks at work

IMAGE: Health workers conduct a door to door checkup in Dharavi. Photograph: ANI Photo

The other strategy that helped us achieve scale is we (the MCGM) went for public-private partnership.

General physicians, PMPs (private medical practitioners), and other doctors came on board voluntarily on an honorary basis.

These doctors actually went home-to-home for thermal screening (checking temperatures) and checking SPO2 (oxygen saturation) levels.

There were 24 doctors -- private practitioners -- who were accompanied by local health workers.

There were no BMC doctors because they were already stretched treating people at various COVID-only hospitals in Mumbai.

The screenings for temperatures and SPO2 levels was basically a special exercise for a special mission, Mission Dharavi, for which, these PMPs came together and actually screened the entire population of Dharavi phase-wise.

All the 24 private doctors did it on a voluntary basis, risking their lives for a noble cause. They would just get a bouquet or a rose at the end of the day, that's it!

In fact, four of them even tested positive. While four of them were treated successfully, one of them joined the fever clinics the very next day after his reports came out negative.

Photograph: Kind courtesy The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai

Wherever the doctors would go, a health supervisor and a number of health workers responsible for that particular area would accompany them. There were about 50 such health workers and 24 private medical practitioners, who were in the forefront of screenings in the biggest slum cluster.

These 74 people were actively involved in door-to-door screenings. Once their job was done and they had filed their reports for the day, the second rung of people got involved, which was the testing team.

The third T: Testing; in come the community health volunteers

The next day wherever we had the testing camp, those who were screened and had shown symptoms, would be referred to these testing camps. This team would make sure that they actually went there and submitted their swabs for testing.

This work was basically done by the community health volunteers who were given a list of people showing symptoms and were told that these people had to visit the testing camp and get tested without fail.

The community health volunteers would track these people and ensure they made it to the testing camps.

Once the reports came in after the tests were done, those who would test positive were taken to various isolation centres or to COVID-only hospitals depending upon their physical condition, co-morbidity levels, and other health parameters.

The clockwork

For testing we had hired Thyrocare (a private pathological laboratory that conducts COVID-19 tests). For testing we had not collaborated with any peripheral hospitals or BMC hospitals; we actually hired Thyrocare.

At these testing centres, we had three technicians: One for scanning their Aadhaar cards, one for filling the forms; the third person collected the patients' swabs.

Every day we had a fever clinic along with swab testings; swab testing camps happened at anywhere between two to six locations in Dharavi every day.

Every day at these swab collection centres, we would collect between 100 and 200 swabs and test them for the presence of coronavirus.

In the beginning even we didn't think this was possible. The general feeling was let's go cracking and see where we reach after three to six months.

We had a daily planning schedule according to which human resources were committed for performing various tasks.

We would minutely go through all pieces of data about the number of trackings done, number of people/contacts that were traced, number of people that had to be taken to the fever clinics or for swab testing, etc.

After such data was collated we would decide on the further course of action.

Every day at least one such camp was organised and depending on the data at hand we would also have three to four such camps every single day.

From March till the end of June we must have organised at least 400 such camps.

The day Dharavi reported just one COVID-19 positive patient on July 7, we had two such camps in which 78 swabs were collected.

And on July 6, we had collected swabs of 68 patients out of which just one patient tested positive on July 7.

Cutting down delays

With Thyrocare, if we collected the swabs today, we would get the result the next day.

In BMC-run or government hospitals, this time would be around 24 to 36 hours, given the scale that they have to handle, and so we decided to hire Thyrocare. With Thyrocare the turnaround time was drastically reduced.

If we took the swabs this evening between 10 am to 3 pm in our camps, then we would get the reports via mails by 5 am the next day.

Before we reached office, we would have the reports of people who tested positive on our tables and then the next leg of Mission Dharavi -- taking people to isolation centres, dedicated COVID healthcare centres and COVID-only hospitals -- would begin.

The testing times after the test reports come in

For every one lakh population we have one health post or aarogya kendra, which in rural areas are known as primary healthcare centres.

After the doctors complete their investigations by visiting homes or the factories of people who tested positive and after asking the patient about her/his travel history, the number of people s/he came in contact with to track and trace high-risk contacts, there is another team that takes these patients to various COVID centres and hospitals depending upon their medical conditions.

The final word

I would say we are not actually happy; in fact, we are a little tense and anxious wondering if this is really happening or it is just our imagination.

It is still unbelievable.

The second worry is if it is really happening, then we have a bigger challenge of sustaining this single-digit number (the numbers have since then again spiked).

Somewhere there is a sense of satisfaction that things are working out. But we still feel the pressure about sustaining this single-digit number.

We have a strong feeling that this trend will sustain.

Every day is a mighty challenge, but we are all committed to our jobs.

Bless us, bless the world, and pray that we get rid of this virus quickly by having a robust vaccine.
SoulCycles formerly bustling King Street West spin studio is closing down due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, an e-mail to members revealed on Thursday.

In the email, the company says that theyre prioritizing taking care of their studio staff and instructors in the best way we can.

The email goes on to say that the company is intending on safely re-opening the nearby Yorkville studio. An employee at the Yorkville location told the Star that theyll be re-opening that studio when the government tells them they can.

As soon as were ready to welcome our riders back, youll be the first to know, and can get back to riding with your favorite instructors.

SoulCycle, based in New York, opened up its first location in 2006 and has since grown to around 100 studios in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 13:31:10|Editor: huaxia

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SYDNEY, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Australian city of Sydney provided further support for restaurants, bars and venues to get back on track, as businesses slowly reopen after the COVID-19 lockdown.

In its latest round of business support grants announced on Friday, the City of Sydney has awarded 222,334 Australian dollars (about 155,100 U.S. dollars) to night-time and live music businesses.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for Sydney's night-time economy, which was only just beginning to breathe again after the lockout laws were lifted in January," Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

"Sydney's core night-time economy is not only critical to our city's future -- generating more than 4.2 billion Australian dollars (about 2.93 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue each year and employing more than 35,500 people across nearly 5,000 businesses -- it is key to our vision for Sydney as a thriving global city," she said.

Moore said businesses operating at night were hardest hit by the COVID-19 restriction measures, so it is critical to support these businesses to get back to normal as restrictions ease.

"We recently approved COVID-19 relief grants for 654 projects, worth a total of 8.85 million Australian dollars (about 6.17 million U.S. dollars), which included 144 businesses operating at night," she said.

The latest round of grants will help to create a wide range of new events across the city, including literary dinners, live music, dance workshops and cooking classes.

A further 12 not-for-profit or members-based organizations have been awarded 350,000 Australian dollars (about 244,160 U.S. dollars) to promote local economies and improve access to industry information, upskilling and networking. Enditem
But Mr. McConnell has made it clear that he would proceed with filling any vacancy this year, reasoning that two situations are different since the White House and the Senate are now both controlled by Republicans, not divided between Democrats and Republicans as they were in 2016. And because of changes to Senate rules and procedures governing confirmations, Democrats would ultimately be unable to thwart a confirmation if Republicans decided to proceed and remained united since a majority is all that is required.

[Follow our live coverage of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs death and the Supreme Court vacancy.]

Justice Ginsburg was typically optimistic in her statement. I have often said I would remain a member of the court as long as I can do the job full steam, she said. I remain fully able to do that.

She said that the lesions on her liver had been detected in February and had been reduced by the chemotherapy. Satisfied that my treatment course is now clear, she said I am providing this information.

She said she planned to continue biweekly chemotherapy sessions and maintain an active daily routine. Throughout, I have kept up with opinion writing and all other court work, she said.

But the discovery of liver cancer was only her most recent medical issue. She has had surgery for lung cancer and radiation treatment for pancreatic cancer in recent years. She has also had surgery for early-stage pancreatic cancer in 2009 and treatment for colon cancer in 1999.
As temperatures and humidity levels in the Houston area soar, Fort Bend County Judge KP George encourages residents to take steps to avoid heat-related illnesses.

Getting overheated can result in heat cramps, heat stroke and exhaustion. Adults 55 years and older, children under 5 years old and those with chronic illnesses are considered high risk and asked to remain inside in air conditioning until 8 p.m. each day. George encourages them to stay indoors between 1 and 5 p.m. even when not under a heat advisory because those are the hottest hours.

On HoustonChronicle.com: MD Anderson urges patients to get mammograms despite pandemic

When temperatures are high, we want everyone to stay cool, hydrated and informed. Those who work outside, senior citizens, infants and children as well as people with chronic medical conditions are more susceptible to the heat and should be checked on regularly to ensure their safety, said George in a news release.

For the next few days, we expect temperatures to remain in the mid to upper 90s, and everyone should prepare accordingly, he added.

George and the countys office of homeland security and emergency management suggests taking precautions against the summer elements including:

Drink more water. Drink liquids even when you are not thirsty, but try to avoid caffeinated, alcoholic or sugary drinks as they can lead to losing body fluid.

Exercise or do household outdoor work early in the morning or late in the evening when the temperatures are lower.

Free headshots: A good headshot goes far in a job search: get one for free.

People working outdoors should drink lots of water or electrolyte-replacement drinks if their health care provider approves. Take breaks often in the shade or in air conditioning. If you are unaccustomed to working or exercising in hot environments, start out gradually, increasing exposure over several weeks.

Be a good neighbor, and check on the elderly. Take the step of initiating a FaceTime, Duo or Zoom or window-visit with senior adults to watch for indicators of heat-related illnesses. According to the release, a person that is elderly takes nearly twice as long to get back to core body temperature after being out in very high temperatures, and a personal visit, as opposed to a phone call, will help determine their physical condition.

Choose clothing that is light colored and loose fitting to let perspiration evaporate.

Never leave children, senior citizens or pets unattended in a vehicle because temperatures inside can rapidly heat up and become deadly.

Return to school: Katy ISD superintendent chides TEA for talking to media first

A wide-brimmed hat aids in preventing sunburn and heat-related illness. Also, wear sunscreen to guard against the suns rays and decrease your risks of getting sunburned.

If you dont have air conditioning in your home, take cool baths or showers often.

Electric fans only circulate the air in a room and do not change the temperature, so only use them with air conditioning. Otherwise, your body temperature may increase even though you feel cooler.

Be mindful of heat advisories. A heat emergency is defined by the National Weather Service as when the heat index (a factor of air temperature and humidity) reaches 108 degrees during two or more consecutive days. This heat index poses a health threat for everyone and is acutely perilous for high-risk groups.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
Russian FM Sergey Lavrov and Azerbaijans newly-appointed Foreign FM Bayramov discussed the situation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border via phone talks, Russian MFA reported.

According to the statement, Lavrov congratulated Bayramov on his appointment to an important state post, the parties also confirmed their mutual disposition to further develop strategic partnership relations between Russia and Azerbaijan.

The ministers agreed to continue close interaction on a wide range of agenda, including the issues of countering the new COVID-19 infection and its consequences, as well as facilitating the return of citizens of the two countries to their homeland, the Russian MFA added.
(Newser)  Social media companies and many of their biggest advertisers have agreed to work together on hate speechstarting by identifying it. They report already having a consensus on 11 definitions of harmful content, Axios reports. The effort involves the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, created last year to ensure brand safety. Ad agencies, associations and clients such as Unilever and Procter & Gamble are involved, as are Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. The social media companies remain free to impose their own standards on their platforms. GARM sets industry standards on other advertising issues as well, but members aren't required to follow them.

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A goal of GARM from the beginning has been to make sure members' ads don't appear next to problematic content, per TechCrunch. Next month, the organization said, a working group will address hate speech and "acts of aggression." Facebook said the focus will be on measurement, audits and suitability controls involving hate speech. YouTube said it wants to "identify and treat harmful content in a consistent way in order," while pointing out it reserves the last word on its site. Twitter said it's all for "industry standards and frameworks for content monetization." (Read more hate speech stories.)
My first thought was to set up some type of a crime scene and have (the students) collect the samples, but that started to get a little complicated, Daily said, First of all, I am no expert in crime scenes and I couldnt find anyone who was one.

Daily, who hopes to run a second session of the camp in a few weeks, was able to get evidence kits from a company that he often purchases his science materials from.

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Its more of a crime-technician kind of camp, Daily said.

The first kit provided evidence that included blood (made out of a gel substance), fabric and paper samples that are obtained from a kidnapping case in the scenario.

The fabric was from the kidnappers shirt and the students needed to figure out who the guilty party was from the evidence.

The next portion is centered on a murder case and includes the use of a facial recognition program as well as fingerprinting.

The students will also connect with members of the North Platte Police Department and the Denver Police Crime Lab to address material and answer questions on evidence collection.
New Delhi [India], July 16 (ANI): Over one lakh Indians have returned home from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh by land borders as part of the central government's 'Vande Bharat' Mission operationalised to evacuate stranded citizens from foreign countries amid the coronavirus-infused lockdown, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.



"As of July 15, 6,87,467 Indian nationals have returned to India; 1,01,014 nationals have returned from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh by land borders," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a weekly briefing.

On Monday, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri assured that the government is making all efforts to facilitate the evacuation of citizens who are stranded abroad and those who want to fly out.

He said that over 80,000 people have also flown out since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Government is making all efforts to facilitate the evacuation of our citizens who are stranded abroad and those who want to fly out. We have already brought back more than 6,50,000 citizens through various means and have flown out more than 80,000. Vande Bharat Mission plays a key role in this endeavour," Puri said in a tweet.

"Situation around the world is continuously evolving and so are international civil aviation operations. Vande Bharat Mission is being ramped up from time to time. We strive to bring back every Indian or fly out those who want to. I request your understanding and patience. We will cover each one of you," he added.

Vande Bharat Mission is being carried out by the Indian government to evacuate Indians stranded abroad due to coronavirus pandemic.

The first phase of the mission commenced on May 7. (ANI)
Gauri Khan recently shared a picture of herself with Shah Rukh Khan and the actor's wax statue on social media and wrote, "Two much to handle...  @iamsrk (sic)." The throwback image of the star couple is from Grevin Wax Museum, Paris.

In response to the post, Shah Rukh took a jibe at the fact that he has been away from the silver screen for close to two years now and wrote in the comments section, "Aur for the last 1 year and 6 months dono ghar pe hain." (both have been sitting at home for last 1 year and 6 months). SRK's last theatrical release was Zero, which released in December 2018.

Check out Shah Rukh and Gauri's hilarious social media banter that is making us laugh out loud here.

Meanwhile, there have been several projects that SRK has been associated with in the meantime. The latest report says that he will be collaborating with ace Bollywood director Rajkumar Hirani for his next. It has been stated that the movie may begin shooting as soon as October later this year. However, an official confirmation in the regard is still awaited.

Gauri and Shah Rukh have been donating generously amid the coronavirus pandemic and are quarantining at their Mumbai bungalow with their children. SRK married Gauri in 1991, after a six-year courtship. They have a son Aryan (born 1997) and a daughter Suhana (born 2000). In 2013, they welcomed AbRam, who was born through surrogacy.
For weeks now Northern Ireland's Covid-19 statistics have been moving in the right direction.

With only a handful of new cases being diagnosed every day, the number of Covid-19 patients needing hospital treatment has also dropped significantly.

In fact, there were only eight confirmed Covid-19 inpatients here on Friday, with one person in an intensive care unit.

As the spread of the virus has decreased, the social distancing measures have been relaxed - family and friends are allowed to meet in larger groups, shops have pulled up their shutters and people who have been shielding for the past three months are preparing to take their first tentative steps back into the world.

However, the news of an outbreak in the Causeway Coast and Glens area this week has been a hammer blow to those hoping that life is finally returning to normal.

Read More

It has emerged that the cluster of positive cases is linked to a karaoke party at a house on the outskirts of Limavady and that a microphone was passed around partygoers, helping the virus to spread and sparking the current outbreak.

Not only that, but singing has also been identified as a high-risk activity in the current Covid-19 climate as the heavier breathing involved enables infected droplets to travel further. This is precisely why hymns have been banned at church services.

And so, the number of diagnosed cases is now beginning to rise again - as of Friday, there were 19 more confirmed cases in Northern Ireland, with 19 people testing positive for the virus in the Causeway Coast and Glens area over the past seven days.

It is clear that Limavady and the surrounding areas are now at the centre of Covid-19 spike, the full effects of which cannot yet be predicted.

It's certainly a matter of consternation for people living in the area who are regarded as extremely vulnerable to the virus, coming just weeks before shielding is paused.

Experts have conceded that it isn't always possible to track everyone down and so we must be prepared for the possibility that the number of positive cases may continue to rise in the coming days - even beyond Limavady itself

It is also fair to surmise that the virus may have travelled over the mountain towards Coleraine, Portrush and potentially beyond.

This will, of course, have implications given the fact the North Coast is a popular day trip destination for people from all over.

Health officials are currently undertaking a trace, test and isolate programme to try and halt the spread of Covid-19, but the system itself has limitations.

Experts have conceded that it isn't always possible to track everyone down and so we must be prepared for the possibility that the number of positive cases may continue to rise in the coming days - even beyond Limavady itself.

And with an increase in cases, there is a growing likelihood that more people will require hospital treatment.

Of course, we don't know the ages and medical history of all of those who have been infected, but it isn't too far a leap to say that someone may even lose their life.

It is a sobering thought, but it is the tragic reality now that Covid-19 is endemic in the community.

Looking back, the Health Minister and Chief Medical Officer have warned that complacency cannot be allowed to set in and commenting on the Limavady cluster on Thursday, Robin Swann said he was not surprised by the outbreak.

Health officials have said repeatedly that this would happen as social distancing measures were relaxed and on Friday, Dr Tom Black, chair of the British Medical Association's NI Council, said we will continue to see similar outbreaks in the coming months.

However, the future is very much in our hands; it is our responsibility to keep each other safe.

There are so many measures we can adopt to stop the spread of the virus.

Frequent handwashing, maintaining an appropriate distance from others, and wearing a face covering in an enclosed space - they will all go some way to slow the spread of Covid-19.

No one wants to return to the full lockdown that was put in place in March but if we can't bring clusters like these under control, then that is what we are heading for

The cluster in Limavady is a warning shot and it is welcome that some local organisations are taking it seriously, with 10 Derry GAA clubs suspending activity as a "precautionary measure".

There has even been talk of a local lockdown, and it is a very real possibility if the number of cases diagnosed in the area continues on the same trajectory.

No one wants to return to the full lockdown that was put in place in March but if we can't bring clusters like these under control, then that is what we are heading for.

Doctors and scientists have warned that this is a potentially more dangerous period than during the original outbreak.

There is no doubt that complacency has set in, there is a certain fatigue with social distancing.

The fact that we haven't experienced the predicted thousands of fatalities has to some extent contributed to this.

However, the cluster in Limavady should act as a reminder that Covid-19 is as dangerous and as insidious as ever.
On a day that will live in local infamy, labor leader Lynn Coleman stood on high ground watching the Edenville Dam breach, touching off catastrophic flooding that decimated homes and businesses in Midland County.

Dollar estimates can be placed on the amount of damage the flooding caused to structures, but the human cost of the disaster isn't so easy to tally. Stories abound of legacy businesses being wiped out and spirits being crushed when family homes met the same fate.

Coleman, director of the Perry-based Michigan Laborers Training and Apprentice Institute (MLTAI), cemented his place in local history by first witnessing and videotaping the Edenville Dam failing on Tuesday, May 19. He and his wife, Arlene, raced to the site after learning they had friends frantically working to get pontoons and other watercraft out of roiling Wixom Lake and to safety. Coleman, always quick to lend a hand, said many boats were trapped inside lift canopies or had floated off hoists and were getting hammered by the current and waves.

Wixom Lake is an area he knows well. It has held a special place in his heart dating back to his childhood.

I basically grew up there, he said. My Mom and Dad were part owners of Wixom Waters Campground. Ive been enjoying the lake since I was 8 or 9 years old. Now its gone. I have a lot of friends in that community to this day.

As he stood in torrential rains at the dyke, Coleman had little inkling, at least initially, that he was bearing witness in real time to what would later be deemed a historic 500-year flooding event.

The water was pretty stable but within a half hour it began rising quickly, he said. We could see there was a problem. Buoys and dock bumpers could be seen floating around. They started congregating. I knew this was a bad sign. It was time to call 911.

Coleman placed the first call to 911 of the dam breach.

Seconds later the alert came across our cell phones, he said.

Coleman used his cell phone to capture the dam rupturing. The short video, about 32 seconds long, has all but gone viral and garnered national attention.

There it goes, Coleman can be heard saying on the video as water begins to cascade down from the top of the 54-foot dam, a horrific site to behold, especially for someone with deep personal and professional ties to the community.

He and his mother are part owners of Wixom Waters Campground, located near the Edenville Spillway on the dam. The property, except for a small maintenance building, sits on high ground and sustained only minor damage. So many others, of course, were not nearly as fortunate.

Im familiar with the area and knew the damage it would cause, he recounted. When the dam breached I knew it was time to get south of Sanford.

In a few short days, Coleman and members of the union training organization he runs would be the first to roll into the village. Laborers International Union of North America and our world-class North American training network always stands ready to deliver a safety-conscious and skilled workforce, Coleman said. We wanted to be there on the ground helping.

Led by Coleman, MLTAI staff organized, through Zoom, a response strategy that included enlisting signatory union contractors, their equipment and delivering the manpower to help a Sanford community that many longtime residents described as unrecognizable in the aftermath of the flooding.

"We moved mountains for three days over Memorial Day weekend, Coleman said. We had dump trucks, backhoes, excavators, dump trailers, about 22 pieces of equipment. We had a lot of heavy equipment there and workers that know how to operate it.

The monumental clean-up effort began with about 35 union members, a number that grew as union brotherhood and sisterhood spread the word. A big part of the job involved removing 2 to 4 feet of mud that enveloped the Village of Sanford Park.

Transporting it to the City of Midlands landfill would prove to be too time consuming. Midland contractor Tri-City Groundbreaking offered to use its yard for dumping. Briggs Contracting in Sanford and AIS Equipment out of Bridgeport also made major contributions. Briggs allowed its yard to be a site for dumping and AIS donated a large excavator.

It would be one thing if we were only moving debris, Coleman said. But it was a combination of everything. We had a ton of muck and other stuff to move. We had five crews working at the park. I dont know how they did it, but Briggs had all of it out of their yard within a week. What a fantastic job they did for the community.

Though some would beg to differ, to Coleman theres nothing heroic about he and fellow union members volunteering to assist with recovery efforts in Sanford. Its just what they do. Its part of their DNA as human beings and an important part of union laborers community-minded ethos.

An organization is only as good as the people in it, Coleman said. Michigans training fund staff, apprentices, journey workers and union contractors showed just how good they are. It was gratifying to be part of the Sanford cleanup, but in the grand scheme of things, you cant help but wonder if we really made a difference. You have to start somewhere though.

Coleman even turned to the Board of the D.R.E.W. Foundation (Discovering Recreation & Exploring Wildlife), a nonprofit he founded dedicated to providing disabled persons with opportunities to enjoy nature. His board agreed to allow the organizations large trailer equipped with cooking equipment to be used to prepare lunches for volunteer workers during the relief efforts.

"If anybody there wanted to join us for lunch, they were welcome, he said. We invited Midland County sheriff deputies to join us. They were on their feet 12-13 hours a day. My wife and my foundations board members were there preparing lunches.

Coleman cant possibly single out everybody that went out of their way to help the cause but he said, Sanford should be proud of Don Whaley, its DPW director. For everything that was put on him during this crisis and how he responded, spur of the moment, was remarkable.

For all the pain and suffering he saw among families and business owners whose lives and livelihoods were turned upside down, Coleman did come away with a post-flood pleasant thought: With everything going on, the pandemic, the rioting in the streets, watching people come together was amazing. It reinforces your faith in humanity. Sanford Strong!"
Russia must match the political will demonstrated by Ukraine on the road to peace in Donbas, stop the current "theater of the absurd" and cease its efforts to hamper progress in peace negotiations, U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE James Gilmore has said.

He said this at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday, July 16, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"It is time for Russia to match the political will demonstrated by Ukraine and cease its efforts to hamper progress in peace negotiations and on the ground in eastern Ukraine. Instead, we only see Russia engaging in obstruction. It is time to bring down the curtain on this 'theater of the absurd,' to borrow a phrase from our Russian colleagues," Gilmore said.

He stressed that only when Russia upholds its Minsk commitments will it be possible to see a lasting peace and an end to human suffering in eastern Ukraine.

Gilmore said that more than seven months have now passed since the Normandy Quartet leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France met in Paris on December 9 and agreed on measures aimed at supporting a peaceful resolution of this Russian-manufactured conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 13,000 people. The implementation of a full and comprehensive ceasefire  which the Normandy leaders agreed to before the end of 2019  is now more than six months overdue. In the interim, the residents of eastern Ukraine have endured thousands of ceasefire violations that have caused dozens of casualties and damaged homes, churches, schools, and critical infrastructure.

The U.S. diplomat also gave an example of the recent death of a woman in Zaitseve and expressed concern about the July 14 killing of a Ukrainian medic, also in Zaitseve, who was shot by Russia-led forces while attempting to retrieve a fallen fellow soldier.

"The cause of all casualties in eastern Ukraine, military and civilian, can be traced to Russia's failure to instruct the forces it arms, trains, finances, leads, and fights alongside to implement a comprehensive ceasefire, as agreed at the December 9 Normandy summit," Gilmore said.

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Nepal's ruling communist party on Friday decided to convene a meeting of its top decision-making body on Saturday to try and end the tussle for power between beleaguered Prime Minister and former premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' that has divided the party.

The decision to hold a meeting of the 9-member Central Secretariat was taken hours after the party postponed for the fifth time the Standing Committee meeting till Sunday to give more time to Oli and the rival faction led by Prachanda, the executive chairman of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) to have more talks.

According to Prime Minister's press secretary Surya Thapa, the NCP has called a secretariat meeting after the two top leaders have agreed to call a conclave of the highest body of the party ahead of the 45-member Standing Committee meeting on Sunday in a bid to strike a power-sharing deal by sorting out their differences.

During previous meetings, Oli has refused to resign or give up his position as chairman of the NCP as demanded by the faction led by Prachanda.

The party has also decided to hold a crucial meeting of its 441-member Central Working Committee (CWC), Ganesh Shah, a Standing Committee member, told PTI.

The Prime Minister's fate will now be decided in the CWC meeting that could be held next week, he said.

The CWC is authorised to take a formal decision on the 'one-man, one-post' to be implemented in the party as per the demand of the dissident group led by Prachanda, he said.

Sunday's Standing Committee meeting is expected to fix the date for the CWC meeting, which will ultimately decide the future of Prime Minister Oli, Shah said.

The two leaders on Friday held informal talks to sort out their differences.

Friday's meeting of the Standing Committee was to decide on Prime Minister Oli's future after talks to strike a new power-sharing deal between him Prachanda failed to make any headway on Thursday too.

Prime Minister and party chairman Oli, Prachanda and former premier Madhav Kumar Nepal also held an informal meeting at the PM's official residence on Thursday in an effort to end the intra-party rift.

Oli and Prachanda have held at least eight meetings in recent weeks to sort out the differences between them. But, as the Prime Minister did not accept the condition of a one-man-one-post, the talks failed, party sources said.

Top NCP leaders, including 'Prachanda', have been demanding Prime Minister Oli's resignation, saying his recent anti-India remarks were "neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate." They are also against Oli's autocratic style of functioning.

The differences grew further after Oli said that some of the ruling party leaders are aligning with the southern neighbour to remove him from power after his government issued a new political map incorporating three Indian territories.

The Prachanda-Nepal faction rejected the allegations, saying it is them who have asked for resignation, not India.

They asked Oli to show evidence to support his allegation.

Prachanda has said that he will not allow the party to split and any attempt from anywhere to weaken its unity would hurt the country's fight against the coronavirus pandemic and natural disasters.

Last Friday, the meeting of the Standing Committee was postponed for a fourth time at the last moment, citing floods and landslides in the country.

The differences between the two factions of the NCP, one led by Oli and the other led by Prachanda on the issue of power-sharing, intensified after the prime minister unilaterally decided to prorogue the budget session of Parliament.
WEST HAVEN  An unidentified person is dead after apparently suffering a gunshot wound, police said.

The person, who was the driver of a car involved in a crash at about 2:45 p.m., was found when officers responded to the 800 block of First Avenue, police Sgt. Patrick Buturla said in an email.

Officers determined that the driver of the vehicle appeared to have suffered a gun shot wound, Buturla said.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, Buturla said.

The case is under investigation by the West Haven Police Department Detective Division, he said, Anyone who may have any information regarding this incident is asked to call the West Haven Police Department at 203 937-3900.
Chinese-Backed Copper Exploration Plans in Myanmar Rekindle Fears

2020-07-16 -- The recent approval of plans by a Chinese-backed mining firm to explore a vast swathe of northwestern Myanmar for copper has alarmed residents who fear losing their farms in a repeat of earlier bitter clashes over land rights, pollution, and compensation that gripped the region.

The multinational firm with links to a Chinese state-owned resource exploration firm began initial operations early this year to explore 750 square kilometers (290 square miles) of land in the Sagaing region, home to Letpadaung  a name that symbolizes social unrest over Chinese copper mining after years of protest.

It is places like the Sagaing copper region where resource-rich Myanmar's desire to develop an economy stymied by decades of isolationist military rule intersects with neighbor China's ambition to connect regional and global economies to the Chinese market with a vast infrastructure building scheme.

Local residents, however, say mining companies have a history of neglecting community concerns and causing environmental damage, while taking their farmland with inadequate compensation. Community conflicts with Chinese workers are not rare, amid popular wariness about China's growing influence.

Activists say that deals struck by the central government with foreign investors do not listen to local officials who have to deal with residents in the approval process, while officials at all levels are eager to create jobs. Myanmar exported about U.S. $825 million a year worth of copper in 2018, about half to China.

In the latest moves to exploit the copper reserves of Sagaing, a mostly rural region of 5.3 million people that borders northeastern India, PanAust Services (Myanmar) Co. Ltd. was given a new exploratory license to look for copper deposits for five years in three townships in Sagaing region in May.

Since 2016, the firm has had exploratory rights to more than 1,500 square kilometers (580 square miles), according to information on PanAust's website.

PanAust is an Australian incorporated company owned by Guangdong Rising H.K. (Holding) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Guangdong Rising Assets Management Co. Ltd (GRAM).

GRAM is a Chinese state-owned investment company active in mineral resource development, electronics, industrial waste management, real estate, and finance. In the division of labor among state-owned enterprises under China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), GRAM's role is to support resource development in Southeast Asia, researchers say.

Belt and Road in Myanmar

The BRI, Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature global development initiative, includes major plans in Myanmar, such as the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, which features railways linking southwestern China's landlocked provinces to a deep-sea port in Rakhine state on the Bay of Bengal.

In Myanmar, PanAust holds a 90 percent stake in Wuntho Resources Company Ltd. (WRCL) and has set up a joint venture with Myanmar Energy Resources Group International Company Ltd. (MERG), a Myanmar-based company which holds the remaining 10 percent of WRCL.

WRCL holds seven exploration licenses for approximately 1,500 square-kilometers (932 square miles) of land in Sagaing region.

If the Sagaing exploration finds sufficient copper reserves and the mining project is realized, the new copper mine could take its place as a new mega-mining center next to the U.S. $1 billion Letpadaung copper mine project.

PanAust Executive Chairman Qun Yang welcomed the greenlight to expand explorations, saying the country was working in next-door Laos and well-placed to start exploring in Sagaing once the coronavirus pandemic conditions allowed.

"PanAust has made significant improvements to healthcare, education and transportation infrastructure in the areas in which it operates," he said in a statement.

Qun Yang said the project in Sagaing would "contribute to the nation's long-term economic growth and prosperity, including through job creation."

If comparisons to Letpadaung cause excitement among mining executives, the name evokes trouble to others in the Sagaing region, where mining began in the 1980s.

China's Wanbao Mining Copper Ltd., which has operated the Letpadaung project in cooperation with the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd. (UMEHL) since 2010, plans to invest U.S. $1 billion at Letpadaung over 30 years.

Letpadaung legacy

For years, the Letpadaung project has generated heated disputes over land takeovers, prompting violent crackdowns on protests by farmers forcibly displaced by the Chinese-operated mine, who contend that they have not received fair compensation for their losses.

An incident in December 2014 left one woman dead and several people injured when police fired on protestors. And in February 2015, witnesses told RFA that police fired guns during a clash at Letpadaung.

A parliamentary inquiry commission on the Letpadaung project called for more transparency in Wanbao's land appropriation process and urged the Chinese company to conduct environmental, social and health impact assessments or come up with an environmental management plan before the project continued.

Amnesty International and other rights group have blasted authorities' harsh treatment of protesters and called for the projected to be halted.

In May 2019, Myanmar's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation raised concerns over increased levels of particulates in the air near the project, and lawmakers complained about the high levels of sulfur dioxide and raised concerns about deforestation in the area, the analysis said.

Me Me Tun from Wuntho township, who said she heard 22 villages in her community are in the exploration zone, cited Letpadaung as a reason why many residents do not want Chinese companies operating in their area.

"We don't trust Chinese companies anywhere  on wildlands, on farmlands, or in villages," she said.

"Who's going to take responsibility if any damage is done? Look at what [happened] in the Letpadaung area," Me Me Tun said.

"We heard the company said local residents agreed to it, but which local residents? We did not see any meetings with any local residents. We did not get any information."

Corporate responsibility concerns

Than Zaw, who lives near the Wuntho project site, said Chinese companies doing business in Myanmar had poor reputations among local people and are not held to account for actions that harm communities.

"Most Chinese joint ventures exercise less corporate responsibility than companies from other countries," he told RFA.

"Most of the governments in the past stood by Chinese companies' interests when conflicts occurred with local people. Nor did regional governments seek the support of local in these cases," Than Zaw added.

Zaw Lin Oo, a lawmaker representing Wuntho township, said that he and other regional legislators were not informed of the start of the exploratory operations, though hundreds of acres have been allotted for mining operations.

He also said that concerned residents had asked him if their farmlands were included in the parcels covered by the exploratory licenses.

"We can't tell anything because we were not informed about the details of the project," he told RFA, noting that other Chinese-run mining operations in Sagaing have caused several problems.

"Judging from past experience, local people are now almost certain that there will be similar problems in the region," he said.

Min Min Oo, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, rejected the accusation that local lawmakers had not been informed.

PanAust had applied for and received permission from the Union government for the exploratory operations and in 2018 the company took Sagaing regional lawmakers and delegates from the parliament's Natural Resources Committee on tour of mining projects and briefed them about mining operations in Laos, he said.

Mine problems 'never go away'

Thet Tin Nyunt, Director General of the Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration (DGSE), said PanAust began applying for permits in 2017, amended the application to meet new 2018 mineral regulations and was approved by the Sagaing regional government and central government as of Feb. 21.

Than Hlaing, a lawmaker who represents Pinlebu township, also marked for exploration, said he will have no complaints against PanAust as long as it conducts its operations in accordance with contract agreements.

"Currently, it is only doing exploration for metals, not mining operations," he said.

"The company is digging holes deep into the ground to extract samples. I don't find their operations damaging to the natural environment. We expect that they are sticking to the rules and regulations."

The Myanmar government and PanAust say that the expanse of the project area will be reduced when the five-year exploratory period is completed.

"Despite the huge land area of the project, the actual mining activities will only be done at feasible sites so as to avoid local residents' farmlands," a PanAust official, who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media, told RFA.

Tint Aung Soe, a member of the Myanmar Alliance for Transparency and Accountability, a civic group monitoring resource extraction in the country, said mining companies that receive direct permission from the central government usually ignore any problems that arise with local communities.

PanAust has not shared information with local residents or responded to their concerns about farmland and the natural environment, he said.

"We don't know what kind of activities it is doing or how well it is following rules and regulations," Tint Aung Soe told RFA.

"We have seen that problems related to the loss of farmland from mining operations at Sabae Taung and Kyay Sin Taung mountain ranges never go away," he said, referring to long-running copper mine dispute in Monywa, another place in Sagaing, where a Wanbao affiliate fenced off village farmlands.

"The Union government should do more than give permission," he said.

Reported by Aung Theinkha for RFA's Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung and Kyaw Min Htun. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.

Copyright  1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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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file photo A woman who was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Timarpur in North Delhi allegedly jumped from the hospital building and ended her life on Thursday. "She was an employee with the Balak Ram Hospital and was being treated. The SHO of the concerned police station along with the crime team inspected the spot. During preliminary enquiry, it came out that she was under depression and had jumped from the 3rd floor of Balak Ram Hospital," said a senior police officer. The body has been sent for post-mortem. The deceased is survived by two sons and one daughter. Further investigation is on.




Actor Amitabh Bachchan has shared a new social media update, thanking his fans for their love and blessings. He was diagnosed with Covid-19 on Saturday and had been admitted to the hospital.

Making an update from the Nanavati hospital in Mumbai, Amitabh wrote, I receive all your blessings and love and prayers for our well being .. on sms, on whatsapp, on insta on Blog .. and all possible social media .. my gratitude has no bounds .. Hospital protocol is restrictive, i cannot say more .. Love.

T 3596 -

I receive all your blessings and love and prayers for our well being .. on sms, on whatsapp, on insta on Blog .. and all possible social media ..

my gratitude has no bounds ..

Hospital protocol is restrictive, i cannot say more .. Love   Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) July 16, 2020

Earlier on Wednesday, he had shared a quote, urging people to introspect and steer clear of negative trendsetters in life. He shared the quote in Sanskrit and explained its meaning in the subsequent tweet. Bachchan warned his social media followers, through the tweet, of people with six negative tendencies -- dissatisfaction, anger, jealousy, dislike and doubt.

People who express jealousy, dislike, dissatisfaction, anger, and doubt towards all others and those who live off others...these six kinds of people always remain filled with sadness...that is why, whenever possible, save yourself from people who have these traits, his tweet read.

Also read: Rhea Chakraborty replies to troll who gave her death, rape threats after Sushant Singh Rajputs death: Enough is enough

Other than the actor, his son, actor Abhishek Bachchan, daughter-in-law, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and granddaughter Aaradhya Bachchan also tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week. However, his wife, actor Jaya Bachchan, tested negative for the virus.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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"Something went wrong in relation to the Juukan Gorge" was as direct a statement as Rio chief executive, Jean-Sebastien Jacques, was prepared to make on Friday when he undertook his first interviews on the thorny subject of the companys destruction of the 46,000-year-old Indigenous artefacts in Western Australia.

Speaking from Rios remote bauxite mining operations in Cape York, Jacques conceded the chorus of complaints from the company's shareholders meant there was more work to be done to satisfy them about the circumstances of the explosion which has received international condemnation, soiled the relationship with traditional owners and potentially put at risk the companys future developments in culturally sensitive areas.

Rio Tinto chief executive JS Jacques doesn't know if the blast was an error of judgement or miscommunication. Credit:Daniel Munoz

Jacques and Rios board, led by Simon Thompson, are under pressure to fix this governance sore that just keeps on weeping.

Thompson has already undertaken a series of meetings with large shareholders and Jacques says there will be another round after the findings of an internal inquiry are completed. This is scheduled for October but could be as early as September.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Democrat Hillary Scholten raised more than $480,000 last quarter in her bid for Michigans 3rd Congressional District seat, topping her Republican rivals for the first time since the race began.

Scholten, an immigration attorney from Grand Rapids, brought in $484,968 between April 1 and June 30, according to federal campaign finance reports due Wednesday.

I think these numbers really show that people here are ready for change, she said. They want a competent, compassionate and service-oriented leader who will fight for things that matter.

Scholten is running unopposed in the Democratic primary for the Aug. 4 election. She will face the winner of the Republican primary  five candidates are competing in that race  in the November general election.

The district is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, L-Cascade Township.

The latest campaign finance report marks the first reporting period that Scholten is running unopposed in the Democratic primary. Her former opponent, Saranac attorney Nick Colvin, dropped out of the race in February.

Fundraising was also strong among the Republican candidates.

The two front-runners are Peter Meijer, a U.S. Army veteran and former analyst with Olympia Development of Michigan, whose family founded the Meijer retail chain, and state Rep. Lynn Afendoulis, R-Grand Rapids Township.

Meijer, who has typically led in fundraising, reported $273,768 in contributions and loaned his campaign $100,000.

Afendoulis received $193,481 in contributions and loaned her campaign $200,000.

The 3rd District includes the city of Grand Rapids, a large portion of Kent County, part of Montcalm County, as well as Ionia, Barry and Calhoun counties.

Amash was elected to the congressional seat in 2010 as a Republican but left the party in July 2019 after calling for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.

In April, he announced that he was pausing his congressional reelection campaign, and he soon thereafter joined the Libertarian Party and launched an exploratory committee for a potential third-party presidential run.

Less than a month later, Amash abandoned his exploratory committee, saying he did not see a path to victory.

His office has not responded when asked whether hes considering running for the 3rd Congressional District seat as a Libertarian.

While a Democrat hasnt represented the Grand Rapids area in Congress since 1976, Scholten says shes confident she beat her Republican opponent in the November election.

She points to an internal poll, conducted by Democratic polling firm ALG Research, that shows her leading Republican candidate Peter Meijer and tied with Republican candidate Lynn Afendoulis.

The telephone poll surveyed 500 likely general election voters, by cellphone and landline, on June 3-7. It has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.

It is winnable, and that is increasingly attracting people to our campaign, said Scholten, whose top issues include expanding access to healthcare, rebuilding the economy and improving the quality of West Michigans drinking water.

While the 3rd Congressional District has long had a conservative bent, it has become more competitive in recent years. President Donald Trump earned 52 percent of the vote there in 2016, down one percent from Mitt Romneys performance four years earlier, according to The Cook Political Report, a Washington D.C.-based political newsletter.

Despite that, The Cook Political Report, as well as Inside Elections, another political newsletter based in Washington D.C., have both ranked the 3rd Congressional District as Leans Republican.

In addition to Meijer and Afendoulis, the three other candidates seeking the Republican nomination for the 3rd Congressional District are: former Sand Lake Village President Tom Norton, who served in the Army National Guard; Lyons Village Trustee Joe Farrington; and Battle Creek attorney Emily Rafi.

Norton reported raising $6,326, while Rafi reported receiving $11,818. Farrington did not report any fundraising activity.

Read more:

5 reasons why summer parties are spiking coronavirus numbers when protests didnt

Attorney General William Barr warns of growing Chinese influence during Grand Rapids visit

Controversial place names, monuments reflect Michigans racially unjust past
San Franciscos malls and nonessential offices have until Monday to shut down after the city joined the states watch list of troubled counties Friday because of a jump in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Neighboring San Mateo is the only Bay Area county not on the watch list. But even that is expected to change by Tuesday, said county Supervisor David Canepa, as coronavirus surges and other worrying trends connected to the virus have hit all nine counties in the region.

In all, 32 of the states 58 counties are on the list. And with virus numbers spiking, officials are pleading with the public to follow safe practices.

Wear your damn masks please or people will die and the economy will collapse, Canepa said. Small business is the spine of our economy. If it fails, we all fail.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed also expressed frustration Friday that residents continue to join large gatherings and flout mask guidelines, further igniting the pandemic. Public officials are trying to convey a sense of urgency as virus trends keep heading in the wrong direction.

The state looks at six criteria: coronavirus cases, testing, positive test results, a rise in hospitalizations, available ICU beds and available ventilators. Counties are placed on the list if they have a bad trend in at least one criterion for three days running,

And the stakes for counties on the list  and their schools  just got higher. On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said schools may not conduct in-person instruction in any county unless the county has been off the watch list for two weeks.

If a school reopens, it must follow strict rules.

People are tired of the virus, but the virus is not tired of us, Breed said in San Francisco as she urged residents to wear face masks, frequently wash hands and stop gathering.

We are not reopening until we get this under control, she added.

San Francisco is in the midst of a record-breaking surge in hospitalizations. On Friday, 91 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Friday, triple the number on June 18, when there were 31.

Nearly 4,800 people in San Francisco have become infected with the coronavirus, including 115 new cases reported Friday. In less than two weeks, the number of positive cases rose by nearly 1,000. By comparison, the number of positive cases took nearly 38 days to increase from 2,000 in May to 3,000 in mid-June.

At San Francisco General Hospital, the average age of a person hospitalized is 41, said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the citys Public Health Department.

Young people, middle-aged people, older people, we are all at risk for this disease and all at risk for serious consequences, he said. We know we can do better.

San Franciscos trends are reflected across the Bay Area, which had a record-high 654 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday, according to state data released Thursday.

A coronavirus outbreak at Santa Rita Jail in Alameda infected 101 inmates and nine staff members and contractors as of Friday evening. It is the jails largest outbreak since the pandemic began, officials said. Just two days ago, there were six cases.

Berkeley reported an alarming increase with 25 more UC Berkeley students testing positive, bringing the total of confirmed cases within the school to 95.

Despite the troubling trends, San Francisco still has a lot of hospital capacity left. As of Wednesday, the city had a total of 407 available ICU beds and 682 available acute-care beds, according to the most recently available public data.

The city hit its previous high-water mark of hospitalizations on April 11, with 94 patients, according to city data.

Colfax and Breed talked about how San Francisco is focused on the hardest-hit communities. The Latino community makes up 50% of all cases, despite accounting for only 15% of the citys population. Neighborhoods in the eastern and southeastern parts of the city have been hit hard by the virus spread, Colfax said.

As a result, San Francisco opened a new testing site at the Potrero Hill Health Center. Testing sites have also expanded in the Tenderloin, Mission, Sunnydale and Bayview neighborhoods.

The city is conducting an average of 2,599 tests per day, but is still challenged by testing-supply shortages throughout the country that cause delays in appointments and results.

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.

Also on Friday, San Francisco officials announced that a new health order will be issued Monday requiring private health care providers to give the public greater access to testing. Private health care providers will be required to offer same-day testing for people with symptoms of COVID-19 or who have been in close contact with an infected person.

Private health care providers have conducted far fewer tests than the city, prompting the order to increase and accelerate testing amid the surge.

Private hospitals and clinics will also have to test asymptomatic workers in jobs where they have a greater risk of exposure, like health care workers. People living in group settings like hotels must also be provided a test if they request one.

Statewide, coronavirus infections reached 374,038, and 7,612 people have died of the disease.

Across the Bay Area, there were 40,068 cases, and 697 deaths.

A record 665 patients were hospitalized in the Bay Area as of Thursday, up 11 from the day before, according to state data released Friday.

Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Solano counties each added five patients.

San Mateo Countys cases increased by 70 on Friday to 4,403. The average case rate is at 101.2 per 100,000 people  and is why the county is expected to join the watch list soon, said Louise Rogers, the county health officer.

Moreover, San Mateo County has some of the lowest hospital capacity in the Bay Area, with just 12% of acute-care beds and 20% of ICU beds available, as of Wednesday.

Meanwhile in Southern California, the states epicenter of the virus, Los Angeles County hit a record high with 4,592 new cases and 59 new deaths, bringing the total to 147,468 cases and 3,988 deaths.

To meet the demand of the surge and uptick in cases, a team of 160 military medical and support workers were deployed in California to help hospitals in Imperial County and other virus hot spots, said Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the governors Office of Emergency Services.

Sarah Ravani and Dominic Fracassa are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani, @DominicFracassa
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and actress Radhika Apte will soon be seen together in the upcoming Netflix original titled Raat Akeli Hai.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and actress Radhika Apte will soon be seen together in the upcoming Netflix original titled Raat Akeli Hai.

Netflix released the trailer of the crime thriller on Friday. The trailer shows Nawazuddin (Jatil Yadav) in the role of a cop, investigating the murder of a local politician. While the family of the politician, who is killed during his second wedding, calls it an accident, Nawazuddin smells a rat.

During the course of the interrogation, he realises that each member of the family is hiding something. He also faces hurdle from a sinister politician (Aditya Srivastava) and his own boss (Tigmanshu Dhulia) while investigating the case.

Radhika is seen playing the role of a mysterious woman, who is the new bride of the deceased. The trailer also shows Nawazuddin inclining towards Radhika's sequence of events and using her inputs to try and solve the murder case. But similar to the recent Hollywood film starring Daniel Craig, Knives Out, nobody from the family can be ruled out as a suspect, even Radhika Apte's character.

It is one of the 17 originals which will make their entry on the streaming platform in the coming weeks. The film also features Shweta Tripathi, Ila Arun, Khalid Tyabji and Shivani Raghuvanshi.

Raat Akeli Hai is the kind of story that draws you in immediately and takes you along the winding journey, said Radhika Apte in a recent statement.

On the other hand, the Pad Man actress said that she is playing the character of Radha who is stubborn, feisty, arrogant and yet mysterious. She added that uncovering different layers of the character offered her an inspiring challenge.

The movie is directed by Honey Trehan, who is making his debut as director, and bankrolled by Ronnie Screwvala. Raat Akeli Hai will release on 31 July.
The Australian government cant rely on the two local COVID-19 vaccine hopefuls to deliver a viable treatment, with local industry experts urging it to cast a wider net to secure sufficient supplies of any future remedy.

There are more than 100 vaccine candidates working their way through trials worldwide, with the University of Queensland, working with blood products maker CSL, and South Australian startup Vaxine already moving to human trials.

However, some industry insiders have privately expressed concern to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that the government is too focused on the University of Queensland's project and risks missing out on global opportunities.

The race for a viable coronavirus vaccine is as much about supply chains as the science. Credit:AP

Adelaide-based Vaxines founder, Professor Nikolai Petrovsky, says the government should place as many bets as possible on the hunt for a vaccine.
Weather Alert

.An arctic cold front will move across the region on Wednesday, causing rain to change to snow Wednesday afternoon and evening. ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM CST THURSDAY... * WHAT...Mixed precipitation expected. Total snow accumulations of one to two inches and ice accumulations of a light glaze. * WHERE...Portions of southwest Indiana, western Kentucky and southern Illinois. * WHEN...From 4 PM Wednesday to 6 AM CST Thursday. * IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute, especially along the Ohio River. The transition from rain to a wintry mix and snow may not occur closer to the Tennessee border areas until after 7 PM CST. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The combination of gusty winds, falling temperatures and wind chills, and falling snow will cause hazardous travel. Freezing of residual moisture on roads from rain earlier Wednesday could also cause some icing of roadways. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. &&
After nearly 16 years working for the state of Kansas and formalizing its cybersecurity strategy, Rod Blunt stepped down as chief information security officer in June and moved south to take on that role for El Paso County, Texas.According to his LinkedIn profile, Blunt developed the states cybersecurity strategy and spearheaded the Kansas Cybersecurity Act, adopted in 2018, which created and administered the Kansas Information Security Office, formally established the CISO role and required that agencies have their own heads of security. In a statement before the Joint Committee on Kansas Security in December 2018, Blunt advocated for cybersecurity training, vulnerability scanning and collecting and storing security logs. As CISO, Blunt oversaw the states managed security services program that handled network security for 60 state agencies, and his staff cybersecurity training reduced the phishing click rate from 23 percent to 8 percent.In May 2019 , the states chief information technology officer at the time, Lee Allen, toldthat Blunt was a tremendous CISO and a long-time asset to the state and its security office.The state website says the Kansas Information Security Office named Blunts successor as CISO this month: Jeff Maxon, a state employee for more than 10 years who serves on the states Information Technology Security Council and works on cyberoperations for the Kansas Air National Guard. According to the website, he has a masters degree in information assurance and cybersecurity from Capella University, and a bachelors in computer information science from Washburn University.
Following the decision by the government to retain the cap at outdoor events to 200, until August, GAA President, John Horan has called for the decision to be changed saying the guidelines to retain the 200 attendance figure is "a hammer blow to the organisation."

Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland this morning, the President said the GAA "had put the return to the club game first to benefit our members and help county boards survive but our county boards were relying on an increase to 500 as a way of being able to cater for the demand from our supporters."

The President added that if you take those involved in the teams and stewarding out of it, you're probably looking at 120 supporters going to a game; adding "if you work out the dimensions of a GAA pitch, that allows for social distancing of four metres between everybody attending a game."

The GAA have encouraged everyone attending to wear face masks "so I think these figures are a bit sever on us as an organisation, and I openly call on the Taoiseach and Tanaiste to go back and review those figures for us as an organisation."
NEW YORK, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TritonExec, a global executive search firm specializing in professional services, private equity, digital and technology markets announced the appointment of Justin Cottrell as Partner and leader of the US expansion of the firm.

Based in New York, Cottrell brings a wealth of experience in human capital, retained and project-based recruitment strategy as well as a track record in building and scaling a high-growth boutique technology recruitment firm. His functional expertise is in recruiting key leadership positions within the technology sector across software engineering, data & analytics, digital, cloud, and information security.

Having known Justin for some time now, we are delighted to have him finally join the firm. He not only brings great experience that will bolster our technology practice and deepen our partnerships in the space, but also embodies our mission and values here at TritonExec, will be a key leader in developing the team and continuing our growth within the US market," says Jonathan Morris, Partner and Co-Founder. "Our model, which is built on long term multi-year, recurring revenue partnerships has enabled us to navigate these difficult times and creates a clear platform for Justin to continue to build on."

Cottrell possesses a decade of functional technology recruiting experience. Before joining TritonExec, Cottrell was a Technology sector leader at a Korn Ferry. He started his career with a national boutique technology staffing firm where he climbed the ranks to President during his tenure. The firm grew from 10 people when he joined to 150, with 7 offices across the country hitting 50m+ in revenue at their peak.

"It's incredibly exciting and humbling to be joining the TritonExec family," says Cottrell, "and I look forward to adding value to an already amazing place to work. I aim to have a positive impact on the firm's continued trajectory, namely on the growth and expansion of US operations, as well as increasing our global reach overall. The unique and varied solutions that TritonExec offers, as well as its people, are what drew me in - and I'm eager to get started."

About TritonExec

TritonExec focuses on executive search and talent advisory services for the Digital and Technology, Professional Services, and Private Equity industries. Its growing business and influence is headquartered in London, with US offices in Atlanta and New York.

Taking clients on a journey to reimagine the talent acquisition process while curating world class candidate experiences to drive the most successful hiring outcomes, TritonExec enables growth in their clients' businesses.

By innovating beyond rigid and traditional recruitment solutions and removing the transactional nature of hiring processes, TritonExec offers specialized services for executive leadership hires, board-level placements, multi-hire programs, and Executive Search Process Outsourcing (ESPO).
Clive Palmer faces up to five years in jail after being charged with fraud and dishonest use of his position as a company director to funnel more than $12 million into his party's 2013 election campaign.

Mr Palmer was charged following an investigation by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) into the activities of Mr Palmer's businesses and his political party the Palmer United Party.

The charges were laid earlier this year but now ASIC has detailed its case. The watchdog alleges the improper transfers took place in the weeks ahead of the September 2013 election.

Clive Palmer has been charged with fraud and dishonest use of his position as a company director over the funding of his political party. Credit:Nine

After an advertising blitz in the lead up to the election, Mr Palmer swept into Parliament securing a seat in the house of representatives as the member for Fairfax while the Palmer United Party snared two Senate seats. All up $80 million was pumped into his campaign.
The units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which serve in the JFO area in Donbas and along the administrative border with the occupied Crimea, are ready to adequately respond to threats posed by Russia.

Minister of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Taran said during an hour of questions to the Government in the Verkhovna Rada, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Military units, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which perform tasks as part of the Joint Forces Operation and along the administrative border of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, are ready to adequately respond to existing challenges and threats along the state border of Ukraine. At present, the situation in the South Operation Command area is controlled," Taran said.

According to the minister, in order to prevent destabilization along the Crimean frontline, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff, the Joint Forces Operation Command have planned and already implemented a number of specific measures. Apart from strengthening fortifications and conducting large-scale exercises, reconnaissance was also strengthened, troop rotation measures were taken, tasks for military units were clarified, and close cooperation with the National Guard, National Police, Security Service, and State Border Guard Service was organized.

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As Joe Biden rolls out new policy details and speeches around his major campaign platforms, the hand of one primary-rival-turned-VP-contender is increasingly visible: Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Why it matters: If Biden wins in November, it's clear that Warren will significantly shape his approach  on domestic policy in particular  whether or not her name's on the ticket.

Her influence helps explain why Warren is still seen as a strong potential pick in a year when being 71 and white probably works against her.

Biden is expected to announce his running mate in early August from an all-female shortlist of candidates.

Driving the news: The climate plan Biden touted in a speech this week includes an expedited target date for 100% clean electricity on a timetable favored by Warren and another former contender, Jay Inslee, as Reuters noted.

Several elements of Biden's economic recovery plan released last week were directly influenced by Warren and her team, three people familiar with the discussions told Axios and Biden campaign officials confirmed.

The big picture: Biden has so far publicly adopted at least six policy stances shaped by Warren and her team.

On March 14, Biden endorsed Warren's bankruptcy proposal, which includes a student debt relief portion.

About a week later he tweeted about increasing Social Security checks by $200 per month and forgiving a minimum of $10,000 per person in federal student loans  two of Warren's plans.

For his "Build Back Better" economic recovery plan, three sources familiar told Axios that the Biden and Warren teams consulted closely together on this plan and many of Warrens ideas are reflected in it.

Specifically, the procurement investment and a focus on green manufacturing were derived from two of Warrens plans she unveiled during the primary.

"Bidens recent bold moves seem less like a political hat tip to progressives and more like hes genuinely aiming to meet this moment and smartly consulting with people like Elizabeth Warren as he comes up with big plans for this moment," said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which endorsed Warren in the primary.

Between the lines: Biden advisers emphasized that a number of people were involved in these policies. And people familiar with Warren's engagement told Axios they generally don't read it as a strategy to secure a spot on the ticket so much as a reflection of her keen interest in policy and defeating President Trump.

She's earned a name for herself as a policy wonk who loves "nerding out," and "I've got a plan for that!" was a signature line of her campaign.

Warren and Biden have been holding regular policy discussions since she dropped out in early March.

While Biden and Warren mostly work together behind the scenes, they've appeared together in joint op-eds, outlining policy proposals for addressing government corruption and providing more oversight.

Warren's progressive brand is echoed in Bidens rhetoric. We must reward work as much as we rewarded wealth," Biden said in a speech last week in Pennsylvania, a common refrain throughout his campaign.

The backstory: The VP calculus changed as George Floyd's killing led to louder demands from activists, allies and politicians alike that a Black woman should be selected as Biden's running mate. Sen. Amy Klobuchar took herself out of the running and said Biden should pick a woman of color.

There's a real desire for representation, but a greater desire to find someone who can authentically speak to the concerns of Black communities. Many Black and racial justice leaders say that describes Warren.

She is, according to several Democratic activists and donors and people close to Biden, the only remaining white woman in serious consideration for the 2020 ticket.

Warren has "established a track record of speaking inconvenient truths about racism and taking on the fight that matters," Angela Peoples and Phillip Agnew wrote Wednesday in an opinion piece in the Washington Post.

In an online survey in April of 800 Black voters across eight battleground states, conducted for BlackPAC, 15% of those who stayed home in 2016 said they'd be more likely to turn out in November if Biden picks a Black woman  but Warren had the highest favorability.

The bottom line: Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC, told Axios that if Biden were to choose "any other white woman" besides Warren, "they will need every day to explain to black people why they did that."
The lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic has caused all sorts of difficulties for people in reassessing the way we live our lives and changing our daily practices and routines.

But spare a thought for autistic people who found the whole episode particularly challenging and struggled to cope with the anxiety that lockdown caused.

Eleven year old Patrick Hayden from Annaduff was one such person. His mum Faye spoke with Sgt Cara Kiernan and it is fair to say Cara and her colleagues in Carrick-on-Shannon went above and beyond the call of duty in their response to help Patrick cope.

Cara explained that after speaking with Faye, she got the idea of the Gardai sending Patrick a WhatsApp message every day to keep his spirits up and help him get through.

She ran the idea past management and got the go-ahead. Cara sent out a message to garda units and divisions all across the country and the recordings poured in.

Each day from March 24 to May 22 a short video recording was forwarded to Patrick giving him advice like remembering to wash his hands, staying active, taking his medication, doing what he was told, etc.

Patrick loved the interaction and was even taken on a real checkpoint on the N4 with local gardai.

The video clips to Patrick ranged in length from about 10 seconds to two minutes and came in from the mounted unit, the dog unit, the underwater unit, various detective units and even a song from the Garda Band. A member of the gardai attached to the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus sent a message as did the PSNI in Northern Ireland.

Last Friday, July 10, Patrick was the guest of honour at a special presentation ceremony at Carrick-on- Shannon Garda Station.

He arrived in his garda uniform in the official garda van driven by his new best buddy Garda Albert McHale.

Patrick Hayden pictured with his parents Faye and Mick and sister Erin with Chief Supt Aidan Glacken and Supt Mandy Gaynor and members and staff of Carrick-on-Shannon Garda Station last Friday afternoon Pictures: Gerry Faughnan

Chief-Supt Aidan Glacken was on hand with newly appointed Supt Mandy Gaynor to present Patrick with some mementos as well as a beautiful collage of still pictures from each of the WhatsApp videos which was compiled by Sgt Kiernan.

Patrick's mum Faye said he was really struggling for the first six weeks of the lockdown and his anxiety was off the scale.

Cara knows the Hayden family and heard that Patrick was struggling. She came up with the idea of a daily message and Patrick was so excited to receive it every day.

He's become so much calmer and he had this to look forward to every day and if he was getting to the point of a meltdown or was getting anxious we would say lets go and watch the video. He has been so much calmer the last 8-12 weeks, said Faye.

She said that autistic people have special interests and they are obsessive about it. Patrick's is the emergency services ever since he was tiny.

He's got garda stuff everywhere and we had visits to the house every day to check he was OK. It was a real pro-active approach, lets find a way to help.

Chief-Supt Aidan Glacken presenting Patrick with some mementos.

He's doing really well now, he's happy and cheery, he's come off a lot of his medication. He's a different child, he really is. Cara's been absolutely phenomenal, every single day, she added.

The biggest thing to him, and to us, is he knows he matters and a lot of the time he really suffers with his self-esteem and he thinks people don't like him but he knows that he counts and that all the guards all around the country did this for him and that was huge, to say to him you matter, you're a little boy that is important.

I think for a lot of people with disabilities they just need to know that they count. We can never thank them enough, they're amazing, said Faye.
China was on its way to become "export destination country number one" for the German economy as the COVID-19 crisis was hitting global trade, according to a study published by the German Economic Institute (IW) on Thursday.



While the situation in many of Germany's export markets continued to deteriorate, "the Chinese economy is already looking ahead with cautious optimism," said Galina Kolev, senior economist and head of the Research Group Macroeconomic Analyses and Business Cycles at IW.

The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) announced last week that German exports to China only decreased "rather moderately" by 12.3 percent to 7.2 billion euros (8.2 billion U.S. dollars) in May. At the same time, exports to the United States plummeted by 36.5 percent to 6.5 billion euros.

IW noted that the different course of the COVID-19 crisis across the world would change countries' "relative importance" for the German economy in 2020. "China's rise to export destination country number one is of particular symbolic significance," stressed Kolev.

In 2019, China already was, after the United States and France, the third most important customer of Germany's economy with exported goods worth 96.0 billion euros, according to Destatis.

The export gap between China and Germany's biggest export countries had decreased "substantially" in the first five months of the year. Official data for June is yet to be released, but IW is expecting that China already replaced France as Germany's second largest export market last month.

The current COVID-19 crisis had "accelerated a process that has been going on for several decades," said Kolev. The growth of the Chinese economy, which was already slowing down but still remained relatively high by international standards, had made China an "attractive export market."
Spanish doctors have recently found out that COVID-19 may have another symptom that was previously not known. While skin rashes were a commonly known symptom of COVID-19, doctors have now discovered that some infected patients have also been experiencing rashes inside of the mouth.

Read: Iowa Posts 700 New Coronavirus Cases, One-day Deaths At 18

Read: Florida Hits New Coronavirus Death Mark With 156 In One Day

New symptom discovered

As per reports, the rashes are clinically known as enanthem and are common in patients that are suffering from viral infections like COVID-19. The new study that identified rashes inside of the mouth as a possible symptom of COVID-19 was published in JAMA Dermatology on July 15.

According to reports, researchers led by Dr. Juan Jimenez-Cauhe from University Hospital Ramon y Cajal in Madrid examined 21 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection in April and found that six of these patients had rashes on the inside of their mouth. The age of the patients infected with the rash ranged from 40 to 69 while the study also revealed that four of the six patients with rashes were women.

The study has indicated that more in-depth studies on COVID-19 infection and its symptoms is needed. The time frame during which the rashes are believed to occur in infected patients is extremely varied and the enanthem does not seem to be a reaction to the medication given to the infected persons. COVID-19 pandemic started in China late last year and has since then infected over 13.6 million people with a death toll of 586,423 worldwide.

Read: UK Accuses Russian Intelligence Services Of Trying To Steal Coronavirus Vaccine Research

Read: GOP Restricts Convention Attendance Over Coronavirus Fears
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Greenland Ice Sheet holds enough water to raise sea levels nearly 24 feet, yet it remains difficult to predict the rate of melt and possible tipping points in the stability of the ice sheet.

Climate change is now causing Greenland to shed ice rapidly, and even a few feet of sea level rise may have grim implications for coastal cities and low-lying islands. A new project aimed at drilling through the ice to the underlying bedrock promises to reveal the ice sheet's past in unprecedented detail and enable more accurate predictions of how it may add to rising seas in the 21st century.

Scientists from Penn State, Columbia University, the University at Buffalo and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst recently received a $3 million research grant and $4 million in field operations support from the National Science Foundation for the project, called GreenDrill. This ambitious five-year endeavor aims to uncover the exact extent, timing and frequency of periods when the Greenland Ice Sheet was much smaller or completely gone.

Researchers from Penn State will lead the start of the project, and Sridhar Anandakrishnan, professor of geosciences, will be a key primary investigator throughout the project.

"Students and researchers at Penn State will conduct seismic, radar and other geophysical investigations to determine the properties of the ice and rock beneath Greenland," said Anandakrishnan. "This work will help guide the locations of the drill and samples."

The project will enter an entire zone of the earth that scientists have yet to systematically study, said Joerg Schaefer, a geochemist at Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and a co-leader of the project.

"We'll recover samples from basal ice and sub-ice bedrock comparable to the moon rocks in their rareness and preciousness," Schaefer said. "They will tell us directly about the past, and therefore the modern and future stability of the Greenland Ice Sheet."

The project has the potential to reinvigorate U.S. ice-drilling efforts in the Arctic. The last major effort, the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2, ceased in the mid-1990s.

The scientists will use the new ice-sheet data to test the hypothesis that northern Greenland is more sensitive to Arctic warming than the southern part. The data will also inform the project's substantial climate and ice sheet modeling component, which aims to develop the next generation of robust and better-calibrated model predictions of Greenland's future melt scenarios.

"For a long time, the climate science community has not paid enough attention to contributions from Greenland to sea-level rise," said Gisela Winckler, a Lamont geochemist and GreenDrill co-principal investigator. "Now, it is increasingly clear that Greenland is like a canary in a coal mine, and this project will hopefully help us figure out potential impacts on sea level."

GreenDrill's extensive multi-year field campaign begins in 2021, stewarded by Nicolas Young, a Lamont geochemist, and Jason Briner, a University of Buffalo geologist, both GreenDrill also co-principal investigators. Recovering a series of cores at four locations in northern Greenland is the primary goal of these expeditions. Each site consists of a transect that starts at the ice-free edge of the island and moves inland, where the team will bore through hundreds of meters of ice to reach the bedrock below.

From these cores, the scientists will investigate pieces of Greenland's surface rock for the information they can yield about the ice sheet's past. When bedrock is free of ice, detectable isotopes produced by the interaction of cosmic rays with the nucleus of certain atoms accumulate in the upper layers of the rock after decades of exposure to the open sky. Analyses of these isotopes will show when and how the ice sheet receded.

Rob DeConto, a climate scientist at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, will integrate the findings into models that simulate the ice sheets' physical processes and future behavior.

"It's absolutely critical that we know how much ice Greenland lost in the past -- and this is still very uncertain," said DeConto. "GreenDrill will help reduce this uncertainty. This knowledge of the past informs us about the ice sheet's overall sensitivity to a warming climate and, hopefully, even how fast the ice sheet might melt in the future."

The project includes an extensive education and outreach component devoted to encouraging diversity and inclusion in the geosciences. Undergraduate students and early career scientists will be recruited to participate in the research.

The researchers see the project as a vital first step toward uncovering how ice sheets behave and respond to a warmer world.

"GreenDrill represents a new frontier in geoscience," said Schaefer. "I think it could be developed into a much broader flagship project that attracts scientists from other disciplines and expertise, and eventually covers all of Greenland."

###

Other scientists involved in GreenDrill include Lamont postdoctoral fellow Benjamin Keisling and education coordinator Margie Turin.
EU leaders are meeting on Friday to discuss plans for an unprecedented 1.85 trillion euro (1.6 trillion) EU budget and recovery fund.

All leaders were wearing masks as the summit got under way, with the usual hugs, handshakes and kisses replaced by friendly nods and elbow bumps.

The jovial atmosphere was not expected to last long at what will likely be one of the most brutal and bruising meetings of recent times, which could last longer than the scheduled two days, if necessary, to bridge the differences between leaders.

Expand Close French President Emmanuel Macron (right) greets European Parliament President David Sassoli (Stephanie Lecocq/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp French President Emmanuel Macron (right) greets European Parliament President David Sassoli (Stephanie Lecocq/AP)

After addressing the leaders, European Parliament President David Sassoli said the stakes could not be higher and urged leaders to reach agreement as Europe is buffeted by the economic headwinds of the coronavirus crisis.

Any postponement could trigger new storms and imperil the European scene, he said.

We know that forecasts are very negative. If Europe does not decide maybe a financial storm front could hit public finances and therefore its very important that there should be a decision, an agreement.

French President Emmanuel Macron led the early negotiations, arriving in Brussels on Thursday and using the the pre-summit hours to meet Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

He is a stringent budget hardliner and considered one of the biggest obstacles to reaching a deal at the two-day meeting.

Mr Rutte said: I am not optimistic but you never know. Nobody wants another meeting,

Mr Macron underscored the importance of the challenge.

The coming hours will be absolutely decisive, he said.

It is our project Europe that is at stake.

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Whatsapp German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the European Council building in Brussels (Francisco Seco/AP)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on her arrival: The differences are still very, very big and so I cant predict whether we will achieve a result this time.

So I expect very, very difficult negotiations.

Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Karins said: We want a result and we will continue working until we get that result.

The bloc is suffering through the worst recession in its history and its 27 member states are fighting over who should pay the most to help other countries and which nations should get the most to turn around their battered economies.

The crisis brought about by this pandemic, with all of its economic and social consequences, is the most severe we have had to face since the Second World War, European Council president and summit host Charles Michel said.

The urgency is such that the leaders have ended a string of coronavirus-enforced video conference summits and are meeting in person for the first time since the pandemic began.

The usual summit venue, an intimate room high up in the urn-shaped Europa Centre, was deemed too snug to be safe and instead the leaders have been sent down to meeting room EBS-5, whose 850 square metres normally fits 330 people.

Delegations will be cut to a minimum, leaving leaders more dependent on their own knowledge of complicated dossiers.

It should put a smile on the face of Ms Merkel, who has been in office for 15 years and seen countless leaders come and go.

This #EUCO summit is about more than money. Its about people, our European future, and our unity.



With political courage, I believe we can reach an agreement. pic.twitter.com/WN0yQYHU5C  Charles Michel (@eucopresident) July 17, 2020

Since the pandemic struck, she has been seen as a safe pair of hands to lead her country through the crisis and now Germany holds the rotating six-month EU presidency her stature will be even greater at the summit.

The EUs executive is proposing a 750 billion euro (682 billion) recovery fund, partly based on common borrowing, to be sent as loans and grants to the most needy countries.

Mrs Merkel, who is in her last term and has her political legacy at stake, has already got Germany to agree to join in a common debt programme to alleviate the economic suffering in mostly southern and eastern member states.

She has also agreed to include grants and not just loans in the recovery package, to avoid overburdening member states with high debt already.

Mr Rutte does not like that and Dutch officials said they will stick to their tough line going into the summit, raising the spectre another one may be needed.

There are also plans to link budget funds to respect for basic democratic rights the European Parliament says are under threat in countries such as Hungary and Poland.

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban was clear he would fight any such strings attached to the plan.

The Hungarian position is clear, Hungarians should decide about Hungarians money, he said.
Six days after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot set the ball rolling with sensational claims about attempts being made to topple his government, the high-stakes political drama in the state refuses to die down.

On Friday morning, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, citing a leaked audio clip, demanded an investigation into the alleged horse-trading and an FIR against Union minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Shekhawat for attempts to topple Ashok Gehlot government's in Rajasthan. Based on the transcript of the purported conversations read by Surjewala at a Press Conference in Jaipur, the Congress suspended two party MLAs Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh.

The Rajasthan police registered an FIR against the Union minister as well as rebel Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma over allegations of their involvement in a bid to topple the state government.

"We demand an FIR be registered against Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat. The matter be investigated by the Special Operation Group or SOG, and if there is an apprehension of any attempt to influence the investigation, a warrant be issued for the arrest," Surjewala had said in the press conference.

Two Congress MLAs - Pilot loyalist Vishvendra Singh, who was sacked from the Cabinet, and Bhanwar Lal Sharma - have been suspended from the party and show cause notices have been issued to both.

Pilot loyalists Sharma and Vishvendra are among the 19 Congress MLAs who have approached the Rajasthan high court against the notice issued by the Speaker on Congress' petition seeking their disqualification from the state assembly.

Surjewala once again asked Pilot - the leader of the dissident group - to make his stand clear on the current political crisis and respond to the allegations of horse-trading.

A total of three audio clips started doing rounds late on Thursday evening. Soon after the audio clips began circulating on social media, MLA Bhawar Lal posted a tweet saying, Fake audio clips have been released in my name. It is not my voice in these audio clips. I have not spoken to any leader. This is a ploy to malign my name by releasing fake audios.

Meanwhile, in a shot in the arm for Gehlot government, Bhartiya Tribal Party, which has two MLAs in the 200 member assembly has allied itself with the Congress and promised its support to the ruling state government.

The other big development that will be keenly watched on Friday will be the hearing in the High Court on the amended petition moved by Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident leaders who moved the high court challenging the notices from the Rajasthan Speaker to disqualify them from the state assembly.

The matter is scheduled to be heard before a division bench of the Rajasthan High Court at 1 pm on Friday, which is also the deadline that the Speaker's office gave to the MLAs to file their replies to the notices.
New Delhi, July 17 : In more troubles for former Railway Minister and senior Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has questioned him in connection with the railway bribery case involving his nephew.

The ED had initiated investigation under the provisions of PMLA on the basis of FIR and chargesheet filed by CBI against Mahesh Kumar Member (Staff), Railway Board, Vijay Singla, Sandeep Goyal and seven other accused.

A top ED source told IANS: "Bansal was questioned by the agency on Wednesday for 8 hours at its Chandigarh office on Wednesday." The source further said that the agency will question him once again in the coming days.

In May last year, the ED had attached the Rs 89 lakh amount which the CBI seized from the office of Bansal's nephew Vinay Singla in 2013 in a corruption case related to appointments at top positions in the railways, when the Congress leader was the Union Railway Minister in the United Progressive Alliance-2 regime.

Bansal had to step down from the post after the controversy.

On the basis of the CBI FIR, the ED had filed a money laundering case against then Railway Board Member (Staff) Mahesh Kumar, Vijay Singla, one Sandeep Goyal and seven others.

"Singla demanded Rs10 crore through Sandeep Goyal from N Manjunath to get Mahesh Kumar posted as Member (Electrical)," the ED had said, quoting the CBI probe.
SPRINGFIELD  Police confiscated the 70th unlawful gun from the city this year after a 13-year-old crashed the stolen car he was driving into another vehicle.

After the incident police arrested Joel Arroyo-Collazo, 21, of Horace Street, and charged him with carrying a loaded firearm without a license, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number during the commission of a felony, possession of a large-capacity firearm, possession of ammunition without a permit and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, police spokesman Ryan Walsh said.

Officers also arrested the 13-year-old who was driving the car on nine charges and a 16-year-old who was in the car on a warrant. A 14-year-old passenger was released to his family. None of the teenagers names were released because of their ages, he said.

Police on patrol initially spotted the car that had been reported at about 1:15 a.m. and pulled in behind the driver at the intersection of Allen and Rifle streets. When additional officers arrived to assist, the officer put on his emergency lights and tried to pull over the vehicle, he said.

The driver attempted to flee. He almost struck an assisting cruiser after crossing into the oncoming lane and a short distance later he collided with a car on State and Catherine streets, Walsh said.

The driver and three passengers tried to flee by running in different directions, but were all apprehended, he said.

When Arroyo-Collazo was caught on Sherman Street, police found a firearm loaded with 15 rounds and packaged heroin and cocaine in the bag he was carrying, Walsh said.

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By PTI

LOS ANGELES: Actor Nia Long is the latest actor to criticise the problematic casting process of 2000 Hollywood movie "Charlie's Angels", days after Thandie Newton spoke out about facing racial stereotyping when she auditioned for the same part in the film.

Long, best known for her performances in shows like "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", "Empire" and movies "Friday" and "Soul Food", said her agent notified her that she would not get to play Alex Munday as she looked too old opposite co-star Drew Barrymore.

Long said she believed the rejection had racist undertones.

"I was like, 'What?' I love Drew Barrymore, I think she's amazing, but I think that was just a nice way to say you're a little too black. Personally, that's what I think. Because if you notice there were no brown skin (actors). I mean, honestly, I would have been the blackest thing in the film," Long told Insider in an interview.

"The feedback that I received from my agent was, 'She just looked too old and sophisticated to be next to Drew Barrymore'," Long recalled.

The 49-year-old actor said she did not pursue it further as she realised it was not the opportunity for her.

"And I'm thinking to myself, it's an actor's choice to walk in the room how they want to look, but it's a director's vision to help create and curate a character. So if you couldn't see beyond the fact that I had on a blazer and a pair of jeans then that was clearly not the job and opportunity for me. So, no problem, I'll keep it moving."

Actor Lucy Liu ultimately played the role.

The film also starred Cameron Diaz as the third Angel.

In a Vulture interview earlier this month, Newton, who recently featured in "Westworld", said the director McG spoke about the character in crude terms, adding Sony executive Amy Pascal said she didn't think the actor would be "believable in the role because Alex went to university and is educated".

Newton said she reminded Pascal that she attended Cambridge, to which Pascal responded, "Yeah, but you're different. Maybe there could be a scene where you're in a bar and she gets up on a table and starts shaking her booty."

"She's basically reeling off these stereotypes of how to be more convincing as a black character," the actor said.

Pascal, in a statement, said she did not remember the conversation.

"While I take her words seriously, I have no recollection of the events she describes, nor do any of her representatives who were present at that casting session," she added.

A follow-up to "Charlie's Angels", a continuation of the TV series of the same name, "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" was released in 2003.

Last year saw the reboot of "Charlie's Angels", in which the titular roles were played by Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska.

The film was directed by Elizabeth Banks, who also starred as one of the Bosley characters. Patrick Stewart and Djimon Hounsou played the other two Bosleys.
Actor Aamna Sharif had a rather low-key and subdued birthday on Thursday with her family. Wishing her on her special day were actors Karisma Tanna, Mouni Roy and Arjun Bijlani.

Sharing a picture, Karisma wrote: Happy happy birthday @aamnasharifofficial A very helpful soul,always so caring and loving I am glad and relieved that I have a friend like you Love you. She also posted a picture of them together.

Mouni Roy, who is currently in London for the film shoot, too wished the actor and wrote:  Happy happy birthday boo! Your beauty calm and the forever smiling face makes the world a happier more peaceful place. Waiting for the endless tight hug and cant wait to have endless conversations & travels shopping tours food fests & dance to bolly songs together. Happy happiest birthday @aamnasharifofficial.I love you, YOU ARE SO PRETTY its UNREAL.

Actor Arjun Bijlani too wished her on the occasion and said: Happy birthday rockstar. Have a super one . So much stress in the past few days but I pray that u have the best year ahead ahead.cant wait to have your ghar ka khana again . @aamnasharifofficial God bless you buddy.

Speaking about her birthday celebration, Aamna had told Pinkvilla in an interview how she only wished for everybodys safety and good health, In the times we are living in, my only wish this year for my birthday is for good health and safety. I really hope we have a cure soon and our world can step out of this pandemic with its lessons and move ahead, she told Pinkvilla when asked about her wish for her birthday.

Its been a birthday of gratitude. I feel blessed to have my family who has made sure they make the day special as well as friends who have gone out of their way to send me lovely homemade cakes and delicacies for my birthday, she further added.

Also read: Richa Chadha says same directors who posted condolence messages have replaced actresses who refused to sleep with them

Aamna, who stars in Kasautii Zindagi Kay, has been in the news after one of her staff members tested positive for coronavirus. Though she has tested negative, her colleague, Parth Samthaan had earlier tested positive. Writing about the experience, she had mentioned on Instagram stories on Wednesday, Thank you to you all for your sweet messages and well wishes. I and my family have tested negative for COVID-19. Although one of my staff members has tested positive. Isolating him and making sure he receives all the necessary treatment with precautions. A big thanks to the BMC. They have been very helpful and prompt with the entire procedure. I urge you all to do our bit by wearing a mask and social distancing. It is the only need of the hour.

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(Natural News) While the news cycles continue to be dominated with coronavirus, domestic unrest, and the latest insult that an unhinged Democrat or Left-wing media pundit hurls at President Donald Trump, the commander-in-chiefs Pentagon has been quietly stocking up on firepower and military resources at a remote, but strategic, Pacific outpost.

Wake Island was taken from the United States by Imperial Japanese forces within a few weeks after Emperor Hirohitos navy sent hundreds of warplanes to bomb and destroy the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. A small force of U.S. Marines and civilians held off the Japanese for about two weeks, but they eventually overran the island outpost at a significant cost.

The Encyclopedia Brittanica notes:

Located about 2,000 miles (3,200 km) west of Hawaii and 600 miles (approximately 1,000 km) north of the [then] Japanese-held Marshall Islands, Wake Island impressed American naval planners as an ideal site for an advance defensive outpost.

Wake Island would remain in Japanese hands for the remainder of World War II, but afterward, it was re-garrisoned by the United States military, serving mostly as a highly restricted staging area for U.S. aircraft operating in the region and a first line of defense of the American homeland.

In recent months, the islands infrastructure has been dramatically increased and improved, as part of the U.S. Navys pivot toward the Pacific  the Trump administrations ongoing strategy of moving more military resources to the region in order to check a surging China.

According to new satellite imagery published by The Drive, there have been substantial improvements and expansions made both to the islands nearly 10,000-foot runway and to its facilities. Indeed, Wake is the only 10,000-foot runway for a 4,000 stretch of the Pacific Ocean, according to a military public affairs report.

In 2016, the report said that the 2.8-square mile island handles a modest 500 to 600 aircraft annually, but it does so with a staff of about six. The same three people marshal, service and refuel every plane.

The Drive notes:

New satellite imagery that The War Zone obtained from Planet Labs dated June 25th, 2020 shows that substantial improvements to the base have occurred recently. Based on archival satellite imagery, the major expansions to the airfield began early this year and are still underway today.

One satellite image shows the large eastern apron areas big expansion, as well as an enlarged secondary apron area on the west end on the runway. The runway itself has been completely rebuilt, the site added.

The Pentagon has spent hundreds of millions of dollars improving the runway, aircraft staging areas, and infrastructure. There is now a large solar farm on the west end of the island. And, as The Drive notes, its likely that the Pentagon will continue pouring money and resources into Wake as tensions with China ramp up again.

Whats also notable is that Wake sits outside the range of Chinas and North Koreas medium-range ballistic missiles, whereas Guam  another U.S. outpost in the Pacific  doesnt. Wake is also outside of their intermediate range missiles as well, most likely.

The build-up at Wake comes amid Chinese improvements to manmade islands and other atolls in the South China Sea.

Late last month, President Trumps national security advisor, Robert OBrien, said the U.S. would no longer treat China as gently as previous administrations have.

The days of American passivity and naivety regarding the Peoples Republic of China are over, OBrien told a group of Arizona business leaders in Phoenix. America, under President Trumps leadership, has finally awoken to the threat of the Chinese Communist Partys actions and the threat they pose to our great way of life.

Wake Island appears to be factoring into the administrations confront China strategy.

Sources include:

NaturalNews.com

TheDrive.com

Britannica.com
By PTI

HARIDWAR: Eight people, including the director and deputy CEO of Roorkee Institute of Technology (RIT), have been taken into custody in connection with the alleged assault on two African students on its campus recently, a senior police officer said on Friday.

RIT Director Parag Jain, its Deputy CEO Shrikant and six security guards Yogesh, Khushiram, Sonu, Ashish, Lalit and Munendra Chauhan have been taken into custody in connection with the incident which took place on Wednesday, Circle Officer Manglaur Abhay Singh said.

They are being interrogated, he said.

Though investigations were still underway, the African students were allegedly assaulted by the security guards when they entered into an argument with them after being stopped from leaving the campus, Singh said.

The students who live in the RIT hostel were not paying their fees and the management had apparently decided to restrict their movement to mount pressure on them to clear their dues, he said.

The two students who sustained injuries in the assault are admitted in a hospital nearby.
Turkish president denounces Egypt, UAE for supporting forces in east Libya after tribesmen call for Cairo to intervene.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for supporting forces based in eastern Libya, after Egypts President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met Libyan tribesmen who urged Cairo to intervene in the war.

Turkey has been providing military aid to the United Nations-recognised government in the Libya conflict, while Egypt, the UAE and Russia have backed its foes in a rival administration based in the east.

Recent weeks have seen dramatic military advances by the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), which drove back forces of the eastern renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar who had launched an assault on Tripoli last year.

Eastern-based legislators called this week for Egypt to intervene in the conflict. El-Sisi met Libyan tribesmen on Thursday and said Egypt would not stand idle in the face of a direct threat to Egyptian and Libyan security.

Asked about the possibility of Egyptian intervention, Erdogan said on Friday Turkey would maintain its support for the GNA.

Steps taken by Egypt here, especially their siding with the putschist Haftar, show they are in an illegal process, he said. He also described the approach of the UAE as piratical.

El-Sisi said last month Egypts army might enter Libya if the Tripoli government and its Turkish allies renewed an assault on the central Sirte-Jufrah front line, seen as the gateway to Libyas main oil export terminals, now held by Haftars allies.

Libya has been mired in conflict since 2011, when longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi was removed in a NATO-backed operation.





Arms embargo

Meanwhile, Frances foreign ministry on Friday rebuffed US assertions that an EU naval mission to enforce a UN weapons embargo for Libya was biased and not serious, saying Washington should itself be doing more to stop the flow of weapons to the North African country.

David Schenker, assistant secretary for Near East Affairs at the US State Department, said on Thursday Europe should go beyond limiting arms-supply interdictions to Turkey by designating Russian military contractor Wagner Group and calling out Moscow and other countries such as the UAE and Egypt over the issue.

In response to Schenkers comments, French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll told reporters: We call on all our partners  starting with the United States  to step up their action, as the European Union is doing, to hinder recurrent violations of the arms embargo and to help relaunch a political process inclusive.

Turkey has intervened decisively in recent weeks in Libya, providing air support, weapons and allied fighters from Syria to help the GNA repel a year-long assault by Haftar.

Turkey accuses France of supporting Haftar politically, having previously given him military assistance to fight armed groups.

France denies this, but relations between the two NATO allies have frayed with Paris repeatedly pointing the finger at Ankara over its role in Libya, while never publicly criticising Egypt or the UAE for their role.

France is actively participating in this important operation in the context of increased foreign interference in the Libyan conflict, which we have condemned in the strongest terms, Von der Muhll said.

The UN has previously cited the UAE, Egypt and Turkey for breaching the embargo.

Germany also stressed on Friday the need to uphold the Libyan arms embargo in the wake of el-Sisis latest statement.

Speaking at a regular news briefing in Berlin, Christofer Burger, a deputy spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, made clear that the Libyan arms embargo applied to all sides.

The German diplomat called for an immediate end to foreign military support for the conflict parties.
Photograph: AP

The three white suspects accused of murdering the unarmed Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia have pleaded not guilty to nine counts that include malice murder and felony murder.

Gregory McMichael, 64, his son, Travis McMichael, 34, and their neighbor William Bryan, 50, were formally charged in Chatham county superior court on Friday morning after a grand jury indicted them at the end of June.

The McMichaels were charged with murder and aggravated assault. Bryan was charged with murder and attempt to illegally detain and confine.

Related: 'He was a beautiful soul': Lions' Walker on killing of cousin Ahmaud Arbery

Arbery, 25, was killed by Travis McMichael on 23 February after he and his father, Gregory McMichael, chased Arbery in their truck and shot him while he was jogging in his neighborhood in the town of Brunswick. They said they believed Arbery was a robbery suspect.

Bryan joined the McMichaels as they pursued Arbery, and took the video footage of the killing that was eventually leaked.

The men were arrested in May, months after the killing, after the footage went viral. The delay in bringing charges sparked national outrage.

Arberys killing has been a key part of the recent scrutiny of racism in the US, as well as the handling by police and justice departments of violence against Black Americans.

The McMichaels say they were acting in self-defense, but at a preliminary court hearing in early June, Richard Dial, a special agent with the states investigation bureau, said that Bryan overheard Travis McMichael making a racial slur after he shot Arbery. Dial also said there had been other instances when the younger McMichael used anti-Black racial slurs, including on Instagram, and a comment made when he was in the coast guard.

During that hearing, Dial pushed back against Jason Sheffield, an attorney for Travis McMichael, who said that McMichael was using self-defense against Arbery.

I dont think it was self-defense by Mr McMichael, Dial said. I believe it was self-defense by Mr Arbery.

Story continues

Two local district attorneys offices initially declined to pursue charges against the men before the video was leaked by a local criminal defense attorney. Gregory McMichael was a former police officer who had previously worked as an investigator for the office of the district attorney, Jackie Johnson, who passed the case to another DA.

In April, a second district attorney, George Barnhill, also recused himself from the case, and wrote in a letter that the pursuit of Arbery was perfectly legal because Georgia law allows for some forms of citizens arrests.

Once the video was leaked, the states investigation bureau stepped in and arrested the McMichaels in early May. Bryan was arrested 21 May. The bureau appointed a special prosecutor, Joyette Holmes, a district attorney for a suburb of Atlanta, to oversee the charges.

In a press conference, Holmes said she was aware people want the case to move quickly, but asked for patience as the prosecutors get the case through court.

She said: We are going to make sure that we find justice in this case. We know that we have a broken family and a broken community down in Brunswick.
Seamless trade is vital for our economy, says the UKs Business Secretary

For businesses in Northern Ireland, their biggest trading partners by far are in England, Scotland, and Wales.

Trade with Great Britain was worth 24bn in 2018, more than the total of all trade with other countries at 19bn, and over three times the value of trade with the Republic of Ireland at 7bn.

To guarantee our shared prosperity and drive our recovery from the impact of Coronavirus, we must continue to work together as one United Kingdom.

The UK Government has committed to guaranteeing in law unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses to the whole UK market, as promised in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.

Our proposals for the UK internal market will extend a similar protection to Northern Ireland's services industry and its biggest market, the rest of the UK - protecting businesses from unnecessary red tape.

Seamless trade is vital for our economy, boosting business, supporting jobs, and ensuring all of us get the best deal as consumers.

When the Transition Period ends this year, powers that were previously held by the European Union in 157 policy areas will be transferred to Northern Ireland.

This wholesale transfer of power and responsibility is undoubtedly a positive moment in our shared history. However, to ensure businesses can continue to trade unhindered across the United Kingdom as they do now, we need to provide clarity over the rules that govern our economy.

An electrician in Northern Ireland, with crucial skills but different qualifications to those in England, Wales and Scotland, will still be able to work across the United Kingdom.

Our common sense proposals will bolster our shared prosperity and back the businesses driving our recovery from coronavirus. Bouncing back from this pandemic is dependent on keeping trade between different parts of the UK going as it always has done.

These proposals are designed to ensure that devolution can continue to work for everyone and that all devolved policy areas stay devolved.

But above all we are motivated by a clear and common sense goal - allowing business as usual to go on so trade can continue to flow between all nations of our UK.

Alok Sharma MP is the Business Secretary
This is the adorable moment a shy koala joey was caught sticking his head out of his mother's pouch before quickly hiding back inside.

Koala keeper Ashley Hunter was cleaning out an enclosure on Thursday when she saw the tiny joey peaking out from his mother's pouch.

In the clip filmed at Cleland Wildlife Park, based east of Adelaide, the joey could be seen stretching out his long arms and legs as he struggled to get out.

Support officer Shelley Rodda told Daily Mail Australia it was rare to capture such a precious moment.

Ms Rodda said the five-month-old joey weighed 'not much more than a stick of butter' at an estimated 250 grams and could be taking his first 'steps' into the world.

'They are very inquisitive so they do get to a point where they start to explore the world a little bit more,' she said.

A koala joey will usually crawl into their mother's pouch immediately after birth and only take their first steps into the world after around six months.

Ms Rodda said staff were very keen to get to know the new joey but it was more important that he spent time bonding with his mother Holly in her pouch.

A koala joey was filmed at Cleland Wildlife Park in Adelaide taking quick look outside of his mother's pouch before hiding back inside

She said staff will wait until the young joey ventures outside the pouch before they officially name him.

'Koalas all have different traits, so we wait until they get a little bit older and they've formed a little bit of a personality before we name them,' she said.

Once the joey begins his first steps into the world Ms Rodda said he would live a life of luxury at the wildlife park.

'The koalas here pretty much live in a five-star hotel they don't have to look for food they get all their gum tree leaves brough to them,' she said.

Cleland Wildlife Park is open to the public under strict coronavirus conditions.
Journalist Mohamed Mounir died on 15 July after contracting Covid-19 in jail, where he had spent a month after his arrest on 15 June. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today expressed its deepest sympathy for - and condolences to - Mounir's family, and demanded an independent investigation into the treatment of his health situation during his detention.

65-year-old Mounir was arrested for "spreading fake news" during his reporting for Al Jazeera, which the Egyptian authorities have banned for allegedly hosting "enemies" of the country.

Mounir's family confirmed that he had contracted the virus. Initially, he was reportedly discharged from the hospital even though, as he wrote on his Facebook profile, he had suffered a stroke and a kidney failure, and his health was rapidly deteriorating. His daughter wrote that he was tested twice, with the last test coming out positive.

At the start of the Covid-19 crisis in the region, the IFJ called on the Egyptian authorities to release all journalists in jail. According to IFJ research, there are currently at least 37 journalists in jail in Egypt, who have been denied fair trial and due legal process.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: "We mourn the passing of Mohamed Monir and express our deepest condolences to Mounir's family for their loss. This tragedy is all the more upsetting as it could have been avoided if Monir had been provided with proper care while in detention. We therefore urge the authorities to investigate the treatment he received for his condition. We also renew our call for the release of all journalists detained in Egypt for simply doing their job."
Phuket offering free COVID tests over Rayong risk

PHUKET: The Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) is offering any persons in Phuket who were in the same areas in Rayong from July 8-11 where the Egyptian soldier, now confirmed as infected, may have visited to come for a free COVID-19 test.

COVID-19health

By The Phuket News

Friday 17 July 2020, 06:13PM

Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong explained yesterday that the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok had confirmed that the Egyptian soldier who was later found infected stayed at D Varee Diva Central Rayong hotel, from July 8-11. Photo: PR Phuket

Anyone who visited Rayong during the same period and are worried whether they had unknown close contact with the infected person, please contact the PPHO and come to be tested for free, Busaya Jaipiam, Chief of the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket), told The Phuket News Thai-language sister newspaper Khao Phuket today (July 17).

Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong explained yesterday that the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok had confirmed that the Egyptian soldier who was later found infected stayed at D Varee Diva Central Rayong hotel, from July 8-11.

He went shopping at Passion Mall shopping centre, as locally known as Laem Thong department store, on July 10.

The incident initially caused diplomatic tensions between Thailand and Egypt, with Thai health officials blaming Egyptian diplomats, but further investigation revealed lax screening measures at U-Tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport.

However, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha later apologised for the incident and vowed to step up precautionary measures.

Meanwhile, local residents in Rayong have blamed the scare for severe harm to its tourism industry.

The Interior Ministry on Wednesday ordered all provincial governors to survey people who were in Rayong at the same time as a 43-year-old infected Egyptian soldier and offer them tests for COVID-19.

Disease Control Department Director-General Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai today (July 17) reported that about 2,500 people were tested for COVID-19 in Rayong and Bangkok on Wednesday and Thursday following the double health scare, including the arrival in Bangkok of an infected girl from Sudan, a diplomats daughter, late last week.

On Tuesday 1,336 people were tested in Rayong and 267 people in Bangkok. The people were at the same hotel and malls where the Egyptian military delegation were at in Rayong, and at the condominium where the daughter of the Sudanese attache stayed before being admitted to a hospital, reports the Bangkok Post.

Dr Suwannachai said all of those people tested negative.

On Wednesday 1,252 more people were tested in Rayong and 1,247 of them had come back negative. Five other cases were awaiting the results.

On Thursday 1,244 more people were tested in the eastern province and 97 people in Bangkok. Their results were pending.

Those with negative results should still strictly observe disease control measures including wearing face masks, regularly wash their hands, use only personal objects, observe safe distancing and reduce trips away from their residences for 14 days, Dr Suwannachai said.

Late this morning CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said that of 1,244 tests in Rayong on Thursday, 564 had now returned negative and all 97 people checked on Thursday in Bangkok were negative.

The negative results included 19 people at high risk of infection in Rayong and Bangkok, he said.

Meanwhile, in Phuket today, Ms Busaya explained, The Phuket Government wants anyone who visited Rayong during the time and concern of the infection, please contact the PPHO by calling their hotline 1422.
As cases of the novel coronavirus surged nationwide this week, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., suggested that North Carolina's Hispanic population may be harder hit by the potentially deadly virus because they are not practicing social distancing or wearing masks as frequently as other groups.

"I'm not a scientist and I'm not a statistician, but one of the concerns that we've had more recently is that the Hispanic population now constitutes about 44 percent of the positive cases," Tillis, who is up for reelection in the fall, said during a Tuesday telephone town hall. "And we do have some concerns that in the Hispanic population we've seen less consistent adherence to social distancing and wearing a mask."

Tillis's remarks, which gained traction Thursday after a short audio recording of the event circulated online, were condemned as "racist" by critics who argued that the virus disproportionately impacts Hispanics because many are essential workers. By Thursday night, at least two Latino Democratic lawmakers had publicly called out Tillis for his comments, noting that there is still a resistance to mask-wearing among conservatives.

"This racist BS needs to stop," tweeted Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Tex.). "Latinos & African Americans are most at risk, dying at higher rates - and STILL going to work every day [because] they are essential workers. Meanwhile, Republican colleagues in Congress are the ones who refuse to use masks."

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) echoed Escobar's comments, describing the hardships faced by a number of Hispanics amid the pandemic.

"We pulled the food, slaughtered the animals, packaged the food that fed America," Gallego tweeted. "They did it at barely minimum wage and went back homes to big families under one roof [because] that is all they could afford."

Gallego added that Tillis "could never do one full shift at a meat packing factory."

"Respect the people that feed America," he wrote.

In a statement to the News & Observer, Tillis campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo stressed Thursday that the senator has "been clear that not enough North Carolinians of all backgrounds have been wearing masks and has consistently advocated that all his constituents do so." Tillis, in contrast with some other Republican lawmakers and President Trump, is a vocal mask proponent and has supported his state's stay-at-home orders, WUNC reported earlier this year.

"The community faces significant challenges, including multi generational households that make it tougher to social distance, and the increased exposure risk for essential workers on the frontlines who are keeping our economy running," Romeo told the News & Observer on Thursday. "The government at all levels should assist the community in the fight to beat the virus and promote ways to keep residents safe and healthy, which is Senator Tillis' priority."

One such method is the series of telephone town halls, which, according to Tillis's website, give North Carolinians a chance to ask questions and discuss the pandemic with the senator.

During Tuesday's event, Tillis's comments about North Carolina's Hispanic population came as part of a longer answer to a question about whether police could enforce mask rules, the Hill reported. According to the news site, the original question did not mention the minority group.

The portion of his response concerning Hispanics was captured in the audio recording, which appeared to first be shared by American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic super PAC. Tillis is locked in a competitive race for his seat against Democrat Cal Cunningham, a former North Carolina state senator.

"Just wear the mask out of respect," Tillis could be heard saying at the beginning of the recording.

He then went on to talk about the higher rates of infection among Hispanics, before acknowledging that wearing a mask and social distancing can at times be "an inconvenience."

"But it's a minor inconvenience when you think about the fact that you may be infecting somebody or you yourself may have an underlying health condition that might make it an acute case that ultimately leads to death," he said. "So I don't know if we'd ever have enough police officers to go into every convenience store, grocery store and cite people for doing it. But I really hope we don't have to get to that point."

By early Friday, North Carolina had more than 93,400 reported coronavirus cases and 1,588 deaths, according to data tracked by The Washington Post.

Citing figures from state health officials, the News & Observer reported last month that Latinos make up 44 percent of the nearly 30,000 cases in North Carolina for which ethnicity is known.

Health experts, such as North Carolina Secretary of Health and Human Services Mandy Cohen and Duke University professor Viviana S. Martinez-Bianchi, have attributed the "dramatically disproportionate impact" on Hispanics mostly to their essential worker status, according to the newspaper.

"While others were able to isolate at home, you had to go out to work," said Martinez-Bianchi, addressing Latino workers at a June news conference. "You work in meat processing plants, in cleaning, in construction, in supermarkets, hospitals, and kitchens, in many cases, without access to personal protective equipment, such as these masks, which are so necessary to prevent the transmission of the virus from person to person."

Still, Hispanics and other minority groups such as African Americans and Asians are more likely to regularly wear a mask in public compared to white people, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in June.

The survey found that 74 percent of Hispanic adults said they had recently worn masks in stores or other businesses "all or most of the time," compared to 62 percent of white adults. More than 9,600 respondents' answers were recorded with a margin of error of 1.6 percentage points, the center said.

On Thursday, critics accused the senator of, as one person put it, "saying his Hispanics constituents are to blame" for North Carolina's surge in coronavirus cases. The backlash came on the same day the U.S. saw a single-day high of new reported cases, recording more than 70,000.

"You work in cramped spaces for min wage feeding the country and let's see how you are doing," tweeted Eric Garcia, a former independent congressional candidate in California.
The wife of an Irish businessman who has been barred from leaving China 16 months ago said that she doesnt know when he will come home again.

Senior Irish aviation leasing executive Richard O'Halloran, who lived with his wife Tara and four children in Foxrock in Dublin, was given an exit ban 16 months ago after due to his involvement in a court case.

Mr O'Halloran, a director of Dublin-registered China International Aviation Leasing Service Ltd (CALS), arrived in China last year, has become involved in a court case in relation to the chairman and owner of CALS, Chinese businessman Min Jiedong.

Mr O'Halloran's case was first reported in the Sunday Independent in February and now his wife maintains that he is completely innocent and has been unable to leave the country, mostly staying in his hotel in Shanghai for fear of contracting the coronavirus as he has an underlying lung condition.

Hes 100pc innocent, hes done nothing wrong, said Mrs OHalloran.

Its about 500 days now that hes been gone.

Hes been interrogated by the police, its been horrific.

Mrs OHalloran has said that the ordeal has caused the family a lot of stress and Mr OHalloran was not able to travel home when her mother passed away in January.

Expand Close Irish businessman Richard O'Halloran and his wife Tara. / Facebook

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My mother died in January and Richard wasnt here, he couldnt say goodbye to her.

She adored my husband. It was just so unfair that he wasnt allowed to come and attend her funeral or be with us.

Our children are aged six, eight, 11 and 13 and its very hard for the younger ones to understand why hes not coming back or if hes ever coming back.

We were strongly advised not to travel to China to see him because theres a risk that I could get detained, she explained.

While the previous Tanaiste Simon Coveney held a meeting with Mrs OHalloran, she said that they have been left completely in the dark by the Irish government.

Weve been in contact with the embassies but they dont push at a government level.

Were really calling out for somebody to help us.

Hes now saying that he doesnt know if hell ever see us again, she added.

She has started an online petition, which has garnered over 5,000 signatures.

We dont know where to turn next, were at our wits end.

The department of foreign affairs said that it is aware of the case, is providing consular assistance and it is policy not to comment on individual cases.

When contacted by Independent.ie, the Chinese embassy in Dublin said that Mr OHalloran is restricted from leaving the country but his personal freedom within China and every legal rights are fully guaranteed.

In a statement, the embassy alleged that Mr OHalloran is an operator of CIALS and alleged that he has control over the companys operating revenue.

It is hoped that Mr. OHalloran cooperates positively with Shanghai police to bring this case to a successful conclusion at an early date.
Brussels summit on recovery fund and 2021-2027 budget opens Michel calls for courage, Merkel for hard work

(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, 17 LUG - A special meeting of the European Council began Friday morning that will focus on a 750-billion-euro recovery fund meant to help the bloc recovery from a massive recession and 2021-2027 budget.



While admitting that the meeting will be difficult, European Council president Charles Michel said that an agreement would be possible with a bit of ''courage''.



He added that a great deal of work had been put into preparing the summit and that it was a matter of the future and unity of Europe and not only money.



Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte, leading figure among the countries dubbed ''frugal'' in the bloc, said that he believed there was a less than 50% chance of reaching an agreement on the recovery fund by Sunday but that there was still a chance to achieve a compromise.



He stressed that there was hard work ahead and that he firmly intended to look at reforms in exchange for the aid planned.



German chancellor Angela Merkel, who acted as a mediator, commented by saying that there are still many disagreements between EU leaders and that it was impossible to say whether they will achieve an agreement at this point or whether all will be willing to compromise.



She added that Germany and France would be working to help Michel.



European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen said that the crisis had to be overcome and that the bloc would have to become stronger afterwards. She stressed that an agreement was possible.



Spanish prime minister said that Spain was taking part in the summit with the intention of reaching an agreement. He added that Spain would be defending national interests but with a constructive spirit. (ANSAmed).




The death toll in floods in Assam has risen to 76 according to the latest data. In the past few weeks, floodwaters of the rain-swollen Brahmaputra and its tributaries affected nearly 37 lakh people in 26 districts, gulping down roads, villages, animals and farmlands.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), Dhubri, Barpeta, Morigaon, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Golaghat, Goalpara and Bongaigaon are the worst affected districts - over 8.7 lakh people have been affected in Dhubri alone.

A total of 3,201 villages under 92 revenue circles have been swamped by overflowing rivers. Images showed houses submerged to roof-level and farm animals confined in sheds unable to move.

A herd of elephants crossing National Highway while fleeing floods in Kaziranga. PHOTO Credit : Biju Boro A herd of elephants crossing National Highway while fleeing floods in Kaziranga. PHOTO Credit :

We are facing a tough time, and we are all together again - the houses in our village are under water, our cattle and livestock are stranded in submerged homes along with hundreds of people. If the animals are not evacuated, they will drown. This is what happens every year, said a local resident of Joghighopa town of Bongaigaon district on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra.

Houses submerged in Assams Morigaon district, humans and cattle take shelter together. PHOTO Credit : Biju Boro Houses submerged in Assams Morigaon district, humans and cattle take shelter together. PHOTO Credit :

We cannot step out of our dwelling as the entire village is inundated. There are about a hundred families living here. We have tied our animals at the relief camp and staying at our home as there is not enough space at the camp, said 35-year-old Anwar Ali of Chandanpur village in Barpeta district.

More than 360 villages in Barpeta have been affected in the second wave of floods this year.

Houses submerged in Assams Morigaon district. PHOTO Credit : Biju Boro Houses submerged in Assams Morigaon district. PHOTO Credit :

In latest reports, more than 20 lakh big and small farm animals, and 12.85 lakh poultry have been affected by floods in different districts. These include dairy cows, pigs, goats, chickens, ducks and geese.

The ASDMA report on Friday stated 49,977 people took shelter in 300 relief camps across 24 districts - 4,526 children from several villages of Goalpara district were living in temporary relief camps with their parents.

As many as 445 relief distribution centres have been stocked with rice, pulses, salt, mustard oil, wheat bran supplies, besides baby food, tarpaulin, cattle feed, sanitary napkins and other essentials for flood-affected people.

We are facing acute shortage of drinking water and no access to basic sanitation. The situation is unbearable and you are talking of following Covid-19 protocols? remarked a flood victim in Moirabari town of Morigaon district when asked if people were following Coronavirus guidelines issued by district authorities.

This is not a new scene, we are a cursed village since past 20 years and our local representative has done nothing to help either. We need ration and proper shelter, said Rimon Brahma, a school teacher in Sikarbil village of Kokrajhar district who paid a visit to the relief camp.

We are expected to be cautious regarding Covid-19 pandemic, but there are so many problems - the children in relief camps venture out after their parents leave for work. They are daily wage earners. The kids cant stay hungry. We need nutritional food for the little ones, Brahma mentioned, adding that their lands were washed away by the raging Gongia River that flows downstream from the Bhutan Hills.

To protect their homes from flood and erosion, villagers living along the banks of the river conducted traditional Bathou Puja by offering prayers to River Goddess Ganga.

In Kaziranga National Park, 86 animals have died in floods this monsoon. According to officials, more than 85 percent of the park remains flooded and 80 of the 233 anti-poaching camps were submerged in water.

Though time cards have been issued to regulate speed of vehicles plying along the national highway, 14 Hog Deer have been killed by speeding vehicles. Four rhinos drowned in flood waters inside the park while many have been displaced.

Three tigers that moved out of the park sought shelter in the fringe villages and were guided back into the forest. So far, 125 animals including a Royal Bengal tiger and a rhino calf have been rescued by forest officials and the Wildlife Trust of India-Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (WTI-CWRC) members with the help of locals.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) assisted by the civil administration are engaged in rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected areas. Around 130 boats have been deployed for rescue work, and 2,918 people have been evacuated to safety in the past 48 hours.

Wearing special PPE suits, the rescue personnel were also distributing masks to the marooned and screening them for symptoms. The rescue boats are sanitised after every mission, and though maintaining social distancing is difficult in relief camps, local authorities are urging people to follow the public health practice to reduce chances of disease transmission.

(With inputs from Haantigiri Narzary)
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SANTA FE  The 75th anniversary of the first test of a nuclear weapon was remembered in different ways in northern New Mexico on Thursday.

Los Alamos National Laboratory, the birthplace of the bomb, commemorated the worlds first atomic explosion at Trinity Site in southern New Mexico with an event at V-site, a secured part of the LANL campus off limits to the public where early testing and some assembly of the Gadget took place.

Weeks later, the United States used the weapon, dropping bombs above Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing thousands and effectively ending World War II.

Meanwhile, at the state capitol in Santa Fe, the anti-nuke Los Alamos Study Group held a demonstration calling on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to demand that the Department of Energy conduct a site-wide environmental impact statement at the lab, which is ramping up production of plutonium pits, the triggering device for nuclear warheads.

Greg Mello, who heads up the group, said we live in a poorly prioritized society, where the proliferation of nuclear weapons is accepted and those building weapons are considered essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, many common people who drive the economy have suffered as businesses shut down.

Mello said right now the country is experiencing climate, economic, social and education crises, but what we dont have is a crisis in plutonium pits. Those, we have plenty of, he told a crowd of about two dozen people.

LANL Director Thom Mason said in a short video posted on the LANL website that the anniversary of the Trinity test is a reminder of how teams from different disciplines can work together to solve scientific problems.

In fact, thats how we do our work today, he said, whether its tackling the COVID-19 pandemic or our work in support of the nations nuclear stockpile and non-proliferation, we bring together scientists, engineers, technologists, communication experts to solve these problems and talk about them and were looking forward to doing that as part the recognition of this historic event.

Mason said the anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the labs successes serving the country.

But Mello said work at LANL jeopardizes the world in which we live.

There was a bang 75 years ago and we have been concerned about it ending in a bang, he said.
United States Attorney General William Barr has said that Apple, Google, and Microsoft are collaborating too much with the Chinese government.

"Corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Apple have shown themselves all too willing to collaborate with the [Chinese Communist party]," Barr said.

"The Chinese Communist Party thinks in terms of decades and centuries, while we tend to focus on the next quarterly earnings report," the Attorney General said in a speech at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Michigan.

"Americas big tech companies have also allowed themselves to become pawns of Chinese influence."

Barr also claimed that Apple iPhones "wouldn't be sold (in China) if they were impervious to penetration by Chinese authorities." He suggested American tech companies were imposing a "double standard."

It is unclear how Barr sees Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo collaborating with the Chinese government.

Recently, many large technology companies have taken a stance against the Chinese government, saying they are reviewing or not complying with their requests for data.

This is due to the recent actions of the Chinese government against protestors in Hong Kong. The governments recent national security law has been called sweeping and ill-defined due to its draconian approach to free speech.

The Independent has reached out to the office of the Attorney General for clarification.

Google services do not exist in China, although the company has a sales arm in the country.

Microsoft operates in China, providing its Bing search engine and other services. LinkedIn, which is owned by Microsoft, has said it is pausing responses to requests.

As we would with any new legislation, we are reviewing the new law to understand its implications Microsoft told The Independent at the time.

In the past, weve typically received only a relatively small number of requests from Hong Kong authorities, but we are pausing our responses to these requests as we conduct our review.

It is unclear how Yahoo operates in China. In 2015 its Chinese office and services - including its web portal, music service and email - was closed.

The Independent has reached out to Apple, Google, Microsoft, Verizon Media (which owns Yahoo), and the Chinese Embassy in London for comment.

"If [these companies] stand together, they will provide a worthy example for other American companies in resisting the Chinese Communist Partys corrupt and dictatorial rule," Barr said.

The US government has recently said it is looking into banning Chinese technology companies from the United States.

This includes Huawei, which the Trump administration has said is controlled by the Chinese military. President Trump also announced visa restrictions for Huawei employees, as well as the employees of other Chinese companies.

The viral video app TikTok, owned by the Chinese company Bytedance, is could also be banned because of claimed national security concerns over the transfer of data.

Additional reporting by agencies
UK Launches Reviews Into Capital Gains Tax, Post-COVID-19 Tax Reform

by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com, London

17 July 2020

The UK's Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has indicated that changes to the UK's capital gains tax regime may be on the horizon, having commissioned a report into the future of the tax from the Office for Tax Simplification.

According to the Government, the review will look into aspects of the taxation of chargeable gains in relation to individuals and smaller businesses.

Sunak said in his letter to the OTS: "This review should identify opportunities relating to administrative and technical issues as well as areas where the present rules can distort behaviour or do not meet their policy intent. In particular, I would be interested in any proposals from the OTS on the regime of allowances, exemptions, reliefs and the treatment of losses within CGT, and the interactions of how gains are taxed compared to other types of income."

Separately, according to the Chartered Institute of Taxation, the House of Commons Treasury Committee is due to launch an inquiry into tax reform after the pandemic.
In an interview, Bacon conceded the Trump effect on his own electoral fortunes but said that if voting were held tomorrow he would expect to win with a similar margin as he did in 2018.

Weve got four more months to go, and I think the president has time to recover and that will make the race easier for me if he does, Bacon said. I have to acknowledge  if hes down, it makes it a tougher race.

Bacon said he has always maintained that he must attract independents and moderate Democrats to win and that he will keep working for their support.

He noted that he has the backing of various local labor unions and emphasized his work on behalf of Offutt Air Force Base.

Bacon also suggested Democrats are split over health care policy, with many of them wary of the kind of Medicare For All system Eastman has supported.

The Eastman campaign, on the other hand, says the ongoing pandemic bolsters her health care policy arguments as millions of people are losing their jobs and their health insurance as a result.
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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 16:35:33|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China has become the first major economy to grow since the start of COVID-19. The bounce-back smashes predictions by naysayers of China's economy and provides hope to other countries looking to recover from a crisis that has caused a global recession.

The 3.2 percent year-on-year growth in the second quarter of the year, versus a 6.8 percent contraction in the first quarter, demonstrated that the world's second-largest economy has a solid base for further expansion.

Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, China adopted comprehensive, strict and precise measures for prevention and control despite misunderstanding and smearing from some Western countries. The government has rolled out a raft of measures, including more fiscal spending, tax relief and supportive employment policies, to revive the economy.

Chinese economy has shifted from slowing down to rising, strong evidence that the adverse impact of the epidemic can be overcome with resolve, courage and correct actions.

The world's confidence in the prospects of China's development is well-founded. The country's economic recovery will continue in the second half of the year, powered by the rapidly growing new industries and business models, as well as the strong support from macro policies.

China, now in a better position to handle any contingencies in the future, remains an important engine for global growth. Its market is still huge, inclusive and open where wise foreign enterprises have every reason to stay rooted and seek further development.

The dark moment is passing, but the full recovery could take time. China needs to deepen reforms, expand opening-up and improve its business environment to achieve high-quality development.

The government will make further efforts to expand domestic demand, as China is still facing constraints in consumption recovery, with retail sales of consumer goods declining 11.4 percent in the first half of the year. Policies and measures to ensure employment, people's livelihoods and development of market entities will be comprehensively implemented, which will provide new opportunities for Chinese and foreign enterprises.

In today's world, the interests of all countries are highly integrated. Win-win cooperation is the trend of the times. China will be unswervingly committed to pursuing the path of peaceful development, promoting the building of an open world economy and supporting international solidarity against the coronavirus until victory is won for all.

The year 2020 is a difficult time for the world facing waves of virus cases, rising protectionism and other uncertainties. During these trying times, no matter how the domestic and international economic situation evolves, China will always stand on the right side of history. Enditem
The Madhya Pradesh governments much talked about campaign to tackle the coronavirus pandemic has seen the situation worsening in the state, driving authorities in several districts to clamp curfews and lockdowns or amend orders to reschedule opening of markets.

When the Kill Corona campaign began on July 1, there were 13,593 Covid-19 patients in the state and of whom 572 had died. On July 15, when the campaign ended the number of patients stood at 19,643 and the death toll at 682.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

In comparison to the period earlier, the number of Covid-19 cases increased by 200% during the fortnight. During the campaign, as many as 6,050 new Covid-19 patients were identified across the state and 110 died.

On average, 400 new patients were identified and more than seven died every day during this period in comparison to 133 Covid-19 cases and more than five people dying every day in over three months prior to the campaign.

The major contributors to the Covid-19 cases during this fortnight were Bhopal (993 cases), Gwalior (876), Indore (787), Morena (734) and Jabalpur (242). The new cases from these five cities accounted for more than 60% of the 6,050 new cases identified in the first fortnight of July.

A seven-day curfew has been clamped in Gwalior since Tuesday while a complete lockdown has been imposed in Morena. In Indore and Bhopal, the opening of markets has been rescheduled.

When the campaign was launched, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said the government and the society will work together in all districts during the important campaign of controlling the virus and to generate health awareness.

A meaningful message will be conveyed by this unique and major campaign to other states too, Chouhan had said in an official meeting as per the state governments official communique.

About 14,000 women and men health workers of the state will be entrusted with the important responsibility of survey work Now, the task of identifying the suspected patients quickly and treatment will become easier through the door to door survey in the state. We have to work with a strategy for total control on the virus, he had said.

Interestingly, when the campaign ended on Wednesday the chief minister, as per another official communique, said in a meeting, Positive cases are emerging due to reasons such as organising marriage ceremonies and parties at the social level, hence action should be taken to control it at both government and social level with alertness.

Social distancing, use of masks and precautions must be continued. The causes behind the emergence of positive cases must be eliminated, he said.

Public health expert Amulya Nidhi said the Kill Corona campaign was to address the gaps in identifying the Covid-19 cases with special attention to the vast rural areas in the state.

The governments strategy continues to remain the sameidentifying cases, isolation, test and treatment. However, what we have seen during this campaign is more and more cases coming from urban areas which were already on the radar of the government. Hence, the government cant say now that the cases in these cities increased due to more testing under the campaign, Nidhi said.

Nidhi said, The government must increase the number of Covid tests and labs while strictly enforcing compliance of safety norms including lockdown restrictions. But the fact is there are crowds of people on streets and in markets. There are political activities in view of by-polls with hardly any respect for social distancing norms. Markets are being opened and run as per the wishes of politicians.

State government data shows 11,703 survey teams had conducted the health survey of 75% of the states population and 93,000 samples had been taken during the Kill Corona campaign till July 14, out of which 1,611 or 1.72% of the total samples taken tested positive.

When the governments data itself is self-explanatory that when there are an insignificant number of patients identified under campaign the problem lies somewhere else, SR Azad, a public health expert, said.

The government must admit that it has either failed to address the reasons or is not looking into the same for any reason, Azad added.

State home minister Narottam Mishra, who headed health department as well till a few days back, said the coronavirus pandemic is spreading fast not only in India but the entire world.

The Kill Corona campaign was aimed at increasing the number of tests and identifying the patients early. The number of tests was enhanced significantly. If a patient is identified early and treated it will reduce the number of deaths, Mishra said.

Any death is unfortunate for us and the state government is making all-out efforts to prevent deaths caused by Corona. We have succeeded also in our efforts, he added.
FBI Interview With Steeles Key Source Further Undermines Dossiers Credibility

The Senate Judiciary Committee on July 17 released a partly-classified FBI memo summarizing the bureaus interview with the key source for the dossier compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele.

The contents of the newly released record further undermine the credibility of Steeles infamous dossier of unverified claims targeting then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and associates of his 2016 campaign.

The documents suggest that Steeles key source was not based in Russia and was neither a current nor former Russian government official. The source, who is referred to as the Primary Sub-source in the report by the Justice Department Inspector General, repeatedly told the FBI that he was not aware of where some of the claims attributed to him in the dossier originated. The source also said that Steele recharacterized some of the information to make it appear more substantiated.

Steeles dossier played a critical role in the FBIs decision to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant to spy on Trump-campaign associate Carter Page. Despite learning of the serious credibility issues with the dossier, the bureau went on to obtain two renewal warrants to keep surveilling Page. The 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign was Steeles ultimate client.

It is clear to me that the memo regarding the FBI interview of the primary sub-source in January 2017 should have required the system to stop and reevaluate the case against Mr. Page, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said in a statement.

Most importantly after this interview of the sub-source and the subsequent memo detailing the contents of the interview, it was a miscarriage of justice for the FBI and the Department of Justice to continue to seek a FISA warrant against Carter Page in April and June of 2017.

The FBI interviewed Steeles source in Washington from Jan. 24 to 26, 2017. While the memo summarizing is heavily redacted to protect the sources identity, the new information, in addition to what is already public, strongly suggests that the source was living outside of Russia at the time he provided information to Steele.

The documents also confirm what Steele had already told a British court earlier this year, specifically that he paid the source as a contractor on a regular basis.

The Senate Judiciary Committee simultaneously released several pages of comments by then-FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok on a Feb. 14, 2017, article by the New York Times. In the notes, Strzok rejected the newspapers claim that Steele had a credible track record.

Relevant interviews and investigation, however, reveal Steele may not be in position to judge the reliability of his subsource network, Strzok wrote.

Strzok also disputed several of the articles key claims, including an allegation in the opening paragraph that members and associates of the Trump campaign had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials.

This statement is misleading and inaccurate as written. We have not seen evidence of any individuals affiliated with the Trump team in contacts with IOs, Strzok wrote, using an acronym for intelligence officers.

When the article repeated the allegation about Trump-Russia contacts, Strzok wrote, Again, we are not aware of ANY Trump advisors engaging with Russian intelligence officials.

In an email to The Epoch Times, New York Times senior vice president for communications Eileen Murphy said, We stand by our reporting.
Joe Biden press secretary T.J. Ducklo accused President Trump on Thursday of backing white supremacist causes, in an interview on the Fox News Rundown podcast.

If you look at the Trump campaign and what theyre doing, you know theyre only speaking to their base, Ducklo said on the podcast. They are alienating voters with divisive rhetoric, you know, Donald Trump is openly embracing the causes of white supremacists.

After pushback from the podcast hosts, Ducklo said, I think all you have to do is listen to the rhetoric from Donald Trump.He is someone who is doubling down on appealing to what he feels like is his base and making comments and remarks that are, you know, embracing Confederate flags and Confederate monuments, and what hes not doing is what he should be doing, which is getting this virus under control.

Trump has come out against the removal of memorials to Confederate figures, as well as the rechristening of army bases named after Confederate generals.

You dont want to take away our heritage and history and the beauty, in many cases, the beauty, the artistic beauty, Trump said in a June interview on Fox News. Trump also promised to veto the 2020 military budget if it included an amendment that would rename Fort Bragg, Fort Lee, and other bases. Senior army and defense officials including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley have expressed support for renaming those bases, with Milley referring to Confederate generals as traitors.

Renewed controversy over the Confederate flag and monuments broke out after the death of George Floyd, an African American man killed during his arrest by Minneapolis police officers. The death sparked massive demonstrations across the U.S., some of which have led to rioting and looting in major cities.

More from National Review
When New York was struck a devastating blow from the coronavirus outbreak, Houston healthcare workers traveled there to help. Now, New York says it's time to pay it forward.

The state of New York dispatched two teams of COVID-19 testing staff to Houston. During the next two weeks, the teams will conduct 10,000 COVID-19 tests with supplies donated from New York, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

EXHAUSTED DOCTORS: Houston ICU doc says caregivers are exhausted, describes long-lasting effects of COVID-19

"When New York went through the unprecedented challenge and unimaginable tragedy of COVID-19's apex in the state, states throughout the country provided supplies, ventilators and personnel during our time of greatest need," Cuomo said.

New York state sent more than 20 healthcare workers and public health experts to Houston to set up testing sites in two different COVID-19 hotspots. The first site is located at Northwest Houston's Fallbrook Church and the second location is southwest Houston's Higher Dimension Church.

The testing sites will be operational for two weeks, with the potential capacity to conduct up to 1,000 tests per day, according to the statement released from Cuomo.

Mayor Sylvester Turner expressed his deep appreciation to Cuomo and all the people of New York for the testing sites and staff.

"We got a lot of help from our colleagues in New York and Washington," Houston Health Authority Dr. David Persse said. "Both technical expertise and my understanding is that some of the nurses that are coming to Texas are actually coming from New York, and the New England states."

'WE'RE SEEING THE WORST OF THE WORST': Houston nurse describes dire situation in ICU

Persse said the medical military teams are also helping Houston fight the COVID-19 battle. An 86-person team of doctors, nurses and support staff took over a wing of United Memorial Medical Center to help treat COVID-19 patients.

"UMMC has an empty wing. They are going to establish between a 30-50 hospital bed hospital there," Persse told Chron.com.

Persse said the assistance is much needed.

"Our hospitals are filling up. We've got to work to open up capacity," Persse said. "I hope it provides a little bit of relief for our hospitals. We know of patients that are backing up in the emergency department. That's not the best place for patients to be."

"If we dont keep our foot on the brake...if we don't manage this viral spread, we will be repeating ourselves over again and again," Persse said. "Thats the worst outcome."

If you're interested in COVID-19 testing at either location, call 1-833-697-4839 for an appointment.

Here is the testing schedule:

Fallbrook Church, 12512 Walters Rd, 77014

July 16-18, 9 a.m - 5 p.m

July 20-24, 9 a.m - 5 p.m

July 25, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

July 27, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Higher Dimension Church, 9800 Club Creek Drive, 77036

July 17-18, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

July 20-24, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

July 25, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

July 27, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

alison.medley@chron.com
New Delhi: Lakhs of students waiting with bated breath for the declaration of JAC Jharkhand Board Intermediate Class 12 Results 2020 will have to hold on for a little longer. The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) which was all set to release JAC 12th Result 2020 on Friday (July 17) on its official website jac.jharkhand.gov.in at 1 PM has now decided to release the results at 5 PM citing some unavoidable circumstances.

The Jharkhand Board 12th Result 2020 will be released at 5 PM now for all the streams  Arts, Commerce and Science.

Once declared, students can check the JAC 12th Result 2020 by entering their roll number, roll code on the official website. Results can also be seen via SMS.

Around 3 lakh students had appeared for JAC 12th exams 2020. It must be borne in mind that the online results are only provisional in nature, hence the students will have to approach their respective school for obtaining the original marksheets.

Here's how to check Jharkhand Board Class 12 results online:

Step 1: Go to the jac.jharkhand.gov.in website

Step 2: Click on the link and fill in the required details

Step 3: Click on Submit and get your result

Step 4: Take a printout of the scores for future reference

In 2019, the JAC declared class 12th Results in May. Usually, JAC announces the result by May, however, the 2020 Board Result result has been delayed due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the spread of deadly virus in the country. The pass percentage of Arts was at 79.97 percent, Commerce at 70.44 percent and Science at 57.01 percent in 2019.

The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) declared the Jharkhand Board Class 10 examination 2020 result on July 8.

According to JAC, a total of 75.01% students managed to clear the class 10th exam successfully. A total of 3.85 lakh (3,85,144) students appeared in Jharkhand Board Class 10 examination 2020, out of which 2.88 lakh students cleared the secondary exam successfully. The pass percentage in 2019 was 70.81 per cent, while it was only 59.56% in 2018.

Boys outshone girls with a pass percentage of 75.88% while the pass percentage of girls was 74.25%. Out of 1.8 lakh (1,80,532) boys who appeared in the exam, 1.37 lakh (1,37,003) cleared the exam successfully, while 1.51 lakh (1,51,925) girls managed to clear the exam out of 2.04 lakh (2,04,612) appeared.
NEWCASTLE West Garda Station will relocate to a temporary administrative building on Churchtown Road on August 4.

This relocation will facilitate the planned construction of a new purpose design built garda station to serve the people of Newcastle West Garda District. The current building has been deemed unfit from a health and safety perspective - not only to gardai, but to the public.

Superintendent Aileen Magner said: "I want to reassure you all that during this planed rebuild, in no way whatsoever will the operational side of policing be effected. It is business as usual and we will maintain our high visibility in Newcastle West and its environs."

This temporary building will be an administrative building that can allow uniform gardai continue to provide a high level of service to the public of Newcastle West and its environs.

Local gardai will continue to maintain a 24 hour service to the public, but the public counter hours will be from 7.30am  9pm, seven days a week.

Between the hours 9pm to 7.30am public phones will be diverted to the control room in Henry Street Garda Station.



The temporary building will not facilitate prisoners/detentions so they will be brought to Henry Street, Rathkeale and Bruff Garda Stations for the duration.

Supt Magner and the district administration staff will remain in Askeaton Garda Station. The district detective unit and drugs unit will remain in Rathkeale and the roads policing unit will continue to be based in Abbeyfeale.

Once construction is completed, Newcastle West will become the headquarters for the County Community Engagement Functional Area once the new Garda Operating Model is rolled out and will resume public counter operations on a 24 hour basis.

Supt Magner said: "This is a positive step towards having a new, purpose built station that will become our Community Engagement Headquarters for Limerick County. With the station having to reduce its opening hours to the public during construction, we will be able to put extra gardai out on patrol."

The new station build will commence on the site of the old garda station with a start date and construction timeframe to be confirmed by the OPW.
When President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reopens Istanbul's Hagia Sophia for prayers next week, it will be the crowning symbol of his mission to reassert Turkey's role as a Muslim power on the global stage. Yet Turkey's rarely seemed more alone.

From conflicts in Syria and Libya to strikes in Iraq, NATO's second-largest army is at work day and night with armed drones, warplanes and tanks. Turkish ships sail the Mediterranean, quarreling over gas resources with European Union members Greece and Cyprus.

After nearly two decades at the helm of a nation that straddles the Middle East and Europe, Erdogan has arguably built Turkey into a regional power with more international clout than at any time since its founding as a secular, Westward-facing state by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923.

Erdogan's assertive bid to expand his influence in a region previously under Ottoman rule for hundreds of years means Turkey is now beset by conflict, opposed by heavyweight Arab governments and in discord with its traditional allies. For now, however, no one seems willing or able to stop him.

"Turkey has the strategic advantage," Timothy Ash, Senior Emerging Markets Sovereign Strategist at Bluebay Asset Management, said. "The reality is that the EU is a lion with no teeth when it comes to Turkey. And Erdogan has long figured this out."

The U.S. has condemned some aspects of Erdogan's foreign policy but shied away from concrete action against a key NATO ally. For the EU, Turkey's role as a buffer against the flow of migrants and militants into Europe has made it too risky to wield trade sanctions over its gas exploration in the east Mediterranean. In any case, trade sanctions would hurt European countries too and few are willing bear those costs as the coronavirus pandemic rips through the global economy.

An applicant to the EU and longtime American ally, Turkey's pursued an increasingly independent foreign policy in recent years and, so far, it's worked. Turkey defied the U.S. and NATO with its purchase of the S-400 air-defense system from Cold War enemy Russia, yet has won President Donald Trump's assent to send troops into messy conflicts the U.S. would rather avoid.

In Libya, a Turkish intervention blessed by the U.S. turned the tide in a complicated proxy war, defeating the Russian-backed forces of renegade general Khalifa Haftar and saving a government endorsed by the United Nations. At the same time, that victory brought Turkey closer to a potential confrontation with Egypt and the UAE, American allies who support Haftar.

In Syria, Turkey has worked with Moscow to avert a Syrian government assault on the last rebel bastion that could trigger a new refugee crisis. But its offensive last year against U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds, who fought on the front lines of the war against Islamic State, caused anger in Europe and the U.S. Congress, though it was endorsed by Trump.

Talk of sanctions over the S-400s and the Syrian incursions persists in Congress, where deep-seated support and sympathy for Turkey has gradually been eroded. Those decaying relations culminated last year in a symbolically-significant vote to recognize the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide, over Turkey and Trump's objections. The country's so far escaped serious punishment, however, as Erdogan walks a fine line between defying his friends and ensuring Turkey remains useful.

"Turkey's ties with the U.S. are very good at the leadership level but very poor at the institutional level," said Fadi Hakura, who manages the Turkey Program at London's Chatham House think tank. "Erdogan's gambling on Trump, and it's worked so far, but you can't run a foreign policy like that as the odds can turn against you. Everything could change if Joe Biden wins the U.S. election in November."

In its triumph, Turkey's already looking isolated.

Across an Arab region convulsed by upheaval, Erdogan's friends are few while his list of detractors is a who's who of Arab heavyweights ranging from Egypt to Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates.

They accuse Turkey of seeking to undermine political stability and meddle in Arab affairs by backing Islamist opposition groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, which is banned or repressed by many governments. Unless Erdogan engages in some serious diplomacy and significant policy shifts, it's hard to see them allowing Ankara to establish itself as the main power in Libya.

"Erdogan has won a series of tactical victories but he has been either unwilling or unable to turn them into strategic gains as this requires muscular diplomacy not just military interventions," said Hakura.

For Europe, Turkey is at once an indispensable partner and a problem. Its vow to begin gas exploration off the divided island of Cyprus was denounced by Mediterranean neighbors Egypt, Israel and Greece, potential partners in a pipeline project, as well as the EU. Whether any companies would bid given the territorial disputes is unclear, but the message was not; Turkey's lengthy east Mediterranean coastline earns it a seat at the table. Home to 3.6 million Syrian refugees, Turkey also controls a major migration tap to the West, forcing European officials to tread lightly.

In a call for closer European-Turkish cooperation published in Politico ahead of an EU foreign policy meeting on Monday, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu cited Libya and Syria as places where Turkey was taking military action that safeguards Europe, yet facing criticism from France and others, while its interests in the Mediterranean were overlooked in "an emerging streak of abuse and estrangement."

On a recent visit to Germany, Cavasoglu's call for a resumption in tourism was rebuffed. Germany cited health concerns. He saw a political motivation.

The EU, for its part, predictably condemned Turkey's decision last week to convert the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque and threatened to expand a European blacklist that has so far targeted two Turks over Ankara's gas exploration bid. Like NATO, however, it's also signaled a desire to de-escalate tensions with a country that remains critical to Europe's security.

"Erdogan's aspiring to claim the leadership of Sunni Muslims and reverse the loss of regional influence once enjoyed by the Ottoman Empire," Nihat Ali Ozcan, a strategist at the Economic Policy Research Foundation in Ankara, said. He's "winning support from some nationalists and pious grass roots at home as well as some corners of the Middle East but increasing the risk that a coalition of Western countries will be formed in addition to those in the Arab world annoyed by Turkey's increasingly assertive foreign policy."
SANDUSKY, OH / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / Rising Biosciences, Inc. (OTC PINK:RBII) CEO Arthur Hall announced significant revenue growth to nearly $350,000 in Q2 as sales and reception of the company's Oxi Thyme have escalated dramatically.

"The activity over the last three months has been incredible", said Hall. "We have already outgrown our original bottling plant and are in the process of building a second bottling facility in South Florida.

Currently, we are operating in 14 states, servicing 74 regions from Anchorage, AK to Key West, FL, with more going on line each week."

Oxi Thyme has introduced a proprietary system designed to sanitize and disinfect varying facilities in the current challenging environment, quickly and cost effectively. Utilizing a proprietary formulated EPA registered Hydrogen Peroxide disinfectant, developed with a surfactant, or surface active agent, Oxi Thyme improves efficiency by lowering surface tension. The addition of a surfactant and the use of an atomizing ULV (ultra low volume) or HVLP (high volume, low pressure) fogging system allows the droplets of disinfectant to disperse more evenly and cover larger surface areas, creating a no touch solution to sanitizing large areas quickly and efficiently leaving no toxic residue.

"We are living in challenging times", Hall added, "and experiencing a dramatic climate of change with this Covid-19 pandemic. People are struggling to establish what our new normal will be with respect to safety standards. Oxi Thyme has heard the call and we are here to help!"

About Rising Biosciences, Inc.

About Rising Biosciences Inc. - In addition to Oxi Thyme, RBII operates three distinct business units. The first business unit is a physicians practice management company focused on the proper use of cannabis for the treatment of chronic pain, opioid addiction, and terminal patients. The second business unit is a research and development company focusing on oral and topical pharmaceuticals within the strict standards set forward by the pharmaceutical compounding industry and the FDA. The third business unit offers cutting edge behavioral health medical treatment for substance addiction from branches throughout the Midwest.

Follow $RBII on the NEW Twitter account and on Facebook for LIVE updates!

https://twitter.com/RisingBioscien1

https://www.facebook.com/RisingBioSciences/

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward- looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

CONTACT INFO: For Investor Inquiries: IR@risingbiosciences.com

SOURCE: Rising Biosciences, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597805/Rising-Biosciences-Inc-Propels-Q2-Revenues-to-Nearly-350000-Due-to-Exceptional-Growth-of-Oxi-Thyme-Division
Amber Heard made fraudulent allegations of domestic violence against Johnny Depp to extort and blackmail him, a long-standing friend of the actor has told the High Court.

Isaac Baruch, an artist who has known the Hollywood star for 40 years, said Mr Depp told him that Ms Heard likes to argue and likes to hit and said: Im not gonna hit her, I love her.

Giving evidence by video-link from the US, Mr Baruch said he saw Ms Heards face and did not see a single mark on May 22 2016, the day after Mr Depp, 57, allegedly threw his ex-wifes mobile phone at her and hit her in the face.

Mr Baruch  who lived rent-free in one of five penthouses in the Eastern Columbia Building in Los Angeles owned by Mr Depp  described the Hollywood star as an ubermensch and an ultimate good guy.

He also told the court that Mr Depp called Ms Heard, 34, a c*** in a text to him because she filed for a fraudulent domestic violence claim to push her hand and extort and blackmail him.

Mr Depps blockbuster libel action against The Suns publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) continued on Friday over an April 2018 article by the tabloids executive editor Dan Wootton which labelled him a wife beater.

In his evidence, Travis McGivern  a member of Mr Depps security team  said the Aquaman actress spat at, punched and threw a can of Red Bull at the actor during a heated row in March 2015.

The court heard from actress and #MeToo activist Katherine Kendall, who claims she was completely misquoted and misused by The Sun, and Alejandro Romero, a concierge at the Eastern Columbia Building, who claims Elon Musk regularly visited Amber Heard late at night.

Ms Heards former interior designer Laura Divenere also gave evidence and said she felt pressured to sign a declaration in separate libel proceedings in the US  brought by Mr Depp against Ms Heard  to say things that were unfavourable about the actress.

Video of the Day

On Friday, the ninth day of the trial, the court heard a text message sent by Mr Depp to Mr Baruch in October 2016 which read: I hate it but Ive got to lose those f****** penthouses. That c*** ruined such a f****** cool life we led for a while. I cant even look at the building anymore.

F***** up. I really loved that spot.

Expand Close Actress Amber Heard at the High Court (Victoria Jones/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Actress Amber Heard at the High Court (Victoria Jones/PA)

NGNs barrister Sasha Wass QC asked if Mr Depp was referring to Ms Heard when he said that c***.

Mr Baruch laughed and replied: Yes.

Mr Romero gave evidence that Mr Musk visited Ms Heard regularly late at night from March 2015, with the Tesla founder later being given a remote control for the buildings garage and a fob to enter Mr Depps penthouse.

The concierge told the court he remembered that it was in March 2015 because it was around the time Mr Depp lost the tip of his middle finger in disputed circumstances on a trip to Australia.

Expand Close Johnny Depp arriving at the High Court (Yui Mok/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Johnny Depp arriving at the High Court (Yui Mok/PA)

Ms Divenere was played a recording of a conversation between her and Ms Heard, recorded without the designers knowledge, after she was allegedly forced into signing a declaration by Mr Depps American lawyer Adam Waldman.

In the conversation, she described Mr Waldman as the biggest asshole under the sun and asked Ms Heard to get her lawyers to get me to do a declaration, too, and question me, so then I can say something in your favour.

Ms Divenere can also be heard to say: I didnt know any of this knowledge beforehand, I mean it was literally afterwards  you always hid it from me.

Ms Heard responds: Its not your fault, you didnt know  I hid it from everyone. Its what people do.

She added: But after, you know, after the divorce, you know, right, immediately after that incident, my eye was  did you see my face?

The final witness of the day, Ms Kendall, told the court that calling out disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein was one of the scariest, most difficult things I have ever done.

In her witness statement, she said she was contacted by an extremely persistent journalist from The Sun called Zoe  who she claimed had stalked her  and only spoke to her out of politeness.

Ms Kendall said that, after reading the April 2018 article, I immediately understood that The Suns purpose was to present the appearance of a #MeToo backlash.

Expand Close Amber Heard and Johnny Depp married in Los Angeles in February 2015 (Jonathan Brady/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Amber Heard and Johnny Depp married in Los Angeles in February 2015 (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Ms Heard is due to be called as the first defence witness on Monday and is expected to give evidence over three days at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Mr Justice Nicol is also expected to hear an application by NGNs lawyers to call expert evidence about whether images apparently showing injuries to Ms Heard have been manipulated or edited in some way.

Mr Depp is suing NGN and Mr Wootton over the publication of an article 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?

His lawyers say the article bore the meaning there was overwhelming evidence Mr Depp assaulted Ms Heard on a number of occasions and left her in fear for her life.

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.
We live in an extraordinary world, where a diverse array of weird and wonderful species come together to create complex ecosystems that make life on Earth both possible and enjoyable.Yet this is also a planet in peril. Our natural world is under great pressure from human activities that threaten to destroy the very ecosystems we depend on.





by Rajasinghe Bandara

Writing from London





Since the election campaigns began playing to the gallery always hits media headlines. Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksas national priorities have become upside down. It seems to me the government ultimate priority has become eliminating the drug cartels from Sri Lankan soil, before eliminating poverty in the country. He has to remember that poverty is the breeding ground for drugs, crimes, prostitution and corruptions. Voters in the last presidential election gave biggest ever mandate to Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, with 69 million votes, with the hope he was the right man to rebuild the nation and to address the critical national issues including poverty and the security.





The last black leopard in Sri Lanka has died in last May

Now Prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa demands 2/3 majority in the parliament from voters to amend the 19th amendment and to support President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Does he need 2/3 majority to support the President? Our history is written in blood, since the Sirima BandaranaikeGovernment (1970-1977), teaches us 2/3 majority to a single political party only led to dictatorship governments. Are eliminating drug cartels and amending 19thamendment truly national priorities? People in Sri Lanka have been enjoying democracy, after nearly 4 decades of dictatorship, since the 19thamendment to the constitution. Voters in 1977 elected J.R. (Junius Richard) Jayewardene with 5/6 majority in the parliament as he promised to give 8kilos of grain to the poor and amend the constitution to establish democracy and to create Fair and Just society(Dharmistha Samajaya). He amended the constitution to become the worse dictator in the country and created two civil wars: one in the North and one in the South. With the understanding, Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa should review his priorities and one of them must be addressing Elephant-Human conflict.





On 29th May this year, Sri Lanka lost extremely rare Black Panther, one of the most beautiful animals in the world, after being caught in a human trap/snare. Had the authorities including President Gotabaya Rajapaksa taken necessary precautions to protect him, the magnificent beast would have been a pride and glamour of our mother nature. The rare leopard was detected on the cameras last year in October and the authorities had enough time to plan and protect the animal from the selfish people who are worse than animals and have no sense of dynamics of our mother nature.





I watched the videos of trapped black panther crying in pain and the careless handling of wildlife officers. He was very young and strong, so his roaring was very powerful. One of the men from the vets team inserted his naked finger into the wound without following medical procedures while the leopard was crying in pain. After using tranquilisers others were dragging the leopard carelessly. Then he was transported from cold Nallathanniya mountain range to hot Udawalawe lowlands for treatment, more than 180 miles long risky journey. Could it be the cause of his death because earlier it was reported he had minor injuries?





The tragic death of the black leopard was a wake-up call to our authorities about the tragedy of Sri Lankan wildlife. Sadly, even after the incident many beautiful leopards, elephants including baby elephants became victims of the human traps, snares and poisoning. Last year in September seven elephants found dead of suspected poisoning. Numerous researches show, every year, nearly 300 elephants get killed by gunshot wounds or trapped guns or Jaw Exploders notoriously known as Hakka Patas. On the other hand, every year around 100 people from the farming villages get killed by elephants attacks and wild elephants destroy their livelihood as the villagers and the government increasingly destroy their natural habitats. This is not a story about numbers but the story about how they die and why they die.





I remember those stories from my childhood specially when some villagers by the jungles poisoned the carcases of the leopards prey aiming to get beautiful skins of the leopards without knowing that skins become unusable and fur could not be retained because of poisoning. The ignorant villagers had killed hundreds of leopards in this horrific way and they died in extreme pain.





In a horrific incident in Murungan, in the North in Sri Lanka, some villagers had hidden explosives inside a pumpkin (Hakka Patas) and left it for a wild elephant to consume it. A mother elephant searching for food along with her calf had tried to eat it. The pumpkin suddenly exploded in her mouth injuring her severely. Since then she could not eat anything and died of starvation. Wildlife officials in Madhu area found a malnourished baby elephant beside the carcass of its dead mother, which was lying by the side of the road in the village of Kattankudy Kulam in Murungan. The calf had remained by her side nearly two weeks, too young to forage for food on its own, and was extremely malnourished, with its bones sticking out through its skin.





According to the reports: Hakka Patas (Jaw Exploders) concealed in baits for bushmeat hunting have overtaken gunshot injuries as the primary cause of elephant deaths in Sri Lanka in recent years. Jaw exploders are a combination of gunpowder and fragments of metal or rock packed tightly together. When bitten they explode in the animals mouth.

The explosives cause horrific injuries, shattering the jaw and destroying soft tissue inside the mouth, leading ultimately to a slow and painful death from infection.

One in five recorded elephant deaths last year were due to these devices, with most of the victims were juvenile elephants under the age of 10. They died in extreme pain and of starvation as they could not eat anything with the blasted mouths.

On 27 May, in Kerala, in India, a pregnant elephant was severely injured (by a jaw exploder}when she consumed a pineapple filled with explosives. As the pain was unbearable, she jumped into the nearby river, she was possibly getting some relief from immersing her trunk and mouth into the water. She continued to do this until she died. The whole world was shocked when they watched the news on television channels and the public in India were outraged having seen the tragedy of the pregnant hungry elephant. Island-wide protests erupted throughout the country. Millions of people protested against the government and signed a petition demanding justice and tougher actions against the culprits: People from all sections of the community including celebrities, Animal lovers, politicians joined the mass protests and filed a case in the Kerala supreme court to force the government to introduce tougher laws and bring the culprits to justice But in Sri Lanka soon after the death of Black Panther media was silence.





Due to the human-elephant conflict, tragic deaths of wild elephants and the poor farmers are constant reminder of the tragedy of the wildlife in Sri Lanka. But President Gotabaya Rajapaksa continues to keep a blind eye on that news. His environment minister S.M. Chandrasena has done almost nothing to address the issue. During the last presidential campaign, Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa pledged to the nation to bring economic prosperity by giving utmost priority to agriculture and tourism. There is no way to achieve his objectives unless he takes immediate action to address those issues. It is not too late if he is genuinely interested to bring effective solutions.





Mr President, you are the man of high calibre, you have demonstrated this with your commands since you were elected as the president. So, I humbly suggest taking over the environment ministry under your control and set up a task force committed to bring effective solutions to the conflict and the devastated ecosystem.





Millions of tourists every year come to Sri Lanka to see elephants and wildlife. According the credible researchers remaining forest cover in Sri Lanka is less than 16% and every more than 66,000 acres of forests, including virgin forests, are destroyed. With the magnitude of destruction of forests and killing of wild elephants and other beautiful animals, how could President Gotabaya expect to thrive in the tourism industry and agriculture? When President Maithripala Sirisena was in power, he was also the minister of environment, I pointed out on numerous occasions, with the magnitude of destruction of forests, if the government did not take immediate action Sri Lanka could be a desert well before the end of 21Century. Although he boasted I wake up early morning to read the newspapers but MPs and ministers of my government sleep until late morning having drunk in the previous night (Un beela hondata budi). But he did almost nothing to address the disaster. This is not what we expect from a responsible President.





Animal cruelty was one of the horrific practice among bullock cart drivers (bullockies), especially in the North and East in which testicles of young bulls are crushed by a wooden tool(apparently the tradition came from India) to prevent ejaculation believing young bulls lose their strength to pull out bull carts when they have sexual intercourse. This causes unimaginable pain on bulls and they cannot walk for nearly two months. But the truth is the opposite, bulls are stronger when they have sex with cows. They become weaker when their testicles were crushed or removed. So, cruel practice must be banned.





Coronavirus pandemic or COVID-19 has given a new vision to the whole world to re-think about the power of mother nature, Upto now disease has killed more than 587,835 people and infected nearly14 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the USA. People have forgotten Box-in-Day Tsunami in 2004 which killed more than 230,000 people within hours in Asia, including more than 40,000 people in Sri Lanka, It is estimated that about 500 million people or one-third of the worlds population became infected with Spanish Flu in 1918. The number of deaths was estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States.





When nature strikes even the most powerful nations in the world such as USA, Russia, China and Japan, with enormous technological advances, become helpless to stop them. Tornados are a regular occurrence in the USA. Hurricane Katrina made landfall off the coast of Louisiana on August 29, 2005. It hit land as a Category 3 storm with winds reaching speeds as high as 120 miles per hour. Because of the ensuing destruction and loss of life, the storm is often considered one of the worst in U.S. history. An estimated 1,200 people died as a direct result of the storm, which also cost an estimated $108 billion in property damage, making it the costliest storm on record.





When people destroy the balance of nature, our mother nature can even wipe out the whole human race from the planet. There is a sensible story in the Bible about the Great Flood created by God to wipe out sinners from the planet who caused great damage to the balance of nature. The flood wiped out the whole human race from the planet except blessed Noahs family in the Arch(ship)





It is evident all efforts of the current and previous governments failed to bring effective solutions to human-elephant conflict because they did not try to treat the root cause. The root cause is the shrinking wildlife habitats with human activities including government development projects and settlement schemes such as Gam Udava.There are straight forward solutions.

President Gotabaya should set up a taskforce and consult experts in the field, representatives of the villagers and the interested parties such as Ven Ananda Sagaraand VenAthuraliye Rathana who have passion and vision about the solutions.

With immediate effect, the president should ban any form of further destruction of jungles and forests.

Jungles grown freely during the 30-year long civil war must be protected from the villagers and the farmers.

The farmers and the villagers, by the habitats of wild animals including elephants, should be resettled where they are safe and able to make living.

From now on solutions to homelessness or housing for the ever-increasing population should be building Chinese and European style apartment buildings even at village level to save the lands and forests for future generations. Any project similar to Gam Udava must not be the solution.

Any people who have had encroached the catchment areas of the lakes and reservoirs such as Kala Veva should be removed and resettled for the benefit of the agriculture, wildlife and the future generations.

Tougher laws should be introduced to punish those who destroy nature and wildlife.

Mr President, I wish you all success with your efforts to rebuild the nation, you will have a supportive parliament in the election.
Hyderabad, July 17 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Friday claimed that the government hospitals in the state are well-equipped to provide the best treatment for coronavirus and said there is no need for people to rush to private hospitals and spend huge amounts of money.

He also advised people to not entertain any fear or anxiety over Covid-19 but at the same time, not be negligent.

At a review meeting on Covid-19 situation in the state, KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, directed the officials to keep vials of Remdesivir, and Tocilizumab and Favilavir tablets in large quantities and give them free of cost to the needy.

The meeting also attended by the Health Minister and several senior officials took several decisions.

The Chief Minister announced additional Rs 100 crore for taking up urgent measures to contain the virus and to give treatment.

The meeting decided to extend Covid incentive of 10 per cent additional pay to everyone working in the Medical and Health department without leaving anyone, including the outsourcing employees. The incentive allowance will also be given to the police personnel, sanitary workers in municipalities and panchayats.

The officers concerned were instructed to induct 1,200 doctors who have completed PG courses into government service. The Chief Minister directed that the 200 vacancies in primary health centres should be filled up.

The meeting decided to implement University Grants Commission (UGC) scales to the teachers working in medical colleges.

It was announced that the newly-appointed nurses will also get their pay on par with the old counterparts. It was also decided to enhance the retirement limit for those working in the Ayush Department to 65 years.

KCR said that those testing positive need not go to the private hospitals and spend huge amounts for the treatment as the required medical treatment for the virus is very much available in the government hospitals.

"There is no need for the people to rush to private hospitals and spend huge amounts of money and face a lot of hardships. Best treatment is given in the Government Hospitals based on the guidelines issued by the ICMR. In case anyone has symptoms, they should take medical advice and treatment," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office quoted him as saying.

His advice came amid growing number of complaints of non-availability of beds or excessive billing by the private hospitals.

He said private hospitals should maintain transparency in the availability of beds. He warned that the government will act strictly if any artificial shortage is created.

KCR held a meeting to review the Covid situation after 20 days. The opposition parties had been criticising him for what they call his "disappearance".

He said the government doctors and staff were well equipped to treat any number of patients. He thanked the doctors, and staff for extending their excellent services to contain the virus spread and offering good treatment to the patients.

Stating that Covid is present in all the countries in the world and all the states in the country, KCR said it is not present only in Telangana state. "When compared to the national average, the state's death rate is less. The recovery rate in the state is also much higher." He pointed out that as on Thursday, those taking treatment as in-patients in the hospitals were 3,692. Of them, 200 were having other serious ailments and the rest were recovering. As on Thursday, 41,018 were affected by the corona in the state and of them, 27,295 (67 per cent) have recovered.

A total of 9,636 were asymptomatic and they were under home quarantine. Others were taking treatment in the hospitals and they were also recovering. The asymptomatic patients were also given treatment and advice by reviewing their condition from time to time based on the ICMR recommended Covid protocol.

Pointing out that the unlock process is going on in the country and the Centre has decided to begin the international air services, KCR said we have come to a stage where living with corona is a must. "None should have any fear about corona. At the same time people should not be negligent. Maintain personal hygiene. Wear masks. Use sanitisers. Remain in the house as much as possible." KCR claimed that initially, the Central government was in a state of confusion to face the spread of virus but in Telangana, all the necessary equipment, medicines, tools were mobilised.

"Now there is no shortage of anything. In Gandhi and TIMS hospitals, 3,000 beds are ready with oxygen supply facilities in Hyderabad alone. All over the state, 5,000 beds were kept ready with the oxygen supply facility. In all 10,000 beds are kept ready exclusively for the Corona patients. Such a number of beds were not there in the past. 1,500 ventilators were kept ready. PPE Kits and N95 Masks are available in lakhs. There is no shortage of medicines, equipment."
Kington, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/17/2020 -- There is a limit to how much information can be stored within a QuickBooks company file. Intuit says company file size limits cannot exceed 150 MB for QuickBooks Pro or Premiere and 1GB for QuickBooks Enterprise.



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Over a period of time, the data within your QuickBooks company file can spiral out of control,



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Boris Johnson will this morning set out the next phase of his plan to get life in the UK back to normal amid claims he may have watered down his strategy to rip up work from home rules after the bombshell intervention of his top science expert.

The Prime Minister will address a Downing Street press conference at 11am when he is expected to unveil a drive to get millions of workers back to their desks.

But Sir Patrick Vallance, England's chief scientific adviser, said yesterday there was 'absolutely no reason' to ditch the current work from home guidance, putting him on a collision course with the PM.

Tory MPs have today urged Mr Johnson to overrule Sir Patrick as they warned that without the return of commuters many town and city centres 'will die'.

BBC's Newsnight programme reported that Sir Patrick's intervention had 'changed government calculations' on the issue.

Meanwhile, a Whitehall source said the official guidance on working from home would be 'tidied up' to reflect the PM's back-to-work message, suggesting the shift in approach could be more nuanced than previously thought.

Mr Johnson will also set out an 'aspirational' timetable for lifting social distancing measures, but will say he expects it to be nine months before we can return to a more normal life.

New powers for councils to impose 'lightning lockdowns', an extra 3 billion funding for the NHS and a pledge to increase coronavirus testing capacity to 500,000 a day by the end of October will also announced by the PM.

Boris Johnson will use a Downing Street press conference this morning to set out the next stage of his plan for getting life in the UK back to normal

Sir Patrick Vallance yesterday told MPs he believed there was 'absolutely no reason' to chnge existing work from home guidance

Sir Patrick told the Science and Technology Select Committee yesterday afternoon that the UK is 'still at a time when distancing measures are important' and that working remotely 'remains a perfectly good option'.

He then went even further as he said many companies had found working from home had not been 'detrimental to productivity' and as a result there is no need to move away from the policy.

He said: 'My view on this, and I think this is a view shared by SAGE, is that we are still at a time when distancing measures are important and of the various distancing measures working from home for many companies remains a perfectly good option because it is easy to do.

'I think a number of companies think it is actually not detrimental to productivity and in that situation absolutely no reason I can see to change it.'

His comments appeared to strike a hammer blow to Mr Johnson's hopes of persuading many more people to physically return to their places of work.

The Government is increasingly concerned that continued working from home will hold back the nation's economic recovery.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, urged the PM to overrule Sir Patrick for the sake of the economy.

He said: 'The scientists have got it completely wrong from start to finish. Most of them have never run a business and it is not for them to tell employers how best to manage their staff.

'There is a desperate need to get people back to work, back into their offices - otherwise our town and city centres will die.'

It is thought Mr Johnson will formally drop the current official guidance to 'work from home if you can'.

However, he will stop short of ordering workers to return. Instead new guidance will tell employers to work with their staff on managing a gradual return to the workplace where possible.

The Prime Minister will today acknowledge the threat of a second wave of coronavirus this winter.

Sources said he was determined to avoid the fate of several US states which are seeing cases of the virus soar after easing restrictions too fast.

The premier is hoping an extra 3 billion of funding will ensure the health service is ready for a potential spike in infections.

It comes after a report commissioned by Sir Patrick warned there could be 120,000 hospital deaths in a 'reasonable worst-case scenario' this winter.

A Downing Street spokesman said: 'Thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of the British people, the virus is under control and we have eased restrictions in a cautious, phased way.

'But the Prime Minister is clear that now is not the time for complacency, and we must make sure our NHS is battle ready for winter.

'Tomorrow, he will set out a broad package of measures to protect against both a possible second wave, and to ease winter pressures and keep the public safe.'

The spokesman said the immediate funding for England was new and not previously allocated, while expenditure will be set out for the devolved nations in due course.

Mr Johnson is also expected to publish an additional chapter to the Government's 'road map' for recovery from the crisis.

Earlier this week Mr Johnson was warned in the report by the Academy of Medical Sciences that action must be taken now to mitigate the potential for a second peak, including scaling up the Test and Trace system.

The research said capacity for 350,000 tests per day will be needed to test individuals as they show symptoms of either Covid-19 or flu.

The latest Government figures say capacity stood at nearly 338,000, but Mr Johnson will commit to increase this to half a million by the end of October to bolster Test and Trace.

Councils are also expected to be handed powers to enable them to shut down pubs and cafes at short notice and without having to ask the government's permission to better equip them to stop localised outbreaks.

The powers could even extend to the ability to ban weddings at short notice if there is a local spike in infections.

A Government source told The Sun: 'Councils will be able to impose lighting lockdowns where they see fit.'
Nagpur: A woman constable attached to the Nagpur police was quarantined for suspected COVID-19 infection with a married man whom she was in relationship with, after she wrongly told the authorities that he was her husband, an official said on Thursday (July 17).

The woman constable, who is unmarried, was to be moved to a quarantine centre after one of her colleagues recently tested COVID-19 positive, the official said.

"However, she told the authorities that her husband, who later turned out to be her boyfriend working with the postal department, should also be quarantined along with her. Accordingly, they were together kept at the quarantine facility in the Police Training Centre (PTC)," he said.

However, the man's real wife, who had no idea about his admission to the quarantine centre, was worried as he had not returned home for three days, the official said.

She later somehow got to know about her husband's affair and came to the quarantine centre, but denied entry by the guards, the official said.

Thereafter, she lodged a complaint with Bajaj Nagar police against her husband, and met Commissioner of Police Dr Bhushankumar Upadhyay in that connection, after which he ordered an inquiry into the matter.

According to police sources, the woman constable and the man had met during a government project in October 2019 and got into a relationship.

DCP Zone II Vivek Masal, who is conducting the probe, said that the man was later shifted to another quarantine centre.
One night earlier this month, Gov. Greg Abbott was pressed about his coronavirus response by a veteran Texas journalist on live television.

Had he waited too long to require masks? Why werent field hospitals already set up in struggling communities? If its safe enough for teachers to return to the classroom this fall, why are policymakers still allowed to stay home?

Some people I know are showing up in their offices, Abbott replied at one point, sounding rattled. I havent gone down the hallway and checked attendance.

The exchange, which aired on KRGV Channel 5 News, in McAllen, was a rare glimpse of a governor who likes to radiate poise and pragmatism, suddenly forced on the defensive amid a mounting health crisis that he alone has sought to control.

And because it aired on a local network, relatively few Texans saw it.

As state leaders across the country struggle to combat an evolving pandemic, many have done so on immense public stages, regularly going before scrums of reporters, fielding pointed questions and using their platforms to deliver harsh straight talk  about how far their states have come, and how far they have to go.

But in Texas, the governor, a Republican safely in his second term, has mostly retreated, dispensing with the regular press briefings he delivered early on and instead taking his message almost exclusively to local TV networks, where he appears in short bursts of five to 8 minutes, often three or four times each night.

JULY POLL: Texans approval of Gov. Greg Abbotts COVID-19 response drops to 44%

From a DIY satellite studio in downtown Austin, Abbott delivers a barrage of nightly remarks, often jabbing the air like an emphatic father as he pivots from one question to the next, turning many into prompts for whatever missive he hopes to convey that day. For a time, it was an indictment of local officials who had demanded stricter safety orders. More recently, he himself has called for stricter enforcement as infections soar.

His hand movements and the way he listens, hes projecting competence, said Jason Loviglio, a professor of media and communications studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

That portrayal could not come at a better time for Abbott, who entered the pandemic as one of the states most popular Republicans, only to see his approval ratings plummet amid the now-halted reopening. The governor has been attacked by Democrats and some health experts since he rushed to restart the economy before the state had all the tools in place to monitor the virus.

The governors staff says the media approach allows him to tailor his message to a variety of communities each day  no small feat in a state as big and diverse as Texas. While Abbott has not held an open, statewide COVID-19 briefing since May 5, he has appeared on local TV outlets more than 200 times since mid-May, when his staff began sharing his daily television schedules with the press.

Local TV remains the best way to get your message out to a large group of people, said his spokesman, John Wittman.

But the strategy is also almost undoubtedly political, according to media and political experts, who say that bypassing mainstream news outlets gives Abbott leeway to say what he wants, when he wants, and to the type of people he wants listening.

Candidates and campaigns that dont think they get good coverage try to avoid national outlets and go directly to local constituents, said Daron Shaw, a political professor at UT Austin. That is a time-honored tactic.

Ricardo B. Brazziell/TNS

Taking cues from Trump

The approach has been used by Texas Republicans before, albeit more sparingly, and goes all the way back to the Reagan administration, when the president famously avoided the White House press pool and heavily favored local TV outlets.

As the White House correspondent for The New York Times observed in 1984, Essentially, the press is relegated to the role of passive spectator.

Viewers of local TV news are predominantly older, and older Texans are Abbotts strongest supporters. The exchanges are short, aired live, and interviewers usually have lots of topics to cover, making it difficult to fact-check on the spot, or follow up on a specific point.

You dont want to interrupt because hes explaining something, but at the same time you have to get in a number of questions before that window ends, said Randy Beamer, a co-anchor who has interviewed Abbott at WOAI in San Antonio.

The exchanges also tend to be less combative.

Anchors do not make their bones by being aggressive, Loviglio said. The person in the White House press briefing room does. We want anchors to be our friends, our guides, our reassurers.

FEWER QUESTIONS: Gov. Abbott again restricts press access for major COVID-19 announcement

Dan Shelley, who heads the Radio Television Digital News Association in New York, said Abbotts selective approach is part of a broader affront to press freedoms unfolding at the national level, where reporters are regularly disparaged by President Donald Trump in briefings and on social media.

I think what youre seeing in a lot of red states is leaders there taking cues from the federal governments response, doing their own versions of the federal governments communication strategy, Shelley said.

Most of Abbotts television appearances have been in north and central Texas, including the Panhandle, a conservative stretch that was hit hard by outbreaks at meatpacking plants. The governor has appeared in East Texas, where Houston and other coastal cities are being ravaged by the virus, nearly 20 percent of the time, according to a review of his schedules.

I would be shocked if you can find another governor who has done more interviews than Greg Abbott, Wittman said.

The governor held two other briefings in Austin on the pandemic after May 5, but limited participation to just two reporters, which his team selected. His team allowed two questions about the pandemic at an unrelated event Thursday with the U.S. secretary of agriculture, Sonny Perdue.

Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

Public health vs. ideology

Other governors have chosen a more conventional approach, appearing in frequent press conferences, some of which grew so popular early on that they took on lives of their own. In Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWines 2 oclock updates were christened Wine with DeWine. At the height of New Yorks outbreak, Gov. Andrew Cuomos briefings became such a trusted staple that he drew calls to mount a late presidential run.

He was on camera every day, reliably, telling the latest statistics he had available to him, and offering time for the reporters present to ask questions, said Keren Henderson, a professor of broadcast and digital journalism at Syracuse University.

But Abbott, a former Texas attorney general and state Supreme Court justice who is closely aligned with the Trump administration, tends to shy away from confrontation, at least publicly.

Press conferences are not his style, Shaw said. I think he actually is pretty good on those platforms, he added. I certainly feel that way when I watch him. But I dont feel like he thinks those are working.

Now Playing: Texas Governor Greg Abbott restated his opposition to shutting down the state again despite the recent surge in cases of COVID-19 but he left open the option. Video: Fox7

Its very interesting to watch him operate in this space, Shaw said, because the public health responsibilities he has are in conflict with the ideology of his core constituency  Republicans who are conservative and by definition are skeptical of using government.

Last month, editors at five of the states biggest outlets  the Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News, Dallas Morning News, Austin American Statesman and Texas Tribune  urged the governor in a letter to make himself more available for questioning.

It is hard to imagine a more important time for the media to pursue answers on behalf of our readers and the public as you explain the governments response to a historic pandemic and use your emergency powers to shape it, they wrote.

The letter was never answered, and Wittman declined to comment on its status, saying only that the governors staff will continue to open press conferences as much as possible.

jeremy.blackman@chron.com
Carlos Sainz insists he does not regret signing for Ferrari for 2021 and beyond.

Former F1 driver Robert Doornbos said this week that given the Maranello team's current lack of pace, Spaniard Sainz could be "the first" ever driver who isn't "happy with a Ferrari contract".

Sainz said in Hungary: "I'm a little surprised by how many people are asking me if I regret it.

"I don't regret it in any way," he told Spain's El Mundo Deportivo.

"I think you understand why, but there are many who don't understand F1 so much that they wonder why I would go from McLaren to Ferrari at the moment.

"Ask Racing Point how much they have improved from one year to the next. Or how Ferrari has gotten worse from one year to the next. F1 is unpredictable," Sainz said.

"It's amazing how one floor, one engine, everything in an F1 car can suddenly make you much more competitive. I am quite sure that Ferrari haven't forgotten how to make fast cars."

He thinks Ferrari's current struggle could simply be a case of the Italian team trying too hard to catch up.

"There is a team called Mercedes that does things so well that the others have to take risks to catch and overtake them, and it's difficult," said Sainz.

"Sometimes you take risks and it doesn't work out, but in Formula 1 sometimes it's necessary to take them.

"It actually motivates me a lot to go to a team that is not going through its best moment, because once things start to go better, that's what can motivate you the most," he added.

(GMM)
It is passing strange that in a week when COVID-19 cases have jumped to record levels, senior officials have spent time in a debate about whether Australia should pursue a strategy of eliminating the disease or just suppressing it.

The chief health officer of Victoria, Brett Sutton, said a strategy based on eliminating the disease should be considered but NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian rejected the idea out of hand. She said it was unrealistic to assume NSW could get to elimination given its size.

The debate is ill-timed because for NSW and Victoria the immediate task is stopping the spread of the outbreak that started in Melbourne and recorded 428 new cases on Friday.

These numbers demand the same response under both a suppression and an elimination strategy. We must fight and be vigilant until the count is back down to single digits in Victoria. That is at best many weeks away.

In fact, federal deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth said Australia is pursuing a hybrid.
Marking a new landmark in maritime relations between India and Bangladesh, union shipping minister Mansukh Mandaviya virtually flagged off the first trial movement of container ships from Kolkata Port to Agartala in Tripura via Chittagong port in Bangladesh on Thursday.

Historical day in maritime relations of India and Bangladesh. North Eastern Region of India is now connected by sea-ports of Bangladesh! Digitally flagged off the first trial movement of container ship from Kolkata Port to Agartala & Assam via Chattogram Port of Bangladesh, Mandaviya tweeted on Thursday.

This will greatly benefit Indias north eastern states by cutting transportation time and cost through land routes to the north east. It takes over 1,200 km for goods to reach from Bengal to reach to reach the north east. Access to the Chittagong port will cut down the distance by almost half, Bipab Deb, chief minister of Tripura had earlier stated.

The two neighbouring countries signed an MOU on June 6, 2015 and an agreement on October 25, 2018. The standard operating procedure (SOP) on use of Chittagong and Mongla ports of Bangladesh was finalized in 2019.

The vessel carrying four transit containers loaded with TMT steel bars will be offloaded at the Chittagong Port. They goods would then be loaded on trailers. From the Chittagong Port the containers will travel through road and cover 200 km to reach Agartala, said a spokesman of the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, formerly known as Kolkata Port.

Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister of Assam and Biplab Deb, Chief Minister of Tripura have welcomed this.

A historic moment for Assam & #NE. Shorter cargo route through Bdeshs Chattogram & Mongla ports will boost trade & growth, tweeted Sonowal.

Its really a big achievement for the entire NE including Tripura, tweeted Deb.

A statement issued by the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port said that in future rice, wheat, pulses, steel and project cargo is expected to be transported to north east region using this multimodal route.
Inside Hook

JetBlue and American Airlines are teaming up to sell seats on each others airlines and share frequent flyer benefits. But is this the beginning of a bigger relationship?

The stated goal, as per a press release, is for the new alliance to create seamless connectivity for travelers in the Northeast, offer more customer choice for complementary domestic and international networks and accelerate each airlines recovery as the travel industry adapts to new trends as a result of the pandemic.
Johnny Depp thanked Amber Heard for getting him clean on a detox trip to his private island in the Bahamas and told her mother that, without the help of his then-fiancee, he wouldnt be alive.

The Hollywood A-lister told Londons High Court that withdrawing from drugs was agonising, and said he was at the lowest point I believe I have ever been in my life during the August 2014 trip.

At that stage the couple were engaged to be married.

During a text exchange between the actor and his ex-mother-in-law, Paige Heard, sent at that time, Mr Depp said his fiancee had risen far above the nightmarish task of taking care of this poor old junkie.

Reading the texts, Sasha Wass QC, for News Group Newspapers (NGN), explained that Paige Heards use of the phrase my son out-law was a joke between the pair.

The text message to Mr Depp read: Youve 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.

Ive seen the hell this addiction brings and I wouldnt 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.

In a lengthy response Mr Depp described the message as unbelievably kind and pure, and said he was beyond thankful to have Paige Heard in his life.

He added: What you do need to know is that your daughter has risen far above the nightmarish task of taking care of this poor old junkie.

Never a second has gone by that she didnt look out for me or have her eyes on me to make sure that I was OK.

My words are truly feeble in attempting to explain her heroism in a text  suffice to say that I have never met or loved a woman or a thing more.

She has the strength of a thousand men, and that is due to no one or nothing but you sweetheart. Thank you, I love you.

Story continues

He said he couldnt have made it without Amber, and added: If youd have seen her in action  amazing.

He went on: It was an exercise of monumental patience and instinct. I wouldnt be alive, sweetheart.

There were more than a few times when I thought it would be more simple to take that route.

It was Amber and Amber only that got me through this, and it was not easy.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard at the Met Gala in New York in May 2014 (Dennis Van Tine/PA)

In court on Thursday, Mr Depp said the messages to his mother-in-law were him saying good things about a daughter to her mother.

Ms Wass also read a text sent by Mr Depp to Amber Heard which read: Thank you so much for getting me f****** clean baby.

Mr Depp told the court he recalled a great deal of pain and uncontrollable spasms during the detox.

In his witness statement, the actor claimed that Amber often intervened and withheld medicine from me while the couple were on the island, which he described as one of the cruellest things that she has ever done.

But Ms Wass said that assertion about withholding his medication was not substantiated by any evidence.

Mr Depp replied that he could not say whether it was substantiated, adding that he might have been due to get medication by 4pm but got the heebie-jeebies by about 3.15pm and would start shaking and having stomach cramps.

He said he told his fiancee he needed his medication, but that she said No, four oclock.

He said: 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.

Mr Depp denied pushing or attacking Ms Heard, saying he was in in no physical condition to push anyone.

A text from Ms Heard to Debbie Lloyd, a nurse who was staying on the other side of the island, was read to the court, which said: Issue has arisen again. He took the meds about 30 minutes ago.

It added: He was so mad he pushed me and I asked him to get out. Dont know what to do. Sorry to keep at you guys.

Mr Depp repeated what he had said in court on Wednesday, that Ms Heards allegations were part of an insurance policy.
India and US are inching closer to sign an initial limited trade agreement and iron out differences on trade issues to boost economic ties. Both sides have expressed desired for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to a press release by the commerce ministry.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held an informal tele-conversation with US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross on Thursday. "There was a desire expressed to conclude this initial limited trade package and recognising the complementarities of the India-USA bilateral trade, discussed the possibility of an FTA," the commerce ministry said in a release yesterday.

According to media reports, the proposed deal with the US will pick up only after the US presidential elections, scheduled in November.

India also flagged the long-pending proposal for a Totalisation Agreement to protect the interests of professionals of Indian-origin who contribute more than $1 billion each year to US social security. Under this pact, professionals of both countries would be exempted from social security taxes when they go to work for a short period in the other country.

While appreciating India's concern, Secretary Ross mentioned that the statutory requirements of the US have to be fulfilled by India in this regard.

India has also raised its concern on the US keeping 24 Indian products, including handicrafts, carpets, and leather products under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorisation Act list, which designates them as 'child labour sectors'.

On this, Ross offered to set up a meeting between the labour department officials of both sides, the ministry's statement said.

India demanded exemption from high duties imposed by the US on some steel and aluminum products, resumption of export benefits to certain domestic products under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), and greater market access for its products from sectors such as agriculture, automobile, automobile components and engineering.

Trade minister Goyal also raised the issue of the US ban on import of wild catch shrimp from India. The US said that India's fishing practices were non-compliant with their regulation to protect sea turtles.

On this issue, Secretary Ross agreed to facilitate a discussion between the officials of the US state department and the Office of Marine Conservation with the Indian Department of Fisheries and Ministry of Forest and Environment, Goyal said.

The US remained India's top trading partner for the second consecutive fiscal in 2019-20. According to the data of the commerce ministry, in 2019-20, the bilateral trade between the US and India stood at $88.75 billion, as against $87.96 billion in 2018-19.

The US is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus. The trade gap between the countries has increased to $ 17.42 billion in 2019-20 from $ 16.86 billion in 2018-19, the data showed. In 2018-19, the US had surpassed China to become India's top trading partner.

Also read: Want to do everything possible to keep peace for people of India, China: Trump

Also read: Govt targets China with fresh curbs on import of power tillers, components
July 17 : Just yesterday, Netflix India dropped confirmation of 17 originals, films and web-series, and now makers of Ginny Webs Sunny are out with first official motion poster, featuring Vikrant Massey and Yami Gautam.

Ginny Weds Sunny is a romantic comedy film starring Yami Gautam and Vikrant Massey as the titular characters, Ginny and Sunny, respectively. It is directed by debutant Puneet Khanna and produced by Vinod Bachchan.

Vikrant Massey took to his social media profile and dropped the dazzling motion poster of the movie and expressed his excitement. He captioned it, A match-maker by profession, this mother is determined to write a fairy tale love story for her daughter who clearly has other plans. Will it really be Sunny in paradise for Ginny? @yamigautam @puneet_khanna and I are so excited to take you on this rollercoaster with us! #GinnyWedsSunny @bachchan.vinod @soundrya.production @navjotgulati @sumitaroraa @sonymusicindiaComing soon on @netflix_in

The movies official synopsis reads, Ginny, living with her matchmaker mom in Delhi, gets set up with Sunny, who has given up on the idea of love and just wants to get married and settle down. However, the match is not that simple, and as Ginny meets Sunny, a lot more comes to the fore than previously imagined in this tale of love, life, weddings and music.

The audience will get to see how Sunny, after being turned down by Ginny, will not budge, rather team up with her mother to win her over.
Albany, N.Y.  The new rules for serving alcohol in bars and restaurants in New York were the result of bad behavior by some establishments, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today.

Cuomo said some businesses abused permission for outdoor dining to create outdoor bars that attracted big crowds, which were never something the state allowed.

RELATED: Cuomos new booze rules: What bars can and cant do

That was a perversion of the law, Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters. Its outdoor dining space. Its not an outdoor bar.

The large groups increase the risk of spreading the coronavirus, he said.

Cuomo on Thursday announced a new rule stating that bars and restaurants in New York could no longer serve alcohol without food.

Walk-up service at bars is also now banned. Service is limited to customers who are seated and properly spaced out.

The rules are meant to keep customers seated, properly distanced and in separate groups. Mingling of lots of people, even outdoors, is a problem, Cuomo said.

Cuomo seemed to be talking about issues that have been most acute in New York City, though the two new rules apply statewide. Some bars in the city were drawing outdoor crowds with as many as 100 people, he said.

He also said the state has received thousands of complaints and photos of establishments violating the rules.

Like other nonessential businesses, bars and restaurants in the state closed in March to help slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, although they were allowed to continue takeout and delivery. New York began reopening businesses in phases in May under a series of guidelines and rules.

Bars and restaurants in Central New York were allowed to reopen for in-person dining both indoors and outdoors at different points in June.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

US can get coronavirus under control in 8 weeks if everyone wears masks, CDC director says

Syracuse University reopening: Students to be contact tracers, IDs synced to test results

First Covid-19 vaccine tested in US poised for final testing

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
President Trump has implored schools to resume in full, and many health experts agree, partly because remote learning went so poorly for so many in the spring. But many local leaders say the health risks are too great. Children do not get particularly sick from covid-19, but less is known about how effectively they can spread it to others. School officials also worry about the health of teachers, and districts are daunted by the logistics of keeping students and employees from coming into close contact with one another while indoors.
China's top legislator, Li Zhanshu, has stressed efforts to protect wild animals, maintain ecological balances, and safeguard people's lives and health.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks during a law enforcement inspection in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from Sunday to Wednesday.

Li stressed fully implementing the wildlife protection law and a decision adopted in February to completely ban illegal wildlife trade and eliminate the unhealthy habit of indiscriminate wild animal meat consumption.

Activities against wildlife banned by the law must be strictly prohibited and cracked down on in accordance with the law, he said.

The farming of wild animals on a ban list must stop, Li said, urging affected farmers to alter their businesses.

Support should be given to farmers concerned to help them shift and upgrade their businesses in an orderly manner, Li said, calling for particular attention to prevent farmers who are being lifted out of poverty from incurring economic losses and falling back into poverty.
The apps targeted most by this new malware includes dating apps, social media, banking, instant messaging apps etc. Basically the most popular apps are susceptible to being attacked by this trojan including Gmail, Uber, Instagram, Snapchat etc.

A new strain of Android malware has emerged that can steal data from at least 337 Android apps. Called BlackRock, this malware was first spotted in May this year and discovered by a mobile security company called ThreatFabric.

Researchers at ThreatFabric said that BlackRock is based on the leaked source code of another malware strain called Xerxes (Xerxes itself is based on other malware strains). BlackRock, however, has been beefed up with additional features, especially ones that help steal passwords and credit card information, according to a report by ZDNet.

BlackRock works like most other Android banking trojans except that it can target more apps, 337 to be precise, than all its predecessors. It can steal both login credentials and also prompt the victim to enter credit card details if the apps support financial transactions.

ThreatFabric says that BlackRocks data collection happens through a method called overlays that involves detecting when an user is trying to interact with a legitimate app and showing a fake window on top that collects the login details and card data before allowing the user to actually start using the main legitimate app.

The security agency shared a report with ZDNet where researchers have said that a large majority of BlackRock overlays are concentrated towards phishing financial, social media and communication apps. However, BlackRock also has overlays for dating apps, shopping, lifestyle, news and productivity apps as well. The full list of the apps that BlackRock can target can be seen here and include the likes of Gmail, Uber, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram etc.

BlackRock at the base of it all works like older android malwares and uses tried and tested techniques to show the overlays and further data. Once installed on a device, BlackRock gets a malicious app to ask the user to grant it access to the phones Accessibility features. And the Accessibility feature on Android is one of the most powerful as it can be used to automate tasks and perform taps on the behalf of the user.

BlackRock uses the Accessibility feature then on to grant itself access to other Android permissions and uses an Android DPC (a device policy controller, which is basically a work profile) to give itself admin access to the device. Then it uses this access to show the overlays. But it does on end here.

BlackRock can perform other intrusive operations like -

- Overlaying: Dynamic (Local injects obtained from C2)

- Keylogging

- SMS harvesting: SMS listing

- SMS harvesting: SMS forwarding

- Device info collection

- SMS: Sending

- Remote actions: Screen-locking

- Self-protection: Hiding the app icon

- Self-protection: Preventing removal

- Notifications collection

- Grant permissions

- AV detection

BlackRock is currently being distributed in the guise of fake Google update packages offered by third party sites and fortunately has not turned up on the Google PlayStore yet.

However, since older Android malwares have found a way to bypass Googles app review process, it wont be long before BlackRock is deployed on the Play Store.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 14:23:40|Editor: huaxia

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CHANGSHA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Central China's Hunan Province saw its foreign trade rise 13.4 percent year on year to over 208 billion yuan (about 29.7 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of this year, local customs said Friday.

According to the customs of Changsha, the provincial capital, exports rose 5.9 percent year on year to 136.13 billion yuan while imports surged 30.9 percent to 71.94 billion yuan in the period.

The ASEAN became Hunan's largest trade partner during the period, with imports and exports totaling 34.75 billion yuan, up 39.6 percent year on year.

Hunan saw its private enterprises play a more prominent role in stabilizing its foreign trade growth from January to June.

Among the exports, Hunan reported remarkable growth in mechanical and electrical products as well as labor-intensive goods during this period.

Meanwhile, the province reported an increase in the imports of mechanical and electrical products, iron ore and grain. Enditem
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 07/16/2020



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

couple Paul Staehle and Karine Martins are apparently on the outs again after another big fight in which Karine allegedly threatened to move their son Pierre back to Brazil and called Paul a "horrible father and husband."Paul, a 35-year-old from Louisville, KY, took to Instagram on Wednesday and posted an angry message to Karine, a 23-year-old from Tonantins, Brazil, that he deleted quickly afterwards.However, Instagrammer John Yates captured a screenshot of Paul's rant and posted it on his own account."Here we goooooooo!" Yates captioned the post, alluding to the fact Paul and Karine have broken up and threatened to divorce each other about a handful of times since their relationship began.Paul blasted Karine in saying, "Yelling at me in public calling me horrible father and husband. We spend every penny we have on bills and designer [clothes] and video games for you. I did not buy anything for myself.""I made sure you and Pierre had everything you all could possibly want and I bought nothing for myself. I try to show my family USA History and I get shunned. Because only your country and culture matter," Paul continued in his Wednesday post."I take you to the hospital and stay by your side, make sure [you're] at all your doctors appointments and let you spend all your money only on what you want -- but I am a Bad Father and Husband you yell in public."Paul also insisted he's the one who changes "every poopy diaper" Pierre has."Even when I am not home and you call me to come home just to change his diaper because the smell of poop makes you sick. But I am the terrible husband and father. I also never ever cheated on you," Paul wrote."But I understand you want to take Pierre to Tonantins and live because I am such a horrible person," he concluded.In addition, the couple's family will be expanding soon.Paul revealed in early May that Karine is pregnant with Baby No. 2 , and Karine appeared to be several months along into her pregnancy at the time.Paul and Karine, who met on a dating app and fell in love in Brazil, are currently starring on the fifth season of : Happily Ever After? on TLC.The couple previously starred on Seasons 1 and 2 of : Before the 90 Days, followed by Season 1 of : The Other Way, which wrapped in late October 2019.Paul and Karine got married in 2017 but their wedding didn't air until the following year on Season 2 of : Before the 90 Days.Paul and Karine proudly announced in October 2018 that Karine was pregnant after she had suffered devastating miscarriages. Later that month, Paul revealed they had a baby boy on the way.But shortly before baby Pierre was born on March 22, Karine threatened to file for divorce from Paul because of his ongoing trust issues and their constant fighting.Karine was tired of dealing with Paul's temper and the pair argued so much that sometimes she just wanted out. The pair also had limited resources and a pretty dire financial situation, which added stress and created tension.Karine wanted to feel loved, supported and taken care of, but Paul repeatedly insisted he was doing everything he could to provide for his family and be a good father and husband. Paul felt his efforts were never enough."I really want a divorce. I am tired of what Paul does to me," Karine said in a confessional during an episode of the series."He lives in the past and too many fights make a relationship fall apart. There's no more hope. I'm thinking of my son now.": The Other Way's first season even featured Karine and her mother leaving Paul behind in Tonantins and traveling to Manaus via boat to file for divorce shortly before Pierre was born.However, Karine decided to give Paul another chance since she still loved him and he stepped up in the delivery room and was there for her when she gave birth to Pierre.Paul and Karine had been married for two years by the time Season 5 of : The Other Way filmed. The couple had been in Brazil for over a year but Paul said they were "barely getting by."Paul and Karine therefore planned to move to the United States so Paul could get a job, make more money, and better provide for his family. However, Paul was going to receive no help from his mother since she wanted him to stand on his own two feet."It took a lot, but I was able to sponsor Karine on a CR-1 visa, which is a spousal visa and allows Karine to apply and get a two-year Green Card before she even enters America," Paul told the cameras."She already has her Green Card approved; she is a complete permanent resident."A lot of people thought Karine was using Paul when they got together, but Paul said Karine was actually dead-set on living in Brazil and he hoped he could convince her to like America.Karine told Paul it wouldn't be a problem if he lived and worked in America while she and Pierre stayed in Brazil, but Paul hoped it wouldn't have to come down to that."If Paul doesn't keep his promises, I don't know for how long I'll continue here in America," Karine said in a confessional.: Happily Ever After?'s fifth season then featured Karine and Paul traveling to America.Karine initially thought the United States was "very pretty," but she eventually complained about Paul's messy car and how the grocery stores weren't much larger or better than what she had in Brazil.The final straw for Karine seemed to be when Paul brought her to a trailer park to look at potential homes for them. One trailer was totally trashed and didn't have air conditioning, and another option was just subpar.Karine said she preferred her home in Brazil and told Paul he wasn't being a good husband."If Paul doesn't find a beautiful house, Pierre and I will come back to Brazil without him," Karine said in a confessional.However, things seemed to get better after that because the pair documented their time in the United States together over the course of several months, and Karine often appeared happy.But speculation the couple's volatile relationship was once again on the rocks first began in early September when Paul had made an Instagram Stories posting claiming Karine was threatening him with divorce -- again."Doing a poll strictly out of curiosity. For someone I know very well...... Should a wife divorce her husband over his mother buying gifts daily spoiling their son?" he wrote in the Instagram Story."Should a grandmother be banned from seeing her grandchildren over spoiling them. And a husband be divorced for defending his mother's actions?"Although Paul seemingly tried to play it off like the scenario was happening to some other couple, most of his Instagram followers knew better as the couple's social-media postings openly showed they were living near Paul's mother in the Louisville at the time with Pierre.As a result, it appeared Karine was angry with Paul's mother for "spoiling" her son as well as Paul for taking his mom's side.Things seemed to go back to normal until late September, when Paul suggested, once again, the couple's marriage was ending and Karine had initiated a divorce.According to the comments, Karine told Paul that she didn't want him in her life anymore and had retained a divorce lawyer.Paul revealed the news in a pair of since-deleted Facebook postings from September 27, according to screenshots captured by his followers."Karine asked me to remove our photos. And let everyone know that she doesn't want me in her life," he wrote in his first Facebook posting.Paul then also wrote a subsequent posting in a mix of Portuguese and English. When translated, the text states, "Karine's divorce lawyer called me. Guess I need a lawyer."Shortly afterward, Paul deleted both postings and removed most photos of Karine from his page.In October 2019, the cloud seemed to pass because Paul asked fans on Instagram for great haunted-house recommendations in the spirit of Halloween. Not only did Paul have a date planned for his wife, but he also posted a photo of them smiling at the time.Paul and Karine also celebrated their second wedding anniversary in early November 2019.But later that month, the pair openly discussed filing for divorce again.Paul claimed Karine had " started divorce proceedings in Manaus," and Karine told Us Weekly on November 12 that she was "looking for a lawyer.""Over the course of our Christmas dinner Paul and Karine broke up, got back together, broke up, got back together, broke up and this just in -- are back together. Stay tuned for more on this developing story," Yates wrote on his Instagram account on December 25.In December 2019, Paul alleged Karine had taken off with their son and was with a new man named Blake. He also said Karine was demanding a divorce again at the time.But the couple stayed together because, in late June, Karine posted a photo of Paul playing with Pierre and captioned it, "Happy Father's Day." She also added a blue heart to her post.And Paul posted an Instagram video on May 19 of a bike he had purchased and was putting together for aKarine.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
Two men have been remanded into custody after appearing in court on drugs charges linked to a 2m cannabis seizure.

Detectives from the PSNI's Organised Crime Branch seized the Class B drugs following searches conducted at three properties in south and east Belfast on Wednesday.



Xian Li Chen (55) and 32-year-old Long Chen appeared at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Friday via a videolink from Musgrave Street police station.



They were both charged with possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply, possessing a Class B drug, and conspiracy to supply cannabis.



Both men, of no fixed abode, spoke via a Chinese interpreter and confirmed they understood the charges.



Xian Li Chen was also charged with illegal entry into the UK, and possessing false identification documents.



A police constable told District Judge Fiona Bagnall that he believed he could connect the two accused to the charges.



Barrister Michael Boyd, representing both defendants, said there would be no application for bail "at this stage" and told the court "both accused strongly maintain their innocence".



Mr Boyd asked for a bail application to be listed in three weeks time, and the date was set for August 7.



Both men were remanded into custody and will appear in court again next month.
Kate Winslet will be presented the award on 15 Septemeber at the virtual gala

Actor Kate Winslet will receive the Tribute Actor Award during the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival on 15 September.

The Oscar-winning actor will receive the honour during the virtual gala following her latest film, Francis Lee's Ammonite.

Read the announcement below

Announcing the remarkable Kate Winslet as the recipient of the TIFF Tribute Actor Award. #TIFF20 pic.twitter.com/2uPgu3FQjZ  TIFF (@TIFF_NET) July 16, 2020

In the film, she played fossil hunter Mary Anning alongside Saoirse Ronan and is booked for Toronto's reimagined edition in September.

"Kate's brilliant and compelling onscreen presence continues to captivate, entertain and inspire audiences and actors alike," The Hollywood Reporter cited statement of Joana Vicente, executive director and co-head of the Toronto festival.

Last year, the inaugural TIFF Tribute Gala honoured Meryl Streep, Taika Waititi, Mati Diop, and Joaquin Phoenix.

Apart from Ammonite, Another Round, from director Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark); Bruised, the debut film from director Halle Berry (US); Concrete Cowboys by filmmaker Ricky Staub (US); Fauna, from director Nicolas Pereda (Mexico/Canada); Good Joe Bell by director Reinaldo Marcus Green (US); Spring Blossom, the debut film by director Suzanne Lindon (France); and True Mothers by director Naomi Kawase (Japan) are among the festival line-up.

In the coming weeks, the festival organisers will further unveil other 2020 TIFF Tribute Award honorees, and how audiences can experience the virtual ceremony.

The festival, slated to run from 10 September to 19 September, will be opting for digital screenings and virtual red carpets for the first time due to the coronavirus pandemic, making it tailored to fit the moment."

The 45th edition of the festival plans to screen 50 films during its first five days in physical theatres through socially-distanced screenings.

Physical screenings will need the approval from the health authorities of the city as it is dependent on province's reopening framework to ensure that festival venues and workplaces practice, meet, and exceed public health guidelines.

Festival goers can also opt for drive-ins to experience cinema.

For the first time in its history, TIFF will launch a digital platform for the festival, hoping to connect with audiences beyond Toronto by hosting digital screenings, as well as numerous talks and special events.

(With inputs from Asian News International)
Countries with female leaders have fared significantly better during the coronavirus pandemic than nations led by men, research suggests.

An international team of experts led by Trinity College Dublin analysed outbreaks in 35 countries, 10 of which were run by women.

Among them were Germany, New Zealand, Denmark and Finland - four nations which have been widely praised for their responses to the pandemic.

The study found male-led countries had six times more Covid-19 deaths than nations with women in power. When this was broken down by deaths per capita, female-run countries still had 1.6 times less fatalities.

And average excess mortality per million population was 4.8 in female-led countries and 21 in men-led countries - marking a 4.3-fold difference.

Nations governed by women were also quicker to flatten their epidemic's curve and recorded lower peaks in daily deaths, the researchers found.

They said these countries were quicker to move into lockdown than nations led by men, such as the UK and the US, because they 'prioritised public health over the economy'.

The researchers also claim women-led countries have better social and income equality, and they prioritise human needs and generosity in national policies.

Average excess mortality per million population was 4.8 in female-led countries such as New Zealand (pictured top right, Prime Minister Jacinda Arden) and Germany (pictured top left, Chancellor Angela Merkel), during the pandemic and 21 in male-led countries, such as the US (bottom right, President Donald Trump) and the UK (bottom left, Prime Minister Boris Johnson)

Comparison of cumulative deaths per million people in five countries with a female leader (Taiwan, New Zealand, Greece, Estonia and Finland) compared with five countries with a male leader (UK, US, Spain, Italy and Sweden)

Comparison of deaths per million people seven day rolling average in five countries with a female leader (Taiwan, New Zealand, Greece, Estonia and Finland) compared with five countries with a male leader (UK, US, Spain, Italy and Sweden)

The international team of scientists drew on public health data from 35 countries across five continents as part of the study. The findings have not yet been peer-reviewed.

They compared deaths per capita, excess mortality rates and the number of days with reported deaths between 10 female-led countries and 25 male-governed ones.

It found countries with women in position of leadership suffered six times fewer Covid-19 deaths than countries with governments led by men.

When the data was broken down per capita, it showed women-led nations had 1.6-times fewer deaths per capita than their male-dominated counterparts.

The peak in daily deaths was also seven times as low in women-led countries, the study found.

And the number of consecutive days with confirmed Covid-19 fatalities was, on average, 50 days in women-led countries and 79 in male-led countries.

Female-governed nations also managed to flatten the curve more effectively and faster than male-led countries.

The researches found the curve of daily deaths was four times less steep for women-led countries.

Average excess mortality per million population was 4.8 in female-led countries, and 21 in men-led countries - marking a near five-fold difference.

Countries with women in position of leadership suffered six times fewer Covid-19 deaths than countries with governments led by men. When the data was broken down per capita, it showed women-led nations had 1.6-times fewer deaths per capita than their male-dominated counterparts

Female-governed nations also managed to flatten the curve more effectively and faster than male-led countries. The researches found the curve of daily deaths was four times less steep for women-led countries

WHAT ARE THE DEATH RATES OF THE 35 COUNTRIES THAT WERE ANALYSED? COVID-19 DEATHS PER MILLION PEOPLE Of the 35 countries considered, 10 have a woman-led government: Belgium: 845.153 Denmark: 105.314 Estonia: 52.015 Finland: 59.198 Germany: 108.398 Greece: 18.517 Iceland: 29.304 New Zealand: 4.562 Norway: 46.853 Taiwan: 0.294 While 25 had a male-led government: Australia: 4.431 Austria: 78.944 Brazil: 360.784 Canada: 233.876 China: 3.227 Croatia: 28.987 Czechia: 33.15 Ecuador: 295.13 France: 461.719 Ireland: 29.304 Israel: 44.365 Italy: 579.159 Japan: 7.788 Lithuania: 29.02 Luxembourg: 177.323 Mexico: 291.423 Netherlands: 357.633 Romania: 102.455 Russia: 81.797 South Korea: 5.715 Spain: 607.767 Sweden: 553.802 Switzerland: 194.925 UK: 664.629 US: 417.997 Advertisement

This latter result is of particular relevance as excess mortality is acknowledged as the fairest way to compare Covid-19 deaths internationally.

The study also analysed income rates per capita, as well as the Social Progress Index which scores countries based on life expectancy, literacy rates and social liberties, among other things.

It found correlations between economic inequality and deaths from the viral disease.

The average global rank in happiness score was 21 in female-led countries, and 32 in men-led countries, and the rank in generosity was 44 in female-led countries and 59 in men-led countries.

The researchers say their results 'point to female leadership as a marker for healthier and more equal societies, where policy-making prioritises long-term social wellbeing over short-term economic considerations'.

Writing in the study, the team, led by researcher Luca Coscieme, from Trinity in Dublin, said: 'As Covid-19 deaths began to add up, national leaders were faced with an urgent decision: prioritise economic growth and market openness or shift toward peoples wellbeing.

'Leaders who opted for the former demonstrated a short-term vision and lack of understanding of the fact that social wellbeing (and a healthy environment) is the basis for a healthy economy.

'Our results show that this is the case for most men leaders, while women leaders did not hesitate to adopt precautionary measures, even when they posed immediate economic costs.'

The researchers said male governed countries responded to the crisis like a 'strict father' whose word is absolute and final.

Whereas they compared women-led countries to a 'nurturing mother' who had an 'we are all in this together' attitude.

They added: 'When faced with an illness, the strict father might advise working through it while the nurturing mother would advise staying home until you get better.'

The researchers took specific aim at US President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro.

All three countries have suffered the worst death tolls in the world as a result of the pandemic and were slow to move into lockdown by international standards.

They said Trump 'wasted precious time in managing the crisis and ignoring recommendations from public health experts.'

The US only urged citizens to limit travel on March 16, five days after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.

Individual states then began lockdown measures at different times, with California and New York state locking down on 19 March and 22 March respectively.

But some states didn't go bring in such measures until April, such as the southern state of Georgia. Almost 140,000 Americans have died from the disease, the most in any nation in the world.

By this time countries like New Zealand, run by female prime minister Jacinda Ardern, had already been in lockdown for weeks.

The Australasian country started restricting its borders in February and by March only its citizens were allowed into the country.

The researchers also blasted Boris Johnson, claiming he 'overlooked experts calls for early lockdown and the need for widespread and repeated testing'. At least 45,000 patients have died from Covid in the UK, with a third of victims dying in care homes.

One of the driving factors was that hospital patients were discharged into care homes without being tested for the disease, experts say.

For comparison, Germany - ran by Chancellor Angela Merkel - ,managed to squash its epidemic through stringent testing of everyone with systems and a robust contact tracing system.

In Brazil, President Bolsonaro repeatedly called for states to end quarantine measures and fired his health minister Mr Mandetta, who defended stay-at-home orders. The South American nation has recorded 76,822 Covid-19 deaths.
The Oshiwara police on Friday arrested animal rights activist Hema Choudhary from her residence in Andheri (West) for allegedly making objectionable remarks against people of Nagaland in a video on social media. She has been handed her over to Nagaland police.

A few days ago Choudhary created and posted a video with objectionable remarks on the Nagaland locals and posted it on YouTube after which an offence was registered by cyber police station, Kohima, Nagaland.

Dayanand Bangar senior inspector from Oshiwara police said, We have arrested her and handed her over to Nagaland police for further investigation as this case is registered with them.

The first information report (FIR) was registered under sections 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) 153B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of Indian Penal Code and Section 3 (1) (2) [Punishments for offences of atrocities] of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

On Friday, a Nagaland police team including deputy superintendent of police and staff approached additional commissioner of police (crime) Sandeep Karnik. They informed him about a non bailable warrant against her, and then after his instruction Oshiwara helped them in arresting her, said an officer from Oshiwara police station.
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The global Aquaponics Market is anticipated to reach $1,019 million by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2018, the Deep Water Culture segment accounted for the highest Aquaponics market share in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global Aquaponics market revenue in 2018.

The increase in the population worldwide and growth in global food demand majorly drives the aquaponics market growth. Aquaponics is increasingly being used to meet the high-demand for food crops. The ability to produce high quality crops throughout the year, lesser use of water for crop cultivation, and lower dependency on weather conditions boost the aquaponics market growth. Growing demand for organic and chemical free crops, and rising urban population accelerate the growth of the aquaponics market. New emerging markets, and reduced environmental pollution by aquaponics would provide growth opportunities in the aquaponics market in the coming years.

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North America generated the highest aquaponics market share in terms of revenue in 2018. The growing urbanization, and rising population has accelerated the aquaponics market growth in the region. A significant rise in the demand for organic and chemical free food products supports the growth of the aquaponics market in the region. The technological advancements in farming methods, and increasing awareness among consumers improves the aquaponics market growth rate. Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. This is owing to significant growth of population in the region. Lack of fertile land, and strong technical expertise in agricultural practices in the region promotes the adoption of aquaponics in the region. Technological advancements and established R&D institutes in China and Japan further supplements the aquaponics market growth.

The well-known companies profiled in the aquaponics market report include Ultrasonics Canada Corporation, UrbanFarmers AG, Backyard Aquaponics Pty Ltd., ECF Farmsystems GmbH, My Aquaponics, Aqua Allotments, Nelson & Pade Inc., Colorado Aquaponic, Greenlife Aquaponics, Aquaponic Lynx LLC, and The Aquaponic Source among others. These companies launch new products and collaborate with other market leaders to innovate and launch new products to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers.

Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/aquaponics-market

Leading players in the aquaponics market partner and collaborate with other players in the market to enhance their offerings in the market and expand their customer base. For instance, Aerofarms has partnered with Dell Technologies to expand its technological requirements of machine learning and network systems. Fluence Bioengineering, offers lighting solutions for Aquaponics to its consumers. The companys Fluence RAZR Series is developed for various Aquaponics applications such as full-cycle cultivation of leafy greens, young plant propagation of vegetable, ornamental and cannabis crops.

Aquaponics Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Product Fish Herbs Fruits Vegetables Others

Aquaponics Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Component Bio Filter Rearing tanks Settling Basins Hydroponics Subsystem Others

Aquaponics Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Method Deep Water Culture Nutrition Film Technique Media-Filled Beds Ebb and Flow Drip Irrigation Others

Aquaponics Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by End-User Commercial Home Production Community Agriculture and Farming Education and Research Others

Aquaponics Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Region North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe Germany UK France Italy Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific China India Japan Rest of Asia-Pacific Latin America Brazil Middle East & Africa



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Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world.

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The British Association for Physicians of Indian Origin (Bapio) on Friday said it has joined a legal challenge by two doctors against Britains health authorities for allegedly inadequate provision and guidance on personal protection equipment in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.

The challenge has been brought by doctor-couple Nishant Joshi and Meenal Viz. A high court judge will decide whether to grant permission for a judicial review. The legal papers also include a witness statement by Bapio president Ramesh Mehta.

Over 300 health and social care workers have died due to the virus. The review is sought to challenge the lawfulness of the PPE guidance published by the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England, which the petitioners say exposed the workers to the virus.

Mehta said: This case by Joshi and Viz is vital in establishing the obligation of government and its official bodies in the protection of health and social care workers against a second wave of Covid-19 and future pandemics.

Bapio said that as the largest organisation representing doctors, nurses and other care workers from the non-white communities, who have suffered disproportionately in terms of infections and fatalities, it commissioned and published several surveys on their experience.

Mehta said it was the first medical organisation to write to the chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, expressing concern about the disproportionate deaths of non-white doctors. Fatalities include several doctors and nurses of Indian heritage.

Joshi and Viz, who have applied to the high court for permission to bring judicial review proceedings, have named Bapio as an interested party. The PPE guidance in focus allegedly included advice to use plastic aprons in hospitals, if gowns run out.

Hospitals across the UK faced a severe shortage of PPE in the initial stages of the pandemic, until the Boris Johnson government imported large quantities, including some from India, besides making procurement from within the country.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Prasun Sonwalkar Prasun Sonwalkar was Editor (UK & Europe), Hindustan Times. During more than three decades, he held senior positions on the Desk, besides reporting from Indias north-east and other states, including a decade covering politics from New Delhi. He has been reporting from UK and Europe since 1999. ...view detail
To promote collaborative research based on equal partnership between the two agencies

Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to promote collaborative research based on equal partnership between the two agencies, further paving the way for joint scientific events.

AMED and CIHR have jointly held two workshops to date, in February 2017 and March 2018, agreeing to promote research that combines advanced technologies and biomedicine. Based on the MoC, AMED and CIHR will promote collaborative research relevant to Advancing Epigenetic Technologies.

AMED has announced a Japan-Canada joint grant call for proposals for research up to three years in duration under the framework of the Strategic International Collaborative Research Program (SICORP). Canada possesses many world-class research centers of excellence in the field of epigenetics, and Japan is looking forward to receiving a large number of competitive research proposals. Furthermore, the scope of the MoC also includes cooperative activities through personnel exchanges, joint seminars, workshops, and other scientific meetings.
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his strong determination to get to the root of the problem undermining the development of the Niger Delta and the crisis bedevilling the vehicle to drive the transformation, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Buhari said this yesterday in the aftermath of an attempt by police to arrest the NDDC former managing director, Joi Nunieh in Port Harcourt and the showdown between the NDDC interim MD and the House of Representatives in Abuja.

Nunieh was scheduled to travel to Abuja today to give testimony before a Senate panel probing the finances of the NDDC.

A House of Reps committee is also engaged in a similar exercise.

Nunieh and the Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio have engaged in embarrassing mudslinging in recent times, with Nunieh insisting Akpabio and the interim management that he set up, were out to loot the agency.

In a statement today, President Buhari said he has given directives for better coordination among security and investigating agencies with the National Assembly to ensure that the administrations effort to bring sanity, transparency and accountability to the management of the large amount of resources dedicated to development of the Niger Delta sub-region is not derailed.

In his reaction to the unfolding drama, which include attacks and counter attacks between and around persons, institutions, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), President Buhari expressed his strong determination to get to the root of the problem undermining the development of the Niger Delta and its peoples in spite of enormous national resources voted year after year for this singular purpose.

According to the directive, auditing firms and investigative agencies working in collaboration with National Assembly Committees to resolve the challenges in the NDDC must initiate actions in a time-bound manner and duly inform the Presidency of the actions being taken.

The President also directed timely sharing of information and knowledge in a way to speedily assist the administration to diagnose what had gone wrong in the past and what needs to be done to make corrections in order to return the NDDC to its original mandate of making life better for people in Niger Delta.

President Buhari said the administration wants to bring about rapid, even and sustainable development to the region.

The President gave firm assurance that his administration would put in place a transparent and accountable governance framework, not only in the NDDC but in all other institutions of government.
The Democratic National Convention is telling party lawmakers not to go to Milwaukee convention where former Vice President Joe Biden will accept the presidential nomination.

The move comes as officials move to scrap some events and move others online, even as President Trump makes plans to accept his party's nomination before a large crowd in Jacksonville.

A senior advisor to the convention, Chasseny Lewis, contacted aides to all Democratic lawmakers with the guidance, the New York Times reported.

The Democratic convention is telling party lawmakers not to come to Milwaukee where Joe Biden will accept the party's nomination

'As the coronavirus cases in Milwaukee, and across the country continue to increase, we have been working closely with state and local public health officials, as well as epidemiologists, and have come to the hard decision that Members of Congress should not plan to travel to Milwaukee,' wrote Lewis, a former chief of staff to Texas Rep. Frederica Wilson. 'No delegates will travel to Milwaukee and Caucus and Council meetings will take place virtually.'

The Democratic convention is set for August 17 to 20.

In ordinary times, lawmakers are desperate to procure hotel rooms and ducats for convention activities. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a handful of GOP senators have already said they don't plan to go to Jacksonville to see President Trump accept his party's nomination.

Delegates in the hall at the Democratic National Convention, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 28, 2016

In this file photo taken on January 07, 2020 The floor of the Fiserv Forum is seen during a media walk through ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. - The Democratic National Convention Committee will scale back this summer's convention considerably and is advising state delegates not to plan to travel to Milwaukee due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the committee announced June 24, 2020

Biden's convention will be dramatically different from the one orchestrated by Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia in 2016

Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway told DailyMail.com Thursday that President Donald Trump might speak outside when he accepts his party's nomination. 'Outdoors if that's appropriate and that's what the local regulations say,' she said, asked about it following an event on regulations at the White House.

'This president will accept the nomination, the vice president will accept the nomination for reelection and he will be addressing the nation about the great things he's done for real people impact,' she said. She didn't answer a direct question about whether she would be attending.

President Trump might speak out doors at the Jacksonville convention, Kellyanne Conway told DailyMail.com

The Democratic affair is looking to be far more scaled-back.

'What we know now is that this year's Convention will be reduced more drastically than we originally expected,' according to the email. Lewis said the convention would be in touch int he 'near future' with more information on the August convention and 'alternative ways' lawmakers can engage digitally.

According to the Times, as few as 300 people, including delegates, security, and journalists, might attend the Democratic event.

Biden is calling his event a 'Convention Across America,' in recognition of the zoom-like sessions it is likely to feature.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's divorce-related cases are starting to get messier and messier. One minute the world realizes Amber Heard could have lied with new evidence, the next, it could be Johnny Depp who did!

Depp is presently suing Sun's publisher for an article where it described the actor as a wife-beater. In consideration to the newspaper, it was only reporting what allegations Amber Heard made against her ex-husband. But Depp said these were all lies and the newspaper should not have ran with just one angle.

As the court proceedings over this case start, evidence for and against the actor are continuously appearing. This time, Johnny Depp's security guard revealed a mind-boggling total of FOUR photographs showing the actor with injuries. Allegedly, these injuries were rom Amber Heard attacking him. On that note, these photos are meant to support Depp's libel claims against Sun, which go to show that it is him and not Amber Heard who was beaten up.

Sean Bennet, the security guard, has worked for Depp for a total of nine years. According to him, he was able to took three pictures on his mobile of the actor in December 2015 with bruises. He alleged that he was told by the "Pirates of Carribean" actor himself that he was slapped by his then wife several times.

Naturally, the revelation warranted questioning. Asked in court by Depp's lawyer David Sherborne, what he saw that day, Mr Bett answered: 'I could see what appears to be redness and what appears to be a 1.5 inch to 2 inch scratch and redness to the right of that scratch.'

The fourth paragraph showed Depp injured once more because Amber Heard allegedly attacked him after her 30th birthday party in Los Angeles in April 2016.

If these are proven true, then Depp might be on his way to winning this case. The problem is, NGN's barrister Sasha Wass QC told the court that the photo was in reality, taken in March 2015. And that Depp was yes, injured by Heard's hands, but she already admitted to that incident. According to Heard, she had to attack Depp in defense of her sister Whitney.

On her part, Heard already revealed in the past that she and Depp had a violent interaction because Depp approached her sister on a landing between two staircases in their LA home. Because Heard got so scared Depp would push Whitney down, she hit him in the face.

But Mr. Bett insisted that he is not lying. He said he lies witness to the many times that Depp was being attacked by Heard. And, he could say 100% that Depp never hit the girl back. When it comes to Amber Heard attacks of Johnny Depp, it can be called a cycle.

When accused of lying by Ms Wass, he replied: 'You can call me a liar a hundred times but I'm not lying, I'm telling the truth.'

So who is lying in this case? Amber Heard, The Sun, or Johnny Depp? The world might not find out until much later when all the possible evidence of abuse from both sides finally emerge. These are not the only controversial photos linked to the case after all - there is one of poo in Depp's bed, allegedly Amber Heard's/ There is another of Johnny Depp passed out and covered in ice cream - what the heck.
Britain's coronavirus jobs massacre has continued with another 1,200 roles set to go at the Zizzi and Ask Italian restaurant chains.

Azzurri Group, which owns both franchises, announced around 75 sites will have to close as the impact of the pandemic takes its toll on business.

More than 65,000 workers across some of the UK's biggest firms are already facing unemployment and many expect the landscape to look even bleaker over the coming weeks.

Britain's coronavirus jobs massacre has continued with another 1,200 roles set to go at the Zizzi and Ask Italian restaurant chains

More than 65,000 jobs are at risk across the UK amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis Below is a table showing how many jobs are at risk in British businesses Southbank Centre - 400

DFS Furniture - 200 Centrica - 5,000 Johnson Matthey - 2,500 Accenture - 900 Airbus - 1,700 Arcadia - 500 BA - 12,000 Beales - 1,052 Bentley - 1,000

Burberry - 150 at risk 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 The Guardian - 180 at risk

BBC - 520

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

Skyscanner - 300 (84 in Edinburgh) SSP Group (Upper Crust, Caffe Ritazza) - 5,000 Ted Baker - 160 TM Lewin - 600 Tui - 8,000 Victoria's Secret - 800 at risk

Zizzi/Ask Italian - 1,200 Advertisement

Azzurri Group said on Friday it has been sold out of administration to TowerBrook Capital Partners in a deal which will see around 225 restaurants and shops continue to operate, protecting about 5,000 jobs.

However, the 75 sites which fall outside the scope of the deal are set to subsequently shut.

It is unclear which restaurants will be affected.

The dining sector has been knocked hard by the lockdown and pandemic, with a raft of restaurants having announced closures and jobs losses in recent weeks after seeing sales decimated.

Frankie and Benny's owner The Restaurant Group put up to 3,000 jobs on the line after announcing it was going to close 125 sites, and Bella Italia and Cafe Rouge owner Casual Dining Group said it would close 91 restaurants after calling in administrators.

Pizza Express is reportedly planning to axe around 75 sites across the UK.

Steve Holmes, the chief executive of Azzurri Group, which also owns the Coco di Mama and Pod fast-food chains, said the Covid-19 crisis had had 'a profound impact on the casual dining sector, bringing many businesses like ours to a standstill'.

'Despite being a successful operator, the immediate loss of revenue during lockdown meant that we have had to make some incredibly difficult decisions to protect the business for the long term,' he said.

'It is with deep sadness that this process will result in the permanent closure of a number of sites and that we must say goodbye to greatly valued employees across our brands.

'Looking forwards, TowerBrook is a strong new partner who shares our ambitions for the future.

'Their additional investment has enabled us to preserve the majority of our restaurants, stores and jobs and I am confident that, under TowerBrook's ownership, Azzurri will navigate the period ahead successfully.'

TowerBrook will invest around 70 million to support Azzurri Group and plans to reopen 40 pizza restaurants next week, followed by its Coco di Mama chain and more Ask and Zizzi sites later in the summer. Pod will switch to delivery only.

A series of big names in other industries revealed job cuts this week, including luxury fashion firm Burberry, which unveiled plans to lay off 500 workers after the coronavirus lockdown slashed its revenues by half.

It is axing 150 office jobs in the UK, where it is headquartered, and a further 350 jobs overseas as it looks to save an extra 55million in annual savings.

Retail sales plunged by 45 per cent in the three months to June 27 due to lockdown closing stores, while retails revenues fell by 49 per cent.

Meanwhile the world-famous Eden Project in Cornwall has said that job losses for up to 40 per cent of its staff are 'sadly inevitable', with bosses warning the equivalent of 150 full-time jobs would be lost as visitor numbers plummet.

Earlier on Friday, London's Southbank Centre said it may have to cut two-thirds of its staff and Canterbury Cathedral are asking workers to take voluntary redundancy after they lost 3million during lockdown.

The Southbank, which is the biggest arts complex in Europe, warned that 400 of the 600 jobs at the centre in Waterloo are at risk, despite the Government providing 1.57billion worth of financial aid to the arts sector as a whole.

Also this week, The Guardian announced plans to cut up to 180 jobs, including 70 journalists, telling staff that the pandemic had created an 'unsustainable financial outlook for the Guardian' with revenues expected to be down by more than 25million on the year's budget.

The owner of Ask Italian (pictured, a restaurant in Stratford upon Avon) has announced hundreds of job cuts due to coronavirus

And the BBC revealed The Andrew Neil Show is ending as the corporation slashes a further 70 jobs in BBC News, taking the total number of redundancies to 520.

World-famous shoemakers Loake, who have held a Royal warrant since 2007, have also announced jobs are to go.

It comes as nearly 63,000 jobs to date are set to be axed by companies including Airbus, British Airways, easyJet, Harrods, TM Lewin and Ted Baker, with Boris Johnson saying that the Government cannot save every job.

Fiscal watchdog the Office for Budget Responsibility grimly warned that unemployment could rise to four million by next year as the lockdown and a precipitous fall in demand for air travel cause the UK economy to crash.

It comes as the number of job postings in Britain reached more than a million this week, with a significant increase in job adverts for IT professionals, recruitment specialists have said.

Unemployment increased by 34,000 reaching 1.3 million in April while the total figure for workers on British company payrolls fell by 649,000 between March and June, Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows.

But demand for web designers and developers has surged by 15.5 per cent over the last month, the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) has revealed.

The industry group says large and small British firms now realise digital skills are essential to all components of business - such as online sales through websites, improving marketing efforts and increasing productivity.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Assistant to Azerbaijans President, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev took part in debates with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans ex-diplomatic advisor Arsen Haratyan during the 'Inside Story' program, broadcasted by Aljazeera channel, Trend reports on July 17.

During the debates, the assistant to president proved that in accordance with international law, Armenia is responsible for the occupation of Azerbaijani territories.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
A tattooed Sydney pool cleaning mogul flaunted a life of luxury on his Instagram all while running a huge drug syndicate out of a garage.

Aaron Waters, 27, was charged after police found $275,000 worth of MDMA, $43,000 of cocaine and $100,000 in cash in a garage in Manlys East Esplanade.

He was arrested in May last year and could face serious jail time when he is sentenced next month over offences including supplying prohibited drugs.

But before his arrest, Waters 22,000 Instagram followers were treated to constant pictures of his lavish life.

He shared photos riding horses in the ocean with a cigar, sipping coconuts in pools and holidaying in exotic locations.

Aaron Waters, 27, (pictured) was charged after police found $275,000 worth of MDMA and $43,000 of cocaine in a garage in Manlys East Esplanade

Before his arrest, Waters (pictured) flaunted his lifestyle to his 22,000 Instagram followers including sharing a photo of him riding a horse in the ocean while smoking a cigar

Detectives started watching the 27-year-old in early 2019 after he was seen frequenting a locked up garage near Manly Wharf, agreed facts tendered to court state, The Daily Telegraph reported.

He had been renting the garage since June, 2018, using the fake name 'Alex' and saying it would be used as storage.

But upon sneaking into the garage, police officers alleged they found a huge wad of cash, 1kg of a brown substance and a set of scales.

In a covert operation, officers then hid recording devices in the garage in May last year.

Waters was caught the following morning using rubber gloves as he tried to weigh a 'white powdery' substance. He was later arrested that morning.

Following his arrest, police seized the huge quantities of drugs, finding 1.3kg of MDMA and 145 grams of cocaine.

Detectives charged Waters (pictured) over drug supply after finding 1.3kg of MDMA and 145 grams of cocaine in the rented garage

Waters (pictured) was arrested in May last year and could face serious jail time when he is sentenced next month over offences including supplying prohibited drugs

Upon searching Waters' house police found a Rolex and three other designer watchers and knuckle dusters, officers told the court.

He spent 20 days behind bars after his May 10 arrest before he was released on bail under the condition that his then girlfriend deposited $50,000 and his grandparents handed over the deed to their Sunshine Coast home.

In an affidavit handed to the court after his first appearance, his girlfriend Chay Wallace said she was 'dumbfounded' by the drug dealing allegations.

'While he did have a bump in the road last year when he possessed a very small amount of cocaine (0.269 grams which was weighed with the packaging) this was the only time Aaron has ever fallen foul of the criminal law,' she said.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Adrian Walsh said it was likely Waters could serve a full sentence.

More than $100,000 in cash was also left in the garage and upon searching Waters' (pictured) house police found a Rolex and three other designer watchers and knuckle dusters
Yahoo UK News Video

Rishi Sunak brought an abrupt end to an interview after he was asked if he fully supported Boris Johnson. (Watch the interview above). The Chancellor was giving an interview to Sky News over the future of the prime minister, who has been accused by his former chief adviser Dominic Cummings of lying to Parliament over allegations of lockdown-breaching parties in Downing Street. Johnson rejected the claim in an interview on Tuesday afternoon, insisting he did not know in advance about the event in May 2020, adding that "no one told him" it was against the rules. Asked whether he backed his boss, Sunak replied: Of course I do. The prime minister set out his understanding of this matter in parliament last week and Id refer you to his words. Sue Gray is conducting an inquiry into this matter and I fully support the prime ministers request for patience while that inquiry concludes. Sunak then refused to comment on whether Johnson should quit following Cummings bombshell allegations. Im not going to get into hypotheticals. The Ministerial Code is clear on these matters. Pressed on whether he supported the PM unequivocally, Sunak promptly stood up, took off his microphone abruptly and walked off while his adviser stood in front of the journalist. Sunak is the bookies favourite to replace Johnson and has tried to distance himself from the scandal in recent days. He told Yahoo News UK last week that he had not attended the garden party. And he was noticeably absent from the House of Commons last Wednesday during the prime minister's apology for the anger sparked by the revelations. The Ministerial Code states that ministers who lie to Parliament and do not correct the record should resign. If Johnson is found to have lied, his position would become untenable.
The governing council of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) has condemned ethnocentric remarks made by the National Democratic Congress Volta Regional Chairman Henry Ametefee concerning the UHAS Vice-Chancellor, Prof John Gyapong.



According to the governing council, they were disappointed by the comments made by the former Deputy Volta Regional Minister which they described as ill-informed comments, personalized attacks against the Vice Chancellor with unfortunate ethnocentric and political undertones.



On Thursday, June 25, 2020, during a televised press conference by the NDC in the Volta Region, Henry Ametefee, responded to televised comments by an official of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).



Portions of Mr. Ametefees response which was further commented upon by the Daily Guide Newspaper (June 29, 2020 Edition, front page and page 6) concerning UHAS read as follows:



We have put Abomosu citizen as our Vice Chancellor. I know hes doing so many dirty things there with removing Voltarians, but all our people are quiet  Togbe Afede and all of them  why?



Professor Mawutor Avoke was removed from Winneba University College of Education, because he is not a son of the Fanti soil and Volta Region, we have allowed Professor Gyapong to be our vice chancellor, because we are very civilized people.



If the Akyems do not know that Volta Region believe in civility, then Professor Gyapong must also be careful that hes sitting on our land as a vice chancellor, a university that we built



The UHAS governing council on July 10 said these allegations against the Vice-Chancellor are unfounded, false and should be treated with the contempt they deserve.



We wish to reaffirm for the benefit of the Volta Region, the entire Country and our International collaborators, that the Vice Chancellor, Professor John Gyapong, under the guidance of the University Council, has been consistent in putting in place a robust, transparent and competitive appointment system and process to ensure that at all times, the most competent and capable officers take up available positions in the University irrespective of which part of Ghana or the world they come from, a statement released by the UHAS governing council read.



They added that, Specifically, we further assure all Ghanaians that the alleged practice of dirty things and removing Voltarians or any other employee on the basis of their ethnic background is entirely untrue and will never have the support of the UHAS Council in any shape or form because it is at variance with our vision of building an equal opportunities University of international repute that can compete globally.



The Council affirmed their strong belief in the character and professional capabilities of Professor John Gyapong in his quest to position UHAS as a successful University of international standing for the training of health professionals.



Indeed, the high moral character, integrity, competence and efficiency in managing the university have earned Professor Gyapong a renewal of his tenure for another two years, to expire in July 2022.



Meanwhile, the Council has expressed readiness to address any concerns Mr. Ametefee or any member of the general public might have regarding the administration of UHAS and affirm that UHAS will continue to remain apolitical in its dealings, offer equal opportunities to all, and pursue diversity as its culture.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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

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The New York Times reports that federal agents outfitted in tactical gear and camouflage are detaining protestors, using tear gas on crowds, and using violent means to quell demonstrations in Portland, Oregon. Governor Kate Brown called the situation "a blatant abuse of power."

The NYT spoke with Mark Pettibone, who was detained. He explained that he was detained on Wednesday night by four men that came out of an unmarked vehicle. They had no identification or distinguishable markings.

"One of the officers said, 'It's OK, it's OK,' and just grabbed me and threw me into the van. Another officer pulled my beanie down, so I couldn't see," Pettibone said.

He was held for two hours, was never told why he was being detained or who the officers were. Reports also include the unidentified federal officers have shooting a protestor in the head with an "impact munition." People chanted, "Who do you protect? Who do you serve?"

AP Images

RELATED: Black Lives Matter More Than a Store or Handbag

Mayor Ted Wheeler, who also acts as police commissioner, said that the federal response to the protests  which have been going on for 50 days  was "irresponsible." He also asked for any of those deployed to "stay inside federal buildings or leave the city." Mike Reese, Multnomah County sheriff, said that the response is a "significant setback."

Oregon politicos aren't the only ones questioning the situation. Representatives and officials from across the country are demanding more information.

This is right out of the authoritarian playbook. Americans have rights and they cannot be disregarded by unidentified uniformed agents. We need answers. Now.https://t.co/JlADJ2JwlI  Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 17, 2020

This behavior from unidentified federal officers is chilling. Without identification, there can be no accountability when something goes wrong, and there is no way for citizens to tell the difference between real and fake law enforcement. https://t.co/mzK4VmtvzN  Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) July 17, 2020

I thought wed already covered this after the attacks in Lafayette Square: the US government should not be using unidentified federal officers as a secret police force to terrorize US citizens & violate their constitutional rights. This is outrageous. https://t.co/EIXbZmHXak  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 17, 2020

Who are these people? What agency do they work for? Who gives them orders? What are their use of force guidelines? What is their jurisdiction in Portland?



This lack of accountability is UNACCEPTABLE from federal authorities.



We don't have secret police in the United States. https://t.co/gHMJadt7BH  Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) July 17, 2020

Paramilitary assaults at the direction of Donald Trump and Chad Wolf are nothing more than a catalyst for violence. This administration has no real interest in protecting Americans. Our country needs lasting, peaceful solutions that bubble up from the community.  Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) July 17, 2020

RELATED: Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Opal Tometi Finally Feels "Vindicated"

Story continues

Jann Carson, interim executive director of the ACLU of Oregon, told Rolling Stone that the situation in Portland could set precedent for the future of peaceful protests nationwide.

"What is happening now in Portland should concern everyone in the United States," he said. "Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping. The actions of the militarized federal officers are flat-out unconstitutional and will not go unanswered."

Acting Homeland Security secretary Chad Wolf arrived in Portland on Thursday. According to The Oregonian, he called the protesters a "violent mob" of anarchists and said that the local law enforcement efforts were insufficient. Last week, President Trump said that he sent Homeland Security to the city because "the locals couldn't handle it."

Mayor Wheeler has made steps to change and urged protestors to avoid clashing with police. NYT notes that the city's police chief resigned and will be replaced with Chuck Lovell. City commissioners have also moved to cut $16 million from the police budget.

"Black leaders in the community have also expressed disappointment," the Times writes, "suggesting that the predominantly white protest crowd was seizing an opportunity and detracting from the vital efforts needed to reform policing."

Unfortunately, activist groups fear that this is just a test for what could come in other cities where protests are happening. Zakir Khan, a spokesman for the Oregon chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told The Washington Post, "I think Portland is test case. They want to see what they can get away with before launching into other parts of the country."

This story is developing and this post may be updated.
The programme of government commitment to review greenhouse gas emissions on a consumption basis could be a game-changer.

The three government parties said they are conscious of the limitations of examining greenhouse gas emissions solely on a production basis.

The goal of the promised review is to ensure that Irish and EU action to reduce emissions supports emission reductions globally, as well as on our own territories.

Perhaps the government is also looking over its shoulder at EU plans for a carbon border tax.

Greenhouse gas emissions can be addressed at the point of production and consumption of goods and services.

Many believe consumption-based policies are crucial for globally effective action on greenhouse gases.

Whether the focus is on production or consumption is a very important question for the economy, including agriculture. Research in Austria showed that its biggest gas emitters in consumption-based accounting were construction, public administration, and the wholesale and retail trade.

In contrast, its biggest gas emitters in production-based accounting were electricity, iron and steel, and cement.

More than 60% of consumption-based emissions were found to occur outside the countrys borders, and 34% were even outside the EU.

It was found that production-based approaches can work well for electricity, but emission reduction in sectors such as electronic equipment is crucially dependent on consumption-based approaches.

The Government says it will bring all communities with it in a manner which ensures a rapid reduction in and then reversal of our impact on the climate.

A cornerstone of its programme is the commitment to an average 7% cut in greenhouse gas emissions per annum, equating to a 51% reduction over the next decade. There is very little firm information on how the 51% emissions cut might be achieved in agriculture. And the promised review of greenhouse gas emissions on a consumption basis clouds the picture even more.

Nevertheless, there is a strong case for ending the limitations of examining greenhouse gas emissions solely on a production basis.

What is wrong with examining greenhouse gas emissions solely on a production basis was spelled out by economist Colm McCarthy in a recent Irish Farmers Journal article.

He said it is nuts that the emissions behind Irish dairy products consumed in Saudia Arabia are counted in Ireland, same as the emissions for a litre of diesel a resident in Ireland burns while driving their car.

He said emissions should logically be based on consumption, not production, and the consumption of anything should involve incurring emissions tax. That way, production will gravitate towards the least cost countries, with the environmental negatives fully accounted for through carbon taxes in the country of consumption.

In other words, consumers everywhere need to be penalised for choices that are environmentally damaging.

That isnt happening.

Its yet another hole that can be picked in how Ireland and the EU try to take climate action.

Maybe, theres hope that we can get our emissions below those of Los Angeles, by counting them correctly.

Delegates to a prestigious US agri-food conference in May were shocked to hear that Ireland, with a population of 4m, has been given a bigger carbon footprint than Los Angeles, with 13m people. Its because the current greenhouse gas assessment methodologies are flawed, said Dr Frank Mitloehner, at the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience.

He said current methodologies do not include the real warming impact of methane (emitted by livestock), and leave out the vast sequestration potential of grasslands, soils, and forests, of which Los Angeles has none, and Ireland a lot.

More than 23,000 attendees for the virtual conference, from 118 countries, heard Los Angeles has carbon emissions per year rated at 50m tonnes, and Ireland 60m tonnes. That was the scientists viewpoint, from Dr Mitloehner, a professor and air quality specialist at the prestigious University of California Davis.

And the economists viewpoint, from Colm McCarthy, is that the emissions for the portion of our agricultural production which is exported (about 90% of our beef and dairy, for example) should be counted where it is consumed.

And the EU leaders viewpoint is that there is no point in only reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, if we increase the import of carbon footprint from abroad. Thats what EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the World Economic Forum last January.

She was introducing the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism designed to protect EU businesses and workers from unfair competition.

A Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism would prevent carbon-intensive industries moving abroad to economies that do not tax or otherwise put a price on emissions, by imposing a border carbon tax.

How might it affect agriculture and food? The answer is nobody knows, and its just one more riddle the industry here will have to try to work out as it plays its part in the plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions 7% per annum.

But farmers here might be more likely to make bigger efforts to cut carbon if there is a system in place to protect them from imports with a high carbon footprint.

From the farmers viewpoint, that might make up a little for the EU trying to sign a trade agreement with South American countries allowing Amazon deforestation for farming, even though they are Paris Agreement signatories.

But it may well be impossible to devise a fair border tax on food. Some foods have a supply chain including more than one country, what would be the tax rate?

Farms in the same country producing similar foods but with very different methods and different levels of carbon emissions would all be lumped under one carbon border tax rate of that country.

Whos to decide if beef from grass-fed cattle is less carbon-intensive than from cattle grain-finished in feedlots?
NEW HAVEN  A person who was found with a gunshot wound in a parking lot on York Street Friday morning died, according to police.

Capt. Anthony Duff said officers and firefighters responded to multiple 911 calls at 10:13 a.m., found a person suffering from a gunshot wound in the parking lot of Walgreensat 88 York St.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  At least 349 violators of the 24-hour curfew and quarantine rules, including proper wearing of face masks, were arrested on the first day of the two-week lockdown in Novotas City, Mayor Toby Tiangco announced in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Under an executive order signed by Tiangco on Monday, movement restrictions and safety protocols are being enforced on the city's 250,000 residents from 5 am of July 16 to 11:59 pm of July 29, unless extended. Those rendering essential services are exempted from the stay-at-home policy.

People authorized to go out for essential activities must maintain a one to two meters of distance from each other and wear face mask to avoid COVID-19 transmission.

Elderly and those under 21 years old are not allowed to go out except for medical emergencies. Guardians or parents of minors caught violating the stay-at-home rule will be fined up to P4,000, Tiangco said.

Navotas now has 1,119 COVID-19 cases, after reporting 22 new infections on Thursday.

As the city continues to log infections, Tiangco appealed to his constituents to follow the safety rules and measures in place, which aim to reduce their risk of catching the virus.

Ang ating mga batas at patakaran ay ipinapatupad para rin sa ating kabutihan, the mayor told Navotas residents.

[Translation: Our laws and rules are being enforced for your own good.]
This year, in response to Turkeys new shipments of battle-hardened Syrians, Wagner increased its deployment of foreign fighters, also including Syrians, with estimates ranging from 800 to 2,500 mercenaries. Russia and the Syrian government agreed to send 300 to 400 former opposition rebels from the southwest village of Quneitra to Libya in exchange for a $1,000 per month salary and clemency from President Bashar Assad, the report added.
Circumstances conspired to make Micheal Martin's first official visit to Northern Ireland as Taoiseach an overwhelming anti-climax.

The black face mask that he whipped off and on as he exited and entered the ministerial car told its own story.

Covid-19 seriously restricted the day's events, and it all felt fairly flat.

Three years ago, Leo Varadkar had delivered a lecture to a huge audience of the great and the good in Queen's University on his first official cross-border visit.

Coronavirus meant Martin wasn't even able to shake hands with Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill who came down the steps of Stormont Castle to greet him at lunchtime.

Read More

There's no love lost between the new Taoiseach and Sinn Fein, but nobody was being petty on Thursday and the Deputy First Minister gave him a genuinely warm welcome.

The meeting that followed was described as "pleasantly standard".

A source said the "edge" that was present during DUP encounters with the previous administration was gone.

Martin lacks the electricity and energy that Varadkar brought to these occasions publicly.

But behind closed doors, he impresses those who meet him.

Read More

"He was far more chatty, more conversational with Arlene and Michelle than Leo would ever have been," a Stormont insider said.

"Leo was a very shy person.

"He could be a bit socially awkward."

Next, the Taoiseach was off to Stormont House for a tete-a-tete with Secretary of State Brandon Lewis.

Then, it was over to the Stormont Hotel for meetings with Alliance, the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP.

All three parties gave him a big thumbs up yesterday.

UUP leader Steve Aiken didn't try to hide his disdain for the previous government. This was the opportunity to "reset relations", he said.

Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry said: "Micheal Martin is already well known to us over the past decade but this was him reintroducing himself in his new role as Taoiseach and relating his vision and his priorities."

Alliance stressed the fragility of the devolved institutions to him. The party said that while they weren't in danger of collapsing, vigilance was needed.

With his very authentic interest in Northern Ireland and his attention to detail, Martin is not likely to be complacent in that regard.

The Fianna Fail-SDLP partnership means that Colum Eastwood needs no convincing of Martin's merits, and the Foyle MP was understandably enthused by the Taoiseach's visit.

Still, it was all a tad unspectacular as a media event. There were no great lines or pictures, or interesting exchanges.

Arlene and Michelle couldn't even manage a joint press conference afterwards. The First Minister headed off home to Fermanagh to join a virtual joint ministerial committee meeting to discuss a white paper on the UK's internal market post-Brexit transition.

It was an important meeting, yet the real reason for Foster's departure was surely that she thought it far too soon after the Bobby Storey funeral controversy to be standing shoulder-to-shoulder (or as close as social distancing will allow) with Sinn Fein.

The Deputy First Minister put a brave face on it, but she cut a forlorn figure as she addressed journalists alone under the shadow of Sir Edward Carson's statue.

That joint ministerial committee meeting that Foster joined proved to be a lively affair with the Scots tearing strips off Cabinet Office Minister, Michael Gove.

It was, by all accounts, spirited stuff compared to a well-meaning but monotonous day in Belfast.
Investigators are still trying to determine exactly how the hackers got inside Twitters systems and took such command of the platform that, when Twitter employees took the Bitcoin-seeking messages down, the disinformation popped right back up

Over the past year, government officials have raced to help states replace voting machines that leave no paper trail, and to harden vulnerable online voter registration systems that many fear Russia, or others, could hijack to trigger chaos on Election Day.

But this week, the country got a startling vision of other perils in political disinformation  and how many other ways there may be to manipulate turnout, if not votes.

The hacker or hackers who bored into the command centre of Twitter on Wednesday  seizing control of Joe Bidens and Barack Obamas blue-ticked accounts, among many others  served as a warning that some of the most critical infrastructure that could influence the election is not in the hands of government experts, and is far less protected than anyone assumed even a day ago.

The hackers probably did the nation a favour. With a crude scheme to deceive users into thinking that Biden and Obama were asking them for donations in Bitcoin  which sent more than $120,000 flowing into their cryptocurrency wallets  they revealed how simple it may be to imitate the powerful and the trusted.

Had saboteurs infiltrated Twitter on 3 November instead of in the middle of July, with the goal of upending the election, the political fallout could have been quite different. False warnings of a coronavirus outbreak in key precincts in Wisconsin or Pennsylvania could have untold effect on a close vote in a battleground state. Deceptive tweets from political party accounts saying polling places were closed could sow confusion.

Or imagine a fake declaration, under Bidens account, that he was dropping out of the race  a nightmare scenario for Democrats that some federal officials said they were talking about hypothetically among themselves Wednesday night as the scope of Twitters failure became clear.

Similar war gaming about social media and election interference has played out in classified simulations conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, which is responsible for securing the 2020 election, and at Fort Meade, Maryland, home of the National Security Agency and US Cyber Command. The results have never fully been made public.

But the nation is now getting a very public look at the effect of disinformation when trusted accounts of politicians and prominent Americans are hacked  with voters confused and more wary than ever of who is telling the truth, blue check or no blue check. The disruption revealed that the social media platform favoured by the president  one that the federal courts concluded a year ago is a conduit for official messages about national policy  was as vulnerable, in its own way, as the aging registration databases that Russian intelligence invaded four years ago in Arizona, Illinois and other states.

Investigators are still trying to determine exactly how the hackers got inside Twitters systems and took such command of the platform that, when Twitter employees took the Bitcoin-seeking messages down, the disinformation popped right back up. Many of the details remain unclear: Investigators are still trying to determine if the hackers tricked a Twitter employee into handing over login information. Twitter suggested Wednesday that the hackers had used social engineering, a strategy to gain passwords or other personal information by posing as a trusted person like a company representative.

But another line of inquiry includes whether a Twitter employee was bribed for his or her credentials, something one person who claimed responsibility for the hacking told the technology site Motherboard.

In the end, it may matter less how they did it than that they succeeded. As Christopher Krebs, who leads the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency at the Department of Homeland Security, has often noted, influencing an election requires either hacking into voter systems or hacking into voters brains. The Twitter breach demonstrated yet another way to accomplish the latter, what Krebs called Thursday the more likely, less costly way to mount an attack.

Until Wednesdays attack, most of the officials and analysts at the array of federal agencies confronting election threats were focused heavily on voting systems  because that is the area over which governments have most control. Their particular worry was a convergence of cyber criminals and national intelligence agencies, particularly in Russia, deploying ransomware against underprotected American cities and towns.

A leaked FBI warning from 1 May said ransomware hackers could seek to lock up registration databases, a move that would disrupt both in-person voting and the mailing and processing of mail-in ballots. The FBI warning suggested that ransomware attacks will likely threaten the availability of data on interconnected election servers, even if that is not the actors intention.

The bureau had reason to worry: Atlanta, Baltimore and towns across Florida and Texas have been victims of attacks that locked up their data, making it impossible to pay taxes, get potholes fixed or obtain a building permit. The advisory noted that cyber criminals broke into the American companies that provide internet services to Louisiana election officials late last year, then carefully timed their ransomware attack to a week before an election.

It was a wake-up call, FBI analysts said, to what American states and counties might expect in 2020.

But the Twitter hacking suggested yet another vector for attack. And it was a reminder of three particular challenges facing those trying to secure the election. The first is assessing possible vulnerabilities so the country is not playing catch-up once again, long after Election Day, to outside interference with the election system or on social media. (The extent of Russias manipulation of Facebook posts in 2016, for example, became clear only after President Donald Trump had been elected.)

The second is how well the country can lock down these systems in the 100-plus days left before the election, beyond the obvious critical infrastructure that will enable the 3 November vote. And the third is whether it is possible to build some national resilience to respond quickly, as Twitter tried, if something goes wrong.

Since 2016, thousands of pages of federal investigative reports have been published on what went wrong in the presidential election that year, and a congressional Cyberspace Solarium Commission has produced long lists of recommendations of how private enterprise and the government can work together.

But then there are days like Wednesday, when it seems as if all the studies were insufficient.

We have seen disconcerting incidents of account takeovers before, said John Hultquist, the senior director of intelligence analysis at FireEye, one of the leading cyber security firms, but we are very concerned about the possibility of real foreign actors hijacking legitimate sources of information  key media accounts for instance  and using that to push out disinformation close to Election Day.

By the time we unwind everything to figure out what happened, it could be too late, he added. Thats a very real scenario.

Or, as Laura Rosenberger, a former Department of State official who now directs the Alliance for Securing Democracy project at the German Marshall Fund, noted, What hasnt changed is our failure to think ahead. Our adversaries have an ability to turn this infrastructure, which we have created, against us, and we need to be better at anticipating the threat vectors.

Similar thoughts haunt state election officials on both sides of the aisle who say they are alarmed about what could happen if the mega-microphones of accounts belonging to the likes of Biden or Obama broadcast a bit of electoral disinformation.

Alex Padilla, the secretary of state in California, home to Twitter headquarters, said that while state officials had run simulations of a social media disinformation campaign disrupting an election day, they hadnt imagined a situation in which Twitter itself was hacked. Still, he said, threats posed by disinformation motivated him to set up VoteSure, a statewide voting information effort sparked by the special counsels investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

I wouldnt say it was a new concern, but I would say its a big reminder given what weve all been through over the last four years, Padilla said.

In Ohio, Frank LaRose, the secretary of state, has been conducting seminars to inform local officials about disinformation tactics and how to respond, and directing much of Ohios federal election funds to shoring up election security. But the attack on Twitter opened a new front, he said.

From my time in the army, I learned that the enemy is always going to be innovating to try to find our vulnerabilities, LaRose said in a statement. Were doing everything we can to stay ahead of the curve, including going straight into targeted communities and arming them with the tools they need to fight back against disinformation.

Of course, no one should be shocked at high-profile account takeovers: The account of Jack Dorsey, Twitters chief executive, was compromised last year. Last year, two Twitter employees were accused of abusing their access to aid Saudi Arabias efforts to spy on dissidents abroad.

And as far back as 2013, the Syrian Electronic Army hacked The Associated Presss Twitter account, issuing false warnings that an explosion at the White House had injured Obama. By the time the tweet could be corrected, and the hackers exposed, the stock market had plunged.

Seven years later, fears are heightened by the uncertainty over how to deal with life in a so-called dirty network, where data and information are coursing through Americans phones on apps of questionable security  Twitter is now in that category  or under foreign control.

That is why companies ranging from PayPal and Wells Fargo, and political organisations like the Democratic National Committee, have told employees to delete the Chinese social media app TikTok from their corporate devices. On Wednesday, as the Twitter drama was unfolding, Trumps chief of staff, Mark Meadows, said the government was considering banning TikTok entirely.

There are a number of administration officials who are looking at the national security risk as it relates to TikTok, WeChat and other apps that have the potential for national security exposure, Meadows said on Air Force One, specifically as it relates to the gathering of information on American citizens by a foreign adversary.

But Twitter is an American company  no one is going to ban it  and its the way that Meadows boss communicates with his constituents and, often, with his own government. The question is whether its security flaws can be fixed in the next 16 weeks.

David E Sanger, Nicole Perlroth and Nick Corasaniti c.2020 The New York Times Company
Proposals to be partly funded by spending cuts on previous projects, IFS said

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has accused the government of a 'corrosive' lack of transparency over chancellor Rishi Sunak's 30bn plan to save jobs.

Sunak's emergency Plan for Jobs to tackle the coronavirus crisis will involve up to 10 billion less spending on previously planned projects, economists said.

Analysis by the IFS revealed that the proposals  which the Chancellor said could amount to up to 30 billion of support  are partly funded by spending cuts on previously planned projects and investments which are now deemed less of a priority or infeasible given the Covid-19 plan.

The highly respected think-tank was critical of the 'lack of transparency' from the Treasury which is 'corrosive to trust'.

The IFS has said Rishi Sunaks emergency Plan for Jobs to tackle the coronavirus crisis will involve up to 10bn less spending on previously planned projects

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said Mr Sunak's Plan for Jobs would ultimately cost around 20 billion, the IFS said.

Alongside the major announcements, it was revealed 'with much less fanfare' that there were reductions in previously planned spending.

According to the IFS, the Treasury's decisions on funding for the devolved administrations suggest they expect these underspends to amount to almost 8 billion, while the OBR expects it to be more like 10 billion.

For instance, the IFS said the 2 billion green homes grant announced by Mr Sunak is funded from within pre-existing spending limits and almost half the 400 million of cash for traineeships and apprenticeships is reallocated money.

IFS associate director David Phillips said: 'In its summer economic update last week, the UK Government launched its 30 billion Plan for Jobs.

'What it didn't say was that almost 8 billion of that is to be paid for by spending less than previously planned on other things.

'Indeed, the whole of the 5 billion of additional capital spending trumpeted by the Prime Minister a couple of weeks ago in fact represents funding previously allocated to other capital projects which will no longer happen this year.'

'Meanwhile, the OBR thinks the Plan for Jobs will cost 20 billion, not 30 billion.

'So the 30 billion package turns out to be more like 12 billion of additional spending plus some 8 billion or so reallocated from previously planned projects.

'And capital spending is actually left no higher overall than was planned back in March.

IFS director Paul Johnson (pictured) said the 'Rooseveltian' new deal announced by Boris Johnson 'represents an increase of precisely zero this year on Budget plans'

'While such reallocations may be perfectly sensible  the Covid-19 crisis may have made some projects less of a priority or even infeasible in the short term  official policy documents should be clear what is happening and where spending is expected to be lower than previously planned.'

IFS director Paul Johnson said the 'Rooseveltian' new deal announced by Boris Johnson 'represents an increase of precisely zero this year on Budget plans'.

The Treasury rejected the think tank's analysis about funding being diverted from previously planned projects.

'This suggestion is wrong,' a Treasury spokesman said. 'The Treasury has approved additional activity by departments as part of the plan for jobs.'

Its true that some other projects are underspending across government  this is not unusual in normal times - and not surprising in a global pandemic.



2/2  HM Treasury (@hmtreasury) July 16, 2020

But the Treasury acknowledged that 'it's true that some other projects are underspending across government  this is not unusual in normal times  and not surprising in a global pandemic'.
BSF personnel caught a 20-year-old youth from Gujarats Rann of Kutch area on Thursday, while he was attempting to cross over to neighbouring Pakistan to allegedly meet his girlfriend. Hailing from Osmanabad in Maharashtra, the young man revealed that he had travelled nearly 1200-odd kilometres to meet a girl from Shah Faisal town in Karachi, Pakistan.

Siddiqui Mohammad Zishan had befriended the girl on Facebook and both of them had been in constant touch on social media via Facebook and Whatsapp. He wanted to go to Pakistan and had tried to use Google Maps for navigation, the young man said.

He was found by BSF personnel in a dehydrated condition and revealed that he had fainted while trying to cross the Rann of Kutch. An ATM card, and other documents like Aadhaar and PAN card helped the security personnel to identify him.

During the search operation, the BSF found a bike which the youth had abandoned when he reached close to the border. He had used the bike to travel from his hometown in Maharashtra. The young man was apprehended about 1.5 kilometres away from the Indo-Pakistan international border based on information shared by the Crime Branch of Maharashtra Police.

The Maharashtra Police had informed the Gujarat Police about a missing complaint that had been lodged by the parents of the youth. The Gujarat Police in turn sought help from the Border Security Force personnel and after tracking his mobile phone, the young man was traced in an area near Dholavira.

The BSF personnel have handed over the young man to the police for further investigation and so that his story can be verified.
An Argentina focus this week, a country that Ireland has a huge affinity with given our equal love of conversation, drinking and dancing. I should also mention beef which they make (nearly!) as well as we do here in Ireland, but in addition to excellent grass fed beef they also make a wine that could be said to match it better than any other - Malbec. If you dont believe me ask any butcher in Ireland, I have yet to meet one that did not want to talk to me about the joys of Malbec.

Buenos Aires is a wonderful food city and it is no accident that it is the second largest city for wine consumption in the world after Paris. Wine is considered a food not a drink there - there was a time when a pint of plain had the same status in Cork and Dublin. If anyone tasted Francis Mallmanns amazing slow-cooked barbecue at LitFest in Ballymaloe in 2016 they will have an idea of why I love Argentina so much.

There is much more to Argentinian wine than Malbec these days but there is no doubt that they have taken what was a relatively obscure rather rustic grape grown in South-West France and turned it into a global superstar. Many have tried but no country can match Argentinian Malbec for complexity and sheer star quality.





Argentina does not have many coastal vineyards so if they need cooler temperatures for Pinot Noir or Sauvignon they go up the mountains. Grapes grown at altitude (and there are lots of very high vineyards) are often the most interesting in Argentina. The warm days ripen the grapes and cool night temperatures preserve fruit and acidity and increase the terpenes (aroma/flavour molecules) and polyphenols in the grapes, thickening the skins and adding flavour and complexity.





Ireland imports only 2% of its wine from Argentina but that figure is growing. Mostly we buy Malbec but Argentina also grows good Cabernet, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and some unique grapes including Torrontes and Bonarda. Bonarda is Argentinas second grape and deserves to be better known as it ripens easier and has generous fruits. Last week I was singing the praises of Colome Bonarda (26 www.worldwidewines.ie) and I also recommend Bonardas from Alta Vista (Mitchell & Son 22), Kaiken (19 Independents) and most others. Final tip: if you spot no-name Bonarda under 10 it is usually a more reliable bet than random Malbec.





Wines Under 15

Michel Torino Reserva Malbec, Salta, Argentina - 13.99





Stockist: JJ ODriscolls, Ardkeen, Martins, No. 21, Independents.

Michel Torino is a solid entry level Malbec producer as is their slightly higher end Don David brand (16-18). Based in the far northerly Salta region near the town of Cafayette their vines are grown at significant altitude. Bright juicy and fruity with some decent structure and complexity and lingering smoky touches. Watch for the intriguing Don David Tannat.





Aldi Exquisite Collection Malbec, Uco Valley, Argentina - 7.99





Stockist: Aldi

The Uco Valley is considered part of the Mendoza wine region although it is an hour south of the city and could be considered a region unto itself given its scale with a number of high altitude vineyards in Andean foothills. This has good typicity with lightly smoky black plums aromas and soft juicy fruit but also a lightness of touch and some freshness on the finish.





Roca Malbec Merlot, Mendoza, Argentina - 12.75

Stockist: Wines Direct Arnotts and Mullingar - www.winesdirect.ie

Grown by a family estate in Mendoza (and imported by family run Wines Direct), this is a bargain and has nice depth and richness for the price - the addition of Merlot softening out some of the edges - Blackberry and blackcurrant fruits with a spicy edge. Wines Direct have a nice selection from Argentina, watch for the Crios range from winemaker Susana Balbo (see Torrontes below).





Wines Over 15





Claroscura Cabernet Franc, Mendoza, Argentina - 17.55





Stockist: The Wine House Howth www.thwinehouse.ie

The Wine House in Howth have an interesting mix of wines exclusive to them - they are linked in with a quality Belgian importer so have a bit of clout. From a husband and wife team in the Uco, fermented in concrete eggs, crunchy red fruit flavours, hints of Cab Francs leafy touches under the ripe fruits - warm and satisfying and supremely drinkable.





Fabre Montmayour Grand Vin Malbec 2013, Mendoza, Argentina - 45.00





Stockist: Whelehan Wines www.whelehanwines.com

Yes this costs a little more but I tasted the 2011 recently without knowing the price and expected it to cost double. This is simply gorgeous and is easily the best wine Ive tasted in 2020 so far - layers of violet scented complex red and black fruits, supple velvety black fruits on the palate balanced by integrated tannins and subtle use of oak. Treat yourself.





Crios Torrontes 2019, Argentina - 16.70





Stockist: Wines Direct Arnotts and Mullingar - www.winesdirect.ie

Torrontes is a big pulpy grape that can make flabby wines but thanks to the hugely respected winemaker Susanna Balbo this is changing. She led the way by picking earlier, reducing skin contact and growing at altitude (avg. 1700 metres). This is delicious - floral muscat aromas but bristling and crisp on the palate with green apple freshness and lime zest perfect for seafood or say creamy pasta dishes.
Dublin, July 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Matcha Market - Growth, Trends and Forecast (2020 - 2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The matcha market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 9.44% during the forecast period.



The rising occurrence of chronic diseases has fuelled the demand for healthy and nutritious food and beverage products. The antioxidant properties and vitamin composition of matcha have further fuelled the matcha demand, across the world.



Additionally, the rising number of health-conscious consumers, along with consumer awareness about the health benefits of matcha ingredient, is expected to fuel the market growth during the forecast period.



Key Market Trends



Increasing Exports of Matcha by Japan



Amongst the various kinds of Japanese tea, matcha has a unique position. Japan's export of green tea has significantly increased. The major importers of matcha from Japan are China, Sri Lanka, India, and the United States. The increasing demand for matcha powdered green tea in the United States drove the exports of green tea, in 2017, by Japan. An economic partnership agreement between Japan and the European Union could give exports of green tea, including matcha, an additional boost. The EU will abolish its 3.2% tariff on portions of green tea weighing less than 3kg. Many large cafe chains in the United States have put green tea lattes using matcha on their menus, and the ingredient is increasingly popular in desserts. Over the last 25 years, matcha sales in the United States have increased five-fold to more than USD 10 billion.



Asia Pacific Has Largest Market Revenue



The Asia - Pacific held the largest share of the global industry revenues in 2018. India is one of the leading markets for matcha in the Asia-Pacific region. As matcha complements both sweet and savory dishes, it has become a common ingredient used in ice-creams, tea cakes, crpes, and even macaroons in Mumbai, India. The restaurants in India are confident that Indian plates are ready for advanced matcha delicacies. Some of them are, steamed and fried mantou bun with a matcha cream cheese and desserts, such as cakes, clairs, mille-feuilles, milkshake, and smoothies. The product entrance in the US market is primarily aligned with the availability of matcha-based products through Japanese retail grocery stores across cities, such as Los Angeles.



Competitive Landscape



Matcha Maiden, AIYA America Inc., Ippodo Tea Co., and Ito En Ltd are some of the companies leading the product innovation in the matcha market, in terms of packaging, particularly teabags. The companies producing matcha, such as Midori Spring Ltd and Encha Life LLC, are increasingly procuring the production techniques, securing technical assistance from the Japanese farmers for the improved production of matcha, and even extracting matcha leaves from Japan. Some of the top brands are Encha Matcha, MatchaDNA, Midori Spring Ceremonial Emerald, Epic Matcha, Enzo's Private Selection, Kiss Me Organics, Zen Spirit, Matcha Konomi, Kenko Tea, and Jade Leaf Matcha among others.



Reasons to Purchase this report:

Story continues

The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format

3 months of analyst support



Key Topics Covered:



1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Deliverables

1.2 Study Assumptions

1.3 Scope of the Study



2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Drivers

4.2 Market Restraints

4.3 Porter Five Forces Framework

4.3.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.3.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

4.3.3 Threat of New Entrants

4.3.4 Threat of Substitute Products and Services

4.3.5 Degree of Competition



5 MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 Grade

5.1.1 Ceremonial

5.1.2 Classic

5.1.3 Culinary

5.2 Product

5.2.1 Regular Tea

5.2.2 Matcha Beverages

5.2.3 Food

5.2.4 Personal Care

5.2.5 Other Applications

5.3 Geography

5.3.1 North America

5.3.1.1 United States

5.3.1.2 Canada

5.3.1.3 Mexico

5.3.1.4 Rest of North America

5.3.2 Europe

5.3.2.1 Germany

5.3.2.2 United Kingdom

5.3.2.3 France

5.3.2.4 Russia

5.3.2.5 Italy

5.3.2.6 Spain

5.3.2.7 Rest of Europe

5.3.3 Asia - Pacific

5.3.3.1 China

5.3.3.2 India

5.3.3.3 Japan

5.3.3.4 Australia

5.3.3.5 Rest of Asia - Pacific

5.3.4 Rest of the World

5.3.4.1 Middle East & Africa

5.3.4.2 South America



6 Competitive Landscape

6.1 Most Adopted Strategies

6.2 Market Share Analysis

6.3 Company Profiles

6.3.1 Matcha Maiden

6.3.2 Mizuba Tea

6.3.3 Kissa Tea

6.3.4 AOI Tea

6.3.5 AIYA America Inc.

6.3.6 Midori Spring

6.3.7 Ippodo Tea

6.3.8 DoMatcha



7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9g8ncc

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.



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Its intent will become clearer on Monday when Justice Coate, a retired County Court judge and former president of the Childrens Court of Victoria, and counsel assisting, Tony Neal, QC, tender their opening statements. The inquiry, due to report by September 25, is constrained by narrow terms of reference and a short time frame. In an unusual arrangement, Mr Neal will be instructed by lawyers provided by the Victorian Government Solicitors Office, after Jennifer Coate satisfied herself there was no conflict of interest in government lawyers interrogating government officials on matters of government policy. It is not known whether the inquiry will call any government ministers as witnesses. As a starting point, it must answer a question that has plagued the entire Victorian response to the pandemic  who exactly is in charge? Mr Andrews has repeatedly said that, ultimately, he is accountable for the decisions of his government. Mr Eccles description of his new bureaucratic structure, in his interview with Institute of Public Administration president Gordon de Brouwer, suggests this is not a platitude.

As the pandemic crisis has unfolded, the bureaucracy was reorganised into what Mr Eccles called missions: health, economic and social imperatives framed in response to the pandemic. These include the health emergency, business continuity and the eventual economic recovery and restoration of government services. Each mission is led by a departmental secretary who, according to Mr Eccles, is directly accountable to the Premier. This has further centralised decision making in the Premiers office and makes traditional lines of Westminister accountability  where ministers carry the political can for anything that goes wrong in their departments  difficult to apply. Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Chris Eccles explains the bureaucratic "missions'' now responding to COVID-19. Sources experienced in emergency management say that in Victoria, a bigger problem lies beneath the political tier. For any crisis response to be effective, there needs to be a chief operator  a senior civil servant or expert seconded for the purpose  who is responsible for managing everything. In Victoria, it is not apparent who this is. Mr Andrews this week described the virus as a cunning and wicked enemy. Who is commanding the states defences against it?

Is it Brett Sutton, the Chief Health Officer who, under Victorias rolling state of emergency in force since March, has extraordinary powers to order the closure of businesses and direct people to stay home? He has already disavowed the decision to hire private security guards to staff the quarantine hotels, saying it was neither his idea nor one he supported. Government sources confirmed Professor Sutton has a largely advisory role. Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton addresses the media. Credit:Joe Armao Is it his boss, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kym Peake? Is it Victorias Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp? As a former deputy commissioner of Victoria Police, Mr Crisp has tackled the aftermath of the Black Saturday fires, the Christchurch earthquake and the Queensland floods.

Under the Emergency Management Act, Mr Crisp has responsibility for co-ordinating the response to and recovery from any major emergency. In practice, it is unclear where Emergency Management Victoria  an organisation created to fill the crisis co-ordination vacuum exposed by the 2009 fires  fits into the pandemic response. Last month a high priority request to the federal government for 850 Australian Defence Force personnel to bolster the states hotel quarantine arrangements was personally signed by Mr Crisp and approved by the ADF. Within hours of Canberra agreeing to the request, it was rescinded by the Victorian government. Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp at the start of the pandemic. Credit:Luis Ascui John Cantwell, a retired major-general in the Army who was seconded to the Brumby government to lead the recovery from the Black Saturday bushfires, says he cannot tell who is running Victorias response. My role was to be the co-ordinator, the facilitator and the front man for the whole response, he says.

It had a straight echo from my military experience, where someone has to be responsible. You cant divvy it up and hope they will talk and share and co-ordinate. It just doesnt happen. As an outsider looking in, I dont get a sense there is a single minister responsible for this. And even within their realms of responsibility, my perception is there has been a bit of shirking of responsibility by significant players. I have heard no one talk about a single entity that co-ordinates this. Perhaps they are sight unseen. John Cantwell commanded Australia's forces in the Middle East before leading the response to the Black Saturday bushfires. Credit:Defence Public Affairs When asked this question by The Age, a government spokesperson said: "There are thousands of people working hard every day to save lives and support Victorians as we fight this deadly pandemic." Career bureaucrats familiar with emergency management do not doubt this but say there is a central piece missing.

You have got to have someone who is unambiguously in charge of everything the government is trying to do, explains one. If there is no one person, that would normally be regarded as a recipe for dropping things, being slow to respond and having mistakes made. Within Labor, there are also growing concerns. What we are seeing is an absolute failure of emergency management, one party insider says. The Premier himself calls it a public health bushfire but there has been no central co-ordination. Daniel Andrews at a COAG meeting in Sydney with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and NSW Premier Glady Berejiklian. Credit:Dominic Lorimer Prime Minister Scott Morrison is publicly backing the Victorian response, remarking this week that within national cabinet, there was a great sense of solidarity in supporting Victoria because this could occur in Queensland, it could occur in Western Australia, it could occur in Tasmania, NSW, in any other place. Privately, the federal government is perturbed about what is happening in Victoria, where earlier in the pandemic, the state government was reluctant to accept Canberra's help. That help has now arrived in the form of deputy chief health officers from Queensland and Western Australia, the Commonwealths Chief Nurse, Allison McMillan, and a contingent of 1000 ADF troops that Andrews agreed to this week.

As Victoria retreats from its earlier, tentative steps to re-open the economy and bunkers back into stage three restrictions, the overwhelming burden of the pandemic response remains on DHHS workers. David Davis, the minister for health under the Baillieu and Napthine governments, says the pandemic has exposed structural deficiencies in the Department of Health and Human Services created, in part, by the governments decision to merge two separate bureaucracies back into a single mega department. ADF personnel are working alongside Victoria Police to enforce COVID-19 restrictions. He believes the department is simply too big and complex to manage and attempts to do so have been hampered by the Premiers tendency to direct its operations through his own office. The department and minister have comprehensively mismanaged the COVID response, Davis says. Part of this is the competence of senior bureaucrats including the minister and the secretary but part of this goes back to the merger of the department into an unwieldy and poorly structured behemoth.

Loading It is pretty clear that Premier Daniel Andrews is exerting personal control and interfering in the key technical decisions that must form the basis of a scientific and co-ordinated response. Others who have worked within DHHS defend its structure and point out that, in a public health crisis, organisational charts have little relevance to how decisions are made, invariably in very quick time, when confronting changed circumstances on the ground. In times of peace, let alone a pandemic, it would be a difficult task to track decision making and accountability through the reporting lines of the sprawling DHHS, an organisation with a $27 billion budget and more than 11,000 employees. Ms Peake, a smart, talented bureaucrat appointed to the role with limited management experience, is normally sandwiched between five ministers she answers to and 10 deputy secretaries who report to her.
Like a lot of the rural West, Yosemite National Park stood as a safe haven from the coronavirus. No park employees or residents tested positive. No visitors reported being sick. The fresh air and open space seemed immune.

Thats until local health officials started looking for the coronavirus in the parks raw sewage  thats right, the poop. This week, lab analysis of feces at two wastewater treatment plants serving Yosemite revealed the presence of the virus that causes COVID-19. Dozens of people in Yosemite Valley are believed to have been infected.

Its one thing to live in denial: We live in the mountains, no ones sick, said Eric Sergienko, the health officer for Mariposa County, who is overseeing coronavirus testing in the Yosemite area. But we can now confirm its here.

With the pandemic surging across the country, more and more communities are keeping watch for the virus in wastewater. As foul as it may be, untreated sewage has long been used to track some of societys most persistent ails, from illicit drugs to pollutants to disease. In 2013, a polio flare-up was famously identified through wastewater in northern Israel, helping authorities get a jump on containing the outbreak.

Scientists hope that human excrement can similarly help guide health policy today, telling them where the novel coronavirus emerges, what areas should receive medical supplies or be locked down, and when it may be safe to reopen communities, their schools, stores and businesses.

Wastewater testing is seen as a complement to clinical testing, which has been hampered by test shortages, long waits for results and false negatives. With sewage, scientists can identify the presence of the coronavirus a week before a person tests positive with nasal swabbing, and the testing covers potentially tens of thousands of people, not just one.

It allows us to do surveillance, knowing we couldnt test all the visitors to Yosemite or any visitors from other parts of California, Sergienko said.

Working with the National Park Service, Mariposa County health officials started collecting untreated wastewater last month. Theyre taking samples weekly from the communities of El Portal, where sewage from Yosemite Valley is piped and treated, and Wawona, where sewage from the parks southern end and several private residences is managed. The samples are sent to Cambridge, Mass., lab Biobot Analytics for analysis.

While swab testing at the parks health clinic has yet to yield a case of the coronavirus, the lab testing this week detected the virus in the sewage collections from June 30 to July 6 at both El Portal and Wawona. Biobot officials told the county that, based on how much of the virus they counted, they think about 170 people were infected in Yosemite Valley and just one or very few in Wawona.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

Sergienko, who provides guidance to the park on public health issues, said its not surprising that the coronavirus finally emerged in Yosemite, and attributed it to the regions many visitors. Its presence, he said, is not likely to trigger significant policy changes because the park is already adhering to local and state safety directives. However, he said he believes the positive test results will make people more vigilant.

It heightens awareness, he said. We know the problem is here. We know the challenge is here. Now we have to be serious about facing it.

More than 4 million people visit Yosemite each year, from all over the world, making it ripe for the spread of the coronavirus. Park administrators referred questions about the newly detected virus to county health officials.

The park has so far been cautious, more so than many other national parks, in its operations during the pandemic. Yosemite was closed for nearly three months when the outbreak began, then reopened with restrictions that allow in only half the number of people who normally visit. Visitor centers remain shut down, and campgrounds, gift shops and hotels are limiting services to allow for physical distancing.

Following Gov. Gavin Newsoms statewide order Monday to shutter indoor dining and a handful of other activities, additional park facilities, such as restaurants, have scaled back operations.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

Carolyn Coder, an environmental health specialist for Mariposa County, said the wastewater testing would help determine whether more restrictions would be recommended in the weeks and months to come.

Its part of the overall decision-making, Coder said. Do we need to go back to shelter-in-place? Do we need to go back to stage one?

Sewage testing works by identifying genetic material, or RNA, from SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The virus is not believed to be infectious in the waste, but plenty of it is there so scientists can see the RNA. Over the past few months, several private labs and universities have gotten into the business of hunting for it.

What these researchers havent been able to do well, though, is use the genetic material to figure out definitively how widespread a viral infection is, though some like Biobot have begun to provide estimates. The fact that not everybody with the virus ejects it through their stool and that some expel it even after they recover are some of the complicating factors.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

Ali Boehm, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University who has been studying the virus in wastewater since February, says concentrations of the genetic material can show trends, such as whether infections are going up or down. But getting more precise information from the testing, she said, is still an imperfect exercise.

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.

Boehm and others are working to improve the science. Theyd like to be able to unravel such unknowns as the true scale of infections and how the virus is mutating, and do it all in real-time.

We hope by the end of this summer were going to have data that is actionable and complete, she said.

Her team at Stanford is analyzing wastewater samples from about 50 utilities, including many in the Bay Area. These participating agencies stand to better grasp the spread of the virus in their backyards and customize containment measures from whatever breakthroughs the researchers make.

Biobot, which is doing sewage testing for about 400 communities in the United States, says the modeling it has developed for RNA concentrations gives a pretty good idea of how many people might be infected with the virus, though the company acknowledges its methods arent perfect.

At this time, our prevalence estimates are a back-of-the-envelope exercise, and theres much work to be done to improve accuracy, the company wrote in a blog shared with The Chronicle.

Biobot was in position to get into coronavirus testing because its prior business was tracking opioids in wastewater and analyzing patterns of drug use. It quickly transitioned at the start of the pandemic.

In the Bay Area, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, which treats the sewage of 685,000 residents, was one of the nations first utilities to send off wastewater samples for analysis  to Stanford as well as UC Berkeley and other labs  and now its gearing up to do its own coronavirus testing.

The goal, says agency Director of Wastewater Eileen White, is nothing short of being able to pinpoint outbreaks by ZIP code. Also, the district wants to know when such areas may be virus-free.

If were really going to stop the spread, we need good data, she said.

A working group is being set up among Northern California utilities to share sewage testing methods and results, coordinated by UC Berkeleys Berkeley Water Center. The group includes the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which manages San Franciscos sewer system and is among those having its sewage tested.

Wastewater monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 is still in its infancy in the Bay Area, said Sasha Harris-Lovett, a scientist at the Berkeley Water Center. But there is a lot of interest in pursuing it.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
NASA says it's pushing back the launch of its next-generation James Webb Telescope by seven months.

According to the agency, obstacles created by COVID-19 and what it describes broadly as 'technical challenges' are to blame.

As a result, an estimated launch date will be pushed from March 2021 to October 31st.

Named after the second administrator of NASA, the replacement flagship telescope (pictured) has also run well over its enormous $8 billion budget

'Webb is the worlds most complex space observatory, and our top science priority, and weve worked hard to keep progress moving during the pandemic,' said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASAs Science Mission Directorate at the agencys headquarters in Washington.

'The team continues to be focused on reaching milestones and arriving at the technical solutions that will see us through to this new launch date next year.'

The James Webb Telescope has been delayed and over-budget frequently throughout its development over the last decade.

While significant, the delay isn't altogether unexpected.

A Government Accountability Office report released earlier this year previously casted doubt on whether NASA will be able to meet a launch date.

In its report, the agency says that technical problems with the telescope's primary contractor, Northrop Grumman, give the telescope a 12 percent chance of meeting its slated launch of March.

At the time, the report estimated that the telescope would most likely launch about six months later in July of 2021.

Prior technical issues include having to replace critical components of the instrument, like the bolts used by Northrop Grumman, some of which did not meet strength requirements and would need to be replaced.

Despite obstacles, the telescope has made some progress since the start of the year.

NASA recently tested its giant 21-foot mirror which is designed to observe a range of frequencies not currently seen by Hubble.

In the test, NASA simulated some of the conditions the telescope will encounter in space, including zero-gravity, with the mirror - which is actually 18 hexagonal mirrors segments - fully unfurled.

James Webb is set to replace Hubble as NASA's flagship telescope when it launches in 2021 and looks to explore previously undetectable areas of space

In August last year, NASA announced that it had successfully assembled the craft, marking the biggest milestone of its long road to completion.

Once completed, the telescope will be used to look back to the first galaxies born in the early universe more than 13.5 billion years ago, and observe the sources of stars, exoplanets, and even the moons and planets of our solar system.

It will use the most advanced technologies to make observations including infrared light that will be able to suss out details of planets and moons within our solar system most distant galaxies.
TRENTON  The citys top educator is preparing to reopen schools in September amid a COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 100 Trentonians.

If we practice intelligent safety measures I think we should be OK, Ronald Lee, interim superintendent of Trenton Public Schools, said Thursday evening. We are committed to cleaning the buildings. We are committed to social distancing.

During a virtual town hall meeting livestreamed on Facebook, Lee outlined the districts proposed reopening plan.

I am concerned about the health of our students and staff, Lee said. We all have to get through this together.

In coming together, Lee asked parents to educate their children about the importance of handwashing, social distancing and face coverings so that those students are prepared on Day 1 for the new normal of in-person instruction.

Many parents do not support sending their children back to school this September, according to survey data cited by Lee, who said these parents should voice their concerns to elected officials like Gov. Phil Murphy.

Murphy ordered all schools in New Jersey to cease in-person instruction and embrace remote learning in March to help mitigate the spread of novel coronavirus disease, but his administration is now opposed to 100% virtual instruction for the 2020-21 school year.

The New Jersey Department of Education last month released a 104-page guidance sheet advising districts on how to reopen schools safely in the fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Districts reopening plans must account for resuming in-person instruction in some capacity, the DOE says in its guidance. As districts begin implementing in-person and hybrid learning models, they must also be prepared to shift back to virtual learning models if circumstances change and those guidelines can no longer be met.

The Trenton Public Schools are preparing for a hybrid schedule in which most students alternate between remote and in-person learning, but the district is also preparing for virtual-only instruction if the governor decides at the last minute to allow districts to go 100% remote.

We were shocked to find out Monday that we dont have the option to instruct you virtually 100%, Lee said, adding the district is pushing the state Department of Education to allow that as an option.

Under the current regime in place, parents who refuse to send their children to school for in-person instruction must disenroll and select the option of homeschooling, Lee said.

If parents disenroll their children en masse, Now they are off our rolls, we cant count them and we lose funding, the interim superintendent said. Do I support us being remote? The answer to that is yes.

If the Murphy administration allows districts to go remote-only this fall, Lee said it would be a community decision on whether Trenton Public Schools go virtual-only.

We need to be given that option, he said. We dont want students dis-enrolling from our system.

If and when Trenton Public Schools reopen for in-person instruction this September, Lee said, students will undergo daily temperature checks; buses and classrooms would be subjected to regular disinfection maintenance; and the cafeterias would no longer be used for dining.

Lee said students would be provided with breakfast and snacks to eat in the classroom and that students would also be provided with a grab-and-go lunch at dismissal time.

The interim superintendent also proposed for Trenton Public Schools to hire additional support for nurses and additional custodians in every school to assist with disinfection procedures.

I think this is a learning experience for all of us, Lee said. We are gonna plan for the remote in case the governor says at the last minute you can go all-remote.

District employee Milca Hernandez, a special education teacher, is one of the capital citys casualties in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. She died several weeks ago from COVID-19 complications at the age of 55.

The interim superintendent emphasized keeping students and staff safe during this public health emergency. School districts statewide must adopt a September reopening plan and present it to the state Department of Education in the coming weeks. The plan must incorporate in-person instruction in a classroom that adheres to Murphys aggressive social-distancing guidelines.
Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway publicly urged President Trump to resume his coronavirus briefings to boost his sagging poll numbers.

'The president's numbers were much higher when he was out there briefing everybody on a day-by-day basis about the coronavirus, just giving people the information,' Conway said Friday morning on 'Fox & Friends.' 'I think the president should be doing that there.'

Trump had been given the opposite advice by now former Campaign Manager Brad Parscale and Republican National Committee Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel in late April and then stuck his foot in his mouth by suggesting the coronavirus could be fought by injecting disinfectants, proving his political advisers' point.

Kellyanne Conway said on Fox News Channel and then repeated the advice to reporters outside the White House that President Trump should resume his coronavirus taskforce briefings to improve his standing in the polls

Kellyanne Conway said 'it doesn't have to be daily, it doesn't have to be for two hours,' but she argued that the president looked more in command of the COVID-19 crisis when he was personally delivering updates to the American people

President Trump largely stopped the briefings after April 23, when he suggested coronavirus could be treated by injecting disinfectants. The day before he was advised by then Campaign Manager Brad Parscale and RNC Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel that they were hurting his re-election chances

Dr. Deborah Birx, one of the members of the White House coronavirus taskforce, was memorably photographed as President Trump floated the idea of putting sunlight in the body or injecting disinfectants to cure coronavirus. He had misinterpreted a study about how the virus can be killed on surfaces

Parscale was removed from the top campaign job earlier this week.

Briefings were paused for nearly two months before, on June 26, the coronavirus taskforce was in front of cameras again.

They held a briefing led by Vice President Mike Pence at Health and Human Services Headquarters.

Trump did not participate.

Instead, the president has held events that were not entirely coronavirus-focused, such as a South Lawn speech dedicated to cutting regulations, which featured a blue and a red pick-up truck, with 'weights' being lifted out of the bed of the red truck. The blue - or Democratic one - stayed weighed down.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was asked about it Thursday, with a reporter pointing out that none of Trump's White House events this week were focused on the coronavirus.

'The president is routinely focused on the coronavirus,' McEnany replied. 'I think you'll be hearing more about what we're doing in the coming week. He's hard at work. We talk about COVID every day from this podium. The task force is hard at work.'

Conway argued Friday that Trump needed to be more front-and-center to make this messaging stick.

'Well, I believe it because the pandemic continues and he's done a solid job leading our country through it. His approval rating on the pandemic was higher when he was at the podium. It was at 51 per cent in March,' Conway told reporters on the White House driveway.

By comparison, Wednesday's Quinnipiac poll found that 62 per cent of registered voters said Trump was hurting efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.

'I just think the people want to hear from the president of the United States,' Conway continued. 'It doesn't have to be daily, it doesn't have to be for two hours, but in my view it has to be.'

On Fox, she said that people had encouraged Trump to stop the briefings, though didn't name names. She added during the gaggle, that 'he's not hesitant' to hold them again. 'But also his vice president, his No. 2, is the head of the coronavirus taskforce and is out there briefing.'

On Friday, Pence was traveling to Wisconsin to give a political speech on the 'dangers of socialism and the extreme Sanders-Biden agenda,' though has dedicated other recent travel to coronavirus-themed events.
Dominant and subordinat male A. burtoni Credit: The Jordan Lab

Being the strongest, biggest and most aggressive individual in a group might make you dominant, but it doesn't mean you make all the decisions.

A new study of fish behavior published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that dominant individuals can influence a group through force, but passive individuals are far better at bringing a group to consensus. The study, published by an international team from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, the University of Konstanz and the University of Texas at Austin, overturns assumptions that dominant individuals also have the greatest influence on their groups, and sheds light on the potential of domineering individuals to obstruct effective communication in organizations.

"The same traits that make you powerful in one context can actively reduce your influence in others, especially contexts in which individuals are free to choose who to follow," says senior author Alex Jordan, a group leader at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and at the University of Konstanz's Cluster of Excellence Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior.

"Dominant individuals can force their will on the group by being pushy, but that also makes them socially aversive. When it comes to bringing peers to consensus during more sophisticated tasks, it is the least aggressive individuals that exert the greatest influence. Our results illustrate that although domineering individuals most often ascend to positions of power, they can in fact create the least effective influence structures at the same time."

Separating dominance and influence

To disentangle the effects of dominance and influence, the researchers studied groups of a social cichlid fish, Astatotilpia burtoni. "This species form groups with strict social hierarchies, in which dominant males control resources, territory and space," says Mariana Rodriguez-Santiago, co-first author on the study and a doctoral student in the lab of co-corresponding author Hans Hofmann at UT Austin.

"We ask if the colorful dominant males, which are aggressive, central in their social networks, and control resources, are most influential. Or if drab subordinate males wield the greatest influence, despite being passive, non-territorial, and having little or no control over resources."

The researchers separated the effects of social dominance from social influence by examining how information flows between either dominant or subordinate males and their groups in two different contexts: routine social behavior, or a more complex social learning task. In the more complex social learning task, dominant or subordinate male fish were trained that a certain colored light on one side of the tank meant food would soon arrive at that location. These "informed" individuals were then placed into new groups of uninformed individuals and researchers asked which groupthose with informed dominant or subordinate malesmore quickly learned to associate a colored light with food.

Dominant and subordinate male A. burtoni Credit: The Jordan Lab

The cost of being domineering

The researchers observed the movement of the fish and found that in routine social interactions the dominant males exerted the greatest influential by chasing and pushing the group around. But in the more complex task in which influence was not forced on the group, and individuals had a choice about who to follow, it was subordinate males who wielded the greatest influence in their social groups. In groups with a subordinate male as demonstrator, fish quickly came to a consensus about which light to follow, moving together as a coherent unit to succeed in the task. With a dominant male as the informant, groups were far slower to reach consensus if they did at all.

Breaking down behavior with machine learning

By using additional machine-learning-based animal tracking, employing cutting-edge techniques developed in the computer sciences, researchers were able to break down the behavioral differences between dominant and subordinate males: Dominant males were central in behavioral social networks (they frequently interacted with others) but they occupied peripheral locations in spatial networks (they were avoided by others). The technology provided insights never before available, revealing the mechanisms of influence as well as the outcome.

"By capturing behavioral data that are impossible to be measured with the naked eye, our automated tracking methods revealed that it was not the difference in social position between dominant and subordinate per se, but rather, in the way they moved and interacted with others," says co-first author Paul Nuhrenberg, a doctoral student at the Cluster of Excellence, Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior at the University of Konstanz. "These behavioral differences lead directly to differences in social influence."

Rethinking leadership

This result touches on the evolution of animal societies as well as leadership structures in organizations. "In many societies, whether animal or human, individuals in positions of power all possess a similar suite of traits, which are aggression, intimidation and coercion," says Jordan. "But effective communication requires the presence of a diversity of voices, not just the loudest. Our results from a natural system show that allowing alternative pathways to positions of power may be useful in creating stronger advisory, governmental, and educational structures."

Explore further Fighting for love: Dominant male pheasants learn faster

More information: Mariana Rodriguez-Santiago et al, Behavioral traits that define social dominance are the same that reduce social influence in a consensus task, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Mariana Rodriguez-Santiago et al, Behavioral traits that define social dominance are the same that reduce social influence in a consensus task,(2020). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2000158117
On his trips to Birmingham to visit relatives, Anthony Crawford never had much luck finding a real-deal Philly cheesesteak like the ones he remembered from his old neighborhood in Philadelphia.

Eventually, he decided to do something about it.

I saw an opportunity  something that Birmingham didnt have that I loved, Crawford says. Couldnt find anything like it down here.

So, in 2002, a couple of years after he moved here from the San Francisco Bay Area, Crawford opened T-Bones Authentic Philly Style Cheesesteaks and Hoagies in the Parkway Square shopping center in Center Point.

Word traveled fast, and a couple of years later, Crawford opened a second T-Bones in the Highland Plaza retail center on Highland Avenue on Birminghams Southside.

While neither of those two locations remain open  Crawford lost his lease on the Highland Plaza space after about six years there, and he closed the original Center Point location after 12 years  he is still doing a rocking business at the T-Bones in Birminghams Five Points South neighborhood, where he moved his sandwich shop in November 2014.

All his old Southside customers were thrilled to have him back.

I know that when we left, everybody was disappointed, and I know that when we returned, everybody was stoked, he says. We had lines out the door for the first week.

Its a compliment both to Crawfords messy, mouthwatering cheesesteaks and to his friendly, welcoming personality that his customers have followed him everywhere he goes.

Marlon Garrett, a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, says he was Crawfords first customer when he opened T-Bones in Center Point 18 years ago, and hes been a fan ever since.

Honestly, I never had a Philly cheesesteak until I walked in his door, and ever since then, I was hooked, Garrett says. If I make a trip across town, I make sure I go by there.

That kind of loyalty is not lost on Crawford.

My customers are amazing, he says. I appreciate them so much for traveling the way that they do. A lot of times, they are not coming for anything but to see me.

Thats real, and I love them for that, he adds. And I try to show my appreciation in the food that we make.

Anthony Crawford was born in Philadelphia and later lived in the San Francisco Bay Area before he moved to Birmingham, Ala., where he opened his first T-Bone's Authentic Philly Style Cheesesteaks and Hoagies in 2002. He is pictured here in his Five Points South location, which he opened in 2014. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)

From Philly to Northern California

The only child of Jessie and Josephine Crawford, Anthony Crawford was born in Philadelphia at Temple University Hospital in 1965.

Growing up in the city that not only is the birthplace of the cheesesteak but also where there is a cheesesteak shop on almost every block, he was partial to a little hole-in-the-wall place called the Blue Cave in his neighborhood of Mount Airy in northwest Philadelphia.

You couldnt sit in it; you couldnt come inside, he remembers. It was just a window and you would walk up. There was a small grill in the back.

He would always order the same thing  a plain Philly steak sandwich with thin slices of grilled sirloin and melted white American cheese served on a soft hoagie roll.

When you are a kid, you dont appreciate all the vegetables and the lettuce and tomato and onions and stuff, so I would just get a meat and cheese, he says.

Now my favorite is the hoagie steak with lettuce and tomato, onions, oregano, basil and olive oil, he adds. Its like the king of the cheesesteaks. If you go somewhere in Philly, its something that everybody knows what youre talking about.

But yeah, when I was a kid, it was just meat and cheese  plain, delicious, greasy, dripping.

When Crawford was about 12, his family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where his father worked a civil service job at the Presidio military compound. His mother worked for an insurance company.

I call that where I did my growing up, Crawford says. I stayed in Northern California for 20-something years  those formative years, high school, college.

After attending Diablo Valley College, he got in the food business running a Blondies Pizza shop on the East Bay for about 12 years.

His parents, meanwhile, eventually move back to his fathers hometown of Birmingham, and after Crawfords son, Elijah, was born in 1999, he wanted to be closer to his family and moved to Birmingham, too. His daughter, Noni, was born here a couple of years later.

When my parents moved away, they left me in California and I didnt have any family out there, Crawford says. I would come see my family because Ive got a lot of family down here, and I saw the opportunity and I moved down here, shortly after they moved.

He opened T-Bones, he says, with the hopes that it would one day be something that he could pass on to his children.

You work hard, and you work long hours so that your kids will have something, he says. I did what I am doing right now for both of my kids so that they would never have to work for anybody else ever again in their lives.

The Famous Philly Cheesesteak at T-Bone's Authentic Philly Style Cheesesteaks and Hoagies features grilled lean sirloin steak, onion, melted white American cheese and, upon request, green peppers. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)

Cheesesteaks, burgers and egg rolls

Amid the constant clickety-clack of metal spatulas banging on a cast-iron flat grill, the cozy, noisy, bustling little sandwich shop in the heart of Five Points South is a blur of activity.

Crawford greets customers and takes their orders, and if they are regulars, he doesnt even have to ask them what they want.

Its like I see who you are and if you are coming up, I know how you want your steak, he says. And thats why you come back because Im going to make your steak the way that you want it.

Behind the counter, one staff members rhythmically grills and chops the steaks with his spatulas while the others meticulously assemble, wrap and bag the sandwiches.

For all the hustle and flow, though, there is a relaxed sense of calm as T-Bones customers patiently wait to pick up their orders. Nobody is in a hurry because they know it is going to be worth the wait.

These, though, are anything but typical times at T-Bones Authentic Philly Style Cheesesteaks and Hoagies.

After closing for a couple of weeks in April due to the coronavirus outbreak that has put normal on hold, T-Bones has reopened for to-go and delivery orders only. It remains closed for on-site dining. Everybody  staff and customers  must wear a face mask inside the shop, and Crawford makes sure that they do.

Still, a steady stream of guests flows through the front door to get their T-Bones fix.

One of the regulars is Garrett, the Center Point mail carrier who remains one of Crawfords most loyal customers.

I go there at least twice a month now, he says, but when he was in Center Point, I would go once a week.

Its so good, and when I say that Im there, somebody is always saying, Bring me a sandwich.

Usually, Garrett orders the Philly cheesesteak with mushrooms and onions, but he sometimes mixes it up and gets the Mother of All Burgers, a half-pound burger loaded with cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and the works.

In addition to cheesesteaks and burgers, the T-Bones menu features a selection of mobster-themed hoagies (including the Vito Corleone with ham, salami and cheese, and the Tony Soprano with white American, provolone and pizza cheeses), as well as chicken sandwiches, a variety of flatbreads, and specialty items such as Philly cheesesteak egg rolls and nachos.

But those cheesesteaks are the main attraction, and Crawford makes his just the way he remembers them from his days growing up in northwest Philadelphia.

I tell my people to make food the way they would want it, except dont overdo it, he says. We take pride in how we do it and (in) how it looks.

For added authenticity, Crawford serves his cheesesteaks on hoagie rolls that he has shipped in from Phillys famous Amorosos Baking Company.

Anybody will tell you its not a cheesesteak without Amorosos, he says. Its just not.

T-Bones also has quite possibly the friendliest staff this side of Chick-fil-A, which is something Crawford takes pride in.

I like to lead by example, he says. Actions speak way louder than words. I want my people to be polite and courteous.

Hes also proud to watch some of the young men and women whove worked for him grow up to have careers of their own.

In 18 years, Ive had a lot of employees, he says. When I say that I appreciate how these guys work and the dedication that they have, I return it with my loyalty.

They know I cant do it without them, he adds. I praise my people often during a shift.

Anthony Crawford takes orders at his T-Bone's Authentic Philly Style Cheesesteaks and Hoagies in Birmingham, Ala. The sandwich shop was closed for a couple of weeks during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic but has reopened for to-go and delivery orders only. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)

Doing what he was meant to do

T-Bones Authentic Philly Style Cheesesteaks and Hoagies has survived its share of ups and downs since Anthony Crawford fulfilled his dream and opened a place of his own 18 years ago.

The closing of his shop on Highland Avenue. The move from Center Point and the return to Southside. The financial crisis of 2008. And now, the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced independent restaurants such as T-Bones to adapt a new way of doing business.

Crawford, though, feels like hes right where he should be, doing what he was meant to do.

I see what we mean to (people), especially during crises like the one that we are experiencing now, he says. A lot of people have had problems. We are lucky that we have been around for so long and our reputation is such that we have been able to withstand all of this.

I just feel blessed, he adds. I really do. I dont know that it was meant for me to be here, but I worked hard to get here.

T-Bones Authentic Philly Style Cheesesteaks and Hoagies is at 1017 20th St. South in Birmingham. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. until late night Fridays and Saturdays. The phone is 205-582-9993. For a full menu and more information, go here.

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Three New Jersey men were arrested after being found with a high-capacity magazine, drugs and more than $200,000 in cash, authorities said.

Police arrested Daniel Peyton, 55, of Westampton and Wayne Bessant, 39 and Davae Craig, 31, both of Trenton, and charged them with drugs and weapon charges, the New Jersey State Police said in a statement.

On July 10 in Ewing Township, members of the the State Polices Crime Suppression Central Unit and its Police Opioid Enforcement Task Force witnessed an alleged drug buy between people in two cars, the statement said. Detectives, joined by officers from Ewing Township Police, pulled over the two cars, a Chevrolet Impala and a Mercedes Benz, according to the statement.

As investigators searched the Mercedes Benz, which Craig and Bessant were driving, they allegedly found $209,000 in cash and were arrested, the statement said. But when investigators tried to stop the Chevrolet Impala, Peyton, who was driving the car, fled and briefly dragged a Ewing Township Police officer, the statement said.

Shortly after, the Impala was disabled and Peyton was arrested. Investigators found three kilograms of cocaine in his car, according to the statement. When investigators searched one of the mens homes, they found and seized heroin and a high-capacity magazine, the statement said. High-capacity magazines were banned in New Jersey in 2018.

Craig and Peyton were both charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and money laundering, according to the statement. Bessant was charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of heroin, possession of a high capacity magazine and money laundering, the statement said.

Peyton was also charged by the Ewing Township Police with eluding and aggravated assault, the statement said.

All three were being held at the Mercer County Jail pending a detention hearing.

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.
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Nongshim's instant noodle products / Courtesy of Nongshim



By Kim Jae-heun



Korean instant noodle companies are seeing a "sharp increase" in sales in the United States due to the spread of COVID-19, which has forced many people to stay at home and seen them increase their consumption of such products.



The country's three major manufacturers  Nongshim, Ottogi and Samyang Foods  said Tuesday the volume of instant noodle exports to the United States rose sharply in the second quarter.



Nongshim's revenue in the U.S. in the first half of the year reached $164 million, up 35 percent year-on-year. The country's biggest instant noodle producer said the growth was thanks to soaring demand for its products at major retailers, there, including Costco, Kroger and Sam's Club.



Samyang Foods is said to have reported a substantial sales increase. While the company declined to comment on the specifics of its overseas performance, market analysts expect it to have generated 156.2 billion won in sales and a 25.8 billion won operating profit for the three months ending in June, up by 16.8 percent and 23.8 percent, respectively, year-on-year. Samyang has a negligible market share in the domestic instant noodle market as overseas shipments account for half of its sales.



Ottogi is expected to report a strong performance in the second half as the pandemic has seen its overseas sales boosted. Revenue and operating profit are forecast seen to increase by 5.3 percent and 9.5 percent, respectively, analysts said. Net profit in the second half is also expected to soar by 32.3 percent to 32.8 billion won.



According to a report by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), domestic sales of instant noodles in May were about $55 million compared to the same month last year, up 40 percent. It said the continued popularity of K-pop will provide a fresh impetus in terms of boosting other Korean products such as instant noodles. The export volume of instant noodles has been seeing double-digit growth since February this year when COVID-19 started to affect the entire world.



"The sharp increase in exports of instant noodles to the United States in the first half of the year was partly due to the trend of hoarding for an emergency. Additionally, local companies are preparing online sales channels expecting people will soon shop more on the internet," an aT official said.


For investors who were burned in recent years by ad tech, The Trade Desk has represented a rare winning bet. That's been even more true in the four months since the coronavirus pandemic forced millions of Americans to stay home.

The Trade Desk said earlier this year it expects to reach well over 80 million households via connected TV in the U.S. in 2020. The company says spending in the sector was up 100% in the first quarter from a year earlier.

The Trade Desk's technology helps brands and agencies reach targeted audiences across media formats and devices, and the company has a particularly strong presence in the connected TV (CTV) market. CEO Jeff Green said on the company's earnings call in May that while The Trade Desk had viewed the transition to CTV as a multiyear story, "the last eight to 10 weeks have changed all of that."

With more people in their living rooms streaming shows and movies, The Trade Desk has seen more opportunities to show them ads on platforms like Disney's Hulu, Sling, Tubi, NBCUniversal and ESPN as well as third-party content on Amazon Fire TV. Investors anticipating continued growth have pushed the stock up 64% this year, while the S&P 500 is about flat. The Trade Desk is now valued at close to $20 billion.

"I believe that the media landscape has changed forever, starting in the middle of March," Green said on the earnings call. "The biggest loser in all this is traditional linear television, and CTV is without a doubt the biggest winner."
GROUPS OF parents and other anti-communist organizations condemned the acquittal of about 15 leaders of the Communist Party of the Philipp...
When I arrived in Cork in 2015, one of my very earliest conversations left me worried that moving here from Miami was a mistake. I had raised the question of race and racism in Ireland, and Cork in particular, and was abruptly told that these were all "USA issues" that I should now leave behind.

I was left scratching my head when I learned that  at that time, prior to the current UCC presidents appointment  the university had no data collected on race or ethnicity.

We dont see race, the university accepts everyone, went one response.

Granted, race is not biological  we are all the same in that regard  but we do know through our histories and social realities that race has a real impact on our lives.

I was born and raised in Glasgow, where issues of race were rarely talked about, but no matter how many times Ive worn a kilt theres always someone who asks that dreaded question: But where are you really from?

The way race organises society teaches us about the structural foundations of social power.

Even though we long ago divided our worlds between east and west and north and south, all is not lost: now more than ever before, we are having open debate and discussion right here in Ireland.

This pandemic has been a great teacher. It has highlighted many subjects we avoided, especially race.

Being vulnerable and disempowered have effects, but many of us carry privileges and can access networks or social statuses that allow us to not see certain matters.

But Covid-19 has left us all vulnerable. Whether rich or poor, white or black, we have all had to deal with lockdown, the uncertainty of death, and all sorts of curbs on our freedoms.

The death of George Floyd by police brutality left us all stunned.

We know this wasnt the first time a black man had been killed in such a way. But there was something powerful in how this death shook us all, and all at once.

A Black Lives Matter protest in Cork. Picture: Andy Gibson

We could all feel the cries for help he made to his Mum. We felt connected to George as we watched his funeral live on our TV screens.

Here in Ireland our culture is full of mammy stories  from Baz Ashmawys 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy to Brendan OCarrolls Mrs Browns Boys  we are now connecting things we see here with other places. Lately, our connections, sympathy, and empathy have become more intensified by necessity.

Several times now, Ive walked past a mural at Sullivans Quay here in Cork that boldly states Black Lives Matter  End Direct Provision.

Never did I think a massive, expressive statement like this would surface so near to my university, which only recently started a conversation on race. But every time I pass it, I smile and think how special Cork is.

To me, it is a symbol of raising awareness that we are all in this together.

That together we can unite on matters that concern us. It is recognition that Ireland has seen a twofold rise in inward migration and that we need to find ways of bridging our divides.

Race is an issue that has been well and truly brought into the spotlight here in Ireland. I have been pleasantly surprised by how much news coverage has been dedicated to the many stories that we previously failed to appreciate.

Thats the thing about diversity  appreciating our differences and living equally, side by side in those differences enriches our society. We dont all have to be the same, and we are learning that Irishness is made up of a multitude of colours and that is exciting.

Signs, symbols, and spaces have the power to bring us together in humanity or to separate us. Because my field of expertise is religion, I see the current controversy surrounding the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, as another case in point.

The spectacular and iconic Byzantine building was originally constructed as an Orthodox Christian Cathedral around 532 by Justinian I, then under the Ottomans was converted to a Mosque in 1453, in 1935 it was secularised into a museum, and now in 2020, the Turkish President Recep Erdogan announced that Islamic prayers will take place there from July 24.

This has brought heated debate to the extent that even Pope Francis said that thinking of Hagia Sophia made him very distressed.

As the pope must well know, the history of buildings and spaces being converted, especially when it comes to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, is long.

Lets not forget the Temple Mount, as it is known to Jews, where today the Al-Aqsa Mosque stands in Jerusalem  a conflict that we have failed to resolve for centuries.

Synagogues, churches, and mosques all glorify a single deity, but our differences and triumphalist convictions continually and ironically aim to quarter up God. Surely this distresses us all.

Space that we share, especially sacred shared space, will always be controversial.

But if theres anything we should be learning from our recent discussions, it is this: just as we need to accept different identities and ways of living in our society, we all need to feel at home in our spaces, no matter how contested they are.

A Black Lives Matter protest in Cork earlier this month. Picture: Larry Cummins

We must let our spaces reflect the values we profess in word and deed.

Back home in Ireland, Croke Park  named after the Catholic Bishop Thomas William Croke (1824-1902)  has announced that it will welcome Muslims to congregate to offer Eid prayers at the end of this month.

The green pitch will allow large numbers of congregants to attend safely. This important Islamic festival is celebrated by Muslims globally to commemorate Abrahams sacrifice of his son and Gods grace.

It also marks the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, where religious rituals are said to draw Muslims closer to God in remembrance and prayer.

Eid for me is a time for joy, peace, and connections and, I often think about how Muslims in diverse locations all over the world celebrate this differently.

The result here will be a highly Irish, highly Muslim occasion  what a wonderful expression and act of mutual co-existence.

The pandemic is giving us this chance to recognise our differences and their effects on society but simultaneously to draw closer to one another. Im thankful for public reminders like the Black Lives Matter mural in Sullivans Quay, which entreat me to accept the challenge, continually, repeatedly, with others by my side.

- Dr Amanullah De Sondy, head of Study of Religions and Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Islam at UCC
What kind of story do you want to listen to on a Sunday morning?

Thats a question Id never asked myself until recently. But its one that a small group of us on the audio team have been trying to answer every week since we started The Sunday Read.

The project began back in March without any real planning or forethought. Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, had recently contracted the coronavirus in Australia, so we decided to run a read-aloud profile of Hanks by one of our favorite writers, Taffy Brodesser-Akner. It was an easy decision  Akners perceptive, thoughtful, funny writing paired well with Hanks, who was doing his typical Tom Hanks thing, making us feel better even when he had the coronavirus.

Since then, our producers Kelly Prime, Neena Pathak and I have experimented with all kinds of stories, narrated by our friends at Audm. Some, like Facing the Wind, a beautiful essay about parenting in time of protest by Carvell Wallace, speak urgently to the moment we are living in. Others, like a profile of the astrophysicist Sara Seager by Chris Jones, transport us from whatevers going on and offer us perspective. This Sundays story, a yarn by Reid Forgrave about the greatest lottery scam in history, is pure escape.

I guess what weve learned so far is that there is no right answer to the question Whats the best story for this week? I used to edit these kinds of stories at The New York Times Magazine, and now editing for audio often feels like picking up a second language. Music? Tape? I have a lot to learn. But the kinds of stories that excited me at the magazine are the same ones that seem to work when read aloud: stories that surprise you and take you someplace you wouldnt otherwise go. Personal stories are good. Narratives, too. What matters is that theyre stories that make you feel something.
Bengaluru, July 17 : Asserting that lockdown was not a solution to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said on Friday that the nine-day lockdown would not be extended after Monday night.

"Lockdown will not be extended after Monday night as it is not a solution to control the pandemic," the Chief Minister said after reviewing the situation with some cabinet ministers and senior officials at his home office in the city centre.

As advised by the experts, the state government has put Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts under nine-day lockdown from July 14 to July 22 to contain the spread of the virus, which spread rapidly since July 1 under Unlock 2.0.

Urging citizens to stay at home during the lockdown, Yediyurappa said that people should compulsorily wear mask, wash hands and maintain social distancing to avoid the risk of getting infected.

"The city will return to normalcy from July 22, as lockdown will not be extended," asserted Revenue Minister R. Ashok after the meeting on breaking the virus chain during the nine-day shutdown in the city's urban and rural areas.

Admitting that lockdowns only postpone the inevitable, Ashoka said that there is no end to lockdown as if it is extended, it will only continue on and on.

"By lockdown we can only postpone things; we have taken a breathing time. If we extend, it will continue on and on," Ashoka said.

The meeting with ministers who are in-charge of the containment zones across the city discussed measures to seal down the hotspots to prevent the citizens from venturing out of their homes.

The Chief Minister had on July 10 made seven Karnataka ministers who are ruling BJP legislators from Bengaluru in-charge of seven Covid red zones in the city to contain the virus.

The MLAs are: 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.

The Chief Minister also directed the state health department and city civic body to ensure that virus-hit patients get ambulances at the earliest for rushing them to the state-run or private hospitals.

"Within two hours of a person getting the test report, a bed should be given and an ambulance be arranged to take the infected person to the hospital. Priority should be given to those who are symptomatic and above 65 years of age," said Ashoka.

The state government will meet heads of private hospitals to ensure Covid and non-Covid patients are treated on priority.

"Those without symptoms can be taken either to the Covid Care Centre or kept under home quarantine so that those with the virus symptoms get treatment on priority," said the Chief Minister.

Yediyurappa also warned private hospitals of strict action if they do not provide beds to Covid patients on priority.

Nodal officers and volunteers will be appointed to disseminate information on the availability of beds and admission of Covid-19 patients in private hospitals.

"In every civic ward, marriage halls and guest houses have been identified to quarantine those who do not have space at home," Yediyurappa said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
A meth kingpin convicted of killing five people has become the third person this week to be executed by the US government.

Former Iowa chemistry student Dustin Honken, 52, was pronounced dead by lethal injection at 4.36 pm, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

Mr Honken's death sentence on Friday followed the executions of Daniel Lewis Lee and Wesley Ira Purkey.

Lawyers, who were hoping for a last-minute reprieve, said Mr Honken was "redeemed" and had repented for his crimes.

"There was no reason for the government to kill him, in haste or at all. In any case, they failed. The Dustin Honken they wanted to kill is long gone," lawyer Shawn Nolan told the Associated Press.

"The man they killed today was a human being, who could have spent the rest of his days helping others and further redeeming himself. May he rest in peace."

Mr Honken was pronounced dead about 30 minutes after receiving the lethal injection. His last words were "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for me".

Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said in a statement that a just punishment has been carried out.

"Nearly three decades after Honken coldly ended the lives of five people, including two young girls, all in an effort to protect himself and his criminal enterprise, he has finally faced justice," Ms Kupec said.

Mr Honken was sentenced to death in 2004, 11 years after he kidnapped and killed Lori Duncan and her two daughters, Kandi, 10, and Amber, 6, as well as Ms Duncan's boyfriend Greg Nicholson, a government informant who testified against him.

He also murdered Terry DeGeus, who he through might testify against him in federal drug trafficking charges.

Mr Honken, who had begun cooking meth after studying chemistry at an Iowa community college, was arrested after one of his dealers, Mr Nicholson, turned on him to investigators.

He was the third person executed this week after death sentences were carried out against Mr Lee on Tuesday and Mr Purkey on Thursday.

Mr Lee was executed for murdering an Arkansas family in the 1990s in an attempt to create a white nation in the Pacific Northwest, while Mr Purkey was executed for kidnapping, killing, and dismembering a six-year-old girl.

Together, they bring the total number of executions to 10 so far in 2020.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Teams of military medics were deployed in Texas and California to help hospitals deluged by coronavirus patients, as Miami area officials began stepping up enforcement Friday of a mask requirement.

The band of nearly 800 military medics and healthcare professionals will once again deploy as COVID-19 cases surge have continued to skyrocket in states all across the Sun Belt.

'We are committed to assisting those in need as part of the ongoing whole-of-America response to COVID-19,' Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson, U.S. Army North Commander, told The Washington Times.

'At the same time, we remain flexible and capable of providing other defense support to civil authorities as necessary.'

Nearly 800 military medics have been deployed to hospitals in Texas and California as coronavirus cases surge in each state

Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson: 'At the same time, we remain flexible and capable of providing other defense support to civil authorities as necessary'

Several states have been reporting record numbers this week, contributing to a surge in the national death rate. The seven-day rolling average for daily new deaths has risen 34% from two weeks ago, while the case count in that period shot up 43%.

In California, military doctors, nurses and other health care specialists were deployed to eight hospitals facing staffing shortages amid a record-breaking case numbers.

The number of confirmed cases in the Golden State rose to 364,835 and a death toll of 7,490.

California reported its largest two-day total of confirmed cases, nearly 20,000, along with 258 deaths over 48 hours.

On Wednesday, California saw a COVID-19 cases increase by 7,345 and an additional 118 people died.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas (left) talks with Army Maj. Katie Bessler, with the Urban Augmentation Medical Task Force, during a tour inside a newly setup wing at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston

In California, where military medics were deployed, t nearly 7,000 residents were hospitalized with COVID-19, while a smaller portion of 1,897 patients were admitted into the intensive care unit

The California Department of Public Health revealed that nearly 7,000 residents were hospitalized with COVID-19, while a smaller portion of 1,897 patients were admitted into the intensive care unit.

Additionally, younger citizens continued to take the brunt of new infections after public health experts noted a shift among infected age demographics.

Residents between the ages of 18 to 49 accounted for 213,083 cases, while people between ages 50 to over 65-years-old amassed an accumulated 112,746 cases.

Health officials said the seven day average of new cases in California per day were 8,043.

As state officials struggle to keep COVID-19 contained, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that a number of schools may not reopen in the fall unless they meet the state's 'watch list' to conduct remote learning.

Schooling this fall has become a hot button issue as districts scramble to create feasible outlines, President Trump aggressively promotes reopening schools and parents question the safety of doing so.

For example, most Chicago children would return to the classroom two days a week and spend the other three days learning remotely once the school year begins under a tentative plan outlined by officials from the nations third-largest school district.

Chicago Public Schools officials called the proposed hybrid approach preliminary, and asked parents, students and staff to weigh in. A final decision about in-person instruction for fall classes for the district's more than 300,000 students wont come until late August.

At the moment in California, more than half of the state's counties - or 32 out of 58 - cannot open as cases keep climbing. Most Bay Area counties, including San Francisco, were on the list.

Further west in Houston, Texas, an 86-person Army medical team worked to take over a wing of United Memorial Medical Center.

Additional team members, who are normally assigned to the 627th Hospital Center in Colorado, were sent to five San Antonio Hospitals

Texas, another new coronavirus hot spot, was the first state to reopen its economy amid the pandemic and the one of the first to see a concerning backtrack in progress as a result.

Members of the Urban Augmentation Medical Task Force prepare a room inside a wing at United Memorial Medical Center on Thursday in Houston, Texas

On Friday, Texas officials recorded 305,854 confirmed cases and 3,657 deaths.

Its count of daily COVID-19 cases surpassed California's, with 10,291 new cases and an additional 129 deaths.

Army officials said that around 580 of the deployed medical staff would be sent to Texas, where officials have re-closed a number of businesses and once again implemented restrictions.

Last week, Gov. Abbot threatened to place the state under lockdown once again as intensive care units in Houston filled up with infected patients

'Things will get worse, and let me explain why,' he told KLBK TV in Lubbock.

'The deaths that we're seeing announced today and yesterday  which are now over 100  those are people who likely contracted COVID-19 in late May.

'The worst is yet to come as we work our way through that massive increase in people testing positive.'

Abbott said people respecting his face mask requirement might be the only thing standing between businesses remaining open and another shutdown.

'The public needs to understand this was a very tough decision for me to make,' he said of his face mask mandate.

Under Gov. Greg Abbott's orders, Texas was the first state to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic and one of the first to stumble back

He thanked the U.S. Department of Defense for sending the military medics to Houston and San Antonio.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, hospitalizations in the states reached over 10,400 and a positivity rate of 16.8 per cent.

Texas gave public schools permission to keep campuses closed for more than 5 million students well into the fall.

Under the new guidelines, schools can hold online-only instruction for up to the first eight weeks of the school year, potentially pushing a return to campus in some cities until November.

Additionally, both Texas and the medical examiners office in Phoenix, Arizona, have gotten portable storage coolers and ordered more to handle an influx of bodies - reminiscent of New York City at the height of the pandemic there.

In the Sunshine State, Miami-Dade County's commission gave code and fire inspectors authority to issue tickets of up to $100 for individuals not complying with guidelines to wear masks and practice social distancing.

For businesses, the fine was increased to $500 for businesses. Police officers already had this enforcement power.

'Were going to put a heck of a lot of people out there,' said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez. 'Our people are going to go everywhere.'

In the last two months, Florida has taken the US's spot at the COVID-19 epicenter after New York managed to lower its numbers since March.

In fact, Florida recorded the highest number of increased cases with 11,459 confirmed cases and 128 new deaths.

Much of the outbreak is concentrated in Southern Florida, where areas like Miami-Dade and Broward County have become swamped in cases.

WFLA reports that on Friday that 366 infected patients were hospitalized, and add to the the total of 1,693 residents admitted in Tampa.

Across the state, there were 8,886 patients admitted to hospitals.

Gimenez said that too few people, especially younger people, have been following the 'new normal' guidelines, so the county needed another enforcement tool.

'Wearing a mask will save lives. It is not a theory, its proven science. Not wearing a mask can be a death sentence for you or those around you. Please take it seriously,' Gimenez said during a press conference on Friday.

At least half of the 50 states have adopted requirements for wearing face coverings.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez already implemented a mask mandate in his city.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis refused medical supplies offered from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo as hospitals across the state flood with patients

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giminez (left) has implored his residents to wear a face mask, especially younger adults

Similar to California, younger Floridians have been the source of new cases as residents aged from 25 to 34 recorded the most recent ones.

Gov. Ron DeSatnis, who has faced mounting heat over his handling of the pandemic, announced Monday that 2,000 contracted nurses would be deployed through the state.

That comes after Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York, the country's original epicenter, offered to send one day's worth of medications to the state.

The small shipment was enough to treat 280 patients and act as a stopgap for Florida on Saturday, while the state was awaiting the delivery of remdesivir from the federal government.

DeSantis said that he had personally secured a supply of the antiviral from the President and vehemently denied needing assistance from New York.

California, Florida and Texas are expected to see a thousand more deaths over the next few weeks.

But in Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp has banned cities and counties from requiring face coverings.

He sued Atlanta late Thursday to prevent it from defying his order, but Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she was prepared to go to court to maintain the local mask requirement.

The Atlanta mayor, who has already vowed to keep enforcing the mask mandate, slammed the lawsuit as 'bizarre' and accused Kemp of targeting her only after she said President Donald Trump was breaking the law when he arrived in Atlanta not wearing a mask a day earlier.

Georgia's Gov. Brian Kemp is pictured greeting President Donald Trump as he arrived in Atlanta on Wednesday. The Atlanta mayor has accused Kemp of only filing the lawsuit against her after she criticized Trump for not wearing a mask when he arrived

'I don't think it happenstance that this lawsuit came the day after Donald Trump visited Atlanta and I pointed out he was violating city law by not having a mask at (the airport),' Bottoms told NBC's Today on Friday.

The lawsuit argues Bottoms has overstepped her authority and must obey Kemp's executive orders under state law.

'Governor Kemp must be allowed, as the chief executive of this state, to manage the public health emergency without Mayor Bottoms issuing void and unenforceable orders which only serve to confuse the public,' the lawsuit states.

The mayor noted that other cities, including Savannah and Athens, had mandated masks prior to her order but they were not being sued.

'I think he is putting politics over people,' Bottoms said.

'This lawsuit was filed personally against me... the day after Donald Trump was in our city.'

Georgia's Republican Governor Brian Kemp is suing Atlanta's mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for enforcing a mandatory face mask rule for the city, which he argues goes against his executive order that states they should be voluntary

When asked why she didn't order mandatory masks earlier if she knew it was important, Bottoms said she wanted to wait and see what Kemp's reaction would be to Savannah implementing a similar order.

'I suspected that when I did something on behalf of the city of Atlanta that it would be problematic,' she said.

'At the end of the day, this is about saving lives. Over 3,100 people have died in our state. 106,000 have tested positive - myself, my husband and one of my children are among the positives. I'm in quarantine as we speak.

'I take this very seriously. I will continue to do everything in my power. The governor has overstepped his bounds and authority. The people of Atlanta by and large support wearing masks.'

Georgia recorded 135,192 confirmed cases and 3,132 deaths. That comes from an increase of 3.908 new infections and 28 new deaths.

Worldwide, governments are frantically trying to prevent and put down fresh outbreaks and keep their economies running as the pandemic accelerates in some regions and threatens to come roaring back in others.

Globally, confirmed cases numbered more than 13.8 million Friday and COVID-19 deaths totaled more than 590,000.

To cope with the pandemic's fallout, the United Nations said it is increasing to $10.3 billion its appeal for humanitarian aid.

Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said in Geneva that the number of people who need assistance has more than doubled during the pandemic to about 250 million.

India's total confirmed cases surpassed 1 million, the third-highest number behind the United States and Brazil, and its death toll reached more than 25,000.

That followed Brazils announcement Thursday evening that its confirmed cases exceeded 2 million, including 76,000 deaths.

Rafael Ruiz (left) is tested for COVID-19 at a walk-up testing site during the coronavirus pandemic in Miami Beach, Florida

The continuing surge in India - where experts believe the vast majority of cases are still being missed - drove home concerns over the readiness of some countries to cope with outbreaks that could test feeble health care systems.

In sub-Saharan Africa, which already had the worlds greatest shortage of medical personnel, nearly 10,000 health workers in 40 countries have been infected with the coronavirus, the World Health Organization said.

More than half are in South Africa, where most of the continent's infections are as well.

Israel on Friday reimposed sweeping restrictions to tackle a new surge in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called 'interim steps' to avoid another general lockdown.

Health workers record reports before collecting swab samples in Mumbai, India

A health worker checks the body temperature of a boy at a medical camp to screen residents for COVID-19 symptoms in Mumbai, India,

Stores, malls, barber shops, beauty salons, beaches and tourist sites will also be closed on weekends. New virus cases have soared in Israel since restrictions were lifted in late May.

Japans capital recorded a single-day record number of new coronavirus cases for a second straight day on Friday with 293. Tokyo was taken off a list of places around the country where discounts are offered under a government scheme to encourage domestic tourism.

Spain, which earlier in the pandemic was one of the worlds hardest hit countries, was grappling with more than 150 active outbreaks, most of them in the northern Aragon and Catalonia regions.

Health authorities asked the 5.5 million residents of Barcelona, the regional capital of Catalonia, to stay at home as much as possible to stem the virus spread.

They also announced a local ban on social gatherings over 10 people, and nightclub and gym closures. Spain reported 580 new cases Thursday, the highest daily number since May 10.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson charted a different course, announcing that as of August 1 the government was no longer asking people to avoid public transit and would stop advising workers in England to work from home.

The U.K.s official death toll, which stood at more than 45,000 as of Friday, has for several weeks been the highest in Europe.
Credit: Thomas Nord/Shutterstock

The Grattan Institute's call to "abandon" plans for any high-speed rail network in Australia fails to look at the wider benefits such a project can bring by way of more productive economies and more sustainable towns and cities.

The study authors argue the development of any bullet train network linking Brisbane to Melbourne via Sydney and Canberra is "unsuitable for Australia."

But what their argument neglects is that a project like high-speed rail has a unique capacity to reshape cities and population settlement patterns in positive ways.

A question of cost

The institute's study says the idea of high-speed rail is an unwanted distraction in policy-making for the nation's transport future. Its case relies on a review of the high-speed rail experience in Europe, Japan and China.

All of these nations, it says, have vastly different distributions of towns and major cities to that in Australia, which has extremely long distances between a few large cities.

The study also critiques a 2013 Commonwealth analysis that found a A$130 billion high-speed rail project linking Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne would generate a benefit-cost ratio of 2.3 to 1. So every A$1 invested in a high-speed rail network would generate A$2.30 in benefits such as travel time savings, avoided vehicle operating costs and reduced road congestion.

But the Grattan study authors say that figure is based on a "cherry-picked" discount rate of 4%. This is economics jargon for the minimum return that the community would expect from the investment of its collective resources in any project.

The Grattan study also says the 2013 cost-benefit analysis did not allow for cost over-runs. Nor did it consider the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the enormous quantities of concrete and steel needed to build the infrastructure.

So why are some people, including the federal Labor Party, still so enamored with the idea of high-speed rail when others would have it binned?

Some projects reshape cities

Not all transport infrastructure projects are equal when it comes to cost-benefit analysis. Some investments have a transformative effect on population settlement patternsthey shape cities and regions.

The Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop are classic examples of city-shaping projects. Each altered travel times between different parts of the metropolis, which then shifted the location preferences of households and businesses. This led to a substantially different city structure compared to what might otherwise have developed.

Other projects, the vast majority of government transport outlays, merely follow or service the pattern of settlement established by the city-shaping investments. These "follower" projects include the local arterial roads and tramways that circulate people and goods within cities.

The Commonwealth's official guidelines for major project evaluation recognize this distinction.

New ways of living, learning, working and playing become possible with city-shaping projects. By comparison, the procession of follower projects simply perpetuates settlement patterns and economic structures.

This is the claim and appeal of high-speed rail. Advocates argue such an investment would divert a significant proportion of urban growth from the far-flung suburbs of metropolitan areas to new regional locations. That's because these regions will then have similar travel times into core city labor markets.

In these regional locations, households would enjoy greater housing choice and affordability, more walkability and better access to open space. They could even have better access to a range of community facilities than their metro suburban counterparts.

Advocates also argue businesses in the big cities and intervening regional areas will be able to connect with each other at lower cost and source the skills they need more efficiently. This would boost productivity.

Consider all the benefits

The 2013 analysis took into account issues such as congestion, emissions (from travel) and transport accidents. But it did not attempt to quantify and monetise the effects of high-speed rail shaping cities and regions.

Arguably, the most important set of benefits from this investment were left out of the economic evaluation, simply because they are difficult to measure.

Modelling how the supply chains of businesses might change under the influence of city-shaping projects, or how the housing preferences of people might shift, is undoubtedly challenging. But being difficult to measure makes these impacts no less real.

Despite this limitation on the scope of benefits, the 2013 study said the high-speed rail project would return a benefit-cost ratio of 1.1 at a 7% discount rate, which the Grattan study says is the usual test applied to transport projects.

Grattan says the project barely scrapes in at this higher discount rate and implies many other projects would offer ratios greater than 1:1 and should be preferred. These would typically be smaller, follower projects that address local congestion problems.

But a project achieving a 1.1 benefit-cost ratio means Australia would still be better off undertaking the project compared to a business-as-usual case.

If the transformative effects of high-speed rail include more compact and walkable cities with less car dependency and greater productivity, then such a network has good reason to keep its grip on the Australian imagination.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The family of the gunman of the United Arab Emirates (UAEs) consular attache has said he has been missing for the last two days, in another twist in the gold smuggling case in Kerala.



Jaya Ghoshs relative said he had called them two days ago and that he received some threats around the same time as smugglers suspect he was the one who tipped the customs department about the hidden gold. They fear there is a threat to his life.



Earlier, there were reports that a multi-agency team had detained him but agencies denied it. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the case and several other central agencies are also probing the case.



Before Ghosh went missing, he had surrendered his service pistol, his brother-in-law has said.



Reports have said Swapna Suresh, the second accused in the case, called him several times the day 30kg of gold was seized from a consignment which came in the name of an official of the consular office in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5.



There was an attempt was made to smuggle the gold through diplomatic baggage, which according to the Vienna Convention is not checked by customs officials.



The UAE attache Rashed Khamis Ali Musaiqri Alshemeli slipped out of the country three days ago amid reports he was called back by his country. Earlier, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) had sought permission from the UAE to have a meeting with the attache.



NIA filed a first information report (FIR) on July 10 against P Sarith Kumar, who was arrested by customs officials on July 5, and Swapna Suresh, Sandip Nair and Fazil Fareed, an alleged smuggler from Ernakulum but based in the UAE, and charged them under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).



On July 15, it added one more name to the FIR, an alleged gold smuggler named KT Ramees. MEA has cancelled the passport of Faisal Fareed.



The Kerala government on Thursday suspended chief minister Pinarayi Vijayans former principal secretary M Sivasankar, a senior Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer, for violating service rules.



Vijayan said the action was taken on the basis of an inquiry report that pointed to lapses on Sivasankars part. The inquiry was conducted by a two-member panel headed by chief secretary Viswas Mehta.



Sivasankar was removed from the post of the CMs principal secretary last week after allegations that he was close to Suresh, one of the key accused in the gold smuggling case.



Police in Kerala have sent a report to NIA and asked it to investigate the terror angle in all major gold smuggling cases in the state, two officials aware of the matter said.



Kerala police suspect that some smugglers and hawala operators have terror links, one of the two officials told HT. Hawala transactions worth over Rs 1,000 crore annually on an average have been taking place in the state, he added.

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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Istanbul, Turkey  Fri, July 17, 2020 12:15 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406670f307 2 World Turkey,boat-capsized,boat-incident,sinking-boat,MigrantWorkers Free

The death toll from a migrant boat sinking in Lake Van in eastern Turkey rose to 40, the local governor's office said on Thursday, after nearly three weeks of search operations.

The boat, which sank on June 27, is believed to have been carrying 55-60 migrants, according to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu. Five people have been formally arrested in relation to the incident.

Lake Van is near the border with Iran, from where migrants regularly cross into Turkey heading west toward Europe from Iran, Afghanistan and other countries.

Seven people died and 64 were rescued when a boat carrying migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan sank on Lake Van in December.

More than a million people reached Greece from Turkey in 2015-16, although the numbers later dropped sharply under a 2016 agreement between the EU and Turkey for Ankara to take migrants back in return for funds.

Earlier this year, tens of thousands of migrants tried to cross into Greece via land and sea borders after Ankara said it would no longer stop them. Turkey, home to 3.6 million Syrians, the world's largest refugee population, had said it would open the frontier because it was alarmed by the prospect of another wave of refugees fleeing war in northwest Syria.
WHO reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 237,743 in 24 hours.

The World Health Organization reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 237,743 in 24 hours.

Indias coronavirus caseload topped one million, with the United States and Brazil the only other nations with more infections.

More than 13.7 million people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19, while more than 7.7 million have recovered and more than 588,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Here are the latest updates.

Friday, July 17

20:46 GMT  Austrias Kurz says rejects current EU recovery plan, expects new proposals

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he rejected the current proposal for a mass economic stimulus to help lift EU economies from recession brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

Our most important central demand is that there should be no long-term debt union but that what is decided here remains a one-time action, Kurz told broadcaster ORF.

Kurz said he just had talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of a summit of all 27 national EU leaders in Brussels.

There will be new proposals over night, he said. There is a dynamic in our direction, he said.

20:22 GMT  WHO reports record daily increase in global coronavirus cases

The World Health Organization reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 237,743 in 24 hours.

The biggest increases were from the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to a daily report. The previous WHO record for new cases was 230,370 on July 12. Deaths have held steady and averaged less than 5,000 a day in July.

Total global coronavirus cases were approaching 14 million on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, marking another milestone in the spread of the disease that has killed more than 590,000 people in seven months.

Executive Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Mike Ryan attends a news conference at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland [File: Denis Balibouse/Reuters]

20:03 GMT  US Senate Republicans seek liability protections for coronavirus bill

US Senate Republicans are seeking temporary protections against coronavirus-related lawsuits for a broad range of entities including businesses, schools, churches, charities and government agencies, according to a draft document reviewed by Reuters.

The legal safeguards, which Democrats have largely resisted, would be part of a forthcoming coronavirus relief package and would sunset at the end of a federal COVID-19 emergency declaration or 2024, whichever comes later, according to the document.

19:39 GMT  Google bans ads from sites spreading coronavirus conspiracy theories

Google announced it would ban publishers and advertisers that use its platform from showing ads on dangerous content that contradicts scientific consensus on the coronavirus pandemic, including conspiracy theories on the virus origin.

Content that will not be allowed to monetize on Googles platforms include conspiracy theories such as claims that the virus is a hoax, or was created as a bioweapon or by billionaire Bill Gates.

Google already prohibits ad and publisher content that makes harmful claims about disease prevention and miracle cures, promotes the anti-vaccination movement or encourages people to forego treatment.

A logo of Google is seen at an office building in Zurich, Switzerland [File: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters]

19:04 GMT  French PM Castex say it is essential to reach deal at EU recovery plan summit

French Prime Minister Jean Castex said that it was essential that European Union leaders meeting for summit talks in Brussels reach a deal on a multi-billion euro recovery plan for the European Union.

A deal is essential in view of the gravity of the situation, Castex told France 2 television.

18:43 GMT  Frances coronavirus death toll reaches 30,152

The number of deaths in France from the new coronavirus rose to 30,152 on Friday from 30,138 on Thursday, the countrys health department said.

The number of people in hospital with COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, fell to 6,688 from 6,796 on Thursday, continuing a weeks-long downtrend.

18:15 GMT  Czech PM says EU no closer to deal on economic recovery from COVID

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said that views remained widely different among EU leaders after hours of talks on Friday on a plan to inject hundreds and billions of euros to restart growth in Europe hit by coronavirus pandemic.

Babis also said he did not feel the 27 EU heads were getting closer to a deal and that there was no agreement on the size of a new fund proposed at 750 billion euros to help economic revival.

17:28 GMT  Canada medical officials worried about recent spike in coronavirus cases

A recent spike in coronavirus cases in Canada is worrying and can be linked to groups of young people gathering in bars and elsewhere, a top medical official said.

When we examine recent trends in case reporting, there is some cause for concern. After a period of steady decine, daily case counts have started to rise, deputy chief public health officer Howard Njoo told a briefing.

16:56 GMT  Millions of Catalans urged to stay home as coronavirus cases jump

Catalonia urged some four million people, including residents of Barcelona, to stay home, in a major toughening of its response to an increase in coronavirus cases.

The stay-home call stopped short of a mandatory confinement, but it was the strongest measure taken to battle new clusters since Spain emerged from a nationwide state of emergency one month ago.

Residents of Barcelona, its suburbs and the areas of Segria and Noguera, further away from the city, were urged to shop online and leave home only to go to work, to visit a doctor or carry other essential activities. Those affected amounted to more than half the population of the northeastern region.

The number of unemployed rose by only 55,000 between April and June to 3.4 million [File: Reuters]

16:24 GMT  WHO says COVID-19 cases in Brazil no longer rising exponentially

Coronavirus infections in Brazil no longer appear to be rising exponentially but have reached a plateau, creating an opportunity to get the outbreak there under control, WHO emergencies programme head Mike Ryan said.

Ryan told a news briefing that the R number  the number of people each infected person goes on to infect  now appeared to be between 0.5 and 1.5 across states in Brazil, and the number of new cases was plateauing at 40,000-45,000 per day.

The virus is not doubling itself in the community as it was before, so the rise is not exponential, he said. But there was absolutely no guarantee that it will go down by itself.

15:57 GMT  WHO preparing full mission to China to study virus origins

The World Health Organization is forming a team of international experts to go to China to study the origins of the novel coronavirus, but it will not be in place before the end of July, the head of the WHOs emergencies programme said.

A two-person WHO advance team has been in China for a week preparing for the visit of the larger team. WHO emergencies programme chief Mike Ryan said the health body was very pleased with the collaboration from Chinese officials so far, but setting up and deploying the larger team would take time.

Medical workers wear personal protective equipment (PPE) suits as they prepare for their shift in a dedicated COVID-19 ward in Kuala Lumpur Hospital [File: Rahman Roslan/Getty Images]

15:43 GMT  UK COVID-19 deaths from confirmed cases rise to 45,233

The United Kingdoms death toll from confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 45,233, up by 114 from the previous day, the government said.

15:21 GMT  Treasurys Mnuchin open to blanket forgiveness for smaller business relief loans

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday policymakers should consider blanket forgiveness for all smaller businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Mnuchin told lawmakers that they should consider such an approach to reduce complexity, coupled with some form of fraud protection.

He also said the Trump administration supports adding more funds to the $660 billion program, as well as allowing especially hard-hit businesses to apply for a second emergency loan.

14:59 GMT  Kenya police arrest prison warden over rape of patient in COVID-19 quarantine

Kenyan police arrested a prison warden accused of raping a female patient in a COVID-19 isolation facility he was meant to be guarding, a police report said

It was the latest in a string of incidents highlighting substandard conditions at some government-run coronavirus treatment centre in the East African country.

The attack may add to fears over treatment in government facilities that health experts have warned may deter Kenyans from coming forward to be tested for the new coronavirus.

14:37 GMT  Russias R-Pharm signs deal to make UK-developed COVID-19 vaccine

Russian drugmaker R-Pharm has signed a deal with AstraZeneca for it to manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the British pharmaceuticals giant and Oxford University, it said.

Following allegations from Britain, Canada and the United States that hackers backed by Russia were trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research, the head of Russias wealth fund said the deal showed that Moscow has no need to steal anything.

We have formalised this plan in the form of signed agreements in the area of production and supply of the vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, using R-Pharm to fulfil the project, said R-Pharms board chairman, Alexey Repik.

14:04 GMT  British PM says experiences of other countries show what can go wrong

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the problems other countries are currently experiencing with the Covid-19 pandemic shows what can go wrong if rules are not followed by the public.

Look at other countries around the world, we can see all too clearly what could go wrong if we dont continue to follow the guidance, if we dont continue to keep this thing under control, he said at a Downing Street media briefing.

There are parts of the world where its continuing to spike, we dont want to see that in this country, he said, without naming any countries.

Britains Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been asked whether lockdown came too late [File: Ben Stansall/Pool/Reuters]

13:20 GMT  UK COVID-19 reproduction number remains at 0.7-0.9

The reproduction number of COVID-19 across the United Kingdom is between 0.7-0.9, the government said on Friday, unchanged on the previous weeks value.

The current growth rate of the epidemic in the UK is between -5% to -1%, the government office for science said



Hi, this is Arwa Ibrahim in Doha, taking over from my colleague Usaid Siddiqui.



12:55 GMT  Brazil hospitals overwhelmed as coronavirus cases cross 2 million

Hospitals in Brazil are struggling to cope with an influx of coronavirus patients, as confirmed cases have crossed the two million mark in the worlds second-hardest hit nation by the pandemic.

Read more here.

Brazil has reported the highest number of cases in Latin America [Amanda Perobelli/Reuters]

12:40 GMT  Georgia governor sues Atlanta officials over face mask mandate

The governor of Georgia has sued officials in the US states largest city, seeking to block a mandate that would require Atlanta residents to wear face masks in public as part of efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The lawsuit, filed by Republican Governor Brian Kemp on Thursday, alleges Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms does not have the authority to require stricter public health measures than the state, which has encouraged mask-wearing but not required it.

Read more here.

12:15 GMT  Pakistan extends lockdown in southern province of Sindh

Pakistan has announced a lockdown in its southern-most province of Sindh amid rising coronavirus cases.

According to an official notification by the provincial government, the lockdown will remain in place until August 15.

All public places including parks and restaurants will remain closed to curb the spread of the virus.

11:58 GMT  Flights resume between Tehran and Dubai

Iran has received its first passenger flight from the United Arab Emiratess flag carrier in five months after it arrived at Tehrans main airport.

It was the first commercial flight since late February when the airliner halted the route after Emirati authorities found two Iranians who were infected with the coronavirus.

11:30 GMT  Fans allowed back into English sports events from next week

Spectators will be allowed back into some sports events in England from next week as coronavirus prevention measures are tested ahead of a planned wider reopening of stadiums in October.

Domestic cricket on July 26-27 is set to be the first sport that fans are allowed to watch in person since March. Some spectators will also be allowed into the world snooker championship in Sheffield from July 31.

From October we intend to bring back audiences in stadia  in a COVID-secure way subject to the successful outcome of pilots, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at Downing Street.

Play in the English Premier league has resumed behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease [Justin Setterfield/Pool/Reuters]

11:00 GMT  COVID-19 transmission rate spikes in Frances Brittany region

The reproduction rate of the novel coronavirus in the Brittany region, popular with tourists, has risen sharply in less than a week, according to government data, the latest indication that the virus is again gaining momentum in France.

The government on Thursday accelerated plans to make it compulsory to wear face masks in enclosed public spaces amid concerns about renewed flare-ups of COVID-19, especially in areas in western and southern France that had been relatively spared during the height of the outbreak between March and May.

10:29 GMT  British Airways retires 747 early due to coronavirus crisis

The worlds largest operator of Boeing 747s, British Airways, will retire its entire jumbo jet fleet with immediate effect after the COVID-19 pandemic sent air travel into freefall.

For more than 50 years, Boeings Queen of the Skies has been the worlds most easily recognised jetliner with its humped fuselage and four engines. But its days were already numbered before the pandemic struck earlier this year.

British Airways Boeing 747-400 flies into Heathrow Airport [File: Toby Melville/Reuters]

10:05 GMT  Catalonia restricts some activities in Barcelona, but no lockdown

Catalonias regional authorities have announced they would restrict some activities in Barcelona, including asking people not to gather in groups of more than ten, to fight an increase in coronavirus cases.

But they stopped short of imposing a lockdown and said the measures were meant to avoid having to do so for Spains second-largest city.

09:37 GMT  Russia expects to make COVID-19 vaccine being developed in UK  wealth fund head

Russia expects a deal with AstraZeneca for it to manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the pharmaceuticals giant and Oxford University to go ahead despite allegations it has been trying to steal vaccine data, its wealth fund head said.

The UKs National Cyber Security Centre said on Thursday that hackers backed by the Russian state were trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world, allegations the Kremlin denied.

Russia has reported more than 838,400 cases and at least 14,000 deaths [AFP]

09:10 GMT  Hong Kong reports 50 locally transmitted coronavirus cases

Hong Kong authorities have reported 50 locally transmitted coronavirus cases, stoking further concern about an escalating third wave of infections in the global financial hub.

Including imported cases, the number of new cases in the past 24 hours was 58, taking the tally since late-January to 1,714 patients, 10 of whom have died.

08:49 GMT  Indonesia adds 1,462 new coronavirus infections, 84 new deaths

Indonesia has reported 1,462 new coronavirus infections, bringing total cases to 83,130, its health ministry said.

The number of deaths from COVID-19 rose by 84 on Friday to 3,957, ministry official Achmad Yurianto said.

Indonesia has announced a stimulus package worth more than $48bn to help offset the impact of the virus [Reuters]

08:26 GMT  Two US diplomats among new virus cases in Cambodia

A pair of US diplomats are among five new cases of coronavirus in Cambodia announced by health officials.

All five cases involve people who had travelled from the US. Three are Cambodians who arrived Wednesday via Taiwan, said a Health Ministry statement.

The statement described the two Americans as senior diplomats who had flown from the US via South Korea and also arrived Wednesday.

07:59 GMT  Philippine health ministry reports 17 coronavirus deaths, 1,841 more cases

The Philippines has recorded 17 new coronavirus deaths and 1,841 additional infections, with the capital Manila still accounting for the bulk of newly confirmed cases and casualties.

In a bulletin, the ministry said total deaths have reached 1,660 while confirmed infections have risen to 63,001.

07:38 GMT  Australia hopes to lure Hollywood studios with virus success

Australia is hoping its success in dealing with the coronavirus will lure more big-budget Hollywood productions Down Under, with the government announcing incentives worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Promising lights, camera, jobs, Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled a 400 million Australian dollar ($280m) boost in cash grants for film productions, a move he said had already piqued the interest of major studios.

Jerry Bruckheimers outfit and Ron Howards outfit have already reached out to Australia on the basis of the announcement we have made today, Morrison said.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled a 400 million Australian dollar ($280m) boost in cash grants for film productions in the country [File: Patrick Hamilton/AFP]

07:10 GMT  Indias Cadila to end late-stage trials of potential COVID-19 vaccine in March

Indias Zydus Cadila plans to complete late-stage trials for its potential coronavirus vaccine in March 2021 and could produce up to 100 million doses a year if trials are successful, Chairman Pankaj Patel said.

Cadilas vaccine candidate, dubbed ZyCov-D, is one of dozens being developed around the world to fight the coronavirus.





06:40 GMT  Chinas Xinjiang reports five new coronavirus cases

Urumqi, the capital of Chinas far western region of Xinjiang, has reported five new coronavirus cases by noon local time (04:00 GMT) on Friday, the regional health commission said.

The city also reported eight new asymptomatic cases, it added, taking Xinjiangs tally to six infections and 11 asymptomatic patients.

Hello, this is Usaid Siddiqui in Doha taking over from my colleague Zaheen Rasheed.

05:47 GMT  Israel sets new weekend shutdown

The Israeli government has imposed a new weekend shutdown to lower infection rates, ordering the closure of malls, shops, pools, zoos and museums from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning.

But people will be allowed to leave their homes this weekend, the government said in a statement.

Full weekend lockdowns that could confine people to their homes may be imposed by July 24, after the government gains parliamentary approval for that, Israel Radio reported.





05:22 GMT  Philippines to allow some foreigners to enter from August 1

The Philippines will allow foreign nationals with long-term visas into the country from August 1, the presidential spokesman has said, but they would need to undergo quarantine upon arrival.

Harry Roque, the spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte, said long-term visa holders refer to foreigners who have valid visas that allow them to live and work in the country.

Applications for new entry visas will not be accepted and returning Filipinos will have priority on inbound flights given existing caps on airport capacity, authorities said.

05:01 GMT  Chinas Urumqi cancels flights after positive case

Urumqi, the capital of Chinas far western region of Xinjiang, cancelled hundreds of flights on Friday, after the report of its first coronavirus case in about five months fuelled concerns of a potential new outbreak.

Epidemic control measures led to the cancellation of more than 600 scheduled flights, more than 80 percent of the days total, at Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, figures from aviation data firm Variflight showed.

Urumqi also suspended subway services from late Thursday.

Read more here.

Data taken from information provider Flight Master showed that as of 9:17 am on Fri, 89% of Urumqi airport's inbound and outbound flights had been canceled, following #Xinjiang's announcement that it reported one confirmed and three asymptomatic #COVID19 cases in Urumqi. pic.twitter.com/1RsMBnhwrJ  Global Times (@globaltimesnews) July 17, 2020

04:40 GMT  Indias coronavirus cases cross one million

Indias cases of the new coronavirus crossed the million mark, Ministry of Health data showed on Friday, as infections spread to smaller towns and rural areas following the lifting of a vast lockdown.

Only the United States and Brazil have cases higher than India. Indias total deaths stood at 25,602 the ministry said. Read more here.

A health worker in personal protective equipment in Mumbai, India, on July 14, 2020 [Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters]

04:19 GMT  Melbourne sees record rise in cases despite lockdown

Australias second-biggest city of Melbourne reported a record jump of more than 423 new infections on Friday despite a week-old lockdown of more than five million residents.

Brett Sutton, chief health officer for Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, said there were five more cases in rural parts of the state. The total was higher than any single-day increase in COVID-19 cases for the entire country since late March.

We have not turned the corner here, worse than that, he said.

Read more on this story here.

People are seen outside Melbournes Flinders Street Station during morning peak hour as the city is in lockdown [James Ross/ AAP Image via Reuters]

04:10 GMT  Georgia governor sues to end cities defiance on mask rules

Brian Kemp, governor of the US state of Georgia, is suing Atlanta to block the city from enforcing rules requiring face masks in public and other rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This lawsuit is on behalf of the Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees who are struggling to survive during these difficult times, Kemp said in a statement. I refuse to sit back and watch as disastrous policies threaten the lives and livelihoods of our citizens.





03:54 GMT  US counts 342 child inflammatory syndrome cases

An official with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the most recent count shows 342 US children and teens have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to COVID-19 infections.

Dr Ermias Belay told physicians that among the US cases reported as of July 15, the average age was eight and most children were aged between one and 14.

Figures show that 40 percent of the cases were in Latino kids and 35 percent were in Black children. One in four affected children were put on ventilators, but deaths have been rare.

03:18 GMT  CDC extends US ban on cruise ships

The US CDC has extended a ban on cruise ships through to the end of September as coronavirus infections continue to rise across the country, including in the state of Florida.

The no-sail order is scheduled to expire on July 24.

02:55 GMT  US notches yet another record for new cases

The US has reported 68,428 new infections in the past 24 hours, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

In that period, the death toll also climbed by 974, taking the total number of deaths in the country since the pandemic began to 138,201, and the total number of cases to 3,560,364.

Meanwhile, a Reuters tally showed 70,000 new cases in the past 24 hours, while the New York Times said its tally showed more than 75,000 infections in the same period.





02:41 GMT  Canada to spend $14bn on safe restart after lockdown

Canadas federal government will give the 13 provinces and territories more than 19 billion Canadian dollars ($14bn) to help pay for the costs of restarting the economy after several months of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

The cash is meant to cover extraordinary costs over the coming six to eight months, Trudeau said in a news conference, and will take care of the kinds of things that actually really matter to Canadians, including preparing for a possible second wave of contagion.

Measures under the safe restart agreement include contact tracing, providing protective equipment to workers, helping struggling municipalities pay operating costs, aiding local transit operators, safe spaces for daycare, and improving long-term care for the elderly.

02:25 GMT  New York not ready to open malls, museums yet

New York City will not open malls and museums on Monday even if the city is allowed to move into the next phase of reopening, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, promising more crackdowns on bars and restaurants.

Cuomo said the city is on track to move to the fourth phase of his gradual reopening plan, but said his administration will review the latest infection data and decide by 4pm local time on Friday. The rest of the state is in phase four, which typically permits opening malls and certain arts and entertainment centres and restarting professional sports games without fans.

But Cuomo said no additional indoor activity will open in New York in the fourth phase because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus indoors. Cuomo has not allowed New York City to open up indoor dining, unlike the rest of the state.

People drink outside a bar during the reopening phase of COVID-19 outbreak in the East Village neighbourhood in New York City, US [Jeenah Moon/Reuters]

You see the inside, interior spaces, air-conditioned spaces, where the virus is tending to spread, Cuomo said in a Thursday conference call with reporters. So were going to take that precaution in New York City.

01:47 GMT  Algeria plans law to protect medics as attacks rise

Algeria is planning a law to protect health workers after an increase in physical and verbal attacks since the countrys coronavirus outbreak began, Prime Minister Abdelmadjid Tebbounes office has announced.

The incidents have also in some cases involved acts of damage and destruction of public assets and medical equipment, Tebbounes office said in a statement.

01:08 GMT  UK boosts healthcare funding to ward off winter COVID-19 wave

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to pour 3 billion pounds ($3.77bn) into Englands National Health Service (NHS) to try to ward off any resurgence of the coronavirus.

The prime minister is clear that now is not the time for complacency, and we must make sure our NHS is battle-ready for winter, a spokesman said before a news conference by Johnson on Friday afternoon.

The UK is the worst-affected country in Europe by COVID-19 with a death toll from confirmed cases of more than 45,000.

Staff at the Leeds General Infirmary participate in a national NHS celebration clap in Leeds on July 5, 2020 [Oli Scarff/ AFP]

00:30 GMT  Brazil cases reach two million, doubling in less than a month

Brazil has passed the two million confirmed coronavirus cases mark, with little sign that the rate of increase is slowing as anger grows over President Jair Bolsonaros handling of the outbreak.

In recent weeks, there have been nearly 40,000 confirmed new cases a day, according to government figures, and it took just 27 days for Brazils total caseload to rise from one million to two million cases.

On Thursday, confirmed cases in Brazil totalled 2,012,151, while deaths numbered 76,688.





Experts blame denial of the viruss deadly potential by Bolsonaro and lack of national coordination combined with scattershot responses by city and state governments, with some reopening earlier than health experts recommended.

00:17 GMT  Step up now or pay price later: G20 urged to support poor countries

Coronavirus support to poor countries has been so far grossly inadequate and thats dangerously shortsighted, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock said, as he asked wealthy countries for billions more dollars in assistance.

The United Nations increased its humanitarian appeal by more than a third to $10.3bn to help 63 states, mainly in Africa and Latin America, tackle the spread and destabilising effects of the coronavirus. This is up from the world bodys initial $2bn request in March, then $6.7bn in May.

So far, Lowcock said, the UN has received only $1.7bn.

As finance ministers from the Group of 20 major economies prepare to meet virtually on Saturday, Lowcock told reporters: The message to the G20 is step up now or pay the price later.

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 16, here.
British Airways, the world's largest operator of Boeing 747s, will retire its entire jumbo jet fleet with immediate effect after the COVID-19 pandemic sent air travel into freefall.

For over 50 years, Boeing's "Queen of the Skies" has been the world's most easily recognised jetliner with its humped fuselage and four engines. But its days were already numbered before the pandemic struck earlier this year.

British Airways (BA) had been planning to retire the aircraft in 2024, but with passenger numbers decimated this year, and experts forecasting it will be years before they recover, the airline said it was unlikely its 747s would operate commercially again.

"It is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747 fleet with immediate effect," BA said in a statement on Thursday.

The 747 democratised global air travel in the 1970s, but fell behind modern twin-engine aircraft and now trails newer planes in fuel efficiency, making it expensive to run.

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 move by BA comes after Australia's Qantas Airways said in June it would retire its remaining 747 fleet immediately, six months ahead of schedule.

BA's predecessor airline BOAC first introduced the 747 on the London-New York route in 1971 after a one-year delay caused by a dispute with pilots over the terms for flying the new jet.

Hugh Dibley, a former BOAC captain and racing driver who joined the airline in 1958, said the 747's introduction marked a new era, but was beset with teething problems with its engines.

Landing and taxiing also took some getting used to, from a cockpit positioned almost 30 feet above the ground - or more when angling the nose higher just before touching the runway.

"It was a delight to fly as it was so stable. The initial issue was its height from the ground. It was like landing a block of flats from the 2nd floor," Dibley told Reuters.

BA's jumbos are the 747-400 model, the most-sold version of the jet which was introduced in 1989. After BA, only a handful of airlines including Rossiya Airlines and Air China continue to operate them, according to Cirium data.

A newer version, the 747-8, was designed to refresh the brand and counter Airbus's A380, but has mainly prospered as a freighter and Boeing is soon expected to follow Airbus in announcing a halt to production of such four-engined behemoths.

The end of the runway for BA's jumbo fleet comes as the company, owned by IAG, faces a battle for survival because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Just as its introduction at BA was marred by labour uncertainty, its retirement almost five decades later comes as BA plans to cut up to 12,000 jobs, or 28 percent of its workforce, to prepare for a slump in air travel.

US-based Boeing and its suppliers signalled the end of the plane when they set the final number of parts it would need for the 747 jumbo jet programme at least a year ago.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
Longtime Mideast negotiator Aaron David Miller, writing in Foreign Policy, once referred to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process as a religion, in that its driven by propositions that bind or adhere the believer to a compelling set of ideas that satisfy rationally or spiritually, but always obligate. And no tenet is more central to the faith than the two-state solution.

So its not surprising that journalist Peter Beinarts essay in the magazine Jewish Currents provoked such a reaction from the faithful last week. Beinart eloquently makes the case that progressive Jews should abandon the two-state solution paradigm and instead push for Jewish-Arab equality within a single state. He refers to Belgium and Northern Ireland as promising examples of binational states in which ethnic groups maintain a certain level of political autonomy while sharing one sovereign country.

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Beinarts argument isnt brand new. It relies heavily on the 2018 book Beyond the Nation-State by historian Dmitry Shumsky. The Palestinian American activist and scholar Yousef Munayyer made his own comprehensive case for why one state is inevitable in Foreign Affairs last year. But it was still striking to hear this case made by Beinart, a prominent left-of-center but generally mainstream voice in the U.S. debate on Israel, who has long advocated the two-state solution, most notably in his 2012 book The Crisis of Zionism. That someone like Beinart can now countenance the idea of a not-solely-Jewish state is an indication of just how rapidly the debate on this topic is shifting. But, while his new essay may have shoved the Overton window of the American debate on Israeli-Palestinian issues open just a tad, that doesnt mean its going to change the U.S.s Israel-Palestine policy, and thats true even if a U.S. administration less aligned with the Israeli right comes into office next year.

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Jeremy Ben-Ami, director of the center-left pro-Israel, pro-peace lobbying group J Street, told me by email,  one state is not a solution, its the problem. The idea of a democratic state with equal rights for all between the Jordan and the Mediterranean may well have appeal in academic and intellectual circles as an abstract idea worthy of discussion. But in our view as a real-world solution its just about the only thing convincingly less likely than reaching a negotiated agreement to end the conflict by drawing a border that results in two viable, independent states.

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The Democratic Partys 2020 platform reportedly contains almost no changes when it comes to Israel, despite growing pressure from the left to condemn the occupation of the Palestinian territories or place conditions on military aid. And not surprisingly, the party remains committed to a two-state solution.

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In April, Antony Blinken, one of Joe Bidens top foreign policy advisers, said that pulling the plug on a two-state solution is pulling the plug, potentially, on an Israel that is not only secure but is Jewish and democraticfor the future. Thats not something any of us, who are ardent supporters of Israel, would want to see. Even Sen. Bernie Sandersthe former kibbutznik, who has done more than anyone to expand the range of the U.S. debate on Israelhas made clear that he believes a one-state solution would be the end of the State of Israel, and I support Israels right to exist.

Palestinian leaders arent quite ready to abandon the two-state framework either. At an online event hosted by the Arab Center on Wednesday, Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and a longtime veteran of Israel-Palestinian negotiations, was a bit cagey on the topic, saying the two-state solution is not my position; its my concession. But, he continued, the current official position of the PLO is with the two-state solution, we are with international law. He also suggested this could change if Israel moves forward with plans to annex large portions of Palestinian territory.

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Indeed, the most serious threat right now to the two-state paradigm comes not from essays in niche Jewish American publications, but from the current Israeli government and its enablers in the Trump administration. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear that he will not allow the creation of a Palestinian stateor at least anything resembling the traditional definition of a sovereign state under international law. Netanyahu had been due on July 1 to announce plans for annexation of a large portion of the West Bank, but those plans now seem to be on the backburner. Netanyahus rival-turned-partner Benny Gantz has suggested this is because the government is devoting its full attention to a resurgence of the coronavirus, but it also seems clear that the Israeli government was unable to obtain the full support of the Trump administration for its plan.

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In his more discursive moments, Trump has suggested he could live with either a one-state or two-state solution, but officially, the administration remains committed to two statessort of. Shaul Arieli, a retired Israel Defense Forces colonel and leading expert on Israeli-Palestinian territorial issues, notes in a forthcoming Israel Policy Forum report that the Jared Kushnermasterminded peace plan that the administration released earlier this year uses key terms that were common during the preceding diplomatic processincluding two states. However, it interprets these terms in a way that contradicts everything that was discussed and agreed to by the parties and the international community (led by the US) prior to its publication. In other words, the Trump-Kushner plan still calls itself a two-state solution, but it would leave the Palestinians with only limited administrative sovereignty over a noncontiguous territory completely surrounded by Israel.

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As a peace plan, the Trump-Kushner effort was dead on arrival, since Palestinian leaderswho have not engaged with the Trump administration since its decision to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem in 2018did not even consider it. Arieli suggests that plans real purpose was not to solve the conflict but to formalize the existing situation, where two different legal systems exist in the same area on the basis of an ethnic criterion, and to compound this by permitting an annexation that would create a reality of apartheid.

Netanyahus annexation move would have threatened the existing situationit would certainly be met with a furious international backlash if not the end of Palestinian security cooperationwhich is why even many strident Israel hawks in the U.S. opposed it. The fact that the Trump administration, which has given the Israeli government a green light on nearly everything it has wanted to do, seems to have put the brakes on the Israeli plan, or at least stopped short of endorsing it, indicates just how difficult it is to challenge the two-state paradigm, even if its merely a rhetorical framework rather than an actual political intention.

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Advocates of a two-state solution have been warning for years that its on the verge of becoming impossible, which raises the questions of when it will be too late and what could finally kill it off.

Netanyahus annexation plan, which may have involved as much as 30 percent of the West Bank, might have been such a tipping point. But even under the status quo, Beinart and others argue that Israeli settlement growth has already made two states unfeasible. Two states might have been the beginning of a more lasting solution. Well likely never know because, in the decades since Palestinians accepted a state based in the West Bank, Israel has made one impossible, he writes.

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Others, like Arieli, claim we havent reached a tipping point yet and wont any time soon, that most Israeli Jewish population growth on the West Bank has been in a couple of large settlements near the separation border, meaning most demographic issues can be resolved through relatively small land swaps.

This is very optimistic. As is Beinarts suggestion that a binational state between the Jordan River and the sea will resemble contemporary Northern Irelandhardly a model of effective governancerather than the Yugoslavia of the early 1990s or Lebanon of the 1980s.

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The two-state solution has persisted as a dominant paradigm largely because nobody has had a better idea. Polls show support for it in the region has fallen precipitously over the past decadeto 49 percent among Israelis and 43 percent among Palestiniansbut that support for alternatives including a binational democratic state, annexation without full rights for Palestinians, and expulsion of the other group poll even lower.

Efforts to explore some of the less terrifying alternatives are necessary, as are challenges to the peace process communitys orthodoxy. But until theres political will to challenge the status quo, all solutions are equally academic.
Burning Down the House

By Julian E. Zelizer

Penguin Press. 356 pp. $30

---

When Newt Gingrich stormed into Congress in January 1979, newly elected at the age of 35, he was already fully formed. His mop of hair had not yet gone gray, as it would soon do prematurely, but in all key respects he was the Newt we know: demanding attention, raging against one establishment or another, portraying politics as a holy war, and proclaiming himself the savior of Western civilization (a career goal he had set while in high school).

And he was proudly pro-cannibalism. "The great strength of the Democratic Party in my lifetime," he told a rally of College Republicans in 1978, just before his election, "has been that it has always produced young, nasty people who had no respect for their elders." This was a compliment. "The Democrats," Gingrich said, "understand that cannibalism is the nature of the business" - that the old order, when it had exhausted its usefulness, should "get jumped on." By contrast, "one of the great problems we have in the Republican Party is that we don't encourage you to be nasty. We encourage you to be neat, obedient, and loyal and faithful and all those Boy Scout words, which . . . are lousy in politics."

Four decades later, the nastiness of the GOP - and therefore of much of our national life - can be seen as Gingrich's most lasting achievement: nastiness as a virtue, a governing principle, an end in itself. We live today in the world Gingrich wrought, and the story of how he wrought it is the focus of "Burning Down the House" by Julian E. Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton. Zelizer is not the first to suggest that Gingrich "broke politics," as a recent article in the Atlantic put it, but his book provides an engaging, unsettling and, alas, timely look at the torch that Gingrich took to our system of self-government.

"Here's how it starts," Gingrich grinned at a House freshman orientation event in December 1978, flashing his brand-new congressional ID card and strutting around like he owned the place, or would someday soon. His agenda, like his manner, was almost comically grandiose: to make the GOP the majority party in the House, where the Democrats held a margin of 119 seats and had ruled without interruption since 1955. The prevailing mood among Republicans was acquiescence, a tacit acceptance of the order of things. Gingrich, however, relished conflict. He stoked it remorselessly - not just against Democrats but also their appeasers, as he saw them, within his party. "You're fighting a war . . . for power," he had told the College Republicans, and what he meant was a guerrilla war, contemptuous of the rules of combat. The goal, Zelizer explains, was "constant mayhem."

The House offered many targets. As members of the majority, Democrats had long been cosseted by interest group money, favors and perks; party leaders seemed largely oblivious of the extent to which Watergate had heightened public distrust of politicians. And Watergate was hardly the last of it: That scandal was followed by Koreagate, which The Washington Postcalled a "cash-based lobbying campaign" by a South Korean businessman, and by Abscam, a 1970s sting operation in which FBI agents dressed as sheikhs handed bribes to congressmen while surveillance cameras rolled. When Gingrich charged onto Capitol Hill, clamoring about corruption and moral rot, the man had found his moment.

Gingrich had little interest in ethics, except as a cudgel. His own conduct, personal and political, was far from exemplary. But as Zelizer writes, he had "a central insight: the transformational changes of the Watergate era . . . could be used to fundamentally destabilize the entire political establishment." Post-Watergate reforms, designed to open up the closed doors of the Capitol and let the sunlight in, gave Gingrich an arsenal of weapons. Public hearings were an opportunity to drag reputations through the mud. Ethics investigations were a means to portray legislative dealmaking as a venal, vaguely criminal act. C-SPAN, a product of the reform movement, became a forum for character assassination, unfiltered, in prime time.

It is hard, at this distance, and with President Donald Trump in the White House, to appreciate how extreme this all seemed. House Republican leaders like Robert Michel of Illinois - a genial, agreeable, mid-century man - viewed Gingrich and his tactics with distaste. Still, they found his plan to slash and burn their way to power "highly seductive," in Zelizer's words. Frustrated by their many years in the minority, provoked by a rising class of radical conservatives and by the advent of right-wing talk radio, "the Republican leadership didn't have to be dragged into Gingrich's world kicking and screaming." Neither did Presidents Ronald Reagan or George Bush, who looked the other way while Gingrich did the dirty business of maligning the opposition.

A self-styled David, Gingrich found his Goliath in Jim Wright, the long-serving Texas Democrat who became speaker of the House in 1987. Gingrich's campaign to depose and, really, to destroy Wright is the central episode of "Burning Down the House." Many readers will know how the story ends, but Zelizer tells it with authority, investing it with tension as Gingrich conjures the storm and wrecks, perhaps permanently, the political landscape. "Too often," Zelizer argues, "we treat partisan polarization . . . as an inexorable force," a law of physics. But that, as his book makes clear, overlooks the responsibility of politicians like Gingrich who, with forethought and malice, pushed Congress into "a deeper abyss."

Within months of Wright's election as speaker, Zelizer writes, "Gingrich pounced." He and his aides circulated newspaper articles claiming that Wright had cut favors for shady associates and augmented his income in unscrupulous ways. Gingrich played the press brilliantly, letting reporters imagine they were the next Woodward and Bernstein. Inevitably, an Ethics Committee investigation followed, generating more of what Zelizer calls "smoke that looked like fire." While "Wright had done some unsavory things," the author observes, no evidence emerged that the speaker had gone "beyond the ethically gray behavior citizens often see from legislators, including Gingrich himself." Wright had always been unloved, if effective; now, as his hold on the reins slackened, his party abandoned him. He resigned his post and his seat in May 1989, admonishing both parties to "bring this period of mindless cannibalism to an end."

It was a vain hope. In a matter of weeks, Gingrich's allies and aides began spreading false rumors that Tom Foley, Wright's successor as speaker, was gay, and Michel, laboring to keep step with the times, insisted that the "cleansing process must continue." This it manifestly has. Republicans learned not only to "speak like Newt," as a 1990 pamphlet urged, but to act like Newt - even, it turned out, toward Newt himself. Gingrich's troubled tenure as speaker, after the GOP took back the House in 1994, lies beyond Zelizer's scope, but there is an excellent book to be written about the difficulty of running an institution that one has trashed. Gingrich has never been much for irony, but when his fellow Republicans forced him out in 1998, in part over ethics violations, his final lament had a familiar ring: "I'm not willing," he complained to his colleagues, "to preside over people who are cannibals."

---

Shesol is a former speechwriter for Bill Clinton and a founding partner of West Wing Writers. His book on John Glenn, the space race and the Cold War will be published next year.
Driven by new encouraging policies and motivations, more fresh opportunities will be coming for Japanese investors in Vietnam, expecting a new investment wave ahead.

Japanese companies have shown wide interest in relocating some operations to Vietnam. Photo Le Toan

Having been present in the country over the past 25 years, Watanabe Yutaka, director of TOWA Industrial Vietnam, is impressed with the improvements in the business climate. Now the successful control of COVID-19 is giving his company more confidence in making its next steps.

Vietnam has more advantages than other regional countries in investment attraction. The cost of the manufacturing sector in China and Thailand remains high. Economic activities globally are on a downtrend, while investments are gearing up, he said at the Ministry of Planning and Investments (MPI)webinar on Japanese investment promotion last week, which attracted over 1,000 Japanese companies.

TOWA Industrial Vietnam specialises in manufacturing precise mechanical spare parts. It built the first factory in the country in 1996, a second 10 years later, the third in 2012, and has been operating a fourth since last year.

We are restructuring our supply chain. Some of our facilities suspended operations in China, Indonesia, and India, and we are considering moving operations to other countries. Vietnam is a safe destination for us, Yutaka elaborated.

New wave

According to the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Hanoi Office, there has been a trend of reshuffling supply chains among Japanese businesses amid COVID-19 and global trade tensions.

As shown in a quick survey on nearly 2,000 Japanese companies in Vietnam by the JETRO carried out last month, 1 per cent had already moved their activities to Vietnam from China, while 5 per cent are considering. Meanwhile 4 per cent are mulling over an investment shift to Vietnam from other countries.

Nakajima Takeo, chief representative of the JETRO Hanoi Office said, Vietnam has advantages to attract Japanese investors because of successful control of the pandemic, low labour costs, abundant labour force, the signing of free trade agreements, and increasing position in the region.

In this trend, TOWA Industrial Vietnam is among the Japanese companies that have had plans to make investment shifts. Olympus, Nintendo, JUKI, and Sharp also have made similar moves.

Sharp, one of the leading conglomerates in Japan, is going to open its new factory in the outlying district of Ho Chi Minh City this year. It will focus on manufacturing car displays for the US market, as well as air cleaners for domestic use. Sharp has achieved great success in Vietnam over past years on the back of local annual electronics and household appliance growth of 10-15 per cent.

The company is one of the typical examples for successful Japanese investment in the Southeast Asian country.

Similarly, Japanese electronics manufacturer Olympus ceased activities in China in 2018 and is focusing on the production of digital cameras in Vietnams southern province of Dong Nai, while Nintendo relocated a part of its Switch console production to Vietnam from China.

Japans investment shifts have evolved over several decades now. At the turn of the century, supply chain restructuring was aimed at reassessing the excessive focus on China amid rising labour costs, mounting competition, tightened rules, and technology leaks. In 2018, moves were made to ease possible negative impacts from trade tensions. And this year, groups want to develop and diversify supply chains to adapt to the COVID-19 outbreak, global economic slowdown, and digital transformation.

In addition to the processing and manufacturing sector, which is of most interest among Japanese investors in Vietnam, infrastructure and equitisation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are already attracting strong attention for their future plans, making it an attractive channel for financiers.

More fresh opportunities for Japanese investors will come in the coming months because a number of powerful SOEs will have their stake holding divested, including Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group, as well as at many commercial lenders such as Agribank.

In infrastructure, the eastern cluster of the North-South Expressway will have five sections developed under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The country is also calling for investment in renewable energy projects, especially in solar and wind power, thus hoping to bring new opportunities for Japanese enterprises. Looking ahead, the Vietnamese government is encouraging innovations and digital transformation with a number of supporting policies.

And the landmark EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) will take effect imminently, bringing about important legal changes and special incentives for international ventures which have exports to the bloc.

Okabe Daisuke, from the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, proposed to soon resume flights between the two countries, improve disbursement quality of public investment, develop transport infrastructure, add investment incentives, and offer more transparency in policies.

New motivations

In anticipation of investment shifts globally, Vietnam is preparing to welcome a new wave of high-quality foreign direct investment (FDI), including that from Japan by continuing administrative reform, focusing on advanced technologies with high-added value and connecting with global supply chains.

We are making careful preparations to welcome multinational corporations that are planning to make investment shifts. We encourage them to open research and development centres, and establish operation regional centres in Vietnam, said Vu Dai Thang, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment.

The Southeast Asian country is expected to have a more competitive and favourable legal environment, thus increasing transparency and facilitation for investors in the months to come with the recent issuance of a number of laws, including new laws on investment, enterprises, PPP, and others.

In addition, the country is also to focus on infrastructure development, improvement of human resources, development of supporting industries and financial tools, and enhancement of administrative reform to welcome new investment flows.

We are working with localities on preparation of land funds at industrial zones in the localities which attract more Japanese investors. We also propose an increase in land funds to facilitate their business and investment activities, said Do Nhat Hoang, director general of the MPIs Foreign Investment Agency.

Also importantly, Vietnam aims to have developed supporting industries under Resolution No.23-NQ/TW dated 2018 on the orientation of industrial development by 2030, with a vision for 2045. The government has already issued Resolution No.58/NQ-CP on the action plan to implement Resolution No.50-NQ/TW dated August 2019, governing the directions on completing the policies on FDI attraction by 2030.

We have set up a working group to consult the prime minister with the new policies on FDI attraction, with members who are leaders of ministries and agencies. Many more Japan desks have been also established to support their investment inflows in Vietnam, Hoang noted.

According to the MPI, amid global fall in FDI attraction, Vietnam saw some positives in Junes FDI picture with $1.8 billion in newly-registered, newly-added, and stake acquisition capital, up 3.1 per cent on-year, and 14.9 per cent on-month. As of June 20, Japan was Vietnams second largest foreign investor, with 4,548 valid investment projects, registered at over $60 billion.

Vu Dai Thang - Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vietnam and other countries across the globe are facing a lot of difficulties caused by COVID-19 and major economies are suffering from the worst recession ever. Most global supply chains are impacted seriously, and numerous multinational corporations are looking for new destinations to relocate facilities. The success in controlling the pandemic enables Vietnam  one of the very few countries reaching positive growth  to be recognised as a safe and attractive destination for every investor. While global investment flow is anticipated to decrease by 40 per cent this year, Vietnams foreign direct investment (FDI) mobilisation in the first half of the year is not too bad with $15.67 billion in the total registered capital, and an increase of 13.8 and 26.8 per cent on-year in newly registered capital and additionally registered capital, respectively. This confirms the trust of foreign investors towards Vietnams investment climate. Vietnam will continue perfecting policies to improve the quality and performance of FDI while focusing on high-tech and environmental protection projects that can generate much added value. In this regard, we see a huge advantage with Japanese investors, and the investment and co-operation with them will support and benefit both sides. Okabe Daisuke - Economic Minister, Japanese Embassy to Vietnam We are impressed by Vietnams fight against the pandemic, which is an amazing success of the government and the people. It confirms the countrys ability of risk management. Its economy has been recovering and is one of the first countries that can enjoy the opportunities of diversifying supply chains to become a developed and prosperous country soon. We are glad that Vietnams government facilitated 500 Japanese experts to arrive in the country, and opened the transport between both nations. We will consider to do more in the coming time. Japan spent $2.3 billion for local businesses to diversify their supply chains and cope with the pandemic, which could offer good chances for them to enhance investment into Vietnam. So, I recommend that Vietnam should apply suitable investment policies, which are implemented fairly and transparently. Accelerating the implementation of public investment projects will significantly contribute to the economic recovery. As such, launching Metro line 1 in Ho Chi Minh City and re-developing Ben Luc-Long Thanh Highway, both projects that will be assisted by the Japanese government, are effective measures for Vietnams economy. Takeo Nakajima - Chief representative, JETRO Office in Hanoi According to a survey carried out by the JETRO and other associations last month, 96 per cent of 631 responding Japanese enterprises in Vietnam confirmed that they felt the impacts of COVID-19, and 58 per cent of these are suffering serious impacts. A total of 65 per cent of respondents reported some decrease of their revenue, while 13 per cent reported an increase in the first half of the year. Another 65 per cent of respondents are facing difficulties from social distancing and the stagnation of the local market, while 56 per cent are influenced by the decrease of overseas markets. Most of our respondents would like to see an ease of entry restrictions and the reopening of flights between Vietnam and Japan. These companies believe that all investment and business activities in Vietnam will be recovered totally in the first quarter of 2021 or even earlier. Japanese investors have been relocating and restructuring supply chains for a couple of years already to avoid the US-China trade war and diversify suppliers. Vietnam has done a very good job in reining in COVID-19, and the country has relatively low labour cost and abundant workforce. Notably, Vietnam has inked a series of free trade agreements, with its prestige increasingly enhanced in the region. Tooru Aguin - Chief representative, Japan Bank for International Co-operation Vietnam is one of the most important partners of ours and provides policies and financial packages to Japanese companies to invest and do their business in Vietnam, focusing on such industries as power, energy, and manufacturing. Most assistance from us is spent on power projects, equivalent to 13 per cent of the total power supply, including electrification, thermal power, and some projects related to altering renewable energy. We also help Vietnam to develop infrastructure by mobilising private capital as well as strengthening the evolution of supply chains and the local industry. Therefore, Vietnam ranks second globally in terms of the number of projects we support, and fifth in terms of the number of projects in the 2017-2019 fiscal period. In order to promote supply chains between Vietnam and Japan, we provide an emergency assistance programme to support Japanese investors doing their businesses overseas; supports high-quality, environmental, and infrastructural projects; and helps those troubled by COVID-19. Our assistance will contribute to the long-term working capital of businesses and help them to build up or expand their facilities, purchase more equipment, and acquire or contribute capital to other corporations. During May and June, our programme has provided loans to two companies to start their business in Vietnam, namely $475,000 to household textile producer Sunrose Co., Ltd. from Aichi, and $3.5 million to seal and gasket maker Uchiyama Manufacturing Corporation from Okayama. VIR

Bich Thuy

Panasonic heads up Japanese production movements Panasonic is among the first Japanese investors to relocate their activities to Vietnam in the context that multinational corporations are considering to restructure their global manufacturing.
Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday rejected the Congress' allegation based on two audio clips that he was part of a conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan, saying his voice is not in those recordings and that he was ready to face any probe.

The Congress' attack on Shekhawat and some rebel Congress leasers, including MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, came after two audio clips surfaced pertaining to an alleged conspiracy to topple the Gehlot government.

"This is not my voice... Let there be an investigation. I am ready to face any probe," the senior BJP leader from the state told reporters here after the Congress demanded his arrest.

AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also demanded the arrest of one Sanjay Jain, whom he described as a BJP leader.
The police have launched two separate murder investigations after two men in their 30s became the latest victims to be stabbed in the capital's streets.

Last night police were called to the scene outside a McDonald's on Victoria Road in Kilburn, north London, following reports that a man had been stabbed at around 10.24pm.

The victim, believed to be in his mid-30s, was taken to a central London hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after.

Just hours later, a second murder investigation was launched after a man in his 30s was stabbed in Enfield, north London, and rushed to North Middlesex Hospital where, despite the best efforts of doctors, he was pronounced dead.

The death comes after statistics released from the Office of National Statistics today showed that knife crimes in England and Wales had risen six per cent to a new record high and homicides by ten per cent in the last year.

Police have launched a murder investigation after a man in his 30s was stabbed on Victoria Road in Kilburn last night

Police were called to the scene at 10.24pm and the man, believed to be in his mid-30s, was taken to a central London hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after. Pictured: Police stand at the scene of the stabbing

A police cordon is put up after the man is his 30s was stabbed on a high street in Kilburn last night

Today a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: 'Detectives have launched a murder investigation following a stabbing in north London.

'Police were called at 22:24hrs on Thursday, 16 July to reports of a man stabbed in the area of Victoria Road, NW6.

'Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended. The victim, believed to be aged in his mid-30s, was taken to a central London hospital where he was pronounced dead at 22:57hrs.

'Officers are in the process of informing next of kin. Formal identification awaits.

'A post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

'Detectives from the Specialist Crime Command have been informed.

'A crime scene remains in place. There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.'

Hours later, officers were called to Lytton Avenue in Enfield at 4.45am following reports that four men were engaged in a fight and a man had been put into a vehicle.

A short while later officers became aware of a man, aged in his 30s, who had been taken from the scene to North Middlesex Hospital suffering a single stab wound.

Despite the best efforts of doctors, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: 'Detectives have launched a murder investigation following the death of a man in Enfield.

'Police were called at 04:45hrs on Friday, 17 July, to a report of four men fighting in Lytton Avenue, Enfield and a man being put into a vehicle.

'A short while later, at approximately 05:01hrs, officers who were present at North Middlesex Hospital, N18, became aware of a man, aged in his 30s, who had been brought there suffering a single stab wound.

'Despite the best efforts of doctors, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

'Police are working to identify and inform the victims next of kin. Formal identification awaits and a post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course.

'Three men, no further details, have been arrested on suspicion of murder; all remain in custody.

'Enquiries into the circumstances continue.'

Figures from the ONS today revealed police-recorded offences involving a knife or sharp instrument rose to 46,265 for the year to March.

This was 51 per cent higher than when data of this kind was first collected in 2011 and is the highest number on record, the report said.

The number of such offences rose seven per cent in London, but dropped 10 per cent in West Yorkshire and remained the same in the West Midlands - the three areas of the country with the highest rate per 100,000 population.

Floral tributes are laid on the ground after the man was stabbed on Victoria Road last night

A crime scene remains in place on the high street as officers carry out their investigations

The report said: 'Knife or sharp instrument offences continue to be concentrated in metropolitan areas across England and Wales, with around a third (34%) of all offences recorded by the police in London.'

The highest rate was also seen in London, with 179 offences per 100,000 population.

This compared with an England and Wales average of 82 offences per 100,000 population.

According to the latest statistics, assault with injury and assault with intent to cause serious harm offences, and robbery, each accounted for 44 per cent of all offences involving a knife or sharp instrument (20,333 and 20,159 respectively).

The ONS report added: 'Offences involving knives or sharp instruments have been experiencing a rising trend since the year ending March 2014, although in recent years the rate of increase has slowed.'

The latest figures come as tributes were today paid to a talented saxophonist and a 'caring' and 'beloved' 18-year-old after they were fatally stabbed in two separate attacks in England this week.

Colton Bryan, who was in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene in a first floor maisonette in Redditch, Worcestershire, after emergency services were called to the property at around 9.30pm on July 15.

West Mercia Police arrested a man in his 20s on suspicion of murder and the suspect, from Redditch, was detained by armed officers.

Just hours earlier Ahmed Yasin-Ali was found injured in a separate attack in Elmfield Way, Maida Vale, west London at around 12.30am, the Metropolitan Police said.

Today, distraught friends of Mr Bryan described their 'shock' at his death and paid homage to 'the nicest guy around'.

A forensic team carry out investigations after a man in his 30s was stabbed in Lytton Avenue in Enfield this morning

A section of the residential road is cordoned off as police and forensic teams carry out their investigations

Police officers arrived to the scene at 4.45am following reports that four men were engaged in a fight

Forensic teams arrive to the scene on Friday morning after a man was rushed to North Middlesex Hospital with a stab wound

The talented saxophonist, who regularly played at venues across the region, had released tracks on Spotify and a music video on YouTube.

Mr Bryan also worked at Caribbean takeaway Jerk and Punch where, tonight, a 'massive get together' was set to be held.

The organisers said: 'We're having a massive get together tonight to say farewell to Colton. 6pm in the car wash outside of Jerk and Punch.

'Anyone who knew Colton wanting to say their goodbyes - we're going to be blasting out his talent on the speakers and cooking up some jerk chicken.'

Following Mr Bryan's death, floral tributes have been laid near the scene of the incident and his friends and loved ones have paid tribute to the 'kind, caring and compassionate' individual.

One friend wrote: 'RIP Colton Bryan. People are too quick to carry a knife or a weapon and are too eager to end lives these days. What is this world coming to?'

Colton Bryan, who was in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene after police were called to a property in Redditch, Worcestershire at around 9.30pm on July 15

The talented saxophonist was pronounced dead at the scene in a first floor maisonette in Redditch

Police officers patrol the area after the attack on July 15 which saw a man in his 20s arrested on suspicion of murder

'Never thought I'd wake up to this. Absolutely heartbreaking. RIP Colton. You had so much going for you with so much potential waiting to be released. The nicest guy I have known, the world was too cruel for you. My thoughts are with your friends and family,' added another friend.

Another heartbroken friend said: 'Just woke up to find out the awful news about Colton Bryan. I am in absolute shock. One of the nicest guys around and unbelievable on the saxophone. So much going for him and taken far too young.'

While another added: 'Honestly can't put into words how distraught we all are. You will forever be missed and always in our hearts. You were so kind, caring and compassionate and always put others before yourself.

'We have shared a lot of laughs and adventures and it is soul destroying that there's no more to come.

'People are sick and twisted and this world isn't what it should be. So much talent but taken way too soon. We will always cherish what you left. RIP a true underrated legend.'

A neighbour previously told BirminghamLive how she gave Mr Bryan first aid for 20 minutes in his living room and cradled him in her arms before the emergency services arrived.

She said: 'I heard screaming and first of all thought he'd just had a row with his girlfriend, but it went on and on and got louder so I thought I'd better go round.

Ahmed Yasin-Ali was found injured in Elmfield Way, Maida Vale, west London at around 12.30am in a separate attack on the same day. He died in hospital shortly after

Police officers stand at the scene after Mr Yasin-Ali was found injured in a separate stabbing in London

The graph shows the level of murders in London throughout 2020 - with a notable drop during the lockdown period from March to May

'The door then opened and a man came out, barged past me and ran down the stairs. He was dressed all in black and had a mask over his face and was bleeding.

'I went inside and it was like something from a horror movie - there was blood everywhere - on the walls, floor, everywhere. A man was lying on the sofa drenched in blood.

'He had a cut on his hand, but the big one was in his chest, so I put the towel over that, kept pressing down and lay next to him on the sofa and cradled him and tried to keep him talking.

'It took about 20 minutes for the ambulance to come and then they came in and took over. They got him on the living room floor and gave him CPR, but it was too late, he was already dead, he had died in my arms.'

Armed officers arrested a man in his 20s on suspicion of murder at an address in Redditch at around noon on Thursday.

Detective Inspector Mark Walters said: 'A man is now in police custody who has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

'The victim's family are being supported by specially trained officers at what is understandably a very traumatic and upsetting time.'

Just hours earlier Ahmed Yasin-Ali was found injured in Elmfield Way, Maida Vale, at around 12.30am on July 15, the Metropolitan Police said.

Police officers gave him first aid and land and air ambulance crews were called, but he died in hospital shortly after 1am.

Data shows that there has now been more than 60 murders in the capital this year

Today tributes were paid to the 'caring' and 'beloved' 18-year-old who was fatally stabbed in west London.

In a statement issued by Scotland Yard, his family said: 'Our beloved son, brother and friend peacefully passed away on Wednesday morning. He was loved by all and will forever be missed.

'Caring, loving, and by far the most clean-hearted of us all. He wanted nothing but good for everyone and himself, striving hard in his school work and job to make it to university in order to provide our family with a better life.'

A memorial appeal launched on GoFundMe has nearly reached its 10,000 target.

The family added: 'Our family wants to prevent such devastating acts from happening ever again, this means that we are fully cooperating with the police and respect the law.

'The last thing we need is any retaliation or revenge.

'We as Muslims forgive those who so painfully took away our precious and beautiful son. Forever in our hearts, our neighbourhood hero.'

Detective Chief Inspector Vicky Tunstall said: 'Ahmed's family are devastated by the loss of their son and brother and we are working tirelessly to investigate the circumstances surrounding his murder.

'Ahmed was only 18 years old, had his whole life ahead of him and had aspirations to attend university, so this is a particularly tragic and wasted loss of life.'

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD reference 185/15Jul, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
On July 14, while unveiling his $2 trillion climate plan, Joe Biden declared, theres no more consequential challenge that we must meet in the next decade than the onrushing climate crisis. Left unchecked, it is literally an existential threat to the health of our planet and to our very survival.

Yes, Joe Biden has embraced climate change hysteria wholesale.

According to Joes Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice, Today, he is outlining a bold plan -- a Clean Energy Revolution -- to address this grave threat and lead the world in addressing the climate emergency.

Bidens bluster has no bounds. According to his plan, From coastal towns to rural farms to urban centers, climate change poses an existential threat -- not just to our environment, but to our health, our communities, our national security, and our economic well-being. It also damages our communities with storms that wreak havoc on our towns and cities and our homes and schools. It puts our national security at risk by leading to regional instability that will require U.S military-supported relief activities and could make areas more vulnerable to terrorist activities.

Apparently, Biden believes climate change poses a more urgent and dire threat to the survival of humanity than an emboldened China, a nuclear-armed Iran, a deranged dictator with an arsenal of nuclear weapons in North Korea, or a resurgent Russia. As Joe Biden loves to say, cmon, man.

And here is where the rubber meets the proverbial road. Biden believes the Green New Deal is a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face. It powerfully captures two basic truths, which are at the core of his plan: (1) the United States urgently needs to embrace greater ambition on an epic scale to meet the scope of this challenge, and (2) our environment and our economy are completely and totally connected.

Did Biden just endorse the monstrosity known as the Green New Deal? You bet.

In fact, as his plan lay out in intricate detail, Biden is all-in on the Green New Deal. As president, Biden will lead the world to address the climate emergency and lead through the power of example, by ensuring the U.S. achieves a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions no later than 2050. That is quite an ambitious agenda.

So, how would Biden accomplish this monumental feat? By implementing his five-part plan that will:

Ensure the U.S. achieves a 100% clean energy economy and reaches net-zero emissions no later than 2050. On day one, Biden will sign a series of new executive orders with unprecedented reach that go well beyond the Obama-Biden Administration platform and put us on the right track. And, he will demand that Congress enacts legislation in the first year of his presidency that: 1) establishes an enforcement mechanism that includes milestone targets no later than the end of his first term in 2025, 2) makes a historic investment in clean energy and climate research and innovation, 3) incentivizes the rapid deployment of clean energy innovations across the economy, especially in communities most impacted by climate change.

In other words, Biden will double-down on crony capitalism and enrich his political friends and allies with massive taxpayer-funded investments to magically make green energy feasible and affordable.

Build a stronger, more resilient nation. On day one, Biden will make smart infrastructure investments to rebuild the nation and to ensure that our buildings, water, transportation, and energy infrastructure can withstand the impacts of climate change. Every dollar spent toward rebuilding our roads, bridges, buildings, the electric grid, and our water infrastructure will be used to prevent, reduce, and withstand a changing climate. As President, Biden will use the convening power of government to boost climate resilience efforts by developing regional climate resilience plans, in partnership with local universities and national labs, for local access to the most relevant science, data, information, tools, and training.

By this, Biden means he will blow billions on unnecessary green infrastructure projects while brainwashing millions into believing that climate change is the boogeyman.

 Rally the rest of the world to meet the threat of climate change. Climate change is a global challenge that requires decisive action from every country around the world. Joe Biden knows how to stand with Americas allies, stand up to adversaries, and level with any world leader about what must be done. He will not only recommit the United States to the Paris Agreement on climate change -- he will go much further than that. He will lead an effort to get every major country to ramp up the ambition of their domestic climate targets. He will make sure those commitments are transparent and enforceable and stop countries from cheating by using Americas economic leverage and power of example. He will fully integrate climate change into our foreign policy and national security strategies, as well as our approach to trade.

Translation: Biden will shackle America to a ridiculous and unenforceable treaty that will undermine the U.S. economy. And he will grovel to dictators and world leaders -- nothing new there.

Stand up to the abuse of power by polluters who disproportionately harm communities of color and low-income communities. Vulnerable communities are disproportionately impacted by the climate emergency and pollution. The Biden Administration will take action against fossil fuel companies and other polluters who put profit over people and knowingly harm our environment and poison our communities air, land, and water, or conceal information regarding potential environmental and health risks. The Biden plan will ensure that communities across the country from Flint, Michigan to Harlan, Kentucky to the New Hampshire Seacoast have access to clean, safe drinking water. And hell make sure the development of solutions is an inclusive, community-driven process.

Reading between the lines, Biden is basically saying that he will implement social justice via a convoluted and nonsensical attack on the energy industry.

Fulfill our obligation to workers and communities who powered our industrial revolution and subsequent decades of economic growth. This is support theyve earned for fueling our countrys industrial revolution and decades of economic growth. Were not going to leave any workers or communities behind.

This is amusing. So, Biden will eliminate hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs throughout the energy industry but somehow these workers and communities will be hunky dory in the end. Again, cmon man.

The bottom line is Bidens energy plan is a lose-lose proposition for America and the rest of the world. Over the past few years, the United States has achieved energy independence. Biden would undo that on day one. Worse, he would make Americas energy grid unreliable. And his plan would drive the cost of energy through the roof. It will also make America less secure and pile on more debt.

In short, Bidens climate plan is as corrupt and senseless as the man it is named after.

Chris Talgo (ctalgo@heartland.org) is an editor at The Heartland Institute.
His poll numbers are sinking, protests are growing and economically punishing restrictions have just been reimposed: surging coronavirus cases in Israel have left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu encircled by trouble.

After a late-night cabinet meeting, the government on Friday announced that stores, markets and various other public spaces would be closed on weekends.

It said restaurants would be limited to takeaway services through the week, with a later statement specifying the measure would start from Tuesday.

Netanyahu's office said the premier wanted to avoid another "general lockdown" -- a move that would likely infuriate a public battered by the pandemic.

But it is clear that coronavirus stumbles by Netanyahu, a right-winger, have dented his support.

A poll this week by Channel 13 found that 61 percent of voters were "displeased" by his handling of the crisis.

That marks a stark reversal for Netanyahu, whose response early in the outbreak won praise.

After his government curbed flights and imposed lockdown measures in March, Israel briefly reduced its daily tally of newly confirmed cases to the single digits in early May, but in recent weeks new cases have regularly topped 1,000 per day.

According to the Israel Democracy Institute think tank, 57.5 percent of the public supported Netanyahu's coronavirus management at the beginning of April.

As of July 12, that number had fallen to 29.5 percent.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, whose support has been essential to keeping Netanyahu in power, have voiced frustration over the looming threat of renewed synagogue closures.

Netanyahu met with ultra-Orthodox party leaders this week and said he wanted to ease their "distress," while pledging to hold consultations before imposing any closures.

- 'Storming the Bibistille' -

Netanyahu has taken responsibility for the hasty re-opening of Israel's economy between late April and June -- measures widely seen as triggering the resurgence in cases.

Protests against economic hardship have spread across the country, and some 10,000 people demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

A rally outside the premier's Jerusalem residence on July 14 saw minor skirmishes with police.

One Israeli media outlet dubbed it the "Storming of the Bibistille," as that rally coincided with the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille during the 1789 French revolution.

The new restrictions cap at 20 the number of people allowed to assemble in open air spaces.

Opposition lawmaker Ofer Cassif of the mainly Arab Joint List told the Ma'ariv newspaper Friday that this was a "politically motivated" decision to suppress further protests.

In an apparent bid to quell rising public anger, Netanyahu has also announced plans for cash payments to all Israelis.

- 'Need someone in charge' -

Meanwhile, a blame game has erupted between politicians and public officials.

Netanyahu has announced plans for cash payments to all Israelis /  AFP/File

Among them is Siegal Sadetzki, the former director of public health who resigned this month, levelling blistering accusations at the government and claiming her expertise had been ignored.

For Dan Ben-David, an academic at Tel Aviv University, Netanyahu is responsible for Israel's undeniable coronavirus missteps.

"How did it help us, opening up the economy, if now we have to close it again?" asked Ben-David, who also co-leads the Shoresh Institution for Socioeconomic Research.

The coronavirus crisis had exposed how Netanyahu had neglected parts of the government, including the health ministry, during his 11-year-long tenure, Ben-David argued.

"The prime minister has not cared about anything internal in any serious manner," Ben-David said, arguing that Netanyahu had devoted his attention largely to security, diplomacy and macroeconomics.

With the health ministry weakened, multiple commentators have noted that key decisions, including on re-opening the economy, fell to the prime minister.

But the premier's attention has been divided -- notably between his corruption trial and the prospect of annexing territory in the occupied West Bank.

"Who is taking care of the crisis here?" Ben-David asked. "You need to put someone in charge."

- Bennett as anti-covid chief? -

Calls have mounted for the government to name a coronavirus response coordinator.

A hard-line right-winger and defence minister in Netanyahu's previous government, Naftali Bennett is now part of the opposition /  AFP/File

Surveys show that at least 40 percent of the public think Netanyahu's bitter rival, ex-defence minister Naftali Bennett, is the best person to lead the pandemic response.

According to a Channel 13 poll, 45 percent of the public think Bennett should be named Israel's anti-coronavirus chief; 26 percent said he should not, and 29 percent said they were unable to make up their mind.

Forty percent said he should be named to the position in a poll by the Israel Democracy Institute, although 38 percent in that poll were against such a move.

A hard-line right-winger, Bennett has joined the opposition, and the acrimony between him and the premier is widely known.

On Twitter this week, he urged the government to "wake up".

Bennett has released a coronavirus response plan and chastised the government over its alleged failure to develop adequate testing and contact-tracing capacity.

On Thursday, he told reporters that he had asked to take over the coronavirus response but was still waiting on an answer from the prime minister.
Minister of Gender Equality and Family Lee Jung-ok / Yonhap



South Korea's Minister of Gender Equality and Family Lee Jung-ok on Friday pledged to map out effective and strengthened measures to prevent further sexual crimes in public institutions amid an ongoing controversy over sexual abuse allegations of late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.



"As the minister in charge of preventing sexual harassment and protecting victims, I feel a great sense of responsibility," Lee said in a meeting with experts in sexual violence prevention at the government complex in Seoul.



The minister added she was "very worried about the victim who has been suffering from mental pressure and psychological pain."



Last week, Park was found dead a day after a former secretary filed a complaint with the police about his alleged sexual harassment. According to civic groups and her attorney, the victim has suffered unwanted physical contact and received inappropriate messages from Park for over four years.






Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 01:21:29|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Nov. 5, 2019 shows the night view of the Bund in Shanghai, east China. (Photo by Wang Xiang/Xinhua)

While the situation in many of Germany's export markets continued to deteriorate, "the Chinese economy is already looking ahead with cautious optimism."

BERLIN, July 16 (Xinhua) -- China was on its way to become "export destination country number one" for the German economy as the COVID-19 crisis was hitting global trade, according to a study published by the German Economic Institute (IW) on Thursday.

While the situation in many of Germany's export markets continued to deteriorate, "the Chinese economy is already looking ahead with cautious optimism," said Galina Kolev, senior economist and head of the Research Group Macroeconomic Analyses and Business Cycles at IW.

The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) announced last week that German exports to China only decreased "rather moderately" by 12.3 percent to 7.2 billion euros (8.2 billion U.S. dollars) in May. At the same time, exports to the United States plummeted by 36.5 percent to 6.5 billion euros.

Photo taken on March 4, 2020 shows the skyscrapers of the Central Business District (CBD) in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

IW noted that the different course of the COVID-19 crisis across the world would change countries' "relative importance" for the German economy in 2020. "China's rise to export destination country number one is of particular symbolic significance," stressed Kolev.

In 2019, China already was, after the United States and France, the third most important customer of Germany's economy with exported goods worth 96.0 billion euros, according to Destatis.

The export gap between China and Germany's biggest export countries had decreased "substantially" in the first five months of the year. Official data for June is yet to be released, but IW is expecting that China already replaced France as Germany's second largest export market last month.

The current COVID-19 crisis had "accelerated a process that has been going on for several decades," said Kolev. The growth of the Chinese economy, which was already slowing down but still remained relatively high by international standards, had made China an "attractive export market." 
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A 2-year-old was shot in the arm early Thursday evening as police responded to two separate shooting incidents in Grand Rapids.

A Grand Rapids police spokesperson said the 2-year-old was struck by gunfire in the area of Burton Street and Union Avenue.

The circumstances behind the shooting were not immediately known. The injuries are not believed to be life-threatening and the child was taken to a hospital in a private vehicle.

Grand Rapids police blocked off a long section of Union Avenue, from a point just south of Burton Street to Winchell Street, and stretched police tape in front of several houses on the west side of the street.

Neighbors had heard that gunfire may have come from two cars racing down the street, but police did not immediately confirm that.

Sharon Smith, who lives on Union Avenue, said it was unsettling to come home and find your street lit up by police officers.

The other shooting happened in the area of 11th Avenue and Quarry Street. Police said a female was struck in the face by broken glass because of gunfire.

Police said that incident appeared to be a drive-by shooting.

More on MLive:

Controversial place names, monuments reflect Michigans racially unjust past

Michigan restricts physical restraint of children in foster care facilities after death of Kalamazoo teen

Several teens at Fourth of July beach party in Norton Shores test positive for coronavirus
(Newser)  Twitter blames a coordinated attack on its employees for the site's biggest hack yet, and the FBI is charged with getting to the bottom of it. New York launched its own investigation, the Washington Post reports, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo calling the breach especially concerning with elections on the horizon. The accounts of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Kanye West, and others were affected Wednesday in what appears to have been a cryptocurrency scam. "This was not a hack of Biden's campaign," an FBI official said. "Or of Elon Musk. This was all about a fraud scheme and not about trying to turn the political winds in a certain direction." The attackers used a Twitter employee's access, the official said, though there are suggestions that an employee was in on it.

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Given the possibility of the political chaos that false tweets could cause, cybersecurity experts called it fortunate that the hackers were just interested in money. "We're looking into what other malicious activity they may have conducted," the company said, per CNN, "or information they may have accessed." Cuomo said Thursday that this sort of hack could affect the elections, and Washington lawmakers called for more information about it. Twitter has not provided many details so far. All sorts of information is at risk, a security firm said. "Confidential employee and customer data, legal documents, and intellectual property are being exposed to unwanted parties on a daily basis," a Check Point post said. (Read more Twitter stories.)
According to a July 17 broadcast by the Kan radio station, this week the Israel Prison Service authorized family visits for Palestinian security prisoners. The IPS said that the decision was made jointly with the National Security Council and the visits will be coordinated with the Red Cross. The allowance only applies to family members residing in West Bank areas not significantly affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The IPS also explained that with many emergency regulations no longer in place, the family visits are a legal right that must be upheld.

The family visits are to take place according to Health Ministry instructions including "purple badge" requirements and guidelines on social distancing, masks and sanitation that also apply to government offices, hotels and other businesses.

The visits were suspended with the outbreak of the pandemic in Israel at the beginning of March, when the International Committee of the Red Cross told Palestinian families there would be no visits on that month. The situation dragged on as the pandemic swept the country. The prisoners protested the suspension of visits, but the IPS refused to resume the visits too soon.

On April 24, a group of UN human rights experts urged Israel to release vulnerable Palestinian prisoners. They wrote, There are currently more than 4,520 Palestinian prisoners, including 183 children, 43 women and 700 detainees with pre-existing medical conditions in Israeli jails. They remain dangerously vulnerable in the context of the current pandemic and the relative increase in the number of transmission rates in Israel. In parallel, Hamas reportedly submitted to Israel a list of 250 prisoners for immediate release. It included mainly infirm and elderly prisoners as well as women and young people. For the moment, no deal has been made between the sides for a prisoner release or exchange.

The IPS assured the National Security Council that the visits will be held under strict health and sanitary conditions. But with the spike in infections in both Israel and the West Bank, it is unclear whether the visits will continue. Israeli authorities have expressed concern in recent days about the growing number of cases in the West Bank, notably in the Hebron area.

The situation of Palestinian workers in Israel is especially complicated. Some 46,000 laborers were authorized at the end of June to enter Israel for a period of three weeks, on the condition that they do not travel in the country, stay near the work site and dont go home. The three weeks end this weekend, and the authorities are debating today whether to renew the permits. A decision is expected later today or early next week.
The brother of supermodel Megan Gale has gone missing in Western Australia.

Jason Gale, the star's 49-year-old older brother, went missing from his home in the Perth suburb of Bibra Lake on Tuesday morning.

Police have launched an urgent search amid concerns for his welfare.

Mr Gale is believed to be driving a 1999 silver coloured Honda CR-V station sedan, registration 1BOI107.

He was last seen at 9.40am on Tuesday, when he bought petrol and water in the Wheatbelt town of Pingelly, about 158 kilometres from Perth.

Jason Gale, (pictured) the star's 49-year-old older brother, went missing from his home in the Perth suburb of Bibra Lake on Tuesday morning

The brother of supermodel Megan Gale (pictured) has gone missing in Western Australia

Loved ones of Mr Gale say he was known to take trips by himself but never for this long, Seven News reported.

His family are urging anyone with information to call them or police immediately.

Little is known about the supermodel's brother, but in 2018 the star shared an emotional tribute to her late father, who died in 2014, saying she had 'lit a candle' for herself and her two older brothers.

'I lost my dear Dad four years ago today. I've lit this four wick candle every year for him on this day since his passing - one wick each for my Mum, my two brothers and myself,' she wrote on Instagram.

He was last seen at 9.40am on Tuesday, when he bought petrol and water in the Wheatbelt town of Pingelly (pictured)

He was last seen at 9.40am on Tuesday, when he bought petrol and water in the Wheatbelt town of Pingelly, about 158 kilometres from Perth

'On days like today I remind myself how precious life is, how we should never take it for granted and cherish your loved ones while you still have them.'

She also detailed talking to her two brothers and mum before their father's death, which prompted her to urgently fly home to Perth.

'Pregnancy was definitely not what I'd always envisioned it to be I found out my dad had lung cancer when I was 12 weeks pregnant with (son) River,' she told Mamma Mia in March

'That was particularly hard because my family were in Perth and I wanted to be with my dad as much as I could, but it got to a point when I couldn't fly anymore.'

'There was a point when my mum and my brothers said, "look, we don't know how long he's got". So I packed up 14-week-old River and we got on a plane to Perth. Two days later, he was gone. It was obviously pretty devastating.'

Gale (pictured, right, with fiancee Shaun Hampson) grew up in Perth with her two older brothers and parents

The 44-year-old model (pictured) has featured in a string of high profile fashion magazines like Marie Claire, Vogue Italia, Cosmopolitan and GQ

Gale, who is now engaged to former AFL star, Shaun Hampson, grew up in Perth with her two older brothers and parents.

The 44-year-old model has featured in a string of high profile fashion magazines like Marie Claire, Vogue Italia, Cosmopolitan and GQ.

Her career started at the ripe age of 18 after winning a modelling competition in her hometown.

In 1999, she featured in a series of ads for Italian telecommunications company Omnitel - leading to her European success.

She has starred as a judge on Australia's Next Top Model along with hosting Project Runway Australia.

Gale has also played roles in Australian movies such as I Love You Too, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Water Diviner featuring Russell Crowe.

The 44-year-old is a mother to son River, five, and daughter Rosie, two.

The 44-year-old is a mother to son River, five, and daughter Rosie, two (pictured, together)

Megan Gale's (pictured) career started at the ripe age of 18 after she won a modelling competition in her hometown

The mother-of-two (pictured) has starred in several Australian films including Mad Max: Fury Road that also featured Charlize Theron

Gale had previously dated Andy Lee, most known for his radio show with Hamish Blake, Hamish and Andy.

The pair dated for four years before calling it quits in 2010.

She began her new relationship with Hampson just one month later and revealed she copped a lot of backlash due to him being 12 years younger.

'I was very aware of the fact that a lot would be made of not just how quickly I happened to move on, but the age difference,' she previously said on Ahn's Brush with Fame.

'I knew, I knew people would eat that up and make that a negative.'

The model explained that she received intense criticism about the age gap, saying she 'hated it'.

'A lot of people thought differently of me, they wrote differently about me,' Gale said.
The Hour of Fate

By Susan Berfield

Bloomsbury. 393 pp. $30

---

In her wonderfully detailed book "The Hour of Fate: Theodore Roosevelt, J.P. Morgan, and the Battle to Transform American Capitalism," Bloomberg reporter Susan Berfield tells the story of the frenemy-ship between John Pierpont Morgan and Theodore Roosevelt at the turn of the 20th century, as Roosevelt tried to curb the world of unfettered capitalism that had so greatly enriched Morgan. Her story is about the past but also very much about the present, as our own Gilded Age raises old questions about inequality, plutocracy and what Roosevelt once called "that most dangerous of all classes, the wealthy criminal class."

In some ways, Morgan and Roosevelt were surprisingly similar. Both spent their early years in the shadows of their fathers. "Theodore admired his father above everyone else and dreaded disappointing him," Berfield writes. The mighty Morgan was so stressed out that he considered retiring at 33 - but didn't when his father refused permission. Both were aristocratic New Yorkers. "Their New York was privileged and pedigreed," she writes. "It was calling cards and private clubs, opera, midnight dances, and summers in the country." Both had first wives who died tragically. And neither one lacked for confidence. "Each presumed he could use his authority to determine the nation's course. Each expected deference from the other along the way."

Their confrontation was accidental, in one sense. Roosevelt was an unwilling vice president, funneled into the role by powerful financial interests that wanted to sideline someone they could already see was a potential troublemaker. The powerful senator and industrialist Mark Hanna "considered Roosevelt unsafe, the most damning criticism of all," Berfield writes. " 'Don't any of you realize there's only one life between that madman and the Presidency?' he pleaded." Indeed. When business-friendly President William McKinley was shot on Sept. 14, 1901, the 42-year-old Roosevelt became the youngest person ever to lead the nation.

And yet confrontation was also preordained, because at the turn of the century, amid economic uncertainty and great inequality, a broader conflict was brewing. "An anger emerged that would define itself as anti-elite, anti-urban, anti-East Coast populism." McKinley's shooter, a disillusioned former steelworker named Leon Czolgosz, who "seemed to be one of those young men adrift in America's raw, roaring economic churn," had become captivated by the anarchist Emma Goldman after hearing her speak. "I shot the president because I thought it would help the working people and for the sake of the common people. I am not sorry for my crime," he said when he was sentenced to death.

In 1902, the nascent United Mine Workers of America began a strike in the anthracite coalfields of eastern Pennsylvania. The strike threatened to leave major American cities short of fuel in the brutal winter. So it was that Roosevelt, who despite his class had developed an appreciation for the plight of those less fortunate, became the first president to have to mediate between "big business and labor." He'd later view his intervention as "one of the great achievements of his presidency."

The irony is that the coal strike was resolved with the background help of none other than Morgan, who essentially strong-armed the coal magnates into agreeing to arbitration. Roosevelt even thanked him. "My dear sir," the president wrote, "let me thank you for the service you have rendered the whole people."

By that time, Morgan had risen out of his father's shadow to become the effective king of Wall Street. He had not just one but two nicknames: "Jupiter and Zeus." He had financed the creation of U.S. Steel, which controlled almost half the country's steelmaking capacity. Most of the coal land in northeastern Pennsylvania was controlled by the railroads; most of the railroads were controlled by Morgan. He wielded power over all of Wall Street. Berfield writes that the process by which he gained control even had a name: "Morganization." The result, she notes, "was incomparable commercial power with little accountability."

Even as McKinley lay dying, Morgan and other railroad tycoons were putting together an "imperious" deal - one that would bring him into direct contact with Roosevelt. That was the creation of the colossus known as Northern Securities, which comprised three lines and some 18,000 miles of track that stretched from Seattle to Chicago. It was (briefly) the second-largest company in the world, and its creation essentially gave the finger to anyone who believed that big business needed some limitations as to how big it could be. "Now it seemed as if a small group of the very wealthy, concentrated in the precincts of Wall Street, could issue decrees and determine the destinies of the most important parts of the nation's economy," Berfield writes.

It turned out that the money men who had wanted to corral Roosevelt had been right to be worried. In March 1902, his administration sued Northern Securities, and Morgan personally, for antitrust violations under the Sherman Act. It was an extraordinary thing to do.

"Presidents didn't keep secrets from the captains of industry, and the House of Morgan had never before been surprised by the White House," Berfield writes. "Roosevelt had changed the rules on the sly. For someone whose view of the world was as unvarying as Morgan's, there was hardly a greater affront. Morgan would never forgive him."

Two years later, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the government on Case 277, as it was known. In a private letter, railroad magnate James J. Hill cried, "The decision itself is so unreasonable that if carried out it would undo the work of a hundred years and leave the country in a state of financial chaos" - a proclamation the essence of which has since been repeated by many a business tycoon who failed to get his way.

Berfield obviously did an extraordinary amount of research, and she draws heavily on documentary evidence to paint detailed pictures. This sometimes comes at the expense of clarity. I found myself reading a Wikipedia entry on the creation of Northern Securities to sort out what had transpired. In the middle of the coal strike, Berfield diverts to recount a letter Roosevelt wrote to his son Ted, who was at boarding school. "I can now get about on crutches . . . Mother goes home tomorrow. She says she is leaving me to take care of Ethel; I have gloomy forebodings that after a brief struggle Ethel will take care of me." It's a tangent that doesn't go anywhere and diverts from the drama of the strike.

And the book may make you both sad and mad, because it serves as a poignant, painful reminder of what a real leader does. "Roosevelt had to mediate between the assumptions of the past and the hopes for the future," Berfield writes. "He had to consider his principles and the circumstances. Most of all, he had to strive for the possible." How absent any of that is from today's Washington.

---

McLean is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and the author of "Shaky Ground: The Strange Saga of the U.S. Mortgage Giants."
Matt Flinchbaugh has had enough.

The owner of Flinchys restaurant in Lower Allen Township is organizing a meeting of the minds with his central Pa. restaurant industry colleagues.

Dozens of central Pa. owners are scheduled to meet at 11:30 a.m., July 17 outdoors at Bonefish Grill in Lower Allen Township in hopes of taking action against Pa. Gov. Tom Wolfs latest restrictions. Theyll be joined by John Longstreet, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association, as well as Pa. Sen. Mike Regan and Rep. Greg Rothman.

We cant do this alone, Flinchbaugh said. We need to be one force, one voice because all of us together they cant shut down but one of us they can.

Flinchbaugh, who also owns HomeSlice at Walden in Silver Spring Township, said he has grown frustrated by mandates placed on the restaurant/bar industry. He called the latest round of restrictions unfair and noted the governor is targeting small businesses.

On Wednesday, Wolf ordered restaurants, bars and breweries to dial back capacity limits from 50 to 25 percent. In addition, seating around bars is prohibited and establishments are no longer permitted to serve alcoholic beverages unless patrons order sit-down, dine in meals.

Wolf said that the reason for the rollback in freedoms associated with the green phase of his reopening plan is due to fears about a new coronavirus case surge.

Restaurant and bar owners say the latest restrictions target the industry and make it nearly impossible to be profitable and maintain full staffing.

Overall, Flinchbaugh said the hospitality industry, with the exception of a few establishments, has been complying with COVID mitigation efforts. In addition, he said theres no data tracing the spread of coronavirus back to restaurants.

And he questions why the state isnt targeting big retailers or the casinos.

We are working so hard to make it safe, and we are so much safer than any of these big box stores. That it isnt even fair, Flinchbaugh said.

If you are a big store or feeding the government with lots of money, you dont have to follow any mandates, he added.

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A gravestone to the canine mascot of 617 Squadron, the famous 'Dambusters', has been changed to remove its name. (Imperial War Museum/Richard Bayford/PA)

A former minister has said he is fearful of the rewriting of history after a memorial to a Dambusters dog  whose name is a racial slur  was changed.

The mascot for 617 Squadron, a black Labrador died on the day of its famous bouncing bomb raid on German dams in 1943.

His name had been used by Wing Commander Guy Gibson as a code word to say the dam had been breached.

A memorial at the Dambusters' Second World War base, RAF Scampton, bearing the dog's name has now been changed by the RAF, who said it did not want to give prominence to an offensive term that went against its ethos.

The move comes amid an ongoing debate over statues and memorials that include racist connotations or background, following the toppling of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol during Black Lives Matter protests.

Sir Edward Leigh MP said history needs to be learned from, not rewritten. (PA)

But Conservative former minister Sir Edward Leigh, whose constituency includes Scampton, has written to the RAF station commander voicing his concerns about the re-writing of history.

He said: Undoubtedly we are both more sensitive and more sensible today when it comes to the delicateness of racialist and derogatory terminology which had been used with unfortunate informality in the past.

Read more: Hundreds pay respects at funeral of Dambusters couple

It is perfectly understandable that this is a tricky matter to which there are no simple or easy solutions.

I am, however, very fearful of our ability today to erase or re-write history,

The past needs to be explained, taught about, and learned from  not re-written. Wing Cdr Gibsons dog was much loved by the Dambusters and was killed while he was on a raid risking his life to defend our country.

Film versions of the The Dam Busters have also edited out the dogs name or given him the name Trigger.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
I cant imagine if he had a vacancy on the Supreme Court that he would not very quickly make the appointment and look for the Senate to take quick action, Meadows said, adding that he didnt want any comment to be seen as wishing Ginsburg anything but the very best.
The Rivers State police commissioner, Joseph Mukan, has said the command expects Governor Nyesom Wike to release the former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) boss, Joi Nunieh, to them.

Ms Nuniehs home was on Thursday surrounded by police officers in Rivers State, after which Mr Wike came to rescue her and took her to the government house.

Nobody says he shouldnt protect his citizens, but everything should be done within the confines of the law, Mr Mukan said on TVC News Friday.

If you rescue your citizen, we expect you to turn her over to the police, who are in a better position to protect her, he added.

In a separate interview with AriseTV, the police chief said although no prior notification was sent to Ms Nunieh, a strong petition was written against her and it required a strong action.

In the light of this, he said, the Inspector-General of Police monitoring unit from Abuja came on a legitimate duty to invite her, but unfortunately, she refused to honour the invitation.

READ ALSO:

We came peacefully to invite her, but she resisted the invitation, Mr Mukan told AriseTV on Friday.

Footage shown by the medium showed how police officers forcefully broke into Ms Nuniehs house, but Mr Mukan said this was doctored.

You cannot protect a criminal, he said, referring to Governor Wike, before his interviewer asked him if she has been convicted.

To that, he said she is under suspicion. Investigation will show whether she is culpable or not but when investigation is being obstructed, how do we come with a conclusive investigation?

Ms Nunieh, a former head of the interim management committee of the NDDC, has been one of the actors in a back and forth controversy that has rocked the commission over alleged corruption.

This controversy has pitched her against the Niger Delta minister, Godswill Akpabio. Both officials have traded allegations of corruption and other illegalities among themselves.

The commission, whose mandate is to bridge the infrastructural gap in the oil-rich region, has fallen short of this for its two decades of existence, largely due to corruption among officials in the agency.

This has led to probes by both Houses of the National Assembly as well as an order by President Muhammadu Buhari to carry out a forensic audit on the agencys finances.
During his visit to the southern island province of Hainan in 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping dropped in on a small village called Bohou and declared that only ordinary people can say whether a moderately prosperous society has been achieved or not.

A B&B hotel in Bohou village. (Photo/Sanya Daily)

Xis remarks made the officials and residents in the village in Jiyang district of Sanya city confident that they could shake off poverty.

Bohou village has changed a lot since Xis visit. The annual per capita income of villagers reached 24,520 yuan (about $3,502) in 2019, said Su Shaohong, Party chief of the village, adding that the village is becoming more confident in its ability to pursue a better-off life, as it boasts competitive industries and villagers have freed their minds.

Due to its saline-alkali land, the villagers of Bohou have never even been able to grow enough food to feed themselves, let alone live prosperous lives. In the 1990s, many residents still lived in thatched cottages. When construction of a national resort was approved in Yalong Bay to the east of the village in 1992, villagers began to work in hotels at the resort, but were still unable to earn a decent living.

Entering the 21st century, Sanya has vigorously promoted the development of the flower industry, encouraging enterprises to put their roots down in the city. The governments support has brought opportunities to our village in its poverty alleviation efforts, Su said.

In 2009, one company began to plant roses on about 66.7 hectares of land obtained through the transfer of land-use rights in Bohou, earning the area the nickname Rose Valley, and helping villagers get rid of poverty.

Now I can earn an annual rental revenue of several thousand yuan per mu (667 square meters) of land from the company, said villager Su Guojin, adding that he also earns a salary and has savings.

Like other villagers, Su now lives in a two-story house. He also runs a barbecue restaurant that does brisk business.

In 2017, Bohou found new development opportunities as Sanya decided to beautify the village by improving its ecological environment and infrastructure. As a result, Bohou has become one of the most beautiful and cleanest villages in Hainan. In May, it was rated one of the most popular rural destinations for tourists in the province.

In addition, B&B hotels have been springing up in the village. In 2016, Tan Zhongxian, a villager who has received a higher education and worked in Guangzhou in south Chinas Guangdong province for 10 years, decided to run a B&B hotel using all his savings of 2.8 million yuan and by applying for a loan of 200,000 yuan.

It was the villages geographical advantages and bright prospects for the development of the tourism sector that gave Tan confidence in his business.

The sound operation of B&B hotels will certainly attract tourists to our village, and tourism revenues are expected to be an important guarantee for the continued rise in villagers incomes, he said.

In May 2017, he opened his B&B hotel. To his surprise, the business performed much better than expected. In the first year, the rooms were almost fully booked, especially during the Spring Festival holiday, Tan noted, adding that he has already made back his investment in the business.

Tans success has encouraged more villagers to get into in the business and also attracted outside investors. So far, a total of 44 such hotels have been set up or have gone into construction there, offering more than 1,300 rooms to tourists.
The Kerala High Court on Friday pulled up the state crime branch for going soft on the main accused in the cash-for-seat scandal in Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College Hospital in Karakonam in Thiruvananthapuram district.

Parents of some students had approached the court last February complaining that the college took a huge amount of money from them for seats but failed to give admissions. Later, the court had handed over the probe to the crime branch which made Church of South India Bishop Dharmaraj Rasalam and former director Dr Bennet Abraham accused in the case along with many others.

Why is there no investigation against big sharks? The Crime Branch is only after the employees. The lack of action against the main defendants is worrying. One to three accused should be investigated immediately, a bench of Justice PV Kunhikrishnan observed.

The court questioned why only lower-level employees are grilled in such cases while directing the crime branch to report on the progress of the investigation in ten days. College director Bennet Abraham, examination controller Dharmaraj, and CSI Bishop A Dharmmaraj Rasalam are three main accused in the case besides some employees.

Also Read: Kerala gold smuggling case: UAE consular attaches missing gunman found with slit wrists

In the petition, parents alleged that some of them were forced to shell out Rs 40 lakh to 70 lakh for seats. But when they failed to get admission, the college authorities refused to return the money. Most of the students are from neighbouring Tamil Nadu. The supervisory committee for medical admission had also recommended criminal proceedings against the college.

Last year, another case was registered against the college management including the Bishop for allegedly forging community certificates to help students get admission in the college. Later, the high court had cancelled the admission of 11 MBBS students for submitting fake community certificates.

Also Read: Kerala: Social distancing norms violated as students, parents gather outside exam centre

Even in the second case, the bishop has been arraigned as the third accused. The issue came to light after a sting operation carried out by a Malayalam news channel. In the video, an official of the college was seen bargaining with a parent. There are allegations that the government is going slow in both seat admission and fake certificate cases. When contacted, a spokesman of the CSI church refused to comment saying they will take it up legally.

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New Delhi, July 17 : The big names of the underworld which once made banner headlines might be behind bars, but they are neither inactive, nor dormant.

Their names sell, and they know very well that it's the fear and hysteria they once evoked in the minds of the people that would pay them in the future. And that's exactly what is happening.

They are spreading their tentacles in the National Capital Region (NCR) through local gangsters and small time goons, who wish to make easy money selling fear.

Khan Mubarak, a gangster and a close aide of Chhota Rajan, might be cooling his heels at the Hardoi jail after his arrest in 2017 by the Uttar Pradesh STF, but his men are busy scaring big shot businessmen for extortion, often firing at them to either extract protection money, or back off if the money has been borrowed or taken by any of Mubarak's close aides in the NCR.

The recent arrest of Gajendra Singh, a close aide of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Abu Salem, by the Noida STF has spilled the beans on the nexus between the local goons and the underworld Dons lodged in jails.

With Noida and Greater Noida becoming the property hubs, it's not just the salaried class or businessmen who have eyed the areas as fruitful money investment plans, but the region has also caught the attention of jailed gangsters and underworld Dons as lucrative options to invest.

"We have got clear evidence that Gajendra Singh was buying property in the NCR for underworld mafias such as Abu Salem and Khan Mubarak, and the electronic money trail helped us connect the dots," said Raj Kumar Mishra, Additional Superintendent of Police, Noida STF.

The properties are being bought in the names of the close associates of the gangsters. This clearly shows that the underworld has not just spread its tentacles in the region, but has been working for long to activate its network in the NCR. This means being behind bars doesn't mean out of work.

Gajendra Singh had taken Rs 1.80 crore from a Delhi-based businessman in 2014 in a property-related case. When he was pressured to return the money, Gajendra Singh had Khan Mubarak's shooters open fire at the businessman in Sector 18, oida. The businessman was in his BMW car and had a narrow escape when shots were fired at him.

According to the police, Gajendra Singh had paid the shooters a sum of Rs 10 lakh, and the agency has cracked the money trail of the transaction.

"There were multiple transactions through RTGS and eventually the digital footprints connected the money to the close aides of the jailed gangsters," Mishra said.

Currently, Salem, who worked for fugitive underworld don and 1993 Mumbai blasts key accused Dawood Ibrahim, is behind bars in Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai, while Mubarak is lodged in Hardoi jail.

Once a key player in the D-Company, Abu Salem was deported from Lisbon, Portugal, in 2005. In 2017, a TADA Court convicted him for life in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. He has also been convicted in several other cases, including for the murder of Mumbai-based builder Pradeep Jain in 1995.

Chota Rajan is currently lodged in Tihar jail after his deportation and subsequent arrest in 2015 from Bali, Indonesia.
Earlier this week, Netflix made a few announcements including how the company has changed its viewership metrics. The streaming giant also revealed that their longtime chief content officer Ted Sarandos would join CEO Reed Hastings as co-CEO. Other impressive announcements include the rise of 10.2 million subscribers in the second quarter, that went on to beat their estimate of 7.5 million.

Netflix reported that in the first half of 2020, the platform had noted an increase of 26 million paid new subscribers while in 2019, the company had added 28 million subscribers in total for the year. However, the company's letter to shareholders revealed that Netflix is expecting slow growth of 2.5 million in the second half of 2020, down from 6.8 million in last year's same quarter. "As we navigate these turbulent circumstances, we're focused on our members by continuing to improve the quality of our service and bringing new films and shows to people's screens," the letter read.

Netflix Reveals New Viewership Metric On the other hand, the streaming giant also revealed that the new viewership statistics by the new method. Earlier, Netflix only considered one view for its in-house rating process after any account had streamed 70 per cent of a single episode. However, that has now been changed to any time a viewer will watch a given title for as long as two minutes, it is considered as an intentional choice to watch the show/ movie. Extraction Becomes The Most Watch Title With 99 Million Views According to the new metric, Netflix shared a list of most-watched shows and movies on the streaming platform, and it includes originals like Chris Hemsworth-starrer Extraction (99 million views) hit Spanish series Money Heist's season 4 (65 million views) and other titles like Spenser Confidential (85 million views), 6 Underground (83 million views), The Witcher (76 million views), Tiger King (64 million views), The Wrong Missy (59 million views) and more. Gunjan Saxena Will Release It On August 12 Netflix just announced a new line of films and shows for Indian audience including the upcoming big releases like JanhviKapoor-starrer Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl and Nawazuddin Siddiqui's film Raat Akeli Hai.

Bulbbul Movie Review: Anushka Sharma's Netflix Film Will Make You Root For The Chudail

Just Like Alia Bhatt's Sadak 2, Netizens Boycott Janhvi Kapoor's Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl Too
The US Customs and Border Protection agency has fired four employees and suspended nearly 40 without pay after a year-long investigation into inappropriate Facebook groups that featured racist posts about deceased migrants and Latina Congress members.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the internal investigation launched last year into 138 CBP employees resulted in several layers of discipline.

In addition to the four terminated employees and 38 suspensions, 33 staffers were punished 'with reprimands or counseling.'

Investigators with CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility determined that roughly half, or 63, of the cases were 'unsubstantiated.'

As of Wednesday, the agency said that six cases remained open and the Homeland Security Departments inspector general is involved in the investigations.

It was revealed Friday that the US Customs and Border Protection agency fired four employees and suspended dozens other over secret Facebook groups discovered last year

News of CBP employees sharing racist, sexist and violent images in private Facebook groups was first reported by Propublica in July 2019.

Federal officials called for an investigation into the concerning allegations that snagged more than 60 current employees eight former employees at the time.

The secret Facebook group called 'I'm 10-15,' the code used by CBP agents for migrants in custody, at one pint had around 9,500 members.

'We are family, first and foremost,' the group's bio reportedly read. It was also billed as a 'fun, serious and just work related.'

A second group, called the 'The Real CBP Nation,' had around 1,000 members and shared similarly derogatory content targeting migrants and Latina politicians, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Veronica Escobar.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

The second Facebook group connected to Customs and Border Protection filled with inappropriate memes is called The Real CBP Nation

Several of the derogatory posts made in the secret CBP Facebook groups targeted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (left) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (right)

One post read: 'Feelin' kinda cute. Might separate some families today IDK.'

Another showed democratic Rep. Ocasio-Cortez next to a water fountain, asking: 'Is this a toilet?'

The meme was a reference to Ocasio-Cortez's remarks last year that migrants at a pair of CBP stations she visited are 'drinking out of toilets'  a claim an agency official quickly denied.

The CBP official said toilets at border facilities all have sinks attached that deliver safe drinking water.

Some of the images which were revealed by ProPublica in the first group showed Ocasio-Cortez being forced to perform oral sex on Donald Trump.

It also contained mockery of dead migrants and accusations that images of a drowned father and daughter in the Rio Grande were faked.

There were also suggestions that agents should identify themselves as 'Nazis' when they meet members of Congress.

A number of racist memes were shared in the CBP Facebook groups before it was revealed to officials last July

One post shows Democrat Ocasio-Cortez next to a water fountain, asking: 'Is this a toilet?'

One member of the 'I am 10-15' group  it's named for the radio code used when an illegal immigrant is detained  suggested that a news photograph of a man and his toddler daughter who drowned crossing the Rio Grande was staged

One post announcing that Ocasio-Cortez and Escobar were joining a tour to a Border Patrol station devolved into racist comments from group members.

'Let's start a GoFundMe,' one person wrote, 'for any CTX agent brave enough to throw a 10-burrito at one of these b******. Whoever does it takes the post of $$$.'

At the time, CBP Chief of Operations Brian Hastings said: 'We take all the posts that were put out today very seriously.

'These do not represent the thoughts of the men and women of the US Border Patrol. Each one of these allegations will be thoroughly investigated.'

When Ocasio-Cortez and Texas Rep. Veronica Escobar announced a visit to a border station near El Paso, a group member proposed a bounty collected on GoFundMe for any agent willing to throw a burrito at them

The institution had previously denied knowledge of the group, but it was alleged that CBP's higher echelons had been aware of it 'for years'.

Ocasio-Cortez repeatedly blasted the institution over the findings and claimed the CBP had previously lied to Congress about their knowledge on the matter.

'When members of Congress asked CBP if they knew about violently racist & sexually disturbing secret Facebook group w up to 10,000 CBP officers, they told us they just learned about it,' she wrote on Twitter in July 2019.

'Looks like CBP lied. Reporting shows they knew about it for *years.* This is a big deal.'

AOC: 'When members of Congress asked CBP if they knew about violently racist & sexually disturbing secret Facebook group w up to 10,000 CBP officers, they told us they just learned about it'

She has not publicly spoken out since CBP's announcement Friday, but Rep. Escobar of Texas questioned why the investigation did not result in more terminations.

Escobar wrote on Twitter: 'This secret FB page mocked the deaths of migrants - vulnerable people dehumanized by a broken system.

'1. I'm one of the Latina members of Congress targeted by the hateful attacks & never received investigation results from.

'2. The posts shouldn't have just triggered firings but also an investigation into why other members never reported it.

'3. Facebook is a cesspool.'

During the investigation, the number of suspected individuals doubled and unearthed several additional secret social media groups.

The majority of cases determined uncorroborated involved staffers who reported themselves or other as group members, and provided information to investigators.

Group history reportedly showed those self-reported individuals had never posted in the Facebook forums or had been active in them.

Veronica Escobar spoke out on Twitter Thursday night to address news of the CBP's terminations and suspensions

Escobar questioned why more employees had not been fired during the internal investigation

At the investigation's start, Matthew Klein, the assistant commissioner of the agencys Office of Professional Responsibility, said that social media private settings do not protect current or former employees from disciplinary action.

This case was not the first of its kind, according to Klein. In 2016, CBP officials investigated 80 staffers for indecorous posts in at least three online groups.

In a statement on Thursday, Rep. Joaquin Castro called the CBP's actions a 'step in the right direction to demonstrate that federal law enforcement agents cannot act with impunity.'

But also criticized the agency and requested additional information as to why 'so few individuals were terminated and held fully accountable.'

Pictured: U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer checks a tractor-trailer for clearance after crossing from Canada

President Donald Trump has received repeated critiques for his anti-immigration policies and rhetoric

'For far too long, there has been a rancid culture and systemic problems within Customs and Border Protection,' he wrote.

The initial investigation findings were shared with Congress.

'Customs and Border Protection addresses misconduct that violates our standards of conduct and is contrary to our core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity,' a CBP spokesperson told the LA Times.

Bennie Thompson, the House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson from Mississippi,' said he was 'glad' some employees were held accountable or abhorrently racist and sexist social media posts.'

'We still need to know how the agency is addressing its systemic cultural problems which have clearly been exacerbated by President Trumps extreme anti-immigrant rhetoric,' he added.

Throughout his four years in office, President Trump has consistently railed against immigrants in campaign rallies attempted to enact policy changes to America's current system.

Much of his rhetoric has been labeled racist, ignorant, divisive and slanted with a particular focus on anti-Latino statements.

He was blasted by his colleagues across the aisle over his handling of Central American immigrants that many claimed he put into cages.

An analysis by USA Today found that during 64 rallies between 2017 and August 2019, Trump has used the word 'invasion' at least 19 times when discussing immigration.

The word 'animal' was used 34 times and 'killer' amassed to nearly three dozen times.

Other controversial rhetoric included 'predator,' 'criminal' and 'alien' during rallies where he spoke about immigration more than 500 times.

Trump has yet to erect a full wall at the US-Mexico border, despite it being a massive point in his first presidential election.

Additionally, the Trump administration took another hit this month after it abandoned plans to deport international students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement initially said international students could face deportation if they aren't registered at least one in-person course in the fall.

But such decisions are not entirely up to students as several schools, including Harvard University, have shifted classes online to adhere to public health suggestions.

The Trump administration appeared to drop their policy after Harvard University, MIT and 17 states filed a lawsuit over the potential deportations.
China, where the coronavirus pandemic began in December, was the first economy to shut down and the first to start the drawn-out process of recovery in March after the ruling Communist Party declared the disease under control. "The national economy shifted from slowing down to rising in the first half of 2020," the National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement.

"We expect to see continuous improvement in the upcoming quarters," said Marcella Chow of JP Morgan Asset Management in a report.

Growth reported Thursday for the three months ending in June was a dramatic improvement over the previous quarter's 6.8-percent contraction -- China's worst performance since at least the mid-1960s. But it still was the weakest positive figure since China started reporting quarterly growth in the early 1990s.

China became the first major economy to grow since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, recording an unexpectedly strong 3.2-percent expansion in the latest quarter after anti-virus lockdowns were lifted and factories and stores reopened.

Asian financial markets fell despite the show of strength by the region's biggest economy as investor enthusiasm following announcements about research into a possible coronavirus vaccine receded.

China's market benchmark, the Shanghai Composite Index, was down 1.4 percent at midday. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 lost 0.7 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined 1.4 percent and the Kospi in South Korea fell 0.8 percent.

Economists say China is likely to recover faster than some other major economies due to the ruling Communist Party's decision to impose the most intensive anti-disease measures in history. Those cut off most access to cities with a total of 60 million people and suspended trade and travel -- steps later imitated by some Asian and European governments as the virus spread.

Manufacturing and some other industries are almost back to normal. But consumer spending is weak due to fear of possible job losses. Cinemas and some other businesses still are closed and restrictions on travel stay in place. "The pandemic is creating winners and losers," said Bill Adams of PNC Financial Services Group in a report. "Manufacturing is leading China's recovery."

In light of the latest data, Chinese leaders are "likely to keep the current policy stance largely unchanged," said Larry Hu and Xinyu Ji of Macquarie Capital in a report.

The International Monetary Fund is forecasting China's growth at 1 percent this year. That would be the weakest since the 1960s but better than the Fund's outlook for an 8-percent contraction in U.S. output and a 4.9-percent decline for the world.

Private sector analysts say as much as 30 percent of China's urban workforce, or as many as 130 million people, may have lost their jobs at least temporarily. They say as many as 25 million jobs might be lost for good this year.

The ruling party promised in May to spend $280 billion on meeting goals including creating 9 million new jobs. But it has avoided joining the United States and Japan in rolling out relief packages of $1 trillion or more due to concern about adding to already high Chinese debt.

China has reported 4,634 coronavirus deaths and 83,611 cases. No domestically transmitted cases have been reported since an outbreak in Beijing that infected more than 330 people before it faded early this month.

On Tuesday, the government eased some curbs on domestic tourism after China reported no new locally acquired infections in nine days. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said tourist sites can allow 50 percent of their daily visitor capacity, up from 30 percent, and tours from one province to another can resume.

In the three months ending in June, factory output rose 4.4 percent, rebounding from the previous quarter's 8.4-percent contraction after factories that make the world's smartphones, shoes, toys and other goods reopened.

Retail sales shrank by 3.9 percent, but that was a marked improvement over the previous quarter's 19-percent contraction while millions of families were confined to their homes and shopping malls were shut down. Online retail sales rose 14.3 percent, up from the previous quarter's 5.9 percent.

June exports grew by an unexpectedly strong 0.4 percent but still are off 3 percent for the first half of the year. Imports rose 3 percent -- including a 10.6-percent jump in purchases of U.S. goods despite a tariff war -- but are down 3.3 percent so far this year.

Forecasters warn exporters are likely to face another decline in demand as sales of masks and other medical supplies taper off and U.S. and European retailers cancel orders. "This suggests sustained pressure on employment, currently the government's foremost policy priority," said JP Morgan's Chow.

A potential stumbling block is worsening relations with the United States, China's biggest national export market, over disputes about trade, technology, human rights and Hong Kong. The two governments signed an agreement in January to postpone further tariff hikes in their fight over Beijing's technology ambitions and trade surplus. But most increases already imposed remained in place.

"The darkest moment is behind us, but given the huge uncertainties from the COVID-19 and the global economy, it's too early to say that China is out of the woods," said Macquarie's Hu and Ji.
A Fourth of July kayaking trip forever changed the lives of two families when 12-year-old Kolton Conrad found a dog tag that belonged to a man who died 46 years ago.

The tag was owned by Steven Rhonemus, a Marine veteran who died in a 1974 motorcycle crash at the age of 24. Today, the dog tag is with Rhonemuss daughter, whom he never met because she was born months after his death.

Steven Rhonemuss dog tag. (Courtesy of Ashley Conrad)

Kolton was on a trip with his father and brother on Ohios Hocking River when they stopped to pick up trash from a sandbar. The young boy had recently started watching YouTube videos about finding lost treasures and was keeping an eye out for anything of value when he spotted the dog tag glimmering under the water.

Kolton, who told CNN that he is looking forward to joining the military when he is old enough, has been excited about the armed forces ever since his aunt enlisted about a decade ago. When he realized what he found, Kolton wanted to return the dog tag to the owner; but the Conrads only had one clue: the last name Rhonemus.

Ashley Conrad, Koltons mother, took a photo of it and told CNN, I put it out on Facebook, not knowing if we would ever find the family or we would ever know anything.

However, it only took a few hours for Koltons former bus driver Crystal Potts to respond, saying that she recognized the name and that she is a family friend. After making some calls, they realized that it had belonged to Steven Rhonemus. They connected Ashley with Rhonemuss sister, Kimberly Greenlee.

Steven Rhonemus. (Courtesy of Kimberly Greenlee)

Ashley suggested they meet at Rising Park in Lancaster because it is a spot where Kolton loves to fish. Greenlee was shocked because it was also one of Rhonemuss favorite places to ride motorcycles. Greenlee told CNN that he had a chopper he built himself, and he would take everybody on rides in that park all the time.

When Greenlee met the Conrads, who live in Stoutsville, emotions ran high. Kolton admitted to being nervous, and his mother tried to calm his nerves by reminding him, you did a wonderful thing. You gave a piece back to them that they lost of their brother.

Greenlee described the moment saying, I just threw my arms around him and wanted to cry. I was just amazed that little boy knew the deep meaning of those tags and knew what it would mean to our family. I just hugged and hugged him.

Kolton Conrad meets Kimberly Greenlee, the sister of late Marine veteran Steven Rhonemus. (Courtesy of Ashley Conrad)

After leaving the Conrad family, Greenlee went home and said that she sat on her bed holding on to the dog tag, crying, and thinking of her niece Danielle Jewell. Not only did she never get to meet her father, but a house fire destroyed his belongings, and she grew up with only five pictures of him.

Greenlee wanted to give the dog tag to Jewell, who lives in Lancaster, Ohio.

Thus when her aunt called to tell her about Koltons discovery, Jewell told CNN, the news brought her to tears. Im not sure why now, 46 years later this came about, Ive always felt like maybe he was watching over me and I felt like maybe this is a sign that he is with me still.

Jewell, 46, wanted to thank the Conrads.

I really do appreciate them returning it to us. They didnt have to do that, Jewell shared. They could have kept it, especially a young boy whos into the military finding a dog tag. Its surprising they would go out of their way to make sure it got back to the family.

The CNN Wire contributed to this report.
New Delhi, July 17 : As the last word is yet to be said on the political crisis faced by the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan, the Congress on Friday flayed the BJP for "hatching a conspiracy" to bring down the party's government in the desert state.

The Congress claim was made in the wake of release of three audio clips in which Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is allegedly talking with Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma and BJP leader Sanjay Jain of Jaipur on the issue of toppling the Gehlot government. The SOG in Rajasthan has since booked the three in the case.

Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill told IANS: "These audio tapes prove that even during the lockdown, the BJP was hatching a conspiracy to bring down the Congress government in the state, instead of focusing on how to tackle the coronavirus in the country." "The BJP central leadership is the main accused in this entire episode as the design, infrastructure and money power have been provided from the BJP warehouse built to lure and stock opposition MLAs," Shergill remarked.

He said that with the release of the audio tapes, two things are clear -- as far as BJP is concerned, old habits die hard; and secondly, its leaders cannot give up their addiction to undertake 'Operation Kamal' every year in some or the other state.

The Congress has claimed that the audio tapes are the direct proof of the BJP's "now-failed sinister plan" and their involvement in the bid to hijack the Congress government.

Shergill asserted that the Congress government led by Gehlot is "as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar" and that the BJP along with rebel MLAs in Rajasthan have been caught red- handed while attempting to "murder democracy and insult the popular mandate".

The FIR against Shekhawat and two others was filed on the basis of a complaint by Congress whip Mahesh Joshi soon after the three audio clips with alleged conversations on toppling of the Gehlot government were released by the ruling party.

Earlier in the morning, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala had called a presser and accused the BJP of trying to topple the state government by indulging in horse- trading.

Surjewala said that "this is a black day in democracy and it's now proven that the BJP indulged in dislodging of an elected government".

Shekhawat has denied the voice on any of the tapes is his while a BJP leader claimed the audio clips were doctored.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The crash happened at 11:40 at night. It was 2004. A January. Friday.

Leaving the driveway of the Chateau Marmont  a much-storied, proto-gothic castle of a hotel, rising up from Sunset Boulevard  Helmut Newton lost control of his Cadillac and smashed into a wall. Just the latest spin, you might say, on the oft-recycled testimony of Harry Cohn, the onetime head of Columbia Pictures, from 1939: If you must get in trouble, do it at Chateau Marmont.

One of historys most revered photographers, Newton came to the end of the road that night  a tableau that came rushing back to me after previewing a new documentary about him, Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful, available this month. Having lived a life that was indubitably eventful  eluding the Nazis when his wealthy Jewish family escaped their native Germany in 1938, winding up later in Singapore where he became a gigolo (according to his autobiography), eventually starting up a photo-portraiture business in Australia when his true calling first came into focus, and then moving to Paris in the 1960s where his legend fizzed and he became the toast of Vogue  time was up. The 83-year-old died mere hours later at L.A.s Cedars-Sinai.

And, for me  a student of glam-o deaths, if there is such a thing  his demise is an image thats gnawed ever since. YOLO? More like, YODO. You only die once.

For one thing, Newton, at that point, entered the grim pantheon of auto-crash boldface  a club that has, of course, included everyone from Grace Kelly and Princess Di to Jackson Pollock. Oh, and naturally: James Dean, who  it probably bears mentioning  was a Chateau neer-do-well of note too back in the day, cinching his role in Rebel Without a Cause by jumping through the window of so-called Bungalow 2 (in an attempt to impress director Nicholas Ray).

For another, theres the sheer specificity of Newtons collision occurring at a place which, over 90 years, has come to define hotel hedonism (where the ghosts of trysts past abound  Johnny Depp once claimed that he did it in every room there with Kate Moss  and where John Belushi memorably overdosed). For yet another: theres the very idea of Newton, long peddling provocative, erotically sparked photography, meeting his end via one of the moving cages of steel and glass that we more commonly call cars. (Remember that freaky-kinky David Cronenberg flick, Crash, from the 1990s  an orgy of bent fenders and bent love, as per the review in The New York Times?) Thats the irony: Newton, the agent provocateur and imagination-stoker, dying in a four-wheeled object thats long been sexualized (see: the continuing subgenre of cars we still dub chick magnets).

The new, brisk documentary, directed by Gero von Boehm? It starts at the end, with shots of the Marmont. But before fanning into different directions  with everyone from Isabella Rossellini to Charlotte Rampling to Anna Wintour touching on the legacy of the shutterbug  it also commences with a challenge from the grave. Newton once told the director that photographers are terribly boring people, and movies about them, probably more so.

Rubbish, of course. What is that line about only the boring get bored?

Beautiful. Powerful. Laden with a wit the hue of black olives. His photographs are all here  inexplicable dramas depicted in night-time settings and peopled by sleek, Amazonian women, as a writer in The Guardian once put it, as well as his some of his more glamorous subjects, like Princess Caroline of Monaco. But it is one of his biggest muses, Grace Jones, who helps to contextualize the man in the film, by first noting his mischief  He was a little bit pervert. But so am I!  and then calling to attention his work with dimension and light.

Never vulgar ... always beautiful, Jones adds. Oh, and this, too: always a storyteller.

Rossellini also defends the voyeur from a feminist perspective, stringing together a thesis about the politics of attraction and resentment and Newton as social explainer. This contrasts with footage of Susan Sontag accusing the photographer of misogyny to his face on a talk show.

Much more dangerous than an Irving Penn or Richard Avedon, other contemporaries in the club of fashion photography greats, we also hear him explain, via archived footage, his interest in power  sexual, sure, but also political. Take one of his more interesting pics, of Jean-Marie Le Pen, when he convinced the far-right French leader to pose with two Dobermans, a photo which Le Monde later published alongside a famous shot of Hitler with his two Alsatians.

Two pictures. Two thousand words.

We also get Newtons obsession with high heels (he sure liked vertiginous women) and likewise the fixation that he had with chickens (he loved photographing them, notably pairing a bird with Bulgari jewelry in one famous magazine spread that was rather controversial at the time!). Check: the influence of Brassai on his work. Also: his four-decade-plus marriage to June Newton, with whom he had no children, but who was a close collaborator (and pretty fierce in her own way!).

It all eventually winds back, inevitably, to the death of the voyeur at a mythic hotel. A moment which the always-quotable Karl Lagerfeld best summed up at the time, if I recall. He memorably called Newtons death his last picture, taken by himself.

The Bad and the Beautiful begins streaming via virtual cinemas July 23 across Canada, including at www.hotdocs.ca in Toronto.

Correction - July 21, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said Jim Belushi died of an overdose.
DENVER, CO, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intrepid Potash Inc. (NYSE: IPI) plans to release its second quarter 2020 financial results on Monday, August 3, 2020, after the market closes. Intrepid will host a conference call on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results and other operating and financial matters and to answer investor questions.



Management invites you to listen to the conference call by using the dial-in number 1-800-319-4610 from the U.S. and Canada, or +1-631-891-4304 from other countries. The call will also be streamed live on Intrepid's website, intrepidpotash.com.

A recording of the conference call will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the call at intrepidpotash.com or by dialing 1-800-319-6413 from the U.S. and Canada, or +1-631-883-6842 from other countries. The replay of the call will require the input of the conference identification number 4965. The recording will be available through September 4, 2020.

About Intrepid

Intrepid is a diversified mineral company that delivers potassium, magnesium, sulfur, salt and water products essential for customer success in agriculture, animal feed and the oil and gas industry. Intrepid is the only U.S. producer of muriate of potash, which is applied as an essential nutrient for healthy crop development, utilized in several industrial applications and used as an ingredient in animal feed. In addition, Intrepid produces a specialty fertilizer, Trio, which delivers three key nutrients, potassium, magnesium, and sulfate, in a single particle. Intrepid also provides water, magnesium chloride, brine and various oilfield services.

Intrepid serves diverse customers in markets where a logistical advantage exists and is a leader in the use of solar evaporation for potash production, resulting in lower cost and more environmentally friendly production. Intrepids mineral production comes from three solar solution potash facilities and one conventional underground Trio mine.

Intrepid routinely posts important information, including information about upcoming investor presentations and press releases, on its website under the Investor Relations tab. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll at intrepidpotash.com, to receive automatic email alerts or RSS feeds for new postings.

Contact:

Matt Preston, Vice President of Finance

Phone: 303-996-3048

Email: matt.preston@intrepidpotash.com
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar complained of collection of money from the students for their admissions in colleges

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday rated Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar "more dangerous than BJP mouthpiece" and "more political than a politician" after he alleged that education has been "politically caged" by the ruling Trinamul Congress in the state.

At Raj Bhavan Dhankhar said, "Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. Education neglect will hurt generation after generation. 'Politically Caged education cannot serve wholesome purpose. I find that there is tightening of this political cage in the state."

He also complained of collection of money from the students for their admissions in colleges, the state government's silence to his queries and many vice chancellors' absence at his virtual conference recently.

Retaliating Dhankhar, the CM claimed, "He is acting more dangerous than a BJP mouthpiece. He is making more dangerous statements than that of the BJP. He is talking more political than a politician. Even union home minister Amit Shah does not do it perhaps. The Governor has told me often that he does not even care of the Prime Minister."

She added, "So in that sense, he is not following the PM, the union home ministry and the Constitution. Excess is not good. I also know politics because I was MP for seven times and full-time union ministers. I spoke to him four times on various issues on Wednesday. Several replies were also sent to him for his queries as if we are his servants. Our education minister and chief secretary also met him."

Banerjee also reminded Mr Dhankhar that the Governor, despite being the Chancellor also, is bounded by a 2017-state law to go through the education department to communicate any issue to a university vice-chancellor.

Endorsing her, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Chowdhury tweeted, "Agitation-savvy @MamataOfficial can lodge protest to the Hon President, that the Hon Governor is not complying with constitutional protocols & he should be replaced. Why CM does not have the courage to protest instead of instigating this kind of frivolous act?"
Nicki Jones considers herself a little bit of a risk taker.

Its how she explains her shift into the restaurant business at a particularly, well, risky moment: after losing everything during the Camp Fire.

Jones lived in Paradise, California for more than 20 years before she unceremoniously lost her home and her two local businesses in the 2018 wildfire, which torched more than 150,000 acres, destroying nearly 19,000 buildings in its path. Officials recorded 85 deaths from the fire, though reporting in the months since has indicated there were more victims.

Paradise was hit particularly hard. A survey conducted in the first six months after the fire showed that less than 10% of its population remained. Despite that near-complete devastation, Jones insists her resolve to rebuild in her beloved town never wavered. In fact, she decided to start an entirely new venture, a restaurant and wine bar she hoped could provide a sense of community and maybe even healing as the town started its next act.

Nics opened in late September 2019 to an excited crowd, who lined the bar and gathered around small tables. It was seemingly shaping up to become the haven Jones hoped it could be, particularly as PG&E began instituting preventative power shut-offs in the greater Butte County area. Jones had installed a backup generator, allowing the restaurant to remain operational, a bright spot on Skyway Road to escape the blackouts.

But six months later, Nics went dark, shuttering amidst coronavirus concerns.

I just said, you know, it's not worth my health, my employees health, or anybody's health, to try and push through this until we know more, so I just shut it down, Jones, who is 75, later said of the difficult decision she made in March.

With Nics closed, Jones applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan from the federal government. She used that funding to rehire nine members of her staff, which, as Jones is quick to proudly note, is largely comprised of Paradise residents and Camp Fire survivors like herself. That includes April Kelly, the restaurants general manager, a Paradise native whose immediate family lost 13 homes in the blaze.

Every restaurant is going through hardship, but for us, theres just another layer of whats on the line, Kelly explained of Nics unique situation during the pandemic. Our kitchen manager just got a house for the very first time since the fire  I mean, that's a really big responsibility for us to continue the restaurant.

So, Kelly got to work on figuring out what the restaurants second reopening would look like when it was safe.

We really had to take a look at retraining the staff as far as all of the things that we needed to do for sanitation and customer service, Kelly said. Also, we had to do a lot of pivoting with our menu, because now things had to be more sustainable for takeout.

When it came time restocking their kitchen, Kelly ran into complications with some staple items used in their sandwiches, salads, and build-your-own meat and cheese plates. They're even struggling to find beer due to supply chain shortages. To address these issues, they sourced new suppliers, but also got a bit creative, partnering with another local business, BluSmoke BBQ Co., for meat and concocting cocktails made with wine as an additional drink option. When attempts to bulk-buy personal protective equipment and takeout supplies like utensils also proved difficult, Kelly spent a month purchasing small quantities of these items from various sellers.

She does believe there were some aspects of planning that were easier for Nics, though, given the town of Paradises investment in rebuilding.

The town really, really works with us to try to help us in any capacity, to help us succeed, she said. One example of this was that the alcohol board granted the restaurant expedited permission to put tables and chairs outside.

All this preparation paid off in early May, when Governor Gavin Newsom gave Butte County the go-ahead to resume dining in restaurants, making it the first county in the state to do so.

On May 8th, after nearly two months without customers, Nics reopened.

We wear masks; we sanitize everything, constantly, Jones said of the new normal for her staff. We're doing a check of everybody's temperature, we're following protocol as best as we know.

According to Jones, Nics was just about breaking even financially before the pandemic. Now, she estimates theyre making 55 - 60 percent of that, which she admits is pretty precarious but also makes her feel fortunate.

I've always wanted Nic's to be a positive environment for the community, and that feeling is still there for the people that come in, Jones said, reflecting on the past few weeks. We're just moving along and hoping each week, we'll build a little bit.

The biggest thing has just been everybody being fluid, added Kelly. When we decide on something on a Monday, that may be totally different by Wednesday, so it's basically just dealing with the day and how we're going to handle whatever rules come down the line.

As cases of coronavirus have increased throughout the state, officials have walked back some reopening measures. For now, Nics remains open, despite Butte County seeing its own rising statistics. As of July 15th, it had 437 confirmed cases of coronavirus and four deaths.

Kelly says they have a solid plan  and backup plan  in place for the summer. Nics new outdoor seating has already proved essential, as Governor Newsom walked back his allowance of indoor dining in the state in mid-July. The restaurant is also still adding to its grab and go offerings, with Kelly promising a margarita bar and family meal kits are in the works.

Still, Jones is honest that the future of Nics remains uncertain.

I'm 75, she said, with a short laugh. I've reinvested in my town. I'm rebuilding my home, but I'm at a place where, since none of us know how this is going to play out, I'm not willing to risk a whole lot more.

While her appetite for risk might have diminished since Nics opening day, Joness belief in Paradise remains unwaveringly strong. She references the regulars shes growing accustomed to seeing each week once again; those who have already filled out the loyalty cards distributed to encourage return visits.

Our town is pretty resilient. And we just keep going, she said. Its tough, though.

Nics is located at 6256 Skyway Rd. in Paradise, Calif. is now open for takeaway and dining.

Colleen Hagerty is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. Twitter: @colleenhagerty
The credibility of Pakistans civil aviation authority and reputation of the countrys pilots have been at stake since June. Thats when aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, in a speech to Parliament, stunned the nation and shocked many airlines around the globe by announcing that Pakistan had grounded nearly a third of the pilots working for state-run Pakistan International Airlines because they cheated on their pilots exams.
On Wednesday, Mukesh Ambani announced that Reliance Jio has developed its own 5G solution completely in India and can be exported to other countries for their own network systems.

While it may not sound believable at first, if true, this development by Reliance Jio is a bigger deal than all of us think.

Essentially, Reliance Jio is taking the fight of network and wireless data technologies to Huawei, who has long been the leader in this domain.

Reliance Jio currently uses Samsungs towers for their 4G service, however, it seems like after Jios 5G deployment; they wont be needing anyone.

 Unsplash/GrMOT

However, the fact that these solutions can be exported to other countries like the U.S., U.K. and others; makes it a bigger deal than anyone can fathom.



The network business is already a crowded space with Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia and ZTE, however, we can now add Reliance Jio to the mix. It remains to be seen how effective Jios 5G solution would be as compared to the competition but it is still a big deal as Jio will be the first Indian company to export network solutions to other countries.

"Jio has developed a complete 5G solution from scratch that will enable us to launch a world-class 5G service in India. Jio is ready with a world-class 5G solution. Field deployment can happen next year. This 5G product will be available for trials as soon as the spectrum is available. Jio Platforms will be positioned for 5G solution to other telecom operators, said Mukesh Ambani at the 43rd annual general meeting of Reliance Industries Limited.

 Youtube/Jio

Huaweis 5G network solutions have been banned in many countries due to national security reasons and its close relationship with the Chinese Government. However, Reliance Jio could just be the replacement countries have been hoping for.



If Reliance Jio can provide a clean network without any backdoors similar to Huaweis equipment; Jio could become a global player like the aforementioned companies.

 Youtube/Jio

While Huawei is ahead of Reliance Jio when it comes to 5G technology, we can see the Indian company catch up to its Chinese counterparts very soon.



With 5G deployment impending in India and many other regions; Reliance Jio could just be the company that would fill the void left by Huawei. However, we still dont know how Reliance Jios 5G solutions work or whether they are even reliable.

Having said that, Reliance Jio has confirmed their 5G solution is ready and can be rolled out next year if the spectrum is available by the Government.

What do you think about Reliance Jios 5G solutions and their ability to export the technology to other countries? Do you expect Reliance Jio to dominate the wireless network industry even though it is crowded? Let us know in the comments.
For the first time in several weeks, health officials have concluded that one case of COVID-19 in Manitoba was the result of community transmission.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/7/2020 (551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For the first time in several weeks, health officials have concluded that one case of COVID-19 in Manitoba was the result of community transmission.

Manitoba Hutterite colonies hit by COVID-19 Click to Expand The Springfield Colony has one family in isolation after their father tested positive for COVID-19 upon returning from a business trip to Alberta. Posted: 7:00 PM Jul. 16, 2020 Two Manitoba Hutterite colonies have one resident each who has tested positive for COVID-19 in cases that can be traced to a funeral for three teenagers in Alberta. The Springfield Hutterite Colony, located 50 kilometres east of Winnipeg off Highway 15, has one family in isolation after the father tested positive for COVID-19 upon returning from a business trip to Alberta. The Clearview Hutterite Colony, located 50 kilometres west of Winnipeg near Elm Creek, has one woman in isolation after she tested positive. Read Full Story

Dr. Brent Roussin, the province's chief public health officer, said Thursday the case  one of five reported Tuesday  involved a woman from the Southern Health region.

Before Tuesday, the province had gone two weeks without a new case. Prior to that, cases had been reported as either travel-related or close contacts of previous cases.

Roussin reported one new COVID-19 case on Thursday, bringing the total number in Manitoba since mid-March to 331. The new case is a man in his 30s from the Southern Health region. On Thursday, there were six active cases in the province.

Despite the new cases in July, the number of positive cases as a percentage of overall test numbers remains very low, Roussin said.

"It's a better indicator of community transmission and the rate of transmission than just looking at overall numbers," he told a news conference.

The current five-day test positivity rate in Manitoba is 0.16 per cent, Roussin said. An additional 734 lab tests were completed on Wednesday, bringing the total since February to 73,042.

In Canada, positive test rates have been as high as eight per cent, although they're now down to three to four per cent, he said. In some U.S. states, positive test rates have been as high as 20 or 30 per cent recently.

Roussin said any number below 1.5 per cent should be considered low.

"If we start seeing test-positivity rates over three per cent, then that would indicate to us that we're likely seeing significant community-based transmission," he said.

Saskatchewan has experienced a recent increase in new COVID-19 cases.

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.

Asked Thursday what it would take for Manitoba to re-introduce 14-day self-isolation requirements for people returning from the three western provinces, Roussin said he wouldn't base any decisions on just a few days of escalating numbers.

The province will continue to monitor the situation out west, he said.

"If we need to reinstate those travel restrictions, we will," he said.

Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief public health officer. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

Meanwhile, the province announced Thursday that it has reinstated the life-jacket loaner program at 11 provincial parks.

After consulting with public health officials, the government determined that the risk of virus transmission from life-jackets would be relatively low.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
Said Al Shayeb was supposed to be in Jordan right now enjoying a month-long vacation with his whole family. Instead, he's locked in a dispute between EgyptAir and FlightHub over who will refund $7,000 in tickets after his flight was cancelled last month.

EgyptAir says FlightHub, the website Al Shayeb used to book the five tickets, is responsible for refunding his money. FlightHub says it's EgyptAir's responsibility.

"I don't know what to do, honestly. You cancelled my flight, you took my money. I want a reimbursement," said Al Shayeb, who lives in Brampton.

He's just one of many Canadians who've had their travel plans dashed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When airports were shutting down in April, Al Shayeb called FlightHub inquiring about cancelling his flights. He says he was advised to keep his tickets.

"At that time, no one thought COVID-19 would be around for this long," he said.

Spent weeks calling Egypt Air

That changed in June when EgyptAir sent him an email saying his flight was cancelled. He says he called and emailed the airline, but couldn't get through. So he turned to FlightHub for answers, only to be told that EgyptAir was the party responsible for providing the refund.

Said Al Shayeb

When he finally got through to the airline, he says it punted him right back to FlightHub.

"I'm stuck between two parties. I don't know how I can get my money back," said Al Shayeb.

Airlines 'holding on to passengers' money'

Gabor Lukacs, an advocate for air passenger rights, says airlines have been abusing travellers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"They have been holding onto passengers money that should have been refunded by law," Lukacs told CBC Toronto.

Canada introduced air passenger protection regulations in December 2019 requiring up to $1000 in compensation for customers when flights are cancelled for reasons within an airline's control.

But, he says, the regulations don't do enough to protect the traveller and the government does even less to enforce them.

Story continues

"The government has all the means or the tools necessary to enforce the law. Airlines do have the money to issue refunds but the government is tacitly, implicitly endorsing the theft of passengers' money by the airlines' actions," said Lukacs.

If airlines refuse to issue refunds, ask your credit card company for a chargeback, since you didn't receive the service you paid for, Lukacs added.

CBC / Radio-Canada

"The chargeback procedure has been working for a number of passengers, but you have to be extremely stubborn ... not to take no for an answer," he said.

After a few tries, CBC Toronto finally got through to EgyptAir. A spokesperson for the company said all refunds are currently on hold and that Al Shayeb's flights will be processed in mid-August, adding that "tickets will be refunded as full amount without any deduction."

However, EgyptAir insists Al Shayeb will have to go through FlightHub, since he purchased the tickets through that website.

Lukacs says that shouldn't be the case, since the charge that appeared on Al Shayeb's credit card was from EgyptAir, not FlightHub.

For Al Shayeb, this whole process has been stressful and he's unsure if he'll ever get his money back.

"What I don't understand is the airline companies and reservation companies should reach out to the customers and offer options." he said.

"I got no help at all."
Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) - The systematic screening campaign for coronavirus in Burundi began on Thursday at a site hosting former Burundian refugees from neighbouring Tanzania, the Ministry of Public Health and the fight against HIV/AIDS told PANA on Friday


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The Republican president and his administration have focused attention on Chicago and other Democrat-led cities in recent weeks and on Wednesday vaguely referenced an upcoming announcement on how his administration intends to deal with crime in those places. In a briefing with reporters about his ongoing efforts to deal with the MS-13 gang, Trump said he would have more to say next week with the attorney general, the FBI and others concerning our cities, because the left-wing group of people that are running our cities are not doing the job that theyre supposed to be doing, and its not a very tough job to do if they knew what they were doing.
NEW YORK - A personal assistant arrested Friday in the death and dismemberment of a 33-year-old tech entrepreneur was believed to have owed his boss a significant amount of money, New York City police said.

Tyrese Haspil faces a murder charge in the death of Fahim Saleh, whose beheaded, armless body was found Tuesday by a cousin who had gone to his luxury Manhattan condo to check on him.

Haspil, 21, handled finances and personal matters for Saleh, whose ventures included a ride-hailing service in Africa.

Haspil, who grew up on Long Island and lives in Brooklyn, was taken into police custody Friday morning in the lobby of another luxury apartment building several blocks from where Saleh was killed, NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said.

Information on Haspils arraignment and a lawyer who could speak on his behalf was not immediately available.

Officers responding to the cousins 911 call discovered Salehs clothed torso, bags containing a head and arms and an electric saw in the living room of his luxury seventh-floor apartment on the Lower East Side, police said.

Investigators recovered security video showing Saleh exiting an elevator that leads directly into the full-floor, two-bedroom apartment, closely followed by a masked person dressed entirely in black, according to a law enforcement official who was briefed on the case.

The video also showed a struggle between the two that ensued at the entrance to the apartment, said the official, who wasnt authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Harrison said investigators determined that Haspil assaulted Saleh in the elevator with a stun gun a day before his body was found. Speaking to reporters about the arrest, Harrison would not say when police believe Saleh was killed, nor would he discuss other details about the case or take questions.

Investigators initially believed that the cousin who went to check on Saleh may have interrupted the attack and that the assailant fled out a back exit. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide after an autopsy found the cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the body.

Saleh was the chief executive officer of ride-hailing motorcycle startup Gokada that started operating in Nigeria in 2018.

Salehs LinkedIn biography described him as a self-taught businessman who founded Gokada, building on his experience of first seeing an opportunity in his parents native country of Bangladesh and starting that countrys largest ride-sharing company. It said he also invested in a similar venture in Colombia.

The headlines talk about a crime we still cannot fathom, Salehs family said in a statement after his death. Fahim is more than what you are reading. He is so much more. His brilliant and innovative mind took everyone who was a part of his world on a journey and he made sure never to leave anyone behind.

Apartments in the 10-story building where Salehs remains were found sell for more than $2 million. The building was completed in 2017 as part of a wave of gentrification in the neighbourhood.

___

Associated Press writer Tom Hays contributed to this report.

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Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak
In another bizarre cure for the coronavirus, a Congress Councillor in Karnataka has come up with a novel remedy to keep Covid-19 at bay.

In a viral video, Congress leader Ravichandra Gatti, who belongs to Ullal city in Mangaluru, recommended rum and two half-fried eggs to beat the virus.

"Add a teaspoonful of ground pepper in 90 ml rum and stir it well with your finger and drink it. Eat two half-fried omelettes to ensure that the coronavirus vanishes," said Gatti in the viral video.

Gatti also said that he has tried many medicines to tackle the virus and after everything failed, he's of the opinion that only rum and eggs will work.

"Many people are there in Bengaluru and Madikeri who drink rum but I do not drink or eat fish," he said further adding, "I am not suggesting this as a politician, but as a member of the corona committee."

The video was tweeted by an Indian journalist Vincent D'souza and since then it has gone viral with people slamming the Councillor and calling him a 'covidiot'.

#Mangaluru In this video that has gone viral, Ravichandra Gatti, Congress Councillor from Ullal CMC, asks people to drink rum, eat half boiled egg omelette, both sprinkled with pepper powder, to keep Covid-19 at bay @NewIndianXpress @santwana99 pic.twitter.com/Xxwc5BWfy8 vincent dsouza (@vinndz_TNIE) July 16, 2020

He is fully immersed in Rum....leave him.alone venugopal (@ksvenu247) July 16, 2020

, Total jokergiri. ROHAN J. GONSALVES (@rjgms) July 16, 2020

Old monk warriors unite  https://t.co/yF804sBjoh Manish (@journomanish) July 16, 2020

An official at the Ullal Municipal Commissioner's office said Councillors have been made members in the ward-level Covid task force committees, reports the New Indian Express.

Times of India quoted Mangaluru MLA UT Khader stating, "Gatti has been a social worker for the past 15 years. We will also discuss the matter with party leaders and take a decision."
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Hiroshima Prefecture

Global Credit Research - 16 Jul 2020

Tokyo, July 16, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Hiroshima Prefecture 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.

The credit profile of Hiroshima Prefecture is expressed by a baseline credit assessment of a2 and a rating of A1. The prefecture's A1 rating is the same as the Government of Japan (A1)'s rating, reflecting our view that the ratings of the central government and the regional and local governments (RLGs) in Japan should be the same because of their close links.

The considerable level of oversight and supervision exercised by the central government, as well as the well-developed equalization system of transfers through the local allocation tax (LAT) system, ensures that any credit issues at the RLG level are identified and addressed early. We also assess that there is a very high likelihood that the Japanese government would step in to provide immediate assistance in the event of an acute liquidity crisis. Hiroshima Prefecture's rating reflects also its diversified regional economy, its favorable operating margin and debt structure, but also its high debt level.

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 Regional and Local Governments (Japanese) published in January 2018. 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.

Hiroe Yamamoto Analyst Sub-Sovereign Group Moody's Japan K.K. Atago Green Hills Mori Tower 20fl 2-5-1 Atago, Minato-ku Tokyo 105-6220 Japan JOURNALISTS: 81 3 5408 4110 Client Service: 81 3 5408 4100 Marie Diron MD - Sovereign Risk Sub-Sovereign Group JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350 Client Service: 852 3551 3077 Releasing Office: Moody's Japan K.K. Atago Green Hills Mori Tower 20fl 2-5-1 Atago, Minato-ku Tokyo 105-6220 Japan JOURNALISTS: 81 3 5408 4110 Client Service: 81 3 5408 4100

 2020 Moody's Corporation, Moody's Investors Service, Inc., Moody's Analytics, Inc. and/or their licensors and affiliates (collectively, "MOODY'S"). All rights reserved.

CREDIT RATINGS ISSUED BY MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. AND/OR ITS CREDIT RATINGS AFFILIATES ARE MOODY'S CURRENT OPINIONS OF THE RELATIVE FUTURE CREDIT RISK OF ENTITIES, CREDIT COMMITMENTS, OR DEBT OR DEBT-LIKE SECURITIES, AND MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY MOODY'S (COLLECTIVELY, "PUBLICATIONS") MAY INCLUDE SUCH CURRENT OPINIONS. MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE DEFINES CREDIT RISK AS THE RISK THAT AN ENTITY MAY NOT MEET ITS CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS AS THEY COME DUE AND ANY ESTIMATED FINANCIAL LOSS IN THE EVENT OF DEFAULT OR IMPAIRMENT. SEE MOODY'S RATING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS PUBLICATION FOR INFORMATION ON THE TYPES OF CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS ADDRESSED BY MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE CREDIT RATINGS. CREDIT RATINGS DO NOT ADDRESS ANY OTHER RISK, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LIQUIDITY RISK, MARKET VALUE RISK, OR PRICE VOLATILITY. CREDIT RATINGS, NON-CREDIT ASSESSMENTS ("ASSESSMENTS"), AND OTHER OPINIONS INCLUDED IN MOODY'S PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT STATEMENTS OF CURRENT OR HISTORICAL FACT. MOODY'S PUBLICATIONS MAY ALSO INCLUDE QUANTITATIVE MODEL-BASED ESTIMATES OF CREDIT RISK AND RELATED OPINIONS OR COMMENTARY PUBLISHED BY MOODY'S ANALYTICS, INC. AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT CONSTITUTE OR PROVIDE INVESTMENT OR FINANCIAL ADVICE, AND MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AND DO NOT PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PURCHASE, SELL, OR HOLD PARTICULAR SECURITIES. MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT COMMENT ON THE SUITABILITY OF AN INVESTMENT FOR ANY PARTICULAR INVESTOR. MOODY'S ISSUES ITS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS AND OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLISHES ITS PUBLICATIONS WITH THE EXPECTATION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT EACH INVESTOR WILL, WITH DUE CARE, MAKE ITS OWN STUDY AND EVALUATION OF EACH SECURITY THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR PURCHASE, HOLDING, OR SALE.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the fury of the Covid-19 pandemic provides the context for the "rebirth and reform" of the United Nations and called on nations to pledge to reform the global multilateral system to enhance its relevance and make it the basis of a new type of "human-centric globalisation." Addressing the high-level segment of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) session via video link, he said the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the UN is an opportunity to assess its role and relevance in today's world.

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Richardson said he had noted to Maduro that progress was being made in a previously reached aid deal between the socialist government and opposition leader Juan Guaido. The effort, including the distribution of medical aid to help ease a worsening coronavirus outbreak in the struggling South American nation, still needs logistical details to be worked out, but it will be paid for with Venezuelan government funds to be unfrozen by the United States and Europe.
Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST

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Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar.
(Natural News) Theres no question that elements of the coronavirus pandemic are being wildly exaggerated by mostly left-leaning mayors, governors and media pundits in order to punish America with economically destructive lockdowns (all in the hope of removing Trump from office, it turns out). Weve even documented one of the most egregious deception efforts involving the Florida Dept. of Health, which has been rigging lab reports to claim 100% of those tested are positive for covid-19.

But its a mistake to leap to the conclusion that because left-wing operators hope to exaggerate the infections, hospitalizations and deaths that therefore the entire pandemic is a complete hoax and no one is dying from the coronavirus. Thats where the thinking is dangerously misguided and is already leading to complacency. Yet the idea that the entire coronavirus pandemic might be a hoax is a seductive one, especially on alternative platforms or conservative media, where its convenient to explain away all the economic damage as stemming from an elaborate hoax rather than to understand the complexities of a real pandemic augmented by fake news from the Left.

From Brighteon.com videos to InfoWars broadcasts, we repeatedly hear many people in independent media claiming the coronavirus is a hoax. There is no virus, they say, and all the infections, hospitalizations and deaths have all been faked, they claim. Its all a grand, global theatrical production involving hundreds of thousands of nurses, doctors and coroners, all to trick the world into lockdowns that have no real justification, they tell us. This has become the dominant narrative in alt media.

But if thats true, then how can there be a media cover-up regarding hydroxychloroquine, an off-patent, low-cost drug that successfully treats and cures coronavirus patients? If theres no coronavirus, then what is hydroxychloroquine treating?

Its easy to find reports of deaths being improperly attributed to covid-19, or even stories of false positives incorrectly flagging people with covid-19 when they really dont have it. But the logic leap that many in the alternative media have taken is assuming that since some deaths were faked, therefore ALL deaths must have been faked.

Many of the same independent media sources that are reporting the coronavirus to be a hoax also reported on how Obamas NIH, under Dr. Fauci, directed millions of dollars to the Wuhan virology lab to fund gain-of-function research. If the coronavirus is a hoax, and there is no coronavirus, then isnt the Obama / Fauci / NIH story also completely bogus?

In fact, there are at least a dozen serious questions or contradictions that those who claim the coronavirus is a hoax cant answer. Much of their reporting has been self-contradicting to the point where believing their news requires that you alternatively embrace the existence of the virus or denounce the virus as fake depending on the day of the week.

But the coronavirus cant be real on Monday, fake on Tuesday, real again on Wednesday and so on. Any explanation of coronavirus-related observations must, above all, deliver consistency. Unless, of course, you believe in transviralism, where viruses can magically pop into existence as easily as a biological man claiming hes a woman so he can compete on the womens college wrestling team.

For the record, we have consistently understood the coronavirus to be a very real threat, and we havent wavered from day one. While we acknowledge that much of the coronavirus testing is highly inaccurate  and hundreds of testing facilities seem to be deliberately finding all test to be positive in their results  even all that fraud doesnt mean the coronavirus isnt really impacting other people.

These questions and contradictions must be addressed by anyone who wants to be taken seriously

In watching the coverage of this issue by others, weve noticed twelve questions or contradictions that have repeatedly surfaced. See the full list below, and ask yourself this important question as you read through the list: Do logic and reason still apply in our universe?

Just as the radical Left claims biological sex doesnt exist and a man can become a woman at any moment by making a wish, much of the conservative, independent media has an eerily similar view about the coronavirus, alternately claiming its either real or fake depending on what story they want to cover on that particular day.

Obviously, men cant become women, and men cant have babies. In the same way, the coronavirus cant be both real and fake at the same time. So which is it?

Read the questions and decide for yourself:

Twelve questions for those who claim the coronavirus is a hoax

Question #1) Many in the alternative media reported on the New York City nurse who filmed undercover video and blew the whistle on how NYC hospitals were killing patients by rooming non-infected patients with coronavirus-infected patients, allowing transmission to occur. But how can non-infected patients be killed by the coronavirus if the coronavirus is a hoax?

Question #2) Alternative media outlets that are currently reporting the coronavirus to be a hoax are also reporting on how the mainstream media lied and covered up the story of how hydroxychloroquine can effectively and affordably treat coronavirus patients. If the coronavirus is a hoax, then what exactly is hydroxychloroquine treating, then?

Question #3) Many in the independent media are now pushing mask hysteria and claiming that wearing a mask causes death by asphyxiation or carbon dioxide poisoning. Yet Asian cultures  Taiwan, Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, etc.  have been wearing masks in public for decades, without a single recorded event of someone dying from wearing a mask. Surgeons wear masks during surgery without passing out, and masks are routinely worn by construction workers to filter particular matter such as sawdust, drywall dust and paint. If these masks have been safe and effective for more than fifty years, how did masks suddenly and magically become deadly and toxic in the last three months? Did the laws of physics change?

Question #4) Coronavirus pandemic skeptics claim all the infections and deaths are faked. But if all the deaths are faked, then why did those who are faking the deaths decide to keep dropping the daily death numbers from mid April through the end of June? If theyre faking all the deaths, then wouldnt they want to keep faking more and more of them to make the pandemic look worse and worse? Why would they fake fewer deaths over time?

Question #5) Many independent media outlets that originally reported the coronavirus was a genetically engineered biological weapon designed to depopulate the planet are now reporting its all a hoax. But then they simultaneously report that Obamas NIH, under Dr. Fauci, directed money to the Wuhan virology lab that built the weapon in the first place. If the coronavirus is a hoax, then theres no story about Obama and Fauci funding a biological weapon gain of function program in China. How can both be true?

Question #6) In June, it was widely reported across the independent media that coronavirus infections caused the bodys cells to sprout tentacles that allowed the virus to attack adjacent cells and infect them. This was widely reported as more evidence that the virus was a genetically engineered biological weapon. As an example of the coverage, Zero Hedge reported:

There are long strings that poke holes in other cells and the virus passes through the tube from cell to cell, said UCSFs Director of the Quantitative Biosciences Institute, Professor Nevan Krogan. Our hypothesis is that these speed up infection.

So how can the coronavirus sprout tentacles if it doesnt exist and is a total hoax?

Question #7: As Gary Heaven recently wrote in a Natural News article about coronavirus treatments that work, the common inhaler anti-inflammatory drug budesonide works extremely well to treat and cure covid-19 infections. A well-known doctor, Dr. Richard Bartlett, has been actively promoting the treatment as an alternative to expensive Big Pharma drugs and vaccines, proving that hes not a pawn of the drug cartels:

If budesonide successfully treats patients who have covid-19, curing them and allowing them to leave the hospital and return to normal life, then what is budesonide treating if the coronavirus is a hoax? How can anyone simultaneously claim the coronavirus is a hoax and also claim the media is suppressing cures that work to treat it?

Question #8) Coronavirus skeptics explain that coronavirus deaths are faked in the United States because hospitals receive extra funding for every death thats considered coronavirus-related. Thus, people who die from other causes are said to have died from coronavirus so that hospitals can receive extra funds from Medicare. But Medicare doesnt pay hospitals in Italy, Brazil, Mexico or Russia, and the same financial incentives dont exist in most countries. So how do you explain all the dead bodies in Guayaquil, Ecuador? Or the skyrocketing death rates in Brazil? Or the massive die-offs in Italy, where it would have been impossible to recruit thousands of doctors and nurses to participate in a grand false flag theatrical production?

Question #9) If the initial lockdowns didnt work, then why did coronavirus daily deaths plummet soon after the lockdowns went into effect? And why are coronavirus deaths now beginning to surge back a few weeks after the lockdowns were relaxed? If the doctors, nurses, hospitals and coroners wanted to fake all the deaths, wouldnt they want to keep faking more deaths, not fewer deaths?

Question #10) For months, weve been told by the independent media that fear is the problem, and that those talking about coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths were pushing fear. They said things like, We need to flatten the fear curve, and urged complete calm for everyone. Not long after, they turned around the told everybody you should be terrified of masks. So if fear is the enemy here, then why push fear about masks? Will all these same media pundits also tell us that children shouldnt wear masks this Halloween and claim that children will drop dead all across America if they put on masks?

Question #11) If the coronavirus isnt real, then why are many publishers who claim the pandemic is a hoax also telling people to take vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc and anti-viral supplements? Obviously, if the pandemic is fake, theres no need to protect yourself from it. So why recommend immune-boosting supplements in the first place?

Question #12) If masks are so dangerous and kill people, then why are so many pro-liberty people perfectly fine with wearing Guy Fawkes masks? What about Halloween masks?

If we are to deal with the very real coronavirus pandemic  which was deliberately set into motion by China, using a genetically engineered virus that was clearly weaponized to kill human beings  we must have the critical thinking skills to filter out the fake news exaggerations without succumbing to an emotional knee-jerk reaction of declaring the entire thing doesnt exist.

Daily deaths in the United States are now on the upswing, with Texas achieving an all-time record high in daily deaths just yesterday. Even if the infection testing is obviously bogus, how do you account for the sharp increase in deaths? And if your answer is that all the deaths are being faked, then you have to ask yourself why Texas wasnt faking just as many deaths in April, May and June. Why suddenly in the middle of July? Texas isnt a pro-lockdown state, either.

Then again, the result of the complacency wasnt difficult to see coming. Back in April, I publicly predicted that June and July would be complacency months, followed by a second wave in August if people didnt take this pandemic seriously.

Even though the Case Fatality Rate appears to be slowly dropping, rising complacency is exposing so many people to the infections that daily deaths are on track to continue rising for quite some time.

It now looks like August and September and on track to see a sharp surge in hospitalizations and deaths, even as mostly conservative publishers continue to claim the coronavirus isnt even real.

Refrigerated trucks brought into Texas and Arizona to deal with all the dead bodies

Texas and Arizona are bringing in refrigerated trucks to expand morgue capacity in several counties across each state, after the number of coronavirus fatalities shattered records this week, reports Fox News. Reuters reported that San Antonio and Bexar County each received five refrigerated trailers to store up to 180 bodies as some hospital morgues and funeral homes have reached capacity.

Is this all staged, too? Does anyone seriously believe counties and cities in Texas are faking refrigerated trucks as some sort of elaborate theater to make a grand hoax more convincing?

And if the number of deaths occurring in these places were simply normal, then the morgues wouldnt be overrun in the first place. So no, this isnt just people dying from regular causes magically being switched and labeled as covid-19 deaths.

Clearly, more people are dying than usual. Via Fox News:

The Office of the Medical Examiner said it is currently at 63 percent morgue capacity but has brought in 14 cold storage containers eight being held at the County facility and six more in reserve that would allow an additional 294 decedents by the end of next week if necessary, Fields Moseley, a spokesperson for Maricopa County, told Fox News.

We know some funeral homes are already at capacity in their morgues, so we want to be prepared in case we have to keep bodies for a longer period of time, Moseley said.

Anyone calling the coronavirus a hoax is a fool, and this is about to become increasingly apparent over the next 3-4 months as the path of the coronavirus continues to follow almost exactly what I publicly predicted in April. It also means that you can expect a wave of lockdowns to continue to spread across America as hospitalizations and deaths accelerate.

We could have stopped this entire thing with zinc, vitamin D, hydroxychloroquine and wearing masks in public places. But instead, America has become so stupid and irrational that, instead, we are going to endure a devastating second wave of deaths and lockdowns that will probably devastate our economy and end in the total collapse of the United States of America.

I have a new, nine-hour audio book coming out soon that you can download for free. Its called the Global Reset Survival Guide, and it might be the last audio book youll ever manage to download before the entire system craters. Heres my podcast explaining whats in this book and how you can be alerted to download it for free:

Sharable link:

Brlghteon.com/8cca5f46-9e8c-4942-8daa-436a2f3644ec
Addressing the media, Acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar said the 12 countries included Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Qatar, Indonesia and Japan, reports TOLO News.

Kabul, July 16 (IANS) An Afghan Minister said here on Thursday that 12 countries have offered to host the intra-Afghan talks as per the US-Taliban peace deal signed in February.

Atmar also said that the Afghan government has released 4,400 Taliban prisoners so far although the Taliban wants the release of 5,000.

He said that 600 more prisoners have not been released because of "serious problems".

"The government has asked the Taliban to handover a new list for 600 more prisoners," the Acting Minister said, adding the militant group "must show good will" for the beginning of the intra-Afghan talks.

On Wednesday, the Taliban freed 30 Afghan government prisoners in Helmand, and sources said that the group resisted the release of some of them, TOLO News reported.

So far, the Taliban has released 845 Afghan government prisoners.

The US-Taliban deal signed on February 29 in Doha has remained unimplemented in some parts, such as a reduction in violence and intra-Afghan negotiations, which should have happened 135 days after the accord.

The intra-Afghan talks have not begun, and violence has not been reduced.

Monday was the 136th day after the peace deal was signed.

Meanwhile, Pentagon chief spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement Tuesday that US troops have withdrawn from five military bases and reduced the size of its forces in Afghanistan as part of the agreement reached with the Taliban in February.

NATO has around 12,000 troops under the Resolute Support mission, which includes a portion of the 8,600 total US troops, according to the Resolute Support mission.

--IANS

ksk/
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. The narrow-format session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council kicked off in Minsk, Belarus.

Armenpress correspondent reports Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is also participating in the session.

During the session the heads of government of the EAEU member states will discuss a number of issues relating to different areas.

The session participants will discuss the complex plan of actions to be taken for preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus and other infectious diseases.

The session is attended by Prime Ministers of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and the Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). The session will also be attended by the Prime Minister of Moldova, a country with an observer status at the EAEU.

The narrow-format session will be followed by an extended-format meeting.

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
gettyimagebank



By Jun Ji-hye



Korea is grappling with rising imported COVID-19 cases while there have been signs of a slowdown in locally transmitted infections, health authorities said Friday, expressing concerns that the increase in imported cases could lead to community spread in the country again.



Due to rising imported cases that have been attributed mainly to infections in Korean workers returning home from Iraq and Russian sailors, the nation's new daily virus cases were tallied at around 60 for the second straight day.



According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the country added 60 cases Thursday, raising the nation's total to 13,672. Of those, 39 were imported cases, nearly double the 21 local infections.



"Among the imported cases, 25 were detected at airports and seaports, while 14 patients tested positive during their 14-day self-quarantine," KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong said during a briefing. "By country, 20 cases were believed to come from Russia, followed by eight from the United States, six from Iraq, three from the Philippines and two from Uzbekistan."



On Wednesday, the nation added 61 new cases, including 47 coming in from overseas.



The KCDC said the number of daily new imported cases have been in the double digits since June 26, noting that the cases coming in from overseas accounted for about 50 percent of all cases reported here since July 1.



A large number of imported cases has been traced to multiple Russian vessels that docked at the southern port city of Busan  at least 22 sailors on the ships have tested positive over the last two days.



Dozens of Korean workers returning from Iraq where they worked on construction projects have also tested positive in recent days.



The government is planning to send chartered flights to the Middle Eastern country next week to bring remaining Korean nationals home safely.



"Iraq is reporting about 2,000 COVID-19 patients every day," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a government meeting on the COVID-19 response. "The government is responsible for protecting Korean workers who are exposed to the risk of infections in the country."



Chung said around 800 workers are still in Iraq, calling on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to make thorough preparations before sending chartered flights.


Spring Street will be open for a traffic all day Saturday.

Williamstown Won't Attempt Street Closure Saturday

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The town will not be closing off Spring Street to vehicular traffic on Saturday evening as previously planned.

After hearing more testimony from a local business owner at Monday's meeting, the members of the Select Board showed no interest in going through with the plan to allow outdoor dining and shopping in downtown between 4 and 10 p.m.

Though the Select Board made no decision on the topic  none of the attempts to close the road this summer have been a board decision  the Chamber of Commerce in its Thursday email blast announced that the street closure would not happen, listing the information under the heading "Selectboard update."

Earlier this month, the town and the Chamber announced plans to try closures on July 11 and 18 as a way to help Spring Street businesses attract customers. Restaurants, in particular, were seen as potential beneficiaries because of state guidelines about social distancing that limit the number of tables they can set up inside their establishments.

The "outdoor dining" enabled by street closures in other parts of the country during the COVID-19 pandemic frequently was cited by advocates for giving the idea a try in Williamstown.

An attempt was made in June, but late afternoon rain was a hindrance. On July 11, a decision was made to pull the plug on the event when the noon forecast showed better than a 50 percent chance of rain during the hours of the planned closure.

The early forecast for Saturday  clear skies and temperatures in the 70s  is more favorable. But the feedback from the owner of the Williams Shop was decidedly unfavorable.

Bruce Goff told the Select Board on Monday that he appreciated efforts to help businesses on Spring Street but "a lot of businesses on the street are not on board with the closures."

Goff forwarded to the board the responses he received to an email he sent to his counterparts on Spring Street. He received 21 responses, of which four were in favor of the closure and 14 were against.

He talked Monday about a conversation he had with a restaurateur that surprised Goff.

"I was kind of surprised they were not supportive of that idea," Goff said. "They said a lot of their business has to do with customers placing orders to go.It's problematic when their customers are not able to do that easily."

Goff suggested there could be a compromise approach.

"A lot of the businesses are amenable to a modified approach where perhaps we close some of the parking lanes down for diners to use the sidewalks  close the sidewalks to pedestrians and pedestrians could use the parking lanes," Goff said. "Traffic would still be able to flow. That was the common theme from the businesses I talked to. They wanted to keep traffic flowing down Spring Street."

Select Board Chair Jane Patton, who also serves as president of the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce, thanked Goff for his remarks.

"I will say we spent some time last week discussing the idea of modified traffic lanes," Patton said. "We were just very concerned somebody would somehow be distracted or not pay attention and think the road is closed to vehicles and something tragic could happen. We were not accepting of that level of risk.

"We're certainly open to doing whatever the folks on the street want. It's a different time now than when we first started talking about this."

When Town Manager Jason Hoch first suggested the notion in a Select Board meeting in May , members of the panel were enthusiastic. But reaction on social media was mixed.

On Monday, Select Board member Jeffrey Thomas was among those saying that the time has come to give up on the idea.

"I agree with Hugh [Daley], it was a great experiment," Thomas said. "But I think what we've learned is that maybe takeout is more important to these restaurants. Maybe takeout is the new normal, and maybe that's how we ought to be thinking about it: The more important way to support these restaurants is to facilitate their takeout business rather than their sit-down business."
Dhaka: Security officials in Bangladesh have arrested the owner of two hospitals that issued thousands of fake coronavirus test reports as he attempted to flee the country to India, officials said late on Thursday.

Mohammed Shahed, a member of the governing party who regularly appeared on TV talk shows, was arrested on Wednesday by the Rapid Action Battalion near the Indian border after a nine-day manhunt.

Mohammed Shahed, centre, the owner of two hospitals that issued thousands of fake coronavirus test reports, after being arrested in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Credit:AP

Shahed is chairman of the Regent Group and owner of two Regent hospitals in the capital, Dhaka.

Officials said the hospitals had issued more than 10,000 coronavirus test results and about 60 per cent were fake even though patients were charged for them. The hospitals allegedly arranged for the remaining tests to be conducted by another hospital.
A high-resolution image from the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on ESA's Solar Orbiter spacecraft, taken with the HRIEUV telescope on 30 May 2020. The circle in the lower left corner indicates the size of Earth for scale. The arrow points to one of the ubiquitous features of the solar surface, called 'campfires' and revealed for the first time by these images.

The first images from Solar Orbiter, a new Sun-observing mission by ESA and NASA, have revealed omnipresent miniature solar flares, dubbed 'campfires,' near the surface of our closest star.

According to the scientists behind the mission, seeing phenomena that were not observable in detail before hints at the enormous potential of Solar Orbiter, which has only just finished its early phase of technical verification known as commissioning.

"These are only the first images and we can already see interesting new phenomena," says Daniel Muller, ESA's Solar Orbiter Project Scientist. "We didn't really expect such great results right from the start. We can also see how our ten scientific instruments complement each other, providing a holistic picture of the Sun and the surrounding environment."

Solar Orbiter, launched on 10 February 2020, carries six remote-sensing instruments, or telescopes, that image the Sun and its surroundings, and four in situ instruments that monitor the environment around the spacecraft. By comparing the data from both sets of instruments, scientists will get insights into the generation of the solar wind, the stream of charged particles from the Sun that influences the entire solar system.

The unique aspect of the Solar Orbiter mission is that no other spacecraft has been able to take images of the Sun's surface from a closer distance.

Closest Images of the Sun Reveal New Phenomena

The campfires shown in the first image set were captured by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) from Solar Orbiter's first perihelion, the point in its elliptical orbit closest to the Sun. At that time, the spacecraft was only 77 million km away from the Sun, about half the distance between Earth and the star.

"The campfires are little relatives of the solar flares that we can observe from Earth, million or billion times smaller," says David Berghmans of the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB), Principal Investigator of the EUI instrument, which takes high-resolution images of the lower layers of the Sun's atmosphere, known as the solar corona. "The Sun might look quiet at the first glance, but when we look in detail, we can see those miniature flares everywhere we look."

The scientists do not know yet whether the campfires are just tiny versions of big flares, or whether they are driven by different mechanisms. There are, however, already theories that these miniature flares could be contributing to one of the most mysterious phenomena on the Sun, the coronal heating.

Unravelling the Sun's Mysteries

"These campfires are totally insignificant each by themselves, but summing up their effect all over the Sun, they might be the dominant contribution to the heating of the solar corona," says Frederic Auchere, of the Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), France, Co-Principal Investigator of EUI.

The solar corona is the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere that extends millions of kilometres into outer space. Its temperature is more than a million degrees Celsius, which is orders of magnitude hotter than the surface of the Sun, a 'cool' 5500 C. After many decades of studies, the physical mechanisms that heat the corona are still not fully understood, but identifying them is considered the 'holy grail' of solar physics.

"It's obviously way too early to tell but we hope that by connecting these observations with measurements from our other instruments that 'feel' the solar wind as it passes the spacecraft, we will eventually be able to answer some of these mysteries," says Yannis Zouganelis, Solar Orbiter Deputy Project Scientist at ESA.

Seeing the Far Side of the Sun

The Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI) is another cutting-edge instrument aboard Solar Orbiter. It makes high-resolution measurements of the magnetic field lines on the surface of the Sun. It is designed to monitor active regions on the Sun, areas with especially strong magnetic fields, which can give birth to solar flares.

During solar flares, the Sun releases bursts of energetic particles that enhance the solar wind that constantly emanates from the star into the surrounding space. When these particles interact with Earth's magnetosphere, they can cause magnetic storms that can disrupt telecommunication networks and power grids on the ground.

"Right now, we are in the part of the 11-year solar cycle when the Sun is very quiet," says Sami Solanki, the director of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Gottingen, Germany, and PHI Principal Investigator. "But because Solar Orbiter is at a different angle to the Sun than Earth, we could actually see one active region that wasn't observable from Earth. That is a first. We have never been able to measure the magnetic field at the back of the Sun."

The magnetograms, showing how the strength of the solar magnetic field varies across the Sun's surface, could be then compared with the measurements from the in situ instruments.

"The PHI instrument is measuring the magnetic field on the surface, we see structures in the Sun's corona with EUI, but we also try to infer the magnetic field lines going out into the interplanetary medium, where Solar Orbiter is," says Jose Carlos del Toro Iniesta, PHI Co-Principal Investigator, of Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, Spain.

Catching the Solar Wind

The four in situ instruments on Solar Orbiter then characterise the magnetic field lines and solar wind as it passes the spacecraft.

Christopher Owen, of University College London Mullard Space Science Laboratory and Principal Investigator of the in situ Solar Wind Analyser, adds, "Using this information, we can estimate where on the Sun that particular part of the solar wind was emitted, and then use the full instrument set of the mission to reveal and understand the physical processes operating in the different regions on the Sun which lead to solar wind formation."

"We are all really excited about these first images -- but this is just the beginning," adds Daniel. "Solar Orbiter has started a grand tour of the inner solar system, and will get much closer to the Sun within less than two years. Ultimately, it will get as close as 42 million km, which is almost a quarter of the distance from Sun to Earth."

"The first data are already demonstrating the power behind a successful collaboration between space agencies and the usefulness of a diverse set of images in unravelling some of the Sun's mysteries," comments Holly Gilbert, Director of the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Solar Orbiter Project Scientist at NASA.

Solar Orbiter is a space mission of international collaboration between ESA and NASA. Nineteen ESA Member States (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom), as well as NASA, contributed to the science payload and/or the spacecraft. The satellite was built by prime contractor Airbus Defence and Space in the UK.

Additional Imagery



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Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, learns about the construction of local legislators' liaison stations and local legislative outreach offices in Qingxiu District of Nanning City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, July 12, 2020. Li Zhanshu made an inspection in Guangxi from July 12 to 15 on the enforcement of the wildlife protection law and a decision adopted in February to completely ban illegal wildlife trade and eliminate the unhealthy habit of indiscriminate wild animal meat consumption. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

NANNING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator, Li Zhanshu, has stressed efforts to protect wild animals, maintain ecological balances, and safeguard people's lives and health.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks during a law enforcement inspection in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from Sunday to Wednesday.

Li stressed fully implementing the wildlife protection law and a decision adopted in February to completely ban illegal wildlife trade and eliminate the unhealthy habit of indiscriminate wild animal meat consumption.

Activities against wildlife banned by the law must be strictly prohibited and cracked down on in accordance with the law, he said.

The farming of wild animals on a ban list must stop, Li said, urging affected farmers to alter their businesses.

Support should be given to farmers concerned to help them shift and upgrade their businesses in an orderly manner, Li said, calling for particular attention to prevent farmers who are being lifted out of poverty from incurring economic losses and falling back into poverty.

Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, learns about the artificial breeding of snakes in Tianyang District of Baise City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, July 15, 2020. Li Zhanshu made an inspection in Guangxi from July 12 to 15 on the enforcement of the wildlife protection law and a decision adopted in February to completely ban illegal wildlife trade and eliminate the unhealthy habit of indiscriminate wild animal meat consumption. (Xinhua/Li Tao)
A Florida city official pleaded guilty Tuesday to his role in a scheme to bilk the federal government out of $5 million in Hurricane Michael cleanup money, the U.S. attorneys office announced.

Former Lynn Haven community services director David Wayne Horton pleaded guilty to wire fraud, which can carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, U.S. Attorney Lawrence Keefe said in a news release. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 29.

Horton admitted to signing and certifying fraudulent time sheets that claimed workers had performed hurricane cleanup work for the city, Keefes office said. Four other charged in the scheme, including former Lynn Haven City Manager Michael White, had previously pleaded guilty.

The hurricane two years ago caused catastrophic damage to Bay County and surrounding areas.

With todays guilty plea, everyone who has been indicted thus far has admitted to their role in a shameless scheme to defraud the taxpayers. These individuals violated the public trust, and now they will pay the consequences, Keefe said.

When the indictments were announced in November, Keefe said Horton and White approved false invoices for two companies for work they never performed. One of the companies also was paid to wrap Christmas presents, prepare a site for a Halloween party, and clean and repair the private homes of several city officials, including the mayor and city attorney, according to the indictment.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Florida Fraud Hurricane
WATERLOO REGION  Details are emerging on how schools may reopen in September.

A proposal calls for Catholic high school students to attend a year divided into quadmesters, meaning a student will take two classes in each of four terms rather than four classes in each of two semesters.

Public high schools are considering the quadmester model.

Ontario has told school boards to have proposals ready by Aug. 4 for three pandemic-related scenarios: continued remote learning, normal in-class learning, or a hybrid model with students in school on alternating days or weeks and classes capped at 15 students.

Depending on the scenario chosen, Catholic students may see only half the face time with their teachers.

The province will select a scenario to start the school year but that choice may not endure.

Just because we start in one scenario doesnt mean that at some point we might not be shifting to one of the others, education director Loretta Notten told trustees Monday at the Waterloo Catholic District School Board.

Over the course of the year we might find ourselves in all three of the different scenarios.

Catholic high schools propose the quadmester option because we think it will allow for the most flexibility if we have to pivot between models, Notten said.

Notten told trustees that Catholic and public school boards are not pursuing the same return-to-school plans. This complicates the busing they share.

The two boards have been favouring different approaches, Notten said by email. We are still in discussion on this point to see if absolute alignment is needed or how else we might compromise a solution.

Those meetings have been very insightful as we all put our best thinking forward, public board spokesperson Alana Russell said by email. Those conversations will continue to evolve as we get closer to receiving further direction.

The Waterloo Region District School Board expects to reveal more about its school plans Monday.

Ontario says the return to classrooms is voluntary. Remote schooling is an option for students kept at home by parents fearful of disease.

About one-third of parents who responded to a survey told the Catholic board they are unsure about sending their children back to classrooms, including some parents who said their children will stay home.

We certainly hope this will be a minority, but it is an option that they will have, Notten said.

Students who choose to learn remotely will have to stick with that option for four-week blocks before making a change, Notten said.

Remote learning in the fall is expected to be more fulsome than it was in the spring, including assessments, more guidance for teachers, and live lessons, she said.

The Catholic board proposes that students learning remotely are assigned to teachers whose medical needs may keep them from returning to classrooms in person.

In August after the province picks a scenario to begin the school year, parents will be asked to confirm if they are sending their children back to classrooms.

The Catholic school board discussed return-to-school options Monday, posting the discussion on YouTube before making the video private and declining to restore it.

We have no history or obligation to post our meetings, Notten said by email.
I do not recall, the supposedly conservative, serious, intellectual George Will giving a damn about much that Obama/Biden did during their two terms. He didn't call Obama frivolous, didn't talk about a downward spiral, nor care about all the criminal activities of Obama and his gang, nor did he care about the continuous lies.

But, as with most of the media, everything is Trump's fault.

The nation is in a downward spiral. Worse is still to come. Under the most frivolous person ever to hold any great nation's highest office, this nation is in a downward spiral. This spiral has not reached its nadir, but at least it has reached a point where worse is helpful, and worse can be confidently expected. The nation's floundering government is now administered by a gangster regime. It is helpful to have this made obvious as voters contemplate renewing the regime's lease on the executive branch. Roger Stone adopted the argot of B-grade mobster movies when he said he would not "roll on" Donald Trump. By commuting Stone's sentence, Stone's beneficiary played his part in this down-market drama, showing gratitude for Stone's version of omerta (the Mafia code of silence), which involved lots of speaking but much lying. Given Trump's reckless lying and the supine nature of most Republican officeholders, it is imperative that the Nov. 3 result be obvious that evening.



Photo cerdit: Gage Skidmore.

As for lies:

Obama, his minions, and his devotees from the media willingly spread multiple falsehoods about Obamacare for years.

As Obama was seeking to enhance his legacy to get a deal with the terrorist tyrants who pledge death to America, the lies were rampant. To this day, most of the media and other Democrats still support the bad deal concocted with lies.

Obama took lying to new heights with the Iran deal When it comes to the Iran nuclear deal, the Obama administration increasingly appears to have been a bottomless pit of deception.

And the biggest lie of all: Russian collusion. For years, this piece of garbage has been used for endless stories and endless investigations seeking to destroy Trump, Stone, and any others that get in the way as the media and other Democrats seek to get rid of Trump. When will George Will rip his fellow journalists and Democrats for intentionally misleading Americans to hate Trump and pretend he is a puppet of Putin?

The Downward Spiral

George Will must have been asleep for decades as Democrats throughout the country have destroyed major cities. The great society and anti-poverty programs intentionally broke up the family, leading to generations of people, especially blacks, mired in poverty in single-parent households.

Most reporters don't seem to care about all the criminal activity and killings of blacks, including children in Democrat run cities. They are too busy seeking to destroy and defeat Trump every day.

Obama's policies gave us the slowest economic recovery in seventy years, but the media not only didn't care, but cheered.

I would challenge anyone to name a Democrat policy from the last fifty years that was meant to make the private sector stronger versus making the government more powerful. I can't think of any. The Democrats have been actively trying to remake America for a long time by moving away from capitalism that made the U.S. the greatest country ever in a very short time. They have been incrementally been moving toward socialism for decades.

Throughout history, countries have collapsed because powerful government got too big, not because the people had too much freedom and power. Yet that is what most of the media supports.

As for a gangster regime, the examples of the corruption and criminal acts of the Obama/Biden years are too numerous to mention, but again, the media not only didn't care, but actively participated and protected the members of the Obama crime family as they repeat the talking points that no one is above the law and equal treatment under the law. Here is a sample of the criminal activities and corruption:

As soon as Obama took office, he intentionally violated bankruptcy law by rewarding his political supporters and punishing more secure creditors.

Obama stole taxpayer dollars to reward political contributors. Was that frivolous?

The IRS was used to violate the free speech and freedom of association rights of Obama's political opponents. Was it frivolous when Obama said he saw nothing wrong that the IRS did?

Hillary used her position on the public trough to enrich herself, her family, her foundation, and her friends. Russia even got uranium (but Trump is the Putin puppet).

Was it frivolous when Obama looked the other way?

Biden also used his public positions throughout his career to enrich himself and his family, and the media cheer and supports him for president.

He also threatened to cut off funds from Ukraine if they didn't fire a prosecutor.

Somehow, most of the media can't spot the corruption.

Obama dictatorially stopped a Justice Department investigation into drug-running by terrorists to appease Iran's dictators. Obama was a puppet of dictators, including Putin, the Castros, and the tyrants of Iran.

Obama illegally used taxpayer funds to cover up shortfalls in Obamacare instead of properly going through Congress. Why didn't Pelosi or Schumer care about this clear violation of separation of powers?

Obama never cared about the Constitution or the law. Most of the media not only didn't care, they cheered.

Obama had slush funds at CFPB, Justice Department and EPA where taxpayer funds were illegally used for pollical purposes and to give kickbacks to political supporters.

No matter how many crimes the corrupt, career criminal and Hillary committed they were never charged because she was the establishment's choice for President. She was above the law.

Holder, Clapper, Brennan, Lerner, Comey and others lied to Congress and were above the law. Most of the media not only didn't care, they use and hire these known liars to attack Trump.

The Obama administration continually violated the law by illegally spying on thousands. The criminal activity of people throughout the Obama Administration during the 2016 campaign as they targeted Trump and protected Hillary dwarfs Watergate or anything else in American history and most of the media still doesn't care. Where are the Woodwards and Bernsteins when the public needs them?

Is it any wonder that there is so much corruption and criminal activity by politicians and government bureaucrats when so much of the media is in the tank for one party?

Gangster regime is a good description of the Obama/Biden years.

When Biden goes out and brags that his years in the White House were scandal free and the media stays silent, the culpability and complicity is clear.

It is a shame that George Will resorted to writing such a piece of garbage as he spends his time campaigning to elect the clearly corrupt and incompetent Biden along with most other supposed journalists.
Chernobyl has enjoyed a successful night at the British Academy Television Craft Awards.

The Sky drama, which is about the 1986 nuclear meltdown, stars British actors Jared Harris and Emily Watson, Irish actress Jessie Buckley and Swedish star Stellan Skarsgard.

In total, the series picked up seven awards  with Johan Renck named best director of a fictional programme.

Chernobyls Jakob Ihre wins the BAFTA for Photography & Lighting: Fiction 

Sponsored by @UKScreenSkills#BAFTATV pic.twitter.com/2nFw6DSnMw  BAFTA (@BAFTA) July 17, 2020

Icelandic composer Hildur Gudnadottir won the best original music award for her work on the series, while Odile Dicks-Mireaux was named best costume designer.

The awards, which celebrate technical achievement in the television industry, were hosted by actor and comedian Stephen Mangan in a digital ceremony.

He appeared at the start of the broadcast wearing pyjama bottoms and a dinner jacket.

The actor and comedian hosted the ceremony from a studio, with award winners addressing the audience via pre-recorded acceptance speeches.

We can bring you TV in lockdown but we could NOT bring you a stable live feed for @stephenmangan to talk to @RomeshRanga *sigh*  Join us LIVE for the #BAFTATV Craft Awards on Youtube, Facebook, and Linkedin now! pic.twitter.com/I6JXYbuK7q  BAFTA (@BAFTA) July 17, 2020

Comedians Romesh Ranganathan, Rachel Parris, Jessica Knappett and Richard Ayoade made guest appearances during the broadcast.

Video of the Day

In a recorded message at the start of the ceremony, Bafta chairman Krishnendu Majumdar said the academy is committed to addressing diversity issues in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Bafta cares passionately about championing the next generation of talent so they have the best chance to succeed, he added.

Also among the winners was Aisling Bea, who picked up the breakthrough talent award for her Channel 4 comedy series This Way Up, which was her writing debut.

Only @WeeMissBea can use her acceptance speech time wisely after being named the 2020 #BAFTATV Craft Breakthrough Talent winner for #ThisWayUp!  pic.twitter.com/0LRyNP6MqQ  BAFTA (@BAFTA) July 17, 2020

She said that receiving the award is an absolute dream come true and dedicated it to her father, who she said didnt get to be any older than I am today.

BBC series His Dark Materials, which is based on novels by Philip Pullman, picked up two awards.

It won in the special, visual and graphic effects awards and graphic identity categories.

The award for best drama writer went to Jesse Armstrong, the creator of HBO family drama Succession.

Nicky Sargent and Vikki Dunn, who are the joint founding directors of The Farm Group, won the Bafta special award in recognition of their work in the field of post-production.

Expand Close Simon Cowell addressed the digital awards ceremony (Matt Crossick/PA) / Facebook

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During the ceremony music mogul Simon Cowell, who said he had worked with the pair for 20 years, paid tribute to them, saying the award is so well deserved.

At the end of the ceremony, Mangan joked that the online format worked well because none of us have to stand outside for hours tonight trying to get a cab.

Lets do it like this every year, he added.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan is confident that any attempt of solving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict with military means only hinders the peaceful negotiation process.

Any attempt of military solution only hinders the peaceful negotiation process. From this perspective, the recent action of Azerbaijan, of course, further distances that prospect, the deputy FM told reporters in Minsk, commenting on the recent provocative actions launched by Azerbaijan on the Armenia border.

Since July 12th, Azerbaijan has launched a series of cross-border attacks against Armenias northern Tavush province.

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
As a border state, while the nation debates immigration policies, we deal with immigration realities.

Our ranchers near the international border have to deal with drugs and property damage left by those passing through their land. Many of our rural communities, already straining to provide services for their own residents, have also had to accommodate an influx of migrants seeking assistance as they pursue asylum status.

New Mexicans living next to the border have asked for help. Instead of giving them that help, Joe Biden is proposing to make their situation worse.

Earlier this year, in a bid to appease the progressive wing of his party, Biden recklessly vowed to place a moratorium on deportations. Combined with his commitment to abandon the border wall that our Border Patrol agents have asked for and need, Bidens immigration plan threatens to create a free-for-all in New Mexicos border zone. His policies would give the green light to thousands of people  including gang members, drug smugglers and human traffickers  to freely enter our communities.

Worse still, his promises of free health care and citizenship as a reward for crossing the border illegally would intensify the problem, giving migrants even more of an incentive to rush the border. The new surge of border-crossers would easily overwhelm our already-overburdened immigration system and set off an unprecedented wave of human tragedy  for immigrants and American citizens alike.

Joe Biden should be well aware of this reality. In his eight years as vice president, he helped to oversee far more deportations than have taken place under President Trump. Despite these deportations, the Obama-Biden administration also imposed policies such as catch-and-release and DACA. Their resulting incoherent immigration strategy helped contribute to the worst humanitarian crisis on our southern border in memory.

In 2014, tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors, mostly from Central America, trekked through the desert to our border because they falsely believed theyd be given free passes to live in the United States upon arrival. Many of these minors ended up in the arms of human traffickers. These minors were lured to the border based on news of the Obama-Biden administrations efforts at executive amnesty. Instead of finding freedom, they were ensnared into a life of degradation and misery.

If Joe Biden became president and actually implemented the policies hes advocating, New Mexico would be on the front line of yet another rush  and it would be even worse than 2014. If the false promise of permisos could incentivize tens of thousands of parents to send their children alone into the desert, imagine how theyll react to what Biden is promising this time around. 

If Biden and his progressive allies had their way, they would make (New Mexicos) revenue shortfall permanent through their Green New Deal. Their energy policy package, including a ban on fracking, would cripple our states economy, potentially costing us 142,000 jobs and $3 billion in tax revenue by 2025. Bidens economic agenda would make it impossible for New Mexico to meet its current obligations to its citizens, let alone accommodate the needs of thousands of immigrants seeking free health care and citizenship.

New Mexico cant afford to gamble on Bidens reckless policies designed to pander to urban progressives. Bidens target audience will not have to live with the consequences of his schemes. We will.
The European Union does not plan to crack down on planet-warming methane emissions from gas imports despite pressure from oil companies, activists and academics, according to its draft strategy and sources familiar with the matter who spoke with the Reuters news agency.

While the EU plans to impose carbon dioxide (CO2) taxes on imports of energy-intensive goods, critics say the worlds biggest gas importer is not targeting suppliers of the fuel hard enough in its methane strategy due to be unveiled this year.

This comes despite an unlikely alliance of big oil firms, environmental activists, investors and researchers pushing the bloc to plug this hole in its methane plan and punish gas producers that fail to rein in their emissions.

While the EU regulates methane emissions from gas burned in the bloc, it does not regulate emissions during the production or transport of gas imported by Europe. That means those emissions do not show up in the tally of greenhouse gases linked to Europes gas-fuelled power plants, nor are they are counted in the EUs climate goals.

The draft methane plan, which may be subject to change, says the European Commission will propose legislation requiring gas firms to better monitor and report methane emissions, but it does not include setting methane standards for imported gas.

The Commission, the EUs executive, declined to comment on unpublished documents.

Campaigners say the omission of imported emissions risks undermining the EUs climate policy as methane is 100 times more potent than CO2 when it first goes into the atmosphere.

Setting clear product standard requirements on all gas sold in the EUs internal market is essentially a global climate opportunity with significant potential to curb global methane emissions from oil and gas quickly, said Poppy Kalesi, global energy policy director at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

It teamed up with seven European oil firms  BP, Eni, Equinor, Repsol, Royal Dutch Shell, Total and Wintershall DEA  to ask Brussels to address what they see as a blind spot in its climate plans.

Sources familiar with the Commissions thinking told Reuters it has not shifted its position on regulating methane emissions from imported gas since compiling the draft.

Gas production is associated with emissions of methane, which leaches into the atmosphere from leaky pipelines and infrastructure at oil and gasfields.

The EU imported about 80 percent of the gas it consumed last year. Almost three-quarters of its imports came from Russia, Norway and Algeria, with Russias Gazprom by far the biggest non-EU supplier.

Methane is 100 times more powerful than CO2 as a global warming gas, but it degrades while CO2 remains in the atmosphere. Over a 20-year period, methane is 86 times more powerful though that drops to 34 times over 100 years.

Satellite findings

Analysis of satellite imagery and other aerial surveillance over the past few years has shown that oil and gas industry leaks are responsible for far more of the methane in the atmosphere than previously thought.

Gazprom is Europes largest gas supplier and owns pipelines transporting the fuel to Europe [File: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg]

The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, whose members have 30 trillion euros ($34 trillion) of assets under management, wrote to the Commission in May asking it to propose rules this year to ban gas with a methane leakage rate in upstream supply chains of more than 0.25 percent by 2025.

US lobby groups EDF and the Rocky Mountain Institute, the Florence School of Regulation research centre and the European oil companies also wrote to the Commission in May, recommending a methane intensity-based performance standard applied to the upstream segment of the supply chains from 2025.

Their letter called for: A procurement standard to be applied from 2025 to incentivise the continual reduction of the methane emissions intensity of the gas entering domestic and import supply chains.

A Commission official said by focusing its proposals on monitoring and reporting emissions, the aim was to get a handle on the issue.

The main thing is to get a good picture of where the methane is actually coming from, the official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Campaigners fear this approach could delay plans to regulate imported emissions and say there is sufficient data to design such policies.

Andris Piebalgs, professor at the Florence School of Regulation and a former EU energy commissioner, said any indication that Brussels will integrate international methane emissions into its policy would be a substantial step forward.

Because at this stage, its not  much discussed at all.

For European oil and gas firms, tackling methane emissions could help them make the case that gas can play a role in Europes shift to net zero emissions by 2050 at a time when investors are increasingly focused on their climate performance.

European oil companies that have invested to curb their own methane emissions may also be wary about being undercut by producers outside the bloc who have not done the same.

Benefit wiped out

Gas is far from being a zero-emissions fuel but it produces roughly half the CO2 emissions of coal when burned in power plants and is seen by Eastern European countries such as Poland as a transition fuel to wean themselves off coal.

But methane leaks can quickly dent this argument.

When you get to about 3 percent leakage, the entire benefit of gas as a lower-emissions fuel is entirely wiped out. So were operating in a relatively small window of gas actually being better than coal, said Frank Jotzo, director of the centre for climate economics and policy at Australian National University.

The International Energy Agency says a third of methane emissions from the oil and gas industry could be saved at no net cost, as the captured gas could be sold.

However, EU methane standards for gas imports could rile large suppliers, especially if it restricts their access to the European market.

As 40 percent of EU gas imports stem from Russia, dealing with methane emissions means dealing with Gazprom, said Esther Bollendorff, EU gas policy coordinator at the nonprofit Climate Action Network, referring to Russias state-owned gas producer.

Gazprom is Europes largest gas supplier and owns pipelines transporting the fuel to Europe. Last year, it sold almost 200 billion cubic metres of gas to countries in Europe and Turkey.

In a June 10 statement about emissions, Gazprom estimated that 0.29 percent of the 679 billion cubic metres of gas it moved through its pipelines escaped as methane in 2019 and said this corresponded to the best global practices.

Some observers said the slump in EU gas consumption this year during coronavirus lockdowns meant the bloc was less dependent on gas suppliers and was in a stronger position to push them to tackle methane emissions.

The EU has the power now, said Lisa Fischer, senior policy adviser at the climate change think-tank E3G.
Google next month will ban publishers from using its ad platform to show advertisements next to content that promotes conspiracy theories about Covid-19. It will also ban ads that promote those theories. In cases where a particular site publishes a certain threshold of material that violates these policies, it will ban the entire site from using its ad platforms.

Alphabet's Google already prohibits ads from running against content that makes harmful claims about disease prevention and unsubstantiated cures, including anti-vaccine promotions or content that encourages users to forgo treatment. The company is now taking it a step further and banning ads against content that make claims going against authoritative scientific consensus. Banned claims would include conspiracy theories like vaccines being attempts to genetically modify the population, that Bill Gates created Covid-19 or that the disease was a bioweapon made in a Chinese lab.

Google received nearly $135 billion in advertising revenue in 2019, in part through programs like AdSense and Ad Manager, in which websites that are approved can run programmatic advertising on their sites and make money using Google. About 15% of Google's revenue in the first quarter came from "Google Network Members' properties," which the company said in its annual report primarily comes from sites participating in AdMob, AdSense and Google Ad Manager programs.

Google will begin enforcing the change on Aug. 18, and can remove ads from single articles or, in some cases, entire sites. When it comes to removing ads from an entire site, the company said for most of its policies it has a percentage threshold for policy violations before it will fully demonetize a website. (The violation of some policies, like one preventing child sex abuse material, is considered by the company to be so egregious that they result in immediate site-level action).

The news comes the same week as CNBC first reported that Google had begun running ads again on financial market website Zero Hedge. In mid-June, Google said it had taken action against Zero Hedge because of the comments section of the site, which Google said consistently violated its policy against dangerous and derogatory material. Google said Zero Hedge appealed the demonetization after deciding to remove the content and implementing comment moderation.
New Delhi: With over a month to Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death, and no closure to the case, fans have been demanding a CBI inquiry to ensure a fair probe. However, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has said that CBI probe is not needed.

"There is no need for CBI inquiry in Sushant Singh Rajput's death case as Mumbai police is investigating it intrinsically and probing it from all the angles."

Earlier on June 15, a day after Sushant's death, Maharashtra Home Minister has tweeted: While the post mortem report says actor @itsSSR committed suicide by hanging himself, there are media reports that he allegedly suffered from clinical depression because of professional rivalry. @MumbaiPolice will probe this angle too.

While the post mortem report says actor @itsSSR committed suicide by hanging himself, there are media reports that he allegedly suffered from clinical depression because of professional rivalry. @MumbaiPolice will probe this angle too.  ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) June 15, 2020

The Mumbai police is currently questioning 4 doctors in connection with the actor's death.

Sushant Singh Rajput was found hanging from his Bandra residence on June 14, 2020. Meanwhile, his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty finally broke her silence and pleaded for a CBI enquiry writing a social media post tagging Home Minister Amit Shah recently.

A few days back, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking CBI probe into the case and Bihar politician Pappu Yadav wrote separately to Amit Shah, who replied to his letter and transferred the request to the concerned department.
ISG Provider Lens report also sees U.K. businesses concerned about a shortage of niche tech skills due to Brexit

LONDON, U.K., July 17, 2020)), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2020 ISG Provider Lens Next-Gen Private/Hybrid Cloud - Data Center Services & Solutions Report for the U.K. finds many enterprises in the country focused on colocation because it allows them to locate and manage data closer to their cloud, network and security functions. U.K. enterprises are increasingly viewing colocation providers as an extension of their businesses, with providers offering services such as tracking provisioning status, interacting with customer support and monitoring system health in real time.

About 60 percent of U.K. enterprise workloads still reside on premises and many in private data centers operated by internal staff, the report says. "In an effort to save valuable time, money and space, many large enterprises will look to move in-house IT operations to managed colocation facilities or sell their data centers and lease the space they need to operate," said Barry Matthews, partner and leader, ISG North Europe.

Meanwhile, with the U.K. facing the dual challenges of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic, the report sees U.K. enterprises moving cautiously with new IT projects. Due to Brexit, companies are not circulating large requests for proposal and request for information, but at the same time, many are concerned about a potential shortage of niche tech skills. The perceived skills gap, along with continuous demand for innovation, could eventually lead to more IT outsourcing deals.

On the pandemic front, many U.K. business continue to catch up with automating processes they wish they had automated sooner, the report says. The pandemic "will be the deciding factor for many U.K. companies to move toward digitization and automate their work and business processes," Matthews said. "This will lower the threshold for outsourcing in the future."

In addition, the report sees significant adoption of software-defined data centers and hyperconverged infrastructure for remote and branch offices in the U.K. Enterprises that want to reduce power, space and cooling costs are exploring a move to hyperconverged infrastructure, and all the major hyperconverged market leaders are embracing hybrid cloud offerings and multi-cloud deployments.

The 2020 ISG Provider Lens Next-Gen Private/Hybrid Cloud - Data Center Services & Solutions Report for the U.K. evaluates the capabilities of 91 providers across seven quadrants: Managed Services for Large Accounts, Managed Services for the Midmarket, Managed Hosting for Large Accounts, Managed Hosting for the Midmarket, Colocation Services, Data Center Security Products and Hyperconverged Systems.

The report names BT as a leader in five quadrants, and IBM and Rackspace Technology as leaders in three. Atos, Capgemini, Cisco, Claranet, DXC Technology, Ensono, Fujitsu and T-Systems are named leaders in two quadrants. Accenture, Broadcom/Symantec, Check Point, Cloudreach, Computacenter, Dell EMC, Digital Realty, Equinix, Global Switch, HCL, HPE, Interxion, Juniper Networks, Logicalis, Nutanix, Palo Alto Networks, StorMagic, TCS, Telehouse, Trend Micro, Unisys, VMware, Vodafone and Wipro are all named leaders in one.

A customized version of the report is available from Hexaware.

The 2020 ISG Provider Lens Next-Gen Private/Hybrid Cloud - Data Center Services & Solutions Report for the U.K. is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.

About ISG Provider Lens Research

The ISG Provider Lens Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe and Latin America, as well as in the U.S., Germany, the U.K., France, the Nordics, Brazil and Australia/New Zealand, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

The series is a complement to the ISG Provider Lens Archetype reports, which offer a first-of-its-kind evaluation of providers from the perspective of specific buyer types.

Starting this year, each ISG Provider Lens study will include a Global Summary to help enterprise subscribers better understand provider capabilities across all geographic markets covered by that study. All ISG Provider Lens reports also will now include an Enterprise Context feature to help executives quickly identify key insights related to their roles and responsibilities.

About ISG

ISG) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 700 clients, including more than 75 of the world's top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries-a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry's most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

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Welcome change is coming to Bexar Countys political landscape.

Voters in Tuesdays runoff rejected re-election bids from Bexar County Republican Party Chair Cynthia Brehm and longtime Precinct 1 County Commissioner Sergio Chico Rodriguez.

More than a dozen local party nomination races were determined during Tuesdays runoff. While most of those victorious candidates will face challengers in the fall, party chairs will take office almost immediately.

This is good news for the troubled Bexar County Republican Party.

Local party leaders work closely with county elections officials, and dysfunction at the top undermines the process. We dont need that going into a presidential election.

During Tuesdays balloting, Democratic Party Chair Monica Alcantara fought off a challenger to win a second term. More intriguing, though, was the battle for Bexar County Republican chair in which political newcomer John Austin defeated Brehm, whose conspiracy theories were as nonsensical as they were embarrassing.

Alcantara and Austin will be sworn in Aug. 3.

Both local political parties have had their fair share of turmoil in recent years, but Brehms antics and conspiracy theories reached unprecedented heights and almost disrupted the election process before the primary.

It is a sad state of affairs when the governor and the states two senators ask the local party chair to resign. But that is what happened with Brehm. We wish the Bexar County Republican Party the best as it regroups. We have high hopes for Austin.

The runoff election also spells big changes for Bexar County Commissioners Court come January.

Rodriguez, a Democrat, lost his partys nomination in his bid for a fifth term in office. Political newcomer Rebeca Becky Clay-Flores ran an impressive campaign and defeated Rodriguez. She faces Republican Gabriel Lara in the Nov. 3 general election.

Precinct 1 was overdue for change. Complaints about Rodriguezs lack of engagement have grown in recent years. A member of a politically connected South Side family, Rodriguez had never drawn any serious challengers during his long tenure.

Bexar County Precinct 3 will also change. Incumbent Precinct 3 Commissioner Kevin Wolff chose not to seek re-election to a fourth term, leaving the seat wide open. Local businesswoman and public relations star Trish DeBerry won the Republican nomination for the seat, defeating retired Judge Tom Rickhoff.

DeBerry faces Democrat Christine Hortick, an attorney, in the general election. This assures that once again there will be a woman on Commissioners Court. Only two other women have ever served on Commissioners Court  and that was decades ago.

We are glad to see Rickhoff out of the running. He developed a questionable work ethic while on the bench. Once, for example, shortly after being re-elected to the bench, he announced he would no longer handle a significant portion of his docket because it gave him angst. The county had to fund an additional judicial slot to handle the abandoned workload.

Bexar County is also getting new representation on the State Board of Education. Longtime incumbent Ken Mercer, of San Antonio, chose not to seek another term, leaving the post open.

We disagree on a number of issues with Mercers preferred candidate, Lani Popp, a Northside Independent School District speech pathologist. Still, voters made the right choice in giving the Republican nomination for the SBOE District 5 post to Popp.

The other candidate was Robert Morrow, who has a reputation as a conspiracy theorist, and has a history of making racist and sexist comments. He is not the type of person we would want making decisions about what is taught in Texas public schools.

Popp will face Democrat Rebecca Bell-Metereau, a Texas State University English and film professor, on the general election ballot.

The contest between MJ Hegar and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn should captivate most Texans this fall, and there will be several competitive congressional races in the San Antonio region. Onward to the general election.
The two officials expressed joy at the strong development of Vietnam-UK strategic partnership since its establishment 10 years ago.

Deputy FM Dung praised the UK Governments efforts to counter the COVID-19 pandemic and initiatives to promote international cooperation in medicine, and affirmed that Vietnam is ready to work closely with the UK in those efforts.

He welcomed the UKs decision to put Vietnam in the list of countries exempt from UK travel quarantine, and proposed that the two countries continue assisting each other in citizen protection.

The Deputy FM affirmed that Vietnam facilitates the entry of foreign diplomats, investors, experts, managers and skilled labourers, including those from the UK, to work in Vietnam.

Nigel Adams appreciated Vietnams medical capacity in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and thanked Vietnamese agencies, doctors and nurses for their care for UK citizens infected with the coronavirus.

The official noted his hope to further deepen bilateral relations in fields of shared interests such as trade, investment, politics, national defence, security, health, education, science-technology, renewable energy and response to climate change, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam-US strategic partnership.

The wish was shared by Deputy FM Dung, who suggested the two sides maintain current cooperative mechanisms and actively hold talks toward the early signing of a bilateral free trade agreement.

Adams said the UK values Vietnams role in Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, especially in the context of the country concurrently serving as Chair of ASEAN and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC).

He affirmed that the UK is willing to cooperate and coordinate closely with Vietnam in multilateral frameworks, adding that the UK supports the maintenance of peace and stability, and advocates the adherence to international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in the East Sea.

He also asked Vietnam to support the UK in further promoting its relations with the ASEAN following Brexit.

Deputy FM Dung appreciated the Vietnam-UK coordination in issues related to peace, security and development, and urged the UK to continue sharing experience with Vietnam in the UNSC.

The Vietnamese official reiterated that Vietnam welcomes active and constructive efforts of countries to contribute to maintaining peace and stability, and upholding international law, including the UNCLOS, in the East Sea.

As Chair of ASEAN, Vietnam supports outside partners, including the UK, in boosting cooperation with the ASEAN for common interests, thus contributing to promoting the trend of trade liberalisation, multilateral cooperation and compliance to international law in the region and the world, Dung said.
United States (US) Attorney General William Barr took aim at Hollywood companies, including Walt Disney on Thursday, as well as large technology firms like Apple, Alphabets Google and Microsoft over company actions with China. Corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Apple have shown themselves all too willing to collaborate with the (Chinese Communist party), Barr said. He added that Hollywood has routinely caved into pressure and censored their films to appease the Chinese Communist Party. The companies and the Chinese Embassy in ...
Johannesburg/Cairo/Addis Ababa, 17 July 2020  Following a successful launch of the Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP) by the Chairperson of the African Union, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa on the 18th of June 2020, the AMSP has gained traction in sourcing of supplies of medical equipment, struck new and groundbreaking partnerships globally, and has experienced a surge in demand for medical supplies from Member States of the African Union.

Updating the Chairperson of the African Union, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa on progress the platform has made thus far, African Union Special Envoy, Strive Masiyiwa, appraised the President of key developments the platform has made in the past three weeks.

AMSP launch of drugs for recovery treatment

I recently directed the (AMSP) platform team to also begin to add promising pharmaceutical products that might be helpful to our doctors, working in close collaboration with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said President Ramaphosa.

As an update to this instruction, Mr Masiyiwa responded, Im pleased to advise you that at our request, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed to joining our initiative to secure a drug called dexamethasone, which is being used to treat COVID-19 in hospitals in the US and Europe on very sick patients following the results of the RECOVERY Trial. The trial demonstrated significant reduction of mortality, saving lives that we couldnt save without this intervention. About 1 million people will benefit from the drug (equivalent to 9 million tablets), which will be distributed proportionately for free to all countries that are interested in its use.

The Gates Foundations Africa Director, Cheikh Oumar Seydi, noted, The Gates Foundation gladly supports this initiative of the Africa Medical Supplies Platform to bring COVID-19 treatments to the African people. We have a shared belief that access to lifesaving tools should not be dependent on ability to pay.

In addition, the Africa CDC, has further secured $15m from the MasterCard Foundation, which has been used to buy PCR Test Kits through the platform.

These tests will support our Partnership to Accelerate COVID-19 testing initiative that was launched a few weeks ago, said the Executive Director of the Africa CDC, Dr John Nkengasong.

These donations of both dexamethasone and test kits will be distributed for free to AU Member States, once they register on the platform so as to confirm their allocation and arrange delivery.

Mr Masiyiwa further explained, In addition to our efforts securing the best drugs on the platform, we are preparing to become a critical player in how oxygen supplies, monoclonal antibodies and vaccines are accessible on the continent when it is globally available. 

AMSP expands in supply and demand globally

Mr Masiyiwa also told President Ramaphosa that he was pleased to report that the UNICEF catalogue was now listed and purchasable on the platform while the applications from vendors of medical suppliers have increased threefold from the time of launch.

Mr President, l am pleased to report that the platform has proved popular with suppliers and is receiving applications from an average of 40 new vendors per day, he said.

Mr Masiyiwa also reported that demand for medical supplies on the platform was high and included Member States of the African Union, leading international non-governmental organisations as well as international and African foundations.

We are also zeroing in on ensuring that we expand access of our platform to hospitals and local authorities approved by their governments of Member States. We believe this will help to ensure critical supplies are available at the hospital level in a speedy and timely fashion, said Mr Masiyiwa.

He concluded the briefing by advising the Chairperson of the African Union His Excellency, the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, that under his leadership the platform had also achieved international recognition with Member States of CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market) joining the platform to access critical medical supplies to fight COVID.

-END-

About the Africa Medical Supplies Platform: The Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP) is a nonprofit initiative launched by the African Union as an immediate, integrated and practical response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The online platform was developed under the leadership of African Union Special Envoy, Strive Masiyiwa and powered by Janngo on behalf of the African Unions Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and in partnership with African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) with the support of leading African & international Institutions, Foundations & Corporations as well as Governments of China, Canada & France.

For more information, visit: www.amsp.africa .

About Africa CDC: Africa CDC is a specialized technical institution of the African Union supporting Member States to strengthen their capacity to prepare for and respond to disease threats and other public health emergencies.

For more information, visit: www.africacdc.org .

About Afreximbank: The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution with the mandate of financing and promoting intra-and extra-African trade. Afreximbank deploys innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that are supporting the transformation of the structure of Africas trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby sustaining economic expansion in Africa. At the end of 2019, the Banks total assets and guarantees stood at USD$15.5 billion and its shareholders funds amounted to US$2.8 billion. Voted African Bank of the Year in 2019, the Bank disbursed more than US$31billion between 2016 and 2019. Afreximbank has ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A-), Moodys (Baa1) and Fitch (BBB-). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.afreximbank.com .

About ECA: Established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN) in 1958 as one of the UNs five regional commissions, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africas (ECAs) mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its Member States, foster intraregional integration and promote international cooperation for Africas development. ECA is made up of 54 Member States and plays a dual role as a regional arm of the UN and as a key component of the African institutional landscape.

For more information, visit: www.uneca.org .

About Janngo: Janngo builds, grows and invests in pan-African digital champions with proven business models and inclusive social impact. It builds digital ecosystems in high growth sectors by providing business support and digital platforms allowing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to scale and contribute to the economic empowerment of youth and women through job creation and capacity building.
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Linkedin Matt Spetalnick (Reuters) Washington, United States  Fri, July 17, 2020 08:00 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666f2670 2 World US-China,US-China-Hong-Kong-tension,US-China-Uighur,US-China-tension,US-China-tension-COVID-19,US-China-trade-war,Donald-Trump,travel-ban,bilateral-spat,bilateral-tension Free

The Trump administration is considering banning travel to the United States by all members of the Chinese Communist Party and their families, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday, a move that would worsen already tense US-China relations.

Senior officials discussing the matter have begun circulating a draft of a possible presidential order, but deliberations are at an early stage and the issue has not yet been brought to President Donald Trump, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The discussions, first reported by the New York Times, center on whether to deny visas to tens of millions of Chinese in what would be one of Washington's toughest actions yet in a widening feud with Beijing that some have likened to a new Cold War.

Such a ban, if implemented, could hit the ruling Communist Party from the highest levels down to its rank-and-file and would be certain to draw retaliation against Americans who travel to China. This could include not only diplomats but also business executives, potentially harming US interests in China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said earlier such action by the United States, if true, would be "pathetic."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stopped short of confirming it was under consideration but said: "We're working our way through, under the president's guidance, about how to think about pushing back against the Chinese Communist Party."

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters: "We keep every option on the table with regard to China."

Relations between the world's two largest economies have sunk to the lowest point in decades as they clash over China's handling of the coronavirus outbreak, its tightening grip on Hong Kong, its disputed claims in the South China Sea, trade and accusations of human rights crimes in Xinjiang.

US officials across multiple agencies are involved in the process, which includes consideration of whether to block Communist Party members' children from attending American universities, said the source, who has been briefed on deliberations.

The fact that such a sweeping ban is being discussed shows the lengths to which Trump's aides may be prepared to go as they make the tough-on-China theme a thrust of his campaign for re-election in November.

Trump and prospective Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden have competed to outdo each other on which can take the strongest stand against China.

Trump's aides have made the Communist Party a main target for what they call Beijing's "malign" activities. But Trump has held off on direct criticism of Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he has praised as a friend.

Among the options is to base such a visa moratorium on immigration laws used by the Trump to justify his 2017 travel ban from a group of predominantly Muslim countries, according to the person familiar with the discussions.

Trump could also have authority to make exceptions for certain individuals or categories, the source said.

One difficulty would be determining which Chinese nationals are party members, since US authorities do not have full lists, the source said.
WINSTED  Thousands of members of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America and guests gathered in Baltimore, Maryland, July 5-8 for the BPO Elks National Convention.

During the convention, Donald J. McCurdy Sr., of Winsted, was installed as District Deputy for the BPO Elks for lodges in the Northwest District of the Connecticut Elks Association and will serve a one-year term.

The BPO Elks is one of the premier patriotic and charitable organizations in the United States of America and is committed to making its communities better places to live. Each year, the Order donates more than $85 million in cash and $450 million in goods and services to the needy, students, people with special needs, active-duty members of the US armed forces and their families, veterans and their families, and charitable organizations.

As part of the Elks ongoing commitment to help students achieve their goals and help local lodges make positive changes in their communities, the Elks National Foundation awards annual college scholarships worth a total of more than $4 million, and the Elks National Foundations Community Investments Program provides local Elks lodges with more than $13 million to help them enrich their communities.

As part of the BPO Elks commitment to our nations veterans, the Order has taken the following vow: So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them. Each year, Elks members keep this promise by donating more than $50 million in cash, volunteer hours, and goods to offer essential support for veterans and active-duty members of the US armed forces and their families and for programs that serve hospitalized and recovering veterans and lift up veterans experiencing homelessness. To learn more, visit www.elks.org

Little Britches holding fundraising campaign

BRIDGEWATER  Until July 31 , Little Britches therapeutic riding is joining nonprofits throughout the Northwest Corner in raising money for COVID-19 related needs. Northwest Corner Gives is an exclusive online giving platform created by the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation to help grantees build awareness and raise matching funds.

Their campaign goal is $3,600. To donate, go to https://northwestcornergives.org/campaigns/little-britches-therapeutic-riding/

Weekend in Norfolk goes virtual

NORFOLK  The town of Norfolk is organizing virtual events for 2020 Weekend in Norfolk, set for July 31-Aug. 2.

The only difference is that this year, WIN will take place only online rather than at various locations throughout this peaceful hamlet.

We believe that our online WIN series of events and videos show the resilience of the citizens of Norfolk. Our goal is to be a bright spot in peoples lives at this uncertain time. Were striving to entertain and educate all our WIN fans with the variety of videos that we are developing, said Sue Frisch, one of the founders of the WIN event.

Now in its fifth year, this family fun event has managed to evolve with the times. They hope to reach even more people with their virtual programs and videos that are all free of charge. All videos can be viewed from the comfort of your home.

A new WIN website, weekendinnorfolk.org/ has a day by day schedule that highlights virtual events that will be happening live and those events that will be posted to celebrate WIN 2020 on demand. The virtual events range from a tour of the Tiffany stained glass windows at the Battell Chapel, and a demonstration by a professional artist, to a cooking demonstration on how to prepare healthy foods that could have medicinal advantages.

Audubon Virtual Summer Camp begins July 21

SHARON The Audubon Society invites children for up to five weeks of Virtual Summer Camp, starting July 21. Discover the fascinating world of everything from birds to butterflies to beavers in this engaging online program, led and designed by expert Audubon educators. Details for this exciting program include:

 Ages: For children in kindergarten through sixth grade, three 90-minute sessions per week are offered at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and THursday. Fees are $40 per week or $15 per session. Register by the week or for individual specific days. Campers must have a Mac, Windows PC, or a mobile device with a webcam, stable internet connection, and access to Zoom video conferencing.

Each 90-minute virtual camp session will include activities such as livestream segments and recorded segments with educational nature lessons, featured crafts, and some Wild Jobs highlights from field professionals. The sessions will be hosted live via Zoom by Audubon Connecticut educators from Sharon, Greenwich, and Bent of the River Audubon Centers. Audubon will also provide links to additional educational videos and ideas for more activities and crafts for your child to enjoy at home, beyond the scheduled camp time.

For more information and to register, visit the Virtual Summer Camp web page at ct.audubon.org/virtual-summer-camp.

You can also learn more about Audubon Connecticuts centers by visiting their websites: Bent of the River Audubon Center (Southbury, CT): bentoftheriver.audubon.org; Greenwich Audubon Center (Greenwich, CT): greenwich.audubon.org; and Sharon Audubon Center (Sharon, CT): sharon.audubon.org

Audubon Connecticut's nature education centers in Southbury, Greenwich, and Sharon, Connecticut, serve as gateways to the great outdoors. Located at Audubon nature sanctuaries, our centers are part of a broad network of critical habitats for a host of birds and other wildlife species as well as peaceful respites for people. Our centers serve as community hubs for education, conservation, and engagement with nature. To learn more about our centers and conservation work, visit ct.audubon.org.
Beijing said on Friday any travel ban imposed by the United States against members of China's ruling Communist Party would be absurd and said such a move would amount to Washington standing in opposition to the entire population of China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters during a daily briefing that no country or individual could stop China from its path.

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Investigators are still trying to determine exactly how the hackers got inside Twitters systems and took such command of the platform that, when Twitter employees took the Bitcoin-seeking messages down, the disinformation popped right back up. Many of the details remain unclear: Investigators are still trying to determine if the hackers tricked a Twitter employee into handing over login information. Twitter suggested on Wednesday that the hackers had used social engineering, a strategy to gain passwords or other personal information by posing as a trusted person like a company representative.

But another line of inquiry includes whether a Twitter employee was bribed for his or her credentials, something one person who claimed responsibility for the hacking told the technology site Motherboard.

In the end, it may matter less how they did it than that they succeeded. As Christopher Krebs, who leads the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency at the Department of Homeland Security, has often noted, influencing an election requires either hacking into voter systems or hacking into voters brains. The Twitter breach demonstrated yet another way to accomplish the latter, what Mr. Krebs called on Thursday the more likely, less costly way to mount an attack.

Until Wednesdays attack, most of the officials and analysts at the array of federal agencies confronting election threats were focused heavily on voting systems  because that is the area over which governments have most control. Their particular worry was a convergence of cybercriminals and national intelligence agencies, particularly in Russia, deploying ransomware against underprotected American cities and towns.

A leaked F.B.I. warning from May 1 said ransomware hackers could seek to lock up registration databases, a move that would disrupt both in-person voting and the mailing and processing of mail-in ballots. The F.B.I. warning suggested that ransomware attacks will likely threaten the availability of data on interconnected election servers, even if that is not the actors intention.

The bureau had reason to worry: Atlanta, Baltimore and towns across Florida and Texas have been victims of attacks that locked up their data, making it impossible to pay taxes, get potholes fixed or obtain a building permit. The advisory noted that cybercriminals broke into the American companies that provide internet services to Louisiana election officials late last year, then carefully timed their ransomware attack to a week before an election.

It was a wake-up call, F.B.I. analysts said, to what American states and counties might expect in 2020.
Jakhary Jackson, an officer with the Portland Police Bureau, submitted to an interview during a press availability event. The interview is attracting attention because Office Jackson pointed out that he's seeing some interesting and counterintuitive things at Black Lives Matter protests: there are often more black police officers than black protesters; ignorant white protesters are screaming about racism to black officers; and these same protesters accuse white officers of racism without knowing anything about them.

The video is set to begin when Officer Jackson first starts talking about the white protesters, people who know nothing about the true history of racism, screaming insults at both black and white officers. What he describes is White Women Screaming, rather than Black Lives Mattering:

One of the points I've made repeatedly at American Thinker (see here, here, and here, for example) is that the Black Lives Matter protests have little to do with actual blacks. At the top, there are cynical Marxist race-hustlers, some black and some white. In the middle are white, college-educated 20-somethings, especially unhappy young women looking for meaning in their lives. And at the bottom is the black mob, the group of disaffected people trapped in Democrat-run ghettoes, which can be activated with short term promises of a few days of profitable violence and the long term promise of a police drawdown.

And while white girls may scream hysterically about racism, substituting emotion for reason, intelligence, and knowledge, the reality is that these protests have hurt more blacks than they've helped. Upper-middle-class blacks in already woke institutions, whether academia, the media, or Hollywood, may be getting a few people fired, but on the streets, it's black neighborhoods that have been destroyed and black people who have been murdered in neighborhoods stripped of policing.

American hearts break when they see pictures of the children killed in the crossfire, but the BLM movement marches on. It never loses its relentless focus on obtaining Marxist political goals, as well as big bucks from the corporations it is shaking down with the not so subtle threat of costly looting at the stores and lawsuits in the boardrooms.

Regarding those lawsuits, a cynic might say the Washington Redskins team decided to change its name not because it felt that doing so would advance racial harmony in America, but, instead, as a way of buying woke indulgences. It apparently knew that the Washington Post was planning a major hit piece against it concerning sexual harassment. That would mean that, at Redskins headquarters, what matters are Boardroom Lives, not Black Lives.

Image: YouTube screen grab.
New Delhi: In a landmark judgment, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Mumbai has directed that over Rs 196 crore lying in an individual's Swiss foreign account be taxed. A Swiss bank account holder, Renu T Tharani, with a declared annual income of Rs 1.70 lakh, in her tax filing on July 29, 2006, will now have to pay taxes on the stashed amount abroad.

The assessee raised as many as 19 grounds of appeal, but her plea was dismissed as the tribunal observed that the amount found in her Swiss Bank account was over 11,500 times more than her annual income. The ITAT confirmed the addition in respect of her account with HSBC Private Bank (Suisse), SA Geneva.

In response to the notice issued by the department of income tax, the assessee had denied ownership of the foreign account and objected to reopening of assessment.

The department recorded that the income to the extent of US$3,97,38,122 has escaped assessment and issued her a show-cause notice under section 148 of the Income Tax Act.

In 2006, the assessee filed her income and had declared an annual income of around Rs 1.70 lakh. The department in 2014 decided to reopen the assessment.

The tribunal recorded, "The assessee is not a public personality like Mother Teresa that some unknown person, with complete anonymity, will settle a trust to give her US$4 million, and in any case, Cayman Islands is not known for philanthropists operating from there; if Cayman Islands is known for anything relevant, it is known for an atmosphere conducive to hiding unaccounted wealth and money laundering."

It further observed, "This is a jurisdiction which has double the number of companies than resident, most of which remain only on paper, and it will be no naive to believe that these companies are located here, in a country with around 65,000 residents, for bonafide core activities, rather than the benefits of anonymity, secrecy and liberal tax laws."

"Cayman Island is one of the few jurisdictions in the world where public records of the beneficiaries of firms and companies, like GWU Investments Ltd, are not maintained, and it is only with effect from 2023, that is if the promises made by the Government of Cayman Islands can be believed at face value, that such public records will be maintained," it noted.

It also observed that "assessee is closely involved with the transaction and it is inconceivable that the assessee will have no direct knowledge of the owners of the underlying company and settlers of the trust which has her, as she herself puts it as the beneficiary of such a huge amount. This inference is all the more justified when we take into account the fact that the assessee has been non-cooperative and has declined to sign the consent waiver."

The IRAT observed that the following questions remain unanswered.

1. If Renu Tharani denies the ownership or any connection with the account in individual capacity or as a trustee or as a beneficiary in anyform, has it been notified to HSBC Geneva?

2. Did she or the trust or any other person or beneficiary report income which accrued or arisen from the account after she came to notice the existence of account at least to Indian IT authorities or authorities in any other tax jurisdiction?

3. What is the status of the account now? Does the asset exist now? If not the appellant, who received the same?

4. Who operates the account now? Who has control over the account? If not the appellant, who has authorised the transactions in the account?

"None of them could be answered with documentary evidence. These are strong background factors which goes against the appellant and cements the case against her," the ITAT noted.

The tribunal observed that "there is nothing to controvert this fact stated in the base note and since the assessee has declined consent waiver in this case, the assessee cannot decline correctness of the details obtained from the HSBC Private Bank."

The tribunal observed series of coincidences, right from the HSBC account being closed after the information contained in the base note coming out and to the underlying company being removed from the name of Registrar of Companies in Cayman Islands.

It also noted assessee's living in complete denial about any knowledge about HSBC Private Bank account in her name to her lack of information about the company which is holding the US$ 4 million for her, and, despite assessed being purportedly so clean in her affairs, her thwarting any efforts of the income tax department to get at the truth by declining to sign the consent waiver form.

"The assessee is a beneficial owner of GWU investment Ltd, Cayman Islands", the ITAT concluded.

The landmark decision is likely to pave a way for the government to unearth black money lying stashed in tax havens.
On Wednesday, a Hennepin County Judge allowed the public to view new video evidence in the May 25 police murder of George Floyd involving four Minneapolis, Minnesota police officers. According to various news outlets, the footage does not show Floyd acting aggressively toward officers or threatening them.

The footage comes from body cameras worn by officers Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, and shows officer Derek Chauvins knee on Floyds neck for nine and a half minutes, a minute more than previously thought. Floyd struggled to breathe, and said please to officers 50 times before he died.

When Lane asked that Floyd be rolled onto his side after he is seen begging for help, Chauvin can be heard saying, just leave him. Lane entered the videos as evidence in a bid to have the charges against him dropped. Lane, who held Floyds legs during the killing, has been charged with aiding and abetting Chauvin, who has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter.

George Floyd (Credit: Offices of Ben Crump Law)

The judge in the case ruled that members of the public could view the videos in person at the courthouse by appointment, but were not allowed to record it. The judge also banned news organizations from publishing the material.

Sixty-six spaces were made available for one-hour slots to watch the videos, which total about 65 minutes.

Floyds murder at the hands of the police on Memorial Day sparked weeks of massive protests in all 50 states and around the world against police brutality and inequality. Many rallies and protests featured a moment of silence lasting 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time it was previously thought that Chauvin knelt on Floyds neck, suffocating him to death.

The footage shows Lane and Kueng arriving at the Cup Food convenience store after 8 p.m. following a call that Floyd may have used a fake $20 bill. Lane is seen approaching Floyd and two passengers in a parked SUV and asking to see his hands. When Floyd did not immediately respond, Lane yelled, Put your f**king hands up right now!

Floyd appears distraught in the video, asking, What did we do, Mr. Officer? He then says Im sorry to the officer twice before putting his hands on the steering wheel and repeating that he wants to comply. He then says, I got shot the same, Mr. Officer, before. Floyd is then arrested two minutes after Lane approaches his car, but is not told why.

Lane and Kueng are then seen trying to place Floyd into the back of a police car, but Floyd resists, saying hes claustrophobic and recently recovered from COVID-19. Im not that kind of guy, he told the officers, I just had COVID, man, I dont want to go back to that.

He pleaded with the officers not to put him in the back of the car but said he would go in if they let him count to three. A man on the street can be heard yelling, You cant win to Floyd, to which he responded, Im not trying to win.

The officers tried to push him into the car but Floyd yelled in agony I cant breathe telling officers he would lie on the ground instead. Floyd fell out of the passenger side and onto the asphalt near the cars back tire, telling the officers, Thank you.

At this point, Chauvin put his knee on Floyds neck for nine and a half minutes. Chauvin asked the other officers if they were okay, to which Lane replied, My knee might be a little scratched but Ill survive, as Floyd slowly runs out of air beneath their weight.

Floyd was heard saying he could not breathe several times, and begged for water, to which Chauvin responded in a mocking tone, takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to say that.

Kueng is then seen trying to check Floyds pulse, only after several witnesses plead for the officers to stop and check his pulse, but says he cant find one. Chauvin responds callously, uh huh, keeping his knee on Floyds neck even after he loses consciousness, and not moving until paramedics arrive and put Floyd on a stretcher.

Lanes attorney, Earl Gray, filed the videos as evidence last week in order to have the charges against him dropped. He argues that Lane, a rookie cop, was merely following orders from Chauvin, the superior officer on the scene and a 19-year veteran.

The video shows Lane asking Chauvin twice to flip Floyd onto his stomach, but being denied each time. According to media reports, however, there was no sense of urgency on the part of Lane. Nor was there any speed from the paramedics, who nonchalantly arrive late after first going to the wrong address. Three minutes went by before any of them attempted CPR on Floyd, who had already been unconscious for several minutes by then.

Lane would later enter the ambulance to perform CPR on Floyd, who was pronounced dead at the hospital at 9:25 p.m.

While he was arresting him, Lane did not inform Floyd that he was being investigated for allegedly using a fake $20 bill at Cup Foods. Floyd is seen crying in the video, reluctant to leave his car after Lane points his gun at him.

Lane's attorney argues that Floyd was digging underneath the seat and was acting erratically, but the videos do not show this. The footage also shows Kueng accusing Floyd of resisting arrest, even though Floyd insisted he wasnt.

Joseph Malinao, a former EMT, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune how he drove to the courthouse to watch the videos to get a better understanding of what happened. Its baffling to pull the gun that quick over a forgery charge, he said, adding, That set the tone for the whole interaction.

Chauvin, Kueng, Lane and officer Tou Thao were fired only after the cell phone footage captured by a passerby went viral and mass protests erupted in the city and spread across the country and internationally. Lane and Kueng were charged with aiding and abetting murder while Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Thao, who held back the crowd that assembled, was also charged with aiding and abetting murder.

A coalition of media organizations petitioned the court to obtain the footage, which could then be released to the public. Judge Peter Cahill will hold a meeting on Tuesday to decide.

Floyds family filed a lawsuit on Monday against the City of Minneapolis, arguing that the police had violated his Fourth Amendment rights in killing him.

Benjamin Crump, a lawyer representing the family, told assembled media, It was not just the knee of Derek Chauvin on George Floyds neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, but it was the knee of the entire Minneapolis Police Department on the neck of George Floyd that killed him.

The lawsuit contends that the policies and training approved or condoned by the mayor, City Council and police chief were the moving force behind and caused Floyds death.
While refinancing independent power producers (IPPs) project is unchartered territory in South Africa, it is emerging as a global trend.

Noblesfontein Wind Farm. Image Azari Group

Other international markets have embarked on refinancing, with Canadian renewable energy company Boralex, refinancing almost all of its wind farm operations in France for a total of $1.7bn a couple of years ago. Additionally, in 2015 the ratings agency, Moodys, released a report stating that the rising investor interest in the European renewable energy sector is leading to refinancing, which could result in lower credit risk, in particular for certain projects in Spain and Italy. The report further stated that refinancing activity in the European renewable energy sector is on the rise thanks to growing interest from infrastructure funds.South Africa has also started the process, which has the backing of the renewable sector and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) Despite the impact of the current pandemic, it is expected that the refinancing process will take between four and six months, with real progress predicted by September 2020.Shareholders need to realise value from the refinancing process too, and not just the clear advantages for the end-user, Daniel Zinman, senior transactor at Rand Merchant Bank said at a webinar hosted by Windaba. He was joined by Jason van der Poel, partner at Webber Wentzel, in outlining that IPPs will need to ensure that the contingent liability to the National Treasury, post-refinancing, should not exceed the original liability at any point in the IPPs lifespan.According to the webinars panel of experts, there are a multitude of ways in which IPPs can be refinanced, each with their own set of benefits and consequences. These include maintaining existing debt levels and structure, but reducing margins; increasing existing debt levels; increasing debt tenor; converting Johannesburg Interbank Average Rate debt to Consumer Price Index debt; replacing reserve accounts with contingent facilities; replacing junior debt with senior debt, introducing preference shares; and restructuring existing risk management strategy and hedging policies.Looking to the opinion of an IPP, Hennie Hanekom, Noblesfontein Wind Farms financial manager, believes that one of the biggest incentives for refinancing at this point is so that IPPs can obtain a new loan that has improved terms, compared to existing loans. These terms include lower financing costs, relaxed covenants, changed variable base rates, changed finance instruments and improved duration of tenor. However, he warned of the pitfalls relating to solvency and leveraging requirements, which might restrict equity distributions, and increased credit ratings could lead to higher finance costs.
Britain, the United States and Canada have accused Russian hackers of trying to steal information from researchers seeking a coronavirus vaccine, warning scientists and pharmaceutical companies to be alert for suspicious activity.

Intelligence agencies in the three nations alleged the hacking group APT29 - also known as Cozy Bear and said to be part of the Russian intelligence services - is attacking academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in Covid-19 vaccine development.

"It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic,'' British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement, accusing Moscow of pursuing "selfish interests with reckless behaviour".

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, rejected the British accusations, saying: "We don't have information about who may have hacked pharmaceutical companies and research centres in Britain.

"We may say one thing: Russia has nothing to do with those attempts."

The persistent and ongoing attacks are seen by intelligence officials as an effort to steal intellectual property rather than disrupt research. The campaign of "malicious activity'' is ongoing and includes attacks "predominantly against government, diplomatic, think tank, health care and energy targets'', Britain's National Cyber Security Centre said.

It said its assessment was shared by the US Department of Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Security Agency, and by the Canadian Communication Security Establishment.

The co-ordinated move seemed designed to add weight to the announcement, hopefully prompting the targets of the hackers to take protective action.

It was unclear whether any information actually was stolen, but the UK says individuals' confidential information is not believed to have been compromised.

The UK statement did not say whether Mr Putin knew about the vaccine research hacking, but British officials believe such intelligence would be highly prized.

Relations been Russia and the UK have plummeted since former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with a Soviet-made nerve agent in Salisbury in 2018 and later recovered.

Britain blamed Moscow for the attack, which triggered a round of retaliatory diplomatic expulsions between Russia and Western countries.

In a separate report yesterday, Britain accused "Russian actors" of trying to interfere in December's general election by circulating leaked or stolen documents online. Unlike in the vaccine report, Britain did not allege that the Russian state was involved in the political meddling.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being accused by opponents of suppressing a report into Russian interference in British politics that was completed last year by the committee that oversees intelligence services. It was not cleared for publication before the election and the six-month delay in appointing new members to the Intelligence and Security Committee led to allegations that Mr Johnson's government was deliberately stalling.

The Labour Party has accused the government of failing to publish the report because it would lead to other questions about links between Russia and the Brexit campaign in Britain's 2016 European Union membership referendum, which Mr Johnson helped to lead.

The intelligence committee met for the first time this week and said it would publish the Russia report before Parliament begins its summer break on July 22.

Some critics accused the government of releasing its dossiers of allegations about Russia as a diversionary tactic.

Mr Johnson's spokesman, James Slack, said that was "nonsense".

The report of Russia trying to hack Covid-19 vaccine research comes two years to the day since Mr Trump stood alongside Mr Putin in Helsinki and appeared to side with Moscow instead of US intelligence agencies about the 2016 election interference.

A 16-page advisory prepared by Western agencies accuses Cozy Bear of using custom malicious software to target a number of organisations globally. The malware, called WellMess and WellMail, has not previously been associated with the hacking group, the advisory said.
Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba has shared her thoughts about the news that longtime host Tom Bergeron and co-host Erin Andrews were suddenly let go from the show.

ABC confirmed on Monday that both Bergeron, 65, and Andrews, 42, would not be returning for the show's 29th season, revealing on Tuesday that Tyra Banks would step in as the host.

Inaba opened up about the news in a video from an episode of her CBS series The Talk, slated to air on July 21, where she began, 'I feel it was just such sudden news.'

Opening up: Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba has shared her thoughts about the news that longtime host Tom Bergeron and co-host Erin Andrews were suddenly let go from the show

New host: ABC confirmed on Monday that both Bergeron, 65, and Andrews, 42, would not be returning for the show's 29th season, revealing on Tuesday that Tyra Banks would step in as the host

She added that her, 'heart breaks' for both Bergeron and Andrews, with no reasons given for their removal, though a network statement said the show will, 'embark on a new creative direction.'

'I cried when I heard the news, as well as, I think a lot of our fans did,' Inaba continued, before assuring fans that both Bergeron and Andrews, 'will be fine.'

There has also been a lot of talk about Banks, 46, being the 'first black host' of Dancing With the Stars, with Inaba setting the record straight.

Heart breaks: She added that her, 'heart breaks' for both Bergeron and Andrews, with no reasons given for their removal, though a network statement said the show will, 'embark on a new creative direction'

'People have been saying that Tyra is the first black host of Dancing with the Stars, and I just want to clarify, because season one we had Lisa Canning,' Inaba said.

'Also, I dont think thats how we should be labeling her. Shes our new host. Period. It has nothing to do with the color of her skin. I think it has to do with all that Tyra Banks is,' she said, adding that while it will be a change fans will 'have to get used to,' she added that they should 'welcome her.'

Sheryl Underwood added that Banks will be the first solo host in DWTS history, asking Inaba if she plans on returning as a judge, along with Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman.

Clarify: 'People have been saying that Tyra is the first black host of Dancing with the Stars, and I just want to clarify, because season one we had Lisa Canning,' Inaba said

Judge: Sheryl Underwood added that Banks will be the first solo host in DWTS history, asking Inaba if she plans on returning as a judge, along with Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman

'As of now, that is the plan. I just want everybody to know Len [Goodman], Bruno [Tonioli] and I, that is the plan that were coming back,' Inaba said.

She adding the network will make 'the official announcement in a few weeks' but she didn't want 'fans to worry, adding, 'It seems like everything is okay.'

ABC announced in June that Season 29 of DWTS will return in its regular Monday night 8 PM time slot.

Coming back: 'As of now, that is the plan. I just want everybody to know Len [Goodman], Bruno [Tonioli] and I, that is the plan that were coming back,' Inaba said

Filming is expected to begin this fall, with new safety guidelines in place to keep the cast and crew safe from COVID-19.

Valerie Bruce, general manager, LA Productions, BBC Studios, revealed they are taking this iconic show in a new creative direction,' though there is no word on how the show will differ from the past 28 seasons.

She also offered her, 'sincere thanks to Tom and Erin, whom we will always consider part of the Dancing with the Stars' family.'

Bergeron had hosted the show, based on the U.K. series Strictly Come Dancing, from its first season back in 2005, with Andrews coming on in 2014 as co-host.
The PPP is structured to use financial institutions as links between business owners and federal lenders. Many black and brown businesses dont have relationships with big financial intermediaries  banks with seasoned loan officers, accountants and legal advisers. And there is no incentive, financial or otherwise, for the big mainstream banks to turn from their fee-generating business clients seeking PPP loans to help small-business owners of color who are short on staff and know-how when it comes to navigating federal paperwork.
LONDON  Stadiums and concert venues in England may reopen in the fall, but nightclubs will remain closed. All schools will welcome students by September, but wedding receptions will be limited to 30 people. And while pubs and restaurants reopened in England earlier this month, the local authorities will be granted new powers to close them when coronavirus cases flare.

As Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain laid out a road map on Friday to simultaneously ease lockdown restrictions and to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the coming months, the steps toward reopening came with a clear warning: There will not be a significant return to normality until November at the earliest, and possibly in time for Christmas.

Britain has suffered more than any other European country from the coronavirus, with more than 45,000 dead and nearly 300,000 infected, although it has succeeded in significantly reducing the number of casualties after they rose sharply in April and into May.

Still, the lockdown has delivered a brutal jolt to businesses large and small, with at least 650,000 jobs lost in the first months of the pandemic, and the country expected to register its largest decline in annual G.D.P. in 300 years.
Anne Case and Angus Deaton co-wrote a new book Deaths of Despair and the Future of American Capitalism and recently spoke about how the coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating these deaths of despair in the United States. Credit: University of Southern California

Inefficiencies and flaws in the American health care system are so dramatically highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic that public anger may force changes that lobbyists in Washington will not be able to block. This according to Nobel laureate Sir Angus Deaton, Presidential Professor of Economics at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Distinguished Fellow at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, and Princeton Professor Anne Case.

Deaton and Case discussed health care trends in the context of their latest book, "Deaths of Despair and the Future of American Capitalism" (Princeton University Press, 2020), during a Schaeffer Center webinar on July 7. Dana Goldman, director of the Schaeffer Center, interim dean of the USC Price School of Public Policy and a USC Dornsife economist, hosted the event.

Deaton noted that the virus is putting extraordinary pressures on the health care system. He said that it is possible that 1 million Americans will have to spend time in the hospital. At the same time, 27 million Americans may have lost their employer-based health insurance and face big out of pocket costs.

"This is not a good time for employer-based health insurance," he said. National health plans in other countries are not facing the same dilemma. Many different plans might work in the United States but in the end "we need to get away from this monstrous system," which costs 18% of American gross domestic product.

Case and Deaton's book documents the devastating deaths that preceded COVID-19, taking the lives of 158,000 Americans in 2018. Deaths of despair primarily strike those without a college degree whose loss of a way of life has led them to suicide, alcoholism, drug overdose and finally premature death.

Today's pandemic has further exacerbated these deaths of despair as those without a college degree are less likely to be able to continue their work remotely, and those who are able to continue to work typically fill essential jobs that put them at great risk of COVID-19 infection.

Any path forward should focus on how to make it possible to lead a middle-class life without a four-year college degree, which is becoming more expensive and less likely to be a ladder up for most Americans, Case said.

Explore further Will social isolation lead to more deaths of despair?
As clashes over face-covering mandates and school reopening plans intensified throughout the United States, the country shattered its single-day record for new cases on Thursday  more than 75,600, according to a New York Times database.

This was the 11th time in the past month that the record had been broken. The number has more than doubled since June 24, when the country registered 37,014 cases after a lull in the outbreak had kept the previous record, 36,738, standing for two months. As of Wednesday, the countrys seven-day average case number exceeded 63,000, up from about 22,200 a month before. The previous single-day record, 68,241 cases, was announced last Friday.

Thursdays record included more than 5,000 cases in Bexar County, Texas, which contains San Antonio, where numbers spiked in part because of a backlog in test reporting.

Florida on Thursday broke its single-day death record for the second time this week, reporting 156 new fatalities. It was one of 10 states to reach a record for deaths in a single day this week, joining Idaho, Alabama, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Texas, Hawaii, Montana and South Carolina. (New York Times)

Featured stories

Sun Belt hospitals are feeling the strain from virus surge  and bracing for worse (Washington Post)

Money and speed for COVID-19 tests needed to combat impending disaster (NBC News)

Georgia governor sues Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms over mask mandate (ABC News)

Remdesivir shortages force doctors to make heart-wrenching choices (CBS News)

Science should not stand in the way of schools reopening, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany says (USA Today)

National news

35 Portland protests continue for 50th straight night

Mary Trump says shes heard President Trump use racist slurs, slams his handling of COVID-19 (USA Today)

Federal officers respond to Portland protests with gas, munitions Thursday amid growing attention from Trump administration (oregonlive.com)

GOP scales back convention plans, relenting on virus restrictions (NPR)

Democratic members of Congress told not to go to Milwaukee for convention (NBC News)

Fauci implores young people to stay vigilant on coronavirus risk (Reuters)

Former game show host leaves Twitter after his son contracts COVID-19 (CNN)

Three California churches take state to federal court over ban on singing during services (CNN)

Oakland settles lawsuits over deadly Ghost Ship fire for $32.7 million (NBC News)

More than a dozen women say they were sexually harassed while working for Washington Redskins (Washington Post)

Fire aboard Navys USS Bonhomme Richard extinguished after 4 days, cause still unknown (NBC News)

World news

Russia is hacking virus vaccine trials, U.S., UK, Canada say (Associated Press)

Almost certain Russians sought to interfere in 2019 UK election (BBC)

Over 1 million: India joins U.S., Brazil in grim coronavirus club (Reuters)

Tokyo reports record rise in new coronavirus cases as plans for Olympics scrutinized (NBC News)

Hong Kong demands Taiwan officials sign one China document for visa renewal: source (Reuters)

Court strikes down EU-U.S. data privacy pact, leaving companies in the lurch (CNN)

ISIS bride Shamima Begum wins right to return to the UK to appeal her loss of citizenship (ABC News)

U.S. has several indications Iran has put portions of air defense on high alert (CNN)
US travel ban on CPC members 'paranoid,' risks dragging ties to 1972: analysts

Global Times

By Liu Xin and Zhang Hui Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/16 15:56:15

The Trump administration is reportedly considering banning members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and their families from traveling to the US, a paranoid and McCarthyist move driven by ideological bias that will drag bilateral ties back to 1972, analysts said.

The presidential proclamation, still in draft form, could authorize the US government to revoke the visas of CPC members and their families who are already in the country, leading to their expulsion, The New York Times reported on Wednesday. Members of the People's Liberation Army and executives at state-owned enterprises may also face travel restrictions to the US.

The newspaper, which is usually harshly critical of US President Donald Trump, noted that the president might ultimately reject the proposal.

As the CPC has more than 91 million members in China, the travel ban targeting CPC members and their families would affect a wide range of Chinese people and rock the already strained China-US ties.

The travel ban is unrealistic and fully displays a Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice, Diao Daming, an associate professor at the Renmin University of China in Beijing, told the Global Times.

The travel ban, once it starts, would probably be followed by reciprocal measures from China, and would ruin the decades-long bilateral ties and draw the relationship back to 1972 with few people-to-people exchanges and the cutting of trade exchanges and investments, Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, told the Global Times on Thursday.

1972 marked the year when then US president Richard Nixon visited China, starting the process of the normalization of China-US relations. The two countries established formal diplomatic relations in 1979. Bilateral trade, investment, cultural, education and people-to-people exchanges have flourished since then. Chinese students have been the largest source of foreign students in the US for 10 years. In 2019, the US had around 370,000 Chinese students, according to the Institute of International Education.

Some US politicians are paranoid and have always wanted to create a split between the CPC and Chinese people, but seem not to think further about who nurtures the CPC. The CPC comes from the Chinese people, and it cannot be alienated from the Chinese people. The US' sanctions and attacks against the CPC are imposed on the Chinese people, Xin said.

The 99-year-old CPC had 91.91 million members, with 4.68 million primary-level Party organizations as of the end of 2019, according to the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee.

In less than 100 years, the CPC has seen its membership grow from more than 50 when it was founded in 1921, and 4.49 million in 1949 when New China was founded, to more than 91 million.

The US is trying to drag China into an ideological war and a similar Cold War battlefield from decades ago. By portraying the CPC as a "tyrant," the US wants to whitewash its image as the "beacon of freedom" and "democracy" to form domestic consensus and pull distracted allies together to contain China, Xin said.

Many Chinese netizens believed the possible ban will become another US policy that is all talk without action, and some said the US has become increasingly deranged in its China policies out of pure jealousy of China.

"Now, the US is simply jealous of China, and the more the US fails, the crazier it becomes. Its growing craziness revealed its failure and total disgrace to the whole world," a netizen surnamed Huang commented.

Wang Wen, a professor and executive dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Thursday that the ban on CPC members is nonoperational as neither the passports nor other required materials show the CPC member identity in applying for a visa to the US.

Like US sanctions on Chinese officials over Hong Kong affairs, it is just a paper tiger that has no actual effect, Wang said. Wang has visited the US some 50 times, and his 10-year visa to the US was canceled in 2019.

As a CPC member, Wang said "it makes no difference to me whether I go to the US, and each time I visited the US, I was invited by the US side The next time I visit the US, I am sure it will still be at an invitation from the US side."

He said he has been to 100 countries, and he would proudly tell them he is a CPC member each time he's asked.

Wang also refuted groundless claims that Chinese people apply for CPC membership to get promoted in their career.

This claim is illogical. CPC members are among the outstanding people in all walks of life. And most of those who applied to the frontline to fight disasters or coronavirus were CPC members and the backbone of society are CPC members, Wang said.

Many well-known entrepreneurs like Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, and Wang Jianlin, founder of Dalian Wanda Group, are CPC members.

US politicians, including Pompeo, have frequently tried to place Chinese people in opposition to the CPC. In the latest example, the US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said in an article published by the Washington Post on Monday: "Under Marxism-Leninism, the self-proclaimed ideology of the Chinese Communist Party, individuals do not possess inherent value. People are merely a tool to achieve the ends of the collective nation-state."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying slammed O'Brien's article on Wednesday, saying the CPC represents the fundamental interests of the vast majority of the Chinese people, seeks to advance their interests and serve them heart and soul. People's interests are its guiding compass, which is why the CPC has maintained a satisfaction and support rate of higher than 90 percent for many years.

"The CPC leadership has enabled China to grow into the world's second biggest economy without resorting to warfare, colonialism or slavery, which is unprecedented in past decades. The CPC puts people and lives first. In stark contrast, the US parties put selfish political gains and capital first," Hua said.

Pathetic US

In response to the report on the possible travel ban, Hua Chunying, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told a press conference on Thursday that the move only makes people feel pathetic about the US. It also violates the international code and will do no good to the US' image.

"As the most powerful country in the world, what impression will the US leave on the world apart from various sanctions it imposes on others?" Hua said.

It also revealed an old trick that the US has been using since the Cold War, which was to place a country's people in opposition to its government so that it would face weak resistance when launching attacks on the country, Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

"The international community has clearly seen the chaos and disaster the US' tricks have brought the world, and this misjudgment from the US can only harm the world without benefiting itself," Li said.

The US has intensified pressure on China recently on various issues, including the South China Sea, Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Analysts said that it showed the US is desperately trying to decouple with China in key areas, as it knows a complete decoupling is impossible.

Li predicted that in the next four months before the presidential election starts, the US will launch more attacks targeting China in the military, political and public opinion domains, which will help its politicians gain more votes.

Diao noted that some politicians, including US State Secretary Mike Pompeo and Peter Navarro, President Trump's top trade adviser, are using Trump's eagerness to win the election to play all their cards against China. Their extreme and unreasonable behavior of stirring up confrontations between China and the US is not driven by national interests but ideological bias.

They have realized the US is declining but can do nothing to stop it. All they can do is spare no efforts to contain a rising China, which has a totally different model from the US and made tremendous achievements in all key fronts, Diao said.

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The Haifa District Court rejected July 16 an appeal submitted by Sheikh Raed Salah, chief of the outlawed Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, against his prison sentence. The court maintained the ruling of 28 months in jail. Salah has already spent 11 months in detention, thus is expected to serve now 17 months, starting Aug. 16.

In November 2019, the Haifa Magistrates Court found Salah guilty of incitement to terror and of membership in an outlawed organization. And in February, the court sentenced him to 28 months in prison.

Salah was convicted for expressing on several occasions sympathy with terrorists or encouraging terrorism, including a sermon he delivered after the July 2017 terror attack by three Israeli Arabs at the Jerusalem Lion Gate outside the Temple Mount compound. Two Israeli police officers were killed in the attack. According to the verdict, Salah praised the martyrs of Al-Aqsa, and hailed their actions. Salah also gave a similar speech at a symbolic funeral held for the three gunmen in the city of Umm al-Fahm.

Already in 2015, Israels security Cabinet outlawed the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, accusing it of collaborating with Hamas. Following that decision, the Israeli Police seized the group's property and closed its offices. Later, the police also shut down 17 nonprofit organizations and movements affiliated with the group.

The 2015 outlawing of the group and the 2017 Temple Mount terror attack by three residents of Umm al-Fahm heightened tensions between Israeli Arabs and Jews. Right-wing groups and politicians targeted specifically the city, Salahs home town, questioning the loyalty of its residents to the country. In 2018, then-Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman proposed that Umm al-Fahm be transferred to the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority as part of a future agreement. "You ask yourselves why Umm al-Fahm should be part of Palestine and not Israel? The sight of hundreds of people participating in the funeral of a terrorist with a Palestinian flag, and calling for in spirit and blood we redeem the martyr gives you a final answer to the question, Liberman said.

Rejecting Salahs appeal July 16, the court stated that Salahs contention that the 2017 attack was not terror  but resistance  was outrageous." The judges also rejected the argument that the conviction impinged on the right for free speech, saying that free speech did not extend to support for violent acts, especially for a community leader. The leader knows that the public looks to him and learns from his words, as well as his silence, on supporting criminal acts. And so, he bears responsibility, the judges wrote in their decision.

The judges also referred to the outlawing of the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, stating that only the Supreme Court had the jurisdiction to look into that decision. Still, the judges noted that in some cases a terror group is not a terror-structure per se, but an organization with mixed goals and activities, some legal and some illegal.

After the ruling, Salah said that the verdict changes nothing in his beliefs. His lawyers related that they will not appeal the decision again.
The India-Iran agreement on Chabahar port, located outside the Persian Gulf, was signed in May 2016 when PM Narendra Modi visited Iran

While the Sino-Indian de-escalation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh is still, as external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said, a work in progress, China as a factor in India-Iran relations became more manifest by two developments.

One, the New York Times published a leaked draft of a Sino-Iran sweeping economic and security partnership, encompassing $400 billion in Chinese investment over next 25 years.

Two, reports that Iran was dropping India in the development of the Chabahar-Zahedan rail project, a showpiece of Afghanistan-Iran-India trilateral cooperation.

China had earlier too ramped up its Iranian presence whenever India, Japan and the European Union reduced their engagement after 2006s UN sanctions over Irans nuclear programme. But the scale and timing of the current foray is significant.

Former President Barack Obama changed Americas Iran policy from confrontation to calibrated engagement, realising the fight against ISIS in Syria-Iraq was unwinnable without Iran. This even involved Washington endorsing the P5+Germany 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.

Unsurprisingly, the India-Iran agreement on Chabahar port, strategically located outside the Persian Gulf, was signed in May 2016 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Iran. This included the construction of the Chabahar-Zahedan railway line for improving connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia.

In May 2018, US President Donald Trump abandoned the nuclear deal with Iran, called the Joint Comprehensive Programme of Action (JCPOA), imposing comprehensive sanctions to build maximum pressure. India always implemented the UN-mandated sanctions against Iran but avoided unilateral ones by the United States.

Mr Modis wooing of President Trump and his unwillingness to upset a truculent leader led to quietly adopting the US-mandated trade and investment boycott of Iran.

Concomitantly, India also strategically engaged Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both US allies. Mr Modis personalised diplomacy targeted Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, despite the latters unsavoury image.

Tehran would have noted this. Indias abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir in August 2019, and the reshaping of J&K, also riled Iran.

On August 21, 2019 Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei tweeted: Were concerned about Muslims situation in #Kashmir. We have good relations with India, but we expect the Indian government to adopt a just policy. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani separately said: Muslims of Kashmir must be able to use their legal rights and interests to be able to live in peace. Thus, geopolitics and the BJPs domestic political agenda converged to blight India-Iran ties.

The New York Times reports that the new and comprehensive cooperation agreement between Iran and China was on offer since the 2016 Iran visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Iran was still unsure about US policy under a new President. The Trump presidency chose total confrontation with Iran, believing Iran would buckle. Former American NSA John Bolton, in The Room Where It Happened, recounts Mr Trumps emotional vacillations and his Iran policy.

In mid-2019 Mr Trump half-heartedly backed Japanese PM Shinzo Abes proposal, before the G-7 summit in Japan, to play peacemaker between the US and Iran. Mr Bolton writes that Mr Abes idea was acceptable only if they make the deal, meaning not a concession now, but only after Iran had given up nuclear weapons.

Mr Abe failed as he went empty-handed asking Iran to accept a new nuclear deal and curtailment of its regional influence. Mr Abe recounted to Mr Trump that Khamenei took notes as Abe spoke but (finally) said he had no response.

Which came via a tweet, even before Mr Abe boarded his plane, that Khamenei recognised the goodwill and seriousness of Mr Abe but did not consider Mr Trump as a person deserving to exchange messages with. Mr Trump privately called Khameneis remark nasty and tweeted in response that a fresh deal with Iran was impossible as they are not ready, and neither are we.

Thus, with the Iranian economy under duress, Iran saw a comprehensive engagement with China for investment, trade and defence cooperation as its only lifeline. Although Iran greatly values strategic independence, necessity overpowered caution. Iranian foreign minister Javed Zarif was in China last October to finalise the agreement.

However, the Covid pandemic in China and later in Iran this year delayed its conclusion. It lists nearly 100 projects, proposes three free trade zones in Maku in northwest Iran, Abadan in the southeast close to Shatt al-Arab and on Qeshm island, which would challenge GCC dominance of trade and manufacturing in the Gulf.

Of concern to India should be the proposed port at Jask, westward of Chabahar and next to the Strait of Hormuz, through which transit not only oil but the US Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain.

Thus, with existing control of Gwadar, its likely presence in Chabahar and now perhaps exclusive use of Jask, China presents maritime challenge to the United States and India in the Indian Ocean.

Chinas continental influence now straddles from Himalayas to the Gulf. But the agreement may face domestic hurdles as it requires approval of Irans Parliament, dominated by radical factions. Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called it a suspicious deal.

The leak of the 18-page document may be a deliberate Iranian ploy to warn the US and Europeans to rethink their policy of maximum pressure without any incentives and relief.

For China, this ambitious gambit supplements its Belt and Road Initiative and flows from its post-Covid aggressiveness in Hong Kong, South and East China Seas, and the Himalayas.

The US has retaliated by sending two aircraft carrier groups through Chinese-claimed waters in the South China Sea, rejecting Chinese maritime claims as bogus. Japan has pushed back around Senkaku Islands and India, caught unawares, has belatedly mirrored the Chinese buildup at the Ladakh LAC.

Although Iran says India can join the Chabahar railway project later, calculating perhaps that after the November US presidential elections, a more pragmatic leadership may emerge. It needs an India acting independently as a counterweight to China.

Meanwhile, a series of explosions ripping through Irans nuclear facility at Natanz and defence installations near Teheran indicates some new US-Israel cyber or kinetic action to hobble Irans nuclear programme.

But after the Ladakh standoff, a neo-Cold War alignment of China-Russia-Iran against the US and its friends and allies is emerging. India must think strategically without refracting Indian foreign policy through the prism of domestic politics.

Otherwise, the Chinese containment of India in South Asia and now through a wider arc that includes Afghanistan and the Gulf will only exacerbate.
(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 8, 2020 German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a plenary session at the European Parliament in Brussels upon the presentation of the German programme for EU presidency. The heads of state and government of the 27 member states of the European Union meet on July 17, 2020 in Brussels at a crucial summit for the revival of the economy of the Old Continent, hit hard by the pandemic of coronavirus.(YVES HERMAN / POOL / AFP)

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel turns 66 on the day that she and her 26 colleagues return to Brussels, not to celebrate but to test whether in-person negotiations can answer a 750-billion-euro question.

The EU has been plunged into a historic economic crunch by the coronavirus crisis, and EU officials have drawn up plans for a huge stimulus package to lead their countries out of lockdown.

But a determined band of northern capitals, led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Netherlands, are holding out against doling out cash to their southern neighbours without strict conditions attached.

Friday's talks are expected to run into Saturday and perhaps even Sunday, but few here are confident of a breakthrough, despite the tight timetable, so another summit may well follow later this month.

- 'A deal is essential' -

Summit host Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, has tried to create a sense of momentum after previous coronavirus-era videoconferences served only to underline the leaders' differences.

"Finding agreement will require hard work and political will on the part of all. Now is the time. A deal is essential," he wrote in his letter inviting the leaders back to Brussels.

"We will need to find workable solutions and come to an agreement, for the greater benefit of our citizens."

But optimism was in short supply as the leaders gathered in the Belgian capital, some arriving early on the eve of the summit to hold private discussions ahead of the main event.

European diplomats said the Netherlands would continue to insist that member states retain the right to veto any joint borrowing by the European Union to finance loans to members.

And they want any loans or grants to come with strict conditions attached to ensure that heavily-indebted countries like Spain and Italy carry out reforms, under European Commission oversight.

This is furiously opposed by the south. Both Michel and Merkel, whose country has just taken on the rolling six-month presidency of the EU, will struggle to broker any compromise.

"We're open to reaching an arrangement this weekend, but if there won't be an agreement we are open to more negotiations later on," Dutch foreign minister Stef Blok said on Wednesday.

- Loans or grants? -

The Netherlands has emerged as the most likely hold out, but Rutte's position is backed to varying degrees by fellow members of the so-called "Frugal Four" -- Sweden, Denmark and Austria.

Michel's draft plan foresees a 750-billion-euro (850-billion-dollar) recovery package, made up of 250 billion in loans and 500 billion in grants and subsidies that would not have to be repaid by the recipient member states.

The Frugals oppose grants, and want any loans to come with conditions attached.

This package is in addition to the planned 1,074-billion-euro seven-year EU budget from 2021 to 2027 that the leaders must also agree in the coming weeks or months.

"An agreement is not at all guaranteed. On the contrary, there remain large differences to get over," a senior European official admitted.

Aside from the governance of the recovery package, the leaders may also clash over efforts to make EU budget support contingent on member states respecting the rule of law.

Hungary and Poland, which have been targeted by the European Commission over their alleged drift into authoritarianism, will fight to stop such a rule being written into the budget.
Dr. Dayton Wong may be 3,458 miles from his hometown in the Hawaiian islands, but Plainviews newest surgeon feels right at home in West Texas.

West Texas has the small-town community feel that I love and was raised in, explained Dr. Wong who is coming to Covenant Health Plainview following a general surgery residency at the Texas Tech Medical School in Lubbock. He will be working with local surgeons Dr. Doug Cummins and Dr. John B. Delcambre.

Dr. Wong was recognized as an excellent surgeon with great skills and a strong work ethic, said Covenant Health Plainview CEO Alan King. He has a tremendous ability to communicate and make people comfortable. He came from a small community in Hawaii and grew up in a rural setting and wanted to live in a community that he and his family could be part of. He is a devoted family man, avid outdoorsman. Plainview and Covenant Hospital Plainview are blessed to have him on board.

Although Hawaii is considered a prime tourist destination, Wong was born and raised at Kaunakakai on the largely rural island of Molokai. The fifth largest island in Hawaii, Molokai had a population of 7,345 in the 2010 Census. Its largest city and Dr. Wongs hometown, Kaunakakai, had a population of 3,425 that same year. The entire island is roughly 30 miles long and 10 miles wide and includes about 260 square miles of land. Its principal business activities are cattle ranching, pineapple and sugar cane production, and small-scale farming.

I was raised in a very family- and community-oriented environment, he explains. Given the rural nature of my upbringing, I was fortunate to be raised in a semi-subsistence style living where we hunted and ventured into the ocean for food. A portion of the island served as a leper colony from 1866 to 1969.

As a paramedic, his dad provided an early influence in directing Dr. Wong toward a career in medicine. While in high school, Dr. Wong became interested in pursuing medicine as a profession.

I realized that the clinics on the island were severely understaffed and my initial desire was to take over one of the islands clinics, he admits. I fell in love with surgery during my surgical rotation, and the rest is history.

His chosen field of medicine offers the unique reward of being able to see his patients improve and recover almost immediately following his care.

It is always rewarding to witness a patients improvements with interventions or therapies, he explains. I enjoy seeing my patients feel better when their issues are corrected.

He explains, What I enjoy most is the ability to take a patient who is miserable and provide a fix that will allow their condition to improve. I know that I could handle the anatomy and the physical demands of surgery. I found myself enjoying the long hours in the operating room.

Rather than specializing in any particular field of surgery, Dr. Wong opted to become a general surgeon.

I chose to remain in general surgery and not specialize because I knew that even if I took the time to complete a fellowship, I would have the desire to do a more broad practice, he explains. I felt that in a small community setting, it would be more valuable for me to start practicing rather than delay that with a fellowship.

Dr. Wong graduated from Molokai High School and received his undergraduate degree at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He earned this medical degree from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine and completed his general surgery residency at Texas Tech University School of Medicine in Lubbock.

His journey from Hawaii to West Texas is the direct result of the uniform medical Match system by which medical residency candidates and residency programs simultaneously match to fill first-year and second-year post-graduate training positions accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

I always joke that it was the match process that brought Dr. Wong to West Texas. It is the process of obtaining a residency slot where you are contracted to go to a location for residency. I lucked out. I love it here.

Cummins said hes excited to bring Dr. Wong on board as he comes highly recommended by instructors and UMC staff he worked with during his surgical training in Lubbock.

I'm excited to welcome Dr. Dayton Wong to his new practice in Plainview and looking forward to having a colleague to work closely with and provide top-notch care for our patients, Cummins said. Dr. Wong is originally from a small town in Hawaii and will be a great fit for a rural surgery practice.

While the populations of Lubbock and Plainview are much larger than that of the island of Molokai, there is a commonality. People will still make small talk to strangers in the checkout aisle, hold open doors, and stop to help if someone is stranded on the side of the road and needs assistance. You lose these things in big cities.

And he plans to stay. I saw an opportunity here where I can contribute my services to a population that is in need of care, he explains. It is an environment that I can raise my family in. The only thing missing in West Texas is the ocean.

The good West Texas vibrations that remind Dr. Wong of home include the welcoming reception he received at Covenant Health Plainview.

I really enjoyed meeting the personnel, Dr. Wong recalls on his initial visits to the local hospital. Everyone had that friendliness that I enjoy. From the CEO to the clinic staff, everyone was driven to achieve the best patient care possible. Covenant Plainview felt like home. I felt like I was surrounded by like-minded people who put their patients first and, as a plus, also enjoyed outdoor activities as I do.

And Dr. Wong is setting his sights high as he begins his local practice.

My goal is to make Covenant Plainview the first thought in the region when patients need surgery. I hope that through outreach and excellent patient care that the regional primary care physicians will not hesitate to call and refer patients to our group, Dr. Wong notes.

Understandably, given the size of our hospital we will not have the resources to handle large cases that are better served at the more quipped Lubbock hospital but, for everything else, we can handle it. It will be more convenient for patients to receive their surgeries closer to their homes.

I hope that I can be a positive contribution to the development of a well-rounded, respected, and reliable West Texas surgical service at Covenant Health Plainview, he adds.

Dr. Wong starts August 1 and will office with Dr. Cummins at 2503 Xenia Street, suite 102. Call 806-296-9300 to make an appointment.
The three main commutation defenses, all offered with Stonian shamelessness, are: (1) The president has the power to do it; (2) it was warranted because Stones conviction was part of the Russia hoax; and (3) other presidents used their pardon and commutation power corruptly, too.

The first defense is true as far as it goes, though its a straw man given that few dispute it. It also leaves out James Madisons famous example of a non-criminal but impeachable act: If the President be connected, in any suspicious manner, with any person he shelters from justice, Congress would be within its rights to impeach him for it.

Second, whatever you think of the Russia investigation, Stone is guilty of the crimes he was tried for. Indeed, those crimes should enrage those who tout the presidents total exoneration. If Stone believed Trump to be wholly innocent and that the Russia collusion claim was a hoax, why not fully cooperate with investigators to clear the air? Moreover, why would Attorney General William Barr  vilified by the left and lionized by the right for being a Trump loyalist  oppose Stones commutation and defend his prosecution as righteous?

The third and most popular defense is the one that reeks of hypocrisy.
Two of South Carolina's leading Black and white Baptist denominations assembled Thursday in North Charleston to build bridges and pray for unity within the faith.

Leaders of the predominately white S.C. Baptist Convention, the Palmetto State's largest Protestant denomination, and the historically African American Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina were joined by dozens of Charleston area pastors.

They gathered to ask for God's forgiveness for racial injustice, and call for congregations to build bridges.

"We lament a past riddled with injustice, racial superiority, acts of terror over and over," said Josh Powell, president of the SCBC.

The convention, which has a definitively racist past, has made efforts in recent years to atone for its sins.

Dr. Donald Greene, president of the Baptist education that includes 1,100 membership churches, prayed and encouraged believers to express love, hoping that pulpits will one day be "beyond black and white."

"So, when the world sees the church loving, it will become contagious," he said.

The prayer walk was organized by pastors Joe Warring of Northbridge Baptist and Larry Goss of Destiny Worship as an effort to demonstrate unity among the faith community, combating racism with prayer against "wickedness and evil, which are the root causes of racism and other sins of pride and greed."

+3 Congregations returning to SC churches and other houses of worship should expect changes Houses of worship never had to close in South Carolina, though most did so voluntarily. What services will look like when the doors open again will vary by denomination and congregation.

Warring said for justice and peace to happen in the land, it must come through Jesus Christ.

"We're not here to talk about politics. We're not here to talk about legislation," he said.

Others noted the interconnection of religion and societal issues.

Pastor Kenyatta Mandela, pastor of Abyssinia Missionary Baptist Church, said the spiritual wickedness is the root cause of violence and other evils in the land. He said faith leaders must also pay attention to the physical needs of people, adding clergy can't offer spiritual food while ignoring people's need for physical substances.

"You can't separate one from the other," he said.

The group began the event with prayer at Charity Missionary Baptist Church, a building housing a historically Black congregation in the city's Liberty Hill community. They then walked nearby to Holmes Avenue Baptist Church, a predominately white faith community. Most of those present wore masks, circling in front of the churches for prayers of healing and unity.

+6 Prayer walk for peace draws dozens at North Charleston's Park Circle More than 70 people gathered at Park Circle in North Charleston on Saturday for a prayer walk to demonstrate unity and ask for God's forgiveness for being silent on issues of injustice.

The Rev. Kathy Simmons, an associate minister at Charity, spoke of the significance of the church serving as the walk's starting point.

The church, which has been in the community founded by freed slaves for more than 100 years, has been a symbol of hope during oppression of African Americans.

As the group walked from the building, Simmons said the ministers' prayers offered hope to a community that's grappling with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. She said she hopes people realize that God is not dead.

"It's a scary time for a lot of people," she said.

Standing in front of Holmes Avenue, Pastor Steve Tuck, leader at East Cooper Baptist, said all people are made in God's image and he called on churches to break down the walls of hostility.

"I get so sick and tired of turf wars we do with churches," he said. "Lord, that's not your plan."

+3 Dozens of Charleston-area pastors denounce sin of racism during prayer walk downtown Starting at a downtown church that once used religion to oppress enslaved Africans, Lowcountry faith leaders walked throughout downtown Charleston as they prayed and denounced the ugly sin of racism that still stains the Holy City.

Faith leaders were joined by North Charleston Police Chief Reggie Burgess and one other law enforcement officer. The event concluded in the middle of Park Circle, where participants engaged in praise and worship and prayed specifically for police officers.

This is the second prayer walk organized by the group. The first took place last month in downtown Charleston, where several dozen pastors stopped at different historical markers of slavery to pray against the sin of racism and ask God to implement justice.
Richmond police veteran Bisa French will be the departments new chief after serving 10 months as its interim leader.

French will be the first Black woman to serve as chief, Lt. Matt Stonebraker, Richmond Police Department spokesman, said Thursday. City Manager Laura Snideman chose French.

French, who has worked in the department since 1998, was appointed interim police chief in September. Her predecessor, former Chief Allwyn Brown, left after an overwhelming vote of no confidence from the Richmond Police Officers Association.

French, who was not immediately available for comment, officially assumes the job on Aug. 1.

Help us with Congratulating Chief French! the department tweeted.

Before assuming the interim chief position, French had served as assistant chief since 2016. Three years before that, she had become the youngest and first Black and Latina captain on the force.

Her career began with assignments in community policing, field training and bicycle patrol, according to the citys website. As she rose through the ranks, she took on leadership roles in the Domestic and Sexual Violence Unit and Family Justice Center.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The appointment comes soon after the country and region erupted in massive protests against police brutality following the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Black Lives Matter marches filled Bay Area streets for weeks.

Anna Bauman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: anna.bauman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @abauman2
More Deets On Fed Influx

225 federal agents coming to KC as part of 'Operation: LeGend,' a violent crime crackdown KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Two hundred twenty-five federal agents are on their way to help police try to get violent criminals off the streets. "Operation LeGend," named for 4-year-old murder victim LeGend Tallifero, is designed to be an unprecedented government response to the highest number of homicides Kansas City has ever seen, so far this year.

Suburban Crime Uptick, Too

Shawnee man sentenced to 45 years for Platte County murder KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Shawnee man was sentenced Tuesday to 45 years in prison for the murder of an unarmed man in Platte County. In March, Coty Borst, 28, was found guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the deadly shooting that occurred on June 21, 2018.

Crime Talk Coming Soon

KC Mayor Lucas responds to Gov. Parson's special session hyper-focused on violent crime KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - Both Kansas City and St. Louis are on track to have record-breaking numbers of homicides. The mayors of both cities asked for a special session to address the issue which finally happened Wednesday. But Mayor Quinton Lucas doesn't agree with all of the governor's goals.

Tragic Postscript

KCK police called to Olivia Jansen's home 5 times in 2020 before death; DCF called, too KANSAS CITY, Kan. - The family of Olivia Jansen says they knew the three-year-old was in danger but couldn't get anyone to help. Her father, Howard Jansen III, and his girlfriend, Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick, are now in the Wyandotte County Jail, charged with a slew of crimes including first-degree murder in connection with Olivia's death.

Legislation Protecting Youngsters Stalls Again

Adrian's Law stalls in Kansas legislature for 3rd year: 'It just seems to be more and more excuses' KANSAS CITY, Kan. - For the third year in a row, a bill that was introduced as a measure to protect children from child abuse has stalled in the Kansas legislature. In 2017, Kansas Rep. Louis Ruiz introduced Adrian's Law - named after Adrian Jones, a Kansas City, Kansas, boy who was murdered by his parents.

Flashback: Focus On Victim After Killer Meets Justice

Loved ones remember Jennifer Long following execution of her killer KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- After a 17-year hiatus, the second federal execution since 2003 put to death convicted killer Wesley Purkey at 8:19 this morning. Purkey was found guilty of the brutal rape and murder of Jennifer Long. He was also convicted of using a claw hammer to kill 80-year-old Mary Ruth Bales.

2020 Campaign Season Violence Spikes Amid Pandemic

Politics overshadows policing reform as cities grapple with surge of shootings, homicides Despite ongoing protests and demands for change, national efforts to reform policing appear to have stalled under the weight of election-year politics and a surge in violent crime that has led to new questions about the most effective approach to public safety.

The end of July and August are typically the most violent part of the Summer for Kansas City. This time around, because of Coroanvirus restrictions, it's unlikely that the start of school will result in a street crime respite.Accordingly, here's a roundup of court cases, police action and community news from across the metro . . .Developing . . .
The US government executed Wesley Ira Purkey, 68, Thursday morning at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. His execution followed the execution Tuesday of Daniel Lew is Lee, 47. The US Supreme Court cleared the way for both of these executions to proceed, with early morning 54 rulings vacating lower court orders.

In Purkeys case, the high court majority opinion consisted of a single paragraph. The courts ruling also lifts a judges order blocking the execution of two other federal inmates, one set for today and one next month.

A year ago, Attorney General William Barr directed the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to reinstate the death penalty for federal prisoners. The Trump administration has been aggressive in its efforts to put an end to a 17-year de facto moratorium on the federal death penalty.

Wesley Ira Purkey

Purkey was convicted and sentenced to death in 2003 for the 1998 rape, murder and dismemberment of Jennifer Long, 16, in Kansas City, Missouri. He was also convicted in state court of the murder of 80-year-old Mary Ruth Bales.

Purkeys attorney argued that his execution should be delayed because dementia had left him unable to understand his punishment. Judge Tanya Chutkan of the Federal District Court in Washington, D.C. ruled Wednesday that Purkeys execution should be delayed until the court could determine whether he was fit to be executed.

A federal appeals court panel had also issued a stay in Purkeys case, which remained in effect until Wednesday. Purkey had claimed that his legal counsel failed to adequately defend him at trial and during his habeas proceedings, but the government argued that federal law barred him from raising the issue so late in his case. The Supreme Court sided with the government on this as well.

Media witnesses to Thursdays execution were allowed into the brick building that houses the execution chamber in Terre Haute at 7:43 a.m. The Indianapolis Star wrote, Two minutes later, the shades were lifted, allowing them a view of Purkey, already strapped to the execution table. IVs that carried the lethal injection drugs were already inserted into each of his hands. Dark purple veins stood out on his left hand.

I am deeply sorry, Purkey said after a BOP official removed a mask from the condemned mans face to allow him to speak. I deeply regret the pain I caused to my daughter, who I love so very much. This sanitized murder really does not serve no purpose whatsoever. Thank you.

Witnesses said Purkey took several deep breaths and blinked repeatedly before he lay his head back down on the gurney. A witness said his chest last moved at 8:02 a.m. He lay motionless for several minutes with his mouth open and his eyes closed. Prison officials pronounced him dead at 8:19 a.m.

Like Lee before him and the two other federal prisoners next scheduled to be put to death, Purkey suffered from severe mental impairment. Issuing its injunction on Wednesday, the district court described Purkeys history of mental illness:

As a child, he experienced repeated sexual abuse and molestation by those charged with caring for him. As a young man he suffered multiple traumatic brain injuriesfirst in 1968, when he was 16, and again in 1976 

[A]t 18 he was diagnosed with schizophrenic reaction, schizoaffective disorder, and depression superimposed upon a pre-existing antisocial personality. At 68, he suffers from progressive dementia, schizophrenia, complex-post traumatic stress disorder, and severe mental illness.

By vacating the lower courts injunction to rush through his execution, the right-wing majority on the Supreme Court denied Purkey the right to get a hearing on his mental competency.

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justice Elena Kagan, wrote that the Department of Justices quibbles over the venue in which Purkey raised his claims were no excuse for the high court to shortcut judicial review of a case involving a death row inmate who may well be incompetent for execution.

The justice wrote that proceeding with Purkeys execution now, despite the grave questions and factual findings regarding his mental competency, casts a shroud of constitutional doubt over the most irrevocable of injuries.

In another dissenting opinion. Justice Stephen Breyer, joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, argued that these federal cases show the inherent arbitrariness of the death penalty itself. He wrote that these cases reveal the same basic flaws that have long been present in many state cases.

He added, A modern system of criminal justice must be reasonably accurate, fair, humane, and timely. Our recent experience with the Federal Governments resumption of executions adds to the mounting body of evidence that the death penalty cannot be reconciled with those values.

The Supreme Court rulings in these federal death penalty cases do not align with Supreme Court precedent. In the landmark 1986 Ford v. Wainwright decision, the court ruled that it is unconstitutional to execute someone who doesnt understand why he is being put to death by the state.

In his majority opinion in Ford v. Wainwright, Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote, such an execution has questionable retributive value, presents no example to others and thus has no deterrence value, and simply offends humanity.

Ignoring such sentiments, DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec issued a statement that focused not on Purkeys legal claims but on the most egregious crimes he had been convicted of committing: After many years of litigation following the death of his victims, in which he lived and was afforded every due process of law under our Constitution, Purkey has finally faced justice.

Left out by Kupec was that the DOJ, with the support of the Supreme Court, was not willing to wait even a day to consider the claims of Purkeys mental competency. This drive by the federal government to resume executions is indicative of the resolve of the most reactionary elements within the ruling elite to uphold the barbaric practice of capital punishment.

That this comes in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic highlights the ruling elites determination to see to it that capitalist rule and class justice stand above the well-being and lives of the population.

Dustin Honken, who was convicted of shooting and killing five people, is set to die today. He was reportedly terrorized by his violent, alcoholic, criminal father, resulting in mental health problems, but the jury never heard evidence about his background.

Keith Nelson, sentenced to death for kidnapping, raping and strangling a 10-year-old girl, is scheduled for execution on August 28. He is among the 29 percent of federal death-row prisoners with developmental brain damage, traumatic brain injury and/or intellectual disability.

The Death Penalty Information Center says that of the estimated 2,500 prisoners on death row across the US, 64 are held by the US government and the military.
The senior spokesman of Irans Armed Forces has insisted that only eight Iranian servicemen have been killed in Israeli airstrikes against Iranian military bases in Syria in recent years.

An Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)-linked news agency, Fars, cited Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi as denying on Thursday, July 16, reports that "hundreds" or even "thousands" of Iranians had been killed in Israeli airstrikes in war-torn Syria.

The IRGC Brigadier General maintained that only eight Iranian military personnel have been killed in Israeli raids.

The airstrikes attributed to Israel started after the civil war broke out in 2011 in Syria and Iranian forces were dispatched to help the Assad regime and thy began establishing themselves in the country.

Israeli officials believe the military presence of the Islamic Republic and its proxies in Syria is a deliberate attempt "to open a new front against the existence of Israel."

Apparently, Mohammad Ali Allahdadi is the highest-ranking Iranian military personnel killed so far in the airstrikes attributed to Israel.

A commander of the Qods Force, the IRGC's arm for extraterritorial operations, 52-year-old Brigadier General Allahdadi was killed in January 2015 alongside six Hezbollah Fighters near the Israeli borders.

Following his death, the IRGC released a statement saying, "Zionists should await devastating thunder of the IRGC," and Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a "warning letter" to Israel via the United States, Al Jazeera reported on January 28, 2015.

Jihad, the son of the Lebanese Hezbollah's notorious field commander, Imad Mughniyeh, and several other Lebanese militias, were killed along with Allahdadi.

On several occasions, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors developments in the Syrian war, has claimed that "many" of the casualties of Israeli air attacks were Iranians.

However, the Iranian armed forces' senior spokesman dismisses the claim and insists such claims are cooked-up by the Western-Zionist media empire and their sidekicks to aggrandize Israel's power, while it is merely a paper tiger.
Ben Fogle has urged fans to 'not waste a single second of your precious time on earth' after he announced a second star of his New Lives in the Wild programme has died.

The presenter took to Instagram this morning to reveal that Scotsman Chris Clark, who lived in Xixuau, in the Amazon basin, one of South America's most remote areas, had died after a short battle with cancer.

In June, the presenter revealed his heartbreak after Estonian conservationist Kristin Strauss, who was on the show with her husband Julius, a former war correspondent, had died at just 43, also from cancer.

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Ben Fogle posted this snap of Chris Clark, who'd appeared on his show New Lives in the Wild, and urged people to 'not waste a single second of your precious time on earth' following news of the conservationist's death at 59 (Chris Clark, pictured far right, with his family and Ben Fogle, far left)

The nature-loving Scot started a new life in one of South America's most remote communities but died recently, Ben told his followers on Instagram

On June 30, Ben said he was 'heartbroken' to learn of the death of Kristin Strauss, centre, who had been married to former war reporter Julius, far right. The couple had previously appeared on the show discussing their new life running a bear sanctuary in rural Canada

Clark, believed to be 59, had appeared in the final episode of the series screened in January 2019, telling viewers how a near-death experience in the Amazon had transformed his life and he ended up moving to the 'utopian' rainforest for good.

Speaking about the conservationist, who he'd trekked two days to meet for the episode, Fogle wrote: 'Some very sad New Lives in the Wild news. Scotsman Chris Clarke who lived with his family in the Brazilian Amazon basin passed away after a short battle with cancer.'

He concluded his post with the words: 'Seize the moment before its too late. Dont waste a single second of your precious time on earth.'

The show followed how Chris, after spending most of his youth in Italy, spent two years travelling the world at 23 with Brazil being one of his favourite destinations.

However, a hike in the forest took a nasty turn when he and a friend became lost for a total of three days and three nights. They had an encounter with a jaguar and decided to build a raft in order to float upstream before they were rescued.

Bizarrely, the encounter left him smitten with that region and in 2004 Chris sold his company and moved permanently to Xixuau with his Italian wife and two daughters. Fast forward to 2019 and Chris' life looked a little different having remarried a local woman Artemisia.

The couple lived in a wooden house on stilts, which Chris built himself, with their daughter Shania and Chris' step son Ray. The family relied on a small generator for their electricity, and with the nearest shop a 24 hour boat ride away, normally fish and hunt for their food with delicacies including wild pig and piranhas.

Fans of Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild were saddened to hear that former war correspondent Julius Strauss, from London, was selling his bear watching business in British Columbia after the death of his partner Kristin, who passed away from cancer in February

Kristin and Julius had successfully campaigned for a grizzly bear ban in British Columbia, which was put in place in 2017, and were looking to the future

The news of Chris' death is the second tragedy for the show in recent months.

In June, Fogle told how Kristin Strauss had lost a battle against cancer.

She had appeared on New Lives in the Wild after moving to a remote part of Canada to help her husband overcome PTSD following his career as a war reporter.

Julius Strauss, from London, settled in British Columbia in 2005 with Kristin Srauss, where they set up The Wild Bear Lodge, a bear watching business.

The former journalist, who reported for a national broadsheet on the world major conflicts of the 1990s and early 2000s, from the war in Afghanistan to the civil war of Kosovo, had credited the lodge with helping him recover from PTSD.

In 2016, the couple had welcomed TV adventurer Ben to their home, and told him about their fight to stop bear hunting in the Canadian wilderness.

But after the episode ran in June, Ben announced that Kristin had sadly passed away aged 43 in February, after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.

Heartbroken fans found that Julius was now moving on from his bear watching venture in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia and selling his business after Kristin's passing.

The news was a sad blow after the episode found the couple happy and thriving, looking forward to expanding their business, following their campaign to protect the wildlife in their region.

Praising Kristin's legacy, Fogle said: 'Over the years, the wild folk around the world that have let me into their lives have become an integral part of mine. Friends for ever,' the presenter said.

'Six months after visiting Julius and Kristin, the unthinkable happened.'

During his first visit, Ben had helped Julius and Kristin with the maintenance of the lodge, and learned about their fight to protect wildlife in the region

ulius, pictured during his days as a war correspondent with Russian soldiers in Chechnya, suffered from PTSD due to the harrowing scenes he witnessed

Julius fell in love with Estonian Kristin, who had been married to a diplomat and was the bureau chief for Reuters News Agency and the pair decided to give up their high-flying careers to travel across Canada in a camper van.

After coming to British Columbia in 2005 and setting the bear lodge, the couple had quickly discovered the devastating impact of bear hunting on the grizzly bear population in the region.

The couple had to work hard to establish their own business so they could afford to pay the mortgage on their dream home and do up the property where they would live.

Julius trained to be a bear guide and Kristin became a chef so they could offer a unique wilderness experience to tourists who stayed on their ranch.
Wicklow RNLI safely assisted a 20 foot yacht with two people onboard to safety on Sunday after the small vessel got into difficulty.

The alarm was raised at 11.45 a.m. when the inshore lifeboat was launched with Graham Fitzgerald at the helm with crew members Alan Goucher and John Stapleton.

The yacht was located four minutes later one mile east of Wicklow Harbour. Weather conditions at the time were described as sea state slight with force three southerly wind.

Alan Goucher transferred over from the inshore lifeboat to the yacht to help the two sailors, who were experiencing problems with the mast, while their onboard engine had also failed.

A towline was established and the yacht with two sailors were brought safely alongside the East pier at Wicklow Harbour at 12.15 p.m.

On Saturday, the all-weather lifeboat was launched just after 7 p.m. under the command of coxswain Nick Keogh, to join Arklow lifeboat and the Dublin based Coast Guard helicopter 'Rescue 116' in a search for a yacht in difficulties.

The initial reports suggested the yachts position was nine miles south between Wicklow head and the Arklow wind farm.

Wicklow lifeboat was stood down by the Coast Guard and returned to station at 7.45 p.m. after the stricken yacht was located by Rescue 116 near Courtown and assisted by Arklow lifeboat.
By Ren Xu

With the COVID-19 wreaking havoc around the world, the US military, though hit hard by the virus, remains super busy.

On June 9, a US C-40 military transport aircraft flew over the west coast of Taiwan. It was a severe violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations and an attempt made by the US military to test Chinas resolve in safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests.

File photo

US media reported on June 5 that President Donald Trump had demanded the Pentagon to withdraw nearly 10,000 American troops from Germany by September. The next day, Polands prime minister expressed the hope that some of the American troops from Germany could be re-stationed in Poland. The move was generally seen as a warning to Germany and a step to strengthen the eastern wing of NATO, which will escalate the blocs confrontation against Russia.

American military media reported on June 2 that the US Air Force had deployed F-35 fighter jets to the Middle East for the third time in a year, along with about 2,000 marines as the crisis response force. Military officials made a tough statement that this force, boasting land and air combat and logistic support capabilities, would be able to handle all sorts of combat needs in the Middle East.

The US military has been busy sowing discords around China, strengthening encirclement against Russia, and intimidating Iran and Syria. According to statistics from the US Department of Defense (DoD), COVID-19 has spread to dozens of US military vessels and more than one hundred military bases. As of June 17, more than 8,000 active-duty American service members have been infected against the backdrop of over 2 million infections and more than 110,000 deaths across the country. Being hit so hard by the pandemic, American politicians are still busy making trouble around the world instead of focusing on getting its own house in order.

In May, an American helicopter dropped several thermal balloons in the countryside of Shaddadi, south of Hasaka in Syria, which caused a big fire that burnt down many civilian houses and destroyed more than 200 dunams (more than 50 acres) of wheat crops. The wheat burnt by the American helicopter was what the local villagers lived on.

The US military is transferring sailors from USS Theodore Roosevelt. Photo from US Navy

Havent the US been repeating inhuman behaviors like this? Just at its doorstep, the US directed a new version of Bay of Pigs invasion in Venezuela, stepped up sanctions against Cuba, and deported illegal Latin American immigrants regardless of the risk of spreading the COVID-19. These moves have further laid bare its combined character of a bandit and a rogue.

Many illegal Latin American immigrants live in dire conditions in the US are highly prone to coronavirus infection. After declaring a public health emergency, the US deported many of these immigrants as threats to American public health. It threatened to impose visa sanctions on and halt assistance to the Latin American countries that refused to accept their nationals. The problem is that these deported immigrants were neither placed under enough quarantine nor given any virus test before they were sent away, thus bringing considerable risks to the pandemic prevention and control in their home countries. The fact that Latin America has become a new epicenter of COVID-19 is closely linked to the accelerated deportation of more illegal immigrants by the US government.

Medical workers are taking a patient to the emergency room of a hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Photo from Xinhua News Agency (by GuoKe)

Analysts explained that sending immigrants away is much simpler and cheaper than quarantining and treating them for the US. Such an act of pushing risks to other countries shows a total absence of responsibility by the US and highlights its unilateral position. The pandemic proves once again that humanity lives in a community of shared future. At a time when solidarity and cooperation were needed most by the international community, the US chose to go against the trend and aggravated the disaster. The deep-rooted reason is that the so-called America first is essentially a policy to have the whole world at Americas beck and call, so American capitalists can rake in profits at will and take advantage of other countries woes to maintain the hegemony of America. Between protecting capitalists interests and saving ordinary American lives, American politicians do not even bother to don a veil of hypocrisy. As a result, the failure in containing the pandemic in the US is more of an outcome caused by human than nature. People around the world, including ordinary Americans, are the victims of the actions by American politicians, whose hands are drenched in the blood of countless lives.
At least 26 of the nation's 65 largest police departments have banned or strengthened restrictions on the use of neck restraints since the Memorial Day death of George Floyd after a Minneapolis police officer held his knee to Floyd's neck for more than seven minutes, a Washington Post analysis shows.

The swift response followed protests across the nation - sometimes on the steps of police departments' headquarters - and were often announced in splashy news releases or at news conferences to quickly spread the word and reassure stressed communities.

"We have to show people we are listening. We can't afford another George Floyd," said Art Acevedo, police chief in Houston and president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association. "We can't afford another man dying at the hands of a police officer with no justification. We can't have any more violations of the public trust."

The Houston Police Department already prohibited the use of neck restraints, Acevedo said, "unless the officer is in a fight for his life." However, the department's 2015 use-of-force policy did not mention the restraints.

To make the policy permanent, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner last month signed an executive order to create a city ban so "another police chief cannot come in the middle of the night and change it," Acevedo added.

Turner used a high-profile platform - Floyd's funeral - to announce his plans. Ten days later, the department also updated its use-of-force policy to include an explicit ban on the restraints.

Police-reform activists have called for prohibitions on two neck restraints - the chokehold, which restricts breathing, and the carotid hold, which limits blood flow to the brain. The use of either can render a person unconscious and can also be lethal.

A Post survey of the 65 largest U.S. police departments found 40 prohibit chokeholds in their use-of-force policies, while 38 prohibit carotid holds in those policies. These formal rules list the tactics and techniques officers may or may not use on suspects under various scenarios and can be critical tools in holding officers accountable.

The survey examined the policies of the largest U.S. police departments by population served. Together, these departments serve almost 64 million Americans - about 20 percent of the nation's population.

Twenty-three departments said they prohibit or restrict the use of chokeholds but did not explicitly state this in their use-of-force policies. Of those departments, nearly half said the ban is implied because the use of the restraints are not taught.

Two departments that did not state a ban in their use-of-force policies didn't return calls and emails from The Post.

Not having these policies clearly spelled out in use-of-force documents can make it difficult for the public to know what the rules are and for officials to discipline officers who use the restraints, said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, which provides research, training and reform plans for police departments.

"It should be part of use-of-force policy, and it should be part of training - both of them - because how can you hold people accountable if you don't tell them what is expected of them?" Wexler said. "You have to make it clear in policy, but if you don't have it in the training, it is an empty order."

There are many ways departments prohibit neck restraints outside of the use-of-force policy including official memos, internal orders and other directives. But some departments also consider a hold banned if it's simply left out of training and policy documents.

The Sacramento Police Department listed the carotid hold as an approved tactic in its September 2019 use-of-force policy but recently removed all references to the hold and released a tipsheet saying the carotid control hold was "banned." A spokesperson said via email that language previously approving the carotid hold "was removed therefore making it no longer authorized for use."

Other departments are less transparent about neck-restraint guidance, although that is also starting to change. In four cases, use-of-force policies posted on department websites as late as June were heavily redacted. The Honolulu Police Department's policy, which had most of the section on carotid holds blacked out, has since been replaced by one with no redactions. Houston police also eliminated the black marks.

Ten of the departments in The Post analysis posted a colorful scorecard on their websites that announced new policy changes or clarified old ones. The 8CantWait scorecard - distributed by the nonprofit Campaign Zero after Floyd's killing - asks departments to publicly state their positions on eight policies, including neck restraints and a duty-to-intervene requirement.

Since Floyd's killing, protesters have been using the scorecard to demand specific reforms of their police departments. "I think people are hungry for actionable things to do that will also have results," said DeRay Mckesson, co-founder of Campaign Zero, which fights police violence.

Police departments have long argued that if officers have the proper training, the use of neck restraints can be safely applied and helpful to suspects and officers alike. They say the holds allow officers to quickly subdue suspects and get them into handcuffs without using a gun, reducing the risk of a fatal shooting.

However, that argument is falling out of favor as more and more departments are training officers on techniques they can use to de-escalate encounters so more suspects can be taken into custody without physical force.

Dr. Bill Smock, police surgeon with the Louisville Metro Police Department, said both neck restraints are perilous, even in police training. He knows of at least three officers who suffered strokes during training when the techniques were used on them.

"There is no such thing as making it safe with proper training," Smock said. "Any pressure to the neck is dangerous and can cause serious physical injury, rips to the artery, damage to the internal organs, stroke and death. I don't care what you call pressure to the neck, it is all strangulation, and it is all dangerous."

In addition to strengthened restrictions on neck restraints, police departments have begun to reconsider officers' duty to intervene following Floyd's killing. Since then, at least seven of the nation's 65 largest departments began requiring officers to intervene if a colleague is using excessive force.

In all, 42 of the 65 departments have a "duty to intervene" provision in their use-of-force policies.

"There are 18,000 police departments, and each of them is setting their own policies," said Anthony Chapa, executive director of the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association. "There is no national police like there are in other countries where policies can be put in place and they are required everywhere."

Chapa and the leaders of 11 other national police organizations came together in 2016 to create clear guidance for law enforcement agencies on use-of-force policies. One hope was that it could lead to greater uniformity.

At the top of the group's 2017 report was the "the duty to intervene." After protests exploded across the nation this spring, the group gathered again and beefed up what it had previously said on the topic, adding that there should be "accountability for all officers on the scene." The revised report also said chokeholds, carotid holds and martial arts weapons - including brass knuckles and nunchucks, also known as chainsticks - should be banned to reduce the need for such interventions.

Chapa, a former assistant director for the Secret Service, said given the fractured and disparate nature of the nation's law enforcement agencies, he's not surprised that the requirement isn't universal. However, he hopes that will change. "With the duty to intervene, that should be a rule or regulation - it should be taken seriously."

Getting officers to follow the duty-to-intervene rule is challenging because of the paramilitary structure of police departments, according to interviews with five use-of-force and police training experts.

In many cases, the incidents involve overly aggressive veteran officers who were trained under "warrior-style" policing. Rookie officers are assigned to them for field training and are expected to defer to them. In Minneapolis, rookie officers did not stop 19-year veteran Derek Chauvin from kneeling on Floyd's neck.

"It's easy to say to officers that they must do it," said Timothy Bildsoe, a member of the board that sets training standards for Minnesota police departments. "But it's another thing to put your entire career on the line."

Cariol Horne, a former Buffalo Police Department officer, has become the poster child to some for what can happen to an officer who intervenes. She was fired in 2008 after she pulled a fellow officer off a handcuffed suspect as he used a chokehold on the man.

Horne had served 19 of the 20 years needed to receive her pension. She said the man was not resisting; the other officer said he was. "It destroyed my life," she said in an interview.

Nearly 14 years later, the Buffalo Common Council - the city government's legislative branch - last month unanimously passed a resolution asking the New York Attorney General's Office to take a second look at restoring Horne's pension.

Now Horne attends protest rallies, calling for support of officers who intervene, walking by strangers who hold up signs that say, "Get Cariol Her Pension!" Among the speakers at a recent rally was the man in the chokehold that day, Neal Mack Sr., who said, "She saved me. . . . There should be more police officers like her."

At the rally, a pro bono legal team was announced for Horne, including W. Neil Eggleston, former White House Counsel for President Barack Obama.

- - -

A Washington Post survey of the 65 largest U.S. police departments sought to identify use-of-force policies and practices related to two issues: the use of neck holds and an officer's duty to intervene when excessive force is witnessed. Neck holds were considered prohibited in departments that allowed an exception for situations in which deadly force would be authorized. The Post determined the categorization for each issue was based on information in publicly available documents, information from Freedom of Information Act requests, interviews and news accounts.
DEERFIELD (dpa-AFX) - Drugstore chain Walgreens has partnered last-mile logistics platform DoorDash to offer on-demand delivery to customers in select cities with plans to expand to markets across the U.S. Walgreens customers in the Chicago, Atlanta and Denver areas can now order on-demand delivery from Walgreens through the DoorDash app and website, selecting from an assortment of more than 2,300 convenience, health and wellness products. These include beauty products, over-the-counter medications as well as grocery and snack foods. Initially, these customers can select over-the-counter medications, and other household essentials and convenience products from Walgreens stores. Primarily a food delivery company, DoorDash said it is now looking to continue its growth beyond food to offer millions of Americans access to thousands of Walgreens items on-demand. DoorDash is celebrating the new collaboration with Walgreens by offering customers 20 percent off on Walgreens items via the DoorDash app and website on their first order of $15 or more (up to $5 maximum savings). DoorDash added that Walgreens is also available on DashPass, its subscription service that offers members unlimited free delivery fees and reduced service fees from hundreds of thousands businesses. DashPass members can enjoy these benefits on orders of products from Walgreens of $12 or more. This is part of Walgreens' ongoing focus on enhancing its customer experience with new convenient, accessible and safe shopping and delivery options amidst the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. DoorDash also said it has accelerated the launch of its Convenience vertical since April to provide customers with access to the grocery, convenience, wellness and household supplies amidst the global pandemic. During these difficult times, DoorDash has recently partnered with 7-Eleven, WaWa, Casey's, and CVS Pharmacy in the Convenience space. Walgreens plans to offer more than 5,000 items for delivery on the DoorDash platform by the end of summer 2020. It also plans to expand the service to other major markets starting with Cincinnati, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Sacramento and Seattle throughout the summer. As of August 31, 2019, Walgreens operated 9,277 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day. 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.
"Watercrest Sarasota will provide seniors the highest quality of care, service and amenities in a spectacular environment which parallels the beauty and aesthetics of Sarasota," says Marc Vorkapich , Principal and CEO of Watercrest Senior Living Group.

Ideally located at 4100 University Parkway, Watercrest Sarasota is a signature Watercrest product, offering 72 independent living, 94 assisted living and 32 memory care apartments with resort-style service and world-class care. The architecture and design boast a stunning promenade, fireplace, signature water wall, multiple dining options, pool, salon and spa, grand balconies, and Florida-style outdoor living spaces. Watercrest's uniquely designed Market Street Plaza will showcase an 'outdoor' streetscape with numerous LifeBUILT programming touches; a highlight and crucial element of their multi-sensory memory care programming.

"We look forward to offering our residents an unparalleled experience in our Watercrest community, while cultivating long-lasting relationships with families, associates and business partners to create a positive impact in the local community," says Collin Baranick, Executive Director of Watercrest Sarasota.

Watercrest Senior Living Group was founded by Marc Vorkapich, CEO, and Joan Williams, CFO, to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities and world-class care, and their innovative memory care programming offers unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia.

Watercrest Sarasota is the second senior living development project partnered between Watercrest Senior Living Group and United Properties. Their first project, Watercrest Naples Assisted Living and Memory Care welcomed its founding residents earlier this year in Naples, FL.

For community information, virtual tours or to place your reservation at Watercrest Sarasota, please contact Collin Baranick, Executive Director at 941-979-1396 or [email protected].

A certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest Senior Living Group specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. Visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com.

SOURCE Watercrest Senior Living Group

Related Links

http://www.watercrestseniorliving.com/


Leeanne Smithers had a book of evidence served on her

A Dublin woman has been sent for trial accused of assaulting and injuring a man at a city centre train station.

Leeanne Smithers (38) had a book of evidence served on her at Dublin District Court.

Judge Bryan Smyth sent her forward for trial to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Ms Smithers, of Gardiner Street Flats in the north inner city, is charged with assault causing harm to a man.

The offence is alleged to have happened at Heuston Station on January 17, 2018.

State solicitor Edward Flynn told Judge Smyth the DPP was consenting to the accused being sent forward for trial to the present sittings of the circuit court, and a book of evidence had been served on Ms Smithers.

The court heard the accused was on bail but the prosecution no longer required her to sign on daily at Store Street Garda Station.

Objection

The judge granted bail going forward in the accused's own bond of 250, with no cash lodgement required.

He also granted free legal aid to cover a solicitor and barrister in the circuit court after defence solicitor Matthew De Courcy said his client's financial circumstances had not changed since her last court appearance.

There was no garda objection to continued bail or legal aid.

Judge Smyth ordered the prosecution to furnish the defence with copies of Ms Smithers' garda interview video.

He then gave the accused the formal warning that she had 14 days to provide any alibi details to the prosecution.

Asked if she understood this, she said "I do." She was remanded on bail to appear in the circuit court on July 24.

The charge against her is under Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
AirAsia crew members pose for a photograph in front of an Airbus A320 plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's AirAsia Group Bhd is looking to raise 2 billion ringgit (370 million pounds), its CEO was quoted as saying by the Nikkei Asian Review on Thursday, a day after its auditor cast doubt on the airline's ability to continue as a going concern.

The budget carrier, like other airlines, has been rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic that has hammered demand for air travel. Its auditors said AirAsia's financial statements and current industry conditions indicated material uncertainties that could raise doubts about the company's future prospects.

AirAsia said in a statement some financial institutions had indicated they would support a funding request of over 1 billion ringgit and that it was also considering various fundraising options, including debt and equity.

In an interview with the Nikkei Asian Review, Chief Executive Tony Fernandes said the airline would look to raise a total of 2 billion ringgit in the next six months.

"At 1 billion ringgit, we are comfortable. But if we can raise 2 billion ringgit, we would be in a very comfortable position," Fernandes said in the interview.

Part of the funding would come from a share offering within the next six months, Fernandes said, adding the new shares would be placed with a third-party investor.

Fernandes also said AirAsia could return to profitability next year.

He denied speculation the airline was looking to exit its joint ventures in India and Japan.

India's Business Standard newspaper reported on Thursday, citing banking sources, that Indian conglomerate Tata Sons was in talks to buy out AirAsia's stake in their airline joint venture in India at a steep discount.

AirAsia said earlier on Thursday it was looking to at least halve cash expenses this year and that it had begun to cut jobs and salaries to save costs.

Earlier this week, the airline posted a first-quarter loss of nearly $200 million, its biggest quarterly loss since its 2004 listing.

(Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Jamie Freed in Sydney; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Mark Potter)




A former TV reporter was arrested Friday in an alleged blackmail case involving a key aide to the prosecutor general.







The Seoul Central District Court accepted the prosecution's request to issue a warrant for the arrest of Lee Dong-jae, a fired reporter of cable network Channel A, on attempted extortion charges.







Lee is suspected of using his close ties with ranking prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, a close associate of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, to blackmail a jailed financier into leaking allegedly corrupt acts by a pro-government commentator.







The inmate claimed that the former reporter pressed him by sharing the voice recording of a conversation between the reporter and the prosecutor Han. The prosecution is said to be using the recording made on Feb. 13 as key evidence to prove the collusion allegation.







The reporter denied the accusation.







Earlier this month, the case served as a flash point between Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and the prosecutor general as the two displayed a vastly different approach as to how to investigate the sensitive case involving an incumbent prosecutor.







On July 2, Choo issued a rare directive ordering Yoon to stay away from the case, given his ties with Han, and to guarantee independence to a probe team in charge of the case.







Her order came following the Supreme Prosecutors Office's move to convene an advisory panel to review the case, which critics argued was a deliberate scheme to deter the ongoing probe.







A week later, the chief prosecutor backed down to accept the directive and take his hands off the sensitive case. (Yonhap)


2 1 of 2 EMMANUEL DUNAND, Contributor / AFP via Getty Images Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Show More Show Less



Technology company Apple has teamed up with Prairie View A&M University to create a coding and creativity hub within the Greater Houston and Waller County region, according to a university release.

The partnership, part of Apples Community Education and Tennessee State Universitys HBCU C2 initiatives, aims to bring coding and programming experiences to historically black college and university communities.
A 49-year-old fly-in, fly-out worker who arrived in Western Australia from Victoria this month allegedly flaunted quarantine rules and flew straight to a Pilbara mine site for work.

Police said the man, who was a contractor for iron ore miner BHP, was issued with a self-quarantine direction when he arrived at the airport as per border rules, requiring him to isolate in suitable accommodation for 14 days.

A FIFO worker allegedly failed to self-isolate upon arrival to WA from Victoria, going straight to work in the Pilbara. Credit:File photo/Glenn Hunt

The man from Moolap, a suburb of Geelong, has been charged with one count of failing to comply with a direction.

A BHP spokeswoman confirmed the man worked for a contractor at one of its Pilbara mine sites and said when WA police notified them of the potential breach they immediately isolated him.
Editor's note: We have updated this story and headline to better reflect that, according to experts, there is uncertainty about what effect the findings of new research on the longevity of antibodies will have on vaccine development.

Disturbing new revelations that permanent immunity to the coronavirus may not be possible have reinforced a decision by scientists at UCSF and affiliated laboratories to focus exclusively on treatments rather than vaccines.

Several recent studies conducted around the world indicate that the human body does not retain the antibodies that build up during infections, raising questions about lasting immunity to COVID-19 after people recover.

Strong antibodies are also crucial in the development of vaccines. So some molecular biologists fear the only way left to control the disease may be to treat the symptoms after people are infected to prevent the most debilitating effects, including inflammation, blood clots and death.

I just dont see a vaccine coming anytime soon, said Nevan Krogan, a molecular biologist and director of UCSFs Quantitative Biosciences Institute, which works in partnership with 100 research laboratories. People do have antibodies, but the antibodies are waning quickly. And if antibodies diminish, then there is a good chance the immunity from a vaccine would wane too.

Antibodies, however, arent the only measure of immunity, said Dr. Jay Levy, a specialist in immunology and virology at UCSF. A vaccine could also utilize other types of cells that exhibit a memory of infection.

We certainly hope that long-lasting immunity can be established with this virus, said Levy, a professor of medicine at UCSF. With many viruses, antibodies are induced with exposure to the agent and then they become reduced over time  usually in months not weeks. The major question is whether there are memory B cells induced by the vaccine (or an infection) so that re-exposure to the virus or viral proteins will induce the return of antibodies.

Others noted that the human immune system also uses T cells to fight off viruses. A T cell response may not require as many antibodies to be effective. Also possible is the use of periodic boosters to prolong the effects of a vaccine.

The latest news about short-lived coronavirus antibodies came from scientists at Kings College of London, whose study of 90 COVID-19 patients in the United Kingdom found antibody levels peaked three weeks after the onset of symptoms and then dramatically declined.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

Potent antibodies were found in 60% of the patients, according to the study, but only 17% retained the same potency three months later. There is still hope that those remaining antibodies will bestow some immunity, In some cases, however, the antibodies disappeared completely, said the study which was published as a preprint Saturday, meaning it has not yet been peer-reviewed.

The report is the latest in a growing chain of evidence that immunity to COVID-19 can be short-lived.

A Chinese study published June 18 in the journal Nature Medicine also showed coronavirus antibodies taking a nosedive. The study of 74 patients, conducted by Chongqing Medical University, a branch of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, showed that more than 90% exhibited sharp declines in the number of antibodies within two to three months after infection.

Infectious disease specialists around the world were surprised and discouraged by the rapid reduction observed in the studies. If the numbers continue dropping after three months, it could mean people will be susceptible to infection by the coronavirus year after year.

So far, though, there have been only scattered reports of reinfection and no comprehensive studies have verified that it can happen. Experts say the disease hasnt been around long enough to determine the likelihood of contracting the disease more than once. But other kinds of coronaviruses, like those that cause the common cold, offer clues.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

Studies of four seasonal coronaviruses that cause colds show that although people develop antibodies, the immune response declines over time and people become susceptible again. Scientists suspect that the severity of cold symptoms is reduced by previous infections.

Waning antibodies affect vaccine development, said Shannon Bennett, the chief of science at San Franciscos California Academy of Sciences. Where natural immunity doesnt really develop or last, then vaccine programs are not likely to be easily successful or achievable.

Nobody knows yet whether infections by other coronaviruses will help peoples bodies resist COVID-19.

Our understanding of protective immunity engendered by this virus and how it interacts with past immunity to other coronaviruses is still evolving, Bennett said. People should not presume they have immunity.

The recent findings are particularly disappointing, however, because of the promising discovery this spring of neutralizing antibodies, the kind that attack the virus crown-like spikes and prevent them from hijacking human cells.

Epidemiologists found these neutralizing antibodies in less than 5% of COVID-19 patients and were hoping to isolate and use them to inoculate others, a precursor to a full vaccine. Unfortunately, the recent studies show that the super-strength antibodies also fade away.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

The Chinese study found an 11.7% decline in neutralizing antibodies in symptomatic coronavirus patients and an 8.3% drop in asymptomatic individuals over the three months.

Those are the ones you want, but they just arent sticking around, said Krogan, who is also an investigator with the Gladstone Institutes, a biomedical research lab in San Francisco. They just arent staying long enough in our bodies to prevent reinfection. If this is only lasting six weeks or three weeks, thats not good.

Even if a vaccine were produced, infectious disease specialists say it could take years before the entire population was inoculated. If the vaccine wore off over time, periodic boosters would be needed, as with influenza shots.

All of which emphasizes the need for effective treatments.

Krogans Quantitative Biosciences Institute, created four years ago, has been scouring the genome of SARS-CoV-2  the specific coronavirus that causes COVID-19  and testing in petri dishes how viral proteins interact with human cells.

The idea, said Danielle Swaney, a researcher for the QBI Coronavirus Research Group, comprised of at least 40 laboratories affiliated with UCSF, is to find ways to fight the disease once it is in the body.

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Our whole approach is to find what is the virus hijacking and what drugs can be developed to reverse that hijacking, said Swaney, an assistant professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology at UCSF. Basically, we try to take away what the virus relies on for survival so it cant rely on it anymore.

One possible target for intervention is a receptor embedded in the membrane of human cells called SigmaR1, which Swaney said the coronavirus interacts with. The SigmaR1 gene plays an important role in the functioning of tissues associated with the endocrine, immune and nervous systems.

What we found is that if we use drugs that reduce the level of SigmaR1 in human cells, the virus cannot replicate in those human cells, Swaney said, adding that many other potentially influential receptors are being studied.

One drug that targets SigmaR1 is hydroxychloroquine, which Swaney said is problematic because it can cause heart problems. In June, the Food and Drug Administration withdrew emergency use authorizations for hydroxychloroquine, which had been touted by President Trump despite the concerns.

The trick, Krogan said, will be to find several drugs that work against the virus and create a kind of cocktail, like the combination of treatments HIV-AIDS patients use to control infection. Researchers are currently testing drugs in hamsters and mice, and will soon be doing trials in monkeys, Krogan said. He said he hopes to develop such a cocktail by the end of the year.

It will be difficult, he admitted, because people infected with COVID-19 display so many different symptoms, some lingering long after the virus has gone.

People have reported vision problems, confusion and memory issues. Cases of chronic fatigue, heart problems, lung damage, blood clotting and neurological symptoms like dizziness and confusion have been documented in numerous patients long after the initial symptoms of COVID-19 have gone away.

Epidemiologists believe the most severe cases are the result of an overactive human immune system response. Thats what they think causes an inflammatory reaction similar to Kawasaki disease that has recently been affecting children exposed to the coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Doctors at UCSFs Benioff Childrens Hospital have recently seen dozens of children with reddish-purple lesions on the feet and hands known as acral perniosis. The rashes all appeared weeks or months after exposure to adults with flu-like symptoms, leading researchers to believe it is an after-the-fact inflammatory reaction to COVID-19.

Ive never seen a virus get its fingers in so many biological processes all at once, Krogan said. Its a very fascinating, horrifying, complicated virus.

The situation is not hopeless, Bennett said, because the human immune system uses both B cells, which produce antibodies, and T cells, which drive the immune response, to fight off viruses.

And some vaccines have shown promise, including one being produced by Massachusetts biotechnology company Moderna Inc. The Moderna vaccine provoked production of neutralizing antibodies in all 45 healthy volunteers tested during a preliminary study released Tuesday. The study did not include a comprehensive measurement of longevity, but researchers observed antibody activity for 43 days after a second injection.

Whatever happens, epidemiologists hope the recent reports about antibody viability put to rest the concept embraced by many young people of herd immunity, where the disease cant find any more victims because so many people have survived infections and must be immune.

This attitude that if I go out there and just get exposed  get it over with  then Ill be immune is a dangerous presumption, Bennett said. Now more than ever.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
Munroe Bergdorf has signed a six-figure deal with Bloomsbury to publish her first-ever book in 2021.

On Friday, the activist announced the news on Instagram writing: So excited to finally be able to tell you that my debut book.

This is a book about all of us, for all of us. None of us are done growing, none of us are done learning. We have everything to gain from embracing and understanding each other's differences. In one way or another, we ALL transition.

She continued: Youll see a different side to me in this book, maybe youll see a different side to yourself too.

The book, which is titled Transitional, draws on Bergdorfs own experiences, including being raised in a mixed-race family and starting her transition at the age of 24.

It will also feature research from experts and activists to explore how deeply ingrained transitioning is in human experience.

Transitional will look deeply into six topics, including adolescence, sexuality, gender, relationships, identity and race, and explore the act of transitioning as something we all face in every phase of life.

In a statement, the author said she hopes the book will help to educate all kinds of people.

This is a tough time for trans people living in the UK and around the world, so it means so much to be working on my first book with the largest independent publishing house in the country, Bergdorf said.

By sharing my lived experience as a black trans woman, I hope that this book will serve to open more minds, start important conversations and help to educate all kinds of people in a way that brings us closer to a global consciousnessespecially during this time of division.

In an interview with the Guardian, Bergdorf added that she envisaged the book as a manifesto for how she sees society changing for the better.

The trans experience, she said, is thought of by a lot of people as this far-off idea that isnt that relatable.

I wanted to drive home the fact that we all transition in one way or another, Bergdorf said. None of us stays the same. Were all on a journey, and a transition with regards to gender is just one of many we all experience as human beings.

The book was bought by Bloomsbury for a six-figure sum following a bidding war between 11 publishers.

Speaking about the upcoming release, Alexis Kirschbaum, associate publisher at Bloomsbury, called Bergdorf an inspiring woman and said that Transitional will be an affective and insightful guide to how to integrate personal authenticity and the realities of the modern world.

It promises to be a book of rare wisdom about the difficulties and possibilities embodied in the choices of the 21st century identity, she said. Munroe has a point of view that is exceptionally wise and humane, and the life experience to back it up.

You can pre-order Transitional here.
NTD has produced a special TV series adapted from the book How the Specter of Communism Is Ruling Our World, by the editorial team of Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. Watch the first episode here.

The collapse of the communist regimes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe marked the end of a half-century-long Cold War between the capitalist and communist camps in the West and the East. At the time, many were optimistic, believing that communism had become a relic of the past.

The sad truth, however, is that a transmogrified communist ideology had taken hold instead and entrenched itself around the world. In China, North Korea, Cuba, and Vietnam, there are outright communist regimes; in Eastern European countries, communist ideology and customs still exert a significant influence; and in African and South American countries, socialism is practiced under the banner of democracy and republicanism. Then there are the nations of Europe and North America, which have become host to communist influences without people even realizing it.

Communism breeds war, famine, slaughter, and tyranny. These in themselves are terrifying enough, but the damage dealt by communism goes far beyond this. It has become increasingly clear to many that, unlike any other system in history, communism declares war on humanity itselfincluding human values and human dignity.

After establishing massive dictatorships in the Soviet Union and China, communism caused more than one hundred million unnatural deaths, enslaved billions, and brought the world to the brink of nuclear war and destruction, in just under a century. Moreover, communisms deliberate and widespread destruction of the family, its fomenting of social disorder, and its attack on morality are all ruinous to the foundations of civilization.

What is the nature of communism? What is its objective? Why does it take mankind as its enemy? How can we escape it?

Read more: Introduction: How the Specter of Communism Is Ruling Our World

Watch the full series here and listen to the audiobook here.
A case has been registered after a video went viral in which some people can be seen tonsuring a man, apparently a Nepali national, and forcing him to say "Jai Shri Ram" and "Nepal PM Murdabad".

The police said that Arun Pathak, convenor of Vishwa Hindu Sena, is behind the act.

"A video has gone viral in which Arun Pathak, a person who runs an organisation, was seen tonsuring a man's head. Pathak did it in anger over a statement by Nepal PM. A case has been registered and efforts are on to nab the person," said Vikas Chandra Tripathi, Superintendent of Police, Varanasi City.

In the viral video, the man is seated cross-legged near a river and is made to shout slogans against "Vishwa Hindu Sena Zindabad", "Hindustan Zindabad" and "Nepal PM Murdabad".

'Jai Shri Ram' has also been written on the man's scalp by the members of the group.

Senior Superintendent of Police Amit Pathak said that one of the accused in the incident has been arrested and efforts are underway to nab others as well.

"One of the persons involved in the incident has been arrested. He was the one who shot the video. Others are also being nabbed and strict action will be taken. Arun Pathak, who runs an organisation is the main accused. Others are members of his organisation. Pathak posted the video on social media," he said.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had claimed that Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama, is in Nepal and Lord Rama was Nepali.

"Although real Ayodhya lies at Thori, city in the west of Birgunj, India has claimed that Lord Rama was born there. Due to these continuous claims even we have believed that deity Sita got married to Prince Rama of India. However, in reality, Ayodhya is a village lying west of Birgunj," he had said.

Nepal foreign ministry had later sought to downplay the row over Oli's remarks and said the prime minister "was simply highlighting the importance of further studies" and the remarks were not meant to debasing the significance of Ayodhya and the cultural value it bears."
The air in the region is about to get a whole lot hotter, and a whole lot harder to breathe.

Montgomery County has issued a code red hot weather warning and the state has issued a code orange warning for ozone.

The code orange is for Saturday and is issued for Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. Code Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people.

Those groups include young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis. They are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.

The Air Quality Action Day is based on Saturdays forecast: sunshine for most of the day, with light southwest winds, high temperatures expected in the lower to mid-90s. These conditions will create robust ozone formation.

Area residents and businesses in the area are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce air pollution by:

Conserving electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature;

Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips;

Limiting engine idling; and

Refueling cars and trucks after dusk.

The heat can be as dangerous as the poor air quality.

After reviewing the weather forecast, Montgomery County issued the code red warning starting Sunday, July 19 through Wednesday, July 22.

Heat index values will be at or above 100 degrees between noon and 6 p.m. each of those days.

Those, especially at risk, are very young children, elderly adults, and people with chronic medical conditions, and who take certain medications. Friends, relatives, or neighbors should check on people who may be at risk.

Such conditions can be deadly, and residents should take precautions to prevent heat-related stress and exhaustion.

Here are some helpful tips on how to alleviate the effects of the hot weather:
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"Travel and tourism are in our DNA and many are growing eager to travel again, but in ways that are healthy and safe. We believe that it is time to be asking what the future travel experience will be, or better yet, what should it be?"

Travel Fairness Now, a non-profit coalition of 70,000 travelers advocating for greater transparency, competition and fairness in travel, is hosting its first webinar as part of an effort to influence the creation of a better travel experience for consumers in the future. The webinar will include a discussion with a panel of leading travel experts, journalists and bloggers that will respond to participant questions.

The free webinar, entitled Travel Again and Travel Better: Creating a Better Travel Experience for The Future, will be held Wednesday, July 22 from 3 p.m.  4 p.m. EDT. Registration can be completed here.

COVID-19 is impacting millions, upending our everyday lives and devastating the travel industry, including bringing the health and safety of travelers and industry employees to the forefront of public discussion, said Kurt Ebenhoch, executive director of Travel Fairness Now. Despite these headwinds, travel and tourism are in our DNA and many are growing eager to travel again, but in ways that are healthy and safe.

We believe that it is time to be asking what the future travel experience will be, or better yet, what should it be, Ebenhoch added. Were consumers satisfied with the travel experience before COVID-19? Were travelers needs being met? What are the expectations of consumers in the next era of travel?

Webinar Panelists

The webinar will include four panelists that are leading travel experts who have conducted and studied consumer research on travel, as well as travel journalists who have interviewed and observed travelers in action. They include:

Jason Cochran

Editor-in-Chief at Frommers.com

Jason Cochran's books include Here Lies America: Buried Agendas and Family Secrets at the Tourist Sights Where Bad History Went Down. His voice has reached millions of travelers, from the mid-1990s, when he wrote one of the worlds first travel blogs, to his familiarity as a commentator on CBS and for AOL, to his work today as editor-in-chief of Frommers.com and co-host (with Pauline Frommer) of the Frommer Travel Show on WABC. A graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Jason was twice awarded Guide Book of the Year by the Lowell Thomas Awards (Society of American Travel Writers) and once by the North American Travel Journalists Association.

JT Genter

Freelance Editor for AwardWallet and Freelance Writer for ForbesAdvisor and NerdWallet

JT Genter is a freelance writer and editor in the points, miles and credit cards ecosystem. He worked for a decade as a tax accountant before following his passion and shifting his analytical skills to travel loyalty programs. He joined The Points Guys team in 2015 and published over 2,000 articles on the site. JT currently is a freelance editor for AwardWallet and a freelance writer for Forbes Advisor and NerdWallet. Since June 2017, JT and his wife Katie have traveled the world as full-time digital nomads, setting out to prove firsthand how points, miles and credit card rewards can drastically reduce the cost of travel. In the past four years, JT has flown over one million miles on 67 airlines, visited 43 countries and maintains elite status with four airlines and six hotel loyalty programs.

Henry Harteveldt

President, Atmosphere Research Group, Travel Industry Analyst and Advisor

Travel industry advisor, analyst and founder of Atmosphere Research Group, Henry Harteveldt is an airline, hotel and travel industry thought leader focusing on industry strategy, marketing, distribution and digital topics. Prior to becoming an analyst, Henry held various commercial roles at Continental Airlines, Fairmont Hotel Management Company and GetThere, and has been a perennial conference keynoter throughout his days at Forrester Research and Atmosphere Research Group.

William J. McGee

Aviation and Travel Advisor for Consumer Reports Advocacy, Travel Author

William J. McGee is the Aviation and Travel Adviser for Consumer Reports Advocacy, and the former editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter. In 2010, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation chose him as the lone consumer advocate on the Future of Aviation Advisory Committee, and he is regularly called upon to testify before the U.S. Congress and federal agencies as an expert witness on airline safety, aviation security and consumer protection issues. Prior to becoming a journalist, McGee spent nearly seven years in flight operations management and is an FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher. He is the author of the books Attention All Passengers and Half the Child.

About Travel Fairness Now

Travel Fairness Now is a non-profit coalition of 70,000 travelers advocating for greater transparency, competition and fairness in travel. For more information, please visit http://www.travelfairnessnow.org.
The glaring racial disconnect in our nations K-12 schools can no longer be ignored as the larger reckoning over systemic racism in policing, health, and education continues to play out.

While the majority of K-12 teachers are white, they preside over classrooms that contain an increasing number of students of color and, simultaneously, a declining number of white students, research shows . This racial divide is harmful on several fronts.

Having too few teachers of color places both students and teachers at a disadvantage. Data reveal that racially diverse role models in the classroom benefit all children, regardless of race. Having few teachers of color (or only one, which can often be the case) in a school building can spur feelings of isolation and, subsequently, contribute to teachers of color leaving the profession at a disproportionately higher rate than white teachers. The solution seems obvious enough: Hire and retain more teachers of color.

The reality isnt quite so simple. To attract a diverse pool of strong teaching candidates, it helps to show that your school or district already has established itself as a welcoming place of employment for teachers of color. But if you dont have the numbers to prove it, dont despair. There are several ways to grow a diverse and equitable teaching workforce, say education experts. Here are some actionable steps.

Build a pipeline of educators of color.

Sometimes, solutions can be found right in front of us. Thats the idea behind Grow Your Own Educator Programs (GYO), which recruit individuals within local school communities. These programs focus on developing future teachers, from students of color in middle and high school to racially and ethnically diverse paraprofessionals and college graduates with non-teaching degrees already working in the K-12 school system.

Other times, it pays to stretch recruiting efforts beyond your own backyard. Stacey MacAdoo, a veteran teacher at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., says shes heard recruiters say, in defense of few teachers of color on their staff: There werent any minority candidates out there.

MacAdoos response? Where did you look and who did you ask? Often, recruiters look for staff recommendations only within their existing networks, says MacAdoo, 2019 Arkansas Teacher of the Year. She suggests that recruiters who arent successful in attracting teachers of color within their own district or network expand their search in a targeted mannerfor instance, partnering with and recruiting from colleges of education at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-serving institutions.

Create and share public examples of your districts support for diversity and equity.

Job candidates who value diversity and equity will want to see tangible evidence that a prospective employer does, too. This evidence can take many forms, starting with explicit public statements regarding a districts stand on equity. Examples include official policies, comprehensive statements, and reports, notes Daman Harris, a principal at Wheaton Woods Elementary School in Montgomery County, Md.

The presence of an employee or department dedicated to equity and inclusion also sends a signal that the district is making a commitment, says Harris, co-founder of the BOND Project (Building Our Network of Diversity), an initiative of Montgomery County Public Schools that aims to recruit, develop, empower, and retain male educators of color.

Including in a districts strategic plan an initiative to increase diversity and equitywith stated goals to measure progress againstdemonstrates a serious commitment, both to prospective job candidates and the current workforce. A public document positions us to make progress, said Tim Wagner, the principal of Upper St. Clair High School in Upper St. Clair, Penn.

Partner with external organizations that promote diversity and equity.

Not every school district has the resources internally to develop meaningful strides toward a more equitable workplace for all teachers and students. In these instances, it can help to obtain external support. Thats what the Upper St. Clair High School, along with the five other schools in their Upper St. Clair school district, did.

They aligned themselves with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), participating in its No Place for Hate program . The program provided a pathway for the school district to establish norms around how to address the topics of equity and inclusion, explains Wagner. He says it also helped establish a framework for strategic and active involvement that extended to the student bodyfrom a panel discussion led by a rabbi to small-group, peer-facilitated student programming around the teaching of Black history.

Encourage and support initiatives led by current teachers of color.

Peer networks specifically for teachers of color can combat feelings of isolation. Before Desmond Mackall became active in the BOND Project, the assistant principal of Glen Haven Elementary School in Montgomery County strongly considered finding a job elsewhere. Now he is thriving in that same district, where male teachers of color actively support one another through this formal initiative.

Mackall credits the initiatives success in large part to the fact that its run by the employees it targets; not by administrators. A lot of times, when initiatives are started with good intentions for specific groups, we dont always create the space for the voices for whom the group is formed, he said.

Demonstrate equitable practices in the treatment of students.

How a schools administration treats its students can provide a window into its stance on equity, explains Little Rock Central High School teacher MacAdoo. She points to discipline policies as one area where inequities can easily be spotted. For example, banning a style of dress popular only among a particular group of students, such as do-rags, can throw up a red flag. Black males are pretty much the only group of students who wear them, MacAdoo said.

As this example indicates, job candidates seeking an equitable workplace are likely to notice a school leaderships personal biases, even when the administrators themselves may not.
US health chiefs have extended a ban on cruise ship travel until October because of the coronavirus pandemic in the latest blow to the troubled industry.

The CDC says it is extending the No Sail Order which was originally imposed in March after 99 outbreaks in US waters which led to nearly 3,000 infections and 34 deaths.

Thousands of crew members are still stuck at sea and the CDC says infections have continued to emerge during the shutdown, with concerns over health measures on board - meaning 'further action' is needed before passenger travel can resume.

Health experts warn that cruise ships can be ideal breeding grounds for the virus because of the large numbers of people living at close quarters, while many cruise passengers tend to be older and therefore more vulnerable to the disease.

Ambulances wait on the shore as the Zaandam cruise ship pulls into Port Everglades in Florida on April 2 after a coronavirus outbreak on board. The CDC has now extended its No Sail Order for cruise ships in US waters until at least September 30

The dangers of cruise ship travel came into full public view in February and March when thousands of people were quarantined on the Diamond Princess in Japan.

More than 700 passengers and crew tested positive and nine died. At one stage, it was the largest outbreak in the world outside China where the virus originated.

Further outbreaks came to light on dozens of other ships, leaving thousands stranded as countries closed their ports to the contagion.

In US waters there have been 2,973 confirmed or suspected cases and 34 deaths after a total of 99 outbreaks affecting 123 different ships, the CDC says.

Ships including the Zaandam, Rotterdam and Coral Princess docked in US waters in April after virus outbreaks on board.

The CDC said the outbreaks earlier this year had required contact-tracing for more than 11,000 passengers on various cruise ships.

As of July 3, nine of the 49 ships directly affected by the No Sail Order had 'ongoing' outbreaks or were still in the process of 'resolving' them, officials say.

Coast Guard figures show that on July 10 there were 14,702 crew members on board 67 ships.

Seven cruise lines submitted 'response plans' to the CDC detailing how they would manage the disease while crew members were still on board, but officials say these were often 'incomplete'.

Areas of 'major concern' included a lack of detail about how crew would be monitored, what protective equipment they would have and how they would receive medical care.

One ship operated by Disney Cruise Lines was accused of failing to separate sick and healthy staff and continuing to operate a buffet service despite the health risks.

Norwegian Cruise Line also came under scrutiny for alleged lapses including crew members not wearing face coverings when outside their cabins.

As of July 10 only one cruise operator - Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line - had a 'response plan' meeting all of the CDC's requirements.

These 'difficulties' in managing health protocols 'highlight the need for further action prior to resuming passenger operations', health chiefs warn.

'On cruise ships, passengers and crew share spaces that are more crowded than most urban settings,' the CDC said in its announcement on Thursday.

'Even when only essential crew are on board, ongoing spread of Covid-19 still occurs.

'If unrestricted cruise ship passenger operations were permitted to resume, passengers and crew on board would be at increased risk of Covid-19 infection and those that work or travel on cruise ships would place substantial unnecessary risk on healthcare workers, port personnel and federal partners, and the communities they return to.'

The No Sail Order will continue until at least September 30 unless the director of the CDC modifies it before then. It applies to any ships for more than 250 people in US waters.

The Cruise Lines International Association had already announced that its 'voluntary suspension' in the US would continue until September 15.

'Although we are confident that future cruises will be healthy and safe, and will fully reflect the latest protective measures, we also feel that it is appropriate to err on the side of caution to help ensure the best interests of our passengers and crew,' a statement said.

In 2018, the cruise industry supported over 421,000 jobs in the United States, the organization said.

Each day of the suspension of results in a total loss of approximately $110million in economic activity and up to 800 American jobs, it warns.

Operators are trying to save cash and raise more money on the private credit markets to survive the pandemic and the economic standstill it has caused.

Carnival Corp said last week that it expects to burn about $20million a day in cash through the rest of this year.

The dangers of cruise ship travel came into full public view in February and March when thousands of people were quarantined on the Diamond Princess (pictured) in Japan

Experts have highlighted a number of reasons why cruise ships are vulnerable to the spread of disease, including the large number of elderly passengers in a confined space.

Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiology expert at the University of Reading, said earlier this year that 'having a large number of people in relatively close confines is a recipe for transmission'.

'There have previously been problems on such ships with spread of viruses that cause diarrhoea and vomiting,' he said.

Professor John Oxford, a virology professor at Queen Mary University of London, said cruise ships were 'very prone to outbreaks' of common cold and norovirus.

'Invariably the ships are overcrowded and with so many passengers hygiene levels can slip.

'There must be a great temptation to interact with other passengers exercising on deck etc and we know paper masks are not fully effective.

'Quarantine on a ship is not as strict as proper quarantine. In fact it might be impossible to properly quarantine people on a ship.'

Virus cases are continuing to mount in the US, where top virologist Anthony Fauci has warned the country could see 100,000 cases per day if things do not improve.

Coronavirus infections are rising in 40 states, and daily deaths have climbed more than 20 per cent from a week ago.

Florida, where many cruises begin and end, reported nearly 14,000 new virus cases and set a single-day record of 156 deaths on Thursday, beating the previous high of 132 deaths reported on Tuesday.

The US has by far the largest outbreak in the world with more than 3.4million cases and 135,000 deaths.

Brazil is in second place in both tables, while India today became the third country to reach a million confirmed infections.
Uplifting of Columbia River basalts opens window on how region was sculpted

EUGENE, Ore. - July 17, 2020 - Uplifting of Columbia River basalts has allowed University of Oregon researchers to better understand of how magma 14-16 million years ago shaped the region and why greenhouse gases released during a series of volcanic eruptions did not trigger a global extinction event.

The insights, published in Scientific Reports, were drawn from analyses of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in crustal material, a mix of magma and original rocks, that is now exposed by geological uplifting and erosion.

The Columbia River Flood Basalts represent the youngest continental flood basalt province on Earth and one of the best preserved. It covers roughly 210,000 square kilometers, extending from eastern Oregon and Washington to western Idaho and part of northern Nevada.

Pivotal to the research were 27 samples from 22 different dikes - wall-like bodies of magma that cut through the sheeted lava flow landscape during the eruptions. A 10-meter-thick feeder dike into the Wallowa batholith, formed from a mix of basaltic magma and granite 16 million years ago, for example, likely acted as a magma conduit for up to seven years. It formed one of the largest surface lava flows and chemically altered about 100 meters of surrounding bedrock.

"We found that when hot basaltic magma intruded into the crust it boiled groundwater and volatilized everything in and near its path, causing chemical and isotopic changes in the rocks and the release of greenhouse gases," said Ilya Bindeman, a professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, who led the study.

Collectively, the effects of the heating throughout the flood-basalt region may have lasted about 150 years after magma stopped flowing, building the landscape that is visible today across the region, the seven-member research team from three countries concluded.

"The Columbia River basalts that are so dear to us in the Pacific Northwest," Bindeman said. "They are now uplifted and eroded to the level that allows us to sample the contacts of these basalts with the previous rocks. The same process today is happening every hour and everywhere under midocean ridges and also on continents. By studying these not-so-ancient rocks we have learned what is going on under our feet."

Computer modeling done with the chemical data suggests that the hydrothermal heating of the region's original metasedimentary rocks - a metamorphic rock formed through the deposition and solidification of sediment - and relatively low levels of organic matter affected by the eruptions would have generated the release of about 18 gigatons of carbon dioxide and methane. One gigaton equals a billion metric tons.

The individual Columbia River basalt eruptions were each 10 to 100 times larger than the largest historically experienced eruptions of Iceland's Eldgja and Laki volcanic eruptions in the years 934 and 1783, respectively, noted study co-author Leif Karlstrom, a professor of earth sciences, who along with Bindeman is a member of the Oregon Center for Volcanology.

The Laki eruption, which killed thousands of people, released volcanically derived greenhouse gases that generated a year without summer followed by a warm year across Europe and North America, Karlstrom said.

While the Columbia River eruptions released 210,000 cubic kilometers of basaltic magma over 1.5 million years, leading to global climate impacts, the researchers concluded, they did not cause mass extinctions such as the one triggered by eruptions over a similar timescale about 250 million years ago that formed the Siberian Traps.

The difference, the research team theorized, is in the geology of the regions. The Columbia River basalt eruptions occurred in igneous crust that contained low levels of organic matter that could be released by hydrothermal heating. Eruptions in the Siberian Traps occurred in organics-rich sedimentary rocks.

While the new findings suggest that similar regional-scale groundwater circulation around dikes is a signature of flood basalt volcanism globally, the researchers noted, the consequences may not always be catastrophic on a broad scale.

In the Columbia River basalts and the likely related Yellowstone hotspot, hydrothermal circulation is manifested as subtle isotopic signals, a depletion of oxygen isotopes, in the rocks, the research team found.

###

The research, primarily completed in Bindeman's Stable Isotope Laboratory, was funded by the U.S., Russian and Swiss National Science Foundations.

Co-authors on the paper were: N.D. Greber of the University of Geneva and the University of Bern; O.E. Melnik, A.S. Artyomova and I.S. Utkin, both of and Moscow State University; and Dylan P. Colon, who holds a doctorate from the UO and is now at the University of Geneva.

Links:

About Ilya Bindeman: https:/ / blogs. uoregon. edu/ bindeman/

Bindeman's Stable Isotope Laboratory: https:/ / Sil. uoregon. edu

About Leif Karlstrom: https:/ / pages. uoregon. edu/ leif/

Department of Earth Sciences: https:/ / earthsciences. uoregon. edu/

Oregon Center for Volcanology: https:/ / pages. uoregon. edu/ volcanologycenter

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
LONDON - The queen of the skies will no longer don the red, white and blue of the Union Jack after British Airways retired its fleet of Boeing 747s on Friday as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The airline, which was the worlds biggest operator of the 747-400 model, had already planned to ground its fleet of 31 of the iconic wide-bodied jets in 2024.

But the pandemic, which has seen most of the worlds planes grounded for the best part of three months, has hastened its journey into retirement, especially as forecasters predict that passenger numbers will remain lower than normal, potentially for years to come.

BAs predecessor, BOAC, first used the 747 in 1971 and as with many airlines, the plane  affectionately referred to as either the jumbo jet or the queen of the skies  became a symbol of the new age of mass travel to all corners of the planet. Its days have been numbered, though, in light of new, modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as Airbus A350 and Boeings 787.

It is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747 fleet with immediate effect, BA said in a statement.

It is unlikely our magnificent queen of the skies will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

More than 1,500 jumbos were produced by Boeing, and it has historically been a commercial success for the manufacturer and the airlines. But its heyday is long in the past and any sight of the jet, with its distinctive hump at the top, is now a rarity.

Just 30 of the planes were in service as of Tuesday, with a further 132 in storage, according to aviation data firm Cirium.

British Airways 747-400s have a capacity of 345 passengers and can reach a top speed of 614 mph (988 kph).

While the aircraft will always have a special place in our heart, as we head into the future we will be operating more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, BA said.

Airlines around the world have struggled to cope with the collapse in demand caused by the pandemic. In the U.K., British Airways, easyJet and Virgin Atlantic have all announced job cuts and reduced operations.

Unite, a union that represents many workers in the aviation industry, urged the government to use the retirement of the 747 to bring forward an aircraft scrappage scheme to boost investments in greener aircraft as well as aerospace manufacturing.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would examine the idea of a scrappage scheme for old and highly polluting aircraft.

British Airways retirement of the 747 should be the impetus he needs to put such a scheme into action, Unite national officer Rhys McCarthy said.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  Taguig City is set to open the first phase of its 500-bed "mega" quarantine facility for its residents who have contracted COVID-19, Mayor Lino Cayetano announced in a media briefing on Friday.

The mega-quarantine facility, located at the Lakeshore area in Barangay Lower Bicutan, is set to be completed within three to four months, according to the mayor.

He noted that the 500-bed capacity of the new facility  plus five existing quarantine centers will be enough to monitor, isolate, and treat its residents who will test positive for the dreaded virus.

Cayetano added that 90 percent of the patients in the city are either asymptomatic or have mild flu-like symptoms.

The national and local government units are now encouraging patients to undergo quarantine at a government facility instead of recuperating at home to prevent the spread of the virus in their households.

Taguig City has a total of 1,663 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 1,039 active cases.
The Chula Vista firefighter who was handcuffed by a highway patrol officer at a freeway crash site last month has filed a claim against the agency, claiming he was arrested with malice.

Firefighter/Engineer Jacob Gregoire told reporters Tuesday that he doesnt want to file a lawsuit, but hopes the California Highway Patrol will settle the case by agreeing to not obstruct fire crews performing their duties on state highways.

Im not looking for compensation, Im looking for policy change, Gregoire said at downtown San Diego office of his attorney, Dan Gilleon.

Gilleon called the actions of CHP Officer Sergio Flores a violation of Gregoires Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable arrest. He filed the claim for damages against the state claims board on Friday.

CHP Officer Jake Sanchez, an agency spokesman, said he could not comment on the incident, his agencys policy on controlling crash scenes, or the legal claim Gregoire filed.

The interagency squabble occurred Feb. 4, after a car headed south on Interstate 805 south of Telegraph Canyon Road had flipped over a temporary concrete divider wall alongside the fast lane.

Gregoire, whos been with the Chula Vista Fire Department for 12 years, said he drove up in a fire engine, with a captain and firefighter on board, and parked behind an ambulance, following department policy of placing the fire rig so that it protects medical personnel and patients from passing traffic. The engine was in the freeway fast lane, with two CHP cars and another fire engine behind it.

CHP officers told the crew of the second engine that they werent needed, Gilleon said, and they left within a few minutes. Gregoire said he was unloading a gurney while his captain and the firefighter helped two patients from the wrecked car. At that point, Gregoire said, Flores told him to drive his engine away or face arrest.

He said he couldnt leave without talking to his captain, then allowed himself to be handcuffed, searched and seated in the patrol car back seat.

It was odd, a surreal situation, Gregoire said. At the time, I thought my career was over. It was tough, being seated in the back of that CHP car.

Supervisors from both agencies resolved the issue and Gregoire was released about half an hour later. The District Attorneys Office did not issue any charge against him.

Gilleon said there have been other tensions between the CHP and Chula Vista firefighters at freeway crash scenes, including one in 2010 and one two weeks after Gregoires detention.

This situation has to do, I think, with ego, Gilleon said.

Gregoire said he filed the legal claim to try to bring about a change in how the CHP acknowledges that fire personnel should be considered in charge of freeway crash scenes involving sick or injured patients.

Gilleon said if the CHP orders its officers to not arrest, delay or obstruct firefighters lawfully treating patients, the case would be resolved without money changing hands.

If the state denies the claim, Gilleon said Gregoire has two years to file a federal civil rights violation lawsuit.

Because of the pending litigation, the city of Chula Vista cannot comment on the claim, said city spokeswoman Anne Steinberger.

The city continues to meet with CHP and supports ongoing efforts to ensure situations that happened on Feb. 4 do not happen again, she said.
A woman wearing a face mask to help protect against the spread of the new coronavirus pulls her shopping cart in Seoul, Wednesday, July 15, 2020. AP



South Korea's new daily virus cases came in at around 60 for the second straight day on Friday as the country grapple with rising imported cases and an uptick in local infections.



The country added 60 cases, including 39 imported cases, raising the total to 13,672, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).



It marks the third time this week that the daily rise of virus cases reached 60 or above, following 62 new infections reported on Monday and 61 cases on Thursday.



Infections coming in from overseas have been on high plateau for weeks, rising by double-digit numbers for 22 consecutive days.



Of the 39 additional imported cases, 25 were detected at quarantine checkpoints of airports and sea ports. The total number of imported cases is now 2,005.



Of the newly identified cases coming in from overseas, a large portion has traced to Iraq, with dozens of South Korean workers returning home from the Middle Eastern country testing positive for COVID-19 in recent days.



To bring the remaining workers home safely, the government said it plans to send a chartered flight to Iraq next week. At least 800 South Korean workers are in Iraq, for a slew of construction projects, where the daily number of virus infections reaches around 2,000.



South Korea is also alert over potential group infections tied to Russian-flagged vessels docked in the southern city of Busan. At least 19 virus-infected crewmen were confirmed to have contracted the virus on three ships.



It follows a cluster infection linked to Russia-flagged ships in Busan last month when 19 related cases reported.



Due to rising cases involving Russian seafarers, health authorities said they will conduct virus tests on all crewmembers of Russian ships that have a lot of contact with local workers.



To stem a further rise in imported cases, South Korea since Monday has required arrivals from four high-risk nations  Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan  to submit a certificate showing they tested negative for the virus.



South Korea will add two more countries from Monday, although it has not specified the countries for diplomatic reasons.



The number of new local infections bounced back to surpass 20 for the first time in five days following sporadic outbreaks of COVID-19 across the country.



Of the 21 local transmissions, seven were reported in Seoul, five in Gyeonggi Province, surrounding the nation's capital.



Gwangju added five more cases. The country's southern resort island of Jeju also confirmed three cases of the novel coronavirus.



South Korea reported two additional deaths from the virus, bringing the death toll to 293, according to the KCDC.



The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 12,460, up 64 from the previous day, while 919 are currently under treatment, down six from a day earlier.



The country has carried out 1,451,017 tests since Jan. 3. (Yonhap)


Cohen has expressed concern recently about the lengthening time it is taking to get COVID-19 test results back from non-hospital venues. She said DHHS will begin providing Friday evening hospitalization and intensive care unit usage by regions.

Forsyth updates

As of 12:30 p.m. Friday, 2,533 Forsyth residents are counted as recovered for an active case count of 1,435.

At least 11 cases in Forsyth are linked to staff members at the Forsyth County Jail, but no inmates had tested positive as of Tuesday. The next DHHS update on nursing home, residential care facilities and incarceration facilities will be released at 4 p.m. today.

Meanwhile, DHHS lists Guilford County with 3,949 cases, up 37 from Thursday, and with an additional death to 132.

There have been at least 15,312 cases in the 14-county Triad and Northwest North Carolina region with 281 reported deaths.

The state's positive testing rate has hovered between 9% and 10% since at least mid-May, including at 9% as of 11:30 a.m. Friday. There have been 1.34 million tests conducted in North Carolina.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / Nadine Pierre is an accomplished real estate professional who is determined to make a lasting difference in the world. Nadine migrated with her mother to the United States from Haiti and has taken it upon herself to conduct business with the highest levels of respect and professionalism. Nadine has made it her moral obligation to be an example to her fellow immigrants.

Nadine's impressive portfolio boasting of over thirteen years of client satisfaction has earned her the nickname of Fairy Godmother in the world of real estate. Nadine's stellar reputation in the real estate world carries her commitment and skill in guiding her clients through all aspects of the industry. She strives to eliminate the hassle and afford them a seamless and stress-free experience.

Having a business background coupled with an interest in psychology, Nadine possesses the innate ability to cater to, adapt to, and match all of her clients' needs. As a certified real estate expert negotiator, a member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, and a real estate advisor, Nadine serves as the bridge between people's real estate dreams and reality.

With a flick of her real estate wand, Nadine creates possibilities that help her clients realize what they want and deserve. Specializing in selling real estate throughout South Florida and across the United States, Nadine thrives with her strong work ethic and excellent relationships with her clients.

"I pride myself in always putting the needs of my clients first," Nadine says. With over a decade of experience, Nadine learned that her relationship with her clients is proportional to how her business will do. When clients are appreciated and satisfied, Nadine feels that the hard work she has invested in them is more than worth it. "For me, it's always more than just real estate."

With a business built on referrals, Nadine utilizes her social media platforms to connect with current clients, market her lifestyle brand, which embodies her faith and her beliefs as a real estate professional, a family woman, a traveler, and a philanthropist. Through her strategic Instagram and Facebook accounts, she receives approximately 30% of her business revenue. Using her talent as a storyteller, Nadine keeps her reach in the loop of her real estate efforts and the causes she feels passionate about.

Outside of her work as the fairy godmother of real estate, Nadine enjoys traveling the world and dabbles in writing in her free time. Nadine is also active within her community and is involved in several charities that are stationed both locally and abroad. One of the advocacies that she supports and feels strongly about is securing and providing meals for the homeless.

Serving as an inspiration to her peers, Nadine continues to maintain her reputation for excellence and quality service. As a woman in the world of real estate, she strives to improve her craft and further her streak of client satisfaction. Nadine, fulfilling her moral obligation, is a shining example of success and professionalism to immigrants everywhere.

For inquiries and more information on Nadine, she may be reached through her accounts on Instagram and Facebook.

Email Address: missdine@gmail.com

SOURCE: Authority Titans

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597836/Real-Estate-Fairy-Godmother-Nadine-Pierre-Is-a-Shining-Example-to-Immigrants-Everywhere
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  The mantra is usually the same for most adults: get a good job, save money, and start your own family.

This path is believed to set you up for life, as it would equip you with enough money to get by, plus a little extra to splurge if youre lucky. This is your Plan A, if all goes well. But, what if it doesnt?

Insurance pro Renato Vergel de Dios shows us a different take on life insurance, how it provides the level of protection in a way most people have not looked at. Armed with over 45 years of experience in life insurance, Vergel de Dios has seen the industry transform inside and out and dishes out some of the best advice on the topic.

His insurance mantra is easy to follow. He works for one of the country's leading banks, which has also ventured into the sector.

Alongside investment, Vergel De Dios says life insurance is actually the best way to secure your future and sustain the lifestyle of those who rely on you. Thinking long-term usually isn't sexy, but it's about time you do.

Here are all the reasons why you need an insurance policy (even when you think you don't):

1. It's a financial safety net.

Financial advisors and agents commonly market insurance policies as investment tools to get millennials and even fresh-out-of-college Gen Zs to get one, but Vergel de Dios believes they should first focus on the core: protection.

"Insurance is primarily for protection. The investment opportunity is just a side feature," said Vergel de Dios, who has held leading roles in major insurance companies in the Philippines.

"As a matter of fact, the problem today is that many people often prioritize investments. The result of which is that now, you have a protection gap. That means that there is an unprecedented number of families that will go broke when they lose their primary income provider," he added.

Beyond saving in the bank and investing in various platformsbe it stocks, bonds, or a businesssetting aside an amount for life insurance may, in reality, complete your investment objective when you run out of time.

2. It will sustain your lifestyle.

Most millennials feel that they are living life to the fullest around the time they get jobs and are still single, and many find that this quality of life deteriorates when they have to spend on someone elsebe it a dependent sibling or an ailing family member.

Research shows that many families are one hospitalization away from losing all their hard-earned savings. To avert this kind of financial disaster, getting insured provides that assurance that you can sustain your lifestyle even when a serious health problem strikes.

No one's really prepared for a major illness or a freak accident, so it's best to protect yourself from these so-called black swan events. Acquiring critical illness coverage is like having an insurance fund when catastrophic, life-threatening illnesses strike you.

3. It helps you prepare for lifes 'what ifs.'

With getting older comes an inevitable increase in responsibility. That includes paying for debts you incur as you upgrade your lifestyle. And while youre doing that, you need to be prepared for any eventuality, so that no one has to lose their home.

People are sometimes reluctant to get insured because they think they might not need it anyway. Its a grudge purchase that makes them feel like theyre just flushing money down the drain. But that's not the case at all, Vergel de Dios says.

It's a question of philosophy. Vergel De Dios explains it better: Savings and investments with your bank is your Plan A, as we hope all goes according to plan. Your BDO Life policy is your Plan B. When Plan A is disrupted, Plan B takes over and helps complete Plan A, he asserts.

"Life insurance enables families to preserve their financial dignity when life throws them a curveball. With proper planning, their lifestyle wouldnt have to change very much, their monthly bills would be paid on time, and there would be no need to agonize about expenses when invited to social occasions," he adds.

4. Its about your family, the people you love most.

They say that insurance is the most unselfish purchase a man can make. At the end of the day, we live for something bigger than ourselvesthat is, the people we love.

It would be tragic if youre no longer able to protect and care for them. Especially when, in this day and age, you could have easily made arrangements to continue your support.

That life is uncertain is a given. Accepting this fact head on and planning forward is the smart thing to do. Life insurance helps you do just that. When life is disrupted, your family may be grieving for you but they need not be hungry. "Is that a thought you want to do something aboutor is that a possibility you choose to live with?" he asks.

It's a grim but timely thought amid the COVID-19 pandemic as it reminds us about our mortality.

Thinking about family protection doesn't strike many as a "sexy" or cool thing to do. Because this isnt about you. Nor is this for you. Adulting is about taking on responsibilities. Its about learning to live the selfless life.

With its proven track record in securing the lives of Filipinos and the support of the country's largest bank, BDO Life is ready to work with you to do just that.
Coronavirus FAQ

What is the coronavirus?

The coronavirus outbreak started in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 and has spread worldwide. The new virus causes a disease known as COVID-19. The virus is part of a larger family of coronaviruses, which can lead to illnesses ranging from a mild common cold to more severe respiratory diseases such as SARS and MERS.

Who is at risk and what are the symptoms?

Public health experts say the new coronavirus is more contagious than the seasonal flu. The majority of people who become sick experience mild symptoms, but some become more seriously ill. People who contract the virus can develop pneumonia, and some have died. People who are elderly or have underlying medical issues are at greater risk of becoming more severely sick. Symptoms of the virus include a cough, fever and shortness of breath.

What should I do if I develop symptoms?

The North Dakota Department of Health advises that people call their health care provider to tell them about recent travel or exposure, and to follow their guidance. Try to avoid contact with other people in the meantime.

What can I do to prevent the virus from spreading?

The health department advises that people wash their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for at least 20 seconds. People who are sick should stay home from work or school, both to protect themselves and others with whom they would come in contact. Avoid touching your face, cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue or an elbow, clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, and avoid contact with people who are sick.

Where can I find more information?

People with coronavirus-related questions can call the state health department hotline at 866-207-2880. Those who need medical advice should contact their health care provider.

The health department's online coronavirus page: www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's online coronavirus page: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov
When Dr. Laura (my daughter the veterinarian...) starts looking for a car of her own, shes got her eye on the Subaru Impreza.

Subaru was and still is a leader in four-wheel-drive technology. As a vet, you never know when you might have to venture into a muddy field to attend to a sick horse.

Impreza also offers one of the diminishing number of four-door hatchbacks (Subaru calls it a five-door, but if you dont go in and out of it, its not a door).

Next to a station wagon, this is the most intelligent automotive configuration. Lots of room to carry medical gear, or an ailing puppy to the clinic.

Lower to the ground than an SUV, hence safer; lighter, hence better to drive and more fuel-efficient.

So, Dad approves.

We had a pair of Scooby Imprezas on test recently, at nearly opposite ends of that cars wide product spectrum.

First, a hatch (starts at $20,995; mine was a Sport-tech with Eyesight, $31,695 as tested), then a WRX sedan ($29,995; Sport-tech RS $39,695).

Sadly, by far the best combination  a WRX hatchback  is not offered. This is your fault, Subaru buyers  if you wanted it, theyd offer it.

The two cars share general architecture, a flat four-cylinder engine which has been a Scooby trademark for almost ever, and a full-time four-wheel-drive system which remains one of the most sophisticated in the business, automatically delivering torque to whichever wheels can best use it.

This is a far more important safety feature than all the nanny systems  lane departure warning, pre-collision braking, etc., which abound here as well.

Like VW Beetles of old, the flat-four engine has a characteristic exhaust note. It is inherently balanced, but the exhaust pulses deliver that unique sound.

The clear, bright dashboard offers big, readable gauges.

A large central screen has the usual options of SatNav, dozens of configurations, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, plus Subarus own STARLINK, which I never did figure out how to work.

A second screen in the middle of the base of the windshield is also reconfigurable to provide information you need or want at a glance, without the irritating distraction of a head-up display.

Theres the usual host of controls on the steering wheel spokes  sound system, snooze-and-cruise, various other functions  which as always will take time to get used to.

Theres the should-be-mandatory steering-wheel heater. Not needed during my test, but this weather wont last.

All in a matte black finish, to reduce reflections in the windshield.

Storage spaces everywhere, some with textured surfaces to keep things from sliding around too much.

Surprising amount of room inside for a compact car, and lots of luggage space too, augmentable by split-folding rear seats.

The hatch model is obviously roomier, more practical. Why would anyone not want this model?

Impreza barely passes the mirror adjustment test for the drivers side  depending on how you adjust your seat, you should be just able crank it out far enough to eliminate the blind spot.

It does pass the lights-off test  shut off the car, the headlights go off, as they should. No need for another annoying buzzer.

The sunroof seems short by todays standards, but few people use them anyway.

Now, on to the differences between models.

Clearly, performance.

The base car with 152 horsepower at 6,000 and 145 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 works well with the continuously variable transmission (CVT), because the engine stays closer to its fairly high peak torque r.p.m. figure.

Yet at common highway speeds its still turning less than two grand, so its reasonably quiet.

There is a bit of motorboating  the engine revs dont always line up with road speed  but thats how these things work.

Not too sure why a CVT would have steering-wheel paddle shifters, but theyre there if you want to play around.

Much of my test drive was on windy days, so the fair amount of wind noise may not be characteristic.

The car is firmly suspended, but I found it comfortable enough, and nicely pointable in the twisty bits. Subaru may not be rallying anymore, but the heritage shines through.

Speaking of rallying, on to the WRX.

You know this car is different before you even get inside  those bright red brake calipers from the Italian Brembo company are a dead giveaway.

Inside, carbon-look door trim (by look, I assume they mean fake), and Recaro front seats with red piping promise an interesting drive.

Speaking of interesting, Dr. Laura and Lady Leadfoot both complained about the comfort of the Recaros. They said their heads were pushed too far forward.

Turns out the headrest angle can be adjusted. Simply shove the headrest forward one, two or three clicks to get the angle you want. One more click and it goes back to the base setting, which we all preferred.

As usual, these seats offer excellent support and comfort, provided you arent too broad of beam, which none of us are.

Ahem.

With 268 horsepower at 5,600 r.p.m. and 258 lb.-ft. of torque from 2,000 to 5,200 r.p.m., the WRX doesnt lack for pace.

Kind of odd on hard acceleration, though, that the power delivery isnt perfectly linear. Nothing massive, just minor fluctuations in the acceleration curve.

The gearbox is light and precise, although on startup, the clutch requires some finesse to avoid stalling.

The rally-tuned suspension and those lovely big brakes mean you can lean on this car even harder, and it keeps asking for more.

The four-wheel-drive system really comes into its own when you do so. I detected a bit of understeer  front-end plowing  in tight corners, but backing off a touch brings the nose back in, and off you go.

Subarus seem well-suited to the Canadian driving experience. To paraphrase an old country song, they were four-wheel drive when four-wheel drive wasnt cool.

Dr. Laura hopes to be singing that song soon.
The daughter of one extremely rich man and the longtime confidante of another, Ghislaine Maxwell has always enjoyed proximity to wealth. But how much money she has herself is a mystery.

Maxwell, who has pleaded not guilty to charges she recruited girls for sexual abuse by Jeffrey Epstein, is spending the next year in jail in part because her "opaque" finances led the judge overseeing the case to conclude she was an extraordinary flight risk.

"At a basic level, the defense argument is that she cannot remember off the top of her head just how many millions of dollars she has," Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Moe said at Maxwell's bail hearing on Tuesday. The prosecutor said Maxwell's claims to have less than $1 million in the bank and no monthly income was "implausible."

Evidence of great wealth on Maxwell's part, especially if the money came from Epstein, could bolster prosecutors' depiction of her as fully complicit in his crimes. Her lawyers have so far suggested Maxwell, 58, is less wealthy than many believe and sought to distance her from Epstein's private-jet and private-island lifestyle.

Epstein, who died in jail last August in an apparent suicide after being arrested on sex-trafficking charges, left an estate estimated to be worth around $630 million.

Nicholas Biase, a spokesman for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss, and Mark Cohen, a lawyer for Maxwell, didn't respond to emails seeking comment about Maxwell's finances.

At the bail hearing, prosecutors said they'd identified more than 15 different bank accounts associated with Maxwell from 2016 to the present with balances ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to more than $20 million. She sold a Manhattan townhouse for $15 million in 2016 and still has one in London that she offered as a bail guarantee.

It's also unclear whether Maxwell has access to funds from an unidentified spouse mentioned by prosecutors Tuesday. She previously toured the secluded New Hampshire estate where she was arrested July 2 with a man who said he was her husband. According to prosecutors, the property was actually purchased by Maxwell for $1 million in cash using a limited liability company. After she was arrested, she told authorities she didn't know the name of the company that owned the house and that she merely had permission to stay there.

The government further said it had information that, between 2007 and 2011, more than $20 million was transferred from offshore accounts associated with Jeffrey Epstein to several associated with Maxwell. Millions were later transferred back.

Jordan Waxman, managing partner of New York wealth management firm Nucleus Advisors, said $20 million seemed a low amount for someone using offshore accounts. It was possible that was just the tip of the iceberg, he said.

"I would venture to say 20 is probably what they found so far and that the net worth would be substantially more," said Waxman. "The other thing is Jeffrey Epstein allegedly was worth $570 or so million. What was she doing as his No. 2 and only with $20 million?"

Of course, Epstein's operation was far from a typical money management business. He made a good part of his fortune advising lingerie titan Les Wexner on his money, real estate and other billionaire problems until the two cut ties in 2007. Epstein invested in hedge funds and advised other super-wealthy people, including Leon Black, on tax and philanthropy.

There are no indications that Ghislaine directly helped Epstein with financial matters. Instead, Maxwell, who grew up in British high society and graduated from Oxford University, introduced Epstein to the global elite, including politicians and royalty.

After arriving in New York in the wake of her father's death and ensuing scandal, she grew tight with Epstein in the 1990s. They were initially romantically involved, but remained close, and Epstein called Maxwell his "best friend" in a 2003 Vanity Fair article. A trained helicopter pilot, she even transported him to his private island.

At the hearing, Maxwell's lawyer Cohen pushed back at the government's claims about his client's wealth, particularly allegations that she was "associated" with 15 accounts.

"No detail, no explanation to the court, just more dirt," Cohen said. "Well, she has three bank accounts that she disclosed." He said it was possible there were other accounts related to a now-defunct nonprofit that Maxwell formerly ran that they were willing to track down if the court deemed it important.

Cohen also said proceeds from Maxwell's Manhattan townhouse sale have already been depleted due to various liabilities and expenses, including "extensive, substantial litigation." Maxwell in 2017 settled for undisclosed terms a defamation suit by Epstein victim Virginia Guiffre and is now paying four lawyers to defend her against criminal charges.

In March, Maxwell sued Epstein's estate to cover her legal costs, claiming he had always pledged to provide her with financial assistance.

A major question hanging over Maxwell is whether she inherited considerable wealth from her father, British publishing tycoon Robert Maxwell. Once ranked among the world's richest men, Maxwell died in 1991 as his media empire, which once included the New York Daily News, was crumbling and he began to default on massive loans. After his death, hundreds of millions of pounds were found to have been diverted from his companies' pension funds.

Though it's often been assumed that Ghislaine Maxwell was left penniless by the scandals that engulfed her father's company and led her older brother to declare the largest personal bankruptcy in U.K. history, federal prosecutors in New York raised the possibility that she still had substantial family money at her disposal.

Swiss Trust

"It is very unclear whether the defendant is receiving proceeds from trust accounts or an inheritance or means of other kinds," prosecutor Moe said at Tuesday's hearing. She said the government was aware of a Swiss trust benefiting Maxwell that held over $4 million last month and in which a relative served as trustee.

Cohen countered that Maxwell disclosed her Swiss account in a filing with the Internal Revenue Service and said one of the fund transfers was due to the maturation of a $500,000 bond.

Harvey Bezozi, an accountant and financial adviser in Greenwich, Connecticut, said it would make sense for Robert Maxwell to try to protect some wealth for his family. "I would imagine that the family inheritance or trust was constructed by a highly competent estate tax attorney," he said.

Much of Ghislaine Maxwell's offshore wealth may remain elusive to U.S. authorities, said Waxman. "It could be an elaborate shell game -- where the peanut's underneath the shell and it keeps moving around and there are more and more shells."
Jewish Academy of Orlando students put their heads together and said, 'Let's get back to school.'

Jewish Academy of Orlando will welcome its students back to in person learning this fall with precautions in place. Consistent with the recommendations of the American Association of Pediatrics, students will attend school, while following stringent safety guidelines to minimize the risk of COVID-19.

In May, Head of School Alan Rusonik assembled a re-opening task force that included JAO faculty, administration, board members and parents as well as pediatricians, lawyers and other professionals in the community.

"While remote learning was a smooth transition for our school, it was a necessit...
Its rare for violent crime from the outside world to touch Lancaster Countys Amish population, but not unprecedented.

Although their presence in Lancaster County draws thousands of tourists each year, the Amish hold themselves apart from their non-Amish, or English neighbors. Crime within the Amish community is exceedingly rare, said Mark Louden, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor who studies Amish language, healthcare and legal issues.

More common, but still rare, are violent crimes committed by English against Amish, Louden said.

Thats one reason the disappearance of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos has drawn a national spotlight, particularly after police charged a 34-year-old Paradise Township resident with her kidnapping.

Stoltzfoos went to church on Fathers Day, June 21, and was going to walk home to change her clothes before attending a youth gathering. She never made it home and never arrived at the youth gathering.

Although Stoltzfoos is still missing, police on July 10 charged Justo Smoker with her kidnapping, based on surveillance video, witness reports and cell phone data. Some clothing they believe Stoltzfoos was wearing has been recovered.

Donald Kraybill, Elizabethtown College professor and fellow who has extensively studied the Amish, said crimes typically committed against the Amish are pranks, such as throwing a pumpkin at a buggy, or occasionally burglaries committed by people who know the behavioral patterns of the Amish, he said.

Mike DeWalt, a Winthrop University professor who specializes in Amish education, family and childhood, said the most common crimes committed against the Amish are theft and buggy-vehicle accidents.

Normally, the Amish go about their life and dont get involved in a lot of stuff they shouldnt be doing, Dewalt said.

Many have heard of rumspringa as a time of adolescence when Amish youth engage in may risky behavior and explore the outside world. But for many young people, rumspringa is simply a time when youth socialize with one another without adult supervision, Louden says.

The majority of Amish youth do not act up during this time, he said.

Many of Stoltzfoos community members have said there was no indication of problems that might make her want to leave the community. Friends told police she was content with her lifestyle.

All the information and evidence gathered so far leads authorities to believe that Stoltzfoos was kidnapped and suffered harm, said District Attorney Heather Adams.

When speaking of the rarity of violent crime perpetrated against the Amish, Louden pointed to a notable exception: the 2006 school shootings in Nickel Mines, Lancaster County.

In 2006, Charles Carl Roberts IV entered the West Nickel Mines Amish School in Bart Twp., Lancaster County. Roberts, a member of the English community, shot and killed five girls and injured another five before killing himself. Then state police commissioner Col. Jeffrey B. Miller called the crime scene horrendous. The news of the killings rocked the quiet, peaceful community and became a story that rippled far outside southcentral Pennsylvania.

After Nickel Mines, the local community, English and Amish, gathered to support each other amid the spotlight of national media.

Throughout Stoltzfoos disappearance, both Amish and English community members have reacted with similar support, gathering in song and prayer.

This really brings them (Amish and English) together in a powerful way that transcends the cultural differences between the two, Kraybill said.

The Amish have a tight-knit community with a strong support network for families. A lot of the community members stay in the area and are lifelong friends and neighbors of people with whom they went to school, DeWalt said. There are also a lot of shared meals and times of fellowship.

It would be very hard for a family to sit down for a meal and have an empty place, he said referring to the Stoltzfoos family.

Louden said the Amish experience the same horrors that any community would when victimized by violence. But in at least one key respect, they react differently.

Amish and Anabaptists, in general, are nonresistant and seek peace while following Jesus teachings, Louden said. That means they practice everyday application of Biblical teachings  including the mandate to forgive their enemies, said DeWalt.

Following the Nickel Mines shooting, the Amish community began to pray for the man  and his family  who killed their beloved daughters, sisters and friends. The community reached out to the shooters parents and some members became friends.

A local church paid for Roberts funeral expenses and the community and established a trust fund for his children.

Relatives of some of the girls who were killed or wounded spoke years later to PennLive of their personal struggles to truly forgive Roberts.

It takes effort to forgive, Louden said. One important way that we Anabaptists put our faith into action is by offering love and support for victims and their families, as well as for perpetrators and their families, as difficult as that is. Its easy to forgive your friends, but we are called to forgive our enemies, too.

Kraybill said he believes that whatever they might learn about what happened to Stoltzfoos, her family and community will react with forgiveness for anyone who did her harm.

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1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up.

2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed.

3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms.

4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually.

5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 19:39:50|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono said on Friday that he has called on the United States to conduct coronavirus testing on all U.S. military personnel coming to Japan after outbreaks of the virus have hit U.S. bases in the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa.

Kono told a press briefing on the matter that the defense ministry has requested that U.S. military personnel bound for Japan take one test prior to leaving the United States and one upon arrival in Japan.

"With so many asymptomatic people, PCR testing is a must," Kono said, adding that tests needed to be carried out, without exception, on military personnel before leaving the United States and coming to Japan.

Kono said the U.S. side has said it is considering the request.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki has also asked the U.S. side to clarify whether or not they are taking the necessary virus prevention measures while based in Okinawa, including two-week quarantine measures where necessary.

Tamaki has also called for the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) to be reviewed as U.S. military personnel are exempt from Japan's quarantine rules and travel bans.

On Thursday, the U.S. Marine Corps Camp Hansen in Okinawa reported 58 new coronavirus cases, the Okinawa prefectural government said, while 73 cases have been linked to U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, an additional five were confirmed at Kadena Air Base, and one each at Camp McTureous and Camp Kinser, officials said.

The total number of COVID-19 cases at U.S. military bases in Okinawa stood at 138 on Thursday, the prefectural government said, adding that amid fears of the virus spreading to the local population, an elderly taxi driver had tested positive for COVID-19.

The driver, in his 80s, was known to have had contact with U.S. military personnel, officials said.

Tamaki, earlier in the week, met with Japanese and U.S. government officials in Tokyo to relay his concerns over the U.S. military-linked virus outbreaks on the island.

Tamaki has urged the central government to suspend U.S. military transfers to Okinawa as soon as possible. Prior to the suspensions, he has urged that all U.S. military personnel coming to Japan undergo PCR tests.

Okinawa hosts the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan, and Kono, meanwhile, has said that without enhancing testing measures, U.S. military personnel in Okinawa infected with the virus but asymptomatic could pass on the virus unknowingly.

As well as risking infecting the local community in Okinawa, Kono said it is also important for the U.S. to protect its own personnel from the virus spreading further on U.S. bases in Okinawa.
It might be a different story with the Trump administration, which has thrown fuel on the fire as its relations with Beijing plumb new depths. The U.S. comments this week about the South China Sea  Pompeo on Wednesday acknowledged the change in U.S. policy  coincided with the fourth anniversary of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in favor of the Philippines that rejected Chinese maritime claims around the Spratly Islands and neighboring reefs and shoals.
Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville, Kentucky, is to be investigated for his handling of the Breonna Taylor case, the death of David McAtee, and the protests that followed that have seen hundreds of arrests.

The Louisville Metro Councils Government Oversight and Audit Committee (GOA) filed an order to officially launch the investigation into the action and inaction of the Fischer Administration, according to a statement.

Breonna Taylor was killed by police on 13 March when Louisville Metro officers carried out a narcotics raid on her home.

The emergency medical technician had been asleep when the officers entered her apartment and was shot eight times when they confronted her boyfriend. No drugs were found on the property.

Anger at the death of the 26-year-old led to demonstrations both locally and then nationwide demanding the officers involved be arrested.

David McAtee was fatally shot as police and the Kentucky National Guard broke up a large crowd of protesters in June. An investigation showed that Mr McAtee had fired a shot from a pistol, believed to be into the air as a warning.

Since protests began 435 individuals have been arrested, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department.

Demonstrators are not deterred, and continue to demand action against the officers responsible for Ms Taylors death.

On Tuesday 87 people were arrested during a peaceful protest on the Kentucky attorney generals lawn demanding action in the case.

Dozens spent the night in jail and some face felony charges for intimidating a participant in the legal process.

The investigation aims to identify any shortcomings in training policies, or control systems, that led to the execution of a no-knock warrant at Ms Taylors residence in the middle of the night.

In addition, it aims at identifying any errors or omissions in following procedures, best practices, or follow-up decisions after the death of Ms Taylor and Mr McAtee, and the responses to the protests that followed.

The GOA plans to subpoena former Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Steve Conrad and current Police Chief Robert Schroeder as part of the investigation.
China has become the first major economy to grow since the start of COVID-19. The bounce-back smashes predictions by naysayers of China's economy and provides hope to other countries looking to recover from a crisis that has caused a global recession.

The 3.2 percent year-on-year growth in the second quarter of the year, versus a 6.8 percent contraction in the first quarter, demonstrated that the world's second-largest economy has a solid base for further expansion.

Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, China adopted comprehensive, strict and precise measures for prevention and control despite misunderstanding and smearing from some Western countries. The government has rolled out a raft of measures, including more fiscal spending, tax relief and supportive employment policies, to revive the economy.

Chinese economy has shifted from slowing down to rising, strong evidence that the adverse impact of the epidemic can be overcome with resolve, courage and correct actions.

The world's confidence in the prospects of China's development is well-founded. The country's economic recovery will continue in the second half of the year, powered by the rapidly growing new industries and business models, as well as the strong support from macro policies.

China, now in a better position to handle any contingencies in the future, remains an important engine for global growth. Its market is still huge, inclusive and open where wise foreign enterprises have every reason to stay rooted and seek further development.

The dark moment is passing, but the full recovery could take time. China needs to deepen reforms, expand opening-up and improve its business environment to achieve high-quality development.

The government will make further efforts to expand domestic demand, as China is still facing constraints in consumption recovery, with retail sales of consumer goods declining 11.4 percent in the first half of the year. Policies and measures to ensure employment, people's livelihoods and development of market entities will be comprehensively implemented, which will provide new opportunities for Chinese and foreign enterprises.

In today's world, the interests of all countries are highly integrated. Win-win cooperation is the trend of the times. China will be unswervingly committed to pursuing the path of peaceful development, promoting the building of an open world economy and supporting international solidarity against the coronavirus until victory is won for all.

The year 2020 is a difficult time for the world facing waves of virus cases, rising protectionism and other uncertainties. During these trying times, no matter how the domestic and international economic situation evolves, China will always stand on the right side of history.
SELINSGROVE  Susquehanna University students must test negative for COVID-19 before they will be permitted on campus for the resumption of classes Aug. 24.

The testing requirement, which also includes faculty and staff, is part of a plan the university has developed aimed at reducing the risk of the coronavirus spreading should it appear on campus as anticipated.

Our students are returning to campus from a world in greater disruption than they  and frankly, most of us  have ever experienced, university president Jonathan D. Green said.

The pandemic, Black Lives Matter movement, widespread economic and social uncertainty and what bodes to be an especially contentious election year have presented us with remarkable uncertainty. "

Susquehanna is prepared to welcome students to what Green called a transformative experience that includes social distancing, face coverings, enhanced health and hygiene practices and, where needed, the flexibility for remote instruction.

Provisions of its COVID-19 plan include:

The university will provide test kits for students if necessary and pay any cost not covered by insurance. Those who test positive must follow isolation requirements before traveling to campus.

Students, faculty and staff are required to wear face masks and they are asked to provide their own although non-medical disposable ones also will be available.

Face-mask exclusions for students include when eating in designated dining areas, in their own residence hall rooms and while brushing teeth or showering in a shared bathroom.

Plexiglass barriers have been added to office and other spaces and no food or drink will be permitted in classrooms or meeting spaces.

Students are asked to arrive on campus with a personal self-care kit that includes additional masks, thermometer, tissues, cough medicine, anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitizer. They will be expected to check their temperatures daily, remain in their rooms if ill and contact the Student Health Center if they experience COVID-19 symptoms.

Faculty, staff and students are asked to provide their own water to minimize the use of fountains and coolers.

Disposable gloves, disinfectant wipes and paper towels will be distributed for regular cleaning of shared objects such as desks, lab equipment, copiers, printers, electronic equipment, coffee makers, desks, tables, light switches, doorknobs and vending machines.

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In between the stories of hardship brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, there are silver linings to be found. Most have to do with the kindness and generosity of strangers. Some come down to the fact that creativity will find a way to express itself, no matter the circumstances.

One such story highlighted in our pages last week deserves extra attention.

Hudson Pride Center, dedicated to helping the areas LGBTQ+ community, moved its annual senior prom for high schoolers online this year because the in-person event they normally host wasnt possible. To their surprise, attendees in the virtual event came not just from Hudson County and the surrounding area, but from around the country.

We had youth register from West Virginia, North Carolina, California, Texas, Iowa and more,' Hudson Pride Executive Director Elizabeth Schedl said, a total of 19 states in the U.S. and one person from New Zealand!'

The goal of the prom, which Hudson Pride has been hosting in person for more than a decade, is to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for kids to attend with the date of their choice and in the attire of their choice.

It allows youth to meet others like them, make new friends, and build a positive memory to last a lifetime,' Schedl said. Doing the prom virtually this year opened up this event to LGBTQ+ youth across the country that otherwise would not have been able to attend and may not have a center like Hudson Pride in their hometown.

Listen to what some of the attendees had to say:

I loved how energetic everyone was, a New Jersey participant said, adding: Let yourself just be whoever you are, because no one else can be you, and thats the greatest gift.

It was really fun and a great experience and Ive made some friends that I look forward to meeting in real life,' an attendee from New York said. I appreciate being able to have joined and I hope to join in on more groups in the future.

The virtual prom was the best experience I had, and it gave me the confidence to come out to family and friends,' an attendee from North Carolina said. It also gave me a place to make friends that really understand me.

The proms two Royals  Lucka from Jersey City and Nat from West New York  were chosen for the honor because of their commitment to social justice, prom organizers said, and in their statements they emphasized using their own experiences to help LGBTQ+ teens feel accepted.

I would like to give anyone in need of that feeling (of being loved and accepted and feeling safe) the kind of support they need,' Lucka wrote.

If I can help others feel loved, and worthy, then they can help others feel the same, Nat wrote.

Kudos to Hudson Pride for a successful event and for giving communities near, far and wide a great idea for next prom season.

Send letters to the editor and guest columns for The Jersey Journal to jjletters@jjournal.com.
(Photo : John Sibley / Reuters) Boris Johnson is once again confronted by the rebels' wishes to cancel the nuclear station building.

The 21 Tory rebels, the same group that advocated and pleaded for the British government to back out from its ties with Chinese-run Huawei, have a new outcry -- they want to fight authorities on a nuclear station also to be designed by the Chinese.

In a report on Daily Mail Online, the next target of these rebels would be to stop the growing participation of Beijing in the nuclear industry and schemes in the United Kingdom. They have claimed success in the banning of Huawei from the 5G mobile network of the Western European country.

The nuclear station will be located at Bradwell in Essex, and is to be designed by China General Nuclear Power Corporation, a company that has strong partnerships with the government and authorities in Beijing, China, the report added.

This turning point in the rebels' decision came after the U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was prompted to refocus and then confirmed that the government is blocking Huawei from its involvement in the 5G mobile systems in the country, following the rebels' wishes, another report on the Sydney Morning Herald said.

China Research Group and cabinet members

There is a China Research Group managing the U-turn. The members of the CRG are also aides to various British cabinet ministers, including Alicia Kearns, a government official working for Oliver Dowden, secretary of culture.

Also in the group is former Tory chief Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a China critic and the person who set up the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. It's a different group that includes United States senators Bob Menendez and Marco Rubio, with delegates from various nations such as Japan, Canada, and Australia.

One of the goals of Smith, he said, was to encourage politicians from "both sides of the aisle" from the nations to act in unison over areas of specific concern, including fair treatment for Uighur Muslims and coordinate globally and worldwide. Part of this is to demand sanctions against Carrie Lam, the chief executive of Hong Kong over issues on deals.

The Tory Rebels

There were a total of 21 Tory rebels which included ex-ministers and party grandees, such as Philip Hammond, David Gauke, Dominic Grieve, Justine Greening, and Kenneth Clarke.

They voted for the motion to lose the whip of the party, and be barred from standing during the next selection. What does it mean? The government will not have a majority, and will have to choose 21 new parliamentary candidates in a haste decision. The rest of the rebels include Guto Bebb, Richard Benyon, Steve Brine, Alistair Burt, Greg Clark, and more others.

The debate continues, with high hopes that the rebels will once again win.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Crown Point, Cedar Lake, Lowell and Schererville are the only communities that so far have surpassed the self-response rate of the 2010 census. Self-response in Crown Point is at 79.4 percent this year compared to 79 percent in 2010. In Cedar Lake, 73.4 percent of residents have responded to the census so far compared to 71.3 percent in 2010. In Lowell 78.7 have responded this year compared to 77.9 in 2010. Response rate in Schererville is 79.4 percent this year compared to 78.2 percent in 2010.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 19:21:18|Editor: huaxia

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KUWAIT CITY, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait on Friday reported 553 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 58,221 and the death toll to 404, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Currently, 9,436 patients are receiving treatment, including 143 in ICU, the statement added.

The ministry also announced the recovery of 836 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 48,381.

Kuwait started on June 30 the second phase of restoring normal life, which will last for three weeks.

Kuwait and China have been supporting each other and cooperating closely in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kuwait donated medical supplies worth 3 million U.S. dollars to China at the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak.

On April 27, a team of Chinese medical experts visited Kuwait to assist the Gulf country's anti-coronavirus fight, through sharing their experience and expertise in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. Enditem
The CENI dispute marks a new peak in tensions for the coalition government, an uneasy alliance between Tshisekedi, Kabila and several smaller parties formed after the December 2018 election, which has shown increasing signs of discord in recent months.



The breadth of opposition to it  including supporters of Tshisekedi, the opposition Lamuka coalition, the Lay Coordination Committee of the Congolese Catholic Church, and other civil society groups  reveals how serious those fractures have become.



Weve seen over the past year and a half that there have been tensions in the ruling coalition, said Nelleke van de Walle, deputy project director of Central Africa for the International Crisis Group.



Tshisekedi has been forced to cooperate with Kabilas Common Front for Congo (FCC) coalition and they have been in a standoff ever since.



In the first year of his presidency, Tshisekedi struggled to push through policies due to push back from the FCC, according to van de Walle, including the complicated appointment of the prime minister, which took four months to agree, and frustrated attempts to make changes at the state mining company, Gecamines.



But Tshisekedis State of the Union address in December 2019, in which he promised 2020 will be the year of action, signaled a more combative tone.



That was the moment when Tshisekedi first began to distance himself from Kabila, said van de Walle.



In January 2020, Tshisekedi told an audience at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London that he would be willing to dissolve the National Assembly and have new elections, drawing strong criticism from the FCC.



Political tensions were further stoked when in February, General Delphin Kahimbi, head of army intelligence who was charged for involvement in a plot to destabilise Tshisekedi, was found dead.



Then last month, Vital Kamerhe, Tshisekedis chief of staff who also ran Kabilas election campaign in 2006, was charged with embezzling more than $50m in public funds, a decision that sent shockwaves through the country.



In recent weeks, the fragile coalition was rocked by counter-movements from Kabilas allies, including judicial reforms aimed at redefining the powers of judges. This led to demonstrations in the capital, Kinshasa, over what was seen as an effort to muzzle the judiciary, prompting the resignation last week of Justice Minister Celestin Tunda, a senior figure in Kabilas FCC.

Source: aljazeera.com









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Co- rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) have expressed concern by the loss of life that the violation of the cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan has caused, Trend reports.

We remind both countries that facilitating peace is a commitment they took on when they became members of the Council of Europe. We therefore urge them to show the restraint needed on the ground to de-escalate the situation and to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric, said the co-rapporteur PACE for Armenia, Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland, SOC), and the PACE co-rapporteurs for Azerbaijan, Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) and Sir Roger Gale (United Kingdom, EC/DA), in a joint statement.

We also call on both countries to resume peace talks in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, in the manner indicated by its co-Chairs in their statement of 15 July: creating an atmosphere conducive to the peace process, holding negotiations on a settlement for Nagorno-Karabakh, and allowing the return of OSCE monitors to the region, they concluded.

Starting from noon on July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, opened artillery fire at Azerbaijani positions.

Azerbaijan's armed response forced the Armenian army to retreat suffering losses.

Azerbaijani personnel, sergeant of military service Vugar Sadigov and corporal Elshad Mammadov, died while repelling the attack of the Armenian armed forces.

Despite the efforts of the Azerbaijani doctors, severely wounded serviceman of the Azerbaijani army Khayyam Dashdemirov also died.

The tension remained in Tovuz district on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border on July 12 night.

During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, bombshells, vehicles and servicemen on the territory of the Armenias military unit.

Azerbaijani serviceman, senior lieutenant Rashad Mahmudov was killed during the battles.

The battles continued on the night of July 13. Major General Polad Hashimov, Colonel Ilgar Mirzoyev, Major Namig Ahmadov, Major Anar Novruzov, Ensign Ilgar Zeynalli, Ensign Yashar Babayev and soldier Elchin Mustafazade became martyrs during the battles.

Another serviceman of the extended military service of the Azerbaijani army, Private Nazim Ismayilov died in the battle in the direction of Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border on July 16.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
A backpack and a few water bottles were all a university graduate had with him when he was forced to walk 60km across the outback after his car became bogged in mud.

Lachlan Marie, 23, spent two days trekking across the outback in Cape Arid in Western Australia's south coast after his Jeep Cherokee became stuck in mudflats.

The 23-year-old set out on his journey on Saturday spending the next two nights without seeing another soul and sleeping in extreme conditions.

Mr Marie was starting to lose hope of ever seeing his family again until another motorists happened to drive by and rescue him.

Lachlan Marie, 23, spent two days trekking across the outback in Cape Arid in Western Australia's south coast (pictured, another traveller in Cape Arid)

'I figured that if I didn't get moving, if I didn't find my way out of the park, I was probably not going to make it,' Mr Marie told the ABC.

Mr Marie desperately tried to dig his car out of the mud when it first became stuck.

Using a shovel he scraped the skin off his knuckles trying to free the wheels but had no luck.

Armed with four water bottles, a map, a portable stove and a sleeping bag he then set off on the seemingly never ending journey.

Mr Marie's parents had lent him the Jeep to explore the Western Australian coast, but he veered off the main road to venture onto the mudflats - admitting he thought the ground would be solid.

His first night in the wilderness was a sleepless one as he was caught in ferocious winds.

'I started having thoughts about 'Am I even going to make it out of the park? Should I even be sleeping? Should I be walking right now because I only have so much water and I only have so much time?' Mr Marie said.

Luckily he had some food and was able to cook sausages but was forced to drink out of muddy puddles when his water ran out.

After another night in the outback Mr Marie finally came across another person - but it took three times to get their attention.

A ute started driving towards Mr Marie who was frantically waving his arms and shouting.

But the driver drove straight past the 23-year-old and then again a short time later.

He eventually noticed the lost traveller and picked him up before driving him back into town in Esperance.

Mr Marie's rescuer, Ryan, said the young man was 'lucky to be alive'.

The 23-year-old walked 60kms over two days through the Cape Arid National Park (pictured) before he was picked up and rescued by a stranger

Once back into civilisation, Mr Marie raced to the local pub to tuck into a steak.

It wasn't until he rang his mother that she said he should go to hospital where he then received eight litres of intravenous fluid.

Doctors told him the situation was 'not good' and his muscles had started shutting down.

His car was eventually picked up by a rescue team and Mr Marie was admitted from the hospital's emergency ward on Wednesday.

Looking back on his near-death experience, the 23-year-old said it made him realise what's important.

'When I was out there nothing much crossed my mind except seeing my family again and making it out alive,' he said.
the EC had earlier decided to allow those above 65, COVID-positive voters and all those under quarantine to use the option of postal ballots

New Delhi: The Election Commission has decided not to extend the facility of postal ballot for voters aged 65 and above in the coming Assembly elections in Bihar and byelections due in the near future in view of the constraints of logistics, manpower and safety protocols of COVID-19.

In view of the pandemic, the EC had earlier decided to allow those above 65, COVID-positive voters and all those under quarantine to use the option of postal ballots to minimise their vulnerability and exposure at the polling stations.

On Thursday, the EC said it had been constantly monitoring the electoral preparedness for the coming byelections and Assembly elections in Bihar in view of this unprecedented environment, and had already limited the number of electors to 1,000 for each polling station to enable ease of voting, especially for the elderly and other vulnerable sections.

However, the EC clarified the facility of optional postal ballots for those above 80, as well as electors engaged in essential services and all those who are COVID-positive/suspect in quarantine (home/institutional) will be extended in these elections.

Bihar is creating around an extra 34,000 polling stations, an increase of 45 per cent, which will increase the total number of polling stations to around 1,06,000. The EC said this would entail logistical challenges of mobilising 1.8 lakh more polling personnel and other resources.
(Photo : Pixabay)

Contact tracing has become one of the most powerful ways to continuously break the chain of infection that is transmitting a deadly virus like Covid-19. However, numerous studies of asymptomatic carriers being 'superspreaders' suggest we know very little about coronavirus infection rate. New research shows fast testing and quick reporting of results is required to make contact tracing as successful as possible.

Testing that takes five days or more would be useless

According to researchers at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, contact testing which takes five days or longer is of little benefit.

Researchers, whose study was published in the public health journal Lancet, said contact tracing is considered the gold standard for combating an infectious disease outbreak.

Still, experts say contact tracing involves identifying individuals who may be infected, isolating those who are infected, monitoring those who may have been affected, and checking and isolating or quarantining them.

Three factors need to happen for such efforts to potentially reduce the spread of the virus, the researchers said. First, monitoring must take place on the day symptoms arise. Second, contacts must be monitored when the results of the day check return. And third, coverage for tracing needs to be 100 percent.

With a test delay of more than three days, even perfect touch tracing could not prevent the virus spread from accelerating. The researchers looked at both traditional and app-based methods of contact tracing. Due to their speed, app-based tracing techniques have been more successful than conventional methods, even with less contact coverage.

Contact tracing would be useful if the turnaround time is fast

Researchers say the study reinforces findings from other modeling studies, showing that contact tracing can be an effective intervention to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, they underscored that the tracing would be effective only if the proportion of contacts traced is high, and the process is fast.

"Our study builds on this to show, in detail, what role each step in the process plays in making this approach successful," said Mirjam Kretzschmar, one of the lead authors of the study.

ALSO READ: [BEWARE] Officials Warn Public of COVID-19 Contact Tracing Scams

Experts not involved in the study agreed that fast testing is key to the success of contact tracing. Dr. David Bonsall, a senior scientist and clinician at the Nuffield Department of Medicine at Oxford University who did not participate in the study, said the results were consistent with other studies.

"We agree that manual tracking efforts also should aim to return test results within 24 hours, and trace people rapidly thereafter," he said in a statement.

However, people must be warned before they harm others to touch tracing to function. Bonsall said high rates of pre-symptomatic transmission allow the complete delay, from the onset of symptoms to contact-tracing, not to exceed 48 hours.

Louise Ivers and Daniel Weitzner of the Center for Global Health and General Hospital of Massachusetts expressed their concerns about depending on applications to track down contacts.

In a commentary, Ivers and Weitzner wrote that these results "remain unproven" as a public health intervention.

ALSO READ: Scientists Fine Tune Smartwatches to Detect COVID-19 Infection Among Wearers Nine Days Before Symptoms Appear: Here's How

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Stacy Dean stands inside the restaurant she owns, the Kopper Kettle, in Yucaipa, Calif., on July 10, 2020. Protesters demonstrating over the death of George Floyd clashed with counter-protesters near the Kopper Kettle on June 1, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

A Town Struggles to Find Harmony in a Divided Nation

Violent faceoff between Floyd protesters, counterprotesters roils Yucaipa, California

YUCAIPA, Calif.When activists on social media suggested burning down businesses in Yucaipa, California, City Councilman Bobby Duncan grabbed his shotgun and headed uptown. He joined other citizens who had decided to keep watch on June 1, the night that attacks were expected.

I brought my shotgun. I set it by the wall. I sat down by it. I didnt have it in my hands. I wasnt brandishing it, Duncan told The Epoch Times.

A widely circulated image of several men holding guns on the roof of a building on Yucaipa Boulevard has helped fuel a portrayal of the town as full of threatening vigilantes that night.

But the authenticity of the image has been questioned; townspeople have told The Epoch Times they saw nothing of the sort. Barbers at Elite Clipz, one of the businesses in the pictured building, told The Epoch Times no armed men were on the roof that night. The image has some inconsistencies, including numbers missing on the front of the building.

An image circulating on social media shows armed men on the roof of a business in Yucaipa, Calif.

Yucaipa City Councilman Bobby Duncan stands in Jepsons Guns and Ammo shop in Yucaipa, Calif., on July 10, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Those who kept watch over other businesses on Yucaipa Boulevard that night, including Duncan, have said they were armed, but stood guard peacefully and didnt brandish their weapons.

A little more than a dozen protesters gathered near the ARCO gas station on the boulevard on June 1. They held signs saying Black Lives Matter and Justice 4 George Floyd, the black man who died in police custody in Minnesota, sparking protests and riots across the nation.

Across the street, a group of counterprotesters gathered, more than twice as many in number than the protesters.

Fights broke out between the two sides; no one was seriously injured, but the boiling over of tensions and the violence that night scared many in the city.

Since June 1, the city has been in the national spotlight. Internally, its been torn.

A view of Yucaipa Boulevard on July 10, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Some locals praise Duncan and the others for protecting the businesses. Some say they should have stayed homethat the rumors of pending attacks werent enough reason to appear threatening to protesters.

Confusion has abounded around gun laws and whether their actions were legal. Many felt they were within their rights to bear arms in protecting the properties.

Some say they should have let the police handle it, while others say the police wouldnt stay to guard the businesses, so they had to.

In the following weeks, the tension at City Hall was palpable. The voices of many who testified at City Council meetings were broken, trembling with outrage. Some residents said Yucaipa is steeped in racism, while others said thats not so.

Abigail Gonzalez was one of the protesters on June 1.

I was yelled at. I was told to go back to my country.  I was born in Michigan, she said at a July 13 Council meeting. She was the first one to show up to the protest, and she said the counterprotesters started taunting her, telling her because she has short hair, she must be a man.

My brother is  [a] Marine  who passed away a little over two years ago for this stupid country, she said. You guys put his banner here and took a picture with him. And people are telling me to go back to where Im from now.  You better believe that theres going to be more protests coming. Im not scared.

Mike McCue said at the same meeting, My son was actually  on the protesting side, but showed up to the last meeting to support Bob Duncan.

The town of Yucaipa came together to protect life, property, and livelihoods, he said. Most of us, along with the rest of the world, watched the news and businesses burn, store windows and fronts broken into and looted, people ripped out of cars, beaten  all in the name of George Floyd.

Businesses in neighboring San Bernardino had been devastated by riots in the days leading up to June 1.

Eric Welsh owns Massaro and Welsh, a civil engineering company across the street from where the protesters gathered that night. He said police showed up on the morning of June 1 after concerns about possible attacks came up, but then left.

As he spoke at a June 8 Council meeting, Welsh looked at the crowd in front of him and said, I know there were a lot of people here sitting in front of me who tied their hands.

Who was there to protect us? he asked. Why wouldnt anyone say, Go home, well protect your business?

Mr. Duncan came by to see how we were doing.

How It Started

Duncan saw social media posts targeting Yucaipa and Redlands, a neighboring city, on May 31. They were urging protesters to wreak havoc on local businesses.

Duncan called San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson, and after that phone conversation, Duncan told The Epoch Times that he believed he was within his rights to take his shotgun uptown.

So, I can tell you for sure that there was a credible threat on Facebook to come to Yucaipa and loot and burn, Duncan said. I noticed on Facebook that someone wrote: Why are you burning down your home of San Bernardino? Why dont you go burn down Redlands and Yucaipa because theres a bunch of Trump-loving white conservatives that are racists.

I went to the business owners and I said, Look, heres what theyre saying on Facebook. They say theyre coming up here tonight, coming up here to teach us a lesson, to loot and burn our city. Thats the word on Facebook. So, Im the one who went business to business on Monday morning [June 1].

When he sounded the alarm, a grassroots movement developed, Duncan said.

I told them what to expect and everybody kind of organized themselves, I guess.

Kopper Kettle Kafe

One business on Yucaipa Boulevard was the center of attention. The Kopper Kettle Kafe has long been surrounded by rumors of a Ku Klux Klan association, because of its KKK initials.

Actually, its been the Kopper Kettle Kafe and Katering (KKKK) for years, but the added Katering had to be drawn on the storefront sign in smaller lettering to squeeze it under the original three words, leaving the three Ks relatively prominent. The KKK rumors persisted.

One Twitter user wrote on May 29, Please dont burn down, damage or vandalize small businesses!! (unless its that KKK cafe in Yucaipa).

Another called Yucaipa a hick  hillbilly 1950s sundown town and wrote, The Kopper Kettle Kafes been there 4 like 25 years and its always been a thing, is it kkk or ?

Stacy Dean owns the cafe. She is the fourth owner, and she bought it from her mother who was the third. Dean told The Epoch Times that the original owner is the one who named it, and she doesnt think there was any racist intent behind it.

I guess she was just kind of an eccentric person, and the reason she named it Kopper Kettle [Kafe] was because she loved everything copper. She even had copper-colored hair, and she thought it was a cute name. I mean, theres nothing menacing behind it, and Im sure that the use of the Ks was just whimsical. So, it stayed that way, Dean said.

Her mother had added and Katering to the name, in the hopes of dispelling the rumors. Nonetheless, about two years ago, Dean heard that a professor at nearby Crafton Hills College had chosen the KKK rumor about her cafe as a topic for classroom discussion.

She was upset by the insinuation that her family had ties to the Klan or that she was racist.

Thats one of the ugliest things you can call someone. I could have just been mad, but instead, I said, Hey, this hurts!

She sent a letter, accompanied by cinnamon rolls, to the professor in an attempt to dispel the rumors.

I explained to him who my family waswho we were and how my mom bought the business from the woman and had it for 30-some years, and everything that shes done for the community. I remembered everything, and everybody that we ever hiredevery race, gender. Weve hired special-needs people. We did every fundraiser, Dean said.

After reading her letter, the professor apologized to her and spoke to his students about it. He paid a visit to the Kopper Kettle.

We sat and talked, and it was amazing, because you never get that kind of result, you know? Incidentally, he was African American.

A message board is displayed in the Kopper Kettle restaurant in Yucaipa, Calif., on July 10, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Staff work in the Kopper Kettle restaurant in Yucaipa, Calif., on July 10, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

When Dean heard the rumors about her restaurant being targeted on June 1, she took down her sign.

Im tired of the negative correlation with it, and Ive had it, she said. We dont even call ourselves that; we just go by Kopper Kettle, so this stupid word Kafe was what was throwing people.

This is genuinely coming from my heart: If our sign reminded people of awful things, or if African Americans looked at it and only saw the KKK, who am I to say theyre wrong? she said. I want everybody to drive by our restaurant, read the sign and go and say, I hear that place is great! I dont want anybody to look at it and go, Hmmm, whats that all about? So, for so many reasons, it was time to take it down.

Some people in the city criticized her because she caved to the mob, she said. I didnt cave. I listened, she said. Her restaurant has a new sign that says, Kopper Kettle.

A new sign adorns the storefront of the Kopper Kettle in Yucaipa, Calif., on July 10, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

A friend told her of something he witnessed at her restaurant one day in the past. Three black customers were there laughing and enjoying themselves, until one of them looked up at the sign. They expressed disbelief. He watched as their shoulders sank and he could sense their sadness.

I dont know what that feels like  and it broke my heart when he told me, Dean said. It made him feel bad to see that, and it made me feel terrible to hear it. We can just say, Thats ridiculous. Why would they think that way? But, thats because were white. We dont know what that feels like.

Community members expressed support for Dean and her business at a June 8 City Council meeting.

Paul Welsh said many of the employees at the cafe are Hispanic.

There is no racism here, just little old ladies baking cookies and pies and serving a great breakfast and lunch. These ladies are scared to death, he said.

Councilman Dick Riddell says hes known Deans family for 35 years, and they deserve all the accolades theyve been awarded for community service. He said of Deans mother that theres not a racist bone in her body.

On the night of June 1, Dean said, I was home under my covers praying that my restaurant wouldnt get burned down.

She didnt ask others to defend her business. They came of their own accord.

The ARCO gas station is across the street from the Kopper Kettle. Her restaurant was ground-zero; it was in the Kopper Kettle parking lot that the group of counterprotesters gathered.

The ARCO gas station on Yucaipa Boulevard, on July 10, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The Faceoff

Duncan said the fighting started when a protester knocked the red hat off one of the counterprotesters.

I dont remember if it was a Make America Great [Again] hat, but  thats what started the fights, he said.

A retired police officer and longtime Yucaipa resident who stood guard on the roof of the Kopper Kettle spoke to The Epoch Times on the condition of anonymity. He said an older man wearing sweatpants walked across the street to talk to the protesters, and a protester punched him.

The punch triggered a wave of counterprotesters, who rushed across the street to confront protesters, he said.

An aerial view of Yucaipa Boulevard, on July 10, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Videos posted on YouTube of events show a counterprotester in a white T-shirt moving through a crowd in the ARCO parking lot toward a protester wearing a pink T-shirt, then punching him in the face.

A protester in a pink T-shirt appears in other videos hitting counterprotesters. Counterprotesters at one point chase him and hit him repeatedly.

Counterprotesters ripped the shirt off of another protester and hit him repeatedly. A panicked bystander who was filming is heard on video saying someone was yelling, Kill him. Other counterprotesters broke up that fight.

Protesters repeatedly hit a female counterprotester who had been yelling at them.

Later that night, four protesters accused of being Antifa reportedly showed up at the ARCO. Some residents say one of them had a pistol and was wearing a T-shirt with an Antifa logo on it. Duncan said counterprotesters drove them off.

There were a lot of cars going up and down the boulevard that normally are not here. I believe they were from out of town, Ron Kliewer, a longtime resident and local business owner, said at the July 13 council meeting.

Kliewer thinks the counterprotesters scared away some potentially dangerous activists.

A show of strength is what stopped a riot from happening.

In the midst of the scuffles, a lone police car had pulled up. When the officer didnt immediately exit the car to stop the fighting, a local who was filming yelled at him: What are you guys waiting on? Theyre killing that guy. This was while one of the protesters was being beaten.

The local who yelled at the police is heard apologizing to them shortly after, as the situation defused, saying he was caught up in the emotion of the moment.

He was a sole deputy, the retired officer who had been guarding the Kopper Kettle told The Epoch Times. As soon as his partners got there, then he rolled in and they addressed the situation. And thats exactly what youre supposed to do.

Theres no way in a fight of 50 to 60 people, that youre going to send one deputy in and expect him to resolve or stop the fight. Its just not going to happen, and its not safe.

He said the reports of widespread drunkenness among counterprotesters were exaggerated. And although people were carrying weapons, nobody pulled out a gun that I saw. No shots were fired.

For everybody, the whole community, we just wanted peace, he said.

Hey, come to our city. Thats what makes America great, he said. I prefer not, but if you want to come and protest and have signs of whatever sort you want, thats America. You have the right to do that. But, you dont have the right to go into any community to destroy it, loot it, and burn it down.

Another of the men who had stood guard on the Kopper Kettle roof told The Epoch Times: There was about five of us up on that building, but there were guys on other roofs all up and down the street.  At least on our roof, we werent brandishing. We werent carrying our long guns. We had them laid down.

We were just standing up there watching, and one of us had a drone to check other areas. It could go several miles, he said. They used the drone to check on several businesses, including a coffee shop just up the street.

Heaven forbid they find out its called the White Rabbit. They might think thats racist, too, he said. Its an Alice in Wonderland thing. But thats the kind of stuff that theyre doing now. They take something out of context and say, Oh, its racist!

Though he was sickened by the brutality of Floyds death and he believes peaceful protesters should be heard, he said the innocent mom-and-pop shop owners and those who have stepped up to protect them shouldnt be silenced.

When I saw the video of Floyd  saying he cant breathe  I wanted to just push the cop off of him  Its terrible! he said.

But, he said, A lot of those businesses are barely getting by because of the pandemic. They are just barely starting to open up, their margins are very tight. Theyre not getting rich doing that; they work long, hard hours every day. And then to have it taken away because vandalscriminalsjust decided to tear it out because theyre quote protesting is just not right.

Police Response

Yucaipa Police Lt. Julie Landen, a 20-year resident of Yucaipa, said in a June 10 video statement posted on YouTube that police have begun a criminal investigation into the June 1 incident near the ARCO station.

Yucaipa police released photos of two men wanted for questioning, both counterprotesters.

One suspect is shown with an activated Taser in his hand, and videos show him running toward protesters. The Taser can also be heard in the videos. The other suspect is shown with an expandable-style baton. Videos show him beating a protester with it.

During the initial investigation, none of the parties contacted desired prosecution, however, three alleged victims later came forward, Landen said.

Two detectives have been assigned to the case, and the investigation has been ongoing since that time.

We are aware of several photographs showing residents and business owners who were armed in the Uptown area. Since that night, we had been working to contact those people and educate them on weapon laws and encourage compliance.

The Yucaipa Police Department told The Epoch Times on July 7 that nothing had changed since the June 10 statement; no charges have been filed related to the events.

Use of Firearms

The Yucaipa Police Department wrote on Twitter in the days following the event about firearm laws. It cited California penal code sections that prohibit a person from carrying a loaded firearm in a public place  concealing a firearm upon ones person or in a vehicle.

It noted that other penal code sections state that those sections dont prevent any person engaged in any lawful business, employee, or agent authorized by that person for lawful purposes connected with that business, from having a loaded firearm within the persons place of business.

An exception also applies to California gun owners who have carry concealed weapons (CCW) permits. Some of the men guarding the Kopper Kettle told The Epoch Times they have CCWs.

Jepsons Guns and Ammo store on Yucaipa Boulevard, on July 10, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Although Duncan initially defended his constitutional right under the Second Amendment to bear arms as he did that night, he walked back the comments in a statement on June 8 after revisiting the issue with District Attorney Anderson.

Duncan said he misspoke, citing misunderstanding or miscommunication between him and the DAs office.

The next day, Anderson issued a statement: If you are a business owner in lawful possession of a firearm, always remember you are not allowed to use that firearm to protect property. That is why you have business insurance.

The California Department of Insurance (CDI) advises business owners to read the fine print of their insurance policies to make sure they are covered for property damage and losses associated with civil unrest.

Standard commercial policies typically include coverage for physical loss or damage to the insured premises and other business property resulting from looting, vandalism, and riots. Whether a specific loss will be covered depends on the actual language in the applicable policy and any coverage exclusions that may apply, the CDI website states.

Aftermath

Insurance only covers so much, said a local business owner who supported Duncan in her comments at a June 22 City Council meeting. Had they not done that, maybe something terrible would have happened.

She is Colombian and she said she hasnt experienced any racism since she moved to Yucaipa from Orange County four years ago. She was, however, terrified by the activist threats against Yucaipa.

I dont believe that the town should turn their backs on the citizens that are the bread and butter of this town, the backbone of this town, that have their small businesses here and we should all be called racist.  Its not going to make people like me come from Orange County and invest in this town.

[They] slander all of us for the actions of a few bad apples, she said.

Grace McCray said at a June 8 meeting: Im a young African American woman living in Yucaipa. Ive been here for over 10 years, and Ive never felt completely safe. I know that there are people in this town who would go out of their way to find a reason to harm me and my family and friends.

She also spoke at the July 13 meeting, saying, The aggression from counterprotesters toward the Black Lives Matter movement and the after-effects that weve all seen are all the result of racism.

At the June 8 meeting, Rebecca Reyes, who grew up in Yucaipa, said: Ive never been more disenchanted and disheartened by the activities that occurred on June 1 here in this town. Im a white girl  and I dont feel safe here. I dont feel safe to speak my mind. I dont feel safe to be an inclusionary person. I dont feel safe to support Black Lives Matter.

Mayor David Avila said at the June 8 meeting: As a Mexican American, Ive never felt anything but welcome by the people of Yucaipa ever since Ive been here since 1990. I dont share the experience that others say that they have.

He said he chooses to look on the bright side, hoping the town can come together and talk about racism and the tensions dividing it.

I think our community will come together, he said. Its been a rough, rough six months. I know we will move past this.
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In mid-July, the APC Late Model Series announced a five-race (four event) schedule for the popular Ontario touring series. In this episode of Inside Track TV presented by Pintys Delicious Foods, APC Series boss Luke Ramsay talks with Inside Track Motorsport News editor Greg MacPherson about his decision to proceed with events while the COVID-19 pandemic is still underway, his work with the promoters at Jukasa Motor Speedway, Sauble Speedway and Flamboro Speedway to make it happen, and the importance of doing it safely.

Click HERE to view the full video.

For more info on the APC Series, visit: www.apcracingseries.com. Pintys is on the web at www.pintys.com and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at pintysfoods.
With India establishing 'air bubbles' with countries such as the US and France, there is relief among passengers who have been unable to fly into or out of the country.

As of now, United, Air France, airlines from the Middle East have confirmed services.

But there is also confusion among fliers. Can everyone travel in and out of India on these air bubble flights? Can they do transit travel? How about quarantine, does one need to? Are the guidelines same as those for the Vande Bharat Mission flights?

Some of the finer details are still not clear. But we shed some light on these questions.

First of all, what's an air bubble?

As Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri pointed out, air bubbles are "at a stage short of normal civil aviation activities." In other words, these flights are a little more evolved than the repatriation flights but have not yet reached the 'normal' stage.

The Indian government has been holding talks with counterparts in the US, UK, Germany, UAE and France, to allow airlines from these countries to operate in India. This came after the US Transportation Department voiced these concerns.

Under Vande Bharat Mission, Air India has been flying passengers out, and into, India. The fares were fixed - at least deemed - and passengers flying from overseas, needed to book through local Indian embassies. Once they landed in India, the passengers had to go through quarantine as specified by the local state government.

Fliers are hoping that much of these restrictions will be relaxed when it comes to the air bubble flights. In reality, it may not be so.

Who can fly out?

The answer varies with the airline.



Currently Air France is only operating repatriation flights from India. You may connect with our "Customer Contact Centre" at Toll free number 1800-4192-033 or paid line 91 124 623 3502. (Mon-Fri , 8am - 8pm and Sat - Sun & Public Holidays (9am - 5pm). Kind Regards

 Air France India (@AirFranceIN) July 15, 2020

Air France, for instance, has specifically clarified that it's operating 'repatriation' flights. This is what it said on Twitter:

And this is what Air France said on its website:



EU Nationals returning to home country ( including PR holding spouse and children below 18 years of age accompanied or otherwise)



Indian nationals with long-term EU residency permit with a final destination within Europe.



All other foreign nationals returning to their home country.



Indian nationals with Green Cards, Permanent Resident permit to Canada, USA & other countries will be allowed to travel only in case of the specified family connection i.e Spouse is a national of the destination country.



Current approvals received by Air France / KLM for repatriation operations ex India allow travel of the following :

So an Indian student with a temporary residency in Europe can't travel yet.

Conditions are similar for travel on Emirates. This is what the Dubai-based airline said on its flights operating out of India:

"These flights will be available for UAE nationals and residents with prior entry approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDFRA) for residents of Dubai and ICA approval for residents of other emirates of the UAE."

Who can fly into India?

By all indications, Air France is flying into India without passengers. On its website, the next available flight from Paris to Delhi is on August 31.

A call, and a long wait, to Air France customer services, confirmed the same: "There is no confirmation on flights from Paris to India, sir. We are only booking for flights from India," said the executive.

Emirates, on the other hand, is flying in Indians, 'originating from the UAE.' In other words, Indians flying into Dubai from Europe, and wanting to come to India, may not be allowed on these flights.

The Indian government has also signalled that transit travel will not be allowed.

An Emirates representative said that Indians could either book directly on its site or do it through the local Indian embassy as not everyone would have access to buy a ticket online.

A United spokesperson had earlier told Moneycontrol that customers can directly book on its website.

Does one need to do COVID-19 tests? How about quarantine?

Emirates specified that passengers flying in and out of India need to carry a test certificate that shows they have been tested negative.

Air France added that passengers will have to comply with measures set in place by destination and origin countries. In other words, if one lands in Mumbai or Delhi, the passenger will have to go into quarantine according to local requirement.

So what has really changed?

Good question. Not much, actually. Just that one now has more options to book from, within the restrictions. Apart from the likes of United and Air France, private Indian carriers, including IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara, may also start international operations.

One good has come out this, though.

And, what is that?

Fares will come down. Air India Chairman and Managing Director Rajiv Bansal said on July 16 that the airline has cut fares by 25 percent on flights to North America and Europe.

As Moneycontrol had pointed out earlier: The fare dilemma: United's flights from Delhi put spotlight on Air India's Vande Bharat ticket price

Thanks to the competition, fares may go down further.
Azerbaijan dramatically escalated tensions amid its border battle with Armenia this week with an implicit threat to bomb the region's only nuclear power plant and unleash "great catastrophe" on Armenians.

The July 16 warning drew outrage from Yerevan and deepened concerns that the worst violence in four years between Azerbaijan and Armenia, who are technically still in a war begun in the late 1980s, could quickly spiral out of control.

At least 16 Azerbaijanis and Armenians have died in the fighting near a northern section of their internationally recognized border that has included heavy artillery, tank, and drone attacks since it began on July 12.

Yerevan and Baku routinely threaten and accuse the other of provocations that have killed dozens of people in recent years, many of them civilians, with neither side willing to back down publicly for fear of being viewed as weak in the more than 30-year-long standoff.

The strategic or tactical aim of either side in contributing to this week's violence is unclear.

But the reframing of the current flareup to include a missile attack on a Soviet-built nuclear plant -- a move that could massively increase the death toll and set off a Chernobyl-like fallout in the region and beyond -- took many people by surprise.

"The Armenian side must not forget that our army's state-of-the-art missile systems allow us to strike the Metsamor nuclear plant with precision, which could lead to a great catastrophe for Armenia," Vagif Dargahli, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman, said on July 16, hours after hostilities had resumed following a one-day lull.

There was speculation that the Armenian side had first hinted it might somehow strike a civilian target  such as the Mingachevir Dam -- but there was no evidence of any official making such a threat, according to RFE/RL's Armenian Service.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry quickly condemned Dargahlis remarks as a "manifestation of state terrorism that "reflects Azerbaijans genocidal intentions."

Armenians are particularly attuned to the import of references to genocide in light of the mass killing of around 1.5 million ethnic Armenians in the World War I-era by Ottoman Turks.

With such statements, Azerbaijans leadership acts as a menace to all the peoples of the region, including its own people, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

There are some 3 million people living in Armenia.

The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant lies just a few kilometers from cities with tens of thousands of people and 35 kilometers from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, and its 1 million inhabitants.

The plant supplies more than one-third of the country's energy needs.

Memories are fresh in the minds of Armenians and other former Soviet citizens of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 in what is now Ukraine.

When the Soviet Union was on the verge of collapse in the late 1980s, Armenia and Azerbaijan erupted in conflict over a heavily ethnically Armenian region of the Azerbaijani Soviet republic called Nagorno-Karabakh.

The full-scale fighting that began in 1992 is estimated to have killed around 30,000 people  many in brutal ethnic cleansing -- and uprooted hundreds of thousands more.

The most intense fighting ended with a cease-fire in 1994 that left ethnic Armenians in control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions and failed to bring a permanent settlement.

For more than a decade, occasional skirmishes have broken out near the Line Of Contact marking de facto borders.

But this week's fighting is the biggest outbreak of violence since 2016 and, unusually, has been centered far from a disputed border. It has thus far been limited to a small region.

"The mention of possible strikes on Metsamor is indeed alarming," Laurence Broers, Caucasus program director at Chatham House in London, told RFE/RL. "However, given that any such outcome would be a catastrophe for the whole region and beyond, I'm not sure that this should be taken literally."

Broers added: "Rather, it may be a way to attract attention to what is seen widely as a weak point in Armenias political economy: a nuclear plant that is aging and by some assessments obsolete to the point of danger."

The United States, the European Union, and Russia have all urged restraint and "de-escalation" from Yerevan and Baku.

The South Caucasus region is strategic for its hydrocarbon deposits and key oil and gas pipelines between the former Soviet Union and Southeastern Europe.

"Bringing Metsamor into the mediascape around this week's clashes...is a surefire way to attract global attention to an obscure conflict that is too often dismissed as 'frozen.'"



Azerbaijan is especially rich in oil and gas reserves that provide vital hard currency to its authoritarian president, Ilham Aliyev, and his government.

"There is a case for decommissioning the station [at Metsamor], but Armenia needs it as the country does not have many other energy options," said Broers. "Bringing Metsamor into the mediascape around this week's clashes reminds the world of these issues and fits an Azerbaijani narrative that Armenia is a source of threat and instability to the South Caucasus. It is also a surefire way to attract global attention to an obscure conflict that is too often dismissed as 'frozen.'"

Aliyev publicly warned a week ago that he was tiring of the stalled international efforts to help bring a permanent peace to the region.

Four days into the current burst of violence, Aliyev replaced his longtime foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, after saying the previous day that Mammadyarov had been "passive" in handling the crisis.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry said in its statement that Baku's Metsamor threat "indicates the level of desperation and the crisis of mind of the political-military leadership of Azerbaijan."

Yerevan called it "a flagrant violation of the International Humanitarian Law in general and the First Additional Protocol to Geneva Conventions in particular."

Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovannisian told journalists that "our officials, politicians, and diplomats are raising this issue with relevant [international] bodies."

Energy-rich Azerbaijan has been devoting huge amounts of its budget to its military in the past decade, far outspending its economically smaller neighbor.

Emil Sanamyan, a blogger and fellow at the University of Southern California's Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, said Baku's threat involved its possession of a missile system it purchased from Israel.

"Just to be clear: With this statement issued yesterday, [the] Azerbaijani Defense Ministry is threatening to use the LORA surface-to-surface missile it bought from Israelto attack Armenia's nuclear power plant to cause a leak of radiation."

He added that use of the specter of such an attack was not new.

Sanamyan said Azerbaijan made a similar threat when it "acquired the LORA missile system from Israel" in 2018.

Senior military officials from NATO member and staunch Baku ally Turkey met with their Azerbaijani counterparts on July 16.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar emerged vowing that Armenia would "definitely pay" for what it described as Armenian attacks on Azerbaijan.

The pain of the Azerbaijani Turk is our pain," an Azerbaijani news site quoted Akar as saying.

The same day, Yerevan called Turkey "a security threat for Armenia and the region," adding that "broad regional and international cooperation is needed to counter it."

The OSCE Minsk Group -- co-chaired by the United States, Russia, and France but also including Turkey -- has existed since 1992 to encourage a framework for lasting peace and security between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

But it has not convened a summit bringing together the Armenian and Azerbaijani heads of state in three years.

A Russian deputy foreign minister, Andrei Rudenko, reportedly called on all mediating countries to adhere to "balance" with respect to the current crisis.
The Alzheimers Association in partnership with Needham Goes Purple will present a virtual presentation of The Net Will Appear, Erin Mallons touching comedy starring legendary, Emmy-nominated actor Richard Masur and star of the upcoming Disney+ feature Flora and Ulysses Matilda Lawler. The performance will be available online at http://TheNetWillAppear.org from July 19, 2020 - July 24, 2020. All donations made will benefit the Alzheimers Association.

Those most affected by the pandemic have been people who live alone, particularly our older population. The Net Will Appear is about reaching across the spaces between us to discover what connects us. The physical distance between us right now may feel great, but the emotional distance doesnt have to be, said Mallon.

The Net Will Appear is a tender and quite beautiful play (NJ.com) about two eccentric characters, Bernard, a 75-year old man dealing with the declining cognition of his beloved wife, and Rory, his 9-year old neighbor working through her own struggles. This special performance reunites Masur and Lawler who originated the roles of Bernard and Rory in the plays highly acclaimed 2017 debut at Mile Square Theatre. Masur points out that his character Bernards care for his wife speaks directly to the mission of the Alzheimers Association and Needham Goes Purple.

According to the Alzheimers Association, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease  the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 16 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimers and other dementias.

The Alzheimer's Association offers a number of virtual education programs and support groups that can help those living with Alzheimers and their families. Additionally, the Alzheimers Association free, 24/7 Helpline (800.272.3900) offers around-the-clock support for caregivers and families impacted by Alzheimers and all dementia. For a complete list of resources visit alzhereforyou.org.

About the Alzheimer's Association

The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's. Visit http://www.alz.org/MANH or call 800.272.3900.

About Needham Goes Purple

Needham Goes Purple originated in 2015 as a team supporting the Alzheimers Associations Longest Day initiative, and incorporated in 2020 to continue as a local community organization fighting this global disease. Our mission is to increase Alzheimers disease awareness, to raise critical funds for research and to support those affected by the disease. Currently, we offer the Needham community multiple ways to show their support for the fight against Alzheimers through events, sponsorships and donations.

Richard Masur (Bernard) has been well known to film and television audiences for almost 45 years. Masur has starred in more than 50 feature films, including Wholl Stop the Rain, Risky Business, The Thing, My Girl, Heavens Gate, Forget Paris, Heartburn, Under Fire, Tumbledown, Dont Think Twice, and most recently, The Lonely Boys. He has appeared in over 45 television films, three of whichAdam, Fallen Angel and When The Bough Breaksare among the top-ten rated TV movies of all time, and he received an Emmy nomination for his performance in the TV film The Burning Bed. Other television movie credits include roles in HBOs much-heralded And The Band Played On, Showtimes Hiroshima, It, and HBOs 61*. Masur has also starred in numerous popular TV series, including The Hot l Baltimore, One Day at a Time, Rhoda, Empire, Picket Fences, and guest starred on countless TV comedy and drama series, including HBOs Bored To Death, and Girls, CBS The Good Wife and The Good Fight, Netflix Orange is the New Black, TV Lands Younger, and Amazons Red Oaks, and Transparent. On Broadway: The Tony nominated productions of David Storeys The Changing Room, Nora Ephrons Lucky Guy, and Michael Fraynes Democracy; and Off-Broadway in the Culture Projects production of The Exonerated; MTCs world premiere of Sarah, Sarah, by Daniel Goldfarb; The Public Theatres production of Rinne Groffs The Ruby Sunrise; Playwrights Horizons world premiere of a feminine ending by Sarah Treem; the New Groups production of Mike Leighs 2000 Years; Make Me, by Leslie Ayvazian at the Atlantic, Roger Rosenblatts The Oldsmobiles at The Flea, Charles Buschs Olive and The Bitter Herbs at Primary Stages, the world premiere of Fetch Clay, Make Man by Will Power at the McCarter and then at the NY Theater Workshop, and The Net Will Appear, by Erin Mallon at Mile Square Theater and 59E59. Masur is a past National President of Screen Actors Guild. First elected to the SAG Board in 1989, he then served as SAG 3rd National Vice President, SAG President and again on the National Board until April 2012. He worked for over 20 years to help effect the merger of SAG and AFTRA, and is proud to have also been a National Board member of SAG-AFTRA.

Matilda Lawler (Rory) is a series regular on Station Eleven, an upcoming limited series for HBO Max based on Emily St. John Mandels best-selling novel. Matilda portrays young Kirsten, the storys protagonist. Last summer, Matilda starred in the feature Flora and Ulysses for Disney+. Matilda plays the titular role of Flora in the original movie that is set to premiere this fall. Last year, Matilda originated the role of Honor Carney on Broadway in The Ferryman written by Jez Butterworth and directed by Sam Mendes which won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Play. Her performance received rave reviews and Theatermania included her in their list of the 11 Best Broadway Debuts of 2018. Matilda made her professional stage debut in Erin Mallon`s play, The Net Will Appear starring opposite Richard Masur. She is thrilled to be reunited with her great pal, the wonderful Richard Masur for this very meaningful event.

Erin Mallon (playwright) is a playwright, author, and narrator of nearly 500 audiobooks. Her debut romantic comedy novel Flirtasaurus is landing in July 2020. Erins plays have been presented with Urban Stages, New Georges, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, The Collective, Cherry Picking, Great Plains Theater Conference, Samuel French #OOB Short Play Festival, Project Y Theater, Dreamcatcher Rep, Mile Square Theatre and more. Erins play Branched (dir. Robert Ross Parker) premiered with InViolet Theater at HERE Arts Center in NYC and is in print with Original Works Publishing. Her play, The Net Will Appear is an Honorable Mention on the 2016 Kilroys List and had its Off-Broadway Premiere at 59E59 Theaters in NYC starring the great Richard Masur. Other full-length plays include: Good Riddance, Hand Me Down, Stunning Displays of Prowess, Skin Hungry, The Other White Meat, Come Find Me and These Walls Can Talk, which can now be enjoyed as an audio play on Audible.com. Along with writer Bixby Elliot, Erin is the founder and co-curator of The Brooklyn Generator (a playwriting engine that creates plays in less-than-30-days) and one half of The Theater Husband / Theater Wife Project.
HOLLAND, MI -- Pete Haines, superintendent of the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District (OAISD), announced his plan to retire during a school board meeting Wednesday.

Haines, who has been at the helm for five years, has worked in all level of education for over 30 years. He will retire during the 2020-21 school year, according to a Thursday, July 16 news release.

The OAISD school board will hire a firm to search for the districts next leader. Haines official retirement date will be determined once the search is complete.

Ive been fortunate to hold only jobs I enjoyed, but this role has been particularly enriching, given the incredible talent in our organization and in the local schools we serve: traditional public schools, public school academies, and non-public schools alike, said Haines in a prepared statement.

Officials say most of Haines career has been devoted to promoting public education as an instrument for equity and opportunity.

Over the last five years, Pete has raised the bar on what it means to be an ISD Superintendent, said Carol Slagh, president and of the OAISD school board.

He has brought our stakeholders together - industry, community, business, local and state governments, local schools - both public and private, for the sole purpose of doing what is best for educating our kids, Slagh said.

Some of his accomplishments and leadership roles were cited including:

Led a successful regional enhancement millage information campaign to secure additional funding for local school districts.

Played a key role in a number of business-community-education partnerships that have enriched opportunities for students and families across the region.

Provided outstanding leadership to area schools during an unprecedented school closure due to a global pandemic.

Haines role in several initiatives that have provided opportunities for students and families in the area was also highlighted such as a regional collaboration, the Reading Now Network, to improve early literacy and student achievement.

After retirement, Haines plans to spend more time with family while in the area as he continues to support public education through future opportunities.

More on MLive:

Controversial place names, monuments reflect Michigans racially unjust past

Michigan restricts physical restraint of children in foster care facilities after death of Kalamazoo teen

Several teens at Fourth of July beach party in Norton Shores test positive for coronavirus
[I am] living proof that theres life on the other side and that if you cast all of your cares on the Most Holy, you will be able to experience the fruit that your troubles bore.

Author Samantha Williams shares how God took her to victory through many hardships in Made it Through the Storm ($12.49, paperback, 9781631296338; $5.99, e-book, 9781631296345).

Williams was raped, shot, and everything in between. The difficulties of her life led her down a path of depression and despair that she only escaped through the support of family, friends and the God who rules over all circumstances.

[I am] living proof that theres life on the other side and that if you cast all of your cares on the Most Holy, you will be able to experience the fruit that your troubles bore, said Williams.

Samantha Williams is an author from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who has been led by God to share her story so that others may benefit from it. This is her first book, but she is intending to write a follow-up, Life After the Storm.

Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Made it Through the Storm is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.
Netflix has elevated Ted Sarandos to co-CEO alongside founder Reed Hastings.

In a blog on companys website, Ted said, Im excited and honoured to have been appointed co-CEO of Netflix. When Reed and I first met over 20 years ago, he described Netflix almost exactly as it now works. But at the time, I was sceptical. The Internet was still new and Netflix's main competitor, Blockbuster, was huge and had completely disrupted the business model of my previous company. Part of Reed's brilliance is his persistence and so I eventually said yes, back in 1999.

Sarandos, who joined Netflix in 1999 and has been with the company for more than 20 years, has long served as CCO. As part of the move, he has also been elected to the board of directors.

Netflix also gave Chief Product Officer Greg Peters the additional role of Chief Operating Officer.
Ministro del Interior, #JorgeMontoya, recomienda a todas las personas que vayan a tomar un vuelo lleguen al aeropuerto tres horas antes como maximo, no mas. Asi se evitara la aglomeracion. Del mismo modo, recomendo seguir todos los protocolos sanitarios y de seguridad. pic.twitter.com/97tjqdpoBQ
Former TV journalist Quentin Fogarty, best known for filming a UFO incident off New Zealand, has died, aged 73.

The Age reports he was found dead at his St Kilda home by emergency services in early July after being alerted by his children, who couldnt raise him. Hed retired from a long and illustrious media career just a week earlier.

Fogarty worked Nine, Seven, 10, ABC and SBS. He claimed to be the first person hired to work for SBS in 1980, later winning a Logie in 1985 for his documentary Frontline Afghanistan.

He was working for Channel 0 Melbourne and was with a film crew on board a freight aircraft in 1978 when he reported on the Kaikoura UFO incident off the coast of the South Island of NZ in 1978. It remains the worlds first verified film encounter with a UFO.

Three months after that flight, at a press conference in New York, a group of American scientists said the light sources captured on film could not be explained by conventional means.

He was always convinced that enhanced computer analysis of the film might get closer to finding what he saw that night and was working on this project at the time of his death.

Q Ball also made documentaries, trained hundreds of politicians and executives in media training and in his later career worked in issues management, corporate and government communications.
A man who disarmed four officers at gunpoint in southwestern Germany before fleeing into the Black Forest has been arrested after five days on the run, police said today.

Police said 31-year-old Yves Rausch was found sitting in a bush with an axe in his lap and four firearms were seized during his arrest.

Hours earlier, they had appealed for Rausch, who was dubbed 'Rambo', to contact authorities, either directly or via family or friends.

Special forces and helicopters were used in a huge manhunt for a camouflage-wearing Yves Etienne Rausch, 31, (pictured) who disarmed four officers at gunpoint in Germany

He was found sitting in a bush after a tip-off from two witnesses, 'with four guns visible in front of him', said Juergen Rieger, the head of the search operation.

The suspect also had an axe in his lap and one further gun, and there was a letter in front of him, Rieger said.

Rausch was slightly injured in the arrest, as was a member of the special forces who was cut with the axe.

The manhunt began on Sunday after police were alerted about a suspicious person carrying a bow and arrow.

Officers located a suspect and conducted an ID check on the man at a hut he was using illegally.

Officials in the town of Oppenau say the suspect initially cooperated but then suddenly pulled a gun on the officers, threatening and forcing them to hand over their service weapons. Nobody was injured.

The incident triggered a large-scale manhunt involving more than 2,500 officers combing the area with help from the special forces, helicopters, sniffer dogs and thermal imaging camera, though that was scaled down as the search went on.

Prosecutors have described the suspect as a 'weapons enthusiast' but said he was banned from possessing weapons and ammunition in 2010 and had never been in a shooting club.

Around 200 officers are combing the Black Forest with the help of special forces, helicopters and sniffer dogs in the search for Yves Etienne Rausch, who fled on Sunday

Rausch lost his apartment last autumn and had no permanent address since then, according to authorities, and had been squatting in the hut where he was spotted on Sunday.

Officials have said they don't know what prompted Rausch to act the way he did.

Oppenau prosecutor Herwig Schaefer described Rausch on Tuesday as a 'weapons freak' with a 'great affinity for arms'.

He has a long criminal record, including charges related to the possession of illegal weapons, theft and bodily injury.

He received a juvenile sentence of 3.5 years in 2010 after he shot an acquaintance with a crossbow, seriously injuring her and police found child pornography on his mobile phone while investigating him for the possession of explosives in 2019.

Schools, kindergartens and the local swimming pool were closed on Monday as a precaution.

Investigators initially said they did not suspect any far-right or other political motive for Rausch's behaviour.

The manifesto, titled 'The Call of the Wild', is thought to have been written by Rausch. Pictured: Police during their initial hunt for Rausch on Sunday

However, they later revealed he had received an eight-month suspended sentence for incitement to hatred when he was 15 for altering the letters on a sign for a youth organisation so that it read 'Juden weg' ('Jews be gone').

They also said he had made a fake bomb and was known for anti-Semitic statements as well as the use of swastikas and SS symbols.

According to a former neighbour who described him as 'not an easy person', he Rausch did odd jobs as a rail worker and a golf course caretaker, the Bild tabloid reported.

Various weapons and petrol canisters were found in his apartment after he was evicted, as well as a small shooting range in the attic, according to Bild.

He then reportedly lived in his car by the local swimming pool for a while before moving into the hut at the edge of the forest.

Rausch will be examined by a psychiatrist due to the 'gravity of the crime' and his past history, Schaefer said.

In addition, a blood sample will be taken to check whether he was under the influence of drugs or other substances.

His mother told Baden Online the police should 'withdraw all their forces' because he will 'come out of the forest by himself'. Pictured: One officer during the search for Rausch

The 31-year-old suspect, who could face charges of robbery by extortion, is yet to be questioned.

'I am very relieved - I think a line can be drawn under a really extraordinary situation for our little town,' Mayor Uwe Gaiser said.

Rausch is thought to have penned a manifesto title 'The Call of the Wild', found by police in a bar.

The discovered manifesto argues that people who live close to nature are superior to modern city-dwellers.

His mother told Baden Online the police should 'withdraw all their forces' because he will 'come out of the forest by himself'.

Local newspaper Badische Zeitung reported that the forest area could not be cordoned off and each officer involved in the search was carrying a backpack weighing up to 66 pounds (30kg).

The paper added that Rausch could survive by eating wild plants and insects and by drinking spring water.

There are also local vegetable plots which he could raid at night, they claimed.
If social distancing 'alone' is to be implemented longer than two weeks, a moderate shut down could be more effective for the society than a stricter complete shut-down.

Scientists have found that longer periods of social distancing alone are not successful when it comes to slowing COVID-19 spread, an advance which may help make better decisions in countries where a second wave of the pandemic is expected.

"Conventional wisdom was, the more intense and long-term the social distancing, the more you will curb the disease spread," said Rajan Chakrabarty, a co-author of the study from Washington University in St. Louis in the US.

According to the study, published in the journal Chaos, any strategy that involves social distancing requires other steps to be taken in tandem.

"But that is true if you have social distancing implemented with contact tracing, isolation and testing. Without those, you will give rise to a second wave," Chakrabarty said.

Payton Beeler, another co-author of the study, noted that if social distancing is the only measure taken, it must be implemented extremely carefully in order for its benefits to be fully realized.

Their epidemiological model used data gathered by Johns Hopkins University in the US between 18 March and 29 March, a period marked by a rapid surge in COVID-19 cases and the onset of social distancing in most US states.

Calibrating the model using these datasets allowed the authors to analyse unbiased results that had not yet been affected by large-scale distancing in place, they said.

The model also included details on how much people of different age groups interact, and how that affects the spread of transmission.

"Had social distancing been implemented earlier, we probably would've done a better job," Chakrabarty said.

Over the short-term, more distancing and less hospital demand go hand in hand, the scientists said, adding that this is only up to two weeks.

After that, they said the time spent distancing does not benefit hospital demand as much.

Society would have to increase social distancing time exponentially in order to see a linear decrease in hospital demand, the researchers noted.

They said this leads to diminishing returns.

Society would see smaller and smaller benefits to hospital demand the longer it spent social distancing, the scientists explained.

According to the researchers, if social distancing "alone" is to be implemented longer than two weeks, a moderate shut down, say between 50-70 per cent, could be more effective for the society than a stricter complete shut-down in yielding the largest reduction in medical demands.

Another strategy for flattening the curve involves acting intermittently, alternating between strict social distancing and no distancing to alleviate the strain on hospitals, the study noted.

According to the model, the most efficient distancing- to- no-distancing ratio is five to one, meaning one day of no distancing for every five days at home.

Had society acted in this way, the researchers said the hospital burden could have been reduced by 80 per cent.

"Bending the curve using social distancing alone is analogous to slowing down the front of a raging wildfire without extinguishing the glowing embers," said Chakrabarty.

"They are waiting to start their own fires once the wind carries them away," he said, adding however that his team''s model cannot inform strategies going forward as it used data collected in March.

But Chakrabarty added that it may be able to inform our actions if we find ourselves in a similar situation in the future.

"Next time, we must act faster, and be more aggressive when it comes to contact tracing and testing and isolation," Chakrabarty said.




Nine financial businesses controlled by fallen tycoon Xiao Jianhua were placed under state custody. Huaweis troubles keep coming as its orders are no longer accepted by the worlds largest contract computer chipmaker in response to U.S. sanctions, and the U.S. FCC began drawing up a list of suspect gear. Meanwhile, five new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. New York University decided to host more than 3,000 Chinese students in Shanghai due to travel restrictions amid the pandemic.

 By Guo Yingzhe (yingzheguo@caixin.com) and Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com)

Regulators take over nine financial firms linked to fallen tycoon

The Chinese government seized nine financial companies formerly controlled by the mysterious fallen tycoon Xiao Jianhua for alleged infractions in a major move to break down Xiaos financial empire under the umbrella of Tomorrow Holding Co. Ltd. The nine companies have combined total assets amounting to more than 1.2 trillion yuan ($171.5 billion).

NYU to host more than 3,000 students at Shanghai campus

New York Universitys Shanghai campus said Friday it will host about 2,300 Chinese undergraduates and 800 graduate students from NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi for the fall semester due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is part of the universitys "Go Local" plan developed in response to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic. NYU joined several U.S. universities including Duke University and Cornell University to develop alternative local study plans for stranded students.

U.S. extends clampdown on Huawei with FCC list of suspect gear

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission, also known as the FCC, has begun the process of drawing up a list of telecommunications equipment deemed to pose a security risk, as the agency continued efforts to limit the reach of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and ZTE Corp. (Bloomberg)

TSMC cuts off chip sales to Huawei under U.S. sanctions

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) stopped taking new orders from Huawei in mid-May to comply with U.S. sanctions and currently has no plans to ship chips to its No. 2 customer after mid-September, the worlds largest contract chipmaker by revenue said. (Read the full story.)

Regions in central, eastern China issue highest-level flood warnings

Several regions in central and eastern China declared code red flood alerts over the last two days, according to official statements. The central city of Wuhan and the eastern provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Jiangxi face imminent flooding threats as they are being battered by heavy rains. Meanwhile, a second wave of flooding has emerged along the Yangtze River, according to the Ministry of Water Resources (link in Chinese).

18 provincial-level governments get nod to help recapitalize small, midsize banks

Chinas top banking regulator will support (link in Chinese) 18 provincial-level governments in recapitalizing some small and midsize banks with money raised from the sale of government bonds, an official said on Thursday. Policymakers want to replenish those banks capital and encourage them to channel more credit to small businesses through the program.

News app Qutoutiao removed from app stores following state TV expose

Qutoutiao, a Chinese news aggregator app, had been removed from the countrys Android app stores after being singled out on Thursday for allegedly selling dubious ads in a high-profile annual consumer rights show produced by state-owned broadcaster CCTV. The share price of Nasdaq-listed Qutoutiao Inc., the company behind the app, closed down 23% that day. (Read the full story.)

Chinese banks risks are controllable, banking regulator says

Small and medium-sized financial institutions have maintained stable operations and are making marginal improvements to their businesses, and their risks are totally controllable, said Xiao Yuanqi, the top banking regulators chief risk officer. (Read the full story.)

Credit Suisse revamps management of China venture

Credit Suisse Founder Securities Ltd., a China joint venture of Credit Suisse Group AG, has launched a major management shakeup shortly after the Swiss banking giant increased its stake to a controlling interest of 51% in April under Chinas new policy that eased controls on foreign ownership. (Read the full story.)





** OTHER STORIES MAKING HEADLINES

Economy & Finance

 Chinas fiscal revenue fell 10.8% year-on-year in the first half of 2020, official data (link in Chinese) show. The decline narrowed from a 13.6% drop over the first five months.

 Chinas banking watchdog said that trust products cannot provide guaranteed returns and the companies behind them should not make implicit guarantees, after an embattled trust firm illegally guaranteed returns for its trust products involving billions of dollars.

 Overseas investors increased their net holdings by $59.6 billion in domestic bonds and by $13.3 billion in stocks over the first half of the year, according to the foreign exchange administration (link in Chinese).

 The share of Chinas yuan in global foreign exchange reserves rose to 2.02% at the end of March, a record high, according to official data (link in Chinese).

Business & Tech

 Chinese clinical research service provider Hangzhou Tigermed Consulting Co. Ltd. has won approval from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for its second listing. The listing could raise about $1 billion in what would be Asias largest health care listing this year, according to people familiar with the matter. (Bloomberg)

 State-owned China Three Gorges Corp. is emerging as the leading bidder for Spanish solar park assets owned by X-Elio Energy SL, in what could become one of few Chinese acquisitions in Europe this year, people familiar with the matter said. (Bloomberg)

 Chinese autonomous truck startup TuSimple Inc. has reached a strategic agreement with U.S. truck-maker Navistar International Corp. to co-develop self-driving trucks. (Read the full story.)

** ON THE CORONAVIRUS

 At least five new symptomatic coronavirus cases were confirmed on Thursday and Friday in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, according to the regions health authority (link in Chinese). Eight new asymptomatic cases were also confirmed over the same period.

 South Chinas Guangdong province has tightened cross-border travel restrictions for visitors from neighboring Hong Kong amid a new wave of coronavirus infections in the city. Travelers from Hong Kong must now show proof they have tested negative for the virus in the last 72 hours before they will be allowed to enter the Chinese mainland through Shenzhen (link in Chinese) or Zhuhai (link in Chinese). A few groups are exempted from the requirement.

 The Chinese mainland reported 10 new coronavirus cases showing symptoms on Thursday, nine of those imported, official data showed (link in Chinese). One local infection was found in Xinjiang. The mainland added five new asymptomatic cases on the same day.

 As of Friday morning Beijing time, the number of global coronavirus infections surpassed 13.7 million, with the death toll passing 589,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

 Coronavirus infections in India surpassed 1 million on Friday, Johns Hopkins data show, making it the third country to cross the mark after the U.S. and Brazil.

** AND FINALLY

The Spanish government held a mourning ceremony on Friday for those who lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. The number of coronavirus infections in the country reached more than 258,000 on Friday, with the death toll surpassing 28,000, Johns Hopkins data show.









Contact reporter Guo Yingzhe (yingzheguo@caixin.com) and editors Yang Ge (geyang@caixin.com) and Gavin Cross (gavincross@caixin.com)

Read more

China Business Digest: Central Banker Calls on IMF to Pour Assets Into Pandemic Relief; Hong Kong Reports Record Daily Infections in Resurgence
The half-sister of the Earl of Radnor has been jailed after kicking two police officers who were tackling serial anti-social offenders.

Frances Pleydell-Bouverie, 46, was handed a 10-week prison sentence for her 'persistent offending' as she appeared via video link at Swindon Magistrates Court.

It was the ninth time that Frances, whose half-brother owns Longford Castle, had appeared in court.

Frances Pleydell-Bouverie, 46, was handed a 10-week prison sentence for her 'persistent offending' as she appeared via video link at Swindon Magistrates Court

Harrow-educated Lord Radnor, William Pleydell-Bouverie, is the owner of Elizabethan stately home which sits on the banks of the River Avon near Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Ms Pleydell-Bouverie admitted breaching a community protection notice and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

The offences were committed while she was subject to a suspended prison sentence handed to her earlier this year.

It was the ninth time that Frances, whose half-brother owns Longford Castle in Wiltshire (pictured), had appeared in court

Inspector Pete Sparrow, from the Salisbury Area Community Policing Team, said police had been focusing on tackling serial offenders causing the majority of anti-social behaviour in the city.

He said: 'Every effort has been made to encourage this individual to address her persistent offending, including supporting her referral to address her use of alcohol.

'However, despite assurances to the contrary, she has consistently failed to engage with any services and continued her offending behaviour.

Lord Radnor, William Pleydell-Bouverie, (pictured) is the owner of the sprawling Elizabethan stately home

'This latest incident resulted in the kicking of two of my officers, who fortunately were not injured.

'She has lashed out at four police officers during 2020 and I do not accept that any emergency workers performing their public duty should tolerate physical or verbal abuse in any form.'

He added: 'Suspended prison sentences were given earlier this year and again during a court appearance on July 13.

'The pattern of behaviour, despite the pending suspended prison sentence, was not addressed, resulting in the patience of the court reaching their threshold and committing her to prison.

'I sincerely hope she uses this time to fully engage with all opportunities available and address the root cause of her offending behaviour.

'I will continue to encourage my staff to focus their efforts towards those that cause the most harm to our community.'
Wine lovers dodged a bullet this month, when the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative left French sparkling wine, including champagne, and cheese off a list of products slapped with new tariffs in retaliation for the digital services tax. The administration opted to impose 25 percent tariff hikes on $1.3 billion worth of cosmetics, soaps and handbags, products not likely in high demand while most of the country is in isolation. Even these tariffs were deferred for 180 days, until January. In leaving sparkling wine and cheese off the list, the USTR acknowledged that it had considered public comments and the advice of advisory committees.
BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra shuns Randeep Surjewala's accusations on the BJP for trying to topple the elected government in Rajasthan, calls audio tapes claimed as evidence "manufactured" and a means to shift blame of Congress' failures on BJP.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra on Friday rejected claims made by Congress party accusing BJP of trying to topple the Rajasthan government by bribing Congress MLAs.

BJP rejects all the baseless allegations being levelled against the BJP leaders by Congress in Rajasthan. Actually, Congress is frustrated as it couldnt put its house in order, said Patra.

They want to blame BJP for their failures by using a manufactured audio clip, he added.

BJP spokespersons remark comes hours after Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala accused Union Cabinet minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Congress legislator Bhanwarlal Sharma of conspiring to topple the elected government in Rajasthan and subvert the voters mandate.

Also read: Rajasthan political crisis: Sachin Pilot camps HC plea gets deferred

Also read: Rajasthan rumble: Cong willing to give Pilot another chance after RaGas intervention

Surjewala also read out a transcript of alleged audio of horse-trading between rebel MLAs and BJP at a press conference today.

Yesterday, shocking tapes were aired by the media in which Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, BJP leader Sanjay Jain and Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma spoke about bribing MLAs and bringing down Rajasthan government, Surjewala said.

Referring to a petition filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs against disqualification notices issued to them by Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, Patra said, Both the parties that are fighting in the High Court are from Congress. BJP is not involved in any way in this matter. By levelling baseless allegation they are trying to save their own house, Patra said.

Rajasthan Congress continues to remain in turmoil after simmering differences between Sachin Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot came out in the open.

On July 14, Pilot was sacked from the posts of Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and state PCC president.

Gehlot has blamed the BJP for attempting to destabilise the state government by poaching MLAs.

A controversy had broken out in Rajasthan after Special Operation Group (SOG) sent a notice to Pilot to record his statement in the case registered by SOG in the alleged poaching of Congress MLAs in the state.

Also read: Rajasthan Political Crisis: Cong accuses BJP of larger conspiracy, suspends 2 rebel MLAs

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The US has 4.3 per cent of the world's population and 25.8 per cent of the world's cases. UK's outcome has not been good: chief scientist Britain has not achieved a good outcome in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the government's chief scientific adviser said on Thursday, adding that he was sure mistakes had been made in the response to the crisis. Britain has the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe, which, including deaths from suspected cases, is nearly 56,000 according to a Reuters tally of official data sources. Patrick Vallance, the British government's chief scientific adviser. Credit:AP

Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered a lockdown on March 23, though a former member of the government's scientific advisory group has said that introducing measures a week earlier could have halved the death toll. "It's very difficult to know exactly where we stand at the moment. It's clear that the outcome has not been good in the UK, I think we can be absolutely clear about that," Patrick Vallance said, adding that some countries had done worse. "There will be things, decisions made, that will turn out not to have been the right decisions at the time, I'm sure about that as well." Brazil nears 2 million coronavirus cases, with 75,000 dead A thousand deaths a day. Since late May, three months after Brazil's first reported case of the coronavirus, it has recorded more than 1000 daily deaths on average in a gruesome plateau that has yet to tilt downward.

The country hit at least 75,000 confirmed deaths on Wednesday and is expected to report 2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 by Thursday evening. Even as cases wane somewhat in the biggest and hardest-hit Brazilian cities, the virus is peaking in new locations across the largest country in Latin America. Loading Experts blame denial of the virus' deadly potential by President Jair Bolsonaro and lack of national co-ordination combined with scattershot responses by city and state governments, with some reopening earlier than health experts recommended. An interim health minister untrained in the field is presiding over the pandemic response. Bolsonaro himself is sick with COVID-19 after repeatedly flouting social distancing recommendations and undermining local leaders' restrictions on activity.

Brazil's roughly 7000 COVID-19 deaths in each of the last seven weeks is equal to several airplanes packed with Brazilians crashing every day, former health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said. "People have become callous," Mandetta said. "When you say, 'Yesterday there were 1300 deaths', people say, 'OK, then it didn't go up. It was 1300 people the day before, too'." Loading Brazil's nearly 2 million cases is second only to the US and experts believe the number to be an under count due to widespread lack of testing. A model created by professors from several Brazilian academic institutions, based on the number of confirmed deaths, estimates Brazil has had 10 million infections. Virus was direct cause of death for 89 per cent of Italian victims

The new coronavirus directly caused the death of 9 out of 10 of Italian COVID-19 victims, a study released on Thursday said, shedding new light on the epidemic which mainly struck the country's northern regions. Since discovering its first infections in February, Italy has reported some 35,000 COVID-19 fatalities. However, health authorities said many of those who died were also affected by other ailments and this provoked a fierce debate on whether the virus was the actual cause of death. The study published by the Superior Health Institute and National Statistics Institute ISTAT showed the coronavirus was the direct cause of death for 89 per cent of the 4942 victims in the sample.

The remaining 11 per cent had coronavirus but died as a direct result of other medical conditions, including heart disease, cancer and dementia. However, the virus might have aggravated their condition and accelerated their death. The study was based on deaths reported at the end of May, when Italy had already loosened its rigid lockdown rules. Loading Pneumonia was observed in 79 per cent of the people whose deaths were directly tied to coronavirus and was the most common complication for COVID-19 patients, followed by other respiratory diseases. The report showed COVID-19 was also fatal for some people who did not have any underlying health problem.
On July 21, 1960 in Sri Lanka, Sirima Bandaranaike became the world's first democratically elected female head of government.

Here is a look back at sixty years of milestones for women in politics:

- First head of government -

Sirima Bandaranaike followed in the footsteps of her husband when she took the post of prime minister of Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon, on July 21, 1960. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike had become the country's leader in 1956 but three years later he was assassinated by an extremist Buddhist priest.

She remained at the helm till 1965, and would serve another two mandates, from 1970 to 1977, and then when her daughter Chandrika Kumaratunga was president, from 1994 to 2000. In her last term the role of prime minister in the country had become ceremonial.

Not long after Bandaranaike, in neighbouring India in 1966, Indira Gandhi became the country's first female prime minister. The daughter of Indian independence icon Jawahrlal Nehru remained in power till 1977 and was then elected again in 1980.

Four years later she was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards following a deadly confrontation between Indian security forces and Sikh separatist militants at the Golden Temple in Punjab state.

- First elected president -

In 1980 Iceland became the first country to democratically elect a woman as president, Vigdis Finnbogadottir. Six years earlier in Argentina Isabel Peron had been named president of the country, but without an election.

Finnbogadottir was re-elected three times, serving until 1996, and faced no opposition in the elections of 1984 and 1992.

The role of president in Iceland is mostly ceremonial and Finnbogadottir focused on raising the country's profile internationally.

- First gender parity government -

In 1995 Sweden became the world's first gender parity government, made up of eleven women and ten men.

Twenty years later Sweden became the first country in the world to describe itself officially as "feminist", meaning "gender equality is central to the Government's priorities -- in decision-making and resource allocation", according to its website.

Since then Spain and Canada have made similar moves.

- First female majority parliament -

In the period following the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, the population was majority female and in 2003 the government pledged to give women a more prominent position in politics.

The country's constitution that year included the requirement that at least 30 percent of positions of responsibility in government should be occupied by women.

In 2008 Rwanda went beyond this quota, becoming the first country in the world to have a majority female parliament.

- Progress and glass ceilings -

In 2020 Germany was the only country in the G7 group to have a woman at its helm, with its Chancellor Angela Merkel. The first woman to head a G7 country was Britain's Margaret Thatcher in 1979.

For the most part however the major powers are still led by men. The United States, Russia, China and Japan have never been led by a woman.

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Movie fans in Alabama have been waiting for the debut of The Devil All the Time, a Netflix film that features Tom Holland, Sebastian Stan, Bill Skarsgard, Robert Pattinson and other stars.

The gothic thriller, based on a 2011 novel by Donald Ray Pollock, was filmed here in spring 2019, in locations such as in Anniston, Jacksonville, Helena, Riverside and Birmingham.

Well, the wait is almost over.

The Devil All the Time will be available for streaming starting on Sept. 16, Netflix announced via Twitter. No other details were available, and a trailer wasnt attached to Thursdays tweet by @NetflixFilm.

Mark your calendars for



Tom Holland

Bill Skarsgard

Riley Keough

Jason Clarke

Sebastian Stan

Robert Pattinson

Haley Bennett

Mia Wasikowska

Eliza Scanlen

Harry Melling

Pokey LaFarge



in THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME, from director Antonio Campos, coming to Netflix globally 16 September pic.twitter.com/ZQm35ilMyf  NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) July 16, 2020

Heres the storyline for The Devil All the Time, according to IMDB:

Set in rural southern Ohio and West Virginia, The Devil All the Time follows a cast of compelling and bizarre characters from the end of World War II to the 1960s. Theres Willard Russell, tormented veteran of the carnage in the South Pacific, who cant save his beautiful wife, Charlotte, from an agonizing death by cancer no matter how much sacrificial blood he pours on his prayer log. Theres Carl and Sandy Henderson, a husband-and-wife team of serial killers, who troll Americas highways searching for suitable models to photograph and exterminate. Theres the spider-handling preacher Roy and his crippled virtuoso-guitar-playing sidekick, Theodore, running from the law. And caught in the middle of all this is Arvin Eugene Russell, Willard and Charlottes orphaned son, who grows up to be a good but also violent man in his own right.

Holland (who played Spider-Man in five Marvel-centric movies) has the lead role of Arvin Eugene Russell, a son whos been marked his familys tragedy. Stan (known for his work as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Solider in four of the Marvel superhero films) plays Lee Bodecker, a cop who battles a growing waistline and leans to corruption.

Skarsgard (Pennywise in the 2017 version of It and 2019s It Chapter II) has the role of Willard Russell, an emotionally ravaged man who makes blood sacrifices and damages his sons psyche. Jason Clarke (whose credits include Showtimes Brotherhood) and Riley Keough (a scream queen with credits in several indie horror films) portray serial killers Carl and Sandy Henderson, an odd couple who stalk their victims using sex and guile. Pattinson (the soulful vampire in the Twilight series) plays Preston Teagardin, a smooth-talking preacher whose morals are less than pure.

Antonio Campos directed the movie, from a script he co-wrote with Paulo Campos. Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the producers.
Israel has not seen anything like it for decades  thousands of protesters massing across the street from the prime ministers official residence on Jerusalems Balfour Street, trying to breach the heavily fortified compound, and hundreds of police, some mounted, pushing them back. The protesters refusing to give up, standing firm as water canon sprays tried to disperse them. The confrontation lasted for hours, and culminated in the arrest of 50 protesters. Organizers branded the event Bastille Night, symbolic in both timing and substance. Not only did it take place on July 14, the date marking the French Revolution, it targeted the continued rule of indicted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who for many of the demonstrators is a modern-day incarnation of despot Louis XVI, with his wife Sara cast in the role of Let them eat cake Marie Antoinette.

Bastille Night did not topple the Netanyahu regime, but Israels Bastille shuddered and the aftershocks of the ongoing protest are having a profound effect on Netanyahu and his ability to govern. The day after the protest that deteriorated into a violent expression of public fury at the Netanyahu family and its seemingly profligate lifestyle, the prime minister announced a surprise gift of 6 billion Israeli shekels ($1.75 billion) for the citizenry. Each Israeli adult will get 750 shekels ($217) and 500 shekels ($145) for each child, up to a cap of 3,000 shekels ($870) per family.

The move is a repudiation of Netanyahus old-new economic credo and of all the principles he holds dear as a conservative capitalist believer in market forces and minimal government intervention. His motivation is clear: He is fighting for his political survival and, as a derivative, for his personal freedom as he faces trial on charges of corruption. His planned escape from the long arm of the law had just crashed at full speed into a brick wall  the relentless coronavirus health and economic crisis. His approval ratings are plummeting and starting to affect his Likud partys performance in the polls, closing his window of opportunity to dismantle the disastrous unity government with the rival Blue and White party, engineer new elections and install a streamlined, homogenous government that would allow him to crush the states judicial and law enforcement institutions. The heavy shadow of the coronavirus crisis has now overtaken his grand plan and his neo-con values, turning Netanyahu into a Middle Eastern caricature of Venezuelas Hugo Chavez. There is no telling whether this might save him.

The generous bounty he offered, which has drawn deadly fire from top Finance Ministry officials and leading economists, has only one goal, to curtail and tone down the next protests planned for this coming Saturday, July 18. Overnight, Netanyahu has forgotten everything he had preached for ages and decided simply to fling money at the masses. The move testifies to a loss of control, perhaps even the beginning of panic. It was not preceded by any deliberations, analyses or professional input. Netanyahu himself convened a prime-time news conference, using his best rhetorical and persuasive skills to try to explain that this was not a populist measure to appease the public. He painted the goody bags as a measured economic recovery move to boost consumption and revitalize trade. Did he convince anyone, even himself? Hard to believe.

Netanyahus entanglement is increasing. He is still determined to force his rival-partner, Blue and White party leader and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, to approve a one-year budget for what is left of 2020, rather than a two-year budget for 2020 and 2021, to which they had agreed as part of their coalition deal. Netanyahu has gone back on this commitment, claiming that the coronavirus crisis does not allow for long-term fiscal or economic planning through 2021. Under the Netanyahu-Gantz agreement, if either one of them brings about the dismantling of the government prior to their scheduled job switch in November 2021, the other automatically becomes prime minister of a transition government until elections are held. This is the hold that Gantz has over Netanyahu in order to prevent him from reneging on their job-switch agreement. However, this arrangement also has a fatal flaw. If the budget fails to pass by its legal deadline at the end of August, the Knesset is dispersed but the incumbent prime minister keeps his seat and does not hand over to the so-called alternate prime minister.

Gantz, the alternate, knows this is the real reason Netanyahu is striving for a one-year budget. The rationale is political, not economic. If the Knesset adopts a one-year budget in the next few weeks, Netanyahu will retain the option to exit the rotation once the 2021 budget comes up for a vote next year. Passage of a two-year budget at this time, would close off Netanyahus escape route next year. That explains why Netanyahu is so determined to pass a budget only for what remains of 2020 and why Gantz is adamantly resisting. The impasse is placing the two government leaders on a deadly collision course.

Just recently, it was clear the looming crash would crush Gantz. His poll numbers were at a record low and he seemed to have run out of ammunition. However, in recent weeks, it is becoming increasingly evident that Netanyahu is also holding a dummy gun. The weaker he grows, the smaller the chances of his opting for elections. Gantz would not be the only victim of such a premature move; Netanyahus electoral prospects could also be under threat. While there does not appear to be a credible alternative to Netanyahu for now, in politics one never knows. To quote an old air force adage, The one who will bring you down is the one you do not see. The Gordian knot tying Netanyahu and Gantz appears binding, for now.

The next two weeks will determine which way this dizzying Israeli chaos is heading. The resurgent coronavirus infections prompted the government in the pre-dawn hours of July 17 to impose new restrictions on the public, including a ban on congregation by more than 10 people and closure of restaurants, pools and fitness centers, and to threaten with a total lockdown. The economy is already tanking and will suffer a further blow. If the waves of protests escalate, Netanyahus dizziness will turn into full-blown vertigo. The great Houdini of Israel politics has already extricated himself from complex situations that appeared to be a lost case, but this time he appears to be facing a real perfect storm. For the first time ever, the protest has touched his political base. The unemployment, business closures and loss of livelihoods are taking their toll. His voters may even be harder hit than others are. This time, he does not have rabbits to pull out of his hat nor a magic wand in storage. The 6 billion shekels he promised to hand out to the masses will quickly evaporate in the heavy humid heat. If Netanyahu wants to survive, he will have to think of something much bigger.
The recent designation of a geopark in Dak Nong Province in Vietnams Central Highlands as a UNESCO Global Geopark will provide the province with a golden opportunity to boost its tourism sector, the provincial administration told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

A virtual ceremony was held by UNESCO at 10:00 pm on Thursday to announce 16 newly designated Global Geoparks, including Dak Nong Geopark in the namesake Vietnamese province.

The event, which is annually organized by the Global Geoparks Network (GGN), a body of the UN agency, was held online this year due to concerns over the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

A man looks toward an opening of cave C7 in Dak Nong Global Geopark's volcanic cave system. Photo: Takeshi Murase

Five years in the making

The UNESCO recognition has a special meaning for Dak Nong, a province approximately 230 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh City, as it not only opens the door to promote Vietnam's image as a whole but also provides provincial authorities with a significant opportunity to boost its tourism sector.

The process to prepare Dak Nong Geopark for the designation began in 2014 after a team of Japanese scientists discovered the Krong No volcanic system in the park.

Since then, local authorities have been laser-focused on developing the Dak Nong Geopark in order to meet the GGNs membership criteria.

A person stands inside cave P8 in Dak Nong Global Geopark's volcanic cave system. Photo: Takeshi Murase

UNESCO reviews each of its recognized Global Geoparks every four years to ensure they meet the guidelines and criteria of the GGN.

This means that Global Geoparks, such as the one in Dak Nong, are expected to uphold the GGNs standards in order to maintain their designation.

In a discussion with Tuoi Tre on Monday, the Dak Nong People's Committee laid out a strategy to invest, develop, and promote the park as an official UNESCO Global Geopark.

Apart from prioritizing the parks management, conservation, and further exploration, Dak Nong leaders will also push for investment in tourist attractions and community-based tourism initiatives.

This aerial photo shows the Nam Kar volcano within Dak Nong Global Geopark in Dak Nong Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tran An

The UNESCO executive board, at its 209th session on July 7, approved the designation of Vietnam's Dak Nong Geopark as a UNESCO Global Geopark.

UNESCO will officially hand over the geopark's recognition certificate at a ceremony held at the South Korean Jeju Global Geopark on September 9, 2021.

Dak Nong Geopark will join two other Vietnamese parks on the UNESCO list, including the Dong Van karst plateau in the northern province of Ha Giang, which made the list in 2010, and Non nuoc Cao Bang in the northern province of Cao Bang, which made the list in 2018.

There are currently 161 Global Geoparks in 44 countries and territories, according to this year's updated list.

Dak R'tih Spring located within Dak Nong Global Geopark in Dak Nong Province, Vietnam. Photo: Vo Anh Tu

Lieng Nung Falls located within Dak Nong Global Geopark in Dak Nong Province, Vietnam. Photo: Vo Anh Tu

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Queen Elizabeth II treated royal watchers with a rare moment while taking part in a video conference with three personnel from the U.K. Armed Forces.

Her Majesty the Queen, who remains in her royal residence at Windsor Castle, continued with her public duties as she worked remotely despite the ongoing health crisis.

Queen's Second Virtual Engagement

In the latest royal family Instagram post, the 94-year-old monarch can be seen in video talking with representatives from the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and the British Army.

"The Queen speaks with service personnel from @BritishArmy, @RoyalNavy and @RoyalAirForceuk via video call, to hear about the work of the British Armed Forces at home and overseas, during the current pandemic. As Head of the Armed Forces, Her Majesty is regularly updated on operations around the world," the caption of the post read.

The longest-reigning monarch looked stunning with her patterned dark blue dress topped wiith a matchy pearl necklace, earrings and a brooch.

The Head of the Armed Forces, General Sir Nicholas Carter, gave Queen Elizabeth II some updates on how they are coping up with their current situation, especially since they have been away from their families for several months.

"Everybody's been extremely busy with the pandemic and doing a wonderful job," Able Rate Sophie Levy, who is deployed onboard the RFA Argus in the Caribbean, also shared to the Queen.

Meanwhile, Lance Corporal Shanwayne Stephens, who is the Queen's Colour Squadron and a member of the Jamaican bobsleigh team, revealed his bizarre lockdown exercise that made Her Majesty chuckle during the video conference.

"I've been pushing a car up and down the street," he told the Queen, to which Her Majesty responded with a chuckle before saying: "Well, I suppose that's one way to train."

Royal Watchers Loved The Queen's Reaction

With almost 273,000 views, royal watchers flocked the comments section and gushed over the Queen's lovely gesture.

"Love love Queen Elizabeth. She is so adorable. Loved her reactions to this video chat. You can tell it meant the world to all our military recipients in this chat," one fan wrote.

Another user also praised Queen Elizabeth II for her wonderful interview: "What a lovely cheerful interview with her Majesty."

Others also acknowledged how the royal family has been stepping up and reaching out to people amid the devastating crisis.

"The royal family have really stepped up to the COVID crisis. Well done to all involved in making adjustments to the way the work is done," one fan responded.

With her age, Queen Elizabeth II is considered as high-risk of contracting COVID-19. With that said, she and Prince Philip are both being looked after by 22 royal staff, who are currently in a so-called "HMS Bubble" and isolated in Windsor Castle.

READ MORE: Princess Diana Is The Most Beautiful Royal Ever -- According To Science
By Express News Service

RANCHI: Cyber Police Station in Ranchi has lodged an FIR after Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren got a 'death threat' e-mail. In the e-mail written to Soren, he has been advised to mend his ways or he might get killed.

The e-mails, which apparently originated from servers in Germany and Switzerland, are disposable (Self-destructive email - a service that allows one to receive an email at a temporary address and gets self-destructed after a certain time period) and could be seen only by its receiver and the person who sent it.

Police sources revealed that in the FIR it was said that, CM you are not doing right, for which you will be given capital punishment. It also contained some religious slogans, it said.

IG (Provisions) and Jharkhand Police Spokesperson Suman Gupta also confirmed that two such e-mails have been received following which investigations have been initiated after lodging an FIR.

FIR has been lodged at Cyber Police Station and investigations are on in this regard, said the IG.

Meanwhile, a team has been constituted by the officer-in-charge of Cyber Police Station to look into the matter, besides roping in cyber police, along with

technical cell and CID to nab the culprit.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has reacted strongly against the e-mail.

JMM General Secretary and party spokesperson Manoj Pandey said that the e-mail was sent as some people are scared by the popularity of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. He, however, ruled out the possibility of political enmity as Soren has good relations with every political party.

Notably, the then Chief Minister Raghubar Das had also received similar threats for which a dreaded Maoist was arrested from Uttarakhand.
Concerns are growing over Chinese influence in the U.K. after a prominent member of a Chinese Communist Party-backed "friendship" organization was able to meet with five prime ministers and several members of the royal family, according to a recent report in the Daily Mail newspaper.



The Mail published a number of photos showing Hu Zhirong, a director of the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), meeting with current prime minister Boris Johnson, as well as former prime ministers Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, and Tony Blair.



It said Hu had gained unprecedented access to the U.K. establishment via his friendship with Li Xuelin, also known as Xuelin Bates, a supporter of David Cameron and the wife of Lord Bates.



The report describes Li as "a prominent influencer on China matters" and claims she has succeeded in promoting a pro-China perspective to key figures in the British establishment. Bates is also a fellow of the pro-Beijing 48 Group Club, and Hu has attended some of their events.



The CPAFFC has been identified by Australian academic Clive Hamilton, an expert on Chinese influence operations, and co-author Mareike Ohlberg, as an organization set up to advance the agenda of the ruling party's United Front Work Department, which coordinates influence and outreach efforts both overseas and among non-party groups and communities.



The Mail is also serializing Hamilton and Ohlberg's new book, Hidden Hand, which says China is recruiting "useful idiots" to push the countrys agenda overseas.



Australia-based student and rights activist Feng Chongyi said the phrase "useful idiots" is a humorous description of China's strategy, but said the book is essentially accurate about the way Beijing conducts its foreign influence operations.



"China sends out its United Front agents to promote its political agenda and infiltrate other countries," Feng said. "The U.K. is an important country, and it has been totally infiltrated, including its government departments, universities, media, and research institutions."



"Some of its targets really are pretty naive ... but some are acting that way because they are being used, because they also have vested interests," he said.



The book was quoted by the Daily Mail report as saying of CPAFFC: "Just as in the United Kingdom no community organisation can use the word 'royal' in its title without official permission, in China, no community group would include the words "people" or "friendship" in its title without [Communist] Party approval."



The paper also cited a leaked report titled "China's Elite Capture," which it said describes a deliberate attempt to infiltrated the British establishment, and which was compiled with the help of a former MI6 [counterintelligence service] spy."



Promoting China's agenda abroad



The report also describes CPAFFC as having been set up "to pursue a United Front strategy ... in order to promote a [Chinese Communist] Party agenda abroad," the paper said.



The organization has branches and sub-divisions at every level of Chinese government, throughout major cities and provinces, according to its official website.



The website of the Beijing branch mentions the "Communist Party committee," or cell, a structure that is likely to be repeated at national and regional level.



The organization is funded by the Chinese government, and chaired by Lin Songlin, a former ambassador to South Africa.



Since its founding in the 1950s, its leaders have generally been drawn from the ranks of retired diplomats and vice foreign ministers or their close relatives.



In 2004, the CPAFFC celebrated its 50th anniversary in the Great Hall of the People, at the heart of the communist regime, and then Chinese President Hu Jintao gave a speech to mark the occasion.



Hu told that gathering that the CPAFFC should continue to "fully implement the diplomatic principles and policies of both country and party," as it had done over the past five decades.



U.K.-based scholar Wang Jianhong said there is growing awareness of China's "United Front" influence operations in the country.



"British public opinion has totally changed on this issue, from the general public to the ruling class, and now we are absolutely disgusted with the Chinese Communist Party," Wang told RFA.



"Everyone is watching what they are doing now, but is there any policy consistency [when tackling it]?" she said. "I think the key to resisting [China] is how united Europe can be."



Baroness Helena Kennedy, a member of the British House of Lords, said in a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) webinar on Wednesday that there has been a "breach of trust" over China's imposition of a state security regime on Hong Kong, citing long-running concerns over the country's human rights records.



Reported by Ng Yik-tung and Sing Man for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Chen Pinjie for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
MILFORD  The Greatest Bluefish Tournament on Earth will kick off at 12:01 a.m. Aug. 29, throughout Long Island Sound. The tournament offers anglers up to $40,000 in cash prizes. The grand prize of $25,000 goes to the heaviest bluefish, second place takes home $7,500 and third place gets $2,500. In addition, there are cash prizes for 4th through 20th place. The tournament also offers a port prize for the heaviest fish at each participating weigh-in station in Connecticut and New York. WICC600am broadcasts hourly update results all weekend long. The most up-to-date information can be found at www.bluefishtournament.com or @bluefishtournament on Facebook.

Registration is $36 which has been reduced from previous years--anglers can register by calling 203-366-BLUE or apply in person at any one of the 21 registration stations around the sound in CT and NY. Registration is also offered online and includes a unique 2020 Greatest Bluefish Tournament t-shirt. To get a complete list of registration/weigh-in stations, FAQs, rules on the Tournament or to register visit bluefishtournament.com. The fishing tournament is open to all ages including children.

Registration locations include AW Marina New London, Bobby Js Milford, Captains Cove Seaport Bridgeport, Dees Bait & Tackle New Haven, Fishermans Paradise Milford, Fishermans World East Norwalk, Fishin Factory Milldale, J&B Niantic, Petes Place Bait & Tackle Stamford, Rivers End Bait & Tackle Old Saybrook, Shoreline Bait Runners Bait and Tackle, Sportmans Den Cos Cob, and Teds Bait & Tackle Old Saybrook.

Deadline to register is Aug. 28. Registration is required to participate. The tournament begins Aug. 29 ends Aug. 30 at 5 p.m. The first-place winner will be interviewed live on WICC600, and all winners are announced immediately after the tournament.

Beach parking stickers mailed with tax bills

WEST HAVEN  City tax bills  real estate, personal property, motor vehicle and sewer  have been mailed and are payable in two installments: July and January. Included in the mailing are the new two-year beach parking stickers. Taxes are due July 1. Payments after Aug. 3 are considered delinquent and subject to interest, Tax Collector Dorothy Chambrelli said.

Taxpayers can make a payment on the city website at https://www.mytaxbill.org/inet/bill/home.do?town=westhaven. Sewer bills are on the same page but under a separate heading. Tax payment history can also be viewed and printed. The fees for credit cards and electronic checks are available at http://cityofwesthaven.com/276/Payments.

Current taxes can be paid by the drop box at the Main Street entrance of City Hall. Current taxes can also be paid by mail  check or money order, no cash  to the tax office lockbox: City of West Haven, Tax Collector, P.O. Box 150461, Hartford 06115-0461. When paying by lockbox or drop box, the canceled check is the receipt.

After Aug. 3, taxes with interest can be paid by mail to the City of West Haven, Tax Collector, P.O. Box 401, West Haven 06516. In-person payments are not offered at the moment because City Hall remains closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. For beach sticker information, call the tax office at 203-937-3525.

MAC announces new recreated campaign

MILFORD - The Milford Arts Council presents a new campaign they are calling The MAC: Recreated - a slate of online and outdoor events straight from the heart of the arts. These programs include the same quality arts experiences and opportunities that have enriched, enlightened, and entertained the community for nearly 50 years, presented in new and different ways.

Some of the new programs include: Homebound with Eastbound, one-act plays that are presented online once a month by Eastbound Theatre; Explore Your Inner Creative online and outdoor classes and tutorials that enrich the creative spirit; Artist to Artist sessions that provide a safe and supportive place for artists to share life and art with each other every Tuesday evening by Zoom; Movement classes five ways/five days - tap, tango, nia, bodyart, and dance exercise online Mondays through Fridays; and Open Mic Online every second Wednesday of the month re-starting this Fall.

The new MAC Summer Pop Up series premiered in June, offering a spontaneous visual or performing arts experience in a surprise natural setting on Saturdays at 11 a.m.. The community can look out for location clues all week long as to the surprise setting of the event at milfordarts.org, Milford Arts Council Facebook, or milford.arts on Instagram.

The MACs Sandsculpt Contest is ON (line) as well. The MAC will feature sandsculpt creations on their website and social platforms during the months of July and August, continuing this 43 year old tradition in a new and different way. Stay tuned for details at https://milfordarts.org/sand-sculpt-lp

Veterans, elderly exemptions, renters rebates resume

NORTH HAVEN  North Haven Assessor's Office has resumed taking applications for Additional Veterans Exemptions from June 29 through Oct. 1, 2020. Applications will be processed by appointment only. Call the Assessor's Office at 203-239-5321 ext. 610 or e-mail assessor@northhaven-ct.gov.

Only one person at a time will be allowed to enter the building to process applications.

Veterans receiving the base $3,000 exemption only need to apply once unless they move out of town. Veterans receiving income-based exemptions must reapply every two years.

The Assessors office is also accepting applications for the Renters Rebate Program, June 29 through Oct. 2, by appointment only. Call the Assessor's Office at 203-239-5321 ext. 610 or e-mail assessor@northhaven-ct.gov.

If there are any questions, please contact the North Haven Assessors Office at 203-239-5321.
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered the transfer of a forest officer for raiding athlete Swapna Burman's house. In a press conference in Nabanna on Thursday, Banerjee hit out at the forest department for raiding Swapna's house and wondered who gave the permission for the raid.

She informed the reporters that she has ordered the transfer of the officer who led the raid. Banerjee said that she got to know about this incident from media and called up Swapna and assured her that the issue will be solved.

Sanjoy Dutta, the ranger of Belakoba and the head of forest task force in North Bengal, had conducted the raid at Burman's residence in Jalpaiguri following a tip off that illegal timber has been purchased and was being used for her new house. A huge amount of timber, allegedly illegal, was found there.

Swapna and the forest staffs got into heated exchange. She admitted that she bought the timber at much cheaper rates though she claimed she didn't know that this timber is illegal.

She could not produce proper documents for the said timber purchase. The video clip of the conversation recorded by the forest staff has widely shared on social media. The forest range officers served her with 30 days notice for purchasing illegal timber.

Swapna an Asian games gold medalist is also an Arjun awardee while Sanjoy Dutta is well known for his 'Dabang' avatar as he has successfully conducted several raids.

He drew appreciation from several wildlife agencies including Wildlife Crime Control bureau and has been rewarded by the Chief Minister herself.

But the transfer of the forest ranger has triggered furore among forest department.

Some forest officers and staffers told Zee media on the condition of anonymity that the open criticism and transfer will break the moral of forest officers as Dutta was just doing his job.

Swapna was served with a notice and the issue could be settled amicably if Swapna is innocent. Some apprehend that this is because of the Rajvangshi vote that the CM took such stern action.

Dutta's transfer order is expected on Friday, likely to be a punitive one as per source.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the majority of the people have been working from home. Apart from the many technical challenges that one has to face while working from home, those living with kids and pets have an added challenge of being interrupted by them.

The latest to be joining the league of people who have been interrupted by their pets during a video conference is Scottish MP John Nicolson. His cat named Rocco jumped into the frame during the proceedings of the British Parliament.

The cat halted near the screen and began flicking its tail right in front of the camera. As a result, Johns view was blocked and people could only see Roccos tail in the frame.

In order to remove the cat from the frame, John can be heard saying, "Rocco put your tail down please".

"Rocco, put your tail down" - Another classic entry for the Parliamentary cats on Zoom folder, this time @MrJohnNicolson at DCMS committee: pic.twitter.com/cOkRNrrlFh Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) July 14, 2020

According to a report published in The Scottish Sun, the meeting was held for the Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee.

As one would expect, the clip went viral in no time. The video has already been viewed over two lakh times on Twitter and more than 3,500 people have liked the post.

While many users commented upon the hilarity of the incident, some people also lauded the MP for his composed behaviour.

A person said, "Excellent. Well handled by the cool @MrJohnNicolson (Ps: try hanging a duvet/heavy curtains behind your monitor to make the sound less echoey.)"

"Rocco, put your tail down" - Another classic entry for the Parliamentary cats on Zoom folder, this time @MrJohnNicolson at DCMS committee: pic.twitter.com/cOkRNrrlFh Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) July 14, 2020

Another person reacted on how funny the incident was, said, I've heard of cats doing "zoomies" but this is a whole other level of brilliant feline fiendishness

"Rocco, put your tail down" - Another classic entry for the Parliamentary cats on Zoom folder, this time @MrJohnNicolson at DCMS committee: pic.twitter.com/cOkRNrrlFh Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) July 14, 2020

Other reactions included:

"Rocco, put your tail down" - Another classic entry for the Parliamentary cats on Zoom folder, this time @MrJohnNicolson at DCMS committee: pic.twitter.com/cOkRNrrlFh Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) July 14, 2020

"Rocco, put your tail down" - Another classic entry for the Parliamentary cats on Zoom folder, this time @MrJohnNicolson at DCMS committee: pic.twitter.com/cOkRNrrlFh Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) July 14, 2020

"Rocco, put your tail down" - Another classic entry for the Parliamentary cats on Zoom folder, this time @MrJohnNicolson at DCMS committee: pic.twitter.com/cOkRNrrlFh Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) July 14, 2020

"Rocco, put your tail down" - Another classic entry for the Parliamentary cats on Zoom folder, this time @MrJohnNicolson at DCMS committee: pic.twitter.com/cOkRNrrlFh Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) July 14, 2020

"Rocco, put your tail down" - Another classic entry for the Parliamentary cats on Zoom folder, this time @MrJohnNicolson at DCMS committee: pic.twitter.com/cOkRNrrlFh Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) July 14, 2020

Although MP John Nicolson apologized for the cat, the other members of the committee embraced the intruder, saying: "Welcome Cat."
Leh/New Delhi, July 17 : India wants peace but there is no guarantee of the final outcome of talks with China, said Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday in eastern Ladakh region as he reviewed the ground situation of troops in the hostile border areas.

India and China are engaged in military and diplomatic deliberations to de-escalate the tense situation at the border areas on the LAC. The two countries are locked in a 10-week-long standoff at multiple points, hitherto unprecedented, along the Line of Actual Control.

Singh, while addressing troops in Lukung close to Pangong lake, said, "Talks are on for a resolution. But I can't give a guarantee to what extent it can be resolved. India never eyes the land of another country. We want peace, that's been our character. We never hurt any nation's pride but will respond if someone hurts our pride. 130 core Indians mourn the sacrifices." The minister assured that not one inch of India's land can be taken by any power in the world.

In a brutal attack carried out by Chinese People's Liberation Army troops on June 15 in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, India lost 20 soldiers and the Chinese PLA too had casualties, though its figures are still unknown.

The minister said, "Our soldiers are the pride of the country. I am happy to be here but at the same time sad about losing our braves at Patrolling Point 14. We will never forget their sacrifice. The Prime Minister has also said their sacrifice will not go in vain." He further stated "Our nation's pride gets hurt if someone casts an eye on our land." Singh also interacted with the soldiers and reviewed the operational preparedness of the force.

The minister witnessed an exercise by the troops, including some battle drills by troops of the Ladakh Scouts. He was briefed on the situation including the actual position of the troops on both sides.

Before that Singh visited Stakna, near Leh. He witnessed the para dropping skills of the armed forces, tank manoeuvres and also tried hands on Pika machine gun. Indian Army's T-90 tanks carried out exercises and armoured combat vehicles also displayed their prowess during the exercise.

The minister, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, flew from Delhi to Leh early Friday morning.

Accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, he reached Leh at around 8 am.

After reviewing the ground situation and interacting with the soldiers, Singh visits Srinagar in the late afternoon.

Since the worst confrontation with China over the border issue, Singh had been ensuring that Indian armed forces are equipped with all the latest arms and equipment and are logistically approachable at the borders. He has been meeting all the stakeholders to ensure the forces are ready for any confrontation.

Singh had earlier on July 3 planned to visit Leh, however, he had to drop it as Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to visit the forward locations in eastern Ladakh.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Kylie Jenner and Cardi B are facing backlash after gifting their two-year-old daughters expensive designer purses.

On Wednesday, the Kylie Cosmetics mogul posted a photo of her toddler Stormi Webster sitting with a white $1,180 miniature designer purse on Instagram with the caption: Coolest baby to ever do it.

The purse in question is called a Nano Speedy and it is described as a perfect miniature version of Louis Vuitton's iconic Speedy bag on the designers website.

Extremely lightweight and large enough for a smartphone, cards and keys, it is a stylish way to carry essentials, the description reads.

On social media, fans criticised the 22-year-old for giving her daughter the pricey purse.

Kylie Jenner's kid photographed with a bag that cost nearly two thousand pounds. It stings. Its like having your poverty rubbed in your face, one person tweeted. Who does that? Doesnt she know the world has families struggling now? Is she that detached from reality?

Another said: Kylie Jenner buying her daughter a Louis Vuitton purse, only for Stormi to likely fill it with crumbs and boogers much to think about

Enough @KylieJenner. So many people are suffering right now in this world no one wants to see your baby holding a designer bag... come down to earth please and help people who need it instead of flaunting your incredibly non-deserving bank roll, someone else tweeted.

The two-year-olds white designer purse is just the latest in her collection, however, as she and her cousins previously received black versions of the same bag from Kim Kardashian, who shared a picture of the eight matching Louis Vuitton bags last year with the caption: "I got these for all the baby girls in the fam for Xmas from Japan."

Jenner later shared a video of the moment Stormi was handed the purse, showing her excitedly grabbing the bag before swinging it over her shoulder.

Cardi B and Offset are currently facing similar judgement from fans after they shared a video showing them gifting their two-year-old daughter Kulture a mini pink Birkin bag worth an estimated $8,000.

Shortly after sharing the video showing the toddler unwrapping the purse, the Bodak Yellow rapper defended the childs gift in an Instagram video.

I hate when celebrities buy their kids jewellery and designer sh*t and people be like: Kids dont care about that. They only care about toys and candy. Yeah, kids only care about toys and candy but the thing is kids also go outside, Cardi B said. Kids go to restaurants, kids go to fancy places, kids go to red carpets. And if Im fly, and daddys fly, then so is the kid.

If Im wearing [Chanel], my kids having the same thing. Its not up to what the kids like. If it was up to kids, theyd be outside in diapers.

The rapper concluded the video adding: So Im not mad that daddy bought baby a Birkin. She gonna match mommy.
A message for help is painted on a hull of a ship near the Johor state, Malaysia by Vietnamese sailors stranded on the ship since March. Photo courtesy of the National Union of Seafarers of Peninsular Malaysia.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry has requested shipping firm Thuan Thien Ltd. to pay the salaries of and repatriate 12 Vietnamese sailors stranded in Malaysia due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The 12 sailors went to a location near Johor state on March 10 to sail a ship back to Vietnam under a contract with the firm. But Malaysias movement control order to combat the Covid-19 pandemic meant they have been stranded on the ship since March, Malaysian news portal Free Malaysia Today reported.

As food ran out, the sailors painted a message on the ships hull saying, "Help us. No food. No salary."

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said at a press briefing on Thursday: "The owner of the ship, Thuan Thien Limited Liability Company, has failed to pay their salaries or costs incurred since May 26 due to the pandemic."

The foreign ministry has asked the Vietnam Maritime Administration to instruct Thuan Thien Ltd. to pay the sailors salaries and costs as contracted and meet Malaysias demands so that the ship can leave for Vietnam.

"If necessary, Vietnamese diplomatic agencies will discuss with Malaysia the procedures ... to bring the ship back to Vietnam," Hang added.
On Thursday, shortly after Sushant Singh Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty tweeted about his death, the hashtag #SSRCaseIsNotSuicide started to trend on Twitter.

Rhea Chakraborty tweeted tagging Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting him to initiate a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the actor's death. Even though, Rhea has not mentioned the word "suicide" in her tweet, she has written, "I only want to understand what pressures, prompted Sushant to take this step."

"Respected @AmitShah sir, I'm sushants Singh Rajputs girlfriend Rhea chakraborty,it is now over a month since his sudden demise. I have complete faith in the government, however in the interest of justice, I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry.."

"I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry into this matter. I only want to understand what pressures, prompted Sushant to take this step. Yours sincerely #satyamevajayate @AmitShah sir," wrote Rhea, in two separate tweets on her verified account.

Respected @AmitShah sir , Im sushants Singh Rajputs girlfriend Rhea chakraborty,it is now over a month since his sudden demise I have complete faith in the government, however in the interest of justice , I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry..part 1 ..  Rhea Chakraborty (@Tweet2Rhea) July 16, 2020

Part 2.. I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry into this matter . I only want to understand what pressures , prompted Sushant to take this step. Yours sincerely #satyamevajayate @AmitShah sir  Rhea Chakraborty (@Tweet2Rhea) July 16, 2020

Soon after this, the hashtag #SSRCaseIsNotSuicide started to trend on Twitter, with netizens declaring the actor did not commit suicide.

"Ok so Miss rhea call herself Sushant's Sir girlfriend? But my question is why we will believe you that you are his GF ! Aapko toh yeh suicide lag raha hai, Mumbai police ko suicide lag raha hai, Bollywood ko suicide lag raha hai (You think this is suicide, even Mumbai Police and Bollywood feels it is suicide)! #SSRCaseIsNotSuicide We want justice !!" tweeted a user.

"Even in his interviews, Sushant life motives and aim were clearly positive...Even knowing he is loosing projects bcz of nepotism in bollywood, he was sure that he will not leave his passion i.e. Acting. Stop fooling people that he committed suicide #SSRCaseIsNotSuicide," tweeted another user.

"We want CBI for Sushant murder case #SSRCaseIsNotSuicide," wrote a user.

Sushant was found hanging at his residence on June 14. The postmortem report stated that the actor died by suicide. The case is still being investigated by Mumbai Police.

Since last month, several politicians, celebrities and fans have demanded a CBI enquiry into Sushant's death.
The Morrison government is set to launch an investigation into social media platforms such as TikTok, as concern grows about whether the Chinese company will be required to share users' information with the Chinese government.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday said the Australian government was monitoring TikTok "very closely" and "won't be shy" about taking action against the video sharing app if it is needed.

TikTok has defended the security of the data it collects in Australia. Credit:Bloomberg

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age can reveal the Morrison government is likely to establish an inquiry into social media companies, which would be informed by advice from security agencies.

Government sources said the probe, which will not be a formal public inquiry, will potentially look at the security threats posed by social media companies such as TikTok, as well as platforms used primarily by the Chinese diaspora such as WeChat and Weibo.
Crabs are chomping salt marshes down to Florida Futurity (resilc)

Microbiologists at Caltech discovered a bacteria that feeds on manganese metal Slashgear (David L)

An invisible hand: Patients arent being told about the AI systems advising their care StatNews (David L)

Summers could become too hot for humans BBC

The Scandal of Our Drug Supply New York Review of Books (Kevin C). Important.

#COVID-19

Americans watching other countries that have gotten Covid under control. pic.twitter.com/6dGIqYlnIG  Duchess of Wakanda @HRComedy (@hadiyah) July 16, 2020

Arturo Tedeschi redesigns historic ATM Class 1500 tram for a post-Covid world Dezeen (resilc)

Why governments have the right to require masks in public ScienceBlog (Dr. Kevin)

The New Must-Have Museum Souvenir: Face Masks New York Times (resilc)

China?

EU regulators to probe Alexa, Siri and other voice assistants Reuters

New Cold War

Syraqistan

The man who drove the US out of Afghanistan Asia Times (Kevin W)

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

Imperial Collapse Watch

Trump Transition

2020

Black Injustice Tipping Point

Berkeley moves toward removing police from traffic stops ABC (ma) Hawley calls for civil rights probe of prosecutor investigating gun-wielding St. Louis couple The Hill. Help me. The basis for prosecution is not having a gun, but threatening people engaged in lawful activity. And the private road business has been misconstrued. It means the road is closed to cars but open to pedestrians.

Hundreds of Hyperpartisan Sites Are Masquerading as Local News NiemanLab

Largest California Oil Driller Files for Bankruptcy OilPrice

Troy Harlow has always made sure to pay his mortgage on time. Wells Fargo had other plans for him. Gretchen Morgenson, NBC (Jim B). Wells just cant control itself.

Economists on the Run Foreign Policy (David L). From last year but still of interest.

Guillotine Watch

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour (Leroy R):

And a bonus (Kevin W). This roo looks like a juvenile or maybe a wallaby. And it barely put up a fight, which means either it is tame or not feeling so hot.

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Chicago's Mayor Lori Lightfoot hit out at White House press secretary Kaleigh McEnany Thursday calling her a 'Karen' for saying she's a 'derelict mayor'.

McEnany was answering reporter questions during a press briefing earlier Thursday when she made several sharp comments about the mayor and accused her of 'doing a very poor job at securing her streets'.

The press secretary also said she believed Lightfoot should ask for federal help in ending a recent spike in violence in Chicago.

Mayor Lightfoot responded bluntly by telling McEnany to 'watch your mouth'.

'Hey, Karen. Watch your mouth': Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, pictured, had a blunt response Thursday after White House press secretary Kaleigh McEnany called her a 'derelict mayor'

White House press secretary Kaleigh McEnany, pictured, criticized Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot twice as she answered reporters questions during a briefing earlier on Thursday

The press secretary's comments were initially brought to Mayor Lightfoot's attention via a tweet from Senior White House Correspondent for Time Magazine Brian Bennett.

'White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany just called Lori Lightfoot "the derelict mayor of Chicago" and said she should request federal help to secure the city,' he wrote.

The mayor responded on Twitter shortly afterward by sharing a screen grab of Bennett's tweet and adding, 'Hey, Karen. Watch your mouth'.

The Democratic Mayor used the term Karen as the now common label used to refer to a demanding, middle-aged white woman showing a sense of entitlement and privilege.

According the Chicago Sun Times, a source confirmed that the mayor used the phrase in this context.

McEnany had referenced Lightfoot twice during the course of Thursday's press conference, both times slamming the mayor for failing to stop violence in her city.

When asked about why the coronavirus pandemic wasn't been given the President's full attention, McEnany answered: 'There are other things the president has to focus on - namely the democratic cities not taking control of their streets, namely the mayor of Chicago who has people dying on the streets of her city every weekend.

'The president sent her a letter saying you must secure your city,' she added.

The press secretary's comments were initially brought to Mayor Lightfoot's attention via a tweet from Senior White House Correspondent for Time Magazine Brian Bennett, pictured

McEnany was later asked about a previous comment made by Trump that white people are killed just as often as black people by police officers.

During the course of her answer, the press secretary again brought up recent violence in Chicago.

'Ive listed for you the names of these kids who have died across this country. It is unacceptable, and under this President, hell take action,' she said.

'And the derelict mayor of Chicago should step up and ask for federal help because shes doing a very poor job at securing her streets.'

President Trump has targeted Mayor Lightfoot and Chicago as recently as Wednesday over its spike in violence.

'Well have another announcement next week with the Attorney General, the FBI, and others concerning our cities, because the left-wing group of people that are running our cities are not doing the job that theyre supposed to be doing,' Trump said.

Trump has targeted Mayor Lightfoot, pictured, in recent weeks over violence in Chicago

Trump's letter to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. The president's letter had a lengthy description of how the federal government has provided financial assistance to help Chicago fight crime as he called on Mayor Lightfoot to ask for help

'And its not a very tough job to do if they knew what they were doing. So well be talking about that next week and probably have an announcement as to what were planning to do to help them. Theyre supposed to be asking for help, and they dont want to ask,' he added, referring to Mayor Lightfoot and her refusal to call for federal aid.

Last month in a town hall with Fox News, he referred to living in Chicago as being 'worse than Afghanistan'.

In June he also sent a letter to Mayor Lightfoot, as well as Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, calling on them to 'urge action on the devastating violence in Chicago' and asking them to call him.

'Your lack of leadership on this important issue continues to fail the people you have sworn to protect,' the letter read.

'I am concerned it is another example of your lack of commitment to the vulnerable citizens who are victims of this violence and a lack of respect for the men and women in law enforcement.'

Neither responded to the letter.

According to NBC Chicago, there were at least 60 shootings in the city over this past weekend, including 13 deadly incidents.
In zoning meeting for boutique hotel, competitors warn of a room glut

A rendering shows a proposed five-story 70-room hotel on North Church Street behind the Historic Courthouse.

The owners of three historic hotels on Thursday raised questions about the need for more lodging downtown, saying that three pending hotel projects would create a glut of rooms that the market can't support.

The owners of the existing B&Bs spoke at a neighborhood compatibility meeting for the proposed Court House Inn, a five-story, 70-room hotel with a restaurant, bar, meeting space and courtyard. They said the addition of up to 500 hotel rooms in a six-block stretch of Church Street could flood the market and potentially drive down occupancy rates for all.

Stephen Barker and the Charlotte-based Catellus Group are seeking city authorization for the hotel on a three-quarter acre lot behind the Historic Courthouse on North Church Street between First and Second avenues.

The Catellus proposal comes in the wake of two bigger hotel projects that are in the works and has set up a feast or famine dilemma for the City Council. Identifying a need for a hotel-convention space downtown, the council has been negotiating with a Fletcher hotel development company to allow a Springhill Suites, with 80 to 100 rooms, and the Shipman family is seeking city zoning approval for a 200,000-square-foot hotel and condo development on the Cedars property on North Church Street at U.S. 64. The Springhill Suites project, which would go on the city-owned Dogwood lot, is on hold because of the pandemic, city officials say.

Michael Gilligan, owner of The Henderson, on North Church Street, Waverly Inn owner Mike Burnette and Charleston Inn owner Kathy Carter all opposed the development.

"Being in the hotel business, you need the occupancy here," said Gilligan, who worked for large upscale hotel chains before buying the Henderson. "Our bread and butter is spring, summer and fall," while winter is a season to survive. He said he's worried the hotels, especially the Springhill Suites proposed for the Dogwood lot, could fail. "If they're not reaching their financial goal, they will take the flag down, they will pull out. The last thing I want to see if a Motel 6 one block from Main Street. I just think we're overextending ourselves way too fast. We all want to see growth in Hendersonville but this is too much too soon."

The county currently has a room night supply of 649,340 rooms, Burnette said. The three proposed hotel projects would add 82,220 room nights countywide, a 13 percent increase, and would increase the room night supply downtown five-fold.

"My concern as an owner is that we will have too much in a short amount of time hitting the market but it could be devastating not only to properties being developed but to existing properties." More supply could drive down both rates and occupancy "and it could be very damaging to the market to have that."

Barker responded to the B&B owners' points about parking, design, the supply of hotel rooms.

"We believe that we're bringing a special type of hotel to downtown," Barker said. "This is a unique and independent sort of brand." While he acknowleged the new hotel rooms potentially in the pipeline "is a whole bunch to throw at the town at one given time, I would tend to believe they'll try to be staggered in their development so they wouldn't all come on line on the same day, so to speak."

"You have a downtown market, which has been underserved, and you have the expressway market, which has been pretty prolific," he said. "The market out there is predominantly travel oriented. The downtown market is the downtown market."

He envisioned collaboration among the smaller hotels, sending overflow guests to the B&Bs.

"I do take your comments very seriously," he said. "Occupancy and rates are sometimes elements. I have seen the same thing happen, where it goes the other way" because new hotels draw more traffic overall.

"The hotel is designed around a lot of personal relationship with our guests," Barker said. "We pride ourselves on bringing products to the market like this that are in the culture and environment of the existing area. We really enjoy your downtown. You have a jewel of a downtown."

At five stories, the building would tower over some buildings on North Church Street.

"It will be under the 60 feet standard," Barker said. "It will definitely be dwarfed by the Courthouse, which will be in front of it basically, and hopefully add a new dimension to that particular area."

Ken Fitch, a community activist and regular commenter on rezoning cases, said the building would be out of scale with surrounding properties.

"He has a great point," Barker said. "It is a tall building but it's less tall than the Courthouse, which is very tall and significantly higher than this building."

Jeff Justus, the owner of the Mountain Inn & Suites on Upward Road, a commercial real estate broker and the seller of the vacant lot the Court House Inn would sit on, praised the project.

"I was really surprised at the look of this hotel," he said. "I think it is an asset to downtown. I don't really fear the occupancy rate that we might lose to this hotel for my hotel. I think people that would stay at this hotel are people that may have never stayed in Hendersonville. ... If it were up to me, I would skip the Dogwood parking lot (hotel) from the city point of view."

Barker said that "all boats would rise" when hotel guests visit restaurants and shops downtown.

"The economics of that transferring to the local environment and local economy is pretty significant," he said. "So I think the answer to the question is it's hard to determine what the effect will be and when the effect will actually happen, which depends on when they put a shovel in the ground."

Charleston Inn owner Cathy Carter said the proliferation of new hotels downtown threatens the side-by-side B&Bs on North Main Street and The Henderson.

"We're small businesses," she said. "I feel like we're going to be the first ones to go if the market turns. It's just going to be a shame to lose three historical properties or one historical property downtown.

* * * * *

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story confused the Catellus Group with another company, also called Catellus, that specializes in large urban redevelopment projects.




Hong Kong: 2020 voter registers released

The Registration & Electoral Office (REO) today published the final registers of electors for 2020.

The newly issued final register for the geographical constituencies has a total of 4,466,944 electors who are eligible to vote in the 2020 Legislative Council General Election on September 6.

Among them, 707,277 electors are on Hong Kong Island, 602,733 in Kowloon West, 709,237 in Kowloon East, 1,308,081 in New Territories West and 1,139,616 in New Territories East.

There are 250,452 electors for the functional constituencies, other than the District Council (second) functional constituency, which has 4,196,680 electors.

The final register for the Election Committee subsectors contains 257,992 voters.

The REO said a net increase of about 11,600 registered electors has been recorded in the 2020 final registers compared to the provisional registers.

The figures reflect follow-up actions with the applicants after publication of the provisional registers which mainly include people who returned the reply slips in time to the REO to resume their voter registration status and those who supplemented the REO with the required information.

Click here for details.

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
King Felipe sent a message of support to the Spanish people at a national memorial ceremony held outside the Royal Palace in Madrid on Thursday. He urged the nation to build on the best values that had been shown during the worst period of the pandemic and lockdown.

In his speech in front of politicians, civic leaders and other invitees, all wearing masks in the outdoor courtyard, the King said, "The responsibility, the moral force, the determination, the spirit of survival of the Spanish people," over these past months, "shows us the way to go in confronting and overcoming the difficulties".

"We will beat them," he affirmed. "This will be the best, renewed tribute that we could pay to those we remember, recognise and honour today."

/ EFE

The early-morning event was also attended by Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia. In addition, ministers, heads of the main public bodies and the presidents of the devolved regional governments were present.

The King's speech closed the ceremony. He said that Spain had, "a moral debt, to recognise the dignity of those who had died, and a civic obligation, to preserve and build on the best values that underpin our society".

The King made special mention of older people who had lost their lives and there was a place in the ceremony to recognise the heathcare workers and emergency services. Senior EU members were also in attendance.
The message was impassioned and sobering: If the public doesnt adopt widespread use of masks, Upstate hospitals within two weeks could be overwhelmed.

In a press conference Friday, Mayor Knox White and health experts leading the hospital response to caring for a steep surge in COVID-19 infections called on the public and businesses to take the spread of the coronavirus seriously.

In the Prisma Health system alone, hospitalizations have surged from less than 20 over the Memorial Day weekend to 172 as of this past Thursday, according to a stat sheet that Dr. Wendell James, chief clinical officer for Prismas Upstate division, displayed as he spoke to media at the Falls Park plaza in downtown Greenville.

The statistics are ridiculously out of control and the state of South Carolina finds itself in a war that can be won through wearing masks, avoiding larger groups and proper hygiene, James said.

If not, he said, the state could become like New York City and Italy when the virus reached crisis level in the springtime.

This country has had to do that over and over again throughout our history, he said. Weve had to fight wars we did not want to fight. This is no different than that.

At stake beyond relieving stress on hospitals, he said, is the ability to open schools safely and keep businesses open in the coming months.

The Upstate has two weeks, James said, before hospitals could be overrun with COVID patients that would prevent people with other illnesses from being treated.

The Upstates second-largest health provider offered another austere warning: At this point, gathering in large groups is a near-guarantee to be infected.

If you are in a group of 25 people or more, you have a 99 percent chance that theres at least one person in that group that is COVID positive, said Dr. Marcus Blackstone, chief clinical officer for the Bon Secours St. Francis health system.

This week, South Carolina exceeded 1,000 confirmed deaths resulting from COVID-19, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. So far, more than 60,000 cases have been confirmed with Charleston and Greenville counties leading the way, respectively. Greenville County leads the state in deaths.

The city of Greenville will soon take up further measures to require wearing masks in public places, White said. The city was the first in South Carolina to enact mask laws a month ago that required use in grocery stores and pharmacies and mandated use by restaurant workers.

However, White said the regulations can only go so far in a city of 70,000 compared to a county of a half-million. He called on the county to enact a mask requirement.

"We're just a small dot on a map of 500,000," he said.

Earlier this week, County Council Chairman Butch Kirven told The Post and Courier that the county hasn't discussed enacting such an ordinance. Kirven said that a mask requirement would unenforceable, and he instead pleaded with the community for voluntary compliance.

The mayor called on businesses to require use within their premises. He said requirements put in place by establishments outside the city limits have been helpful as the city fields complaints from outside its boundaries on lack of mask use.

White particularly pointed to home improvement stores Lowe's and Home Depot for help. The stores were allowed to stay open during the spring shutdown, and he said they benefited greatly at the time.

James said that hospital workers are being infected in the community, not in hospitals, which further hurts the ability to care for patients.

Despite doubts among some in the public, he said, the benefit of masks is real, as are the surging numbers.

"We're not going to tell you anything that's not true," he said.
An online meeting involving Kazakh Health Minister Alexei Tsoi and Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Koo Hong-seok has been held today, Kazinform cites the press service of the Health Ministry of Kazakhstan, Trend reports citing Kazinform.

The meeting discussed the epidemic situations in Kazakhstan and South Korea, the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, provision of the first medical aid to coronavirus patients, the current issues relating to further cooperation between Nur-Sultan and Seoul such as sharing the best practices and knowledge in the healthcare field, medical education and science.

The Korean side shared its COVID-19-handling experience and the steps to improve the healthcare system for better preparedness and responsiveness to future outbreaks.

According to Tsoi, international cooperation and mutual support play a great role in the fight against COVID-19. Korea is the leader in the COVID-19 fight, therefore, the cooperation could help solve the problems caused by the pandemic, especially an exchange of knowledge and advanced practices on how to control the COVID-19 virus.

The meeting resulted in the agreement between the sides to further develop the cooperation in the healthcare field and to hold online seminars on prognosis of COVID-19, pandemic simulation, and so on.

The sides pledged to develop strategic cooperation in the short, medium and long terms.
Nepalese mans head shaved over KP Sharma Olis Ram birthplace comment

A group called Vishwa Hindu Sena allegedly shaved the head of a man purportedly from Nepal. The victim was made to shout slogans against Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and also in support of Hindu god Ram. 'Jai Shri Ram' was also written on the man's shaved head. The incident occurred in the backdrop of the Nepal PM claiming that Ram wasn't born in present-day India, and the real Ayodhya lies in Nepal. ...read more
Since its launch on 23 March, 11.85billion has been lent to businesses via the Coronavirus Business Interruption Scheme.

However, this only accounts for 54,538 approvals out of a total of 109,235 applications according to HM Treasury as at 12 July - a success rate of 50 per cent.

Many businesses have been unable to get financial aid from the Government via other schemes such as the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and so despite having to take on more debt, the CBILS has been a saving grace.

Only half of applications have been approved for a Coronavirus Business Interruption loan

The loans aim to provide financial support to smaller businesses across the UK that are losing revenue, and seeing their cashflow disrupted, as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

It is managed by the British Business Bank through accredited lenders such as Funding Circle and The Co-operative Bank who can provide up to 5million per business.

The process has not been easy for everyone but for others it has been a lifeline. We spoke to three entrepreneurs who took on loans to get through tough times, to find out their views.

'It has enabled us to move forward and keep going'

Entrepreneur Debbie Leon has had a more positive experience with applying for and getting a Coronavirus Business Loan.

The Londoner runs Fashionizer, a bespoke uniform manufacturer for the hotel and spa industries.

'Coronavirus has had a major impact on our business,' she said. 'All of our clients in the hospitality and spa industries have been closed since mid-March, so weve not received new orders since then.

'Our business turnover was down almost 95 per cent, while 80 per cent of our outstanding invoices hadnt been paid, though most of our suppliers have been patient and understanding.'

Fashion designer Debbie Leon from London has had more success with the CBIL scheme

Debbie said it has not been easy to access Government funding and many banks have been slow in lending. She applied for a loan through her bank in March but had yet to hear a reply even by May.

She then decided to go to peer-to-peer lender Funding Circle, having taken a loan with them before, and the loan was granted within the week.

'Im using the loan to pay rent and pay some of our suppliers. It has enabled us to move forward and keep going. The added bonus of having 12 months' no repayments means that we should finally start getting back on track, which is great.'

Lisa Jacobs, of Funding Circle, added: 'Small businesses will be at the forefront of the economic recovery, and during this period its absolutely vital they get the financial support they need. Were proud to be playing our role in helping.

I don't like taking on debt Hannah Carter runs Alternative Foods London, the brains behind vegan cake range Oggs, which saw a 40 per cent drop in sales in the first six weeks of lockdown. 'Cake suddenly wasnt the go-to aisle, with shoppers browsing less and focusing instead on essentials like toilet paper,' she said. 'Our factories also required social distancing and so producing the necessary volumes became a challenge. Hannah Carter, who runs Alternative Foods London, had to take out a loan 'The initial drop in sales was significant but the opportunities lost had the most powerful impact. 'We were on the brink of launching into food service  we had 250,000 of forecasted revenue for the rest of 2020 which we lost. 'This hugely impacts next year in terms of our capacity to expand, while supermarkets are now more cautious about expanding into new lines.' Hannah applied for a Small Business Grant of 10,000 but because the business was about to scale up, it was denied. She did however, manage to get a Coronavirus Business Loan from The Co-operative Bank. She added: 'I dont like having any loans, to be honest. I would rather not have one but the fact the bank gave us the loan gave us great confidence on what were doing as a business. 'It shows the growth and potential of what we do and has bridged the gap to allow us to continue.' Donald Kerr, director of SME banking at The Co-operative Bank, said: 'We recognised early in the pandemic that we were going to have to step up for our SME customers. 'Working at pace we launched a series of initiatives aimed at providing support for them at their time of need, including providing government backed loans. 'While the business environment will be tough we are determined to help as many of our customers as possible through these challenging times and businesses such as Alternative Foods shows its worthwhile.'

Businesses could get as much as 5million via the Coronavirus Business Loan Scheme

Alex Ratcliffe from Bristol took out a Coronavirus Business Loan to keep his furniture production company, Konk Furniture, going.

He said: 'Along with most businesses, Covid-19 hit Konk Furniture extremely fast and hard, with our strong start to the year in sales plummeting as a result. When lockdown started, our orders dropped by 70 per cent.

The 31-year-old said he tried to access a loan through a number of banks which was a 'wasteful' and 'frustrating' process. After several failed calls, he also approached Funding Circle.

'The loan has given us a sense of security above anything else. We are also planning to use it for upgrading our workshop machines, investing in new designs and prototyping some new products.

'Over the last couple of months, and certainly in the past month, weve seen things start to pick back up to the levels they were at before. As people are working from home and staying indoors more often, weve actually seen an uptick in sales.'
The High Court has dealt a blow to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) in its plans to phase out 14-seater PSVs.

Justice Weldon Korir on Thursday, July 16, declared the project which was to kick off in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu illegal and unconstitutional. He cited lack of public participation.

It was incumbent upon the makers of the regulations to demonstrate that the public was involved in the enactment of the regulations. The respondents have failed to prove that there was public participation in the enactment of the impugned regulation, Justice Korir ruled.

The Court ruled that Legal Notice No. 179 of 2014 ought to have been submitted to Parliament for approval, hence failure to do so rendered it null and void within seven days of publication.

The Court, therefore, finds that Regulation 4 of Legal Notice No. 179 of 2014 did not comply with this particular constitutional requirement for enactment of legislation.

Justice Koriri also noted that the law on public participation is now well developed in the country and public participation is a mandatory requirement in the process of making legislation including subsidiary legislation.

At the same time, the Court declined to quash all the other directives by the government including BRT, yellow lines on the matatus, seat belts and speed governors.

The Judge noted that the laws were already in place and there is no need to stop what is already in force.

As pointed out by Kenya Bureau of Standards, the standards have been established. The petitioners made a generalised complaint about the products being substandard but did not avail evidence to support their claim, the court held.
(Photo : Ochir-Erdene Oyunmedeg / Unsplash) Twitter is contacting Google and law enforcement agencies to investigate on the recent security breach.

Twitter has faced a challenging security event last Wednesday, prompting the social media company to take down prominent Twitter accounts that were hacked, Search Engine Land reported.

Search engine company has taken down a prominent carousel of tweets on one of the largest social media networks, and with this, it does not appear on the search results anymore.

Tech Times previously reported Twitter accounts of Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Joe Biden, and Apple, compromised this week on what Twitter said was an attack to its employees through the prominent figures on social media.

The support team of Twitter provided an official statement, saying, "We detected what we believe to be a coordinated social engineering attack by people who successfully targeted some of our employees with access to internal systems and tools."

The attackers published tweets that cloaked as a cryptocurrency scam, the report added.

"The Twitter search carousel box is not just gone for those accounts that were hacked but gone for any Twitter account. Google has confirmed to have dropped the box completely from the search results," Barry Schwartz wrote.

Is this temporary?

Correspondents from Search Engine Land have inquired if Google will have this temporarily, and if netizens will see the Twitter carousel posts still up and running. A spokesperson confirmed that they are temporarily removing the carousel posts following the security issues.

"Before restoring the feature, we will carry out a careful review," Google told the media.

What are Twitter carousel boxes?

These carousel boxes on Twitter appear when looking of prominent tweets, brand names, and influencers on Google search.

These have been taken down, but since 2015, Twitter has been having these tweets in the search results. Google has been in deals with Twitter prior to the decision in 2011 and even earlier.

Also Read: Twitter Experiences Brief Service Disruption Across The Globe

These carousels work to dominate search results strategically among Search Engine Optimization experts and marketers. There are several more examples of Twitter carousels in Google search results.

If you are asking right now if this will last or if Google will remove these, Schwartz, who is also a member of programming teams in events, said, "I doubt it but we did email Google for clarification on this move. It does make sense for Google to remove it, at least temporarily, as we currently need to figure out if we can trust the posts we see on Twitter."

The significance of these is advantageous for those using Twitter as a search strategy, emphasizing that it may go on hold under Google's next steps and action plans are determined

To update on the recent Twitter hack, law enforcement agencies are now probing the security threat. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is joining the investigating team, The Verge reported.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Held by the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and Ernst & Young, the discussion saw the presence of representatives from the US Department of State, some ASEAN embassies, and more than 100 US companies and business associations in industries such as finance, energy, technology, e-commerce, health care, and insurance.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc highlighted the favourable factors for US investors in Vietnam, including the two countries flourishing comprehensive partnership, the free trade agreements Vietnam has joined and, especially, its success in fighting COVID-19 and the Governments resolve to attract foreign investment and bolster the countrys role in restructuring global supply chains.

He noted that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently set up a working group to promote foreign investment, adding that the country will resume several commercial air routes and facilitate the entry of foreign experts, investors, and skilled staff.

Vietnam, other regional countries, and the US are scrutinising economic cooperation initiatives, including the Economic Prosperity Network, to encourage joint projects in manufacturing hi-tech products and developing the digital economy, Ngoc said.

USABC President Alex Feldman and representatives from US companies expressed their appreciation of the investment opportunities available in ASEAN and Vietnam, emphasising the blocs important standing in the Indo-Pacific region and that ASEAN has become the fourth largest trade partner of and the leading investment destination for the US.

US companies said that in the time to come, investors would further consider the Governments response to external shocks before making investment decisions, and Vietnams achievements in controlling COVID-19 and boosting economic recovery efforts have been positively assessed by foreign investors.

Companies such as UPS and SC Johnson revealed that they will soon announce expansion to their investment and business activities in Vietnam.

Others proposed that Vietnam and other ASEAN countries continue to improve the business climate, reform administrative procedures, enhance transparency, issue concrete support policies for businesses, and pay greater attention to human resources and infrastructure development.

The USABC added that it is ready to coordinate with Vietnam to successfully organise the Indo-Pacific business forum, scheduled to take place in the country later this year.
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom  Fri, July 17, 2020 22:02 550 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066733094 2 World Hong-Kong-security-law,Hong-Kong,China,UK,UK-China Free

Britain's Supreme Court on Friday suggested its judges could stop serving in Hong Kong unless judicial independence and the rule of law were guaranteed in the city.

Two British judges have served on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal since 1997 as part of the agreement that saw control handed over to China.

The Court of Final Appeal also includes retired judges from Britain and from other common law jurisdictions, including Australia and Canada.

But China's introduction of a controversial new security law targeting acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion has caused concern among Western powers.

UK Supreme Court president Robert Reed said the Hong Kong court had ruled on civil and commercial cases, as well as those about rights of protest and free speech.

"The new security law contains a number of provisions which give rise to concerns. Its effect will depend upon how it is applied in practice. That remains to be seen," he said.

Reed said he was sure Hong Kong judges would "do their utmost" to guarantee judicial independence and the rule of law, and said they had the backing of their UK counterparts.

"[The Supreme Court] will continue to assess the position in Hong Kong as it develops, in discussion with the UK government," he added in a statement.

"Whether judges of the Supreme Court can continue to serve as judges in Hong Kong will depend on whether such service remains compatible with judicial independence and the rule of law."

Reed is currently the only serving British judge provided under the agreement following Brenda Hale's recent retirement from the Supreme Court.

But he has not been scheduled to sit this year.

Britain has angered Beijing by offering visas to millions of Hong Kong residents, along with a possible route to citizenship in response to China's introduction of the security law on the territory.

Beijing, already angered by Britain's blocking of telecoms giant Huawei from Britain's 5G network, has vowed to take unspecified "corresponding measures".

About 350,000 people in Hong Kong currently hold British National (Overseas) passports, which allow visa-free access to Britain for up to six months, Johnson wrote.

Another 2.5 million people would be eligible to apply for one.
Kanpur: In a key revelation in Kanpur history-sheeter Vikas Dubey's case, the notorious gangster and his accomplice had deleted the entire data from their mobile phones before they were caught by the police. Uttar Pradesh Police are now trying to gather evidence by retrieving data from their mobile phones with the help of experts.

Vikas Dubey, who was on the run for almost a week after the Bikru village ambush, in which eight police personnel lost their lives, was killed by Uttar Pradesh STF during an encounter on July 10 morning.

It is to be noted that the mobile phones of many of those accused in the Bikru ambush has not been recovered by the police yet. The police suspect that either the accomplice broke their mobile phone or hid it somewhere before they were nabbed by the police.

According to the police, most of the mobile phones, which were recovered by the police, did not have any call details, contact list, photos among other data. A team of experts have been formed to retrieve the lost data with the help of ethical hackers.

Apart from this, help of technicians who work for Agra and Lucknow Police is also being taken.

Reportedly, some of the mobile phones are said to be carrying voice recordings dated July 3, the day when a team of police personnel conducted a raid at Dubey's Bikru residence to arrest him. The data once retrieved will be included as documents in the case.

In a related development, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Kanpur encounter case, in which 8 police personnel were killed when they went to arrest Dubey at his residence, will record statements of people regarding the case from today till July 25, according to government sources.

Statements will be recorded at nine points on which the investigation is underway and anyone with information regarding the case can contact the SIT, government sources said.

The SIT has been asked to submit its report to the state's Chief Minister by July 31.

Vikas Dubey was arrested by the Madhya Pradesh Police in Ujjain on July 9. He was on the run and had come to the city to offer prayers at the Mahakal temple. He was killed in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh Police on July 10 after he 'attempted to flee'.

The gangster was the main accused in the encounter that took place in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur, in which a group of assailants opened fire on a police team, which had gone to arrest him.
Villagers who fled their communities amid armed conflict in Maungdaw township disembark from a boat in Sittwe, capital of western Myanmar's Rakhine state, July 15, 2020.

More than 3,000 civilians have fled villages in the far north of Myanmars conflict-ridden Rakhine state after three days of heavy fighting between government forces and the rebel Arakan Army that killed one villager and injured three others, a relief worker said Thursday.

The refugees from Rathedaung and Maungdaw townships join a tide of around 200,000 civilians living in Buddhist monasteries and crowded camps after being displaced by the armed conflict in Rakhine state since late 2018, according to the Rakhine Ethnics Congress, a Myanmar NGO.

Fresh fighting between the two armies began on July 12 near Rathedaungs Koe Tan Kauk village and Chain Khar Lain village, and in Maungdaws Sar Ngan Chaung village. Combat raged until July 14, the day on which the civilians were killed and injured, local relief workers said.

Some people fled to Maungdaw, and some villagers fled to Rathedaung and Buthidaung. Some fled all the way to Sittwe. In total, there were around 3,000 people, said Kyaw Min Khaing, a volunteer who is assisting the displaced civilians in Rakhine state's capital Sittwe.

More people are arriving today. Some will arrive tomorrow. Many local villagers who have been dispersed during the fighting are now gathering inside IDP [internally displaced persons] camps, he said.

On July 13 alone, more than 2,000 civilians from four Rathedaung communities and over 80 people from Maungdaws Aung Thukha village fled to Sittwe, volunteers helping the displaced villagers said.

Rathedaung and Maungdaw, coastal districts on the Bay of Bengal, have been torn by conflict since nearly three years ago when the Myanmar Army responded to an attack on border guard posts by a militant group with a scorched-earth campaign that drove more than 740,000 Rohingya Muslims across the nearby border and into Bangladesh.

The Myanmar militarys information team said in a Facebook post on Thursday that AA soldiers stationed around three villages in Rathedaung township were using villagers as human shields to commit terrorist acts and to block lines of communication in the area.

Today, military columns started launching a counter-terrorism operation against the AA insurgents around that area to reopen the communication lines and to rescue the villagers, it said.

AA spokesman Khine Thukha said gunfire by the Myanmar military amid the fighting killed a civilian in Chain Khar Lain village, and that the hostilities continued into Thursday with government soldiers using heavy artillery near Kyauktan village.

The AA seeks autonomy for ethnic Rakhines in the state. Formed in 2009 with an estimated 8,000 fighters last year, the AA was declared an illegal association and terrorist organization by the government in March.

The IDPs who fled to Sittwe are being housed at Buddhist monasteries and must rely on donors for food, the volunteers said.

The map shows the location of Sittwe, capital of western Myanmar's Rakhine state. RFA graphic Fleeing very inhumane soldiers

Aye Hlaing Chey, who left her home in Aung Thukha village, said Myanmar troops passed near her village every two or three days.

They are very inhumane, she told RFA. When they entered the village, they fired their guns, and we didnt have any weapons to resist them.

We could barely find a meal to support ourselves, so in the end, we decided to flee our homes, she added.

Residents said some people left Aung Thukha village because the border police had threatened to burn the houses of those who tried to return after fleeing.

Villager Khine Win, who has an adolescent son and daughter, said she left her home because she feared that soldiers would torture civilians who live there.

I dont care about what they are fighting for, but I was concerned that they would have caused trouble for us or torture us if they entered the village, she told RFA. We fled on account of these fears.

Khine Than Aye, who is now in Sittwe after leaving the same village, said she fears for the safety of her husband who was left behind.

The officers in the village told my husband over the phone that he should not leave, she said. If he does, our house will be seized, and we will never be able to return home.

Fighting continues to rage despite a temporary unilateral cease-fire that the AA set until the end of August because Myanmar forces had launched the offensives, he added.

In southern Rakhine state, meanwhile, as many as 3,000 displaced villagers who have sought refuge in urban Ann township have been forced to rent houses there because camps are full, people assisting the villagers said Thursday.

About 1,500 other IDPs are staying temporarily in two now full displacement camps sent up by the government to handle the influx of civilians who fled their homes

Villagers who fled their communities amid armed conflict in Maungdaw township sit on the floor of a Buddhist monastery in which they took shelter in Sittwe, capital of western Myanmar's Rakhine state, July 15, 2020. Credit: RFA Scramble for food outside camps

Myo Lwin, a volunteer helping IDPs in Ann, said people who live outside official IDP camps are not receiving any aid and have been left on their own to find food and lodging.

Many of them dont get any assistance, he told RFA. Some IDPs must rent land plots to build makeshift shelters. Not all of them have safe access to a latrine. Many of them have fled with nothing but their clothes.

In government-run IDP camps, people will get regular meals at least, said Soe Thein, the administrator of IDP camp No. 2 in Ann town.

Those outside are living without any donors to give them cash and food, he added.

Win Zaw, who fled with his family from Chaung Wa village to Ann town, said that IDPs face shortages of both food and materials to build temporary shelters.

Even at the inflated price of 60,000 kyats (U.S. $43) per bag of rice, we still cannot find any rice, he said.

We are trying to build a makeshift home, but there is a shortage of materials such as bamboo and thatch roofing, he added.

The Myanmar Army has restricted the transport of rice  Myanmars staple food  in more than 40 villages into Rakhines Ann township township since January in an effort to cut off vital supplies to the AA.

Residents of at least 18 of the 48 communities in Ann townships Dalat Chaung village tract had fled their homes due to the fighting and to food shortages, aid workers said.

Win Myint, Rakhine states spokesman and minister of municipal affairs, said it is very challenging for the government to provide assistance for IDPs who do not live in camps.

But he added: We may able to provide some assistance depending on their needs. We could build makeshift shelters for them.

According to the Rakhine Ethnics Congress, 194 civilians have been killed during the 19-month conflict.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Seamless coordination ensured that there are just 38 local terrorists active in Kashmir

3 JeM terrorists gunned down in Kulgam encounter

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 17: Three terrorists have been killed in an encounter that took place on Friday morning in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Three soldiers have been injured in the encounter.

The three terrorists belonged to the Jaish-e-Mohammad. One was a commander, while the other two were an IED expert and foot soldier respectively.

Terrorists killed in Kulgam encounter had fabricated IED used in Pulwama attack

Rajnath Singh speech at Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken | Oneindia News

A search operation was launched by the security forces early this morning after receiving inputs about the presence of terrorists in Nangad area of Kulgam.

The search operation turned into an encounter when the terrorists opened fire on the security forces.

A rifle has been recovered from one of the slain terrorists.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Italian counterpart Luigi di Maio discussed the regional situation, including the Libyan crisis and the Palestinian cause, in a phone call on Thursday.

During the call, Shoukry warned against the "adverse consequences" of illegitimate foreign interference in Libya and of transferring foreign fighters to the conflict-torn country.

The Egyptian minister emphasised the importance of sticking by efforts to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable solution by putting the Cairo Declaration into force, his spokesman Ahmed Hafez said.

"The Cairo Declaration is an extension of the Berlin path," Shoukry said during the call.

The Cairo initiative was launched on 6 June by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar, and Libyan parliament speaker Aguila Saleh. It involves a ceasefire, an elected leadership council and a longer-term peace plan for the country.

The foreign ministers phone call was made following a meeting El-Sisi held with Libyan tribal chieftains in Cairo on Thursday.

Shoukry also briefed di Maio on the details of the meeting.

El-Sisi had told the chieftains that Egypt will not stand idle in the face of any trespassing of the red line, a reference to the Libyan cities of Sirte and Jufra.

The Egyptian and Italian sides also discussed the latest developments in the Palestinian cause, stressing the importance of preserving the opportunities to reach a comprehensive and fair political compromise.

Shoukry reiterated the significance of not taking any unilateral move and committing to the decision of international legitimacy.

Israel is considering annexing parts of the occupied West Bank under a US-plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace, a move that has been rejected by the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank.

The ministers also touched upon the case of the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo in 2016 and the cooperation between the judicial authorities in Egypt and Italy in order to seek the truth, Hafez added.

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Vietnamese representative offices in the US actively supported the citizens. The Consulate General in San Francisco sent officials to the airport to help them complete all the necessary procedures.

Preventive measures against COVID-19 were implemented rigorously during the flight.

Upon landing at Van Don international airport in northeastern Quang Ninh province, all passengers and crew members had their body temperature checked and were quarantined as per regulations.

Tragically, according to Vietnam Airlines, a male passenger, born in 1947 had an accidental fall after using the restroom, the plane having been in the air for over 13 hours and cruising at an altitude of 33,000 feet (about 10 km). Crew members and passenger doctors on the flight actively provided him with first aid, but sadly he died before the plane landed at the airport.

The airline reported the incident to the relevant aviation agencies.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Canadas Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne issued a statement over the recent developments on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Canada is concerned by the violence along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Alongside the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europes Minsk Group, Canada urges both sides to refrain immediately from using force, to respect the ceasefire and protect civilians.

A resolution to this conflict must take into account the Helsinki Final Act, in particular the principles of non-use of force, territorial integrity and self-determination, the statement says.

Since July 12th, Azerbaijan has launched a series of cross-border attacks against Armenias northern Tavush province.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Singapore and Uzbekistan have been working together to enhance bilateral economic relations, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore told Trend in an interview.

According to the spokesperson, Uzbekistan has a promising tourism sector and is rich in quality agri-produce.

"These are sectors of mutual interest. On tourism, there is potential for Singapore companies to explore the development of hospitality ecosystem in Uzbekistan. On agri-produce, Uzbekistan is looking to expand exports to new markets, while Singapore looks to diversify food import sources. There is value in enhancing business networks between our countries to grow partnerships and opportunities," she noted.

The spokesperson stressed the importance of connectivity for development of cooperation in trade and tourism.

"Direct flights between Tashkent and Singapore would make our respective markets more accessible to one another. Utilizing existing land links is another way to increase connectivity. Uzbekistan is well-located along Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, and can use the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative (New International Land Sea Corridor under the China-Singapore) to reach the Singapore and Southeast Asian market", stated the spokesperson of the ministry.

She also noted effectiveness of Uzbekistans pro-market reforms.

"Uzbekistan is in the process of acceding to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a platform dealing with rules of trade between nations. These are important steps for integration into the global economy and attracting foreign investors. Uzbekistan has also indicated interest in joining the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), a key economic bloc in the region", stated Spokesperson of the Ministry.

According to the spokesperson, Singapore concluded a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EAEU in 2019 and is negotiating services and investment agreements with four of the EAEU Member States to complete the FTA.

"Joining the EAEU would be an avenue for Uzbekistan to accede to the EAEU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement", she pointed out.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL on 'one nation-one board' for students, saying it would not want to burden children with more books.

"Our children already have such heavy bags. Their backs are already breaking with this weight. Why do you want to put some extra weight on them?" Justice DY Chandrachud asked petitioner-advocate Ashwini Upadhyay.

The court asked him to "have some empathy" for the children and not press for something which may add to their school bag weight.

It further noted that the demands in the petition to have a common education board for the entire country and a uniform syllabus are matters of policy.

"Everything asked by you is a matter of policy. How can we say merge all boards? Have a particular kind of syllabus? Teach this or that..we cannot be saying all this. It is not for a court to say all this," the bench told Upadhyay.

When Upadhyay pointed out that different boards teach completely different syllabus, the judge observed: "Different syllabus can be because we need to promote diversity in the country. Let them (children) learn as much as they can."

Upadhyay then emphasised that issues being raised by him are important.

Justice Chandrachud retorted: "Important but not justiciable. There are one thousand and one issues which could be important but not everything is justiciable."

It also turned down a suggestion by Upadhyay to let his petition be considered as a representation by Centre and state governments.

The court said it would not want its platform to be utilised for this and that the petitioner is always free to move appropriate authorities.
The following events are planned for the upcoming week throughout the region:  Colin Mochrie, the star of the long-running Whose Line Is It, Anyway?, joins forces with master hypnotist Asad Mecci, for the return of their hit show HYPROV:...
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17) - The number of COVID-19 cases in the country may surge to at least 85,000 by end of the month, with a total of 2,000 deaths, according to the projection by a group of researchers from the University of the Philippines (UP) and University of Santo Tomas.

UP OCTA Research noted that this is a 15,000 to 25,000 increase from the initial projection of 60,000 to 70,000 cases by end of July.

The group calculated the possible number of additional infections based on the R naught, or the reproduction rate of the virus. This represents the number of people who may be infected by a confirmed case. Ideally, this should be one or less, as anything higher means there is still significant community transmission.

UP OCTA Fellow Professor Guido David said the projection has changed when the reproduction rate of the virus increased in the past two weeks.

From 1.28 back in June, the reproduction rate jumped to 1.75. David said a small difference in R naught could cause a big impact.

It may seem like 0.3, 0.4 pero (but) this could cause change of tens of thousands of cases, David said.

The main factor is increased transmission, community transmission in NCR and also some new hotspots, emerging hotspots like parts of CALABARZON nagiging hotspots ulit (becoming hotspots again), sa Leyte, nagiging hotspots (becoming hotspots again). NCR is the main driver of this.

Metro Manila projection

The researchers also presented scenarios to the governmentif Metro Manila will remain under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ), or if it will revert to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).

Under GCQ, UP OCTA said the cases in Metro Manila may reach 40,000 by end of July and over 80,000 by end of the following month. Death toll could hit 2,800 by August 31.

But Metro Manilas Covid-19 cases could be less if it is placed under a stricter quarantine like the MECQ. Researchers said the reproduction rate could go down to 1.1 by end of July, resulting in 35,000 cases by end of the month and 56,000 cases with only 1,900 deaths by end of August.

Researchers also warned that lifting the quarantine will very likely increase the community transmission. Without restrictions, cases in Metro Manila will hit 45,000 this month and over 120,000 with 4,200 deaths by end of August.

Kasi (because) in Cebu the R was about 2, thirty days ago, at ngayon nasa 1.14 na (it is already at 1.14). So theyre close to flattening the curve. So the surge is not happening now in Cebu, its actually slowing down. The surge is happening in NCR, David said.

We presented two scenarios: GCQ but with deaths and then we can have the economy running, or MECQ, well slow it down but the economy will be compromised a little bit.

In an interview with CNN Philippines News.PH, David noted that restricting the movement of people is not the only way to fight the spread of the virus.

We can solve this in other ways like having social cooperation. We all do our parts. Wearing face masks is important, it is not just a government advise, but it is important to protect ourselves and in case we carry the virus, it helps us not spread the virus to other people, he said.
Laura Anderson has revealed her boyfriend Tom Brazier was attacked by a mugger who tried to steal his watch on the first night of their Barcelona trip on Thursday.

The Love Island 2018 star, 31, said the couple had been left extremely shaken after they were targeted by the thief as they enjoyed a late-night walk in the Spanish city.

Taking to her Instagram stories, the emotional star urged her followers to be safe as she recounted the terrifying incident.

Horrifying: Laura Anderson has revealed her boyfriend Tom Brazier was attacked by a mugger who tried to steal his watch on the first night of their Barcelona trip on Thursday

She said: 'So last night was horrible. Me and Tom decided to walk for a bit, try and get a photo and basically got mugged

'Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. You just get this gut feeling these two guys were watching us. Tom kept saying "it's fine, it's fine" and we hailed a cab to go home.

'Tom opened the door for me and was like "in you go" and I was like "it's fine, I'll go round to the side" which I'm glad I did because when Tom went to get in, the guy came from nowhere and pushed him.'

Laura revealed she had intervened when she saw her boyfriend fighting off the attacker, saying: 'Tom pushed him because he was coming at him.

Shaken: Taking to Instagram stories, the Love Island 2018 star, 31, said the couple had been left extremely shaken after they were targeted by the thief as they enjoyed a late-night walk in the Spanish city

'The guy was trying to get his watch off his arm and I ran round the back of the cab and yelled "f**k off" and whacked him on the shoulder with my phone.

'He sort of scuffled off. It was horrible. Tom told me to get in the car and we didn't know where this guy's friend was or if he was going to come from behind me or if they had any weapons.

'All of that for a watch. Tom was attacked. They didn't get the watch. I think my swearing is what scared them off, I am loud.'

In the aftermath of the attack, Laura said she and Tom had been left uneasy about going out to public places.

She said: 'I think we both reacted pretty well but I just couldn't sleep. We feel like we can't go out without looking over our shoulders. We wanted to go to the beach and workout and I don't feel like we can do that, leave our stuff unattended.'

Upsetting: Laura said the couple were getting into a taxi when a man ran at Tom, pushed him and tried to steal his watch

Laura later revealed a cut on her hand from striking the attacker with her phone.

The star also posted a snap taken shortly before the incident, writing: 'Keep your eyes open . This was about 10 minutes before Tom and I got mugged last night.

'Moral of the story If youre travelling abroad just have your wits about you and look out for each other. . We were one of the lucky ones, minus a bit of rough & tumble #staysafe.

'P.s The low life didnt get what he was after.'

Horror: She said: 'The guy was trying to get his watch off his arm and I ran round the back of the cab and yelled "f**k off" and whacked him on the shoulder

MailOnline has contacted Laura's representative for comment.

Tom also wrote: 'Dinner at @bocagrande on our first night in Barcelona....

'Right before we had an attempted mugging whilst getting a taxi back to the @wbarcelona

'They wanted my watch but thankfully we managed to fight off the dirty scoundrels. Myself and my @lauraanderson1x are fine and well.'

Laura recently voiced her excitement about going away with her new boyfriend after uploading a sizzling bikini snap alongside a caption that read: 'This is how excited I am to have our first holiday booked.'

Brave: Laura later revealed a cut on her hand from striking the attacker with her phone

In May the pair revealed their romance in a couple's workout video.

They performed a series of lunges and planks before hunky personal trainer Tom used his girl as a weight on his shoulders to engage in some squats.

The TV personality's clip ended with the pair sharing a sweet smooch after working up a sweat at her home.

Candid: The star also posted a snap taken shortly before the incident, writing: 'Keep your eyes open . This was about 10 minutes before Tom and I got mugged last night'

Since then they have been spotted enjoying quality time together as well as having a romantic picnic in a London park and more recently a swanky date night in Mayfair.

After leaving the Mallorcan villa in the summer of 2018, the bombshell dated series one winner Max Morley in October.

The duo were in an on-off relationship, with the stars splitting in December, reuniting in May 2019, and eventually calling it quits for good in July last year.
The New York Police Department has charged the executive assistant of a tech entrepreneur who was found decapitated and dismembered in his apartment earlier this week with second-degree murder.

Fahim Saleh, 33, was found dead in his New York City apartment on Tuesday. The death was officially deemed a homicide with the cause being multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso.

Saleh's former executive assistant, Tyrese Haspil, 21, was arrested Friday and hit with second-degree murder charges, the NYPD said.

Police said Haspil used a Taser to immobilize Saleh before stabbing him to death. Saleh's head, arms and legs had been severed.

MORE: Person of interest identified in case of tech CEO found decapitated and dismembered

Saleh co-founded Pathao, a ride-share app that's popular in Bangladesh. More recently, he was the CEO of Gokada, a motorcycle ride-sharing and delivery company based in Nigeria, which has faced financial setbacks and recently laid off most of its staff.

The motive for the murder appeared to be a dispute over money.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said that Haspil owed Saleh a "significant amount of money." Police sources put the amount in excess of $100,000.

Detectives also recovered text messages between the two that indicated Saleh accused Haspil of stealing the money, sources said.

PHOTO: Fahim Saleh, co-founder/CEO of Gokada, explains his company's operation during an interview with Reuters in Lagos, Nigeria, May 3, 2019. (Temilade Adelaja/Reuters, File)

The sources also said that Haspil was tracked using his credit card, which is believed to have been paid for by Saleh. The credit card was used to purchase the electric saw discovered in the victims apartment and was also used to pay for the suspect's rides to and from the location. Finally, the same credit card was used to pay for a car service to Home Depot where the suspect bought cleaning supplies, sources said.

It was not immediately clear if Haspil had obtained an attorney.

Saleh's body was found Tuesday afternoon by his cousin, according to police.

"The headlines talk about a crime we still cannot fathom," Saleh's family said in a statement earlier this week. "Fahim is more than what you are reading. He is so much more. His brilliant and innovative mind took everyone who was a part of his world on a journey and he made sure never to leave anyone behind. Fahim found success at an early age and built on it year after year, while remaining grounded and committed to helping others."

"No matter what he did, he did it while thinking of the greater good and his family," the statement continued. "His parents and his sisters were his light and he was theirs. There are no words or actions to provide any of us comfort except the capture of the person who exhibited nothing short of evil upon our loved one."

Assistant of tech CEO found decapitated has been charged with murder originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Xiaomi introduced a Redmi Band back in April that has a USB-A port for a direct charge, while sharing many of its features with the Mi Band 4. Now, the wearable has escaped China and overseas market number one is Taiwan, where it will sell as Xiaomi Mi Band 4C.

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4C actually has some advantages over the Mi Band 4, despite being cheaper. We are looking at a bigger OLED screen and no extra cables or chargers due to the integrated USB-A port. The battery is supposed to live 14 days, instead of the promised 20 for the regular 4, but it is still a decent endurance on a single charge.



Xiaomi Mi Band 4C

The Mi Band 4C lacks NFC, just like the Mi Smart Band 4 - thats the international version of the regular wearable.

Xiaomi Taiwan sells the Mi Band 4C for TWD495 - thats just south of $17/15. For comparison, the Mi Band 4 is currently discounted from TWD845 to TWD795 - nearly 33% more expensive. The band comes in four colors - Orange, Black, Blue, or Olive Green, and is already on sale in Hong Kong too.

The straps are still interchangeable, an extra pair is TWD75, purchasing a band plus extra strap is TWD545, but the jumbo deal is getting all three other colors - it will set you back TWD645, which is still just $22/20.

Source (in Chinese)
- Stacy confirmed she is a real Michuki only that her dad and his people have never been in her life

- She denied using late minister's name to gain fame, holding everything she has was purely through her hard work

- A lady named Tiri alleging to be the real Michuki's granddaughter had exposed Stacy claiming she is not a Michuki and that she should stop using the name

Miss Universe Kenya Stacy Michuki has distanced herself from claims she is using the late minister John Michuki's name to popularise herself.

The beauty queen confirmed indeed she is related to the late minister contrary to what a cross section of people had claimed.

READ ALSO: Journalist Stephen Letoo tests positive for COVID-19

Miss Universe Kenya Stacy Michuki said she has worked hard for everything she has. Photo: Instagram/MissMichuki

Source: Instagram

READ ALSO: It's a human: Comedian Eddie Butita drops hint lover Mammito maybe expectant with first baby

Responding to a local YouTuber Edgar Obare who wanted her to come clean over the claims, Stacy said her dad comes from the Michuki's family although he was never there for her while growing up.

''My dad's side has never been present in my life, I have been raised by a single mum and I just happen to carry their name. To be honest, with or without the name I would still do well for myself.I will ask for my dad's contact today and if she has anything to ask, I feel she should take it up with him,'' Stacy said.

According to the lass, she was raised by her mum although it was clear to her that her dad belongs to the prominent family.

Stacy held that all she has is through her hard work and not by using late Michuki's name to catapult her career and life.

READ ALSO: Serge Aurier: Brother of Spurs star Christopher shot dead in France

She stated that she has never wanted or asked anything from the Michuki's family and that the only thing connecting them is the fact that she uses their last name.

''I have even had guys from this same family DM me and wish me the best in my endevours. This is after winning Miss Universe Kenya. I don't think they had any idea about me before. I am not riding on anyone's back, this is all my hard work.'' she added.

Her defense came barely hours after a lady identified as Tiri Gitau and alleging to be Michuki's real granddaughter exposed her claiming she is a fake.

According to Tiri, Stacy is not one of them and has been using the late minister's name to catapult her career and life.

READ ALSO: Mwanamke Mkenya afariki dunia baada ya kugonjwa na lori Marekani

Tiri warned Stacy against using the Michuki name.

''For those following Miss Universe Kenya, just wanna let you know she is a fraud. She markets herself as John Michuki's granddaughter, that is a lie. Why capitalise off a dead man's name? Let him rest in peace. Checked her and she got defensive and blocked me,'' Tiri wrote.

Stacy first became a popular figure after she was crowned Miss Universe Kenya 2019.

TUKO.co.ke had earlier reported how Stacy beat over 13 contestants including Akothee's popular daughter Rue Baby to be crowned Miss Universe Kenya 2019.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

I married a man every woman wanted - Pastor Joan Chege | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Kim Kardashian is using her massive influence on social media to shine a light on the latest flare up in fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

On Thursday, the 39-year-old reality star-turned-justice warrior informed her 179 million Instagram followers that Azerbaijans Ministry of Defense threatened to bomb her father's ancestral homeland.

'Despite an ongoing global pandemic, Azerbaijan has violated the UN's appeal for global ceasefire by unprovoked attacks against the Republic of Armenia,' she wrote on her Instagram Story.

Speaking up: Kim Kardashian is using her massive influence on social media to shine light on the latest flare up in fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia (seen in December)

The KKW Beauty mogul added: 'Civilian structures in Armenia have been targeted, and Azerbaijan has now threatened to bomb the nuclear power plant in Armenia.'

'In the meantime, congressional amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act will be voted on next week to ensure that the US does not enable Azerbaijan with military aid that would be used against Armenia and Artsakh,' she further explained.

Then, she urged the international community to 'pay attention and intervene' with political and diplomatic measures to 'prevent unnecessary escalation and the loss of human life.'

Urging reform: On Thursday, the 39-year-old reality star-turned-justice warrior informed her 179 million Instagram followers that Azerbaijans Ministry of Defense threatened to bomb her father's ancestral homeland

The mother-of-four expressed her support for her fellow Armenians and prayed for those 'involved in recent tensions on the border of the country.'

'I urge for a peaceful resolution for these unprovoked attacks during this already very difficult pandemic,' she concluded, before encouraging her fans to call their senators and representatives, in support of Armenia.

The budding law student, who is studying to take the bar in California, baptized her three youngest children in Armenia last year.

Homeland: The budding law student, who is studying to take the bar in California, baptized her three youngest children in Armenia last year

In October, she praised news that the US House of Representatives passed a resolution to recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

'Yesterday was such a huge victory for the Armenian people when the US House Of Representatives acknowledged the Armenian Genocide!' the E! star wrote.

'This photo was taken of me and my children this month in Armenia,' she noted, in addition to crediting the photographer, Jackie Nickerson.
There were chaotic scenes in Glendalough and other popular locations in the uplands as huge volumes of traffic descended on Wicklow over the weekend.

On Saturday Gardai had to restrict access to Glendalough for two hours as over 500 vehicles were turned away. Vehicles badly parked along the Sally Gap and Luggala were issued with on-the-spot fines, while a tow wagon towed away a number of offending vehicles on Sunday.

Mountain Rescue also had difficulty accessing an injured member of the public at Lough Tay because access to a pathway was blocked.

The scenes over the weekend were similar to the chaos experienced in March prior to lockdown, when the decision was taken to close the car parks and all food franchises.

Glendalough resident Senator Pat Casey said: 'It's the first weekend since traveling restrictions were lifted where we saw huge crowds of people coming to Glendalough. Gardai had to close off Glendalough for a period on Saturday because it was so busy. Once all three car parks are full, there isn't room for anyone else.

'Coordination takes place between the three car parks and the Gardai so as to try and get some sort of handle on the traffic volumes in Glendalough. It was actually worse on Sunday. People seem to be coming earlier in the morning than usual and are staying for longer, so there isn't the same turnover of spaces in the car parks.'

Many motorists turned away from Glendalough on Saturday took the decision to park along the Sally Gap and Luggala.

Speaking on Saturday, a Garda spokesperson said: 'Because of traffic volumes today, Gardai had to restrict access to Glendalough this afternoon for two hours with traffic being denied access at the Wicklow Gap junction and Laragh. As a result people decided parking badly was a good idea in Sally Gap and Luggala. All offending cars ticketed and a tow wagon now on standby for tomorrow. This kind of parking endangers everyone by restricting the emergency services.'

On Sunday, Mountain Rescue couldn't access a pathway in order to reach a casualty due to illegally parked vehicles, forcing them to travel an extra distance to reach the injury victim.

A Garda spokesperson added: 'Mountain Rescue arrived to assist a casualty and were unable to access a pathway with their jeep meaning an extra distance had to be covered on foot to reach the injured person. Policing this parking is not revenue generation. It is to protect all the people using the amenities, even those who chose to park recklessly.'

Tow wagons were in operation on Sunday to tackle any vehicles abandoned on roads and creating a hazard.

Senator Casey said that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a noticeable change in the tourism season, with visitors from Dublin now making up most of the numbers.

'Usually at this time of year we would be busiest with tourists from overseas and the domestic market. However, this year most of our visitors at this time are day-visitors, mainly from Dublin. We aren't really seeing many overseas visitors. The domestic tourists we usually get from Cork and elsewhere don't seem to be travelling yet.'
India is in advanced talks to store its crude oil in US strategic petroleum reserves as an insurance against any supply disruption or price spikes, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Friday.

He said the two nations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to being cooperation on strategic petroleum reserves.

"We are also in an advanced stage of discussions for storing crude oil US strategic petroleum reserves to increase India's strategic oil stockpile," he told reporters after co-chairing the second India-US Strategic Energy Partnership Ministerial with US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette.

The US has 714 million barrels of oil storage capacity in its strategic petroleum reserve (SPR), the world's largest supply of emergency crude oil.

In comparison, India stores 5.33 million tonnes (about 38 million barrels) of crude oil in underground storages at three locations on the east and west coast, hardly enough to meet its 9.5 days needs.

International Energy Agency (IEA) prescribes its members to have at least 90 days of stock in the strategic reserves.

India has been looking to expand the storage capacity and is also exploring the possibility of hiring storage in the US to stock some oil that can be used in times of extreme price volatility or supply disruption.

"We are beginning to collaborate on strategic petroleum reserves as well and that is an important element of energy security," Brouillette said. "We are collaborating on renewable energy, nuclear energy, energy efficiency in buildings, appliances, and industrial sector."

Stating that the two nations are also looking at cooperation in hydrogen, he said, "It is a partnership between two great nations... when it comes to relations between the United States and India, economically and energy-wise, best is yet to come".

He said US oil supplies to India have jumped ten-fold to 2,50,000 barrels per day (bpd) between 2017 and 2019.

"Between 2017 and last year, US crude oil exports to India rose by nearly 10-folds to almost 2,50,000 barrels per day. Between March 2016 and May of this year, 68 LNG shipments of over 234 billion cubic feet were exported to India. India is now the single largest importer of US oil in the world," he informed.

The US is India's sixth-largest oil supplier.

India began importing crude oil from the US in 2017 as it looked to diversify its import basket beyond the OPEC nations. It bought 1.9 million tonnes (38,000 bpd) of crude oil from the US in 2017-18 and another 6.2 million tonnes (1,24,000 bpd) in 2018-19.

The volume that Brouillette talked translates into 12.5 million tonnes of oil imports in a year.

India, which is 85 per cent dependent on imports to meet its oil needs, bought 101.4 million tonnes of crude oil from overseas during April 2019 to March 2020.

He said the US and India make no distinction between good and bad energy and believe in deploying every energy fuel and every technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Pradhan said the strategic energy partnership has four primary pillars of cooperation -- oil and gas, power and energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable growth.

Through the strategic energy partnership, the US and India collectively seek to enhance energy security, expand energy and innovation linkages across the respective energy sectors, bolster strategic alignment, and facilitate increased industry and stakeholder engagement in the energy sector.

Also, a US-India Gas Task Force (GTF) has been set up, he said.

"The bilateral hydrocarbons trade alone has touched USD 9.2 billion during 2019-20, accounting for 10 per cent of the overall bilateral trade (between India and the US). We have also seen a significant reduction in the trade deficit between the two countries," Pradhan said.

The second India-US Strategic Energy Partnership Ministerial meeting was originally scheduled to be held in Washington in April this year but got postponed due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.

The dialogue was held through video conferencing.

The government had in February 2018 elevated the India-US Energy Dialogue to a Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP). It was to be co-chaired by Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas from the Indian side and US Secretary of Energy from the American side.

The SEP was formally announced during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US in June 2017, and the first ministerial meeting was held in New Delhi on April 17, 2018, between Pradhan and the then US Secretary for Energy Rick Perry.

The GTF had identified three key themes that need to be addressed to expand natural gas use in India and trade with the United States -- natural gas pricing - markets and regulation, strengthening of gas infrastructure, and stimulating natural gas demand growth.
Boris Johnson has told employers and employees that they are permitted to return to work in offices from 1 August.

At a Downing Street press conference on 17 July, Mr Johnson said that due to the declining death toll and the R-rate remaining below one (it is estimated to be between 0.7 and 0.9 in different areas of England), measures were being relaxed further.

But the prime minister's guidance does directly go against advice from chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, who said 12 hours earlier that there was "no reason" to change work-from-home advice.

Local lockdowns are also still in place in some places, like Leicester, where there are concerns about spikes in transmission of the virus.

The last update on work guidelines was issued by the prime minister two months ago when he said people could return to work on 11 May, only if they could not work remotely  this included workers in industries like construction.

Other industries were told to remain at home where possible  especially because public transport was still off limits for anyone not making an essential journey. That has also changed from 17 July with anyone allowed to use the services.

So how do you decide whether to go back to work from 1 August?

Should I go back to work?

Mr Johnson said that employers and employees do not have to return to work on 1 August and that the government guideline was only there for those who wanted to make use of it.

It is not for the government to decide how employers should run their companies and whether they want their work forces in the office or not  that is for companies.

That date could mean of course continuing to work from home, which is one way of working safely, he says. Or it could mean making workplaces safe by following Covid-safe guidelines.

He warned that whatever employers decide to do it should be a decision made in close consultation with employees: And only ask people to return to their place of work if it is safe.

What were saying now is that if employers think it would be better and more productive for their employees to come into the office and they can work in a safe way, in a Covid-secure way in the office, then there should be discussions between employers and employees and people should take a decision, he continued.

Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Show all 12 1 /12 Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Marc Lyons ICU Consultant, East Cheshire NHS Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Emma Kelly Critical Care Nurse, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Laura Arrowsmith COVID-19 Ward Cleaner, Leighton Hospital, Crewe PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Stuart Brookfield Paramedic, South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Claudia Anghel Midwife, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Sarah Jensen Chief Information Officer, Barts Health NHS Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Anne Roberts District Nurse, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Ali Abdi Porter, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Jack Hannay Manikum 111 call handler, West Midlands Ambulance Service PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Ade Williams Superintendent Pharmacist, Bedminster Pharmacy in Bristol PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Farzana Hussain GP, Project Surgery, Newham PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Roopak Khara General Adult Psychiatrist, West London NHS Trust PA

Mr Johnson acknowledged how productive many employees have been working from home: People have discovered a lot of different ways of working, and new patterns of work have been emerging, many companies are seeing opportunities to do things differently, he said.

Despite this he said if employers want people back, and it can be done safely, then the government supports that decision. We certainly want to see people coming back to the civil service here in London, he joked.

Are there arguments against returning to work?

On 16 July, 12 hours before Mr Johnsons announcement, chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said there was no need to change the work-from-home advice.

He told the Commons science and technology committee on Thursday: I think a number of companies think its actually not detrimental to productivity. And in that situation, theres absolutely no reason I can see to change it.

Following Mr Johnsons speech, London mayor Sadiq Khan said the government should not encourage people to return to their workplaces if it means overcrowding the underground.

He told the PA news agency on Friday: Its really important if the government is going to be asking people to return to work they do so safely.

That means making sure they dont have tubes packed like they were before the pandemic, he said. Id ask employers to make sure start and finish times are staggered to avoid rush hour.

Mr Khan warned against a return to work causing a second wave of the virus and ensuring all spaces were compliant with new Covid-secure rules.

Weve also got to make sure that places of work have the adaptations to make sure theyre safe  hand sanitisers being available, social distancing measures being in place, there being proper signage, he said.

In an exclusive focus group conducted with YouGov and The Independent office workers expressed their hope that remote working would continue post-pandemic, with many saying they did not want to return to office work five days a week.

Several big businesses, including Facebook and Twitter, have already said they will be using the pandemic as an opportunity to encourage permanent remote working and the closure of large office spaces.
The United States , United Kingdom and Canada have all come out to accuse Russia of cyber attacks on it's Covid-19 research centers.



In a new warning by US, UK and Canadian security officials on Thursday July 16, all three allies detailed how Russian cyber actors are targeting organizations involved in coronavirus vaccine development using a Russian hacking group called APT29, which also goes by the name "the Dukes" or "Cozy Bear."



An advisory published by the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) details activity by the Russian hacking group and explicitly calls out efforts to target US, UK and Canadian vaccine research and development organizations.



"APT29's campaign of malicious activity is ongoing, predominantly against government, diplomatic, think tank, healthcare and energy targets to steal valuable intellectual property," a press release on the advisory said.



The latest advisory comes as the number of Coronavirus cases in the US continues to surge while researchers try to develop a vaccine.



The Department of Health and Human Services, the US department in charge of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been struck by a surge of daily strikes, according to security officials who blame Russia and China as culprits.



"The National Security Agency (NSA), along with our partners, remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting national security by collectively issuing this critical cybersecurity advisory as foreign actors continue to take advantage of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," NSA Cybersecurity Director Anne Neuberger said in a statement after Thursday's advisory was published.



"APT29 has a long history of targeting governmental, diplomatic, think tank, healthcare and energy organizations for intelligence gain so we encourage everyone to take this threat seriously and apply the mitigations issued in the advisory," she said.



The NCSC, which is the UK's lead technical authority on cyber security assessed that APT29 "almost certainly operate as part of Russian Intelligence Services."



This assessment is also supported by the Canadian Communication Security Establishment (CSE), the US Department for Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Security Agency (NSA), the NCSC said.



"We condemn these despicable attacks against those doing vital work to combat the coronavirus pandemic," NCSC Director of Operations, Paul Chichester, said in a statement.



"Working with our allies, the NCSC is committed to protecting our most critical assets and our top priority at this time is to protect the health sector."















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These days of COVID-19: Its time to look ahead and look around us, and pause to take a wistful, longing glance behind as well.

As most of Ontario moves into Stage 3 of reopening this weekend, here in Niagara we can only watch and hope that soon we will follow.

Just to go to the movies, or the gym. To eat indoors in a restaurant  how long has it been?

Since Niagara was about a week behind other regions when they moved into Stage 2, a lot of people presume we will get the nod next week and step into Stage 3 by next weekend.

We hope so. Our coronavirus case numbers are good and have been that way for some time. One by one, local municipalities are adopting their own mandatory mask bylaws for people in indoor public spaces.

Those are important, positive steps with the chance Niagara regional council might pass its own mask bylaw in the coming week that would apply all across the region.

So Niagara is ready for Stage 3.

As weve said before, if that happens its important we not blow it.

Continue to maintain physical distancing, wash your hands, and wear a mask when you go shopping or into other indoor public places. Whether a bylaw tells you to or not.

Beyond Niagara, were hearing more and more stories from people living in the U.S. where COVID-19 cases are growing like never before, despite it being one of the richest countries in the world with one of the most capable health-care systems.

Of course, any chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

The quality of the public health system, combined with so many Americans losing their health care when they lost their jobs, means many people cant afford to get tested.

That and a fierce  and, really, inexplicable  resistance to wearing masks and social distancing has created a chaotic situation thats ideal for the spread of germs.

Many of the stories we hear from the U.S., then, are from Canadians living there warning all of us  Premier Doug Ford, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, all of us  not to reopen the border yet.

As we get ready to move into Stage 3, and for our childrens sake hope the new school year will be as normal as possible, any decision other than keeping the border closed seems foolhardy.

Certainly our businesses would benefit if Americans were allowed to visit. But the risks outweigh the benefits and having to lockdown again would be catastrophic for our economy and our mental health.

While we look forward to what hopefully will be a straight line out of this bad time, were also looking back at what weve lost.

On our website we have begun a running feature to remember our friends, neighbours and family members who died from COVID-19.

More than 60 of them across Niagara, in just four months. Every life ended too soon; every one of them a loved one who will be missed.

We think its important that you see their faces and know their names. Each had a place in our community.

Maybe you knew them, or in a few cases have already read about them in the paper. Most probably not, but they were each one of us.

As we get closer to hopefully turning our back on COVID-19, its important to remember them: The people you might have taken to a movie, or shared lunch with in a restaurant.

Well get through this together.
A hidden location in Egypt was first uncovered during the late 1800s that held the remains of royals to save them from grave robbers, and the death of one individual has remained a mystery since until now.

Called 'the mummy of the screaming woman,' she was embalmed with her head titled back and mouth open as if crying in terror.

Researchers employed the power of CT scans to reveal the Egyptian princess died of a massive heart attack 3,000 years ago.

The position of the remains suggests the woman was not discovered until hours after, which was long enough to develop death spasms and embalmers preserved the body as it was found.

A hidden location in Egypt was first uncovered during the late 1800s that held the remains of royals to save them from grave robbers, and the death of one individual has remained a mystery since until now

In 1881, the Royal Cachette of Deir El-Bahari was discovered in Luxor, Egypt.

This site was used by priests of the 21st and 22nd dynasties to hide the remains of royals in a bid to save them from grave robbers, ahramonline reports

And inside was the mummy of the screaming woman, along with the mummy of the screaming man.

Previous studies used CT scans to unravel the mystery of the man, which was prince Pentawere who was the son of King Ramses III.

Researchers employed the power of CT scans to reveal the Egyptian princess died of a massive heart attack 3,000 years ago. The results show she suffered from a severe case of atherosclerosis that affected a number of her arteries

Experts believe her name was Meret Amun, but are unsure which princess she was as there were three by that name throughout history. The female mummy received her name due to signs of terror on the face

The prince was forced to commit suicide by way of hanging as a punishment for his attempt to murder his father, which is known in history as the Harem Conspiracy.

His body was wrapped in sheep skin, unlike the usual white linen that is found around royals  like the screaming woman.

Experts believe her name was Meret Amun, but are unsure which princess she was as there were three by that name throughout history.

The female mummy received her name due to signs of terror on the face  her head titled back and mouth frozen as if she was screaming in pain.

To uncover the mystery, Egyptologist Zahi Hawass and Sahar Saleem, professor of radiology at Cairo University used a CT scan to reveal what caused her death some 3,000 years ago.

The results show she suffered from a severe case of atherosclerosis that affected a number of her arteries.

Previous studies used CT scans to unravel the mystery of the man, which was prince Pentawere who was the son of King Ramses III. Dubbed 'the mummy of the screaming man,' he was forced to hang himself for being involved in the murder of his father

This disease formed in the arterial wall, leading to a narrowing of the cavity and blockage of the vessel, and can be determined in a CT scan.

Hawass and Saleem concluded the screaming woman died suddenly of a massive heart attack and was not found until hours later, which allowed time for a death spasm  resulting in the form in which she was buried.

The team also found that the brain had not been removed, which was a common practice among royals.
Hallmark is celebrating the holidays a little early with a sneak peek at their 11th annual "Countdown to Christmas" movie lineup.

Spreading some Christmas cheer and making things merry and bright during this pandemic is just what the doctor ordered.

JOANNA GAINES UNVEILS NEW CHILDREN'S BOOK: Joanna Gaines unveils new children's book inspiring 'The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be'

Fans of the channel wait every year in anticipation of the coming season of holiday movies. People host get-togethers the night the first Christmas movie airs.

Celebrating Christmas in July is not uncommon, but this year it's just what we all need to lift our spirits from a daily dose of coronavirus news.

To make things even merrier, Hallmark is airing 25-holiday movies in a row as part of their Christmas in July programming.

"Christmas isn't just a day or a season, it's a state of mind." says actress Lacey Chabert in a promo video for the Christmas in July movie countdown beginning tonight, July 17, at 7 p.m.

The upcoming Christmas films will include many fan favorites of the Hallmark channel such as Candace Cameron Bure, Lacy Chabert, Rochelle Aytes, Tyler Hynes, Holly Robinson Peete, and more!

"Countdown to Christmas" and Hallmarks Movies & Mysteries' "Miracles of Christmas" 2020 lineup will kick off Friday, October 23, airing 40 brand-new movies between the two channels. Although, some are still in the works, below is what we know so far for the lineup:

"Countdown to Christmas" lineup

A Royal Holiday

Jingle Bell Bride

A Christmas Tree Grows in Brooklyn

If I Only Had Christmas

Deliver by Christmas

On the 12th Date of Christmas

Christmas Waltz

Christmas in Vienna

Christmas in Evergreen 4

Chateau Christmas

Cross Country Christmas

Christmas Carnival

When Calls the Heart Christmas 2020

"Miracles of Christmas"

Christmas Tree Lane

Holly & Ivy

The Christmas Bow

Cranberry Christmas

Christmas Doctor

Not to poke fun at an old adage, but "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," and he's sending some Christmas miracles our way to brighten our days with some holiday cheer. Did I mention that you can also preorder Hallmark Channel wines to have ready just in time for the debut?

For more information on Hallmark's Christmas movie schedule for 2020 visit the website.

STAY INFORMED: Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.
The man who founded a South Jersey town as a haven for Black families to escape oppression during the Jim Crow south could soon have his name on its new post office

Whitesboro, a section of Middle Township, is named for George H. White. The new post office on Route 9 South and Main Street in town, would named the George Henry White Post Office Building under a pending congressional bill.
Social care staff 500 to be paid next month  however it will likely be subject to taxation

This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 17th, 2020

Social care staff in Wales are set to receive an extra 500 payment next month  however it has been confirmed the money will be subject to taxation.

The payment, which will also be extended to agency staff and nursing staff employed in care homes, as well as personal assistants and domiciliary care workers providing care to people in their own homes, was announced by the Welsh Government in May.

Kitchen and domestic staff working in care homes will receive the 500 extra payment. It will be paid to staff who were working between 15th March and 31st May.

However there has been concern that due to tax rules the recipients would not see the full 500 payment, with tax and National Insurance contributions due, and it could also impact those who receive Universal Credit and be declared to the Department for Work and Pensions as income.

At todays briefing with First Minister Mark Drakeford we asked for a trio of updates on requests made from Welsh Government to UK Government.

It appears there will be no waiving of tax or national insurance payments, and the payment could have universal credit implications, with the First Minister saying: I think we are reaching the end of our discussions with the Treasury on the tax and National Insurance position in relation to the 500 we wish to pay to care staff and Im afraid it looks as though the Treasury intends to take that money away from care staff in Wales in a way that I think is deeply regrettable and eminently avoidable.

He added: We will start making those payments to social care staff in Wales next month.

We also asked for an update on suggestions for direct economic support where workers face economic challenges and choices during outbreaks, a situation Mark Drakeford called perverse, and something that appears to have happened locally.

The First Minister said, Ive had no reply to my letter of what must be three weeks ago now on temporary furlough measures, remembering that that was in order to deal with a perverse incentive of people not to report being ill, or to go to work when they know they are ill, because they couldnt rely on statutory sick pay. And, if its not to be resolved in the way that we set out in our letter, it remains an important issue to resolve.

Previously the First Minister has told us his government were trying to persuade the Treasury to allow them to transfer some money from capital budgets and use that as revenue in this budgetary year, with a target of around 200m, adding That will make a big difference to our ability to go out and support the businesses and public services in the second half of this financial year.

The First Minister replied, There is a meeting next week between the Finance Ministers of the four governments of the United Kingdom. Were hoping we may get some further news on our requests over capital to revenue conversion, access to our own reserve borrowing powers, that little bundle of issues that we are keen to pursue with the Treasury.

In light of ongoing noting of the lack of contact between the First Minister and Prime Minister we asked if there had been any recent meeting, but also asked if any attempt had been declined by Downing Street. The First Minister said, I havent met or spoken with the Prime Minister since the 28th of May, there hasnt been any offer of a meeting that has been declined at all.
In the wake of Black Lives Matter protests and as Confederate monuments continue to come down, what comes next? What are we building up? Over a video call, Op-Ed Editor Raj Mankad convened two of Americas leaders in making art that reimagines public spaces and got out of the way. Rick Lowe is a co-founder of Project Row Houses and a professor at the University of Houston. He has led efforts across the U.S. and Europe that mix art, architecture and community organizing to spark change for the good. Walter Hood is an artist, landscape designer, urbanist and professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

Rick Lowe: The lack of knowledge of history and also the revision of it  that really concerns me. How do we deal with the presence of white-dominated history in our environment without wiping it away and giving a pass? How do we deal with these things that challenge us to look at history, sometimes in empowering ways and sometimes in painful ways?

Walter Hood: I think it is generational and regional. I was talking to students at Princeton University because I designed a piece there critiquing Woodrow Wilson. The adjacent building was the home of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. I called the piece Double Consciousness but ended up changing it to Double Sights, because Black students had a problem with the name. They could not relate to my use of the work of W.E.B. Dubois, who was the leading Black intellectual in the first half of the 20th century. They just wanted Woodrow Wilsons name off the schools name, which I agree with. The sculpture shows Wilsons complicated legacy, including his racism, by showing his own words alongside his detractors  Dubois, Ida B. Wells and others. A month ago, I had a Zoom conversation with students there because they wanted to understand the piece better. I kept saying, its not about the piece. It is about us being able to develop this conversation to take us somewhere. But they are more reactionary to it. It is all or nothing.

Rick Lowe: No contextualization. I dont know if thats a Millennial thing or not. But it just seems like something that is missing. Education previously was about how to rigorously understand the context of things, there will be things that you like and things you dont like. You find meaning in between.

Walter Hood: There are these moments, in America, we let (things) go to ruin and then we resuscitate it. Then we let it go to ruin again. There are these 40- to 50-year moments. We are at such a moment. People with fists out. People are reading books on racism. Thats the good stuff. The protests after George Floyds murder reminded me of the 60s, when the marches and protests hit TV. The clips are showing things that were invisible. It brings you to tears. So where do we take them? Now that I understand you have empathy, where do I take you?

Rick Lowe: After getting to that empathy point, how far are folks willing to go? Black Lives Matter is about respect. How do we learn to respect? There is a possibility of intersecting the respect for Black people in with the respect for many others  immigrants, gender diverse people, women  all these kinds of things. The reason I bring that up, if the movement is perceived as us against them, people become resistant. While I have endured a lot of racism and racist things, I also think back and I remind myself of the sexism I might participate in. Not because I am a bad person. It is hard to live in this world and be a man, and not be sexist in some way. Just as it is hard to live in this world as a white person and not be racist. It should be an opportunity to look at this as a moment in time to elevate humanity, its respect for the true diversity of the world in all ways  race, gender, sex. It is a great moment but we have to figure out strategies to be able to dig roots deeply in broad populations.

Walter Hood: Im trying not to use the term diversity and am trying to use the term difference. Diversity is like integration. Talking about difference allows people to be themselves to a certain degree without having to morph. Its like double consciousness. When I say diversity, I have to morph into the white world. Im tired of morphing into the white world. At a certain point, I want to be different. I want them to want me to be different. That wanting others to be different, that has to do with people letting go of themselves in the picture. I dont want to define you. I believe in the richness of you being you and bringing all your baggage to the table. What that then creates is this amazing hybridity that allows us to move on together and not have a known position where we are going. In ecology where two things meet is the most amazing thing, that threshold.

Rick Lowe: Thats a great distinction. Diversity has this tone of everything is resolved and flattened out. Difference implies a certain tension.

Walter Hood: We know we are different. We use that difference. Whites are afraid to use their difference in the way we use it. They use their difference for power. People have to manifest or transform themselves into that sameness to be accepted. Difference suggests Whiteness is there, Blackness is there, Brownness is there. It is all there.

Rick Lowe: The terminology of Black was about the power and strength of difference. But I also use African American because I understand the historical context. I respect the people behind that movement. I agree with you, I like the directness and the implication of a powerful identity that has its own value instead of skirting around it.

Walter Hood: Can this country accept difference?

Rick Lowe: If you ask the average person on the street, weve been fed the notion that America is the most diverse nation in the world. But if you look at it deeper, yeah, there are a lot of people from a lot of different places but does it live up to a notion of acceptance of what those people bring? America has had this weird idea of people merging into this melting pot.

Walter Hood: E pluribus unum. Out of many one. Out of all these people we will get this one type. Native, indigenous people, you dont quite fit the bill. Slaves you dont fit the bill. For many western European immigrants  its easier to bring them into the fold. I dont know about you and your public art work, but with making landscapes you have to conform to this aesthetic.

Rick Lowe: Im working on this Tulsa Massacre Centennial. It is a history that people dont know a lot about. Even there they didnt know a lot about it. The Black folks that were burnt out and ran out of their neighborhood, they had enough resilience and rebuilt a great thriving neighborhood.

Walter Hood: They are still there.

Rick Lowe: So many places around the country that went through similar scenarios, have not been able to, those communities have been so destroyed, there is no energy to bring that history back to us. It is a gift to the country to have that Tulsa centennial, calling attention to the economic crisis of Black people in this country. All segments of America have played a role in sustaining that oppression.

Walter Hood: I am working in LaVilla in Jacksonville, Fla. It was the home of the Johnson brothers, who composed Lift Every Voice and Sing. The historic train station was the place where free Blacks arrived and spilled out on the scene. There were flop houses and brothels. The entire community was almost completely erased. They have four shotgun houses they saved. I took inspiration from your work with Project Row Houses in Houston and a few others works. We are taking the shotgun houses and placing them in different places. And telling different stories. Not one singular thing. The more I can bring these other things in  brothels, segregation, women who owned land  it provides a context for talking about things that people are uncomfortable with.

Rick Lowe: Have you run into the name changing of streets and monuments coming down?

Walter Hood: Oh yeah. A few weeks ago Princeton voted to take Woodrow Wilsons name off the school adjacent to my sculpture. One of Princetons trustees who was ardent about keeping the name went to my piece, and read something that changed her opinion.

Rick Lowe: Here in Third Ward, back in the early 1990s, when I was first hanging out here, I was on this tour with Deloyd Parker and folks from Shape Community Center, this tour of dangerous places that they wanted to be torn down. Coming out of the drug epidemic and crime, people connected that stuff to vacant buildings. So the response was: get rid of the buildings, you get rid of the problem. There was another side you can see with hindsight  taking away the historical infrastructure of the neighborhood that sustained its future as a neighborhood. People had good intentions, but they were paving the way for gentrification. It is a condition that real estate, particularly in a place like Houston, looks for, uncomplicated land without buildings. That whole notion of removing things has a back side to it.

One last thing. Is there a possibility to move into a place that takes us somewhere we havent been? Will that happen now?

Walter Hood: Im feeling it waning. In the media you dont see it as much. I dont see it other than people writing Black Lives Matter in the street with a big stencil. I dont see people advocating for a structural change. Even though we are in a pandemic, it seems to me now is where we could be asking for it.

Rick Lowe: In the end, once your energy disappears, it goes away. When are you going to allow in the established institutions? They have the capacity to keep something alive and moving, rather than a million individuals. A million individuals doing their own thing may look good but an organization of 100 can sustain something for a long time.
For furniture store owner Chris Pfeiffer, the COVID-19 pandemic is like starting over.

He watched as the coronavirus spread around the world, and like any good business person, he considered how it would affect his customers. He tore up his 2020 business plan, slashed revenue expectations by 40 percent, and assumed his shop would do no better than when he first opened nine years ago.

Were starting from scratch, said Pfeiffer, managing partner of Homestead House Furniture. Were seeing less people, but the ones that do come in are pretty serious, a more focused buyer.

Most of Homesteads current customers are new home buyers who need a lot of furniture, something Pfeiffer said he anticipated. Hes seen a drop in older walk-in customers looking to refresh their living rooms.

Pfeiffer has been conscientiously cutting operating expenses at his Conroe store to balance the books. Every little bit helps.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Time will tell if reemployment numbers are a dead-cat bounce

Our lights are turned off all day until a customer comes in, then we scurry around, turning on lights and talking to them, he said. Homestead House is not sponsoring the local Little League team or making donations to community projects. But even these steps may not be enough as the pandemic drags on.

The United States has comprehensively failed the coronavirus challenge. Our political leaders did not take the threat seriously, our attempts to slow the spread were puny, and months after we identified what needs to be done, the nation still does not have enough tests, contact tracers or personal protective equipment.

Economic aid, meanwhile, has overwhelmingly favored big corporations, giving them the strength to wait out the recession while small and medium-sized businesses sink into bankruptcy.

The Federal Reserves bond-buying program has allowed big companies to issue billions in bonds to survive the downturn. Small and medium-sized companies, meanwhile, have relied primarily on the Payroll Protection Program, which mostly went to employees. The program has not been as successful, efficient or as even-handed as many had hoped.

Analysts at S&P Global, the financial data firm, found that only 42 percent of PPP money went to service industries that suffered 66 percent of the job losses. Seven of the 10 states that received the least amount of money were among those with the highest unemployment.

Very little of the increased spending (from PPP) flowed to businesses most affected by the COVID-19 shock, according to a preliminary report by the nonprofit National Bureau of Economic Research. Paycheck Protection Program loans have also had little impact on employment at small businesses.

Banks failed to help 95 percent of minority and women-owned businesses in obtaining PPP loans, though they were hit the hardest, NBER added in another paper.

Congress changed the rules midstream by allowing companies to take longer to spend PPP money on employees. That revision came too late for Pfeiffer, who spent his loan on staff salaries before the previous June 30 deadline. He has little cushion as the recession continues.

National Federation of Independent Business, which represents small businesses, reports more than half of its members have already spent their PPP money, and 22 percent anticipate laying off staff soon.

As local leaders call for new stay-at-home orders that would shutter retailers, small business owners like Pfeiffer are crying out for help.

For years, Pfeiffer has called on Texas to collect sales tax from out-of-state online retailers. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar finally required e-commerce sites to collect sales tax in 2018, but only if they sell more than $500,000 worth of goods into the state every year.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Texas and its leaders failed the COVID-19 test

To give local companies like Homestead House a chance, Pfeiffer argues all online sellers should remit sales tax no matter how much they sell. When he looks at small e-commerce sites that sell products similar to his, he finds they dont collect the tax.

We have better prices, I just want to be able to compete without sales tax being the issue, he explained. My online competitors dont worry about collecting sales tax, and that disturbs me because I am losing business.

If Hegar eliminated the $500,000 exemption from sales tax collection, the state could make up for revenues lost due to the recession. It would also make local businesseswhich pay property and sales taxesmore competitive.

The Coronavirus Recession is really just beginning to have an impact on the economy. If governments want to soften the blow, they will need to come up with new, more effective aid programs, especially for small businesses. They need to revise old tax policies for a new post-COVID world to avoid a Coronavirus Depression.

Pfeiffer did mention one bright spot, though. Hes doing a roaring business in home office furniture.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
WOODSTOCK, Ill. - A northern Illinois woman who subjected her young son to years of physical and emotional abuse culminating in his beating death last year was on Friday sentenced to 35 years in prison.

JoAnn Cunningham pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in December in the killing her son, Andrew AJ Freund. Eight months earlier, police uncovered the boys battered body, wrapped in plastic and concealed in a shallow grave near the familys home in Crystal Lake.

Cunningham, her face covered by a surgical mask, did not visibly react in the courtroom after McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandts ruling.

Cunningham faced between 20 to 60 years in prison. She pleaded for mercy from the judge on Thursday, portraying herself as a loving mother who misses her son.

Wilbrandt acknowledged that Cunningham had a difficult life, including addiction to drugs despite efforts to get treatment.

She lapsed back into living in what can only be described as drug-addled filth  lying, cheating and manipulating her way through life while terrorizing her small son, he said. While her addictions do not justify her appalling behaviour towards her own son, they perhaps do help explain why she engaged in ... the inhumane, repulsive and frankly shocking course of conduct that ended her childs young life.

Prosecutors had asked the judge to impose the maximum 60-year sentence so the 37-year-old mother would die in state prison. Wilbrandt said he considered that Cunningham did not plead guilty to a charge of wanton cruelty or a charge that specified she intended to kill her son.

In a statement released by their attorney on Friday, family members said they were disappointed by the sentence.

AJ was an innocent, precious little boy whose life was taken from him after he endured, what we now know, was much pain and suffering, the statement said. We had expected JoAnn would pay for that by spending her natural life in prison.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Cunningham physically and emotionally abused AJ for years before the beating that killed him. A police officer who went to the familys home after AJ was reported missing described the stench of the garbage-strewn house.

McHenry County States Attorney Patrick Kenneally said AJ died alone, padlocked inside his bedroom as his brain swelled and his own blood choked him.

Court documents tell of a boy who was in danger his entire life. Tests at birth revealed he and his mother had opiates in their systems, prompting the states Department of Children and Family Services to take the baby into custody before returning him to them some 20 months later.

The family home was repeatedly visited by state child welfare workers who concluded there was no reason to remove AJ.

Wilbrandt said he hoped examining the history and the missed signals in AJs case would spare other children the horrifying result.

Miss Cunningham was responsible for that life and now she must be responsible for his death, he said.

AJs father, 61-year-old Andrew Freund Sr., has been charged with first-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
The commission is only looking into burial arrangements at the homes. It said in its most recent interim report more than a year ago that it still couldnt understand why the babies and young children buried outside the one in Tuam were handled in such an inappropriate manner. The commission said local Galway authorities bore particular responsibility since they owned the home.
The man shot dead by police during a frenzied stabbing attack has been identified as Gabriel Messo.

Confronting footage emerged of the moment police shot dead Messo as he stabbed his doting mum Lilla in a Melbourne park just across the road from where he lived.

Officers rushed to John Coutts Reserve in Gladstone Park, in the city's north-west, at about 3.30pm on Thursday following multiple frantic Triple-0 calls.

Gabriel Messo was gunned down by police as he attempted to stab his mum to death

Neighbours have described his mum Lilla as a doting mother who washed, cooked and cleaned for her violent son

Gabriel Messo savagely stabbed his mum in a Gladstone Park reserve just across the road from where he lived

Messo had only moved into the Gladstone Park home across the road from the reserve about three weeks ago.

His housemate, Sylvester, said he lived in fear of Messo and said it was only a matter of time before he killed someone.

The terrified housemate described Mrs Messo as a kindly woman who had doted over her son.

'He's not really 100 per cent (mentally). But that poor mother was always coming here, giving food, washing the clothes - still all the washing clothes are outside and inside for him,' he said.

'I knew there was something wrong with him, but he's got angry with the mother.'

The 63-year old said Messo was always angry in the brief time that he knew him.

'He was always in an angry mood, even if I asked him if he'd like a cup of coffee,' he said.

Sylvester said his mother loved her troubled son despite his wild behaviour.

'She brought him food and put it in the fridge all the time ... She did everything. I feel so sorry for her,' he said. 'She's a very nice lady.'

In the days before the horrific attack, Messo was heard to be in constant arguments with people on the phone.

He was also heard to argue with his mum.

'He sometimes argued with mum as well,' Sylvester said. 'But when I'm there he (doesn't).'

The last his house mate saw him was on Thursday morning, hours before the savage attack on his mum.

Messo had a shower and a cigarette and chatted with his housemate.

Still, his housemate felt uneasy.

A man has been shot dead by police in Gladstone Park on Thursday afternoon. Pictured are police vehicles at the scene in a quiet suburban street

'Always when I'm in my room, I lock my doors because I know this guy is not right,' he said. 'I'm very scared of him. I worry about him. I'm scared to live here ... if this did not happen, these next three, four months time, I'll be dead.'

Sylvester said one day Messo barged his way into his bedroom.

'I lock my door because I don't trust him,' he said.

While police look to see if drugs played any part in the frenzied attack, Sylvester said he was not so sure he was on anything illicit.

The house mate said he never saw Messo carry a weapon and was unsure where he got the knife he used in the stabbing.

Sylvester said while he never believed Messo was capable of murder, he was not surprised at his violent outburst.

'I knew something was wrong with him,' he said. 'I never believe that he's guilty of bashing his own mother ... then I realised this is the guy. He can do that thing.'

Police arrived to find Mrs Messo being brutally assaulted by her knife-wielding son in what they described as a 'frenzied attack'.

Her son refused to comply with police orders to stop assaulting the woman and officers opened fire within 30 seconds of arriving.

Gabriel Messo was gunned down by police as he stabbed his own mother in a reserve across the road from his house

Disturbing footage shows Messo pinning his mum to the ground and repeatedly stabbing her as officers arrive at the scene.

Two officers surround the attacker and draw their guns before two gunshots are heard.

The man gets to his feet, before another shot is fired and he falls backwards to the ground.

Sylvester said he believed police did the right thing in shooting his house mate.

'Because he's so violent ... he was so arrogant and so angry ... police what they did, it was the right thing,' he said. 'I don't think anybody (was) going to save that woman from him. (He) had to be put down.'

Sylvester said Messo had a 'very short temper'.

'If he was alive, he would feel very sorry for what's happened ... because he has very short anger,' he said.

Just days ago, Messo told Sylvester about how angry he was his two young nephews for no apparent reason.

'He was really angry with me when he (told me) that story,' he said. 'I said: "son, take it easy. These kids are 13 years old".'

Sometimes, Messo would get so angry he would go walking alone in the dark in the reserve where he would later stab his mum.

'Sometime, (he would get) so crazy, it's midnight, 2am, 1am, he's walking on that path,' Sylvester said.

The shooting unfolded in front of a local resident on his afternoon walk in the park.

Messo, aged in his 30s, died at the scene.

His mum was rushed to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition suffering from facial stab wounds so horrific she is yet been identified by police.

Police spent two hours yesterday searching Messo's home for answers.

Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said Messo was known to them but didn't have a criminal record.

'We've had recent contact with him, but there was nothing in that recent contact with him that indicated to us that the events of today might have occurred,' he said.

Officers called to the scene were not physically injured but have been left 'terribly shaken' by the incident.

Katrina Drive in Gladstone Park remain cordoned off on Thursday night as police investigate

'No member goes to work expecting to have to take the life of another person and that is a very difficult and, thankfully, a decision that does not happen too often,' Assistant Commissioner Cornelius said.

'But when a police officer does make that decision, of course it has a terrible impact on that member and also, of course, generates significant concern for the wider community.'

Assistant Commissioner Cornelius has backed the officers' actions to open fire.

'I understand that those members have acted appropriately. They've been decisive, they've taken action and they have acted in a way to keep the community safe and stop what was a frenzied attack from continuing,' he said.

'And my heart really goes out to those members. These were junior members, early in their career, and they found themselves having to make one of the worst-possible decisions that any member has to make in their career.'

Paramedics treated a man in his 30s and an older woman at the scene in John Coutts Reserve. The man couldn't be revived

Police remain at the scene where officers were forced to open fire at a man who stabbed a woman in John Coutts Reserve in Melbourne's north-west

Aerial footage captured by Nine News shows two people being treated at the scene by paramedics.

Dozens of police and paramedics remain at the scene in a quiet suburban street on Thursday night.

Messo's body remained lying on the grass in the reserve, metres away from houses.

John Coutts Reserve is a popular park with an off-leash area for dogs.

Homicide Squad detectives are investigate the incident which resulted in the death of a man

On Friday, residents living directly opposite the park were still in shock.

'I don't want to live here anymore,' one woman told Daily Mail Australia. 'I couldn't sleep last night. I was absolutely terrified.'

Messo's next door neighbours said Messo appeared to be a deeply religious man and would often burn candles.

On his Facebook page, Messo gave an insight into his hypocritical beliefs.

'Let there be no shame in Christianity and living life in service to the lord. Abide by the laws of the land as the Heavenly Father commands,' he wrote in 2018.

'Give forgiveness as he would. Never throw a stone at another that you would not like thrown at you.'

Years earlier, he wrote fondly about his mum.

'My favourite childhood memory was my mum chasing me around the court we lived in with her shoe yelling in assyrian " you son of a dog when i catch im going to kill you.. poor mumma never actually caught me haha,' he wrote in 2015.

Messo's neighbours often observed his mum sitting outside her son's home on a chair next to him.

'I saw him hug the mummy,' Ayasa Panagoda said.

Ms Panagoda said Messo's mum would visit him up to four times a week.

Messo's uncle had ominously given her his own phone number just in case she ever needed to contact him about his nephew next door.

Anura Panagoda said he was shocked at the news.

'It's terrible. It shouldn't happen for the mother. It doesn't matter how we are mentally ... it's your mother,' he said.

Mr Panagoda said he had noticed Messo was not quite sound some time ago.

'Always aggressive talking. On edge,' he said. 'Even if someone would look at him, he would get upset.'

Dozens of police and paramedics remained at the scene late Thursday afternoon

Officers remain in Katrina Drive to examine the crime scene and speak to local residents

Messo told his neighbours that he loved his mother.

'He had a good relationship. He loved her. But sometimes his mentality, he would go very quick the other way,' Mr Panagoda said. 'Maybe some days he liked his mother, maybe on that day something went wrong.'

Homicide Squad detectives will investigate the incident, which will be overseen by the Professional Standards Command.

Witnesses are urged to come forward.

'We understand there were numerous witnesses to this incident and we are very keen, of course, to identify and speak to any witnesses to what occurred this afternoon,' Assistant Commissioner Cornelius said.

'There is a tragic event and, as I say, we're very keen to have that support from the community in relation to allowing us to thoroughly investigate what is a horrendous crime.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Residents said they heard arguing coming from the park (pictured) before hearing gunshots
The Late Late Toy Show host Ryan Tubridy revealed some good news for the children (and adults) of Ireland on RTE Radio One this morning.

Speaking on The Ryan Tubridy Show on RTE Radio 1, Tubridy announced that The Late Late Toy Show 2020 will take place this year and that it will be "the most important yet".

"I've got some really good news for you," Ryan told listeners to his show.

"The Toy Show 2020, it's happening. It's going to be arguably the most remarkable Toy Show we have ever put together."

With everything that has gone on in 2020, losing a staple of the Irish calendar like The Late Late Toy Show would have been a disaster to Irish public. The 2019 Frozen-themed spectacular had an average audience of 1.35 million on the night, with the opening numbers and performances from show becoming the stuff of legend in recent years.

Ryan said that he had been speaking to pivotal members of the team this week and that it's full steam ahead with plans for the show.

"I was talking to some people who are critical to the programme itself, and I was so blown away by their ideas, and their passion and their sense of mission. It's arguably going to be the most important Toy Show I have done, and by 'I', I mean 'we'."

One listener remarked that she "welled up" upon hearing Tubridy's announcement this morning, adding that "the children need some sunshine".

Another listener, 66-year-old Pat Burke Walsh from Ballymoney, got in touch to say: "I'm a retired school principal and that announcement you made about the Toy Show has given me a great lift."

In more good news for fans of the show, last week RTE announced a Late Late Toy Show Singalong will air this Sunday, July 19, on RTE One at 6.30pm. During the show, Ryan will take viewers back through some of his favourite opening performances, as well as stand-out songs from children around the country, with lyrics on screen, so that all of the family can gather round and singalong!
Job

Title: Compliance

Officer

Organisation: World

Health Organisation (WHO)

Duty Station: Kampala,

Uganda

Salary: UGX

176,233,000 /=

About US:

The World Health

Organisation (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health

within the United Nations (UN) system. It is responsible for providing

leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda,

setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options,

providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health

trends.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:



Serve as

the Country Office focal point for risk management and compliance initiatives

(such as the risk register and the internal control self-assessment

check-list), to coordinate their implementation in the country office and support

the senior management in the preparation of feedback to AFRO/HQs concerning

such initiatives, as well represent the country office in the WHO compliance

network;



Using Compliance

monitoring tools identify internal constraints which undermine compliance within

WCOs programmes and operations, and propose corrective measures, review the

current approaches available on assessing, measuring, and mitigating risks.



Work

closely with operations manager to review internal and external audit reports in

order to; understand risk and compliance findings by Auditors, identify

systemic issues, compliance related findings and recommendations; follow up and

track progress the implementation of audit recommendations; generate lessons

learned from audit reports and bring these into the overall compliance and risk

management.



Recommend

appropriate tools to systematically record, monitor and report on a wide range

of organizational risk areas; facilitate securing of internal support to

mitigate identified risks.



Using

the tools introduced by HQ/CRE propose risk mitigation and compliance measures

in key organizational areas, including inter alia procurement, human resources,

finance and security in collaboration with the primary focal points of these

respective units.



Regularly

monitor and report to AFRO on the status of the risk register and be alert to

emerging internal risks, as well as the effectiveness of the instituted risk

measures; coordinate with the budget center to ensure timely submission of Risk

Register and Internal Control checklists.



Support

the development of internal capacity building for risk management at the

country office; and participate in the development of training tools in risk

management and compliance applicable to the different audiences in the country

office in order to foster a culture of risk management and compliance as well

as raise staff awareness on the fundamental principles of WHO/AFROs

administrative framework and internal control mechanisms.



Perform

any other activities as assigned by the Head of Country Office and Senior

Management.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:



The

ideal candidates for the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) Compliance

Officer job should hold a University degree in business administration, public

administration, international business, finance, law, economics or related

field.



Desirable:

Masters degree in business administration, public administration,

international business, finance, law, economics or related field



A minimum

of five years of combined relevant experience at the national level in complex

organizations, in areas under general management and administration, internal

control frameworks and related monitoring processes and systems.



Previous

experience in a compliance/audit function is an asset.



Extensive

knowledge of WHO administrative rules, procedures and systems and understanding

of the complex interrelationship of factors, rules and systems which lead to

non-compliance.



Demonstrated

solid analytical skills



Ability

to interpret policy and apply correctly.



High

level of integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise

judgment with respect to sensitive information.



Good

communication and presentation skills



Essential:

Expert knowledge of English.

WHO Competencies



Teamwork



Respecting

and promoting individual and cultural differences



Communication



Ensuring

the effective use of resources



Creating

an empowering and motivating environment

How to Apply:

All candidates who

so desire to join the United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO) by sending

their online applications to enable WHO to store their personal profiles in a

permanent database. Visit WHOs e-recruitment website below and follow the

instructions for online application procedures.

Click

Here

NB: All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after

the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy

announcement.

Deadline: 5th August 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






On the day of the sixth anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and the death of 298 people of 17 nationalities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on Russia to accept its responsibility and cooperate with the investigation.

Ukraine calls on Russia to accept its responsibility and adhere to its international obligations, namely under the UN SC Resolution 2166, to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and criminal proceedings, reads Ukraines Foreign Ministry statement on the sixth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17.

The Foreign Ministry expresses its condolences to the relatives and friends of the crash victims and assures that it will do everything possible to establish justice in the case of downing of MH17 flight and to hold those responsible liable.

Ukraine remains fully committed to joint efforts with the JIT partners to bring to justice those responsible for the MH17 downing. We commend the beginning of criminal proceedings that will inevitably bring to justice those responsible for the downing of MH17, and reiterate our full support to the proceedings led by the Dutch prosecutors, the statement reads.

As noted, Ukraine also takes steps within the proceedings in the ICJ to hold Russia accountable for the breach of its obligations under the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, which led to the downing of MH17.

Another important step is the decision of the Netherlands to bring the case against Russia in the ECHR in order to hold Russia liable in view of its role in the downing of MH17, Ukrainian diplomats note.

On July 16, EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell made a statement on behalf of the EU on the occasion of the 6th anniversary of MH17 crash, calling on Russia to accept its responsibility and to fully cooperate with efforts to establish accountability.

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 JIT 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.

Russia does not plead guilty to the deaths of passengers and crew members.

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Twenty-one-year-old Paritosh Sable is worried. The final-year student from Latur is wondering whether to take his examinations or not.

His institute had cancelled the examinations for June 2020, but, soon after, the University Grants Commission (UGC) decided that they will be held.

Sable is not alone. Six million undergraduate students are now caught in this tussle between UGC and state governments like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The states are against holding the exams.

Give one clear decision and stick to it. Online exams here are out of question because we dont have laptops. I dont even know how safe it is to visit the exam centre in the next two months, Sable added.

On July 7, UGC said that the end-term examination for all final-year students would have to be mandatorily held by the end of September 2020 in offline (pen & paper), online or blended mode.

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Under a new UGC scheme, in case a student is not able to appear for examinations, he/she would be given an opportunity to appear for a special examination by the institution at a later date.

Then, on many occasions, the UGC sounded a warning note -- that not accepting its decision would put the future of students at risk.

State governments refuse to accept this decision, considering the potential risk of contracting COVID-19 at exam halls. Also Read: Why Maharashtra government's stand on exams may not be accepted

Students write to authorities, take to Twitter

While almost 20,000 students have written to the various central regulatory authorities seeking a cancellation of examinations, they have been informed that exams will have to be conducted mandatorily, sources said.

I was told that if I feel unsafe, I can give the exams later. But what do they mean by later? I am planning to pursue a management course. How long can I wait? Looks like we will have to risk our lives and give exams, said Sarbori Basu, a final-year student at a private university in Kolkata.

Basu added that her institute has also been doing flip-flops initially -- telling students that exams are cancelled, then sending the UGC circular, and, finally, saying it would wait for the West Bengal governments decision.

In fact, students have constantly trended the hashtag 'cancelfinalyearexams' on Twitter to ensure that their message reaches the authorities.

Rafeez Rehan, a Bengaluru-based student, told Moneycontrol: "We are trying to attract the attention of the authorities. We are not evading writing exams, but right now shouldn't the priority be student safety?" he said.

UGC stays adamant

UGC, on the other hand, insists its decision is binding on all universities across the country. This effectively means that the students wouldnt get their degrees if they dont appear for the examination.

It argues that 640 universities have shared their status on the examinations so far. Of these, 454 have said that they will either be conducting them or have already held them while 177 have said that they are yet to take a decision.

Kishore Giri, a final-year political science student from Tamil Nadu, cant wait any longer. At least decide quickly and let the students know. If some universities are conducting exams, that means everyone else will be forced to toe the line sooner or later. Delaying the process only spoils our chances for applying for our degrees or even jobs," he said.

Delhi University has already announced that it will be conducting open-book online examinations for final-year undergraduate students between August 10 and 30.

Maharashtra leads states in fight against exams

Maharashtra has not yet accepted the UGC decision. It is among the worst COVID-19-hit regions, with 2,84,000 cases and 11,194 deaths so far.



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.

(2/n)

 Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) July 10, 2020

Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray also expressed concerns about the UGC decision on July 10.

The decision of the HRD Ministry of the Union government, 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, and non-teaching staff are at stake, said Thackeray on Twitter.

On July 16, the Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court that under the UGC Act, the body has to consult respective universities before taking a decision on examinations.

On June 26, the Maharashtra government had cited a decision from the State Disaster Management Authority to cancel all examinations in the state.

With no certainty on the current status in states like Maharashtra and West Bengal, it is still a long wait for students like Rehan, Bose and Sable.
US pressure on allies to ban Huawei 5G is 'dirty trick': FM

Global Times

Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/16 20:53:40

The US move to pressure its allies to ban Huawei 5G is a "dirty trick, dirty play," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Thursday, responding to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's rhetoric that countries banning Huawei would become "clean countries".

The US has always claimed to be a country with powerful values of democracy and freedom, but it can't tolerate a foreign private company, Hua said. "As an excellent private firm, the only fault of Huawei is that it's a Chinese firm, isn't it?"

Out of strong ideological prejudice, the US smears and attacks a Chinese company by using its national resources, in the name of "national security", Hua said, noting that the US now forces its "little brothers" to ban Huawei.

The US' PRISM spying program revealed that the US is the largest country of cyber-hacking, and some US companies including Apple and Cisco acknowledged several years ago that there are loopholes and backdoors with their equipment, Hua noted.

"It's a known fact that the US intelligence agencies have for a long time carried out illegal spying and surveillance activities toward almost all foreign governments, including its allies," Hua said.

She pointed out that Huawei provides services in more than 170 countries and regions, and there is no country reporting Huawei's equipment has security problems. No country has shown evidence that Huawei gear poses threats or has backdoors.

Hua gave the example of the UK. Huawei has established a cybersecurity testing center there to ensure that its products meet the regulator's standards, which were verified by British experts. Huawei is willing to sign treaties with all governments to ensure that there are no backdoors associated with its products, she said.

"I want to ask, which company in the world has confidence to do so? Is there any US company that could do so?"

She expressed doubt, noting that "it's ridiculous for Pompeo to judge Huawei based on whether it's 'clean' or not."

On Wednesday, Pompeo applauded the UK move to ban Huawei equipment from its 5G networks. "The UK joins the US and now many other democracies in becoming 'clean countries' - nations free of untrusted 5G vendors. In the same way, many major telecom companies like Telefonica, Telco Italia, and NTT have become 'Clean Carriers'," he said.

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Ghana's COVID-19 testing capacity is expected to increase to about 20,000 a week.

This is according to the head of Virology at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Professor William Ampofo.

He disclosed that the centre has taken delivery of bulk testing equipment , reagents and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Speaking to Citi News, Prof Ampofo said they have since distributed the equipment and materials to testing centres across the country.

We have received the bulk of the supplies including the reagents. So we have started distributing reagents to the existing testing sites. There are some essential parts of the PCR equipment yet to arrive. So when those parts arrive, then we will begin to review current testing and then strategically place the new PCR machines and the existing sites have some of the equipment added on. With regards to the GeneXpert platform, we are still waiting for the GeneXpert cassette which will enable us to test for COVID-19 on that platform in selected localities which will include the Upper West, Upper East, Central and parts of the old Brong Ahafo Region.

Prof. Ampofo also added that plans to have centres across all the 16 regions are on course.

This will mean the plan to have a PCR site in each of the regions can be achieved shortly. Then we will then be able to work out what exactly is the load of the testing. When we did the estimation, we were close to about 20, 000 tests per week we are able to distribute them across the ten centres. So we are looking at how that can be done and sustained, he noted.

Meanwhile, Professor William Ampofo who admitted that there is a three-week-backlog-of-samples to be tested, outlined what is being done to resolve the issue.

We have a backlog so we are currently looking at how to get rid of those samples that are over three weeks. So we are looking at how that can be addressed, he said. COVID-19 testing concerns

Occasionally, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) warns that the country's coronavirus case management may hit a snag if steps are not immediately taken to ensure the release of test results within 24 hours.

They argue that the delays in releasing samples taken have become a source of worry given the adverse impact the situation is having on their operations.

The Association also demands the expansion of the current testing sites and their capacities, with all 16 regions equipped with testing sites.

It, therefore, wants the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service to address the recurring issues of shortages of test kits.

The group also raised concerns about the government's failure to honour its promise to re-engineer the then GeneXpert machines dotted around the country for COVID-19 testing.

 citinewsroom
Washington, July 17 : The US is just "weeks" away from such a high rate of serious COVID-19 cases that "every single American is going to know someone who's seriously ill", a top vaccinologist warned "Because (the increasing COVID-19-related death rate) is being paralleled by a rise in hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and now the deaths are starting to arrive," Xinhua news agency quoted Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College, as saying to MSNBC News on Thursday.

Hotez gave the warning as the country registered over 1,400 deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, the record nationwide single-day death toll since mid-May, according to The Hill news website.

The warning also came as the administration and President Donald Trump in particular continued to tout alleged progress in tackling the COVID-19 outbreak by citing a falling US mortality rate.

In a recent tweet, Trump even claimed that the US has "the lowest" mortality rate for COVID-19 in the world.

However, according to CNN's fact-checking, among the 20 countries most affected by COVID-19, at least 14 have lower death rates than the US.

In another grim milestone, the overall number of COVID-19 cases in the US has cross the 3.5 million mark, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

As of Friday morning, the US accounted for the world's highest number of infections and fatalities at 3,570,037 and 138,291, respectively, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

While New York state remains the hardest-hit with 404,775 cases, California, Florida and Texas have become the country's new COVID-19 hotspots with a rapid increases in daily new cases.

California has reported 355,046 cases, Florida 315,775 and Texas 292,336, the tally showed.

States with over 100,000 cases also include New Jersey, Illinois, Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, the CSSE data showed.
A 26-year-old Nutley man was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in state prison after he admitted earlier this year that he was driving drunk and over 100 miles per hour when crashed into the back of a car in Mount Laurel and killed the driver, authorities said.

William Dunbar pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in January in exchange for the 10-year prison term, according to statement from the Burlington County Prosecutors Office.

The deadly crash happened on August 19, 2018 on Route 73 near Church Road when Dunbar slammed into the back of a car driven by Christopher Pappas, 34, of Howell, who was pronounced dead at the scene, the office said.

The force of the impact caused Pappas car to overturn and strike a utility pole on the highway, police said. Neither car had any passengers.

An investigation showed that Dunbar had been drinking alcohol at a concert earlier in the day and that his blood alcohol level was .118 at the time of the crash, according to the statement.

Several people, including Christophers mother, told Burlington County Superior Court Judge Philip E. Haines that Pappas was an easygoing person who was very caring, funny and loyal to those he loved, the office said. Haines said during Thursdays sentencing that these are some of the hardest kinds of cases a judge could have.

Everybodys heart is broken, the judge said.

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Award-winning Media personality Mugabe Salifu popularly known as Mugabe Maase who is the host of Power 97.9 FMs afternoon political show has rubbished reports that he has tested positive for Covid-19.

There are reports on social media purporting to have emanated from the stables of the New Patriotic Partys Ashanti Regional Chairman Antwi Boasiako also known as Wontumi and his camp.

Mugabe Maase has refuted such claims that he has moved into self-isolation and abandoned his duties on air because he has tested positive for the virus.

As to why he has been missing for the past three days on air, he indicated, that one of his sisters called Ramata Issaka lost her husband who is popularly known in Suame, a suburb of Kumasi as Massa Alhassan.

He noted that as the Islamic tradition demands, his sister's husband was supposed to be buried the same day so he had to join the family in Kumasi for the funeral rites and other family meetings afterwards.

Mugabe further added that this is not the first time people around Chairman Wuntumi are peddling false allegations against him.

According to him, he will sue them this time around.
The recent surge of COVID-19 cases has put reopening targets on hold for many U.S. companies, such as Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS). On Thursday, one Disney analyst ran out of patience.

The Disney Analyst: Cowen analyst Doug Creutz downgraded Disney from Outperform to Market Perform and cut his price target from $101 to $97.

The Disney Thesis: Creutz said Disneys Parks and Film segments will likely be shut down longer than previously anticipated based on the latest coronavirus trends. Disney has a large Park presence in Florida, and its movie business is in California, two of the hardest-hit states by the recent second wave of cases.

Creutz previously forecast an easing of social distancing restrictions by the end of 2020, but he now expects social distancing requirements will be extended until at least mid-2021.

Even after restrictions are lifted, Creutz said Disneys Parks business will likely be slow to recover. He projects Disneys domestic parks business will not return to 2019-level profitability into fiscal 2025.

At the same time, Cowen projects Disney will not release any movies in theaters until mid-2021 and will have only a modest slate of releases in fiscal 2021.

Cowen cut its fiscal 2020 and 2021 EPS estimates from $2.17 and $3.97 to $1.82 and $1.86, respectively.

In aggregate, we are reducing expected FY20-FY23 FCF by $6.9B (a 27% haircut), and we are far from certain that this estimate cut represents the last downward revision to our model, Creutz wrote in the note.

Benzingas Take: The silver lining for Disney investors is that the companys diversified business will help it weather the storm. Social distancing has helped drive robust Disney+ subscriber growth, which the company has the opportunity to further monetize for years ahead.

Related Links:

Why Goldman Sachs Is Bullish On Disney And CBS, But Bearish On Fox And AMC

From 'Flintstones' To 'Rainbow Rangers': Genius Brands CEO On The Economics Of A Cartoon

Story continues

Latest Ratings for DIS

Jul 2020 Cowen & Co. Downgrades Outperform Market Perform Jul 2020 Goldman Sachs Initiates Coverage On Buy Jun 2020 Morgan Stanley Maintains Overweight

View More Analyst Ratings for DIS

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 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / Compare-autoinsurance.org (https://compare-autoinsurance.org/) is a top auto insurance brokerage website, providing car insurance quotes online from trustworthy agencies all over the United States. This website presents several tips that will help drivers save car insurance money.

Car insurance can be expensive, so it's no surprise that many drivers are looking for different ways to lower their insurance costs. Insurance companies analyze a multitude of factors before granting coverage to someone. Some of these factors are under the drivers' control, while others are not.

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Adjust the deductibles . One of the easiest methods that drives can use to lower their insurance premiums is to increase the deductibles. However, policyholders should ensure they have enough money to pay for the deductibles if they will have to file a claim.

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Story continues

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https://www.accesswire.com/597837/Cheap-Car-Insurance-2020-How-To-Get-Better-Premiums




Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-16 23:56:48|Editor: huaxia

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The Spanish Royal Family attend the solemn ceremony to pay tribute to the victims of the coronavirus at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain, July 16, 2020. Spain paid homage to the approximately 28,500 people who have lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic in a solemn ceremony held at the Royal Palace here on Thursday. (Spanish Royal House/Handout via Xinhua)

MADRID, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Spain paid homage to the approximately 28,500 people who have lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic in a solemn ceremony held at the Royal Palace here on Thursday.

The memorial was attended by the Spanish Royal Family, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and other Spanish political leaders. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyden, European Council President Charles Michel, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus were also present.

Health service professionals, care home workers, cleaners and representatives of the police and armed forces, as well as family members of those who had lost their lives to the virus were also invited.

The attendees were seated in chairs arranged in a circle at a safe social distance around a flame in memory of those who had died.

Only three people addressed the memorial -- Spain's King Felipe VI, Hernando Calleja, the brother of journalist Jose Maria Calleja who died from the virus, and Aroa Lopez, a nurse from Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona.

Hernando Calleja said that it was people's "duty" to remember those who had died and that "every family carries the same hurt for the death of their loved ones."

"We will never forget those who have died," he said.

In her impassioned speech, Lopez said that health workers "covered basic and emotional needs."

"We were messengers on many people's last day on earth and we have had to hold back tears when people said to us 'Don't let me die alone'. Behind our masks, we were not heroes, we were people. We learned to communicate through our eyes.

"I want to thank everyone for their support with all my heart and I want you to think of those who died and of the health workers -- may our efforts not be in vain and I want to ask those in power to defend the health service," she said.

King Felipe VI praised all Spaniards for their efforts during the crisis.

"It has been very difficult: a moment of worry about jobs, and uncertainty. But Spain has shown its best spirit. An example of civility, maturity, resistance and commitment for others. We have the moral obligation to recognize and respect the dignity of those who have died and the civic duty to promote the values that are vital in our society," he said.
Gardai have escorted two people off trains in recent days for refusing to wear face coverings.

One person was taken off the Translink Dublin to Belfast Enterprise service on Wednesday and the second person was taken off a Dublin to Cork train service on Thursday.

Irish Rail said the man at the centre of Thursdays incident was one of 204 passengers on the train.

200 passengers were wearing face masks. Three had medical reasons for not wearing a mask, and one person refused, said a spokesman.

The level of compliance amongst passengers on all of our services has been very high and we are very grateful for the overwhelmingly positive rates of compliance.

Our staff are focused on engaging, encouraging, and educating passengers on the requirements to wear a face covering and the removal of a passenger from a train in such circumstances is a last resort.

We are sensitive to the exemptions and we are taking those into account. But this is about protecting the health of everyone on board a train.

The wearing of a face covering by passengers on all forms of public transport has been recommended by public health experts for several weeks but it became mandatory last Monday under the Covid-19 temporary restrictions regulations.

In a statement, gardai said in circumstances where a non-compliant passenger, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a relevant persons request, gardai may be called to assist.

Read More Govt refuse to confirm date for new Stardust inquiry, campaign group says

During Wednesdays incident, Translink staff on board the Enterprise service alerted gardai that a passenger was refusing to wear a face covering.

Gardai boarded at Ballbriggan and escorted the passenger off the train.

On Thursday evening, a passenger on the 7pm Dublin to Cork service also refused to wear a face covering, despite repeated requests from Irish Rail staff on board the train to comply with the regulations.

Staff on the train alerted gardai and two gardai were waiting at Thurles to board at around 8.30pm.

A Garda spokesperson said in supporting the Covid-19 public health guidelines and regulations, Garda members engage, educate, encourage, and, as a last resort, enforce.

He said that following the attendance of the two gardai on the train in Thurles, the man complied with the public health regulations.

But he was later arrested for an alternate offence and was detained at Templemore Garda Station.

Irish Rail said the train was delayed for no more than seven minutes.
Jailed Telugu activist-poet Pendyala Varavara Rao (79) -- one of the prime accused in the Bhima- Koregaon and Elgar Parishad cases -- has tested positive for Covid-19, official sources said here on Thursday.

The 79-year old Leftist revolutionary was nabbed by the Pune Police in August 2018 in connection with politically sensitive cases, along with around a dozen other activists from all over India, and has been lodged in the Taloja Central Jail, Raigad, since the past few months.

On July 13, he was taken to Sir J.J. Hospital in Mumbai for treatment of various illnesses and old-age related problems. He also underwent a Covid test which turned out to be positive on Thursday, an official said requesting anonymity.

Last week, his family in Hyderabad had held a press conference to raise concerns over Rao's health, urging the government to provide necessary medical attention to him.

Rao's family, including his wife P. Hemalatha, daughters P. Sahaja, P. Anala and P. Pavana, issued a public appeal from Hyderabad while several other human rights groups and individuals have also called for his release in view of his frail health.
- In June, KPLC said it expected its full year earnings to drop by 25% due to the impact of COVID-19 on its sales, which led to drop of industrial and commercial power demand

- The company's net profits were expected to decrease from the KSh 262 million it posted in 2019 to KSh 196 million or lower

- The company's profits would be the lowest since it returned to profitability in 2004

Five Kenya Power board directors have resigned after the company's profit dropped by 92%.

The directors who left the electricity firm to pursue other careers were Adil Khawaja, Kairo Thuo, Wilson Kimutai Mugungei, Brenda Kokoi and former Nandi woman rep Zipporah Kering.

READ ALSO: Raymond Moi adokezea kuwa kaka yake Gideon Moi atawania urais 2022

Kenya Power and Lighting Company staff at work. Photo: KPLC.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Deliberate accident: Bus driver crashes vehicle killing 21 people over demolition of his house

Kenya Power board of directors made the announcement in a notice on Tuesday, July 14.

"The board of directors of the Kenya Power and Lighting Company PLC hereby announces the resignation of Adil Khawaja, Kairo Thuo, Wilson Kimutai Mugungei, Brenda Kokoi and Hon. Zipporah Kering as Independent directors.

The company would like to sincerely thank the directors for their commitment and dedicated service, and wishes them the best in their future endeavors," part of the notice read.

KPLC offices in Nairobi CBD. Photo: BD.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Chelsea vs Norwich City: Giroud's lone goal powers Blues to victory

In June, KPLC said it expected its full year earnings to drop by 25% due to the impact of COVID-19 on its sales which led to drop of industrial and commercial power demand.

In this, the company's net profits would be expected to drop below the KSh 262 million it posted in 2019 to KSh 196 million or lower.

READ ALSO: Kenyan newspapers review for July 15: Ruto, Raila allies unite to fight Uhuru's revenue allocation plan

In 2018, the electricity distributor's net profit was a high of KSh 3.27 billion.

The company's profits would be the lowest since it returned to profitability in 2004.

The coronavirus pandemic has adversely affected our business operations leading to slow growth in electricity sales and an increase in financing costs resulting in reduced earnings, company secretary Imelda Bore said in a notice.

The industrial sector accounts for about 70% of the company's unit sales.

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly.

Babies with babies : The sad life of single teenage mothers in Kenya | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Non-EU lovers will soon be jetting into Amsterdam's Schiphol airport after months of separation from their Dutch partners. - AFP

Long-distance couples separated by the EU's coronavirus travel ban can reunite in the Netherlands if they show Dutch border guards a love contract declaring their relationship has lasted longer than three months.

Lying on the handwritten, signed statement is punishable by a charge of perjury. Failure to show a return ticket at border checkpoints could also result in detainment and deportation.

The Netherlands enforces the EUs ban on non-essential travel into the bloc from non-EU citizens, which was introduced in March.

That has meant Dutch residents with partners living outside the EU have been unable to see each other for months.

Ferd Grapperhaus, the justice and security minister, told the Dutch parliament the visitors partner must be legally resident in the Netherlands and have seen them regularly before the coronavirus pandemic.

Lovers from outside the EU can only stay for up to 90 days every three months and, if travelling from a higher-risk country, may have to quarantine for two weeks.

"Im convinced that if people arrive with malicious intentions that authorities will pick up on it," Mr Grapperhaus told the NOS broadcaster.

He warned that if the Covid-19 crisis worsened, the exemption for long-term, long-distance couples could be reversed.

The loosening of restrictions, which already applies to married couples, will take effect from July 27, the NLTimes website reported.

It was announced after calls from hundreds of lovelorn Dutch residents for a sweetheart visa, which has been introduced in Austria and Denmark.

Neighbouring Belgium has not introduced a similar exemption, despite the issue being discussed at this weeks meeting of the National Security Council on coronavirus.

I am angry and frustrated that there still is a lack of urgency and understanding on the side of our government, Hannah Maes told The Brussels Times.

Story continues

Ms Maes, 25, has not seen her American girlfriend, who lives in New York, since January.

The devil is in the details: where do you draw the line, how do you prove you are in love, how do you prevent abuse? Marc Van Ranst, a prominent virologist, told the De Standaard newspaper.

Non-essential travel within the EU has been allowed since June 15.
Im doing everything in my power to make sure its compatible. Ive always tried to be pretty healthy and I drink a gallon of water a day, she said. I just know its going to work; weve been through so much. It will give him a whole new lease on life. Dialysis is so hard on a person the longer it goes on. Its so discouraging.
A child abuse survivor has said that she is "disappointed" that a sex offender who abused her over 100 times when she was aged between four and eight has not been sent to prison.

Father-of-two Kenneth Tracey (48), of Oak Drive, Blessington, has been handed a four-year suspended jail sentence at Wicklow Circuit Court after he pleaded guilty to seven sample charges of indecent assault against Pamela McLoughlin (37).

He was given the suspended sentence this week on the date of Ms McLoughlin's birthday.

Ms McLoughlin told the Irish Independent: "I feel disappointed that he did not receive a jail sentence, but it was not unexpected.

"It was too lenient in my opinion and I believe the justice system needs to be harder on this type of predator.

"Despite the suspended sentence which has been handed down in my case, I would still encourage other victims to come forward."

Wicklow Circuit Court was told that Kenneth Tracey had abused Ms McLoughlin between July 1987 and July 1991 when she was aged between four and eight.

He was aged 15 when the abuse started and this continued until after his 19th birthday.

The facts of the case were outlined by Detective-Garda Patrick Twomey, of Blessington garda station, who explained that the sexual abuse happened at Tracey's family home in Rockypool Crescent in the Co Wicklow town.

Tracey and Ms McLoughlin's mothers were almost next-door neighbours and on friendly terms, which meant the victim's mother visited the property with her daughter a number of times every week.

The detective estimated that there were at least 100 incidents of sexual abuse which happened on a weekly basis and almost every time she visited the house.

The garda pointed out that the sexual abuse had two main forms - one was the then teenage Tracey placing the child's hands on his erect penis, while the other most common form of abuse she suffered was when he placed his hands inside her underwear and fondled her as well as inserted his fingers into the little girl's vagina.

Det-Gda Twomey explained that Ms McLoughlin grew up and went to Australia in 2009 with her then husband and while there she attended counselling. She then made a complaint about the childhood sexual abuse to police in Sydney, who passed on this information to gardai.

She came back home in August 2015 and made a complaint to gardai at this stage.

In December 2015, Tracey was first interviewed in Blessington garda station, saying he had "no knowledge of the accusations".

Tracey was charged with multiple counts of indecent assault in July 2016, but did not plead guilty to the offences until last November at Wicklow Circuit Court when he was placed on the sex offender's register.
As a filmmaker, I learned so much about my personal taste and my strengths from making movies at Idyllwild. That has really allowed me to make use of my time in college and start making things I'm proud of sooner. Laura Holliday, Director and Actor, Class of 2012

Film students wishing to put off their first year of college because of COVID-19 have two exciting alternatives thanks to the Idyllwild Arts Academy Film and Digital Media Department.

Department Chair Shelly Short and her colleaguesall of them experienced film industry professionalswill offer to postgrads as well as gap year students the chance to earn a Film certificate as they focus their studies on Directing, Writing, or Post-Production.

Postgrads who finished high school this past spring will live on the Academy's forested 205-acre mountain campus. In this beautiful natural setting, they can stay healthy among a student body of well under three hundred, for whom meticulous safety measures have been prepared by the schools Student Services office. Classes with both the Film Department and Idyllwild Arts' innovative academic teachers will give the postgrads an extra year of preparation for college.

The Academys Film Department emphasizes hands-on instruction for all Film majors, of a kind often missing from college. At some of the top college Film programs, students never touch a camera until their junior year.

In contrast with the postgrad program, the gap year program will be all-online and will not include academics. Gap year students will receive Film assignments to complete on their own and will meet with each other and their teachers in weekly Zoom sessions.

For young people eager to climb onto a fast track to a filmmaking career, the Post-Production concentration will offer professional Avid User Certifications in Media Composer and Pro-Tools, with testing after a sixteen-week or a thirty-two-week intensive. The Directing and Writing concentrations will also give students an edge over other first-year college Film students.

Admission counselors are happy to give more details about these two programs to students who ask about applying to the Academy.

About Idyllwild Arts Academy and Summer Program

The forested 205-acre Idyllwild Arts campus sits two hours inland from Los Angeles and an hour and one refreshing mile above Palm Springs. The campus hosts Idyllwild Arts Academy, where talented high school students from around the world specialize in their chosen arts disciplines while studying challenging college-prep academics, and the Idyllwild Arts Summer Program, offering immersive workshops in every arts discipline to people of all ages and skill levels. Both the Academy and the Summer Program accomplish the Idyllwild Arts mission of changing lives through the transformative power of art. http://www.Idyllwildarts.org
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Papa was a seasonal farmworker. This job was noted to be slave work by the American locals. Still, he traveled from Jamaica to Florida and toiled in fields to send money home to his wife and eleven children for several years. Unable to read and write, he required assistance with letters that expressed gratitude for the barrel of food and the need for school fees and uniform fabric. Eventually, Papa obtained legal residence in the United States of America. He filed for his children, and one of his daughters brought her three children with her. She worked as a hotel maid to care for her daughters and her disabled brother. Ultimately, she became a certified nurses assistant. She instilled diligence, perseverance, and ambition into her children. It was inevitable that her youngest daughter, known to be very curious and bright, began speaking of becoming either a teacher or a doctor. She admired her pediatrician and first-grade teachers.

Papas granddaughter would read her favorite books to him. He was like a tall tree with a voice like thunder and hands like worn leather. His small granddaughter would look up at him and scold him about smoking cigarettes because television commercials said that they were deadly. She was already humored by how Papa had seeds inside his after difficulty peeing. As a teenager, she visited Papa in the hospital after a surgery where they removed part of his left lung and gave him chemotherapy. This strong oak tree shrank, while his granddaughter remained talkative and attentive. She excelled academically, and their family was proud. In 8th grade, she became pregnant and became a teenage mother. Despite this shock, their support never wavered. Her son was a purpose, rather than a deterrent, for her to pursue academic excellence. She graduated from high school and started college at the age of 16.

After his retirement and failing health, he looked forward to visits by his energetic grandchildren. He smiled with pride, looking at the younger generations of his family. His granddaughter was studying pre-medicine at a university that he helped build as a construction worker. And as a medical student, she did her surgery clerkship at a hospital that he had worked on with his now deformed hands. He described the long hours and the airport next to the campus. He would venture off into stories about Mama and his children when they were younger.

Mama had also begun to wither. Her warm smile drooped, and her loving arms weakened. The MRI showed a large tumor in her brain that caused her paralysis. She could no longer walk to church with her bright hat and holding a bag with candies that she would pass to the children. Her children cared for her, and she could no longer care for Papa herself. She disliked having the roles reversed, fed instead of cooking meals, and being content with everyone enjoying her wonderful cooking. She became confused, yet always worried about the children and Papa. The memories and pictures of her at weddings, birthdays, and graduations were wonderful reminders. Their children studied and became nurses, chiropractors, and dentists. Unfortunately, Mama passed away just months before she could see her granddaughter graduate from medical school. Their grandchildren are graduates of medicine, education, nursing, and also have served in the military. Although the children raised and born in America have the opportunities that Papa and Mama hoped, they also face the challenges of being Black in America.

I am Papa and Mamas inquisitive and scholarly granddaughter, who became a mother at the age of 14. I am the little girl who dreamed of becoming a doctor or a teacher. I am the medical student that helped her mother care for her sick, elderly parents. After Papas left above-knee amputation, my mother has become his caregiver. My experiences as a patient and being at the bedside of my sick loved ones have resonated with me, making me a better physician to my patients. I hug Papa as he cries because he misses me since moving to New York City for my surgery residency. I reflect on the resolute love, inspiration, and sustenance that my Jamaican family instilled into me. My path to becoming a general surgery resident and researcher has been arduous. Yet, I remained undeterred because of those who struggled, sometimes with hungry bellies and only faith, to be here. I look at my 16-year-old son, younger brother, and nieces and nephews with optimism and hope. They will stand on the foundation laid down by people like Papa, Mama, and my mother. And my very own hands as a surgeon will fortify this foundation as they venture into their futures.

I once thought of how my family had very little with them on the airplane here back in 1995. Yet, they indeed brought with them a gift from an island in the Caribbean. The same gift as millions of immigrants carried with them to this Land of Opportunity. My grandfather and mother have brought their children embodiments of their hopes and dreams. My story is not very different than other people. The details may differ, but essentially, the immigrants that have chosen to come to American, despite all of the odds, want their children to excel and live prosperously.

Jodi-Ann Edwards is a surgery resident.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
SBI Cards and Payments Services (SBI Cards) has said its Managing Director and CEO Hardayal Prasad has quit, opting for voluntary retirement from the company. "We wish to inform that the Board of Directors of the company at its meeting held on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, approved resignation of Hardayal Prasad, Managing Director & CEO of the company who has tendered his resignation from directorship of the company," SBI Cards said in a regulatory filing.

Prasad joined SBI Cards as MD& CEO in February 2018. His tenure as CEO and MD of the company will cease on July 31. Ashwini Kumar Tiwari will replace Prasad as the MD and CEO from August 1. He has been appointed for two years.

"Appointment of Ashwini Kumar Tewari as Managing Director & CEO (nominated by State Bank of India) of the Company with effect from August 1, 2020, for two years, subject to all the requisite approvals including the approval of the shareholders at the ensuing Annual General Meeting. This is to further confirm that Tewari is not related to any of the Directors of the Company," the company said.

Fifty-three-year-old Kumar has a BE degree in electrical and electronics from BITS Ranchi. He joined the bank in 1993 and is currently working as the country head of the bank's US operations in New York. He had previously worked as regional head of East Asia and held various positions in different offices of the company in India.

Meanwhile, SBI Cards shares closed 4.70 per cent or Rs 33.80 up at 753.70 from the previous day's close of Rs 719.90 on the National Stock Exchange today.

Also read: SBI Cards share reclaims Rs 700 mark, closes over 4% higher
President Akufo-Addo has called on Ghanaians to partake in the ongoing voters register in other for them to elect the President of their choice come December 7th.



The President said this in a Twitter post while urging the public to wear their masks when going to the registration centers.



Dont let someone else determine who governs you for the next four years. Register now so that you can vote in December, Akufo-Addo tweeted.



Read his tweet below.









Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected]









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

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Syracuse, N.Y.  Trollbeads is now open at Destiny USA.

The Danish jewelry brand is located on the first level of the malls expansion section, near The Cheesecake Factory.

The companys bracelets are its signature. Shoppers pick out a bracelet band and then customize it from a selection of over 600 beads. Trollbeads also offers necklaces, earrings and other items.

The brand says its glass beads are all unique, with no two being exactly the same.

Trollbeads was founded in 1976 and is now in over 400 cities worldwide, according to Destiny.

Like other nonessential businesses in New York, Destiny closed in March to help slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The mall reopened last week, although some tenants were offering curbside pickup and others with their own exterior entrances were able to reopen sooner.

RELATED: How much of Destiny USA has opened after 15-week coronavirus shutdown?

Destiny announced Trollbeads as a new tenant in January. Later on, during the shutdown, the mall said the store and several other new tenants were still on track to open when the mall returned.

Another new tenant, Uniform Outlet, is also now open at Destiny.

The news for the mall hasnt all been good.

Its J.C. Penney store is closing as part of the chains bankruptcy. Its Microsoft store also will not reopen.

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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Brussels, Belgium/Berlin, Germany  Fri, July 17, 2020 11:21 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066707afb 2 World Germany,WHO,World-Health-Organization,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

Germany's health minister urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to speed up its review of how it handled the pandemic, apparently signaling Europe's tougher line on the United Nations body.

Berlin, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, has so far largely shielded the organization from the most intense criticism by Washington, which wants to leave the WHO because of its alleged excessive closeness to China.

But now Germany seems to be taking a more assertive position.

Spahn told reporters he had discussed the review of the WHO's management of the crisis with its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus twice over the last 20 days.

"In both conversations I encouraged him very clearly to launch this independent commission of experts and to expedite its launch," Spahn said.

The WHO said last week it was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by governments.

US President Donald 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.

Tedros has said the panel will provide an interim report to an annual meeting of health ministers in November and present a "substantive report" next May.

Spahn said the review was important now, even if the pandemic is still raging across the world, because "we can already draw conclusions."

This could lead to quick actions over the body's governance and to improve "cooperation between the political and the scientific level" of the organization, Spahn added.

EU governments have said the review should be followed by a reform of the organization, a possibility already being discussed with the United States and other members of the G7 group of rich countries, officials told Reuters.

One official had said the aim was to ensure WHO's independence.
GREEN, Ohio -- A Green man has been arrested in connection with child pornography found on devices in his home, according to police and court records.

Jason M. Maximovich, 45, has been charged with two counts of pandering obscenities involving minors, a second-degree felony, according to Barberton Municipal Court records.

In June, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force contacted the Summit County Sheriffs Office about someone in Green possibly downloading child pornography, the sheriffs office said Friday in a news release.

The sheriffs office traced the I.P. address to Maximovichs home on Arlington Road and searched the residence on June 24, the release states.

Deputies found computers and media storage devices that were processed by a computer forensic examiner and found to have several images and videos of child pornography, the sheriffs office said.

Maximovich is scheduled to appear in court on July 22 for a pretrial hearing, court records show.
Johnny Depp's security chief has alleged that Amber Heard physically abused Depp during the couple's tempestuous marriage, giving testimony to support Depp's libel suit against a British tabloid that accused him of assaulting his former spouse.

Lawyers also released statements from two of Depp's former romantic partners, Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis, who said they could not reconcile Heard's accusations of violence with the kind and loving man they knew.

Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the paper's executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that called him a "wife-beater." He strongly denies abusing Heard.

In a written witness statement released as he appeared in court Thursday, security officer Sean Bett said that "throughout the course of Mr. Depp and Ms. Heard's relationship, Ms. Heard was verbally and physically abusive towards Mr. Depp."

"On many occasions, I witnessed her shout at Mr. Depp. I was also told by Mr. Depp on multiple occasions that Ms. Heard had physically abused him," he said.

Bett, a former Los Angeles sheriff's deputy who has worked for Depp for a decade, said he regularly had to remove the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star from bad situations when Heard was in an "abusive mood."

Depp, 57, and Heard, 34, met on the set of the 2011 comedy "The Rum Diary" and married in Los Angeles in February 2015. Heard filed for divorce the following year, and the divorce was finalized in 2017.

The Sun's defense relies on 14 allegations made by Heard of violence by Depp between 2013 and 2016, in settings including his private island in the Bahamas, a rented house in Australia and a private jet. He denies them all and claims Heard was the aggressor during their volatile relationship, which he has likened to "a crime scene waiting to happen."

In a week and a half of testimony, judge Andrew Nicol has heard from Depp  who accused Heard of compiling a dossier of fake claims against him  as well as several current or former employees who have backed his version.

Heard is due to give her side of the story when she enters the witness box next week.

 Associated Press

Cannon apologizes for "hurtful" words

Nick Cannon apologized to the Jewish community late Wednesday for his "hurtful and divisive" words, a day after ViacomCBS severed ties with him for the remarks made on a podcast.

The Anti-Defamation League and some Jewish leaders had condemned what they called anti-Semitic theories expressed by Cannon and demanded the apology.

"First and foremost I extend my deepest and most sincere apologies to my Jewish sisters and brothers for the hurtful and divisive words that came out of my mouth during my interview with Richard Griffin," Cannon said on his Twitter account.

"They reinforced the worst stereotypes of a proud and magnificent people and I feel ashamed of the uninformed and naive place that these words came from. The video of this interview has since been removed."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

ViacomCBS cut ties with the TV host and producer Tuesday in response to his comments on a podcast where he discussed racial bias.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the Simon Wiesenthal Center's associate dean, told The Associated Press that Cannon reached out to him Wednesday and during a 30-minute telephone conversation he apologized to the Jewish community and Cooper asked him to post it on social media.

"He started out the right way, he said the right things. ...we'll probably meet tomorrow in the LA area," Cooper said.

The TV host and producer wrote earlier a Facebook post defending himself and criticizing his firing for what the company deemed "bigotry" and "anti-Semitism," prominent members of the U.S. Jewish community said the post fell well short and demanded an apology.

 Associated Press

Michelle Obama to host podcast

Michelle Obama will let her own voice be heard on a new podcast.

The former first lady will host "The Michelle Obama Podcast" on the streaming service, the Obama's Higher Ground and Spotify announced Thursday. The podcast will exclusively debut on Spotify on July 29.

"My hope is that this series can be a place to explore meaningful topics together and sort through so many of the questions we're all trying to answer in our own lives," Obama said in a statement.

 Associated Press
- A Black man born between 1904 and 1906 grew up as a farmer but later became renowned around the world as a guitarist

- The journey began for Fred McDowell when he was only 14, learned how to play the guitar and started playing for tips at random events

- His big break came after he was 60 and got discovered by Chris Strachwitz who helped Fred record his music and share it with the world

Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Fred McDowell, a Black man born between 1904 and 1906 in Rossville, Tennessee spent most of his life as a farmer but ended up shocking the world as a guitar genius.

A report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Face2FaceAfrica indicates that McDowell learned to play the guitar by 14 but it was not until he was 37 that he managed to own one.

All through the years, after he learned to play, the talented guitarist still worked as a full-time farmer with only a few performances for tips.

READ ALSO: Meet the 60 year old Ghanaian single mom whose 3 kids have all lost their legs (video)

Source: UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Nicole Thea didn't die during delivery - Uncle of pregnant Ghanaian YouTube star who passed away speaks

McDowell played for tips at dances around Rossville but later moved to Memphis in 1926 seeking greener pastures.

By the year 1928 the farmer was in Mississippi picking cotton, finally settling in Como, Mississippi in the 1940s where he would become renowned.

When he turned 60, McDowell still played at dances and picnics but was discovered by Chris Strachwitz, a man who shared the profound gift the Black man possessed with the guitar.

READ ALSO: Twitter hacked: Rich elite targeted by 'world's worst' cyber attack

See video of McDowell playing below:

Chris, a blues enthusiast and owner of the fledgling Arhoolie label, recorded him commercially.

Two albums  Fred McDowell, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2  were released through Arhoolie in the mid 1960s and the shock waves were felt throughout the folk-blues community, amazing both Black and whites alike.

In 1965 he toured Europe with the American Folk Blues Festival together with Big Mama Thornton, John Lee, Buddy Guy, Roosevelt Sykes, and others.

READ ALSO: Water seller and mother of 4 surprised with own apartment and GHc7,500 cash (video)

He was also well documented on film with appearances in The Blues Maker (1968) and his own documentary, Fred McDowell (1969).

In a separate report, a Black man named Clarence Moses-EL was declared guilty in 1988 and sentenced to 48 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman after the lady saw his face in a dream.

In a report gathered by Face2FaceAfrica.com and sighted by YEN.com.gh, the infamous event occurred during a summer night in 1987.

A woman in Denver, Colorado who had a drink out with three men was left partially blind and in her attempt to recount who was responsible described Clarence.

Enjoy reading our stories? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

Share your stories and news by getting interactive on our Facebook page!

Source: YEN.com.gh
Russian Couple On Treason Trial Over Wedding Photos Faces New Charge

By RFE/RL's Russian Service July 16, 2020

KALININGRAD, Russia -- A Russian couple that is on trial for high treason for photographs taken at their wedding five years ago that revealed the identity of a security operative when published online are facing a new charge: passing secret information to Latvian intelligence.

Konstantin Antonets and Antonina Zimina were detained in July 2018 in Russia's Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad and went on trial behind closed doors in May this year. The couple maintains they are innocent.

Zimina's father, Konstantin Zimin, told RFE/RL on July 16 that the couple had been additionally charged with travelling to Latvia, where they allegedly passed classified information to a Latvian intelligence operative.

"The former economy minister of the Kaliningrad region, Ninel Salagaeva, who is currently a deputy governor of the [western] Pskov region, testified that Konstantin [Antonets] had worked with some classified documents when he was employed at [the Kaliningrad region's] government and three or four years later, he and Antonina [Zimina] took them out of the country," Zimin said.

The Znak.com news website says the documents related to the new charge might be linked to information about the allocation of finances to the Kaliningrad region to support local residents and businesses.

Zimina's parents told RFE/RL in February that the Federal Security Service (FSB) suspected their daughter and her husband of providing the intelligence agency in the Baltic state of Latvia with information about a Kaliningrad FSB officer.

According to them, among the guests who attended the couple's wedding in April 2015 was an FSB counterintelligence officer, Maksim Denisenko, who was their daughter's friend and former university classmate.

At the wedding, Denisenko spoke openly about his employer, offered "assistance if need be," and handed out business cards and posed for photographs with guests, Zimina's parents said.

The parents also told RFE/RL that their daughter's friends from Latvia and Lithuania also attended the wedding.

The daily Kommersant reported in February that some videos and photographs from the wedding were later published on social media, and eventually included in an unspecified Baltic television program, prompting the FSB to open a criminal investigation.

In recent years, the number of cases of alleged high treason has increased dramatically in Russia.

The latest high-profile high treason case involves Ivan Safronov, a journalist and an aide to the Russian Roskosmos space agency chief, Dmitry Rogozin.

Safronov was arrested on July 7 and later charged with passing classified materials to the Czech Republic.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian- couple-on-treason-trial-over-wedding- photos-faces-new-charge/30730334.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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TikTok, the popular video app, has taken a series of steps to convince U.S. officials the company is dedicated to protecting Americans data, including hiring Kevin Mayer, previously the head of streaming at Disney, as its CEO. It has also pushed for and held meetings with U.S. lawmakers, pulled out of Hong Kong due to a new severe Chinese national security law and published a privacy roadmap.

That may not be enough to meet U.S. demands, however.

In recent weeks, U.S. government officials and members of Congress have placed the company in their crosshairs, warning that personal data collected by the social media giant could be secretly sent back to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on July 6 that the U.S. is considering following Indias lead and banning the app.

Members of the City Youth Organisation in Hyderabad, India, hold posters with the logos of Chinese apps in support of the Indian government for banning TikTok. (Noah Seelam/AFP via Getty Images)

Pompeo didnt say how the Trump administration would do this, but even beyond the question of whether the U.S. should ban it, policymakers will have to figure out how to ban it. Some in Congress, however, have already been thinking about it.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced a bill that would ban federal employees from using TikTok on their work phones, which may be up for a vote next week. The Pentagon has already advised its personnel not to download the app, and U.S. companies like Wells Fargo have told employees to uninstall it. (Amazon briefly made the same demands of its workforce but later backtracked.)

While light-hearted music videos might not seem that sensitive, TikTok admits it collects wide-ranging information, not all of which users need to share, including the users age, email, phone number, profile information, comments, private messages, payment information, network contacts and location data  not unlike U.S. social media giant Facebook.

There are very few apps that have the ability to extract data to the extent that TikTok does, wrote Ken Lloyd, VP of risk for mobile security research firm Zimperium. TikTok collects data as soon as the app is downloaded, including how you type, down to keystroke rhythms and patterns.

Story continues

Lloyd wouldnt speculate on what the company does with that information, but he noted it is a foreign company collecting large amounts of personal data.

For some organizations, the risk associated with that combination is not worth the reward, and they have chosen to restrict its use on their employees devices, he said.

The company, for its part, says it is safeguarding its customers data.

TikTok collects much less U.S. user information than many of the companies in our space and stores it in the U.S. and Singapore, with strict controls on employee access, wrote a TikTok spokesperson.

The spokesperson also said its parent company, ByteDance, is evaluating changes to the corporate structure of its TikTok business to satisfy U.S. privacy concerns.

One possible path for restricting TikTok may be through the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, which reviews when other countries make certain types of U.S. acquisitions. As far back as October 2019, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin requesting that the committee launch a full review of the national security implications of the Chinese purchase of Musical.ly, the U.S. company that created the software behind TikTok.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

It is no coincidence that every day more companies and organizations are asking employees to delete TikTok, Rubio, now the acting chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote in a statement to Yahoo News. TikTok has yet to provide a real explanation to Americans about how they protect their data and how much of it could be made available to the Chinese Communist Party.

CFIUS, led by the Treasury Department, has the power to send recommendations to the president to block, modify or unwind foreign transactions that led to foreign control of a U.S. company.

CFIUS is reportedly already conducting a national security review of TikTok and its Chinese parent company, though the process itself is kept secret. In rare public examples, CFIUS investigations resulted in forcing a Chinese company to sell the gay dating app Grindr and blocking a potential acquisition of U.S. semiconductor company Qualcomm.

With TikTok, it could demand certain concessions from ByteDance to protect national security, or do something even more drastic. In 2018 lawmakers passed a reform to legislation that governs the CFIUS review process, providing the interagency body with additional powers as well as requiring the committee to pay special attention to certain areas, such as protection of personal information.

If the CFIUS review committee determines TikToks ties to China pose a real national security threat, it could force ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets, from software to office equipment, belonging to Musical.ly. And if ByteDance doesnt comply, its possible the U.S. government could try to force Google and Apple to remove the application from their popular app stores.

Another legal option might be to turn to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, enacted in 1977, a broad law that allows the president to regulate commerce to confront a national security threat to the United States. Trump could use that authority to sanction or attempt to block TikTok from operating in the U.S.

Export control regulations, which allow the government to block the export of software, could be another lever to prevent the use of Musical.lys technology.

Additionally, a May 2019 executive order on securing information and communications technology and services supply chain could allow Trump to block any acquisition, importation, transfer, installation, dealing in, or use of any information and communications technology or service dealing with communications technology and involving a foreign country or foreign person.

The Trump administration could also issue a new executive order specifically targeted at TikTok. And its possible the government could utilize the National Institute of Standards and Technologys national encryption standards to require that encryption be used to protect U.S. user data.

President Trump delivers a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House on Tuesday. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Congress could also legislate a solution that would restrict its use at minimum for federal agencies, the military and cleared contractors. Hawley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, has crafted a bill aimed specifically at this purpose.

This legislation is a necessary step to protect the security of the United States and the data security of every American, he said earlier this year.

On March 5, the House passed Rep. Abigail Spanbergers amendment to ban TikTok for employees of the Transportation Security Administration, following the agencys own guidance against its use in late February. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in February proposed creating an independent federal agency that would protect Americans data, including from the tech companies that collect it.

Despite these myriad potential measures, experts still disagree on the extent to which TikTok even poses a legitimate national security threat.

First, if Chinese officials accessed the U.S. data, experts debated over what they would do with it.

The Chinese already have large amounts of sensitive U.S. data, according to Jim Lewis, a senior vice president at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. And unlike telecommunications networks that could be tapped by companies like Huawei, and a long history of connections to the Chinese intelligence services and a willingness to spy, the personal information gathered on TikTok doesnt provide any intelligence advantage, he said.

Courtney Hulse, an analyst at RWR Advisory Group, a D.C.-based firm that tracks risk and foreign threats, suggested that the personal data collected in bulk remains a serious risk when combined with all the other data Chinese officials have access to  particularly when training its artificial intelligence algorithms.

While it is unknown to what degree, if at all, Chinese companies like TikTok are being tapped to help fuel these efforts with user data, it is possibilities such as this, exacerbated by Chinas track record in the cyber domain, that make foreign governments rightfully queasy about permitting unhindered access to its users, she wrote in an email to Yahoo News.

Additionally, the platform could be the next major host of foreign disinformation, reaching millions of young people around the world, argued David Hanke, a former staff member on the Senate Intelligence Committee and the primary author of the 2018 Senate legislation that expanded the powers of CFIUS.

While Russia did not own or control the U.S. platforms it exploited, its trolls were still able to create and leverage fake accounts to spread disinformation and sow chaos, he wrote in an op-ed for The Hill, referring to Russian efforts to meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Its not difficult to imagine what another foreign adversary, China, could do with a massive social media platform under its thumb. With TikTok, that is the situation the U.S. now faces.

For counterintelligence experts, the platform serves as an untapped goldmine of personal information on young people  the sons and daughters of attractive targets like U.S. national security officials and potentially future U.S. government employees.

Its all about leverage, said one former intelligence officer.

The Chinese-owned TikTok app is under scrutiny from the United States government. (Lam Yik/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

While TikTok has promised it would never turn over information to the government in Beijing, and would resist any efforts to compel the company to do so, it may not be able to fight back against information requests. Chinese companies are required to help the government if officials demand access, and though some have pushed back, its unclear how successful efforts to put off Beijings requests have been, according to congressional testimony by Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at Yale Law Schools Paul Tsai China Center.

One big question is whether any attempt at restricting TikTok really addresses the core concern about Chinese data collection.

Clark Fonda, a former congressional chief of staff who was also directly involved in CFIUS reform legislation, said that if the government wants to more thoroughly address Chinas data practices, there are other options, like making the committee into an independent government agency.

We wanted a government-led Chinese investment tracking system, Fonda said. Then, if you really wanted to go after the app makers, you could investigate and get more done than just harassing TikTok in the news.

That option, however, wasnt ultimately included in the legislation that passed, and Fonda said the problem goes well beyond TikTok.

Everyone knows what TikTok is because its in the news, but I can guarantee there are other apps in the app store that are even more brazenly tied to a Chinese government-affiliated company, Fonda said. This is more of a systemic issue than just TikTok alone.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
SPRINGFIELD  Hours after filing a court document implicating  but not charging  Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in a yearslong bribery scheme, federal officials took to the courtyard of the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago on Friday to deliver a message to those engaging in public corruption: We will find you too.

The charges in the document filed Friday are officially against Commonwealth Edison, Illinois largest electric utility company, which has agreed to pay $200 million and to continue cooperating with an ongoing federal corruption probe in order to defer prosecution for a single count of bribery. Per that agreement  which is still pending approval from a judge  prosecution against the utility giant would be delayed for three years and potentially dismissed in exchange for the companys cooperation.

The bombshell in the report is that ComEd admitted to  from 2011 until 2019  seeking to influence and reward Public Official A for that persons favorable action on legislation. While Public Official A is not directly named in the document, that person is later identified as the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives and the longest serving member of the House of Representatives.

The current House Speaker is Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat who has held that position since 1983, except for a brief stint from 1995 to 1997. The documents did not contain his name or any charges against the person identified as Public Official A. At their news conference Friday afternoon, federal authorities said the FBI does not name those who are not charged.

Federal officials said ComEd admitted it arranged jobs, vendor subcontracts, and monetary payments associated with those jobs and subcontracts, for various associates of a high-level elected official in order to advance legislation that would bring the company monetary benefits that exceeded $150 million.

Later Friday, a statement issued via a communications firm on behalf of Madigan said he had accepted subpoenas at his offices asking for documents related to job recommendations among other things.

He will cooperate and respond to those requests for documents, which he believes will clearly demonstrate that he has done nothing criminal or improper, according to the statement distributed by Maura Possley of the BoycePossley firm.

The speaker has never helped someone find a job with the expectation that the person would not be asked to perform work by their employer, nor did he ever expect to provide anything to a prospective employer if it should choose to hire a person he recommended. He has never made a legislative decision with improper motives and has engaged in no wrongdoing here. Any claim to the contrary is unfounded, Possley said in the emailed statement.

More Information Local lawmakers respond to ComEd admission WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Reps. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville; Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville; and Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, released a statement Friday regarding the ongoing federal criminal investigations of Speaker Michael Madigan and Gov. J.B. Pritzker. "Illinoisans are sadly no strangers to corruption in our state's politics, but simultaneous federal criminal investigations into both the Speaker of the House and the governor are truly unprecedented," they said. "Today's developments in the ongoing bribery investigation against Speaker Madigan and the property tax fraud investigation against Gov. Pritzker are disturbing." See More Collapse

The public utility company, which is subject to heavy state regulation, admitted it understood that, as speaker of the House of Representatives, Public Official A was able to exercise control over what measures were called for a vote in the House of Representatives and had substantial influence and control over fellow lawmakers concerning legislation, including legislation that affected ComEd.

The electric utility also admitted in the court document that it appointed an individual to its board of directors and retained a particular law firm at the request of Public Official A. It also accepted into an internship program a specified target number of students who primarily resided in a Chicago ward that Public Official A was associated with.

In a statement, Christopher Crane, CEO of ComEds parent company, Exelon, said, In the past, some of ComEds lobbying practices and interactions with public officials did not live up to the companys standards.

When we learned about the inappropriate conduct, we acted swiftly to investigate, he said.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker  also a subject of headlines regarding a public corruption investigation Friday  said at an unrelated news conference in Waukegan that if the allegations against Madigan are true, Hes gonna have to resign.

The speaker has a lot that he needs to answer  to authorities, to investigators, and most importantly, to the people of Illinois, Pritzker said. If these allegations of wrongdoing by the speaker are true, there is no question that he will have betrayed the public trust. And he must resign.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday morning that it had obtained documents that show the U.S. attorneys office in Chicago has asked Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi for all emails and any other communications dating to 2012 regarding the tax break that Kaegis predecessor, Joseph Berrios, gave Pritzker.

The documents requested reportedly pertained to the $330,000 property tax break that Pritzker  before he got into elected politics  received on his Chicago mansion after he purchased a neighboring property and removed toilets to render it uninhabitable.

Pritzkers properties were among 118 for which prosecutors sought information about property tax appeals granted during Berrios tenure from 2010 to 2018.

Pritzker has consistently denied wrongdoing and did so again Friday. Republican officials looked to tie the dueling Pritzker and Madigan headlines together.

House Republican Leader Jim Durkin suggested the state should reexamine laws beneficial to ComEd, and said he would like to see a special session for ethics reforms, which he accused Madigan of blocking in recent weeks.

Federal authorities have been conducting a seemingly wide-sweeping probe of public corruption that first breached the publics radar in the second half of 2019:

 State Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, was indicted on embezzlement charges in August 2019 that alleged he took a salary and benefits from a labor union without doing any work. He continues to serve in the chamber and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

 In September 2019, federal agents raided the Statehouse office of then-state Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Chicago. He resigned his Senate seat in November and in January pleaded guilty to a bribery and tax fraud charge pertaining to his dealings with a red light camera company and agreed to continue to work with investigators.

 Chicago Democrat Luis Arroyo, a former state representative, was arrested in October 2019 for allegedly passing a bribe to a state senator for favorable treatment of legislation pertaining to gambling devices known as sweepstakes machines. He pleaded not guilty to the bribery charges in February, but waived a right to be indicted by a federal grand jury, again signaling plans to eventually plead guilty in his corruption case, according to a report in the Chicago Sun-Times.

On Friday, Kathy Enstrom, special agent-in-charge of the Chicago office of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, said the office is committed to investigating fraud and political corruption on all levels.

Organizations involved in this type of criminal activity should take todays actions as both a warning and opportunity, she said. We will find you too. It is not too late to get on the right side of the law.
The oil and gas industry for decades has provided Americans without a college education a high-paying and stable construction job, paving a path into the middle class.

But as governments, businesses and consumers start to shift away from fossil fuels to more environmentally sustainable energy sources, oil and gas construction workers say they are increasingly worried about being left behind in the so-called energy transition.

North Americas Building Trades Unions, a group of 14 construction unions worldwide with more than 3 million members, on Friday called on policymakers to ensure renewable energy jobs have wages, benefits, workforce training and labor standards that are comparable to oil and gas jobs.

A union-commissioned survey of more than 1,600 energy construction workers in North America found respondents say construction jobs in oil and gas have better pay and benefits, are more stable and longer lasting, and provide better career opportunities than those in renewable energy.

Were not climate change deniers. Were not opposed to renewables, NABTU President Sean McGarvey said. But we cant transition into careers where people take a 50 percent pay cut.

The unions survey comes as the energy industry faces mounting challenges posed by the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. As energy companies have slashed capital budgets used for new oil and gas projects, construction employment across Texas has fallen by 3.5 percent year over year in June, representing a loss of 26,900 jobs statewide during the last month alone, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.

ENERGY WOES: Oil and gas industry facing one of the greatest challenges, report says

McGarvey said hes worried about how the recent oil bust will impact his union members, half of whom work in the energy sector building pipelines, manufacturing facilities, refineries and petrochemical plants. However, the union president said hes increasingly concerned about the societal shift to solar and wind projects, which he says offer fewer, shorter and lower paying construction jobs.

One of the nations largest solar farms built in Nevada employed 2,500 construction workers at its peak, while an ethane cracker plant in Pennsylvania had some 7,000 workers on the job, McGarvey said. Union members in solar report having to take a second job to make ends meet while members in oil and gas are paid a minimum of $75,000 a year, he added.

Moreover, solar parks and wind farms employ far fewer workers to maintain them, unlike oil and gas projects that require more maintenance. A single worker could maintain a large solar park while a power plant requires more than 100 workers, McGarvey said.

NABTU said it is pushing for renewable projects that receive federal and state tax credits and incentives to pay union wages. The union urged policymakers to be mindful of oil and gas workers as they push toward renewable and cleaner sources of energy.

Look at the devastation in coal mining across Appalachia that led to the degradation of entire communities, McGarvey said. If youre going to push policies that are going to change the way people earn their living, you have to put into place the protocols that enable them to have the smoothest economic transition. You cant just drop them off the cliff.
Dr. Upton Allen, head of infectious diseases at the Hospital for Sick Children, remembers the winter day he started to worry about the novel coronavirus that first began circulating in Wuhan, China.

It was in mid-January, after scientists confirmed human-to-human transmission, and it became clear the virus could be easily  and quickly  transported around the world by infected passengers on airplanes.

Fast forward six months and Allen hasnt stopped worrying about COVID-19, even as he and other physicians and scientists work to understand how the virus that causes it, SARS-CoV-2, impacts children.

Here, Allen, who has studied infectious diseases for 25 years, tells us what COVID-19 research questions keep him up at night (How do kids develop immunity to the virus?), whether parents should worry about the COVID-related Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (no; its incredibly rare) and if, in his opinion, kids can safely go back to school in September (a cautious yes, but only with the proper public health precautions in place).

As much of the province moves into Stage 3 of reopening, Allen is thinking about September and the start of the school year. He said people need to continue working together to prevent an increase in the number of community cases to ensure a safe return to school.

That said, moving forward, the threshold for closing schools again, even with an increase in the number of cases in the community, will be much higher in the fall because we have learned a lot about how we can protect ourselves, he said. We are a lot better equipped to deal with community cases than we were in the spring.

Since those first worrying weeks in the winter, what has research told us about kids and COVID-19?

Number one, COVID still largely remains an adult disease. Only 7 per cent of cases in Canada appear to be occurring in individuals less than 19 years of age. (One can get into the reasons for that, but thats where things are unknown.) Number two, there is also the observation that children appear less likely to become infected. And if they do become infected, they are less severely ill. Number three, when they are ill, they are perhaps less likely to transmit infections to others. We are still in need of more research to be sure of these three things  but the signals are pointing in that direction.

What do we know in July about kids and COVID that we didnt know in March, when the WHO declared a global pandemic?

The key point is that things are still evolving. But we do have a clearer understanding of the spectrum of COVID illness. Initially, we thought COVID was just a respiratory illness but now it does appear that its more than that. We now know it also involves the gastrointestinal tract. We now have more atypical forms of presentation beyond respiratory symptoms. Weve seen the appearance of things like COVID toes that are skin manifestations of presumably COVID illness. Weve also seen the development of the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children. In March we didnt know about this.

Can you briefly explain the new Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) that appears to be linked with COVID-19?

This a condition where children seem to have an excessive immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that lags behind the time when the person was acutely ill. Its likely a post-infectious syndrome, meaning that it appears weeks after the initial acute SARS-CoV-2 infection when active infection is no longer present. Tests can show where inflammation is happening in various parts of the body. This syndrome resembles another entity called Kawasaki syndrome, which involves inflammation of blood vessels, including in some cases the blood vessels connected with the heart.

How worried should parents be about MIS-C?

This is so rare; its really important for parents to put that in perspective. I would not spend a lot of time being worried about it. I do know that its hard to tell a parent not to worry  but its incredibly rare. And when it does occur, it does seem that we can treat it.

What do scientists most want to know about this syndrome?

We need a better understanding of why its happening and if it truly is related to COVID. One theory is that the body, rather than having a careful, measured immune response to the virus, overshoots and triggers this syndrome. We need to know if this is true, whether there are other triggers and how to identify the syndrome quickly.

For you, what is right now the biggest unanswered question about kids and COVID  if you could snap your fingers and find out something definitively?

Number one would be the antibody responses. Do children develop adequate antibody responses? Are these antibody responses sustained and do they relate to protection? In other words, would the antibody responses neutralize and knock out the virus? We need more work in this area.

We also need a better understanding of the ability of children to become infected and transmit infection or virus under different circumstances. For example, if somebody gets infected within the home, versus in the community, is there a difference in how severely ill they become? Is there a difference in how much virus they have on board to transmit it? These are things we need some more work to help to better understand.

Why is it important to understand the bodys antibody response when it comes to a virus like SARS-CoV-2?

Looking at the bodys antibody response provides us with some insights into whether or not infection resulted in future protection. Also, whether this protection is sustainable  so how long is the protection for? It is long-lasting or for a short period of time?

This is the question most parents are asking right now in Ontario and so Ill ask it of you: If you have children, would you send them to school full time in September?

I would say: Yes. The overriding principle is that one should look at the risks versus benefits, at the time. It really does appear there are significant downsides or disadvantages to not having kids do their usual thing, like going back to school. We need to focus on how to get kids back to school safely. I realize there is a lot of heated discussion in that regard. But ultimately it boils down to a risk versus benefit tradeoff. Based on the information we currently have, it seems to me we can develop enough of a plan that would allow kids to safely return to school.

What public health measures are needed to ensure schools are safe?

Even prior to a case occurring within any setting, schools will need some sort of COVID screening measure. Screening, in this particular case, shouldnt mean asking students questions as they stand in a line, going into school; that may not be practical. Instead, how might you engage families to feel empowered, so they can monitor their children for onset of respiratory symptoms? And if a child does become symptomatic, that they are then rapidly tested, the appropriate contact tracing is done and isolation, as per regular public health guidance.

Given what we know now about our current public health infrastructure, do we have the resources to ensure some 2 million kids can safely go back to school?

I do think we have the infrastructure. Its important to recognize that it might not necessarily be a one-size-fits-all approach for all areas across the province and for all schools. Some additional resources might need to be directed at certain areas, for example, at so-called hot zones. But I think we have the infrastructure and personnel to handle return-to-school, I do.

What do you want to say to parents who are anxious about COVID-19, now and in September for the start of school?

I would say that current evidence and research suggest to us that children are not usually the ones who get severely ill, though they can. Their illness is usually mild. Thats an important point to bear in mind. So parents can rest assured their child will have a good outcome, even if that child ends up with COVID-19. Thats a really important message to get across to parents: If my child gets COVID, the overwhelming evidence suggests they will have a good outcome.

Much of the province has now entered Stage 3 (with the exception of the GTA and some other parts of southern Ontario). Does this stage, which involves indoor dining, bars and cinemas, give you any pause for how we get children back to school in the fall?

It certainly causes one to pause and think. We want kids back to school full time. So how might we, as a society, work together to ensure that happens? How might we learn from the mistakes that have happened in some other parts of the world, notably the United States, to prevent this (an increase in community cases) from happening to us? We have to work together to try to reduce the risk of a major upswing in the number of cases ahead of the fall.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
An official of Arunachal Pradeshs health department said on Friday 52 people, including seven personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), taking the states infection tally to 543.

There are 387 active cases in the state, 153 people have recovered from the infection and three patients have died so far. Until May 23, the northeastern state had remained free from the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr L Jampa, the state surveillance officer, said of the new infections, 42 were reported in the Capital Complex Region, seven in East Siang district and three in Upper Subansiri.

The detection of 52 patients is the second-highest single-day spike of Covid-19 cases in Arunachal Pradesh as 75 people had tested positive for the disease on July 15, he said.

Of the fresh patients found in the Capital Complex, two had returned to the state recently and 40 were detected from various areas of the region. The three new patients from Upper Subansiri district also came back to the state recently, Jampa said.

Jampa added 35,430 samples have been tested in the state so far.

The Capital Complex region, which consists of Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas, registered 247 cases and is the worst-hit by Covid-19, followed by Changlang with 33 cases and Namsai with 30 infections so far.

Jampa also said that seven ITBP personnel deployed at the Advance Landing Ground (ALG) at Pasighat, the East Siang district headquarters, were found to be infected with Sars-Cov-2, the virus which causes Covid-19.

The state government has imposed a total lockdown in the Capital Complex Region till July 20 with a view to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The state government on Thursday had announced that it will proceed with an extensive sero-survey in the region for tracing the primary and secondary contacts of infected patients, including vulnerable groups.

P Parthiban, Arunachal Pradeshs health secretary, said rapid antigen tests began last week in the Capital Complex region after the state witnessed a spurt in the coronavirus cases. Authorities have conducted 968 antigen and 1,867 ELISA tests in the areas so far.

The health department will conduct more such tests and rapid response teams have already been formed for the purpose, Parthiban added.

(with inputs from PTI)
The Kherson District Administrative Court declared illegal and cancelled orders of the Chairman of Chaplynka District State Administration of Kherson Region  193 dated June 21, 2017 and  329 dated September 19, 2017 on granting permission for developing and approving of the detailed plan of the territory outside of the inhabited area on the administrative territory of Hryhorivka village council.



This was stated in the court decision dated July 1.



The tidbit of the situation is that cancelled documents approved detailed plan of the territory for the construction of the windmills on the land plot of approximately 54 hectares for Carl Sturens LLC Vindkraft Kalanchak. And now, the legality of Swedish businessmans windmills construction is seriously questioned.



But lets put first things first.



Order  377 dated 4th December 2018 of the Chairman of Chaplynka District State Administration approved a detailed plan of the territory for the construction of the wind farm for Chkrakenerhoprom company to generate electricity from the renewable sources outside of inhabited area of Hryhorivka village. Chykrakenerhoprom Company obtained approval for the project on a land use planning and granting of a land plot, which is confirmed by the conclusion of the department of urban planning, architecture, housing and communal services and emergency situations of Chaplynka District State Administration and by the chief architect dated September 12, 2019.



A hard and long work preceded which included expert examination, approvals and discussions preceded this.



However, entire work appeared to have faced a tremendous risk.



Already on November 29, 2019, Chaplynka District State Administration sent a letter to the Chykrakenerhoprom company informing that LLC Vindkraft Kalanchak not only challenges the number of the same land plots, which have already been granted, but also considers that Chykrakenerhoprom company violates the protective zone regulations of the designed wind power plant facilities, according to the detailed plan, approved by the Order of the Chairman of the Chaplynka District State Administration of Kherson Region  329 dated September 19, 2017!



As it was established by the court, LLC Vindkraft Kalanchak ingeniously approached the development of the detailed plan, which provided the placement of 106 windmills in the municipality of Hryhorivka village council of Chaplynka district without any reference to the land. In other words, LLC Vindkraft Kalanchak could push forward the placement of the windmills in any direction at its sole discretion.



Those very windmills are depicted on photo.



This time it was more convenient to move forward the territory, designated for the construction of Chykrakenerhoprom company, while placing the installations almost within the boundaries of the inhabited area of Hryhorivka village, next to the residential buildings.



In other words, no one else will be able to build their windmills in this area, as they otherwise would prevent LLC Vindkraft Kalanchak windmills from working correctly.



It is worth stating that the Law on Access to Public information obligates every draft resolution and the resolutions of the authorities to be published at official websites, however the order referenced by LLC Vindkraft Kalanchak is absent there.



Besides that, the procedure of obtaining of permit for the development of the detailed plan of territories is rater lengthy and painstaking, and any action within this process leaves its trace, including digital mark too. Yet we could not find any mention of this.



As it appears from the court decision published in the register, judges and lawyers, as well as the officials, could not find anything about it too.



The court admitted that the absence of publication of the order and the complete lack of information with expected legal, economic and also environmental consequences, including impact on human health, violates the requirements for comprehensive and objective coverage of public authorities activity, protection of the public from the monopolistic influence of the executive powers, which becomes an obstacle for the expression of public opinion on the decision made by the District State Administration.



The court also cancelled the second order due to the complete absence of any documents, which are required according to state standards.



A detailed plan of the territories of the LLC Vindkraft Kalanchak was developed without the main urban planning document outside the inhabited area  the Territorial Planning Scheme, which violates the requirements of p. 6.1 Construction Norms and Regulations. 1.1.-13, 2012 Composition and content of the urban planning documentation at the state and regional levels, p. 4.2 Construction Norms and Regulations 5.1.1-14, 2012 Composition and content of the detailed plan of the territory, the court decision strictly stated.



In simple terms, the officials developed the most important documentation without any cause at all. It is difficult to say now, if Carl Sturen and his people influenced the authorities of the Regional State Administration or not. But the fact that the head of the Architecture and Construction Inspection Department, Oleksiy Kudryavtsev, visited personally the launching of the wind farm in 2018, says a lot.



Moreover, we have already mentioned that the construction of the Myrnenska wind farm was conducted illegally.



But lets go back to our documents.



Certainly, the court cancelled these decisions of the District State Administration. Yet the court still could not expose the truth of how it could happen that 54 hectares of land passed to the company for the construction without any reasons. Rather interesting, how this issue will be resolved, because if there is no detailed plan, there can be no granting of the land, if there is no land  there cannot be wind farm whatsoever. Such a question should not remain unnoticed by the government officials and the regulatory authorities. And this, however, is still an important issue, which requires an individual investigation and publication.
Taking hormone replacement therapy to cope with the menopause could protect women from common infections.

New evidence suggests HRT may help fight off urinary tract infections (UTI) - an issue that effects up to 60 per cent of women.

Researchers from the University of Texas, Dallas, found women who took HRT had a greater variety of beneficial bacteria in their urine, which they believe reduces the risk of urinary infections.

Oestrogen contained in HRT is thought to encourage the growth of these beneficial bacteria.

Researchers have found that taking HRT may reduce the risk of urinary tract infections

The researchers assessed bacterial DNA from 75 postmenopausal women - 25 who had never had a UTI, 25 who had suffered recurrent UTIs in the past, and 25 who were suffering from a UTI at the time.

Research leader Dr Nicole De Nisco said: The DNA analysis showed two things.

Firstly, woman who have recurrent infections have fewer types of bacteria in their urine than women who do not have infections; women who dont have recurrent UTIs have around ten times greater variety of bacteria.

Secondly, 34 of the women were taking menopausal hormone therapy, and they tended to have more Lactobacillus-type bacteria in their urine, which may imply that the oestrogen in [HRT] supports the growth of Lactobacillus in the urogenital tract.

We also found that women who were taking [HRT] via patches or orally had more Lactobacillus than women taking MHT via vaginal cream.

Dr De Nisco, presenting her research via video link to the European Association of Urology (EAU) congress, added: This is important because Lactobacilli are known to play a protective role against infections.

This finding also fits with the observation that postmenopausal women, who have less natural oestrogen, tend to have more infections.

As far as we know, this is the first focused analysis of the bacteria in the urogenital tract of postmenopausal women, and the results indicate that oestrogen use is associated with high levels of Lactobacilli in the urine, which could possibly offer some protection against infection.

HRT eases the symptoms of the menopause such as depression, hot flushes, headaches and night sweats.

The treatment - which comes in patches, pills and creams - provides oestrogen as the body stops producing it.

Use of HRT has plummeted since a series of studies linking it to cancer were published in 2002 and 2003.

Scientists at the University of Texas, in Dallas, assessed bacteria from 75 women in their study

Prescriptions in England fell from six million 2000 to 2.5million in 2017.

But the balance has swung back in favour of HRT in recent years, with experts stressing that while the treatment does slightly raise the risk of cancer, it only affects a small number of women.

Professor Florian Wagenlehner, chair of the EAU specialist group on infections in urology, said: This study, which evaluates urine microbiome in postmenopausal women, shows that patients with fewer urinary infections tend to have a greater species diversity in their urine.

We see more and more evidence that diversity in the microbiome prevents infections.

The growth of lactobacillus species is dependent on oestrogen, so oestrogen supplementation may be a helpful therapy in postmenopausal patients.
The Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) has warned that the legality of data transfers from here to the US may now be "questionable" after a landmark European Court struck down a key transatlantic treaty.

Helen Dixon's office stopped short of saying it would take immediate action to cut off services from Facebook or other major tech operations here.

But she said that the European Court of Justice (CJEU) ruling on a case involving Ireland, Facebook and the Austrian privacy campaigner Max Schrems meant that her office would now have to reassess the legality of such services.

She said that standard contractual clauses (SCCs), the most commonly-used way for companies to transfer people's personal information between here and the US, were now in doubt.

"It is clear that, in practice, the application of the SCCs transfer mechanism to transfers of personal data to the United States is now questionable," she said. "This is an issue that will require further and careful examination, not least because assessments will need to be made on a case-by-case basis."

The majority of Irish and European companies rely on standard contractual clauses to transfer data. However, the European Court Of Justice yesterday said that such tools may be invalid in countries like the US, which do not adhere to European privacy standards. It also said that bodies such as the Irish DPC must enforce a stricter standard.

"Supervisory authorities are required to suspend or prohibit a transfer of personal data to a third country where they take the view, in the light of all the circumstances of that transfer, that the standard data protection clauses are not or cannot be complied with in that country and that the protection of the data transferred that is required by EU law cannot be ensured by other means," said Europe's highest court.

The Irish DPC chief said that "while the judgment most obviously captures Facebook's transfers of data relating to [Max] Schrems, it is of course the case that its scope extends far beyond that, addressing the position of EU citizens generally."

The European Court of Justice also ruled that the EU-US 'Privacy Shield' treaty, put in place less than four years ago to protect the legality of data transfers between the two regions, was "invalid" because there was no effective protection for EU citizens' privacy against systemic surveillance by US authorities.

"By annulling the Privacy Shield, the CJEU has, in effect, found that a tool that previously allowed EU based companies to transfer personal data to US based providers in large quantities violates EU law," said Marie McGinley, a partner at the Dublin-based legal firm Eversheds Sutherland.

"This decision will have a far reaching impact for both US and EU based companies."
Rome (AsiaNews) - Public debt and international sanctions mainly affect the innocent civilians of many warring nations, and this is an injustice that must be remedied. Similarly, the world must prepare for the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic not only in health, but globally, said Card. Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, prefect of Propaganda Fidae, presenting the 2019 Annual Report of Caritas Internationalis (of which he is president).

The press conference, streamed due to social restrictions imposed by the virus, was also attended by Caritas Internationalis secretary general Aloysius John, Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, president of Caritas South Africa and Rita Rhayem, director of Caritas Lebanon. Below is the complete text of Card.Tagle's address.

I am pleased to present the annual report of 2019 at a crucial moment of change. This presentation also takes place in a spirit of hope for the future, especially at a time when humanity is confronted with a major health crisis which has affected everybody. COVID-19 has brought to light the fragility of our existence.

Pope Francis has repeatedly reminded us that we are before a new start and our world after COVID-19 cannot and must no longer be the same.

COVID-19 has also placed our Caritas Confederation in front of an unprecedented situation that could have led to the interruption of many programs and even to the closure of some offices. But instead, each of the 162 Caritas organizations operating in about 200 countries and territories has been able to respond promptly to the emergency by increasing its programs and also harnessing creativity to be able to reach the most vulnerable, to take care of them , to inform them about the pandemic and to enable them to protect themselves.

2019 was a year of change for Caritas Internationalis: a new Secretary General to lead the organisation, the renewal of governance structure and major humanitarian crises addressed in different parts of the world. The global nature of the suffering made us more aware that we belong to one human family and we need each other. We began to see human connectedness more clearly.

Caritas Internationalis has been a sign of hope for those left on the wayside of our society. But we cannot limit ourselves to the emergency response. Our task is to accompany the poor and most vulnerable, to enhance their involvement in their human development and to reflect on how this pandemic has changed the context in which we live and do our work.

In the light of all these changes, Caritas Internationalis wants to bring new responses to the contemporary challenges by adapting its vision, orientations, and structures to accompany the Confederation toward 2030. Caritas will continue to manifest the care of the Church for the poorest whom we serve, to give voice to the voiceless and to promote integral human development and integral ecology with Laudato si being a focal point of our action.

Caritas invites everyone, especially decision makers, to be prepared to face the dramatic consequences of this pandemic not only in the area of healthcare but also the risk of starvation for millions of people.

Today we cannot be blind to the dire and deteriorating living conditions of the people in Lebanon, Syria and the other countries in the Middle East. The simple and poor citizens are the victims of economic sanctions. The threat of COVID 19 makes their difficult lives more precarious.

The international debt of the poorest countries in Africa, some parts of Latin America and Asia has had major social and economic consequences. Pope Francis has consistently urged that the debt be cancelled to give those countries the possibility to pursue paths of recovery and development.

One of the major problems of social justice is war and violence. Millions have been rendered homeless, many have been deprived of their means of livelihood. We cannot ensure human dignity and development in the context of war and violence. Caritas joins Pope Francis call for a global ceasefire.

Caritas prays, acts and serves to bring the love of Jesus and the Church to everyone especially the poor.
(TNS)  The Madison, Wis., teachers union demanded Thursday the Madison School District commit to full online learning for at least the first quarter of the new school year as COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin and nationally climb.We are excited to work with our students and families, Michael Jones, vice president of Madison Teachers Inc., said in a statement. But we refuse to jeopardize the lives of our children or our families with a reopening plan that relies on magical thinking and unfunded mandates.The union is demanding Madisons nearly 27,000 students not return to the classroom until Dane County reports zero new COVID-19 cases for 14 consecutive days, arguing the districts tentative plans for how to reopen are light on details and a hasty return could harm communities of color who are already facing disproportionate rates of infection and death from the virus.The disparate rate of COVID-19 infection, severe illness, and death among people of color and working communities further spotlights the structural racism and economic inequality that exists, the statement said. Returning to school in-person puts our Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) children and families at greater risk without a promise of greater support.The Madison School District has yet to fully commit to a plan for the fall semester, telling parents it is still considering an all online model, a full-time in-person approach, or a hybrid of the two.School Board President Gloria Reyes said the district will announce Friday the fall semester plan, saying were on the same page as MTI but declining to confirm whether the district has settled on fully online instruction.Eventually we want our kids to come back to school, said Reyes, adding she personally supports starting the year online. But at this moment, the way the numbers look  and were going to consider public health guidance around this  reopening schools right now is not looking good.Daily reported cases of COVID-19 in Dane County have shot up since late June, following a state and national trend of rising case counts. As of Thursday, there have been 3,298 confirmed cases and 33 deaths in the county.The unions call to hold off on reopening comes days after Milwaukee Public Schools announced it will start the year with a projected 30 to 45 days of online learning before transitioning students back to the classroom. Other large school systems, including Los Angeles and San Diego, said this week theyll start school online.The decisions are running contrary to a push from President Donald Trump, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and others, including state Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt , R-Fond du Lac, chairman of the Assembly Education Committee, who are advocating students be back behind desks in the fall.Union demandsAlong with delaying the reopening of school, MTI said its demands of the district include:Committing potential new money from an operating referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot to funding safety of students and staff.Funding in-person safety supplies and protocols for when students do return.Providing all students electronic devices and access to the internet.Involving staff and community members in a transparent decision-making process on reopening schools.Reyes said MTIs demand of two straight weeks without a case in the county is not practical for determining when schools reopen.MTI, I understand they have the best interest of their teachers and staff, but theyre not public health experts, she said.Reyes said the decision to reopen school will be guided by health experts while also considering the role schools play outside of education.Our families are eager for their children to come back to school, she said. They have to go to work, they have child care issues, we have real issues and challenges that we have to balance.School Board member Nicki Vander Meulen also supports a virtual start to school, but said she cant say the demand for zero cases over 14 days is practical because shes not a public health expert.I can understand their concern, when people are putting their lives on the line, she said of the unions demands.Advocating for transparency, Vander Meulen said the School Board should be voting  and not the administration deciding  on whether to start the 2020-21 school year completely online and approving a plan for a hybrid model.Vander Meulen, who is an attorney, said board policies and state law give the seven-member elected body the right to make those decisions.Ideas to reopenThe district recently gave the most comprehensive look at how it would reopen when the time comes.In a presentation shared with families last week , the district outlined its current thinking about the fast-approaching school year. Regardless of how the year begins, the district says its committed to getting students to grade-level by the end of the year by providing consistent and actionable feedback on their progress and setting clear expectations on what needs to be completed.The district said there also will be a focus on the social and emotional health of students, including screening students for mental health needs and regular check-ins using a trauma- and resilience-informed lens.Whenever in-person classes resume, the district plans to limit nonessential visitors, group classes together for all subjects, install clear plastic barriers in welcome centers, and reduce the number of students on buses by spacing them apart and adding more routes, among other safety measures.The hybrid model the district is considering would split students into two groups, with half attending school Monday and Tuesday, the other half on Thursday and Friday, with online learning the three days students are at home.MTI said it would be irresponsible and immoral to continue to plan for reopening and criticized the districts 25-page presentation for not answering all the questions on a risk assessment checklist the state says should be answered before schools reopen.We are ready to work with our children and families even though earlier virtual learning was  stressful for many of our students, the statement said. But we must balance that experience with the trauma of watching a classmate, an educator, or a family member suffer and perhaps die because we did not take preventative measures.Regardless of how the year begins, Reyes said the district needs to focus on the logistics of the hybrid model to ensure a smooth return when it is time to reopen.She said the presentation was shared with families to give them a look into the districts current thinking and stressed the plan is evolving.MTI really has to understand were working under new territory here, Reyes said.By the start of the school year in September, Madison students will have been out of the classroom for nearly six months after school buildings were ordered closed statewide in mid-March.
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has told South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the current chairman of the African Union, that Nile water is an existential issue for the Egyptian people, El-Sisis spokesman Bassam Rady said.

El-Sisi received a phone call from Ramaphosa on Friday to discuss the recently concluded round of tripartite talks on the the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, which was held under the aegis of the AU.

The Egyptian president reiterated the fundamentals of Egypt's situation. based on what the Nile water represents as an existential issue for the Egyptian people.

El-Sisi stressed the importance of forging a comprehensive legal agreement between all parties concerning the rules for filling and operating the dam, and rejecting unilateral measures that would inflict harm upon Egypt's rights to the water of the Nile.

He also lauded the efforts exerted by the AU chairman in this respect.

Ramaphosa heaped praise on "the constructive approach" Egypt has taken during the recent negotiations which he considered a reflection of the honest Egyptian will to resolve the dispute, said Rady.

The two leaders agreed to continue intensive coordination between both countries with regard to this vital issue, the Egyptian spokesman added.

On 3 July, Cairo, Addis Ababa, and Khartoum began new talks, in response to a call from Ramaphosa, in a bid to resolve the decade-long disagreements over the mega-dam, which is under construction on the Blue Nile.

The talks wrapped up on Monday with no major breakthrough, according to the three countries.

Friday's phone call comes two days after contradictory reports over whether Addis Ababa has started filling the dams reservoir.

On Wednesday, Ethiopian state TV quoted the countrys Water Minister Seleshi Bekele as saying that the country has started to fill the GERDs reservoir. Hours later, however, the minister denied that the filling process had started.

Ethiopian state TV apologised for what it described as a misinterpretation of statements made by the countrys water minister.

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The number of coronavirus cases linked to Lamb Westons french fry production facility in Hermiston climbed to 142 this week, according to data released by the Oregon Health Authority.

It is the third-largest workplace outbreak of the virus in the state to date, but far from the first big outbreak at an Oregon food processor.

Coronavirus outbreaks at food processors and agricultural sites have infected nearly 1,000 workers and close contacts in Oregon since March. Additionally, an outbreak in May at Firestone Pacific Foods, a fruit processor in Vancouver, was linked to 132 coronavirus cases.

Workplace outbreaks helped seed the coronavirus in Oregon during the first few months of the pandemic, but now theyre being outnumbered by what state health authorities term sporadic spread -- cases whose origins arent clear.

Of the 60 active workplace outbreaks of five or more cases reported by the Oregon Health Authority this week, 25 are at food processors or agricultural sites.

Three of the five largest workplace outbreaks in the state to date are at food processors.

An outbreak at Pacific Seafood in Newport in June was linked to 181 cases. Its Oregons second-largest outbreak, trailing only the big outbreak at the Oregon State Penitentiary. A total of 61 coronavirus cases have been linked to a May outbreak at Bobs Red Mill in Milwaukie, marking the fifth-largest workplace outbreak in the state.

Fewer large outbreaks have been linked to Oregon farms, but farmworker advocates worry that state regulations wont prevent major outbreaks at farms as the harvest season ramps up this summer.

The largest Oregon farm outbreak occurred at Townsend Farms in Fairview, where 56 seasonal farmworkers tested positive for the virus in May. The outbreak followed a separate outbreak at the farm in April where 51 people tested positive for the virus.

The outbreak at Lamb Weston quickly grew into one of the largest workplace outbreaks in the state since the company was informed on June 15 that four employees had tested positive for the virus.

Joseph Fiumara, Umatilla County's public health director, said that the county has worked with Lamb Weston to test every employee and do contact tracing since the outbreak at the facility was reported. Fiumara said the county believes that it has now connected with everyone that may have been exposed to the virus through the outbreak. The county currently has 30 contact tracers.

Shelby Stoolman, a spokesman for Lamb Weston, said 100 employees at the Hermiston facility have tested positive for the virus. Additionally, 42 close contacts have tested positive, based on data provided by the Oregon Health Authority.

Stoolman said the no Lamb Weston employees have been hospitalized as a result of the outbreak. It is not clear whether any of their family members or other close contacts have been hospitalized.

Lamb Weston, one of Umatilla Countys largest employers, closed its Hermiston facility for three weeks following the outbreak. Staff members were paid to stay home during that time.

The facility reopened last week and is running at modified capacity with a limited staff, Stoolman said.

Stoolman said the company has required employees to wear masks, maintain physical distance and complete health and temperature screenings upon arrival since mid-April. The company has also made modifications to its break rooms, added new break areas and implemented staggered arrival schedules.

Fiumara said the county did not go in to inspect the Lamb Weston facility following the outbreak, but did say that Lamb Weston had implemented stringent safety protocols prior to the outbreak.

The outbreak at Lamb Weston is one of eight active workplace outbreaks in Umatilla County, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Twenty-one cases have been linked to snack product producer Shearer's Foods since the end of June, while 17 cases have been linked to staffing and recruiting company Atkinson Staffing since mid-June.

Fiumara said he is concerned that some outbreaks have occurred after employees went to work with minor symptoms and later tested positive for COVID-19.

If you have any symptoms at all, we want you to stay home, Fiumara said.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com | @jamiebgoldberg

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The slogan Housing is Healthcare was coined more than two decades ago, near the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. Its truth and significance are more apparent than ever during the pandemic. Both public health and the personal well-being of more than half a million homeless men and women in America depend on relief for the unsheltered.

Forty percent of homeless individuals and more than half of homeless families are Black, according to a recent assessment by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is an extreme manifestation of the inequities behind the disproportionate number of Black deaths from COVID-19.

The next federal stimulus package could include $11.5 billion for grants to address the impact of the coronavirus on Americans who are homeless, or at risk of becoming so. In recent weeks, legislators in several states have been chipping away at pieces of the problem, in big ways and small. Some examples:

H966 , abill, provides $550,000 to Vermont Legal Aid for legal and counseling services to persons who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, as well as those experiencing economic harm because of the pandemic. It also allocates $9 million for grants to nonprofit housing and service organizations for housing and facilities. It provides $25 million for rental assistance and eviction protection and asks the states housing authority to develop additional support services and to better promote upstream homelessness prevention.

SB1008 inwould amend the public health code to require facilities that provide emergency care to develop a policy to guide decision-making when demand for their services exceeds their ability to provide them. Among other stipulations, it prohibits decisions from being made on the basis of stereotypes or social stigma, including homelessness.

SCR-92 recognizes racism as a public health threat and states that racist assumptions and practices have created unhealthy social and physical conditions for people of color. It highlights federal actions that have encouraged homeless shelters to discriminate against transgender people, preventing Black transwomen from accessing critical health services. It affirms the Legislatures antiracist Health-in-All focus, and asks that it be reflected in laws and regulations.

S8643A , abill, requires the commissioners of the states Department of Health, Department of Homeless Services and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to prepare and publish reports on their websites regarding the COVID-19 status of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals. These reports are to include counts of those infected, hospitalized and deceased as well as information regarding shelter status and type of shelter.

A2516 addresses the shortage of affordable housing in the state and the fact that market rates lead to low-income families occupying housing that they cannot truly afford, accepting this burden out of fear of becoming homeless. Late or missed payments can damage their credit scores and prevent them from competing for access to deeply subsidized housing units. It provides an alternative to credit or risk scores to evaluate eligibility for such housing.

HB685 , in, makes amendments to the states public welfare code in regards to child care. It directs family services departments to make child care services available to homeless children, and calls for procedures to be developed that give children from low-income families priority in regards to eligibility for such services.
Admission to colleges in West



Bengal for under-graduate courses will be through the online mode this year and students will not be called for counselling or verification of documents due to the COVID-19 pandemic, state Higher Education department said.

The department in a notification on Thursday said after the publication of higher secondary results, admission to all under-graduate courses in the state-funded higher educational institutions for the ensuing academic session will be made online (stand alone mode) with effect from August 10, 2020.

"Prospective candidates should not be called for counselling or verification of documents during the process of admission," the notification said, adding that eligible candidates should be emailed by college and all testimonials will be uploaded online during verification.

Verification of documents should be done only when the students report for the classes in due course, the notice said.

Reacting to the notification, All Bengal University Teachers Association (ABUTA) said in a statement, "it will not be possible for many students in rural as well as urban areas to get the benefit of online admissions in the present COVID- 19 situation."



The Left teachers' body said: "While internet connectivity is weak in many rural pockets, many parts of the state including Kolkata have been turned into containment zone. Students in containment zones will have to risk their lives to visit a cyber cafe and upload data."ABUTA leader Goutam Maity said, "if the government maintains classes cannot be immediately held due to COVID-19 situation, why such tearing hurry for starting admission."Education minister Partha Chatterjee said on Wednesday that students will take admission to colleges in the state for under-graduate courses through the online mode this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has filed a lawsuit against Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the Atlanta City Council challenging the citys decision to mandate masks and revert to phase one reopening guidelines.

The lawsuit calls the citys new mask requirements void and unenforceable and asks a judge to block Bottoms from issuing any orders or press releases imposing a mask mandate or enacting other restrictions that are stricter than the states.

This lawsuit is on behalf of the Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees who are struggling to survive during these difficult times, Kemp said in a statement. Phase one guidelines push restaurants to close dining rooms and urge residents to leave home only for essential trips.

These men and women are doing their very best to put food on the table for their families while local elected officials shutter businesses and undermine economic growth, the Republican governor said.

In a press conference Thursday, one day after Kemp signed an executive order explicitly prohibiting local governments in the state from issuing mask mandates, Bottoms said she was prepared for a legal battle to defend the citys COVID-19 policies.

I am not afraid of the city being sued, said Bottoms, who tested posted for the virus earlier this month.

A better use of taxpayer money would be to expand testing and contact tracing, said Bottoms. If being sued by the state is what it takes to save lives in Atlanta, then we will see them in court.

The Democratic mayor said she believes Atlanta has the standing to mandate masks, especially in buildings and places owned and operated by the city.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, also a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said the litigation is about the rule of law and that the state encourages Georgians to wear masks.

The Constitution gives Governor Kemp chief executive power for the State of Georgia, including during a public health state of emergency, Carr said. The City of Atlanta cannot continue to knowingly enter orders that are unenforceable and void.

Story continues

Atlanta and a dozen other localities in the state had mandated mask wearing in public spaces, defying Kemps order that encourages, but doesnt mandate face coverings as more than 100,000 Georgians have tested positive for the virus.

The legal battle is the latest in a series of tensions between the governor and mayor. Kemp sent the Georgia National Guard to Atlanta earlier this month after a weekend of violence that included the ransacking of the headquarters of the Georgia State Patrol and the fatal shooting of an 8-year-old girl near a Wendys that the mayor had allowed armed protestors to occupy in the weeks after police shot and killed Rayshard Brooks at the site.

Just like sending in the Georgia National Guard to protect those living in our capital city from crime and violence, I refuse to sit back and watch as disastrous policies threaten the lives and livelihoods of our citizens, Kemp said in a statement. We will fight to stop these reckless actions and put people over pandemic politics.

More from National Review
Joko Widodo's dream of being the Indonesian President who finally builds a new national capital is in doubt, with officials saying the timing of the project is to be "evaluated in the future".

Donny Gahral Adian, a senior adviser in the President's office, confirmed Joko's ambitious plan would likely be delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The plan to move the capital from Jakarta to an as-yet unnamed and unbuilt city in the jungle of East Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo was announced in August 2019.

The idea of constructing a purpose-built new capital to replace Jakarta - a crowded, polluted and sinking metropolis of more than 10 million people - was first proposed by the country's founding president, Soekarno.
In the New Mexico mountain town of Red River, visitors from Texas walk along Main Street. Most of the out-of-state visitors ignore orders from New Mexicos governor to quarantine and wear face coverings.

Tourists are also coming to others areas in the state, including Taos and the city of Santa Fe. But there, nearly all visitors wear face coverings. Both places have signs warning visitors of fines if they break the rules.

Like governors in at least 15 states, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered out-of-state tourists to self-isolate. Lujan Grisham, a member of the Democratic Party, has pointed to data showing that about one in 10 of New Mexicos COVID-19 cases comes from visitors.

Enforcing the orders is proving difficult, however. The United States has no national plan related to face masks. New Mexico police resist launching a massive campaign to enforce the states rules. And even in a pandemic, many Americans continue to take long road trips.

A road trip this summer means driving through states with very different rules when it comes to the coronavirus.

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut require travelers from 19 states with high COVID-19 infection rates to self-quarantine for two weeks after they arrive. New York requires fines for those who disobey.

Hard-hit Florida requires travelers from those three states to self-isolate for 14 days whether they arrive by car or airplane. Travelers who do not do so face a $500 fine.

The states of Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Vermont also announced self-isolation rules.

Taking away out liberty

New Mexicos government published newspaper advertisements in neighboring Arizona and Texas. The ads urge people from those states not to visit New Mexico. Arizona has a positive coronavirus test rate of 27 percent. In Texas, the test rate is 18 percent. Health experts consider a 5 percent rate to be worrisome.

But the visitors keep coming.

Texan Chris Fry is one of them. He recently visited Red River. Theyre saying the masks should work, so why should you be quarantined? Fry said.

A 45-minute drive south in Taos Plaza, Louisiana tourist Christy Brasiel was upset that the historic Native American community was closed to visitors. She compared the New Mexico governors rules to communism or socialism.

Theyre taking away our liberty, she said. She stayed in a private Airbnb property to avoid her voluntary quarantine order.

As in cities across New Mexico, police in Red River have yet to issue citations for not obeying COVID-19 rules, said town mayor Linda Calhoun, a Republican. She told the Reuters news agency that she is urging businesses in her town to require face coverings.

We live off of tourists, thats all we have, so its very difficult for us to enforce the order, Calhoun said of the quarantine rule. Red River is sometimes called Little Texas because of the number of visitors from that state.

In Taos County, COVID-19 cases have doubled in the past month. Many locals there are upset by the behavior of tourists.

It doesnt make any sense to be so selfish, said Maureen Moore, a 67-year-old lawyer.

We dont want you here

Three weeks ago, New Mexico reported stable or dropping daily case numbers. The state had used early, severe restrictions to control the spread of the virus. The governor eased the restrictions on June 1.

But with its positive test rate rising above 4 percent, Lujan Grisham has criticized New Mexicans for letting down their guard. This week, she reclosed indoor restaurant dining.

At a press conference on July 9, Lujan Grisham said of tourists, We dont want you here now." Speaking to Texans interested in possibly visiting her state, she said, I want you to stay in Texas.

The governor added that New Mexico State Police would aggressively enforce her quarantine and mask orders.

Im Ashley Thompson.

The Reuters News Agency reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

quarantine - n. to keep (a person or animal) away from others to prevent a disease from spreading : to put or keep (a person or animal) in quarantine

self-isolate - v. to keep yourself apart from others

tourist - n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure

pandemic - n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world

upset - adj. angry or unhappy

citation - n. an official order to appear before a court of law

stable - adj. in a good state or condition that is not easily changed or likely to change

let down one's guard - idiom. to lower one's level of caution or carefulness
A finance minister should always be beyond reproach, but never more so than during an economic crisis.

Integrity is one of those crucial ingredients in managing an economic disaster  especially when financial markets are in turmoil, businesses are on the brink and billions of dollars are being approved in double time to buoy up collapsing bank accounts.

So the ethics commissioners decision on Thursday to investigate Finance Minister Bill Morneau for his involvement in approving a $43.5-million contract to WE Charity is disturbing.

Morneau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have both apologized for not recusing themselves from the decision-making process around hiring the WE charity to administer $900 million in funding for student volunteers, but Morneau has yet to appear in public or take any questions about his participation in the contract.

Thats a shame, because his terse and narrow apology left a lot unexplained.

It also clearly wasnt sufficient for either the Official Opposition or federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion, who has now announced he will examine whether Morneau broke the Conflict of Interest Act.

Normal procedure suggests Morneau was likely involved more than once in the process to choose WE Charity  at least one cabinet committee discussion, at least one full cabinet meeting, and then in signing off on the final amount of money involved. Thats despite two of his children having close ties to the organization  daughter Grace Acan works with the charity, and daughter Clare Morneau has appeared at WE Day events and had her book blurbed by co-founder Marc Kielburger.

Whats particularly disturbing during an economic crisis is that Morneau didnt see anything wrong in being so close to the process, a lapse in judgment that throws into question whose interests he has at heart when he is deciding on all those other programs that are keeping the economy afloat these days.

There is no question that those programs are essential in tiding over individuals and businesses alike until the times improve.

But the recovery is not just about money. Its also about confidence, especially confidence in the people who are handing out the money.

The Bank of Canada pointed out earlier this week that even as companies are able to rev up production again and retail outlets can open their doors, theres no guarantee their customers will return. Theyre stymied by fear of catching coronavirus, afraid of losing their jobs, and confidence among both businesses and consumers has plunged.

Without confidence, investment decisions will be put on hold or scaled back, and purchases put over for another day, prompting shaky businesses to shut down and prolonging the recovery.

Obviously, consumers and businesses are not thinking about Morneau, WE Charity or the ministers daughters when they are deciding on a day-to-day basis whether to venture outside and risk economic activity. Lets not exaggerate.

But at a time when the federal government is running up a deficit of $343 billion and counting, and about to make key decisions on how to spend $82 billion in wage subsidies, how to scale back emergency benefits going to millions of people, and how to modulate the recovery so that its safe, we need to have faith that Morneau is thinking straight.

Indeed, when Trudeau apologized for not recusing himself earlier this week, he accompanied the apology with a teaser about a $50-billion increase in the wage subsidy. On Thursday, just minutes before the committee grilling of the Liberals on the WE Charity contract began, Trudeau announced $20 billion for the provinces to spend on restarting their economy.

This is big money swirling around, and many of the regular checks and balances on spending have been jettisoned in the name of helping desperate people and precarious businesses right away, without being hampered by red tape. Thats all quite logical if you can be assured that the priorities of the decision-makers are aligned with those people and businesses.

But we need that assurance.

And, of course, Morneau has been in trouble with the ethics commissioner before. In November 2017, he had to pay a $200 fine for failing to declare that he owned a villa and a corporation in France. He also came under opposition fire for selling off his shares in his family business, Morneau Shepell, just before proposing changes to the tax rules.

At the time, the Conservatives called for his head and he faced months of badgering by the small business lobby and opposition MPs alike. Under siege, the prime minister defended his finance ministers integrity. Morneau not only survived in the job, but even returned to the finance portfolio after the election.

But on Thursday, the prime minister was not really available to come to Morneaus defence, since Trudeau himself is facing the same question as Morneau for his handling of the WE Charity contract: What on earth were they thinking?

Instead, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland took the very odd step of coming to Trudeaus aid, volunteering at a news conference that she still had complete confidence in the prime minister.

Freeland also said the entire cabinet wore the WE Charity fiasco and apologized on behalf of everyone.

But she had nothing to say about Morneau.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Ride-hailing giant Uber has announced the appointment of Prabhjeet Singh as its President for India and Asia Pacific (APAC) operations. Singh was elevated to the post of Uber India President after the incumbent head Pradeep Parameswaram was promoted as the Regional General Manager for the Asia Pacific region.

Besides Singh and Parameswaram, Uber has also promoted Vidhya Duthaluru, former Director, Engineering, as the global head of engineering for the customer-care platform, the company informed in a statement.

Singh, a former McKinsey and Co. Associate Partner, joined Uber five years ago, monitoring the company's operations in several key cities across India and South Asia and also devised India-first innovations including scaling up Auto and Moto categories and building a multi-nodal platform, which have both been exported to other emerging markets.

"Prabh is a passionate and innovative leader and has been instrumental in helping build Uber from the ground up and established our category leadership in the ride-sharing market. I'm confident Prabh will exceed our expectations by leading Uber India SA on to the path of profitability, further consolidate our partnership with public transport authorities, continue our growth trajectory by expanding Auto and Moto to the next batch of cities, and build iconic teams," Parameswaram said.

ALSO READ | Uber shuts Mumbai office; services for riders to remain unaffected

The announcements come at a time when Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi reportedly said that he wants to shift a majority of the engineering jobs to India, citing budget constraints as the company is struggling to cope up with the losses owing to COVID pandemic and a loss-making business model.

Uber's business was down by 80% in the first three months of 2020, Khosrowshahi had told analysts in a previous earnings call adding that the company will fire one-fourth of its employee base globally as a cost-cutting measure. The retrenchment exercise impacted 600 employees in India alone. The ride-hailing giant reported a loss of $2.9 billion for Q1, 2020.

"I'm thrilled to have been given the responsibility of leading Uber in India and South Asia, and look forward to collaborating with exceptional teams and gifted colleagues across the Uber family to strengthen our services and product offerings. Uber is an integral part of the fabric of our cities and as they start moving again, we have prioritised the highest standards of safety, sustainability and service that our riders and drivers expect of us," Singh said.


Images of flight pervade much of the painter Marc Chagall's work. Some of Chagall's works depict people and objects defying the earth's gravity, hovering over a scene below. These images reflect the earthly and heavenly figures of Chagall's real and idealized life and world, and they offer a window of understanding into the artist's mind and work.

Chagall's Humble Beginnings

Chagall, born in 1887, found inspiration for much of his work in his upbringing in Vitebsk, Belorussia. There, a folktale is told of an artist named Chaim, the son of Isaac Segal (Chagall's family name was Segal before...
Officials from Angola and China attend an online contract signing ceremony in Luanda, Angola, on July 16, 2020. Angolan government and China Shenzhen BGI group held the online contract signing ceremony on Thursday to boost its COVID-19 detection capacity. Angola will entrust BGI with the construction of five Huoyan, or Fire Eye, laboratories for the detection of novel coronavirus across the country, with a total daily detection capacity of 6,000 samples. (BGI Group/Handout via Xinhua)

LUANDA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Angolan government and China Shenzhen BGI group held an online contract signing ceremony on Thursday to boost its COVID-19 detection capacity.

Angola will entrust BGI with the construction of five Huoyan, or Fire Eye, laboratories for the detection of novel coronavirus across the country, with a total daily detection capacity of 6,000 samples.

Angola's Foreign Minister Tete Antonio said at the event that the agreement signed will not only bring Angola to the necessary virus detection capacity, but will also give Angolan cadres the opportunity to learn advanced technology.

Angola's Minister of Health Silvia Lutucuta said she thanks China for providing assistance in fighting the epidemic, adding that Angola and other countries in the world have learned a lot from China's experience in fighting the epidemic.

"Detection capacity is the basis for the formulation of prevention and control policies, and Angola needs to continue to improve large-scale detection capabilities. Angola decided to entrust the Chinese company BGI with the construction of 5 laboratories, which will create a new period of opportunity to prevent and control the epidemic." She said.

According to Yang Huanming, co-founder of the BGI group and chairman of the BGI Board Gene, the BGI Huoyan laboratory has played an important role in the practice of anti-epidemic diseases in China and around the world and has proven to be very effective.

"More than 20 countries and regions have started or are in negotiations with more than 70 Huoyan laboratories, with the total daily test volume expected to exceed 300,000 tests. Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, the Philippines, Gabon and other countries have been put in place," He said.

Yang added that Huoyan laboratory made by BGI is equipped with automated equipment for the extraction of high-performance nucleic acids to improve the efficiency of large-scale detection. Currently, MGI automation equipment has also been shipped to more than 30 countries and regions around the world.

Under the cooperation agreement, BGI will build five new laboratories in Angola, including a greenhouse laboratory, with a total result of 6,000 samples per day, which will be in a relatively short period for the country's national testing capacity to be increased for 10 times.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 10:20:08|Editor: huaxia

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SYDNEY, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea (PNG) has recorded four COVID-19 infections involving staff at a laboratory responsible for testing virus swabs, taking the number of cases in the country to 15, local media reported.

According to local media outlet the Post Courier, all four cases were staff members at the Central Public Health Laboratory at Port Moresby General Hospital.

National Health Secretary Paison Dakulala was quoted as saying that it was unclear whether the infections were due to a breach in laboratory protocol or the result of transmission within the community.

Rapid response teams were deployed to conduct contact tracing on anyone who had been in contact with the infected staff members, while the laboratory was disinfected.

All four patients were reported to be in a stable condition and have been moved to the Rita Flynn isolation and testing facility at Boroko. Enditem
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. A positive dynamics has been observed in the health condition of 48-year-old resident of Chinari village of Armenias Tavush province Aramayis Hovakimyan, who has been wounded from the Azerbaijani combat drone strike on July 16.

The life of the wounded village resident is not in danger, Armenias healthcare ministry said.

On July 16 in the morning the Azerbaijani side resumed shelling at the bordering villages of Armenias Tavush province. Aygepar, Nerkin Karmiraghbyur, Chinari, Movses, Tavush villages and Berd town were under the target.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Tirumala: The darshan of Lord Venkateshwara Swami for devotees will continue, TTD Trust Board Chairman YV Subba Reddy said despite reports of as many as 14 priests contracting the COVID-19 infection. Though, the chairman said that in view of safety of the priests darshan could be stalled.

After conducting an emergency meeting in Tirumala with top officials at Annamaiah Bhavan the TTD Chairman said, "TTD employees are following all prescribed guidelines by government. As of now 140 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in TTD. Majority of affected cases are among Potu workers (Laddu makers) and APSP (security) personnel," he observed.

Reddy said around 70 COVID-19 affected staff members have recovered and a few of them are under home quarantine while some others resumed duties. Of the remaining 70 persons, only one person is in ICU and doctors opine that he too is likely to recover soon.

The Chairman said only 14 of the 40 Archakas of Srivari temple had reported positive and TTD has taken all steps to ensure that there was no break in Nitya Kainkaryams (daily pooja) in the temple and Archakas will be given assured healthcare.

None of the devotees who came for Srivari darshan has reported COVID-19 infection till now. There have been no instances of any employees affected by devotees. "Most of the COVID-19 infections of TTD employees were only through their family members and living surroundings".

Responding to honorary chief priest Dr AV Ramana Deekshitulu's criticism, Reddy said anyone who is working in TTD or in the organizations associated to TTD could send their suggestions to the board. "Its not fair as he went on social media to express his views, I have instructed officials to talk to AV Ramana Deekshitulu over the issue," said Reddy.
TOKYO, July 17, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu today announced that it will commence operations for Fujitsu Japan Ltd. on October 1st, aiming to further expand business in the Japan services market, in which Fujitsu boasts the top share(1). From April 2021, Fujitsu will gradually integrate the domestic business functions of its Group companies, with the new company being positioned as the core company in the domestic market driving the actualization of the Fujitsu Group's Purpose: "to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation." Fujitsu Japan Ltd. will maximize the value provided to customers and establish an overwhelming position in the domestic service market.Under this new formation, Fujitsu Japan Ltd. will contribute to the attainment of Society 5.0, an ultra-smart, sustainable society, while delivering business continuity and measures to resolve urgent issues facing society in light of the emergence of the challenges of the new normal, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.About the New Formation1. Consolidation of the following domestic business units into "Fujitsu Japan Ltd."a.) System engineers in charge of second-tier, medium-sized or small companies in the private sector (As of October 1, 2020)At the same time as the establishment of the new company "Fujitsu Japan Ltd.", approximately 400 of our system engineers, who are responsible for second-tier, midsized companies and SMEs in the private sector, will join the new company, creating a structure that will enable us to respond flexibly and promptly to customer needs.b.) Business units responsible for local governments and medical and educational institutions (As of April 1, 2021)The new company will integrate the Company's business divisions, which are responsible for local governments and medical and educational institutions, in order to accelerate the advancement of ICT for customers throughout Japan, the resolution of various local social issues, and the creation of new businesses. Initially, preparations were made for the integration in July 2020, but were postponed(2) to April 2021 in order to prioritize initiatives to support customer business continuity in order to resolve various social issues arising from the spread of new coronavirus infection.2. Step-by-step integration of group company functions into Fujitsu Japan Ltd.a.) Fujitsu Marketing and Fujitsu FIP to be integrated into Fujitsu Japan Ltd. (As of October 1, 2020)In order to optimize the provision of services to customers throughout Japan and accelerate business development, Fujitsu Marketing Ltd., which handles second-tier private-sector companies and SMEs, and Fujitsu FIP Corporation, which has strength in solutions in the areas of distribution, healthcare, and local government, will merge to launch the Fujitsu Japan Ltd.b.) Integration of sales functions of Fujitsu FSAS and Fujitsu Network Solutions (Scheduled for April 2021) Fujitsu will work to optimize its formation to provide maximum value for the Group by April 2021 by integrating sales functions of two other Group companies.Fujitsu FSAS Inc., which has strength in ICT infrastructure construction, operation and maintenance services, and Fujitsu Network Solutions Ltd., which operates in the network domain as a core business, into Fujitsu Japan Ltd.Company Outline "Fujitsu Japan Ltd." (Planned)Launch: October 1, 2020CEO: Representative Director and President: Toshio Hirose (Currently President of Fujitsu Marketing)Number of employees: Approximately 5,400 at the start, and approximately 11,000 as of April 1, 2021Business Profile (As of April 1, 2021): Integrated services from development to operation, solution SI for local government, medical and educational institutions, second-tier companies in private sector and small and medium enterprises. In addition, it will promote DX business using AI, cloud services, local 5G, etc.(1) Top share according to IDC Japan report "Japan Service Vendor Ranking 2019" (Agreement Number: IDCJ-20-0377)(2) Postponed Concerning Response to Coronavirus COVID19: https://bit.ly/2CEqaW6About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 130,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.9 trillion yen (USD35 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.Source: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Coral Expeditions has launched the first phase of its new Australian Coastal Wilderness sailing schedule with the release of nine Great Barrier Reef expeditions starting in October.

The company will also be back in service in August in the Kimberley, with the Coral Adventurer sailing on August 21 and the Discoverer on August 28.

The all-new seven-night sailings to the Great Barrier Reef onboard the Coral Discoverer will explore the outer reefs and lesser-known islands, showcasing the extraordinary marine life and the rich natural and cultural history of the region.

Coral Expeditions will be following its SailSAFE plan developed by Australian medical specialists for the current environment, according to the company.

Jeff Gillies, Commercial Director at Coral Expeditions, said: At a time of global health challenges and uncertainties, there is no better sanctuary than our own Great Barrier Reef. Coral Expeditions has had a ship operating on the Reef for 35 years. Our pioneering spirit of exploration began here, and this extraordinary place remains at the heart of our DNA. We encourage Australians to explore their home shores at this time. With the new medical protocols we have adopted, there is no better escape than a week on the Reef by small ship."

Having submitted a comprehensive SailSAFE plan to all national, state and territory authorities and received approval, Coral Expeditions are ready to return to operations with a thorough safety plan and exciting nature-based expeditions that travellers can feel confident to enjoy, the company said.

Being an Australian flagged tourism operator, the company is not affected by Border Force closures and carries Australian guests and employs Australian crew.

Coral Expeditions will continue to launch updates to their sailing schedule in the weeks ahead including additional Definitive Kimberley expeditions, Cape York, Arnhem Land & the Torres Strait, Ningaloo & the Coral Coast, the Coastal Wilds of Tasmania and a series of new itineraries to Western Australias less-visited reefs and islands, the Great Southern Coastline and the Wild Islands of South Australia. In addition, a series of new themed voyages with partners including Australian Geographic Society is planned for release in August 2020.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Thousands of Azerbaijani patriots including citizens living abroad, reserve servicemen, people with disabilities and Karabakh war veterans are appealing to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense in connection with the recent military operations in the direction of Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense told Trend on July 17.

They express support for the army and ask to call them into the ranks of the Azerbaijani army.

The ministry received about 7,000 appeals from July 13 through July 17, the message said. The ministry welcomes and expresses gratitude to the Azerbaijani people and each citizen for the solidarity and support for the Azerbaijani army.

President of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev stressed during the meeting of the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers on July 16 that everyone who wants to be called up for military service may submit the personal data to the State Service for Mobilization and Conscription, the ministry added.

"We inform that any Armenias provocation and attempt to attack Azerbaijan is firmly suppressed and will be suppressed by the Azerbaijani army, the message said. Thank you for your patriotism and solidarity!".

Starting from noon on July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, opened artillery fire at Azerbaijani positions.

Azerbaijan's armed response forced the Armenian army to retreat suffering losses.

Azerbaijani personnel, sergeant of military service Vugar Sadigov and corporal Elshad Mammadov, died while repelling the attack of the Armenian armed forces.

Despite the efforts of the Azerbaijani doctors, severely wounded serviceman of the Azerbaijani army Khayyam Dashdemirov also died.

The tension remained in Tovuz district on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border on July 12 night.

During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, bombshells, vehicles and servicemen on the territory of the Armenias military unit.

Azerbaijani serviceman, senior lieutenant Rashad Mahmudov was killed during the battles.

The battles continued on the night of July 13. Major General Polad Hashimov, Colonel Ilgar Mirzoyev, Major Namig Ahmadov, Major Anar Novruzov, Ensign Ilgar Zeynalli, Ensign Yashar Babayev and soldier Elchin Mustafazade became martyrs during the battles.

Another serviceman of the extended military service of the Azerbaijani army, Private Nazim Ismayilov died in the battle in the direction of Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border on July 16.
Two teams of Australian scientists are among the front-runners in the global race to find a vaccine for COVID-19.

Researchers at the University of Queensland and the Royal Adelaide Hospital both progressed to clinical trials this month - a landmark stage in the search for a drug capable of neutralising the virus.

In Brisbane, 120 volunteers received their first dose of a potential COVID-19 vaccine on Monday created by the University of Queensland.

Human trials in Adelaide meanwhile started on July 2 with early reports showing its unique formula made of a chemical called an 'adjuvant' makes it easier for the human body to destroy the coronavirus protein.

In Brisbane, 120 volunteers received their first dose of a potential COVID-19 vaccine on Monday - which has been developed by the University of Queensland (pictured)

The University of Queensland's possible vaccine was created using a special 'molecular clamp' technology which fuses together a synthetic COVID-19 spike protein.

Project director of UQ's coronavirus vaccine program Professor Trent Munro said their approach is designed to trick the body into thinking it has the coronavirus.

He hopes the vaccine triggers an immune response that makes the human body more prepared to deal with the real coronavirus.

'When the virus is floating around in your system and your immune system tries to recognise it, the spike protein is the first molecule it will encounter and raise an immune response against,' he told The New Daily.

'That's what we want to mimic with our vaccine.'

Human trials of another potential vaccine started on July 2 at the Royal Adelaide Hospital with early reports showing promising results

Co-leader of the vaccine trial Paul Young said the phase one study will be assessing vaccine safety and immune responses.

If clinical trials are successful and it is approved by health regulators, pharmaceutical company CSL will produce 'hundreds of millions' of doses of the drug in 2021.

'Like every vaccine trial, this may or may not succeed,' Mr Young said.

'It's not a guarantee but we're confident that we will get through to a positive outcome.'

The trials come amid 2,128 active cases of coronavirus in Australia and as the number of people dead nationally rises to 116 people

UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND'S PIONEERING 'MOLECULAR CLAMP' TECHNOLOGY FIGHTING COVID-19 The university received a request from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to use its newly patented DNA-based molecular clamp technology to fast-track the vaccine after the virus hit Australia's shores in January. A team of 20 researchers have spent the last 15 months preparing for a 'rapid response'. The technology uses the DNA sequence of the coronavirus released by China to produce a protein that's the same as the one on the surface of the actual virus. That protein will be the essence of the vaccine, capable of generating immune system responses that protect people. The vaccine was developed using molecular clamp technology that locks the spike protein into a shape Advertisement

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said the vaccine could be worth 'millions if not billions' of dollars to Australia.

Researchers in Adelaide have also used a synthetic coronavirus spike in their vaccine.

Instead of using a molecular clamp, the researchers decided to use 'inulin' which comes from the Belgium endive plant.

Vaxine research director, Professor Nikolai Petrovsky, said inulin purified from the plant turns into a white powder that looks like sugar.

'By making inulin into these special microscopic particles, they are able to trigger the immune system and act as a turbo-charger to make it respond better to vaccines, thereby giving stronger protection,' Professor Petrovsky said.

He said this vaccine may not have side effects like other vaccines in the past.

'Using synthetic proteins with our plant-based inulin adjuvant to induce strong protective immune responses against pandemic viruses is something we've done many times in animal and human trials over the last 15 years, so we know it works.

Drug company CSL will produce 'hundreds of millions' of doses of the University of Queensland's drug in 2021 if it receives approval from authorities

While the world waits for an effective vaccine, 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 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.
Sonu Sood is an actor who has truly emerged as a real life hero amid the coronavirus pandemic. The actor has now donated 25,000 face shields to Maharashta police personnel.

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh took to Twitter to share the news and thank Sonu for his gesture. He shared a picture of the two of them posing for the camera by standing two feet apart, and tweeted, I thank @SonuSood Ji for your generous contribution of giving 25,000 #FaceShields for our police personnel. He also shared another picture which showed the two of them sitting far apart from each other during a meeting.

Sonu replied to the state home minister on Twitter, saying, Truly honoured by your kind words Sir! My police brothers & sisters are our real heroes & this is the least that I can do for the commendable work which they have been doing. Jai Hind #OurRealHeroes @DGPMaharashtra.

Sonu, who catapulted to the national spotlight for his work in helping migrants reach their homes amid the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, will now pen a book about his experience. His debut book, as-of-yet untitled, will reveal the emotional and often challenging journey the actor undertook along with the people he helped. It will be released later this year, announced publishing house Penguin Random House India on Wednesday.

Also read: Kushal Tandon on Sushant Singh Rajputs death: I want to tell people that theres nothing more than your life

I want to thank God for making me a catalyst in helping the migrants. While my heart beats in Mumbai, after this movement I feel a part of me lives in the villages of UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Uttarakhand and various other states where I have now found new friends and made deep connections. I have decided to put these experiences, stories that are embedded in my soul forever, in a book ... Im excited, nervous and overwhelmed, and I cant wait to connect with you through my book. I look forward to your supportand love you all, Sood said in a statement.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Just 26 percent of American adults said they thought it was safe for schools in their community to bring students back.

Only one in four Americans think it is safe for public schools to reopen as US coronavirus cases climb, and four in 10 parents said they would likely keep their children home if classes resume, a new Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll shows.

The July 14-15 national online poll was conducted as the countrys 13,000 school districts grapple with how to safely resume instruction after closing earlier in the year as infections spread. The results suggest President Donald Trumps demand to fully reopen schools is at odds with how most Americans feel.

Just 26 percent of American adults said they thought it was safe for schools in their community to bring students back. Another 55 percent felt they were not safe, and 19 percent were not sure.

The response was split along party lines: Half of Republicans said they thought schools were safe, compared with only one in 10 Democrats.

Social distancing dividers for students in a classroom at St Benedict School, near Los Angeles, California, US [Lucy Nicholson/Reuters]

Among respondents with school-age children, about four in 10 said it was unlikely that they would send them to school if in-person teaching resumes. Another five in 10 said they would send their kids to school, and the rest said they were unsure.

Ive had a migraine every day for the past month, just with the stress and fear of all of this, said Tameka Dumas, 47, a mother of two from Grenada, Mississippi.

Dumas will keep her 16-year-old son home to take online classes when his school reopens in August, deciding that it is better to protect him from a virus that already has infected her uncle and killed one of her friends.

I told him that I hate to keep him from his friends, but at the rate of infection, its just for the best, she said.





Trump recently has made reopening public schools a focus of his re-election campaign, in part to court suburban voters, especially women, who are increasingly unhappy with him.

The Republican president has said school districts must offer a full schedule of classes, and he threatened to cut funding from schools that do not follow through.

Medical and education experts agree that children learn best through in-person education, and its also true that parents need the certainty of schools reopening so they can return to work, Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said. We must reopen schools and the economy and do it safely.

The poll found that only three in 10 white women, including only two in 10 suburban white women, felt schools are safe to reopen. More than eight out of 10 white women said they are still concerned about the spread of the coronavirus, which has claimed more than 138,000 lives in the United States and has continued a rapid spread throughout much of the country.

White women are key for Trumps re-election bid. He won that demographic by 13 percentage points in the 2016 election, and they are also one of the subgroups most likely to vote.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who for months has led Trump in national polls, including a 10-point advantage among registered voters in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, has called for a more cautious approach to reopening schools.

Heeding the experts

Away from the campaign trail, Americans said they are largely relying on guidance from public health experts on when and how schools should open, the Reuters/Ipsos survey found.

Asked who should determine when schools reopen in their community, 40 percent said they would leave the decision to public health experts, while 17 percent said it should be up to the school districts and 13 percent said their states governor should decide. Only 5 percent said they would leave it to the federal government.

Cleaning and disinfection practices in schools are highlighted in the new CDC guidelines [AP Photo/LM Otero]

When classes resume, only 20 percent said students should return for the full school calendar. Another 37 percent felt students should begin an online-only curriculum, and 43 percent said students should follow a hybrid schedule that includes some time in the classroom and some instruction online.

They should reopen, said Rick Gardner, 48, of Republic, Missouri, who wants to send his 16-year-old daughter to a full high school schedule when the new school year begins. Gardner, a security officer at his local airport, said he thinks the publics concern about the coronavirus is overplayed.

Im around hundreds of people all day, and I dont know one person whos gotten the disease, he said.
Researchers have been using passive acoustic recordings of whale calls to track their movements. They have found that four of the six baleen whale species found in the western North Atlantic Ocean -- humpback, sei, fin and blue whales -- have changed their distribution patterns in the past decade. The recordings were made over 10 years by devices moored to the seafloor at nearly 300 locations from the Caribbean Sea to western Greenland.

"All four whale species were present in waters from the southeast U.S. to Greenland, with humpbacks also present in the Caribbean Sea," said Genevieve Davis, a senior acoustician at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts and lead author of the study. "These four species were detected throughout all the regions in the winter, suggesting that baleen whales are widely distributed during these months. Humpback, sei, fin, and blue whales also showed significant changes in where they were detected between the two time periods considered in this study: before and after 2010."

A large group of federal, state and academic researchers from the United States and Canada conducted the study, published in Global Change Biology. It is the first to show the occurrence of these four species across the western North Atlantic Ocean over long time spans and at a large spatial scale. The study also demonstrates how whale distributions have changed over time, and in particular since 2010.

Data collected from 2004 to 2014 on 281 bottom-mounted passive acoustic recorders totaled 35,033 days of recording. These passive acoustic recorders were deployed between the tiny island of Saba in the Caribbean Sea to the Davis Strait off western Greenland. Recorders were located on the continental shelf or along the shelf edge, with six recording units in off-shelf waters.

All available passive acoustic recordings from more than 100 research projects throughout the western North Atlantic Ocean were combined to create the decade-long dataset. The time series was split between 2004 to 2010 and 2011 to 2014. That split was based on the timing of shifts in climate in the Gulf of Maine and distribution changes by numerous species in the western North Atlantic Ocean.

This is also the same time period used in a similar analysis of North Atlantic right whales that was published in 2017, and used for comparison with this study.

Results show that fin, blue, and sei whales were more frequently detected in the northern latitudes after 2010 but less on the Scotian Shelf area. This matches documented shifts in prey availability in that region.

"The Gulf of Maine, an important feeding ground for many baleen whale species, is warming faster than most places in the world, resulting in changes in distribution not only of marine mammals and fish but also for their prey," said Davis, who was also the lead author of the 2017 North Atlantic right whale study. "These changes in distribution for five of the six baleen whale species mirrors known shifts in distribution for other species attributed to climate and the impacts of ocean warming."

Researchers have not yet studied if or how minke whale distribution has shifted. Minkes are the sixth baleen whale species found in the western North Atlantic Ocean.

Researchers caution that while recorders provided widespread coverage, there were gaps. Also, these data can confirm where and when a species is present, but not how many individuals are present. There are differences in vocal behavior, seasonal changes, and vocalizations thought to be made by males only. The data provide a comprehensive overview of the minimum distribution in space and time of each species and add information to the current understanding of these species.

Spending More Time in Northern Latitudes

While humpback whales are found in all regions, researchers were a bit surprised at the length of time they are present in all areas. Fin, blue, and sei whales increased the time that they spent in northern latitudes after 2010, perhaps following prey. All but sei whales had a decreased acoustic presence on the Scotian Shelf after 2010.

Sei whales, one of the least-studied baleen whales, were detected with the other whale species from Florida to eastern Greenland. Sei whales are found year-round in Southern New England and the New York Bight. These are also important regions for other baleen whale species, including North Atlantic right whales that target the same prey as sei whales.

"This study is the first comprehensive analysis of sei whale distribution throughout the western North Atlantic Ocean, including their movements and important habitat," Davis said. "The southern limit of their range remains unknown, and their migratory movements in the western North Atlantic are still not well understood but we have filled in a number of information gaps."

Fin whales were detected nearly year-round from Virginia to eastern Greenland. They are commonly found year-round in the Gulf of Maine and in Canadian waters off Nova Scotia. Acoustic records revealed their year-round presence in Massachusetts Bay and the New York Bight. New England waters provide feeding grounds, but mating and calving grounds are unknown. Their distribution year-round suggests that, like other baleen whales, not all fin whales migrate.

Blue Whales Heard Further South Than Expected

Blue whales are seen and heard year-round in and around the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where their population is well-studied. Considered a more northern whale, they have occasionally been sighted in the Gulf of Maine. Acoustic detections revealed blue whales are present as far south as North Carolina.

Blue whales tend to use deeper waters, making their seasonal movements difficult to study. Satellite tag studies, however, indicate they move from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to North Carolina, including on and off the continental shelf. They also move into deeper waters around the New England Seamounts -- a chain of underwater extinct volcanoes that extends from Georges Bank southeast for about 700 miles. Researchers found the shelf break and canyons to be important habitat areas for blue whales.

"A decade of acoustic observations have shown important changes over the range of baleen whales and identified new habitats that will require further protection from human-induced threats like fixed fishing gear, shipping, and noise pollution," said Davis.

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(Photo : Solar Orbiter/EUI Team (ESA & NASA); CSL, IAS, MPS, PMOD/WRC, ROB, UCL/MSSL) Solar Orbiter spots campfires on the Sun. Locations of campfires are annotated with white arrows.

(Photo : Solar Orbiter/EUI Team (ESA & NASA); CSL, IAS, MPS, PMOD/WRC, ROB, UCL/MSSL) Solar Orbiter spots campfires on the Sun. Locations of campfires are annotated with white arrows.

(Photo : ESA/ATG medialab) ESA's Solar Orbiter mission will face the Sun from within the orbit of Mercury at its closest approach.

The Solar Orbiter has completed its first close pass of the sun last month and took some amazing photos of the star showing some tiny bursts or campfires.

NASA published the images on Thursday on their website, noting that these are the "closest ever" photos of the sun.

The Solar Orbiter is a joint mission between NASA and the European Space Agency launched in February and it passed by the sun within 48 million miles. While other spacecraft went the closer distance, they did not bring sun-facing imagers, so they were not able to take photos of the star.

In contrast, Solar Orbiter is packed with six imaging instruments and each of them studies a different aspect of the sun. The Extreme Ultraviolet Imager captured small bright spots in the middle of yellow and gray swirls, which are called "campfires."

https://t.co/rVMjz45DoY pic.twitter.com/YLKBXRNQZb #SolarOrbiter has made its first close pass by the Sun, studying our star and space with a comprehensive suite of instruments  and the data is already revealing previously unseen details. This is #TheSunUpClose  NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) July 16, 2020

Principal investigator David Berghmans, an astrophysicist at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, said these campfires are related to solar flares, which is smaller by at least a million times. Berghmans noted that these spots are everywhere at the new high-resolution EUI images.

ESA's Solar Orbiter project scientist Daniel Muller said they did not expect to see "such great results" this early. "These images show that Solar Orbiter is off to an excellent start," Muller added.

NASA project scientist for the mission Holly Gilbert said these images will help scientists to reconstruct the Sun's atmospheric layers. It is significant for understanding how it affects space weather across the solar system.

To know for certain what these campfires are and what they mean, scientists will need to use a different instrument on the spacecraft to take a more precise temperature measurement.

The discovery comes at the very beginning of a years-long mission, which aims to provide the first-ever look at the sun's poles.

"No simple feat"

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the European Space Operations Center, or ESOC mission control in Darmstadt, Germany was completely shut down for over a week. Thus, when each instrument is extensively tested, ESOC was operating with a skeleton staff while everyone else worked from home.

Russell Howard, the principal investigator for one of Solar Orbiter's imagers, said they were forced to remotely perform critical operations, which is the first time them to do.

Meanwhile, aside from the sun's images, four situ instruments in the mission also revealed initial data about the space environment that surrounds the Solar Orbiter. The Solar Wind Analyser released the first dedicated measurements of oxygen, carbon, iron, silicon, and other heavy ions in the solar wind.

Operators will use the gravity of Venus to gradually shift the spacecraft's orbit out of the plane in which planets in the Solar System orbit the sun, giving Solar Orbiter an unprecedented view of the sun's poles. Scientists are keen to study activity there to better understand the behavior of the sun's magnetic field, which helps create the solar wind that impacts the environment of the entire solar system.

Meanwhile, the Solar Orbiter will be cruise phase until November 2021 before it begins the primary phase of its mission. In 2022, the spacecraft's first close pass by the sun will be at "about a third the distance" between the sun and the Earth.

Read Also: First Detailed Close-up Picture of the Sun Shows How Insanely Hot This Huge Star is

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
WASHINGTON  Defense Secretary Mark Esper effectively banned the display of Confederate flags from military bases amid a nationwide reckoning over racism and the display of Confederate symbols.

In a two-page memo to military commanders and senior Defense Department leaders, Esper said "the flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols."

Esper listed as appropriate for display state flags, the POW/MIA flag, military service flags and flags of countries allied with the United States. The Confederate flag was absent from the list.

The guidance applies to all public displays of flags in "Department of Defense work places, common access areas, and public areas," Esper wrote.

Today I issued a memorandum to the force on the display of flags at @DeptofDefense facilities. With this change in policy, we will further improve the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the force in defense of our great Nation. pic.twitter.com/YQPc3kxf4V  Dr. Mark T. Esper (@EsperDoD) July 17, 2020

"With this change in policy, we will further improve the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the force in defense of our great Nation," he concluded.

Esper's decision comes just days after President Donald Trump defended those who fly the Confederate flag.

"Like it, dont like it. Its freedom of speech." Trump said in an interview with CBS News. When the reporter noted that it's a painful symbol of slavery for many African Americans, Trump responded: I know people that like the Confederate flag, and theyre not thinking about slavery.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Story continues

But the Pentagon's order drew fire from LGBTQ advocates, who said the move would ban Pride flags from military bases.

In what universe is it OK to turn an opportunity to ban a racist symbol like the Confederate flag into an opportunity to ban the symbol of diversity?" said Jennifer Dane, interim executive director of the Modern Military Association of America, an advocacy group for LGBTQ military and veterans. "This decision sends an alarming message to LGBTQ service members, their families, and future recruits."

Stephen Peters, a spokesman for the group, said Esper's decision specifically threatens LGBTQ Pride Month observances that have been held for several years now on bases.

The new Pentagon directive could also ban Black Lives Matter flags. A Pentagon spokesperson did not address that specific question but said the memo does not authorize public display of any unlisted flag.

Esper's memo did not address military bases named after Confederate generals.

The Defense Secretary's decision may widen a rift between the White House and the Pentagon over the potency of Confederate symbols and how the military should address its legacy of racism at a time when Americans are reexamining race relations.

Nationwide protests and calls to remove Confederate symbols and other symbols of racial intolerance erupted following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died when a white Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Where are they: 10 military bases named after Confederate generals

SOURCE AP; Congressional Research Service

Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, applauded Esper's decision but said the Pentagon needed to go further.

Banning the flag is easy and must be followed with the more difficult task of eradicating racism, prejudice, sexism, and all forms of discrimination from the ranks," Reed said. "The military is engaged in serious, meaningful self-examination, action, and reform to address these challenges."

In June, lawmakers in Congress advanced a proposal to strip the names of Confederate generals from bases, buildings, planes, ships and even streets within three years. Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy had also previously indicated their willingness to rename bases that honor Confederate generals.

Testifying before lawmakers earlier this month, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley told lawmakers he viewed the Confederacy as an "act of treason" and had asked a commission to look into the renaming of bases and the removal of statues and symbols.

"The way we should do it matters as much as that we should do it," he said.

But Trump quickly rejected the push to rename military bases in a series of tweets last month.

"These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom," he tweeted on June 10.

And in a July 1 tweet, he threatened to veto a massive defense bill if a provision removing the names from bases was included.

More: Will the Black Lives Matter movement finally put an end to Confederate flags and statues?

Republican lawmakers, however, shrugged off Trump's threat at the time and signaled their openness to changing the base names.

"I would support changing the names of bases that were named in the honor of Confederate generals. Those individuals fought against the United States of America and we should instead be honoring people who fought for the United States of America," Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, told reporters in the Capitol at the time.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told reporters he believed there should be a "process" to remove the names, but "I don't think the name of a facility should be something that's divisive or offensive to people, especially if there are better alternatives."

Contributing: Courtney Subramanian

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Defense Secretary Mark Esper bans Confederate flags on military bases
TEHRAN, Iran, July 17

Trend:



Iran's President Hassan Rouhani urged the remaining signatories of the Iran nuclear deal to stand up for multilateralism by rejecting US calls for the extension of an arms embargo against Tehran.

"Despite claims, it is proved that Iran's nuclear activities have always been transparent and within framework of international regulations," said Rouhani, Trend reports citing IRIB.

Iran remained committed to its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) commitment, said the head of state adding that the agreement achievements should be maintained.

Referring to the fifth anniversary of JCPOA, Rouhani said at the cabinet meeting, that JCPOA was aimed to prove to the world that Iran is a pacifist country and not a threat to world security.

"The efforts of Iranian enemies was eliminated by signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," he said.

Rouhani went on to say that recently, the US tried to force Iran to withdraw from the entire agreement.

Speaking about upcoming expiration of the international arms embargo on Iran in October, the president advised the 4+1 countries (China, Russia, UK, France and Germany) to resist the US pressure and efforts to extend the embargo.

It is about safeguarding international law and multilateralism, Rouhani said noting that failure to prevent the extension will "devalue international treaties  leaving all sides at loss.

We hope countries of P4+1 remain cautious, so we could witness European countries compensate the US withdrawal from JCPOA, he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:29:52|Editor: huaxia

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JUBA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan oil production has dropped to 170,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 185,000 bpd due to disruptions caused by COVID-19 pandemic, said a senior official on Friday.

Awow Daniel Chuang, undersecretary in the ministry of petroleum, disclosed that the drop in production is the result of global economic slowdown due to COVID-19 that has seen oil prices drop to about 40 U.S dollars.

"COVID-19 and slowdown of the economy have caused South Sudan a lot of problems and you know that South Sudan depends on oil heavily. So when the production drops and the global oil price drops as well, it becomes a significant loss to the government," Chuang told journalists in Juba.

Chuang disclosed that as a result of this situation, the government has not been earning enough oil revenue.

He added that the pandemic has also disrupted transportation of logistics and consignment to the northern oil fields in Upper Nile and Unity states respectively, hence affecting production.

"In the last few months, we experienced fighting that had never been there before and We are now at loss and all our partners that are working and investing in South Sudan are in loss," Chuang said.

"The seaports in Sudan and probably in Kenya were not properly functioning which means the delay in delivery of the critical materials that are needed in the oil fields. Some of the rigs were put off as a matter of that," said Chuang.

He disclosed that production in Upper Nile reduced from 130,000 bpd to 120,000 bpd and in Unity state it dropped from 60,000 to 50,000 bpd.

Chuang noted that production is bound to drop amid low global oil prices as oil-producing countries tend to cut production.

"We used to be around 185,000 and almost reaching 190,000 bpd by the beginning of this year, but because of this slowdown, it has affected the projection that we had. So with the ease of lockdown, I think we should be able to come up," he said. Enditem
Mumbai, July 17 : Actor-filmmaker Manish Vatssalya is all set to direct a web series based on the life of late Kanpur-based gangster Vikas Dubey who was killed allegedly in police encounter last week. The thriller crime series has been titled "Hanak".

"As a filmmaker, I feel bound to show the paradigm of our social compass. Vikas Dubey epitomises the vice of human existence. What drew me towards his character is the flaws that define its entity and how they can be picturised to inculcate the values of virtues in our society," Manish Vatssalya told IANS.

Which actors are on his mind for the role of the notorious gangster as well as that of the police personnel? "The concept and the structure of the story is something I was approached with but its nuances have to be conceived and redefined. We will be taking guidelines from the facts, which are in public domain or non-classified police records. Once the details fall into their logical place, the actors who fit the bill will be approached. However, I assure you that you will see the masters of their craft featuring in this series," replied the director.

Filming begins in October this year. Due to social distancing regulations, "the new norms will be adhered and adopted without compromising on our artistic canvas," informed the director.

The web series will be produced by Aditya Kashyap and Awadhesh Tiwari while the story has been penned by Mridul Kapil and Subodh Pandey.

Dreaded gangster from Kanpur Vikas Dubey was killed on July 10 in an alleged shootout with STF officials.

Last week, shortly after Dubey's death, filmmaker Sandip Kapur had tweeted to suggest that Manoj Bajpayee would "kill it" as the gangster.

"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," tweeted Kapur.

Soon, speculative reports started doing the rounds that Manoj Bajpayee is being linked to a project on Vikas Dubey.

However, Bajpayee soon tweeted on his verified account to say that this was "wrong news".
After seeing his business affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, a Michigan jeweler decided to close shop and make money by using about $1 million in precious metals as treasure for would-be treasure hunters willing to pay for clues.

Johnny Perri has been a jeweler his whole life, after learning the business from his father, but the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus proved too hard for his shop in Macomb County, Michigan. He had to options: either sell everything and retire, or find a new way to make money using the jewelry. Perri and his wife chose option two, allegedly burying or otherwise hiding around $1 million-worth of jewelry in dozens of spots, from the Detroit metropolitan area through the Upper Peninsula. Now the jeweler is challenging people to go hunting for his treasures and claim them for themselves, if they can find it.

Photo: Johanna84/Pixabay

I have buried not only my entire jewelry store but thousands upon thousands of dollars of gold, silver, diamonds & antiques in various locations in Michigan from the bottom to the upper peninsula, Perri writes on his website. Everything I have buried has a history and many memories attached to them that I have let go and placed in the ground for you to discover.

Johnnys Treasure Quest, as Johnny Perris new business venture is called, invites people to go on real-life treasure hunts, uncovering clues, solving riddles and walking away with thousands of dollars in riches. While they claim that the total value of the buried or hidden treasure exceeds $1 million, the jewelry is split into dozens of separate treasures. Each quest starts on a certain date and has a limited number of tickets.

The catch is that in order to receive clues for each treasure hunt, participants must first buy a ticket for that specific quest. Once quest begins, every registered treasure hunter will receive a set of clues to point them in the right direction. Whoever finds the treasure first gets to keep it for themselves.

Photo: Johnnys Treasure Quest

You follow the riddle, you got a little wit, a little adventure in you, youll find it quick  I dont expect it to go more than a week, Perri told FOX2 Detroit.

The first treasure quest is scheduled for August 15 and the available tickets have already been sold out. Tickets were priced at $49, and the value of the 200 ounces .999 Silver up for grabs was estimated at $4,000. The next available quest will take place on September 13, and the value of the hidden treasure is estimated at $7,000. Tickets are still available, but cost $59.

In the official rule list on the Johnnys Treasure Quest website, participants are warned not to share the clues they receive on social media or with people who did not register for the treasure hunts. If they do so, they will be disqualified and forbidden from taking part in other quests, and attempts to acquire the treasure after breaking this rule will be met with legal action.



Perri claims that all of the hidden treasures are monitored with GPS trackers, so he knows the moment one of them is moved or otherwise tampered with.

The Michigan jeweler said that he was inspired to turn his stock into buried treasure after reading an article about the infamous Forrest Fenn treasure recently discovered in the Rocky Mountains. After going out and experiencing the natural beauty of his state with his wife, he decided to follow in Fenns footsteps and challenge people to good, old-fashioned treasure hunts.

Giving people adventure is giving them something to believe in again, besides this Covid crap, Perri said.
(CNN)  "J'etouffe!" It's French, for "I'm suffocating" or "I can't breathe," and it was repeated seven times by a man in January as he was being pinned down by three police officers and as another filmed, near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. They would be Cedric Chouviat's last words. The 42-year-old deliveryman and father of five died in a hospital two days later; his autopsy revealing a broken larynx, according to the prosecutor in the case.

The similarities with the case of George Floyd -- a Black American killed during a police arrest in the US city of Minneapolis -- don't end there. Chouviat's arrest, also captured on video, would, like Floyd's, become the focus of a wider campaign against police brutality. And as in the Floyd case, action against the officers would seem painfully slow in coming.

But six months after the death of Chouviat, who was of North African heritage, three of the police officers involved have now been placed under formal investigation, lawyers for the Chouviat family told CNN on Thursday. This, after audio of the incident  captured by Chouviat's own phone  was submitted to the investigating judge. The transcript of the recording, seen by CNN, shows that Chouviat repeated the words "j'etouffe" seven times. A lawyer for two of the police officers says his clients never heard the words as Chouviat was still wearing his motorcycle helmet at the time. All four officers deny any wrongdoing.

The case is one of two that have cast a harsh light on alleged police brutality in France and on the apparent impunity, some say, with which accusations of it are all too often met. Another, involving the death in police custody of Adama Traore in a Paris suburb in 2016, has also seen fresh developments, with the testimony of two witnesses heard as part of the investigation last week.

But four years after the 24-year-old Black man died, no charges have been brought against the officers involved. Their lawyers point to a medical assessment that blames Traore's death on a pre-existing condition that his family says he didn't have.

What the two cases have highlighted is the difficulty that families of victims face in getting allegations of police brutality properly and swiftly investigated. According to William Bourdon, a lawyer for Chouviat's family, France "is getting more like the United States by the persistence of police brutality and by the denial that goes with it."

A spokesperson for the Paris police service declined to comment to CNN.

Both cases have also led to calls for a change in policing techniques. In the Traore case, the officers used a controversial technique that involves pinning a suspect to the ground on his stomach. In Chouviat's case, the allegations center on the use of the chokehold. Last month, under pressure from police unions, plans to ban the technique were shelved by France's then-Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. That he had even considered the move proved unpopular with the police, who held several protests in June against him. On Monday He was replaced as interior minister on July 6 as part of a wider government reshuffle.

Like in the US, there is a culture of resistance in the police force to investigating fellow officers, as well as a resistance on the part of strong police unions to attempts at reform.

All the more so because of its role over the last few years in France in helping the government to put down yellow vest protests by bringing order to the streets of France once again. Some campaigners say the police have simply become too powerful. "I think that the outrage, the anger and sometimes the violence is fueled by this systematic rejection of any allegation," said Cecile Coudriou, president of Amnesty International in France.

"And the more the authorities stick to this rejection of any allegation, the more they try to refuse dialogue, including with us, with people who work based on the evidence, the worse it gets because it means people lose confidence in the authorities and lose confidence in the people who are supposed to not only to enforce the law but also to protect the people."

Lack of data about race or ethnicity

Another difficulty, and one that is specific to France, is the impossibility of quantifying racist incidents. France's public institutions do not collect any or data on race or ethnicity, in a laudable effort aimed at treating all citizens equally.

But this law has led to a lack of data, making it difficult for non-White French people to make White French people aware of the very different reality they face. As one activist, Rhoda Tchokokam, put it, "people are telling you that because of race, because of religion, because of gender, they're being discriminated against. If you cannot face it, then you are basically saying to the people of your country that you don't see them and that you don't care about them. So it's very important for the French state to understand that we are going to keep talking about it. And they need to start doing the same thing."

All the more so, say activists, because while the French state may not see color, the police apparently do. Non-White French people say they are subjected to identity checks far more than White people. Ben Achour, a lawyer who specializes in police brutality and discrimination, said the checks are being misused.

"What the police does," Ben Achour said, "is rather than chase delinquents, they check to see if you are really French. And that allows also the frisking, the violence, the insults, and the racist slurs. That's the condition of life of a lot of kids in France. They are subjected to those kinds of actions several times a week. How can they develop self-esteem? How can they trust the republic? How can you not challenge the republic when one of the first institution you are in contact with when you are 10, 11, 12, 13 years old, is violent towards you?"

Until now, because of the data law, the problem has been impossible to quantify and the evidence was purely anecdotal. But last month a report by France's civil liberties ombudsman, former justice minister Jacques Toubon, warned that people of Black and Arab appearance were subject to police identity checks 20 times more frequently than White people.

For Achour, this first recognition of the problem by a French institution is a huge step. He told CNN that what Toubon had found was "major systemic structural discrimination in France. And he says we need to count it. We need to measure this discrimination. You cannot fight discrimination, you cannot create policies if you don't have a measure because otherwise the problem doesn't exist. And this is why the moment is very important. We now have momentum in France."

That momentum has been helped by events in the United States. The death of George Floyd and America's national reckoning have given fresh hope to supporters of both the Chouviat and Traore families with several protests held these last few weeks in France. Their "Black Lives Matter" slogan may have been imported, but they have been fueled by cases and by grievances that are entirely French.

This story was first published on CNN.com "After George Floyd, French police face fresh scrutiny over alleged brutality"
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By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: After a statue of Periyar EV Ramasamy near Sundarapuram in Coimbatore was splashed with saffron paint on Friday, a 21-year-old member of Bharat Sena surrendered at the Podanur police station.

The youth, identified as M Arun Krishnan of Anna Nagar on Chettipalayam Road, has been arrested for desecrating the statue by pouring saffron-coloured paint over it.

"Arun Krishnan is the south district (Coimbatore) organiser of the Bharat Sena," said Deputy Commissioner (Law and Order) G Stalin. Police said that he was arrested under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups...) and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 5.30 am on Friday near Ayyar hospital bus stop close to Sundarapuram. Although two police personnel were deployed at the spot, the duo had briefly stepped away as it was raining.

Although most of the paint washed away in the rain, a group of members from Dravidar Kazhagam and Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam later assembled at the spot and demanded action against the culprits.

DCP Stalin and other police officials had visited the spot and assured that appropriate action would be taken. A police force in protective gear was deployed at the spot while a police team initiated an investigation by going through CCTV footage. Meanwhile, members of Periyarist organisations cleaned the statue, which was installed by the Thanthai Periyar Pasarai in 1995 and inaugurated by Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani.

Another statue desecrated in Thirukovilur

In a similar incident, a Periyar statue was desecrated with a garland of footwear at Keezhayur village at Thirukovilur in Kallakurichi district on Friday afternoon.

While DMK and VCK staged a demonstration demanding action, police said they were looking for the culprits. "A case has been booked under Sections 153 and 504 of the IPC against the miscreants," said Thirukovilur inspector Selvam.



Condemnation from political leaders



Political leaders Minister SP Velumani, DMK president MK Stalin, Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, PMK founder S Ramadoss and MDMK leader Vaiko condemned the desecration. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami also strongly condemned the vandalism.

Police pointed out that the incident had occurred in the backdrop of an outcry, led by the BJP, against a private YouTube channel that aired an offensive video denigrating the Hindu god Murugan.




New Delhi, Jul 17(UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday sharply attacked senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of constant blunders and indiscretions that have fundamentally weakened India.



The EAM Minister took to twitter to respond him and reminded Mr Gandhi that he appeared to have glossed over Pakistan in his video message.



'And #Pakistan (that you skipped) surely notes the difference between Balakot & Uri on the one hand, and Sharm-el-Sheikh, Havana & 26/11 on the other. Ask yourself,' Mr Jaishankar said in a series of tweets.



'Since 2014, the PM's constant blunders and indiscretions have fundamentally weakened India and left us vulnerable. Empty words don't suffice in the world of geopolitics,' Mr Gandhi tweeted this morning, along with a video of him discussing the border tension between India and China.



Mr Jaishankar said that Indias major relationship are stronger.



'Our major partnerships are stronger and international standing higher. Witness regular summits and informal meetings with the US, Russia, Europe and Japan. India engages China on more equal terms politically... Ask the analysts,' he said in a tweet.



'We speak our mind more openly now. On CPEC, on BRI, on South China Sea, on UN sanctioned terrorists, etc... Ask the media,' he tweeted, referring to the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative.



India has right from the start protested against China's CPEC push as the corridor passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.



'Difficult ties with Maldives, after India watched President Nasheed being toppled in 2012, now stand transformed... Ask our businesses,' Mr Jaishankar further tweeted.



'Nepal after 17 years is getting Prime Ministerial visits. And a swathe of developmental projects: power, fuel, housing, hospital, roads, etc... Ask their citizens,' he added.



UNI ASH JTS 2339
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The first time Angel Johnson took a COVID-19 test, she knew within two days she was virus-free.

Shes been waiting a week now for the results of her second test.

She woke last Wednesday feeling off, and then feverish, so she called in sick. Her temperature climbed to 101.5 and stayed there for 12 hours. It broke, but she became congested.

It seems like a really annoying case of the summer flu, Johnson said. If it wasnt for the fact I lost all sense of taste and smell, Id have gone back to work.

Because she feared the worst, she logged onto the CVS website to schedule a COVID-19 test.

She couldnt get an appointment until a week ago Friday. But that was a short wait compared to what happened next.

At first, it said five to eight days to get results, she said. And when I got the test, they told me it was eight to 10 days.

The not-knowing is an anxious inconvenience for Johnson, who is burning through her sick time while waiting it out and is prepared to stay home unpaid, if necessary.
A serial burglar has been jailed for 15 months after breaking into a house in west Belfast and stealing a car which he later crashed into two other vehicles.

During a remote video link hearing on Friday, July 17, Belfast Crown Court heard that Aidan Magennis had a formidable criminal record of 90 previous convictions.

Magennis, (30), of Broom Close in Dunmurry, west Belfast, pleaded guilty to a total of nine charges which included burglary, attempted burglary, aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving.

He also admitted assault on police, resisting police, driving with excess alcohol, failing to provide a specimen of breath and driving without insurance.

In a written submission to the court, the prosecution said Magennis first tried to enter a house at Hannahglen Heights, in the Hannahstown area of west Belfast, in the early hours of December 27, 2019.

Minutes later he went to another house in the street where he broke in and stole a purse and a set of car keys.

The owner of this house was awakened by the sound of breaking glass and saw Magennis inside the house and tried unsuccessfully to prevent the defendant from making off in the familys Seat Leon car.

The court heard the Seat Leon was driven dangerously in the Colin Glen area of the city, colliding with two vehicles which were later written off and crashing into a wall.

Police responded and when officers arrived on the scene, Magennis resisted one constable and assaulted a second.

His alcohol reading was 99 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood - 19 milligrammes over the drink-drive limit.

Belfast Recorder Judge David McFarland said Magennis had been involved in an appalling piece of driving, damaging the Seat Leon, writing off two other cars he had struck and ploughing into a wall.

The judge said Magennis had a formidable criminal record of 90 offences, including nine convictions for burglary, ten for resisting police, seven assaults on police and 15 road traffic convictions.

Judge McFarland said the aggravating features in the case were that the burglary and attempted burglary had taken place at private residences, at night when the occupants were asleep and the defendants lengthy criminal record.

This is a case which requires a custodial sentence, said the Belfast Recorder.

Taking into account his guilty plea and the current medical emergency of Covid-19, the judge said he would discount the sentence by 37 and a half per cent.

Imposing a concurrent sentence of 30 months, Judge McFarland told Magennis he would spend 15 months in custody and 15 months on supervised licence on his release from jail.

Magennis was also banned from driving for a period of five years.
A worker arranges steel rolls in a factory in the southern province of An Giang. Photo by VnExpress/Phuong Dong.

Australia has initiated an investigation into Vietnamese coated steel for dumping and subsidization between April last year and March this year.

It follows an application by Australian company BlueScope Steel Limited, according to a statement from Australias Anti-Dumping Commission (ADC).

The application alleged that the goods, aluminum zinc coated steel of 600 millimeters width or more, have been exported from Vietnam, South Korea and Taiwan at less than their normal prices.

It also said that the products from Vietnam received countervailable subsidies. This has undercut Australian steel and reduced profits for manufactures there, the application said.

Vietnamese exporters are invited to complete a questionnaire and submit revelation information to Australia by August 6, and have been advised by trade authorities to comply.

In 2018 the ADC concluded a year-long investigation into steel producer Hoa Phat Group for dumping but found no evidence for it.

The U.S. in May launched an investigation to determine if Chinese steel sheets and strips were completed and exported from Vietnam to circumvent its duties.
Sushant Singh Rajput was launched by Ekta Kapoor in her show Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil. He later became popular as Manav Deshmukh in Ekta's other show, Pavitra Rishta, before foraying into Bollywood. The producer was close to Sushant. It has to be recalled that she had shared a heart-touching note on her social media account when the news of the actor's demise was out. A couple of days ago, Ekta also shared an emotional post for Sushant on one-month anniversary of the actor's death. Now, the producer has announced Pavitra Rishta fund in memory of the late actor.

For the same, Ekta will be collaborating with Tarun Katial. This is for spreading awareness among people about mental health.

Ekta was quoted by IANS as saying, "The times have drastically shifted from what it was 10 years ago, as there is a lot more pressure today. With the pandemic around, especially with all of us being confined to our homes, people are facing a lot more stress and anxiety. Stress levels due to work, friction at home, loss of jobs etc, have contributed to the ongoing issues of deteriorating mental health conditions in many. It is my privilege to be a part of the Pavitra Rishta Fund, and I will always be happy to be a part of such initiatives in the future as well."

ZEE5 India CEO, Tarun Katial said, "Our endeavour is to create awareness and be able to help as many individuals as we can, who are suffering from this issue."

Notably, Sushant Singh Rajput's last Bollywood film Dil Bechara will be streaming on Disney+Hotstar from July 24.

(With IANS Inputs)

Also Read: Sushant Singh Rajput Death Case: Shekhar Suman Backs Rhea Chakraborty For Seeking CBI Probe

Also Read: Anil Deshmukh On Sushant's Death Case: Don't Think CBI Probe Is Required, We Don't See Any Foul Play
When indie filmmaker Kelly Reichardts latest film First Cow opened just before the COVID lockdown, she drew a line in the sand separating her queer feminist agenda from Hollywood convention. First Cow became the most critically acclaimed film of 2020 and now that its back via streaming services, Reichardts rejection of genre tradition becomes part of the recently escalated chaos; its a renewed threat.

Reichardts anti-Western, set in the Pacific Northwest of the 1820s, counters the historical mythology of strong white male founders through two sensitive (read queer) cisgender males, Cookie Figowitz (John Magaro) and King-Lu (Orion Lee), who partner covertly. Using their skills at cooking and survival, they sell baked goods to the treacherous Gold Rush pioneers, a venture in early entrepreneurship  and minority group audacity  that costs them their lives. (Reichardts story, adapted with Jonathan Raymond from his novel, is a long, mournful flashback that begins with discovering the two mens corpses, a historical outrage like 2017s woke drama Mudbound.)

This reset of the past accords with Obamas You didnt build that! allegation. Reichardt posits that American capitalism is based on treacherous, murderous competition; she reveals her bias by patronizing Cookie and King-Lu as victims. She dooms her enterprising mixed-race couple, thereby blaming the melting pot rather than praising it. The duo steals milk from a neighbors cow, Reichardts symbol of nature, yet she disregards the in-place system of ownership that renders her thieving couple as plunderers  a slip-up in her nascent Communist narrative.

Its important that Reichardt endorse oppressed-group representatives Cookie and King-Lu in order to oppose the white male pioneer legend she despises.

I just dont understand [macho men]  I dont get it, Reichardt told Mel Magazine.

Its beyond my comprehension. Like, in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the idea of the shirtless man on top of the roof  the white man who beats up Bruce Lee, saves the damsel in distress, and sets on fire the scummy hippies  Im just like, Really? People love it, but I dont understand, especially in the climate we live in, how the macho-man thing just keeps being interesting to anybody.

Story continues

Reichardts woebegone heroes can only interest the pop generation that has canceled John Wayne and fully bought into the idea of American heterosexual wickedness. First Cow plays out Reichardts misandry in highbrow terms: quoting William Blake (The bird a nest, the spider a web, man a friend) and then by art-movie stealth. Cookie and King-Lu are metrosexual prototypes: Cookie is maternal; he cooks, cares for a child, and cleans the abode while King-Lu is handy, chopping firewood and directing their business project. Both are seen through door- and window-framing shots that diagram the nonbinary division of labor. Reichardts indie-queer aesthetic is tendentious; she teaches modish ways of viewing gender roles, social roles, and history. (Lesley Woods did it better, with humor and aplomb, in The Au Pairs two rousing post-punk albums, Playing with a Different Sex and Sense and Sensuality.)

As a cineaste, Reichardts challenge to art-film style goes beyond Tarantino-bashing. Her 2010 Western, Meeks Cutoff, was based on a castration pun, while First Cow acknowledges the Pacific Northwests Antifa roots in its reproof of American industry (although not indicting the areas tech firms). Her opening image of a modern commercial freighter matches her period image of the cow arriving by trawler  think The Revenant as made by a social activist. She deliberately applies nihilism to the revisionist Western, as when the actor Rene Auberjonois makes a curious appearance as a skeptical outsider, echoing his small role in the classic McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Robert Altmans dreamlike yet realistic recall of American commerce, cutthroat competition  and romance.

Reichardts male-male narrative should be romantic  and inspiring like the pre-feminist entrepreneurial melodrama Lucy Gallant. But Reichardts dark, desiccated point of view is strictly negative. (This is no place for cows. If it was, God would have put one here. No place for white men, either. That exchange typifies Reichardts idea of local color, plus ecological scolding.) All the rich vision and emotion that made McCabe & Mrs. Miller magnificent  including Altmans genius use of Leonard Cohen ballads and his evocation of William Faulkner  are missing. We sit and watch Reichardt play out her bitter thesis without being astonished.

At two hours-plus, Reichardt stretches the narrative, making obvious points, such as wasting Toby Jones and Ewan Bremner in half-characterizations of Europe-derived class and economic enmity that lack even the Western pulp sarcasm of the Coen brothers Buster Scruggs. Critics who tout Reichardts relevance put politics before art. And she rewards them with cynicism: History isnt here yet; its coming, King-Lu says. Maybe this time we can be ready for it. We can take it on our own terms. Thats Reichardts fundamentally-transform-America line in the sand: a disdainful revision of traditional masculinity and Americas past. First Cow never achieves McCabe & Mrs. Millers tragedy status; Reichardts rewrite of American history is bathos.

More from National Review
Longtime Representative Eliot Engel was toppled in New Yorks Democratic primary race on Friday by progressive political newcomer Jamaal Bowman.

Bowman, a former public middle school principal, received 55.5 percent of the vote compared to Engels 40.4 percent, with 100 percent of precincts reporting.

The major upset win by Bowman was anticipated after initial results showed him with a double-digit lead over the Engel, 73, the 16-term incumbent. The primary was held on June 23, but the results were not finalized until Friday, more than three weeks later, due to delays counting mail-in ballots.

If we can take on entrenched power and wealthy interests here in Westchester and the Bronx, then we can do it all across this country, Bowman said in a Twitter thread celebrating his win.

Bowmans win echoes Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs 2018 primary win against powerful 10-term incumbent and Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley in his Bronx and Queens district.

Bowman, who is Black, garnered the support of the Working Families Party as well as Justice Democrats, a progressive group that was a driving force behind Ocasio-Cortezs campaign. Ocasio-Cortez herself joined Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren in supportng Bowman.

Engel, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was a high-profile player in President Trumps impeachment. His district, which includes parts of the Bronx and Westchester County, was hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic, during which period Eliot remained at home in Washington, igniting criticism against him. Early last month, Eliot damaged his standing further when he was caught on a hot mic at a press conference on race issues saying, if I didnt have a primary, I wouldnt care.

He was very clear, if he wasnt in the primary race, he would not care about speaking to his constituents, Bowman said last month of Engels comments. People throughout the district told us he is not present, he is not engaged, he doesnt care and its time for a change.

Story continues

Engel, a Bronx native, has been in Congress since 1989 and has also represented the Hudson Valley as well as Rockland County over his career in the lower chamber.

More from National Review
Photo credit: NASA/CXC/M. Weiss

From Popular Mechanics

Researchers have spotted a cluster of super-rare black holes, which were previously categorized as another less-rare type of black hole.

Scientists made the discovery after looking through data collected during the Chandra Deep Field-South celestial survey.

Clearing up this celestial mix-up could help scientists unravel the mysteries of black hole evolution.

It's a cosmic case of mistaken identity.

After combing through data collected during the Chandra X-ray Observatory's Chandra Deep Field-South survey, a team of researchers discovered that one type of black hole they had frequently seen in the data was actually another type of black hole in disguise.

The team paired the Chandra X-ray Observatory data with observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and other key observatories to search for a notoriously elusive type of black hole called a "heavily obscured" black hole. These newly formed supermassive black holes are surrounded by dense clouds of gas and dust, which they feed off of in order to grow to gargantuan sizes. Because of this dense cloud, they're almost impossible to spot.

Previous studies found 67 of these stealthy cloaked black holesway fewer than scientists expected to find. But this recent survey revealed an additional 28 that had previously been misidentified. The scientists posted their discovery to the preprint website arXiv.org, and the Astrophysical Journal has since accepted a paper summarizing the findings.

"This could be considered a case of mistaken black hole identity," coauthor Marco Chiaberge, of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, said in a statement. "But these black holes are exceptionally good at hiding exactly what they are."

Chiaberge and his colleagues suspect these types of supermassive black holes emit the same amount of X-rays but, because of their dense cloud shielded, they're hidden from the view of prying telescopes.

Story continues

"It's like the X-ray background is a blurry picture that has been slowly coming into focus for decades," coauthor Roberto Gilli, of the National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) in Bologna, Italy, said in the same statement. "Our work has involved understanding the nature of the objects that have been some of the last to be resolved."

The researchers hope solving this mystery will lead to a better understanding of how supermassive black holes evolve. It will help scientists create more accurate models of the the flow of X-ray signatures that flood our universe.

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It was not clear how the new policy may affect other flags that were not explicitly authorized, such as specific flags that military units have, the rainbow gay pride flag and the Gadsden flag, which features a yellow field, a rattlesnake and the phrase Dont tread on me. The Gadsden flags roots can be traced to soldiers in the Revolutionary War, but it also is frequently used to express anti-government sentiment.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The Department of Health clarified on Friday that healthcare workers in San Lazaro Hospital in Manila are paid even when they are on quarantine.

Dati pa naman natin yan kina-klaro sa lahat na bibigyan sila ng enough time  kung kailangan mag-quarantine because of exposure and that is paid, Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters in a briefing, citing the San Lazaro management.

[Translation: We have been clarifying to everybody that we will give them enough time to undergo quarantine and that is paid.]

Vergeire made the clarification after the Filipino Nurses United-San Lazaro Hospital chapter on Thursday reportedly held a silent protest stemming from issues such as lack of personal protective equipment and unpaid leave if the medical staff is under quarantine.

The official came to the defense of the San Lazaro management, saying that the PPE supply in the hospital is adequate and that the medical personnel are not being deprived of the equipment.

The nurses' rights group has yet to respond to the request by CNN Philippines for comment on the matter.

In an earlier statement, it complained of unjust salary and implementation of hazard pay, among other concerns.

San Lazaro Hospital has maintained it is compliant in the giving of salaries and benefits in accordance to budget appropriation and guidelines.

Vergeire expressed hopes the union and the management could reach a resolution, adding that DOH is open to joining their dialogues to help iron out the workplace issues.

Ulysses Arcilla, a nurse and the president of San Lazaro Hospital Employees Association said separately that 80 health workers in San Lazaro have caught the coronavirus. Arcilla said one died due to the virus, two nurses are in critical condition, and nine health workers are still waiting to be admitted.
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SAO PAULO - The first deaths from COVID-19 have come to a vast, remote region of the Amazon that Brazils government says is home to greatest concentration of isolated Indigenous groups in the world.

Experts fear the new coronavirus could spread rapidly among peoples with lesser resistance even to already common diseases and limited access to health care, potentially wiping out some smaller groups.

A 83-year-old Marubo man known as Yovempa died of COVID-19 on July 5, the countrys Special Secretariat of Indigenous Health said five days later. Two other deaths were reported later by the independent Indigenous Peoples Coordination.

Yovempa was not in an isolated group, but lived in a village close to some of those groups. An organization representing Marubo people on the Itui River said in a statement that the elder Indigenous leader hadnt left home for months.

If the virus is not halted immediately, it might arrive and quickly devastate other Marubo communities along the Itui river and exterminate both recently contacted Korubo groups and isolated groups, the Marubo group said in a statement.

The health secretariat, known as SESAI, said it has recorded 220 coronvirus infections in the Javari Valley, a 33,000-square-mile (85,445 square kilometre) that is nearly as big as Hungary.

Brazils government says the valley is home to numerous Indigenous groups, 10 of them isolated people who often refuse contact with non-Indigenous peoples because of a history disease and violence against them. SESAI says the total population  not including the isolated  was about 6,200 at last count in 2014, about one-third of them Marubo.

Indigenous leaders have begun trying to muster their own means to provide treatment given a local scarcity of hospital infrastructure. They have turned to a non-profit, Health Expeditionaries, to build small field infirmaries to treat mild cases so that people dont need to travel to bigger towns such as Atalaia do Norte, where the health care system collapsed in June with about 400 suspected COVID-19 cases among a population of 13,000 people.

The state of Amazonas, where the Javari Valley lies, was hard hit by COVID-19 in April, which led to mass burials and chaos in hospitals of capital city Manaus. Since June the situation has improved. But in the Javari Valley, 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) from Manaus, the pandemic remains at early stages.

The first coronavirus cases in the Javari region came five weeks ago. Indigenous leaders from various ethnicities near the Itui river called on the federal government to adopt urgent measures to stop the spread.

But the Union of Indigenous Peoples of the Javari Valley complained that the government had failed to set up checkpoints as promised to limit access to their lands.

Leaders of the Matses people, who straddle Brazils border with Peru, made a similar request in a June 29 letter to authorities, and said their need for protection had not been met.

On Tuesday, the governments National Indigenous Foundation issued a statement denying accusations of failures in its response during the pandemic. It said its critics had backed the old socialist indigenous policies of welfare and patronage, which caused so much disgrace for Brazilian Indigenous groups.

Health Expeditionaries, aided by SESAI doctors and nurses, plans to dispatch 50 small field infirmaries with oxygen equipment, radio communications and energy generators throughout the Amazon in the next month. Brazils Defence Ministry said on Friday one of its helicopters will be in a mission with SESAI staffers to deliver equipment for another seven infirmaries into the Javari Valley.

Ricardo Affonso Ferreira, president of the non-profit, said the small infirmaries can help up to 10 people who face difficulty breathing. The Indigenous treated so far stay between two and four days at the facilities, he told The Associated Press.

With this virus every minute counts, so we will travel in whichever way we can to deliver the remaining units of care, Ferreira said, adding he expects the whole operation with the helicopter to take at least 20 hours.

Local leader Beto Marubo said that up to 900 Indigenous people from several groups are at growing risk of contagion on the shores of the Itaquai River, which stretches to the city of Atalaia do Norte.

COVID-19 might have already reached the river Itaquai, where the Kanamari groups live, he said. It is close to where most of the isolated groups in the Javari Valley live, he said.
One day after Gov. Brian Kemp sued the mayor and city council of Atlanta over its mandatory mask rule, he addressed the state at the Georgia capitol. Kemps Friday press conference focused on the lawsuit against Atlanta and Georgias recent surge in COVID-19 cases.

The state government is at odds with some local governments that have implemented mandatory mask rules. There is no statewide mask mandate, and Kemps executive orders outlaw any local ordinance that is more restrictive than the states. Some cities, however, instituted rules that made it mandatory for people to wear masks in certain conditions, starting with Savannah in late June. Athens instituted a mask rule last week.

Kemp said he asked local leaders to enforce the rules of the current executive order instead of local mandates that are confusing and unenforceable. He said local leaders should encourage wearing a mask but not require it.

Now I know that many well-intentioned and well-informed Georgians want a mask mandate, and while we all agree that wearing a mask is effective, Im confident that Georgians dont need a mandate to do the right thing, Kemp said.

He addressed the lawsuit filed yesterday against Atlanta city council and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Bottoms reverted to phase one COVID-19 guidelines on July 10, which included a mandatory mask rule and restrictions on certain businesses. Kemp said Bottoms decision to close businesses in the city is economically devastating.

Kemp said the lack of a statewide mask mandate is about protecting the livelihoods of our citizens. Kemp cited Georgias unemployment rate of 7.5%, which is lower than Californias 17.5%. California has adopted more restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 than Georgia has.

This is not about masks. We all agree its good to wear a mask in the right situation, Kemp said.

Athens will continue to enforce its mask mandate, Mayor Kelly Girtz said in an interview Thursday. He said Kemps lawsuit against Atlanta was disappointing.

Georgia was at one point called the New South, and we considered ourselves head and shoulders above some of our neighbors, in terms of professionalism, Girtz said. Unfortunately, this speaks to a very different direction than that.

The governor also addressed the states recent surge in COVID-19 cases. Kemp said over the last several weeks the state has seen a rise in cases and hospitalization rates, partly caused by the demonstrations protesting police brutality. Kemp said the protests sent a message to people that it was OK to gather in large crowds.

He urged people to wear a mask, keep 6 feet between themselves and others, wash hands throughout the day and follow his executive order and listen to public health officials.

Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey also discussed the recent surge in cases. Georgias COVID-19 test positivity  the rate of tests that come back positive out of total tests administered  is 13.6%, and hospitalizations are up 39%, she said.

Gwinnett, Fulton and DeKalb counties have the highest number of new cases over the past three weeks, accounting for nearly 26% of all new cases in the state. The DPH has seen outbreaks in places where there are many people gathering, including businesses, fraternity houses and churches.

Toomey said testing was up throughout the state to 14,000 specimens per day, but acknowledged Georgia needs more testing. Speed of testing results and lab capacity both need to be improved, she said. Some commercial labs are taking up to two weeks to get results back to patients, an unacceptable delay. She said the state is working to increase its testing capacity and bringing on an additional lab to improve test turnaround time.

Toomey also discussed the reopening of schools. Kemp and Toomey both said they want schools to reopen with in-person classes in the fall. She said schools will follow certain guidelines in the fall to prevent the spread of the virus, including working with the DPH to track COVID-19 cases.

Schools will receive shipments of personal protective equipment in the coming weeks, Toomey said. She said a single case of COVID-19 wont shut a school down.

We know and fully expect that there will be some cases of COVID among students and teachers, and we are doing everything we can to provide the resources needed to protect everyone in the school setting, Toomey said.


STOCKHOLM (dpa-AFX) - Shares of Ericsson (ERIC) were gaining around 8 percent in the morning trading in Sweden after the telecom equipment maker reported Friday higher profit and sales in its second quarter with limited impact from Covid-19 pandemic.



Looking ahead, the company maintained its Group targets for 2020 and 2022 with the current visibility, even though the effects of Covid-19 create uncertainties. The company said it remains positive on the longer-term outlook.



For fiscal 2020, Ericsson now said that increased R&D costs, from accelerated R&D investments, along with lower sales, are likely to result in a delay of some quarters in reaching the 2020 target of low single-digit margin for Digital Services.



Further, 2022 operating margin target of 10 percent to 12 percent remains firm.



Regarding its 5G plans, President and CEO Borje Ekholm said the company is ready to deliver on the promises of 5G, based on its strong 5G portfolio and a resilient balance sheet.



The company noted that there is a strong demand for its cloud-native and 5G portfolio, and has recorded several important tier 1 customer wins in 5G Core that will generate revenues in 2021 and beyond.



Ekholm added, 'As critical national infrastructure, 5G will be a key determinant for long-term competitiveness of the general economy, and act as a stimulant to accelerate economic growth, attract future investments and speed up technology innovation. I believe Europe must prioritize actions to incentivize investments in the digital infrastructure, to include lowering the cost and speeding up the availability of spectrum.'



For the second quarter, Ericsson's net income rose 40 percent to 2.6 billion Swedish kronor from 1.8 billion kronor last year. On a per share basis, earnings were 0.74 kronor, up 45 percent compared to 0.51 kronor in the prior year.



Operating income increased 3 percent to 3.9 billion kronor from last year's 3.7 billion kronor. Operating margin improved to 6.9 percent from 6.8 percent last year. Adjusted operating income was 4.5 billion kronor, compared to prior year's 3.9 billion kronor driven by improvements in Digital Services segment.



Adjusted operating margin grew to 8.2 percent from 7 percent last year.



Gross margin improved to 37.6 percent from 36.6 percent last year, and adjusted gross margin improved to 38.2 percent from 36.7 percent a year ago.



Sales for the quarter edged up 1 percent to 55.6 billion kronor from 54.8 billion kronor in the previous year. Sales adjusted for comparable units and currency were flat year-over-year. Networks sales increased 4 percent from last year.



In Sweden, Ericsson shares were 94.70 kronor, up 8.06 percent.



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By Sukey Lewis | KQED

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Nicole remembers feeling grateful that Officer Morgan McGrew agreed to meet her so early in the morning. The 7:30 a.m. appointment would let her handle the errand -- verifying her car's vehicle identification number -- and still make it to work on time.

But when she met McGrew in the parking lot of the West Valley California Highway Patrol Office in Los Angeles, there seemed to be a problem. McGrew said he was having trouble finding the VIN sticker on her car door. Then, Nicole says, the conversation abruptly shifted.

"'I'll pass this car, and you'll be able to get your registration, if you go out on a date with me,'" she remembers McGrew saying. "I kind of froze," she says.

Nicole says she was suddenly hyper aware of her surroundings -- alone in a deserted parking lot with a man who was sitting in the front seat of her car.

"I was going through my options in my head for a minute or two there trying to figure out: OK, if this gets even more uncomfortable and sketchy what am I going to do next?" she says.

At first, she tried to laugh off his proposition. She needed him to sign off on her car's VIN. But McGrew didn't drop it; he kept asking. Twice more, she says, he offered to pass her car in exchange for a date.

"At that point I just shut down completely, and just kind of gave him this look like, 'I'm so uncomfortable,'" she says. "And then he got more awkward and finally just kind of stepped out of my car, handed me paperwork and said I was good to go. And then I drove off."

Nicole, who spoke on condition that her full name not be published to respect her privacy, was one of 21 women McGrew propositioned and harassed during VIN verification appointments, according to records from a 2016 internal investigation obtained by KQED and the California Reporting Project.

Text messages exchanged between former CHP Officer Morgan McGrew and a woman he'd met during a VIN inspection. (Via California Highway Patrol)

Four women said McGrew offered to pass their vehicles if they would go on a date or to a nearby motel with him. Two said McGrew sent them text messages soliciting sex after he took down their phone numbers during a VIN appointment. Fifteen described McGrew making comments that ranged from proposing sex to asking intrusive personal questions.

McGrew resigned in 2017 when the California Highway Patrol notified him that it planned to fire him for a variety of misconduct, including improperly trying to foster relationships with members of the public, making inappropriate sexual comments and propositioning women for sex while on duty, the documents show.

The records provide details about the type of sexual misconduct by law enforcement that remained secret for decades in California until a landmark transparency law required agencies last year to publicly disclose a variety of documents, including investigations of officers found to have committed sexual assault while on duty. The Right to Know Act has exposed repeated instances of abuse, ranging from correctional officers in prison and jail who assaulted women under their guard to an officer fired for soliciting sex from an arrestee and one accused of beating and raping his girlfriend.

In McGrew's case, the CHP did not refer him to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office to decide if criminal charges were warranted. A CHP spokeswoman wrote in an email that "had there been sufficient evidence that a crime had occurred, it would have been investigated and potentially referred to the district attorney's office."

The district attorney's office declined to comment on the case. The California Association of Highway Patrolmen, which represented McGrew, also did not respond to requests for comment.

Efforts to reach McGrew for comment were unsuccessful. The CHP records show he admitted making the comments during VIN inspections but argued that termination was an excessive punishment after his 14 years of service.

"While I do not dispute that I made inexcusable comments to members of the public, the remarks were never mean spirited," he wrote in a letter to internal affairs.

Former U.S. Attorney for Northern California Joseph Russoniello, who reviewed the internal affairs files, described McGrew's conduct as "a wanton abuse of his badge" and said he was shocked that the CHP did not refer McGrew to the DA.

"An agency needs to show that it's serious about rejecting this kind of behavior," Russoniello says. "And the serious way to do that is a criminal referral."

"This is an extraordinary example of how they (police) hide their dirty laundry and protect their own," says Phil Stinson, criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He says the documents contain clear allegations that McGrew repeatedly solicited bribes in the form of sexual favors from women.

Stinson, who's studied police crime for 16 years, says officers like McGrew are often dismissed as "bad apples" and terminated, but that departments fail to investigate the systemic issues that allowed the misconduct in the first place.

As a mass movement over police violence continues across the country, Stinson says the prevalence of police sexual violence is an integral part of the issue. His research has found that behavior like McGrew's is normalized in many U.S. police departments.

"Not every police officer, of course, is engaging in this kind of behavior," Stinson says. "But I can tell you that most police officers across the country could tell you of a colleague who engages in this type of behavior."

The number of times the CHP has disciplined an officer for sexual misconduct in the past five years is still unknown. A coalition of news organizations including KQED requested all such records on Jan. 1, 2019, but the agency stalled for over a year before providing a single case file. KQED filed a lawsuit in May against the CHP to force disclosure. The internal investigation of former Officer McGrew was produced shortly thereafter.

The agency has also released its investigation into former CHP officer Timothy Larios, whose romantic relationship with a female confidential informant compromised an interagency narcotics operation and endangered the woman. A third file details the agency's probe into former officer John Frizzell who was fired in 2014 for fondling a woman's breasts during a traffic stop and asking another female motorist to lift up her shirt. Like McGrew, neither of these officers faced criminal charges, according to the documents.

Records show the CHP began investigating McGrew after a woman made a complaint in 2016. Like Nicole, this woman made an appointment with McGrew to get her VIN verified so she could get her car registered with the DMV. She had her son with her.

McGrew gave the kid a CHP sticker and looked at the vehicle.

McGrew then told the woman he would pass her car if she went to a nearby motel with him, according to the documents. The woman, who spoke Spanish, didn't immediately understand what McGrew was asking. So, McGrew repeated the proposition twice.

The woman went inside the office to complain about McGrew's behavior. A sergeant asked her if she misunderstood McGrew due to the language barrier and if she'd been drinking or taking drugs. She said there was no misunderstanding and that she wasn't under the influence.

"She could not explain the expression on Officer McGrew's face, but she said he was smiling when he asked the question about getting a motel room," the documents say.

As part of the internal investigation stemming from that incident the CHP sent three rounds of surveys to about 150 women between 18-40 years of age who'd made appointments with McGrew during his time as an inspection officer.

The CHP improperly redacted dates showing the length of the investigation and time span of McGrew's abuse. But it is clear that the agency's investigation did not include anything in the officer's career before he was assigned to vehicle inspections.

By limiting the scope of the investigation to those over the age of 18, investigators may well have missed more vulnerable victims.

"What about the 16- or 17-year-old driver that may own a car that he had come into contact with?" Stinson says.

CHP investigators found multiple women who confirmed that McGrew even made sexual comments to those who were with their partners or children, and he did target young women.

'You don't look disabled from here,' McGrew told a woman with a disability parking permit. Later in that same appointment he told her, 'You're young, but not too young for me.' (Anna Vignet/KQED)

One woman with a disability due to a back injury said that McGrew questioned her about parking her vehicle in a handicapped parking spot.

"You don't look disabled from here," McGrew said, according to the woman. Later in that same appointment he told her, "You're young, but not too young for me."

Another woman said she felt violated after her experience at the CHP office. According to the documents:

"Officer McGrew asked her what she was going to do for him if he passed her car. She said she tried to laugh it off, but believed it was inappropriate. She said he then made comments about 'handcuffing' her and getting her in the 'back seat of her car.' [Victim's name redacted] also stated he mentioned taking her to a motel at the end or up the street. She said he even mentioned it had been recently remodeled and that it was fairly clean."





McGrew admitted to investigators that he had made inappropriate comments to women while on duty, but said he never intended to act on those comments. When asked why he made these propositions to women, McGrew replied: "Just to see if they'll say yes," according to interview transcripts in the investigation file.

McGrew, however, did date at least one woman he harassed on the job, he told investigators, and he repeatedly texted another for a few months. Both said they cut off contact with him after his explicit messages made them uncomfortable.

McGrew solicited two other women for sex via text message after their appointments. Documents show that McGrew got rid of that untraceable prepaid cellphone before investigators could look at it.

"You're dealing with a law enforcement officer who has a gun and a badge. They're a person in a position of authority," Stinson says. "And it's very threatening for a woman to find themselves in that situation where the officer's suggesting that they engage in a sex act. It's absolutely terrifying."

Officers like McGrew have immense power. A registered vehicle is often key to a person's mobility, employment and family life. Without proper registration people can face fines, or even lose their car.

And McGrew had access to all of these women's home addresses and personal cellphone numbers.

Many of the women told investigators they didn't file complaints about McGrew because they were afraid of what he might do with the power of his office. Stinson has found that complaints about police sexual misconduct are often never filed because of this fear of retribution, which makes it difficult to ever fully see -- and address -- the scope of the problem. One woman reported being scared to come back to the CHP for her follow-up appointment because she would have to see McGrew again.

Nicole says she didn't make a complaint due to what she called her "classic chick response." First, she blamed herself for agreeing to meet a man alone at 7:30 in the morning, even if he was a police officer. Then she tried to rationalize his behavior; maybe he wasn't serious or maybe he was just an awkward flirt? Months later she learned she wasn't the only one.

Nicole says when she started getting follow-up calls asking her to fill out a survey about her experience, she ignored them. But the calls kept coming until she was getting two or three calls a week.

"I finally stayed on the phone a little longer to be like, 'Why are you guys bothering me so much? This is a little aggressive for a freaking survey!'" she says.

The investigator on the phone spelled it out for her; other women had made complaints about McGrew. So Nicole told him what had happened to her.

After taking her statement, Nicole says the CHP never got back to her to let her know what happened with McGrew. She says she would also have expected the agency to make some kind of changes as a result of the investigation. They have not.

"No changes to CHP policy were necessary because the behavior was against policy then and is today," a CHP spokeswoman wrote via email. "The employee's conduct was investigated and the employee was appropriately disciplined."

McGrew argued it was excessive.

"A forty-five day leave without pay would have been ample punishment," he wrote in a letter to CHP internal affairs. "A supervisor I had previously embarrassed had a stated mission to 'make me pay.'"

Russoniello says that by not prosecuting McGrew and not putting in place safeguards to prevent this type of abuse in future, the agency failed to take a strong position against sexual assault by its officers.

"Once you've gotten rid of the 'bad apple' you close the book," he says. "We don't have to worry about it anymore."

In the three years since this happened, Nicole says she has thought about it a lot. Her father was a police officer and before this experience, Nicole says she felt really positively about police. She doesn't anymore.

When the #MeToo movement started, Nicole says she and her female co-workers shared their experiences.

"That was one of my stories, because it was one of those moments where I was just like, this could end very badly," she says.

She says she would have liked the CHP to do more intensive screening of potential officers to weed out people like McGrew.

"He probably had some sort of history of creeping women the hell out," Nicole says. "How does someone like that even get that far?"

This story was produced by the California Reporting Project, a coalition of 40 news organizations across the state, including KPCC/LAist and The Associated Press. The project was formed to request and report on previously secret records of police misconduct and use of force in California.
The first fleet of electric scooters will show up in Omaha on Saturday, Mayor Jean Stothert said Friday.

Spin, one of two companies participating in the scooter pilot program this year, plans to deploy about 400 scooters, a company spokeswoman said earlier this week.

Bird, the other company, will bring its first round of scooters to the city on July 27, Stothert said.

The scooters, which riders unlock using the companies smartphone apps, are expected to be placed in downtown, South Omaha, North Omaha, Midtown Crossing, Benson, the Blackstone District and Aksarben Village. The apps tell riders where they can and cannot ride and park the scooters.

Unlocking a scooter costs $1. Riders generally pay 15 cents a minute after that.

Agreements with the city allow scooters to be operational from 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. each day.

Last month, the City Council approved an ordinance defining the rules of the road for scooter operation.

The scooters arent allowed on sidewalks, and riders cant take them on streets with speed limits greater than 35 mph. Riders must obey all city and state traffic laws.
A guard watches inmates fold clothes at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield. (Los Angeles Times)

A federal judge in San Diego issued a tentative ruling Thursday that largely upholds California's ban on private prison contracts.

GEO Group, a Florida-based private prison corporation, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in San Diego days before Assembly Bill 32 took effect on Jan. 1. The law prohibits new for-profit detention contracts and changes to current contracts, and phases out existing facilities entirely by 2028.

The lawsuit challenges Gov. Gavin Newsom and Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra. It alleges that AB 32 is a transparent attempt by the state to shut down the federal governments detention efforts within Californias borders and asks the court to forbid the state from enforcing the statute. A month after the lawsuit was filed, the Trump administration followed with its own lawsuit making claims similar to those of GEO Group.

U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino consolidated the two lawsuits during a virtual hearing Thursday attended by more than 100 people. She called the lawsuits "fascinating and complex."

Sammartino suggested she was likely to dismiss most of the case against California, as well as a request to temporarily suspend enforcement of the law while the case continues in court.

She said she was inclined to conclude that "AB 32 does not unconstitutionally discriminate against the federal government or its contractors."

Sammartino referenced the case challenging Senate Bill 54, California's "sanctuary" law, and similarly recognized that state leaders have authority to ensure the health and welfare of inmates and detainees within their borders. But she suggested she would uphold the case as applied to facilities used by the U.S Marshals Service, which holds federal inmates charged with criminal immigration offenses, such as entering the country illegally or reentering after a deportation.

Immigrant rights advocates said Sammartino's tentative ruling was just the beginning of what they anticipate to be a long court process including appeals.

Story continues

According to the lawsuit, AB 32 affects 10 privately managed prison and immigrant detention facilities in California with nearly 11,000 total beds  the vast majority of federal detention capacity in the state. GEO Group manages seven of those facilities, including the Adelanto and Mesa Verde immigration facilities.

Pro-immigration activists have long alleged poor conditions, including substandard medical care and documented safety violations, inside facilities run by GEO and other private prison companies. They called the lawsuit an "illicit scheme by ICE and prison corporations to evade accountability."

Jordan Wells, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, called the ruling remarkable.

"The ruling is as much about ICEs private prison enterprise across the country as it is about the ban on it here in California," he said. "Because if California can do it, then other states can as well."

GEO officials have said that while they play no role in immigration laws and take no positions on immigration policies, it is unconstitutional for a state to regulate the actions of the federal government and its contractors.

GEO Group attorney Charles Cooper  who has represented former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former national security advisor John Bolton  argued that because private contractors operate on behalf of the federal government, "This prohibition, even though it focuses on the person operating the facility, is nonetheless a prohibition on the entire government."

Michael Kirk, who also represented GEO, said Congress grants the federal government the discretion to choose the "most efficient and best" option for American taxpayers.

"The history is critically important here," he said. "Going back to the mid-1980s, its been well known ... to everyone that ICE has been using private facilities to carry out its detention obligation."

But Deputy Atty. Gen. Gabrielle Boutin argued that Congress did not grant the federal government blanket authority to detain people without guidance. She said AB 32 was enacted to protect the health and welfare of inmates and detainees in California.

It was made after widespread findings that private detention facilities have safety problems," she said.

GEO's lawsuit was filed in December, days after federal officials signed contracts totaling nearly $6.5 billion with GEO and the two other companies that run Californias four private immigrant detention centers. The contracts have terms of 15 years, inclusive of two five-year extensions, ending in 2034.

If AB 32 forces GEO to close its facilities in California, the company said, it would lose an average of $250 million a year in revenue over the next 15 years, plus the $300 million invested in acquiring and setting up those buildings.

If no privately operated detention facilities were permitted in California, there would in effect be one facility in the state that ICE could use to hold detainees: Yuba County Jail, which has 220 beds. The agency has argued that the closures would force detainees to be transferred out of state, away from family and lawyers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border during a meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council.

According to the Kremlin press service, the participants exchanged views on the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

"They expressed extreme concern over the ongoing escalation, highlighted the urgent need for the parties to ensure a ceasefire, as well as expressed the willingness to mediate," the statement added.
Sri Lanka has consistently and steadfastly held the principled position of the legitimate and inalienable right of the people of Palestine to statehood and to the natural resources in their territory.





The statement by Sri Lanka at the 44th session of the human rights council was made by ms Dayani Mendis, actg. Permanent representative of Sri Lanka to the united nations in Geneva on 16 July 2020.













Sri Lanka takes note of the report presented by Mr. Michael Lynk, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967.





Sri Lanka associates itself with the statement delivered by Azerbaijan on behalf of the NAM.





We share the concerns raised by the UN Secretary General, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices and the Special Rapporteur, on the planned annexation by Israel which would constitute a grave breach of international law, including the UN Charter, relevant Conventions as well as Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.





Further, we note the concerns raised by the Special Rapporteur that this annexation plan would potentially have negative impacts on the human rights of Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and the Jordan Valleyand lead toforcible displacement of thousands of Palestinians.





Sri Lanka has consistently and steadfastly held the principled position of the legitimate and inalienable right of the people of Palestine to statehood and to the natural resources in their territory.





While recognizing the legitimate and sensitive security concerns of both the Palestinian and the Israeli peoples, Sri Lanka is of the view that the proposed annexation plan will only contribute to further deepening the crisis and jeopardize hopes of both the Palestinian and the Israeli peoples to achieve real progress towards sustainable peace.





In the above context, Sri Lanka joins the international community in its call on the Government of Israel to comply with international law and abandon the planned annexation and urges all parties to continue the dialogue towards peace.





Sri Lanka reiterates the importance of the early implementation of the UN General Assembly resolutions regarding the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to statehood and the attainment of a two-State solution on the basis of the 1967 borders.




Job Title: Accounts and Administration Assistant

Organization:

Supporting Development Initiatives and Actions (SUDIA)

Duty Station:

Uganda

About US:

SUDIA is a Community

Based Organization operating in Busia and Namayingo Districts. It is a

membership organization, with a focus on poverty alleviation through skills

development, promoting social entrepreneurship, environmental protection and

improving agricultural practices. SUDIA has received a

grant from UNDP/GEF/SGP to implement a project on Control of mercury use in the

artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Namayingo District .

Job Summary: The Accounts and Administration Assistant will

Carry out routine accounting and general administrative support functions of

the organization.





Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

 The ideal applicant must hold a Diploma in

Accounting, Business Administration, part qualification in

 Professional Courses like ACCA or CPA will be

an advantage.

 At least three years of engagement in Accounts

and Administration work

 Ability to train farmers in basic business

skills and savings and credit management

 Computer literacy with practical knowledge of

MS Office

 Knowledge of local languages is a plus

How to Apply:

All interested and

qualified candidates please send your CV and cover letter to the Programme

Manager, P.O. Box 565, Busia Uganda via email to: sudiaorg@gmail.com

While we thank all

applicants for your interest, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

Deadline: 22nd July 2020 at 3:00 pm

For more of the latest

jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
Slovenia registered 16,213 more residents immigrated to the country than emigrated from it in 2019, the highest net migration since 2008, the Statistics Office figures showed, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

In 2019, 31,319 people immigrated to Slovenia, 10 percent higher than in 2018, while 15,106 emigrated from the country, up by 12 percent from the previous year.

However, the net migration of Slovenian citizens was negative for the 20th year running, with 2,839 more people leaving the country.

Slovenia allows its citizens to hold foreign citizenship in addition to their Slovenian citizenship.

The most common countries of previous residence for immigrants with Slovenian citizenship in 2019 were Germany and Austria (22 percent and 17 percent respectively), followed by Croatia, the United Kingdom, Italy and Switzerland.

Half of all foreign immigrants in 2019 came from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

In 2019, 25 percent of emigrants with Slovenian citizenship left for Austria; some other common countries of next residence were Germany, Switzerland and Croatia. Among foreign emigrants, the most common country of next residence was BiH (28 percent), followed by Serbia (14 percent), Germany (11 percent) and Croatia (9 percent).

As many as 1,911 foreigners were granted Slovenian citizenship in 2019, whereas 42 persons gave up their Slovenian citizenship.
The London Market Group (LMG) launched a paper outlining an ambitious approach to free trade in financial services, using the forthcoming UK-Switzerland trade discussions as a template for an approach to other third countries.

The LMG is asking the government to consider whether the UK Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) could authorize Swiss activity in the UK on a light touch branch model, for Swiss firms writing global risks in the UK. (Editors note: An LMG representative explained that the LMG is creating a template for the UK in all its post-Brexit negotiations with other countries that have strong financial services industries).

The LMG suggested there should be no requirement to gain formal authorization for the branch, but that a notification to the regulator would be made instead.

The key characteristics would be:

The branch would write global risk only, not UK risks for UK policyholders

It would have the ability to sign contracts in the UK on behalf of its Swiss parent insurance company

Its balance sheet would remain in Switzerland and there would be no requirement to localise assets in UK as liabilities are located outside the UK

The UK would allow home state regulation of the Swiss branch by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA).

The upcoming negotiations present a great opportunity not only to deepen trade ties with a valued trading partner, but to deliver an agreement which could provide an exemplar for future financial services-based trade agreements, said Malcolm Newman, sponsor of the government workstream.

Cross-border exchange between Swiss re/insurers and the UK to a large degree focuses on the non-life and wholesale insurance markets and we believe that more can be done to enhance the trading relationship with Switzerland, he said.

Such an arrangement would provide Swiss insurers with greater access to Londons international ecosystem and bring them closer to the global risks written in the worlds largest specialty market, Newman continued.

Swiss firms could use this opportunity to expand their underwriting capabilities in the UK, to take full advantage of being part of Londons global market. The arrangement would allow their underwriters to be closer to the UK broker and give them greater access to the London Market eco-system, he said.

The LMG brings together the specialist commercial re/insurance broking and underwriting communities in London. It is supported by the International Underwriting Association of London (IUA), Lloyds of London, the Lloyds Market Association (LMA) and the London & International Insurance Brokers Association (LIIBA).

Source: London Market Group (LMG)

Topics New Markets London
On Sunday June 29, on what would have been NYCs Pride Celebration during the 51st Anniversary of the Stonewall riots, one of Staten Islands most beloved gay icons, Jim Smith, passed away. Jim was 79 years old and he surely made the most of it -- a veteran, a community leader and one of the most vocal advocates for the gay community on Staten Island.

I saw him referred to as The Godfather of Pride on Staten Island, by the Hon. Matt Titone, the first openly gay Surrogate Court judge elected in New York, and I think that title is really fitting. Jim was a founding member of the Pride Center of Staten Island and remained on the Executive Board for the rest of his life. He was integral in organizing the first Pride Parade on Staten Island, publicly stood with the Pride Center as the first-ever grand marshal to Staten Island Pride and has been a driving force to growing The Pride Center of Staten Island to what it is today.

Jim wrote a column for the Staten Island Advance, highlighting issues and achievements relevant to the Staten Island LGBTQ+ community. He diligently covered everything, including our celebrations, the intersection of politics and the LGBTQ+ community, and the challenges our community faces on Staten Island.

One of the last times I saw Jim, I gave him a ride home from a Pride Center event. We spoke about how different it is for me to be an out queer person as President of the Young Democrats today, compared to when he was YD president in the closet in the 70s.

Many of us would not be able to walk the path that we do if it were not for the groundwork laid by Jim Smith. Not only are we able to be out, but we are able to proudly lead with and through our identities, confident that we have the support of a massive community behind us.

Without Jims vision and leadership, we would not be able to unify Staten Island to stand up to St. Patricks Day Committees refusal to allow The Pride Center of Staten Island to march, or effectively lobby our elected officials to support bills like Marriage Equality (2011) and The Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act (GENDA 2019), which both are now law in New York state, affirmed by Staten Island representatives.

Staten Island is not known as the most queer-friendly of the boroughs, but because of Jims work, we as LGBTQ+ Staten Islanders can now be seen and celebrated in our own home.

However, our work is not done: There are many problems that still disproportionately impact LGBTQ+ people and we must never stop creating visibility and acceptance for our community.

Jim did just that in all of his community work on Staten Island. His passing on Pride is a call to action to all LGBTQ+ Staten Islanders to stand up, be heard and spread love and acceptance across this Island we call home.

(K.C. Hankins is a New Brighton resident.)
Will Rogers wouldn't recognize the Democratic Party today, and that should put a smile on Democratic faces.

Rogers would have to find a new quip to describe the performance on Wednesday of the party's Platform Committee in preparation for the Democratic National Convention next month, in place of his classic putdown: "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat."

He'd be shocked at how well Democrats have coordinated their approach to the 2020 presidential campaign since, really, the South Carolina primary in late February. That was when former vice president Joe Biden took a clear lead for the nomination, then swiftly established himself as the overwhelming consensus nominee, won endorsements from his vanquished rivals and compromised with his democratic socialist antagonist, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, on substantive policy elements to craft a consensus platform.

At least that's one way of looking at it. It's not exactly wrong, nor is it wrong to note that Biden is an experienced politician who has consistently demonstrated that he's skilled at finding the center of his party. Sanders, too, has displayed political skill, having twice shown the ability to cash in the chips he earned in the primaries and caucuses for gains in the party platform.

But I don't think it's the most accurate analysis. Because it mistakenly casts the politicians, and not the party, as the chief actors. It wasn't mainly Biden's savvy that located a political sweet spot between the Democratic Party's mainstream and leftist wings. It was the party that positioned Biden. To be clear: That doesn't mean that the formal national party, the Democratic National Committee, dictates the platform or anything else. Instead, what emerges from the nomination process is the collective decisions of thousands of party actors - politicians, campaign and governing professionals, formal party officials and staff, donors and activists, party-aligned interest groups and partisan media.

Most pundits and some political scientists who ask how much ability parties have to control nominations focus on whether high-profile endorsements produce nominees. But the deeper question that scholars have grappled with (myself included) is the extent to which parties are in charge of the policies and principles that the candidates represent. If parties set the agenda, then which politician they wind up selecting as the nominee is probably not all that important because that candidate - and his or her presidency - will in large part be selected in order to carry out party priorities. It doesn't always work that way - nobody would say that Donald Trump was selected in 2016 by Republican leaders to execute a consensus agenda - but usually it does.

And that's a pretty good description of what appears to be happening with Democrats in 2020. Biden has repeatedly been called a "moderate" candidate, but in fact he campaigned through the primaries as a mainstream liberal. The actual moderates who explicitly campaigned by appealing to those who wanted a less liberal party, including governors John Hickenlooper of Colorado and Steve Bullock of Montana, were wiped out early. The energy in the party in the 2018 midterm elections and in the 2020 nomination fight was embodied by candidates like Biden, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Indiana's Pete Buttigieg, who basically wanted an updated version of the party as it existed when Barack Obama was president, and those such as Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who found the policies of that era inadequate.

In the heat of a nomination battle, it's easy for the campaigns and their supporters, as well as party actors who care passionately about various policy proposals, to perceive a huge gulf between policy positions. But the advocates tend to belong to overlapping groups. The harsh reality of what is plausible to achieve narrows some of the gaps, and antipathy toward an incumbent president - especially Trump - makes it relatively easy for factions to renegotiate the terms of the party coalition.

So for example, as my Bloomberg Opinion colleague Noah Smith has pointed out, the investment-intensive energy plan Biden is now promoting is largely taken from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, whose campaign as the climate candidate never went anywhere but seems to have established the blueprint of aggressive action on global warming, anyway. Similarly, Biden's economic plan owes plenty to Warren. Where Democrats remain divided - as with the government's role in health care - it still was possible for those who want a single-payer system to settle for a much more robust public option than Biden had originally campaigned on.

For the coming general election campaign, it's not hard to find compromises on some issues and to paper over the differences on others. Similarly, it seems during the nomination battle that what's important is which candidate wins. But had Sanders won, the same process would have taken place, with his representatives reaching compromises with mainstream liberals. Or, perhaps, the threat that Sanders would refuse such a process is a large part of why he was unable to expand his support beyond his faction of the party, and therefore why he's not the one organizing the platform process.

The point is that to the extent that the party collectively makes decisions, what we need to understand is the party, not the individual politicians involved, no matter how much it appears that they are the main actors. A good example outside of the campaign context would be Obama's embrace of same-sex marriage in 2012 after running as an opponent of marriage equality four years earlier. In one sense, we can look at it as a story about Obama, and about Biden, who pushed Obama by making his own switch on the issue public. But if we step back, it's clear that the Democratic Party collectively changed on the issue between 2008 and 2012, and Obama would have been out of step with the bulk of the party if he hadn't made the same change. To understand why Obama changed, we need to understand the Democratic Party, not its candidate.

Similarly, the compromises that have emerged on the 2020 platform really are about where the party is, not about Biden and Sanders. And the ability to reach agreements on the platform is a sign of the party's good health, and suggests that the party - while probably more liberal than it has ever been before - is still more pragmatic than ideological.

Republicans, by contrast, have proven unable to formulate policy positions and priorities at all, which was one of the things that made them vulnerable to takeover by a reality television star who had no knowledge of, or long-term commitment to, the party's preferences - or any interest in mastering governing. The Democrats' smooth glide to a nominee and a platform, whether its specific policy positions are good or bad, is probably a positive indication of the party's ability to govern.

- - -

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. He taught political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio and DePauw University and wrote A Plain Blog About Politics.
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Herpes simplex type1 (HSV-1) is mainly transmitted by oral-to-oral contact during childhood, causing oral herpes, but it can also cause genital herpes. The other form of the virus (HSV-2) is sexually transmitted and causes genital herpes.Both forms of the virus are lifelong, and the World Health Organization estimates there are 3.7 billion people under age 50 (67%) who have HSV-1 infection globally and 491 million people aged 15-49 (13%) worldwide with HSV-2 infection.Previous research data focused on North America, and Europe has suggested a decrease in the acquisition of HSV-1 in childhood, a decline in its population prevalence in youth, and an increase in genital herpes cases caused by HSV-1.A team of researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar of Cornell University set out to examine the epidemiology of HSV-1 in Europe.They systematically reviewed HSV-1 related publications, conducted various meta-analyses, assessed pooled prevalence rates in populations, and estimated pooled proportions of HSV-1 viral detection in clinically diagnosed genital ulcer disease and in genital herpes.Their analysis gathered information from 142 suitable previous publications.These publications extracted 179 overall population prevalence measures, four overall proportions of HSV-1 in genital ulcer disease, and 64 overall proportions of HSV-1 in genital herpes.The results showed that more than two-thirds (67.4%) of the population in Europe tested positive for HSV-1, which is far lower than the historical level of universal infection in childhood in other parts of the world, such as Africa. Around 32.5% of children and 74.4% of adults were infected in Europe.Prevalence in the population increased steadily with age, being lowest in those aged below 20 years and highest in those aged over 50 years.Population prevalence in Europe was declining by 1% per year, and the contribution of HSV-1 to genital herpes was rising, also by 1% per year.As many as two-thirds of European children were reaching their first sexual activity unexposed to this infection and were at risk of acquiring the virus sexually in adulthood, said the researchers.They speculated that reasons for falling prevalence rates of HSV-1 could include a general decrease in both family size and school crowding, as well as improved hygiene and living conditions.The results also showed that half of the first episode genital herpes cases in Europe were already due to HSV-1, as opposed to HSV-2 infection.The authors acknowledged that their systematic review had some limitations, primarily the unavailability of data for 25 of 53 European countries, and had comparatively less data for genital ulcer disease and genital herpes than population prevalence.Nevertheless, these limitations did not appear to have posed a barrier to the interpretation of the results of the study, they said.They conclude: "HSV-1 epidemiology in Europe is in transition and shifting away from its historical pattern of oral acquisition in childhood."HSV-1 transition in Europe is leading to more heterogeneous and variable transmission by age and geography, and an increasing role for HSV-1 in genital herpes and as a sexually transmitted disease."The findings highlight the importance of disease surveillance and monitoring of HSV-1 seroprevalence and genital herpes aetiology, and strengthen the case for an HSV-1 vaccine to limit transmission."Source: Eurekalert
A key report mapping the origins of Melbourne's COVID-19 second wave is being kept secret by the Victorian government.

The Doherty Institute has been using genomic sequencing to explain how the infection rate has surged in Australia's second most populated city.

The world-renowned Melbourne-based research centre is also leading a consortium of scientists in Australia trying to find a vaccine for the virus.

But the institute has revealed the raw data from the sequencing will not be released until after it has been used in a judicial inquiry into Victoria's hotel quarantine program.

It comes as the state recorded a fatal spike in infections on Friday, with 428 new coronavirus cases and three more deaths.

A masked pedestrian in Melbourne's CBD on Thursday (pictured) as it was revealed a report mapping the origins of the city's second wave will not be released

Australian Defence Force staff are seen giving out COVID-19 tests in Melbourne on Friday (pictured) as Victoria announced 428 new cases

'The latest data is subject to the judicial inquiry and it's not appropriate to discuss publicly until it's gone through that process,' a spokeswoman for the Doherty Institute said.

Genomic sequencing tracks slight mutations in the virus as it passes from human to human to give a more detailed understanding of its spread.

Mr Andrews announced he was launching an inquiry into the state's quarantine program on July 2.

Allegations have emerged that staff were under-trained and there was inadequate personal protective equipment, billing rorts by private security contractors and even claims that some security guards slept with guests.

The inquiry is scheduled to deliver its report in September.

Staff inside Melbourne's Stamford Hotel on June 25 (pictured). The report will be used in a judicial inquiry into the supply of security guards by the government for Victoria's hotels

This map shows the places in Melbourne that are suffering from outbreaks as the state's second wave gets worse

The data would show the number of people who have contracted the deadly respiratory illness from outbreaks which began in hotel quarantine.

Victoria's chief medical officer Brett Sutton said on Tuesday the decision to release the data was for the institute to make - not the state government.

'It's not my genome sequencing data, it belongs to Peter Doherty Institute,' he said.

'It's not my call to keep it under wraps. I don't have an opinion on it. I'm very happy to speak about it if I'm asked about it in the judicial inquiry.

Professor Sutton said on Monday he would not rule out all the cases in Victoria's second COVID-19 spike originating from hotel outbreaks.

Justice Coate will look into allegations that infection control protocols were breached at the quarantine hotels.

Victoria has suffered 12 consecutive days of triple digit infection rates, spiking to 428 new cases on Friday

The inquiry will probe decisions and actions by the government, hotel operators and private contractors, as well as the training of staff.

Opposition leader Michael O'Brien has previously claimed the hotel quarantine program had been a complete and utter debacle, and demanded the sacking of Health Minister Jenny Mikakos.

There are fears the outbreak has already spread to New South Wales, with the state announcing another increase in cases.

Shopping centres, pubs, restaurants and gyms in Sydney have all been affected in the last week.

There are now five coronavirus cases linked to the Stockland Wetherill Park shopping centre in Sydney's west.

Australian Defence Force staff are seen giving out COVID-19 tests in Melbourne on Friday (pictured) as Victoria announced 428 new cases

Anyone who develops COVID-19 symptoms has also been urged to get re-tested even if they had a negative result previously (pictured, a Sydney testing clinic on Friday)

NSW Health on Friday afternoon said a customer who dined at Thai Rock restaurant in the centre on July 10 has tested positive for COVID-19.

The case is the third linked to the restaurant, with NSW Health directing anyone who visited there between July 9 and 14 to 'immediately be tested and self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of symptoms'.

Anyone who develops COVID-19 symptoms has also been urged to get re-tested even if they had a negative result previously.

NSW recorded eight new COVID-19 cases to 8pm on Thursday with six a result of community transmission, including a man in his 80s who dined at the Crossroads Hotel in Casula.

That cluster now numbers 42 people, the majority of whom were not patrons.

Another case was a person who worked while ill last week at the Thai Rock restaurant, while at least five COVID-19 cases attended the surrounding Stockland Mall.
WASHINGTON, D. C. - Without action from Congress, dozens of United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) workers in Cleveland and other Ohio cities will face a furlough in August due to a coronavirus-related revenue drop.

The agency that processes immigration applications and green cards relies on application fees rather than taxpayer funds to run its operations. Because its receipts have dropped 50% since the coronavirus slowdown began in March, USCIS says it will have no choice but to administratively furlough most of its workforce on Aug. 3 unless Congress provides extra money.

An USCIS spokesperson said approximately 13,400 USCIS employees around the country have been told theyll be furloughed, including roughly 80 workers in Ohio. The furloughs represent roughly two-thirds of the agencys 20,000 employees. USCIS is seeking $1.2 billion in emergency funding from Congress to keep operating, and says it would repay the money by adding a 10% surcharge to application fees.

American Federation of Government Employees Local 2660 President Nicole Guess said the USCIS furloughs will affect employees at Ohio offices in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. She said the workers process green cards and handle background checks for citizenship applications and foreign adoption paperwork among other duties. Although new application fees are down during the coronavirus pandemic, she said their offices have been open since June and employees worked on backlogged applications while offices were shuttered.

She said members of her union are urging members of Congress to act to avoid the pending staff reductions and are planning to visit Washington, D.C. on July 27 for a lobby day. Her union represents 26 USCIS employees in Cleveland

Our workload has not gone down because of COVID, said Guess. If this furlough goes through, this would be a big hit to our immigration process.

The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday marked up its bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security but it did not address the USCIS problem because it wont be enacted in time to help, said Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, a California Democrat and chairwoman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee. She said the matter might be addressed in an upcoming coronavirus spending bill which increasingly looks as if it could move through Congress later this month.

We will continue our bipartisan discussions with the Judiciary Committee and USCIS on the agencys impending shortfall, Roybal-Allard said. We will keep working to ensure there are no furloughs of USCIS personnel, which would severely undermine the agencys important mission.

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Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects we're told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics they're given. This week, he talks to Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore. The 74-year-old is now in her fourth term, and is the first popularly elected woman to lead the City of Sydney. She previously served as an MP in the NSW Parliament.

Clover Moore: "Ive never been mad about the politics. The long, long hours of Parliament that were wasted on politicking." Credit:Getty Images

SEX

Youre a regular at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Tell me why. My first foray into public life was as an independent alderman for Redfern [with the then South Sydney Council]. Many of the people who supported me were local friends from the area who were gay. When I was the [Independent] state MP for Bligh in the 1990s, we had the AIDS crisis, and the epicentre of the crisis was my electorate. Many, many friends became ill. It was my role to champion them; there was no one else in State Parliament at the time doing that. And I was the first NSW Legislative Assembly member to march in Mardi Gras [in 1992].

What was the impact of losing all those friends? It was like wartime. I went to funerals. Candlelight marches in Sydneys Oxford Street. Vigils in Hyde Park. I lobbied for AIDS beds for Ward 17 South at St Vincents Hospital [in Darlinghurst]. One Mardi Gras, the prayers of [conservative NSW politician Reverend] Fred Nile were answered and it was pouring with rain. Many sick people had been brought up on stretchers from St Vincents to the viewing room. Each float stopped at that viewing room to pay their respects to these very ill young men. I cant tell you how heartbreaking it all was. Many of them died the following week. They stayed alive to just be part of it.
The Newry and Dundalk Chambers of Commerce have come together to support the launch of a series of unique Employee Appreciation Cruises taking place on Carlingford Lough this summer.

The two-hour evening cruises, offered by Carlingford Lough Ferry, will showcase the beauty of the Lough and the historic Haulbowline Lighthouse, which will be externally illuminated nightly during August. The illumination of Haulbowline is an initiative of the Newry Maritime Association.

James McArevey, PRO, explained: We are extremely proud that Haulbowline is the only wave washed lighthouse in Ireland or Britain to be externally illuminated. The illumination is now in its fifth consecutive year. This August, the lighthouse will be bathed in blue light as a special tribute to all frontline workers across the island who have risked their own lives to serve others during the Covid 19 pandemic. We wish Carlingford Lough Ferry well with their Lough and Lighthouse Cruises.

The cruises will be a spectacular sight and an uplifting experience for anyone who gets the chance to take part. Emma Mullen-Marmion, President of Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade commented These are very challenging times for many businesses. This includes those who kept their doors open throughout lockdown and those that had to furlough staff. We had to postpone our own Greater Newry Employee awards ceremony in June, so we are very happy to support the launch of the Employee Appreciation Cruises with Carlingford Lough Ferry. We would encourage businesses to get involved to bring staff together and reconnect in a unique setting.

Paddy Malone from Dundalk Chamber of Commerce said The Chamber has championed greater North South co-operation to boost tourism in this region, which we feel has so much potential. We are delighted to see Carlingford Lough Ferry add the lighthouse cruises to their existing services. We are happy to support the project in any way we can.



The available dates for corporate bookings are 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 21st, 22nd, 28th and 29th August. Departure times will be 7.45pm from Greencastle and 8.05pm from Greenore. Businesses can book the exclusive use of the cruise or purchase group tickets. Dates are also available to the public on August 1st and 2nd and these cruises can be booked online at https://lighthouse-cruises.eventbrite.ie.

There will also be live music on board. Refreshments and catering options can also be booked on request. To comply with social distancing protocols, the normal passenger capacity of 250 has been reduced by approximately 50% and intensive cleaning will be carried out.

If you would like more information about corporate bookings, please email info@carlingfordferry.com
Activists have been rallying for a second day in a row.

Clashes with police were reported outside the building of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, in the center of Kyiv as lawmakers were planning to consider changes to the Law on the Ukrainian Language.

Several hundred people carrying flags of the Svoboda Party, Demokratychna Sokyra ("Democratic Axe"), and several other political forces gathered on Ploshcha Konstytutsii (Constitution Square) in front of the parliament's building, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

Participants in the rally said that the police had not allowed them to bring equipment for the rally onto Constitution Square.

The first encounter took place near a residential building at 9a Hrushevskoho Street, and the second one happened on Hrushevskoho Street 50 meters from Constitution Square at about 10:00 on Friday morning.

As people were heading for the rally, carrying respective equipment, they were met by the police and were not allowed to enter Constitution Square. A jam was formed, but shortly after the situation returned to normal.

Later, participants in the rally in support of the Ukrainian language staged a performance on Constitution Square under the slogan: "Don't Add Oil to the Fire."

They set up wooden sticks about 1.5 meters high as a wigwam in shape, put several flares on top and set them on fire. A poster saying, "Don't add oil to the fire," was fixed above.

The "fire" symbolizes incitement to hostility in Ukraine over the bill on amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine on teaching in the state language in educational institutions (No. 2362). The sponsor of the bill is Maksym Buzhansky. The document was on the parliament's Friday agenda.

Activists had been rallying for a second day. No members from Petro Poroshenko's European Solidarity Party came to the Friday event. In general, there were fewer people at the rally than on Thursday, July 16.

Later, on Friday afternoon, Parliament Speaker Dmytro Razumkov closed the third session of the Verkhovna Rada of the 9th convocation.

The parliament did not consider bill No. 2362.

Razumkov said that the fourth session is to open at 10:00 Kyiv time on September 1, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

Member of Parliament from the European Solidarity parliamentary faction Volodymyr Viatrovych said that means that from September 1, schools where the language of tuition is Russian would have to switch to Ukrainian.

At the same time, according to UNIAN, the Verkhovna Rada plans to gather for a special meeting on Tuesday, July 21.
Michigan reports 645 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, July 16

Michigan reported 645 more confirmed cases of coronavirus on Thursday, July 16, which is down from the 891 reported Wednesday.

The state also reported 16 new COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, which includes 13 that occurred outside the last 24 hours and were late additions discovered through regular vital records reviews.

In total, Michigan has reported 71,842 confirmed cases and 6,101 deaths linked to COVID-19.

Health officials recommend looking at seven-day moving averages to evaluate data trends during the pandemic. The state is averaging 594 new cases, and 11 new deaths per day.

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As of Thursday, the states hospital systems were treating 428 coronavirus patients, up from 415 on Wednesday. There are currently 107 on ventilators, down slightly from 109.

About 72% of in-patient hospital beds were reported occupied in total, which is unchanged.

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Coronavirus spikes in Grand Rapids, Lansing can be avoided in Kalamazoo region, epidemiologist says

Kalamazoo-area residents can still prevent spikes in COVID-19 cases seen elsewhere in the state, a local epidemiologist said.

The concern remains high for Kalamazoo commuters who travel in and out of the Grand Rapids or Lansing where cases increased in recent weeks, Kalamazoo County epidemiologist Mary Franks said.

But the advice stays the same regardless of what ZIP code someone is driving through or working in.

If people continue to wear masks in public, social distance and avoid crowded areas, the Kalamazoo region can keep its infection rate low, Franks said. If not, then the region can expect to be in the red alongside its neighbors.

5 reasons why summer parties are spiking coronavirus numbers when protests didnt

Its increasingly clear that July 4 celebrations are contributing to a spike in Michigans coronavirus case numbers.

Wednesday, the state reported 891 new cases -- the highest daily number since April, not including a May 14 report included a backlog of cases.

It doesnt look like were headed in the right direction, said Susan Ringler-Cerniglia, public information officer for the Washtenaw County Health Department.

As of Wednesday, about 5,400 people in Michigan have been sickened by the virus since the holiday weekend. The number of infections in the week after the holiday jumped 47% higher compared to the week before, based on state data.

It was like, collectively, we all kind of just said, This thing is over. Were not going to worry about it anymore. Lets go out and have a good time and forget about the public-health advice thats been pumped into our brains for the last three and a half months, said Gillian Conrad, communications manager for the Berrien County Health Department.

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Michigan hires accounting firm to help investigate unemployment fraud

Michigan is contracting with multinational accounting giant Deloitte to assist with prevention and prosecution of widespread and national unemployment fraud.

Michigan selected Deloitte through a competitive bidding process and will pay $727,488 for 13 weeks of services, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity spokesman Jason Moon said.

Deloitte will review the programs and systems at the UIA and assist with the investigation of imposter and fraudulent claims, the UIA said in an announcement issued Thursday, July 16. Deloitte has extensive experience with state unemployment and workforce systems across the country and will provide valuable financial and systems knowledge as the UIA continues to process a historic number of claims during this health and economic crisis.

Orphaned animals finding homes faster than ever during COVID-19 pandemic

The novel coronavirus pandemic has hurt many businesses and industries, but the Humane Society of Huron Valley isnt one of them.

The animal shelter is seeing an increase in pet adoptions during the outbreak, said Wendy Welch, director of communications, adding that animals are leaving the shelter faster than shes ever seen.

Its definitely unprecedented interest in adoption, Welch said. Weve never seen this many people interested in adoption before.

The shelter closed for walk-in appointments from mid-March to June 17 and did adoptions by appointment only. With safety restrictions now in place, the shelter is open again for walk-in adoptions, Welch said. The Tiny Lions Lounge and Adoption Center also is open.

Polly, 8, wears a red, white and blue outside complete with sunglasses for the annual Frankenmuth Dog Bowl on Saturday, May 25, 2019 in the fields near The River Place Shops. Her owners, Sarah Swann and Michelle Baumgardner joked about how they were "foster failures" because they fostered Polly for around six months before they decided to adopt her. "She was just so well-behaved and adorable, we couldn't picture her with anyone else," Baumgardner said. (Rachel Ellis | MLive.com)Rachel Ellis | MLive.com

Michigan renters, advocates and courts brace for estimated 80,000 eviction cases as moratorium expires

The economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could dramatically raise the number of eviction cases filed in Michigan this year, and the courts, the governors office, local advocacy groups, landlords and tenants are scrambling to prepare.

Were expecting there to be at least 80,000 backlogged eviction cases when this is over, said Kyle Lawrey, a housing attorney for Legal Services of Eastern Michigan whos expecting his phone to be ringing off the hook after Gov. Gretchen Whitmers moratorium on evictions expires Thursday, July 15.

A recent University of Michigan study found that in 2018, 1 in 6 Michigan renters were involved in an eviction case and that an average of 17,000 cases were filed monthly.

The high rate was a result of a shortage of affordable housing for low-income people, and the states low filing fees, according to Robert Goodspeed, a UM researcher and assistant professor of urban and regional planning.

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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.

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AMA workers shot with air gun while working in Rome suburb.

Two workers from Rome's trash collection service AMA were hit with pellets fired from an air rifle in the S. Basilio suburb of the capital, reports Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

One of the AMA workers was hit in the arm, the other in the leg, in an attack that has been reported to the police. Doctors say the wounds will heal in 10 days.

The incident took place on Via Mechelli on the afternoon of 14 July, when an air rifle was fired from a building facing the bins which the AMA staff were emptying.

The attack has been described by AMA head Stefano Zaghis as an "absurd aggression" - against two workers "who were just doing their job" - and which "could have had far more dramatic consequences."

Photo Ama Roma
Syracuse, N.Y.  When Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced new rules for serving alcohol across the state Thursday, it caught many bar, restaurant and tasting room operators by surprise.

The new rules, which lacked specifics for much of Thursday but were somewhat clarified later in the evening, require food to be purchased along with alcohol, and prohibit customers from ordering directly from the bar itself.

Though the new rules didnt take effect until today, some places did their best to adapt to them Thursday night.

At the Beer Belly Deli & Pub, 510 Westcott St., owner Lauren Monforte completely closed off access to the bar Thursday, which was busy because it was trivia night. She put up what she said amounted to attractive police tape.

That was probably more than she needed to do, since the rules appear to still allow parties of customers to sit at the bar if they are socially distant  six feet apart.

What weve learned in past few months of this is that its sometimes easier to take this kind of more drastic approach than to try to explain the rules to a customer, said Monforte, who is also a practicing lawyer. Customers at a bar often have a hard time with complicated rules.

The State Liquor Authority late Thursday issued what it calls guidance on the new rules to bars, restaurants and tasting rooms (breweries, wineries etc.) Most of that guidance centered on the food rule.

Among the most vexing questions it attempts to answer: What exactly counts as food?

In true New York bureaucratic fashion, that depends.

Heres a deeper look at the SLA guidance:

The reason behind the rule

The purpose of the requirement that food be sold with alcohol is to permit outside and limited indoor dining (outside of New York City), with alcoholic beverages, while restricting the congregating and mingling that arise in a bar service/drinking only environment, the guidance says. (Unlike Upstate New York, the city as of today has not been cleared for indoor dining).

What is food?

This is where it depends on what kind of place youre talking about. For most bars or restaurants, food is defined as sandwiches, soups or other foods, whether fresh, processed, precooked or frozen. That appears to rule out snacks like chips, pretzels, et cetera.

But for manufacturers, which would mean wineries, breweries, distilleries and hard cider makers with tasting rooms, food is defined more broadly. It includes sandwiches, soups or other such foods, whether fresh, processed, pre-cooked or frozen; and/or food items intended to compliment the tasting of alcoholic beverages, which shall mean a diversified selection of food that is ordinarily consumed without the use of tableware and can be conveniently consumed, including but not limited to: cheese, fruits, vegetables, chocolates, breads, mustards and crackers.

The SLA notes that this distinction is consistent with the normal requirement for food at such places. Bars and restaurants generally must offer food that is more substantial than snacks.

Ordering food with alcohol

Purchase of a food item ... shall mean that for each patron in a seated party, an item of food must be purchased at the same time as the purchase of the initial alcoholic beverage(s), the guidance says. However, one or more shareable food item(s) may be purchased, so long as it/they would sufficiently serve the number of people in the party.

This appears to mean customers dont need to keep ordering food as they order more alcohol.

But Monforte notes that it can be difficult for bar/restaurant operators to keep track of when different members of one party are ordering their food.

She also pointed out that it means servers are taking orders backward.

Normally you approach a table and ask if you can start then with a drink  then leave them with the menu, she said. Now we will have to ask them for food and drink at the same time."

To-go alcohol

This is another area where the rules distinguish between bars/restaurants and manufacturer tasting rooms. Under the new guidance, off premises beer, or cider sales must now be accompanied by a food item. That appears to apply to bars/restaurants serving such items as cocktails in sealed cups to go. Those must now include food sales.

But, the SLA guidance notes, This modification does not affect the ability of a manufacturer with off premises privileges to sell any product to go to a patron at the licensed premises in a sealed original container without the accompaniment of a food item.

The SLA does not appear to have issued specific guidance yet on the ban on walk-up ordering at the bar itself.

As with many of the other state rules and executive orders, bars, restaurants and other such business will need to sort out the specifics as they go forward.

The issue of whether snacks count as food is one that still seems to have some places confused. Some local bars appear to be following a suggestion made by Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon Thursday that Doritos might count as food under the rule, though its not clear that he was being serious.

Trexx Nightclub in downtown Syracuse posted this on Thursday night: Trexx will be open tonight! According to the Onondaga County Executive the new requirement from the state requires food must be sold with alcohol. As Ryan McMahon suggested we will be offering assorted snacks for purchase. Social distancing and masks are still required.

MORE ON FOOD AND DRINKS

CNY bar owners react to Cuomos new rules: It creates more gray areas

Armory Square street to close for traffic, open for outdoor dining this weekend

No more alcohol without food at NY bars and rstaurants, Cuomo says

Whats a PARKlet? The latest idea for expanded outdoor dining in Syracuse

Syracuse Downtown Dining Weeks to make special summer appearance

Winery, brewery, and distillery tasting rooms: Open, but different

Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.
The Huaihe River Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources issued a blue alert for flooding on Thursday night, as a key hydrological station of the river may see its water exceed the warning level in the coming days.

The 1,000-km-long Huaihe River is one of China's major waterways, running through the east of the country between the Yangtze and Yellow rivers.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, the water level at Wangjiaba Station rose to 26.91 meters, only 0.59 meters below the warning level. The station is forecast to see water exceed the danger line from Thursday to Saturday due to the downpours in Huaihe River.

The commission also activated a Level IV emergency response for flood and drought disaster prevention at 8 p.m. Thursday, and called for the water conservancy departments in provinces along the Huaihe River, including Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu, to make full preparations for the flood control. Enditem




A frantic search is under way in California for a special-needs two-year-old boy who went missing from his family's home on Tuesday night.

Officials with the Madera Police Department have said they were investigating Thaddeus Sran's disappearance as a possible abduction and noted that the child could be in danger.

Thaddeus, who is non-verbal and has a feeding tube, was last seen at 10pm on Tuesday at his family's home in the 800 block of C street. He was reported missing the following morning after his parents woke up at 8.30pm to find their child gone.

Police in California are searching for Thaddeus Sran, a 2-year-old special-needs boy who vanished on Tuesday night from his home in Madera

Officers are seen carrying out a grid search in Madera to try and locate the missing child

Police say they are not ruling out the possibility that the child had been abducted

The boy, who was born prematurely, has only recently learned to walk and still mostly crawls. He was last seen wearing a red shirt with Spider-Man pants over a diaper.

Early Friday morning, more than 100 law enforcement officials and city workers came together to continue the grid search for the missing boy. Meanwhile, the Sran family announced a $5,000 reward for information on the child's whereabouts.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Madera Police Chief Dino Lawson said multiple agencies are assisting with the search for Thaddeus, including the FBI, US Marshals and the Madera County Sheriff's Department, reported Fox 26.

Thaddeus had a premature birth and relies on a feeding tube to get nutrients

'Time isn't on our side right now,' said Chief Lawson. 'It could be that he got out of the house, it could be that he was abducted. Everything is on the table. We're looking at everything and we're leaving no stone unturned.'

No Amber Alert has been issued so far because police have no information on a possible suspect or a vehicle description.

'Everyone is concerned for Thaddeuss welfare, especially since he requires specialized care that few are equipped to provide,' Lawson stated. 'We cannot imagine what Thaddeuss parents are going through and all agencies involved are focused on the effort to locate Thaddeus and ensure that anyone who may be responsible for his disappearance faces justice.'

The Sran family moved into the home on C Street only a few weeks ago, according to police.

Thaddeus is described as two feet tall and weighing 30lbs. Anyone with information on his disappearance is being asked to contact the police at 559-675-4220.
A street photographer has spent nearly three years secretly capturing images of unassuming New Yorkers' text messages, which range from heartbreaking to downright bizarre.

Jeff Mermelstein, 63, from Brooklyn, has been using his iPhone to snap photos of strangers' cellphone screens on the street since October 2017, documenting both the intimate and mundane details of their private lives through their text messages.

The photographer has been sharing the images on his Instagram over the years, choosing to crop the pictures to keep the people's names anonymous. The thought-provoking series is featured in his upcoming photo book, '#nyc,' which is available for pre-order.

Candid: Street photographer Jeff Mermelstein has been secretly capturing New Yorkers' text messages, including a couple's private conversation about an unplanned pregnancy

Project: The 63-year-old from Brooklyn has been using his iPhone to snap photos of strangers' cellphone screens on the street since October 2017

Mermelstein has captured everything from romantic letdowns, questions about potential food poisoning, and rants about the state of the country.

One image that many people can identify with all too well shows a message from someone telling the cellphone owner that they should just be friends.

'I don't think we would be a good match,' the person wrote. 'I think you're very pretty and kind of smart but our personalities wouldn't be good for a stable relationship. That's truely [sic] what I feel.'

'So you just want to be friends,' the recipient asked.

Personal lives: Mermelstein has captured everything from romantic letdowns, questions about potential food poisoning, and rants about the state of the country

Interesting: One person wrote a diatribe about the state of the country, and then typed the word 'Strawberry'

Yes. I won't come over for breakfast etc because that's too relationship like. Will grab a movie sometime. Dinner sometime. Spin. Keep in touch etc. I think it would be a nice friendship.'

The woman's finger is blocking the screen, and the only words you can see from her finals response are 'No' and 'But I will never.'

In another snapshot, someone slammed America and the Trump administration, writing: There isn't much of a future in this country. Everyone is stupid, lazy, and fat.

'The world is leaving us behind while Trump strings together words that make no sense, gives favors to Chinese companies that have committed espionage against the US and makes sure we cannon compete in green technology.'

The most interesting part of the rant, however, was the fact that the person had typed the word 'Strawberry' as a follow-up, and it's unclear what was going to be said next.

Let down: One image that many people can identify with all too well shows a message from someone telling the cellphone owner that they should just be friends

Heartbreaking: Another message was sent to a love one who was starting chemotherapy

Anonymous: The photographer has been sharing the images on his Instagram over the years, choosing to crop the pictures to keep the people's names anonymous

One of the most heart-wrenching images features a conversation between a couple who just found out they are going to have a baby but aren't excited about it.

'We are having a baby,' one person wrote after returning from the doctor's.

The pregnancy seems to be unplanned, and the announcement was followed by a facepalm emoji and a picture of a woman with her face in her hands.

Mermelstein told the New York Post that he was actually working on photos for his book, 'Hardened,' when he came up with the idea for the project.

'Question for you': One person wanted to know if the sausages in the fridge went back after the door was left open

Overshare? A conversation about Ali Wong's comedy special got very graphic

See more: The thought-provoking photos are featured in Mermelstein's upcoming photo book, '#nyc'

'I saw a woman on Eighth Avenue and 46th, an older woman, and she was sitting on the edge of one of those planters outside a cafe. And she was typing on her phone,' he explained.

'I went and made a picture of her screen, and after looking at my picture, I saw what was on the screen: It was a Google search about wills, and it had something to do with $6,000 in the attic. It was fascinating, and that kind of opened up a door of awareness.'

Mermelstein never asked permission to take photos of his subjects' cellphones, but he made sure to keep them anonymous because he 'felt in the gut that was the right thing to do.'

He noted that the project is not any different than any other street photography. Sometimes people catch him taking photos, but most of the time, they rarely notice.

'Im very quick at taking pictures,' he said. 'With a camera, you need to be quick.'
The National Merit Scholarship Corp. on Monday announced more than 650 additional winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities, including awards to six students from New Mexico.

These designees join more than 3,300 other college-sponsored award recipients who were announced in June, organizers said in a news release.

Each sponsor college selected their winners from among the finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution.

The awards are for between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study.

The designees, their schools and the universities they plan to attend are:

 Etienne G. Allred from La Cueva High School, University of New Mexico

 Joseph Pugh, home schooled, Texas Tech

 Lauren A. Urenda from Eldorado High School, UNM

 Jack E. Wickstrom, also Eldorado, UNM

 Cameron Waters from Los Alamos High School, UNM

 Rowan J. Nadon, from Santa Fe High School, Stony Brook University

This is the final group of winners, bringing the number of 2020 National Merit Scholars to about 7,600.

We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh accused Halton Police Chief Stephen Tanner of being afraid to confront systemic racism during a back-and-forth on Twitter last week.

The exchange began July 9 when the Halton police chief used his police chief Twitter account to tweet at Singh about statements the NDP leader had made at a news conference the previous day.

At that news conference, Singh had discussed the Thursday, July 2 incident at Rideau Hall, where a reservist with the Canadian Armed Forces allegedly rammed a truck through a gate before proceeding on foot toward the prime ministers residence.

Corey Hurren was arrested by the RCMP without incident and now faces 22 charges, mostly related to guns he allegedly had in his possession.

Singh, however, suggested the outcome might have been different if Hurren had not been white.

This person showed up with weapons publicly, at the residence of the prime minister of Canada, and was arrested without being killed, said Singh.

In the same period, we had an elderly racialized man, Ejaz Choudry, whose family called out for mental health support and police showed up and killed this man in his own home when he was alone  That, to me, is what systemic racism in policing is all about. That difference.

In his tweet at Singh, Tanner described Singhs comments as politics at an all-time low.

A situation safely resolved and you choose to somehow make it an issue about racism, Tanner tweeted.

I suppose you openly believe the accused should have been killed by the RCMP then.

Later the same day, Singh responded to Tanners tweet, noting it leaves him concerned for the people of Halton Region.

It lays bare the fragility of someone in a position of power, afraid to confront systemic racism, tweeted Singh.

In a reply to Singhs statement, Tanner said Singh was wrong.

He noted he respects Singh as a person and, like Singh, deplores all forms of racism and discrimination.

The police chief said he hated seeing what Singh went through in the last election, but argued Singh is in a position of power and the comments he made about the RCMP and the Rideau Hall incident were unfair.

There is one world and there is only one human race, wrote Tanner in another reply to Singhs Tweet.

There is no room for racism or for comments that inflame an already tense situation. Frontline police officers deserve respect also and when they do things to lose public respect there needs to be discipline and sanctions.

This week, Tanner declined to comment further on the exchange and Singh did not respond to requests for comment.

Tanner's tweets drew numerous comments from other Twitter users, with some supporting what he said and some opposing it.

In a reply to one commenter, Tanner noted his tweets were made in relation to policing and that he would speak up about policing matters and when comments are being made unfairly or erroneously.

When asked about the Halton Police Services social media policy and whether officers are permitted to weigh in on political situations and express their points of view, a representative from Halton police said the Tanners actions were appropriate.

The chiefs comments were made by him in response to detrimental comments by others that related to policing. This is well within his purview as Chief of Police, said Const. Steve Elms, Halton Police Media Relations Officer.
Facebook and Instagram will start reminding users in the United Kingdom to wear masks to help stop the spread of coronavirus with notifications in their feeds.

Face coverings will be mandatory in shops and supermarkets in England from July 24 onward, with fines of 100 for those who fail to comply.

The social media alerts will include a link to World Health Organization (WHO) information on stopping the spread of COVID-19 and how masks help, the firm said.

Facebook and Instagram will start reminding users in the United Kingdom to wear masks to help stop the spread of coronavirus with notifications in their feeds, as pictured

Earlier in the pandemic, Facebook introduced a dedicated COVID-19 Information Centre, offering links to official guidance and health information from the NHS and the Government in an effort to curb the spread of misinformation about the virus.

Social media platforms have been criticised for failing to prevent various false claims and misinformation about coronavirus from circulating online.

'We want Facebook to be a place where people can stay informed and connected during the COVID-19 pandemic,' explained Facebook's vice president for northern Europe, Steve Hatch.

'To help reduce the spread of this virus, from today people using Facebook and Instagram will see alerts reminding them to wear a mask when they cant keep a safe distance from others,' he added.

'Through other alerts on our platforms weve directed over 3.5 million visits to the latest accurate information from the Government and the NHS.'

'Weve also removed hundreds of thousands of harmful posts relating to the virus and, working with fact-checkers like Full Fact, placed warning labels on more than 90 million posts.'

The social media alerts will include a link to World Health Organization (WHO) information on stopping the spread of COVID-19 and how masks help, the firm said

Facebook will also be creating a new section in their Coronavirus Information Centre, said the firm's vice president for northern Europe, Steve Hatch. This 'Facts About COVID-19' resource, he explained, 'will debunk many common myths identified by the WHO'

In addition, Mr Hatch said, Facebook will also be creating a new section in their Coronavirus Information Centre.

This 'Facts About COVID-19' resource, he explained, 'will debunk many common myths identified by the WHO.'

Facebook said that its Information Centre had so far directed more than two billion people to health authorities for guidance on the virus  with more than 600 million people having already clicked through its prompts to learn more about COVID-19.

The social media firm had previously been criticised for its response to misinformation being disseminated on its various platforms.

Last month, the UK's Center for Countering Digital Hate reported that Facebook, Instagram and rival Twitter were all continuously hosting false information about the pandemic  with only 9.4 per cent of such posts actually being removed.
A JUDGE made an order making a landlord liable for any future proven breaches of noise controls at properties occupied by student tenants and locally dubbed 'Covid Party House' and 'Party Central.'

Judge Olann Kelleher made the order after hearing that Cork landlord Fachtna O'Reilly (80) had issued formal warnings to the tenants involved and had installed both noise monitors and CCTV cameras in a bid to tackle behaviour which prompted local residents to take legal action.

Residents complained they have not had a peaceful sleep since May 28 because of so-called 'virus parties' being staged by student tenants in the Magazine Road area of Cork.

Resident Mairead O'Callaghan, one of those who took legal action over the noise complaints, said the quiet residential area had been "like Beirut."

"This has been going on for 17 years," she said as she welcomed the court ruling.

Judge Kelleher made the order at Cork District Court under Section 108 of the Environment Agency Protection Act.

It now makes the landlord liable for any future proven breaches of noise controls at the properties involved.

The order was made despite a plea from Mr O'Reilly's solicitor, Eamon Murray, for the matter to be adjourned in light of the extensive actions taken since July 10 by the landlord.

Last week, the judge ruled in favour of two residents, Mairead O'Callaghan and Sadie O'Mahony, over noise complaints and said he considered that Mr O'Reilly had effectively "turned a blind eye" to the issue.

He had adjourned making any order for a week to allow the landlord deal with the issues raised.

The court was told that Mr O'Reilly has now issued verbal, informal and formal warnings to the young tenants involved over the noise-related complaints.

Further, he was installing both noise monitors and CCTV security cameras on his properties and was taking an active role in tackling the issues highlighted.

Mr O'Reilly was also offering to pay the residents costs in relation to the proceedings.

However, Judge Kelleher queried why it had taken so long to take action over the complaints from residents, several of whom are quite elderly.

"I hope this will be the end of it and the problems," the judge said.

"People in this mature area of Cork are entitled to the quiet enjoyment of their area and to live peacefully."

Judge Kelleher also noted that the area contained the Bon Secours Hospital, numerous resident doctors and nurses as well as a convent.

"There has been trouble in this area over a considerable period of time," he noted.

Judge Kelleher also said he believed that the non-eviction protection granted to workers who lost their jobs because of the Covid-19 crisis "was in a totally different league" to the issue involved over anti-social behaviour.

The Magazine Road and Surrounding Areas Residents Association (MRSARA) welcomed the judgement and called for a total overhaul of the legislation governing rented properties.

"The residents very much welcome Judge Kellehers ruling in accepting the evidence of the residents in relation to the house parties and the associated excessive noise at these properties," a spokesperson said.

'We also welcome Judge Kellehers clarification that landlords can evict tenants for antisocial behaviour/excessive noise levels and that Covid-19 restrictions on evictions apply to financial issues only."

"This has been a very difficult and stressful eight weeks for all our residents and all we ever wanted was to enjoy our homes and community."

"We believe that the current legislation on the management and upkeep of rented properties is minimal, outdated and in urgent need of change to make it relevant to 2020. No community should be left at the mercy of the personality of the landlord."

MRSARA is now calling for the licensing of landlords, an NCT-type certification for rental properties, a public register of property owners, modernisation of the planning laws in respect of resident properties being changed for multi-occupancy use and a regeneration plan for the area involved.
From significant business changes to noteworthy product launches, theres always something new happening in the world of design. In this weekly roundup, AD PRO has everything you need to know.

Product Launches

Kelly Behun Teams Up With The Invisible Collection

This week, Kelly Behun and The Invisible Collection launched their new collaborative furniture collection, inspired by the likes of Antoni Gaudi. Visiting Gaudis iconic Parque Guell in Barcelona many years ago had a profound impact on me, the AD100 designer explains to AD PRO of one component of her design inspiration. I have been in thrall to mosaic as an art form ever since. Despite it being comprised of bits of hard stone, there is a fluidity to the material that is compelling. It lends itself to customization quite beautifully.

Behun notes too that for one mosaic product, a coffee table pictured below, she wanted it to appear as though it was growing up from the carpet it sits on, and that in person, its hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. In a way, it possesses its own form of invisibility.

Photo: Nicholas Calcott

Pottery Barn Teen Unveils Its First Monique Lhuillier Capsule

Pottery Barn Kids is getting a new set of products from the bridal fashion designer Monique Lhuillier. But the bigger news is her foray into furniture and home goods. As a designer, I seek to create environments that evoke a sense of magic, whimsy, and inspiration, Monique Lhuillier comments to AD PRO of her inaugural collection for Pottery Barn Teen. Together with Pottery Barn Teen, we have created a beautiful, timeless collection that is fashionable and fun.

Cambria and Gensler Are Out With a New Quartz Surfacing Collaboration

This might make kitchen remodels a whole lot easier: Surface purveyor Cambria and international design firm Gensler have joined forces to create 14 new quartz products. Of the effort, Brandon Larcom, coglobal director of product development at Gensler, says to AD PRO, Gensler and Cambrias design collaboration results from a shared commitment for innovative and sustainable designs to enhance product offerings for the A&D community.

Story continues

See the video.

In Pursuit of a More Just World

More Black at Instagram Accounts Appear Within the Design Community

While the design industry has already seen Black individuals take to Instagram to share stories of workplace experiences, two more accounts have recently surfaced to light. Black at SOM and Black at AIA have both become forums for anonymous current and former employees to speak out. Their posts are important reads for anyone in the architecture field.

Studies

ASID Launches Resilience Study for Designers

The pandemic has impacted the design industry in major ways. ASID is launching a surveyall designers can respond, and will receive a $10 Amazon gift card as a thank-youthat will look at the specifics, including changes in designers businesses, impact on the built environment, and more. Multiple surveys will be launched over the coming months to analyze the long-term impact of COVID-19 on the health of the industry. Respond to the survey by July 24 to participate in the first round.

Sales

Rare Antoni Gaudi Bench Set to Be Sold at Bonhams

Mark your calendars for July 31. Thats the date when Bonhams New York will put a rare Antoni Gaudi prayer bench up on the auction block. The piece is expected to sell for $200,000$300,000. Benjamin Walker, Bonhamss global head of design, noted in a press statement: It is extraordinarily rare to offer any work of art from Antoni Gaudi, especially with certification of authenticity. The fact that this bench was executed by one of the masters of 20th-century design and has been in a private collection for more than four decades makes it even more remarkable. Across the pond, Christies Londons Classics Week continues on, with sales slated to take place through the end of this month. In other words, July brings with it something for collectors of time periods recent and not so recent.

Photo: Courtesy of Design Yard Sale

Harvard GSD Gets Behind a Design Yard Sale for Racial Justice

Want to buy art created by Frank Gehry or Billie Tsien, and all in the name of a very good cause? Look no further than the Design Yard Sale for Racial Justice, which is raising money for The Bail Project. Organized by students and alumni of Harvard GSD, its next auction is slated for July 2025 with items such as the blueprints of Robert Venturis iconic Vanna Venturi House. However, in the first two weeks of July, the organization has already raised upward of $50,000 to help combat racial injustice.

Good Works

Round Two of a Charitable Initiative for Kips Bay Debuts

Interiors PR pro Christina Juarez launched an Instagram campaign earlier this year to benefit Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, asking those in the industry to post photos of themselves in caftans on Instagram to raise awareness and funds. The initiative raised more than $20,000 for the New York nonprofit, which had lost major fundraising dollars thanks to the cancellation of the yearly Presidents Dinner and show house. Earlier this week, Juarez launched #CaftanChallenge Part 2. With donated fabric, she is creating caftans that will be sold via trunk shows and pop-ups to further benefit the organization. The first event will take place August 2 at designer Katie Leedes Sag Harbor, New York, shop.

Neolith Reaches Carbon-Neutral Status

Following a push to enact Greenhouse Gas Protocol standards, sintered stone maker Neolith reported no net release of carbon dioxide from gate-to-gate emissions in 2019. The company has a diversified portfolio of sustainable actions to thank: For starters, 100% of the companys electricity for the year was harnessed from renewable energy sources, and reductions in forklift truck diesel consumption and hazardous waste contributed to the carbon neutrality. In addition, 90% of Neoliths generated waste is recycled in-house or through third-party organizations, and nearly half of the companys slab composition is produced from recycled material. Increased participation in environmental initiatives, one focused on protecting the biodiversity of the Guatemalan Caribbean Conservation Coast in particular, aided in the manufacturers carbon offsetting.

Openings

Italian Fashion Houses Stage Events Large and Small

The Gucci Epilogue collection that Alessandro Michele is live-streaming today is notable for several reasons. It is the last the creative director will show on the current seasonal fashion calendara 12-hour event that encompasses both fashion show and campaign shoot, and will be modeled by the very studio team that made the garments. From an architectural vantage point, it also opens the doors to two intriguing Roman landmarks: The first is Palazzo Sacchetti, a late-Renaissance building, and the second is Campo Boario, a Kurdish cultural institution. At a time when travel has been all but halted, consider it a rich opportunity for exploration. Viewers can tune into the live stream until 8 p.m. ET today.

On a similar, fashion-focused note, Giorgio Armani will open a pop-up in East Hampton on Saturday. Its a perfect summer shopping opportunity for those in search of a wardrobe refresh. The address is 54 Newtown Lane, East Hampton, New York.

All About Arts

Frieze Says It Had No Choice But to Cancel London Plans

Frieze London is officially off. The fair, which was slated for October, will now take place online. Sadly, without guidance from the government on events, and ongoing complications on travel, we had no choice, a spokesperson told Artnet News.

On a happier note, the Getty Foundation announced the final round of its Keeping It Modern grants. Specifically, 13 20th-century buildings that will receive a total of $2.2 million to go toward their preservation efforts. (The Orange exhibition hall at Centre International du Commerce Exterieur de Dakar and Abraj Al-Kuwait, otherwise known as Kuwait Towers, were two winners.)

And, finally, Galerie Patrick Seguin launched a new online viewing room, with pieces by Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier, and more.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
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New COVID-19 testing sites for Los Angeles County will target some of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the pandemic, public health officials announced Wednesday. The plans will expand coronavirus testing by 65% in the coming weeks. The testing expansion will focus on underserved "hot-spot" areas of infection, including Montebello, South Gate, Panorama City, Downey, Norwalk and Compton.

Existing testing sites will also be expanding in areas such as Bellflower, Pomona, El Monte and East Los Angeles, according to officials.

The shift in testing comes as the coronavirus pandemic in Los Angeles is at an "alarming and dangerous phase," said Barbara Ferrer, the county's health director. The total number of cases in Los Angeles County crossed the 143,000 mark Wednesday, even as health officials said the death rate has steadily declined.

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County data shows that Latinos and people from L.A.'s poorest neighborhoods test positive for the virus at higher rates and are more likely to die. We spoke with Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of the county's Department of Health Services, about the new testing strategy and why it's happening now. (This conversation has been edited for clarity.)

The new county testing sites are opening in areas designated as the county's hotspots. How will you ensure that people from outside of those areas don't sign up for the testing slots?

Certainly, anyone can sign up for a test at any of the city or county-run sites as long as they are a county resident. But I would ask that people respect the data that lies behind the selection of these sites as hotspot areas.

These communities are in need. They are suffering disproportionately from COVID-19. They have higher case rates, higher death rates, and we want these testing sites to be a resource for the people that live there or for people in the surrounding neighboring communities who are also disproportionately affected by COVID.

Public health experts attribute the high impact on poor Angelenos to lack of health care, systemic racism, and unsafe living and working conditions. (Screenshot of July 15, 2020 presentation from Los Angeles Department of Health Services)

Who is being disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in L.A. County?

The data from the Department of Public Health on mortality among Black and Latinx communities is over double the fatality rate among white communities. So it's an issue across the board and something that deserves a lot of attention. This is precisely why there's this effort to ramp up testing access among communities at risk.

L.A. County and the state have moved to a tiered testing system. Can you go over the people who are now prioritized for these free tests in the county?

The four general categories of people who are eligible to receive tests are:

people with symptoms ;

; people who live or work in high-risk congregate settings -- so this is people in homeless shelters, nursing homes, or correctional facilities;

-- so this is people in homeless shelters, nursing homes, or correctional facilities; people with unknown exposure -- so whether they were identified and contacted by a contact tracer or they live with someone, for example, who just tested positive for COVID, which counts as a close contact -- so those people should get tested;

-- so whether they were identified and contacted by a contact tracer or they live with someone, for example, who just tested positive for COVID, which counts as a close contact -- so those people should get tested; and then the fourth category is essential workers.

So all other individuals, including, notably, people who are over 65 or who have underlying health conditions, are not prioritized in the state and county guidance.

Angelenos who are black or Latino/Latina have had much higher rates of coronavirus infection than white and Asian residents. (Screenshot of July 15, 2020 presentation from Los Angeles Department of Health Services)

These new rules are really a shift away from the message that we've heard for weeks from various officials, that anyone, including people without symptoms, could get a free test. It's been difficult for people to understand that they may want a test but they don't need a test. Can you explain why it's being changed?

First, it's just an evolving understanding of how this virus spreads, who's most at risk of spreading it, and which are the populations where, if they were tested, it would make a difference in terms of overall transmission. So those are the populations that we really want to get in for testing.

The second thing is, as with anything, ultimately the supply chain is limited. We do have enough test kits and enough testing resources to test all those who need to be tested. But that's not necessarily the same as sufficient testing supplies to test all those who want to be tested. And our obligation first and foremost is to meet the needs of those who need a test before those who want one.

The poorest Angelenos are dying from COVID-19 at a rate four times higher than the wealthiest Angelenos. (Screenshot of July 15, 2020 presentation from Los Angeles Department of Health Services)

You estimate that one in every 230 people in L.A. County is spreading the virus. Does that mean they're spreading the virus unknowingly?

A lot of them are asymptomatic, and many might be symptomatic, but they're not isolated. They may or may not know that they have COVID. They may or may not consider that they have COVID, but we are estimating that many are infectious and actively infecting others.
MOSCOW -- In a shamanic ritual last month in the Siberian hamlet of Shuluta, fermented milk was sprinkled on a fire, a sheep was killed and boiled to make a rich broth, and prayers were offered to ancestors.

The belief is that the annual rites help ensure prosperity and good health. This year, though, there was special urgency as the novel coronavirus sweeps across Russia with case numbers still rising sharply.

Relatives traveled 280 miles from the city of Ulan-Ude -- near Lake Baikal -- for the sunrise ceremony June 9, which was performed by one Shuluta family. Two weeks later, the first confirmed cases coronavirus infection appeared in the village, population 390.

What happened next left Shuluta isolated and ensnared in a drama -- in a far corner of Siberia -- that tugs on the deeper threads of a world in crisis: authorities under pressure, defiance by rule breakers, neighbor turning against neighbor, and questions over just how far to go to stop the spread.

On June 27, the local administration sent tractors to dig two trenches around the village to seal it off. Roadblocks to regulate access had been set up in March, but authorities imposed the full-scale blockade after last month's outbreakin a region where a paucity of medical facilities adds to the anxiety over the arrival of covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

"We were told they dug the trenches so that no one could leave and no one could come," said resident Bayarma Balbanova, 28, a librarian. "How could you close the village if there is no money and no work? How could people live?"

Shuluta's closure - set to last until the end of July - is as singular as it is severe. No similar village closures have been reported elsewhere in Russia.

But it touches on wider trends in Russia's difficult fight against covid-19. The hot spots have moved from Moscow to some of the nation's remote and vulnerable regions, where health facilities are ramshackle, and staff and equipment are in short supply. Russia, with more than 750,000 cases by its official count - the fourth-largest national total globally - is recording more than 6,000 cases daily. (Russia's total is still much lower than the U.S. count of 3.5 million confirmed cases.)

Almost 10% of Shuluta's population, 37 residents, contracted the virus, and 15 were flown to Ulan-Ude in helicopters. A 62-year-old man died.

The crisis tore at Shuluta. Accusations flew. Many blamed those who held the shamanic ritual that drew in outsiders. There was anger at district authorities. Other residents flat-out denied the existence of the virus -- even some who had pneumonia.

Local authorities, doctors from Ulan-Ude and community elders had to use all their tact and persuasion to calm the situation.

Shuluta stands on a bank of the Irkut River, on a plain at the foot of the Sayan Mountains, which are sacred to the Khongodor and Terte tribes, according to Dora Khamaganova, the press secretary at the Tunkinsky district administration, whose mother is from the Khongodor tribe.

Famed for its natural beauty, it is home to farmers raising dairy cattle and sheep on the fertile river plain. The village is the gateway to the Tunkinsky National Park, an area with rugged peaks, mineral springs and waterfalls that is popular with tourists, off-road SUV drivers, campers, kayakers, fishing enthusiasts and white-water rafters.

In March, the head of the district, Ivan Alkheyev, an epidemiologist by profession, saw the risk of a major outbreak in the narrow valley. He set up roadblocks to limit accessto Shuluta and established a database of people from the region who were allowed to travel through the village up into the mountains beyond.

"At the beginning, it was very hard. We could hardly hold back this attack of tourists because this place is very popular," said Khamaganova, the press secretary.

"They would simply drive around the roadblock," she said, calling them "extreme drivers" heading up into the mountains.

"People kept doing it, of course not openly, but at night when no one was around," she said. "That was happening all the time."

Even the trenches dug on June 27-28 were still not enough to deter such enthusiasts. People simply drove through them with off-road vehicles.

"Then we decided to dig a third trench, much deeper," Khamaganova said.

Shamanic rituals such as the one performed by an extended family in Shuluta are common in the late spring or early summer.

"The ancestors are considered to be benevolent protectors of the families and tribes. People pray when the grass is as long as the tongue of a cow," Khamaganova said.

About 60 people attended the clan's rituals and around 95 participated in the feast that followed, she said. The visitors from Ulan-Ude stayed about three days.

According to Khamaganova, people who came to the village from Ulan-Ude had no symptoms of covid-19, but some were likely to have been carriers of the coronavirus.

In the tightknit community where all know one another, many blamed the family that held the ritual.

"Some blamed one family member," said resident Balbanova. "Others blamed another."

The total lockdown was ordered after doctors arrived from Ulan-Ude. They also brought a team to disinfect the village, Khamaganova said.

Balbanova said most people in the village, including her husband, are unemployed. The only way to make money is to travel to the town of Slyudyanka, nearly 40 miles away, to sell milk. People also buy food and goods more cheaply there than they can in Shuluta's one shop.

"Of course they did not like the idea that they were locked in their village," Khamaganova said. "So they objected."

Doctors tested and X-rayed everyone in the village. Authorities confined people to their houses and identified some for hospital treatment. Not everyone followed orders.

"Some of them did not want to go to hospital because they did not believe that they had covid-19, even though they had pneumonia. They did not believe in the virus at all, so there were problems with them," she said.

As the mood in the village soured, elders intervened. It could easily have been outsiders - perhaps tourists - who brought the virus to Shuluta, they argued.

"Our elders and our grandparents started to say that we should not blame anyone. Then our parents told us not to blame anyone," Balbanova said. "Then we all agreed we should not blame anyone because it's good that it came in the summer. It's easier than if it came in the winter."

- - -

The Washington Post's Natasha Abbakumova contributed to this report.
Car designer Henrik Fisker this week raised more than $1 billion for his namesake electric car company, but unlike other electric vehicle entrepreneurs attracting capital recently, making cars is not part of his plan.

Why it matters: In an industry ripe for reinvention, Fisker's aim is to become the Apple of the automotive world  a fabless manufacturer that designs and markets cool cars but farms out the production to others, avoiding the huge capital outlays and manufacturing pitfalls that have dogged Tesla for a decade.

Driving the news: On Monday, Fisker reached a deal to go public by merging with a special purpose acquisition company backed by Apollo Global Management. SPACs are an increasingly popular IPO alternative also used recently by Velodyne and Nikola to go public.

Proceeds from the transaction, which valued Fisker at $2.9 billion, will help bring its Fisker Ocean electric SUV to market by late 2022.

The big picture: We're on the cusp of a historic shift to electric, self-driving cars. But the burden of technology investments is overwhelming for many, requiring even the world's biggest auto giants to partner up on redundant development.

Meanwhile, well-funded newbies like Nikola, Rivian and Lucid Motors  none of whom have produced a single vehicle yet  are mirroring Tesla and spending heavily to set up their own factories.

What's happening: A car used to be defined by its engine. But in the electric vehicle era, batteries and electric motors will be mere commodities, predicts consulting firm KPMG.

Software-driven features, not hardware, will set cars apart in the future.

For Fisker, famous for designing sensuous cars like the Aston Martin Vantage and the BMW Z8, it represents a new business model.

"I forced myself to not think like a car guy for a moment," he told Axios.

The Ocean is billed as the world's most sustainable car  an affordable, premium, electric SUV with a solar roof, vegan and recycled materials throughout, and a battery range of 250 to 300 miles.

Its patented one-touch "California mode" lowers and slides nine glass windows and panels to open the entire cabin for an open-air feeling.

It'll be priced attractively, too, starting at $37,499 before federal tax credits, or $379 per month to lease.

The real innovation is Fisker's business model. Instead of developing its own electric powertrain or sinking money into a factory, Fisker is in talks with Volkswagen to use its modular EV platform and assemble Fisker vehicles at a VW plant in Europe.

Instead of dealerships, Fisker will sell cars online but have "brand experience centers" and pop-up locations in key markets in the U.S. and Europe.

Vehicle service will be outsourced, too, through Pivet, a unit of Cox Automotive.

The plan is for a full lineup of eight plug-in models by 2026.

What they're saying: Fisker's asset-light approach makes it easier for newcomers to break into the auto industry, said Kristin Dziczek, vice president at the Center for Automotive Research.

"Imagine if Tesla had done this. They have great design, but struggled mightily in manufacturing."

Flashback: In 2014, Fisker's first startup EV company, helped by a government clean-energy loan, went bankrupt, costing taxpayers $139 million.

The bottom line: With lessons learned from that failure, Fisker says he's plotting a less risky path this time around. But for all EV companies there's still loads of uncertainty about how the future will play out.
Patna: An approach road for a new bridge connecting Gopalganj to East Champaran in Bihar, opened only last month, was washed away by the Gandak river, which is in spate, leaving the opposition and the ruling dispensation in the state at each others throats.

Sharing an image of the caved-in portion of the road on his Twitter handle, leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who had inaugurated the Sattarghat bridge on June 16.

The bridge, constructed at a cost of over Rs 100 crore and over a period of eight years, is more than a km long.

The state government, however, quickly came out with a clarification that it was not the bridge itself that had collapsed.

The Road Construction Department issued a statement, saying the caved-in portion of the road was situated "two kilometres away from the bridge" and that it was the approach route for an 18-metre-long causeway that leads to the Sattarghat bridge.

"The causeway, too, is intact. The damage to the road is not the result of any defect in construction but due to increased water pressure on the Gopalganj side. The road will be made ready for traffic as soon as the floods subside," the statement said.

Nonetheless, images of the damaged pathway had gone viral on social media since the previous day.

The RJD leader shared the image, advertising it as a failure of the government since the chief minister had inaugurated the bridge, connecting Gopalganj to East Champaran.

The ruling JD(U)-BJP combine hit back at the RJD leader.

JD(U) leader and Information and Public Relations Minister Neeraj Kumar, party spokesman Rajiv Ranjan Prasad and BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand came out with strongly worded statements, denouncing the opposition leader for "peddling lies".

Don''t you understand the difference between a bridge and an approach road? Despite being the leader of the opposition, you come up with such irresponsible statements", Neeraj Kumar fumed at Yadav.

As per the state disaster management department, both Gopalganj and East Champaran are among a total of eight flood-affected districts in the state.

A total of 2.18 lakh people across 137 panchayats have been affected by the floods caused by heavy rainfall, upto 45 per cent above normal, in the catchment areas of neighbouring Nepal where rivers like Gandak and Kosi originate.

As of now, 3,676 people residing in badly hit areas have been evacuated. 2,731 put up at relief camps while more than 15,000 people were depending on 29 community kitchens set up for feeding those affected by the calamity.
Dr. Innocent Vakkai

According to The PUNCH, the Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Innocent Vakkai, has said the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Peter Gambo, did not die of COVID-19, but complications from diabetes.

Vakkai said the result of the late labour leader who was tested for COVID-19 came back negative.



He was suspected to have COVID-19, but his result came back negative.

Gambo was being treated of diabetes and his sugar level became so high, leading to his death.

Meanwhile, the Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, on Wednesday, expressed pain on receiving the news of the sudden and untimely death of Gambo.

Ishaku described his death as devastating to his administration.

In a statement signed by the Governors Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan-Abu, titled,  Gov Darius Ishaku commiserates with workers and the family of the late Taraba State Chairman of the NLC, Rev. Peter Gambo, Ishaku said the late Labour leader played a vital role in making labour in Taraba State a strategic partner of government in the development of the state.



He was one labour leader who administered the union with the fear of God and a genuine determination to significantly improve the welfare of workers.

Gambos mature and skillful approach to labour issues resulted in the robust and productive relationship between the government and the labour unions in Taraba State.

I want to urge workers in the state and the family of the late labour leader to take solace in the fact that Gambo served the entire Nigerian labour family meritoriously and left an unblemished legacy of loyalty and honesty, the statement read.

Gambo died in the early hours of Wednesday at the State Specialist Hospital, Jalingo.
CDC Extends No Sail Order Banning Cruises Until October

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended its no sail order for the cruise industry on Thursday, banning cruises from operating out of U.S. ports through Sept 30. It first issued the order on March 14 that was set to expire next week.

In its extension, the CDC reiterated its belief that cruise ship travel exacerbates the global spread of Covid-19, that the scope of this pandemic is inherently and necessarily a problem that is international and interstate in nature, and such transmission has not been controlled sufficiently by the cruise ship industry or individual State or local health authorities.

The major cruise industry operators in the U.S. had already voluntarily extended suspended operations until mid-September. Industry insiders told Skift this week they saw this move as a preemption of the inevitable: That no cruise line was ready to sail, and pausing operations before an extension of the No Sail order provided better optics.

The CDCs order said that while it welcomed much of the industrys voluntary suspension, it re-upped the order because not all cruise lines had made the same commitment.

In a striking example of how much federal resources have been spent trying to solve the problem of Covid-19 on cruise ships, the agency noted that as of July 10, it had expended an estimated 38,000 person-hours on the cruise ship COVID-19 response since March 14, 2020in addition to the thousands of hours invested by other HHS components, other U.S. government agencies, and state and local authorities. CDC continues to have regular conversations by phone and email with cruise lines, often daily.

In addition, CDC data showed that as of July 10, there were 2,973 Covid-19 or Covid-like illness cases on cruise ships, with 34 deaths. This translates to 99 outbreaks on 123 different vessels, meaning that 80 percent of ships within U.S. jurisdiction were affected by Covid-19 during this time frame. In addition, nine ships still have ongoing or resolving Covid-19 outbreaks on board.

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In its last extension of the No Sail order, dated April 15, the agency asked all major cruise lines to issue a response plan to the order, stipulating precisely what that needed to entail. As of July 10, the agency said only one cruise line  Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line  has come up with a plan that adequately meets all the requirements. It added that the difficulty of cruise ship operators in submitting appropriate [No Sail Order] response plans was compounded by several instances of potential non-compliance with the requirements of the April 15, 2020 Extension. These include alleged improper disembarkations of crew and crew not adhering to social distancing on board.

In the last two weeks, the three major cruise companies  Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line  have trumpeted public facing initiatives to come up with best practice to safely resume passenger sailings. The CDC characterized these efforts as tentative steps but called for further industry-led engagement as to which strategies, best practices, and procedures, either singularly or in combination, would be most effective in protecting the health of passengers, crew, and global communities.

In an earnings call with investors last week, Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald admitted that thus far, conversations with the agency had concerned the current pause and the handling of the ships during the pause, which has exclusively crew onboard the ships. We have not actually gotten to the point of serious resumption of cruise discussions with the CDC. But of course, thats coming.

A statement from the Cruise Lines International Association, the cruise industrys lobby group, said its members remain aligned with the CDC in our commitment to public health and safety. We are also pleased that the CDC has announced its intention to issue a request for information about the industrys resumption of passenger operations. As we continue to work towards the development of enhanced protocols to support the safe resumption of cruise operations around the world, we look forward to timely and productive dialogue with the CDC.

While some passengers are optimistically booking cruises for 2021, the major lines have been forced to raise large sums cash to stay afloat. Carnival Corp this week announced the pricing of $1.2 billion in senior secured notes, in addition to financial aid from the UK government. Norwegian Cruise Line said Thursday it plans to raise $925 million in bond offerings in the face of insignificant second quarter revenue.

UPDATED: This story was updated after publication to include CLIAs statement.

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By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has decided to introduce the midday meal scheme in all junior and degree colleges from this academic year. So far, the scheme had been available only for high school students in the state.

The introduction of the midday meal scheme in intermediate and degree college students is intended to reduce the dropout rate in government colleges. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao took a decision to this effect on Friday.

Students who were attending junior and degree colleges in the morning were leaving the colleges in the afternoon. As a result, the dropout rate was increasing in government junior and degree colleges, the Chief Minister said. If the students were provided nutritious food, then they would be healthy and it would also help in reducing the dropout rate, Rao felt.



A government lecturer Raghuram was spending money from his pocket to provide midday meals to junior college students in Jadcherla. When it came to the notice of the Chief Minister, he congratulated the lecturer and said that the government too recognised the need to introduce the scheme in junior and degree colleges. Rao also sanctioned a new building for a junior college in Jadcherla.
Mumbai:

An ECB borrower will be required to cover principal as well as coupon through financial hedges wherever hedging has been mandated by the Reserve Bank.



The financial hedge for all exposures on account of ECB should start from the time of each such exposure (the day liability is created in the books of the borrower), the central bank said in a clarification on hedging in the case of external commercial borrowings (ECBs).



It has been done with a view to bringing uniformity in hedging practices in the market so as to effectively address currency risk at a systemic level.



RBI further said a minimum tenure of one year of financial hedge will be required with periodic rollover duly ensuring that the exposure on account of ECB is not unhedged at any point during the currency of ECB.



It also said natural hedge, in lieu of financial hedge, will be considered only to the extent of offsetting projected cash flows/revenues in matching currency, net of all other projected outflows.



For this purpose, an ECB may be considered naturally hedged if the offsetting exposure has the maturity/cash flow within the same accounting year. Any other arrangements/ structures where revenues are indexed to foreign currency will not be considered as a natural hedge, RBI clarified.
A plan is underway to buy a small batch of rundown houses along North Claiborne Avenue in the 8th Ward and convert them into living space for homeless transgender and gender non-conforming people. The $1 million project, called the House of Tulip, would be the first of its kind in the country.

The House of Tulip, for "Trans United Leading Intersectional Progress," grew out of a coronavirus relief effort. At the start of the COVID-19 crisis, a group of trans activists set out to raise money to help gender non-conforming people whod lost their jobs in the hospitality and service industries during the self-quarantine. The success of that effort inspired two activists, Mariah Moore and Milan Nicole Sherry, to seek a way to create something more permanent.

Moore, who is co-director of the project with Sherry, said there was a time in her life when a project like the House of Tulip would have been a godsend. Moore, 32, is currently employed by the Transgender Law Center as a national organizer, but as a young trans woman she was left to fend for herself with no support system and no guidance.

She said she "struggled with sobriety" at the time and became a sex worker without a permanent home.

A place like the House of Tulip could have changed her life, and it might have even saved the lives of some fellow Black trans women whove died because of violence associated with homelessness, she said.

Imagine if you had your own small safe place, she said, surrounded by people who are there to protect you.

+2 Protesters rally across New Orleans condemning police violence against black, transgender citizens Activist and advocacy groups held two demonstrations in New Orleans on Wednesday, a late afternoon rally in support of transgender rights and 

The House of Tulip isnt meant to be just a temporary respite for those experiencing homelessness. Its supposed to be a permanent sanctuary, Moore said, open to any homeless trans and gender non-conforming people in need.

Ideally, she said, residents would get on their feet and become renters. Later they would be able to buy the property they occupy and become homeowners. In the meantime, the House of Tulip management would begin building modest homes to allow the project to expand.

Co-founder Sherry said that in 10 years, she envisions the House of Tulip as a place that the trans community can take care of ourselves.

Sherry, 28, is a co-founder of BreakOUT!, an activist organization for LGBTQ youth in New Orleans. Part of the challenge faced by trans people is the dismissive attitude of society, she said.

With the House of Tulip, were fighting for a space in a world that doesnt see us as valuable, that doesnt see our humanity, she said.

Sherry said shes been without a home at times and that it would have been wonderful if I didnt have to worry about where I was going to lay my head.

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So, after having successfully raised $20,000 in coronavirus-era relief, she said we looked at the landscape and decided to address the issue of homelessness.

Civil rights law protects LGBT workers from job discrimination, Supreme Court ruled Monday WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court ruled Monday that a landmark civil rights law protects LGBT people from discrimination in employment, a re

There is no model for what were doing, said Dylan Waguespack, one of the 10 founders of the House of Tulip, this is something brand new.

Waguespack, 28, said that one in three transgender people in Louisiana say theyve spent part of their lives without a place to call home. Transgender people find themselves in that position for a variety of reasons, he said. They are often estranged from their families, or theyve aged out of the foster care system, or been arrested and released without resources.

Life on the streets and in shelters can be dangerous for transgender people, he said, especially Black transgender people who face transphobia, racism and sometimes misogyny simultaneously. A safe place to live would be a welcome refuge.

Providing housing, he said, is a way of combating violence.

Waguespack knows about the challenges of homelessness. As a teen, Waguespack found himself unemployed and staying in a homeless shelter in New Orleans. He hadnt yet begun living as a man. Someplace to go where traditional gender polarity didnt exist would have been a comfort, he said.

Anything that said Trans kids are safe here would have been good, he said. Its sometimes important just to be in a room with other people that look like you and feel like you do.

He hopes that in the near future, the House of Tulip will be that place.

+17 Nyx Mardi Gras krewe members claim club rule discriminated against transgender people: Captain says no A social media post shared among former members of the Mystic Krewe of Nyx on Tuesday revealed that the Mardi Gras parading organization requi

Waguespack, a New Orleans native, is currently the public policy director at Cyndi Laupers True Colors United, a national nonprofit corporation working to end LGBTQ youth homelessness, as well as the House of Tulip treasurer. He said that less than a month since the start of the project, donors have contributed almost $300,000 to the start-up.

The House of Tulip made an offer to purchase five small properties on North Claiborne Avenue on Thursday. If the sale goes through, the organization could begin renovations by the end of the year, and be in operation as early as summer 2021.
US President Donald Trump has said that he wants to do everything possible to keep peace for the people of India and China, according to his spokesperson.

Over the past several weeks, the Trump administration has come out in support of India against China. "He (Trump) said I love the people of India and I love the people of China and I want to do everything possible to keep the peace for the people," White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters at a news conference here on Thursday. She was responding to a question on Trump's message to India, which ...
A New Jersey chiropractor has been charged in connection with a string of robberies and assaults across three counties, authorities said Thursday.

Erick K. Macias, 35, of Wharton, faces charges of robbery, aggravated assault and weapons possession in the crimes, which occurred the past two months in Morris, Passaic and Bergen counties, according to court records.

During the beginning of June, several communities in northern New Jersey experienced a series of strong-arm robberies that appeared to have been committed by the same individual, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said in a statement.

The crimes include:

A robbery with a weapon on June 6 when the suspect entered a gas station on Grand Street in Paterson, pushed an employee aside and took $500 from the register before fleeing. The suspect forgot his hat at the scene. It was described as a gray, snap-back hat with an emblem of New Jersey on it, according to an arrest affidavit.

A robbery on June 6 in a second-floor hallway of the Avalon apartments in Wharton, where  after being followed inside  a woman was knocked to the ground and robbed of her purse, wallet, debit card, cellphone, and $111 cash, according to an affidavit. The victim was taken to a local hospital with a dislocated shoulder, police said.

A robbery June 7 in Parsippany-Troy Hills where the suspect struck one victim, stole $500 and then dragged a second victim with his car while fleeing. Both victims were injured, police said.

A robbery June 7 at a Route 46 gas station in Parsippany, where the suspect walked into the attendants booth while the victim was counting money, pushed his head down and grabbed cash. After a brief struggle with the victim and the victims co-worker, the robber fled in his car on Route 46 East.

An assault and robbery June 7 in Garfield, where a woman told police the suspect punched her in the head, knocked her to the ground and ran off with her purse.

A robbery on June 8 at a gas station on 21st Avenue in Paterson, where the suspect entered the store, asked what he could buy for $1, then forced his way behind the counter, pushed the victim and stole $200 from the register before fleeing, according to the affidavit.

An assault and robbery July 7 where a woman was struck on the back of the head, fell to the ground and robbed of her purse by a man who ran off. The incident was captured on a surveillance camera, according to the affidavit.

On Tuesday, detectives from several municipalities, armed with a search warrant, raided Macias apartment in Wharton and arrested him after gathering evidence, Musella said.

Macias, who runs his chiropractic business in Union City, was charged with one count of first-degree robbery, five counts of second-degree robbery, and several counts of aggravated assault, simple assault, theft and weapons charges, according to Musella and court documents.

The affidavits state that after his arrest, Macias confessed in recorded interviews to some of the robberies. It was not clear Friday whether he had retained an attorney.

Macias is being held in the Bergen County Jail, pending a court hearing on Monday, according to jail records.

Civil court documents filed in Superior Court of Bergen County show the chiropractor had been experiencing financial problems in recent years.

In August 2019, Bank of America sued him for an outstanding credit card balance of $35,838.92. The case was dismissed in February, court records show.

In December 2016, American Express-Mercedes Benz sued Macias for breach of contract and unjust enrichment for failing to pay a $4,789.48 credit card bill. The lawsuit was settled for an unspecified amount, according to court records.

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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Tension rose in Portland, Ore., this week as state and local officials called for an end to patrols by federal law enforcement agents who, according to a report by Oregon Public Broadcasting, have been driving through the city in unmarked vehicles and abducting protesters off the streets.

The officers, typically dressed in quasi-military uniforms but without identification, are believed to be from branches of the Justice Department or Department of Homeland Security. Their nominal mission is to protect federal property from vandals, but civilians have reported being caught up in sweeps while doing nothing more than peacefully protesting or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Federal law enforcement officers have been using unmarked vehicles to drive around downtown Portland and detain protesters since at least July 14, read a story by Oregon Public Broadcasting published Thursday. Personal accounts and multiple videos posted online show the officers driving up to people, detaining individuals with no explanation of why they are being arrested, and driving off.

776 Portland, OR: federal troops doing a casual roadside abduction, wordlessly seizing someone and putting them into an unmarked van before driving off



15 July 2020



[@matcha_chai]

pic.twitter.com/byQHLY4D6U  T. Greg Doucette (@greg_doucette) July 15, 2020

Officers are detaining people on Portland streets who arent near federal property, nor is it clear that all of the people being arrested have engaged in criminal activity, the OPB report said. Protesters have been marching in the city for weeks to oppose police violence against Black Americans in the wake of George Floyds death.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf was in Portland on Thursday, but Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese declined to meet with him.

Story continues

As Sheriff, I value the positive relationship we have with our local law enforcement partners, to include Federal Protective Services, U.S. Marshals Office and the FBI, said Reese in a statement. However, the actions by out-of-state federal agents last weekend failed to display good decision making and sound tactical judgment. The use of force did not appear proportional to the actions of the demonstrators. I look forward to a thorough investigation into the matter. These actions caused a significant setback in our local efforts to end the nightly violence around the Justice Center and in Portland.

On Thursday night, in the wake of Wolfs visit, a few hundred protesters confronted federal law enforcement officers. According to local reports, about 250 people chanted Quit your job at officers as songs by Beyonce and Ice Cube played, before officers dispersed the crowd with tear gas. Earlier, Ice Cube had tweeted the OPB story with the comment Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

I offered DHS support to help locally address the situation thats going on in Portland, and their only response was: Please pack up and go home, Wolf said on Fox News Thursday night. Thats just not going to happen on my watch.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, both Democrats, also criticized the law enforcement presence.

Chad Wolf, acting Homeland Security secretary, outside the White House in June. (Stefani Reynolds/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

This political theater from President Trump has nothing to do with public safety, Brown tweeted. The President is failing to lead this nation. Now he is deploying federal officers to patrol the streets of Portland in a blatant abuse of power by the federal government. ... This, coming from the same President who used tear gas to clear out peaceful protesters in Washington, DC to engineer a photo opportunity. Trump is looking for a confrontation in Oregon in the hopes of winning political points in Ohio or Iowa.

We do not need or want their help. The best thing they can do is stay inside their building, or leave Portland altogether. Our goal is to end these violent demonstrations quickly and safely, Wheeler tweeted, adding, I told the Acting Secretary that my biggest immediate concern is the violence federal officers brought to our streets in recent days, and the life-threatening tactics his agents use.

Portland resident Mark Pettibone was one of the men picked up and told OPB that he was taken to a building he later realized was the federal courthouse. No one told him why he was being detained, and about 90 minutes after he declined to waive his rights to an attorney and answer questions, he was released with no paperwork or record of his arrest.

I just happened to be wearing black on a sidewalk in downtown Portland at the time, Pettibone told OPB. And that apparently is grounds for detaining me.

All United States Marshals Service arrestees have public records of arrest documenting their charges, the Marshals Service said in a statement. Our agency did not arrest or detain Mark James Pettibone.

I was terrified, Pettibone told the Washington Post. It seemed like it was out of a horror/sci-fi, like a Philip K. Dick novel. It was like being preyed upon.

Local leaders were angered over the weekend after a protester holding a speaker over his head was shot with so-called less lethal munitions by federal officers and suffered skull fractures. A Washington Post report this week found that police partially blinded a dozen people across the country on May 30 alone.

A waste receptacle's contents are in flames as protesters gather in Portland, Ore., on July 10. (Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP)

The states two Democratic senators issued statements condemning the attack and Wolfs actions.

Federal forces shot an unarmed protester in the face, said Sen. Jeff Merkley. These shadowy forces have been escalating, not preventing, violence. If Secretary Wolf is coming here to inflame the situation so the president can look like a tough guy, he should turn around and leave our city now.

A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald Trumps secret police, Sen. Ron Wyden tweeted. Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media.

On Thursday, Wolf released a statement condemning the rampant long-lasting violence in Portland, which included repeated targeting of a federal courthouse.

A federal courthouse is a symbol of justice  to attack it is to attack America. Instead of addressing violent criminals in their communities, local and state leaders are instead focusing on placing blame on law enforcement and requesting fewer officers in their community, wrote Wolf. This failed response has only emboldened the violent mob as it escalates violence day after day.

Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said Friday morning on Fox News that the federal government has a responsibility to protect buildings such as the courthouse.

A July 2 photo, taken from security cameras, shows officers with the Federal Protective Service guarding the federal courthouse after the glass door shattered. (U.S. Attorneys Office District of Oregon via AP)

What weve seen around the country is where responsible policing is advanced, violence recedes, Cuccinelli said. And Portland hasnt gotten that memo. Nor have a lot of other cities. And the president is determined to do what we can, within our jurisdiction, to help restore peace to these beleaguered cities.

Wolf included dozens of allegations against violent anarchists, including shooting fireworks into the courthouse and assaulting officers. The document also noted graffiti (20 separate instances), damaged fencing (eight separate instances) and lasers directed at law enforcement personnel and aircraft (eight separate instances). At least 13 people have been charged with crimes related to the protests.

Here is what I saw in Portland yesterday. pic.twitter.com/B0xvTTYvIj  Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 17, 2020

The presence of unmarked federal agents caused concern in Washington, D.C., this year, where Attorney General William Barr deployed members of the FBI; the DHS; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Bureau of Prisons. Many of the officers were wearing generic riot gear with no agency markings and refused to identify themselves when asked by demonstrators.

The practice of officers operating with full anonymity undermines accountability, ignites government distrust and suspicion, and is counter to the principle of procedural justice and legitimacy during this precarious moment in our nations history, wrote House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a letter asking for details.

Cover thumbnail photo via OPB.org

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
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...
Dozens of Sudanese protested in the capital Khartoum Friday against recent government reforms they consider anti-Islamic, including allowing non-Muslims to drink alcohol, an AFP correspondent said.

Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari said last Saturday that Muslim-majority Sudan now "allows non-Muslims to consume alcohol on the condition it doesn't disturb the peace and they don't do so in public".

He also said that converting from Islam to another religion would be decriminalised.

The announcements came a day after the country criminalised female genital mutilation.

Protesters took to the streets of Khartoum after Muslim prayers Friday in the east and north of the capital, an AFP correspondent said.

They shouted slogans including, "God's laws shall not be replaced" and carried banners reading "No to secularism".

"Hamdok, Khartoum is not New York," other protesters cried, addressing Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who leads Sudan's transitional government.

Late last month, Hamdok had pledged to announce decisions that "may have a major impact" in the country.

Security forces blocked streets in central Khartoum and bridges connecting the capital with its twin city of Omdurman, the AFP correspondent said.

Unprecedented popular protests that kicked off in Sudan in December 2018 led to the ousting of Islamist president Omar al-Bashir in April last year after 30 years in power and set the course for civilian rule.

Islamists largely stayed on the sidelines of the nationwide demonstrations.

Under Bashir's 30-year rule, the country adopted a more radical course of Islam, hosting Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden between 1992 and 1996.

It also imposed punishments including flogging and sent jihadist volunteers to fight in the country's civil war with the south Sudanese.

The US blacklisted Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism, in a move that decimated the country's economy.

Sudan's transitional government, installed under a deal between protest leaders and the generals who took charge after Bashir's ouster, has been pursuing a string of reforms, seeking to rebuild ties with the US, boost its international standing and rescue its ailing economy.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  There has been a significant increase in the cyber-libel complaints filed by the public and several government officials over the past months, the National Bureau of Investigation said Friday.

Among the complainants are Senator Christopher Bong Go, Vice President Leni Robredo, Cavite Rep. Crispin Remulla and other national and local officials, the NBI said in a statement.

The disclosure was made following Gos filing of a cyber-libel complaint against a college student, who was then served a subpoena.

The NBI explained that a subpoena is a way to verify the veracity of the complaint and is part of due process to give opportunity to the subject of the complaint to be heard.

This includes the validation of the subject post or whether an assumed post, as a result of identity theft, the NBI said.

READ: What to do when you receive an NBI subpoena

Go on Friday clarified that he is not going after his critics  only those who spread fake news.

We have nothing against freedom of expression. Karapatan yan ng bawat Pilipino pero kailangang intindihin ng lahat na may kasamang responsibilidad ito (That is a right of every Filipino but it comes with a responsibility, Go said in a video posted on his Facebook page.

Please use your freedom responsibly, he said.

He said critics have nothing to fear if what theyre saying is true, since the complaint will go through due process.

In late June, Robredo told CNN Philippines that she asked the NBI to investigate who are behind the rumor that her office donated spoiled food to a hospital in Quezon City.

"I have been very reluctant in the past to file a case because I have strongly advocated for the decriminalization of libel and cyberlibel. Itong nangyayari (With what's happening) during the pandemic, I think these people have to be made accountable," Robredo said.

The NBI reminded the public that it remains open to receiving complaints of violations to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, regardless of their status in life, and political and organizational affiliation.
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Linkedin Yahya Cholil Staquf (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 10:12 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40667012eb 3 Opinion Islam,religion,Nahdlatul-ulama,Yahya-Cholil-Staquf,Islam-Nusantara Free

When attorney Stephen Rasche left his practice in the United States and moved to northern Iraq to assist its long-suffering Christians, he confronted a grotesque reality that most Westerners have the luxury of ignoring. In The Disappearing People, Rasche paints a disturbingly vivid picture of the tragedy he witnessed in Iraq.

Rasche does not shy away from identifying the fundamental cause of Christianitys disappearance from its historic birthplace in the Middle East. The calamitous fate of Iraqs Christians is simply the latest chapter in a long and tragic history of religious persecution in the Muslim world.

From sub-Saharan Africa to South and Southeast Asia, religious minorities often experience severe discrimination and violence inflicted by those who embrace a supremacist, ultraconservative interpretation of Islam that has been widely propagated in recent decades by Middle East states, including long-time United States allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

If we wish to end this primordial cycle of hatred, tyranny and violence  which also periodically erupts, to tragic effect, on the streets of Jakarta, Mumbai, London, Paris and New York  we must ask a number of questions that require difficult and honest answers.

Perhaps the most burning of these questions is Why? Why did the killers of the Islamic State (IS) display such remarkable savagery toward Yazidis and Christians? Any informed and intellectually honest inquiry into this question will produce an unambiguous and profoundly disturbing answer: the doctrine, goals and strategy of these extremists can be readily traced to specific tenets of orthodox, authoritative Islam and its historic practice, including those portions of fiqh (classical Islamic law, also known as sharia) that enjoin Islamic supremacy, encourage enmity toward non-Muslims and require the establishment of a universal Islamic state, or caliphate.

IS quest to establish an Islamic state and the inevitable consequences of this for anyone deemed to be non-Muslim is not a historical aberration in the Middle East. Rather, it is the historical norm.

Throughout Islamic history, until the collapse of the Ottoman empire and the formal abolition of the caliphate in 1924, the Middle East has been dominated by caliphs and/or those who ruled in their name and governed according to the provisions of classical Islamic law.

The full enjoyment of legal privileges by the subjects of these empires was predicated on their religious identity conforming to that of the empire. For example, the Ottoman Caliphate systematically discriminated against non-Muslims by enforcing a wide range of orthodox Islamic tenets that govern the treatment of conquered non-Muslims, or dhimmiyun, as did other Sunni and Shiite rulers throughout the Islamic world, with the exception of Nusantara (the Indonesian archipelago) and of Java in particular.

These teachings, even when not enshrined in statutory law, nonetheless retain considerable religious authority and social legitimacy among Muslims, forming part of what Indonesias Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)  the worlds largest Islamic organization  has termed the prevailing Muslim mindset.

The fundamentalist/supremacist view of Islam that these obsolete and problematic tenets of Islamic orthodoxy endorse may be readily harnessed to serve the interests of those with a political agenda. This is evident from history and the savage conflicts now roiling much of the Islamic world. In 2017, the young adult movement of NU published an 8,000-word analysis of the manner in which state and non-state actors have systematically weaponized orthodox Islamic teachings.

Far from the Islamic heartland of the Arab, Turkish and Persian Middle East, Indonesia has never been a part of any of that regions historic caliphates. This separation has enabled the nusantara (archipelago) civilization to develop a spiritual view of Islam that tends to view sharia as a set of universal principles that all religions recognize and acknowledge, rather than an inflexible set of rules developed by classical Muslim jurists for running a pre-modern state.

This unique civilizational heritage enabled Muslims on the island of Java  which constitutes the geographic, political and economic center of Indonesia  to defeat Muslim extremists in the 16th century and restore freedom of religion for all Javanese two centuries before the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom and the Bill of Rights led to the separation of state and religion in the US.

It was this civilizational wisdom that inspired the creation of Indonesia as a multireligious and pluralistic nation state in 1945. It also enabled Indonesias first democratically elected president, Abdurrahman Wahid  backed by NU  to transform it into the worlds third-largest democracy following the overthrow of president Soehartos authoritarian regime in 1998.

In spite of these enormous advantages, however, Indonesia has continued to grapple with the tension that exists between Islamic orthodoxy and the ideals of equality of citizenship and equality before the law, which form the bedrock of both its political settlement and the modern nation state.

So long as obsolete, medieval tenets within Islamic orthodoxy remain the dominant source of religious authority throughout the Muslim world, Indonesian Islamists will continue to draw power and sustenance from developments in the world at large. This is especially true so long as key state actors  including Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan  continue to weaponize problematic tenets of Islamic orthodoxy in pursuit of their respective geopolitical agendas.

The cycle of retaliatory bloodshed we are witnessing is deeply rooted in history, including ancient animosities embedded in the collective memory of entire ethnic and religious groups. It is precisely these hatreds that extremists seek to awaken through heinous and shocking acts of terror. If we are to avert disaster and stem this primordial cycle of hatred, tyranny, and violence, it is imperative for people of goodwill of every faith and nation to join in building a global consensus to prevent the political weaponization of Islam, whether by Muslims or non-Muslims, and to curtail the spread of communal hatred by fostering the emergence of a truly just and harmonious world order, founded on respect for the equal rights and dignity of every human being.

In 2019, the NU Central Board published fiqh rulings based on a Munas (gathering) that endorsed the concept of a nation-state rather than caliphate, recognized all citizens, irrespective of their ethnicity or religion, as having equal rights and obligations, decreed that Muslims must obey the laws of any modern nation-state in which they dwell, and affirmed that Muslims have a religious obligation to foster peace rather than wage war on behalf of their co-religionists, whenever conflict erupts between Muslim and non-Muslim populations anywhere in the world.

A central feature of the Munas rulings is the abolition of the legal category of kafir (infidel) within Islamic law, so that non-Muslims may enjoy full equality as fellow citizens in their own right rather than rely on protection at the sufferance of a Muslim ruler.

Rasche has described an existential threat that confronts all of us, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. It simply remains to be seen whether we will heed his warning and act in time to prevent similar disasters from befalling us.

***

The writer is a Muslim scholar and secretary-general of the Nahdlatul Ulama supreme council. The original article was published in Public Discourse.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Genius Group, a Singapore based public company, completed the acquisition of Entrepreneur Resorts Ltd, comprising luxury resorts and lodges, beach clubs and city co-working hubs, for $32.6m.

The acquisition results in a combined entrepreneur education group with over 1.4 million students in 200 countries, and a faculty of 2,000 mentors guiding students to launch and grow their own businesses.

Entrepreneur Resorts is a group of entrepreneur focused luxury resorts and lodges, beach clubs and city co-working hubs, offering business leaders professional educational retreats in exotic destinations around the world, including Singapore, Bali, South Africa and the Czech Republic. Its location includes a safari retreat and ski lodge for 2-4-week experiential learning programs.

Genius Group is the holding company for GeniusU, Genius Institute and Genius School. GeniusU is an EdTech platform providing over 1.5 million students across 200 countries with personalized learning paths and microdegrees on business building skills. The Genius Group curriculum includes both a core curriculum and accredited curriculum, ranging from school camps and programmes through to entrepreneur accelerators, events and online courses. Genius School provides education courses for young people from 5 years to 25 years old, and Genius Institute provides training courses from 25 to 85 years old. Courses and content range from company sponsored camps for primary and secondary school students through to company funded courses, training, retreats and accelerators from start-ups to large corporations.

Entrepreneur Resorts will now provide the campuses to deliver the curriculum, while online learning will continue to be offered through the edtech platform GeniusU.

Both companies have grown without any Venture Capital funding and instead have been internally funded by investors and business owners within their global community. As part of the merger process, Genius Group also raised an additional $2 million in June from investors for further acquisitions.

With the acquisition, Sandra Morrell, COO, and Jeremy Harris, CFO, of Entrepreneur Resorts Limited, are both joining the board of Genius Group. Daniel Acutt is the Global Investments Manager for Genius Group. Roger James Hamilton is the CEO of both Genius Group and Entrepreneur Resorts.

FinSMEs

17/07/2020
On June 19, a protester was killed. Perhaps her death was obscured by the din of headlines that Friday  it was Juneteenth, a day marking the end of slavery.

Protests against systemic racism catalyzed by the death of George Floyd juxtaposed with a Trump rally scheduled on the anniversary and in the location of the worst incident of racial violence in the U.S. Tensions were high.

Her name was Regan Russell and while participating in a scheduled vigil outside of Fearmans slaughterhouse in Burlington, she was run down by a transport truck carrying pigs on their way to slaughter.

In the news covering this event, and in conversations Ive had with friends and family, it seems the significance of a protester being run down by the very thing she was protesting has been missed. It seems many wonder what she was doing there.

A local news story gives the following account from someone who witnessed the event from a distance: Then I saw a woman ... I assumed the truck driver thought he was clear to go and didnt see that last protester.

Ironically, being seen is an important goal of the vigils held by animal rights groups at slaughterhouses  one way to create more visibility in an industry that would prefer to keep its practices hidden. And Regan was unignorable.

But she was also there that day to protest Bill 156  a new ag-gag law that had been passed two days earlier. Criticized as unconstitutional, Bill 156 is handcrafted to stifle damning evidence of the cruelty that is endemic to animal agriculture, with provisions that are distinctly anti-whistle-blower and anti-free-speech.

Like its counterpart, Bill 27 in Alberta, Bill 156 represents the influence of a powerful farming lobby desperately trying to limit exposure of something that can harm their bottom line  visibility into how the animal agriculture industry works. These sections dont serve to protect the animals or reinforce biosecurity; they serve the sole purpose of controlling information.

The day before she died, Regan wrote on social media: Bill 156 has passed. Now anytime an animal is suffering on a farm in Ontario, no one, not even an employee, has the right to expose it. This decision is evil. Animal ag is evil. Cancel animal agriculture.

Im so sorry that you didnt get a chance to meet Regan Russell yourself. You would have loved her. I only hope that, in clearing up some of the questions about vigils, I can do her justice.

Regan didnt look like what I suppose youd expect a vegan to look like. At 65, Regan still possessed the qualities that decades earlier had made her a model  that is to say, her outer beauty was undeniable. But on the inside  well, that was truly special. She was funny and fast-witted, kind and patient.

She vibrated on a high frequency, if you are familiar with the concept. She was cynical, in a wise way, yet optimistic enough to try to make a difference. For 40 years, she had tried to make a difference. A week prior to her death, she had marched at a Black Lives Matter rally.

You see, Regans viewpoint, known as intersectionality, is the theory that all forms of oppression, discrimination, domination etc., intersect and influence each other. One of the signs she frequently brought to vigils read: If you were in this truck, wed be here for you too. And you know what? She would have.

Personally speaking, up until two years ago, I wouldnt have considered being an activist myself, despite being vegan for several years. It was my then 10-year old son  frustrated because he had been forbidden to talk about animal agriculture at school, who begged me and his dad, also vegan, to take him to a vigil. It became our church. Every Sunday morning we went to bear witness at Fearmans  sometimes with just a handful of people, sometimes in a group of 20 or more. Regan was almost always there too.

This leads me to an important point about Regans experience  as an activist, and specifically attending vigils at Fearmans, which she had done for years. This translates to hundreds of vigils, stopping thousands of transport trucks, bearing witness to the final moments of hundreds of thousands of pigs.

Regan understood the risks  after all, rogue aggressive drivers had been encountered in the past. In fact, this issue was the impetus for a petition created by Toronto Pig Save on change.org urging Michael Latifi, the CEO of Fearmans/Sofina Foods Inc., to create a safety agreement allowing activists to safely protest. Although the request has been ignored to date, other efforts had been made by both Toronto Pig Save and another activist group, New Wave Activism, to liaise with police, work with security and establish rapport with drivers.

Safety protocol is reviewed regularly with the group. Every vigil is timed. Roles are assigned to protestors to improve safety. Regan had one of those roles that day  standing at the entrance, just on the other side of the pedestrian sidewalk, with her now iconic bright neon sign that read ALL ANIMALS NEED PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW.

Although, thanks to the newly passed Bill 156, the ability to legally protect animals would soon be more difficult. It is a bill that exemplifies prioritization of commerce over our rights as Canadians and specifically seeks to punish animal activists. This reality was certainly top-of-mind for Regan and the other activists there that day  as much as it was likely on the radar of those who profit from animal agriculture.

As you can imagine, losing Regan has been a devastating loss to the activism community, to Toronto Pig Save and New Wave Activism and to the many individuals who Regan touched with her beauty, wisdom and compassion. Personally, there hasnt been a day since that I havent cried a tear or two hundred  for the loss of a friend, and the loss of innocence, as I see for the first time just how unforgiving the machine we stand against can be.

And in the wake of Regans death, we are emboldened to articulate our demands in her name:

Justice for Regan Russell; the creation of a universal safety protocol for all future vigils; the repeal of Bill 156; greater visibility into farms where animals are kept and slaughterhouses via 24/7 video; monitoring that can be accessed by the public; the conversion of Fearmans Pork into an exclusively plant-based facility focused on the manufacture of plant protein; and the defunding of animal agriculture.

On the captivity, Regan said: They say were breaking the law by storming? How do you think women got the right (to vote)? How do you think slavery was abolished? People stood up and broke the laws! Because theyre stupid laws.

Lets stand up to this stupid law.
Dr. Anthony Fauci discusses the coronavirus pandemic beside President Trump. The Trump administration's efforts to undermine Fauci foster a distrust of medical expertise that may cost American lives. (Associated Press)

What people dont realize is that President Trump is the real hero of the coronavirus pandemic.

Or, at least, he would have been were it not for the meddling of public health experts who have fed him bad information from the start just to make him look inept and damage his chance of reelection, probably on orders from Democrats and the Deep State. It is they, not the commander in chief, who are responsible for the U.S.s disgraceful position as the top COVID-19 hot spot with more than 138,000 deaths.

That, apparently, is one possible narrative that the White House is advancing with its perplexing and dangerous war on public health institutions and leadership just when the nation needs them the most. COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the country, including in key presidential battleground states. And instead of responding with appropriate concern and action to control infections, the president and his aides have chosen to attack the credibility of the people and institutions that are trying, with their limited ability, to protect the public.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the nation's preeminent infectious disease fighting agency, has been systemically demeaned and hobbled by the Trump administration throughout the pandemic. Things got much worse last week when the president decided he didn't like the CDC's guidelines for protecting against COVID-19 transmission in schools and ordered the agency to revise them to reflect his unscientific view that schools should fully reopen in fall. So far, those guidelines haven't been revised; instead, the Trump administration now plans to put out its own.

More worrisome, however, is the move to shift the collection of hospital COVID-19 data from the CDC to the Department of Health and Human Services. The move is touted as an effort to streamline data gathering, which is not a bad idea. However, needlessly cutting the CDC off from the data makes the move appear punitive. And it's extra troubling because of the concern that the data may become less accessible to the public and to pandemic researchers, while becoming more vulnerable to political manipulation.

Story continues

Usurping CDC authority might be unwise, but at least it makes some twisted political sense. By contrast, it's hard to see what the president gains when top aides smear his own coronavirus expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and arguably the most trusted public health leader in the nation.

Earlier this week, the White House released a statement to some reporters cataloging the times that Fauci has been wrong on things." The list includes Fauci's doubts early on about asymptomatic spread of the virus and whether face masks offered any protection from infection, both positions that reflected how little was known about the novel coronavirus at the time. A few days later, Trumps trade advisor Peter Navarro referenced the same comments in a USA Today op-ed, declaring, "Anthony Fauci has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on."

Fauci has corrected himself on those points and has always qualified his public comments by noting how nothing was certain about this new virus.

Its good that the healthcare community is pushing back on the rhetorical assaults and rising to the defense of the CDC and Fauci, who is a hero within the infectious disease community. But the attacks must stop. This isnt just a political game, people are sick and dying. How many more will do so depends on whether health experts are allowed to do their work. There are real-world effects to the sustained demeaning of the individuals and institutions scrambling to analyze the fast-moving science and outbreak data and to translate that into public health policies in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. Local public health officials are being attacked and their sensible, science-based recommendations ignored.

And that's a problem for the trajectory of the outbreak today and in the future. If so many people are ignoring face mask guidelines now, how likely are they to accept a new COVID-19 vaccination in six months or so from sources that have been relentlessly delegitimized and contradicted by the president?
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Vietnam has seen an increase in the number of diaspora professionals interested in returning to their homeland, especially after the nation has emerged a global leader in the fight against the pandemic, Robert Walters Vietnam observed.

"More overseas Vietnamese are expressing their desire to come home, encouraged by the way the government and the people have put up an unrelenting fight against a disease that has brought many countries to an economic standstill and overwhelmed their healthcare systems."

Robert Walters Vietnam said it is in touch with Vietnamese professionals across various industries with a special focus on functions that are in demand in the Vietnamese market.

Most of the overseas professionals Robert Walters Vietnam is in touch with have 8-20 years experience and solid academic qualifications. They often work with leading MNCs and are looking to explore their potential in Vietnams flourishing and dynamic market.

Robert Walters facilitates the return of Vietnamese diaspora to serve the needs of a fast growing, digitalizing economy.

The typical professional profile would be product owners or managers, UX/UI designers, software developers or leaders in digital transformation, performance marketing or digital marketing and some would have the added motivation of wanting to move back because of family reasons, the firm said.

Thu Do, Tech & Transformation Manager of Robert Walters Vietnam, said: "I have successfully placed multiple roles such as senior product managers, IT managers, IT directors across many industries and based on my observations, overseas Vietnamese candidates often possess certain traits that companies are looking for when hiring tech talent.

"They have superior technical skills in their field, be it within software development, digital product development, data architecture and so on, and are often willing to go beyond the scope of their jobs. It is important that candidates show a high degree of emotional intelligence in communication and a strong spirit for teamwork. Their work record also often reflects their commitment to an organization," she said.

Even though companies are often interested in the skill sets they possess, overseas Vietnamese wanting to return can often face diverse challenges including psychological, social, cultural and job search related challenges.

Information and networking gaps created by their long absence are often some of the largest obstacles when seeking a job in Vietnam. The Come Home Pho Good campaign helps people overcome such obstacles, it said.

The firm identifies, matches and connects Vietnamese living abroad to prospective companies through a "substantial" database and actual physical presence in over 30 locations.

A dedicated international candidate manager (ICM) works with each overseas job seeker to ensure expectations match and are realistic and the ICMs along with Robert Walters consultants coordinate the entire recruitment process for a seamless, streamlined experience, it noted.

Overseas Vietnamese professionals can enable the digital revolution in Vietnam.

Nhan Do, Commercial Finance Manager of Perfetti Van Melle, said moving back home was a big decision, and there were many things to worry about. "I was concerned with finding a good job in particular. Fortunately, I found Robert Walters Vietnams Come Home Pho Good and with their support, I was able to land a good job very quickly. I am thankful to them for making my journey home much easier."

The speed and success of Vietnams transition to a more digitalized economy will depend on its workforce. Therefore, the demand for professionals who bring with them not just niche skills but a global perspective, and an understanding of the local culture and adaptability, can be met perfectly by the segment of the Vietnamese diaspora that is now looking to return, according to Robert Walters.

"The country is taking measures to ramp up digital and entrepreneurial education, infrastructure and cybersecurity to rise to the challenge of greater engagement in the digital world. All these activities and processes will benefit greatly from technical skills and cultural affinities that the Vietnamese diaspora can bring."

Vietnam has recorded 381 Covid-19 patients so far, with only 25 still under treatment after 356 have recovered. The nation has gone 92 days without a single case caused by community transmission, and recorded no Covid-19 death.
Rebuking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the Modi government's foreign policy, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gave a point by point rebuttal on his charges by citing the difference between the policy of the erstwhile UPA government and the present dispensation.

Rahul Gandhi on Friday shared his thoughts on the border conflict while underlying that Indias vulnerability has allowed China to increase tensions along the border. In a video shared on Twitter, the former Congress chief said that since 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modis "mistakes and lack of discretion has weakened India", thus allowing its enemies to launch attacks.

In a series of tweets, S Jaishankar hit back, 'answering' the points raised by the Wayanad MP. He said India's major partnerships with the likes of the United States, Russia, Japan, Europe, etc. are stronger and international standing higher. "India engages China on more equal terms politically," said the EAM, in an apparent reference to the handling of border tensions and trade.

Jaishankar said India now speaks her mind more openly on contentious issues like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that violates Indian sovereignty, on Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), on maritime disputes in the South China Sea, and on United Nations-sanctioned terrorists who are harboured in Pakistan. "Ask the media," he suggested Gandhi validate.

The EAM said the government has addressed the border infrastructure imbalance legacy. "Compare 2014-20 with 2008-14. Budget up by 280%, road building by 32%, bridges by 99% and tunnels by 6 times. Ask the jawans," wrote Jaishankar.

He pointed out Rahul Gandhi 'skipping' the topic of Pakistan and said Islamabad surely notes the difference between Balakot and Uri (the air and surgical strikes against terror launch pads in POK) on the one hand and Sharm-el-Sheikh, Havana and 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks on the other.

And #Pakistan (that you skipped) surely notes the difference between Balakot & Uri on the one hand, and Sharm-el-Sheikh, Havana & 26/11 on the other.



Ask yourself.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 17, 2020

READ | Rahul Gandhi Finally Debuts 'his Thoughts'; BJP Disconcerted At His Map Of India

READ | India Will Cross 20 Lakh COVID-19 Cases By Aug 10; Govt Must Take Concrete Steps: Rahul Gandhi

Response on neighbourhood relations

The Rajya Sabha MP also turned to India's neighbourhood and recounted the Hambantota Port agreement between Sri Lanka and China that was concluded in 2008 (under UPA). Colombo couldn't pay back the debt owed to Beijing and had to lease out the strategically located port to China for 99 years. "Ask those who dealt with it," said Jaishankar.

The diplomat-turned-politician then listed a series of shortcomings made on the front with fellow South Asian neighbours pre-2014, from the Maldives to Afghanistan to Bhutan. He highlighted the landmark 2015 border agreement with Bangladesh that settled disputes across the porous border.

Difficult ties with #Maldives, after India watched President Nasheed being toppled in 2012, now stand transformed.



Ask our businesses.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 17, 2020

#Bhutan finds a stronger security and development partner. And unlike 2013, they dont worry about their cooking gas.



Ask their households.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 17, 2020

#Nepal after 17 years is getting Prime Ministerial visits. And a swathe of developmental projects: power, fuel, housing, hospital, roads, etc.



Ask their citizens.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 17, 2020

#Afghanistan sees completed projects (Salma Dam, Parliament), expanded training and serious connectivity.



Ask the Afghan street.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 17, 2020

Rahul Gandhi and his party have been cornering the Modi government over its handling of the recent border tensions with China in Ladakh, the immigrant visa issue with the US and rhetoric coming from Nepal over its incorporating of Indian territories in its new political map. The BJP has been steady to hit back, although Jaishankar's response can be gauged as being perhaps the loudest yet from the establishment.

READ | EAM Jaishankar Issues 1st Statement On 'India-China Disengagement', Confirms Commencement

READ | EAM Jaishankar Calls India-Bhutan Relationship 'unique', Assures Help In Fighting COVID
Working the graveyard shift at Teslas sprawling Fremont factory is hard enough without worrying about the coronavirus.

For Matthew Krizan, working on vehicle bodies on the overnight shift has meant taking his safety into his own hands. After he heard about coworkers contracting the virus, he decided to get tested on his own.

Krizans concerns, it turns out, were more than just water-cooler chatter. Tesla told employees in an email Wednesday that some workers had been infected with the coronavirus while on the job, although the company did not say if any of those cases occurred at the Fremont factory.

A company official said in the email, which The Chronicle reviewed, that the number was fewer than 10 people across its 55,000-person global workforce.

The revelation highlights the tensions workers face as they balance the need to keep earning a living with the threat to themselves and to loved ones from an infection with the virus, and the shifting strategies employers have pursued for disclosures to employees about workplace outbreaks.

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle

Tesla managers had previously kept information on infections across the company relatively secret, telling employees only when people they had worked with closely had been infected. That wasnt good enough for Krizan, who said colleagues told him two employees on a day shift in his area of the plant had tested positive.

Krizan said the company hadnt offered any official word about cases in his work area and managers had not instructed him to get the test, which came back negative.

For me, taking responsbility for my own health, I do not trust Tesla to have a complete understanding of all the peope I am in contact with, Krizan said. The infection rate is likely higher than what is listed anywhere because of asymptomatic spreading and the lack of testing, he added.

The admission in the Wednesday email from Laurie Shelby, a top workplace-safety executive at Tesla, marks a change from a message she sent last month in which she said there had been no known transmission of the virus in the workplace.

Shelby said that fewer than 1 in 400 of Teslas employees globally had tested positive for the virus since the beginning of the year and that 99.9% of infections had occurred outside of the workplace.

The email followed the publication by Electrek, an online publication covering the electric-car industry, of screenshots purportedly showing data from an internal Tesla dashboard detailing coronavirus cases and exposure. In her email, Shelby disputed the accuracy of the Electrek story and other reports, calling them inaccurate and incomplete.

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle

The Wednesday email did not say if any cases had been identified at the companys Fremont plant, but workers pointed to several in different departments.

Tesla did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

CEO Elon Musk has expressed doubts about the virus, saying on Twitter in March he expected close to zero new cases in the U.S. by the end of April and calling Alameda County orders to close the Fremont plant fascist in April.

Musk, who is considering building a new plant in the U.S., recently met with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who announced Wednesday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Workers at Teslas main Fremont facility continue to grapple with the risk of exposure. One worker on the production line for Model S and X cars said that a coworker had told a manager before work of a possible exposure to the coronavirus. The manager did not respond, and the potentially exposed worker came to work anyway.

That person was sent home the next day after a coronavirus test came back positive, according to the employee, whose identity The Chronicle is withholding in accordance with its policy on anonymous sources because the person had a reasonable fear of retaliation by Tesla for speaking to the press.

The person said Tesla did not notify workers on the S and X line about the positive case and brought in a cleaning crew only after another employee complained forcefully to management.

Theyre keeping us in the dark, the employee said. Its like walking through a minefield, you dont know when youre going to step on something and blow up.

Another employee in the S and X department tested positive in May, the line worker said. No information was shared beyond the infected persons immediate coworkers, who were sent home for quarantine and testing.

Theres zero transparency about this, the worker said.

Teslas Fremont facilities, including the main auto plant and other smaller plants and buildings, employ roughly 10,000.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Two workers in a Page Avenue facility that manufactures vehicle seats also tested positive for the virus, according to the Washington Post.

In her email, Shelby said precautions to fight the virus included stepped-up cleaning of all areas, temperature checks, enforcing the use of personal protective equipment and social distancing and providing sick leave for employees who are infected or may have been exposed to the virus.

Shelby wrote last month in an email obtained by The Chronicle that employees had been exposed to the virus mainly through family members or housemates.

She said in most instances employees told their managers and remained at home or got tested for the virus.

Tesla reopened the Fremont plant in May in defiance of county orders, releasing a workplace safety plan and eventually coming to an undisclosed agreement with the Alameda County Public Health Department on protecting employees.

Alameda County Public Health Department spokeswoman Neetu Balram said in an email the department is satisfied with Teslas approach to combatting the virus so far.

Tesla has regularly shared comprehensive information with us regarding cases and exposed workers at their various facilities in Alameda County, Balram said.

Inside the newsroom The Chronicle strives to attribute all information we report to credible, reliable, identifiable sources. Presenting information from an anonymous source occurs extremely rarely, and only when that information is considered crucially important and all other on-the-record options have been exhausted. In such cases, The Chronicle has complete knowledge of the unnamed person's identity and of how that person is in position to know the information. The Chronicle's detailed policy governing the use of such sources, including the use of pseudonyms, is available on sfchronicle.com. See More Collapse

The health department has not found evidence of extensive spread within Tesla facilities, Balram said, adding: If anything, the known impact on Teslas workforce is lower than what we see in many of our communities more broadly.

Separately, state workplace safety regulator Cal/OSHA is investigating a health-related case as of last month at Teslas main Fremont facility and another on nearby Page Avenue where the seats are made.

The agency said the inspections are confidential while they are ongoing and may take up to six months.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
The free to air channel would be managed by the Department of Education, Manipur, state education minister Thokchom Radheshyam said

Manipur education minister Thokchom Radheshyam on Thursday launched the states first ever dedicated educational channel called Lairik on Jio TV at his office chamber in Imphal, reports said.

This move will allow students to watch educational content easily on their phone and they will not have to depend on a TV unit for learning.

The channel would be managed by Department of Education, Manipur, reported Hindustan Times quoting the education minister.

Lairik, which means book, can show programmes in local language as well as English. Live programmes like classroom sessions can also be integrated with in it. The channel can be watched anywhere in the country.

According to the a report in E-Pao.net, Radheshyam thanked vice president of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited and Jio TV RV Balasubramaniam Iyer, saying that Jio TV is providing the platform to Manipur government for running the educational channel free of cost.

The education minister also said that in the prevailing situation the learning teaching process should continue, the report added.

Sixty-four out of 700 channels on Jio TV are dedicated to education. These channels are hosted by Ministry of HRD (Swayam Prabha), Ministry of IT (DigiShala), government of Gujarat (Vande Gujarat), Skills Development (Million Lights) and many other states.

The education department of Manipur earlier unveiled the digital e-content based website www.laireek.net and made avaialble e-textbooks digital study materials and notes prepared by teachers.

Radheshyam today released the Manipur Board Class 12 result in the state as well. Out of the total students who took the Class 12 exams conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Manipur (COHSEM), 86 percent have passed.

Those who appeared for the exam can check their result at manresults.nic.in.
Democratic candidate John Mannion has the financial advantage over Republican nominee Angi Renna in the 50th state Senate District race.

Mannion, D-Westvale, raised $136,102 over the last six months. His campaign spent $121,774 and has $111,485 in the bank.

Mannion's campaign received $49,907 from individual donors and $53,775 from political action committees and other groups. His notable donors included the American Federation of Teachers, which transferred $11,800 to Mannion's campaign, and the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which gave $5,900.

Renna, R-Manlius, reported receipts totaling $47,303 and spent $8,597 since she launched her campaign in February. She has $38,706 cash on hand.

She raised $17,995 from individual donors and $15,900 from PACs and other groups. She also loaned her campaign $5,000, records show.

The donors to Renna's campaign include Citizens for DeFrancisco, the campaign committee for former state Sen. John DeFrancisco, which gave $1,000. Former Senate Republican Leader John Flanagan's campaign donated $5,000 to Renna. Believe in NY chipped in $5,000 on behalf of Rob Astorino, who is running for state Senate in the 40th district.

The 50th district is a top target for both parties. The seat has been vacant since Bob Antonacci resigned at the end of 2019. Antonacci was elected to serve as a state Supreme Court judge.

A special election was scheduled for April 28, but it was postponed due to COVID-19. Gov. Andrew Cuomo eventually canceled the special election to fill the seat.

Mannion, a teacher at West Genesee High School, ran for state Senate in 2018. He narrowly lost to Antonacci in that race. This is Renna's first campaign. She owns a financial management business in Liverpool.

The 50th district includes parts of Cayuga and Onondaga counties. Democrats have a slight enrollment advantage, but this is a seat the GOP has held for more than 50 years.

Here is a roundup of campaign finance filings in other Cayuga County-area state legislative races:

51st Senate District

The race to succeed retiring state Sen. Jim Seward features two candidates who showed they can raise plenty of money to be competitive.

Peter Oberacker, the Republican nominee, reported receipts totaling $128,217. That includes $70,250 he loaned to his campaign and $35,667 from individual donors. He also received $13,400 from PACs and other committees, including $11,800 from Seward's campaign.

Oberacker's campaign spent $62,332 and has $65,885 cash on hand.

Democratic candidate Jim Barber has a similar closing balance  $64,202  after raising $67,776 and spending $41,862. A vast majority of his donations came from individuals ($60,488). He did receive some donations from various groups, including $1,500 from the Tompkins County Democratic Committee.

The 51st district includes a large swath of upstate New York and six towns in Cayuga County. Republicans have the enrollment advantage, but Barber is hoping to make it a competitive race for the open seat.

54th Senate District

State Sen. Pam Helming is one of the safest incumbents in New York. The 54th district, which includes part of Auburn and several towns in Cayuga County, is a Republican stronghold.

Helming, R-Canandaigua, raised $9,680 and spent $27,777 in the first six months of the year. She has $128,971 cash on hand for her reelection bid.

Shauna Marie O'Toole, the Democratic candidate in the race, filed a "no activity statement" with the state Board of Elections.

126th Assembly District

Dia Carabajal and John Lemondes are hoping to succeed state Assemblyman Gary Finch, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Carabajal, D-Auburn, has the financial edge at the moment. She raised $26,650, spent $5,040 and has $21,609 cash on hand. She received $20,736 from individual donors, and contributed $3,500 of her own money to help her campaign.

The Cayuga County Democratic Committee transferred $2,000 to support Carabajal's Assembly bid.

Lemondes, R-LaFayette, recently won the Republican primary over Danny Fitzpatrick. During the primary campaign, Lemondes had more than $30,000 in total receipts, $18,000 of which was money he loaned to the campaign. He spent nearly $30,000 to win the GOP nod.

In his latest filing, Lemondes reported raising $1,200, including $1,000 from the Onondaga County Republican Committee. He has $3,445 in the bank.

The 126th district includes parts of Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland and Onondaga counties. There are about 5,000 more Republicans than Democrats in the district.

130th Assembly District

Assemblyman Brian Manktelow is in a good position to win reelection, but he will have a familiar opponent this year.

Scott Comegys, a Democrat, is challenging Manktelow, R-Lyons, in the 130th district, which includes towns in the northern half of Cayuga County, all of Wayne County and part of Oswego County.

Manktelow has $436 in the bank after raising $250 and spending $5,350. His expenses were actually two transfers to other party committees: $5,000 to the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee and $350 to the state Independence Party.

Comegys hasn't filed a July quarterly report. According to a filing from June, he raised $550 and spent $15.46. He has $3,446 in his campaign account.

Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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<! Fahim Saleh and his suspected killer Tyrese Devon Haspil, now charged with second degree murder >

Tyrese Devon Haspil, an aide of 33 year-old Gokada CEO, Fahim Saleh, has been arrested in New York for his gruesome murder.

The 21 year-old Haspil, according to New York Times, has been accused as the person who carried out the gruesome dismemberment of Saleh, an American tech millionaire, doing business in Nigeria.

The newspaper said Haspil will face charges for the murder.

Detectives believe that Saleh had discovered that the assistant had stolen tens of thousands of dollars from him, providing a motive for murder.

The Times reported that Saleh didnt report the alleged theft to the police but asked Haspil to repay the money.

The New York Post alleged the theft amounted to $100,000 and that Haspil allegedly reneged on the repayment plan.

This was an act of charity that turned into an act of murder, a source told The Post.

The Times also reported that investigators now believe Saleh was killed the day before the dismemberment (stunned with a Taser and then stabbed to death in the neck and torso) and the killer returned to the apartment to dispose of the body.

The killer also used a portable vacuum cleaner to try to clean the crime scene, according to the newspaper.

The grisly discovery came July 14 in Manhattan, when police found the limbless, headless torso of Saleh inside his luxurious condo, according to The New York Daily News.

Saleh was found decapitated and dismembered next to an electric saw in his luxury Manhattan condo on Tuesday.

According to the newspaper, a video may have captured a suit-wearing man entering an elevator with Saleh in the moments before he met with foul play.

Salehs arms and legs were cut off with surgical precision, according to the New York Post, and then placed in bags.

The New York Daily News quoted a source as describing the scene as professional.

Related
Brown Advisory recently released its Q2 2020 Investor Letter, a copy of which you can download here. The Equity Income Fund posted a return of 18.29% for the quarter, underperforming its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index which returned 20.55% in the same quarter. You should check out Brown Advisorys top 5 stock picks for investors to buy right now, which could be the biggest winners of the stock market crash.

In the said letter, Brown Advisory highlighted a few stocks and Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO) is one of them. Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO) is a producer and marketer of tobacco, cigarettes and related products. Year-to-date, Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO) stock lost 16.7% and on July 16th it had a closing price of $41.48. Here is what Brown Advisory said:

"The stock of US-based tobacco company Altria Group was weak during the quarter on worries that its core Marlboro cigarette brand will lose market share to lower-priced competitors amid the current economic downturn."

[caption id="attachment_517109" align="aligncenter" width="400"]

Best Selling Cigarettes in the World in 2018

Copyright: antonioguillem / 123RF Stock Photo[/caption]

In Q1 2020, the number of bullish hedge fund positions on Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO) stock decreased by about 15% from the previous quarter (see the chart here), so a number of other hedge fund managers seem to agree with Altria's downside potential. Our calculations showed that Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO) isn't ranked among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds.

The top 10 stocks among hedge funds returned 185% since the end of 2014 and outperformed the S&P 500 Index ETFs by more than 109 percentage points. We know it sounds unbelievable. You have been dismissing our articles about top hedge fund stocks mostly because you were fed biased information by other media outlets about hedge funds' poor performance. You could have doubled the size of your nest egg by investing in the top hedge fund stocks instead of dumb S&P 500 ETFs. Below you can watch our video about the top 5 hedge fund stocks right now. All of these stocks had positive returns in 2020.

Story continues

Video: Top 5 Stocks Among Hedge Funds

At Insider Monkey we scour multiple sources to uncover the next great investment idea. For example, on one site we found out that NBA champion Isiah Thomas is now the CEO of this cannabis company. The same site also talks about a snack manufacturer that's growing at 30% annually. Even though we recommend positions in only a tiny fraction of the companies we analyze, we check out as many stocks as we can. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. Hedge fund sentiment towards Tesla reached its all time high at the end of 2019 and Tesla shares more than tripled this year. We are trying to identify other EV revolution winners, so if you have any good ideas send us an email. You can subscribe to our free enewsletter below to receive our stories in your inbox:

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Twitter is now investigating whether an employee could have been bribed into assisting in a massive security breach, as the company reveals at least 130 accounts were compromised, many of them high-profile.

Wednesday's breach was among the largest ever on a social media site, affecting the accounts of former President Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and other well known figures on a massive scale.

After discovering that the hackers used Twitter's own administrative tools to perpetrate the attack, the company is now investigating whether an employee was tricked into turning over their credentials, or bribed into cooperating, according to the New York Times.

Individuals claiming responsibility for the attack previously told Motherboard that they had paid off a Twitter insider to help carry out the attack, sharing screenshots of a Twitter admin panel to back up their claims.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has said that Wednesday was a 'tough day' for the company, adding 'We all feel terrible this happened'

'We used a rep that literally done all the work for us,' one of the alleged hackers told the outlet.

On Thursday, Twitter revealed in a statement that more than 100 accounts were targeted in the attack, though not all were used to post scam messages soliciting Bitcoin transfers to a wallet controlled by the hackers.

'Based on what we know right now, we believe approximately 130 accounts were targeted by the attackers in some way as part of the incident,' the company said.

'For a small subset of these accounts, the attackers were able to gain control of the accounts and then send Tweets from those accounts.'

The company said it is continuing to assess whether non-public data related to the targeted accounts was compromised, and that it will provide updates if that occurred.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has said that Wednesday was a 'tough day' for the company, adding 'We all feel terrible this happened.' Twitter shares dropped 1 percent on Thursday.

The FBI said Thursday it is investigating the hacks, and said the high-profile accounts 'appear to have been compromised in order to perpetuate cryptocurrency fraud.'

The ruse discovered Wednesday included bogus tweets from Obama, Biden, Mike Bloomberg and a number of tech billionaires including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

THE HIGH PROFILE ACCOUNTS COMPROMISED IN TWITTER HACK Barack Obama

Joe Biden

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Mike Bloomberg

Elon Musk

Jeff Bezos

Bill Gates

Warren Buffet

Kanye West

Kim Kardashian West

Wiz Khalifa

Floyd Mayweather

Apple

Uber

CashApp Advertisement

Celebrities Kanye West and his wife, Kim Kardashian West, were also hacked.

Twitter has said the hackers used 'social engineering' to target some of the company's employees and then gained access to the accounts.

The term refers to taking advantage of human nature via psychological manipulation. It can refer to tricking people into downloading malicious software or compromising them by offering something in return for information. Twitter did not say how its employees were compromised.

The attackers sent out tweets from the accounts of the public figures, offering to send $2,000 for every $1,000 sent to an anonymous Bitcoin address.

Cybersecurity experts say such a breach could have dire consequences since the attackers were tweeting from verified, globally influential accounts with millions of followers.

'If you receive a tweet from a verified account, belonging to a well-known and therefore trusted person, you can no longer assume its really from them,' said Michael Gazeley, managing director of cybersecurity firm Network Box.

Reacting to the breach, Twitter swiftly deleted the tweets and locked down the accounts to investigate. In the process it prevented verified users from sending out tweets for several hours.

The company said Thursday it has taken 'significant steps to limit access to internal systems and tools.' User passwords did not appear to have been compromised, Twitter said, so it's not necessary for users to reset them.

Many celebrities, politicians and business leaders often use Twitter as a public platform to make statements. President Donald Trump, for example, regularly uses Twitter to post about national and geopolitical matters, and his account is closely followed by media, analysts and governments around the world.

The White House said Thursday his account was secure and wasn't jeopardized by the hacks.

Twitter faces an uphill battle in regaining peoples confidence, Gazeley said. For a start, it needs to figure out exactly which accounts were hacked and show the vulnerabilities have been fixed, he said.

'If key employees at Twitter were tricked, thats actually a serious cybersecurity problem in itself,' he said. 'How can one of the worlds most used social media platforms have such weak security, from a human perspective?'

Rachel Tobac, CEO of Socialproof Security, said that the breach appeared to be largely financially motivated. But such an attack could cause more serious consequences.

'Can you imagine if they had taken over a world leaders account, and tweeted out a threat of violence to another country's leader?' asked Tobac, a social engineering hacker who specializes in providing training for companies to protect themselves from such breaches.

Tobac said companies can guard themselves against such attacks by beefing up multi-factor authentication - where users have to present multiple pieces of evidence as authentication before being allowed to log into a system.

Such a process could include having a physical token that an employee must have with them, on top of a password, before they can log into a corporate or other private system. Other methods include installing technical tools to monitor for suspicious insider activities and reducing the number of people who have access to sensitive data, Tobac said.

This week's case follows last year's federal investigation of two former Twitter employees charged with spying on users for the Saudi government.

Several U.S. lawmakers called on Twitter to cooperate with authorities including the Department of Justice and the FBI to secure the site after the latest breach.

'I am concerned that this event may represent not merely a coordinated set of separate hacking incidents but rather a successful attack on the security of Twitter itself,' said Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican.

He added that millions of users relied on Twitter not just to send tweets but also communicate privately via direct messaging. Twitter hasn't said if hackers were able to access the private messages of their high-profile targets.

Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden said Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told him in a private conversation in 2018 that the company was working on protecting direct messages, known as DMs, with end-to-end encryption.

But that promise never materialized, Wyden said Thursday, leaving everyone's private messages 'vulnerable to employees who abuse their internal access to the company's systems, and hackers who gain unauthorized access.'

'This is a vulnerability that has lasted for far too long, and one that is not present in other, competing platforms,' Wyden said in an emailed statement. 'If hackers gained access to users DMs, this breach could have a breathtaking impact, for years to come.'
There is a distinct difference between the value of day-trippers compared to the value of seasonal residents who come from the Greater Toronto Area to visit Peterborough County, Trent Lakes Mayor Janet Clarkson says.

About half of the municipalitys population are seasonal residents from the GTA, she said.

They have homes in Toronto and they have cottages here, and when they come here, theyre valuable citizens, Clarkson said.

While day-trippers from the GTA are causing problems at several locations around the county, she said its important to note the difference between them and cottagers.

Weve got to be very careful when we paint this picture that it doesnt reflect on the people that we want to come here. We want our seasonal residents to feel safe, welcomed, and happy, Clarkson said.

On July 9, Clarkson and her husband went to the Buckhorn Foodland to pick up some groceries, she said. When her husband realized he forgot his wallet while they were checking out, a man from Burlington who was behind them in the line offered to pay their bill.

My husband said No, no, no. I just live up the road, Ill come back. But the man said No, Im serious. Put the order on my bill, Clarkson said.

Following the generous gesture, she and her husband and the man from Burlington headed outside.

I asked the fella where he was staying and he said, Three Castles (a resort in Buckhorn). Weve been coming here for years and years and were just so grateful to be able to come back and spend our week here, Clarkson said.

What the man did was a really nice thing to do, she said.

It was just one of those things that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling for a long time, Clarkson said.

While she was at the Buckhorn Foodland, she said she asked some individuals where they were from.

It was just like you had a cattle prod when you asked them. They would jump back and say, Why do you want to know? Why does it make a difference where Im from? The divide is that strong, Clarkson said. And thats a shame, because some of these people have been summer visitors here for 50 to 60 years.

The county needs healthy tourism, she said, and she welcomes people from the GTA with open arms who venture into the region to provide that.

Just dont bring your garbage and your lack of respect for roadsides and parks when doing so, Clarkson said.
President Donald Trumps outgoing campaign manager and his successor gathered staffers at the Trump campaigns Arlington, Va., headquarters Thursday morning for a pass the torch ceremony, after Trump abruptly replaced Brad Parscale with Bill Stepien atop his reelection effort Wednesday night.

Two attendees described the 20-minute meeting as emotional, with campaign leaders trying to push the idea that the change represented continuity for Trumps reelection bid. Parscale thanked the 200 or so assembled staffers and praised Stepien for his political skills. Stepien urged aides to ignore what he described as a media-driven narrative that Trump was losing to Joe Biden, and he told them to ramp up their efforts for the final stretch of the campaign.

The meeting came just hours after Trump orchestrated the dramatic shakeup. In a move that left many aides stunned, the president took to Facebook to announce that Parscale, who has worked for Trump for the past decade and spent the last two-plus years building a massive reelection campaign apparatus, would be demoted into a senior adviser role and that Stepien would be taking his place.

The new campaign managers elevation followed weeks of angst inside the White House about Trumps reelection prospects, with the typically self-assured president privately expressing concern about his plummeting poll numbers. The presidents lightly attended rally in Tulsa, Okla., last month piled anger on top of his anxiety, with Trump pointedly blaming Parscale for the fiasco.

Three people familiar with the internal deliberations over the campaign said the shakeup was set in motion Tuesday evening, when Stepien met privately with Trump in the White House.

Stepien, a 42-year-old hardened political veteran who is known for his organizational focus, has already taken steps to examine the state of the campaign. He has begun examining its budgets and organizational charts, and people involved in the campaign say its possible he will soon make changes. But it remains unclear how extensive those alterations will be with so little time until the election.

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Those close to Parscale expressed unhappiness at how the late-night shakeup played out. Trumps family, which has long been close to the ex-campaign manager, felt blindsided by the move, two people with knowledge of their reaction said.

They also described Parscale as deeply hurt. On Wednesday afternoon, he tweeted out a biblical verse: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

Parscale had relocated to Washington for the job but he is now expected to return home to Florida, where he will be focused on his specialties of data, digital and advertising. It is uncertain, however, the extent he will be involved in the day-to-day activities of the campaign.

Changing managers less than four months from an election is about the biggest staff move a presidential campaign can make. But the problems facing Trump appear to be on a different scale than a personnel solution. Trumps popularity levels are near a low point of his presidency, Biden has wide leads in polling, and both public health and the economy are weighing on American minds during the coronavirus pandemic.

The president has made other moves to buttress his campaign with the Republican National Convention just over a month away. Trump has also rehired key 2016 aide Jason Miller and Michael Glassner, a loyalist of the president who had been serving as the campaigns chief operating officer and was recently demoted.

Some described the sudden campaign manager shuffle as brutal and likened it to the demotion of Glassner, who learned of his fate not from the campaigns senior-most leaders but from his replacement, Jeff DeWit. Many in the campaign saw Glassner as the unfairly designated fall guy for the Tulsa failure.

Parscale has been under the microscope for months, and questions about his fate intensified after the Oklahoma rally. Some people close to the campaign said they felt Parscale erred by making himself a public figure, aggressively promoting himself on social media and at one point appearing in an advertisement.

Stepien, by contrast, has developed a reputation as a low-profile operative who studiously avoids the limelight. He is rarely quoted in the press and doesnt seek out TV interviews,

He is level headed and low key, something necessary in a chaotic campaign environment. Hes smart and analytical. He excels at the nuts and bolts tactics that often go unnoticed by Twitter and cable news shows but really decide campaigns, said Mike DuHaime, a veteran Republican strategist who has worked with Stepien on many races.

Stepien, who served as White House political director after joining Trumps first campaign in the summer of 2016, has been the subject of public intrigue in the past, though. Stepien formerly served as a top political adviser to ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. He was a leading contender to manage Christies 2016 presidential campaign before he was fired for emails he sent amid the Bridgegate scandal. Stepien has denied knowing about the scheme to shut down traffic on the George Washington Bridge and was not charged with a crime.

Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has asserted further control over the political operation in recent weeks, has played a key role in orchestrating the staff moves. But some in the White House saw the shakeup as a brushback against Kushner, who in 2018 picked Parscale for the campaign manager job.

Kushner, however, also has close ties to Stepien. Both men hail from New Jersey, a state with a notorious reputation for rough-and-tumble politics.
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. THG estimates second-quarter catastrophe loss of $148 million, pre-tax or $117 million after taxes. The loss estimate could be attributed to the companys exposure to hail and wind storms in the Midwest in April and property losses from civil unrest across the United States.



The estimated figure takes into account $7 million of favorable prior-year development on several events from recent accident years and excludes expenses related to COVID-19 pandemic and favorable overall loss frequency.



The company's lower-than-expected current accident year losses exclude catastrophes, owing to decline in frequency. This positive is expected to largely offset higher-than-expected second-quarter catastrophe losses.



The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter earnings is currently pegged at $1.50 per share, indicating a decline of 20.2% from the year-ago quarter reported figure. We expect estimates to move south once analysts start incorporating loss estimates into their numbers.



Hanover Insurance is set to report its second-quarter earnings on Jul 28 after market close. Per our proven model, a company needs to have the right combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), #2 (Buy) or #3 (Hold) to deliver an earnings surprise. Hanover Insurance has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.



Being a property and casualty insurer, Hanover Insurance is exposed to claims arising out of catastrophes, which significantly affect operations and financial condition. In the first quarter, the Commercial Lines segments catastrophe loss surged 129% to $23.8 million while combined ratio deteriorated 400 basis points to 98.2%. Segment underwriting results also declined in the quarter, primarily due to higher non-catastrophe loss activity and catastrophe losses.



Nonetheless, Hanover Insurance has ceded reinsurance programs designed to provide protection from significant losses arising from catastrophic events. The Commercial Lines and Personal Lines segments are primarily protected by a property catastrophe occurrence program, with retentions of $200 million. It provides coverage of up to $1.175 billion countrywide, less a $200 million retention for all defined perils. Additionally, an aggregate feature, effective Jul 1, 2019 through Jun 30, 2020, provided up to $75 million of coverage in excess of $300 million in aggregate catastrophe losses. The catastrophe losses subject to the aggregate feature are limited only to those events that exceed $7.5 million of incurred losses per event.



Shares of The Hanover Insurance have lost 26.2% year to date compared with the industrys decline of 15.5%. Nevertheless, compelling product portfolio, widening specialty capabilities, strong market presence, strategic investments, effective cost control and a solid capital position should help shares bounce back.

Story continues





You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



Cat Loss Estimates of Some Other P&C Insurers



Several property and casualty insurers have come up with their second-quarter catastrophe loss estimates. Chubb Limited CB estimated second-quarter global after-tax net catastrophe loss of $1.15 billion.



Arch Capital Group ACGL estimated second quarter pre-tax net catastrophe losses in the range of $205 million to $225 million.



Cincinnati Financial Corporation CINF expects to incur pre-tax catastrophe loss of approximately $231 million.

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While out on bond in his drugs case in July 1993, Honken and his girlfriend Angela Johnson kidnapped Lori Duncan and her two daughters from their Mason City, Iowa, home, then killed and buried them in a wooded area nearby. Ten-year-old Kandi and 6-year-old Amber were still in their swimsuits on the hot summer day when they were shot execution-style in the back of the head.
A view of Shibadong Village in Huayuan, a county in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province, on May 14. [For China Daily/Song Jinliang]

Editor's Note: With China set to meet its goal this year of eliminating extreme poverty before next year's 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, this series looks at the efforts of different areas of the country to erase poverty and improve livelihoods.

The young woman is dressed in striking local ethnic attire, with matching embroidered pink-green sleeves and pants. She sits next to a traditional huotang open hearth, feeding it generously with firewood to keep the flames burning bright.

"This is our way of keeping warm. The huotang can be used to make larou (Chinese bacon) at the same time," she said, pointing to the mouthwatering strips of salted pork hung over the fire for smoking.

Shi Linjiao, 24, is not just introducing a local delicacy to visitors. She is part of a scene in a video being shot at Shibadong, a village of the Miao ethnic group in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Central China's Hunan province. Shibadong is named after the village's 18 natural caves.

Shi returned to Shibadong after she graduated last year from the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province, and had a job at Liuyang, a county-level city in Hunan. She quit the job several months later to go back to her hometown.

The video is part of a series used to promote her hometown. Shi herself is tasked with appearing on camera, while other village returnees Shi Zhichun plans the programs and Shi Kang edits the clips.

Shi Kang once worked in the field of new media in Changsha, capital of Hunan, before he was inspired by Shi Zhichun's idea of starting their own business at their hometown last year.

The trio returned from cities after graduating from their respective colleges since 2017. Once back home, they decided to work together, promoting their hometown to the outside world through modern communication channels.

Like many other impoverished remote areas in the country, the village is located amid the highlands, in the Wuling Mountains endowed with breathtaking scenery and clean water, but having inadequate transportation and other infrastructure.

Villagers used to rely on the little income they could reap from crops, including corn and rice, planted on scattered farmland.

Shi Zhichun, who earned a graduate degree at Jishou University in Jishou, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture after majoring in English as an undergraduate at the Central South University in Changsha, chose to leave the city to return to Shibadong following his studies in 2017.

Attracting Tourists

"I want to make my hometown known to the rest of the world, so that tourists can be attracted here and Miao villagers' specialties can be sold online," the 31-year-old said.

He soon figured out an effective way to promote Shibadong's attractions and specialties, by posting short videos and livestreaming on major social networking platform Douyin.

"Through the videos, we can show the culture and traditions of the Miao ethnic group, such as our activities in the field, our cuisine and our songs and dances," he said.

It did not take long for the increasing number of fans of the trio's videos to start buying the larou products made by households in the village.

Shi said they have been selling hundreds of kilograms of the meat, with the villagers earning about 60 yuan ($8.5) for every kilogram of larou they sell.

Other local agricultural products, including peppers, rice wine and kiwis, are also being sold through the digital platforms. Their account on Douyin has attracted more than 90,000 fans, Shi said.

He is planning to set up a company to sell more local produce, with even a food processing factory in the future.

The village returnees are not the only ones to embrace a bright future for Shibadong.

Sitting on a workbench, Shi Shunlian deftly threads a needle through a spread of fabricshe is stitching an elaborate scene of a high-speed train, in white and black.

Shi, 66, is a former Party chief at Shibadong. After retiring in 2014, she picked up miaoxiu (traditional ethnic embroidery) hoping the skill can help the needy villagers earn some additional income.

Shi Shunlian is busy doing embroidery on May 21. [For China Daily/Song Jinliang]

A Visit by President

She recalled that President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, visited the village in 2013. At the time, 57 percent of the 939 villagers were living below the national poverty line of 2,300 yuan ($328), with their per capita disposable income at 1,668 yuan.

"I felt sorry when he asked how much our villagers could earn in a year," Shi said, adding that she had been at the post since 1997 but the village still remained poor due to the tough natural conditions.

Shi Shunlian wanted to continue helping the village to fight poverty after her retirement, by organizing housewives to make miaoxiu and selling them as arts and crafts.

Miaoxiu, which features rich and splendid colors and various figures and lines, is among the first traditions of its kind listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.

"In this way, we can preserve Miao people's cultural inheritance and use it to help improve our lives," she said, adding that the traditional activity is in danger of fading out of their community.

She remembered how Miao girls traditionally learned to embroider from their mothers and grandmothers at a very early age.

"We stitch various shapes like butterflies and flowers onto fabric and use them to make different items, including clothes, pillowcases, handbags and wall hangings," Shi Shunlian said, as she pointed to the train pattern on the Miao embroidery she was working on.

The piece of miaoxiu work she is stitching carefully at her workbench will be given as a present to the foreign customers of CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive, a major manufacturer of rail transit equipment in Hunan.

As the biggest buyer of the ethnic craft since 2018, the company has been placing orders for Miao embroidery works worth 100,000 yuan each year from the cooperative that Shi set up in May 2014.

Shi Linjiao (R), a first-generation college student who returned home to start a business in Shibadong Village, shows fried bacon to the audience during a live broadcast on April 23. [Xinhua/Xue Yuge]

Cooperative Formed

Under her lead, more than 190 housewives have joined the cooperative for producing handmade Miao embroidery works in the past six years. Each of them can earn about 3,000 yuan during busy months.

The cooperative's Miao embroidery products have received more orders as a result of the growing interest. But Shi still worries about their work.

"There aren't enough orders to keep us busy through the whole year and there is a dearth of talent to provide designs for the embroidery. These are the two major problems," she said.

"We will improve our products, adding items like purses, bookmarks and hats; we will go out to promote them and we are hoping to find designers," Shi said of her plans.

The villagers' efforts to tap local culture for improving lives is in line with "targeted poverty alleviation", a concept first put forward when Xi visited the then poverty-stricken village on an inspection tour in November 2013.

The concept includes precisely identifying impoverished residents and cultivating suitable businesses to help locals eliminate poverty and to thrive, requiring relief measures tailored to different local conditions.

The approach has become a guiding principle in the country's effort to eradicate poverty by the end of this year.

Other than tapping ethnic tradition, Shibadong has also developed other suitable industries based on its scenic beauty and other natural resources, such as rural tourism and agricultural products.

"We have advantages to develop rural tourism, with our special Miao culture, picturesque valleys and rich ecological resources," said the village's deputy director Long Jilong.

The village renovated its infrastructure first, including roads, power grids, residential buildings and tourism facilities.

To fully develop tourism, the village brought in a leading tourism company in 2018 to manage the industry and provide standard services.

Last year, the village received more than 600,000 visitors, twice the number compared with the year before.

"The booming tourism has provided many opportunities for residents to boost their income," Long said.

More than 200 villagers have become involved in the tourism sector, including operating restaurants and guesthouses, working as tour guides, shuttle bus drivers, security guards and cleaners, or selling local specialties to tourists.

New Sources of Wealth

"Villagers are now enjoying better living conditions and have found new sources of wealth," Long said.

In 2016, Shibadong shed its poverty label, with villagers' per capita income reaching 8,313 yuan, significantly higher than the national poverty line of about 3,000. In 2019, per capita income in the village reached 14,668 yuan, almost nine times the level in 2013.

The transformation has attracted over 200 young people back to Shibadong, which was called a "hollow village" in the past because most young people went out to the big cities to find jobs, leaving their elderly parents and children at home, Long said.

"Developing various suitable industries is key to the village's future," said Sun Zhongyuan, the current Party chief of Shibadong.

Based on local weather and geography, villagers also found kiwi fruit to be a suitable crop.

But limited cultivable land, with one resident owning less than 1 mu (0.067 hectares) on average, had prevented the village from growing kiwi on an industrial level.

In 2014, Shibadong rented 1,000 mu of land from a neighboring village to develop kiwi farming, with villagers able to get a share of the farming profits at the end of a year.

With abundant natural mountain spring water, Shibadong also brought in a water company, which taps the village's land and water resources, sharing its profits with the village.

In 2019, the village received more than 600,000 yuan of profit share from the water company, Sun said.

While some villagers are benefiting from the collective industries, others are continuing to find their own business opportunities.

One of them, 33-year-old Long Xianlan discovered that the village's lush greenery offered the perfect conditions for raising bees.

Starting from 2015, Long gradually grew his beekeeping enterprise. His initial four boxes of bees have grown to more than 300 crates, helping him rake in an annual income of 400,000 yuan last year from just a few thousand yuan before 2015.

Shi Chengfu (L) has lunch with his family in Shibadong Village on June 29. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]

Successful Venture

Before his successful foray into apiculture, Long was known as an orphan in difficult circumstances  his mother left the family when he was a little boy, his father died when he was 18 and his younger sister succumbed to disease soon after. Demoralized by the hardships, Long kept himself in a drunken stupor almost every day.

Fortunately for him, Long, inspired and supported by poverty alleviation measures, began to work hard at his beekeeping. The business increased his income and helped him attract his future wife from a neighboring village.

"I met her at a blind date event organized in Shibadong, but her family opposed our relationship due to my poverty at the time," Long said. He waited a year until his apiculture business started yielding profits and succeeded in a marriage proposal in 2016.

The honey business has also benefited other villagers. More than 560 residents in Shibadong and neighboring villages joined a beekeeping cooperative led by Long, over half of whom used to be stricken by poverty with their per capita income less than 3,000 yuan each year.

With the development of suitable industries and businesses, villagers in Shibadong can get jobs and make a decent living right at their doorstep.

Long Xianlan said the opportunities he tapped from beekeeping have turned him from a despondent, aimless pauper into a responsible husband providing for a happy family that fully enjoys the warmth and comforts of home.

"My life now is sweeter than the honey I make," he said.

(Source: China Daily)
July 17 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

The Times

- The Treasury said on Thursday that it had asked state-owned National Savings & Investments to raise a net 35 billion pounds ($43.95 billion) from savers this year, a record for a single year and almost six times what had been envisaged before the pandemic began. https://bit.ly/30jRSja

- Kenny Alexander, the boss of Britain's biggest bookmaker GVC Holdings Plc, has surprised investors by announcing that he will retire after 13 years as chief executive and will be replaced by his lieutenant, Shay Segev. https://bit.ly/32qC80s

The Guardian

- Trade unions have accused Centrica Plc, the owner of British Gas, of using the COVID-19 pandemic as a "smokescreen" to force its 20,000 employees to accept worse employment contracts or lose their jobs. https://bit.ly/32xj4xk

- Paid employment in Britain has plunged by almost 650,000 employees since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March, according to the Office for National Statistics, as growing numbers of companies cut jobs. https://bit.ly/2C9XLHJ

The Telegraph

- AstraZeneca Plc is under growing pressure to publish positive data related to its coronavirus vaccine after global markets rallied on reports that scientists had made a breakthrough in its development. https://bit.ly/3jds7K3

- Europe's top court, the European Court of Justice, has thrown out a U.S. data-sharing deal which underpinned transatlantic digital trade for more than 5,000 companies. https://bit.ly/3eD9xaq

Sky News

- Dozens of PizzaExpress sites are facing the threat of closure as part of a financial restructuring of one of Britain's biggest restaurant operators. https://bit.ly/32mUK1j

- One of the UK's largest casino operators, Genting Casinos, has confirmed plans that will put 1,642 jobs at risk as the coronavirus lockdown takes its toll. https://bit.ly/3h2uQUs

The Independent

- The UK government has been accused of a "corrosive" lack of transparency after economists said the Treasury had overestimated the size of its economic support plans by as much as 20 billion pounds. https://bit.ly/2WpI8CA

($1 = 0.7964 pounds) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)
Donald Trump

Washington: US President Donald Trump has said that he wants to do everything possible to keep peace for the people of India and China as he loves the people of both the countries.

Donald TrumpOver the past several weeks, the Trump administration has come out in support of India against China.

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He (Trump) said I love the people of India and I love the people of China and I want to do everything possible to keep the peace for the people, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that India has been a great partner of the US.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo"India has been a great partner and they are an important partner of ours. I have a great relationship with my foreign minister counterpart. We talked frequently about a broad range of issues. We talked about the conflict they had along the border with China", Pompeo said.
Police in Milan's Malpensa airport discovered a package of coffee beans coming from Medellin, Colombia containing 500 beans that had been cut open, stuffed with cocaine powder and carefully taped closed with dark brown tape.

In the two-kilo package of coffee, there were 150 grams of carefully stuffed cocaine.

A police statement said an unusual name on the package first attracted their attention - the name of a young mafia boss, Santino D'Antonio from the recent American action thriller, "John Wick."

The package was addressed to a tobacco shop in Florence.

A police team followed the delivery of the parcel and when a 50-year-old man showed up on his bike to pick it up, he was arrested.

Italian police called their operation "Caffe' Scorretto"  Improper Coffee  a play on the commonly used "caffe' corretto"  corrected coffee - which is an espresso with a splash of sambuca.

(Image By David Dewitt)
Editor's Note: With so much market volatility, stay on top of daily news! Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news and expert opinions. Sign up here!

(Kitco News) - Gran Colombia Gold Corp. (TSX: GCM) is reporting a nearly 17% drop in production in the second quarter compared to 2019 as the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact mining operations around the world.

In a press release Friday, the Colombian gold miner said that for the second quarter of 2020 it produced a total of 48,228 ounces of gold compared with 57,882 ounces in the second quarter of 2019.

For the first half of 2020, it produced a total of 104,475 ounces of gold compared with 118,483 ounces in the first half of last year, the company added.

The second quarter and first half 2020 production results reflect the impact on the Companys operations of the COVID-19 national quarantine in Colombia invoked on March 25, 2020 and which remains in effect, the company said in the press release.

We are fortunate that we have been able to operate at both Segovia and Marmato in the midst of the COVID-19 situation during the second quarter of this year. It probably goes without saying, but COVID-19 has definitely changed how we do things, said Lombardo Paredes, chief executive officer of Gran Colombia. We have adapted our operating procedures to ensure our people remain healthy and safe and we have supported the communities in which we operate. At Segovia, we have been more successful in keeping our production levels in May and June closer to normal and expect we will continue to do so if conditions remain as they are now. At Marmato, it has been more challenging getting access to workers during the national quarantine.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted production, the company noted that it is also benefiting from higher gold prices. The company said its cash position stood at approximately US$73 million as of the end of June.
There are around 450 cancers possibly undetected, according to Rachel Morrogh (Niall Carson/PA)

People with cancer could die prematurely because of a lack of diagnosis following the postponement of cancer screening services, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

Rachel Morrogh, director of advocacy and external affairs at the Irish Cancer Society, said they are worried that some people have not accessed medical services.

She told the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response that following the decision to postpone non-essential surgery and screening procedures, thousands of of people have not been screened.

Ms Morrogh said the impact on cancer outcomes will take years to be fully uncovered.

She warned that health officials will need to clear the growing backlog quicker than is currently taking place, and also said that a capacity review of hospitals is needed.

She added: Its important to know what capacity is there. If we illustrate in the case of endoscopy services, we know that their capacity has been reduced to about 30 or 50% pre-Covid levels and before Covid there were extremely long waiting times for non-urgent colonoscopies.

There is currently 19,000 people waiting for a colonoscopy. How are the endoscopy services able to do more with less?

We dont know if the workforce has been fully restored or are people still in roles to provide Covid services. We need people to take action today, because we are at a crossroads and if we do nothing, we are facing a dire situation.

Sinn Feins David Cullinane asked whether people will die of cancer prematurely because of a lack of diagnosis.

We cannot possibly accept that we are delivering a health service with this reduced capacity. That means things will get worse and people will get a lot sicker Susan Clyne, CEO Irish Medical Organisation

Unfortunately that is the case. We need people to be diagnosed early. We are worried that some people havent accessed medical services yet, Ms Morrogh added.

She also told the committee that there are around 450 cancers possibly undetected.

Susan Clyne, CEO of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), said there is need for additional capacity.

We cannot possibly accept that we are delivering a health service with this reduced capacity. That means things will get worse and people will get a lot sicker, Ms Clyne added.

Temporary builds will have to be the first option, purchasing or renting space will have to be the second option.

Dr Peadar Gilligan told the committee that 580,000 people are on outpatient waiting lists and nearly quarter of a million people are waiting for various procedures or day-case admissions.

He added: There are huge pressures on the system, there are massive unmet needs in the system already, and that in a system where we were running acute hospitals between 97 and 104% occupancy.

Dr Clyne added: We have to accept our health services do not have enough doctors, nurses and other health professionals. We have to accept that we dont have enough beds.

This idea of robbing Peter to pay Paul, make a choice between a consultant or nurse, thats not going to improve a lot for patients. We dont want to go back to the way it was. We want to move on and go back to a system that meets peoples needs.

She also said that they are 500 consultants short in the the health service, which represents 20% of the workforce.

Donal Buggy, director of services at the Irish Cancer Society, spoke about the stress and impact on cancer patients mental health.

We are finding that, as lockdown lifts, the stress on cancer patients is increasing, he said. Those who are continuing to cocoon are very concerned about the impact of the infection on them.

Fianna Fails Paul McAuliffe said cancer patients he spoke to said that the indeterminate period of how long the health pandemic will continue is having an impact on their mental health.

Meanwhile, Liam Woods, the national director of acute operations at the HSE, said that the number of clinical staff and doctors employed has risen significantly during the coronavirus crisis.

The replacement of consultants is not problematic from an approval point of view, but there has been difficulty in recruiting some consultants, its also quite a lengthy process, Mr Woods added.

I think the notion that we have adequate capacity to deal with a Covid surge and the demands of cancer and other urgent elective surgery within the system is a real challenge.

Its going to be difficult to respond to both the elective demand and the unscheduled care demand with the surge we know is coming this winter.

Social Democrat TD Roisin Shortall raised the issues surrounding bed capacity in hospitals and asked when the public can expect an increase in beds.

Mr Woods said: There is work under way. There are a couple of sites, Clonmel opened a modular build, 40 beds, which were available to come on stream early.

Limerick are currently building 100 beds in modular form and we are looking at deploying modular technology to put on ground as much capacity as we can in preparation for winter.
Argentine Marxist revolutionary, Che Guevaras childhood house in Rosario has been put up for sale just last week. According to reports, this move comes after the several owners of the home were unsuccessful in realising various cultural projects on the strength of Guevaras legacy. The 200-square metre home of significant figure of the Cuban revolution was put on sale with reportedly asking price of $400,000.

According to international media reports while the home has had several owners in the past, one of the current owners, businessman Francisco Farrugia has told a media outlet that he was already planning to sell the property. However, he said, with multiple properties in different countries and the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic led to fast-forwarding of the decision.

Read - 'Promoting Marxism, Not Stopping Racism': Trump Jr Slams Abolitionist's Statue Removal

Who was Che Guevara?

Also a physician, author, diplomat, and military theorist, Che Guevara eventually became a guerilla leader in South America but was executed by the Bolivian army in 1967. Since then, he has been regarded as a martyred hero by several generations of leftists in the world. His iconic image still remains a symbol for leftist radicalism and anti-imperialism. He was born in Ernesto Guevara de la Serna on June 14, 1928, in Rosario in Argentina.

Read - Argentina Back To Strict Quarantine

After the completion of his medical studies at the University of Buenos Aires, he first got involved in politics in Argentina and then in the neighbouring regions Bolivia and Guatemala. In 1955, he met Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and his brother Raul while in Mexico and then became part of formers efforts to oust the Batista government in Cuba. Guevara served as military adviser to Castro and directed the guerilla troops in the battles against Batista government forces.

When eventually Castro took the power in 1959, Guevara became in charge of La Cabana Fortress prison where reportedly 144 people were executed on his extra-judicial orders. Then, he also became the president of Cubas national bank and led the shift of the countrys trade relations from the United State to the Soviet Union. He has addressed the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1964, but was captured and killed on October 9, 1967, in La Higuera by the Bolivian army.

Read - Austria To Redesign Hitler's Birthplace As Police Station

Read - Italian Police Find Cocaine Hidden In Coffee Beans

Inputs: Agencies


The enemy mounted 13 attacks on Ukrainian positions in the past day.

Four Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in shelling in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, as Russia-led forces mounted 13 attacks on July 16.

"Over the past day, three members of the Joint Forces were wounded in action and another soldier received combat-related injuries amid enemy shelling," the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Headquarters said in a morning update on Facebook on July 17. "All servicemen were provided with first aid, they were promptly evacuated to hospitals."

Read alsoEU: Killing of Ukraine medical officer in Donbas violates Minsk, Normandy agreements

The enemy used 122mm artillery systems, 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers, anti-aircraft guns, large-caliber machine guns, sniper rifles, and other types of small arms.

Hot spots in the Skhid (East) sector were the villages of Vodiane, Opytne, Starohnativka, and Hnutove, as well as the town of Avdiyivka and Maryinka. There were five attacks with the use of 120mm mortars, grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns, anti-aircraft guns.

Under attack in the Pivnich (North) sector were the village of Novozvanivka, where Russia-led forces opened fire from 122mm artillery systems, as well as the villages of Prychepylivka and Orikhove, where 82mm and 120mm mortars were used.

The Ukrainian military returned fire, using available weapons.

According to intelligence reports, at least one enemy soldier was eliminated and another one was wounded.

From 00:00 to 07:00 Kyiv time on July 17, Russia-led forces violated the ceasefire in Donbas only once, near the village of Vodiane.

No Ukrainian army casualties were reported since Friday midnight.
Rating Action: Moody's downgrades JR East's ratings to A1, outlook stable

Global Credit Research - 17 Jul 2020

Tokyo, July 17, 2020 -- Moody's Japan K.K. has downgraded the senior unsecured debt ratings of East Japan Railway Company (JR East) to A1 from Aa3.

The outlook is changed to stable from rating under review.

This rating action concludes the review for downgrade initiated on 23 March 2020.

RATINGS RATIONALE

"The downgrade reflects the more uncertain operating environment that JR East faces from the evolving demographics and commuter habits, which have been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic," says Yukiko Asanuma, a Moody's Analyst.

"In light of these structural challenges, we no longer regard JR East's credit profile as being stronger than the sovereign to justify a rating above Japan's A1 rating," adds Asanuma.

A full recovery of traffic to pre-outbreak levels is unlikely, because the operating environment has become more uncertain as people continue to restrict their movements and adjust their lifestyles to observe social distancing to avoid contagion. The accelerated adoption of remote working and online meetings as well as long-term demographic decline and migration trends will also weigh on future rail ridership -- a rising social risk.

Commuter passes and the real estate business, which make up about 17% and 10% of total revenue respectively, generate relatively stable cash flow even during challenging times. Still, JR East's cash flow will remain under pressure until its high fixed cost structure in transportation business is fundamentally changed. Moody's expects profits could be squeezed in the years it will take for the company to adjust to the evolving ridership patterns in its regulated passenger fare structure as well as a cost-efficient scheduling of its trains and maintenance.

Given the company's target to increase the share of its non-railway businesses to 40% of revenue by around 2027 from 30% at present, JR East has been steadily increasing its investments in the development of office buildings, retail shops and hotels, using debt financing. As a result, the company's free cash flow had been declining before the outbreak and had turned negative, so that free cash flow/debt fell to -4% and debt/EBITDA rose to 4.9x in the fiscal year ending March 2020. The company's weakening profitability will deepen its negative free cash flow, making it difficult to reduce all the incremental debt of around JPY700 billion it has incurred since 1 April 2020.

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Further, JR East's business risk is rising from growth in non-railway businesses. These non-railway businesses, mainly station-based operations serving rail passengers, are competitive and sensitive to foot traffic and discretionary spending, thus more exposed to economic downturns than the railway business.

The A1 rating nevertheless reflects the degree of resilience that JR East retains, given its essential role in serving the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area and surrounding territories. Moody's expects the company to maintain good access to external funding, given its importance to Japan's transportation system and strong relationships with its banks.

Environmental, social and governance considerations incorporated into today's action are primarily related to social risks. The coronavirus outbreak's impact on public health and safety has in turn accelerated longer term demographic and societal trends that have triggered a shock and sustained deterioration in JR East's credit quality.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

The stable outlook reflects the degree of resilience in its core rail transport business. Moody's expects the recovery in ridership and execution of the company's plans will result in debt/EBITDA moderating to 5.5x-6x over fiscal 2021.

An upgrade is unlikely in the foreseeable future, given the longer term structural changes facing the company. The rating could be upgraded in the longer term if the operating environment stabilizes, and the company returns to a positive free cash flow position and reduces leverage to sustain stronger credit metrics, for example, free cash flow/debt above 5%.

Moody's could downgrade the rating if the outbreak has a greater than expected impact on JR East, or the company increases debt-financed investments in to riskier non-rail businesses, so that its credit quality deteriorates, as indicated, for example, by JR East maintaining high negative free cash flow, so that free cash flow/debt remains above the -3% to -5% range and debt/EBITDA above 6x.

The principal methodology used in these ratings was Global Passenger Railway Companies (Japanese) published in August 2017 year and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_196890. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

Headquarter in Tokyo, East Japan Railway Company is the largest rail company in Japan in terms of revenue.

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.

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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.

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Yukiko Asanuma Analyst Corporate Finance Group Moody's Japan K.K. Atago Green Hills Mori Tower 20fl 2-5-1 Atago, Minato-ku Tokyo 105-6220 Japan JOURNALISTS: 81 3 5408 4110 Client Service: 81 3 5408 4100 Mihoko Manabe Associate Managing Director Corporate Finance Group JOURNALISTS: 81 3 5408 4110 Client Service: 81 3 5408 4100 Releasing Office: Moody's Japan K.K. Atago Green Hills Mori Tower 20fl 2-5-1 Atago, Minato-ku Tokyo 105-6220 Japan JOURNALISTS: 81 3 5408 4110 Client Service: 81 3 5408 4100

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The man wanted for the hit-and-run death of a Union City woman in Secaucus last week has turned himself in, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced Thursday afternoon.

David Ceausu, 19, of Baltimore, who was accompanied by his attorney, surrendered at the Hudson County Prosecutors Office in Jersey City Thursday just before 1 p.m., less than 24 hours after his photo was released to media outlets by the prosecutors office, Suarez said.

He was charged with knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death for the July 6 crash that killed 35-year-old Reyna Huerta-Flores. The crash occurred at 7:30 p.m. on the Route 3 service road in the area of 850 Paterson Plank Road, Suarez said. Huerta-Flores was taken to Hudson Regional Hospital and was pronounced dead at 11:16 p.m.

The Hudson County Prosecutors Office Regional Collision Investigation Unit found that the victim was walking home to Union City from work in Secaucus when she was struck by Ceausu, who fled the scene. The vehicle Ceausu was driving, a 2020 Chevy Tahoe, was identified and recovered.

Prosecutor Suarez credited the collision investigation unit, the Secaucus Police Department and the public and the media for the wanted coverage related to Ceausu.

The state has moved to detain Ceausu, who authorities say has used multiple aliases and has several addresses throughout the United States and Canada.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:30:03|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) arrested a number of people affiliated to "anti-revolutionary" groups who were inciting protests in the northeastern province of Khorasan Razavi, semi-official Fars news agency reported Friday.

"Some of these elements have records of actions such as spying against national security, stirring chaos and trying to disturb public order via cyberspace," IRGC announced in a statement.

A day earlier, social media reported the calls for protests and rallies in Khorasan Razavi and some other Iranian cities.

Also, the IRGC forces identified and destroyed "a terrorist cell" in Shiraz city of Fars Province, Fars reported Friday. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:37:25|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

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DOHA -- Qatar's health ministry on Friday announced 421 new infections of COVID-19, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 105,898.

"Some 429 people recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 102,597, while one died, raising the fatalities to 153," the official Qatar News Agency reported, quoting a statement by the ministry.

A total of 430,661 people in Qatar have undergone lab tests for COVID-19 so far, it added.

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HANOI -- Vietnam reported one new case of COVID-19 infection on Friday, bringing its total confirmed cases to 382 with zero deaths so far, according to its Ministry of Health.

The latest case was a 64-year-old Russian man recently entering Vietnam, said the mini

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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN -- Brunei reported no new cases of COVID-19 on Friday with the national tally of cases standing at 141.

It marked the 71st consecutive day without new cases since May 7.

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ADDIS ABABA -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent reached 664,051 as of Friday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The Africa CDC in its latest situation update issued on Friday said that the death toll from the pandemic surged from 14,044 on Thursday to 14,399 as of Friday.

The Africa CDC further said that 345,320 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have so far recovered from the infectious virus.

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MINSK -- Belarus reported 159 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday, taking its nationwide tally to 65,782, said the country's health ministry.

There were 455 new recoveries in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 57,370, the ministry added.

So far, 491 people have died from the disease around the nation, along with six deaths in the last 24 hours, it said.

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BERLIN -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in Germany now stands at 200,843, after an increase of 583 in the last 24 hours, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced Friday.

The last time that new daily infections were above 500 was two weeks ago, according to the RKI, the federal government agency for disease control and prevention. What's more, at the height of the pandemic in Germany, more than 6,000 daily infections had been recorded.

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SHANGHAI -- Shanghai reported one new imported COVID-19 case and no increase in domestically transmitted cases on Thursday, the municipal health commission said Friday.

The imported case was a Chinese national working in the Philippines. The passenger departed from the Philippines on July 15 and arrived at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport on the same day. Enditem
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Linkedin Robin Legrand (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France  Fri, July 17, 2020 18:30 550 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406672d983 2 World women-in-politics,gender-equality,women-empowerment,female-leader,Women Free

On July 21, 1960 in Sri Lanka, Sirima Bandaranaike became the world's first democratically elected female head of government.

Here is a look back at sixty years of milestones for women in politics:

First head of government

Sirima Bandaranaike followed in the footsteps of her husband when she took the post of prime minister of Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon, on July 21, 1960. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike had become the country's leader in 1956 but three years later he was assassinated by an extremist Buddhist priest.

She remained at the helm till 1965, and would serve another two mandates, from 1970 to 1977, and then when her daughter Chandrika Kumaratunga was president, from 1994 to 2000. In her last term the role of prime minister in the country had become ceremonial.

Not long after Bandaranaike, in neighboring India in 1966, Indira Gandhi became the country's first female prime minister. The daughter of Indian independence icon Jawahrlal Nehru remained in power till 1977 and was then elected again in 1980.

Four years later she was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards following a deadly confrontation between Indian security forces and Sikh separatist militants at the Golden Temple in Punjab state.

First elected president

In 1980 Iceland became the first country to democratically elect a woman as president, Vigdis Finnbogadottir. Six years earlier in Argentina Isabel Peron had been named president of the country, but without an election.

Finnbogadottir was re-elected three times, serving until 1996, and faced no opposition in the elections of 1984 and 1992.

The role of president in Iceland is mostly ceremonial and Finnbogadottir focused on raising the country's profile internationally.

First gender parity government

In 1995 Sweden became the world's first gender parity government, made up of eleven women and ten men.

Twenty years later Sweden became the first country in the world to describe itself officially as "feminist", meaning "gender equality is central to the Government's priorities - in decision-making and resource allocation", according to its website.

Since then Spain and Canada have made similar moves.

First female majority parliament

In the period following the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, the population was majority female and in 2003 the government pledged to give women a more prominent position in politics.

The country's constitution that year included the requirement that at least 30 percent of positions of responsibility in government should be occupied by women.

In 2008 Rwanda went beyond this quota, becoming the first country in the world to have a majority female parliament.

Universal suffrage everywhere

In 2015, Saudi Arabia became the last country in the world to give its female citizens the right to vote, some 118 years after New Zealand was the first to do so in 1893.

While there have been some reforms, including the lifting of bans on female drivers, women's rights in the country continue to be among the most restricted in the world.

Progress and glass ceilings

In 2020 Germany was the only country in the G7 group to have a woman at its helm, with its Chancellor Angela Merkel. The first woman to head a G7 country was Britain's Margaret Thatcher in 1979.

For the most part however the major powers are still led by men. The United States, Russia, China and Japan have never been led by a woman.
New Delhi, July 17 : The gold loan business of Muthoot Finance has returned to normal amid the pandemic backed by the need for working capital by small businesses and shops, George Alexander Muthoot, the Managing Director of Muthoot Finance.

Speaking to IANS, Muthoot said the company's operations were largely halted during the initial phase of the nationwide lockdown till April, but as restrictions were eased in May, demand for gold loan also increased.

"We have seen a lot of people availing gold loans now also. Our loans are mainly driven to small business people, shopkeepers for their working capital requirement," he said.

He added that as shops and establishments are opening up now and "they need money quickly, probably to buy stock, to pay their debtors or probably for any other business working capital".

He also said that the company's gold loan business is likely to witness a 15 per cent growth in the current financial year bucking the slowdown which other non-banking financial companies (NBFC) are facing.

He noted that due to the lockdown the business in April was impacted but the company was able to make it up in May and June.

"We are back to normal now," said the MD.

Further, the recent surge in gold prices to record levels has also helped the gold loan providers, he noted, as it makes their collaterals stronger and gives the loan giver a good margin for the gold price.

That has also been a positive for the gold loan NBFCs including the Kochi-headquartered Muthoot Finance.

Muthoot further told IANS that in a strategic move the company will focus more on the digital front and around 40 per cent of its customers have already taken to online transactions.

On the question of likely change on business operations or strategy post the pandemic, the Muthoot Finance MD said: "Our business model is intact but customers having to walk to our branches will not be as easy as before, that's why we are encouraging more online business. That a strategic change we are making, more of an online business." According to the company, it has recorded strong traction on its 'iMuthoot Mobile App' as well as the online portal in the months following Covid-19 pandemic and the company has seen a four-fold jump in quantum of loan disbursals on its through digital platforms to the tune of Rs 224 crore in June, 2020 from that in February.

It has witnessed a 73 per cent growth of unique customers transacting on its digital platforms in June when compared to February.

On the outlook for the sector Muthoot seemed optimistic and said that demand for gold loans is only going to rise from here on.

"All businesses require money and that is where gold loans come in. As long as people require quick money, gold loan will be the best product." (Rituraj Baruah can be contacted at rituraj.b@ians.in)
Professor Kwesi Aning, a security expert and Head of the Department of Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra, has blamed the chaos that led to the death of a man in Banda in the Bono Region on the activities of vigilante groups.



According to him, the development is an indication that vigilante groups are still alive and growing in strength in political parties.



The 28-year-old man was killed after a scuffle at the registration centre which was sparked after some persons associated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the constituency confronted brother of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Ahmed Ibrahim, over reasons not yet known.



Prof Aning said the situation could worsen if immediate measures were not adopted before the December 7 polls.



It is naive for anyone to think what is happening is a surprise since members of vigilantes have now recognised the power that they have and are now using their power to intimidate those who formed them and they now know they are an alternative source of power and so they are using it.



What should be done is that immediately we need to go back to the drawing board and find measures to really deal with the menace and there is the need to be practical and realistic with the solution and approach, Prof Aning cautioned.



Since the commencement of the voters registration exercise, there have been reports of violence in centres especially in Accra and the Ashanti Region.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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A study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine noted that factors that drive burnout are much more closely related to the factors that drive depressive symptoms than previously realized." While the definition of burnout has varied, the relationship to depression implies a similar treatment approach may be warranted.

Psychologist Dr. Jennifer Barbera agrees there is a relationship between the two, noting that burnout could lead to depression. It is more helpful to think of depression and burnout on a continuum, said Barbera, rather than as distinct conditions. Context-specific burnout can develop and then lead to more general feelings of depression.

Kate Sullivan, PhD, consulting psychologist with Constellation Careers also sees a relationship, noting that while the ICD-10 and WHO define burnout as an occupational phenomenon, experiencing hopelessness at work can impact home life, turning from burnout into depression. Sullivan advises that people keep an eye on burnout at work and to stop it in its tracks. She says it's incredibly easy to have that sense of overwhelm, exhaustion, and ineffectiveness at work leak into the rest of your life and turn into a sense of futility and exhaustion that can be smothering. Getting re-engaged at work, adjusting your workload and routines, and finding healthier and more effective work modes can reduce or even reverse a sense of burnout, helping you avoid depression.

Because burnout relates more to structural issues in the workplace, such as workload, competing demands, and an unreasonable boss, there are steps people can take to manage it. Sullivan notes, You can take concrete steps on your own or with your boss, like workload management, job crafting, etc. to help recover, whereas recovering from depression will often require more time, more outside help (eg, therapy), and possibly medication.

Michael Levitt, Chief Burnout Officer with the Breakfast Leadership Network, adds that burnout is a behavioral condition, because our choices, beliefs, and thoughts create the scenarios for burnout. Burnout doesn't happen overnight, said Levitt, and while working conditions can be stressful over time, the choices and reactions to a work situation plays a big part in burning out. Working long hours without practicing proper self-care also contributes to burning out.

Dr. Patricia Celan, a psychiatry resident at Dalhousie University in Canada, feels burnout is often just code for a mild-to-moderate depression, because there is so much overlap in the symptoms. When people who are simply burned out are able to take an extended break where they are completely removed from the stressor in question and have a chance to unwind, symptoms tend to dissipate.

Celan sees this as different from depression where a change in circumstances may not make depression resolve without any additional treatment. Another key difference, said Celan, is that the workplace is often the primary cause of burnout, whether that's working at a business in person, working from home, or being an overburdened homemaker. Depression may occur in someone who is satisfied with a non-demanding, healthy work environment, as workplace factors can influence depression but there are many other possible causes too.

Although burnout is generally discussed around the workplace, it can impact every area of life. Often, when people burn out, they feel a loss of self and need help rediscovering hobbies, healthy friends, and positive coping tools again, said Katie Ziskind, LMFT, RYT500, with Wisdom Within Counseling LLC.

People who are unsure about whether they are depressed or experiencing burnout can consult with a mental health professional. Providers can help differentiate burnout and depression by conducting an assessment for both. Barbera suggests, For mood, the Beck Depression Inventory or PHQ-9 can be used, while for burnout the Maslach can be used. This measure Is specific to the social services field or roles that involve caregiving, and can identify the level of burnout in key areas such as physical and emotional exhaustion and role satisfaction.
tech2 News Staff

Hackers who targeted some of Twitter's top users to reap bitcoin worth $120,000 have likely left digital footprints that could offer clues for law enforcement agencies investigating the attack, three blockchain analysis companies told Reuters.

In an unprecedented spree, the unidentified attackers on Wednesday hijacked the accounts of politicians, celebrities, and billionaires, using them to solicit bitcoin transfers to a string of digital wallets.

A digital wallet used to consolidate the bitcoin has previously been linked with crypto firms including merchant service providers, US blockchain forensics firm Chainalysis told Reuters  a clue that could aid investigators.

"They have interacted with service providers that have know-your-customer processes, and law enforcement can work with those service providers to find out who can be behind those accounts," spokeswoman Maddie Kennedy said, declining to give further details.

Twitter declined to comment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which sources told Reuters is leading a federal inquiry into the Twitter hacking, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bitcoin allows users to send and receive funds without revealing their personal identity. Yet its movements are recorded on the blockchain, a publicly viewable digital ledger that underpins the cryptocurrency.

By tracing illicit bitcoin to exchanges and crypto payment firms where identification is required, investigators can potentially pinpoint criminal suspects.

(Also read: Cozy Bear: Everything we know about the hackers reportedly targeting COVID-19 vaccine research)

"In bitcoin it's very difficult to transact without leaving some clues on the blockchain," said Tom Robinson of Elliptic, a London-based blockchain analysis firm. One of the wallets used in the hack has transacted with exchanges in the past, he said.

Since 2016, blockchain analysis firms including Elliptic, Chainalysis and California-based Cipher Trace have won contracts with US government agencies including the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, according to a database of US government contracts.

Meanwhile, Twitter says it is delaying the launch of its new Application Programming Interface (API) following the recent hack of several high-profile accounts. "We have no evidence the incident had anything to do with our API, but we decided to move the launch to a more appropriate time," Twitter said in a blog.

(Also read: Hack of Joe Biden, Barack Obama's Twitter accounts revealed an election system teeming with risks)

With inputs from Reuters
With the coronavirus putting U.S. census results on hold for at least four months, the California Supreme Court approved lawmakers request Friday to delay an independent commissions once-per-decade redrawing of lines for legislative and congressional districts next year so that they can be ready by the 2022 elections.

Because the Census Bureau now plans to release population data to the states on July 31, 2021, four months later than originally scheduled, the Citizens Redistricting Commission will be given a four-month extension of its legal deadline, until Nov. 1, 2021, to prepare and release new district maps for public comment, the court said in a unanimous ruling.

The commission would then have until Dec. 15 to issue final maps for the 2022 elections for Congress, the Assembly and state Senate, and the state Board of Equalization. If the Census Bureau takes longer, the deadlines will be extended further, the court said, while urging the commission to act more quickly if census information is available earlier than expected.

The ruling allows the commission to undertake the careful and transparent redistricting process voters envisioned when the commission was created more than a decade ago, said state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego.

The ruling was not surprising  the extension was supported by legislators, whose redistricting role was taken over by the commission, and by the states top elections official, Secretary of State Alex Padilla. But it underscored the momentous decisions California voters made in 2008 when they established the nonpartisan 14-member panel to draw new legislative and Board of Equalization district lines after each census and in 2010 when they extended its authority to congressional districts.

Since the Supreme Courts one-person, one-vote ruling in 1962 that required districts to be equal in population, post-census redistricting has been conducted by legislators in most states, leading to gerrymandered district lines that typically favor the majority party and incumbent lawmakers of both parties.

The 2008 and 2010 California initiatives were the first in the nation to establish an independent commission whose members  five Democrats, five Republicans and four affiliated with neither party  are chosen by random draw from applicants screened by a review panel. Both initiatives were opposed by legislative Democrats, the majority party.

A redistricting commission established by Arizona voters in 2000, with four of the five members chosen by legislators of opposing parties, was challenged in court by state lawmakers. They cited a U.S. constitutional provision saying the standards for elections of representatives shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof.

The Supreme Court upheld the commission in a 5-4 ruling in 2015, saying a state can delegate legislative responsibilities to its voters. Arizonans decided that the voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said in the majority opinion.

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.

But while the Supreme Court has ruled that state lawmakers who draw their own district lines cannot discriminate by race, the court ruled in 2018 that it could not strike down partisan gerrymandering, redistricting that favored one party.

Sixteen states will have district lines drawn by independent or bipartisan commissions next year.

The court case is Legislature vs. Padilla, S262530.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says Scott Morrison didn't believe in a speech he gave warning against "negative globalism", suggesting his successor was influenced by people in his office and right-wing commentators in the media.

Mr Turnbull said Mr Morrison's speech became an "embarrassing absurdity" when the coronavirus crisis hit the country because multilateral institutions were needed in a global pandemic.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has criticised Scott Morrison's "negative globalism" speech. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

He also hit out at the anti-Chinese influence group of backbench MPs called the Wolverines, saying they are "seeking attention" but "a lot of their rhetoric is ill-judged".

In a speech to the Lowy Institute on October 3, 2019, Mr Morrison announced a review into Australia's commitment to multilateral organisations, lambasting "negative globalism" and declaring the government would not accept decisions by an "unaccountable internationalist bureaucracy" at odds with the will of the Australian people.
Parents pick up Chromebooks at the Philadelphia School District headquarters in Philadelphia, Pa. on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Read more

Pennsylvania education and health officials on Thursday updated their safety guidelines for schools that hope to reopen in the fall, including directing them to ensure students remain at least six feet apart all day long  a provision that threatens to upend plans in some districts.

That guideline, instructing schools to implement social distancing to the maximum extent feasible, was on a list that also included having students eat in their classrooms and be screened by their parents for coronavirus symptoms each morning. The six-foot standard had previously been recommended, but some districts had moved ahead with plans for less. Thursdays announcement from Harrisburg had administrators instantly questioning if they would have to consider a model more dependent on remote learning.

The six-foot-distance [recommendation] is really going to make us go back and reevaluate our structure, said Christopher Marchese, superintendent in the Avon Grove School District, adding that it had been quite an afternoon. Health officials in his county, Chester, had previously said a three-foot minimum would be acceptable in classrooms where six was not viable. The Bucks County Health Department had issued similar guidance.

The new guidelines came one day after Gov. Tom Wolf announced new restrictions on Pennsylvanias bars, restaurants, and indoor gatherings meant to head off a coronavirus resurgence and give the states schools a chance to reopen. And it followed Philadelphia School District officials unveiling of their plans on Wednesday, which would have most of the 125,000 public school students going to school two days a week and learning remotely on other days  a model that stirred panic among many parents.

With the same issues everywhere, theres little consensus on the best blueprint. New Jerseys governor Thursday announced plans to spend millions to ensure students across his state have internet access for remote learning, while Pennsylvanias largest teachers union urged Wolf to direct public schools to plan for all-online instruction.

It is absolutely essential that every public school entity in Pennsylvania is prepared to deliver online instruction, Pennsylvania State Education Association president Rich Askey wrote to Wolf and Education Secretary Pedro Rivera.

Askey said educators want to return to school, but an increasing number of Pennsylvania educators and parents are concerned that reopening schools for in-person instruction poses significant health risks that, in the current environment, may be impossible to completely prevent.

The debate over how  and whether  to reopen schools is causing anguish across the country, as Americans watch coronavirus cases and deaths reach worldwide highs. More than 3.5 million people had been infected and more than 138,000 had died in this country as of Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Pennsylvanias guidelines arent mandatory, but state officials have the authority to close schools in a health emergency, as Wolf did when the pandemic broke out in March. State officials declined to speculate Thursday if a new surge would force them to do so again.

 READ MORE: Schools cant reopen safely without better COVID testing for kids, say these Philly pediatricians l Expert Opinion

Its very hard for me to predict what things will be like in the fall, Health Secretary Rachel Levine said. What we absolutely need to do now is everything we possibly can to enable a safe reopening, including wearing masks and abiding by state restrictions.

The new guidance provides a list of best practices that largely track with previous recommendations from the state, though they were presented as minimum standards endorsed by the Health Department for all pre-K-12 schools, whereas previous guidance listed possible considerations identified by education officials.

West Chester Area School District superintendent Jim Scanlon said in an email to families Thursday evening that the guidance means the district will need to move toward a hybrid model that reduces capacity, with some students learning in school, distanced 6 feet apart, while others learn at home.

Our schools simply do not have the capacity or space to maintain this distancing with all students in our buildings at the same time, Scanlon wrote.

 READ MORE: Aiming to stop the virus in its tracks, Wolf imposes new restrictions on bars, restaurants, and indoor gatherings,

Before the states announcement, the Bucks County commissioners said they hoped discretion would be up to individual counties. If there is a difficulty in the Southwest part of Pennsylvania and were not having any problems, I would not want us to keep the kids home from school, said Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia.

She also announced that the county would buy every public and private school student a face shield so they can all start off together with the same protection.

Asked Wednesday whether he was prepared to pull the plug on reopening schools if needed, Wolf said, Yeah. Yeah. I mean, ultimately, I dont think its going to be me pulling the plug  its going to be ... teachers not wanting to come back to schools, parents not wanting to send kids to school.

 READ MORE: Parents react to Philly's school plan

New Jersey, meanwhile, pledged $54 million in grant money to connect about 230,000 students to computers or internet access, Murphy said at a news conference outside an Irvington, Essex County, elementary school.

We are committed to bridging the digital divide among our students in the long term, Murphy said. We will not leave districts to figure this out on their own.

The governor said he expects virtual instruction to be part of the 2020-21 school year for most children in the state. School districts, including nonpublic schools, will be able to apply for the grants, which will be funded by federal coronavirus relief programs as well as New Jerseys virus relief fund.

Under the states guidelines, public school students will receive in-person instruction at least part-time. Full reopening plans are being developed locally by each school system.

Nearly two million school-age children in New Jersey lack computer or internet access. Murphy said he would seek further philanthropic support to put technology in students hands.

 READ MORE: When coronavirus hit, schools moved online. Some students didnt.

Increasing delays in the return of test results from national laboratories are making it more difficult for officials to know how the virus is currently spreading nationwide, and Philadelphia Public Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said thats causing challenges in accurately tracking the virus spread in the city on a day-to-day basis.

Philadelphia on Thursday reported 157 new confirmed coronavirus cases, an increase in line with recent daily totals for the city despite spikes in the region and in other states.

Gyms in Philadelphia can reopen Monday, Farley announced, with strict social distancing rules and masks required. Gyms are already open in the rest of the state; Wolfs guidance Wednesday asked them to prioritize outdoor fitness activities.

The city will conduct unannounced inspections of gyms to ensure the facilities are following safety rules. Gyms that violate rules or that are found to be related to newly confirmed coronavirus cases will be shut down. And Farley warned they could be ordered to close again if case counts rise in the city.

Pennsylvania reported 781 new cases on Thursday. Echoing reports from state officials, Bucks County Health Director David Damsker said the county has seen an uptick in cases from out-of-state travel to places like South Carolina, the Jersey Shore, and Florida.

The commonwealth also earmarked more grant funding for employers grappling with the coronavirus: In a move he said was aimed to increase the pay of frontline workers, Wolf announced Thursday $50 million in grant funding to help employers in vital industries provide hazard pay during the pandemic.

The money will go to industries including health care, social assistance, hospitals, residential care facilities, transit, food manufacturing and retail, security, and janitorial services, according to the Governors Office. Eligible employers can contact Department of Community and Economic Development for information and apply at esa.dced.state.pa.us before July 31.

Our frontline workers have put themselves at risk every day in order to continue to provide life-sustaining services to their fellow Pennsylvanians, and this funding will increase their pay in recognition of those sacrifices, Wolf said in a statement. These grants will help businesses retain employees, ensure that Pennsylvanians keep working, and avoid disruption of critical goods and services.

Staff writers Sean Collins Walsh and Ellie Silverman contributed to this article.
Successfully building the ASEAN Community continues to be a top priority of the bloc despite the difficulties and challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,

ASEAN member states reiterated at the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), which was held online on July 16 and chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung chairs the online ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on July 16







Members are committed to coordinating with Vietnam - Chair of ASEAN in 2020 - to implement priorities and initiatives during the year, including the mid-term review of the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Charter, and preparations to build the ASEAN Community Vision post-2025.

They welcomed the operation of the ASEAN Fund for COVID-19 response and discussed the next steps to complete holistic post-pandemic recovery.

Participants spoke highly of Vietnams successful organisation of the ASEAN forum on sub-regional development in Hanoi on July 14 under the theme Converging Mekong sub-regional cooperation with ASEAN goals.

Regarding external relations, participants held that it is necessary to maintain the central role of ASEAN and step up pragmatic cooperation with the blocs partners, especially at this difficult time.

ASEAN expects to approve eight action plans in the 2021-2025 period with partners Canada, China, India, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the US, and the United Nations.

Member countries spoke highly of the role of ASEAN+3 and agreed to promote cooperation to cope with COVID-19 and revive the economy, in particular improving regional financial and economic self-reliance.

They also discussed measures to strengthen the role and strategic value of the East Asia Summit (EAS) in the new development period, and increase capacity to deal with emerging challenges.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups together ten member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam./.VNA
A ustralia reported another surge in coronavirus infections today as Victoria states health chief warned: We are in the fight of our lives.

Officials announced that another 438 cases had been detected  its largest one-day spike since late March.

Almost all the new infections were in Victoria, where nearly five million people have been in partial lockdown for more than a week. The surge has stirred concerns of a national second wave, with Victoria premier Daniel Andrews urging all state residents to wear masks outside the home. Previously only those in the Melbourne area were asked to cover their face.

We are in the fight of our lives, Victoria states health minister Jenny Mikakos told reporters.

However Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged against panic and said the government would provide any assistance needed.

We would not have expected to see the results of the lockdown measures put in place in Victoria as yet, he said.

Australia has recorded just over 11,000 cases. The death toll rose to 116 after the death of three people in Victoria today, still well below many other countries. However New South Wales imposed new restrictions, with weddings capped at 150 from next week, and guests told not to sing, dance or mingle.

Elsewhere in the world, the number of confirmed infections in Brazil passed two million, including 76,600 deaths.The virus has spread into areas far from the largest cities. Last night President Jair Bolsonaro insisted the economy had to reopen, claiming that refusing to ease restrictions would end up causing more deaths. But public support in his government is dwindling, with 44 per cent viewing it as bad or terrible, up from 38 per cent in April, according to a recent poll.

India also reached a grim landmark today as the number of cases reached one million, third only to the US and Brazil, with nearly 25,000 deaths.

Local governments are frantically trying to quash outbreaks and keep their economies running as the pandemic spreads in the vast countryside.

In Spain, supporters of Real Madrid were denied their traditional celebration for winning the league title last night as Madrids Cibeles Fountain was fenced off.
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Friday arrived in Leh on two day-long visit to carry out security review. He will take stock of the situation at both the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Line of Control (LOC). He is being accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MN Naravane.

Taking to Twitter, Singh said, "Leaving for Leh on a two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir. I shall be visiting the forward areas to review the situation at the borders and also interact with the Armed Forces personnel deployed in the region. Looking forward to it."

Leaving for Leh on a two day visit to Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir. I shall be visiting the forward areas to review the situation at the borders and also interact with the Armed Forces personnel deployed in the region. Looking forward to it.  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 17, 2020





While Pakistan constantly violates ceasefire from across the LoC, China has continued to intrude into Indian territory in Ladakh region in recent past, escalating tensions between India and its eastern neighbour.

During his visit to Ladakh on July 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed the soldiers where he had said, "From Leh, Ladakh to Siachen and Kargil and Galwan's icy waters, every mountain, every peak has seen the valour of Indian Army. The age of expansion is over. This is the age of development. History has seen that expansionist forces have either lost or were forced to turn back."Gal

On June 15, twenty Indian soldiers were killed during combat with Chinese forces in Galwan valley, leading to tensions between both nations. Chinese soldiers subsequently started moving back following dialogues between two countries through the military level and diplomatic level.

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Linkedin Editorial board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17 2020

Recent studies and data show encouraging signs about small and medium enterprises (SMEs) pivoting to adjust to new consumer demands and the need for digitalization against the backdrop of the ongoing pandemic, which is hitting the global economy hard.

Digital platforms are seeing an increase in first-time entrepreneurs listing their brand-new businesses online. On e-commerce and social media platforms, merchants have transformed their businesses and now focus on high-demand items from face masks and frozen or ready-to-cook meals to home decor and hygiene products, as consumer behavior shifts.

The speed at which SMEs are adapting to new consumer demand and digitalization is a breath of fresh air in the middle of massive layoffs and business closures all over the world. SMEs, which account for 60 percent of Indonesias gross domestic product (GDP) and 97 percent of domestic workforce, are after all the backbone of the domestic economy.

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Rating Action: Moody's assigns UND A1/ENH Aa2 to Caledonia ISD 299, MN's GO bonds

Global Credit Research - 16 Jul 2020

New York, July 16, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") has assigned an underlying A1 rating and an enhanced Aa2 rating to Caledonia Independent School District 299, MN's $920,000 General Obligation Tax Abatement Bonds, Series 2020A. We affirm the A1 rating on the district's outstanding general obligation unlimited tax (GOULT) debt. Following the upcoming sale, the district will have $12.3 million of GOULT debt outstanding.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The underlying A1 GOULT rating reflects the district's improved financial position with stable enrollment trends and a modest tax base with average resident income levels. The rating also incorporates a moderate debt and elevated pension burden. The district is highly dependent on state aid for revenues.

The enhanced rating on the current bonds reflects the additional security provided by the State of Minnesota's School District Credit Enhancement Program. The Aa2 enhanced programmatic rating is notched once from the State of Minnesota's Aa1 general obligation unlimited tax (GOULT) rating and the enhancement program carries a stable outlook, reflecting the stable outlook on the State of Minnesota. The enhanced rating reflects sound program mechanics and the State of Minnesota's pledge of an unlimited appropriation from its General Fund should the district be unable to meet debt service requirements. The program's mechanics include a provision for third party notification of pending deficiency. If the school district does not transfer funds necessary to pay debt to the paying agent at least three days prior to the payment due date, the state will appropriate the payment to the paying agent directly. Moody's has received a copy of the signed program applications.

We regard the coronavirus 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 Caledonia ISD 299. 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 district changes, we will update the rating and/or outlook at that time.

Story continues

RATING OUTLOOK

Outlooks are typically not assigned to local governments with this amount of debt.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A UPGRADE OF THE RATINGS

- Substantial growth and expansion of the district's tax base and wealth indices

- Continued growth in financial reserves and/or liquidity

- Upward movement in State of Minnesota's underlying GOULT rating (enhanced)

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

- Reductions in reserves and/or liquidity

- Growth in the district's debt and pension burdens

- Contraction of the district's tax base and weakening of its socioeconomic profile

- Downward movement in the State of Minnesota's underlying GOULT rating (enhanced)

- Weakening of the credit enhancement program mechanics (enhanced)

LEGAL SECURITY

The Series 2020A bonds, are secured by the district's full faith and credit pledge and the authority to levy a dedicated property tax unlimited as to rate and amount. The security benefits from a statutory lien.

The Series 2020A bonds are additionally secured by the State of Minnesota's School District Credit Enhancement Program which provides for an unlimited advance from the state's General Fund should the district be unable to meet debt service requirements.

PROFILE

The district is near the Minnesota (Aa1 stable)-Wisconsin (Aa1 stable)-Iowa (Aaa stable) border in Houston County, located approximately 40 miles from the City of Winona, MN (Aa1) and 23 miles from the City of La Crosse, WI (Aa3). The district has a population of over 5,800 and enrollment of 705 students.

METHODOLOGY

The principal methodology used in the underlying rating was US Local Government General Obligation Debt published in September 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBM_1191097. The principal methodology used in the enhanced rating was State Aid Intercept Programs and Financings published in December 2017 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBM_1067422. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.

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.

Jennifer Bernhardt Lead Analyst Regional PFG Chicago Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 100 N Riverside Plaza Suite 2220 Chicago 60606 US JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Tatiana Killen Additional Contact PF General Administration 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

 2020 Moody's Corporation, Moody's Investors Service, Inc., Moody's Analytics, Inc. and/or their licensors and affiliates (collectively, "MOODY'S"). All rights reserved.

CREDIT RATINGS ISSUED BY MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. AND/OR ITS CREDIT RATINGS AFFILIATES ARE MOODY'S CURRENT OPINIONS OF THE RELATIVE FUTURE CREDIT RISK OF ENTITIES, CREDIT COMMITMENTS, OR DEBT OR DEBT-LIKE SECURITIES, AND MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY MOODY'S (COLLECTIVELY, "PUBLICATIONS") MAY INCLUDE SUCH CURRENT OPINIONS. MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE DEFINES CREDIT RISK AS THE RISK THAT AN ENTITY MAY NOT MEET ITS CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS AS THEY COME DUE AND ANY ESTIMATED FINANCIAL LOSS IN THE EVENT OF DEFAULT OR IMPAIRMENT. SEE MOODY'S RATING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS PUBLICATION FOR INFORMATION ON THE TYPES OF CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS ADDRESSED BY MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE CREDIT RATINGS. CREDIT RATINGS DO NOT ADDRESS ANY OTHER RISK, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LIQUIDITY RISK, MARKET VALUE RISK, OR PRICE VOLATILITY. CREDIT RATINGS, NON-CREDIT ASSESSMENTS ("ASSESSMENTS"), AND OTHER OPINIONS INCLUDED IN MOODY'S PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT STATEMENTS OF CURRENT OR HISTORICAL FACT. MOODY'S PUBLICATIONS MAY ALSO INCLUDE QUANTITATIVE MODEL-BASED ESTIMATES OF CREDIT RISK AND RELATED OPINIONS OR COMMENTARY PUBLISHED BY MOODY'S ANALYTICS, INC. AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT CONSTITUTE OR PROVIDE INVESTMENT OR FINANCIAL ADVICE, AND MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AND DO NOT PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PURCHASE, SELL, OR HOLD PARTICULAR SECURITIES. MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT COMMENT ON THE SUITABILITY OF AN INVESTMENT FOR ANY PARTICULAR INVESTOR. MOODY'S ISSUES ITS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS AND OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLISHES ITS PUBLICATIONS WITH THE EXPECTATION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT EACH INVESTOR WILL, WITH DUE CARE, MAKE ITS OWN STUDY AND EVALUATION OF EACH SECURITY THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR PURCHASE, HOLDING, OR SALE.

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WILDHOOD: The Astounding Connections Between Human and Animal Adolescents, by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and Kathryn Bowers. (Scribner, 384 pp., $18.) You dont even need to anthropomorphize to find some of the similarities between animal and human teenagers uncanny, and the lessons they have to learn remarkably similar, our reviewer, Judith Newman, noted about this sequel to the authors Zoobiquity.

THE UNPASSING, by Chia-Chia Lin. (Picador, 288 pp., $17.) This singularly vast and captivating debut novel depicts the muffled anguish of a Taiwanese-immigrant family struggling to adapt to the Alaskan wilderness outside Anchorage in the 1980s after the death of their youngest child. Our reviewer, Brian Haman, described it as beautifully written in free-flowing prose that quietly disarms.

THE SENTENCE IS DEATH, by Anthony Horowitz. (Harper Perennial, 384 pp., $16.99.) The author plays a part in this mystery about a celebrity divorce lawyer murdered with a 1982 bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild. I like to be in control of my books, he writes, explaining why he positioned himself as the detective Daniel Hawthornes sidekick.

BEATEN DOWN, WORKED UP: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor, by Steven Greenhouse. (Anchor, 416 pp., $17.) This engrossing, character-driven book by a former New York Times labor reporter spans a century of worker strikes, without overcondensing or oversimplifying, and with plausible suggestions for the future, Zephyr Teachout, our reviewer, declared. She deemed it labor history seen from the moments when that history could have turned out differently.
Yogi Adityanath and Priyanka Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday attacked the Uttar Pradesh government over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, saying that at a time when cases are rapidly rising, the Yogi Adityanath dispensation must adopt transparent policies instead of making false claims.

The Congress general secretary in-charge UP East has been criticising the state government's response to the Covid-19 crisis, alleging that it is indulging in propaganda, instead of dealing with the pandemic.

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Priyanka Gandhi tweet

"Sitting in Lucknow, the UP government makes big claims on fighting coronavirus, but two kilometers from there, its claims are exposed," Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

"The number of coronavirus cases in UP is continuously rising. In such a situation, the government must adopt strong and transparent policies, instead of making false claims," she said.

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Priyanka Gandhi VadraIn a Facebook post, Priyanka Gandhi said the UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had claimed of having two lakh hospital beds a few days ago but as the coronavirus cases are rising, the mismanagement is coming to the fore.
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July 16, 2020

Press Statement

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the delay by the Federal

Government to arraign the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, over allegations of

fraud is raising public apprehensions over the integrity of the fight

against corruption in Nigeria.

The party said the delay is heightening suspicion in the public space

over alleged attempt to give Magu a soft landing in order to cover up

for certain top officials of the Buhari administration as well as some

leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alleged to have been

indicted by the suspended EFCC chairman, in the course of his

investigation by the Presidential Panel.

The PDPs position is predicated on conflicting reports on the status of

the processes related to Magus on-going investigations and the

direction of the Federal Government on the matter.

Our party holds that where there are no undesirable underhand dealings,

any government that is committed to the fight against corruption, in

such a manner that the Buhari Presidency wants the world to believe it

does, should have since perfected its processes and arraign the

suspended EFCC acting Chairman in court, particularly with the weight of

allegations and revelations unearthed at the Presidential panel.

The fact is that the allegations of fraud including alleged stealing of

billions of naira recovered by the EFCC among other accusations, which

also include alleged transfer of stolen money to certain government

officials, are already in the public domain.

The expectation of Nigerians therefore is for the Federal Government to

immediately arraign Magu before a court of competent jurisdiction and

prosecute him in line with the dictates of our laws.

Nigerians are apprehensive that the EFCC investigation might go the way

of the huge cover up in the handling of cases of unbridled treasury

looting in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal

Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), the National Health Insurance Scheme

(NHIS) among others where indicted officials were given a pat on the

wrist without prosecution.

Our party charges the Buhari Presidency to note that the world is

watching the handling of the EFCC fraud case with keen interest. The

Federal Government should therefore take immediate steps to arraign Magu

and all those indicted in the matter before a court of competent

jurisdiction without any further delay.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan

National Publicity Secretary
Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, married her millionaire property developer fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a secret ceremony in Windsor on Friday, according to a United Kingdom media report.





The Queen, 94, and her 99-year-old husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, joined their son Prince Andrew, 60, at the scaled-down 'Covid-secure' wedding with around 20 guests, 'The Sun' newspaper reported.



Beatrice, 31, and Mozzi, 37, had been due to marry at the Chapel Royal, at St James's Palace in London with 150 guests in May but postponed the plans amid the coronavirus lockdown. Instead, a select group gathered for a more intimate ceremony with strict social distancing measures in place, the newspaper said.

The monarch and Prince Philip were driven from Windsor Castle, where the couple have been isolating since March when the UK went into lockdown, through Windsor Great Park to the private church for the wedding ceremony.



It comes amid Beatrice's father, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, being under some pressure since he was forced to step back from royal duties over his links to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his socialite ex-girlfriend Ghislane Maxwell, who was recently arrested in the US.



Prince Andrew vehemently denies accusations of his involvement in any criminal activity related to the duo and there had been questions over whether he would be walking his daughter down the aisle at any official royal wedding.



"A massive wedding was out of the question because of coronavirus. They were obviously very keen for the Queen to come so the wedding had to happen before she goes up to Balmoral so this was a great opportunity," a friend of Beatrice told the newspaper.

"They needed to make the wedding Covid-secure and safe for the Queen so what better way than the All Saints Chapel with reception on site at the Royal Lodge. They are just like a normal family and had to make sacrifices like many others have up and down the country and looking forward to having a wonderful celebration when the time is right," the friend said.



'The Sun' said that Beatrice reportedly spent the night before the wedding at the grand Royal Lodge with mother Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and father Andrew, before making the walk to the church in the grounds.



She had been engaged to Mozzi, the son of former British Olympian and Italian nobleman Count Alessandro Mapelli-Mozzi, since September 2018.



Her younger sister, Princess Eugenie, had married her wine merchant fiance Jack Brooksbank at a start-studded royal wedding ceremony in Windsor Castle in October 2018.
The Red River Bridge War The Grayson County Amateur Radio Club commemorates the Red River

Bridge War of 1931, a boundary conflict between Oklahoma and Texas. They will use the callsign W5I between July 18 and 26. QSL via K5GCC (d/B), LoTW, eQSL DXNL
Pandemic-rattled Canadians still cautious about everything from schools to 2nd lockdowns, polls say

Most Canadians are still exceedingly cautious when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic  in favour of mandatory mask laws, concerned about their personal susceptibility to the virus, willing to lock the country down again if cases spike and leaning toward a mix of in-class and at-home learning for children in the fall.

This might come as a surprise to many.

New cases of COVID-19 have fallen significantly in Canada, though there has been a small uptick in recent days in some parts of the country. With the virus raging unchecked in the United States, governments on this side of the border have been loosening restrictions. In Ontario, most of the province entered Stage 3 today, which allows most businesses to re-open with health measures in place.

Many have expressed alarm over crowded parks and beaches. An outbreak in cases related to bars in Quebec has resulted in 'last call' being moved up earlier to midnight, and a prohibition on dancing.

It might give the impression that Canadians are letting their guards down. But polls don't suggest that's the case.

Both Leger (in a poll for the Association for Canadian Studies) and the Angus Reid Institute have found that 59 per cent of Canadians reported being concerned about or afraid of personally contracting COVID-19. That's the highest level since April, when Canada was at the peak of its first wave.

Reports of people unwilling to wear masks are widespread  but they represent a minority view. Leger found that two-thirds of Canadians think governments should make wearing masks mandatory in all indoor public spaces. Cities like Ottawa and Toronto already have imposed such mask rules, and masks become mandatory in indoor public spaces throughout Quebec on Saturday.

Despite concerns expressed by some business groups about their impact on the local economy, an Ipsos/Global News poll found that 79 per cent of Canadians strongly or somewhat support local municipalities imposing mandatory mask-wearing rules. According to an Abacus Data poll, 86 per cent of respondents would support  or at least "go along with"  mandatory mask orders.

Story continues

Support for new lockdown in a second wave

With new cases surging in places like the United States, Brazil and India  and as other countries, such as Israel, are experiencing second waves of the virus that are bigger than the first ones  polls show the vast majority of Canadians expect to see a second wave in this country in the future.

Such a second wave could hit the Canadian economy very hard due to people staying home and spending less  even if governments don't impose a second lockdown.

This has led to calls for governments to avoid imposing a second lockdown. Last week, a number of health experts signed an open letter calling on the federal and provincial governments to take a "balanced response" to fighting the pandemic, while the Business Council of Canada put out a statement after the federal government's recent fiscal update making the case that "Canadians simply cannot afford another shutdown."

Justin Tang / Canadian Press

That doesn't mean Canadians aren't willing to live through another one, however. Two recent surveys show wide support for the re-imposition of a lockdown if cases spike again.

A Nanos Research/CTV News survey found that 70 per cent of Canadians support, or somewhat support, requiring non-essential businesses to close again if there's a significant increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Ipsos put support for the idea even higher than that  at 83 per cent.

Polls suggest Ontarians back a hybrid approach to classes

But the impact of a second wave in the fall could fall especially hard on schools across the country, most of which have been shuttered since the spring. Parents have been struggling to juggle both work and child care. Women in particular have been hit harder by the economic effects of the downturn and have been taking on the lion's share of child care responsibilities.

Disrupting the school year also has a significant impact on the education and mental health of children.

It all explains the growing number of calls for provinces like Ontario to have a plan for a full-time return to classes in the fall  not only from parents and educators but from some economists and health experts as well.

WATCH | 2 Ontario teachers talk about navigating school during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Toronto District School Board said that anything but a full return to classes in the fall "will force parents to choose between educating their children and their own employment."

However, two recent polls suggest views in Ontario are not so cut-and-dried.

Last month, the Ontario government put forward three scenarios for a return to classes in the fall: virtual learning only, in-class learning only or a mix of the two. A hybrid system would still impose significant child care burdens on parents and limit their ability to either return to their workplaces or to work remotely.

Ryan Remiorz / Canadian Press

But a poll conducted by Nanos Research at the end of June and commissioned by the Ontario Public School Boards' Association found that  despite 86 per cent of Ontarians expressing concerns about students' mental health  just 52 per cent were comfortable or somewhat comfortable with a return to school in September. Men were more comfortable with the idea than women.

The poll found 72 per cent of respondents with two or more children in public school supported or somewhat supported a mixed model of education delivery; that figure increased to 76 per cent among parents with just one child in public school. On this question, there was no significant difference between the genders.

A survey by Campaign Research for the Toronto Star corroborated these findings. Conducted last week, the poll found 53 per cent of Ontario parents support the hybrid model, with 11 per cent supporting online-only. Just 23 per cent supported in-class-only learning.

It all serves to show how millions of Canadians are experiencing the pandemic in millions of different ways, making their individual assessments of the risks posed by COVID-19.

For many Canadians, the self-isolation and the changes to our way of life have been difficult to handle  but a majority remain concerned about the disease, support wearing masks in public spaces and are going about their daily lives with caution. Too many Canadians are struggling with child care and paying the bills. But most would still re-impose another shutdown if it means keeping COVID-19 at bay.

It poses a challenge to governments and policy-makers who have to decide how to balance the concerns of a worried majority with the need to help those who need help the most  a challenge that will get all the more complicated if Canada does not avoid a second wave.
Even before the nationwide call for police reform, facial recognition was struggling to win public support.A Pew poll last September showed that only around half of Americans thought police departments could be trusted to use the biometric tool responsibly. Even fewer Americans thought the technology should be used by advertisers or tech companies.Descriptors like "creepy," "invasive" and "Orwellian" have frequently dogged the technology, and, as a result, every civil liberties organization in the country has put a target on its back.Now, as calls to defund, divest or otherwise drastically alter police departments have escalated, a fairly hostile regulatory landscape is emerging for facial recognition. Some municipalities are considering outright bans and a number of potential laws threaten to drastically curtail the industry.To a large degree, the police protests have reset the legislative conversation. Previously, face recording moratoriums had been introduced in cities across the country, but almost all of these bills floundered , frequently after localized pressure from the tech lobby.Now, however, these regulations are seeing renewed interest. Much of this momentum has likely been engendered by the now heightened relevance of arguments long made by civil rights groups: that facial recognition inordinately targets marginalized communities and, in some cases, reinforces a "racist" system of policing Within weeks of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis, Boston became the largest city on the East Coast to enact a moratorium on facial recognition, joining a growing coalition of communities that have rejected it as a legitimate policing tool. It's so far unclear whether this trend will catch on in other cities.The private sector has handled this maelstrom with a certain amount of flexibility, and numerous companies have made quick concessions to the current public outcry surrounding the technology.As protests exploded across the country, a number of the U.S.'s largest vendors halted sales in an apparent bid to stifle controversy. IBM, Microsoft and Amazon announced that they would not sell facial recognition technology to police departments, at least for the time being. This hasn't stopped many of those same companies from being the target of new lawsuits that claim they broke the Illinois biometric privacy law.When reached by email, IBM providedthe following statement:"IBM no longer offers general purpose IBM facial recognition or analysis software. IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any technology, including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors, for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of basic human rights and freedoms, or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and Principles of Trust and Transparency. We believe now is the time to begin a national dialogue on whether and how facial recognition technology should be employed by domestic law enforcement agencies."A spokesperson for Amazon, meanwhile, pointed to writings by Michael Punke, the company's vice president of global public policy. Punke takes a decidedly more flexible view when it comes to facial recognition, and his writings show hope for the product line's future."Our communities are safer and better equipped to help in emergencies when we have the latest technology, including facial recognition technology, in our toolkit," writes Punke, mentioning the device's power to assist police in important criminal investigations, like human trafficking cases.Punke also argues that allegations that Amazon Rekognition routinely misidentifies suspects have all been based on improper usage of the product."In each case, weve demonstrated that the service was not used properly; and when weve re-created their tests using the service correctly, weve shown that facial recognition is actually a very valuable tool for improving accuracy and removing bias when compared to manual, human processes," Punke writes.In the case of Microsoft, a spokesperson pointed out that it has consistently lobbied for regulations that protect both communities and industry. A policy framework with testing requirements and transparency and accountability components is essential, they said.For the past two years we have been focused on developing and implementing strong principles that govern our use of facial recognition, and weve been calling for strong government regulation. We do not sell our facial recognition technology to U.S. police departments today, and until there is a strong national law grounded in human rights, we will not sell this technology to police departments, the spokesperson said.But even more "equitable" facial recognition may not be enough to satisfy certain quarters of the public. Jennifer Lee, technology and liberty project manager for the ACLU Washington state chapter, said that even if facial recognition technology is perfected to weed out potential racial bias, it still represents a basic threat to Americans' civil liberties."Accuracy does not equal equity," Lee said. "Making facial recognition 100 percent accurate does not solve the problems presented by face surveillance technology and its role as a tool that fuels police brutality. ... Everyone should be concerned about a perfectly accurate facial recognition tool. The equity component is huge, but beyond that it just facilitates unprecedented government intrusion."Though companies like Microsoft have frequently fought for more industry-friendly regulations like the one recently passed in Washington state , recent weeks show a preference by certain lawmakers for a more draconian approach. Case in point, the "strong national law" Microsoft has in mind is probably not the bill recently introduced by U.S. Senators, which would ban use of the biometric tech by all federal law enforcement agencies A middle route between moratoriums and unfettered use is to press pause so that communities can study the technology and the effects it would have on their residents.As example, an omnibus police reform bill in Massachusetts, the Reform, Shift and Build Act , has proposed a one-year ban on usage of facial recognition by state agencies. A staffer for Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem, who is co-sponsoring the bill, said that the point of the legislation is to "hit pause" on the technology until it can be further scrutinized."It's basically a full-on moratorium on facial recognition technology. That moratorium would last until December 2021," the staffer said, explaining that it would apply to any state agency or bureau, with the exception of the DMV, which uses the technology for routine identity verification purposes and to prevent fraud.At the same time, the bill would create a special commission to study the technology. The commission would be made up of numerous officials from public agencies, as well as experts from various backgrounds  including those specializing in civil rights. The group would submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than July 2021, according to the text of the bill."Then the legislature would have some time to go through those recommendations and either enact statutory authority for it, or, if the recommendations come out saying 'There's no good use for this,' then they might make a different decision."Sen. Creem, speaking with, said that she had been interested in regulating facial recognition since before the wave of police protests swept the country. Her stance has been that deployment of biometrics by government should be halted until proper investigation into its usage can be conducted. Creem said that she might eventually be open to use of the tools, but that there should be a more robust public process surrounding how it's used, which communities are affected by it and whether it is effective or not."I am open to seeing where we go with it and to see what rules and regulations [can be created]. Perhaps you get a warrant, perhaps the technology gets better. I'm open minded to having a discussion about it and seeing where we go," said Creem.
(Photo : Northamptonshire Police Facebook Page) Social Media Warning  Blue Whale Challenge (Photo : Joshua Sukoff/Unsplash) Whale Breaching Hawaii

After the Momo challenge that became popular in 2019, there is a new online game that encourages teenagers to participate in 50 tasks, which ends in suicide.

According to the Daily Mail, the "Blue whale challenge" is linked to a certain Jonathan Galindo who can be seen online with his face painted like a dog or Mickey Mouse.

The challenge tasks range from waking at strange hours, watching horror movies, and leads to self-harm, pushing the police to issue a warning over the challenge.

Numerous British schools, including those in Northern Ireland, Cumbria, Essex, and Cornwall, have reported about some teenagers who directly received invites to take part in the "Blue Whale Challenge."

Unlike Momo, which transpired in WhatsApp, the tasks are given online through Twitter and Instagram or text messages as well as through Discord, a new social media platform.

Game administrators allegedly threaten teenagers who refused to comply with the tasks to release their personal information.

Police warn parents about Jonathan Galindo



In a Facebook post, Northamptonshire Police advised parents to monitor their children's online activities, particularly messages or posts related to Galindo. The warning was in particular to messages received or their posts with hashtags: #f57, #f40, or #IMawhale.

Northants Police urged parents to talk to their children about the dangers of this challenge on social media "and tell them not to open any messages or challenges of this kind."





The warning was issued after an 11-year-old British schoolboy was forced to cut his wrists by an anonymous Instagram user as part of the creepy game.

Rocky Gyoury from Costa Blanca, Spain used a needle to scar his right arm after the account threatened to kill his mother if he did not obey.

'I made three cuts and sent a picture," Gyoury told MailOnline. However, Instagram user Johnotan said those were too not deep enough, so he "went deeper."

His mom found the scars on his arm later and she never thought her son "would participate in something like this."

Mrs. Gyoury also did not realize the dangers of the Internet until now. "I was tucked up next door thinking my son was alright, but he wasn't," she added.

Blue whale challenge: How it started

According to an investigation by BBC, the Blue whale challenge allegedly began in Russia when a teenager took her life on November 22, 2015.

Rina Palenkova posted a selfie as she stood outside with a black scarf wrapped around her mouth and nose. In the photo captioned with "Nya bye," she pointed her middle finger, which looked like it was covered by dried blood. She took her own life the following day.

Rina's death became a trending topic in Russian online forums. While no one ever discussed the cause of Rina's death, it has been linked to some other cases of teenage suicides in Russia who are part of the online forums that have posted about blue whales, suicide as well as Rina Palenkova's drawings.

In May 2016, speculations linking blue whales and suicide triggered a national conversation in Russia. According to Novaya Gazeta, a Russian newspaper, about 130 children who might have killed themselves while participating in the Blue Whale challenge. The deaths happened from November 2015 to April 2016.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
"Cursed" is a retelling of the Arthurian legend focused on Nimue, the teenager destined to become the Lady of the Lake, played by Katherine Langford. (Netflix)

This story contains spoilers from the first season of Netflixs Cursed.

The first time Nimue unsheathes the Sword of Power in the series premiere of Cursed, she is standing atop a large rock trying to fight off a pack of wolves in the rain.

As she raises the blade above her head, its markings glowing with magic, the significance of the moment is palpable. With her first swing, Nimue beheads a wolf  and promptly gets the sword stuck in the stone she is standing on. She has to pull it out before she is able to continue defending herself.

Portrayed by 13 Reasons Whys Katherine Langford, Nimue, who is destined to become the Lady of the Lake, is the central character in Tom Wheeler and Frank Millers fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend. Based on the pair's 2019 illustrated YA novel, the 10-episode first season is out now on Netflix.

The premise of this origin story is that before King Arthur and his famous adventures, the sword meant for the one true king was wielded by a queen.

Nimue holds up the Sword of Power for the first time in an episode of "Cursed." (Netflix)

A part of this legend has always been the sword stuck in the stone, said Zetna Fuentes, who directed the first two episodes of the series. This was a moment where we felt we could play on that.  It was fun to find those nods to the legend that we could also turn and do it in a different way.

Stories about the British hero King Arthur have been told and retold for centuries. Wheeler and Miller's shared affinity for these legends, and their hopes of bringing something new to the lore, led them to focus their story on Nimue  one of the names associated with the Lady of the Lake.

Nimue is the key to it all, Miller said. Shes the thread to which were exposed to everything about the mythos that we associate with Camelot and Arthur and all the other aspects.

Wheeler explained that the existing imagery and mystery around the Lady of the Lake character is what captivated them.

That image of this woman's arm reaching out of the water and offering the sword to Arthur, it evokes all of these interesting questions, said Wheeler. Who was she? What is her relationship to Arthur? Why does she have the sword? And as we began to work backwards from there this idea that a woman held the Sword of Power before Arthur felt like a story worth telling.

Story continues

Arthur (Devon Terrell) examines the Sword of Power in an episode of "Cursed." (Netflix)

In Cursed, Nimue is a Fey teenager with powerful, and sometimes uncontrollable, magic. Because of her powers, she grows up as an outcast in her village. After a religious order of intolerant zealots massacres her people, she sets off on a journey to deliver the Sword of Power to Merlin, per her mothers dying wish.

Over the course of the first season, Nimue stands up against the warring human factions in order to help save the remaining Fey.

According to scholars, there are numerous iterations of the Lady of the Lake, whose earliest appearance can be traced to French literature of the 12th and 13th centuries. Some authors have portrayed her as good, while others have portrayed her as evil.

Besides the stories about how she gave Arthur the sword Excalibur, different versions of the character are known for raising Sir Lancelot, who became one of the most famous knights of the Round Table; enchanting and imprisoning Merlin the magician; and accompanying Arthur to Avalon. In some stories, she even replaces Merlin as King Arthurs advisor.

In approaching the show, Fuentes explained that they were of course aware of the literature and various film and TV adaptations around Arthurian legends, but they didnt feel beholden to any previous interpretations of the characters or their stories.

Gawain (Matt Stokoe) has known Nimue since she was a child. (Netflix)

In addition to Nimue, Cursed is peppered with familiar characters from the lore including Arthur, Merlin and Gawain. The shows iteration of Arthur is a young mercenary who hungers to be more than a man burdened by his fathers debts, while Merlin is a drunk who can no longer use magic. Gawain, also known as the Green Knight, grew up in the same Fey village as Nimue.

Seeing it through Nimue's eyes as a character who we know exists, in our minds, sort of before the traditional story begins gave us some latitude, said Wheeler. It gave us an opportunity to introduce these characters in different ways.

The scholarship is divided on whether King Arthur, the legendary literary figure, was also actually a historical figure. Geoffrey of Monmouth is credited with popularizing the legend of King Arthur through his 12th-century book, The History of the Kings of Britain. Some historians believe Arthur could have been based on an actual warrior from the 5th or 6th centuries, while others believe hes a composite of various figures, and still others believe Arthurian legends are not based on anybody real.

Core elements of Arthurs story, from various sources, that have been remembered the most over the years include how he pulled a sword from a stone (or anvil) to prove the legitimacy of his claim to the throne; his Knights of the Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail; his tutelage by Merlin; and his marriage to Guinevere.

It turns out Sister Igraine (Shalom Brune-Franklin) has another name. (Netflix)

In the legends, Arthur is generally understood to be the son of King Uther Pendragon and Igraine  a back story that differs from the character in Cursed.

Over the course of the shows first 10 episodes, characters who were initially introduced under one name are eventually revealed to be characters with much more significant ties to Arthurian legend.

Sister Igraine is revealed to be Arthurs sister, Morgana. The young Fey boy Squirrel turns out to be named Perceval, while the Weeping Monk  raised to be used as a weapon against the Fey by the Red Paladins  reveals he is also Fey kind and used to be called Lancelot. Plus, the Viking captain known as the Red Spear is actually Guinevere.

Morgana is more commonly known in the legends as Morgan le Fey, another woman whose characterization has fluctuated from benevolent ally to villainous nemesis with magical abilities. This ambiguity appears to be played up in "Cursed" as Morgana, a faithful ally to Nimue and all Fey kind, gains some mysterious powers.

Gawain, Lancelot and Perceval are all Knights of the Round Table. Gawain is known to be a skilled knight. Arthur's nephew, Lancelot, is probably most remembered for his romantic entanglements. Perceval is central in the quest for the Holy Grail.

The Weeping Monk (Daniel Sharman) tracked and destroyed Fey villages for the Red Paladins. (Netflix)

Guinevere is best remembered not only for marrying Arthur, but for her affair with Lancelot, which leads to the end of Camelot. Like many of the women in Arthurian legends, she has often been defined more for her role in the men's stories. But the Guinevere in "Cursed" is also a warrior with her own story.  another way the show sets itself apart from the classic lore.

Wheeler relishes the freedom to reinterpret these characters, but says the goal is to take them to a more recognizable place.

Something Frank was very insistent upon, and rightfully so, is that we can change them, we can push them, we can stretch them, [as long as we] remain true to them, said Wheeler. And make sure we know our map back to who these characters are.

Even if we aren't telling you who these characters are, in some ways, their destinys already set, said Miller. We know what we're aiming toward.




Two lawmakers of the main opposition United Future Party listen to victims of the scandal-ridden Optimus Asset Management at the hedge fund's headquarters in Seoul, July 15. Korea Times file
18 rebel lesgislators join in, say they have not defied the party

Jaipur: In a dramatic but, perhaps, inevitable escalation of the crisis the Congress government is facing in Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot and 18 other rebel leaders challenged in the Rajasthan high court the partys move to disqualify them as MLAs.

Reports quoting sources said that Mr Pilot, who is Petitioner No. 7 against the Congress, seems to have reached a point of no return vis-a-vis his former party by going to court just a day after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra spoke with him on the phone.

A division bench of the Rajasthan high court, which was to hear their petition at 7.30 pm Thursday evening, scheduled it for 1 pm on Friday.

The matter came up first before the court of Justice Satish Chandra Sharma at about 3 pm on Thursday, but the dissidents advocate Harish Salve sought time to file a fresh petition. At about 5 pm, an amended petition was submitted. The court referred it to a two-judge division bench.

The Rajasthan Speaker, C.P. Joshi, had issued notices to 19 Congress dissidents on Tuesday after the Congress asked that they be disqualified from the state Assembly as they had defied a party whip to attend two Congress Legislature Party meetings. They were asked to reply by Friday.

The Pilot camp argues that a party whip applies only when the Assembly is in session.

Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi, who had written to the Speaker seeking the MLAs disqualification, also approached the court, asking to be heard before it passes any order.

In its complaint to the Speaker, the Congress sought action against Mr Pilot and the other dissidents under paragraph 2 (1) (a) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. The provision disqualifies MLAs if they voluntarily give up the membership of the party which they represent in the House.

The Congress said in the letter to the Speaker that the Supreme Court has unequivocally held in the past that the provision comes into effect when the conduct of an MLA leads to this inference. The Congress has fielded one of its sharpest legal experts, Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Mr Pilot has been upset since the Congress picked Ashok Gehlot for the chief minister's post after the 2018 Assembly polls. But it was police summons to Mr Pilot for an investigation into alleged horse trading ahead of Rajya Sabha elections that triggered his rebellion over the weekend.

Sources close to him said he had taken it as a humiliation".
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 07: U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) leaves after a weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol May 7, 2020 in Washington, DC. Speaker Pelosi spoke on the latest regarding the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is demanding Congress send out a second round of stimulus checks for American taxpayers as negotiations heat up between Democrats and Republicans for a fifth round of federal coronavirus relief.

Earlier this year, Congress approved the Treasury Department to cut $1,200 checks to every American taxpayer, with extra monetary benefits for parents with children under 18.

Another round of the direct payments is so essential, Ms Pelosi told reporters on Thursday, saying it would help individual families struggling to make ends meet and kick-start the economy as a whole.

This is urgent. They need to buy food. These are necessities, the speaker said. And when people use that money for necessities, they inject demand into the economy and create jobs. So it is a stimulus, but it's more than a stimulus  it is a necessity right now.

Ms Pelosi did not place a dollar figure on how much Democrats are insisting each stimulus check be worth.

House Democrats passed a sweeping $3trn coronavirus package in May that would send another round of $1,200 checks to each American and provide an additional $1,200 for each child in a households tax filing, up from $500 for each child from the first round of checks this spring.

That bill has languished in the Senate, with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky dismissing it out of hand as a liberal wish list.

Both chambers of Congress will return to Capitol Hill next week, where the parties will begin negotiations in earnest on direct payments and other key coronavirus relief provisions such as more federal aid for states and localities, liability reforms to shield small businesses and health systems from lawsuits, and election security for increased mail-in voting operations.

We have conversations on individual things, and Republican senators have approached me about individual [things], so they know there's going to be a bill, Ms Pelosi said.

Early hurdles

Ms Pelosi indicated several sticking points have already emerged in preliminary discussions with her GOP counterparts.

Story continues

Republicans have so far opposed enacting more robust worker protections for employees returning to their jobs amid the pandemic, extending the rent and mortgage payment moratorium, and increasing food stamp benefits, Ms Pelosi said.

But the speaker expressed optimism the parties could quickly reach common ground on some other essential issues with Congress annual August recess looming.

They've supported state and local government [aid], they've supported testing, theyve supported direct payment, theyve supported unemployment benefits, she said of congressional Republicans and the White House.

Ms Pelosi has said she is willing to cancel the House's August recess if lawmakers need more time to negotiate a better deal, which would be a highly unusual move in an election year.

Lawmakers typically use the month away from Washington as a stretch-run opportunity to touch base with constituents and hit the campaign trail hard before Election Day.

Time to 'unpause'

Republicans hit the pause button more than two months ago on further federal aid to combat the Covid-19 crisis as the White House implemented the $2.7trn Congress green ighted across four sweeping bills this spring.

That soaring dollar amount, roughly 13 per cent of GDP, has prompted some concern among Republicans about mounting federal debt.

But White House economic advisers and GOP congressional leaders have increasingly signalled their willingness in recent weeks to engage Democrats on another relief package as the infection rates began increasing again in June, with several states run by Republican governors particularly affected.

"Im predicting we will have one more rescue package, which well begin to debate and discuss next week," Mr McConnell said earlier this week. "I think you could anticipate this coming to a head sometime within the next three weeks, beginning next week."

Donald Trump's top economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, has said it has become "increasingly clear" the government will need to spend big again to bolster the US economy and health care system, which are both on the brink of being overwhelmed in many states as hospitalisations from Covid-19 have either stayed constant or increased in recent weeks.

Neither the White House nor Democratic leaders have signalled the two sides have been in serious discussions so far, though both acknowledge a deal ought to be in the offing.

We will try to make it targeted. We will try to incentivize not just work  although work is crucial and going back to work. We want to incentivize investments. We want a pro-growth package, Mr Kudlow said in an interview with Fox Business earlier this week.

Read more

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Trumps lawyers will still fight to keep his tax returns secret
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 08:15:24|Editor: huaxia

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File photo taken on Jan. 28, 2020 shows a Huawei 5G mobile phone testing speed in Huawei 5G Innovation and Experience Center in London, Britain. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes the British government's latest decision to ban Chinese companies from the building of 5G networks, said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.

The discriminatory practice goes against the free trade principles that the British government has always advocated, the ministry's spokesperson Gao Feng told a press conference.

It severely breaches World Trade Organization rules, undermines Chinese investors' confidence in Britain, affects the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, damages Britain's credibility, and undermines its status in the international trade system, Gao added.

Concerning Britain's action, which violates free trade principles, China is evaluating the incident, Gao said. He added that the country will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

Gao urged Britain to adopt concrete measures to correct its wrong decisions with the big picture in mind.

He also called on Britain to take a long-term perspective to provide an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies investing in Britain, as well as maintain the sound development momentum of economic and trade ties between the two countries. 
Lome, Togo (PANA) - The Togolese judiciary has issued an international arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Gabriel Messan Agbeyome Kodjo, who failed to respond to a summons of the Dean of investigating judges
The family of a 33-year-old woman killed by Springfield police in March 2019 will receive a $4.55 million wrongful death settlement from the Lane County city.

The familys lawyers say it is largest payout ever granted in an Oregon police use of force case.

Stacy Kennys family sued the city after Springfield Police Sgt. R.A. Lewis shot Kenny, following several officers beating and using a stun gun on her. Kenny was sitting in her car and talking to 911 operators on the phone when Lewis climbed into her car.

Lawyers for Kennys family say officers never told Kenny she was under arrest, ordered her to roll down the window or open the door or warned her they would be breaking out the windows.

Kenny, who had schizophrenia, was wearing a seatbelt and was not armed, her familys lawyers said.

The familys lawsuit, filed in September of 2019, says that on the evening of March 31, 2019, Springfield Police Officer Kraig Akins followed Kenny and parked behind her car after Kenny pulled into a bike lane. The suit says Kenny behaved abnormally during the encounter because of her schizophrenia, and in response, Akins tried to arrest Kenny by pulling her through the drivers side window.

The suit says that a few minutes later, three other officers joined Akins and broke out the driver and passenger windows. The officers then grabbed Kenny by her hair, clothing and arms, struck her multiple times in the head and face with their fists, and used a stun gun on Kennys abdomen, groin and back. After one of the officers got into the car, Kenny started driving. Then, according to the lawsuit, that officer, R.A. Lewis, fired six bullets at Kenny, three of which struck her in the torso and two of which struck her in the head, killing her.

On the day Kenny died, Springfield police had put out an alert to let officers know about Kennys mental health concerns in case officers encountered her.

Kennys family said their childs death was even more traumatic because of the way it was initially presented to the public. The Lane County District Attorneys office reviewed the case and found the officers actions lawful. District attorney Patricia Perlow said at a news conference in April 2019 that the officer who shot Kenny did so after he couldnt get control of the steering wheel as Kenny took off, driving at more than 70 miles per hour.

Ultimately, Stacy Kenny was killed as a result of an insular and toxic warrior culture that is deeply rooted within the Springfield Police Department, the family said in a statement. The effect this culture had was not to protect and serve but to harm.

Amber Fossen, a spokesperson for the city of Springfield, said that as part of the settlement, the city agreed that its police force would provide an annual use of force summary to city council in a public session, and that the city would update its use of force policy and participate in an audit to improve its operations. Fossen said the specifics of those changes would be made clear in the final settlement.

Fossen said the citys insurance company, Citycounty Insurance Services, would pay the settlement.

Kennys family said in their statement that they intend to donate some of the money to mental health research and advocacy, both in Springfield and nationally. The family also said they will use a portion of the funds to commission an independent review of the circumstances surrounding Kennys death to be presented to the city council.

David Park, the attorney who represented the Kenny family, said the independent review will accompany one by the citys insurance company. Both, he said, will examine the internal administrative review process and critique it, coming up with recommendations for how to fix problems within the department.

Its sort of like a baseline of dysfunction, here are the things we see that need fixing, Park said.

Park said there have been larger verdicts for police use of force cases in the state of Oregon, but to his knowledge, Kennys case was the largest settlement. In January, the family of an Eagle Point man killed by a police officer during a 2018 encounter received $4.5 million from that southern Oregon city.

Use of force by Springfield police also led to another recent lawsuit, after two men sued several police officers and the city in January of 2020 over two separate incidents of excessive force, according to the Register-Guard. The case is still active.

In Kennys case, the lawsuit says police were aware of Kennys schizophrenia diagnosis for at least nine months prior to the shooting. Court documents say Kennys parents met with a Springfield police officer in June 2018 to alert them about Kennys behavior so officers could respond appropriately. They told the officer, Michael Massey, that their child had schizophrenia, had been off medication for several weeks and was engaging in odd behavior. Kennys parents told the officer that their child was not hostile, nor did she or anyone in her family own firearms.

When Akins encountered Kenny nine months after that meeting, Akins followed Kenny for several blocks and stopped several times when Kenny also stopped, at one point telling her to put her hands out the window.

According to the suit, Kenny yelled, What did I do wrong? Akins did not answer the question, but continued yelling orders at Kenny.

Court papers say Akins eventually called for backup, and several officers arrived. One parked his car in front of Kennys to block her, before officers began smashing the windows and trying to pull Kenny out of the car, eventually shooting her.

The lawsuit also describes the Springfield Police Departments history of using deadly force and says the city has often failed to review or discipline officers involved in shootings.

Akins, the officer who initially stopped Kenny, had in April 2017 punched a suspect in the face who had run from him to gain compliance, the lawsuit said. According to the lawsuit, Akins was not disciplined.

In their statement, the Kenny family said they hope the settlement will lead to long-term changes in policing.

We have reached the point in our grieving process that we have hope that (Stacys) life will not have been in vain.

Note: In early reporting about Kennys death, Springfield police referred to Kenny, who was transgender, by her birth name, which she reserved for use by her family. The Oregonian/OregonLive initially and erroneously used her birth name based on the information provided by police.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
SOFIA -- Thousands of Bulgarians took to the streets of the capital and other cities for the ninth straight night as they continued to press demands that Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's government step down over allegations of corruption.

The July 17 demonstrations took place while Borisov was in Brussels for an extraordinary meeting of the European Council, as he and other European leaders sought a deal on a proposed 1.1 trillion euro budget for 2021-27 ($1.26 trillion) and on a fund of 750 billion euros ($857 billion) to restart the blocs economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Bulgarian protesters are demanding the resignation of Borisov's government and Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev over rampant high-level corruption.

Rallies took place at multiple sites in Sofia on July 17.

Demonstrators outside the BNT state television building demanded the resignation of General Director Emil Koshlukov; while activists from the Justice for Everyone group rallied near the Judicial Chamber to call for constitutional changes and the resignation of the prosecutor-general.

A main rally uniting the various opposition groups later swept through the capital, finishing at a square in front of the Council of Ministers.

Protesters chanted "It will be like this every day until he resigns!" along with "Resign!" and "Mafia!"

Rallies were also held in Lovech, Haskovo, Plovdiv, Vratsa, Montana, Varna, Burgas, Kyustendil, and other cities.

'Parody Of Reform'

On July 15, Borisov asked his finance, economy, and interior ministers to step down amid the nationwide anti-corruption protests in the Southeastern European country.

A participant in the July 17 protest told BNT state television that the ouster of the three ministers was just a "parody" of real reform.

Demonstrators have also denounced police violence during protests in Sofia last week and called on Interior Minister Mladen Marinov to resign.

The protests were sparked by a raid on July 9 by the Prosecutor-General's Office on the presidential headquarters.

President Rumen Radevs legal affairs and anticorruption secretary and his security and defense adviser were detained for questioning and their offices searched as part of two separate probes into influence-peddling and disclosure of state secrets.

The demonstrators have condemned the raids as an attack by the government and the prosecutor-general against Radev.

Radev has backed the protesters, urging then to drive the "mafia" out of government and the prosecutor's office.

Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov had been under fire after SMS messages made public by businessman Vasil Bozhkov -- who is facing charges of tax fraud, attempted bribery, and organized crime -- showed that the two men communicated regularly until January 2020.

Revelations that the state-run Bulgarian Development Bank granted a $44 million loan to a small company also drew public discontent toward the Economy Ministry, led by Emil Karanikolov.

Borisov, who has been prime minister almost without interruption since 2009, has refused to resign.

The government's term is set to end in spring 2021, when the next parliamentary elections would be held.

Borissov next week faces a parliamentary vote of no-confidence called by the opposition Socialists, but he is expected to survive it.

With reporting by dpa and Reuters
Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob has been given notice by leader of The First Wave Movement, Umar Abdullah, that there will be two more peaceful marches this month.

It comes on the heels of Abdullah being charged on Monday for leading a march around the Queens Park Savannah without permission from the acting police commissioner.
As a Hollywood multihyphenate, Andy Samberg reads  and rejects  a lot of scripts. But about 30 pages into Palm Springs, he started thinking that the answer was going to be a rare yes.

I get sent things all the time, and sometimes I get sent really good things, Samberg said. But I dont very often get sent very good things that I think I would actually be good in, and would want to spend two-plus years working on, which is what it basically means when you take on a movie as a producer.

In the romantic comedy, Samberg plays Nyles, a devil-may-care wedding guest with a secret who, dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and a knowing smirk, saves the reception with a toast for the ages. But when a hookup with Sarah (Cristin Milioti), the maid of honour, goes awry, the consequences surprise them both.

With Palm Springs, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the Golden Globes, a Bash Brothers visual poem and the first Lonely Island tour stuffing his schedule, 2019 was Sambergs busiest stretch since his Saturday Night Live days. So he was content at home earlier this year when the pandemic locked him in for real. Calling from Los Angeles, where he lives with his wife, indie musician Joanna Newsom, and their three-year-old daughter, Samberg elaborated on the 10 things that help each day from feeling like the one before it.

These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

1. Crip Camp

There was a camp on the East Coast that people with disabilities were sent to as kids and teens in the 70s, and it was magical for a lot of them. The documentary chronicles them with this incredible footage, and follows their paths as they get older and learn how they can and cannot acclimate into society. A lot of it ends up in Berkeley, where I grew up. So that was really fun, not only because the story was cool, but also to see footage of that era.

2. Watchmen

I remember I watched the first episode, and I was like, I dont know what this show is. And then, by the end of it, I was like, That might have been one of the best seasons of TV Ive ever watched. It was just so creative and so inspired and so bizarre, while also going straight at some of the social issues in our country surrounding race and policing  even though it was taking place in an alternate universe with goofy jokes.

3. New music

It Is What It Is by Thundercat: Id been a fan of Thundercat already, then I met him at a party last year, and he was just such a treat as a dude. He told me: Im working on an album right now. You should check it out when it comes out. So I was like, You got it, Thundercat.

And sure enough, its fantastic. I throw it on when Im wanting to get creative. And Dragonball Durag is just a jam, and I love the video. As a connoisseur of comedy music, I can say, I may be covered in cat hair, but I still smell good is one of the funnier lines this year in any song.

RTJ4 by Run the Jewels: Theyre just so dope. Its really, really spot-on protest music, and also I listen to it while Im vacuuming the house. So its multipurpose in that way.

Women in Music Pt. III by Haim: Theyre our buddies. But I would have said I love the record anyway. Theyre clearly pushing their boundaries. That one, less vacuuming, more dancing with my kid.

4. Dark

Oh, my goodness. That is one of the strangest and most dense shows that Ive ever watched. Theres something exciting about the fact that a lot of people are watching Dark in German with subtitles. I feel like theres so much less resistance to something like that now, hopefully, in our country. It speaks to the Reddit generation of television, where people want to hatch conspiracy theories and guess what things mean.

5. Queer Eye

Its one of the most life-affirming shows, for me anyhow. Its that rare thing thats fun and funny, and you want to see the makeover aspect of it. But they say it right in the title: Its so much deeper. They find people that you are immediately in there with and rooting for. Theres such an emphasis on kindness and thoughtfulness and self-reflection and growth. And some of the scenes with Karamo (Brown), where hes talking people through their personal struggles  I just feel like if you really do pour your energy into something to try and improve it and make it more meaningful, it can actually work.

6. Heat Waves in a Swamp: The Paintings of Charles Burchfield

I find myself flipping through it a lot and getting whisked away. Theres a surrealism that I love, and I dont know how Charles E. Burchfield would feel about this, but it takes me to the place of the covers of the old Lord of the Rings books. Theres something supernatural and fantastical that really opens my brain when I look at it.

7. Portrait of a Lady on Fire

It blew me away. And I feel like its a good movie for men to understand energetically how when they show up it can really change things. Its not a spoiler to say this. You get lulled into this amazing space of there being no men for a long time in the movie, then a random guy does show up. Hes a nothing character; hes there to do an errand. Hes not being a jerk or being weird. But him just sitting there eating some slop, youre like: Ugh, whats this guy doing here? Get him out of here. Hes ruining the vibe.

8. Older music

All for You by E.T. Mensah & the Tempos: Its a genre thats sometimes called Highlife  more traditional music from Ghana, mixed with Western instruments that had become available in that region at the time. I listen to it front-to-back a lot. It makes everything feel happy and crackly.

The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky: My daughter has been obsessed with The Nutcracker since over a year ago, and were still listening to it. Its her Frozen. And Ill say this: The Nutcracker has some bangers.

A Tribe Called Quests The Low End Theory vs. Midnight Marauders: My buddy Chester cold-texted me: Midnight Marauders or Low End Theory? It started as a joke. It was Fathers Day, and I was like, I get to listen to whatever I want to, and I put on Low End Theory, and started blasting it in the house. Then he texted me that and Ive been listening to both a lot, trying to decide if I can choose. And I really cant. So its more just to say its crazy how good those two albums are, and they still hold up.

9. Bourbon Bramble

At the end of the day it is nice, if you can, to have something to drink as long as its not too much. And one of the drinks that we found when scouring recipes was a Bourbon Bramble, which is really delicious. Ive been told I have to give credit to the modifications of my wife. What she did was she doubled the bourbon and amped up the lemon. And those two things turned it from something that I think maybe you could argue is a little too sweet into something that we have been finding to be euphoric.

10. Fanny at Chez Panisse by Alice Waters

Any time I can talk about Chez Panisse, I like to, because its Berkeley pride and also because its probably my favourite restaurant on Earth. And Alice Waters is a hero of mine. This was given to us after the birth of our daughter because it takes the fundamentals of the farm-to-table idea  eating whatever is most fresh, letting the ingredients do the talking for your food  and applies it to really simple dishes that you can make for and with kids. Weve done corn muffins, carrot and parsley salad, and I think she maybe thinks shes doing more than she is. Were helping her more than she realizes, but were not about to tell her that thats the case. We just want her to feel inspired and emboldened to do it at all, and feel like she can make things. Its pretty damn cute.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  Experts in the Philippines are verifying studies which suggest that those who have recovered from COVID-19 may lose their natural immunity to the virus within months, a Department of Health official said Friday.

Pag-aaralan muna iyan ng mas mabuti at magbibigay tayo ng impormasyon, Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters in a media forum.

[Translation: We are carefully studying the evidence before we could provide information.]

But Vergeire pointed out that what is clear is there is no immunity passport in the context of coronavirus infection. This means those who had COVID-19 are susceptible to getting infected again. A similar warning was made by the World Health Organization in April.

Early this week, CNN International reported the findings from a study conducted in the United Kingdom, which has not been peer-reviewed, that antibody responses may start to decline 20 to 30 days after COVID-19 symptoms emerge.

Antibodies are the proteins the body produces to fight an infection.

Last week, a Spanish government study involving 61,000 participants found that just five percent of patients who recovered in Spain have coronavirus antibodies and that the protection from re-infection wanes after just a few weeks.
An elderly ex-RAF pilot crashed his replica German WW2 Luftwaffe plane in a field - after mistaking tractor lines for a runaway.

Barry Conway, 80, flipped his home-built Focke Wulf aircraft when trying to land.

A friend and former colleague said the pilot is 'very lucky' to be alive following the dramatic incident.

An 80-year-old former RAF fighter pilot had a lucky escape when his replica Focke Wulf 190

Barry Conway, from Carterton, Wiltshire, was attempting to land his handmade aircraft in Ogbourne St George

Mr Conway, who had previously flown RAF F4 Phantoms mistook tracks made by a tractor for the runway. When the plane touched down it flipped over and came to rest upside down

Mr Conway, from Carterton, Wiltshire, had been trying to guide the half-scale war plane towards a local airstrip around 30 miles away from his home in Ogbourne St George.

But according to friends he thought markings made by a tractor in a crop field were the runway - and overturned the plane on landing.

Mr Conway was taken to a nearby hospital after being rescued by firefighters and is expected to be released in the next few days.

He suffered cracked vertebrae in his neck and back.

Friend Dudley Pattison said he mistook the tramlines made by a tractor in a crop field for the runway.

He said: 'The ruts made by the tractor wheels made the plane flip over on to its back.

'He is very lucky to be with us. He could have easily broken his neck and there was always a concern about the fuel igniting.'

He added that Mr Conway was conscious and chatting as firefighters cut him from the cockpit.

He was then taken to Great Western Hospital and treated for cracked vertebrae in his neck and back.

Mr Pattison said: 'His two sons have been in to see him. He is in good spirits, but will certainly be in a neck brace for a while.'

The aircraft is 50 per cent of the size of the original FW 190 fighter

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said crew members used hydraulic cutting equipment to cut the pilot free.

They were on the site for just over an hour using foam to stem the flow of the potentially-hazardous aviation fuel.

South Western Ambulance Service and Wiltshire Air Ambulance also called to the scene.

Wayne Presley, of the fire service, said: 'The main concern for us was the fuel itself. The aviation fuel was the main hazard for the fire service.

'The aircraft was in a field of standing crop, so with a day like today fire can spread.'

The damaged plane has now been removed from the field and taken to a hangar awaiting inspection.

An Air Accidents Investigation Branch spokesperson said: 'The AAIB was informed of an accident involving a light aircraft at an airstrip south of Swindon and will be conducting an investigation.'

Mr Pattison said he has known Mr Conway for 25 years and that his friend is an accomplished pilot and engineer.

The duo paired up in 2000 to win the Schneider Trophy Air Race - a 100 mile mid-air race, famous for its incredible speeds and intricate manoeuvring.

Mr Pattison said: 'Barry is a former RAF Phantom pilot. And he also flew for a commercial airline too.'
European leaders have gathered face-to-face for the first time in five months as talks on an unprecedented 1.6trillion budget got underway in Brussels on Friday.

Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron were among the first mask-wearing heads of state to arrive - making their way to a meeting room that typically seats 330 people to ensure social distancing can be maintained.

The bloc is split in every direction over the budget - north and south disagree over a 690billion coronavirus rescue package, while west and east have drawn up battle lines over climate targets and legal reforms.

While the leaders have been holding digital summits until now, it was decided that a face-to-face meet is the only way to find enough common ground to reach a deal.

However, conditions are far from ideal - handshakes are banned, entourages have been cut from from 19 people to people, and everyone will have to navigate the building via one-way systems.

Most expect the talks to continue until Sunday. Some have already pencilled in a return date later this month.

Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron arrive for the start of EU budget negotiations which are taking place in Brussels - the first face-to-face meeting of the 27 states since February

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (left), who is keen to agree a coronavirus rescue package for his country, speaks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (right) who is opposed

Europe's female leaders - Finland's Sanna Marin, Belgium's Sophie Wilmes, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Germany's Angela Merkel - speak together

Negotiations on the budget have already failed once, following a summit in February, when the total was a mere 1trillion.

Now an extra 690billion in spending has been added to help the continent recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

The battle over the extra spending will pit an alliance of frugal northern states - the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and Sweden - against bigger-spending southern states whose economies were hit harder by the virus, namely Spain and Italy.

While Italy and Spain, backed by Germany and France, want the fund to be based on grants - their opponents argue the fund should be smaller and based on loans.

'We are going into the consultations with a lot of vigour, but I must also say that the differences are still very, very large and I cannot therefore predict whether we will be able to reach an agreement this time,' Merkel, who turned 66 today, said.

'It would be desirable, but we also have to face reality and we really need a great deal of willingness to compromise if we are to achieve something,' she said. 'That is why I expect very, very difficult negotiations.'

Mr Macron held early talks with Danish Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday, after he demanded a veto over how the money is spent.

'It's our European project which is in play here,' Macron warned, before meeting the Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte - who is holding out against doling out cash without tough conditions and an effective power of veto over national rescue plans.

'We are going through an unprecedented crisis, on the health but also the social level. We need much more solidarity and ambition,' the French President said.

'Solidarity, yes,' Mr Rutte said, 'from countries that can now free up more in their own budgets to fight the crisis, towards countries that can do less.'

Mr Rutte is considered one of the biggest obstacles to reaching a deal.

'We want a result and we will continue working until we get that result,' if need be until Sunday, said Latvian prime minister Arturs Karins.

'The crisis brought about by this pandemic, with all of its economic and social consequences, is the most severe we have had to face since the Second World War,' European Council president and summit host Charles Michel said.

Another rift has formed around the issue of climate change.

The budget calls for around 30 per cent of spending to go towards hitting the target of net neutral emissions by 2050, with France, Austria and Nordic countries in full support, The Guardian reports.

A face-to-face meeting was deemed the only way for leaders to reach consensus on the budget - but conditions are far from perfect, with handshaking banned

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arrives at the summit while wearing a face mask

Angela Merkel talks to the media without a mask, but standing away from reporters

But Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania and Greece have voiced doubts while Poland, which gets almost 50 per cent of its energy from coal, has opposed any reference to the target.

Warsaw, along with Hungary, is also opposed to linking budget spending to pledges to 'uphold the rule of law'.

Populist government in both countries have been accused of undermining rule of law with sweeping reforms that have handed more power to their leaders.

The usual summit venue, an intimate room high up in the urn-shaped Europa centre, was deemed too snug to be safe and instead the leaders have been sent down to meeting room EBS-5, whose 850 square metres normally fits 330 people.

Delegations will be cut to a minimum, leaving leaders more dependent on their own knowledge of complicated dossiers.

It should put a smile on the face of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has been in office for 15 years and seen countless leaders come and go.

Since the pandemic struck, she is seen as a safe pair of hands to lead her country through the crisis and now that Germany holds the rotating six-month EU presidency her stature will be even greater at the summit.

Leaders are meeting in a room which typically houses 330 people so that proper social distancing can be maintained

The EU's executive is proposing a 750 billion euro (680 billion) recovery fund, partly based on common borrowing, to be sent as loans and grants to the most needy countries.

Mrs Merkel, who is in her last term and has her political legacy at stake, already got Germany to agree to join in a common debt programme to alleviate the economic suffering in mostly southern and eastern member states.

And she has agreed to include grants and not just loans in the recovery package, to avoid overburdening member states with high debt already.

There are also plans to link budget funds to respect for basic democratic rights that the European Parliament says are under threat in countries like Hungary and Poland.

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban was clear he would fight any such strings attached to the plan.

'The Hungarian position is clear, Hungarians should decide about Hungarians' money,' he said.
Two FBI agents serving a warrant on a child pornography investigation shot an armed man dead Friday morning outside a southeast Houston home, police said.

The agents were part of a team executing the warrant in the 5700 block of Hirondel around 9:55 a.m., according to Houston Police Executive Asst. Chief Troy Finner. Houston police officers were assisting the agents with securing the perimeter of the home, but left the warrant execution to the agents, Finner said.

As the agents approached the house, the 24-year-old man walked outside "brandishing" a weapon, Finner said. Agents ordered the man to drop the weapon, but he allegedly refused, Finner said.

The two agents opened fire, striking the man. Paramedics pronounced him dead outside the home.

No agents or other law enforcement officers were injured, the FBI said in a statement released later Friday.

The agents were not wearing body-worn cameras, according to an FBI spokesperson.

HPD officers did wear body cameras, and they were activated but did not capture the shooting, said department spokesman John Cannon. He added that HPD officers will not serve a warrant or enter a location while working with a task force that does not wear body cameras.

A man who lives nearby, who only identified himself as Bugg, said he heard upwards of 15 shots.

"I was standing right there," he said, motioning to the corner at the end of the block. "I saw when they pulled up in that truck. All of a sudden, I just heard like 16 shots."

The otherwise quiet tree-lined neighborhood has since flooded with Houston police officers and federal agents investigating the shooting.

"This neighborhood is a good neighborhood," the witness said. "It's not crazy over here. That's why we were (shocked) about what's going on."

The dead man's identity was not immediately released.

The FBIs Inspection Division will investigate the shooting, per FBI policy, the agency said.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news for Chron.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com
SEOUL, South Korea  After North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office on its own soil last month, plunging relations with South Korea to a diplomatic nadir, a conservative activist lawyer in the South decided that one person was responsible: Kim Yo-jong, the only sister of North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un.

So he filed a lawsuit against Ms. Kim.

South Korean prosecutors said on Friday that they were looking into the litigation, but it was not clear whether they would begin a formal investigation. Their hands appeared to be tied: They have practically no way to summon Mr. Kims sister to court to face the accusation.

The suit is largely symbolic, but if it triggers an angry reaction from the North, it could lead to the further deterioration of the relationship between the two Koreas.

The activist lawyer, Lee Kyung-jae, a vocal critic of Moon Jae-in, South Koreas president, told reporters last week that he had been driven to file the lawsuit in part because the government of Mr. Moon had not been aggressive enough in dealing with the Norths destruction of the liaison office.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > A case for truth: Media oppression is a shifting landscape | Sevanti (...)

by Sevanti Ninan

June 29, 2020

For some years now, the growing challenge to journalism has come from the increasing use of predictable laws. These are the Sections relating to sedition and criminal defamation in the Indian Penal Code and, until it was struck down in 2015, Section 66A of the Information and Technology Act relating to computer communication.

But media oppression is a shifting landscape. Tracking its changing features is just the first challenge. While the onset of Covid-19 has led to the government putting hitherto under-used laws to work, such as the Disaster Management Act and the Epidemic Diseases Act, these have been used in tandem with Sections of the IPC to criminalize reporting of the governments response to the pandemic as well of the outcomes of its handling, such as the migrant exodus. Panicky administrations across the country have, so far, used no less than 14 Sections of the IPC and Sections of the IT Act (including the one that was struck down), the DMA, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Motor Vehicles Act and the provisions of Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to issue showcause notices, lodge first information reports against reporters and arrest, confine and torture them.

If newsgathering is being criminalized in some parts of the country, it is being policed in Jammu and Kashmir. As the former state approaches the completion of a year since the abrogation of its special status, it has been gifted a 50-page media policy, which makes the government the arbiter of fake news and mandates background checks of media owners and editors if they are to receive government advertising. Charming! Who knows what will follow elsewhere in the country.

Overall then, a convergence of factors is at work. Arms of the government see journalism (of all kinds) not as a useful source of feedback at a time when the population is in distress but as a nuisance to be squashed. Fake news is no longer seen only as an electronic menace but as reporting with malign intent, whether in Kashmir or elsewhere.

Electronically disseminated fake news, until now, was in the domain of technology. But when the charge is levelled at reporting on the ground in far-flung areas of the country, it enters the domain of physical fact-finding. Busting fake news with internet tools is one thing. Doing it for field reporting is quite another.

Social media platforms have democratized journalism to the extent that individuals mounting their local news investigations on Facebook and circulating them through WhatsApp and Twitter have popped up in districts all over the country. District magistrates are responding to these Covid-related news reports with police complaints, thereby criminalizing what is more often than not bona fide ground-level reporting.

Headlines are made when notices are sent to journalists at news sites such as The Wire or Scroll.in. But not when the founder of a portal is arrested in Coimbatore for reporting that doctors are facing shortages in food and personal protective equipment at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. A corporation official then files a case against the portal and its owner at a local police station.

In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a freelance journalist is arrested for a tweet asking why families were placed under home quarantine for merely speaking with coronavirus patients over the phone. The local director general of police calls it an inciting, false and instigating tweet to disrupt public harmony, violating government order and to create panic among public. Multiple reports from across the country on administrative failures in responding to the problems of migrant labour have led to multiple FIRs filed under multiple Acts across states. In Baddi in Himachal Pradesh, a reporter for Divya Himachal does a Facebook live on hungry migrant workers and is rewarded for his pains with an FIR under Section 54 (Punishment for false warning) of the DMA and four Sections of the IPC. He earned two other FIRs for two other stories and had his curfew pass confiscated so that he could not file any more stories.

Indias district news landscape has changed. Two decades ago when Hindi newspapers had just begun to launch district editions and seek subscribers in villages that were not too far from main roads, shops on the highway from Raipur to Jagdalpur in Bastar would have notices saying come and give your news here. It meant that the shopkeeper was a local stringer; it also meant that news was publicity that local people sought for their events; there was an urge to read about ones village or kasba in the newspapers.

Today, Bastars news landscape is far less harmless, and this is reflected in its WhatsApp groups with daily posts from numerous feisty news entrepreneurs. When the Kisan Sabha in Chhattisgarh issued a statement earlier this month, saying the real purpose of the Bodhghat project that is damming the Indravati river is to supply water and power to industry, it was picked up and energetically disseminated via nationalert.in, aapkiaawaz.net, indianewsroom.in and many others. When a public hearing for a development project that will affect the environment and the tribal population is held today, the local people are alerted far and wide through numerous blogs in this region.

But when they turn to purveying Covid-related news, they can run up against an irate administration. In April, the state government issued a showcause notice to Bastar ki Awaaz for spreading fear and spoiling the image of the administration through a story on a woman from Geedam selling her fridge to buy food. She said she had not received any assistance from the administration. The organization, Rights & Risks Analysis Group, which has dug up some of these instances, found that the laws described earlier in this article were deployed in Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and numerous other states. UP led the list with such 11 cases. There were cases of torture in Punjab, Odisha, Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir. Not all of these have the Bharatiya Janata Party in government.

Is this to be seen as par for the course then if one wants to report in this country? Battling an enlarged canvas of legal harassment? This includes being booked under laws such as the UAPA for posting news photographs on Facebook in Kashmir. What support structures can be put in place? The country has a Press Council, a Human Rights Commission and numerous courts. But it needs a growing network of human rights defenders, a galvanizing force created by an alliance of journalist organizations, concerned lawyers and civil society stalwarts to map a strategy for this canvas. The Press Council is selective in what it takes note of; one must also ask whether its censure changes anything on the ground.

So far, the response to a sustained assault on journalism has been statements issued by media bodies themselves. But journalists need allies at a time like this; solidarity within their own ranks is not enough to put pressure on the oppressors. Just as civil society has come together to keep alive a human rights campaign for the release of Gautam Navlakha, Sudha Bhardwaj and others in the Bhima Koregaon case, journalists, particularly the embattled, invisible ones the districts, now need ballast in their fight to keep up the pressure.

Precedents will be set if the misuse of laws goes unchallenged. District magistrates across states labelling reporting as fake news will be further emboldened without a pushback.

The author is a media commentator and was the founder-editor of TheHoot.org

(Courtesy: The Telegraph Online, 30 June 2020)
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The Political Situation in Northeast Syria -- An Assyrian Perspective

Meeting between the Assyrian Democratic Organization and the Syriac Union Party (SUP) in Qamishli, Syria, 2017. In early May, Al-Monitor reported that the Kurdish National Council (KNC) and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in northeastern Syria began US-sponsored reconciliation talks in the hope they could join the UN-sponsored peace process related to Syria. The KNC is Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) affiliated body and was formed under the party leader, Masoud Barzani's, sponsorship. The backing of US is seen as an effort to appease Turkey's national security concerns with regards PYD's role in Syria.

According to recent reports in the Kurdish media this talks progressed, confirming earlier indications that the "US supports intra-Kurdish dialogue talks recently held by Kurdish parties in Syria." Tensions evidently existed till recent times between the two Syrian Kurdish groups in Syria since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, with the PYD playing the key role in the establishment of the self-administration in northeastern Syria. Turkey has always seen the PYD as a spinoff of the PKK and initiated a military incursion into Syria late 2019 to counter further efforts for a possible Kurdish autonomy along the Turkish border in northern Syria. KNC has been an umbrella organization of several Kurdish parties and has been represented in the Syrian opposition.

The recent re-approachment of the Kurdish groups has its implication for the political dynamic of northern Syria, where Assyrians live, particularly in the al-Hasakah governorate. On political and ethnic level, Assyrians are organized in three political parties, the Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO), the Syriac Union Party (SUP), and the Assyrian Democratic Party. In addition, a community security-guard group (named Sutoro) is maintained, while independent from the individual churches of the community in the region (Syriac-Orthodox, Syriac-Catholic, Chaldean, Assyriac Church of the East) several cross-denominationals civic committees have been established and are engaged in the cities and towns of the governorate as well.

The three Assyrian political parties are committed to different fronts in the Syrian conflict: while the ADO is part of the larger Syrian Coalition since its inception, the SUP collaborates with the Kurdish self-administration led by the PYD, maintains the Sootoro security police group. Its military arm became a part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Assyrian Democratic Party, to some extent, collaborates with the PYD as well as maintaing a small protection group in the Hasakah and Khabour villages.

In order to get a first hand anaylsis of the sitituation in northern Syria after the Turkish incursion and to understand the political implications of the inner-Kurdish approach for Syria's northeast region and what it means for the Assyrians, I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Sait YAldiz, the head of the Swedish Section of the Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO).

As a political party, the Assyrian Democratic Organization was founded back in 1957, striving for the establishment of a secular, pluralistic and democratic government in Syria with a constitution that recognizes equal rights for all of its ethnic components. According to the ADO's vision, such a constitution should embody a universal Syrian national identity, reflecting the national, religious, and cultural diversity within a unified country. The organization states that it pursues non-violent, peaceful, and democratic struggle in its quest for change, while renouncing violence and extremism, and believes that the only viable solution for the Syrian crisis is a political solution.

As an ethnic organization, the ADO has been a founding member of the Syrian National Council (SNC) and part of the Syrian opposition since its inception; it signed the so-called Damascus Declaration in October 2005, which aimed to unify the Syrian opposition demanding reforms and democracy. The declaration criticized the Syrian government prior to the uprising in 2011 as "authoritarian, totalitarian, and cliquish," and called for a "peaceful and gradual," reform "founded on accord, and based on dialogue and recognition of the other."

Gabriel Moushe, the ADO's former president was arrested by the Syrian regime in 2013 and held in prison in Damascus for two and half years. Currently, Abdelahat Astepho represents the ADO in the Syrian National Coalition of the Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces and is a member of the Political Committee.

Mr. YAldiz holds an MA in political science from the University of Uppsala and sits for the Swedish Left Party in SAdertAlje's city council. The interview was conducted in the modern Assyrian-Aramaic (Surayt) language.

Abdulmesih BarAbraham (AB): Could you please introduce yourself?

Sait YAldiz (SY): I was born in 1965 in Anhel, Turabdin. I received my primary school and Assyrian education in Anhel and Midyat. In 1980 I travelled to Switzerland and applied for asylum in Germany a month later. While in the city of Augsburg, where I lived for three years, I came into contact with the Assyrian National Movement and participated in its youth activities. I settled in Sweden in August 1983.

Between 1986 and 1991, I became the chairman of the Assyrian Cultural Association in Botkyrka, Stockholm. In 1990, when I served as a member of the board of directors of the Assyrian Youth Committee of the Assyrian Federation, in addition, I joined the ADO. From 1991 to 1995, I was the President of the Assyrian Federation in Sweden and the director for its HujAdA magazine.

In 1994, I took a break from my work at ADO in order to complete my education. I studied at the Uppsala University and received an MA degree in political science. Currently, I am the Chairman of the Swedish Sections of ADO and a member of the ADO's General Committee.

AB: How would you describe the political and security situation in northeast Syria after the Turkish invasion and in view of the US and Russian presence there?

SY: First of all, I think it's good to remind that, without the consent of both, the United States and Russia, Turkey would not be in the position to enter into Syria's Gozarto (Jazira), as we use to historically call the northeastern region. As known from public statements of the Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan, Turkey wanted to create some sort of "safe zone" in Syria since 2014. Watching Turkey's rapprochement with Russia and Iran, the United States approved Turkey's military incursion into Syria to secure its own political interest.

We can't say that the security situation has improved with Turkey's entry into Syria. The Assyrians and Armenians living in towns and villages along a 120 km border, from Tel Abyad to Rish Ayno (Ras-el Ain), had to migrate. The Assyrians, who were forced to leave Rish Ayno had to abandon their property and land, which is known to be very fertile and suited for agriculture. The seizure of the land and properties by the so-called "National Army," which was created under Turkey's control and utilized during the fighting, is a major problem. This is an unacceptable violation of property rights. An additional security problem is caused by the fact that this "National Army" was formed from the remnants of the jihadist organizations fighting in Aleppo, Ghouta, and other hot zones, as they sometimes engage in armed conflict with each other.

On the other hand, the PYD's reaction to digg trenches in inhabited areas of civilians, e.g., in Qamishli, Derik, Qabre Hevore, Hassake, is pulling the war into civilian areas and endangering the civilians. These ditches, which are dug under the houses at a depth of 7-8 meters, endanger both the lives of those living in those houses and weaken the foundation of the houses. This trenches consitute also an attack on the property rights. As an organization, we are against the armed conflict being drawn to the civillian settlements.

In the region where Turkey crossed the borders with its military, the US, Russia, the Syrian regime, the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) and Iranian armed forces are present; this should be sufficient to indicate how worrying the situation is.

AB: While KNC has been a formal member of the Syrian Opposition, the PYD was kept out due to Turkish pressure. What would an intra-Kurdish approach mean from a Syrian opposition perspective?

SY: With the outbreak of the Syrian upprising, the PYD and the Kurdish National Council, the KNC, formed a Kurdish High Commission and tried as a group to join the newly founded the Syrian National Council. Their request was not accepted by both Turkey and the Syrian Opposition. Their membership was rejected because the PYD could not fulfill the conditions to take a clear stance against the Syrian regime and to disconnect itself from the PKK. With regards to ADO, we were in favor of the Kurdish High Commission's entry into the SNC as a group, but this view was not accepted by the majority of the SNC members.

Those who closely followed the developments of the period could observe the existence of cooperation between Turkey and the PYD in the security and military areas. It is no a secret that Salih Muslim, the PYD co-chairman at the time, had a great deal of comfort to enter Turkey and meet with the Turkish security officials. These relationships went far beyond security issues. They transported weapons and peshmerga fighters from the KRG (Kurdish Regional Government) and allowed them to enter Ain al-Arab (Kobane) through Turkey. This was one of the largest public actions; in addition it is worth to point out that moving Suleyman Shah's tomb to EAme Village, took place under the PYD's control, on February 22, 2015, within the context of the Operation Shah Euprates.

These relations between Turkey and the PYD began to deteriorate in 2014 when the Autonomous Regional Administration in northern Syria was announced on the eve of the Geneva II talks, and in 2015 the relations were utterly broken with the termination of Turkey's peace process with the PKK. Salih Muslim was now sought by the Interpol's Red Bulletin. As a thought-provoking aspect, I must add that the United States, which had an alliance with the PYD, did not put any serious pressure on Turkey because of its strict stance regarding the PYD.

AB: Could you elaborate on ADO's contribution to the work of the Syrian opposition? What position did ADO defend in view that the major parties in the oppositions have an Islamic background?

SY: As ADO, we have taken an active role in the establishment of the Syrian National Council. Since its inception, we have always stated that we are in favor of a democratic and peaceful Syrian opposition movement. We have always argued that an armed conflict will make the solution to the country's political problem become difficult. Of course, in some places there was no alternative left by the regime other than to arm the Syrian people in order to defend themselves. The public's self-defense is a right. The reason that the Islamic organizations gained weight within the opposition is due to the support of countries in the region.

The strengthening of these organizations did not discourage us from our own objectives. For example, no organization within the opposition, even not the United States, called the Nusra Front a terrorist organization, while in 2012, ADO had already declared that Nusra Front was a terrorist group.

We are part of a coalition that encompasses diverse political views. It can't be realistic to expect these parties to think the same way we do. What is important in such a structure is to maintain our independent line, to defend the rights of our people as indigenous group in Syria and to agree on common political denominators.

As founding member of the SNC, we became part of the Syrian Coalition that was established on February 1, 2014. Although being part of the larger Coalition, we have clearly opposed Turkey's entry into Afrin, Ras-ul Ayn, and Tel Abyad, just to mention few issues. We played an important role in arguing for the participation of the Syrian opposition in the UN-led Geneva II talks, which was seen by some of the radical parties within the Coalition as "falling to the knees before the regime."

In October 2012, when the Syrian Free Army entered Deir ez Zor, we attempted to create the Gozarto Patriotic Council consisting of ADO, two Arabs parties, the Kurdish High Council and the Syriac Union Party, so that Gozarto (basically the Al-Hasakah Governorate) could be spared from the conflict. Between the end of 2012 and Spring 2013 we held nine meeting sessions and brought the initiative to the stage of setting up the council. However, a few days before the establishment, two key Kurdish representatives left the KNC and joined the YPG, which hindered finalizing the plan. In fact, the idea of a regional self-ruled administration existed two years before the PYD-led autonomous region was officially declared.

In short, since joining the Syrian opposition, as ethnic organization we have been joining all international forums addressing the future of Syria and raising our voice as Assyrians and an indigenous people of Syria. Currently, we have two representatives in the Coalition's Constitutional Commission, which was established last year and its first meeting in Geneva last October. The task of our friends there is to assure that our rights are included in the opposition documents and entered in the new consititution to be written.

AB: Could you elaborate on ADO's relations with both Kurdish groups in the past?

SY: The establishment of Kurdish parties in Syria dates to the 1950s and 60s, when ADO was founded. Although our organizations were established around the same time, the relationships between them were not particularly developed. Of course, there are many reasons for that. The relationships of the early periods remained focused mainly on the culturel and social levels. Our first political cooperation with the Kurdish parties was a kind of an electoral agreement with the PKK within the context of the 1990 Syrian Parliament elections. As a result of that election, the personal relations between the Kurdish leaders, who were elected from Gozarto, and our friend Bashir Saadi, who was elected from ADO to the Syrian Parliament, developed later at an organizational level.

After Bashar al-Assad became President of Syria, our relations with the Kurdish organizations naturally turned into cooperation on broader issues, the most important of them is known as the "Damascus Spring." This is the name given to the period of activism and tentative political liberalization that followed the death of Hafez al-Assad in the year 2000. This period was characterized by demands for political, legal, and economic reforms in Syria. This initiative resulted in the Damascus Decleration signed by many political parties in 2005.

AB: With the PYD-led Kurdish self-administration, the Assyrians are said to live under two rulers: The Kurds and the Syrian Government. What implications does this brings for the Assyrians with regards of taxation, military subscription, schooling etc.?

SY: First of all, the Kurdish groups that oppose the PYD are the ones who take the major share from the repression of the PYD-led administration. Second, the Arabs feel the pressure, followed by us Assyrians. We can list the repression of the autonomous region administration against the Assyrians as follows. There were attempts to close our private schools, seizing the properties of the Assyrians who migrated to other places, force our youth into compulsory military service. In addition, they closed our organization's offices in Derik, Hassake, Derbisiye, and Qamishli, but were reopened after public protests. Of course, there are daily problems with the existence of two administrations in Qamishli and Hassake -- one led by the PYD and one led by the Syrian Government. This results in double taxation, conflicting military conscription, Cadastre issues and problems for work permits, etc.

AB: How did the ADO react to such repressive measure by the Kurdish administration?

SY: We have tried to raise our voice to the injustices in different ways and with the opportunities we have. For example, when the PYD wanted to confiscate the empty houses and lands of the Assyrians who emigrated, we protested with a joint statement from all of our people's institutions. Our protest was met with a giant echo in both Europe and the Middle East. Then, when we encountered similar problems, we played an active role in establishing a common Christian Committee that included our people and the Armenians living in the region. The committee was able to solve problems on many issues through dialogue.

When Assyrian schools were closed, ADO's President of that time, Gabriel Moushe, discussed the education issue the Autonomous Administration education official on a private TV channel. We made our voice heard everywhere, reaching the European media and politicians. Our voice was conveyed to the Europeans officials, especially the Swedish politicians, to the head of the PYD of the time, Salih Muslim. As a matter of fact, we know that our declaration in Europe in context of the closing of our offices was felt with a heavy criticism -- at least Salih Muslim complained about the issue this way.

AB: What implication do you see for the Assyrians with the inter-Kurdish rapprochement?

SY: Supported by the United States, the PYD must be credited for being responsible for the security of the region and largely preventing the ISIS terrorist organization from entering the region. Due to fighting against ISIS, cities such as Hassake, Derik Derbisiye, and Qamishli, which are main settlements areas for the Assyrians, have not experienced the hot war compared to Raqqa or other cities. The Khabour region remains the exception. Despite having major US support, the PYD has not been able to prevent the terrorist group from capturing our villages in the Khabour region which has resulted in the abduction of nearly 300 Assyrians. The questionable Kurdish role in this major incident along with several the terrorist attacks on civilian targets in the city of Qamishli, along with the cases of kidnapping of many Assyrians do not exempt the PYD and regime's armed forces from partial guilt, unfortunately.

For the following reasons we find the rapprochement and peace between the KNC and PYD positive.

If we are realistic, the solution to the Kurdish problem is the locomotive for solving the questions of the other non-Arab ethnic groups in Syria. If we look at it from this point of view, it will have an impact on us as a people.

The peace of two important groups, even if there was no ongoing conflict between them, will contribute significantly to peace in the region and will have a positive impact on other groups.

We think that the rapprochement between the PYD and KNC means also a rapprochement with the Syrian opposition.

The inter-Kurdish approach should also extend to a dialogue that includes all of the ethnic groups east of the Euphrates. However, this would mean a necessary restructuring of the local self-administration. Therefore, we have to be prepared for these new developments and attach great importance to the dialogue and cooperation between ADO and the Assyrian parties on this issue.

It is an agreement between the two groups that has so far only been reached on political issues. We can say that similar agreements have already existed. Anyone who follows the United States' efforts in this regard knows the situation. In order for us to be able to say that there is a full agreement, I believe that two important issues need to be resolved: management of the self-administration and the military set-up. We are closely monitoring the discussions and wish them every success.

AB: How are the political relations with the other two Assyrian groups in northeast Syria, namely Syriac Union Party and Assyrian Democratic Party, which both cooperate closely with the PYD while SUP engages with its so-called military wing in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)?

SY: As ADO, we have been convinced from the beginning that it was necessary to learn from the Iraqi experience and develop good relations with the Syriac Union Party and the Assyrian Democratic Party present in Syria, so that our organizations do not go through similar adversities. During the process that began with the Syrian upprising, we invited both parties to meet and to joinly promote our political and national rights while uniting our political discourse. We included the civic society driven organizations established later as Tajammuc al'Medeni Mesihi (Civic Christian Society) and Tajammuc al Suriye UM (Mother Syria Community) into the discussions and proposed the establishment of a joint Assyrian/Syriac National Assembly. Unfortunately, the joint project could not be realized.

In January 2014, upon the invitation of the CArdoba group, all of our ethnic organizations came together in the city of CArdoba, Spain, within the context of the Syrian opposition gathering, and reached a consensus for our political and national demands that was later presented to the Syrian opposition.

In 2017, we reached an agreement with the Syriac Union Party on both our national demands and the future of the new Syria and presented it to the public. Our discussions continue in a positive way in order to implement the content of this agreement.

Although we have relations and negotiations with the Assyrian Democratic Party, we still have not reached a written agreement. I am optimistic that this will happen too.

AB: An ADO high-ranking delegation consisting of the current chairman Daoud Daoud, who was accompanied by the previous chairmen Gabriel Moushe and Bashir Saadi, visited northern Iraq in February 2020 and conducted talks with the different Assyrian and Kurdish parties and their representatives. Would you summarize the results of these talks?

SY: Our comrades had two intentions by visiting the Iraqi Kurdistan Government. The first was to start a dialogue path with the KRG Government, which would play an important role in the region and in the future of Syria, and to cooperate on the important issues we can agree on. This conversations did not happen, as some say, suddenly and on request of Mr. Barzani. It required a long exchange in order to make this happen.

At the meeting held with the President of the KDP, Mr. Masoud Barzani, the situation in Syria and possible political solution of the problems were discussed. In addition, the ADO delegation addressed various incidents of injustices the villages of our people face by the KRG Administration. Finally, the erection of a monument in the village of Semile for the martyrs who were killed in the Semile massacre of 1933 was discussed; we think that this would preserve their memory.

The visit's second objective was to bring our political parties and organizations in Iraq closer together, and if possible, to revive the Coordination Committee, which was established years ago, with our political parties. We were engaged in the establishment of this committee. During our talks with the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM), all parties touched on the important role of ADM to enhance cooperation and form a powerful national unity.

During the meeting with the ADM, we conveyed the expectations of our other parties in Iraq, both from the experience and importance point of view, and received the ADM's perspective on this issue. We agreed on the urgency to continue our negotiations in a positive atmosphere. Unfortunately, we were unable to conduct a second visit as agreed due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has halted all life and caused the borders to be closed.

AB: Could you comment on the US Caesar Act and the sanctions imposed on Syria? What are the implications for the population?

SY: Since the start of the Syrian uprising, both ADO and the majority of the Syrian people have had to choose between one of the two bad options. The main reason for this is that the regime violently represses the rightful, democratic desires of the Syrian people and plays the role of the deaf sultan with respect to the will of the people. The Caesar Act should also be viewed from this perspective.

The Caesar Act, which was enacted, does not cover the import of basic food products and medicines needed by the population. The two main areas covered by the law are the defense systems and the energy sector supplies used for the air defense systems.

In this context, we have to be reminded of UN Resolution 2254, which the dictatorial regime has signed but not yet implemented; the Syrian regime has blocked the peace talks and does not intend to make any steps towards democracy. It must be brought to reason in some way or the other.

It would be appropriate to point to the case of South Africa to the people who said that the Caesar Act will not affect the Syrian regime, but it will mostly affect the poor people. The economic embargo and other sanctions were imposed on the racist apartheid regime. Otherwise, the apartheid dictatorship might not have been eliminated and South Africa would not be a democratic country today. I think the Caesar Act will directly affect both the regime and the countries that support it.

The economic crisis in Syria and the depreciation of the Syrian Lira existed before the Caesar Act was issued while 85 percent of the population were living on the borderline of hunger.

AB: Interestingly, while our political organizations are engaged with the Syrian opposition or collaborating with the Kurdish self-administration in northern Syria, the leadership of our Churches seems be in a wait-and-see position, which is sometimes misinterpreted as being regime-friendly. In fact, they do not believe that a change pushed by a Syrian opposition that is dominated by Islamic groups would be a better alternative to the current or reformed regime. How would you comment on this position and what does the ADO's relations with the leaderships of our Churches in Syria mean in this context?

SY: If we consider the churches' current position, it is true what you say. However, in the early months of the uprising, especially when the protest marches were held peacefully, the Church did not say amen to what the regime preached, even if it did not take a clear stance against the regime. As an example, in the Spring of 2011, the Syriac Orthodox Church issued a very political and demanding declaration that we can easily put our signature under concerning the national rights of our people. The policies followed by the Aleppo and Gozarto Metropolitans months later were not pro-regime policies at all. The Metropolitan of Aleppo, Mar Yuhanun Brahim, has repeatedly demanded that the Syrian regime should carry out reforms. Thanks to the good relations with the various opposition groups, he was able to save lives of many people who were kidnapped and taken hostage. He paid the price of these efforts by being taken hostage himself, together with Bishop Yusuf YazAcA, and was kidnapped in April 2013. Our hope is still that they are still alive and will be freed soon.

When Bishop Matta Rohem learned that the regime's Mukhabarat (Secret Service) had a hand in the abduction of 65 people who were kidnapped in the first months of the uprising, he protested together with the Metropolitans of the Syriac Catholic and Assyrian Church of the East. As a result, he received threats. When the regime asked him to arm the people of his community, he replied: "Against whom will I use the weapons? Against my neighbours, against Kurds and Arabs? It is the duty of the state to ensure the safety of its citizens." This attitude increased the threat to his life and forced him to leave his homeland; today he lives in exile.

As the peaceful protest marches were soon dominated by weapons and violence, the painful and bad experiences of the targeted attacks on Christians in neighbouring Iraq were still fresh in the people's memories; this is one reason why both the church leadership and a large part of our people sided with the regime. Even if we do not accept the attitude and the official positions of our churches with respect to the regime, we have full understanding of their stance.

In the first weeks of the 2011 uprising we consulted with all of our churches and together we founded the Civil Peace Committee. All have accepted that, despite our political and sectarian differences, that we must work together as one people. This initiative played an important role in ensuring the internal peace within our region and with civil society organizations of other peoples.

In summary, although we are involved in separate ranks, as ADOs we strive for good relations because we believe that we should be in good communication with all of our churches that are part of our people. And I can say that we have good working relations. For example, in December 2014 we supported the initiative of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Mor Afrem II Karim for cooperation between our political organizations; we participated in the initial meeting at the Monastery in Switzerland and in the follow-ups.

As we speak, just last week, on July 10, 2020, we had a meeting with the East Assyrian Bishop of Gozarto, Mar Afram Athnael, to solve the problems of our villages in Khabour.

AB: How do you see as opposition member the Kurdish, PYD-led ambitions for autonomy in Syria? How much the Syrian opposition stands for the unity of the country?

SY: So far we have not heard that the PYD or any Kurdish party has officially demanded an autonomous region in Syria. In the recent political agreement between the Kurdish parties they argue for a federal system for Syria. They explain why to do so: Such a system prevents major problems between the peoples and religions in the region. Secondly, it prevents the creation of a strong central authoritarian regime which is inclined to govern the country under a strict administration.

ADO is not afraid that the Kurds could divide Syria and we do not believe that this will be possible. As both the demographic structure does not allow for this, also Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria and the United States will not agree to this either.

AB: How does ADO see the demographic change in the Jazira caused during the Syrian conflict? Recently, and after the Turkish incursion into Syria, many Kurds from outside of the Jazira has been settled by the Kurdish self-administration in the Assyrian villages of Khabour. Many will stay forever and change the region's demography.

SY: As in every war, the demographic structure will, unfortunately, change and this applies to Syria. It is impossible that this can be avoided after a 10-year conflict. It is a humanitarian tragedy that nine million people have been forced to leave their homes and emigrate. This naturally changed the demographic structure of both the place they left and the place where they migrated. This is a form of change.

The second and opposite path of demographic change is the planned and systematic demographic change. Both the countries of the region and the Syrian regime and other belligerent forces that fought contributed to the demographic change. For example, Assyrians and other Christians have been forced to leave their homes in Daara, Idlip, Deir Ezor, and Rasul Ayn. This is not acceptable and must be condemned.

It is not only the Kurds who settle or place themselves in the Assyrian villages of the Khabour region. A large part constitute the Arabs who fled from war zones east of the Euphrates in the context of the Turkish incursion into Syria. They settled temporarily with the consent of the Assyrian villagers. If the war in Syria continues, these people may not want to return to their villages. The problem of both emigrated to abroad or internally dispaced people after the peace in Syria is one of the complicated problems that must be resolved under the control of the United Nations.

Abdulmesih BarAbraham has a Master degree from the University of Erlangen/Nuernberg and is an independent researcher and frequent writer on Assyrian issues in the Middle East and in the Diaspora. Among others, he is author of Turkey's Key Arguments in Denying the Assyrian Genocide, in David Gaunt et. al. (Eds.), Let Them Not Return (New York: Berghahn Books, 2017); and (with Jan Bet-Sawoce), Repression, Discrimination, Assimilation, and Displacement of East and West Assyrians in the Turkish Republic, in Fikret BaAkaya and Sait Aetinoglu (Eds.), Minorities in Turkey (Ankara: AzgAr Universite KitaplAAA [Resmi Tarih TartAAmalarA], 2009). He is also author of Safeguarding the Cross: Emergence of Christian Militias in Iraq and Syria, in Andreas Schmoller (Ed.), Middle Eastern Christians and Europe -- Historical Legacies and Present Challenges (ZArich: LIT Verlag, 2018). He is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mor-Afrem Foundation.
Any hopes that summers high temperatures might slow the spread of the coronavirus were smashed in June and July by skyrocketing cases across the country, especially in some of the warmest states.

Colin Carlson wasnt a bit surprised that summer heat failed to curb the virus that causes COVID-19, which has claimed more than 138,000 lives in the U.S. That notion, no matter how many times it was repeated, was never supported by science, said Carlson, an assistant research professor at Georgetown University who studies the relationship between climate change and infectious disease.

The optimistic, though inaccurate forecast was among several persistent misconceptions about heat and light, and other issues related to the spread of the virus, that leave epidemiologists like Carlson increasingly frustrated. They see and hear mixed messages and miscommunications all the time, whether its in social media, their circle of friends and family, hastily assembled research papers or the White House.

My hunch is that most Americans think sunlight and heat kill the virus and you can be outdoors without risk, Carlson said, but if youre in a group, even outside, you can spread and contract the virus. "It's true that not being in a confined space is better but it's not protective."

Clearing up conflicting messages about how the virus spreads could help bring it under control, said Jamie Slaughter-Acey, an assistant professor in the division of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota.

Weve had this mixed messaging from Day One, said Slaughter-Acey. The longer those mixed messages linger in conversation, the more it undermines practices such as wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer and staying six feet apart if possible.

For example, she and others pointed to theories that the virus would go away in the summer like the flu.

When a disease like COVID-19 is spreading, people have a tendency to "want to grasp at whatever thing they can see that might be a cure, or a reason its safe," said Sadie Jane Ryan, an associate professor of medical geography at the University of Florida.

Story continues

A heat wave has brought crowds to California's beaches as the state grappled with a spike in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations.

Marshall Shepherd, director of the atmospheric science program at the University of Georgia, calls it "wishcasting."

People wishcast scenarios in our minds, but they dont jibe with what the science or the data is actually bearing out, Shepherd said. The science has been very clear, we dont understand the relationship between heat and COVID.

It should have been obvious in the beginning, he said, when the virus began taking off in some Southeastern states even as they experienced record-breaking heat.

Then, during the first week of July, nine of the 10 states with the biggest increases in cases were in the Sunbelt, including Florida, Texas and Arizona, according to case information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those states, Florida had the warmest temperature in June, with an average of 81 degrees, followed by Texas with an average of 80.6 degrees.

After studying the potential impacts of climate on the spread of COVID-19 earlier in the year, Rachel Baker, a post-doctoral researcher at Princeton University, and a team of colleagues concluded at some point in the future the virus could become seasonal like the flu. However, the paper they published made it clear that in this early stage, a lack of immunity among the population would be the fundamental driver.

The virus just spreads really well whether youre inside or outside, Baker said.

The politics of heat and light

Diana Zinzi Bailey studies the role of social dynamics in the spread of diseases like COVID-19 at the University of Miami in one of the hottest cities in the country this summer.

"Politics, and what people want to emphasize go into what we pay attention to and the guidance we give," Bailey said.

Some of the misconceptions may have started at the top, researchers said, pointing to an April 23 White House briefing with the Coronavirus Task Force. President Donald Trump was encouraged by a presentation by Bill Bryan, head of the Science and Technology Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security, which started studying the virus in February.

Maybe it does go away with heat and light, the President said during that briefing. I mean, theres been a rumor that  you know, a very nice rumor  that you go outside in the sun, or you have heat and it does have an effect on other viruses It dies very quickly with the sun.

The departments studies showed summer-like conditions are going to create an environment where the transmission can be decreased, Bryan said at the time. However, he also said the findings shouldnt take away from the CDCs guidance or the need for people to take other actions and steps to protect themselves.

More: Uncounted millions had COVID-19 symptoms, but no positive test

Homeland Security scientists have continued to study the virus. Theyve evaluated its stability and ability to survive in saliva, lung fluids, on non-porous surfaces and in the air, said the teams lead scientist, Lloyd Hough.

They said their research showed sunlight and temperature can break the virus down faster on non-porous surfaces such as shopping carts but its not instant. Hough said it is just one small piece of the many characteristics that contribute to the ability of the virus to transmit and cause disease.

Ninety-nine percent of the virus will disappear in direct sunlight, but it will take 30 to 40 minutes, he said. If one virus particle gets you sick, its going to take a long time for that virus to go away.

As a practical example, he said, if youre going to the supermarket, the shopping cart that has been sitting out in the sun is probably safer than the shopping cart that has been sitting inside the store."

Communicating science in real time

Heat and sunlight dont impact the virus inside the human body, Hough said. They haven't studied its survival on skin and many other unknowns remain. It's not known exactly how much virus a sick person puts into the air when they cough, he said, or how much of that virus it takes to make someone sick.

The department regularly updates a massive, in-depth 66-page document on its website that discusses the knowns and unknowns about the virus to try to address some of the misconceptions.

Communicating some of the finer nuances of science has been difficult, the researchers said. Baker pointed to examples of misinformation about climate and the coronavirus in research papers published this year without peer review in the rush to share findings.

Its kind of hard when we had limited knowledge to say confidently there was an association with climate, she said. Unfortunately lots of those papers came out.

One international paper suggesting the tropics werent at risk because of the higher temperatures was cited by officials in Indonesia as a reason not to lock down, Carlson said. It has had an effect on policy and peoples lives.

"Any two people in the world can spread COVID-19 to each other at any time, which means, in a population with no immunity, weather isnt at the steering wheel, he said.

Theres a combination of things you have to do: Stay socially distant, use a mask, wash your hands and be careful about who you contact. I dont want people to stop juggling all that just because they think going outside solves all those problems.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spiking COVID-19 cases show summer's heat doesn't stop the coronavirus
Lawyers for the State have told the High Court that "in a bizarre way" Ireland has become a "safe haven" for Ian Bailey, who is facing a 25-year prison sentence for the murder of filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier in France.

Counsel for the Minister for Justice, Mr Robert Barron SC today told the High Court that the family of Ms du Plantier feel they have not achieved justice.

This is the third time French authorities are seeking Mr Baileys surrender in relation to the death of Ms du Plantier, whose badly beaten body was found outside her holiday home in Schull in December 1996.

The Englishman (63), with an address at The Prairie, Liscaha, Schull, west Cork, was convicted of the French womans murder in his absence in a Paris court in May 2019.

The three-judge Cour dAssises (criminal trial court) in Paris accordingly imposed a 25-year prison sentence on Mr Bailey in his absence.

Mr Bailey, who denies any involvement in Ms du Plantier's death, did not attend the French court and had no legal representation in the proceedings, which he has described as a farce.

In his sworn affidavit, Mr Bailey said he had nothing to do with the murder of Ms du Plantier. He said that whilst he has not been the subject of criminal court proceedings in Ireland, he has been subject to the criminal process and his standing had suffered greatly in the small rural community where he lives. He tries not to dwell "on being hunted" and writing poetry has had a cathartic effect on him, he said.

Mr Bailey was arrested at the Criminal Courts of Justice Building on foot of a European Arrest Warrant in December 2019. He was remanded on bail after a High Court judge subsequently endorsed the third European Arrest Warrant (EAW) seeking his extradition to France.

On the last day of the extradition hearing, Counsel for the State, Mr Barron, said Mr Bailey had said in his affidavit that the effect of the EAW against him meant he was effectively confined to Ireland and could not leave the jurisdiction.

Mr Barron said the reason the respondent could not go to his mother's funeral in May 2013 in the UK was because French authorities were looking for his surrender.

Ireland has become a safe haven for Mr Bailey in a bizarre way because he cannot travel anywhere outside the European Union for risk of being arrested.

Mr Barron added that the former journalist had chosen not to surrender himself to French authorities. He added that the family of Ms du Plantier felt they have not achieved justice.

In a sworn affidavit opened to the High Court on Wednesday, Mr Bailey said he had been greatly restrained and unable to travel freely since the issuing of the EAW in 2010. He explained in the affidavit that he was unable to visit his mother in a nursing home in the UK or attend her funeral, something he said "had been one of the cruelest aspects of this entire process".

The judge presiding over the extradition hearing Mr Justice Paul Burns interjected at this point and said that he interpreted this as meaning that Mr Bailey would be arrested if he left Ireland and would have to go through another process of being extradited.

Furthermore, Mr Barron said that the Irish High Court does not know what evidence would be available to the French authorities in the case of a retrial for Mr Bailey in France and what issues would likely arise.

It is impossible to make a judgment of fair procedures until we actually know who turns up for the trial. We are completely in the dark.

He asked how could the High Court decide if it would be a fair trial, when one knows nothing concerning what the retrial would be about.

French authorities previously sought the surrender of Mr Bailey in 2010 but this application was refused by the Supreme Court in 2012, which held that section 44 of the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003 prohibited surrender because the alleged offence was committed outside French territory and Irish law did not allow prosecution for the same offence when committed outside its territory by a non-Irish citizen. Mr Bailey is a British citizen.

A second French extradition request in respect of Mr Bailey was dismissed as an abuse of process by the High Court in July 2017.

On that occasion, Mr Justice Tony Hunt held that the unique features of the case justified termination of the proceedings. He said the Minister was estopped or halted from obtaining an order for Mr Bailey's surrender in light of the Supreme Court's judgement in 2012 on identical relevant facts.

Mr Bailey is present in court for today's hearing. Filmmaker Jim Sheridan has also attended each day of the hearing.

Mr Barron will continue his legal submissions before Mr Justice Burns this afternoon.
There is a resurgence of local COVID-19 cases in South Korea, and while the government seems to have a handle on the pandemic, it is also facing a challenge of a different kind on another front. The welfare of South Korean comfort women has been a prominent issue in the country, with both the government and non-government organizations taking up the cause.

The primary entity in this area is the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance, which was founded in 1990 to seek justice and recompense for the former comfort women who were victimized during World War II. There are fewer than 50 South Korean comfort women alive today, and yet, decades down the road, it seems they have yet to find what they have been seeking.

In the beginning May, one of the most prominent faces of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance, Lee Yong-soo, held a press conference revealing a disturbing state of affairs. Her statement is reflective of infighting within the comfort women community. She said that she does not believe that the Council is following its mandate and that it is excluding other comfort women.

"The comfort women who belong to the Council are considered as victims and are cared for by the Council, but those who do not belong to the Council are not cared for. I have been deceived and exploited for the last 30 years," Lee Yong-soo said.

She also declared that she would stop going to the weekly rallies which the Council has been organizing and holding since the early 1990s. According to the 92-year-old, these rallies are counterproductive and only serve to fuel bad blood. She cited the youth in particular, saying that "students spend their own precious money and time to attend these rallies, but the rallies only teach hatred and suffering. Korean and Japanese youths with historically accurate education must befriend each other and communicate with each other to solve problems."

This decision has been met with dismay and shock by the South Korean public.

Another facet to the controversy involves advocate-turned-politician Yoon Mee-hyang who used to lead the Council before she stepped down to take office in the National Assembly under the ruling Democratic Party. She now faces allegations of fraud and embezzlement, which Lee Yong-soo also revealed in her press conference. According to former the comfort woman, Yoon Mee-hyang had used personal bank accounts to receive donations, which the Council relies on. Some of these funds were allegedly used by Yoon Mee-hyang to purchase private property as well as pay for the education of her daughter in the United States, among other things.

The Council itself is implicated in misappropriating funds. As a result, the office of the Prosecutor General ordered an investigation into the matter, the findings of which have yet to be shared to the public. On the Council's part, they have denied any wrongdoing, only admitting possible accounting errors. Yoon Mee-hyang has done the same, going further by making a rebuttal saying that Lee Yong-soo's memory is faulty due to her age and that she is lying.

However, Lee Yong-soo is not the only one stirring the hornet's nest that is the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance and its activities. Families of other former comfort women are joining in the criticism of the organization and sharing their own experiences.

Hwang Sun-hee is the son of former comfort woman Gil Won-ok, and he says that his mother has been used by the Korean Council to turn a profit. That the comfort women have served as "panhandlers" for the organization. He highlights the fact that there are only a few survivors left and that they should receive the justice and recompense they deserve - not the deception and betrayal of those who are supposed to help them.

Even as the legal issues unfold in what is now being called a scandal, the plot thickens. On June 7, the head of a woman's shelter run by the Korean Council was found dead in her own home. The specific cause of death is unknown but the authorities have ruled it a suicide. In a statement, the Korean Council mentioned how the 60-year-old woman had been struggling with the investigation resulting from Lee Yong-soo's allegations and that "she said she felt as if her entire life was being denied".

Majority of South Koreans believe that Yoon Mee-hyang should step down from her seat as a government official. The politician has said she has no plans of doing so. In the meantime, the former comfort women are left hanging, with no reassurance from their own government.
Further co-productions have moved their performance dates in light of the ongoing pandemic.

Nottingham Playhouse, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Northern Stage's co-production of Red Ellen, Caroline Bird's new play directed by Wils Wilson, will now be staged in Nottingham from Tuesday 8 to Saturday 19 March 2022. Press night will be Wednesday 9 March at 7pm.

The show, which follows the epic life of Labour MP Ellen Wilkinson who battled to save Jewish refugees in Nazi Germany and led 200 workers in the Jarrow crusade, was originally meant to open the venue's 2020 autumn season.

Northern Stage has had to cancel a number of shows. Alongside Red Ellen, the theatre has moved The Invisible Man (directed by Anna Girvan and adapted by Philip Correia) to its autumn 2021 season.

The theatre's co-production of Gatsby, directed by Maria Aberg and co-produced by Bristol Old Vic, Northern Stage, English Touring Theatre, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Oxford Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre, will now tour from autumn 2021.

However, Christmas is not cancelled at Northern Stage. Associate director Mark Calvert said: "We are working on a brand new, feel-good festive show for everyone to enjoy this December  a magical theatre experience for the whole family that can be enjoyed in a safe and socially distanced way. It won't be the same as we're used to, and it may or may not take place at Northern Stage, but it will be something special."

The news comes on the day that the government has revealed indoor performances will be able to go ahead from 1 August if test performances are succesful. Find out more here.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 19:00:14|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian Minister for State-owned Enterprises Erick Thohir on Friday encouraged state companies to acquire foreign firms in a bid to improve supply chains.

The acquisition was expected to set up networks which can pave a way for procurement of supplies of raw materials to be used by the country's firms, and marketing of the products they manufacture into the global market, Minister Thohir said.

"The acquisition of several firms operating abroad aims at improving the supply chains," the minister remarked.

Several products of the state firms have been already acknowledged and recorded good reputations in the international market, such as vaccines produced by state company PT Biofarma and products of Indonesia's defense industry, he expounded.

The minister stressed that Indonesia should not only become the market of products manufactured by foreign producers.

Shipment of raw materials and capital goods from abroad started creeping up in June, raw material imports ticked up to 7.58 billion U.S. dollars in June from 6.11 billion dollars in May, and capital goods imports were slightly up to 1.78 billion dollars in June from 1.40 billion dollars in May, according to data from the Central Agency of Statistics.

Still, the figures remain low or relatively flat compared with those in the same period last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic had nearly grounded manufacturing industry activities to a halt.

The Indonesia-Australia free trade which has taken effect recently was also highly expected to boost supply chains of the industries in the two neighboring nations. Enditem
The National Cyber Security Centre of the United Kingdom has revealed that hackers are operating as a part of Russian intelligence services to steal coronavirus vaccine research information. However, it didn't say which organizations the hackers explicitly targeted and whether they managed to take any information or data.





Fortunately, vaccine research hasn't been hindered, and it can go on as usual.

Is Russia Responsible For The Hacks?

Russia has stated that they aren't the ones responsible for what happened. According to a report from the Tass news agency, the President of Russia's spokesman Dmitry Peskov claims that they don't have any information on who was responsible for the many research centers' hacking pharmaceutical companies in Great Britain. He says that Russia has no responsibility for any of the hacking attempts in any way.

This warning of a hacking attempt was published by a group of security services around the world. The security services involved with the notice are the US National Security Agency, the United States Department for Homeland Security Cyber-Security Infrastructure Security Agency, the Canadian Communication Security Establishment, and the NCSC, as mentioned earlier.

Despite what the Russian spokesman claimed, an expert states that Russia's still possible spies were involved in the hacks. It may be challenging to give attribution in cyber-space, but it isn't impossible. Security services will usually be more hedgy when they talk if they're doubtful.

The group named Cozy Bear has been put under the spotlight after they've been implicated for subsequent cyber-attacks. They have left a trail of past incidents, which shows that they are linked to the Russian state.

Read More: [HACKING] Prominent Twitter Accounts Including Elon Musk and Bill Gates Seem to Have Been Hacked





Why Are Hackers Attacking Vaccine Researchers?

For several years, Western security agencies have been more adamant in calling out hackers targeting organizations and companies in their respective countries that they hope will deter hackers from targeting them any further.

However, the most recent accusations aren't like the usual ones since officials are directly accusing Russian spies instead of being vague and calling them state-backed hackers or any other careful names.

These Russian hackers are being challenged because of how they are targeting something that is generally known to be a highly sensitive subject, which is research for a coronavirus vaccine, instead of some high-profile company or a government department's data.

Despite this, though, there isn't much to be surprised about regarding these claims.

A top target for many intelligence agencies worldwide is the understanding of vaccine research and any other details about the coronavirus pandemic. Spies from many countries will be trying to get their hands on any information they can.

The US, Canadian, and UK agencies stated that the hackers took advantage of software flaws to gain access to vulnerable computers, and they used malware called WellMail and WellMess to send and receive files from machines that have been infected by their malware.

An expert in cyber-security has said that Russians probably weren't the only ones that are part of a campaign like this. Numerous countries will always try to steal this kind of information, so it isn't a surprise if China also has spies trying to steal vaccine research data.

Today the @NCSC and partners in and , have revealed that Russian intelligence service cyber units have been behind a serious of irresponsible & unacceptable attacks collecting information on vaccine research. https://t.co/2GNXuqualx 1/3 pic.twitter.com/EMfKmHxCtV  Foreign Office (@foreignoffice) July 16, 2020

Read More: Beware of the New Android Malware Called BlackRock As It Targets Data From Over 300 Apps!
Shonaleeka Kaul By

At the last edition of TNIEs Odisha LitFest, a panel discussion was perceptively titled Writing on Kashmir: Smoke and Mirrors. The phrase alludes to misconceptions and misrepresentations that obscure the truth about something. As I said at the time, this was a most appropriate theme to highlight in the context of Kashmir. For while it is fashionable to speak of the existence of multiple contesting narratives on the Valley, there seems to be little pause for thought on the veracity of the most influential of these so-called narratives.

In the course of researching my book The Making of Early Kashmir, which came out in 2018, I had my full brush with the smoke and mirrors that indeed envelop the beleaguered Valleya whole array of misrepresentations about Kashmir which largely consist of assumptions rather than historical knowledge, and yet which seem to have become definitive of the Kashmir problem. Indeed this country as a whole, not to say Kashmiris themselves, seem to be far more invested in Kashmirs politics than her history.

Even when history is invoked, commentators typically speak only about the last 30 years of armed insurgency, or the last 70 years since 1947, or the last 170 years, i.e., 1846, the Treaty of Amritsar when the Dogras took over as the rulers of Jammu and Kashmir. Somehow it is thought to be adequate to go thus far back and no further to understand Kashmiri identity. This is extremely short term and myopic and the problem with that is that historical identities of regions do not form in the short term! Typically they are accretionary, cumulative, emerging out of a myriad processes of interface with other regions, and are always in the long term.

But there has been little engagement in public discourse with this longue duree identity of Kashmir. We hear a great deal about relatively recent and constructed political identities of Kashmiris, but we dont hear about their historically evolved selfhood. And this silence about her historical identity is what has given rise to two pieces of major disinformation. One, that Kashmir has somehow had a unique and special status, and two, that Kashmir was never a part of India. Dispassionate research shows that both these contentions are simply unhistorical and untrue.

It has been assumed that because Kashmir was geographically isolated, she was also historically secluded from the rest of the subcontinent, and that this created an insular people and a hermetically sealed culture that set it apart from the rest of India. In fact, however, when you look at every possible cultural marker diagnostic of identity and mobility across 2,000 formative yearstexts, archaeology, script, linguistics, travellers accounts, art and architecture, philosophy, religion, etc.they overwhelmingly speak to a Kashmir that was far from isolated or unique. They point instead to a Kashmir that was astonishingly open, plural and cosmopolitan as a society.

Moreover, they establish that Kashmir was deeply Indic in her genesis, culture and composition: She was intensively connected and mutually involved with not only her neighbouring regions like Himachal and Punjab but with centres of Indic civilisation deep within the interiors of India like Patna, Nalanda, Gaya, Banaras, Allahabad, Mathura, Malwa, Saurashtra, Bengal till Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the far south! To summarise, Kashmiris for over two millennia looked to these places for politics, trade, education, asylum, employment, art, religion, philosophy, fashion (!), and pilgrimage.

For example, did you know Kashmir was a part of pan-Indian political formations from the very beginning, namely, the Mauryan empire c. 4th century BCE? And it was Emperor Asoka Maurya from Magadha (Bihar) who founded Srinagar as well as brought Buddhism to the Valley, which Kashmiris then took all over China and central Asia. Or, on a different plane, did you know that Kannada couture and coin-types were adopted in the Kashmiri court in the 11th century CE?! What dynamism! A far cry from the closed and exclusionist visage of the last few decades.

Equally significant, people from these other parts of Indialong before west Asia!are seen in all the historical sources migrating to and settling in Kashmir over centuries for the same reasons named above. So the question who is the Kashmiri acquires completely different dimensions when historical migrations from the rest of India are taken on board. And the second question that has to be asked in the face of all this historical evidence is: How did all this happen if Kashmir was never a part of India?! Yet so much blood has been spilt on precisely this piece of falsehood.

Given Kashmirs historical truths, some would argue that any artificial separation between Kashmir and the rest of the country is an anomalous departure from history. And the ending of that separation would appear to be not so much an undoing of Kashmiri identity as a restoration of it in all its historically upheld openness, pluralism and cosmopolitanism. What remains now, however, is for all Kashmiris to regain their right to complete peace and prosperity.

Shonaleeka Kaul

Associate Professor, Centre for Historical Studies, JNU

(shonaleeka@mail.jnu.ac.in)
COVID-19 is the third major crisis that the Arab world has faced over the past decade, and the second wave of the pandemic, if it starts, will be the fourth crisis the region will face, said the vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Marwan Muasher, at a virtual panel on Thursday.

The panel was held by Carnegie Middle East Centre in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the London School for Economics and Political Science, and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank to discuss the recent IMFs update to its Middle East and Central Asia (MCD) Economic Outlook report.

Muasher said that Arab countries have to work on five pillars to recover successfully from the ongoing crisis and to perform better over the long run, including drafting a new social contract, adopting different model of economic activity based on productivity, dealing with the increasing population as a potential not a crisis, heading to a true Arab integration economy, and adopting inclusion in all sectors.

He also said that the trade between Arab countries represents only 7 percent of their total trade with other countries.

Chief economist at the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Monica Malik, said that the region has been severely hit by the dual shocks of the COVID-19 crisis and the volatile global oil prices, and she expects that oil prices will touch $50/barrel by the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021.

She added that reductions in remittances and in foreign indirect investment into the region are key challenges, and countries should adopt policies that foster economic resilience and depth.

Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science, Minouche Shafik, said that the region must move toward a more flexible labour market that allows the informal sector to get access to fair finance resources and safer work conditions.

Jihad Azour, the director of the IMF's Middle East and Central Asia Department, said that the region is facing a significant challenge to avoid recession and to recover from the pandemic and its severe consequences.

Azour added that the expected increase in the regions debt to 95 percent of GDP will hamper countries efforts to recover, and that the decrease in remittances will also be a problem, as they constitute 50 percent of the regions GDP.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 06:31:24|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Thursday released an updated COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan that requires 10.3 billion U.S. dollars to help fragile countries cope with the pandemic.

UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock, who launched the new appeal, asked wealthy nations to do more.

"The response of wealthy nations, who have thrown out the rulebook to protect their people and economies, has been grossly inadequate. This inaction is dangerously short-sighted. It will leave the virus free to circle round the globe, undo decades of development and create a generation's worth of tragic and exportable problems," said Lowcock.

"The pandemic and associated global recession are about to wreak havoc in fragile and low-income countries. Unless we act now, we should be prepared for a series of human tragedies more brutal and destructive than any direct health impacts of the virus."

Recent estimates suggest up to 6,000 children could die every day from preventable causes as a result of direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19. Diverted health resources could mean the annual death toll from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria doubling. Economic downturn, rising unemployment and reduced school attendance increase the likelihood of civil war, which drives famine and mass displacement, he warned.

Lowcock said the problem can be fixed with money from wealthy nations and fresh thinking from the shareholders of international financial institutions and supporters of UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

The United Nations estimates that the cost of protecting the poorest 10 percent of the global population from the worst effects of the pandemic and global recession is 90 billion dollars, less than 1 percent of the stimulus package wealthy countries have put in place to protect their own economies, said Lowcock.

The COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan is part of the solution. With 10 billion dollars, it will support 63 vulnerable countries and cover the global transport system necessary to deliver the relief, he said.

This update includes a supplementary 300 million dollars to bolster rapid response from NGOs, a new famine prevention envelope of 500 million dollars, and a sharper focus on preventing gender-based violence.

The COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan is the international community's primary fundraising vehicle to respond to the humanitarian impacts of the virus in low- and middle-income countries and support their efforts to fight it. It brings together appeals from the World Health Organization and other UN humanitarian agencies. NGOs and NGO consortiums can access funding through it.

The plan provides help and protection that prioritize the most vulnerable, including older people, people with disabilities, displaced people, and women and girls.

Since the plan was first launched in March, 1.7 billion dollars of donor funding has been raised. The plan was updated in May. Enditem
Islamabad :

Lodging a strong protest over alleged "unprovoked" firing by Indian forces along the LoC, Pakistan has summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner. This is the fifth time in just over two weeks, when Pakistan summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner.

"Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal, summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner, Mr J P Singh, on Tuesday and strongly condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian Forces on Monday on the LoC in Nikial and Jandrot sectors, Pakistan Foreign Office said.

The firing resulted in the death of 3 civilians, including a woman and injuries to four others, including a 5-year-old boy, the Foreign Office said in a statement. "The Director General urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate the continued incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit, stop targeting the villages and civilians and maintain peace on the LoC," the statement said.

Deputy High Commissioner Singh has also been summoned to the Foreign Office over ceasefire violations on October 25, 26, 28 and November 1. On October 27, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale to the foreign ministry and conveyed the decision of the Government of Pakistan to declare an Indian High Commission official "persona non-grata".

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90 Day Fiance star Asuelu Pulaa has gotten more criticism than ever before on the fifth season of TLCs 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After for his treatment of his wife, Kalani Faagata.

Asuelu, 24, has always had somewhat traditional ideas about gender roles, due to his cultural background and the beliefs he forged in his home country of Samoa. But after Asuelu and Kalani, 31, became parents to two sons, Oliver and Kennedy, Asuelus wife expected him to step up and help out with the boys moredespite the fact that he believed it to be womens work.

After the couple had to delay their potential vacation in Samoa due to a dangerous measles outbreak, Kalani and Asuelus issues came to a head during their trip to California to celebrate Olivers second birthday. Asuelu even called his wife a lying b*tch in an argument with his mother-in-law, Lisa.

In a new sneak peek of an upcoming episode of 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After, Kalanis dad, Lowwho is also Samoanconfronted Asuelu about his treatment of his wife and daughter. He even admitted that he sometimes thought about getting violent with his son-in-law to teach him a lesson.

Kalani Faagata and Asuelu Pulaa | Kalani Faagata via Instagram

Kalanis father confronted Asuelu about how he treated his daughter

In the 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After sneak peek, Asuelu reflected on his disastrous trip to California with his wife and in-laws. He had even skipped part of his own sons birthday party due to the ongoing fight.

So, when Kalanis dad, Low, asked to speak with Asuelu privately back in their home state of Utah, the younger man admitted he was nervous.

As for Low, he told 90 Day Fiance producers that he was just trying not to lose his temper with his son-in-law. I needed to talk to Asuelu about what happened at my grandsons birthday, Kalanis father explained. Im trying to keep my head straight. Im trying to calm down and not to get crazy.

Low asked Asuelu exactly what had gone down on the fateful road trip to California.

Visibly nervous and ashamed, Asuelu recounted the events of the tense car ride. When we drive to California that morning, Lisa was asking me a lot of questions, he explained, referring to Kalanis mom. She asking why is woman in Samoa is different from woman here in America. I dont know how to answer, and I told her that womans here in America are lazy. Lisa was kind of upset of that.

Sheepishly, Kalanis husband admitted, It was really bad.

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Colt Johnson Reveals the Heartbreaking Reason Hes So Close to His Mom In New Happily Ever After Sneak Peek

The 90 Day Fiance star admitted he was wrong

Asuelu told his father-in-law that, while he knew he had lost his temper, he felt the language barrier played a role. His and Kalanis cultural differences in terms of gender roles also likely played a part in the bitter argument.

Low told 90 Day Fiance producers that he knew a little about those differences, having been born in Samoa himself. Lucky that I understand the culture that he comes from, he said. The people from the South Pacific, they want to control their wives. I get it, but I teach my daughters not to be that way, to be strong and stand up for themselves.

Then, Asuelu admitted he had cursed at Kalani and called her names over the course of the argument. Low let his son-in-law know in no uncertain terms that he wasnt about to tolerate that. I dont like you cussing in front of my wife and my daughter. Thats not acceptable, he said. And besides, it was Olivers birthday that day, and everything went to s*it.

Asuelu admitted that he was ashamed of his behavior, especially because he had let his emotions get the better of him and disrupt his own sons birthday party.

Asuelu promised to apologize to his wife and improve his behavior

What Low was most upset about, however, was the fact that Asuelu had never made amends with his wife for his behavior. Kalani told me you never did apologize to her, Low pointed out.

Asuelu admitted he wasnt sure how to talk about his feelings and be vulnerable enough with Kalani to admit fault. I dont know how to talk to Kalani about that. I dont know how to do that, the 90 Day Fiance star said sadly.

Thats when Low confessed that hed had thoughts of physical violence against his son-in-law. Im trying my best not to get violent, he told Asuelu, but youre gonna have to learn how to treat your wife, because Im not having that.

I understand all of that, Asuelu agreed. I will say sorry to her.

While Low seemed to accept Asuelus promisefor nowhe told 90 Day Fiance producers that he wasnt sure whether or not he should believe his daughters husband. Ive given Asuelu so many chances, and I think Im getting fed up with how many chances I want to give him, Low said.

As for Asuelu, he admitted that he sometimes struggled with his anger.

I know that I have really bad issue for my temper, but I want to prove to Low that everything I say him today, I mean it, the 90 Day Fiance star said gravely. Low say he can keep an eye, so I will be careful how I act, be careful how I say. And I go and apologize to my wife.
Even her off-duty style manages to be chic.

Brooke Burke was spotted in some trendy sweats on a casual shopping day to pick up groceries in Malibu on Thursday.

The 48-year-old fitness guru has been spending the coronavirus quarantine with her beau Scott Rigsby and her kids.

Running errands: Brooke Burke was spotted in some trendy sweats on a casual shopping day to pick up groceries in Malibu on Thursday

Brooke rocked a bright green bandanna facemask while heading in to pick up supplies at Whole Foods.

There is a mandatory mask mandate in Los Angeles and stores also require them in order to enter the premises due to the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic in California.

The DWTS vet rocked a chic pair of grey joggers with a baby blue stripe up the side and a slouchy off-the-shoulder graphic T-shirt.

She was makeup free under her mask and had her chestnut locks tugged up into a high bun, secured with a scrunchie. On her feet, Brooke strolled in a pair of brown leather sandals.

Looking good: The DWTS vet rocked a chic pair of grey joggers with a baby blue stripe up the side and a slouchy off-the-shoulder graphic T-shirt

Puppy love: Brooke's sweet looking German Shepherd sat in the back of her vintage grey Ford pickup truck and supervised the loading in of bags of groceries

Earlier this week, Brooke posted a rare selfie from the beach with her boyfriend Scott.

She has been historically private about her relationship since being linked to the real estate agent last August.

'This smile you made is yours,' she captioned the loved up moment.

News of the couple's relationship first emerged last August, less than a year after Burke filed for divorce from husband of seven-years David Charvet. She and Charvet finalized their divorce in March.

Between them, Brooke and Scott have six children from their previous relationships.

Love birds: Earlier this week, Brooke posted a rare, loved up selfie from the beach with her real estate boyfriend Scott - she is usually very private with her dating life

Burke shares her son Shaya, 12, and daughter, Heaven Rain, 13, with ex-David Charvet, and daughters Sierra, 18, and Neriah with ex-husband Garth Fisher.

This week there was a big shake-up at the television hosts old job, Dancing With the Stars. Brooke won season seven of the competition show and served as co-host from 2010-2013.

Longtime host Tom Bergeron was given the boot, as was his co-host Erin Andrews, and replaced by Tyra Banks.

Bergeron, 65, revealed via Twitter on Monday that he had just been informed that DWTS, the show he hosted for 15 years, would be 'continuing without' him.

Big change: Brooke's ex DWTS co-worker Tom Bergeron was unexpectedly axed from the competition show after 15 years; his current co-host Erin Andrews got the boot as well

DailyMail.com first broke the news that Tyra would replace the DWTS vet and co-host Erin Andrews after they were axed, making her the first solo host on the series.

Banks, 46, was then officially unveiled as the new host during a segment on GMA on Wednesday.

Tyra said she is 'excited' to host and executive produce and was thrilled to become the first solo black female host on the show

The show is expected to begin filming in the fall with new health and safety measures but the details on those haven't been announced.
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Linkedin Michael Holden (Reuters) London, United Kingdom  Fri, July 17, 2020 12:07 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406670d810 2 Entertainment amber-heard,johnny-depp,Court,celebrity,actor,Hollywood Free

Actress Amber Heard punched her ex-husband and Hollywood star Johnny Depp during one of their heated arguments, striking him to protect her sister, London's High Court was told on Thursday.

Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of Britain's Sun newspaper for libel over an article which labelled him a "wife beater" and says it was he who suffered domestic violence at the hands of Heard during their volatile relationship.

The paper argues its story is true and the court has been told Heard, 34, accuses her ex-husband of attacking her on at least 14 occasions between 2013 and 2016 when enraged after drinking or taking drugs to excess.

Giving evidence to the court, Depp's bodyguard Sean Bett said there were a number of times when Heard had left visible injuries on his employer.

He said one of these had taken place on April 21, 2016, after a party for Heard's birthday. The court has been told previously that she alleges Depp had attacked her when she became upset because he had turned up late to the party.

He denies this and says she assaulted him, throwing a "haymaker" punch during the row.

Bett said he had driven Depp to another of his homes after the argument and he had taken a photo of the actor's face after he related that Heard had punched him.

Read also: Johnny Depp's ex-wife Amber Heard accused of 'stealing' sex abuse story

Photo dispute

However, the court heard there was a dispute over a photo submitted as part of Bett's evidence and that the picture included with his witness statement was in fact taken after another incident on March 23, 2015.

The Sun's lawyer Sasha Wass told the court that that incident, another of the occasions when Depp is accused of assaulting his ex-wife, was one where Heard "admits she punched Mr Depp in defense of her younger sister" and the only occasion when she did so.

Bett said the photo he said he took the following year looked very similar, but accepted he could not find the original.

The bodyguard was also asked about an incident in May 2016 when Heard accuses Depp of hurling a mobile phone at her which struck her face, leaving a bruise on her cheek.

Bett said when he arrived at the scene, he agreed that Heard had shouted words to the effect of "if he hits me one more time I'm going to call the cops".

But he said there was no visible injury to her face, saying he had been looking at her constantly because "she was shouting at the top of her lungs".

He denied he was lying for his boss, saying Heard would have tantrums and become angry at Depp for no apparent reason and that she behaved badly when she had been drinking.

Earlier the court was told by Depp's lawyer David Sherborne that two former partners of Depp, Vanessa Paradis with whom he had two children and actress Winona Ryder, would no longer give evidence because their testimony he had never been violent towards them was no longer needed as it was not challenged.

On Wednesday, the court heard from Heard's former assistant Kate James who said Heard had "stolen" details of her own experience of being violently sexually assaulted and the actress had used it for her own benefit.

She also said Heard, for whom she worked from 2012 to 2015, drank vast quantities of red wine during that time, saying she would receive incoherent and abusive text messages from her employer between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Depp has already given evidence over five days and Heard is expected to appear in the witness box next week.
A man has pleaded guilty at Tullamore district court to a number of offences including writing pigs on a book of condolence for Det Garda Colm Horkan at Tullamore, Garda station on June 18 last.

Det Garda Horkan was murdered in Castlerea, County Roscommon in June and a book of condolence was opened at Tullamore Garda Station.

Stephen Bracken, with addresses at 4, Arch House B, Irishtown, Athlone and Apartment 2-10 Ash House, Kilbeggan, was seen on CCTV writing in the book. When he was arrested he apologised.

On the same date he entered Boots, Church Street, Tullamore and stole an Oral B electric toothbrush valued at 99.99. He also stole a shaving set from Quirke's Medical Hall, Tullamore, valued at 14.99.

On February 21, 2020, Mr Bracken entered Leavy Centra, Henry Street, Tullamore and stole a breakfast roll, valued at 4.50. He placed the item inside his jacket and left.

On February 19, 2020, at the Granary, Tullamore, he broke into two vehicles stealing an electric cigarette valued at 20, a DVD TV Combo valued at 180 and a cigarette car charger 10 euro. He also stole an air compressor valued at 50. He denied a charge that he stole an engagement ring, valued at 700, from the cars.

On March 6, 2020, he stole two sets of sockets valued at 49.98 and two bottles of Scotch whiskey from Lidl, Main Street.

Mr Bracken had a large number of previous convictions, including under the Misuse of Drugs Act, and had previously received a 12 month suspended sentence.

His solicitor, Donal Farrelly, said Mr Bracken is a recovering heroin addict and is on methadone. He attends the clinic three days a week. He is also working with the Peter McVerry Trust, who described him in a letter to Judge Catherine Staines as pleasant, engaging and that his property had always been kept to a clean standard. The Trust said they had to withdraw assistance to the defendant during the coronavirus. However, Mr Bracken said he still got methadone though he had missed a few days during the coronavirus because of transport difficulties. He is also liaising with Beaumont Hospital

He said he didn't take an engagement ring from one of the vehicles and he had just taken a compression pump. He also alleged he had suffered fractures to his leg in three places when some of the people who owned one of the vehicles had come upon him but he didn't press charges..

Judge Catherine Staines said she was very impressed with the letter from the Peter McVerry Trust.

She said apart from the issues with the engagement ring, the other matters had been relatively minor. She adjourned the case to October 14, warning Mr Bracken that he had 'better be squeaky clean' between now and then.
Burma Shwedagon Monks Say Buddha Statue Resembling Myanmar Dictator Doesnt Violate Scripture

Senior monks visit the Jade Buddha Statue at Shwedagon Pagoda. / Win Thein

YANGONThe presiding monks of Shwedagon Pagoda have ruled that the pagodas Jade Buddha Statue, which has caused controversy among Buddhists due to its resemblance to former military dictator Senior General Than Shwe, does not go against Theravada Buddhist scripture.

All 10 senior Buddhist monks in charge of overall management of the most sacred Buddhist site in Yangon went and checked the statue on Wednesday, following talk on social media that the statute bears a close resemblance to the face of the retired military dictator.

You cant demolish a pagoda or a Buddha image without a strong reason. Mainly it depends on Mudras [ritual gestures, mostly hand gestures], said Dr. Ye Aung, a member of the pagoda board of trustees. They checked if the statue has standard features and if its Mudra is in line with Theravada Buddhist scripture. They said the statue was built in line with Pitakas [Buddhist scriptures] and nothing is wrong with it. You cant demolish a Buddha statue that does not go against Buddhist scriptures.

The Buddha statue is housed at Punya Kula religious hall at the Saturday Corner of the pagoda, and was built and donated by the Ministry of Mines in 1999 when the country was under military rule. The statue is 1.5 m high and weighs 324 kg, and is embellished with 91 rubies, 9 diamonds and some 2.5 kg of gold, according to records.

The presiding monks said that it is natural for Buddha statues to be influenced by cultures of the countries where they are built, citing the examples of Buddha statues in India and Thailand, according to Dr. Ye Aung.

In the first week of July, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture ordered that 67 Buddha statues housed inside the pagoda compound on Mt. Min Wun in Pyinmana, Naypyitaw, be removed because their Mudras go against Theravada Buddhist scriptures and they were built as idols as part of Yadaya, a system of magical rituals done to delay, neutralize or prevent misfortune or bring good fortune.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture has also ordered that any Buddha statues with disgraceful Mudras be fixed or be removed.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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President of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Arayik Haroutyunyan today signed a decree on premature termination of the powers of Vice-Chairman of the State Commission Regulating Public Services and Economic Competition of Artsakh Arkady Soghomonyan.

Upon the government decision approved by the President, Arkadi Soghomonyan has been appointed First Deputy Minister of Labor, Social Affairs and Housing of Artsakh.

By another presidential decree, Gevorg Grigoryan has been appointed Vice-Chairman of the State Commission Regulating Public Services and Economic Competition and will serve until July 12, 2026.
So far, Lowcock said, the United Nations has only received $1.7 billion

U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock said on Thursday as he asked wealthy countries for billions more dollars in assistance. (Photo- Twitter)

NEW YORK: Coronavirus support to poor countries has been so far grossly inadequate and thats dangerously shortsighted, U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock said on Thursday as he asked wealthy countries for billions more dollars in assistance.

As finance ministers from the Group of 20 major economies prepare to meet virtually on Saturday, Lowcock told reporters: The message to the G20 is step up now or pay the price later.

So far, Lowcock said, the United Nations has only received $1.7 billion.

The United Nations increased its humanitarian appeal by more than a third to $10.3 billion to help 63 states, mainly in Africa and Latin America, tackle the spread and destabilizing effects of the coronavirus. This is up from the world bodys initial $2 billion request in March, then $6.7 billion in May.

The coronavirus has infected at least 13.6 million people and there have been more than 584,000 known deaths worldwide, according to a Reuters tally. The United Nations has warned that if action is not taken, the pandemic and associated global recession will trigger an increase in global poverty for the first time since 1990 and push 265 million people to the brink of starvation.

The response so far of wealthy nations, whove rightly thrown out the fiscal and monetary rule books to protect their own people and economies, the response that theyve made to the situations in other countries has been grossly inadequate and thats dangerously shortsighted, Lowcock said.

Lowcock added he had lobbied U.S. lawmakers for funding earlier this week. A House of Representatives committee has proposed $10 billion in international aid. So far, Congress has provided $2.4 billion in emergency foreign aid.

In May, Chinas President Xi Jinping pledged $2 billion to help deal with the coronavirus and economic and social development in affected countries, especially developing states.

Lowcock said he would very much welcome it if some significant proportion of those resources could be used directly to support the global humanitarian response plan.
North Macedonia's pro-EU Social Democrats will try to start complex power-sharing negotiations after securing a narrow victory in the Balkan countrys July 15 parliamentary elections.

Former Prime Minister Zoran Zaevs Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) secured 36.13 percent of the vote, compared to 34.65 percent for the right-wing VMRO-DPMNE, according the election results announced on July 16.

The State Election Commission (SEC) said the SDSM won 46 seats in the 120-member parliament, short of the 61 need to govern. The VMRO-DPMNE secured 44 seats.

The results mean Zaev is tipped get the mandate for his SDSM to form a new government, likely by reaching out to parties representing the countrys ethnic Albanian population, which make up about a quarter of the countrys 2.1 million people.

"We had a peaceful, dignified, free, democratic, and safe election," Zaev said as he declared victory at a news conference at his partys election headquarters.

However, the VMRO-DPMNE, whose leader, Hristijan Mickoski, ran a negative campaign attacking Zaev and tapping into nationalist-populist resentment, said that they are still in the race to form a new government.

Political analyst Albert Musliu told RFE/RL that, given the results of the election, it will be difficult for the Albanian parties to bypass the SDSM and form a coalition with the VMRO-DPMNE.

The largest ethnic Albanian party, the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) won 15 seats, putting it in kingmaker position.

The DUI has been in coalition governments for the past 18 years and became the junior coalition partner of the SDSM after the last elections in 2016.

However, this time the DUI has demanded that an ethnic Albanian become prime minister, something the two main parties have rejected.

The Alliance of Albanians won 12 seats, the left-wing Levica two seats, and the smaller Democratic Party of Albanians one seat.

The election marked the first time an Albanian party, BESA, had formed a preelection coalition with one of the Macedonian parties, the SDSM.

Analysts say talks to form a new government are likely to be long and full of political horse-trading, but that the results of the election will advance the countrys Euro-Atlantic integration.

One thing is certain, the balance of power in parliament will keep North Macedonia on course toward the EU, Nikola Dujovski, a professor at the University of Bitola, told RFE/RL.

The vote was originally scheduled for April but postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the outbreak resurging, polling stations were open for two additional hours to reduce crowding and health protocols including a face mask requirement were enforced.

The pandemic and its economic consequences have become a major issue and appeared to dampen voter turnout despite health protocols at polling stations. The turnout among the 1.8 million registered voters was just over 50 percent.

The SEC said its website that publishes results had been down for almost four hours on July 15 due to a cyberattack, during which time the count was instead streamed live on YouTube. The election body said the hack did not impact the ballot count.

EU Talks

A caretaker government has been running the country since Zaev resigned from the post of prime minister in January after the EU failed in the autumn to provide a start date for accession talks.

After months of delay due to opposition from France, the EU in March finally gave North Macedonia a green light to start formal talks to join the bloc.

Zaev did much in a short time to mend fences with neighbors and advance integration with the West.

Since becoming prime minister in 2017, he reached a landmark deal with neighboring Greece to add "North" to the countrys name, clearing the way for Athens to lift its veto over Skopjes membership in NATO. He also signed a friendship deal with neighboring Bulgaria, removing another impediment to prepare for EU membership.

Zaev has tried to convince the public that his party achieved results and promises a brighter, more prosperous future for one of the poorest countries in Europe, where the average monthly salary is 420 euros ($477).

The VMRO-DPMNE opposed changing the countrys name from Macedonia to North Macedonia, which removed Athens' concerns about a perceived claim to the Greek province of Macedonia. The party also opposed the deal with Bulgaria.

The vote carries broader geopolitical implications, as the EU and United States seek to bring North Macedonia closer to slow moves by Russia and China to increase their influence in the Western Balkans.




The use of UAVs against the Armenian population and civilian objects is a violation of international humanitarian law and is unacceptable in an armed conflict, a specialist in international law, lawyer Ara Ghazaryan told Armenian News - NEWS.am.

According to him, there are all legal grounds for filing a claim against Azerbaijan to the European Court of Human Rights.

He noted that it would be desirable to form a fact-finding and evidentiary body at the state level.

The principle of international law is that human rights must be respected, including during military clashes. Baku's statement about the readiness to fire at the Armenian nuclear power plant is in no way legally protected," he said. "Even if Azerbaijan strikes at the nuclear power plant, it will not achieve military success, but, on the contrary, will find itself in a vulnerable position, both politically and legally."
(JNS)  France, Germany, Egypt and Jordan declared that they would not recognize any moves on Israels part to extend sovereignty to the Jordan Valley, and parts of Judea and Samaria.

In a statement released on Tuesday by the German Foreign Ministry following a joint video conference on the issue, the foreign ministers of the four countries stated: We exchanged views on the current state of the Middle East Peace Process and its regional implications. We concur that any annexation of Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 would be a violation of international law and imperil the f...
KOLKATA: The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) declared the Class 12th or the Uccha Madhyamik Class 12 Result 2020 on its official website on Friday (July 17, 2020). WBCHSE announced the WB Class 12th results at 3.30 PM through a press conference but the students were able to check their scores through the official website and SMS from 4 PM onwards.

West Bengal Uccha Madhyamik Class 12 Results 2020 result website- wbresults.nic.in - crashed minutes after the declaration of result. The students need not panic as results will also be available via SMS, send your roll number to 54242, 5676750, 56263. Candidates can also get their results by downloading the result app from results.shiksha.

A total of 90.13% of the students who took the West Bengal class 12th exams passed this year. This is the highest ever pass per cent. Last year, it was 86.29%. Kolkata has recorded the highest pass percent among all the districts of West Bengal. A total of 30220 candidates have got more than 90% marks in the West Bengal class 12th exam. The Science stream has secured the best pass percentage with 98.83 per cent followed by Commerce- 92.22 per cent. The pass percentage in Arts stream touched at 88.74 per cent.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has congratulated the successful students. The Chief Minister wrote on Twitter, "Uchcho Madhyamik (Higher Secondary) results are out. Students are taking another step forward in their beautiful lives. Congratulations to them all, along with their principals, teachers and parents. The future is waiting for you."

Uchcho Madhyamik (Higher Secondary) results are out. Students are taking another step forward in their beautiful lives. Congratulations to them all, along with their principals, teachers and parents. The future is waiting for you.  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) July 17, 2020

While the WBCHSE has decided not to release the merit or topper list this year, it has informed that the highest score secured by a candidate is 499 out of 500. Out of the 7.61 lakh students who appeared in WB class 12th exam, 6.8 lakh students passed.

The results were released for all three streams  Science, Arts and Commerce. Students can now check their results on these websites - wbresults.nic.in, wbchse.nic.in. This year WBCHSE will not release the merit list for class 12th exam.

Students will now be able to check their Class 12 results 2020 using their roll number and date of birth. Nearly, eight lakh students who appeared for the West Bengal class 12 board exams are awaiting the results. The West Bengal Class 12th results are also available on - wbresults.nic.in; exametc.com; results.shiksha; westbengal.shiksha; westbengalonline.in; west-bengal.indiaresults.com.

Students must note that the WBCHSE Uccha Madhyamik Result 2020 released online will be provisional in nature. They will be required to collect the original mark sheet from their schools.

For the assessment of the cancelled papers, the council will take into consideration the marks obtained in already conducted papers. In this case, the highest marks obtained in a certain paper will be taken into consideration for the cancelled papers. Students who are not satisfied with the marks obtained in cancelled papers can appeal to the Council which will conduct examinations for them after the ongoing crisis subsides.

The time and date of the exam for these students will be announced only after favourable condition establishes.

How to Check West Bengal 12th Result 2020 online:

Students can follow these simple steps to check their WB HS Result 2020:

-Visit the official website of WB 12th Board- wbchse.nic.in

-Navigate to the link provided for WB 12th Result 2020

-Enter the details as required (date of birth and roll number)

-West Bengal 12th Result 2020 will be displayed on the screen

-Download the HS result 2020 West Bengal board and take a printout of it. Keep it safe for future reference

Steps to check WB HS Result 2020 via SMS

WBCHSE provides the facility to check West Bengal 12th Result 2020 via SMS. For this, candidates must follow the below-mentioned steps

-Type WB12roll number on your phone

-Send it to 5676750 or 58888

-WB 12th result 2020 will be sent to the mobile phone. The result includes subject wise marks and qualifying status (pass/fail/compartment).

Alternatively, students can also send SMS to the following numbers in the prescribed format to get their results.

SMS WB12 space<Roll number> to 54242

SMS WB12 space<Roll number> to 5676750

Mobile app - results.shiksha

West Bengal 12th Result 2020 via Android App

-Open play store and install the 'WBCHSE Results 2020' App

-The result login window will open on the screen

-Enter roll, number, registration number in the given fields

-Then fill the captcha code

-Submit details

-West Bengal Higher Secondary result 2020 will open on the screen

-Take a printout or screenshot of the same to use later
Iran has vowed to deal decisively" with further protests, a day after police fired tear gas to disperse antiestablishment demonstrators in the southwestern city of Behbahan.

Accusing "enemies" of whipping up discontent, police on July 17 urged people to "vigilantly refrain from any gathering that could provide a pretext for the counterrevolutionary movement.

"The police force has an inherent and legal duty to deal decisively with these desperate moves," a statement said.

The official government news agency IRNA quoted Behbahans police chief Mohammad Azizi as saying that a small number of people had gathered to protest against the economic situation.

He said that the protest was broken with firmness after the demonstrators shouted norm-breaking chants," a term usually used by Iranian authorities to refer to slogans against the clerical establishment.

Videos posted online showed protesters in Behbahan chanting slogans such as "Don't be afraid, we're all together," and "No Gaza, no Lebanon, my life for Iran."

Azizi said calm was restored without providing further details. It was clear if any arrest was made.

Netblocks, a website that monitors Internet disruptions, said Internet access was restricted and disrupted in Khuzestan Province, where Behbahan is located, for about three hours around the time of the protest.

The rally in Behbahan came amid a social-media campaign calling on Iranian authorities to overturn death sentences handed to three men who participated in protests last year.

On July 14, Irans judiciary announced that the Supreme Court upheld the death sentences against Amir Hossein Moradi, 25, Saeed Tamjidi, 27, and Mohammad Rajabi, 25, for criminal actions during the November 2019 protests sparked by a sudden hike in the price of gasoline.

Also on July 16, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) announced they had arrested a number of "agitators" and also broke up a "terrorist group."

Those arrested in the northern city of Mashhad were "connected to anti-revolutionary groups" and had made calls for street protests, it said.

In the southwestern city of Shiraz, members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), an exiled group which Tehran considers a terrorist group, were also detained, the IRGC said, adding that the move prevented a "subversive operation."

Iran's economy has deteriorated since 2018, when U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers, and reimposed crippling economic sanctions on the country.

The coronavirus epidemic has exacerbated Iran's economic woes with a temporary shutdown of the economy and reduced exports.

With reporting by IRNA, Reuters, AP, and AFP
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:45:48|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The American University of Beirut (AUB) announced on Friday the layoff of 800 employees, prompting workers of the AUB Medical Center to hold a sit-in at the center, a local media outlet reported.

A number of security forces were deployed near the medical center in case of violent protests, according to Lebanon Files.

Fadlo Khuri, president of the AUB, announced earlier this year that the university was facing its greatest crisis since its foundation in 1866 and would be forced to cut costs in the coming year.

"This is the result of a confluence of calamities, starting with the collapse of the Lebanese economy, now compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated global recession," Khuri was quoted as saying in a statement published on AUB's website. Enditem
Morina, who came to Germany when he was 15, drew on his own experience of covert racism in a liberal society. The thing is that you never know. So this film is very much about a guy who is insecure and starts to question everything around him. And yet, like Morina himself, he is privileged. Morina decided to include a parallel story about an Albanian office cleaner to pay due tribute to a very different immigrant experience. I feel political film can be nothing else but personal, otherwise its propaganda, he says. But another thing is that if a subject is important, you have a responsibility to it. Maria Telon and Maria Mercedes Coroy in La Llorona. Credit:MIFF La Llorona (The Weeping Woman) is similarly personal, but views political events from the oppressors perspective. General Monteverde (Julio Diaz), a transparent stand-in for monstrous Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt, is convicted of committing genocide during the countrys 35-year civil war and awaits his sentence at home with his quietly mutinous family. His Mayan servants walk out; in their place comes Alma, a quiet young woman dressed in white with a penchant for swimming in the middle of the night. Every Hispanic American knows the legend of La Llorona, the indigenous woman who drowned her children and is condemned to find their souls before she can go to heaven. Weeping is heard in the walls of the generals house at night; the bathroom keeps flooding; crowds outside sing protest songs; meanwhile, a strange stillness holds the divided family in thrall. Majestically shot and suffused with genuine horror, the film fulfils all the promise of Bustamantes earlier Tremors. The mother in Identifying Features, Mexican director Fernanda Valadez story of an illiterate village woman determined to find out what has happened to her teenage son, could conceivably be one of the crowd outside the generals walls. Her boy was last seen heading for the American border. Magdalena (Mercedes Hernandez) never leaves her home country, but the spectre of Mexicos rich neighbour and its hostile environment looms behind the terrorists and tricksters who exploit young boys; the knowledge that this poignant film tells a common story gives it added weight.

The gay men and women in Welcome to Chechnya are already exiles in their own country, where the police torture and murder them at the instigation of local tyrant Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov, sanctioned by his Russian overlord, President Putin. American filmmaker David France and his Russian crew spent 18 months surreptitiously filming survivors in safe houses and the activists who conspire to get them out of the country. Even then, they are not safe. Its not enough to get queer Chechens to leave town. They are also chasing people round the globe, says France. Its literally conceived as an effort to purify the race, so nobody is ever safe. Superimposed faces are used to disguise the gay subjects of Welcome to Chechnya. Credit:MIFF With so much at stake, he had to find a way to let his subjects tell their stories as forcefully as possible without putting them at even greater risk. Frances team developed a form of deep fake technology that would allow him to superimpose other faces onto his subjects. When they laughed or blinked or cried, the new face did exactly that thing, so you really do feel the journey theyre on, he says. Of course he could have used actors. But I wanted it to be a true story, not based on a true story. When one of the fugitives decides to go public and we see his surrogate face dissolve to reveal the real man, it is both a remarkable coup de theatre and a singular act of courage. Chinese filmmaker Zhou Bing walks an even trickier line in Hong Kong Moments, taking a studiously even-handed approach to the Umbrella pro-democracy demonstrations by following seven locals with contrasting points of view. To me, Hong Kong is the most democratic place in the world, says taxi driver Ray, who wonders why his son is so opposed to the police. We may get some idea when we see sweet but determined Jocelyn Chau, a pro-democracy candidate for the district council, thrown to the ground as she hands out flyers; meanwhile, the volunteer first-aiders, following the demonstrations on their phones so they can meet the students with eyes streaming from pepper spray, emerge as the heroes. This is film as living news.

In Coded Bias, an American documentary, Shalini Kantayya takes a deep dive into the ways algorithms repeat and reinforce the unconscious prejudices of their original programmers. If that sounds impenetrably geeky, Kantayya makes it easily navigable with the help of breezy MIT researcher Joy Buolamwini, who started researching facial recognition technology when she couldnt get an accurate reading on her own (black, female) face. The same technology, used by British police in street surveillance to pick up already identified suspects  most of whom, we suspect, were also black  proved 85 per cent inaccurate. Coded Bias explores the way algorithms reinforce prejudices. Credit:MIFF Most of these algorithms, however, are determining processes we dont see. What was terrifying to me while making this film, says Kantayya, was that artificial intelligence  algorithms not vetted for accuracy or bias  are already being deployed at a massive scale to make such important decisions about who gets hired, who gets health care, who gets into college or how long a prison sentence someone serves. That shook me out of my seat. Several documentaries shine beams into corners of American life you may wish you never knew were there. Riveting Sundance Festival hit Bloody Noses, Empty Pockets probably isnt even a documentary, in that the patrons of the dive bar where it is set are acting. On the other hand, directors Bill and Turner Ross cast these people in similar bars; they are acting themselves, while the drink, drugs, despair and rollicking camaraderie are real enough. We came to realise that its not, Hey, Bill, I have an idea for a documentary, Turner Ross told The Guardian. Its more like, We have this idea with a space, a series of images, a story that we want to tell, a framing device, an underwriting ethos. Were not constrained about how were going to do that. More conventionally, Lance Oppenheims Some Kind of Heaven  about a gated retirement town in Florida  does an editorial sweep through its rhumba classes, happy hours and therapy sessions while following a handful of garishly colourful characters who might have crept in from a Farrelly Brothers comedy. One octogenarian playboy doesnt even live there; he just parks his campervan and works the swimming pools in the hope of finding a single woman who will house him in his dotage. He succeeds, incredibly enough, but it doesnt make him happy. When Im with Nancy, Im confined, he growls. Comfort or freedom? Thats the way it works.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that there is no alternative to peace talks to resolve the conflict.

His remarks came amid clashes on the border with Azerbaijan.

"There is no forceful solution to the conflict, and there is no alternative to peace talks, which meets the interests of all the peoples of our region," Pashinyan said in Minsk at a meeting of the intergovernmental council of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in an expanded format.
In the 100-kilometre journey to deliver a decent long-term-care system for Ontario, Doug Ford took a baby step forward this week.

By offering a 10-per-cent subsidy hike to private-sector nursing home operators who open new beds, the premier should rid the province of at least some of those disgusting, overcrowded, four-person wards that became death-traps in the COVID-19 pandemic.

That change alone represents welcome, if overdue, progress. Indeed, the Ontario Long Term Care Association, which represents 70 per cent of the provinces 630 long-term-care facilities, applauded the changes Fords making.

But theres less in the governments new funding formula than meets the eye. If the goal is rebuilding an entire long-term-care edifice, Ontarios stuck at the stage of digging the new foundation.

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the serious, even shameful, deficiencies in a vital part of Ontarios public health-care system. The provinces nursing homes have witnessed the deaths of 1,730 elderly residents and eight workers since the outbreak began in March. Thats almost two-thirds of Ontarios officially reported COVID-19 fatalities.

The fact that the Canadian military had to be ordered in to save seven nursing homes that were overrun by the disease proved beyond any doubt that this province had turned a blind eye to grave systemic failings. The abuse, neglect, bug infestations, bleeding infections and the residents crying for help for hours that the army discovered should have no place in this affluent, supposedly caring country.

Correcting that, along with improving homes that if not as bad are beneath basic, acceptable standards, is a monumental challenge. What Ford did this week was simply provide new details about a previously announced $1.75-billion infusion into long-term-care facilities.

When that money was first committed, the government promised 15,000 new beds and renovations of 15,000 existing beds over the next decade. Its unclear if that bold commitment still stands.

Ford did say this week that his new funding changes mean 8,000 new beds and 12,000 redeveloped beds are in the works. Air conditioning and improved ventilation is on the way for many nursing homes. Safer, more comfortable facilities will benefit nursing home residents and staff alike.

Left unanswered is how Ford plans to provide the 30,000 beds he originally pledged for the coming years. Thats a nagging question that will not go away. There are 36,000 seniors on the waiting-list for long-term care in Ontario. Ford needs to show us all his road map for moving forward.

He needs to say if his nursing home system overhaul will include providing more hands-on, daily care for residents. It should. And what about the personal support workers who provide such essential services? They receive miserable wages for a demanding job that offers minimal security. Ford needs to increase staffing levels but also the pay and working conditions for that workforce.

In addition, the Ontario government needs a detailed plan for improving the oversight of the provinces nursing homes. If Ford is content with allowing the long-term-care system to rely so heavily on private providers, he must ensure proper transparency and accountability.

Not every long-term-care facility does a bad job. Too many do. Ford has signalled that transforming the system is one of his highest priorities. But what he announced this week will raise red flags that suggest hes content with superficial fixes. We need him to completely re-invent how we care for our elderly.

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The museum that has arguably had the most success in selling face masks so far is the Klimt Villa in Vienna, a museum housed in one of Gustav Klimts former studios. In March, the museum had to close when Austria went into lockdown, according to Baris Alakus, the museums director, and it was soon in desperate need of money. Were a private museum so we dont get any support from the government, Alakus said. It was a very critical situation.
TEHRAN, Iran, July 17

Trend:

Iran's Ardabil Province Governor Akbar Behnamjou has announced that necessary measures have been taken by Iran's government and the Republic of Azerbaijan to build a joint industrial town, Trend reports via IRNA.

Meanwhile, spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said that Ardabil Province has good capacities for border trade, and this opportunity should be used optimally for the economic development of the region.

Iran has 15 neighboring countries and can benefit from it, Mousavi said in a meeting with Behnamjou.

"Iran should try to use cross-border opportunities and reach leap in exports," Mousavi said.

He called the follow-up of the implementation of necessary projects in the border areas, especially joint projects with neighboring countries, and promised to follow the projects of Ardabil province to be implemented.

Ardabil province has 369 kilometers of border with the Republic of Azerbaijan, Behnamjou said during the meeting.

In last five years, several projects have been implemented in the border region of the province, financed by the Foreign Exchange Reserve Fund, which led to growth of production, he said.

He went on to emphasize the need for creation of a rail dock to increase exports of the province's products.

Behnamjou added that in order to expand trade and economic relations, the necessary measures have been made by the government and the neighboring country (Azerbaijan) to build a joint industrial town.

Its location has been determined, he said.
Niamey, Niger (PANA) - The World Bank and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday delivered drugs and equipment worth more than $3 million in support of the Niger government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said a statement from the UNICEF office in Niamey
Australia to continue to support freedom of navigation in South China sea, PM says

Vietnam's fishing boats dock in the water off the south-central coast in May 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Dang Le.

Australia will continue to advocate very strongly for the freedom of navigation through the South China Sea, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday.

"Australia will continue to adopt a very consistent position," Morrison told a media briefing in Canberra when asked if the country backed the position of the United States on the South China Sea.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday the United States would support countries that believed China has violated their maritime claims in the South China Sea, but stressed doing so in multilateral and legal forums.

Vietnam calls the South China Sea the East Sea.

China has taken a series of provocative actions in the waters since the start of this year as countries around the world were focused on battling the Covid-19 pandemic.

It formed the so-called Xisha and Nansha districts in Vietnams Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands, sank Vietnamese fishing vessels off the Paracels, unilaterally issued a fishing ban and sent a ship to harass a Malaysian oil and gas exploration vessel.

China recently announced a vegetable farming project on Woody (Phu Lam) Island in the Paracels to strengthen its illegal sovereignty claim, and sent two diplomatic notes to the U.N. to make the infamous Four Sha claim, which covers a broader swath of territory than the notorious, illegal nine-dash line.

Vietnam has repeatedly protested Chinas provocative, illegal actions and urged it to desist.
Addressing the UN ECOSOC session, the prime minister said the 75th anniversary of the UN is an opportunity to assess the world body's role and relevance in today's world

New Delhi: The fury of the COVID-19 pandemic provides the context for the "rebirth and reform" of the United Nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, calling on nations to pledge to reform the global multilateral system to enhance its relevance and make it the basis of a new type of "human-centric globalisation."

Addressing the high-level segment of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) session via a video link, Modi said the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN is an opportunity to assess its role and relevance in today's world.

Noting that a lot has changed since its formation, he said the UN now brings together 193 member countries and along with its membership, the expectations from the organisation have also grown.

It was the prime ministers first address to the broader UN membership after India was overwhelmingly elected as non-permanent member of the powerful Security Council last month.

"India firmly believes that the path to achieve sustainable peace and prosperity is through multilateralism. As children of planet Earth, we must join hands to address our common challenges and achieve our common goals.

"However, multilateralism needs to represent the reality of the contemporary world, Modi said.

Addressing the session Multilateralism after COVID-19: what kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary?, he underscored that only reformed multilateralism with a reformed United Nations at its center can meet the aspirations of humanity.

Today, while celebrating 75 years of the United Nations, let us pledge to reform the global multilateral system. To enhance its relevance, to improve its effectiveness, and to make it the basis of a new type of human-centric globalisation.

The United Nations was originally born from the furies of the Second World War. Today, the fury of the pandemic provides the context for its rebirth and reform. Let us not lose this chance, he said.

Modi said at the high-level session that India has been elected to the Security Council at this very important time.

With our deep commitment to maintaining global harmony, to improving socio-economic equity, and to preserving nature's balance, India will play its role in full support of the UN agenda, the prime minister said.

Modi told said that as nations mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, it is an occasion to recognise the UN's many contributions to human progress and also an opportunity to assess the UN's role and relevance in today's world and to shape a better future for it.

India was among the 50 founding members of the United Nations immediately after the Second World War but a lot has changed since then, he said, adding that today the UN brings together 193 member countries.

Along with its membership, the expectations from the organisation have also grown. At the same time multilateralism is facing many challenges today.

The segment of ECOSOC comes as the COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the world and causing unprecedented health and economic challenges.

Modi said the COVID-19 pandemic has severely tested the resilience of all nations. In India, we have tried to make the fight against the pandemic a people's movement, by combining the efforts of government and society.

He highlighted that the Indian government has given the highest priority to reach benefits to poor households and announced a package of more than $300 billion.

It will bring the economy back on track, build modern infrastructure and put in place a technology-driven system. We have put forward a vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' a self-reliant and resilient India, integrated with the global economy.

Modi had earlier delivered the keynote address virtually at the 70th anniversary of the ECOSOC in January 2016. India has had a long tradition of close association with ECOSOC, one of the six main organs of the United Nations. The inaugural Presidency of ECOSOC in 1946 was held by Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar of India.

Modi said India contributed to shaping the ECOSOC agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals and through its domestic efforts, India is again playing a salient role in achieving Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. We are also supporting other developing countries in meeting their Sustainable Development Goals.

India is home to one-sixth of humanity. We are mindful of our weight and responsibility. We know that if India succeeds in achieving its development objectives, it will go a long way in achievement of global goals, Modi said.

Our motto is 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas' - meaning 'Together, for everyone's growth, with everyone's trust," he said.

Modi said in Indias fight against COVID-19, the grass-roots health system is helping the country ensure one of the best recovery rates in the world.

We are also on track to remove TB by 2025. Other developing countries can learn from the scale and success of India's development programmes. And from the technologies and innovations we have deployed. It is this realisation that under-pins India's own development partnership with the global South.

"Be it earthquakes, cyclones, Ebola crisis or any other natural or man-made crisis, India has responded with speed and solidarity.

In our joint fight against COVID, we have extended medical and other assistance to over 150 countries. We also helped create a SAARC COVID emergency fund in our neighbourhood, he added.
Alisha Saulnier is a nanny, and Christian who loves to read, has a blog, and is an avid traveler who has visited every inhabited continent in the world. She has published her new book No Matter Where We Are: a poignant and tragic story of survival and healing.

Mia and Araya are twin sisters living an ordinary life. Then tragedy strikes one on top of another. Their big break comes, but its not what they think its going to be.

Sex trafficking is an unfortunate reality in the world today. Its hard to look at and even harder to live through.

Deciding who we are and how we respond to what life throws at us is a lesson we can all learn.

Will they remember the good they have chosen in their younger years? Will it be enough to get them through when they can see no good around them? As they walk through these complex situations and meet so many others, will they know when to be kind and when to fight? Follow the sisters through their journey into and out of this nightmare.

Published by Page Publishing, Alisha Saulniers engrossing book is a beautifully written story of tragedy and hope, despair, and salvation for two young sisters who suffer unthinkable cruelty and exploitation.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase No Matter Where We Are at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues to focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
The legacy of Louis Vuitton dates back to 1854 when he opened his first store. After the World's Fair in 1892, he made his mark by creating classy handbags.

The social status staple bags are never on discount and are expected to have a 20-year-duration or beyond.

Maybe you are one among the blissfully ignorant regarding designer handbags and you are interested in the reason people pay a large amount for a plain-looking brown canvas bag with their logo affixed on it. You may think the models sold at the night market look identical to the authentic ones, so why would anyone in their right mind pay for such a handbag?

A rarely used Louis Vuitton can demand a generous worth, reported Couture USA.

The color, design, and pattern of Louis handbags are eye-catching. The Louis Vuitton brand's legacy and heritage feed its high prices, but there is more to the narrative.

The founder of the brand in 1837 set off on a journey between Anchay and Paris amid the economic prosperity that had people vying for the region, according to A Fashion Blog.

Vuitton was hired as a packer for Napoleon's wife and personal box-maker.

The Louis Vuitton brand has legally obtained the trademark for its stripe pattern and the color combination used in its handbags, reported India Today.

The leather material of a Louis Vuitton bag is of top quality. The brand is meticulous regarding sourcing its leather and other materials used in crafting the handbags.

Following Chanel and Hermes, Louis Vuitton is among the Big 3.

Also Read: Dolce & Gabbana Viva La Mamma Sicily Handbag For $2,975 Labeled 'Nightmare-ish' By Fashionistas (PHOTOS)

Louis Vuitton bags are lauded for their durability.

Vuitton debuted his trunk design in 1858. The rectangular design, unlike its dome-shaped counterparts, makes it convenient to stockpile. The cotton canvas fabric was waterproof and lightweight which was suitable for travel.

The Louis Vuitton company has built a character over the previous 150 years with an image to uphold.

Vuitton uses the highest quality of materials, production practices, and manufacturing standards in order to achieve virtually indestructible and timeless bags.

The user is investing in a purse that could just last a lifetime.

The first-released LV bags are made of cow-hide leather material which transitions in color over time from a light brown to dark brown.

Vuitton received first bronze and then a gold medal at the World's Gatherings in 1867 and 1889 due to the excellence linked to his tote bags.

In the current world, LV handbags became markers linked with class and luxury.

In Europe and the United States, all Vuitton workshops and craftsmen are compensated fairly for their skill sets. The craftspeople involved in the production take on over a year of training prior to working independently.

To commemorate his father when he passed away in 1892, his son patented the Louis Vuitton monogram featuring an L interlocked with V.

Therefore, the bag has a steadfast and powerful history that coats its value.

Related Article: Women Buy Expensive Stuff To Say 'Back Off My Man'

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Quentin Edward Fogarty September 28, 1946-July 5, 2020

New Zealand-born Quentin Edward Fogarty, the journalist known as the UFO reporter, has died suddenly in Melbourne.

The 73-year old Fogarty was found dead at his St Kilda home by emergency services in early July after being alerted by his children, who couldnt raise him. He was due to go on a long bike ride with his youngest son, Sam.

Fogarty will be remembered for the Kaikoura UFO incident off the coast of the South Island of NZ in 1978. The incident remains the worlds first verified film encounter with a UFO.

Fogarty was working for Channel 10 Melbourne and was with a film crew on board a freight aircraft which filmed several bright objects that were also tracked on radar.
New Delhi:

In a move to pierce heavy blanket of smog that has wrapped Delhi-NCR for last 8 days, Delhi government recently took a slew of measures to put crippling pollution crisis to an end. However, environmentalists believe that these emergency measures are not effective for a long run, and they are just temporary ways of damage control.

Air pollution is posing threat to more than 40 million people in Delhi-NCR.

News Nation spoke to environmentalist, Vimlendu Jha, founder of organisation Swechha, on government measures and current smog condition.



Excerpts of the interview



Q: What is your take on current smog condition in Delhi-NCR?



A: We have inherited the problem. The current smog crisis is not new to Delhi. The capital is struggling to breathe fresh since long, but centre and state government have been inefficient to chalk out concrete plans to tackle pollution from construction sites, and waste burning, leading to this SOS problem. The centre and state government need to adopt a two-pronged approach and e strong political will to implement a time-bound programme to stop construction waste and waste-burning.



Q: Government is saying that fire crackers burning and stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab are the main reasons for smog?



A: Fire burning and stubble burning are contributing just 10-20 per cent of the current smog condition, construction and waster-burning are the main culprits of air pollution. The current condition is the result of the 30 thousand hectares of deforestation and 80 thousand hectares of concrete in last 10 year.



Q: Your take on these major measures:



- Delhi roads will be sprinkled with water jets from :



Temporary move. This will help but you cannot sprinkle water all over Delhi. The move will help to control smog in a particular location and that too temporary.



- Electric Generators banned in Delhi for 10 days



Government needs to have permanent effective guidelines to control pollution from industries. These are non-sustainable measures, governments need to mull ways on finding sustainable and permanent regulatory measures to tackle the problem.



- Scope of artificial rain



This is not practical approach. How can you suddenly talk about artificial rain, Delhi-NCR is vast and huge. It raises concerns regarding secondary air and water pollution, as chemicals used to cause precipitation. Also, Delhi's dry weather is not suitable for cloud-seeding. For artificial rain some clouds are needed to carry out the process. Humidity in the air is too less for it to succeed in Delhi. Cloud seeding also need huge amount of water. We have people dying for drinking water in the country. Also, the costing involve should be talked about.



More about Cloud seeding or artificial rain

What is cloud seeding?

Cloud seeding or artificial rain is a way to induce moisture in the clouds by using silver iodide or dry ice. The chemical is spread onto the clouds by using an aircraft or an artillery gun which leads to a rain shower.

Countries that had used cloud seeding technique

China- In July this year, China allocated 199 million yuan ($29.76 million) to spend on its cloud seeding program to prevent drought.

A team of scientists from Beijing, in July this year, shared cloud seeding technology to India to fight droughts in Maharashtra's Marathwada region.



United States- US occasionally the technology to induce snow falls in ski resorts.



UAE: Cloud seeding is frequently used by UAE to recharge its ground water.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Given continued uncertainties in business and employees working from home, startups are giving up office space, including rented buildings and seats in co-working centres, to reduce costs. Besides, many offices are unwilling to bring back workers as fear of infections remains high.

In recent months, companies such as Uber Technologies Inc., Swiggy, PolicyBazaar, Instamojo, Ezetap, MobiKwik and upGrad have vacated or reduced office space across metros.

With the fall in lending and other businesses, SoftBank-backed insurance unicorn PolicyBazaar has given up four of its 12 leased office buildings in Gurugram.

Payments startup MobiKwik does not plan to give up its Gurugram headquarters, but is re-negotiating rental agreements and may look at co-working options for its satellite offices. We have also considered reducing our real estate footprint and have not opened our offices since the first lockdown. We expect to operate from home for the next few months, and have let go of two of our seven rented satellite offices, said Upasana Taku, co-founder. Despite the gradual nationwide easing of restrictions beginning 1 June, many states and cities have reimposed curbs on business and mobility, as coronavirus infections rise. The fresh curbs have also slowed plans of companies and workers to reopen offices. A Swiggy spokesperson said the pandemic has altered its utilisation of real estate. It forms a significant part of our ongoing fixed costs and hence, we have optimized our network of kitchens and rationalized office space across cities. We have scaled down our cloud kitchens temporarily or permanently depending on profitability profile, and carefully reduced real estate usage by consolidating many of our smaller offices, the spokesperson said. So far, Swiggy has closed offices in Tier 3 and 4 cities, including Gorakhpur and Anantapur, and aims to reduce real estate space further.

Mihir Dalal and Salman SH contributed to this story.
Myles Carter, the man arrested after being tackled from behind by police while being interviewed by a local news crew during protests on Bailey Avenue on June 1, saw the charges against him dropped Friday morning.

At Carter's arraignment, the prosecutor told City Court Judge Peter J. Savage III the charges were being dropped and Savage dismissed the case. The court appearance took a matter of seconds.

The 30-year-old business owner and activist had been charged with second-degree obstruction of governmental administration, a misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct, a violation.

"Fortunately for me, the charges were dismissed," Carter said afterward. "Unfortunately, theres tons of people that are caught up in the system daily, where they take the entire force of the system and they throw it at Black and brown people on a daily basis."

"Justice was served here. Its plain and simple," said FritzGerald Tondreau, Carters attorney.

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn released a written statement saying the charges were dismissed because they "were unsupported by the information provided by law enforcement."
In an interview with Armenian-News-NEWS.am, expert on the Middle East and Caucasus Stanislav Tarasov said the predictions that the escalation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border will become a large-scale war are unsubstantiated. He recalled that Russia, Iran and the OSCE Minsk Group have expressed the willingness to be mediators amid the escalation on the border, but this doesnt satisfy President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

In the case of negotiations over the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs act as ambassadors. The April war showed that, in any case, Russia is specifically involved when the situation escalates. After the events in April 2016, Putin personally participated in stopping the escalation through the agreements reached in Vienna and Saint Petersburg. Later, Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan removed this from the agenda through combined efforts.

Pashinyan and Aliyev arent holding talks over baseline principles and are talking about certain humanitarian issues and the creation of an atmosphere of confidence, but this cant be achieved through the efforts of only one side.

As far as the Armenian side is concerned, according to Tarasov, Armenia took advantage of the fact that the Azerbaijani UAZ truck had crossed the border. Touching upon the official Ankaras statements on its willingness to provide military aid to Azerbaijan, Tarasov stated that even though international organizations have issued statements calling on ceasefire, Turkey has decided to pour oil on the fire with provocative statements. He added that even if a war breaks out, Azerbaijan will be the one responsible, regardless of everything. According to him, Turkey wont get involved in the action and wont hurt its ties with Russia. As for Azerbaijan, it wont get into the conflict with Armenia alone. Besides that, Turkey is currently dealing with the issues in Syria, Iraq and Libya and trying to solve its domestic issues.
IVRY-SUR-SEINE, France - Assa Traore has been fighting for justice ever since her brother Adama died in the custody of French police on his 24th birthday four years ago. And shes determined to keep fighting until the end, she says: until someone is convicted for his death.

But recently, her goal has grown larger. Shes now at the forefront of a new movement to wipe out what activists deem to be systemic racism in policing, fight for Black rights and to challenge Frances official vision of itself as a colorblind society.

We became soldiers in spite of ourselves, Assa Traore, whose family is of Malian origin, told The Associated Press this week. Theres a movement today. We call it the Adama generation, these people who are not afraid anymore, and these youth who will not shut up.

The 35-year-old, who gave up her job as a special education teacher in a small Paris suburb to lead a movement demanding justice for her brother, has renewed purpose since George Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police.

George Floyd is our brother here in France, too, Traore said in an interview ahead of a demonstration Saturday marking the anniversary of Adamas death  her speech determined, her energy palpable. When you see George Floyds death, you imagine the death of my brother Adama Traore.

It is not the first time that France has reckoned with its colonial history and relationship with its Black and North African citizens. Deaths involving police often lead to protests, most memorably in the form of nationwide unrest in 2005 sparked by the deaths of two boys who were electrocuted while hiding in an electric substation after fleeing police.

But now France is seeing a growing pushback against police violence, and against racism that many activists say is exacerbated by the countrys official doctrine of colorblindness, which encourages immigrants to integrate and bans the government from collecting census data on race.

While four officers involved in Floyds arrest have been charged  including one with murder who is behind bars  no one has been charged in Adama Traores death. It wasnt filmed, and the cause of death is still the subject of fierce debate.

On July 19, 2016, police approached Adama and his brother for an identity check in the town of Beaumont-sur-Oise north of Paris, where the large family grew up. Adama ran away because he didnt have his ID. Gendarmes caught up with him and arrested him. Within hours he was declared dead.

One gendarme initially said three officers jumped on Traore to pin him down, according to early police reports. The gendarme later denied any of them pinned him down.

The exact cause of death is not even clear. A dozen court-ordered medical reports found various cardiac diseases were responsible. The Traore family countered those with an independent autopsy and medical reports pointing to asphyxiation instead. Lawyers for the officers deny police were at fault.

The familys lawyer Yassine Bouzrou said Friday that since early June, investigators have made 17 new requests for information, including a new medical examination by independent doctors in Belgium. Speaking to broadcaster France-Info, Bouzrou called that a sign that the investigation is being taken more seriously than before Floyds death thrust it back into the spotlight.

In her quest for justice for her brother, Assa Traore has met with families of those who died at the hands of police, toured struggling French suburbs where most of the population is immigrant or non-white, and organized activists across racial, geographical and economic lines.

In June, as France was reopening from virus lockdown and videos of Floyds killing circulated around the world, she rallied tens of thousands of protesters to call attention to French racial minorities own problems with police.

We have to change everything, this systemic racism, we need to break it, Traore said. She called for banning dangerous techniques that police use to immobilize people that overwhelmingly kill Black, Arabs and non-whites.

She also thinks France needs to scrap the police oversight agencies, which are currently composed of police themselves, in favour of independent bodies.

In 2016, Frances top official for defending citizens rights, Jacques Toubon, reported that Black and Arab French people were 20 times more likely to be stopped by police than others were. In 2020, Toubon published a study detailing systemic racism in the Paris police. The government has pledged to root out racism in police forces but blames the problem on a few bad apples.

Traore has built bridges with other social movements  like the yellow vest one against economic injustice and the climate crisis movement.

Its been four years of going to every poor neighbourhood in France, Traore said. Weve been in the most remote places in France, in small villages, its been four years of alliances with domestic workers, undocumented people, yellow vests, climate groups.

This Saturdays march was organized with climate activists under the slogan: We want to breathe.

Today the fight for Adama Traore does not belong to the Traore family anymore, Traore said. Its representative of a big unease and dysfunction of the French state, so its a struggle we take on together.
(Newser)  Turns out schools can reopen in America after allif they're private. While most public schools are opening part-time or not at all amid the coronavirus pandemic, private schools are finding they have the budgets, facilities, and small class sizes to reopen, the New York Times reports. That means 90% of America's students are likely to keep struggling while the rest continue with high-end educations. "The virus is this huge stress test on our education system" and "has exposed a great deal of inequity," says Robert Pianta, dean of the school of education at the University of Virginia. "Certain kids in certain systems, depending on the resources, are going to get much closer to what looks like a typical high-quality education than others."

story continues below

Public schools already had budgetary woes, and a $13.5 billion coronavirus relief package in March apparently wasn't enough. One report estimates that each district will need an extra $1.8 million to pay for measures like disposable masks and custodial staff to disinfect everything. By contrast, a single Hawaiian private school has spent $3 million on pandemic preparation and boosted its financial aid by half, to $12 million, to help some families enroll their children. "We've been very fortunate," says the school's president. So what to do? The Washington Post reports that President Trump and Senate Republicansunder great pressure to reopen classroomsare ready to spend between $50 billion and $100 billion on elementary and secondary schools. (Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has issued a strong statement on reopening.)
President Trump has sent an unknown number of federal agents to Portland, Oregon, ostensibly to project federal property amid weeks of protests against racism and police brutality. But federal officers "are also detaining people on Portland streets who aren't near federal property, nor is it clear that all of the people being arrested have engaged in criminal activity," OPB reported Thursday evening. One civil rights lawyer, Juan Chavez, described the federal tactics as "like stop and frisk meets Guantanamo Bay" and "more like abduction" than lawful arrest.

"Federal law enforcement officers have been using unmarked vehicles to drive around downtown Portland and detain protesters since at least July 14," OPB reports. "Personal accounts and multiple videos posted online show the officers driving up to people, detaining individuals with no explanation of why they are being arrested, and driving off."

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf visited Portland on Thursday and slammed the mayor and governor, claiming "Portland has been under siege for 47 straight days by a violent mob while local political leaders refuse to restore order to protect their city." He released a list of the "lawless destruction and violence" from these "violent anarchists," and most of it was graffiti. Trump praised the federal incursion Monday, saying "Portland was totally out of control" and federal agents "very much quelled it." Federal agents shot one 26-year-old man in the head with "less lethal" munitions last Saturday, fracturing his skull.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, Gov. Kate Brown (D), and Oregon's congressional delegation were pretty clear the feds are not welcome. Wheeler said Tuesday that the federal officers had brought only violence and "life-threatening tactics" to Portland streets, and "we do not need or want their help." Brown said Thursday said she told Wolf he should remove "all federal officers from our streets" and criticized Trump's "political theater" and "blatant abuse of power" in Portland. Sen. Ron Wyden (D) echoed that critique:

Story continues

A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald Trump's secret police. Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media.  Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) July 16, 2020

You can read more about the Portland situation, including details of one murky arrest of a pedestrian by federal agents in a rented minivan, at OPB.

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London, July 17 : The personal website of the UK's Prince Andrew has been taken down and now redirects to the official royal family site and his statement on stepping down due to his links to late American financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a media report said on Friday.

The Prince's website, thedukeofyork.org, previously championed his charity work, as well as his work to support the Queen and "British prosperity", said the Metro newspaper report.

It also had pages dedicated to his daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

It was removed because the contract with the host server came to an end on June 30.

Because it was not being updated, it was decided to bring it under the umbrella of royal.uk.

The website was taken down at some point before June 30, the newspaper report added.

His page on royal.uk still includes a biography of the Duke, but begins with the statement issued last November which announced he would be stepping back from official duties "for the foreseeable future" due to the ongoing Epstein investigation in the US.

Prince Andrew has been asked by lawyers of Esptein's alleged victims to travel to the US and tell authorities what he knows about the disgraced financier and the sex-trafficking of under-age girls by Epstein.

He has denied any involvement.

This week, British socialite and Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell had an appeal for bail denied meaning she will remain in prison in New York until facing trial for child grooming, sex abuse and perjury charges, the Metro newspaper reported.

Maxwell, who Andrew said had introduced him to Epstein, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to recruit girls who were sexually abused by the US financier between 1994 and 1997.

Epstein was found hanged in a New York jail last August while awaiting sex-trafficking charges.
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American users of the popular video sharing service TikTok are preparing for a possible ban of the app by the U.S. government.

U.S. lawmakers have warned the Chinese-owned TikTok could be misusing private user information. They have also expressed concerns about laws requiring Chinese companies to share data requested by the Chinese government.

Chinas ByteDance owns TikTok. The app is hugely popular in the United States and many other countries, especially among young people. TikTok only operates outside of mainland China and ByteDance runs a similar video-sharing service for inside China.

The service lets users create and share very short videos and provides helpful tools to do so. Videos often include popular songs from well-known artists and TikTok has helped launch the careers of new internet and music stars.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said officials were looking at banning TikTok. When asked whether he would suggest that Americans use the app, Pompeo told the broadcaster Fox News, Only if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.

ByteDance has denied the company is influenced by Chinese officials and says it does not provide any user data to the government.

News of the warning spread quickly among TikTok users.

One of those users is 20-year-old Ty Gibson of Greensboro, North Carolina. Gibson said at first, he dismissed the reports suggesting the app might be banned. But then, a technical problem led him to believe a ban might be beginning. The problem, which was later fixed, made a video counting tool disappear.

I thought it was the end, Gibson told Reuters news agency. I didnt even have time to think things through. Gibson said he recorded a personal goodbye video for his 4.6 million fans, asking them to follow him on YouTube and Facebooks Instagram.

Another well-known TikTok user is professional gaming star Tyler Blevins, more widely known as Ninja. He has 4 million followers on TikTok. After recent reports about a possible ban, Blevins told his 6 million Twitter followers he had already removed TikTok from his phone.

Other TikTok fans are staying with the service for now. But some have expressed sadness through videos of themselves crying and dancing, while including hashtags about a possible ban. #TikTokBan has received more than 212 million views on the app, while #SaveTikTok got over 315 million.

Competing video sharing services like Triller, Byte and Dubsmash have watched downloads of their apps rise after Pompeos comments. Some are now directly targeting TikTok users.

Triller, which became known for its heavy use of hip-hop music, is seeking to sign up top TikTok stars to join, said Ryan Kavanaugh, founder of Triller operator Proxima Media.

Taylor Cassidy, a TikTok influencer with 1.7 million followers, told Reuters some TikTok competitors had already contacted her and suggested she build up her presence on their apps.

Dylan Tate is an 18-year-old TikTok user from Greenville, South Carolina with 1.2 million followers. He has been urging other TikTok users to move to the Byte app in his recent videos. Tate says one big reason to move is that Byte gives 100 percent of ad earnings to video creators.

Ive been commenting on peoples TikToks to tell them to go to Byte. Now people are doing it themselves, he told Reuters.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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In yet another successful operation in the valley, the security forces neutralised a top Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander Waleed Bhat alias Lambu along with two other terrorists on Friday. The joint operation was carried out by 9 Rashtriya Rifles, 18 Battalion of CRPF and J&K Polices SOG in Chimmer area of Kulgam District. The killing of Waleed undoubtedly is a huge success as the IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar puts it. Republic TV has accessed the case file of the Pakistani backed terrorist who had crossed over along with 12 other terrorists in 2018 and has been active since then.

Read: BJP Leader From Jammu And Kashmir Kidnapped By Terrorists; Forces Launch Manhunt

Responsible for a large no. of attacks

According to the case file accessed by Republic TV, Waleed was an IED expert who was active in the Kulgam area. Categorised as an A++ terrorist, Waleed was responsible for a large number of attacks against security forces during the last two years in Kulgam districts. Actively backed by Pakistan, Waleed had crossed over with 9 snipers and M4 rifles. In fact, after one encounter that he managed to escape, he left behind one M4 American rifle. After another encounter, Waleed had left behind a PIKA machine gun. Interestingly, Waleed had managed to escape from the cordon four times in the last two months.

Read: Power Curtailment In Kashmir To Reduce By 6-8 Hours During Winter; 10 Projects Inaugurated

He was a close associate of Ismail alias Fauji Bhai, who was the mastermind of Lethapora Attack. Also the fabricator of 2019 and 2020 IEDs. He was involved in Pulwama car laden IED which was foiled by the forces in the Rajpora area of Pulwama. After Fauji Bhai was eliminated, Waleed was given charge of south Kashmir where he was planning to carry an attack on any security grid, with prime focus on Yatra. His close associate Jameel Pasha is currently active. One of his close associates Haroon Rashid was killed in the Uri encounter in 2019. He too was involved in the Lethapora attack.

Read: J-K Reports Nine More COVID-19 Deaths, 601 New Cases

Sources within the security apparatus say that there are credible inputs to suggest that Waleed was planning to carry out an attack on the security grid that was looking after the yatra arrangements.

Brigadier VS Thakur said, We want to send the message to the people that the Amarnath yatra will be conducted peacefully without any hindrance. There are inputs that there are trying their best to target the yatra but our mechanisms are in place. The National Highway 44 remains sensitive. Over 100 terrorists are currently active in South Kashmir of which at least 30 are Pakistani.

Read: Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India's Covid Cases Cross 1 Million; 'second-most Tests Done'
Ex-head Russian Authors Society pleads guilty to $10.5 mln embezzlement in court

 RAPSI, Eugeny Varlamov

16:23 17/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI) - Ex-Director General of the Russian Authors Society (RAO) Sergey Fedotov on Friday pleaded guilty in court to embezzling over 762 million rubles (over $10.5 million at the current exchange rate), RAPSI reported from Moscows Presnensky District Court.

Investigators believe that Fedotov and other defendants transferred the authors royalty payments to the fake accounts and then cashed the money.

Fedotov also admitted embezzlement of 12 million rubles during payment of legal services that had not been provided to the Society.

The trial is held under a special procedure, without examining evidence, as the defendant has pleaded guilty.

There are five other defendants, including Fedotovs mother and ex-employee of the Russian Authors Society Svetlana Temeshova.

In December 2018, Moscows Tverskoy District Court ordered the accused persons to be placed in detention. Investigators believe that they transferred the authors royalty payments to the fake accounts and then cashed the money.

In June 2017, Fedotov was convicted in his first embezzlement case and sentenced to 1.5 years behind bars.

As previously reported, employees of the Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service (FSB) have revealed a fraud scheme over illegal alienation of RAOs property. Damage caused to the RAOs property has been estimated at 500 million rubles (over $7 million at the current exchange rate). The defendant pleaded guilty.

In December 2017, he was released on parole.
The 75 countries, which would finance the vaccines from public budgets, will partner with up to 90 poorer countries to provide them with access.

More than 75 countries have expressed interest in joining the COVAX financing scheme designed to guarantee fast and equitable access globally to COVID-19 vaccines, the GAVI vaccines alliance said on Wednesday.

The 75 countries, which would finance the vaccines from public budgets, will partner with up to 90 poorer countries supported through voluntary donations to GAVI's COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), the alliance said in a statement.

"COVAX is the only truly global solution to the COVID-19 pandemic," Seth Berkley, GAVI's chief executive, said in a statement.

"For the vast majority of countries, whether they can afford to pay for their own doses or require assistance, it means receiving a guaranteed share of doses and avoiding being pushed to the back of the queue, as we saw during the H1N1 pandemic a decade ago."

Together, this group of up to 165 countries represents more than 60% of the world's population and the interest is a vote of confidence in efforts to secure global access to COVID-19 vaccines, GAVI's statement added.

COVAX is co-led by GAVI, the World Health Organization and the CEPI Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Its aim is to deliver 2 billion doses of effective, approved COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021.

The shots will be delivered equally to participating countries proportional to their populations, GAVI said, and deployed initially for healthcare workers.

GAVI said last month it had raised $567 million from international donors towards an initial goal of $2 billion to buy vaccines via the COVAX Advanced Market Commitment.

More than 100 potential COVID-19 vaccines are in development, with at least 20 in human clinical trials, as scientists seek ways to protect people against infection with the pandemic disease.

AstraZeneca, which is developing a potential COVID-19 shot known as AZD1222, has agreed to supply 300 million doses to COVAX if the vaccine proves effective and is licensed.

Berkley said that even for countries already pursuing bilateral deals with drugmakers, the COVAX scheme could help reduce their risk if one or more vaccine candidates fail.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic outside his residence at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on June 18, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Justin Tang)

Feds Reach Deal on Funding to Help Provinces, Municipalities Re-Start Economies

The federal, provincial, and territorial governments have reached a deal on billions of dollars in transfers to continue reopening economies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday.

He said the federal government will contribute $19 billion under the Safe Restart Agreement to help provinces fund things like child care, contact tracing, and personal protective equipment. There is also money to bail out municipal governments that saw soaring expenses and plunging revenues during the pandemic.

Trudeau had promised $14 billion in early June, but several premiers said they needed more money and also resisted some of the conditions the federal Liberals wanted to put on the deal.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford was one who didnt like a federal demand that some of it fund up to 10 days of paid sick leave to discourage workers with precarious employment from going into work ill.

This funding will support us as we get the economy going over the next six to eight months, Ford said Thursday. My friends  its a great deal for Ontario.

The agreement includes sick leave, fully funded by the federal government.

Manitobas Brian Pallister said hes pleased with that provision.

I think its very important we have a national program, and the prime minister obviously agreed, he said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

I think the important thing is that, as opposed to some past discussions where premiers were drawn away from supporting other premiers, the premiers stuck together and they stood for what they wanted and largely got it.

British Columbias John Horgan said his province expects nearly $2 billion in transfers and emphasized the sick-leave program as a key move to make sure nobody feels pressured to go work sick.

Quebecs Francois Legault wanted the money to be transferred without conditions so provinces could use it on whatever they considered most important. He also didnt want the cash distributed purely by population, noting that Quebec had been hit harder by COVID-19 than other provinces.

Thursday, he echoed Pallister in saying that the premiers sticking together got them a deal they like. He credited Saskatchewans Scott Moe in convincing all the premiers to hold the line.

Yes, we wanted the federal government to invest and help get us through the pandemic, but we also wanted the federal government to respect provincial jurisdiction and also give us the flexibility to choose our priorities, Legault said.

For Quebec, spending money on protective equipment from Quebec suppliers is a key example, he said.

Trudeau said the agreement outlines seven priority areas, with some room for the provinces to apply the money to their particular needs over the next six to eight months.

The provinces agreed to invest in the targeted sectors, Trudeau said. There are areas like support for vulnerable people where we will expect the provinces to declare publicly what they will do.

At his side, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland added the agreement includes standards in certain areas, such as COVID-19 testing, in exchange for the federal money.

Trudeau said workers cant work if their children dont have safe care, and many cant get to their jobs if they dont have access to safe transit systems.

Until we find a vaccine, the daily threat of COVID-19 will not disappear, he said.

Municipal governments, which deliver many of those services, have been begging for aid for months, warning their finances are careening toward brick walls. Many city revenue streams dried up during the pandemic, as recreational centres and programs closed, and transit riders stopped using buses and trains.

Toronto has reported that its facing a $1.35-billion deficit this year. Mayor John Tory said the federal money will help, though how much depends on how the Ontario government allocates it. Transit in Toronto and its suburbs is critical and the systems finances have been devastated by the pandemic, he said.

Montreal says it has a $500-million shortfall. Halifax expects to be short $85.4 million.

If cities arent equipped for a safe restart, people will not be safe, Trudeau said.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities said its encouraged but wants to see the fine print.

Were optimistic this agreement will recognize the financial crisis municipalities face in this pandemic, said the federations president Bill Karsten, a Halifax councillor. That means emergency funding thats clearly identified and gets to municipal front lines fastso we can keep vital services going strong and prepare to drive Canadas economic recovery.

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said in a statement that he welcomes a deal that will bring his province more than $250 million.

Provinces have borne the full impact of COVID-19 and individuals and businesses across Nova Scotia will feel the impact for months to come, he said. This funding will help to address those challenges.

He said the funding will help with:

Testing, contact tracing and data management

Health care, including mental health and addictions

Aiding vulnerable populations, including in nursing homes

Personal protective equipment

Early learning and child care

Municipal budgets, including public transit

Paid sick leave

Missing from the list is public education, which is administered by the provinces. Many provinces are struggling with how to reopen schools safely in the fall, and many parents wont be able to go back to work fully if children arent physically in class.
Uttar Pradesh government has refuted the allegations that Kanpur gangster Vikas Dubey and five of his associates were killed in staged encounters in its detailed reply submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday.

UP police maintained that Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter when he opened fire at the special task force team which was pursuing him when he attempted to escape while being taken to Kanpur from Ujjain.

In its affidavit filed before Supreme Court on Friday, the Uttar Pradesh government said that the vehicle in which Dubey was being brought to Kanpur overturned when it tried to avoid hitting a herd of cattle which was crossing the road.

All the four police persons in the vehicle got seriously injured and lost consciousness. Accused Vikas Dubey snatched a pistol from Inspector Rama Kant Pichauri and escaped through the backdoor of the police SUV, the affidavit said.

The STF team reached the spot and a team led by DySP TB Singh pursued Dubey. Dubey then fired indiscriminately at STF.

In defence, the STF fired six shots at Vikas Dubey. Three shots hit him. He was then rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead, the affidavit said.

Also Read: Who should we reward for catching Vikas Dubey? UP Police ask MP Police

The Supreme Court had indicated on Tuesday that a judicial probe could be ordered into the killings while it asked the Uttar Pradesh government to submit its response to a bunch of petitions demanding an independent investigation into the matter.

The polices claim has been contested widely, with experts alleging that their version was unconvincing. Politicians, former police officers, and rights groups have demanded a probe in Dubeys killing and also of five others linked to Dubey, who were killed between July 3 and July 9.

The Supreme Court had also set up a judicial probe in the Telangana encounter case earlier this year and it said on Tuesday that a similar approach could be undertaken in this case. It even asked the petitioners to suggest the composition of the judicial inquiry committee to probe the encounters.

However, the three judge bench headed by the chief justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde had ruled out monitoring of the probe.

The matter was posted for hearing on Monday, by when the UP government has been asked to file a status report in the case.

The SC bench is hearing three petitions including one by Ghanshyam Upadhyay, a lawyer, who had filed a petition before Dubey was killed fearing he will be eliminated like his accomplices.

Anoop Prakash Awasthi, another petitioner, has sought a probe into the alleged police-politician-gangster nexus behind Dubey and his gang members killings. He has alleged the state police consider themselves to be above the law and hence their excesses in this case should be subject to a court-monitored probe either by central agencies or a panel headed by a retired judge.

Dubey and his men were hunted down within a span of seven days in an intense operation by Uttar Pradesh special task force after eight policemen, including DSP Devendra Mishra, were killed in an ambush laid out allegedly by Dubey and his men in Bikru village of Kanpur. The police team had gone there to arrest Dubey in another case, when they were trapped and killed by a hail of bullets fired by the gangsters men. Some of the policemens bodies were even mutilated after they died.

The STF nabbed Dubey in Ujjain, where he was spotted by locals at the famous Mahakal temple. He had reached there after giving police the slip in Haryanas Faridabad. Police claim he snatched the revolver of a police officer before fleeing after the road accident in Kanpur on July 10. They claim that when cops tried to catch him alive, he opened fire at them, forcing retaliatory fire from the cops, in which he received fatal injuries.

The opposition has alleged that Dubey was killed to cover up a gangster-police-politician nexus in Uttar Pradesh.

Dubey and five alleged members of his gang have so far been gunned down in separate encounters in Kanpur, Hamirpur and Etawah.
Atomic Blonde is an American action thriller film based on the graphic novel The Coldest City, which revolves around an undercover MI6 agent is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents. The film is directed by David Leitch and it is written by Kurt Johnstad. The cast includes Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella, and Toby Jones. You can now watch this action thriller on partner platforms of Lionsgate Play  JioFiber, Vodafone Play, Airtel Xstream, Idea Movies&TV from Friday, 17th July 2020.

In November 1989, just days prior to the breakdown of the Berlin Wall, MI6 agent James Gascoigne is shot and killed by KGB agent Yuri Bakhtin, who steals The List, a microfilm document concealed in Gascoigne's wristwatch that contains the names of every intelligence agent (on both sides) active in Berlin. Ten days later, Lorraine Broughton, a top-level MI6 spy, is brought in to be debriefed by MI6 executive Eric Gray and CIA agent Emmett Kurzfeld about her just-finished mission to Berlin. The plot jumps between the debrief room and flashbacks to Lorraine's time in Berlin. Watch this film to know what happens next!

Atomic Blonde grossed $100 million worldwide and received positive reviews from critics, who praised its action sequences, Charlize Theron's and McAvoy's performances. The soundtrack of the film also gained a lot of positive reviews.
Connecterra, an Amsterdam, Netherlands-based predictive analytics and livestock monitoring software company, raised USD 7.8m in Series B funding.

Backers included ADM Capital Europe, via its Cibus Enterprise Fund, Kersia and impact fund Pymwymic.

The company intends to use the funds to expand into new markets.

Connecterra has developed a solution that it has named IDA (Intelligent Dairy Assistant), which can provide farmers with the early detection of health issues and fertility predictive analytics. IDA gives farmers the power to be proactive in preventing diseases and monitor their livestock with real time data through the use of sensors, cloud computing, integrated data sources, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning.

FinSMEs

17/07/2020
(Photo : Mika Baumeister/Unsplash) Hackers Targeting Coronavirus Vaccines in the UK Revealed Their Identities (Photo : AAP Image/University of Queensland Pool, Glenn Hunt via REUTERS) A health professional prepares a needle during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine development announcement, made by the University of Queensland, in Brisbane, Australia, July 13, 2020.

The United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada have accused Russian hackers of stealing COVID-19 vaccine information from different laboratories.

According to a Sun report, the Cozy Bear, also known as the Advanced Persistent Threat 29 (APT-29), is one of the two groups that cyberspies have linked to the Russian intelligence services. According to the publication's source said that Russia was "terrified of being left behind" in the COVID-19 vaccine race.

A joint probe between the U.S. and Canada has exposed targeted attacks against top British experts on coronavirus since March. Thus, the U.S., United Kingdom, and Canada warned the world to tighten their security against Russian attacks.

However, the Kremlin denied its involvement in the recent cyberattack neither any connection to the hacking group.

"We do not have information about who may have hacked into pharmaceutical companies and research centers in Great Britain," said Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin.

Yet, the hackers gave out their identity when they stopped working during Russian public holidays. Similarly, authorities monitoring the hackers' activities noticed that a certain malware used by the group was only active during office hours in Saint Petersburg and Moscow.

Who is Cozy Bear?

The First Post reported that APT29 is a group of low-profile hackers who are focused on gathering intelligence data. However, cybersecurity agencies from the UK and US said that the group combined malware and known vulnerabilities in security to access COVID-19 vaccine research servers earlier this month.

According to American cyber-security firm Crowdstrike, Cozy Bear first made news in 2014. It sends out thousands of phishing emails to a broad set of targets, unlike other intelligence hackers.

The group has been described as tactically aggressive to change its methods and tools to suit its target without being caught by antivirus and security tools.

How does the Cozy Bear operate?

National Cyber Security Centre has thrown highly-secured protection on U.K.'s vaccination projects to avoid stealing attempts.

Oxford University and Imperial University London scientists are at the forefront of British research projects to create a vaccine to prevent thousands more from dying of coronavirus.

NCSC Director of Operations Paul Chichester condemned the recent attacks against scientists who are working on combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chichester also said the NCSC has been working with its allies to protect "our most critical assets" as their focus is protecting the health sector.

"We would urge organizations to familiarise themselves with the advice we have published to help defend their networks," Chichester added.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Thursday, July 16, that the recent attacks are "completely unacceptable" as Russian Intelligence Services targets those working on ending the pandemic. He also said that the British government and its allies are working on creating a vaccine and protecting global health "while others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behavior."

"The UK will continue to counter those conducting such cyber-attacks, and work with our allies to hold perpetrators to account," added Raab.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's official spokesman said commented that these attacks are despicable. However, they will be working out with their allies to "call out those who seek to do us harm in cyberspace and hold them accountable."

Read also: Europe's Top Court Rejects EU-US Data-Sharing Agreement to Protect Privacy of User's Data

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In the early years of the 20th century, tuberculosis ravaged American cities, taking a particular and often fatal toll on the poor and the young. In 1907, two Rhode Island doctors, Mary Packard and Ellen Stone, had an idea for mitigating transmission among children. Following education trends in Germany, they proposed the creation of an open-air schoolroom. Within a matter of months, the floor of an empty brick building in Providence was converted into a space with ceiling-height windows on every side, kept open at nearly all times.

The subsequent New England winter was especially unforgiving, but children stayed warm in wearable blankets known as Eskimo sitting bags and with heated soapstones placed at their feet. The experiment was a success by nearly every measure  none of the children got sick. Within two years there were 65 open-air schools around the country either set up along the lines of the Providence model or simply held outside. In New York, the private school Horace Mann conducted classes on the roof; another school in the city took shape on an abandoned ferry.
TOM BRENNER/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesBy CONOR FINNEGAN, ABC NEWS



(WASHINGTON) -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo unveiled a new report on "unalienable rights" Thursday, defining human rights in a narrow scope and condemning what he called an "assault" on "tradition" by recent U.S. protesters and the media.



In a speech at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, the nation's top diplomat presented the findings of his Commission on Unalienable Rights, which he convened last year to define human rights and how they should be promoted in U.S. foreign policy.



But he took the occasion to wade deep into America's culture wars, denouncing "rioters pulling down statues [who] see nothing wrong with desecrating monuments to those who fought for our unalienable rights" and disparaging the New York Times's 1619 project on the history of slavery in the U.S. as "Marxist ideology" that makes the Chinese Communist Party "gleeful."



Pompeo's commission has been controversial since its start, facing a lawsuit from a group of human rights organizations, opposition from a bipartisan group of former assistant secretaries of state for human rights, and an investigation from House Democrats.



Alarmed by its founding charter and original members, critics have expressed concern it would set forth a more limited definition of rights that could exclude protections for minorities, like LGBTQ persons.



"Without major changes to promote and protect the full realization of human rights for vulnerable communities, including women, girls, and LGBTQ persons, this report will serve as a stain on America's moral fabric and a wrecking ball to America's global leadership," said Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a vocal critic of Pompeo.



Pompeo didn't address those issues directly, but he condemned the "proliferation of rights" and argued that the rights to property and religious freedom should be "foremost."



Other "positive rights granted by governments, courts and multilateral bodies" may be "worth defending," he added, but shouldn't necessarily be promoted overseas, particularly if a "new rights claim" doesn't "represent a clear consensus across different traditions and cultures."



Critics took that as an implicit argument against U.S. efforts to decriminalize homosexuality, for example, or promote equal opportunities for women or minorities.



"The administration is seeking to create a hierarchy of rights, where it gets to decide which rights are 'unalienable' and which rights are what it calls in the report 'divisive social and political controversies,' a category which predictably includes sexual and reproductive rights and LGBTI rights," Tarah Demant of Amnesty International said in a statement to ABC News.



Rori Kramer, who served as a senior human rights official under President Barack Obama, said that idea "could have been written in Beijing" because it also could allow governments "to interpret human rights in accordance with its 'national traditions'," creating "an excuse to restrict civil liberties."



Pompeo was introduced by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, and Mary Ann Glendon, a Harvard professor who led the commission and warned that "some powerful countries are now openly challenging the basic premises of the great post-World War II human rights project."



Shots at the Chinese government like that were one of the implicit points of Thursday's events. Pompeo warned that foreign counterparts had manipulated the meaning of "rights" to a laughable point, while global bodies like the United Nations Rights Council or the International Criminal Court had "largely abandoned unalienable rights" and were "failing us."



In his speech, at times sharply political, Pompeo defended America's human rights record, acknowledging that Native Americans were forced from their land and Black people were enslaved.



But he argued the U.S. "political framework gave us the tools to ultimately abolish slavery and enshrine in law equality without regard to race. You don't always hear these ground truths today, nor do you hear about the greatest strides our nation has made to realize the promise of our founding and a more perfect union."



"Instead of seeking to improve America, too many leading voices promulgate hatred of our founding principles," he added.



But as protests across the country seek to do just that -- reckon with where issues of equality stand today and find paths to progress -- Pompeo seemed dismissive of any criticism.



"We must and do serve as an exemplar at home as well, and I challenge anyone in the world to best our robust democracy, our vigorous debates, our constant striving to be better," he said.



Specifically, Pompeo attacked the Times's 1619 project for wanting "you to believe that our country was founded for human bondage. They want you to believe America's institutions continue to reflect the country's acceptance of slavery at our founding. They want you to believe that Marxist ideology that America is only the oppressors and the oppressed. The Chinese Communist Party must be gleeful when they see The New York Times spout this ideology."



He continued: "Some people have taken these false doctrines to heart. The rioters pulling down statues thus see nothing wrong with desecrating monuments to those who fought for our unalienable rights, from our founding to the present day."



Some protests across the U.S. have resulted in the removal of monuments to Confederate leaders, who seceded from the union and fought to keep Black people enslaved, while a handful have also targeted figures like the Founding Fathers, some of whom owned slaves.



"This is a dark vision of America's birth. I reject it. It's a disturbed reading of history. It is a slander on our great people," Pompeo said.



It's unclear where the Commission's report will go next. Pompeo cast it as a now-fundamental document for the agency's Foreign Service officers around the world, but it doesn't include specific policy recommendations, just guiding principles on how "unalienable rights" should inform U.S. foreign policy.



In many ways, Pompeo has been doing that since the beginning of his tenure -- opposing even passing references to "sexual rights" in U.N. documents; expanding the so-called "Mexico City policy" by blocking U.S. funds for any aid group that works with anyone who promotes abortion; at times pulling punches publicly on the human rights records of U.S. partners like Saudi Arabia or Egypt; and stopping embassies from flying LGBTI pride flags or promoting the Black Lives Matter movement, according to Bloomberg News.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
One of the many pleasures of Marina Endicotts exhilarating new novel, THE VOYAGE OF THE MORNING LIGHT (Norton, 400 pp., paper, $15.95), is its celebration of life on the open sea. From the very first pages, when the barque Morning Light sets sail from Nova Scotia in 1911, Endicotts heroine knows shes in a new world. In the rush of the elements, in the star-jangling wind of the night and the full moon shining ahead, 12-year-old Kay Ward finds both unexpected beauty and an equally unexpected release from memories of experiences no child should have to endure.

Kay wasnt meant to be on the voyage, which doubles as a honeymoon for her half sister, Thea, whose new husband, Francis, will take charge of this sleek vessel as it hauls cargo down the Atlantic coast, then across to Africa and on to Asia. But many deaths back in Alberta at the Indian school led by her preacher father have left Kay with nightmares only gentle Thea seems able to soothe. So off they go, a makeshift family that will be expanded (temporarily) to include a scholarly missionary bound for an outpost in Tonga and (more or less permanently) a young boy Thea rescues from some starving South Pacific islanders in exchange for a few tins of tobacco.

Kays gradual awareness of what she can and cant escape works in deft counterpoint with the wider-world encounters of the dark-skinned child she calls Aren, considered by Thea and Francis to be their adopted son. But how will this arrangement play back in Canada, if Aren even makes it that far? The second half of the novel picks up the action a decade later, when the Great War has destroyed the last remnants of the great age of sail, as it has so many other things. There are new troubles on the horizon, but the sea, with its invigorating attraction, remains.
A day after actor Sushant Singh Rajputs friend-actor Rhea Chakraborty demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into his suicide, state home minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday said there was no need for a probe by any central agency as the Mumbai Polices investigation is going in the right direction and no foul play was found.

Deshmukh said the police are also investigating the angle of professional rivalry.

Chakraborty had on Thursday posted a tweet tagging Union home minister Amit Shah, requesting him for a CBI probe in the case.

Respected @AmitShah sir, Im Sushant Singh Rajputs girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty. It is now over a month since his sudden demise. I have complete faith in the government, however, in the interest of justice, I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry, she tweeted.

Reacting to the tweet, Deshmukh on Friday said, Mumbai Police are capable of conducting the probe and are doing it in the right way. They are probing every possible angle related to the case and have not come across any foul play. All details will be shared once the probe is completed.

After Rajputs death, Deshmukh had tweeted that the police were investigating the alleged cause of clinical depression owing to the professional rivalry behind the death.

While the post-mortem report says actor @itsSSR committed suicide by hanging himself, there are media reports that he allegedly suffered from clinical depression because of professional rivalry. @MumbaiPolice will probe this angle too, Deshmukh tweeted on June 15, a day after Rajput, 34, was found dead in his apartment in Bandra.

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Dearbhla Byrne from Celbridge is raising funds for Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland by undertaking a 100km cycle in August.

Dearbhla (19) who lost her dad to suicide, decided to tell her personal story to put faces to the statistics behind suicide in Ireland and she hope that the funds raised will help other families in this terrible position.

Dearbhla and her friend Aoife Byrne - who lost her brother and boyfriend to suicide - have already raised over 8,000.

Dearbhla said: "On the 24th of January 2018, my Dad took his own life.

"Like most teenagers, I had a complicated relationship with my dad. He was passionate, determined, stubborn, kind, clever, honest, but most of all loving and proud of the life he had built.

"When he died, not only did I lose the father I had, but I also lost the possibility of having a better relationship with him.

"I always believed that we would grow closer as I grew up.

"And there are certain things I just assumed he'd be there to do, like giving me driving lessons or walk me down the aisle.

"Unfortunately, my Dad is one of many who lost their battle with mental health."

Dearbhla said that 352 suicides were recorded in Ireland in 2018 and that has a profound impact on the lives of family members and friends.

Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/youth-suicide-prevention-ireland-100km-cycle
CALGARY, AB and SAN ANTONIO, TX / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / Nexera Energy Inc. (TSXV:NGY)(OTC PINK:EMBYF) (the "Company" or "Nexera") is pleased to announce that the Company, in partnership with API Horizon Joint Venture ("Horizon JV") of Dallas, Texas, has leased the mineral rights to two tracts of land in Wilson County, Texas. The new lease adds approximately 100 acres to the Company's Stockdale Horizon prospect, and secures the necessary acreage for the partnership to move forward with plans to drill a 5000' deep horizontal test well in the Austin Chalk formation.

Horizon JV will pay 100% of the land acquisition, drilling, and completion costs to earn a 75% working interest in the well. Nexera will retain a 25% working interest in the well at no cost to the Company.

About Nexera Energy Inc.

Nexera Energy Inc. (TSXV:NGY) is an energy company with oil producing properties in Southwest Texas. Nexera is owner and operator of the Lavernia, Wooden Horse and Nash Creek Projects. Additionally, the Company owns and operates various working interests in the HugoCellR, Cotulla, and MarPat partnerships. The Company also owns 75% of Production Resources Inc., a South Texas oil company.

For further information, please contact:

Nexera Energy Inc. President, Shelby D. Beattie, by telephone at (403) 262-6000

Email: info@ebyinc.com

www.nexeraenergy.com

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.

SOURCE: Nexera Energy Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597801/Nexera-Energy-Reports-Land-Acquisition-at-Stockdale-Horizon-Prospect
The family of a Black man who was brutally killed in 1983 say that the racism that allowed 34 years to pass before two men were convicted for his killing still exists today, and that they relate to the families of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, who were killed this year.

Heather and Tyrone Coggins are the niece and brother of Timothy Coggins, who was murdered on Oct. 9, 1983. His sister last saw him dancing at a club outside of Griffin, Georgia. He was found in Sunnyside, Georgia, with multiple stab wounds and tortured, with an "x" cut across his chest  his body having been chained to the back of a vehicle and dragged, according to authorities.

The Coggins family also experienced another tragic death in 2001, when Tim Coggins brother, Eugene Coggins, died while in police custody.

When Heather Coggins heard about Arbery and Floyds cases earlier this year, she said the family immediately identified with both because we lived both cases.

Weve lived the case with Ahmaud with Tim. Weve lived the case with George Floyd with my Uncle Eugene, she told ABC News Deborah Roberts. We experienced this. In one family, we have experienced both of these cases directly.

PHOTO: Timothy Coggins is shown in a photo that was posted to the Facebook page of the Spalding County Sheriff's Office. (Spalding County Sheriff's Office)

Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was shot dead Feb. 23 while jogging in Glynn County, Georgia. Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, both white men, assumed Arbery was the person who had committed several break-ins in their neighborhood. In video footage taken by a third white man, William Bryan, the McMichaels can be seen ambushing Arbery, with Travis McMichael shooting and killing him. The video was leaked online months after the incident.

Floyd died on May 25 in Minneapolis after police officers pinned him to the ground -- one of whom had their knee pressed onto his neck for over seven minutes as he said repeatedly, I cant breathe. His death, caught on video, triggered global protests against police brutality and racial inequality.

MORE: How the racially-motivated cold case murder of young Black man was finally solved decades later

Story continues

Heather Coggins said her family is praying for these families who lost their loved one.

We hope that you get justice, and I know that there are gonna be a lot of dark days, Heather Coggins said. I would ask if you are a family of faith, to lean on your faith and lean on one another because youre gonna need it to get through this.

PHOTO: Heather Coggins is the niece of Timothy Coggins, who was killed in a racially motivated attack in 1983. It would be over three decades before his case was solved. (ABC News)

For over 30 years, Heather Coggins said her grandparents led the extremely tight-knit family in pushing forward.

We all adopted that same notion, she said, despite the death of her uncle hanging over us.

A re-examination of the Coggins case in 2016 would lead to it being finally solved. That year, special agent Jared Coleman with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation had been assigned to give the cold case a fresh look and alerted the then-newly elected Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix of possible new leads.

In 2017, Frank Gebhardt and William Bill Moore, Sr. were charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and concealing the death of another in the Coggins case.

Gebhardt was convicted of these charges in 2018 and sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years. That same year, Moore struck a plea deal, pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and concealing the death of another. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison plus 10 years probation.

Heather Coggins said that despite waiting decades for justice in her uncles death, her family was thankful that it happened, and said they received some closure because of it.

PHOTO: Heather and Tyrone Coggins are the niece and brother of Timothy Coggins, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack in 1983. They spoke about how their story relates to Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, who were killed this year. (ABC News)

We dont have to guess anymore what happened to Tim.  Now, we know that there are two people who will probably spend the rest of their days in confinement for what they have done, she said.

Tyrone Coggins said that in the years following his brothers deaths he lived in fear, wondering if something would happen to him next.

You gotta think, youre talking about 34 years went by and you dont know who the killer is, right, he said.

PHOTO: Tyrone Coggins was only a teenager when his brother, Timothy Coggins, was brutally murdered in 1983. He described his brother as someone who 'loved everybody.' (ABC News)

After the men were sentenced, Tyrone Coggins said he was glad justice had been served.

It was a long time coming. I just wish my mom and my dad was here to see it  just to get some closure with Tim, he said.

After Coggins' murder, the Spalding County Sheriffs Office and GBI gathered evidence and conducted interviews about Tim Coggins death but the case went cold.

When Dix began looking into the case, he found a diary from the early '80s belonging to a former sheriffs deputy that indicated the Ku Klux Klan might have infiltrated the police departments. An entry from May 20, 1982 said that one of the local KKK leaders boasted about having a number of good Klan in the police and sheriff's departments."

MORE: 5 arrested in 1983 'racially motivated' murder of 23-year-old black man in Georgia

Heather and Tyrone Coggins said that Griffin has become a lot better with regard to racism over the years, but they both said theres still a long way to go.

We have to first identify that it exists, she said. And then we have to collectively, as a nation, as a community, as a world, try to solve it. Try to get rid of the racist ideas and the people that are racist.

There is still a long way to go when it comes to race relations, when it comes to identifying with people that look like you in high positions, she said, noting that her family would not have been able to bring Tim Coggins case to justice on their own. It had to take someone with a little bit more power and a little bit more pull in order to get someone to listen, and that shouldnt be when there was an injustice done.

PHOTO: Timothy Coggins lived in Griffin, Georgia. He was brutally killed in a racially motivated attack in 1983, but his case wasn't solved until 34 years later (ABC News)

She also said we wouldnt be having this conversation about Tim and Eugene Coggins if there had been video recordings of their deaths -- both of which existed for Arbery and Floyds, and which have contributed to charges being brought against those involved.

Nearly four months after Arberys death, the three men involved in his death were charged with nine counts each, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal contempt to commit a felony. All three have pleaded not guilty.

All four officers involved in Floyds death were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee into Floyds neck, was charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter, while the other three officers were charged with second-degree aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter. None of the former officers have yet entered a plea. But court documents show one of the former officers, J. Alexander Kueng, intends to plead not guilty and will argue self-defense.

MORE: Their painful bond: Black mothers speak out together on their unimaginable loss

To the families of Arbery and Floyd, the Cogginses offered a message of strength and perseverance.

You just cant ever give up, Tyrone Coggins said. You got to always stay for  some justice. Even though it can be some dark days in front of you, you just gotta keep pushing through it.

Agreeing with her uncle, Heather Coggins said, Dont give up.

ABC News Taigi Smith and Katie Muldowney contributed to this report.

Niece of Black man whose murder took 34 years to solve says 'don't give up' to Arbery, Floyd families originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Pioneering elderly care

By:Wu Jiaqi | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-07-17 15:32

As the aging population in China becomes of greater concern, the problem of how to provide for these elderly citizens becomes more imminent than ever. However, an elderly service center in Jiading, Shanghai, might have found the answer.





For the past three years, only three elderly people were in the care of said center, but now, its crowded almost every day from opening to closing. Their secret was changing the system under which the center operated, creating a community based, demand oriented, all-round service center devoted to the well-being of elderly citizens. The new center attracted pensioners who were once reluctant to socialize to become regulars with services that the old system could have never achieved. There were 4 key changes made:

1.Personalization: The center now offers different services for different types of citizens. For example, the center might create a more social-based schedule for elderly people who are fit and healthy while providing more physical care to those who are less able. They have also established a profile for all the elderly people there, recording any physiological anomalies, making sure they will be able to get the most apt treatment for them as necessary.

2.Services: the center now provides largely two types of services for all. Physical including health checkups as well as barbering, foot massages, and spa  and social serviceswhich includes hosting gatherings on important holidays, as well as daily sessions where elderly people can play board games and watch programs together.

3.Self-sustainability: many elderly people who actively receive the services also become volunteers. They start their own WeChat groups and schedule shifts at the center and help out by doing what they each do best. The volunteers often cook, bake, or make artifacts to decorate the center, making the center a more familial and lovable place for everyone.

4.Compassion: The staff at the service center are extremely responsible, often taking their obligations to the next level. They help settle neighborhood or family disputes, as well as frequently telephone those elderly people who cant make it to the center. A recent example is the amount of care these staff have shown in the covid-19 pandemic, constantly checking up on the elderly people, and delivering supplies and appliances when needed.

Taking care of the elderly is a moral duty we all should embrace. This service center in Jiading has proven to us the possibility of greatly enhancing such care, and paved the way to a better solution for population aging - atrue role model for all centers to work towards.
Iran experienced its highest-ever record of coronavirus-related deaths in just one day earlier this month, bringing the official number of reported deaths since late February to more than 13,000. These deaths follow a widely reported second peak of confirmed coronavirus infections from early June. Despite this trend, as well as Irans status as a regional hub for the virus, the Islamic Republic has not used the pandemic as an opportunity to moderate its behavior or improve the function of government at home.

Its tempting to see the Islamic Republics response to COVID-19 as mere incompetence, perhaps best exemplified through various city-wide lockdowns that were short-lived. But this ignores the strongly opportunistic and ideological streak in many Iranian officials who are pressing ahead with their longstanding revolutionary, Islamist, and authoritarian agendas, all of which puts the regimes interest ahead of the national interest.

Nowhere is this clearer than the Islamic Republics treatment of its own citizens. As reported in June, Iranian police have been increasing their crackdown on citizens posting pictures on social media in violation of Islamic social mores and the countrys mandatory hijab, or headscarf, policy. Later that month, hardliner lawmakers in parliament entertained the idea of enacting a nationwide ban on Instagram. Between a quarter to over one-half of the population uses Instagram, which is not blocked like Facebook, Twitter, or Telegram. With Iranians spending longer hours at home (and assumedly more time online) due to the pandemic, their limited privacy and freedom is again coming under attack.

Spurning U.S. offers of humanitarian assistance, earlier this year Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insinuated that Washington was behind the virus



The extent of the crackdown, however, far surpasses aggressively policing social media and making arrests. The employment of lethal force to settle political scores is also occurring. Just days ago, Human Rights Watch reported that Iranian courts upheld a death penalty order for three protestors who partook in demonstrations in 2019. The case has prompted massive social recoil online, but the Iranian judiciary has not formally repealed the sentence to date. To make matters worse, all three men were reportedly tortured while in custody. And in April, lethal force was used against protestors in prison who were rioting against the potential spread of Coronavirus in jails. According to Amnesty International, 35 prisoners were killed. Media outlets like Radio Farda have documented the concerns of Iranian prisoners who fear they and their cellmates have been exposed to the virus. Tehran has largely ignored their fears.

Instead, the Islamic Republic has opted to use this time to promote a dangerous troika of conspiracy theories, disinformation, and pseudoscience. Spurning U.S. offers of humanitarian assistance, earlier this year Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insinuated that Washington was behind the virus and that the U.S. is led by charlatans and liars. Other Iranian officials have said their country is ready and willing to offer Americans its own assistance. Khameneis explanation for the growth of the virus in the West? A failure of the western social philosophy, one of his favorite talking points. Such thinking helps to explain the rejection of help from the internationally renowned Doctors Without Borders, as well as the decision to tout potential Russo-Iranian cooperation against the coronavirus.

Other predictable talking points from the Iranian elite include the allegation that the virus may have been an American biological weapon, a point made by Hossein Salami, the commander of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

One casualty of such thinking is that pseudoscience is set to be institutionalized in higher education in Iran. The regime is mandating that university-level medical students take classes in what Tehran calls Islamic medicine or traditional medicine. Earlier this year, proponents of such medicine endorsed grossly unscientific remedies to deal with the coronavirus. These reportedly ranged from drinking camel urine to even placing a violet oil-soaked cotton-ball into the anus at night.

Iran has been hesitant to go into a full nationwide lockdown, hoping to continue its strategy of promoting regional and non-oil trade to outlast the Trump administrations maximum pressure policy

Similarly, Irans Basij paramilitary, an arm of the IRGC, has developed a so-called coronavirus scanner. According to reports, the machine could allegedly detect the virus within 100 meters during a five-second scan. The claim, as well as the haphazard machine itself, faced significant pushback from within the scientific community in Iran.

In this context Iranian authorities have focused on the coronavirus almost exclusively through the lens of regime security. As first noted by scholars of Iranian security policy, several months ago, Tehran created a new base dubbed the Imam Hassan Headquarters to oversee and coordinate state responses to those afflicted by COVID-19. By placing the IRGC  which is well versed in domestic suppression  at the commanding heights of Irans COVID-19 management, Tehran is signaling that it is prepared to use these forces to crush any potential protests related to the regimes handling of the coronavirus that arent bought-off through the headquarters various charitable activities. It is also seeking to promote sympathy and support for the IRGC inside Iran, calling those IRGC members who have died from the virus martyrs.

Still, some protests have continued, albeit in more localized pockets and on a smaller scale. The lingering grievances, coupled with the regimes botched response to the disease, are causing some politicians to raise the specter of wider protests in the near future. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani claimed in April that a full lockdown would hurt the economy and bring the hungry into the streets.

Thus, Iran has been hesitant to go into a full nationwide lockdown, hoping to continue its strategy of promoting regional and non-oil trade to outlast the Trump administrations maximum pressure policy. Even prior to the onset of COVID-19, Irans economy was already reeling. The pandemic thus served as an accelerant to both foreign and domestic sources of pressure on the countrys economy. That is why Rouhani, when facing new data in July, again linked the policy option of a lock-down to producing more protests. Even members of Rouhanis own government, such as the minister of health, are warning about an economically driven revolt led by lower-income Iranians.

This reality offers the Trump administration an opportunity to press its message about the incongruence between the actions of the Iranian government and the demands and needs of the Iranian people. In its messaging toward the Iranian people, Washington should highlight more than just Irans botched response to the coronavirus. By underscoring Irans conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, and domestic repression, it should show how even during a pandemic, the Islamic Republic has failed to put, for lack of a better phrase, Iran first.

The opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily the views of Radio Farda
A woman who was shot nine times by her ex-husband before he killed their two children and turned the gun on himself in a shocking murder-suicide had her scars removed in an emotional new Netflix makeover show.

Katrina, from the US, explained how she was shot in her head, arms, legs and torso by her ex-husband in the attack in her home, leaving her with scars covering her body. She awoke in hospital to discover that he had murdered their two children while she lay on the floor, before taking his own life in front of her.

Appearing on the first episode of Netflix's Skin Decision: Before And After, which launched on Wednesday, Katrina asked for help lessening the appearance of her scars and wanted a tattoo of her husband's name removed. She said she did not want the physical reminder of the horror she had endured.

Following corrective surgery, including a tummy tuck and laser resurfacing to remove layers of skin, Katrina revealed she feels 'fixed' and is now actively trying to get pregnant with a new long-term partner.

Twitter users were left in tears after watching the new eight-part series and took to their social media accounts to praise Katrina for her 'inspiring' courage.

Katrina (pictured), who was shot nine times by her ex-husband before he took their children's lives and his own, say she feels 'human' again after having her scars removed on a new makeover series

In the first episode of Netflix's Skin Decision: Before And After, which launched in the UK on Wednesday, Katrina (pictured left, before her transformation, and right, after), from the US, asks plastic surgeon Dr Sheila Nazarian and beauty expert Nurse Jamie to help with her appearance

Speaking on the show, Katrina revealed: 'On March 23rd, 2017, I was shot nine times. I was shot in my face, I was shot on every limb of my body, except for my right leg.'

Recalling the traumatic ordeal, she said: 'I came home from work just as I normally do, and my ex-husband had a gun in his hand.

'I heard a bang. And my husband walked upstairs and continued to shoot [at me]. He noticed me crawling toward the door and took his own life in front of me.'

Katrina later woke up in hospital and discovered that her former husband had also killed their two children.

'My tragedy was the lowest point of my life. It changed my life in many ways,' she explained. 'I'm remember waking up in hospital.

Katrina (pictured left, before her transformation, and right, after) admits that she no longer wants to be a physical manifestation of her trauma, with multiple scars covering part of her arms, legs, torso and stomach following the incident in 2017

Following the corrective surgery - which included a tummy tuck and laser resurfacing (to remove outside layers of the skin) - Katrina (above) insists she feels 'fixed' and is now actively trying to get pregnant with a new long-term partner

Reaction: Twitter users were left in tears after watching the new eight-part series and took to their social media accounts to praise Katrina for her 'inspiring' courage

'I found out that when my ex-husband stopped shooting me, he took the lives of our children. I didn't find out my children were dead until four or five days after I woke up. I had to plan my children's funeral from a hospital bed.'

The grieving mother added: 'When I look at these scars, that's what I think of. I think of lies, betrayal, and hurt. Every day is a reminder of my children that aren't alive anymore.'

Revealing that she no longer wants to have to tell her story after people notice her gun-shot markings, Katrina explained to the show's cosmetic experts, plastic surgeon Dr Sheila Nazarian and beauty expert Nurse Jamie, that she wanted her scars removed.

Renowned skincare expert Jamie used micro-needling (which is the insertion of very fine short needles into the skin for the purposes of rejuvenation) and laser resurfacing to help heal Katrina.

A bullet hole in Katrina's side, pictured left, from when she was shot by her ex-husband before he took his own life. Pictured right: Katrina's side after surgery

Meanwhile, Dr Nazarian removed 2.2 pounds of skin from Katrina's stomach with a Fleur-De-Lis tummy tuck, which uses two incisions to provide horizontal and vertical skin tightening.

The tattoo of her husband's name is also lazered off - leaving Katrina feeling 'human' once again.

'I don't see [my ex-husband] anymore,' Katrina said at the transformation reveal. 'I see me, I smile at me.

'I felt deformed before my surgery and now I feel human. I've been covering myself for so long and I don't have to anymore.'

Katrina was also looking to remove the tattoo of her ex-husbands name, seen left. Pictured right: Her arm after her laser removal procedure

She then joked: 'I feel like I'm about to tell y'all the weather. It's smoking hot in here. I can tell y'all that'

Katrina's journey left Twitter users in tears, with one person writing: 'The first 10 minutes of Skin Decision on Netflix has me balling... no one should have to go through that... NO ONE!'

Another added: 'Katrina on Netflix 's Skin Decision. So happy she was given something she felt she needed to heal. Her story left me speechless.

A third said: 'My plastic surgeon has a new show on Netflix now (Skin Decision), Ive been watching for like 10 minutes and Im already crying.'
Northern California Live Updates Week of July 13

This page covers general news updates weekly, in addition to the coverage of the CCP virus* outbreak in Northern California.

For more news related to the CCP virus, see The Epoch Times special coverage of the CCP virus outbreak.

Click here to see all the latest cases by county.

Click here to see archived updates and here for the previous updates on the early CCP virus situation.

Have any tips? Get in touch with us at sfbay@epochtimes.com

July 17

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced new guidelines for distance learningscience will determine when a school can be physically openand when it must close. But learning must be non-negotiable, he tweeted.

Berkeley Council votes to make a series of changes to public safety. One way is to create the Berkeley Department of Transportation (BerkDOT) to handle traffic enforcement in place of police.

Sacramento Kings announced their partnership with Sacramento County to transform the Golden 1 Center into a voting center for the November general election.

July 16

Berkeley announces a blood drive scheduled on Aug. 4.

The City of Santa Claras Annual Cleanup Campaign has been rescheduled for Aug. 10-Sept. 4.

The City of Millbrae requests for public input to help shape The Plan Bay Area 2050 Blueprint.

Sunnyvale prepares for district elections on Nov. 3.

Yolo County announces a COVID-19 outbreak at Woodland Residential Services, a facility that serves vulnerable and high risk resident. There are 10 confirmed cases (6 residents and 4 staff) and 1 resident death.

July 15

The City of San Mateo will resume parking enforcement meters, pay stations, street cleaning zones, and residential parking permit program areas.

Ukiah Library in Mendocino County partnered with the California State Library to create COVID-19 diaries. Participants of all ages can submit essays, poems, letters, photographs, artworks or videos from Jul. 31 through Dec. 31.

Humboldt County invites businesses to apply for an encroachment permit to convert outdoor areas like parking lots for businesses to use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contra Costa County recognizes pretrial, probation, and parole services week from July 19-25 to acknowledge professionals that contribute to public safety, community engagement, and support for victims.

San Mateo County allows outdoor and visits in long-term care facilities for family members, friends, and those making legal decisions for residents.

July 14

The Crews Fire in Gilroy is at 5,513 acres and is 100 percent contained as of 2:45 p.m.

The Monterey Jazz Festival has announced it will be virtual and will be held on Sept. 2527.

Santa Claras Art & Wine Festival is canceled due to COVID-19.

July 13
Washington:

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has a 70 per cent chance of winning the White House race against her Republican rival Donald Trump, a top American pollster has said on the eve of what is being described as the most crucial election in decades.



Hillary Clinton has a 70 per cent chance of winning the election, said FiveThirtyEight websites Nate Silver, who accurately predicted the outcome of 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.



This is up from a 65 per cent chance on Sunday night, so Clinton, 69, has had a good run in the polls in the final days of the campaign, he said.

Read: US presidential polls live updates: Hillary Clinton beats Donald Trump 4-2 in traditional midnight voting



Clintons projected margin of victory in the popular vote has increased to 3.5 per cent from 2.9 per cent, Silver said.

In the 19 latest polls taken into account by the poll, Clinton is leading in 17 polls while Trump, 70, leads in just two polls.Clintons poll margin ranges from six per cent to two per cent, while Trumps ranges from two to five per cent.

Also read | Clinton, Obama give final push to campaign in Philadelphia before vote: 10 points

Seven of the 19 polls have Clinton leading by 4 points; another four have her ahead by 3 points, then we have a smattering of 1s, 2s and 6s, along with two pollsters, IBD/ TIPP and Los Angeles/USC Dornsife, who still have Trump ahead.



On average, Clinton leads by 2.9 points in the polls, although the highest-rated pollsters have her a bit higher at 3.8 points, on average. As is usually the case, the range of national polls closely matches the FiveThirtyEight popular-vote forecast, Silver said.



On the eve of the elections, Clinton had a lead of 2.9 percentage points over Trump in the websites average of polls.

Also read | Date, timings and facts: All you need to know about US presidential polls

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
British Airways said on Friday that it would retire its entire fleet of the iconic Boeing (BA) 747 jumbo jets around four years earlier than it had previously planned, citing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The airline is currently the worlds largest operator of the jet, which is affectionately known as the queen of the skies.

It is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747 fleet with immediate effect, the airline said in a statement.

It is unlikely our magnificent queen of the skies will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic, it said.

The 747 first entered commercial service in 1970, but British Airways did not take its first delivery of the jet until July 1989.

The airline once operated as many as 57 of the aircraft, even as airlines encouraged Boeing to produce smaller aircraft that could be used on long-haul flights.

A British Airways Boeing 747 approaching New York John F Kennedy International Airport. Photo: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

British Airways said on Friday that the sunsetting of the 747 would allow it to operate more flights on newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft, such as the Airbus 350 and Boeing 787.

Last year, the airlines parent company, IAG (IAG.L), became the first airline group to say it would be carbon neutral by 2050.

Earlier this month, reports suggested that Boeing is planning to stop production of the 747 altogether by 2023.

The aviation industry is confronting an unprecedented crisis in coronavirus, as airlines and manufacturers face a collapse in demand from travellers.

Despite almost bankrupting Boeing when it debuted during the 1970s, which saw a period of economic stagnation in much of the world, the 747 essentially revolutionised the economics of air travel with its large 400-seat capacity.

Airlines took delivery of more than 1,500 747s since it debuted, making it the second most-popular wide-body jet, after Boeings 777.

The planes distinctive hump was created in part so that huge cargo could be loaded through the nose of the planes cargo version, and was initially used to house gaudy passenger lounges with electric pianos that were accessed via spiral staircases.

But airlines quickly decided to use the space for further seating, and by the 1980s the aircraft was a mainstay of several major airlines.
The running mate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has charged head potters popularly known as Kayayei not to allow themselves to be disrespected following jabs from NPP General Secretary, John Boadu, after her nomination.



Speaking during a visit by the minority women caucus to congratulate her following her nomination, the former UCC VC asked the Kayayeis who were present to protect their dignity.



Prof. Opoku-Agyemangs comments follow assertions Mr Boadu that only head potters will recognize her in public if she decided to take a tour in Accra.



Mr. Boadu made the assertion to indicate that the NDC running mate was unpopular and not recognizable among Ghanaians.



In her remarks, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang further assured of inclusive governance by a future NDC administration.



I want you to know that your name is not Kayayei, you have proper names, you deserve the respect like anybody else, dont let anybody disrespect you. Without you, our society will not be what it is.



Believe that whatever you are doing in whatever category it is as important as any level, so be confident in yourself. If you didnt get there, let your children be there.

Source: Starrfmonline.com









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

Featured Video
Ms. Winnie Byanyima is the new Executive Director of the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the UN entity tasked with fighting HIV infections, discrimination and AIDS-related deaths. She spoke with Africa Renewals Zipporah Musau about her priorities in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa: Here are excerpts:

This is Part 2 of a 2-part interview with UNAIDS Executive Director Ms. Winnie Byanyima covering the organizations priorities, fighting HIV/ AIDS in Africa, and the effect of COVID-19 on people living with HIV. Click to read Part 1 of the interview .

Africa Renewal: As the new head of UN AIDS, what are your priorities in the fight against HIV /AIDS?

Ms. Byanyima: UNAIDS was created to fight HIV/ AIDS globally. We have about 24.5 million people on anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment, and there is another 15 million people who are HIV-positive but have not been tested yet.

our report shows that there were 1.7 million new HIV infections globally in 2018 alone and another 770,000 people died of AIDS in the same year. While we are seeing the rate of infections is coming down, these numbers are still high.

Our priority for the next 10 years is to work extremely hard on prevention, especially among vulnerable groups. For women and girls, we have to address the structural causes of their vulnerability which including culture, traditions and poverty, among others. The fact that sexual violence is so pervasive, we have to tackle that. We will be working closely with our other partners UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNDP and others to fight the causes of the vulnerability in Africa.

On the other hand, we have to work on human rights because as long as gay men and sex workers remain criminalized, they are driven underground and hence don't come forward for prevention or treatment. It's important to remove those criminal laws, so that these people can come forward for testing, prevention, and treatment.

Who is most at risk of new infections?

The most vulnerable in Africa are mostly women and girls. In other parts of the world, it is gay men, sex workers, prisoners, migrants, and people who inject drugs. Prevention isn't happening fast enough. Up to 1.7 million new infections and 770,000 deaths in one year are too many. We can still reduce the overall new infections and deaths significantly.

What needs to be done?

We need more tools of science, for example, we need more PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis where people at risk or those that have been exposed to HIV take daily medicine to prevent the infection). Recently, there have been more innovations in PrEPs which could be used more among gay men and sex workers. However, if in some places these people are called illegal, they are not able to go get these services.

We also need to deal with some of the constraints, including the lack of comprehensive age-appropriate sex education in schools to empower girls with knowledge to understand their bodies and take control of them.

What are your plans to put more people on ARVs in Africa?

The fact that we are the continent that is the most affected by HIV and AIDS and yet most of the ARVs are manufactured elsewhere is a loss to us. Even the prevention commodities are imported. These products should be produced in Africa, creating jobs and raising taxes to put back in our health systems.

It is important that we build our manufacturing capacity in Africa. There may be some in South Africa, a few Nigeria and may be in Egypt, but we need to pool together, produce our own medicines and share the African market. That is something we feel strongly about at UNAIDS.

We are working with the African Union and have some collaborations with China to promote local manufacturing. This is high on our agenda.

This brings the issue of the free trade area in Africa. How do you think African pharmaceuticals can benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)?

Integration of our market is critical and urgent for us to build our manufacturing capacity. We cannot compete with pharmaceuticals in India, Europe or USA, unless our companies have the benefit of the whole African market. You cant have, for example, Uganda compete with India which is the pharmacy of the world.

We have to build a common market, so that whether the company is in Burkina Faso or in Kenya, it is supplying the entire African market.

What is it like to be African, female and a leader on the global stage?

First, it is a great honor. Because I have within me many axes of inequalitybeing a woman and being an African. But on the other hand, these have been my strengths, because as an African girl I was able to get a good education, and then rise up in my career.

So, when sitting where I am now, I feel very much like a survivor because I know where I come from, many girls didn't even go past primary school. They were as good as I was but the opportunities were so limited, they were poorer while some got pregnant when were 13 or 14 years old and were expelled from school. Girls face all kinds of obstacles to stop them from moving up. I made it and I feel a huge responsibility towards people like me.

I am a global leader, but I feel a huge responsibility towards those who suffer disadvantages of different kinds, whether it is race, gender or disability. I feel strongly for them because I know I could have been one of them. In this position I can empathize with the people we serve because I've seen suffering all around me. I come from a village where there are poor people, some die when they could have been saved because they have no money.

I know that things aren't always smooth. They haven't been smooth for me also, as I've been rising. However, I feel confident in this role, I feel as good as any other because somehow, wherever I have been, I have always been pushed upwards by the people I worked with approving what I do. So, I feel empowered and I feel that people have confidence in me. That gives me confidence.

What role can women in Africa play towards a better Africa  the Africa we want?

African women already contribute so much to the African economy and societies. Maybe the question you should ask me is, how much less should African women do so that the men can also pick up from there. And I'm saying this with the most sincerity.

African women work in the economy as hard as men, they will be in the farm, in the office, in the small market stalls selling, they will go out to earn money. But they will also come back home to care for the children, the elderly, those with disabilities in the home, and do some other work that may arise in their community, church and even schools. They carry the burden of three jobs - family, office work, and a job in the community.

Some of that work should be lifted first by their governments for example, by bringing clean water near the home, when on average, an African woman walks six miles a day to fetch water. This is not just for reducing the burden on women but for health reasons as well, as you have seen with COVID-19. Providing energy for domestic use, good roads and childcare facilities should be a top priority.

So, what should be done?

We need to get girls, and boys, into secondary schools. Too many of our best girls and boys do not proceed to secondary school. Girls, especially, need it because it's also for their own safety from HIV infection and gender-based violence.

African women can be empowered by giving them a chance in secondary education particularly, that teaches them life skills. They should get more into decision-making. We are making progress here but too slowly. There are still too many countries that don't use quotas and therefore women are very few in local and national government. We need to get their voices heard and respected.

For me, I am proud of African women. Wherever they are, they are in the trenches fighting for their families and for their countries. It is their countries which owe these women more. It is their brothers and husbands who owe them more.

How will the COVID-19 pandemic affect those living with HIV?

The AIDS-related death toll could double in sub-Saharan Africa from 2020 to 2021 if HIV services are severely disrupted  this would mean an additional 500,000 AIDS-related deaths.

But not only that, new infections among children through mother-to-child transmission could increase by even more than 100 per cent in some countries in Africa. We could see the progress made in fighting AIDS reversed by 10 years. And that's dangerous.

So, it's so important to put the message out there that we should keep up the two struggles, on HIV and COVID-19. Do not drop one for the other.

For more information on COVID-19, visit www.un.org/coronavirus
Another Bremer Family Winery brouhaha, this one over a barn and other structures built too close to a stream, landed in the laps of Napa County planning commissioners with the subtlety of a live grenade.

The Planning Commission on Wednesday decided by separate votes that two structures can stay and two must go. John and Laura Bremer can appeal the decision to the Board of Supervisors, so that might not be the final word.

This more than four-hour hearing proved lively. An opposing attorney said Objection! during the Bremer presentation, with Planning Commission chairperson Dave Whitmer responding that he wouldnt run the hearing like a court of law.

Both sides responded vigorously to perceived personal attacks.

John and Laura Bremer bought the Deer Park-area winery in 2002 and have had several disagreements with the county in recent years. Wednesdays hearing was the latest chapter.

The question for the day  whether to grant after-the-fact conservation law exceptions for a barn, concrete pad, house addition and restroom built too close to a stream. The countys setback is 45 feet to 65 feet, depending on slope and topography.

A majority of commissioners decided a 2,200-square-foot barn and associated water tank built in 2013 by the Bremers with neither building permit nor stream setback exception went too far.

Our county has a reputation of, Its easier to get forgiveness than permission. I just really feel thats not a reputation we want to have and we need to turn that around, Commissioner Joelle Gallagher said.

Bremer representatives said the lack of permit resulted from confusion linked to the propertys historic building rights and permits obtained for projects in the mid-2000s. They said the Bremers brought the violation to the countys attention.

The commission also decided a 100-square-foot restroom built in about 2013 must go. A county report said the Bremers had a building permit and the county inadvertently failed to require the stream setback exception. Still, commissioners noted the application map didnt depict the stream.

Commissioners decided 150 square feet in house additions built in the 2000s can stay. Again, according to a county report, the Bremers had building permits and county staff mistakenly failed to require the setback exception.

Finally, the commission decided an 800-square-foot concrete pad can stay. It was built before the Bremers bought the winery, with the county unable to find any permits.

In a letter to the Planning Commission, Water Audit California requested that all four structures be removed. It called riparian ways sacred ground and said granting setback exceptions after-the-fact is bad precedent.

As any parent knows, one should not reward bad behavior lest it become a habit, wrote Grant Reynolds, director of Water Audit California.

Water Audit California has used lawsuits to pry water releases from local reservoirs for fish. The group also sponsored a February water forum to try help the community find less contentious ways of resolving water debates.

Attorney David Gilbreth on behalf of the Bremers said no one had demonstrated scientifically that the structures harmed the stream. Consultants on behalf of the Bremers found the stream to be in good condition.

More issues than the stream setback bubbled up at the meeting.

Gilbreth, worried his clients reputations have been harmed, had private investigator Dawn King look into the Bremer case. The former FBI agent worked with former Planning Commissioner Michael Basayne.

King said she reviewed more than 1,000 documents, communications and web materials associated with the Bremer properties to reach her conclusions. She looked at disputes that went beyond the four structures, such as a vineyard project that ran afoul of the San Francisco Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board.

I, quite frankly, did not see any evidence the Bremers flagrantly disregarded rules or laws, King told commissioners. Although there were mistakes made  which according to experts I talked to, always happens all the time in projects like theseI found the Bremers were not bad people, did not have ill-intent ....

Gilbreth said he thought opponents have pounded on the Bremers and at one point mentioned the name of Angwin resident Mike Hackett. Hackett, who attended the hearing, objected to what he thought was a questioning of his motives.

Hackett described the issue as being simple  people need to obtain permits to build and cant build near the public trust that is the stream, with its fish and aquatic life.

Am I angry? Yes, Im very angry, Hackett told commissioners. I am hurt, because Im just doing this for all of us, for the public trust, for our good. Thats it.

Gilbreth said he was sorry Hackett felt under attack.

But theres no place in the rule of law for someone to say that, I own that land that someone else owns, and I am so passionate about it and I am so angry about it that I wont produce any science whatsoever to support my position that theres any harm. I will just cloak myself in self-righteousness and say, Im a good man, Gilbreth said.

That prompted Whitmer to ask that the personal comments stop.

The commission previously considered the Bremer stream setback issue on Oct. 16, 2019. It approved in retrospect various structures in the setback, seemingly settling the matter for the Bremers.

Hackett appealed the decision to the county Board of Supervisors. Supervisors on May 5 voted that rock walls and pedestrian bridges could stay, but that the barn, pad, house additions and restroom merited greater scrutiny from the Planning Commission.

All of that set the stage for a Wednesday Planning Commission hearing that proved far more fiery than usual.

Watch now: Best tips for stargazing at night

You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com.

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Babcocks son, former Chicago magazine editor Richard F. Babcock Jr., told Elite Street that his father wanted the property to always remain intact. And the elder Babcock had been in a position to do something about that, given that he had written the state law allowing conservation easements on properties to prevent their subdivision. In 1977, Richard F. Babcock Sr. and his wife granted such an easement to the Natural Land Institute of Rockford, effectively making it part of Boone Creek Fen Nature Preserve. It was the first property in the state to make use of that law, and as a result, it cant be subdivided.
The Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police on Friday registered two first information reports alleging a conspiracy to topple the Congress government in the state after the partys chief whip Mahesh Joshi lodged a complaint on Thursday night citing three audio tapes, purportedly of conversations detailing the plot.

Soon after the FIRs were registered -- with several charges including sedition -- the Congress demanded the arrest of Union water minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, rebel Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma, and an alleged middleman Sanjay Jain. The Congress also suspended Sharma and former tourism minister Vishvendra Singh from the party, and sought an explanation from them about the audio tapes.

Shekhawat, who is fast emerging as one of the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) prominent Rajasthan leaders, denied it was his voice on the audio clips, which were uploaded on social media on Thursday night, and said he was ready to face any investigation. The BJP, meanwhile, dismissed the tapes as manufactured by the Congress, which was frustrated at its inability to keep its house in order.

HT could not independently verify the veracity of the tapes. The tapes were shared with mediapersons through WhtasApp from unverified numbers.

The FIR and the charges come in the middle of a raging political battle in the state between chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, who was also the president of the partys state unit until he was divested of both posts by the Congress on Tuesday.

Gehlot, who has the support of at least 101 MLAs in the 200-member assembly -- they are all staying at the Fairmont hotel in Jaipur -- has blamed Pilot of conspiring with the BJP to bring down his government. Pilot, who has at least 21 MLAs supporting him -- they are at the ITC Grand Bharat in Manesar -- has maintained he and his allies are only opposed to Gehlots dictatorial ways and have nothing to do with the BJP.

On Friday afternoon, an SOG team went from Jaipur for Manesar to record statements of Sharma and other Congress legislators staying at the ITC Grand Bharat. We have sent the team to record the statements to further investigate the complaint, said the SOGs additional director general of police, Ashok Rathore.

Joshi has named three accused -- identified as Gajendra Singh, Bhanwarlal Sharma and Sanjay Jain -- on the basis of the recording he had in one complaint. In the second complaint, he has not named anybody, Rathore said.

The FIRs lodged by police identified Sharma as a Congress legislator and mentioned the names Gajendra Singh and Sanjay Jain. Though the FIR did not say Shekhawat, the Congress allegations against him appeared to link him to the complaint.

On Friday, Surjewala said it is clear the BJP made attempts to topple the elected Congress government in the state. Instead of fighting with China and Covid-19, Narendra Modi government is working to loot power, he said. He demanded that the involvement of others, including leaders holding posts in the Central government, in the conspiracy should be made part of the SOG investigation. He also read out transcripts of the purported conversations.

The voice is not mine. Let the investigation happen, Shekhawat told reporters in Delhi.

Congress chief whip Joshi, who went to the SOG office to get copy of the FIRs, said it will be good if the voice on the tapes did not turn out to be the Union ministers. Otherwise, it would be a blot on democracy. He (Shekhawat) should come on his own to the SOG and give his voice samples. The MLA should also give the voice samples, Joshi said.

An SOG officer said on condition of anonymity that Joshi would be called to record his statement about the source of the recordings. Notices in this regard would be issued soon. Call records of some suspects have been obtained and were being examined, the officer said.

This is the third FIR registered by SOG in the investigation related to an attempt to topple the Congress government. In the first FIR, on July 10, it named two BJP members, Bharat Malani and Ashok Singh, for allegedly trying to bribe legislators.

On July 11, the SOG issued notices to Pilot and Gehlot to record their statements. It turned out to be the trigger that set off the ongoing political drama in the state, with Pilot saying that this was Gehlots attempt to humiliate him.

The BJPs Rajasthan president, Satish Poonia, said It is unfortunate that the CMs residence has become a source for leaking the fake audio and tarnish image of political leaders.

If the tapes are genuine, why is the government not getting a CBI probe done? Poonia asked.

Pilot and his 18 Congress MLA supporters, have been served show-cause notices by the Rajasthan assembly speaker that mark the beginning of disqualification notices against them. The MLAs have challenged the move in high court, which will resume hearing the matter on Monday.

Political analyst Bhanwar Meghwanshi said, If the SOG is not able to reach a conclusion then for the first time in the history of Rajasthan, to settle political score an agency has been used.
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The leading online trading brokerage, IronFX, is preparing to launch a comprehensive online educational section on its website, which will serve to address the growing needs of its trading community.

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Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the IronFX team has worked hard to respond to its traders' needs and will continue to do so, as the company has seen exponential growth over the last months.

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Vigilant mask wearing might have spared nearly 140 people from catching the coronavirus at a hair salon in Missouri, according to a report published Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In May, the people interacted with two hair stylists with confirmed coronavirus infections, but none ended up showing symptoms of COVID-19.

The team behind the study, which includes members of Missouris Springfield-Greene County Health Department, cannot be certain of all the factors that helped avert what might otherwise have been a disastrous outbreak. But policies instructing locals to cover their mouths and noses, put in place by the city of Springfield and by the salon where the stylists worked, Great Clips, appear to have played a substantial role in curbing the spread of disease.

This really shows the power of face coverings, especially in indoor settings, said Nadia Abuelezam, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Boston College who wasnt involved in the study.

The findings reiterate what scientists have been saying for months: Face masks are an essential part of the disease-prevention tool kit, said Juan Gutierrez, a mathematical biologist at the University of Texas at San Antonio who models coronavirus transmission but wasnt involved in the study. If we get that message out to people consistently, we might be able to contain this.

Both stylists fell ill in mid-May. But they continued to work with clients for about a week after they started to feel symptoms, said Kendra Findley, a researcher at the Springfield-Greene County Health Department and an author of the study.

At the time, Springfields businesses had just begun to reopen, and confirmed coronavirus case numbers in the region were extremely low, said Dr. Robin Trotman, an infectious disease physician and an author of the study.

There were days when we had one or two cases, max, he said. Such low local prevalence may have been part of the reason that the first stylist chalked her cough and fever up to allergies and kept returning to work, Findley said. Against recommendations, she returned to her job even while awaiting her coronavirus test results, which she got two days after taking her test.

The second Great Clips employee fell ill within days of her colleague, although none of the other four stylists on staff ended up feeling unwell. The two sick stylists both eventually tested positive for the coronavirus, after which they were told by the salon to isolate at home.

By that point, however, the pair had come into close contact with 139 clients seeking haircuts, facial hair trimmings and perms  appointments that bring people within inches of each other for 15 to 45 minutes at a time, more than enough time for the virus to travel through the air from person to person.

And perhaps it would have, had it not been for the masks.

In the days after, health officials contact-traced all 139 people exposed to the stylists and asked them to self-quarantine for two weeks. None reported feeling sick during the 14 days that followed their salon appointments. The researchers also offered the clients free diagnostic tests for the coronavirus. Sixty-seven of them accepted; the rest declined. Of those tested, all turned up negative.

I was shocked, Findley said.

Follow-up interviews with 104 of the clients revealed that, in accordance with guidelines, patrons and stylists alike had worn masks for the duration of almost all the encounters documented by the study.

A small handful of clients had donned N95 respirators  devices designed to filter out 95% of airborne particles and one of the best forms of protection for health workers. Since the start of the pandemic, N95s have been in dire short supply.

But a majority of people in the study, including the two stylists, opted for cloth coverings or surgical masks  loosefitting accessories that dont form an airtight seal around the face.

These products are imperfect. But several studies, including some initiated long before the pandemics start, have pointed to their usefulness in stymieing the spread of viruses from the wearers airway, Julian Tang, a virologist at the University of Leicester who wasnt involved in the study, said in an email. To a lesser extent, they may also protect a user from incoming spray.

In this case, even homemade masks that cant reliably snuff out every virus-laden particle seemed to do the trick  an incredibly encouraging finding, Gutierrez said. Had they not been using those masks, we would have expected a totally different situation, he said.

Of course, masks alone cant be considered a foolproof safety net, said Saskia Popescu, a hospital epidemiologist and infectious disease expert in Arizona who wasnt involved in the study. This is not an excuse to let you go about and do whatever you want, especially if youre symptomatic.

Even the patrons of this particular salon may not have gotten off scot-free. For instance, some of the clients who didnt get tested could have been harboring the virus in the absence of symptoms. And diagnostic tests, which search for coronavirus genetic material, can be faulty. The study also didnt contact any clients the stylists had interacted with before they felt sick  a period during which the virus can still transmit to others.

Abuelezam also cautioned that the outcomes of Springfields Great Clips incident would not necessarily hold under other circumstances. This is about short-term exposure, indoors, she said. We cannot generalize these results to a situation where people are spending prolonged periods of time indoors together.

A hint of that may even come from the first stylists behaviors: Its very likely that she inadvertently passed the infection to the second Great Clips employee during several unmasked encounters, Findley said. (She also may have transmitted the virus to three family members  presumably also while maskless.)

Even with some protection, co-workers who spend much of their day together may have a much harder time minimizing transmission, Popescu said.

As discussions on exposure continue, she added, We cant just focus on employee to client, or patient to health care worker, or teacher to student. We also need to discuss whats happening between employees.

Still, I hope this encourages people to take masks more seriously, Abuelezam said. Clearly, they have a purpose.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
The United Arab Emirates said on Friday it would launch its mission to Mars on July 20, depending on weather conditions at the launch site in Japan, Dubai's media office said on Twitter.

The launch of the UAEs Hope Probe from Japans Tanegashima Space Center has been delayed twice due to unsettled weather. The probe is set to make a seven-month journey to the red planet before orbiting it and sending back data about the atmosphere.

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A hacking group believed to be operating as part of Russian intelligence services is targeting organisations involved in Covid-19 vaccine development, the US, British and Canadian governments said on Thursday.

The threat group, known as APT29, has exploited organisations globally, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) of the UK said in an advisory.

The APT29, also named "the Dukes" or "Cozy Bear", uses a variety of tools and techniques, including spear-phishing and custom malware known as "WellMess" and "WellMail", the NCSC said.

This assessment is also supported by partners at the Canadian Communication Security Establishment (CSE), the US Department for Homeland Security (DHS), the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Security Agency (NSA).

APT29's campaign of malicious activity is ongoing, predominantly against government, diplomatic, think-tank, healthcare and energy targets to steal valuable intellectual property, the advisory said.

"It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic," the UK Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, said in a statement.

"While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour, the UK and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health," the statement added.

The NCSC has previously warned that APT groups have been targeting organisations involved in both national and international Covid-19 responses.

Known targets of APT29 include the UK, the US and Canadian vaccine research and development organisations, the NCSC said.
The Houston Chronicles Live Updates blog documents the latest events in the coronavirus outbreak in the Houston area, the state of Texas and across the U.S. with a focus on health and economic impacts.

The Houston Chronicles ongoing coverage is available to subscribers. Subscribe now for full access and to support our work.

Total coronavirus cases:

 317,165 cases in Texas, including 3,798 deaths.

 74,184 in the Houston region, including 717 deaths.

 More than 3.6 million in the U.S., including 139,175 deaths. Click here to see a U.S. map with state-by-state death tolls and coronavirus case counts.

 More than 14 million in the world, with more than 600,000 deaths. More than 7.7 million people have recovered. You can view the worldwide totals here.

Resources on COVID-19 and Texas' reopening: Use our interactive page to track the spread of cases through Harris County and the rest of Texas. For a detailed look at our state, check out the Chronicle's Texas Coronavirus Map. To get regular updates on our coverage, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter.

Texas Medical Center

Latest updates from today:

9:35 p.m. Fewer than 9 percent of Harris County residents summoned for grand jury selection showed up last week as the service moved to NRG Arena to accommodate social distancing measures, according to the Harris County District Clerks Office.

The pool to empanel grand juries for five felony district courts was slightly more diverse than it was for all jury selections from 2019, but continued to underrepresent Black and Hispanic populations.

The number of people who showed up in person at NRG or virtually by Zoom was less than usual turnout, but expected because of the pandemic, District Clerk Marilyn Burgess said. In 2019, 22 percent of people who were called for jury duty actually appeared.

-Reporter Samantha Ketterer

9 p.m. A prominent Houston preacher and activist for marginalized Christians died last week from COVID-19.

Rev. Vickey Gibbs died on July 10, a few days after she was taken to an emergency room, diagnosed with pneumonia and placed on a ventilator, the church said.

She was 57.

-Reporters Robert Downen and Molly Glentzer

8 p.m. Texas experienced the highest single-day COVID-19 death count since the pandemic began on Friday, a Chronicle data analysis found.

There were 161 new deaths confirmed, bringing the total in the state to 3,798, a 4.4 percent increase. Another 10,675 cases were confirmed in the state, bringing the total to 317,165.

As of Friday, there were 10,632 patients hospitalized for lab-confirmed COVID-19, a slight increase from yesterday. There are 10,479 beds and 896 intensive care unit beds available. It was the ninth straight day the state had less than 1,000 ICU beds available, though the number available did increase slightly. There are 5,218 ventilators available.

In the Houston region, there are a total of 76,818 confirmed cases, up 2,634 from Thursday. Another 21 deaths were confirmed in the region, bringing the total to 738.

6:30 p.m. Two Houstonians are turning a pandemic into poetry, reports the Chronicle's Molly Glentzer.

Jim Blackburn and Isabelle Scurry Chapman have launched 'Virus Vigil,' a site combining their love of words, art and birds, to ease the pain of living in the Covid era.

5:55 p.m. The state of New York dispatched two teams of COVID-19 testing staff to Houston. During the next two weeks, the teams will conduct 10,000 COVID-19 tests with supplies donated from New York, reports Alison Medley.

New York state sent more than 20 healthcare workers and public health experts to Houston to set up testing sites in two different COVID-19 hotspots. The first site is located at Northwest Houston's Fallbrook Church and the second location is southwest Houston's Higher Dimension Church.

The testing sites will be operational for two weeks, with the potential capacity to conduct up to 1,000 tests per day, according to the statement released from Cuomo.

An 86-person team of doctors, nurses and support staff took over a wing of United Memorial Medical Center to help treat COVID-19 patients.

5:45 p.m. North Americas Building Trades Unions, a group of 14 construction unions worldwide with more than 3 million members, on Friday called on policymakers to ensure renewable energy jobs have wages, benefits, workforce training and labor standards that are comparable to oil and gas jobs, reports Paul Takahashi.

A union-commissioned survey of more than 1,600 energy construction workers in North America found respondents say construction jobs in oil and gas have better pay and benefits, are more stable and longer lasting, and provide better career opportunities than those in renewable energy.

The unions survey comes as the energy industry faces mounting challenges posed by the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. As energy companies have slashed capital budgets used for new oil and gas projects, construction employment across Texas has fallen by 3.5 percent year over year in June, representing a loss of 26,900 jobs statewide during the last month alone, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.

5:28 p.m. A new Houston distillery has adapted during the pandemic to offer a lifeline to Houstons out-of-work bartenders, reports the Chronicle's Amanda Drane.

Bryan Clary and Zack Hiller worked for three years to open their own distillery in North Houston. But when the co-owners of William Price Distilling Co. landed their federal distilling permits on March 27, the industrys needs had suddenly changed  the coronavirus closed down bar, their core market, and distilleries across the nation were pivoting to hand sanitizer production.

The plan is to start distilling spirits in December, Clary said. Meantime, throwing bars a lifeline serves mutual needs, he said, because the bartenders they knew were hard-hit, and if theres no bars, theres no place for us to sell our spirits.

The distillerys foundation has so far given out nearly $20,000 in funds to six bars, Clary said. They are also donating to-go kits, replete with bottles, labels, bags and zipties for bars looking to experiment with newly legal cocktail to-go sales.

5:03 p.m. Former Vice President Joe Biden on Friday released a plan to reopen schools during the pandemic,including proposed federal safety guidelines, the Associated Press reports.

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's proposal would ultimately leave decisions to state and local officials and would eventually resume classes.

Biden's proposed plan comes as the White House argues that most parents are anxious to see schools resume in-person classes in the fall. President Donald Trump said the decision to possibly avoid reopening schools in some areas is motivated by politics and not by legitimate fears about the pandemic.

They think its going to be good for them politically, so they keep the schools closed, Trump said at a White House discussion on school plans last week. No way. Were very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools.

4:50 p.m. A Houston federal judge on Friday ruled that Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston First, the citys convention agency, must allow the Texas Republican Party to proceed with an in-person convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center, despite concerns of spreading COVID-19.

Judge Lynn Hughes of the Southern District of Texas found that the city had infringed upon the Texas GOPs constitutional rights by canceling the convention, which initially was set to run from Thursday through Saturday before Turner ordered Houston First to nix it.

The Texas GOPs executive committee now will decide whether to reverse course and hold the convention in person, after recently voting to hold it virtually. The committee first voted by a two-to-one margin to continue with the in-person event, before voting to hold it online after a series of legal defeats in state district court and the Texas Supreme Court.

-Reporter Jasper Scherer

4:20 p.m. Texas health officials reported 161 confirmed COVID-19 deaths on Friday, a record for coronavirus deaths in a single day in the the state, according to a data analysis by Hearst Newspapers.

4 p.m. Montgomery County health officials confirmed 220 new positive cases of COVID-19 on Friday, boosting the countys total to 4,721.

According to the data from the Montgomery County Public Health District, of those 4,721 cases, 2,193 are active. Recoveries have increased to 2,377.

Total hospitalizations, including both county and out of county residents, has decreased slightly to 230 with 61 of those patients in ICU. The countys total number of deaths remains at 46.

-Reporter Catherine Dominguez

3:37 p.m. People who oppose wearing face masks, despite overwhelming evidence that doing so will slow the spread of COVID-19, are "protesting" local mandates by wearing purposefully ineffective masks made of yarn, mesh and lace.

KHOU posted a report from Indianapolis showing how these ineffective masks have grown in popularity as wearing masks become more of a political statement. President Donald Trump finally sported his own mask on July 11.

Make your own Anti Mask! said the seller of a pattern to create an "anti-mask," according to the report. Stylish, breathable and don't protect you from a darn thing! Masks required? No problem! Breath free while making a statement.

Harris County is under a mandatory mask order until until Aug. 26, mandating all businesses in the county to require customers wear masks or face coverings.

The Houston area is also reporting a death count of 717 from COVID-19, and the city has become a hotspot for the virus.

The CDC director said the coronavirus could be under control in weeks if everyone wears a mask.

-Reporter Abigail Rosenthal

3:22 p.m. As state leaders across the country struggle to combat an evolving pandemic, many have done so on immense public stages, regularly going before scrums of reporters, fielding pointed questions and using their platforms to deliver harsh straight talk  about how far their states have come, and how far they have to go.

But in Texas, the Chronicle's Jeremy Blackman reports that Gov. Abbott, a Republican safely in his second term, has mostly retreated, dispensing with the regular press briefings he delivered early on and instead taking his message almost exclusively to local TV networks, where he appears in short bursts of five to 8 minutes, often three or four times each night.

From a DIY satellite studio in downtown Austin, Abbott delivers a barrage of nightly remarks, often jabbing the air like an emphatic father as he pivots from one question to the next, turning many into prompts for whatever missive he hopes to convey that day. For a time, it was an indictment of local officials who had demanded stricter safety orders. More recently, he himself has called for stricter enforcement as infections soar.

3:07 p.m. At least one researcher is optimistic we could be spared seclusion because of COVID in the calendar year.

"I think we are likely to have one or more approved for use by the end of this year," Jason McClellan, an associate professor of bioscience at the University of Texas, said. "That would be historically fast: The fastest vaccine ever developed took four years."

McClellan spoke to Lisa Gray for a Q&A with the Chronicle.

2:51 p.m. We all know it's hot in Houston, but football union officials worry it's a bit too hot when it comes to COVID.

The NFL Players Association is concerned about NFL cities stricken hard by the coronavirus pandemic, including Houston and South Florida, writes Texans beat writer Aaron Wilson.

NFLPA president and Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter held an impromptu meeting Thursday night with team doctors from those cities, including the Texans. The doctors informed the union that they believe it is safe to start training camp, according to Tretter and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith.

The Texans and Kansas City Chiefs are scheduled to have rookies report as soon as Monday, Of course, that could be pushed back as negotiations continue between the league and the NFLPA.

The league has made the decision that they want to start training camp on time, Smith said Friday afternoon during a video call with Pro Football Writers of America members. The role of the union is to hold them accountable on how to make sure its safe to open camp now.

The doctors said, with a couple of reservations, that they felt it was safe to open training camp. They provided medical reasons, Tretter said. We agreed with some of them, not all of them. This is going to be a battle of risk mitigation.

2:23 p.m. An unpublished White House document obtained by the Center for Public Integrity says Texas is one of 18 states where the coronavirus has gotten so out of hand that officials should start shutting down again, the Chronicle's Washington correspondent Benjamin Wermund reports.

The report, dated July 14, says the state should limit social gatherings to 10 or fewer people and restrict indoor dining to 25 percent capacity  down from the 50 percent restaurants can currently serve  and that officials should close gyms in roughly half the counties in the state considered to be in the red zone.

The document says 123 of Texas 254 counties are in that red zone, because over 10 percent of coronavirus test results are positive and they have reported more than 100 cases per 100,000 people. The document identifies Harris and Bexar counties as among the top counties in the state based on the number of new cases over the past three weeks.

2:18 p.m. San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich doesn't shy away from bursting bubbles even as the NBA gathers in one.

Popovich, who was wearing a shirt that said "Vote. Your life depends on it," called Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick "cowards" during a Wednesday interview and said they are "afraid" of President Donald Trump. The comments came in response to a question by Kens 5' Tom Petrini during a session with reporters.

He also expressed his disappointment in Patrick's recent comments about Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease doctor. Patrick told Fox News reporter Laura Ingraham in an interview last month that the doctor "doesn't know what he is talking about" and that he is "skipping over listening to the doctor."

"We've been all over the map in Texas, nobody knows what the hell is going on," Popovich said. "We have a Lt. Gov. who decided he doesnt want to listen to Fauci and those people anymore ... the governor goes back and forth on whether he has to satisfy Trump or listen to the numbers."

1:20 p.m. Attorney General Ken Paxton is telling religious schools local restrictions on reopening do not apply to them.

As the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed just last week, there are robust constitutional and statutory protections unique to religious individuals and communities, specifically including religious private schools, Paxton said in a statement sent Friday afternoon by his office. In accordance with the protections granted by the First Amendment and Texas law, this guidance allows religious private schools to determine for themselves when to reopen free from any government mandate or interference.

12:55 p.m. The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools announced Friday it would delay the start of its fall sports season due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Chroncile's Justin Maskulinski reports.

Schools need time to figure out how school is going to work, and thats the most important part of what we do, The Woodlands Christian Academy football coach Randy Hollas said. Sports come after you figure out how youre going to get kids in class and educate them. This gives us time.

The beginning of the fall season, originally set for Aug. 3, is delayed until Sept. 8. TAPPS officials said regular updates will be provided in August and September as important dates approach and the state of the pandemic changes.

In Montgomery County, The Woodlands Christian Academy, Legacy Prep, Calvary Baptist, Lifestyle Christian and Covenant Christian are all TAPPS members.

12:40 p.m. After strong storms knocked them out of service, health officials have resumed testing.

11:24 a.m. The odds of a vaccine soon for COVID is diminishing, based on some research into the body's ability to ward off re-catching coronavirus.

Several recent studies conducted around the world indicate that the human body does not retain the antibodies that build up during infections, meaning there may be no lasting immunity to COVID-19 after people recover, reports Peter Fimrite of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Strong antibodies are also crucial in the development of vaccines. So molecular biologists fear the only way left to control the disease may be to treat the symptoms after people are infected to prevent the most debilitating effects, including inflammation, blood clots and death.

I just dont see a vaccine coming anytime soon, said Nevan Krogan, a molecular biologist and director of UCSFs Quantitative Biosciences Institute, which works in partnership with 100 research laboratories. People do have antibodies, but the antibodies are waning quickly. And if antibodies diminish, then there is a good chance the immunity from a vaccine would wane too.

10:56 a.m. Looks like the GOP might be going back to court today to hold its convention in person.

10:45 a.m. Texas will set aside $200 million of federal money it received for COVID-19 relief, state officials announced Friday morning, aimed at facilitating remote learning.

"As school districts delay the start of in-person instruction for the 2020-2021 school year due to COVID-19, it is essential that we work to provide Texas students with the devices they need to connect and communicate online for classroom instruction," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a release. "As we continue to combat COVID-19 in Texas, we are committed to providing reliable and effective solutions that will help students academically succeed while protecting public health."

The money will allow the Texas Education Agency to buy devices to send home with students as well as the tech needed by school districts, officials said.

"No child should ever be denied the ability to achieve his/her dreams simply because he/she does not have technological devices or internet access. Education is the great equalizer and while that will look different in the near term," said State Sen. Juan Hinojosa.

The money is critical so the state can begin the school year remotely, officials told Chronicle education reporter Jacob Carpenter.

Texas public school districts now can require many students to begin the upcoming school year with up to eight weeks of online-only instruction, and they can choose to keep high school students with computer and internet access in online-only classes for up to 60 percent of each grading period, according to new state guidance released Friday.

10:37 a.m. Seventy of the 106 Metro workers with positive COVID diagnoses remain ill, according to the first detailed breakdown of cases among transit workers.

Metropolitan Transit Authority, like many other employers with hundreds of public-facing workers, is seeing positive cases spike in late June and July. About 2.5 percent of Metros 4,203 employees have tested positive, higher than the overall adult population in the Houston area.

Meanwhile, as cases mounted, only about one-third of those workers have returned to the office, bus depot or transit center where they start their day, based on a report presented to the transit boards public safety committee. The majority, nearly two-thirds of the workers, are recovering at home. Two employees are hospitalized, while one worker who tested positive has died, though the death has not yet been declared COVID-related. The worker was not hospitalized at the time of death.

Among the other details of COVID cases among workers, based on cases reported through July 10:

Black and Hispanic workers, which are 82 percent of Metros workforce, are 90 percent of the positive cases.

Less than half the cases are among workers 50 or older.

Two-thirds of Metro cases are among workers at four bus depots, but cases are relatively even among the Fallbrook, Kashmere, Hiram Clarke and West locations.

Since early May, 69 bus drivers have tested positive, including those employed by a contractor.

10:23 a.m. Now were getting nickel and dimed by COVID.

Economists say theres a sudden shortage of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters because the U.S. Mint has slowed production of coins due to COVID-19, reports Houston Community Newspapers reporter Robert Avery. Tack on the recommendation that folks be careful where they go to limit exposure to the virus, and youve got a coin shortage.

Signs about this are popping up in places such as at the Dollar Tree at 110 S. Friendswood Drive and in the Walmart off Dixie Farm Road in Pearland. Consumers have three options. Pay the exact amount, use a credit card or if the amount of your 2.8-ounce bag of Twix is $1.08, give the clerk $1.25 and say keep the change.

9:53 a.m. There's some signs of progress in the Texas economy, Chronicle business writer Erin Douglas reports, based on data from the Labor Department.

Texas unemployment rate retreated to 8.6 percent in June from 13 percent in May as businesses re-opened doors after shutdown orders across the state lifted. Texas employers added 225,200 jobs in June from May.

Its the second month of gradual recovery since the coronavirus-driven economic crisis put millions out of work across the state. The state, however, has lost a net 865,000 jobs since the beginning of the year.

Junes labor market numbers demonstrate we are moving in the right direction, said Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Bryan Daniel in a statement.

9:45 a.m. The number of occupied ICU beds in the Texas Medical Center remained the same on Thursday, but a few more of them are now hosting COVID patients, according to figures released this morning. The number of COVID-claimed beds increased by 11, but still represented less than half the ICU beds in use.

9:32 a.m. Word from Austin is the Hail Mary to halt the state's COVID measures has missed.

9:26 a.m. Roses are red. Violets are blue. In the middle of COVID, Isabelle Scurry Chapman and Jim Blackburn were just looking for something to do.

Its a way of making contact at a time when we have none, Blackburn told the Chronicles Molly Glentzer.

At a website he created called Virus Vigil Blackburn has posted a poem featuring a different bird during each day since March 22, accompanied by Isabelle Chapmans charmingly loose paintings of the birds. They did not know how long the pandemic would last, but they felt they had a decent bank of material to sustain the practice for a while.

8:54 a.m. Even with additional help, Carleen Johnson predicts the coming school year will look far different for school nurses than any in recent memory  no surprise since there is pandemic going on.

Well be doing 150 percent more just trying to keep everybody safe, Johnson told the Chronicles Shelby Webb.

Johnson, health service coordinator at Alief ISD, her staff likely will have to refer students to free clinics, like the Memorial Hermann Alief Clinic, which serves Alief ISD high school students free of charge.

Thats because some campuses, will be without school nurses as they face reopening during the pandemic.

Texas does not require schools to keep nurses on staff, making it among the 30 states that did not mandate the position as of October 2017, according to the Network for Public Health Law. While some local school districts, including Humble and Cypress-Fairbanks ISDs, have opted to staff all their schools with nurses, 37 of Houston ISDs 273 campuses did not have nurses working there each day in 2019-2020, according to district records.

Houston ISD declined an interview request, but issued a statement saying more campuses would have nurses on site to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Some campuses will share a nurse if there are two schools on the same property or if they have an enrollment of less than 350 students, according to the statement.

A COVID-19 Nurse Team was created to assist with current trends to reduce exposures, HISD officials wrote. Extra PPE has been ordered for the nurses protection during daily encounters with individuals that may be COVID-19 positive

8:35 a.m. As Texas sets records for new COVID cases, some of the stats are starting to normalize. The question is now about if those trends can be reversed in time to avoid further restrictions.

Lab-confirmed hospitalizations from the virus dipped to 10,457 on Thursday from 10,471 the previous day  that number has stabilized over the past five days, ranging from 10,405 to 10,569, reports Taylor Goldenstein of Hearst Newspapers' Austin bureau. However, hospitalizations were still up about 8 percent from a week ago, state data shows.

If all of those numbers spike once again, we will have to find additional measures to take, Gov. Greg Abbott said as the state reported its third straight day of 100-plus deaths.

Still, a top medical adviser to Abbott said earlier this week that the coronavirus surge in Texas is already rampant enough to warrant lockdowns in at least the hardest hit regions. Its clear that the state has not been on a sustainable course and its worth considering a regional approach, said Dr. Mark McClellan, a a physician and economist at Duke University and a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Drugstore chain Walgreens said it will now require customers at all its stores chainwide to wear face covers when entering its stores. The change will take effect Monday, July 20.



The company's decision comes as health officials, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, have urged everyone across the U.S. to wear face covers in public to help protect communities and stem the spread of COVID-19.



The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. continues to surge. Daily coronavirus cases in the country broke record for the third consecutive day, with the number of infections crossing 70,000 for the first time on Thursday.



As per Johns Hopkins University's latest data, total infections in the U.S. reached 3.57 million on Thursday after nearly 77,000 additional cases were reported in the last 24 hours.



Within hours of a CDC statement that the pandemic could be controlled in just one or two months if everyone wear masks, governors in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado and Montana announced that wearing of masks in public places would be made compulsory.



Walgreens had already made face covers mandatory at its stores in states and jurisdictions where they are required.



'We support the new CDC guidance that urges the use of face covers to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. As cases continue to rise in many parts of the country, it's critical we, as businesses and members of the community, do everything we can,' said Kevin Ban, Walgreens chief medical officer.



Walgreens said there will be new and additional signage on exterior doors with the information. In addition, stores will increase the frequency of reminders to customers via their intercom system.



More retailers are now requiring customers to fear face coverings when entering their stores. On Wednesday, Walmart and Sam's Club said they will require all shoppers at their stores to wear face coverings from Monday, July 20.



Walmart also said it has created the role of Health Ambassador and will station them near the store entrance to remind customers without a mask of the company's new requirements.



Grocery chain Kroger said that starting July 22, it will require customers at all its stores to wear face masks or face coverings.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Things you need to know for Friday, July 17
BERLIN - A man who disarmed four officers at gunpoint in southwestern Germany before fleeing into the Black Forest was arrested on Friday after a five-day manhunt that involved more than 2,500 police in total.

Police, including special forces and a sniffer dog, moved in after two witnesses reported seeing a man who fitted the profile of suspect Yves Rausch on Friday afternoon, deputy regional police chief Juergen Rieger said.

The suspect was found sitting in a bush with four handguns lying in front of him and a hatchet in his lap, as well as a document that officials havent yet evaluated but suspect was intended as a suicide note, Rieger told reporters in Oppenau  the small town where the drama started on Sunday.

Details of how exactly the arrest played out were sketchy but Rieger said efforts to talk to the suspect proved somewhat difficult. Rausch was slightly injured during the arrest, but not badly enough to be hospitalized, and a police officer suffered a superficial wound caused by the hatchet.

The four missing police weapons were recovered and an additional handgun found. The 31-year-old suspect, who could face charges of robbery by extortion, had yet to be questioned on Friday evening.

I am very relieved  I think a line can be drawn under a really extraordinary situation for our little town, Mayor Uwe Gaiser said.

On Sunday, police were alerted to a suspicious person carrying a bow and arrow. Officers conducted an ID check on the man at a hut where he had settled illegally.

Officials have said Rausch initially co-operated but then suddenly pulled a gun on the officers, threatening and forcing them to hand over their service weapons. Nobody was injured.

The incident triggered a large-scale manhunt.

Rieger said the difficult, hilly forest terrain, which the suspect was believed to know well, posed a particular challenge to police  but we were relatively sure, and it was only a matter of how long it would take, that we would come across him at some point. He acknowledged immense public pressure, and said that more than 2,530 officers were involved in the operation.

Prosecutors have described the suspect as a weapons enthusiast but said he was banned from possessing weapons and ammunition in 2010 and had never been in a shooting club. Rausch lost his apartment last fall and had no permanent address since then, according to authorities. Officials have said they dont know what prompted Rausch to act the way he did.

The fugitive has had run-ins with police before. He was given a 3 1/2-year juvenile sentence in 2010 after shooting a crossbow at a woman and wounding her, according to prosecutors in nearby Pforzheim.




A Seoul court has denied a police request to access mobile phones used by late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon as part of their ongoing probe to determine the exact cause of his death, police said Friday.



Police had filed a request to acquire the call history for three mobile phones under Park's name, including his official phone that was retrieved when Park was found dead at a Seoul mountain last week.



The Seoul Northern District Court said while phone access can be granted in criminal investigations, there was "a lack of explanation for a mandatory probe" in this case. There was no explanation of whether the cause of his death was related to a crime, such as murder, it added.



Park is suspected of taking his own life. Police said there were no signs of foul play and the city government released a handwritten note by Park, which said that he was "sorry" to everyone, without elaborating.



Park's abrupt death came a day after a former secretary filled a complaint with the police about his alleged sexual harassment. Civic groups and a lawyer representing the victim claimed that the public servant suffered unwanted physical contact and received inappropriate messages from Park for over four years.













Police reportedly have secured part of his call history for the day of his death and the previous day. An official said police plan to probe people with whom he talked to determine the exact cause of his death.



Investigators have been stepping up their probe surrounding the case, questioning former and incumbent officials, including Park's former chief secretary, at the city government.



Separately, the city government has said it plans to form an independent investigative committee, involving women's rights groups, human rights organizations and legal experts, to probe the sexual harassment allegations raised against the three-term mayor.



But the civic groups representing the victim have raised doubt over the probe, saying the municipal government appears "to not have (the power) to get down to the truth of the case nor the will to do so" in a statement released Thursday.



In a text message to reporters following the statement release, the city government said it plans to "accept the (civic groups') request in full breadth" in forming the committee and opening the probe.



In addition to the police probe and the city's investigative committee, other groups have also filed complaints for the case, which is widely seen as a typical instance of workplace sexual harassment involving a disparity in power.



The groups have filed complaints with the police and the national human rights commission, asking authorities to probe allegations that city officials turned a blind eye to the victim's request for help and that her rights were neglected through the incident.
YOUTUBE achieved a rare legal victory in Europe after the Advocate General of the EU's highest court said that it is not responsible for others who illegally upload copyrighted material.

The opinion by Advocate General Saugmandsgaard e looks likely to have a major bearing in the wider debate of whether big social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook can be classified s 'publishers'.

According to the Advocate General, "as EU law currently stands, online platform operators, such as YouTube and Uploaded, are not directly liable for the illegal uploading of protected works by the users of those platforms".

"Otherwise, there would be a risk of platform operators becoming judges of online legality and a risk of 'over-removal' of content stored by them at the request of users."

This does not apply, the Advocate General, said, in situations where the service provider has actual knowledge of illegal activity or information or is aware of facts or circumstances from which the illegal activity or information is apparent.

But otherwise, "platform operators such as YouTube and Cyando may, in principle, benefit from the exemption from liability... for the files they store at the request of their users," the Advocate General's statement said.

EU judges, who have followed such opinions in four out of five cases, rule on the issue in the coming months.

In recent years, online platforms and social media have found themselves at the centre of a debate about how much responsibility they should bear for illegal or hateful content posted on their platforms.

The European Commission aims to address this issue with new rules at the end of the year.
Far away from their home and native land, Canadians living abroad are keeping a watchful eye on what is happening back home in Canada, during the deadly COVID-19 outbreak and are concerned that a careless reopening process could plunge Toronto and Ontario back into the worst of the pandemic abyss.

More businesses and public places across the province are set to reopen this week as Ontario slowly eases into back-to-work mode after months of lockdown.

Premier Doug Ford has warned Ontarians to brace for a possible second wave of coronavirus infections, a follow-up rush of positive cases, as has been seen in some places in other parts of the world.

Canadian expats, especially those who reside in areas where a new surge of infections forced authorities to bring back lockdown measures, say Ontarians should continue to be more observant of the health restrictions if they want to avoid a massive COVID-19 comeback.

People not taking this seriously was the biggest pitfall, said David Ivkovic, a resident of Los Angeles who just watched the state of California shut down again after attempts to reopen led to an immediate jump in new infections.

Ivkovic, who works in real estate, and his actress wife Renee Percy, moved from Toronto to L.A. about 10 years ago. When the state of California moved through the reopening phases, the family chose to stay put. Ivkovic continued to cut his wifes hair as he had during the lockdown; he even coloured her roots once. They avoided going out to eat at patios. They continued making yard visits with a couple of their close friends.

It didnt surprise them when California abruptly shut down again, as it was pretty clear that opening too soon would be risky.

As he watches Ontario doors flinging the doors open on restaurants, gyms and theatres, Ivkovic just hopes people dont fall into the same trap.

Gathering in large crowds without wearing a mask, or thinking you are making a political statement at the grocery store is just stupid, dangerous and selfish, he said.

Ivkovic went to Ryerson at the same time as Nick Cordero. The actor recently died from COVID-19. It brought home the seriousness of the pandemic to Ivkovic.

Its not just elderly people at risk, he said. Listen to health professionals! Dont act like a petulant child when you are told to make a personal sacrifice for the greater good of the community!

Always err on the side of caution is the advice Erin Buckley Burnett gives to the people of Ontario. Originally from Toronto, she and her family live in southern California, but, last month, they made a work trip to Sarasota, Florida, where they still are located.

Theyre dismayed as the states beaches get constantly crowded with no physical distancing measures in place. Businesses are mostly operating, and very few people care to put on masks, and some of those who do wear them improperly.

What we see in our interactions with locals is truly a general distrust of the science and numbers being reported, she said as she praised people in Toronto and Ontario for generally following guidelines from public health officials.

Due mainly to the defiant behaviour of people in Florida, the state has become the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic as daily new infections reached more than 15,000 in recent weeks.

Buckley Burnett said a number of her friends in California have created what they called quarantine pacts, a concept similar to community bubbles here in Ontario, where a few people form an exclusive circle to socialize with.

She said some even go as far as testing for COVID-19 up front before joining, just to give people a greater sense of safety.

Things wont be back to normal for some time, and seeing businesses open can give you a false sense of security, she said, as she encouraged Ontarians to continue distancing, avoiding crowds, wearing masks and washing hands.

Everything has its risks. Its summertime and I know everyone is eager to socialize and enjoy the short barbecue season with friends, but the greater the group of friends and family you are exposed to, the more risk for everyone.

From Vienna, Austria, Steven Donald is very concerned about the reopening process here in Ontario. His daughter lives near the Danforth, and theyve kept in communication via Zoom and Skype during the pandemic.

Donald said Austria has had the virus under control for the past few months, and its because everything shut down and strict measures were imposed and adhered to very early in the outbreak. Life has now returned to what resembles normal, as restaurants and all other businesses open and people return to work. But even today, public transit requires riders wear a mask.

Mandatory mask-wearing is only now becoming somewhat enforced (in Ontario), such as on the TTC or in stores. It should not be an option or be argued (about). Its the proven way to reduce the spread.

Why did it take so long and why do some people challenge the advice? Donald said.

Ontarians must follow the lead of European countries and properly follow public health advice during the reopening process, otherwise the infection rates and death rates like we see in the U.S. will just get higher and higher, he said.

Melissa Legner, a Torontonian living in Vienna for the past nine years, said strong enforcement of rules is an effective tool to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Yesterday, I took the underground (U-bahn) in the city and counted one person who wasnt wearing a mask. One! she said, explaining her family members back in Toronto have told her how its frustrating to see people wandering around in public without a mask and with nobody to hold them accountable. Back in March, when restrictions were introduced in Vienna, authorities issued more than 500 ticket fines in the first four days, she said.

Legner said it will take everyones effort and commitment to follow public health guidelines for Ontario to avoid plunging back into the COVID-19 outbreak, as Austria managed to avoid doing.

We will live with coronavirus until a vaccine is available globally, she said.

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After the postponement and numerous royal family scandals, it has been confirmed by the Buckingham Palace that Princess Beatrice, the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, has officially married in a private ceremony in Windsor.

The wedding took place on the morning of July 17, 2020, at The Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge.

Princess Beatrice was initially due to marry Italian property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in May, but the coronavirus delayed the plans.

The ceremony was supposed to be held at the Chapel Royal, St. James Palace, in London.

Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh were driven from Windsor Castle to the chapel where the wedding was held.

Her Majesty was pictured wearing a turquoise coat with a matching hat for the formal occasion.

The 94-year-old Queen and her 99-year-old husband were among a small group of close friends and family who have attended their intimate wedding.

There were around 20 people who attended, and as per the Palace's statement, "The wedding took place in accordance with all relevant government guidelines."

It is also understood that the bride spent the night before the wedding at the Royal Lodge with the Fergie and Prince Andrew, just before making the walk to the church grounds.

According to a friend of Princess Beatrice and Edo, their nuptials were arranged for today to ensure that Queen Elizabeth II could attend the ceremony just before she leaves Windsor for Balmoral Castle at the end of July.

A source told The Sun, "A massive wedding was out of the question because of the coronavirus."

They added, "They were very keen for the Queen to come, so the wedding had to happen before she goes up to Balmoral to see this was a great opportunity."

The source further shared that many supposed guests were left disappointed for missing Princess Beatrice's big day, but they understood the reason behind it.

"They needed to make the wedding COVID-secure and safe for the Queen, so what better way than the All Saints Chapel with a reception on-site at the Royal Lodge."

The insider stated how the wedding made the royal family seemed like they were just a typical family. They also had to make sacrifices, like many people, while having a wonderful celebration.

When the time is right, the source said that Princess Beatrice and Edo would host another celebration for becoming Mr. and Mrs.

A large amount of beer bottles has also been spotted outside Windsor Castle, but it wasn't confirmed if it was for the wedding.

It remains unclear if Prince William, Kate Middleton and the rest of the Cambridge kids attended the wedding.

Princess Beatrice's wedding comes after a difficult time for the royal family, especially for Prince Andrew, as he was forced to step back from royal duties for his connection with disgraced financier and pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.

Even before the pandemic, it was already reported that the York Princess's wedding would not be televised, nor will it be a grand event, because of the failed bombshell interview of the Duke of York with BBC Newsnight regarding the whole Epstein ordeal.

Though the 60-year-old Prince continues to deny the accusations of his involvement, it was unclear whether he would walk Princess Beatrice down the aisle.

READ MORE: Prince Andrew PROTECTED: Prince Charles Could Rescue Little Brother from Jail Time
Transported in the backseat of a blacked-out Plymouth sedan was the culmination of years of feverish work a hefty plutonium core that would soon be used to trigger the world's first atomic explosion.



Within days of being taken in 1945 from a top-secret installation in the mountains of northern New Mexico to a desert outpost more than 200 miles away, the core and other components were assembled for what was code-named the Trinity test.



Scientists weren't entirely sure whether the Gadget would work as intended or if the explosion would ignite the Earth's atmosphere or maybe lead to the evaporation of the planet.



They found out in the early morning hours of July 16, 1945.



The detonation forever changed the course of history, ensuring the end of World War II and marking the dawn of the atomic age. After 75 years, the test is both revered for the scientific advancements it helped to usher in and vilified for the moral and diplomatic implications that still linger in its wake.



Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, head of the National Nuclear Security Administration, travelled to Los Alamos National Laboratory on Thursday to commemorate the anniversary.



The lab is known as the birthplace of the atomic bomb where Robert Oppenheimer and a disparate collection of physicists went about untangling the theoretical and practical challenges of what came to be known as the Manhattan Project.



The immediacy of their work was fueled by word in the late 1930s that German chemists had discovered fission through their work with uranium and that the possibility of the Nazis setting up nuclear chain reactions had become more real and could lead to the construction of bombs.



A group of scientists that included Albert Einstein pressed then-U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt about the importance of the United States getting the jump on Germany.



Gordon-Hagerty, a self-described science and history geek, said she often has thought about what it would have been like to stand in Oppenheimer's shoes the morning of the Trinity test.



I look to the good of what happened 75 years ago, she told The Associated Press in an interview. It has saved us from world wars. It has saved untold millions perhaps billions of lives over the past 75 years through its application in nuclear medicine and science. To me, that can't be glossed over. For others, the atomic test in southern New Mexico and subsequent tests elsewhere have left a painful legacy.



From uranium miners, truck drivers and government workers to those living in communities near test sites, thousands were exposed over the years to radiation that resulted in cancer, birth defects and other illnesses.



Members of New Mexico's congressional delegation say radiation exposure has disproportionately affected minority communities, including those in the shadow of that first test. The lawmakers have been pushing to expand the federal government's compensation program to include downwinders" in Tularosa Basin.



The programme currently covers workers who became sick as a result of the radiation hazards of their jobs and those who lived downwind of the Nevada Test Site.



Tina Cordova, a cancer survivor and co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium, says many people who lived near the Trinity Site weren't told it involved an atomic weapon until the U.S. dropped bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and World War II ended.



It's horribly disheartening and unforgivable to be relegated to nothingness like we don't count for anything while other people are being taken care of," she said, accusing the federal government of looking the other way for decades.



She said the sacrifices of those who lived near the Trinity Site go beyond health implications from the fallout. At that time, she said many women who lived in the rural area were on their own, taking care of their children, while their husbands were fighting in the war. Her grandfather was among them; he was buried in Europe.



Cordova and others also have concerns about New Mexico's continued ties to nuclear research, bomb-making and the resulting waste, saying the state already has made enough sacrifices for the good of the country.



Los Alamos is preparing to resume production of the plutonium cores that serve as triggers for the nation's nuclear arsenal. There also are plans by a private company to build an interim storage site in southern New Mexico for spent nuclear fuel from power plants across the U.S., and there has long been a talk about the federal government's underground nuclear waste repository near Carlsbad possibly taking on more waste.
President Donald Trump's chief of staff criticized Anthony Fauci for comparing the current coronavirus outbreak to the 1918 flu pandemic, after reprimanding another top White House adviser for publicly attacking Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert.

"He suggested that this virus was worse than, or as bad as, the 1918 flu epidemic," Mark Meadows said during a Fox News interview Thursday. "I can tell you that not only is that false, it's irresponsible to suggest so."

Fauci said Tuesday at an event sponsored by Georgetown University that the coronavirus is a "pandemic of historic proportions" and "when history looks back on it, will be comparable to what we saw in 1918," when influenza killed tens of millions of people worldwide. Covid-19 has so far killed more than 588,000 people worldwide, and more than 138,000 in the U.S., according to statistics compiled by Bloomberg.

"I hope we don't approach that with this, but it does have the makings of possibly approaching that in seriousness," Fauci said, according to The Washington Post, while adding he expects the coronavirus death rate to rise, but not to levels seen in April and May.

Fauci said earlier Thursday in a discussion with Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg that his comparison to 1918 was about the historic importance of the outbreak, and not the death count. "They're not comparable in that way at all in severity," Fauci said.

Meadows acknowledged Fauci's clarification, but said "that doesn't excuse what happened."

Meadows took a swipe at Fauci, the longtime director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, after chiding White House trade adviser Peter Navarro for writing an unauthorized critique of Fauci that was published by USA Today. "It's not appropriate to express your opinion in an op-ed, whether it's deeply held or not and I think Peter Navarro understands that," the chief of staff said.

Representatives of the NIAID did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday night.

Trump and Meadows both admonished Navarro following pressure from fellow Republicans, who said that feuding with the country's leading infectious-disease specialist could damage the president politically and make the administration's coronavirus response look chaotic.

Still, Meadows said that to suggest everything Fauci says is true is "not correct." Trump and other top White House officials went after Fauci over his dire warnings about the virus' resurgence in states across the country.

The chief of staff said he had spoken privately with both Fauci and Navarro after the dust-up. After his Fox interview, Meadows told reporters he does not see an "ongoing effort to undercut Dr. Fauci."

During the Facebook event, Fauci also said that the nation needs to "regroup" and "call a time out" as U.S. coronavirus cases continue to surge. Too many states skipped over certain guidelines as they jumped to reopen their economies.

He told Zuckerberg that he expected results from a clinical trial on a potential treatment involving monoclonal antibodies by late summer or early fall.
When Nye returned to St. Louis in 2004, she bought a kiln and set up a studio in her basement. By 2009, she was selling her Fusion of Colors jewelry at arts and crafts shows.

Her booth at one show adjoined that of artist Rich Brooks, who also makes dichroic glass jewelry. I thought, my heavens, were both selling fused glass, but it worked out well. He was taking a sculpture class and suggested I take it, too. I thought This is a gift. I can take it or not, and I took it. That decision changed my life.

When we find ourselves in a place just right  She was 65 when she took her first sculpture class with Joe Chesla at Meramec Community College.

I wanted to work in metals and learn to weld, Nye says. That first class we sketched ideas of what we might like to do. My sketch was a doodle I liked, but I didnt think I could make it. He told me I could use the plasma cutter; its like putting a pen to paper to cut the metal. I called the piece Escaping, and I was hooked.
By Liu Xing

Four years ago, the Time magazine named Donald Trump, the 45th President-elect of the United States, Person of the Year and labeled him President of the Divided States of America. There is a world of difference between the United States and the divided states. The magazine later explained its sensational statement: This is the 90th time we have named the person who had the greatest influence, for better or worse, on the events of the year.

Today, the US has once again come to an election year, when its as clear as daylight whether Trump has brought better or worse influence. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US has indeed topped the world in terms of the number of confirmed cases and deaths, laying waste to its worlds best medical facilities, best medical personnel, most advanced medical technologies and greatest national strength. That the worlds only superpower with such vast resources could do such a disastrous job in fighting the pandemic is enough to prove the rationale in calling it the divided states of America under the Trump administration. However, its unfair to pin all the blame on Trump. In the context of American democracy and election politics, it doesnt make much of a difference whoever is on the stage. America has long been stranded in its persistent and chronic malaises of political polarization, bipartisan strife, hierarchical hostility, and social division.

The American website Daily Beast reported on May 13 that Team Trump pushes CDC to revise down its COVID death counts.

Looking back, we are actually not very surprised by the chaos and riots that have been troubling the US for about half a year. It could all boil down to the election! When the pandemic first broke out, the Trump administration tried hard to downplay its severity, and all those in power across the country collectively turned a blind eye to reality.

According to an article published in USA Today, As early as Jan. 3, his administration received its first formal notification about the outbreak of a novel virus in China. Scientists, the CIA, epidemiologists and national security aides raised warnings in the following weeks. But he squandered it by continuing to downplay the danger and provide false information about the availability of testing.

The Trump administration has fooled the American people time and again for no other reason but that he was worried about losing votes over the pandemic-hit economy. The Democratic Party is also playing up the pandemic card for the election by bashing the Trump administration for its catastrophic work in prevention and control. Ironically, the hardest-hit states are mostly run by Democrats. In the State of New York alone, nearly 400,000 people have been infected with over 30,000 dead. Nevertheless, the Democrats do not seem to feel ashamed of that.

Gregg Gonsalves, an Assistant Professor in Epidemiology at Yale, said something right to the point: what is happening in the US is purposeful, considered negligence, omission, failure to act by our leaders.

Trump tweeted on March 16 that Just had a very good tele-conference with Nations Governors. Went very well. Cuomo of New York has to do more. Governor Cuomo responded, I have to do more? NoYOU have to do something! You're supposed to be the President.

Winning the election is more important than controlling the pandemic - this is a consensus between the Republicans and the Democrats, and this is why they have been entangled in endless partisan strife to keep their votes. At the end of March, the Trump administration launched a USD 2 trillion economic stimulus package to win more votes by handing out money directly, which quickly spurred his ratings up. The Democratic Party also proposed a pandemic aid bill worth USD 3 trillion in mid-May, which the Republicans said would never get through the Senate, and the White House said Trump would veto.

There is another interesting detail here. The United States Postal Service first received a USD 28 million appropriation from the Trump administration to print President Trump's Coronavirus Guidelines for America postcards that highlighted Trumps name for 138 million American families, which drew fire from the critics and was misread as a piece of campaign literature. The USD 3 trillion bill proposed by House Democrats also included a USD 25 billion appropriation to the United States Postal Service for secure postage of ballots to ensure that the pro-Democratic ethnic minorities, the elderly, and the disabled can all vote.

Evidently, instead of jointly fighting the pandemic, both the Republican and Democratic parties have axes to grind and have turned the pandemic into a business of scrambling for votes, blatantly exploiting public undertaking for self-interests.

The above picture shows the postcard, titled President Trump's Coronavirus Guidelines for America.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a magic mirror that has brought to light the hypocrisy and meanness of American democracy. Whats described in Running for Governor, a short essay written by Mark Twain 150 years ago, is still staged repeatedly in todays US. Whether in or out of power, the political parties, who wear the mask of democracy, freedom and human rights, have never jumped out of the circle of cheating, shifting blame, being debunked yet feeling no shame. One and a half-century has passed, but they have genuinely learned nothing from history.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday delivered a keynote address virtually at the high-level segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) session. In his address, PM lauded the country's healthcare system to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. He also credited India's "grass-root health system" in helping the country "attain one of the best recovery rates in the world in the fight against COVID".

This was the first address by the PM to the broader UN membership since India's overwhelming election as a non-permanent member of the Security Council on 17 June, for the term 2021-22. The theme of the high-level segment of the ECOSOC this year was "Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary".

Referring to COVID-19, PM said the pandemic has severely tested the resilience of all nations. "In India, we have tried to make the fight against the pandemic a people's movement, by combining the efforts of government and civil society," he said.

"Be it earthquakes, cyclones, Ebola crisis or any other natural or man-made crisis, India has responded with speed and solidarity. In our joint fight against COVID, we have extended medical and other assistance to over 150 countries," Modi said.

Also Read: Govt aims to boost manufacturing share in GDP to 20% by 2025; defence, pharma to be key areas

Speaking about India's role in its region as a first responder, the Prime Minister recalled the support provided by the Indian government and its pharma companies for ensuring medicine supplies to different countries, and for coordinating a joint response strategy among South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. In our joint fight against COVID, we have extended medical and other assistance to over 150 countries.

"We also helped create a SAARC COVID emergency fund in our neighbourhood," he said.

In March, India had pledged $10 million toward a 'SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund' as part of an initiative led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in wake of rising cases of the disease in the region.

Also Read: Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh welcomes new draft Wage Code, seeks early implementation

He reiterated India's call for a 'reformed multilateralism' in a post-COVID-19 world, which reflects the realities of the contemporary world.

In his address, PM recalled India's long association with the ECOSOC and the UN's developmental work, including for the sustainable development goals. He noted that India's developmental motto of 'SabkaSaath, SabkaVikaas, Sabka Vishwas' resonates with the core sustainable development goals (SDG) principle of leaving no one behind.

He pointed out that India's success in improving the socio-economic indicators of its vast population has a significant impact on global SDG targets. He talked about India's commitment to also support other developing countries in meeting their SDG targets.

He also spoke about India's ongoing development efforts, including for improving access to sanitation through the "Swacch Bharat Abhiyan", empowering women, ensuring financial inclusion, and expanding availability of housing and healthcare through flagship schemes such as the "Housing for All" programme and the "Ayushman Bharat" scheme.

Prime Minister highlighted India's focus on environmental sustainability and bio-diversity conservation, and recalled the country's leading role in the establishment of the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

By Chitranjan Kumar
PRESS RELEASE



Anteuil, July 17th, 2020

DELFINGEN, one of the world leaders in the field of electrical cable protection for the automotive industry, has entered into exclusive negotiation for the acquisition of SCHLEMMERs activities in Europe/Africa. DELFINGEN achieved a turnover of 230 M in 2019, is present in 20 countries with 26 plants and has 3,000 collaborators.

SCHLEMMER is a German industrial group specializing in cable protection and the manufacture of injection moulded parts for the automotive industry. Faced with operational and financial difficulties, SCHLEMMER was placed in preliminary bankruptcy proceedings on December 19th, 2019 by the Munich Commercial Court, a procedure confirmed on March 1st, 2020.

SCHLEMMERs Asian perimeter was sold to its Chinese partner, the Fengmai-Ningbo Huaxiang Group.

The acquired perimeter would represent a turnover of around 100 M, 1,000 people and 5 factories in Germany, Romania, Russia, Morocco and Tunisia. The two latter plants are joint ventures.

In a difficult market context, this acquisition would enable DELFINGEN to consolidate its market share in Europe, to strengthen its proximity to German car manufacturers and equipment suppliers, and to pool research and development efforts to support the transition of the automotive sector towards hybrid/electric engines. The acquisition could be effective within three months, while the legal documentation is finalized and the conditions precedent are fulfilled.

If completed, this operation will be financed by debt raised from DELFINGENs current financial partners.

Advice on the operation:

Transaction: PWC Munich - Frank GIROTTO

Legal: TaylorWessing Munich - Christian TRAICHEL

Competition: Bredin Prat Paris - Pierre HONORE

DELFINGEN, a global leader in protection and routing solutions

for electric and fluid on-board networks

Next press release: August 7th, 2020 - Net Sales for 2nd quarter 2020

EURONEXT GROWTH Paris - ISIN Code: FR 0000054132 - Mnemonic: ALDEL

Contact : Mr. Christophe CLERC: +33 (0)3.81.90.73.00 - www.delfingen.com

Story continues





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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 20:24:38|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Flooding in India's northeastern state of Assam has affected over 3.9 million people, officials said Friday.

The floods have hit 27 districts in the state.

According to officials at Assam Disaster Management Authority, the ongoing flooding has affected 3,218 villages and damaged cropland spreading over 13 million hectares, besides affecting over 3.3 million animals.

On Thursday, the floods claimed five lives, which took the death toll to 71.

"In 27 affected districts of the state, a population of 3,979,563 has been affected," an official at Assam Disaster Management Authority said. "The floods have also affected cropland spread over 13,136,827 hectares, besides affecting 3,376,436 animals."

According to officials, the incessant rains have also triggered landslides in several areas, wherein also 26 people were killed.

The local government has set up relief centres and camps where over 49,000 people have taken shelter.

Locals said the majority of the people were taking shelter in houses of their friends and relatives.

The floods have fully damaged 20 houses and partially damaged 224 others.

Kaziranga national park was inundated with flood water. Wildlife officials said 95 percent of the areas of the park remain submerged in the water. The park is the largest home to the one-horned rhinoceros in India.

According to officials, 76 animals perished in floods, while 121 were rescued.

India's forest and environment minister Prakash Javadekar hailed rescue of 121 animals in Kaziranga. Javadekar said creation of highlands was a key initiative undertaken during the last five years.

"This year also we are creating more to save precious wildlife," he said.

According to the Central Water Commission, all major rivers are flowing over the danger level. The flood water has damaged several bridges and roads.

Apart from state disaster response force personnel, India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were carrying out massive rescue operations in Assam. Enditem
New Delhi, July 17 : She is 15, and comes from a village with no electricity. He is 20, and hails from a lower middle-class family with bare access to daily resources. Together, they are the salsa dance duo Bad Salsa, and are winning global fans after impressing judges on the international reality show, "America's Got Talent".

The Indian duo of Sonali Majumdar and Sumanth Maroju aspire to be international stars and win laurels and accolades for India with their salsa groove. Their tryst with fame started when they won "India's Got Talent" season four in 2012. Sonali also participated in "Britain's Got Talent: The Champions".

"I come from a distant village near the Bangladesh border where there was no electricity. My father is a farmer who used to earn approximately Rs 80 per day and had a tough time raising the family. After 'India's Got Talent', the village came into limelight and eventually electricity supply was made available. Now we own some land, and have built a house for our family," Sonali told IANS, looking back at the challenges in her dance journey.

Sumanth's family broke many shackles to help him realise his dream.

"In my lower middle-class family, dancing was never considered a profession. My family broke barriers and stereotypes to keep my dreams going. My father is a railway employee with bare access to daily resources but has always supported our family in every way possible. We now reside in a flat in Bhubaneswar and our standard of living has increased," Sumanth said.

Looking back at the start of the duo, Sumanth shared: "Our sir Bivash Chowdhury paired us in 2012 to participate in 'India's Got Talent'. His decision forever changed our lives." "We just focused on working hard with a positive intention of doing great work and followed our sir's instructions. Taking part in such a renowned show was always a distinct dream but Bivash sir made it possible for us. He has shaped us into who we are today. While rehearsing our only aim is to keep getting better so we can constantly provide electrifying performances," he said.

"From 'India's Got Talent' to 'America's Got Talent', we faced many ups and downs, but we never let it come in our way. Our sir always believed in us. We continue to stay with him as he motivates us to perform to our best. Our journey is inspired by passion and dreams. We want to explore the world and spread our art to every corner of the world. Whatever the stakes, we will always give our best and continue to work hard to live our dreams and support our families," he added.

Earlier this year, the duo set the stage afire on "America's Got Talent", with their electrifying moves on the Bollywood number "Dhating naach". They received a standing ovation from judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara. They have cleared the first round of auditions and are awaiting the second round of the show, which airs in India on Colors Infinity and streams on Voot Select.

"The judges were always kind and sweet to us right from the beginning. When our audition began, they were excited for us to perform and we could feel that. Their response will always be one of the greatest moments of our lives. Simon sir said that because of people like us they had a show, it meant everything to us. We were overwhelmed by the positive response by all the judges," Sumanth said.

Sonali added: "After our performance, Simon sir said, 'without people like you we have no show'. That truly meant everything to us. We will forever remember his words." Reflecting upon the idea of using a Bollywood number for their performance, Sumanth said: "We are representing India on the greatest stage of all. Our idea behind choosing an Indian song was to add a bit of the flavour of our country to our performance so that the audiences could connect with us and know where we are from." They now wish to perform on every possible stage across the world, "and represent India by showcasing salsa in a never seen before avatar", Sumanth said.

He added: "It is our aspiration to be international dancing stars and to inspire people to take up their passion of pursuing dance. We come from a background where situations were not easy to overcome. We did not have the resources and exposure to reach this far, yet we broke barriers and never gave up." Sonali feels "there are a lot of people who do not have the right kind of exposure to showcase their talent", and they want to reach out to them.

"Bivash sir owns a gurukul where students from different parts of India arrive, stay, and learn the art of dance. Out here, we wish to assemble those talented people who need exposure and train them to their best, so they too have a chance to pursue their dreams," she said.

(Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A sad-looking hot dog like this qualifies as a "meal," according to the Pennsylvania liquor code. Read more

Pennsylvania restaurant and bar owners are in a tizzy over a new set of rules laid down by the Wolf administration on Wednesday designed to check the spread of the coronavirus.

One aspect, a limit of 25% of stated fire-code maximum occupancy for indoor dining, or 25 persons for a discrete indoor event or gathering in a restaurant, has them positively steaming. (This applies to restaurants outside of Philadelphia, which does not allow indoor dining.)

Another rule, applicable to all 67 counties, has many of them confused: Alcohol only can be served for on-premises consumption when in the same transaction as a meal.

This means that food now must be ordered with alcohol. This affects the corner bars, private clubs, Legion posts, and the like that traditionally allowed patrons to while away an afternoon chugging beers and watching the TV. (By law, all Pennsylvania bars always have had to simply offer food. Now the state has gone another step.)

The bigger question is: Whats a meal?

Restaurateurs and bar owners have been calling elected officials, trading info online, and reading blogs to suss out the answer. Much is at stake, because the Pennsylvania State Police, which enforces the liquor laws, has been spot-inspecting establishments for COVID-19 compliance.

Well go to the Pennsylvania Liquor Code itself  47 P.S.  4-406(e)  which defines a meal as food prepared on the premises, sufficient to constitute breakfast, lunch or dinner; it shall not mean a snack, such as pretzels, popcorn, chips, or similar food.

That hot dog might not be the most appetizing dish in the world, but its a meal.
Paris, TX (75460)

Today

Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. Morning high of 60F with temps falling sharply to near 40. SW winds shifting to NNW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low 23F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Warren Henry Technicians. The shortage of automotive service technicians is undeniable, but we want to be part of the solution. Thats why we have come up with this incredible initiative that is also going to contribute to the growth and education of technicians in our community Warren Zinn, Chief Executive Officer of Warr

Warren Henry Auto Group is pleased to announce the new Warren Henry Technician program in partnership with Miami Dade Public Schools. The automotive industry is experiencing a technician shortage and Warren Henry Auto wants to be part of the solution. The industry keeps growing, therefore this technician program is going to allow us to grow our own technicians. With this initiative, we are hoping to reduce the current shortage of technicians in South Florida and use this platform as a recruiting tool.

As part of the shortage solution, Warren Henry is launching WHT, Warren Henry Technicians program. The program is designed to welcome 20 students and has a duration of two years. It includes classroom and hands-on instruction reinforced with high-tech computerized learning systems. The content of this incredible program is directly related to the areas of The ASE Certification and includes on-the-job internship training experiences at Jaguar Land Rover North Dade.

This certification program will start on August 24, 2020, and is a great opportunity for aspiring technicians to learn and get experience through in the lab training. Students will also have the benefit of being supervised by the best-certified master technicians in South Florida. Here at Warren Henry Auto Group, we are very excited to introduce this local initiative which is going to help with the education of those interested in working in the automobile industry across the US. The shortage of automotive service technicians is undeniable, but we want to be part of the solution. Thats why we have come up with this incredible initiative that is also going to contribute to the growth and education of technicians in our community Warren Zinn, Chief Executive Officer of Warren Henry Auto Group.

Regarding Warren Henry Auto Group

Warren Henry Auto Group, founded in 1976, is one of the most longstanding automotive dealerships in Florida. Their reputation is based on quality, community support, and appreciation towards their employees. Warren Henry Auto Group carries a variety of vehicle brands such as Jaguar, Land Rover, Infiniti, Audi, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Koenigsegg, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and RAM. Warren Henry Auto Group's corporate office is now located at 2300 NE 151st Street in North Miami. For more information, call (305) 690-6006 or visit http://www.warrenhenryauto.com.
A n NHS worker left paralysed during a 100-day battle with coronavirus walked out of hospital this week after making an incredible recovery.

Pani Kyriacou, 54, spent 40 days in intensive care with Covid-19, which also affected his nervous system and prevented him moving.

He left Croydon University Hospital on crutches on Monday, cheered by dozens of staff and colleagues.

The IT engineer had been taken to the critical care unit after falling ill at home. Although his condition stabilised, he was still paralysed with critical care neuropathy, which stunned his nerves.

He was moved to an inpatient ward, where he spent 58 days in the care of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nurses.

Mr Kyriacou thanked staff for saving his life and helping his recovery, saying: Im almost back to normal and it is great to go home. He said the first 50 days in hospital were a complete blank.

His wife Lulu said: It looked very bad for Pani but hes a fighter and Im very proud of him for pulling through To see him smiling again means the world.
Two people have been arrested after a woman accused them of stripping her home of its interior while they were supposed to be watching it, an affidavit said.

On July 1, the homeowner called Alamo Heights police to report that her surveillance cameras caught 40-year-old Michael Robles and 41-year-old Monica Caban taking property, including cabinets and granite counter tops, from her residence, the affidavit said. Robles and Caban were supposed to be house sitting while she was in Australia.

The homeowner attempted to call the house sitters, but she said they ignored her.

Police showed up to the home on July 1 but said they could not verify who owned the property that was removed. On July 13, the homeowner finally provided digital proof that the property was hers.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

By that time, Robles and Caban had removed granite counter tops, the oven, all interior doors, washer, dryer, window blinds and even cabinets, the affidavit said. In the affidavit, Police described the house as completely empty and "all items whether nailed down, attached to piping or installed by other means have been removed" and that it was "a shell house in dilapidated and unlivable condition."

The defendants also attempted to remove windows and an AC unit on the side of the house with a makeshift scaffold, according to the affidavit. Police requested a work-order with the city to halt the removal or any more items from the home.

The affidavit does not say if the homeowner knew the defendants before hiring them or where she found the two to house sit.

Both Robles and Caban were charged with theft $150,000 to $300,000 and are being held in the Bexar County Jail on a $25,000 bail for those charges.

They were both also arrested on suspicion of three counts of drug possession with intent to sell at the time of their theft arrest.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 10:09:43|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese security authorities on Thursday closed all bridges linking the capital Khartoum, as Islamic groups continued to call for protests against recent legal amendments.

"Khartoum State's Security Committee announces closure of the state's bridges as of 6:00 p.m today (Thursday) until the end of Friday," the authorities said in a statement, urging residents of the capital to cooperate and refrain from activities across the bridges during the specified time.

Last week, Sudan's transitional government endorsed legal amendments that have prompted wide controversy.

The government annulled the apostasy law, repealing death penalty for those deemed to have abandoned the Islamic religion, and replaced it with an item incriminating Takfir, or the act of accusing another Muslim of apostasy or declaring another Muslim as non-believer, with a punishment amounting to 10 years in prison.

The new laws also allowed non-Muslims to manufacture and drink alcohol and permitted women to travel abroad with their children with husbands' approval.

Regarding the amendments as violating the Islamic religious law, commonly known as Sharia, many Islamists have been calling for protests, which are scheduled for Friday.

Mohamed Ali Al-Jazouli, chairman of the State of Law and Development Party in Sudan, lashed out at the transitional government, urging the army, police and security forces to disobey the government's orders, which pushed the authorities to arrest him on Wednesday evening.

Sudan's Popular Congress Party, meanwhile, voiced determination to oppose the amendments and work to annul them through democratic means.

"The amendments in the criminal law relating to allowing non-Muslims to drink alcohol is considered a moral failure before it is a violation to the Islamic law," the party said in a statement.

The Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan, for its part, said in a statement that annulling an item in the Islamic law that is established in the applicable Sudanese criminal law is serious, concerning the faith of the Muslim and the principles of their religion.

The Muslim Brotherhood further urged the government to immediately backtrack from this path.

Meanwhile, Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has reiterated on his Twitter account the government's commitment to preserve the Islamic values and respect the Islamic principles.

Since 1983, Sudan has forbidden drinking of alcohol when former President Ja'far Nimiri declared the Sharia laws in the country, which is still the first source of legislation in the country.

Apostasy has been forbidden after the Islamic movement seized power through a military coup in 1989, leading by former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir who was ousted last year. Enditem
The Rajasthan BJP on Friday accused the Congress of dragging it its internal fight between groups of two leaders in the state.

BJP state president Satish Poonia also hit out at Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, saying he levelled false allegations against Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to defame him.

"Surjewala is giving statements as if he is the DG of the SOG (Special Operation Group). Congress party and its government are conspiring to defame the BJP and dragging it in its internal fight between two leaders," Poonia told reporters here at a press conference.

He also asserted that Sanjay Jain, whose name surfaced in audio recordings related to the alleged horse-trading of legislators, has no connection with the BJP.

Surjewala had dubbed Jain as a BJP leader but he is actually a Congress block president of Lunkaransar of Bikaner district, said Poonia.

He said the Congress advocates the abrogation of Indian Penal Code section 124-A relating to the offence of sedition but Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is using the same section against his own party leaders due to the fear of losing his chair.

Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria also echoed Poonia's views saying it is a certified fact that it is an internal fight within the Congress and the BJP is being dragged into it.

He pointed out that audio recordings are not authentic evidence and even the courts do not accept them.

"Phone taping cannot be done without prior approval from the Home Department. It would have been better if the Congress had verified the facts before naming Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat," he added.

Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore said, "The Congress government in the state is on a death bed."

It is divided into two groups and cannot run the government any longer, he added.

Questioning the authenticity of audio recordings, he said anybody can mimic someone so well today that it cannot be verified.

He said the BJP has been saying that Congress is misusing law and taping phone calls.
The University of Arizona has finalized how their classes will operate this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic, the schools administration says.

Its up to the individual professor; theyre going to decide that. Its definitely not the administration, President Robert Robbins said during a news conference Thursday. Faculty worked with their department's leadership in effort to have 50% of each degree program with some element of in-person instruction.

Students, either today or Monday can go in and find the course that theyre signed up for and they will find out from their professor, will it be all remote or one of the three options we laid out. Because some professors will say were not comfortable going face-to-face, so well have one of these other modalities,  Robbins said.

The class styles they chose from are: in-person with enhanced health protections; a flex of in-person and online instruction; live online classes; and ICourses that students complete at their pace.

The UA will start the school year on Aug. 24.

It will do so with fewer employees. Some 250 have lost their job as of Thursday amid an anticipated revenue loss of about $280 million through the 2021 fiscal year related to the pandemic.

Robbins said the UAs current furlough plan beginning Aug. 10 is designed to try and save jobs. We do not want to have to lay people off, but people will get laid off in this process.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

A completed Continental Divide Trail, a hiking route along the Animas River traversing Farmington, and one that connects Raton with parks along the Colorado border.

Those projects are all part of the wish list of local officials and outdoor enthusiasts that could well be granted if the Great American Outdoors Act becomes law as expected in a few weeks.

The legislation  overwhelmingly approved by the Senate last month  would provide $900 million each year for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The House is expected to pass the bill before the end of the month, and President Donald Trump has already endorsed it.

The fund has previously invested more than $330 million in New Mexico to protect public lands and open spaces and increase recreational opportunities since it was created in 1964. And Axie Navas, the director of the states Outdoor Recreation Division, said local governments and nonprofits already are working to get their projects into the funding pipeline.

Some dont have funding to move forward without money from the fund, she said.

Teresa Martinez, executive director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, said the fund is the only tool to complete the 820-mile trail that extends through New Mexico from the Rocky Mountains to the desert grasslands of the Chihuahuan Desert in the Bootheel.

She said there is about 72 miles to complete in the southern part of the state and a segment between Pie Town and Grants. To achieve that, 10 miles of private land needs to be acquired to link critical pieces that are missing in that patchwork with federal lands.

Martinez is unsure how much money would be needed to purchase the land. But she said about $30,000 is needed for maintenance along the trail, which includes gates, fences and walk-throughs that would help people safely hike the trail and protect bordering agriculture operations.

Meanwhile in Farmington, work already is underway to keep trail systems around the city vibrant and well-kept, Economic Development Director Warren Unsicker said, adding that funding remains tight during the pandemic.

We are pleased to see this coming, he said, expressing a hope it would help our ability to rehab and just maintain some of these trails we have in our area.

The city is working with the Bureau of Land Management on growing the trail network on federal land around the city. The effort includes designation, signage and funding for basic maintenance needs and ways to make trails more accessible to the public, as well as for conservation efforts.

Farmington is also involved in a three-phase, $860,000 river trail system project, Parks and Recreation Director Shana Reeves said.

It would be amazing if we could get funding for the river trail, she said.

The project includes bridge construction, lighting trails and connecting routes that would allow people to walk or ride bikes or horses along the Animas River trail system across the city.

Its unique because it connects one end of our town to the other, Reeves said. Not many cities have a river trail like that. We consider it one of our regional draws.  We have elements in our river for white-water rafting and we plan to expand those in the future.

Ratons outdoor recreation plans involve coordination between two state governments, two conservation groups and a partnership with Trinidad, Colorado, City Manager Scott Berry said.

The city owns land at Sugarite Canyon in New Mexico and in Colorado that it uses for its water supply. It leases areas to New Mexico State Parks and Colorado Parks and Wildlife for outdoor recreation purposes.

Berry said Raton is working on an extensive trail system that would link the community with Sugarite Canyon, Fishers Peak State Park in Colorado, city-owned Climax Canyon National Recreation Trail area and the Old Raton Pass corridor west of Raton.

He said the city is planning a phase one request of $200,000 through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

The whole northeast corner of the state is a burgeoning outdoor recreation hub, Navas said. It is a project that LWCF would make possible.
MINSK, Belarus - An opposition candidate challenging Belarus longtime authoritarian leader in next months presidential vote said Friday that she will rely on support from other would-be candidates who have been barred from the race.

President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the country of 9.5 million with an iron hand for 26 years, is expected to easily win a sixth term in the August 9 election despite a wave of opposition protests.

Earlier this week, the election commission ruled to bar Lukashenkos two main rivals from the race, leaving Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, wife of jailed popular opposition blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky, as the most visible challenger.

Tikhanovskaya said at a news conference Friday that she would unite efforts with the campaigns of Valery Tsepkalo and Viktor Babariko, who were denied registration. She added that shes also open to co-ordination with three other candidates left on the ballot.

Like all of you, we dont believe that the election will be fair, but we can protect our votes only by pulling our efforts together, Tikhanovskaya said.

Her husband has been jailed since May on charges of attacking a police officer, which he rejected as a provocation, and Tikhanovskaya said she has repeatedly received threats.

Babariko, the former head of a Russia-owned bank, gathered more than 400,000 signatures in support of his candidacy  four times the number needed  but was jailed last month on money-laundering charges he rejected as politically-driven.

Tsepkalo, a former ambassador to the United States and a founder of a successful technology park, submitted 160,000 signatures to qualify for the race, but election officials ruled that only 75,000 were valid, less than the 100,000 needed. He criticized the ruling as politically biased.

The European Union on Tuesday called the decision to deny Babariko and Tsepkalo spots on the ballot seemingly arbitrary.

Lukashenko, 65, who relentlessly suppressed the opposition and independent media throughout his rule, scaled down repressions against his foes in recent years as part of efforts to curry favour with the West. But as the election approached and protests widened, Belarusian authorities unleashed a new sweeping crackdown on critics.

Lukashenkos refusal to impose any restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic  which he dismissed as psychosis  and the weakening economy has sparked tensions and helped swell support for opposition candidates.

Earlier this week, thousands of Belarusians protested the exclusion of the opposition candidates from the race, and hundreds were detained by police.

Overall since May more than 1,000 people have been detained for taking part in the protests, according to the Vysna human rights centre.

Tikhanovskaya said that the release of political prisoners is a key demand of her campaign.
A child at Camp Chase in Burlington has tested positive for COVID-19, the Greater Hartford YMCA, which runs the camp, said Friday.

The child and others in the same cohort will be required to stay home at least 14 days before returning to camp, as will any siblings and the groups counselors.

A spokesperson for the Greater Hartford YMCA said the camp learned of the positive test Friday morning. Administrators had chosen not to close the camp after consulting with local health officials, the Department of Public Health and the Office of Early Childhood, the spokesperson said.

The camp has restricted children to groups of 10 and limited interaction between groups during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Alex Putterman can be reached at aputterman@courant.com.



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ATLANTA ? Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is suing Atlantas mayor and city council to block the city from enforcing its mandate to wear a mask in public and other rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kemp and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, in a suit filed in state court late Thursday in Atlanta, argue that Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has overstepped her authority and must obey Kemps executive orders under state law.

?Governor Kemp must be allowed, as the chief executive of this state, to manage the public health emergency without Mayor Bottoms issuing void and unenforceable orders which only serve to confuse the public,? the lawsuit states.

Kemp on Wednesday clarified his executive orders to expressly block Atlanta and at least 14 other local governments across the state from requiring people to wear face coverings.

Kemp?s order was met with defiance Thursday by Bottoms and some other mayors, who said they would continue enforcing the order. The lawsuit forces that showdown, resolving an ambiguous situation with Kemp denying local governments could order masks, but local governments arguing it was within their power.

Bottoms said Thursday during a video news conference that the citys order is still in effect.

?As of today, 3,104 Georgians have died and I and my family are amongst the 106,000 who have tested positive for COVID-19,? Bottoms said in a statement after the lawsuit was filed. A better use of taxpayer money would be to expand testing and contact tracing. If being sued by the state is what it takes to save lives in Atlanta, then we will see them in court.?

The state asks a judge to overturn Bottoms? orders that are more restrictive than Kemp?s, block her from issuing any more such orders, instruct the City Council not to ratify Bottoms? actions or adopt any ordinances inconsistent with Kemp, to force Bottoms not to make any public statements claiming she has authority that exceeds Kemp?s, and to require city officials to enforce ?all provisions? of Kemp?s existing orders.

In filing the lawsuit, Kemp combined a previous dispute with Bottoms over policing in the city with coronavirus control. He said he was suing to protect business owners and employees in the same way he called out the National Guard last week to protect state office buildings and the governor?s mansion after an 8-year-old girl was fatally shot July 4 by armed men at a site where a white Atlanta police officer shot and killed a Black man who had grabbed a stun gun and ran.

The shooting of Rayshard Brooks prompted unrest, including the burning of the fast food restaurant at the site, and complaints that armed people were blocking traffic with no police intervention. The city struggled at times to provide officers after many called in sick when a prosecutor, over Bottoms? objection, criminally charged the officers involved.

Kemp also alleged in his lawsuit that Bottoms has forbidden police from enforcing Kemps earlier orders against gatherings of more than 50 people.

Officials in at least 15 Georgia cities and counties had ordered masks during the coronavirus pandemic, and many were angry at Kemp for swatting down their efforts.

?How can we take care of our local needs when our state ties our hands behind our back and then says ?Ignore the advice of experts?? Savannah Mayor Van Johnson asked in a news conference.

Bottoms last week made statements that people had to return to sheltering at home and forcing restaurants to return to only offering takeout and delivery. Kemp quickly swatted those claims down, and Bottoms on Thursday described them as guidelines. But Kemp?s lawsuit says the court should set Bottoms straight on those statements as well, and forbid her from making more claims about her power to reporters.

Kemp says he strongly supports mask-wearing to combat the spread of COVID-19 infections. He traveled the state this month to encourage face coverings. But he has maintained for weeks that cities and counties cant require masks in public places, saying local actions cant be more or less restrictive than his statewide orders.

Wednesday, in an otherwise routine renewal of rules governing business operations and ordering medically vulnerably people to stay home, Kemp made that prohibition explicit. He also said local governments could not order masks on their own property, which would include Atlanta?s massive airport.

Although national health officials have called on people to use masks, President Donald Trumps administration has not issued any nationwide guidance. Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia now require masks.

Kemps stance ? not only shying away from a statewide order but trying to bar local governments from instituting their own ? leaves him standing virtually alone. In the South, Republican governors in Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida have resisted statewide mandates but allow local jurisdictions to implement them. Republican governors in Alabama, Arkansas and Texas and Democrats in Kentucky, Louisiana and North Carolina have issued statewide mask requirements.

Thursdays numbers showed more than 2,800 people hospitalized statewide with the COVID-19 respiratory illness, the highest on record. The state reported that 84% of hospitals? critical beds were filled.

Georgia overall had more than 131,000 confirmed infections and more than 3,100 deaths overall as of Thursday.

Some business groups are supporting Kemp. Georgia Restaurant Association Executive Director Kelly Bremer said Thursday that a statewide mandate isnt appropriate considering Georgias size and diversity. But she also said local rules would be confusing and businesses should make their own decisions about requiring customers to wear masks.

?For businesses to grapple with 535 different municipal ordinances and 159 different county ordinances is madness," Bremer said. ?Having one set of guidelines is very important.?

___

Nadler reported from Marietta, Georgia. Associated Press writer Haleluya Hadero contributed to this report.

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Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
A mask wearer in Missouri. (Associated Press)

Sometime around 845 BCE, a general named Naaman commanded armies in Syria. He was routinely victorious.

But he also had leprosy. In the Bible story, he gets a simple treatment plan: Bathe seven times in the Jordan River. Bah. Routine hygiene! Naaman storms off. He wanted heroics. Hed rather die than bathe.

Back in February, Gabrielle Blair, a designer, parenting blogger and devout Mormon, wrote a compelling Twitter thread inspired by Naaman. She was perplexed by the professed willingness of tough Republicans to go to any lengths to protect their families, where any lengths always seemed to mean brandishing assault rifles.

Laundry and handwashing, observed Blair, a mother of six, are what protects kids from an awful lot of what threatens them.

But evidently washing is too dull or motherly  or is it just too effective?  to appeal to the Mad Max fatherhood fantasists.

Blairs thread came before the coronavirus seized America. But as COVID-19 blazes through American communities, infecting some 3.5 million and counting, her elevation of the mundane heroics over the comic-book kind seems positively prophetic.

The pandemic kicked off a rush on, of all things, guns. In locked-down states, gun stores were declared as essential as groceries. Widespread unemployment and then the George Floyd protests may have added to the rush to arms. In any case, according to the Wall Street Journal, unprecedented numbers of Americans purchased guns between March and June, and the FBI processed a record number of firearm background checks: 7.8 million.

Its not clear what guns might do against microbes or joblessness, but maybe its axiomatic in America: When afraid, buy guns.

Alex Jones, the unhinged far-right conspiracist, went even further. In late April, he was prepping for cannibalism.

Ill admit it, he said. Ill eat my neighbors. Im not letting the kids die. ... Im literally looking at my neighbors now going, Am I ready to hang them up and gut them and skin them and chop them up?' You know what? Im ready.

Story continues

This kind of thinking evidently strikes some in the far-right crowd as a sensible response to a virus. Light, wearable sneeze guards, on the other hand? Social distancing? Bah. The illogic is Naamanian. Its also staggering.

Perhaps we should expect nothing less from brain-addled President Trump, who only recently donned a mask (once) for a photo op and instead has been pushing everything from hydroxychloroquine snake oil to IV bleach and martial law to cure the countrys ills.

But mask avoidance is nothing but galling in slightly saner state governors, who are closer to the action of mounting deaths and overtaxed healthcare workers.

Even with a sophisticated program of testing and tracking  and thanks to Trumps lack of leadership, nothing like that is on the horizon  masks, handwashing and social distancing are by far the strongest defense against the contagion. That should be extremely good news. Cheap, easy, no side effects, nonviolent.

Still, on Monday, the conservative-leaning Orange County Board of Education refused to require masks and social distancing in schools, while insisting they reopen in the fall. Its frankly politically driven, said one local school district president.

This partisan folly is starting to border on murderous. At least Naaman was primarily risking his own life.

On Wednesday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, canceled the orders of at least 15 local governments mandating masks.

Georgia cities including Atlanta have seen COVID-19 cases soar since Kemp insisted on reopening the economy last month. The mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, has been sick with the disease, along with her family. Like so many of the afflicted, Bottoms told CNN this week, her husband has barely been able to walk.

And yet Bottoms is now banned from requiring Atlantans to take the simplest hygiene measure: masking up. Worse, on Thursday, Kemp filed a lawsuit against her over her mask ordinance. Like Van R. Johnson, the mayor of Savannah, and many mayors in states with anti-mask-mandate Republican governors, Bottoms is still making it clear to Atlantans that they must mask up.

Some Republican governors have recognized their own recklessness in banning mask orders. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who had lifted such orders in April, did a U-turn last week and mandated them for most of the state.

The wisdom of such an about-face is probably dawning on Kevin Stitt, the Oklahoma governor who welcomed an unmasked Trump rally in June in Tulsa, and yesterday admitted he was pretty shocked that he had contracted the virus. So far, though, hes sticking to his guns: no mask requirement in his state.

Ultimately, even Naaman listened to a servant who told him he was being a suicidal dolt not to bathe as directed. He dunked in the river, and his skin cleared up.

For Bible readers, Naaman represents a valiant warrior who is also a vain, self-defeating fool. For those of us suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic, hes a genius of biblical proportions compared to the gun toters, Dr. Fauci haters and Trump lovers who would ban or defy mask orders.

@page88
Published on:

17 July 2020



A snapshot of genetic code A snapshot of genetic code

The most well-known breast and ovarian cancer causing genes are BRCA1 and BRCA2. These gene mutations cause around 10-20 per cent of ovarian and 6 per cent of breast cancers. If mutation carriers could be identified before they develop disease, most of these cancers could be prevented by drugs, increased screening or surgery.

Current clinical guidelines globally only recommend genetic testing for high-risk women, for example, if they fulfil certain clinical criteria or if there is a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer. However, over 50 per cent of BRCA carriers do not meet these criteria so are not tested, and over 97 per cent of BRCA carriers in the UK population remain unidentified.

This new study was supported by the NHS Innovation Accelerator Fellowship and womens cancer charity The Eve Appeal and published in the journal Cancers. The researchers estimated the cost-effectiveness and health impact of BRCA testing in the general population, compared with current standard clinical testing of women designated as high risk, in countries considered high income (UK/USA/Netherlands), upper-middle income (China/Brazil), and low-middle income (India).

The researchers modelled a number of scenarios of population based BRCA-testing and compared the costs and health impact to the current family history based policy. Cost effectiveness was calculated from both a societal and a payer perspective. A payer perspective only includes medical costs incurred by the health system or health providers (such as costs of genetic testing, screening, prevention and cancer treatment). A societal perspective also takes into account costs such as the impact of income lost from inability to work and shorter life spans due to cancer.

The research team found that population based testing was extremely cost effective in high and upper middle income countries from a payer perspective. From a societal perspective it was cost saving in high income countries and cost effective in middle income countries like China and Brazil. Costs of BRCA testing would need to fall to around USD $172 to become cost effective in low income countries like India.

Findings suggest that population based BRCA testing can prevent an additional 2,319-2,666 breast cancer and 327-449 ovarian cancer cases per million women than the current clinical strategy. In the UK, this translates to preventing an additional 57,700 breast cancer cases (and 5,900 breast cancer deaths) and 9,700 ovarian cancer cases (and 5,900 ovarian cancer deaths), and similar positive results were seen in other countries:

Breast cancer Ovarian cancer Cases prevented Deaths prevented Cases prevented Deaths prevented UK 57,708 5,941 9,727 5,919 USA 269,089 17,446 43,817 24,343 Netherlands 15,181 1,424 2,557 1,509 China 1,050,314 121,353 154,756 87,103 Brazil 156,299 30,509 25,170 15,724 India 692,571 177,697 97,659 77,948

Table: Number of cancer cases and deaths that would be prevented over a lifetime if genetic testing was offered to the entire population

Lead researcher Professor Ranjit Manchanda from Barts Cancer Institute and Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine at Queen Mary said: General population BRCA testing can bring about a new paradigm for improving global cancer prevention. Why do we need to wait for people to develop a preventable cancer to identify others in whom we can prevent cancer? Strategies and pathways for population testing must be developed to enable population genomics to achieve its potential for maximising early detection and cancer prevention.

With the costs of testing falling this can provide huge new opportunities for cancer prevention and changes in the way we deliver cancer genetic testing. This approach can ensure that more women can take preventative action to reduce their cancer risk or undertake regular screening.

Dr Rosa Legood, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine added: Our analysis shows that testing all women for BRCA mutations is a more cost-effective strategy which can prevent these cancers in high risk women and save lives. This approach has important implications given the effective options that are available for breast and ovarian cancer risk management and prevention for women at increased risk.

Athena Lamnisos, CEO, Eve Appeal said: We must invest in cancer prevention  this is what will save most lives and also be cost effective within cash-strapped healthcare systems. The evidence emerging from this study is an exciting step forward: we can stop cancer before it has a chance to start through broadening a simple genetic test to a wider population. At The Eve Appeal we work with women given a heart-breaking diagnosis of cancer, this is really hard news to process when they find out they carry a mutation which could have been identified at an early stage and their cancer prevented. For those women and their loved ones, this research provides hope.

This research was led by Prof Ranjit Manchanda (Queen Mary University of London) and supported by Dr Rosa Legood (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine). This research was an international collaboration involving research teams from Queen Mary University of London, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and involved Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands); Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo (Brazil); Peking University, Beijing (China); Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (India); Presidency University, Kolkata (India); Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata (India); University of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia); Newcastle University (UK).

More information
Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary.

Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images.

The White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, criticized Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday, described her as "derelict" when it comes to dealing with crime.

"The derelict mayor of Chicago should step up and ask for help, because she's doing a very poor job of securing her streets," McEnany said.

Lightfoot came back with a biting response: "Hey, Karen. Watch your mouth."

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The White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, criticized Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday, describing the Midwesterner as "derelict" when it comes to dealing with crime in her city.

The Trump aide argued that cities with high crime rates like Chicago should take more federal assistance.

"The derelict mayor of Chicago should step up and ask for help, because she's doing a very poor job of securing her streets," McEnany said.

McEnany had dodged questions about President Donald Trump's refusal to acknowledge that the police kill Black Americans at much higher rates than they kill white people. Instead, she pointed to evidence that Black people are much more likely to be victims of all kinds of homicide.

Lightfoot, the first Black woman elected as Chicago's mayor, didn't mince words in her response.

aMayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) July 16, 2020

"Hey, Karen. Watch your mouth," she tweeted, using a name commonly used to refer to entitled, racist white women.

Video: Chicago pizza chain aiding in fight against the coronavirus

Read the original article on Business Insider
Photo: Holland America

A Seattle-based cruise line has sold four ships in its fleet as the coronavirus pandemic has halted operations and subsequently slowed businesses that rely on incoming traffic from the industry.

Holland America Line made the announcement after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday extended a ban on cruises in U.S. waters until the end of September to limit the spread of COVID-19, KING-TV reported.

Holland America is selling the Amsterdam, Maasdam, Rotterdam and Veendam, which reduces its fleet to 10, the company said. All cruises booked on the ships will be cancelled or changed.

Seattle anticipated a record 1.2 million visitors this year, but the pandemic left countries questioning the safety of allowing potentially contagious passengers to disembark.

Compared to last summer, it was crowds of people walking through shoulder to shoulder, now its not that at all," said Ngozi Archbold, working at the Pappardelles pasta stand in Pike Place Market. Just like two to three people walking in groups.

Shops and restaurants, like Pappardelle's pasta stand, have struggled since businesses have relied on tourists for income.

Back in March, our city and industry could not have imagined how long the COVID pandemic would affect travel globally, Visit Seattle CEO Tom Norwalk said. It is now apparent that recovery will take years. For Seattle, losing the cruise industry for this year adds to the anxiety of our industry and the many small businesses that were hoping for at least a partial cruise season.

The cruise industry brings in $900 million annually and each vessel brings with it $4.2 million in regional economic activity, the Port of Seattle 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.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The team leader of the private sector-led COVID-19 testing organization appealed to the government to be more urgent in solving the pandemic in the country.

Project ARK team leader Dr. Minguita Padilla emphasized government officials should not use the health sector for their political interests, hence it should be focused on responding to the problems brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bureaucratic mindset has to change because we are in a crisis situation. We need a greater sense of urgency, Padilla told CNN Philippines Rico Hizon on Friday.

Padilla gave as example the governments slow action in approving the implementing rules for their planned pool testing of different societal sectors in two Metro Manila hospitals.

She stressed that pool reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing can help minimize the governments COVID-19 testing costs as up to 10 people can undergo in one swab test.

READ: DOH studies use of pool testing seen to increase the countrys testing capacity

If it comes out negative, you presume all those people are negative. If it comes out positive, you can divide them in two batches. If there are still positive again, thats the time you will only test each one of them, Padilla explained the process of their planned pool RT-PCR testing, which she hopes can proceed by next week.

The Project ARK founder also called the government to provide free COVID-19 testing for all Filipinos, especially for frontliners who cannot afford the high testing costs.

What keeps the people for being tested is they have to pay for it and expensive. If its free, they will go. They are not afraid, they will go because it is for their own good and for their family, said Padilla.

Padilla suggested testing individuals via RT-PCR every three months and via rapid antibody testing every two weeks, to further reduce the COVID-19 infections in the country.

Stop the profiteering. Stop the pogi points. Stop the turf wars about health. They could all be just for public welfare, Padilla appealed to government officials.

To date, the country now has 63,001 confirmed COVID-19 cases along with 39,593 active infections. While some 1,660 individuals died and 21,748 persons recovered from the virus.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque rejected on Friday a lawyer's request to explain why he previously said the President's physical health was at 88 percent.

Atty. Dino de Leon sent a letter to Roque on Thursday, asking the spokesman to explain his basis.

"As the mouthpiece of the President, it is presumed that your declarations have both factual and legal basis," de Leon stated in the letter. "Your statements on the issue of the health of the President are being watched closely by the Filipino people."

But Roque instead reiterated that President Rodrigo Duterte is not compelled to release his health records. He added that the Supreme Court already junked de Leon's previous call to release documents on the President's health condition.

De Leon accused Roque of diverting from the issue.

"Mabuti pang sagutin niya na lang kung anong basis niya," he said.

[Translation: It is better that he just answers what his basis was]

Duterte's health had been a hot topic as the Palace continues to reject calls to disclose his condition despite the President himself revealing several illnesses.
There is nothing quite as romantic as the phrase summer bride and so it is hard to believe that Princess Beatrice was yesterday married in a ceremony of such secrecy that  so far  not even a photograph has been issued to mark it.

No royal wedding in living memory has been co-ordinated with such an absence of public joy and celebration.

Even Princess Anne, the least sentimental of the Queens children, posed briefly for the cameras on a freezing December day at Balmoral when she wed for a second time.

Disastrous: Prince Andrew speaks with Emily Maitlis who interviewed him for BBC Newsnight

Deprived of even that, Beatrices big day will be remembered instead for the two long shadows cast over a royal nuptials blighted by misfortune. And the tragedy for the Princess is that neither were of her making.

One was Covid-19, which has thwarted the plans of so many people up and down the land. The other was the downfall of her father Prince Andrew, once a national hero, now a figure so diminished by the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal that he dare not even be seen giving his own daughter away.

Whatever spin the Royal Family handlers put on yesterdays modest event, it will inevitably be seen as Andrews ultimate disgrace that Beatrice was obliged to marry in this way.

Her wedding plans have been dogged by his spectacular fall. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, it was widely expected to be held in private and in the absence of television cameras following the fallout from Andrews disastrous Newsnight interview last November.

It was even unclear if the Duke of York would walk his daughter up the aisle  as he did at the Windsor wedding of Princess Eugenie two years ago in October.

Scarcely a week has gone by since that interview without more revelations about friendships that plumbed fresh depths of tawdriness and heaped yet more embarrassment on the royals.

There is nothing quite as romantic as the phrase summer bride and so it is hard to believe that Princess Beatrice was yesterday married to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a ceremony of such secrecy that  so far  not even a photograph has been issued to mark it

The arrest of his friend Ghislaine Maxwell this month, accused of procuring girls for Epstein, must have been the final blow in banishing any remaining chance that Beatrice and her fiance Edo Mapelli Mozzi could have a normal wedding.

Their plans to marry in front of 1,560 guests in the Chapel Royal at St Jamess Palace, followed by an outdoor reception in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, had long since been swept away by the corona crisis.

In its place, then, was a ceremony tucked far from public view and conducted with none of the blessings that are normally part and parcel of a royal marriage  a wedding like no other royal wedding.

In another twist, Beatrice became a stepmother by marriage to her husbands young son Christopher, known as Wolfie, from a previous relationship.

Certainly there was nothing grandiose or extravagant about the simple ceremony in the little All Saints church in the grounds of Windsor Great Park. It is more often the venue for much sadder royal events.

It was where gamekeepers kept vigil around the coffin of the Queen Mother after her death in 2002 and it is often the scene of the funerals of Windsor estate staff and royal friends. Weddings are almost unheard of.

But All Saints is also the Queens parish church, where she worships most Sundays when she is at Windsor.

And of course she has been in residence at the Castle ever since lockdown. Yesterday she was wearing the same unshakeable smile she has worn for all her adult life  and displaying that same remarkable fortitude  as she and Prince Philip arrived by car for what must have been the most unusual of family gatherings.

Her thoughts would have been for her granddaughter, says one of the Queens friends.

The arrest of his friend Ghislaine Maxwell this month, accused of procuring girls for Epstein, must have been the final blow in banishing any remaining chance that Beatrice and her fiance Edo Mapelli Mozzi could have a normal wedding

She knows it is not Beatrices fault that so much has impacted on her and she will have wanted to support her.

The church is also close to Royal Lodge, where Prince Andrew and his ex-wife the Duchess of York live and where Beatrice is believed to have spent her last night as a single woman.

If it was chosen for mere privacy it couldnt have been bettered. But secrecy was the order of the day. So scant were the details of the service  thought to have been led by Canon Martin Poll, a former Royal Navy chaplain  that it was not even clear how many people were actually present.

One report said 20, another suggested the numbers may have been no more than eight.

Perhaps most bizarre of all was the announcement from the Palace that no photographs of the event would be released for 24 hours.

This was because it was decreed that nothing should upstage the knighthood the Queen was bestowing on the nations favourite charity fundraiser, the extraordinary Captain Tom Moore.

This, surely, was the flimsiest of arguments. Because if this was truly the case, wouldnt it have been more sensible to postpone one or the other ceremonies? Certainly there was pressure on the Queens timetable.

Due to the restrictions on travel because of Covid-19, the wedding had to be held before the Queen leaves for Balmoral at the end of the month.

And it has been only since July 4 that weddings with up to 30 guests have been permitted.

Princess Beatrice with sister Princess Eugenie and parents Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew

In a brusque statement that spoke of the sadness of the service, the Palace said: The small ceremony was attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and close family.

The wedding took place in accordance with all relevant Government guidelines. There was no mention of the brides father let alone the presence  if indeed there were any  of bridesmaids or pageboys.

Such lack of information can hardly be to avoid overshadowing Captain Tom. Indeed, the only conclusion can be that it was rather to avoid drawing attention to Prince Andrew.

Surely no other royal wedding has been blighted quite like Beatrices. Even the Duke of Windsor, who had more reason than anyone to hide his wedding away after abandoning the throne for the divorcee Wallis Simpson, celebrated his marriage in France with friends and photographers in attendance.

Of course nothing, not even the apparent meagreness of the event, will take away any of Beatrice and Edos happiness.

There are plans for a much larger second ceremony in Italy and the fact is that Beatrice, only too well aware of the criticism of the lavish scale of her sisters wedding, wanted a less formal service.

But for Andrew, so used to being the centre of royal attention, the humiliation must now be complete.

Rarely chastised as a child, he grew up, says one courtier, with a pompous level of self-importance based on being second in line to the throne. He felt it when he was pushed down in the line of succession.

The Queen has always tried to help in this respect, by making sure he has a role, not always, as we know, with much success.

Andrew has always been the son who pointedly bows and kisses her hand whenever he visits her at Buckingham Palace, and he is the son who, in her eyes, saved the treasures of Windsor Castle when flames were licking across it in 1992.

The Prince was on leave from the Navy, and he organised staff into a human chain to rescue its priceless paintings, furniture and artefacts.

To the Queen, Andrew could do no wrong. Only a few months ago, royals and their advisors looked towards Beatrices wedding as being the moment when Andrews public rehabilitation might, possibly, begin. Yesterday showed that it is as far away now as ever.
We got mail.

In my first column as public editor, I asked readers to weigh in with thoughts or concerns. And you did.

First the good news. It was heartening to see a desire for trusted news and the value that readers place in the Star to deliver that information. Local news and unbiased news is ... vitally important now, wrote sisters Pat and Kathy Johnston, of Toronto.

Now to the concerns and suggestions.

Readers continue to be confused about the role of media. Fail to differentiate between columnist and reporter.

Star columnists offer important, sometimes provocative perspectives. Unlike reporters, their very job is to express a viewpoint. But opinion pieces must be clearly labelled so readers dont confuse them with news stories. There has been an ongoing effort to better label not only opinion and analysis pieces but various types of news stories. But we must always be vigilant.

All Star comments, opinions, and editorials seem to reflect and support only the left view or the radical left view.

Or in the words of another reader, how about appealing to a broader base. Editorial page editor Andrew Phillips notes the Star is clear about its adherence to the Atkinson principles so it should be no surprise that editorials and many columns and contributor pieces are in the progressive camp. Theres a wide range of opinion even within that broad category, as well as other pieces that dont necessarily follow that general viewpoint. Of course, all this is very much in the eye of the beholder, he says.

I have submitted close to a dozen letters on issues of importance only to be disappointed not to see any one of them in print.

That was the concern expressed by Al Truscott, of Collingwood, who sees readers letters as an opportunity to challenge the status quo. The space for letters has shrunk over time, frustrating readers keen to share their views or challenge opinions voiced by columnists or editorials. Some even see it as an attempt by the Star to stifle criticism.

The reality is that the Star gets more letters than it has space for, Phillips says. Keeping letters under 150 words, to the point and tied to a timely issue will improve your chances, he said.

I wonder as well if the online letter offerings could be expanded, giving greater voice to readers who take the time to write?

I am NOT impressed with the paper no longer including email addresses for your journalists.

Not true. If you are reading online, a click on the reporters byline will reveal their contact info.

Please remember that your readers are not all from the City of Toronto and include more stories relevant to the periphery.

Agreed. The several years I spent reporting in Peel Region underscored to me the newsworthiness of local politics and community happenings in the regions around Toronto. Star reporter Noor Javed writes on 905 region issues and notes, I have never been short of stories ... Its a good problem to have. As well, Jason Miller is covering Peel, with a focus on crime and justice under the Local Journalism Initiative funded by the federal government. Journalists with Torstars Metroland papers are also good source of news in these communities. Still, a good reminder that news  and readers  are in abundance across the Greater Toronto Area.

You should be embarrassed or ashamed ... pathetic proof reading in my opinion.

Ouch. This readers complaint? Typos and grammar goofs. Identity instead of identify, passed instead of past, sewn rather than sown and that classic trip-up, affects, not effects. Such mistakes chip away at our credibility and irritate readers. Fewer copy editors puts more onus on reporters not to let mistakes slip by. I find it helps to take a quick break and then give a story one last read. It never fails to catch a mistake. Or two.

Some other thoughts.

The Johnston sisters say they are frustrated when vital elements get left out of a story, that piece of background essential for a reader new to an issue. Reporters can forget that not every reader is as versed in an issue as they are.

A few readers feel cheated by headlines that over promise. Headline writing is an art. They must catch the readers interest. But they must be fair and not mislead, noted Ellis Betensky, of Montreal. The decision to read is based entirely on the headline, so the headline must be an honest representation.

In summary, readers responded with a recipe for a great news outlet that delivers trusted news with a strong focus on local, original reporting together with opinions from across the political spectrum. I think the Star goes a long way to fulfilling that vision every day. But your comments are a reminder that there is always work to do.

Last word goes to Marshall Horner, of Milton, who voiced concerns about headlines as well as stories that leave the reader with unanswered questions.

You asked what I want  I want balanced journalism. Get the story and report, completely.
Biden Facing Pressure Within Party as Running Mate Search Enters Final Phase

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is facing pressure from contending groups inside his party as he prepares to interview a shortlist of women for the most important hire of his political career, his running mate.

Biden, who committed to choosing a woman for the job he held for eight years under President Barack Obama, said this week he expected the background vetting process to conclude around July 24. He would then interview each finalist before making a decision, expected by early August.

Adding to the weight of Bidens choice, he would be 78 at his January inauguration, making him the oldest U.S. president and setting up his vice president as an early front-runner for the 2024 race should he serve only one term.

Theres a lot of attention on this for a number of reasons, not least of which that Vice President Biden is 77 years old, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said.

Reid, who has had several conversations about the topic with Biden, said the list narrowed in recent weeks but remained fairly large.

The women under serious consideration include Sens. Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, and Tammy Duckworth; Reps. Val Demings and Karen Bass; former U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice; New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham; and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, according to interviews with Democratic officials.

Former Vice President Joe Biden talks with Senator Elizabeth Warren (C) and Senator Kamala Harris (R) after the conclusion of the 2020 Democratic U.S. presidential debate in Houston, Texas, U.S., on Sept. 12, 2019. (Mike Blake/File Photo/Reuters)

Harris cemented herself early as a favorite after dropping her presidential bid, particularly among top fundraisers, who have Bidens ear and tend to be more centrist. Online betting site PredictIt puts her odds of being picked at 41 percent, far higher than any of the other candidates on the list.

The Biden campaign declined to comment on the search.

Mounting Calls for Black Running Mate

Perhaps the biggest question facing Biden is whether to select a black woman following national protests over racial injustice following the police killing of George Floyd, an African American, in Minneapolis. Warren is the only white candidate on the shortlist, which includes five black women as well as Grisham, who is Latina, and Duckworth, who is an Asian American.

As I am witnessing what is happening in this country right now, I am more convinced than ever that Joe Biden needs a black woman as his vice presidential candidate, said LaTosha Brown, a co-founder of the advocacy group Black Voters Matter.

Left-wing activists mounted a campaign to support Warren, who they argue would help unite the partys liberal faction behind the more moderate Biden and whose commitment to big structural change could address the countrys deepening health and economic crises.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) speaks during a protest in front of the

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau headquarters in Washington on Nov. 28, 2017. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Some progressive black advocates pointed to Warrens attention to racial inequity in crafting her policy platform as a presidential contender, while noting that Harris background as a prosecutor in California and Demings as a police chief in Florida might make them less appealing to criminal justice activists.

Representation is important; its just not sufficient, said Maurice Mitchell, executive director of the liberal Working Families Party. Mitchell said he planned to make the case for Warren directly to Biden or his senior aides during an expected sit-down soon.

Among the other potential picks, Grisham could boost Latino turnout in key Sun Belt states like Arizona and Florida, which the campaign regards as an area Biden needs to shore up.

Duckworth, a military veteran who lost her legs in combat, would give the ticket a compelling personal narrative and help bolster the campaigns national security credentials.

Some advisers harbor doubts about whether Harriss ambition for higher office might upstage Bidens message. But Keith Williams, chairman of the Democratic Black Caucus in Michigan said he told the Biden campaign that Harris was hands down the best option.

Shes been on the world stage. She has acquitted herself in the debates, he said. She is the most likely choice that they should go with.

By Joseph Ax and Trevor Hunnicutt
Actor Johnny Depp adjusts his glasses as he arrives at the High Court in London, Friday, July 17, 2020. Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the paper's executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that called him a "wife-beater." The Sun's defense relies on a total of 14 allegations by his ex-wife Amber Heard of Depp's violence. He strongly denies all of them. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)
Barbeque Nation, one of the leading casual dining chains in India, has decided to expand its PR mandate with Crossword Public Relations.

Commenting on the development, Paras Kochhar, Regional Head of Barbeque North India, said, We are happy to announce Crossword Public Relations as our media partners. Rajnish Jain has good relations with the media, which is important for the brand market. We are certain that our partnership with Crossword PR will convert into a beneficial alliance for our Barbeque Nation Team.

Reacting to the win, Rajnish Jain, Founder of Crossword Public Relations, said, We are very happy to manage the media presence of a brand like Barbeque Nation. It would be our pleasure to work with the team of Barbeque Nation and aim to be very proactive and efficient partners as knowledgeable counsel about their branding and media presence. We are proud to be associated with Barbeque Nations and are confident about meeting our milestones together with them.

Barbeque Nation has been a venue for celebrations like Birthday Parties, Anniversary Parties, Corporate Parties and Kitty parties, besides holding various food festivals on Indian and International cuisines. Barbeque Nation pioneered the concept of over the table barbeque live grills embedded in dining tables, allowing guests to grill their own barbecues right at their tables.
Last updated on: July 17, 2020 16:22 IST

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday witnessed a military drill involving a fleet of attack helicopters, tanks, infantry combat vehicles and ground commandos at a high-altitude forward base at Stakna in Leh.

In the drill, the Army and Air Force displayed combat readiness in the region where India and China are engaged in a bitter border standoff.

A large number of ground commandos, tanks, BMP infantry combat vehicles, Apache, Rudra and Mi-17 V5 helicopters, took part in the drill at Stakna.

Troops also carried out para dropping and slithering exercises in the presence of Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane.

Here are some highlights.

Indian Army T-90 tanks and BMP infantry combat vehicles show their might.

Indian troops display their valour in a para-dropping exercise.

WATCH: Indian Army T-90 tanks and BMP infantry combat vehicles carry out exercise at Leh

Troops successfully complete para-dropping exercise.

Singh was originally scheduled to visit Ladakh on July 3 but the trip was deferred.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inspects Pika machine gun, used by armed forces in combat.
The National Health Insurance Authoritys (NHIA) attention has been drawn to comments from the Physician Assistants Association in the mainstream and social media networks over a perception of being disenfranchised by the NHIA.



Physician Assistants in private practice are regulated by 3 agencies: HeFRA for the accreditation and license of the facility, Medical & Dental Council for the regulation of Physician Assistants & and their scope of practice and NHIA for credentialing to allow them to serve NHIS members. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Medical and Dental Council and Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HEFRA), the Authority in February this year initiated the dialogue process with the leadership of Physician Assistants regarding the regulatory standards of all 3 agencies as pertained to Physician Assistants. This was truncated by the Corona Virus pandemic. We are still working through how best to implement all the standards.



As a regulator, the Authoritys primary focus is to ensure that Ghanaian residents have access to quality health care and the safety of NHIS members is guaranteed. The NHIA re-iterates that we have no interest in discriminating against any group of health care providers in Ghana.



Guided by quality standards and protocols that Ghana has set for the health sector, we are working with stakeholders such as the Medical and Dental Council and Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HEFRA), under the auspices of the Ministry of Health (MOH), to ensure quality improvement.



The NHIA is open to discussions with any recognized groups in the health sector who may feel disenfranchised in any way to dialogue and reach an amicable solution.



The NHIA remains Ghanas lead vehicle to attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030 and will continue to work with its stakeholders to achieve Universal access.







Source: NHIA Corporate Affairs Directorate









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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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Donald Trump. Jim Watson/AFP

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Friday, opening up a vacancy on the Supreme Court in an election year.

After Justice Antonin Scalia's death in 2016, President Barack Obama's pick was unable to even get a floor vote in the Senate, thwarted by the Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell.

McConnell made clear that should another vacancy arise, he would not follow that precedent.

Democrats have few tools at their disposal to prevent McConnell and President Donald Trump from installing another conservative on the bench.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Friday at age 87 following complications from cancer.

This is the second time a justice on the nation's highest court has died in an election year. The conservative justice Antonin Scalia died in his sleep in 2016.

Plotting out how a replacement would arrive is a morbid endeavor. But because of the lifetime appointments to the bench and the debacle of President Barack Obama trying to appoint a justice after Scalia's death, the stakes are high enough that both sides of the aisle have put a lot of thought into various outcomes.

Before her death, Ginsburg was the oldest justice on the bench. Justice Stephen Breyer is 81, Clarence Thomas is 72, and Samuel Alito is 70.

And Chief Justice John Roberts, 65, was hospitalized overnight with a head injury over the summer after a fall.

Should a justice die or become unable to fulfill their duties on the bench, it's almost certain, based on past statements from the White House and Senate leadership, that President Donald Trump would quickly pick a replacement and the Republican-controlled Senate would move to confirm them.

The tense standoff from the last vacancy during an election year casts a shadow over the process.

In 2016, Scalia's death left an opening on the bench that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell kept vacant until after the election. Merrick Garland, Obama's moderate pick to replace Scalia, was left stranded.

Story continues

But McConnell has indicated that should a similar scenario arise in 2020, he would not hold off until the election.

A spokesman for McConnell directed Insider to the majority leader's previous comments on what he would do about a vacancy in an election year, such as his comment to Fox News earlier this year that "if you're asking me a hypothetical ... we would fill it."

McConnell justified the incongruity by arguing that "you'd have to go back to the 1880s to find the last time a vacancy on the Supreme Court occurring during a presidential election year was confirmed by a Senate of a different party than the president."

He added. "That was the situation in 2016. That would not be the situation in 2020."

There are long-standing procedures for a scenario like this, laid out in the Judiciary Act of 1869:

Once there's a vacancy, the president can nominate someone to the bench.

If the Senate is in recess, the president's pick can cruise right through to take their oath and join the court  but only temporarily, until a confirmation vote by the end of the next Congress. This route is less likely because: Democrats could try to call for a "pro forma" session, meaning Congress isn't really in recess. Recess appointments still have to be confirmed by the end of the next Congress, so Trump and McConnell would prefer to have the votes for a regular, permanent replacement while there's still definitely a GOP majority.

If the Senate is in session, senators will hold an executive session and hearings on the nominee, which can take two to three months with minimal delays. This process includes background checks, individual meetings between the nominee and senators, and then questioning in hearings before the final confirmation vote.

Once the Senate confirms the nominee, the nominee is installed as a Supreme Court justice for life.

Given the outrage from Democrats over McConnell's blocking of Garland in 2016, the dynamics now are a little more complicated.

With Democrats in the minority and Senate rules no longer offering filibuster protection for the minority party for Supreme Court nominations, they would have few options to impede McConnell.

McConnell would have two to three months to orchestrate a Supreme Court confirmation (which could still be possible after the election during a so-called lame-duck session) before a new Congress  and potentially a new president  comes to power in January.

There would first be that 30- to 45-day background-check process. About a week later, lawmakers would meet for an executive session, which has its own procedural rules.

Jim Manley, who was Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's senior communications adviser, told Insider that Democrats could try all sorts of tricks via motions and other procedural measures to gum up that phase of the process.

But the Republican majority gives McConnell the power to essentially rewrite the Senate's rules as long as he has the votes, giving him a trump card over Democrats' efforts.

"McConnell is singularly responsible for breaking the Senate," Manley said, adding that there was "zero question" in his mind that McConnell would deploy whatever maneuvers necessary to get a conservative on the bench.

McConnell has been unequivocal in his desire to get a justice confirmed as soon as possible while Trump is in office, so if something were to happen to a justice, the process would likely move tensely but swiftly.

Read the original article on Business Insider
South Korean authorities on July 17 revoked licences of two groups who were allegedly involved in sending propaganda leaflets across the border up-north pissing off its government and hampering the efforts of talks between the two neighbours. The groups run by North Korean defectors have for years allegedly sent air balloons with anti-North propaganda, mini radios, $1 bill and USB sticks filled with South Korean news and drama. The South Korean Ministry of Unification that is responsible for creating good relations with North on Friday said that it has revoked licences of two groups- Fighters for a Free North Korea and Kuensaem Education Center.

Read: North Korea Warns S Korea To Stop Defectors From Sending Leaflets Into Demilitarized Zone

South Korean police had late last month reportedly raided the office of the two groups who were involved in sending the leaflets and propaganda filled USB sticks to the North. Following raids, Park Sang-Hak, a North Korean refugee admitted of sending over 5,00,000 leaflets to the North using balloons in the past few years. The action against the groups has also garnered criticism that the liberal government of President Moon Jae-in is sacrificing the values of democracy to woo the North and save its already fluctuating efforts to make peace with its so-called communist neighbour up-north.

Read: South Korea Warns North's Kim Jong Un Against Sending Propaganda Leaflets Across Border

'Take action or pay dear price'

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had earlier last month warned South Korea to stop defectors from throwing anti-DPRK leaflets near the de-militarised zone. Kim Yo issued a statement on June 4 warning South Korea over the leaflets activity saying that they 'will be forced to pay a dear price if they let this situation go on'. The statement issued by Kim Yo also consisted of some very strong language against the defectors who were allegedly scattering leaflets along the border as she called them 'human scums' and 'illiterate'. The statement and was published in the state-run news agency KCNA.

Read: South Korean Activist Floats Leaflets To North Amid High Tensions

Read: North Korea Says It Has Prepared 12 Mn Anti-South Leaflets As 'retaliatory Punishment'

(Image Credit: AP)


'Airlines will need a war chest to deal with post-COVID economics.'

IMAGE: Airline crew wears PPE as they go about their duty onboard. Photograph: David Stanway/Reuters

For the airline industry that was already in the doldrums with major players like Jet Airways shutting down and Air India heading to the block, the coronavirus pandemic came as the proverbial last straw.

As flights were grounded for two months, airlines had to cope with mounting challenges -- loss of revenue, airport parking fees, cost of maintenance of the aircraft inventory, personnel costs. Unable to bear the strain on their balance sheet, airlines resorted to salary cuts, laying off employees, etc.

The gradual lifting of the ban on air travel in the last week of May, with numerous health-related guidelines, came as welcome relief, howsoever limited.

On Thursday, July 16, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced that India has established individual bilateral bubbles with France and the US that will allow airlines of each country in the pact to operate international flights.

While it is anybody's guess when the situation will normalise, Kapil Kaul, CEO, South Asia, CAPA-Centre for Aviation, believes the crisis will lead to a consolidation in the aviation industry.

"Airlines with a strong balance sheet or with solid promoter backing will survive," Kaul tells Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore.

How do you look at the Government of India's price cap on airline tickets?

How will this move impact the operational costs and viability of airline carriers, and will they implement these price caps on passenger fares?

Fare cap introduced by the government is unfortunate and sets a bad precedent. It will hurt both airlines and consumers equally.

Fares have been pushed up at a time when demand is very soft and consumers sensitive to travel.

I see this decision likely to be reversed as demand will get significantly impacted especially as Q2 (July-September) is a weak travel period traditionally.

How bad is the situation for India's airlines operators in the context of the COVID-19 lockdown?

What are the kind of losses these airlines could suffer because of the complete halt of their passenger fleets?

CAPA sees demand -- both domestic and international -- falling by over 50 per cent in FY21 (April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021).

We will have 200 to 250 aircraft surplus for the next 6 to 12 months.

For Q1FY21 (April-June 2020), CAPA expects airline losses to be in the range of $1.5 billion to $1.75 billion.

COVID-19 will have an extreme impact and will result in serious industry consolidation.

It is inevitable, but one cannot be certain about the structure of the consolidation because airlines struggling now may be able to raise funds from promoters or from external sources.

How different will be air travel post the lifting of lockdown compared to pre-lockdown period?

Post-lockdown, air travel will see a structural shift. Social distancing protocols will impact behaviour till the vaccine is found. Only essential travel will take place and overall experience will be significantly constrained.

What kind of airline companies will survive in India given the severe shocks they have received due to the lockdown?

Or what will airlines companies need to do once the operations normalise in the post-lockdown world?

Airlines with a strong balance sheet or with solid promoter backing will survive.

Airlines will need a war chest to deal with post-COVID economics.

We expect demand to normalise within two years provided we don't have a major supply side correction.

Domestic travel will bounce back first, but international, especially long haul travel, will take a long time to recover.

What will be the revenue losses that Indian airlines operators see in the next three-four quarters?

And how will this impact their hiring plans? Do you foresee a huge retrenchment happening in the airlines industry?

Indian carriers downsizing will have an impact on over 30 per cent jobs. Similarly, in sectors like ground handling, job losses will be over 20,000.
Jerusalem, July 17 : Israel's cabinet is preparing to vote on a nationwide weekend lockdown to curb a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

An urgent meeting of ministers and health officials convened on Thursday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to impose a series of measures including a lockdown during the weekends, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Israeli cabinet is expected to convene later to approve the new measures.

If approved, shopping malls, gyms, and beaches will be closed, while gatherings of more than 10 people will be prohibited during the weekends, from Friday to Sunday morning.

Netanyahu said in a statement that he convened the urgent meeting "following the jump in morbidity to around 1,800 cases and the sharp increase in the doubling of the number of severe cases every seven days".

He was hopeful that the "interim steps" could "prevent the need for a general lockdown".

"The cabinet will convene this evening to approve the recommendations that were unanimously approved at the discussion," Netanyahu added.

Israel is facing a resurgence of a COVID-19 outbreak with a record-high number of daily cases.

On Wednesday, 1,828 new cases were diagnosed, bringing the total number of cases to 44,188.

It was the second-largest daily increase since February and came only two days after a record of 1,962 daily new cases were reported.

Netanyahu's government is facing growing public anger over its handling of the coronavirus outbreak and the ensuing economic crisis, as many Israelis believe it had not done enough to halt the pandemic and help the soaring number of unemployed people.

In a bid to soothe public protest, Netanyahu announced on Wednesday night a new aid plan that promises to cut a check to every Israeli citizen.
An expert believes there could be increased risk from rip currents on P.E.I.'s North Shore beaches this summer due to post-tropical storm Dorian.

Prof. Chris Houser, who is with the Department of Earth and Environmental Ccience and dean of science at Windsor University, says Dorian caused a considerable amount of sand dune erosion, which moved the sand offshore in the form of near-shore bars.

"Those bars are continuing to migrate back towards the beach. As those bars come back towards the beach, they develop rip currents. In fact, rips are one of the reasons why near-shore bars migrate landward," he said.

"These rips were starting to go up in places that are common to have rips, but also in some other areas that aren't as common."

'That great reprieve'

Houser has led a number of projects on rip currents in P.E.I. and the Great Lakes region. He also sits on the P.E.I. rip current advisory committee.

He said making sure people know the rip current risks when they're at the beach is imperative.

Steve Bruce/CBC

"What we actually found is that those who could not recall seeing the warning flag that was posted by the lifeguard tended to sit farther and farther away from those lifeguards, and in fact, were swimming outside of the supervised area," Houser said.

"We've got to make sure that those warnings, those flags, are in people's faces and they're right there so that they potentially change some of their behaviour.

"Unfortunately, though, with social distancing, that becomes a little bit more difficult because you're going to want to spread out further and further, which increases the reach over which the lifeguards need to to supervise."

Houser also warns against something he calls "COVID fatigue."

People are seeking a reprieve from responsibilities when heading to "that great reprieve" of an Island beach, he said.

"It's warm and it's fun  they can sometimes ignore the warnings that are on top of all the other warnings that we're having to heed, and as a result, not pay attention to them and put themselves in harm's way," he said.

Story continues

On the Island, Parks Canada warned visitors of dangerous surf conditions in P.E.I. National Park on three days this week. Cabot Beach Provincial Park has also been closed to swimmers for the year due to extremely dangerous currents.

"Rips are always present," Houser said. "The surf is still dangerous ... the precautions that you would have taken in the past are the same ones you have to take nowadays."

More from CBC P.E.I.
A court in Bhopal on Friday sent a newspaper owner, accused of raping five girls and a woman, to five days police custody.

Additional Sessions Judge Munshi Singh Chandrawat sent Pyare Miyan (68) in five-day police remand, said district prosecution cell spokesperson Manoj Kumar Tripathi.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Himani Soni sought 14-day custody for impounding vehicles and seizing child pornography CDs and other documents, which was opposed by defence lawyer Wahid Khan who said Miyan was a cancer patient and suffered from other ailments as well, Tripath said.

Tripathi said five other accused, Sweety Vishwakarma (21), Rabia B, Anas, Gulfam and one more woman were sent to jail.

Miyan, who was brought back on Thursday evening a day after being held in Srinagar, was charged under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Excise Act, Wildlife Protection Act and IPC.

Four separate complaints have been filed against the accused, the prosecution said.
The man accused of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe has rejected a suggestion that he shares the characteristics of a psychopath: lack of morality, remorse and empathy and willingness to lie, blame others and play the victim card.

On his fifth and final day giving evidence Aaron Brady (29) told prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC that a witness for the prosecution, Daniel Cahill, is a psychopath and a liar who assaulted him and threatened to cut off his toes after breaking into his apartment on St Patrick's Day 2015. Mr Cahill denies any involvement in the assault and break-in and has told the trial that he heard Mr Brady admit to killing a garda on three occasions.

When Mr Grehan described a psychopath as someone who lacks morality, shows no remorse or empathy and is willing to lie to get out of any situation, blame others and play the victim card Mr Brady said, "That is exactly what Daniel Cahill is."

Mr Grehan suggested that the accused "look a little closer to home" to which Mr Brady replied: "No. I have never gone into someone's room and threatened to cut someone's toes off."

Aaron Brady (29) from New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Det Gda Adrian Donohoe who was then a member of An Garda Siochana on active duty on January 25, 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. Mr Brady has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbing approximately 7,000 in cash and assorted cheques on the same date and at the same location.

The jury also heard today that Mr Brady submitted an alibi on September 26 last year when his trial was due to begin on October 7.

Mr Brady also agreed with Mr Grehan that a District Court judge told him on July 27, 2018 that he had two weeks to provide an alibi and in February 2018 gardai told him that if he failed to mention anything that he would later rely on in court a jury could use his failure as support for other evidence.

Mr Grehan asked the accused about interviews he gave to gardai at Dundalk Garda Station in February 2018. Mr Brady recalled gardai telling him that under a provision in the Criminal Justice Act a jury could draw inferences against him if he refused to answer certain questions or did not say something which he would later rely on in court.

He said his solicitor told him there was "no definitive evidence linking to the crime" so he was advised not to answer. When Mr Brady was then asked in that interview in February 2018 if he wished to give an account he said: "I strongly deny any involvement in the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and any other matter put before me in interview."

Mr Grehan said that after seven days in custody Mr Brady was charged with the murder of Detective Garda Donohoe and on July 27 2018 appeared before a judge at the District Court where the book of evidence was served on him. Mr Brady agreed that on that date the judge at the District Court told him that he had 14 days to serve the prosecution with a notice of alibi. Mr Brady told counsel that he consulted his solicitor and understood what this meant.

The accused further agreed that he was initially listed for trial on October 7 2019 and on September 26 his solicitor sent a a letter to the prosecution stating: "Please find enclosed a notice of alibi which is being served outside the statutory period."

The letter stated that the defence had considered waiting until they had received full disclosure from the prosecution before serving the notice but due to the volume of ongoing disclosure and the impending trial date they had decided to send the notice now. The alibi notice contained one line stating: "The accused gives notice of alibi that at the time of the commission of the offence the accused was at Concession Road, Crossmaglen."

On December 20, 2019 Mr Brady's solicitor wrote a second letter with an enclosed statement by Mr Brady detailing his movements at the time of the robbery and shooting at Lordship Credit Union. The notice of alibi was officially served on February 17, a number of weeks after the trial had begun.

Mr Grehan then read the statement made by Mr Brady in which he said that when he spoke to gardai in February 2013 he was reluctant to tell them that he had been loading cubes of illegally laundered diesel waste at a yard on Concession Road in south Armagh at the time of the shooting out of fear that he might be prosecuted. He said he gave gardai an "off the record" account of his involvement in diesel laundering but told them he was unable to load any cubes onto the trailer because the forklift didn't work. He said he left the yard after about 15 minutes. In his evidence before the jury Mr Brady has said that was a lie and that in fact he spent about 90 minutes to two hours loading diesel onto a trailer from 8pm to about 9.30pm or 10pm. The shooting at Lordship happened at between 9.25pm and 9.30pm.

Mr Grehan put it to the accused that by allowing him to make this portion of his statement off the record gardai were making it clear to him that they were only interested in getting an honest account of his movements and had no interest in diesel laundering.

Mr Brady replied: "I'm sure they had some interest, They did say they weren't interested in anything else but you have to understand, I'm talking to two members of An Garda Siochana. They have that information as soon as I tell them." When Mr Grehan pointed out that Concession Road is in Northern Ireland and beyond the power of the gardai Mr Brady replied: "I don't know what what powers the gardai had."

Mr Grehan put it to him that if he had such a concern he wouldn't have told gardai anything about diesel laundering and suggested that he did implicate himself in a crime by saying that he was trying to load cubes of illegal diesel waste. Mr Brady said that at the time he didn't believe that trying to start a forklift was a crime and therefore he wasn't implicating himself in a crime. He said he didn't want to tell gardai that he had actually loaded cubes onto the trailer.

Mr Brady also criticised the garda investigation, saying that gardai should have checked the yard on Concession Road after he told them he had spent 15 minutes there from about 8pm on the night of the robbery.

Mr Brady also addressed the evidence of Molly Staunton who told the trial that she heard Mr Brady say that he had "shot a cop" in Ireland. The accused said that Ms Staunton was mistaken. He said he the word "cop" would not be in his vocabulary and suggested that Ms Staunton may have had trouble understanding his accent. He accepted Ms Staunton's evidence that he had come out of his room one evening upset and "ranting" but he said this was because gardai had called to his girlfriend's parents' home in Tralee and "blackened my name". He was angry, he said, because he thought he was going to lose his girlfriend and unborn son.

He described Ms Staunton as "vulnerable" and said he was concerned that during her evidence via video link from her New York home she was interrupted by a man telling her: "Tell them what you are supposed to tell them."

Mr Brady also denied ever telling Daniel Cahill that he had shot a garda or murdered anyone.

Under reexamination defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC asked Mr Brady where he would put himself on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 would describe a person who says: "Things are hard, let's get on with it," and five would describe someone who says: "Poor me, I'm a victim." Mr Brady put himself at number 1.

The trial will continue on Monday in front of Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of six men and seven women.
Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf meets with federal officers in Portland in an undated photograph released July 17, 2020. (Department of Homeland Security)

DHS Chief Travels to Portland, Says City is Under Siege

Mayor refuses to meet, calls for withdrawal of all federal officers

The acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief traveled to Portland late Thursday as violent demonstrations unfolded in the Oregon city for the 50th consecutive night.

Chad Wolf said in a statement before arriving that Portland is under siege  by a violent mob while local political leaders refuse to restore order to protect their city.

Each night, lawless anarchists destroy and desecrate property, including the federal courthouse, and attack the brave law enforcement officers protecting it, he said.

The siege could end if state and local officials decide to quell the demonstrations, Wolf asserted.

And he said he would not order the withdrawal of federal troops who have been protecting the federal Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse.

Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf meets with federal officers at the at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland on July 16, 2020. (Department of Homeland Security)

A pyrotechnic mortar explodes in the lobby after a glass door was broken by a rioter at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, overnight July 2, 2020. (Department of Justice)

Violent demonstrators, some of whom are linked to Antifa and other far-left groups, have gathered on a nightly basis, assaulting buildings and law enforcement officers, a police official said in a briefing earlier this month. The damage and lost business from the demonstrations amounts to over $23 million.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat who has called for the Trump administration to remove the federal officers, said he knew Wolf and other DHS officials arrived in the city.

Were aware that theyre here. We wish they werent. We havent been invited to meet with them, and if we were, we would decline, he said in a statement on Thursday.

Democratic Oregon Gov. Kate Brown called Wolfs arrival political theater from President Trump that has nothing to do with public safety.

I told Acting Secretary Wolf that the federal government should remove all federal officers from our streets. His response showed me he is on a mission to provoke confrontation for political purposes. He is putting both Oregonians and local law enforcement officers in harms way, she said in a statement.

Agents from different components of the Department of Homeland Security are deployed to protect a federal courthouse in Portland, Ore., on July 5, 2020. (Doug Brown via AP)

In this Aug. 5, 2019, file photo, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler poses for a photo in Portland, Ore. (Craig Mitchelldyer/AP Photo)

Other city officials joined in calling for the removal of federal troops, including City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. Echoing some of Wheelers rhetoric, Hardesty said the presence of federal troops has escalated tensions and put countless Portlanders exercising their First Amendment Rights in greater danger.

Wolf said during an appearance on Fox News Hannity late Thursday that he called Wheeler and Brown and offered DHS support to help them quell the violent demonstrations.

And their only response was, Please pack up and go home,' he said, adding, Thats just not going to happen on my watch.

Wolf toured the federal courthouse and saw the graffiti that demonstrators have scrawled onto the building, including slogans about killing police officers, as well as broken windows and broken doors.

Its time that we take a stand. Its time that the local leaders here publicly condemn what the violent anarchists are doing. Only then I think will police, local police and federal police, get this under control, he said.

President Donald Trump, a Republican, said at a White House event earlier Thursday that city officials can call administration officials for help.

Let Chicago call. Let Seattle call. We were going into Seattle, all set to go, and then they did it themselves, he said, referring to Seattle workers clearing an autonomous zone after weeks of tolerating the occupation.

Mannequins are seen through shattered glass at an H&M store in downtown Portland, Ore., after violent demonstrations the night before, on July 13, 2020. (Gillian Flaccus/AP Photo)

Two security officers walk in downtown Portland, Ore., on July 13, 2020. (Gillian Flaccus/AP Photo)

Demonstrators, meanwhile, gathered again Thursday downtown and clashed with law enforcement officers.

Several hundred people gathered in two different groups, the Portland Police Bureau. Officers declared an unlawful assembly after some in the crowd began hurling projectiles, including rocks, and pointing lasers at officers. Others were blocking traffic.

Officers heard chants that one crowd wanted to burn down the Southeast Precinct.

Video footage captured by people on the scene showed federal officers deploying chemical gas.

The Antifa-linked PNW Youth Liberation Front was among those accusing officers of using disproportionate force and said the chants were actually about burning down the system.

Pigs are trying to use a chant as a justification for violence. they need an excuse to escalate, the group wrote on Twitter.

Earlier in the week, police officers forced people out of two city parks where a new autonomous zone was set up. The parks were fenced off, but demonstrators dismantled most of the fencing surrounding Lownsdale Park early Friday.
Chennai: The DMK called for a protest in the State on July 21, urging the people to hoist black flags in front of their houses to protests the attitude of the government in levying fines to those who stepped out of their homes and charging exorbitant electricity fares for those who remain indoors.

This was one of the 10 resolutions passed at the meeting of district secretaries, MPs and MLAs of the party that was held through video conference with president M K Stalin presiding over it on Thursday.

Another resolution condemned the false case filed against the partys Thiruporoor MLA Idhayavarman and wanted the case to be handed over to the CBI for investigation. The MLAs father opened fired in self-defense when a group of persons attacked them for their bid to save a piece of temple land, along with the local people, the resolution said.

The other resolutions were mostly reiteration of the popular demands dominating the political narrative of the State. Among them were the demand for 50 per cent reservation for BCs and MBCs in medical college admissions made through the all-India quota, cancellation of NEET and providing justice to Jayaraj and Bennix who were killed due to torture in police custody at Sathankulam.

Withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill that could otherwise lead to the cancellation of free electricity to farmers, not letting the Reserve Bank of India take over cooperative banks, not abiding by the University Grants Commission (UGC) directive to hold final examinations in colleges and universities by September were some of the resolutions that were against the Central government.

Another new issue raised through the passing of resolutions was the charge that the newly elected local bodies led by DMK candidates were being neglected by the State government.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 14:06:28|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A number of U.S. state governors have slammed the Trump administration for its inadequate response to the COVID-19 outbreak as cases are spiking again in the country amid rash reopenings.

In an article published in The Washington Post on Thursday, Maryland State Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican, lashed out at President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic as "hopeless."

"This should not have been necessary," Hogan wrote. "I'd watched as the president downplayed the outbreak's severity and as the White House failed to issue public warnings, draw up a 50-state strategy, or dispatch medical gear or lifesaving ventilators from the national stockpile to American hospitals."

"Eventually, it was clear that waiting around for the president to run the nation's response was hopeless; if we delayed any longer, we'd be condemning more of our citizens to suffering and death," he wrote.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that the federal government's "incompetence" in managing the COVID-19 crisis failed New York, which became the first epicenter of the outbreak in the United States in March.

"It was terrible failing on behalf of the federal government because this was their job," he said while commenting on a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "Government failed in this job ... And they still are not following the science."

The "governmental incompetence" is going to hurt New York a second time "when the virus was allowed to increase in other states and then come back to New York," he said.

Illinois State Governor J.B. Pritzker last week also criticised Trump for the raging pandemic when he testified before a congressional panel.

"In the midst of a global pandemic, states were forced to play some sort of sick Hunger Games game show to save the lives of our people," Pritzker said, referring to the plight where states need to compete for urgently-needed medical supplies.

Citing Trump's recent criticism of the new CDC guidance for reopening schools, which includes temporary school dismissals if there is a substantial spread of COVID-19 in the community, Pritzker said "I was so frustrated to see the president just sort of pronounce that, 'Well, everybody should open their schools.'"

"Please provide us with the kind of guidance that will help us do that," he said, adding that the CDC has been "muzzled" by the president.

During an interview with CBS News late last month, Washington Governor Jay Inslee blamed Trump for failing to urge Americans to wear masks amid resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

"From day one, he has downplayed and distorted and disabled our ability to fight this war," he said in Face the Nation on June 28.

"Instead of tweeting the other day about the importance of masks, he tweeted about the monuments," Inslee said. "We need a president who will care more about living Americans and less about dead Confederates."

The United States has been the hardest hit country by COVID-19 with more than 3.57 million infections and 138,000 fatalities as of Friday. Enditem
"I feel very sad for his mother, a beautiful woman," Mr Pereira said. "She always came, brought food, washing his clothes." "They would sit on the park bench talking. He hugged his mum every time she leaves. She was a really nice lady. She loved this boy very much." Tullamarine mother Lilla Messo, 54. Credit:Facebook Mr Pereira said he had been shocked to learn what Mr Messo had done. "I did not trust this person ... Sometimes I said, 'Son, take it easy, don't worry about. Don't get angry, it's not worth it'," he said.

"I kept my distance ... [he was] aggressive." Mr Messo would walk in the park in the early hours of the morning. On the morning of the attack, his housemate saw him about 9am, when they had a smoke together. Mr Pereira then went to work and came home to find police everywhere.

"I was upset, I couldn't eat or anything. I can't close my eyes," he said. Sahan Panagoda, 26, said his parents had rented the room to Mr Messo after the man's family responded to an advertisement on Gumtree. He said Ms Messo was often at the house. Police at the scene of a police shooting at Gladstone Park on Thursday evening. Credit:Eddie Jim "[My parents] were saying she was a very nice, innocent, sweet lady," Mr Panagoda said. "From what I gather ... she was very reserved, quiet, just a loving mother at the end of the day."

Mr Panagoda said his parents told him that Mr Messo, who was unemployed, would often say that he loved his mother. "He didn't seem out of the ordinary," he said. "He just sort of seemed reserved and to himself. The only time I saw him was last week, just outside, yelling on the phone. "He was just really quiet, he had told them he is vegetarian and doesn't like partying and kept to himself. But they noticed, Dad had said on a phone call with him he would flip from one calm moment to aggressive, he could sense that in his voice."

Mr Panagoda was on a walk on Thursday afternoon when he saw the incident unfold outside his home. "I was walking back to get home and was in front of my house and heard a car speeding behind me," he said. "Then a marked cop car with lights on and no siren came up to the intersection and the passenger cop already had his door open. He jumped out. A police officer at the scene on Thursday night. Credit:Eddie Jim "I didn't know what was happening until I got to the corner and that's when I saw a male sitting down on the field towards the trees. He was facing the cops and acting really aggressively, erratic and screaming. I couldn't make out what he was saying.

"Then the cops approached him and the guy's hands were going up and down, up and down with a weapon, maybe a club or a brown pole, in his hand. "Police were screaming at him, yelling commands at him and he wasn't responding." The Gladstone Park crime scene. Credit:Eddie Jim Mr Panagoda said police then fired a shot but there "was no reaction from the guy". "There was no fear in him," he said. "He stood up again, he went towards the two officers ... that's when they fired the second and third round. Then the guy dropped to the ground ... I saw blood all over his shirt.

Bystanders tried to help the severely injured woman as dozens of police cars swarmed the area. On Thursday night, Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said the junior officers at the scene were "terribly shaken up" by the shooting. Without naming Mr Messo, Mr Cornelius said the officers had told him to stop, but he refused. "Our members then drew a firearm and discharged their firearm and that resulted in the death of the male assailant," he said. "No member goes to work expecting to have to take the life of another person and that is very difficult and thankfully a decision that does not happen too often.

"But when a police officer does make that decision, of course, it has a terrible impact on that member and also of course generate significant concern for the wider community." Mr Cornelius said police had sought to help Mr Messo in the past. "We've had recent contact with him, but there was nothing in that recent contact with him that indicated to us that the events of today might have occurred," he said. Police are appealing to the "numerous" eye witnesses to the attack to come forward, while the shooting will be investigated by professional standards command.

Loading The State Coroner will now investigate the death after visiting the scene late on Thursday. "Victorian State Coroner, Judge John Cain attended the site of the police shooting in Gladstone Park

last night, to commence a coronial investigation into the fatal incident," a spokeswoman said. "His Honour has directed that Victoria Police compile a coronial brief of evidence "His Honour is also empowered under the Act to make recommendations to address systemic issues

to prevent similar incidents in the future. "As the investigation is ongoing, no further comment can be made at this time."
India: PMMSY Scheme will give a upthrust to the Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry in India: MoS Union Minister for Fisheries

July 17,2020 | Source: India Education Diary

MoS, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Govt. of India, Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi,addressed the fisheries and aquaculture industry on the current scenario of the fisheries industry. He further highlighted the best practices involved and executed by the Union Government in the revival of the economy in this sector. Shri Sarangi said, The package of 20,000 crores, covered under the scheme PMMSY of Union Govt will help the Industry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, inside-out. A lot of sub schemes are covered under the umbrella of PMMSY Scheme. This scheme will make the fisheries industry self reliant, matching the idea of Honble PM of India, Shri Narendra modi. He further added that not only the sector will experience an upthrust but also willl generate employment to more than 50 lac people across the nation.



This discussion was held in a webinar was organised by the ASSOCHAM on Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry in COVID Times: Challenges and a Roadmap Ahead on July 16, 2020. Along with the presence of Honble MoS, Fisheries, Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi as a Chief Guest. The digital session has gained more value and insights with the presence of Honble Minister, Environment and Forests, Excise and Fisheries, Govt of Assam, Shri Parimal Suklabaidya and Honble Minister of Fisheries, Govt of Mizoram Shri K. Lalrinliana as a Guest of Honour.



On behalf of ASSOCHAM, Shri Deepak Sood, Secretary-General, ASSOCHAM, welcomed all the panelists which were present from across the nation and outside. In the presence of the Honble Union MoS Fisheries Shri Sarangi, Honble Minister,Fisheries, Govt of Assam, Shri Parimal Suklabaidya and Honble Minister of Fisheries, Govt of Mizoram, Shri K. Lalrinliana, Shri Deepak launched a knowledge report prepared by ASSOCHAM with the help of the financial assistance received from Research and Development Fund of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).



Honble Minister of Fisheries, Govt of Mizoram, Shri K. Lalrinlianasaid that state of Mizoram welcomes the scheme by Union government and is keen to start implementation. Further, adding to this, he said Mizoram is lacking certain inputs to increase per area production such as fingerlings and fish feed, which are mostly imported from other states. Mizoram is producing around 50% of its fish requirement and state has been importing from neighbouring states as well as from neighbouring countries  Myanmar and Bangladesh.state is also slowly moving in exploring innovative practices such as Crab Farming, Ornamental fish farming, breeding of indigenous aquatic species etc. Commenting on PMMSY he said, The supply of inputs in the PMMSY Scheme leans towards first year inputs for the new ponds and new rearing area construction. He would like to propose supply of inputs for already existing fish pond. Majority of the farmers are poor and are Below Poverty Line (BPL) families who cannot afford to purchase the necessary inputs from their own pockets. Therefore, special consideration for supply of inputs to the existing water area, will greatly increase the fish production of the state.



Representing Assam, Honble Minister,Fisheries, Govt of Assam, Shri Parimal Suklabaidya said that state has taken aggressive implementation of various schemes to support the sector to provide the livelihood. He said there is no shortage of water bodies and spaces in Assam however until few years back, 1/3 of fish were brought from outside before our govt. He further stated that under leadership of the CM started a scheme : Ghare Ghare Pukhuri Ghare Ghare Maach, which translates every house to have a pond, state took on this mission. The loan was arranged from NABARD and as of today state has developed 12000 ponds and production has begun. The scheme supported meeting the demand for the local consumption of the state during Covid times as well as neighouring states of Meghalaya and Mizoram were supplied the stocks. He concluded his message with conveying a thanks to Union Government for launching PMMSY scheme.



Giving more technical insight about the PMMSY scheme, Honble Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Govt of India, Dr Rajeev Ranjan, IAS said, The scheme was started in May 2020 with an array of 100 diverse activities. With the budget of Rs. 20,050 crore, it is by far the largest investment in the fisheries sector.The strategy along with the concerted and collaborative efforts between the stakeholders and government is required in order to achieve ambitious targets under the scheme. These targets are Rs. 1,00,000 crore fisheries export, additional 70 lakh tonnes fish production, and generation of 55 lakh employment in the next five years among the others.



The state partners of this digital session are Government of Karnataka and Government of Andhra Pradesh. Further, the session is supported by NABARD and Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission and MPEDA. The Marine Products Exports Development Authority, is also helping to revive the sector by taking various timely measures. In such a difficult time, it is the prime concern of MPEDA to provide unique solutions to the problems faced by the Marine Industry bodies, ensuring smooth and proper operation of the sector along with maintaining quality and implemented various programs to meet the required concerns regarding food safety. said Chairman, MPEDA, Shri K S Srinivas, IAS



Shri Subrata Mandal, Chief General Manager, NABARD, West Bengal, said The Fisheries and Aquaculture sector is moderately impacted in COVID time, majorly due to the migration of the labour and the other problems faced by the fishers at individual level. I am sure that the sector will rise again and more growth will be seen this time from past. The Govt of India is constantly putting a lot of efforts in coping up with such difficult situation. Further, at NABARD, we are also dedicated to help each and every fisher by supporting them financially.



On the panelist Dr Worawit Wanchana, Policy and Program Coordinator, The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), Bankok, Thailand, thanked the ASSOCHAM for inviting him in this webinar, he shared the role of SEAFDEC which is an internal governmental organization established since 1967. According to Dr Wanchana, There is moderate impact in the fresh food products, the domestic consumption is reduced, demand from the factories were decreased and regarding the ready to eat products the impact is low as it also impacted the chilled and frozen products like salmon and shrimps. The orders from the importing countries cancelled or postponed. Also commercial fisheries being unable to conduct fishing activities due to social distancing measures and prohibition of foreign crew to enter other countries due to lockdown measures.



The other speakers in the session were from a diverse background across the nation, they discussed and bring out all the possible ways to cope up with the current situation faced by the fisheries and aquaculture industry inside the nation. The other eminent speakers of the session, representing the interest of industry bodies were Shri Jagdish Fofandi, National President, Seafood Exporters Association of India & MD Deepmala Marine Exports, Shri Rajamanohar Somasundaram, Co-founder & CEO, Aqua Connect, Dr Manoj M Sharma, Director, Mayank Aquaculture, Pvt. Ltd., Prof Baskaran Manimaran, Founder Vice-Chancellor (Retd.), Tamil Nadu Fisheries University and Dr PE Vijay Anand, Senior Consultant, Global Emerging, Markets Development US Soybean Export Council.



The session was be attended by major industry bodies of Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry/ leading industrialists, exporters, educationists, bureaucrats, FPOs, and other industry professionals across the nation.
New Delhi:

In a landmark move to curb blackmoney, Modi Government on Tuesday banned Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes effective from midnight. The news, although largely welcome, did draw some negative reactions on method and impact of implementation from opposition. Here is an account of who said what:



Accolades



President Pranab Mukherjee:

We welcome bold step of Government of India which will help unearth unaccounted money & counterfeit currency. 



President Pranab Mukherjee also called upon people not to panic and follow Govt guidelines for exchange of Rs 1000/500 notes.

Also read | Rs 500 and Rs 1000 discontinued: All you need to know about PM Modi's 'surgical strike' against black money



Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis:



Historic and courageous decision on Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes to stop corruption and flow of black money. Hats off Modi ji.



People of our nation would support and participate like true soldiers in this war against black money. This is a milestone in nations progress, he said.



MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan:



This decision will take us way forward, which has been made for the benefit of the nation. This is Safai Parv (Cleaning festival).

ICICI CEO Chanda Kochhar:



Welcome the announcement made by the PM to derecognize Rs 1000 & Rs 500 notes.



This move will give a sharp boost to all formal channels of payment which in turn will help the formal economy to grow.



It is perhaps most significant move ever taken to curtail the parallel economy.

Also read | Demonetisation of Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes: Bankers and industry leaders welcome move



BJP President Amit Shah:



This fight against black money will continue, decisions like forming SIT were earlier taken for the same.



Spiritual Guru Baba Ramdev:



Would like to congratulate PM Modi on making such a good decision, on black money



Criticism



Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala



Is the banking system in our country ready to tackle such situation, Govt has to answer many questions.



While Modi ji withdraws Rs 1000 note on one side, he introduces Rs2000 note on the other side? Does it not defeat his own argument?



Are you not putting cumbersome burden on them by putting a limit on how much money can be withdrawn?



However, Surjewala said that Congress has always supported any step against black money, and will continue to do so.

Also read | This is where you can use Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes till November 11



Meanwhile, RBI Governor Urjit Patel has ensured the India public that there will be no impact on the liquidity on the wholesale markets. If at all there is any, we'll make sure that its addressed.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
China will launch a nationwide campaign to promote Putonghua, or Mandarin Chinese, from Sept. 14 to 20, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) in a circular Thursday.

The weeklong campaign, administered by the MOE and seven other central agencies, is themed on speaking Putonghua together and walking hand in hand into a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

The event will focus on promoting the use of Putonghua in the country's impoverished areas to lift the language barriers impeding poverty eradication, according to the circular.

Various cultural activities will be organized during the campaign to promote Putonghua and traditional Chinese culture, said the circular, asking organizers to make full use of new media platforms.

This year's campaign is the 23rd since its launch in 1998. The annual event, which falls in the third week of September, has become an important platform for popularization of Putonghua and the promotion of fine traditional culture in China.
The inundation of the 110-year old Osmania General Hospital on the banks of Musi river in Hyderabad two days ago causing innumerable hardships for patients led to a political slugfest between the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the opposition parties on Friday.

Even as hospital authorities shifted several patients to the first floor and the hospital sanitation staff and the GHMC personnel cleaned the wards and sprayed disinfectants, political leaders and their followers swarmed the hospital to take stock of the situation on Thursday and Friday.

Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Bharatiya Janata Party state president Bandi Sanjay and TRS minister T Srinivasa Yadav were among those who visited the hospital and spoke to the patients about the difficulties they faced due to heavy rains.

Health minister Etala Rajender blamed the opposition parties for the sorry state of affairs in Osmania Hospital. He reminded that chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had proposed to construct a state-of-the-art multi-storeyed hospital complex in place of the existing old structure.

He had personally visited the hospital and observed that the century-old structure was in a dilapidated state, posing danger to the patients. But the same opposition parties, who are now raising a hue and cry over rainwater entering the hospital premises, had stalled the proposal, Rajender said.

The minister said the demolition of the old building was stonewalled by environmentalists and heritage conservationists as a result of which the proposal was dropped. We had no option but to continue the hospital in the same building after undertaking some repairs, he said.

Rajender explained that the rainwater had entered into OGH premises due to a block in the storm water drain connecting Begum Bazar with Musi passing beneath the hospital building. We have cleared the block and are now finding a permanent solution to see that the problem does not recur, he said.

PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy held the chief minister responsible for the pathetic conditions at the OGH. The submergence of wards, especially during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, reflects the attitude of the KCR government towards public health, he said.

He said the estimates and blue print for construction of a new building in the same OGH complex at a cost of Rs 500 crore have been pending for approval since 2017. The chief minister should drop the plan for demolition of the state secretariat complex and start constructing a new building for the OGH while protecting the heritage structure, he said.

BJPs official spokesman K Krishna Sagar Rao said the inundation of OHG with rain and sewerage water reflected the mis-governance and criminal negligence of the TRS government.

It was true that the opposition parties and many civil society organizations obstructed the demolition of the 110-year old heritage building, but the BJP had neither objected nor would ever object, if the state government were to build a new building elsewhere for relocation of Osmania General Hospital, he said.

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What you need to know today in Vietnam:

Politics

-- Vietnam's foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang highlighted Hanoi's viewpoint that all countries have the common obligation and interest in respecting international law while addressing the ministrys press conference on Thursday, amid recent statements by the U.S. condemning China's aggressive moves in the East Vietnam Sea, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

-- Australia will support the freedom of navigation through the East Vietnam Sea, the Vietnam News Agency quoted Prime Minister Scott Morrison as saying on Thursday.

Society

-- Two courts in Vietnam on Thursday sentenced four people to a combined 48 years in prison for trafficking wildlife parts.

-- Around 9,000 metric tons of garbage is pilling up in central Hanoi as residents block garbage trucks from accessing a dumpsite, according to local authorities.

-- Ho Chi Minh City police have said they will launch an extensive clamp-down on crimes of all types from now until September 14.

-- Vietnam on Thursday donated three tonnes of medical supplies for Cuba to fight COVID-19.

-- The Ho Chi Minh City administration is gradually perfecting a system of cameras to identify people and vehicles to ensure social order and security.

Business

-- Vietnam will be allowed to export an annual maximum of 80,000 tonnes of rice to the EU, subject to no tariff, from August 1, according to a free trade pact signed between the two sides.

Sports

-- Real Madrid won the La Liga title on Friday, with one game left, after defeating Villareal 2-1 at home.

-- FIFA has imposed a global ban of six months to five years on 11 Vietnamese junior players for gambling on their own game last year.

World News

-- Over 13.9 million people have been infected with the new coronavirus around the world while more than 591,000 have lost their lives, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health's statistics. Above 8.2 million patients have recovered.

-- Vietnam has reported 381 COVID-19 cases so far, with 356 recoveries and zero deaths, according to the health ministry.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - At the site where escaped, enslaved people once boarded ships to make their way to Canada and freedom, the present met the past on Thursday  with hopes that the future will be impacted.

A new statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass was erected at the Kelsey's Landing site at Maplewood Park in Rochester, the location where Douglass, Harriet Tubman and others shuttled former slaves who had navigated the Underground Railroad en route to Canada. This statue replaced one that was toppled over on July 5.

"Can you only imagine what it took to get here if you were an enslaved person?" said Carvin Eison, who heads the committee that two years ago erected Douglass statues across Rochester. "What it must have felt like. Can you imagine how many good and kind people must have helped along the way?"

Then, the most pressing question, Eison said: "Would you have been one of those people?"

Douglass statue: In 2018, they vandalized a Frederick Douglass statue. Now they'll help install a new one.

Carvin Eison, head of the local Frederick Douglass historical committee, right, talks of the importance of the Douglass during the reinstatement of a Frederick Douglass state at Kelsey's Landing in Maplewood Park in Rochester Thursday, July 16, 2020.

The quick response to the damage of the Douglass statue shows that his message of tolerance and acceptance and racial equality are still as relevant today as they were during his lifetime, Eison and other speakers said Thursday at the installation of the statue. With the country focused on the legacy of racism, the words and life of Douglass can provide a touchstone and a path for moving forward, they said.

"It's time to answer the call of history and the message of Frederick Douglass is showing us how," said City Council Vice-President Willie Lightfoot.

Sculptor Olivia Kim said the statue project was an example of people from all backgrounds working together.

"Over 200 volunteers helped me make 13 statues in only 6 months," she said about the 2018 project, which was overseen by the Re-Energizing the Legacy of Frederick Douglass Committee. The committee has also launched a fundraising campaign for money for the maintenance of the Douglass statues in Rochester.

Story continues

Whenever a certain tool or specialty was needed with the project, a volunteer seemed to walk into the door with the answer "within minutes," Kim said. That fortuity became known to her and the volunteers as "the Freddie miracle."

The recent vandalism, she said, was difficult, especially since another statue was destroyed in 2018.

"The vandalism is very painful," she said. "Please, do not allow the pain to tear us apart."

Statue toppled: Frederick Douglass statue in New York vandalized on anniversary weekend of 'What to the Slave is the Fourth of July' speech

Eison said he, too, was pained at the news another statue was damaged. But, he said, the aftermath was heartening. He received calls from across the country, with offers to help the Douglass committee in any way possible.

One of those calls came from former Rochesterian Dr. John Lipman, who is the founder and medical director of the Atlanta Fibroid Center. Lipman, having learned of the vandalism, donated $10,000, which the Douglass committee is using as a kick-off for a fundraising campaign for statue maintenance.

In a telephone interview Thursday, Lipman said he grew up near Highland Park, where a Douglass statue was once prominently located. He likened the historical legacy of Douglass and Rochester with that of the connections between the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Atlanta, where Lipman now lives.

The Douglass statue "symbolizes racial equality, human rights, everything that is important," Lipman said.

Days before he learned of the destruction, Lipman posted on his Instagram page words from Douglass' famous July 5, 1852 speech at Corinthian Hall in Rochester. There, Douglass challenged the concept of July 4 as Independence Day, with so many people then brutally enslaved in the country.

As Lipman wrote, and Douglas said: "What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence?

"Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us? and am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us?"

"I found out a couple of days later that vandals had pulled down his statue and I was horrified," Lipman said.

On Thursday, Eisen remembered a saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will come."

"And nearly 130 years after his death the teacher, in the form of Frederick Douglass, still comes to teach us all," Eison said, "if we as students are ready to learn."

Follow Gary Craig on Twitter at gcraig1.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New Frederick Douglass statue erected in New York after vandalism
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a press briefing with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force in Washington on April 5, 2020. (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)

Fauci Says COVID-19 Has Potential to Be As Serious As 1918 Flu Pandemic

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, suggested recently that the COVID-19 outbreak has the potential to approach the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic in terms of seriousness while expressing hopes that the administrations interventions would prevent such an outcome.

Fauci made the remarks during a Georgetown University Global Health Initiative webinar on Tuesday, during which he called the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic of historic proportions.

The numbers are quite sobering. Weve had over 135,00 deaths in this pandemic for the United States. We have over 3 million cases. If you look globally, theres close to 600,000 deaths and about 13 or 14 million infections. So this is a pandemic of historic proportions, we cant deny that fact, Fauci said.

Its something that, when history looks back on it, will be comparable to what we saw in 1918, he added, referring to the influenza pandemic that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls the most severe pandemic in recent history. It is estimated that around 500 million, or around one-third of the worlds population at the time, became infected with the disease, which was caused by the H1N1 virus of avian origin.

Right now if you look at the magnitude of the 1918 pandemic where anywhere from 50 to 75 to 100 million people globally died, I mean that was the mother of all pandemics and truly historic, Fauci continued.

I hope we dont even approach that with this, but it does have the makings of the possibility of  approaching that in seriousness, Fauci compared the two outbreaks, adding, though I hope that the kinds of interventions that were going to be, and are implementing would not allow that to happen.

Fauci also noted two similarities between the 1918 pandemic and the COVID-19 outbreak is that both were caused by new viruses that made the leap to humans from animals, and then easily spread between people.

It had two characteristics that make it the perfect storm, Fauci said of the 1918 outbreak. That is a virus that jumps species, but that almost immediately has an extraordinarily capable and efficient way of spreading from human to human, simultaneously with having a considerable degree of mortality.

It is not serious for some people, Fauci said of COVID-19, adding, but deadly serious for others.

According to the CDC, of all 121,374 deaths reported thus far to the National Center for Health Statistics involving COVID-19 in the United States, around 97,000 have been among people older than 65. Those aged 85 or older accounted for 40,125 of COVID-19 fatalities, while those under 35 accounted for just 1,032 deaths.

Fauci said that while symptomatic infection rates among young people are lower, he urged them to wear masks to protect more vulnerable populations because even if young people are at a lower risk of getting sick, they can still spread the deadly bug to others.

What they need to understand is that, given the nature of the outbreak, even if you get infected and have no symptoms and never get sick, you are inadvertently propagating the pandemic, Fauci said of young people who are healthy and dont mind sipping my margarita in a crowd.

It may not matter to you because you are probably not going to get any symptoms, but chances are you will infect someone who will then infect someone who will be a vulnerable person who can get sick, who can get hospitalized, who can even die, he added.

Not only are you propagating the outbreak, but you are putting other people in danger, Fauci said, urging young people to think about their societal responsibility and take precautions like wearing masks.

You not caring whether you get infected or not is not a good way to get the outbreak under control, he said.

I am not blaming anyone. I think people do this innocently. They dont mean to be part of the problem but, inadvertently, they are part of the problem, he said.
Justin Amash Confirms Hes Not Running for Reelection

Rep. Justin Amash (L-Mich.) confirmed hes not running for reelection, just weeks before the Republican primary is set for the congressional seat he holds.

I love representing our community in Congress. I always will, Amash said in a statement late Thursday.

This is my choice, but Im still going to miss it. Thank you for your trust.

Amash, 40, launched a short-lived presidential run earlier this year that ended weeks later.

After much reflection, Ive concluded that circumstances dont lend themselves to my success as a candidate for president this year, and therefore I will not be a candidate, Amash said in a statement in May.

The representative left the Republican Party last year, in part because he opposes President Donald Trump. Amash was the only non-Democrat to vote to impeach Trump. He became a libertarian in April.

Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., listens to a debate on Capitol Hill in Washington, on June 12, 2019. (J. Scott Applewhite/ AP Photo)

Amash said before that he would not seek reelection to the House of Representatives. But libertarian activists hoped he had changed his mind after dropping the White House bid.

A top aide told The Detroit News that Amash idled his campaign in February and doesnt intend to seek the partys nomination at the Michigan Libertarian Partys convention, which is scheduled for this weekend.

He hasnt been campaigning for any office and doesnt plan to seek the nomination for any office, Poppy Nelson, the aide, said.

Amash has represented Michigans 3rd congressional district since 2011. He won the 2018 election with 54.4 percent of the vote after running unopposed in the Republican primary.

Five candidates are vying for the Republican Party nomination for the seat, including Peter Meijer, an Army veteran, and Tom Norton, who fought in Afghanistan.

Hillary Scholten is the only candidate on the Democratic primary ballot, according to Ballotpedia. Scholten, a lawyer, worked for the Department of Justice during the Obama administration.

Political handicappers rate the district as Lean Republican.
Planes of some airlines at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - Under the direction of the Prime Minister, ministries and agencies are actively working with foreign counterparts on the restoration of air transport links between Vietnam and a number of countries and territories, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang has said.

She made the statement at the ministrys regular press conference on July 16 in answering questions regarding the resumption of overseas flights in the context of COVID-19 being largely controlled in Vietnam.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she said, has informed a number of foreign agencies in Vietnam about plans to resume flights to Seoul (Republic of Korea), Tokyo (Japan), Taiwan (China), Guangzhou (China), Vientiane (Laos), and Phnom Penh (Cambodia) from mid-July, on the basis of ensuring compliance with prevention measures to ensure the coronavirus does not spread in the community.

The Ministry of Transport is also holding discussions with relevant agencies in these countries and territories to reach consensus on flight and route specifics, Hang added.

In the immediate future, Vietnam will prioritise people currently allowed to enter the country, including Vietnamese citizens, foreign experts, investors, business managers, and skilled workers, those entering for diplomatic and official purposes, and a number of other special cases, she said.

People who enter Vietnam must comply with medical quarantine rules and undergo appropriate quarantine measures in line with regulations.
'Not unlike politicians who gravitate towards whoever is in power, mafia dons too have a great survival streak, switching loyalty to the party in power,' observes Virendra Kapoor a week after gangster Vikas Dubey was slain in an alleged encounter.

IMAGE: Vikas Dubey seen here after he was arrested at the Mahakal temple in Ujjain, July 9, 2020.

Hours later, the Uttar Pradesh gangster was dead. The UP police claimed he was killed after he allegedly escaped from police custody. Photograph: ANI Photo

Thanks to the Vikas Dubey saga in UP, the coronavirus pandemic and the tension at the China border took a lower billing in the public mindscape.

But, rest assured, not for long.

Soon, the hand-wringing by a medley of public intellectuals and columnists over the cold-blooded killings -- which almost all encounter deaths anyway are with a rare exception or two -- would die down.

Both China and Corona will return to the front pages.

For, our attention span is notoriously fleeting.

If it wasn't, by now we would have drawn the right lessons from our beating in 1962 and equipped our armed forces to meet the challenge of the northern bully head-on.

Since we didn't, the Chinese flex their military muscle every now and then.

Of course, one has little doubt that Dubey was eliminated in cold blood.

As were at least five of his henchmen.

A few days earlier, all of them had signed their own death warrants, having committed the cardinal sin of killing eight policemen.

Momentarily, the ganglord slipped, forgetting that in his line of high-risk, high-income work, the police as accomplice is an asset but as an enemy it is big trouble.

Dubey wrote finis to his lucrative career in crime the moment he marshaled his troops to waylay the police party come to visit him in connection with the nth murder charge in his fortress-like den in the boondocks of Kanpur.

After that heinous act, nobody could have saved him.

The police failing to protect ordinary, peace-loving citizens from lawless elements is one thing.

But woe befall the country if the guardians of law and order themselves feel insecure, unable to protect themselves from those who are in some ways their own creation.

That would be a greater cause of concern than the mushroom growth of mafia dons in every nook and cranny of the nation.

Of course, extrajudicial killings have been there in every regime.

Where shall we begin? When the peasant revolt in Telangana in the late 1940s and early 1950s was put down by the newly independent country with a ruthless resort to police violence, including cold-blooded murder of activists?

Or the elimination of the menace of dacoits in the 1950s and 1960s through informally sanctioned killings by the police in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and other States.

Do we recall how the Naxal trouble in West Bengal and the Khalistani agitation in Punjab was quelled?

From neutralising violent political campaigns through extra-legal means to patroniing mafia dons was a natural progression.

So long as the ruling party of the day did not fear competition it was picky in blessing criminals who helped delivering the most important goods at election time, that is bulk votes of the shanty towns and village clusters where their writ rather than that of the police was the law.

However when politics became competitive, and rival parties were made to fight for every vote, gangsters became far more formidable.

The mafia don-police-politician nexus came to thrive all over the country under intense political competition.

Not unlike politicians who gravitate towards whoever is in power, mafia dons too have a great survival streak, switching loyalty to the party in power.

It is a mutually beneficial arrangement.

A natural corollary of this phenomenon is the transformation of notorious dons as politicians.

In fact, a career in crime is the easiest route to becoming an MLA or an MP, or even a minister.

So many names come to mind, but let us list only a couple of them.

Phoolan Devi and Kuldip Sengar in UP. Shabbuddin in Bihar.

IMAGE: Policemen at the encounter site near Kanpur where gangster Vikas Dubey was killed when he allegedly tried to escape, July 10, 2020. Photograph: PTI Photo

It is a travesty of justice that the police mandated to apprehend criminals is obliged to treat them with due deference upon their becoming politicians.

Every state has its share of criminals-turned-netas.

In the recent Delhi riots, the AAP legislator who incited violence roams free, while his followers bear the brunt of the police investigations.

Of course, without a flawed legal system, criminals and other outlaws would not have such an easy time.

Take the case of Dubey himself.

In 2001, he shot dead a BJP minister who in panic had rushed into a police station to dodge him.

The minister's bodyguards, the thana police, etc, were eyewitness to the murder.

The FIR duly recorded these facts. But a few years later, Dubey walked free.

Why, because the eyewitnesses, all on the state's payroll, turned hostile.

Why were the witnesses not charged with perjury and dismissed from service, or if they had retired, why were their benefits not withdrawn is the question.

Somehow, witnesses in all such cases do tend to turn rogue, reneging on their own eyewitness accounts.

As for the much-ballyhooed police reforms, the less said the better.

These have been mentioned for decades, several committees and commissions have offered their recommendations.

But the will to reform is lacking.

No politician wants to loosen his grip on the police. It is his power of postings and transfers which empowers him to bend the police to his will, licit and illicit.

Consider how the other day the Great Maratha Sharad Pawar took the trouble to call on Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at short notice -- all for the sake of postings of a few DCPs of the Mumbai Police.

Apparently, the NCP Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's order posting the DCPs was reversed by Thackeray.

The CM clearly wanted to patronise his own favourite cops in the financial capital of the country.

Clashing political patronage was on display, wasn't it?

Sensational crimes such as the chain of encounter killings leading to the don's own grisly end, at regular intervals help induce a sort of catharsis for the public-spirited.

But this serves little purpose.

After a few days we will be back to 'normal', that is, till another Dubey comes along.

For, without cleansing the Augean stables of politics reform of the criminal justice system will remain a pipe-dream.

Clean politics alone holds the key to a clean 'system.'

Feature Production: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
A leading City analyst today predicted online fashion group Boohoo would have to move 40% of its manufacturing base from the UK to combat the scandal over alleged poor conditions in its Leicester suppliers' factories.

Credit Suisse said moving four out 10 of Boohoo's UK manufacturing was its "base case" forecast as the company fights to regain its reputation.

Analyst Szilvia Bor predicted a substantial change in the company's business model which could make it slower to respond to shoppers' changing fashion needs as it moves more offshore and potentially higher prices due to the extra expense.

Profits would fall by about 30% by 2022 if her predictions were right, she said.

The Evening Standard revealed this week that Asos had tried to increase its number of Leicester factory suppliers two years ago but U-turned after finding poor working conditions there. It ended up quitting two factories for failing to meet its ethical standards and moved more production overseas.

Boohoo today fiercely refuted Bor's claims, saying it was determined to stick with its UK supplier base and work with them to improve conditions. "We remain firmly committed to UK manufacturing and enforcing the highest standards of ethics, compliance and transparency for the benefit of all garment workers," a spokesman said.

Boohoo shares have fallen more than 45% since the Sunday Times alleged that some of its suppliers' workforce in Leicester were being paid as little as 3.40 an hour for clothes destined for its NastyGal label.

Credit Suisse's Bor also suggested that a minority of Boohoo's customers representing around 5% of sales would desert the company due to the reputational damage.

Having previously forecast the company's shares would reach 440p, she today slashed her forecast to just 250p - only 25p higher than the current price.

She added in her note to clients: "The robustness of the group's response remains to be seen."

Boohoo has announced an independent investigation into its supply chain to be led by Alison Levitt QC. While Bor welcomed the review, she said the impact of it would depend on the terms of reference.
'Iowa's Walter White' has been put to death over the 1993 murders of five people, marking the third federal execution this week after his white supremacist death row friend Daniel Lewis Lee was the first to be executed in 17 years.

Dustin Honken, 52, recited a poem by a Jesuit priest before he was executed by lethal injection at Terre Haute penitentiary in Indiana Friday afternoon, after a judge denied his request earlier this week for a delay to his execution because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Honken, who went from being a nerdy chemistry student to a methamphetamine kingpin and murderer, was sentenced to death in 2004 for the brutal slayings of five people including two children and government informants.

His execution comes as Attorney General William Barr pushes ahead with executions ahead of the 2020 presidential race after a 17-year pause which began with Lee Tuesday followed by the execution of 'claw hammer' killer Wesley Purkey Thursday.

Dustin Honken is led by federal marshals to a waiting car after the second day of jury selection in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, in 2004. 'Iowa's Walter White' was put to death over the 1993 murders of five people on Friday

HONKENS' DEATH BED POEM: Heaven-Haven by Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ. I have desired to go Where springs not fail, To fields where flies no sharp and sided hail And a few lilies blow. And I have asked to be Where no storms come, Where the green swell is in the havens dumb, And out of the swing of the sea. Advertisement

He had been on death row since 2005 convicted of the murders of Greg Nicholson, Terry DeGeus, Lori Duncan and her daughters Kandi, 10, and Amber, 6, in Mason City in 1993.

Honken was pronounced dead at 4.36pm EDT by the Vigo County Coroner.

The killer, who has always maintained his innocence of the murders and made a long statement of his innocence at his sentencing, went to his grave without confessing to his crimes.

Honken failed to show any remorse or address his crimes or the victims' families in his final words on his death bed.

Instead he recited a poem by the English poet and Jesuit priest Gerard Manley Hopkins called 'Heaven-Haven' and then simply said: 'Hail Mary, Mother of God, pray for me'.

Honken's lawyer, Shawn Nolan, said his client had repented for his crimes and was a devout Catholic who 'cared for everyone he came into contact with' in prison.

'There was no reason for the government to kill him, in haste or at all. In any case, they failed. The Dustin Honken they wanted to kill is long gone,' Nolan said.

'The man they killed today was a human being, who could have spent the rest of his days helping others and further redeeming himself. May he rest in peace.'

In a statement, Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said 'just punishment has been carried out.'

'Nearly three decades after Honken coldly ended the lives of five people, including two young girls, all in an effort to protect himself and his criminal enterprise, he has finally faced justice,' Kupec said.

Honken is led by US Marshals into the Federal Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, prior to his sentencing in 2005. Honken, 52, was sentenced to death for killing government informants and children in his effort to thwart his drug trafficking prosecution in 1993

DUSTIN HONKEN'S MURDEROUS RAMPAGE: Honken, 52, shot and killed five peopletwo men who planned to testify against him and a single, working mother and her ten-year-old and six-year-old daughters. In 1993, Honken was operating a methamphetamine lab in Arizona when one of the two dealers he used for distribution, Greg Nicholson, was pinched by police and turned informant, according to court documents. Honken was arrested on state drug charges, but made bond. Once free, he began a desperate hunt for Nicholson, who went into hiding by staying with Lori Duncan, a single mother raising her two girls, 10-year-old Kandi and six-year-old Amber. On July 25, 1993, Nicholson, Duncan, Kandi, and Amber suddenly disappeared. Five days later, Honken appeared for his plea hearing, but declined to plead guilty. Honken told his attorney he heard a rumor Nicholson had skipped town. Honken also provided his attorney with a VHS tape of Nicholson saying Honken was not guilty of the charges against him. The government turned its attention to the other possible witness against him: his other dealer, Terry DeGeus. DeGeus disappeared on November 5. After another informant wore a wire and caught Honken referencing eliminating the witnesses against him, Honken's bail was revoked. While incarcerated, Honken admitted to other inmates he killed witnesses to avoid earlier charges. Honken went into great detail about the murders. Using prison informants, investigators discovered the bodies of Nicholson and the Duncan family, buried in a single hole located in a wooded area outside Mason City. Kandi and Amber each had a single bullet hole in the back of their heads. Nicholson and Duncan were bound, gagged, and shot multiple times, including once in the head. DeGeus's body was found in a field a few miles away, face down in a shallow hole with a severely fragmented skull having been shot one or more times. On October 14, 2004, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa found Honken guilty of numerous offenses, including five counts of murder during the course of a continuing criminal enterprise, and he was sentenced to death. Advertisement

Honken's daughter, who has visited him on death row for years, reportedly visited her killer dad earlier in the day and thanked pro-life protesters who gathered outside the jail in opposition to the death penalty.

Honken had become close friends with white supremacist Lee while the two killers have both been on death row.

Sister Betty Donoghue, a Catholic nun who spoke to Honken over the phone Wednesday and had visited him regularly over the last decade, said Honken had been 'very upset' about his friend's execution earlier in the week.

'He was very upset with the way Danny died,' she said.

The nun said the multiple murderer had appeared calm about his own impending death and was 'ready to meet his maker'.

'He was at peace. I was totally amazed,' she said. 'He believed he would go to heaven. He is ready to meet his maker.'

Honken made his last calls to his family and friends and his mother, brother and daughter had all visited him in prison in recent days, she added.

Honken is the first Iowan since 1963 to be put to death.

The state abolished the death penalty back in 1965, but federal prosecutors sought to execute Honken because of the nature of his heinous crimes killing government informants and children.

Susan Torres, 54, Duncan's sister-in-law and aunt to Kandi and Amber, said earlier this week she planned to attend her family's killer's execution along with the relatives of other victims.

'He does deserve what he's getting. I can tell you that. He deserved it a long time ago,' she said this week.

Mark Bennett, the federal judge who oversaw Honken's trial, said he generally opposes the death penalty but if anyone deserves to be executed, it is Honken.

He said Honken's crimes were reprehensible and he had a fair legal process, including talented lawyers who 'did an outstanding job with virtually nothing to work with'.

'I am not going to lose any sleep if he is executed,' said Bennett, who has since retired from the bench.

'Normally I would but the evidence was so overwhelming.'

Honken's lawyers made several eleventh-hour pleas for a reprieve, but their requests were all denied.

While the two previous executions were stopped and started amid back-and-forth legal maneuvering this week, Honken's began almost on the minute it was scheduled at 4 p.m. Friday.

US District Judge Leonard Strand wrote Tuesday that he would not intervene to delay Honken's execution date due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Strand said the Bureau of Prisons was in the best position to weigh the health risks against the benefits of carrying out the execution.

Strand also denied Honken's motion to declare his execution void due to an alleged procedural error by the government and affirmed the executive branch's power to set the date for executions.

A federal judge also turned down on Tuesday a request by Honken's spiritual adviser - a Catholic priest - to put the execution on hold until after the pandemic.

Honken was convicted in 2004 of the brutal 1993 slayings of his two drug dealers turned informants Nicholson and DeGeus, as well as single working mom Duncan and her daughters Kandi and Amber.

Nicholson, Duncan, Kandi, and Amber vanished on July 25 and DeGeus disappeared on November 5.

The bodies of Nicholson and the Duncan family were found buried in a single hole located in a wooded area outside Mason City in 2000 after an informant provided authorities with maps of where Honken's accomplice girlfriend Angela Johnson told him the bodies were buried.

Kandi and Amber each had a single bullet hole in the back of their heads.

Nicholson and Duncan were bound, gagged, and shot multiple times, including once in the head.

DeGeus's body was found in a field a few miles away, face down in a shallow hole with a severely fragmented skull having been shot one or more times.

Honken shot and killed the two men because they planned to testify against him on drug charges.

The single mom and two kids were murdered after Nicholson hid out with them.

Duncan didn't know Nicholson was an informant and she wasn't involved in drugs.

Lori Duncan (left), a single, mother raising her two girls, 10-year-old Kandi (center) and six-year-old Amber (right) were all slain by Honken

Honken was also convicted of murdering his meth distributors, Gregory Nicholson (left) and Terry DeGeus (right), who were scheduled to testify against him

Honken's murderous spree all started when he moved from Iowa to Arizona to try to get rich by cooking meth, which he learned to do after studying chemistry in college - drawing parallels with TV show Breaking Bad's Walter White.

He and a friend began operating a meth lab and distributing their product through two dealers - Nicholson and DeGeus - based in Iowa.

In 1993, Nicholson was pinched by police and turned informant.

Honken was arrested and indicted for conspiring to manufacture meth after Nicholson secretly recorded Honken and testified before a grand jury.

Honken informed the court that he would plead guilty.

But when he was released, he began a desperate hunt for Nicholson with Johnson.

They found him hiding out at the home where he lived with his girlfriend Duncan, Kandi and Amber.

All four victims were kidnapped, shot to death and buried.

The two little girls were still in their swimsuits when they were shot execution-style in the back of the head.

Their bodies weren't found until 2000 - seven years after they disappeared.

Five days after the four victims vanished, Honken appeared for his plea hearing, but declined to plead guilty.

He told his attorney he heard a rumor Nicholson had skipped town.

Honken also provided his attorney with a VHS tape of Nicholson saying Honken was not guilty of the charges against him.

The government turned its attention to the other possible witness against Honken, his other dealer DeGeus.

A judge denied Honken's (pictured) request to delay his federal execution earlier this week

DeGeus then disappeared as well when Honken murdered him and buried his body around a mile from his other victims.

Charges against Honken were dropped because the witnesses could not be found but the following year, authorities discovered his meth lab and arrested him for meth trafficking.

He was sentenced to 27 years in prison in 1998 for drug charges.

In 2000, an informant provided investigators with two maps Johnson gave him showing where the bodies were buried.

When behind bars, Honken also admitted to other inmates he killed witnesses to avoid earlier charges. Honken went into great detail about the murders but told the court he was innocent of the crimes.

On October 14, 2004, a jury in the US District Court for the Northern District of Iowa found Honken guilty of numerous offenses, including five counts of murder during the course of a continuing criminal enterprise, and he was sentenced to death.

His trial featured extraordinary security measures because of the danger he posed, including an anonymous jury and Honken was bolted to the floor of the courtroom and wore a stun belt under his clothing to prevent escape attempts.

Johnson was also convicted and sentenced to death at a separate trial but her death sentence was later overturned and changed to life in prison in 2014.

Honken's execution was the third this week and came just one day after 'claw-hammer' killer Wesley Purkey, 68, was put to death in the same federal prison Thursday.

Purkey was convicted and sentenced to death for kidnapping, raping and killing 16-year-old Jennifer Long before dismembering, burning and then dumping her body in a septic pond in 1998.

He was also convicted in a state court in Kansas after using a claw hammer to batter 80-year-old polio sufferer Mary Bales to death when he was called out to her home for a plumbing job.

The double murderer expressed remorse for Jennifer's slaying in his final words right before his death, saying he was 'deeply sorry'.

However, the killer showed no remorse for bludgeoning to death his second victim, making no reference at all to Bales, and instead slamming his death sentence as 'sanitized murder'.

The father of his 16-year-old victim attended the execution and said 'I hope he rots in hell'.

'Claw-hammer' killer Wesley Purkey, 68, (pictured) was put to death in the same federal prison Thursday. Purkey was convicted and sentenced to death for kidnapping, raping and killing 16-year-old Jennifer Long before dismembering, burning and then dumping her body in a septic pond in 1998

Purkey's victims: Jennifer Long, 16, (pictured) was last seen at East High School in Kansas City, Missouri on January 22, when she skipped lessons. Purkey confessed to her murder, saying he abducted the teenager, drove her to his home where he raped her and stabbed her to death

Purkey's victims: 80-year-old Mary Bales (pictured) was beaten to death by the killer when he came to her home to fix a kitchen faucet

Purkey's lucidity and show of apparent remorse also cast doubt on his lawyer's claims that his dementia had left him unable to understand why he was being executed.

His defense had tried to halt the execution arguing he suffered severe dementia, did not understand why he was on death row anymore and thought his execution was part of a government conspiracy against him because he had complained about prison conditions.

The killer was granted a delay by a judge Wednesday hours before the execution was scheduled to go ahead, on the basis of looking into these claims.

But the Supreme Court then voted 5-4 early Thursday for his execution to go ahead, paving the way for it to take place that morning.

This came after Daniel Lewis Lee was the first to be put to death by the federal government in almost two decades earlier this week.

Lee, 47, of Yukon, Oklahoma, was executed Tuesday morning at the same Indiana facility, when he died by lethal injection after the Supreme Court cleared the way overnight with a 5-4 vote.

The self-confessed white supremacist was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell.

Daniel Lewis Lee, 47, of Yukon, Oklahoma, became the first to be executed by the federal government in almost two decades Tuesday. He is pictured above waiting for his arraignment in Arkansas in October 1997

Lee, a self-confessed white supremacist, was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife Nancy, (pictured above) and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell

Eight-year-old Sarah (pictured) who Lee suffocated, before taping rocks to her body and dumping her in a nearby bayou

Lee continued to maintain his innocence up until his death, saying 'I didn't do it' and 'you're killing an innocent man' just moments before he was executed.

His execution, which came over the objection of the victims' family, was carried out after a series of legal volleys that ended when the Supreme Court stepped in early Tuesday in a 5-4 ruling and allowed it to move forward.

It had been scheduled for Monday afternoon but was put on hold just hours earlier by a US District Court judge over concerns from death row inmates on how executions were to be carried out.

The Supreme Court removed those obstacles, noting Tuesday that Texas and other states have used pentobarbital 'without incident' in more than 100 executions.

The decision to move forward with federal executions has drawn scrutiny from civil rights groups.

Critics have argued that the Trump administration, which has been pushing for the executions, was creating an unnecessary and manufactured urgency for political gain ahead of the 2020 elections.

Attorney General William Barr has said the Justice Department has a duty to carry out the sentences imposed by the courts, including the death penalty, and to bring a sense of closure to the victims and those in the communities where the killings happened.

Honken's execution is only the third federal execution but the 10th execution overall carried out in the US in 2020, including three in Texas, which executes more inmates than any other state.

Last year, 22 prisoners were executed, the fifth straight year that fewer than 30 people were put to death in the US - far lower than the 65 executions that were carried out in 2003, the last time a federal inmate was executed.

Child killer Keith Nelson has his federal execution date set for August 28 for the kidnapping, rape and strangulation of a 10-year-old girl.
Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan have been admitted to Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital after experiencing mild fever. Her husband Abhishek Bachchan and father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan are already admitted in the same hispital after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Earlier on July 11, Amitabh Bachchan, 77, was admitted to the hospital after he said that he has tested positive for the coronavirus infection. Taking to Twitter, Bachchan said he has been admitted to Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai.

"I have tested Covid positive, shifted to hospital, the hospital is informing authorities. Family and staff undergone tests, results awaited," he said in a tweet. "All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested!"

Later, his son Abhishek Bachchan also tested positive. Amitabh's granddaughter Aaradhya was also tested positive. However, Aishwarya and Aaradhya were put into home-quarantine after testing Covid-19 positive.

Abhishek had also tweeted that Aishwarya and Aaradhya's positive Covid-19 test results. "Aishwarya and Aaradhya have also tested COVID-19 positive. They will be self quarantining at home. The BMC has been updated of their situation and are doing the needful. The rest of the family including my Mother have tested negative. Thank you all for your wishes and prayers," he wrote.

Abhishek's tweet came after Maharashtra Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare, Rajesh Tope, had confirmed the news earlier in the afternoon. Later the tweet was deleted.

"Smt. Aishwarya Rai Bacchan & Daughter Aaradhya Abhishek Bacchan have also been detected positive for Covid19. Smt. Jaya Bachhan ji is tested negative for covid19. We wish the Bacchan Family to get well soon with a speedy recovery," tweeted the minister.

On July 11, antigen tests conducted on Aishwarya, 46, daughter Aaradhya, 8, and Aishwarya's mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan had yielded negative results. However swab tests were awaited at that point.

Earlier in the day, Amitabh Bachchan thanked his fans and well-wishers. Expressing his gratitude, he tweeted, "In happy times, in times of illness, you our near and dear, our well wishers, our fans have ever given us unstinting love , affection care and prayer .. we express our bountiful gracious gratitude to you all .. in these circumstances hospital protocol is restrictive , so individual responses are not possible .. but we see, read, hear all of you .. thank you ever."
OLDSMAR, Fla., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Terrorism, both domestic and international, has become the bane of modern life in the United States. Just last month, the think tank Center for Strategic & International Studies issued a brief saying that terrorism would become worse in the U.S. in the coming year. This past February, the New York Times reported that the threat of domestic terrorism has outpaced that of Islamic extremism. As such, it is a mistake to underestimate the dangers posed by homegrown terrorists. And just last week, police in Western Pennsylvania found out just how real that danger can be when PlateSmart Technologies' automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) helped them stop a domestic terrorist.

According to TribLive.com, Kurt James Cofano was seen on social media making imminent threats to "blow up" the Treasury Department in Harrisburg, Pa., before attacking CIA headquarters in Washington, D.C. and getting "gunned down." News website Wonkette reported that on May 31, he made threats on YouTube against Black Lives Matters protesters in Pittsburgh. In response, the Whitehall Borough (Pa.) Police Department issued a be-on-the-lookout (BOLO) bulletin for lone-wolf terrorist Cofano's Mercedes-Benz. On June 9, the PlateSmart ALPR/vehicle recognition system alerted the Mt. Lebanon (Pa.) Police Department (MLPD) of Cofano's vehicle and location. Authorities made a traffic stop, and during Cofano's arrest, the MLPD found 30 improvised bombs in his vehicle along with numerous weapons, homemade detonators and chemicals used in making explosives.

PlateSmart founder and CEO John Chigos  an acknowledged industry expert who established PlateSmart in the early 2000s in response to the Oklahoma City bombing as well as the 9/11 attacks and has been a leading proponent of the use of ALPR to prevent crime and terrorism  said Cofano is nothing more than a domestic terrorist and his apprehension potentially averted the deaths of countless innocent lives, regardless of political agendas.

"The best law enforcement technology is the kind that prevents crime proactively, because it keeps officers and citizens alike safe," he said. "And that's the whole reason I started PlateSmart. Stopping Cofano from detonating a single bomb, much less the 30 he was carrying, or shooting a single individual undoubtedly validates the technology."

Lone-wolf terrorists  domestic or otherwise  are particularly difficult to stop in advance because of their ability to stay under the radar. However, it is when planning an attack that they become vulnerable. In Cofano's case, he posted his intentions to social media. But, according to Chigos, ALPR and vehicle recognition in addition to other intelligence is another tool in the law enforcement arsenal that can assist in the prevention of a terrorist attacks and criminal activities.

"Any terrorist has to pick a site to attack," he said. "Most don't come right out and say, 'I'm going here,' like Cofano did. Instead, they often 'case' the potential target by circling it in a vehicle or parking nearby for extended periods of time. These behaviors stick out, and they're something our technology can easily identify and alert law enforcement and augment other intelligence they may have gathered."

Privacy advocates have long argued that technology like ALPR is itself dangerous because it has the potential to violate individual privacy. However, Chigos said that the clear efficacy of the technology in saving lives must be considered when making such arguments.

"Fortunately, we will never know how many lives the Mt. Lebanon Police Department saved by using our technology," he said. "Whether it was one or 1000, what's important is that the technology clearly stopped another senseless tragedy from occurring. The life-saving nature of ALPR and vehicle recognition can no longer be denied."

The Mt. Lebanon Police Department is one of more than 100 law enforcement clients of security systems integrator Plate Capture Solutions, Inc. (PCS). PCS recently chose PlateSmart ARES ALPR and vehicle recognition to replace Rekor for those clients.

An AI-based enterprise-grade ALPR and vehicle recognition solution, PlateSmart ARES is a full suite of tools for administration, alerting, quick research, and powerful AI-driven analytics. It is a software-only, camera-agnostic solution that can integrate with virtually any existing security infrastructure. Beyond its popularity with law enforcement agencies from the federal level on down, PlateSmart ARES is also a major provider of perimeter security solutions to large organizations throughout the U.S. and around the world.

For more information, visit www.platesmart.com or email [email protected].

About PlateSmart

In business since 2004, PlateSmart Technologies was the first industry player to introduce a software-only, camera-agnostic automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) engine powered by early AI-based object recognition technology and compatible with both state-of-the-art cameras and video management systems (VMS). PlateSmart offers both mobile and fixed-location solutions, which are designed either to function as stand-alone tools or to integrate with third-party software and hardware. PlateSmart ARES, the company's enterprise solution, provides real-time actionable intelligence with license plate number, state jurisdiction, and vehicle make recognition for complete situational awareness.

PlateSmart's solutions are the recipients of multiple industry awards for excellence in security technology. www.platesmart.com

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release may contain forward-looking statements and/or predictions. These statements are based on history, current knowledge, and current market conditions. They are subject to change without notice as conditions and knowledge change; therefore, undue reliance should not be placed on such statements.

Media Contacts

Art Aiello | [email protected] | 813-749-0892, x.1015

SOURCE PlateSmart Technologies

Related Links

http://www.platesmart.com/


STORY LINK Pound to Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) Exchange Rate Dips Despite PMs Reassurance

GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Falls as Fears Over British Unemployment Remain

Australian Dollar (AUD) Edges Higher as Investor Outlook for Global Economy Improves

GBP/AUD Outlook: RBA Governor Speech and Australian Retail Sales in Focus

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The Pound to Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate dipped by -0.2% today, with the pairing currently trading around AU$1.796.Sterling fell against the Australian Dollar (AUD) today despite Prime Minister Boris Johnsons announcement that he hopes for a return to normality, possibly in time for Christmas.However, many GBP investors are remaining cautious as anxiety grows over UK-EU post-Brexit negotiations.Adam Cole, Senior FX Strategist at RBC Capital Markets, commented:We remain structurally bearish. Activity data have generally disappointed this week, but as the data flow dries up ... expect Brexit to come back to the fore as a driver of GBP.Meanwhile, GBP investors are becoming more wary of Britains economic future, with yesterdays jobs figures leading to concerns over increasing unemployment in the months ahead. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) unemployment rose by 34,000 in April to reach 1.3 million.Resolution Foundation chief economist Mike Brewer said:Unemployment is forecast to hit 4 million for the first time ever. And yet our official data is failing to show the true extent of this jobs crisis.Today saw a glimmer of hope for the British economy, however, after the Bank of Englands (BoE) Governor, Andrew Bailey, suggested that the economy is recovering.The Australian Dollar (AUD) headed higher today despite growing concerns over US-China trade tensions. This follows several reports that relations between the two superpowers was at an all-time low.Former official to Barack Obama, Danny Roswell, warned:The US-China relationship is certainly in a sharp downwards spiral and it's getting worse, worse frankly than I think I've seen certainly since 1989.As a result, Aussie traders are concerned that China  Australias largest trading partner  could enter conflict with the US. As a result, this has dampened risk sentiment as investors begin to steer clear of risky assets.Nevertheless, the Australian Dollar (AUD) has been supported by yields and resilient stocks on improved investor outlook for the global economy.Investors are beginning to suspect that economies will rebound quickly once Covid-19 restrictions are eased, so this has fed into a demand for risky assets like the Australian Dollar today.Australian Dollar (AUD) investors will be looking ahead to Tuesdays speech from the Reserve Bank of Australias Governor, Philip Lowe. Any dovishness about the Australian economys ability to recover from the pandemic would prove AUD-negative.Meanwhile, Wednesday will see the release of Australias Retail Sales figures or June. If these improve, then we could see the Aussie head higher.The GBP/AUD exchange rate will remain sensitive to Brexit developments next week. Any signs of a compromise between the UK and the EU would boost Sterling.

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UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Shortly after protests began to spring up around the country following the Memorial Day death of George Floyd while beingtaken int custoy by Minneapolis police, many people locally and nationally began to question police methods.

In that aftermath, Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan teamed with Councilwoman Saundra Berry in stating that University Heights would form a Citizen Advisory Committee on Policing Policies. On Thursday (July 16) Brennan and Berry named the residents who will serve on that committee.

Those 21 residents include ODasha Blue; Patti Carlyle; Ronald Collier; Indira Gatlin; C.P. Neil Gould, III; Adrian Hardin; Kate Holzheimer; Joanna Homann; Sheila Hubman; Joshua Hunt; Constance Jefferson; Tyler Aliah Lawson; Thekla Long; Paul Miller; Roger Osgood; Crystal Pickus; Sheri Sax; Mike Sears; Vincent Stokes; Priscilla Tate; and Sean Weiss.

In addition, Brennan, Berry, University Heights Police Chief Dustin Rogers, UHPD Lt. Mark McArtor, City Prosecutor Stephanie Scalise, and all city council members will serve as ex officio members.

The committees work will include collecting public input and reviewing the UHPDs Use of Force policies. The committee will meet during the summer, make a report of its findings, and suggest reforms.

Council member Berry and I thank the committee members for stepping forward to volunteer to serve, Brennan said, in a release. We value resident involvement in our city, and it speaks to the strength of our community that we have a diverse cross section of people representing our community willing to serve.

The committees organizational meeting will be held online, via Zoom, at 6 p.m. July 22. Points of discussion during that first meeting will be:

How the committee should go about reviewing the polices Use of Force policy;

How the committee should go about collecting additional public input;

How the committee wants future meetings to be run, and who should chair the meetings;

What kind of schedule should be created that results in written recommendations by early September;

What other matters might this committee (or another citizens committee like it) consider after it reviews the Use of Force policy.

Last month, Brennan signed the My Brothers Keeper Alliance mayors pledge, in which he committed to review use of force, engage the community, report findings, and make needed reforms.

Berry chairs City Councils Safety Committee. In June, she signed a letter, along with 24 other African-American council members from across Northeast Ohio, calling for reforms.

I have discussed this with our police chief, Chief Dustin Rogers, who is understanding of the appropriateness of this review, Brennan said. We need not wait for a tragic incident to occur to review our policies and make improvements.

Our goal is to spend the summer working on this, and report back at the end of summer, presumably at one of the two regular council meetings of September, Brennan said.

See more Sun Press news here.
In the wake of Black Lives Matter protests and the fight for social justice, the conversation on reparations for slavery has resurfaced.

THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE: Even during a pandemic, protests are still going strong

In Asheville, N.C., a measure was passed that will provide funding to promote home ownership and business opportunities-- but the new measure stopped short of actual direct payments.

The city will provide funding to these programs as apart of a reparations initiative.

The measure was unanimously approved by the Asheville City Council on Tuesday night in a 7-0 vote.

The city in western North Carolina has about 93,000 residents, and Black people make up about 12 percent of the population. The city apologized for its participation in slavery, as well as other historical injustices against Black people.

Councilman Keith Young is one of two Black people on the council, and was also the leader of the measure. "Hundreds of years of black blood spilled that basically fills the cup we drink from today," Young said.

The conversation and execution of reparations hasn't only been felt in North Carolina. In California, a bill creating a task force to develop reparation proposals for African-Americans was passed in the Assembly in June. In Providence, R.I., the mayor signed an executive order to commence a "truth telling and reparations process."

Asheville's other Black council person, Sheneika Smith, received questions from citizens on why they should pay now for what happened during slavery.

"(Slavery) is this institution that serves as the starting point for the building of the strong economic floor for white America, while attempting to keep Blacks subordinate forever to its progress," said Smith.

What about Houston?

Here in Houston, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee called for a study to be done on the validity of reparations, stating that it's "long overdue," last year.

In her statement before Congress, Lee said "The role of the federal government in supporting the institution of slavery and subsequent discrimination directed against Blacks is an injustice that must be formally acknowledged and addressed. I just simply ask: Why not and why not now?"

Former city councilman and Houston activist Jew Don Boney said in an interview with Chron.com: "Reparations could look like different things. I think the fundamental issue is economic. Well, one is political and the other is economic. Reparations would need to include programming that would create the opportunity for economic independence."

Boney's biggest focus would be on wealth creation, and not just for individuals.

"Three primary institutions that have advanced agenda for the black community, the family, the church and education," he said. "I don't mind individual wealth, but we have to build up the community. Build collective communal wealth, and sustaining that within the community."

Houston is home to only one Black-owned and operated bank, Unity National Bank.

"We have one black owned bank in Houston. Think if we had none. Unity National Bank. It's undercapitalized. There isn't enough capital for major economic projects. That needs to be addressed. The way I understand it is, banks are able to make those kinds of investements, it's not by individual accounts. So if you look at the major banks, Chase and other banks like it, they're national institutions."

Reparations are achievable, but according to Boney, it would take a lot of work and a collaborative effort within the community.

"The point I would suggest, the best minds, and individuals and groups with business capital, should come together to ask the question how do we create these institutions in the african american community? There has to be a collaborative conversation, and community support," he said.

REPARATIONS ISN'T NEW: When slaveowners got reparations

In American history, people have been compensated for historical injustices. Japanese-Americans who were interned during World War II and victims of police brutality in Chicago.

It's only a matter of time before we see what becomes of the reparations conversation, and hopfully, the momentum will spread across the country.
STORY LINK Pound to Canadian Dollar (GBP/CAD) Exchange Rate Steady as BoE Sees UK Economy on Road to Recovery

GBP/CAD Exchange Rate Rangebound as Boris Johnson Expects to See Normality Return by Christmas

Canadian Dollar (CAD) Steady as Oil Prices Sink Amid Growing Concerns for Canadas Economy

GBP/CAD Outlook: Could Rising Oil Prices Boost the Loonie?

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The Pound to Canadian Dollar (GBP/CAD) exchange rate held steady today, with the pairing currently fluctuating around CA$1.70.Sterling steadied against the Loonie today after the Bank of Englands (BoE) Governor, Andrew Bailey, said that he sees the UK beginning to make a recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.Mr Bailey commented during a webinar organised by the BoE:We are seeing activity return. We are beginning to see this recovery.Today also saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he expects the UK to return to a semblance of normality for Christmas. As a result, GBP investors are becoming more hopeful that Britain is on track for economic recovery in the months ahead.Nevertheless, GBP has been held back by rising concerns for UK unemployment levels after yester day saw reports that nearly 650,000 workers had been laid back since the Covid-19 pandemic kicked off.Samuel Tombs, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics said:The unemployment rate will surge over the coming months as people re-engage with the labour market and job losses crystallise when the [furlough] scheme ends.The Canadian Dollar (CAD) struggled to gain against the Pound (GBP) after the latest Canadian Wholesale Sales for May undercut forecasts at 5.7%. As a result, investors are becoming concerned that Canadas economic recovery could be slower-than-expected.The Bank of Canada (BoC) also recently reported that the Canadian economy could shrink by 7.8% this year.Nonetheless, the BoC was also optimistic, saying:This return to growth [of the Canadian economy] reflects the relaxation of necessary containment measures put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus, combined with extraordinary fiscal and monetary policy support.The Canadian Dollar (CAD) has been compromised by falling oil prices today. With oil being one of Canadas largest exports, this has dampened hopes for the nations economic recovery.Analysts at Reuters commented:Oil prices fell 1% on Thursday after OPEC+ agreed to ease record supply curbs and as new infections of the novel coronavirus continue to surge in the United States.Pound (GBP) traders will be looking ahead to Mondays speech by the Bank of Englands (BoE) Chief Economist, Andrew Haldane. If Mr Haldane is notably dovish about the British economys ability to recover from the Covid-19 crisis, then we could see Sterling suffer.Canadian Dollar (CAD) investors will be paying close attention to Tuesdays publication of the Canadian retail sales figures for May. However, if these confirm consensus and edge higher, then we could see the Loonie rise.The GBP/CAD exchange rate will be driven by oil prices and risk-sentiment next week. If oil prices rise, then we could see the Canadian Dollar begin to edge higher.

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The base price of the RT-PCR assay is Rs 399

Union Human Resource Development Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank e-launched the worlds most affordable RT-PCR based COVID-19 diagnostic kit Corosure developed by IIT Delhi and approved by the ICMR and DCGI in New Delhi.

Pokhriyal informed that the diagnostic kit developed by IIT Delhi, which will be now available for use by the authorised testing labs with this launch, will significantly bring down the cost of COVID-19 RT-PCR testing.

The base price of the RT-PCR assay is Rs 399. Even after adding the RNA isolation and laboratory charges, the cost per test will be considerably cheaper compared to currently available kits in the market.

The Minister further informed that IIT Delhi has given license to 10 companies to manufacture COVID-19 diagnostic kit using the technology developed by its researchers.

In April 2020, IIT Delhi became the first academic institution to obtain the ICMRs approval for a real-time PCR-based diagnostic assay. It was also the first probe-free assay for COVID-19 approved by the ICMR. The assay was validated at the governments medical research body with a sensitivity and specificity of 100%.
SHANGHAI, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GreenTree Hospitality Group Ltd. (NYSE: GHG) ("GreenTree" or the "Company"), a leading hospitality management group in China, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2020, after U.S. markets close on Thursday, August 13, 2020.

GreenTree's management will hold an earnings conference call at 9:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time on August 13, 2020 (9:00 AM Beijing/Hong Kong Time on August 14, 2020).

Dial-in numbers for the live conference call are as follows:

International 1-412-902-4272 Mainland China 4001-201-203 US 1-888-346-8982 Hong Kong 800-905-945 or 852-3018-4992 Singapore 800-120-6157

Participants should ask to join the GreenTree call.

A telephone replay of the conference call will be available after the conclusion of the live conference call until August 20, 2020.

Dial-in numbers for the replay are as follows:

International Dial-in 1-412-317-0088 U.S. Toll Free 1-877-344-7529 Canada Toll Free 855-669-9658 Passcode: 10146314

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.998.com.

About GreenTree Hospitality Group Ltd.

GreenTree Hospitality Group Ltd. ("GreenTree" or the "Company") (NYSE: GHG) is a leading hospitality management group in China. As of March 31, 2020, GreenTree had a total number of 3,998 hotels. In 2018, GreenTree ranked among the Top 12 worldwide in terms of number of hotels in "World's Largest Hotel Companies: HOTELS' 325", published by HOTELS magazine, and was as well the fourth largest hospitality company in China in 2018 based on the statistics issued by the China Hospitality Association.

GreenTree has built a strong suite of brands including its flagship "GreenTree Inns" brand as a result of its long-standing dedication to the hospitality industry in China and consistent quality of its services, signature hotel designs, broad geographic coverage and convenient locations. GreenTree has further expanded its brand portfolio into mid-to-up-scale and luxury segments through a series of strategic investments. By offering diverse brands, through its strong membership base, expansive booking network, superior system management with moderate charges, and fully supported by its operating departments including Decoration, Engineering, Purchasing, Operation, IT and Finance, GreenTree aims to keep closer relationships with all of its clients and partners by providing a brand portfolio that features comfort, style and value.

For more information on GreenTree, please visit http://ir.998.com

GreenTree

Ms. Selina Yang

Phone: +86-21-3617-4886 ext. 7999

E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Nicky Zheng

Phone: +86-21-3617-4886 ext. 6708

E-mail: [email protected]

Christensen

In Shanghai

Ms. Constance Zhang

Phone: +86-138-1645-1798

E-mail: [email protected]

In Hong Kong

Ms. Karen Hui

Phone: +852-9266-4140

E-mail: [email protected]

In US

Ms. Linda Bergkamp

Phone: +1-480-614-3004

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE GreenTree Hospitality Group Ltd.

Related Links

www.998.com


Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday assured that not an inch of our land can be taken by any power in the world while he interacted with the Indian Army and ITBP personnel at Lukung.

Referring to the India-China border standoff, he said, "Talks are underway to resolve the border dispute but to what extent it can be resolved I cannot guarantee. I can assure you, not one inch of our land can be taken by any power in the world." Emphasising on finding a diplomatic solution to the standoff, he further said, "If a solution can be found by talks, there is ...
Awarded up to $310 million over the course of five years, potential for renewal for another five years based on successful performance

MIAMI - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has selected the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science to host the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS). CIMAS, will bring together the research and educational resources of eleven partner universities to increase scientific understanding of Earth's oceans and atmosphere within the context of NOAA's mission.

The cooperative institute will conduct collaborative, multidisciplinary research that advances NOAA's mission to improve our understanding of global, national and regional weather, climate and marine ecosystems. The cooperative institute will also focus on coastal resilience and better use and management of natural marine resources in the Southeast United States, including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and the South Atlantic.

"Our cooperative institutes are a vital component of NOAA's mission to address emerging scientific issues and train the next generation of researchers," said Craig McLean, assistant NOAA administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. "This institute will help NOAA achieve our mission to better understand the ocean and atmosphere, which depends on research, data and information to make sound decisions for healthy ecosystems, communities and a strong blue economy."

The selection of the University of Miami, made through an open, competitive evaluation, comes with an award of up to $310 million over the course of five years, with the potential for renewal for another five years based on successful performance.

"CIMAS brings together the resources of the University of Miami with those of NOAA to foster excellence in research and education targeted at understanding the Earth's oceans, atmosphere and marine ecosystems," said Ben Kirtman, director of CIMAS and professor of atmospheric sciences at the UM Rosenstiel School. "This collaboration enables unprecedented innovation in NOAA's mission of science, service and stewardship."

CIMAS, in partnership with NOAA and other agencies, will conduct and coordinate innovative, research in four main areas, focusing on the Southeast US including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and the South Atlantic:

Tropical weather observations, analysis and prediction

Ocean and climate observations, analysis and prediction

Ecosystem observations, modeling, forecasting and management

Protection and restoration of marine resources

Led by the UM Rosenstiel School, the institute will direct a unique consortium of degree-granting institutions, which includes the Caribbean Region Association for Coastal Ocean Observing, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Institute of Technology, Florida International University, Florida State University, NOVA Southeastern University, University of Florida, University of South Florida, University of the Virgin Islands. Florida International University and University of Virgin Islands are Minority Serving Institutions.

CIMAS will build on the research and infrastructure accomplishments of its predecessor cooperative institute at the UM Rosenstiel School. It will accelerate scientific innovation in each of the four focus areas by advancing tropical weather prediction, ocean and climate observations, ecosystem forecasting, and protection and restoration of marine resources. For example, CIMAS will innovate in fish stock assessment by taking advantage of recent advancements in genetic technology to develop ecosystem models that focus on economically important fishes. CIMAS will also continue innovative work on coral restoration efforts.

"In Miami-Dade County alone, we are fortunate to have NOAA's National Hurricane Center, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, and Southeast Fisheries Science Center, and UM's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, all of which are uniquely positioned at the crossroads of tropical meteorology and climatically important oceanographic processes." said Roni Avissar, dean of the Rosenstiel School. "We are thrilled to lead this collaboration with such great neighboring institutions and we will advance our knowledge through the multiple research projects that we will conduct together."

###

NOAA supports 19 cooperative institutes consisting of 69 universities and research institutions in 27 states and the District of Columbia. These research institutions provide strong educational programs that promote student and postdoctoral scientist involvement in NOAA-funded research.

About the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School

The University of Miami is one of the largest private research institutions in the southeastern United States. The University's mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. Founded in the 1940's, the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, visit: http://www.rsmas.miami.edu.
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From Ali Galaduma, Bauchi

The Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) Bauchi State Council has banned the media from covering of all activities of APC Youth wing in the state

This was contained in a statement issued to journalists by the State Secretary of the Union Comrade Isa Garba Gadau yesterday in Bauchi

According the statement, this followed the disruption of a press conference organized by the APC consultative forum this Thursday 16th July, and 2020 at the NUJ Secretariat by some youth believed to be from APC which resulted to injury of some members of the union as well as destruction of some working tools.

The Secretary called on the security to fish out the perpetrators of the unfortunate act for proper prosecution and further commended Police for the prompt action that stopped the attacked from escalation

He also called on its members to go about their duties as necessary steps are taken to protect their security, integrity and that of the union.
Young activists raised in a culture of diversity and armed with an array of social media options have taken the spotlight in issues ranging from gun control to womens rights to police brutality.

Rising Mechanicsburg Area High School senior Nathaniel Babitts said there are a number of factors at work for these youths, not the least of which is how much the world has changed in even the last five years.

My generation is realizing how quickly everything can almost flip, he said.

And now theyre looking to flip the status quo.

Beginnings

Youths who have led local social justice efforts had a knack for change early on.

He admits its cheesy and cliche, but Babitts said he wanted to make a difference in the world ever since he was young. That drives him to make changes in situations where he believes he can make a positive impact.

One of my greatest fears in life is to live a normal life and end up doing nothing, he said.

Samantha Martin, a 2020 Carlisle High School graduate, said she has focused on justice and fairness since she was a child. She remembers learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and being grateful for his work in a way only a child can understand: It made it possible for her to have a best friend who was Black.

Imagining a world where we couldnt play together was crazy to me, so I was always fascinated by advocacy and justice, she said. That was always something that was very important to me. It was on my mind starting at a very young age.

A violent catalyst turned that interest in justice, fairness and making a difference in the world into action.

In February 2018, 17 people were killed at a high school in Parkland, Florida. Surviving students immediately started speaking up on gun control, giving rise to protests across the country and the founding of the organization March for Our Lives.

I know that many of my fellow students that are also interested in activism regard highly March for Our Lives and view it as a true inspiration, Babitts said.

Martin took initial steps to start the Carlisle Area Youth Council in January 2018 and planned the first meeting for the end of February. The shooting in Parkland happened in the intervening month as she and fellow student Taytum Robinson-Covert worked on announcing the new effort and securing meeting spaces. About 25 students came when they held the first meeting.

A lot of people were inspired to join by the Parkland kids and their activism, and I know that it really energized the members of my organizations and suggested they actually had a role, Martin said.

Robinson-Covert said shes inspired not only by young activists across the globe, but also by those working at home in Carlisle.

Finding those people that are so invested in creating a safer, more just, more informed community gives me hope and is a major drive for my activism, Robinson-Covert said.

Finding their voices

Asia Whittenberger, a graduate of Boiling Springs High School, was one of the many students who stepped out on the issue of gun control after Parkland. She doesnt consider herself an activist, preferring instead to simply say shes involved in issues through education or protesting when the well-being of other people is threatened.

Racism is one such threat.

Black Lives Matter has awakened many people to injustice in the country, Whittenberger said, showing how it still exists in the form of dog whistle language or the lack of Black representation in various societal roles, for example.

There are plenty of ways to participate in the process, such as signing petitions, patronizing Black-owned businesses and donating to organizations without taking on the mantle of activist. Recently, Whittenberger, who attends Saint Josephs University in Philadelphia, said she did a fundraiser on Instagram for Black Men Heal, an organization in Philadelphia that provides therapy for Black men who may not otherwise be able to do so due to financial accessibility.

Babitts said he has volunteered with Rock the Vote and similar events, but the events of the past few months pushed him to consider how he could take on a larger role in addressing justice issues.

As a Black kid myself, this kind of personally affects me, he said. I was thinking I cant sit and wait here anymore.

Working with his friend, Mechanicsburg grad and current Dartmouth student Tulio Huggins, he petitioned the Mechanicsburg Area School District to teach more Black history.

What I mean by that is viewing it in terms of a real, evolving history and not three separate periods of slavery, Jim Crow and then freedom, Babitts said.

About 4,600 people have signed the petition on Change.org and around 100 people attended a June forum at Memorial Park in Mechanicsburg focused on how Black history is presented in the school curriculum.

Students have met with Mark Leidy, the superintendent of the Mechanicsburg School District, and Babitts said he believes the work is heading in the right direction. Now, theyre setting their sights on expanding their effort to lobby for curriculum changes statewide.

The school district has heard us, but the state piece? Were just baby steps on that right now, he said.

Though Black Lives Matter is topical, Martin, who is white, doesnt believe shes in a position to add insight to the issues. Her interest these days is mostly in womens rights and feminism, and shell be heading to Gettysburg College in August to major in public policy and gender studies.

I dont really have experiences to lend because I am benefited by white privilege. Im a white woman. So I think my role in that is not so much to speak other than to tell other white people what theyre doing wrong and remind them to listen to other Black people, she said. Mostly, its to provide a platform.

Challenges

Leading a charge for change isnt easy no matter what the age of the organizer. Capturing  and keeping  peoples attention and motivating them to do the work takes considerable effort, Babitts said.

To get people to show up to these things and to actually do the heavy lifting to actually create change, I feel like thats probably the hardest part, Babitts said.

Robinson-Covert is part of a new group, Carlisle for Justice Transparency, that was formed to fight for transparency in the justice system and specifically in Carlisle.

Theyve been doing research on policy, writing letters to Cumberland County District Attorney Skip Ebert, protesting outside his office and making phone calls asking him to address racial disparity in policing, Robinson-Covert said.

It takes a lot of work to create real change. Real change doesnt just happen with protesting and donating, although those are really good things, Robinson-Covert said. We also need to be focusing on behind the scenes, focusing on policy change.

There is, though, a frustration that comes with age, Martin said, whether its people who insist she should be out having fun or getting adults to listen or enlisting the help of adults who can schedule meetings for her.

Im 18 which means I can vote, but I cant be governor of Pennsylvania and I cant be a member of the House of Representatives. I dont have the education to get an official lobbying job, she said. I dont necessarily have the power to advocate on my own. I have to get the attention of adults, and when adults dont listen thats frustrating.

Alison Dagnes, professor of political science at Shippensburg University, said age plays a role for activism in a couple of ways, including the tendency of young people to believe they have the answers.

You have energy and you want to go out and you want to make change. Thats just a function of age, she said.

But this generation in particular has been raised in a climate thats been more accepting of people in regards to race, sexual identity and ability. Theyve been raised with a greater awareness of the world around them and of the disparities between people that gives them an instinct for fairness, Dagnes said.

Changes in the media landscape from three basic television stations to a smorgasbord of media outlets have also shaped young activists. Years ago, everyone watched the same shows from which they gleaned the same ideas about issues, Dagnes said.

Now, everything is so fragmented and microtargeted and niche programming. So, kids can really carve out their own identity because they have so many different mechanisms and platforms on which to view the world, she said.

And then theres social media.

High school and college-age people today have been raised on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms where they feel heard by their peers and see young people their age get positive attention, Dagnes said. Seeing that attention in other contexts makes it easier for young people to act locally, which results in local attention for their work.

Social media also provides a powerful tool to connect and organize around issues.

This generation of activists will separate itself from the advocacy of the past because of the speed at which information can spread and the collective effort they can make through social media, Babitts said. They can mobilize a massive number of people and turn that energy into progress.

Calling it a silly example, Babitts pointed to TikTok users who claimed tickets to President Donald Trumps June rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with no intention of attending, leading to campaign announcements about the popularity of the event that werent matched by the reality.

But social media goes beyond escapades like that and so-called slacktivism thats little more than putting up a post and waiting for likes. Seasoned organizers know its important to keep going.

Where the old school organizers knocked on doors, young people are sliding into each others direct messages to push them to be part of events and activities to further their cause.

Its been a very powerful tool, Dagnes said.

Emerging voters

The work has to go beyond awareness to action, and theres one action that Dagnes said stands above all.

Voting is really number one. To me, its the biggest thing that we can do, she said. Unfortunately, its super-boring and it doesnt feel very exciting. It doesnt feel very empowering.

Martin and others are passionate about changing that mindset.

Voting is something that everyone over the age of 18 can do, with some exceptions, and it isnt as time-consuming as spending 8 or 9 hours with a certain nonprofit. Its the best way to get kids involved, she said. When theres not much else you can do, you have to make sure that youre doing everything you can.

The protests are signaling to politicians that people want to make a difference and want to be heard, Dagnes said. People who feel ignored will rise up and be active and politicians have to pay attention to them.

Ignore the youth at your own peril. Not only are they the future, they are also a mighty big voting bloc, Dagnes said.

To keep momentum in their work, youths need to connect with others who feel passionately about the issue and watch the politicians who are passing bills and crafting administrative laws. Local government meetings are notoriously boring, but Dagnes said thats where the action is actually happening.

People just ignore state politics, but thats really where a lot of the rubber meets the road, Dagnes said.

Members of Carlisle for Justice Transparency, for example, have taken their case to Carlisle Borough Council, asking questions and voicing their concerns as citizens, Robinson-Covert said.

Were also really lucky that our borough council is at least addressing and recognizing the issues of transparency, she said. I definitely think with their help we can create real change in our small town.

Keep going

Large-scale protests have faded from the nightly news, but that doesnt mean advocates can relax.

Its important to keep paying attention, Martin said. Advocates cant stop working on their issue because another issue is dominating the press. Instead, they have to continue working until their piece is done.

The case of Ahmaud Aubrey shows why its important to keep speaking up, Whittenberger said. A video showing Arberys shooting death was released in early May, two months after the incident. Resulting public pressure led to the arrest of three white men in connection with the murder.

Whenever you speak out about something being wrong and you publicly disown the actions of police brutality against Black people, thats when things start to get done, she said.

Whittenberger said people need to make their voices known about prevention as well, and that starts with police accountability and budget allocations that could send funding to public schools, health care and affordable housing, which would have the long-term effect of reducing crime.

Though theres a tendency to want immediate results, it will be important for advocates to accept changes that appear small and then keep pushing for additional change, Dagnes said. If they keep chipping away at unequal systems, she doesnt believe it will be long until systemic change occurs.

We are in a unique position to make large structural changes now that will have lasting consequences and really push for greater justice for now and in the future, Dagnes said.

Photos: Solidarity on The Square protest in Carlisle June 6

Email Tammie at tgitt@cumberlink.com. Follow her on Twitter @TammieGitt.

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In mid-April, as COVID-19 was paralyzing the northeast, Massachusetts made an eyebrow-raising announcement. The states Department of Energy Resources, in what it called an emergency order, doubled the capacity of its key solar program and declared its solar industry an essential service.

While states like Connecticut included the solar sector in their stay-at-home ranks - contributing to what would become a more than 620,500 loss of clean energy jobs nationally by the end of May - Massachusetts kept its solar people working.

We need to give clarity long term for the solar industry, said Patrick Woodcock, commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources. We wanted to signal this was going to be a priority for Massachusetts.

The paperwork to make that happen had to be filed physically. I remember the drive into Boston. It was an absolute ghost town, he said.

Now, with northeastern states endeavoring to jump-start their economies following the flattening of COVID-19s spread, a question being asked by many here, as well as world-wide, is whether renewable and clean energy can be the key economic driver to do that.

Absolutely, Woodcock answered, calling offshore wind alone one of the foundations of the Massachusetts economy.

While Massachusetts has a head start in leveraging renewable and clean energy as economic engines, Connecticuts approach during the height of the shutdown, and its vision of clean and renewable energys potential, has been more subdued. There have been no broad declarations about it as an economic driver from Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes. She has focused instead on the states current commitments, such as its considerable entry into offshore wind, which includes plans to revitalize ports in New London and Bridgeport, and a final plan released in April on how to accelerate electric vehicle adoption - known as the EV Roadmap  as a way of reducing greenhouse gases.

Even before this crisis weve been on a path of dramatic expansion of clean energy resources, of electric vehicles and other policies that can help us continue to meet the needs of the climate crisis, she said. A consistent commitment to our policies is one of the most important things we can do to ensure that utilities and also the private market continue to make investments in reducing carbon emissions and delivering a cleaner and more affordable grid.

But there are many who see not only an economic potential, but an opportunity - even with its unfortunate origins in a pandemic - to go big. In the spirit of never letting a good crisis go to waste, these environmental experts want Connecticut to make faster, harder and more ambitious energy changes than the state has been pursuing.

In the nearly 10 years since Connecticut has been pursuing clean energy in earnest, there has been repeated criticism that pilot projects are too conservative, time has been wasted with studies of technologies other states have already evaluated, and that balky utility companies have driven policies. Coupled with this is criticism that the states laser focus on electric rates has blocked state officials from recognizing that investments - actually spending money - would create jobs and revenue.

The state also faces a steep environmental climb to reach its clean energy and greenhouse gas emissions goals: a 100% clean energy electric grid by 2040 and emissions 80% below 2001 levels by 2050. And now there is empirical evidence from the world-wide COVID shutdowns that such measures make a difference - the steep drop in the use of fossil fuels did lower emissions of all sorts.

I do think this is a very useful pivot point, said Ken Gillingham, an economics professor at Yale who specializes in energy and environmental economics as well as energy and climate policy modeling. He was also a senior economist for energy and the environment for the White House Council of Economic Advisers during the Obama administration.

Karl Rabago, a senior advisor at the Pace Energy and Climate Center who has advised Connecticut on energy and climate policy for years, agreed.

Should clean energy be the white steed that we use to ride out triumphantly from the COVID pandemic? And the answer is - among the many rides we could choose - this is a very good one, Rabago said. Its a good one because it affects everyone. Its a good one because it starts paying a serious down payment on the severe changes we need to address with climate change.

Shame on us if we go through all this hell just to come out being the same greedy selfish consumers we were before.

Experts know a low-carbon economy is on its way, that the country is heading into a recession and that clean energy is a good bet for growth purposes right now , Gillingham said. The technologies are already proven and their costs are coming down, he added, but they still have costs.

When asked whether he believes Connecticuts leaders understand the concept of spending money to make money, especially when money is tight like it is now, he said, I think its pretty clear that they dont.

When youre in a downturn, government expenditures can have a disproportionately useful effect, bringing in jobs when theyre most sorely needed, Gillingham said.

Adherence to a balanced budget requirement is often one excuse for not spending money, but it can cause even more problems, Gillingham said, because that means when tax revenues drop, government spending drops: which is exactly the opposite of what you should be doing.

Better, he said, would be a balanced budget over a period of time. You dont need a perfectly balanced budget as long as the economy is growing, he said. How in the world are they going to have a balanced budget next year? There is something to be said for spending money to foster growth.

Eric Brown at the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, who also sits on the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board and on the board of the Connecticut Green Bank, doesnt see it that way. Energy doesnt drive the economy; the economy relies on affordable and reliable power, he said. If you want to get the economy going - the issue is to make sure we have the energy we need to grow.

Its not just Connecticut

There is precedent in the U.S. for using renewable and clean energy projects as economic drivers to overcome a recession.

In 2009, more than $27 billion of the $800 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act went towards renewable energy.

In the last few months a slew of reports - national and international - have made the case that the renewable energy sector and efforts to mitigate climate change have huge economic potential.

To name just a few:

A three-year Sustainable Recovery Plan for the post-COVID world developed by the International Energy Agency and the World Bank stated governments have a unique opportunity today to boost economic growth, create millions of new jobs and put global greenhouse gas emissions into structural decline.

A report by the University of California at Berkeley offered a path to a 90% carbon-free grid by 2035, stating that doing so would provide a huge opportunity for economic recovery  a fantastic way to invest in a healthier economy and support new jobs, without raising electricity bills.

The U.S. Green Building Council released its concept called Healthy People in Healthy Places showing how sustainable building could help mitigate climate change and contribute to the global economic recovery.

Studies from England to New Englands Acadia Center have also touted the economic role of renewable energy.Congressional stimulus measures enacted so far during the pandemic have notably not covered renewable energy sector jobs specifically. The Democratically controlled U.S. House of Representatives included loads of renewable energy initiatives, and by extension jobs, in its $1.5 trillion economic-recovery infrastructure bill - which passed and was sent to the Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, promises it has zero future.

So, as has been the case throughout the Trump administration, renewable energy efforts will largely have to come from the states.

Connecticuts neighbors arent waiting.

In addition to Massachusetts keeping its solar industry going as COVID-19 peaked in the Northeast, New York repeatedly doubled down on its commitment to clean energy growth with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in one of his daily briefings, even saying renewable energy would jumpstart the future. Just last week, Cuomo announced the state would begin research and development to improve air quality in buildings as a way to mitigate COVID and improve efficiency, which would mean using less power. And last month before his state had even reopened, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled plans to build the first offshore wind-specific port in the U.S. that he said would make the state the national capital of offshore wind - a jobs generator and economic driver for sure.

Even with a pandemic raging, Maines Climate Council managed to complete a massive seven-month effort to come up with strategies for its State Climate Action Plan - with no change to its Dec. 1 deadline for bringing a full plan to the governor and legislature.

This work hasnt skipped a beat, said Jeff Marks, Acadia Centers Maine director and senior policy advocate. And really its an economic development plan for the future. Everything were doing now as far as the climate action plan, were looking at through an economic development lens.

Connecticut extended the deadline for some existing renewable energy programs, but a number of key issues that were to have been addressed during the legislative session, which was cancelled, will probably have to wait until next year. There are no plans to deal with any energy issues in the upcoming special session.

The regulatory process through the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) continued to work its way through a series of linked proposals that comprise a grid modernization effort - known by shorthand as the grid mod docket.

Its a coordinated effort to update the more than century-old electric grid that relies on power distributed by long wires on poles. Depending on how ambitious PURA gets in reimagining how electricity is provided as a component of addressing climate change, providing resilience and offering electricity users all kinds of flexibility in the not-too-distant future, it could also generate tons of jobs, new businesses, income, tax revenue and all manner of economic goodies.

No one is putting that outcome past PURAs new chair - Marissa Gillett - who has demonstrated a take-no-prisoners attitude, including in February when she leveled scathing criticism at both Connecticut utilities for sub-standard filings, gave them a new deadline and threatened them with fines if they didnt comply.

She has taken on grid modernization with equal vigor - plowing through the first six of its 11 dockets in virtual hearings and other sessions on such subjects as energy storage. Even with the legislative session cancelled, Gillett says she and PURA have plenty of authority to make changes.

But, she said, it wont work without a strategy that will link the utilities serving the state with the states environmental and energy policies - to bolster stability, predictability and business.

The utilities and their investors need long-term signals that can be relied on and are stable, so that the utilities can get cash capital and other things at decreased rates which help our ratepayers, Gillett said. The really great thing about clean energy, to my mind, is a lot of it has to be localized - which means that clean and renewable energy is almost synonymous with an economic development opportunity because the jobs are going to be local and sustained.

That notion of local jobs is a theme heard over and over by those advocating a harder push into renewable energy. But it still takes a Herculean effort to get everyone on board - lawmakers, regulators, the public, energy producers and the utilities.

The first step, Gillett said, is to figure out what we have now and what we need. And the best way to do it, she believes, is through an advanced metering infrastructure - AMI - so everyone, including the public, can see how much energy is being used, as well as when and where.

She considers it the most critical grid modernization component and the one that should be first off the blocks, but that doesnt mean it will happen quickly, which could hold up everything else.

The big ideas

When the coronavirus shutdown hit in Connecticut, Leticia Colon de Mejias company, Energy Efficiencies Solutions, basically ground to a halt. It was her second punch in the last few years.

Shed already been forced into a 30% cutback in 2017 when the legislature authorized a sweep of about half the utility ratepayer fees that should have gone toward energy efficiency, along with clean energy funds that would have gone to the Connecticut Green Bank.

This time was different.

It required a total shutdown, she said. In some cases, she could switch from in-person to virtual home energy assessments, but the low-income community she services was largely excluded. Its very hard to do virtual assessments they when dont have virtual, she said. Low-income has really been shut off.

But Colon and many others see the future of clean and renewable energy in Connecticut, if not the states economic future generally, in companies like hers. Energy efficiency is widely considered the frontline in lowering energy usage - and, by extension, the cost of power and helping to stem climate change. And it creates a cascade of jobs, many of which would go to people left unemployed by the pandemic.

Get these folks who lost jobs in restaurants, Colon said, adding that they can be trained in all manner of energy efficiency jobs and a lot of the remediation that goes with it, such as asbestos removal, fixing gas leaks and making general repairs that are often needed in lower income housing.

When re-imagining the big renewable energy ideas that could help Connecticuts economic recovery from COVID-19, energy efficiency is inevitably the first stop.

For a quick return to economic activity, job restoration and job creation, priming the economic pump - if you take any range of energy options side by side, you realize that something like weatherizing a house is top of the freakin list in terms of meeting those qualifications, said Rabago, of the Pace Energy and Climate Center.

Its high labor, he said, referring to the vast numbers of workers needed for the job. Its sophisticated and efficient supply chains. Its local dollars multiplied in the local economy. As a business proposition - the business of getting the state running again - it works really well.

After that, a little imagination is helpful as well as regulatory and/or governmental approval and  lets face it  money. But more and more private investors are seeing the wisdom in getting behind renewable energy and little-to-no point in getting behind additional fossil fuel development.

To that end, the Connecticut Green Bank has created Green Liberty Bonds - lower denomination bonds that investors can begin purchasing today and will be used to finance clean energy projects. And, of course, more projects means more jobs, more tax revenue and so on.

The initial offer will be $16 million and is modeled on the war bonds offered during WWII.

Among other suggestions offered that Connecticut could use to ramp up clean energy and spur economic growth: a larger capacity for and investments in solar power of all kinds - grid-scale, commercial, residential - but especially community solar, which has the potential to scoop up renters, multi-family units, low and moderate income households and all manner of people whose properties cant accommodate solar panels.

Community solar has been on the books in Connecticut for several years but has had a painfully slow rollout through small pilot projects.

The list of suggestions also includes placing a greater emphasis on energy storage, especially combined with intermittent renewable energy like solar; demand-response system design which makes it easier and more efficient to run power only during peak needs; and buildout of microgrids to help decentralize the grid and make it more reliable during severe weather. The state could also require all kinds of resilience features as the utilities upgrade or repair their systems - including putting wires underground and coming up with non-wires-alternatives to expensive repairs or additions.

Experts have also floated the idea of using heat pumps as efficient replacements for old heating systems - especially those that use oil. The Connecticut Energy Marketers Association - whose main function has been home heating oil and gas delivery  is already turning to that for many of its 600 members.

Other ideas include building out anaerobic digestion to deal with waste disposal by transforming food and farm waste into power, configuring the large grid changes that will be needed to accommodate the heavy loads of electric vehicle charging systems, and retrofitting homes and commercial structures for greater energy efficiency and to withstand climate change impacts.

I think its inherently going to have to be a policy mix or a mix of technologies, said Yales Gillingham. These are technologies coming to play that are being implemented around the world. Theres no reason for Connecticut to be behind the curve.

It also means all levels of jobs, from basic construction and sales to sophisticated engineering, data analytics, computer capabilities and research and development. And it includes steps like retraining auto dealers and local garages for dealing with EVs, but first it will require training the workforce that can educate those folks.

But it cant be done without getting Connecticuts utility companies on board.

We cant go back to normal; we have to go back to better, said Amy McLean Salls, Acadia Centers Connecticut director. The utility business model is in need of complete reform - thats just got to happen.

Utilities on notice

There are lots of ideas about how to reform the utilities. Broadly those ideas rely on shifting the paradigm of how utilities make their money and what they consider valuable. Changing how the system works now  utilities receive payment for transmission and delivery of power and system maintenance  could, for example, include non-wire alternatives to new substations or transmission lines.

Connecticuts two utilities, Eversource and Avangrid, have been grudging participants in grid reform efforts in Connecticut. In Massachusetts, where Eversource also operates, it is participating in exactly those sorts of modernizations. It is building battery storage systems on Marthas Vineyard and Cape Cod, for example, instead of a far more expensive and disruptive transmission lines.

But with serious mandates on the horizon from PURA, neither utility may have much choice. And there are those who say if the utilities arent willing and cant be forced to innovate and take risks, perhaps the time has come to turn to third parties that are.

Jennifer Schilling, vice president of grid modernization at Eversource, conceded the grid is becoming more modular and customer-centric in which users will be able to control what they use and even generate, when and how.

We absolutely support the development of a modern grid, and we are actively working to identify and to engineer our plans and operations, she said.

Avangrids vice president for regulatory affairs for Connecticut, Pat McDonnell, said as far as getting pushed by PURA, Id be disappointed if we had to be.

He sees the electrification of transportation as having the greatest potential for changing the grid - with a need for additional power in different locations and times.

All of it comes with jobs, but with initial costs that some wonder whether the state has the political will to embrace even if it saves money and addresses climate change in the long run.

I would love the support of elected officials - but I dont need it. I feel I have the jurisdiction, said PURA Chair Gillett. What we need to be looking at is how were going to use the regulatory hooks that PURA has to help us make the utilities a platform to move forward.

I dont think anything we were thinking pre-pandemic is suitable for post-pandemic. I think it all deserves re-thinking.

Many of those on the frontlines, who have fought for clean energy and jobs for years, see even greater opportunities for both through bringing such services to economically at-risk populations. And they recognize that there is a pivot-point due to the current crisis that is too good to pass up.

We know we need clean energy - lets build a grid that manages that, said John Humphries, outgoing executive director of the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, who has championed the development of offshore wind as a big economic driver for the state. If we need a different utility business model, lets do it.

Theres an opportunity for the utilities to be the heroes in this, said Brenda Watson, executive director of Operation Fuel. Instead of being mandated to change, come to the table and make these changes voluntarily. Its 2020. We shouldnt be planning it - we should be implementing it.

Watson believes one of the biggest impediments to reforming the energy system is the states siloed approach to how it runs - especially when it comes to low and moderate income customers. Overlapping departments often dont talk with each other - a reality she said COVID-19 has illuminated.

If we dont learn that in our lessons from COVID, she said, that would be the biggest loss.

This story has been supported by the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous and compelling reporting on the responses to social problems, through funding from The Barr Foundation, whose mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts.




Mr. Iwuchukwu Anajemba Samson allegedly assaulted his wife for gossiping about him

A Nigerian man, identified as Mr. Iwuchukwu Anajemba Samson, has left his wife, Ifunanya Georgina in serious pain after brutalizing her in Anambra State.

The man has now been arrested. Samson is said to be in the habit of abusing his wife and stepchildren.

He had returned home on Tuesday, July 14th and attacked her, accusing her of gossiping about him with their neighbours  the incident occurred at Alex Anajemba Street, Akabo Village in Mbaukwu.

This comes few weeks after he allegedly poured fuel on one of his stepdaughter and ignited it with a match stick.

Series of attempts to call the man to order by his immediate family and that of his wife have proven abortive, as the hot tempered and ever furious man is known for violence.

See graphic photos below:
JAKARTA, Indonesia - The Trump administration's assertive new policy in the South China Sea is putting Southeast Asian nations on the front line of a growing dispute between the United States and China - regardless of whether they can stand up to Beijing.

On Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that China's territorial claims over most of the resource-rich waterway "are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them."

The next day, David Stilwell, U.S. Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, derided China's "gangster tactics" in the maritime region, saying Beijing drives out competition and coerces Southeast Asian claimant states on oil and gas rights and joint development. Stilwell, speaking via video at a conference in Washington, did not rule out sanctions again Chinese officials and energy companies.

In his remarks, Pompeo specifically mentioned waters around the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and Indonesia, saying Washington rejected China's claims to them.

Halfway around the world, these countries and by extension the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations are caught in the middle of an escalating dispute that also encompasses the status of Hong Kong, the covid-19 pandemic, a trade war, and tit-for-tat travel restrictions on U.S. and Chinese officials and politicians.

"I think it's fair to say we're on the front line," said Evan Laksmana, a senior researcher and military analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta. "If China feels it needs to provide some retribution of some kind, if we are seen as escalating Southeast Asia would be looked at first."

Laksmana said that Southeast Asian nations, in particular claimants to the South China Sea, were not trying to escalate the situation and with good reason: China is among the largest foreign direct investors in the region, and a key source of medical equipment and drugs to combat the coronavirus.

It might be a different story with the Trump administration, which has thrown fuel on the fire as its relations with Beijing plumb new depths. The U.S. comments this week about the South China Sea - Pompeo on Wednesday acknowledged the change in U.S. policy - coincided with the fourth anniversary of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in favor of the Philippines that rejected Chinese maritime claims around the Spratly Islands, and neighboring reefs and shoals.

The 2016 ruling also said China had "no historical rights" in the South China Sea based on the contentious nine-dash line on Chinese maps, which carves out around 90 percent of the maritime region as its own.

The arbitration panel's proceedings stemmed from a complaint by the Philippines under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both China and the Philippines are party. Beijing, however, didn't participate in the proceedings and rejected the ruling.

The South China Sea is a choke point for global trade and a vital route for oil supplies destined for U.S. allies Japan and South Korea, as well as China and Taiwan. Beijing's island-building and military buildup in the region have alarmed its neighbors who fear the consequences if China were to control the waterway, especially in the event of armed conflict.

Analysts noted, though, that Pompeo's statement only referred to maritime territory, rather than islands, shoals and other land masses, as the U.S. position has been not to become involved or take sides in those disputes.

"After the 2016 award, the U.S. put out a statement asking all parties to abide by the ruling," said Collin Koh, a research fellow and naval analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

"The new thing now is that the U.S. is more assertive in pushing things out in a more aggressive manner" regarding maritime disputes and the nine-dash line, he said. "It's quite an elaborately written statement and can probably be seen as a more elaborate policy exposition."

Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said the new U.S. policy explicitly declared it illegal for China to engage in fishing, resource exploration or other economic activities in those areas or to interfere with its neighbors' rights to do so.

"They went to great lengths to avoid the appearance that this is about the territorial disputes," he said.

China has been involved in numerous naval skirmishes, standoffs and other incidents with its Southeast Asian neighbors over the years, most recently with Indonesia and Malaysia.

In December, Indonesia spotted commercial Chinese fishing boats - protected by the formidable China Coast Guard - operating in its exclusive economic zone north of its Natuna Islands, prompting a diplomatic protest to Beijing.

The sides had three significant skirmishes in 2016, including one in which a China Coast Guard vessel rammed an Indonesian government boat to obtain the release of a confiscated Chinese fishing trawler.

Jakarta says it is not a claimant in the territorial disagreements in the South China Sea, but it was sucked into the dispute after Beijing asserted, after a 2016 naval skirmish, that its nine-dash-line included "traditional fishing grounds" within Indonesia's exclusive economic zone.

In April and May, a Chinese survey and research ship and a Malaysian exploration vessel were involved in a standoff within Malaysia's exclusive economic zone off the east coast of Borneo island.

These incidents, and many more like them - some violent - have raised questions about the readiness of Southeast Asian claimant states in the South China Sea for a military confrontation.

Indonesia, for example, rushed additional fighter planes and Navy ships to the Natuna Islands after incursions by Chinese fishing boats and the China Coast Guard in December.

"I think probably Singapore and Vietnam would be high on my list to upgrade their capabilities and hardware," Laksmana said, adding that Indonesia's military development "does not match what's going on on the high seas."

Malaysia released a defense white paper last month, but Koh said the coronavirus pandemic will make it hard for the country, as well as Indonesia, to find money for new or upgraded weaponry.

"These countries will likely just maintain what they have," he said.

Whatever the Trump administration does with its new policy, it likely will not rush to act soon or unilaterally.

"I'm not sure this is going to happen overnight," Poling said. "They need to test this, but if over time the U.S. takes action to address this issue, it will strengthen spines in the region."
C.T. Vivian, a Baptist minister and aide to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who was bloodied on the front lines of the civil rights movement and helped shape the protests that were a turning point in the battle against racial injustice in the Jim Crow South, died July 17 at his home in Atlanta. He was 95.

His daughter Jo Anna Walker confirmed the death, saying he that had a mild stroke last year but that she did not know the immediate cause.

Vivian participated in a 1947 lunch-counter sit-in protest in Peoria, Ill., more than a dozen years before such confrontations at segregated cafeterias became a mainstream tactic of the civil rights struggle. He was also among the Freedom Rider activists in 1961 who traveled by bus into the Deep South to test enforcement of a U.S. Supreme Court case that had outlawed discrimination in interstate transportation facilities.

An ebullient speaker with a confrontational personality, Vivian became a stalwart of the King-led Southern Christian Leadership Conference but was not part of King's innermost circle that included leaders such as the Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy, Andrew Young and Dorothy Cotton.

As director of affiliates, Vivian presided over dozens of SCLC chapters and helped orchestrate protest activities and training and community development efforts. He traveled to Danville, Va.; St. Augustine, Fla.; and other cities fraught with civil rights tension, and he carried the scars to prove it.

He drew national attention in Selma, Ala., on Feb. 16, 1965, during his showdown with Dallas County Sheriff James Clark, whose fondness for military-style helmets and jackets and whose aggressively brutal use of a nightstick made him one of the most notorious law enforcement officials in the Deep South.

Vivian was in Selma to register African Americans to vote while the county board of registrars threw up resistance, at first declining to accept applications and then insisting on literacy tests and other hurdles to slow down the process. A federal district judge demanded an end to such roadblocks.

Amid a light rain, Vivian corralled about 100 followers - in a line that snaked around the county courthouse - to take shelter on the building steps. Clark and his club-wielding deputies ordered Vivian to leave and began to shove everyone off the steps.

"What you're really trying to do is intimidate these people and by making them stand in the rain keep them from registering to vote," the minister said in an electrifying response, while jabbing his finger at Clark. "And this, this is a kind of violation of the Constitution, a violation of a court order, a violation of decent citizenship."

"You can turn your back on me," he continued, "but you cannot turn your back upon the idea of justice. You can turn your back now and you can keep your club in your hand, but you cannot beat down justice. And we will register to vote because as citizens of these United States we have the right to do it."

The minister held his ground and called the sheriff a "brute" and "Hitler," according to press accounts. Clark - a stocky 220 pounds - aimed a fist at Vivian's mouth, sending him reeling down the stairs before he was taken to jail on a charge of criminal provocation.

Clark later said he did not recall injuring Vivian until an X-ray exam showed the sheriff had a linear fracture in a finger on his left hand. "Every time it appears the movement is dying out, Sheriff Clark comes to our rescue," an SCLC staffer told the New York Times, noting a continuing series of barbaric attacks on protesters in the days that followed.

David Garrow, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of King, said that Vivian's actions provoked a "memorable photo from the Selma campaign, and it personifies the movement's ability to get segregationist officials to reveal who they really were."

The skirmishes in Selma culminated in the March 1965 "Bloody Sunday" clash at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Captured on national television, the incident galvanized congressional support for the Voting Rights Act to prohibit racial discrimination in balloting.

Vivian left the SCLC soon after Selma. He spent many years in Chicago, where he worked for a group that tried to make higher-paying union jobs accessible to African Americans. He also wrote an early book about the civil rights movement, "Black Power and the American Myth" (1970), and led educational and civil rights groups in Illinois and Georgia.

Over the years, he became a keeper of the flame of the civil rights protest era. In 2013, President Barack Obama bestowed on Vivian the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor.

In a statement Friday, the former president wrote that Vivian "was always one of the first in the action - a Freedom Rider, a marcher in Selma, beaten, jailed, almost killed, absorbing blows in hopes that fewer of us would have to. He waged nonviolent campaigns for integration across the south, and campaigns for economic justice throughout the north, knowing that even after the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act that he helped win, our long journey to equality was nowhere near finished."

Cordy Tindell Vivian was born in Boonville, Mo., on July 30, 1924, and grew up in Macomb, Ill., with a mother and maternal grandmother who encouraged his pursuit of higher education.

He attended Western Illinois State Teachers College (now Western Illinois University), where he planned to major in English literature. But his prohibition from joining a club for English majors led him to drop out of school in protest.

He moved to Peoria, found stockyard work and eventually became recreation director at a community center. He felt a calling to the ministry, and a local church raised the funds for him to enroll at American Baptist Theological Seminary (now American Baptist College) in Nashville, Tenn.

He supported himself working as a pastor and for a religious publishing house affiliated with a black Baptist church organization. At college, Vivian was mentored by the Rev. James Lawson, whom Garrow called a "pied piper" of nonviolent civil rights activism. Vivian and other Lawson disciples such as Diane Nash, the Rev. James L. Bevel and future congressman John Lewis helped lead a months-long protest against segregation at public facilities that forced the city to change its policy.

Vivian's first marriage, to Jane Teague, ended in divorce. His wife of 58 years, the former Octavia Geanes, the author of an early biography of Coretta Scott King, died in 2011. Their son Cordy Vivian Jr. died in 2010. In addition to Jo Anna Walker, a daughter from his first marriage, survivors include five children from his second marriage, Denise Morse, Kira Vivian, Mark Vivian, Anita Charisse Thornton and Albert Vivian; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Through recent years, Vivian was a frequent lecturer on civil rights and activism, serving as a witness to history and an inspiration to younger generations. A half-century after the passage of the Voting Rights Act, he told an audience at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro that the greatest challenge of protest is to assert one's voice in an effective way.

"This is what made the movement," he said. "Our voice was really heard. But it didn't happen by accident. We made certain it was heard."
Apple Inc. does not have to pay 13.1 billion ($14.9 billion) in Irish taxes it purportedly owes, for now anyway, because Ireland did not grant the tech giant prohibited tax breaks, the EU General Court held in a 15 July decision (Ireland v. European Commission, No. T778/16 (EU Gen. Ct. 7/15/20).

The decision, which can be appealed to the EU Court of Justice, annuls a ruling by the European Commission. The Commission found in 2016 that Ireland improperly provided state aid to Apple in the form of selective tax breaks by agreeing to the companys taxpayer-favourable advance pricing agreements (APAs). Under the APAs, Apple paid billions of euros less in Irish corporate taxes than it otherwise would have. The Commission said Ireland must recover the back taxes from Apple, but the court disagreed.

The case against Apple is one of numerous tax-related cases brought against multinationals by the European Commissions top competition regulator, Margrethe Vestager.

The ruling in Apples favour comes at a time when governments worldwide are engaged in a broader discussion about what can be done to prevent tax avoidance by multinational enterprises. In particular, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is seeking to create a global framework that will deter base erosion and profit shifting.

The overturning of the 13.1 billion recovery order is not only a legal victory for Silicon Valley-based Apple but also a vindication of sorts for Ireland, which insisted that the APAs in question complied with EU law. Ireland supported Apple in the case, even though, if a violation were found to have occurred, the technology company would have to pay Ireland billions of euros in back taxes.

Responses to the decision

After the decision was handed down, Vestager issued a statement saying she would carefully study the ruling and reflect on possible next steps, because, as noted above, the case can be appealed to the Court of Justice.

She added that [i]f Member States give certain multinational companies tax advantages not available to their rivals, this harms fair competition in the EU. For this reason, [t]he Commission will continue to look at aggressive tax planning measures under EU State aid rules to assess whether they result in illegal State aid, Vestager stressed.

Apple spokesperson Josh Rosenstock said after the decision that [t]his case was not about how much tax we pay, but where we are required to pay it.

Alleged selective tax breaks

The European Commissions case against Apple rested on competition law, not a violation of tax rules, per se. The key question was whether Ireland, where Apples European operations are based, provided the tech company a tax break that distorted or threatened to distort competition.

The European Commissions 2016 ruling found that Ireland conferred selective state aid upon Apples Irish subsidiaries in violation of Article 107(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). That provision states: [A]ny aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings  [is] incompatible with the internal market, with certain exceptions.

Disagreeing with the European Commission, the EU General Court found that the evidence did not show that Ireland provided selective state aid. Ultimately, the Commission failed to prove that, by issuing the contested tax rulings, the Irish tax authorities granted [the Irish Apple subsidiaries] an advantage for the purposes of Article 107(1) TFEU, the court said.

 Dave Strausfeld, J.D., (David.Strausfeld@aicpa-cima.com) is an FM magazine senior editor.
The savanna glider (Petaurus ariel) is the Territorys newest mammal species. Credit: Michael Barritt

Research by Charles Darwin University has changed what was known about the charismatic nectar-loving sugar glider, finding that they are at more risk than ever, particularly after the recent bushfires devastating south-eastern Australia.

The research in collaboration with the South Australian Museum and Queensland University of Technology has discovered that the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps), once thought to be a singular species actually represents three genetically and morphologically distinct species.

Published in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society the discovery has been a decade in the making for the team at CDU. Provost Professor Sue Carthew said the findings were not only a significant contribution to science but have important conservation implications.

The work began when an earlier investigation into sugar glider genetics raised questions about the identity of the glider found in the Northern Territory. With the help of a crowdfunding campaign, the team traveled to London's Natural History Museum to examine a specimen more than 150 years old. They also assessed more than 300 live and preserved glider specimens from Australian collections before resolving that the sugar glider is in fact represented by three distinct species. These are now formally recognized as the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps), the savanna glider (Petaurus ariel) and Kreft's glider (Petaurus notatus).

CDU Research Associate in ecology and conservation Dr. Teigan Cremona said the savanna glider occurred in the woodland savannas of northern Australia and looked a bit like a much smaller version of a squirrel glider with a more pointed nose. "The remaining two species, the sugar glider and Krefft's glider, look similar and may co-occur in some areas of south-eastern Australia."

Dr. Cremona said that while the discovery of a new mammal species was uncommon and exciting, it also meant that the distribution of the sugar glider had been widely overestimated.

"When considered as one species, sugar gliders were considered widespread and abundant, and classified as Least Concern," she said.

"The distinction of these three species has meant a substantially diminished distribution for the sugar glider, making that species vulnerable to large scale habitat destruction."

She said the recent bushfires had incinerated quite a large proportion of the species' current distributional range.

"Given they are hollow-dwellers and require a diverse habitat with a variety of foods, the bushfires have most likely had a devastating effect on this much-loved species," Dr. Cremona said.

"Our new species from northern Australia, the savanna glider, occurs in a region that is also suffering ongoing small mammal declines."

A recent study led by CDU Research Associate Dr. Alyson Stobo-Wilson estimated the species has undergone a 35% range reduction over the past 30 years.

"We need to urgently assess the conservation status of both the sugar glider and savanna glider before they are lost," Dr. Stobo-Wilson said.

Professor Carthew acknowledges that much more work now needs to be undertaken to delineate the distinct ecology and requirements of each species and determine their distributions in detail.

"This will enable us to effectively assess the conservation status of each species and the management efforts required to ensure their protection as they face an uncertain future," Professor Carthew said.

More information: Teigan Cremona et al. Integrative taxonomic investigation of Petaurus breviceps (Marsupialia: Petauridae) reveals three distinct species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (2020). Journal information: Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Teigan Cremona et al. Integrative taxonomic investigation of Petaurus breviceps (Marsupialia: Petauridae) reveals three distinct species,(2020). DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa060
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Linkedin William James and Steve Scherer (Reuters) London, United Kingdom/Ottawa, Canada  Fri, July 17, 2020 07:10 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666ec257 2 World Russia,hackers,research,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-vaccines,cyber-security,cyberattacks,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

Hackers backed by the Russian state are trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world, Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said on Thursday.

A coordinated statement from Britain, the United States and Canada attributed the attacks to group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear, which they said was almost certainly operating as part of Russian intelligence services.

"We condemn these despicable attacks against those doing vital work to combat the coronavirus pandemic," said NCSC Director of Operations Paul Chichester.

Cybersecurity researchers said an APT29 hacking tool was used against clients located in United States, Japan, China and Africa over the last year.

Russian news agency RIA cited spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying the Kremlin rejected London's allegations, which he said were not backed by proper evidence.

In a separate announcement Britain also accused "Russian actors" of trying to interfere in its 2019 election by trying to spread leaked documents online. Russia's foreign ministry said those accusations were "foggy and contradictory".

Britain is expected to publish a long-delayed report into Russian influence in British politics next week.

"Selfish interests"

British foreign minister Dominic Raab said it was "completely unacceptable" for Russian intelligence services to target work on the pandemic.

"While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behavior, the UK and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health," he said in a statement. He said Britain would work with allies to hold perpetrators to account.

The NCSC said the group's attacks were continuing and used a variety of tools and techniques, including spear-phishing and custom malware.

"APT29 is likely to continue to target organizations involved in COVID-19 vaccine research and development, as they seek to answer additional intelligence questions relating to the pandemic," the NCSC statement said.

The US Department of Homeland Security and US Cyber Command also released technical information on Thursday about three hacking tools being deployed by the Russian hackers, codenamed WELLMAIL, SOREFANG and WELLMESS.

Private sector cybersecurity researchers who had spotted the WELLMESS malware over the last year were unaware of its Russian origins until Thursday.

In several cases, WELLMESS was found within US pharmaceutical companies, said three investigators familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information. The tool allowed the hackers to stealthily gain remote access to secure computers. They declined to name the victims.

Britain and the United States said in May that networks of hackers were targeting national and international organizations responding to the pandemic. But such attacks have not previously been explicitly connected to the Russian state.
Critical: Nancy Pelosi made the appeal to Donald Trump at the Capitol in Washington. Photo: Tom Brenner/Reuters

Nancy Pelosi yesterday compared Donald Trump to "the man who refuses to ask for directions" as she pleaded with the president to seek advice from scientific leaders to reverse the rise in Covid-19 cases and deaths.

The House speaker urged Mr Trump to invoke the full power of the Defence Production Act to boost much-needed supplies for coronavirus testing and treatment as a weary nation battles the outbreak.

"Mr President, admit it, you've gone down the wrong path, ask for directions, ask for directions from the scientists," Ms Pelosi said at the Capitol.

Tensions are rising as Congress considers the next virus relief package with no apparent endgame in sight to the pandemic.

The Republican majority leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, is poised to release his party's $1tn (879bn) package as soon as next week.

That is a counter-offer to the $3tn proposal that the Democratic-controlled House approved in May, before the latest spike in coronavirus cases and hot spots.

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"There were some that hoped this would go away sooner than it has," Mr McConnell said on a hospital visit in his home state of Kentucky, where he urged people to wear masks and social distance.

"The straight talk here that everyone needs to understand: This is not going away."

This would be the fifth virus rescue bill since spring. The unprecedented federal intervention has occurred as Congress races to provide a comprehensive national strategy to try to bring the pandemic under control.

Polling shows Americans are increasingly uneasy over Mr Trump's handling of the outbreak. Members of Congress are hoping to ease the health and economic crises before many of them, like the president, face voters in November.

Ms Pelosi's $3trn aid bill, once dismissed by Republicans as a liberal wish list, now seems not as far-fetched.

"People are dying," she said. "If we don't invest the money now, it will be much worse."

House and Senate have similar priorities: help reopen, provide unemployment benefits for jobless Americans and ramp up testing, treatment and a vaccine. But they differ broadly in size and scope.

House Democrats provided $100bn for school reopenings in an education stabilisation fund Senate Democrats say could swell to $430bn to include more money for childcare, colleges and other needs. Senate Republicans are floating the idea of $50-75bn in education funds.

The two sides are divided over how much aid to send to states and cities that are pleading for money and to out-of-work Americans at a time of record unemployment.

Republicans want to reduce the $600 weekly unemployment boost that expires at the end of the month to a few hundred dollars a month.

Democrats want to keep the $600 benefit boost, and Ms Pelosi's bill would send nearly $1tn to states and cities to shore up budgets and avoid layoffs of municipal workers.

Mr Trump's advisers are split, with some pushing for even more robust spending on education, even if it riles Republicans intent on keeping record-setting deficits down.

Some conservatives want the education dollars tied to school reopenings or even sent directly to parents, in the form of a school voucher, for example.

One uncertainty is how to improve poor performance on virus testing. Both parties complain that $25bn in testing funds approved in April remain unspent even as certain parts of the country have testing shortages and widespread delays in results.

Ms Pelosi's bill provides $75bn more for virus testing and contact tracing.

Republicans have remained largely silent on how much testing money would be made available. But Mr McConnell insisted the government is "pursuing testing, treatment and vaccines like the country pursued the Manhattan Project in World War II".
A controversy over the country, Palestine, erupted late on Thursday night, when Twitter users noticed that the country was missing from Google Maps.

Palestine, where part of the holy city of Jerusalem is located, has been rife with its border disputes: it has had annexation, it has had military occupations, it has had its territories being encroached, intifadas, and along with it had displacement, dispute and death of its people.

Typing Palestine on Google maps will also point you to an approximate location - but no markers. A thin, grey line marks boundaries of a disputed, occupied region - but nowhere does the country have a name. The city of Jerusalem is marked, and it appears almost like Google has classified Palestine as a part of Israel - with no identity of its own.

Palestine, is recognized as a de jure sovereign state by the UN.

But Palestine does not find an official marker on Google.

Google and Apple maps have officially removed Palestine from the World Maps. Today Palestine was erased from the maps tomorrow Palestine will be erased from the world. PUT PALESTINE BACK ON THE MAP. #IStandWithPalestine #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/zMn7EAbvBD ubs (@_graveyardd) July 16, 2020

Twitter users noticed this, and called Google Maps out for it.

Google and Apple maps have officially removed Palestine from the World Maps. Today Palestine was erased from the maps tomorrow Palestine will be erased from the world. PUT PALESTINE BACK ON THE MAP. #IStandWithPalestine #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/zMn7EAbvBD ubs (@_graveyardd) July 16, 2020

Good morning from the capital of Palestine. Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/eE3IaF9Ffp Muhammad Smiry  (@MuhammadSmiry) July 17, 2020

Palestine is reality. You cannot Undo it by removing it from the World Map.Disappeared Palestine from the world map is a serious crime.#WeRejectWorldMap pic.twitter.com/AOuyn2GBGn Uman Malik (@U_3322) July 17, 2020

Im really buggin out!! Searched why Palestine was trending. People are claiming Palestine has been removed from the Google maps. I say to myself,No, that would be some B.S.Then, I type it in to google maps.Nowhere to be found! This is fucked up! Inhumane. #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/0ItAs3dIlC Kendrick Sampson (@kendrick38) July 16, 2020

THEY TOOK OFF PALESTINE FROM GOOGLE MAPSTHEY TOOK OFF PALESTINE FROM GOOGLE MAPSTHEY TOOK OFF PALESTINE FROM GOOGLE MAPSTHEY TOOK OFF PALESTINE FROM GOOGLE MAPSTHEY TOOK OFF PALESTINE FROM GOOGLE MAPS#FreePalestine  (@remusloopinn) July 16, 2020

A Change.Org petition was also started soon to put Palestine back on the map.

But was Palestine ever on Google Maps?

In 2016 too, Google Maps was accused of deleting Palestine off the Maps. Back then, attention was brought to the issue after the forum of Palestinian journalists released a statement condemning Google.

A Google spokeswoman told the Guardian in 2016 that There has never been a Palestine label on Google Maps, however we discovered a bug that removed the labels for West Bank and Gaza Strip. Were working quickly to bring these labels back to the area."

Google has always attempted to stay out of regions where there are border disputes, including Kashmir in India and Pakistan.

Another Google spokesperson had clarified this in a 2014 where he explained that Google tries to remain neutral on issues of disputed regions and borders, and make every effort to objectively display the dispute in our maps using a dashed gray border line. In countries where we have local versions of Google Maps, we follow local legislation when displaying names and borders."

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
By Niu Chenfei

To be, or not to be isnt just the ultimate question in literature, but also a sensible choice faced by the American people these days. Its so hard to survive the pandemic that they need to vent out their pressure through the protest. The death of George Floyd from police brutality was like a spark falling on the firewood of anger and indignation across the country. The protests have lasted more than half a month with no sign of subsiding. At the same time, the heated arguments over social problems like how to eliminate systemic racism are unlikely to make any substantive progress.

The nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd didnt come by accident. His dying words - I cannot breathe - lingered and echoed with Martin Luther Kings I have a dream over half a century ago and broke the hearts of ethnic minorities across the US. Yet, the protests in many cities quickly turned into looting and mobbing, as if reminding us that Americas problems are not as simple as racial discrimination and police brutality.

Protesters gather in front of the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. Photo by Liu Jie, Xinhua News Agency

There have been more than 2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 110,000 deaths in the US. The loss of so many lives is largely caused by the governments weak response and incompetence. However, Americans did not take to the streets to protest on a large scale because they have got used to a government like that.

People are afraid to go to the hospital during the pandemic. It takes thousands of dollars to get a coronavirus test and tens of thousands for ICU care, so the tens of millions of Americans without medical insurance usually put off seeing a doctor when they get sick, not because they dont want to get better, but because they can not afford it.

The unemployment rate in the US has skyrocketed amid a looming economic recession. The working class was the first to feel the pain from the pandemic-caused economic decline as the number of first-time unemployment relief applicants shot up to 40.8 million within two-plus months. Yet economists were encouraging them to mooch off fiscal subsidy, believing that using a federal budget to advance wages could keep businesses above water.

People are waiting in line for free food coupons handed out by charity organizations at a food handout station in New York City. Photo by Guo Ke with the Xinhua News Agency

Some black people looted stores during the protests not out of impulse, but because they couldnt survive without the necessities. Forbes reported on May 7 that by the end of April, over 1/5 American families had food shortage and 2/5 families with children under the age of 12 had the same problem.

During the protests, tens of thousands of people took to the streets and were confronted by fully armed police and National Guard with tear gas, flash bombs, pepper spray, and rubber bullets. Social antagonism was so fierce that many white police officers joined the protests. Still, no plan has been put forth as to how to reform police law enforcement, and some states just put out a hurried prohibition on the use of chokehold by police officers.

Moreover, in the election year, disputes like whether to remove the monuments and markings of the Southern Confederacy that defended slavery during the Civil War became heated again. They were used by politicians as ammunition to win the election, thus further highlighting the division in bipartisan politics and public opinions. President Donald Trump said on June 10 that his administration would not change the names of American military bases named after Confederate generals because these commemorative and influential bases have become part of a great American heritage. However, Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, called for removing the confederate statues at the Capitol Hill because they pay homage to hate, not heritage.

Protesters on the street of New York City, US. Photo by Guo Ke, Xinhua News Agency

While the protests and demonstrations seem to show that peoples right to free expression is respected under American democracy, they wont make the slightest difference after all the hurly-burly. The US governments selfish short-sightedness, bigotry, low efficiency, and irresponsibility will continue to create more tragedies. Francis Fukuyama, a prominent scholar on American politics, wrote an article titled The Wages of American Political Decay on The American Interest, a US-based website, in which he lamented that this unprecedented pandemic would have been an occasion for Americans to put aside their differences and rally around the flag...But overall, the pandemic has served to deepen polarization. Politicians take advantage of the pandemic to grab power and partisan interests at the price of numerous American lives. Mr. Fukuyama may have made many unfulfilled prophesies, but he is on the mark this time.
To the editor:

I have read some sources portray candidate for 98th district State Representative, Sarah Schulzs, community organizer connection in a negative way. I have been impressed with her involvement in many community activities in the district. She is open to respectfully dialogue with constituents in the 98th District about a variety of topics and issues. Two years ago, I reached out to many politicians and candidates about a legislative issue. Sarah was the only one willing to sit and have a discussion.

Whether she agrees with a position, she listens to get a full perspective. This is an outstanding quality in a candidate for state representative. If elected, when faced with legislative decisions, Sarah would reflect on the many conversations she has had with those in the community she serves, or reach out to obtain perspectives/details/information of how that legislation would impact those affected. Sarah would lead with a plan of action, considering each of those conversations. Sarah has a genuine heart for leadership.

When you meet Sarah, you can see her genuine heart to listen  no matter what your political affiliation. In todays arena of politics, I believe the genuine heart does not appear in enough places.

Sarah also has compassion for people and issues that affect them. Over the past two years, she organized and managed many community outreach efforts to deliver food to first responders, emergency personnel at both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year, during the days that MPS was closed for weather, when the paraprofessionals were not initially paid, Sarah coordinated gift cards for them. When the airport TSA workers were out of work due to the government shutdown, Sarah helped coordinate food and gift cards for them. When the pandemic hit, Sarahs team made over 9,000 fabric masks and distributed them to many in mid-Michigan  at no cost. Sarahs expertise as a community organizer has benefited many.

Sarah has performed this community service...while working a full-time job and being personally heavily affected by the flooding from the dam collapses.

Sarah would be an outstanding leader and voice representing citizens of the 98th District.

ELINE MORABITO

Midland
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The management of Kano state Water Board has blamed Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) for failing to generate enough electricity to pump water from the treatment plants, despite collecting N150 million monthly electricity bill from the Board.

They also revealed that the state Government expends N500 million monthly to ensure adequate water supply, particularly within the metropolitan city.

The General Manager, Engineering, Engr. Garba Ahmed Bichi who briefed journalists on behalf of the Managing Director, Engr. Garba Ahmad Kofar Wambai, said the Water Board is working round the clock to ensure adequate water supply across the state.

According to him, the state Government under the administration of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has not failed in ensuring that the Water Board gets all it required to provide water to residents.

Recall that the Kano state chapter of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) lamented inadequate water supply within Kano metropolis in its last Congress.

Engr. Bichi, however, decried the inability of KEDCO to provide adequate power supply to its water works, particularly, the Tamburawa Water Treatment Plant which is supplying water mainly to the Greater Kano, made up of the eight metropolitan Local Government Areas where water scarcity is currently biting hard.

He said despite collecting monthly bills of N150 million, KEDCO has not been supplying enough power to pump water from the Tamburawa Water plant which is currently operating at 50 per cent capacity.

He also complained of dilapidated state of generating sets which are serving as alternative to KEDCO electricity, but revealed that plans have been concluded to purchase new generators and also rehabilitate all the water treatment plants across the state.

Engr. Bichi explained that the Greater Kano is the metropolitan area, adding that the first water work has repair challenges, second water work has also repair challenges, the third water work, Tamburawa is operating at 50 per cent capacity.

He put the current water demand for greater Kano at 700 million litres per day, pointing out that the state government is doing its best to ensure that all the water treatment plants are rehabilitated for better performance.

He said that already, the Water Board is accessing about N750 million grant from the Federal Government so as to use it for the repairs of the machines and generating sets that are broken down.

We need to build more treatment plants. Government is planning to bring in the World baink and a French agencies to enable it raise funds to repair the water treatment plants and build new ones.

We also have the problem of power supply because most of the generators are broken down.

In the semi-urban areas, the problems are not much because the generators are working well. The major problem we have here is the Greater Kano; and it is hugely caused by lack of adequate power supply.

The state government spends N500 million every month for the Water Board. We pay N150 million every month to KEDCO to supply us electricity eight hours per day, but we are not getting adequate power supply, particularly, in Tamburawa Water Treatment Plant, he said.

He also revealed that, we have challenges in revenue generation. We generate N60 million every month and the revenue covers salaries and over head. We are targeting N100 million per month. All our revenue collection process is electronic.
Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced proposed changes to the federal wage subsidy program Friday that would allow more businesses to receive the subsidy.

Currently, the subsidy covers 75 per cent of wages for businesses or non-profits whose revenue dropped by at least 30 per cent amid the COVID-19 crisis, up to $847 weekly. The proposed legislation would see businesses that have lost less than 30 per cent of their revenue receive a decreased subsidy, and would also add an extra 25 per cent for hardest-hit employers.

Morneau announced the proposed changes at a Toronto restaurant, FAmelia Ristorante.

Morneau said the government has been talking to businesses and labour leaders about how to make sure the wage subsidy helps businesses safely restart the economy.

Businesses will get the wage subsidy if theyre at any reduction in revenue, he said.

The wage subsidy was recently extended until Dec. 19, a move business organizations applauded. Todays proposed legislation would entrench that extension, though the specific program rules announced Friday would be in effect until Nov. 21.

The changes will tailor the program to more effectively help the hardest-hit businesses, said Morneau, while broadening the scope of which businesses and organizations are eligible. He said that currently, approximately a quarter of private-sector workers are receiving the wage subsidy.

Weve tried to come up with an approach thats going to work for the overwhelming majority of businesses, he said.

The changes would be effective retroactively as of July 5. The program would consist of two parts: a varying base subsidy for all employers experiencing a decline in revenue, with the amount depending on the scale of the decline; and a 25 per cent top-up for the hardest-hit employers.

The maximum base subsidy would apply to employers that have lost at least 50 per cent of revenue, offering 60 per cent of their employees salary, up to $677 per week. This rate will be gradually reduced from 60 per cent for the two periods between July 5 and Aug. 29, to 20 per cent for the period between Oct. 25 and Nov. 21.

The program will continue, but as we restart, the program will be tailored to our businesses appropriately, said Morneau.

Employers that have already been receiving the subsidy are guaranteed not to receive a lower rate than they currently have through to Aug. 29.

Wage subsidies for furloughed employees will remain the same as before until Aug. 29, at which point the subsidy will be adjusted to align with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and/or employment insurance.

In a statement, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce welcomed the changes. Chief economist and vice-president of policy Trevin Stratton said the wage subsidy has been essential in reopening the economy, and that a slow winding down is the next step in keeping Canadians employed.

Changes to the wage subsidy programs eligibility have been promised for some time. Organizations such as the Canadian Federation of Independent Business previously said the program should be altered so that more employers could use it, and so that there was flexibility on the requirement of a 30 per cent revenue drop.

Dan Kelly, president and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), said hes happy to finally have details about the wage subsidy program. The CFIB has been advocating for this scaled approach, and has been critical of how long its taken the government to roll out these changes.

Unfortunately, there have been lots of businesses that really havent been able to wait for this, he said.

Kelly said hes pleased the changes will apply to July, as many businesses were unsure whether they would receive the subsidy this month.

However, Kelly said hes surprised the program is being phased out so quickly. He said he hopes the government remains open to further changes if the economy doesnt recover or there is a second wave of the virus.

In a CFIB statement, Kelly said the new rules are complicated, and businesses will need help in figuring out exactly how much theyre eligible to receive. He also said the government needs to make changes to other programs for businesses, such as the rent relief program and the Canada Emergency Business Account.

Both Kelly and Stratton said they hope the bill is passed quickly.

Morneau did not directly answer questions about why the changes are coming now, as opposed to weeks earlier.

We think its particularly important that we change these programs as rapidly as we can to make them work for a broader cross-section of businesses, he said, adding that this is why the changes will be retroactive for the month of July.

The subsidy had paid out $18.01 billion to 252,370 companies as of July 6, and the governments most recent fiscal and economic snapshot raised the programs budget to $82.3 billion. Meanwhile, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit is slated to run out for many laid-off employees in the fall.

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ISIS suspect Lisa Smith's case has been delayed for another week after she was not present in court to have a book of evidence served.

The former soldier, who is accused of membership of the international terror group, was due to be sent for trial today.

However, the case was adjourned in her absence at Dublin District Court.

The Co. Louth mother-of-one and ex-member of the Irish defence forces, who left Ireland and married after converting to Islam, was returned here from Turkey last December after spending time in a Syrian refugee camp.

Ms Smith is charged with being a member of a terrorist group outside the state between October 28, 2015 and December 1 last year.

The charge alleges she was "a member of a terrorist group styling itself the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) also known as Dawlat al-Iraq al-Islamiyya, Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Dawlat al Islamiya fi Iraq wa al Sham, otherwise known as 'Daesh' and the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham.

She is denying the allegations.

On the last date the case was listed, in April, the court heard the book of evidence had been completed but an adjournment was sought by her lawyers amid ongoing restrictions in the courts due to the coronavirus crisis.

This morning, state solicitor Alva O'Herlihy told Judge Bryan Smyth neither the accused nor her solicitor were present. She asked the judge to put the case back to next Friday.

Judge Smyth extended the time required for the service of the book of evidence and remanded the accused on continuing bail, to appear in court on July 24. He said she should be notified to attend.

Ms Smith was arrested at Dublin Airport on December 1 last year, charged on December 4 and denied bail at the district court before being granted it later in the High Court. She remained in custody before taking up bail on December 31.

She has since been before the district court several times, and on previous occasions the court heard it was a "complicated, substantial case."

Her lawyer has previously asked for the case against her to be reviewed and for the charge to be discontinued, but a judge has said this was a matter for the DPP and not the courts. Ms Smith is also anxious to "prove her innocence," her lawyer has said.
A burglar who was caught after he fell asleep halfway through a home break in has received a prison sentence.

Carlos Daly (51) had consumed two trays of anti-anxiety tablets Tranax before breaking into the basement flat on Tivoli terrace south in Dublin city centre.

Garda Peter Daly told Judge Martin Nolan that the defendant went into the house to steal items but the tablets kicked in and he passed out.

Daly was woken by gardai who had come to house after the resident found Daly asleep. He appeared groggy and gardai took him away in a patrol car.

When gardai arrived at the station they found Daly had left a number of items which had been stolen from the house in the footwell of the car. These included two jewellery boxes and a mobile phone.

Daly told them that the previous night he had been arrested for a public order offence and when he was released he had nowhere else to go.

He said he broke into the basement flat and when he entered the bedroom he fell asleep. He said he woke up the next morning when he felt something hitting him in the neck.

Daly of Peter Mc Verry Trust, Charlemont Street, Dublin admitted burglary at June 26, 2018. He also admitted breaking into a car and stealing from a second car on the same night.

He has over 50 previous convictions for burglary.

Luigi Rea BL, defending, said his client is a father-of-four who worked as a security officer for nine years and who lived a blameless life until he began smoking heroin.

Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Daly's drug addiction was the root of his offending but said that burglary is always serious.

He said as burglaries go this offence was at the lower end and there was no element of violence. He imposed a prison term of two and a half years.
A florist to the Royals has provided a glimpse behind the scenes at Princes Beatrice's secret Windsor wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

Martyn Crossley has supplied flowers to the Royal Family for many years and even created a wreath for the Queen to place on her mother's grave.

At Friday's low-key ceremony, which had a limited number of guests in line with coronavirus guidance, staff were seen bringing bouquets out of a van.

Mr Crossley - who has regularly supplied the Queen from his shop in Windsor town centre - set social media ablaze when he posted an image of a spectacular arrangement.

Martyn Crossley - who has regularly supplied the Queen from his shop in Windsor town cenre - set social media ablaze when he posted an image of a spectacular arrangement

At Friday's low-key ceremony, which had a limited number of guests in line with coronavirus guidance, staff were seen bringing bouquets out of a van

Mr Crossley is one of the Queens favourite florists but had to shut his shop last year after hitting financial problems before opening new premises

He wrote: 'Flowers for Royal bride Princess Beatrice of York after her marriage to Mr Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi this morning in Windsor Great Park.'

His followers were thrilled with the purple and pink arrangement and one asked which flowers he had specifically chosen.

"Very English garden flowers in the Princess' favourite colours. The flowers included Peonies, Scabious, Eustoma, Stocks, Dahlia. Alchemila, Phlox, Alstrameria and Stocks with Eucalyptus foliage," he revealed.

Other fans wondered if the bouquet had actually been her official wedding one or they had been part of a centrepiece but Martyn clarified: "These were a wedding gift to the bride after the ceremony."

Last year alone, the small business created bouquets for the Duchess of Cambridge on St Patrick's Day arrangements for the Queen on Mother's Day and on her birthday as well as supplying roses for the Earl and Countess of Wessex on the 20th Anniversary of their marriage.

This was despite Mr Crossley having to close his store last year after hitting financial problems, before finding new premises again in October.

The first 'secret' royal wedding for 235 years saw Prince Andrew walk his daughter Beatrice down the aisle.

The disgraced royal put his troubles over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal to one side to give the princess away in a remarkable private ceremony.

Beatrice, 31, wed her fiance, 37, known as Edo, at All Saints Church on the Queen's Windsor estate in an intimate ceremony, with just 15 family and friends

The clandestine nature of the hastily arranged nuptials meant the Queen's beleaguered son was spared appearing in public.

Beatrice, 31, wed her fiance, 37, known as Edo, at All Saints Church on the Queen's Windsor estate in an intimate ceremony, with just 15 family and friends.

The couple had planned a much bigger event in London for May but had to cancel due to lockdown.

Her grandparents, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, were the only royals present beside Beatrice and her immediate family including her mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, and younger sister, Princess Eugenie.

The monarch shared her delight with Captain Sir Tom Moore, who she knighted at Windsor Castle hours after the nuptials, telling him: 'My granddaughter got married this morning. Both Philip and I managed to get there  very nice.'

Edo's son Wolfie, four, was his 'mini best man' as Beatrice became the first 'blood princess' to become a stepmother. The last royal believed to have married in secret was George IV, who wed his mistress Maria Fitzherbert in 1785 in a furtive ceremony in her Mayfair drawing room.

When Mr Crossley had to shut up shop 12 months ago after it was taken back by the landlord, he revealed there was outrage from the local community.

He said: 'It's pretty raw for everyone at the moment. 'Unbelievable' is most people's reaction because we were an institution.

'We have been there for longer than most retailers. People have been absolutely devastated.'
As of Day 16, the Electoral Commission (EC) has registered a total of 7.2 million eligible applicants with the Greater Accra region leading followed by Ashanti, Eastern and Central, Dr Bossman Eric Asare, Deputy Chair in charge of Corporate Service at the EC, has announced.



Addressing journalists at the fourth edition of Let the Citizen Know, initiative on Friday in Accra, he said looking at the response to the registration exercise so far, the EC was on course to achieving its projected number of 15 million by close of the exercise on August 6.



Dr Asare said out of the total number of 7,279,237 eligible applicants who registered as of Day 16, the Greater Accra leads with 1,524,600, representing 20.9 per cent, followed by the Ashanti region with absolute figures of 1,319,498 translating into 18.1 per cent and in third position is the Eastern region with 694,541 representing 9.5, while the Central region has 676,484 representing 9.3 per cent.



He said the total figure from the four regions constituted almost 60 per cent of eligible applicants registered so far.



Dr Asare explained that about 7,279,237 registered so far also constituted 48.5 per cent of the 15 million the Commission expects to register by the first week of August.



Providing details of statistics of eligible applicants in each region so far, he said, Ahafo has registered 144,961 representing 1.6 per cent, Bono 293,284 that translates into 4.0 per cent, Bono East, 261,503 representing 3.6 per cent and Northern, 434,601 representing 6.0 per cent.



The rest are; North East, 123,715 representing 1.7 per cent, Oti, 148,111 representing 2.0 per cent and Savannah, 126,980, which translates into 1.7 per cent, Upper East, 251,134 representing 3.5 per cent, Upper West, 194,894 representing 2.7 per cent, Volta, 447,254 representing 6.1, Western, 440,858 representing 6.1 and Western North, 196,819, which translates into 2.7 per cent.



Dr Asare said in line with the effort to register all eligible applicants by the doubling of the registration centres, the number of registered applicants during this phase has averaged over 600,000 per day.



With still two additional days of registration, that is yesterday and today, we are likely to add at least 1,000,000 to the 7,279,237 making a total of about 8.2 million. This will mean by the end of todays registration the Commission would have registered 54.7 per cent of the projected 15 million, Dr Asare said.

Source: GNA









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Mayor Ted Wheeler and Portland Police Bureau Chief Chuck Lovell held a virtual press conference Friday at 2 p.m. to discuss the ongoing tensions during nightly Portland protests.

Portland demonstrators reacted Thursday to a wave of national attention from President Donald Trump and his administration by once again amassing throughout the city to decry police violence against Black Americans.

Federal officers have responded to late-night demonstrations downtown by using gas, smoke and impact munitions to press protesters away from two federal buildings. A Thursday confrontation between federal officers and protesters came hours after interim Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf arrived in Portland to meet with federal law enforcement officials.

Wolf had issued a statement condemning the actions of some protesters during the seven weeks of demonstrations in Portland and referring to them as lawless anarchists. Wolf said local and state elected leaders are failing to address the protests, which have continued for 50 straight nights since late May.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
A group of economists from dozens of universities, including two in Pennsylvania, are calling on the United States government to distribute recurring stimulus checks until the economy recovers, according to multiple reports.

Last weeks letter, signed by 156 economists, said direct cash payments to families must be part of a multifaceted response to counter the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Direct cash payments are an essential tool that will boost economic security, drive consumer spending, hasten the recovery, and promote certainly at all levels of government and the economy  for as long as necessary, read the letter.

Harvard Universitys Jason Furman, the economic adviser to former President Barack Obama, is among those who signed the letter.

Nina Banks, Associate Professor of Economics at Bucknell University, and University of Pennsylvanias Bernard E. Anderson and Ioana Marinescu, assistant professor in the School of Policy & Practice, also signed.

The letter was published by the Economic Security Project and the Justice Collaborative Advocacy group.

In addition to direct payments, the group is asking for additional unemployment benefits, more state and local government aid, and enhanced SNAP benefits and more child care funding.

The first round of economic impact payments were a lifeline that helped some get by for a few weeksbut the worst is not over, read the letter.

Regular direct stimulus payments tied to economic indicators will help families stay afloat and drive economic activity.

When Congress returns from its two-week recess Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will come together behind another stimulus package.

McConnell also said we are looking at another direct payment.

President Donald Trump has long supported, and committed to, a second, direct payment to individuals and families, only saying the one-time payment would be very generous.

Earlier this month, McConnell said in a press conference that a second round of aid could be reserved for those individuals who make $40,000 or less per year.

I think the people who have been hit hardest are people who make about $40,000 a year or less. Many of them work in the hospitality industry. So that could well be part of it, McConnell said on July 6.

Follow Eric Epler on Twitter -- @threejacker
A piece of jaggery and a handful of puffed rice is all Minu Bibi can give her six-year-old daughter Nausheen Parveen for breakfast.

Sitting at one corner of her dilapidated muddy house made of hay bales with a roof made of palm fronds at Basantapur village in South 24 Parganas district, Nausheen is struggling to keep swarms of flies away from the piece of jaggery as she is hungry and desperate to finish it fast.

Her mother, while holding her other daughter, Aliya (2), is keeping herself busy in making cow dung cakes to run her earthen oven as wood is expensive in the rainy season. Her father Motibur Rahaman Sheikh works as a daily wage labourer in a bakery unit. He goes to the bakery unit twice a week (to reduce overcrowding) with a promise to return home with some alms to survive.

Before Amphan life was not that challenging for Motibur as he was happy with whatever money he was earning by doing odd jobs in the bakery unit. But the killer cyclone and then Covid-19 had taken everything from him. Every day is a struggle for me. First it was Amphan and now corona. The government is releasing funds but the lower-rank workers are indulging in corruption. Its very difficult to survive, Motibur told News18.

With the power of three hurricanes combined and believed to be Bengals fiercest cyclone in decades, Amphans rage has left irreparable damage in South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Kolkata, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Midnapore, etc, since May 20, 2020.

Then came a series of relief packages announced by chief minister Mamata Banerjee for the welfare of the cyclone-affected people including compensation at the rate of Rs 20,000 per head (for complete house damage).

So far, the state government had approximately released Rs 6,250 crore as relief package including Rs 2,400 crore for house-building assistance. For farmers, the government has announced a package of Rs 300 crore and for betel vines the compensation package announced was Rs 200 crore.

However, despite proactive steps taken by Mamata Banerjee, all her initiatives were spoiled by her own ground-level party workers and panchayat leaders, critics say.

Not only were they accused of siphoning off government money but also of indulging in corrupt practices in listing names of those (mainly their own relatives, family members and friends) who are actually not eligible for the compensation package.

Several cases emerged mainly in South 24 Parganas and Howrah districts where the occupants (mostly holding posts at panchayats, block committees, zila parishads) of two-three-storey buildings managed to get their names in the beneficiary list while names of needy families were missing or omitted.

For example, the case of Niranjan Mondal of Basuldanga in Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district appears not only shocking but also shows why the chief minister herself decided to initiate a crackdown on corrupt leaders across the state.

As per beneficiary lists, Niranjan Mondal has 16 children and, interestingly, some of the kids have surnames like Naskar and Chakraborty.

A few kilometres away from Niranjan Mondals house, Jharna Haldar of Diyarak Gram Panchayat in South 24 Parganas district, lost her ailing husband in Amphan as the asbestos sheet of her house fell on him. Not only that, the fierce cyclone also damaged her house.

She alleged that no one visited her home and also accused the local leadership of not listening to her pleas for compensation.

Post Amphan and now due to Covid-19, we are facing acute financial problems. I lost my husband. My house was damaged. My son Anup Haldar works in a garage but he is also facing problems from his employers. There is a local councillor in my area and his name is Saurav. I told him about my problem and requested for compensation but my pleas fell on deaf ears. I have got nothing but there are many in my area who are living in two-storey buildings and managed to get themselves enlisted in the beneficiary list, Jharna told News18.

Similarly, Bablu Maity of Parulia gram panchayat in South 24 Parganas is a Trinamool Congress worker and he lives in a two-storey house and also owns a vehicle garage at 76 number bus stand at Diamond Harbour Road. His house shows no signs of damage due to Cyclone Amphan, but yet he managed to get his name in the beneficiary list.

Another person (close to some ruling party members), Mintu Kayal, lives in a pucca house and runs an imitation jewellery shop while his wife runs a beauty parlour at Sonamukhi market in Parulia gram panchayat in South 24 Parganas.

In this case, too, the social status of the family members clearly shows that they are not entitled as beneficiary but surprisingly Mintu managed to get his name on the list.

However, in the same Parulia gram panchayat area, Haripada Das of Kalicharanpur, whose house was damaged in the cyclone, is still waiting for compensation from the government.

In May, they came to my house and took my account number. Till today, I have got nothing. Interestingly, there are some people in my village who are actually not entitled for Amphan relief but they got the money. I will not reveal their name or else I will be in trouble, Haripada, a farmer by profession, said.

Similarly, in Kakdwip located in the Sundarbans, gram pradhan Champa Bairagi not only listed herself as a beneficiary but also included her entire family members names. She is not alone as nearby Namkhana TMC worker Dhiren Patra too managed to get the compensation meant for the Amphan- affected people.

Responding to Bairagi and Patras cases, Sundarbans affairs minister Manturam Pakhira said, Champas name was there in the list but she didnt take any money. Her name was later deleted. In the case of Dhiren Patra, the pucca house belongs to his son and not him. However, he returned the money which he had received as compensation. Ever since we have noticed some discrepancies, we have acted seriously and taken adequate action against those who are trying to malign the party by indulging in such malpractices."

There are many such cases reported from Howrah, North 24 Parganas, Hooghly and after being flooded with complaints, an angry chief minister herself intervened and took stern action against the corrupt leaders and workers.

At Uluberia in Howrah district, whoever prepared the list (intentionally or unintentionally) included the name of one Sheikh Nazrul who died two years ago. His son Jahirul not only expressed shock but was also worried that he could land in trouble for no fault of his.

Addressing a press conference on July 16 at the state secretariat, Mamata Banerjee said, I would like to assure all that no genuine cases will be deprived. We have received 40,000 complaints/requests and out of 40,000, names of 26,000 were already there in the list of district magistrates. We have prepared a fresh list of 6,000 beneficiaries and within three days they will be compensated.

She added, We have rejected names of 6,000 people (who managed to get their names listed) from the list. We found that they lied and they were actually not entitled for the compensation package. Actually, it was our mistake because we tried to compensate people soon after the devastation. In the process, mistakes happened. If you look at the percentage, only 0.5 per cent mistake happened while listing. I would like to repeat that no genuine case will be deprived.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has added his voice to the campaign to ban junk food adverts on TV before 9pm.

The television chef is urging Boris Johnson to take action to back up the Government's battle against obesity.

Rower James Cracknell, model David Gandy and Conservative MPs Dr James Davies and Andrew Selous have also added their support for the ban.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (pictured) us urging Boris Johnson to take action to back up the Government's battle against obesity by banning junk food adverts on TV before 9pm

They are backing teenage-led campaign group BiteBack2030, which has sent a letter to the Government calling for curbs on junk food advertising.

Mr Johnson is expected to launch a drive to urge Britons to lose weight next week after he reportedly blamed his own weight for landing him in intensive care after he caught coronavirus.

The letter says: 'Teens everywhere are being manipulated into eating food that is bad for them.

'During the day, 50 per cent of food adverts are for HFSS (high in fat, salt or sugar) food, rising to 60 per cent from 6 to 9pm. They want an end to this relentless marketing.'

Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall said more must be done to hit the Government target of halving child obesity by 2030

The TV chef says the solution is to reduce the exposure of junk food to young children

Campaigners are also demanding action on online marketing and promotions in shops.

Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall said more must be done to hit the Government target of halving child obesity by 2030.

He said: 'You've got to be much more systematic, you've got to reduce the pressure and exposure on young children to junk food advertising if you're going to get them to eat healthier food.'
London: A schoolgirl who shocked Britain by joining the Islamic State terror group in Syria must be allowed to return to London to appeal the revocation of her citizenship, a court has ruled in a decision with serious ramifications for hardline foreign fighter laws.

The case of Shamima Begum, who along with two school friends travelled to Raqqa to marry terrorists, gripped the United Kingdom when the journey was first revealed in 2015.

Now aged 20, her future has been the subject of a fierce political and legal debate over whether the key member of the so-called "Bethnal Green trio" should be allowed to come home.

From left: Kadiza Sultana, Amira Abase and Shamima Begum left London for Syria in 2015. Credit:Metropolitan Police

The British government stripped Begum's citizenship in 2019, arguing the move was lawful because she had married a Dutch-born IS fighter and her parents were from Bangladesh. Her legal team immediately appealed.
For the first time since the end of the Cold War, a serious movement is afoot in Congress to cut the military budget. And for the first time since the end of the Vietnam War, the thrust of the movement is to shift funds from weapons to social programsor, as they used to say, from guns to butter.

Sen. Bernie Sanders is the sponsor of an amendment to the defense bill, scheduled for a vote next week, to slash the Pentagons budget by 10 percent and to transfer the savingsabout $74 billionto health care, education, and other investments in areas, as he put it, ravaged by extreme poverty, mass incarceration, decades of neglect, and the COVID-19 pandemic. More important, the measure has been endorsed by the Senates top Democrat, Chuck Schumer.

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The amendment is all but certain to be defeated, but if the Democrats win not only the White House but also majority control of the Senate in this falls election, Schumer will be majority leader, and defense cuts will almost certainly be on the agenda.

Its a moment reminiscent of the mid-1970s, when the congressional budget committees were created. The idea at the time was that these committees would set national priorities by determining how much money each federal department would receive, leaving it to the various other committees to work out the details. The context was the widespread desire to carve out a peace dividend as the Vietnam War was endingto decide explicitly how much to spend on guns, how much on butter.

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It didnt work out that way. The powerful chairs of the armed services committees resistedor, more to the point, ignoredthe attempt to wrest away their control. The budget committees proved to be little more than the legislative equivalent of a useless bureaucratic layer.

Next year might be different. Already, the House is in Democratic hands, and the current chair of the Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith, said last year, upon taking the gavel, that, if intelligently managed, the defense budget could be safely reduced by $100 billion.

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Combine these trends with three othersthe explosive coronavirus-driven deficits, the new attention to issues of social inequality raised by protests in the wake of the George Floyd killing, and a growing awareness that defense spending under Donald Trump has soared without the slightest check and beyond any commensurate increase in national power (his current budget of $740 billion is $150 billion larger than President Barack Obamas final budget, which itself was larger than any since the height of the Cold War)and the political pins are in place for a serious push for serious cuts.

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However, actually making these cuts is a lot harder than Sanders seems to suggest. In an article for Politico explaining his bill, the Vermont democratic socialist and two-time presidential candidate refers to the Pentagons failure to pass an independent audit, the enormous cost overruns in major weapons programs, and the outrageous compensations to contractors CEOs.

The problem is that waste, fraud, and abuseas this litany of scandals has long been summarizedare often the hardest things to parse, much less cut. They are so endemicand comprise such a huge share of the budgetbecause they are built into the weapons-contracting system, a vast, intricate, and highly specialized bureaucratic entity that seems to have been designed and perpetuated to maximize impenetrability to outside (or even internal Defense Department) monitors. There are no doubt billions to be saved by untangling this bureaucracys obstructions and inefficiencies. Some have tried; most get lost or go native in the maze.

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Another approach is to terminate weapons programs, or whole categories of weapons programs, or whole military missions for which certain weapons programs are justified. Sanders doesnt go into this possibility, perhaps because he isnt (and doesnt pretend to be) deeply versed in this subject, perhaps because it would raise issues of foreign and defense policy, and when crafting political coalitions for a broad goal, its best not to get too specific on how you get there, lest you alienate potential allies.

Robert Gates applied this approach as defense secretary during Obamas first year, slashing, restructuring, or killing 33 weapons systemsincluding some of the Army, Air Force, and Navys most cherished tanks, planes, and shipsat a savings of $150 billion over the subsequent five years. He did this after his staff conducted a deep analysisthe deepest since Robert McNamaras in the John F. Kennedy administrationof the cost-effectiveness of hundreds of weapons. However, in part to soften the political blow of these cuts, he also added tens of billions of dollars for programs that he thought were underfunded. And he did very little to alter the basic structure of the U.S. war machine or military deploymentswhich, even after the cuts, looked very much like that of the Cold War era.

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To save serious money now, the next defense secretaryor the congressional armed services committees, whose staffers used to do more analytical work than they do nowwill have to reopen the books, in the way that Gates did in 2009, and much more. They will have to question programs not just on whether theyre cost-effective but also on whether theyre needed for national security.

Were spending almost $30 billion a year on nuclear weaponsa figure that will soon rise to $50 billion a year. Yes, we need a reliable nuclear deterrent, but does this require, as our current plans call for, a new land-based intercontinental ballistic missile, a new nuclear submarine, a new bomber, a new cruise missile, and new hypersonic missiles? Its been a long time since anybody in a position of power seriously reexamined the assumption that we need all of this. Its long past time to do it now.

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Were buying a new aircraft carrier for $4 billion, but when you field an aircraft carrier, you also need a whole flotilla of escort ships: a carrier task force, its called, consisting of a cruiser, two destroyers or frigates, a submarine, logistics and supply ships, and about 70 fighter jets as well as roughly 7,500 sailors, pilots, and other personnel. This costs about $10 billion in all, not counting the price of munitions, fuel, and repairs. Should the Navy continue to be structured around a global network of aircraft carrier task forces, all of them quite vulnerable to fast missilesor, as some recommend, should it be reshaped into a fleet of many more, much smaller and specialized ships, each less visible and thus less vulnerable to attack?

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Even if Congress took an ax to the array of weapons systems in the arsenal, the savings wont be instantaneous. This is because weapons systems take a few years to develop and build; as a result, the money appropriated to buy these systems takes several years to spend out.

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For instance, on average, only 8 percent of the cost of a Navy ship gets spent in its first year, another 24 percent gets spent in the second year, another 29 percent in the third year  and on it goes, lasting between five and 10 years, depending on the ship. For Air Force combat planes, just 6 percent gets spent in the first year, with the typical spend out lasting four years. Even Army missiles take three or four years to get completely built.

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In other words, cutting the defense budget by $75 billion wont save defense spending by anywhere near that much right away.

An easier, and faster, way to cut the budget is simply to cut the number of troops. The budget for troops consists mainly of paychecks, so cutting here yields real money right away. But Sanders says his cuts would not affect personnelor their housing or health care. The cuts would affect only weapons, which, as he put it in a press statement, are made by private for-profit contractors. In other words, Sanders plan is to cut money for capital but not for labor.

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It is worth noting that the Pentagons labor costs are larger than any other piece of the defense budget. They come to $162 billion this year for military personnel, $34 billion for the Defense Departments health care programs, and $8 billion for military construction (including barracks, bases, and family housing)or $202 billion in all. (By comparison, the procurement of weapons systems amounts to $140 billion; research and development costs another $104 billion.) Not to shortchange the troops, but its not unpatriotic to ask whether we need so many of them. The answer might be: Yes, we do. But its worth running the numbers.

If the Democrats win back the White House and the Senate, while retaining control of the House, everything will be up for grabs. But cutting the defense budget shouldnt be done casually. For one thing, if its done casually, it wont really be cut at all. Analyzing the defense budget has dwindled into a lost art the past few years; its time to make a return.
HOUSTON  Gloria Guillens fingers clenched her Rosary as she painfully described one of her last memories of her daughter  the moment the proud mother learned Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen of Fort Hood was going to be a bride.

Sitting in her Houston home last week beside her youngest daughter, Lupe, who translated for the interview, Gloria Guillen said in Spanish that Vanessa gleamed with excitement as she planned for a wedding in November 2021.

Now, the Guillen family is planning for a funeral this month.

The remains of Spc. Guillen, 20, were found near the Leon River in Bell County in late June, nearly three months after she was last heard from while working inside an armory room at Fort Hood.

More: Civilian searcher says Army overlooked evidence after Vanessa Guillen's death

Investigators suspect a fellow soldier, Spc. Aaron David Robinson, beat Guillen to death with a hammer the morning of April 22. Authorities accused Robinsons girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, 22, of Killeen, Texas, of helping him dismember, burn and bury Guillens body about 20 miles away from the post.

Robinson fatally shot himself July 1 when authorities confronted him off post, Killeen police said. Aguilar was charged in federal court with conspiracy to tamper with evidence.

The Armys account of how Guillen died remains riddled with holes that investigators refuse to clarify, said the familys attorney Natalie Khawam. She said she hoped publicizing such questions would push the Army to answer the familys pleas for transparency.

I know that this is not going to bring back my daughter, Gloria said between tears. But justice will be done in the name of Jesus and Holy Mary. Justice will be done.

Army Criminal Investigation Command investigators sat down with the Guillen family the day of Robinsons death and told them the 20-year-old soldier killed Guillen because she had seen a photo of Aguilar on his phone, recognized her as a woman married to another Fort Hood soldier and threatened to report his affair, according to Khawam.

Story continues

Allegations of sexual harassment

The family does not accept the Armys explanation for a motive.

Immediately, Vanessas dad said, Thats not something Vanessa would do,  Khawam said. The Guillen sisters in unison agreed that the investigators explanation was wrong.

Gloria Guillen said she saw her daughters health progressively deteriorate over the months leading up to her disappearance, saying her normally muscular and vibrant daughter became thin and reserved. She said she begged her daughter to tell her what was wrong.

The Guillen family said Vanessa told other soldiers at Fort Hood that she was being sexually harassed. She confided to her family that it was Robinson.

The Army maintained that it found no substantial evidence that Robinson was sexually harassing Guillen.

The Austin American-Statesman and USA TODAY attempted over a two-week period to speak with investigators from the Army, the FBI and Killeen police to verify Khawam and the Guillen familys accounts of what took place but did not receive a response or were told no comment.

Vanessa Guillen had been missing since April.

Due to the ongoing legal proceedings by the United States attorney's office, Western District of Texas, it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time, said Christopher Grey, spokesman for the Armys Criminal Investigation Command.

Daryl Fields, spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office, said he could not provide answers to the list of questions: Thank you for your latest inquiry, but our office is not commenting on this investigation beyond the information provided in the federal criminal complaint.

She didnt have to go to war to die, she had to die here at the hands of those wretches, Gloria Guillen said. She had told me since she was 10 years old that she was going to the Army, since she was 10 years old.

Vanessa enlisted in June 2018 and worked as a small-arms/artillery repairer with the 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood. She never deployed overseas but was awarded the Army Commendation Medal (posthumously), the National Defense Service Ribbon and the Army Service Ribbon.

Robinson, who had been in the Army since 2017, worked in the same Regimental Engineer Squadron as Guillen.

Khawam said that if Guillen denied Robinsons advances in the armory room April 22, it could have led to her death. She said Robinson could have lied to his girlfriend about why he killed Guillen.

We believe Robinson could have made up that story to Aguilar because he needed help burying her body, Khawam said. Hes going to tell her, Honey, I killed her for you because she was going to report us. Hes not going to say, Honey, I was sexually harassing Vanessa again and killed her. 

A story that does not make sense

According to court records, Robinson admitted to Aguilar that he moved Guillens body from Fort Hood to a remote site in Bell County.

Investigators said Aguilar helped mutilate and dispose of Guillens body and recognized the remains as Guillen.

A criminal complaint filed against Aguilar accuses her of tampering with evidence, including Guillens body, on April 23 and 26 to impair its integrity and availability for use in an official proceeding.

Though the family believes Robinson killed Guillen and the allegations that Aguilar helped bury her remains, Khawam said, the story of how Robinson killed Guillen, moved her body and cleaned up the crime scene  all while on a military post without an accomplice or being found out sooner  does not make sense.

Army investigators provided the family with time stamps of when Robinson checked in and out of the armory room April 22, the day Guillen was last seen, and when Guillen texted Robinson to let him know she was outside and needed to be let into the building.

 10:01 a.m.: Robinson entered.

 10:23 a.m.: Guillen sent text.

 11:13 a.m.: Robinson exited.

According to the family, the Army said it never recovered Guillens cellphone and used phone records to read her last text message.

Army investigators told the family they found blood residue splattered throughout the armory room, which would have happened when Robinson killed Guillen with a hammer, Khawam said.

The family questioned how Robinson could have killed the soldier, stashed her in a case, cleaned up the blood and toted her body off base without being found out.

"They said the whole room was painted in red, Khawam said. How would Robinson be able to commit the perfect murder in 43 minutes? Its impossible.

Khawam said she was told a third suspect was detained. Army investigators repeatedly denied detaining any other suspects.

Strained trust

The Guillens said they struggle to believe what Army investigators say.

Gloria Guillen, along with her daughters, drove to Killeen the night of April 22 because Vanessa had not returned phone calls or text messages the entire day. They reported her missing to her superiors that night, Guillen said, though investigators said the Army told the family.

Army investigators told the family they were doing everything they could to search for Guillen on and off the post in the weeks after her disappearance, but they provided no details or updates, the family said.

The family held protests outside the post in Killeen and in Houston and Washington, demanding answers because they said they were consistently left in the dark.

Mayra Guillen said last week that much of what the family learned about her younger sisters disappearance was through media reports and news conferences. She said Army investigators rarely contacted the family before releasing information.

The Guillens pleas for help spread nationally after #IAmVanessaGuillen went viral on social media this month. The hashtag became a platform where service members shared their own accounts of sexual harassment and assault.

The family called the movement the #MeToo of the military.

The #IAmVanessaGuillen hashtag made its way to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. On July 30, Khawam and the family will push for a law to allow a third-party investigative team to look into reports of sexual harassment within the military.

U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will introduce legislation on the House floor next week. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, an Iraq War veteran, is the Democratic lead sponsor.

Well, thanks to my girl, thanks to my girl, all those girls are coming to light, all those rapes, all those rapes, all those harassments, Gloria Guillen said. But did my daughter have to die for all those girls to come out? Did my girl have to die? Because they are alive, and my girl is not. Those wretches took her life away.

But it was not so much for harassment; it was for harassment, but there is something more, she continued. I want an investigation into what happened.

The Guillens said that instead of mourning their loss with family and friends, they plan to grieve in front of cameras and film crews until they believe justice has been served.

Lupe Guilllen, 16, Vanessas sister, said the fight is not over until the Army stops telling lies and gives the family answers.

Lupe Guillen, younger sister of Pfc. Vanessa Guillen, screams for justice during a protest outside Fort Hood on June 12.

You know how they say no one is perfect? Lupe asked. Well, Vanessa was that (perfect) person. She was caring and respectful and always used to joke about everything. We were always fighting, but thats sisterhood. Who doesnt fight?

Gloria Guillen said that after learning of her daughters death, she was brought back to her prayer to God when Vanessa was just 15 days old. As an infant, Vanessa was intubated, clinging to life at a hospital. Gloria said she believes her prayers healed Vanessa.

I prayed to God so much, Gloria said. She didn't die because God had a purpose for her.

She taught me many things because she was always tender, she was loving to me and we always loved each other. We are going to love each other all our lives. A lifetime, Gloria said.

Heather Osbourne is a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman, part of the USA TODAY Network, reach her at hosbourne@statesman.com. Jessica Priest is an investigative reporter for USA TODAY, reach her at jpriest@gatehousemedia.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vanessa Guillens family struggles for answers after soldiers slaying
She counts The 40-year-Old Virgin, Funny People and The Cable Guy among her big screen credits.

And actress Leslie Mann has been enjoying some family time during the coronavirus lockdown that's put Hollywood production on hold.

On Thursday, the 48-year-old treated herself to a trip to home goods store Hudson Grace in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Retail therapy: On Thursday, Leslie Mann, 48, treated herself to a trip to home goods store Hudson Grace in Los Angeles looking on trend in a white t-shirt and ripped blue jeans

The wife of director Judd Apatow looked on trend in a lightweight white t-shirt and ripped blue jeans.

She added a pair of embellished sandal flats and wore her long hair tied into a ponytail.

Mann wore a face mask as is now required in Los Angeles County when in public spaces amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

She completed her ensemble with a pair of tortoiseshell-framed sunglasses and carried her phone in one hand.

Famous actress: The wife of director Judd Apatow added a pair of sandal flats and wore her long hair tied into a ponytail. She wore a face mask as is now required in Los Angeles County

Family: Mann shares two daughters with Apatow, 52, whom she married in 1997. Maude, 22, and Iris, 17, are both aspiring actresses

Mann shares two daughters with Apatow, 52, whom she married in 1997.

Maude, 22, and Iris, 17, are both aspiring actresses.

In fact, Maude recently had a role in the Pete Davidson comedy King of Staten Island that her father directed.

She told Variety of claims she had benefited from nepotism: 'I didn't know if I wanted to do it because I knew people would give me s*** for it.'

She went on: 'But it's so special to me; I don't know when I'm ever going to work with my dad again, and he's taught me everything I know. He's my mentor. Why would I not do it?'
The upcoming trials in 30,000 volunteers in a real-world setting will give experts a comprehensive look at its effectiveness and feasibility.

Since the first recorded use of 'immunisation' in humans to prevent smallpox (in 1796), the development and scope of vaccines has seen some, incremental progress. A new technology in development  messenger RNA vaccines  holds the potential to disrupt the entire approach to vaccine development.

An mRNA molecule developed by American firm Moderna Therapeutics  mRNA-1273  is among the leading candidates in human trials for a working vaccine against the COVID-19-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus. Since the start of the pandemic that has brought the world to a halt, the company's stock price has tripled.

Moderna isnt the only company focused on mRNA, but it is currently the front runner in developing the technology, with over 20 different mRNA vaccines in their pipeline.

In 2010, the company saw the biggest initial public offering (IPO) on record for a biotech company, raising a whopping $600 million for 8 percent of the company's shares. In the ten years since, Moderna has come to be the most valued biotechnology company in the world. All because it has gone further than any other venture in developing a game-changing platform for mRNA vaccines in medicine.

Experts, trial volunteer advise cautious optimism

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna became the first mRNA candidate to began human trials on 16 March. It is now one of many mRNA candidates in COVID-19 clinical trials.

German companies BioNTech (in partnership with Pfizer) and CureVac, US firm Translate Bio (with Sanofi) and Shanghai-based Fosun Pharma, all have an experimental mRNA vaccine in different stages of approval and trials. If one or more of these vaccines prove effective, it will be the first proof-of-concept for the development and use of mRNA vaccines in infectious diseases.

According to the listing by Moderna for its mRNA-2173 COVID-19 vaccine in the US government clinical trial registry, the company has been given approval for final (Phase 3) trials in 30,000 healthy volunteers starting 27 July.

This comes after the vaccine saw promising results in Phases 1 and 2, but it wasn't without its hitches. In the 45-person Phase 1 human trial, four participants reported having "Grade 3" adverse events  side effects that are severe or medically-significant but not life-threatening, according to a STAT News report.

One of them, 29-year-old Ian Haydon, went public with his experience. Twelve hours after the booster dose of the mRNA vaccine was given to him, Hayden had a fever over 103 degrees, called for medical assistance, and fainted in his home after being released from an emergency care facility that day. While the experience was all but pleasant, he recovered within a day and hasnt reported any side-effects since.

Hayden decided to speak out, according to STAT News, hoping that his experience counterbalances the desperation from the public to push a working vaccine to market without much regard for consequences. A similar sentiment has been expressed by many experts in their comments about the experimental mRNA vaccine trials.

"I would agree with [Hayden] in that human trials are meant to take the time they take. The Moderna vaccine has sought approval to combine Phase 1 and 2, now on its way to starting Phase 3 trials by 27 July," says Dr Shahid Jameel, virologist and Chief Executive Officer of the Wellcome Trust-DBT India Alliance.

But there are still questions about the released results that need answering.

For instance, over 90 percent of patients in Phase 1 trials are white Caucasians. This indicates that race wasn't a key factor in the earlier trial stages. Research has shown time and again that race is a key determinant in the effectiveness of a vaccine intended for a diverse range of people. In the case of a COVID-19 vaccine, it's even more important, due to its global relevance.

A fair mix of different racial groups is something that can  and should  be accounted for in the upcoming Phase 3 trials, according to Dr Jameel. "The upcoming trials in 30,000 volunteers in a real-world setting should give us a more comprehensive look at [the vaccine's] feasibility."

The medical research community is eager to see Moderna's Phase 3 trials. A successful Phase 3 will be a big endorsement for the mRNA vaccine platform, which promises to improve speed, reduce costs, and revive the limited scope of vaccine development as it stands today.

Jonathan Watts, an associate professor at the RNA Therapeutics Institute at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, who doesn't have ties to Moderna, told Biopharma Dive, "I'm cautiously optimistic that this could be a game-changing technology for things that have been really hard until now."

Moderna's mRNA vaccine for COVID-19

The first published results released from Phase 1 and 2 this week show that Moderna's experimental mRNA vaccine did what it was designed to: produce COVID-19 antibodies that can direct the immune system to the SARS-CoV-2. The published study also says a booster shot  given four weeks after the first one  was needed to produce a strong enough immune response against the virus.

Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which conducted the Moderna clinical trial, said the results, nonetheless, were promising enough to give the company a go-ahead for the next phase of trials.

"The hallmark of a vaccine is one that can actually mimic natural infection and induce the kind of response that you would get with natural infection. And it looks like, at least in this limited, small number of individuals, that is exactly whats happening, Dr Fauci told STAT News. The data really look quite goodthere were no serious adverse events."

mRNA vaccines  a key that opens many doors

The mRNA vaccine platform Moderna has been developing for a decade now is a single platform that gives researchers the tools to tackle a diverse range of diseases. The company's mRNA platform can theoretically be applied to any potential infection  be it in the case of persistent threats from infections like HIV and influenza, or addressing unmet needs in future encounters with viruses (like SARS-CoV-2) and bacteria that are unknown today.

Moderna, for one, is working on around 25 mRNA vaccines and therapies for a range of conditions including rare metabolic disorders, cancers, heart failure, and a host of pathogens including the Zika virus, the Epstein-Barr virus, and now the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The technology is also guaranteed to slash the costs and time it takes to manufacture vaccines since it leaves the tedious task of manufacturing viral proteins to the cell instead of biotech companies.

"The major benefit is that it's easy to produce (and) it will also probably be relatively easy to do an upscaling of production, which of course, is very important if you think about deployment [throughout] the world, Professor Isabella Bekeredjian-Ding, head of the microbiology at Germanys Paul Ehrlich Institut, which provides scientific advice to companies (including CureVac) on vaccine development, told Horizon.

With promising results to show for its Phase 1 and 2 trials, Moderna is now on its way to do just that  scale up production and test its experimental mRNA vaccine in 30,000 healthy volunteers.
He also got ample financial help from liberal groups like the Working Families Party and political action committees like the Justice Democrats, which jointly spent more than $1 million to oust Mr. Engel. Justice Democrats also recruited Mr. Bowman, after recommendations for education activists.

A first-time candidate with a fiery anti-establishment message, Mr. Bowman ran a campaign that built firmly on the pillars of current progressive policy: reforming the criminal justice system, addressing income inequality and embracing Medicare for All. He also preached about the need for broader social changes such as what he called righting the wrongs of our countrys history toward a better future.

Those issues took on new urgency as the United States reeled after the killing in police custody of George Floyd in late May. The protests that followed were broadly incorporated into, and invigorated, the Black Lives Matter movement, and provided Mr. Bowman, who is Black and said he had been physically attacked by the police as a child, with a powerful talking point.

The Black Lives Matter movement also served as a backdrop for a cringe-inducing moment for Mr. Engel. At a social justice event in the Bronx in early June, he was caught on microphone suggesting that he was only there because of his contested race.

If I didnt have a primary, he said, I wouldnt care.

Some analysts say Mr. Bowmans win  and strong showings by Mr. Jones, Mr. Torres, and Mr. Patel  reinforces the power of Black and other minority voters in an increasingly diverse city.

The demographics have flipped, said Peter Ragone, a former top aide to Mayor Bill de Blasio and a regular adviser to Democratic politicians. And its accelerating with a velocity that no one could have anticipated.

Mr. Bowman, who said his campaign had made a million calls to voters, also hammered Mr. Engel for not being in the district during the crisis, suggesting that the incumbent spent much of his time at a home he owns in suburban Maryland. Mr. Engel sought to refute the assertion, saying he was a steady presence in the district, including in Riverdale, where he lives.
Equipped with a laptop, legal pad and smartphone, Merta Maaneb de Macedo this week called a UW-Madison student whose roommate recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Maaneb de Macedo, a nurse with Public Health Madison and Dane County, is a contact tracer  one of hundreds of workers trying to stem Wisconsins growing coronavirus outbreak by urging people who test positive and those near them to stay away from others to reduce the spread.

The student said he had just developed a cough, shortness of breath and loss of smell  telltale signs of COVID-19. After testing negative two weeks earlier, he had been tested again, with no results yet.

Thats smart, Maaneb de Macedo said of getting retested. She said he had a probable case of the respiratory disease and asked him to isolate for 10 days.

Please stay home, she said. If you need anything, we would ask you to get someone to get it for you that is not positive for COVID.

With record numbers of new COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin and other states, there is still no treatment for the disease except in severe cases and no vaccine to prevent it. Public response has been mixed to orders or pleas for people to wear masks, maintain distance from others and frequently wash their hands. Officials are relying on contract tracing, a long-used public health tool, to curb the epidemic even as the effort struggles to keep up.

Wisconsin reported 880 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, with a record 964 cases Tuesday and a seven-day daily average of 822 cases, up from a daily average of 538 cases just two weeks ago. Dane County has had a daily average of more than 80 cases for nearly three weeks, with a record 142 cases June 30, after having a daily average of 17 as recently as mid-June.

It has been challenging with the recent increase in cases, said Amanda Kita-Yarbro, communicable disease epidemiologist for the city-county health department, which has 67 contact tracers, up from 38 about a month ago.

But this is still our best strategy for preventing people from getting infected, Kita-Yarbro said. Even if were not reaching everyone, were reaching a lot.

The state Department of Health Services has hired 200 limited-time workers, at $20 an hour, to do contact tracing and shifted another 200 or so state workers to such work, officials said.

The state workers help local health departments as needed. State officials said they dont know the total number of contact tracers at local health departments but the overall tally statewide comes close to meeting a goal set in April of having 1,000 people doing the work.

Between what were doing at the state level and what locals are doing, were working to fill the need across the state, said Traci DeSalvo, an epidemiologist with the state health department.

Its voluntary

Contact tracing depends on public good will, with no enforcement mechanism for people who refuse to participate and no incentives to encourage cooperation other than helping to protect others.

About 85% percent of people sought for interviews statewide have completed them, DeSalvo said. But conspiracy theories and legitimate warnings, such as one last month by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul about people posing as contact tracers to steal personal information, can lead to skepticism. Contact tracers wont ask for money or numbers for Social Security, bank accounts or credit cards, Kauls warning said.

In Dane County, 80% of people have completed interviews since the outbreak began and 87% last month. It can be difficult to get people who recently tested positive, especially young adults, to share names of those with whom theyve had close contact, Kita-Yarbro said.

Its so important that people share their contacts so that we can get the right information to them! the city-county health department said in a recent Facebook plea for cooperation.

Were here to help, Kita-Yarbro said in an interview. Were not judging people about what they did or how they might have gotten infected.

Gaps in tracing

Even when interviews are completed, nearly 30% of people who tested positive recently in Dane County havent known where they may have been infected. Only 42% have been contacted quickly and told to isolate, about half the portion from a month ago.

New hires this month should help the local health department catch up, Kita-Yarbro said. The agency also plans to start handling all case interviews and handing off some contact interviews to state workers, she said.

Contact tracers generally ask people who recently tested positive to isolate at home for 10 days. They ask their close contacts  anyone who spent at least 15 minutes within 6 feet of the positive person  to quarantine for 14 days after they were potentially exposed.

If the contacts have symptoms, they are told to get tested right away. If they dont, they are asked to be tested three to five days after exposure and again 10 to 14 days after exposure. A negative test does not release someone from quarantine, Kita-Yarbro said.

Contact interviews

Maaneb de Macedo, whose regular part-time public health nurse job is visiting high-risk pregnant women at home, began doing contact tracing in March.

She conducts about five or six interviews per shift, logging data on her laptop into a private state disease surveillance system and emailing follow-up information about COVID-19 to people she has interviewed.

When talking this week to a man who had no symptoms but some exposure to a person who tested positive, Maaneb de Macedo reviewed the list of symptoms to watch for. She suggested the man turn to her agency or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for information about the coronavirus. Sometimes other organizations are really creating a type of fear or hype, she said.

During her call with the UW-Madison student, she repeatedly identified herself as a nurse with the health department and frequently thanked him for providing information.

She learned he has a second roommate who had also developed COVID-19 symptoms and likely also was a probable case. When the student she interviewed said he was a smoker, Maaneb de Macedo, a mother of four young adults, couldnt resist delivering a public health message.

Now, you know, Im a nurse, so were going to tell you smoking is not good for your health, she said. Thats just extra. Thats not really part of the interview. You ought to think about that, OK?

The student said he and his roommates had not ventured out from their apartment recently.

Im happy to hear that you are staying at home, Maaneb de Macedo said. It really helps to decrease the spread of coronavirus.

COVID-19 in photos: How Wisconsin is managing the pandemic
Jammu:

An army jawan was killed as Pakistani troops resorted to shelling on Indian posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, inviting a strong response in which three Pakistani military posts were said have been damaged.



One jawan has been martyred in Pakistan shelling along LoC in Naushera sector of Rajouri district today, said an officer of Armys Northern Command.



Firing by Pakistani troops along LoC in Naushera sector started around 8:45 AM on Tuesday.



Heavy exchange of fire is going on. Heavy damage has been caused to Pakistan Army posts. Their three posts have been damaged, a senior army official said.



In another case of ceasefire violation, Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district from around 1345 hours.



Indian troops guarding the border, retaliated resulting in exchanges.



Pakistani troops used 120 mm mortars and automatic weapons during the ceasefire violation, a defence spokesman said, adding befitting reply was given to them without any casualty on the Indian side.



Meanwhile, two jawans are reported to have been injured in shelling by Pakistan in Kalal belt along LoC.



It may be recalled that Pakistani troops had violated ceasefire and resorted to firing in Mankote and Balakote areas of Mendhar sector in Poonch district yesterday.



Earlier, on November 6, two army jawans were killed and five otherstwo soldiers, a BSF officer and two womenwere injured as Pakistani army opened fire in an attempt to facilitate two infiltration bids along the LoC in Krishna Ghati and Poonch sectors of Poonch district.



There have been over 100 ceasefire violations on Indian posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir after the surgical strike.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
SEOUL, South Korea, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- "The separation of church and state" is a commonly thrown-around phrase that every educated American is almost certainly familiar with. This revolutionary idea has been intricately woven into the fabric of the government of the United States of America, and subsequently the democracies that the U.S. has influenced and helped establish. These effects are perhaps seen more strongly in none other than America's "little brother," South Korea. How is the doctrine of the "separation of church and state" faring in that country? Thepersecuted.org attempts to answer this question in its latest analysis, Church and State: The Changing Landscape of Religion in South Korea .

The first 500 gathered to donate last week.

Recently during the Coronavirus pandemic, a super-spreader event in February at Shincheonji Church's Daegu branch resulted in the infection of over 4,000 members as well as several deaths. Just this month, the vast majority of those individuals agreed to collaborate with the hospitals and government to donate their blood plasma for the Coronavirus relief effort. This Coronavirus-resistant blood donation is valued at over $8 billion dollars and will potentially result in many saved lives. This is an excellent example of the role religion can play for its society and government.

In the midst of this, the Korean government pressed charges against Shincheonji church. The church and its leaders were indicted on account of an inability to quickly produce a full and correct membership contact list of its 200,000 members worldwide for contract tracing. Several leaders were detained in prison and prosecuted for charges of "murder through willful negligence." and the church's license was also removed.

Read more in our feature on thepersecuted.org .

In these troubling times, thepersecuted.org seeks to provoke thought and dialogue on these social issues for the good of society, especially in light of the pandemic that is sweeping the world. We believe the sovereignty of the individual and the opportunity for each person to hold his or her own beliefs is one of the greatest social innovations of history. The Persecuted is a news source dedicated to the factual research and analysis of human rights violations. For more information, visit thepersecuted.org.

FOR INFORMATION: Mary Oliver



Phone: (718) 962-9794



Email address: [email protected]









SOURCE The Persecuted

Related Links

http://thepersecuted.org


New Delhi: The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) will release JAC 12th Result 2020 for all streams on Friday (July 17) on its official website jac.jharkhand.gov.in. The Jharkhand Board 12th Result 2020 will be declared at 5 pm which was earlier scheduled at 1 pm on Friday (17 July).

Once declared, students can check the JAC 12th Result 2020 by entering their roll number, roll code on the official website. Results can also be seen via SMS.

Around 3 lakh students had appeared for JAC 12th exams 2020. It must be borne in mind that the online results are only provisional in nature, hence the students will have to approach their respective school for obtaining the original marksheets.

Here's how to check Jharkhand Board Class 12 results online:

Step 1: Go to the jac.jharkhand.gov.in website

Step 2: Click on the link and fill in the required details

Step 3: Click on Submit and get your result

Step 4: Take a printout of the scores for future reference

In 2019, the JAC declared class 12th Results in May. Usually, JAC announces the result by May, however, the 2020 Board Result result has been delayed due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the spread of deadly virus in the country. The pass percentage of Arts was at 79.97 percent, Commerce at 70.44 percent and Science at 57.01 percent in 2019.

The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) declared the Jharkhand Board Class 10 examination 2020 result on July 8.

According to JAC, a total of 75.01% students managed to clear the class 10th exam successfully. A total of 3.85 lakh (3,85,144) students appeared in Jharkhand Board Class 10 examination 2020, out of which 2.88 lakh students cleared the secondary exam successfully. The pass percentage in 2019 was 70.81 per cent, while it was only 59.56% in 2018.

Boys outshone girls with a pass percentage of 75.88% while the pass percentage of girls was 74.25%. Out of 1.8 lakh (1,80,532) boys who appeared in the exam, 1.37 lakh (1,37,003) cleared the exam successfully, while 1.51 lakh (1,51,925) girls managed to clear the exam out of 2.04 lakh (2,04,612) appeared.
The poll, issued on Wednesday by Israel's Radio 103fm, the popularity of the embattled leader has been decreasing even among voters of his right-wing Likud party, reports Xinhua news agency.

Jerusalem, July 16 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's popularity has dropped as he is facing a criminal trial, the coronavirus crisis and an economic setback, according to a new poll.

Some 41 per cent of the Likud voters said that they believe the government has failed in handling the crisis.

The popularity of Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister has been dropping amidst criticism over his government's failure in handling the rapid resurgence of the coronavirus outbreak and the economic crisis that ensued.

With unemployment rising over 20 per cent, many Israelis think Netanyahu's government has not done enough to help people who have lost their jobs and livelihood due to the restrictions and lockdown.

On Tuesday night, thousands of Israelis took the streets across the country to protest against Netanyahu.

Some 5,000 of them rallied outside the official Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem calling Netanyahu to resign over his corruption charges.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said in a statement that some 50 protesters were detained in Jerusalem after clashing with the police.

All of them were released by Wednesday.

Netanyahu's trial over bribery, fraud and breach of trust began on May 24.

The next discussion in the case is scheduled to be held on July 19.

--IANS

ksk/
Fresh outbreaks of the coronavirus have led several European states to tighten measures as they scramble to prevent its spread.

Here is an overview of recent developments, which include localised lockdowns and the obligation to wear face masks among others:

Spain

The almost four million residents of Spain's second city Barcelona were from July 17 urged to stay at home by the Catalan regional government, unless absolutely necessary, after a rise in coronavirus cases.

The regional government also ordered the closure of cinemas, theatres and nightclubs and banned gatherings of more than 10 people in the coastal city. Restaurants will have to limit capacity to one-half the usual amount.

Since July 15, residents have been told to stay home in an area in and around the Catalan city of Lerida, a measure affecting around 250,000 people.

Faced with a resurgence of infections many Spanish regions, including Catalonia, have tightened the requirement to wear masks which have to be worn at all times in the street and in enclosed spaces.

Portugal

Lockdown at home has been in place since July 1 for 700,000 inhabitants in the Lisbon region.

The measures, which affect some 20 neighbourhoods, have been extended at least until the end of July.

Britain

On June 30 the central city of Leicester began a localised two-week lockdown with non-essential shops shutting. The restrictions have now been partially eased ahead of a review in two weeks. Facemasksalready compulsory in Scotlandwill also become so in all shops and supermarkets in England from July 24.

On July 17, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain could return to normality by Christmas, as he sketched out a timetable for easing the remaining lockdown measures in England.

Ireland

Having planned to open bars fully from July 13 that decision is now pushed back to August 10 after a resurgence of cases. Gatherings are limited to 50 people indoors and 200 outdoors while wearing masks in shops will be compulsory.

France

Wearing masks in all indoor establishments open to the public will be obligatory from next week. Indoor mask-wearing became compulsory with immediate effect already on July 16 in Mayenne, northern France, where an outbreak hotspot has been noted.

Belgium

Wearing a maskalready required on public transportwas made compulsory from July 11 for all aged 12 and above in enclosed public spaces including shops, cinemas, libraries and places of worship as cases rise slightly.

Germany

Despite the country being less affected by the pandemic than many of its neighbours, Germany's federal and regional governments have agreed on tougher, more targeted lockdown measures to contain local outbreaks and ward off the threat of a second coronavirus wave, including a ban on travel "in and out of the affected areas."

Hungary

Hungary's government on July 12 said it was barring travel from South America, Africa, most of Asia, and restricting entry from several European countries after worldwide spikes in coronavirus cases.

Explore further Catalonia wants to toughen mask-wearing rules

 2020 AFP
T amar Braxton has been rushed to hospital after being found responsive following a "possible overdose."

The 43-year-old, who stars in American reality series Braxton Family Values, was staying at the Ritz Carlton Residences in Downtown Los Angeles with boyfriend David Adefeso, according to reports in the US.

Adefeso allegedly found Braxton unresponsive and called 911.

The LAPD has since confirmed they received a call around 9:45pm in regard to a 43-year-old female who had a medical emergency listed as a possible overdose.

Tamar stars in Braxton Family Values alongside her family / Photo by Earl Gibson III/Getty Images for WE tv

Braxton was taken to California Hospital in Downtown LA where she is reportedly stable but still unconscious.

A spokesperson for Braxton told American site The Blast: Tamar has had a very tough and emotional day - more information will be coming in the next few days. Please pray for her.

Braxton and Adefeso posted a statement on their YouTube show Coupled & Quarantined as to why the show had to be cancelled last minute on Thursday.

The best films and TV for experiencing a summer getaway from home 1 /12 The best films and TV for experiencing a summer getaway from home Italy: The Talented Mr Ripley, 1999 The only thing more covetable than Marges 50s wardrobe  get me those crisp white linens!  is the Italian setting of this dark, sexy film version of Patricia Highsmiths dark, sexy novel. Oh to be on my own Grand Tour right now (with a 1990s Jude Law in my thrall). Technically, the film is set in the fictional Italian town of Mongibello  Rome, Positano, Venice and islands of Ischia and Procido stand in variously for the imaginary idyll, besides some trips to Rome and Venice, which means glorious shots of the Spanish Steps and Piazza San Marco. And its la dolce vita, alright (apart from all the murders): azzurro seas and sky, bleached white cliffs and Aperol spritzes at every turn, yachts and sun-drenched dinners and sojourns to basements for soulful jazz solos and copious cigars. Granted, its an unsettling film (all the murders), but if you zone out of Matt Damons psychopathy and just focus on the sunsets, its quite the holiday. Phoebe Luckhurst Rio, Brazil: Black Orpheus, 1959 My father is Brazilian and my heart belongs to Rio. Marcel Camus film, a reworking of the Greek myth, shows off the citys seriously grand streets but is mostly set in a favela that looks down on the bay. Check out those obscenely beautiful mountains, which resemble whales, thrusting themselves onto the land. Check out that sunshine, which glistens on the shacks like maple syrup. The story serves up frantic carnival-lovers, many of them with missing teeth and backs drenched in sweat. This is not an authentic vision (the French director shot the film with coloured gels) and the dialogue has aged badly. But the fakery is part of the fun. Rio is synonymous with yachts, beaches and not-a-care-in-the-world glamour; its the epitome, for many, of cool. Camus Technicolour curio tunnels under that myth. Its the kind of film that sends you back into the light, blinking with pleasure. Charlotte OSullivan Albuquerque, New Mexico: Breaking Bad, 2008-13 It was easy to get swept up in Breaking Bads whirlwind plot and, amid the unravelling chaos, forget to appreciate just how special the shows cinematography was. Led by creator Vince Gilligan and director of photography Michael Slovis, Breaking Bad forged its own trademarks. There were the point-of-view shots, captured from inside a washing machine, or a car engine, or beneath the surface of a swimming pool, that ramped up the tense claustrophobia. But most memorable was the desolate, yet somehow versatile expanse of the New Mexico desert. It was beautiful at times  it signified freedom as protagonist Walter White embarked on his meth-making liberation, and was often bathed in the orange hues of a setting sun. But as things went south, that same desert became hopeless. There were close-ups of withering plants, and incredible wide shots of the great, arid expanse  a metaphor for the plots ultimately irretrievable peril. Jochan Embley Iceland: Woman at War, 2019; And Breathe Normally, 2018 Anyone whos been to Iceland and taken that eerie bus ride to Reykjavik through the lava fields from Keflavik airport, can confirm that its like stepping onto another planet  but to say so detracts from the beautiful human stories that its filmmakers have to share about the isolated nation. Isold Uggadottirs And Breathe Normally is a stunning story of two lives, both in their own form of peril, that come to a crossroads. The powerful tale of kindness between strangers utilises the stunning backdrops of Icelands empty wildernesses to accentuate that at the end of the day, all we have is each other. Benedikt Erlingssons curiously odd film Woman at War, a moving parable for environmental activism, similarly uses Icelands bleak natural beauty to drive home just how precious our planet truly is. George Fenwick Rural Brazil: The Mission, 1986 I was hoping to get to Brazil for a holiday in June, though I fear its looking highly unlikely. So Ive been consoling myself by re-watching The Mission, the story, more or less, of what happened to the Jesuit missions in southern Brazil in the mid-18th century and one of the most beautiful films ever made. Who could forget the scene of the Guarani Indians pushing a missionary, tied to a large wooden crucifix, into the Iguacu River, sending him tumbling down those colossal roaring waterfalls to his death? And what about the stunning facade of the church of Sao Miguel das Missoes, restored in celluloid from the ruin that it is, to its original glory? Ive discovered that the film is a mash-up of locations, from Argentina and Paraguay, to Columbia, as well as Brazil. So, as and when, Ill be going to those places too. Katie Law Mainland Europe: Killing Eve, 2018-present Most people watch Killing Eve for the outfits; I watch for the wanderlust: sweeping Tuscan vineyards; caffe lattes in magnificent Italian piazzas; four-poster beds in high-ceilinged Parisian apartments with creaky wooden shutters. No show makes me more desperate to hop on the Eurostar and spend summer Interrailing my way around in Europe. The fact that its the backdrop for a spy drama, not a cheesy rom-com, makes it all the more alluring. In the latest season, Jodie Comers character Villanelle is no longer living in the French capital but in Spain. We see her roaming around the Placa de la Barceloneta, Spanish spice shops and Barcelonas Gothic Quarter. It may be some time before my next Spanish minibreak, so Im currently comfort-binging seasons one and two. As soon as the PMs new French travel agreement comes into place, Im heading to Paris Place Vendome with my brightest, boldest, bubblegum-pink dress. Katie Strick BBC Yorkshire: Gods Own Country, 2017 Proof that films dont always have to look to exotic locations to offer an escape. Beautiful rural Yorkshire is the setting for this affecting drama, which follows frustrated farmhand Johnny (Josh OConnor), forced to oversee the day to day running of his familys farm after his father suffers a stroke. Things are indeed grim up north initially, but Johnnys life is changed forever by the arrival of a worker from Romania. As the character enters into a life-affirming new relationship, the horizons seem more boundless than ever and the sweeping fields and stunning bucolic landscapes jump from the screen. Yorkshires stark beauty hasnt been captured like this since Kes, and the sight of the countys green pastures is enrapturing and intoxicating. Harry Fletcher Brittany, France: Portrait of a Lady on Fire, 2019 Aristocratic Heloise (Adele Haenel), just emerged from a convent, isnt too pleased about being locked up on an island in Brittany, betrothed to an unseen suitor. Enter artist Marianne, commissioned to paint her, and what was once a prison becomes a paradise, as well as a blueprint for an idyllic form of social distancing. The film, shot in Saint-Pierre-Quiberon in Brittany (though the chateaux at La Chappelle-Gauthier in Ile-de-France stood in for Heloises home) is a gorgeous showcase for the wild, rocky coastline of northern France, and the perfect kind of escapism. Its pure euphoria to let those crashing waves, the ancient house, and the overwhelmingly powerful love story swallow you up. George Fenwick The Greek Islands: Mamma Mia! 2008; Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, 2018 Ive been cheated by coronavirus and I think you know when. It was the moment I realised I would not be jetting off to a gorgeous Greek island this year to find out if Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan or Stellan Skarsgaard is my true father. Instead Ill be watching the Mamma Mia films, which lusciously evoke the Majorelle blue bliss of these islands. So much so, in fact, that a clip revealing some of the locations were green screen went viral earlier this year, crushing many a dream. Thankfully, most of the wizardry really was down to the glory of nature (except Chers scenes. Those are in Pinewood studios), with the first film mainly shot on Greek island Skopelos, and the second on Croatian gem Vis just off the Dalmatian Coast. Bring on the days when this SOS ends, and I can get drunk and tanned to the sound of ABBA songs. Jessie Thompson AP

Hello ya'll, unfortunately, your girl Tamar is under the weather today and not feeling well so we need to postpone today's show (Don't worry it's not Covid), the statement read. We're sad because we had a great show lined up for you today, but next weeks show is going to be even bigger and better.

So sorry for the inconvenience, we know many of you look forward to the show every week. we'll make it up to you next week.

The news comes after Braxton complained publicly about the pay and the treatment her and her family allegedly received from We TV for starring in Braxton Family Values.

Replying to a fan that said the show had lost its comedy over the years and had become more of a drama, Braxton responded: But thats what happens when its all white executives having all the power and telling your black family stories.

"I WILL get justice for my family and all other black reality shows with the narrative of ABP and negativity. its terrible and Im tired.

She continued: Your post is exactly what Im talking about. I too feel the same way. [The show] used to be funny and fun.

Are we going to talk about pay.... I 100 percent wrote the theme song... where is the coin... our show is on Netflix.... where is the coin... 10 years on the air... we make 75 percent LESS than the Kardashians. How come there are no villains on that show?
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that the progress in negotiations with China should help resolve the ongoing border dispute but he couldnt guarantee to what extent the situation will be resolved, underling that progress in resolving the tensions along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) between the two nuclear powers has been a challenging and arduous process.

Addressing soldiers at Lukung on the western bank of Ladakhs Pangong Tso, which has been at the centre of the current border tensions, Singh also said that no power could touch or grab even an inch of Indian territory. Lukung is 43km from Finger 4 on the northern bank of Pangong lake.

The defence ministers comments came a day after India said the complex disengagement process with China on the LAC is specifically aimed at preventing face-off situations, and any unilateral attempts to change the status quo on the disputed border wont be accepted. Two days after senior military commanders from both sides met at Chushul, the Indian Army on Thursday said complete disengagement is an intricate process requiring constant verification.

Singh, who landed in Leh on Friday morning, was briefed on the security situation in the sensitive sector including the actual position of troops on both sides of the contested border, people familiar with the developments said. He also witnessed a series of combat manoeuvres at nearby Stakna featuring C-130J special operations aircraft dropping paratroopers, Apache AH-64E attack helicopters, T-90 tanks, infantry combat vehicles and Mi-17 helicopters  with the military imagery meant to signal Indias resolve and readiness to deal with any eventuality in the region.

The combat drills he saw in Stakna demonstrated the application of integrated combined force in high altitude terrain, said one of the officials cited above.

Singh, who was accompanied by chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat and army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, recalled the brutal clash in Galwan valley on June 15 and paid tribute to the 20 Indian soldiers killed in the skirmish. He added that India had neither attacked any country nor grabbed anyones territory or hurt their self-respect. But if anyone attempts to hurt Indias self-respect, we will not tolerate it and will give a befitting reply, he said. He said Indias leadership was strong and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was capable of taking decisions.

While Singh said that nothing could be better than finding a solution to the dispute through dialogue, and that process was on at the military and political level, military affairs experts said the ministers comments on not being able to guarantee the outcome of the talks pointed to the complexity of the dialogue process.

It clearly highlights the complications and difficulties in the negotiations between the two sides. The comments also indicate that India and China have not been able to narrow down their differences on Pangong Tso and Despsang, said former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General (retired) DS Hooda.

The minister has indicated that while disengagement has begun, the larger issue of de-escalation is the tough task ahead and contingent on Chinese behaviour now and in the future, said Sameer Patil, member, international security at Gateway House, a Mumbai-based foreign policy think tank.

Officials and experts indicated the army is preparing for the long haul as disengagement isnt likely in the short term.

Indias high-powered China Study Group (CSG) on Wednesday reviewed the latest developments in eastern Ladakh, with the focus on the next stage of disengagement following the 14-hour meeting between the corps commanders on July 14.

The disengagement -- which began earlier this month after talks between the two Special Representatives -- national security adviser Ajit Doval and foreign minister Wang Yi on July 6 -- involves rival troops pulling back a specified distance from face-off sites, with further retreat taking place in phases as the plan progresses on a verifiable basis on the ground every 72 hours.

The focus of the current military talks is to reach consensus on easing tensions between the two armies in Finger Area near Pangong Tso and Depsang plains, as well as pulling back weapons and equipment from friction points in other sectors.

A fifth meeting between delegations led by Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, commander of Leh-based 14 Corps, and Major General Liu Lin, commander of the South Xinjiang military region, is expected to be held in two weeks to take things forward.

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Media Playback Engineer San Diego , California , United States Hardware Summary

Posted: Jul 16, 2020 Role Number: 200181407 Apple revolutionizes how people interact with technology. We take great ideas, apply hard work and total dedication to the customer experience, and produce great products and services that our customers can't live without. Our commitment to excellence and our creativity enable our customers to do amazing things. We build technology that inspires people. What inspires you? Creating something new and finding solutions for complex problems? Delighting millions of people across the planet and working with world-class innovators? All of the above? Then we want to talk to you about this job opportunity. Apple's Technology Development Group works with advanced technologies, including the augmented reality (AR) platform ARKit and Metal 2, to create ground-breaking new products. We are looking for a Software Engineer with expertise in media playback to work with our team of high-performing and risk-taking innovators to create services that are out of this world. Key Qualifications 4+ years of experience in the following:

Video and Audio playback on mobile devices

3D graphics and realtime rendering, e.g. Metal

Coding skills in C++/Objective-C/Swift Description You will work with an experienced engineering team to deliver new media playback and rendering techniques and systems. Develop media player and pipelines that utilize system resources in new ways. You will assist team in researching new rendering and playback methods using your strong experience in media synchronization and playback. Looking for something new to work on that will challenge you and connect you with some of the best mobile engineers at Apple? Are you curious and love learning new things, while working with the best creative people in the industry to solve hard technical problems? As a self-starter that prefers to work with a great team, you may be the engineer we are looking for. Especially if you like to have fun with the people you work with! Education & Experience BSCS or comparable degree and/or relevant experience Additional Requirements - Decoder architecture: HEVC, AVC, AAC

- Media synchronization knowledge

- Streaming media protocols and formats, e.g. HLS and DASH

- Realtime debugging and profiling

- Ability to work in multi-functional teams

Apple's most important resource, our soul, is our people. Apple benefits help further the well-being of our employees and their families in meaningful ways. No matter where you work at Apple, you can take advantage of our health and wellness resources and time-away programmes. We're proud to provide stock grants to employees at all levels of the company, and we also give employees the option to buy Apple stock at a discount - both offer everyone at Apple the chance to share in the company's success. You'll discover many more benefits of working at Apple, such as programmes that match your charitable contributions, reimburse you for continuing your education and give you special employee pricing on Apple products.

Apple benefits programmes vary by country and are subject to eligibility requirements.

Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Apple is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. Apple is a drug-free workplace






Security Minister James Brokenshire today said the UK is at least '95 per cent' certain the Kremlin gave the green light for Russian cyber attacks designed to steal coronavirus vaccine research.

Mr Brokenshire insisted there was 'no evidence' the raids, which remain ongoing, had succeeded as he said it was 'appalling that any government should act in this way'.

Mr Brokenshire's comments represent a further escalation in an ongoing war of words with Moscow as relations between the UK and Russia continue to deteriorate.

His intervention comes after a former chair of the UK joint intelligence committee claimed Vladimir Putin must have known his spies were trying to steal coronavirus research.

Lady Neville Jones told the BBC she is 'almost certain' that the Russian President will have been aware that his operatives had sanctioned cyber attacks against pharmaceutical companies and universities in an attempt to grab top secret data on the jab.

The UK, US and Canada yesterday issued a joint security assessment which said hacking group APT 29, also known as Cozy Bear, had been launching raids against research organisations.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said the group was 'almost certainly' operating as part of Russian Intelligence Services, with officials confident the Kremlin was aware at the highest levels of the activity.

Security Minister James Brokenshire today said the UK is at least 95 per cent certain that revent cyber attacks on coronavirus vaccine research were backed by the Russian state

Lady Neville Jones told the BBC she is 'almost certain' that the Russian President will have been aware that his operatives launched cyber attacks to steal Britain's Covid-19 vaccine plans

Mr Brokenshire today said the attacks were carried out 'with the intent of extracting intellectual property and information'.

He said of the NCSC assessment: 'Their attribution is about 95 per cent plus in terms of who is responsible.'

He added: 'This is incredibly serious, it is appalling that any government should act in this way and why we have called this out.'

Mr Brokenshire said that while the attacks remained ongoing there is 'no evidence' to suggest they had succeeded in obtaining key research information.

'There is no evidence to that but obviously we do know that these groups have managed to penetrate into systems and to be able to look around and assess what information is there,' he told BBC Breakfast.

'But it is extraordinary when governments, when different organisations around the world are doing their bit, trying their hardest to secure a vaccine, to do that research, to then discover that effectively a government that is seeking to suggest that they play by the rules then to see that this sort of action should happen.

'Completely unacceptable, why we have called this out, why we will continue to call out incidents where we see that government agencies or organisations are taking steps, to ensure that there is that sense of vigilance.'

British scientists developing a coronavirus vaccine have already said it is showing 'positive signs' of working with an 80 per cent chance of it being ready by September.

Security chiefs believe the Russian-backed hacks were designed to ensure Moscow develops a vaccine first or at least at the same time as the UK, US and Canada.

Paul Chichester, director of operations at the National Cyber Security Centre, urged organisations involved in coronavirus research to shore up their defences.

He added: 'We condemn these despicable attacks against those doing vital work to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

'Working with our allies, the NCSC is committed to protecting our most critical assets and our top priority at this time is to protect the health sector.'

Oxford is leading the way on the vaccine and believe that there is an 80% chance of it being ready come September

WHAT ARE THE LEADING COVID-19 VACCINE CANDIDATES? University of Oxford Clinical teams at the Oxford University's Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group began developing the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in January, now named AZD1222 since a manufacturing partnership with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca was secured. Human trials started on April 23 and they are now in the final phase. Lead of the project Professor Sarah Gilbert told The Times she is '80 per cent' confident of its success. Imperial College London Professor Robin Shattock is leading a team working to produce a vaccine at Imperial College. Fifteen volunteers have already been given the trial vaccines and testing is expected to ramp up to include as many as 200-300 new participants in the coming weeks. A second trial, involving 6,000 people, will come later. But Professor Shattock said the vaccine won't be available until at least 2021 even if everything goes according to plan. If the jab works, the team want to make it as cheap as possible so the entire British population could be vaccinated for the 'really good value' of just under 200million. Moderna Massachusetts-based Moderna was the first US company to start human trials of its potential Covid-19 vaccine, known as mRNA-1273, on March 16. The jab has proven to trigger an immune response in all 45 injected volunteers, according to a study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine on July 14. Moderna's shot showed early promise in its phase 2 human tests last month. The company reported that it triggered antibody production on par with that seen in recovered coronavirus patients. CanSino Chinese vaccine Ad5-nCoV, made by CanSino, was the very first shot to enter clinical trials earlier this year and is a leading candidate. A trial of 108 healthy volunteers in China showed it safely triggered an immune response in participants. Results published May 22 in The Lancet showed most of the people dosed with the vaccine had immune responses, although their levels of antibodies thought to neutralize the virus were relatively low. Researchers saw a stronger ramp-up of other immune compounds, called T-cells, that might also help fight the infection off. Pfizer Pfizer and BioNTech have been working on a number of potential Covid-19 vaccines under the 'BNT162 program'. It reported positive preliminary results from the ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial of one called BNT162b1 on July 1. Data is available for the trial of BNT162b1 on 24 volunteers. The results showed that it was well tolerated and produced dose dependent immunity. Dr Kathrin Jansen, Pfizer's head of vaccine research and development, said the vaccine 'is able to produce neutralizing antibody responses in humans at or above the levels observed' in Covid-19 survivors. Pfizer received fast track designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for two of their four potential Covid-19 vaccines this month. Johnson & Johnson The drug giant started work on the vaccine in January, two months before Covid-19 was labelled a global pandemic. A vaccine trial spearheaded by Johnson and Johnson will start recruiting people in September, with clinical data available by the end of the year. An 'emergency use' batch of the vaccine is anticipated to be authorised as early as 2021, which would likely be prioritised for vulnerable people. Advertisement

Downing Street also condemned Russia's bid to steal the West's vaccine research.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'The attacks which are taking place against scientists and others doing vital work to combat coronavirus are despicable.

'Working with our allies, we will call out those who seek to do us harm in cyberspace and hold them to account.'

Security sources declined to say whether the UK has deployed its offensive cyber-capability against the Russian hackers, but said the intelligence agencies had 'a variety of ways' of responding.

Sources said the Russian attacks began in February when global concern about the coronavirus began to escalate.

They were carried out by the infamous Cozy Bear unit, which has been named as the source of a string of offensive operations against the West.

The shadowy cell has not previously been publicly linked to Russia's state intelligence service.

But a joint assessment by the UK, US and Canada yesterday said it was 'almost certainly part of the Russian intelligence services'.

It added: 'Throughout 2020, APT29 has targeted various organisations involved in Covid-19 vaccine development in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, highly likely with the intention of stealing information and intellectual property relating to the development and testing of Covid-19 vaccines.'

The allies warned that the hostile group 'is likely to continue to target organisations involved in Covid-19 vaccine research and development, as they seek to answer additional intelligence questions relating to the pandemic'.

Research projects at Oxford and Imperial are among the most promising vaccine programmes in the world. This week it emerged that a phase one trial at Oxford involving 1,000 British volunteers appeared to stimulate an immune response  potentially a major breakthrough.

Yesterday's joint report indicated that the Cozy Bear cell has had only limited success, saying it had gained only 'initial footholds' in vulnerable systems.

The NCSC has been working with British researchers and drug companies this year on shoring up their defences against attacks. Russia was the only hostile state named yesterday but sources have previously suggested that both China and Iran have made attempts to steal data.

The joint report found that the Russian hackers have deployed a range of techniques to try to infiltrate Western research establishments.

These include targeting well-known vulnerabilities in popular software, including 'virtual private network' or VPN applications.

Once inside a network, the hackers attempt to acquire the identities of legitimate users in order to maintain 'persistent access' to the system.

In some cases, the group then deploys a malware programme, codenamed 'WellMess' in order to download files or plant viruses.

Another method used by Cozy Bear is the simple technique of 'phishing'  sending emails that a recipient believes come from a trusted source.

Security sources said the hacks on vaccine programmes were largely designed to steal information rather than disrupt systems.

The report warned that the Cozy Bear cell has deployed 'widespread scanning' of vulnerabilities in order to gain access to a 'broad' range of Western establishments. In many cases the intelligence gained is 'unlikely to be of immediate use', said the report.

But the group has collected a store of 'stolen credentials' in order to access their systems 'in the event that they become more relevant to their requirements'.

A leading Russian researcher said this week that Moscow planned to begin final-stage testing of a potential vaccine next month. Russia has reported the fourth highest number of coronavirus cases, after the United States, Brazil and India. It has recorded 11,614 fatalities, a toll far lower than in similarly affected countries, but has faced questions about the reliability of its data.

Russian hackers have previously targeted the Foreign Office, and the Ministry of Defence's Porton Down laboratory in 2018 after the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia using novichok in Salisbury.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the city council to block the mayors mandate requiring residents to wear masks in public to prevent transmitting the coronavirus.

The move comes a day after the Republican governor signed an executive order that explicitly prohibits cities in his state from setting their own rules on face coverings despite rising infections. A dozen cities across the state have pledged to defy his order while the state is in the grip of a public health crisis.

3,104 Georgians have died and I and my family are amongst the [106,000] who tested positive, the mayor said on Twitter. Meanwhile, I have been sued by [Governor Kemp] for a mask mandate. A better use of taxpayer money would be to expand testing and contact tracing.

The mayor announced that she and her husband had tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month, though she did not have any symptoms.

Health officials have confirmed more than 131,00 cases of the virus since the onset of the outbreak, including 3,441 new cases and 13 deaths that were reported on Thursday, the fourth straight day in which more than 3,300 new cases were identified. The states seven-day average is 3,507, its highest yet.

A record-high 2,841 patients are currently hospitalised with Covid-19 symptoms, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health, and 84 per cent of the states intensive care unit beds are occupied.

Governor Kemps lawsuit challenges the mayors push to rollback citywide business openings as well as a mask requirement that he casts as void and unenforceable.

This lawsuit is on behalf of the Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees who are struggling to survive during these difficult times, according to a statement from the governor. These men and women are doing their very best to put food on the table for their families while local elected officials shutter businesses and undermine economic growth.

In a press conference on Thursday, the mayor said she is not afraid of the city being sued and is willing to put the citys policies up against anyones, any day of the week.

Governor Kemp has encouraged residents to wear masks in public but has not required them.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommends face coverings as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from travelling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the cloth face covering coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice.

This is called source control, according to the agency. The use of cloth face coverings is particularly important in settings where people are close to each other or where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

After weeks of resistance from Donald Trump and Republican governors following his lead, officials in most states have allowed jurisdictions to establish their own rules on face coverings or, in come cases, issued mandates statewide.

Across the South, Republican governors in Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee have allowed local officials to set mask rules, while Republican governors in Alabama, Mississippi and Texas have issued mandates for most or all of the counties in their states.

Democrat governors in Kentucky, Louisiana and North Carolina also are requiring residents to wear face coverings in public.
A crucial meeting of Nepal's ruling communist party was postponed for the fifth time until Sunday to give more time to Prime Minister and the rival faction led by former premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' to sort out their differences.

The Standing Committee meeting of the Communist Party of (NCP) was scheduled for Friday but it was postponed until 3 pm on Sunday at the request of Oli and Prachanda.

Earlier in the day, the meeting was deferred for a few hours for parleys.

The meeting has been fixed for 3 pm Sunday, Surya Thapa, Oli's press advisor, tweeted.

The last time the Standing Committee meeting was held on July 2.

The party has also decided to hold a crucial meeting of its 441-member Central Working Committee (CWC), Ganesh Shah, a Standing Committee member, told PTI.

The Prime Minister's fate will now be decided in the CWC meeting that could be held next week, he said.

The CWC is authorised to take a formal decision on the 'one-man, one-post' to be implemented in the party as per the demand of the dissident group led by Prachanda, he said.

Sunday's Standing Committee meeting is expected to fix the date for the CWC meeting, which will ultimately decide the fate of Prime Minister Oli, Shah said.

The two leaders on Friday held informal talks to sort out their differences.

Friday's meeting of the 45-member Standing Committee was to decide on Prime Minister Oli's future after talks to strike a new power-sharing deal between him and executive chairman of the NCP Prachanda failed to make any headway on Thursday too.

Prime Minister and party chairman Oli, Prachanda and former premier Madhav Kumar also held an informal meeting at the PM's official residence at Baluwatar in an effort to end the intra-party strife.

During the meeting, Oli refused to resign or give up his position as chairman of the NCP.

A series of meetings tried to sort out the differences between Oli and the dissident group. But, as the Prime Minister didn't accept their condition of a one-man-one-post, the talks failed, party sources said.

Top NCP leaders, including 'Prachanda', have been demanding Prime Minister Oli's resignation, saying his recent anti-India remarks were "neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate." They are also against Oli's autocratic style of functioning.

The differences grew further after Oli said that some of the ruling party leaders are aligning with the southern neighbour to remove him from power after his government issued a new political map incorporating three Indian territories.

The Prachanda- faction rejected the allegations, saying it is them who have asked for resignation, not India.

They asked Oli to show evidence to support his allegation.

Prachanda has said that he will not allow the party to split and any attempt from anywhere to weaken its unity would hurt the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and natural disasters.

Last Friday, the meeting of the Standing Committee was postponed for a fourth time at the last moment, citing floods and landslides in the country.

The differences between the two factions of the NCP, one led by Oli and the other led by Prachanda on the issue of power-sharing, 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.)
EDWARDSVILLE  The citys public works department launched multiple sewer upgrade projects last year and this year.

City Engineer Ryan Zwijack provided the public services committee with an update on these projects and on some future plans Tuesday.

First up was an update on a pair of screw pumps that were purchased separately last year. Each pump has a 10 million-gallon daily capacity. Lakeside Equipment Corp. made them, and Haier Plumbing installed them for a total cost of $313,870. The project is complete, Zwijack said.

Next, he discussed the Ridge View Road Regional Lift Station that has been under construction at the southwest corner of Ridge View and Governors Parkway. Zwijack said it is nearing completion.

Kamadulski Excavating and Grading Co. installed more than 5,000 feet of gravity sewer, built a lift station with two, 15-horsepower submersible pumps for $1.7 million and a change order on Tuesdays agenda added $28,405 to that tab.

The change order was necessary for an additional steel casing installed for the directional bore to get the casing pipe underneath Governors Parkway and to the toe of the slope and away from the pavements edge. Staff asked the contractor to accelerate the project to connect to Anderson Hospital in time for its state inspection.

The committee voted in favor of the change order unanimously.

This lift station was built to prepare for an expected wave of development in an area bordered by Governors Parkway on the north, Ridge View on the East, Goshen Road on the south and District Drive on the west. Anderson Hospitals new expansion site is an example of this development.

A longer-range project involves the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Zwijack said it is renewed every five years and defines allowable load limits and effluent concentration limits.

New items that were added to the citys permit this year are a phosphorus removal feasibility study; a phosphorus discharge optimization plan; submit capacity, management, operations and maintenance (CMOM) plan; limit total phosphorus to 0.5mg/L by Jan. 1, 2030; and annually submit fiscal data.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has really been cracking down on nitrogen and phosphorus, Zwijack said. He referenced the Dead Zone that appears annually in the Gulf of Mexico off of the Louisiana coast. It is an area of hypoxic water (oxygen less than 2 parts per million ((ppm)), so full of nitrogen and phosphorous that anything needed oxygen to breathe cannot exist.

Our treatment plant goes to the Mississippi River, the Mississippi River goes to the Gulf of Mexico. Those nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, create a heavy oxygen demand on water sources. It creates algae growth and that algae takes up all the oxygen and that oxygen depletion harms other wildlife, he said.

He said the city phosphorus rate is 2.5 mg/L and there are two ways to remove it, biologically or chemically.

The biological method doesnt work very well with how our treatment plant is laid out, he said. We have just a typical aeration plant, that goes through a clarifier, which settles out waste first, goes through an aeration tank and another clarifier, which works well for a nitrification process.

Phosphorus needs a different process, he said, and studies will need to be completed over the next 18 to 24 months to achieve the EPAs objective. The citys sludge storage tank is near capacity (one million gallons) and the citys lime stabilization will need to be expanded, too.

Next, Zwijack talked about the Old North Interceptor project and its two parts. This is a project that covers most of the downtown area, where the sewers are a century old.

Crawford, Murphy and Tilley (CMT) were brought in to do a flow analysis and to survey the Old North Interceptor sewer, which collects water and sewer, from North Main Street, Kansas Street, Chapman, Hillsboro and most of the northeast section of town, which all goes to the wastewater treatment plant. He showed a sewer map circa 1902.

During our flow analysis, we started with wet- and dry-weather flows, he said, which was done between Jan. 1 and June 30. In high wet-weather flows, huge spikes happen during rainfall, which means the system infiltration into the sanitary sewers from pipes and sump pumps.

The next step they wanted to do is a smoke test for $16,500 from Sheppard, Morgan and Schwaab, Inc (SPS). He asked to get this testing done now during the dry season and before Chapman, Hillsboro and Buchanan streets are resurfaced next year.

The committee unanimously voted in favor of the professional services agreement with SPS.

Well pump smoke into the sanitary sewers [along those three streets in the vicinity] and see where it comes out, he explained. If it comes out of a storm sewer outlet, we know weve got a direct tie-in. If it comes out from someones clean-out, well know we have inflow and infiltration (I&I); if it comes out through the ground, we know we have a crack in the main.

Next up, is the project that lines the sanitary sewer and underside of the manhole covers. Zwijack said it has an annual budget of $300,000 for the sewers and $75,000 for the manholes. His department has tracked where mains have been lined since 2012 through this year, as well as mains his department plans to line through 2024.

In other committee action, it unanimously voted in favor of awarding a spring 2020 pavement patching contract to RCS Construction for $237,900 for street patching in the Esic area  Esic Drive, Prairie View Meadow and Partridge. A second patching contract is coming for the following subdivisions: Willowcreek, Bennington, Goshen Meadows, Southcrest Estates, Hunters Pointe, The Oaks, Williamss Estates and Country Club Manors. The department hopes to get this second bid out during August. These projects are funded via the citys motor fuel tax (MFT).

The next public services committee meeting will be July 28 at 5 p.m.

Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at (618) 659-5735
Pennsylvanias hospitals will still be required to send key coronavirus data to the state amid the Trump administrations move to strip the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of its role in coronavirus data collection.

Information about COVID-19 hospitalizations, bed capacity, protective equipment and ventilators disappeared from the CDC website only to return this week with a disclaimer that the figures no longer included data being funneled to a contractor of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Trump officials said the change was designed to speed up reporting under a single reporting system but critics raised concerns about privacy, transparency and the $10 million no-bid federal contract awarded to TeleTracking, a Pittsburgh-based health data firm.

Nate Wardle, a spokesman for the state Department of Health, said Thursday that the federal reporting shakeup does not exempt hospitals from reporting the information to the state.

Hospitals will need to continue to report data to the department, as they have been [doing] for several months now, he said, in a written statement. We hope that any further reporting requirements asked of them by the federal government does not detract from their ability to provide health care services to those in need, or require further changes and modifications.

READ MORE: Getting tested for coronavirus in Pa. is becoming more difficult amid wave of new infections

Thus, hospitalization data at the state level should remain unchanged  for now  although he noted that public health officials may face difficulty when seeking reliable information from other states.

Our public-facing data will not change and . . . we do not expect it to affect our work, Wardle said. However, it may affect our ability to look at data from other states, and nationally, but there are other groups that are tracking this data as well.

One example: Johns Hopkins University, who launched one of the first and most popular coronavirus tracking dashboards, sources its data directly from the states  not the CDC nor HHS.

What worries me, Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Jennifer Nuzzo told CNBC, is that we seem to be pushing rather suddenly in the midst of what feels like a very urgent time in terms of surging cases that were seeing across the country. The question is, what are we going to lose in this transition, and in particular at a moment where we really dont want to lose any ability to understand whats happening in hospitals.

The changes in federal reporting came amid a resurgence of cases nationwide, hospitals being stretched to the limit in places like Texas and increasing tension between President Donald Trump and his public health advisors, including a public spat with infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci and Trumps criticism of the CDCs school reopening guidelines.

Trump administration officials said the changes were not punitive. Instead, they were designed to create a single repository for hospitalization data.

We needed to collect this data as fast as possible, HHS spokesman Jose Arrieta said, in a written statement. Thats why we created [this project], a secure set of capabilities powered by eight commercial technologies for sharing, parsing, housing, and accessing COVID-19 data.

READ MORE: School districts race against the clock, coronavirus and Trumps tweets to plan reopening

But a number of public health experts remain skeptical of this plan to turn oversight to a private company overseen by a federal agency run by a political appointee. The move marks a significant change: the CDC has overseen public health data collection for decades.

Placing medical data collection outside of the leadership of public health experts could severely weaken the quality and availability of data, add an additional burden to already overwhelmed hospitals and add a new challenge to the U.S. pandemic response, said Thomas File, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, in a written statement.

Coronavirus data, he said, must be collected and reported in a transparent and trustworthy manner and must not be politicized.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington state, raised concerns about the no-bid contract with TeleTracking. The existing system, she wrote in a letter to officials at the CDC and HHS, already had capacity to expand to growing needs without the added time and expense of switching over to a brand new system.

The new system seems to create a second mechanism through which hospitals could report the same information already collected through [that system], she wrote.

READ MORE: State of coronavirus in Pennsylvania: Where do the counties rank?

In Pennsylvania, at least, hospitals will still be expected to use the existing reporting system, raising the possibility of duplicated efforts. Its also unclear where the data sent to the new system will end up. So far, at least, HHS has not launched a coronavirus data dashboard of its own.

Spokeswoman Rachel Moore said the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania looks forward to working with the state and federal officials to align . . . reporting but did not comment on how the changes impacted actual hospital systems.

Amid a surge of new COVID-19 infections, Gov. Tom Wolf this week imposed new restrictions on restaurants, bars and indoor gatherings. He also said hes willing to pull the plug on school reopenings.

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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On Friday, opposition parties including RJD, Congress, RLSP and HAM wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora urging him to reassess conducting the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. Contending that the COVID-19 situation in Bihar is rapidly worsening, the parties called for an informed decision regarding holding the elections. They requested the CEC to evolve a mechanism that protects the health of democracy as well as that of people.

Opposition parties including Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Hindustani Awam Morcha, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, and Loktantrik Janata Dal write to Chief Election Commissioner, ECI appealing to ensure 'substantial public participation & level playing field in 2020 Bihar polls'. pic.twitter.com/nwww8DjyYy  ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2020

Read: COVID-19 Claims 14 More Lives In Bihar; Caseload Crosses 20,000

Pointing out that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Bihar badly, the political parties highlighted the existence of 89 containment zones in Patna and lockdown being re-imposed in 16 districts of the state. Currently, there are 21,764 confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Bihar out of which 14,018 patients have been discharged while 197 fatalities have been reported. Moreover, they claimed that there are many more infected people who haven't been tested. According to them, there was a possibility of Bihar having more than a million novel coronavirus cases by October-November, when the election is scheduled to take place.

Read: 'RJD Family Drowning In Corruption': Bihar Road Min Dismisses Bridge Collapse Criticism

Opposition slams virtual election campaign

While acknowledging that the people of Bihar were "eagerly waiting" to get rid of a government formed against the mandate, the political parties such as Congress and RJD questioned how the Election Commission of India planned to ensure the physical distancing of at least two yards during the voting process. Moreover, they expressed apprehension that the entire poll exercise can become a super spreader event. Thereafter, they mentioned that the ruling parties had advocated prohibiting traditional election campaign methods and stressed on a virtual campaign through digital media.

Citing that only 34% of people own a smartphone, the political parties contended it would be a "travesty of unpardonable proportion" to allow a campaign mode which is exclusionary by design. Moreover, they observed that the ECI had not fixed the expenditure limit for the virtual political campaign. Noting that it was the constitutional mandate of the ECI to ensure a level-playing field to all political parties and free and equal participation of voters, they affirmed that conducting elections as a mere formality would be a travesty of the democratic process. For instance, the opposition reckoned that lower voter turnout shall have a damaging impact on democracy.

Read: Bihar Polls: EC Not To Extend Postal Ballot Facility To Voters Aged Above 65

Read: Districts In MP, Bihar, Telangana Most Vulnerable To COVID-19 Pandemic, Says Lancet Study
Hopes that Covid-19 survivors have long-lasting immunity is growing as scientists now believe crucial disease-fighting stay in the body for many years.

Leading immunologists said T cells - a type of white blood cell in the immune system - are produced by almost everyone infected with the coronavirus.

Until now most of the attention on immunity has focused on antibodies, substances made by the immune system to fight off a virus before it takes hold.

But Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London, described antibodies as 'precarious' and transient.

Evidence is beginning to suggest that antibodies disappear in as little as eight weeks after infection with the coronavirus, scientifically called SARS-Cov-2.

On the other hand, T cells - which target and destroy cells already infected with the virus - are 'durable', Professor Altmann said.

Professor Mana Maini, a viral immunologist at University College London, added that there is a 'good chance' T cells are long-lasting, a finding she described as 'really important and exciting'.

It has been feared that those who have fought Covid-19 will not be protected from catching it again because of the rapid decline in antibody levels.

But scientists admitted they still don't know how long immunity lasts, given that the SARS-CoV-2 is still shrouded in mystery because it has only existed since December 2019.

Leading immunologists said T cells - a type of white blood cell in the immune system - are produced by almost everyone infected with the coronavirus (stock)

Professor Altmann, who this evening published a review of scientific knowledge about T cells in the Science Immunology journal, stressed that as of yet, there is no proof that T cells protect against Covid-19 if someone were to catch it again.

But he nodded towards several pieces of research in the past few days that give hope that they do.

Speaking at a Science Media Briefing today, he said: 'T cells look frequent, activated and long-lasting.

'They look rather durable and seem to be getting made in virtually all exposed people, by that I mean everybody from severely hospitalised people to PCR negative household contacts of cases.'

Professor Altman pointed to a recent paper from Stanley Perlman, an immunologist at University of Iowa, who he described as being 'like the godfather of coronavirus immunity'.

SARS PATIENTS HAVE T CELLS 17 YEARS LATER Scientists have found SARS patients still have crucial disease-fighting cells 17 years after infection. SARS  another type of coronavirus very similar to the one that causes Covid-19 was behind an epidemic that predominantly struck Asia in 2003. No cases have been identified for 15 years. But some infected during the outbreak still have key white T cells, suggesting they would be protected from ever getting re-infected. The study led by Duke-NUS Medical School, in Singapore, published in the scientific journal Nature this week, involved 23 SARS patients. They collected blood samples and tested whether they still harboured any immune cells that were effective against SARS. Investigations showed all patients 'still possess long-lasting memory T cells' reactive to the virus. The findings 'support the notion that Covid-19 patients will develop long-term T cell immunity,' the researchers wrote. This could be significant for vaccine research because it helps scientists understand how long a vaccine would protect a person before before another booster shot is needed. In further experiments, the scientists mixed blood samples with fragments of SARS-CoV-2 to see what happened. The cells showed 'robust' reactivity against SARS-2 in all patients by latching on to them. To explore the subject of immunity further, 37 volunteers who had never been infected with either SARS-1 or SARS-2 were recruited. They wanted to see if infection with other human coronaviruses that have been around for centuries offered some kind of protection against Covid-19. The researchers found 'remarkable' levels of T cells able to latch on to the Covid-19 virus in 50 per cent (19) of the participants. 'Surprisingly, we also frequently detected SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells in individuals with no history of SARS, Covid-19 or contact with SARS/Covid-19 patients,' the authors wrote. They believe these T cells may exist due to previous infection with another coronavirus  of which there are seven that can infect humans. Advertisement

Published in the journal Immunity on July 14, the study reviewed the evidence of humans' immune response to Covid-19.

Professor Altman said: 'His paper has a lot of background evidence that would support that in general for coronavirus, T cells can do the business.'

T cells are a type of white blood cell that are a key component of the immune system and help fight off disease.

'Killer T cells' fight off a pathogen, while 'helper T cells' signal for action in other parts of the immune system when they notice a cell has been invaded.

T cells are often considered a first line of defence in response to a pathogen while antibodies are kicked into action later on.

Professor Maini said: 'Antibody response seems to wane quickly in people with mild coronavirus infection. We've seen that in previous coronavirus infections.

'Emerging studies are showing T cells are being generated to a wide spectrum of viral proteins. The fact they may last better than antibodies is really important and exciting.'

She also pointed to a scientific study published yesterday, that showed people infected with SARS in 2003 still have high levels of T-cells now, 17 years later.

The same Singaporean team previously discovered antibodies for SARS were undetectable after two or three years.

SARS  another type of coronavirus very similar to the one that causes Covid-19 was behind an epidemic that predominantly struck Asia in 2003. No cases have been identified for 15 years.

The findings 'support the notion that Covid-19 patients will develop long-term T cell immunity,' the researchers wrote in the journal Nature.

Professor Maini said: There is quite a lot of evidence from other systems, not just SARS, that T cells tend to be long lasting.'

She added there is increasing data showing that what scientists call 'residence T cells' that fight infection locally - in the lungs in the case of Covid-19 - have 'really long lives'.

Professor Maini said: Theyre very good at staying and turning over slowly in the tissue and being able to be ready to mount an immune response many years later.

'We've just shown this in the liver - we can track T cells surviving more than a decade later. So I think there is a good chance the T cells will be long lasting.'

Professor Altmann said there was enormous attention being given to the role of antibodies in the early days of the pandemic.

Antibody tests - also known as the 'have you had it' tests - were expected to be game-changing in the understanding of how many people have had the virus.

But some people who are certain they have had the coronavirus, or have even had a lab-confirmed positive test, do not show antibodies several weeks after recovering.

'The caveat now is we don't see it is as reliable measure of prior infection as we first thought as because some people might have waning antibody levels by 8 or 10 weeks,' Professor Altmann said.

He said this might mean the prevalence of the virus in the population may have been much higher than thought.

The prevalence surveys so far commissioned by the Government have used antibody tests and suggest up to eight per cent of England have had the virus.

But if people have already lost their antibodies they would not come up as positive.

Unfortunately commercial tests to measure T cells appear very far off because they are difficult to measure.

If T cell testing does become possible, Professor Altmann said it may be a much more reliable marker of immunity in the world.

The role of T-cells also suggests a vaccine against Covid-19 will give lasting protection.

The vaccine developed by Oxford University, for which the first results are to be published on Monday, is expected to demonstrate a strong T-cell response.
In recent weeks, fighting between the Burmese army and an ethnic armed group has intensified in Burma's Rakhine State, threatening thousands of civilians.

The Burmese military has been fighting the Arakan Army - an ethnic armed group that has lodged a number of grievances against the central government  in Rakhine and Chin states, with violence escalating significantly since January last year.

A joint statement issued by the Embassies of the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, and Canada stressed that Access for humanitarian organizations must be allowed to provide appropriate response, particularly as communities respond to COVID-19 and the monsoon season.

The joint statement called for the protection of civilians, their property and livelihoods by all parties. The displacement of local communities along the Kyuaktan village tract will contribute to Rakhines growing internally displaced population, the statement said. Were aware of reports of burning of property, shelling and the arrests of villagers. The U.S., Australia, United Kingdom, and Canada call on all armed actors to exercise restraint while in areas inhabited by local communities, said the statement.

In the meantime, the Rohingya, an ethnic and religious minority group, continue to face dire conditions in refugee and displacement camps in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, and in Rakhine State. Many have sought refuge in nearby countries,including Indonesia. The U.S. commends the government of Indonesia and local authorities in Aceh for their response to arrival of 99 Rohingya refugees on June 24 in Indonesian waters.

We applaud Indonesias humanitarian actions with respect to this vulnerable population and for serving as a leader within ASEAN on this pressing issue, said State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus. It sets a strong example for countries in the region and the entire international community.

Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict in Rakhine and Chin States. Dialogue between armed actors is urgently needed. State Department Spokesperson Ortagus reiterated the call for a cessation to fighting, peaceful dialogue, renewed efforts to protect local communities and access for humanitarian organizations. Furthermore, the Burmese military has obligations under the International Court of Justice to protect Rohingya and others from further harm.
New Delhi: A Special Operations Group (SOG) team on Friday (July 17) went to Manesar in Gurgaon to question MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, as part of its investigation into two audio clips which allegedly indicate a plot to bring down the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan.

The SOG team reached Hotel ITC India in Manesar but it failed to see the name of MLA Bhanwarlal in the hotel register. It returned empty-handed after probing the hotel officials at the reception.

The team was, however, stopped for some time by the Haryana police from entering the hotel. The SOG team then left for the second hotel in Manesar where some of the MLAs led by rebel Congress leader Sachin Pilot are said to camping.

Earlier in the day, the Congress had alleged that senior BJP leader and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also figured in the clips, which surfaced on social media.

Union minister Shekhawat and MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma have rejected the charge that they figured in the audio clips.

On the basis of the name appearing in the conversation, Congress party's chief whip Mahesh Joshi filed two FIRs with the SOG today.

In one of the two FIRs, the name of Sanjay Jain along with a minister and Congress MLA has been mentioned. As the audio surfaced, SOG immediately detained Sanjay Jain and questioned him for about 12 hours on Thursday.

The Ashok Gehlot government has accused Sachin Pilot and other dissident Congress legislators of destabilizing the government after which an investigation into the case has been started.
Rapper Kanye West has qualified to be in the Oklahoma election ballot, but it is still unclear as of Wednesday if he was still in the race, with reports saying he was ending his short-lived campaign.

According to an Associated Press report, a representative of West filed the paperwork and paid the $35,000 fee Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday was the deadline for a spot on Oklahoma's Nov. 3 presidential election ballot, said the state's Board of Elections spokeswoman Misha Mohr.

Two other independent candidates paid the filing fee before the deadline, Mohr added. West will share the election ballot with concert pianist Jade Simmons and cryptocurrency entrepreneur Brock Pierce.

Given his late entry into the race, West already missed the deadlines to appear on the ballots of half a dozen states.

The news on the filing came shortly after Steve Kramer said West was dropping from the 2020 race. Kramer is an adviser who said he was hired to help get West's name on ballots by getting signatures in key states, reported The Hill.

"He's out."

New York Magazine's The Intelligencer talked to Kramer about West's campaign when, as they followed up on the signature-gathering, Kramer said, "He's out."

Kramer said he let the publication know once they "get all our stuff canceled."

An hour after that exchange, West posted a video on Twitter that showed him registering to vote for the first time at the county's clerk office in Cody, Wyoming.

'Kanye 2020' Committee filed under FEC

On Thursday morning, West filed a Federal Election Commission Form 2 Statement of Candidacy. The form is submitted if someone raised or spent over $5,000 in campaign activity, giving them candidacy status under the federal campaign finance law, reported Rolling Stone.

A rep of West refused to comment. But FEC said that the Kanye 2020 committee filed their Form 1 on Wednesday. The commission added that they could not confirm if the filing was legitimate and said to reach out to the treasurer listed in the filing.

The Form 1 is known as the Statement of Organization. It declares the Kanye 2020 as the "Principal Campaign Committee" for West.

The party is listed as BDY. West said this stands for the Birthday Party, TMZ reported.

This is a proper first step towards his White House bid.

The Campaign Trail, So Far

West, married to reality TV star Kim Kardashian West, announced his election run on July 4.

"I am running for president of the United States! #2020VISION," he tweeted.

West said he would run as an anti-abortion and anti-vaccine candidate. He said this is due to his religious beliefs.

West said he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

West said he has never voted in elections in his life. But, if he becomes president, he said he plans to run the White House like Wakanda's secret fictional country in "Black Panther."

After the rapper announced that he would run for president, he had 2% of the votes in an election poll done by Redfield & Wilton Strategies.

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By Aisha Jabbarova

The Non-Aligned Movement's Coordinating Bureau has held an emergency session upon Azerbaijans initiative to discuss the recent Armenian provocation on the Azerbaijani border, the Foreign Ministrys press service reported on July 16.

Addressing the meeting, Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov spoke about the military aggression on the border that started with Armenias firing artillery at Azerbaijans Tovuz region on July 12 as well as about Azerbaijans retaliatory military operations.

Bayramov stressed that Azerbaijani civilians and civilian facilities have also been targeted by the Armenian troops against the international humanitarian law.

The minister state that Armenian was deliberately staging a provocation on the border with the intention to divert the attention from the countrys socio-economic, financial and political crisis that has been further worsened due to COVID-19.

He stressed that Armenia's actions were a serious violation of international law in general, as well as the Bandung Principles, which form the basis of the Non-Aligned Movement.

The minister said it was important that that the international community condemns Armenias provocation on the border and ensures that the conflict is resolved in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

He also thanked the states who have demonstrated a principled position in their support for Azerbaijans territorial integrity.

It should be noted that an Azerbaijani civilian in Tovuzs Aghdam village was killed in Armenian attack on July 14.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNews
President of the Union of Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamyan took to his Facebook to report that he has discussed the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov.

I informed the minister about the statement on the start of military operations on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border adopted during the session of the Unions board, expressing concern about the provocative statements of the leaders of Turkey and Azerbajian and their threats aimed at destabilizing the situation in the region. I also told the minister about the activities that the Union of Armenians of Russia is carrying out, including the efforts aimed at preventing manifestations of the conflict on ethnic grounds in the Russian Federation, Abrahamyan wrote.

According to Abrahamyan, Lavrov assured that Russia, as a country that is interested in the establishment of peace and security in the region, has already taken several actions to stop the military operations on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and stabilize the situation.
The last few years of his life, every Saturday, Karl Fenske had a tradition.

Get breakfast at the Hy-Vee, where he would always wait until the last minute to order his food so he could talk to everyone. After, he walked around town, popping in to see how his fellow gear heads were doing and how they did at the Mississippi Thunder Speedway the night before.

Every Saturday morning, he came over to ask how we did on Friday night, four-time MTS Modified season points champion Josh Angst said. If I didnt win, he was never happy. What do you have to do to get better? If you got second, he would go Well, why did you get second?

Fenske unexpectedly passed away July 3, 2019, at the age of 63 after complications to a surgery removing a cancerous growth on his neck. His death left behind a large void in the racing community.

For decades, his No. 99 car was a mainstay in tracks across southeastern Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin, and his impact on the sport was second to none. The effect he had will be on full display Friday when the Mississippi Thunder Speedway honors him with the inaugural Karl Fenske Memorial Race. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

We wanted to do something to be able to honor his memory and what he did for the sport in our area, speedway owner Bob Timm said.

Fenske was the ultimate competitor.

In fact, according to longtime friend and former pit crew member Dave Thill, instead of settling for second, hed sometimes wreck the car on the last lap.

Second place was never the answer, Thill said. He would do anything for a win.

Timm knows that from experience.

We had lots of heated moments on the track, Timm said with a laugh. I can remember one time, I think we were at Deer Creek Speedway. We ended up running into each other so much during the race, a yellow came out. I ran into him, and then he ran into me and we were just destroying our own equipment. It got to the point where I was like, Man, Im not going to have anything left after tonight.

I remember driving up on the infield just to get behind an official just to make sure he would quit running into me. I dont think that was the first time that ever happened either.

For that, it seemed people either loved or hated him. But always the ultimate showman, people always came to see him race.

When I was five-years-old, my dad would race street stocks (in Fountain City), and I remember watching Karl and I knew back then there was two types of people, those that loved him and those that hated him, Timm said. And it didnt matter whether you were a fan or not, you still came to watch because he was there. Love him or hate him, he brought people to the racetrack and raised awareness and made fans of the sport.

Fenske was known to lose his temper at times, and it sometimes landed him in trouble  like when he flipped off the grandstands at Kasson, including the Budweiser sponsor that was there.

He was a hothead no doubt about that, Thill said with a laugh.

But for those that knew him off the track, Fenske was a special person.

Few could match his work ethic, as he worked tirelessly at the familys auto body shop  Fenskes Auto Sales and Auto Body Shop  always ensuring he had his cars body looking brand new.

Few could also match his infectious smile or his compassion for others, something that many didnt get to see.

He wasnt the guy I thought he was at all while we were racing each other, Timm said. He had a lot of compassion for people, animals and what was going on in the community and all things you would think he would have nothing to do with.

He was just an overall good guy.

If you needed something, he would provide it.

When I made the move from go karts to stock cars, he was always there to help us, said Eric Thill, Dave Thills son. We didnt have a trailer to go pick up our car or for the first few races, so we used Karls truck and trailer. I didnt have a set of scales to help set up the car, so I would go and borrow Karls almost every weekend. I think a lot of people maybe didnt see that side, but he was always willing to help young and upcoming racers like myself and many others.

But even after his racing career, hes well known in the community just for his smile and laugh and his ability to be very friendly with people.

The impact he had on racing is evident in just the amount of money people have donated for Fridays race. Originally the payout for the winner of the USRA Modifieds feature on Friday was scheduled to win $1,999. Now, after donations, the winner of the Modifieds feature will win $5,099, with second through ninth place also seeing a significant bump in prize money. The top racers from around the country, including Rodney Sanders from Texas, are expected to deliver a top notch racing experience.

Its been exciting to see the amount of people that clearly either really had a lot of respect for Karl or really liked Karl, track promoter Tyrone Lingenfelter said. Its going to be a great turnout.

I would expect a lot of cars with that pay, said Angst, who has been working with Fenskes family on a special surprise for Fridays race. We should get a lot of extra cars, and I would think the fans are going to come. I talked to a few that are coming just because its the Karl Fenske Memorial Races.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio  New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will require travelers from Ohio to quarantine upon arrival, a result of the recent spike in coronavirus cases in the Buckeye State.

Visitors to the three states from Ohio and 21 other states with recent increases in cases will be required to quarantine for 14 days after arrival. New Jersey and Connecticut require self-quarantine while New York will impose a fine and possible mandatory quarantine on anyone who skirts the new rules.

New Yorks success in fighting the COVID-19 virus is under two threats: lack of compliance and the virus coming to New York from other states with increasing infection rates, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. We have already implemented a quarantine order for travelers coming in from states with the highest infection rates, but we are experiencing non-compliance with the order that can lead to outbreaks and threaten the tremendous progress weve already made.

Visitors to New York are required to fill out a traveler health form either at the airport or online if arriving by road. Cuomo's office said those who leave without completing the form face a $2,000 fine and could be brought in for a hearing and ordered to complete mandatory quarantine.

The three states formed the list to help curb the spread of coronavirus. In April, New York was the epicenter of the disease. After weeks of declining cases, the state has since seen an uptick.

Travelers from states with either a positive test rate of 10 per 100,000 residents over a seven-day average or with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a seven-day average are subject to the quarantine.

Ohios addition to the list comes following a surge in cases over the past three weeks, with a 21-day average of more than 1,000. On Friday, the state tallied a record 1,525 cases.

The full list of states is as follows:

 Alabama

 Arkansas

 Arizona

 California

 Florida

 Georgia

 Iowa

 Idaho

 Kansas

 Louisiana

 Minnesota

 Mississippi

 North Carolina

 New Mexico

 Nevada

 Ohio

 Oklahoma

 South Carolina

 Tennessee

 Texas

 Utah

 Wisconsin

Read more cleveland.com coverage:

Ohios new color-coded coronavirus alert system guidelines leave a lot of room for interpretation

New Ohio House bill would make Feb. 26 Dr. Amy Acton Day

Gov. Mike DeWine cancels Tuesday coronavirus briefing, the first scheduled since the state hit a record number of cases

Cuyahoga County births more likely to be spaced apart than others in Ohio
New Delhi: The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) will shortly release JAC Intermediate 12th Result 2020 on Friday (July 17) on its official website jac.jharkhand.gov.in. The Jharkhand Board will release results for all the streams of class 12th (intermediate)  Arts, Commerce and Science at 5 pm.

The Jharkhand Board 12th Result 2020 was earlier scheduled to be announced at 1 pm which was later delayed to 5 pm citing some unavoidable circumstances.

Once declared, students can check the JAC 12th Result 2020 by entering their roll number, roll code on the official website. Results can also be seen via SMS. Over 3 lakh students had taken the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) intermediate examination.

Here's how to check Jharkhand Board Class 12 results online:

Step 1: Go to the jac.jharkhand.gov.in website

Step 2: Click on the link and fill in the required details like your roll number, roll code

Step 3: Click on Submit and get your result

Step 4: Take a printout of the scores for future reference

Around 3 lakh students had appeared for JAC 12th exams 2020. It must be borne in mind that the online results are only provisional in nature, hence the students will have to approach their respective school for obtaining the original marksheets.

In 2019, the JAC declared class 12th Results in May. Usually, JAC announces the result by May, however, the 2020 Board Result result has been delayed due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the spread of deadly virus in the country. The pass percentage of Arts was at 79.97 percent, Commerce at 70.44 percent and Science at 57.01 percent in 2019.

The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) declared the Jharkhand Board Class 10 examination 2020 result on July 8.

According to JAC, a total of 75.01% students managed to clear the class 10th exam successfully. A total of 3.85 lakh (3,85,144) students appeared in Jharkhand Board Class 10 examination 2020, out of which 2.88 lakh students cleared the secondary exam successfully. The pass percentage in 2019 was 70.81 per cent, while it was only 59.56% in 2018.

Boys outshone girls with a pass percentage of 75.88% while the pass percentage of girls was 74.25%. Out of 1.8 lakh (1,80,532) boys who appeared in the exam, 1.37 lakh (1,37,003) cleared the exam successfully, while 1.51 lakh (1,51,925) girls managed to clear the exam out of 2.04 lakh (2,04,612) appeared.
The British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is pulled from its berth by tugs before its maiden voyage, in Rosyth, Scotland, Britain in 2017. [Photo / VCG]

The British Navy will dispatch its HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier to the South China Sea in early 2021 for a joint exercise with the US Navy and Japan Self-Defense Force to counter an increasingly assertive China, reported The Times, a British newspaper, on July 13. Londons decision to deploy the aircraft carrier all the way to make waves in the South China Sea, in an attempt hedge its bets on Brexit, will only drag down its international reputation rather than refresh its global presence.

From 2017 to 2019, the UK vowed almost every year to send the aircraft carrier to patrol the South China Sea, but never did. For instance, the then British defense minister Gavin Williamson said in 2019 that they would deploy aircraft carriers to the South China Sea to demonstrate hard power, but the prime ministers office criticized his remarks, and Gavin was fired in May that year.

According to Zhao Junjie, a researcher at the Institute of European Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the UK cannot dispatch aircraft carriers to the South China Sea as easily as the politicians sounded since the deployment has to be approved by the parliament. The move would also meet stiff opposition from the public as it would cost a fortune.

Not being an Asian country and located far away from the South China Sea, the UK is so actively stirring up trouble in the region to uplift its international influence thats been falling after Brexit. In 2016, the British government put forth the idea of Global Britain after the Brexit referendum to maintain its global influence, in which Asia played an important role according to a document submitted by British Foreign Ministry to the parliament. Against such a background, meddling in the South China Sea issue on a high profile and sticking its nose into Asia has become an important way for the UK to realize its vision for Global Britain while maintaining global influence.

Moreover, in the past few years, the US believed its European allies had failed to share its pressure of tackling the China threat in the Asia Pacific, while the UK, also an American ally, has the secret wish to fortify its relationship with Washington by interfering in the South China Sea affairs. In the past decade or so, European countries have mostly only expressed their concerns orally but didnt really care about the South China Sea. In contrast, London hopes to pose as a European power that takes strong interests in matters out of its region through active engagement in the South China Sea, so as to elevate its position in the international community. However, according to Zhao Junjie, the UK doesnt have a strong military force in the global stage with its declining post-Brexit comprehensive strength, which makes its high-profile participation in the South China Sea issue just a tactical tag-along of the US rather than a strategic pivot.

Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic have plunged British society into a mire of dilemmas. IMFs June forecast expected the British economy to contract by more than 10% in 2020, while UKs Office for Budget Responsibility recently stated that the country might see the biggest annual GDP drop in 300 years as the economy wasnt likely to get back to the pre-pandemic level until the end of 2022. Given such a pessimistic economic outlook, London should have enhanced its economic and trade exchanges with China and other Asian-Pacific countries to boost its economic recovery. Yet, it has willingly served as Washingtons chess piece in the South China Sea, a shocking manifestation of its lack of strategic vision. Zhao held that both the exclusion of Huawei in its 5G network and its engagement in the South China Sea issue have demonstrated Londons traditional diplomatic thinking of following Americas lead.

Patrolling the South China Sea may give the UK the illusion of being the empire it was once, which, however, is nothing but a pipe dream. After all, a Britain that doesnt have an independent foreign policy and is heavily dependent on the whims of others does not deserve the self-proclaimed title of Great Britain.

Disclaimer: This article is originally published on haiwainet.cn and translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
Ontarios independent commission examining the long-term-care home problems exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic will be announced as early as next week, says Premier Doug Ford.

I need answers just as badly as you ... and the people want answers, Ford said Friday in Kitchener.

More than 1,700 residents and eight staff members have died in Ontario long-term-care homes since the pandemic hit in March. Thats almost two-thirds of the provinces COVID-19 deaths.

The premier said details of the commission will come over the next week or so.

Well be announcing the folks there and they have a lot of credibility, Ill tell you, he said.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, who is demanding a full public inquiry into long-term care, has warned the Ford-appointed commission will not be free of government control.

The NDP will keep fighting for an independent, find-and-fix public judicial inquiry into long-term care, Horwath said earlier this week.

Fords comments Friday came as the Progressive Conservative government announced it had installed Humber River Hospital as interim manager at Villa Colombo in North York.

Ford said three long-term-care homes are in code red  and considered high risk  and could also be taken over.

So far, Ontario has assumed management of 11 nursing homes that have failed to cope with coronavirus outbreaks.

Under provincial emergency legislation, Queens Park is empowered to install a temporary manager  person, corporation or hospital  at a long-term-care home.

But the law does not allow the province to effectively seize a long-term-care home, which are independently owned and operated.

I wont hesitate to get any hospital to take over long-term-care homes to protect the most vulnerable people in those homes, said Ford.

The government said despite receiving help from Humber River Hospital for weeks, Villa Colombo has been unable to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Our government will continue to act to keep Ontarians safe, especially our most vulnerable people in long-term care, said Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton.

I am confident that the talented staff at Humber River Hospital and Villa Colombo will work together to combat COVID-19, said Fullerton.

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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The co-founders of a major hemp products producer want federal regulators to develop procedures and guidelines for commercial haulers of hemp and hemp-processing materials.

In a white paper submitted to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Motor Carrier Advisory Committee (MCSAC) this week, Brett Goldman and Steve Bevan, co-founders of GenCanna Global, asked the committee to consider defining standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all compliant hemp, as well as develop guidelines for transporting non-compliant "work in process" hemp materials across state lines.

Their experience in hemp transportation revealed the need for those SOPs to "include training of drivers, bills of lading and cargo manifests, copies of hemp licenses, and coordination with law enforcement (in certain cases)," according to the co-founders' paper.

"All competent business operators  from the farm to the store shelf  want compliance above all. Simply demonstrating traceability along with regulatory compliance satisfies this need, as it does for all other crops and foods/supplements derived from those crops."

Goldman and Bevan, who are also founding members of the US Hemp Roundtable, which lobbies on behalf of hemp producers and makers of hemp-generated cannabidiol (CBD), also recommend creating guidance for how law enforcement interprets and enforces federal hemp transportation regulations.

"All transportation of hemp must be legal, but there is clearly an area where federal and state regulations are in conflict," they assert in their white paper. "The kernel of the issue is strict compliance with federal law. The 2018 Farm Bill...provides the federal umbrella for approval of state and tribal sanctioning of the hemp industry."

The federal authorization legalizing hemp, however, has not prevented truckers from getting stopped, fined and even jailed for transporting the product, including a high-profile case in Idaho last year.

Story continues

An interim final rule (IFR) issued last year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) attempts to resolve the federal-state conflict by prohibiting states from stopping the transportation of hemp, even in states without hemp production programs.

But Goldman and Bevan point out that the rule has "some glaring omissions," including oversight of the transport of federally non-compliant materials created during the processing phase that have levels of tetrahydrocannabinol  known as THC  greater than 0.3%. Such non-compliant materials are known as "work in process" that must be transported for final processing.

While many states have added regulatory policies for moving those materials from one permitted processor to another within the state, "at this time we are unaware of any federal regulation that would allow for the legal transportation" of work in process with THC above 0.3% across any state, according to the co-founders.

"The IFR...authorizes states and tribes to regulate all aspects of hemp growing but is silent on hemp processing. Processing is the key to unlocking hemp's economic value chain, and like other agricultural commodities, is often beyond the scope of USDA."

As far as regulatory jurisdiction, Goldman and Bevan assert that USDA will drive policy development but with sign-off from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. "Effectively, this means that the work in process' is landlocked within each state as there is no existing federal regulatory framework that enables interstate transportation."

After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February, GenCanna subsequently sold its assets to funds managed by its long-term investor, MGG Investment Group.

MGG announced in June that the transaction "will enable GenCanna to maintain its operations in Kentucky as a leading standalone CBD and wellness business with significantly reduced debt and substantial new capital to pursue growth opportunities."

Related articles:

Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi Constituency in the Volta Region, Hon Nelson Dafeamekpor has hinted that the NDC will seek a review of the judgement by the Supreme Court on the birth certificate case.



The full judgment written by Justice Prof. Ashie Kortey held that the birth certificate does not offer an identity to a bearer as a proof of citizenship.



The court however compares the birth certificate to another document it has already rejected; the National Health Insurance Cards with the conclusion that it is actually better than the Birth Certificate.



But Hon. Dafeamekpor has indicated in an interview that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has set up a committee to review the ruling, then after decide on the way forward.



We are studying it as a party. It has far reaching consequences, because for the Supreme Court to pronounce categorically without giving justification that where a person who is in possession of a birth certificate issued by the statutory institution, Births and Deaths Registry of the Republic of Ghana, does not in any way link the content of that birth certificate to the identity of the bearer is problematic, he said.



He therefore added that the Supreme Court in its ruling failed to analyze the issue of identity but proceeded to make a categorical statement; emphasizing that a persons identity does not always mean that you must look at their photograph.



The Minority in Parliament has described as absurd the reason given by the Supreme Court for its judgment against the use of birth certificate as a proof of citizenship.



According to the NDC MPs, the judgment itself contains a grave error in which the main complainant, the National Democratic Congress, (NDC) is referred to as National Democratic Party (NDP).

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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

Featured Video
The process for reopening the University of Alabama continues as the school released the plan for coronavirus testing.

All students will need to test negative for COVID-19 before returning to campus for classes beginning Aug. 19. The tests will be free as part of the federal CARES Act and there are options for how they are conducted.

The negative tests must be recorded within 14 days (two weeks) before returning to campus for any official activity. Students will receive an email in a few weeks with further instructions and options to take tests in person or at home.

There will be 14 testing sites around the state, though the UA website does not list specific locations. UAs website suggests taking the in-person tests at least three days before the expected return date. The first tests will be administered July 26.

At-home kits are designed for out-of-state students and include a nasal swab that needs to be mailed back to the lab. All results from the in-person and mail-in tests will be sent directly to the Student Health Center, according to UAs announcement.

Private testing is also an option, but expenses will not be paid by the school. Tests can cost up to several hundred dollars depending on insurance coverage. Results from private testing should be sent to the Student Health Center.

There are exceptions for those who have previously tested positive. Those who had COVID-19 within the past 12 weeks need to only provide those test results and proof they recovered.

Those who test positive in these return-to-campus tests will need to self-isolate. They must receive clearance from a health care provider before you return, according to the UA announcement about testing.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.
Jerry Essoh, 38, a drivers mate, is to die by hanging at Sekondi, for killing his wife, Janet Yankey, 34, over prolonged marital issues at Ewusiejoe in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region, in December 2014.



Prosecutors say the accused shot his wife, Janet, alias Borloh Mansah, and bolted from the scene.



Before she delivered the sentence last Wednesday, the presiding High Court judge, Mrs Justice Hannah Taylor, told the jurors to limit their decision on the evidence in the court room and not to consider anything outside court proceedings.



Later, the jury after recess, returned a verdict of guilty of murder against Essoh, and, consequently, the court pronounced a death sentence on the accused.



Counsel for Essoh, Emmanuel Tsibua, told the jury that the Republic had not led sufficient evidence which showed that the accused caused the intentional death of Miss Yankey, and therefore, asked the court to return a verdict of not guilty against the accused.



The prosecutor, Principal State Attorney, George Sackey, asked the jury to return a verdict of guilty on Essoh, since from the evidence, the accused intended to cause the death of the victim without provocation.



He recalled that, Janet Yankey, alias Borlor Mansah, wife of the accused, stayed at Ewusiejoe togetherwith Essoh for 15 years and they had eight children.



Essoh, he told the court, did not perform any formal marriage rites on the deceased despite persistent demands for these rites to be done.



Mr Sackey said in the evening of December 22, 2014, Essoh, who was a drivers mate of a cargo truck, subjected Miss Yankey to severe beatings, and so, she packed her belongings to her grandmothers house, insisting she would not return until the accused had performed the marriage rites.



On December 27, 2014, he said, the accused sneaked into his fathers bedroom, picked a single barrel shot gun and a cartridge and kept it in his own room.



Later, at about 10:30 pm on the same day, Essoh picked the gun and walked towards the deceaseds grandmothers house and upon reaching the area; he hid the gun in a nearby bush and went to the house, where he invited the deceased to accompany him to his house to spend the night.



The deceased refused and this resulted in an argument. Essoh rushed to the nearby bush and picked the shot gun, aimed it at the deceased who was then carrying her two-year-old daughter at the back, killing her instantly and injuring the two-year-old baby girl, the prosecutor added.



Mr Sackey said Essoh fled the scene and went to the house of the uncle where he reported the incident and handed over the gun to him and then sneaked out and sought refuge elsewhere.



After investigations, the accused was charged with the offence of murder and put before this court, he stressed.

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
President Donald Trump speaks during an event about regulatory reform on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on July 16, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Trump Touts Rollbacks on Regulations, Cutting Red Tape in Speech

Deregulation 'creating greater opportunity and prosperity for all Americans,' Trump says

President Donald Trump touted his administrations record of rolling back regulations and cutting red tape in a speech on the White House south lawn Thursday.

Trump said that before he came into office, American workers were smothered by a merciless avalanche of wasteful and expensive and intrusive federal regulation. These oppressive burdens and mandates were a stealth tax on our people, slashing take-home pay, suppressing innovation, surging the cost of goods and shipping millions of American jobs overseas.

Were here today to celebrate and expand our historic campaign to rescue American workers from job-killing regulations. pic.twitter.com/FfI96DLbga  The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 16, 2020

According to a White House fact sheet, U.S. federal agencies have taken more than seven deregulatory actions for each significant regulatory action, reducing regulatory costs by $50 billion. The administration is also focusing on reducing outdated regulations, increasing federal agency transparency, and aligning federal and state laws and regulations.

In February, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce led 45 organizations representing broad interests throughout the country in forming a coalition to back Trumps proposed reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Southern Environmental Law Center has sought an injunction in federal court blocking the Trump administrations planned changes.

The White House said Wednesday that the administration is working to modernize and accelerate environmental reviews under the NEPA, so that infrastructure can be built in a timely, efficient, and affordable manner, while U.S. farmers would continue to gain from the reversal of the burdensome Waters of the United States rule introduced by the Obama administration.

NEW NEPA GOAL: 100% of environmental reviews completed in 2 years #NEPAModernization pic.twitter.com/X1bm5TphcC  WHCEQ (@whceq) July 16, 2020

Environmental impact statements will have to be completed within two years, and environmental assessments within one year, in what the Trump administrations says are common sense reforms to slash unnecessary government bureaucracy. Currently, the average environmental impact statement is over 650 pages long, with federal agencies taking an average of four and a half years to conduct an environmental assessment, according to the White House.

For the first time in 40 years, President Donald J. Trump is taking action to right-size the Federal Governments environmental review process, the White House said.

Additionally, the rule will expand public participation and the involvement of Tribal governments in the NEPA process, the Council on Environmental Quality said of the administrations push to modernize.

Deregulation and the Cost of Red Tape

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the Rebuilding of Americas Infrastructure: Faster, Better, Stronger in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 15, 2020. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Deregulation benefits low-income households in particular, as they are disproportionately burdened by excessive red tape, the White House said. The fact sheet gave examples for the deregulation of prescription drugs and internet access, which helped the poorest Americans more than wealthier citizens. In addition, a council was set up to reduce regulations on affordable housing.

The Trump administration has also sought to replace Obama-era automobile fuel and efficiency standards with the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles rule, which the White House says will make cars more affordable for low-income Americanscutting up to $2,200 off the price of a new car, according to the Council of Economic Advisers.

Household Income

Deregulatory actions will also increase annual household income by $3,100 or more, the administration said.

At the macro scale, 20 of the deregulatory actions taken by the Trump administration are expected to save U.S. households and businesses some $220 billion per year, according to the White House, with the SAFE Vehicles rule alone increasing real household income by an estimated $53 billion per year over an eight-year period.

The previous administration added over 16,000 pages of heavy-handed regulations to the federal register, Trump said. Thats why nothing got done. Under my administration we have removed nearly 25,000 pages of job-destroying regulations, more than any other president by far in the history of our country.

Emel Akan contributed to this report.
Intelligence and Security Committee: Russia report to be published within days

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 3:54 PM

The report into Russian influence in UK politics, which has been suppressed for over nine months by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is to be published before July 22, when parliament breaks up for the summer.

The nine-member Intelligence and Security Committee ISC has announced the report shall be published before July 22, when parliament breaks up for the summer.

The unanimous decision by the ISC comes a day after Boris Johnson was humiliated by the defeat of his chosen candidate to chair the influential committee, former cabinet minister Chris Grayling.

Mr Johnson, despite earlier assurances by Downing Street that it was for the committee and not the prime minister to select its chair, dismissed long-standing Conservative MP Julian Lewis from the party whip on Wednesday after he successfully stood against Mr Grayling in a vote of ISC members.

Dr Lewis today condemned as "improper" No 10's attempt to install the former cabinet minister, nicknamed "failing Grayling" after a series of mishaps as justice and transport secretary.

In a statement after its first meeting under Dr Lewis's leadership, the ISC said: "The committee has unanimously agreed this morning that it will publish the report on Russia prepared by its predecessor before the House rises for the summer recess. There will be no further comment."

The report, completed last March under Dr Lewis's predecessor Dominic Grieve and presented to Mr Johnson in October last year, is understood to contain details of the Kremlin's attempt to gain influence in the higher echelons of UK politics and to influence the outcome of votes like the 2016 EU election.

Mr Johnson has persistently delayed its publication by first refusing to clear it for publication before December's general election and then by waiting seven further months before nominating new members to the ISC. This has led to speculation that it contains highly embarrassing details of links between wealthy Russians and the Conservative Party.

Member of Parliament for New Forest East, Dr Lewis, said he did not respond to a call to vote for Grayling in yesterday's ballot, as the 2013 Justice and Security Act explicitly removed the right of the prime minister to choose the ISC chairman and gave it to the committee members.pol

"It was only yesterday afternoon that I received a text asking me to confirm that I would be voting for the prime minister's preferred candidate for the ISC chair," he said.

"I did not reply as I considered it an improper request. At no earlier stage did I give any undertaking to vote for any particular candidate."

A senior government source said Dr Lewis had had the Conservative whip withdrawn because he had been "working with Labour and other opposition MPs for his own advantage".

There have been widespread reports of a concerted effort to get the Tories on the committee to vote for Mr Grayling, despite Downing Street having publicly declared it did not have a favoured candidate for the post.

"In recent days, the official No 10 spokesman explicitly denied that the government was seeking to 'parachute' a preferred candidate in to the chair, stating that it was a matter for the senior parliamentarians on the committee to decide," he said.

"It is therefore strange to have the whip removed for failing to vote for the government's preferred candidate."

Mr Johnson's choice of Mr Grayling to head the ISC  which oversees the work of the intelligence agencies MI5, MI6 and GCHQ  drew heavy criticism from across the political spectrum because of his lack of experience in security matters.

Dr Lewis, on the other hand, is a former chairman of the Commons Defence Committee who has taken a close interest in defence and security issues throughout his time in Parliament.

In a further blow to the Prime Minister, Dr Lewis's local Conservative association declared its "full support" for the MP.

In a statement, the chairman of New Forest East Conservatives, James Hartley-Binns, said: "Julian has acted no differently to when he democratically won the chairmanship of the Defence Select Committee in 2015.

"Our association is therefore disappointed and dismayed in any attempt to remove the party whip".

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, former ISC chair, blamed Mr Johnson's "incompetence" for the fiasco that saw his hand-picked choice for the chair defeated.

"I think the prime minister is the author of his own misfortune," said the Conservative former foreign secretary.

It was set down in an Act of Parliament that the chair was chosen by the nine nominated members, with No 10 having "no role", he explained.

"The idea of using the whips to try and force Conservative members to vote for a particular candidate goes totally against the way in which the committee has  under statute  operated since it began," Sir Malcolm said.

"The prime minister or his advisers, whoever was dealing with it, has handled this in an extremely incompetent way."

The committee is seen as increasingly important as the intelligence agencies gain greater powers to intercept and hold data, and amid growing concerns about the activities of Russia and China.

Committee members are given privileged access to classified information and receive confidential briefings by security chiefs, but decide themselves which controversies to pursue.

Sir Malcolm said he did not know if Mr Johnson's top aide Dominic Cummings was behind the original plot, but added: "If it had succeeded, that destroys the whole purpose of the intelligence and security committee."

"Whoever is advising him deserves to be stripped of their responsibility at this very moment."

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The concept of consent is irrelevant under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, but a high court (HC) is empowered to pass orders to ensure justice, the Bombay HC said last Monday (July 13) while granting bail to a Mumbaikar, who was arrested for raping a minor.

Justice Sandeep Shinde granted bail to the rape accused, Dnyaneshwar Navghare, primarily on the ground that the 14-year-old survivor was mature enough and the sexual act was consensual.

Looking into the case of the prosecution, prima facie, I am of the view that the victim possessed the mental capacity to actively understand the nature, circumstances, and consequences of the (sexual) act to which she had consented, said Justice Shinde.

Navghare was arrested on July 10, 2019, on the basis of a statement given by the minor rape survivor to the police.

She had alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Navghare, a married man, and three other persons on separate occasions.

The minor rape survivors stepmother had lodged a missing complaint on June 14, 2019, after she had upped and left her house in a fit of rage. She was purportedly fed up with the harassment meted out by her stepmother and decided to leave her home.

She wandered aimlessly in the city after she left her home and travelled by a Mumbai suburban train.

Later, she also went to Chennai.

Upon her return to Mumbai, she was allegedly raped by four persons, including Navghare, separately.

Justice Shinde noted that the minor rape survivor had left her house voluntarily and accompanied more than one person at different places. She went to Chennai, met a stranger, and again returned to Mumbai with him and his friend.

Her statement revealed that after returning to Mumbai she had met a person called Hussain, with whom she had a consensual sexual relationship.

Soon, some passerby handed her to the Mulund police station authorities, but she introduced a stranger as her family member and went away with him.

The minor rape survivor was born in a Muslim family, but had got both her Islamic name and religion changed, as a gazette notification revealed.

These revelations prompted the HC to come to the conclusion that the minor rape survivor was capable of understanding the nature and consequences of the sexual acts that she had given her consent to.

The HC has ordered Navghare to be released upon furnishing a personal surety bond of Rs. 30,000.
Currently lodged in Taloja prison, the two activists said that they were in in 'proximity' with Varvara Rao who gas tested positive for coronavirus

Mumbai: Activists Anand Teltumbde and Vernon Gonsalves, accused in the Elgar Parishad-Koregaon Bhima case, have approached the Bombay High Court after co-accused and Telugu poet Varavara Rao tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Teltumbde and Gonsalves, currently lodged in Taloja prison, have sought that they too be tested for the infection.

Rao has been moved to St George Hospital near CST.

In their plea through senior counsel Mihir Desai, Teltumbde and Gonsalves have said that they should be tested since they were in "proximity" with Rao.

The plea is likely to be taken up for hearing on Monday, Desai said.

The petitioners said there exists a "grave risk" to their lives, as they are under imminent threat of contracting coronavirus or they might have already contracted the same since they had been in close contact with Rao.

As per the plea, Gonsalves was assigned the duty of being Rao's aide in the prison by the authorities.

He helped Rao with his daily chores since the poet was fighting for his life, battling ill health for months, the plea said.

Teltumbde has further said that he too was admitted in the jail hospital during the time that Rao was kept there earlier this month, and, therefore, he must be tested for coronavirus.

Gonsalves and Teltumbde also suffer from hypertension and various chronic illnesses, respectively, and thus, run a greater risk of contracting the virus, the plea said.

"The petitioners are high risk category candidates as both of them are senior citizens with underlying health ailments," the plea read.

Both activists have urged the court to ensure COVID-19 tests are conducted as soon as possible, and they be kept in isolation in jail where physical distancing is possible.
SAN FRANCISCO AND WASHINGTON, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Mental Health Index by Total Brain, the number of employed adults at risk for mental health conditions remained alarmingly elevated when comparing February, pre-pandemic, with June. Data, released today, shows:

54%  Depressive Disorder PTSD General Anxiety Disorder Addiction 49%  41%  11% 

Decreasing mental health amid COVID-19 remains a very real concern; however, the June Index offered some good news. Between May 3 and June 28, 2020, against the backdrop of a reopening economy, the ending of the school year and a seemingly receding virus, the Mental Health Index showed a decrease in the number of women at risk for depressive disorder (27% ) and general anxiety disorder (20% ).

"It is not surprising that the renewed level of activities in June brought an improved environment for the mental health of American workers," said Michael Thompson, President & CEO of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance). "However, we are seeing that this comes at a price as the virus reasserts itself in many parts of the country. The key going forward will be strategies that can mitigate both the virus and its indirect impact on the mental health of our workers."

The Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition is a monthly report put out by Total Brain, a leading mental health and brain performance self-monitoring and self-care platform. The Mental Health Index is distributed in partnership with the National Alliance, and One Mind at Work. Data is culled from clinically valid assessments using standardized, scientifically based digital tasks and questions from the Total Brain platform. To see the full Index results, visit www.totalbrain.com/mentalhealthindex.

"The Mental Health Index gives business leaders and policy advocates a unique lens to examine the state of mental health among U.S. workers," explained Louis Gagnon, CEO, Total Brain. "The numbers do not lie. There is a mental health crisis in our country and the data supports our case for increased attention on employee mental health among HR leaders."

Garen Staglin, Chairman of One Mind at Work, commented, "The need to address workplace mental health has never been more important as the levels of anxiety, depression, PTSD and other mental health conditions are dramatically impacted by the continuing stress, uncertainty and economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. We hope that these insights will motivate everyone to increase their efforts to help employees and their families cope with this mental health crisis."

For more information and additional insights on findings from the Mental Health Index, Total Brain, the National Alliance and One Mind at Work are hosting a complimentary webinar on Friday, July 17 at 12 p.m. ET. Speakers joining Gagnon, Thompson and Staglin are Colleen McHugh, executive vice president, American Health Policy Institute and Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke Psychiatry. To learn more and register: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3806035773333986571.

Methodology

The Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition by Total Brain contains data drawn from a weekly randomized sample of 500 working Americans taken from a larger universe of Total Brain users. They include workers from all walks of life and regions, job levels, occupations, industries and types of organizations (public vs. private). The data is not survey data. It comes from a mix of validated tasks and questions that are part of a unique neuroscientific assessment of the Total Brain. The participant assessments used to compile the Mental Health Index were taken weekly from February 3 to June 28, 2020. The assessment questions are identical to Total Brain's standard assessments.

About Total Brain: Total Brain is based in San Francisco and publicly listed in Sydney, AUS (ASX:TTB). Total Brain is a mental health and wellness monitoring and support platform that has over 800,000 registered users. Benefits for employers and payers include productivity improvement and healthcare cost reduction. Follow Total Brain on Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook .

About the National Alliance: The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) is the only nonprofit, purchaser-led organization with a national and regional structure dedicated to driving health and healthcare value across the country. Its members represent private and public sector, nonprofit, and Taft-Hartley organizations, and more than 45 million Americans, spending over $300 billion annually on healthcare. To learn more, visit nationalalliancehealth.org, connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About One Mind: One Mind at Work is a leading mental health non-profit that catalyzes comprehensive action across the scale of the brain health crisis, working from science to patients to society. Moving towards its VISION of HEALTHY BRAINS FOR ALL, One Mind is accelerating treatments and cures for mental disorders and providing hope to patients and their families. Launched in 2017, One Mind at Work is a global coalition of leaders from diverse sectors who have joined together with the goal of transforming approaches to mental health and addiction. One Mind at Work now includes more than 25 global employers and 18 research and content partners. The coalition covers nearly 6 million people under its charter.

For More Information

Contact: Kelly Faville

Rocket Social Impact

978-621-6667

[email protected]

SOURCE Total Brain

Related Links

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He was killed in shelling when trying to save a wounded Ukrainian soldier.

The military medical officer who was killed in shelling by Russia-led forces in Donbas several days ago had Estonian citizenship.

This information was confirmed by Estonia's Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu, according to the ERR English-language online portal.

Read alsoEU: Killing of Ukraine medical officer in Donbas violates Minsk, Normandy agreements

Reinsalu told ERR on Thursday the deceased man was granted citizenship in 2016 by naturalization after renouncing Belarusian citizenship.

"He came to Estonia in 2006 as a scholarship holder under a project and had refugee status," Reinsalu said.

He said the status and role of the man's activities in Ukraine were to be clarified with the Ukrainian authorities.

"In Estonia, the rule is that Estonian citizens can operate in military units of other countries with the permission of the government," the foreign minister said, adding that to his knowledge no valid permit has been issued at present.

Ukraine has not yet officially confirmed that an Estonian citizen died in the war.

As UNIAN reported, a Ukrainian military medic was killed on July 13 as Russia-led forces fired on an evacuation team of Ukraine's Joint Forces near the village of Zaitseve in Donbas, eastern Ukraine. The team wearing white helmets with identification marks was just a few meters from the body of the earlier killed soldier when the enemy opened fire from rifles, then from grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns. As a result, the military medic was killed, one serviceman was wounded, while another one sustained a combat-related injury.
Project lead Ayrat Dimiev has been working on this topic since 2012, when he was a part of Professor James Tour's group at Rice University. First results saw light in 2014. That paper, which has amassed 490 citations at this moment, dealt with the mechanism of turning graphite into graphene oxide (GO). Dr. Dimiev later transferred to the private sector and resumed his inquiries in 2017, after returning to Kazan Federal University and opening the Advanced Carbon Nanomaterials Lab. The experimental part of this new publication was conducted by Dr. Ksenia Shukhina and Dr. Artur Khannanov.

Natural graphite, used as the precursor for graphene oxide production, is a highly ordered crystalline inorganic material, which is believed to be formed by decay of organic matter. It is extremely thermodynamically stable and resistant to be converted to the organic-like metastable graphite oxide. On this route, it goes through several transformations, resulting in respective intermediate products. The first intermediate product is graphite intercalation compound (GIC). GICs have been intensively studied in the second half of the 20th century. In recent years they gained renewed interest due to the discovery of graphene and related materials. The second step of the complex reaction, i.e. the conversion of GIC to pristine graphite oxide, remained mysterious. The most interesting question was about the nature of species attacking carbon atoms to form covalent C-O bonds. For many years, it was conventionally assumed that the attacking species are the manganese derivatives like Mn2O7 or MnO3+. In this study, the authors unambiguously demonstrated that the manganese derivatives do not even penetrate graphite galleries; they only withdraw electron density from graphene, but the actual species attacking carbon atoms are water molecules. Thus, reaction cannot proceed in fully anhydrous conditions, and speeds up in presence of small quantities of water.

Another new finding, registered by Ksenia Shukhina for the first time, was the imaginary reversibility of the C-O bond formation, as long as the graphite sample remains intercalated with sulfuric acid. The as-formed C-O bonds can be easily cleaved by the laser irradiation, converting GO back to stage-1 GIC in the irradiated areas of the graphite flake. After careful analysis, this "reversibility" was interpreted by the authors as the mobility of the C-O bonds, i.e. the bonds do not cleave, but freely migrate along the graphene plane for micron-scale distances. The discovered phenomena and proposed reaction mechanism provide rationale for a range of the well-known but yet poorly understood experimental observations in the graphene chemistry. Among them is the existence of the oxidized and graphenic domains in the GO structure.

The results of this fundamental study give a comprehensive view on the driving forces of the complex processes occurring during the transformation of graphite into graphene oxide. This is the first time such a multifaceted description of a dynamic system has been made, and this is the result not only of newly obtained experimental data, but also of many years of reflection on the issue by the project lead. Understanding these processes will finally let one to control this reaction and get products with desired properties. This applies not only to the final product of graphene oxide, but also to the entire family of materials obtained by exposing graphite to acidic oxidizing mixtures: expanded graphite, graphene nano-platelets containing from 3 to 50 graphene sheets, graphite intercalates, and doped graphene. As for graphene oxide itself, its successful use has already been repeatedly demonstrated in such areas as composite materials, selective membranes, catalysis, lithium-ion batteries, etc. However, the use of graphene oxide is hampered by the high cost of its production and the lack of control over the properties of the synthesized product. The published research addresses both of these problems.

Currently, work is ongoing to study the interaction of graphene oxide with metals. The researchers are firmly convinced that this process is based not just on electrostatic attraction, or on non-specific adsorption, as it is commonly believed, but on a chemical interaction with bond formation through the coordination mechanism. The objective now is to describe the complex reaction mechanism of the rearrangements, leading to the metal bonding in the dynamic structure of graphene oxide.

###

The research is supported by Russian Science Foundation, grant 16-13-10291.

The paper has been made available online in early access and will see light in print in September 2020.
How a community heals itself may rest on what it finds.

For decades, efforts to reckon with this traumatic part of the citys history made only halting progress. That began to change this week, when a team assembled by the city began excavating the first suspected burial site.

But in Tulsa, where descendants of both survivors and perpetrators of the massacre still live in the same community, 99-year-old wounds are still fresh. Rumors of mass graves have been passed down through generations of families, Black and white.

For decades, many Americans had never heard of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

One spring evening in the early 1980s, Maria Brown, a Black nursing assistant in a Tulsa retirement home, visited the room of one of her favorite residents. He was a well-traveled white man in his 70s and she often sat and listened to his stories. That day, she asked about growing up in Tulsa.

Ms. Brown, now 80, remembers how he began. You know about that riot? he asked. Shed lived in Tulsa for years by then, but she had no idea what he was talking about.

He said, Ill tell you what happened.

The aftermath of the massacre, June, 1921. National Red Cross Photo Collection/Library of Congress

The Booker T. Washington High School band marched in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade on Greenwood Avenue.

A man riding horseback in Greenwood before the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade. Laiasia Walker, who graduated from Broken Arrow High School, posed for graduation pictures along Greenwood Avenue.

A Juneteenth celebration last month in Greenwood.

From left, Aaren, Alaina and Meisha Hall, of Broken Arrow, Okla., reading from a memorial marker near the Greenwood Cultural Center.

For decades, this was how the memory of one of the deadliest race massacres in U.S. history was preserved: through personal recollections and hushed conversations. Schools did not teach about what happened on June 1, 1921, when thousands of white men and women, enraged that armed Black Tulsans had come downtown to prevent a lynching, attacked what had been one of the most prosperous Black communities in the country.

The white mobs looted scores of businesses, burned over a thousand homes and killed an untold number of residents of the Greenwood district. Estimates of the death toll range from 36 to 300, with long-told stories of bodies stacked like cordwood, tossed into pits or dumped into the Arkansas River.

When it came to the official history of Tulsa, for much of the 20th century it was as if the massacre had never happened.

This has slowly begun to change over the past quarter-century, with a state-commissioned report on the massacre in 2001, a growing interest by historians and a greater willingness to talk about the massacre among the descendants of its survivors.

But until this week, the city had not been committed to searching for the most visceral evidence of the slaughter, the bones of the dead. On Monday, the first test excavation began at a potential site detected by archaeologists on the grounds of Oaklawn Cemetery, the oldest graveyard in Tulsa.

A staircase from a demolished home in the overgrown woods on Sunset Hill, just a half-mile from downtown Tulsa. Black Tulsans made a last defensive stand on the hill on the day of the massacre.

Plaques line the sidewalks in Greenwood, marking locations where businesses and homes were destroyed. Rubble from a building in the historic Greenwood district that was demolished to make way for the new headquarters of WPX Energy.

A tree grows beneath the Detroit Avenue bridge where the Frisco train station was located in 1921. The Frisco, S.F. and Katy rail stations, which bordered Greenwood to the south and west, acted as gathering points for white mobs before the attack.

On the night of the massacre, white mobs gathered on the south side of what was then the Frisco tracks, an informal boundary between downtown Tulsa and the Greenwood neighborhood.

Trees and a few scattered headstones sit in a family cemetery near Muskogee, Okla. Bob Patty, a former Tulsa police officer, claims to have been shown a photograph from 1921 at the police station nearly 50 years ago depicting a mass grave, with bodies wrapped in tarps and law enforcement officials standing around the site. The gates of Hell was wide open that day, he said of the massacre.

The smallest twine may lead me, reads a quote from William Shakespeare painted on a wall at Oaklawn Cemetery near downtown Tulsa in July 2019. Just over a year later, crews have begun an excavation at this spot in hopes of finding remains of victims of the massacre.

The mayor of Tulsa, G.T. Bynum, who is white, announced the planned excavations in 2018, nearly two decades after a similar attempt was halted before it began. Uncovering the truth, the mayor wrote at the time of his announcement, was a matter of basic human decency.

Locating possible mass graves has required the use of forensic science, along with sparse records and stories that have been handed down through generations, as a state-commissioned report put it in 2001. In one case, they were the boyhood recollections of an 88-year-old man who remembered seeing Black bodies in wooden crates.

The part of town that was invaded had been nicknamed Black Wall Street because of the once-thriving community there. Today, the Greenwood district is testimony to official disregard. The district was steadily rebuilt only to be slowly strangled by an expressway overpass and the kind of urban renewal projects that devastated Black working-class neighborhoods across the country. Parts of Greenwood, once a byword for Black prosperity, now sit mostly empty, strikingly so for a neighborhood just next to a thriving downtown.

You would hear stories about what it was, said Chief Egunwale Amusan, president of the African Ancestral Society in Tulsa. His grandfather fled Greenwood during the massacre and returned to Tulsa, only to have his home taken under eminent domain decades later. When he would ask his grandfather where all these businesses went, the answer was terse: They just dont exist anymore.

The church was not rebuilt until five years later in 1926.

The Rev. Dr. Robert Turner speaks to the congregation of Vernon A.M.E. Church during Sunday services, the day before the excavation began at Oaklawn Cemetery.

Eight chairs sit in two rows in a prayer room in the basement of Vernon A.M.E. Church. The basement was the only part of the church to survive the burning of the neighborhood. The current structure of the church is built on that basement. Dr. Turner looks through slats of the attic, rebuilt five years after the massacre.

After plans for an excavation at Oaklawn were dropped in 2000, the city mostly stopped discussing the search for the mass graves.

But a few people kept the idea alive, including Vanessa Hall-Harper, a Black member of the City Council whose ancestors witnessed the massacre and who has long been pushing for the excavations. At the end of a routine community meeting in 2018, the Rev. Dr. Robert Turner, who had recently moved to Tulsa, stood up and asked the mayor about restarting the search.

Mr. Bynum said he would.

Dr. Turner was a student of Americas historical sins, having been born in a Tuskegee, Ala., hospital where scientists had performed syphilis experiments on Black men years earlier. He had moved to Tulsa to take over the pulpit at the Vernon A.M.E. Church in Greenwood. The church basement, he would learn after arriving, is the only structure in the neighborhood that survived the massacre.

The thought of the mass graves touched me on a visceral level, Dr. Turner said. The white people who participated in the slaughter were never held accountable, he said. They were most likely laid to rest decades later in funeral ceremonies, their graves visited by family members. For Black victims dumped into pits, their family thought they just went missing.

Dr. Turner joined the small group in Tulsa who had been pressing for a public accounting, including Ms. Hall-Harper and J. Kavin Ross, a local historian whose father Don Ross, a former state legislator, had for decades been one of the only figures in Tulsa to talk openly about what happened in 1921.

They pushed for excavations to begin, for reparations for the descendants of victims and survivors, and for consequences for the perpetrators, potentially including the local authorities who had deputized hundreds of white men before the attack and helped march thousands of Black residents into internment camps afterward. Dr. Turner began making solo pilgrimages to City Hall, where he would read passages from the book of Isaiah over a bullhorn, about healing the broken-hearted and repairing ruined cities.

On Wednesday, Dr. Turner arrived at his usual spot to find a group of white people already gathered to protest an ordinance requiring masks to combat the coronavirus. As he spoke, the protesters mocked him, threw water at him and flashed cash in his face when he talked of reparations. They started chanting U.S.A. in my face, like Im not an American, said Dr. Turner, clearly shaken. Im just as American as they are. My ancestors built this country.

A march for reparations related to the 1921 massacre. Dr. Turner leads a demonstration at City Hall each Wednesday and then marches back to Greenwood.

Vanessa Hall-Harper, vice-chair of the Tulsa City Council, a descendant of survivors of the massacre. It is my goal that our ancestors  who were brutally murdered and placed in mass graves  are given to their families and receive a proper burial so we as a city can have closure. Oklahoma State Representative Regina Goodwins great-grandfather was a businessman at the time of the massacre. These are sacred lives deserving of a more peaceful resting place.

Community members, activists, city leaders, clergy and children staged a die-in beside the only two known grave markers for massacre victims at Oaklawn Cemetery. Ground-penetrating radar has identified multiple locations in the cemetery where anomalies could indicate the presence of mass graves.

Jordan Mason, 24, a FedEx delivery driver. Everything that the people are saying is bad in the BLM movement, like the looting and burning down, that was what they were doing to us back then. Andre Seymore, 25. To be honest I'm from the hood, and people die everyday, and we don't find a body, he said. To me, I'm used to that. Thats been my life, my whole life. I shouldnt be thinking like that. It's 2020. We're sick and tired."

Former Oklahoma State Senator Maxine Horner, a sponsor of the original Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, spoke at the first community meeting on the investigation in 2019.

Carolyn Prewitt, 92, a descendent of people who witnessed the massacre, spoke at a committee meeting in June 2019. My mother stood at the window, looked out and saw the truckloads filled with black people and she saw them dumped into the common grave in Oaklawn Cemetery. Kamarjae Boyd, 15. How can I cope with this? And me being a black male, I should not have to go outside and feel scared for my protection because my ancestors going all the way back -- thats not fair to me, he said. I have been playing, prancing around, eating food on my ancestors, my friends ancestors, graves.

A soil collection ceremony at the location where a massacre victim, known as Mrs. Morrison, is thought to have died

Chief Egunwale Fagbenro Amusan of the African Ancestral Society holds a jar containing dirt from the location where Eddie Lockard is believed to have been killed during the massacre. Lessie Benningfield Randle, 105, one of the last known living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre.

The city had planned the test excavation for April, but the pandemic forced a delay. So the descendants of Black Wall Street, having waited 99 years, waited a little more  through the spring and into a June that was among the most tumultuous months in American memory. The day after Juneteenth, with a pandemic raging and amid a national wave of protests over police brutality, President Trump came to the city. At an arena less than a mile from Greenwood, the president referred to the Black Lives Matter protests as an unhinged left-wing mob that was trying to erase the countrys history.

The irony was not lost on Black Tulsa.

To be Black and to be Tulsan, said Dr. Tiffany Crutcher, whose brother was killed by a Tulsa police officer in 2016, is to have your history erased.

Excavations began at Oaklawn Cemetery on Monday.

Tamekia Colbert, a descendant of massacre survivors, stands for a portrait at Oaklawn Cemetery as the city begins excavations.

Angela Berg, an anthropologist with the office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Oklahoma, watches from inside an excavated section of Oaklawn Cemetery as others use hand tools to examine the area. Flowers left at the dig site on the first day of excavations.

A handmade sign put up at John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park during Juneteenth weekend.

On that afternoon some 40 years ago in the retirement home, Ms. Brown listened to the man as he described the day Greenwood burned. He told of being stranded on the outskirts of a city billowing smoke, of how a Black man rushing by took pity on him, pulling him onto his wagon and dropping him off at the house of a white family up the road.

Back in her neighborhood, about a mile from Greenwood, no one wanted to talk about it; years would go by before Ms. Brown learned the full story. Her daughter Mechelle now works at the Greenwood Cultural Center, which documents the neighborhoods history. Ms. Brown is heartened by the excavation, which she thinks of as a good start at unraveling years of concealment. But it is also depressing, she said. This has taken almost a century.

Theyre just now digging for graves, Ms. Brown said. Theyre talking about going to Mars now and I dont know how deep in the oceans theyve gone. And this is as far as weve gotten. My God.
File image

A day after India termed the second consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav as "neither meaningful nor credible," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Islamabad is willing to provide a third meeting with the Indian death row prisoner, according to the Pakistani media.

Pakistan on Thursday provided a second consular access to Jadhav, a 50-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.

The Indian government said the second access was "neither meaningful nor credible," and Jadhav appeared visibly under stress.

"The Consular Officers were not given unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional access" to Jadhav, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in New Delhi on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Qureshi, however, said the Indian consular officers were provided access to Jadhav as desired by New Delhi.

Qureshi said Pakistan was willing to provide yet another consular access to India, The Express Tribune reported.

They had objected over the presence of security officials during the meeting, we are willing even to remove those officials. If India wants another access then our offer is open. If they (India) want to meet him tonight or tomorrow, we are ready, the paper quoted Qureshi as telling a news channel.

However, there was no official confirmation neither from India nor from Pakistan whether the decision was conveyed to New Delhi.

India approached the International Court of Justice against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence.

The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July last year that Pakistan must undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay.

The first consular access under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 was earlier provided by Pakistan on September 2 last year.

Though Pakistan Foreign ministry had assured India that the consular access on Thursday would be unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional, it turned out that the arrangements of the meeting were not in accordance with the assurances made by Islamabad, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Srivastava said.

Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran.

India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy.
Cole will forever remain present in classrooms throughout the world through her "Magic School Bus" books, a staple for young readers.

"It's wonderful to know that's her legacy and to have grown up with all that writing in the house," Rachel Cole said. "Science writing and writing for kids were just a joy for her."

Rachel Cole said her mother and father were homebodies who enjoyed watching sunsets from their home in Whispering Creek and being involved with anything involving their grandchildren. Phil Cole moved to Holy Spirit Retirement Home three years after they moved to Sioux City, and Joanna moved there about a year ago, her daughter said.

Though semi-retired, Cole had recently completed "The Magic School Bus Explores Human Evolution" with longtime illustrator Bruce Degen. The book is scheduled to come out next spring. She had begun research on one more book, Rachel Cole said, but had not yet begun to write it.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 13:22:38|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW/BERLIN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia and Germany have rejected the recent U.S. threat to sanction the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, criticizing the move as disregard for Europe's energy sovereignty.

The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, stretching 1,230 km from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea, involves the construction of two pipelines with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year from the Russian coast to Germany. The project is scheduled to start operation in the middle of 2020.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Washington's threat to impose sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 as well as the second line of the TurkStream pipeline stretching from Russia to Turkey across the Black Sea is "unfair competition."

"This is a continuation of negative manifestations, a continuation of a rough line on the introduction of various restrictions, a rough pressure on European business, which includes our companies," Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

He reiterated that with its threat, the United States is trying to force Europeans to buy more expensive U.S. liquefied gas on less favorable terms.

Kremlin's statement came one day after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent fresh warnings of possible sanctions to companies involved in the two projects.

Pompeo claimed these projects are not commercial but serve as Moscow's tools to exploit European dependence on Russia's energy supplies that ultimately undermine transatlantic security.

"Companies aiding and abetting Russia's malign influence projects will not be tolerated," he noted. "Get out now or risk the consequences."

As a matter of fact, U.S. President Donald Trump has long voiced his discontentment about the Nord Stream 2 project, complaining about Germany's large payment to Russia on energy and "delinquency" on military spending.

In response to Washington's threat, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said "European energy policy is made in Europe."

"By announcing measures that will also sanction European companies, the U.S. government is disregarding the right and sovereignty of Europe to decide where and how we source our energy," said Maas in a statement.

"European energy policy is made in Europe and not in Washington. We clearly reject extraterritorial sanctions," Maas added.

Mass said that the German government had held numerous talks with the United States in recent weeks as Washington was planning to tighten a sanctions law against Nord Stream 2. The law -- U.S. Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act -- was enacted in late December 2019.

Peter Beyer, the German government coordinator for transatlantic relations, also tweeted Thursday that the United States should grant Europe comprehensive energy sovereignty. Enditem
Emmanuel Omale, founder of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry, Abuja, says he will not deny Ibrahim Magu, suspended acting chairm...

Emmanuel Omale, founder of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry, Abuja, says he will not deny Ibrahim Magu, suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), because he is a prophet sent to everyone and not just Christians.





Magu is being investigated for allegedly mismanaging loot recovered by the anti-graft agency.





The Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets (PCARA) said the former acting chairman purchased a property in Dubai using Omales name.





But in a sermon to his congregation, Omale said he does not launder money for anyone and described the allegation as a lie from the pit of hell.





The pastor said Magu is not the only Muslim who have come to his church and got results.





You see what is going on, on social media. Listen, I dont launder money for anybody, it is a lie from the pit of hell, I have sons all over the world and I pray for them. They call me for advice, for counselling and I pray for them and beyond, Omale said.





This altar is for everybody. It is for Muslims, it is for pagans and Ibrahim Magu is not the only Muslim that you used to come here, sleep here, talk to God and they have result.





Im not surprised, Jesus went through this, Jesus was persecuted, if Jesus was not persecuted they wont hear his name. People that dont know Omale, know Omale now. If I want to do this kind of publicity, the money is much all over the world, promotion. People that dont want to hear about pastor before, as they heard pastor launder money, they will go to my YouTube page and they will see the power of God there and they will become my son again.





There is nobody that will watch my YouTube page and not follow me by force. There is nobody that will see my face that will not love me.





My face was everywhere  publicity. No doubt about it, I cant deny him like the way i cannot deny all of you.





The pastor said anyone fighting him is fighting Jesus.





Prophet Omale is a prophet of liberation, give the Lord a big hand (applause). If you are Muslim in this building, outside, can you stand up? Come out here, I want to pray for you, the cleric said.





Im a prophet to everybody. Omale is not for only Christians, Omale is for Muslims, is for pagans is for everybody. This is a house of God, we dont force people to give their lives to Christ.





Prophet Omale represents Jesus on earth. If you fight me, you are fighting Jesus.




Domestic carriers IndiGo and SpiceJet have reportedly kick-started plans to wet-lease long haul planes for the United Kingdom and Europe, as air travel in these regions resume. Airlines were severely hit since March after all flights were stopped amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

SpiceJet has already leased one Airbus 330 aircraft from Oman Air for flights to London  which commence on July 27, while IndiGo is in talks for three Airbus 330 aircraft  which might play to London and Paris, sources told The Economic Times.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

SpiceJet is also looking at using Oman Airs slot at Londons Heathrow airport and is considering three more aircraft for lease, one source added. The move is likely to clear the way for their own long-haul flights over the long term, the report said.

Follow our LIVE Updates on the coronavirus pandemic here

A senior government official told the paper that the industry could bank on peoples desire for direct long haul flights in the post-coronavirus world, adding that it would be a new business opportunity for Indian airlines if they prepare themselves.

We would like to see money spent on travel coming to Indian airlines rather than going to airlines in the Middle East or Southeast Asia, they added.

Both domestic carriers have in the past expressed interest in entering the long haul space and SpiceJet has also had talks to acquire the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
A beachside council's creative plan to help bring money to Coogee Bay Road by blocking part of it to traffic has received backlash from several businesses who say it will do more harm than good.

Randwick City Council has been criticised for marketing a proposal to shut the busy thoroughfare and install a pop-up entertainment area to counter the COVID-19 economic slump despite Coogee Beach and its surrounding parklands being just metres away.

David Martin, owner of the Coogee Courtyard on Coogee Bay Road, says shutting off part of the street will kill local businesses. Credit:Renee Nowytarger

The proposed three-month installation, which is yet to be consulted on, includes allowing bands and outdoor dining in the open area, as well as temporary lawns, a sand-pit, and a "grass bed" which a slide show presentation sent to local businesses described as being "great for social media".

If approved, the pop-up precinct would go ahead from August 10 and be dismantled from the beginning of November, and either occupy part of the road between Vicar Street and Brook Street, or between Arden Street and Brook Street.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday pressed member states of the United Nations to use the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic to reform the global multilateral system in ways that enhances its relevance and effectiveness, and make it the basis for a new type of human-centric globalisation.

The United Nations was born 75 years ago to deal with the furies of the Second World War, the Prime Minister said addressing a high-level meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council. Today the fury of the pandemic provides the context for its rebirth and reform. Let us not lose this chance, he said.

As a soon-to-be member of the UN Security Council, India will play its role in full support of the UN agenda, with our deep commitment to maintaining global harmony, to improving socio-economic equity, and to preserving natures balance, said the Prime Minister in his virtual speech in English.

This was the first time Modi addressed UN members after Indias thumping victory in the June 17 election to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for a two-year term starting in January, 2021. India will get into the UNSC loop for documents and papers starting August, purely as an observer to prepare it for its upcoming term.

India has called for reforming the global multilateral system to reflect changed realities of the contemporary world. It has campaigned for reforms of the UN Security Council to expand its permanent membership with a seat for itself. And it has also sought reform of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other global bodies to make them more contemporaneous.

Today, while celebrating 75 years of the United Nations, let us pledge to reform the global multilateral system to enhance its relevance, to improve its effectiveness to make it the basis for a new type of human-centric globalization, Modi said.

The theme of the high-level segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), on the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the UN, was Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary.

India held the inaugural presidency of ECOSOC (Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar, in 1946), and Prime Minister Modi delivered the keynote address virtually at the 70th anniversary of the collective in January 2016.

In his Friday address, Modi recalled Indias support to the ECOSOC and UNs developmental work, and how they are tied to Indias own domestic agenda. Today, through our domestic efforts, we are again playing a salient role in achieving Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. India is also supporting other developing countries in meeting their Sustainable Development Goals, he said.

The Prime Minster went on to say, Indias motto of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas resonated, for instance, with the core SDG principle of leaving no one behind. And he spoke at length about efforts made in India to expand access to sanitation, bring about gender parity in elementary and higher education, and empowering women through financial inclusion.

Modi said it was Indias health care system that had helped it fight the Covid-19 epidemic. India had the best recovery rate in the world, as a result, he added.

On fighting climate change, the Prime Minister spoke of India cutting 38 million tonnes of carbon emission annually and went on to highlight its role in the setting up of the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

Modi also spoke about Indias role in the region as a first responder. India has extended medical and other assistance to over 150 countries in the fight against COVID, and had set up a SAARC COVID emergency fund for the neighbourhood.
RSPCA Queensland is in talks with the state government and Brisbane City Council for an urgently needed new wildlife hospital and sanctuary after a five-fold increase in injured wildlife.

Much of the rise stems from years of drought, followed by the 2019-2020 bushfires.

This photo of a koala on top of a Salisbury street sign has become a key image of a campaign for a new wildlife centre in south-east Queensland.

The fires rolled through on the back of a pretty harsh drought, RSPCA Queensland chief executive Darren Maier said.

So a lot of these animals were out of their habitat, out onto the roads and they were just killed or injured.
Arizona governor Doug Ducey is grappling with one of the US's fastest surges in infections: AP

The US has hit a new high in its daily count of new coronavirus cases, with several states breaking their own records on a daily basis while debates over masks and reopening schools still rage.

According to Johns Hopkins University, the total cases recorded nationally on Thursday was 77,255  demolishing the previous high of 67,791, which was reached just two days ago.

Much of the new total was driven by outbreaks in several states where the outbreak is surging, with the virus spreading rapidly among populations whose lives have been returning after state lockdowns were eased.

The highest number came from Florida, with 13,965. It was the second-worst daily number the state has reported, after 12 Julys 15,300. The state also reported a record number of deaths, with 156. Its previous one-day record was 132, two days ago.

Florida has faced reporting problems making it hard to accurately measure the percentage of tests coming back positive, and it has until recently not been providing data on the rate of cases leading to hospitalisation, meaning that the immediate implications of its high numbers are not as clear as they could be.

Across the border in Georgia, meanwhile, governor Brian Kemp took the unusual step of banning local authorities from mandating people to wear masks in public  and even announced he was suing the mayor of Atlanta over her ban on behalf of Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees.

Georgia recorded 2,701 cases yesterday, well short of its record but still far higher than the numbers it was recording until the surge began in late June.

Other governors, meanwhile, have turned their fire on the Trump administration over its response to the outbreak. Marylands Larry Hogan, a Republican, published an excerpt from his upcoming book in the Washington Post; in it, he tore into the presidents response as the outbreak grew.

It was clear that waiting around for the president to run the nations response was hopeless, he wrote of the pandemics early days. If we delayed any longer, wed be condemning more of our citizens to suffering and death. So every governor went their own way, which is how the United States ended up with such a patchwork response.
The HPC Group, Ireland's largest Independent Builders Providers & DIY Group is opening in Naas.

The group which operates 15 Stores throughout Ireland has plans to open up their first express Build & Plumb Centre in Tougher's Business Park, Naas.

The new store will be conveniently located just off the junction 10 Naas exit, alongside Conlans Landrover & Jaguar Garage.

Centred between the busy towns of Newbridge and Naas, the firm hopes the superb location will be appealing to both trade and DIY.

"Both the Trade and the general Public are time tied, and do not wish to waste needless time waiting to get the products they need for their projects, they want to maximise the time they spend on site or on the project," said Dennis OConnor, Group Managing Director.

He added: "We spend a lot of time trying to understand the customer's journey, identifying the pressure points and ways in which we can relieve those pressure points."

The Group recently launched their online site www.tjomahony.ie, and it hopes to be able to role out their click and collect option on their Naas site.

The new Build & Plumb centre will be well stocked with leading brands, and the team will be well trained on all the products and be well equipped to advise the customer on the right product for the right project.

The Group operates locations in Dublin, Louth, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow, Wexford, Tipperary, and Galway.

It is hoped that the branch in Naas will be open in late September.
The T cells, along with antibodies, are an integral part of the human immune response against viral infections due to their ability to directly target and kill infected cells. A Singapore study has uncovered the presence of virus-specific T cell immunity in people who recovered from COVID-19 and SARS, as well as some healthy study subjects who had never been infected by either virus.

The study by scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School, in close collaboration with the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) was published in Nature. The findings suggest infection and exposure to coronaviruses induces long-lasting memory T cells, which could help in the management of the current pandemic and in vaccine development against COVID-19.

The team tested subjects who recovered from COVID-19 and found the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in all of them, which suggests that T cells play an important role in this infection. Importantly, the team showed that patients who recovered from SARS 17 years ago after the 2003 outbreak, still possess virus-specific memory T cells and displayed cross-immunity to SARS-CoV-2.

Our team also tested uninfected healthy individuals and found SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in more than 50 percent of them. This could be due to cross-reactive immunity obtained from exposure to other coronaviruses, such as those causing the common cold, or presently unknown animal coronaviruses. It is important to understand if this could explain why some individuals are able to better control the infection." Professor Antonio Bertoletti, from Duke-NUS' Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) programme, corresponding author of this study

Associate Professor Tan Yee Joo from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Joint Senior Principal Investigator, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR added, "We have also initiated follow-up studies on the COVID-19 recovered patients, to determine if their immunity as shown in their T cells persists over an extended period of time. This is very important for vaccine development and to answer the question about reinfection."

"While there have been many studies about SARS-CoV-2, there is still a lot we don't understand about the virus yet. What we do know is that T cells play an important role in the immune response against viral infections and should be assessed for their role in combating SARS-CoV-2, which has affected many people worldwide. Hopefully, our discovery will bring us a step closer to creating an effective vaccine," said Associate Professor Jenny Low, Senior Consultant, Department of Infectious Diseases, SGH, and Duke-NUS' EID programme.

"NCID was heartened by the tremendous support we received from many previous SARS patients for this study. Their contributions, 17 years after they were originally infected, helped us understand mechanisms for lasting immunity to SARS-like viruses, and their implications for developing better vaccines against COVID-19 and related viruses," said Dr Mark Chen I-Cheng, Head of the NCID Research Office.

The team will be conducting a larger study of exposed, uninfected subjects to examine whether T cells can protect against COVID-19 infection or alter the course of infection. They will also be exploring the potential therapeutic use of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells.
The men of Nahran Omar, a village in the heart of southern Iraqs oil country, filed into a Shiite shrine clutching envelopes with X-rays, medical reports and death certificates.

They had come to describe the misery they say is caused by the burning gas and chemicals spewing out of the oil wells in their village. Each one had a sick son or a dying wife, an ill brother or sister.

Imagine that in the town you come from every family has someone who has cancer, said Khalid Qassim Faleh, a local tribal leader. This is the situation in Nahran Omar.

The chemicals in the air  in Nahran Omar and other oil towns across southern Iraq  come from the smoky orange flames atop the oil wells, burning away the natural gas that bubbles up with the oil.

Many countries have reduced the practice, known as flaring, in part because it wastes a precious resource. The amount of gas Iraq flares would be enough to power 3 million homes, according to the International Energy Agency.

But flaring also produces chemicals that can pollute the air, land and water. It has been shown to worsen asthma and hypertension, contribute to the incidence of some cancers and speed climate change.

Iraq, however, still flares more than half the natural gas produced by its oil fields, more than any other country except Russia.

The practice contributes to Iraqs bizarre energy paradox: a country with some of the worlds largest oil and gas reserves faces a chronic power shortage and frequent blackouts. To feed its gas-powered electricity plants during the long, hot summers, it has to import gas, which it buys primarily from Iran.

Iraq could be self-sufficient, said Ali al-Saffar, the head of the Middle East and North Africa division of the Paris-based International Energy Agency. Instead its in a league of its own: it is unique because it flares gas at the same time that it imports it.

As Iraqs economy craters under the twin assault of collapsing oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic, it can ill afford the several billion dollars a year it spends buying gas from Iran. The purchases also undercut US sanctions on Iran aimed at preventing it from selling oil and gas.

Iraqi officials acknowledge the need to reduce flaring but say that efforts to build expensive plants and pipelines to recapture gas from oil wells have been hindered by war and now by the dire economy.

After the Islamic State group seized a third of the country in 2014, the battle against it required every bit of government revenue for several years. In the last six months, crashing oil prices have deprived the government of its main source of revenue and the coronavirus pandemic has shut down much of the economy.

So, OK, we respect peoples criticism, said Iraqs former oil minister, Thamer Ghadban. But let them come here and try to operate oil and gas plants under these circumstances.

For years, recapturing the gas was not a priority, given the countrys seemingly endless oil supply and, until recently, fat oil profits. But that is changing, officials say.

After years of delays, Iraq opened a large recapture plant in Basra in 2018 at a cost of an estimated $1.5 billion, according to oil industry experts. But the plant is only a first step: it recovers a little more than half of the gas from three large oil fields. There are 15 oil fields in Basra province alone.

The Oil Ministry announced plans last month to develop plants that would recover most of the gas that is now flared in southern Iraq. Ghadban said the projects would be operational in two to three years.

International energy experts say that given Iraqs economic troubles, those projections are wildly optimistic.

Flaming Sky

Flying into Basra at night looks like a descent into Dantes inferno: spires of flame cast pools of orange light in the darkness.

A sizzling city  summer temperatures regularly exceed 120 Fahrenheit <em>  </em>of nearly 3 million people in Iraqs southeastern corner, Basra and the surrounding province hold 60% of Iraqs proven oil reserves. But it was not the temperature that startled listeners of a morning weather forecast last August.

We are sounding the alarm, the weatherman said in what has become a familiar refrain. Today there are poisonous gases in the skies of southern Iraq that can harm people. The poisonous gases are a result of oil and car exhaust.

Gas flaring is not the only cause of pollution in the oil-rich southeast. Petrochemical plants, aging sewage plants, uranium from degrading weapons and materiel from recent wars all contribute to what Shukri Hassan, a professor of environment at the University of Basra, calls a cocktail of pollutants.

The air quality is really bad, water quality is also very poor, and there are many problems with the soil, he said. All of that makes Basra not a livable place.

Flaring also wreaks havoc on the environment. Iraqi flaring releases as much as 30 million tons of carbon dioxide a year, nearly 10% of the flaring emissions of the greenhouse gas worldwide.

At the same time, flaring wastes clean-burning gas Iraq could use in its power plants, increasing its reliance on dirty oil-based fuel and compounding the environmental damage.

Iraq has decent environmental laws on the books, but no one enforces them, said Ali Shaddad al-Fares, a local builder and entrepreneur who heads the provincial councils oil and gas committee. The oil companies have committed to protect the environment but there is no government enforcement. It is their job to protect the people, but they arent doing it.
The Maharashtra government is looking at training local workforce as the state is facing a huge challenge of skill gap due to mass migration triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maharashtra is one of the most industrial states that generated a lot of job opportunities, leading to people migrating from other states.

"Now, the state is facing the biggest challenge of skill gap due to labour force returning to their villages and towns, panicked by the COVID-19 pandemic," Maharashtra Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Nawab Malik said while addressing the CII-Western Region's conference on 'Future of Skill Training.

The minister said the state government looks forward to employing locally available skilled workforce with industry on an urgent basis through portals like 'swayam'.

"We are working out on programmes that can help train local people through digital medium as well as on-hand practical training wherever needed, taking into account social distancing norms," he added.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

The state government is also orienting the industrial training institutes (ITIs) towards emergent sectors such as solar energy, drones and electric vehicles for long-term intervention, he said.

Maharashtra is also working on the Maharashtra Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (MAPS) on the lines of the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and programmes that can impart special 'agri-based skill training centres' for enabling the rural and tribal youth to reinvent and earn through the traditional skilling interventions, the minister added.

Meanwhile, National Skill Development Corporation CEO and Managing Director Manish Kumar, who was present on the occasion, said the lockdown to curb COVID-19 has made digital medium a necessity.

"Even those who were earlier apprehensive of the online platform are appreciating the efficiency of the digital medium. We have created an e-skill India platform that has 400 courses free of cost. In the past few months, more than 2 lakh people have joined the platform from over 20,000 before the COVID-19 disruptions," he added.

There will be a need for offline training as well and we are working on creating a combination of both online and offline curriculums, he added.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
The funeral of Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of South African anti-apartheid leaders Nelson and Winnie Mandela was held in Johannesburg on Friday morning.

It comes the day after her son revealed that she tested positive for the coronavirus on the day that she died, becoming the most high-profile victim of Covid-19.

Mourners lined the streets as her body was taken from her home in the city's township of Soweto to the Fourways Memorial Centre in Johannesburg.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, South Africa's cases of COVID-19 crossed 300,000 the most in Africa and among the 10 highest in the world.

Africa's most industrialised nation recorded a rise of 12,757 cases on Wednesday to reach 311,049 confirmed COVID-19 cases, its health ministry said in a late evening statement four months since the first case was confirmed in the country.

On Thursday, the number of new cases rose further by 13,172 - taking the total to 324,221 - while the number of new COVID-19 related deaths was recorded at 216 - the highest number of coronavirus deaths in a single day in South Africa.

The country has tested around 2.3 million people so far and has had 4,669 deaths since March 27.

The funeral of Zindzi Mandela was held on Friday morning after she passed away on Monday. Pictured: Mourners observe as an official vehicle carrying the late Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of the late Nelson Mandela, leaves her parents home in the township of Soweto in Johannesburg on July 17 2020

South Africa saw its highest number of coronavirus deaths recorded in a single day on Thursday, with 216. Pictured: Empty graves in the Muslim quarter of the Westpark Cemetery, after the health authorities ordered more graves to be dug in preparation for an expected surge in coronavirus related deaths, in Johannesburg, July 15 2020

President Cyril Ramaphosa put a lockdown into effect on March 27, shutting shops, requiring people to stay at home and sending the army on to the streets to enforce the measure when South Africa had only 400 cases and no recorded deaths.

The government later eased many curbs over fears for its struggling economy.

But with coronavirus cases increasing in the country of 58 million people, an exasperated Ramaphosa on Sunday re-imposed an alcohol ban and a night curfew.

'We are crossing the river by feeling our way across the stones. Sometimes we put our feet on slippery stones and sometimes on firm ones,' Ramaphosa said on Wednesday during a public address.

Charles Robertson, a senior economist at Renaissance Capital, who has been closely tracking the coronavirus, said South Africa's early action was impressive.

'What became clear is that lockdowns don't work in low-income countries,' he said. 'In informal economies, (people) ... can't afford to stay at home.'

The number of new daily coronavirus cases in South Africa has been trending upwards since the start of June, which began with around 2,000 new cases per day. Now, the number of new cases per day is regularly over 10,000. The number of new related deaths has seen more fluctuation, but is still trending upwards as well

About half of South Africans live in poverty, and about a third are unemployed. Some 3 million have lost their jobs since the lockdown began, according to a study by South Africa's Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (CRAM) released on Tuesday.

In many parts of the country, COVID-19 wards are packed, so patients are spilling into other departments and into tents outside, health officials say.

'The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving,' Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told parliament.

Despite rising cases, barely 1.5% of cases have proved fatal so far, in part because of a young population. That will rise as shortages of oxygen and hospital beds worsen. Ramaphosa said scientists had predicted up to 50,000 deaths.

'We are seeing a system that's under pressure, not under disaster collapse ... But it's taking a huge strain,' Charl van Loggerenberg, head of emergency medicine at Life Healthcare, which has private hospitals treating COVID patients across the country, told Reuters.

At public hospitals, which were struggling with capacity anyway, medics have complained about a lack of staff and protective equipment.

'Not enough health workers have been hired, our requests for PPE have been ignored, guidelines are not being followed,' said Sibongiseni Delihlazo, spokesman for the main nurses' union.

Pictured: A member of the South African military talks to a man during a patrol as a nighttime curfew is reimposed amid a nationwide coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown, in Johannesburg, South Africa July 13, 2020

Pictured: Graves are dug in the Muslim quarter of the Westpark Cemetery, after the health authorities ordered more graves to be dug in preparation for an expected surge in coronavirus related deaths, in Johannesburg, South Africa, 15 July 2020

Zindzi Mandela's son Zondwa Mandela revealed yesterday that his mother did have the disease - but it has not been confirmed what caused her death aged 59 in hospital in Johannesburg on Monday.

A funeral was held for Zindzi on Friday morning. Her body was taken from her home in Soweto, Johannesburg to the Fourways Memorial centre, where she was buried next to her mother Winnie Mandela.

'I was a beautiful service for somebody like her,' said Lindiwe Sisulu, a South African Minister and friend of the family who was in attendance at the funeral. 'I hope she's OK wherever she is. I hope she's being looked after by her mum. It's just the saddest thing. She was bigger than life, she was very bold, courageous, forthright.'

Sisulu also criticised some people's reactions on social media to the death of her friend.

'What's hurting me most is what has been going on on social media is so unnecessary - she's gone, it's cowardly. It's people who know she's not going to be able to answer and I hope that Black South Africans will respond to that. It just makes the tragedy so much more unbearable. But we will answer.'

Zindzi is the world's highest profile victim of coronavirus, which has killed more than 4,600 people in South Africa alone.

The Johannesburg regime is fighting a worsening coronavirus outbreak despite keeping cases down early in the global pandemic with one of the world's toughest lockdowns and quarantine regimes.

Zondwa told state broadcaster SABC: 'My mother did in fact test positive for Covid-19 on the day of her passing.

'Although, this doesn't therefore mean that she died of Covid-related complications, but simply that she tested positive for it.

He added: 'Simply by the virtue that there was a positive test, we are therefore obligated to function and work within the framework of the existing regulation related to such cases.'

Zindzi Mandela's body was taken from her parent's home in Johannesburg as mourners lay flowers in front of the vehicle carrying her to the memorial centre.

Healthcare workers wearing hazmat-like suits and face masks were seen driving the vehicle carrying Zindzi Mandela's in the township of Soweto in Johannesburg to the Fourways Memorial Centre

A funeral official sits inside a vehicle carrying the body of the late Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of the late Nelson Mandela, outside her parents home in the township of Soweto in Johannesburg

Zindzi Mandela, South Africa's ambassador to Denmark, died on Monday morning in hospital.

Zindzi rose to international prominence when she read out Nelson Mandela's rejection of then-president P.W. Botha's offer for freedom in 1985.

The white minority government offered to release Nelson Mandela from prison if he denounced violence perpetrated by his movement, the Africa National Congress, against apartheid.

She read his letter rejecting the offer at a packed public meeting which was broadcast around the world.

Zindzi Mandela (pictured in 2013), the daughter of South African anti-apartheid leaders Nelson and Winnie Mandela, tested positive for coronavirus the day she die. She is pictured during the Global Citizen Festival in 2018

Anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela escorts his daughter Zindzi Mandela on her wedding day

Gauteng province - home to Johannesburg where Zindzi died - has the country's most cases with over 75,000, or 33 per cent.

Provincial official Bandile Masuku, a medical doctor, last week told reporters that Gauteng is preparing over 1.5 million graves.

'It's a reality that we need to deal with,' he said, and it's the public's responsibility 'to make sure that we don't get there.'

But the province in a statement Thursday 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 Gauteng's Covid-19 War Room have tested positive for the virus.

Catherine Duchess of Cambridge meets Zindzi Mandela (right) at the film premiere of 'Mandela: long walk to freedom' in London on 5 December, 2013

The fourth of Mandela's children to die Only two of Nelson's children, Zemani and Pumla Mandela, are still alive. Makaziwe, his first child, died in 1948, aged just 18-months-old. On the same day as his sister, in 1969, Nelson's eldest son, Madiba Thembekile Mandela, died in a car crash. In 2005, Nelson's son Makgatho died of AIDS, leading to the president announcing the need for publicity around the disease. 'Let us give publicity to HIV/AIDS and not hide it, because the only way to make it appear like a normal illness like, like cancer, is always to come out and say somebody has died because of HIV/AIDS, and people will stop regarding it as something extraordinary.' Advertisement

The number of cases in the country is continuing to rise with 13,172 reported on Thursday alone.

Its death toll is fluctuating with 216 deaths reported on Thursday and 107 reported on Wednesday. However, the total number of deaths is on an upwards curve.

Modeling has shown that South Africa will have between 40,000 and 80,000 deaths by the end of the year.

Speaking of Zindzi's death, ANC spokesman Pule Mabe said: 'This is untimely. She still had a role to play in the transformation of our own society and a bigger role to play even in the African National Congress.'

The Mandela Foundation posted earlier that on this day in 1969, Nelson's eldest son, Madiba Thembekile - Zindzi's half brother - died in a three-car collision, which left another four people dead.

Zindzi's other half-brother, attorney Makgatho Mandela, died of AIDS in 2005.

His death led to an impassioned statement from then President Mandela, who called on the public to 'give publicity to AIDS' and to 'not hide it'.

Another of her siblings died in 1948 at just 18-months old.

Last year Zindzi stirred controversy by calling for the return of the white-owned land to South Africa's dispossessed Black majority.

'Dear Apartheid Apologists, your time is over. You will not rule again. We do not fear you. Finally the land is ours,' she tweeted in June last year.

President Cyril Ramaphosa led the tributes to Zindzion Monday.

'Zindzi Mandela was a household name nationally and internationally, who during our years of struggle, brought home the inhumanity of the apartheid system and the unshakeable resolve of our fight for freedom,' he said.

'After our liberation, she became an icon of the task we began of transforming our society and stepping into spaces and opportunities that had been denied to generations of South Africans.

'Her spirit joins Tata Madiba and Mama Winnie in a reunion of leaders to whom we owe our freedom.'

South Africa's foreign affairs minister Naledi Pandor has expressed shock at Mandela's death, describing her as a heroine.

Only two of Nelson's children, Zemani and Pumla Mandela, are still alive. Madiba Thembekile (right) died on this day in 1969 and Zindzi's other sibling Makgatho Mandela (left) died of AIDS in Johannesburg in 2005. Another of Mandela's children died as an infant

Zindzi Mandela (pictured in 2013), the daughter of South African anti-apartheid leaders Nelson and Winnie Mandela, tested positive for coronavirus the day she died

'Zindzi will not only be remembered as a daughter of our struggle heroes, Tata Nelson and Mama Winnie Mandela, but as a struggle heroine in her own right. She served South Africa well,' said Pandor.

Zindzi was born in the midst of the anti-apartheid struggle, the same year that her father's African National Congress created its armed wing. Zindzi, her mother, and her sister Zenani, faced harassment by the ruling National Part while her father was imprisoned on Robben Island, the BBC reported.

In a 1995 interview with Thandy magazine, Zindzi said: 'I am something of a rebel.'

'I never knew a normal life,' she added.

Zindzi Mandela reads the refusal of her father, Nelson Mandela to leave prison after South African President P.W. Botha offered him conditional release on Feb. 10, 1985 in Johannesburg, South Africa

Nelson Mandela with daughter Zinzi Mandela Hlongwane (back) at his birthday party in Johannesburg, 1995

'The day I buried the father of my child, my own father was released from prison'

Only two of Nelson's children, Zemani and Pumla, are still alive. Nelson Mandela died in 2013 at the age of 95.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation is currently consulting with the Mandela family. The Danish Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the MailOnline.

Zindzi is survived by her husband and four children.

Who was Zindzi Mandela?

Zindzi Mandela was born in 1960, just a year-and-a-half before her father was first incarcerated for anti-government activities.

Her early life was marred with the constant imprisonment of her father and occasional removal of her mother for months-long prison sentences.

Care for the young Zindzi often fell to her older sister Zenani in these early years.

When Zindzi was 17 years old she moved with her mother who had been banished to Free State.

In 1985, Nelson was offered a release from prison by President PW Botha, on the condition that he 'unconditionally rejected violence as a political weapon'.

With both Winnie and Nelson in prison, Zindzi delivered his rejection of the offer at a public meeting.

The letter read: 'What freedom am I being offered while the organisation of the people [ANC] remains banned? Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.'

In her personal life, Zindzi was married twice, first to businessman Zwelibanzi Hlongwane, whom she married in 1980.

Her second marriage, in March 2013, was to Molapo Motlhajwa, of the African National Defence Force.

She also had four children, who she noted were from four different fathers: Zoleka Mandela, (1980), Zondwa Mandela (1985), Bambatha Mandela (1989) and Zwelabo Mandela (1992).
The U.K. government has promised to replace the FRC with a new regulator, the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority, as recommended by an independent report in 2018. Unlike the FRC, this will be a statutory body with legal powers granted by parliament to regulate the big accounting firms directly. The government still says it will act on the findings of three reports it commissioned after Carillions collapse. Beyond the accounting-consulting split, the recommendations included requiring large listed companies on the FTSE 350, such as Aviva Plc and Tesco Plc, to use joint auditors to help bring other firms into the market, and creating a distinct auditing, as opposed to accounting, profession. All these moves would require legislation, however, and Parliament may not have the time to pass the necessary laws.
Pushkar Banakar By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Iran on Thursday refuted reports that it had dropped India from the Chabahar-Zahedan railway project saying there was no deal inked even as India dismissed the reports as speculative.

A deputy with the Iran Ports and Maritime Organisation Farhad Montaser said that Iran has not inked any deal with India regarding the railway line.

Iran has only signed two agreements with Indians for investment in Chabahar: one is related to the ports machinery and equipment, and the second is related to Indias investment to the tune of $150 million, he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, India said IRCON had been appointed to conduct the feasibility report for the railway line in collaboration with CDTIC.

IRCON has completed the site inspection and review of the feasibility report. Detailed discussions were thereafter held on other relevant aspects of the project, which had to take into account the financial challenges that Iran was facing."

In December 2019, these issues were reviewed in detail at the 19th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting in Tehran. The Iranian side was to nominate an authorized entity to finalize outstanding technical and financial issues. This is still awaited, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.

In 2018, the US had agreed to a waiver on Chabahar port projects under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA). Irans President Hassan Rouhani had described the port as a vital part of structuring Irans economic future.

World knows our culture

India on Thursday refused to comment on Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis remarks on Lord Ram saying that the world was aware about Indias culture.

The world knows about out culture and the Nepalese foreign ministry has clarified on the issue already, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.

The statement came in response to Olis remarks that Ayodhya was in Nepal and Lord Ram was Nepali.

In a statement, the nepal foreign ministry said, The remarks made by the PM are not linked to any political subject and have no intention at all to hurt the feeling and sentiment of anyone.
In the Scheme of Arrangement documentation issued by Abano Healthcare Group Limited in February 2020, reference was made to an Australian Court decision, and the pending appeal of that decision. The case involved superannuation deduction obligations applicable in respect of a dentist engaged under a services agreement (Dr Moffet) who could be deemed an employee for superannuation purposes.

Abano advises that the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia late yesterday issued its decision in the appeal of Moffet v Dental Corporation Australia Pty Ltd [2020] FCAFC 118. The Full Court upheld the lower courts decision but on different grounds. It is not currently certain what form the final orders will take but a result of the Full Court's affirms that Dental Corporation Australia has a liability under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 to make superannuation contributions for the benefit of, and given the nature of its contracting arrangements with, Dr Moffet.

The effect of the decision is that in certain circumstances, people who are not generally 'employees' (in particular, people who are independent contractors) will be considered 'employees' for the limited purpose of employer superannuation contribution.

Abano will now work with its advisers to consider the Moffet appeal decision, to assess whether and the extent to which it applies to Mavens contracting arrangements with dentists under its Facilities and Administrative Services Agreements, and the potential financial impact, if any, to Abano.

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A male construction worker was killed and three others were hurt when scaffolding fell from a residential building in Midtown Manhattan Thursday just hours after a vacant building collapsed three blocks away.

The workers were on scaffolding repairing the facade at 136 East 36 Street, an 11-story coop in Murray Hill, when it suddenly came down about 4.30pm.

The male worker who was killed was pronounced dead at the scene while the others who were injured were rushed to Bellevue Hospital.

Scroll down for video

A male worker was killed and three others were hurt when a scaffolding fell in Midtown Manhattan Thursday. The scaffolding is pictured after falling from 136 East 36 Street in Murray Hill

The workers were on a scaffolding repairing the facade of a building. Pictured are FDNY members and other first responders who responded to the scene

FDNY personnel are pictured removing a body from the debris of the collapse

FDNY and EMS first responders rush a wounded worker to an ambulance. A man who was killed was pronounced dead at the scene

A male construction worker is pictured as he is rushed off to Bellevue Hospital for treatment

One had minor injuries and two others were in serious condition. No names were released.

City building records indicate the holder of a permit for the facade work was Edras Group. A spokesperson was not immediately available when DailyMail.com reached out.

At the time of the scaffolding's fall, Edras had no open violations. It also did not owe any money to the city related to previous violations.

Buildings records show that since 2010, the company was issued 43 violations for various safety issues, but all were resolved.

City officials are investigating what caused the scaffolding to fall, and are looking into why a vacant building collapsed at a construction site at 211 East 34 Street, about three blocks away.

No one was hurt when the building came down, causing traffic disruptions in the area which is near the Midtown Tunnel.

The vacant four-story building partially collapsed, prompting dozens of fire and police units to respond to the scene.

All workers of the construction team who had been at the building site have since been accounted for, police said.

The building, a mixed residential and commercial property, was vacant at the time of the collapse having previously been relinquished because of stability issues.

City officials are investigating what caused the scaffolding to fall, and are looking into why a vacant building (pictured) collapsed at a construction site at 211 East 34 Street, about three blocks away hours earlier

Video from the scene shows a large section of a wall to the building's rear-left had caved in.

Each of the building's floors appeared to have subsided, resulting in a sloping spill of bricks and debris on the ground below.

Surrounding properties were evacuated out of precaution, officials said.

The scaffolding fall three blocks away happened just five hours later, returning first responders back into the area.

Assistant Chief Tom Currao said FDNY personnel were on the scene within five to six minutes. He said the workers who fell with the scaffolding had been working along the roofline area of the building.

Emergency personnel remove debris and secure the scaffolding at 136 East 36th Street Thursday

Assistant Chief Tom Currao said FDNY personnel were on the scene of the scaffolding collapse within five to six minutes. He said the workers who fell with the scaffolding had been working along the roofline area of the building (pictured)

The scaffolding's fall crushed a sidewalk shed upon impact (pictured)

An NYPD Emergency Services Vehicle is pictured keeping people back from the crushed shed

First responders taped off the area where debris (visible in the foreground) had fallen

A NYPD officer watches over debris that fell from the building

New York Department of Buildings Melanie La Rocca said her agency will be looking at the sequence of events to determine how the scaffolding came down.

Part of the investigation will include learning where the workers were positioned when they fell.

LaRocca said video footage also will be reviewed in the probe.
We finally have some fresh new data that give us a glimpse at how businesses led by visible minorities, women, people with disabilities and other minorities are faring during the pandemic and its budding economic recovery.

Amid fears that the pandemic would strike minority communities more severely than the rest of us, Statistics Canada has been working with business networks to figure out how minority-led businesses have been adapting to the crisis, whether they have been able to access government supports, and how well-positioned they are for the future.

The numbers have not yet been published in their entirety as StatsCan works through data quality issues, but they have been shared with some business networks so that they can work with the results. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce shared the data and its analysis with the Star.

The results are not entirely encouraging, revealing a higher vulnerability to tough times over the long haul. But they also reveal an opportunity to salvage the recovery for minority-run businesses with some quick thinking.

Its very monumental. This hasnt been done before, says Leah Nord, senior director of workforce strategies and inclusive growth at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

For Nord, the key finding is that minority-run businesses have been exceptionally agile. As the pandemic took hold, minority business leaders were quick to move online, develop new products, change up their offerings to meet morphing consumer demand or offer curbside pickup.

The good news story is their ingenuity and innovation, Nord says.

So far, two waves of data have been collected  a crowdsourced survey conducted through business networks in April and a more rigorous survey done in May.

The May results show that 37 per cent of companies led by visible minorities embraced e-commerce in the pandemic, compared to 25 per cent of all businesses. They were also for more likely to invest in new equipment and adapt their research and development.

Companies led by women were far more likely to offer new products or services and have been more active than others in figuring out new ways to interact with their customers  through curbside pickup or physical distancing measures.

But at an economywide level, its hard to see how all those efforts are allowing them to get ahead.

Minority-led businesses are able to survive tough times for the next three months just like anyone else, but if the economic crisis persists longer than that, they appear to be more fragile and at a higher risk of going under or having to scale back.

Companies run by people with a disability are particularly vulnerable in the medium term  and so its a relief that the federal government finally announced on Friday how it would extend pandemic aid to that demographic.

After a full year of hardship, that fragility spreads deeply to companies run by visible minorities and immigrants. In the May survey, 36.8 per cent of all respondents said they could soldier through a year of adversity, but just 30 per cent of firms run by visible minorities and 28 per cent of immigrant-run companies said they could make it.

No doubt thats partly because the array of government supports are not reaching those communities as efficiently as the average company.

Government interest-free loans for small businesses seemed to reach most communities except for companies led by people with a disability and companies led by visible minorities, where the reach was below average. The wage subsidy  the government instrument of choice to foster a recovery and bring people back to work  is missing out on companies led by people with a disability, visible minorities, and immigrant-led firms.

Statistics Canada warns that the quality of the data is not great for some parts of the survey and so it has refrained from publishing these details for now. But the information is the best we have when it comes to minority-led businesses, and its especially important to have right now as policy-makers and business leaders alike make key decisions about how to position themselves for recovery in a world where the pandemic persists and economic growth is scarce.

What if the economic recovery from the pandemic is not shaped like a rapid V or a bumpy W or a prolonged swoosh after all, and its a far more problematic K?

Most projections for the restarting of the economy envision a fairly rapid comeback (V-shaped), although not a full recovery until a couple of years from now. Or, if theres a second wave, the economy would suffer another setback before returning to growth (W). Or a long, painful recovery over much time (swoosh).

But a K would see some parts of the economy flourish, helped along by government programs to take full advantage of recovering supply and demand. But other parts, usually vulnerable populations and marginalized groups, would be left out of the budding restart, unable to regain their footing.

With some targeted lending and government support that is sensitive to the risks of minority-led business falling through the cracks, Canada can make sure it avoids the K scenario. None of it will be easy.
US sanctions 'gangster logic and bullying': China's top Hong Kong office

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 6:04 AM

China's top representative office in Hong Kong has condemned the US' "unreasonable meddling" in the Asian financial hub.

The Hong Kong Liaison Office released a statement on Wednesday, describing as "gangster logic and bullying" US President Donald Trump's move to strip Hong Kong of preferential trade treatment and impose sanctions on the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

The office said the sanctions, which Trump ordered Tuesday on the pretext of the new national security law in Hong Kong, would not have a significant impact on the special administrative region, but, instead, damage the US' own interests.

"Unreasonable meddling and shameless threats by the United States are typical gangster logic and bullying behavior," the statement said.

"No external force can block China's determination and confidence to maintain national sovereignty and security for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability."

Trump's move came two weeks after Hong Kong enacted a national security law that criminalizes sedition, secession, and subversion against mainland China and allows Chinese national security institutions to operate in the city for the first time since 1997, when Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule.

The US, Britain, and other Western countries have criticized the law and have moved to take action against Beijing and Hong Kong. China, however, insists that Hong Kong is a purely internal Chinese affair.

Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry said Wednesday Beijing will impose retaliatory sanctions against US individuals and entities after the US passed a law targeting banks which deal with Chinese officials who implement Hong Kong's security law.

The Hong Kong government has also said it fully supported the central government in adopting counter-measures against the US.

"It is hypocritical for the US to introduce measures to attack China by creating issues in (Hong Kong) under the pretext of human rights, democracy and autonomy out of its own political considerations," it said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also summoned the US ambassador to Beijing over the Hong Kong sanctions.

Also on Wednesday, a White House National Security Council spokesman said Trump had not ruled out further sanctions on top Chinese officials.

"In no way has he taken anything off the table with respect to further sanctions of party officials for actions in Hong Kong or on other issues. Any suggestion otherwise by anonymous sources is flat out wrong," John Ullyot said.

Although there are currently discussions underway at the White House about potential targets for sanctions, no final decisions have been made, according to a person familiar with the matter.

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New Delhi, July 17 : National carrier Air India on Friday said that it is in a "very challenging financial" situation and is taking recourse to several initiatives with a view to ensuring the continuance of its operations.

The airline, in a statement, noted that it has introduced the partially voluntary 'Leave Without Pay' (LWP) scheme on July 14.

"The scheme primarily enables employees to avail the benefits of proceeding on leave without pay on a voluntary basis. The LWP scheme has been introduced for grant of leave without pay and allowances for permanent employee s for a period of six months or two years, which is extendable upto 5 years," the statement said.

"Air India had brought out similar scheme earlier... Several hundred employees have, in the past, availed of the LWP Scheme." As per the statement, in the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there may be employees who are unable to attend their office duties in person on account of personal reasons.

"The LWP scheme enables employees to take a break from their office responsibility for a defined period of time with the approval of the management, while retaining their employment with the company," the statement said.

"They will continue to avail facilities such as passage, medical and housing at specified rates."
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Linkedin Dyaning Pangestika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 17:06 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066722915 1 Health COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,Eijkman-Institute Free

The national COVID-19 task force launched a new swab testing machine on Thursday.

Called the COBAS 6800 Fully Automated Molecular System (FMS), the machine is capable of processing 1,000 samples per day.

The COBAS 6800 FMS is the second COVID-19 detection machine developed in Indonesia. It uses nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2.

During a launch event at the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology in Salemba, Central Jakarta, Research and Technology Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said he hoped the machine would be able to increase COVID-19 testing in Indonesia.

Read also: Researchers consider options for eventual COVID-19 immunity certification

We are so proud of the Eijkman Institute for making an innovation today with the COBAS 6800 FMS machine, Bambang said.

Eijkman Institute chairman Amin Soebandrio said the machine operated automatically and did not require human intervention.

The machine is fully automatic, which means it's controlled and guaranteed to produce high-quality results faster. Thats why we are capable of testing 1,000 samples every day, Amin said.

Separately, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) chief inspector Tetty Saragih expressed his support for the new machine.

We are really proud of the machine, Tetty said.
At least two persons were dug out of the debris of a 3-storied tenement which crashed due to heavy rains in Plot No. 8B, at Malvani in Malad west, Mumbai on July 16, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

At least two persons were dug out of the debris of a 3-storied tenement which crashed due to heavy rains in Plot No. 8B, at Malvani in Malad west, Mumbai on July 16, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai, July 17 : The death toll in Thursday's crash of the 80-year-old Bhanushali Building in south Mumbai climbed to six with at least five bodies recovered from the debris during the night, and 18 others were injured, the BMC Disaster Control said here on Friday.

Among the victims were Kusum P. Gupta, 45, Jyotsna P. Gupta, 50, Padmalal M. Gupta, 51, and two others who are still unidentified.

A woman who was rescued on Thursday night Neha Gupta, 45, continues to be critical in Sir J. J. Hospital, while two others injured are Bhalchandra Kandu, 48 and Shailesh Bhalchandra Kandu, 17.

The rescue operations continued as 2-3 other persons were feared trapped in the rubble even as bouts of heavy rains continued to lash the city.

The first two major house-crashes of Mumbai in the current monsoon includes the five-storied Bhanushali Building in Fort, near the GPO and a three-storied tenement in Plot No. 8B of Collector Compound in Malvani, Malad west which collapsed on an adjoining two-storied tenement.

In both incidents, a total of eight persons have lost their lives so far, more than 30 are injured, and over a dozen evacuated safely.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad, Mayor Kishori Pednekar, Municipal Commissioner I. S. Chahal, Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh and other senior officials rushed to the site and reviewed the relief and rescue operations in south Mumbai.

The victims of the Malad crash have been identified as a 23-year old woman Anjum S. Shaikh, and an 18-year old youth Faizal W. Sayyed. The 13 others rescued from the Malad crash were treated for minor injuries and discharged from the Hayat Hospital nearby.

Mumbai Suburban District Guardian Minister Aditya Thackeray, who visited the Malad crash site, said each of the victim families would be given a compensation of Rs 400,000, while the families of the injured will get Rs 5,000 besides treatment.

"We will take strict action against the building owners if they are found violating the laws and book them for culpable homicide not amounting to murder," warned Mayor Pednekar.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has broadly affected how health care is provided in the United States. One notable change is the expanded use of telehealth services, which have been quickly adopted by many health care providers and payers, including Medicare, to ensure patients' access to care while reducing their risk of exposure to the coronavirus.

In an article published in JAMA Oncology, Trevor Royce, MD, MS, MPH, an assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and UNC School of Medicine, said the routine use of telehealth for patients with cancer could have long-lasting and unforeseen effects on the provision and quality of care.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the rapid deregulation of telehealth services. This was done in part by lifting geographical restrictions, broadening patient, health care professional, and services eligibility," said Royce, the article's corresponding author. "It is likely aspects of telehealth continue to be part of the health care delivery system, beyond the pandemic."

The article's other authors are UNC Lineberger's Hanna K. Sanoff, MD, MPH, clinical medical director of the North Carolina Cancer Hospital and associate professor in the UNC School of Medicine Division of Hematology, and Amar Rewari, MD, MBA, from the Associates in Radiation Medicine, Adventist HealthCare Radiation Oncology Center in Rockville, Maryland.

Royce said the widespread shift to telehealth was made possible, in part, by three federal economic stimulus packages and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services making several policy changes in March that expanded Medicare recipients' access to telehealth services.

The policy changes included allowing telehealth services to be provided in a patient's home. Medicare previously only paid for telehealth services in a facility in nonurban areas or areas with a health professional shortage. Medicare also approved payment for new patient appointments, expanded telehealth coverage to include 80 additional services, allowed for services to be carried out on a wider assortment of telecommunication systems -- including remote video communications platforms, such as Zoom -- and modified the restrictions of who can provide and supervise care.

While the potential benefits of telehealth have been demonstrated during the pandemic, Royce said they must be balanced with concerns about care quality and safety.

"There is a lot we don't know about telehealth, and how its rapid adoption will impact our patients," Royce said. "How will the safety and quality of care be impacted? How will we integrate essential components of the traditional doctor visit, including physical exam, lab work, scans and imaging? Will patients and doctors be more or less satisfied with their care? These are all potential downsides if we are not thoughtful with our adoption."

He said appropriate oversight of care is critical. There will be a continued need for objective patient assessments, such as patient-reported outcomes, physical examinations and laboratory tests, and to measure care quality and monitor for fraud. There are also a number of standard measures of care quality that can be implemented during the transition to telehealth, including tracking emergency room visits, hospitalizations and adverse events.

Telehealth presents other challenges, as well. Though technology and internet access are now more widely available, they are not universally accessible. Where one lives, their socioeconomic status and comfort level with technology can be barriers to using telehealth services. A reliance on telehealth might lower participation in clinical trials, which can require regular in-person appointments.

"Telehealth can be used to improve access to care in traditionally hard-to-reach populations. However, it is important to acknowledge that if we are not thoughtful in its adoption, the opposite could be true," Royce said. "For example, will lower socioeconomic groups have the same level of access to an adequate internet connection or cellular services that make a virtual video visit possible? Telehealth needs to be adopted with equity in mind."
Although Russia could be seeking to steal the vaccine data to boost its own research, it could also be trying to avoid relying on western countries for any eventual coronavirus vaccine

Washington: Russian hackers are attempting to steal coronavirus vaccine research, the US, British and Canadian governments said on Thursday, accusing the Kremlin of opening a new front in its spy battles with the West amid the worldwide competition to contain the pandemic.

The National Security Agency said that a hacking group implicated in the 2016 break-ins into Democratic Party servers has been trying to steal intelligence on vaccines from universities, companies and other healthcare organisations. The group, associated with Russian intelligence and known as both APT29 and Cozy Bear, has sought to exploit the chaos created by the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.

US intelligence officials said the Russians were aiming to steal research to develop their own vaccine more quickly, not to sabotage other countries efforts. There was likely little immediate damage to global public health, cyber security experts said.

The Russian espionage nevertheless signals a new kind of competition between Moscow and Washington akin to Cold War spies stealing technological secrets during the space race generations ago.

The Russian hackers have targeted British, Canadian and US organisations using malware and sending fraudulent emails to try to trick their employees into turning over passwords and other security credentials, all in an effort to gain access to the vaccine research as well as information about medical supply chains.

The accusations against Russia were also the latest example of an increasing willingness in recent months by the United States and its closest intelligence allies to publicly accuse foreign adversaries of breaches and cyber attacks. The US government has previously warned about efforts by China and Iran to steal vaccine research.

Attributing such attacks, however, is imprecise, an ambiguity that Moscow takes advantage of in denying responsibility, as it did Thursday.

Still, government officials as well as outside experts expressed strong confidence that Cozy Bear, controlled by Russias elite SVR intelligence agency, was responsible for the attempted intrusions into the virus vaccine research.

We condemn these despicable attacks against those doing vital work to combat the coronavirus pandemic, said Paul Chichester, the director of operations for Britains National Cyber Security Centre.

The head of the centre, Ciaran Martin, told NBC News that the cyber attacks were first detected in February and that no evidence had emerged that data was stolen.

Government officials would not identify victims of the hackings. But the primary target of the attacks appeared to be Oxford University in Britain and the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which have been jointly working on a vaccine, said Robert Hannigan, the former head of GCHQ, the British intelligence agency.

Oxford scientists said Thursday that they had noticed a surprising resemblance between their vaccine approach and the work that Russian scientists had reported.

Though Russia could be seeking to steal the vaccine data to boost its own research, it could also be trying to avoid relying on western countries for any eventual coronavirus vaccine.

While AstraZeneca has announced it will make the Oxford vaccine available at cost, governments and philanthropies have paid huge sums to the company to secure their place in line, even without any guarantee it will work. The United States has said it will pay up to $1.2 billion to AstraZeneca to fund a clinical trial and secure 300 million doses. Russia could find itself near the back of the line if the vaccine proves successful.

Russia clearly doesnt want to disrupt vaccine production, but they dont want to be dependent on the US or the UK for production and discovery of the vaccine, said Hannigan, now an executive at the BlueVoyant cyber security firm. It not impossible to think Kremlin pride is such that they dont want that to happen.

An intense international race is underway to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus that has already killed 580,000 people and upended daily life around the world. More than 155 vaccines are under development, including 23 being tested on humans.

Some vaccines work by altering another common virus to mimic the coronavirus to trigger an immune response without making people sick. The research by Oxford and AstraZeneca is based on one such pathogen, a chimpanzee adenovirus. Russias Ministry of Health is trying to use two other adenoviruses but is not as far along in its testing as the Oxford researchers are.

Some officials suggested the Russian attacks have not been hugely successful but were widespread enough to warrant a coordinated international warning.

Across the globe, intelligence services have stepped up their focus on information surrounding the virus. The FBI director, Christopher A Wray, accused China last week of working to compromise American health care organisations conducting COVID-19 research.

Russia is not alone, said John Hultquist, the senior director of intelligence analysis at FireEye, a Silicon Valley cyber security firm. A lot of people are in this game even if they havent been called out yet. The whole pandemic is absolutely riddled with spies.

Chinese government hackers have long focused on stealing intellectual property and technology. Russia has aimed much of its recent cyber espionage, like election interference, at weakening geopolitical rivals and strengthening its hand.

China is more well-known for theft through hacking than Russia, which is of course better now for using hacks for disruption and chaos, said Laura Rosenberger, a former Barack Obama administration official who now leads the Alliance for Securing Democracy. But theres no question that whoever gets to a vaccine first thinks they will have geopolitical advantage, and thats something Id expect Russia to want.

Still, a Russian intrusion could inadvertently damage some vaccine data and additional security protocols to protect from future cyber attacks could impose a burden on researchers. Private firms are more at risk than the public, said Mike Chapple, a former NSA computer scientist who teaches cyber security at the University of Notre Dame.

The potential harm here is limited to commercial harm, to companies that are devoting a lot of their own resources into developing a vaccine in hopes it will be financially rewarding down the road, he said.

The Kremlin mocked the announcements Thursday, and Russian officials said they did not know who could have hacked the companies or research centres in Britain. One Russian official said the accusation was an attempt to discredit Moscows own work on a vaccine.

Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for President Vladimir Putin of Russia, told reporters that the accusations were unacceptable. Russia has nothing to do with these attempts, he said.

Cozy Bear is one of the highest-profile, and most successful, hacking groups associated with the Russian government. It was implicated alongside the group Fancy Bear in the 2016 hacking of the Democratic National Committee. Though Cozy Bear is believed to have breached the committees computers, it played no known role in releasing stolen Democratic emails.

Cozy Bear has a long history of targeting governmental, diplomatic, think-tank, health care and energy organisations for intelligence gain, so we encourage everyone to take this threat seriously, said Anne Neuberger, the National Security Agencys cyber security director.

The malware used by Cozy Bear to steal the vaccine research included code known as WellMess and WellMail. The Russian group has not previously used that malware, according to British officials.

But American experts say the tactics used in trying to gain access to the vaccine data bear all the hallmarks of Russian intelligence officials. And US officials said they were confident in attributing the attacks to the Russian hacking group.

The US, British and Canadian governments said Cozy Bear used recently publicised weak spots in computer networks to gain a foothold. If organisations do not immediately patch a vulnerability that a software company has identified, their networks can be exposed to hacks.

Once Cozy Bear hackers exploit those gaps to gain entry to a computer system, they create legitimate credentials to maintain access even after the hole is patched.

While the various Russian hacking groups often share similar targets, they are run by different intelligence agencies for different purposes.

Hackers with Cozy Bear are after information but do not generally release it publicly, according to government and outside experts. Fancy Bear, which works for Russian military intelligence and is also known as APT28, will often publicise the information it steals.

Cozy Bears ties are to the SVR, the Russian equivalent of the CIA, according to current and former officials. Unlike other Russian hackers, Cozy Bears operations are sophisticated, stealthy and hard to detect.

Their job is quiet, old-fashioned intelligence collection, said Hultquist, the cyber security analyst.

Julian E Barnes c.2020 The New York Times Company
A Rajasthan police team was on Friday evening stopped for some time by the Haryana police from entering a hotel in Gurgaon where some dissident Congress MLAs are said to be holed up, an official said.

A Special Operations Group (SOG) team went to Manesar in Gurgaon to question MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, as part of its investigation into two audio clips which allegedly indicate a plot to bring down the Congress government in Haryana.

The Congress had also alleged that senior BJP leader and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also figured in the clips, which surfaced on social media.

But the FIR registered by the Special Operations Group does not identify one 'Gajendra Singh' as any minister.

Television channels showed a Rajasthan police vehicle being stopped outside the Manesar hotel for nearly an hour by policemen from the BJP-ruled state.

The police vehicle was later seen entering the hotel compound and then being driven out after several minutes.

Additional Director General (SOG) Ashok Rathore said the team was told at the reception that the MLA was not there. The police then left the second hotel in Manesar where some of the MLAs led by rebel Congress leader Sachin Pilot are said to camping.

"A team was sent to Manesar to ascertain the versions of those whose names have come up in audio clips as there have been statements that these audio clips are fake or morphed," Rathore had said earlier.

The refusal to allow the team, at least initially, to enter the hotel, prompted senior BJP leaders to charge that the BJP was part of the plan to "topple" their government in Rajasthan.

"If BJP claims not being involved in Congress' internal fight, then why BJP-led Haryana Government is extending their support and protection to MLAs inside the hotel?" AICC general secretary Avinash Pande tweeted.

AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also made the same allegation.

"Haryana Police blocking Rajasthan Police from investigating the 'toppling game' is naked proof of this plot," he tweeted. He claimed that the BJP "collusion" in the "plot" has now been exposed.

In separate statements, Union minister Shekhawat and MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma has rejected the charge that they figured in the audio clips.

(With inputs from PTI)
Acting on intelligence as part of ongoing investigations related to Operation Tara, Gardai from the Dublin Metropolitan Region West Divisional Drugs Unit based at Ronanstown Garda Station carried out a search of a residence in the Kingswood area of Dublin 22, yesterday.

During the course of this search, Gardai discovered an assortment of suspected controlled drugs, including 34 kilos of vacuum packed cannabis with an estimated value of 680,000, MDMA with an estimated value of 40,860, pink Upjohn tablets valued at 22,146, blue ecstasy tablets valued at 176,190, pink powder for Upjohn tablets valued at 168,000 and 3,550 respectively, white ecstasy tablets valued at 66,240, ketamine valued at 60,000, Xanax tablets valued at 81,700 and further ecstasy valued at 1,187,500.

All drugs seized are subject to analysis.

In addition to the suspected controlled drugs seized, suspected drugs paraphernalia including a drugs press, mixing machine, weighing scales and storage material were also recovered.

A full investigation has been launched. No arrests have been made to date.

Chief Superintendent Finbarr Murphy of Dublin West Division has said this is another example of the impact of Operation Tara on drug dealing.

He said:"We will continue to detect and aggressively disrupt illegal drug dealing at all levels in order to protect our communities from the ravages of drugs. I will continue to increase the allocation of resources to meet this challenge".


The United States, Britain and Canada have accused Russia of trying to steal Western research into coronavirus vaccines and treatments.

In a joint statement, the three governments said Thursday the hacking operation started in February and has continued since. They identified the Russian hacking group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear, as being behind the attacks.

Anne Neuberger is cybersecurity director at the U.S. National Security Agency. She said, APT29 has a long history of targeting governmental, diplomatic, think tank, health care and energy organizations for intelligence gain, so we encourage everyone to take this threat seriously.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab added, It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, rejected the accusation, saying: Russia has nothing to do with those attempts. He added, We dont have information about who may have hacked pharmaceutical companies and research centers in Britain.

Cozy Bear and another group called Fancy Bear were accused by U.S. intelligence officials of hacking into the U.S. Democratic Party email server. Russia denied any involvement in the incident, which took place during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The three Western allies first warned in May that state-backed hackers were trying to steal coronavirus research. But at the time, they did not identify who was behind the attack.

The announcement came from Britains National Cyber Security Centre, the Canadian Communication Security Establishment, and the National Security Agency. The coordinated move seemed designed to add more weight and gravity to the accusation  hopefully leading targets of the hackers to take protective action.

As COVID-19 spreads to more than 180 countries and territories, efforts to create an effective vaccine and treatment have expanded worldwide. Johns Hopkins Universitys Coronavirus Resource Center estimates that, as of July 16, COVID-19 has infected more than 13 million people and killed 580,000.

The World Health Organization has listed several human trials in Britain and the United States among the most promising candidates to produce an effective vaccine. These include major development programs by the companies AstraZeneca and Moderna.

Russian officials, however, have said the countrys own vaccine is far more developed. Russia has claimed it could be the first country to start giving vaccines to people.

U.S. officials have also accused China of trying to steal vaccine research. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Wray said last week, At this very moment, China is working to compromise American health care organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and academic institutions conducting essential COVID-19 research.

Mike Chapple is an information technology expert at the University of Notre Dame. He said, Its reasonable to conclude that the coronavirus is the No. 1 priority of every intelligence agency around the world right now.

I'm Jonathan Evans.

Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on VOA News and Associated Press news reports. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

hack  v. to secretly get access to files on a computer and a network to get information

encourage  v. to advise someone more likely to do something

combat  v. to fight against (someone)

pandemic  n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people

compromise  v. to damage by doing something to cause the desired effect

essential  adj. extremely important

priority  n. something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done first
In this April 30, 2017, file photo, Alex Trebek speaks at the 44th annual Daytime Emmy Awards at the Pasadena Civic Center in Pasadena, Calif. Trebek has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. (Chris Pizzello/The Canadian Press/AP/Invision)

Jeopardy Host Alex Trebek Gives Fans Health Update

Longtime host reveals he will stop cancer treatment if current one doesn't work

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek said he is doing well after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but stressed that things could take a turn for the worse.

Im doing well, he said during the conclusion of the video he provided to fans. Ive been continuing my treatment and it is paying off. Though it does fatigue me a great deal, my numbers are good. Im feeling great. In fact, during the break from the studio, I even wrote a book that will be coming out July 21st.

The 79-year-old also announced that old episodes of the series will be broadcast for the remainder of July and in August.

Trebek announced in March 2019 that he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and in the meantime, hes undergone several rounds of chemotherapy.

Now, in the meantime, Im here at home recording show openings for some very special Jeopardy! episodes that will be coming up in July, the host said. For the first time ever, we are going to open the Jeopardy! vaults and take another look at some of our favorite episodes, including the very first Jeopardy! show I ever hostedmustache and all.

The longtime host said in a recent interview that he will stop cancer treatment if the current ones dont work.

Actor Alex Trebek (R) and wife Jean Currivan Trebek arrive at the 38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards show in Las Vegas, Nev., on June 19, 2011. (Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez/AFP via Getty Images)

Yesterday morning my wife came to me and said, How are you feeling? And I said, I feel like I want to die. It was that bad, he was quoted by ET Canada as saying. There comes a time where you have to make a decision as to whether you want to continue with such a low quality of life, or whether you want to just ease yourself into the next level. It doesnt bother me in the least.

Trebek also announced he is publishing a book, The Answer Is  Reflections on My Life, slated for release on July 21.

Last year, Trebek said that chemotherapy is causing him to form sores around his mouth, making it hard to speak.

Im sure there are observant members of the television audience that notice also, but theyre forgiving, Trebek told CTV, referring to the chemotherapy symptoms.

But, he added, there will come a point when they (fans and producers) will no longer be able to say, Its OK.

The Canadian-born host added that he isnt afraid of death.

Ive lived a good life, a full life, and Im nearing the end of that life.  If it happens, why should I be afraid of that? he said in the interview on Oct. 4.
A petrol station of PetroVietnam Oil Corporation in the southern province of Tien Giang. - Photo PVOIL

Hanoi - The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has proposed the Government to allow petrol and oil businesses to transfer stakes to foreign investors, but not exceeding 35 percent.

The proposal is part of the draft revision and supplement of several articles in the Governments Decision No 83/2014/ND-CP on petrol and oil trading, creating favourable condition for foreign investors to participate in petrol and oil distribution in Vietnam.

In a report submitted to the Government, the MoIT said petroleum is a strategic commodity, greatly affecting peoples living and energy security, so it has calculated carefully the appropriate time to allow foreign investors to take part in the local distribution network.

When Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007, petroleum was a field that the country did not commit to opening up so that domestic enterprises had the opportunity to grow, build facilities and keep an important position in the domestic petroleum distribution system.

Today, after 13 years, Vietnam has opened its doors to foreign investors to invest in most important areas such as electricity, oil and gas, and aviation, the MoIT said in the report.

The ministry said the Prime Minister has just approved the participation of foreign investors in a number of large State-owned enterprises, including PetroVietnam Oil Corporation with 35 percent and Vietnam National Petroleum Group with 20 percent. This participation has significantly contributed to improving corporate governance, raising efficiency and competitiveness.

The ministry said that the foreign investors participation is expected to help domestic enterprises attract capital, technology and business management skills.
By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: Tension prevailed in Coimbatore on Friday morning as the statue of Thanthai Periyar EV Ramasamy was found dishonoured at Sundarapuram by miscreants who had poured saffron paint over it.

#Periyar statue in Coimbatore was found dishounoured by miscreants who had poured 'saffron' paint over it. @xpresstn @mannar_mannan pic.twitter.com/lvBwYsKQqF  The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) July 17, 2020

Locals found the statue painted unevenly with saffron colour in the morning.

It was later discovered that the miscreants had poured the paint the previous night.

They (the people) then gathered at the spot and protested demanding the arrest of the culprits who indulged in the act.

Meanwhile, a police force was also deployed at the spot and Podanur police are investigating the incident.

Senior officers also visited the spot and conducted a preliminary inquiry.

The statue was installed by Thanthai Periyar Pasarai 25 years ago and was inaugurated by Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani.
A popular Nigerian Instagram celebrity facing wire fraud charges in the United States, Ramoni Abbas (popularly called Hushpuppi), has settled for a government lawyer after his case was transferred to another district.

Mr Abbas, 37, who was resident in Dubai and known for flaunting extravagant lifestyle on social media, was arrested last month over money laundering allegations. He was extradited to the U.S on July 3.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation had earlier alleged that Mr Abbas was part of a network that made hundreds of millions of dollars from business email compromise frauds and other scams.

Also, the American government said Mr Abbas funded his extravagant lifestyle with stolen money.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how Mr Abbas hired a top lawyer in the U.S., Gal Pissetzky of the Pissetzky & Berliner law firm as his attorney.

Mr Pissetzky, renowned for handling criminal cases in Chicago, had argued that his client sourced his money from promoting designer products on social media and a real estate investment.

It should be noted a Chicago court, on Monday, denied him bail and ruled that he remains in detention till his next trial date later in the year.

However, documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES showed that Mr Abbass case has been transferred to the Central District of California for prosecution.

READ ALSO:

American prosecutors had earlier said Mr Abbas would still be transferred to Los Angeles, a city in California.

During the detention hearing on Monday, the government orally renewed its motion for removal in custody and the governments oral motion was granted.

Accordingly, Defendant is ordered removed to the Central District of California in the custody of the U.S. Marshal forthwith. As provided by 18 U.S.C.  3142(f), Defendant is remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal and shall remain in custody until further order of the Court, Justice Gilbert ruled.

Transfer documents signed by Thomas G. Bruton, the Clerk of the U.S Court in Chicago, indicated that Mr Abbas was moved on Tuesday.

RAMON OLORUNWA ABBAS, aka Ray Hushpuppi, arrested by Dubai Police

Moreover, in the commitment letter sent to California, Mr Abbas refused to retain Mr Pissetzky as his attorney. Rather, he requested that a court-appointed counsel be assigned to him.

If convicted, Mr Abbas would get a minimum sentence of 20 years in the U.S. federal prison.
When it comes to both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump and the political hot water each is currently flailing about in, there are garbage barges full of family dysfunction on display.

In the high heat of the summer of our disease and discontent, they stink.

Reminds one of British poet Philip Larkins blunt immortal words:

They f--k you up, your mum and dad.

They may not mean to, but they do.

They fill you with the faults they had

And add some extra, just for you.

After exhibiting admirably tough, competent and compassionate leadership through the worst public-health crisis of our time, Trudeaus current conflict-of-interest difficulties in the WE charity mess are so ridiculous and unnecessary that even one of his elderly and most ardent fans in my family exploded over the phone as if she were admonishing her own children. That is just plain STUPID, she said of the leader she had faithfully watched on television every single day during lockdown to approvingly receive his how were going to help you briefings during the height of the COVID-19 crisis.

Trudeau, now caught in an apparently blatant not to mention boundlessly inane conflict-of-interest imbroglio when his Liberal government awarded a juicy, multimillion, sole-source contract to the WE charity to administer volunteer student grants, was forced to publicly apologize when it was revealed that his mother Margaret Trudeau had in the recent past earned $250,000 from the organization and its affiliates in more than 20 speaking appearances and his brother Alexandre (Sacha) Trudeau more than $30,000.

And while the PM said he knew his whole family, including his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau (she was paid before he became PM) were very close to WE, he neither asked them just how much they had made from the organization nor, more puzzlingly, step away from the cabinet table when the deal was decided.

Bill Morneau, finance minister, also wearing ethical short pants, did not step away from the decision though his own daughter worked for the charity. (Note: politicians of many stripes, including Justin Trudeau himself, have appeared at WE events.)

Come on. Even though the charity withdrew from the contract and is now undergoing a restructuring, there better be a much more thorough explanation as to why on earth Trudeau thought participating in the decision to award this contract was OK.

More to come, Im sure, from a PM who prefers to bend the rules and apologize later. I dont believe at this crucial point in our pandemic recovery, with no entirely competent, present or persuasive political opponents, that this breach is criminal or even career-ending. Its maddening, though.

Simple question sir: Why not, in light of two previously confirmed ethical violations for which the voters forgave you, follow the rules even more strictly and find other worthy organizations to help students through a disastrous economic time that will impact their future for years to come? As the kids would say, Man, that is messed up.

What Trudeau said during his apology rang the dysfunctional bell. I deeply regret that I have brought my mother into this situation. Its unfair to her, and I should have been thoughtful enough to recuse myself, Trudeau said.

Yes, you owed her more than that. Now his mother, the fabled Margaret Trudeau, who has been in succession the daughter and wife and mother of three powerful male politicians (there oughta be a gold medal for that arduous trifecta), who arguably has done more for ordinary Canadians than most blowhard politicians by opening up a necessary national conversation about her own mental illness, is being both slammed and supported on social media.

What good has she ever done, yells the Twitter pyjama brigade, no doubt jealous of the big bucks shes received. I heard a CBC host shorthand the scandal as Mum got paid.

Nope. It is not wrong for Margaret Trudeau to be paid for her high-profile speaking and advocacy work. It is wrong for her firstborn son as PM to ignore conflict-of-interest klaxons blaring and let his cabinet choose the charity in the first place.

Margaret Trudeau has earned admiration in the mental-health community. Ive seen her talk powerfully and gracefully about how her illness derailed her private and very public life. Ive also seen her in the last decade at least once painfully fumble a promotional appearance during a difficult time.

Everyone gets paid far too much for these appearances, but its rationalized as how you subsidize social change.

When it comes to the Trudeau family dysfunction, theres always been a relatively harmless streak of narcissism running through this complex and fascinating political family. Pierre, Margaret and their son Justin have always been a bit too ready for their close-ups.

But I will say this: the self-regard they have each displayed is not malignant, its not destructive, and its not close to being as savage and dangerously dysfunctional as the virulent and brutish and amoral family narcissism that produced Donald Trump, the worst American president in modern history.

As an explosive new book this summer, Too Much and Never Enough, by one of Trumps own family members, niece Mary L. Trump, a clinical psychologist confirms, Donald Trump grew up in an emotional wasteland, raised to be a winner or killer by his brutish, racist father and ignored by his needy and unwell mother.

All the wealth and advantages in the world, however misbegotten, could not help Trump become a decent leader, ready to contribute to the good of society  which used to be, in a galaxy far away and long ago, one of the acceptable goals of privileged people entering public service.

Trump  savagely incompetent and clinically narcissistic, according to his niece  was raised in a dysfunctional family to become the worlds most dangerous man.

When Mary Trump was asked during an interview what she would say to her uncle Donald right now, she succinctly responded: Resign.

How dare I compare these two leaders, Justin Trudeau, shining moral beacon to the world  at least those who didnt vote against him at the UN  who stands on his own, seeks to do good and normally does it, even if he arrogantly bends a few rules along the way; and Donald Trump, ugly Goliath of the White House, whose racism, ignorance, corruption and deceits in dismissing the pandemic have helped kill tens of thousands of Americans with more to come?

Family dysfunction affects us all. It makes us or breaks us. But only up to a point. After that point, and with all due diligence about our own weak spots, we sink or swim. Which leader will survive this summer of disease and discontent? I hope its ours.

Judith Timson is a Toronto-based writer and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @judithtimson

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The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 disease has infected over 13.7 million individuals and taken more than 589,000 lives around the world. The novel virus was first detected in late December last year in Wuhan China and since then has become one of the greatest public health challenges in recent memory. One of the most significant impacts of this pandemic is to healthcare systems. The highly infectious nature of the virus has caused the rapid spread of the infection among communities in almost all countries, and with thousands getting severely ill requiring hospitalization, intensive care, and ventilation, the healthcare systems are overwhelmed in developed as well as developing nations. Now, researchers have come up with a rapid genomic sequencing test to identify and stratify healthcare-associated infections.

The researchers from the University of Cambridge, Cambridge United Kingdom have published their findings in a study titled, Rapid implementation of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing to investigate cases of healthcare-associated COVID-19: a prospective genomic surveillance study, in the latest issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases. This study on COVID-19 Genomics in the UK was funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, UK Research and Innovation, and the Wellcome Sanger Institute.

Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell heavily infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (yellow), isolated from a patient sample. The black area in the image is extracellular space between the cells. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID

Sequencing the viral strains  Why is it needed?

SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus and rapidly replicates when it infects a host. As it replicates in humans, it mutates, and the strains become diverse as time passes. At present, wrote the researchers, the rate of mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is approximately 25 nucleotides per month.

The researchers explained that the genomes of these viral strains need to be sequenced to obtain information about infectivity and biology in order to develop drugs and vaccines against it. Genomic sequencing can also reveal the strains of lineages of the viruses that are circulating in the human populations around the world and their impact on the outcome of the patients. Changes in the SARS-CoV-2 genome also show the success of the control measures and how the virus is responding to the interventions and control measures.

Healthcare-associated infections

Healthcare-associated infections are those that can affect the healthcare personnel as well as patients. Among patients, it can affect the morbidity or sickness and also the rate of deaths, and among the health care workers also, it can also affect staff sickness and morale. Either way, the healthcare-acquired infections can be detrimental to patient care write the researchers. Thus detection of health care acquire infections at the earliest is vital, they wrote. To date, over 22,000 health care workers have been infected by healthcare-acquired infectious strains, and the World Health Organization (WHO) believes these numbers to be a gross underestimate.

What was done?

Studies on genome surveillance of SARS-COV-2 were collated up until 11th May 2020. The purpose of this study was to use rapid SARS-CoV-2 sequencing in the epidemiology of these healthcare-associated infections and define necessary infection control measures.

This was a prospective study where the team used rapid SARS-CoV-2 nanopore sequencing of the virus samples obtained from those who were positive on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The samples were from hospitals in the East of England. Sequencing was completed within 24 hours of receiving the samples. Every week a review of the reports was established, and the epidemiological, as well as the genomic data, was shared to look into the healthcare-associated COVID-19 cases and the strains associated with them.

What was found?

The study was conducted between 13th March and 24th April 2020, and a total of 5,613 patient samples were obtained during this time. Of these, 1,000 samples were sequenced, and high-quality genomic data were obtained from 747 samples. Epidemiological and genomic data was combined in 299 patients from the host hospital.

The team found that there were 35 clusters of viruses that were identical. These were obtained from 159 patients. They further noted that 58 percent or 92 of the 159 patients had strong correlating epidemiological evidence, while 20 percent or 32 patients had possible epidemiological links.

As the next step, the researchers provided their data to the clinical infection control authorities and hospital management teams. Policies on infection control were thus modified, and patient safety reporting was also amended accordingly.

Conclusions and implications

The authors have successfully established real-time genomic surveillance of the virus and have also correlated it with the epidemiological findings. This could help understand the healthcare-associated infections they wrote and also identify opportunities to target infection-control interventions to reduce healthcare-associated infections further. The team signed off, Our findings have important implications for national public health policy as they enable rapid tracking and investigation of infections in hospital and community settings.
The Election Commission (EC) on Friday held a meeting with opposition parties from Bihar, after the parties filed a representation with the Commission on holding free and fair elections in the state.

The Bihar Assembly lapses in November and elections in the state will be the first to be held since the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.

Congress Shaktisinh Gohil, Rashtriya Janata Dals Manoj Jha, Communist Party of Indias D Raja, CPI(Marxist)s Sitaram Yechury, Vikasheel Insaan Partys Rajiv Mishra, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, CPI(Marxist-Leninist) and Hindustani Awam Morcha are signatories to the letter sent and among those who attended the video conference meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, and election commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra.

The parties also asked the poll body to consider scrapping the amendment made to the Representation of People Act, 1951, which allows those aged 65-years to use the postal ballot to cast their vote. The EC had on Thursday decided not to notify the amendment for the Bihar polls.

Leaders present at the meeting told Hindustan Times that while they appreciated the ECs decision to not notify it, the amendment itself was problematic.

More consultations needed to be held before the amendment was made, a leader present at the meeting said. The EC should scrap the amendment altogether.

Another leader added that the amendment, notified by the law ministry last month, needed to be withdrawn completely. HT had on Thursday reported that while the amendment was not notified for Bihar elections, it can be invoked by the EC in later elections.

A second leader present at the meeting added that the EC will have to take a call on whether the situation in Bihar is normal or not.

If the situation is normal, then the modes of campaigning should also be the usual, the leader said. Virtual rallies have happened without imposing a ceiling on the expenditure.

According to a statement issued by the EC on Friday, political parties have until July 31 to give their views and suggestions for campaigning, before final guidelines are issued.

The parties have also recommended that four booths be set up, with 250 electors per booth in each polling station to reduce the risk of virus transmission. The Commission had decided to reduce the number of voters in each booth from 1,600 to 1,000 per booth in the wake of the pandemic.

Leaders present at the meeting said the Commission assured them they would address all their apprehensions, and that they are monitoring the situation on a daily basis. An EC spokesperson told Hindustan Times that any developments, as and when they took place, will be conveyed to all.

In their representation, the parties have cited the alarming exponential surge in Covid-19 cases across the length and breadth of the state, and the lockdowns that are likely to follow. The letter further underlined the fear among the electorate and the parties that the poll exercise does not become a super spreader event.

The parties also claimed the decision to allow virtual rallies without a financial ceiling would help the ruling parties  the JD(U)-BJP-LJP alliance.

In the All Party Meeting convened recently by the Chief Election Commissioner, the ruling parties pushed their proposal regarding virtual election campaigns through digital media and prohibiting traditional election campaign methods, the parties wrote in their letter.

According to TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) only a little over half the population has a mobile phone. Only 34 percent have a smartphone. It will be a travesty of unpardonable proportion to officially legitimize a mode of election campaign which is not only severely limited by its reach but exclusionary by its design. Almost two thirds of the electorate will be left out of the process. Uncaring about this the parties in power have kick started their virtual blitzkrieg while the Election Commission is yet to fix the limit of expenditure of this virtual political campaign, it added.

The parties also asked how the EC will ensure distancing in a state with a population of 130 million and 75 million eligible voters.
Russian Foreign Ministry Has Information US Forces Train Militants Near Syria's At Tanf

Sputnik News

17:34 GMT 16.07.2020(updated 17:36 GMT 16.07.2020)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - There is information that US forces, which occupy the "security zone" around Syria's At Tanf, train militants, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

"There is information that those occupying the 'security zone' around the settlement of At Tanf  we are talking about the Americans  train and supply weapons to the militants of illegal armed groups Magavir al-Saura, this is done for sabotage actions in other parts of Syria," she said.

According to Zakharova, in the areas of illegal US presence in Syria, the terrorists "are not only not eliminated, but, on the contrary, they are encouraged to continue their activities."

A Sputnik

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Most California public and private school campuses will not reopen when the academic year begins under statewide rules announced Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, shifting instead toward full-time distance learning in response to the summer surge in coronavirus cases.

Schools will remain closed in 32 counties on the state's COVID-19 monitoring list. Public health conditions in those communities led state officials last week to require a variety of facilities to close, including gyms, shopping malls, hair and nail salons and places of worship. The counties are home to 35.5 million Californians.

"We all prefer in-classroom instructions for all the obvious reasons  social, and emotional foundationally. But only, only if it can be done safely," Newsom said.

At schools that can open, state officials will require all staff and students in grades three through 12 to wear masks. Younger students will be encouraged to wear masks and students who are unwilling or unable to comply could be asked to switch to remote learning.

The new directives represent state government's most far-reaching effort to direct the operations of more than 10,500 schools across California during the pandemic. But for at least one-quarter of the state's 6 million schoolchildren, the mandate only reinforces plans already announced by local officials.

On Monday, leaders of the Los Angeles Unified School District and the San Diego Unified School District announced distance learning for all students returning for the coming year. Other large districts in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento also voluntarily agreed to forgo classroom learning because of current health conditions.

Though the practical effect of the Newsom administration's new mandate is simple, some of the policy's details are complex. Schools in the counties being monitored for coronavirus spread would not be able to reopen until those counties see at least 14 consecutive days of declining coronavirus cases and are therefore removed from the state's watch list.

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Those schools would be subject to different rules, which will apply in counties with less persistent coronavirus problems. There, the threshold for closing schools is dependent on testing for COVID-19. If a teacher or student in a classroom tests positive, the state will suggest that the class be sent home to self-quarantine.

If multiple classrooms are closed, Newsom said, school officials should close the campus. School districts will be asked to close all campuses if 25% of their locations had enough coronavirus cases to require a shutdown.

The rules for whether schools can open also apply to on-campus after-school programs. And they apply, a state official said, to parochial schools such as those affiliated with the Catholic Church.

Newsom said schools that are allowed to open must, in addition to requiring masks, maintain six feet of physical distancing between students and adults as well as take other health precautions.

"We believe that school days should start with symptom checks, meaning temperature checks," the governor said. "We have robust expectations around hand-washing stations, sanitation, deep sanitation. Deep disinfection efforts."

Some education leaders briefed on the proposal questioned whether it is realistic to impose rules that depend on testing when many communities already face a shortage of test kits. The new guidelines also ask for periodic COVID-19 testing at schools.

Newsom's decision to impose a strict statewide standard comes four days after he suggested the state had already provided ample guidance for schools  a stance that even some of his longtime allies suggested would put students, teachers and school employees at risk while leaving parents and families unsure of what would happen and when.

Last week, the powerful California Teachers Assn. wrote Newsom to say that many schools could not safely reopen under current conditions,  including the lack of sufficient coronavirus testing and personal protective equipment.

Low-income communities, many disproportionately comprising Black and Latino students, face major challenges with distance learning that state and local education officials need to address, community advocates said.

Things are harder than they were March 16 for our communities ... with the ongoing economic impact of the pandemic and the increase of the spread," said Maria Brenes, executive director of the East L.A. community organizing nonprofit InnerCity Struggle, and an L.A. Unified parent.

Were talking about the essential, the front-line workers that keep our economy going, and this is their children and were doing such a grave injustice to them," she said.

Students with disabilities also face challenges , said Elmer Roldan, executive director of the nonprofit Communities in Schools of Los Angeles, which provides support and case management for about 1,000 L.A. families. Schools need to provide services for students with special needs through distance learning, he said, and must address the existing needs of families who are at a disadvantage with at-home schooling, such as those who speak a different language.

What do we do to address connectivity issues? Whether its the students having a device or having internet that works or having the space where they can do homework? And then what happens when a student needs support that a parent is unable to provide, because a parent may need to work or the parent may be unable to comprehend the lessons that the students are learning?" Roldan said.

L.A. County schools Supt. Debra Duardo said her office is trying to raise funds to address equity and social-emotional needs "so that students and families are able to succeed in a remote learning environment."

The state also updated its guidance Friday for day-care centers, which will be allowed to remain open but must investigate whether work-related factors contribute to any outbreaks and implement preventive measures accordingly. The new guidance requires day-care centers to provide training for staff and families on personal hygiene and the "proper use, removal and washing of face coverings."

Previous day-care recommendations include face coverings for staff and for children 2 and older, and health screenings of children and staff before they enter a facility.

Whether school districts are able to fully cover the costs of expanded distance learning remains unclear. The state budget signed by Newsom last month commits $5.3 billion for school needs linked to the pandemic, most of that from the federal relief package enacted in the spring. More than half the money will be allocated to schools based on the number of children who are English learners or come from low-income families.

That amount of money will help and is more than some states have to work with, said Elisha Smith Arrillaga, executive director of Education Trust-West.

"But especially with the announcement that were in this for the long haul for long-distance learning, we really need the resources to be able to implement it well and equitably across the whole state, she said.

Even then, K-12 schools will find their resources stretched. The state budget spreads out the payment of some $13 billion in school funding obligations, to be covered in the short term by local cash reserves or by the school districts borrowing money. Districts have also worried about language tucked into the final budget that seems to require some level of in-person schooling, though lawmakers later insisted that would not prevent public health requirements from completely closing campuses.

Before Friday's announcement, the new school year seemed to be starting much as the last one had ended  with local officials making their own decisions, on their own timetables. Despite calls for statewide action, Newsom avoided a blanket policy dictating when to close schools as the virus spread throughout the state in the early spring.

The governor, who has four young children, chose instead to approach the issue as a parent, telling reporters in mid-March that he told his daughter that schools probably wouldn't reopen at the time  framing the comment as a reality check, not a directive from his office.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, at 87 the United States Supreme Courts oldest member, said on Friday she is receiving chemotherapy treatment for a recurrence of cancer, but has no plans to retire from the court.

In a statement released by the court, Ginsburg said a periodic scan in February, followed by a biopsy, revealed lesions on her liver. She said she is tolerating the chemotherapy treatment well and that it is yielding positive results.

My most recent scan on July 7 indicated significant reduction of the liver lesions and no new disease, she wrote. I am tolerating chemotherapy well and am encouraged by the success of my current treatment.









The cancer is the latest in a series of health concerns.

Ginsburg was released from a Baltimore hospital earlier this week. A court spokesperson said at the time it was due to a possible infection.

Ginsburg, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, is the senior liberal justice on a court that leans conservative by a 5-4 margin.

Her health is closely watched because a Supreme Court vacancy could give President Donald Trump  a Republican  the opportunity to appoint a third justice to the court and move it further to the right.

Asked earlier this week about a possible opening on the court before the election, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said the president would act quickly if any opening were to arise.

When President Barack Obama tried to fill a vacancy in an election year, Senate Republicans refused to even consider his nominee.

The liberal icon says she remains able to continue her work on the high court.

I have often said I would remain a member of the Court as long as I can do the job full steam. I remain fully able to do that, Ginsburg said in the statement.

Ginsburgs history with cancer goes back more than 20 years. In addition to being treated without surgery for a tumour on her pancreas last year, she also underwent surgery for colorectal cancer in 1999, pancreatic cancer in 2009 and lung cancer in December 2018.

Dr Alan Venook, a pancreatic cancer specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, who is not involved in Ginsburgs care, told The Associated Press news agency that clearly, shes got [an] incurable disease now because of the spread to her liver.

On average, patients with advanced pancreatic cancer live about a year, but the fact that her disease took so long to recur from her initial pancreatic cancer surgery in 2009 and previous treatments suggests that its not been growing rapidly, he said.

Shes above average in many ways, and has done remarkably well with all her treatments so far, Venook said. Theres no reason to think she would die imminently.
A container vessel is docked at the port in Singapore. (PHOTO: AFP via Getty Images)

SINGAPORE  The Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed 327 more COVID-19 cases on Friday (17 July), bringing the total to 47,453, as well as the death of a 15th COVID-19 patient from unrelated causes.

A 72-year-old Singaporean woman, who died on Wednesday, was confirmed to have the infection a day after her death from intracerebral haemorrhage.

The ministry also announced an additional cluster of three cases linked to a construction site at Paya Lebar Quarter Tower 2.

Of the new cases, nine  including the 72-year-old fatality, one of six Singaporeans  are classified as cases in the community, while three  including a Singaporean and two one-year-old babies  are imported cases.

The remaining 315 are foreign workers residing in dormitories. Overall, only one per cent of the new cases have no established links.

COVID-19: Breakdown of 9 community cases, 3 imported cases on Friday in Singapore https://t.co/1wNQAgTwua pic.twitter.com/9VCBdMrXCF  Yahoo Singapore (@YahooSG) July 17, 2020

All but one of the nine community cases are linked to previous cases or clusters.

Of them, four  cases 47434, 47445, 47504 and 47521  had been identified as contacts of previously confirmed cases, and had been placed on quarantine earlier.

They were tested during their quarantine to determine their status, even though three of them are asymptomatic, said the MOH.

The fifth case  case 47502  was identified from the testing of individuals working in frontline COVID-19 operations. He is linked to the cluster at Blue Stars Dormitory.

The remaining three  cases 47242, 47508 and 47509  were swabbed under the enhanced community testing programme to test all individuals aged 13 and above who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection at first presentation to a doctor. Case 47242 is linked to a cluster at Toh Guan Dormitory.

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The sole unlinked community case is the 72-year-old woman  case 47229  who had been hospitalised for reasons not related to COVID-19 and subsequently tested positive following her demise.

Among the three imported cases, case 47522 is a Singaporean who returned from the Philippines on 6 July.

The remaining cases are children who are dependants pass or long-term visit pass holders who arrived in Singapore from India on 26 June (case 47389) and 15 July (case 47529).

All of them had been placed on 14-day stay-home notice upon arrival in Singapore, and had been tested while serving their notice, said the MOH.

The ministry added that the number of new cases in the community has decreased, from an average of 16 cases per day in the week before, to an average of 11 per day in the past week.

Similarly, the number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased, from an average of eight cases per day in the week before, to an average of six per day in the past week, it said.

Singapore must be prepared for second wave

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong during an online press conference on Friday said that about seven in 10 of unlinked cases here were asymptomatic, and almost half likely to be past infections as they are tested positive in serology tests.

Gan, who is the multi-ministry COVID-19 taskforce co-chair, said authorities are keeping an especially close watch on symptomatic unlinked cases in the community.

If these cases start rising, it could be an early signal to us that there may be an increase in the underlying transmission in the community, he added. To this end, authorities from 1 July began testing all individuals aged 13 and above who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection (ARI) symptoms at first presentation to a doctor.

They are now testing around 2,400 ARI cases a day on average, Gan said.

Even with this rigorous testing, the number of unlinked COVID-19 cases detected through this ARI screening in the community has remained stable, and continues to be in the low single digits. This suggests that the prevalence in the community remains low, he added.

However, he cautioned that Singapore must be prepared for a second wave, despite best efforts to avoid the scenario. He cited examples in South Korea, where door-to-door sales resulted in over 200 infected cases, and in Tokyo, Japan, where more than 300 cases have been linked to nightlife establishments.

These examples show the type of settings and activities  where there is close and prolonged contact among individuals  that are more susceptible to transmission, said Gan.

That is why in Singapore, we have taken a cautious approach in easing restrictions for some activities that we know to be of higher risk, he said.

Clearance of dorm workers set to complete by mid-Aug

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong during the same press conference noted that the government is in the final stretch of clearing the workers living in dorms and is set to complete the work by mid-August, or possibly earlier.

We believe that we can complete this work by mid-August  possibly earlier than that. So we are doing everything we can to complete that work and to allow the workers to resume work safely thereafter, he said.

Around 230,000 workers have either recovered or have tested to be free from the virus to date, Wong, who is the multi-ministry COVID-19 taskforce co-chair, added. This figure comprises over two-thirds of those living in dorms.

The remaining workers that we are looking at  all of them have been isolated. In fact, they are mostly waiting for their final exit tests, as it were, to be tested at the end of isolation, and then we decide whether they are negative or positive, he said.

Of Singapores total COVID-19 tally, 44,719  over 94 per cent  are foreign workers living in dorms.

92% of cases recovered, zero in ICU

With 321 more patients discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities on Friday, 43,577 cases  some 92 per cent of the total tally  have fully recovered from the infection.

Most of the 165 hospitalised cases are stable or improving, while none are in critical condition in the intensive care unit for the first time in months.

A total of 3,684 patients with mild symptoms or are clinically well but still test positive are isolated and cared for at community facilities.

Apart from 27 patients who have died from COVID-19 complications, 15 others who tested positive for the virus were determined to have died from unrelated causes, including three whose deaths were attributed to a heart attack and another four, whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease.

Only cases where the attending doctor or pathologist attributes the primary or underlying cause of death as due to COVID-19 infection will be added to the COVID-19 death count, said the MOH in previous press releases, adding that the method of assessment is consistent with international practices for classifying deaths.

As of 13 July, the ministry has conducted 1,009,532 swab tests, of which 519,911 were done on unique individuals. This translates to around 177,100 swabs conducted per 1 million total population, and about 91,200 unique individuals swabbed per 1 million total population.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

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The logo of Chinese company Huawei is seen on the screen of a Huawei mobile phone in London on July 14, 2020. (Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images)

US and UK Announce Partnership on 5G After Huawei Ban

The United States and the UK are going to team up on developing solutions for the next-generation wireless technology, after the latters recent decision to purge equipment made by Chinese tech giant Huawei from its 5G rollout.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on July 16 the UKs decision to prevent the use of unsecure technology in its 5G networks, according to a brief statement issued by the State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus.

The British decision to ban Huawei was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday, when he ordered that the Chinese companys equipment be removed from Britains 5G networks by the end of 2027.

The UK government allowed Huawei to build non-core parts of its 5G network in April 2019.

The restriction was expanded in January this year, when the UK government limited Huawei to supply 35 percent of the non-core 5G network.

Prior to the 2027 deadline, British telecommunication companies will also be prohibited from buying Huawei equipment from the end of 2020 and thereafter.

The Secretary and Foreign Secretary agreed to work together to promote the development of additional trusted 5G solutions, Ortagus stated. The statement did not provide any other details.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that he was responsible for Johnsons decision to ban Huawei.

We convinced many countries, many countriesI did this myself for the most partnot to use Huawei, because we think its an unsafe security risk, its a big security risk, Trump said.

Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China will take all necessary measures in response to the British decision, while accusing the British government of discriminating against a Chinese company, at a daily briefing on Wednesday.

Chinese state-run media Global Times published an opinion article on Thursday, in which it listed several possible countermeasures that China could take against the UK. Among the measures suggested was Chinas state-run companies could sell off their British assets.

The U.S. government has already banned Huawei from the countrys 5G networks over security concerns.

The UKs decision has since been welcomed by many lawmakers in both the United States and Britain.

This is big newsand I applaud our British allies for reversing their decision. Huawei is a lackey of the Chinese Communist Party and should play no role within the critical infrastructure of the U.S. or our allies. https://t.co/o8o9IY9QGs  Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) July 14, 2020

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) in a press release issued on Tuesday, said: The Chinese Communist Partys determination to control the future of 5G through their proxy company Huawei poses a significant threat. No countrys data is safe if Huawei or any CCP-linked company has control over it.

McCaul concluded: I strongly encourage all European and other countries to follow the UKs lead.

Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) also released a press statement on Tuesday, saying he was relieved to hear the decision.

As China continues to make clear its malign international intentions, I am heartened by the determination of Western allies to face these new challenges in a clear-eyed, unified manner, Risch said.

British MP Tom Tugendhat took to his Twitter account to say: Our China strategy needs to be about more than Huawei but the decision to ban them from 5G is an important start.

Another British MP Bob Seely penned an article on online magazine Spectator, warning that Huawei is down, but it is not out.

The worst-case scenario is that Huawei will sell as many kits as they can in the next six months in the UK and then seek to overturn the ban after the next election on grounds of cost; convenience, geopolitics, Seely wrote.
GENESEE COUNTY, MI  Its been 20 years since Genesee County voters elected a new sheriff.

Robert Pickell won five elections in a row for the position, with his first victory coming in August 2000.

After the sheriff retired in January 2020, the door was left wide open for a new person to fill the spot.

Four candidates -- three Democrats and one Republican -- have stepped forward for the Aug. 4 primary at a chance to win the four-year seat.

MLive Media Group has partnered with the League of Women Voters of Michigan to provide candidate information and other voting resources to readers ahead of 2020 elections.

Stephen Sanford, a U.S. Army veteran and reserve police officer, is the lone Republican and will move forward to the Nov. 3 general election.

Military veteran, reserve officer enters Genesee County sheriffs race

A primary election slugfest has lined up on the Democratic side of the ballot with appointed Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, Flint Police Chief Phil Hart, and former Flint Police Chief Tim Johnson, running for the chance to advance to the General Election in November and face Sanford.

Swanson, a 1990 graduate of Grand Blanc High School who now lives in Fenton, started as an intern in the sheriffs department in 1991 before being hired permanently in the marine division later that year, according to MLive-The Flint Journal records.

Interim Genesee County sheriff faces budget challenge, election battle

He also has spent time in the paramedic and jail divisions and worked in the Flint Area Narcotics Group. Swanson joined the detective bureau in 2000 as a sergeant and was promoted to lieutenant in 2004. He became a captain  his position before taking the undersheriff role  later in 2004.

Swanson was named sheriff on an interim basis in December 2019 after he bested former Genesee County Sheriffs Sgt. Gerald Parks Jr. and Phil Hart for the role.

Hart has spent more than 30 years in law enforcement, with 26 years spent with the Michigan State Police including roles as a lieutenant and commander of the Flint post and Genesee County Sheriffs Office jail administrator.

He moved on to become the Saginaw County Undersheriff in 2014. Hart resigned from the position on March 4, 2019, just two months before announcing his run for Genesee County sheriff.

Hart is the interim Flint police chief, a role he took on after Johnson stepped down two days before Mayor Sheldon Neeley took office on Nov. 11, 2019.

Genesee County Sheriff candidate Phil Hart holds first official campaign event

A candidate for Genesee County sheriff in 2012, Johnson served as the citys police chief during Mayor Karen Weavers four-year term.

He also previously spent time as a U.S Air Force Military Police staff sergeant and Wayne County Sheriffs deputy early on in his law enforcement career.

Each candidate was given a list of questions relevant to the office for which they are campaigning. The voter guide can be accessed at vote411.org.

Former Flint police discusses decision to run for sheriff

All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for a necessary cut if a reply exceeded character limitations.

Here is how each candidate responded to the questions.

Please explain characteristics or attributes about yourself that make you an ideal candidate.

Hart: I pride myself on my honesty, integrity and ethics. I believe this is the basis for effective law enforcement leadership. I am a proven leader, holding leadership roles in the Michigan State Police, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office and the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office. I have a diverse and varied law enforcement background, across many departments, along with the ability to bring people together for a common goal or purpose. Forming a relationship is not possible without trust which is earned through repeated interactions where ethics, honesty and integrity are the displayed on every contact by law enforcement. This make me uniquely qualified to hold the office of Sheriff.

Swanson: The role of Sheriff is one of the most unique, challenging jobs in law enforcement, and is critical to protecting a community. I have been honored to serve the Genesee County Sheriffs Office for the past 27 years, working in a multitude of roles from corrections, patrol, paramedic, investigations, and over a decade as Undersheriff. Performing the tasks of each role in a Sheriffs Office is the only way to uniquely understand how best the office can positively impact our community. I have taken this to heart, and utilized that experience while serving as your Sheriff these past 6 months.

Johnson: I am a man that has the people's best interest at heart and I believe in Christian values: Integrity, honesty, loyalty, dedication, discipline, passion, respect for all, helpful, transparent, and empathetic. I speak from the heart, I am a good listener, and communicator to all citizens regardless of race, creed, or demographic background. My proven record as Chief of Police, City of Flint, 40 years Law Enforcement experience, my personal business experience, and working with the community through the Flint Water Crisis are just a few attributes that speak to my character.

What top issues/areas of improvement do you feel the County faces in law enforcement and response? If elected, what will you do to address them?

Hart: lack of public trust and jail overcrowding need to be addressed. In Genesee County, the Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust (ALPACT) was started in 2011, and I was a founding co-chair. Our goal is to bring law enforcement and the community together for the purpose of forging a level of trust and understanding between all involved. Programs such as Swift and Sure, Veterans Court and Drug Court are all avenues to reduce jail overcrowding while giving an offender an opportunity to change their position without incarceration if they successfully complete the programs. This reduces inmate populations while allowing those in the system the opportunity to alter their course for the future.

Swanson: Above all else, a Sheriffs Office must be a community partner. Listening to the needs and concerns of residents, and giving each person we interact with the dignity and respect they have earned. We must also understand the needs of our community are diverse, and ever changing. Whether it is our paramedic division responding to medical emergencies throughout our County, going door-to-door during a Water Crisis handing out bottled water and filters, or answering a global pandemic by delivering 1 million pounds of food to those impacted locally, it is our job to always answer the challenge.

Johnson: 1. Public Safety- I will create a more indepth relationship between Law Enforcement and the community (restoring community trust and community involvement) 2. Lawsuits of unfair treatment toward housed individuals - More department diversity training for all employees 3. Jail Overcrowding - I will reduce jail overcrowding by using GPS cellular tracking system at no cost to Genesse County residents.Also, utilizing half-way houses around the county to free up jail space. Implement alternatives to incarceration. (Only individuals with minor offenses). 4. County Budget - Accept fiscal responsibility and manage a balanced budget.

What programs do you support to reduce crime rates, reduce recidivism, and ensure fair treatment of all citizens? Please explain.

Hart: Utilizing civilian panels to have input regarding such things as officer violations, training programs and general policing strategies. Trust between law enforcement and the citizens is an important part of a crime reduction strategy. I have begun seating a panel of residents and Black Lives Matter representatives to work with me to address fair and equal treatment as well as suggestions for trainings, policy changes and general input to help in the area of fair treat, crime reduction and reduced recidivism. Obtaining a full and balanced view is necessary to making appropriate decisions that impact us all.

Swanson: Protecting the most vulnerable among us is vital, and a true test of character for any community. Combating elder abuse, financial exploitation of seniors, animal cruelty, opioid addiction among our youth, and sex trafficking right here in Genesee County must continue to be top priorities in our office. I founded the G.H.O.S.T. task force to identify and apprehend child predators who target our children online. While these criminals must be dealt with harshly, I am also increasing educational opportunities for non-violent offenders in our jail, giving them a productive pathway in life.

Johnson: 1. Total Jail Reform - Offer professional counseling and in jail programs such as GED, drivers license, computer skills, and or college education courses while awaiting trial. 2. Curve Recidivism - Create partnerships with local school/colleges to offer enhancement programs while in jail and follow up programs once they are released to make sure the individuals are held accountable. 3. Crime Reduction- I will create an Intelligence Center using technology to be proactive to crime not reactive.

Public trust in elected and appointed officials is strained across the nation. Do you support signing an ethics promise as a means to build/ensure public trust? Please explain.

Hart: I do support signing an ethics promise. As I have stated, I have started a committee to review and suggest what we in law enforcement need to do to build public trust. I have worked at hiring and promoting officers that represent the make up of our community. The communities within Genesee County are varied and diverse and as such require to see this same diversity represented in those entrusted to protect and defend them. A large amount of power and authority are given to law enforcement and those they represent need to know that they are in fact fully represented and that they can trust those individuals in whom they have placed this trust. Law enforcement is not effective without this trust and for this reason every effort must be made to build this trust.

Swanson: While ethical behavior is clearly lacking in many of our public officials across this nation, I am proud of the dedication exhibited each and every day by the Deputies, Paramedics, Command and Support staff of the Genesee County Sheriffs Office. Their commitment and sacrifice give me strength each and every day, and I remain dedicated to leading by example to earn the publics trust each day as well. While I would welcome a formal ethics document, that commitment remains regardless of whether or not one exists.

Johnson: I will support and sign an ethics promise as a means to build/ensure public trust. I also feel that a person running for office should be vetted. A persons past history is a good place to start. As a Veteran Police Officer/Chief of Police/Military Officer/Business Owner/ Community Mentor/ Church Trustee/ Pastor Armour Bearer one has a moral duty to keep their promise when serving the public in a trusted position. The citizens put their trust in elected officials believing that the elected official is trustworthy.
Mining company OceanaGold has today announced a significant new project in Waihi.

Named Project Quattro, the proposed project involves four major activities.

OceanaGold proposes to enlarge the current Martha open pit, mine a second smaller pit on the outskirts of town near the companys process plant, develop a new tailings storage facility, and construct a rock stack next to the existing tailings storage areas.

OceanaGold Waihi Operation General Manager, Bernie OLeary, says that, if consented, Project Quattro has the potential to produce nearly 750,000 ounces of gold over a 14-year period.

Project Quattro would complement the already consented Project Martha. It would extend the life of mining in Waihi past 2036 and maintain our workforce well into the middle of the next decade.

When OceanaGold purchased the Waihi Operation in 2015, the mine had a life of less than three years remaining.

We made a commitment then to extend the life of the mine and develop the economic benefits it brings to Waihi and the region.

"We are a high value export intensive industry that supports a wide range of businesses and jobs. Project Quattro would employ local people as well as bringing skilled staff into the region, all of which contributes to the resilience of our community.

Bernie says the company has developed a detailed plan from mining through to final rehabilitation that would extend the life of mining in Waihi and also leave the town with a net benefit once rehabilitation was completed.

We have a comprehensive current closure plan. Project Quattro would be incorporated into the existing plan to ensure that what we leave will be a positive legacy for the community.

Bernie says the planning for Project Quattro has involved extensive technical, environmental and cultural studies.

Waihi has a proud 30-year history of operating to the highest environmental standards. Over three decades we have demonstrated our ability to work closely with our host communities and stakeholders.

We are announcing this project now and will work extensively alongside our communities to better understand their views before applying for consents under the Resource Management Act towards the end of the year.

OceanaGold shared its proposal for further development in Waihi with the Council yesterday afternoon.

The company will also present its proposed plans at the next Council meeting on July 29.

Mayor Toby Adams says the company has announced its intentions to apply for resource consents from Hauraki District Council and Waikato Regional Council to authorise Project Quattro, but Hauraki District Council has not yet received any applications.

Once the Council receives an application it will use independent professionals to ensure the information received from the company is technically robust, and independent commissioners will be engaged to listen to community feedback and make a decision.

At this stage there are still many unknowns. Once we receive an application from the company theres a robust process to go through that will allow community feedback via formal written submissions.

Well ensure all information is available to the community as soon as possible.

He says OceanaGold has been talking with the Council for a while about acquiring the Seddon Street property that its elderly housing units are located on for possible future mining projects.

The Council has since accepted an offer from the company to swap that land for a property it owns that runs between Gilmour and Mueller Street.

As part of the offer, the company would build six new elderly housing units on the property and provide infrastructure for five more future units.

Weve agreed to the swap as it offers many benefits to the community, particularly for our older people.

"However, its an option for a five year term, as the land may not be required if the proposed mining project does not go ahead. So if it does happen, it wont be for a few years yet.

Adams also expects the company will approach the Council to seek approval to realign the Cambridge Road/Bulltown Road junction, along with a section of Moresby Ave and Savage Road.

The interests of our communities are paramount, so well be going out and talking with people in Waihi to understand how they feel about any proposed road changes when we receive the application."

Adams says the company has been exploring other mining opportunities over the past few years and the Council has been well aware of that.

Since purchasing the Waihi Gold Mine from Newmont Mining Corporation in 2015, OceanaGold has been actively engaged in exploration work so weve been expecting to see new proposals on the table.

Whats important now is that we consider the interests of everyone in our Waihi community, including all residents, ratepayers and businesses.

Major slips on the north wall in 2015 and 2016, stalled mining in the Martha Pit but in 2018 OceanaGold received resource consent for work to stabilise the wall and allow access to the bottom of the pit to restart mining.

The creation of new underground drives, mostly beneath the pit and in a residential area spanning from the rugby clubrooms to the Mueller and Kenny St intersection, also received consent at that time.
A Berkeley police vehicle waits at a stop light near graffiti calling for the defunding of the Berkeley police department in Berkeley, Calif., July 15, 2020. (Ben Margot/AP Photo)

Unarmed City Workers, Not Police Officers, to Perform Traffic Stops in California City

Unarmed city workers will conduct traffic stops in a California city, replacing police officers, under a new plan approved this week.

The Berkeley City Councils vote directed the city manager and city officials to reimagine public safety and pursue the creation of a new Department of Transportation to ensure a racial justice lens in traffic enforcement and the development of transportation policy, programs, & infrastructure, according to a copy of the councils agenda.

The goal is to reduce and/or eliminate the practice of pretextual stops based on minor traffic violations.

Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin, a Democrat who was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), folded the proposal into an omnibus motion.

Arreguin said he doesnt expect a new transportation department overnight because conversations will be hard and detailed with complicated logistics to figure out. But he said minorities in his city feel targeted by police and that needs to change.

There may be situations where police do need to intervene, and so we need to look at all that, he said. We need to look at if we do move traffic enforcement out of the Police Department, what does that relationship look like and how will police officers work in coordination with unarmed traffic enforcement personnel?

The plan appears to be the first in the United States to split traffic enforcement from uniformed police officers.

A worker makes repairs to the damaged Berkeley police headquarters in Berkeley, Calif., July 15, 2020. (Ben Margot/AP Photo)

The reaction was fierce from some.

I think what Berkeley is doing is nuts, said Mark Cronin, a former traffic officer who directs the Los Angeles Police Protective League, a union for officers. I think its a big social experiment. I think its going to fail and its not going to take long for, unfortunately, traffic collisions, fatalities to increase exponentially.

Frank Merenda, a former New York City Police Department captain who is an assistant professor of criminal justice at Marist College, added: Traffic stops are one of the most unpredictable and therefore dangerous duties of law enforcement. There is no such thing as a routine traffic stop and to perform them effectively and safely takes months of police training in and outside of an academy.

And Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University, described the idea as an overly simplistic plan that could have deadly consequences for unarmed traffic enforcement officers.

The Berkeley Police Department said in a statement to The Epoch Times that its too soon to determine how the proposals in the omnibus motion will affect how policing is done.

We look forward to engaging with our community, and working together towards the best possible approaches to safety in our neighborhoods and across our city. We recognize that it is not only important that the Community is safe, its also important that the Community feels safe, it said.

The Berkeley Police Association did not respond to requests for comment. Police unions for Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Jose issued a statement opposing the proposal.

The traffic proposal was first introduced by Berkeley City Councilman Rigel Robinson, a Democrat.

Berkeley residents have made it clear that the current model of policing is not working for our city, Robinson said in a statement last week. Im excited to continue the conversation on reimagining public safety, starting with the way we conduct enforcement on our streets.

The proposal drew support from community members during the meeting, the Berkeleyside blog reported.

Traffic enforcement is a tool of broken policing to just do investigations on disproportionately black and brown drivers and it endangers everyone, local resident Darrell Owens said. The status quo has not kept the public safe: Remove it away from the police into a department focused around equity.

The mayors motion also included four other proposals involving the police, including a proposal to slash the departments budget by 50 percent.

Berkeley police officers in a 2018 file photograph. (Amy Osborne/AFP via Getty Images)

Berkeley last month cut funding to its police department by 12 percent, or $9.2 million.

Berkeley sits near San Francisco. It has an estimated population of about 121,000.

Council members also approved $160,000 to hire a consultant who will analyze police calls and responses to determine the quantity and proportion of these calls that can be responded to by non-police services, according to the omnibus motion.

The Center for Policing Equity found in 2018 that black and Hispanic people were more likely to be stopped by the Berkeley Police Department. The think tank analyzed traffic stops conducted from 2012 to 2016.

Researchers put forth two possible explanations: a community-level explanation, or crime rates, and a policing-level explanation, or officer discretion.

The community-level explanation could posit that the higher stop, search, and arrest rates of Black and Hispanic drivers (compared to Whites) reflect higher levels of traffic violations and/or criminal behavior among such drivers, they wrote in a report, adding later: The higher overall rates of stop, search, and arrest of Black and Hispanic drivers could reflect a pattern of policing discretion that is less forgiving of minor crime.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Farmers and crofters are being offered 1 million in funding to diversify into forestry and help with the fight against climate change.

The money is the first batch of funding from the Agriculture Transformation Programme, that aims to support farmers in helping Scotland meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets.

It comes on top of 500,000 announced last week by Scottish Forestry to assist farmers and crofters in buying forestry and timber processing equipment.

The funding will help farmers and crofters to establish new small-scale woodlands, giving them a valuable new source of income.

Scottish government's rural economy secretary, Fergus Ewing said: The planting funded through this scheme will be hugely beneficial to farmers, providing additional income and shelter for stock and crops.

"It will also benefit the wider community by helping to capture carbon, alleviate the impacts of flooding and provide new habitats for wildlife.

This funding will also be a boost to the wider rural economy during our recovery from the coronavirus, Mr Ewing added.

Grants from the new 1 million fund cover up to 90 percent of the cost of establishing woodlands.

The 500,000 fund was announced on 10 July as part of the Harvesting and Processing grants package.

They will cover up to 40% of the cost to small farmers of buying forestry and timber processing equipment or buildings.
The figure indicates how similar different GRBs are to each other. Points which are closer together are more similar, and points which are further away are more different. What we find is that there are two distinct groups, one orange and the other blue. The orange dots appear to correspond to "short" GRB, which have been hypothesized to be produced by mergers of neutron stars, and the blue dots appear to correspond to "long" GRB, which might instead be produced by the collapse of dying, massive stars. Credit: Niels Bohr Institute

By applying a machine-learning algorithm, scientists at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, have developed a method to classify all gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), rapid highly energetic explosions in distant galaxies, without needing to find an afterglowby which GRBs are presently categorized. This breakthrough, initiated by first-year B.Sc. students, may prove key in finally discovering the origins of these mysterious bursts. The result is now published in Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Ever since gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) were accidentally picked up by Cold War satellites in the 70s, the origin of these rapid bursts have been a significant puzzle. Although many astronomers agree that GRBs can be divided into shorter (typically less than 1 second) and longer (up to a few minutes) bursts, the two groups are overlapping. It has been thought that longer bursts might be associated with the collapse of massive stars, while shorter bursts might instead be caused by the merger of neutron stars. However, without the ability to separate the two groups and pinpoint their properties, it has been impossible to test these ideas.

So far, it has only been possible to determine the type of a GRB about 1% of the time, when a telescope was able to point at the burst location quickly enough to pick up residual light, called an afterglow. This has been such a crucial step that astronomers have developed worldwide networks capable of interrupting other work and repointing large telescopes within minutes of the discovery of a new burst. One GRB was even detected by the LIGO Observatory using gravitational waves, for which the team was awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize.

Breakthrough achieved using machine-learning algorithm

Now, scientists at the Niels Bohr Institute have developed a method to classify all GRBs without needing to find an afterglow. The group, led by first-year B.Sc. Physics students Johann Bock Severin, Christian Kragh Jespersen and Jonas Vinther, applied a machine-learning algorithm to classify GRBs. They identified a clean separation between long and short GRB's. Their work, carried out under the supervision of Charles Steinhardt, will bring astronomers a step closer to understanding GRB's.

This breakthrough may prove the key to finally discovering the origins of these mysterious bursts. As Charles Steinhardt, Associate Professor at the Cosmic Dawn Center of the Niels Bohr Institute explains, "Now that we have two complete sets available, we can start exploring the differences between them. So far, there had not been a tool to do that."

Artists impression of a gamma-ray burst. Credit: ESA, illustration by ESA/ECF

From algorithm to visual map

Instead of using a limited set of summary statistics, as was typically done until then, the students decided to encode all available information on GRB's using the machine learning algorithm t-SNE. The t-distributed Stochastic neighborhood embedding algorithm takes complex high-dimensional data and produces a simplified and visually accessible map. It does so without interfering with the structure of the dataset. "The unique thing about this approach," explains Christian Kragh Jespersen, "is that t-SNE doesn't force there to be two groups. You let the data speak for itself and tell you how it should be classified."

Shining light on the data

The preparation of the feature spacethe input you give the algorithmwas the most challenging part of the project, says Johann Bock Severin. Essentially, the students had to prepare the dataset in such a way that its most important features would stand out. "I like to compare it to hanging your data points from the ceiling in a dark room," explains Christian Kragh Jespersen. "Our main problem was to figure out from what direction we should shine light on the data to make the separations visible."

'Step 0 in understanding GRB's'

The students explored the t-SNE machine-learning algorithm as part of their 1st Year project, a 1st year course in the Bachelor of Physics. "By the time we got to the end of the course, it was clear we had quite a significant result", their supervisor Charles Steinhardt says. The students' mapping of the t-SNE cleanly divides all GRB's from the Swift observatory into two groups. Importantly, it classifies GRB's that previously were difficult to classify. "This essentially is step 0 in understanding GRB's," explains Steinhardt. "For the first time, we can confirm that shorter and longer GRB's are indeed completely separate things."

Without any prior theoretical background in astronomy, the students have discovered a key piece of the puzzle surrounding GRB's. From here, astronomers can start to develop models to identify the characteristics of these two separate classes.

Explore further Astronomers detect teraelectronvolt emission from the gamma-ray burst GRB 190114C

More information: Christian K. Jespersen et al. An Unambiguous Separation of Gamma-Ray Bursts into Two Classes from Prompt Emission Alone, The Astrophysical Journal (2020). arxiv.org/pdf/2005.13554.pdf Journal information: Astrophysical Journal Letters , Astrophysical Journal Christian K. Jespersen et al. An Unambiguous Separation of Gamma-Ray Bursts into Two Classes from Prompt Emission Alone,(2020). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ab964d
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Federal officers deployed tear gas, fired less-lethal rounds into a crowd of protesters and used unmarked vans to grab demonstrators off the streets in Oregon as Black Lives Matter protesters occupied Portland streets with 'CLAT' - their own autonomous zone similar to Seattle's CHOP.

Between 200 and 250 protesters were seen running from the areanear Pioneer Courthouse Square late Thursday as smoke filled the air from tear gas used by federal agents.

Despite push back from Oregon officials, President Trump earlier deployed federal agents to Portland after determining local authorities couldn't quell protests on their own following seven weeks of non-stop demonstrations.

Recently, protesters in Portland chucked glass bottles at federal agents, torched the American flag and one man tried to break into a federal building with a hammer.

And on Monday, 26-year-old peaceful protester was shot in the head with a 'rubber bullet' by federal agents last week, who bled out onto the concrete.

Protesters in Portland, Oregon, clashed with federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security this week as agents deployed tear gas and fired less-lethal munitions at residents. Pictured: a fountain in Portland damaged during Black Lives Matter protests on Thursday

Photo shared by the Portland Police Bureau show graffiti inside a public restroom that reads 'Black Lives Matter', 'ACAB' and 'No Lives Matter Until Black Lives Do'

Protesters in Portland have set up their own version of Seattle's CHOP this week with CLAT - Chinook Land Autonomous Territory - and camped out in a park near the federal courthouse

Protesters in Oregon burned an American flag this week while setting up the Chinook Land Autonomous Territory outside the Multnomah County Justice Center on Tuesday

Protesters gather outside the East Side Police Station in Portland, Oregon, after holding Black Lives Matter protests non-stop for the last seven weeks

Several officials have blamed Trump for the escalated tensions between law enforcement, including Sen. Ron Wyden, who accused Trump and acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf of 'weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media.'

But Wolf denounced the scenes in Portland and called protesters as 'lawless anarchists.'

The federal agents are from the U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group and Customs and Border Protections BORTAC.

Meanwhile, Portland erected its first autonomous zone called CLAT, or Chinook Land Autonomous Territory, in a park across the street from Multnomah County Justice Center on Tuesday evening.

The Chinook Indian Nation includes several indigenous groups found across the Pacific Northwest.

Antifa in Portland set up walls and barriers in the street outside the federal courthouse to claim their own autonomous zone, calling it CLAT for Chinook Land Autonomous Territory. pic.twitter.com/ntQQPfCZAR  Andy Ngo  (@MrAndyNgo) July 15, 2020

Fox News reports that people began erecting tents in Lownsdale Square, as well as a makeshift barricade being made from flashing traffic lights, road blockages and kitchen appliances.

It is the same park where 'Occupy Portland' protesters set up camp in 2011 during the nationwide Occupy Wall Street demonstrations.

Autonomous zones began springing up across the United States after the death of George Floyd and other Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.

The first police-free zone appeared in Seattle, Washington with the emergence of 'CHOP', or the Capitol Hill Organized Protest.

CHOP was meant to embrace community policing, but quickly descended into dangerous incidents and volatile nights that say a 16-year-old boy shot dead and a 14-year-old passenger wounded.

Protesters supporting the Black Lives Matter movement can be seen sitting in Lownsdale Park with pitched tents and other materials needed to stay overnight

Protesters gather downtown during a demonstration Thursday, July 16, 2020 in Portland where federal officers deployed tear gas and fired less-lethal rounds into a crowd of protesters

CHOP occupied several blocks near a Seattle police precinct, but the autonomous zone was finally disrupted in early July after police reclaimed the area.

Officers used riot gear to disperse the crowd, and arrested at least 31 people and Mayor Jenny Durkan called the city's 'occupied' protest zone an 'unlawful assembly' soon after.

An account from PNW Youth Liberation Front, an anti-fascist and anti-capitalist group, shared posts that urged Portland residents to support the CLAT encampment downtown on Wednesday.

The post said that support is needed to 'defend riot ribs and the autonomous territory...solid numbers are needed.'

They added that people inside CLAT were in need of barricades, shields, tents, sleeping bags and other materials to stay camped out in the zone.

Posts on social media called for residents to join the CLAT movement and camp out in front of the Pioneer Courthouse in protest of police brutality

Footage from the scene shows a number of protesters standing behind a barricade made of yellow caution tape, traffic cones and what appears to be a grill.

Graffiti in CLAT read 'All Cops are B******,' ' Black Trans Lives Matter' and 'f*** 12 our street.'

By Wednesday at 5am, just a dozen protesters remained in the new autonomous zone. Portland police seized the opportunity and tried to clear the area of the makeshift barricade.

The department announced in a press released that the city 'has temporarily closed Chapman Square Park and Lownsdale Square Park' around 5am on Thursday.

Officers gave squatting protesters 10 minutes to leave the area. Police noted that 'some arrests were made' during the incident but the 'streets around the parks remain open to traffic.'

President Trump deployed federal agents to Portland in part to protect a number of federal buildings in the city, which have been frequent targets of residents

The Lownsdale Park lawns, bathrooms, benches and public art are currently closed until repairs are made.

But that did little to stop protesters on Thursday night who set an American flag ablaze on a concrete stump where the infamous 120-year Elk Statue was damaged in early July.

Footage taken at the scene shows a number of people gathered around the fire as one person can be heard yelling 'Burn, let it burn!'

And last week, a protesters were caught in a botched attempt to damage a federal building.

Footage shows an unidentified protester standing near the building entrance while several others cheer him on.

The protester hoists the hammer into the air a few times, but appears to stop when a light flashes from behind the door.

A second person runs next to the hammer-wielding protester to help keep the door closed as federal agents attempt to leave the building.

The agents eventually push through the doorway and chaos erupts as agents engage with civilians.

A man holding a hammer appeared to try and damage the federal building, but was stopped when federal agents burst through the entrance

According to Oregon Live, police told protesters this week and with CLAT to leave after announcing they heard some chanting about burning down the building.

Federal agents temporarily dispersed the crowd using tear gas canisters and firing less-lethal munitions at protesters.

The Portland Police Bureau initially denied that their officers used any such measures against protesters, but federal agents are not held to such standards.

While Portland Police are mostly prohibited from using tear gas, the federal police are not. Antifa rioters forced out of the area with flashbangs and tear gas: pic.twitter.com/oVnJuNuZFp  Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) July 17, 2020

Tear gas and munitions firedhttps://t.co/PFN9QeJxSU  PNW Youth Liberation Front (@PNWYLF) July 15, 2020

Footage from Thursday night shows clouds of smoke billowing from the ground as federal agents in riot gear attempt to coral residents out of the street.

Explosions can be heard in the area and a small fire burns unattended in the middle of the street.

Protesters who managed to clear the area could be seen coughing and gasping for air as agents continued to order they leave.

Federal buildings are reportedly a main protest area for Portland residents, and is one of the locations where 26-year-old Donovan La Bella was shot in the head on Monday.

Footage shared on Instagram and YouTube by videographer Tomas Morales shows Donavan La Bella hoisting a music speaker into the air across from authorities.

Pictured: protesters surround a fire burning during a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Portland, Oregon, on July 4

The authorities, reported to be federal agents, had closed off the area surrounding the courthouse while in riot gear.

The agents are seen throwing a smoking canister at the peaceful protesters, but La Bella softly kicks it out of the way and tosses it back.

Seconds later, a shot rings out and La Bella's body crumples to the ground as nearby protesters scream in fear.

The group rallies around La Bella, who is lying on the ground with a large gash in his head and blood seeping out onto the concrete sidewalk.

A handful of protesters lift La Bella's limp body and rush him away from the scene.

Another video shared by videographer Garrison Davis shows a chilling trail of blood from the street and across the sidewalk as La Bella is carried away.

In the video, Davis can be heard saying La Bella was hit in the face with 'what appears to be an impact munition.'

La Bella received some medical treatment at the scene and was transported to a local hospital by emergency crews.

Bystanders who witnessed the incident said authorities fired a 'less lethal' munition at La Bella, while the Daily Beast identified it as a rubber bullet.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT.Pictured: Blood left behind at the scene after a federal agent struck La Bella in the head on Saturday night

An agent opened fire at La Bella after he softly tossed back a smoking canister they hurled at peaceful protesters and began playing music again

The victim's mother said La Bella (pictured) suffered fractures to his head and skull, and has undergone facial reconstruction surgery

Portland Deputy Police Chief Chris Davis admitted that federal agents (pictured) don't coordinate with his department and 'it does complicate things for us'

Impact munitions, like rubber bullets and plastic projectiles, are typically intended to be fired at arms and legs to avoid serious injury.

Caitlyn Sakelik, one of La Bella's friends who witnessed the incident, told Oregon Public Broadcast that he had been nonviolent the entire time.

'Hes been completely nonviolent the entire time hes been down there, he helps deescalate situations. Out of all people, hes one of the nicest kids you will ever meet

The victim's mother, Desiree La Bella, said that her son's face and skull were fractured by the munition. He underwent facial reconstructive surgery on Sunday morning.

'He still has a tube in his skull to drain the blood,' said Desiree.

She added that La Bella needs neurological checks every hour, is showing signs of confusion and had an MRI for vision difficulties in his left eye.

But at the moment La Bella is responsive to doctors, as well as able to move his arms and legs.

A GoFundMe for La Bella was created to help cover medical and living costs.

Desiree said she planned on contacting an attorney on her son's behalf on Monday, but local officials have already called for investigations into the concerning matter.

Pictured: David Margulis, owner of Margulis Jewelers, emerges from a double layer of plywood doors he had installed to protect his store from protests that have dominated the city of Portland for seven weeks

Pictured: a sign reading 'CHOP Embassy' with a Black Power fist was placed near the Chinook Land Autonomous Territory this week by Black Lives Matter protesters

Pictured: Residents erected a sign reading 'Chinook Land' in a park across the street from the Pioneer Courthouse in Portland, Oregon

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT. Fellow protesters lifted La Bella off the ground and carried him to safety as he bled out on the sidewalk (pictured)

Donovan La Bella (pictured) was holding a music speaker during a protest on Saturday night when he was shot in the head with 'less lethal' munition by federal agents

Federal agent's use of tear gas this week appeared to be confirmed by reporters with KOIN-TV, whose newsroom is down the street from the Pioneer Courthouse and reported seeing tear gas fired.

Federal agents also reportedly used less-lethal munitions and, even more concerning, are reportedly using unmarked vans to take residents off the streets.

Some protesters remained in the area early Friday and were detained, but it was unclear whether any arrests were made.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that witnesses there on Thursday night that people in camouflage were driving around the area in unmarked minivans and grabbing people off the streets.

Two protesters, Mark Pettibone and Conner OShea were walking near Chapman Square when a minivan pulled up beside them.

'I see guys in camo,' said O'Shea. 'Four or five of them pop out, open the door and it was just like, "Oh s***. I dont know who you are or what you want with us."'

Federal agents have reportedly been using unmarked vehicles to drive around downtown Portland and detain protester since at least July 14.

Residents have reported seeing officers driving up to people, putting them in custody without any explanation of the arrest and driving off.

An effigy of a police officer wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood is set on fire as Portland, Oregon, on Friday

Witnesses have said that agents are also detaining people who are simply near federal property and it's unclear if the people detained engaged in criminal activity

Both Pettibone and O'Shea believe they were targeted for wearing black cloths, but O'Shea managed to avoid arrest while Pettibine was taken into custody.

'I am basically tossed into the van,' said Pettibone. 'And I had my beanie pulled over my face so I couldnt see and they held my hands over my head.'

During this time, Pettibone said none of the agents identified themselves as federal officers or gave any detail about the arrest.

Pettibone, still blinded be his beanie hat, said agents drove around downtown a bit longer before they escorted him inside the federal courthouse.

'It was basically a process of facing many walls and corners as they patted me down and took my picture and rummaged through my belongings,' said Pettibone.

'One of them said, This is a whole lot of nothing.'

He was later put in a cell, read his Miranda Rights and interviewed by authorities. Pettibone was released 90 minutes later without receiving any paperwork, citation or reason for his arrest.

'I just happened to be wearing black on a sidewalk in downtown Portland at the time and that apparently is grounds for detaining me,' said Pettibone.

It appears to be the latest tactic used in escalating clashes between civilians and federal agents, who are given much more leeway and allowed additional force than local authorities.

Portland Police Bureau officers and local authorities have been barred from using crowd control munitions against non-violent protesters - but not federal agents.

Federal agents have also repeatedly used tear gas, which has been temporarily banned from the Portland Police Bureau by federal court order unless they declare a riot.

Portland Deputy Police Chief Chris Davis told Associated Press that federal agents don't coordinate with his agency and that 'it does complicate things for us.'

Policing has become more complicated in Portland with the presence of federal agents because they're not held to the same protocols or restrictions as local authorities

Protesters in Portland this weekend set fire to a dumpster on Sunday and rolled it into an intersection during a demonstration

Pictured: A pedestrian walks past a boarded-up Apple store decorated in art of George Floyd and other African-Americans that's been covered in street art in downtown Portland

But that seemed of little concern to DHS Secretary Chad Wolf, who visited Portland on Thursday and blasted the apparent mishandling of protests.

'Each night, lawless anarchists destroy and desecrate property, including the federal courthouse, and attack the brave law enforcement officers protecting it,' said Wolf in a statement.

'A federal courthouse is a symbol of justice  to attack is to attack America.'

He also accused Oregon leaders of 'placing blame' on law enforcement officers while also requesting fewer police, resulting in a 'failed response.'

'This siege can end if state and local officials decide to take appropriate action instead of refusing to enforce the law. DHS will not abdicate its solemn duty to protect federal facilities and those within them,' wrote Wolf.

Several Oregon officials have publicly denounced Wolf, Trump and the deployed federal agents.

On Thursday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler wrote: 'A number of people have asked if I know DHS leadership is in town, and if Im going to meet with them. Were aware that theyre here. We wish they werent. We havent been invited to meet with them, and if we were , we would decline.'

A Twitter post by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden directly placed blame on Trump and Wolf for weaponizing the DHS to appease their voters in 'right-wing media.'
SAF goes small and virtual as it celebrates its 30th year of architectural tours amid pandemic



Journal Staff Reporter By LYNN PORTER Journal Staff Reporter

Photo by Alice Hammond [enlarge] Architecture industry veteran Bill Strong leads SAFs Federal Avenue tour last summer.





Bill Strong had been leading architecture tours for over 15 years through the Kansas City, Missouri, chapter of The American Institute of Architects when he moved to Seattle in 1987.

He wanted to do that here, too. So in 1988 he was part of a task force that formed Seattle Architecture Foundation's tours program. When it launched in 1990, it offered only two downtown tours  of the newly opened bus tunnel stations and of the University of Washington-owned Metropolitan Tract. A little over 200 people total showed for the tours in the first year. We didn't know if we could only get 10 people to sign up, said Strong, who has been in the architecture business for 47 years.

SAF is celebrating its 30th year of offering architectural tours in the city. It now does about 13 different ones for around 2,000 people a year, said Stacy Segal, executive director of the foundation, which educates the public on the architecture, design and history of Seattle.

People really want to learn about their communities and their neighborhoods and learn about how their neighborhoods were built, she said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a recalibration for the nonprofit: This year small and virtual are in.

SAF is offering, for $50, Friends & Family tours for five or fewer people on pre-scheduled dates and, for $100, private tours on a theme that guests choose. Here is the link: tinyurl.com/y8ucwox6/.

It plans to soon launch a free mobile walking guide to downtown Seattle, building on the popularity of Seattle Architecture: A Walking Guide to Downtown Seattle, written by Maureen R. Elenga and published by SAF. The initial version of the app features over 200 sites and immersive maps and pages highlighting buildings, architects and cultural influences from the city's founding on. SAF said its on demand flexibility lets participants visit tour stops at their leisure and cafes and shops along the way. It is optimized for platforms that include IOS, Android and the web, and can be used by locals and visitors.

Segal said SAF hopes it will help it expand its audience. While some of the cafes may be closed now, Segal said the app is apropos for the times as you can do it on your own.'' To sponsor or advertise in it, you can email her at Stacy@seattlearchitecture.org.

SAF's Friends & Family tours are in lieu of its traditional season launch, which Segal said should start during Phase 3 of the COVID-19 reopening with a weekend of free tours. The organization will also offer these new tours: From Stone to Steel: Seattle Style From Then 'Til Now and Columbia City: Expect Random Encounters.

All will be for 10 or fewer people. Everyone will wear masks and guides will use a microphone device for distancing.

The foundation's tours may focus on an architectural style or theme, such as buildings that were significant for their time, but they also weave in the story of how neighborhoods were built.

Harvard Belmont District, which explores the early 20th century architecture of the landmark district on Capitol Hill, is one of the most popular neighborhood tours, and a tour of art deco buildings that includes Seattle Tower is a popular downtown offering, Segal said.

Not all buildings on the tours are historic, however. The newer ones include City Hall, F5 Tower, the Amazon Spheres and Seattle Central Library, which Herbert Muschamp in 2004 in The New York Times said was the most exciting new building it has been my honor to review.

The tours also look at how landscape architecture at the base of buildings contributes to community life, with the Amazon campuses in South Lake Union and the Denny Triangle being the best new examples, Segal said. I think architects and designers have started to pay more attention to those spaces and not just the buildings, she said.

That's in contrast to the public spaces at Rainier Tower and the IBM Building downtown, which are rarely used, she said.

SAF, originally a committee of AIA Seattle, was established in 1982 by architects. It is funded through donations and program revenue.

Its model exhibit, scheduled for Aug. 12, can to be viewed online, or in person by appointment. The last of its 2020 Design in Depth lectures, talks and panel discussions on architectural topics was held virtually. On hold is its Design Soiree series, which gives a behind-the-scenes view of projects.

Segal has been SAF's executive director for eight years and has a background in the nonprofit sector. Her husband, Jim Goodspeed, is an architect and a volunteer SAF tour guide, so I've learned quite a bit about architecture and design, she said.

She said the goal of the tours is to get people to advocate for their neighborhoods and buildings  to encourage them to be involved in shaping the city.

A SAF committee decides which tours to offer based on guest surveys and input from guides, who create the scripts.

To commemorate the 30th season, the nonprofit has compiled profiles of some of its current volunteer guides and founding guides. Many of the founders are local architects, and the current guides include lawyers and retired teachers, and people in marketing, real estate, engineering and architecture.

Bill Strong said he worked with Seattle architect Bill Gaylord to help form SAF's tours program, and with Larry Kreisman, a local architectural historian, author and preservation consultant, who wrote the scripts. Over the years more people got involved, and more tours were created.

Strong owns Bill Strong Consulting, a Seattle marketing and management firm for the architecture, engineering and construction industry, and was a principal at Mahlum Architects.

He said the public wants to learn about architectural history and why things are the way they are. People's eyes light up, for instance, when he explains the difference between Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns. They just love to learn a lot of the detail stuff, he said.

They like the Harvard Belmont tour because of the mansions and beautiful examples of architectural styles, from Beaux-Arts to Tudor, and the Queen Anne tour, which shows not just the houses of the rich but the bungalows and apartment buildings of the middle class.

Among the new Seattle buildings Strong admires are the library and Nexus condos, with its cubes that are twisted as it goes up. He also has high hopes that the 59-story Rainier Square tower, now under construction, is going to be striking.

Strong was on the SAF board for 12 years and still leads five or six tours a year. The organization annually bestows the Bill Strong Award for Volunteer Excellence.

He said the foundation tries to include the whole built environment  from the street lighting to pocket parks and landscaping  in tours so guests can understand that the built environment needs to make us feel better and that they can have a voice in what comes next. That's what I want, he said.





Lynn Porter can be reached by email or by phone at (206) 622-8272.




Washington, D.C.  White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says science should not stand in the way of schools fully reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.

NBC reports McEnany was asked during a press briefing Thursday about President Donald Trumps push for schools to reopen classrooms this fall despite Covid-19 cases rising in more than 30 states. Many school districts have proposed online-only learning or a hybrid of in-person and home education.

The president has said unmistakably that he wants schools to open, McEnany responded. When he says open, he means open in full, kids being able to attend each and every day in their school. The science should not stand in the way of this.

The science is on our side here and we encourage for localities and states to just simply follow the science, open our schools.

WH Press Sec. McEnany says that the science should not stand in the way of reopening schools, and asserts that the science is on our side here. pic.twitter.com/gxzs6EAlvo  NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) July 16, 2020

Backlash ensued on social media, as McEnany and science became trending topics on Twitter. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot even called the White House press secretary Karen.

McEnany, who replaced Stephanie Grisham as White House press secretary in April, said the controversy was an example of media bias and claimed her words had been twisted.

I said: The science is very clear on this ... the science is on our side here. We encourage our localities & states to just simply follow the science. Open our schools, she tweeted. But leave it to the media to deceptively suggest I was making the opposite point!

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was expected to release new guidelines for reopening schools this week, but the CDC told CNN that theyre not ready to come out this week.

The CDCs initial recommendations included keeping desks six feet apart, requiring masks and closing communal areas, such as cafeterias and playgrounds, but Trump complained they were expensive and asking schools to do very impractical things. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has also opposed a mixed model of virtual and in-person learning as not a valid choice for families.

While were giving guidance from the CDC about the best way to safely reopen schools, weve made it very clear we dont want federal guidance to be a barrier to reopening schools, Vice President Mike Pence told Fox News on Thursday. And so were going to be working very closely with local school officials, as well as governors around America, to make sure they have not only the guidance but the resources to get our kids back.

But concerns are still high as the U.S. has confirmed 3.6 million cases of Covid-19 and more than 138,000 deaths nationwide. Some teachers worried about schools reopening have said theyve begun preparing their last will and testament.

Dr. Jana Shaw, associate professor of Pediatrics and clinical associate professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Upstate Golisano Childrens Hospital, told syracuse.com that New York schools should still plan on reopening if coronavirus infections are kept below Gov. Andrew Cuomos threshold of a 5% positivity rate.

Of course, there will be new cases here and there that will come from schools. I dont think anybodys saying that opening schools is 100% safe. Its not. But the benefit that the children derive from attending school far outweighs the small risk of infection that they pose to others at school, she said.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Syracuse school district tells parents not to expect a full return to school this fall

Onondaga Countys recent cases of coronavirus: parties, funeral, lunchroom, travel

US can get coronavirus under control in 8 weeks if everyone wears masks, CDC director says

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
The Electoral Commission of Ghana has assured that its official website will be back online by close of Friday, July 17, 2020.



The Commissions website with the domain address https://ec.gov.gh/ over some months now has been inactive.



A current visit to the website is greeted with the message Account Suspended. Please contact your hosting provider to correct issues causing your website to be offline.



However, answering a question on the status of the website at a media press briefing to provide an update on the ongoing voters registration exercise, Dr Bossman Asare, a Deputy Chairperson of the EC, said the situation is as a result of some technical challenge which he guaranteed will be resolved in the day.



Weve had some technical challenge. So, we are very confident today it should be up and running. We are working on it, he said.

Source: Ghanaweb









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The Steelers quarterback is headed to the Hall of Fame. But he was unloved outside Pittsburgh for understandable reasons Ben Roethlisberger almost certainly played his final game in the NFL on Sunday. Photograph: Ed Zurga/AP Ben Roethlisberger is lucky that football legacies are not decided by finales. If Sunday night was indeed Big Bens last ever NFL game, as he has strongly hinted, it wasnt exactly a mic drop. In the 42-21 beatdown by the Chiefs, Roethlisberger struggled with rollouts, and l
Matt Hancock has ordered an urgent review into how Public Health England (PHE) calculates daily Covid-19 death figures.

It comes after scientists said they believed PHE was over-exaggerating the daily coronavirus death toll, by counting people if they die of any cause at any time after testing positive for the disease.

Professor Yoon K Loke, of the University of East Anglia, and Carl Heneghan, professor of evidence-based medicine at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care, said on Thursday night that a statistical flaw in the way PHE compiles data on deaths created a disparity in figures published by the different UK nations.

It seems that PHE regularly looks for people on the NHS database who have ever tested positive, and simply checks to see if they are still alive or not, they wrote.

PHE does not appear to consider how long ago the Covid test result was, nor whether the person has been successfully treated in hospital and discharged to the community.

Anyone who has tested Covid-positive but subsequently died at a later date of any cause will be included on the PHE Covid death figures.

The experts said the issue relates to England because Scotland and Northern Ireland use a 28-day cut-off.

A patient who has tested positive, but successfully treated and discharged from hospital, will still be counted as a Covid death even if they had a heart attack or were run over by a bus three months later, added professors Loke and Heneghan.

On the government death statistics website for England, the issue is acknowledged, saying: Deaths are counted where a lab-confirmed positive coronavirus test result is reported in any setting.

This means that not all deaths reported here are caused by coronavirus.

The experts said this is the reason why PHE figures vary substantially from day to day and said that about 80,000 recovered patients in the community were still being monitored by PHE for the daily death statistics, even though many are elderly and may die of other causes.

They suggested defining community coronavirus-related deaths as those that occurred within 21 days of a Covid-positive test result to fix the flaw.

PHE said it could not be ruled out that coronavirus was a contributory factor in some deaths.

Dr Susan Hopkins, the bodys incident director, said in a statement: Although it may seem straightforward, there is no WHO-agreed method of counting deaths from Covid-19. In England, we count all those that have died who had a positive Covid-19 test at any point, to ensure our data is as complete as possible.

We must remember that this is a new and emerging infection and there is increasing evidence of long-term health problems for some of those affected. Whilst this knowledge is growing, now is the right time to review how deaths are calculated.
Emmy-nominated film producer Eric Esrailian took to his Twitter to reflect on the aggravation of the situation at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

"Mood: Do not mistake kindness for weakness. In times like these, I think about my brother #arturaleksanyan & my heart swells. #Armenia wants peace & the #Armenian people of #Artsakh want the basic human right to self-determination. The international community should be outraged," he tweeted. "By the absolutely unprovoked attacks by Azerbaijan & the opportunistic attempts to obfuscate the facts & create hostility - with duplicity - during a raging pandemic...For oppressors, this is a battle without honor or humanity. Look it up! #Wearestillhere"
The United States Central Intelligence Agency was secretly authorized by the White House in 2018 to drastically expand its offensive cyber operation program a development that some experts describe as a significant development for the secretive spy agency. However, the move has reportedly not pleased the Department of Defense, which sees itself as the primary conduit of American offensive operations in cyberspace.

The two-year-old authorization was disclosed by Yahoo News, which cited former US officials with direct knowledge of the matter in its report. The website said the authorization came in the form of a presidential finding. A presidential finding, also known as a Memorandum of Notification, refers to a directive, which is authored by the president of the US and is given to the intelligence committees of Congress. Its purpose is to explain the reasoning behind a covert operation that is to be carried out abroad. Following that disclosure by the president, government funds can be appropriated for use in that operation or series of operations.

According to Yahoo News, the 2018 presidential finding provides the CIA with more freedom in both the kinds of operations it conducts and who it targets, when it comes to covert action carried out online. The goal of the White House was to enable the CIA to unleash a series of offensive measures against a handful of adversarial countries, which include North Korea, Iran, China and Russia, according to the report. Such offensive operations differ substantially from those typically carried out by CIA personnel on cyberspace, which focus on clandestine information collection. In contrast, offensive operations aim to disrupt, sabotage or even destroy targeted systems.

In addition to enhancing the scope of the CIAs cyber operations, the presidential directive is also believed to make it easier for the agency to target non-state actors and agencies, including financial intuitions, charities, news media, or businesses. Such targets may be attacked when they are found to be operating on behalf of adversarial intelligence agencies. Moreover, it makes it easier for the spy agency to leak secret information about targeted adversaries to media organizations, a tactic that Russian spy services are believed to have utilized in the past.
A picture taken on July 17, 2020, shows an aircraft of Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair on the tarmac of the Gardemoen airport about 50 km (30 miles) northeast of the Norwegian capital, where the aircraft landed safely after a bomb threat. (Berit Roald/NTB Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images)

British Man Held in Norway Over Ryanair Bomb Threat

Norwegian police have arrested a 51-year-old British man over a bomb threat against a Ryanair plane flying from London Stansted to Oslo.

The flight safely landed in Oslos main airport on Friday after receiving the bomb threat in mid-air. A bomb squad was carrying out a security search on the plane, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported.

There were 142 passengers in addition to crew on board the plane. The passengers were being taken care of at an airport reception centre, the report stated.

Crew on a Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Oslo today (July 17) discovered a note that claimed there was a potential security threat on board, a Ryanair spokesperson said in an email to The Epoch Times.

The captain followed procedures and continued to Oslo airport where the plane landed safely.

A 51-year-old British citizen is suspected of being linked to the bomb threat and has been arrested for questioning, police spokesperson Marit Furuseth said.

Danish F-16 fighters are seen during the Danish Air Show 2014 at Karup Air Base in Karup, on June 22, 2014. (Henning Bagger/AFP via Getty Images)

Denmark scrambled F-16 fighter jets to escort the flight to Oslo, the Danish Defence Command said on Twitter.

F-16-fly fra @forsvaretdk har assisteret i forbindelse med en bombetrussel pa et Ryanair fly, der flj fra Stansted til Oslo. De danske F-16-fly er landet i Norge for at tanke, inden de flyver retur til Danmark. #vrdatkmpefor #dkforsvar  Forsvaret (@forsvaretdk) July 17, 2020

F-16 aircraft from the Armed Forces have assisted in connection with a bomb threat on a Ryanair aircraft that flew from Stansted to Oslo. The Danish F-16 aircraft have landed in Norway to refuel before flying back to Denmark, the Danish military posted.

The Danish planes were the closest, so therefore they were the ones who escorted the plane to Oslo, Elise Eikeland, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Armed Forces, explained to Jyllands-Posten, a Danish newspaper.

The bomb threat comes a few days after a note claiming there were explosives on the plane was found in the toilet of another Ryanair flight from Krakow to Dublin, according to the BBC.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A dying loved one should bring families together but often tears them apartan uncomfortable dynamic that needs to be better recognized and prevented, says a University of Alberta grief researcher.

Conflict is common as families gather during the dying process, and it hurts everyone involved, according to a new research review from nursing professor Donna Wilson.

"It's easy for family conflict to flare up," said Wilson, who witnessed it during her years as a bedside nurse. "I saw family members fighting over their mom's deathbed or even fighting with the dying person, and that's harmful because family ties are so important during that time."

Wilson's review of 18 scientific studies revealed that family conflict could be expected at various points in the dying process, such as when big decisions needed to be made about moving a loved one to a hospice or out of hospital, or over withdrawing life support.

Some of the U.S. studies showed 57 percent of families reported conflict as a loved one was dying and 35 percent fought as death drew near. A Japanese study reported 42 percent of families had at least one argument during the end-of-life phase. Canada would not be any different, Wilson noted; a study she's working on now points out 100 percent of families are likely to experience some periodic conflict.

"It's common enough that family members should be aware of this dynamic, along with nurses and doctors and everyone else involved," Wilson noted.

Shift from hospitals to homes

Family fights may be less recognized as an end-of-life issue because of a gradual shift of care to nursing homes or homes, she suggested.

Until about 1994, most deaths happened in hospitals, where families trusted health-care professionals to make the major decisions, but as end-of-life care shifted out of hospitals, families became much more involved.

"Patients are even being encouraged to make their own decisions through things like living wills, and families are part of that," she said.

But the related stress leads to several flashpoints for families, Wilson found.

Family disagreements over patient treatment or end-of-life care was a big one.

"Some family members feel it was their job to try to keep Mom alive, while others feel they had to say no on her behalf," said Wilson.

Other scenarios included a primary caregiver being shouldered aside by others in the family.

"That person can be really upset over family members showing up out of the blue wanting to be involved in care or in charge of decision-making. You can imagine how disruptive that would be."

Prior family conflict is another major factor, she found.

"Often, there is past distrust, dislike or hurt feelings among family members. These dynamics get in the way when a family is supposed to come together. They may not have interacted for years and so have nothing in common to go on, other than this dying person, so the chances are high that they'll fight rather than pull together for the good of that person."

The dying process itself can also aggravate the situation, Wilson noted.

"Most people today have never seen a dying person wasting away on a deathbed, so it's a shock to realize their loved one is going to die," she said, noting that only 25 percent of Canadians aged 15 and older had cared for an ill family member in the past year. Added to that is the stress of end-of-life care.

"How do you care for a family member who cries out in pain when you turn them? How do you accept the need to change a diaper on a parent who used to be strong? That adds a lot of stress to the situation."

Family conflict takes a toll in several ways, she said.

Frustration may cause someone close to the dying person to stay away completely.

"They won't visit the dying person because it's too hard dealing with the rest of the family; maybe they don't even come to the funeral. What is worse is that they don't get to have meaningful last conversations with the dying person.

"The dying person also loses out if conflict means they don't get what they need, which could be palliative care. Or they could wind up in hospital when they could be at home dying by choice in their own bed."

Primary caregivers can also suffer if disputes erode family ties, Wilson said.

"If the family has a conflict among themselves or with the dying person, they could vanish, so for the main caregiver, the burden of care is really tough. Some dying processes are only a few minutes, but most are weeks or months long."

Families may also suffer long-term estrangements, she added.

"They stop talking to each other, which means kids never get to know their cousins, or siblings won't help each other."

How families can heal

Though it's not easy, families can try to learn from the conflict they've already suffered to do better next time, Wilson said.

"It's important to think about what might work better in the future. Or to think about what did work. Was it having a family counsel over a meal, with an agenda so everyone has an equal opportunity to talk?"

Families can also consider bringing in a mediator, she added. The main issues they should try to agree on are who will provide the care, where, and what is going to be done in terms of treatment or care for the dying person, she suggested.

With almost 300,000 deaths in Canada annuallyincluding around 9,000 sudden deaths due to COVID-19 that add extra stressit's important to find a way through deathbed conflict, Wilson added.

"Hopefully everybody realizes how easy it is to fight as death draws near and how important it is that we deal with it so these fights don't happen. There's an opportunity to come together and be a helpful family again, for the good of all family members, including the dying person."

Recognizing family conflict as an end-of-life issue is also important for palliative care and social services programs in hospitals and nursing homes, Wilson suggested.

"When they see family conflict starting, it's important to sit people down and work out issues, to get people feeling reassured that they're being heard or even put some rules in."

In a hospital or hospice, for instance, that could mean working out a visiting schedule so warring family members can avoid each other.

Explore further Some say allow family access to dying patients with COVID-19

More information: Donna M. Wilson et al. A Scoping Research Literature Review to Identify Contemporary Evidence on the Incidence, Causes, and Impacts of End-of-life Intra-Family Conflict, Health Communication (2020). Donna M. Wilson et al. A Scoping Research Literature Review to Identify Contemporary Evidence on the Incidence, Causes, and Impacts of End-of-life Intra-Family Conflict,(2020). DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2020.1775448
From gigantic sauropods trampling through Jurassic forest and lumbering tank-sized stegosaurs, to enormous pterosaurs that ruled the skies, these two ancient groups of animals contained some of the largest animals ever to evolve.

But dinosaurs and pterosaurs didn't begin their evolutionary journeys at such huge sizes.

A new paper by Christian Kammerer and his team from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and the American Museum of Natural History shows that their early ancestors may have been much smaller than previously thought.

The team describes a new animal from the Late Triassic of Madagascar which is close to the ancestry of both dinosaurs and pterosaurs. It has been named Kongonaphon kely, meaning 'tiny bug slayer'.

Fossils of this age and type of animal are very rare and so any that are found are extremely important. Being only around 10 cm in height, Kongonaphon shows that during this time, around 200 million years ago, these early animals were very small indeed. This could be related to the end-Permian mass extinction event.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 22:51:08|Editor: huaxia

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HEFEI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rain has disrupted the lives of more than 3.06 million people in east China's Anhui Province, local authorities said on Friday.

The downpours, which started on July 2, affected 11 cities and 65 county-level administrations in the province, leading to the evacuation of 585,100 people and a direct economic loss of nearly 12.15 billion yuan (about 1.74 billion U.S. dollars), as of 11 a.m. on Friday, the provincial disaster-reduction and relief committee office said.

The rain also damaged 307,520 hectares of crops.

The provincial department of emergency management has allocated 40,853 items of disaster-relief materials in 12 batches to the disaster-affected areas.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Emergency Management sent 20,000 items of disaster-relief equipment, including folding beds, blankets and quilts, to Anhui on Friday, after distributing 12,000 items of relief supplies to the province on July 9.

Anhui raised its emergency response for disaster relief from Level III to Level II on Tuesday, starting from 10 p.m., as the water level in the main course of the Yangtze River in the province exceeded the warning mark, according to the provincial disaster-reduction and relief committee office. Enditem
British Airways-owner IAG hit turbulence after the airline said it was scrapping its entire fleet of iconic 747 jumbo jets.

The slump in air travel triggered by coronavirus makes it unlikely the planes will ever fly again, according to BA.

IAG  which also owns Iberia and Aer Lingus  believes it will take until 2023 to get back to 2019 passenger levels.

Retired: British Airways-owner IAG hit turbulence after the airline said it was scrapping its entire fleet of iconic 747 jumbo jets

BA was planning to retire the 31 planes in 2024 and it was one of a handful of airlines still using the 747-400 model, which it began flying in 1989.

The jets struggle to compete with new, leaner, more fuel-efficient planes, and airlines also expect short-haul flights to recover more quickly than long-haul, leaving little demand for them.

But ditching the Boeing jets, known as the 'queen of the skies' and credited with democratising air travel when they launched in the 1960s, is another sign of how difficult the next few years are going to be.

Shares in IAG fell 2.3 per cent, or 5.2p, to 218.9p. Over on the mid-cap index, budget airline Easyjet was knocked back by a double whammy of bad news.

Stock Watch - Pennant International Training provider Pennant International shot up more than 20 per cent after it secured a contract worth at least 1.5million. The AIM-listed group, which offers things like helicopter maintenance and virtual parachute training, made an initial agreement in February with a company it has only described as a long-standing customer in the Middle East. This has now been converted into a concrete deal, which could be worth up to 5million. Shares soared 22.2 per cent, or 8p, to 44p,

Friction between pilots and the company came to a head when the Balpa union revealed more than 2,000 Easyjet pilots said they had no confidence in the company's operations chief Peter Bellew.

Balpa has criticised the executive for misjudging the pandemic and proposing pilot redundancies at a scale for which they say there was 'no justification'.

Easyjet has called on the union to 'focus on working constructively with us rather than on personal attacks which are not in the best interests of our employees'.

Shares fell 3.2 per cent, or 22.2p, to 663p by the close as tensions also flared up with another key stakeholder, outspoken founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou.

He has taken his family's stake down from marginally below 30 per cent to 28.7 per cent.

Until recently they owned more than a third of Easyjet's shares  but an explosive fall-out over a 4.5billion order for new planes with Airbus caused such deep damage it has led Stelios to sell down.

The FTSE 100 finished 0.6 per cent higher, up 39.61 points, to 6290.3, while the FTSE 250 finished up 0.2 per cent, or 26.64 points, at 17347.93.

The blue-chip index was boosted by gains in home improvement specialist Homeserve, which said it saw the largest ever number of web visits to its Checkatrade site last month.

In June, 2.67m people went on the Checkatrade site, compared with 1.74m in the same month a year earlier.

It reckons it is in line to benefit from homeowners wanting to do improvements and repairs after having been cooped up during lockdown.

Shares rose 3.6 per cent, or 47p, to 1350p. Hollywood Bowl scored a strike with investors  with shares rising 7.6 per cent, or 11p, to 156.5p  after announcing it will reopen all of 54 of its centres in England on August 1.

The leisure group will regularly clean bowling balls, will close every other lane and restrict groups to a maximum of six people to both ensure social distancing guidance is met to encourage customers back.

Engineering group Renishaw also rocketed higher on an upbeat update. Its stock surged 10.2 per cent, or 450p, to 4880p after it raised its annual revenue forecast from between 490million and 505million to 510million.

It made the gains despite reporting profits will nosedive from an earlier forecast of up to 41million to just 4million, because of a slew of one-off charges.

Packaging and cigarette filter-maker Essentra stayed flat, at 324.2p, after a United Arab Emirates-based subsidiary agreed to pay a 531,000 fine to US regulators over a scheme to supply North Korea with tobacco products.
CHICAGO (dpa-AFX) - Commonwealth Edison Co. or ComEd, a subsidiary of Exelon Corp. (EXC), has agreed to pay $200 million to settle a federal criminal investigation into a years-long bribery scheme, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago said in a statement on Friday. ComEd admitted that its efforts to influence and reward the high-level elected official began in or around 2011 and continued through in or around 2019. The company also admitted that it arranged for jobs and vendor subcontracts for Public Official A's political allies and workers even in instances where those people performed little or no work that they were purportedly hired by ComEd to perform. The U.S. Attorney's Office today filed a one-count criminal information in U.S. District Court in Chicago charging ComEd with bribery. As per the agreement, the government will defer prosecution on the charge for three years and then seek to dismiss it if ComEd abides by certain conditions, including continuing to cooperate with ongoing investigations of individuals or other entities related to the conduct described in the bribery charge. As part of its remediation, Exelon implemented four new mandatory policies that apply to employees who interact with public officials. The policies also prohibit subcontracting of third-party lobbyists and political consultants, and hiring of such firms includes oversight from the company's ethics and compliance team, led by David Glockner, Exelon's executive vice president of Compliance and Audit. 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.
China to impose sanctions on US in response to HK act

Photo taken on Aug 5, 2019 shows China's national flag and the flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong, China. [Photo/Xinhua]

China said on Wednesday it will impose sanctions on relevant United States personnel and entities after US President Donald Trump signed into law the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act".

Trump also put his signature on an executive order that ends Washington's preferential treatment for Hong Kong.

The foreign ministry said in a statement Beijing strongly opposes the latest US action and urged Washington to stop interfering in China's internal affairs.

The act maliciously slanders the National Security Law for Hong Kong and threatens to put sanctions on China, which seriously violated international law and basic norms governing international relations, the ministry said.

Formulation and implementation of the law complies with relevant provisions of the Chinese Constitution and the HKSAR Basic Law, and will provide institutional and legal guarantees for the stability of "one country, two systems", according to the statement.

It will also help safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests and guarantee Hong Kong's long-term stability and prosperity.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region in China, and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs that brook no foreign interference.

China is firmly determined to uphold national sovereignty, safeguard Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and oppose external forces to meddle in Hong Kong affairs.

The US's attempts to block the implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong will never succeed, the ministry said.

"To protect its legitimate interests, China will take necessary action to impose sanctions against related US institutions and individuals."

China urges the US to correct its mistakes, refrain from implementing the so-called act and stop any interference in Hong Kong affairs and other domestic affairs of China, it said, adding if the US is bent on going down the wrong path, China will firmly respond.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 00:16:46|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry announced that Iran supports peace process in Afghanistan with the participation of all Afghan parties, Tasnim news agency reported Friday.

All Afghan groups, such as the Taliban, should take part in the process of peace in Afghanistan, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi was quoted as saying.

"The Taliban is a reality in Afghanistan, and the peace negotiations should be held within the framework of this country's constitution and government in a calm and peaceful atmosphere," said Araqchi.

The Iranian official urged comprehensive cooperation between Tehran and Kabul, including defense and security areas. Enditem
Victoria has announced the largest spike of coronavirus cases ever in Australia in a day of big COVID-19 developments.

The huge increase in cases mean that the state will likely be excluded from a trans-Tasman travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand.

Australia's national death toll also hit 116 people after three more people died.

Here's the latest snapshot of the crisis in Australia.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

* Victoria recorded 428 new cases, a record daily total in Australia, as well as three more deaths

* NSW confirmed eight new cases as the premier reiterated the state was on 'high alert' and extended restrictions on pubs and hotels to all indoor hospitality venues

* One of Western Australia's two new cases is a man who tested positive after returning from Victoria. Arrivals from Victoria now face mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine at their own expense while travellers from NSW will be tested immediately

NSW confirmed eight new cases as the premier reiterated the state was on 'high alert'. The Crossroads Hotel (pictured on Friday) is the biggest infection cluster in the state

* The Northern Territory lifted quarantine requirements for travellers from many regions, but they remain in place for anyone coming from Victoria or the greater Sydney region

* South Australia's hard border closure with Victoria will remain in place indefinitely

* A woman who recently returned from Afghanistan is South Australia's first new coronavirus case in more than two weeks but is no longer infectious

* Victoria will likely be excluded from a trans-Tasman travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand

A man who is in lockdown in the Alfred Street Public Housing Complex in North Melbourne looks out of a window on Friday (pictured)

The prime minister (pictured on Friday) embarked on a media blitz to spruik a $400million arts funding injection, seeking to entice more Hollywood blockbusters to Australia

* Motorists have been warned there will be no return to free-flowing traffic on the Queensland-NSW border for months

* International arrivals to WA now have to pay for their 14-day hotel quarantine

* Australian researchers have found a way to identify positive cases in just 20 minutes using blood samples

ECONOMICS

* The federal government is preparing to introduce another wave of economic support with almost one million Australians now out of work. Businesses may have to requalify for wage subsidies when JobKeeper is overhauled

* The prime minister embarked on a media blitz to spruik a $400million arts funding injection, seeking to entice more Hollywood blockbusters to Australia

Australia's total number of cases is now 11,235 with 3,005 cases active and 8,117 people recovered (pictured, a COVID-19 testing centre at Sydney's Crossroads Hotel on Friday)

Victoria recorded 428 new cases, a record daily total in Australia, as well as three more deaths

SPORT

* Thursday night's AFL match between Geelong and Collingwood at Perth's Optus Stadium was attended by a crowd of more than 22,000, with medical associations fearing just one infected spectator could cause an outbreak

* The AFL hasn't released a fixture beyond next week, but Carlton will play Hawthorn at Optus Stadium in round nine while the clubs serve their 14-day quarantine periods

* Players for rugby league team Wests Tigers who live in Sydney's COVID-19 hotspots have been cleared of the virus and face Brisbane on Friday night

KEY DATES

* July 18 - Returning travellers to SA and NSW must pay part of their hotel quarantine bill

* July 19 - Travel exemptions to WA for people in NSW will tighten, matching the criteria for Victoria

* July 31 - The earliest date Tasmania may open its borders to the mainland after delaying the move, previously planned for July 24

Thursday night's AFL match between Geelong and Collingwood at Perth's Optus Stadium was attended by a crowd of more than 22,000 (pictured) with medical associations fearing just one infected spectator could cause an outbreak

* August 1 - Tentative date for WA to lift all remaining restrictions, except border closures and access to remote Aboriginal communities

* October 17 - The preferred date for the AFL grand final, which appears likely to be played outside of Melbourne for the first time

AUSTRALIAN CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS

* Australia's total number of cases is now 11,235 with 3,005 cases active and 8,117 people recovered

* The national death toll as of Friday is 116: NSW 49, Victoria 32, Tasmania 13, WA 9, Queensland 6, SA 4, ACT 3. (Two Queensland residents who died in NSW have been included in the official tolls of both states)

Returning travellers to SA and NSW must pay part of their hotel quarantine bill. Pictured: Man bringing supplies to locked down Victorians

Tentative date for WA to lift all remaining restrictions, except border closures and access to remote Aboriginal communities. Pictured: testing clinic

GLOBAL CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS

* Cases: at least 13,961,697

* Deaths: at least 593,016

* Recovered: at least 8,294,175

Data current as of 6pm AEST July 17, taking in federal government and state/territory government updates and Worldometer.
Alex Marshall-Brown is seen in front of St. Paul's First Lutheran Church in North Hollywood, where church members told her to leave the property. (Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: Nita Lelyveld's column about the treatment of Alex Marshall-Brown by members of St. Paul's First Lutheran Church in North Hollywood was well done, but I feel it was a missed opportunity. As a person who does not belong to any denomination, I wanted to find out why the major churches in our country have not done more to combat racism.

Is that not what Jesus Christ would have done?

With all the recent protests against police killing unarmed Black people, I was expecting every denomination of every religion to be speaking out against racism. The silence of those who have not is the same as if they were supporting the killings.

In this case, I would expect that St. Paul's would be reaching out to the community and making amends for the way it treated Marshall-Brown, who was sitting underneath a tree on the church's lawn. This is something I expect from all places of worship, regardless of religion or denomination.

Brent Trafton, Long Beach

..

To the editor: Ever since Marshall-Brown's video appeared on social media a few days ago, the other Lutheran church in North Hollywood, St. Matthew's, has been inundated with indignant responses. Pastor Stephanie Jaeger, who leads St. Matthew's, has responded with grace and clarity.

It should be noted that there are Lutherans, then there are Lutherans. The church where this incident occurred is part of the Wisconsin Synod, which is not known for liberality. St. Matthew's, on the other hand, is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We're the "liberal" ones.

In any event, for the sake of clarity and distinction, it seems to me that a follow-up story on how St. Matthew's has responded to the negativity that was misdirected at it might be worthwhile.

Steve Beckham, Long Beach

The writer is pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Long Beach.

..

To the editor: You have to read to the end of Lelyveld's column to learn that "there had been incidents on the property  including vandalism, people defecating on the lawn and mentally ill people acting erratically."

Story continues

Since it is almost unheard of for a person to paint her fingernails  much less her toenails, as Marshall-Brown was doing  in a public place, it is completely understandable that people were watching her and concerned she might follow that innocuous activity with one that could cause damage to the property similar to what had previously incurred.

Stephanie Scher, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Thanks to Lelyveld for writing about the woman sitting on a church lawn. I hope this will be a lesson to the church. Jesus always welcomed strangers and outcasts.

Black lives matter.

Lynn Thompson, Redondo Beach
By IANS

BENGALURU: As people await with bated breath a human vaccine against coronavirus amid home remedies suggested by different people, a Congress councillor in Karnataka has come up with a novel recipe to tackle the virus -- rum and half-fried eggs, sunny side up.

His recommendation to beat coronavirus through a video had went viral before Thursday.

"Add a teaspoonful of ground pepper in 90ml rum and stir it well with your finger and drink it. Eat two half-fried omelettes to ensure that the coronavirus vanishes," said Ravichandra Gatti, a councillor in Ullal town near Mangaluru, in the viral video.

Gatti said he had tried many medicines for Covid-19 but vouched that only rum and eggs worked.

"I am not suggesting this as a politician, but as a member of the corona committee," he said.

"Many people are there in Bengaluru and Madikeri who drink rum but I do not drink or eat fish," Gatti said.

#Mangaluru In this video that has gone viral, Ravichandra Gatti, Congress Councillor from Ullal CMC, asks people to drink rum, eat half boiled egg omelette, both sprinkled with pepper powder, to keep Covid-19 at bay @NewIndianXpress @santwana99 pic.twitter.com/Xxwc5BWfy8  vincent dsouza (@vinndz_TNIE) July 16, 2020

Gatti is known to be social worker for nearly 15 years. Congress leaders from Mangaluru area were planning to discuss the matter.

Senior Congress leader Ugrappa declined to comment on the party worker's video while UT Khader was not reachable on phone.

Ghatti's phone was unreachable whereas he was last active on his Whatsapp account on Tuesday evening.

An official at the Ullal Municipal Commissioner's office said that councillors have been made members in the ward-level Covid task force committees.

Ullal town is 12 km from Mangaluru city.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  Business is in full blast for San Miguel Corporation despite the pandemic, with its top boss Ramon Ang saying that projects continue while other firms tread with caution.

"You separate the men and the boys. In a crisis, there's always an opportunity like this," Ang, president and chief operating officer of the diversified conglomerate, told CNN Philippines' Rico Hizon.

"When everybody is staying home, we are out working and we make sure all our projects are in full speed. When they wake up and finally report to work, we are already done so all of the opportunity, we have practically harvested," he added. "Most important of these things is we want to keep the jobs."

Boosting SMC's case is its involvement in essential industries such as power, food and beverage, cement, and infrastructure, as demand was "not that much affected" by the COVID-19 crisis. However, he did note that Petron, its oil refinery unit, was in a crunch earlier this year as a huge drop in world crude prices pulled down profits, followed by a drop in demand as people and cars stayed home.

SMC reported a 1.1-billion net income in the first three months of 2020, a big drop compared to a 12.8-billion profit during the same period last year. All key businesses suffered lower revenues as the COVID-19 crisis paralyzed consumption.

Ang added that even during the lockdown, he would regularly check on the progress the group's major construction projects, such as the Skyway Stage 3 which opens in November, and the Skyway extension segment in Susana Heights along the South Luzon Expressway and Sucat, which is nearly finished.

He also lobbied for more businesses to reopen and to scale up mass testing so that employees can return to work and to restore consumer confidence.

Meanwhile, Ang said work will soon begin for the 734-billion New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, around October after the so-called "ghost month." He added that SMC might need an extra year to deliver the project, saying the first two runways and terminal of the northern gateway will be ready by around 2026. This is still within the four to six-year window given by the Transportation department when it awarded the contract in 2019.

The aetoropolis would have four parallel runways and a passenger terminal that could serve 100 million passengers yearly.

The project also involves building an 8.4-kilometer tollway that will connect the new gateway to the North Luzon Expressway in Marilao, Bulacan.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said Shamima Begum should face justice in the UK (PA Wire)

London mayor Sadiq Khan said Shamima Begum should return to the UK to face justice in the criminal courts.

On Thursday, the Court of Appeal ruled that Ms Begum  one of three east London schoolgirls who travelled to Syria to join the so-called Islamic State group (IS)  should be allowed to return to the UK to fight the decision to remove her British citizenship.

Downing Street said the Government was bitterly disappointed by the ruling and the Home Office said it plans to appeal.

Expand Close Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (Jonathan Brady/PA) PA / Facebook

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Mr Khan told the PA news agency on Friday: I think people who commit criminal offences must face the music.

While weve got courts in this country and judges who are some of the fairest in the world, I think if a British citizen commits an offence here or overseas they should face justice in the criminal courts.

And if she (Begum) has committed a criminal offence Im sure the jury will find her guilty, and justice will be served.

What Im not in favour of is us sub-contracting justice to another country.

Ms Begum, now 20, travelled to Syria in February 2015 and lived under IS rule for more than three years before she was found, nine months pregnant, in a Syrian refugee camp in February last year.

Then-home secretary Sajid Javid revoked her British citizenship on national security grounds later that month.

Ms Begum took legal action against the Home Office, claiming the decision was unlawful because it rendered her stateless and exposed her to a real risk of death or inhuman and degrading treatment.

In February, the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC)  a specialist tribunal which hears challenges to decisions to remove someones British citizenship on national security grounds  ruled the decision was lawful as Ms Begum was a citizen of Bangladesh by descent at the time of the decision.

Ms Begums challenge to the Home Offices decision to refuse to allow her to enter the UK to effectively pursue her appeal was also rejected.

Expand Close Former Home Secretary Sajid Javid took the decision to revoke Ms Begums citizenship on national security grounds (Kirsty OConnor/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Former Home Secretary Sajid Javid took the decision to revoke Ms Begums citizenship on national security grounds (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

On Thursday, the Court of Appeal ruled that the only way in which she can have a fair and effective appeal is to be permitted to come into the United Kingdom to pursue her appeal.

Lord Justice Flaux  sitting with Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Singh  said: Fairness and justice must, on the facts of this case, outweigh the national security concerns, so that the leave to enter appeals should be allowed.

The judge found that the national security concerns about her could be addressed and managed if she returns to the United Kingdom.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: This is a very disappointing decision by the court.

We will now apply for permission to appeal this judgment, and to stay its effects pending any onward appeal.

Ms Begum was one of three schoolgirls from Bethnal Green Academy who left their homes and families to join IS, shortly after Sharmeena Begum  who is no relation  travelled to Syria in December 2014.

Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, then 16 and 15 respectively  and Ms Begum boarded a flight from Gatwick Airport to Istanbul, Turkey, on February 17 2015, before making their way to Raqqa in Syria.

Ms Begum claims she married Dutch convert Yago Riedijk 10 days after arriving in IS territory, with all three of her school friends also reportedly marrying foreign IS fighters.

She told The Times last February that she left Raqqa in January 2017 with her husband but her children, a one-year-old girl and a three-month-old boy, had both since died.

Her third child died shortly after he was born.
Friday, July 17, 2020

The relationship between workers and the workplace may be different in the future because of the crises we faced in the first half of 2020. How will businesses be impacted ? Here are a dozen trends experts predict could impact workers and the businesses that employ them in a Post-Covid-19 world.

The Continued Growth of the "Gig Economy."

"Gig" workers refer to independent workers who engage in short-term work arrangements with businesses. Examples of "Gig" workers include temporary workers, independent contractors, consultants, and freelancers.These workers are attracted to the idea of being self-employed, seeking more meaningful work, and looking for more flexible work schedules that better fit their personal needs. It is estimated that over 40% of the labor force will be "gig" workers in 2020.

A Greater Focus on "Scenario Planning."

Businesses have had to be more focused on "scenario planning" because of day-to-day uncertainties involving supply chains, sales, scheduling, and the short-term cash requirements of the business. Scenario planning is an adaption of military planning that accounts for different possible responses based on changing conditions and it is predicted that this increased focus on short-term planning will have a positive impact on businesses both in the short and long-term.

A Heightened Concern for Worker And Workplace Health and Safety.

The recent pandemic has forced businesses to focus more on workplace cleanliness, sanitation, ventilation, masks, and social distancing. As a frequent flyer, I feel that a heightened concern for cabin surface cleanliness and bacteria-free ventilation systems on commercial flights will unequivocally impact passenger, pilots and flight attendant health for the positive, and I expect the same for patrons of and workers at restaurants, retailers, hospitals, government services, and public places.

An Increased Focus on "Transparency," "Autonomy," "Mastery," And "Purpose."

Transparency to help people feel safe  autonomy to help keep others safe  mastery of new technologies and efforts to make the home workplace as productive as working in the office  and purpose in redefining the business' role in serving the customer and the community.

Transforming The Nature of Collaborate Interactions.

Buzz words transforming collaborate interactions today include: video enhanced collaboration, digital event planning, project management user platforms, smart whiteboards, physical store, restaurant & office redesigns, and touch screen check-ins, ordering and payment systems. Because people are more separated, managers also need to increase their focus on reinforcing the employee's sense of belonging during these trying times.

The Rise of the IT Department.

IT departments have been kept busy over the last few months keeping networks safe, establishing & monitoring remote workspaces, improving the company's customer relationship management capabilities, introducing new collaborate, on-line work environments, and helping to create video content. Experts are predicting larger budgets for IT in the next few years that will accelerate the use of new technologies in every area of the business.

The Acceleration of "Self-Directed Learning."

As the world becomes more specialized, so does the need for individual training and development. The International Review of Research in Open and Distant Learning recently found that the amount learned from an on-line class is greater than traditional lecture-based courses. Many idle workers are engaging in self-directed learning, and it's also easy to see this trend continuing its upward trajectory in the future.

"Future Proofing" the Business.

Business leaders are future proofing their businesses by listening to customers, employees & suppliers; diversifying their revenue streams; improving their branding; proactively managing risk; looking for ways to innovate; iterating processes; helping employees develop new skills; and soliciting new ideas from their advisors.

Leaning On Top Tier Employees.

More than ever, business owners today need to make sure customers are happy and the work gets done. Businesses experiencing a cash crunch have had to choose between their "essential" and "non-essential" workers. It's the business' top tier employees that are helping companies refocus operations through modeling, job redesign, workplace safety, innovation, collaboration, and communications. Given a less certain future, talent acquisition will likely focus on top tier talent that have the diverse skills needed during these uncertain times.

The Increase of Tele-Delivery of Healthcare and On-Line Food Delivery Services.

Tele-health services and on-line food deliveries have exploded since Covid-19. Ninety-one (91%) percent of healthcare providers will offer telehealth services this year, which will boost their profits by $19 to $121 per visit.

Between February and April, POS software provider Upserve saw a 169% increase in on-line ordering at restaurants, and an 840% increase in weekly on-line orders. Eighty-seven (87%) of customers who use third-party food delivery services state that the service makes their lives easier. Given the trends, it's hard to see these services going away in the future.

Reducing Political Risk By Decoupling From China, Bringing Industries Back to The US, And "Buying American."

New trade partnerships, like the USMCA and recent trade agreements with South Korea and Japan, coupled with efforts to onshore production in China will result in many new US manufacturers. Although it will not happen overnight, corporate tax breaks will facilitate a renaissance in American manufacturing, that will embrace new technologies like machine learning, robotics and artificial intelligence and expand the domestic economy as more people in the US buy American.

Rethinking Business Travel.

The International Air Transportation Association (IATA) expects a $83 billion decline in air travel in 2020. According to Conte Nast, best case, air travel will recover to 70% of Pre-Covid levels in 2021. Anticipated changes business travelers can expect include: the increased use of technology to book travel & check-in, amended travel rules & services, immunity passports and pre-travel health testing, more cancelled flights, fewer direct flights, reduced hotel services, longer lines if you rent a vehicle, and higher travel costs.

"Necessity is the mother of invention." As businesses return to normal, they will be looking for opportunities to both reinvent and differentiate themselves. How businesses transform themselves is probably a little different for each industry and business, but their future businesses will likely intersect with many of the above predictions.

Our Small Business Owner's Covid-19 Survival Kit is available through our on-line store on my 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 updates !
DGAP-News: Ekotechnika AG / Key word(s): Alliance



The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Ekotechnika and Cognitive Pilot establish Russia-wide service network for smart agricultural machinery

Cooperation agreement with joint venture of the Russian Sberbank Walldorf, 17 July 2020 - Ekotechnika AG (primary market; ISIN: DE000A161234), the German holding company of the largest dealer of international agricultural machinery in Russia, will establish a nationwide service network for smart agricultural machinery in Russia in cooperation with Cognitive Pilot, a joint venture of the Russian Sberbank and the Cognitive Technologies Group. To this end, the two companies signed a three-year cooperation agreement. The Ekotechnika service team will be in charge of consulting, sales, installation of software and hardware, maintenance and technical support for the "Cognitive Agro Pilot" system in 35 regions of Russia. The three-year contract provides for the system to be installed on up to 10,000 combines from various agricultural equipment manufacturers. Another essential part of the partnership will be the development of new smart farming solutions and products using Cognitive Pilot's autonomous driving and control system. Bjoerne Drechsler, member of the Executive Board of Ekotechnika AG: "We are continuously working to expand our range of smart farming services and solutions. The cooperation with Cognitive Pilot, the world's leading developer of systems for autonomous operation of agricultural machinery, locomotives, trams and components for autonomous cars, is a strategic milestone and enables us to maintain our pioneering position in this field." "Cognitive Agro Pilot" is an autonomous control system based on artificial intelligence for agricultural machinery such as grain harvesters, tractors or sprayers. It lets machinery operators focus on the quality of harvesting while leaving the robot assistant to run the machinery. The system uses only one video camera as well as a neural network specifically designed for agricultural purposes that defines the correct trajectory of the combine and sends commands to perform maneuvers. This sets the system apart from foreign solutions, which generally use a whole set of sensors in their models, which often makes them dependent on weather conditions and light intensity. The system has already been successfully introduced in the USA, Brazil and China as well as in several Russian regions. "Installing Cognitive Pilot's autonomous motion systems and training the employees on the farms will make the harvest much more efficient," says Bjoerne Drechsler, member of the Executive Board of Ekotechnika AG. "This will create more highly qualified jobs and the increased efficiency will allow agricultural operations to pay wages similar to those paid in other high-tech industries. Thanks to our nation-wide network of modern service centers, we will be able to rapidly expand the use of AI technologies throughout Russia and to offer our customers additional high-quality services on site."



About Ekotechnika

Ekotechnika AG, Walldorf, is the German holding company of the EkoNiva-Technika Group, the largest distributor of agricultural machinery in Russia. The main partner and principal supplier is John Deere, the world's largest and market-leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery. Ekotechnika's main business lies in selling new equipment such as tractors and combines but also soil tillage machines. At the end of 2018, forestry machinery from Canadian manufacturer Tigercat was added to the portfolio. In addition, the company sells spare parts, provides service and maintenance and offers its customers smart farming technologies. Founder and Chairman of the Executive Board of Ekotechnika AG is Stefan Durr, who has been active in the Russian farming sector since the late eighties and has been instrumental in its modernization over the past two decades. Operating 23 locations in five attractive Russian farming regions, Ekotechnika today employs around 570 people and generated sales revenues of around EUR 160 million in 2018/19. The Ekotechnika stock is listed on the Primary Market of the Dusseldorf Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE000A161234) as well as on the Open Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Contact

Ekotechnika AG // Johann-Jakob-Astor-Str. 49 // 69190 Walldorf // T: +49 (0) 6227 3 58 59 60 // E: info@ekotechnika.de // www.ekotechnika.de

Press / Investor Relations

Fabian Kirchmann, Anna-Lena Mayer // IR.on AG // T: +49 (0) 221 9140 970 // E: presse@ekosem-agrar.de

17.07.2020 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


Net income figures account for deductions that the program allows. Those deductions include allowances for earnings (to encourage work), dependent care, certain medical expenses and unusually large housing costs. Applicants generally have to provide documentation.

Money you receive from unemployment payments may reduce or eliminate your SNAP eligibility. Still, if unemployment is your only income and you have few assets, its worth applying for SNAP to see if you qualify.

The cap on assets is $2,250, or $3,500 if a household has someone 60 or older or someone with a disability. Homes and most retirement plan balances dont count. Vehicles can count, though states have leeway to set those rules.

Is there a work requirement?

Yes, two of them.

First, if youre between the ages of 16 and 59, youre supposed to enroll in relevant state training programs, accept suitable offers of employment and not quit voluntarily or choose to work less than 30 hours per week. But there are exceptions, including for people caring for children under 6 years old or incapacitated adults, and those who have a physical or mental limitation or are participating regularly in a drug or alcohol treatment program.

Theres another set of rules for people between the ages of 18 and 49 who are both able bodied and have no dependents, including working or participating in a work program at least 80 hours per month. You can read more about them on the Department of Agricultures website.

Waivers sometimes apply to work rules as well, which is why its important to apply for SNAP if youre not sure how your own work situation applies, instead of just assuming that youre ineligible.

How does the application work?

You apply through your state. The Department of Agriculture has a map-based directory on its website, and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has collected additional state-by-state information.
A Confederate flag banner was flown over Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., on Wednesday before NASCARs All-Star Race.

The banner included the URL of a Tennessee-based group called Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Washington Post reported.

It is the hope of the Sons of Confederate Veterans that NASCAR fans will be allowed the fundamental American right of displaying pride in their family and heritage.  We believe NASCARs slandering of our Southern heritage only further divides our nation, the commander in chief of the group, Paul C. Gramling Jr. told the Columbia Daily Herald in June.

WCYB reported that a few Confederate flags were visible at Bristol Motor Speedway.

"It's your First Amendment right, freedom of speech to do whatever," one NASCAR fan told the station. "At the same time, we are trying to get new people into the sport."

The Confederate flag, which has long been associated with the sport, was also flown over the site of a Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama on June 21.

Both incidents happened after June 10, when NASCAR banned displays of the Confederate flag at all of its events. The decision came shortly after a noose was discovered in the garage stall of Bubba Wallaces tea. Wallace is the only black, full-time Cup Series driver.

The presence of the confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry. Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special," NASCAR said in June of the flags ban.
A homeless Australian teen who slept under a bridge defied all odds to become a millionaire. The 22-year-old entrepreneur with offices in Melbourne hopes to inspire other young people not to give up hope and chase their dreams.

This true rags-to-riches life story had Harry Sanders spend a year on the streets before making a fortune worth US$1 million with his search-engine-optimization firm, Studiohawk.

Sanders experienced homelessness at the tender age of 17, reported 7News last year. He spent the first few nights sleeping under a bridge before pinballing between homeless shelters and sofa-surfing with friends and family.

The first night of being homeless was the worst. I had no idea where to go or what to do, Sanders said, according to 7News.

In the beginning, Sanders ran into a lot of trouble, not realizing that there are territories amongst the homeless. Sanders found himself in many scrapes at the beginning. However, he said that he always managed to find food and would often visit soup kitchens.

I would also usually ask different food outlets if they had any leftovers that they didnt sell for the day, and most would happily give me things to eat, he said.

With his never-give-up attitude, Sanders has gone from living on the streets to owning a successful business. This life-changing transformation has taught Harry five rules for success. Last year, Harry was voted SEMrush Agency of the Year 2019 and Optus Young Business Leader of the Year.

While it may not have been the greatest of starts to his fledgling business career, the experience did provide the young entrepreneur with some valuable lessons.

Harry Sanderss first office setup. (Caters News)

To get ahead in life and business, Sanders recommends, perhaps surprisingly, to get a full nights sleep and only wear whatever you feel comfortable wearing. He said he never wears a suit regardless of whether it is a day in the office or attending an important business meeting. The young millionaire believes that given his age, wearing an expensive, custom-tailored suit is a red flag for many and can give off the wrong impression.

No matter what he has going on, Sanders manages at least eight hours of sleep to be sure he is at the top of his game.

Many people also think that they need to be awake and working all night to be successful. But you cant deprive yourself of sleep for the sake of your business, Sanders said.

He adds: You cant run a business if your head is in a fog. Stop checking your email until 3 am and rest so you can be your best.

Sanders also recommends reading as much as you can on a topic for which you have passion. Another life lesson he has adopted from the streets is to be careful with your money. Its important to consider where you are spending your money and if it is possible to reduce your spending.

But probably the most important of all his top tips for success is to find your purpose in life. Sanders says that if you are pursuing money, you wont ultimately be successful.

Despite his shaky start to adult life, Sanders feels being homeless taught him resilience and matured him. Part of this determination was knowing that if it went pear shaped, he had no backup plans.

I wouldnt be the same person if it were not for that. Going through a hardship like that also made me a lot more confident when dealing with stressful situations, he said. I owe my success to being homeless. Without it, I wouldnt have been as pushed or as pressured to succeed as I had been.

Sanderss story is truly inspirational. It is a real-life tale of determination and perseverance in making a dream come true, no matter the age.

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc
2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS.

We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover.

We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come.
Someone posted on social media today that rather than Black Lives Matter, we should be saying All Lives Matter. I have heard that tune before. It is designed to defuse the moment, to distract. To say All Lives Matter sidesteps the issue at hand. The need to proclaim Black Lives Matter is an assertion that should be both true and self-evident but is neither . . . .or George Floyd would still be alive.

Same goes for Ahmaud Artery for that matter. Or Breonna Taylor. Or Eric Garner. Or John Crawford. Or Michael Brown. Or Freddie Gray. Or Philander Castile. Or Alton Sterling, Or Delrawn Small, etc. etc. etc. The dead haunt us. To proclaim Black Lives Matter is a statement against the reality that for a long time, we, and our police, have behaved as if they did not matter.

Our presidents response to the problem of racial injustice was to avoid it, electing instead to focus on the throngs of protesters, executing their First Amendment rights, marching the streets of American cities and small towns. Branding them thugs and terrorists he declared himself the law and order president even though the history of his last three and a half years in office have been about anything but law and order.

He has proclaimed himself a wartime commander-in-chief even though as a youth he had ensured his bone spurs made him unfit to fill a soldiers boots. He spoke of dominating the battlespace and calling in vicious dogs and ominous weapons to combat not the enemies of the nation but rather its citizens; its flesh and blood.

He has threatened to use the Insurrection Act of 1807, a law written, at least in part, as an answer to slave insurrections (and then used in 1831 to put down exactly that--the Nat Turner uprising.) Let that sink in. The president has threatened to use a law designed to quash slave revolts to put down demonstrations for racial justice.

President Trump has never been noted for his command of history. He did claim on 4 July, 2019 that the Continental Army (circa 1775-1783) had won the American Revolution by seizing the airports while the flag still waved over Ft. McHenry (in 1814). Nevertheless, he and some of his followers still seem to subscribe to the infamous summation concluding the US Supreme Courts Dred Scott decision (March 1857) that black people had no rights which the white man was bound to respect.

While there is much to love about this nation, it should not be loved without condition. We have not yet achieved what we set out to be, namely a city on a hill, a beacon to all people built around liberty and equality. We still have not righted the wrongs of the past---so many of us march, not for the presidents faux land of law and order, but rather for justice for without justice, liberty and equality are not possible. Without justice, there can be no peace.

Joseph R. Fischer, LTC, US Army (retired), Northumberland, Pa.
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The wave of renewed rural armed banditry, cattle rustling and inter-connected crimes, which is the bane of security in Nigerias Northwest zone has spurred fresh concerns to inhabitants of this geographical zone. It is not only the people directly at the receiving end of these organized crimes by armed criminals that are worried, but every Nigerian is having sleepless nights over this unacceptable development.

At the beginning of the present political dispensation, some State Chief Executives in the Northwest region, like the Zamfara state Governor, Alhaji Bello Mohammad Matawalle and his Katsina state counterpart, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari and so forth, played their hands on the option of peace talks with the bandits and their representatives.

Interestingly, other leaders and stakeholders were involved in the dialogue to find lasting solutions to the horrendous acts of armed bandits and their collaborators. Armed banditry in the region generally started in Zamfara, like Borno state also bears the infamous badge of importing Boko Haram terrorism into Nigeria

Initially, the criminals agreed to armistice or a ceasefire; pledging to allow peace reign. Precisely, Zamfaras Gov. Matawalle was widely hailed and celebrated beyond the shores of the Northwest, and nationwide for achieving peace and security in the troubled state within his first 100 days in office. He recorded this feat in just 57 days of his administration.

Good and relieving as it sounded, the consensus reached with armed bandits soon ran into muddy waters. And the signs came plainly pointing to the sponsors and veiled actors. And what followed needed no interpretation of a soothsayer to understand.

The incumbent Governor Matawalle had disagreements on political and governance issues in the state with his predecessor, Alhaji Abdullaziz Yari. The face-off between the duo simmered explosively and dramatically saw the revival and return of bandits, who had downed weapons. It marked the end of the peace pact with bandits.

The experience of Zamfara is similar to virtually all the states where armed banditry has become a torn in the flesh in the Northwest. And bad blood stimulated by politics of leadership, control of state resources and the battle of supremacy among stakeholders and leaders in these states have fertilized, greased and nourished armed banditry.

Of course, there could be other factors favourable to the bludgeoning of banditry in the region, but the refusal of these criminal acts to abate despite several seemingly fortified interventions voices a failure somewhere within. Therefore, the Northwest region has continued to be assailed, burdened and caged by these criminal armed gangs. And in a region with a predominantly forested terrain smooth for their operations, rural dwellers have been subjected to avoidable pains, sorrows and hardships for the heartlessness and insensitivity of others.

But those worst hit by the atrocities of bandits are innocent citizens and, so, it has elicited the concern of Nigeria, and Nigerians. The world is concerned and humanity is upset by it. It is confounding that some Nigerians have pleasured in sowing a different version of Boko Haram insurgency in Northwest. It is more painful that those responsible for arresting these acts of criminality at the embryonic stage have preferred to be onlookers, promoters and sponsors of the death sentence on their people.

It is one of the costly mistakes Nigerians made by failing to descend the sledge hammer on Boko Haram at its infantile stage, until it developed a thick skin. In the Northwest too, there is a conscious imitation of the indifference and lacunas which created conducive atmosphere for the consolidation and thriving of Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast region.

Many can still remember that leaders of different shades under the auspices of Borno Elders Forum (BEF), where Boko Haram sprouted were indifferent to the brewing and potentially explosive and dangerous insurgency in their enclaves. But unconscionably, they rushed to assemble, deliberate and issue a public statement, stating their position and condemnation of the administration of President Buhari for clampdown on the extremists religious sect, the Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzakys led aberrant and illegal Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as the Shiites in Nigeria.

To date, BEF has remained aloof to the Boko Haram insurgency, which has entrenched itself and hijacked by external forces and terror sects, as exemplified by ISWAP. For years, Boko Haram has not only been a national security problem, but both Nigerians and the indigenes of the Northeast can bear testimony to its devastative and destructive effects on the once peaceful region. The people of the Northwest are replicating the same culture of silence, endorsement and emboldening of the acts of armed banditry in the Northwest, instead of working against it.

Furthermore, Boko Haram insurgency started as a militant religious sect, with the agenda of imposing an Islamic state on Nigeria, beginning with the Northeast. Ignore its initially defined ideology as religious, but many would agree that Boko Haram insurgency has multiplied into political and economic wings.

Its confirmatory that while the administration of President Buhari has substantially blighted the fires of religious Boko Haramists. The resurgent and festering character now in the country is attributable to its morphed political and economic branches.

It is evident in the concentration of Boko Haram activities in the oil-rich Lake Chad Basin, actively backed by some dubious foreign countries with vast interest in the natural crude oil and mineral resources of the region. The people of the Northwest are making a similar mistake in the case of the armed banditry and cattle rustling crimes committed by cursed criminal gangs in the zone.

So, apart from the other numerous problems contending against the effective tackling of banditry in the Northwest, by the Army, there are also the mischief makers who have successfully re-baptized the acts of armed banditry and other criminalities in the zone with tags unrelated to what is happening in the area. There is a very conspicuous, conscious and misleading politicization of armed banditry in the Northwest by labelling the crimes as ethnic or religious.

Given the explosive nature of religious and ethnicity issues in Nigeria, these are very repulsive attempts to inflame minds and ginger the further rapid spread of armed banditry and cattle rustling to other parts of North. This is completely irrational and satanic. These armed bandits are clearly criminals, further driven by economic motives and to propagate inaccurate identities of the armed banditry activities, even where it resists is erecting conditions conducive for its boundless escalation.

Like BEF, the leaders in Northwest are doing nothing or very little to contain, the hate preachments, indoctrination and massive recruitment of their youths into these terrible and armed criminal sects terrorizing and oppressing their people. The implication is that these Northwest leaders have not learnt the lessons abound from insurgency in the Northeast. Therefore, one can notice a discomforting repetition of the mistakes which landed the Northeast into the trouble and security quagmire it faces today. Northern Nigeria; no lessons learnt yet?

But it must be stated definitely that members of every criminal sect are first and foremost from an ethnic or religious group. Nonetheless, once a man decides to take to criminal enterprise, especially of the kind that savours bloodletting of his kith and kin and other Nigerians, he becomes unpardonably an enemy of all.

The earlier we realize that the bandits are enemies of humanity and not of any particular ethnic stock or religious sect, the better it is for natives of the region and Nigeria as a nation. This is a wake -up call for all men and women of goodwill to see armed banditry, the terror sects operating in Nigeria now and allied criminalities in the regions as an evil or threats to all humanity irrespective of their religious or ethnic affiliations.

Once a security problem is allowed to entrench deeply, it becomes difficult to uproot it. It took the decisive and focused leadership of the Nigerian Army under Lt. Gen TY Buratai, the COAS and leader of counter-insurgency operations to unveil Boko Haram and their sponsors as enemies of humanity.

The Army Chief took the battle to Boko Harams strongest havens in Sambisa forest and vicinities, as evident in the hatred of him by Shekau and his men. Shekau has shown it lamentingly in videos and all manner of public messages, even during the last Ramadan fasting, in which they trumpeted that Buratai and the Nigerian Army are against them. But it has been a tough confrontation, with its attendant waste of precious lives and public resources at great cost to the Nigerian state.

Gen. Buratai has stepped into the furnace once again, with Operation Sahel Sanity, to offer arrest the situation and offer respite to the people trapped by armed bandits. It behooves on the natives to evolve ways to consummate the respite and bliss permanently, as failure to do it, is incontestably to their detriment exclusively.

There is every need for Nigerians and in particular, people of the Northwest to learn that bitter lesson from the Northeast. And every other person that seeks to divide the country through such divisive campaigns, instead of identifying the actual problem accurately and standing together to bring an end to the issue of banditry in the Northwest should first consider himself doomed before others. Peace and security are the only antidotes to development and prosperity.

Ajibili wrote this piece from Abuja.
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Sacramento, CA  Citing that Californias public school system has 6.51-million students, and 625,000 adults who support it, Governor Gavin Newsom has released new guidelines and restrictions for reopening.

He noted that the 32 counties on the states monitoring list must remain in all distance learning until they are off the list for 14 straight days. Mother Lode counties, such as Tuolumne, Calaveras and Mariposa, are not currently on the list. Newsom noted that is a constantly changing list, with some counties coming on and others going off, depending on the number of new cases.

The state will also be issuing rigorous distance learning requirements for schools unable to reopen.

Regarding face masks, Newsom stated that they will be required for all students and staff in third grade and above. Those in Kindergarten through second grade will not be required to wear a mask, but it is still recommended.

Newsom noted that staff will be required to keep six feet of physical distance between students and other staff members.

In addition, if a student tests positive for COVID-19, the entire class, and associated staff members, would be required to quarantine for 14 days. If 5-percent of the school population tests positive, the entire school will be closed and transitioned to distance learning. If 25-percent of a districts schools are closed due to COVID-19, all of the other schools in the district will also go full distance learning.

Click here to read an earlier story detailing the planning efforts in Tuolumne County, and click here to view a story about the Calaveras Unified School District.
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) has announced a call for nominations for four prestigious awards in its fall 2020 awards program. Nominations are being accepted now through August 25, 2020 for these PIA awards:

Company Award of Excellence;

Company Representative of the Year;

Managing General Agency of the Year; and

Excellence in Social Media.

The PIA National Company Award of Excellence honors an insurance company that demonstrates a commitment to the American Agency System and seeks to further the interests of professional, independent insurance agents by creating a better business environment. PIA places a very high value on its relationships with its carrier partners. PIA members as well as PIA state and regional affiliates make nominations for this award.

The PIA National Company Representative of the Year Award recognizes the professionalism and unique contributions of an outstanding company representative. Nominations for this award are made solely by PIA state and regional affiliates. However, in states that receive their services directly from the national headquarters of PIA, individual PIA members may submit nominations for the Company Representative of the Year Award.

The PIA National Excellence in Social Media Award honors a PIA member agency that uses non-traditional communication tools to effectively further the goals of the organization. An agency may use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, blogs and other social media outlets to creatively promote programs, build upon an existing brand, and introduce products and services to an expandable customer base.

Nominations for this award are made by individual PIA members as well as PIA state and regional affiliates. The 11th annual Excellence in Social Media Award is sponsored by the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).

The PIA National Managing General Agency of the Year Award is given annually to recognize the outstanding achievement of a managing general agency in furthering the interests of agents, along with a commitment to the agency system and successful efforts to create a better business environment for professional insurance agents. Nominations for this award are made by individual PIA members as well as PIA state and regional affiliates.

All four awards will be formally presented in conjunction with the fall PIA National Board of Directors and Governance meetings in September 2020.

Questions should be directed to Sade Hale at 703-518-1350 or [email protected]. Nomination forms are also available to download at https://www.pianet.com/awards.

Founded in 1931, PIA is a national trade association that represents member insurance agents and their employees who sell and service all kinds of insurance, but specialize in coverage of automobiles, homes and businesses. PIA's web address is http://www.pianet.com.

This press release is online at:

https://pianet.com/news/press-releases/2020/pia-national-announces-call-for-fall-2020-award-nominations

SOURCE National Association of Professional Insurance Agents

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Over 30 organizations under the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) have released a statement demanding the immediate release of veteran poet Varavara Rao who has been in prison since 2018 without the start of a trial.

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Varavara Rao, who was shifted to Mumbais JJ Hospital this week was found in inhumane conditions by his family who has been demanding medical attention to his deteriorating condition inside the prison for a couple of weeks. As news broke that Rao has tested positive for COVID-19, the organizations including AISA, AISF, Bhim Army, DISSC, DSU, Karnataka Janashakti, KYS, Lokpaksh, LSI, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, Mehnatkash Mahila Sangathan, Morcha Patrika, Peoples Watch, Rihai Manch, SFI, United Against Hate and others under CASR have sounded alarm to the callous disregard for the health of the 80-year-old revolutionary poet by the government.

The statement details that despite persistent requests by his family, Rao had been kept in jail when inmates reported his incoherent speech and decreasing physical abilities. Once moved out of the prison, his health further worsened as hospital authorities failed to care for him, says the CASR press release, stating that the hospital authorities even forcibly sent away his family for raising concerns about him being abandoned on a dirty and unsanitary stretcher.

The deliberate role played by the State in Varavara Raos failing health in many ways captures the impact of the States actions in the country-wide surge in COVID-19 cases, the press brief resonates. It further explains how instead of making arrangements for immediate medical care and treatment, the Taloja Jail authorities denied him medical care while the National Investigation Agency (NIA) worked overtime to block all efforts for the release of those incarcerated under the Bhima Koregaon-Elgaar Parishad case despite the heightened threat of a COVID-19 infection in cramped jails. It has also mentioned that several of the undertrials are persons above the age of 60, suffering from co-morbidities and hence particularly vulnerable to a COVID-19 infection and that academicians and activists like Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha, Akhil Gogoi, Manas Konwar and Shoma Sen are still languishing in jails under the witch-hunt of activists in 2018 by the Maharashtra Police.

The supporting organizations of this press statement in Varavara Raos case have stated that this is custodial murder by the NIA, jail and hospital authorities and a barbaric extension of the policy of branding voices of dissent as urban-Naxals, so that they can be incarcerated for long periods of time under fabricated charges facilitated by draconian laws. The statement also highlights the case of Dr GN Saibaba, a 90% disabled wheelchair-bound Delhi University professor, who continues to be incarcerated despite repeated appeals for parole, suggesting that his condition is likely to develop similar to the case of Varavara Rao.

Drawing attention to NIAs summons of Delhi University professor Hany Babu and Hyderabad based journalist Kranti Tekula to testify before them in Mumbai, CASR accuses NIA of imploding health crisis thus going against the base interests of this agency and its masters in the Ministry of Home Affairs. It has also accused the government of witch-hunting activists under false charges as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads faster and further into all parts of the country, stating that the inhuman and over-crowded jails have been transformed into the gallows for those who the State seeks to silence.

The use of these draconian laws to incarcerate activists and deny bail despite the spread of COVID-19 within prisons is a blatant violation of the right to life of prisoners, declares the CASR press statement, accusing the BJP government and NIA of using the Bhima Koregaon case as a tactic to suppress the voices that collectively oppose Brahmanical Hindutva Fascism. At the same time, Hindutva forces accused of attacking Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims and the progressive and democratic sections of our society are shielded and protected.

On behalf of the supporting organizations, CASR has urged in its statement that all the progressive and democratic sections of our society must unite and draw upon the broad masses in collectively resisting the fascist forces and opposing state repression. It has further demanded that Varavara Rao and Dr G N Saibaba must be immediately released and charges against all anti-CAA, NRC and NPR activists must be dropped immediately.

Keeping in mind the COVID-19 threat, CASR has also urged the government to release of all political prisoners lodged in jails all over the country and repeal of all draconian laws including UAPA, PSA, NSA and others.
(Bloomberg) -- During a series of Cisco Systems Inc. online all-hands meetings on race in early June, some workers posted comments in message channels that other staff and company management said were demeaning to Black people, exposing racial divisions at the Silicon Valley tech giant and leading to the dismissal of a number of people.

During the first videoconference on June 1, following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, Chief Executive Officer Chuck Robbins spoke with Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, who is Black, and Bryan Stevenson, a Black lawyer and author who founded the Equal Justice Initiative, in front of 30,000 employees. The conversations about race continued in subsequent online global staff meetings.

Black lives dont matter. All lives matter, one worker wrote in the comments during one of the virtual all-hands meetings, according to screen shots obtained by Bloomberg. Another said the phrase Black Lives Matter reinforces racism because it singles out one ethnic group. People who complain about racism probably have been a racist somewhere else to people from another race or part of systematic oppression in their own community! a third worker wrote in the chat section visible for all those online.

Cisco, the worlds largest networking company, said it fired a handful of workers for inappropriate conduct because it will not tolerate racism. Bloomberg News wasnt able to confirm the identities of all the fired workers so chose not to name any of them.

Floyds death in late May under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer re-energized the Black Lives Matter movement and prompted a nationwide reckoning over the role of race in American life. Many technology companies, including Cisco, responded by affirming their support for equal rights and opportunities for Black Americans, donating to groups leading those efforts and educating their workforces on the struggle for racial equity.

Story continues

Internal Backlash

Executives have publicly positioned themselves against racism, but some workers inside these companies are chafing at the new focus on race. The incident at Cisco is just one example of a company facing an internal backlash to its support for racial justice.

The conflict has intensified questions about how these largely forward-thinking companies should manage employees with differing views on race. While Cisco fired some workers, other tech companies facing dissent, such as Microsoft Corp.s LinkedIn and HashiCorp Inc., have taken different approaches such as increased employee training. Automaker Toyota Motor Corp. dismissed U.S. workers involved in a video that mocked Floyds death.

Employers should be striving for zero tolerance when it comes to racism and discrimination, period, said Kristen Clarke, the president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The protests weve seen in the streets have become part of our new normal and will eventually make their way inside workplaces if employers fail to meet the moment.

Heartbreaking

Cisco said 237 of 10,400 comments made during the June 1 videoconference objected to what was being presented or disagreed that the meeting should even be taking place. Most of the messages expressed praise for management, making the minority of reactionary posts stand out and sparking responses from other staffers. The posts, written while Robbins was announcing a $5 million donation to groups combating racism, shocked some executives.

I just felt sad to see it, Francine Katsoudas, Ciscos executive vice president and chief people officer, said in an interview. I felt a ton of empathy. I knew that for the African-American and Black employees that were in the meeting, that it was heartbreaking to see that.

After the first meeting, Katsoudas and her team discussed the comments so they could address what went wrong. The following week during a worldwide videoconference with staff, she read some of the most offensive posts and explained what the San Jose, California-based company considered legitimate debate.

You have a framework where red absolutely is crossing the line, Katsoudas said. But if someone has a question or they dont understand something, theres a way for them to ask that question. We went through and just placed things on that spectrum. In 2019, 3.8% of Ciscos U.S. workforce and 2.2% of leaders and people managers were Black, according to the companys diversity report.

A few employees who had written some offensive posts during the video meetings sent notes acknowledging their mistakes and said they were learning, Katsoudas said. But the remarks remained seared in the minds of some Black employees, who were shocked by the audacity of the display.

Wowand these people work at Cisco? one outraged employee wrote. If they are bold enough to say those things at work for all to see, imagine what is said behind closed doors.

Several employees said Cisco was guilty of hypocrisy because it wanted to silence those who disagreed with the movement to improve Black lives. No place for contradictory opinions or feelings, one wrote. Wow. This is my first and last comment, then.

LinkedIn, a social network for professionals, also held an all-employee meeting about racism last month that ended up mired in bitterness, an event that was reported earlier by the Daily Beast. The company had an anonymous comment section, which some workers filled with vitriol against Black people. Among the posts were those saying Black people werent hired as much because they werent qualified; that LinkedIn was trying to foist White guilt on workers; and that law-enforcement killings of Black people werent important because more African-Americans were murdered by members of their community.

The meeting devastated many Black employees, who were outraged by the remarks and became suspicious of some of their White colleagues, according to people familiar with the situation. Since the meeting, some Black workers at LinkedIn have been angered by what they see as a failure by senior executives to adequately respond to the incident, said the people, who werent authorized to speak publicly about the internal communications.

Executives at LinkedIn didnt seek to unmask those making the offensive statements because they had pledged anonymity for the online comments section to create a safe space and felt they needed to honor that pledge, a spokeswoman said. LinkedIns leaders also suggested the incident was the result of a few bad apples rather than any larger issues with the culture at the Mountain View, California-based company, the people said. LinkedIn has one Black executive in its C-suite, Chief People Officer Teuila Hanson, who joined in June. The companys workforce is 3.5% Black -- in line with its tech peers -- according to its most recent diversity report.

After the meeting, LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky said the display was appalling, apologized to employees and promised anonymous feedback wouldnt be allowed in future virtual gatherings.

Building Accountability

The spokeswoman pointed to other subsequent executive blog posts for the companys response. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Melissa Selcher said in June that LinkedIn would redouble efforts to diversify its people managers, teach employees through a companywide curriculum and develop an accountability framework.

We will do the hard work to build an anti-racist culture at LinkedIn, hiring and growing employees from under-represented groups and investing in a diverse and inclusive environment where all talent thrives, Selcher wrote in the post.

The company said it has donated $500,000 to the National Urban League, Southern Poverty Law Center, NAACP, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and other groups that work on advocacy and economic justice for the Black community. LinkedIn is also matching employee donations of as much as $15,000 to these types of organizations.

The company is soliciting feedback from employees on what it should do next, the people said.

Even before Floyds death, some tech companies had been forced to deal with contentious internal debate about gender, race and politics. Alphabet Inc.s Google fired engineer James Damore in 2017 after he wrote a memo claiming the internet company was an ideological echo chamber that discriminated against men in favor of less talented women. Pundits such as Tucker Carlson of Fox News, then-Republican U.S. Representative Dana Rohrabacher and media outlets including Breitbart News came to Damores defense, pointing to the dismissal as an example of the companys political bias against conservatives.

Higher Expectations

Now, with greater focus on issues facing the African-American community, Black tech workers have higher expectations for their employers. HashiCorp Inc., a software startup valued at more than $5 billion, recently announced a donation pledge to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which gives bail money to low-income people awaiting trial, and the Southern Poverty Law Center in response to protests against policy brutality and racism in May and June. A vocal minority of its 1,000-person workforce complained in memos to human-resources executives, saying the company was supporting looters and rioters, according to a person familiar with the matter. Many other staffers told executives in written messages and calls that they wanted HashiCorp to go even further in support of Black lives, said the person, who wasnt authorized to speak publicly about the situation.

Overwhelmingly, our employees have been supportive of the companys actions and donations of support to the Black Lives Matter movement, a HashiCorp spokeswoman said in a statement. We heard from a couple of employees who expressed their disagreement through internal private channels. While we understand that some employees might have differing opinions, we stand by our actions.

As this debate plays out at their workplaces and across the country, some Black tech employees have been left feeling adrift -- unwanted by some colleagues, unsupported by some employers.

We still have work to do as a nation, one Cisco employee wrote on an internal message board seen by Bloomberg. I pray my daughters have a better world to live in soon.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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Egypt has requested Spain to hand over former contractor turned whistleblower Mohamed Ali wanted for tax evasion and money laundry, reports say.

Ali who has accused the regime of Abdelfattah al-Sisi of corruption and lavish lifestyles and who sparked widespread protests last September, appeared in court in Barcelona on July 9 to answer the Egyptian demand for his extradition over tax evasion and money laundry charges.

he Egyptian prosecutors office has accused Ali of defrauding 7.6m (6.9m) in three cases of fraudulent real-estate sales and a fourth for money-laundering, over 2006-2008 period, The Guardian reports.

Ali who has been living in the Spanish city for one year now, rejected charged and argued that he is innocent and the fraud allegations were genuine excuse by the Egyptian government to arrest and throw him in jail.

The court allowed Ali to go scot-free until next hearing slated for in 45 days.

Ali has become since last year thorny issue for the regime of President al-Sisi. The former contractor who worked for the military for 15 years made several Youtube videos in which he exposed the regime and the army corruption practices and lavish lifestyles.

The clips went viral and sparked important demonstrations in the North African which has banned public protests. Ali had sought to gather the Egyptian battered opposition but the dream quickly faded away as the government clapped down severely on the demonstrations.

Written by: Jaber Ali on July 16, 2020. on July 23, 2020.
WASHINGTON  Rep. Eliot Engel, a powerful House committee chair who served decades in Congress, was defeated by a political newcomer in a stunning upset showing the power of the progressive wing of the Democratic party, according to the Associated Press.

More than three weeks after polls closed in the the New York primary, Jamaal Bowman was officially declared the winner Friday over incumbent Engel, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee  ending a 30 year career in Congress.

"The numbers are clear, and I will not be the Democratic nominee for the 16th Congressional District seat in the fall election," Engel said. "Serving the people of the Bronx and Westchester in Congress has been the greatest privilege of my life, and what a remarkable 32 years it has been."

Engel's defeat at the hands of a progressive candidate who is also a person of color comes at a moment when racial justice is at the forefront of the national conversation. It also comes as progressives were looking for a win after the disappointment of Sen. Bernie Sanders ending his bid for president earlier this year.

Bowman called the win a "tremendous honor and privilege" in a live video posted to social media. He said his campaign was about "building coalitions across race, across class, across religion, across age, across our beautiful differences, leveraging our beautiful differences, to make the world a better place."

The district heavily leans toward Democrats, meaning Bowman is likely to secure a victory in the November general election.

The future for another powerful House chair, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, also from New York, remains unclear as absentee ballots continue to be counted in New York. Maloney, who heads the House Oversight Committee, was leading by a slim margin over progressive challenger Suraj Patel shortly after the June 23 primary.

Story continues

Eliot Engel: Why I helped lead the impeachment of Donald Trump

More: Jamaal Bowman moves closer to upsetting 16-term congressman Eliot Engel

FILE - This June 23, 2020 file photo shows Jamaal Bowman speaking to attendees during his primary-night party. The former middle school principal has toppled 16-term U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel in New Yorkas Democratic congressional primary. Many votes cast by mail in the race have yet to be counted, but an AP analysis of absentee ballots returned so far indicated Friday, July 17, that Bowmanas lead was too large for Engel to overcome.A A (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, FIle)

At the center of the push to oust both Engel and Maloney was the same force that pushed freshman star Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to defeating a powerful incumbent in 2018 in a neighboring New York district: Newcomers arguing that change was needed and incumbents had lost touch with their districts.

Bowman held a large lead over 16-term Engel in New York's 16th Congressional District for several days after the primary and declared victory but the race wasn't called until thousands of absentee ballots were counted.

As chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Engel was at the forefront of the House impeachment probe, which centered on allegations that Trump pressured Ukrainian officials to open an investigation into former vice president Joe Biden.

More: Rep. Eliot Engel: Fired inspector general was investigating 2019 Saudi Arabia arms deal

Ranking member of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Rep. Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY), who is a leading candidate to take over the panel, poses for a portrait in his office on Capitol Hill November 15, 2018 in Washington, DC.

More recently, he has led an investigation into Trumps controversial decision to fire the State Departments long-time independent watchdog, who was probing allegations that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked a staffer to run personal errands for himself and his wife.

But Engel is more in line with the Trump administration on high-profile foreign policy issues  including his staunch support for Israel  than some of his more liberal colleagues.

Bowman, a former middle school principal, campaigned as a progressive looking to shake up the system. He railed against economic inequality in the U.S., where there is great wealth but children living in poverty. He said as a Black man in America, he learned about death and homicide at a young age, seeing how it affects not just an individual but the larger community.

Some view him as the next AOC, and he gained momentum through the campaign with endorsements from Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders and The New York Times. Engel, 73, answered those backings with high-profile endorsements of his own, including from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In this April 12, 2016 file photo, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., speaks during a National Press Club Newsmaker news conference, on Equal Pay Day, at the National Press Club in Washington.

In New York's 12th Congressional District, Maloney remained nearly deadlocked in a rematch against Patel, who in 2018 got 40% of the vote.

Patel, a 36-year-old activist, lawyer and New York University professor, released a statement previously declaring an early victory, though no official winner had been officially declared.

Patel had attacked Maloney throughout the campaign for taking corporate campaign donations and a number of votes she'd taken over her 14-terms in office, including on immigration and the Iraq War.

The ousting Engel leaves an opening on one of the House's most active and powerful committees.

By seniority, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., would be next in line to chair the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., would be next in line to head the Oversight panel if Maloney is defeated. But in both cases, other lawmakers could make a play for the gavel as well.

Contributing: Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY; and Mark Lungariello, Rockland / Westchester Journal News

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jamaal Bowman ousts powerful House chair Rep. Eliot Engel in New York
Srinagar: At least three terrorists were killed and three jawans injured during an encounter in the Nagnad-Chimmer area of Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday (July 17) morning. The encounter between terrorists and security forces came to an end with the killing of the third terrorist.

After receiving credible input on the presence of a few terrorists, a joint team of Kulgam Police, 9 RR and CRPF unit launched a search and cordon operation in the Nagnad-Chimmer area in the wee hours on Friday.

During the gunfight, three terrorists were gunned down whereas three Army jawans were injured and were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital.

According to reports, the killed terrorists are from Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit. Among the slain terrorists included a top terrorist commander who was an IED expert.

Sources said the top commander used to take instructions directly from his Pakistani handlers. He is believed to be responsible for a large number of attacks on security forces, including an IED attack, in the recent past.

He had reportedly succeeded in escaping three to four encounters that took place between security forces and terrorists in the Valley. In one of the incidents, he had left behind an American rifle before fleeing from the site.
New Delhi:

Congress on Tuesday said while it welcomed "any step" against black money, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes would put farmers, small businessmen and common people to inconvenience.

Terming the measure "insane", Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari took a dig at the Prime Minister describing him as the "modern day Tughlak" who had thrown a "nuclear trident at poor people of India".

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala wondered if the banking system in the country was ready to tackle such a situation and said the government has to answer many questions.

He also attacked the Prime Minister saying the entire mechanism has been evolved by him as only "a ploy to cover the failure of his promise" to get back black money stashed abroad and deposit 15 lakh into the account of every citizen.

"Congress has always supported any step against black money. But paddy has already been cut and wheat and Rabi crops being sown. The farmer is buying fertilisers, seeds and going to market today and needs a lot of money for the inputs he requires," Surjewala said.

"While Modi ji withdraws Rs 1,000 note, he introduces Rs 2,000 note on the other side? Does it not defeat his own argument?," he asked.

The Congress leader said, "Are you not putting cumbersome burden on them by putting a limit on how much money can be withdrawn?," adding, "what happens to those who are going to buy necessary articles for marriages including jewellery, clothes."

He also said, "Is the banking system in our country ready to tackle such a situation? Government has to answer many questions."

Tewari said the "Tughlaq spirit" has resurrected while referring to Mughal ruler Mohammed bin Tughlaq's move and wondered if the national capital will also be shifted from Delhi to Daulatabad.

"Modern day Tughlak has thrown a nuclear trident at poor people of India. 1000 Rupees of today is what 100 Rupees was 20 yrs back. Insanity!," he said on Twitter.

Tewari also tweeted, "LOL-MOHMAD Bin Tughlak scraps 500/1000 Rupees notesNext capital of India will be shifted from Delhi to Daultabad. Tughlak's spirit resurrects "65 pc of India's population lives of agriculture that is non taxed-cash dependent. No universal banking coverage or credit card penetration."

Senior Congress leader Milind Deora tweeted, "Vital to eliminate black money. Just hope tonight's decision is thought through properly and not knee-jerk. Potential game changereither ways."

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[U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying:] "... China's coercion in the South China Sea."

Two superpowers; multiple claims; one channel of water.

Welcome to the South China Sea, where the U.S. accuses China of building a "maritime empire".

The area is key to understanding regional relationships and tension between the worlds two largest economies.

[U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying:] "We have continued concern about China's activities and militarization in the South China Sea."

Lets unpick the geography of the area, which spans over 2.5-million-square-miles.

Six of Chinas neighbors contest parts of the waterway.

If China is holding the pen, it would mark nearly all of the territory with a vague, U-shaped nine-dash line.

As you can see - that spans about 90% of the sea.

It overlaps with numerous exclusive economic zones, or EEZs, of its neighbors.

When you add in other overlapping claims, it begins to get really messy.

Chinas most vocal regional critics are the Philippines and Vietnam - backed up by Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.

The Philippines brought a suit at The Hague, which ruled in 2016 that China has no historic title over the waters.

It also had sharp words for Beijing in early July when China held military drills nearby.

The Philippines Foreign Minister said the exercises would be met with the quote "severest response" if they trespassed into their territory.

And U.S. rhetoric has gotten more fiery on the issue as it butts heads with Beijing over issues from Hong Kong, to trade, to how Chinas handled the global health crisis.

[U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying:] "We will then go use the tools that we have available."

July 13th marked the first time that the U.S. has called Beijings claims "unlawful."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused China of a "campaign of bullying."

"We will then go use the tools that we have available and we will support countries all across the world who recognize that China has violated their legal territorial claims as well - or maritime claims as well."

Story continues

China commonly holds military drills in the area  while the U.S. regularly challenges Chinas claims by sailing through the waterway.

Regional rivals have all accused each other of stoking tension.

China has built military bases and artificial islands atop coral reefs, but says its intentions are peaceful.

So why does everyone want a slice of the pie?

Energy is one big answer.

The South China Sea is potentially rich in oil and gas.

Its also a strategic waterway, about $3 trillion of trade passes through each year.
Despite receiving grant support, women surgeons continue to be underrepresented in academia, leading study authors to call for more support to grow their ranks as clinical investigators

While their ranks in academic surgery may be not be robust, women surgeons are holding their own when it comes to surgical research, securing a greater percentage of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants than their numbers suggest. However, their overall numbers remain low and academic medicine still needs to do more to encourage this emerging generation of surgeon scientists, according to authors of a new study of surgical research who report their findings in an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website ahead of print.



"Females are underrepresented in academic surgery but hold a greater than anticipated proportion of NIH funding," said corresponding study author Shayna Showalter, MD, FACS, associate professor of surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville. "To me, this means that female surgeon-scientists are a crucial component of future surgical research. They have been able to succeed even in a very competitive research environment."



The study queried the number of NIH R01 grants from surgery departments as of October 2018 and found that 212 held by 159 principal investigators (PIs) were in place, 49 of which were held by 42 women PIs. That means women represent 26.4 percent of these R01 grant holders while representing 19 percent of the academic surgical faculty, according to Association of American Medical Colleges data. The study chose R01 grants because they are the most common and historically oldest form of NIH grant with a track record of productive, high-quality research.



Women were more likely to be first-time grant recipients than men (73.5 vs. 54.8 percent, p=0.03) and less likely to have multiple grants or previous NIH funding (8.6 vs. 21.4 percent, p=0.03), the study found. "What I hope this shows is that we are potentially shifting away from the tradition of giving more funding to longstanding, proven researchers and that we continue to focus on awarding funding to a diverse group of accomplished researchers. We know that female surgeon-scientists are doing very good work," Dr. Showalter said. "Females in this study were twice as likely to be first-time grant recipients. As a community, we need to ensure that first-time grant holders continue to be taken seriously and are awarded NIH funding when appropriate."



However, funding for surgical research is shrinking. The study notes that the bias toward researchers with previous grants is "worrisome for all surgeons" because the number of funded R01 grants has declined 17 percent in recent years, with surgeon-led studies having a mean success rate considerably lower than the mean NIH funding rate (16.4 vs. 19.2 percent, p=0.011), according to a previously published study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.1



Another disparity the study uncovered was that female investigators had fewer published articles about their research than their male counterparts, which persisted even when the study authors applied the grant impact metric which controls for total amount of funding. "This difference may be related to the number of first-time grants and is consistent with prior knowledge that women in academic surgery have fewer publications in general than men," Dr. Showalter said.

The study found that women grant recipients were more likely to be from departments with a female chair (31 vs. 13.7 percent, p=0.01) or a department that was more than 30 percent female (35 vs. 18.2 percent, p=0.03). The study authors recommend a number of strategies for academic surgery departments to nurture and promote female researchers. "One of the strategies is having strong mentorship and sponsorship programs," said Dr. Showalter. "We know that successful academic surgeons value mentorship, often having more than one mentor throughout their career."



Another strategy is for academic settings to continue to hire and promote female surgeons. A 2018 study found that women held only 7 percent of the full professorships among surgeon faculty at U.S. medical schools.2 "Institutions must continue to support the academic advancement of female surgeon-scientists and to advocate for females in leadership positions. This will allow for a strong group of women to mentor the women behind them," Dr. Showalter said. "But we do have a paucity of female leaders in high-powered positions, including chairs and deans of surgical departments and leaders within societies."



The study reveals that women researchers are doing high-quality work in surgery, Dr. Showalter said. "There are some great female surgeon-scientists, and we have many more with potential that will be crucial to the future of surgical research," she said. "As a community within academia, we need to continue to work to figure out the best way to support and promote a diverse faculty."



###

Article coauthors are Elizabeth D. Krebs, MD, and J. Hunter Mehaffey, MD, MSc, of the department of surgery at the University of Virginia Health System; Adishesh K. Narahari, MD, Ian O. Cook-Armstrong, BA, and Anirudha S. Chandrabhatla, BS, of the University of Virginia School of Medicine; and Gilbert R. Upchurch Jr., MD, of the department of surgery, University of Florida Health System, Gainesville.



"FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.



Dr. Showalter has no conflicts to disclose related to this research.



Citation: The Changing Face of Academic Surgery: Over-Representation of Females Amongst Surgeon-Scientists with R01 Funding. Journal of American College of Surgeons. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.06.013.

1 Narahari AK, Mehaffey JH, Hawkins RB, et al. Surgeon Scientists Are Disproportionately Affected by Declining NIH Funding Rates. J Am Coll Surg. 2018 Apr; 226(4): 474-81.

2 Blumenthal DM, Bergmark RW, Raol N, et al. Sex Differences in Faculty Rank Among Academic Surgeons in the United States in 2014. Ann Surg. 2018; 268(2):193-200.



About the American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 82,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit http://www.facs.org.
Lome, Togo (PANA) - The number of cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) infections in Togo as at Thursday stood at 749 after nine new persons tested positive, official sources told PANA here
Traveling down Highway 41A from Sewanee is the little town of Cowan which is seven miles from the domain of the University of the South and is six miles from the county seat of Winchester in Franklin County, Tennessee. Nestled at the foot of the Cumberland Mountains, Cowan is a village that exists because of the railroad. Since 1849, when construction began on boring a railroad tunnel through the mountain two miles northeast of the town, the railroad has been an integral part of Cowan.

The Cumberland Mountain Tunnel was finished in 1852 before the railroad actually made it to Cowan from Nashville. In the 1840s a group of investors organized what would be the first railroad in Tennessee linking Nashville and Chattanooga. It was originally called the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. Later when the railroad expanded to Memphis and St. Louis, it was popularly known as the NC&StL Railroad.

In the 1850s engineers decided to dig a tunnel through the Cumberland Mountain because it costs a lot more to lay track over or through mountains than it does to lay track on flat land. The actual construction began in 1847. The digging of the 2,200-foot tunnel was the most difficult part of the project. The work was done mostly by either Irish immigrants or slaves leased to the railroad. The conditions were hard with the work being performed all day and the workers sleeping in makeshift shelters or on the ground. Three continuous shifts were employed to complete the project. All the work was done by hand and many workers died doing the tunnel project.

The railroad was completed in May 1851 and it was considered an important date in the development of the State of Tennessee. Cowan was not the only town to come into existence as a result of the railroad being built. Decherd, Tullahoma and Stevenson, Alabama all owe their existence to the railroad. During the Civil War the Union Army followed the Nashville and Chattanooga southeast through Murfreesboro from Nashville to Bridgeport and Stevenson, Alabama and then into Chattanooga.

The railroad line also led to the development of coal mining in Tracy City and other parts of Grundy County and the Sewanee area as well as the creation of the University of the South in 1858. A wooden frame depot was built in 1904 and that building is where the museum houses its collection. With decline of railroad passenger service, the NC&StL merged with the Louisville and Nashville (L&N) and would eventually become part of the CSX Railway system.

Also present at Cowan was an engine and car repair facility in support of the steam-powered pusher engines that hauled trains up and over the Cumberland Mountain because of the steep grade and sharp curves. Prior to the demise of passenger trains in the 1960s, the pusher (or helper) engines would be attached by coupling on to the front whereas freight trains were pushed from the rear.

The train station sat vacant for decades but was saved by a campaign by the citizens of Cowan not to tear it down. As a result the station has been turned into the Cowan Railroad Museum and the many railroad worker families in the community donated many items that relate to the historical existence of the railroad such as history books, model trains and antique maps. The museum grounds feature a Porter-type steam locomotive, a diesel-electric switch locomotive, boxcar, flat car and a rare NC&StL caboose.

One of the other local attractions that existed until December 31, 2019 was the old railroad hotel that was operated for many years. Hopefully a new owner will reopen the Franklin-Pearson Hotel across the tracks as it was Franklin Countys oldest hotel facility. In 2008, the Cowan Depot received a face-lift with an old bandstand being converted into a train watching platform and in 2011 the station was painted in green and yellow colors.

A Fall Heritage Festival is held every year and this year is tentatively scheduled for September 18-20, 2020. The museum is located at 108 Front Street, Cowan, and is normally open May through October on Thursday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (CST) and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (CST). Other times can be arranged by appointment and information can be obtained at (931) 967-3078. Admission prices are $2.00/adult; $1.00/child with $5.00 per family. Members of the military get in free.

Take a step back in history to visit a railroad town!

* * *

Jerry Summers



(If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com
Any chance there might be a reversal of the decision not to go ahead with a new Garda Station for Sligo at Caltragh has been firmly knocked on the head by the new Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee.

She is insisting it is not a political matter and is standing by the decision of Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to strip Sligo of its regional headquarter status.

The Minister in reply to Junior Minister Frank Feighan said it was important to be clear that the Garda Commissioner was by law responsible for the management and control of An Garda Siochana and for the effective and efficient use of Garda resources and that the Office of Public Works (OPW) had responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation.

"The decision not to proceed with a new Garda station in Sligo, as part of the Garda PPP programme, was made by the Garda Commissioner in his capacity as Accounting Officer and as the person responsible, by law, for the allocation of Garda resources.

"This decision was taken in the context of the significant reorganisation of Garda resources which underpins the new Garda Siochana Operating Model announced by the Garda Commissioner last year.

"As part of the reduction of bureaucracy and streamlining of administrative processes in the new Operating Model, the number of Garda Regions and Divisions is being reduced and Sligo Garda Station will be neither a Regional nor a Divisional Headquarters.

"As a consequence, Garda management has decided that a building of the scale envisaged under the original PPP programme is no longer operationally required in Sligo and the allocation of public funding for such a project can no longer be justified.

"This decision was communicated to my Department by letter received on 2 January 2020. I am informed that, in order to ensure that there is adequate accommodation to provide an effective Garda policing service in Sligo, the existing Sligo Garda station is undergoing a very extensive refit overseen by the OPW.

"This option has been judged by the Garda authorities to be a more appropriate and much faster way of delivering a modern Garda station, in accordance with its role in the new Garda Operating Model and having regard to the fact that the current location of the station is considered optimum from the operational perspective.

"I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the ongoing upgrade works, which include the provision of new cells and custody management facilities, and future planned additional works, are intended to deliver a modernised Garda station in Sligo," said the Minister.

She outlined how in 2017 58,362 was spent on upgrade works at Sligo station, a further 116,117 in 2018, 711,093 in 2019 and 143,275 allocated this year.

"As the Deputy will appreciate, this demonstrates the scale of the works which have been underway to ensure that Sligo Garda station is fit for purpose and meets the needs of An Garda Siochana.

"The OPW, as the body responsible for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation, is responsible for ensuring that public buildings are, as far as practicable, accessible to persons with disabilities.

"The OPW also has responsibility for ensuring the sustainability and energy efficiency of buildings under its control. The Deputy will appreciate that these are matters in which I have no direct role as Minister for Justice."

The decision to upgrade the existing Garda station in Sligo and not proceed to a new build on green field site was described as 'devastating' at last week's meeting of Sligo County Council which was prior to the new Minister's statement.

Ironically, much of the criticism came from a Fine Gael councillor despite the downgrade occurring under a Fine Gael led Government and commitments given by the party's previous Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald going back to 2016, her successor, Charlie Flanagan in 2017 and local TD Tony McLoughlin.

Fine Gael councillor Thomas Walsh brought requested a meeting with Garda management in regard to the decision, a motion unlikely to get anywhere given the Minister's backing for the new Garda plan.

Cllr Walsh said it was not good enough that planned builds in Macroom and Clonmel were allowed proceed, but Sligo was not. The present station was not fit for purpose, he said, and it was a 'retrograde' step to downgrade the station.

Cllr Walsh asked for an "urgent review of the retrograde step not go progress with the planned build of a new Garda Headquarters in Sligo at acquired lands in Caltragh as announced in 2016 and included in the Department of Justice Capital Plan 2016-2021".

He outlined how in 2016 Minister Fitzgerald confirmed that planned Public Private Partnership project to deliver three Garda Stations on new sites at Macroom, Clonmel and Sligo.

In 2016 the cells at Sligo Garda Station were closed following a Health and Safety Report. Facilities were found to be in serious breach of Health Safety regulations. In Mid 2017 Gardai in the station walked out until their concerns were addressed. Holes in floors, no adequate locker facilities, toilet facilities locked because they were deemed to unsafe to use, rodent issues and the list goes on and on.

"Garda management had to open a temporary public office in Chapel Street. In mid 2018 a new site was acquired at Caltragh by the OPW at a cost of 1.35 million.

In February 2019 the then Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan confirmed in Dail Eireann that Sligo was progressing as part of the PPN bundle.

In August 2019 Garda Commissioner Drew Harris set out his new operating policing model and the number of Garda divisions reduced from 28 to 19. Sligo being one of the station to loose its status.

Up to then Sligo had an Assistant Commissioner but he has now been transferred to Galway.

"Last week, we heard the devastating news that the Garda Commissioner decided that rather than construct an entirely new building, as was originally intended under the PPP model, the upgrading of the existing station is to continue.

"How come this PPP bundle was not progressed under the auspices of the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA)?

"For what reason was the planned new build in Sligo, which may I add, was acknowledged by all parties concerned that a new build was absolutely necessary dropped from this PPP bundle?

"Why will the new stations in Macroom and Clonmel be advanced of which both have had remedial works take place similar to the station here in Sligo?

"It was a retrograde step to downgrade our Garda Division from a regional headquarters in 2019, indeed it is a retrograde step to abandon plans to build a purpose built station at Caltragh.

"It is members of our Sligo Leitrim Garda Division who continue to suffer. But not only our Garda members but the people of our county.

"We have a Garda Station in our town that simply is not fit for purpose on a congested site.

"Today, I believe we as a council should request an immediate review of this decision," said Cllr Walsh.

Cllr Rosaleen O'Grady described as 'sad' the downgrading of Sligo and that the planned new facility was rolled out with 'great fanfare' in recent years. \she said it would be appropriate that an invitation be extended to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to visit Sligo.

This was the subject of a similar motion from Cllr Marie Casserly, who asked that the Commissioner, and the new Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, be invited to visit the county.

Cllr Casserly outlined a number of concerns in relation to the present station, including the lack of parking facilities and the fact that increased Garda units, such as the dog unit and cyber unit, would not be able to be accommodated in the current building.

There would also be additional costs in regard to obtaining other buildings for Gardai to work in as the refurbishment continues.

Ultimately, the Independent councillor concluded, the entire situation was unfair on staff.

Cllr Tom MacSharry said that the reality was that both the Minister and the Garda Commissioner know the station is not fit for purpose.

He acknowledged the work of those in An Garda Siochana during the pandemic and said he hoped the new government could find a solution.

Cllr Donal Gilroy pointed out that the new site at Caltragh provided for quick access to a road network which provided for ease of access to all areas of the county, while Cllr Declan Bree argued that it was a political decision, and that it was not correct to apportion blame to Commissioner Harris. Cabinet will make the final decision, Cllr Bree told the meeting.

At the beginning of last month, newly elected TD for Fine Gael and now Junior Minister, Frank Feighan was also critical of the Sligo station downgrade.

"Sligo is the Capital of the North West Region; we are a growth centre in the Government's Project Ireland 2040 Plan and one of the largest population bases in the region with an ongoing difficulty with drugs gangs and criminality. How a decision to scrap such a badly needed infrastructure facility can be made is beyond me.

"I don't know what has changed since December 2019 or since former Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald said that Sligo badly needs a new headquarters.

"The rank and file members of the Gardai, politicians and the people in Sligo have been misled about this proposed new station since 2016 and this is not acceptable.

The issue has been raised on a continuous basis by Deputy Marc MacSharry who said last February he had warned this may happen, given Divisional changes that removed Divisional and Regional HQs from Sligo to Letterkenny and Galway.

"At that time officials in the Office of Public Works confirmed to me that the new station was in jeopardy as a result. Questions need to be answered as to why this project is now not proceeding.

"A site was purchased for this project by the OPW, which now looks like a waste of 1.35m in taxpayers money. Retaining the old Garda station on Pearse Road will be throwing good money after bad given the site constraints and age of the building. No mater how many refurbishments are carried out, it will not compete with a purpose built new Garda station," he said, adding that it was contrary to the Ireland 2040 plan.
Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D. Discount plastic surgery is never worth the risk.

A June 2 article on Daily Mail reported on a fitness model who recently appeared on the reality show, Botched, to seek help for her mishandled breast augmentations. The article says that her first procedure, unbeknownst to her, was performed by a dentist and not a plastic surgeon, as she had assumed. The woman then found a surgeon to revise her procedure, only to find out the doctor did not have the proper license. She was consequently left with implants double the size she requested and which eventually became misshapen. Orange County-based board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Michael A. Jazayeri says that, while this is a fairly extreme case, proper research is crucial when it comes to finding plastic surgeons. This is needed, says the doctor, both to ensure a good outcome and protect the health and safety of the patient.

Dr. Jazayeri says that discount plastic surgery is never worth the risk. Too many individuals are attracted to the cheaper options for getting enhancements, often traveling to another country  usually with more lax regulation  for a procedure that costs a fraction of the price that it would back in the United States. The Southern California surgeon cautions that these options are almost always performed by unqualified individuals who are not likely to be properly licensed or trained and who may not even be MDs. Unsurprisingly, these discount operations often result in botched procedures. Not only can these faulty surgeries cause serious health issues, and even death, Dr. Jazayeri says, the additional expenses required to fix the mistakes usually end up costing much more than if the individual had just gone to a reputable plastic surgeon to begin with.

The doctor stresses that the best course when researching potential surgeons is to only consider board-certified plastic surgeons. Unlike cosmetic surgeons, plastic surgeons must be trained for an additional two years after receiving their MDs. After that, board certified plastic surgeons may only receive their qualifications after rigorous examination by leading doctors in the field. Dr. Jazayeri says that getting a cosmetic procedure or plastic surgery performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon, especially one who has garnered testimonials from satisfied former patients, not only helps to ensure that patients will receive the enhancements theyre looking for, but also that the procedure is completed safely.

Dr. Michael A. Jazayeri is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and boasts over 20 years of experience. Readers interested in learning more about his services may call his office at (714) 834-0101 or visit http://www.drjaz.com.


Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:11:53|Editor: huaxia

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TAIPEI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Visitors to the fifth Summer Travel Expo in Taipei are drawn to the cross-Strait pavilion by furry panda mascots and augmented reality technologies that enable them to take photos against the backdrop of mainland landmarks, such as the Forbidden City.

The cross-Strait pavilion at the expo, which opened Friday and will continue for four days, is spread over about 225 square meters. It has been decorated with huge photos of popular tourist sites on the mainland and LED screens showing promotional footage.

"This is the first travel expo we have attended in Taiwan since the outbreak of COVID-19," said Ren Jiayan, director of the Taipei Office of the mainland-based Association for Tourism Exchange Across the Taiwan Straits.

Since cross-Strait tourism is still being held back by epidemic control measures, the association expects to help visitors from Taiwan experience mainland sites through digital technologies and interactive games at the expo, Ren said.

Visitors are also provided detailed tourism information including maps, introduction to mainland tourist sites, local history and culture.

Four mainland airline companies also set up booths at the pavilion and introduced their latest travel plans and promotional packages, aiming to prepare for resumption of operations once the epidemic ends.

"I would like to visit Beijing," said a visitor surnamed Chen. "I believe it will be safe to travel on the mainland since they have done pretty well in controlling COVID-19."

Lee, a Taipei resident, told Xinhua about his mainland visit plans, including traveling to Chongqing where he was born and to Mount Wuyi in Fujian Province where he stayed as a young boy.

"Mount Wuyi impressed me the most with its dense forests and peach blossoms in the spring. I would like to see that again," he said.

Many Taiwan travel agencies have expressed deep interest in bringing Taiwan tourists to the mainland, particularly to the western and southwestern regions, Ren said.

Tourism departments from 20 counties and cities in Taiwan and around 200 enterprises are attending the expo. Enditem
His split with KC Osborne sent shock waves among Married At First Sight fans.

And it seems like Michael Goonan is taking the heartbreak hard, as he looked downcast while arriving at Adelaide Airport on Thursday, following the breakup.

The millionaire businessman, 28, appeared frazzled as he waited for his luggage at the carousel.

Is everything OK? Married At First Sight's Michael Goonan was seen for the first time since his split with KC Osborne looking downcast after arriving at Adelaide on Thursday

For his flight, he dressed causally in a navy Ralph Lauren tracksuit and a matching T-shirt with trainers.

The reality TV star dragged along a large suitcase and a black leather laptop bag.

He then moved to another part of the carousel to pick up his Louis Vuitton duffel bag, worth $2,930.

Looking blue: The 28-year-old was dressed causally in a navy Ralph Lauren tracksuit and a matching T-shirt with trainers

Bring his baggage: The reality TV star dragged along a large suitcase and a black leather laptop bag

Michael flew from Melbourne and he will now have to spend 14 days in quarantine in South Australia.

Michael's arrival in his hometown comes after his shock break up with KC, earlier this month.

The professional dancer, 31, announced they had split on July 4 on Instagram, and admitted that while she thought he was her 'forever,' they just simply couldn't go the distance.

Luxury label: He then moved to another part of the carousel to pick up his Louis Vuitton duffel bag, worth $2,930

Time to self isolate: Michael flew from Melbourne and he will now have to spend 14 days in quarantine in South Australia. Michael's arrival in his hometown comes after his shock break up with KC, earlier this month

'It hurts my heart to write this. It's with sadness that I have chosen to end my relationship with Michael,' she wrote.

KC went on to explain that the pair had been together for almost five months and that their time living together in lockdown in Melbourne 'felt like a lifetime while isolating.'

'Michael became my best friend and five months felt like a lifetime while isolating. I packed my bags and moved in with him with hopes this would be my forever,' she said.

It's over: The professional dancer, 31, announced they had split on July 4 on Instagram, and admitted that while she thought he was her 'forever,' they just simply couldn't go the distance

While not going into detail about the split, KC said she hoped Michael can 'make some changes' and said she wishes him nothing but the best.

'It's not my place to talk personally about Michael, however I do hope Michael makes some changes as I will always believe in his potential and wish blessings on his life.'

Michael meanwhile told Daily Mail Australia in a statement that he's a 'workaholic' and 'hasn't been able to give KC the time she deserves.'

'I wish blessings on his life': While not going into detail about the split, KC said she hoped Michael can 'make some changes' and said she wishes him nothing but the best (pictured together)

Former flames: Before her relationship with Michael, she was 'married' to Drew Bauer (pictured together)

'Since the show finished I've been really focused on work and so much of my time has been heavily invested into my business,' Michael said.

'I've always been a workaholic and I've struggled to find a healthy balance between work and my relationship with KC. I haven't been able to give her the time she deserves.'

He finished: 'We shared some great memories I'll always cherish. KC is a strong, intelligent and beautiful woman, and I wish her all the success moving forward.'

KC and Michael met on Channel Nine's Married At First Sight. Their relationship began after they split up with their TV spouses Drew Bauer and Stacey Hampton, respectively.
BOSTON, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- DORIS Group, global Engineering and Project Management company in the energy industry, Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, and AVEVA a global leader in engineering and industrial software, have agreed to develop a strategic partnership to deliver Digital Twin technology for the upstream oil and gas markets. These new solutions will support the goals of oil & gas organizations to improve asset performance, increase sustainability and maximize return on capital on projects.

The three companies will combine offerings to bring engineering capabilities, an asset lifecycle software solution and digital specialization in order to create a fully formed digital twin to serve as a backbone for improving performance for the upstream sector. The new solution will:

Bring new assets on stream faster through the use of cloud-enabled software that improves collaboration and increases engineering efficiencies

Deliver enhanced safety leading to better business outcomes

Improve traceability through a single point of accountability

Enable remote operations and production assurance through a fully functional Living Digital Twin that mirrors all aspects of the operating asset

Partnering to Create a Unique New Offering that Addresses Customer Challenges

Oil & Gas owner operators have struggled to go digital due to the lack of a structured offering and orchestration as no single vendor currently delivers what is required to achieve this. Large amounts of data of various types, from different sources is another challenge they face, often leading to data inaccuracy and incompatibility, as well as difficulties in organizing that data and identifying trends.

Similarly, the oil & gas sector is under considerable pressure to quantify, track and reduce CO2 emissions as well as reduce overall pollution  this can be even more difficult with limited monitoring, no established method and no data-driven decision making.

Together, DORIS, AVEVA and Schneider Electric will offer a structured digital and collaborative solution across the lifecycle of projects that will help oil & gas owner operators address many of these challenges.

Christophe Debouvry, CEO of DORIS Group, stated, "DORIS Group is excited to be strategically partnering with Schneider Electric and AVEVA in this unique venture which will allow us to accelerate the building out of our digital transformation strategy. Combining our complementary expertise will go a long way to providing a powerful enabler to offer our customers embarking on their digital transformational journeys with optimized solutions throughout their assets lifecycle."

Craig Hayman, CEO AVEVA, also commented, "Leaders driving the next wave of transformation are moving quickly and that's why this partnership with Schneider Electric and DORIS Group is so opportune. Our common aim is to support organizations on their digital journey especially in the current environment, helping them accelerate the use of digital technology, realize the value of a digital twin and also work towards a more sustainable future. It's never been easier to begin a digital transformation program, as access to cloud computing, great connectivity, a merged edge and enterprise combined with analytics and machine learning, means that the ability to digitally drive productivity improvements into the industrial world is now unprecedented."

Christopher Dartnell, President Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals at Schneider Electric, commented, "This partnership is in line with Schneider Electric's objectives around Digitization and Energy Transition and we will bring our expertise in both energy and process efficiency to the industry. Our goal is to support customers looking to adopt a digital twin model, by offering our experience to facilitate the overall digital transformation for our clients enable them to improve lifecycle performance and safe operations while also making their operations more sustainable."

About DORIS Group:

DORIS is a global Engineering and Project Management company in the energy industry headquartered in Paris, France. It has four main activities: Engineering Oil & Gas, Renewables, Asset Management and Technical Assistance. DORIS has 1,000 employees, present on every continent. With an experience of 55 years and more than 100 world firsts, DORIS is the reference in engineering for the energy industry. For more details visit: www.dorisgroup.com

About AVEVA:

AVEVA is a global leader in engineering and industrial software driving digital transformation across the entire asset and operations life cycle of capital-intensive industries. The company's engineering, planning and operations, asset performance, and monitoring and control solutions deliver proven results to over 16,000 customers across the globe. Its customers are supported by the largest industrial software ecosystem, including 4,200 partners and 5,700 certified developers. AVEVA is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with over 4,400 employees at 80 locations in over 40 countries. For more details visit: www.aveva.com

Copyright  2020 AVEVA Solutions Limited. All rights reserved. AVEVA Solutions Limited is owned by AVEVA Group plc. AVEVA, the AVEVA logos and AVEVA product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of AVEVA Group plc or its subsidiaries in the United Kingdom and other countries. Other brands and products names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

About Schneider Electric:

At Schneider, we believe access to energy and digital is a basic human right. We empower all to make the most of their energy and resources, ensuring Life Is On everywhere, for everyone, at every moment.

We provide energy and automation digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability. We combine world-leading energy technologies, real-time automation, software and services into integrated solutions for Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

We are committed to unleash the infinite possibilities of an open, global, innovative community that is passionate about our Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.

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#SchneiderElectric #EcoStruxure #DigitalTwin

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Dimitar Berbatov has hit out at Real Madrid's Gareth Bale for his "unprofessional and disrespectful" behaviour in the Spanish capital.

Bale behaviour berated by Berbatov

Bale has found himself out of favour at Madrid, with the star forward playing just 100 minutes of LaLiga action since the league returned from its three-month hiatus in June amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The four-time Champions League winner sparked uproar when he was seen on camera with his face mask over his eyes before turning and laughing with team-mates from the stands during Madrid's 2-0 victory over Deportivo Alaves last week.

Bale  a substitute  then simulated holding a pair of binoculars in front of his face while he watched Madrid's 2-1 win at Granada and former Tottenham team-mate Berbatov criticised the Welsh outcast.

"Gareth Bale is in the headlines again for pretending to sleep in the stands when he found out he was going to be an unused substitute against Granada," Berbatov wrote in his column for Betfair.

"When I saw it, I couldn't believe it. I watched him put his mask over his eyes and pretend to be asleep. I cannot support that. It is unprofessional and disrespectful to Real Madrid.

Gareth Bale scans the scene during Real Madrid's match against Granada. Soccrates Images (Getty Images)

"I love watching Bale play and I can feel his pain at not playing because I have been in the same situation. But that kind of reaction is going too far.

"Madrid need to find a solution to the Bale saga. It's not good for Bale or the team and it is bad publicity. I do feel his pain, I have been in his shoes of not playing and nobody is probably giving him any answers, then you are provoked to do those kinds of things, but I cannot support what he did.

"The only solution is for Bale to leave Real Madrid. If I was a Real Madrid fan and saw a player disrespecting the team like that, it would be too much. Bale should be asking for a solution, even if it is a loan move. It was a show of power, it was if he was saying: 'Play me or I'll do whatever I want.' That doesn't sit right with me."
Over the four hours it took for the government to pursue these ends, Mr. Lee remained strapped to a gurney  with IV lines in his arms, according to a witness  as a court decided his fate. Around 8 a.m., about 30 minutes after a federal court lifted the last ruling barring his execution, while multiple motions seeking a stay of the execution remained pending in federal court, and without any notice to counsel that the execution was occurring, Mr. Lee was put to death. He was executed nearly 15 hours after he was first scheduled to be strapped down inside the execution chamber. And media accounts suggest that he did not die immediately when the lethal injection was administered, potentially suffering from the very complication identified in his Eighth Amendment challenge.

The Department of Justices rush to conduct this execution makes plain its indifference to the basic rights of prisoners like Mr. Lee and to the ordinary judicial process that typically constrains the government in matters of life or death. Indeed, the consequences of this administrations execute-at-any-cost approach were laid bare once again on early Wednesday morning, less than 24 hours after Mr. Lee was put to death, when a federal court concluded that another of his outstanding challenges to his execution was likely to be meritorious. A unanimous D.C. Circuit panel upheld that ruling. Ultimately, following yet another emergency request from the government, the Supreme Court rejected that claim with another order issued in the middle of the night, clearing the way for the execution of a second prisoner, Wesley Purkey. But the government did not wait for that order to issue in Mr. Lees case. He had already been executed.

It is shameful that the government saw fit to carry out this execution during a pandemic, even after a government employee involved in preparing for the execution at the prison tested positive for the coronavirus. It is shameful that the government saw fit to carry out this execution when the prisoners counsel could not be present with him and without notifying counsel during the execution itself. And it is shameful that the government saw fit to carry out this execution in haste, in the middle of the night.

Whatever ones views of justice or capital punishment, this doesnt look like fairness or decency.

The facts of Mr. Lees case further underscore the flaws in the governments unyielding efforts to impose the death penalty. The government has long claimed that the death penalty is necessary to vindicate the interests of victims families. But it ignored that family members of Mr. Lees victims opposed his execution. Moreover, as Justice Breyer explained in his dissent, Mr. Lees death sentence was arbitrarily imposed: His co-defendant was sentenced to life in prison even though the government described the co-defendant as the far more culpable ringleader.

Our experience with the first execution conducted by the Trump administration confirmed this much: Its new death-penalty regime is badly broken. Its unrelenting push to impose the federal death penalty no matter the cost poses a grave threat to the rule of law. For now, it will be up to the courts to push back against the governments lawless execution agenda.
US President Donald Trump's "Space Force" initiated 4 top-secret satellites into orbit from Virginia.

For the National Reconnaissance Office, the United States agency responsible for operating spy satellites, Minotaur IV rocket transferred the classified payload.

The aforementioned rocket was created by Northrop Grumman, a US defense tech company Northrop Grumman.

Since 2013, this is the first time a rocket in its line has flown, reported Non Perele. The mission marked the first time the space force has initiated from Nasa's Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island.

"It's a go for launch of a Northrop Grumman Minotaur IV rocket July 15 from Nasa's Wallops Flight Facility," NASA indicated in a press release, according to Ebene Magazine.

The rocket lifted off at around 3p PM BST (10 AM ET) on Wednesday.

"The weather continues to look favorable for the launch," NASA continued, reported The US Sun.

There is little known information regarding the nature of the payload as the mission brief is almost ambiguous.

"NROL-129 supports NRO's overall national security mission to provide intelligence data to United States' senior policy makers, the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense," the mission brief indicated.

In December 2019, the Space Force was first instituted and is the first military service of the Air Force.

The 16,000 airmen and civilians that comprise the Space Force are technically among the Air Force which initially supervised hostile space operations.

US President Donald Trump has underscored that he views the newest service as crucial to the American defense's future.

Also Read: US Considers Banning TikTok and Other Chinese Social Media Apps

The agency and spy satellites, for the sake of space warfare, are contributing to build and operate technologies.

The mission brief also indicated the NRO's satellites roles include to "provide global coverage against a wide range of intelligence requirements," and aid amid disaster relief efforts and emergencies.

Courtesy of NASA, the launch's live cast will be made available.

The 78-foot in height Minotaur IV was bolstered by engines taken from dismantled Cold War Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.

The aforementioned satellites were built, designed, and operated by the NRO.

SpaceFlightNow confirmed that 4 payloads for the National Reconnaissance Office were launched into orbit.

The purpose of such satellites were not divulged.

Courtesy of NASA, you could watch the NROL-129 launch here starting at 8:30 AM EDT (1230 GMT). Also, you could watch the initiation directly from NASA on the Wallops Flight Facility YouTube page.

The official liftoff time was identified until launch and the window for the launch opened at 9 AM ET (2 PM BST).

According to the NRO, labeled as NROL-129, the aforementioned mission "supports NRO's overall national security mission to provide intelligence data to United States' senior policy makers, the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense."

Northrop Grumman's Kurt Eberly stated, "The team is really excited and ready to get going here on this mission."

The NROL-129 satellites was initiated from Pad-0B at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at the Wallops facility.

"This will be our first U.S. Space Force mission and the first dedicated NRO mission from Wallops," according to the Space Force's Lt. Col. Ryan Rose, chief of Launch Small Launch and Targets Division at the Space and Missile Systems Center.

Related Article: Fact Check: Fauci, Obama, and Gates Appeared in Wuhan Lab in 2015?

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A white Culpeper philanthropist is calling for immediate removal of the Confederate soldier monument that has stood tall for 109 years in the courtyard beside the Culpeper County Courthouse on West Davis Streetand hes willing to pay to see it gone.

Jefferson Homebuilders President Joe Daniel, namesake of Germanna Community Colleges Joseph R. Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper County, has offered the county up to $50,000 to remove the monument erected in 1911 by the A.P. Hill Camp No. 2 of the Confederate Veterans group in the Richmond area.

Hill was a Culpeper native and Confederate general. His boyhood home, an imposing brick structure at the corner of Davis and Main streets, is a half block from the monument.

The soldier should be removed immediately! Daniel told the Culpeper Star-Exponent on Thursday.

One side of the granite monument bears, in bronze, the circular seal of the Confederate States of America, as well as the dateFeb. 22, 1862when Jefferson Davis became president of the Confederacy, on George Washingtons birthday. The seal bears the words Deo vindice, Latin for with God as our protector, the Confederate states unofficial motto.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 06:29:42|Editor: huaxia

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NEW YORK, July 16 (Xinhua) -- New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that the federal government's "incompetence" in managing the COVID-19 crisis failed New York, which became the first epicenter of the outbreak in the United States in March.

The governor made the remarks while commenting on a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which pointed out that by the time the travel restrictions on Europe were implemented by the federal government, importation and community transmission of COVID-19 had already occurred in New York.

Noticeably, the coronavirus strain circulating in New York resembles that circulating in Europe, not China, according to the report.

"The President likes to talk about his travel ban that was effective. His own CDC says the travel ban was too late," said Cuomo at a conference call.

The United States restricted travel from Europe on March 13, and by March 15, community transmission was widespread in the city, the report said.

Cuomo noted that between February 6th and March 16th, 2,758 flights from Europe landed at John F. Kennedy airport in New York City and 1,200 flights from Europe landed at Newark Airport near Manhattan.

"It was terrible failing on behalf of the federal government because this was their job," he said. "Government failed in this job ... And they still are not following the science."

He said that the "governmental incompetence" is going to hurt New York a second time "when the virus was allowed to increase in other states and then come back to New York."

"It will have been a double-barrel shotgun of federal incompetence," said Cuomo.

The governor noted the United States is fighting a virus even worse than COVID-19, which is "the virus of American division and federal incompetence."

Combating the virus requires people coming together and a competent federal government "which we do not have," he added. Enditem
Graham Weale, honorary professor at the Faculty of Economic Sciences and at the Centre for Environmental Management, Resources and Energy (Cure) at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum (RUB) has undertaken an independent study "EU 2030 Emissions Target - A Reality Check". "The results are very disturbing," said Weale, "and show how great is the challenge to achieve even the current goal." Credit: Andre Laaks, RWE

Graham Weale, honorary professor at the Faculty of Economic Sciences and at the Centre for Environmental Management, Resources and Energy (Cure) at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum (RUB) has undertaken an independent study "EU 2030 Emissions TargetA Reality Check." "The results are very disturbing," said Weale, "and show how great is the challenge to achieve even the current goal."

A simple extrapolation of efforts since 2005 would only lead to a 37 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. "But to reach the current 40 percent target, the effort in building new renewables plants and for energy efficiency measures would have to increase by 20 percent. To reduce CO 2 emissions by 55 percent, as in the planned Green Deal," says Weale,"today's effort would have to be exactly doubled."

Renewable energy building on a downward path

For the period from 2005 to 2018, the study shows that CO 2 reduction in the EU was achieved primarily through the expansion of renewable energy (62 percent), fuel-switching to other cleaner energy sources (25 percent) and reduced energy demand (13 percent).

Of great concern is that, even before the corona crisis, the annual expansion rate and expenditure on renewable energy had been declining since 2012. "The data from the International Energy Agency show that annual expenditure on renewable energies has decreased by 50 percent since 2012," said Weale. Financial bottlenecks due to the corona crisis would only exacerbate this effect.

Decommissioned power plants must be compensated

To make matters worse, even if the expansion rate for renewable energy remained the same, the net benefits would decrease as compared to previous years, because by 2030 the decommissioning of nuclear power plants will increase by 50 percent in relation to the previous period, and this loss of clean energy must be compensated for by additional renewable capacity. In addition, the first generation of renewable energy plants must be replaced by 2030.

Big question mark over the EU hydrogen strategy

Weale also has doubts about the EU's hydrogen strategy, as it remains to be seen whether sufficient clean electricity will be available to produce green hydrogen.

Energy efficiency measures are insufficient

He is also critical of energy efficiency measures: "Although they reduce demand, they do not yet compensate for the demand increase driven by economic growth." A certain de-industrialization in Europe brings with it a lower energy requirement, but only transfers this demand and the corresponding emissions to trading partners in other regions.

Recommendations for the EU Presidency

"The path to achieving the 2030 goal should primarily be achieved through significantly stronger incentives," concludes Weale. In particular, he focuses on three recommendations for the new German Council Presidency:

The top priority must be to increase electricity production from renewable sources. Higher annual targets must be set and incentives to achieve them increased by maximizing technical standardization, speeding up the planning process and minimizing market risks. Electrification must be achieved with clean electricity and not from increased fossil fuel generation. The Emissions Trading System must keep a tight grip on emissions and may need further adjustment. Energy efficiency measures must be doubled to achieve the necessary decoupling of energy requirements from economic growth.

Explore further Abu Dhabi-based agency calls for clean energy investments to double
Bexar County Sheriff's Office

A 28-year-old man who is accused of breaking into a woman's home tried to tell police that he had been kidnapped and held hostage, an arrest affidavit said.

On July 12, a man placed a call to 911, saying that an unknown male, later identified as Caleb Overgaard, was at his front door saying he had escaped from a home nearby. Overgaard was covered in blood and said that he and his family had been held hostage a few blocks away, only escaping after he had punched out a window, the affidavit said.
Polish food always tastes better when you tip your server. In this case, #BestMealEver #ThousandDollarTip #LegsInn #CrossVillage #UpNorth #PureMichigan [We  our generous guests!] Posted by Legs Inn on Thursday, July 16, 2020

CROSS VILLAGE, MI  A server at one of Michigans most iconic restaurants was rewarded for their efforts this week with a whopping $1,000 tip.

The four-figure tip came on a $191.89 bill, making the gratuity 521%, according to a Facebook post by Legs Inn, a Polish restaurant in Northern Michigan. The tipping gold standard of 20% would have put the tip at $38.38.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  Nine media groups and 51 journalists have signed a statement demanding that the President's speeches be broadcasted "live and unfiltered" after news spread that officials edited out portions of one of his recent addresses.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism shared the statement on Friday, adding that the Philippine Communications Operations Office should explain its reason for editing the video of the speech in Jolo, Sulu.

"How can people continue to trust the government's pronouncements when the president's very own words are manipulated and then twisted by those who speak on his behalf?," the letter stated.

The President mentioned broadcast network and Lopez family-owned ABS-CBN while also saying that he dismantled an oligarchy. However, the part about ABS-CBN was not aired.

The speech came shortly after ABS-CBN's bid for a franchise renewal was rejected by the House of Representatives.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, though he admitted he did not attend the event, argued that whenever Duterte mentions oligarch, he always refers to Philippine Airlines Chairman Lucio Tan, Manny Pangilinan and the Ayala Group.

Roque had earlier maintained that the President has been "neutral" on the ABS-CBN issue despite his previous tirades against the network.
Follow-on public offer (FPO) worth Rs 15,000 crore by YES Bank has been subscribed 73 per cent on the third and last day of the bidding process. By 3 pm, on Friday, the public issue received bids for over 540.44 crore equity shares as against the offer size of more than 909.97 crore shares (excluding anchor book portion), data compiled from BSE and NSE show.

Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIB) portion was subscribed 154 per cent. Non Institutional Investors (NII) portion has received 38 per cent subscription, while retail quota was subscribed 38 per cent in the day. Employee portion was subscribed by 25 per cent.

On Thursday (second day), the issue received bids for over 434.15 crore equity shares as against offer size of more than 909.97 crore shares (excluding anchor book portion). The public issue was subscribed 48 per cent on the second day. The FPO was subscribed 22 per cent at the end of the first day.

The issue, which can be bid with a minimum lot size of 1,000 equity shares and multiples thereafter, will close today. Yes Bank is aiming to raise the money by selling its shares at Rs 12-13 apiece.

On Wednesday, YES Bank in a regulatory filing said that it has raised Rs 4,098.46 crore from anchor investors by allotting 3,415,384,614 equity shares at Rs 12 per equity share, which may be subject to change upon determination of the offer price. The anchor investors include US-based alternative asset manager Tilden Park Capital Management LP, Singapore-based fund management company Amansa Capital and UK-based fund management firm Jupiter Fund.Also read: Shiv Nadar quits as HCL Tech chairman, hands over reins to daughter Roshni

Also read: Big GST scam! 1,377 'untraceable' exporters claim IGST refunds worth Rs 1,875 crore
The United States on Friday announced sanctions against four China-based individuals and one company run by alleged Chinese drug kingpin Fujing Zheng for links to trafficking in fentanyl.

The U.S. Treasury Department named the individuals as Songyan Ji, Longbao Zhang, Guifeng Cheng and Guangfu Zheng, and the firm as Global United Biotechnology Inc, which it said was owned and operated by the Zheng Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) run by Fujing Zheng.

Treasury identified Fujing Zheng and the Zheng DTO as significant foreign narcotics traffickers under the U.S. Kingpin Act last August.

"Fentanyl and other drugs have caused overwhelming devastation to communities across America, said Deputy Treasury Secretary Justin Muzinich.

The United States is committed to holding drug traffickers and those who facilitate their operations accountable for the suffering they impose upon American families.

The four individuals were designated for allegedly facilitating purchases of fentanyl and other drugs for the Zheng DTO, a Treasury statement said.

It said the Zheng DTO laundered drug proceeds using digital currency such as bitcoin and transmitted proceeds into and out of bank accounts in China and Hong Kong.

It said Global United Biotechnology Inc was "a virtual storefront for the Zheng DTO."

The designation means all property of the individuals and Zheng DTO in the United States must be blocked and reported.

Fentanyl is a cheap painkiller 50 times more potent than heroin that has played a major role in a devastating opioid crisis in the United States, where more than 28,000 synthetic opioid-related overdose deaths were recorded in 2017,

U.S. officials say China is the main source of illicit fentanyl. President Donald Trump has accused Chinese President Xi Jinping of failing to meet promises to help stop the flow of the drug into the United States, a charge Beijing rejects.

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The City Wall of Xian (Peoples Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

The fortifications of Xian, also known as the Xian City Walls, are some of the oldest, largest and best preserved city walls in China. Built under the rule of the Hongwu Emperor as a military defence system, the wall has been renovated several times since it was built in the 14th century, and encloses an area of about 14 square kilometres. It is situated at the end of the ancient Silk Road, and its history can be traced back to the Sui and Tang dynasties. Today, the Xian City Wall is on the tentative list of UNESCOs World Heritage Site, showcasing the pride and magnificence of Xian, the ancient Chinese capital of 13 dynasties.

Huaqing Palace in the rain. (Peoples Daily Online/Kou Jie)

Located 25km east of Xian, Huaqing Palace, a complex of hot springs and ancient architecture, is famous for being the supposed scene of Tang emperor Xuanzongs romance with his consort Yang Guifei. Renowned poet Bai Juyi depicted the royal couples love stories in his masterpiece Song of Everlasting Regret with these lines: On a cold spring day, he bestowed upon her the honour of bathing with him at the Huaqing poolthis was when she began to receive the emperors advances.

The Terracotta Warriors museum in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province (Peoples Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

Dubbed the worlds eighth ancient wonder, the Terracotta Army is a collection of life-sized sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shihuang, Chinas first emperor. Dating from approximately the late third century BCE, each figure has its own unique features, down to the face and toes. The Terracotta Army includes warriors, chariots and horses, and has more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses. The figures not only possess unparalleled artistic value, but also demonstrate the integrity and strength of a united China, attracting visitors worldwide who come to admire its magnificence. In September 1987, the Terracotta Army was praised as the Eighth Wonder of the World by the former French President Jacques Chirac. He said: "There were Seven Wonders in the world, and the discovery of the Terracotta Army, we may say, is the eighth miracle of the world.

Summer scenery of Mount Li, a major part of Qinling Mountains. (Peoples Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

In addition to its rich history, Xian also boasts fantastic natural beauty. Surrounded by Qinling Mountains, one of Chinas largest and longest mountain ranges, the mountain areas around Xian are also home to countless rare plants and animals. Ginkgo, one of the oldest species of trees in the world, is native to the area, while Qinling pandas, a sub-species of the giant panda, accounts for around a fifth of the entire wild panda population. In 2009, a UNESCO global geopark was built in Xian, attracting scholars and visitors worldwide who come to admire its abundant geological heritage sites, splendid landscapes, diversity of biological species, as well as its favourable environment and rich historic culture.

Biangbiang noodles, a traditional Xian dish. (Peoples Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

Xian cuisine is best known for its noodles and mutton dishes. Making heavy use of strong and complex flavours, it places an emphasis on savoury and spicy flavours. Some of the dishes have been passed on from generation to generation for centuries, with Biangbiang noodles being one of the most famous and popular. The dish is touted as one of the eight strange wonders of Shaanxi Province, as they are thick and long like a belt, and usually topped with red hot oil pepper. The Chinese character for Biang is one of the most complex Chinese characters in modern usage, and is made up of 58 strokes in its traditional form. Even today, the character is not included in Unicode.

China-Europe Railway Express in Xian. (Peoples Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

Once a significant centre on the ancient Silk Road, Xian retains its international commerce hub status today, now serving as the most important transportation hub of the China-Europe Railway Express in Northwest China. 1,667 Changan freight trains departed from Xian to Europe and Central Asia in the first half of 2020, carrying 1.3 million tons of merchandise, increasing two and 1.9 times year on year respectively. The advanced train network connects Xian with 14 nations, making it Chinas new commercial hub.

Performer in Tang Dynasty costume. (Peoples Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

It is rare to find a city with thousands of years of history coexist with modern life and advanced technologies. Countless recreation parks and cultural centres have been built in the past few decades, and through using advanced technologies, people can now enjoy the ancient capitals former glories, as well as the hustle and bustle of a modern city. In the city centre, a business street featuring ancient architecture and art, as well as traditional cuisine, has sparked an online frenzy.

Film museum of China Western Film Group. (Peoples Daily Online/Kou Jie)

Xian is a prestigious cultural centre in China. One of the four major national film production companies in the country, China Western Film Group, established in 1958, has produced over 300 movies and documentaries, and more than 180 TV series. The companys works have won accolades at multiple international movie festivals, winning more than 70 international awards such as the Golden Bear, with 76 of its movies being introduced to audiences in 36 nations and regions. From Xian, Chinas stories have entered the international arena.

Tang figurines designed by local artists. (Peoples Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

Xian is also a city brimming with creativity and imagination. Thanks to its long history and cultural diversity, it has now become a rising star in the cultural industry. Creative design, games, anime, as well as e-sports have become the new economic pillars of the city. According to a plan recently launched by the municipal government of Xian, the city will invest 13.7 billion yuan (about 1.97 billion U.S. dollars) in 23 cultural tourism programs in 2020.
" " A library manager holds (L-R) French, Finnish and Danish editions of Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" at the Institut fuer Zeitgeschichte (Institute of Contemporary History) in Munich, Germany, Dec. 3, 2015. Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images

From 1925 to 1945, more than 12 million copies of Adolf Hitler's semi-autobiographical screed "Mein Kampf" (in English, "My Struggle") were sold worldwide and translated into 18 different languages. After World War II, as humanity struggled to process the unthinkable horrors of the Holocaust, Hitler's best-seller was banned from respectable bookshelves and lurked in the popular imagination as the most dangerous and taboo of texts.

In 2016, an annotated critical edition of "Mein Kampf" was reprinted for the first time since the end of the war in Germany on the day that its original copyright expired. Its release triggered heated debate over the merits of reading "Mein Kampf," even in a heavily annotated edition that actively calls out Hitler's lies.

One fierce critic of the book's release, the historian Jeremy Adler from King's College London, wrote that "Absolute evil cannot be edited," echoing the verdict of many scholars and historians that "Mein Kampf" wasn't worth reading for any reason.

"It's not a book that people read, including experts on Nazism," says Michael Bryant, a professor of history and legal studies at Bryant University (no relation) who wrote a book on Nazi war crimes but had never opened "Mein Kampf" before 2016. "There are not that many people who write about it and even fewer people who have actually read the damn thing."

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Bad Ideas, Worse Writing

As a historian, Bryant decided it was high time he read the "primary source" of all Nazism for himself. "How often do you have an 800-page book written by a political criminal of Hitler's stature?" he asks.

The German 2016 critical edition ran more than 1,700 pages with all of its scholarly commentary, but Bryant says it wasn't the extensive footnotes that made "Mein Kampf" a "slog" of a read.

"Hitler's not a scholar and he's not a writer," says Bryant. "His writing is so baroque and turgid and suffers from a lack of organization. If a student of mine wrote like Hitler, the red ink would be dripping off the page. 'You need a transitional sentence here! Too obscure! Too vague!'"

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When Did Hitler Write "Mein Kampf"?

Hitler wrote the first of his two-volume book in 1924 while imprisoned for a failed political coup. His right-wing National Socialist (Nazi) party had been banned and 35-year-old Hitler decided to use his jail time to plan his triumphant comeback. With "Mein Kampf" he hoped to consolidate the splintered right-wing movement in Germany and become its hero.

In the preface of "Mein Kampf," Hitler laid out the purpose of the book, which was part political diatribe and part personal memoir (notice that even in the preface, he bristled at the influence of "the Jews").

"I decided to set forth, in two volumes, the aims of our movement, and also draw a picture of its development," wrote Hitler. "At the same time I have had occasion to give an account of my own development... in so far as it may serve to destroy the foul legends about my person dished up in the Jewish press."

Magnus Brechtken is the deputy director of the Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History, the German research institute that published the 2016 critical edition of "Mein Kampf." Brechtken says that Hitler's purpose for writing "Mein Kampf" was to present himself as the person who had discovered the "key to history," which is that history is above all the struggle between different races.

In "Mein Kampf," Hitler writes that:

"[t]he stronger [race] must dominate and not blend with the weaker, thus sacrificing his own greatness... Historical experience offers countless proofs of this. It shows with terrifying clarity that in every mingling of Aryan blood with that of lower peoples the result was the end of the cultured people... for men do not perish as a result of lost wars; but by the loss of that force of resistance which is contained only in pure blood."

In his dense and meandering prose, Hitler fills both volumes of "Mein Kampf" with his racialized view of Germany's history and his program for its purified future. If, that is, the German people recognize the Jew as their enemy and Hitler as their savior.

"Hitler believed that he was the 'chosen one' to save Germany from racial destruction and the only person who had the political power, will and ruthlessness to see his program through," says Brechtken. "'I am your last chance,' he told the German people in 'Mein Kampf.' 'We are our last chance.'"

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Did Hitler Invent the Racist Ideologies in "Mein Kampf"?

Brechtken and Bryant agree there was nothing particularly new about the twisted, anti-Semitic worldview Hitler put forth in "Mein Kampf."

The idea that Central European "Aryans" were the superior race was popularized in the 1850s by Joseph-Arthur, Comte de Gobineau, a French diplomat and armchair ethnologist who wrote the influential "Essay on the Inequality of Human Races." According to Gobineau, everything good in human civilization was created by the Aryans, the "purest" of the white races, and has been defiled through intermarriage with "inferior" blood.

Next came Houston Stewart Chamberlain, an English-born music critic who respected the German composer Richard Wagner as much for his rabid anti-Semitism as his operas. In an 1899 book, Chamberlain forwarded the idea that all of history was a clash between the Aryans and the "Semites," and that only "Germanism" could rescue the world from the grips of Jewish conspirators.

In "Mein Kampf," Hitler parroted Chamberlain's conception of the Jewish people as the chief opposition, writing, "The mightiest counterpart to the Aryan is represented by the Jew."

According to Hitler, Jews were "parasites" who fed on the Aryan culture before undermining its superior Aryan instincts with "Jewish" concepts like Marxism and humanistic thinking. All the while, Hitler insisted, the Jew was plotting to dilute the purity of Aryan blood.

"With satanic joy in his face," wrote Hitler, "the black-haired Jewish youth lurks in wait for the unsuspecting girl whom he defiles with his blood, thus stealing her from her people."

Anti-Semitism is ugly on its own, but when Hitler was in Austria, he also learned how to employ anti-Semitism as a political tool. Rejected from art school, young Hitler peddled postcards in the streets of Vienna, where he absorbed the rhetoric of the Austrian politician Georg von Schoenerer. Von Schoenerer wanted to see the creation of a "Pan German" state that absorbed the Germanic parts of Austria, and he successfully used the Jews as both a scapegoat and enemy of his cause.

When Germany lost World War I, Hitler and other German nationalists blamed the defeat on "back-stabbing Jews," Marxists and other leftist elements in German politics. The alleged culpability of the Jews in Germany's demise was a repeated theme throughout "Mein Kampf" and offered "proof" that the Jews were the enemy of the pureblood German Aryan.

" " The flyleaf of an original edition of "Mein Kampf" by Adolf Hitler. Roger Viollet via Getty Images

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Are There Premonitions of the Holocaust in "Mein Kampf"?

While Hitler doesn't explicitly call for the mass extermination of Jews in "Mein Kampf," as he would as part of the Nazis' murderous "Final Solution," Bryant believes that there is a clear throughline from 1924 to 1941.

"My thinking about the Holocaust has really changed because of steeping myself in 'Mein Kampf,'" says Bryant. "I'm much more receptive to the idea, which I didn't entertain before, that Hitler was already thinking about murdering the Jews in the 1920s."

There are generally two schools of thought on who was responsible for planning the Holocaust, Bryant explains. On one side are the "Functionalists," who argue that Hitler didn't plan or even order the Final Solution, but that it was executed by lower-level functionaries who thought they were fulfilling Hitler's wishes. On the other side are the "Intentionalists," who say that Hitler was plotting the Holocaust from the very beginning, and simply waited for the opportune moment to execute his genocidal plan.

Bryant was largely swayed by the evidence put forth by the functionalists, until he read "Mein Kampf" which at its heart, Bryant says, is "a revenge book."

"It seethes with anger and resentment toward the Jews," says Bryant. "Obviously, I wasn't surprised that Hitler was an anti-Semite. I was surprised by the sheer rancorous, poisonous quality of his invective against the Jews. It's the single most important theme of 'Mein Kampf' bar none."

Hitler makes it clear, particularly in the racialized history laid out in chapter 11 of volume one, that the very fate of the German people, of this superior, but weakened Aryan culture, depended on how Germany dealt with its "Jewish question."

"It's a theme that runs from page 1 to page 850 of 'Mein Kampf'  this idea that the Germans are facing a life and death situation, a battle for the existence of their national lives," says Bryant. "If something isn't done about the Jews, then Germany will perish from the face of the earth. It's not a metaphor; it's the future he prophesied."

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Should You Read "Mein Kampf"?

Which brings us back to the question that scholars and history buffs have been asking for more than half a century: Is there value in reading this poisonous book that sowed the seeds of genocide?

Magnus Brechtken, whose institute published the controversial critical edition in 2016, says yes. If you want to prevent another Holocaust, you need to know how it all began, with a poorly written manifesto scribbled in a jail cell.

"How else can you analyze what happened in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s if you don't look at the motives of those who were acting at the time and committing those atrocities?" says Brechtken. "If you understand why they did it and how they achieved it, you have a much better chance of preventing anything like that happening again."

Adam Gopnik, a longtime staff writer at The New Yorker, agreed in a 2016 article. He wrote:

"[Hitler] didn't invent these arguments. He adapted them, and then later showed where in the real world they led, if taken to their logical outcome by someone possessed, for a time, of absolute power. Resisting those arguments is still our struggle, and so they are, however unsettling, still worth reading, even in their creepiest form."

Now That's Confusing Amazon, under pressure to stop selling Nazi books, briefly banned the sale of "Mein Kampf" in March 2020, only to bring it back a week later.
An Ardmore man was one of two people killed in separate crashes overnight in Huntsville, the authorities said.

John H. Howard, 51, was killed when his 2012 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide motorcycle left Highway 72 and struck a culvert near Jeff Road, according to Huntsville police. Howard was declared dead after being taken to the emergency room at Huntsville Hospital, said Lt. Michael Johnson, a police department spokesman.

Alcohol along with aggressive operation is believed to be a factor, Johnson said in an email.

The crash happened just after 11 p.m. Thursday.

In an unrelated crash around 1:45 a.m. today, a 44-year-old Virginia man was killed at Research Park Boulevard and Old Monrovia Road, police said. The mans name hasnt yet been released.

The man was driving a 2020 Toyota Corolla that left the road, hit a curb and struck a utility pole, police said. The man exited from Research Park to Old Monrovia at a high rate of speed and lost control of the car, Johnson said.

Police are investigating both crashes.
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Market Segmentation:

Global Industrial Films Market Size is segmented into Product Type and End User Industry.

On the Basis of the Product Type, the market is segregated into linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate/bi-axially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET/BOPET), polypropylene/bi-axially oriented polypropylene (PP/BOPP), cast polypropylene (CPP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide/bi-axially oriented polyamide (BOPA), and others.

The market by the End-User Industry is further categorized into transportation, construction, industrial packaging, agriculture, medical, and others.

Competitive Analysis:

Some of the prominent players operating in the Global Industrial Films Market are DuPont Teijin Films (U.S.), SKC Co., Ltd. (South Korea), 3M (U.S.), Toray Industries Inc. (Japan), Berry Global Inc. (U.S.), Saint-Gobain (France), Eastman Chemical Company (U.S), Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (Japan), and RKW SE (Germany) among others.

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Market Overview:

Industrial Films are used in various end user industries such as building and construction, automobile, agriculture, and packaging among others. The growing demand from the developing region across the globe are the major factors driving the global market of Industrial Films. The growing government investments in the infrastructural development coupled with the augmenting demand from the automobile sector are other factors contributing to the growth of the market. Among the various end-user industry agriculture, the dominant segment and expected to show the same trend during the forecast years. The properties such as improving crop quality, higher yield, and reduction of soil erosion has increased the demand for Industrial Films in the agricultural industry.

Regional Analysis:

Global Industrial Films Market is spanned across five key regions: Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Among these, Asia Pacific holds a major portion of the global market and is anticipated to continue its dominance during the forecast period. The developing end user industries in the region such as construction and automotive is expected to fuel the market growth. Moreover, the favorable government regulation has resulted in the shifting of manufacturing base in the Asia Pacific which has further propelled the market growth. The major counties attributing to growth of Industrial Films in this region are India, China and Japan. North America is the dominant region for the market Industrial Films. The developed end user industries coupled with the growing adoption of Industrial Films are the major factor contributing to the growth of the market. The major countries attributing to this growth are the U.S. and Canada. The European market of industrial films is mainly driven by the developed automobile and medical industry. Moreover, the growing use of Industrial Films in agriculture is further adding to the market growth.

COVID-19 Study in Detail:

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Irate staff of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) say they will challenge any move by anyone to reduce the state broadcaster's channels.

The Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu on June 26 gave the state broadcaster a 60-day deadline to reduce its channels from six to three.

GBC has however warned that this could lead to a collapse.

Secretary of the GBC Union, Nutor Bibinii told Citi News staff of the GBC will continually protest the governments decision, until the Minister of Communication rescinds the decision.

We are humbly advising her[Minister of Communications]. She can take ten channels to herself but what belongs to the state, no political activist can come for it. If previous Ministers of Communication were taking one each, how many would have been left? We are saying no. It will not work and we shall challenge this decision at the peril of our lives.

Currently, GBC is said to be operating on the DSTV, GBC T1 and DTT transmission platforms.

TV users who have access to DSTV, GBC T1 and digital television platforms are able to watch all of GBC's six channels on either platform.

The Minister of Information, Oppong Nkrumah has explained that the managers of DTT want to reduce redundancy hence its engagement with GBC to come forward and let them know the three of its six channels it would want to maintain on the DTT platform.

The move has not sat well with some individuals and groups, including the Minority side in Parliament.

The Minority said the request from the Communications Ministry was unlawful.

In a bid to nullify the proposed move, the GBC has written to the NMC for urgent help.

 citinewsroom




Haiti - USA : $1million from USAID to fight COVID-19





The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, has provided $1 million to Catholic Relief Services to help Haiti respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. The funding will support the Haitian Government's National COVID-19 Response Plan, led by the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population with support from the Ministry of Interior's Directorate for Civil Protection. With this support, Catholic Relief Services and local implementing partner Caritas Haiti, through their program Nap Kwape Kowona will focus on reducing widespread transmission of COVID-19 among urban populations in Port-au-Prince, Cap Haitian, Gonaives, and Les Cayes through :



Establishing and managing handwashing stations at strategic points throughout major cities;





Engaging trusted voices  community health workers and community leaders  in the promotion of positive behaviors that help prevent the transmission of the virus in at-risk urban centers;





Supporting Ministry of Public Health and Population efforts in infection prevention and control, and case management by establishing COVID-19 case management centers and training for staff on mental health and psychosocial support messaging and frontline staff care;





Integrating protection principles at all levels of project implementation, including staff training, beneficiary interaction, and ensuring that people's needs are anticipated and responded to throughout the pandemic.



U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, Michele Sison, stated, "we at the U.S. Mission in Haiti, and of course our partners, are committed to reducing the spread of COVID-19 in Haiti and helping communities overcome the effects of this pandemic." Furthermore, USAID Haiti Mission Director Christopher Cushing added, "USAID is proud to partner with Catholic Relief Services in launching Nap Kwape Kowona, which will help us to assist more Haitian communities. Importantly, this project will also support the psychological effects of the virus, to ensure a holistic and comprehensive response to COVID-19."



For more than 60 years, Catholic Relief Services has worked in Haiti partnering with the Catholic Church, the Government of Haiti, and more than 200 faith-based and community-based organizations to encourage Haitians to drive their own recovery and development. Because an infectious disease threat anywhere can become a threat everywhere, Catholic Relief Services aims to reach more than 116,000 Haitians with awareness campaigns and community prevention and selected COVID-19 case management centers to distribute hygiene kits to families in need.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















On July 15, a dead man wrapped in a plastic bag was discovered on the roof of a McDonald's branch in Bronx, New York. According to authorities, the body of the unidentified man was found on top of the fast-food chain just before 6 a.m.

Unidentified victim

According to the New York Post, a 911 caller told the authorities that only half a body was found on the roof. The circumstances of who the body was discovered were not clear.

The police are still checking if they can retrieve the CCTV nearby to know if the corpse was placed on the roof on purpose or if it fell from a different location. The employees of McDonald's refused to talk to the media about the discovery.

Nathalia, a resident from Manhattan who works in a pharmacy next to the McDonald's branch where the body was found, said that a worker at the fast-food chain told her about the discovered body.

Nathalia said that a cleaner was doing regular check-ups when he discovered the half body on the roof. It was thrown from another window onto the roof.

Also Read: Man Reported Missing Girlfriend, But Was Charged of Murder After Police See Bloody Residence

Marsha, a local resident, said that a friend of hers lives in a building near the fast-food chain and that her friend can see the roof from her window. She said her friend saw the corpse and it was surrounded by flies. The smell of the corpse was so strong that it poured through the window. The feet of the corpse was also poking out of the plastic bag.

Marsha said that the corpse of the man looked like it had been on the roof for days because the victim was lying all wet in the water from the rain.

The city Medical Examiner's Office is yet to know the cause of death of the victim. Alex, a resident who works at the nail salon next to the fast-food chain, said that there is rarely a problem in the area.

Similar incident

Back in May, a decomposing body was discovered by a man who was clearing the apartment of his recently deceased mother. The body was stuffed into a freezer in the living room of the New York City apartment, as reported by The Daily Mail.

According to the building superintendent, the corpse is believed to be at least 15 years old, and the investigators are unable to tell if it is a man or a woman.

The superintendent of the building, Asmir Basim, told New York Daily News, that the son opened the freezer and he started screaming. The man said that the corpse looked like a woman and was very decayed. The stand-alone freezer had been taped shut and was just sitting in the living room.

According to authorities, they can't tell if the corpse was a man or a woman, or if the corpse is black or white. The building staff investigated if the body was the mother of the deceased.

Basim said that the woman never granted him access to check-in her apartment but he never detected any strange behavior from her. The medical examiners investigated the corpse but the cause of death and identity of the corpse is still not released to the public.

Related Article: 'Professional Hitman' Used Electric Saw to Dismember, Scatter Body Parts of Tech CEO

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.


WOONSOCKET (dpa-AFX) - Drug store chain CVS Health announced that starting July 20, all customers who are entering any of its CVS Pharmacy locations across the United States are required to wear face coverings. The company attributed the recent spike in COVID-19 infections for the decision.



In a statement, CVS Chief Operating Officer Jon Roberts said, 'To be clear, we're not asking our store employees to play the role of enforcer. What we are asking is that customers help protect themselves and those around them by listening to the experts and heeding the call to wear a face covering.'



Since the pandemic began, CVS has asked store employees wear face coverings, and also encouraged customers to do so. The company also has used signage and other reminders at its stores in communities with state or local laws mandating the use of face coverings to inform customers.



Amid the intensifying spread of coronavirus, Governments and major corporates across the world have made it mandatory for people to wear masks, which are scientifically proven to reduce disease transmission.



The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently affirmed that cloth face coverings are a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19, and that the pandemic could be controlled in one or two months if everyone wear masks. The CDC cited a new research that the use of face masks by two infected hairstylists at a salon in Missouri helped prevent the virus spread to their clients.



Governors in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado and Montana announced that wearing of masks in public places would be made compulsory. In June, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an order urging all residents to wear face coverings while in public.



Among corporates, Walgreens, Walmart And Sam's Club, and Starbucks, among others have urged customers to wear masks. Majority of U.S. airlines have also stepped up enforcement of face covering policies.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own

By Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

Crown. 239 pp. $27

---

In our present racial crisis, the words of the writer and essayist James Baldwin have reemerged and become ubiquitous in American public discourse. Baldwin's writings, sometimes shorn of context, are now quoted endlessly on social media and have been prominently displayed during protests against police brutality. Documentary filmmakers and feature film directors, including Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins, have mined his work for their craft. The noted writer and theater critic Hinton Als has curated a multimedia art exhibit dedicated to a complex representation of his life and persona. In addition, Baldwin's queerness - his status as a gay black man - seems to invest his words with a special prescience for us.

Baldwin achieved the height of his fame in the middle of the 1960s, when the novelist and former boy preacher's beautiful and evocative words seemed to capture the stakes of the black freedom movement like nothing else - particularly for white liberals. It is that prophetic aspect of Baldwin that Eddie S. Glaude Jr., chairman of Princeton's African American studies department, seeks to recover in his book "Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own." The strength of Glaude's book depends on how well he makes the case that Baldwin speaks directly to our times.

"Begin Again" is, in fact, two different books. The first takes the reader on a deeply researched tour of Baldwin's essays and actions from the mid-1960s forward. Glaude wants to rescue Baldwin's legacy from many critics who contend that his art and insightfulness declined once he became an international icon and felt the need to speak for black America. Indeed, Baldwin's novels and essays from the late '60s on often received tepid or negative reviews. He sympathized with the emerging black power movement but endured withering, homophobic criticism from figures like Eldridge Cleaver.

Glaude defends Baldwin and argues that the writer was asking what one should do during what Glaude calls the "after times" - moments when our society attempts to redeem itself from its racial past, even as that past reasserts itself, often violently. Glaude contends that, beginning with the 1963 terrorist bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., that killed four black girls, Baldwin used his profound disillusionment with the recalcitrance of white Americans to explore the ethical question of what one should do and say in the after times.

Glaude argues that the after times forced a change in the nature of Baldwin's "we." Rather than asking how we Americans should grapple with our collective past and present, he began asking how a different we - nonwhite Americans - should act in a country that embraces what Glaude calls "the lie." The lie is the national myth of America as "fundamentally good and innocent," which allows the nation "to avoid facing the truth about its unjust treatment of black people and how it deforms the soul of the country." Baldwin's response to the lie was to "bear witness," as Glaude terms it - to "tell the story." "Make it real for those who refuse to believe that such a thing can happen/has happened/is happening here." Bearing witness, Glaude argues, requires us to follow Baldwin in embracing a complex retelling of American history, for which we must travel a critical distance from the disappointments at home (Baldwin spent much of his later life in France).

We must ultimately "begin again," Glaude concludes, taking his book title from a passage in Baldwin's last novel. Glaude argues that America has faced "two critical moments of moral reckoning" - Reconstruction and the civil rights era - and that now we must pursue a third. His penetrating book does an excellent job of defending the power and beauty of Baldwin's later intellectual projects and explicating them for scholars and lay readers alike, quoting extensively (as one must) from Baldwin's words for full effect.

But Glaude also has a second project, which is to join in the recent trend of repurposing Baldwin for the present, prompted by "the election of Donald Trump and the ugliness that consumed my country." Glaude freely admits that "in 2016, I could not bring myself to vote for Hillary Clinton" given the failure of the Democratic Party to adopt policies specifically targeted at black Americans. Indeed, he went further and urged black voters to leave their ballots blank, although he later partly modified his stance. "I was stupid enough," he confesses, "to overestimate white America."

"Begin Again" represents Glaude's personal coming to grips with that grave error of judgment. As such, it contains moments of profound insight, such as his visit to the Equal Justice Initiative's Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Ala., where he describes himself standing in the center of the museum, where "sounds and sights bleed from one exhibit into the next." There, Glaude can simultaneously hear the voices of civil rights leaders and segregationists, freedom songs and screams of brutalized anti-racist protesters. "It is the cacophonous song of America," he writes, implicitly invoking Walt Whitman - the national story, told without the lie.

Yet, Glaude also claims that Baldwin's experience with his own after times can be analogized to our troubled era. If Baldwin grappled with an American lie that denied the disruptive claims of the black freedom movement, what exactly is the disruption in the American story that prompted the rise of the figure who spurred the writing of this book? Trump, of course, came to political prominence by attacking the legitimacy of the most visible black life in America - that of the nation's first black president. But Glaude seems to deny any significance to the election and tenure of Barack Obama, largely because he did not enact Glaude's preferred public policies. Indeed, he curtly dismisses Obama in biting asides sprinkled throughout the book - an odd choice given that Baldwin's moral power derived in part from his ability to find common ground between '60s-era black figures who sometimes launched vitriolic attacks against one another.

Of course, it would be foolhardy to expect an American president to reject the core national narrative, even a false one, but at the same time there seems to be a gaping absence in this book. If we are in the after times, then what was the before? "Begin Again" is a groundbreaking and informative guide to Baldwin and his era, even as it remains an uncertain map of our own.

---

Mack, a historian and a professor of law at Harvard, is the author of "Representing the Race: The Creation of the Civil Rights Lawyer" and a co-editor of "The New Black: What Has Changed - and What Has Not - With Race in America."
A former Miss Kentucky and former teacher has been sentenced to prison for exchanging sexual photos with a student.

According to CBS News, Ramsey Bethann Carpenter-Bearse, 29, received the sentence on Tuesday. The charges stem from when she was a teacher in West Virginia.

She also was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender for life.

Carpenter-Bearse was named Miss Kentucky in 2014 and competed in the 2015 Miss America pageant. She was in the Top 12 as a semifinalist.

After that she became a science teacher at Andrew Jackson Middle School in Cross Lanes, W.Va., according to the U.S. Sun.

She was arrested in December 2018 and charged with sending topless photos of herself to a 15-year-old boy, who was a former student of hers.

According to CBS, she pleaded guilty to one count of possessing material depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct in December 2019.

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Clusters of flying ants were spotted by residents of the United Kingdom on Friday, July 17, as a swarm was picked up on satellite radar flying over southeastern England, the UK Met Office reported.

During the summer ants can take to the skies in a mass emergence, usually on warm, humid, and windless days, the Met Office said on Twitter. Though trending with the hashtag #FlyingAntDay, the colonies typically are seen over several weeks in the summer during their annual mating season, reports said.

This video shows a cluster of ants in West Sussex, on the southern coast of England, on Friday. The recorder of the video commented, Is it flying ant day today by any chance??? Credit: Simonir Bernharson via Storyful
OAK BROOK, Ill. (July 17, 2020) - Private radiology practices have been especially hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the steps they take to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on their practice will shape the future of radiology, according to a special report from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) COVID-19 Task Force, published today in the journal Radiology.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread disruption to the global economy. The resulting reduction in demand for imaging services had an abrupt and substantial impact on private radiology practices, which are heavily dependent on examination volumes for practice revenues. Examination volumes in radiology practices have decreased by 40%-90%. The volume reduction is anticipated to persist for anywhere from a few months to a few years.

Private practice radiologists make up a substantial proportion of the specialty, accounting for approximately 83% of all practicing radiologists in 2019.

The report describes specific experiences of radiologists working in various types of private practices during the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and presents a detailed case study of a private radiology practice impacted by the pandemic. The authors outline factors determining the impact of the pandemic on private practices, the challenges practices have faced, and the financial adjustments made to mitigate losses.

"For many practices, caring for patients with COVID-19 increased the complexity of the financial impact," said lead author Richard E. Sharpe Jr., M.D., M.B.A., senior associate consultant at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. "Volumes of advanced imaging, a higher reimbursement service for many practices, were reduced while low reimbursement services, such as radiography, often increased. At the same time, performing these low reimbursement services in ways that minimized the risk of virus transmission to staff and other patients increased the time and resources required to perform these services. These challenges were often most pronounced in private practices that included a hospital-based component to their practice, and which cared for COVID-19 patients with moderate and severe symptoms."

In addition to financial burdens, tremendous variability in interpretations of state-level practice guidance existed, even in the early affected Seattle area. For example, some practices in Seattle maintained elective imaging appointments, while other groups only indicated plans to reschedule screening examinations. Still others requested that patients postpone all elective imaging. One group directed patients to reschedule only if they were symptomatic for coronavirus.

In the report, Dr. Sharpe, along with coauthors Brian S. Kuszyk, M.D., and Mahmud Mossa-Basha, M.D., lay out strategic efforts that practices are making to their mid- and long-term plans to pivot for long-term success while managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Private radiology practices have crafted tiered strategies to respond to the impact of the pandemic by pulling various cost levers to adjust service availability, staffing, compensation, benefits, time off and expense reductions. In addition, they have sought additional revenues, within the boundaries of their practice, to mitigate ongoing financial losses.

Some practices may opt to adjust employed physician contracts to better mitigate practice risk from potential future volume disruptions. Base salary may comprise a smaller portion of overall compensation, with the balance dependent on the overall financial performance of the organization and/or individual productivity.

The longer-term impact of the pandemic will alter existing practices, making some of them more likely to succeed in the years ahead.

Some groups may prove unable to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially fueling trends either toward consolidation into larger radiology groups or toward increased employment by hospitals.

"We anticipate that small radiology practices may be at greatest risk for consolidation with larger radiology groups that have a more diversified practice model regarding inpatient-outpatient mix, subspecialty service lines, and geography," said Dr. Kuszyk, president of Eastern Radiologists in Greenville, North Carolina.

RSNA is committed to providing trusted resources to the radiology community as they prepare for and manage patient surges caused by the spread of COVID-19. RSNA established the COVID-19 Task Force to lead RSNA's efforts in educating radiologists and health care professionals about the impact of COVID-19 and develop needed tools to help radiology departments handle the crisis. RSNA's COVID-19 Resources page houses the latest guidance, original research, image collection and more.

###

"Special Report of the RSNA COVID-19 Task Force: The Short- and Long-Term Financial Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Private Radiology Practices."

Radiology is edited by David A. Bluemke, M.D., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, and owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. (https://pubs.rsna.org/journal/radiology)

RSNA is an association of radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Illinois. (RSNA.org)

For patient-friendly information on medical imaging and COVID-19 safety, visit RadiologyInfo.org.
WASHINGTON, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EB5 Capital joins Virgin Hotels and The Buccini/Pollin Group in celebrating the grand opening of the Nashville Virgin Hotel located in Nashville, Tennessee. The property is a 14-story, 260-room Virgin hotel located on the citys famed Music Row and walking distance from Vanderbilt University. Virgin Nashville is the 3rd Virgin Hotel to open in the United States, joining Chicago and Dallas as metro areas hosting Virgins 21st Century brand of hospitality.



Were thrilled about seeing this exciting hotel project open in Nashville, said Brian Ostar, EB5 Capitals President. Virgin has utilized their extensive track record of exceptional customer service to ensure that guests feel safe and comfortable throughout their stay.

EB5 Capital funded $44 million into the hotel project as a preferred equity investment. The hotel includes 18,000 square feet of event space, a uniquely-themed lounge, a rooftop bar, and a pool, as well as panoramic views of Nashvilles surrounding cityscape. The property was designed to meet demand for the Millennial-age traveler, interested in an updated hospitality experience.

A project opening is an important milestone in the lifecycle of an EB-5 investment, said Patrick Rainey, EB5 Capitals Vice President of Investments. Our project partners have done an amazing job navigating through the current conditions and were looking forward to the Nashville Virgin Hotel becoming a preferred-choice hotel experience in Nashville.

About EB5 Capital

EB5 Capital is a leader in the EB-5 immigrant investor industry, raising over $750 million in foreign capital from investors in more than 65 countries for investment in job-creating real estate projects across the United States. EB5 Capital owns and operates five USCIS-authorized Regional Centers that serve 14 states and the District of Columbia. With a portfolio of 27 projects, EB5 Capital maintains a 100% project approval rate from the USCIS. For more information, visit http://www.eb5capital.com.

Contact:

Ben Carter

(202) 652-2437

media@eb5capital.com
The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested two electoral officers of the Electoral Commission for registering citizens at a non-designated area.



Superintendent Kwabena Otuo Acheampong, Crime Officer at the Northern Regional Police Command, who confirmed the arrest, said "On July 17, 2020 at 0800 hours, the police acting upon intelligence, arrested suspect Mumuni Abilla Yusif, 26, data entry clerk at Kpanshegu Registration cluster in the East Gonja District in the Savannah Region registering voters at Vittin in the Tamale Metropolis."



He said "A search in his room recovered one Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kit."



He added that "Further investigation led to the arrest of a second suspect Mohammad Yushaw Kongsoha, 32 years, who is the registration officer at the Kpanshegu cluster."



He said "At the time of the arrest of the two, 12 persons including; 10 males and two females had been registered on July 17, 2020 between 0704 hours and 0800 hours at Vittin, which is not a designated registration centre."



He said the two suspects were currently at the custody of the police assisting with investigation, adding "After investigation, they will be charged with the appropriate Offences and put before court."

Source: GNA









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

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Malwani police on Friday arrested a 26-year-old Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) student from Pune for allegedly sexually assaulting a Malad nutritionist.

The case was registered on Thursday after the police received an application from the 20-year-old complainant, alleging that the accused had been sexually assaulting her from the past five years on the pretext of marrying her.

The complainant later discovered that the man was in a relationship with another woman. After the nutritionist confronted him, he refused to marry her.

Following her complaint, we registered a first information report against the accused against the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, as the woman was a minor five years ago.

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President Trump can't seem to get the stupid idea of a payroll tax cut out of his head. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

As Congress and the White House focus on crafting another rescue measure for Americans struggling with the coronavirus, the most important question may be:

Can't someone find a way to distract President Trump from his stupid obsession with a payroll tax cut?

We've explained before why a payroll tax cut is always an absurd and harmful idea, never more so than in the current crisis.

It would undermine the finances of Social Security and Medicare while failing to deliver succor to the Americans who need it most.

By pushing to cut off the programs funding stream, President Trump is taking the first step toward dismantling Social Security.

Max Richtman, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare

Trump hasn't been too specific about the cut he demands, but even with a partial reduction in the payroll tax the poorest Americans would receive a few percent of the benefits, and the richest 20% would pocket half to two-thirds of the gains.

Trump has been fixed on this idea virtually since the start of his presidential term. Occasionally he has toyed with the idea of eliminating the payroll tax entirely, which would pile stupidity upon stupidity. Never has he offered a thoughtful, logical rationale for cutting the tax wholly or in part.

That's true of his reported stance in the latest round of talks about a financial rescue for Americans. Trump has signaled that he won't sign a rescue bill without a payroll tax cut.

As for why, all the White House has said about it is that "President Trump wants to provide relief to hardworking Americans who have been impacted by this virus and one way of doing that is with a payroll tax holiday, in the words of White House spokesman Judd Deere. Hes called on Congress to pass this before and he believes it must be part of any phase four package.

Democrats on Capitol Hill are almost certain to treat a payroll tax cut as a nonstarter in negotiations over a rescue package. It isn't a popular idea even among Senate Republicans, who are wisely tetchy about tampering with Social Security in an election year.

Story continues

It's possible that this is just Trumpian blather, and that once a bill is on his desk he'll sign it, payroll tax holiday or not. Let's hope so, and let's explain why.

As we've observed, in all his references to a payroll tax cut, Trump has never shown a sign that he understands the payroll tax, what it's used for, or why as a tool to get cash into the hands of Americans it would be worse than any other option.

As a reminder, the Social Security payroll tax comes to 12.4% of workers' wage income up to an annually adjusted wage cap (this year: $137,700). Half comes directly out of workers' paychecks, and half is paid by employers.

Economists generally attribute the employer portion to employees, on the rather idealistic reasoning that if employers didn't pay it, worker wages would be commensurately higher.

An additional 2.9% of wages is deducted for Medicare, also split 50-50 between worker and employer, with no wage cap.

A payroll tax cut, therefore, would do nothing to help Americans who need the most help. To benefit from the cut, a worker must be paying the payroll tax. Thats not happening for the roughly 32 million Americans who have filed for unemployment benefits in the last few months because of the pandemic, because by definition theyre no longer on a payroll.

The tax cut would have zero benefit for millions of Americans who dont pay into Social Security, including many state and local workers who arent covered by the system and seniors already receiving Social Security benefits, who are no longer paying the tax.

Moreover, even for many workers still receiving paychecks, the tax cut would be relatively trivial. If the payroll tax of 6.2% were to be cut in half, that would give a household collecting $50,000 a year in wages a benefit this year of $1,550, or about $30 a week.

Two-thirds of Trump's payroll tax cut would go to the richest 20% of Americans, with the poorest 40% getting only 6% of the benefit. "EMP" refers to an alternative plan to provide households with targeted lump-sum assistance payments. (Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy)

Households earning the maximum in Social Security-covered wages would receive $4,269, or $82 a week.

Labor economists frown on paycheck-based stimulus because it only gets dribbled into household budgets paycheck by paycheck. They prefer the method of stimulus programs in 2001 and 2008 and the CARES Act enacted in March. The CARES Act gave most American households up to $1,200 per adult and $500 per child, with the sums phased out for higher-income families.

Studies of the earlier stimulus programs found that recipients pumped as much as 90% of the lump sum payments into the economy within three months.

By contrast, paycheck-based programs such as the Obama-era Making Work Pay delivered such small amounts per week or month that many taxpayers weren't even aware they existed. Therefore, the payments barely affected their spending.

Stimulus that is not seen or recognized by individuals is unlikely to affect their sentiment, former Federal Reserve Governor Claudia Sahm observed.

That explains why a payroll tax cut is disdained by economists across the political spectrum. They include Michael R. Strain, director of economic policy studies at the pro-business American Enterprise Institute.

Strain wrote in March  the last time Trump was tub-thumping for a payroll tax cut  that the best way to deliver financial relief was by "sending checks to low-income households in areas with a severe coronavirus outbreak, or who are otherwise economically vulnerable to the virus."

The worst downside to a payroll tax cut is its potential to undermine Social Security. By pushing to cut off the programs funding stream, President Trump is taking the first step toward dismantling Social Security, Max Richtman, chief executive of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, warned in May.

The program will receive nearly 90% of its $1.1 trillion in revenue this year from the payroll tax.

That's a dedicated income stream independent of the U.S. Treasury, which was the point of creating the payroll tax. As happened during the Obama administration, when Republicans last insisted on delivering financial assistance to Americans via a payroll tax cut, the lost revenue would presumably be backstopped by transfers from the Treasury.

But that's a dangerous change, because it would erode Social Security's fiscal independence and make it easier for the program's enemies to cut benefits. Melding Social Security's dedicated income with that of the federal government at large facilitates no ones goals except those who want to see the edifice pulled down.

That includes Trump, who has spoken openly about cutting entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare benefits. Hes echoing threats made by Republicans such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has portrayed Social Security and Medicare as the cause of the federal deficit, even after he enacted a multibillion-dollar tax cut for corporations and the wealthy in 2017.

Need anything more be said? A payroll tax cut has nothing to recommend it, and a multitude of drawbacks. That Trump can't get the idea out of his head may be the best evidence that it makes no sense.
The Congress on Friday demanded that a case be lodged against Bharatiya Jnaata Party leader and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, accusing him of being involved in horse trading of Rajasthan MLAs.

IMAGE: Senior Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, KC Venugopal, Avinash Pandey, Ajay Maken and other leaders with newly during a press conference in Jaipur. Photograph: PTI Photo

The party also suspended rebel MLAs Bhanwarlal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh from the party for allegedly being involved in the conspiracy to topple the government.

All India Congress Committee spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that two audio recordings have surfaced in which the MLA Sharma, union minister Shekhawat and a BJP leader Sanjay Jain are purportedly talking about the "conspiracy" to topple the government.

He demanded an FIR against the three and their arrest.

Surjewala said chief whip Mahesh Joshi has given a complaint to the Special Operation Group for registration of FIR in the matter.

Sharma has, however, denied the allegations.

When the audio tapes surfaced on Thursday, he had termed them as fake and said the voice in it was not his.
Mr. Mellman was active in the community and a frequent presence on The Inquirers society page. He raised money for cultural institutions specializing in music, opera, and the arts. Read more

Leonard Mellman, 96, of Philadelphia, a real estate manager and developer, died Saturday, July 11, of complications from an earlier fall at the Madlyn & Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life in North Wales. He had been convalescing there since early May.

Born in Philadelphia to Morris and Luba L. Mellman, he was educated in the citys public schools.

From 1943 to 1946, Mr. Mellman served in the Army Signal Corps during and after World War II. He trooped across Europe and Japan, setting up telephone relay stations critical to maintaining U.S. Army communications, he said in a 2007 oral history for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.

I know it sounds strange to say this, but it was a wonderful, exciting time, he said. I cant imagine a 19-year-old today having the kind of experiences I had. His time in the military, he told the interviewer, gave me a sense of my value  and the possibilities.

After being discharged, he returned to Philadelphia and enrolled at Temple University, where he earned a 1949 bachelors degree in English under the GI bill.

He took over his fathers general merchandise business, which sold goods on a time-payment basis in North and West Philadelphia. Mr. Mellman used the profits to buy real estate and launched his own real estate development and management company, the L. Mellman Co. in Center City.

Its an interesting young-man-does-well story, said Matthew J. Cunniff, Mr. Mellmans spouse.

At the same time, he was owner and manager of Mellman Investments, starting in 1960; a principal with Joe Blume in the Mellman/Blume Partnership starting in 1979; a partner with Cunniff in the Cunniff Mellman Company starting in 1982; a general partner in Diamond Acres from 1981 to 1986; and the president of Van Pelt Court Limited from 1985 to 1991.

Another company he created in 2000 was Mellman Limited Partnership. He dissolved it in 2013. He retired from the L. Mellman Co. in 1984 and closed the company. His other properties were sold.

A longtime Center City resident, he was active in the community and a frequent presence on The Inquirers society page. He raised money for cultural institutions specializing in music, opera, and the arts.

He was a member of the Philadelphia Board of Realtors and president of the Credit Merchants Association in the early 1970s. He volunteered for the Temple University College of Liberal Arts.

Mr. Mellman received the Philadelphia Award and the Temple University Distinguished Alumni Award, both in 1985.

In 2018, at age 94, he was honored as a distinguished alumnus by the Settlement Music School. He had studied theater at Settlement every Friday night at age 15 and went on to serve as a board member and a school vice president.

Settlement is like another home to me, he told the Jewish Exponent in 2018. It is a world so special that everyone should know it. I have seen [Settlement] as a model for what my life should be like. It has made an unbelievable difference in my life.

Leonard forged a highly successful career in real estate, and in the 1970s came back to [the] Settlement Music School as a board member, the school said in a tribute after his death was made known. His advice and counsel have been extraordinary through the years, as has his personal generosity.

He sat on the board of directors of the Singing City Choir and the Philadelphia Opera Guild. He just adored opera, Cunniff said.

Mr. Mellman met Cunniff in 1965 at a dinner party. They became friends, then partners, and spouses on June 5, 2014, in Philadelphia. The two enjoyed traveling to the places Mr. Mellman hadnt seen during World War II.

We went back to places he couldnt get to  Paris, Munich, Rome, Cunniff said. Wed rent a car and go into the countryside, and then back to the capital city. It was a way to get to know the people and the culture.

Besides his spouse, Mr. Mellman is survived by three sisters, two brothers, three nieces, and two nephews.

Services and interment were private.

Donations may be made to the Settlement Music School via https://settlementmusic.org/.
Join the new Facebook group, the Ford/GM/Chrysler Rank-and-File Safety Committee Network. For help starting a rank-and-file safety committee at your factory, send an email to the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter at autoworkers@wsws.org to learn more.

Fiat Chrysler, the corporate media and the United Auto Workers are continuing their cover-up the surge of COVID-19 cases at the Toledo North Assembly Complex in northwest Ohio and other auto factories across the US. So far, 40 cases have been reported at the Toledo facility, which builds several lines of Jeep brand vehicles, but the real number is likely much larger.

On Wednesday, the newly formed Toledo Jeep Rank-and-File Safety Committee issued a statement denouncing the cover-up of the spread of COVID-19 in the plant and called for full reporting and disclosure. In the face of the dire situation confronting the nearly 7,000 workers at the giant facility, the committee demanded, The Toledo Assembly Complex MUST be shut down and all employees that wish to be tested, must be tested for free. Nobody is to return to work until all test results have come in. Just testing potential cases is unsafe and still poses a threat to the safety of others.

Anger is mounting over the concealing of information, managements flouting of elementary health and sanitation precautions and the targeting of workers who raise concerns. Workers writing in to the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter describe flagrant violations of minimal standards.

Toledo North Assembly Plant

I want to remain anonymous as speaking out publicly is grounds for termination! wrote one Jeep worker. There is no cleaning being done. We are constantly on top of each other thru out the day! There is no way we can stay 6 feet apart. Trash bins are full from previous shift everyday. Floors are dirty, hand rails are dirty, and the only place they keep clean is the bathroom. FCA makes us clean Hazmat when we are not properly trained nor have proper PPE to clean Hazmat nor are there any Hazmat disposal bins anywhere in sight.

Another Toledo worker added, Workers on the line are told not to disclose information about new cases. After a case was discovered, they didnt shut down, they didnt deep clean, they just stopped the line to find a replacement and then ran production.

Im fairly certain that coming in contact with someone infected results in a two-week self isolation quarantine which is paid. So, I surmise theyre doing everything they can, they as in corporate and our union steward, to make sure we all dont self-quarantine because they would not be able to run. They do not care about our health, safety, nor do they care about the safety of our families. The only thing Ive noticed is that theyve done everything they can to make this place run 10-hour shifts, six days a week while not being held legally liable if anyone gets sick or dies from COVID here. Most despicable thing Ive ever witnessed.

Since the pandemic, there has been mass absenteeism at the Toledo Jeep plant as workers stay home out of fear of contracting the virus at work. FCA, with the assistance of the UAW, has been making up the manpower shortage through the intensified exploitation of temporary workers, who must come in when called or face immediate termination.

In the face of mounting worker anger over the violation of health and safety, the Detroit News published an article Thursday entitled Workers seek answers about their rights as pandemic rages on. Evidently aimed at damage control, it related statements from concerned workers and quoted self-serving comments by Fiat Chrysler and UAW officials.

The article began by noting rising disquiet among workers at different workplaces over the forced return to work and the lack of basic safety measures and accountability by employers. It notes that the supposed federal safety watchdog, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has no COVID-19 guidelines and is basically allowing companies to self-regulate. Despite OSHA and its state affiliates receiving more than 20,000 COVID-19-related complaints from workers, they have reportedly issued only one citation.

The Detroit News quotes FCA management, which makes the absurd claim that Since restarting our operations, we have not had any spread of the virus in our plants. It also quotes UAW Local 12 President Bruce Baumhower at the Toledo North plant, who noted passively regarding conditions at the plant, Its the hand we were dealt. In fact, the UAW has acted as an attorney and enforcer for management in herding workers back into the auto plants under blatantly unsafe conditions.

In a comment to a local news outlet earlier in the week, Baumhower said that workers could strike over safety. He added, It may come to that if the company doesnt turn things around.

This is empty bluster aimed at fooling workers. As autoworkers know, the bought-and-paid-for stooges in the UAW leadership are in the pockets of management and have no intention of waging any struggle on behalf of workers. The UAW is also facing a federal takeover due to widespread corruption, giving the union bureaucrats even more incentive to collaborate in the Trump administrations homicidal back-to-work campaign.

Who the UAW and management consider the real enemy was alluded to in the Detroit News piece, which quotes UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg, who declares, Some of the information being spread by social media is not based in fact. He added, Rumors persist, and daily we try to clarify for members and the media the facts. He said the union was committed to continuing to find the best way to communicate factuallyincluding some plants where positive case updates are posted each day in the plant.

He does not name the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, but that is the clear target. The reports by the Autoworker Newsletter are widely read in the factories and provide timely information about conditions that are being covered up by the UAW and management. Most importantly, the call by the Autoworker Newsletter for workers to build rank-and-file safety committees, independently of the UAW, to enforce safe working conditions, is being taken up by increasing numbers of workers.

The shutdown of the auto industry in mid-March was due to the initiative of rank-and-file workers in opposition to the UAW. FCA workers in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Windsor, Canada, including Toledo Jeep workers, carried out a wave of unauthorized work stoppages, forcing the closure of the industry. The plants were reopened, with the assistance of the UAW, two months ago and anger is reaching a breaking point over unsafe conditions.

If someone comes to work who tests positive and we come into contact with them, we should all be isolated, a member of the Toledo Jeep Rank-and-File Safety Committee declared. We are being extorted to work in unsafe conditions. The union is just there to relay instructions from management and collect union dues.

If you go get tested, they just leave you off work for a while said a younger Jeep worker. I have kids to feed. It is not like people are trying to get out of work. They just want to be safe.

They are forcing us to work 10-hour days, yet they canceled our sick days in the last contract. We never even got a physical contract. We cant take pick days; we cant take vacations. But the union is fine with it. Workers are the ones catching it, people are throwing up and passing out at work. They are violating the law, but they know they are not going to get in trouble.

Another Jeep worker wrote, The UAW has given up our ability to even have time out of this place with our family who Im afraid of infecting with COVID every time I come home. Everyone has been getting a raw deal here for a long time and the UAW is more company than the company.

These conditions are being replicated in plant after plant across North America. Six workers have reportedly died from COVID-19 at the General Motors Silao assembly complex in Mexico, which produces GMs highly profitable pickup trucks along with the Fort Wayne, Indiana and Flint, Michigan plants. More workers have been infected.

On Thursday, workers reported on Facebook that production was temporarily halted at the Dana Corporation in Toledo that supplies axles for Jeep vehicles after a worker tested positive. Workers at another parts supplier, Faurecia, that operates a plant in Toledo building exhaust systems for Detroit automakers, report that the UAW is trying to suppress opposition to unsafe conditions. There is no social distancing here at all, one worker told the WSWS. There is nothing protecting us but masks. Some are working 7/12s (7 days, 12 hours) ever since COVID started. People are exhausted, fatigued. They are not giving us answers. They just tell us there are no positive cases, but they wont back it up at all. They wont even tell us who has been exposed. Its all about the money.

A worker at Ford Sterling Axle north of Detroit said, So far there have been 2 cases in the last 2 weeks. They only close the department for about a half hour to have the company DFM go in and spray down the department and they go back to work.

On the other hand, management is cracking down hard on people not wearing their company-provided mask properly. On the days its 95 degrees outside it feels like 115 degrees inside. They provide us with water but it makes it very hard to breathe in those masks when its so hot.

A worker with family at the FCA Warren Truck plant north of Detroit wrote to the Autoworker Newsletter, It is extremely hot in the plant, over 110 degrees... The plant Does Not have air conditioning... Having to wear the mask the entire 10-12 hours is very unhealthy. My son has stressed his concerns to HR regarding the unhealthy issue, as well as other workers... There needs to be an Immediate Resolution.

These statements express the growing anger and determination of workers throughout the auto industry and beyond. The Autoworker Newsletter urges workers to follow the example of the workers at Jefferson North, Sterling Heights Assembly and Toledo Jeep and organize rank-and-file safety committees in their workplaces. Only the independent initiative and organization of workers can protect health and safety under conditions of the mad corporate drive for more and more production. Workers must insist that their right to healthy and safe working conditions take precedence over corporate profit.


CUPERTINO (dpa-AFX) - Apple said that it will open the new Apple Sanlitun store on Friday in China. It is located in the Taikoo Li mall in Beijing and will replace the company's first store in China.



The new store is adjacent to the original store and is twice the size of the original store.



The company stated that the new store features many of its latest retail design updates, including a Forum, Viewing Gallery, and Boardroom. The Forum will be the future home for Today at Apple, where the store will host some of Beijing's artists, musicians, and creatives who will showcase and teach their process.



Local businesses and entrepreneurs can get personal advice and guidance from the Apple team in the store's Boardroom, the company said.



Apple Sanlitun also features the company's first integrated solar array in a retail store in China. The solar array will provide renewable energy to the store like the rest of Apple's facilities worldwide.



The company said it is supporting enough clean energy in China to power more than 450,000 homes each year.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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A 34-year-old Allentown man was arrested Thursday afternoon several months after he stabbed two people, city police report.

Kareem Green was arraigned before District Judge Patricia M. Engler on two counts of aggravated assault and in a separate case on one count of escape and bail was set at $50,000 in each case, records show. He was housed in Lehigh County Jail pending a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled 8:30 a.m. next Thursday before District Judge Karen C. Devine, records show.

Police at 1:26 a.m. Jan. 26 responded to a stabbing report in the 400 block of North Seventh Street and found a 33-year-old woman suffering from serious injuries, consistent with being stabbed multiple times, according to a news release. She was taken to an area hospital, police said.

A short time later, a second victim, a 40-year-old male, arrived at an area hospital, as he had also sustained serious injuries as a result of the same stabbing incident, a news release stated.

Green was quickly identified as the suspect through the investigation, according to police.

The city police Criminal Investigations Division learned where Green was on Thursday and he was arrested on a warrant in the 2000 block of West Fairmount Street, a news release said.

South Whitehall Township police, the Lehigh County Municipal Emergency Response Team and the Lehigh County District Attorneys Office assisted in the arrest, police said.

The Lehigh County Public Defenders Office will represent Green, but a specific attorney wasnt yet listed in court papers.

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.
Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media

FAIRFIELD  Concerns about overcrowded beaches prompted town officials to announce Friday that the beaches would be closed to non-residents this weekend, and for weekends going forward, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick said the decision was made after recurring overcrowding at the beaches and dangerous traffic backups in the beach area neighborhoods.
Jessica Gomes was all smiles during a beach outing with friends in Malibu in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The 35-year-old Australian model showed off her incredible figure in a stylish hot pink bikini.

Grinning as she ran through the shallows of the water, Jessica flaunted her enviable curves in the lace bikini top and briefs, which featured a lace waistband.

Beach babe: Jessica Gomes was all smiles during a beach outing with friends in Malibu in Los Angeles on Thursday

Her long raven-coloured hair was worn loose, and she accessorised with black cat-eye sunglasses and gold hoop earrings.

After emerging from the ocean, Jessica walked back along the beach to where her belongings were.

She then knelt down on her blue and white beach towel and adjusted her bikini top.

Flaunting it: The 35-year-old Australian model showed off her incredible figure in a stylish hot pink bikini

In an interview with Daily Mail Australia in August 2018, Jessica spoke about the pressure to stay thin in the modelling industry.

But she said she'd learnt not to worry about the opinions of others.

'I think it's about how you feel about yourself and you can't really worry about what anyone else thinks. I think that's the way to keep yourself happy,' she said at the time.

Keeping abreast of the situation: After walking back along the beach, Jessica then knelt down on her blue and white beach towel and adjusted her bikini top

She added: 'Everyone is always going to have an opinion, but I think it's the way you feel about yourself and so that's kind of been my motto.'

Jessica said the most important thing was that she was taking care of herself.

'If I feel good and I know I'm doing well in my life, and I'm looking after myself, then that's all that matters. I don't really feel the pressure,' she added.
kitten

Once again, I am here to talk to you about video game doppelgangers. Will a random nobody user come out of the woodwork to complain and disappear again? Stay tuned!I actually really like Mott and wish he was my jock in my town. But sweetie, I'm sorry, you look likeHe also reminds me of a Mii character. Do you think Nintendo has proprietary software that just is the Mii character designer, but for AC villagers?Space Dandy rat Moose looks like White House Aspirations rat. Hey, I spelled his name correctly the first try, AND didn't pick a picture where he was losing his hair. That's my good deed for the day.I actually quite like bothand Canberra, who moved into my town recently. Even her weird thousand-yard stare.Here's Kidd, and here's Woody Allen's muse I mean. It's the floppy hair and the stark jawline of the goats that gets it. Also, you can get a suitjacket the color of Timtam's in game.I tried really hard to see ifwould look like acat. He didn't. He looks like Billy. Arguably, Billy has more mouth.Homework for you - I looked a several pictures and have a nagging feeling there's a villager who looks like Ariana Grande. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to find out who exactly does?src:nintendo, nookipedia, these people's hunger for fame that made them worldwide names with pubically avaiable pictures.Also pictures that are free to use on Bing.
100 years ago

Night of thievery

Thieves were busy in Albany on Sunday, hitting three different businesses and stealing nearly $550 [Ed. note: That's more than $7,000 in 2020 dollars.] in cash and merchandise combined from the establishments. Brothers Thomas and Hong Lee, who ran a laundromat at 29 1/2 Clinton Ave., placed $300 in cash and $100 in coins in the inside pocket of a coat and hid it behind a curtain in a rear room, along with $112 in cash stuffed into a couch mattress in the same room, before leaving for their usual downtown deliveries. When they returned, they found the place had been entered by breaking a window, ransacked, and that all the money had been located and taken. Herman Feinman reported to police that his Lark Street grocery store had been entered in the middle of the night by robbers breaking a screen door in the cellar and ascending through a trap door in the floor, where they took $10 in small coins from the cash register. At roughly the same time, Ralph Cerrone's Market Street grocery store was broken into by thieves who made off with $6.50 from the cash register, along with a can of peaches, two dozen oranges, a box of cigars and three dozen packs of cigarettes, all valued at $17.

 Times Union, July 18, 1920

50 years ago

Firefighters ask for big raise

A 33 percent wage increase was proposed by Albany firemen after nearly six weeks of negotiation. It would bring the starting salary of a fireman from $6,800 to $9,044. Assistant corporation counsel Robert Lyman said the proposal gave the city the "whole picture" of all the economic and non-economic wants of the Albany Permanent Professional Firefighters Association and "It was now a question of sitting down and determining the economic impact on the city." The firemen's proposal came one day after the city announced a $1,000 across the board pay raise for policemen. William Rodgers, APPFA attorney, said he was not at liberty to discuss details but said the increase "would not be out of line with what firemen in other cities were currently getting."

 Times Union, July 18, 1970

Looking Back is compiled by C.J. Lais Jr. and Azra Haqqie.
PORTLAND, Ore. - City officials on Friday demanded the Trump administration remove what they called a heavy-handed army of federal agents who have been grabbing protesters off the streets - tactics that federal officials defended as legal and necessary to quell ongoing unrest.

The fight between the White House and the left-leaning city government intensified Friday amid videos and firsthand accounts of mysterious federal agents driving around in unmarked rental minivans and detaining protesters.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler referred to the federal agents as Trump's "personal army" and said they should leave the city.

"This is part of a coordinated strategy of Trump's White House to use federal troops to bolster his sagging polling data, and it is an absolute abuse of federal law enforcement officials," Wheeler said. "As we were starting to see things de-escalate, their actions last Saturday night and every night since have actually ratcheted up the tension on our streets."

Portland, a city with a long history of clashes between protesters and law enforcement, has been gripped for roughly 50 days by unrest since the death of George Floyd after he was arrested by police in Minneapolis. While other cities saw flashes of such conflict, Portland's clashes have been more intense and persistent.

Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf traveled to Portland this week to supervise the federal actions there, and he sharply criticized local law enforcement for not getting tough with "violent anarchists."

Wolf told Fox News on Thursday night that he offered law enforcement assistance to the mayor and local leaders but was asked to "pack up and go home," which he said is "just not going to happen on my watch."

He accused local leaders of "fostering an environment that continues to breed this type of lawlessness."

One widely shared video showed two men in military garb on the street at night taking a young man wearing all black into custody. On the video, the two agents do not answer shouted questions before putting the suspect into an unmarked minivan and driving away.

On Friday, Customs and Border Protection issued a statement taking responsibility for the apprehension and asserting its agents were wearing gear that identified them as CBP personnel.

CBP agents went after that individual because they suspected he was involved in "assaults against federal agents or destruction of federal property," the statement said. "Once CBP agents approached the suspect, a large and violent mob moved towards their location. For everyone's safety, CBP agents quickly moved the suspect to a safer location for further questioning."

The agency insisted the CBP agents identified themselves and were wearing CBP insignia during the apprehension.

One protester, 29-year-old Mark Pettibone, described being grabbed by several men in green military fatigues and generic "police" patches on their clothing in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Pettibone said he did not know whether the men were police or far-right extremists, who frequently don militarylike outfits and harass left-leaning protesters in Portland.

"I was terrified," Pettibone said in an interview. "It seemed like it was out of a horror/sci-fi, like a Philip K. Dick novel. It was like being preyed upon."

Pettibone was taken to the city's federal courthouse and placed in a holding cell. Two agents eventually read him his Miranda rights and asked if he would waive those rights to answer questions. He declined and the agents let him go. The federal agents who detained him did not tell him why he was being held or provide any record of an arrest, he said.

The federal law enforcement response in Portland has prompted a debate among current and former law enforcement officials about whether DHS and Justice Department law enforcement agencies are being misused by the Trump administration.

"The idea that they are leaving the perimeter of that federal property and going out in the streets of Portland gives me a lot of personal angst about their concept of policing in general," said David Gomez, a former FBI official. "Policing is essentially a contract with the community. That's why a lot of these communities are erupting, because they feel the police have effectively violated the contract. When you have the federal government coming in there, acting as state police, you're effectively pushing the community away."

CBP's acting commissioner, Mark Morgan, tweeted Friday that his agents are not hiding their affiliation and are "clearly marked as federal (law enforcement officers) & have unique identifiers."

The incident and others like it have sparked widespread criticism of the DHS, particularly after an unidentified federal agent outside the courthouse fired a nonlethal round into a protester's face over the weekend. That protester was badly injured and suffered facial bone fractures.

Oregon's U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici, all Democrats, asked the Department of Justice and DHS inspectors general to investigate what they called "the unrequested presence and violent actions of federal forces in Portland." The U.S. attorney for the District of Oregon, Billy Williams, said he had referred the shooting of the protester to the IG in the Department of Justice.

A Marshals spokeswoman said Friday that it was not involved in the arrests and apprehensions described by Pettibone and others, adding that its agents always wear identifying insignia. However, nearly a week after the event, Marshals officials still will not say if the person who fired the impact munition into the protester's face was one of their employees.

"It's painfully clear this administration is focused purely on escalating violence without answering my repeated requests for why this expeditionary force is in Portland and under what constitutional authority," said Wyden.

Blumenauer, who represents part of Portland, said the "jarring reports of federal law enforcement officers grabbing peaceful protesters off the street should alarm every single American. This is not the way a government operates in a functioning democracy."

Civil liberties advocates said they will keep fighting in court against the use of federal agents to police the streets of Portland.

"The Trump administration has added escalation on top of escalation in our community," said Kelly Simon, the interim legal director of the ACLU of Oregon. "We won't stand for it, and we will see them in court more than once in the near future."

Jo Ann Hardesty, a Portland city commissioner, said in a statement that she was proudly "among the loud chorus of elected officials calling for the federal troops in Portland's streets to go home."

She said their presence "has escalated tensions and put countless Portlanders exercising their First Amendment Rights in greater danger."

Hardesty also called for the Portland police "to immediately disengage in any coordination or collaboration with the federal officers," saying they should not be "a subsidiary of [Trump's] federal forces."

The police bureau did not respond to a message seeking comment Friday about its involvement in the federal response and if its officers had any role in the detention or questioning of anyone by federal officials.

Portland has a history of disagreement with federal law enforcement; the city council has voted to pull its police detectives out of the FBI's joint terrorism task force, out of concerns about the civil rights of Muslim residents.

An FBI spokeswoman said the agency is not responsible for crowd control, and she declined to say whether it is investigating any actions of law enforcement surrounding the unrest.
(Natural News) Not only has mainstream media been corrupt, dating back to Vietnam and that horrific misinformation campaign, but todays MSM has gone off the deep end, completely blacklisting any news about anything that doesnt fit their narrative and hasnt fit for the last decade. Obama made sure of that. From mass shootings at schools to day-of-birth abortions, the Left loves gore and their demented sacrificial lambs, but when it comes to Americans defending liberty or childrens health, mums the word across all media outlets, including TV, newspapers, most websites, and of course, all of social media. Theyll plaster mass-propaganda everywhere about wearing covid masks, but theyre all still for open borders, where millions of immigrants pour into America with every disease, virus and bacterial infection that terrifies all the crazy leftists.

Bad Food, Corrupt Medicine, Gun Control, Gender Fluidity and a Fake Race War

Mainstream media will plaster close-up video footage of crime scenes that fit their narrative, that usually being gun control, race-baiting, gender fluidity, and social justice warrior cry-bully themes, but theyll bury video footage that counters their narrative, never to speak of it again. Its a simple formula. Just script out want you want Americans to believe, then create news (think staged events, some real, some not) that support that agenda.

Think about it. Theres really no race war going on in America. That ended decades ago. Everybody has every right to work hard, own a home, eat healthy, use natural medicine, and take care of children  or not. You can travel freely and start your own business too, doesnt matter if youre white, black, brown, orange (orange man bad) or blue.

And that, my friends, brings us to the

Top 10 stories youll NEVER see again in American mainstream news

#1. Heroic cops  Nope, no more coverage of a police officer saving a kid, or an old lady, or helping someone ward off attackers, just All cops bad. All cops racist. No good cops. Defund all cops. Defund Ice  you get the picture.

#2. Illegal immigrants test positive for Covid-19 (or any other disease for that matter)  Thats right, theres no such thing as an illegal immigrant (easy Democrat voter) who has measles, lice, tuberculosis, Hep B, coronavirus, the flu. Nope, theyre all perfectly healthy so all news about them is glorious.

#3. Black Americans who support Donald Trump  Any Black American who supports our current president is called a coon or an Uncle Tom negro by all Leftist Blacks. Period.

#4. Donald Trump does something good  Even if the POTUS pulled a drowning boy out of the ocean today and saved his life, the CNN headline would be Trump may have dislocated boys shoulder while rough-housing in ocean.

#5. Donald Trump is winning in the polls  Even after they all lied through their teeth and said Hillary was a slam dunk and winning in the polls by 20 percent, she lost. Did we all forget already? Now they say Trump is behind Biden. Way behind, but Biden is senile and it shows more every day.

#6. Negative coverage about Muslim or Islamic terrorists  If a white dude blows something or somebody up, its all over US news for weeks: White supremacist terrorist  or Race war heats up   but if a Muslim or Islamic person does it  silence.

#7. Black Lives Matter rioters burn, loot, rape, murder  this is all called peaceful protesting (and block out all video footage of it), but when gun rights activist peacefully protest in town square or at the capital, send in the paid Antifa goons and call it riots and white-supremacist Nazi rallies.

#8. Law-abiding citizen with legal carry prevents mass shooting catastrophe  Any mass shooting happens in America and the media and the Democrat leaders go wild, calling for gun control! Yet, if a mass shooter psychopath gets gunned down during his tirade by a legally armed citizen or off-duty cop, that coverage is nowhere to be found, at all.

#9. Coverage of small businesses doing well  The new era of involuntary socialism is here. Wear your mask, social distance, and only purchase goods and services from huge corporations that want to crush America and turn it into a communist nightmare, like Venezuela.

#10. Anything positive about religion  Democrats are demons, so they despise God and any symbol or mention of Him. God bless America. In God we Trust.

Tune your internet dial to Trump.news for updates on the psychotic left trying their best to take away our second amendment rights while twisting, modifying and faking the news cycle. According to the Left now, being patriotic is being racist and terrorist. Yes, its come to that.

Sources for this article include:

Trump.news

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
The Rev. C.T. Vivian, an early civil rights organizer and field general for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his Southern Christian Leadership Conference in the historic struggle for racial justice a half-century ago, died on Friday at his home in Atlanta. He was 95.

Two of his daughters, Kira Vivian and Denise Morse, confirmed the death. Ms. Morse said he had been in hospice care.

In a nation trying to come to grips with racial inequality in the 1960s, Mr. Vivian was a paladin of nonviolence on the front lines of bloody confrontations. He led passive protesters through shrieking white mobs and, with discipline and endurance, absorbed the blows of segregationists and complicit law enforcement officials across the South.

Mr. Vivian was a Baptist minister and a member of Dr. Kings inner circle of advisers, alongside the Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, the Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker, the Rev. Ralph Abernathy and other civil rights luminaries. He was the national director of some 85 local affiliate chapters of the S.C.L.C. from 1963 to 1966, directing protest activities and training in nonviolence as well as coordinating voter registration and community development projects.
The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services has resolved to approach President Muhammadu Buhari and the Niger...

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services has resolved to approach President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) on the need to fix a date for the 2020 West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).





Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo), the Chairman of the Committee, expressed the resolution at the committee meeting with stakeholders in the education sector on Thursday in Abuja.





He said there was a need for stakeholders to be on the same page and to commence diplomatic efforts to get the other countries in the region on Nigerias side concerning the yet-to-be agreed examination date.





Ihonvbere said, In the interest of the 1.6 million candidates that registered for the exams, there was a need to agree on a date for the regional examination as time was running out for the country.





On his part, the Head of WAEC National Office in Nigeria, Mr Patrick Areghan, told the committee that it required time to print question papers and that other convoluted logistic considerations might come into play.





He explained that Ghana had wanted to have the examination in June because it is an election year in the country, but shelved it because of Nigeria.





Areghan added that it took a presidential directive for The Gambia to shelve its desire to have the examination before now.





Nigeria should decide if it wants to give its candidates a COVID-19 exam certificate or a WAEC certificate in concert with the other countries.





Getting parents to pay another set of fees might be difficult if the September date is missed; if the November option is considered, someone has to pick the bills, he said. Getting parents to pay another set of fees might be difficult if the September date is missed; if the November option is considered, someone has to pick the bills, he said.





Julius Ihonvbere had last week questioned the new directive of the Federal Government on West Africa Examination Council (WAEC).








Demonstrators attend a rally to show support for Hong Kong pro-democracy protests at Free Square in Taipei on June 13, 2020. (SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images)

Hong Kong Government Demanded Taiwan Officials Sign One China Document for Visa Renewal: Sources

TAIPEITaiwanese officials in Hong Kong have been told their visas will not be renewed unless they sign a document supporting Beijings claim to Taiwan under its one China policy, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The move comes after Taipei criticized a new security law imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing, and opened an office in Taipei this month to help people who may want to leave the Asian financial center.

The news was first reported by Taiwan online publication Up Media.

In a statement to Reuters, the Mainland Affairs Council urged Hong Kong to return to existing consensus to maintain normal exchanges between Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong should follow mutual agreements to ensure the office is free from political interference, and should not establish unnecessary obstacles beyond those agreements, it said.

Several Taiwanese officials at the island states de-facto Hong Kong consulate who were due to renew their visas have been asked by the citys government to sign the document, a senior Taiwan official told Reuters.

The official said the move was unprecedented.

They wont issue the visa if we dont sign the document, the official said, declining to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. Its entirely a problem created by them.

We will try our best to defend our stance. Our representatives in Hong Kong will hold fast to their position.

The Hong Kong Immigration Department said it would not comment on individual cases, but added that it acts in accordance with the relevant laws and policies when handling each application.

Taiwan has 15 Taiwanese staff at its de-facto consulate in the city, another person with knowledge of the matter said.

China sees Taiwan as part of one China and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

China has proposed that Taiwan be brought under Chinese rule under a similar one country, two systems arrangement it offered to Hong Kong. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen rejects the proposal, which she calls a failure.

The source declined to say exactly how many Taiwan officials were asked to sign the paper but said its acting chief, Kao Ming-tsun, had returned to the island late on Thursday after he refused to sign the document upon his visa renewal.

Reuters was not immediately able to reach Kao for comment.

Taiwan announced this week it will enhance scrutiny over investment from Hong Kong to prevent illicit money from mainland China, days after Reuters reported the move.

Hong Kong has long served as an important trade and investment conduit between Taiwan and China.

Hong Kongs new security law punishes what China broadly defines as subversion, secession, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

Critics of the law fear it will crush the wide-ranging freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

By Yimou Lee. The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
A week after a 13-year-old boy was accused of fatally shooting his 9-year-old brother, the boys parents have been charged with felony child endangerment.

The teen, charged with criminal homicide, is being held at a juvenile facility, following an agreement between the Franklin County District Attorney, police and defense.

His parents, Waynesboro couple Mark Snyder and Stacey Renee Wright-Snyder, kept a loaded gun in the center console of the family couch, as a protective measure.

But that was the gun that their older son used to shoot his 9-year-old brother in the head when he got frustrated that the younger boy wouldnt play cops and robbers with him, police say

The Waynesboro couple was charged two felony counts each of endangering the welfare of children. They were arraigned Friday afternoon.

Snyder-Wright is being held at Franklin County Jail on $75,000 bail. Bail for Mark Snyder was set at $100,000.

Preliminary hearings for both are scheduled for July 27.

If this case happened just three years earlier, both parents might only be facing a misdemeanor.

Three years ago, the child endangerment statute was changed to increase penalties for parents whose alleged negligence resulted in the serious injury or death of a child.

The amendment was written in part by Franklin County District Attorney Matt Fogal, following a case nearly 10 years ago in which a child fatally injured an infant.

In that case, a 9-year-old threw an infant, Heath Ryder, against the wall while they were at a Southampton Township daycare in 2010, causing a fatal injury, police said at the time. Only an 8-year-old witnessed the crime, with the only adult in the house absent at the time of the assault.

The girl was charged with murder in 2011 but kept in the juvenile system. Due to the confidential nature of juvenile cases, it has never been public what happened to her.

The adult who was missing but in charge at the time, 56-year-old Dottie Bowers, told investigators she noticed something was off with the infant, but didnt call 911 until she the mother arrived nearly an hour later.

Bowers was convicted of one count of misdemeanor child endangerment, was placed in Franklin County Jail for what was supposed to be a minimum of 6 months on April 18, 2012, then granted parole on Aug. 20, 2012, according to online court dockets. She was then on probation for 3 years, fully satisfying her penalty in 2015.

At the time of Bowers sentencing, Ryders parents said they felt justice had been served.

But in the time since then, the family worked with Fogal and local legislatures to create a bill that ensured that serious child endangerment was worth more than a misdemeanor.

Without a single negative vote from the Pa. House or Senate, the amendment was signed into law in June of 2017.

The new language for Pennsylvanias endanger the welfare of a child statute now says that there are a couple of situations in which child endangerment, normally a misdemeanor, can be prosecuted as a second- or third-degree felony.

The law increases the punishment for the third-degree felony to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine. That increases to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 for the second-degree felony.

At the time of the bills signing, Gov. Tom Wolf said it is a recognition that theres no more important job that we can do here to make sure were protecting our children. Protecting them from abuse, mistreatment and to ensure that everybody who endangers our children gets the full punishment to the fullest extent of the law.

Read more on PennLive:
Selfish, inconsiderate germ-spreaders are a big reason why the coronavirus pandemic has been getting worse. It turns out that anti-mask sociopaths were a problem during the 1918-1919 pandemic, too. The Anti-Mask League of San Francisco was formed during the time of Spanish Flu to protest mask requirements in the city.

From Wikipedia:

Although there were some complaints from citizens during the initial period of mask-wearing, the new ordinance in 1919 galvanized more serious opposition and the Anti-Mask League was formed. Members of the league included physicians, citizens, civil libertarians, and at least one member of the Board of Supervisors. An estimated 4,0005,000 citizens attended the meeting on January 25. Some members of the league wanted to collect signatures on a petition to end the mask requirement, while others wanted to initiate recall procedures for the city health officer. Members of the anti-mask league also agitated for San Francisco Mayor James Rolph, Jr., to resign if he did not repeal the ordinance. The president of the League, suffragette, attorney, and labor rights activist Mrs. E.C. Harrington, was a fierce critic of the mayor, and it has been suggested that the anti-mask league protests were politically motivated. The debate was heated. Some objections to the ordinance were based on questions of scientific data while others considered the requirement to infringe on civil liberties

In addition to complaints from the Anti-Mask League, some health officers from other cities also contended that masks were not necessary. The San Francisco city health officer criticized the secretary of the state's Board of Health for questioning the efficacy of masks, saying "The attitude of the state board is encouraging the Anti-Mask League."

On January 27, the league presented a petition, signed by Mrs. E. C. Harrington as president, to the city's Board of Supervisors, requesting a repeal of the mask ordinance. Newspapers across the world took note of the protesting organization. San Francisco lifted the mask requirement effective February 1, 1919, on the recommendation of the Board of Health.

According to medical historians, the decline in deaths from influenza in San Francisco can be partly attributed to the mandatory mask-wearing policies.
Its no accident that University of Alabama professor Emily Elliott worked some practical information about rip tides into a marine geology class she recently taught for the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. But it was still a surprise to see it have real-world results.

Elliott recently heard from one of her students, Shelby Hatchett, that the lesson had helped her resolve a potentially disastrous situation on July 4 in the Panama City Beach area.

As Hatchett tells it, she and her family had gone out to the beach, and as she looked at it she remembered some guidance from Elliotts class. We were actually talking about the geology of the bottom, the sea floor, how it affects waves and currents, she said.

I remember pointing out to my family, there was a potential [for a rip current], she said. She shared the common advice, which is that people caught in a rip current should swim parallel to the shore to escape it rather than fighting its powerful flow directly.

Red flags were flying, but some people were swimming anyway. A while later, the family noticed a swimmer waving his arms and yelling. All of a sudden, Mom was like, Why is that dude acting like that? said Hatchett, wholl soon begin her senior year at the University of Alabama.

As Hatchett approached the teenager, she found that he wasnt in distress himself. But he couldnt speak English and he was trying to draw attention to someone who was.

I saw this guy bobbing, way far out, she said. She swam partway to him and began yelling at him to swim along the shoreline. By the time he made it in he was complaining of leg cramps and exhaustion. Friends had to help him walk back to their spot on the shore. And that was the end of it: No authorities got involved, and Hatchett and the almost-victim never exchanged names or followed up.

Hatchett didnt publicize it, other than to share it with Elliott, who shared it with other students and Sea Lab staff, who thought it was a lesson that might be of public interest. Elliott, for her part, finds it completely credible: She described Hatchett as one of the most diligent students Ive ever had in a class.

Elliott said she has a couple of reasons for sneaking advice on how to spot and recognize rip currents into a class. The first is that as a former lifeguard in high school and college, and someone who still enjoys surfing, its on her mind.

While attending graduate school in North Carolina, she said, she and friends were out surfing when they saw two children who were farther out from the beach than they should have been. Sure enough, they had gotten caught in a rip, she said.

With surfing, we love rip currents because it takes us right out, she said. But shes seen firsthand how scary they can be for swimmers, and how fast they can carry people away from shore.

The second is that she likes for her classes to have a practical side even for students who wont be pursuing careers in marine geology. My hope is students can gain an understanding and appreciation for the world around them, she said. I do feel really passionate about trying to help students understand real-world conditions.

To her, that makes it natural to throw in a few words about how to survive a rip current, when talking about how shorelines can create them.

The irony here is that Elliott and Hatchett both were supposed to be at the sea lab for that lesson during a short early summer semester in June. Elliott, an adjunct faculty member and a research scientist at UA, normally would have spent the month on the island.

The COVID-19 epidemic shut down those plans and turned it into a virtual lesson.

Its super-random that I was taking the class, said Hatchett, whos about to begin her senior year at Alabama and who plans to become a dentist. I never thought Id be getting a life lesson out of the screen.

For Elliott there was nothing virtual about the payoff.

When I got that message from Shelby, I couldnt be more proud, said Elliott. I was excited that she could recognize where there was a likely rip current.

Theres a lot more we can do in this world than we often think about, she said.
Presidential Message on the 75th Anniversary of the Trinity Nuclear Test

July 16, 2020

Seventy-five years ago today, on a rainy morning in the Jornada del Muerto desert of New Mexico, the United States ushered in the nuclear age with the detonation of the world's first nuclear explosive devicean event code-named "Trinity." This remarkable feat of engineering and scientific ingenuity was the culmination of the Manhattan Project, which helped end World War II and launch an unprecedented era of global stability, scientific innovation, and economic prosperity.

After Trinity, nuclear testing conducted by the United States laid the groundwork to maintain our stockpile and further our ability to understand and prevent nuclear threats around the world. Since 1992, we have observed a moratorium on such testing and have relied on the scientific and technological expertise of our weapons complex to ensure our deterrent is safe, secure, and effective. True to our word, we maintain our moratorium, although Russia has conducted nuclear weapons experiments that produce nuclear yield, and despite concerns that China has done the same.

Our nuclear deterrent has also greatly benefitted our Nation and our allies around the world, even as they have adhered to their nonproliferation commitments. Nuclear deterrence and nonproliferation work together to further global security. Our nuclear weapons continue to underwrite American national security and are the backstop of our national defense. Having robust and diverse capabilities constrains global nuclear proliferation, deters adversaries, and assures allies and partners that rely upon American nuclear deterrence as a key component of their security.

In order to continue protecting America's vital security interests, I have directed my Administration to revitalize and modernize America's nuclear security complex to preserve a credible deterrent. We are investing in the capability to produce plutonium pits to support our stockpile needs and to improve the infrastructure of the weapons ecosystem. We continue to advance the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, the B-21 Bomber, the Long Range Standoff Weapon, and the Columbia-class submarine, all of which help ensure that we can deter aggression and preserve peace for future generations.

At the start of my Administration, I also resolved to begin a new era of arms control that moves beyond the bilateral treaties of the Cold War. The arms control of the future must include measures that advance the security of America and our allies, are verifiable and enforceable, and involve partners that comply responsibly with their obligations. I call, once again, on Russia and China to join us in these efforts, working together to make the world safer and to stave off a new arms race.

Today, on the 75th anniversary of the Trinity test, we reflect on the incredible tradition of ingenuity and innovation that has defined our Nation for generations. We also recognize the dedication and skill of the men and women of the current American nuclear enterprise, and we thank them for their contributions to our national security and the strength of our deterrent capabilities.

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The Trump administration is weighing imposing a travel ban on members of the Chinese Communist Party and their families, keeping them from being able to enter the United States, The New York Times reports.

A presidential proclamation has been drafted that also gives the U.S. government the authority to revoke visas from party members and their families who are in the U.S., four people with knowledge of the matter said. The order would cite the same statute in the Immigration and Nationality Act used in 2017 to ban residents of several predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S.

The Chinese Communist Party has 92 million members, and the Times notes it would be extremely difficult for the U.S. to immediately determine if a traveler is a member of the party. Jude Blanchette, a China scholar at the Center for Strategic International Studies, told the Times the "overwhelming majority of CCP members have no involvement or input into Beijing's policymaking, so going after the entire party membership is like China sanctioning all Republicans because of frustrations with Trump."

If the proposal goes through, it will likely lead to retaliation by the Chinese government. "Such a move would inflame public opinion in China, as this would target nearly 10 percent of the entire Chinese population and would do so based on blanket assertions of guilt," Blanchette said.

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Police have issued warnings over drug dealers targeting children with 12 sweets laced with cannabis and ecstasy tablets that look like Lego bricks.

Cops made the discovery during a stop and search of a woman who had just bought 1000 worth of ketamine and 75 MDMA tablets.

But there are fears the drugs are being marketed at youngsters as the pills were made to look like the children's toy.

It comes as Norfolk Police and the Metropolitan Police also issue warnings after seizing THC-laced sweets in Kingston that were designed to look like the US treat, Nerds.

Cops made the discovery of the tablets that look like Lego bricks, above, during a stop and search of a woman who had just bought 1000 worth of ketamine and 75 MDMA tablets

Totnes Police issued a warning on its Facebook page after the find on Tuesday. A spokesperson said: 'We are particularly concerned about the tablets, the target market being Totnes youngsters.

'MDMA, as shown in the photographs, can be dressed up to look like sweets (in this case LEGO) and appear less harmful than they are. They are simply dangerous drugs made up of who knows what.

'There is obviously a market for them in Totnes. Please stay clear of these drugs. They can kill you.'

Police said the female who was arrested had her home searched the day after her arrest and was later released from custody under investigation whilst enquiries continue.

Meanwhile, the illegal packets of sweets found in Kingston were emblazoned with cartoon characters from the popular US comedy show, Rick and Morty.

The sweets contained THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the active compound found in most cannabis that gives the 'high' sensation.

The THC-laced sweets seized by the Met Police in Kingston. Young schoolchildren are being lured into eating cannabis-laced sweets for 12 in school-gate deals

Norfolk Police and the Metropolitan Police have issued warning after seizing THC-laced sweets in Kingston that were designed to look like the US treat, Nerds

The packaging on the sweets claim they contain 600mg of THC, which when ingested would be equivalent to smoking roughly 30 normal cannabis joints.

It's feared that county lines gangs, facing cash shortfalls because addicts aren't on the streets in the pandemic, are turning to primary school children.

It is unclear whether the THC-laced products, which are sold legally in 11 states in the US, were smuggled into the UK.

Packaging for the sweets is sold online in the UK for as little as 14p - meaning that dealers could be making their own sweets before putting them into packets.

The police's safer schools team have made teachers aware of reports that bags of THC-laced sweets are being sold for 12.

Sergeant Daniel Edwards said 'Although they initially look like normal ''Nerds'' sweets we believe they are likely to contain cannabis, which is listed as an ingredient.

The sweets, found in Kingston, contained THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the active compound found in most cannabis that gives the 'high' sensation (stock picture)

It's feared that county lines gangs, facing cash shortfalls because addicts aren't on the streets in the pandemic, are turning to primary school children. Pictured: THC-laced sweet packaging which claims that the effects of the drug will be felt 60 minutes after consumption

'We are currently having the sweets forensically tested for confirmation but would like the public to be aware and vigilant.

'We know that they are being offered to children in Norfolk, particularly in the King's Lynn and Breckland areas.'

Police arrested a 21-year-old woman on the A149 near King's Lynn on Saturday, July 4, for possession with intent to supply cannabis.

A police spokesman said the woman was stopped in a car at 7.30pm on Snettisham Road. She was interviewed at King's Lynn Police Investigation Centre and was released under investigation pending further enquires.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police also seized packets of sweets from a road user in Kingston after discovering they contained the psychoactive compound THC.

The sweet packets, some of which were themed around the popular cartoon programme Rick and Morty, were labelled as containing THC.

The police's safer schools team have made teachers aware of reports that bags of THC-laced sweets are being sold for 12 (stock picture)

In a Twitter post, Kingston police said colleagues from the Met's Road and Transport team had 'taken the items into custody and dealt with the road user out of court following a Stop and Search'. They added: 'THC is Illegal.'

An image posted with the tweet showed several packets of 'rope' sweet purporting to contain THC.

While the Kingston MPS tweet suggested that THC is illegal in all instances, recent changes to UK law mean that it is available in small doses from specialist doctors in the UK, who are legally allowed to prescribe cannabis-derived medicinal products.

That was after a cannabis product called Sativex, which is a 50-50 mix of THC and CBD produced in a lab, was been approved for use in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as a treatment for multiple sclerosis.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a chemical compound found in cannabis but it does not give a 'high' sensation in the way THC does because it is not a psychoactive compound.

It is often used by those who suffer with anxiety or chronic pain as it acts in a similar way to a muscle relaxant.
Hers is an extraordinary room. It is without a window. I miss the day light... miss seeing the world outside, admits Tanisha Saxena, talking on WhatsApp video. A Masters student in English literature, Ms Saxena, 22, is sitting in the said room this afternoon. It is her study. Here, she often writes poems. The absence of windows does save me from distraction, and Im really able to concentrate on my reading and writing, asserts the young woman.

The windowless chamber, however, is not hers alone. Ms Saxena lives with parents in a three-room flat in south Delhis Ambedkar Nagar, and is obliged to share the rooms utility with her father, who runs a business of greeting cards. In fact, the desk in the corner is crammed with her books as well as fathers printing stuff. She rarely sits on that table. Her favoured place is the beda mattress laid down on the floorwith the pillow doubling up as my true table.

Looking about herself, the woman talks of how tough it is to stay at home. She feels that people these days, on social media, are constantly talking about doing productive things while confined to home. As if there was a competition of how productive one can be while indoors. It has taken a toll on her. But she has a coping mechanismpoetry. I feel an unbearable pressure of doing things when I actually dont feel like doing them at all. It is then that the poems I have written help me regain my confidence.

Ms Saxena is also fast learning the fragility of things. Earlier I would have ambitious ideas for my future; now I try to make only short-term plans. For a long time, she was looking forward to that faraway day when she would have a job, that would enable her to make savings to fund a dream world trip. But now its like... what do I have to do tomorrow.

Ms Saxena wrote a poem in the early days of the pandemic, even as she was learning to live with the constant fear of contracting the virus. She agreed to share it with us.

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President Vladimir Putin has ordered snap military drills involving 150,000 troops along with hundreds of aircraft and naval vessels on the border of Ukraine.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the drill is intended to test the readiness of troops ahead of the Caucasus 2020 war games, due to take place in September.

The announcement came just hours after Ukraine's Defence Minister Andriy Taran announced his country would be holding its own drills the same month, and encouraged NATO forces to join.

Taran has warned that Caucasus 2020 could be used as cover to invade Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting the government since 2014.

Russia has ordered a snap preparedness drill involving 150,000 troops, 400 aircraft and 100 naval vessels, right on border with Ukraine (file image)

The snap drill was announced by Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu, which he said will test the readiness of troops ahead of the Caucasus 2020 exercise, due in September

'In accordance with the decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces snap exercises are being conducted by troops of the Southern and Western military districts,' Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

The drills involve nearly 150,000 personnel including airborne troops and marine infantry of the Northern and Pacific Fleets, the defence ministry said.

The exercises also involve more than 400 aircraft and over 100 vessels and will be conducted in the Black and Caspian Seas, among other places.

The drills aim to test the Russian army's readiness to ensure 'security in Russia's southwest where a serious threat of terrorism remains' as well as prepare for the Caucasus-2020 war games, the defence ministry said.

It comes after Ukraine said it would conduct military exercises, which it hoped NATO partners would join, as an answer to planned Russian exercises in the Caucasus, and an insurance against any resulting escalation on its eastern borders.

Taran told the parliament the exercises would include anti-aircraft fire and would be held at the end of September in southern Ukraine.

Relations between Moscow and Kiev have been tense since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and backed a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine that remains active.

The news came hours after Ukraine's defence minister Andriy Taran (right) announced his own drill, due in September. He has previously warned Russian exercises could be used as cover for an invasion

Clashes between Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed forces have killed more than 13,000 people since 2014, despite a ceasefire agreement struck in 2015.

'This asymmetric response will show the readiness of the armed forces of Ukraine to give a worthy rebuff to any attempts by the Russian Federation to exacerbate the situation or start large-scale hostilities,' Taran said.

Taran has previously warned that the Caucasus exercises and build-up of troops which they involved could simply be covering for an invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking to Interfax last month, he said: 'A significant number of military experts and analysts share the opinion about the possibility of a military offensive.

'NATO also understands how real it is to use Russia's military potential against Ukraine, and its activation is possible in the very near future.

'Therefore, we need to be mentally prepared for the fact that Russia he will not stop using the armed forces to achieve his political or economic goals.'

The move comes after Putin won a vote which allows him to rule until at least 2036, effectively making him ruler for life.

It also comes against the backdrop of Donald Trump signing off a deal to withdraw 9,500 US troops from Germany, where they serve as part of NATO forces.

Critics of the move say it will play into the hands of an emboldened Putin, for whom a strong NATO alliance represents a major counterbalance to Moscow's power.
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Tiger King subject Joe Exotic is returning to TV in a new documentary.

Months after Tiger King became one of the most-discussed shows in Netflix history, Surviving Joe Exotic will place the spotlight on the animals who lived at his sanctuary  and sees the eccentric tiger trader question why he even owns a zoo in the first place.

The film, which was recorded four months before Exotic was arrested and charged for his involvement in a plot to kill animal rights activist Carole Baskin, has been produced by Animal Planet.

It will show what happened to the animals after Exotic was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

In the trailer, Exotic  who is currently in prison  says of his decision to run a sanctuary: I dont know why the hell Im doing this  [it] is definitely not one of the things you do to make money.

Later, when he thought the cameras were switched off, Exotic can be heard saying: These are my f***ing tigers, and Im going to sell them.
Police in northern Vietnam have detained a local man for allegedly assaulting a seven-year-old boy for causing his son to lose a cap.

Pham Duy Duc, 42, of Huu Nghi Ward, Hoa Binh Province, is being held for "deliberately causing injury."

According to investigators, his son was playing with his first-grade classmates in the yard of Huu Nghi primary school in Hoa Binh on July 8 when a boy took his sons hat and tossed it for other kids to play with.

The cap, apparently newly bought, then went missing.

Two days later Duc accosted the boy outside the school, pulled him into an alley and began to hit him. He did not stop until his wife and other people intervened, and the child was left bleeding from the nose and mouth.

The man was taken to the police station by passers-by.

Nguyen Thi Thinh, Ducs wife, said her husband was a good father but had a bad temper.

The injured child is being treated at Hoa Binh General Hospital.

His mother, Ngo Thi Ngoc, said she and Ducs families do not know each other aside from having their sons studying together.

She said the school has to be held accountable, but Duong Thi Thanh Huong, the schools principal, said the attack took place outside the school before students had entered it and therefore the school has no responsibility.

Duc will be held by the police for four months as stipulated in the Criminal Code.

Deliberately causing injuries carries a jail term of six months to 15 years.
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Shahjahanpur: A woman and her four children were killed in a wall collapse in Wajid Khel locality here on Friday, a senior official said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the bereaved family, an official said.

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PhotoDistrict Magistrate, Shahjahanpur, Indra Vikram Singh, said Shabnam (42) was sleeping with her children Ruby (20) Shahbaz (5), Chandini (3) and Sahib (8) when the incident took place.

Another son Sahil (15) also received serious injuries and has been hospitalised, the DM said. The bodies have been sent for postmortem.
G20 set to discuss going beyond initial debt relief efforts agreed in April as pandemic keeps ravaging poor economies.

The Group of 20 leading economies this weekend may have to consider expanding help for the worlds poorest countries, three months after agreeing to provide temporary debt relief, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage nations.

Central bankers and finance ministers from the G-20 will hold a virtual meeting on Saturday to discuss and coordinate phased efforts to spur a global economic recovery. Looking beyond just debt relief efforts would be part of that.

The Covid-19 pandemic is now spreading faster in the Americas and Africa compared to the previous meeting in April when the bulk of infections were in Asia and Europe. The rate of infections is increasing in many countries, with debt costs crowding out health and social expenses.

Unprecedented stimulus from the worlds largest central banks has helped most emerging nations regain access to international capital markets, but some smaller economies that dont usually benefit from large-scale borrowing will still need help.

The spotlight on debt is important but we shouldnt focus on it to the exclusion of everything else, Anna Gelpern, a law professor at Georgetown University, said at a conference on July 9. The objective has got to be funding essential needs in response to a public health shock. How we get there is a second-order question.

Since the G-20s April agreement that aims to waive about $12 billion in bilateral debt payments from countries that are especially vulnerable to the pandemic, 41 of the 73 eligible nations have requested help. The Paris Club has waived $1.3 billion in repayments and the International Monetary Fund has made $100 billion available in emergency financing for low-income and emerging-market countries.

Middle-Income Countries

However, charities including Oxfam said the relief so far to the worlds poorest nations is woefully inadequate. Saturdays discussions could touch on extending the debt pause beyond 2020 and adding middle-income countries, said Eric LeCompte of Jubilee USA Network, a nonprofit group that advocates for debt relief for smaller economies.

Frances main priorities for the meeting will be to extend the moratorium on debt service for the poorest countries to 2021 and encourage international negotiations for digital and minimum taxation, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said. Discussion regarding a new allocation of special drawing rights at the IMF will likely remain on the table, according to a finance ministry official.

A proposal to increase these reserve assets, which would boost the IMFs lending power, was blocked by the U.S. at the lenders April meeting. However, Chinas central bank governor on Thursday called on the IMF to use a new issue of SDRs to help developing countries.

In a letter to the G-20 finance ministers released on Friday, a group of economists including former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Vera Songwe, executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, urged the meeting to extend debt standstills and consider new SDR allocations. Summers is a contributor to Bloomberg News.

It will take more than a suspension of debt service on existing bilateral claims for half a year to help the poorest countries fund the needed fiscal and health response, said Brad Setser, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former economist at the U.S. Treasury Department. There needs to be more financial flows as well.

Private creditors have so far swerved clear of efforts to halt payments on Eurobonds, with nations wary of triggering default clauses.

Another sticking point is China which has been slow to join the debt suspension initiative. The participation of the worlds second-largest economy is key for the debt-waiver push to work, World Bank President David Malpass said last week.

Continuing lack of clarity on which Chinese creditors will participate, coupled with resistance from private-sector creditors to voluntary participation suggest that actual relief will be much less than originally planned, Alicia Garcia Herrero, the chief economist for Asia-Pacific at Natixis SA, said in a note.
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The report prepared by Delhi Minorities Commissions (DMC) fact-finding Committee, headed by Advocate M R Shamshad of the Supreme Court was released on Thursday, revealing the origin, spread and aftermath of the Delhi riots.

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In its foreword, Chairman of the Committee, Shamshad, states that violence had begun on February 23 and continued unabated for the next few days, as an aftereffect directed to teach a lesson to a certain community which dared to protest against a discriminatory law.

The nine-members in its fact-finding committee included Haseena Hashia, Tehmina Arora, Gurminder Singh Matharu, Saleem Baig, Aditi Dutta, Tanvir Kazi, Abu Bakr Sabbaq and Devika Prasad. The members charged in the report that although the violence reportedly killed 53 people there has been continuing bias against Muslims in the registration of FIRs and investigation of cases, with attempts made ever since to shield the planners, instigators, leaders and perpetrators of that violence and turn the victims into culprits.

The report has highlighted that although 53 remains the official figure of deaths in the violence, several hundred were hospitalized and an unknown number of missing persons have been reported. The violence that broke out on February 23 was targeted and systematic against Muslims in localities of Shiv Vihar, Khajuri Khas, Chand Bagh, Gokulpuri, Maujpur, Karawal Nagar, Jafrabad, Mustafabad, Ashok Nagar, Bhagirah Vihar, Bhajanpura, and Kardam Puri. These incidents included an organized and planned looting and arson of Muslim residences, shops, businesses, vehicles and other properties. Significantly, the report notes that rioting occurred in those of Delhi which have the highest concentration of Purvanchalis, Muslims, and migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar living in unorganized colonies, and often without basic civic amenities.

As against the mainstream media narrative, build up for violence had begun from anti-CAA protests in January and it gathered momentum during campaigning by political parties in the run-up to the elections to the Delhi Legislative Assembly, scheduled for February 8. This instigation of violence against Muslims happened in the form of openly communal statements by politicians of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with reference to people protesting against the CAA, and was often covered in the midst of pro-CAA rallies which had risen in a counter to the anti-CAA protests. Somasekhara Reddy, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Karnatakas BJP was the first to caution Muslims against participating in anti-CAA protests as early as in January when the anti-CAA protests had received a nationwide uproar starting from Shaheen Bagh women protest site. Reddy, in his speech, had warned of Muslims of serious repercussions if they didnt stop protesting against CAA. Others like Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma, Tejasvi Surya, Ajay Bisht and Kapil Mishra followed suit in blatantly divisive and dangerous terms, notes the report.

Discussing the government action against such communally charged speeches by political leaders of BJP, the report mentions that while the Election Commission initiated some steps to acknowledge and penalize the harmful content of the speeches, the initial decisive actions of the Delhi High Court did not materialize into the initiation of prosecution against the BJP leaders for inciting violence through their speeches.

Concerning media coverage and legal action, the report notes that due to the non-cooperation of Delhi Police, the fact-finding committee could not present a more comprehensive and incisive report, even though the incidents, reports and testimonies have been detailed in a fairly comprehensive and even-handed manner. Where media should represent facts, a web of deceit is being woven by certain quarters in a section of media, instead of encouraging victims to come forward and seek justice, describes the DMC report.

The report then provides a detailed account of the circumstances before and during the rioting through a large number of testimonies, and those received through primary and secondary sources by the fact-finding committee. The report states the pattern of violence was gender-based and religious identity based where women victims have recounted how the mob used vulgar language and threatened them saying that if they wanted Azadi (freedom) then they were ready to give them Azadi, using the word as a metaphor for sexual assault.

Further, Muslims places of worship and reverence  including masjids, qabrstan (graveyard), dargah and madrassas have been reported to be fully damaged while the Imams badly injured. A total of 17 such places have been torched through petrol bombs, vandalized and looted by perpetrators who had their faces covered, according to eye witness accounts. The perpetrators were chanting Jai Shri Ram, Har Har Modi, and Aaj tumhe azadi denge (today, we will give you freedom), states the report. The rioters were armed with metal rods, petrol bombs, knives, swords, hammers and cylinders. The fact finding committee has also accused Delhi Police of not registering many complaints of Muslim victims, mentioning the most shocking example of the Mohan Nursing Home shooting. Such complicity on the side of the police, the report says, has led to no investigation on several such grave issues and incidents.

The report maintains that police inaction has been widely reported by victims who have been reported to say that on complaints by Muslims about the rioting mob, the helpline desks would not respond and the Police personnel at the spot would simply say they could do nothing to prevent it as they did not have order from higher-ups to prevent the rioters. In fact, there is an instance when a mob attacked Muslims on the streets while chanting Jai Shri Ram and police told the mob, You do what they want. Incidents, where police were mute spectators to the violence, have been noted as well.

The report also outlines that while Hindu neighbours of Muslims remained untouched, Muslim tenant shops owned by Muslims were looted and burnt down. Where they were shops owned by non-Muslims but rented to Muslims, the mob took out all the articles from the shops, looted stuff and burnt the remaining. In response to the targeted attacks, the report notes that Muslim youth pelted stones on the mobs in some areas as an act of defence, which in fact, is only one incident, of Muslims involved in stone-pelting.

The DMC also said that while probing the Delhi riots, it had written to the Delhi Police thrice but received no response or support into the investigation. The first time, it had requested for a list of detainees since February 23, a police station-wise copies of FIRs and complaints that were not converted into FIRs. The Commission received no response and sent another letter raising concerns over arrests by Delhi Police that were being done arbitrarily. Again there was no reply DCP of North East denied the allegations, giving no details, and stated that arrests were being done according to procedure and investigation was being conducted fairly and impartially. The report discloses that until the final day of submission of the report there was no response from the Delhi Police regarding the queries.

While arbitrary detentions and arrests of Muslim activists and scholars continued until Sharjeel Usmani in the latest, the report marks that finally in June, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a statement by United Nations experts on human rights calling on India to immediately release human rights defenders. The official statement demands that students who have been arrested for protesting against changes to the nations citizenship laws must be immediately released.

In a later section, the report has detailed compensation options of the Delhi Government for riot victims where it noted the number of filed applications for compensation and the verification of the actual damaged site. The results showed that while in some cases only meagre amounts of interim payment were paid to the claimants, in some cases applications for compensation as well as the verification of actual site of damage has also taken place, but even the interim compensation has not been paid.

Further, in addition to detailed accounts of violence, the DMC report has suggested ways to achieve justice as well as help rehabilitation of the victims of the violence. While studying the issue of compensation given to the victims by the Government of Delhi and has come up with a number of recommendations to be implemented by the Central and state governments and by the Delhi Minorities Commission. One of the most important recommendations is for the government to set up a high-powered probe headed by a sitting or retired judge of the High Court, for which DMC would be writing to both the Central and state governments in support of these recommendations.
The European Commission has adopted a 100-million-euro (114-million-U.S. dollar) package to support Albania's reconstruction efforts following last year's devastating earthquake, the European Union (EU) Delegation office to Albania said in a press statement on Friday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

The funding is part of the Commission's pledge of 115 million euros made at the International Donors' Conference "Together for Albania" in Brussels on Feb. 17, the statement said.

"With the adoption of this 100 million euros' financial package, the EU is living up to its commitment to help Albania in the reconstruction efforts following the earthquake, just as we are also supporting the country to address the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis," the statement quoted EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi as saying.

The newly adopted program, according to the press statement, will focus on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of education facilities to allow children and the youth to return to school with better conditions and facilities.

Moreover, the adopted program will further finance the rehabilitation of damaged cultural heritage sites, including monuments, museums, libraries and archaeological sites, contributing also to local economic development.

A devastating 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit the country on Nov. 26 last year, leaving 51 dead and damaging thousands of houses and apartments.
Khloe Kardashian showed her funny side during a cameo appearance Thursday on the 30 Rock reunion special on NBC starring Tina Fey.

The 36-year-old reality star rose to fame on the unscripted E! show Keeping Up With The Kardashians, but displayed her ability to handle scripted work during the upfront program that showcased the network's upcoming programs for advertisers.

The one-hour special event featured beloved characters from the 30 Rock series as they reunited the TGS team to help NBC head Kenneth Parcell with an advertiser presentation.

Funny side: Khloe Kardashian showed her funny side during a cameo appearance Thursday on the 30 Rock reunion special on NBC starring Tina Fey

Liz Lemon, played by 50-year-old series creator Tina, scrambled to assemble the old team remotely and tried to recruit reality stars to fill the role of Jenna Maroney, played by Jane Krakowski, 51.

'She pooped in Mandy Moore's thermos,' Liz told Kandi Burruss, 44, of The Real Housewives Of Atlanta, who turned down the job offer.

Liz then turned to Khloe.

'I think you would be amazing at it. I've always thought you were the funniest person in your family,' Liz told Khloe.

Series creator: 30 Rock creator Tina starred in the reunion special

No thanks: Sofia Vergara turned down the offer to join the TGS team

Turned down: Kandi Burruss also turned down the offer from Tina

'I am. So, if I do this would I be able to write my own material? Because I do some really funny impressions This one is Andy, my dog's business manager. ''Hey Khloe, how are you? You good?'',' Khloe said.

She was then interrupted by Jenna with a Zoom bomb to protest Liz trying to replace her.

Jenna said she needed to perform and had been opening her window at 7pm to pretend people were clapping for her.

Her role: Jenna Maroney, played by Jane Krakowski, 51, lobbied to reprise her role

'That's really sad,' Khloe said.

'Yes, thank you, Khloe. It is sad,' Jenna said.

Jenna told how she apologized to Mandy over the thermos incident and Khloe after realizing who she was left the call.

Funniest one: Khloe agreed with Tina that she was the funniest person in the Kardashian family

Liz then allowed Jenna to join the reboot.

Tracy Morgan, 51, also returned as Tracy Jordan and Alec Baldwin, 62, reprised his role as network executive Jack Donaghy.

They all rallied around Kenneth, played by 47-year-old Jack McBrayer, and helped him show the programming coming up from the NBCUniversal programming as well as the new Peacock streaming service.

Network executive: Alec Baldwin, 62, reprised his role as network executive Jack Donaghy

Funny guy: Tracy Morgan also was back as fan favorite Tracy Jordan

The 30 Rock reunion special was blocked by some of the nation's largest local affiliates because they believed it was too much of a promotion for the company's new Peacock streaming service, according to an article by Vulture.

The satirical sitcom 30 Rock originally aired on NBC from October 2006 to January 2013.

The hour-long reunion aired without any commercials but featured promotions and tie-ins for programs airing across NBCUniversal properties, including Peacock.
Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP

If Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have their way, roughly a week from now, the US will swap an imagined economic problem for a predictably devastating one, economists have warned.

Related: 1.3m more file for unemployment as US economy continues to reel

To keep people safe at home during the pandemic and to support them during the resulting jobs crisis, Congress in March instituted a $600 boost to weekly unemployment insurance benefits. Unless lawmakers step in, the money stops on 31 July.

The money is an unusually robust benefit in a country with a weak social safety net. With it, researchers estimated somewhere between 40% and 68% of US workers could make more from unemployment than they did working, because of the high concentration of job losses in low-wage positions.

Republicans, as a result, have warned of hordes of people disincentivized from returning to work. But economists say the real crisis is what happens when those same people have $2,400 less each month to pay for bills, rent and groceries.

Sara Gard has been furloughed since April from her hospitality job, and said without the $600, she and her two children will be entirely dependent on her husbands pay.

Its not going to cover everything, so whats going to give? The house? The food? Gard said.

Once it is safe to return to work, Gard has a job she loves waiting at a company she admires and has been with for 15 years. But without the $600 boost, she will have to give up the furlough protections to take a new job near her home in Atlanta.

It is such a feeling of being caged and trapped, and every decision I can make is a bad one, Gard said.

Gard, 39, is her familys breadwinner, and she said she would return to her job for less money if it meant she could continue collecting the $600. An added stress for Gard is that at the same time the $600 expires, she is scheduled to also lose state unemployment insurance because of caps on how long people can collect it.

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State unemployment averages $340 a week  a 44% replacement of the average workers wages. In states with the weakest unemployment benefits, that pay rate is 25% or lower than the average workers weekly wage. For people who havent already hit the caps, state unemployment is all they will be left with, unless Congress agrees on a replacement.

It is such a feeling of being caged and trapped, and every decision I can make is a bad one Sara Gard

While the benefits deadlines loomed, Gard was also forced to decide by 10 July whether to send her two-year-old and five-year-old children to school or have them take classes online in the fall.

She tries to compartmentalize the different issues, but said: It just stops working at some point, because every possibility ends in: if only someone had done something four months ago, I wouldnt have to be trying to decide if I give up my kindergartner as tribute or what? Or decide that Im going to not work, but if I do that, do I lose my house? Everything is one domino touching another. Its just awful.

The domino effect goes beyond Gards family. More than a million people have filed new unemployment claims each week for 16 weeks  women, particularly women of color, are bearing the brunt of the losses. When millions of families have less money to spend, it strains the countrys economy.

Abruptly ending the expansion could cost 2 million jobs by the end of the year, economist Jason Furman warned a House committee in June. The Economic Policy Institute estimated 5 million jobs could be lost by July 2021 if it is cut.

There is also a public health threat if people are forced to return to work in a pandemic which has killed more than 137,000 Americans because they cant get by without unemployment benefits.

For safety reasons, Samantha Acuna would like to be at home. She is instead working on-call shifts as a cocktail server at a casino pool in Las Vegas where customers are not required to wear masks.

She lives with her parents and her mother has asthma, but people cant turn down the job they had before the pandemic and still collect benefits, unless they meet specific guidelines.

Acuna gets the $600 boost pro-rated to the days she doesnt work, but if that money disappears, shell have to find a full-time job so she can continue to pay for rent, her car, student loans and phone bills.

The pandemic is just going to get worse if we dont pay attention to it, Acuna said. So I would just rather keep that income so I could be home and this could all just finish quicker.

Democrats have introduced legislation that would extend the program, with limits. Republicans have said they are against the $600, but have not said what they would replace it with.

Both parties have been on a two-week recess which ends on Friday  two weeks before the programs official expiration on 31 July. For most people, however, payments actually stop a week earlier.

The $600 expansion is far from perfect, but it is a welcome solution in a country with antiquated and underfunded unemployment systems, which have left millions without benefits months after filing claims. In Alabama, people slept overnight in a parking lot so they could speak with a representative from the states unemployment agency.

Michele Evermore, senior policy analyst at the not-for-profit National Employment Law Project, said: Weve systemically gutted every other piece of the social safety net, unemployment insurance too.

Evermore said since the last recession, state governments have made benefits more difficult to access and reduced the amount of benefits. The Cares Act, which included the $600 expansion, papered over these problems.

Without it, they are likely to come back in full force.

When systems are set up with the aim of catching people, trapping people, cutting off people, you cant just turn that around overnight when you want to pay benefits quickly, Evermore said.

She said the persistent myth that people collect unemployment to take advantage of the system ignores how important the benefit is for the national economy. This is a system that has been undermined for a while, and this is the moment we can use to put in place permanent reforms, now and forever, said Evermore.

Research published in June by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago found people receiving normal unemployment benefits search more intensely for work than unemployed people who dont receive them. During the current economic climate, one could expect a greater share of the unemployed to receive UI [unemployment insurance] benefits and to search more intensely for work, the article said.

Related: How will we know the US economy is recovering? Here are my key metrics | Gene Marks

In mid-March, Karen Kent was laid off from her job as a cafeteria worker in New Jersey. She has been looking for jobs because without the $600 she will have to find work. But so far, her searches have only turned up jobs with direct customer contact, something she cant face because she has asthma and a heart condition.

The $600 has been a lifesaver for Kent, 47. Her husband is still working, but it is not enough to support the family. He also lost a part-time job at a restaurant which he had so his family could get dental insurance.

This was starting to give me a foot back in the door to have hope, I felt like I was working towards something, and they just want to take it away, Kent said. I work hard. I am a workhorse.

Kent is a fighter. She corners politicians at public events and rallies people on social media, but she is concerned that the situation she and others face is not reaching the political class. Kent said: I feel like they need the working class, but were getting beaten down.
Some news reports about President Trumps Fourth of July speeches accused him of pushing racial division, but did he? Other news reports thought Trumps speech extolled Americas patriotism and that criticisms that it was racist were unhinged and dishonest.

Is Trump using racism as a campaign strategy? And, if the 2020 campaign is like the 2016 campaign, his rhetorical brilliance may make a clear assessment difficult.

During the 2016 campaign Trump embraced and disavowed white nationalists by amplifying their messages even as he denied that he was a racist. Trumps strategy confused those inside and outside of the white nationalist movement. Was Trump one of them? At first, white nationalists werent sure.

As white nationalists searched for evidence to support their hope that Trump was one of them, they posted news accounts of his past: the many times Trump had been accused of racist business practices; news accounts of his reputed white supremacist reading habits, alleging that Trump had once kept a copy of Hitlers speeches by his bedside; and news accounts of Trumps view of eugenics  especially videos of Trump explaining why he believed in genetic superiority and his racehorse theory of his own superior genes. While all of this evidence helped white nationalists believe that Trump thought like they did, they primarily chose to support Trumps campaign because he was on the right side of what they called the National Question.

White nationalists believe that diversity is code for white genocide  that a systematic program of increased immigration, political correctness and white self-hatred over generations had made a once powerful race (and nation) weak. In Trumps campaign, they heard their own concerns about the nation voiced, and they heard a tough-talking candidate promise to thwart political correctness, end illegal immigration, restrict legal immigration, reject refugees and build a wall between the United States and Mexico to protect the white nation. Members of the white nationalist community had no trouble finding evidence to support their hope that Trump held the correct position on the National Question.

Whether or not Trump was a racist continued to be a question in the mainstream media throughout the 2016 campaign, and reporters frequently asked Trump if he was a racist. Each time he was asked if he was a racist, he emphatically denied it. Yet if Trump claimed that he was not a racist and did not want the support of racists, then why did the racists believe that he was one of them and they were fighting together to get him elected?

Throughout the campaign, Trump used paralipsis (Im not saying; Im just saying) to cultivate ambiguity about whether or not he was a racist. For example, on Nov. 22, 2015, Trump retweeted SeanSean252 with a graphic of homicide data delineated by race that purported to show that Blacks were responsible for most of the homicides in the United States. The tweet was criticized for being both racist and inaccurate  fact-checkers like FactCheck.org found that almost every figure in the graphic is wrong.

Trump responded to the criticism on Nov. 23, 2015, by denying responsibility for the content of the tweet: I didnt tweet; I retweeted somebody that was supposedly an expert, Trump told Bill OReilly. Am I gonna check every statistic? All it was is a retweet. And it wasnt from me. It came out of a radio show and other places. This was a retweet. And it comes from sources that are very credible. What can I tell you? Since Trump had merely retweeted someone else, he argued that he could not be held accountable for the content of the message.

This, of course, is the logic of paralipsis: Im not tweeting it; Im just retweeting it. While Trump denied that his retweet was an endorsement in this instance, back on Aug. 25, 2015, a reporter asked Trump, Tell us [about] your retweet strategy  do you endorse what you retweet? At that time, Trump responded, Well, I do retweets and, well, to a certain extent, yeah, I think thats right. Do you want me to say no? I retweet, you know. I retweet for a reason, right?

Were Trumps retweets meaningful or not? It was difficult to tell for certain, but white nationalists were thrilled to see Trump amplify their content and to see the issue debated in the mainstream media. A thread about Trumps retweet on Storm Front had more than 100 enthusiastic replies, including one poster, Just Us, who said that he now understood the thrill and elation people felt when they saw the Fuhrer speak in person. I understand how they would willingly take a bullet to protect him. Trump has the ability to inspire white men. Its impossible to know who Just Us is or even if he truly believes what he is saying, or what their gender is outside the chat room. Thats the nature of this kind of content: Its anonymous or cloaked precisely so the writers, whomever they are, cant be held accountable. But whats clear is Trumps rhetoric strikes a chord with those who believe immigration and diversity are weakening America.

According to an analysis by Fortune by March 2016, Trump had retweeted at least 75 users who follow at least three of the top 50 #WhiteGenocide influencers. Moreover, a majority of these retweeted accounts are themselves followed by more than 100 #WhiteGenocide influencers. Andrew Anglin understood Trumps retweets as a sign that our Glorious Leader and ULTIMATE SAVIOR has gone full-wink-wink-wink to his most aggressive supporters. ... Whereas the odd White genocide tweet could be a random occurrence, it isnt statistically possible that two of them back to back could be a random occurrence. It could only be deliberate. There is no way that this could be anything other than both a wink-wink-wink and a call for more publicity on his campaign.

While Trump continued to face criticism in the mainstream media for retweeting white nationalists, he simply shrugged it off. For example, when Jake Tapper asked him about his retweets on Feb. 21, 2016, Trump said, I dont know about retweeting. You retweet somebody and they turn out to be white supremacists. I know nothing about these groups that are supporting me. Once again, Trumps defense took the form of a denial coupled with a paralipsis.

The consensus interpretation across the white nationalist community was that Trump owned Tapper and the rest of the reporters who asked him to disavow them. According to one poster on Storm Front, Trump was reluctant to allow Tapper to control the dialogue, and instead of jumping through the hoop the way he wanted, to his credit, Trump didnt just automatically agree and give legitimacy to Tappers vague accusations and attempts at guilt by association. Another white nationalist thought that once again The Donald shows a media whore whos the master and whos the boss.

Trump routinely took advantage of the ironic wink-wink-wink of paralipsis  of saying the thing that he said that he wasnt saying  so that it was impossible to tell whether or not he condoned racism or not. Trumps ironic double-speak was precisely the language of internet trolls like white nationalists. In fact, according to Anglin, maybe The Donald is the new Hitler. Or ... maybe he is just trolling you?

So what about Trumps recent speech at Mount Rushmore? Was that racist? It wasnt racist in the sense that it denigrated a race of people, but it was racist in that it rejected the concerns that a majority of Americans have about systemic racism. It was, as Anglin wrote on Daily Stormer, a speech designed to make white people feel good about themselves. Trump stood in front of a monument dedicated to the nations heroes and said that he would defend the people, our identity and our history. He condemned white guilt, and called those trying to make us guilty evil.

So, was Trumps speech racist? The racists think so.

Adapted from Merciecas just-published book about Trumps rhetoric: Demagogue For President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump, Texas A&M University Press and reprinted with permission.
As forensic investigators at Twitter hurried Wednesday to discover the origin of one of the worst hacks in the companys history, the team came to a startling conclusion: The hack was coming from an account inside the house.

But even by Thursday afternoon, 24 hours after hackers pushed a Bitcoin scam from the accounts of political leaders like former Vice President Joe Biden and industry titans like Elon Musk, the companys researchers were still struggling to nail down many other basic aspects of the breach, including whether an employee had been complicit. The company was also still sorting out how many accounts were affected and whether the attackers had gained access to details within the accounts, such as private messages.

A few things were certain. Investigators know that at least one employees account and credentials were taken over and used to gain access to an internal dashboard, allowing the infiltrator to control most Twitter accounts, according to two people briefed on the companys investigation. They would speak only anonymously because the investigation was still underway.

THE HACK: Biden, Gates, other Twitter accounts hacked in Bitcoin scam

Yet many of the details remained unclear, the people said. Investigators were still trying to determine if the hackers tricked the employee into handing over login information. Twitter suggested Wednesday that the hackers had used social engineering, a strategy to gain passwords or other personal information by posing as a trusted person like a company representative. But another line of inquiry includes whether a Twitter employee was bribed for their credentials, something one person who claimed responsibility for the hack told the technology site Motherboard.

The FBI said it was looking into the hack. At this time, the accounts appear to have been compromised in order to perpetuate cryptocurrency fraud, the agency said in a statement. We advise the public not to fall victim to this scam by sending cryptocurrency or money in relation to this incident.

Twitter said in a statement, Weve taken steps to further secure our systems and will continue to share what we learn through our investigation.

The hack, and the companys inability to quickly figure out what happened, is a major embarrassment for Twitter. Over the past year, in response to damaging revelations that disinformation spread widely on the service during the 2016 presidential election, Jack Dorsey, the chief executive, put a priority on promoting healthy and trustworthy tweets. The hack of high-profile accounts to share a scam showed that Twitter remained unprepared for the security threats it faces.

The attack also raised questions about election security, especially since political leaders were among those attacked. If the messages sent by hackers were political in nature instead of a financial scam  perhaps about closed polling sites on Election Day  that could manipulate turnout.

President Donald Trumps account was not affected by the breach, Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, said Thursday. Trumps account got extra protection after past incidents, according to a senior administration official and a Twitter employee, who would speak only anonymously because the security measures were private.

STOLEN: How do you recover from identity theft?

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence said it would request information from Twitter about the hack. The ability of bad actors to take over prominent accounts, even fleetingly, signals a worrisome vulnerability in this media environment, exploitable not just for scams but for more impactful efforts to cause confusion, havoc and political mischief, said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the vice chairman of the committee.

The attack Wednesday came in waves. First, attackers used their access to Twitters internal tools to take over accounts with distinctive user names like @6, an account that once belonged to security researcher and hacker Adrian Lamo. Then the attack hit the Twitter accounts of prominent cryptocurrency leaders and companies. The next wave included many of the most popular accounts, including those belonging to political leaders, industry titans and top entertainers.

The messages were a version of a long-running scam in which hackers pose as public figures on Twitter and promise to match or even triple any funds that are sent to their Bitcoin wallets. But the scam Wednesday was the first to use the real accounts of public figures.

The hackers received $120,000 worth of bitcoins in 518 transactions from around the world, according to Chainalysis, a research company that tracks the movement of cryptocurrencies. Most of the victims had Bitcoin wallets associated with Asia, but about a quarter came from the United States, according to another cryptocurrency research firm, Elliptic.

Soon after the money came into their wallet, the hackers began moving the money in a complicated pattern of transactions that will help obscure the source and make it harder to track, Chainalysis found.

RELEASE NOTES: Get Dwight Silverman's weekly tech newsletter each Monday

It looks like someone who has some computer skills but not someone who is using the most sophisticated ways to launder the coins, said Jonathan Levin, the chief strategy officer at Chainalysis.

Twitter quickly removed many of the messages, but in some cases similar tweets were sent again from the same accounts. The company eventually disabled broad swaths of its service for hours.

Tough day for us at Twitter, Dorsey tweeted Wednesday night. We all feel terrible this happened.

On Thursday, there were lingering questions about what the attackers did with their access. Area 1 Security, a cybersecurity company, documented an increase in spear-phishing emails sent out from accounts impersonating the same people targeted on Twitter, such as billionaire Bill Gates. The emails asked for people to send money to the same Bitcoin wallet cited in the Twitter attack.

The breach raises significant questions about how Twitters internal systems function and how taking over one employees internal access could give an outside attacker carte blanche control over some of the worlds highest-profile and most popular accounts.

In a blog post Thursday, a security expert who saw the hack take over an account that the expert administers detailed how someone with access to administrative tools could effectively force their way into most Twitter accounts using a password reset function. The method was used in the account takeovers Wednesday, according to two people familiar with the attack.

Security researchers also questioned why Twitter did not have better safeguards to monitor suspicious activity on employee accounts. Many companies have systems that alert them if an employee is getting into sensitive data, or changing passwords and emails on accounts multiple times within a short period, said Rachel Tobac, a hacker and the chief executive of SocialProof Security, who works with companies to train and test on social engineering to keep companies safe.

The company is still rushing to figure out the extent of the damage and whether there is more to come. Twitter representatives said the company would update the public as it discovered more about the attack. But experts believe that depending on the length of time the hackers had administrative access, more fallout could be in store.

What you saw on Wednesday was probably not the end of the incident, said Alon Gal, chief technology officer of Hudson Rock, a cybersecurity intelligence firm that has been investigating the hack. If they got access to direct messages, this isnt over.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Residents fear their luxury coastal homes are going to collapse into the ocean as the sand at the edge of their properties continues to erode in intense storms.

Homeowners in Wamberal Beach on NSWs Central Coast have watched their properties teeter closer and closer to the waters edge for years, and claim the council has done nothing to prevent the erosion despite their desperate pleas.

Since heavy storms in 2016, residents have lobbied hard for a revetment wall, a hard permanent structure to prevent subsidence.

As huge storms hit the beach over the past two days, homeowners have described their frustration as again they see their homes compromised further as the sand outside their Ocean View Road properties continues to disappear.

A home teetering on the edge of a dune on Wamberal Beach. Source: Michael Dahlstrom/Yahoo News Australia

Warren Hughes, who lives on the south end of Wamberal Beach, told Yahoo News Australia he was extremely upset, disappointed and disillusioned.

This situation has been going on for four years with Central Coast Council and all we ever wanted to do four years ago was have the right as a basic Australian to protect our property, he said.

They made it clear they werent going to do anything  but they were going to sue us if we put one sandbag on our property.

Its just an insane situation.

Mr Hughes, who is also a member of the Wamberal Beach Protection Association, said about $10 to $20 million worth of damage had been done to houses and infrastructure in frightening storms this week.

Wamberal Beach resident Warren Hughes fears for his home. Source: Michael Dahlstrom/Yahoo News Australia

Were all running on about two hours sleep  especially when high tide hit last night, he said.

Its pretty surreal.

Weve lost six metres of our own yards

Resident Margaret Brice shared Mr Hughes frustrations and added it was very scary.

The waves were hitting quite hard against the base of the dune. You could obviously feel the reverberations, she told Yahoo News Australia.

A lot of the action also happened in the day  we had a nine to 11-metre swell, so they were massive.

Margaret Brice is concerned for her home on Wamberal coast. Source: Michael Dahlstrom/Yahoo News Australia

Ms Brice said homeowners on the coast used to have a 15-metre clearing from properties to the waters edge, but now theyve got a measly two.

Story continues

Weve lost all the sand on the beach, probably six metres of our own yards, she said.

We now have vertical cliffs outside our houses and all this could have been prevented by building a revetment wall, which has been recommended and in the pipeline in council for nearly 20 years.

Ms Brice said development control plans for the area identified a revetment wall would be built, which was why people were allowed to develop properties in the area in the first place.

Wamberal residents have called for council to build a revetment wall. Source: Michael Dahlstrom/Yahoo News Austrakia

The worried homeowner also fears the whole of Wamberal will be engulfed by the ocean if nothing is done to protect it.

The dune sits at nine metres above sea level and the road sits at three metres behind it, so if this dune is breached and these houses go, the whole of Wamberal will go behind it. Thats hundreds of homes, she said.

This is a key piece of infrastructure to protect this area.

Theres not enough sand in front of homes

Chris Drummond, from UNSWs Water Research Laboratory, told Yahoo News Australia he would be worried if he owned a home in the erosion hotspot.

What weve seen over the last 12 months are a number of storms, naturally occurring storms, but they remove the sand buffer from in front of those properties. What weve seen over the last two to four days is a large east coast low storm which has taken away the buffer and undermined a number of properties here, he said.

Theres not enough sand on the beach in front of these properties and when you get large storms, if theres not enough sand then the properties get undermined.

Chris Drummond, from UNSW's Water Research Laboratory. Source: Michael Dahlstrom/Yahoo News Australia

Mr Drummond said there were plans to redesign a sea wall on this particular stretch of coast as opting to retreat would not be viable.

Retreat is not an option where you move the houses back. Its not economically feasible for all those houses to retreat and councils are left with a legacy issue where houses were given consent many years ago, he said.

Mr Drummond has been studying the coastline at Wamberal Beach for six to seven years and said over the last 12 to 18 months sand had been washed away by storms and had not been able to naturally recover in front of the Ocean View Road homes.

Residents say their homes are now on a cliff edge. Source: Michael Dahlstrom/Yahoo News Australia

With climate change projections, were looking at storms like this becoming more frequent and more intense, he said.

Its hard to say if what were seeing right now is the start of climate change, but what we can say is these events will become more frequent into the future.

The beach is not safe

Coastal erosion is not the only problem those in Wamberal face, with storms uncovering buried asbestos that is now flowing through the water and strewn along the coastline.

The beach is not safe, its full of asbestos now and steel frames and it looks like a war zone, Mr Hughes said.

Upper House Liberal MP Taylor Martin told Yahoo News Australia the asbestos had been a problem for decades, but particularly in the past five years.

Its been exposed in winter when we have these east coast lows, he said.

The Central Coast Council has known about this asbestos problem for years.

Mr Martin said over the past 48 hours asbestos that had been buried previously was washing through the sea and locals will find it for years to come up and down the coastline of Terrigal, Wamberal and Forresters Beach.

The stairs to a home on Wamberal Beach after storms this week. Source: Michael Dahlstrom/Yahoo News Australia

Even as far south as Avoca asbestos has turned up recently and now its strewn up and down our beach once again, he said.

Mr Martin claimed council had signs up for years warning of asbestos, but it was its responsibility to deal with it now its been dug out of the dune.

Central Coast Council told Yahoo News Australia in a statement teams were monitoring coastal infrastructure, beach access points and coastal lagoon levels.

Council teams have been on the ground checking in on residents in impacted areas, and continuing to monitor coastal infrastructure and coastal lagoon levels  responding as required to protect our community and environment, a spokesperson said.

We have been onsite working with residents and the NSW SES, monitoring the situation in Wamberal in particular to help keep everyone informed and safe as the situation evolves.

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.
Andrew Sullivan wrote his final column for New York magazine, where he has worked since 2016, on Friday after revealing he was leaving for reasons that were 'self-evident'

Conservative columnist Andrew Sullivan has revealed he is leaving New York magazine because he misses writing freely without being in a 'defensive crouch' - as he bemoaned mainstream media for no longer having diverse opinions.

In his final column on Friday for the magazine where he has worked for four years, Sullivan said that a 'critical mass' of staff at the company no longer wanted to associate with him due, in part, to his criticisms of critical theory or woke culture.

The self-described 'anti-Trump conservative' said some staff and management had come to believe that any writer who doesn't conform to critical theory was harming co-workers 'merely by existing in the same virtual space'.

He said that if the mainstream media would no longer host a diversity of opinion, it was up to the nonmainstream media to pick up the slack.

Sullivan had revealed on Wednesday that he was leaving the magazine, which is owned by Vox Media, and said at the time that the reasons for his departure were 'self-evident'.

The announcement came just weeks after he was allegedly banned by the magazine from writing about the riots across the US in the wake of George Floyd's death.

It also came on the same day New York Times opinion editor Bari Weiss revealed she had quit in a scathing resignation letter that slammed the newspaper for fostering an 'illiberal environment' and allegedly allowing her to be bullied by coworkers for 'wrongthink'.

In contrast to Weiss' bullying claims, Sullivan started his final column saying he was 'proud and happy' to have been part of his venture with the magazine and that he had no complaints about his interactions with his editors and fact-checkers.

In his final column on Friday for the magazine where he has worked for four years, Sullivan said that a 'critical mass' of staff at the company no longer wanted to associate with him due, in part, to his criticisms of critical theory or woke culture

Sullivan had revealed on Wednesday that he was leaving the magazine, which is owned by Vox Media, and said at the time that the reasons for his departure were 'self-evident'

'What has happened, I think, is relatively simple: A critical mass of the staff and management at New York Magazine and Vox Media no longer want to associate with me, and, in a time of ever tightening budgets, Im a luxury item they dont want to afford. And thats entirely their prerogative,' he wrote.

'They seem to believe, and this is increasingly the orthodoxy in mainstream media, that any writer not actively committed to critical theory in questions of race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity is actively, physically harming co-workers merely by existing in the same virtual space.

'Actually attacking, and even mocking, critical theorys ideas and methods, as I have done continually in this space, is therefore out of sync with the values of Vox Media. That, to the best of my understanding, is why Im out of here.'

The openly gay writer noted that conservative in his meant opposing Donald Trump, supporting criminal justice reform, pioneering marriage equality and supporting laws to protect transgender people from discrimination.

He said he also plans to vote for Joe Biden.

'It seems to me that if this conservatism is so foul that many of my peers are embarrassed to be working at the same magazine, then I have no idea what version of conservatism could ever be tolerated. And thats fine. We have freedom of association in this country, and if the mainstream media want to cut ties with even moderate anti-Trump conservatives, because they wont bend the knee to critical theorys version of reality, thats their prerogative.

Sullivan used his final column to announce he was re-launching his blog, the Dish, which he shut down in 2015 when he stopped blogging and started working for New York magazine.

He said he missed being able to write 'freely without being in a defensive crouch'.

Sullivan, in his column, dismissed that he was simply being 'canceled' by leaving the magazine.

'I agree with some of the critics that it's a little nuts to say I've just been 'canceled,' sent into oblivion and exile for some alleged sin. I haven't. I'm just no longer going to be writing for a magazine that has every right to hire and fire anyone it wants when it comes to the content of what it wants to publish,' he said.

Sullivan's announcement came after New York Times opinion editor Bari Weiss revealed on Tuesday she had quit in a scathing resignation letter that slammed the newspaper for fostering an 'illiberal environment' and allegedly allowing her to be bullied by coworkers for 'wrongthink'

Sullivan referenced Weiss' resignation letter in several tweets and retweets soon after it was published on her website on Tuesday

ANDREW SULLIVAN: THE CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR Andrew Sullivan, who is openly gay, is a conservative political commentator who lives in Washington DC. He was born and raised in the UK but has lived in the US for decades. Prior to joining New York magazine in 2016, he was an editor at The New Republic. He founded the Daily Dish, which is a political blog published by Time and The Atlantic before going independent. Sullivan, who has also written six books, retired from blogging in 2015 and became a writer-at-large at New York magazine the following year. Advertisement

Sullivan, who was was born and raised in the UK but has lived in the US for decades, has previously expressed concern that a 'woke' culture is crowding out dissenting opinion.

In a June 12 column titled 'Is There Still Room to Debate?' Sullivan wrote about an increasingly furious campaign to quell dissent from the central idea that society's evils stem from discrimination against blacks.

'In these past two weeks, if you didn't put up on Instagram or Facebook some kind of slogan or symbol displaying your wokeness, you were instantly suspect,' he wrote.

New York magazine also faced backlash last month for allegedly banning Sullivan from writing about anti-racism protests across the US.

Sullivan had tweeted that his column wouldn't be running in mid-June and Cockburn, an American blog run by UK-based news outlet The Spectator, claimed it was because editors didn't want him writing about the riots.

The blog claimed, citing a source close to New York magazine, that Sullivan had to have his work vetted by sensitive junior editors to make sure it doesn't trigger them before being published.

Neither Sullivan or the magazine commented at the time.

David Haskell, editor-in-chief of New York magazine, said earlier this week that he and Sullivan had both agreed that his ideas and the magazine's were no longer a match.

'Andrew and I agreed that his editorial project and the magazine's, though overlapping in many ways, were no longer the right match for each other,' he said in a memo to staff.

'While I found myself often disagreeing with his politics, I also found it valuable to be publishing work that challenged my thinking.'

'I am trying hard to create in this magazine a civil, respectful, intellectually honest space for political debate. I believe there is a way to write from a conservative perspective about some of the most politically charged subjects of American life while still upholding our values.'

Haskell went on to say that publishing conservative commentary in 2020 'is difficult to get right' and that 'thoughtful, well meaning people can come to different conclusions about it'.

Sullivan's departure from the magazine came on the same day Weiss, who joined the Times in 2017, revealed she was resigning and accused the newspaper of only publishing stories that 'satisfy the narrowest of audiences'.

President Donald Trump weighed in on Weiss' resignation on Wednesday when he tweeted that people were fleeing the New York Times.

'Wow. The @nytimes is under siege. The real reason is that it has become Fake News. They never covered me correctly - they blew it. People are fleeing, a total mess!' he said.

In a lengthy resignation letter addressed to NY Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger and posted on her website, Weiss said the paper of record was among the media institutions now betraying their standards and losing sight of their principles.

Weiss, who has previously said she doesn't support Trump, went on to claim that the opinions of those on Twitter had become the newspaper's 'ultimate editor'.

Weiss, who once dated SNL's Kate McKinnon while studying at Columbia University, also accused the outlet of creating a 'hostile work environment' for employees that essentially had anything other than left-of-center views.

She claims this mentality resulted in her being constantly bullied by coworkers who have called her a 'Nazi and a racist' because of her 'own forays into wrongthink'.

'Showing up for work as a centrist at an American newspaper should not require bravery,' Weiss wrote.
Boil water notices are in place for a large amount of South Kildare this morning.

The areas include Rathangan, parts of Monasterevin on the Rathangan Road, Redhills to Kildare town, Tullylost, Thomastown and Ellistown.

A Boil Water Notice is a formal notice issued to all properties in an area advising that drinking water from the public mains is not safe to drink unless it is boiled and cooled beforehand. Irish Water will only issue a Boil Water Notice after consulting with the Health Service Executive (HSE).

John ODonoghue, Irish Water Regional Operations Manager, said Irish Water understands the inconvenience caused as a result of this Boil Water Notice and wish to apologise to all customers affected.

"Public health is our number one priority and it is imperative that people adhere to the boil water notice. We will continue to keep local residents, media and elected representatives updated as we work resolve the issue and lift the boil water notice.

"We will continue to work closely with Kildare County Council and the HSE to monitor the supply and lift the notice as quickly as it is safe to do so and safeguard the supply for the future.



Updates are available via Irish Water's customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1850 278 278.

Further information and FAQs on Boil Water Notices can be found at https://www.water.ie/water-supply/water-quality/boil-water-notice/
July 16, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Israel is drawing up a secret list of military and intelligence officials who might be subject to arrest abroad if the International Criminal Court in the Hague opens an investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in the Palestinian territories.

Haaretz has learned that this list now includes between 200 and 300 officials, some of whom have not been informed. The great secrecy surrounding the issue stems from a fear that the mere disclosure of the lists existence could endanger the people on it. The assessment is that the court is likely to view a list of names as an official Israeli admission of these officials involvement in the incidents under investigation.

The ICC is expected to rule shortly on whether to approve the request by ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to investigate Israel and Hamas over suspicions of war crimes in the territories beginning in 2014, the year of Operation Protective Edge.

Given the time frame, experts in international law believe that officials and decision-makers involved in incidents beginning with the war in Gaza that summer would be the first to face the courts scrutiny.

They include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; former defense ministers Moshe Yaalon, Avigdor Lieberman and Naftali Bennett; former Israel Defense Forces chiefs of staff Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, and current Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi; and the former and current heads of the Shin Bet security service, Yoram Cohen and Nadav Argaman, respectively.

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But the length of the list shows that it includes people in much more junior positions, including lower-ranking military officers and perhaps even officials involved in issuing various types of permits to settlements and settlement outposts, since the issue of Jewish settlement in the territories is also within the scope of the requested investigation.

Judges Peter Kovacs of Hungary, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut of France and Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin will have to decide if the conclusions announced in December by the prosecutor, who found a basis for an investigation, are justified  and if so, whether the court has jurisdiction in the areas in which the alleged crimes were committed: East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Israel argues that the ICC does not have such authority, in part because the Palestinian Authority is not a sovereign state and therefore cannot delegate its judicial authority, and also because the case involves a political dispute. Bensouda, for her part, believes the court does have this authority, but has asked the judges to determine the scope of its jurisdiction due to the absence of permanent, recognized borders for the territories.

For this reason, Israel refuses to recognize the courts jurisdiction in this matter and does not intend to represent officially in any proceedings there. But during the preliminary investigation, there were quiet communications between the prosecutor and Israeli authorities. The state is also considering whether to secretly fund one of the amicus curiae briefs that have been approved to join the proceedings as a kind of proxy defense lawyer.

Israeli officials have said recently the ruling could come at any time, and that an official declaration of annexation of areas in the West Bank could further damage Israels position in the proceedings. Bensouda even warned of this explicitly in her preliminary investigation.

The judges in the Hague could close the case entirely or allow it to proceed. In the latter event, they could weigh in on the courts jurisdiction in the territories. But they could also leave the question to be decided in the course of the proceedings. A number of experts in international law have said that the latter option is more likely.

In December, after a few warnings, the prosecutor announced that a basis exists for investigating Israel and Hamas for war crimes in the territories since 2014. Among the events she mentioned were Operation Protective Edge, the settlement enterprise and the shooting of protesters along the fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel. In a section of her written statement concerning Operation Protective Edge, she wrote, There is a reasonable basis to believe that members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) committed the war crimes of: intentionally launching disproportionate attacks in relation to at least three incidents, ... wilful killing and wilfully causing serious injury to body or health [sic].

In connection to the settlements, Bensouda wrote: There is a reasonable basis to believe that ... the Israeli authorities ... transfer[ed] Israeli civilians into the West Bank since 13 June 2014. She added: Despite the clear and enduring calls that Israel cease activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory deemed contrary to international law, there is no indication that they will end. To the contrary, there are indications that they may not only continue, but that Israel may seek to annex these territories. She noted that last year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to annex large parts of the West Bank if reelected.

Bensouda and her staff also wrote that the investigation could include crimes allegedly committed in relation to the use by members of the IDF of non-lethal and lethal means against persons participating in demonstrations beginning in March 2018 near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, which reportedly resulted in the killing of over 200 individuals, including over 40 children, and the wounding of thousands of others.

In recent months Israel has encouraged the U.S. administration to harshly sanction the ICC in the hope that this would deter the court from the war crimes investigation. And indeed, in June, U.S. President Donald Trump, in coordination with Israel, ordered sanctions on officials involved in the courts probe into allegations of war crimes committed by the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.

Senior Trump administration officials have said on a number of occasions that they would view a decision to investigate Israel as a political move that could prompt additional actions from the United States. The U.S. decision led dozens of countries to issue statements affirming their support for the International Criminal Court.

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A young deckhand who was mauled by a shark has told of the life-saving manouever she performed to prevent the animal from inflicting more damage.

Anika Craney, 29, suffered significant leg injuries after she was bitten by the shark - believed to be a bronzed whaler - while swimming off Fitzroy Island near Cairns on Tuesday afternoon.

Ms Craney, who was airlifted to Cairns Hospital where she has since undergone surgery to repair severed tendons in her ankle, was part of a team filming a documentary on wildlife in the Coral Sea.

Speaking from her hospital bed, the young woman said she was swimming back to the boat from the shore when she saw a large shark appear beneath her.

Scroll down for video

Deckhand Anika Craney, 29, pictured in hospital after surviving being attacked by a shark off Fitzroy Island near Cairns on Tuesday

'I had only two seconds before I could respond - I flipped my body around and put the fins in front of the sharks face, which is what we always do if we see a shark were not sure about,' she told 7News.

She said she realised quickly the shark was going to attack her and that it bit her on the bottom half of her leg - leaving a deep gash between her ankle and the fin.

'With my right foot I kicked forward and the shark released and I immediately put my hands to my legs to hold it in place and to stop the bleeding, which I could now see was spurting into the water,' she said.

Tearing up, Ms Craney said she feared for her life as she saw blood pouring out of her leg clouding the water around her - not knowing if the shark was gearing up to attack again.

'I dont think Ive screamed so loud. I screamed, "help me". In the moment I was screaming for help, I thought that could have been it.'

She said a friend and paddle boarders took her to shore before doctors on Fitzroy Island put a tourniquet on her leg to stop the bleeding.

Ms Craney, who works as a deckhand, loves the ocean, and has been swimming dressed as a mermaid

Bystanders applied first aid to the victim, while paramedics and a rescue helicopter rushed to the scene

She was flown to Cairns Hospital where she is expected to undergo surgery for a fracture to her left ankle.

As she was wheeled into the emergency room, she was heard yelling: 'I still love sharks. Sharks are beautiful'.

Despite enduring the horrifying attack, Ms Craney, who works as a deckhand, remains passionate about the ocean.

Ms Craney suffered 'significant leg injuries' after she was bitten while swimming about 12.10pm on Tuesday

The 29-year-old wants to encourage people not to see sharks as monsters and to visit Australia's tropical reefs

She was seen smiling as she clutched a book a about sharks from her hospital bed.

Ms Craney's social media page show Ms Craney swimming dressed as a mermaid.

According to Dean Cropp, captain of the Barefoot II vessel Ms Craney was working on, she was an experienced freediver.

Ms Craney had been on her day off when she decided to swim to the island with another crew member before the attack

Ms Craney, who worked as a volunteer firefighter and lost her home in the Cobargo fires early this year, is now looking at a potentially broken ankle and deep lacerations to her lower left leg

Shark attacks in Fitzroy Island are very uncommon but there have been two other attacks in Far North Queensland within the last ten days.

The attack came just days after 15-year-old surfer Mani Hart-Deville was killed by a shark on the Mid North Coast of NSW on Saturday.

Spearfisher Matthew Tratt was killed by a shark off Fraser Island on July 4.
The partnership with Ojo de Tigre, the fast-growing super premium mezcal, strengthens Pernod Ricard's position in the category and the brand's home market, as it pursues active portfolio management under the "Transform Accelerate" strategic plan

Regulatory News:

Press Release 17 July 2020

Pernod Ricard (Paris:RI) proudly announces today its collaboration with super premium mezcal brand Ojo de Tigre, a traditional Mexican spirit. Ojo de Tigre is a small-batch, artisanal mezcal crafted according to ancient traditions. Only sustainable agave from the Tobala and Espadin plants are used, creating a smooth, sweet and herbal taste profile that can be savoured neat or in cocktails. Ojo de Tigre is available in both Joven and Reposado varieties and is presented in a unique and iconic bottle.

The premium plus mezcal category is enjoying strong growth, capturing fans among mixologists and consumers. Ojo de Tigre strengthens Pernod Ricard's presence in mezcal, following the Group's entry into the category in 2017 with a majority stake in Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal.

This collaboration is Pernod Ricard's latest in a series of successful partnerships with brands launched by passionate entrepreneurs. The Group is excited to include among them Moises Guindi, Co-founder of Ojo de Tigre and Co-founder Chief Executive Officer of Casa Lumbre.

Moises Guindi stated, "We believe the next stage of our beloved category is one that actively invites more drinkers and expands the occasions and uses for mezcal. This expansion will recruit the next generation of drinkers and guide more mezcal lovers through the category and into our super premium brands. We believe Ojo de Tigre is well suited to this task and Pernod Ricard is the perfect partner for this mission."

For Alexandre Ricard, Chairman Chief Executive Officer of Pernod Ricard, "Ojo de Tigre's authentic origins, mindful production and inviting taste contribute to its strong appeal among consumers. We look forward to a successful collaboration toward the brand's future development.

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of 9,182 million in FY19. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine's, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes, as well Jacob's Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard's brands are distributed across over 160 markets, and by its own direct salesforce in 73 markets. The Group's decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of "Createurs de Convivialite." As reaffirmed by the Group's three-year strategic plan, "Transform and Accelerate," deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard's strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "We bring good times from a good place." In recognition of Pernod Ricard's strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in Vigeo Eiris for the beverage sector. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation's Global Compact LEAD company. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.

About Casa Lumbre and Ojo de Tigre:

Casa Lumbre Group is a parent company dedicated to craft "farm-to-bottle" Mexican premium spirit propositions with sensorial uniqueness. The group has a strong focus on place of origin, sustainability, and original method of productions. Casa Lumbre has created brands such as: Ancho Reyes Liqueur, Montelobos Mezcal, Abasolo Whisky and Nixta Corn Liqueur. Ojo de Tigre Mezcal S.A.P.I. de C.V., is an independent Mexican company established in 2018 with the objective to create a 100% handmade, small-batch, artisanal mezcal crafted according to ancient traditions. Only sustainable agave from the Tobala and Espadin plants are used, creating a smooth, sweet and herbal taste profile that can be savored neat or in cocktails. Ojo de Tigre is available in both Joven and Reposado varieties.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200716006127/en/

Contacts:

Pernod Ricard Contacts

Julia Massies VP, Financial Communications Investor Relations +33 (0) 1 70 93 17 10

Charly Montet Investor Relations Manager +33 (0) 1 70 93 17 13

Emmanuel Vouin Press Relations Manager +33 (0) 1 70 93 16 34

Alison Donohoe Press Relations Manager +33 (0) 1 70 93 16 23

Ojo de Tigre Contacts

Jonathan Hanono Investor Relations Manager +52 1 (55) 8548-6005

Roberto Hidalgo Chief Marketing Officer +52 1 (55) 4766-4303
carlballou/iStockBY: AARON KATERSKY AND CATHERINE THORBECKE, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK) -- The New York Police Department have taken into custody an assistant of the tech entrepreneur who was found decapitated and dismembered in his apartment earlier this week, police sources confirmed to ABC News.

Fahim Saleh, 33, was found dead in his New York City apartment on Tuesday. The death was officially deemed a homicide with the cause being multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso.

Saleh's former executive assistant, Tyrese Haspil, 21, was arrested Friday and hit with second-degree murder charges, the NYPD said.

Police said Haspil used a Taser to immobilize Saleh before stabbing him to death. Saleh's head, arms and legs had been severed.

Saleh co-founded Pathao, a ride-share app that's popular in Bangladesh. More recently, he was the CEO of Gokada, a motorcycle ride-sharing and delivery company based in Nigeria, which has faced financial setbacks and recently laid off most of its staff.

The motive for the murder appeared to be a dispute over money.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said that Haspil owed Saleh a "significant amount of money." Police sources put the amount in excess of $100,000.

Detectives also recovered text messages between the two that indicated Saleh accused Haspil of stealing the money, sources said.

The sources also said that Haspil was tracked using his credit card, which is believed to have been paid for by Saleh. The credit card was used to purchase the electric saw discovered in the victims apartment and was also used to pay for the suspect's rides to and from the location. Finally, the same credit card was used to pay for a car service to Home Depot where the suspect bought cleaning supplies, sources said.

It was not immediately clear if Haspil had obtained an attorney.

Saleh's body was found Tuesday afternoon by his cousin, according to police.

"The headlines talk about a crime we still cannot fathom," Saleh's family said in a statement earlier this week. "Fahim is more than what you are reading. He is so much more. His brilliant and innovative mind took everyone who was a part of his world on a journey and he made sure never to leave anyone behind. Fahim found success at an early age and built on it year after year, while remaining grounded and committed to helping others."

"No matter what he did, he did it while thinking of the greater good and his family," the statement continued. "His parents and his sisters were his light and he was theirs. There are no words or actions to provide any of us comfort except the capture of the person who exhibited nothing short of evil upon our loved one."

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Though Boeing now anticipates US federal approval to unground its 737 Max in September, company data released Tuesday shows that in the first half of this year the manufacturer lost just over 800 orders for the troubled airplane.



With the Max unable to be delivered and with the Covid-19 pandemic killing demand for all other airplanes, Boeing's update Tuesday to its orders and deliveries website also shows that it delivered just 10 jets in June, only three of which were passenger airplanes.



With production at such a slow crawl, Boeing delivered a total of 70 commercial airplanes (or military derivatives) in the first half of this year, down from 239 delivered in the first half of 2019.



Rival Airbus delivered 36 aircraft in June, and 196 in the first half of the year.



While Boeing's delivery figures are bleak, its order numbers are worse.



Boeing in June added one solitary new order from FedEx for a 767 freighter jet, and meanwhile wiped 183 orders from its backlog due to cancellations or likely cancellations.



Boeing's new gross orders for the year through June now stands at 59, but net of cancellations and model conversions its order tally stands at negative 323 airplanes.



Adding in the aircraft removed from the official backlog as no longer solid enough to count as orders, and that tally swells to negative 784 airplanes.



Airbus in comparison lost one order in June, bringing its net order tally for the year to 298 airplanes.



In a statement, Greg Smith, Boeing executive vice president of Enterprise Operations, attributed the slump in deliveries to "the significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our customers and our operations."



"We continue to closely monitor the commercial marketplace by staying very engaged with our customers around the globe to fully understand short term and long term requirements," Smith added. "All of this is informing current and future production rates and any further adjustments as needed to balance supply and demand."



Smith did not address the substantial decline in the order backlog, which is almost entirely due to some customers giving up on the 737 Max.



For the 737 Max alone, the negative tally for the first half of the year is 805 airplanes.



All but five of the airplanes scrubbed from the backlog in June were Maxes. Customers outright canceled 60 orders for the Max and Boeing removed another 119 Maxes from its official backlog that are no longer deemed solid enough to meet US accounting standards.



Most of those 119 orders, though not yet officially canceled, may as well be dead. For example, that total includes 92 Maxes that Norwegian Air announced publicly it is canceling.



Boeing hasn't officially labeled them canceled only because it's still negotiating with Norwegian and presumably looking at legal options.



(Norwegian said it's also canceling five 787 Dreamliner orders; Boeing also removed those from the backlog in June without officially canceling them.)



The 60 outright Max cancellations in June included 30 for lessor BOC Aviation, 17 for lessor Avolon, six for Blue Air of Romania, five for lessor ACG and two more for unidentified customers.



An order that might have been



Also notable from the June results is that Boeing failed to finalize a new order for 777Xs and 787s after offering an airline a discount deal that had to be accepted by June 30.



This offer was revealed in a lawsuit filing at the end of May. Russian cargo carrier Volga-Dnepr, which earlier this year had canceled orders for a 747-8 freighter and three 777 freighters, sued Boeing for refusing to let it take back the cancellation and instead offering two of the 777 jets to another customer.



That customer wasn't named in the lawsuit filings, but its identity was revealed when one of the 777 freighters in question flew a test flight out of Everett, Wash., painted in the livery of China Cargo Airlines, a subsidiary of Shanghai-based China Eastern.



A filing in the lawsuit includes a formal "credit memo" for the two 777Fs that made the discounts conditional on an agreement to also purchase 777Xs and 787s "no later than June 30, 2020."



In refusing Volga-Dnepr's wish to come back in from the cold and instead wooing China Eastern, Boeing sales chief Ihssane Mounir was clearly reaching for a big win and a significant morale boost. There have been precious few widebody jet sales this year, and no direct, identified orders from Chinese airlines since 2017.



That Mounir failed to close the 777X/787 deal by the deadline in the memo doesn't mean it won't happen. Negotiations will likely continue. It may or may not come to fruition later, with the outcome crucially dependent on the state of US-China relations.



Boeing deliveries in June consisted of three military aircraft - two P-8 Navy sub-hunters and one KC-46 Air Force tanker - plus four widebody freighters (a 747 for UPS and two 767s and a 777 for FedEx) as well as three 787 Dreamliners.



All three 787s were delivered from Boeing's North Charleston, S.C., plant, not from the 787 line in Everett. Two were 787-10s for British Airways and the third was a 787-9 for Westjet of Canada.



With the shrinking of the 737 Max order book, Boeing's official backlog now stands at 4,552 airplanes. The Airbus backlog stands at 7,584 airplanes.



The backlogs of both manufacturers are likely to shrink more in the year ahead as the impact of the pandemic continues to devastate airline finances worldwide.

Source: GNA









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INDIANAPOLIS, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) announced today that mirikizumab, an investigational monoclonal antibody that binds to the p19-subunit of IL23, met the primary and all key secondary endpoints versus placebo at Week 16 (superiority) and all key secondary endpoints versus Cosentyx (secukinumab) at Week 16 (non-inferiority) and Week 52 (superiority) in the OASIS-2 study. OASIS-2 is a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study comparing the efficacy and safety of mirikizumab to placebo and Cosentyx in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

OASIS-2

Week 16 Week 52

Placebo | Cosentyx (per label) |

Mirikizumab (250 mg Q4W) Cosentyx (per label) | Mirikizumab (250

mg Q4W/125 mg Q8W; 250 mg

Q4W/250 mg Q8W) sPGA(0,1) 6.3% | 76.3% | 79.7% 68.5% | 83.1%; 83.3% PASI 90 6.3% | 72.8% | 74.4% 69.4% | 81.4%; 82.4% PASI 100 1.8% | 36.6% | 37.7% 42.9% | 53.9%; 58.8%

p< 0.001 for all comparisons including non-inferiority with Cosentyx at Week 16; mirikizumab comparison with Cosentyx at Week 16 for PASI 100 not adjusted for multiplicity.  Primary endpoints versus placebo at Week 16.

The safety profile was consistent with previously disclosed results for mirikizumab and known safety findings of other drugs in the IL23p19 class.

"The results from this study are promising to people around the world who are burdened by psoriasis and Lilly is grateful to the patients, providers and investigators for advancing science to benefit patients with immunologic conditions," said Patrik Jonsson, senior vice president and president of Lilly Bio-Medicines. "We look forward to bringing mirikizumab to market to provide patients with an additional treatment option that has the potential to provide near complete or complete skin clearance as measured by PASI 90 and PASI 100, with sustained results at 52 weeks."

The OASIS program demonstrates Lilly's continued commitment to developing new treatment options in dermatology. In addition to mirikizumab in psoriasis, Lilly is studying other treatments for atopic dermatitis and alopecia areata, a disease without an FDA-approved medicine.

"We are pleased with the positive results observed in the mirikizumab psoriasis development program (OASIS). Mirikizumab has the potential to be a meaningful treatment option for people living with psoriasis," said Andrew Blauvelt, M.D., M.B.A., president of Oregon Medical Research Center and a lead investigator in the OASIS program. "The data builds on our understanding of IL-23 inhibition in psoriasis and possible future applications."

In OASIS-2, the primary endpoints were the proportion of patients with a Static Physician's Global Assessment (sPGA) of (0,1) with at least a 2-point improvement and the proportion of patients with at least a 90 percent improvement from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90) at Week 16 compared to placebo. Similar endpoints were evaluated at Week 16 as key secondary endpoints compared to Cosentyx. Other key secondary endpoints compared to placebo at Week 16 include the proportion of patients with at least a 75 and 100 percent improvement from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75/PASI 100).

Key secondary endpoints at Week 52 compared to Cosentyx included the proportion of patients with a Static Physician's Global Assessment (sPGA) of (0,1) with at least a 2-point improvement and the proportion of patients with at least a 90 and 100 percent improvement from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90/PASI 100).

The most common treatment-emergent adverse events (5%) during the induction period (up to Week 16) were nasopharyngitis and upper respiratory infections and during the combined induction and maintenance treatment periods (up to Week 52) were nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infections, headache, back pain, and arthralgia. The frequency of serious adverse events was comparable across treatment arms during the induction period (<2.5%) and combined induction and maintenance periods up to 52 weeks (<6%).

The full OASIS-2 study results will be disclosed at future congresses. Phase 3 clinical trials are ongoing for mirikizumab in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, an area where there are limited treatment options and patients are currently underserved. After pausing enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these studies have resumed enrolling patients. Lilly expects topline results for the Phase 3 induction data in ulcerative colitis in the spring of 2021 and for the Phase 3 Crohn's data in 2022.

About Mirikizumab

Mirikizumab is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody that binds to the p19 subunit of interleukin 23. Mirikizumab is being studied for the treatment of immune diseases, including psoriasis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

About the OASIS-2 Trial

OASIS-2 is a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study comparing the efficacy and safety of mirikizumab to placebo and Cosentyx (secukinumab) in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. 1,465 patients were randomized in the study in a 4:4:4:1 ratio to one of the following induction and maintenance period treatments: a) 250 mg mirikizumab at Weeks 0, 4, 8, 12 followed by 250 mg every 8 weeks (Q8W) starting at Week 16; b) 250 mg mirikizumab at Weeks 0, 4, 8, 12 followed by 125 mg Q8W starting at Week 16; c) 300 mg secukinumab at Weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, followed by 300 mg Q4W starting at Week 4; d) placebo at Weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, followed by 250 mg mirikizumab every 4 weeks (Q4W) starting at Week 16 through Week 32 followed by Q8W thereafter. Dosing was via subcutaneous injection for all treatments.

About Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic disease that occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells, causing raised, red, scaly patches to appear on the skin.1 Psoriasis affects approximately 125 million people worldwide, approximately 20 percent of whom have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.1,2 There are five types of psoriasis. The most common form of psoriasis, plaque psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells.1

About Lilly in Immunology

Lilly is bringing our heritage of championing groundbreaking, novel science to immunology and is driven to change what's possible for people living with autoimmune diseases. There are still significant unmet needs, as well as personal and societal costs, for people living with a variety of autoimmune diseases and our goal is to minimize the burden of disease. Lilly is investing in leading-edge clinical approaches across our immunology portfolio in hopes of transforming the autoimmune disease treatment experience. We've built a deep pipeline and are focused on advancing cutting-edge science to find new treatments that offer meaningful improvements to support the people and the communities we serve.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com and www.lilly.com/newsroom/social-channels. P-LLY

This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about mirikizumab as a potential treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and inflammatory bowel diseases including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and reflects Lilly's current belief. As with any pharmaceutical product, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of development and commercialization. Among other things, there can be no guarantee that future study results will be consistent with the results to date, that mirikizumab will receive regulatory approvals, or be commercially successful. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release.

1 About Psoriasis. National Psoriasis Foundation website. https://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis. Accessed April 2020.

2 Skin conditions by the numbers. American Academy of Dermatology website. https://www.aad.org/media/stats/conditions/skin-conditions-by-the-numbers. Accessed April 2020.

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company

Related Links

http://www.lilly.com


Kate Middleton has established herself as one of the best and most capable royals today, showing everyone that she is more than just Prince William's wife.

Moreover, ever since Meghan Markle married Prince Harry, Kate has always been compared to the former actress in multiple polls. Interestingly, it only increases Kate's popularity, as she has been getting positive reviews and feedbacks more often than not.

Although they are both extraordinary women in their own rights, it is quite noticeable how Kate is more loved than Meghan. With that said, we take a look why and how Prince William's wife won the hearts of many.

Kate Middleton Is Kind To Her Royal Aides

Becoming a royal family member means offering your life to the public and being empathetic towards royal workers.

Because of Kate's kindness and capacity to connect with people, she has been hailed as the most popular royal who won over the royal household.

In an interview with Fox News, royal expert Tom Quinn described the Duchess of Cambridge as a "very warm, very calm, and very kind" person.

"I think she's very strong, but she's very conscious, very kind to the people who work for her," Quinn added. "Rather than command people to do things, she asks them to do things."

He also mentioned in his book "Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle" that he spoke to people who have worked for the monarchy throughout the years. According to Quinn, during all those conversations, no one shared and said anything negative about Kate -- proving how pure her heart is.

Kate Middleton Supported Prince William Through Ups and Downs

The way Kate supports Prince William both as her husband and future King made royal watchers realize that the duchess has genuine plans to help the monarchy.

Unlike Meghan, Kate has shown that the Crown and her position as a senior member of the royal family are more important than fame and her personal desires .

Aside from treating the royal staff the way they deserve to be treated, the Duchess of Cambridge has also acted as Prince William's "rock" through the years.

"Kate has been a perfect [companion] because she's so calm and stable -- and that's what he needs," Quinn said in the same interview. "I'm not saying she's sort of a second mother, but there's an element of that. She's a rock. It's a bit of a cliche, but she's someone who just doesn't have a history that's all over the place."

This is probably how she was able to help the Duke of Cambridge get over Princess Diana's death, as well as get through the mental health issues he has suffered through the years.

Kate Middleton Treasures Her Family So Much

It is worth noting that Meghan has received a wave of criticisms after what she allegedly did to her father, Thomas Markle.

While the Duchess of Sussex seems to have a rift with her family, Kate stays the best daughter to the Middletons despite being a royal now.

For instance, the Duchess of Cambridge previously wore a military-inspired coat and highlighted it with The Codebreakers Brooch. Interestingly, it was the Duchess' way to pay respect and honor her grandmother Valerie Glassborow, Valerie's twin sister Mary and her great-aunt.

Valerie and Mary served the U.K. by being codebreakers who deciphered the secrets of the German Enigma machine during World War II. With all the available accessories, Middleton chose the pin that symbolizes the codebreakers and remembered what her ancestors did for the country.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle Net Worth: Can The Duchess Finances Cover Their Expenses in LA?
Night Curfew in Maharashtra: Check guidelines, rules; what is allowed, what is not allowed

Maharashtra govt trying to frustrate probe against former minister Anil Deshmukh: CBI to SC

Maharashtra likely to see rise in COVID-19 hospitalisations by Jan-end or early Feb

Some BJP MLAs in touch with Cong, claims Maharashtra minister

India

pti-PTI

Mumbai, July 17: Maharashtra minister and Congress leader Yashomati Thakur on Friday claimed that some of the 105 BJP MLAs in the state were in touch with her party and there would an "earthquake" if their names were made public.

Hitting out at the opposition BJP over its "lust for power" and "dirty politics", Thakur said that Maharashtra has given a new formula to the country.

She also said that the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was stable.

In a video statement posted on Twitter, Thakur hit out BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying that he was surrounded by the people who are outsiders.

She was referring to the leaders, who had quit the Congress and the NCP and joined the BJP ahead of the state Assembly polls held last year.

"This shows how weak they are. How many out of the 105 MLAs of the BJP have come from other parties? Do you have guarantee that they will always remain with the BJP? If the names of those from the 105 MLAs, who are in touch with the Congress, are revealed, there will be an earthquake!" she said.

Thakur criticised the BJP saying that despite having a majority government at the Centre, it was trying to destablise the governments led by other parties in the states.

Rajnath Singh speech at Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken | Oneindia News

"BJP''s lust for power and dirty politics was seen in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and now Rajasthan," the minister for women and child welfare said.

"The Maharashtra government is stable. The state has given a new formula to the country and I feel it will be a success," she said.

The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress had joined hands to form the government in Maharashtra in November last year after the Uddhav Thackeray-led party parted ways with the BJP over sharing of the chief minister''s post.
Steven Terwindt, currently Chief Operating Officer Brenntag North America, has been appointed as President & Chief Executive Officer Brenntag North America and Member of the Management Board of Brenntag AG. He will be responsible for the regions North America and Latin America as of August 1, 2020. Steven Terwindt will succeed Markus Klahn who had informed the Supervisory Board of Brenntag AG that he will not be available for an extension of his contract for personal reasons. The Supervisory Board agreed with Markus Klahn that he will leave the company as of July 31, 2020.

In addition, the Supervisory Board and Karsten Beckmann, Chief Executive Officer Brenntag Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Member of the Management Board of Brenntag AG, have agreed by best mutual consent that Karsten Beckmann will leave the company as of August 31, 2020. Henri Nejade, Chief Executive Officer Brenntag Asia Pacific and Member of the Management Board of Brenntag AG, will assume additional responsibility for the EMEA region as of September 1, 2020 for an interim period.

Doreen Nowotne, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of Brenntag AG, said: Markus Klahn and Karsten Beckmann have been essential for the development of Brenntags success story over recent years. I would like to thank both very much on behalf of the entire Supervisory Board for their strong leadership and full dedication to our business, our customers and suppliers, and our people. Markus and Karsten devoted most of their professional career to the company and have been key to the very successful developments of Brenntag especially in North America and EMEA. We wish Markus and Karsten all the best and success in their future endeavours.

Christian Kohlpaintner, Chief Executive Officer of Brenntag AG, said: We warmly welcome Steven Terwindt in the Management Board. With his long-term experience in the chemical distribution industry, deep understanding of our company and strong leadership he will contribute to further expanding Brenntags leading global market position and our competitive positions in North America and Latin America. We thank Markus Klahn and Karsten Beckmann, both valued and highly respected colleagues, for their important contributions in the past.

The Management Board remains fully committed to the transformation program Project Brenntag to expand the companys leading global market position. Doreen Nowotne said: Project Brenntag will set the foundation for future growth in a changing market environment. The Supervisory Board is convinced that the leadership team continues to consequently drive forward the program that was initiated at the beginning of the year.
A two-day sitting of the parliamentary standing committee dealing with external affairs was cancelled because not enough members of parliament turned up for the meetings, according to MPs that Hindustan Times spoke to. The physical meeting was scheduled at the Parliaments annexe.

This comes just days after an official who attended last Tuesdays public accounts committee meeting tested positive, leading to several MPs who attended the meeting having to quarantine themselves. Five MPs that Hindustan Times spoke to cited Covid-19 for their inability to attend the meeting.

The 31-member panel is headed by the Bharatiya Janata Partys PP Chaudhary was supposed to meet to discuss and adopt the draft report on The Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indians Bill. However, at the scheduled time, only five MPs turned up at the annexe . Apart from the chairman, there was Rajya Sabha member Swapan Dasgupta, BJPs Manoj Tiwari and Meenakshi Lekhi and TDPs Jaydev Galla who travelled all the way from Telangana for the meeting that didnt happen.

A Lok Sabha official said a panel meeting has to have at least a third of its members in attendance. It was cancelled because it didnt have the quorum which in this case was at least 10, this person added on condition of anonymity. Ever since Parliament adjourned in March just before a lockdown was announced to fight the spread of the disease, parliamentary panel meetings were also suspended. They restarted last week.

Four Congress MPs that head parliamentary panels, Shashi Tharoor, Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh and Adhir Chowdhury have all argued for these meetings to go online but there are security concerns stopping that from happening.

I thought it was very safe, said Dasgupta, explaining his decision to attend the meeting. There was social distancing and the room in the Annexe is big enough for everyone to be accommodated with these restrictions.

But the BSPs Ritesh Pandey disagreed: I chose not to go, he said speaking from Almora. I told them that it was better to hold the meeting at a time when the (case) numbers were down.

While Pandey chose not to come, the Revolutionary Socialist Partys member NK Premachandran had no choice. He was caught in the new lockdown in the Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. He cannot travel out of the state due to travel restrictions, said an aide who answered his phone. Adilabad MP Soyam Babu Rao said that a Covid awareness event in his constituency prevented him from attending the meeting.

It wasnt immediately clear how many members had informed the secretariat or the chairman about their inability to attend the meeting.

I was all set to come but my drivers mother died of covid. I stayed back because we had to get him tested. Fortunately, he tested negative, said BJP MP Poonam Mahajan.

I have children in my house, said RJD MP Misa Yadav, I just didnt think it was worth the risk. Maybe if they discussed something relevant like the India Nepal issue which is very important for me and my constituents but not some NRI marriage bill.

I think the second lockdown in many places has created problems, said Tiwari, ``However, we cannot have online meetings. Standing committees are secret and we cannot guarantee that if we move it online.

Jaydev Galla didnt respond to HTs queries, and a spokesperson for the Speaker Om Birlas office said they would revert with a comment. While a monsoon session is expected before September, the demand for online attendance is only growing.
After recovery from Covid-19, Telangana Pradesh Congress treasurer, Gudur Narayana Reddy, has launched an "apolitical" NGO, Telangana Plasma Donors Association, to raise awareness and timely provisions for plasma aiding critical patients ailing from the unconfined virus. He has also urged state to frame guidelines on plasma donation in Telangana.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy formally launched the Telangana Plasma Donors Association, an NGO to create awareness among people who recovered from Covid-19 to donate their plasma to save other Covid-19 patients.The logo of TPDA was unveiled at a press conference at Hyderabad Press Club. The office bearers of the association were also named on the occasion. Gudur Narayana Reddy is the President, P. Rathore is named Vice President, Satyanarayana Reddy will be secretary and A. Narender will be the treasurer.

Addressing a press conference later, Narayana Reddy said that the initiative was taken to provide timely and much-needed aid to the critical patients of Covid-19. He said, This is purely to serve the patients without any discrimination and without indulging into any kind of politics. Covid-19 patients are in urgent and inevitable need of plasma today, he said.

Minutes after launching the association, Narayana Reddy, along with other office bearers, met Health Minister Etala Rajender to request him to frame guidelines for plasma donations in Telangana. Responding to his request, the Health Minister called the Director of Medical Education, Director of Public Health and other senior officials asking them to gather information from the Governments of Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha and other states on the steps taken by them to boost plasma therapy. He asked them to frame the guidelines or Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) to encourage plasma therapy in the state.

Also read: Indias Covid-19 tally crosses 1 million mark

Also read: India Ideas Summit: PM Modi to address line-up of US-India leaders on July 22

During the meeting, Narayana Reddy assured the Health Minister that he would rope in nearly 100 Telugu doctors settled in UK, Spain, Italy and USA to coordinate in tele-medicine for the Covid-19 patients in Telangana. He said those doctors have experience of handling thousands of Coronavirus cases in those countries.

The Health Minister appreciated the offer and asked DME Dr. Ramesh Reddy, DoH Dr. Srinivasulu and OSD Dr. Gangadhar to improve upon the proposal by having a meeting with Naraayan Reddy and other colleagues.

Narayana Reddy appreciated the timely response shown by the Health Minister and the senior officials.

Speaking to media persons earlier, Narayana Reddy had demanded the government to act fast on Plasma Therapy as it was giving better results in treatment of critically ill Covid-19 patients. He said that he knew the pain with which a Corona patient goes through and would like to serve the people who are affected by the virus. He said two persons, who have recovered from the Covid-19, could donate their Plasma to save one serious patient suffering from Coronavirus. He said many States have done commendable jobs in implementing the Plasma Therapy. While the Delhi Govt is establishing a Plasma Bank, Maharashtra Govt has launched the biggest Plasma trial titled Project Platina. He said some other States including Karnataka, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have been utilising Plasma Therapy in an effective manner to treat Covid-19 patients.

Narayana Reddy expressed regret that the Telangana Government was not only slow in Tracing, Testing and Treating the Covid-19 patients, it failed to take up Plasma Therapy at a larger scale. He said Plasma Therapy was performed on a few patients only at Gandhi Hospital. He said this could be scaled up and all eligible hospitals could be permitted to perform this procedure. He said with over 60% recovery rate, it was not difficult to convince recovered patients to donate their plasma to save 2% critically ill patients. However, this could not be done unless State Government frames SOPs.

The TPDA President said that his association would launch a massive awareness campaign to convince a large number of recovered patients for plasma donations. He said his association was completely non-political and it would carry out its activities with its own funds. It does not need any donations or government funds for any activity, he said.

Narayana Reddy proposed that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao constitute a Group of Ministers (GoM) to handle Covid-19 situation. He said all other activities should be suspended till we conquer Covid19. He said all ministers should be directed to stay put in one major hospital to supervise and coordinate the Covid-19 treatment. He said the ministers could take all precautions like wearing Hazmat Suits to protect themselves from the infection.

The other office bearers of the Association also narrated their experiences and appealed to the people to take all precautions to protect themselves from Coronavirus.

Also read: Andhra Pradesh: 1,141 new procedures added in Arogyasri, govt to pay all costs if hospital bills exceed Rs 1000

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Public schools are the backbone of any community. We should be prioritizing them even if that means they are virtual for the short term. We need to stop asking our kids (and teachers) to make all of the sacrifices.
PARIS  Standing on a truck, her fist clenched high and her back turned to a row of police vans, Assa Traore galvanized the crowd before her.

You are powerful! she shouted, to the cheers of thousands who had gathered on the Place de la Republique in central Paris to protest police violence and racism. Your faces have been seen all over the world!

Until just a few weeks ago, Ms. Traore, 35, a special-education teacher of Malian descent, was largely known as the spokeswoman for The Truth for Adama, an advocacy group that has demanded justice for her half brother, Adama Traore, who died in police custody in 2016 on his 24th birthday.

But now, with the spread of Black Lives Matter protests, she has gained wider prominence as the champion of men who have been victims of discriminatory police violence in France. Ms. Traore said that men in minority neighborhoods are more likely to be targeted by the police than women  and as a woman, she could help defend them by taking a stand where she was least expected.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A new study into the prevalence of homelessness in ex-serving men and women calls for urgent policy attention and improved service responses.

A much larger number of Australian veterans are homeless than previously estimated, according to new national research published today in the Australian Journal of Social Issues. Approximately 5,800 ex-serving men and women are homeless in a 12-month period, a rate significantly higher than that for all Australians.

The AHURI Inquiry into Homelessness Amongst Australian Veterans, funded by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, offers the first-ever estimate of veteran homelessness based on primary data and the first accurate baseline to track changes in the rate over time. The information is vital for service planning.

The inquiry, conducted by researchers from the Social Policy Research Center (SPRC) at UNSW Sydney and the Center for Traumatic Stress Studies at the University of Adelaide from 2016-2019, was commissioned in response to concern about the limited evidence available to inform policy development.

The report calls out the critical need for government to commit to further research and service policy reform to address homeless veterans' needs.

"While international research has shown that veterans are at a greater risk of homelessness in comparison to the general population, the extent of the problem in Australia has not been known until the completion of our research," says co-author Dr. Fiona Hilferty from UNSW's SPRC.

"This has prevented definitive service planning, with veterans not recognized as a priority cohort within national homelessness policy. The findings of our research point to the urgent need for veterans to receive priority attention from policymakers and housing organizations."

As well as estimating the number of veterans living without a home, the research also examines veterans' pathways into homelessness. The ways in which aspects of military service contribute to homelessness are difficult to isolate, Dr. Hilferty says. Ex-serving men and women who are homeless report similar risk factors to the general population, including mental illness, substance abuse and poverty.

"However, our research also identified a number of unique factors that increase the risk of becoming homeless for veterans. These risks include relationship breakdown, being medically discharged from the Australian Defense Force, and being unemployed for more than three months following the transition from military service."

The report also looks at service usage patterns to monitor the efficacy of and opportunities for improvement in service implementation. It found that while mainstream homelessness services may be able to address the needs of those experiencing short-term or transitional homelessness who seek help, chronically homeless veterans require a specific policy and service response focused around the provision of permanent and supported housing.

"Gaining a suitable home provides opportunities to address the problems that sustain chronic homelessness such as mental illness and substance abuse issues," says another co-author of the paper, Professor Ilan Katz from SPRC.

"As such it is the core service need for chronically homeless veterans, yet for many this need is not being met. It is unlikely that we will have a significant reduction in veteran homelessness unless the needs of chronically homeless veterans are met."

The project team also included three veteran community researchers who brought to the team their personal experience in military service and expertise in supporting veterans experiencing homelessness.

The research, with its prevalence estimate, will allow for targeted service planning to occur in Australia.

"At present, we do not know whether veteran homelessness is increasing or decreasing," Prof. Katz says. "Homeless people are amongst the hardest population group from whom to collect data. Additionally our research has revealed that older Australian veterans go to great efforts to isolate themselves from family, and live in a manner that avoids authorities and attention."

However further research and a genuine commitment to social services reform is required if we hope to address the issues contributing to veteran homelessness.

"These findings are an important first step in understanding veteran homelessness in Australia, but further research is needed to address the critical gap in this field of research," says Dr. Hilferty.

"While our report begins to build the evidence base, very little is known about the geography of veteran homelessness, the effectiveness of current services and the extent of homelessness amongst older Australian veterans. Monitoring veteran homelessness is a task that is worth undertaking only if policy and service reforms are fully resourced and implemented."

The research discussed in this article provides the basis for both and highlights the necessity of prompt action.

Explore further Veterans battle homelessness long after discharge from the military

More information: Fiona Hilferty et al. How many Australian veterans are homeless? Reporting prevalence findings and method from a national study, Australian Journal of Social Issues (2020). Fiona Hilferty et al. How many Australian veterans are homeless? Reporting prevalence findings and method from a national study,(2020). DOI: 10.1002/ajs4.123
We need to record the fact that Armenia hasnt addressed the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for assistance. This is what Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan told reporters in Minsk today, touching upon the question whether the official Yerevan isnt disappointed with the statement of the CSTO which, in essence, compared its member state Armenia with Azerbaijan.

In the Charter of the CSTO, there is an article stating that when there is an attack, the member state has to address the CSTO for assistance, but Armenia hasnt addressed the CSTO for assistance. Armenias goal was to inform its colleagues about the situation. It is clear that if there has been a provocation on the borders of Armenia, the member states need to be informed. This is why I am surprised that there are people in Armenia who have certain expectations from the CSTO, he said.

When told that this concerns the content of the statement, the deputy minister said the following: In this case, the CSTO only stated that it is calling on ceasefire because if Armenia addresses the CSTO for assistance, the latter will have to become entangled in the issue.
The man accused of photographing Perth children while working as an IT contractor at several public schools has indicated in court he will plead guilty to possessing child exploitation material.

The 21-year-old man faced Midland Magistrates Court on Friday morning charged with more than 67 counts of child exploitation-related offences, but is yet to officially enter a plea.

Wearing a blue COVID-19 mask, black hat and black hooded jumper, the man had his case adjourned until August and remains on bail.

The man was an external contractor working at public schools across the Perth metropolitan area when he allegedly photographed students on school grounds without permission.

WAtoday understands the man is also accused of accessing photos of children kept on school computer systems.
Bunnings workers will receive a $1,000 bonus. Image: Getty

Bunnings store workers will receive a thank you payment of up to $1,000 after working through the bushfire season and the following coronavirus pandemic.

This year, our team has dealt with a number of challenges with the devastating effects of drought, bushfires and floods in Australia, and on both sides of the Tasman, we've dealt with the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our teams have worked incredibly hard to keep our stores open and safe for everyone, Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider said.

Store members in Australian and NewZealand will receive a payment of up to $1,000, which will be prorated for part-time and casual workers based on hours worked during the Covid-19 peak.

Additionally, support team members will receive up to $500.

These payments are additional to an annual $1,000 bonus which includes a $250 gift card.

Full-time permanent team members will receive a cash bonus and gift card and in addition to this, as a sincere thanks for their exceptional efforts this year, all team members will receive a thank you bonus, Schneider said.

We will also acknowledge our team in the usual way following the release of our full year results in August.

The SDA Union, which represents workers in retail said the payments came after extensive lobbying.

Following our calls for an essential service payment and thousands of Bunnings SDA members signing our petition - Bunnings will pay a thank you payment to staff, the union said.

This is recognition of their hard work and efforts working through the pandemic under extremely difficult circumstances.

Woolworths, Coles, JB-HiFi, Big W and Costco are among the other large companies that have given coronavirus bonus payments.

Bunnings employs 43,000 Australian staff and another 3,000 in New Zealand.

And it follows a huge few months for Bunnings. Sales rose a record 19.2 per cent in the five months to 31 May after a 5.8 per cent sales bump in the December half.

Want to take control of your finances and your future? Join the Womens Money Movement on LinkedIn and follow Yahoo Finance Australia on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- On Staten Islands South Shore sits a rich piece of history, and a Staten Island woman has created a Change.org petition to make it a required part of the New York public school curriculum.

Sandy Ground, located in Rossville, was an oystering village established, in part, by people who were freed from enslavement in 1827.
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Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). By way of learning-by-doing, we'll look at ROE to gain a better understanding of GlaxoSmithKline plc (LON:GSK).

Return on Equity or ROE is a test of how effectively a company is growing its value and managing investors money. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.

Check out our latest analysis for GlaxoSmithKline

How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for return on equity is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for GlaxoSmithKline is:

30% = UK6.0b  UK20b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2020).

The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. That means that for every 1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated 0.30 in profit.

Does GlaxoSmithKline Have A Good ROE?

Arguably the easiest way to assess company's ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, because companies do differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, GlaxoSmithKline has a better ROE than the average (12%) in the Pharmaceuticals industry.

roe

That's clearly a positive. With that said, a high ROE doesn't always indicate high profitability. A higher proportion of debt in a company's capital structure may also result in a high ROE, where the high debt levels could be a huge risk .

How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity?

Most companies need money -- from somewhere -- to grow their profits. That cash can come from issuing shares, retained earnings, or debt. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won't affect the total equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used.

Story continues

GlaxoSmithKline's Debt And Its 30% ROE

GlaxoSmithKline clearly uses a high amount of debt to boost returns, as it has a debt to equity ratio of 1.53. Its ROE is pretty impressive but, it would have probably been lower without the use of debt. Debt does bring extra risk, so it's only really worthwhile when a company generates some decent returns from it.

Conclusion

Return on equity is one way we can compare its business quality of different companies. In our books, the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, I'd generally prefer the one with higher ROE.

But when a business is high quality, the market often bids it up to a price that reflects this. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So I think it may be worth checking this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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.
In California, doctors are shipping patients as many as 600 miles way because they can't be cared for locally. In Florida, nurses are pouring in from out of state to reinforce exhausted medical workers. And in Texas, mayors are demanding the right to shut down their cities to avoid overwhelming hospitals.

In a nation gripped by a record number of coronavirus cases - with severe outbreaks across multiple states and regions - medical systems are increasingly showing the strain, with shortages of critically needed personnel, equipment and testing.

And officials on Thursday said they are concerned that hospitals will soon hit a breaking point if the trajectory of ever-growing caseloads doesn't change.

"We can withstand a surge. We can withstand a disaster. But we can't withstand a disaster every single day," said Jason Wilson, associate medical director of the emergency department at Tampa General Hospital. "How many jumbo jet crashes can you handle before you run out of capacity? That's what we're facing."

The peril was reflected in another grim set of data out of Florida on Thursday, with the state reporting a record number of deaths - 156 - and adding nearly 14,000 new cases, its second-highest total to date. Across the state, nearly 9,000 people remain hospitalized for treatment of covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

With patients flooding into emergency rooms, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said the city's hospitals were at 95 percent capacity.

"We're running pretty full now," said Mark Knight, chief financial officer for Miami's Jackson Health System.

Knight said there were 420 covid-positive patients in the hospital Thursday along with another 175 "persons under investigation" who are suspected of having the virus and awaiting test results. That is many more than the peak of 167 positive patients the three-hospital system had experienced previously, he said.

Wilson, who is also a professor at the University of South Florida, said hospitals across the Tampa area were adding ICU capacity by the day, and shifting staff from other areas to meet the growing demand for care. With the average covid-19 patient staying in the hospital for 12 days, Miller said, doctors were trying to treat patients remotely if at all possible to free up space.

The situation in Florida on Thursday was replicated, at least in part, across a broad swath of the country. Particularly in the South and the West, caseloads have grown exponentially in recent weeks as economies have reopened following the spring shutdown.

In California, the worst effects were being felt in the southern part of the state, where hospitals have been inundated. In Imperial County, along the Mexican border, doctors have been so overwhelmed by the demand for care that they have begun sending patients as far away as Sacramento - a nine-hour drive to the north.

"We're going to do everything we can to stretch the pipeline. But at the end of the day there are only so many patients you can push through at a given time," said Carmela Coyle, chief executive of the California Hospital Association.

Coyle said she was particularly concerned that hospitals across the southwest are all being pressured at the same time - or are bracing for it - making it more challenging for them to help one another.

"Our systems are built to address emergencies that are localized or regionalized. But in a pandemic like this, everybody is stressed," she said. "Places cannot send help and assistance when everyone is bracing for the same experience."

With medical staff in especially short supply, Defense Department teams began deploying to California hospitals this week to bolster the response. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, meanwhile, requested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) send 1,500 nurses. Across Texas, mayors of some of the state's biggest cities - including Houston and Austin - are so worried about staffing needs at local hospitals that they have asked for the authority to reimpose stay-at-home orders.

Bill McKeon, CEO of Texas Medical Center, said his massive hospital complex has room for more covid-19 patients - in a normal year they see 10 million people. But even they can't handle a surge that goes on forever, largely because of staffing. "Hopefully we're peaking; we're hoping it's not the new normal. That's the real concern the strain this puts on any hospital system," he said. "No place can have endless capacity."

The current crisis across the Sun Belt recalls the early days of the pandemic in New York City, when overwhelmed hospitals canceled all but the most urgent surgeries, brought infected medical workers back without two-week quarantines and declined to attempt resuscitation on some patients who had stopped breathing or went into cardiac arrest.

The military stepped in then, too, but struggled to scale up makeshift facilities fast enough to ease the burden.

"It's very intense," said Cindy Zolnierek, CEO of the Texas Nurses Association. "When you have demands that exceed your resources, it's not a good place to be."

Ambulances are sometimes stuck waiting at emergency rooms because a hospital has no capacity for another patient. Rural hospitals, she said, can be overwhelmed when even a few fall ill with covid-19.

Zolnierek said the nurses association is advocating for the state to adopt crisis standards of care, which allows hospitals to triage resources based on patients' likelihood of survival. Several localities in the state have already begun putting such plans in place, she said.

"If you don't have enough resources, you do have to make very difficult decisions, even in terms of who gets the ICU bed," Zolnierek said.

Darrell Pile, CEO of the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council said that has not been necessary in part because the state asked and received the same military support that came to New York.

But, he said, "there are multiple hospitals on saturation, which means they are indicating to our ambulance companies that they are full."

To meet the surge, some hospitals are reopening vacant wings or putting more beds in the emergency room or recovery rooms.

Arizona has already moved to a crisis-care model, although Arizona Medical Association President Ross Goldberg said he did not believe any hospitals had yet had to triage care at patients' expense. Hospitals in other cities that became overwhelmed were able to transfer patients to Phoenix, where Goldberg practices surgery at Maricopa Medical Center.

"Any hospital is used to pushing volume when they need to," Goldberg said. "We're almost moving the ceiling as we go."

His biggest concern is not equipment, but people.

"We're really worried about running through our staff," he said. "You can put physical beds anywhere. But do you have quality people to man them?"

The well-being of those people is also a serious concern, said Saskia Popescu, a University of Arizona epidemiologist, who noted that a fast-climbing death toll has damaged the morale of exhausted doctors and nurses.

"[Medical workers] have been doing this since February, March. They're tired and right around the time we were hoping things would slow down is when we reopened and started to see this massive spike," she said.

Health-care workers are also starting to get sick themselves, she said, as the virus spreads: "Staff are part of the community, and when you have transmission in the community that also impacts them."

Goldberg said many Arizonans still refuse to accept that the virus is real and dangerous. One of his surgical patients fired him, he said, after he went on television to advocate mask-wearing.

Most states now have rules requiring that masks be worn in public, with the governors of Colorado and Arkansas on Thursday making their states the latest to adopt such restrictions. The governors of Arizona and Florida - both Republicans - have pointedly refused to join in.

Late Wednesday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, went so far as to strike down mask ordinances adopted by local authorities, a decision condemned by mayors and health experts.

National retailers continued Thursday to join the ranks of those that insist on masks: Publix, one of the largest supermarket chains across the South, said shoppers would be required to wear face coverings. Walmart, Kroger and Kohl's had all said the same earlier this week. Many have cited the strain on health systems from raging covid-19 outbreaks.

Those outbreaks are not only hitting the biggest of the Sun Belt states. They are increasingly impacting smaller states with rural populations that had once been relatively insulated.

In Mississippi, 10 ICUs have no beds available and the lack of capacity "is harming patient care," state Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said at a news conference.

Tim Moore, president of the Mississippi Hospital Association, said that, as in other states, the leading concern was not beds but people, although gloves and face shields have also been in short supply.

"We're going to use a lot of hospital beds in Mississippi that have not been used in a long time," he said, especially in rural areas.

Moore said he heard from one hospital where a patient waited in the emergency room for three days because there was no space for him in the ICU.

Mississippi is trying to bring in more nurses, but they are competing with other Southern states and wages are rising fast. Moore said one company has offered contract nurses at $100 an hour - twice the normal rate and more than any hospital in Mississippi can afford to pay.

As for the nurses already in the state, many are nearing a breaking point.

"We've worn people down," Moore said. "I'm real worried. The stress level, the emotional strain that our health-care professionals are starting to experience is going to start showing. You can only do this for so long."

- - -

The Washington Post's Lenny Bernstein and Jacqueline Dupree contributed to this report.
There are thousands of people in the United States and millions across the world who have become infected with the coronavirus.

Despite the pandemic having now waged for months, there is still not much known about the best treatments for how to handle the virus. Thats why the New York Times released the Coronavirus Drug and Treatment Tracker on its website, which rates 20 different coronavirus treatments on their effectiveness and safety for potential users.

The tracker provides viewers with a look at several drugs that could be used to help treat people who have been infected with the coronavirus. The site says that the Food and Drug Administration has not licensed any treatment for the explicit use of combating the coronavirus, but that a few have been granted emergency use authorization.

The Times broke the ratings down to six different ratings: strong evidence, promising evidence, mixed evidence, not promising, ineffective or harmful, and pseudoscience or fraud.

Strong evidence indicates a treatment that is effective and safe based on widespread testing by doctors; promising evidence shows that more research is needed, but early results are good; mixed evidence shows that treatments have been promising in cells or animals, but needs to be tested on people; not promising indicates there is little evidence the treatment will work; ineffective is for those that might have once been thought to help the coronavirus, but that have either been ineffective, harmful or havent held up under scientific scrutiny; and fraud indicates those that have never been considered for coronavirus use and that experts warn against using them.

According to the Times report, five drugs or treatments have shown strong evidence. Those include Remdesivir, Dexamethasone, prone positioning  laying a patient on their stomach, ventilators, and Enoxaparin and other anticoagulants. Three have been on the opposite end of the spectrum and are considered fraud: drinking or injecting bleach, UV light and silver.
In the documents, the U.S. government alleges lobbyists for ComEd offered bribes in the form of jobs and vendor contracts to allies of powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Madigan, identified as Public Official A in the filings, has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:53:30|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- As many countries gradually reopen their economies, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has called for further action to support a resilient recovery.

"Many countries are gradually reopening, even as the (COVID-19) pandemic remains with us," Georgieva wrote in a blog published earlier this week. "Clearly, we have entered a new phase of the crisis -- one that will require further policy agility and action to secure a durable and shared recovery."

The blog was published ahead of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' Meetings, scheduled on Saturday in a virtual format.

Global output is projected to decline by 4.9 percent in 2020, according to an update to the IMF's April World Economic Outlook (WEO) released in late June. The latest projection is 1.9 percentage points below the April forecast.

Georgieva said the "exceptional" action taken by many countries, including the Group of Twenty (G20) -- through fiscal measures of about 11 trillion U.S. dollars and massive central bank liquidity injections -- "put a floor under the global economy."

"But we are not out of the woods yet," the IMF chief noted. "A second major global wave of the disease could lead to further disruptions in economic activity. Other risks include stretched asset valuations, volatile commodity prices, rising protectionism, and political instability," she said.

On the positive side, medical breakthroughs on vaccines and treatments could lift confidence and economic activity, she said, adding that these alternative scenarios highlight that "uncertainty remains exceptionally high."

"The bottom line is that the pandemic is likely to increase poverty and inequality, further painfully exposing weaknesses in health systems, the precariousness of work, and the challenging prospects for the young of accessing opportunities they desperately need," Georgieva said.

For a more inclusive and resilient recovery, the IMF chief called on governments to sustain targeted lifelines to protect individuals and workers, and support firms, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Meanwhile, governments should try to preserve financial stability, as job losses, bankruptcies, and industry restructuring could pose "significant challenges" for the financial sector, she said.

Noting that international cooperation is "vital" to minimize the duration of the crisis and ensure a resilient recovery, the IMF chief also highlighted several areas where collective action is key:

Guaranteeing adequate health supplies; avoiding further ruptures in the global trade system; ensuring that developing countries can finance critical spending needs and meet debt sustainability challenges; strengthening the global financial safety net.

On global trade, Georgieva said countries should do their best to keep global supply chains open, accelerate efforts to reform the World Trade Organization, and seek a comprehensive agreement on digital taxation.

On debt sustainability, she noted that continued progress on the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative is "especially important."

The IMF, for its part, has responded to this crisis in an "unprecedented" way -- including emergency financing for 72 countries in three months, said the managing director.

Georgieva noted that action is needed to invest in people -- in education, health, social protection, and in preventing the sharp increase in inequality this crisis could produce.

The IMF chief also urged governments to support low-carbon and climate-resilient growth, including through smart allocation of public spending, as well as take advantage of the digital transformation.

"G20 policymakers -- and all of us working together -- must seize the opportunity to make this future a reality," she said. Enditem
Xi voices confidence in China's economy, pledges wider opening-up

PLA Daily

Source: Xinhuanet

Editor: Li Wei

2020-07-16 16:59:01

BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The fundamentals of China's long-term sound economic growth have not changed and will not change, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday in a reply letter to global CEOs.

He also pledged that China will keep deepening reform and expanding opening-up, and provide a better business environment for the investment and development of Chinese and foreign enterprises.

Writing back to representatives of Global CEO Council members, Xi said he appreciates their firm confidence in China's peaceful and open development, their commitment to staying rooted in China, and their constructive suggestions on China's economic development.

China, he added, is dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic and socio-economic development in a coordinated manner, striving for a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and eradicating poverty.

He said China will comprehensively implement major policies and measures aimed at ensuring the six priorities of employment, people's livelihoods, development of market entities, food and energy security, stable operation of industrial and supply chains, and smooth functioning at the community level, and ensuring stability in the six areas of employment, finance, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment and market expectations.

China will foster new opportunities and create new prospects for Chinese and foreign enterprises, Xi said, adding that those CEOs have made the right choice to stay rooted in China.

In today's world, the interests of all countries are highly integrated, the human race is a community with a shared future that shares weal and woe, and win-win cooperation is the trend of the times, stressed the Chinese president.

China, he added, will be unswervingly committed to pursuing the path of peaceful development, making economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all, and promoting the building of an open world economy.

Xi expressed his hope that those CEOs will adhere to the principle of win-win cooperation and common development, strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Chinese companies, and contribute to the world economic recovery.

Xi's letter was in reply to a recent joint letter from 18 CEOs of the Global CEO Council, which groups 39 multinational companies that are global leaders in their respective industries.

The CEOs spoke highly of the fact that China, under Xi's strong leadership, has rapidly contained the coronavirus epidemic, taken the lead in resuming work and production, and played a positive role in supporting the global COVID-19 fight and maintaining world economic stability.

They added that Xi's proposition on creating new opportunities out of crises and opening up new prospects in changing circumstances, as well as his resolve to unswervingly promote economic globalization in a manner that will be more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all, have further consolidated their confidence in China and commitment to staying rooted in and serving China.

In their letter, the business leaders also offered suggestions on China's economic development and international cooperation in the post-pandemic era.

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New Delhi: Shri Ramjanmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will hold its meeting at Circuit House in Ayodhya on Saturday (July 18) at 3 pm. The meeting will be held under the chairmanship of Mahant Nrityagopas Das.

As many as 12 members will remain present in Ayodhya while three others will participate through video conferencing. Nripendra Mishra, president of the Ram Mandir Building Committee, will remain present.

Trust General Secretary Champat Rai will give information about ongoing preparations related to the construction of the Ram temple. Engineers engaged in the construction work will also give a presentation.

The trust meeting is likely to decide the date of Bhoomi Poojan of Ram temple. The decision will also be taken regarding the Bhoomi Pujan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Home Ministry officials along with UP government's representative Avnish Awasthi will also remain present in the meeting.

Among those who will participate in the meeting are Govind Dev Giri, Treasurer; Anil Mishra, member; Vimlendra Mohan Mishra, member; Dhirendra Das, member; Mahant of Pejawar Math; and Anuj Jha, District Magistrate of Ayodhya.

Jagatguru Shankaracharya Vasudevanand ji, Yugapurusha Swami Parmanand and K Parasharan will connect through video conferencing.
The Telangana governments decision to build a grand, state-of-the-art Secretariat got a boost on Friday after the Supreme Court refused to hear a PIL questioning the decision as a waste of public money.

The High Court for the state of Telangana situated at Hyderabad had dismissed a bunch of PILs on the same issue on June 29. One of the petitioners  senior Congress leader T Jeevan Reddy, approached the apex court against the HC verdict.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah found the High Court to be right in dismissing the petitions. It said, The reports quoted by the High Court say there are several deficiencies in the buildings. We would not like to interfere.

For the petitioner, senior advocate Satyam Reddy argued that the existing buildings of the Secretariat intended for demolition are set in more than 25 acres. These buildings were constructed in the years from 1966 to 2012. Two blocks constructed in the year 2012 are state-of-the-art buildings having a life span of 70 years. The new Secretariat will cost more than 1,000 crore which will amount to wastage of public money.

Reddy submitted that on the one hand the state government has claimed of not having enough money to pay salaries of employees and pensioners and yet was willing to spend lavishly on such projects.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who appeared for the Telangana government informed the Court that the High Court had decided the petitions on merit and nothing was left to be decided by the apex court. The bench too was satisfied that the HC had examined all aspects and there was nothing remaining for further judicial review.

The total constructed area in the present Secretariat building is 9,16,681 square feet and the North Block and South Block of the Secretariat were constructed in 2012 over an area of more than 1,40,000 square feet. The Secretariat Complex served the undivided Andhra Pradesh and after the bifurcation continued to serve as the common Secretariat for the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The decision to have a new Secretariat complex was the brainchild of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. In 2016, the state government proposed to construct the building in Secundrabad. But the proposal was shot down by the Centre as the project plan was on defence land. On June 18, 2019, the state Cabinet decided afresh to construct a new Secretariat complex at the existing premises by demolishing the present buildings.

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New Delhi:

The Reserve Bank of India has issued directives to all public, private, foreign and cooperative banks to ensure smooth transition of the major currency changes announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

In a surprise to public and financial system alike, PM Modi on Tuesday evening announced a ban on the currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations to crackdown on the rampant black money practices and fake currency racket.



In its directive, the monetary authority notified the announcement and informed banks that new series of Bank Notes called Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series having different size and design, highlighting the cultural heritage and scientific achievements of the country, will be issued.



Through the directive issued as a public notice, the banks have been informed that bank branches will be the primary agencies through which the members of public and other entities will be exchanging the banned currency for valid bank notes or account credit upto and including the December 30, 2016. Therefore, banks have to accord highest priority to this work.

Also read | How to exchange banned Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes: Frequently Asked Questions



In order to enable the members of public and other entities to exchange their existing a 500/- and a 1000/- notes, the following arrangements have to be made by the banks.



1. Action to be taken on November 09, 2016



i) November 09, 2016 (Wednesday) shall be a non-business working day for all banks. However, branches will function on that day to carry out preparations for implementing the scheme as per this circular.



ii) Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes stocked in ATMs and other cash cash dispensing/receiving machine, will have to be called back forthwith.



iv) All ATMs, Cash Deposit Machines, Cash Recyclers and any other machine used for receipt and payment of cash shall be shut on 9th and 10th November, 2016.



v) All ATMs and cash dispensing machines will have to be re-configured to disburse bank notes of a 100/- and a 50/- denominations prior to reactivation of the machines on November 11, 2016; however banks should await separate instructions from Reserve Bank of India on issuing Mahatma Gandhi (New) series Notes through ATMs and cash dispensing machines though they can be issued over the counters from Nov 9, 2016.



vi) Arrangement should be made by the branches to promptly deposit these banned notes with the linked currency chest / RBI and get the amount credited to their account.



vii) Branches should estimate their cash requirement and obtain from the linked / nearby currency chest /RBI Bank Notes of other valid denominations.



viii) Cash Deposits machines / Cash Recyclers should continue to accept banned currency notes upto December 30, 2016.



ix) Information Material for educating the public regarding withdrawal of current currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 100 and issuance of new series of currency are required to be printed/copied in adequate quantity and distributed to the public / displayed in the banking hall / ATM kiosks.



x) Banks should identify the staff for managing the exchange counters and brief them properly about the scheme and the procedure to be followed.



xi) Banks should provide adequate number of note counting machines, UV Lamps, note sorting machines etc. at their counters to take care of the work load and timely detection of counterfeit notes.

Also read | Know where you can use demonetised Rs 500 and 1,000 bank notes till November 11



3. Action to be taken on November 10, 2016



a. Bank branches will commence normal operations on November 10, 2016.



b. Banks have to accord top priority to provide facility for exchanging / accepting deposits of Specified Bank Notes and open additional counters to meet the public demand and keep the counters open for extended ours, if necessary. Maximum staff should be deployed for this purpose. If necessary banks may consider hiring retired employees for a temporary period to take care of additional work load.



c. Provision of Exchange Facility:



The specified bank notes held by a person other than a banking company referred to in sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 1 or Government Treasury may be exchanged at any Issue Office of the Reserve Bank or any branch of public sector banks, private sector banks, foreign banks, Regional Rural Banks, Urban Cooperative Banks and State Cooperative Banks for a period up to and including the 30th December, 2016, subject to the following conditions, namely:



(i) the specified bank notes of aggregate value of a 4,000/- or below may be exchanged for any denomination of bank notes having legal tender character, with a requisition slip in the format specified by the Reserve Bank and proof of identity; the limit of a 4,000/- for exchanging specified bank notes shall be reviewed after fifteen days from the date of commencement of this notification and appropriate orders may be issued, where necessary;

Also read | Nation reacts on Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes ban: Who said what



(iii) there shall not be any limit on the quantity or value of the specified bank notes to be credited to the account maintained with the bank by a person, where the specified bank notes are tendered; however, where compliance with extant Know Your Customer (KYC) norms is not complete in an account, the maximum value of specified bank notes as may be deposited shall be a 50,000/-;



(iv) The equivalent value of specified bank notes tendered may be credited to an account maintained by the tenderer at any bank in accordance with standard banking procedure and on production of valid proof of Identity;



(v) the equivalent value of specified bank notes tendered may be credited to a third party account, provided specific authorisation therefor accorded by the third party is presented to the bank, following standard banking procedure and on production of valid proof of identity of the person actually tendering, as indicated in Annex-5;



(vi) cash withdrawal from a bank account over the counter shall be restricted to a 10,000/- per day subject to an overall limit of a 20,000/- a week from the date of the notification until the end of business hours on 24th November, 2016, after which these limits shall be reviewed;



(vii) there shall be no restriction on the use of any non-cash method of operating the account of a person including cheques, demand drafts, credit or debit cards, mobile wallets and electronic fund transfer mechanisms or the like;



(viii) withdrawal from Automatic Teller Machines (hereinafter referred to as ATMs) shall be restricted to a 2,000 per day per card up to 18th November, 2016 and the limit shall be raised to a 4,000 per day per card from 19th November, 2016;



(ix) any person who is unable to exchange or deposit the specified bank notes in their bank accounts on or before the 30th December, 2016, shall be given an opportunity to do so at specified offices of the Reserve Bank or such other facility until a later date as may be specified by it.

Also read | Demonetisation of Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes: Bankers and industry leaders welcome move



(x) Business Correspondents (BCs) may also be allowed to exchange Specified Bank Notes upto a 4000/- per person as in the case of bank branches, against valid identity proof and requisition slip. For this purpose banks may, at their discretion, enhance the cash holding limits of BCs at least till December 30, 2016.

(xi) While crediting the value of Specified Bank Notes to Jan Dhan Yojna Accounts, the usual limits will apply mutatis mutandis.

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When is a second stimulus check coming? How much will I get? Answers to both of those questions could come as soon as next week.

Forbes reports Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is expected to introduce legislation when Congress returns from recess on July 20, including a new relief package for Americans affected by the coronavirus pandemic. A second round of direct payments could be included, but the amount youll get may change.

A $3 trillion Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HEROES Act), already passed by the Democrat-led House, would again distribute $1,200 per person, via paper checks, direct deposit or debit cards, to help Americans whove lost income due to Covid-19. People with taxable income under $75,000 (or $150,000 for couples filing jointly) would be eligible, similar to the first round, and dependents would also qualify for $1,200 this time, regardless of age.

However, McConnell has reportedly said new stimulus checks might only be available for those who make up to $40,000 a year. By comparison, Americans who earned up to $75,000 each received $1,200 in the first round of stimulus checks under the CARES Act passed in March, which also included $500 for each child under the age of 17.

Bloomberg reports a $40,000 cap isnt likely to happen, and President Donald Trump has voiced support for stimulus checks with larger numbers. Some proposals have included as much as $2,000 per person.

I support actually larger numbers than the Democrats, but its got to be done properly, Trump told Fox Business earlier this month. I want the money getting to people to be larger so they can spend it. I want the money to get there quickly and in a non-complicated fashion.

According to Newsweek, though, the Trump administration is seeking to limit the stimulus package to $1 trillion and Republicans are concerned about the national debt, which has sharply risen from $22 trillion in February 2019 to more than $26 trillion this month.

We shouldnt lightly add more to the national debt, but Im predicting that we will have one more rescue package, which well begin to debate and discuss next week, McConnell said Tuesday during a press conference in Kentucky.

Forbes reports the legislation, which will be the fifth Covid-19 recovery package, also likely wont extend the $600 bonus for unemployment benefits  viewed by many GOP members as a disincentive to return to work  but is expected to include state and local aid, including financial support for schools to potentially reopen in the fall.

When will I get my second stimulus check?

The Senate is back in session from July 20 to Aug. 7, and if both parties agree to a new stimulus package by then Americans could start seeing payments in late August or early fall. Forbes reports some lawmakers have maintained a wait-and-see approach on the economy and jobs reports, suggesting a bill might not be passed before Congress long summer recess  and direct payments may not arrive until after September.

I think weve spent a massive amount of money, not all of it has even been spent yet ... and I think we need to evaluate what weve done before we do anything else, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee) recently said.

The good news is checks would likely be delivered faster this time after millions verified their information on the IRS Get My Payment site. The IRS recently said it has paid all eligible Americans that it had enough information on for checks from the first round, for a total of $267 billion.

The first round of payments took about a month to begin arriving in peoples bank accounts after Trump signed the CARES economic relief package in March.

How much would I get?

Under the current HEROES Act, each American would receive $1,200; married couples would receive $2,400; and parents would receive $1,200 per child, regardless of the dependents age. A family of four would potentially receive $4,800.

You can find out how much you would be eligible for by using the free Omni Calculator tool embedded below. Its also located on their site here.

Second Stimulus Check Calculator - HEROES Act

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The National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) are not entitled to appeal against the ruling of the investigating judge of Kyiv's Pechersky District Court on relaunching criminal proceedings against Oleg Bakhmatyuk, the owner of UkrLandFarming agricultural holding.

This is stated in the conclusion of the Council of Scientific and Legal Expertise at V.M. Koretsky Institute of State and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which is at the disposal of Dilova Stolytsia (DS).

In particular, this refers to scientific and legal expertise regarding the interpretation of Ukraine's criminal procedural legislation carried out in accordance with the Law of Ukraine "On Scientific and Scientific and Technical Expertise" at the request of the Attorney Association "Capital Law Company."

An expert from the Koretsky Institute was asked two questions. The first one concerned whether the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) is authorized to consider and decide on the merits of the NABU and SAPO's appeals against the ruling of the investigating judge of Kyiv's Pechersky District Court of June 5, 2020, in case No. 757/22567/20-k.

"Taking into account the ruling of investigating judge of Kyiv's Pechersky District Court of June 5, 2020, in case No. 757/22567/20-k in accordance with Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine is not subject to appeal, as well as NABU and SAPO as the bodies, including their officials and officers, are not subjects of legal relations in a legal dispute, which was considered in the framework of case No. 757/22567/20-k, NABO and SAPO are not entitled to appeal against the decision of the investigating judge of the Pechersky District Court to any court of appeal, including to the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court.

Moreover, Institute expert M.I. Siriy said 'the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court is not authorized to consider and decide on the merits of the NABU and SAPO's appeals against the ruling of the investigating judge of Kyiv's Pechersky District Court of June 5, 2020, in case No. 757/22567/20-k.'"

As reported by DS, on July 8, during a meeting of the anti-corruption meeting of the Verkhovna Rada regarding the case related to VAB Bank, NABU and SAPO representatives refused to comply with the ruling of the Pechersky District Court, saying they had filed an appeal with the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court.

It is worth noting Kyiv's Pechersky District Court in June issued a ruling under which former Deputy Prosecutor General Vitaliy Kasko's resolution on relaunching criminal proceedings against owner of the UkrLandFarming agricultural holding Oleg Bakhmatyuk was ruled null and void as illegal. This refers to the resolution to reopen the criminal case on the refinancing of VAB Bank, which was earlier investigated and closed by the court's ruling over the lack of corpus delicti.

On June 25, the Office of the Prosecutor General complied with the decision of the Pechersky District Court and canceled the decision to relaunch criminal proceedings against Bakhmatyuk in the case of refinancing VAB Bank.

SAPO headed by Nazar Kholodnytsky had to put an end to this case. However, as of July 17, SAPO has not complied with this decision. In addition, NABU headed by Artem Sytnyk, who was suspected of corruption, also refused to comply with the above ruling of the Pechersky District Court.

The case against former Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Oleksandr Pysaruk and actual owner of VAB Bank Oleg Bakhmatyuk was opened due to the alleged misuse of refinancing funds provided by the NBU to VAB Bank during the 2014 banking crisis. However, findings of examinations of the Deposit Guarantee Fund and statements by the NBU confirmed that all refinancing funds had been spent for their intended purpose, i.e. they were received by bank depositors. In addition, Bakhmatyuk himself offered the state to return UAH 8 billion (US$293.4 million) of debts to the budget, but the businessman did not receive a response to his proposal from the NBU.

Memo. V.M. Koretsky Institute of State and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is a leading legal research institution in Ukraine. It was founded in 1949. Priority areas of fundamental research of the Institute are the following: problems of creating state and law in Ukraine: theory, history, practice; legal problems of democratization of public relations and the formation of civil society and the establishment and implementation of human rights and freedoms; theoretical and applied problems of the development of the legal system of Ukraine; theoretical and practical problems of the implementation of the Constitution and legislation of Ukraine; Ukraine in the system of modern international legal order and European integration: theory and practice; problems of encyclopedic legal research, philosophy and sociology of law. Since 1977, the institute has been the country's main institution on the problems of the theoretical basis for improving the legislation of Ukraine.
A coalition of some registered political parties, under the aegis of Coalition of Political Parties (CPP), in Edo on Friday endorsed the re-election of the governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, for another four years.

The Chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP), and CPP in the state, Collins Oreruan, told journalists at a news conference in Benin that the political parties had collapsed their structures to massively support the governors re-election bid.

Mr Oreruan said, We resolved that instead of acting as individual entities, it will be more effective to support the governor as a block with our existing party structures across the state.

We also advise our governorship candidates of our respective parties to withdraw their aspirations and join hands with the governor to consolidate on the growth, developmental legacies and foundation he has laid in his first tenure.

We shall work in synergy with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to mobilise voters at the grassroots for the re-election of the governor.

We have seen his positive economic development, positive industrial revolution, positive comprehensive qualitative educational programmes and positive agricultural value chains, among others, he said.

Mr Oreruan noted that under the Obaseki-led administration, the state had witnessed a peaceful atmosphere for businesses and industrial growth.

He added that many employment opportunities had been created for the youth under the Obasekis administration

The CPP chairman said the governors educational and agricultural revolution in the state has attracted commendations from national and international communities.

Mr Oreruan said the CPPs support for Mr Obaseki was total and that the coalition would campaign for the governor across the length and breadth of the state.

He said, Our support for Obaseki is total, cohesive, progressive and focused on better life for the people of the state.

The CPP chairman listed some of the political parties to include Social Democratic party, SDP), United Peoples Party (UPP), Kowa Party, Accord Party, Action Democratic Party (ADP), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Party (ADP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

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Also speaking, the PDP deputy state chairman, Harrison Omagbon, thanked the members of the CPP for the support and endorsement of the partys candidate.

Mr Omagbon said, this is a marriage of convenience to ensure victory for our governorship candidate.

PDP chose Obaseki because of his developmental strides in the state and his viability. We are convinced he will do more in his second tenure.

The Chairman of United Peoples Party (UPP), Kennedy Odion, who also spoke during the briefing, said the development strides of the governor informed the parties decision to collapse structures to ensure Mr Obasekis re-election come September.

(NAN)
Businesses have three options for enforcing mask policies while respecting disability laws, according to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.

It is important to remember that along with Executive Orders and specific store policies, businesses and other public spaces must continue to follow the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Michigans Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act (PWDCRA) during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Mary Engelman, Interim Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, a state department that, paired with the Michigan Civil Rights Commission,

Related: Whitmer tightens Michigan mask order, says businesses cant assume customers are exempt

We must ensure that people with disabilities are able to access the same goods and services that we all enjoy.

In Michigan, masks are required when people go to public indoor or crowded outdoor spaces in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. There are some exemptions, including for children under five and people who are unable to medically tolerate a face covering.

Under the newly-tightened mask order issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday, businesses cannot assume people entering without masks have a medical exemption.

So how do businesses enforce mask-wearing while complying with disability laws?

According to the MDCR, there are three options:

Provide anyone who does not wear a face covering, for whatever reason, an alternative to entering without a face covering (examples might include having staff shop for them, providing carryout service, etc.); Engage in a dialogue with each individual who is not wearing a face covering to determine if, due to a disability, the business can provide a reasonable accommodation/modification of the policy for this individual (this might include allowing a face shield, or any of the examples above); or Allow entry to anyone who indicates they cannot medically tolerate a face covering, while excluding others whose reasons for not wearing one are not covered in the EO or are not covered under the ADA or PWDCRA.

According to the MDCR, if a business offers a reasonable accommodation and the customer refuses it, or if it is not possible for a business to offer a reasonable accommodation, the unmasked individual can be turned away.

Attorneys interviewed by MLive this week said businesses could offer accommodations and would likely be within legal bounds to turn unmasked customers away.

Related: Michigan businesses refusing entry to unmasked customers unlikely to run afoul of disability laws, experts say

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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Faced with a struggling economy and a massive state budget hole in the wake of the pandemic, New Jersey is creating a new office and a new task force to make sure the state government is spending billions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief funds appropriately and transparently, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Friday.

Murphy said signed an executive order to create the Governors Disaster Recovery Office to serve as the center point of contact and coordination for recovery money from the CARES Act and other federal aid. Its similar to an office the state created to watch over recovery funds after Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

We are fighting for every possible penny of COVID-19 relief  and every penny we receive and properly invest in our recovery is one we do not have to borrow, the Democratic governor said during his latest coronavirus briefing in Trenton. We are putting in place the oversight we need for this moment, to give the public greater confidence in our work, and to ensure that our restart and recovery moves forward.

Murphy said hes also requiring the state to create a website to track the offices progress and to produce an annual report.

The state has so far received $2.4 billion in CARES Act funding passed by Congress and approved by President Donald Trump to help state and local governments recover from the pandemic. Murphy said its unclear how much has been spent so far.

Some critics have complained that Murphys administration has doled out the money too slowly and not been transparent about spending as the economy suffers.

The governor has also pleaded with Congress to sign off on more aid to help residents and businesses, as well as the state government in an effort to prevent widespread layoffs of teachers and first responders in New Jersey.

Meanwhile, Murphy said hes launching a COVID-19 Compliance Task Force to review all coronavirus-related procurements over $150,000 and provide training so all agencies receiving funds comply.

Plus, he said, the task force will establish an Integrity Oversight Monitoring program to ensure agencies guard against fraud, waste, and abuse of any funds related to recovery.

Monitors will submit quarterly reports to the new Disaster Recovery Office, the state Attorney Generals Office, the state comptroller, and both the state Senate president and state Assembly speaker, Murphy said. The reports will also be posted online.

Daniel Kelly, current executive director of the Office of Recovery and Rebuilding, will lead the Disaster Recovery Office. Acting State Comptroller Kevin Walsh will lead the task force.

The announcement comes a day after the Democratic-controlled New Jersey Legislature approved Murphys plan to allow the state to borrow up to nearly $10 billion to help fill whats expected to be a massive gap in the state budget because of lost tax revenue due to the pandemic. The governor signed it into law later in the day.

Republicans have filed a lawsuit to stop the move, saying its unconstitutional and will burden the state with years of more debt.

For the next 35 years, New Jersey taxpayers, as well as our children and grandchildren, will pay the price for the fiscal incompetence of Governor Phil Murphy and Trenton Democrats, state Sen. Michael Doherty, R-Warren, said Friday.

Murphy has warned that the state faces a possible $20 million gap in the next state budget because of massive losses in tax revenue in the wake of months of business closings and lockdown orders to battle the virus. He said the state needs a mixture of borrowing, budget cuts, tax increases, and federal aid to fill the gap and avoid historic layoffs of public workers.

The state Department of Treasury reported Friday that June tax revenue collections were $2.92 billion  down $503 million (or 14.7%) from last June.

Murphy said Friday that the new borrowing plan is obviously not a step that any of us ever wished to have to take.

The brutal reality we face is that cuts simply will not be enough given the storm that is raging around us, he said. " We simply cant cut our way out of this.

We need flexibility and creativity, Murphy added. We need to provide property tax relief for our seniors and middle-class families. We need to fund our schools. We need to provide services to the most vulnerable, our returning citizens, and our underserved communities. We need to make New Jersey the state where everyone can thrive.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Once a coronavirus hotspot, New Jersey has seen its daily figures drop dramatically since peaking in April and plateau in recent weeks. This comes as numerous other states  especially ones that have lifted restrictions more quickly  continue to see surging cases.

But Murphy warned Friday that New Jerseys rate of transmission has risen again, to 1.11. That means, on average, each newly infected resident is passing the virus to at least one other person.

To help slow the spread, Murphy is calling on people traveling from 22 states that qualify as coronavirus hotspots to voluntarily self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving in New Jersey, including residents returning home.

He has also paused Stage 2 of the states gradual reopening from months of coronavirus restrictions. And the state is now requiring people to wear masks outdoors in public when they cant practice social distancing.

New Jersey on Friday reported 20 more deaths attributed to COVID-19 and 202 more positive tests.

The state has now reported 15,684 deaths  13,710 confirmed and 1,974 considered probable  with 176,551 known cases since its first case was announced March 4.

More than 1.4 million New Jersey residents have filed for unemployment benefits as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the economy. The state said it has paid out more than $10.7 billion to workers so far.

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

India will identify those sectors and areas where it has strong competitive advantage while negotiating a possible Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Britain, a government official said on Tuesday.

Citing a study, Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia said if India and the UK enter into an FTA, the latter would benefit more but "the effort will certainly be to identify those sectors and those areas in which we have a strong competitive advantage".

India and the UK both have shown keen interest to negotiate an FTA with a view to boost trade in goods, services and investments. However, a formal negotiation on the pact cannot start before Britain's exit from the European Union. She further said that India would like to engage and look at the opportunities to deepen trade ties with the UK.

"The UK is an important market for us. In future certainly, an FTA would be realistic, would be opportune, and would perhaps be to our benefit," Teaotia said at a seminar organised by Ficci and the Centre for WTO studies. The Secretary said at this point of time, the priority will be finding out constraints coming in the way of development of economic relationship and also those issues which may crop up during FTA talk.

Referring to India's ongoing FTA negotiations with the EU, Teaotia said the issues which led to stalled talks with the 28-nation bloc may prove to be a roadblock in a pact with the UK as well.With the EU, there are issues related with greater market access for automobile sector, alcoholic beverages and wine, besides the demand for data security.

"Now many of these issues are exactly the same for the UK and therefore, we are going to be talking about very very similar issues when we sit down to negotiate (FTA with the UK)," she added.

She, however, expressed optimism that at this point of time the UK negotiators would be more flexible and constructive in recognising the fact that there is a benefit for both sides. Further, she said there are issues in the services sector which need to be discussed between the two countries. Citing example of the healthcare sector, she said increasingly India is providing both goods and services in this sector for its trader partner countries.

"For instance, the UK has robust and strong national health services. Using India's world class generic industry, there is a possibility of leveraging and making it be a useful asset for the UK to be able to procure these medicine for their systems and it certainly would be a big fillip to ourpharma sector," she said.

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The Sarasota, Fla. man accused of sucker-punching Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert at an Aberdeen, S.D. bar last month pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor simple assault charges on Friday.

Kyle Douglas Hadala, 30, requested a trial and his next court date is Sept. 30, according to Ernest Thompson, chief deputy states attorney for Brown County.

UPDATE: According to court records, Halada pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor charges: simple assault attempt to cause bodily injury and simple assault intentionally cause bodily injury.

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Hadala was arrested on June 20 and released on a personal recognizance bond, per Thompson. His initial court date was set for July 10, but the court granted a continuance until Friday.

On the night of the incident, police were called to the 1000 block of South Main Street in reference to an assault, according to a statement published to the Aberdeen Police Departments Facebook page. When police arrived, Goedert, identified as an adult male, had been punched in the face. He was taken to Avera St. Lukes Hospital, where he was treated and released, the statement said.

Goedert was out with his two sisters and two brothers-in-law to celebrate a birthday, a person with knowledge of the situation told NJ Advance Media. The group had a birthday dinner and then stayed out for drinks, the person said.

The Inquirers Les Bowen, quoting an unnamed source, reported that the tight end was with some friends and family, and two guys kept saying disrespectful things. According to Bowen, Goedert tried to resolve the situation before he was punched in the face. Goedert was knocked unconscious from the blow, according to ESPN.

Goedert was fine following the scuffle, a person with knowledge of the situation told NJ Advance Media less than 24 hours after the incident. Bowen, quoting an unnamed source, said Goedert is more embarrassed than hurt.

The alleged assault didnt cause serious bodily harm, so the misdemeanor charges were simple under South Dakota law, according to Thompson. Hadala is the only person charged with a crime in relation to the incident.

Hadala told TMZ that Goedert and his group of friends had been harassing him and his friends at a previous bar over the choice of music being played on the jukebox, calling them extremely aggressive.

The group then moved to Zoo Bar, but Hadala told TMZ that Goedert and his group followed them with bad intentions and then the situation escalated. Hadala also said his hit on Goedert wasnt a cheap shot.

Video of the alleged incident at the Zoo Bar from Twitter user @SamStompy was shared by NFL Networks Ian Rapoport and ESPNs Adam Schefter that weekend. TMZ also shared the video.

The video shows two men speaking to each other, with Goedert seemingly trying to deescalate the situation. During the conversation, another man enters the video. The incoming assailant socks Goedert in the face and appears to knock him out.

The video shows that Goedert didnt notice his attacker until right before he was hit by the punch. Following the punch, the assailant is surrounded by multiple men and women. Another woman immediately shelters the victim, as the room clears out.

(NJ Advance Medias Zack Rosenblatt contributed to this report.)

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Mike Kaye may be reached at mkaye@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
Today, Schibsted released its Q2 2020 results.

Highlights of the quarter

EBITDA of NOK 498 million for Schibsted excluding Adevinta; -11% YoY while significantly higher than Q1 2020.

Acquisition of Finnish online marketplace Oikotie from Sanoma announced on 16 July 2020

Nordic Marketplaces: Revenues declined 11 percent YoY (currency adjusted) due to COVID-19 while trends have improved throughout the quarter. Cost savings led to EBITDA margin of 52 percent in Norway and 42 percent in Sweden.

News Media: Continuous good trend for digital subscriptions, advertising revenue decline has improved throughout the quarter. Cost savings led to an EBITDA margin of 8 percent. Cost program implementation on track.

Financial Services: Underlying revenue decline in Lendo due to COVID-19 while marketing spend has been reduced to curb EBITDA decline. Stable EBITDA margin YoY.

Growth: Solid revenue growth driven by Distribution and Prisjakt with tailwind from COVID-19 and social distancing. EBITDA improvement quarter-on-quarter.

Adevinta: Revenues decreased by 16 percent due to COVID-19, EBITDA decrease of 15 percent driven by the revenue shortfall (based on Adevinta's stand-alone reporting in EUR, on a proportionate basis including JVs).

Comments from the CEO

"Schibsted has been clearly affected by COVID-19 in Q2. I am pleased to report that we, despite these circumstances, delivered solid financial results and that our measures enabled us to safeguard our employees and to continue to deliver fully functional, relevant services for our customers and clients. Revenues have improved throughout the quarter and EBITDA for Schibsted excluding Adevinta was NOK 498 million, significantly better than Q1," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"Furthermore, I am excited that Schibsted has come to an agreement with Sanoma to acquire their Finnish multi-vertical online marketplace Oikotie. With this acquisition, we are strengthening our position in Jobs and Real estate in Finland. Owning Tori and Oikotie, two highly complementary online marketplaces with strong brands, will enable us to create better services for Finnish customers. We are confident that this acquisition will help us create more value for all our stakeholders going forward," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"During Q2, our Nordic Marketplaces have seen a revenue decline driven by lower volumes, specifically in April and May, while temporary savings and cost control secured solid margins. In June, volumes have continued to recover in all verticals and Motor seems to be rather resilient showing year-on-year volume growth for June in both Norway and Sweden," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"In our News Media businesses, revenues from digital subscriptions showed strong growth. Advertising revenues declined significantly year-on-year driven by COVID-19, yet performance was strong given the market environment due to focused product development and higher sales activity than last year. This was enabled by our decision to not do Group wide temporary layoffs but rather focus on possibilities in the mid-term. EBITDA is down year-on-year but improved significantly compared to Q1 with a strong margin of 8% for the quarter. The announced cost program to adapt the cost base to the market development, while ensuring leading online product offerings, is on track and implementation has started," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"Lendo has seen an underlying revenue decline this quarter, but trends have improved in June. Finally, our e-commerce enabling businesses Distribution and Prisjakt had a tailwind from changed consumer behavior due to COVID-19 and recorded strong revenue growth in Q2," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

Second quarter Change Year to date Change (NOK million) 2020 2019 2020 2019 Schibsted excluding Adevinta Operating revenues 3 073 3 216 -4 % 6 099 6 305 -3 % - of which digital 1 851 1 929 -4 % 3 677 3 742 -2 % EBITDA 498 557 -11 % 783 975 -20 % EBITDA margin 16 % 17 % 13 % 15 % Schibsted Group including Adevinta Operating revenues 4 645 4 798 -3 % 9 463 9 374 1 % EBITDA 919 1 060 -13 % 1 618 1 916 -16 % EBITDA margin 20 % 22 % 17 % 20 %

Alternative performance measures used in this release are described and presented in the section Definitions and reconciliations in the quarterly report.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Q2 2020 presentation will be held as an English language webcast only on 17 July 2020 at 09:00 CET. Consequently, it will not be possible to attend the presentation in person. Participants can send in written questions through the webcast player.

The presentation will be webcasted live at: Schibsted ASA Webcast Q2 2020

You may also follow the presentation on YouTube: Schibsted ASA YouTube Q2 2020

CEO Kristin Skogen Lund, CFO Ragnar Karhus and EVP Nordic Marketplaces & CEO of FINN.no Christian Printzell Halvorsen will present.

A recording of the presentation will be available on the IR website shortly after the live webcast has ended.

Conference call for investors and analysts - Q&A session

Time: 17 July 2020 at 14:00 CET

Questions relating to the results will be answered in a conference call. The session will be held in English.

NOTE: To avoid waiting time when connecting to the call, please use the link below 5-10 minutes prior to start time, where you will be asked to type in your phone number and registration details. The event conferencing system will automatically call you back on the phone number you provide and place you into the event. Please note that the link will become active 15 minutes prior to the event: Link to join call: Click to join

For manual dial-in, use the following number (note that this connection might take more time):

Norway: +47 2350 0187

Sweden: +46 (0)8 5033 6546

UK: +44 (0)330 336 9401

US: +1 323-701-0223

Passcode: 23 19 88

Contact persons:

Ragnar Karhus, CFO, +47 917 91 752

Jann-Boje Meinecke, Head of IR, +47 941 00 835

Malin Langtvet, IR Officer, +47 916 86 710

Nathalie Kavin, Head of External Communications & Brand Management, +47 934 01 363

Oslo, 17 July 2020

SCHIBSTED ASA

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

Attachments
Northrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/17/2020 -- According to the new market research report "MRO Software Market in Aviation by End User (Operators, OEMs, MROs, Lessors), Solution (Software, Services), Deployment Type (On-premises, Cloud), Function (Maintenance, Operations, Business Management), Pricing Model, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the MRO Software Market in Aviation is estimated to be USD 6.9 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 8.0 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 2.9% from 2020 to 2025. Growing demand for predictive, prescriptive, and condition-based maintenance through data shared by connected aircraft, and increasing adoption of software-as-a-service are the major factors anticipated to boost the demand for MRO software in aviation during the forecast period. Furthermore, the demand for the upgrade of legacy management information system (MIS) to digital MRO software in aviation and the need to reduce turnaround time (TAT) of maintenance operations are also expected to lead to a rise in demand for aviation MRO software during the forecast period.



Ask for PDF Brochure:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=215684414



Cloud segment projected to grow at a higher CAGR from 2020 to 2025



Based on deployment type, the cloud segment is anticipated to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. Cloud-based systems digitally maintain records in the form of manuals, maintenance logs, flight plans, aircraft maintenance tracking reports, record books for adherence to airworthiness regulations, and service bulletins. These systems also provide fast and inexpensive management of different types of maintenance data, offer real-time access to spare parts inventories, and send alerts for maintenance tasks to MROs.



Maintenance management segment projected to grow at highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025



Based on function, the maintenance management segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Maintenance management software enable the monitoring of aircraft components and provide real-time data for performance monitoring. The data from airline operators help MRO facilities make arrangements for future planned maintenance, including labor management and spare parts management. MRO software systems integrate maintenance, planning, execution systems, and workforce management systems along with dashboards and reporting tools that are used at mid-level and management levels, thus helping in improving line, heavy, and engine maintenance of aircraft.



Browse in-depth TOC on "MRO Software Market in Aviation"



142  Tables



37  Figures



195  Pages



Inquiry before Buying:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=215684414



Asia Pacific MRO software market in aviation projected to grow at highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025



Based on region, the Asia Pacific region is expected to witness substantial growth during the forecast period. An increase in passenger traffic is the primary reason for the increased demand for maintenance technicians, and thereby, MRO software, especially in countries such as India, China, Japan, and Singapore. The increase in air passengers from Asia Pacific is a result of improvements in the economic status of the middle-class population and the introduction of low-cost carriers. According to Boeing Commercial Outlook 2019, there will be more than 17,390 aircraft deliveries by 2038 in Asia Pacific owing to the rise in passenger traffic. This will lead to a surge in demand for maintenance technicians in the region. According to Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook, more than 266,000 new maintenance technicians will be required in the Asia Pacific region by 2038. With the rise in demand for maintenance technicians, there will be a rise in demand for MRO software during the forecast period to enhance maintenance operations.



The MRO software market in aviation has been gaining traction over the past few years due to the presence of several established companies as well as startups. Some of the major players in the MRO software market in aviation are HCL Technologies Limited (India), SAP SE (Germany), International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) (US), Ramco Systems Limited (India), IFS AB (Sweden), Oracle Corporation (US), Boeing (US), Infor (US), Trax (US), Swiss AviationSoftware (Switzerland), IBS Software (India), Rusada (Switzerland), Communications Software Limited (UK), Flatirons Solutions, Inc. (US), Aviation Intertec Services (Canada), BytzSoft Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (India), Tracware Limited (UK), FLY Online Tools (US), Aerosoft Systems Inc. (US), Lufthansa Technik AG (Germany), GE Aviation (US), and Sopra Steria (France).



Related Reports:



Digital MRO Market by Technology (Predictive Maintenance, AR/VR, 3D Printing, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Big Data Analytics, Digital Twin, IOT), End User (MROs, Airlines, OEMs), Application, Region - Global Forecast to 2030



Aviation Blockchain Market by End Market (Airports, Airlines, MRO, Manufacturers, Lessors), Application (Smart Contracts, Supply Chain Management, Aircraft Maintenance, Cargo & Baggage Tracking), Deployment, Function, Region - Global Forecast to 2025



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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.



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Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi was spotted by a worried member of the public who alerted security minutes before he killed 22 people in his suicide attack, new evidence revealed.

The bystander allegedly raised suspicions about the Jihadi bomber with security staff as he loitered outside the venue before setting off his bomb.

Sir John Saunders, the chairman of the inquiry, said there was evidence that 'suspicions' had been expressed about Abedi by the concerned member of the public.

Jihadi bomber Salman Abedi (pictured) was spotted by a bystander minutes before he killed 22 people in his suicide attack on the Manchester Arena in 2017

Kyle Lawler, 18, (not pictured), a worried member of the public, alerted security after being suspicious about Abedi (pictured)'s actions

Abedi spent more than an hour and a half waiting in the City Room foyer outside the main entrance to the arena, for the concert by Ariana Grande to finish on the evening of May 22 2017.

The member of the public allegedly approached 18-year-old Kyle Lawler who was working for the company ShowSec, responsible for security at the arena.

In a ruling issued on Friday, Sir John said that written evidence suggested that Mr Lawler 'saw Salman Abedi on the night of the attack, before he detonated the bomb, after suspicions about him had been expressed by a member of the public.'

The chairman said that an experts' report for the inquiry on security arrangements at the arena raised concerns about whether Mr Lawler 'should have taken more action to draw attention to Salman Abedi's presence and the fact that it was suspicious.'

Abedi was helped in the Manchester bombing attack by his brother Hashem, who in March was found guilty of one count of attempted murder, encompassing the remaining injured, and conspiring to cause explosions.

The pair were deemed to 'have stood shoulder to shoulder' in the plot as Hashem, 22, helped to source materials which helped to make the explosives.

Abedi's attack on May 22 2017 killed 22 people and injured around a thousand more at an Ariana Grande concert

Salman Abedi was helped by his brother Hashem (pictured), 22, who was found guilty of one count of attempted murder, encompassing the remaining injured, and conspiring to cause explosions in March of this year

It can also be revealed that Greater Manchester Police have referred themselves to the Health and Safety Executive for a potential prosecution after being served with an expert report from the inquiry.

Mr Lawler has made statements about what happened on the night and is due to give evidence to the Inquiry.

He has asked for core participant status so that he can have his own legal representation after it emerged that ShowSec would no longer look after his interests.

He had been represented by ShowSec lawyers until the early part of this year but there was now a 'conflict of interest', the pre-inquiry hearing was told.

A hearing also hear that Mr Lawler would be 'subject to close scrutiny' when the issue of security at the arena was addressed.

The topics were likely to include security on the bridge leading to the City Room and 'interaction with Salman Abedi', Paul Greaney QC, counsel for the inquest said.

'He is the subject of express and significant criticism in the security expert report and may be subject of criticism in the inquiry itself,' Mr Greaney added.

'The criticisms made are of a very serious nature' and 'go to the heart' of security at the arena, 'whether it was inadequate if there it was, whether it contributed to loss of life.'

Saba Naqshbandi, representing Mr Lawler, said her client was a 'significant witness to what happened and may be criticised.'

She said he deserved legal representation at the inquest so that he can 'fully and fairly address those issues.'

'All we seek is for Mr Lawler to have the full and proper ability to participate in and have the ability to respond to scrutiny and possible criticism,' she added.

Sir John granted the core participant status, adding: 'I emphasise that my conclusion is only that Mr Lawler may have played a significant role or may be subject to explicit or significant criticism.

Sir John Saunders, the chairman of the inquiry, said there was evidence that 'suspicions' had been expressed about Abedi by the concerned member of the public

'I am not saying that that will be my ultimate finding which will depend on the evidence that I hear.

'All who made submissions agree that the decision I make has to be fair to Mr Lawler and enable him to have a fair opportunity to defend himself against potential criticisms of his conduct.'

Greater Manchester Police have referred themselves to the Health and Safety Executive for a potential prosecution after being served with a report from a security expert for the inquiry.

Sir John Saunders, said that ACC Russ Jackson, head of Counter-Terrorism Policing North West, had written to the HSE on June 19 after he 'became concerned that there may have been health and safety offences committed.'

Mr Jackson also sought permission from the inquiry to share the expert report, which has yet to be finalised, with the HSE.

Sir John ordered on Friday that the report should be disclosed immediately.

Sir John ordered on Friday that the report on potential health and safety offences committed before the attack (pictured) should be disclosed immediately

The police have also disclosed another 600 documents, covering 9,000 pages in response to the expert report and multi-agency exercises.

A further 1,500 pages have been disclosed as a result of a 'disclosure assurance exercise' although the hearing was told many were duplicates or irrelevant.

Duncan Atkinson QC, representing six of the 22 bereaved families, warned that any Health and Safety Executive investigation 'should not affect the way witnesses give evidence to the inquiry and that any investigation should in no way delay this inquiry.'

The inquiry into the bombing in which 22 people were killed is due to start on September 7 and is expected to hear evidence about the speed of the emergency response and whether the attack could have been prevented.
WARRENDALE, Pa., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- While specialty clothing retailers nationwide have announced bankruptcy or permanent closing, r21 Holdings, Inc. (rue21), announced today that it will open three new brick-and-mortar locations this July. The retailer -- who has experienced a business uptick since emerging from the Covid-19 shutdown outperforming every metric including sales, comparative year-over-year sales and EBITDA, plans to open three new stores in South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, bringing its store count to 673 in 45 states.

Like many retailers, rue21 responded to the global pandemic in March by shuttering its stores and furloughing most staff, pausing scheduled incentive bonuses, but continuing to provide employee healthcare benefits. When some states began to reopen in May, the retailer safely opened 180 stores, electively erecting behind-the-counter "sneeze shields", installing touchless payment technology and training staff on stringent safety protocols.

"During this unprecedented time, belts were tightened -- but the executive team continued to strategize and collaborate in order to prepare for pent up customer demand," said interim CEO John Fleming, whose retail experience includes leadership roles at Walmart, Uniqlo, Bed Bath and Beyond, StitchFix and Untuckit, among others. "We fully expected all areas of commerce to take a hit, but to our surprise, our customers were anxious to purchase affordable, fashion-forward pieces that fit into their new way of life. As a result, we beat out last year's comparables with a record June in terms of gross margin."

Fleming, who became interim CEO at the beginning of 2020, turned down compensation throughout the furlough period. Under his leadership, he directed a more streamlined approach toward promotions, store operations and management structures, focusing on speed to market and inventory velocity. As the retailer prepares for an uncertain back-to-school season, it will prioritize the timely supply of trend-setting inventory, such as its fashion-print facemasks, and plus-size rue+ offerings, which continue to be a market differentiator.

"Speed to market continues to be a laser focus. Trends are changing faster than ever before and we're determined to consistently meet our loyal customers' demands," said Fleming.

In addition, the retailer doubled down on its customer loyalty strategy, launching rue rewards online in April and across all stores on July 9. The free reward program -- rue21's first -- gives customers 10 points for every $1 dollar spent -- or a $5 dollar reward for every $75 spent -- and includes exclusive member offers.

"Unlike many retailers, we are in a better position today then we were before the global pandemic. We are energized to build off of this incredible momentum and provide our customers with a seamless, personalized and safe shopping experience," said Fleming.

About rue21

rue21 is a fashion destination that promises to give customers quality styles at accessible prices. We offer the largest selection of products, sizes and trends that fit every personality and budget.

Headquartered just north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in Warrendale, they operate over 673 stores in 45 states and online at www.rue21.com .

Contact:

Joanna Doven

Premo Consultants

[email protected]

724-420-0870

SOURCE rue21

Related Links

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As Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan negotiated receipt of 500,000 coronavirus tests from South Korea this spring, a domestic test distributor tried to sell the state a million or more federally authorized tests at less than two-thirds the price, according to emails between the distributor and a state health official.

The Republican governor announced his acquisition in April as an "exponential, game-changing step forward" in the state's coronavirus-fighting efforts. He has repeatedly described the purchase as an example of how Maryland took the initiative in responding to the pandemic in the face of inaction by the Trump administration.

In an essay adapted from his forthcoming book, "Still Standing," which was published in The Washington Post on Thursday, Hogan wrote that he and his Korean-born wife Yumi arranged to buy the tests from South Korea because Maryland had "nowhere else to turn."

But at the time of Hogan's purchase, U.S. manufacturers were able to ship tests to domestic labs by the millions, The Washington Post reported in April. The shortages then limiting testing were of other supplies, experts say, including nasal swabs to collect samples and chemical reagents to process them.

The emails, obtained by The Post through a Maryland Public Information Act request, provide new details about one domestic distributor's efforts to supply the state with tests. They were exchanged between the state health department's deputy director of governmental affairs, Jake Whitaker, and a Maryland-based sales consultant, Rick Vohrer.

The emails helped set up an April 10 phone meeting between Whitaker, Vohrer and representatives of a Florida-based group that was distributing tests manufactured by C0-Diagnostics, a publicly traded company based in Utah.

After the meeting, Vohrer followed up by emailing Whitaker documentation of the test's emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.

Reached by phone on Thursday, Vohrer said he never heard back from the state after that email exchange.

"We had a call, presented what we had, and basically I heard nothing back," Vohrer said. Vohrer said he had filled out paperwork about the offer and assumed it was being considered as part of a state procurement process.

Ten days later, Hogan announced he had procured tests from South Korea. The governor said he and his wife began working on the deal on March 28, beginning with a call to South Korea's ambassador to the United States that "set in motion 22 straight days of vetting, testing, negotiations and protocols."

The state paid $9,464,389 for the shipment, which came to more than $18 per test. After Vohrer saw Hogan's announcement, he sent Whitaker another email, questioning that price.

"The test I discussed with you is manufactured domestically, [by] CoDiagnostics, and is $12.00 for the volume being purchased from Korea," the email said. "Volumes above one million units can get even better pricing, as low as $10."

Vohrer said Thursday that the distributors had told state officials they could supply the tests within a week.

The United States got off to a slow start in its efforts to test for the novel coronavirus after delays caused by federal red tape and an initial flawed test created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In early March, U.S. manufactures were able to sell tests abroad but were not authorized by the FDA to sell them inside the United States.

But in mid-March, Co-Diagnostics and other U.S. manufacturers gained authorization to ship tests domestically and began doing so by the millions. Dwight Egan, chief executive of Co-Diagnostics, said the company would have been "very anxious and capable" of taking a large order from Maryland.

Hogan spokesman Michael Ricci has said Maryland signed an agreement for tests with the South Korean company, LabGenomics, on April 2, two weeks after U.S. manufacturers announced they could provide tests domestically, but before Vohrer's sales pitch.

Ricci said the state reached out to several domestic suppliers in late March, but none could offer the volume and guarantees the state was seeking.

By the end of April, local and Democratic state leaders had become frustrated that the tests had not yet been put to use.

In conference calls with local and federal officials, the Hogan administration said the tests were hung up by regulatory hurdles and supply shortages that have throttled testing capacity nationwide, according to people who participated. In addition, the tests from South Korea, unlike those produced by Co-Diagnostics, had not received emergency use authorization from the FDA.

Ricci did not answer a question Thursday about how many of the tests from South Korea have been used. Hogan announced last month that the tests would be used at a new lab at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Ricci said the state has returned some of the tests to the South Korean company in exchange for "faster, better" ones, at a "nominal" increase in cost. But he did not say how many had been exchanged or what improvements were gained in the process.

Hogan alluded to the exchange of tests during a Washington Post Live event on Thursday.

"We're actually getting, you know, upgraded and new and improved testing from South Korea," the governor said.

---

The Washington Post's Erin Cox contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 03:39:17|Editor: huaxia

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Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Arancha Gonzalez Laya (L) speaks with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas before a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, July 13, 2020. (European Union/Handout via Xinhua)

"European energy policy is made in Europe and not in Washington. We clearly reject extraterritorial sanctions."

BERLIN, July 16 (Xinhua) -- German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Thursday rejected Washington's latest threat of sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, saying "European energy policy is made in Europe."

"By announcing measures that will also sanction European companies, the U.S. government is disregarding the right and sovereignty of Europe to decide where and how we source our energy," said Maas, according to a statement by the German Federal Foreign Office.

"European energy policy is made in Europe and not in Washington. We clearly reject extraterritorial sanctions," Maas added.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a press briefing in Washington D.C., the United States, on March 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Mass said that the German government had held numerous talks with the United States in recent weeks as Washington was planning to tighten a sanctions law against Nord Stream 2. The law -- U.S. Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act (PEESA) -- was enacted in late December 2019.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent fresh warnings of possible sanctions to companies involved in Nord Stream 2 and the second line of the TurkStream pipeline stretching from Russia to Turkey.

Pompeo claimed that the projects are not commercial but serve as Moscow's tools to exploit European dependence on Russia's energy supplies.

Peter Beyer, the German government coordinator for transatlantic relations, tweeted Thursday that the United States should grant Europe comprehensive energy sovereignty.

A Nord Stream pipeline operator stands on a platform before the opening ceremony of the North Stream second gas link in Portovaya bay, some 60 kilometers from the town of Vyborg in northwestern Russia, Oct. 8, 2012. (Xinhua) 
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 04:48:45|Editor: huaxia

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Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein speaks during a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, July 16, 2020. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Thursday arrived in Iraqi capital Baghdad for an official visit where he confirmed his country's support to Iraq in its war against Islamic State (IS) group. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, July 16 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Thursday paid an official visit to Iraq to discuss bilateral relations and confirm France's support to Iraq in its fight against Islamic State (IS) .

During his visit, Le Drian and his accompanying delegation met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in the Green Zone in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, where the two sides discussed the bilateral relations and issues of common concern, according to a statement issued by al-Kadhimi's media office.

"The French role is of great importance in supporting Iraq through the international coalition in facing the terrorism and the remnants of IS militants," al-Kadhimi was quoted as saying.

Al-Kadhimi extended an invitation to French President Emmanuel Macron to visit Iraq.

For his part, the French minister confirmed that France, as a part of the international coalition to fight IS group, is ready to support Iraq to play its due role in the region, the statement said.

During the meeting, the two sides also discussed the issue of confronting the coronavirus pandemic, and how to benefit from the French experience in containing the disease.

A separate statement issued by the media office of Iraqi President Barham Salih said that Salih held a meeting with Le Drian to discuss the means of advancing bilateral cooperation, including in the economic and cultural fields.

Salih confirmed that Iraq is looking forward to the international community for protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including exerting efforts "to stop the repeated Turkish military violations on Iraqi territory," according to the statement.

The Iraqi president believed that it's essential to continue cooperation internationally and regionally to achieve a complete victory in eradicating the hotbeds of terrorism and extremism, and drying up its sources.

Earlier in the day, Le Drian was received by his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein upon arrival, and the two held a meeting before appearing at a joint press conference.

"Our visit to Iraq aimed at supporting the Iraqi government to face the challenges, including supporting the security forces in the fighting against IS, and we won't relent in front of our common enemy," Le Drian told the reporters.

He said that "there are disturbing signs of the return of the IS in Iraq, and we should not relent it."

"The coalition's aim at its core is to fight IS, and it should for no reason be derailed from this central mission," he noted.

Le Drian also said that Iraq's sovereignty is important and confirmed that his country is looking forward to seeing Iraq "restoring its pioneering role to create balance for the Middle East."

As for the coronavirus pandemic, Le Drian told reporters that France is supporting Iraq in combating the disease.

For his part, Hussein said that Le Drian's visit "comes at an important circumstance and amid many challenges, and is aimed at showing support to Iraq and to strengthen French-Iraqi relations."

During his last visit to Iraq in October 2019, Le Drian held meetings with Iraqi top officials to discuss bilateral cooperation and the means to end the threat of IS militants.

France is part of the U.S.-led international coalition tasked with helping Iraqi security forces in the fight against IS militants by carrying out airstrikes against their positions in Iraq and Syria as well as providing military equipment and training.
Membrane technology could cut emissions and energy use in oil refining

New membrane technology developed by a team of researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Imperial College London, and ExxonMobil could help reduce carbon emissions and energy intensity associated with refining crude oil. Laboratory testing suggests that this polymer membrane technology could replace some conventional heat-based distillation processes in the future.

Fractionation of crude oil mixtures using heat-based distillation is a large-scale, energy-intensive process that accounts for nearly 1% of the world's energy use: 1,100 terawatt-hours per year (TWh/yr), which is equivalent to the total energy consumed by the state of New York in a year. By substituting the low-energy membranes for certain steps in the distillation process, the new technology might one day allow implementation of a hybrid refining system that could help reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption significantly compared to traditional refining processes.

"Much in our modern lives comes from oil, so the separation of these molecules makes our modern civilization possible," said M.G. Finn, professor and chair of Georgia Tech's School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Finn also holds the James A. Carlos Family Chair for Pediatric Technology. "The scale of the separation required to provide the products we use is incredibly large. This membrane technology could make a significant impact on global energy consumption and the resulting emissions of petroleum processing."

To be reported in the July 17 issue of the journal Science, the paper is believed to be the first report of a synthetic membrane specifically designed for the separation of crude oil and crude-oil fractions. Additional research and development will be needed to advance this technology to industrial scale.

Membrane technology is already widely used in such applications as seawater desalination, but the complexity of petroleum refining has until now limited the use of membranes. To overcome that challenge, the research team developed a novel spirocyclic polymer that was applied to a robust substrate to create membranes able to separate complex hydrocarbon mixtures through the application of pressure rather than heat.

Membranes separate molecules from mixtures according to differences such as size and shape. When molecules are very close in size, that separation becomes more challenging. Using a well-known process for making bonds between nitrogen and carbon atoms, the polymers were constructed by connecting building blocks having a kinked structure to create disordered materials with built-in void spaces.

The team was able to balance a variety of factors to create the right combination of solubility - to enable membranes to be formed by simple and scalable processing - and structural rigidity - to allow some small molecules to pass through more easily than others. Unexpectedly, the researchers found that the materials needed a small amount of structural flexibility to improve size discrimination, as well as the ability to be slightly "sticky" toward certain types of molecules that are found abundantly in crude oil.

After designing the novel polymers and achieving some success with a synthetic gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel fuel mixture, the team decided to try to separate a crude oil sample and discovered that the new membrane was quite effective at recovering gasoline and jet fuel from the complex mixture.

"We were initially trying to fractionate a mixture of molecules that were too similar," said Ben McCool, a senior research associate at ExxonMobil and one of the paper's coauthors. "When we took on a more complex feed, crude oil, we got fractionalization that looked like it could have come from a distillation column, indicating the concept's great potential."

The researchers worked collaboratively, with polymers designed and tested at Georgia Tech, then converted to 200-nanometer-thick films, and incorporated into membrane modules at Imperial using a roll-to-roll process. Samples were then tested at all three organizations, providing multi-lab confirmation of the membrane capabilities.

"We have the foundational experience of bringing organic solvent nanofiltration, a membrane technology becoming widely used in pharmaceuticals and chemicals industries, to market," said Andrew Livingston, professor of chemical engineering at Imperial. "We worked extensively with ExxonMobil and Georgia Tech to demonstrate the scalability potential of this technology to the levels required by the petroleum industry."

The research team created an innovation pipeline that extends from basic research all the way to technology that can be tested in real-world conditions.

"We brought together basic science and chemistry, applied membrane fabrication fundamentals, and engineering analysis of how membranes work," said Ryan Lively, associate professor and John H. Woody faculty fellow in Georgia Tech's School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. "We were able to go from milligram-scale powders all the way to prototype membrane modules in commercial form factors that were challenged with real crude oil - it was fantastic to see this innovation pipeline in action."

ExxonMobil's relationship with Georgia Tech goes back nearly 15 years and has produced innovations in other separation technologies, including a new carbon-based molecular sieve membrane that could dramatically reduce the energy required to separate a class of hydrocarbon molecules known as alkyl aromatics.

"Through collaboration with strong academic institutions like Georgia Tech and Imperial, we are constantly working to develop the lower-emissions energy solutions of the future," said Vijay Swarup, vice president of research and development at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company.

###

In addition to Finn, Livingston, Lively, and McCool, the paper's authors include Kirstie Thompson and Ronita Mathias, Georgia Tech graduate students who are co-first authors; Daeok Kim, Jihoon Kim, Irene Bechis, Andrew Tarzia, and Kim Jelfs of Imperial; and Neel Rangnekar, J.R. Johnson, and Scott Hoy of ExxonMobil.

CITATION: Kirstie Thompson, et al., "N-Aryl Linked Spirocyclic Polymers for Membrane Separations of Complex Hydrocarbon Mixtures" (Science 2020)

This story has been published on: 2020-07-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
NEW YORK, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Correlation One, Inc., a leader in data science training and assessments, today announced that Columbia Business School Professor Sheena Iyengar has joined the company as a Corporate Advisor.

Professor Iyengar is a pioneering researcher, author, and speaker on the psychology of choice and decision-making. She is the author of the 2010 book The Art of Choosing, which was shortlisted for the 2010 Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award.

"Professor Iyengar brings a wealth of knowledge and experience helping enterprises make better data-driven decisions," said Sham Mustafa & Rasheed Sabar, Correlation One's co-founders and co-CEOs. "Her perspective and strategic thinking align closely with Correlation One's mission, as we aim to help countries and enterprises become data literate."

Previously, Iyengar was the recipient of the 2001 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. In 2011 and 2019, Iyengar was voted among the Top 50 most influential business thinkers by Thinkers50 and rated one of the world's best B-School Professors by Poets and Quants.

Iyengar is currently the S.T. Lee Professor of Business in the Management Department at Columbia Business School, where in 2012 she was awarded the Dean's Award for Outstanding Core Teaching. She has recently created a groundbreaking course titled, "Think Bigger," which teaches students a new method on how to innovate. Iyengar is in the process of writing her second book titled, "Think Bigger," scheduled for release January 2021.

Correlation One is the market leader providing data & analytics training globally. We believe that the biggest unsolved problem in AI is people. Our programs include Data Science for All, a global training series focused on helping countries and enterprises become data fluent. We also developed the first standardized assessment platform for data and analytics skills, and host the annual Data Open, the world's largest data science competition for university students. Learn more about Correlation One at www.correlation-one.com .

Contact: Andrew Strong, [email protected]

SOURCE Correlation One

Related Links

https://correlation-one.com


Developer Grocon has launched fresh legal action against the NSW government in a bid to compel the release of settlement documents in relation to the Central Barangaroo project.

Grocon chairman Daniel Grollo has said he is concerned for the future of his company as he faces the possibility of having to implement redundancies to fund Grocons ongoing legal action as a result of the many court issues surrounding the Central Barangaroo development.

The Crown casino tower under construction at Barangaroo. Credit:Rhett Wyman

The negotiations with the NSW government broke down after what Grocon described as months of "attempted behind-the-scenes" discussions. Grocon has been seeking financial compensation for major delays with the Central Barangaroo project.

At the core of the proceedings is the deal done between the NSW Government and Crown/Lendlease in August 2019 concerning the sight lines from Crowns casino tower and Lendleases office building at South Barangaroo. Grocon believes it is entitled to know the details of that deal.
Cristina Semeraro

17.07.2020 LISTEN

The Indian outer space programme has achieved an extraordinary progress in the last decade.

The country is already known as the "bright spot" of the global economy, relying on a vast internal market, a highly young population and as one of the most sustained growth rates among the BRICS: all characteristics which shape it one of the top ten economies in the world.

Additionally, India displays successful space missions in its portfolio along with its proficiency in operating low-cost space projects which have made it a tremendously esteemed role-player in the international environment.

The agenda for the 2020-2030 decade is busy and crammed with challenging missions planned to land on the Moon and found the first Indian solar observatory in 2020, orbit around Venus and Mars in the two-year period 2023-2024, engage the countrys first crewed orbital spaceflight mission in 2021 and install the first modular space station in 2030. Thus, this ambitious calendar is the square one to drive India to the top position among space-faring nations by the end of the decade.

The emerging advanced Industry 4.0 - made up of Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomous robots, big data synthesis, hyper-automation and digital manufacturing - represents the core of the current decade: hardware and software technologies supplementing real and cyber rooms into cyber-physical systems are overcoming the past Industry 3.0 technologies which have been the fuel of space operations until now.

According to the Indias space history, in 1984, Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Rakesh Sharma was the first and only Indian citizen to hazard the space aboard a Soviet rocket for a week-long stay on the Salyut 7 space station. By December 2021, the country is hell-bent on running its own crewed spaceflight programme, called Gaganyaan, consisting in the launch of three astronauts into low Earth orbit for one week. In order to heighten its odds at success, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is going to carry out two un-crewed test flights, respectively in December 2020 and July 2021. What really stands out from the past missions is the unveiled intention of launching a humanoid robot named Vyommitra into low Earth orbit, which will perform as a dummy astronaut for the first two test flights. Vyommitra is half-length but equipped with communication systems which enable it to perceive and transmit with astronauts. It is set up to react to its environment, develop life-support operations and simulate crew activities: all procedures which would  and will  assist in facing issues and ensure the safety of the crews life on board before its 2021-planned flight.

As laid out in the ISRO Report 2020, the human spaceflight represents a giant stepping stone in the long run towards technological breakthroughs and India cannot miss this golden opportunity.

However, although ISROs ambitions involve human spaceflight programme, the organisation does not have any know-how about astronaut training.

In light of this, it has followed a wake-up call for an international cooperation with Russias space agency Roscosmos and France. Specifically, since January 2020, four Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots have been attending a twelve-month-long programme at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, near Moscow. The pilots-turned-astronauts are addressing an intensive physical and biomedical training, including a first focus on preparation for extra-ordinary flight circumstances and a second one on monitoring the health conditions of astronauts from take-off to landing.

Well, it may be that ISRO is not yet at the helm of crewed spaceflights, but it certainly cannot be said that India does not tend to exceed its limits and thrive in challenging environments.

The Mars Orbiter Missions (Chandrayaan-1 and -2) and 104 satellites launched at once time are excellent patterns proving how outer space has increasingly become a resource for escalating a national prestige whose both Indian citizens and the international community can benefit.

Likewise, the space has also turned into an expedient of foreign policy and diplomacy, as well as a stratagem for its military renovation. About this latter, in 2019, India has abandoned its traditional opposition to the space militarisation to embrace a new, more resolute approach with a view to its national space policy. Then, the country has established a Defence Space Agency (DSA) in 2019 which was already at that time forecasted to be a milestone towards shaking the ground of the space revolution. The DSA must team up with its civilian space agency partner, ISRO, to boost Indias technological capabilities in space affairs. In particular, both the agencies are expected to break the long-standing competition and distrust between civilian and military sectors by developing Industry 4.0 innovation ecosystems and enhancing Industry 4.0 automations and components in all their future projects and missions.

Moreover, on 24 June 2020, the Union Cabinet decided to institute a new body - Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) - that will pursue a greater involvement of private industry, academy and research institutions in Indias space sector. IN-SPACe, which is predicted to reach its final operational capability within six months, will act as a junction point between ISRO and every like-minded private organisation which is determined to participate in research and development (R&D) of new technologies, exploration missions and human spaceflight programme.

The call for the private sector finds its origins in what the ISROs chairperson - Kailasavadivoo Sivan - stated during a recent interview. He declared that Indian industry had a barely three per cent share in a rapidly growing global space economy which was already worth at least $360 billion. Only two per cent of this market was for rocket and satellite launch services, which require fairly large infrastructure and heavy investment.

Despite profit-making and strategic reasons are crucial for the private involvement in the space sector, the Indian industry seems to be still unable to cater to the technological demands on its own.

Off to a rocky step, New Delhi should provide a strategic national space vision in the long term, evolve military dogmas, brainstorm new policies and change the geopolitics of the Region and the world at large.

If the above-mentioned Gaganyaan mission  meant to depart in 2021 - is successful, India will join the ranks of Russia, the U.S. and China in launching their own crews into space.

The geopolitical context that would follow up will meet the India's growing role on the world stage and these diplomatic key results could be very convenient in turning tables for the United States: strengthening relations with India and making the country join the table of the greatest ones along with Europe and Russia, would isolate China, which is also on the hunt for extra-planetary successes.

Cristina Semeraro, Analyst at Vision & Global Trends. International Institute for Global Analyses
A British Airways 747 aircraft flies over roof tops as it comes into lane at Heathrow Airport in west London on Feb. 18, 2015. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

British Airways to Retire Entire Boeing 747 Fleet Due to Pandemic

British Airways (BA) has announced its shutting down its entire Boeing 747 fleet as a result of the downturn in air travel caused by the CCP virus pandemic.

It is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747 fleet with immediate effect, BA said in a statement.

BA currently owns 31 Boeing 747s. The fleet was originally scheduled to retire by 2024, but the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus pandemic has brought it forward by more than three years.

It is unlikely our magnificent Queen of the Skies will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic, BA said.

BA is currently the worlds biggest operator of Boeing 747-400s. It took delivery of its first 747-400 in July 1989. At its height, BA had a fleet of 57 747 aircraft.

A British Airways special liveried Boeing 747 takes to the skies alongside the Red Arrows during the 2019 Royal International Air Tattoo on July 20, 2019, at RAF Fairford, England. (Ian Gavan/Getty Images for British Airways)

The original aircraft accommodated 27 first class and 292 economy class passengers. Initially, the upper deck contained a lounge, which was known as the club in the sky.

The airline will be operating more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as A350s and 787s, but BA said the 747s will always have a special place in our heart.

British Airways, owned by the International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG), has been heavily hit by the CCP virus pandemic.

IAG announced in April that BA was planning to cut more than a quarter of its jobsaffecting over 12,000 employees.

Willie Walsh, CEO of IAG, told the UK parliaments transport committee in May that his company had exhausted every avenue to shore up its finances and was burning through cash.
Hyderabad, July 17 : The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by Telangana Congress leader T. Jeevan Reddy to challenge a High Court verdict that refused to direct the state government against the demolition of the old Secretariat buildings and construction of a new complex.

The apex court made it clear that the construction of the new Secretariat is totally a prerogative of the state government and it would not interfere in the policy matter.

Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) termed the Supreme Court's verdict a "slap on the faces of those opposing the construction of the new Secretariat".

Jeevan Reddy, a member of the Telangana Legislative Council, had challenged the June 29 order of the High Court.

Jeevan Reddy and others, in their petitions in the High Court, had contended that the government was wasting public money on building the new complex when the existing buildings are structurally sound and can cater to the needs of the state administrative headquarters.

The government started demolition of the existing buildings on July 7.

However, the High Court on July 10 stayed the demolition on two petitions, alleging that the work was taken up without obtaining permission from the authorities concerned.

The petitioners had complained that the demolition of 10 blocks of the Secretariat building occupying 10 lakh square feet was done without following the procedure laid down under the Demolition and Construction Rules.

The petitioners said that during the existing COVID-19 situation the demolition will impact and aggravate respiratory problems in people living in the areas surroundings the building.

The High Court has extended the stay twice and asked the state to clarify if the demolition needs clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
By PTI

JAIPUR: The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police on Friday arrested Sanjay Jain whose name had surfaced in a viral audio recording about horse trading of legislators to topple the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan, an official said.

"Jain has been arrested following interrogation into the FIR lodged on the basis of audio recording that had gone viral on social media," Additional Director General (ATS and SOG) Ashok Rathore said.

Jain was interrogated Thursday and Friday following which the arrest has been made, officials said.

Congress Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi had lodged a complaint demanding a probe and registration of an FIR under sedition charges against three persons -- Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, Gajendra Singh and Sanjay Jain -- who were allegedly discussing a conspiracy to topple the state government in one of the three audio recordings that went viral on social media Thursday.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala had referred to Jain as a BJP leader, a charge denied by that party.

The SOG had earlier on Friday registered two FIRs under IPC sections 124-A (sedition) and 120-B (conspiracy) to probe into the complaint related to horse trading of MLAs and the alleged audio recordings.
>>> PM congratulates HCM City's doctors for successful separation of conjoined twins

>>> Ischiopagus tetrapus twins successfully separated thanks to nearly 100 medical staff

After 12 hours of separation surgery carried out at the Ho Chi Minh City Childrens Hospital that mobilised nearly 100 leading medical workers in the city, Vietnam has recorded yet another miracle  a feat named life. Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi now turn to a bright new chapter in their lives.

As one of nine key physicians offering consulting services for the surgical team, Professor, Dr. Tran Dong A, a senior specialist and professional advisor at the National Children's Hospital 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, concluded that the surgery to separate the twins had "proceeded as expected".

32 years ago, Professor Dong A was the coordinator, commander and chief surgeon for an operation to separate Vietnamese twin boys Nguyen Viet and Nguyen Duc (born in 1981) who were conjoined at the pelvic abdomen. The medical success 32 years ago is still imprinted in the mind of the leading professor who recently turned 79 years old.

Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi now turn to a bright, new chapter in their lives.

He said that 32 years ago, the medical capacity in Vietnam and around the world was very different compared with that of today. The only similarity between these two twins is the pelvic abdomen being stuck together. However, Truc Nhi - Dieu Nhi still possess all four symmetrical legs, while Viet - Duc had only three crossed legs.

In the case of the twin boys, Viet suffered from cerebral palsy. In the history of world medicine, no one had ever performed surgery on a child with cerebral palsy for more than ten hours, Professor Dong A said.

The twins particular phenomenon only accounts for 6% amongst all conjoined twins worldwide.



At that time, the world had only six conjoined twins like Viet - Duc. Among them, there were two pairs living, two pairs had died and two twins had only one survivor. In particular, there has been no case involving cerebral palsy like that of Viet - Duc. Vietnamese doctors at that time overcame the difficulties caused by trade embargoes in order to become the first country to conduct such a complicated separation surgery.

When carrying out the surgery on Viet - Duc, the twins were eight years old and their cartilage had stuck together into bones, causing much blood loss during the operation. In the case of Truc Nhi - Dieu Nhi, the babies had surgery at 12 months, the right age for surgery according to world medicine. The twins are in good health to overcome this major surgery, Professor Dong A said.

Journey to giving "birth" again for Truc Nhi - Dieu Nhi

Prof. Dong A was a professional consultant on this special operation since the first days the two babies were born. From May 6, 2019 up until now, he attended all consultations and presented his options as well as risk preventive plans for each phase of the surgery.

According to the professor, the conjoined phenomenon of the two baby sisters, being at their pelvic abdomen, only accounts for 6% amongst all conjoined twins (1 per 200,000 live births) worldwide. Thanks to todays modern equipment, the success rate for the surgery is very high, often over 70% if no complications occur. "We had to discuss the situation where if there are unforeseen circumstances, doctors will know what to do in the hope of being able to save both babies," Professor Dong A said.

Doctors persisted through over 12 hours in the intense surgery.



At about 6 am on July 15, Truc Nhi - Dieu Nhi entered the surgery with the first stage being anesthesia. At about 10 am, the surgical team made the first incision. At 2:07 pm, the conjoined twins were completely separated. Each baby was taken to a separate operating room to deal with pelvic orthopaedic surgery and other operations. At 7 pm the same day, the surgery was announced as a great success as expected. The two babies were transferred to the recovery room in stable health.

Director of Ho Chi Minh City Children's Hospital, Dr. Truong Quang Dinh, said that this is a rare case, with a relatively low success rate in world medical records. After multiple consultations, doctors asked the parents permission to give birth to Truc Nhi - Dieu Nhi once again. "Our wish is to return them to a healthy life like any other child," said Dr. Dinh.

The journey to sow new life for the twins has initially grasped success.



He shared more information on the twins, who were born with an conjoined shape, relying on each other as multiple common internal organs were shared by both individuals. Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi have been with the hospital since they were in their mother's womb. At that time, doctors at the Ho Chi Minh City Children's Hospital had envisioned the complicated conjoined state of the two babies, but their parents were determined to nurture them until the day they were given birth.

At that time, little Dieu Nhi was weak, but miraculously she was strong enough to overcome a turbulent journey during a premature birth infancy. Dr. Dinh believed that, with that tenacity, both would overcome the major surgery.

As expected, the operation was successful after 12 tense hours. At about 7 pm on July 15, the surgery ended with the final stage of separating the twins and reforming their organs being successful. All present burst into tears of happiness.

Present during the whole surgery, the parents of the twins blushed and choked: When I learnt that my babies were separated, I was happy but I did not know how to describe that joy. It was the moment my family had been awaiting for so long. When they were apart, their health was still good. My family was very reassured.

The twins parents burst into tears of happiness knowing that their babies have had a successful separation surgery.



According to Professor Tran Dong A, no surgeon is as happy as a paediatric surgeon, because saving a baby with a serious illness is like saving an entire lifetime.

The journey to help Truc Nhi - Dieu Nhi is still very long, especially the period of resuscitation ahead. However, with the spirit of determination to give birth to the twins once again, doctors at the Ho Chi Minh Children's Hospital will continue to accompany the babies through many important stages to help them enjoy the complete happiness everyone deserves.
A new testing site in Raritan Township jointly launched by Hunterdon County Freeholders and the Hunterdon Medical Group will open to all Hunterdon County residents on Tuesday.

This action comes on the heels of Hunterdon Countys decision to no longer have its Department of Health staff the free drive-thru testing site at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg Township. That testing site had previously served residents of both Hunterdon and Somerset counties, but now only accepts appointments made by those who live in Somerset County.

Hunterdon County Administrator Kevin P. Davis previously said the decision was made after Hunterdon residents participation at the site had declined in recent weeks.

The joint test site at RVCC with Somerset County was an extremely important resource during the time of rising infections, Freeholder Director Shaun C. Van Doren said in a press release. Hunterdon Countys freeholders greatly appreciate the cooperation with Somerset County. We are pleased now to partner with healthcare providers at Hunterdon Healthcare system.

The HMG Assessment and Testing Site, located at 121 Route 31 South, Suite 100, in Raritan Township, will test residents from 1 to 5 p.m. each Tuesday. Additional testing days will be added if necessary, Davis said.

All Hunterdon County residents must have a prescription from their provider, and must make an appointment by calling 908-237-4230 or emailing HMGDOTTesting@hhsnj.org and providing their full name and phone number. All residents will then receive a call back from a staff member to schedule their test.

The freeholders are committed to ensuring that individuals who need COVID-19 testing have access in our area, Van Doren said. Now that testing for county residents has ended at RVCC, the county and Hunterdon Medical Group are joining together to provide testing at a convenient location in Raritan Township.

Echoing Van Doren, Dr. David Skillinge, vice president of medical practices for the Hunterdon Medical Group, said both Hunterdon Healthcare and Hunterdon Medical Group as well as the Hunterdon County Health Department share the mutual goal of actively protecting and improving the health and well-being of all residents in Hunterdon County.

Were extremely pleased to work with our Hunterdon County Health Department partners to offer this important test to our communities and continue our previous success with early identification and immediate treatment of individuals who contract the virus as well as help educate ways in which our residents can help prevent its potential spread, Skillinge said in the press release.

COVID-19 testing is also available at Walmart, at 152 Route 31 North in Raritan Township, and at CVS, 798 Route 202 in Readington Township.

As of Thursday, the state has reported a total of 1,098 positive coronavirus cases in Hunterdon County, as well as 70 confirmed and 56 probable deaths. No new positive cases in the county were announced by state officials on Thursday.

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Caroline Fassett may be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
The controversy over a contract to a charity with ties to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family has become more complicated with the revelation it could have earned more than twice what was originally stated, and the countrys Ethics Commissioner launching an investigation into the Finance Minister in connection with this issue.

WE Charity which was given the contract to administer a nearly one billion dollar programme was originally stated to be in line for a payment of CA $ 19.5 million, but that amount could have touched CA $ 43.53 million if it achieved certain targets. This was revealed by Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth Bardish Chagger while being questioned by the House of Commons Finance Committee, one of two Parliamentary panels looking into the matter.

The countrys Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion had earlier announced that Trudeaus links to the WE organisation will be investigated in this regard given that his mother, brother and wife have made appearances paid for by the WE organisations organs. Now, Dion has launched an investigation into Finance Minister Bill Morneau since one of his daughters was employed with WE and another volunteered with them. Trudeau has already apologised for not recusing himself when the Cabinet took a decision to give the contract to WE. The contract was cancelled after the furor over Trudeaus connection to WE exploded.

However, Chagger, an Indo-Canadian Minister, said that she had not been directed by Trudeaus office to arrive at the agreement with WE nor had she personally held discussions in this regard with either Trudeau or Morneau. She stated that a bureaucrat made a clear recommendation that WE Charity was the organization that was able to deliver this program in the timeline that was needed.

The Parliamentary committees examining the matter have also sought Trudeaus appearance but the Canadian PM has yet to confirm he will do so, as he faces an ethics investigation for the third time, with the prior two having resulted in finding him in violation of Federal norms.
Recently, the Trump administration told hospitals to stop sharing data on covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Instead, hospitals were to share information with a private company contracted by the Department of Human and Health Services. The company, TeleTracking Technologies, won its HHS contract in a noncompetitive process in April; around the same time, the department also contracted Palantir, the data-mining company founded by Peter Thiel, an early ally of Trump, to take on other data-collection functions from the CDC. The administrations order, which took effect on Wednesday, seems a blow to transparency: the CDC published the patient data it collected from hospitals, but the TeleTracking database is private. Researchers and reporters who use the data are worried that vital information is being withheld for the sake of politics.

Administration officials insist that bypassing the CDC is an efficiency measure, and that adequate data will remain available to the public. In an interview with Greta Van Susteren, of Gray TV, on Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence said that the American people can anticipate full transparency. The same day, however, journalists noticed that the CDCs website had taken down data on hospital capacity that it had previously shared. Online, experts reacted with dismay. I had hoped it was a glitch, but no, Charles Ornstein, a healthcare reporter and editor at ProPublica, tweeted. Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, of Harvard, added that epidemiologists are pulling our hair out! HHS blamed the CDC for unilaterally removing the data; Michael Caputo, a former Trump campaign aide who is now an HHS spokesperson, accused the CDC of a fit of pique, and said that department officials had since ordered that the data be restored. Yesterday, the CDC restored existing hospitalization data and added Tuesdays figures; it also appended a note saying that the data will never again be updated.

ICYMI: The mystery of Tucker Carlson

The way the CDC collects and shares data is inefficient, to be sure, and not always reliable. As Ornstein reported in April, the CDC was initially slow to share hospitalization data at all. In May, the agency said that it had been combining data on tests for active covid infections and data on tests for antibodies into a single figurewhich bolstered a misleading impression that Trump was on top of testing. As I wrote last week, the New York Times went to court to force the CDC to release data on the racial disparities in covid transmission; even then, the information provided was substantially incomplete.

Trump officials have insistedalbeit without wishing to be named, for the most partthat taking hospitalization data away from the CDC is not censorship, but rather a good-faith effort at streamlining. Theyre suffering because of their lack of credibility, an unnamed Republican told Politico, of the administration. The problem is they had a chance to tell this storywhich is not necessarily a bad storybut they didnt do it. Perhaps unwittingly, the unnamed Republican hit the key pointhospitalization data may be made public someday, and the new system for collecting it from hospitals may work better than the CDCs, but for now, the press has no reason to believe either of those things. When it comes to pledges of transparency, the Trump administration has proved time and again that it doesnt deserve the benefit of the doubton the coronavirus or anything else. In the past few weeks, Trump has said repeatedly that testing is bad because it shows positive cases; unnamed White House officials have dumped opposition research on Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and Republicans have insisted that the devastating spread of the virus is mere media scaremongering.

A month ago, Pence said as much in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, and declared that the US is winning against the pandemic. The op-edwhich was headlined There Isnt a Coronavirus Second Wave was correct only insofar as we havent cleared the first wave yet. Yesterday, as the daily confirmed-case count hit a record high of seventy-seven thousand, Pences op-ed came in for some fresh scrutiny. On CNN, Jake Tapper returned to it, while displaying a graph of rapidly rising infections. Does it look like winning to you? Tapper asked. The only way one could regard this as winning is if one were the coronavirus.

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In recent weeks, Trump supporters have pointed out that the proliferation of cases hasnt been accompanied by a spike in deaths. That was always a disingenuous argument, given that covid-19 takes time to kill its victims. Now the death count is on the rise again. Americas deadly summer coronavirus surge is undeniable, Alexis C. Madrigal, of The Atlantic, wrote Wednesday. And it was predictable this whole time by looking honestly at the data. The Trump administration struggles with honesty. Judging by Trumps conduct and the latest mess at the CDC, it would prefer that people dont have access to the truth at all.

Below, more on the Trump administration and the coronavirus:



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: Why the Left Cant Stand the New York Times

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Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
As a safety-net hospital on the Westside of Chicago, it is critical that we work together and with our community to try to negotiate additional and new funding sources for The Loretto Hospital, in order to continue to serve our population, Miller said.
Bonnington  a neighbourhood on the central Mountain  is a Bermuda Triangle that swallows up shopping carts.

This is where they go missing, or are ditched, after shoppers wheel them from grocery stores on Upper James Street.

The phenomenon frustrates those who try to keep the residential area  which is rectangular  tidy. Residents are getting really, really fed up because it really trashes up the neighbourhood, Emily Kam said.

Its also a pain for No Frills operator Tony Dippolito, who makes regular rounds in his minivan retrieving errant carts.

We spend a lot of money to try to prevent this, said Dippolito, whose store is at Upper James and Mohawk Road East.

Told Thursday a few of his missing yellow buggies were in Bonnington, Dippolito, was anxious to repatriate them.

Tell me where they are. I can go out and get them right now.

And he and his daughter did, picking up the first three at a neighbourhood park.

No Frills is responsive to reports of discarded carts, but others not so much, Kam says.

Were sandwiched between all of those grocery stores, but the worst culprit is Walmart.

Kam says she has spent hours on the phone and sent several emails over the years trying to spur the big-box store to action.

The six-year resident is active in the Bonnington Betterment Community, a group dedicated to keeping the area near Mohawk College clean.

They round up carts and take them back. Hundreds of marooned buggies later, theyve enlisted the help of Ward 8 councillor John-Paul Danko.

Danko says he has tried, but failed to reach a Walmart manager. I think that shows some contempt for the neighbourhood where theyre located.

An employee at the customer service desk at the Upper James store declined to speak to The Spectator and referred the query to Walmart Canada.

In an email, spokesperson Felicia Fefer said Walmart is working hard to improve the situation. The store has told its contractor, which collects stray carts twice a week, to prioritize Bonnington and asked employees to be extra vigilant.

At the same time, we are working towards installing a gatekeeper system to prevent our carts from being removed from our property and to help keep the neighbourhood tidy.

Dippolito says his No Frills has a security mechanism called Gatekeeper Systems, which locks cart wheels when they reach the parking lots edge. But some who are determined to take buggies will lift them over the systems censors.

On Thursday, The Spectator counted roughly a dozen carts  mostly from No Frills and Walmart  on sidewalks and driveways, at community mailboxes and bus stops, and on the edges of yards and a park.

Danko and Kam attribute the high concentration of ditched carts to a few factors. There are many renters  including students  who may not have vehicles but are within a short walk to stores. But Kam points out many long-term tenants are invested in their neighbourhood.

The buggy problem falls into a grey area when it comes to bylaw enforcement because officers dont know who ditched them unless theyre caught in the act, Danko said.

In the past, staff have contacted the owner of carts and allowed time for their removal, the citys municipal law enforcement department notes.

If theyre not removed, and on city property, waste management takes them away. If theyre on private property, officers educate residents about bylaws and yard upkeep.

Ultimately, wed like the stores just to take responsibility because theyre their carts, Danko said.

Read more about:
"Hospitals have been ordered to bypass the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and send all patient information to a central database in Washington, raising questions about transparency."

The Trump administration is ordering hospitals around America to bypass the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and send COVID-19 info to a database that is not open to the public, with access to reporters and researchers unlikely and unclear.

Here's the official order.

Beginning on Wednesday, hospitals are told they must send all Covid-19 patient information to a central database in Washington, rather than the CDC.

This is highly unusual, and the New York Times reports "The move has alarmed health experts who fear the data will be politicized or withheld from the public."

From Sheryl Gay Stolberg at the New York Times:

The new instructions were posted recently in a little-noticed document on the Department of Health and Human Services website. From now on, the department  not the C.D.C.  will collect daily reports about the patients that each hospital is treating, the number of available beds and ventilators, and other information vital to tracking the pandemic. Officials say the change will streamline data gathering and assist the White House coronavirus task force in allocating scarce supplies like personal protective gear and remdesivir, the first drug shown to be effective against the virus. But the Health and Human Services database that will receive new information is not open to the public, which could affect the work of scores of researchers, modelers and health officials who rely on C.D.C. data to make projections and crucial decisions. "Historically, C.D.C. has been the place where public health data has been sent, and this raises questions about not just access for researchers but access for reporters, access for the public to try to better understand what is happening with the outbreak," said Jen Kates, the director of global health and H.I.V. policy with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. "How will the data be protected?" she asked. "Will there be transparency, will there be access, and what is the role of the C.D.C. in understanding the data?"

Read more at the New York Times:

Trump Administration Strips C.D.C. of Control of Coronavirus Data

I had hoped it was a glitch, but noThe @CDCgov hospital capacity dashboard has gone dark. @CDCDirector has said CDC still has access to the data but apparently the public no longer does. pic.twitter.com/FyRt7YHvKc  Charles Ornstein (@charlesornstein) July 16, 2020

By ordering hospitals not to send COVID19 data to @CDCgov, the Trump Admin is rejecting transparency and undermining the public health officials & agencies we should be listening to. The WH fatally mishandled COVID19. Now they're trying to hide the numbers from the public. https://t.co/THGmQFyZ9X  Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) July 16, 2020

We're in the middle of the worst pandemic in 100 years. More than 137,000 Americans have died. Covid is exploding in Arizona, Texas, South Carolina, Florida, and other states. And the administration has chosen to sideline the CDC. Where did this data go? https://t.co/NEErh7Nbbw  Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) July 16, 2020

NEW: Trump administration is stripping C.D.C. of control of coronavirus data. Hospitals will now report info directly to DC. Health experts are alarmed. C.D.C. will take part in data collection, HHS spox says: "They will simply no longer control it." https://t.co/q0dkgnwNoY  Sheryl Gay Stolberg (@SherylNYT) July 15, 2020
As coronavirus cases have been climbing in Pennsylvania, some counties are drawing attention from Gov. Tom Wolfs administration.

The Wolf administration is monitoring counties that are seeing a higher percentage of positive cases over the past week. In a news release Friday, the administration focused on several counties where more than 5 percent of those being tested are positive, a benchmark that health professionals have cited as a sign of trouble.

Overall, the statewide positivity rate is 4.4 percent. But several counties have topped 5 percent, including some in central Pennsylvania. Southwestern Pennsylvania, which has seen an uptick of cases, has the highest positive rates.

The Wolf administration identified these counties as areas of concern because they are seeing over 5 percent of tests as positive: Beaver (8.2%), Allegheny (7.5%), Washington (6.2%), Indiana (6.1%), Lawrence (6.1%), York (6.1%), Lebanon (6.0%), Philadelphia (5.5%), Dauphin (5.1%) and Westmoreland (5.0%).

The administrations news release attributed the rise in cases to a lapse in following required mitigation efforts. The governors office released a weekly update citing data from the states COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard.

We continue to see cases rise and one thing we know for certain is that we must continue to wear masks and practice social distancing, Wolf said in a statement.

Risky behavior such as going out without a mask and congregating at a bar or in a crowded setting where social distancing isnt being practiced continues to lead to spikes in cases, Wolf said. We need to recommit to these simple measures to stop the spread and go back to more freedoms.

Citing the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, Wolf imposed new restrictions on bars and restaurants earlier this week; occupancy is limited to 25 percent and consumers must order food to buy alcoholic drinks. Wolf also ordered caps on gatherings: 25 people for indoor gatherings and 250 for outdoor events.

Earlier Friday, the state Department of Health reported 1,032 new cases as the state nears 100,000 cases. Its the highest number of new cases in a single day since May 10. Since the first infection was reported March 6, 99,478 Pennsylvania residents have been infected.

Across Pennsylvania, 6,992 deaths have been tied to COVID-19, according to the health department.

Health department statistics show the statewide increase in coronavirus cases over the past four weeks.

June 20-26: 3,608 new cases, an average of 515 per day

June 27-July 3: 4,371 new cases, an average of 624 per day

July 4-10: 5,135 new cases, an average of 733 per day

July 11-17: 5,602 new cases, an average of 800 per day

The governors office and health department continue to stress wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Wolf also has said the new restrictions are designed to help ensure schools can open for in-person classes next month.

Republican lawmakers and business groups have criticized the governors new restrictions on restaurants and bars. They have said they want to protect the public but also worry some restaurants and bars wont make it under the new restrictions.

Pennsylvanias unemployment rate in June was 13 percent, the state Department of Labor and Industry said Friday. That actually represents a slight drop (0.4 percent) from May but is still far above normal. In June 2019, the unemployment rate was 4.3 percent.

The Wolf administration announced Friday it updated its travel recommendations and has removed Delaware from the list of states where travelers were asked to quarantine for 14 days upon returning to Pennsylvania.

Residents are asked to self-quarantine after visiting these states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.

More from PennLive

Central Pa. restaurant owners to petition Gov. Wolfs latest COVID-19 restrictions

Penn State shifts gears on fall opening plans and now will offer half of its classes at least partially online

Three former Pa. governors voice support for Gov. Tom Wolfs COVID-19 mitigation efforts

Gov. Wolfs refusal to release Lebanon Countys CARES money is an incredible insult, GOP foes contend

Where are Pennsylvanias 99,478 coronavirus cases? July 17 map, county-by-county breakdown

Majority of people who have applied for unemployment compensation have received payment: Labor & Industry

Hospitals must continue to report coronavirus data to Pa. amid federal shakeup
A mother is clinging to life after police shot and killed her son to stop his frenzied attack on her.

Gabriel Messo, 31, attacked his 54-year-old mother Lilla at the John Coutts Reserve in Gladstone Park about 3.30pm on Thursday.

The Gladstone Park man was shot dead by junior officers at the scene and the woman is now in Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition.

Media outlets named the mother and son on Friday, with police only confirming that they were known to each other.

Gabriel Messo, 31, attacked his 54-year-old mother Lilla at the John Coutts Reserve in Gladstone Park about 3.30pm on Thursday. Source: Facebook

State coroner Judge John Cain went to the site of the fatal shooting and will investigate the incident, it was confirmed on Friday.

The police patrol arrived at the parkland on Katrina Drive following reports of a man assaulting a woman and witnessed the horrific attack, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said.

The officers tried to stop the man but had to make one of the worst possible decisions they could confront in their careers, he told reporters.

Police were initially unable to identify the woman because of the extent of her injuries.

Medical workers are shown transporting a person on a stretcher away from the scene. Source: Nine News

The man did not have a criminal record but is known to police, who had recent contact with him.

Police appealed to witnesses of what's believed to have been a stabbing attack.

Homicide squad detectives will investigate, with oversight from Professional Services Command because a police firearm was discharged.

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.
Press Release

17 July 2020

Minneapolis - Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, a leading upper midscale hotel brand, is proud to announce its continued expansion in North America with the opening of six properties across the U.S. and Canada. Designed to feel like a home away from home to all who visit, the brand is excited to welcome guests to its two newly built properties: Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Oklahoma City-Bricktown, OK and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Greensboro, NC.

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Additionally, the brand has opened a slew of hotels that recently underwent multimillion dollar renovations, including; Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, The Woodlands; Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Monterey Beachfront-Marina, CA; Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, North Little Rock, AR; and north of the U.S. border, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Toronto-Mississauga, ON.

To usher in a new era of travel brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to keep the health, safety and security of guests and employees its utmost priority, each new Country Inn & Suites by Radisson hotel opens its doors with enhanced daily operations to fit this new normal. All of these Country Inn & Suites by Radisson properties have started implementing the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol program, a set of in-depth cleanliness and disinfection procedures developed in partnership with SGS, the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. The program is designed to ensure guest safety and peace of mind from check-in to check-out.

"We are so excited to welcome visitors to these beautiful hotels as we continue expanding our County Inn & Suites by Radisson portfolio throughout North America," said Aly El-Bassuni, chief operating officer, Americas, Radisson Hotel Group. "Each of our properties are well-equipped to serve as the perfect resting spot for all our guests, as we're confident our detailed operating procedures and safety protocols will provide visitors with the comfort they need to relax and enjoy their stays."

Thoughtful amenities in both common and private spaces are guaranteed to enhance the experience of all who visit these Country Inn & Suites by Radisson properties. In addition to updated interiors and spacious guest areas, guest rooms are equipped with microwaves, mini fridges and free Wi-Fi. Other noteworthy features at many properties include fitness and business centers, free onsite parking, meeting rooms and seasonal pools for guests to utilize at their leisure. The hotels are also strategically located in high-traffic areas, making it more convenient than ever for guests to explore the surrounding areas.
Spain has opened its doors to tourists, but figures suggest coronavirus cases are rising in the country (REUTERS/Enrique Calvo)

Spain has reported the steepest daily jump in coronavirus infections in more than two months, just as the country welcomes millions of tourists from across the world for its summer season.

Thursday saw 580 new cases registered, up from 390 reported on Wednesday, with the regions of Aragon and Catalonia are leading the increase.

Authorities have urged some four million people in Catalonia, including its capital Barcelona, to stay home, appealing to people to act responsibly as the region battles a growing number of new coronavirus clusters.

The stay-home call stopped short of imposing a mandatory lockdown, but was the strongest measure a region has taken to returning people to home confinement since Spain emerged from a nationwide lockdown last month.

Gatherings of more than ten people have been banned.

Residents of Barcelona, its suburbs and the areas of Segria and Noguera, further away from the city, were urged to shop online and leave their home only to go to work, to visit a doctor or carry other essential activities.

The Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona reopened on 4 July but may be forced to close again if localised outbreaks of coronavirus cannot be contained. (Ismael Peracaula/Xinhua via Getty)

We recommend that people dont move around if its not absolutely necessary, Catalonias health chief Alba Verges told a news conference, saying most infections came from gatherings of family or friends.

Its very important to respect these measures now, its the best way to avoid a lockdown, Verges said. No one wants a full home confinement.

Cultural and sports events will also be limited but museums will remain open in Barcelona, one of Europes most visited cities.

Bars and restaurants can keep working, but with a limit of half their usual capacity indoors, and with a 2-metre (6.5- foot) distance between tables outdoors.

More than 170 localised outbreaks have emerged across Spain since it lifted its nationwide lockdown - one of the strictest in Europe - on 21 June.

A recent nationwide survey revealed that one in 20 people in Spain have had coronavirus.

Socially distanced clergy in PPE attended the celebration of the first mass in the Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona at the end of June (Marc Brugat/Europa Press/Getty Images)

Catalonia has become the epicentre of new outbreaks, putting paid to plans of holidays to the region for many British tourists.

Story continues

Spains health ministry said the number of cases confirmed over the past 24 hours in the region were 142, up from 91 the previous day. In the Aragon province in the east, the number of infections jumped to 266 from 160, according to the health ministry.

Real Madrid fans celebrated on Thursday after Real Madrid won the La Liga championship. The club and local authorities had asked the supporters not to celebrate in the city, to avoid a new COVID-19 outbreak. (Oscar Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The Catalan health authority, which counts both confirmed and suspected cases, said the number soared to 1,293 overnight, the highest since at least May 18, when the counting methodology changed.

Barcelona - home to 1.6 million people and one of Europes most visited cities - has tripled its number of coronavirus cases from last week.

Authorities have already imposed tighter restrictions in three neighbourhoods of a Barcelona suburb with a population of 260,000.

On Thursday, the culling of almost 100,000 mink at a farm in Aragon was ordered after a farm employee's wife contracted coronavirus in May.

Her husband and six other farm workers have since tested positive for the disease.

Tourist bars in Majorca are being closed again after a fresh coronavirus outbreak in Palma de Mallorca on Wednesday (REUTERS/Enrique Calvo)

The mink, bred for their prized fur, were isolated and monitored closely after the workers became infected.

But tests on 13 July showed that 87% of the mink were infected and health authorities ordered for all 92,700 of the animals to be culled.

Along with Madrid and Catalonia, Aragon is one of the virus hotspots in Spain.

More than 18 million British tourists visit Spain each year, accounting for a significant portion of the countrys economy.

The country has registered more than 28,000 deaths as a result of COVID-19, but a stringent lockdown policy brought the spread of the virus under control faster than in many other countries.

Coronavirus: what happened today

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The General Services Administrations $50 billion next-generation telecommunications contract, its effort to create an Amazon-like e-commerce platform and a reconfiguration of its small business contractor efforts are the priorities for one of the agencys top lieutenants in the coming months.

Laura Stanton, acting assistant commissioner for GSAs Office of the Information Technology Category, told FCW in a July 15 interview that those three initiatives are top of mind as the end of the year approaches.

October marks another important transition deadline for the agencys $50 billion, next-generation Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) telecommunications contract.

Early in August, GSA plans to launch the first phase of its e-commerce platform. The agency is also retrenching some of its most popular small business contracting vehicles.

Within the last week, the agency issued a new 8(a) STARS solicitation that doubles its ceiling to $50 billion, as well as withdrawing and reconsidering its Alliant 2 Small Business contract.

The EIS transition has been at the top of my priorities list for years, Stanton said. GSA is closely watching agencies progress in moving over to the next-gen telecommunications contract, she said. Another transition deadline looms in October, as the agency stops taking new agency modification requirements for Networx, WITS and the Local Service Agreements.

GSA, said Stanton, has a strong communications plan with agencies as those EIS transition deadlines approach. Agencies must be switched over completely to EIS by May 2023.

Weve been clear with agencies from the administrator to the working level with a cadence of letters to make sure theyre aware of all the milestones, she said. Were notifying agencies who have made progress with positive feedback and notifying agencies when we see delays.

Stanton is also aware of the stakes in agencies lagging behind. We took the lesson to heart after Networx, she said.

The transition to the Networx contract from the FTS2001 contract, completed in 2013, was 33 months overdue and cost hundreds of millions in lost savings, according to a Government Accountability Office study.

In the last year, top GSA officials have briefed the Presidents Management Council, sent dozens of letters to agency deputy secretaries, and briefed officials at smaller agencies about the importance of upcoming EIS transition deadlines. Weve been clear with agencies about the transition, she said.

Stanton and GSA also are moving ahead -- despite the obstacles thrown up by the COVID-19 pandemic -- with plans for the e-commerce commercial marketplace trial.

In late June, GSA tapped three e-commerce providers for its Commercial e-Marketplace "proof of concept" program, the first step to letting government buyers use familiar commercial platforms to conduct low-dollar acquisitions.

The contracts came after Stanton said in early April that GSA had sidelined the project temporarily as it dealt with the crush of other activity generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In late June, however, the agency announced that Amazon Business, Fisher Scientific and Overstock.com will each provide a GSA-approved online marketplace where agencies employees can buy commercial products priced below the micro-purchase threshold of $10,000 using government-issued purchase cards.

The awards, said GSA, will allow those purchases for up to three years under the proof-of-concept. The agency anticipated the initial service to be available within 30 days.

Although Stanton didnt provide an exact start date, she said the agency will make that timeline, with the phase 1 proof-of-concept of the platforms beginning sometime in early August.

Despite the crush of COVID-19 activity that produced the initial e-commerce delay, GSA, she said, hasnt really missed a beat on the program.

GSA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Justice and Labor will participate in phase 1, she said.

GSA also has been focusing on how to get more small businesses onto its government wide acquisition contracts. June and July saw a flurry of activity around some of the agencys core small business GWACS. GSA cancelled the Alliant 2 SB contract after it was bogged in protests. Only days before it also bumped up the ceiling of its 8(a) Streamlined Technology Application Resource for Services (STARS) II contract by $7 billion, to $22 billion. It issued its solicitation for the $50 billion 8(a) STARS III vehicle a few days later.

The moves are tied together, said Stanton. The IT category is one of the largest at GSA, she said, with over $26 billion in spend in fiscal 2019. One third of that went to buys from small businesses.

We stepped back and asked how can we facilitate small business growth through GWACs and Best in Class contracts, said Stanton.

After ending the Alliant 2 SB effort, GSA is currently gathering its thoughts on goals for the contracts successor, according to Stanton. A big part of that, as with its solicitation for 8(a) STARS, is contractor and industry input.

GSA plans a series of industry days in the coming months to get that input, she said. A timeline for those events has not yet been determined, but we want to do this as quickly as we can to build the acquisition, but we also want to get it right, she said.

Striking that balance between speed and getting it right is always the tension, she added.

Note: This article was updated on July 17 to correct the fiscal 2019 IT category spend amount.
VanEck Vectors UCITS ETFs plc (the "Company") RE: RESULTS OF SCHEME MEETING AND EGM

17JULY2020

The Directors of the Company wish to announce the results of the Scheme Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting, each as defined in the Circular to Shareholders dated 10th June 2020. Capitalised terms used but not defined herein shall bear the same meaning as outlined in the Circular.

Results of Scheme Meeting

The Scheme Meeting was convened on 10 July 2020 to consider and vote upon the Scheme. The resolution proposed at the Scheme Meeting was approved by the required majority of the Scheme Shareholders present and voting in person or by proxy at the Scheme Meeting.

Results of EGM

An EGM was convened on 10 July 2020 to consider and approve the Scheme and certain updates to the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company. The resolutions proposed at the EGM were approved by the required majority of the Shareholders present and voting in person or by proxy at the EGM.

Implementation of the Scheme and transition to the ICSD Model

Implementation of the Scheme is conditional upon approval by the High Court of Ireland (with or without modification) of the Scheme pursuant to Section 453(2)(c) of the Act and a copy of the Scheme Order having been delivered to the Registrar of Companies for registration in accordance with Section 454 of the Act on or before the Effective Date.

Contingent on the above approval, the Directors envisage the effective date for implementing the Scheme to be on or around 9 October 2020, to be fixed by the Irish High Court.

This date, once determined, will be announced via the relevant stock exchange announcements and will be available at www.vaneck.com.
Coal India Limited (CIL) had opened and mined 73.2 hectares (ha) of forest area in Assams Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve without wildlife or forest clearance, the minutes of the latest meeting of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) have revealed.

NBWL, which comes under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), is considering diversion of 98.59 ha of reserve forestland from Assams Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve for Tikok opencast coal mining project by North-Eastern Coal Field, a unit of CIL.

Earlier, NBWL members had said that CIL had mined a part of the forestland, measuring 57.2 ha, years ago without seeking its clearance.

NBWL had directed CIL and Assam government to submit a mine reclamation plan for the area, which had been broken up. It had also sought a feasibility report on underground mining for the remaining unbroken tract of land in a bid to ensure that the biodiversity of the rich biosphere is not affected.

The minutes of NBWLs 58th meeting on July 3, which were released on July 13, had noted that out of 41.39 ha unbroken area, 16 ha have also been broken up by CIL, and as a result, 25 ha remain unbroken.

NBWL has recommended that the mining activity be stopped immediately and deferred the matter till further discussions with CIL.

Yes, they (CIL) have mined in more areas than earlier known. I had brought this to the notice of the government as soon as I had learned about it. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Assam, also confirmed this during the meeting, said R Sukumar, an ecologist at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and a member of NBWL.

CIL had broken up 57.2 ha years ago and mined it without any permission, in violation of laws. They have been directed to (pay) penalty for this and submit a mine reclamation plan. The plan they have submitted includes trees from central India, which is not even the native biodiversity of Assam. CIL has been asked to come back again with a proper plan, Sukumar had said in April, when CILs application was first considered. The rest of the area borders Arunachal Pradesh and it cannot be broken up. The standing committee has told them (CIL) that forests there cannot be opened up, he had said.

We dont have any response on this as of now, said a CIL senior official.

Theres a huge problem in governance if expert bodies incharge of protecting the environment have to rely on illegally operating projects to reveal truths to them. But we all know this very well by now. The important question is what do we do with these institutions now that only serve as channels to legitimise and justify illegal projects?Any project can circumambulate around these institutions and clean up its past deeds, said Manju Menon, senior fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi.

NBWL is also considering the diversion of 10.45 ha of forestland for doubling of TinaighatCastlerock Caranzol passing through Karnatakas Dandeli - Anshi Tiger Reserve, which will lead to clearing of forests in the eco-sensitive areas of the Western Ghats.

NBWL is awaiting the National Tiger Conservation Authoritys (NTCA) site report to take a call.

Among other significant proposals, the NBWL also heard five proposals for sand mining within a five-kilometre (km) radius of Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand.

NBWL asked the Uttarakhand government to resubmit the proposals after carrying out a study of the cumulative impact of sand mining around Rajaji National Park.

It recommended diversion of 63.13 ha forestland for laying of 132-kilovolt (KV) transmission line from Rilo to Seijosa passing through the buffer zone of Pakke Tiger Reserve, which is located at three-10 km away from the critical tiger habitat in Pakke Kessang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Pakke is also a natural habitat for several species of hornbills in India.

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In an exclusive interview with Radio Farda, the founder of anti-compulsory hijab and women's rights activist, Masih Alinejad, has insisted that sentencing her brother to eight years prison in Iran, exerting pressure on her family, and other threats cannot silence her.

Masih Alinejad who is in self-exile in New York is one of the most effective Iranian activists when it comes to rejecting compulsory hijab and defending womens rights. She had a strong presence on social media and following in Iran.

Iran security forces arrested Masihs brother Alireza Ali Nejad's last September in what she says was a clear attempt to pressure her and convicted him to an eight-year prison sentence last week. Charges ranged from "conspiracy to act against the country's security," to "Insulting the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei," and for "propaganda against the regime."

"The only reason behind my brother's conviction is to silence me," the outspoken defender of women's rights told Radio Farda.

Meanwhile, 43-year-old Alinejad asserts that her brother has fallen victim to the Islamic Republic's hostility against her civil rights activities.

"Taking hostages" Alinejad has argued, "is a method regularly used by the Islamic Republic to control everything in its favor. Therefore, submission to the regime's demands will encourage it to continue to apply the method again and again."

Expanding on the reasons behind her brother's conviction, Masih Alinejad disclosed for the first time that the agents of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Intelligence Organization (IRGCIO) set a trap to capture her.

They were set to lure me into traveling to Turkey, ensnare me there, and force me back to Iran, Alinejad reveals, asserting, "However, my brother raised the alarm and relayed a message, warning me against traveling to Turkey. That's one of the reasons for my brother's conviction."

Furthermore, Alinejad says that the IRGC Intelligence Organization agents attempted to take her brother to the monopolized state-run TV to tape a statement in which he would disown her.

"My brother rejected, telling them that whenever [the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader] Khamenei stepped forward to disown his sister, I would follow his footsteps," Alinejad divulged.

Khamenei's sister is married to a vociferous anti-Islamic Republic dissident, Sheikh Ali Tehrani.

Once a close ally of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei's brother-in-law joined forces with opponents of the elderly Ayatollah, criticizing his iron-fist rule over Iran.

Later, in March 1984, Sheikh Ali Tehrani secretly fled from the state-imposed house arrest to Iraq. He preached against the Islamic Republic and its rulers, on Radio Baghdad's Persian-speaking programs.

The controversial cleric returned to Iran in 1995 and was sentenced to twenty years in prison but officially released ten years later in 2005.

Silence, Masih Alinejad asserts, only helps the Islamic Republic regime expand repression and continue its brutal rule over Iran.

"As recently as yesterday, more than six million Iranians tweeted and called for an end to the death penalty. They all protested the imminent execution of three young men arrested during last Novembers protests against skyrocketing prices, corruption, and mismanagement. Nevertheless, one wonders where the relatives of the three are. Are they for hanging their loved ones? Of course, not. The regime agents undoubtedly have also threatened and warned them to keep mum; otherwise, things could worsen," Alinejad laments, noting, "Along with many other victims of injustice, I will never give up. I will never be silent since silence only helps this ISIS-style establishment to carry on its suppressive rule, killing more, take more hostages, torture, and arrest many more."
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday said it has approved a 200-million-U.S. dollar (430 million Fijian dollars) policy-based loan to boost investment in Fiji's private sector to help the country's economy cope with and rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Manila-based bank said the loan will help create a more conducive environment for private investment and business owners. It will also support reforms to improve the management of public finances and strengthen the performance of state-owned enterprises, which will benefit the private sector.

The ADB said the assistance is the third phase of a program developed in partnership with the governments of Australia and New Zealand, the World Bank Group, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

It said financial and technical support for the program was provided by ADB, the governments of Australia and New Zealand, the World Bank Group, and the International Monetary Fund's Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre.

The ADB said the program supports reforms that will help Fiji's tourism-dependent economy to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and build resilience to future economic and fiscal shocks. Reforms include strengthening investor rights and streamlining the investment approval process, the bank said.

According to the ADB, access to finance will be improved through the activation of the ADB-supported Personal Property Securities Registry, which makes it easier for people to secure loans to start or grow a business using moveable assets.

The ADB said this reform will particularly benefit women who are unlikely to have fixed assets such as land. Simplifying the application process for construction permits will also improve the country's ease of doing business process, it added.
CLEVELAND, Ohio --The family of the namesake of Ohio State Universitys Moritz College of Law is launching an advertising campaign to shed light on how the university uses donations.

The multi-platform campaign features a website where the family shares their own story of conflict over Michael Moritzs $30 million donation to provide scholarships for law students.

The family has been fighting for years to reopen Moritzs estate, in hopes of gaining more bargaining power after finding out the university had not been providing the number of scholarships originally detailed in the gift agreement.

Michael Moritz, a high-profile lawyer and two-time OSU alumnus, donated $30.3 million in stock in 2001. The multimillionaire, who had attended law school with a scholarship and stipend, outlined a Merit Scholars Program which will provide full tuition and a stipend for 30 law students as part of the gift agreement to the university.

Moritz died in 2002 from complications after a car accident at the age of 68.

Endowed gifts are an initial amount of money managed by the university as an investment. Any gain from that investment is used to support the purpose of the gift, like giving out scholarships.

While providing a lower amount of scholarships, the university still used a percentage of that gift to woo more donors, a standard development fee that began in 1994. That fee can amount to 1.3%.

Read a full timeline of how the conflict and development fee happened here.

This is what OSU does not want you to know when you sign that endowment agreement, Jeffrey Moritz, Michaels son, said.

He said he wants to make other donors aware of what is happening with their gifts and to create a space where other donors can come forward and share stories -- which then could turn into further campaign advertising. The campaign is called the Honor Bound Initiative. Ian Prior, a spokesman for the initiative, was also a representative for the Ohio State Accountability Project, a campaign surrounding how OSU handled claims of sexual abuse against former doctor Richard Strauss.

Thats our hope  that donors start asking Ohio State questions and holding them to whatever their agreements said, Jeffrey Moritz said.

He also hopes as the university changes leadership that OSU will reconsider the development fee policy.

The family recently filed an appeal currently in the Fifth Circuit Court in Canton, after a probate court judge upheld an earlier decision not to reopen the estate.

OSU spokesman Ben Johnson said the fees are standard practice. He pointed to a 2010 survey that showed all colleges and universities with a total endowment of $500 million or more have the fees.

Ohio State has always been thoroughly transparent about the development fee, which went into effect in 1994, several years before Michael Moritzs gift, Johnson said in a statement. In fact, the development fees were reviewed and discussed by The OSU Foundations Board of Directors while Michael Moritz was a member of the board.
Better at promotion than profit-making, the partners sold their failing company to the R.T. Davis Mill Company of St. Joseph, Mo., who promptly solicited his salesmen to find a real-life Aunt Jemima.

It was Charles C. Jackson, a food wholesaler, who discovered Green, in 1890. She was a cook for the family of Charles M. Walker Jr., who would become a Chicago alderman, corporation counsel and judge.

Most biographies say that Green was born into slavery on March 4, 1834, in Mt. Sterling, Ky., in Montgomery County, east of Lexington, although the 1900 census lists her year of birth as 1854. (Official birth certificates for slaves were rarely filed.) She won her freedom and was hired as a nanny and housekeeper by Walkers father, who transplanted the family to Chicago.

Green helped care for Walkers sons, Charles and Samuel, and her pancakes were said to be popular among the familys friends.

As Aunt Jemima, she proved to be a promotional bonanza for R.T. Davis at the Columbian Exposition, which included an exhibit of a miniature West African village whose natives were portrayed as primitive savages.

The Aunt Jemima mythology transported Green to a tiny cabin in Louisiana, where she was the loyal cook for a Colonel Higbee, a plantation owner on the Mississippi. When Union soldiers during the Civil War threatened to rip off his mustache, the story went, she diverted them with her pancakes long enough for the colonel to escape. The troops were so smitten that they urged her to come north and share her recipe.

This back story was created by James Webb Young, an advertising executive, and the illustrator N.C. Wyeth (the father of the artist Andrew Wyeth). In promotional material, Aunt Jemima was called the cook whose cabin became more famous than Uncle Toms.
Instagram To Launch TikTok Rival Reels In Early August [CONFIRMED]

Instagram has confirmed it will launch a TikTok competitor called Reels early August in the U.S. and as many as 50 other countries

Reels has already launched in India and being tested in Brazil, Germany and France.

Reels is being designed to directly challenge TikTok. It will allow users to create and post 15-second videos including music and other audio. The app also includes editing tools including a countdown timer and the ability to adjust the videos speed.

Why Reels Is Likely To Be A Hit

Likely integrations with Instagram and Facebook will jump-start Reels adoption.

Recent Facebook and Instagram music licensing deals  for the most part missing on TikTok  will also encourage artists and labels to use Reels.

The launch of Reel and the meteoric growth of social video app Triller could not come at a worse time for TikTok. After a ban in India over security concerns stemming from its Chinese ownership, the US government is threatening ban or limit TikTok, as well.

H/T Techcrunch

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It is also naive to mention the affair without noting that self-proclaimed martyrdom at the hands of left-wing mobs has become a career path in America. If Australians are less alert to this particular grift, it's because such martyrdom, in Australia, is harder to come by, for a simple reason: nobody ever gets cancelled here.

The first important fact to note is that Weiss and Sullivan were not fired. They quit. Any martyrdom here is self-proclaimed, and should be approached with the same suspicion most journalists would apply to any single self-interested source. It's also simple to point to at least one major flaw in Weiss' presentation of a punitively left-wing mindset at the Times: the paper continues to publish conservative columnists. Until she quit, Weiss worked there too.

The narrative is particularly strong in America right now, off the back of an open letter to Harper's magazine, and, this week, resignations of two high-profile columnists, Bari Weiss from The New York Times and Andrew Sullivan from New York magazine . It largely takes as its target the left, especially the left on Twitter. But the argument is simplistic at best, dangerous at worst. We should be cautious, in Australia, before casually adopting arguments from overseas.

In this year of bushfires and pandemic, nostalgia comes easy. And so I suppose, at some level, I can understand the emotional pull of a narrative fast taking hold. It states that we are nearing a historic moment, that a nadir of free speech is approaching. Debate is under threat, free exchange of ideas is ending. Things are getting worse.

Actually, that's not true. In 2017, 26-year-old Yassmin Abdel-Magied tweeted seven words about Anzac Day - "LEST. WE. FORGET. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine...)"  and was attacked by politicians, newspapers, television shows. Prue MacSween talked about the temptation to "run her over". Soon, she left the country. Meanwhile, figures like Pauline Hanson, Mark Latham and Alan Jones, all of whom have inflamed racist controversies, regularly emerge from these scuffles with more money and power. Actual cancellation, in this country, when it comes, comes to people of colour, at the hands of establishment media.

If we are to engage in this imported debate with any sincerity, Australians must reckon with our own circumstances. The weight of powerful media in this country remains right-of-centre. And across the media, diversity remains a pipedream. The ABC programs Insiders and Four Corners only featured Indigenous journalists for the first time in recent weeks.

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And why did that happen? A large reason was that Insiders was bollocked on social media for having an all-white panel in the week of Black Lives Matter protests. This is why nostalgia is so dangerous. When people with power say things are getting worse, people are afraid, it is important to ask the follow-up questions: who is it worse for? Who, precisely, is afraid? What exactly do they claim to be afraid of? And, just as importantly, who is able to speak more, and be heard more? Because isn't it also arguable that, measured by any reasonable standard, and notwithstanding the distance to go, we are  as a friend pointed out to me this week  at a high point for free speech, with more voices, of more diversity, appearing across more publishing outlets than ever before? In other words, this is a historic moment  just not the historic moment those so worried about "cancel culture" usually claim it is.

In at least one respect, Australians should have an easy time noticing what is going on in America, because it's not new. Replace "cancel culture" with "political correctness" in most sentences, and the meaning won't change. Both are shaming mechanisms, ways to embarrass people for criticising racist speech. It is simple to throw your weight behind anodyne phrases like "free speech is important" (or "all lives matter"). But just as we have learned to recognise dog-whistling when we hear it, we must remain alert to the nuances of the way that language is being weaponised now, in our own moment.
Kerr was invested in the story of political chaos. In his letters to the Palace he was compelled to explain why his multiple predictions of an early election were still valid even as the timeline, and rationale, kept shifting. Events did seem to take a turn towards stability when Fraser successfully challenged Snedden for the opposition leadership in March 1975. Fraser said the government should serve its full term. That seemed more likely than not after treasurer Bill Haydens austerity budget was released to critical acclaim in August that year. But the governor-general sensed that pressure would be brought to bear on Fraser to change his mind. Illustration: Simon Letch Credit: Fraser told me in the last major interview he gave before he died in 2015 that he had, in fact, intended to let Whitlam serve a full term. We had, as an opposition, made a decision that the budget would pass unless there was a further major crisis within the Whitlam government, Fraser said. That was saying: Right, you keep control of the ship from now on, and the past is the past. Well, they didnt. The trigger was the revelation in October that Rex Connor, the minerals and energy minister in the Whitlam government, continued to pursue his plan to raise loans from Arab oil-producing nations after that authority had been revoked. The loans affair was the scandal that kept on giving for the opposition.

Fraser confided that the opposition had an informant in the Treasury department. His shadow treasurer, Phillip Lynch, never revealed his name, but Fraser did tell me the pseudonym. Coincidentally, it was the same one that another famous political player, B. A. Santamaria, had previously used. For some reason which I dont really understand, if somebody wanted to speak to Bob Santamaria, youd ring up a number and ask for Mr Williams. Loading The numbers in the Senate had been evenly poised after the May 1974 election. As Kerr explained in his first letter to the Palace, the government and opposition had 29 senators each and there were two independents, who he expected would split evenly between the two sides. But those numbers were corrupted over the course of 1975. First, the NSW Liberal premier, Tom Lewis, appointed an independent to fill the casual vacancy created by Lionel Murphys appointment to the High Court. Kerr had no time for the argument that Lewis had broken the convention that a senator who retired or died should be replaced by a member of the same party. That notion was political, not legal, he wrote, on February 19, 1975. It should not be dignified with the title convention of the Constitution. Then in September, Bjelke-Petersen sent an anti-Labor senator to fill the vacancy left by the death of Labors Bert Milliner. While Labor challenged that appointment, the numbers now stood at 27 government, 29 opposition, three independent and one spot unfilled pending the outcome of the court challenge.

I reminded Fraser that he could not have deferred supply in October 1975 without those political gifts from NSW and Queensland. Well, the numbers were there, but you might recall I later passed a referendum [in 1977] so that that circumstance could not happen again. Fraser told me that he understood Kerr better than Whitlam did. But he admitted that he underestimated Whitlams resolve. Loading I suppose the miscalculation I made was that I thought Gough would do the conventional thing. The conventional thing when you cant get your budget through the Parliament is to recommend that somebody else form a government, or that there be an election. Gough didnt take either of those (options). He chose a new one. The two famously became friends in retirement, but their legacy of confrontation remains. Kerr felt pressure from both Whitlam and Fraser to resolve the crisis. The tragedy is he felt the need to choose between them when he should have forced them to settle it on the floor of the Senate, with a final vote on the budget. The expectation was that Fraser would not have the numbers to block the budget outright. But Kerr never called that bluff. And it was his refusal to warn Whitlam that dismissal was an option which turned a political crisis into a constitutional crisis.
Five new coronavirus hotspots have tonight been highlighted as part of new data from public health chiefs which reveals the areas most at risk of being plunged into local lockdown.

Areas such as Pendle, in Lancashire, Herefordshire, and East Staffordshire have all seen spikes in the number of coronavirus cases in the last fortnight, Public Health England has revealed.

Herefordshire, which this week had an outbreak at a large vegetable farm, resulting in 200 workers having to self-isolate, has seen its figure jump tenfold.

Oaby and Wigston, in Leicestershire, and Luton, in Bedforshire, have also crept into the top 10 for the first time.

Leicester, which was the first and so far only area to been subject to local lockdown laws, has seen a decrease in the number of cases in the last fortnight.

However PHE data shows the city's case figure is still as high as 100 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days leading up to July 13 - and last night Matt Hancock announced it would remain in a local lockdown.

Herefordshire, which was fourth in PHE's list, was the area with the largest spike.

It saw its figure for the number of cases jump from 3.1 per 100,000 in the seven days up to July 6 to 43.2 per 100,000 in the seven days to July 13.

The area is home to A S Green and Co, a vegetable farm in Malven which was hit by a Covid-19 outbreak. A total of 93 staff on the farm, which supplies major supermarkets including Tesco and Aldi, have been infected with coronavirus.

A total of 200 staff, who live and work on the site, have been ordered to self-isolate.

Meanwhile, East Staffordshire saw a large rise, from 7.6 per 100,000 to 28.7 per 100,000, while the rate of new cases in Pendle in the seven days to July 13 had doubled when compared to data from the seven days leading up to July 6, going from 28.4 cases per 100,000 people to 65.6.

Other areas to feature in the list include Blackburn with Darwen, which saw figures rise from 36.3 per 100,000 for July 6 to 48.3 per 100,000 for July 13.

The rise in case numbers has sparked local officials to impose new measures in a bid to stem the spread of the virus.

Measures include ordering residents in the area to wear face masks inside all enclosed public buildings and demanding no more than two people visit a household at one time.

Other areas to feature in the top 10 list are Bradford, Peterborough and Rochdale - all who have previously featured in the top 10 list previously.

The latest PHE data comes as comes as health bosses yesterday released an interactive map breaking down new coronavirus cases by postcode in an effort to keep a lid on local outbreaks.

The map of England, which will be updated each week, paints a clear picture showing the Covid-19 crisis in cities, towns and even small villages being hit hard by the virus.

Data showed Colwall, Cradley and Wellington Heath in Herefordshire was the worst-hit place in England last week, recording 68 new cases between July 6 and 12.

Department of Health data revealed the next four worst-hit middle super output areas  small geographical areas used for statistics  were all in Leicester.

It comes as Matt Hancock yesterday declared Leicester must remain in lockdown except for its schools and nurseries, which will be allowed to reopen from next Friday, July 24.

The city has now been under stricter rules than the rest of England for two weeks and it must mostly remain so for another fortnight, the Health Secretary announced in an urgent statement to the House of Commons.

He said the coronavirus infection rate in the city is still too high for lockdown to be lifted, claiming it has dropped to 119 new cases per 100,000 people in the past week.

Matt Hancock yesterday declared Leicester must remain in lockdown except for its schools and nurseries, which will be allowed to reopen from next Friday, July 24. Pictured: People attend a testing centre in Leicester

The city has now been under stricter rules than the rest of England for two weeks and it must mostly remain so for another fortnight, the Health Secretary announced in an urgent statement to the House of Commons. Pictured: A mobile testing centre in Leicester

Mr Hancock revealed Leicester will stay sealed off and the city's 330,000 residents must still avoid non-essential travel out of the area, stick rigorously to social distancing rules and not enter other people's homes.

WHERE ARE THE 10 AREAS OF ENGLAND THAT HAVE RECORDED THE MOST CASES IN THE PAST WEEK? Colwall, Cradley & Wellington Heath (HERTFORDSHIRE): 68 Spinney Hill Road (LEICESTER): 51 Belgrave South (LEICESTER): 43 Undercliffe (BRADFORD): 24 Belgrave North West (LEICESTER): 24 Evington (LEICESTER): 24 Northfields & Merrydale (LEICESTER): 23 Kingsway: 22 Central Braintree (ESSEX): 21 Nelson West (BURNLEY): 20 Stoneygate North (LEICESTER): 19 Wakefield St John's: 18 Batley Carr & Mount Pleasant (YORKSHIRE): 17 Bastwell (BLACKBURN): 17 Crown Hills: 17 Advertisement

Pressure had been mounting on the Government to be more transparent about rolling Covid-19 data in local areas, to prevent other towns and cities being hit by local lockdowns.

It was accused of not sharing the data quickly enough with public health officials in Leicester, which was forced to revert to lockdown on June after a spike in cases.

The public are able to access the interactive map themselves to gain insight into Covid-19 cases near their home. But it is not possible to identify individuals by name and address.

Local public health bosses in each region will also be given positive test data and contact tracing figures each day after mounting pressure on officials to provide more data intelligence.

Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has been fiercely critical of the 'blanket' restrictions placed on the whole city  which still has the highest infection rate in the country.

He believes locking down specific neighbourhoods in the city which are particularly badly-hit by Covid would be a less economically crippling way to tackle the disease.

As it was revealed that Leicester must stay under lockdown, the council of Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire has limited visits to one household and two members from a separate household.

The measures differ from the strict national guidance, which says two households of any size can meet inside to start to return to normality after spending almost four months in lockdown.

The authority fears a local lockdown like that of Leicester is becoming a 'real possibility'. Up to 85 per cent of new cases are among its South Asian population, a health chief claimed yesterday.

People are also being urged not to hug anyone from outside their own household and to get regularly tested at new mobile centres.

Residents in Blackburn with Darwen and Pendle  another Lancashire borough  have been asked to wear face masks inside to avoid being stung by local draconian restrictions.

The map of England, which will be updated each week, paints a clear picture showing the Covid-19 crisis in cities, towns and even small villages being hit hard by the virus

Yesterday Matt Hancock 'paid tribute' to the 'fortitude' of people living in Leicester and said it was their co-operation that would help stamp out the virus.

He said: 'The latest data shows that the seven-day infection rate in Leicester is now 119 cases per 100,000 people and the percentage of people testing positive is now at 4.8 per cent.

The Health Secretary compared the figures to when the lockdown was imposed and the seven-day infection rate was 135 and 10 per cent of tests were positive.

Mr Hancock added: 'Some say the local lockdown is unnecessary. I wish this were true but sadly it remains vital for the health of everyone in Leicester, and the rest of the country, that these restrictions stay in place.'

Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said yesterday that he was 'angry and frustrated' with the far-reaching rules in place across the city and that 90 per cent of the area was not a danger.

Speaking on Sky News yesterday, Sir Peter criticised what he described as the Government's 'blanket political-led lockdown' of the whole of the city, and said he was angry and frustrated.

The rate of new cases in the seven days to July 13 compared to July 6 # Local Authority July 13 July 6 1 Leicester 99.7 126.7

2 Pendle 65.6 28.4 3 Blackburn With Darwen 48.3 36.3 4 Herefordshire 43.2 3.1 5 Bradford 35.4 36.7 6 Oadby and Wigston 31.5 36.8 7 Rochdale 30.0 35.9 8 Peterborough 29.3 21.4 9 East Staffordshire 28.7 7.6 10 Luton 27.6 14.9

He said: 'Frankly we have not been involved in any of the decision-making about this. We have been told what the political decisions will be, and we will be told again what the political decision will be.'

The mayor had said inner-city areas of Leicester with high levels of deprivation are the 'most significantly' affected by coronavirus and keeping the remaining 90 per cent of the city under lockdown is no longer justified.

Leicester became the first place in the country to have tight measures re-imposed on June 30 following a rise in coronavirus infections.

It comes as new NHS Test and Trace data for England shows the system is still failing to reach targets  despite the system launching almost two months ago.

More than a fifth of patients who test positive for Covid-19 are not being tracked down, shocking figures show.

Of the 3,579 Covid-19 patients in England referred to the contact tracing programme between July 2 and July 8, just 2,815 were actually tracked down (78.7 per cent).

A total of 618 people with the disease could not be reached at all by the tracers  who phone, text and email someone up to 10 times a day to get hold of them.

And communication details were not provided for another 146 Covid-19 patients, so their close contacts will have also slipped under the radar.

Scientists have warned contact tracing programmes need to catch at least 80 per cent of infections to keep the outbreak under control.

On top of this, people are still not receiving their Covid-19 test results within 24 hours, considered vital to keep the tracing system up to speed.

The proportion getting results from a so-called 'in-person' test  at a mobile testing site for example  has fallen week-on-week.

Some 87.7 per cent of people received the result within 24 hours in the week ending July 8, down slightly from 90.7 per cent in the week ending July 1.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson last month pledged to get the results of all in-person tests back within 24 hours by the end of June.

He told the House of Commons on June 3 he would get 'all tests turned around within 24 hours by the end of June, except for difficulties with postal tests or insuperable problems like that'.

Turnaround times for home tests are not as fast because people post their kits back at their own leisure.

Some 3.3 per cent of people who took a Covid-19 test using a home test kit in the week ending July 8 received their result within 24 hours - up slightly on the previous week (1.8 per cent).
In honor of World Emoji Day, Emojipedia has released the first official look at a number of the pictographs set to hit this year.

The gallery includes the extinct dodo bird, ninja with a sword and the highly anticipated 'Italian hand' or pinched fingers.

The 'version 13.0' list is set to also have n nesting dolls, pinata, tamale, boomerang, coin, anatomical heart, beaver, transgender symbol, bubble tea and lungs.

There are others that have been approved but have not been previewed yet, such as a smiling face with tear, disguised face and people hugging.

The gallery includes the extinct dodo bird, ninja with a sword and the highly anticipated 'Italian hand' or pinched fingers. The 'version 13.0' list is set to also have n nesting dolls, pinata, tamale, boomerang, coin, anatomical heart, beaver, transgender symbol, bubble tea and lungs

World Emoji Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated every July 17 since starting in 2014 and Apple has used the day to announce upcoming emojis for iOS.

One of the most discussed emojis of the year has been the so-called Italian Hand, which is actually the pinched hand.

According to Emojipedia, it is described as an emoji showing all fingers and thumb held together in a vertical orientation, sometimes referred to as the Italian hand gesture 'ma che vuoi.

Also included for the first time is a transgender symbol, which is male with stroke and male and female sign, which will be accompanied with a transgender flag.

One of the most discussed emojis of the year has been the so-called Italian Hand, which is actually the pinched hand

Jeff Ingold, head of media engagement at LGBT campaigns group Stonewall, said: 'Taking action to make tools of communication, like emojis, more inclusive and diverse is always a welcome step.

'So we're glad to see the inclusion of more gender-neutral emojis and a trans flag emoji.

'Visibility is really important and companies can always be thinking of more ways to promote trans equality.'

The transgender flag consists of two horizontal lines, representing those born as a boy, two pink lines for those born as girls and a white line for those transitioning or without a gender, according to its designer, trans activist Monica Helms.

Also included for the first time is a transgender symbol, which is male with stroke and male and female sign, which will be accompanied with a transgender flag

Apple has also updated its Memoji options to include various headwear and colored face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic

In January, a total of 117 new characters and images had been approved for the emoji library, as announced by Unicode Consortium.

However, todays reveal shows the images as they will be displayed to iOS users.

Apple has also updated its Memoji options to include various headwear and colored face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The new options will not be available until the firms next operating system, iOS 14 rolls out later this year.

The tech giant rolled out Memoji in 2018, allowing users to create their own personalized characters that can be used in text and Facetime.

Elite Daily reports that three are three new Memoji stickers: a blushing Memoji, a fist bump Memoji, and a hugging Memoji.

As for headwear, options include a durag, a tichel, a cyclist helmet, a nurse cap, or a swim cap.

Users will also have the option to add a customized face mask to their digital selves that can be either pleated or seamed  and 16 colors will be available.
Three black McDonald's workers in Florida have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the company claiming they've witnessed racists comments and experienced retaliation by their general manager.

Monica Scott, 34, Augusta 'Gus Moody, 33, and Faith Booker, 32, all of Polk County, Florida, filed the lawsuit in federal court in Tampa, Florida, on Friday.

The lawsuit said that the experiences of the three workers 'are particularly egregious examples of the serious harm that occurs when a corporation fails to take responsibility for the discriminatory conduct of its managers and thus permits an environment of pervasive and intentional racial discrimination to take hold at one of its corporate owned and operated restaurants.'

Three workers at this McDonald's in Lakeland, Florida, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit claiming they witnesses racist remarks and experience retaliation from their manager

Among their claims are that they heard the manager - who was not named - make racist comments regarding both black employees and restaurant workers and that she curtailed black workers' hours after being confronted about her words, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

'She treats black employees more harshly,' Booker said during the video news conference about the lawsuit, 'and says hateful things about black people that made me feel like crying.'

The lawsuit claimed that the manager at their McDonald's in Lakeland, Florida, gave black workers bad performance reviews and gave them cleaning tasks that were not part of their job.

The lawsuit noted that the manager began working at the McDonald's location in fall 2019, while the trio's lawyer, Peter Helwig, said that the manager's attitude towards her black employees became more aggressive over the past few months, but began in 2019.

Among the lawsuit claims was that during the essential workers 'Thank You Meal' promotion, the manager made black frontline workers show job ID, but didn't do that for white workers

Black executives at McDonald's filed a lawsuit against the company in January, alleging racism had prevented them from being promoted

The manager's ethnicity was not mentioned in the lawsuit, but it was said that she is not black.

The lawsuit listed a few examples of racist remarks overhead by the black employee in recent months.

The employees claimed that during the 'Thank You Meals' promotion McDonald's ran from April 22 to May 5, offering a free meal for essential workers during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the manager asked black customers to show proof of frontline employment.

The manager allegedly didn't require any ID checking for white essential workers, however.

Scott said, during a video news conference, that when a black customer asked for grape jelly and ketchup to be included in their breakfast order, the manager said, 'its always black people who want free stuff.'

The manager also said at the time that black people are 'aggressive and trying to fight' and added that 'all they want to do is smoke weed.'

According to the lawsuit, Scott said that when she went to speak to the manager about those statements, the manager apologized for offending her.

She also allegedly said to Scott, 'you know what I say is true.'

Moody, who works as a cook at the McDonald's restaurant, said that on one occasion he had asked for help at the grill because the orders were beginning to stack up during peak hours.

He said that he was sent home for the rest of his shift, without pay, after being told that he was unable to do his job.

The three workers who filed the lawsuit said that the manager had cut their working hours in half, although non-black employees were still working nearly 40 hours a week.

They claimed that the manager told them that the work hour reduction was due to coronavirus, but they said that the location is actively seeking new hires.

'Im a mother, raising my children on just $9.25 an hour,' Scott said, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

'When my hours were cut, it didnt just affect the size of my wallet, it put my livelihood and my childrens well-being in jeopardy. I cant afford to lose pay or work, and now Ive had to cut back on how much I eat to make sure theres enough for my kids.'

Scott said that she had to take on a second job after her hours were cut.

The workers said that they experienced retaliation from the manager after they presented a petition to management on Juneteenth, the anniversary of slaves' emancipation in the US.

The petition stated that 'Employees who are treated unfairly arent allowed to achieve workplace success to their fullest potential.'

It also said: 'Allowing workplace unfairness to continue sends the message to employees that this type of behavior is acceptable. We demand management takes steps to keep all employees feeling respected and treated as equals while building a positive work environment.'

According to the three workers, they were told to leave the restaurant.

Scott said that she was told to scrub garbage cans at a later time, while Moody said that he was given a low performance review which derailed his chances at getting a promotion.

Both Scott and Moody said that their efforts to address the situation with human resources at the corporate level failed.

Moody said he was told that the store was profitable and therefore the manager would stay put. He said that he was told he could transfer to a different McDonald's location.

Scott, meanwhile, claims that she was told by a human resources worker that the manager wasn't racist because the HR person knew her outside of work.

This isn't the first case filed against McDonald's for alleged racism this year.

Two black McDonald's executives in Chicago claimed that the company had passed them over for promotions and then demoted them in a January lawsuit.

They claimed that racists comments had stopped them from rising up the corporate ladder.

This January lawsuit, the new lawsuit in Florida claimed, indicated that McDonald's has a problem with systemic racism.

'If McDonalds believed that Black lives mattered then its time to make our restaurant safe for Black workers and customers,' Scott said during the news conference.

McDonald's is one of the major American corporations that has publicly thrown its support behind the Black Lives Matter campaign, creating a 60-second ad memorializing black people who were killed by police or fatally shot while unarmed in early June.

The fast food giant also said it was donating $1million to racial justice organizations the National Urban League and the NAACP, according to Business Insider.
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A 73-year-old man collapsed and died after using the toiler on a repatriation flight from San Francisco, the U.S. to Van Don International Airport in the northern Vietnamese province of Quang Ninh, about 153 kilometers northeast of Hanoi.

The flight lasted from July 15 to 16, read the announcement of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The man fell after using the toilet about 13 hours into the flight when the plane was cruising at an altitude of 33,000 feet, or more than 10,000 meters, according to the announcement.

The Vietnam Airlines flight's cabin crew attempted to give first aid to the man and asked for support from doctors aboard the flight, but they were unable to save the septuagenarian.

The flight crew reported the accident to the airline authority and followed through with necessary procedures to transfer the dead man to the administrative agencies charged with handling such issues at the airport.

Vietnam Airlines offered its deep sympathy and condolences to the deceaseds family.

Passengers aboard the flight consisted primarily of under-18 children, the elderly, people with pre-existing health conditions, overseas students who had finished the school year and had no accommodations, and others put in difficult situations by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Upon arriving at the Van Don airport, the evacuated citizens were given a health check and transferred to a centralized quarantine area. The plane carrying them was disinfected as well.

The Vietnamese government has brought thousands of its citizens home over the last few months from countries such as the U.S., Japan, and South Korea, as well as regions throughout Africa and South Asia.

The flight on which the incident occurred was the fifth to repatriate Vietnamese citizens in the U.S. to Vietnam.

The process of bringing overseas citizens back is expected to continue in order to meet the demand of Vietnamese living abroad who desire to return to their home country during the pandemic, the foreign ministry said.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
An amphitheatre lies at the heart of Collingwood Yards, a new arts precinct on the site of the former Collingwood Technical School. While it cannot be used at present, this central, outdoor space is surrounded by dozens of artist studios and light-filled work spaces.

A new model for arts organisations, this innovative location already has 27 tenants, most of them small-to-medium not-for-profit arts organisations, plus 15 independent artists. Its tenants so far include West Space gallery, Music Victoria, PBS106.7FM radio, Bus Projects, Liquid Architecture, the Social Studio and Experimenta. (Circus Oz is on an adjacent site but is certainly connected spiritually if not officially to the new venture.)

Collingwood Yards in Johnston Street has become an arts hub. Credit:Peter Clarke

When it fully opens  a process that has been staggered since the beginning of the year, and interrupted by the pandemic  Collingwood Yards will be an extraordinary locale: a sort of village crossed with an arts hub.

A lot of making will be going on, and a lot of conversation: the aim is to forge sustainable, affordable, long-term homes for arts groups, and promote cross-fertilisation for projects and events. In the meantime, digital tours are available as part of this year's Open House Melbourne program.
Chattanooga Fire Department battled a multiple alarm fire Thursday night at The Hills at Oakwood Apartment homes.

It happened at 7:11 p.m. on Oakwood Drive near the intersection of Highway 58 and Jersey Pike.

When responding units arrived, there was heavy smoke and flames coming from Building #1.

Crews attempted an interior attack, but they were quickly pushed out by heavy fire.

Thankfully, all of the residents escaped the burning building.

At 9 p.m., the fire was marked under control.

Firefighters used four hydrants to supply enough water to get the fire out.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The apartments share a common attic so it was easy for flames to travel through the structure.

Firefighters conducted multiple searches and no one was found inside. Two cats were rescued.

There were at least a dozen trucks on the scene as of 9 p.m. and approximately 40 firefighters.

Crews have been rotating out due to the heat.

Firefighters made a brave attempt to knock the fire down quickly, but it was too dangerous. We started a defensive attack and set up aerial devices to stop the spread of the fire in this complex. Everyone out here pushed through the heat and did an outstanding job, said Fire Chief Phil Hyman on the scene.

Seven units were destroyed in Building #1. Crews saved three apartments, but they sustained smoke and water damage.

The American Red Cross will be assisting impacted residents.

Special thanks to all of the agencies that assisted CFD in this massive operation. Hamilton County EMS helped monitor vitals on a number of firefighters to check for heat exhaustion.
Nigerias President, Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to punish ministers and chief executive officers of government agencies who henceforth...





Nigerias President, Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to punish ministers and chief executive officers of government agencies who henceforth disrespect members of the National Assembly.





The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said in a statement that Buhari gave the warning at a session with leaders of the National Assembly in Abuja on Thursday.





The president had met behind closed door with the Senate President, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, at the State House.





The presidential aide said the meeting, which lasted for almost an hour, centered on a range of key national issues.





He disclosed that the meeting deliberated on the role of the legislature in fostering national goals and improving the lives of the people.





In the course of their conversation, recent events at the National Assembly were highlighted and the president re-emphasised his utmost respect for the National Assembly.





Shehu quoted the president to have warned against disrespect to NASS by any member of the executive arm, saying that such action would not be accepted.





Ministers and all heads of departments and agencies should at all times conduct themselves in ways that will not undermine the National Assembly as an institution, its leadership and members.





The president and the leaders of the National Assembly recognised and acknowledged that the executive and legislative arms of government are essential partners in the fulfillment of their mutually aligned goal of improving the lives of the Nigerian people.




Actor Rhea Chakraborty joined the chorus on Thursday, asking for a CBI inquiry into the death of her boyfriend, late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. However, Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh sees no need for CBIs intervention.

Speaking to Mid-Day, Anil said the Mumbai Police do not suspect any foul play in relation to Sushants suicide so far. I have the tweets and the campaign. But I dont think that a CBI probe is required. The Mumbai Police is competent enough to handle such cases and they are investigating every aspect of the case including professional rivalry. As of now, we do not see any foul play. Details of the investigation will be shared once it is completed, he said.

Rhea had tweeted on Thursday, Respected @AmitShah sir, Im Sushant Singh Rajputs girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty. It has been over a month since his sudden demise. I have complete faith in the government. However, in the interest of justice, I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI inquiry into this matter. I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step. Yours sincerely #satyamevajayat.

Earlier in the day, Chakraborty requested the cyber crime cell to look into rape and murder threats she was receiving ever since Rajputs death, with social media users blaming her for his suicide. The actor, known for films such as Mere Dad Ki Maruti and Jalebi, eventually disabled the comments section of her Instagram page.

Also read: Rhea Chakraborty replies to troll who gave her death, rape threats after Sushant Singh Rajputs death: Enough is enough

I was called a gold digger. kept quiet I was called a murderer. I kept quiet, I was slut shamed, I kept quiet. But how does my silence give you the right to tell me that you will get me raped and murdered if I dont commit suicide @mannu_raaut? she wrote tagging one of the accounts from which she has received the threat.

Actor Shekhar Suman and BJP MP Subramaniyam Swami were among those who called for a CBI investigation into Sushants death. Shekhar later abandoned the cause after he felt that Sushants family did not seem too keen on it.

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The photos are from 1964, but they seem much older.

Hundreds of Chronicle archive images show a GOP convention in San Francisco  the last one in a city that hasnt elected a Republican mayor or supervisor since 1973.

But zoom in closer and closer, and theres one story on that floor that is still developing, even in 2020. Michigan Gov. George Romney came to the convention hoping to derail the Republican platform of presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, who had been using not-so-subtle racist language to rally white voters while refusing to embrace civil rights.

And following Romney from the airport, to the St. Francis Hotel, to the Cow Palace arena floor is his son, 17-year-old Mitt.

My dad was not enthusiastic about Barry Goldwater, because he felt that ... he had cozied himself up to the extreme in our party, Romney said. My dad was a real champion of civil rights in that era and was very much of the view that Goldwater was not leading the charge as he should have.

United Press International 1962

When the younger Romney, now a U.S. senator from Utah, joined a march in protest of George Floyds death in Washington last month, it seemed like a surprise  even coming from one of the few Republicans willing to defy President Trump.

But it makes more sense in the context of Romney family history, including that 1964 convention, which was a bitter defeat for George Romney, and one of the lessons that his son remembers to this day.

Teenage Mitt Romney was used to campaigning with his father, working at county fairs passing out buttons and bumper stickers before George Romney was elected governor in 1962. But the San Francisco trip was memorable.

It was exciting to go to San Francisco and go to the Cow Palace, Romney said, during a recent phone interview. Is the structure still standing? I dont know.

The Chronicle documented a smiling George Romney and his family (including wife Lenore, and older son Scott) getting off the plane and shaking hands with locals.

What was billed as a fight over the soul of the party at the Cow Palace arena on July 14, 1964, quickly turned toward the extremists, as Goldwater and his supporters reacted bitterly to the Republicans with a more progressive message. New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, also pushing for civil rights, was booed by Republican delegates with chants of We want Barry after he was introduced.

George Romney followed with a passionate speech, warning Republicans that they needed to include African American and Latino voters, not demonize them. Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower later singled out Romney for his sincerity and logic.

Associated Press 1964

Im here at this convention because I profoundly believe that present basic trends and perils are rushing us toward a national crisis, Romney said from the podium in the center of the Cow Palace.

Goldwater, urged by many in the party to work with the progressives, bitterly dismissed all of their civil rights planks, even the ones that were mostly symbolic.

Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, Goldwater said from the floor, effectively turning his campaign into an us-against-them referendum. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.

The Chronicle covered the political bloodbath with a giant headline across the front page: BARRYS CRUSHER: The Fall of the GOP Liberals

Fifty-six years later, Mitt Romney still isnt sure what initially motivated his father to take on racial equality as a cause. The older Romney was a U.S. citizen born in Mexico and lived in poverty in El Paso, Texas, but mostly grew up in white-dominated communities in Idaho and Utah.

Ive wondered since, whether having been in government housing, having grown up poor, gave him an appreciation for those who continued to be discriminated against, Romney said.

In any case, dinner-table discussions with his children often turned to race.

We spoke at great length about his feeling that (African Americans) were unfairly discriminated against in housing in particular, but also in employment, Romney remembered. That racism had an enormous impact on preventing African Americans from realizing what kind of potential they had.

Others who supported even more progressive platforms ended up endorsing Goldwater in 1964, and campaigning on his behalf. George Romney said he would only support the candidates campaign once it was free of hate-peddling and fear-spreading.

Bob Campbell / The Chronicle 1964

Senator Goldwater has always found some reason for not being able to meet with me, Romney said weeks before the November election. I havent had any indication that hes interested in my support.

Goldwater was trounced by Democratic candidate Lyndon B. Johnson, who carried all but six states. Romney was easily re-elected as governor.

For the rest of his career, including a run for president in 1968 followed by four years as Richard Nixons secretary of housing and urban development, Romney continued to push for desegregation and housing for the poor. While governor, he led a march alongside NAACP officials, opposing housing discrimination.

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

Early in his 1968 presidential run, George Romney went on a 17-city tour, visiting the poorest areas of each. He made headlines in San Francisco on Sept. 23, 1967, when he toured a home for runaways on Haight Street, and ended up in the Golden Gate Parks Panhandle for a sort of impromptu town hall with more than 100 confused hippies.

They occasionally heckled him, before engaging in dialogue, and leaving the governor of Michigan and his wife with a flower, Zig-Zag cigarette papers and an ear of corn.

I think they show that were not listening enough, he told a Chronicle reporter later. The lines of communication are down. Not only with hippies, but also minority groups.

When Mitt Romney put on a mask and marched in support of Black Lives Matter on Sunday, June 7, he said he was thinking about his father, who Romney said without exception did things for principled purpose, not political purpose.

Michelle Boorstein / Washington Post

He was a man driven by what he thought was right. And said and did what he thought was right and did not worry about the consequences, Romney said. I try to live by the same approach. But Im weaker than my dad.

George Romney died in 1995, and didnt live to see his son win an election. Mitt Romney followed his fathers advice  George Romney told his children dont run for office until your children are out of the house and youre financially independent  and didnt enter politics until he was in his mid-40s. His first big win, running for governor of Massachusetts, came in 2002 at age 55.

After losing his own presidential race to Barack Obama in 2012, Mitt Romneys career appeared to be defined. But he later ran as a senator in Utah, and since assuming office in 2019 has shown willingness to cross party lines  most notably in February, when Romney became the only Republican voting to impeach President Trump.

Romney said that unlike his father, hes occasionally chosen politics over principle during his career, and I regret that. At this stage of his life, hes just not as worried about the fallout.

The parallels between the nation-dividing 1964 Goldwater campaign that Mitt Romney witnessed and the 2020 Trump campaign are obvious. Except George Romney didnt have a social media firestorm to deal with every time he went against the party line.

When Mitt Romney is asked whether he hesitated before deciding to march in a Black Lives Matter demonstration, knowing Trump and party leaders might use it as political ammunition, the senator sounds a little like a 17-year-old again  still looking up to the man who showed him the way.

Theres an old Christian hymn, which the first line reads, Do what is right and let the consequences follow, Romney said. I hear a number of people who say, Well, wait, sometimes you have to put your principle aside, because the bigger outcome is more important than doing whats right up front.  And thats a sentiment thats sometimes entered into my own brain.

At this stage in life, its like, No, you do whats right, and you let the consequences fall where they may. And I surely saw that in my fathers life.

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicles culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub
(Photo : Pixabay)

Russian spies are targeting organizations in the UK, the US, and Canada trying to develop a coronavirus vaccine, security services have warned.

An advisory published by UK's National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) details the activity of the Russian hacking group named APT29, which also goes by the name "the Dukes" or "Cozy Bear."

NCSC explicitly calls for efforts to target vaccine research and development organizations in the United States, the UK, and Canada. They added said the hackers "almost definitely" were "part of Russian intelligence."

"APT29's campaign of malicious activity is ongoing, predominantly against government, diplomatic, think tank, healthcare and energy targets to steal valuable intellectual property," NCSC's statement wrote.

This didn't indicate which entities were attacked or whether any information was stolen. Yet it said the hackers had not impeded vaccine studies.

ALSO READ: Is the Race for Word's First COVID-19 Vaccine Over? Russia Announced Completion of Clinical Trials

'Russia has nothing to do' with hacking attempts

Russia vehemently denied the "groundless" allegations, with President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman saying that adequate evidence did not support the charges.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia "had nothing to do" with the hacking attacks targeting organizations involved in creating coronavirus vaccines.

"We don't have information about who may have hacked pharmaceutical companies and research centers in Britain," the Russian official said.

The advisory comes as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in the US as researchers race to develop a vaccine.

Such information is highly regarded

The statement did not say that Russian President Vladimir Putin knew about the hacking of vaccine studies. Still, British officials claim that such information is highly regarded.

The American, British, and Canadian governments said Cozy Bear recently used weak spots in computer networks to get a foothold. If companies do not immediately fix a vulnerability found by a software vendor, they can be exposed to attacks from their networks.

The British Cybersecurity Center operations officer, Paul Chichester, urged the organizations to familiarize themselves with the recommendations that they have released to protect their networks.

Western countries accused Cozy Bear of using custom malicious software to target several worldwide organizations. The malware, named WellMess and WellMail, had not been affiliated with the hacking community previously, the advisory said.

The advisory claimed that the group conducted basic vulnerability scanning against specific external IP addresses owned by the organizations. "The group then deployed public exploits against the vulnerable services identified," the advisory added.

In April, the US Department of Homeland Security reported that cybercriminals and other organizations targeted COVID-19 study. They added that the increase of people teleworking due to the pandemic had generated new avenues for hackers to exploit.

Vulnerable targets include healthcare facilities, pharmaceutical firms, universities, medical research organizations, and local authorities, security officials said.

ALSO READ: U.S. Conspiracy Theorists Are Responsible For Leaked WHO, CDC Passwords - Report

These organizations' global scope and external supply chains also make them vulnerable. Hence, the US National Security Agency for Cybersecurity and Infrastructure said a warning that was released in collaboration with its British counterparts.

"The National Security Agency (NSA), along with our partners, remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting national security by collectively issuing this critical cybersecurity advisory as foreign actors continue to take advantage of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," NSA Cybersecurity Director Anne Neuberger said.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

Cop killed gangster Vikas Dubey in defence, UP police tells SC, claims encounter was genuine

Uttar Pradesh Police has refuted the allegations that Kanpur gangster Vikas Dubey and five of his associates were killed in staged encounters in its detailed reply submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday. Read more

Nepal PM Oli changes tack after pressure to quit, asks who will replace me

Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, who has been hemmed in by his rivals in the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) for weeks, has suggested that his replacement should be from the CPN (Unified MarxistLeninist) faction of the party. Read more

Rajnath Singh watches military exercise by T-90 tanks at 11,000 ft in Leh

The Indian Army showcased its T-90 tanks and armoured combat vehicles as defence minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the situation at the border on Friday, over a month after 20 soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakhs Galwan Valley. Read more

News anchors tooth falls out during live TV. She keeps her cool and carries on. Watch

Live TV can be unpredictable sometimes. However, the way this Ukrainian new anchor handled a bizarre situation during a broadcast has left many impressed. Read more

From Donald Trump to Black Lives Matter protesters: Theres a mask for everyone

They can be colourful or come in basic black, make a political statement or just a funny one. Masks made of cotton and other washable materials have become big sellers, and an emerging fashion item, as face coverings have been increasingly mandated around the world to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Read more

Ill never drop Cheteshwar Pujara from my ODI team: Former India spinner Dilip Doshi

Cheteshwar Pujara might have played just five ODIs since making his debut in 2013 but former India left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi says he would never drop someone as solid as Pujara from his ODI team. Read more

Man discovers ammunition reportedly from World War-II times in Imphal

A man in Moreh area of Imphal discovered ammunition while leveling his field. The ammunition is believed to be from World War-II times and has been shifted from the residential area by the police. Watch to know more
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/17/2020 -- A new business intelligence report released by HTF MI with title "Global Ice Cream Bar Market Report 2020" is designed covering micro level of analysis by manufacturers and key business segments. The Global Ice Cream Bar Market survey analysis offers energetic visions to conclude and study market size, market hopes, and competitive surroundings. The research is derived through primary and secondary statistics sources and it comprises both qualitative and quantitative detailing. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Haagen-Dazs, Magnum, Unilever, Yili, Mengniu, Friendly's, Ben & Jerry's, Mario's Gelati, Bulla, LOTTE, Meiji & Tip Top.



What's keeping Haagen-Dazs, Magnum, Unilever, Yili, Mengniu, Friendly's, Ben & Jerry's, Mario's Gelati, Bulla, LOTTE, Meiji & Tip Top Ahead in the Market? Benchmark yourself with the strategic moves and findings recently released by HTF MI

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Market Overview of Global Ice Cream Bar

If you are involved in the Global Ice Cream Bar industry or aim to be, then this study will provide you inclusive point of view. It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Applications [Application I, Application II, Application III], Product Types [, Product Type Segmentation, Original ice cream, Vanilla Ice Cream & Chocolate Ice Cream] and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.



This study mainly helps understand which market segments or Region or Country they should focus in coming years to channelize their efforts and investments to maximize growth and profitability. The report presents the market competitive landscape and a consistent in depth analysis of the major vendor/key players in the market along with impact of economic slowdown due to COVID.



Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows:

Historical year  2014-2019

Base year  2019

Forecast period**  2020 to 2026 [** unless otherwise stated]



**Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players.



The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below:

The Study Explore the Product Types of Ice Cream Bar Market: , Product Type Segmentation, Original ice cream, Vanilla Ice Cream & Chocolate Ice Cream



Key Applications/end-users of Global Ice Cream BarMarket: Application I, Application II, Application III



Top Players in the Market are: Haagen-Dazs, Magnum, Unilever, Yili, Mengniu, Friendly's, Ben & Jerry's, Mario's Gelati, Bulla, LOTTE, Meiji & Tip Top



Region Included are: North America Country (United States, Canada), South America, Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea), Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy) & Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)



Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/2705045-global-ice-cream-bar-market



Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report:

 Detailed overview of Ice Cream Bar market

 Changing market dynamics of the industry

 In-depth market segmentation by Type, Application etc

 Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value

 Recent industry trends and developments

 Competitive landscape of Ice Cream Bar market

 Strategies of key players and product offerings

 Potential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growth

 A neutral perspective towards Ice Cream Bar market performance

 Market players information to sustain and enhance their footprint



Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/2705045-global-ice-cream-bar-market



Major Highlights of TOC:

Chapter One: Global Ice Cream Bar Market Industry Overview

1.1 Ice Cream Bar Industry

1.1.1 Overview

1.1.2 Products of Major Companies

1.2 Ice Cream Bar Market Segment

1.2.1 Industry Chain

1.2.2 Consumer Distribution

1.3 Price & Cost Overview



Chapter Two: Global Ice Cream Bar Market Demand

2.1 Segment Overview

2.1.1 APPLICATION 1

2.1.2 APPLICATION 2

2.1.3 Other

2.2 Global Ice Cream Bar Market Size by Demand

2.3 Global Ice Cream Bar Market Forecast by Demand



Chapter Three: Global Ice Cream Bar Market by Type

3.1 By Type

3.1.1 TYPE 1

3.1.2 TYPE 2

3.2 Ice Cream Bar Market Size by Type

3.3 Ice Cream Bar Market Forecast by Type



Chapter Four: Major Region of Ice Cream Bar Market

4.1 Global Ice Cream Bar Sales

4.2 Global Ice Cream Bar Revenue & market share



Chapter Five: Major Companies List



Chapter Six: Conclusion



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Key questions answered

- What impact does COVID-19 have made on Global Ice Cream Bar Market Growth & Sizing?

- Who are the Leading key players and what are their Key Business plans in the Global Ice Cream Bar market?

- What are the key concerns of the five forces analysis of the Global Ice Cream Bar market?

- What are different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Global Ice Cream Bar market?

- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?



Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.
Korean Movie | 2006

 Action  Animation  Comedy

Directed by Jo Beom-jin ()

Written by  Jeong Do-yoon ()  Jeong Hye-won ()  Kang Sang-gyoon ()

90min | Release date in South Korea: 2006/06/28

Re-release date: 2020/11/19

Synopsis

In Shit City, where human excrement is the only source of energy, every human being is born with an ID chip inserted in their body. The amount and quality of product is checked everyday and the government gives popsicles for peoples excrement causing people to become addicted. However, the Vojegi gang runs amok in a heinous search for extra popsicles to satisfy their addiction.

Source
Encarnacion has no adult criminal record and was allowed to be summoned to court rather than be arrested. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 6.

According to the complaint against Engelhart:

An August employee, who lives on State Street and had taken part in protests earlier in the day, saw the shop was being looted and tried to stop it. He said as he grabbed one of the looters to throw him out of the store, he was mobbed by a group who began to punch him until he went in and out of consciousness. He was taken to UW Hospital for treatment. Using footage from television news and city street cameras, police said they identified one of the attackers as Engelhart.

Engelhart was also recognized by a former school resource officer as having been a student at East High School, and another officer said he is a suspect in a separate credit card fraud case police had been working on. That officer said Engelhart was wearing the same jacket on State Street and at East Towne as he was seen wearing in a surveillance video thats part of the fraud case.

According to the complaint against Encarnacion:
US President Donald Trump announced Thursday July 16, that he is replacing campaign manager Brad Parscale with longtime political aide Bill Stepien after new polls show him trailing Joe Biden in the presidential race amid a spreading Coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice that has devastated the economy.



Trump's campaign shake-up comes as the Trump campaign struggles to find its footing after national health, economic and racial justice crises have upset the dynamics and put Biden as favorite.



Recent polls in key swing states such as Arizona, Michigan and Florida have consistently shown Trump losing to Biden, the former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee.



The president wrote on his Twitter that Parscale, who has been with me for a long time, will stay as a senior adviser focusing on digital and data strategies.



According to reports, Parscale has been marginalized in the campaign for some weeks, with Trump angry about a botched rally in Oklahoma, where far fewer people attended than expected.



Stepien was the field director for the 2016 campaign and has worked for Trump since the election. Hes known for a low-key style and his knowledge of battleground states. He was formerly a top aide to Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey.









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

Featured Video
The final Delta II GPS rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base and launch site SLC-17A in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 17, 2009. (Matt Stroshane/Getty Images)

Infrastructure Warfare: GPS Faces Growing Threat From China

Orbiting the earth every 11 hours and 58 minutes, Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites are the atomic clocks that synchronize the electronic cogs of civilization, keeping oil pumping through pipelines, cash flowing at ATMs, and cruise missiles locked on target.

Long seen as a potential Achilles heel, satellite navigation and positioning systems are increasingly important pieces in the geostrategic stakes with Russia, and even more so with China.

For decades, Americas GPS and Russias GNSS systems, launched in the Cold War, were the only truly global systems.

On June 23, that changed when the final satellite of Chinas BeiDou system slotted into orbit. The EU also is scheduled to complete its own rival Galileo system this year.

BeiDou will significantly add to the infrastructure leverage of Chinas flagship foreign policy, the Belt and Road Initiative. Like other navigation systems, BeiDou provides the digital compass and map for the Peoples Liberation Armys (PLA) military targeting system.

Meanwhile, Americas GPS, increasingly vulnerable to jamming and physical attacks, needs an upgrade.

A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the 24th and 25th Beidou navigation satellites takes off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Xichang, China, on Nov. 5, 2017. (Wang Yulei/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

Just one week after BeiDou was completed, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee proposed legislation that would replace Americas GPS system within the next three years. The proposal echoes concerns in the defense community that the scheduled jammer-resistant upgrade to GPSGPS IIIwont be enough to shield the system from growing threats.

A Matter of Timing

BeiDou poses both military and commercial-political challenges to the United States, Rick Fisher, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center, told The Epoch Times via email.

The just-completed BeiDou system will be a key enabler of future PLA global projection, as it will also enable precision targeting for a wide variety of conventional and nuclear weapons. Unlike GPS, BeiDou has a secondary text messaging communication capability, aiding the organization of PLA forces close to and far from China.

But, in addition to building BeiDou, the PLA has been developing the power to blind, disorient, and even destroy the United States GPS system.

Fisher said, The PLA understands that the American military satellite system is a crucial force multiplier; attacking communication and navigation satellites will degrade the U.S. nuclear deterrent and significantly decrease the American ability to project force to oppose Chinese aggression, such as an attack against Taiwan.

Dean Cheng, a senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, says its important to note that GPS is, strictly speaking, not a navigation system, but a timing system.

We tend to say if you can screw around with GPS, then missiles will go astray, tankers will wind up running into the Statue of Liberty, and airliners will crash into the ground. And that may all be true. But the timing function is important because it affects so much more than just navigation, Cheng told The Epoch Times.

So many pieces of infrastructurepower generation, electric power lines across thousands of miles, pumping stationsactually use the timing signal to make sure that everything operates smoothly.

Pipes at the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain facility in Edmonton, Alberta, on April 6, 2017. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press)

The best example, says Cheng, is fuel pipelines. To avoid pressure waves, the numerous relay pumps in a pipeline need to act asynchronously. They do this by picking up timing signals beamed from GPS satellites, each of which has an onboard atomic clock.

Even automated share trading takes timing cues from GPS.

Lasers and Robotic Arms

The PLA is well aware of the reliance on GPS, Cheng says.

If I can interfere with your GPS signal, I not only can have your missiles be redirected, but I could also really impose strategic costs on you in your homeland without my ever launching a single ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile), he said.

PLA military doctrine includes degrading and attacking the U.S. GPS system during both peacetime and wartime situations, said Robert J. Bunker, an adjunct research professor at the U.S. Army War Colleges Strategic Studies Institute, in an email to The Epoch Times.

This includes substituting the BeiDou system (BDS) for GPS among present user states for economic and political advantage, developing capabilities for wartime targeting and degradation of the system, and scenario development concerning potential first-strike capabilities against all U.S. C4ISR space-based assets, which include GPS, Bunker said.

C4ISR refers to command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance: everything from spy satellites to military command satellites.

In other words, the PLA is wargaming scenarios that involve taking out satellite infrastructure.

In addition to explosives, according to Bunker, satellites can be physically targeted by energy beams such as a high-powered laser. They can also have their electronic circuits fried by an electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear device, or more likely from a precise microwave-emitting device or a limpet-like mine.

Attacks may also come from mobile on-orbit inspection satellites with robotic arms and other weaponized elements, he said.

China is reported to have tested its DN-2 ground-based medium Earth orbit-capable anti-satellite interceptor in 2012, Fisher says, so it has likely had the ability to attack GPS satellites kinetically since the middle of the last decade.

A Long March 5B rocket lifts off from the Wenchang launch site on Chinas southern Hainan Island on May 5, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

When China starts to construct its first Space Station in 2021, it will use a module-based structure similar to the old Soviet MIR Space Station. This means China can loft armed combat modules when desired, which most likely will be able to attack GPS and most other satellites, he said.

Like Little Green Men

Physically targeting the GPS system from the ground isnt easy, Cheng says. There is some redundancy built into the system, and most of the 30-plus satellites at any given moment arent over China. So shooting down satellites would have limited immediate effect, but over time could destroy the system.

Another option is to physically target the ground-based systems that provide updates and support, which would lead to a gradual degrading of the system.

But Cheng emphasized cyberattacks as a key possibility.

If I could, for example, introduce something that would cause the entire network to shut down, that would be perfect, right? I dont kill anything, I dont damage anything, I just turn off all the satellites. Or I could potentially try to infect the satellites with something that would screw up the timing signal, he said.

Another form of electronic attack is jamming.

I could jam terrestrially where the signal is received, or I could put something into orbit and try to jam the signal from space, he said.

Jamming, however, can be detected and tracked through its tell-tale electromagnetic signal.

Methods such as jamming and cyberattacks on GPS also suit the PLAs preferred modus operandi of wrestling in the geopolitical shadows rather than employing open warfare.

Just as Putin seized Crimea and parts of Ukraine with his so-called little green men without triggering a response from the West, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has relied on irregular means of warfare to inch toward its strategic goals, such as using militarized fishing boats to hassle for advantage and building artificial islands in disputed waters.

One of Chinas man-made islands in the South China Sea on May 21, 2015. (U.S. Navy/Handout via Reuters)

GPS would become one of the tools in the PLAs kit bag to maneuver for advantage in various scenarios above and below the threshold of conflict, Cheng says.

If I put a jammer, lets say, on the Spratlys, what have I done? Ive made it potentially somewhat harder to put a JDAM or some other weapon onto an airstrip in the Spratlys. Is that war? What if I dont do anything else? Its not even a danger to civilian traffic, right? he said.

An aerial view of an uninhabited island of the Spratlys in the disputed South China Sea on April 21, 2017. (Erik De Castro/Reuters)

What if I blank out most of the South China Sea? Well, now thats a bit more dangerous. Its a hazard. But again, is that the same thing as launching missiles at Manila? No. Would the Chinese do something like that? Quite likely, because they also talk about space deterrence, meaning using actions in space to coerce your potential adversaries.

Preserving the Party at All Costs

Then theres the advantage of deniability, says Cheng.

Space itself is a very, very dangerous environment, with lots of radiation, temperature extremessystems just fail. That makes it hard to figure out if a satellite died because somebody attacked it, or because somebody did a cyberattack, or a cosmic ray hit it the wrong way, or there was a small meteorite. And of course, you cant just go out there and check.

That ambiguity can be manipulated for strategic advantage, said Cheng.

But he said that a GPS attack wouldnt happen in isolation, and would likely happen alongside other military, economic, and diplomatic action.

For example, he said some satellites could mysteriously go offline as the CCP happens to arrest dissidents in Hong Kong and fires missiles into the middle of the South China Sea.

Greg Autry, a space expert and co-author of Death by China, has been warning about the threat from Chinas space programs for two decades. He says that in the past two or three years, the defense community has become clear about the threat.

They were so busy with Islamic extremism, and concerns in Asia and Australasia and the Middle East, that they couldnt see what China was doing, Autry told the Epoch Times. But now theres no doubt that its public enemy No. 1.

Like Cheng, Autry says that the GPS threat cant be looked at in isolation.

Everything dealing with China has to be looked at as a broad and systemic strategic view. Too often the United States has responded by tactically looking at individual issues like attacking the GPS system and figuring how do we fix that. Then youre like the Dutch boy putting your finger in the dam.

Autry warns against assuming the CCP is a rational actor like democratic nations.

The fact that the Chinese are obviously targeting the global positioning system should give the entire world pause. They are preparing to take that out, he said.

The role of the Chinese government is not to ensure the prosperity and happiness of its population, as is the role of the U.S. government. The role of the Chinese government is to ensure the continuation of the Communist Party at all costs and the people and the economy are a tool to achieve that goal.

So that if they decide that this is the better choice, and it happens to cost lives, jobs, or a decrease in the standard of living in China, theyll certainly do that. Weve seen that over and over again.

The Future Is Small

Autry notes that the GPS system was originally developed by the U.S. military but then adapted to be used globally for civilian use, revolutionizing navigation.

Its important to understand that that was really literally a gift from the United States to the world that doesnt get the credit it deserves, he says. But its old. So there are a lot more things we could do to make the system just more resilient and survivable.

A US Air Force Delta 2 rocket launches from Pad 17A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, on Oct. 7, 1999. The three-stage Delta carried the third NAVSTAR Global Positioning Satellite into orbit to replace an aging satellite in the Air Force GPS network. (Bruce Weaver/AFP via Getty Images)

Autry said he believes a future upgrade will have stronger encryption, making it harder to spoof. Spoofing means mimicking of a satellite signal to confuse positioning calculations.

The ability to penetrate buildings and insert natural obstructions could be improved as well.

But ramping up the number of satellites in the system could be a key solution, says Autry.

Bunker and Fisher agree.

Bunker refers to the improving technology on modular mini-satellites known as cube sats, which are just four inches in diameter.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from the Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, Calif., on Dec. 22, 2017. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

Id like to see a more robust and updated GPS system thats far more distributed and network-based, that relies on large numbers of smaller satellitesultimately including hundreds of cheaper cube sats as the technology becomes availablefor redundancy, hardening, and survivability purposes, he said.

Fisher also says going miniature could be key.

The U.S. military has already done a great deal of work applying laser gyroscope technology to perform navigation in GPS-denied environments. Shrinking this capability onto very small microchips would offer one potentially inexpensive way to compensate for GPS denial for many platforms, he said.

Meanwhile, the CCP will be rolling out access to the BeiDou system as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, says Cheng, locking other nations into Chinas orbit.

Thats because any infrastructure relying on satellite timing of navigation functions will be fitted with a BeiDou-reliant kit.

If I am building a pipeline as part of the Belt and Road Initiative in Kazakhstan, those pumping stations are keyed to BeiDou, not to GPS, said Cheng. If Kazakhstan then wants to say goodbye to China, China can say, OK, well good luck. Im going to turn off your GPU, your beta receivers, and good luck on figuring out how to get a different signal, because you didnt pay me to do that.'

In addition, for any nation buying Chinas future military kit, such as missiles or cruise missiles, those too will be tied to its BeiDou system.
The double life of an Irish speaking Professor in Donegal who was thought to be a Nazi spy has been unearthed for a new BBC documentary.

Dr Ludwig Mulhausen, a proud Nazi Party member and German linguist, was living in the small village of Teileann in the Donegal Gaeltacht.

In Nazi sa Ghaeltacht, veteran reporter Kevin Magee has now investigated claims he was scouting the village out as a possible location to launch an invasion of the Irish Free State.

The programme will show how Professor Mulhausen perfected his knowledge of the Irish language to broadcast German propaganda in Ireland.

As an Irish speaker himself, Kevin first heard stories of a Nazi spy after visiting the area over 40 years ago.

Mulhausen was said to have made no secret of his allegiance to the Nazis, and often berated locals for their lack of German efficiency.

Kevin said: "I wanted to find out if the story of the Nazi in the Gaeltacht was true, so I began investigating, talking to locals, asking questions and examining a whole variety of sources.

"Piece by piece I was able to pull this remarkable story together. When I began my journey, I had no idea I would discover just how committed Muhlhausen was to the entire Nazi project. The plot reads like a World War Two thriller, except this story is for real."

After hanging a large picture of Adolf Hitler on his bedroom wall, Mulhausen later took photographs everywhere and measured the depth of Teileann Bay by dropping lead weights.

Locals speculated that he was scouting the area as a potential landing site for Nazi vessels.

Two years after his visit, Teileann locals were shocked to hear him broadcasting propaganda in Irish from a Berlin radio station, urging the Free State to keep its neutrality and to remember the atrocities of the English.

In the hour-long documentary, Kevin brings the untold piece of Ulster wartime history to life with historians, locals and military experts.

Beginning in Donegal, he travels to Dublin to uncover a government file on Mulhausen, and on to Berlin to view previously unseen documents about Hitler's plans for Ireland after invasion.

Nazi sa Ghaeltacht is broadcast on Sunday, July 26, on BBC Two, 10pm.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC") went public on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board (STAR Market) on 16 July. It took only 19 days for SMIC to gain regulatory approval, breaking the record for the STAR Market. The over-allotment option was fully exercised, thus raising a total of 53.2 billion yuan. Based on the issue price, SMIC's market value will reach a record-setting 202.9 billion yuan, the largest market capitalization ever achieved in the STAR Market. SMIC will not only be one of the semiconductor companies with the highest market value in the A-share market, but also one of the leading technology companies as well. Walden International, as the founding shareholder of SMIC, and Mr. Lip-Bu Tan, as the only Director who has remained on SMIC's Board for 18 years, has encouraged SMIC through thick and thin and would like to wish it a successful listing in the STAR Market.

Mr. Lip-Bu Tan founded Walden International in 1987 and was selected by Forbes magazine as one of world's top 50 venture capitalists. In the venture industry, Mr. Lip-Bu Tan is known as "Mr. Chip". Under his leadership, Walden International has invested in over 500 companies globally (including more than 120 semiconductor companies), supported 110 companies in their successful public listings, and done very well in achieving excellent returns for its own investors.

In addition to serving as the Chairman of Walden International, Mr. Lip-Bu Tan has also been the CEO of Cadence since 2009, a world-renowned EDA design tool and IP company. After those ten years of his leadership, Cadence currently has a market value of nearly 30 billion US dollars.

A Lion at Heart, A Giant at Last

- On the 20th Anniversary of SMIC & Its IPO in the STAR Market

This year, 2020, witnesses the 20th anniversary of the founding of SMIC. As the founding shareholder and close partner of SMIC at its founding in 2000, Walden International has witnessed the passion, pain and success of SMIC's entrepreneurship in the past 20 years. Hand in hand, we have created new pathways in our development and experienced the achievements and delights of growth and progress. I have also had the personal honor to serve as a director of SMIC. During my 18 years as a Board member, I have offered advice and support to the strategic planning, business layout and team building of the company.

The path of entrepreneurship is paved with hardship and amazing efforts! Hereby, I sincerely congratulate SMIC on its 20th anniversary, wish it a successful listing in the STAR Market, and hope that SMIC will continue its long strides forward during the next 20 years.

I thought it would be helpful to look back at how SMIC worked through its listing process. On May 5, SMIC "officially announced" its plan for listing in the STAR Market; on June 1, the Shanghai Stock Exchange accepted its listing application; Success followed on June 19, as the Shanghai Stock Exchange issued the regulatory approval, and on June 22, SMIC submitted the registration application on the first working day after the granting of regulatory approval. On June 29, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) agreed to its registration.

As the leading chip manufacturer in mainland China, SMIC has set the record of the fastest listing in the STAR Market in this IPO process, taking only 19 days to gain the regulatory approval and only 29 days to complete the registration process. SMIC has raised a record-setting 53.2 billion yuan, the largest amount ever raised in the STAR Market. SMIC will be the largest semiconductor company with the highest value in the A-share market and will also become one of the leading technology companies in the A-share market.

Supporting the fastest listing speed and the largest amount raised, there are the solid steps of China's capital market in reform deepening and opening up, together with its firm determination to support the listing of hard & core technology enterprises and accelerate the development of semiconductor industry, which will definitely fuel the advanced manufacturing procedure of SMIC and assist SMIC in an early realization of the next milestone breakthrough!

SMIC: One of Few Most Advanced Foundries in the World

SMIC is one of the leading wafer foundries in the world. It mainly provides customers with integrated circuit foundry and technology services on process nodes from 0.35 micron to 14 nanometers as well as different process platforms.

Unlike general foundries, the wafer foundry industry is very capital-intensive, talent-intensive and technology-intensive. The more advanced the process, the greater capital investment is needed. In the past decade, there are no newcomers in the foundry industry as it requires high capital investment and has technical and talent barriers. An increasing number of existing foundries have stopped in the race towards advanced processes, leaving the industry to an oligopoly. During these past 20 years, SMIC has upgraded its manufacturing process from 0.25 microns to 14 nanometers, caught up substantially with the world's top foundry manufacturers and narrowed the gap with them on every front. There is no shortcut to the path of advanced processes. With firm determination, steady pacing and a down-to-earth attitude, SMIC has been constantly increasing investment in research & development and strengthening innovation & success by iteration, and gradually achieving process improvement and technology upgrade.

In the past 20 years, every time SMIC surmounted an adversity and made a breakthrough in its manufacturing process, Walden has stood alongside SMIC all the way regardless of the situation, offering our full support. In addition to SMIC, Walden has invested in over 500 enterprises across the globe (including more than 120 semiconductor companies). Of these, 110 companies have already been successfully listed at 15 stock exchanges around the world. Walden has achieved outstanding investment performance and gained impressive excellent returns. Many friends may wonder, knowing that semiconductor investment has long cycles, high risks and high thresholds, how and why Walden still has the courage to focus on high technology and invest heavily on semiconductors and even heavy asset fabs that most investment institutions have stayed away from? Walden International's investment model is unique and has become a benchmark of global semiconductor investment. How has SMIC managed to achieve this, and what are the experiences and reflections?

Essence of Investment: Art of "Seeing" & Lion at Heart

Henri Nouwen, one of my favorite writers, once shared a story to the effect that a sculptor was carving an unformed marble with a knife. A little boy passing by watched him with curiosity. What he saw was only large and small marble fragments keeping falling down, and he had no clue of what the sculptor was trying to achieve. But a few weeks later, the little boy saw a mighty lion standing where the marble was originally placed. The little boy was extremely excited and he asked the sculptor how he knew there was a lion hidden in the marble. The sculptor replied, "Before I saw the lion, I already knew that it was inside the marble, because I have seen it in my heart. The trick is that the lion at heart recognizes the lion hidden in marble."

Sculpture is an art of "seeing" and showing what is seen. So is the art of investment. Through capital investment, strategic guidance and resource integration, Walden International brings the entrepreneurial passion and spirit out of the entrepreneurs as well as the potential and capacity out of the core teams. Thereby, Walden incubates, nurtures and produces innovative technologies and products with exceptional market value, and finally helps entrepreneurs realize their industrial ideals and assists the companies in their development and growth.

In 2000, when Zhang Rujing planned to build a chip manufacturing factory in mainland China with his team, we "saw" the trend of rising local wafer factories in mainland China and the ambition and talent of the entrepreneurial team. In 2004, when Yin Zhiyao's team headed to Silicon Valley to raise capital, we "saw" the potential of Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. (AMEC), as a new international equipment manufacturer, fighting its way out of the high-end semiconductor manufacturer giants and becoming an Asia-based integrated circuit equipment giant itself. In 2016, when Habana Labs was established in Israel, we "saw" that the overwhelming application of artificial intelligence in data centers, as verified in Intel's acquisition of Habana Labs for $2 billion in 2019; when former Oracle executive Rodrigo Liang, Prof. Kunle Olukotun and Prof. Chris Re from Stanford University founded SambaNova in the United States in 2017, we "saw" its innovations in machine learning algorithms and software-defined hardware. As an art, investment is like the sculptures by their creators, which release the lion in marble; it is also like the ink paintings by Chinese painters, which bring the bamboo in the mind to life on the paper.

After more than 30 years of investment, Walden International has established a flagship investment platform for global semiconductor and electronics industry chains, and its ability to "see" has become particularly powerful. It is no wonder that among the new generation of 13 semiconductor startups in recent years listed by the Barclays Bank, 9 were invested by Walden International. Through our team, LP, invested enterprises, partners and friends in the industry, we have witnessed the growth of outstanding entrepreneurs and "saw" the success of invested companies. As investors, we can support entrepreneurs with investment, helping them to realize their grand plans and to create immense social values while realizing our visions. Nothing in the world brings me greater joy than this!

Great Truths Are Always Simple: Befriend Time & Share Common Goals with the Like-minded

I named Walden International after Walden written by Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau used to build a house by himself on Walden Lake, farming and living there for more than two years. He led an extraordinarily simple life and finally achieved a peak of world philosophy, leaving a story that will be remembered for ages in the history of literature.

In fact, the essence of investment is similar: the great truths are always simple. All it takes in investment is being honest, modest and persistent, choosing the right founder and right enterprise, accompanying them all the way, and being a friend of time. Thoreau once said, "A person with faith will cooperate with those who share the same faith." As we all know, semiconductor investment has long cycles. Product research and development, market verification and company development all require a considerably long time. It takes time to create excellent founders, outstanding enterprises and leading products. Therefore, when investing in semiconductors, we choose to collaborate with the founders and enterprises who have faith. The founder must be a person of rich vision and strong will, and of principles, beliefs and foresight. He/She should focus on enterprise growth and value creation. The teams should have both lofty ideals and down-to-earth capacity of execution.

Walden International entered China in the 1990s and was the first to introduce the concept of venture capital to China. In 1994, it established the first venture capital fund specialized in investing in China, pioneering the venture capital fund in China. Since 2000, it has focused on investing in China's electronics industry and high-tech & intelligent manufacturing.

Back then, venture capital in China had just started, and there were only a few American venture capital institutions in the market. Having gone through the Internet bubble, the financial crisis in 2008, the once stranded Growth Enterprise Market, and the suspended IPOs, Walden International retains its focus on the industry and semiconductor investment. We never chase after the trend or hot topics. We never speculate. And we never seek quick success. Little by little, we have created an investment map and industrial chain consisting of over 120 semiconductor companies, forming an industrial pattern of integration and cooperation, mutual assistance and mutual benefit.

Presently, semiconductor entrepreneurship and sci-tech investment are extremely popular. It requires not only comprehensive and clear knowledge and insight, but more importantly a global vision throughout the cycles. Walden International will remain true to its original aspirations, stick to maintain its unique investment philosophy and focus, increase investment in the semiconductor industry, advance hand in hand with entrepreneurs, and "see" and cultivate more innovation benchmarks and industry leaders.

We believe that the essence of investment is simplicity. We will choose to walk firmly with the like-minded. Time will bring the best and most generous returns as the best friend.

A lion at heart. A giant at last!

Media Contact

Walden International

Person:Wenjing liu

Wenjing_liu@gmail.com

Website: http://www.waldenintl.com/

SOURCE: Walden International

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597832/Mr-Lip-Bu-Tan-Chairman-of-Walden-International-On-the-20thAnniversary-of-SMIC-Its-IPO-in-the-STAR-Market
New Delhi: Kartik Aaryan has always been vocal about his love for his fans. Every post and every picture he shares on social media, he always makes sure that it makes his fans and followers smile and constantly be in touch with them. Kartik Aaryan has recently shared a post where he expresses his heartfelt gratitude for his devoted fan.

Kartik Aaryan has reposted a fans picture on his account where we see a girl dreamily gazing at his posters which are pasted everywhere on her wall. She has several collages of his pictures from photoshoots and newspaper clippings and decorated it with fairy lights.

This sweet gesture surely touched Kartik Aaryans heart and he reposted the click. What made this repost special is the fact that Kartik very sweetly expresses gratitude and shares his thoughts.

He says, Can never be grateful enough. As a kid, I used to have @iamsrk sirs posters. Aur Ab insta ke zamane mein to see Fans having my posters like this is surreal. Its Magical !! truly, to all the fans, Im missing you guys so much in this lockdown. He further even thanks the fan specially and states, Thank you Piku Your love keeps me going. Now thats really sweet of the young superstar.

Kartik Aaryan has been a big fan of Shah Rukh Khan and he has said it several times. In fact a few weeks back he had even recounted the story on social media when he got to meet Sagarika Ghatge almost a decade back and asked the Chak De India girl to pass on his wishes to King Khan when he was just a nobody.

Kartik Aaryan who has been a complete outsider in the industry has time and again candidly confessed about his struggling days and how he used to be just a fanboy who loved movies and the stars.

Today he has reached a pedestal with his hard work and sheer talent. Despite reaching a position, the young heartthrob has never forgotten his basics and neither shies away from talking about his early non-starry days. The nation loves to love this boy and for all the right reasons!
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for his leading role in the peace process which today characterizes important parts of the international community. Maybe, but it sure didnt start out that way.

By that, I dont mean to suggest Gorbachev was some warmonger cloaking himself in the language of peace. On the contrary, the man was sincere. He was also sincere in his commitment to Communism and the Soviet way. What ultimately led him to such international acclaim was first his honesty in looking inward at that system itself. The rest was mere expedience.

History has made the words perestroika (restructure) and glasnost (literally: listen) synonymous with the man. And while these were crucial in how the old Soviet way would end up being dismantled, it was very far from their original purpose.

On December 15, 1984, at the Soviet embassy in London Gorbachev met with KGB agents and representatives from officers in its Line X. The latter were there to bring him up to speed on its tactical successes. Line X had been established for the purposes of stealing particularly American technology. Not military secrets, mind you, corporate knowledge, new products, and know-how.

Gorbachev himself wasnt yet in full control of the massive Soviet empire. Though Yuri Andropov had died that February, and had made it widely known he wished Gorbachev to succeed him as General Secretary of the Communist Party, some top government politicians were concerned he was too young (53 at the time) standing up Konstantin Chernenko (a holdover Brezhnev guy) instead.

Chernenko was Gorbachevs opposite in many ways, including age. Too old and too frail, it was left to the younger man to essentially take control regardless of who had officially followed Andropov.

Most importantly, though, where Chernenko and his support base had been concerned, the Soviet state should hold fast to the course they were on. Gorbachev, like Andropov, realized this was suicide. But, they had judged Soviet Russias faults lay with the application of Marxist-Leninist thought, not in the doctrines themselves.

Very early on in the Russian Revolution, as far back as 1918, before the Red government was really fully operational, there was already a coalescing secret police apparatus being put in place. Directorate K, for example, was charged with counter-intelligence which, back then, meant spying as much on Russians as anyone else. Service A was dedicated to developing active measures to assist each directorate and its various departments.

Directorate T was the scientific and technical intelligence division. As Lenin himself allegedly said, the Communists would need to pursue Western technology with both hands.

Communism, you see, isnt meant to compete with capitalism, rather it is meant to replace it. The capitalists create all this marvelous technology which the Communists then expropriate as the basis from which to create their perfect human society.

As I wrote last week, thats why Karl Marx had envisioned (demanded, in some parts of his work) that the socialist revolutions would take place only where industrial capitalism had already contributed such grand innovations and knowledge. To attempt to impose communism on a pre-industrialized society was, even to Marx and his partner Friedrich Engels, madness. Doomed to failure.

Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin) wouldnt wait, however, even though Russia was nowhere near this prerequisite state. Instead, hed try it his own way; the revolutionaries would take over before the country was ready economically, and then, often using capitalist practices, they would bring the country up to snuff (central planning) beginning with the first National Economic Plan in 1921.

And, as much as possible, pilfer, filch, and steal every single bit of technology and innovation they could from the capitalist pigs to speed up the process and narrow the gap.

It was Leon Trotsky who had taken this idea to its furthest conclusion, in the process angering Josef Stalin. Writing later to try to save himself from Uncle Joes angry gaze, unsuccessfully, Trotsky clarified how his thoughts were consistent with Lenins; including how he, like Lenin, had spoken often of the possibility Marx was wrong. Perhaps not all national systems needed to pass through the democratic, capitalist stage in order to set the proper stage for pure socialism.

So long as some in the world industrialized and took the capitalism road as far as it would take them, pre-industrialized societies had the right to expropriate those gains, catch up to them, and then even lead the entire world, capitalist, too, in a global socialist revolution overthrowing the entire old order.

In his Pre-Requisites of Socialism, written back in 1919, Trotsky argued how the technological gap had become so large it wasnt realistic to expect the socialist system (of co-operatives) to have to catch up. Instead:

It is evident that if this took place the co-operative societies would then simply have automatically to expropriate all capitalist undertakings, after which it would remain for them to reduce the working day sufficiently to provide work for all citizens and to regulate the amount of production in the various branches in order to avoid crises. In this manner the main features of socialism would be established. Again it is clear that no revolution and no dictatorship of the working class would be at all necessary.

That would mean to literally expropriate all capitalist undertakings everywhere; not just what little had been induced in Russia.

Stalin, on the other hand, wanted to focus his iron grip on Russia alone, perfecting this sort of heterodox socialist experiment in that place before exporting the revolution elsewhere (Socialism In A Single Country), putting him at odds with this Trotsky-ite Permanent Revolution viewing everything globally.

Gorbachev, like Andropov, fell somewhere in the middle. He wanted to get Soviet Communism right, to focus just on the Russian version, and was absolutely dedicated to doing so. But in order to have any chance, theyd have to catch up using any means they could. Still committed to the Revolution, in 1985 he said:

We must not change our policy. It is right, correct, authentically Leninist. We have to accelerate our rhythm, go ahead, be frank and overcome our faults and see clearly our luminous future.

Directorate T and Line X had implanted agents all over the West in the seventies, taking full advantage of the pre-Reagan policy of detente in going after the soft corporate targets of especially technology companies. In July 1981, French President Francois Mitterrand demanded a private conversation with Ronald Reagan to inform the new US President of a Line X spys defection to French Intelligence.

Colonel Vladimir I. Vetrov, a KGB Directorate T official, had handed over purportedly thousands of documents showing the mountains of secrets Line X had robbed from Corporate America, particularly the potential from its nascent computer industry just then becoming unlocked.

Vetrov, given the French codename Farewell, showed how infiltrators would insert themselves into otherwise benign foreign delegations touring private corporate facilities. In one instance, at a visit to a sensitive Boeing factory, Line X personnel applied adhesive to the bottoms of their shoes to covertly pick up samples of any stray material uncollected on the facility floor for scientists back in Russia to examine and extrapolate.

According to US intelligence sources, the Americans used Farewells information to implant all kinds of false data, unworkable technology, and ridiculous plans in a counterintelligence sting that ran for years. By the time Gorbachev was in London being amazed at all these tactical successes, they had been widely compromised and stopped being very useful (in one story, the CIA allegedly convinced a chipmaker to stamp a taunting message on one false mold so that when the mold was inevitably stolen and a Russian factory began producing the chips from it the note was reproduced right on the product for the predictably Russian audience to choke on; then there was the fake Space Shuttle plans and the real, flawed shuttle the Russians built from them).

Perestroika wasnt any kind of attempt at peaceful co-existence. As Gorbachev said to those KGB guys in London, Line X was supposed to be a key part of it! Reform was going to mean Trotsky plusStalin equals Communism Wins.

To put it quite simply, the Russian version of the Marxist revolution hadnt gone very well. It was already two generations old, and the third had become sincerely apathetic about the whole enterprise. Under Brezhnev, instead of catching up to the West as had been planned the Russian economy kept falling further and further behind.

Much of that was due to its attempts to export this brand of socialism to the rest of the world. The military spending this required, to keep the US at bay while they did this, the feeble economy just couldnt support it. With production in domestic industries falling off, productivity in terminal decline, by the late seventies the Russians were in deep trouble.

As one old Soviet joke said, whenever the Party boss showed up at the mine (or factory) to give the workers their daily admonishments to work harder, the workers would laugh to themselves about how theyd continue pretending to work so long as the Party continued pretending to pay them.

This was no joke, not so far as the system was concerned. As Marx said, it is the workers who have to lead the revolution; if they dont buy in, forget the whole thing. And in order for the workers to buy in, they have to have something to buy in to. A realistic future where the socialist paradise made sense, a much better alternative to the rising living standards and technological prowess on display practically everywhere else.

It just never happened in Russia, after a few generations they figured how unrealistic it was, and here was Gorbachev to attempt dealing with the fallout. He only began by paring back Soviet military commitments. Right from the start, there was no hope of reforming the system with the economy having to carry such a massive burden (some estimates put military spending at 20 to 25% of meager contemporary Soviet GNP).

With so much diverted to guns, there was no means by which to invest especially in developing new technologies and productive capacities in the true Marxist tradition. As Nikolai Leonov, a KGB general, wrote:

First there was a visible decline in the rate of growth, then its complete stagnation. There was a drawn-out, deepening and almost insurmountable crisis in agriculture. It was a frightening and truly terrifying sign of crisis. It was these factors that were crucial in the transition to perestroika.

That was his peace initiative. Gorbachev had no alternative but to try to work with the Americans as his first step to getting the socialist dream back on track.

The rest of perestroika was, get this, simple capitalism. Just as Lenin realized he had to take this step in 1921 (one step backward in order to take two steps forward), Gorbachev was acceding to doctrinaire Marxism; to try to restart the two-step approach all over again, to salvage the Revolution from Lenins original sin of jumping the gun before Russia was sufficiently advanced.

By the eighties, it still wasnt sufficiently progressed because capitalism across the rest of the world had redefined, yet again, the standard for advanced.

Glasnost was political reform intended to soften the blow of Soviet hardliners who would resist any such sliding back defying the ideals of the Russian Revolution  just as Victor Serge had complained bitterly of Lenin in the early twenties and instead clearing the path for Stalin. By softening up the uncompromising authoritarian stance which was Stalins legacy, and allowing at least some limited freedom of expression, Gorbachev counted on this openness clearing his path toward restructuring.

Those reforms led ultimately to total dissolution. Why? Because as the central hand of the state was loosened, what there was of Russias economy simply collapsed further. Forget microchips and robotic assembly, mass starvation would come to be a very real prospect. Again.

By 1990, it grew to full-blown crisis. Perestroika was significantly revised (for the fourth or fifth time, depending on who was keeping track) into a plan whose end would have meant full-blown, no holds barred, free market capitalism. In Soviet Russia.

In a top-secret document, now in the hands of the US Library of Congress, the minutes of Meeting No. 2 of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU held on September 20, 1990, show that Gorbachev signed the following pledge on its behalf:

We adopt the position that was elaborated during the discussions of the Politburo of the Central Committee on the further activity to be taken by party organizations in connection with the conversion to a market economy, with the proviso that this matter is to be reviewed at the next Plenum of the Central Committee.

What followed was one radical proposal after another to do just that. The one which came closest to being acted upon was called the Five Hundred Day Program, or Shatalin Five Hundred Days Plan. Stanislav Shatalin along with Grigory Yavlinsky, an economist (Communist, but still) and close confidant of Gorbachevs who had worked on perestroika with him throughout, had proposed selling off all state properties, rethinking much of the top-down economic structure, and sanctioning a return to private property.

Even a true stock market.

It never happened. The hardline opposition Gorbachev had skillfully kept at bay with glasnost on his hip would no longer be held back by such a radical move. Forcing him to first denounce the Shatalin plan after so publicly supporting it, and Yavlinsky, Gorbachev tried to find compromises that just werent available. In August 1991, the old guard Communists attempted their coup.

Though he survived it, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was out not long after and the Soviet Union gone with him.

In January 1992, not coincidentally, Deng Xiaoping embarked upon his famous Southern Tour; his political campaign to convince Chinese Communist hardliners that they had better remember their Marx, their Trotsky, and to see the Soviet example for what it represented. The risks were more than real, and right next door.

Like Russia, China had been forced into its socialist revolution too soon. The Chinese economy was even less industrialized in 1949 than Russias had been three decades earlier. Not much had changed by 1989 when the massacre at Tiananmen Square turned world opinion solidly against them. Cooperation wasnt much of an option.

If Chinas Communist Revolution hoped to survive, it would have to go all the way  on the economy. Embrace the wealth and technology that only a capitalist system could invent and then multiply. And, of course, stealing, pilfering, and thieving as much as possible where possible; thats the part of Trotsky they all seem to agree on.

Unlike the Russians, though, the Chinese would keep a tighter political grip while this happened. Thats the lesson they ultimately learned; more wealth first, and even more authoritarian to achieve it. So long as the rest of the worlds workers refused Trotskys old invitation, China would have to do it Stalin-style: Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in One Country.

They keep waiting for enough wealth to be created, or just show up at their doorstep delivered clandestinely by whatever they might call their own version of Line X in Chinese, since communism doesnt create its own wealth. Theyve been indoctrinated into believing that the capitalist West will, eventually, exhaust itself, the Communist countries industrialized as well as pre-industrialized will catch up, and then the workers of the world will unite!

It just never happens. Those countries unfortunate enough to fall victim to this misanthropic, ill-conceived, and, really, stupid ideology end up with authoritarians trying to transition their economy from wherever it was before to where it cannot and never will go. Instead, theyre just stuck with the authoritarians and their quixotic quest to impose their utopia which justifies the authoritarianism - and all its evils - in the minds of the authoritarians.

And over the years, especially recent years, proponents have made all kinds of excuses for why Soviet Russia didnt fail, or if it did why it wasnt their fault. Blah. Blah. Dont listen to them; watch what they all did in the early nineties, especially the Chinese. Chinas miracle growth and breathtaking transformation since that very time isnt actually a miracle at all, nor was its timing coincidence.

As much as they might want to, they just cant steal their way to paradise. And if theres always more left to steal, where does it truly end?

It's what capitalism can do, when allowed, and what communism never will. Theres no such thing as terminal wealth and technology. After almost four centuries of progress, we should expect and even prepare for how it all just stops? As I wrote above, socialism really is a stupid, deeply misanthropic ideology.

Capitalism sure is messy, unpredictable, and, most of all, lumpy. It doesnt go in a straight line, can cause tremendous stress and pain, and there are times when it gets caught up, for prolonged periods, in the bureaucratic messes of interfering morons. But once it is eventually set free, stable money, the worlds workers end up united if only in having no interest in the deplorable Marxist revolution - Trotsky, Lenin, or Mao - and its authoritarian Hotel California.

For as bad as it might get at times, including these, it sure can get worse. If we let it. The trick is, not to fall for the trick in the first place. If you never check in, you'll never have to worry about how you can never check out.

Jeffrey Snider is the Head of Global Research at Alhambra Partners.
American model Caprice appeared engrossed in a phone call on Friday when she headed to a business meeting in West London.

The mother-of-two, 48, looked incredible as she dared to go braless under a floral maxi dress which was semi-sheer in places and had contrasting panels.

She wore a slick of bright red lipstick and also wore a pair of killer high heels which added some height to her statuesque frame.

Stunner: Caprice appeared engrossed in a phone call as she went braless under a sexy floral maxi dress and killer heels while on her way to a meeting in west London on Friday

Cheeky! She opened the buttons of her dress to show off her ample assets

Caprice wore her hair in loose curls and gasped as her phone conversation heated up.

A source told MailOnline: Caprice is feeling alive now she is back in work mode and shes just done her first photoshoot for the front cover of Women Fitness Magazine since restrictions were lifted.

'She had a quick dash to her Ibiza house to do some maintenance works but made it back to London for her business commitments.

'It was the first time this year she was able to make it abroad due to Covid-19 and is hoping to have a nice holiday in Ibiza soon.

'She is always on the go but it doesnt stop her from making the effort with her appearance, she loves to look the part. Caprice likes to dress up for meetings as it makes her feel confident, empowered and sexy.'

Flower power: Her pretty dress had a slit going up the front and suited her perfectly

The source continued: 'She has had to work really hard to override the stereotype of being a model. It hasnt been easy over the years and she has had to prove herself in a predominantly male dominated business space.

'By making a huge effort and dressing her best for meetings she finds other people do treat her differently. It definitely helps to command the room and get what you want.

'Since restrictions have been lifted over the past few weeks, she has loved swapping the joggers for dresses, and anyone who wants to stereotype her today she always says god bless them ... the success of her By Caprice brand is proven on paper and through sales.

Meanwhile, Caprice's latest outing comes after Twitter users called on a GP to apologise to her.

Stopping traffic: Caprice managed to walk in the highest of heels on the day

Caprice has been proved right after she was proved right following a heated debate about coronavirus on the Jeremy Vine Show in March.

On March 16 - a week before the UK went into lockdown - the model found herself at loggerheads with Dr Sarah Jarvis on how best to curtail the pandemic's growth.

Former Dancing On Ice contestant Caprice drew the ire of the medical expert when she suggested the UK go into a total shutdown for two weeks to contain the virus - a model which she insisted had worked in Asia.

Dr Jarvis replied that the strategy had 'categorically not worked', adding: 'With the greatest respect, unless you have read every scientific paper and statistical modelling paper that's come out, you cannot argue with me on that. You can have an opinion but it's not a fact.'

Time always tells: Caprice has been proved right after she was proved right following a heated debate about coronavirus on the Jeremy Vine Show in March

Calm: A source close to the star exclusively told MailOnline that Caprice was 'very intellectual' and had purposely maintained a dignified silence when she had been proven right with the UK-wide lockdown

Back to doing what she does best: Caprice has posed for the latest issue of Women Fitness, her first shoot since lockdown restrictions were lifted

A source close to the star exclusively told MailOnline that Caprice was 'very intellectual' and had purposely maintained a dignified silence when she had been proven right with the UK-wide lockdown.

They said: 'She has been concerned like many others that there has been a lack of clarity from so called experts.

'Caprice has always believed the UK should have followed Taiwan and Singapore's lead in how they have tackled the coronavirus early on.

'Ultimately those countries have controlled and contained the spread of the virus, and one of those measures was wearing a mask early when COVID-19 broke-out.

'So many people have now not worn a mask in shops and now the government are saying we should.

'Everyone at the time laughed and undermined what Caprice was saying because of the stereotype that she was a model. Caprice is actually very intellectual.

'She remained elegantly silent and let everyone mock her but she was correct all along. And the fact she got it from a world leading authority should have had some weight back in March too.'
The Midland Police Department is inviting the Midland community to help name the departments newest four-legged officer via a community naming contest.

The dog, a 13  15-month old German Shepherd, will be selected by MPD with assistance from Mid-Michigan Police K9 in the coming weeks and is anticipated to begin training with its handler in September. The K9 will be trained to assist in search and recovery and article tracking, but will also interact directly with the public and be actively engaged in MPDs community policing efforts.

To participate in the naming contest, residents can enter up to three potential names per person by visiting www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/namethek9. Paper contest forms will be available for those without internet access at the Midland Law Enforcement Center, 2727 Rodd St.

Contest rules:

 The contest is open to Midland County residents only.

 Entries should be suitable for either a male or female.

 Entries should not be trademarks, registered brand names, or the names of organizations or corporations.

 Entries using the names of individuals either living or deceased will not be selected. First names are acceptable.

 Entries that are obscene, offensive and/or derogatory in nature will be disqualified.

The community naming contest will end at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 31

MPD staff will select its top three favorite names, with final naming rights given to the dogs handler. The resident whose name entry is selected will receive a prize pack from MPD and a special meet-and-greet with the new dog and its handler.

Midland Police Department is both excited and grateful for the opportunity to continue our K9 program in 2020, said Chief of Police Nicole Ford. This K9 will play an important role in MPDs presence in the community, so we hope our residents will join in our excitement and help us pick the perfect name for our newest officer.

The new dog will be purchased for the department following a $77,848 donation from the Katherine A. Moore Revocable Trust.

For more information on the Midland Police Department and its K9 unit, visit www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/police.

 Processed by Ashley Schafer, Ashley.Schafer@hearstnp.com
The coronavirus pandemic has millions of Americans shut out of public pools this summer, and that has opened up a huge opportunity for one small start-up. Swimply has been compared with Airbnb and VRBO, because it's employs a similar strategy, only for pools.

Barely 2 years old, the company has seen 2,000% growth this summer, according to its 20-something year-old co-founders from New York and New Jersey. Prices range anywhere from $15 to $300 per hour, depending on the type of pool, location and additional amenities offered  like restroom access. Some homeowners also have hot tubs by the pool. Swimply will also work with homeowners to provide portable restrooms if they want.

Swimply's web platform facilitates the booking and payment process and then takes 15% as a fee. Owners are allowed to deny any renter application, as long as it is not based on race or sexual orientation. Owners can mandate the maximum number of swimmers allowed during any rental booking.

"We've seen demand skyrocket. We simply cannot keep up," said Asher Weinberger, co-founder of Swimply. "There are people who are now desperate to get out of their homes. They're working from home. There's no school. There's no camp. What are parents supposed to do with their kids?"

There was concern at the beginning of the pandemic that pools were unsafe, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on its website states: "There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of recreational waters." The CDC does, however, say that proper social distancing should be implemented even while in the pool, as well as other safety measures to prevent contagion.

Weinberger, who rents out his own pool on the platform, said once the safety issue was addressed, demand just exploded. The site lists pools in 39 states as well as in Canada and Australia. It initially began with just over a million dollars in seed capital.

"And we were about to close a $3 million round from the Bay Area right when Covid-19 hit, and that took that off the table, but it turned out to be the best thing for us because now we're profitable, and we're scaling without venture capital," said Weinberger.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department confirmed that a small alligator was spotted in Austin's Lady Bird Lake earlier this month after social media was abuzz this week about the rare reptile sighting.

Originally posted on Instagram, Austin resident Anna Eulo said she took the photo when she saw the alligator while kayaking on the lake July 7 near Festival Beach.

READ ALSO: Kayaker spots alligator on upper Guadalupe River

Before returning to dock, Eulo and her date decided to head over to some logs that had turtles sun bathing on them. When they approached, they saw the alligator laying on the bank.

"When my date Will pointed it out to me, I didn't really believe it. I kept saying 'there is no way,'" Eulo said. "It was definitely super fascinating, but equally terrifying."

Once the two snapped a picture, they hightailed it out of the area, worried the alligator's parents may be close by.

"It is something very unusual and pretty cool," said Jonathan Warner, alligator program leader for TPWD. "It is not normal to see such a special encounter with wildlife."

There are only two types of crocodilian native to the United States  the American Alligator and the American Crocodile, which is only found in Florida. As for the alligator, Warner said years of conservation efforts have allowed the animal to thrive in multiple areas of the country.

Alligators aren't common in Central Texas because of the colder weather compared to the coastal marsh areas in the southern or eastern parts of the state, where they are normally found. However, it doesn't mean they can't appear in odd areas. Warner said alligators have been spotted occasionally in areas like Austin, San Antonio or Dallas because they are either illegal pets who have been released or were displaced due to flooding.

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Alligators are illegal to own without special permits, but that doesn't stop people from obtaining them, Warner said. He believes the alligator spotted at Lady Bird Lake was a former pet that outgrew its habitat.

Alligators are naturally docile creatures. Based on the size of the alligator in the photograph, Warner said it doesn't pose a threat to the community as long as individuals don't harass it, catch it or feed it.

Warner said the alligator hasn't been spotted since early July and may have made it's way down the river or out of the lake by now.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
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Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas and Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 07:46 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666f0636 1 Business omnibus-bill-on-job-creation,omnibus-law,COVID-19,investment,economic-growth,Kadin Free

Businesspeople are pushing the government and the House of Representatives to accelerate deliberation of the omnibus bill on job creation, saying the bill  if passed into law  would help businesses to stay afloat during the coronavirus-induced economic downturn.

Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) deputy chairwoman Shinta Kamdani said the bill would be able to boost the countrys competitiveness, adding that it would create much-needed jobs after around 6.4 million workers were laid off or furloughed during the coronavirus pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the bill even more relevant and essential to support economic recovery, Shinta told The Jakarta Post in a phone interview on Wednesday. We need structural reform and a greater amount of investment to offset the job losses caused by the pandemic.

Some 5.5 million people may lose their jobs this year, raising the total number of unemployed people to 12.7 million, according to an estimate by the National Development Planning Ministry.

The omnibus bill seeks to revise 79 prevailing laws and more than 1,200 articles from labor and mining regulations to business license and environmental laws, among other things, to cut red-tape and attract investment to the country.

President Joko Jokowi Widodos administration is expecting the bills deliberation to finish by early September to swiftly improve ease of doing business in Indonesia and attract investment, thereby boosting job opportunities and economic growth in Southeast Asias largest economy.

Indonesias gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to shrink 0.4 percent this year in the worst case scenario, or grow only 1 percent in the baseline scenario as the coronavirus outbreak paralyzes business activity.

Indonesia has been a complex market for foreign investors to invest in, said British Chamber of Commerce (Britcham) Indonesia executive director Chris Wren, citing the many overlapping laws and regulations that made foreigners hold back their investment.

Corporates around the world are planning to diversify their supply chain and production to reduce dependence on a single market [in China], Wren went on to say. The passage of the omnibus bill can place Indonesia in a very strong position to compete for these relocations.

Wren said there had been continued interest in trade and investment with Indonesia, adding that simplification of regulatory structures could accelerate that interest and land new investment that would create long-term employment.

Seven foreign companies, including South Korean industrial conglomerate LG, have confirmed plans to relocate production facilities to Indonesia, which is expected to bring US$850 million to the country and potential employment for 30,000 workers.

However, several lawmakers at the House of Representatives Legislation Body (Baleg) said it would not be possible to pass the bill into law in a short time as the bill contained 15 chapters and 174 articles laid out in over 1,000 pages.

Baleg deputy chairman Willy Aditya of the NasDem Party told the Post recently that the body had yet to discuss several crucial chapters of the bill, such as those related to labor and environmental issues.

Reform on investment law to eliminate discrimination against foreign direct investment would bring capital inflow and create more jobs, while implementing a risk-based approach to export and import licensing would plug the country into the global value chains, World Bank lead economist for Indonesia Frederico Gil Sander said on Thursday.

The omnibus bill has the potential to turbocharge economic recovery, but some reforms could be detrimental to the economy and some pitfalls should be avoided, he said.

But the bill also includes reforms that could be detrimental to the environment, health and safety and incomes of Indonesians  dropping them or modifying them will ensure the bill brings maximum benefits to everyone.

Observers have criticized the stronger role of the central government in the bill while environmentalists have warned that less stringent environmental impact analyses and building permit requirements will result in unsustainable growth. Labor unions also reject the draft as they fear it will jeopardize labor rights.

We joined the governments technical team to provide protection for workers and their families, but they did not listen to us, the Indonesian Worker Union Confederation (KSPI) president Said Iqbal told the Post. We will now try to lobby lawmakers and will hold a nationwide protest with hundreds of thousands of workers in August.
Emilio Lozoya's extradition is a significant step to defeating corruption, says Mexico's president.

Emilio Lozoya (R), seen here in Spain in February, has agreed to co-operate Image copyrightReuters



The former boss of Mexican state oil company Pemex has been extradited from Spain to face corruption charges back home in Mexico, police say.

Emilio Lozoya is accused of taking $10m (8m) in bribes from a Brazilian construction firm that has admitted paying off Latin American politicians.

Mr Lozoya denies any wrongdoing and has agreed to co-operate with the inquiry.

Spanish police said he boarded a plane that left Madrid-Barajas airport at 17:57 (15:57 GMT) on Thursday.

The aircraft was heading for Mexico with a scheduled stop in Canada, officials said.

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Mr Lozoya's extradition from Spain marked a significant step towards defeating corruption in his country.

"This voluntary extradition is going to do a lot to help purify public life, to clean up corruption," he told a news conference on Thursday.

Mr Lopez Obrador said it was important to dig out as much information as possible and expose corrupt officials in order to prevent them from returning to power.

Mr Lozoya, who was chief executive of Pemex until four years ago, fled to Spain after being accused of receiving substantial bribes from construction company Odebrecht.

The 45-year-old was arrested in southern Spain in February.

Founded in the 1940s, Odebrecht was for a while one of Brazil's most competitive construction companies, winning contracts not just in Latin America but also in the Middle East and Africa.

It won numerous awards and was voted one of the best employers in Brazil.

But in 2015 the arrest of its chief executive, Marcelo Odebrecht, shattered the firm's image.

Initially he denied all accusations of corrupt links to politicians, but two years later a plea bargain deal saw him come forward with allegations that are still rocking Latin American politics.

Mr Lozoya was also one of the closest advisers to former President Enrique Pena Nieto, who is not implicated in the scandal. BBC
CHICAGO, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Landmarks Illinois is celebrating a positive development in our ongoing lawsuit against the Rock Island County Board and Rock Island County Public Building Commission to prevent the proposed demolition of the historic Rock Island County Courthouse. In its opinion issued Thursday, July 16, 2020, the Illinois Appellate Court agreed with Landmarks Illinois' argument that Rock Island County cannot defy state agencies and must comply with the Illinois State Historic Resources Preservation Act in its pursuit to demolish the historic courthouse.

The opinion stated the county cannot proceed with demolition until it undergoes the proper consultation process with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency as required by state law. In addition, the Appellate Court made clear that private parties like Landmarks Illinois and its co-plaintiffs have standing to sue to ensure that public officials follow the law.

"Landmarks Illinois is pleased the Appellate Court determined that the county must follow state preservation law, affirming the public's right to be consulted on the future of their courthouse," said Bonnie McDonald, President & CEO of Landmarks Illinois. "We stand ready to be a voluntary resource to the county to find a preservation solution benefitting the people of Rock Island County, which we believe is available and feasible."

In February 2019, Landmarks Illinois joined the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Rock Island Preservation Society, the Moline Preservation Society, the Broadway Historic District Association and local residents Fred Shaw and Diane Oestreich, to file a lawsuit against the Rock Island County Board and Rock Island County Public Building Commission to prevent the county agencies from illegally tearing down the publicly owned courthouse. The case was dismissed in March 2019 by Peoria County 10th Circuit Court, a decision Landmarks Illinois and fellow plaintiffs appealed. Landmarks Illinois' pro bono attorneys from Jenner & Block presented oral arguments to the Illinois Third District Appellate Court in Ottawa in November 2019.

Since originally filing its lawsuit in 2019, Landmarks Illinois has remained committed to finding a common-sense, preservation solution for the historic Rock Island County Courthouse and has pursued working with county officials to avoid prolonged litigation.

Earlier this year, there was an offer to purchase the historic building and a proposal to convert it into a federal courthouse, at no expense to the county. Landmarks Illinois urges county officials to consider existing private reuse proposals such as these that avoid demolition of the 123-year-old courthouse and benefit the community.

About Landmarks Illinois

We are People Saving Places for People. Landmarks Illinois is a membership-based nonprofit organization serving the people of Illinois. We inspire and empower stakeholders to save places that matter to them by providing free guidance, practical and financial resources and access to strategic partnerships. For more information, visit www.Landmarks.org.

Media Contact:

Kaitlyn McAvoy

Communications Manager, Landmarks Illinois

[email protected]

SOURCE Landmarks Illinois

Related Links

http://www.landmarks.org


Three arrested for drug trafficking in Carlisle County
The economic relations between France and Armenia are based on a regular and constantly increasing flow of trade, the French ambassador to Armenia Jonathan Lacote said in an interview with Armenian News - NEWS.am.

"In 2018, France exported to Armenia 68 M EUR (an increase of 24 M EUR) and Armenia exported to France 12 M EUR, i.e. a total of 80 M EUR of trade (+67.2%)," he noted. "The French presence is very diversified (hotels, supermarkets, insurance, spirits, electrical equipment) and French companies are more and more interested in Armenia."

According to him, 'Armenia's insertion into international trade is likely to progress in the coming years'

"Armenia enjoys tariff advantages vis-a-vis the EU and has concluded a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU," the envoy added.

"It is still too early to have an accurate estimate of the impact that this crisis will have on our trade. The fact is that it is taking place in an initially favourable context for our trade, with an increase of 67% in 2018, and that it affects all of Armenia's trading partners equally.

The coronavirus crisis will have a lasting impact on both our countries, particularly in terms of tourism. France and Armenia are indeed two important tourist destinations and many joint projects are to be developed, in particular around the Franco-Armenian vocational training center (CEPFA)," Jonathan Lacote added. "French companies established in Armenia have shown unprecedented resilience in their respective fields of activity. I am referring in particular to mass distribution, insurance and water distribution, areas in which they have been able to adapt to the emergency measures that were needed while setting the best example in terms of applying international standards. The observed increase in health and safety conditions for workers and the solidarity expressed towards the medical sector will benefit the whole country."
Groups and counseling can address those singular kinds of trauma, but Davis said historical trauma is larger and can affect hundreds if not thousands of people, much like a pandemic or sudden generational change.

Ill tell you, being an Oklahoman all my life, I felt some grief and some loss of innocence when the twin towers (World Trade Center) came down, Davis said. And I was right here at 16th and Utica in Parkside as a young counselor, but I felt that impact. And I was also at the University of Central Oklahoma, and literally heard and felt the shake when the Murrah building blew up.

Unlike the more recent events or even ongoing ones like COVID-19, Davis said past generations experiences dont only exist in the past. The consequences of those days in history leave longstanding and critical marks on those cultures most affected, Davis said.

Davis said the idea is if practitioners can have a better education and cultural competency about those generational events and their lingering effects, they can better serve those in need.
In a country of 200 million, where sexual assault is described as endemic, a small centre has been launched in Abuja, Nigerias capital to provide psychosocial support for children and teens sexually abused while they wait for justice.

Recent reports of rape incidents have left many Nigerians enraged over incessant savage attacks, especially on children and young women.

PREMIUM TIMES has reported several rape cases across Nigeria in the past few weeks, some leading to the death of the victims.

A 13-year-old girl stunned Nigerians when she narrated how her father raped her on a daily basis.

As more Nigerians call for stiffer punishment against rapists, the Nigerian governments declared a state of emergency on sexual violence while lawmakers are debating on whether to prescribe castration for persons found guilty of rape.

However, despite these measures, more victims still find it difficult to get justice.

PREMIUM TIMES has also reported how a 16-year-old girl, allegedly raped by an Islamic cleric in Osun State vowed to commit suicide after her family was persuaded to accept an offer to settle the matter out of court.

Nigeria has an extremely low conviction rate for rape and sexual abuse, despite an increase in violence against women. Last week, the police called on the federal government to set up a special court that will help ensure accelerated hearing of rape cases.

But the shortcomings in Nigerias legal system  where the burden to prove rape or abuse often lies in the evidence of it also being a violent attack  are not the only challenges facing survivors. Africas most populous nation has just a handful of facilities dedicated to the care and support of survivors.

Teen Support Centre

As the wheel of justice continues to grind ever slowly, the Sexual Offences Awareness and Response Initiative (SOAR) and teen support centre was launched on Thursday in Abuja to give rape victims and their families a platform to share their stories and the much-needed support to heal from the traumatic experiences.

Children sexually abused are often afraid to speak up. This is why Nigerian lawmakers is seeking to amend the criminal code to eliminate a time frame for prosecuting cases of sexual abuse by increasing the period from two months to as many years as the victim decides to seek action.

SOAR initiative is focused on addressing the broad psychological support needs of sexually abused children while also helping them access justice for the crime committed against them, Chinyere Eyoh, the founder of the platform said during the launch.

Ms Eyoh, a survivor of child sexual abuse and rape, said opening the centre was borne out her personal experience growing up.

I understand the hurt, pain and trauma that every sexually abused child goes through and know that as important as it is to go after the perpetrators to get justice, it is more important to ensure the affected child is able to heal and move on trauma-free, she explained. Psychosocial support and counselling by trained hands is required but this is largely overlooked (by) families of victims.

Unveiling of SOAR centre in Abuja.

In partnership with the Nigerian police and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), SOAR centre is offering to fill this gap by providing 8-week individual counselling support for adolescent survivors aged 10 to 17.

This novel program provides information, life and coping skills and peer group support to children affected who otherwise would have just been to get over it, Ms Eyoh said.

She said the centre received 222 and supported 27 reports of sexual and gender-based violence during the coronavirus lockdowns from mid-April to June. This official opening is to publicly announce that these much-needed services are now ready to function at full capacity.

Representative the police force, CSP Funmi Kolawale, the head of the gender unit, FCT command launching the platform.

Gabriel Onyale, a representative of NAPTIP, said the agency has created a special unit for gender-based violence. He said the unit will assist the SOAR programme.

A representative of the police force, CSP Funmi Kolawale, the head of the gender unit, FCT command said a similar unit was created by the police. She said the culture of silence must be discouraged at all costs.

Sexual violence must surely be considered a norm in our society rather than an anomaly, said Kolawole Olatosimi, the national coordinator Child and Youth Protection Foundation (CYPF).

By castrating those found guilty of rape does not mean we will no longer hear of rape cases. There is a need to provide emotional and psychological support for victims so they can heal from their sad experiences, he noted.
Four children under the age of 13 accused of brutally raping a five-year old boy on a remote beach in an Aboriginal community in Far North Queensland will not be charged or face prosecution.

The attack unfolded at Napranum, on the north-west coast of Cape York, on July 1, police allege.

One of the alleged offenders is under the age of ten and cannot be held criminally responsible, while the other three boys are aged between ten and 13.

The alleged attack was so violent the five-year-old required emergency medical treatment and was airlifted to Cairns Hospital, some 800km away.

The four boys accused of the July 1 attack, which allegedly occurred on the north-west coast of Cape York at a remote beach in Napranum (pictured), have been taken into custody

But due to the extremely young age of the alleged offenders in Napranum, police can use their discretion to determine how they proceed.

In this case, the four boys will be dealt with under the process of 'restorative justice'.

The unorthodox tactic is commonly used in indigenous communities and normally involves extensive counselling, a mediated meeting with the victim's family and an apology to the victim.

Community members said the disturbing allegations have torn several families apart and reopened wounds from a shocking sex crime that happened 15 years earlier.

Napranum is considered one of the most deprived areas in Queensland with high levels of crime and unemployment in the 900-strong community.

The mother of the alleged victim fell pregnant with him before she had even reached her teens, The Australian reported.

According to the 2016 Census, there were 907 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people living in Napranum (pictured: Children of Napranum play. There is no suggestion the children pictured are involved in the case)

A Queensland Police spokesman confirmed none of the alleged attackers would face criminal court.

'Under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act, the Queensland Police Service have a number of avenues to consider, including Childrens Court, alternative diversion programs, conferencing and restorative justice processes,' the spokesman said.

'The action taken by police is based on evidence garnered throughout the investigative process and is reviewed by senior police prior to the commencement of any action.

'This action also considers giving the offender the best opportunity of rehabilitation and reducing the risk of repeat offending.'

Paintings on a public block at sporting fields in Napranum (pictured) near where the attack took place

'There are big arguments about how this happened,' one local said.

'It is creating big problems in the town. It is not the first time something like this has happened.'

The neighbouring community of Aurukun, about 40km south of Napranum, was at the centre of nationwide outrage in 2006 when a ten-year-old girl was gang raped by nine men aged between 13 and 25.

The young girl was born to an alcoholic mother and suffered from a mild intellectual disability.

Although the men all pleaded guilty to a litany of sexual offences, the judge spared them jail time and said the victim 'probably agreed' to have sex with them.

She ruled the men were also victims themselves after growing up deprived and subjected to physical and sexual abuse at the hands of others in their community.

No convictions were recorded in the horrifying case, sparking fury across Australia.

The alleged gang rape of a five-year-old boy has reopened wounds from a shocking sex crime 15 years earlier in nearby Aurukun

Then Prime Minster Kevin Rudd expressed his anger at the court's decision at the time.

'I'm disgusted and appalled by the reports that I've seen in today's newspapers on this case,' Mr Rudd said.

'My attitude of violence towards women and children, including sexual violence towards women and children, is one of zero tolerance.'

The alleged Napranum gang rape is the latest of a series of horrifying cases in remote Aboriginal communities.

A 27-year-old man was sentenced to 13 years in prison in March for raping a two-year-old girl in Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory while her mother was sleeping in a crime that shocked Australia.

The toddler suffered severe internal injuries in the 2018 attack and had to be flown to an Adelaide hospital where she underwent a blood transfusion.

Sources said the injuries inflicted upon the alleged victim were so horrific he had to be airlifted to Cairns Hospital (pictured) for emergency medical treatment

Remote Tennant Creek (pictured) in the Northern Territory where the horrific child rape of a two-year-old occurred in 2018

Such incidents have raised concerns about child safety in remote Indigenous communities.

In 2016, a Griffith University study headed by Professor Stephen Smallbone examined the prevalence of sexual abuse in Indigenous North Queensland communities.

It found sex crimes in Aurukun were occurring at a rate 6.6 times higher than the rest of Queensland, with the average age of victims just 14.

The report also revealed that sexually transmitted diseases were spreading at an alarming rate.

Syphilis infections were detected to be 56 times above the state average.

The report found 29 children younger than ten had contracted the sexually transmitted disease.

The boys accused of the gang rape have been removed from the community for fear of retribution.
LifeStyle

The best Lifestyle shows are right here, from Australia and around the world. Catch up with the experts on home design and interiors, food and cooking, the property market, and get fresh ideas with the savviest of renovators. Whether you need inspiration for cooking up a storm, to refresh a tired room, or tips to sell your property, Foxtel Lifestyle will always something new for you to watch. Enjoy your favourite experts like Andrew Winter and Neale Whitaker, or Shaynna Blaze and Jamie Oliver live or On Demand.
Taliban Says It Freed 845 Afghan Forces, 'Fully Committed' to Pact With US

By Ayaz Gul July 16, 2020

The Taliban said Thursday it has already released 845 Afghan security forces under an ongoing prisoner swap with the Kabul government and is working to free the remaining 155 in line with the insurgent group's agreement with the United States.

Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen shared the details with VOA, insisting that his group was "fully committed" to the pact it signed with Washington to help set the stage as quickly as possible for launching peace talks with Afghan rivals to agree on a permanent cease-fire in Afghanistan.

Shaheen said that the Afghan government has so far released 4,050 Taliban prisoners out of the promised 5,000, as stipulated in the U.S.-Taliban deal. He again ruled out intra-Afghan peace talks until all Taliban prisoners are set free, according to a list the group shared with U.S. officials before inking the February 29 accord in Doha, Qatar.

But the prisoner swap details Shaheen shared with VOA contradict those Kabul has so far made public.

Afghan officials say they have freed more than 4,200 Taliban inmates and allege that nearly half of the government prisoners released by the insurgents are civilians, and not security forces.

Shaheen rejected the allegations, saying all the detainees the Taliban has freed were serving in Afghan army and police forces prior to being captured during battlefield attacks by insurgents.

"This is one of the lame excuses the Kabul administration has been using to slow down the (peace) process," he said.

"We have video interviews with all of them in which they confessed and shared details of their respective units and areas or provinces they were captured from," Shaheen said.

He spoke to VOA a day after Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said that the Taliban has not kept up its commitments agreed to in the peace deal.

"While the Taliban have been scrupulous about not attacking U.S. or coalition forces, in fact the violence against the Afghans is higher than it's been in quite a while," McKenzie told VOA.

The U.S.-Taliban deal binds insurgents not to attack American and allied troops while they are drawing down from Afghanistan. It also requires the Taliban reduce violence in the run-up to intra-Afghan negotiations, including ceasing suicide and other bombings in urban centers.

The agreement requires all American and allied troops to withdraw from Afghanistan by July 2021 in return for Taliban counterterrorism assurances and pledges to seek political reconciliation with other Afghan groups.

On Tuesday, chief Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman said Washington was keeping its end of the deal.

"The United States agreed to reduce its forces in Afghanistan to 8,600 and withdraw from five bases. We have met this obligation," said Hoffman in a statement.

Increased Taliban attacks on Afghan security forces, particularly this week's deadly suicide car bombing of the local office for the national spy agency in northern Samangan province, have drawn strong local and international condemnation.

The bomb-and-gun attack in the Samangan's provincial capital, Aybak, which killed 11 people and injured more than 60 others, was the first such action since the Taliban sealed the deal with the U.S, and prompted Washington to also denounce it as a breach of insurgent commitments.

Shaheen, however, defended the attack saying it was a reaction to intensified night air raids by Afghan forces against civilians and Taliban fighters in insurgent-controlled districts.

"These attacks have martyred tens of our members and civilians in areas under our control in six Afghan provinces. That's what prompted us to conduct the Samangan bombing. Other than this one incident, we have not launched any major attacks anywhere in Afghanistan," the Taliban spokesman said.

Carla Babb contributed to this report.

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New Delhi:

Missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed's mother met Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday. The Home Minister has assured her of his intervention to find out the youth who has been untraceable since October 15.

Fatima Nafees and other family members urged the Home Minister to trace Najeeb, a student of School of Biotechnology in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and a native of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh.

The Home Minister gave a patient hearing to Najeeb's mother and other family members and listened to all their grievances, official sources said.

Singh told them that Delhi Police has set up a special team to pursue the case and he was personally taking stock of the progress in the probe.

The Home Minister assured the family all kind of assistance, the sources said.

SP MP from Badaun Dharmendra Yadav, who accompanied Najeeb's family, said the Home Minister has assured them that efforts are being made to trace him at the earliest.

"If police are not able to trace him, we will approachcourt and raise the issue in Parliament," Yadav told after the meeting.

Najeeb's sister Sadaf rubbished allegations that he was mentally unstable and said efforts are being made to "defame" him instead of tracing him.

"He had cracked university exams, he is a studious child.Do you think a person studying at such a prestigious institution can be mentally unstable? I request (all) that please don't defame him. He had sleeping problems that children who are studying often have due to pressure. He had no other problem," she said.

Najeeb (27) went missing on October 15 following a non-campus scuffle allegedly with some members of ABVP the night before.

His mother claimed that she had spoken to Najeeb on the night of brawl and that she was sure that he did not leave the campus on his own.

"I spoke to him at 11 PM, he wasn't depressed. He was waiting for me, he had called me up. He did not go anywhere on his own he has been kidnapped...I am sure about it," Nafees said.

Najeeb's mother was detained on Sunday by police while attempting to take out a protest march to India Gate.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
India reported 34,956 cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and 687 deaths between Thursday and Friday morning, in another record jump in a single day, according to the Union health ministry.

The countrys infection tally is now at 1,003,832 and India has now become only the third country in the world after the United States and Brazil with more than a million cases of the coronavirus disease. The death toll stands at 25,602.

The country crossed the million-mark in 137 days and half of these were in a hard nationwide lockdown announced in the early days of the pandemic.

The number of recovered cases at 635,756 is more than half of the active patients. With 22,942 patients sent home from hospitals over the last 24 hours, the recovery rate has gone up to 63.33%, data showed.

Also read: Rahul Gandhi issues another warning, says Indias next million Covid-19 cases could come in weeks

There are 342,473 patients of the viral disease in the country as of now.

On Wednesday night, at least half the 330,725 active cases in the country were reported from just 10 cities, with a third of all such cases in Maharashtra.

The 10 cities account of 52.7% of all active cases in the country and urban centres, or city districts, are significantly more affected by the virus and account for a majority of the active cases, a district- and state-wise analysis of active coronavirus infections by HT shows.

Among the 10 districts with the highest number of active cases, eight are city-districts or districts that constitute a single city.

Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Karnataka, Telangana are among the states which have added to the countrys caseload constantly. There are 284281 Covid-19 cases and 11194 deaths in Indias worst-hit state of Maharashtra.

Also read: 10 cities account for half of Indias active Covid-19 infections

There are more than 13.7 million infections and 589,211 deaths across the world, according to Johns Hopkins Universitys tracker.

The US has 3,576,156 Covid-19 cases and 138,358 fatalities, while Brazils infection tally is at 2,012,151 and death toll 76,688.
Colorado and Arkansas on July 16 joined a growing list of states in the United States of American that require face coverings in public places to combat a surge in coronavirus infections, after Georgia's governor moved the other way and barred such measures from being imposed at the local level.

The conflicting directives over face coverings came as the US reported at least 75,000 new COVID-19 cases nationwide on July 16, a record daily jump in known infections for the seventh time this month, according to a Reuters tally.

With announcements from Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, and Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, a majority of states - 26 out of 50 - have now sided with public health experts urging that face masks be mandatory, rather than a matter of personal choice.

Bucking the trend, Georgia's Republican governor, Brian Kemp, issued an executive order late on Wednesday suspending local face-mask regulations while saying residents were "strongly encouraged" to wear them.

Kemp, one of the first governors to ease statewide stay-at-home orders and business closures following the early stages of the U.S. outbreak, suggested that mandating masks would be too restrictive.

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

After Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta, Georgia's capital and largest city, said she planned to defy Kemp's order and enforce a mandatory mask ordinance she issued on July 8, Kemp filed suit on Thursday to override her.

"This lawsuit is on behalf of the Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees who are struggling to survive during these difficult times," Kemp said in a statement. "I refuse to sit back and watch as disastrous policies threaten the lives and livelihoods of our citizens."

Hours earlier, Bottoms, who tested positive for the virus herself last week and is under quarantine, declared the city's mask requirements "enforceable as they stand."

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, who issued a mask mandate in his Georgia city on July 1, said on Twitter that Kemp's order demonstrated he "does not give a damn about us."

The clash drew mixed reactions from local residents.

"We need to wear masks to stop the spread," said Ethan Padgett, 37, a furloughed art museum worker, as he spoke through his face covering outside an East Atlanta Village coffee shop. "So many people aren't following this day-to-day but are taking their cues from our leaders. If the governor takes it more seriously, people will."

But Pat Walker, 54, who was also wearing a mask, said the governor was just encouraging people to do the right thing.

"People should have a choice but choose wisely," she said.
DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th July, 2020) Syria's Justice Minister Hisham al-Shaar told Sputnik that the connection between the Syrian leadership and the people has frustrated foreign hopes that elections will fail.

"There is an external bet on the failure of the elections or any constitutional vote through the siege and fighting in Syria over the past 10 years. They will fail now as they have failed previously because of the leadership's connection with the people," al-Shaar told Sputnik in an interview in Damascus.

Al-Shaar went on to say that despite the great suffering that the Syrian people are undergoing due to terrorism and economic strangulation, there is "no choice but to join hands and move forward and continue to fight our enemies."

The legislative election for the People's Council of Syria was initially scheduled to take place on April 13 but was postponed due to pandemic fears. Syrians will head to the polls on July 19 to elect 250 lawmakers for the country's unicameral parliament.
Pushkar Banakar By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: India on Thursday hit out at Pakistan for not providing unimpeded consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and said the Indian national was visibly stressed.

According to Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, Pakistani officials were present in close proximity to Jadhav in an intimidating demeanour despite protests from the Indian side.

Besides, the conversation with Jadhav was being recorded.

The arrangements did not permit a free conversation between them. The Indian consular officers could not engage Jadhav on his legal rights and were prevented from obtaining his written consent for arranging his legal representation, Srivastava said.

Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.

While Pakistan claims he was arrested from Balochistan, India maintains he ran a business in Iran and Pak agencies abducted him from Chabahar.

Pakistan recently said Jadhav has refused to file a review plea against his death sentence by a Pak military court as he wanted to rely on his mercy petition, a claim rejected by India.

The Pakistan side conveyed they were ready to organise consular access on July 16. We were assured this consular access would be unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional. However, neither the environment nor the arrangements of the meeting were in accordance with the assurances of Pakistan, said Srivastava.
A number of family members of high-ranking Hong Kong officials are holders of foreign passports and have assets in other countries including the U.S. and the U.K., RFA has learned.



If the U.S. goes ahead with sanctions against officials involved in suppressing Hong Kong's human rights or imposing China's national security law on the city, Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, police commissioner Chris Tang, and Han Zheng, head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO), could all be in the firing line for asset freezes and travel bans.



John Ullyot, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, has said U.S. President Donald Trump has not ruled out further sanctions against Hong Kong and ruling Chinese Communist Party officials over Hong Kong and other rights violations.



Reuters has cited sources as saying that Washington is considering a travel ban on members and families of the Chinese Communist Party.



Lam has said she has no assets in the U.S., nor any plans to travel there.



"I'm not bothered because I don't have assets in the United States and I don't want to go there," she told a local TV network this week.



"If they won't give me a visa, I just won't go."



Families not restricted by law



But while Article 61 of the Basic Law stipulates that the principal officials of the Hong Kong government may not hold right of abode in foreign countries, their families aren't restricted by the law.



A search of publicly available records carried out by RFA found that the spouses or children of many of the city's senior officials do hold foreign passports, including the family of former chief executive Leung Chun-ying.



Leung, who now holds the post of vice chairman in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CCPPC), an advisory body to the National People's Congress (NPC), has family members who hold British passports.



Lam's husband and two sons are also British citizens.



Security secretary John Lee, who was behind the police crackdown on last year's anti-extradition protests and subsequent pro-democracy movement, has given up his British passport, while his wife and two sons have retained theirs.



Otto Poon, husband of Hong Kong's secretary for justice Theresa Cheng, also holds Canadian citizenship.



He is also chairman and a major shareholder in a listed engineering company, Analogue Holdings, while Cheng owns more than 60 percent of the group's equity.



The company owns U.S.-based Transel Elevator & Electric, an elevator and escalator engineering company, which could be affected by any U.S. sanctions.



Many pro-Beijing lawmakers in Hong Kong have declared that they hold shares in overseas companies or property.



Regina Ip, for example, is listed on the records of two British Virigin Islands companies, one of which holds U.S. shares.



Ip has been a vocal critic of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act requiring sanctions against anyone impeding the city's freedoms and autonomy, as promised in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.



Legislative Council (LegCo) president Andrew Leung has declared ownership of property in the U.K., without providing details.



He is currently also a paid director of 18 companies across several sectors including property, finance, and logistics.



Period of uncertainty, instability



Benson Wong, a political cultural scientist at the Hong Kong Baptist University, said some pro-China lawmakers could hold passports from other countries.



"Some [lawmakers] may be living in Hong Kong while holding an American passport and fighting for Beijing and the Hong Kong government, so what will their situation be?" he said.



"This period of uncertainty and instability will cause a lot of political pressure," Wong said.



Ming Sing, associate professor of Social Science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said banks can also be forced to impose sanctions internationally under the new U.S. law.



"Unless you put all your money in a single domestic bank that has no dealings with any international banks, the threat is very real," Sing said.



"You could have your accounts frozen otherwise, so there are very serious implications here, actually."



Reported by Man Hoi-tsan and Tseng Yat-yiu for RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / DIALOG SEMICONDUCTOR PLC

(incorporated under the Companies Act 1985 and registered in England and Wales with registered number 3505161)

Information Document

relating to

4,000,000 new ordinary shares

1. The Issuer

The issuer is Dialog Semiconductor Plc, a company incorporated in England and Wales with company number 3505161 whose registered office is at Tower Bridge House, St Katharine's Way, London, E1W 1AA, England (the Issuer).

The Issuer has offered, and agreed to allot, and the Dialog Semiconductor Plc Employee Share Ownership Trust (the Trust) on behalf of its beneficiaries has agreed to subscribe, 4,000,000 new ordinary shares of 10 pence each in the capital of the Issuer (the New Shares).

The Issuer has the requisite corporate power and capacity under, inter alia, its memorandum and articles of association (the Articles) and section 549(2) of the Companies Act 2006 to issue and allot the New Shares.

The Issuer will apply to have the New Shares admitted to trading on the Regulated Market (Regulierter Markt) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the sub-segment thereof with additional post-admission obligations (Prime Standard), which is the market on which the Issuer's issued ordinary share capital is already admitted to trading. The International and German Securities Identification Numbers and trading symbol of the shares of the Issuer are set out below:

International Securities Identification Number (ISIN): GB0059822006 German Securities Identification Number (WKN): 927200 Trading Symbol: DLG GR

The Issuer expects that the Frankfurt Stock Exchange will grant the New Shares admission to trading on or about 17 July 2020, and that introduction of the New Shares to trading on the Regulated Market (Regulierter Markt) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the sub-segment thereof with further post-admission obligations (Prime Standard) will take place on or about 21 July 2020.

Further information on the Issuer, including its Annual Report and Accounts for the financial years ended 2017, 2018 and 2019 can be found on the Issuer's website in the "Company" section, "Investor Relations" under "Annual Reports" at www.dialog-semiconductor.com.

2. Reasons for the offer and admission to trading

The Trust was established on 29 October 1998 to encourage and facilitate the holding of shares in the Issuer by or for the benefit of the directors and employees of the Issuer and its subsidiaries, including by the transfer of shares in the Issuer to directors and employees on exercise of share options or vesting of conditional shares that are awarded to them under the Issuer's and/or its subsidiaries' share incentive arrangements from time to time.

The New Shares have been allotted to the Trust to ensure that it holds sufficient shares in the Issuer, upon any exercise by any director and/or employee of the Issuer and/or its subsidiaries of any share option or vesting of conditional shares, to enable the Trust to transfer the relevant number of shares in the Issuer to such director and/or employee, with the proceeds from all transfers of the New Shares being held by the Trust for the benefit of the directors and employees of the Issuer and its subsidiaries.

The offer and admission of the New Shares described in this information document is exempt from the requirement to publish a prospectus under, respectively, and this information document is being made available to the Trust (for itself and on behalf of its beneficiaries) pursuant to, Articles 1.4(i) and 1.5(h) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 (the Regulation). This document is an information document only and not a prospectus within the meaning of the Regulation.

Further details

The New Shares have been subscribed for by the Trust at 0.10 per New Share. Save for the payment of the 400,000 subscription monies, the New Shares being admitted and introduced to trading and the terms on which the New Shares are to be held, the offer by the Issuer to issue the New Shares to the Trust and the admission of the New Shares to trading was not, and is not, conditional. The New Shares will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares of nominal value of 10 pence each in the capital of the Issuer, including the right to receive dividends (if any) and other distributions declared, made or paid after the date of the issue of the New Shares. However, pursuant to the Trust Deed entered into between the Issuer and the Trust dated 29 October 1998 (as amended) (the Trust Deed) the Trust has agreed to waive any rights to receive dividends. Copies of the Trust Deed are available to the directors and employees of the Issuer upon written request to the Company Secretary at the Issuer's registered office address. For further information relating to the rights attaching to the New Shares and the exercise of those rights, see the Articles which are available on the Issuer's website.

The Trust will hold the New Shares in accordance with the Trust Deed for the benefit of directors and employees of the Issuer and its subsidiaries, and will, from time to time, use the New Shares to make share awards to directors and employees upon the exercise of share options or the vesting of conditional shares, with the proceeds from all transfers of the New Shares being held by the Trust for the benefit of the directors and employees of the Issuer and its subsidiaries.

17 July 2020

Contact:

Jose Cano

Director, Investor Relations

jose.cano@diasemi.com

+44(0)1793756961

SOURCE: Dialog Semiconductor Plc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597831/Dialog-Semiconductor-Plc-This-Information-Document-Replaces-the-Information-Document-Published-by-Dialog-Semiconductor-Plc-On-23-June-2020
Popular YouTuber Jake Paul received a massive backlash for holding a party in California despite the alarming rate of COVID-19 cases in the state.

Earlier this week, multiple videos surfaced online showing the full-packed party that Paul threw in his Calabasas, California mansion.

In the said videos, it can be seen that the attendees failed to practice social distancing, and everyone inside the bash were not wearing their masks despite the government protocols.

On July 15, Bill Melugin of Fox News Los Angeles reported how the mayor of Calabasas and Paul's neighbors called the gathering "irresponsible" and "selfish."

"Several frustrated neighbors contacted me this morning and shared their own videos of the party," Melugin tweeted. "Calabasas' mayor tells me she's working with the Lost Hills Sheriffs station to ensure a zero tolerance policy on house parties from now on, no more warnings."

pic.twitter.com/COiVleuDH2 NEW: The mayor of Calabasas & neighbors tell me theyre outraged after they say YouTube celebrity @jakepaul threw a massive party at his mansion on Saturday. They call it irresponsible, selfish, & say its businesses & workers who pay the price for this w/ lockdowns. 10pm @FOXLA  Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) July 15, 2020

Meanwhile, Alicia Weintraub, the mayor of the California city, expressed her outrage to Fox 11.

"They're having this large party, no social distancing, no masks, it's just a big huge disregard for everything that everybody is trying to do to get things back to functioning," Weintraub exclaimed. "It's really just a party acting like COVID does not exist, it's acting that businesses aren't closed."

After she and the neighbors saw the video, Weintraub reportedly made a move to prevent parties from occurring again in the future while the pandemic is still at its worst state.

While the 23-year-old Youtube Star has remained silent about the issue, he retweeted fellow Youtuber Tyler Oakley who directly criticized him.

"F**k you, @jakepaul," Oakley wrote in a tweet alongside a video from the party.

Paul Causing So Much Trouble

Prior to throwing the controversial party, multiple outlets reported that the Youtube star received charges after he unlawfully entered and stayed inside the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall in Arizona during its non-operating hours.

In videos that emerged on Instagram, Paul can be seen walking inside the mall as looters smash the glasses multiple stores, including a Sephora and Swarovski store.

ABC 7 revealed that law enforcement said Paul "was present after the protest was declared an unlawful assembly and the rioters were ordered to leave the area by police."

The event caused him to be charged with two misdemeanors, criminal trespassing and unlawful assembly.

"Our investigation has revealed that Paul was present after the protest was declared an unlawful assembly and the rioters were ordered to leave the area by the police," the Scottsdale Police Department said.

Meanwhile, Paul posted a tweet soon after learning about his charges and said, "Gimme my charges and let's put the focus back on George Floyd and Black Lives Matter."

Paul is famous for using controversy and internet feuds to get views. However, he remained unshakeable and insisted that he was only inside the mall to record what was going on so he could add it as content on his Youtube channel.

READ MORE: Jeffrey Epstein Conspiracy: Chrissy Teigen Deletes 60,000 Tweets, Blocks 1 Million Accounts
The retired soldier who was hailed as a hero after taking down a gunman who opened fire at people stopped in their vehicles on a bridge in May was awarded for his actions this week.

Retired Master Sgt. David Royer was awarded the Soldier's Medal on Thursday, nearly two months after he drove toward a gunman, ramming him with his truck as the man began firing on people at random.

The medal, which is the Army's highest award for non-combat heroism, was presented by Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville at a ceremony at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Read next: Pentagon Bans Confederate Flag on Military Bases Without Mentioning It by Name

"It's hard to say what inspires soldiers at the risk of their own lives to intervene and to save other soldiers, but that's exactly what Master Sgt. Royer did on that day," McConville said during the ceremony. "He risked his own life to save others, and we're very, very proud of his actions that day."

Royer was serving with the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility when the shooting occurred oMay 27. He was on the phone with his fiancee while driving on the Centennial Bridge in Leavenworth when the gunman got out of a vehicle and began shooting people with a rifle.

"I assessed the situation very quickly, looked around and just took the only action possible that I felt I could take," Royer later said at a press conference.

Another soldier was wounded in the shooting. The 37-year-old gunman was arrested by police after being pinned under Royer's truck.

Jason Randell Westrem, of Houston City, Missouri, was later charged with first-degree murder and eight other felonies for allegedly firing on the vehicles, one of which had two children inside.

Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens said in May that Royer's quick response saved countless lives.

"His actions were extraordinary, and he should be commended for that," he said.

Since retiring from the Army, Royer has joined the veteran-owned Kansas City Cattle Company, according to an Army News release.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Related: Meet the Hero Soldier who Took Down an Active Shooter with his Truck on a Kansas Bridge
TICKERS: AVU; AVPMF; 8AM

Source: The Critical Investor for Streetwise Reports (7/17/20)

The Critical Investor examines the latest news from this junior with a flagship copper-zinc project in Portugal, which also includes finalizing a joint venture with MATSA and preparing for the season's drill program.



As gold stocks are getting all the attention at the moment, with gold firmly in an upward trend, it seems, one could almost forget the existence of base metal juniors. This is not entirely justified in my opinion as, for example, copper (Cu) has recovered completely from its March lows, as can be seen in this chart per pound Cu by Macrotrends:

A tiny junior whose faith is closely intertwined with copper pricing is Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (AVU:TSX.V; AVPMF:OTC; 8AM:FSE)8, as its flagship Alvalade brownfield copper-zinc project in Portugal is likely to contain significant amounts of the red metal. The other metal, zinc, has recovered as well, and more, but follows a different patternas can be seen in this Kitco chartas it isn't so directly connected to, for example, Chinese demand fundamentals.

Despite the hype around precious metals, Avrupa managed to land a joint venture (JV) with MATSA (Minas de Aguas Tenidas, S.A., which is owned equally by Trafigura and Mubadala, two giants in the mining investment space) last year. Despite COVID-19, both Avrupa and MATSA worked diligently and quietly on permitting, and managed to recently receive the new Alvalade Experimental Exploitation License (EEL) from the Portuguese Mining Bureau.

Despite the relatively limited delay of about three months due to COVID-19, president and CEO Paul Kuhn was obviously very happy, not in the least as this permit was a very important milestone for the MATSA JV to be finalized: "We are extremely pleased to have the Alvalade 5-year Experimental Exploitation License (EEL) issued to the Joint Venture company, PorMining Lda. With partner MATSA, we will be able to move forward using our joint, long-term Pyrite Belt experience and recent successes to potentially develop a world-class copper-zinc project within the Alvalade license boundaries. We plan to immediately start the necessary work programs leading to the next drill project later this year."

The CEO of MATSA, Audra Walsh, was also excited, as MATSA is venturing into Portugal for the first time now, after having established itself in neighbor Spain with several operating mines and development projects: "Obtaining the Alvalade exploration license opens up new opportunities for exploration in Portugal. Exploration is one of MATSA's permanent objectives, as it is our future. The agreement with Avrupa Minerals is the beginning of our exploration in the Portuguese Pyrite Belt".

The EEL covers an area of approximately 115 square kilometers, is valid for up to five years and includes the Sesmarias massive sulfide discovery, the nearby historic Lousal Mine, the Monte da Bela Vista stockwork zone and a number of other already known massive sulfide targets noted on the map. Avrupa will operate the project through a joint technical committee with full funding by MATSA for up to three years, subject to project milestones.

The market didn't really seem to grasp the importance of the announcement, although the share price rose from a measly $0.02 to $0.04. Avrupa and MATSA are targeting a large brownfield project, with potential tonnage ranging from 30 to 50Mt. Projects like this could result into net present values (NPVs) of hundreds of millions of dollars very quickly.



Share price; 3-year time frame (Source: Tmxmoney.com)

As MATSA is funding all exploration work, like drilling and establishing resources, money isn't the issue, as long as the project remains of interest for MATSA, of course. In this case, Alvalade being a brownfield project with a former mine and well-documented historic resources, the risk of proving up sufficient resources doesn't seem to be a binary risk, like a greenfield exploration JV usually is.

MATSA is very serious about expanding their footprint in the Iberian Belt, and also targets early-stage exploration, besides advanced, lower-risk projects. They received two greenfields exploration licenses at the same time as the Alvalade licence issuance, and a third exploration license is coming. According to CEO Kuhn, they are in it for the long term in Portugal.

As MATSA is funding most costs, Avrupa already received 400,000 euros as part of the earn-in. The first tranche came back in December 2019, and the company has used it to pay bills and operate in a most basic manner, meaning CEO Paul Kuhn has been doing all work by himself, from home whenever possible. With the second tranche, Avrupa continues to operate in a likewise careful manner.

According to Kuhn, by doing this very carefully, without fanfare, they have been able to obtain the coveted Alvalade EEL license during a very difficult time, with the COVID-19 pandemic slowing everything down.

As the health situation in southern Portugal remains fairly open, Avrupa intends to start physical work at Alvalade in the next couple of weeks. They have been meeting with MATSA at the coreshed recently to work out a three-month budget to perform exploration work, predominantly focused on drilling as soon as possible. In the first year of the project, they are required to drill at least 5,000 meters, according to the contract with the mining bureau. Reviewing and re-logging of core is also a vital part of this program, a full list of planned activities follows here (as per company):

Re-log historic Avrupa-drilled Sesmarias core with MATSA to integrate their knowledge of the Pyrite Belt into the overall understanding of the massive sulfide deposit (remember that they have three operating Pyrite Belt mines in Spain, and at least one new, unannounced discovery in the same rocks).



Initial logging and possibly sampling of historic core prior to Avrupa's involvement at Alvalade. They have access to at least 10,000 meters of old core that has not be looked at for years.



Considering use of ionic leach geochemistry to help identify and follow the trend of the Sesmarias mineralization. This is a relatively new geochemical technique that utilizes ultra-trace detection methods to find ions of many different elements that may indicate the presence of buried massive sulfide mineralization. Some orientation surveys have been done over known mineralization at Sesmarias, and it seems to work quite well.



Review all of the old Lousal Mine data and geology in order to consider new drill targets. It is reasonable to assume that Lousal and Sesmarias were all part of the same deposit a long time ago. Are there more sulfide lenses out there between Lousal and Sesmarias (7 kilometers apart)? How much more of the remaining Lousal mineralization might be available for exploitation? Possibly 30-35 million metric tonnes of massive sulfide within the old Lousal workings.



Review old core from the Monte da Bela Vista (MBV) stockwork zone to see where the ore deposit may be hiding. MBV is located 1.52 kilometers (2 km) north of Lousal. . .over 9 km of strike length in this district.



Review the old Caveira Mine data and drilling. Caveira is under-explored and is located only 9.5 km north of Monte da Bela Vista. [Avrupa] only drilled one or two holes in the area when. . .working with Antofagasta years ago.



Review and compile exploration data for the rest of the license, as there are lots of targets to be explored.



Drill targeting with the hope of starting drilling by the beginning of September.

Furthermore, MATSA would like to do airborne geophysics over Alvalade and the rest of their new exploration properties in the region. This will probably be done next year to help with drill targeting for Sesmarias and for a number of other anomalies on the license.

For now, Avrupa has to put together a team in the next couple of weeks, find housing and safety equipment, clean out the coresheds, prepare for all the logging, etc. To me, the Sesmarias discovery combined with the Lousal historic resources/workings is the obvious target for MATSA, as it generates a 4050Mt resource potential (Sesmarias 10 Lense is guesstimated to contain about 1920Mt, Lousal a potential 2030Mt, both guesstimated at 1% Cu or better). Avrupa and MATSA are looking to see if Sesmarias, Lousal and also Monte Da Bela Vista, all several kilometers apart from each other, could form a district-scale system.

As a reminder, MATSA will look to have the 51% earn-in and the 85% earn-in completed in those five years. If all continues to go well, Avrupa is fully carried to a production decision for MATSA to earn-in to 85%. That could very well amount to 3040 million euros (= CA$4560M) of NPV value for Avrupa. At that point, Avrupa can either choose to get a CA$10M payment for their 15% stake, or fund capex pro rata. As capex of such a project could easily run into a potential $300-500 million range, 15% of this would mean raising $50-80 million, which is almost impossible for a tiny junior like Avrupa.

This can be calculated easily. When a construction decision would be made, Alvalade would have to be at feasibility study (FS) stage and fully permitted. Roughly speaking, in a neutral to bull market sentiment, the enterprise value could be about 3550% of the FS NPV value of Avrupa's 15% stake, so about 57.5% of FS NPV. This would imply, at a roughly estimated FS NPV of around $500 million, an estimated enterprise value (EV) of $2537.5 million, which is about CA$3250 million, which in turn means, without further dilution in the meantime, that the share price hypothetically could hover in the CA$0.290.45 per share by then.

Raising $5080 million or about CA$67107 million, would mean tripling the outstanding share count if this was done all-equity, and I don't see this being approved by any board soon. Maybe if they could sell a royalty (the project already has a 5% state royalty) and attract some debt, things could get easier to digest. I would actually prefer renegotiation of terms if metal prices advance further, as CA$10 million in cash seems to equal a rock-bottom scenario for MATSA, calculated on the back of an envelope based on $2.352.45 copper and $0.901.00 zinc, which seems to be a pretty safe downside scenario floor for them.

So much for my estimates here; let's look at the plans at hand. According to Kuhn, MATSA works fast and expediently, as demonstrated by their 40Mt Magdalena Mine, which was developed and put into commercial production in less than three years. The JV has 1.2 million euros to work with in the first year. MATSA wants to do airborne geophysics and about 5,000 meters of drilling in the first year. It is estimated by Avrupa management that another 3,0005,000m of drilling is needed in order to collect sufficient data for a maiden resource estimate. This is planned for H1/2021.

Also, as MATSA has been staking claims in the Pyrite Belt as mentioned, one of them adjacent to Alvalade. They will explore these licenses in their own time, concurrently with work at Alvalade.

CEO Kuhn is also busy with their Slivovo gold project. According to him, Avrupa's 10% interest was diluted to a 2% net smelter royalty (NSR) last year. Partner Byrnecut International recently exited the project prior to expiration of the Slivovo exploration licenses. By arranging timing on this, in a "drop and apply" procedure, Avrupa was able to apply for the "open" space at exactly the same time as Byrnecut dropped, giving Avrupa the best opportunity to acquire a new seven-year exploration license to cover the Slivovo gold project. The cost of this agreement will be based on successes and milestones as the project advances, starting some two to three years from now. And these costs would be borne by any partner that Avrupa might find to bring the project to mining stage. Avrupa is actively soliciting new partnerships, even as the Kosovo mining bureau decides whether/when to issue a new license for Slivovo.

Conclusion

The granting of the experimental exploitation license is a very important milestone for Avrupa Minerals, as it finalizes the JV with MATSA on the Alvalade project. Now both parties can proceed with exploration on Sesmarias, and verification of the old Lousal workings, which could host reportedly 20-30Mt and potentially more. As with a typical prospect generator, MATSA funds all costs, although Avrupa is the joint venture operator, meaning they don't have to sit on their hands and be completely dependent on the majority JV partner, which is a good thing as it provides much more transparency.

As Alvalade is potentially a $500 million project, I'm looking forward to milestones like the maiden resource estimate, which would mean a solid first indication of the size of Alvalade.

I hope you will find this article interesting and useful, and will have further interest in my upcoming articles on mining. To never miss a thing, please subscribe to my free newsletter on my website www.criticalinvestor.eu, and follow me on Seekingalpha.com, in order to get an email notice of my new articles soon after they are published.

The Critical Investor is a newsletter and comprehensive junior mining platform, providing analysis, blog and newsfeed and all sorts of information about junior mining. The editor is an avid and critical junior mining stock investor from The Netherlands, with an MSc background in construction/project management. Number cruncher at project economics, looking for high quality companies, mostly growth/turnaround/catalyst-driven to avoid too much dependence/influence of long-term commodity pricing/market sentiments, and often looking for long-term deep value. Getting burned in the past himself at junior mining investments by following overly positive sources that more often than not avoided to mention (hidden) risks or critical flaws, The Critical Investor learned his lesson well, and goes a few steps further ever since, providing a fresh, more in-depth, and critical vision on things, hence the name.

[NLINSERT]

Disclaimer: The author is not a registered investment advisor, and currently has a long position in this stock. Avrupa Minerals is a sponsoring company. All facts are to be checked by the reader. For more information go to www.avrupaminerals.com and read the company's profile and official documents on www.sedar.com, also for important risk disclosures. This article is provided for information purposes only, and is not intended to be investment advice of any kind, and all readers are encouraged to do their own due diligence, and talk to their own licensed investment advisors prior to making any investment decisions.

Streetwise Reports Disclosure:

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4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

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Taron Egerton, who won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Elton John in Rocketman, has lined up his first post-lockdown screen role

Taron Egerton, who won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Elton John in Rocketman, has lined up his first post-lockdown screen role.

The 30-year-old will portray Henk Rogers, the Dutch-born, Hawaii-based video game entrepreneur (he's now an environmental philanthropist) who, towards the end of the Cold War, in the late 1980s, became embroiled in a high-stakes legal battle involving a Soviet computer programming agency, and software companies controlled by the late Robert Maxwell and his son Kevin.

At the heart of the dispute was Tetris, the addictive console game created by Alexey Pajitnov, a Russian programmer, which Nintendo loaded onto its Game Boy devices.

After many skirmishes with the Maxwells and other parties, Rogers managed to secure the intellectual property rights to Tetris for himself  and for Pajitnov.

Up until that point, the Russian had not seen a penny of the tens of millions of pounds raked in by the simple game he'd designed.

The film, titled Tetris, is being directed by Jon S. Baird, who made the recent Stan & Ollie, and backed by producers led by Matthew Vaughn and Leonard Blavatnik.

Star names are being sought for the other major roles and it's hoped that shooting will start in September, employing a full spectrum of safety procedures.

The 30-year-old will portray Henk Rogers, above, the Dutch-born, Hawaii-based video game entrepreneur

Rita gets an outdoor education

Willy Russell rejigs classic play for a clifftop debut

Stephen Tompkinson and Jessica Johnson are pictured above as Frank and Rita

Willy Russell has begun to rewrite his celebrated comedy Educating Rita, to enable it to be performed next month at the famous Minack Theatre, hewn into the Cornish cliffs and overlooking the sea.

Current rules for open-air performances dictate that shows must be staged without an interval.

Russell's 1980 play  which originally starred Julie Walters in the title role  has a running time of two hours, plus a 15 to 20 minute break.

It stars Stephen Tompkinson as an alcoholic lecturer giving private English literature lessons to an earthy hairdresser taking an Open University course (Jessica Johnson),

'Willy's adapting his script to fit the rules,' producer David Pugh told me. He secured a deal on Wednesday to remount what had been a 40th-anniversary touring production at the stunningly beautiful outdoor venue.

Russell's likely to trim at least 15 minutes off his script. In addition, he'll have to change stage cues for entrances and exits.

The playwright joked: 'Someone said 'What if it rains?'

'I said: don't worry. I'll write in a line where Rita can say: 'There's water coming through your ceiling, Frank!' That'll do it.'

A new, more minimalist set is being designed for the two-week run, from August 18, at the theatre which juts out over Porthcurno Bay.

Russell's likely to trim at least 15 minutes off his script. In addition, he'll have to change stage cues for entrances and exits

'We'll have a pile of books supported by empty whisky bottles,' Pugh said.

Director Max Roberts will rehearse Russell's adaptation with Tompkinson and Johnson in Newcastle, where the actress and Roberts are based.

Pugh, meanwhile, was in the West Country, having just sealed the deal with the Minack's management.

He said the 750-seat site would be scaled down to 250, to allow social distancing. Ticket prices will range from 10-40; half price for children.

'We've got to demonstrate we can do it,' he told me, because in his view, the public are 'starving' from a lack of live theatre.

The 1983 film version of Educating Rita starred Julie Walters and Michael Caine.

Ralph Fiennes and Jodie Comer had, for a brief moment, toyed with the idea of starring in a revival at the Old Vic.

But that embryonic plan stalled because of scheduling and rights issues.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > NREGA: The digging hole of Modi must take care of poor | Arun (...)

by Arun Srivastava

The much despised and derided NREGA scheme has at least helped the Modi government to salvage its prestige and image. If the UPA government had not executed this pro-poor, feed the poor programme it would have been tough to comprehend the nature and quantum of ignominy that the Modi government had to suffer.

Basically this programme was meant for the unskilled daily wage earner labourers, but the Central government used it to overcome the crisis created by the return of the crores of migrant labourers to their respective native states.

It is most unfortunate that the Central government has not initiated to provide it a new character and visibility. Corona pandemic has unravelled the truth that the poor daily wage earners and labourers were the invisible face of India. But it does appear that the Modi government has been contemplating to take action to ameliorate the condition of these 70 crore hapless work force.

In the wake of the lockdown when the labourers started fleeing the cities, state governments, especially the chief minister of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh had promised to provide jobs to the labourers that suited to their skills. But soon it became clear that they were not fully equipped to keep their promises and eventually even the skilled were made to do NREGA jobs. Skilled labourers were supposed to dig the canals and do earth work. In fact the governments had not set up a machinery to judge their work acumen and offer them the jobs that suit them. The NREGA served the purpose of mere survival. But what was worse the money, the wages, could not help them purchase the essentials for their survival.

As usual the prime minister Narendra Modi resorting to his populist politics launched the Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan via video conference in Katihar village in Bihar in the presence of chief ministers of five states Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and a minister of Odisha. The scheme was to work in a mission mode in 116 districts across these six states where the maximum number of the migrant workers have returned. But this scheme is nothing but a paper tiger. It has failed to reach to the concerned people. This was yet another reason that labourers jumped to grab the offer of the middlemen of the industrialists to return to the cities.

The issue of migrant workers has evoked widespread debate in the development discourse in India. Migration is neither unique nor new to India. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel predicted that the refugee crisis would be the defining feature of the decade back in 2015. In Indias case, the Five-Year Plan documents bring out that migration was not adequately factored in development plans. This is surprising because migration impacts competitiveness, productivity and jobs. This issue has, however, acquired heightened significance during the corona pandemic.

The exodus of migrant labour is visible and their suffering is palpable. We need to provide undivided attention to the working conditions of migrant workers. Out of the total labour force of 70 crores, around 91 per cent are informal workers in 2017-18. The Economic Survey (2017) estimated 139 million seasonal or circular migrants. Circular urban migrants perform essential labour and provide services that many people want but are unwilling to provide themselves. Hence, this issue has implications for livelihoods, agriculture, food security, and safety net policy as well as programme responses.

The idea of one nation one ration card may appear to be soothing to ears but in reality this is an absurd concept. This does not address the problem of ration-card portability. Every state has its distinct character. It is said that the move would benefit nearly 670 million people and will be completed by March 2021. But what about the rest population. This is not like voter list where only above 18 years of age are listed. The one card idea must cover the entire population of 135 crores. A closer look provide the impression that it is more on the lines of the citizenship act. This will not help the labourers.

The failure of the governments was primary responsible for their moving back to the cities which ironically had exploited, misbehaved with them and ill-treated them. A large number of labourers went back to the cities even after facing the grave danger of being infected with the coronavirus. The labourers had come back to their village nursing the view that they would earn their livelihood in their native places and live with their families. But they had to confront a situation where the states had failed to develop to take care of their people.

Unfortunately they had to leave. The middlemen could lure them away simply for the inability of the governments to offer them the suitable nature of jobs. While leaving for their new destination within a couple of months of their arrival, they in no uncertain words told that it was better to die of corona rather than die of hunger. This is the worst ever censure of the governments, which had promised moon to the poor, dalits and daily wage earners.

The anti-labour character of the state was clearly visible with some of the states, particularly Madhya Pradesh, Harayana and Uttar Pradesh promulgating ordinance freezing for three years the enforcement of central labour laws on wage hikes, working hours and worker welfare o attract investments. True enough this was done only for giving more flexibility to investors but also making firings easier for smaller employers.

The Union Labour minister Santosh Gangwar at the meeting of CII, FICCI and Assocham had suggested a suspension of labour laws for the next two to three years  except for provisions like minimum wages, bonus and statutory dues --- to help the industry come out of the present crisis, a government release said. The chambers also suggested increasing working hours to 12 a day.

CII director-general Chandrajit Banerjee said: The labour law changes initiated in UP and MP will give huge flexibility to industry in their labour practices. Coming at such disruptive times, when livelihoods have come under pressure and multitudes of people have had to move away from their workplaces, these new policy interventions will come as a huge relief to economic activity. There is a need to re-skill and map the workers who have been displaced and re-employ .

One question that obviously arises is; Who will benefit if employers are given even more freedom to hire and fire? The problem is not in the laws. It is in the mindset of those who advocate such reforms. In 2013, the Planning Commission asked Bain & Company to conduct an objective study of enterprises in India. The management consultancy firm was asked to test the hypothesis that the long-term performance of the companies, who treat their employees as long-term assets is better than the ones who consider workers as a burden and as costs to be adjusted, whenever sales drop. The companies were compared with their peers in the same industries. The hypothesis was validated. The companies that invested in their workers, and held on to them as assets, did much better, even though they went through the same dips in the business environment as their peers did.

The media have also been responsible for their invisibility. Unorganized labour, with no formal representation, was not on their radar. Tracking labour has not been a news beat for a few decades. The capitalist media devoid of morality and ethics has been out to portray them in bad light. Their move to flee the slap of hunger and insecurity was portrayed by the media as their being the players in the Hindu-Muslim divide.

The other reason for the invisibility of migrants who build cities and keep the wheels of micro, small and medium enterprises running has been the attitude of the cities. They dont look at migrant workers as human beings, he added. They are anonymous, and not meant to become citizens.

A group of 30 odd migrant labourers who had come to their village in Odisha in search of peace and alternate jobs from Kerala and Chennai because of the lockdown transformed their village. Thet were aghast to see the miseries of their co villagers. There was no work for us in the village on our return, and we had spent all our money during the lockdown, said Prashant Pradhan, 30, who had returned home from Kerala in May, So we thought we should do something instead of sitting idle. We spoke to fellow villagers and decided to work in the fields.

The village lacked a reliable source of irrigation and depended on seasonal rain and a well. A stream flows about a kilometre from the village. Its a perennial stream and has never gone dry even in summer. They decided to dig a canal from the stream to their fields. Some 85 villagers, including the returned migrants, began the work. About 40 people from neighbouring villages too arrived to help. They would gather early in the morning every day and work till evening, with a break for lunch and a few hours rest in the afternoon. After 25 days toil, the canal was ready.

This work was supposed to be done under NREGA. But the local administration abandoned its responsibility and eventually the villagers did it on their own.

It is surprising that the Union government has not been doing cash transfer to the labourers in right spirit and manner. Astonishingly the government was also not expanding NREGA in rural areas and introducing an employment guarantee programme in urban areas respectively. At present NREGA is availed of only for 50 days of employment, although the Act guarantees 100 days of employment. One way to help the poor and informal workers is to strengthen it. Though there are two proposals; first to increase the number of days under the scheme from 100 to 150 in rural areas and second to introduce an Employment Guarantee Act in urban areas and provide employment for 150 days. But tis was not being done on the pretext that fund involved is quite huge.

Over the last few years, MGNREGA had been facing the existential crisis, engineered by successive governments capping its financial resources, and turning it into a supply-based programme. With very little autonomy, gram panchayats had begun to find implementation cumbersome. State governments were only interested in running the programme to the extent funds were made available from the Centre. Govt has been groping in the dark on the migrant issue. This must change. Migrant workers must be able to believe that this is a country for all, without any discrimination.

The lockdown has resulted in a massive loss of livelihoods, and the 70 crore strong unorganised workforce is the worst hit. There is imperative need to simply reach out to them. The fact remains that the nation failed them during their hours of need. These people sought a little assistance from the country in their quest to reach their humble abodes, but the country failed to provide them food and shelter.

The worst thing that has tumbled out during this period of crisis is the government has no correct statistics of people living below the poverty line and are actually not getting even one time meal. In sharp contrast across the world, migrants keep moving in search of better economic options.

The insensitivity of the political institution could be gauged from the simple fact that Narendra Modi during the time of pandemic was demanding discipline and sacrifice from the people, while offering no measures to alleviate distress of those who have lost their dignity and livelihoods. Modi played gimmick. He had said that Mahabharat was won in 18 days and he would finish corona in 21 days. But alas, even after four months of his speech there is no sign of decimation of the pandemic.

While the country is yet to come out of the crisis and the migrant labourers are still looking for some alternate jobs, the monsoon has arrived. With advancement of monsoon the situation will turn worse. There is an urgent need to evolve a mechanism to face the challenge and save the migrant labourers. The government must explore the ways as to how to prevent hunger during the rainy season. This is the worst time of the year for poor. The NREGA will help but certainly not the entire work force. A huge proportion of labourers would be exposed to hunger

The author, a Kolkata-based senior journalist, can be contacted at sriv52[at]gmail.com
In September 2007 under the UPA-I regime, India, US, Japan, Australia, Singapore participated in Malabar Naval exercises in Bay of Bengal. This was before the concept of QUAD - US, India, Japan and Australia - was not even born but Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ruled Beijing sent demarche to all four countries and virtually blaming the exercises partners for targeting the Middle Kingdom. With the Indian Left parties badgering the Manmohan Singh regime already over India-US nuclear deal and not willing to earn the wrath of Chinese rulers, the naval exercise concept was dropped like a hot potato by all barring the US. Thirteen years later, India, Japan and Australia are again on the same cross-road with Chinese dragon breathing on Ladakh land borders with India, contesting Senkaku Islands with Japan, openly threatening Australia with trade war, and talking nuke missiles to exercising US navy in South China Sea (SCS).

Also Read: Apex China Study Group reviews East Ladakh: Key stand-off points record withdrawal

While the call on QUAD naval exercises is still to be taken, US Navy following the new maritime policy in SCS has sent a guided missile destroyer into the contested waters at Spratly islands as part of the freedom of navigation operation. USS Ralph Johnson is backed by two super carrier task forces led by USS Ronal Reagan and USS Nimitz, who are exercising in international waters off the Chinese coast.

With the Narendra Modi government not a believer in free lunches as the ASEAN regimes, India has rejected the Chinese claims on SCS by calling it a global commons and openly advocated its long held position of freedom of navigation and overflights. Even though the Russian trade to the port of Vladivostok passes through SCS, Moscow has been silent on the SCS issue given its perceived closeness to the Chinese authoritarian state. Australia and Japan have also bilaterally discussed the SCS issue and like ASEAN want America to be at the fore-front. The so-called Tiger economies of ASEAN talk against China behind closed doors to the QUAD but are virtually servile before the Middle Kingdom as they do not have either the political or military heft to challenge China.

Also Read: US backs ASEAN on South China Sea, challenges Chinas predatory world view

Although China is the first to call out any country opposed to its political and military objectives, the same cannot be said in reverse with exception of a few. And this is despite the fact that Beijing cavorts with most repressive regimes in the world like North Korea, Pakistan and lately Iran. It is this unchallenged belief that China today runs roughshod over most of the countries in the world, either through money or muscle power. The Chinese penetration into the democratic world through its US listed companies is a matter of extreme serious concern as is evident to Delhi with Indian Universities signing scores of MoUs with Chinese fronts without even understanding the cultural implications of the move. The story of Chinese infiltration into global telecom sector is so humongous that it requires another article in this paper.

Also Read: How PM Modi called Chinas bluff in Ladakh

The world seemed to be humouring China like an errant child prodigy till the Galwan flare-up took place on June 15. The US, which had decided not to spill any more American blood for global causes, also turned around and threw the SCS gauntlet and challenged the PLA Navy on high seas. While the PLA Navy looks formidable on the paper, China is still to gain expertise on carrier operations as landing a fighter on a moving floating deck in rough seas requires decades of experience. US Navy has it and so has Indian Navy.

Also Read: Canadas Trudeau has exposed Chinas attempt at hostage diplomacy

The PLA Navy may have Russian made or copy destroyers but dealing with an Indian submarine in equatorial waters is a different cup of tea. The huge difference between surface and temperatures at sea depth, the refraction causes optical paradox and makes the task of detecting submarines very hard and perilous. To cut the long story short, the PLA Navy is unproven on high seas and the PLA Army has not fought a war since 1979. This holds as much truth as the political fact that the objectives of Chinese communist rulers are totally at variance with the democratic world at large.

While the middle-powers like India, Japan, Australia and South Korea have started to rise, it is the democratic world that needs to hold hands together to make China sombre to the global truth. Otherwise, like in 1999 Sci-Fi film, there will be only Mr Smiths left in the Communist matrix.

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Research by the University of Southampton shows European countries need to work together when lifting lockdown measures, to prevent COVID-19 cases rising again on the continent.

A study by WorldPop, experts in population mapping, has found any resurgence of the virus would be brought forward by up to five weeks if well-connected countries prematurely end their non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), such as social distancing and self-isolation, without coordinating efforts. This would give less time to expand testing programmes and develop new treatments or vaccines. Detailed findings are published in the journal Science.

Lead author of the study, Dr Nick Ruktanonchai comments: "Our study shows the timing of any second epidemic across Europe depends on the actions of countries that are populous, well-connected and currently have strong interventions in place. The uncoordinated easing of NPIs can lead to much earlier secondary epidemics, while coordination can mean much higher likelihoods of eliminating all local cases."

Director of WorldPop, Professor Andy Tatem, says: "Intergovernmental organisations, such as the World Health Organization, have stressed the importance of international solidarity to share resources and expertise to combat COVID-19. Our results underline this and suggest that coordination between countries removing lockdown measures is vital. One country ending NPIs before others could lead to an accelerated resurgence of the disease."

The researchers used anonymised Vodafone mobile phone data and a Google mobility dataset to provide information on trends of population movement. They combined this with publicly available COVID-19 infection data. Using a sophisticated model, the team ran multiple exit strategy scenarios - each estimating the effect of relaxing different lockdown measures in different country combinations among 35 European countries, to examine how this affected virus spread in Europe over a six month period (April 2020 onwards).

The researchers concluded that if countries work together, it could greatly improve the likelihood of ending community transmission of COVID-19 throughout the continent. In particular, they showed that synchronizing intermittent lockdowns across countries would lead to half as many lockdown periods being necessary to achieve an end to transmission of the virus among people in Europe.

Across 1200 simulations, the researchers found that if countries synchronised implementation and relaxation of NPIs, an end to community transmission (over the six months period) was always the most likely outcome. If this was achieved, it would shift the emphasis to testing, tracing and quarantining cases coming to the region from elsewhere.

The study also showed that certain countries have a higher potential to cause a resurgence of COVID-19 than others. France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK were all identified as being a greater risk to triggering any new wave of infection.

Furthermore, the way in which each country would contribute to any resurgence varies. For example, Germany was shown as most likely to spark epidemics in neighbouring countries, whereas virus spread from France tends towards adversely affecting main population centres continent-wide. This suggests the most effective interventions may depend on the country considered. For instance, airport closures might be more useful for France, while limits on local travel may be more effective for Germany.

The researchers believe their approach could be used to study virus resurgence beyond Europe and plan to undertake future work to examine the effect of coordinated relaxation of NPIs at a global level.

###

Notes to Editors

1) The paper 'Assessing the impact of coordinated COVID-19 exit strategies across Europe' is published in the journal Science and is available to view here: https://science.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/science.abc5096

2) For more information about WorldPop at the University of Southampton visit: https://www.worldpop.org/

3) The University of Southampton drives original thinking, turns knowledge into action and impact, and creates solutions to the world's challenges. We are among the top 100 institutions globally (QS World University Rankings 2019). Our academics are leaders in their fields, forging links with high-profile international businesses and organisations, and inspiring a 22,000-strong community of exceptional students, from over 135 countries worldwide. Through our high-quality education, the University helps students on a journey of discovery to realise their potential and join our global network of over 200,000 alumni. http://www.southampton.ac.uk

4) Other contributors to the study:

- Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA - Google, Mountain View, USA - Vodafone Group, London, UK - College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA - Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA

For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Franklin, Media Relations, University of Southampton. Tel: 07748 321087 Email: p.franklin@southampton.ac.uk

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/contact-press-team.page

Follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/unisouthampton

Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/unisouthampton
Bhopal/Guna, July 17 : The political slugfest over the beating up of a Dalit peasant family by the police during their eviction from government land in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh has intensified.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised questions over the illegal occupation of the land by a person, Gabbu Pardi and his alleged links with senior Congress leader and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh.

In Kent area of Guna, government land was reportedly encroached upon by Gabbu Pardi and given on lease for farming to the Dalit family. The police cleared the encroachment, resorting to physical action against the Dalit family. Six policemen have been suspended and Gwalior's Additional Director General of Police, Collector and Superintendent of Police transferred.

President of the BJP's Madhya Pradesh unit Vishnu Datt Sharma has condemned the incident saying an investigation into the case has been initiated. Digvijaya Singh's role in the case should also be investigated, he added, alleging that it was at his behest that Gabbu Pardi mustered the courage to occupy the land.

The eviction from the land meant for a college was started in November 2019, but due to political pressure by the then Kamal Nath government it was stalled.

Following the statement by Sharma, Digvijaya Singh said, "I welcome BJP leader Sharma's statement that an inquiry be made into my relations with Gabbu Pardi and request Shivraj ji that the investigation be made by Mr Sharma. It may also be inquired into why no action for eviction was taken during the 15-year rule by the BJP." State Home minister Narottam Mishra has said that Digvijaya Singh should answer the questions raised by the BJP state president. Digvijaya must disclose his relations with Gabbu Pardi, he added.
The Adrian Donohoe murder accused has denied telling a key prosecution witness that he is the most feared man in Ireland, the trial has heard.

Aaron Brady (29), who has pleaded not guilty to capital murder, was giving evidence for a fifth day at the Central Criminal Court.

This morning under cross-examination from prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC he was asked about his notice of alibi as well as evidence given by two witnesses based in the US.

Molly Staunton and Daniel Cahill have both said that while living in New York they heard the accused admit to shooting a guard.

In her evidence Ms Staunton said that she was present in Aaron Brady's apartment with two other men in the Summer of 2016 when he said he had murdered a cop.

Mr Brady accepted that she was a truthful witness doing her best and agreed with aspects of her account, but said she was mistaken about him saying he had shot a cop and denied making any admissions. He also said the word 'cop' was not in his vocabulary and that he would use either 'guard' or 'police'.

"The fact is I didn't shoot Adrian Donohoe, I didn't shoot anybody," he said.

He told the jury he recalled the incident in the New York apartment saying he was angry because two gardai had called to his wife's parent's home in Tralee, Co Kerry, and "blackened" him.

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Counsel also asked Mr Brady if he told Molly Staunton he was "the most feared man in Ireland."

Aaron Brady laughed when this was put to him saying: "I definitely didn't say that, that's ridiculous."

He described Molly Staunton as a "nice girl" but that she was "mistaken on a lot of things".

The accused also said she was "vulnerable" and described the interruption by a male while she gave her evidence via-video link from a house in New York as "disgraceful".

He was then asked about the evidence of Daniel Cahill who said that on three occasions he heard the accused admit to shooting a Garda.

Aaron Brady accepted he was involved in a fight at the Bronx bar where Mr Cahill worked and that he received a scar above his eye after being punched in the face.

However, he denied saying he threatened to shoot the man who assaulted him and that he had shot a member of An Garda Siochana in Ireland.

Mr Brady also said he was not alone with Daniel Cahill in the toilet cleaning his eye after the fight, telling the jury his friend was also in the bathroom.

He told Mr Grehan "if someone hit you and you were with your friends" that they would come to your aid.

"I'm not suggesting someone would hit you," he said to counsel.

Aaron Brady repeatedly denied the conversations with Daniel Cahill ever happened and described him as "a liar" and a "psychopath."

Mr Grehan put it to the accused that a psychopath is someone with "no morality, no empathy, that blames others, manipulates others and lies to get out of any situation, playing the victim," and suggested Mr Brady "look closer to home" at the description.

Earlier the court heard that solicitors acting on behalf of Mr Brady supplied the prosecution with a notice of alibi over a week before the trial was scheduled to start.

In the notice, sent to the DPP on September 26 last year, said that the accused was in a yard at 155 Concession Road at the time of the offence. The trial had been scheduled to begin on October 7, 2019, but was adjourned.

The letter also said that the notice of alibi was being served outside the statutory period and that the defence intended to reserve their position on it until a full review of disclosure in the case, but due to the amount to be reviewed it was being served.

On December 20 last a notice of alibi including a more detailed account of Mr Brady's movements at the time of the murder was supplied to the prosecution.

The jury were told that on July 27, 2018, Aaron Brady was given the formal alibi warning during a court appearance notifying him he had 14 days to serve notice of an alibi.

The trial continues before the jury of six men and seven women on Monday morning.

Mr Brady has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Adrian Donohoe (41), who was then a member of An Garda Siochana acting in the course of his duty, at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Dundalk, Co Louth, on January 25, 2013.

The accused, of New Road in Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, also denies robbery of approximately 7,000 in cash and assorted cheques from Pat Bellew at the same location on the same date.
The total case tally of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States has reached more than 77,000 in just a single day, the highest so far in the country. Some states have already ordered portable cooler or refrigerated trucks as morgues were already at full capacity.

The U.S. has remained to have the highest COVID-19 infections and deaths across the globe. The tally of the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center has recorded more than 3.5 million COVID-19 cases and a death toll of more than 138,000.

On Thursday, the highest COVID-19 new cases in the country have reached 77,255. This surpassed the previous record of the country that recorded 67,791 two days ago. On the same day, Florida also got its second-most reported new cases in a day. The state has recorded 13,965 new cases.

As the positivity rate increases, this also means a smaller chance to reopen the economy. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a threshold of five percent positivity rate among those who were tested before the state can safely reopen.

Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said on Thursday that health officials want to reduce the waiting time for the COVID-19 test.

He noted that large commercial labs released the test results around 10 or 12 days. Giroir wanted the result back as early as three days, which is for him is reasonable enough. He also said that he is not happy with the turnaround time.

Giroir shared that around 700,000 to 800,000 people are being tested each day. If the turnaround time is seven days this means that states and health officials need to wait for a week before they will know the number of infected persons.

According to researchers in the Netherlands, test results are very important, most especially for the contract tracers, who are looking for people who might be infected. The delay of test results even just for three days will not help the contact tracing and it may still accelerate the COVID-19 infections.

Meanwhile, hard-hit counties in Arizona and Texas are now preparing for the worst. They are now bringing in refrigerated trucks because morgues were already in their full capacity.

There are 39 states in the country where the number of COVID-19 cases had increased. The states of California, Florida, Arizona, and Texas have become the states to watch for because of the surge of COVID-19 cases in these states that will likely lead to the shortage of hospital beds, most especially in the internal care units.

An example of this was Arizona's Maricopa County, the medical examiner's office has already ordered four portable coolers with another one cooler, which are expected to arrive in the coming days. The office said their morgue has a full capacity of 200, but as of Friday, the morgue has a total of 156 deceased people.

The medical examiner's office said fatalities in their county have spiked in the summer due to heat. It was not clear if how many of the deceased people died due to COVID-19.

In a video, Mario Martinez, Metro Health Assistant Director, said San Antonio City and Bexar County in Texas have secured several refrigerated trailers to store the dead bodies until they can be released to the funeral homes.

Meanwhile, Cameron and Hidalgo counties in Texas are sharing a large refrigerated trailer to store the dead bodies of COVID-19 patients because their morgues also lack space.

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Princess Beatrice is showing off a very different side in a couple of sizzling new glamour shots shared to Instagram.

Posing for UK magazine Chaos SixtyNine, the royal appears like never before in a dramatic black and white portrait, and in an artistic, and sensual, portrait of only her mouth.

Princess Beatrice is looking very different in a brand new set of snaps for Chaos Sixty Nine. Photo: Getty Images

Shared by the photographer Phil Poynter earlier this month, the photos were actually snapped back in 2017, before her engagement to fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

The first image has been praised as a stunning snap of the royal, with her voluminous hair framing her face, cast into relief by dramatic lighting that shows off her dramatic cheekbones.

Many couldnt get past her gorgeous eyes, highlighted by jaw-dropping makeup commenting that the royal looked incredible.

Wow! one woman wrote. She is beautiful! A real-life Princess!!!

Really beautiful, another agreed. True English Rose!

Love it, one person wrote. She has beautiful expressive eyes.

The second image was a slightly different angle of the princess, just showing her mouth made up by legendary British makeup artist Pat McGrath who has her own cosmetic line, and has worked with stars from the Kardashians to Naomi Campbell.

Her lips covered in ruby-red sparkles and left agape for a stunning effect, the shot had plenty gobsmacked at the brand new look for the royal.

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Gorgeous, one wrote.

Brilliant picture, another wrote.

One, however, wondered if the photo betrayed a double standard in the royal family and the press coverage of their various exploits.

If Meghan Markle had allowed a photo like this of her mouth...everyone would be calling her all sorts of nasty things, one woman argued. Double standard.

The daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Beatrice has weathered a tumultuous 12 months which saw her nuptials delayed over the coronavirus pandemic, the royal forced to announce the cancellation back in April after trying to reschedule.

Beatrice watches as Prince Andrew embroiled in Jeffery Epstein trial

Prince Andrew has stepped back from royal duties over a disastrous interview with BBC Newsnight and ties to Jeffery Epstein. Photo: Getty Images

The daughter of Prince Andrew of York and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, Beatrice has also had to watch as her father became embroiled in the Jeffery Epstein sex crimes scandal.

The Prince has been accused by Virginia Giuffre (formerly Virginia Roberts) of forcing her to have sex with him when she was 17 after she was trafficked to have sex with Epstein and his friends.

Giuffre has alleged in court papers that she and Andrew had sex three times including one orgy at Epsteins house, and also on his private island in the Caribbean. Andrew was first named in US court documents in 2015.

Another woman, Johanna Sjoberg, claimed that Andrew touched her breast while she was sitting on a couch at Epsteins home in 2001.

Prince Andrew has denied the accusations, a Buckingham Palace statement reading: It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.

The Prince has since been embroiled in a public row with US authorities who are calling for his assistance in the trial and humiliated after a train-wreck interview with the BBC over the alleged incidents.

The interview went south as Andrew claimed he had no recollection of a famous photo of himself with Virginia Roberts and Epstiens associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who he said introduced the pair, who was this week arrested on charges relating to Epstiens crimes.

Prince Andrew also said he did not regret being friends with Epstein - who killed himself in prison while awaiting trial for sexual offences.

He stepped back from royal duties in November last year.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also sensationally left their senior royal roles in January, moving to LA where they are now seeing out the pandemic with their son Archie.

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Among the signatories were several contributors to The New York Times Opinion section, including Bari Weiss, a former writer and editor at the paper who resigned on Tuesday. In her own public resignation letter, Ms. Weiss argued that intellectual curiosity  let alone risk-taking  is now a liability at The Times, and claimed that she was bullied for her centrist views.

Both of these letters generated a great deal of both praise and criticism, including in the form of  yes  more open letters. Is it true that the ideal of open debate is under siege? Here is a rundown of, as it were, the debate.

What exactly is cancel culture?

If you are a sentient person with internet access in the year 2020  and I regret to inform you that you are  you have almost certainly heard the phrase cancel culture, which depending on your point of view either doesnt exist or heralds a new totalitarianism. But what does it actually mean, where did it come from and what does it have to do with free speech?

Tediously, it is actually useful here to refer to a dictionary. According to the etymologists at Merriam-Webster, the concept of canceling was popularized in recent years as a way of demanding greater accountability from public figures who have committed or are accused of having committed some disqualifying moral transgression. Its an agreement not to amplify, signal boost, give money to, Lisa Nakamura, a professor of media studies at the University of Michigan, told The Times in 2018.

[Related: Should we even use the term cancel culture?]

Credited to Black users of Twitter, cancellation has been said to share a lineage with midcentury civil rights boycotts, insofar as it enables those with little political power to litigate perceived injustices in the more accessible forum of popular culture (the cancellation court of public opinion, if you will). Increasingly, however, people across a broad range of personal backgrounds and political beliefs have criticized the practice as an imperious tactic of imposing on everyone, including those with relatively little power, a predetermined point of view by force of public shaming instead of persuasion. The culture of cancellation, they say, violates the spirit, if not the actual laws, of free expression.
Teller, a San Francisco, CA-based blockchain project for decentralized lending incubated by A16Zs crypto startup school, raised $1m in seed funding.

The round was led by Framework Ventures, followed by Parafi Capital and Maven11 Capital.

The company intends to use the funds to continue to expand its development efforts.

Led by Ryan Berkun, founder and CEO, Teller is introducing an undercollateralized DeFi lending protocol that can offer credit risk analysis. It will aggregate data from legacy credit scoring systems, like Equifax, into decentralized lending markets.

The protocol aims reduce lending risks for crypto holders and allow anyone to launch decentralized lending markets that can offer unsecured cryptocurrency loans.

Teller will act as a middleware protocol for the DeFi industry, enabling the development of lending markets that interoperate with centralized financial data providers via a cloud-based infrastructure composed of a distributed node network. By leveraging this network, where selected nodes perform cloud operations, Teller will aggregate an individuals existing financial information and utilize the protocols open-sourced, credit risk algorithms to assess their creditworthiness and offer loan terms. Teller Protocol  a protocol that will let developers create unsecured lending markets on the Ethereum blockchain that can interoperate with centralized data providers and credit bureaus to calculate consumer credit risk for loans.

FinSMEs

17/07/2020
Melbourne-born Hugh Evans isnt famous  certainly not, you know, SpongeBob famous  and he clearly doesnt want to be. Indeed, I get the strong feeling that hed rather not be talking to me  or, perhaps, to any journalist. Global Citizen uses one of the most aggressive PR companies in the US, Sunshine Sachs (which also represents Meghan Markle), protecting its media image generally and, it seems, its CEO personally.

The money will go to vaccine development, virus tracking and containment efforts, strengthening health systems, and food, housing and loan assistance to those in need as a result of the pandemic. Its 100-odd participant list reads like the most exclusive collection of random celebrities youve seen in your life: Stevie Wonder, Oprah, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, David Beckham, Lewis Hamilton, Heidi Klum, Ellen DeGeneres, the Rolling Stones and SpongeBob SquarePants.

It raised $US127.9 million ($184 million), mostly via corporate donations, for charitable groups including the World Health Organisations global COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. This puts it up there with that other legendary fundraiser, Live Aid, as the highest grossing charity concert in history. (Live Aid raised $US127 million in 1985.)

This celebrities-singing-in-their-sitting-rooms spectacular was shown on nine major digital platforms and 60 broadcast networks across more than 175 countries, including Network Ten in Australia, on April 19  and drew a worldwide audience of more than 300 million in support of frontline health workers.

These difficulties may be symbolic of a larger reality, which is that its hard to reach Hugh Evans at all these days. Part of this  most of it, probably  is his American base and the issues of COVID-19. But some portion also appears to be the machinery that surrounds him as co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen, the hottest charity on earth since partnering with Lady Gaga (and her mum) in an online and globally televised concert special event called One World: Together at Home .

In our first interview, Im surprised how young Hugh Evans looks. Hes 37, but he resembles a skinny teenager: his face on the computer screen is unlined, hes wearing a T-shirt, and I can see hes sporting the same spiky haircut he had in pictures from 20 years ago. In our second interview, something goes wrong with the video and I cant see him at all, so I spend 45 minutes looking at a black screen in the bright Australian morning, listening to his disembodied voice emerging out of the New York dusk.

Evans smiles. Global poverty is absolutely eradicable within our lifetime, he says. Extreme poverty has actually been decreasing for many years [from 1.9 billion people in 1990 to an estimated 650 million in 2018, according to the World Bank ], although COVID-19 may change that. But it wont be eradicated by traditional charity. I actually believe that charity as we know it is dead. My thesis is, if it hasnt ended poverty in the past 250 years, then theres no reason it should in the next 250.

This seems like the kind of motherhood statement thats easy to say and impossible to do, I say during our first conversation.

Certainly, its hard to get a handle on what Evans really thinks  except about global poverty. On this, hes extremely clear: the goal of his life, and of his celebrity-laden organisation, is nothing less than entirely eliminating it.

I interpret this to mean that Evans is an intense person with many commitments, who chooses his interactions carefully.

This might be simply company policy; it might be how things work in the US. It might be a function of what Mick Sheldrick, one of Evans close colleagues (global director of policy and advocacy at Global Citizen) and an old Australian friend, describes as the way Hugh builds up trust with people  he has a small group of people he will consult on everything.

Though his internal PR seems charming, it takes more than 40 emails to manage just two 45-minute interviews. His scheduler seems nice, too  but, still, a scheduler! No one I have interviewed has ever had a scheduler. Angelina Jolie didnt have a scheduler. Nor did the Dalai Lama.

Hugh Evans decided to eradicate global poverty at 14 , while lying on a two-million-tonne garbage dump called Smokey Mountain in the heart of Manilas largest slum. He was in year 9, on a World Vision trip to the Philippines. It turned out to be not quite your average school excursion.

This means solutions on a huge scale: involving entire national governments, huge multinational corporations and millions of engaged ordinary people demanding change. And its in pursuit of systemic change that hes standing in the New York dusk, dealing with pandemics and race riots, and running a global organisation with 140-odd staff and offices in Melbourne, London, Berlin, Toronto and Johannesburg. After all, changing the world doesnt come easy.

As Evans puts it, If we want to truly resolve the causes of systemic poverty, we have to have systemic solutions.

This is exactly the kind of thing Bill Gates is trying to promote with his Giving Pledge , by which the worlds most wealthy can commit most of their fortunes to philanthropy. But so far only 200-odd billionaires (10 per cent) have signed up, not including Bezos (though his ex-wife Mackenzie has).

There are more than 2000 billionaires on the planet, he points out. With a net worth of multiple trillions. If they each gave at the same rate as Bill and Melinda Gates are currently giving, that in itself would unlock enough money to finance the UNs Sustainable Development Goals [which include eliminating poverty] twice over. Amazon is worth a trillion dollars; Jeff Bezos could eliminate global poverty. He could do it on his own.

And yet, he goes on, theres nothing inherently permanent about poverty  no natural law that says it must exist. Evans believes in Nelson Mandelas theory that, like slavery and apartheid, poverty is made by man, and is eradicable by man.

Back in Melbourne in 2001, Evans did his high school final exams, and planned a gap year in South Africa working with HIV/ AIDS orphans to learn more about systemic poverty. But first, there was the small detail of funding.

One of his favourite events at Woodstock, he confesses in his memoir Stone of the Mountain: the Hugh Evans Story (published by Lothian when he was, ahem, 21), was Activity Week, when students could choose to go hiking in the Himalayas, visit the Dalai Lamas historic home of Dharamshala or volunteer in the slums of Delhi. Guess which option Evans chose? Added to which, every weekend you could help out at a disabled childrens school, or at a branch of Mother Teresas charity that wasnt too far away.

The year after his Philippines trip he won a scholarship from his school, Carey Baptist Grammar, to Woodstock, an international school in the Himalayan foothills. Woodstock is attended by the children of diplomats and the Indian aristocracy, but what mattered to Evans was the chance to extend my experience in the developing world. (As his close friend Peter Murphy, the global co-chair of Global Citizen, affectionately puts it when I ask him what Evans is like as a person: The word earnest springs to mind.)

Unlike most teenage vows made in the middle of the night, Evans kept his. He returned home  to the leafy Melbourne suburb of Kew where he spent his childhood  and devoted his life to replacing the random accident of birth with the reliable factors of a better life: nutrition, health care, education.

When I ask him what he remembers now about this night, he closes his eyes as he speaks. They were very gracious: they had a flat straw mat, and they wanted me to have that underneath me. They slept soundly, and I didnt sleep almost at all. There were cockroaches running everywhere, and this terrible smell. And I realised it was pure chance that I was born where I was born and that Sonny Boy was born there. And, to be candid, I decided I was going to commit my whole life to changing that.

That day they gave us each a host family, and off we went, recalls Evans, laughing. [Into] the most intense slum area in central Manila. I think theyve reviewed their protocols since then! His host family had a child called Sonny Boy about Evans age; when night fell and it was time to sleep, everyone lay down in a line on a slab of concrete, on top of the garbage, out in the open.

According to Evans, every action of every Global Citizen  there are 50-odd actions you can undertake at any one time  flows towards the UNs Sustainable Development Goals, which include eliminating poverty by 2030. Critics of Global Citizen have sometimes called this broad range of targets ineffective; a scattergun approach.

So you might choose to send a pre-written tweet to the UN supporting the reduction of ocean plastic pollution; you might sign an automated petition to President David Malpass of the World Bank asking for the equality of girls and women; you might send an already composed email to Prime Minister Scott Morrison requesting an increase in Australian international aid from its current rate of 0.21 per cent of gross national income to the UN-recommended 0.7 per cent. You might do all three, and many others.

Global Citizen is the ultimate expression of Hugh Evans teenage vow. Its an activist organisation that, via an app and a website , encourages people to take actions against poverty. It doesnt run its own projects, but researches and selects causes to support. As a member, you dont donate money. Instead, you take actions  as suggested by Global Citizen  that contribute to ending poverty.

When he went to India, a lot of parents said to me, How could you let him go?  remembers Albrecht. To which I said, How could I not? What would be the point of stopping him? He could have not gone  but he also could have been hit by a bus on Richmond Street in Kew! All I know is that whatever he set out to do, he would do.

Many people were bemused by Evans and his plans  especially while he was still at school. How could these teenage expeditions into Philippine slums, Calcutta charity hospitals and countries ravaged by HIV/AIDS and violence possibly end well?

I come from a middle-class family, he says  his mother, Kirsten Albrecht, owns Melbourne jewellery boutique turned studio, Kozminsky, which has been in the family for decades; his father, Richard Evans, is a hydrogeologist  but there was no way they could fund me going overseas to do volunteer work. And nor should they have. Instead, he convinced World Vision to introduce a brand new Youth Ambassador program, with Evans as inaugural ambassador. He also raised $25,000 in donations from Australian companies. Its what they call over here in the US hustle, he says, smiling.

Weve never wanted to say, You must do this,  defends Peter Murphy. What we try to do is build a suite of opportunities, where we can say, You choose, because all of these things will have a positive impact on the worlds poorest people. Its broad because poverty is a complex issue.

Another criticism is that the organisation encourages clicktivism: seducing people away from real-world activism by the ease, and perhaps illusory impact, of online support. Evans, however, believes its a good entry-level form of action, that hopefully encourages people on to more significant work. Theres also evidence that it works.

In 2017, for instance, former PM Julia Gillard used a Global Citizen platform to call for $US3.1 billion to give 870 million children around the world access to high-quality education via the organisation she chairs, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).

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In the following months, 263,672 Global Citizen members sent tweets, emails and messages to world leaders and corporations echoing her call. And in February 2018, donors pledged more than $US2.3 billion to the cause, thus assisting 700 million children. According to its own report, Global Citizen is continuing to work with partners to ensure the remaining funding gap of $US800 million is filled.

Of course, Global Citizen wasnt the only organisation supporting the GPE, but it was by many analytics the largest and most effective. It conducts highly publicised annual reports of commitments made versus money paid out  and today, the figures stand at $US48.4 billion pledged to Global Citizen-supported causes, and $US22 billion delivered (the remainder is, in many cases, tied up in multi-year projects). Along the way, almost 25 million actions have been taken by members.

Evans, with former prime minister Julia Gillard and pop star Rihanna, an ambassador for The Global Partnership For Education, in Malawi in 2017. Credit:Evan Rogers/Global Citizen

How do the celebrities fit? Theyve been integral to Evans since he helped organise the Make Poverty History concerts in Australia in 2006 and 2007 while he was still a uni student. Bono, the Edge, and Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam performed, and future prime minister Kevin Rudd took to the stage and promised to almost double Australias foreign aid budget if elected.

This was Evans first experience of the powerful combination of fame and music, employed to build grassroots support on behalf of a cause. Rudds promise was broken once Tony Abbott came to power, but to Evans the celebrity/audience/world-leader model had real potential.

Today, many of Global Citizens most successful campaigns  like Together At Home  are based on this template. In past years, multiple Global Citizen concerts have been held around the world  in New York, Mumbai, Durban, Hamburg  at which, instead of buying a ticket, you have to earn one, by taking actions as a Global Citizen member. These concerts are held to coincide with major power-broker gatherings like the G20 and the UN General Assembly, and world leaders appear alongside celebrities to announce their new initiatives against poverty.

Over the years, the likes of Indian PM Narendra Modi, US president Barack Obama (via video link) and South African president Cyril Ramaphosa have all appeared, as well as Microsofts Bill Gates. The chance to reach an audience of thousands (and millions online); to present your governments most benevolent and altruistic face to the world; to be introduced by Beyonce. What world leader could ask for more?

For the audience, meanwhile, attending concerts may be, and no doubt is, fuelled by a genuine desire for change. But lets be honest: its also fuelled by the desire to see Rihanna or Stevie Wonder live.

We start with a central policy premise  like education, says Evans. We find a powerful artist who believes in the premise; we drive that premise as a seminal moment in pop culture; we use that moment to call on world leaders to make those multibillion-dollar pledges; then we hold leaders accountable to make sure they follow through.

This accountability is crucial. But isnt it difficult to enforce? We have a whole division whose sole focus is on impact and accountability, says Evans. Their job is to make sure every announcement made on stage is specific, measurable, time-bound and achievable. Theres often a political tactic of announcing things done in the past, or re-announcing things. We dont allow any of that.

We take a very realpolitik approach: we analyse pledges, we look independently at the numbers to see if the data is real. Then, once the commitment is made  because its such a public forum and weve filmed the whole thing  we make it clear that well be publishing reports every six months about implementation. We have a phenomenal track record in very gently but specifically encouraging governments to follow through.

He leans back from his computer screen, smiling what, in anyone else, would be a knowing smile. We believe in holding world leaders feet to the fire.

Hugh Jackman with Evans during the 2016 Global Citizen Festival in New York. Credit:

Global Citizen was co-founded by Evans in 2012, as part of an earlier incarnation of the same idea, the Global Poverty Project. It was the culmination of a decade of achievements after he returned from South Africa. In 2003 he founded the Oaktree Foundation (today one of Australias largest youth organisations); in 2004 he was Young Australian of the Year; in 2008 he completed his science/law degree at Monash University and won a scholarship to Cambridge to do a masters degree in international relations.

Philanthropist Heloise Pratt met Evans around this time. He was very charismatic, she recalls. My mother had spoken of him as a future superstar to look out for. She became a long-term supporter  the Pratt Foundation would donate $1 million to Evans first Global Citizen Central Park festival in 2012  and others who met him were equally impressed. Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard both became mentors; former World Vision CEO Tim Costello was a constant supporter; John Howard called him a young man who spoke from the heart.

Evans is a Christian; although he comes from a church-going family, he became a person of faith at 13. He describes himself as an eager kid but he was also a restless, driven one. It was almost as if he had a checklist of things he wanted to do, his mother recalls. But he never showed a great deal of satisfaction once hed mastered them. He has this vision of how he wants the world to be, and hes just focused on that goal; he doesnt always stop to enjoy the success along the way.

Evans early life seems to have involved nothing but success; but there has been sadness, too. His parents divorced when he was 13 (hes the middle child of three brothers, and has one stepsister), which he describes as a tumultuous time, and though he remained close to his parents, moving between their houses each week, he thinks theres probably some correlation between that time frame and travelling internationally by myself a lot, which started the following year.

Does he mean he felt unhappy or dislocated at home? More that I feel very comfortable travelling. From memory, we spent half the week at Mums and half at Dads  I felt like I was always on the move.

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In time, his mother remarried; her new husband was the father of one of Evans closest friends from childhood. Dave and I went to Deepdene Primary together; we were best friends, he recalls. When the two boys became stepbrothers as teenagers it was a kind of awkward time, but their friendship remained strong: they both loved skateboarding and punk rock, and Evans remembers him as awesome: really rambunctious and full of energy. Tragically, the year both boys turned 17, David took his own life.

Davids death has been mentioned in old articles about Evans, as well as in his own memoir, but its impossible to imagine being a teenager and losing both a best mate and a brother. Can he describe its impact?

Evans leans forward towards his computer screen, arms folded on his desk, and  entirely unexpectedly for me, and perhaps for him, too  begins to cry. It was a very, very sad time, he says eventually. He did certainly cry out for help at certain points, and only with the benefit of hindsight do you understand those moments for what they were. But he was an amazing, amazing guy. It was a testimony to him that when we had his funeral in Melbourne, the whole cathedral was full.

Did his death change Evans path? Or perhaps make him more committed to the one he was on? I do believe that any form of suffering forces one to take a step back and ask the bigger questions, he says. It gives you an appreciation of every day. And sometimes its hard, because when youre exhausted, working as hard as you possibly can, you lose that appreciation. But certainly in my deeper moments of reflection I always come back to the things Im thankful for, and the family Im thankful for, and how that informs my true north and what I want to do next.

John Legend at the first Global Citizen Festival in New York in 2012. Credit:

For more than 10 years now, the true north of Evans life has been Global Citizen. He chose to set up in New York because of its proximity to major political and philanthropic power bases, and because of US tax concessions for advocacy organisations.

And in a decade, hes taken the organisation from a tiny gig in a storeroom in Soho to a genuinely international organisation, that people like WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus call in moments of crisis (as he did to help spread the message of social distancing), and to which celebrities like Beyonce, Carole King, Billie Eilish and Jay-Z regularly commit their time. Indeed, many have done so for years: Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, has signed on to curate the Global Citizen Central Park festival till 2030.

A lot of people said, Oh, we really admire your cause, but we dont think its the right fit for us. 

The first Global Citizen festival was in 2012, in Central Park, headlined by Foo Fighters, The Black Keys, and Neil Young and Crazy Horse. But they nearly didnt get Central Park; they nearly didnt get Foo Fighters  they nearly didnt get anything.

You get an awful lot of polite declines when youve never done something before, explains Simon Moss, the Australian co-founder and managing director of campaigns at Global Citizen. A lot of people said, Oh, we really admire your cause, but we dont think its the right fit for us. Which is the polite version of, I dont think you guys know what the f youre doing. The whole thing was just insane  this crazy bunch of Australians no one had ever heard of. But after wed pulled it off, all these people whod said no suddenly said, Actually. 

Hugh Evans laughs when I ask him about this: the model hasnt changed much, he admits. The Together At Home concerts, for instance, involved a lot of calls and not very much sleep for weeks on end. It seems almost par for the course that the events come together in short time frames, under immense pressure: the entire Together At Home special event line-up was gathered in three weeks.

Mick Sheldrick recalls having our first call with Lady Gaga the day before he fell sick with COVID-19 for a week (during which Evans messaged him every day to see if he could come back to work); and returning 10 days before the concert went live.

Heloise Pratt says that, in these moments of high pressure, Evans flips from being totally normal to this superstar control freak, micromanaging every aspect of events. Her ex-husband, Alex Waislitz, whose own foundation donates $250,000 a year to the Waislitz Global Citizen Awards, agrees. Hes totally passionate, he works 24/7, he says. But hes also very resilient and flexible: he finds a way to make things happen.

Quite how he gets so many celebrities onto his band-wagon is anyones guess. As Kirsten Albrecht puts it, He does have the power to get people to want to be a part of his plan. But this isnt just a plan to play street cricket in the quiet lanes of Kew, after all. Hugh Jackman, who met Evans when he mistook him for a waiter at a cocktail party in Canberra (He looked so young!), has said his appeal is based on how every idea Id had of how to use my profile to help make the planet a better place was trumped by [Evans] vision, his passion and his dedication.

Maybe its that simple: Evans gives celebrities the chance to use their power for good, not evil. Of course, they also earn terrific publicity for doing so, but lets not be cynical. Lady Gaga was on daily phone calls with our team [organising Together At Home], says Evans. Thats the sort of commitment artists give: she was on Zoom calls and WebEx calls, WhatsApp, literally every single day. People do genuinely care about changing the world, and if we can provide the right forum, then wonderful people are willing to put their time towards it.

Evans with his wife, Tanyella, who runs Nabu, an organisation helping children in poverty access online libraries and literacy materials. Credit:

Does Hugh Evans ever switch off? Does he  can he  relax? Youd have to ask [my wife] about that, he says, looking slightly sheepish. (Evans met his wife, Tanyella, at Cambridge; the pair have been married for 10 years, and she runs her own non-government organisation called Nabu, helping children in poverty access online libraries and literacy materials.) Tan and I are still able to, you know, have a wonderful life. My faith, my family, the mission  and my love of running! These are the things that help me unwind.

Those who know him best seem to doubt this  at least the unwinding part. Its just constant, says Mick Sheldrick cheerfully. You go from one campaign right on to the next, and people are sometimes like, Can we just catch our breath?  He laughs. The thing with Hugh is, there are some

people who worked with him in the early days and theyre like, Youve worked with him for so long now, arent you just exhausted? But he pushes himself harder than anyone: he wears his heart on his sleeve. The number of times Ive seen him in tears over something. Its all very personal to him.

Speaking of personal: some years ago, a charity worker whod seen a 2016 TED Talk by Evans contacted him, saying she knew Sonny Boy, and she recognised his tattoos from a picture Evans had used on stage. I had the enormous privilege of going back to Manila to meet him, recalls Evans. It was so emotional. He remembered me! He seems, even now, amazed by this. Why should he: I was just one dude passing through. But he was in tears as well!

Since then, Evans has helped Sonny Boy get a motor scooter rickshaw licence, buy a rickshaw, and set up a small store. We just do that as a family thing  a personal thing, he says. Sonny Boy, he adds, texts him most mornings: sometimes he reads the texts out to his team.

Evans at Global Citizen's New York office: I actually believe that charity as we know it is dead. My thesis is, if it hasnt ended poverty in the past 250 years, theres no reason it should in the next 250." Credit:Ben Sklar

As for saving the rest of the world, Evans keeps working. Thanks to COVID-19, the Sustainable Development Goals have taken a brutal hit, with some experts predicting theyve been set back by 30 years  surely a demoralising prospect. Maybe thats why he looks so tired, standing at his computer in the gathering New York darkness.

No, he says firmly. Im an optimist. All the data is on our side. Even though this current setback is utterly devastating for the poor, we can still eradicate poverty within our lifetime. Everything points to that. Its not a question of can we, but will we? He smiles. Its a question of will.

Lifeline 13 11 14

To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased by 18 between Monday and Friday, fueled by what the health department called as household clusters.

The Central Michigan District Health Department reported an additional three cases, bringing the countys total to 155. On Monday, CMDHD reported 137 total confirmed cases. CMDHD reported Wednesday that an additional 34 probable cases, people who came into close contact with someone who tested positive and developed symptoms.

The surge in cases, which in reality started in mid-June, is based on in-home transmissions of the disease, said Steve Hall, health officer for CMDHD. In-home transmissions are a well-documented part of COVID-19. In China and New York City, in-home transmissions were reported as a majority of cases, placing sick people in close proximity to healthy people for long periods of time.

Hall said he expects the cases to keep increasing, but that it isnt necessary.

If we could get everyone to take the recommended precautions, we could slow the spread, he said in an email. I urge our residents to take the following precautions: stay home when you are ill, avoid crowded areas, keep at least 6 feet apart from others, wear a mask when in public, cover coughs and sneezes, and wash your hands frequently. Following these simple precautions will go a long way in ensuring our businesses can remain open and our children can return to school in the Fall.

Eight people have died in Isabella County; 75 are listed as recovered. A recovery is defined as 30 days beyond the first onset of symptoms without a death or the person being hospitalized. Many people who get the disease, however, report symptoms lasting longer than a month.

Gratiot County added another four cases Friday, bringing their total to 104 cases and 14 deaths. Health officials, who previously said that in-home transmissions were responsible for surging cases in that county, have also monitored 10 probable cases. Mid-Michigan District Health Department, which oversees Gratiot County, doesnt report the number of people recovered in the county.

Two more cases were announced for Clare County, bringing its totals to 36 cases and three deaths. CMDHD has monitored one probable case there, and 20 people are reported as recovered.

Four more were announced in Montcalm County for totals of 130 cases and one death; and four more in Midland County, for 165 cases and nine deaths. Mecosta County, with 38 cases and two deaths; and Gladwin County, with 29 cases and one death, were both unchanged.

Statewide, another 660 cases were announced with seven additional deaths, bringing the cumulative totals to 72,502 cases and 6,108 deaths.

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The Government has constructed a six -unit classroom block and a dining hall with ancillary facilities for two second cycle institutions in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality.



The six- unit classroom block worth GH 605,000.00 was built for Tarkwa Senior High School, while Fiaseman Senior High School (SHS) had the dining hall with a store and kitchen at a total cost of GH 2,032,628.00.



Both projects were funded from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).



Handing over the facilities to the Municipal Assembly and the Educational Directorate, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko -Mensah, Western Regional Minister, said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government believed any investment they make in education would turn out to be opportunities for the future leaders.



He said the government promised free education and the Western Region had boosted enrollment, hence the citizens were happy the programme was introduced since they benefited.



According to the Regional Minister, government had built extra classroom blocks for schools that provided the double track system, and those that did not offer the double-track system also received similar facilities.



"In the Western Region alone, government is constructing thirty one new schools and for projects that have already began with some dating as far back as 2005, 20 of them have been re-awarded" he emphasized.



Mr Darko-Mensah announced that the government is going to put up a Senior High School at Nsuaem so the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Mr George Mireku Duker are working to provide the citizens what they deserve".



Mr Benjamin Kessie, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Tarkwa-Nsuaem said they were privileged to benefit from the pledges of the President with regard to expansion of infrastructure in the various Senior High Schools.



He said the free SHS programme had increased enrollment and was necessary they expanded the existing infrastructure to accommodate the numbers.



Mr Kessie said "we want to see the products of these schools churn out the best of results and that will be the measure by which we can access the impact the project had on the life of the people"



The Municipal Director of Education, Mr Alex Kwaku Duah, re-echoed calls to the beneficiary schools authorities to adopt the culture of maintenance to prolong the life span of the projects.

Mr Francis Kofi Sagoe, Headmaster of Fiaseman Senior High School together with Mr Gordon Opoku Boateng, Assistant Head in charge of Academics at Tarkwa Senior High School expressed appreciation to government and said the projects would address the infrastructural deficit in their schools.

Source: GNA









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The 2,285-word petition was written in response to the national Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality and the killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd. Museum employees in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Akron, Ohio, have mounted campaigns against what they claim is systemic racism, sexism and unfair treatment of LGBTQ and BIPOC (the acronym for black, indigenous and people of color) employees in their field. Last week a letter from former employees of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art alleged a culture of racism that they say stretched back a decade.
Pro-Palestinian progressive insurgent Jamaal Bowman ousted House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel in the New York Democratic primary, according to an Associated Press call of the election today. While Engel has been trailing Bowman by a wide margin since the election was held last month, the counting of mail-in ballots has delayed the final results.

Why it matters: Engel, a 16-term incumbent, was a powerful ally of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). While Bowman campaigned mostly on domestic issues, he also attacked Engel over his lengthy foreign policy record. Specifically, he criticized Engels vote for the 2002 Iraq war authorization, his opposition to President Barack Obamas Iran nuclear deal and his 2016 vote to allow the sale of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia, as well as the influx of cash his campaign received from defense contractors.

The race also became a high-dollar proxy war between AIPAC-aligned groups and Justice Democrats, a pro-Palestinian progressive organization that helped Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unseat former House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley in New York in 2018. The Justice Democrats group has called for ending US arms sales to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt on human rights grounds.

Whats next: Republicans have not fielded a challenger in the solidly blue district, and Bowman is all but assured victory in the November general election. In the meantime, the race to replace Engel as Foreign Affairs Committee chairman on Capitol Hill is already unfolding. Reps. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, are all vying for the position.

Know more: Congressional Correspondent Bryant Harris will have the full story on the race to replace Engel as foreign affairs chairman later today. In the meantime, read his story detailing how Engels primary became a proxy war between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel groups.
(Newser)  A US Navy sailor based out of Portsmouth, Va., is heading to a general court-martial next week, accused of handing over classified information to a Russian he reportedly knew. Per a charge sheet cited by the Virginian-Pilot, Chief Petty Officer Charles T. Briggs is said to have used a government computer on or around Jan. 9 of last year at Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base, where he was stationed at the time, to acquire said secret information, which he had reason to think could "injure the United States or benefit a foreign national." Briggs then allegedly passed that information on to a "Russian national" not green-lit to have it.

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Military court documents note it's not clear what the relationship between Briggs and the Russian is, or what kind of information Briggs allegedly handed over. Briggs, who now works in IT at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, has been hit with charges including unauthorized distribution of classified information obtained from a government computer, obstructing justice, and communicating defense information, among others. He also saw charges related to child pornography. Briggs is set to be arraigned Wednesday. (Read more classified information stories.)
Former Pemex director arrives in Mexico to face criminal charges including bribery and money laundering

Mexico City, Mexico  The former director of Pemex, Emilio Lozoya Austin, has been returned to Mexico after being arrested in Malaga, Spain in February.

Lozoya entered the North Prison at 4:25 a.m. Friday, after being transferred from the hangar of the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) in a convoy consisting of four trucks, two motorcycles and a National Guard patrol unit.

The former director of Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), Emilio Lozoya, arrived in Mexico after being detained and eventually extradited by the Spanish government for criminal association and involvement in criminal operations with illicit resources in the Odebrecht and Agro Nitrogenados cases.

Emilio Lozoya Austin was arrested in Malaga, Spain in February

Lozoyas hearing will be behind closed doors, however, the Federal Judicial Council (CJF) says that it will report in real time via social media due to the Covid-19 health emergency. After his February 12 arrest, Mexico made their formal request for his extradition March 23, derived from two arrest warrants. Lozoya Austin will face two criminal prosecutions for money laundering, bribery and improper exercise of public service.
A treat for bird lovers!

The National Audubon Society announced the winners of the 2020 Audubon Photography Awards. Known the for highlighting some of the most spectacular bird photography in the world, this years contest winners did not disappoint.

This years winners were selected from over 6,000 submissions that came in from photographers across all 50 United States, Washington DC, and seven Canadian Provinces. The goal of the awards is to highlight images that evoke the ingenuity, resilience, and beauty of birds small and large, terrestrial and aquatic.

Well let you decide if they succeeded.

(Please click on the images to view them full-screen)

While on a walk through a nature preserve in Fresno, I heard a roadrunner cooing to its mate. I followed the sound to find the bird clutching a gift for its partner: a really big fence lizard! The roadrunner perched on a post above me for nearly 10 minutes. The lighting was harsh and it was difficult to get the proper camera setting, but I managed to take this shot. I like how the photograph shows a small predator with its prey.

Photograph: Christopher Smith/Audubon Photography Awards/Youth Honorable Mention

Ive spent many hours underwater at this California sea lion rookery in the Bay of La Paz, but I had never before encountered diving cormorants there. Shifting my focus from the playful sea lions, I watched in awe as the cormorants plunged beak-first into the sea to snap at the sardines swimming by. Although I spent a long time admiring these birds, I didnt see a single one catch a fish. Adding insult to injury, curious sea lion pups would zip by the hunting birds and nip at them from behind.

Photograph: Joanna Lentini/Audubon Photography Awards/2020 Grand Prize Winner

Near my home in Fremont is a historic farm with a water fountain thats a magnet for birds. I was by the fountain looking for warblers and other migrants when I saw this hummingbird, a year-round resident, exhibiting some very interesting behaviour. It swooped in for a drink and then stuck around to play in the water, as if trying to catch a droplet. After several frames, I finally captured the bird

succeeding at its game.

Photograph: Bibek Ghosh/Audubon Photography Awards/2020 Amateur Honorable Mention

Through frequent visits to North Mississippi Regional Park, an area restored with native plants, I became familiar with the cup plant and learned that its leaves can hold rainwater, as the name suggests. I read that birds and other wildlife like to drink from these plants, so I always keep an eye out for bird activity when I pass by them. Finally one late July day I was lucky enough to witness a female American Goldfinch plunge her head into a plant.

Photograph: Travis Bonovsky/Audubon Photography Awards/2020 Plants for Birds Winner

On a boat ride on the New River, I noticed a few Northern Jacanas on a patch of water lilies and asked the captain to stop. I hoped our vessel wouldnt scare away the birds. I couldnt believe my luck when one walked closer and closer to us. The boat was rocking, but when the bird stopped for a moment to peer into a water lily, I was able to set up and get this special shot.

Photograph: Vayun Tiwari/Audubon Photography Awards/2020 Youth Winner

The sun was setting behind a frigatebird breeding colony in the Galapagos. The birds were very active and stunningly close, and the experience was all the more special because I was with great friends who were equally mesmerised by the scene. We got on the sand, lying on our bellies and handholding our cameras, composing silhouettes and starbursts on birds wingtips. I noticed this male, with his throat pouch lit up by the sun, and zoomed in to capture his portrait.

Photograph: Sue Dougherty/Audubon Photography Awards/2020 Professional Winner

This warbler was difficult to photograph as it frantically hopped from branch to branch while foraging on a native gooseberry -- one of the plants that flower in early spring in this part of Canada. Gooseberries are an important source of food for exhausted songbirds migrating north over the Great Lakes, and I was thrilled to get a clear image of this warbler drinking nectar from the tiny flowers.

Photograph: Natalie Robertson/Audubon Photography Awards/2020 Plants for Birds Honorable Mention

In spring 2019 I made my first venture to watch the Greater Sage-Grouse perform its courtship ritual. Late one afternoon I set up my camera at the edge of a rural road and used my car as a blind. This male was the first bird I saw, and he proved to be a great model. As he faced away from me, he provided a nice profile pose, and I thought it was a neat perspective to get his photo from behind.

Photograph: Gene Putney/Audubon Photography Awards/2020 Professional Honorable Mention

I followed a little-known trail in Yosemite to the top of a small waterfall and sat at the edge of the pool. A moment later, a dipper flew in. The river was -- moving quickly, but it wasnt too deep. So instead of diving, the bird stuck its head underwater in search of prey. I thought the spectacular splash would make an awesome photo. The bird kept getting closer and closer as I sat snapping -- hundreds of shots of that splash. I will treasure that afternoon as one of my favourite moments in Yosemite!

Photograph: Marlee Fuller-Morris/Audubon Photography Awards/2020 Fisher Prize Winner

After a torrential rainstorm, I went out on a late-afternoon boat trip on the Tarcoles River. It was still raining when we left the boat ramp, but once the sky finally cleared, we spotted this Bare-throated Tiger-Heron walking along the river. As the boat drifted by, the bird leaned over the bank to watch us. I raised my camera and quickly switched to a portrait orientation to capture the beautiful post-storm sky behind it.

Photograph: Gail Bisson/Audubon Photography Awards/2020 Amateur Winner
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Kareem Wilson covers health for the Georgetown and Myrtle Beach area for the Georgetown Times. He previously covered entertainment and community news for the Charlotte Post in Charlotte, NC.
India may stockpile crude oil in US-based strategic reserves to shield itself from any supply disruptions arising out of geopolitical reasons and natural disasters, three people aware of the development said.

The US is increasingly becoming a key partners in Indias energy security. India has been importing oil and gas from the US since 2017, and discussions are underway to store crude oil in American strategic reserves, the people said on condition of anonymity.

In just two years, the US has become one of the top 10 sources of crude oil imports for India, they said. India imports over 80% of the crude oil it processes; it imported crude oil worth $101.4 billion in 2019-20.

The proposal to store oil in the US is still at an initial stage. It may be discussed at the second ministerial meeting of the India and US Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP) between Indian petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the US energy secretary Dan Brouillette on Friday, one person said.

The meeting, which was due to be held in Washington in April this year, got postponed because of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic; it will take place on Friday through video conferencing, another person said. The SEP was formally announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US in June 2017.

The first ministerial meeting was held in New Delhi on April 17, 2018 between minister Pradhan and the then energy secretary Rick Perry.

Ideally, India should have strategic reserves for at least 90 days. Although it is developing its own storage capacities, it can currently store 5.33 million tonnes (MMTs), or 39 million barrels of crude oil, in the three existing caverns, which is sufficient to meet 9.5 days requirements, a third person said.

The three underground caverns are located in Vishakhapatnam, Mangalore and Padur. The government has approved the construction of two more strategic crude oil reserves with a total 6.5 million tonnes of capacity at Chandikhol in Odisha and Padur in Karnataka. The proposed facilities will provide additional storage capacity for 11.57 days of requirements.

Oil ministry officials confirmed that the two ministers will discuss various strategic matters of mutual interest, including investments in energy projects, on Friday, but declined to disclose details.

On Wednesday, Pradhan and Brouillette had co-chaired an industry-level interaction organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC). On Tuesday, the Indian minister had interacted with industry under the US-India Strategic Energy Partnership, oil ministry officials said.

The move to keep a stockpile of crude oil in the US-based strategic reserves is an extremely beneficial move. If the idea of maintaining a strategic reserve of petroleum is to mitigate risk and ensure energy security, the objective can be truly achieved by diversifying our strategy, Anupam Manur, assistant professor at the think tank Takshashila Institution, said,

It is in Indias interest to geographically diversify the storage of our petroleum reserves. Beyond this, we should also look at getting into strategic partnerships with Oman, UAE, Sri Lanka, and Japan for our SPR [strategic petroleum reserve] storage strategy, he added.

Through the strategic energy partnership, the US and India collectively seek to enhance energy security, expand energy and innovation linkages across their energy sectors, bolster strategic alignment, and facilitate increased industry and stakeholder engagement in the energy sector, an oil ministry statement said.

Pradhan was quoted as saying in the statement that there had been a few collaborative efforts between Indian and American companies in the energy sector, but it was far below potential.

During these challenging times, India and the US have been working in close collaboration, be it in stabilising global energy markets or in collaborative efforts to address Covid-19, Pradhan said.

In todays turbulent world, one constant is  and always will be  the strength of our bilateral partnership, the minister said.
The Old Guard director Gina Prince-Bythewood revealed Skydance approached her after Patty Jenkins delivered a blockbuster in Wonder Woman.

The Old Guard, that dropped on Netflix on 10 July, checks every box for a summer hit. Based on the graphic comic-book series, the film features Charlize Theron as the leader of a badass squad of undying heroes who have fought on every battlefield in history. The globe-hopping adventure is peppered with slick action sequences involving a very diverse cast of women and men, Black and white, queer and straight, Muslim and Christian.

While Netflix does not share any data on how a film or show has performed, that The Old Guard opened on the streaming platforms #1 position, and has mostly stayed there since, is a testament to its blockbuster status. This is a film that celebrates women taking charge, women mentoring other women, and women giving other women a chance to take the lead. And it is no surprise that a woman  Gina Prince-Bythewood, has directed the film.

(Also read: The Old Guard director Gina Prince-Bythewood talks about becoming first black woman to direct a comic-book movie)

In a business-as-usual world, 2020 would have seen seven big action films directed by women. Around the time the world was preparing to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, Cathy Yans Harley Quinn: Bird of Prey, a spin-off from the DC Comic Universe was playing in theatres. This run of female-directed superhero movies was meant to continue with Cate Shortlands Black Widow, Patty Jenkins' sequel Wonder Woman 1984, and Chloe Zhaos The Eternals. There is also Disneys live-action remake of Mulan that retells the epic lore of a warrior princess with spectacular sword-fighting skills. Regardless of when these films make it to the audience, in theatres or on OTT, it is obvious that there are cracks beginning to appear in Hollywoods action-thriller-superhero ceiling.

It is no secret that like all film industries around the world, women directors are still a minority in Hollywood. They were even more rare within the action-thriller-superhero genre. Traditionally, rom-coms and emotional dramas were seen as a natural fit for a female director. This very obvious bias was a reflection of centuries of societal conditioning and gender branding  women as nurturers and emotionally-focused, and men as leaders and action-oriented. As far as the powers-that-be in Hollywood were concerned, women cannot direct big-budget, bone-snapping, blood-and-bullet fests.

Within the studio system that drives Hollywood, the only woman director trusted consistently with big budgets on action films used to be Kathryn Bigelow. Through her career spanning decades, Bigelow cemented her identity as the maker of adrenaline-fuelled films that have redefined the genre whether it was the 1991 cops-robbers-and-surfers thriller Point Break or the war film The Hurt Locker, that took an analytical look at how war can change a man. The film won Bigelow an Oscar for Best Director  the only woman to do so in 90-plus years of The Academys existence.

It was Jenkins delivering a blockbuster with Wonder Woman in 2017 though that upended conventional showbiz wisdom that female superheroes do not sell tickets or that women cannot direct action superhero films. It gave Hollywood studios the confidence to begin considering women directors for tentpole, big-budget action projects. The #MeToo movement of 2018 brought with it a greater awareness for increased representation of women in all departments including direction.

Last year, we had Anna Boden co-directing Marvel's first female superhero film Captain Marvel, while Elizabeth Banks remade Charlie's Angels. The Jenkins Effect is what Prince-Bythewood credits as one of the reasons why Skydance, the production company behind The Old Guard hired her. I never thought I'd get the opportunity to make (action movies), given the way that Hollywood is. But all praise to Patty Jenkins, who killed Wonder Woman, and opened the door a crack for some of us to squeak through. Skydance was intentional on wanting to find a female director," she told The Atlantic.

In 2011, Paul Feig broke away from every Hollywood convention about rom-com and female-drive comedy to give us Bridesmaids. He, along with the brilliant women writers and cast of the film, gave us fully realised characters that did not adhere to specific ideas of how women must be. The sleeper hit not only brought in newer audiences to the genre but also resuscitated it. And if it takes the fresh eyes of a man to bring in a little reinvention to a genre dominated by womens stories, the flipside should also be true.

There is a scene in The Old Guard, somewhere amidst all that high-octane drama  a man declaring his love for another man. It makes one sit up and wonder, Has this ever happened before? Joe aka Yusuf (Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky aka Nicolo (Luca Marinelli) sit handcuffed at the back of a van, surrounded by gun-toting soldiers. They have just been kidnapped, and Joe checks if Nicky is okay. One of the soldiers laughs with contempt, and asks, What is he, your boyfriend? Joe takes a long look at the soldier, and delivers a romantic monologue of epic proportions. This man is more to me than you can dream. Hes the moon when Im lost in darkness, and warmth when I shiver in cold. And his kiss still thrillers me even after a millennium. His heart overflows with a kindness of which this world is not worth. I love this man beyond measure and reason. Hes not my boyfriend. He is all, and he is more. What follows is a passionate kiss between the two immortal soldiers as their captors look on with horrified expressions.

This scene is more than just tokenism to appeal to a key demographic or to be considered woke. It comes directly from the original comic book, and writer Greg Rucka stipulated that it had to be in the movie. In interviews, Prince-Bythewood has talked about the scene being one of the reasons why she wanted to direct this story. With The Old Guard, she is given us a superhero film like none other: it allows the viewer time to be invested in the characters, it is intimate, and as real as a film about a 6,000-year-old warrior can be.

Women directors kicking in the doors of this male-dominated genre is perhaps what it needs for its reinvention. More than a phase, this is hopefully is the first step towards what will become an industry standard.

All images from Twitter.
OYO Hotels & Homes has terminated the lease contracts for two Gurugram-based corporate offices amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The SoftBank-backed company is also in the process of renegotiating a lease on the third office as it strives to cut costs in amid uncertain times.

Ritesh Agarwal-backed firm has vacated Spaze Palazo and Udyog Vihar (Gurugram) offices invoking the 'force majeure' clause, The Economic Times reported citing unidentified sources. Capital Cyberscape (Gurugram) is the third space whose contract lease is being renegotiated, the daily added.

Agarwal had recently told BusinessToday.In that OYO has been able to tackle the coronavirus crisis better because of its recent restructuring exercise. Last December, the company made an exit from 200 cities (out of 600 before) and laid off 2,000 people in India alone.Even as Agarwal didn't mention the retrenchment numbers in the COVID-19 period, he said that OYO did not do retrenchments other than geographies where they were required.

OYO, in April, had announced pay cuts and 'leave with limited benefits' options for its India staff. Company CEO Rohit Kapoor had said that the company is asking its employees to accept a cut of 25 per cent in their fixed compensation for the months of April to July. Some employees were put on leave with limited benefits from May till August.

OYO Rooms or OYO Hotels & Homes, is one of the largest hospitality chains of leased and franchised hotels, homes and living spaces in India. Founded in 2013 by Ritesh Agarwal, OYO initially consisted mainly of budget hotels but later expanded globally with thousands of hotels, vacation homes and millions of rooms.Also read: Shiv Nadar quits as HCL Tech chairman, hands over reins to daughter Roshni

Also read: Big GST scam! 1,377 'untraceable' exporters claim IGST refunds worth Rs 1,875 crore
Boeing's (NYSE:BA) stable of iconic plane brands has taken yet another hit from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two months ago, Delta Air Lines made headlines when it announced plans to "permanently retire" all 18 Boeing 777 airplanes in its fleet. One month later, the news came down from north of the border that Air Canada is retiring its last Boeing 767.

Now, it's the 747's turn.

As the BBC reports this morning, U.K. flag carrier British Airways has confirmed that it will retire all 31 of its Boeing 747 jumbo jets "with immediate effect" -- 10% of the BA fleet. (BA's 747 fleet is the largest in the airline industry. Globally, about 500 747s remain in service today.)

The announcement marks the end of a nearly six-decade-long history of BA flying the 747, with the move depriving the airline of its fastest flyer. As the BBC points out, the 747 is the "fastest operating commercial plane, with a top speed of just over 650 mph."

Coronavirus, of course, bears the blame. With air traffic down, airlines are feeling pressure to cut costs -- and the four-engine 747 is more expensive to operate than a twin-engine 787 or 777. Thus, as a British Airways spokesman explained, "It is unlikely our magnificent 'queen of the skies' will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic."

That being said, the blow isn't as heavy as it might sound for Boeing. The airplane maker has for some time been rumored to be winding down 747 production, and earlier this month, Bloomberg named 2022 the final year of the 747's production. British Airways itself was already planning to retire its fleet of 747s in 2024.

Today's announcement just moves up that date by four years.
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 Sarah Bishop brings to life Good Weekend senior writer Amanda Hooton's weekend cover story, "The Melbourne charity king with Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Hugh Jackman on speed dial".

Amanda is then joined in conversation by Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland and Louise Walsh, CEO of Future Generation and a former CEO of Philanthropy Australia, to discuss the latest trends in the not-for-profit sector and whether ending global poverty is a realistic goal.

Listen to more episodes by subscribing to Good Weekend Talks wherever you get your podcasts.
Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said Irelands green list for safe travel will not be very long (Brian Lawless/PA)

The US will not be on Irelands green list for safe travel and the UK is also very unlikely to be included, the countrys foreign minister has said.

Simon Coveney said the list, which is due to be published on Monday, will not be particularly long.

Currently people arriving in Ireland from overseas  with limited exceptions such as essential supply chain workers  are required to fill in a passenger locator form and self-quarantine for 14 days.

People crossing the border from Northern Ireland are not subject to restrictions on their movement.

Travellers arriving in Ireland from countries on the new green list will not be required to isolate for two weeks.

People can still enter Ireland from countries not on the green list, but they will be required to self-isolate.

Expand Close Simon Coveney said the green list will not be particularly long (Julien Behal/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Simon Coveney said the green list will not be particularly long (Julien Behal/PA)

The Irish Government continues to advise citizens not to travel abroad for holidays this summer.

However, people who do choose to visit countries on the green list will not be required to quarantine themselves on their return.

Mr Coveney said Cabinet decisions on which countries would be included on the list will be based on science and epidemiological data and not politics.

He said countries will be excluded from the green list if their Covid-19 infection rates exceed a set threshold.

I think theres no question that the US will be on the green list, it wont be, he told the Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk.

And I think its very unlikely our closest neighbour either will be under that threshold that we set.

And thats really unfortunate because the two countries that we would like to be opening up to, in terms of international travel, are the UK and the US, given the integration between our economy of those two countries and of course the number of visitors that would like to come here to spend money in hotels and have holidays here and so on.

So, I think its very unlikely that either the UK or the US will be on that green list.

Its not going to be a particularly long list.

Three further deaths and 34 additional cases of Covid-19 were recorded, the National Public Health Emergency Team said on Friday.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- New York City will provide free, safe childcare for 100,000 children this fall, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday.

The childcare option is available for families who are unable to stay home or find care for children on days when they may be attending school remotely.

This pandemic has been hugely disruptive in the lives of our kids, which is why we are working to provide as much in-person learning as possible, said de Blasio.

Working families are being pulled in many directions, trying to make a plan for the fall, and we are going to help them every step of the way by providing free childcare options, he said.

Children in 3K through eighth grade will be eligible for the program, and approximately 50,000 seats will be made available each day.

Locations have not been determined yet, but the Department of Education (DOE) is looking for spaces in schools, community centers, libraries, cultural organizations and more.

The announcement comes days after the states preliminary plan for reopening schools was released.

The DOE has created a blended learning model, which may include remote and hybrid learning. Families also have the option to opt into fully remote learning.
Editor's Note: Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news stories and expert opinions that moved the precious metals and financial markets. Sign up here!

(Kitco News) As gold prices firm above $1,800 an ounce, there seems to be a growing number of concerns around sourcing gold responsibly.

The latest allegations came from a Global Witness report, published Thursday, which said that the Swiss refiner Valcambi SA purchased large amounts of gold from Dubai-based Kaloti Precious Metals Group, which was at risk of acquiring Sudanese conflict gold.

The worlds largest gold refiner, Switzerland-based Valcambi, has sourced over 20 tonnes of gold from UAE-based refiner and gold trader Kaloti, which likely purchased Sudanese conflict gold in 2012 and was at high risk of doing so in subsequent years, our new investigation reveals, the report stated.

The report called on the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) to look into the claims more closely and improve its system for overseeing gold producers.

Our findings severely undermine the credibility of the LBMA, the gold sectors premier accreditation body, which has continued to include Valcambi on its Good Delivery List  The gaps in the LBMAs responsible sourcing standards and the bodys apparent lack of oversight of Valcambi has facilitated the companys due diligence failures vis-a-vis Kaloti, the report said.

Kaloti denied the allegations, Bloomberg reported. Kaloti is independently audited each year against the relevant standards and at no time has any conflict material, from any jurisdiction, including Sudan, been identified in any of its supply chains, Bloomberg quoted Kaloti as saying. Furthermore, Kaloti has never sent any gold material sourced from Sudan to any Swiss refinery whatsoever.

Valcambi also reportedly denied allegations.

A press release on Valcambis website that was published last month stated that the refiner plans to adopt a new Secured Data Storage (SDS) system that strengthens and automates its precious metals sourcing process, and allows increased transparency and sharing of information.

Based on blockchain technology, the SDS system will require entities looking to become a precious metals supplier to Valcambi to upload all due diligence information, data and documents required by the most stringent due diligence standard (based on LBMA Refiners Toolkit due diligence templates) into the database. This will then be accessible to all appropriate auditing parties, the press release said.

However, that is not all. In another report, also published on Thursday, Bern-based non-governmental organization Swissaid questioned LBMAs standards for overseeing conflict gold.

The audits to which refineries are subject are not sufficiently transparent. The London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) has limited powers and is not able to identify suppliers to its member refineries, Swissaid wrote in the report. The LBMA is an important player in the sector in promoting and demanding responsible practices. However, it must be much more rigorous with regard to the problematic supplies of its member refineries. The London-based association must also be more committed to increasing transparency in the sector.

LBMAs response

On Friday, the LBMA issued a Responsible Sourcing Update on its website, stating that it is committed to maintaining the highest due diligence standards for sourcing material.

LBMAs Responsible Sourcing Programme (RSP) consists of a five-step framework: environmental issues; avoiding material from conflict-afflicted areas; and combating money laundering, terrorist financing and human rights abuses, including child labor.

All the refiners recognized by the LBMA are independently audited every year, the association said.

These annual audits, conducted by LBMA Approved Service Providers, may be supplemented by special audits if and when material new information or evidence becomes available. Also, LBMA will assess such information/evidence and make further inquiries, as required, or if warranted, launch a formal Incident Review Process, the press release stated.

The association added that it cant fix the issue alone and recognizes that more needs to be done. We are continuously engaged with other parties such as the OECD, law enforcement and NGOs in order to leverage influence in jurisdictions where standards may be weaker than that set out in the OECD Guidance, the LBMA said.

The association wants to continue to improve responsible sourcing standards and business practices. One of the actions announced is a three-year plan focused on improving transparency and the integrity of the industry.

This plan builds on the successes of the past and looks to create open, constructive dialogue about the outstanding challenges facing the precious metals industry. That includes a focus on improving audit standards. LBMA welcomes the constructive engagement of all stakeholders in this process, the press release noted.

Bloomberg also reported the LBMA is planning to publish an annual report which will have updates on these issues.

These allegations add to rising concerns over responsibly sourced gold.

Just last month, the LBMA said it would investigate allegations from an Australian newspaper that the Perth Mint processed conflict gold from small-scale gold miners in Papua New Guinea (PNG) that used child labor and toxic mercury.

The Perth Mint has also kicked off its own independent third-party audit after an order from Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan to review how the Mint oversees its suppliers.
India on Thursday said the South China Sea is a "part of global commons" and it firmly stands for the freedom of navigation and overflight in these international waterways, an assertion that comes days after the US rejected most of China's maritime claims in the region.

India's assertion comes after the Trump administration, in a major policy decision, categorically rejected the territorial claims made by Beijing in the South China Sea, stating that it has no legal grounds to unilaterally impose its will on the region. Asked about the US' assertion, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India has articulated its position on the South China Sea on several occasions in the past and most recently on May 21, 2020.

"Our position on this issue has been clear and consistent. South China Sea is a part of global commons and India has an abiding interest in peace and stability in the region," he said. "We firmly stand for the freedom of navigation and overflight and unimpeded lawful commerce in these international waterways, in accordance with international law, notably UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)," Srivastava said.

India also believes that any differences be resolved peacefully by respecting the legal and diplomatic processes and without resorting to threat or use of force, he said. The MEA spokesperson's remarks come after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday categorically rejected the territorial claims made by Beijing in the South China Sea, and asserted that the "Chinese predatory world view" has no place in the 21st century.

"The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire. America stands with our Southeast Asian allies and partners in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources, consistent with their rights and obligations under international law," Pompeo had said in a major policy announcement.

The United States, he had said, stands with the international community in the defence of freedom of the seas and respect for sovereignty and rejects any push to impose "might makes right" in the South China Sea or the wider region. Beijing claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory. China has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

China has impeded commercial activity like fishing or mineral exploration by countries like Vietnam and the Philippines.

Also read: US likely to respond with sanctions in response to Chinese coercion in South China Sea
The Rivers State Police Command has rubbished reports that the armed operatives who attempted to arrest the former Managing Director of ...

The Rivers State Police Command has rubbished reports that the armed operatives who attempted to arrest the former Managing Director of NDDC, Joi Nunieh were not sanctioned by the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State.





The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had shortly after rescuing Nunieh claimed in an interview that the officers could not show a warrant for her arrest neither was the police hierarchy aware of their presence.





But the Rivers Police Command in a statement released by SP Nnamdi Omoni, the Public Relations Officer, said the operatives were on legitimate duty.





Omoni confirmed that the personnel at Nuniehs residence were from the IGP Monitoring Team in Abuja and were in Port Harcourt on official assignment.





The statement added that before the officers proceeded to her residence, they observed due protocols and requisite standard operating procedures, including going through the processes of arriving themselves at the Headquarters with their Investigation Activities duly signed and approved by the Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Mukan.





The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to an Online Publication, credited to Vanguardngr.com, where it was erroneously reported that the MOPOL presence at the residence of Joi Nunieh was not the directive of the Command.





Ordinarily, such a phantom report should have been ignored but due to the potential danger inherent in keeping silent, the Command is minded to react and state the true position as follows: That they went to her (Nuniehs) residence with Mobile Policemen, suggesting of course that they were there on official duty and not illegal duty as speculated.




Our elders and our grandparents started to say that we should not blame anyone. Then our parents told us not to blame anyone, Balbanova said. Then we all agreed we should not blame anyone, because its good that it came in the summer. Its easier than if it came in the winter.
EUGENE, Ore. - July 17, 2020 - Uplifting of Columbia River basalts has allowed University of Oregon researchers to better understand of how magma 14-16 million years ago shaped the region and why greenhouse gases released during a series of volcanic eruptions did not trigger a global extinction event.

The insights, published in Scientific Reports, were drawn from analyses of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in crustal material, a mix of magma and original rocks, that is now exposed by geological uplifting and erosion.

The Columbia River Flood Basalts represent the youngest continental flood basalt province on Earth and one of the best preserved. It covers roughly 210,000 square kilometers, extending from eastern Oregon and Washington to western Idaho and part of northern Nevada.

Pivotal to the research were 27 samples from 22 different dikes - wall-like bodies of magma that cut through the sheeted lava flow landscape during the eruptions. A 10-meter-thick feeder dike into the Wallowa batholith, formed from a mix of basaltic magma and granite 16 million years ago, for example, likely acted as a magma conduit for up to seven years. It formed one of the largest surface lava flows and chemically altered about 100 meters of surrounding bedrock.

"We found that when hot basaltic magma intruded into the crust it boiled groundwater and volatilized everything in and near its path, causing chemical and isotopic changes in the rocks and the release of greenhouse gases," said Ilya Bindeman, a professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, who led the study.

Collectively, the effects of the heating throughout the flood-basalt region may have lasted about 150 years after magma stopped flowing, building the landscape that is visible today across the region, the seven-member research team from three countries concluded.

"The Columbia River basalts that are so dear to us in the Pacific Northwest," Bindeman said. "They are now uplifted and eroded to the level that allows us to sample the contacts of these basalts with the previous rocks. The same process today is happening every hour and everywhere under midocean ridges and also on continents. By studying these not-so-ancient rocks we have learned what is going on under our feet."

Computer modeling done with the chemical data suggests that the hydrothermal heating of the region's original metasedimentary rocks - a metamorphic rock formed through the deposition and solidification of sediment - and relatively low levels of organic matter affected by the eruptions would have generated the release of about 18 gigatons of carbon dioxide and methane. One gigaton equals a billion metric tons.

The individual Columbia River basalt eruptions were each 10 to 100 times larger than the largest historically experienced eruptions of Iceland's Eldgja and Laki volcanic eruptions in the years 934 and 1783, respectively, noted study co-author Leif Karlstrom, a professor of earth sciences, who along with Bindeman is a member of the Oregon Center for Volcanology.

The Laki eruption, which killed thousands of people, released volcanically derived greenhouse gases that generated a year without summer followed by a warm year across Europe and North America, Karlstrom said.

While the Columbia River eruptions released 210,000 cubic kilometers of basaltic magma over 1.5 million years, leading to global climate impacts, the researchers concluded, they did not cause mass extinctions such as the one triggered by eruptions over a similar timescale about 250 million years ago that formed the Siberian Traps.

The difference, the research team theorized, is in the geology of the regions. The Columbia River basalt eruptions occurred in igneous crust that contained low levels of organic matter that could be released by hydrothermal heating. Eruptions in the Siberian Traps occurred in organics-rich sedimentary rocks.

While the new findings suggest that similar regional-scale groundwater circulation around dikes is a signature of flood basalt volcanism globally, the researchers noted, the consequences may not always be catastrophic on a broad scale.

In the Columbia River basalts and the likely related Yellowstone hotspot, hydrothermal circulation is manifested as subtle isotopic signals, a depletion of oxygen isotopes, in the rocks, the research team found.

###

The research, primarily completed in Bindeman's Stable Isotope Laboratory, was funded by the U.S., Russian and Swiss National Science Foundations.

Co-authors on the paper were: N.D. Greber of the University of Geneva and the University of Bern; O.E. Melnik, A.S. Artyomova and I.S. Utkin, both of and Moscow State University; and Dylan P. Colon, who holds a doctorate from the UO and is now at the University of Geneva.

Links:

About Ilya Bindeman: https://blogs.uoregon.edu/bindeman/

Bindeman's Stable Isotope Laboratory: https://Sil.uoregon.edu

About Leif Karlstrom: https://pages.uoregon.edu/leif/

Department of Earth Sciences: https://earthsciences.uoregon.edu/

Oregon Center for Volcanology: https://pages.uoregon.edu/volcanologycenter
We were saddened to read Progressive group wants City Councilor Davis to resign about ProgressNow New Mexicos unfortunate demand that Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis resign. Our legislative districts overlap with City Council District 6, where Councilor Davis has been a key leader and ally to us for years on progressive policies related to gun control, criminal justice and police reform, immigration, cannabis legalization, LGBTQ protections and many other important issues.

Like candidates and officeholders across the state, we are gearing up for one of the most important and consequential elections of our lifetimes. As Democrats, we stand united as the party of inclusion, equity and opportunity for every New Mexico child and family. We have a vision and agenda worth fighting for, and we have real opponents standing in our way from the top of the ballot all the way down to county commissions and local elected offices.

Our country is engaged in a reckoning about race and responsibility on a social and individual scale. As Democrats, and particularly as progressives, we owe it to the movement to rise above the next Twitter war and get down to work on the change we truly need.

Throughout our legislative careers, we have striven to develop a shared understanding of the deep-rooted structures we all inherited. It is disappointing the new leaders of groups like ProgressNow did not stop to study the source of attacks on an ally, which was discredited by the Albuquerque Journal and Associated Press, or to understand the story of reform from former Republicans like Davis who now proudly carry the progressive flag. Ironically, those groups know of Davis story because he has so courageously recounted his experiences himself in countless policy fights for criminal justice reform and social equity.

On police reform in particular, shouldnt we support the voices of those most impacted with that of former officers trained in those tactics, like Pat, who cross the thin blue line and organize with those fighting for change? If we do not encourage growth and evolution within our community, then we will never reach the broader base of support we all desire.

This is a real low point for the progressive movement, but lets hope its just a speed bump and not the start of a long decline. We have so many more important objectives that deserve our time, money and energy.

If we let ourselves get caught up in senseless attacks  personal or otherwise  against one another, we will not deliver on the promise weve all made to our constituents, members and colleagues: to build and strengthen this movement and pass policies that increase justice and equity in our society.

We encourage all those who want meaningful reform to keep our eyes on the prize so we can win in November and then in January, when the 2021 session begins and well face a real reckoning on our budget, the economy, clean energy, criminal justice reform and a host of other critical issues.
Myanmar: Trade volumes expected to grow despite pandemic

July 17,2020 | Source: Myanmar Times

Exports are forecast to total $16.2 billion, while imports should come in at $18.5 billion, leading to a trade deficit of $2.3 billion. At those levels, trade in the new year fiscal year is expected to grow by $1.6 billion compared to the forecast $33 billion for the current fiscal year. Up to 85 percent of that volume has already been achieved, said assistant secretary U Khin Maung Lwin. "We are expecting better trade prospects next year based on the premise that the marine export business is still growing and demand for Myanmar fisheries and agriculture produce has been rising," he said.



Despite a slowdown in garment and fruit exports as a result of COVID-19, orders for crops like maize has risen by more than 20pc to 2 million tonnes this year. Meanwhile, rice exports hit 2.4 million tonnes, or $700 million in value, over the same period. But there are also risks on the downside. U Khin Maung Lwin said export income for sectors such as oil and gas may still decline if global prices remain volatile. Myanmar also risks losing chunks of revenue from markets that dominate trade in certain products. For example, import restrictions imposed by the Indians have caused prices of Myamar beans and pulses to fall, resulting in revenue shortfalls. More than 90pc of local beans and pulses is exported, mostly to India. The lack of new cut-make-pack (CMP) orders in the garment manufacturing sector is a concern. Since the start of COVID-19, a shortage of raw materials from China and order cancellations from major buyers like the EU, which accounts for 70pc of the countrys garment exports, have led to the collapse of many local factories. "We have yet to receive any major orders beyond August. International demand continues to be disrupted by COVID-19 and we cannot say for sure when this will return," said U Khin Maung Lwin.



In fact, many factories are still operating on past orders booked before the pandemic. At least half the local garment factories run by the Koreans and Chinese have not received new orders past August, said U Myint Soe, chair of the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association. "The lack of new orders is the most worrying as it can lead to permanent shutdowns. Buyers from Japan and the EU still have past inventories from Myanmar in their warehouses now and have asked our factories for more time to place new orders," U Myint Soe said.



A growing number of factories are likely to announce further layoffs or closures due to the lack of new orders beyond August and September, said U San Khun, chair of the Chinese Textile & Garment Association in Myanmar. Even world famous brands have had to stop operations or reduce workers. So, it is undeniable that our country will face this issue also as there are many clothing, shoes and accessory factories waiting on foreign orders now, said U Myo Aung, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population. But there is still potential for recovery and growth. Myanmar is expected to continue displaying high growth potential in garment manufacturing, according to Londonbased research agency Fitch Solutions in a July 14 report predicting that Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Myanmar would remain the dominant players in textile manufacturing in the region. Besides the low-cost labour, Jason Yek, senior country risk analyst of Fitch Solutions, said Myanmars proximity to China, its special market privileges granted by the EU under the Generalised Scheme of Preference and low logistics and transport costs all work in Myanmars favour." We expect Myanmars growth to be driven by lower value basic garment exports which manufacturers will find more challenging to turn a profit on in Bangladesh and Cambodia, where production costs are comparatively higher, Mr Yek said.
Ah, the honeymoon phase.

Such a glorious, albeit generally brief, period when everyone is happy and no one can do anything wrong.

Thats where Canadas political leaders were on Thursday and Friday with the $19-billion federal economic aid package to help provinces and cities restart their economies and prepare for the possibility of a second wave.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford was positively effusive in his praise of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who, he said, stepped up and showed true leadership.

Toronto Mayor John Tory was given a special thanks by the premier for all his support, which he called instrumental to getting the deal.

Canadians just have to hope this federal funding  along with billions in matching provincial dollars  gets out the door before the post-honeymoon bickering begins.

Because it can only be a matter of time. This is a big and welcome pool of new cash. But the statements our federal and provincial leaders have made about what this funding will achieve are even bigger. There is no way its going to stretch to cover all the need or all thats been promised in some priority areas.

Right off the top, almost $12 billion of this federal funding is set aside for personal protective equipment and COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.

That leaves just over $7 billion to distribute from coast to coast to coast to help municipalities drowning in pandemic-related deficits provide virus-related paid sick leave to workers who dont have it, make sure child care is available to parents who need it, protect vulnerable seniors in long-term care, and more.

It wasnt long ago that Ford claimed Ontario alone had a $23-billion problem. Yet, now, less than that for the entire country  with Ontario receiving a $7-billion-or-so share  is a phenomenal deal for all, everyone in Canada and especially the province of Ontario.

Municipal leaders also professed themselves to be thankful and optimistic, but remained more guarded.

Until we see all the fine print, as it were, its premature for me to declare victory, Tory said.

Thats understandable given the history of cities, and especially Toronto, being saddled with costs that shouldnt be paid for through property taxes.

This deal provides $3.8 billion for municipalities and transit systems to be matched by provinces, for a total of $7.6 billion.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has already said that cities across the country need a minimum of $10 billion to cope with pandemic costs so once the provinces allocate the funds there will be a least a few mayors abruptly abandoning the honeymoon.

Toronto needs $1.35 billion in aid to avoid slashing services and massively increasing taxes, which will only serve to delay the economic recovery.

Ford claimed the province will make sure that the people that need it get the money but pointedly did not commit to meeting Torontos total need.

Child care is another area that seems destined for disappointment. The national agreement includes $625 million to ensure that safe and sufficient child care spaces are available to support parents gradual return to work.

There wasnt enough child care to meet the need before the pandemic and given the increased costs of providing it in an era of social distancing thats a tall order unlikely to be filled with this funding. Thats particularly troubling given how vital child care is to getting women  who have been most affected by the pandemic  back to work.

The premiers and Ottawa have done an admirable job in setting aside the usual partisan politics to work together through the coronavirus crisis and economic restart.

They need to stay that course as they get into the nitty-gritty of turning the very big promises theyve made to Canadians with this agreement into reality.
A mother-daughter duo from Amethi allegedly set itself on fire on a busy road in front of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in Lucknow's Hazratganj area on Friday.

Police personnel and a few journalists rescued the women and rushed them to the nearby civil hospital for treatment, where the condition of the mother is stated to be critical.

The duo allegedly had a dispute with a neighbour over a drain back home in Amethi and took the step after police inaction.

DCP Central Dinesh Singh said the mother, identified as Safia, has suffered 80% to 90% burns while the daughter, Gudia, has suffered 10% to 20% burns. "Both are undergoing treatment at civil hospital, he said.

Gudia claimed that some miscreants back in their village had attacked her mother after the dispute and she was beaten up for protesting.

When I reached the Jamo police station, the accused came there too and forced us out in front of the cops. An FIR was registered after the intervention of senior police officials after which we came back to our house. The culprits attacked our house later that night and assaulted me and my mother once again, she said.

The duo then came to Lucknow after the issue was allegedly not addressed by the local police.

On Friday evening, both set themselves on fire after pouring flammable liquid on themselves.

The Lucknow Police is trying to get more details about the case from the Amethi police.

Samajwadi Party Chief and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in a tweet alleged that the BJP government is not paying any heed to the woes of the poor.

Two females tried self-immolation in front of the Lok Bhawan in Lucknow today. SP had got it constructed so that the peoples woes could be addressed without any bias but this BJP government is not listening to the problems of the poor, he said.
In 1972, while a student at Reed College, Steve Jobs was introduced to a concept that would change his life: The reality distortion field.

The idea of the RDF originated with Star Trek, in which the inhabitants of the planet Talos are able to create new realities purely through mental force. For Jobs, it transformed him from a shy, self-effacing college drop-out to one of the most formidable figures in the tech world.

As Andy Hertzfeld described it, The reality distortion field was a confounding melange of a charismatic rhetorical style, an indomitable will, and an eagerness to bend any fact to fit the purpose at hand.

Jobs ability to master RDF was thanks to his keen understanding of psychology, and its a technique many have sought to replicate. To launch a startup, after all, requires an immense drive to build something great, and the resilience to pick yourself back up, over and over again, when you get knocked down.

Unfortunately, those attributes are often joined by those that are less helpful  like being controlling, overly arrogant, and having thin skin. In other words: Having an ego.

As a leader, Jobs was far from universally beloved. But its clear from his lack of concern over being liked, as well as his ability to take criticism, that he was skilled at keeping his ego in check.

When startups fail, a flawed ego is often at the root. Attaining Jobs ruthless drive and vision without developing an inflated ego can be a difficult line to walk. Luckily, its not impossible, and it can be learned.

The difference between ego and confidence

In the world of start-ups, confidence is a requirement: It drives you to realize your vision, and gives you the resilience to pick yourself up when you hit a roadblock. Its having faith in your abilities and believing in yourself.

In contrast, ego is self-interested. It seeks approval, accolades and validation. Its resistant to feedback.

In life, ego can be annoying to those around you. In the workplace, it can break your career.

Whereas confidence is fueled by passion and commitment to success, an egocentric outlook closes your mind to new solutions and keeps you from growing.

When running a business, thats the worst thing you can do.

Related: To Be a Better Salesperson, Master Your Ego and Bend Time

Acknowledge your ego

Theres a difference between letting your ego run rampant and acknowledging its existence. The latter is actually very helpful.

As Harvard Business Review points out, its important to be honest with yourself about your motivations for starting a business.

The truth is, those motivations are often selfish.

It can be tough to accept that your goals are borne of self-interest, if they are. But once you do, it can ultimately help you focus on your actual goals rather than wasting time justifying your actions.

Whats more, acknowledging your motivations will give the people around you confidence in your odds of success, since theyll understand whats driving you.

The risks of ego to your business

Two in five CEOs fail within their first 18 months of leading an organization. One-third of those leading Fortune 500 companies dont make it past three years.

In many cases, it doesnt matter how competent or capable you are: Being successful as an entrepreneur requires a high degree of emotional intelligence.

Here are some of the biggest risks your ego can pose to your business:

Not listening

Carl Jung once said that an inflated consciousness is hypnotized by itself, and therefore, cannot be argued with. Being egocentric restricts the ability to listen to other points of view and other peoples concerns.

Soliciting advice from othersbe it friends, partners, investors or mentorsis the best way to bring fresh ideas and perspectives to your business.

It doesnt mean you have to implement every suggestion they make. But being receptive will open your eyes to new ideas you might not have thought of yourself. And thats never a bad thing.

Prioritizing yourself over your business

There are some cases in which being a larger-than-life personality can work for a business. (Steve Jobs, again, being a good example.) But in a lot of cases, infusing every aspect of the company with yourself can smother it.

Say, for instance, you love frogs. But just because you love them doesnt mean they belong on your logo, or stamped around every surface of your office. Maybe frogs make no sense with your companys mission. And while you might love them, not everyone does, and you might unwittingly be putting people off.

Your business isnt just about you or your preferences. Its about the needs and wants of your customers.

Taking all the credit

Its a scene that plays out in boardrooms around the world: An employee says they have a great ideaand theyre right. Then a few days or weeks later, they find out that their boss is taking credit for their work.

This has several repercussions: For one, it creates an every man for himself environment, which is far from favorable when youre leading a team. It also breeds resentment, and will likely have a chilling effect on employees willingness to offer up more of their great ideas.

Related: 8 Ways My Ego Killed My Business

How to keep your ego in check

Walking the line between confidence and ego is a constant balancing act. The good news is, there are strategies you can follow to keep yourself in line:

Delegate

Your business is your baby, but that doesnt mean you should be the one doing everything. Not only is it not a good use of your time, there are people out there who can do certain jobs better than you.

When I first started JotForm in 2006, I was doing every job myself. As a bootstrapped founder, wearing every hat was part of the deal, and it was helpful in a lot of waysI learned about what sort of people I wanted to find, and what skills and attributes would make a good fit.

But the fact is, you cantand shouldntdo everything yourself, even if you think you want to.

Delegating doesnt mean you cant be involved. But its important to allow your team the freedom to their job the way they want. Not only will it build trust, it will motivate them to do their best.

Quit comparing yourself to others

I get itits not easy to stop looking over your shoulder at what others are doing.

I grew JotForm slowly, building it from a few hundred signups to more than 7.3 million users without investment money. It would have been easy to look to the flashiest companies crowning the pages of TechCrunch, but I know that would do nothing to help me move my business forward.

Getting worked up about someone elses success is your ego telling storieseither that youre better than they are, and they dont deserve their success, or that youre not good enough. Neither of these stories are helpful.

We all define success differently. Instead of comparing yourself to others, reflect on what youve achieved, and really think about your goals beyond making money. Success, after all, is defined in many ways.

Dont take yourself too seriously

Having confidence is one thing. Being a narcissist is another. David Olk, CEO and cofounder of Voray, put it like this:

"Attitude is everything. You raised a series C? Sold a business once or twice? Congrats, but no one cares. This happens every day. Don't be a jerk and think you're the only one at the top of your game.

Share your experiencesnot just your wins, but your struggles, too. Be grateful for what you have, and keep in mind that youre not the only one succeeding. And thats okay.

Related: How Humility Keeps Your Ego From Hijacking Your Leadership and ...

Related:

Benefits of Mindfulness and Awareness Meditation

Want to Build a Successful Business? Let Go of Your Ego

3 Ways Smart Entrepreneurs Sabotage Their Success



Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
DeVos fails to grasp that the needs of teachers and other staff members are not at odds with those of students. Kids may be less susceptible than adults to the more serious effects of the coronavirus, but kids who get it can transmit it to teachers. They can also give it to other kids, who can give it to their parents, grandparents and others living with them. When the adults in a childs life get a serious illness, guess what? The child will suffer as well.
PHOENIX  Arizona Schools Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said Wednesday that the already delayed Aug. 17 start of in-person classes may have to be pushed back again in light of continuing concerns about COVID-19 safety.

Hoffman, during a conference call to criticize a White House push for reopening schools, said she and Gov. Doug Ducey are reevaluating that date, which was announced by Ducey in an executive order two weeks ago.

At this time, I am not optimistic that Arizona will be ready to open for in-person instruction on Aug. 17, Hoffman said. I would predict that we will have announcements regarding that in the near future, but that has not yet been decided.

Ducey spoke with superintendents from around the state Wednesday, but his office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A day later, in his weekly media briefing, Ducey did not provide additional direction other than to say guidance would be released next week and that there would be additional flexibility for schools.

Hoffmans comments came during a call in which state Democrats pushed back against the White House, which is leading the charge in favor of reopening schools. They said that push comes with little guidance and lacks empathy for our educators at a time of spiraling COVID-19 cases.

It also came one day before Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was expected to take part in a virtual conversation with the Southern Arizona chapter of the Federalist Society, a group that works to put conservative judges on the bench. DeVos has been holding almost daily conversations with Federalist Society chapters in recent weeks to discuss changes to Title IX, the law prohibiting gender-based discrimination in schools.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group's leader Noor Wali Mehsud has been designated as a global terrorist by the UN for participating in the financing, planning and perpetrating acts on behalf of and in support of entities associated with al-Qaida. The UN Security Councils 1267 ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee added Mehsud, 42, to the ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List on Thursday, subjecting the Pakistani national to an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

The Sanctions Committee said that Mehsud was listed for participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of entities associated with al-Qaida. In June 2018, Mehsud was named the leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, following the death of former TTP leader Maulana Fazlullah. The TTP was blacklisted by the UN on July 29, 2011 for its association with al-Qaida.

Under Noor Walis leadership, TTP has claimed responsibility for numerous deadly terrorist attacks across Pakistan, including an attack targeting Pakistani security forces in North Waziristan in July 2019 and a bomb attack against Pakistani soldiers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in August 2019, the Sanctions Committee said.

The group had claimed responsibility for an attempted bombing in Times Square on May 1, 2010, and in April 2010 it had launched a multi-pronged assault against the United States Consulate in Peshawar, killing at least six Pakistanis and wounding 20 others, the Committee added. The US State Departments Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) said in a tweet that it welcomes the addition of Mehsud by the UN to the ISIL and Al Qaida sanctions list.

TTP is responsible for many deadly terrorist attacks in Pakistan. The United States domestically designated Noor Wali as a terrorist in September 2019, it said in the tweet.

Blacklisting by the Security Council entails that all states are required to freeze without delay the funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities. They are also required to prevent the entry into or transit through their territories by the designated individuals and prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals outside their territories, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, spare parts, and technical advice, assistance, or training related to military activities, to designated individuals and entities.
A couple who blamed their central Pennsylvania bank robbery spree on heroin addiction wont be seeing each other for more than a decade after a federal judge sentenced them to long stretches in prison.

Jason Osborne, 33, of Manheim, and Sara Corkadel, 29, of Delaware, pleaded guilty to committing the 2018 robberies at two banks in Lebanon County. They hit one of the banks, a Hershey Federal Credit Union office in Annville, twice in February and September of that year.

U.S. Middle District Judge Chief Judge John E. Jones III sentenced Osborne to 14 years behind bars. He hit Corkadel with an 11-year prison term.

The robberies followed a simple pattern. Investigators said Corkadel would drive her boyfriend Osborne to the banks. Osborne would pretend to have a gun by sticking one hand in his pocket and shout at the tellers. Give me the money, all of it now. I have a gun, is what he yelled during the September robbery, according to his indictment.

The pair netted nearly $15,000 in cash from the holdups, one of which was at the Jonestown Bank & Trust office in Newmanstown. They were arrested by Annville Township police.

Corkadel, who has a history of convictions for drug offenses, was motivated by her addiction to heroin, her lawyer Scott E. Lineberry said in his sentencing memorandum.

She began smoking marijuana at the age of 13, and she also experimented with alcohol,' Lineberry wrote. She used Xanax and cocaine at the age of 16, Percocet at the age of 17, and ecstasy at the age of 19. She was then introduced to heroin at the age of 20, and she became addicted to that drug.

Her repeated attempts to get clean failed, he said. Lineberry said Corkadel participated in the bank robberies solely to support her dependence on heroin.
Thirteen police officers and support staff have been suspended or transferred to other duties as the investigation continues into the sharing of photos of former AFL coach Dean Laidley while he was in custody.

Laidley, 53, is charged with stalking, using a carriage service to menace and other offences after his arrest outside a woman's St Kilda home on May 2.

Dean Laidley when he was Kangaroos coach.

Photographs taken of the former North Melbourne coach being interviewed by officers inside a police station were leaked and widely shared on social media. They are now the subject of an internal investigation by Victoria Police's professional standards command.

On Friday, a spokesman said seven Victoria Police employees had been suspended from duty and six were transferred to other duties.
'I hope he rots in hell': KC victim's family speaks out after Kansas man executed TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Time ran out Thursday morning for a Kansas man convicted of abducting and murdering a metro teen. Wesley Ira Purkey died by lethal injection at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, at 7:19 a.m. Purkey abducted 16-year-old Jennifer Long from Kansas City, Missouri, in 1998.

Among MSM, there was seemingly a lot of sympathy for a federal convict suffering the death penalty for a brutal murder . . . Meanwhile, local sentiment didn't match journalistic bias.Example:
US Democratic Party Congressman Tony Cardenas expressed support for Armenia over ongoing fighting on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border because, since July 12 aggression by Azerbaijan, the Armenian National Committee of America reported.

I stand in support of the people of Armenia in light of the recent disturbing acts of aggression taken by Azerbaijan along the Armenian border. This senseless violence puts the lives of innocent civilians at risk. De-escalatory steps must be taken to prevent further loss of life," Tony Cardenas noted.

The situation in the north-eastern part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the Tavush province aggravated on July 12 and continues to this day. According to the officially confirmed information, the Azerbaijani side has already had 12 soldiers killed. The Armenian side lost four people. There are also wounded.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.  Millions more children in the U.S. learned Friday that theyre unlikely to return to classrooms full time in the fall because of the coronavirus pandemic as death tolls reached new highs.

It came as many states  particularly in the Sunbelt  struggled to cope with the surge and governments worldwide tried to control fresh outbreaks. In a sign of how the virus is galloping around the globe, the World Health Organization reported nearly a quarter-million new infections in a single day.

In the U.S., teams of military medics were deployed in Texas and California to help hospitals deluged by coronavirus patients. The two most populous states each reported roughly 10,000 new cases and some of their highest death counts since the pandemic began. Big numbers in Florida, Arizona and other states also are helping drive the U.S. resurgence thats forcing states to rethink the school year.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom laid out strict criteria for school reopenings that makes classroom instruction unlikely for most districts. The Democrats rules mandate that students above second grade and all staff wear masks.

Texas gave public schools permission to stay closed for more than 5 million students well into the fall. Under the guidelines, schools can hold online-only instruction for up to the first eight weeks, potentially pushing a return to campus in some cities until November.

Most Chicago children would return to the classroom just two days a week and spend the other three days learning remotely under a tentative plan outlined by officials from the nations third-largest school district. A final decision for fall classes for the districts more than 300,000 students wont come until late August.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, announced she will override school districts and require students to spend at least half of their schooling in classrooms, drawing criticism from the state teachers union.

The uncertainty about the way to safely restart schools has parents like Ivette Garcia of Orange Park, Florida, struggling with what to do. When she learned her school district only had two options this fall, in-person or virtual lessons, she decided to keep her kindergarten son home. She plans to schedule instruction before and after work, with her parents reinforcing education in between.

The schools start date is less than 30 days away. And I dont feel that theres a very great plan in place that makes me feel comfortable enough to send my baby to school and then return back to our family dynamic, Garcia said.

Several states have been reporting record numbers of COVID-19 this week, contributing to a surge in the national death rate. The seven-day rolling average for daily new deaths has risen 34% from two weeks ago, while the case count in that period shot up 43%.

Texas reported a record 174 new deaths, and more than 10,000 additional cases for the fourth consecutive day. Californias nearly 10,000 confirmed cases were its third-highest daily total, and it recorded 130 deaths during a week of seesawing infection numbers.

Florida reported 128 new deaths Friday and 11,345 additional cases.

There were signs across the Sunbelt that the virus was stretching authorities capacity to respond. The medical examiners office in metro Phoenix has gotten portable storage coolers and ordered more to handle an influx of bodies  reminiscent of New York City at the height of the pandemic there.

In Houston, an 86-person Army medical team worked to take over a wing of United Memorial Medical Center. In California, military doctors, nurses and other health care specialists were being deployed to eight hospitals facing staffing shortages.

Some hospitals in South Carolina also were being squeezed: The number of patients with COVID-19 is increasing rapidly, while nurses and other workers are getting infected when they are off work, said Dr. Wendell James, a senior vice president with Prisma Health who is based in Greenville.

The majority of the illness we see in our nursing staffs and our support staff is community spread, he said. Almost all of it I cant control.

In Florida, Miami-area authorities began stepping up enforcement of a mask requirement. Code and fire inspectors have authority to issue tickets of up to $100 for individuals and $500 for businesses not complying with guidelines to wear masks and practice social distancing. Police already had that power.

Shaun Alley, assistant manager of Blue Collar, a Miami comfort food restaurant, said all of the customers eat outside on picnic tables and are asked to wear masks when not eating.

We tell people flat out: Either you comply or we have the right not to serve you,' he said. We havent had any issues so far.

At least half of all states have adopted requirements for wearing face coverings.

But in Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has banned cities and counties from requiring face coverings. He sued Atlanta late Thursday to prevent it from defying his order, and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she was prepared to go to court to maintain the requirement.

Globally, confirmed cases surpassed 14 million, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University, and COVID-19 deaths topped 600,000. WHO reported a single-day record of new infections: over 237,000. Experts believe that the true numbers are even higher.

Indias total confirmed cases surpassed 1 million Friday, the third-highest in the world  behind the United States and Brazil  and its death toll reached more than 25,000. That followed an announcement Thursday that Brazils confirmed cases exceeded 2 million, including 76,000 deaths.

The surge in India  where experts believe the vast majority of cases are still being missed  drove home concerns over the readiness of some countries to cope with outbreaks that could test feeble health care systems.

In sub-Saharan Africa, which already had the worlds greatest shortage of medical personnel, nearly 10,000 health workers in 40 countries have been infected, WHO said.

Health officials in Spain, one of the hardest-hit countries earlier in the pandemic, asked Barcelonas 5.5 million residents to stay home as much as possible to stem the viruss spread.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson charted a different course, announcing that as of Aug. 1, the government would no longer ask people to avoid public transit or work from home.

The U.K.s official death toll, which stood at more than 45,000, has for several weeks been the highest in Europe.

___

Crary reported from New York. Associated Press reporters around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow all of APs pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
George Floyds family filed a lawsuit on July 15 against the city of Minneapolis and the four police officers charged in his death, alleging the officers violated Floyds rights when they restrained him and that the city allowed a culture of excessive force, racism and impunity to flourish in its police force.

The lawsuit came the same day that members of a city charter commission took public comments on a proposal to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department. Many residents strongly favored putting the proposal to a citywide vote in November.

The civil rights lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota, was announced by attorney Ben Crump and other lawyers representing Floyds family members. It seeks compensatory and special damages in an amount to be determined by a jury. It also asks for a receiver to be appointed to ensure that the city properly trains and supervises officers in the future.

This complaint shows what we have said all along, that Mr. Floyd died because the weight of the entire Minneapolis Police Department was on his neck, Crump said in a statement. The City of Minneapolis has a history of policies, procedures and deliberate indifference that violates the rights of arrestees, particularly Black men, and highlights the need for officer training and discipline.

Crump said the lawsuit seeks to set a precedent that makes it financially prohibitive for police to wrongfully kill marginalized people  especially Black people  in the future.

Mayor Jacob Freys office said he couldnt comment on pending litigation. Interim City Attorney Erik Nilsson said the city is reviewing the lawsuit and will respond to it.

Floyd, a Black man who was handcuffed, died May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, pressed his knee against Floyds neck for nearly eight minutes as Floyd said he couldnt breathe. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other officers at the scene  Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Kueng  are charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and manslaughter.

All four officers were fired the day after Floyds death, which set off protests that spread around the world and turned into a national reckoning on race in America.

Floyds death also sparked calls to abolish the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a new public safety department. A majority of City Council members support the move, saying the department has a long history and culture of brutality that has resisted change. The proposal requires a change in the city charter. Most callers to the first hour of a public hearing Wednesday evening urged the charter commission to let voters decide.

The lawsuit comes on the same day that a court allowed public viewing by appointment of video from the body cameras of Lane and Kueng. A coalition of news organizations and attorneys for Lane and Kueng have been advocating to make the videos public, saying they would provide a more complete picture of what happened. The judge hasnt said why hes not allowing the video to be disseminated more widely.

According to documents in state probate court, Floyd is survived by 11 known heirs, including five children and six siblings. They live in Texas, North Carolina, Florida and New York. All but one of Floyds children are adults. He has no living parents or grandparents. Kaarin Nelson Schaffer, named last week as the trustee for Floyds family, is the plaintiff in the federal lawsuit.

The lawsuit takes issue with police policies and training. It says that even though neck restraints can be deadly, the police department allowed them to be used in situations in which deadly force wasnt warranted. After Floyds death, Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said the type of restraint Chauvin had used wasnt authorized.

The lawsuit also contends that the city acted with deliberate indifference when it came to allowing police to use excessive force. It says the city ratified practices that allowed officers to treat Black community members differently and it fostered a culture in which officers werent penalized for bad actions.

It really is about trying to change the culture and behavior of policing, Crump said at a news conference. We would have hope that George Floyd did not have to sacrifice his life to bring about these changes. But now we are here, and we are at a tipping point.

Last year, Minneapolis agreed to pay $20 million to the family of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, an unarmed woman who was shot by an officer after she called 911 to report hearing a possible crime happening behind her home.

Associated Press reporter Jeff Baenen contributed.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Abuse Molestation Law Enforcement
Many towns, big and small, are facing significant challenges because of the uncertain times we are facing, said Rep. Jessica Fay, Maine House District 66. Because of this, now is exactly the right time for a program that recognizes local civic volunteers.

Local government elected officials in small communities have one month remaining to nominate a civic volunteer or organization for recognition in the new Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award program. The initiative will recognize 100 entries, helping to shine a spotlight on the growing need for local engagement in critical civic roles. To date, the award competition has received a significant number of entries documenting critical work by local volunteers motivated by their love for their hometowns. The stories include:



A volunteer fire chief in a rural community that receives 240 fire and emergency calls a year that fought to obtain a dedicated firehouse and equipment for their town

A team of citizens who attracted $5.5 million in private investments to lead an initiative to revitalize a declining downtown corridor that threatened the economic vitality of their small southern community

A town trustee who led an effort to elevate the communitys health and safety capabilities to better respond to the COVID-19 crisis

The top three winning nominees will receive cash awards of $10,000, $7,500, and $5,000 for their respective communities. All 100 winning entries will receive a new CivicCMS community website, at no charge, that includes a volunteer module to aid in future recruitment efforts.

Many towns, big and small, are facing significant challenges because of the uncertain times we are facing, said Rep. Jessica Fay, Maine House District 66. Because of this, now is exactly the right time for a program that recognizes local civic volunteers and provides valuable resourcesmoney and technologyto local governments, many of which are facing tough budget choices. I hope that every qualifying community will nominate one or two local public service volunteers for the Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award Program.

Local government representatives may nominate citizens or citizen organizations for the Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award using this online application. Nominators are asked to describe their candidates compelling story of local volunteerism and its positive impact on their community. CivicPlus has retained the Barton Russell Group to administer the program and judge the nominations.

The award program is open to all communities of 5,000 people or less and will close on August 15. Winners will be announced on September 15.

The Small Town American Civic Volunteer Award is sponsored by the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), the National Association of Counties (NACo), the National Association of Towns and Townships (NATaT), Points of Light, and Main Street America.

To learn more, visit http://www.civic-volunteer.com or download our media kit.

About CivicPlus

CivicPlus is THE integrated technology platform for local government, working with over 4,000 local governments, including municipalities, counties, and municipal departments. CivicPlus has been selected by Inc. Magazine as One of the Fastest-Growing Privately Held Companies in the U.S. since 2011. For more information, visit CivicPlus.com.

About the Barton Russell Group

The Barton Russell Group is the Nations leading small town and rural America consultancy. BRG has built, launched, and managed major branding and community and government relations projects, programs and services for Fortune 500 companies and others seeking to do good, while doing well. BRG was founded by Bart Russell, a nationally recognized expert on everything small town (its 32,000 communities and 120 million people). One former U.S. President called him the voice of small-town America.
Democratic officials have instructed senators, members of Congress and party delegates not to physically attend their national convention this summer, a sign of the ever-shrinking aspirations for their big campaign event in the face of a surge in coronavirus cases in the United States.

The directive, issued Thursday, ensures that little will happen at the convention site in Milwaukee beyond speeches from former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., his vice-presidential nominee and a handful of other top party leaders. The remainder of the events  state delegation meetings, parties, voting on the party platform and on Mr. Bidens nomination  will happen virtually or not at all.

We have been working closely with state and local public health officials, as well epidemiologists, and have come to the hard decision that members of Congress should not plan to travel to Milwaukee, Chasseny Lewis, a senior adviser to the convention committee, wrote in an email to congressional aides. No delegates will travel to Milwaukee, and Caucus and Council meetings will take place virtually.

The announcement came on the evening when Mr. Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, would have been delivering his acceptance speech for the nomination, underscoring how profoundly the coronavirus has upended the campaign. Earlier this year, shortly after the spread of the virus shut down many states across the country, the Democratic National Committee postponed its event by a month.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has not applied to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for help, Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan told reporters in Minsk, Belarus, commenting on the CSTO reaction to the recent military operations on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, Armenpress correspondent reports.

According to the CSTO legislation, there is a respective article that when an attack is taking place, you are applying for help. We havent applied. Our purpose was to inform our partners about the situation, the deputy FM said.

Commenting on the CSTO call to calm down the situation, deputy FM Kocharyan said the Organization has warned that if the situation doesnt ease and the Armenian side applies for help, they will have to intervene.

Since July 12th, Azerbaijan has launched a series of cross-border attacks against Armenias northern Tavush province.

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
China isnt seeking to confront or replace the United States as the worlds top technological power, but will fight back against malicious slander and attacks from Washington, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday, responding to a litany of recent accusations from the Trump administration.

Hua Chunying said Chinas chief concern was improving the livelihoods of its citizens and maintaining global peace and stability, despite what critics say is an increasingly aggressive foreign policy that looks to expand Chinese influence in the military, technology, economic and other spheres.

As an independent sovereign state, China has the right to safeguard its own sovereignty, security and development interests, to defend the achievements made by the Chinese people with hard work, to refuse any bullying and injustice against China, and to fight back against malicious slander and attacks by the U.S. against China, Hua told reporters at a daily briefing.

Her comments came in response to a speech Thursday by Attorney General William Barr in which he cautioned American business leaders against promoting policies favourable to Beijing. He asserted that China at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic had not only dominated the market on protective gear, exposing American dependence on Beijing, but had also hoarded supplies and blocked producers from exporting them to countries in need.

Barr also accused hackers linked to the Chinese government of targeting American universities and businesses to steal research related to coronavirus vaccine development, levelling the allegation against Beijing hours after Western agencies made similar claims against Russia.

The Peoples Republic of China is now engaged in an economic blitzkrieg  an aggressive, orchestrated, whole-of-government (indeed, whole-of-society) campaign to seize the commanding heights of the global economy and to surpass the United States as the worlds pre-eminent technological superpower, Barr said.

Numerous Trump allies have issued strongly worded messages over China in recent days, coming at a time when bilateral relations have fallen to their lowest point in decades over issues from accusations of technology theft to Chinas claims in the South China Sea.

Hua dismissed Barrs accusations of cyber theft related to vaccine development as absurd.

Because everyone knows that China is in a leading position in the research and development of new coronavirus vaccines, we have first-class scientific research personnel, and we do not need to gain a leading position with theft, Hua said.

Chinese companies have moved swiftly to develop a coronavirus vaccine, as countries compete for the prestige and profits that would come with being the first to bring such a product to market.

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Haiti - News : Zapping...





Les Cayes : 2 Mexicans sentenced to 5 years in prison

Vargas Flores Andres and Avila Juan Jose, two Mexican nationals were sentenced to 5 years in prison and a fine of 2 million Gourdes each by the justice of Les Cayes. They were found guilty of attempted drug trafficking



Electricity : Minister Joiseus specifies...

In order to avoid any misinterpretation, Nader Joiseus, the Minister of Public Works returned to his statement concerning the construction of 2 power plants (60 megawatts on gas and 130 Mw of solar energy), specifying that these plants will be financed by a friendly country (without naming the name of this country) and the Treasury. The 150 million loan from Taiwan will be used to rehabilitate the distribution and infrastructure network and to build new power lines and substations.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26457-haiti-politic-government-borrows-$150m-from-taiwan-for-electricity.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24554-haiti-flash-jovenel-moise-relies-on-taiwan-to-electrify-haiti.html



Covid-19 : Pastors and faithful oblivious

Thursday at the initiative of the coalition of pastors from the far north, thousands of Christians invaded the streets of Cap-Haitien (without respecting anti-Covid-19 barrier measures and without masks) to denounce the new penal code which, according to pastors aims to legalize homosexuality which is contrary to the mores and customs of Haitians.



PM dialogues with senators

Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe met this week with senators around security, public finances, the economic situation, the relationship between Parliament and the Executive and the management of the Covid-19 crisis in Haiti by the government.



MHAVE at the listening, contact details

Haiti: +509 3270 8888 and +509 4289 8888

USA: +1 305 735 7265

Canada: +1 514 447 8161

Chile: +56 229 382 414

Brazil: +55 484 042-0852

Dominican Republic: +849 941 0328



There is nothing immoral about the penal code...

"Marriage is not the responsibility of the penal code but rather of the civil code. There is nothing immoral about the new penal code," said Marie Giselhaine Mompremier, Minister for Women's Affairs and Women's Rights.



Eddy Jackson Alexis, the Secretary of State for Communication estimates about the reactions on the Penal Code "[...] we make the document say everything that there is no need to be [...]" Let us recall that the penal code published by presidential decree which includes more than 1,000 articles has been developed over the past 20 years to modernize Haitian justice.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















By Nina Chestney

LONDON (Reuters) - More than 1,000 climate friendly projects could line up for a piece of the EU's post-coronavirus recovery package, as ministers begin to discuss the bloc's 2021-27 budget and economic stimulus fund, according to research seen by Reuters.

EU leaders are meeting in Brussels on Friday to try to agree the budget and economic stimulus fund, which have been criticised this week by environmental think tanks for falling short of what is needed to meet the bloc's current goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% against 1990 levels by 2030.

The EU Commission has proposed a 1.1 trillion euro ($1.25 trillion) budget plus a 750 billion euro recovery fund aimed at rebuilding economies most affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Commission says the overall package will drive a recovery that boosts "green" industries and technologies, to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases fuelling climate change.

Research reviewed by Reuters, ahead of its publication in September, identified more than 1,000 green projects eligible for the recovery fund. The research, commissioned by the European Climate Foundation, was conducted by consultancy EY.

The projects would support over 2 million jobs and require investment of around 200 billion euros, the research shows.

These so-called "shovel-ready" projects - which could be ready for launch within two years if they receive financing - cover renewable energy, energy storage, building renovation, low-carbon transport, manufacturing of low-carbon technologies and more efficient industrial processes.

Examples include HYBRIT - a joint venture between steel company SSAB, mining firm LKAB and utility Vattenfall - to replace coking coal with fossil fuel-free hydrogen in steel production in Sweden which would need 1.5-2 billion euros, said Steve Varley, EY global vice chair for sustainability.

Another project is by Korean chemicals company LG Chem to develop a gigafactory to produce lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles in Krakow, Poland.

A third scheme relates to the French government's plan to renovate Paris buildings to make them more energy efficient, Varley said.

Story continues

The 1,000 projects pinpointed represent only about 10% of green projects currently under development in Europe, EY said.

That means the entire EU pipeline of green projects could represent as much as 1 trillion euros in investment, and replace at least the 12 million jobs lost during the pandemic, Varley said.

To identify which projects might be eligible for EU funding, EY interviewed businesses, stakeholders, officials and investors in each member state. It also examined planning applications and requests for funding.

Around 30% of the projects highlighted by EY are being developed by start-ups and small and medium enterprises focusing on low-carbon mobility, green hydrogen and low-carbon construction materials.

More than 20% are small-scale, and require investment of up to 5 million euros.

EY said it will share the list of ready-to-invest projects shortly with member states preparing recovery plans.

($1 = 0.8787 euros)

(Reporting by Nina Chestney; Editing by Kate Daigle and Jason Neely)
The Conference of European Churches (CEC) writes to the European Commission and UNESCO about the Turkish government's recent decision to convert Hagia Sophia to a mosque, saying that the move would potentially create grounds for religious hatred and subsequent violence.

By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

The Conference of European Churches (CEC) has expressed its dismay at the decision last Friday by Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

The ecumenical organization, representing 114 member churches in Europe, many of them Orthodox churches, made its concerns known in letters sent Wednesday to the European Commission and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

CECs concerns

In the letter to the High Representative of the European Commission, Josep Borrell Fontelles, the CEC noted that the recent decision - which is motivated by a petition to the Turkish Court and supported by the Turkish presidents office - questions the validity of the presidential decree from 1934.

At the same time, such an action would potentially create fertile ground for religious hatred and subsequent violence, the CEC letter stated.

In a separate letter to the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, and the Director of the World Heritage Center of UNESCO, Mechtild Rossler, the CEC urged the international body to undertake concrete action vis-a-vis the Turkish government in order to prevent the change of status of the existing world heritage site.

In the same vein, CEC President, Rev. Christian Kriegler reiterated the CECs warning that this move could invoke grounds for religious intolerance and violence, adding that he had previously raised concerns with UNESCO and the European Institutions to seek diplomatic influence preventing such an action.

Symbol of peaceful coexistence

CEC Vice President, Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden, said that in its status as a museum, Hagia Sophia brings together people and cultures from all over the world.

Expressing concern, he pointed out that a change in its status diminishes its legacy as a universally accessible bridge uniting East and West, symbolizing the peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding, and solidarity between diverse people.

We consider it inappropriate and harmful, in the 21st century, for Hagia Sophia, which is dedicated to Gods Holy Wisdom and enables the faithful of both religions to meet and marvel at its grandeur, to become the cause of confrontations and conflicts, added Metropolitan Cleopas, echoing the words of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

In the spirit of Hagia Sophias name, which literally translates to Holy Wisdom, we pray that wisdom and reason will ultimately prevail and Hagia Sophia will continue to operate under its status as a museum.

All member churches affected

CEC General Secretary, Jrgen Skov Srensen, said that the recent developments reminded him of St. Pauls letter to the Corinthians: If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)

He points out that this decision impacts churches that are directly affected. However, all CEC member churches are disturbed by what we witness in Istanbul these days.

Hagia Sophia

Originally constructed as a cathedral in the Byzantine Empire, the church was turned into a mosque after the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453.

However, in 1934, Turkish leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk decreed that it be turned into a museum. It has since then been a tourist magnet for millions of people every year, and is widely regarded as a symbol of religious coexistence.

Hagia Sophia is a UNESCO world heritage site in Istanbul.

In last Fridays decision, the Turkish government annulled its museum status and invalidated the 1934 decree.
If youve been holding back on finding out if youre descended from Swedish blacksmiths, or if that family history of heart disease is more donut than DNA, today is your day. Woot is selling the 23andMe Health + Ancestry test for $100Remove non-product link. Thats well below the $149 sale price we got excited about in June and a whopping $100 off the usual price.

We reviewed 23andMe Health + Ancestry in February, giving it top marks and an Editors Choice award. Comprehensive testing, interesting results, and compelling presentation combine in the best overall DNA testing experience on the market today, we said.

We also found some fun sidelines, like how much of your DNA is made up of Neanderthal (if it pertains to you), as well as where your genetic ancestors migrated over the years. Its an interesting kit, to say the least.

You can expect it to take anywhere from two to eight weeks to get your results back. Once youve got your results you can spend your social distancing hours looking at all the information.

[Todays deal: 23AndMe Ancestry + Health for $100 at Woot.Remove non-product link]
While Israels justification for imposing the closure on Gaza was to contain Hamas and ensure Israels security, the actual impact of the closure has been the destruction of Gazas economy, causing immeasurable suffering to its two million inhabitants





A UN human rights expert has called on Israel to immediately stop all actions amounting to collective punishment of the Palestinian people, with millions of innocent harmed daily and nothing achieved but deeper tensions and an atmosphere conducive to further violence.













It is an affront to justice and the rule of law to see that such methods continue to be used in the 21st century and that Palestinians collectively continue to be punished for the actions of a few, said Michael Lynk, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967. These practices entail serious violations against Palestinians including the right to life, freedom of movement, health, adequate shelter and adequate standard of living.





In his report to the 44th session of the Human Rights Council , Lynk said Israels strategy to control the Palestinian population violates a foundational rule of virtually every modern legal system: Only the guilty can be punished for their acts, and only after a fair process. The innocent can never be made to be punished for the deeds of others.





The extent of the devastating impact of Israels collective punishment policy can be most strikingly seen in its ongoing 13-year-old closure of Gaza, which now suffers from a completely collapsed economy, devastated infrastructure and a barely functioning social service system, the Special Rapporteur said.





While Israels justification for imposing the closure on Gaza was to contain Hamas and ensure Israels security, the actual impact of the closure has been the destruction of Gazas economy, causing immeasurable suffering to its two million inhabitants, the Rapporteur said. Collective punishment has been clearly forbidden under international humanitarian law through Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. No exceptions are permitted.





The Special Rapporteurs new report also criticised Israels continued policy to punitively demolish Palestinian homes. Since 1967, Israel has destroyed more than 2,000 Palestinian homes, designed to punish Palestinian families for acts some of their members may have committed, but they themselves did not, he said. This practice is in clear violation of Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.





Lynk said it was disheartening that the demolition of Palestinian homes is still viewed by the Israeli political and legal leadership, including the Israeli High Court, as a permissible deterrent. In fact, these demolitions only further contribute to an atmosphere of hate and vengeance, as the Israeli security leadership has itself acknowledged.
Municipal Call Centers Struggling to Find Staff During COVID-19 Pandemic

Municipalities all over the U.S. are struggling to keep vital call centers staffed, thanks to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Police and emergency services departments are strained by understaffing and high demand by the public.

In Minocqua, Wisconsin, the police recently announced an initiative to replace three positions in the towns dispatch center, which is staffed round-the-clock. Current staffing levels call for four full-timers and four part-timers. While all full-time positions are filled, they have only two part-timers on board, with a third person being trained for part-time work, according to local news channel WXPR. Staff vacations and family obligations are straining the call center.

Something has to change, Police Chief David Jaeger told the town board recently. The department is considering replacing one of the part-time positions with a full-timer. As with many emergency dispatch centers, the challenge is finding trained individuals to fill the positions.

Were not the only agency thats going through this, he said about finding qualified personnel.

In Georgia, Chatham County is facing similar problems because of a critical workforce shortage at the 911 center, according to local news source WTOC. The county is telling callers to be patient and stay on the line.

If you have a critical shift shortage or personnel shortage then that will further tax the resources that are available, Dianne Pinckney, the centers director, said. What we would tell the public is to stay on the line until somebody answers because if you hang up and dial us back, that might be a further delay.

Chatham has been fighting the staffing shortage for months. The department has 73 communication officer positions; however, one in four is vacant.

In this industry, theres a huge turnover rate nationwide, said Russ Palmer, the centers deputy director. Were not the only thats faced with a crisis or staffing problem.

Edited by Maurice Nagle
Pakistan offers third consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav without presence of its officials

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, July 17: Pakistan on Friday offered third consular access to India for Kulbhushan Jadhav. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that a note verbale has been sent meeting India's demand to not have a security personnel during the meeting.

Kulbhushan Jadhav 'visibly stressed', Pakistan 'records' conversation | Oneindia News

This development came a day after India accused the country of violating an international tribunal's verdict by not providing "unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional" access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. India also said Kulbhushan Jadhav was "visibly under stress".

Pakistan had provided the second consular access to Jadhav after holding extensive discussions with India. The first consular access was provided by Pakistan on September 2, 2019, the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement.

Kulbhushan Jadhav 'visibly under stress', Pakistan did not give unhindered consular access: India

Jadhav, the 50-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" in April 2017. Weeks later, India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence.

The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July last year that Pakistan must undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, July 17, 2020, 14:23 [IST]
According to reports, so far eight employees of the mink farm in the Aragon province of Spain have tested positive for the novel coronavirus

Health authorities in Spain have said that almost 100,000 minks at a firm in the northeastern part of the country are to be culled after many of them tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

As per a report in BBC, the outbreak was discovered in the province of Aragon after a farm employee's wife contracted the virus in May. The report added that her husband and six other farm workers have tested positive for the disease as well.

As per the report, results of tests done on 13 July showed that 87 percent of the mink were infected with the virus leading to health authorities ordering the culling of all the 92,700 semi-aquatic animals.

Authorities have, however, said that the company that runs the farm will be provided with financial compensation.

RT.com reported that Aragon's agriculture minister Joaquin Olana said that the mink will be slaughtered to avoid risk of human transmission after two more workers tested positive in the firm.

As per the report, the mink are believed to have been infected by one of the workers, but Olona said it is not clear if transmission is possible from animals to humans and vice versa.

As per a report in Mirror.co.uk, Aragon's regional government has said that there has been "a massive transmission between the mink, so high that it has been decided to sacrifice all of them".

The report added that this is the only mink farm in the region to suffer economic losses. It has not been operational since mid-May amid the major COVID-19 lockdown.

In an earlier press interaction, WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerhove had spoken about ongoing probes into cases in Denmark and the Netherlands stating that there were individuals who infected the mink and in turn some of the mink infected some people. However, she had said that it is a very limited transmission and the WHO is learning about what this actually means in terms of transmission and what role they may play".

This is however, not the first mink farm to face a coronavirus outbreak. As per a report by CNN, in May, Dutch authorities introduced mandatory testing in mink farms in the Netherlands after they said they believed a mink might have passed on the COVID-19 virus to a human. This lead to the culling of up to one million mink in two dozen farms in the country.
By Express News Service

ONGOLE: Arrest of three persons from Ongole and seizure of Rs 5.27 crore unaccounted cash from them by Tamil Nadu police on Wednesday from a car with a sticker of a ruling party MLA from Prakasam district has become a political controversy with TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh and minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy locking horns on the issue.

Lokesh squarely blamed the ruling party for the seizure of unaccounted cash and dared the government to take action against those responsible. It was alleged that the seized car is owned by Giddalur MLA Anna Rambabu and social media posts claimed the involvement of Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy.

Taking exception to their names being dragged into the issue, both the leaders claimed innocence and demanded a thorough investigation and action against the culprits. Responding to tweets by Lokesh and TDP leader Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, Balineni dared them to prove their allegations. He decided to lodge a complaint with district SP seeking action against those who tried to defame him on social media.

Rambabu also claimed innocence. I dont have any links with the car or money which were seized by the Tamil Nadu police. I am lodging a complaint with police to know the reason for using a sticker with my name on the car, the Giddalur MLA told TNIE.

Jeweller says its his cash

Meanwhile, Ongole-based Gold and Jewellery merchant Nallamalli Baala Raama Girish alias Nallamalli Baalu, proprietor of Ongole-Nallamalli and NVR Exclusives shops, through a video message and handwritten press release, stated that the cash seized by the Tamil Nadu police at the Elavur checkpost belongs to him and not to any politician or political party.

The cash seized by police and handed over to the Income Tax department belongs to our organisation. For the last four months, due to the Covid-induced lockdown, we were unable to go for gold purchase in Chennai. Meanwhile, our existing stocks were totally exhausted. The cash that was seized was our income of the last 3-4 months and it was being taken to Chennai for purchasing gold and jewellery as bullion market in Chennai was recently reopened for business, he said and added they are submitting papers and evidence to the I-T officials to get back their cash.

However, TDP leader Bonda Umamaheswara Rao stuck to his allegations that the cash belongs to minister Balineni and demanded his removal from the State cabinet.
Audrey Strauss, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, speaks during a news conference to announce charges against Ghislaine Maxwell for her alleged role in the sexual exploitation and abuse of multiple minor girls by Jeffrey Epstein, in New York on July 2, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

Questions Remain About the Ghislaine Maxwell Arrest

Commentary

The arrest of British socialite and long-time Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell for allegedly helping to facilitate the abuse of young female minors as part of an international sex trafficking ring garnered massive media attention when it was announced on July 2.

Despite the fact Maxwell now resides in a New York City detention facility, many relevant questions have been raised surrounding this arrest.

Why Was Maxwell Still in the US?

The first strange thing about the Maxwell arrest that comes to my mind is this: Why was she still in the United States?

She is a woman of significant wealth. She had, at one point, according to court documents, $20 million in several bank accounts. She sold a former New York residence last year for more than $15 million. Maxwell certainly had the financial means to leave the United States.

Audrey Strauss, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) who is prosecuting this case, has asked the court to deny Maxwell bail, stating that Maxwell is an extreme flight risk, having three passports that authorities know about, citizenship in two foreign countries and millions of dollars in several discovered bank accounts. (While Maxwell is a naturalized U.S. citizen, she is also a citizen of her native United Kingdom and France.)

The detention memo filed by SDNY prosecutors states:

That [Maxwells flight] risk is only amplified by the defendants extensive international ties, her citizenship in two foreign countries, her wealth, and her lack of meaningful ties to the United States. 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.

In a competing court filing seeking to convince the judge to grant Maxwell bail and push back against the governments claim that shes a flight risk, her lawyer Mark Cohen claims that, in her year of laying low since the Epstein arrest in July 2019, she made no attempts to leave the country.

In a ruling made on Tuesday, presiding Judge Alison Nathan denied Maxwell bail, stating that the government had met its burden of proof regarding her being a flight risk, and ordered her detained until trial. After Maxwell pleaded not guilty to the charges, Judge Nathan set the trial date for July 12, 2021, almost exactly a year from now.

A woman with the wealth and the influential connections that Maxwell possesses obviously could have found a way to leave the United States if she had desired to do so. Wouldnt have absconding to another country have made it harder for her to be located and arrested, and then extradited?

Extradition Is Not Guaranteed

Why didnt Maxwell flee to a country where her extradition back to the United States could be contested? Extraditing people from Europe back to the United States to stand trial for crimes can often be a long and protracted process.

The attempts of the United States government to arrange the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from the United Kingdom has now dragged on for more than a year and a half.

While France has an extradition treaty with the United States, that is for foreigners who flee there, not for their own French citizens.

Environmental activist Ira Einhorn fled to Europe in 1981 after murdering his girlfriend, living under a new identity for 16 years. He was recognized and arrested in France in 1997, and a protracted four-year struggle to extradite him to the United States ensued. (Einhorn was finally returned to the United States in 2001 and died in prison this past April.)

Instead of fleeing to a country such as France where there was an excellent chance she could avoid or even delay extradition for years, Maxwell appears to have decided to stay in the United States. If her lawyers statements are to be believed, she never made any attempt at bolting the country. Why would she have such confidence that she felt no need to even attempt to flee the United States?

Was There Ever an Arrest Warrant Issued for Maxwell?

There doesnt appear to be any evidence for the contention that Ghislaine Maxwell was a wanted fugitive evading an arrest warrant for the past year.

Internet searches have turned up nothing about any indictments or warrants against her from the period of July 2019, when Epstein was arrested, to July 2, the day she was taken into custody by the FBI team that raided her secluded estate.

There were some statements about the FBI wanting to question Maxwell as a person of interest.

If Maxwell wasnt a fugitive from justice this past year, then what exactly was she? What new evidence or trigger event led to a sudden decision to have a grand jury return an indictment against her and then move to take her into custody?

Why Arrest Epstein But Leave Maxwell in the Wind for a Year?

During the July 2 press conference announcing Maxwells indictment and arrest, William Sweeney, the FBIs assistant director in charge of the New York Field Office, claimed that Maxwell had never successfully evaded the FBI and that the agency had been keeping discreet tabs on her whereabouts all this time.

Would this not mean that the FBI and others involved in this case knew exactly where Maxwell was for the past eight months, holed up in her gorgeous Tucked Away estate in New Hampshire?

Why would they arrest Epstein but limit themselves to merely watching Maxwell from a distance? Were they spying on her, seeing who she was meeting with, intercepting her phone calls, reading her texts and emails?

Hopefully, as this case develops, some answers will arise that satisfy these questions.

Brian Cates is a writer based in South Texas and the author of Nobody Asked For My Opinion  But Here It Is Anyway! He can be reached on Twitter @drawandstrike.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
BAMAKO (Reuters) - President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has offered concessions in a move to unblock a stalemate with opposition leaders that has mired the country in turmoil since a disputed legislative election in March.

The impasse is a growing concern for Mali's neighbours and outside powers that have sent in thousands of troops to help it fight militants linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State - a security crisis compounding the country's economic woes.

Keita said late on Wednesday he was open to the dissolution of the national assembly, one of the opposition's key demands. He suggested fresh elections could follow if planned new appointees to the constitutional court cleared it.

"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," Keita said in a midnight speech.

He reiterated that he was open to forming a government of national unity, and appointing new judges to Mali's highest court, another central opposition demand.

Keita said mediators from the regional West African body ECOWAS were expected to return to Mali in the coming days to help find a solution to the crisis.

There was no immediate response from the opposition, which earlier called for another protest in the capital Bamako on Friday, saying proposals put forward so far by the government were insufficient.

Thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets twice in June demanding that Keita, who was re-elected in 2018 for a second five-year term, resign for failing to offer solutions to Mali's security and economic crisis.

Mali has struggled to find stability since a 2012 military coup that was followed an uprising by Tuaregs in the north later

hijacked by Islamist militants.

(Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Bate Felix; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
NEW DELHI -- As the coronavirus pandemic accelerates in the world's second-most populous nation, India has crossed a once-unthinkable threshold: 1 million confirmed cases, joining the United States and Brazil in a club no country wants to enter.

Yet behind the figure lies a paradox. India has arrived at this milestone with about half the number of deaths - 25,000 - as those two countries recorded at the same point in their outbreaks.

India's comparatively low death rates - both as a percentage of total cases and per million population - are something of a mystery. The Indian government has cited the figures repeatedly to reassure a worried populace, saying such statistics show the country is faring better than many others in the pandemic.

That optimism appears misplaced. Experts say government data on deaths is certain to be incomplete in a country where a large majority of people die in rural areas and without any medical attention, making them less likely to be tested or diagnosed. Already there are numerous signs that coronavirus deaths are being missed or misreported. Testing rates per capita in India remain low.

India is not the only country with a high number of reported cases and relatively low official fatalities. While Russia has more than 750,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, the country has reported about 12,000 deaths, sparking suspicion over counting methods.

In an interview with CNN earlier this month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov defended Russia's low death rate. "Have you ever thought about the possibility of Russia's health-care system being more effective?" Peskov asked.

Russia's mortality rate, measured by the number of deaths against confirmed cases, is 1.6%. India's stands at 2.6%. The rate in the United States is 3.9%. But experts caution that such figures are highly sensitive to testing rates and death reporting, so they have limited value.

The actual risk of dying of a coronavirus infection may be lower than such figures suggest because many cases appear to be asymptomatic and undetected.

In India, one factor that experts say may indeed be lowering the death toll is its predominantly youthful population. According to the most recent census, only 5 percent of Indians were 65 or older while more than half were under the age of 25. Although much remains unknown about the virus, studies have shown that older people are far more likely to experience severe or fatal outcomes.

A clutch of alternate theories has sprung up to explain India's lower number of deaths, including widespread exposure to a tuberculosis vaccine that may stimulate the immune system, a different strain of the virus circulating here, and an undiscovered immunological or genetic factor present in the population. None are yet supported by evidence, experts say.

Meanwhile, the outbreak in India shows no sign of slowing, pushing some states and cities to reimpose lockdowns lifted weeks ago. Both the number of daily cases and daily deaths are rising and setting fresh records. India could be facing a "slow time bomb" as the virus continues to spread, said Prabhat Jha, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto.

Jha previously led a major study to ascertain the causes of a million deaths in India, and he said a similar large-scale effort is needed if the country is to understand the true scope of infections. "The only way to walk out of this pandemic will be better data, and it's not being collected," Jha said.

Even in developed countries, the full extent of deaths linked to covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has not been reflected in official statistics. Instead, experts have attempted to analyze "excess deaths" - the ways in which overall deaths have deviated from prior years - as a proxy for the impact of the pandemic.

The Washington Post contacted officials in four of India's largest cities - Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata - to obtain data for total deaths in each month from March to June for 2019 and 2020. Only Mumbai provided full and up-to-date figures. (Kolkata provided none.)

In Mumbai, the first city in India to be swamped by a wave of coronavirus cases, overall deaths in March were actually lower than in the same month in 2019. Officials say the decrease was likely due to the strict nationwide lockdown, which reduced deaths from such events as car accidents. In April, the deaths for the two years were roughly the same.

In May, however, total deaths in the city surged to 12,963 compared to 6,832 in the same month a year before. The difference is larger than the number of coronavirus deaths registered in the city in May, which was 2,269. Some of the jump is because deaths from prior months - at the height of the lockdown - were registered later, said I.S. Chahal, Mumbai's new municipal commissioner. Chahal said the city had also treated many patients from neighboring areas.

Authorities have made efforts to record coronavirus deaths properly, he added, even if it meant that the official mortality rate increased. In June, Chahal ordered hospitals and clinics to register any previously unreported deaths from covid-19 within the next 48 hours or he would shut them down. The result: More than 800 deaths added to the overall toll.

"We've been transparent," Chahal said. "Let other states of India show this courage."

In several Indian cities, reports have emerged from graveyards and crematoriums where staff say they are handling more confirmed and suspected deaths from covid-19 than the official figures reflect.

In the city of Vadodara in western India, the official figures show that the total number of coronavirus cases has increased by more than 2,000 since the start of June. But the number of deaths has barely budged, rising by just three from 57 to 60.

Meanwhile, just one of the city's hospitals has recorded at least 100 coronavirus deaths, outstripping the official toll, according to a person with access to medical records who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Vinod Rai, the official in charge of the Vadodara's coronavirus response, denied the allegation. The city's figure is correct and includes "every single death" due to covid-19 according to Indian government guidelines, he said.

In normal times, an estimated 20% of deaths in India aren't reported at all, according to government statistics, often because they occur at home and far from cities. The gaps in India's data mean that the true number of covid-19 deaths is higher than the official figure, but no one knows by exactly how much in the absence of further research, said K. Srinath Reddy, the president of the Public Health Foundation of India, an independent initiative that conducts research and training across the country.

Reddy added there are also other factors probably lowering the number of deaths. They include India's comparatively young population and the fact that the majority of citizens live in rural areas, where density is lower, providing fewer opportunities for the virus to spread.

More than half of India's deaths are from seven large metropolises, Reddy said. These cities are "still battling it out," he said. "The biggest imponderable is whether we can contain the spread from reaching other areas which are now relatively safer."

Some experts say that even while acknowledging the deficiencies in India's data, they're struck by the way its relatively low deaths per million is shared by other countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia, including Pakistan and Bangladesh.

"One can always say that this country or that country is fudging its data, but all countries cannot be fudging data at the same time," said Shahid Jameel, a virologist and chief executive of the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, a public health foundation. He hopes to see further research into whether different populations have divergent immune responses to the virus.

Raul Rabadan, a professor of systems biology at Columbia University and the author of a recently released book on understanding the coronavirus, said he had not seen any convincing evidence yet that prior exposure to other viruses improved a person's response to this one. He also said mutations in the virus have not been shown to change its lethality.

Teasing out which factors are responsible for variations in death rates is challenging even within the same country, let alone internationally, Rabadan said. India and the United States, for instance, differ in their health-care systems, their methods for reporting deaths, their criteria for coronavirus testing, the ethnic makeup of their populations and the age distribution of their citizens.

India's seemingly lower death rates are "a paradox," said Rabadan. But "I would be cautious."

- - -

Taniya Dutta in New Delhi and Isabelle Khurshudyan in Moscow contributed to this report.
London, July 17 : British Airways is retiring its 'Queen of the Skies' fleet of Boeing 747s with immediate effect due to a drop in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the company said on Friday.

The airline has used the aircraft since July 1989 and is currently the world's biggest operator of the 747-400 model, reports the Metro newspaper.

The UK flag carrier was planning to retire the fleet of 31 craft in 2024 but its end has been hastened by the ongoing global pandemic.

In a statement, the airline said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747 fleet with immediate effect.

"It is unlikely our magnificent 'Queen of the Skies' will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

"While the aircraft will always have a special place in our heart, as we head into the future we will be operating more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as our new A350s and 787s, to help us achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050." British Airways operated the model, powered to a top speed of 614mph by four Rolls Royce engines, to destinations in China, the US, Canada and Africa, the Metro newspaper reported.

Friday's development comes after figures for June showed an increase in air travel following the easing of coronavirus restrictions.

Passenger traffic across European airports last month was down 93 per cent compared to June 2019.


About This Blog

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Workers have been warned to expect less money on their tax return if they choose to claim a COVID-19 shortcut over listing individual expenses.

The Australian Taxation Office is allowing wage earners to claim 80 cents for every hour they worked from home between March and September.

Taxpayers would only need to record the flat hourly rate in the tax return form rather than sift through bundles of receipts and records to claim individual expenses.

H&R Block's Mark Chapman warned the simpler method could actually lead to a much smaller tax return.

'The 80 cent shortcut rate is a nice simple calculation, but generally speaking, claiming your actual costs will give you a much bigger deduction,' he told The Australian Financial Review.

Workers have been warned to expect less money on their tax return if they choose to claim a COVID-19 shortcut over listing individual expenses (stock image)

Taxpayers would only need to record the flat hourly rate in the tax return form rather than sift through bundles of receipts and records to claim individual expenses (stock image)

'It could be potentially several times larger, depending on the things you claim.'

The ATO brought in the simplified deduction as it prepared for 'a tax time like no other'.

How Australians working from home can submit tax returns Since March, Australians working from home have been allowed to claim a flat 80-cent an hour rate This has been extended until September 30 H&R Block calculated someone working from home stood to be refunded $400 to $450 if they had claimed a flat 80 cent rate since March A 52 cents an hour with phone, internet, electricity bills claimed would typically yield $850 to $900 Claiming new items worth up to $300 like a desks and office chairs was more likely to net a $1,600 refund Items worth more than $300 like laptop computers have to be claimed over two years to account for depreciation Source: H&R Block calculations for someone working from home between March 1 and June 30, 2020 Advertisement

Since March, the tax office has allowed Australians to claim a flat 80 cents-an-hour rate as COVID-19 lockdowns saw many more professionals work from home.

H&R Block told Daily Mail Australia the flat rate would typically yield a refund of $450 while itemising every home office expense could see someone be able to claim up to $1,600.

Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar this month announced the flat rate period would be extended to September 30.

The beginning of the new financial year on July 1 saw the tax office website crash as people rushed to file their returns.

Within two days, the ATO received a whopping 230,000 tax return applications.

More than 457,000 individual refunds have been completed as of July 14, towering over the 389,000 claims lodged during the same time last year.

Mr Chapman previously said the rush to file tax returns was a sign many people were in trouble.

'With COVID-19, a lot of people are in a position of financial distress.'

'They're potentially looking at bigger refunds than in the past, partly because of the tax offset and partly because of the impact of COVID-19.'

More than 10million Australians earning between $37,000 and $126,000 are also entitled to between $255 and $1,080 in low and middle-income tax offsets.

Almost half, or 4.5million of them earning between $48,000 and $90,000, will be eligible for the full $1,080 benefit.

That includes those earning an average, full-time salary of $86,237 but not minimum wage earners now on $39,198 a year.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said tax cuts announced in the April 2019 budget would help Australians keep more of what they earned.

'A record number of Australians have already lodged their tax return with refunds to land in bank accounts over the course of the week,' he said.

Though H&R Block's Mark Chapman warned the simpler method could actually lead to a much smaller tax return (stock image)


N Norfolk Methodist superintendent says farewell

Revd Sharon Willimott, Circuit Superintendent for North Norfolk Methodists, has moved to a new post in Norwich after serving the North Norfolk Circuit for the past nine years. Tony Rothe reports.

Sharon led her final service at Cromer Methodist Church on July 12, attended only by members of that church with a few invited guests. At that service, she and her husband Kevin were presented with a Book of Appreciation featuring events and aspects of Sharons ministry, drawing on church members and the local community to contribute messages and photographs.



Barbara George, circuit treasurer, said With the current restrictions on worship, we knew we would be unable to gather as a circuit to say farewell, so the Circuit Leadership Team decided to produce the Book of Appreciation which we could present to her, together with other gifts for her and husband Kevin at a much more restricted event.



Sharon and Kevin lived in Cromer for several years before moving to North Walsham as the Circuit Superintendent. During the early stages of Sharons ministry in the circuit she was instrumental in

setting up the Cromer and District Foodbank under the umbrella of the Trussell Trust.



This was followed closely by starting a Thursday bacon butties cafe in conjunction with the Foodbank and then later a Monday cafe serving a 2-course hot meal community lunch. These initiatives merged to become the Community Matters Cafe on Mondays and Thursdays, based at the Cromer Methodist Church, where the food and refreshments served is a gift from the church and reaches out to the vulnerable and needy in the area.



Barbara said Sharon has exercised a fruitful pastoral, preaching and challenging leadership ministry in the Circuit for which we are deeply grateful.



Sharon is moving on to take up the post of Free Churches Chaplain at the University of

East Anglia.



The picture above shows the Book of Appreciation being presented to Sharon and Kevin by Revd Chris Sharp (Acting Superintendent Minister), and is courtesy of Jane Green.



Do you have a news story or forthcoming event relating to Christians or a church in North Norfolk?
Graphic sexual chat messages involving a young girl and a little boy were allegedly found on an Aveley womans personal electronic devices as she was charged with producing child exploitation material.

Midland Magistrates Court on Friday was told the 41-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly sent the graphic messages involving a 10-year-old girl on April 8, and messages involving a two-year-old boy on April 14.

The court was told the little boy was a relative of the accused. It is unknown whether the 10-year-old girl was known to her.

The woman was arrested and charged in June by the Western Australia Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team on allegations of producing child exploitation material.

WA-JACET, which includes WA Police and Australian Federal Police officers, searched the womans Aveley house on June 26 after a tip-off by South Australian JACET officers, who had been investigating a separate matter, in May .
India-US inch closer to seal the limited trade deal

by Asit Ranjan Mishra

July 17,2020 | Source: Live Mint

India and the US are inching closer towards a limited trade deal with flurry of high level meetings on both sides at a time India is looking for greater trade and strategic ties with the Western countries including European Union and Britain amid its rising tension with China. Trade minister Piyush Goyal held talks with US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross on Wednesday. Last week, Goyal held discussions with United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to tie the loose ends of the long pending limited trade deal under negotiations.



The principals also conversed on the ongoing India-USA trade discussions and appreciated the substantial progress made by both sides on most of the outstanding issues. There was a desire expressed to conclude this initial limited trade package and recognising the complementarities of the India-USA bilateral trade, (both sides) discussed the possibility of an FTA," a statement issued by the commerce ministry said.



A limited trade package under negotiations since 2018 is expected to cover tariff-related concessions for US farm products, especially dairy items, pricing of pharmaceutical products such as stents and knee implants, and information and communication technology products. In return for trade-related concessions from India, Washington was supposed to partially restore benefits accorded to Indian exporters under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which was terminated by Trump from 5 June last year. Both sides may also remove the tit-for-tat tariff hikes after the US increased steel and aluminium tariffs on national security grounds. Speaking at the India-US CEO Forum on Tuesday, Goyal said bilateral ties between India and the US have acquired extraordinary momentum" driven by strong shared interests in promoting global stability, security and economic prosperity.



Goyal also flagged the long pending proposal for a Totalisation Agreement to secure the social security contributions of professionals from both sides, which had been also discussed during the visit of President Trump to India in February this year. While appreciating Indias concern, Secretary Ross mentioned that the statutory requirements of U.S. have to be fulfilled by India in this regard. He offered to arrange a meeting between U.S. Social Security Administrator and concerned Indian officials to discuss and find a possible solution," a commerce ministry statement said.



While expressing happiness on the US move to rescind the earlier decision to revoke foreign student visas whose courses have moved online due to the unfolding coronavirus pandemic, the Indian side also raised the suspension of H1B visa for skilled professionals. The US side understood Indias viewpoint and said it is open to examine it," a commerce ministry official said under condition of anonymity.



Goyal raised concern on USA keeping 24 Indian labour intensive items including handicrafts, carpets and leather products under Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) list and designating them as child labour sectors, thus denying the companies producing them the opportunity to participate in supply contracts of US government agencies. Secretary Ross offered to set up a meeting between the labour department officials of both sides to resolve the matter.



The Indian side also raised a concern on U.S. ban on import of wild catch shrimp from India on the premise that fishing practices followed in India were non-compliant with US regulations to protect sea turtles. Goyal mentioned the various conservation measures taken by Indian maritime states in protecting the sea turtles. Secretary Ross appreciated Indias concerns and agreed to facilitate a discussion between the officials of U.S state department and Office of Marine Conservation with the Indian Department of Fisheries and Ministry of Forest and Environment, in this regard," the statement added.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Turning out mostly cloudy and not as cold. There might be a rain or snow shower late..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with some rain and snow showers. Any rain will be early in the night.
Saamana, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece, has expressed concern about the spike in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive cases in Maharashtra.

It said in its editorial on Friday that though Mumbai is behind Thane in the viral load, the healthcare situation doesnt augur well, as the satellite cities are an integral part of Mumbai.

The editorial in the Marathi daily stated more efforts are the need of the hour to break the chain of transmission, even though the state health authorities are hoping for a flattening of the Covid-19 curve in Mumbai by end-July.

The editorial, which was published a day after Mumbai reported its highest single-day Covid-19 positive surge to date at 8,641 cases, stated that record-breaking viral load and fatalities are being clocked, and the situation is far from normal while pressing the alarm button.

The editorial said Kalyan-Dombivli, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar, etc  the satellite towns of Mumbai  have emerged as Covid-19 hotspots.

The government machinery is working in full swing on the ground, but still there is no stopping of the viral outbreak. Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan, Dombivli are inter-connected cities, and people travel between these places. No one city can be blamed for the spread of the virus. More concerted efforts will be needed to break the chain of transmission, the editorial said.

It cited that neighbouring Raigad and Pune districts are on lockdown mode until Sunday and likened the situation to a game of kho-kho.

The editorial made note of the grim realities reported in the past few days, where prominent Mumbaikars such as actor Amitabh Bachchan, former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Neela Satyanarayan, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai Police officials, etc; have tested Covid-19 positive and some of them even succumbed to the viral infection such as Satyanarayan.

In June, Mumbais daily Covid-19 positive case count was around 2,000. Now, its between 1,000 and 1,500. What is the point of having the situation under control in Mumbai? Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan Dombivli, Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar, and Nalasopara have emerged as Covid-19 hotspots. The neighbouring districts of Pune and Raigad are again put under lockdown due to the rising cases. Imposing and lifting lockdown restrictions have become like a game of kho-kho, it said.

It pointed out that Covid-19 positive cases are on an upswing in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, and Kolhapur districts. A state like Maharashtra is [still] combating Covid-19. In Marathwada alone, the virus has claimed 500 lives. Sangli district is clocking record-breaking numbers. In that light, it is not correct to say alls well.

In a piece of apparent advice to the Uddhav Thackeray-led government, the editorial said that Covid-19 tests should be ramped up and the Covid-19 positive case count and toll should not be concealed in a bid to portray a correct picture of the war against the contagion. Chase the virus is a good concept and chasing, testing, tracing should be carried out more aggressively, it suggested.

Referring to a Covid-19 patients death in Pune, the editorial asked, The government is trying to ramp up beds, ICUs (intensive care units), and ventilators. But who is responsible for the deaths that occur due to lack of ventilators? Such news is extremely shocking and they pose a question mark about the healthcare system.

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A health care worker carries a stack of clipboards at a COVID-19 testing site sponsored by Community Heath of South Florida at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Clinica Campesina Health Center, during the coronavirus pandemic, Monday, July 6, 2020, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Read more

All health care professionals can play a critical role in creating a political vaccine against disinformation. We need to speak out publicly for science now.

We know how to limit the resurgence of the novel coronavirus with common sense steps. But politics has gotten in the way of taking them. We need to mobilize to save hundreds of thousands of lives, while waiting for vaccines and truly effective treatments.

Counterproductive advice and actions have inflated death and sickness in the general populace. Thats costing the lives of health care professionals, hundreds of whom have already died in the U.S. Here in the Philadelphia area, where healthcare is the major employer, we know the health and economic costs of a flawed response to the national emergency.

National health organizations are increasingly engaged in the effort. A few days ago, the American Medical Association, American Nurses Association and the American Hospital Association issued a joint statement pleading with the public to adhere to scientific guidance by wearing masks.

The Bipartisan Policy Center, the respected nonprofit organization founded by the former Senate majority leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties, protested the Trump administrations use of the Supreme Court to attempt to overturn healthcare reform in the midst of massive job losses. Former FDA and HHS officials, like Scott Gottlieb and Andy Slavitt, regularly defend science in a variety of media.

Medical professionals, scientists and publicly-minded entrepreneurs have organized peers to present data-backed truth and paths to action. ECRI, the Delaware Valley nonprofit from which I retired, offers free evidence-based resources on personal protective equipment and testing kits and guidance on topics such as handling labor and delivery and neonatal care.

Public figures and large organizations are not be the sole voice of health professionals. Grassroots actions are growing: my sister-in-law, a wound specialist nurse in Idaho, is sewing masks nonstop.

Lets not leave Anthony Fauci or the CDC to be storm tossed. We will all go down with the ship if we do. Health professionals, locally and nationally, can speak on behalf of their patients on issues such as the urgency of keeping access to private insurance coverage for those with pre-existing conditions; letting children up to age 26 stay on their parents health insurance; creating a public option to compete with private insurance options on the healthcare exchanges.

It is uncomfortable for many health professionals to seem to take political sides. But when the issue is science versus destructive fantasy, its time to step out of private comfort zones and to advocate for patients against the accelerating waves of virus and disinformation. Lets use the social capital of the professions in letters, op-ed pieces, social gatherings and other forums.

Nurses rate highest for honesty and ethics among all professions, and engineers and doctors are second and third. Health professionals are a trusted voice.

The political vaccine is to no longer stay silent when the issues deserve public voice. Organizations such as Ask Nurses and Doctors can provide the tools for responsible political expression. People with expertise need to take the plunge into unaccustomed waters.

Protecting patients, the public and health care colleagues is a traditional medical responsibility, and fulfillment of "a higher calling". The higher calling is calling. Will we answer?

Jeffrey. C. Lerner is President Emeritus at ECRI and a senior adjunct fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania.
BUNKER HILL  Nearly 55 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his speech at the Illinois State AFL-CIOs 8th annual convention predicting future generations would look back and honor those who sought to unite the Civil Rights and Labor Movements, state Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker, is leading an effort to make Dr. Kings words a reality.

Manar filed Senate Joint Resolution 67 this week, calling for a bronze plaque to be placed at the site of the historic address  the soon-to-be restored Illinois State Armory  to commemorate the civil rights icons legacy and visit to Springfield.

Throughout modern history, few other movements have been more effective or more inspiring instruments of justice and equality, Manar said. The Civil Rights Movement and the Labor Movement intersected through a timeless message by Dr. King that summons the same hope and vision for a stronger society today as it did in 1965, and it all took place in downtown Springfield. Thats special and something to be celebrated.

SJR 67 calls for the bronze plaque to be inscribed with the very words Dr. King spoke at the Armory on Oct. 7, 1965  words that embrace organizational progress, justice, democracy, and a faith in God.

The speech was recorded and archived by the Illinois State AFL-CIO. Manar worked closely with AFL-CIO President Tim Drea to draft the resolution.

Manar said the memorial would capture a moment that connected Illinois workers with the national Civil Rights Movement during a pivotal era in American history, while also shedding light on the State Armorys historic significance.

During the 20th century, the Armory was the site of gubernatorial inaugural addresses, speeches and events featuring historic leaders such as Muhammad Ali and Presidents John F. Kennedy, Harry Truman and Richard Nixon.

Illinois latest statewide construction plan sets aside $100 million for renovations to the State Armory, with the goal of restoring the facility as a usable office space and venue for conventions, theater productions, art exhibits, and other events.

The Civil Rights and Labor Movements were both founded on creeds of justice, equality and human rights. They continue to be charged by solidarity among the disenfranchised classes, Manar said. These are principles that we should all strive to advance, in policy and practice. This tribute will serve as a reminder of that duty while celebrating this remarkable moment in state and American history.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 02:15:15|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on April 9, 2020 shows medical supplies from China at the Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday attended and presided over the first China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting via video link.

Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, and Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov attended the meeting.

Wang said the Chinese government attaches great importance to developing strategic partnerships with Central Asian countries. Cooperation between China and Central Asia is based on the common needs of both sides. "It does not target any third party, nor does it affect bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the region."

Wang proposed to jointly defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, to jointly promote economic recovery, to safeguard regional security, and to strengthen multilateral cooperation.

Kyrgyz Vice Prime Minister Aida Ismailova (6th L, front), Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Du Dewen (7th L, front) and some participants pose for a group photo with the Chinese medical team during an awarding ceremony in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, April 26, 2020. (Chinese Embassy to Kyrgyzstan/Handout via Xinhua)

Noting Central Asian countries and China are friendly neighbors with high political mutual trust and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation, the five ministers said China's decisive and effective response to the COVID-19 has achieved remarkable results, setting an example for the international community, adding that all parties support WHO to play an important role and firmly oppose the politicization of the pandemic.

The ministers supported the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the development strategies of central Asian countries and stressed their readiness to further strengthen security cooperation.

The meeting adopted and issued the Joint Statement of the C+C5 Foreign Ministers Video Meeting. 
In season 2 of 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days, Paul Staehle returns to Brazil to see his fiance at the time, Karine Martins. He has some suspicions and asks Karine to take a pregnancy test. Read on to learn how it all goes down.

Paul Staehle returns to Brazil to see Karine Martins

Paul and Karine Staehle | staehlekarine via Instagram

Its my first day back in Brazil with Karine, and things are just not going well, Paul tells the cameras. Since me and Karine have been apart, some big trust issues have developed in our relationship. Shes been talking to other American men on social media. Shes being what I consider flirtatious. So I confronted Karine about my concerns, and she just brushes it off, and says were just friends dont worry about it.

Paul straight up asks Karine about the flirtatious comments and shows them to her. She asks him what the issue is, and he asks her if she minds taking another pregnancy test. Karine tells him no and gets up and walks away. Paul says hes lost sleep over thinking about if Karine is cheating.

I had an ex-girlfriend in the past, and she never told me that she was actually pregnant with somebody elses kid, Paul explains. And it really crushed me. It made me a little paranoid in some ways.

Karine takes a pregnancy test

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: What Happens When Paul Tells Karine About His Past?

Back at the hotel, Karine says she thinks its foolish for Paul to ask his fiance to take a pregnancy test. I am very offended right now, Karine explains. Paul returns to the hotel with a pregnancy test that he picked up along the way. Paul says it will put his mind at ease if Karine takes the test.

Paul hands Karine the pregnancy test. So youre suggesting I had sex with other men? Karine asks Paul.

Paul motions with his head in such a way that Karine reacts like she is shocked. Why dont you trust me? she asks. Paul says hes been away for five months, and asks her again to take the test to settle any and all doubts.

Of course, there is a language barrier going on at the time, so theyre using a translator app to discuss this awkward situation. Karine tells the cameras that Paul is an insecure man.

Paul gets the news hes hoping for

Karine tells Paul shell take the test. She goes in the bathroom to handle it, and its a tense few moments. Karine comes out and tells Paul shes sorry, which is strange. She shows him the test, but Paul is confused about what the results actually mean. Theres a really light thing there, he says.

Paul doesnt seem to understand. He asks if its a baby, and Karine motions her head in a weird way. Paul asks again, Baby? Not my baby? She shakes her head, and apparently things are getting lost in translation. It turns out she isnt pregnant, and she uses the translator app to explain this to Paul.

Paul apologizes, and it seems like things are headed in the right direction, at least for now. This is certainly not the last of all the Paul and Karine drama.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. During the day the operative situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border has been relatively calm, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, Head of the Command and Staff Faculty of the Vazgen Sargsyan Military University and former MoD spokesperson, said.

''There were few shootings and they were only from firearms', he said.

Artsrun Hovhannisyan added that he visited one of the military regiments and recorded that the soldiers and commanders are in high spirits and keep full control of the situation.

''They see all the movements of the adversary and any provocation will be adequately retaliated'', Hovhannisyan said.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 H'Hen Nie honoured as Pride of ASEAN

The official ASEAN fan page has posted an image of HHen Nie, a Top 5 finisher at Miss Universe 2018, honouring her as the Pride of ASEAN.

An image of HHen Nie, a Top 5 finisher at Miss Universe 2018, appears on the official ASEAN fan page





The fan page explained that Vietnamese beauty H'Hen Nie is renowned for her active charity works and strong support for the underprivileged as much as she is known as a beauty queen and a successful model.



H'Hen Nie is a global ambassador for Room to Read in 2018, a non-profit organisation focusing on providing resources for girls education and literacy programmes, says the fan page.



The image of the beauty queen posted onto the ASEANs fan page also received masses of compliments from supporters both at home and abroad.



HHen Nie is widely considered to be the leading Vietnamese beauty queen of all time due to her efforts at the prestigious Miss Universe pageant. The Ede ethnic girls efforts to overcome adversity throughout her life and go on to win the Miss Universe Vietnam crown serves as a hugely positive inspiration for the community.



Since securing a Top 5 finish at Miss Universe 2018, the girl from the Central Highland province of Dak Lak has consistently found herself named among several renowned global beauty rankings. Indeed, 2019 saw HHen Nie win the Timeless Beauty 2018 award as announced by Missosology.



HHen Nie, 28, stands at 1.72 metres tall and is a native of Buon Ma Thuot city, although she now lives in Ho Chi Minh City where she works as a model.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Spear Street Capital LLC ("Spear Street"), an owner and operator of office properties located in the United States, Canada and Europe, has announced that Bonaccord Capital Partners ("Bonaccord"), a division of Aberdeen Standard Investments ("ASI"), has made a strategic investment in Spear Street.

Pursuant to the transaction, Bonaccord acquired a passive, non-voting minority interest and will provide capital to support the future growth of the firm. The transaction will have no impact on the day-to-day management or operations of Spear Street. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Spear Street Founder John Grassi said: "This strategic investment from Bonaccord provides additional resources to ensure the long-term stability of our investment platform. We are pleased to broaden an existing relationship with ASI through its Bonaccord unit."

Ajay Chitkara, Head of Bonaccord, which specializes in acquiring long-term interests in private market managers, said: "We are excited by our strategic investment in Spear Street and look forward to deepening our relationship with the team. Spear Street has built a world-class investment platform, with an exceptional long-term track record of investment success. The firm's unique investment approach, vertically-integrated team of experienced professionals and broad industry relationships make this a particularly compelling investment for Bonaccord."

Berkshire Global Advisors advised Spear Street on the transaction. Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP served as legal counsel to Spear Street. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP served as legal counsel to Bonaccord.

About Spear Street Capital

Founded in 2001, Spear Street Capital is an owner and operator of distinctive office properties located in the United States, Canada and Europe. The Firm focuses on assets and portfolios greater than $25 million in total value, targeting well-conceived and located properties that can succeed through creative leasing efforts, physical improvements, entitlement changes or realization of adaptive re-use strategies. Properties may be located in both primary and secondary markets provided they possess, or can attain, superior appeal to quality tenants.

About Aberdeen Standard Investments1

ASI is a leading global asset manager with $644.5 billion in assets under management and 50 offices worldwide. Additionally, ASI has a differentiated and comprehensive perspective on the alternative investment landscape through its platform, managing approximately $34 billion in allocations to thirdparty alternative asset managers across private equity, real assets, real estate and hedge fund strategies. The BCP team aims to leverage ASI's global footprint and alternatives capabilities to support Spear Street's strategic initiatives.

1. Standard Life Aberdeen AUM as of December 31, 2019

Important Information Regarding ASI

ASI is a brand of the investment businesses of Aberdeen Asset Management and Standard Life Investments. In the United States, Aberdeen Standard Investments is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments Australia Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd., Aberdeen Capital Management LLC, Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Advisors LLC and Standard Life Investments (Corporate Funds) Ltd. Bonaccord Capital Partners is a division of ASI.

SOURCE Spear Street Capital and Berkshire Global Advisors
South Korean Prosecutors Reportedly Launch Investigation Against Kim Jong-un's Sister

Sputnik News

18:57 GMT 16.07.2020

The probe against Kim's sister and North Korea's Chief of the General Staff was launched over the destruction of a liaison office in the border town of Kaesong in June.

It seems that Kim Yo-jong, first vice-department director of the DPRK Workers' Party and sister of North Korean head of state Kim Jong-un, has become the target of an investigation in South Korea, the Yonhap News Agency reports.

According to the media outlet, Kim Yo-jong, along with Army Geneneral Pak Jong-chon, chief of the General Staff of the North Korean army, are being investigated on charges of blowing up a liaison office in Kaesong in June.

The South Korean prosecutors' probe comes after Seoul-based lawyer Lee Kyung-jae filed the complaint against the North Korean officials with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office.

As the media outlet points out, legal experts have concluded that it would be "virtually impossible" for Seoul prosecutors to actually punish the North Korean officials if the latter were to be found guilty.

However, Lee reportedly insisted that he wanted to bring public attention to the "North's act of destruction".

"It is difficult to arrest Kim and Pak and bring them to justice, but an investigation can be conducted. We should let 25 million North Koreans know about their ruling family's false image and hypocrisy, as well as about the legal order of our free democracy," Lee said.

The liaison office in Kaesong was blown up by North Korea in June, after Pyongyang repeatedly condemned the launches of propaganda leaflets via balloons from South Korea, with Kim Jong-un's sister stating that the North Korean army "will determine something for cooling down our people's resentment and surely carry it out".

As the Russian ambassador to the DRPK Alexander Matsegora suggested, these actions were preceded by a particular balloon launch on 31 May which apparently contained provocative imagery aimed at Kim Jong-un's wife, Ri Sol-ju, and which evoked "serious outrage" in Pyongyang.

A Sputnik

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Security giant G4S has been ordered to pay 44.4 million to avoid prosecution after 'very substantially' overcharging the Government for tagged criminals - including some who had died.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and G4S agreed a fine of more than 38.5 million and costs of 5.9 million after a near-decade-long probe found three counts of fraud.

The firm 'dishonestly misled' the Government in an effort to boost its profits, according to the SFO.

It comes after G4S was dramatically dumped from tagging criminals as punishment for overcharging the taxpayer in 2013.

G4S said a subsidiarity, G4S Care & Justice, had taken responsibility for the offences between August 2011 and May 2012.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and G4S (file image) agreed a fine of more than 38.5 million and costs of 5.9 million after a probe found three counts of fraud

The Deferred Protection Agreement (DPA) is a court-approved deal which allows prosecution to be suspended as long as the organisation meets certain conditions.

The company was given a 40 per cent discount on its fine after co-operating with the SFO.

G4S Care & Justice provided electronic monitoring services to the government from 2005 to 2013, and the fraud involved a 'very substantial loss to the public purse', according to the judgement in the case.

G4S overcharged for tens of thousands of criminals, including those who had left the country, been returned to prison or even died.

The company previously admitted overcharging taxpayers by more than 24million for 'phantom' electronic tags that had been removed  or were never fitted in the first place.

G4S' history of blunders The UK-based security firm traces its roots back to a guarding company founded in Denmark in 1901. G4S was formed when Group 4 merged with Securicor in 2004. The company has a long record of blunders including: In 1993 Group 4 became the first private company to run prisoner escort services, and lost seven inmates in three weeks A year later a hunger striker escaped from Campsfield House detention centre, guarded by Group 4 In 1997 it emerged the firm had transferred a prisoner between two vans on a petrol station forecourt Three prisoners escaped from Peterborough Crown Court in 2001 In 2011, G4S staff lost a set of cell keys just days after taking over Birmingham Prison Workers put an electronic tag on criminal Christopher Lowcock's artificial limb In 2012 the firm failed to train enough guards for the London Games which meant 3,500 soldiers had to be recalled from leave In March 2013 a G4S guard at Heathrow ordered Royal Navy engineer Nicky Howse to change out of her uniform before flying to the US because it was 'offensive' Advertisement

Today's DPA was approved by Mr Justice William Davis at the Royal Courts of Justice and means G4S Care & Justice will not be prosecuted.

The G4S subsidiary has already paid out 121.3 million to the MoJ following a civil settlement in 2014.

In January 2014, G4S Care & Justice reported it had discovered material which indicated the company failed to provide accurate financial reports to the MoJ.

The SFO found there had been fraudulent conduct in contracts for electronic monitoring services, including tagged criminals.

Addressing the court on Friday, the judge said: 'I do declare that this DPA is in the interests of justice and that its terms are fair, just and proportionate.'

In his judgement, he wrote: 'The intensity of the external scrutiny as set out in the DPA is greater than in any previous DPA.

'This is necessary and appropriate given the exposure of both G4S C&J and the parent company to government contracts.'

He added that it was important to provide reassurance that proper controls are in place to stop the issue happening again.

'The DPA will last for three years during which period the compliance measures will continue and will be reviewed. This will provide further reassurance as to the conduct of G4S and G4S C&J,' he said.

Director of the Serious Fraud Office Lisa Osofsky slammed the company's 'methodical fraud against the Ministry of Justice',

She added: 'This DPA ensures G4S C&J is held accountable. It also guarantees that G4S C&J and its parent company, G4S plc - a significant government supplier - will be subjected to unprecedented, multi-year scrutiny and assurance.'

Clare Montgomery QC, representing G4S, repeated an apology on behalf of the firm and said it 'condemns absolutely this type of behaviour'.

She added: 'With the apology, it is also important to note that it is particularly heartfelt because integrity is at the heat of G4S's business.'

The scandal could date back as far as 1999, when tagging of criminals began in England and Wales.

Since then the taxpayer has spent 1billion on tagging and monitoring offenders. The 2013 contracts began in 2005.

The SFO found there had been fraudulent conduct in the contracts for electronic monitoring services (file image)

In some cases private contractors charged the Government for years after tagging had stopped and cases included being charged for tags for dead people.

G4S previously apologised and offered to repay 24.1 million.

A spokesman said it accepted it 'wrongly considered itself to be contractually entitled to bill for monitoring services when equipment had not been fitted or after it had been removed'.

The company insisted an independent review it commissioned 'has not identified any evidence of dishonesty or criminal conduct by any employee'.

But the Ministry of Justice made clear that the government would not accept the voluntary offer.

A National Audit Office report into the electronic monitoring contracts found evidence the firm was charging for multiple tags on individual criminals.
Revolver: Sam Colt and the Six-Shooter That Changed America

By Jim Rasenberger

Scribner. 448 pp. $30

---

They came over the Appalachians by the tens of thousands. They were clergymen and farmers, con men and fugitives, gamblers, prostitutes and speculators. In the early years of the 19th century, the Wild West meant the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys. For a young man with ambition, luck and not too many scruples, it was a kind of paradise. Conspicuous even in this flamboyant company was a teenager from Connecticut named Sam Colt. He was, to put it bluntly, a vagabond who had failed as a machinist and a sailor. But in the anonymity and freedom provided by the West, he presented himself as Dr. S. Coult of New York, London and Calcutta. His supposed area of specialty was the administration of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for medical purposes. For a fee, he would demonstrate its uses. Colt was, as we might put it today, dealing drugs under a false identity.

When he died three decades later, Samuel Colt was one of the most famous men in America and also one of the wealthiest. His legendary revolvers could be found everywhere from the dustiest cabin on the Great Plains to the gun collections of the Russian czar and the sultan of the Ottoman Empire. His Patent Arms Manufacturing Company operated the largest privately owned factory in the world. (The buildings still tower over the Connecticut River in Hartford.) The story of how Colt raised himself from frontier huckster to great American industrialist is the subject of Jim Rasenberger's lively and balanced new book, "Revolver: Sam Colt and the Six-Shooter That Changed America." Rasenberger's narrative is, to a surprising degree, the story of America in the first half of the 19th century. It overflows with relentless ambition, energy, entrepreneurship, ingenuity and wealth, and with deceit, fraud, jingoism and murder.

When Colt was born, in 1814, firearms were primitive instruments. The operator would pour a measure of powder down the barrel, drop a projectile on top, then ram in a piece of wadding to hold everything in place. When the trigger was pulled, some kind of flint or match would send a spark into the near end of the barrel, causing an explosion that would send the bullet out the other end. That was the theory. About a dozen things could go wrong, and often they did. Even when everything worked as intended, accuracy and range were atrocious. A Revolutionary War veteran noted, "A soldier must be very unfortunate indeed who shall be wounded by a common musket at 150 [yards]." Beyond 200 yards, he added, "you may just as well fire at the moon." When it came to military uses, the great weakness of these firearms was the time they took to reload. Soldiers sometimes carried cartridges, which were powder and ball pre-wrapped in wadding, ready to be rammed down the barrel. But even in these optimal conditions, only an expert could fire three times in a minute.

To solve that problem, Colt drew on his restless Yankee ingenuity to develop a single barrel with a revolving cylinder holding several cartridges. The action of cocking the hammer would turn the cylinder and bring the next chamber into alignment with the barrel. Depending on the number of bores cut into the cylinder, a soldier could take five to seven shots in quick succession. The trick was that the alignment had to be flawless. If the cylinder and barrel didn't line up, the weapon might explode in the user's hands. It took Colt many iterations to perfect the mechanism. Contemporary advances in ammunition worked to his advantage. By the middle of the century, Colt had worked out the first reliable, mass-produced "repeating firearm," the pistol version of which remains essentially unchanged today.

Curiously, the invention didn't sell at first. It seems few people, even in the military, saw a reason for so much firepower. Or perhaps the design was simply too unusual. Colt teetered on bankruptcy. But then, as Rasenberger nicely puts it, "the universe, having conspired against him for so long, began to reorient itself in his favor."

Financial salvation came in the person of Capt.Samuel Walker of the Texas Rangers. Walker had encountered early versions of the Colt revolver during the Seminole War. Now, in 1847, he was fighting in the Mexican-American War, and he believed that Colt's revolver, with a few improvements, would be a valuable weapon for his troops. He traveled east to meet Colt in person, and together they developed the Colt Walker handgun. The Rangers and soon the U.S. government began to buy Colt's firearms by the thousands. The Walker and its later iterations were so ubiquitous on the Western frontier that "colt" became the generic word for any revolver. Colt the man became an industrial tycoon. For all the unhelpful mythology surrounding guns in America, it remains true that the availability of reliable, inexpensive firearms preserved a degree of individual security and independence in the American West. "God created men," a Western adage says. "But Sam Colt made them equal."

Yet Colt's status as a leading industrialist is inseparable from America's penchant for violence. His fortune was made by this nation's genocidal treatment of the native population and its imperialistic war on Mexico. His company's fortunes, even today, rise and fall with American militarism and our obsession with personal firearms. In a grim concluding passage, Rasenberger notes that the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre was carried out with an AR-15-style rifle, a weapon developed and marketed by the company Colt founded, headquartered less than 50 miles away from Newtown, Conn., in Colt's home of Hartford.

---

Simpson teaches political science at the University of New Mexico.
" " This statue of William Wallace by sculptor William Grant Stevenson, erected in 1888 in Aberdeen, Scotland, bears this inscription: "I tell you a truth, liberty is the best of all things, my son, never live under any slavish bond." Wikipedia

Whether you know his name thanks to Mel Gibson's portrayal in "Braveheart" or from Joshua Jackson's parody of said portrayal in an iconic episode of Dawson's Creek (I'm in the latter camp), William Wallace has become synonymous with medieval Scottish history. But like so many legends, Wallace's story isn't quite in line with the pop culture representation most of us are familiar with.

Here are some things you may not know about the famed Scottish knight:

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1. He's Considered One of Scotland's Greatest National Heroes

Wallace is credited with leading the Scottish resistance forces during the struggle to free Scotland from English rule. In 1296, King Edward I of England deposed and imprisoned the Scottish king John de Balliol and declared himself the ruler of Scotland. While resistance efforts had already begun, Wallace is credited with kicking things into high gear in May 1297 when he gathered 30 men together to burn down the town of Lanark and kill its English sheriff. He then organized an army to attack the English troops and  despite being vastly outnumbered  killed many more as they attempted to cross over into Scotland. He nearly freed the country from occupying forces and invaded northern England. He was knighted in 1297, and proclaimed guardian of the kingdom, but in 1298, his men were defeated by Edward's troops in the Battle of Falkirk, Stirling.

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2. You Shouldn't Consider "Braveheart" a Wallace History Lesson

Google "Braveheart inaccuracies" and you may spend the remainder of your day scrolling through pages and pages of (rightfully) irate commentary. The 1995 film definitely took some liberties with Wallace's story (for one thing, he did not wear a tartan kilt  those didn't show up until 500 years later). While the film did bring international attention to Wallace's story, it didn't exactly do it justice, according to experts.

"Aside from a 1975 novel by Nigel Tranter ('The Wallace'), there have been very few representations of William Wallace in popular culture, which makes 'Braveheart' influential in the public's image of the man," Tom Turpie, project historian and history lecturer at the University of Stirling writes via email.

"In general, I find that these representations of Wallace, especially 'Braveheart,' fall into a trap that we often find with medieval Scottish history. Very often, as we find in 'Braveheart,' the popular presentation of the subject (either through film, at historic sites and increasingly on television), is so simplified or includes unnecessary fictions (like Wallace meeting the English queen in 'Mary, Queen of Scots,' and films having him meet Elizabeth I, etc.) that are much less interesting than what actually happened. I never understand the need to make up anything about Scotland's medieval past as the reality is always more interesting than any fiction!

"The main problem, specifically with 'Braveheart' (aside from its many historical inaccuracies), is that it gives Wallace rather simplistic 20th-century motivations  nationalism, desire for political self-determination and autonomy  and completely misunderstands his social status (he was a minor nobleman from the southwest, not a highland peasant living in a mud hut wearing tartan)," Turpie says.

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3. He Was a Diplomat Later in His Life

One piece of the Wallace puzzle that's often lost is the fact that he became a diplomat later in his career, serving as an envoy for the Scots to the courts of Europe. "What is almost always missed out in the popular versions (and ignored in "Braveheart"), is the most interesting part of Wallace's career," Turpie says. "After defeat at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, for much of the next three to four years, he traveled abroad as a diplomat, visiting the king of France and the pope in Rome (and possibly the exiled Scottish king) and seems to have played an important role in gaining support for the Scots cause from these groups."

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4. Some Scholars Consider Him an "Accidental Braveheart"

In a 2011 article for The Scotsman, University of Glasgow Scottish history professor Dauvit Broun describes the evidence he uncovered that indicates Wallace was a "co-leader" in the murder of Sheriff William Hesilrig, the English sheriff of Lanark in 1297 (the event that kicked off the Scottish rebellion), not necessarily the leader.

"Before he became the leader, there is a pattern in the three main acts of resistance we know about where Wallace is co-leader with someone who was his social superior (killing the sheriff of Lanark was co-led by Sir Richard of Lundie, attacking the justiciar at Scone was co-led by Sir William Douglas, and the Battle of Stirling Bridge was co-led by Sir Andrew Moray)," Broun writes via email. "By the end of 1297, only Wallace was left as leader. What this suggests is that Wallace did not plan or want to be sole leader of the resistance, but was prepared to take on this role when it became necessary."

According to Broun, it was actually Lundie, a close ally of Wallace who rose with him in opposition to the English occupation of Scotland, likely responsible for sparking the revolution. "It was Lundie who led the band with Wallace that was responsible for the killing of the Sheriff of Lanark May 3, 1297," he says.

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5. There's a Period of His Life That's a Little Mysterious

While there's some evidence that Wallace went to France in 1299 after the Scottish defeat and later took on the role of a solo guerrilla leader, nothing is known about his life from the fall of 1299 through 1303. In 1305, however, he was arrested near Glasgow and taken to London where he was condemned as a traitor to the king (despite the fact that he stated he had never sworn allegiance to King Edward in the first place). His death wasn't pretty: He was hanged, disemboweled, beheaded and quartered. It wasn't until the following year that his successor, Robert de Bruce (later King Robert I) ignited the rebellion that eventually won Scotland its independence.

Now That's Interesting One of Wallace's career roles may have set the stage for Scotland's current leadership structure. In November 1297, after the battle of Stirling Bridge, Wallace was appointed Guardian of Scotland, one of the most powerful posts in the kingdom. "It is not often appreciated how similar Wallace's position as sole Guardian in 1298 was to that of a prime minister today," Broun says. "He exercised the full powers of government in the name of a monarch (John Balliol) who played little or no part in government himself."
NEW HAVEN  Throughout the past two weeks, Albino Aleman Sedeno and his daughter Yaneth Aleman prayed for something better than the worst as they sought help finding their beloved daughter and sister, Lizzbeth Aleman-Popoca.

As the days wore on, they held onto hope. They continued to pray for her safe return. They tried to be strong.

Then, hours after the state chief medical examiners office confirmed the worst  the remains found Wednesday night in a shallow grave behind Aleman-Popocas husbands former employer, LoMonacos Ristorante Italiano in Branford, were that of Aleman-Popoca  they had a couple of dozen friends and loved ones close at hand to pray and be strong with them and for them.

But in the midst of grief, they still took a few moments to address the media that they had met with days earlier in the hopes that getting their story out might bring Aleman-Popoca, who lived in East Haven, home.

Weve tried to be strong, said Yaneth Aleman, 24, who now is taking care of her late 27-year-old sisters 7-year-old daughter, speaking in her fathers backyard in the citys Fair Haven Heights section Thursday as friends and loved ones sat waiting for them alongside a makeshift altar in the garage.

Now, we need to find justice for her, Aleman said late Thursday, her voice quivering just above a whisper. She deserves it. Shes a good person.

She was a good mother, Aleman said moments later. She loved the baby. She was sweet. ... She didnt deserve to die the way she did.

I love her a lot, said Aleman Sedeno, who speaks some English but is more comfortable speaking in Spanish. He said of his older daughter, She was very important to me.

Growing up, first in the Guerrero state of Mexico until their teen years, she was my motivator, said Yaneth. She was really sweet. She loved to draw.

Now Yaneth is motivated to seek justice.

The medical examiners office had not yet determined the cause of death, or therefore whether any crime had been committed, East Haven police Capt. Joseph Murgo said earlier in the day. Police also have not yet said whether they think a crime may have been committed.

The feeling is just indescribable, Aleman told a new TV crew, which had replaced the last two TV crews and the newspaper reporter she had just finished speaking to. We still have so many questions.

But one thing is certain, said Aleman Sedeno.

Were going to find a way to make her stay with us and keep her memory alive, he said.

He also found some beauty in their awful situation.

We feel happy because all our friends are coming, Aleman said. We dont feel alone.

Earlier Thursday, Aleman Sedeno set up a GoFundme campaign to help the family raise funeral expenses for his daughter.

Yesterday was my worst day of my life when I received the news that my missing daughter was found but lifeless, Aleman Sedeno wrote in the campaign. My little granddaughter will never see her mother again; pain invades our lives and only someone who lost a child can understand my suffering.

I would like to ask you to help us financially with the expenses of the funeral and to be able to continue supporting my granddaughter, the daughter of Lizzbeth, since I have lost work due to COVID-19 and in the search for Lizzbeth, he wrote. God bless you always and thank you for your support.

Aleman-Popoca was reported missing from her East Haven home July 3. Her common-law husband, Jonnathan Jara-Aucapina, told police his daughter called him at work on July 1 and told him her mother was not there when she woke up. Jara Aucapina worked at UPS in addition to LoMonacos.

Murgo said Thursday that Aleman-Popoca and Jara-Aucapina were not legally married but referred to each other as husband and wife.

On Friday, East Haven Mayor Joe Carfora publicly expressed his condolences to the family, saying in a Facebook post, Ms. Lizzbeth Aleman-Popoca was a beloved mother, sister, and daughter  her death is a senseless loss. Our East Haven community stands with the Aleman-Popoca family as they mourn Lizzbeths tragic passing.

Our hearts are broken for her young daughter who by all accounts was the apple of her mothers eye, Carfora wrote. At the appropriate time, I intend to visit with the family to personally express my heartfelt condolences. East Haven is here to offer its collective prayers, love and support to the entire Aleman-Popoca family.

The East Haven Police Department, in conjunction with the Connecticut State Police and the FBI, are actively investigating this matter, Carfora said. They are also receiving assistance from the Branford, North Haven, and North Branford Police Departments. I want to thank them all, for their hard work and their dedication to finding answers for the Aleman-Popoca family.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend South Dakota's Independence Day fireworks celebration at Mount Rushmore in Keystone, S.D., on July 3, 2020. (Tom Brenner/Reuters)

No CCP Virus Spike After Mount Rushmore Event Trump Attended: Governor

South Dakota hasnt experienced a spike of CCP virus cases from the July 3 event at Mount Rushmore, according to the governor.

Actually, were doing really good, Gov. Kristi Noem said.

Officials would have seen a spike a few days ago but instead have recorded a declining number of virus cases.

I think what we did here in South Dakota is really remarkable because we gave people their freedom. We let the businesses stay open. We let people go to work. We told them to be smart. And we also asked them to be personally responsible, and were seeing the benefits of that each and every day in South Dakota, Noem, a Republican, added.

While some experts criticized South Dakota, things have turned out well, Noem said, crediting residents of the state.

The governor urged officials to trust those they govern, adding, Dont lay down mandates that are going to hinder the ability that they need to really get through this difficult time. Trust them. Give them the facts. Let them make decisions that are right for their families.

Noem was speaking during a Friday appearance on Fox & Friends.

A number of health officials said they were concerned about the fireworks event at the national monument before it happened.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem gives a State of the State address in Pierre, S.D., on Jan. 8, 2019. (James Nord/AP Photo)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for South Dakotas Independence Day fireworks celebration at Mount Rushmore in Keystone, S.D., on July 3, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Right now, we feel that we have enough beds for what were currently undergoing, but if we have large events such as this event at Mount Rushmore, that has the potential to overwhelm the hospital system, Dr. Ben Aaker, president of the states medical association, told the Argus Leader last month.

It looks to me like a perfect storm for an easy transmission of this deadly disease, added Michael Klatt, a retired public health adviser who at one time worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Noem also drew criticism for announcing that attendees of the event wouldnt be social distancing, or maintaining six feet of distance from non-household numbers.

We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home, but those who want to come and join us, well be giving out free face masks, if they choose to wear one. But we wont be social distancing, she said during an appearance on Fox in late June.

According to the state Department of Health, there were 95 new CCP virus cases on Thursday, and 865 active cases in the state. Thats one of the lowest case counts in the nation.

Only 61 people with COVID-19, the disease the virus causes, are currently hospitalized.

Over 6,800 patients have recovered, while 116 have died.
ANSONIA  Mayor David Cassettis ongoing war against graffiti picked up again in earnest this week for a fourth consecutive year.

Since the graffiti-removal campaign initially began, more than 450 tags scrawled across city buildings and properties have been eradicated. This year, 20 new tags have been spotted around the city and are being removed by Stratford-based Trans-Clean.

The company, according to Cassetti, doesnt simply paint over graffiti but professionally removes it using an organic-based formula that completely removes paint from brick, rock, metal and wood, and restores the surfaces to its natural state.

Cassetti had said funding for graffiti removal doesnt cost taxpayers a thing, because the money comes through the Mayors Beautification Fund, which is funded through donations from local businesses.

The best way to combat graffiti is to remove it as quickly as it goes up, said Cassetti. To date, I think this game plan has worked well. In 2017 and 2018, approximately 400 tags were removed that had accumulated for years. This total has since dwindled significantly. Graffiti is an eyesore and must be removed. Its removal remains paramount in my ongoing beautification program for our city.

The most recent tags being removed were found at several public and private properties, including on some businesses, Christ Church, the historic granite wall on Maple Street, several sidewalks, the municipal parking lot wall and along Water Street, according to city Director of Constituent Services Greg Martin.

Martin said the latest markings appear to be isolated, and not connected to each other.

With this latest round of cleanup and removal, Ansonia once again will be virtually graffiti-free, Martin added.

Graffiti has no place in any city, Martin said. When it goes up, just clean it off. I applaud what this administration has accomplished on its elimination. ... Mayor Cassetti is committed to keeping it clean and green.

The ongoing effort is part of the citys Clean and Green initiative, led by Cassetti and Martin, which includes a citywide volunteer litter cleanup in spring and fall, an adopt-a-spot program and major landscaping projects.

Martin said the mayors campaign to rid the city of graffiti actually got underway in 2014, when nearly a half-mile of heavy graffiti that for decades plagued the flood control wall along the Naugatuck River downtown was wiped clean.

When the mayor first went on the graffiti assault, we raised $4,000 from local businesses to fund its removal, Martin said. This effort probably eliminated 90 percent of graffiti throughout the city in neighborhoods, downtown, public and on private structures.

Cassetti said the efforts are important and go far toward projecting a positive image.

There is no place for graffiti and litter for our residents, said Cassetti. The feedback I have received from many is that people have noticed and appreciate it.

jean.sos@snet.net




South Korea will airlift more Korean workers next week from Iraq where new coronavirus infection cases are spiking, the prime minister said Friday as the country is on alert over imported virus cases from the Arab country.







South Korea has confirmed 34 infection cases among the about 100 Korean construction workers who returned from Iraq on a chartered flight earlier this week.







Health authorities warned that infection cases from the group could rise further, given COVID-19's incubation period, and voiced transmission concerns over hundreds of Koreans currently working at construction sites in the Middle Eastern country.







According to data from the World Health Organization, Iraq reported more than 2,000 new infections Thursday. The country's total caseload reached 83,867 on the day, with 3,432 deaths.







"To help these (Korean construction workers) promptly return home (from Iraq), the government decided to airlift them as early as next week and onward," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a regular government COVID-19 response meeting.







"Some of the Korean workers in Iraq returned home on a chartered flight, but there are still 800 in the country," he noted, instructing officials from the land and foreign ministries to take charge of the repatriation mission.







The decision came as South Korea is on alert over the continuing flow of cases from outside of the country, especially Iraq.







On Friday, South Korea added 60 new daily infection cases, 39 of which were found among those arriving from overseas. It was the 22nd consecutive day that imported infection cases have been in double-digit numbers.







"Many of the infection cases confirmed recently (in South Korea) stem from workers who returned home after working in construction sites in Iraq, operated by Korean companies," Chung said. (Yonhap)


Courtroom Roundup: One Win and Three New Suits In a victory over smog, a federal appeals court just rejected the Environmental Protection Agency's attempt to let some oil and gas operations off the hook for their smog pollution in Colorado's Metro-Denver and Front Range regions. The ruling will lead to reductions in pollution that triggers asthma attacks, hurts aspens and rare species like Mexican spotted owls, and ruins beautiful views in Rocky Mountain National Park.



On Tuesday, with our allies, we filed a new lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's approval of the Keystone XL pipeline to be constructed on federal land. Pipeline construction through waterways was blocked by last week's Supreme Court ruling, but the Bureau of Land Management has green-lighted the pipeline to cross about 44 miles of public land in Montana. Our lawsuit challenges that approval and, more broadly, the agency's inadequate analysis of the project's environmental impacts.



In Nevada we petitioned to get more water to the rare Moapa dace, a little fish whose survival is jeopardized by over-pumping of groundwater. And in Northern California, with local partners, we filed notice that we'll sue the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and a timber company over a plan to log treasured redwoods near the Gualala River that would also hurt wildlife.



Learn more about these legal actions and all our recent work.
New Delhi [India], July 16 (ANI): Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said that the government is at a very advanced stage of negotiations with at least three countries - France, US and Germany - for air bubble in view of coronavirus pandemic.



"Till International Civil Aviation can reclaim pre-COVID situation in terms of numbers, I think the answer lies in this bilateral air bubbles which we can carry as many people as possible but under defined conditions, because many countries are still imposing entry restrictions like us," Puri said at a press conference here.

"We are at a very advance stage of negotiations with at least three countries - France, US and Germany for air bubble. Air France will be operating 28 flights from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru to Paris between July 18 to August 1," he said.

"In case of the United States, we have an agreement with United Airlines to operate 18 flights between India and US between July 17 and July 31 but this is an interim one. We have a request from Germany also and an agreement with Lufthansa is almost done," the minister added.

He said that normal civil aviation operations will depend on the behaviour of the virus.

As per the government's protocol, every passenger who will travel from other countries to India need to go to seven-day quarantine.

Puri said that the government has brought back 687,467 citizens who were stranded abroad in the view of coronavirus-induced restrictions.

"Till July 15, 687,467 citizens have been repatriated. An operation was carried out to evacuate people from Kuwait in August 1990 and around 170,000 people were evacuated from Oman to Mumbai. Air India then entered Guinness Book of World Records. Today, we have repatriated 687,467 citizens so far and this figure increases day by day. We are adding 20,000 passengers every day. Very soon we will be over 10 lakh," he said. (ANI)


There may be no place on earth that had been looking forward to summer more than Xingcheng, a laid-back seaside town dotted with the occasional high rise.

Hot sun, cold drinks. Long, languorous days at the beach.

But, most important, swimsuits.

Xingcheng (pronounced SHING-chung), an out-of-the-way factory town on Chinas northeastern coast, makes swimwear that is exported to the United States, Germany, Australia and dozens of other countries  in total, a quarter of the worlds swimwear, it estimates. This year, though, when China forced its people to stay home to stop the coronavirus, Xingchengs production of trunks, bikinis and one-pieces ground to a halt.

Then, just as China started getting back to work, the epidemic became a pandemic, and the rest of the world began shutting down. Demand for Xingchengs swimsuits dried up. Factories and workshops that reopened  masks, disinfectant and temperature checks in place  had very little to do.

Some thought about making other stretchy products instead: yoga clothes, scuba diving suits, wrestling outfits. But that would have meant buying new material, finding new suppliers, maybe even investing in new machines. Starting over, basically.
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about the Trump administration's handling of the coronavirus disease pandemic during a campaign event in Wilmington, Delaware, June 30, 2020.

Second, many of the regulatory changes enacted by the Trump administration may have led to short-term cost decreases for businesses but also to long term costs for working Americans. For example, environmental rollbacks and the resulting increase in greenhouse gas emissions could lead to thousands of additional deaths each year .

Instead, the tax cut provided a very temporary "sugar high" that employers used largely to buy back their own shares that will provide no particular long term, broad-based benefit.

First, Republicans have increased the country's deficit spending and resulting debt without any benefit for the vast majority of Americans. When Republicans supported Trump's 2017 tax cut, they promised that the resulting economic gains would more than make up for lost tax revenues . They were wrong .

It's ironic that we are starting to read reports about investors fretting over the possible election of Joe Biden as president. President Donald Trump and his accomplices in the GOP have broken every rule about what it takes to secure long term prosperity.

U.S. consumers end up on the short end of these changes. As a report from Energy Innovation noted, "Freezing federal fuel economy and [greenhouse gas] emissions standards will harm U.S. consumers, who will pay more money to drive their cars the same distance."

The EPA justified these changes by claiming they will "provide certainty for states, tribes and local governments." Hardly. The real certainty is increased health care expenses, poorer health outcomes and investments to reverse these policies in a future administration.

When Biden talks about reversing the 2017 tax cut by raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans, he makes it clear that families earning less than $400,000 annually won't be affected.

The Trump administration has also proposed rules to roll back protections for workers, ranging from coal miners to oil rig operators to those at meat-packing plants.

An analysis from the Center for American Progress estimates that the Trump Administration's rollbacks on overtime eligibility and protections related to retirement advice could cost working Americans $18 billion annually.

So regular Americans will pay the price in poorer health, higher expenses and less savings as a result of Trump's short-sighted policies to benefit a portion of the business community.

Third, investors value certainty. Trump provides none. How are investors or anybody else to predict what a second Trump term might look like when in the first term he tweeted his way out of the Paris accords and World Health Organization, pretended to battle China and Russia and then bowed to them and made policy on the fly on a weekly basis.

Will he start more trade wars or fewer? Will he respect science in any fashion or continue to proclaim himself as the only person smart enough to decide important issues?

Finally, the best employers know they have to build their businesses by partnering with a healthy and talented workforce. Yet Trump has closed our borders to skilled foreign workers and shredded the Affordable Care Act's protections designed to keep our people healthy.

Long term prosperity doesn't look anything like the economy Trump is trying to build.

Joe Biden's plans would not only lead to greater long term economic growth; they would also spread the bounties of that growth much more broadly than Trump has done.

They also reflect a more sophisticated understanding than Trump's about how to use the federal balance sheet to create long term growth for the economy in a way that will benefit a much broader swath of our population.

When Biden talks about reversing the 2017 tax cut by raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans, he makes it clear that families earning less than $400,000 annually won't be affected. But he knows that there are more productive uses for these additional funds  like investing in infrastructure, improving educational opportunities, buying more American-made goods and advancing research and development  than facilitating share buybacks.

When he promises to bring supply chains back to the U.S., he isn't only responding to the problems we've had accessing protective equipment in the battle against Covid-19. He's also prepared to fix an almost unbelievable problem that Trump's 2017 tax cut created: it rewarded companies that shifted profits linked to U.S. research and production to foreign countries.

And when he promises to be a friend to working people, making it easier for them to join unions, it's because he knows that collective negotiation and collaboration are great ways for Americans to secure a better future for themselves and their families.

So indeed, it is ironic that investors worry about a President Biden. Stronger finances, shored up infrastructure, less pollution, more domestic manufacturing and more secure workers are a much better bet on future prosperity than anything offered up by the Trump administration.

After a career as a senior executive in the telecommunications industry, Jack Markell served as Governor of Delaware from 2009-2017 and as Chair of both the National Governors Association and the Democratic Governors Association.
Lukashenko Urges EU to Criticize US for 'Lack of Democracy' Instead of 'Pointing Fingers' at Belarus

Sputnik News

11:38 GMT 16.07.2020(updated 11:57 GMT 16.07.2020)

Belarusians are set to go to the polls for presidential elections on August 9, with longtime president Alexander Lukashenko running for a sixth consecutive term.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has commented on the European Union's recent criticism of Belarus's election campaign, urging Brussels to pay attention to the situation in their own backyard instead of "pointing their fingers" at Minsk.

"As far as our western neighbours are concerned, all kinds of things are happening, including double standards. And right now, on the eve of our presidential elections, they have already begun hinting to us: 'you make sure that everything is democratic, so that, God forbid, there are no clashes in the street," Lukashenko said, speaking to officials in the city of Vitebsk on Wednesday.

"I recently told [French President Emmanuel] Macron: Look at what your Yellow Vests are doing and how you're fighting there. I said - you have a partner  the United States, you see what's going on there. They can't get by without using tear gas. Try criticizing [Donald] Trump and the United States for a lack of democracy. Try taking a swipe at Russia. But they're afraid. And so it seems they've decided to practice on Belarus once again. But it won't work. We will protect our country by all legal means," he added.

The Belarusian president emphasized that he would welcome electoral monitors from abroad, saying candidates have already been registered and that the campaign has begun.

"If you want to observe the elections  please, be our guests, come tomorrow, we don't mind. We are not hiding from anyone. But we don't need anyone to point their fingers and tell us how to live. We know how to live. One should sort out one's own situation first.But you know, it's always desirable to hide one's problems behind the screen of a neighbour's problems, to point one's finger at neighbours and others. But it won't work. Not in these times," Lukashenko stressed.

On Tuesday, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell criticized Minsk for an alleged "lack of transparency" in the verification of signatures collected for the registration of candidates for the upcoming election, saying the issue "undermines confidence in the registration process."

Brussels has also critiqued what it said was the "seemingly arbitrary" exclusions of two candidates  banker Viktar Babaryka and former diplomat Valery Tsepkalo from the race. Belarus's election commission denied Babaryka's registration over inconsistencies in his income and property declaration. Tsepkalo was said to have failed to collect the required number of signatures.

Borrell said that the EU "expects Belarus to officially invite" Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) observers "without delay to observe the upcoming presidential elections."

Five candidates, including Lukashenko, Belarusian Social Democratic Assembly chairman Siarhei Cherechen, and independents Hanna Kanapatskaya, Andrey Dmitriev, and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya have been registered as candidates.

A Sputnik

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TechMet Chairman & CEO Brian Menell



IPO Edge, in partnership with The Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association, a Florida trade association for financial professionals, will host a Webinar on Tuesday, July 21 at 12pm EST with TechMet Ltd  Investing in Metals to Fuel the Technology of the Future.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

The Webinar will feature TechMet Chairman & CEO Brian Menell, who will discuss how so-called technology metals have become the oil of the 21st Century as they facilitate wide adoption of renewable energy and electric vehicles. TechMet has operations in Europe, Africa, and the Americas that produce and recycle technology metals including lithium, cobalt, nickel, vanadium, tin, tungsten, along with rare earth elements.

Electric vehicles made by the likes of Tesla, Inc. and Nikola Corporation, which could contain TechMets metals, have become increasingly important in the investment community. Corporate conference call mentions, global search volume and Google Trends for electric vehicle are near all-time highs and Teslas market capitalization is higher than Ford and General Motors combined, according to Sentieo, an AI-enabled research platform. All of these are evidence that EVs are moving front and center in corporate conversations, consumer conversations, and in the markets, said Nick Mazing, Director of Research at Sentieo.

TechMet is not an investor in unproven mines, but rather an operator of five companies each poised to generate revenue and positive cash flow in the near term. By 2024, TechMet forecasts $107 million of Ebitda, based on conservative metal prices and production forecasts.

The company is in the process of completing an $80 million equity fundraising. It has already secured commitments of $45 million, including $20 million that has already closed and $25 million from the U.S. government through the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. that is expected to close this summer.

TechMet is backed by a world class team of management and senior advisors. The companys Advisory Board Chairman is Admiral Michael Mullen, former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff under U.S. Presidents Bush and Obama, who is also on the boards General Motors and Sprint Nextel Corp.

Story continues

Mr. Menell will discuss:

The need to diversify sources of metals away from China

Demand for electric vehicles requiring technology metals

The impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues on metal demand

Future accretive acquisitions

The path to liquidity for investors by 2024

About Brian Menell:

Mr. Menell has over 25 years of owning, developing and operating natural resource and mining projects across 18 sub-Saharan countries, the CIS, and Canada. The Menell family company, the Anglovaal Group, has been an important player in the African mining and industrial scene for 80 years. His experience includes:

CEO of the Kemet Group  developing natural resource projects across sub-Saharan Africa and advising various African Governments on mining policy and M&A activity.

Executive Director of Anglovaal Mining  developed the Chambishi Cobalt smelter and refinery, and the Nkomati Nickel Mine together with numerous other metals projects. Sold the company to Anglo American in 2001.

DeBeers  executive positions in London, Antwerp, Windhoek, and Johannesburg.

A (Hon.) Political Science & Economics, University of Pennsylvania (1984-1988).

Contact:

John Jannarone, Editor-in-Chief

editor@IPO-Edge.com

www.IPO-Edge.com

Editor@IPO-Edge.com

Twitter: @IPOEdge

Instagram: @IPOEdge
Goya, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States, has been recently embroiled in controversy after many consumers decided to boycott their products. The boycott of the company, which sells products from the Caribbean, Mexico, Spain, Central and South America to some Latin countries, comes after Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue praised the US President Donald Trump at an event at the White House. While at the event Trump signed an executive order expanding his Hispanic Prosperity Initiative, Unanue praised the US President and called him a blessing.

Soon after, Unanues comments triggered a backlash from a number of Americans who believe Trumps policies to be racist and discriminatory towards the countrys Hispanic population. Several Latinx politicians and celebrities started to call for a boycott of Goya products. #Goyaway and #BoycottGoya also soon started trending on several social media platform.

#BoycottGoya I urge all my Twitter followers to boycott all Goya products. I have empty my pantry of all of them and thrown them in the garbage after my family had used them for over 50 years. They have betrayed all of us. pic.twitter.com/H8j1FygfoP  George Russo (@italo_russo79) July 12, 2020

READ: Donald Trump Gives Goya The Thumbs-up As Critics Accuse Ivanka Trump Of Violating Rules

Since the calls for boycott, the Trumps, including President Donald Trump and his daughter and White House senior adviser Ivanka Trump, have been rallying support for the brand. While Trump tweeted about his love for Goya, Ivanka took to social media to share an image of herself holding a can of beans to support Goya Foods. The US President on July 15 also tweeted saying that Goya is doing great.

.@GoyaFoods is doing GREAT. The Radical Left smear machine backfired, people are buying like crazy!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2020

READ: Ivanka Trumps Goya Post Sparks Hilarious Memes, White House Says 'unfairly Mocked'

Shortly after Trumps tweet, Ivanka also posted her picture in a bid to support the food company. In the image, she could be seen holding a can of Goya black beans. In the caption, she also wrote, if its Goya, it has to be good.

If its Goya, it has to be good.

Si es Goya, tiene que ser bueno. pic.twitter.com/9tjVrfmo9z  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) July 15, 2020

The senior White House advisor also faced a backlash as Government watchdogs argued that Ivanka doesnt have the right to violate ethics rules that bar government officials from using their public office to endorse specific products or groups. Critics have also noted that Ivankas support for Goya highlights broader concerns about how the president and those around him often blur the line between politics and governing.

Unaunes support for Trump upsets Hispanic community

Meanwhile, Unaunes endorsement of the President has upset several Hispanics as the brand largely caters to them but Trump has often targeted the community. Trumps recent immigration policy and his attempt to build a border wall with Mexico have also left the community upset. While Democrat leader, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Julian Castro, supported the boycott, several leaders including Ted Cruz also called the boycott a part of the cancel culture.

READ: Ivanka Trump Defends Goya Post That Watchdogs Call Unethical

The White House, which was expected to discipline Ivanka for an ethics violation, also responded with a statement that blamed the news media and the culture of boycotting certain views. White House spokesperson Carolina Hurley defended the US President daughter and said that Ivanka is proud of this strong, Hispanic-owned business with deep roots in the U.S. and has every right to express her personal support.

The White House in a statement added, Only the media and the cancel culture movement would criticise Ivanka for showing her personal support for a company that has been unfairly mocked, boycotted and ridiculed for supporting this administration  one that has consistently fought for and delivered for the Hispanic community.

READ: Trump Touts Deregulation, US Coronavirus Reaction
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet the chiefs of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force at 2 pm on Tuesday to review the current national security.



According to reports, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is expected to be present in the review.



The meeting is considered crucial in the context of continuing ceasefire violations along the Line of Control.



According to sources, a record number of infiltration attempts along the international border have been witnessed this time.

The BSF has foiled at least 15 infiltration bids since the surgical strikes of September 29.

Also read | J-K: Pakistan violates ceasefire again, targets Indian posts along LoC

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
People with early-stage glaucoma see the contrast of visible objects in a very similar way to people without the condition, a new study has shown.

Research by the University of Bradford (UK) demonstrated that the brain compensates for the changes in the eye caused by glaucoma, when looking at objects with everyday levels of contrast. The findings add to our understanding of why glaucoma patients report few early symptoms of the disease and may not seek testing until their disease is more advanced.

Glaucoma is a common eye condition affecting half a million people in Britain, where the optic nerve which connects the eye to the brain becomes damaged. It develops slowly over many years and affects peripheral vision first. If untreated, glaucoma results in permanent vision loss.

Glaucoma makes it harder to see contrast - the differences between shades of light and dark - so the eyes are less able to detect low contrast objects. But until now it's not been clear if this contrast sensitivity loss means that patients with glaucoma see visible objects in a different way from healthy people.

Now, the University of Bradford team has shown that people with glaucoma see detectable contrast in the same way as healthy patients, despite their measurable vision loss.

In the study, 20 participants with early- to moderate- stage glaucoma had their disease confirmed, and their areas of peripheral vision loss mapped. They were then asked to respond to a screen display of patterned patches. They adjusted the controls until an image in their poor areas of vision looked equally as bright or dim as a central patterned patch. An eye tracker was used to ensure each patient was looking in the correct place before the central patch could be seen. A control group of healthy participants was tested in the same way.

The researchers found that participants with glaucoma didn't see the image as paler, or 'greyed out' in any way; instead they saw it in exactly the same way as people with healthy vision. The results suggest that glaucoma patients' brains are compensating for damage to the optic nerve.

Dr Jonathan Denniss, a qualified optometrist and lecturer at the University of Bradford, led the study. He said: "This underlines why it's so important to get eyes tested routinely so that glaucoma can be picked up before damage is established. It ties in with the fact that people who have glaucoma initially don't report any symptoms: their brains are successfully overcoming a loss of contrast sight."

He added: "It's always struck me as strange that we all accept the need for routine dental checks to maintain the health of our teeth and mouth, but that routine eye checks among the general population are not considered as important. This is a reminder to get your eyes checked regularly, even if they seem to be fine."

###

The research was funded by the College of Optometrists.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 09:25:11|Editor: huaxia

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NEW YORK, July 16 (Xinhua) -- China's economy bounced back to growth in the second quarter (Q2) of the year, leaving the world's second-largest economy away from a recession even as some countries struggle with the COVID-19 impact, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, China reported its economy growth at 3.2 percent year on year in Q2.

"Chinese exports in particular have been a bright spot, even as the rest of the world struggles with the pandemic. Because China had its factories up and running before other exporting nations, Chinese businesses were able to fill gaps in global supply and expand its share of global exports," said WSJ in its report entitled "China's Economy Appears Back on Track, but Challenges Remain."

For foreign companies with operations inside and outside of China, the contrast has been striking, it said.

WD-40 Co., the San Diego-based maker of the namesake lubricant, said its China sales in the most recent quarter rose 26 percent from a year earlier while total world-wide sales tumbled 14 percent, according to the WSJ report.

The paper quoted Anders Nystrom, CEO of Bulten AB, a Swedish supplier of automotive fasteners, as telling investors last week that production volumes at its China factories "are now essentially back to pre-pandemic levels," even as its U.S. and European plants struggle to come back online after coming to a virtual standstill at the beginning of the quarter.

However, the paper said the biggest risk to China's economic outlook could be the United States "where senior officials and lawmakers from both major parties are ramping up rhetoric against China and imposing sanctions targeting Chinese entities ahead of November's presidential election."

Lian Ping, chief economist at Zhixin Investment Research Institute, lists external pressures and the U.S. economy as the biggest challenges to China's recovery during the second half of the year.

"The stability of the U.S. economy leaves a big question mark over China's exports," Lian was quoted as saying. Enditem
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The citys community police commission on Thursday formally asked the Justice Department to open a civil rights investigation into the way law enforcement agencies handled the May 30 demonstration against police brutality in downtown Cleveland.

The commission released a letter on Thursday addressed to Justice Department officials in Cleveland and Washington D.C. asking for a probe into multiple incidents of excessive force, unconstitutional policing and other civil rights violations carried out by the Cleveland police department, Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Department and the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority police.

The commission is a group of community members tasked with providing oversight of Cleveland police procedures under a 2015 consent decree, agreed to because of a pattern of excessive force. In the letter, members cited media outlets that reported on the chaos of the demonstrations. They include links to six cleveland.com stories showing that public records and video contradicted initial law enforcement accounts justifying the use of pepper spray balls and other non-lethal weapons.

Based upon articles in the Plain Dealer and cleveland.com and Scene Magazine, all of the evidence indicates police violated the civil rights of peaceful protestors, Lewis Katz, a commission member and professor emeritus of law at Case Western Reserve University, told cleveland.com in a phone interview Thursday. Thats the job of the department of justice, to investigate and bring criminal charges where necessary.

The letter includes the bean-bag round shooting of 24-year-old John Sanders that left the Sandusky native without an eye, that is under an internal investigation by the Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Department and a criminal investigation by the Ohio Attorney Generals Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

The Cleveland Community Police Commission asks that the DOJ once again take a look at law enforcement in Cleveland centering around the practices and policies of these agencies in Northeast Ohio that may deprive persons of their right to lawfully assemble, the letter says. The Constitutional violations specific to exercising first amendment rights appear to have continued despite current reform efforts mandated by the DOJ.

The commission argues a federal investigation would complement the work that led to the consent decree. Members asked that any investigation encompass other police agencies that also worked at the protest and focus on whether people were denied their constitutional right to assembly.

Residents of Northeast Ohio deserve equal and professional treatment by all police officers when exercising their right to assemble and protest, the letter says.

Requests for comment sent to the offices of U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Justin Herdman and Eric S. Dreiband, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, were not immediately returned.

The monitor team overseeing Clevelands consent decree has announced that it will conduct its own investigation into the demonstrations, and Cleveland police and city council have said they will also review the incident.

Katz and Gordon Friedman, a civil rights attorney and another member of the commissions, expressed hope that the Justice Department will heed their request and actually investigate the police departments response.

Im not going to speculate, but Im just going to hope that the victims get a fair hearing from this office, Katz said.

President Donald Trumps administration has opened just one civil rights investigation involving local police during his three years in office, a stark contrast from the approach of President Barack Obamas Justice Department, which launched 25 such investigations. Those resulted in 14 police departments across the country entering into consent decrees, including Cleveland police.

Katz and Friedman both said they expected the commissions letter to get more traction in Herdmans office than in U.S. Attorney General William Barrs Justice Department in Washington.

I have faith in the leadership of Justin Herdman, Friedman said. Hes been responsive to the police commission and his attorneys were largely part of the group that wrote the consent decree.

The commission also cited a lack of transparency and conflicting public statements by city and county law enforcement officials as a need for the Justice Department to conduct a broad, outside investigation.

Officials from Cleveland police, the sheriffs department, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office and Herdmans office have made several pubic pleas for people to help them investigate crimes committed by those who attended the demonstrations and participated in the rioting and looting, and have been swift to bring charges when investigators have identified perpetrators.

Were asking the police departments behavior to be examined, Friedman said. Were looking for answers for if they were justified in using the tear gas, the pepper pellets. We shouldnt ask the police to investigate themselves. Thats an old tradition that gives disastrous results.

Cleveland police have two investigations into the officer captured in photographs and video striking a man with a baton and pepper-spraying a woman.

The Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Department has refused to acknowledge whether it has identified the sheriffs deputy who is suspected of firing the bean bag that struck Sanders in the eye.

Cleveland.com and Plain Dealer reporter Adam Ferrise contributed to this report.

Read more stories

Cleveland police gave order for George Floyd protesters to disperse; legal observers, witnesses said no one heard it

Video from Clevelands George Floyd protest contains no mention of protesters throwing rocks before police used pepper spray, tear gas on crowd

Man who lost eye to police-fired bean bag round during Clevelands George Floyd protests: I did not deserve this

Cleveland police launch internal investigation after officer captured on video hitting peaceful protester with baton during Justice Center standoff

Cleveland dispatcher accused of calling Black Lives Matter terrorist organization on Facebook, as police complaints double in June

Cuyahoga County sheriff contradicts Cleveland Chief Calvin Williams claim that May 30 protesters breached the Justice Center
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

#COVID19

At reader request, Ive added this daily chart. The data is the Johns Hopkins CSSE data. Here is the site. Our five problem states, with New York for comparison:

Ill just keep doing this one until I see a peak followed by a decline. Florida blows past New York. Interestingly, California and Texas diverge. Well see if thats an artifact. (There are no notes either on this site, 91-DIVOC, or on the Johns Hopkins site, indicating that there has been any interruption of data. Well see on Monday.)

Politics

But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51

They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery. Frank Herbert, Dune

They had learned nothing, and forgotten nothing. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord

The electoral map. July 17: Georgia, Ohio, ME-2 move from Leans Republican to Toss-up. Continued yikes. On July 7, the tossup were 86. Only July 17, they were 56. Now they are 91. This puts Biden at 278, i.e. over 270.



Click the map to create your own at 270toWin.com

So, taking the consensus as a given, 270 (total)  204 (Trumps) = 66. Trump must win 66 from the states in play: AZ (11), FL (29), MI (16), NC (15), PA (20), and WI (10) plus 1 to win not tie = 102. 102  66 = 36. So if Trump wins FL, MI, NC, and PA (29 + 16 + 15 + 20 = 80), he wins. Thats a heavy lift. I think Ive got the math right this time!

2020

Patient readers who were also Sanders canvassers, thank you for your responses. I am mulling them. I may end up doing a survey, hopefully not too onerous. lambert Biden (D)(1): Joe Bidens joint committees raise nearly $100 million in second quarter as big-money donors get off the sidelines [CNBC]. The big-money donors are capitalists. For a minute Bernie was close to locking it up, but then came South Carolina. They were petrified of Trump and horrified by Bernie. Now they actually have a choice, before they didnt, Florida businessman and Biden bundler John Morgan told CNBC.  The article has quite a list of Biden donors. Biden (D)(2): Joe Bidens Shockingly Adequate Campaign [Rich Lowry, National Review]. The Biden campaign has been lucky most of all, but its also been smart, at least smart enough. To go, as Joe Biden did, from left for dead to sweeping to the nomination and quickly thereafter emerging as the favorite in November is a run of success that would be the envy of any national politician. Its easy to consider this a mere accident given the weakness of Bidens opponents, first a socialist in the Democratic primaries who had a ceiling on his support and now an incumbent president whose ratings have sagged. The Biden team certainly isnt going to rewrite any campaign playbooks or dazzle anyone with its brilliance, but it has avoided serious mistakes and demonstrated an understanding of the basic political terrain and its candidates strengths. It hasnt asked Biden to do anything out of his comfort zone or beyond his capabilities and has been content for President Donald Trump to dominate all the attention, so long as Trump is not advancing his cause, and often setting it back, with all the airtime and headlines.  Yep. Biden (D)(3): Bidens campaign staff is working to unseat @Ilhan wtf is going on with their so called unity https://t.co/ZTtS22gg2N  Marie Fonseca  (@TheMarieFonseca) July 16, 2020 Working to unseat is a little harsh. But you can imagine the reaction if a Sanders staffer had, say, donated to Shahid Buttar instead of Nancy Pelosi. Harris (D)(1): KHive is trying to ruin my life, does Kamala Harris even care? [Medium].  Ugly and unsurprising details; the ringleader seems to have been banned by Twitter, and not for the first time. Sanders (D)(1): Americas cost effective Covid-19 solution? Masks for All [Bernie Sanders and Andy Slavitt, CNN]. [W]e are urgently calling for a simple, common-sense, practical and inexpensive way to protect Americans during the coronavirus pandemic: Masks for All. Our goal must be to make high-quality masks available on an equitable basis to every single person in this country at no cost. Next week, one of us will introduce legislation to do just that. The science is clear: Wearing a mask not only saves lives, but the widespread use of masks will get Americans back to work sooner and reunite families who have stayed apart. Hopefully, this legislation will even help counter some of the confusion and misinformation over mask-wearing.  Trump (R)(1): Trump shakes up campaign leadership as he struggles in latest polls [CNN]. President Donald Trump shook up his campaign leadership on Wednesday, announcing he was promoting Bill Stepien to be his campaign manager and demoting Brad Parscale, who had been serving in that role The future of Parscale, who had been lauded by the President and his allies as a digital guru who helped secure Trumps first election effort and became his reelection campaign manager in early 2018, had been in serious doubt for weeks. In addition to the Presidents lagging poll numbers, Trump was furious after a much-hyped return to the campaign trail fell flat at the end of June. A planned rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, fell well short of expectations after Parscale predicted massive crowds, not only inside the 19,000-seat arena but outside as well. It was only a matter of time before Parscale was moved out of his role as campaign manager, said a senior adviser to the campaign. His inexperience hindered the campaign.' UPDATE Trump (R)(1): Trump Campaign Shuffle Shows the Pressures on [Bloomberg]. Switching managers is a Trump trademark. Aside from his almost-constant shuffling of his Cabinet, he also shook up his campaign leadership multiple times in his first run for the White House. Citing really good poll numbers, Trump is showing no outward signs of worry ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3. But the pressure is building. Several polls yesterday showed Trump lagging behind Democratic rival Joe Biden by double digits, with one indicating that in stewardship of the economy  the one area where he had previously led his opponent  the president was now trailing as well. West (I)(1): Independent presidential candidate Kanye West has qualified for the General Election ballot in Oklahoma. (Today is Oklahoma's deadline for Independent & Unrecognized Party presidential candidates to file statements of candidacy with their petitions or filing fee.)  Oklahoma State Election Board (@OKelections) July 15, 2020 So, Im picturing Kanye somehow getting one or two electoral votes, and then * * * UPDATE Elissa Slotkin Is Sounding the Alarm. Will Democrats Listen? [Politico]. Note well that Slotkin is a CIA Democrat. On BountyGate: The congresswoman inhaled every bit of news coverage, watching carefully for conflicting details or any confirmation of the original Times story. She called former colleagues in the intel community in search of explanations. Finally, she took to social media, writing a series of uncharacteristically pointed tweets about Trump and Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. Something has been off about that relationship since the beginning, she wrote, and Americans are quite literally paying in blood for his pandering to Putin.'  A cynic would give consideration to the idea that Slotkin was in on it from the beginning. More: Few members of Congress arrived in Washington with more nonpartisan street cred than the 42-year-old former intelligence analyst who served three tours in Iraq, who married a respected Army officer turned Pentagon adviser and who never gave any whiff of political leanings until posting the news of her run for Congress in the summer of 2017.  Holy Lord. I hope Slotkin isnt diabetic. More: This is the first installment of a POLITICO series that will examine the 2020 election through the eyes of Slotkin, an exceptionally ambitious and uniquely vulnerable congresswoman, as well as through the eyes of voters in Michigans 8th District, a strategically vital location for both parties in their quest for control of Washington next year and beyond.  I dont think Ive seen Politico service a candidate like this in quite some time.

2016 Post Mortem

UPDATE No:

Realignment and Legitimacy

Get Ready for the 2020 Election Recount [The Bulwark]. One of the more memorable aspects of the 2000 recount was the Brooks Brothers riot where the Bush campaign flew GOP staffers to protest the recount proceedings in Miami-Dade County, Florida. At issue was whether there would be a new standard for counting undervotes, and local officials sought to take discussions to an upper floor of the building, where the protesters would not be able to observe. At that point, the Republicans erupted and followed them up. Crammed into the smaller space, unable to see what was happening, they got angry. They yelled that Democrats were stealing the election. They banged doors. They roughed up a Democratic staffer in possession of a sample ballot. And it worked. Hours later, the officials surrendered.  This omits a key factor: The press didnt identify the rioters as Republican staffers at the time  even though they had to know who they were. Maine to use ranked-choice voting in presidential election after GOP veto effort fails [Bangor Daily News]. Maine will be the first state to ever use ranked-choice voting in a presidential election in November after Secretary of State Matt Dunlap ruled Wednesday that a Republican-led peoples veto effort did not have enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Stats Watch

At reader request, I added some business stats back in. Please give Econintersect click-throughs; theyre a good, old-school blog that covers more than stats. If anybody knows of other aggregators, please contact me at the email address below.

Leading Indicators: 10 July 2020 ECRIs WLI Improvement Continues But Remains In Contraction [Econintersect]. ECRIs WLI Growth Index which forecasts economic growth six months forward improved but remains in contraction.

Consumer Sentiment: Preliminary July 2020 Michigan Consumer Sentiment Declines [Econintersect]. Surveys of Consumers chief economist, Richard Curtin, makes the following comments: Consumer sentiment retreated in the first half of July due to the widespread resurgence of the coronavirus. The promising gain recorded in June was reversed, leaving the Sentiment Index in early July insignificantly above the April low (+1.4 points). Following the steepest two-month decline on record, it is not surprising that consumers need some time to reassess the likely economic impact from the coronavirus on their personal finances and on the overall economy. Unfortunately, declines are more likely in the months ahead as the coronavirus spreads and causes continued economic harm, social disruptions, and permanent scarring.'

Consumer Sentiment: Analysis: Contraction in Consumer Sentiment in July Signals a Rough Month for Businesses [Morning Consult]. This chart:

So much for a v-shaped recovery. #recession I dive into @MorningConsult's U.S. Index of Consumer Sentiment (including income breakouts) and what this means for consumer spending https://t.co/DvOXNWccU4 pic.twitter.com/YdAeYjlQg9  John Leer (@JohnCLeer) July 15, 2020

Rail: Rail Week Ending 11 June 2020  Gradual Improvement But Still Deep In Contraction [Econintersect]. Total rail traffic has been mostly in contraction for over one year  and now is recovering from a coronavirus pandemic. Intermodal and carloads are under Great Recession values. Container exports from China are now recovering, container exports from the U.S. declined, and remains deep in contraction.

Construction: June 2020 Residential Building Growth Continues To Improve [Econintersect]. Headline residential building permits and construction completions improved  and the rolling averages showed a similar result. The effect of the coronavirus pandemic is waning in the data. [T]he rolling averages say this sector is slowing with construction completions are improving but are in contraction. We consider this report better than last month.

* * *

Employment SItuation: Troubling streak for the labor market [Politico]. Jobless claims have come in higher than a million  and more than double the worst week of the Great Recession  for 17 straight weeks. Last week, initial claims totaled 2.4 million, including the self-employed and gig workers, just a couple of weeks away from the expiration of federal unemployment insurance that adds $600 a week on top of state benefits. Evercore ISI dug into the data and found that allowing the expiration to happen would lead to a 2 percent smaller GDP by the end of the year than if the benefit were fully extended. In addition: Workers receiving unemployment insurance have a large increase in consumption due to UI, spending almost 73 cents of every $1 received, showing that the federal benefit supplement is well-targeted, the [JPMorgan Chase Institute] said.

Shipping: North American freight business is coming back but distribution channels look very different than they did before the pandemic. A shakeout is resetting the direction of the U.S. trucking market, says C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. Chief Executive Bob Biesterfeld, and that is pushing some carriers out of businesses while driving others to adapt to upheaval in domestic supply chains. The head of North Americas largest freight brokerage [says] that the sudden changes as the pandemic hit triggered huge supply chain dislocation from a trucking perspective [Wall Street Journal]. With demand firmer now, spot-market pricing is rising and contract carriers are even turning down more freight than they were before the pandemic in search of stronger revenues.

Shipping: Pandemic-hit Arizona, Texas counties order coolers, refrigerated trucks for bodies [Reuters]. Arizona and Texas counties hit hard by COVID-19 are ordering coolers and refrigerated trailers to store bodies as their morgues fill up, authorities said on Thursday. New York used dozens of refrigerated trailers in April as its daily COVID-19 deaths exceeded 700. The appearance of mobile morgues in Arizona and Texas reflects that the pandemic appears to now be spinning out of control in southern U.S. states.

Apparel: A cash squeeze is forming in apparel supply chains. Makers of clothing and accessories are getting pinched as the retailers they supply struggle to pay for goods. Several companies including Nike Inc. and Columbia Sportswear Co. in recent weeks have disclosed millions of dollars in bad-debt charges in quarterly results [Wall Street Journal]. Some retailers have gotten extended payment terms to conserve cash, but the lineup of merchants filing for bankruptcy protection is growing. That has suppliers making tough judgment calls over which retailers may be facing only temporary hardships and which bills they may have to write off as lost causes.

The Bezzle: Germanys long, lonely campaign: Battling Wirecards short sellers [Reuters]. German authorities pressed on for four years investigating investors who bet against Wirecard AGs shares, even after a UK regulator concluded that their evidence against the short sellers was not sufficient, according to documents and people familiar with the matter. While it is known that German authorities investigated skeptical investors who raised questions about the company behind one of the biggest corporate frauds in German history, the documents provide new details about the speed and tenacity with which they pursued detractors and the extent of their faith in management.

* * *

Todays Fear & Greed Index: 63 Greed (previous close: 62 Greed) [CNN]. One week ago: 59 (Greed). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Jul 17 at 12:14pm.

The Biosphere

Pa. poised to provide potentially $670 million in tax breaks to natural-gas manufacturers [Pittsburgh City Paper]. Yesterday, the Pennsylvania state Senate passed a bill that would potentially provide hundreds of millions in tax credits to petrochemical facilities and others that refine natural gas into products like plastic pellets or fertilizer. The bill, HB 732, passed the state Senate by a 40-9 vote. All Republicans supported the bill and even the majority of Senate Democrats backed the measure. The bill is likely a do-over of an earlier bill, HB 1100, which also was written to offer tax credits to petrochemical companies. HB 1100 passed through the legislature, but Gov. Tom Wolf (D-York) vetoed that bill. However, Wolf is poised to sign HB 732. It gets worse: [T]he bill is a major victory for state Sen. John Yudichak (I-Luzerne), who wrote the bill. More perplexing in all of this is that even though the majority of Senate Democrats backed the bill and Gov. Wolf still has veto power, the winners of this bill are the Republicans, especially Yudichak, and Democrats received little in return. Furthermore, last year, Yudichak left the Democratic Party to become an independent who caucuses with Republicans. His departure from the Democratic caucus makes the Democrats chances of flipping the state Senate almost impossible.  Has Tom Wolf taken a page from Cuomos playbook? Pennsylvanians please comment.

New Data Shows an Extraordinary Rise in U.S. Coastal Flooding [New York Times]. The increase in high-tide flooding along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts since 2000 has been extraordinary, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported, with the frequency of flooding in some cities growing fivefold during that time. That shift is damaging homes, imperiling the safety of drinking water, inundating roads and otherwise hurting coastal communities, the agency said.

Health Care

The U.S. is coping with new medical shortages at a critical time. Several states are reporting shortages in coronavirus testing supplies and delays in processing results just as a rash of outbreaks is hitting Florida, Nevada, Georgia, Texas and other states [Wall Street Journal]. The disconnect has resurrected one of the early problems that bogged down the countrys initial response to the pandemic in the spring: Many people in coronavirus hot spots are now waiting more than a week, and in some cases several weeks, for test results. The latest problems suggest that while early supply shortages were largely solved, deeper problems with manufacturing and distribution of critical equipment are lingering and could grow if the virus continues to spread. The new test shortages are prompting some officials to change how they prioritize now-scarce resources, which could impede virus mitigation efforts.

Data secrecy is crippling attempts to slow COVID-19s spread in U.S., epidemiologists warn [Science]. Interesting follow-up to this post yesterday. Since April, epidemiologists from Stanford University and several University of California campuses have sought detailed COVID-19 case and contact-tracing data from state and county health authorities for research they hope will point to more effective approaches to slowing the pandemic. Its a basic mantra of epidemiology and public health: Follow the data to learn where and how the disease spreads, says Rajiv Bhatia, a physician and epidemiologist who teaches at Stanford and is among those seeking the California data. But the agencies have refused requests filed from April through late June, Science has learned. They cited multiple reasons including workload constraints and privacy concernseven though records can be deidentified, and federal health privacy rules have been relaxed for research during the pandemic. As a result, Bhatia says, In 4 months of the epidemic, collecting millions of records, no one in California or at the CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] has done the basic epidemiology. Other states also fail to share highly specific information for their COVID-19 cases Aggregated COVID-19 case and death data by county, and often by age and race, is publicly available in much of the country. But few locales link those cases and deaths to other information typically collected on the individuals, such as their ZIP codes, occupations, living conditions, and known contacts with others ill with COVID-19. And according to the COVID Tracking Project, a volunteer organization launched by The Atlantic, no U.S. state or territory publicly provides a complete set of even such basic COVID-19 measures as total and pending tests; deaths and recovered patients; and current and cumulative hospitalizations, patients in intensive care units, and those using ventilators.  Sigh. So all our data is at best patchy

Police State Watch

UPDATE An extremely ugly story from Portland, OR that began (at least for me) with this tweet:

Militarized Federal Agents from a patchwork of outside agencies have begun policing Portland (in rented minivans vans) without the explicit approval of the mayor, the state, or local municipalities. This is what that looks like in practice: pic.twitter.com/losap4SsgI  The Sparrow Project (@sparrowmedia) July 15, 2020

Then the video went viral

UPDATE Portland Federal Agents Bundle Protester Into Van in Viral Video [Newsweek]. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has said the does not need or want the help of federal forces. Today the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security asked to speak with me about demonstration activity in Portland. He expressed his concern about ongoing violence and asked how his agency can help, Wheeler tweeted on Wednesday. I told the Acting Secretary that my biggest immediate concern is the violence federal officers brought to our streets in recent days, and the life-threatening tactics his agents use. We do not need or want their help. Wheeler added: The best thing they can do is stay inside their building, or leave Portland altogether. Our goal is to end these violent demonstrations quickly and safely. And in the meantime, I asked him to clean up the graffiti on local federal facilities.'  Then local media interviewed protesters

UPDATE Federal Law Enforcement Use Unmarked Vehicles To Grab Protesters Off Portland Streets [Oregon Public Broadcasting]. Federal law enforcement officers have been using unmarked vehicles to drive around downtown Portland and detain protesters since at least July 14. Personal accounts and multiple videos posted online show the officers driving up to people, detaining individuals with no explanation of why they are being arrested, and driving off. The tactic appears to be another escalation in federal force deployed on Portland city streets, as federal officials and President Donald Trump have said they plan to quell nightly protests outside the federal courthouse and Multnomah County Justice Center that have lasted for more than six weeks. Federal Officers Shoot Portland Protester In Head With Less Lethal Munitions Federal officers have charged at least 13 people with crimes related to the protests so far, while others have been arrested and released, including Pettibone. They also left one demonstrator hospitalized with skull fractures after shooting him in the face with so-called less lethal munitions July 11. Officers from the U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group and Customs and Border Protections BORTAC, have been sent to Portland to protect federal property during the recent protests against racism and police brutality. But interviews conducted by OPB show officers are also detaining people on Portland streets who arent near federal property, nor is it clear that all of the people being arrested have engaged in criminal activity. Demonstrators like OShea and Pettibone said they think they were targeted by federal officers for simply wearing black clothing in the area of the demonstration.  Sounds like Hong Kong.

UPDATE Acting HHS Secretary Chad Wolf  no, this is not a parody account  is on the scene in Portland:

Our men and women in uniform are patriots. We will never surrender to violent extremists on my watch. pic.twitter.com/kG8w8kyw9E  Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 17, 2020

The story is now firmly in the mainstream

Chilling: Federal officers are pulling Portland protesters into unmarked vehicles, reports say [USA Today]. The Trump administration has sent federal officers to Portland and other cities to address what officials described as destruction of historic monuments. In an executive order last month, Trump decried rioters, arsonists, and left-wing extremists and accused them of targeting public monuments, memorials and statues.  Bad as Obama was with Occupy and Black Lives Matter, I dont recall him using unmarked vehicles, which is really Third World stuff. One wonders, however, how this will play in the burbs.

Class Warfare

Brick and mortar, crumbling: The COVID pandemic has cemented Amazons dominant position. What now? [Richard Wolff, New York Daily News]. During the last few months, huge numbers of smaller stores have closed. Walmarts and Targets have been open and online shopping has become even more widespread, accelerating an Amazonification of America that had already been well underway. What we do about this will largely determine whether we still have functioning public commercial spaces in this country  or whether we fold up our tent and accept that relatively efficient and inexpensive delivery of goods straight to the home will dominate our retail economy for generations to come. The answer matters mightily. Many have forgotten this, but markets are not just places where we go to get goods. They are a defining characteristic of civilization as we know it. Trips to markets became passages into community. Leaving isolation, at least temporarily, people in markets enjoyed interpersonal contacts and socialized activities. They found friends, lovers and partners, and came to discuss and act together to solve shared problems. Their influence went far beyond this function. Villages, towns and cities grew up around markets. People overcame isolation not only by buying from one another. They also brought their workplaces and schools, as well as their homes, nearer to markets both to work and shop more easily and for all the social connections and interactions markets fostered. Modern society has been shaped indispensably by markets and their evolution. It will be deeply affected if real markets mostly vanish, replaced by merely electronic, virtual forms.  Sort of amazing to see Wolff in the New York Daily News.

More Lyft Drivers Installing Partitions To Protect Against Covid-19 Spread [Forbes]. Lyft said in a release that drivers can purchase the partitions through the Lyft Store, but the company said it will not make a profit on the partitions, disinfectants or other sanitizing materials it makes available to drivers.  Of course, of course.

News of the Wired

Reddit Is A Window Into The American Nightmare [The American Conservative]. Yet we increasingly understand that many people are latently illlatent alcoholics, anorexics, hoarders, compulsive gamblers. A society that goes out of its way to trigger these tendencies is not kind or just. A society that pretends they are merely bad choices, and that whatever follows from them is deserved, is positively cruel. A sole focus on personal responsibility demands herculean effort against long odds, and is indeed a kind of complacent bravado. Any of us might bear the seeds of an illness waiting to be triggered or inflamed; any of us have the capacity to do evil. In Christian terms, we pray that we do not undergo the test. In policy terms, we do not run the test. Yet contemporary American culture is a great big testing ground, testing the bounds of greed and willpower and the ability of individuals and families not to crack under soul-crushing stress and deleterious incentives, many of which we euphemize as economic growth.'  From TAC (?!?).

Invasion of ancient Egypt may have actually been immigrant uprising [Science]. Ancient Egypts first foreign takeover may actually have been an inside job. About 3600 years ago, the pharaohs briefly lost control of northern Egypt to the Hyksos, rulers who looked and behaved like people from an area stretching from present-day Syria in the north to Israel in the south. The traditional explanation is that the Hyksos were an invading force. But a fresh analysis of skeletons from the ancient Hyksos capital suggests an alternative: The Hyksos were Egyptian-born members of an immigrant community that rose up and grabbed power. The pharaohs ruled Egypt from about 3100 B.C.E. to 30 B.C.E., but they werent always in complete command of their territory. One period of vulnerability began around 1800 B.C.E., with a succession of ineffectual pharaohs who struggled to maintain order. The Hyksos took advantage of the power vacuum by seizing control of northern Egypt, according to ancient texts, leaving the pharaohs in charge of only a tiny strip of land to the south. Archaeologists know the Hyksos were unlike typical Egyptians: They had names like those of people from the neighboring region of southwest Asia. Ancient artwork depicts them wearing long, multicolored clothes, unlike normal Egyptian white attire. But exactly who they were has been unclear. The pharaohs later claimed the Hyksos were foreign invaders who took northern Egypt by force and brought disorder and chaos. But some historians say this was simply ancient Egyptian propaganda.  The Hyksos were outside agitators!

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Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (MontanaMaven):

MontanaMaven writes: Wild prairie roses near the Crazy Mountains in Montana. Normally, I wouldnt run this  600px is the minimum width at NC  but look at those mountains in the background

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Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So if you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldnt see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:









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If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!
Two crew members were killed in a helicopter crash Thursday as Taiwan's military held drills across the island -- including one simulating coastal assaults from China.

Thursday's climax of the five-day drill aimed to test how democratic Taiwan's armed forces would repel an invasion from its giant neighbour.

Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it -- by force if necessary.

Thursday's main simulation saw Taiwan fighter jets, warships and ground troops repelling an enemy attempt to land on a beach in the central city of Taichung in an operation involving some 8,000 service members.

The military said a Bell 0H-58D helicopter crashed as it returned to Hsinchu airbase from one of the exercises, killing the pilot and co-pilot.

Taipei has lived with the threat of invasion by China since the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war.

In recent decades it has found itself increasingly outnumbered and outgunned by China's enormous People's Liberation Army.

Beijing has piled military, economic and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016 because she refuses to acknowledge its stance that the island is part of "one China".

Tsai won a landslide re-election in January in what was seen as a strong rebuke to China's strong-arm tactics against the island.

Last year President Xi Jinping gave an especially bellicose speech about Taiwan, warning unification was coming.

"I think it's inevitable that the People's Republic of China will realise the reunification of the motherland," Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters when asked about Taiwan's drills.

In recent months Chinese warplanes have started buzzing Taiwan with unprecedented frequency, repeatedly breaching its air defence zone and prompting Taipei to scramble its own fighter jets.

- New hardware -

The military mismatch has been compounded by Western governments being increasingly wary of selling Taiwan advanced weapon systems, fearful of incurring Beijing's wrath.

Story continues

That has pushed the island to develop its own hardware, including advanced missiles, boats and a new trainer jet.

Some of that hardware, including locally built surface-to-air and hypersonic missiles, was used during this week's drills.

China's increasingly muscular approach towards the island has also sparked renewed international co-operation with Taiwan.

Under US President Donald Trump, Washington has become far more willing to sell big-ticket items, including F-16 fighter jets and other hardware.

Earlier this week, Beijing vowed to impose sanctions on defence company Lockheed Martin in response to the US agreeing to upgrade Taiwan's Patriot missile systems.

France has also angered Beijing by agreeing to upgrade the missile interference systems on frigates Taiwan purchased in the 1990s.

Washington has remained a leading unofficial ally and arms supplier to Taipei despite switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979.
ANN ARBOR  In any other year, late July means hundreds of artists and tens of thousands of visitors flocking to Ann Arbor to fill the streets for a weekend of artsy fun.

But due to the nationwide outbreak of coronavirus, organizers made the difficult decision earlier this year to cancel the 61st annual event, marking the first year without an art fair since the original Street Art Fair began in 1959. Before it was canceled, the fair was planned to run from Thursday, July 16, to Sunday, July 19.

It is with heavy hearts that the Directors of the four individual Ann Arbor Art Fairs come together to announce the decision to cancel the 2020 Ann Arbor Art Fair. This was an extremely difficult decision, as we know how deeply this impacts the participating artists, local businesses and the broader Ann Arbor community, according to a statement from organizers.

However, the COVID-19 virus has changed the world as we know it and the safety of our visitors, artists, and area residents is the top priority. We are deeply saddened, but we have consulted with City officials and determined that we are just not able to produce the Art Fair in a manner that will adhere to the mandated social distancing requirements that lie ahead.

Organizers are planning for the fair to return in 2021, running from Thursday, July 15, to Sunday, July 18.

For those missing the excitement of Ann Arbors quintessential summer event, here are 61 photos from recent years to commemorate the event. Scroll down to check them out below or click on the gallery above.

Dick Dokas and his former student and painter Amanda McLenon share a laugh at the annual art fair Friday, July 19 2019. Dokas inspired McLenon to go into marine biology. Dokas eventually transitioned to photography, while McLenon began painting. Now, both are attending the art fair as artists and have booths only a block away from each other. Jenna Kieser | MLive.comJenna Kieser | jkieser@mlive.com

Visitors walk down Liberty Street at the Ann Arbor Art Fair Thursday, July 18 2019. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com

Artists display their work at the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair Saturday, July 20 2019. Jenna Kieser | MLive.comJenna Kieser | jkieser@mlive.com

Lesley DiPiazza walks down Main Street in the rain at the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair Friday, July 19 2019. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com

Artists display their work at the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair Saturday, July 20 2019. Jenna Kieser | MLive.comJenna Kieser | jkieser@mlive.com

Danilo Vinardell's paintings are on display at his booth on Thompson Street at the State Street Art Fair Thursday, July 18 2019. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com

Artists display their work at the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair Saturday, July 20 2019. Jenna Kieser | MLive.comJenna Kieser | jkieser@mlive.com

Pedestrians walk through the intersection of S Main St. and W Liberty St. during the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair on Thursday, July 19, 2018. Ben Allan Smith | MLive.comPhotos by Ben Allan Smith

Hannah Clark, a painter from Pittsburgh, PA stands in front of her paintings during the second day of the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair on Friday, July 20, 2018. Clark says the inspiration behind her paintings is based off of her two sons. "I keep things hopeful, happy, and full of courage," she said. Ben Allan Smith | MLive.comPhotos by Ben Allan Smith

Nicholas Mirandon, a resin painter from La Jolla, CA poses next to his pieces during the second day of the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair on Friday, July 20, 2018. Mirandon has been painting for over half a century, though he hasn't always. Originally, he was a surfer on the California coast, where he finished and retouched his own boards. Ben Allan Smith | MLive.comPhotos by Ben Allan Smith

A street performer by the name of "Violin Monster" plays for passersby during the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair on Thursday, July 19, 2018. Ben Allan Smith | MLive.comPhotos by Ben Allan Smith

Vic Lee, a painter from St. Johns, FL stands amongst his paintings during the second day of the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair on Friday, July 20, 2018. Lee takes inspiration from the prevalence of mythology in organized religion. "Every bit of our traditions originate somewhere," he said. "We're always asking questions and if the answers don't satisfy, people take things on faith." All proceeds of his paintings go towards preventing shelter dogs from being euthanized. Ben Allan Smith | MLive.comPhotos by Ben Allan Smith

Pedestrians walk the length of 5th Ave during the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair on Thursday, July 19, 2018. Ben Allan Smith | MLive.comPhotos by Ben Allan Smith

People look at acrylic sculptures that are on display from Michael George during the State Street Art Fair on Sunday, July 23, 2017. Ben Allan Smith | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

Street performer and Vibraphonist John Davis of Smooth Vibration Band plays the xylophone during the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair on Thursday, July 19, 2018. Ben Allan Smith | MLive.comPhotos by Ben Allan Smith

Five-year-old Maxwell Ratliff, of Ann Arbor, takes a load off as his mom chats with an artist on E. Liberty St. Shoppers fill the street as they browse artists booths during the Guild Summer Art Fair in downtown Ann Arbor on Thursday, July 20, 2017. Hunter Dyke | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

African Art by Ibrahim Camara is seen in downtown Ann Arbor during the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hunter Dyke | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

Festival attendees walk through the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair on Friday, July 21, 2017. Hunter Dyke | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

Thousands flock to the State Street Art Fair on Sunday, July 23, 2017. Matt Weigand | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

Festival goers look at art in downtown Ann Arbor during the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hunter Dyke | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

Thousands flock to the State Street Art Fair on Sunday, July 23, 2017. Matt Weigand | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

A horse welded by Bill Secunda is seen in downtown Ann Arbor during the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Hunter Dyke | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

Hats were very fashionable for art fair goers during the Guild's Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair in Ann Arbor on Friday, July 22, 2016. Melanie Maxwell | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

California resident Nicholas Mirandon poses for a portrait in this double exposure, with one of his pieces overlayed on top of his face, during The Guild's Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair on Friday, July 22, 2016 in downtown Ann Arbor. Katy Kildee | MLive.comThe Ann Arbor News, MLive.com

Thousand of people enjoy their day at the State Street Art Fair, Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Ann Arbor, Mich. Junfu Han | MLive.com

The violin monster puts on sunscreen during The Guild's Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair on Friday, July 22, 2016 in downtown Ann Arbor. Katy Kildee | MLive.comThe Ann Arbor News, MLive.com

Kiaralinda and Todd Ramquist of Safety Harbor, Fla., work on their mix media metal sculptures behind their booth during the State Street Art Fair, Saturday, July 23, 2016, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Junfu Han | MLive.com

Missouri resident Heather Haymart poses for a portrait in this double exposure, with one of her pieces overlayed on top of her face, during The Guild's Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair on Friday, July 22, 2016 in downtown Ann Arbor. Katy Kildee | MLive.comThe Ann Arbor News, MLive.com

Fair goers explore the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair in Ann Arbor on Thursday, July 21, 2016. Melanie Maxwell | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

Aerial view of the Ann Arbor Art Fair along State Street from a Hendrick's Gin "Flying Cucumber" flyover, Thursday, July 16, 2015 in Ann Arbor, Mich. Junfu Han | MLive.com

Manchester resident Trudi Cooper, smiles, as she shows off her hat with a blue dinosaur on the top during Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair on Friday, July 17, 2015. Melanie Maxwell | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

Kathy Krick, 25 year State Street Area Art Fair Director, reacts as the new design for her banner is unveiled July 9, 2015 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dominic Valente | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

The Ann Arbor South University Art Fair brought eclectic art from around the country July 17, 2015 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dominic Valente | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

College for Creative Studies professional James Viste works on a steel bracelet in a blacksmith demonstration booth during Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair on Friday, July 17, 2015. Melanie Maxwell | MLive.comANN ARBOR NEWS

Stained glass artist Susan Goulding of Port Huron (not in the photo) demonstrates a piece of her kaleidoscope work at the State Street Area Art Fair, Saturday, July 18, 2015 in Ann Arbor, Mich. Junfu Han | MLive.com

Mind artist George Tait performs during the first day of the Summer Art Fair in Ann Arbor, Mich., on July 16, 2014. Patrick Record | The Ann Arbor NewsANN ARBOR NEWS

Eight-year-old Mary Claire Davis, of Marshall, receives a piece of candy from a street performer on the corner of N. Main St. and E. Liberty St. during the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair on Wednesday, July 16, 2014. Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor NewsANN ARBOR NEWS

State Street in Ann Arbor on the first day of the Summer Art Fair on July 16, 2014. Patrick Record | The Ann Arbor NewsANN ARBOR NEWS

A bicyclist makes their way past a sculpture by artist David Bryce at the Ann Arbor Art Fair on South University Avenue in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday, July 19, 2014. Patrick Record | The Ann Arbor NewsANN ARBOR NEWS

Two-year-old rita Mootha holds her mother's hand as she watches Holly Dowidat of the Michigan Art Center work with clay on the potters wheel at the Original section of the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Friday, July 18, 2014. Patrick Record | The Ann Arbor NewsANN ARBOR NEWS

Shoppers pursue the booths as they wander down S. Main St. during the Guild's Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair on Thursday, July 18, 2013. Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Alek Dragovic, of Ann Arbor, checks out the artwork of artist Melvin McGee as his daughter Mila, 1, looks up from her stroller on E. Liberty St. during the Guild's Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair on Thursday, July 18, 2013. Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Shoppers walk down East Liberty Street during the Guild's Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair on Thursday, July 18, 2013. Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

7-year-old Souleyman Ribier plays with a climbing bar toy on South Main Street during the Guild's Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair on Thursday, July 18, 2013. Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com AnnArbor.com

Shoppers look over artwork by Conni Togel, of Sheep Incognito, on E. Liberty St. during the Guild's Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair on Thursday, July 18, 2013. Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

With temperatures in the 90's three women take a break form Ann Arbor Art Fair on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Jasmine Steele hula hoops on East Liberty Street during the Ann Arbor Art Fair on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com AnnArbor.com

Ann Arbor resident Jeremy Andersen throws a clay pot Saturday afternoon at the South University Art Fair in 2012. Jeffrey Smith | AnnArbor.com AnnArbor.com

Brighton resident Jeanne Stevens looks of woodwork as artist Lance Munn of Indiana looks on Saturday afternoon at the South University Art Fair in 2012. Jeffrey Smith | AnnArbor.com AnnArbor.com

Crowds walk down South University at Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair in 2012. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com AnnArbor.com

Customers look over Missouri resident Chris McCarthy's glass artwork Saturday afternoon at the South University Art Fair in 2012. Jeffrey M. Smith | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Painter Mary Johnston works on a painting for a customer at her booth on Church St. at the South University Art Fair in Ann Arbor, Mich. on July 23, 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Glass and metal flowers made by artist Stan J. Megdall at his booth on South University at the South University Art Fair in Ann Arbor, Mich. on July 23, 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Marian, Ohio resident Chris Joachim, right, makes clay art with her grandson, Alex Joachim, age 9, at the Art Zone in Ingalls Mall at the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair in Ann Arbor, Mich. on July 20, 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Crowds roam down the street of the South University Art Fair in Ann Arbor, Mich. on July 23, 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Art enthusiasts braved the heat to check out the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair in Ann Arbor, Mich. on July 20, 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Philippe Claude Laine sits with his watercolor pillows at the 2010 The Guild Ann Arbor Art Fair downtown Ann Arbor on July 24, 2010. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Large crowds turned out for the last day of the 2010 The Guild Ann Arbor Art Fair downtown Ann Arbor on July 24, 2010. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

From left: Gary Anders of Detroit sits on the ground with his dogs Princess Tiger Lily, Princess Aurora, and Isabella at Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair downtown Ann Arbor on July 24, 2010. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com

Photographer Lou Zale hangs out in his booth at the 2010 The Guild Ann Arbor Art Fair downtown Ann Arbor on July 24, 2010. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.comAnnArbor.com
- California Resources, the largest oil driller in the state, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, becoming the latest casualty of the oil price crash and COVID demand culling. The company said it had agreed a restructuring plan with most of its shareholders, which will see its debt pile significantly reduced, by about $5 billion.

- In Latin America, oil and gas companies will be cutting over $8 billion in capex for this year, slashing guidance by about 30%, with Mexican state-run Pemex leading the capex cut push with the lions share of that.

- For June, Iran managed to sell its heavy crude oil at $36.26 per barrel in the mentioned month, up from $23.55 per barrel in May, according to Iranian media. Iranian sources also put average Iranian crude output for Q2 2020 at 1.958 million bpd, down just over 100,000 bpd from Q1 2020.

- Crude oil purchases by China appear to be hitting the brakes in July after record purchases in May for loadings in June, with analysts now concerned that the buying spree has lost momentum, with inventories now full. Some are still banking on Chinas small teapot refineries rushing to grab more imported crude while they can under license and before the government changes its mind. In the meantime, shipping data appears to indicate that China imported more than 20% less crude in June than it did in May.

COVID Market Update

- Crude oil purchases by China appear to be hitting the brakes in July after record purchases in May for loadings in June, with analysts now concerned that the buying spree has lost momentum, with inventories now full. Some are still banking on Chinas small teapot refineries rushing to grab more imported crude while they can under license and before the government changes its mind. In the meantime, shipping data appears to indicate that China imported more than 20% less crude in June than it did in May.

- For June, Iran managed to sell its heavy crude oil at $36.26 per barrel in the mentioned month, up from $23.55 per barrel in May, according to Iranian media. Iranian sources also put average Iranian crude output for Q2 2020 at 1.958 million bpd, down just over 100,000 bpd from Q1 2020.

- In Latin America, oil and gas companies will be cutting over $8 billion in capex for this year, slashing guidance by about 30%, with Mexican state-run Pemex leading the capex cut push with the lions share of that.

- California Resources, the largest oil driller in the state, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, becoming the latest casualty of the oil price crash and COVID demand culling. The company said it had agreed a restructuring plan with most of its shareholders, which will see its debt pile significantly reduced, by about $5 billion.

Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict

- The Libyan Central Bank is getting audited in a long-awaited move that General Haftar was pushing for months ago, arguing that the countrys oil revenues were funding various militias supporting the Government of National Accord (GNA). This audit is now one condition for Haftar to lift the blockade on Libyas oil production and exports.

- In Yemen, Houthi rebels have agreed to allow the UN to access an oil tanker thats been stranded off the Red Sea coast with 1.1 million barrels of crude for over a year, threatening to explode after decaying for so long.

- Still trying for an 11th-hour attempt at stopping Russias Nord Stream 2 pipeline, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week threatened new sanctions against those participating in the construction of the final leg to Germany. They will also add Nord Stream 2 to the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanction Act, in an additional move to attempt to thwart the pipeline--or at least delay it again.

- Also in the sanctions corner, the US has delayed a measure that would prevent bondholders from seizing majority ownership of US-based CITGO (refiner and marketer). The move temporarily stops bondholders from taking CITGO in collateral, as promised by Venezuelas Maduro regime. Venezuelas state-run PDVSA had offered up CITGO as collateral in an earlier bond sale. The measure has now been delayed until mid-October.

- Feeling rather optimistic about an eventual end to sanctions, Iran last weekend signed a $460-million deal for the development of its Yaran oilfield. Yaran is estimated to hold 550 million barrels of oil in place. Yaran is a shared field with Iraq, which will also play into the proxy war in that venue between Iran and the United States.

- Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden has promised $2 trillion in spending over four years for clean energy development, with the goal of pollution-free power by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Discovery & Development

- In Guyana, where ExxonMobil is still tearing it up with discoveries (16 in total) and new production, one discovery--Payara is facing potential losses due to delays in signing off on the development as the Guyana underwent chaotic elections and new government formation. The project should have ideally been signed off last year, and the late start may have already cost the field 50 million barrels in production based on Rystad figures. The field was originally slated to go online in 2023, and development approval is still in limbo.

- Hungarian-owned MOL Group has announced a sizable oil and gas discovery in Pakistans Tal Block, making for the companys 10th discovery in this same block. MOL is the operator but only has an 8.4% stake in the block. The bigger stakeholders are Pakistan Oilfields Limited, Pakistan Petroleum Limited and Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC).

Deals, M&A, Cancellations

- French energy major Total SA is reportedly looking to sell its 25.7% stake in British North Sea nat gas pipeline SEAL for a potential $200 million. The pipeline is operated by Shell. Total has not confirmed talks with interested parties as of yet.

- The government of Kuwait has canceled plans to build the $1.2-billion Al-Dibdibah solar PV project within the Al-Shagaya Renewable Energy Park due to the coronavirus pandemic. The massive project was undertaken by KPCs subsidiary Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) in 2018 and was planned to become operational in February 2021.

- On the EV scene--and a time when Tesla is defying the market even more than usual--another rival in the form of Fisker Inc is emerging. Its hoping to latch onto the ESG investing megatrend and catch some of that Tesla momentum by merging with Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp (a special purpose acquisition company). The deal values Fisker at nearly $3 billion and is slated to close in Q4. This is definitely one IPO to keep an eye on.
This might be the worst time to grow a new company, unless that company is looking to improve the online experience of education.

Thats the bet that local venture capital firm SustainVC is making on a Philly-based company called Yellowdig.

That five-year-old start-up aims to create online learning that is as instinctive as conversing on social media. It has attracted online universities and brick-and-mortar schools as clients, and is among the few firms growing briskly amid COVID-19.

Before the pandemic hit, we had about 50 enterprise clients and institutions, Yellowdig CEO Shaunak Roy said. But after classes went online, the amount of interest we received was almost four- or five-fold of that. By years end, Yellowdig expects to double its client base to 100.

Online education is basically the secret sauce that substantially reduces costs for people who want cheaper alternatives, Roy said. I think thats where education is going.

 READ MORE: Online education in Pennsylvania could get more competitive thanks to state community colleges

Yellowdig is the latest investment by SustainVC, a venture capital firm focused on social or environmental impact. Started in 2007 by Tom Balderston and Sky Lance, the firm, which has offices in Wayne, Boston, and Durham, N.C., launched fund-raising efforts enabling it to invest $250,000 to $1 million in more than 32 early-stage companies across the country.

At the end of 2019, SustainVC concluded fund-raising for the companys new social-impact fund, totaling $27 million from outside investors. The company plans to invest those funds over the next five years, with a goal of backing 25 new companies.

Balderston says that money has been committed. Were fortunate to have completed our fund-raising in January before the emergence of COVID.

But that doesnt mean SustainVCs investments have been unaffected by the pandemic. Balderston and his team helped their portfolio companies pivot to new opportunities. United by Blue, a local coffee shop meets retail store, is an early SustainVC investment that transitioned to coordinating deliveries of meals and groceries to families.

The pandemic affected how SustainVC approaches new investments, too. Eric Chapman, another managing principal at the firm, said that when evaluating new firms, SustainVC started to ask Will these companies be having COVID headwinds, making things more difficult, or will they have a tailwind, and somehow accelerate their business?

 READ MORE: Pennsylvanias failure to oversee cyber charter schools has wide consequences | Editorial

Thats how the firm found Yellowdig, now based at One Penn Center. As colleges shut down across the country, and instructors struggled to transition classes to online formats, investing in an online education firm seemed to be the perfect move for SustainVC.

Yellowdig provides schools with discussion board platforms, similar to those used by learning management systems such as Blackboard and Canvas. These boards allow professors to post questions to the class about a given topic, and let students respond. Their main focus is to ensure higher learning quality, said CEO Roy.

Roy, who grew up in Calcutta, earned a graduate degree in engineering systems from MIT. Part of his inspiration in creating Yellowdig was to help make education more accessible at a lower cost.

Current learning systems typically include features that allow professors to make sure all the right people are in class, and that everyone has access to a syllabus. But Roy thinks these platforms can be limiting and dont pique student interest or encourage participation as much as live in-class discussions do, and he wanted to change that.

So Roy and his team added features that would allow students to react to each others comments with likes or follow-up comments, and to highlight certain responses with hashtags. He wanted communication on Yellowdig to have the flow of social media, and make it easier for students to learn the platform. Social media is already so engaging, said Roy. And we wanted students to already feel used to it.

 READ MORE: Ballard Spahrs WhatsNext virtual conference aims to change the way entrepreneurs network online

There are more features too, such as individualized reminders to do assignments or a points-based reward system for good comments. Yellowdig has demonstrated that those features are successful through case studies at such schools as Arizona State University, which is an investor in Yellowdig. We have studies which definitively show that if you use our platform, you can get 5% to 10% more students retained, Roy said. Thats key because online courses tend to have much higher dropout rates than in-person classes.

Yellowdigs recent success story is rare during a time when most businesses are struggling.

Early venture capitalists are definitely still investing, said Ellen Weber, executive director of Temple Universitys Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute. But theyre looking really carefully at what we call the companys runway. Now more than ever, Weber thinks that investors are considering each companys ability to survive over the next 18 months, and whether entrepreneurs can weather whatevers going to happen.

Weber, who is also the executive director of angel investment group Robinhood Ventures, thinks that firms such as SustainVC are taking the right approach. Sustain is part of a larger general movement in investment to focus on having a social or environmental impact while still obtaining financial returns, she said.

Still, there are challenges to impact-focused missions. You can either look at it as limiting, which is a negative, or you can look at it as focusing, which is a positive, because you get really good at what you do, said Weber. While firms such as SustainVC consider a smaller pool of companies, theyre better at recognizing the patterns of firms that will be successful in those sectors. Thats why SustainVC chose to invest in Yellowdig now when theres a greater need for improved online education, she argues.

You may not see the Ubers, said Weber. But that doesnt mean the companies youre looking at cant have a huge return, too.
The Kardashian and Jenner sisters are known for doing so many similar things.

But despite that, each Kar-Jenner woman is known to have her distinct personality and interest.

Sometimes sibling rivalry can make them do the craziest things.

Many people have accused the older Kardashian sisters, Kim and Khloe, to have taken A LOT of inspiration from their youngest half-sister, Kylie Jenner.

And by a lot, we mean a lot. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Is Kim and Khloe Kardashian copying the top-earner of the family? Or is it all just a huge coincidence?

Read on to find out.

Eyeshadow Palette

While many people can come up with their beauty line, there's a lot of similarities on Kim Kardashian West's cosmetic line KKW Beauty and Kylie's Kylie Cosmetics.

Kim's eyeshadow palette that she released in collaboration with her makeup artist, Mario, looks quite similar to Kylie Cosmetics' Royal Peach Palette.

Despite that the shades were not positioned similar to Kylie's, if you look closely, you'll see that they both have identical shades.

Concealer

Kylie Jenner released her range of concealer in December 2018, and they were a huge hit. Three months later, Kim also expanded her empire with concealers.

Fans are asking why the curvy older sister had to come out with concealers if her younger sister has already released a range with 30 shades, unlike Kim with only 16.

Hair

Kylie Jenner, whose net worth is around $900 million, is known for chopping her hair and dyeing it all the time.

Between 2017 and 2018, Kim Kardashian dyed her hair, steering away from her natural brunette look.

When the 22-year-old mom of one had green hair, a few months later, the SKIMS creator also had her hair dyed to green.

Later on, when Kylie went platinum blonde, Mrs. West also went platinum blonde, and it was such a great look on her.

Khloe, on the other hand, doesn't like those playful colors, but it was noticeable when the Kylie Skin creator went bronde, which is a mix of blonde and brown, Khloe also did her hair that way.

At a holiday party last year, Khloe and Kylie were twinning in a long-bob.

Outfits

It seems like the 38-year-old mom of North, Chicago, Saint, and Psalm West enjoys copying Kylie, as it was noticed that Stormi's mom has always been the first to do something, and the older sister follows.

But it's not just Kim, who is copying Kylie, Khloe has also been guilty of doing it too.

Just look at these outfits.

Interior Design

Khloe and Kylie live in Calabasas, but recently Kylie purchased a new mansion in Holmby Hills. Later on, it was reported that Khloe also wants to sell her estate to a low price at only $18 million so she could also buy herself a new one.

Pregnancy

Kylie Jenner and Khloe Kardashian were both pregnant at the same time. Not the same, but Stormi Webster came out in February, while True Thompson was born in April.

Stormi and True

The two cousins share the same style, just like their mothers.

Like Kylie, Khloe Kardashian also enjoys dressing True up. Both moms also enjoy wearing matching outfits with their daughters.

Plastic Surgery

Khloe Kardashian denies that she got a new look, and hasn't gotten her nose done even though it's evident that she has.

Kylie also denied that she went under the knife for her lips, but later on admitted that she had lip fillers injected.

With more Instagram photos being shared by these two sisters, we can't help but think that the 36-year-old is looking more like Kylie Jenner each day.

READ MORE: 14 Kindest and Rudest Celebrities Served In A Restaurant EXPOSED: Only $20 Tip?!
Ukraine and its Western partners have marked the sixth anniversary of the downing of a Malaysia Airlines passenger flight over eastern Ukraine by calling on Russia to cooperate fully with the investigation into the tragedy and accept its responsibility.

Prosecutors have argued that MH17 was shot down on July 17, 2014 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. All 298 people on board were killed.

Four suspects, three Russians and one Ukrainian, are being tried in absentia for involvement in the tragedy.

Moscow has denied any involvement in the downing and the conflict in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which has killed more than 13,000 people since April 2014.

"Ukraine calls on Russia to accept its responsibility and adhere to its international obligations, namely...to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and criminal proceedings," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on July 17.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said Russia should "cooperate fully with the investigation and efforts to establish accountability."

"Russia must ensure that every indicted individual currently in Russia or Russia-controlled territory face justice. Russia has repeatedly obstructed progress on measures to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine which it started and continues to fuel," acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Kristina Kvien said in a video posted on Twitter.

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc expects Russia to accept its responsibility for the Ukrainian planes downing and to fully cooperate with efforts to establish accountability.

The sixth anniversary of the tragedy comes a week after the Dutch government announced it was taking Russia to the European Court of Human Rights for its alleged role.

Nearly two-thirds of the crashs victims were Dutch nationals.
No offense to 'Gemini' people-- who are perceived as the most hated zodiac sign. Here's the news. Despite all the claims saying the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) found a new zodiac sign-- changing all we know so far about astrological signs, NASA said that they did not discover any new sign. Yup, you're still you.

NASA adds new zodiac sign called 'Ophiuchus'

Not everyone believes in astrological signs or zodiac signs. However, for those people who believed in it, these signs prove everything about the life of a person: the common temperament, issues, or the future of a person.

So when the NASA announced a newly-discovered zodiac sign, everyone went havoc. Based on the reports, NASA officially declared that there are 13 zodiac signs-- not 12. The new sign is called 'Ophiuchus' which was said to be in between the dates of Scorpio and Sagittarius dated Nov. 29 to Dec. 17.

The agency said that the skies today were not the same as how the astrologers perceived the signs 3,000 years ago.

"The sky has shifted because Earth's axis (North Pole) doesn't point in quite the same direction. Now Mimi's Aug. 4 birthday would mean she was born 'under the sign' of Cancer (one constellation 'earlier'), not Leo," said NASA.

Reports already released the new zodiac signs with the new dates supporting it. However, here's a catch.

NASA denies all the claims that they discovered a new zodiac sign.

Nope, you're still a 'total Gemini'

NASA clarifies that they did not discover or announced a new zodiac sign. First, astrology and astronomy are way different from each other.

Astrology is not based on science, while astronomy is. In a Tumblr post-- written a few years ago, NASA confirms that what they discovered is based on the study of astronomy. This means that the new sign is not true and will not change anything on the astrological signs.

"We see your comments about a zodiac story that re-emerges every few years. No, we did not change the zodiac," it wrote, linking out to a Tumblr post that explained what had happened.

The agency said that the early astrologists had a mistake with their measurements on the constellation alignments. Instead of 13 constellations, they only get to 12 to make sure that it will be matched on the 12-month calendar.

"The line from Earth through the sun points to Virgo for 45 days, but it points to Scorpius for only seven days. To make a tidy match with their 12-month calendar, the Babylonians ignored the fact that the sun actually moves through 13 constellations, not 12. Then they assigned each of those 12 constellations equal amounts of time," the agency said.

So yup, you're still a 'total Gemini.'

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A toddler died after she was mauled by her family's pitbull-type dog that also left two adult relatives injured when they tried to stop the attack in their Rhode Island home, police said.

Cops responding to a disturbance call on Brookhaven Drive in East Providence about 2.45pm Thursday said they found a 15-month-old girl had been bitten several times by the family dog.

The animal was described as a 'pitbull-type breed', according to a statement released by cops.

'Police immediately began life-saving procedures,' cops said in the statement. The East Providence Fire Department also arrived to continue attempting 'life-saving care.'

Cops responding to a disturbance call on Brookhaven Drive in East Providence about 2.45pm Thursday said they found a 15-month-old girl had been bitten several times by the family dog

The animal was described as a 'pitbull-type' breed, according to a statement released by cops. Pictured is an image of what the breed can look like

The child was rushed to Hasbro Children's Hospital in Upper South Providence less than three miles away where she later died, police said.

'Sadly the baby succumbed to her injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital, police said.

Two adult family members were also injured when they intervened in the attack, according to authorities.

Both were taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence where they were treated for their injuries, police said.

Names of the victims were not released.

Police said the dog was injured by the family members when they attempted to stop the animal from attacking the child.

Members of the East Providence Police Department (stock image) used live-saving techniques when they found the child, who later died from her injuries at Hasbro Children's Hospital

It had been contained in the backyard of the residence when cops arrived.

The animal was later euthanized by cops with help from East Providence Animal Control, police said.

There were no prior incidents with the animal, said cops, who are continuing their investigation.
Sebastian Vettel has admitted he is having talks with Racing Point about potentially joining the new Aston Martin project for 2021.

"I think it's quite normal to get information," he told Sky Deutschland in Hungary.

"It is important that I make the right decision for myself."

Alpha Tauri driver Daniil Kvyat thinks quadruple world champion Vettel would be able to adjust to life in the midfield.

"I think so, as Kimi Raikkonen did as well," said the Russian.

"It doesn't matter if you are with the top team or in the middle, the task does not change - to squeeze the maximum from the car. And Sebastian is good at that."

However, both Lance Stroll - whose father Lawrence owns the team - and Sergio Perez are under contract for 2021.

Reports indicate that Racing Point can pay out Mexican Perez's deal by July 31, with a seven-digit compensation fee.

"I think I'm with the team as far as I know," Perez said on Thursday. "I have a contract.

"We will see what happens in the next weeks but from my point of view, I've got a contract and I fully believe in the future of the team."

However, Perez also admitted that he "got contacted" by another F1 team last week.

Italian sources indicate that the team in contact with Perez could be Alfa Romeo, who may even make an announcement about him replacing Kimi Raikkonen for 2021 on August 2.

But Haas boss Gunther Steiner suggested to Auto Motor und Sport that he may also have been in touch with Perez.

"You'd have to ask him yourself," he said. "I talk to a lot of drivers but at the moment I don't want to contribute to the speculation."

Meanwhile, even Lance Stroll admitted his seat is not "locked in" at Racing Point for 2021, adding: "It's up to management to decide what's best for the team."

(GMM)
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Ive never been to Lebanon, Lebanese-American high-schooler Marjoun (Veracity Butcher) tells us in voiceover. Just here: Arkansas. Theres the slightest uninflected irony in her delivery of that last word, suggesting that her story will archly observe the conundrum of many a second-generation immigrant: belonging to a place that often fails to recognize you as one of its own. But over the course of the thematically ambitious but dramatically uneven Marjoun and the Flying Headscarf, from director Susan Youssef (Habibi) that paradox emerges as only one of many  too many  contradictions and complexities that beset our (eventually) hijabi heroine.

In good and bad ways, Marjoun bears the hallmarks of its 15-year gestation and its expansion from Youssefs short film of the same name. It is both over- and under-worked, bristling with ideas and issues and subplots that have but little connective tissue holding them together. Its almost as though writer-director Youssef has grown so much into the story in the intervening years that she takes for granted much that is not manifest to the outside viewer.

Ethnic identity challenges are very far from all that Marjoun has on her plate. Her beloved father Aabid (Tarek Bishara) is in prison, awaiting trial on terrorism charges due to the misinterpretation of several large transfers he made to relatives at home in Lebanon. She has a frosty relationship with her mother Amani (Clara Khoury), who since her husbands arrest has been self-medicating heavily and depression-sleeping in the afternoons. And her eccentric little sister Jinane (a performance of engaging self-possession by Maram Aljahmi) with her neat hijab and habit of making model animals out of tinfoil, is being bullied at school. Jinane covered  i.e. donned a headscarf  the year before because like all the girls at mosque school, as Marjoun says acerbically, her own hair long and loose around her shoulders, she couldnt wait.

Story continues

Theyre struggling to maintain their small convenience store, so Amani invites family friend Sami (Dominic Rains), an apparently successful TV actor with an insinuating smirk and a Danny Zucco quiff, to stay with them and help out, leading her mother to accuse her of living like a whore. Sami has never looked at me! huffs Amani indignantly, but it soon becomes clear that it is Marjoun, not her mother, that Sami is looking at. And not just looking at, but creeping on, groping and, under cover of a perplexing sudden cut to black, probably much worse.

Between the institutional anti-Arab bias Aabid faces (the film is set in 2006, in the early years of the Patriot Act), the complacency of suburban America, the clash between traditional values and progressive ideals within the Muslim faith, the linguistic and cultural tensions between Marjouns Americanness and her Lebanese heritage, not to mention ongoing child abuse, coming-of-age pains and a late-breaking appearance by some saintly Buddhist trainee monks, theres enough dramatic energy here to power a small village. Yet the stakes are hamstrung by the films peculiar stop-start pacing, and by a notable lack of mother-daughter chemistry between Amani and Marjoun, who have to convey much of the emotional exposition in a series of never-wholly-convincing domestic arguments.

Menno Cruijsens electro synth score does give a stylish modern edge to DP Hans Boumas constrained camerawork, which only occasionally is let off the leash. A recurring shot of the back of a classmates neck, stippled with stubble beneath his neatly razored hairline, is a nice shorthand for Marjouns crush on him. And the slightly synthetic quality of the images does make subtle fun of the blandly pink rooftops and vivid green lawns of suburban Little Rock. But when so much of the film takes place in interior shot-reverse-shot dialogue scenes, that artificiality quickly becomes airless, even a little soap operatic.

Perhaps the main issue is that Marjouns own characterization is far from consistent. So when she finally does put on the eponymous headscarf, giving it a punkish flourish with a series of safety pins down one side, we cant be sure if its an act of rebellion or submission. Is it a pugnacious f you to her whitebread Arkansas contemporaries (What, should I dress like a slut like you? she hisses unnecessarily at one classmate)? Or is it a tacit admission that her best protection from Sami, and from the wide world of abusive and exploitative men, is to change her appearance and modify her behavior into the semblance of a demure modesty she does not actually feel?

The provocative politics behind the symbolism of the Muslim headscarf is such that its possible we are meant to somehow read both celebration and criticism into the gesture. But the film, though it does sometimes land a sharp insight or a deeply felt detail, has too many ellipses and omissions to be sure of that or anything: like Marjoun herself, its heart is difficult to know.

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Russia denounces US for threat of sanctions on gas projects in Europe

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 5:06 PM

Russia has denounced the US threat of sanctions on two pipeline projects in Europe, saying Washington's aim is to dissuade the Europeans from purchasing Russian natural gas.

The Kremlin said in a statement Thursday that Washington has been using the sanction threat as a tool to pressure all the companies engaged in the construction of gas pipelines from Russia to Europe.

Russia has two projects to send natural gas to Europe, namely the Nord Steam 2, which will send Russian natural gas to Germany, and the Turk Stream 2 pipeline, which will supply Western Europe with energy.

The Nord Steam 2 will deliver Russian gas via the Baltic Sea, bypassing Poland and Ukraine. The Turk Stream 2 will carry gas through Bulgaria.

The Kremlin's reaction came just a day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that Washington plans to include both projects in the list of projects to be sanctioned by the US under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) legislation.

He warned investors in the two projects that they could face sanctions as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to curb the Kremlin's purported economic leverage over Europe and Turkey.

In December, Trump signed off sanctions against companies building the nearly $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline under the Baltic Sea.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also slammed Washington for its threat of sanctions against the Russian projects and all the companies engaged in them.

"We note that Washington continues to prove to the world with surprising persistence that it has become an axiom, that the United States has no other arguments on the international agenda than sanctions," she said.

"The more I watch Mike Pompeo's interviews recently, where he addresses such topics, the more it seems to me that I'm watching a movie from the Cold War," Zakharova added.

The US sanctions target pipe-laying vessels for the two projects, including asset freezes and revocation of US visas for the contractors.

One major contractor that is targeted is Swiss-based Allseas, which has been hired by Russia's state-owned energy giant Gazprom to build the offshore section.

Russia rejects Western allegation of vaccine data stealing

Britain's National Cyber Security Center said earlier on Thursday that hackers, allegedly supported by Moscow, attempted to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world.

The US and Canada parroted the allegations.

Later in the day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov strongly rejected the allegations, stressing that the Russian government had nothing to do with any alleged hacker attacks on pharmaceutical companies and research institutes in the UK or anywhere else across the world.

Peskov, whose remarks were carried by TASS news agency, added that London's allegations were not backed by proper evidence.

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday compared President Donald Trump to "the man who refuses to ask for directions" as she pleaded with the White House to seek input from the nation's scientific leaders to reverse the rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

The Democratic speaker urged Trump to invoke the full power of the Defense Production Act to boost much-needed supplies for coronavirus testing and treatment as a weary nation battles the outbreak.

"Mr. President, admit it, you've gone down the wrong path, ask for directions, ask for directions from the scientists," Pelosi said at the Capitol.

Tensions are rising as Congress considers the next virus relief package with no apparent endgame in sight to a pandemic that now threatens longer-term economic and societal turmoil that first envisioned.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is poised to release the GOP's $1 trillion package as soon as next week. That plan is a counteroffer to the sweeping $3 trillion proposal that House Democrats approved in May, before the latest spike in coronavirus cases and hot spots.

On Thursday, McConnell's proposed liability protection, the centerpiece of the GOP effort, was sent to the White House for review. It's a five-year shield for "schools, colleges, charities, and businesses that follow public-health guidelines, and for frontline medical workers," according to a draft obtained by The Associated Press.

It also "limits liability for new products, such as types of PPE, if they meet certain FDA requirements," according to draft.

Months after McConnell hit "pause" on new spending, as he puts it, Republicans now face a potentially more dire situation. They had hoped the pandemic would ease and the economy would recover. Instead, coronavirus cases are spiking, states are resuming shutdowns and parents are wondering if it's safe to send children back to school.

"There were some that hoped this would go away sooner than it has," McConnell said Wednesday during a hospital visit in Kentucky, where he urged people to wear masks and social distance.

"The straight talk here that everyone needs to understand: This is not going away," McConnell said.

This would be the fifth virus rescue bill since spring. Such an unprecedented federal intervention has occurred as Congress races to provide a comprehensive national strategy to try to bring the pandemic under control.

Polling shows Americans are increasingly uneasy over Trump's handling of the outbreak. Members of Congress are hoping to ease the health and economic crises before many of them, like the president, face voters in November.

McConnell is straining to keep rising COVID costs down as Republicans revolt over deficit spending. But Pelosi's $3 trillion coronavirus aid bill, once dismissed by Republicans as a liberal wish list, now seems not as far-fetched.

"People are dying," Pelosi said. "If we don't invest the money now, it will be much worse."

Both the House and Senate have similar priorities: help schools reopen, provide unemployment benefits for jobless Americans and ramp up testing, treatment and a vaccine. But they differ broadly in size and scope.

House Democrats provided $100 billion for school reopenings in an education stabilization fund that Senate Democrats say could swell to $430 billion to include more money for child care, colleges and other needs. Senate Republicans are floating the idea of $50 billion to $75 billion in education funds.

The two sides are divided over how much aid to send to cash-strapped states and cities that are pleading for money and to out-of-work Americans at a time of record unemployment.

Republicans want to reduce the $600 weekly unemployment boost that expires at the end of the month to a few hundred dollars a month.

Instead, Republicans want the liability shield to stem COVID-related lawsuits and they are eyeing tax breaks for employers who upgrade workplaces with safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Democrats want to keep the $600 jobless benefit boost. Pelosi's bill would send nearly $1 trillion to states and cities to shore up budgets and avoid layoffs of municipal workers.

Trump's advisers are split, with some pushing for even more robust spending on education, even if it riles Republicans intent on keeping record-setting deficits down. Some conservatives want the education dollars tied to school reopenings or even sent directly to parents, in the form of a school voucher, for example.

To keep costs down, Republicans are considering redirecting some already approved funds from the popular Paycheck Protection Program of small business loans for a revamped business loan program.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer suggests shifting $350 billion in untapped Treasury Department virus funds to help Black Americans and other people of color during the pandemic and beyond.

One uncertainty is how to improve the nation's poor performance on virus testing. Both Republicans and Democrats complain that $25 billion in testing funds that were approved in April remain unspent even as certain parts of the country have testing shortages and widespread delays in results.

Pelosi's bill provides $75 billion more for virus testing and contact tracing, with directives to the federal government to set up a national testing program.

Republicans have remained largely silent on how much testing money would be made available in the new bill. McConnell said Wednesday the government is "pursuing testing, treatment and vaccines like the country pursued the Manhattan Project in World War II."
Americas rightward march culminating in Trumps presidency has brought us to this moment where we are dying from a virus that other nations have managed to control.





by Sonali Kolhatkar





When schoolchildren across the United States began their summer break, President Donald Trump had more than two months to bring the coronavirus crisis under control in time for schools to reopen for the fall. But, instead of tackling the virus spread head-on, he did what most observers expected of him: he politicized the pandemic and acted as though he were the sole victim of the virus. If Trumps message can be distilled into a single idea, it is that if we simply do not acknowledge that the virus is ravaging the nation, we can go about with business as usual and re-elect Trump in November.





Trump

Unfortunately for Trump, that plan is so far not quite working, and even pollsters biased in his favor are showing a grim election outcome for the president. But Trumps loss is not necessarily our gain. Americans are dying from the coronavirus at a rate not seen in any other part of the world. The Washington Post points out that, If you adjust per capita, then, Floridas outbreak is currently about 70 times worse than that of the worst-hit country in Europe.





The most infuriating aspect of the American response to the coronavirus is that other nations have clearly laid out a commonsense strategy that has worked so much better for themenabling them to return to as much of a pre-pandemic normal as is possible under the circumstances. A prime example is Germany, where schools have been partially open with some online and some in-person instruction and remain responsive to outbreaks that may occur.





Jens Spahn, Germanys federal minister of health, explained that the countrys robust health care system is a large part of the nations success story, saying, the German health-care system was in good shape going into the crisis; everyone has had full access to medical care. This is a merit not just of the current government but of a system that was built over the course of many governments. Contrast this with the United States, where there is no actual health care that covers everyone. Instead, there are patchwork systems that are linked to age, disability, income, and employment. It is no wonder then that health outcomes depend on many of the same factors.





Like the United States, Germany had the advantage of time in preparing for the pandemic in February and March as it spread like wildfire through Wuhan, China, and then Italy, offering cautionary lessons. Unlike the United States, Germanys central government actually mobilized its laboratories to begin producing tests at a rapid rate. Under Trumps oversight, the United States failure to do the same has been deemed tragic. As far back as March of this year, reports point out that the White Houses coronavirus task force, typically devoted only five or 10 minutes, often at the end of contentious meetings, to talk about testing.





Germanys health minister explained, Extensive testing is like pointing a flashlight in the dark: without it, you can see only shades of grey; but with it, you can see details clearly and immediately. And when it comes to a disease outbreak, you cant control what you cant see. Trump realized this, and because he has no intention of controlling the virus, he railed against seeing itopenly. At his first political rally since the pandemic began, he told his adoring supporters, I said to my people, Slow the testing down please. Later he explained that he wasnt kidding.





Spahn spoke of the need for public trust, saying, it is critical that governments inform the public not just about what they know, but also about what they do not know. That is the only way to build the trust needed to fight a lethal virus in a democratic society. But the United States right-wing media industry and profit-driven social media platforms have built themselves on selling mistrust through conspiracy-laden clickbait. Trump has built his presidency on lies. It is no wonder that in the moment when the ability to tell fact from fiction was needed the most, the United States has spectacularly failed.





In Germany, we have succeeded in slowing the spread of the virus because the vast majority of citizens want to cooperate, out of a sense of responsibility for themselves and others, said Spahn. Contrast that with the United States, where right-wing ideology is based on selfishness, individual liberties, white supremacy, and an unfounded fear of government tyranny. The internet is full of viral videos of Americans refusing to wear masks in grocery stores or at the dentists officenot because they necessarily disagree with the protection it offers to everyone, but because they do not like being told what to do.





Germanys example illustrates that the infrastructure and approach needed to fight the virus is directly at odds with the rightward march in America. Our failure in managing to fight the virus began not in March, but back to Ronald Reagans presidency. Trumps presidency was just the latestperhaps mortalwound in Americas self-inflicted death by a thousand cuts.





We ought to be outraged over what Trump and Americas right wing have wrought. But three and a half years of relentless outrage has left us weary and numb to the horrors of Trumpism. Only a handful of prominent figures are calling on Trump to resign, including his own niece. Contrast that with the chorus of demands for resignations from the Republican Party aimed at Barack Obamas administration over various feigned outrages.





If something positive is to emerge from this ghoulish nightmare of deliberately enabling mass deaths, it ought to be a final nail in the coffin of American conservatism. A public health crisis cannot be fought with rugged individualism. While many Americans now say they regret voting for Trump in 2016, the more important mass regret ought to be over decades of conservative policies that stood in the way of tackling real crises and decimating existing public services. The death of Trumps career needs to coincide with the death of Trumpism as a whole.





Trumps plan for the coronavirus is to have no plan because to a significant percentage of Americans, having a plan would be akin to tyranny. So, if there is a plan, it is to make the virus go awaynot in reality but from our view.





Trump has repeatedly told Americans that the virus would simply go awaylike magic. Now, he has even taken steps to control hospital data on the virus, just like the sleight of hand that a magician requires in order to perform an illusion. The trick is to manage the illusion until the November election. Perhaps Americanswith all our lives at stakecan instead make Trump and Trumpism vanish in November as the first step in a long-overdue remaking of America.





This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.





Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations.
Corpus Christi officials are asking people from San Antonio and other Texas cities to stay away from the coastal community as it battles a wave of COVID-19 infections.

"I'm going to do something that I never thought ever in my life I would say. I'm going to ask Texans to give us some coastal distance," Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales said Monday.

The county reported four new deaths and 253 new cases on Monday, bringing the total counts to 58 and 6,427, respectively.

Canales noted that people who own homes in the area have a right to be there but asked day-trippers to "think about coming when we're not in crisis."

READ MORE: In Texas beach city, out-of-towners drove in an outbreak

"I am personally going to reach out to Harris County, San Antonio, Bexar County, Dallas, and everybody in between that loves to come to the coast," she said. "I know why  we love it too. On any other normal summer, we would welcome you with our open arms and thank you profusely for helping us. But our survival right now and the health of our hospitals depend on this coastal distancing.

"When the coast is clear, we're going to let you know. We're going to have you come back, spend your money, enjoy everything thats wonderful about South Texas beaches. But right now we need to level off."

A federal team of ICU nurses and respiratory therapists has been deployed to Christus Spohn Shoreline to assist the hospital's response. County officials also requested a FEMA mobile morgue unit (a refrigerated trailer) and body bags from the state.

On Monday, Canales said that she was disappointed by videos of gatherings, packed beaches and bar fights over the weekend. She pointed to a New York Times story about the crisis in Corpus Christi, saying that the community made national headlines "for all the wrong reasons."

Annette Rodriguez, the public health director for Corpus Christi, described the community spread to the newspaper.

"I know because they would say to the contact tracers, Oh, I was at the beach and some girls from San Antonio told us at the end of the night that they had COVID,'" Rodriguez said. "'And we shared a bottle.'"

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
US Attorney General: China Engaging in 'Economic Blitzkrieg' Against US

By Masood Farivar July 16, 2020

China is engaged in an "economic blitzkrieg" to supplant the United States as the world's only superpower, Attorney General William Barr declared Thursday -- the latest in a series of scathing comments about Beijing by top Trump Administration officials.

Speaking at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Barr said the U.S. response to China's global ambitions "may prove to be the most important issue for our nation and the world in the twenty-first century."

China uses a variety of "predatory and often unlawful tactics" to gain an advantage over the U.S., according to Barr.

"How the United States responds to this challenge will have historic implications and will determine whether the United States and its liberal democratic allies will continue to shape their own destiny or whether the CCP and its autocratic tributaries will control the future," Barr said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party.

Among China's alleged predatory practices Barr listed were currency manipulation, tariffs, quotas, state-led strategic investment and acquisitions, theft and forced transfer of intellectual property, state subsidies, dumping, cyberattacks, and espionage.

US Imposes Visa Restrictions on Chinese Tech Companies' Employees

Announcement is seen as the latest move to punish Chinese Communist Party's alleged human rights abuses against country's minority Muslim population

Beijing has long rejected many of the assertions made in Barr's speech. China's foreign minister warned on Wednesday that Beijing will retaliate with sanctions of its own against U.S. individuals and entities. The ministry said that "Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs and no foreign country has the right to interfere," according to media reports.

American business leaders remain the "principal focus" of Chinese foreign influence operations, said the attorney general. He warned that U.S. executives who fail to disclose their relations with China could run afoul of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. FARA requires agents of foreign governments to disclose their activities and their relationship with foreign entities.

"You should be alert to how you might be used, and how your efforts on behalf of a foreign company or government could implicate" the law, Barr said.

The attorney general's speech comes amid elevated tensions between the U.S. and China and is the latest in Trump administration officials' often strident remarks about Beijing's global ambitions in recent weeks.

Last month, National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said decades-long U.S. efforts to moderate the Chinese communist system resulted in "the greatest failure of American foreign policy since the 1930s."

US Mulls Ending Deal Underpinning Trading in Chinese Companies

Frustration at lack of Chinese transparency is driving move that could push Chinese firms off US exchanges

"The days of American passivity and naivete regarding the People's Republic of China are over," O'Brien told a group of Arizona business executives on June 24.

FBI Director Christopher Wray weighed in last week, saying China poses "the greatest long-term threat" to U.S. economic and national security.

Almost half of the FBI's 5,000 counter-intelligence cases involve China. The bureau is opening a new China case every ten hours, Wray said.

"And at this very moment, China is working to compromise American health care organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and academic institutions conducting essential COVID-19 research," Wray said during remarks at the Hudson Institute on July 7.

In the coming days, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "will sum up what is at stake for the United States and the free world," Barr said.

"I hope these speeches will inspire the American people to reevaluate their relationship with China, so long as it continues to be ruled by the Communist Party," he said.

The speeches come as U.S. and China have clashed over a host of issues ranging from trade to Hong Kong's autonomy and the coronavirus pandemic. While at one time President Trump aggressively sought to strike a trade deal with China, his administration is taking an increasingly hawkish stance toward Beijing, blaming China for initially covering up the coronavirus and for undermining Hong Kong's autonomy by imposing strict national security laws.

On Wednesday, Trump signed legislation and an executive order that said the U.S. "will hold China accountable for its oppressive actions against the people of Hong Kong." The legislation imposes sanctions on Chinese officials who undermine Hong Kong's autonomy, while the executive order ends preferential treatment to Hong Kong.

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The first case of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in the United States was in late January. By mid-March, "social distancing" had entered the public lexicon. People altered their routines and local jurisdictions suggested, urged, or required changes meant to slow the disease's spread.

By the end of June, however, public health officials and news outlets were talking about a second wave. In July, many states were pausing or reversing their plans to reopen while, for the second time, hospital systems worried about running out of room.

What could we have done better?

In an "editor's pick" paper published today in the journal Chaos of the American Institute of Physics, Washington University in St. Louis researchers in the lab of Rajan Chakrabarty, associate professor in the department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering, modeled the interplay between the duration and intensity of social distancing. They found a law of diminishing returns, showing that longer periods of social distancing are not always more successful when it comes to slowing the spread, and that any strategy that involves social distancing requires other steps be taken in tandem.

"Conventional wisdom was, the more intense and long-term the social distancing, the more you will curb the disease spread," Chakrabarty said

"But that is true if you have social distancing implemented with contact tracing, isolation and testing. Without those, you will give rise to a second wave."

Added Payton Beeler, a second year doctoral student in Chakrabarty's lab, who also worked with Pai Liu, a postdoctoral fellow: "What we have found is that if social distancing is the only measure taken, it must be implemented extremely carefully in order for its benefits to be fully realized."

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Their susceptible, exposed, infected, and recovered (SEIR) dynamics model used data gathered by Johns Hopkins University between March 18 and March 29, a period marked by a rapid surge in COVID-19 cases and the onset of social distancing in most US states. Calibrating their model using these datasets allowed the authors to analyze unbiased results that had not yet been affected by large-scale distancing in place.

Unique to this project was the use of age stratification; the model included details on how much people of different age groups interact, and how that affects the spread of transmission.

No matter what strategy they looked at, one thing was clear, Chakrabarty said: "Had social distancing been implemented earlier, we probably would've done a better job."

Researchers found that, over the short-term, more distancing and less hospital demand go hand in hand -- but only up to two weeks. After that, time spent distancing does not benefit hospital demand as much; society would have to increase social distancing time exponentially in order to see a linear decrease in hospital demand.

Thus the diminishing return: Society would see smaller and smaller benefits to hospital demand the longer it spent social distancing.

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If social distancing "alone" is to be implemented longer than two weeks, a moderate shut down, say between 50-70%, could be more effective for the society than a stricter complete shut-down in yielding the largest reduction in medical demands.

Another strategy for flattening the curve involves acting intermittently, alternating between strict social distancing and no distancing to alleviate the strain on hospitals -- as well as some of the other strains on the economy and well-being imposed by longer-term distancing.

According to the model, the most efficient distancing- to- no-distancing ratio is 5 to 1; one day of no distancing for every five days at home. Had society acted in this way, hospital burden could have been reduced by 80%, Chakrabarty said. Exceeding this ratio, the model showed a diminishing return.

Critically, the researchers note that social distancing policy as a whole-of-government approach could not be successful without the implementation of wide-spread testing, contact tracing, and isolation of those found to be infected.

"And you have to do it aggressively," Chakrabarty said. "If you do not, what you're going to do, the moment you lift social distancing, is give rise to a second wave."

That's because the people who are leaving their homes after distancing themselves are, ostensibly, all susceptible to COVID-19.

"Bending the curve using social distancing alone is analogous to slowing down the front of a raging wildfire without extinguishing the glowing embers," said Chakrabarty, whose other line of research focuses on the impacts of wildfires on climate and health.

"They are waiting to start their own fires once the wind carries them away."

The model cannot inform strategies going forward because it used data collected in March, before any large-scale social distancing was implemented. But Chakrabarty said it may be able to inform our actions if we find ourselves in a similar situation in the future.

"Next time, we must act faster, and be more aggressive when it comes to contact tracing and testing and isolation," Chakrabarty said. "Or else this work was for nothing."
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday asserted that the ongoing talks between India and China should resolve the border dispute along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. However, he added, "but to what extent it will be resolved I cannot guarantee". Singh assured that no power in the world can touch even an inch of India's land.

Addressing the Indian Army and ITBP jawans in Lukung, he said, "Right now the talks are going on. The ongoing talks should resolve the matter however there is no guarantee. But I can assure you that no power in the world can touch even 1 inch of India."

Singh visited Ladakh on a daylong visit to carry out a comprehensive review of the security scenario in the wake of the border standoff with China. Rajnath was accompanied by Army chief MM Naravane and Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat as he arrived in Ladakh.

Speaking to the troops, the Defence Minister said, "India is proud of its brave soldiers. Not only did you protect the border, but you have also protected 130 crore Indians. Greatest self-respect is national self-respect."

"We will not allow the sacrifice of soldiers to go in vain. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said that their sacrifice will not go in vain," Singh said in an apparent reference to the killing of 20 Indian Army personnel during the Galwan Valley clashes with Chinese troops on June 15.

"India is the only country that has given the message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam to the whole world. We do not want unrest, we want peace. We have not hurt the self-respect of any country of the world but if anyone hurts our self-respect we will not tolerate it. The martyrdom that our soldiers is a matter of sorrow for entire India. Don't consider yourself weak, we have got the strong leadership of Narendra Modi," he said.

He added, "In the same Ladakh's Kargil sector, I want to remember the martyrdom of our soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for the protection of India and pay tribute to them. Kargil Divas is on July 26 and Delhi will be pay tribute but when I am in Kargil, I bow to the martyrs."

Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for over eight weeks since May 5. The tension escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley. However, following a series of diplomatic and military talks, the two sides began a mutual disengagement process at most of the friction points on July 6.
Deputy General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party, Nana Obiri Boahen, has said the partys Youth Organizer did not err in visiting a Senior High School where voters registration had been going on.



Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B, has courted condemnation from a section of the public after reports that he had visited some senior high school students in a classroom despite a government directive that no outsider including parents should be allowed to visit students.



Viral images show him interacting with the students despite a government directive against that.



Already, Deputy Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Adutwum, has said the Education Ministry will take action against the Youth Organizer for his action.



The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has also condemned Nana B over the matter, claiming that the NPP Youth Organizer has put the lives of students he interacted with in danger.



However, speaking to GhanaWeb on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, Nana Obiri Boahen said the attacks against the NPP Youth Organizer are unwarranted.



In my candid opinion, I dont see anything wrong with that. I dont think that he erred. We are not doing politics of sincerity in this country, he told GhanaWeb in a phone interview.



According to him, Nana B visited the registration centres on the Senior High School campuses to monitor the registration process, revealing that he too visited a number of schools in the Eastern Region for the same purpose.



He argued that because Nana B was a popular person, the students most likely would be the ones fraternizing with the NPP Youth Organizer.



According to him, it would be inappropriate for Nana B to ignore the cheers of the students who may be showing their excitement after seeing their role model.



Dishonesty and insincerity in our politics is the reason the matter is still making headlines, he stressed.



Asked if the party will likely take punitive action against the NPP Youth Organizer, he said to best of his knowledge the matter has not been raised at the party level.

Source: ghanaweb









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

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Rating Action: Moody's upgrades Matador Resources' CFR to B2; outlook changed to stable

Global Credit Research - 16 Jul 2020

New York, July 16, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") upgraded Matador Resources Company's (Matador) Corporate Family Rating (CFR) to B2 from B3, Probability of Default Rating (PDR) to B2-PD from B3-PD, and senior unsecured notes to B3 from Caa1. There is no change to the SGL-3 Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating. The rating outlook was revised to stable.

The upgrade of Matador's CFR reflects its improved prospects for near-term free cash flow generation after years of significant outspending, underpinned by an improved cost structure and greater efficiencies realized through a focus on longer laterals in its drilling program.

The following ratings/assessments are affected by today's action:

Ratings Upgraded:

..Issuer: Matador Resources Company

.... Corporate Family Rating, Upgraded to B2 from B3

.... Probability of Default Rating, Upgraded to B2-PD from B3-PD

....GTD Senior Unsecured Global Notes, Upgraded to B3 (LGD5) from Caa1 (LGD5)

Outlook Actions:

..Issuer: Matador Resources Company

....Outlook, Changed To Stable From Negative

RATINGS RATIONALE

In response to the collapse in oil prices in early March, the company cut its six-rig drilling program in half over the course of the second quarter, cut back on its non-operated well and land acquisition programs, and undertook a number of other measures to reduce its operating expenses and overhead. As a result, Moody's projects Matador to be able to hold production flat or grow at a low-to-single digit rate with a three-rig program while generating free cash flow at $40/bbl. Matador also benefits from a large and repeatable drilling inventory, which has good growth potential. The B2 CFR is constrained by Matador's relatively high debt leverage, measured by its debt to average daily production ratio which Moody's expects to approach $20,000 by year-end 2020, excluding debt at Matador's midstream joint venture, San Mateo Midstream, LLC. Matador's limited size and scale and its narrow focus on developing its Delaware Basin acreage are also limiting factors on the rating. Although debt at San Mateo increases Matador's consolidated debt, the JV's existing cash flow and potential future cash flow growth help reduce the impact on the company's consolidated financial leverage. The company's production profile will gradually become more oil-concentrated as it focuses development on its oil-weighted Delaware Basin acreage.

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Matador's Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating is SGL-3, reflecting Moody's expectation that Matador will maintain adequate liquidity under its base case commodity prices. At March 31, 2020, the company had $27 million of cash, and $339 million available under its revolving credit facility, pro forma for the February 2020 commitment size increase. Matador benefits from hedging on about 80% of its oil production at average prices considerably above Moody's 2020 WTI oil price assumption. The company has layered in hedging on a significant portion of expected 2021 production at $35/bbl, as a measure of protection for its three-rig drilling program.

Availability under the revolver should provide sufficient funding to cover Matador's second and third quarter outspending, before the company begins generating free cash flow. The credit agreement requires the company to maintain a leverage ratio (maximum net debt to adjusted EBITDA) under 4.0x. Moody's expects Matador to remain in compliance with the leverage covenant through at least mid-2021 under base case pricing. Matador's investment in its midstream joint venture, San Mateo Midstream, LLC, is unencumbered by Matador's borrowing base facility and could potentially be a source of alternate liquidity. The company has no debt coming due until the revolver expires in 2023.

The B3 rating on Matador's $1,050 million of senior unsecured notes due 2026, one notch below the B2 CFR, reflects the notes subordination to the company's senior secured revolving credit facility expiring in October, 2023. The credit facility has a maximum commitment size of $1,500 million; the February 2020 redetermination affirmed the borrowing base at $900 million. Matador elected to set the commitment size of the credit facility at $700 million. A sizeable increase in the elected commitment size of the revolver could pressure the ratings on the unsecured notes.

The stable outlook reflects Moody's expectation that the company will be able to generate free cash flow in 2021 under a three-rig program while maintaining current levels of production.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

Ratings could be upgraded in a more supportive oil price environment, if RCF/debt is above 25% and the company's leveraged full-cycle ratio approaches 1.5x. Ratings could be downgraded if RCF/debt falls below 15%, the leveraged full-cycle ratio below 1x or liquidity becomes constrained.

The principal methodology used in these ratings was Independent Exploration and Production Industry published in May 2017 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1056808. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

Dallas, TX-based Matador Resources Company (Matador) is an independent exploration and production company focused on developing its acreage in the oil and liquids-rich Wolfcamp and Bone Spring plays of the Delaware Basin. The company also operates in the Eagle Ford Shale, the Haynesville Shale, and the Cotton Valley plays. The company engages in midstream operations through San Mateo Midstream, its joint venture with Five Point Energy. Average daily production in 2019, was 66,200 barrels per day, of which 58% was oil.

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.

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.

John Thieroff 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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Host of KSM show, Kwaku Sintim-Misa says he has a serious problem with the bible of Christians.



Speaking with Nkonkonsa.com, Kwaku Sintim-Misa, affectionately called KSM stated that the bible is full of contradictions and believed those who wrote it decided to treat God like humans.



He wondered how the bible says one thing in a particular chapter and the same thing is refuted in another chapter. An example by him is God being all-knowing and all-powerful but in the bible would put Abraham to a loyalty test.



He asked how can the all-knowing God not have known that he (Abraham) wasn't going to sacrifice his son for Him. He also quoted a portion in the scripture that says God regretted making Saul a King and questioned how the almighty Deity would behave like a human being.



''I have a problem with the bible in terms of there are too many contradictions. Let me give you a quick example. The bible itself says God is all-knowing. Before tomorrow, God already knows what I, KSM, will do. So, if you say you have this all-knowing God, all-powerful God and then somewhere in the bible tells you that God had to go and test Abraham to see whether he was loyal, are you not contradicting yourself? God should have known that Abraham will not kill the boy. You're God. You're almighty; you know everything. But if you tell me God tested him (Abraham), I have a problem with it. These are some of the contradictions.



''Those who wrote the bible wrote it from the point of view that we're humans and so let us attribute the same human qualities to God. So, God gets angry. In the bible, you'll find God angry. He said I have regretted that I made Saul King. God is not human. God doesn't have the attributes of a human being to be angry'', he stated.



Watch the full interview 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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TORONTO, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Today, Manulife announced it has established leadership and recruitment goals to increase the representation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) across its North American businesses as the company advances its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts.



"We recognize how important it is to improve the diversity of our organization at all levels," said Roy Gori, President and CEO, Manulife. "Establishing goals not only demonstrates our commitment to this important work, it will help us build a more inclusive culture to drive innovation and enable us to better serve our customers."

Across Manulife's North American operations, which includes John Hancock in the US, and Manulife Investment Management across the region, the company has committed to further diversify its workforce in Canada and the U.S. by:

Increasing BIPOC representation in Leadership roles by 30% by 2025

Annually hiring at least 25% BIPOC talent in its Graduate program

In addition to these commitments, Manulife has also signed on to the BlackNorth Initiative Pledge in Canada, as well as the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge in the US, as both efforts align with our company's objective of advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Last month, Manulife announced investments of more than $3.5 million over the next two years to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and the communities we serve. The goal of these focused investments is three-fold: to increase the representation of diverse talent at all levels in the organization; to create greater inclusion across the company through enhanced training; and to support organizations helping BIPOC communities. These initiatives build on a number of foundational DEI building projects that Manulife has undertaken in recent years, including: support of 31 local chapters of 9 Employee Resource Groups, hiring of new Canadians through Career Edge, support of annual recruitment events that attract diverse talent and the formation of an Executive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.

Manulife recognizes that diversity and inclusion are multi-layered, complex issues that we need to tackle holistically to better engage and support all underrepresented groups. Manulife is committed to addressing the concerns and needs of our diverse employees and increase equity for all. For more information on Manulife's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, please visit: manulife.com/about/inclusion.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we operate as Manulife across our offices in Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2019, we had more than 35,000 employees, over 98,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving almost 30 million customers. As of March 31, 2020, we had $1.2 trillion (US$0.8 trillion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $30.4 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 155 years. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.

SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation

Related Links

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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA  With record unemployment levels reaching new highs every week, a good number of employers are currently searching for workers in Southern California.

The employment site ZipRecruiter.com has listed scores of jobs that have opened even as the coronavirus pandemic continues and many businesses remain closed.

You can search here for job openings in our area.

Note that some of the postings went up more than 30 days ago. But also notice that many of the jobs have been advertised within the past few days and weeks.

If you're a small business owner in Southern California in search of employees but you're not on ZipRecruiter, you can post your job openings in the Patch classified section. Here are instructions.

Here's a sampling of some of the job listings across Southern California:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY:

ORANGE COUNTY:

RIVERSIDE COUNTY:

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SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY:



SAN DIEGO COUNTY:

Looking for a job in Northern California? Then see:

Note: These jobs were available as of this posting, according to ZipRecruiter.com. Patch cannot guarantee that positions have not been filled



This article originally appeared on the San Diego Patch
Appointment

17 July 2020

Sietse Nabben comes to Canopy by Hilton Jersey City with over twenty years of professional hotel and hospitality experience. He has held a variety of managerial and directorial roles at several of the world's most highly regarded and unique hospitality companies, most recently serving as Managing Director at Highgate's Royalton Park Avenue Hotel, as well as playing a crucial role in the opening of Hotel Hendricks in Manhattan's Bryant Park neighborhood. Before his arrival in NYC, Sietse spent time in SF Bay area, Chicago and Much, Germany in a variety of executive roles.

Born in the Netherlands, Nabben has both visited, lived and worked in some of the world's most exciting destinations, always finding himself immersed in each community and discovering its unique sense of hospitality. He prides himself on being highly competitive and encourages his employees to explore and obtain a new world view that they may bring back to their careers with Canopy.
But Prime Minister Hun Sens eldest son will need to gain the trust of Cambodian voters to complete his ascent to power.

Late last month Cambodian journalist Ros Sokhet, who is the publisher of the privately-owned Khmer Nation newspaper, was arrested for allegedly committing incitement to provoke serious chaos in social security. After being questioned at the Cybercrime Bureau of the Phnom Penh Municipal Police for two days, he was charged with incitement to commit a felony, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment.

According to local media reports, Sokhet was targeted over a social media post in which he criticised Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen for grooming his eldest son, Hun Manet, to take over the leadership of the country after his retirement.

Despite Cambodian security forces apparent attempt to silence Sokhet, Hun Sens plan to nominate his son to be the countrys next leader is no secret to anyone watching Cambodian politics closely.

On June 22, the prime minister himself confirmed that he was grooming his 43-year-old son to take over the leadership of his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) and consequently, the country.

As his father, I have to support my son and train him so that he is capable [to take over the leadership], Hun Sen said. Even if he cannot be like his father, at least his capacity should match that of his father by 80 or 90 percent.

Hun Sen, who has been leading Cambodia since 1985, did not decide to create a political dynasty overnight. He has been carefully preparing his eldest son for leadership, for decades.

Hun Sen arranged for his son to receive an education in the US and the UK that would benefit his future political and military career. Hun Manet received a bachelors degree from the United States Military Academy, also known as West Point, in 1999. He went on to complete a masters degree at New York University in 2002, and a doctorate at the University of Bristol in the UK in 2008. All his degrees were in economics.

When he returned to Cambodia after completing his studies, he was swiftly appointed as the commander of Cambodias National Counter-Terrorism Special Forces despite his young age and relative inexperience. In 2013, he earned the rank of lieutenant-general in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF).

His rapid rise through the ranks of Cambodias armed forces continued in 2018, when he was appointed as the commander of the RCAF  the second-most powerful position in the kingdoms army. Since then, the Cambodian people have been watching Hun Manet stand proudly behind his father  the de facto commander-in-chief  at every military parade.

In addition to providing his heir apparent with an exemplary military career, Hun Sen also appointed Hun Manet to the Central Committee of the CPP  the only political party in Cambodias parliament after the only meaningful opposition, my own Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was unconstitionally dissolved in 2017.

Additionally, Hun Manet represents his father as head of the Scholarship Association, which provides support to thousands of students inside Cambodia. He also leads the Association for Medical Doctors, which provides health services to the countrys rural population.

Finally this past June, Hun Sens eldest son was elected as President of the CPPs youth wing. Clothed in blue shirts and the Cambodian scarf known as the krama, the youthful CPP force performs charity actions and serves as the party propaganda apparatus set to defend the actions of the Great Leader  Hun Sen.

Through the years, Hun Manet worked hard to maintain his position as the heir apparent and defended his father unconditionally. He came to be known as a gentle political force  always respectful of the elderly CPP elites and a big brother to their children who also hold prominent positions in the Hun Sen government. By assuming the role of CPP youth wing president, he finally entered the last stage of his decades-long preparation to become Cambodias next leader.

But Hun Manets unconditional support for his father, and desire to protect him at all costs, already caused him to make a fundamental mistake.

He defended Cambodias recent purchase of 290 military trucks from China for $20 million. Hun Manet said the government did not use a single riel from the national budget to purchase the vehicles, explaining that they were paid for by Cambodian citizens and companies. He did not reveal the names of these private donors.

In his full three-star uniform, Hun Manet chastised journalists, opposition members and independent analysts who raised suspicions about the source of the funds that were used to pay for the trucks. He questioned the patriotism of anyone who criticised the government for making such a purchase amid a pandemic that caused millions of Cambodians to lose their sources of income. The deputy commander-in-chief of the Cambodian armed forces proudly acknowledged that his father has the wealth of unnamed private individuals at his service and that he is willing to spend this money as he sees fit, without consulting the public, even in the middle of a public health emergency.

By putting his support behind the controversial move, Hun Manet showed that he has no intention to learn from his fathers mistakes or put the needs and demands of the Cambodian people before his familys.

Hun Manet may be groomed by his father to take over the reins of the Hun family, and the country, however, there are still some major obstacles on his path to power.

Even though he has the support of his all-powerful father and the party machinery, he still needs to gain the trust and support of Cambodian voters. He especially needs to show the Cambodian youth, 70 percent of whom lack access to quality education and employment with living wages, that he can emerge from his fathers shadow and present a new, more prosperous and democratic vision for Cambodias future.

Cambodian youth have demonstrated that they want change both in the 2013 general elections and the 2017 communal polls, in which the CPP lost many of its strongholds to CNRP, its main contender.

Silencing of journalists like Ros Sokhet, who question the legitimacy of Hun Manets grooming for the leadership of Cambodia, will not help his political prospects. To be a legitimate candidate to become Cambodias next leader, he needs to show the country that he is able to stand up for what is right, and even criticise the actions of his father, when it is necessary for the wellbeing of his country.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
10:15 | Lima, Jul. 17.

In remarks to El Peruano official gazette, Reusche analyzed the situation of Peru under the new Cabinet , which has the responsibility to reactivate the country's productive activity and overcome the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan terror group's leader Noor Wali Mehsud has been designated as a global terrorist by the UN for participating in the financing, planning and perpetrating acts on behalf of and in support of entities associated with al-Qaeda.

The UN Security Council's 1267 ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee added Mehsud, 42, to the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List on Thursday, subjecting the Pakistani national to an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

The Sanctions Committee said that Mehsud was listed for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of" entities associated with al-Qaeda.

In June 2018, Mehsud was named the leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), following the death of former TTP leader Maulana Fazlullah. The TTP was blacklisted by the UN on July 29, 2011 for its association with al-Qaeda.

"Under Noor Wali's leadership, TTP has claimed responsibility for numerous deadly terrorist attacks across Pakistan, including an attack targeting Pakistani security forces in North Waziristan in July 2019 and a bomb attack against Pakistani soldiers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in August 2019," the Sanctions Committee said.

The group had claimed responsibility for an attempted bombing in Times Square on May 1, 2010, and in April 2010 it had launched a multi-pronged assault against the United States Consulate in Peshawar, killing at least six Pakistanis and wounding 20 others, the Committee added.

Pakistan on Friday welcomed the designation of Mehsud as a global terrorist.

"The sanctions are being implemented by Pakistan in compliance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and we hope that other countries will also follow suit," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Pakistan will continue to pursue its policy of fighting against those involved in participating, financing, planning, facilitating and perpetrating terrorism, it said.

The US State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) said in a tweet that it welcomes the addition of Mehsud by the UN to the ISIL and Al Qaida sanctions list.

"TTP is responsible for many deadly terrorist attacks in Pakistan. The United States domestically designated Noor Wali as a terrorist in September 2019," it said in the tweet.

Blacklisting by the Security Council entails that all states are required to freeze without delay the funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities.

They are also required to prevent the entry into or transit through their territories by the designated individuals and prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals outside their territories, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, spare parts, and technical advice, assistance, or training related to military activities, to designated individuals and entities.
God is having a good laugh up there. He has known, since Adam, that every imagination of the thoughts of the human heart is evil always. He looks at the greed, every grubby detail of our 'clever' plot to win Election 2020, and laughs.

In 2016, God heard Akufo-Addo shout, The battle is the Lord's, and saw John Mahama point the index finger heavenward, an unspoken acknowledgement that victory belonged to the Lord.

I don't know everything about God, but I know enough to warn me that when He turns His face against me, my cleverest, most diabolical human scheme comes to nought. Remember the bundles of GHc50 notes in the boot of a car that was stopped and searched at a check-point in the Central Region a few weeks to the 2016 election? The money was on its way to buy votes in the Ashanti Region. God frustrated it.

Today I turn attention to us, the vote sellers. Isn't it evident by now that after buying our votes, the few hand-me-downs by politicians are only the fortuitous by-product of the very nature of our partisan political arrangement? This arrangement is such that even a JHS student will build toilets, roads and classrooms if (s)he gets voted to power: the World Bank/IMF, African Development Bank, China will bring in the money. Eurobonds, bilateral and multi-lateral loans will always be available for any African leader whose best boast is their ability to borrow.

Apologists of multi-party democracy point at the vigorous debates in Parliament. I am not impressed. The hottest debates in African Parliaments are over election-related Constitutional and Executive Instruments and the budget of the Electoral Commission for the next elections. In debates to approve international loan agreements and contracts, the Minority's concern about value-for-money is born of their suspicion of a bloated grand total which the Majority, either as a whole, or a few among them, will cream off.

I may have forgotten but I cannot remember the last time any NDC/NPP member staged a protest walk-out during debates over science, technology and innovation (STI) budgets, though the whole world knows, and our MPs know, that STI is the only guarantee for the permanent future prosperity of the masses.

As I write, the STI budget is still less than one per cent, contrary to NPP's promises; and there is no National Science Parks, as promised by NDC.

Like Parliament-like masses. I haven't read anywhere since 1992, that supporters of any political party hurled insults at or killed/maimed their opponents over a failed STI election promise. Yet we kill or are ready to die at registration centres and on polling day!

By waking up at 2 am (the same time we used to queue at American and British embassies for a visa in the 90s) to mass up at registration centres, regardless of COVID-19, we are declaring that politics is more important to Ghanaians than life.

Now to Election 2020

Apparently Akufo-Addo knows what stone his foot is stepping on. I don't see a killer stone in his hand as he faces his goliath on December 7. That goliath is not his opponent; it is the anger, disenchantment or indifference of the masses.

After such a brilliant start with free SHS, payment of NHIS debts, the massive goodwill and the fantastic performance of his government in the initial handling of the COVID-19 battle, Akufo-Addo seems to have concluded that Election 2020 is a done deal. If infrastructure, alone, were a guarantee of election victory, John Mahama would still be President.

Nor was it for lack of funds that he lost; in terms of the advertising spend in Election 2016, Mahama was on a spree.

The NPP and NDC are almost equally matched in numbers. If I were a politician, my mantra would not be Fear Delegates; I'd rather Respect the Floating Vote. If I were Akufo-Addo, I would think twice in deciding to send on leave an Auditor General who has won so much respect from the civil society (floating vote) constituency for anti-corruption.

Having handled COVID so well, why is Akufo-Addo now faced with such a daily litany of pleas for PPEs by frustrated health workers?

Why does government think it is right while parents, GNAT, NAGRAT, Concerned Teachers, PTAs, nationwide, and Ghana Medical Association think it is wrong to keep the children in school?

Why, at such a time, must Ursula walk into the media independence minefield  a la communication spectrums and GBC channels? Has she wondered why Kojo Oppong Nkrumah was suddenly absent from the scheduled meeting with Chief Crystal and other stakeholders over the matter?

The daily lamentations are growing louder and difficult to ignore. The battle is still the Lord's, but on whose side will the Lord fight?
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday said it was the Congress atrocities against Sikhs that gave rise to secessionist feelings and the idea of Referendum-2020 among some members of the community.

The gurdwara committee said this while reacting to Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhars remark on Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh. Jakhar had said, If minorities are insecure in the Modi regime, then the Akal Takht jathedar should ask the Shriromani Akali Dal (SAD) to quit the Union government.

In a press statement, SGPC senior vice-president Rajinder Singh Mehta said, If any feeling of alienation is prevailing among the Sikhs, the Congress is guilty of it. Ever since the country attained independence, the Congress worked against the interests of Punjab and the Sikhs.

No Congress leader has the moral right to talk about the Panth or the Akal Takht. They should look into what their party did. For a decade, your party played Holi with the blood of the Sikhs in Punjab, he said.

Mehta said, It was your party which carried out carnage of Sikhs in Delhi, Kanpur, Bokaro, etc and attacked the Golden Temple and the Akal Takht in June 1984. The Akal Takht jathedar knows well how to lead the community and give a befitting reply to the attacks launched by anti-Panthic forces.
Rating Action: Moody's changes rating outlook of FLIR Systems to stable from negative, affirms Baa3 senior unsecured

Global Credit Research - 17 Jul 2020

Approximately $425 million of debt rated

New York, July 17, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service changed the ratings outlook of FLIR Systems, Inc. ("FLIR" or the "company") to stable from negative and affirmed the Baa3 senior unsecured notes rating.

According the Moody's analyst Bruce Herskovics, "The ratings outlook change to stable from negative reflects our expectation that leverage and liquidity will ultimately remain within a supportive range, nothwithstanding financial policies that became somewhat more aggressive and opportunistic over the past two years."

Regarding the Baa3 senior unsecured rating, Herskovics added that "FLIR's technology franchise gives the company a leading position within the thermal imaging camera/payload niche, a market specialization that offers high margin and return potential which suits the rating level despite a relatively modest revenue scale that is less characteristic."

Although the ratings outlook was revised to stable, a series of recent developments including the rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak, a 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. Notwithstanding the favorable outlook revision, today's actions reflect the impact on FLIR of a modest deterioration in credit quality that has been triggered given its exposure to defense contracting, which while less affected than most other sectors has not been immune to the adverse impact of the pandemic and leaves the company vulnerable to shifts in market demand and sentiment in these unprecedented operating conditions.

Story continues

RATINGS RATIONALE

The Baa3 senior unsecured rating recognizes FLIR's long-held status as a leading developer of thermal imaging based technologies, with solid positions across defense and industrial markets and strong key credit metrics, steady free cash flow generation and a correspondingly solid liquidity profile. To maintain the technology edge, FLIR undertakes high R&D spending equivalent to about 9% of sales, and nonetheless achieves 20+% EBITDA margins (after Moody's standard adjustments), a reflection of the leading niche position and high performance of its products within often demanding applications.

Further, the rating favorably considers recent investments within the unmanned defense systems business that qualify FLIR as a small platform prime. In time, these investments could ultimately expand the portion of FLIR's revenue base that is backlog driven. Many of the unmanned systems on which FLIR competes represent emerging and competitive categories for which funding rates will be robust. Programs may evolve in unpredictable ways, however, as technology and defense requirements change. Beyond the revenue scale and diversification upside, the unmanned defense systems business builds the company's reputation as an innovator and benefits the talent recruitment potential.

The adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic will likely result in a significant revenue mix shift for FLIR in 2020, as commercial application demand will decline with weakening economic activity yet demand for defense related products should be solid, and demand for health and skin temperature related applications will dramatically rise, resulting in low-to-flat annual growth on a net basis. Moody's expects that margins will probably diminish by about 200-300bps, to the 20% range, reflecting some inefficiencies following the sudden revenue mix change and restructuring activity. Free cash flow should be in the $150 million range, down from recent years but still impressively more than 20% of debt.

In Moody's view, FLIR will consistently maintain leverage between 2x-2.5x, with cash at or above $250 million. With the foregoing in mind, the rating does not envision acquisition activity near-term, as FLIR will show discipline and instead focus on cost control to maximize free cash flow generation and repayment of revolver borrowings. FLIR borrowed $170 million under its revolver in Q1-2020 to repurchase stock, before the real onset of the coronavirus outbreak. But with the anticipated allocation of free cash flow, FLIR should end 2020 with less than $50 million outstanding on its revolving credit line.

The stable ratings outlook anticipates that in coming months FLIR will refinance its $425 million of notes that mature in June 2021, likely with similarly structured debt, thereby retaining the fully unsecured debt structure. Moody's considers the company's ongoing Sweden-related tax dispute, on which FLIR posted a $224 million letter of credit, as a contingent liability that could eventually result in a commensurate charge and funding requirement at sometime over the next three years. But given the company's financial policies, FLIR's balance sheet and existing borrowing lines should absorb such a development without threat to the rating.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

Upward ratings movement is unlikely in the near term, but the ratings could be upgraded with expectations of a return to low financial leverage and, given the narrow technology range, less exposure to the threat of competitive growth within the company's core business.

The ratings could be downgraded if financial policies become more aggressive than expected. The ratings could also be pressured if cash declines significantly below $300 million, or if headroom under FLIR's financial maintenance covenant test declines below 20%.

The following rating actions were taken:

Affirmations:

..Issuer: FLIR Systems, Inc.

....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture, Affirmed Baa3

Outlook Actions:

..Issuer: FLIR Systems, Inc.

....Outlook, Changed To Stable From Negative

Headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon, FLIR Systems, Inc. designs and manufactures a range of sensors, detection systems and other products centered around infrared imaging technology and thermography. Applications include airborne and ground-based surveillance, condition monitoring, research and development, manufacturing process control, navigation, border patrol, environmental monitoring, and chemical/biological/ radiological/nuclear/explosives detection. Revenues in the last twelve months ended March 31, 2020 were $1.8 billion.

The principal methodology used in these ratings was Manufacturing Methodology published in March 2020 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1206079. 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.

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.

Bruce Herskovics 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 Russell Solomon Associate Managing Director 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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Dhaka:

Bangladesh freed a close aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim on Sunday as his jail term for cross-border intrusion ended. His release has however sparked speculations regarding his extradition to India where he was convicted for killing Bollywood music baron Gulshan Kumar in 1997.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said Daud Merchant was released as his jail term expired but did not clarify whether he was handed over to India, where he is to stand trial.

"He (Merchant) has been released. His prison term for illegal trespass into Bangladesh ended some time ago," he said. Merchant walked out of the Dhaka Central Jail on Sunday afternoon.

Known to be close to Mumbai mafia don Dawood Ibrahim, Merchant was jailed by a Bangladeshi court for five years which expired in December 2014.

Also Read: Dawood Ibrahim's ally and convicted murderer of music icon Gulshan Kumar, Daud Merchant set to be extradited to India

He was briefly released, but was immediately rearrested and prison official said he was detained under a law meant for people accused of "suspicious movement" for the past three years.

Allegedly a contract killer, he was sentenced to life term in India in 2002 for killing Kumar who headed the music company T-Series in 1997.

Kumar was shot while he was coming out of a temple on August 12, 1997.

Merchant, however, filed an appeal against his conviction.He absconded after being released on parole in April, 2009 to visit his family in Mumbai.

The same year, detectives arrested him from Brahmanbarhias Mourail, with two associates, while he was hiding in the residence of one Kamal Mian.

He was then sentenced to five years in prison for intruding and illegally staying in Bangladesh. Merchant's release came 11 months after Bangladesh authorities said that they decided to extradite Merchant.

In January, the home minister had said that Dhaka was working to extradite him.

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At least 1,870 out of 2,065 health workers infected with the coronavirus in the line of duty have recovered and are back to work, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced.



Director-General, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye who made the disclosure at a news conference in Accra yesterday indicated that six casualties have so far been recorded with 183 others, currently under treatment.



The number of infected health workers formed part of Ghanas cumulative case count which now stands at 26,125 following the confirmation of 695 new cases.



The new cases, had come from a backlog of tests conducted between June 12 and July 12, this year with the bulk, recorded on June 24 and June 25 respectively.



The number of recoveries and discharges however, has increased to 22, 270 though the death toll remains at 139, which means, that, the country now has 3,716 active cases.





Dr Kuma-Aboagye at the news conference pointed out that the highest number of health worker infections had been recorded in the Greater Accra Region with 588 cases, out of which, 536 had recovered, three dead and 49 under treatment.



The Eastern Region followed suit with 343 cases, Central 295, Ashanti 245, Western 150, Northern 98, Bono East 88, Volta 63 and Bono Region, 53 cases.



The Oti Region has had 47 health staff infected with the virus, Western North 41, Ahafo 24, Upper West 15, Upper East 11, with North East and Savannah, recording two cases each.



In the initial phases of any pandemic you are likely to see that high number of infection but as you can see, we are having a significant number of recoveries and that tells you that the number of health worker infections is going down.



We are doing more training, personal protective equipment (PPE) availability has improved and this is what is bearing fruit in the many recoveries and we salute all health workers for rising up to the call despite the challenges, the Director-General said.



Dr Kuma-Aboagye entreated the public to continue wearing face masks to reduce infection rate.



It would be recalled that the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) last Friday had issued a distress call to government to take swift action to avert the imminent calamitous ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.



A statement jointly signed by the leadership of four health worker unions including the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwife Association, Health Sector Workers Union and the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association expressed concern of the increasing rate of infections among their members warning of dire consequences on the sector.



The groups among others demanded that government ensures the regular provision of PPE for workers, expand capacity of COVID-19 testing centres across the country as well as provide readily, available test kits to prevent undue delays in obtaining test results.



All health facilities must mandatorily have holding bays to detain all patients who are suspected to have contracted the virus and also provide health facilities with functional infection, prevention and control safety committees, the statement said.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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Featured Video
Red nosed courier drivers in Tauranga are going the extra mile to deliver much needed money for Cure Kids in July.

Aramex New Zealand has been a longtime supporter of Cure Kids and their Red Nose Appeal, which helps create brighter futures for Kiwi kids such as Hastings twins Amelia and Grace Kale, who are living with serious illnesses.

Amelia and Grace were born at 27 weeks and spent their first three months in Startship Hospital.

Mother Stacey says the support by Cure Kids has been fantastic, especially in the more difficult times when they twins were babies.

We werent able to get out a lot and do normal things as a family. We reached out to Cure Kids and we now have a support network of other parents that are experiencing similar things to us has been fantastic.

Now aged two, Amelia and Grace have made amazing progress but continue to have health complications.

Grace is due to head to Starship Hospital in Auckland shortly for further treatment.

Cure Kids aims to raise over $1 million to fund New Zealand-based research into a wide range of health conditions to improve, extend and save the lives of children across New Zealand.

Aramex Tauranga business owner Graham Kemp says the local team love getting behind the red nose campaign every year.

Theres children in Tauranga that rely on Cure Kids, so its very close to our hearts and the Red Nose campaign unites our team here and the wider Aramex New Zealand family.

Theres a very serious message but its delivered with a bit of fun and were not only financially contributing ourselves but were also raising awareness across New Zealand by wearing the red masks and noses.

Aramex set a target of raising $10,000 but at just the half way mark, the company has already raised over $12,000.

For every parcel delivered Aramex regional businesses owners will donate one cent to the appeal and if they chose to increase this to two cents, the company will match it.

Aramex New Zealand chief executive Scott Jenyns says its inspiring that courier franchisees and courier drivers have embraced the red nose campaign.

As well as fundraising efforts, Aramex has delivered care packs to local families such as the Kales.

Its been a very busy time over the last few months for us, but our team are excited about raising money for such a worthy cause.

Its also lifted our spirits too, weve got red noses, masks and to make it more special, our rebrand from Fastway to Aramex has also seen us adopt red, which is the major colour of our identity as well as Cure Kids.

With origins dating back to 1989, Red Nose Day has grown to become one of New Zealands most recognised appeals, symbolised by red noses.

Scott says over the years, theyve seen various iterations of the red nose  plastic, foam, car, novelty  but one thing has remained the same - the iconic little red nose has always been a symbol  a symbol of hope, hope for better treatments, preventative strategies and, one day, cures for our children who are living with heart-breaking, life-affecting health conditions.

As part of the fundraising initiatives Scott has put himself forward as a prize for the franchise that has the most fun promoting the appeal.

Theyll get a $250 fuel voucher and I will come and work for them for a day  which Im not sure is an incentive or not, Scott laughs.
Under an incessant barrage of criticism, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has once again defended a draft document called Iran-China 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Plan.

While the so-called draft is shrouded in ambiguities, many Iranians have accused Islamic Republic's President Hassan Rouhani and his Foreign Minister Zarif of "selling Iranian islands," such as Kish on the Persian Gulf to China.

Dismissing the accusation as "untrue" Zarif insisted that whatever the critics say are baseless and devoid of a single bit of truth.

The Majles (Iranian parliament) website, Khane-ye Mellat (the Nation's House) cited Zarif as saying on Thursday, July 16, "We have not given and will not give away even an inch of Iranian soil. We will not grant China or any other country the exclusive right to use a single meter of Iranian territory."

Reports concerning the so-called Tehran-Beijing cooperation plan and its prospects have recently triggered a heated debate in and outside Iran.

Lack of transparency on the Islamic Republic's part has led to widespread public dissatisfaction over the matter.

Opponents of the plan argue that the "document" forces Iran into a dependent and weak position and puts China in a superior place that allows it to squeeze significant concessions from the Islamic Republic.

Nonetheless, Iranian authorities have so far sufficed to dismiss these allegations, without any elaboration, and offer ambiguous promises.

On the same pattern, Zarif vaguely maintained on Thursday that the issue is reaching the negotiation stage, and President Rouhani's administration has given the Foreign Ministry a green light to go ahead and start talking to its Chinese counterpart.

"When we finalize the document with China, we need to submit the agreement to Iran's Parliament if it includes any legal commitments," Zarif asserted, noting, that the administration needs Parliament's approval even if the agreement is simply in the form an executive decision. Parliament needs to make sure it corresponds with existing laws.

Still, without going into the details, Zarif reiterated that the Islamic Republic's relationship with China are strategic and based on common interests and mutual respect.

Once again, Zarif rejected "rumors" over the sale of Kish Island to China and selling cheap crude oil to Beijing, insisting that such "rumors" have been circulated by "enemies" to prevent the development of Iran-China relations.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The Philippine National Police (PNP) Headquarters is investigating a controversial social media post of the Malaybalay City Police Station, associating ABS-CBN supporters to terrorism.

We ask sincere apology to ABS-CBN about the said post," the PNP said in a statement Friday.

"Malaybalay CPS is directed to explain regarding this matter."

This is after the police station posted a Facebook photo on Wednesday that read malalaman mong sila ay para sa terorismo. Papatulan lahat ng isyu, basta laban sa gobyerno." The post was aimed at ABS-CBN supporters.

[Translation: You will know that they are for terrorism. They will make an issue out of everything so long as it is against the government.]

This action of our personnel will be investigated and let them explain what's their main message of the said post, the PNP said.

Northern Mindanao Regional Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Mardy Hortillosa said the post was ordered to be taken down.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines also called out this social media post as an attack on press freedom.

CNN Philippines stringer Alwen Saliring contributed to this report.
In this article:

The brother of Australian supermodel Megan Gale is missing, last seen three days ago at a petrol station in a rural town in Western Australia.

Jason Gale, Megans older brother, was reported missing from his home in Bibra Lake, Perth, 160km from the town of Pingelly where he was last seen.

Mr Gale is believed to be driving a 1999 silver Honda CR-V sedan, registration 1BOI107.

Jason Gale was last seen buying petrol in Pingelly. Source: WA Police

Jason is the older brother of Australian model Megan Gale. Source: Instagram/Getty

CCTV images released by WA Police show Mr Gale parked outside a shop where he purchased petrol and water at about 9.40am on Tuesday.

Mr Gale is described as being 180cm tall, with short curly grey/brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 131444 immediately.

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.
Hayden Panettiere's ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson has reportedly been charged with domestic violence and assault.

Hickerson was charged in an eight count complaint Thursday, which included charges for assault, domestic violence, and other felony offenses, law enforcement sources told TMZ.

Panettiere, 30, has now broken her silence about the alleged abuse after she was granted a restraining order against Hickerson earlier this week.

'I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,' Panettiere said in a statement posted to Instagram. 'I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I'm grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life.'

Charged: Hayden Panettiere's ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson has been charged with domestic violence and assault (pictured 2018)

In the caption, Panettiere included the number to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

'For anyone else affected by abuse and needing support, please know that you can call 1-800-799-7233. If youre unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474. You are not alone.'

Hayden's lawyer, Alan Jackson, called the actress a 'survivor' who is now 'taking back her life' after years of suffering.

'After suffering for years as the victim of psychological, emotional and severe physical abuse, Hayden Panettiere has begun the process of taking back her life,' he told TMZ. 'Hayden has found the strength and courage to share the truth about her abuse and her abuser, and she intends to assist the prosecution to see that justice is served. As a survivor, she recognizes that her arduous journey of healing has just begun.'

Breaking her silence: Panettiere, 30, was recently granted a restraining order again Hickerson, and spoke out about the alleged abuse she suffered in a statement she posted to her Instagram account on Friday

Panettiere was recently granted a restraining order against Hickerson, whom she split from last month after nearly two years of dating.

Panettiere was initially granted the restraining order in Wyoming, but a judge has now allowed the order to be upheld in California, according to TMZ.

The explicit reason for Hayden's protective order against Brian is unknown at this time.

Protection: Due to the out-of-state nature of the restraining order, Panettiere is asking the court to honor and actively enforce the order in Los Angeles, which is her current place of residence; Hayden pictured in 2017

The Heroes alum reportedly ended her relationship with Brian in June, after several incidences of alleged domestic violence.

A source close to Panettiere revealed to Us Weekly at the time of the split that Hayden was 'in a good place' and 'on the path to recovery.'

The source also alleged that Hayden and Brian had not had any contact and that he had 'moved back to his hometown in South Carolina.'

'Friends are praying this is the end of her journey with him,' added the insider.

Split: The Heroes alum reportedly ended her relationship with Brian in June, after several incidences of alleged domestic violence; Hayden and Brian pictured in 2019

On Valentine's Day of this year, Brian was arrested for allegedly punching Hayden in the face during an argument, while the pair were in Wyoming.

Brian's second domestic violence related arrest took place in 2019 for reportedly 'getting into a physical fight with Hayden.'

He was charged with felony domestic violence, but, due to Hayden reportedly 'refusing to cooperate with the prosecution,' the charges were, eventually, dropped.

Mothering: Panettiere is mother to five-year-old daughter Kaya, whom she shares with ex Wladimir Klitschko, 44; Hayden and Kaya pictured on Instagram on June 10

Panettiere is mother to five-year-old daughter Kaya, whom she shares with ex Wladimir Klitschko, 44.

The former couple - who ended their lengthy engagement in 2018 - first began dating in 2009.

Hayden honored Klitschko on Father's Day by uploading a throwback portrait of him and their daughter on Instagram.

'Happy Fathers Day to this amazing man. Youre our champ every single day. We love you so much!!!,' wrote Hayden, who went on to tag Wladimir in the caption.
T he number of knife crime in England and Wales has risen 6 per cent to the highest on record, official figures show.

Police-recorded offences involving a knife or sharp instrument rose to 46,265 for the year to March, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Friday.

This was 51 per cent higher than when data of this kind was first collected in 2011, and is the highest number on record, the report said.

The number of offences varied across different regions as the data showed a 7 per cent increase in London but a 10 per cent drop in the number of offences in West Yorkshire.

UK's capital saw the highest rate with 179 offences per 100,000 population. This compared with an England and Wales average of 82 offences per 100,000 population.

Anti-knife crime campaigners in Whitehall 1 /20 Anti-knife crime campaigners in Whitehall Anti-knife crime campaigners in Whitehall in central London, calling for action over recent bloodshed PA Anti-knife crime campaigners in Whitehall in central London, calling for action over recent bloodshed PA AFP/Getty Images PA EPA PA PA PA PA EPA EPA PA PA PA AFP/Getty Images

Knife or sharp instrument offences continue to be concentrated in metropolitan areas across England and Wales, with around a third (34 per cent) of all offences recorded by the police in London," said the report.

The number of killings involving a knife or sharp instrument also saw an increase of 2 per cent.

According to the ONS figures the rise in homicides was mainly driven by a 28 per cent rise in offences in London (67 to 86) while the rest of the country saw a 7 per cent decrease in the number of homicides involving a knife or sharp instrument.

Overall homicides rose by 10 per cent, but the report noted that the increase includes a single incident in which 39 migrants were found dead in a lorry in Kent.

If the major homicide in Kent is excluded from the data, homicides increased by just 3 per cent overall.

Vigil held for the 39 migrants found dead in Grays

Police recorded 5.8 million crimes in England and Wales to March, the ONS said.

According to the latest statistics, assault with injury and assault with intent to cause serious harm offences, and robbery, each accounted for 44 per cent of all offences involving a knife or sharp instrument (20,333 and 20,159 respectively).

The ONS report added: Offences involving knives or sharp instruments have been experiencing a rising trend since the year ending March 2014, although in recent years the rate of increase has slowed.

The figures do not include Greater Manchester Police, who are unable to provide data due to ongoing problems with a new computer system.

Knife crime offences recorded by police in England and Wales / Press Association Images

Diana Fawcett, chief executive of the charity Victim Support, said: It is concerning that, as the country began to enter lockdown, knife crime reached record levels.

As a charity that supports people affected by knife crime, we know that it is devastating and life-changing for individuals, families and communities.

Throughout lockdown the impact of knife crime will have continued to be felt, with many continuing to cope with the physical and emotional consequences of attacks during challenging times.

Commenting on todays crime figures, Sophie Sanders from ONS Centre for Crime and Justice said: Overall crime rates were lower in the months leading up to the coronavirus pandemic, than they were in early 2019.

"However, it will not be possible to say whether this would have come to represent a change from the trend in recent years, as the pandemic will have had an impact on the level and types of crime since March.

In contrast, prior to lockdown, we saw police recorded crime increase. This has been driven, largely, by a rise in high-volume offences including violence without injury, stalking and harassment, and fraud and computer misuse, which, apart from the latter, have been influenced by improvements in recording practices.

There are also different patterns for specific crimes. For instance, theft from the person increased but burglary decreased.

Separate figures released by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) on Friday show police recorded crime, excluding fraud, in England and Wales was down 14% in the four weeks to July 5, compared with the same period last year.

The provisional data shows most crime types rising back towards their pre-lockdown levels as restrictions have been eased, the NPCC said.

ONS will be publishing data on the first analysis of crime statistics affected by the coronavirus pandemic next month.
The FBI has launched an investigation hackers hijacked Twitter accounts of a number of high-profile US figures in an apparent Bitcoin scam.

The accounts appear to have been compromised to perpetrate cryptocurrency fraud, said the bureau, urging the public to be vigilant. Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Joe Biden were among those hit in what Twitter said was a coordinated attack.

Their official accounts requested donations in the cryptocurrency.

Everyone is asking me to give back, said a tweet from the account of Mr. Gates, the Microsoft founder. You send $1,000, I send you back $2,000.

The US Senate Commerce Committee has demanded Twitter brief it about Wednesdays incident by 23 July.

Twitter said the hackers had targeted its employees with access to internal systems and tools.

We know they [the hackers] used this access to take control of many highly-visible (including verified) accounts and Tweet on their behalf, the company said in a series of tweets.

It added that significant steps had been taken to limit access to such internal systems and tools while the companys investigation continues.

The tech firm has also blocked users from being able to tweet Bitcoin wallet addresses for the time being.

The UKs National Cyber Security Centre said its officers had reached out to the tech firm. We would urge people to treat requests for money or sensitive information on social media with extreme caution, it said in a statement.

US politicians also have questions. Republican Senator Josh Hawley has written to the company asking if President Trumps account had been vulnerable.

President Trumps account was not compromised, the White House said.

The chair of the Senate Commerce Committee has also been in contact with Twitter.

It cannot be overstated how troubling this incident is, both in its effects and in the apparent failure of Twitters internal controls to prevent it, Senator Roger Wicker wrote to the firm.

One cyber-security expert said that the breach could have been a lot worse in other circumstances.

Twitter earlier had to take the extraordinary step of stopping many verified accounts marked with blue ticks from tweeting altogether.

Password reset requests were also being denied and some other account functions disabled.

By 20:30 EDT (00:30 GMT Thursday) users with verified accounts started to be able to send tweets again, but Twitter said it was still working on a fix.

Dmitri Alperovitch, who co-founded cyber-security company CrowdStrike, told Reuters news agency: This appears to be the worst hack of a major social media platform yet.

On the official account of Mr. Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX chief appeared to offer to double any Bitcoin payment sent to the address of his digital wallet for the next 30 minutes.

Im feeling generous because of Covid-19, the tweet added, along with a Bitcoin link address.

The tweets were deleted just minutes after they were first posted.

But as the first such tweet from Mr. Musks account was removed, another one appeared, then a third.

Others targeted included:

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian West.

Former US President Obama.

Media billionaire Mike Bloomberg.

The ride-sharing app Uber.

The iPhone-maker Apple.

The campaign of Joe Biden, who is the current Democratic presidential candidate, said Twitter had locked down the account within a few minutes of the breach and removed the related tweet
New Delhi, July 17 : In a rare incident, IBM cyber security researchers have stumbled upon a trove of data and tutorial videos belonging to a top Iranian hacking group that left the screen recordings open due to operational errors.

IBM X-Force Incident Response Intelligence Services (IRIS) uncovered rare details on the operations of the suspected Iranian threat group called 'ITG18', which has been associated with targeting pharmaceutical companies and the US presidential campaigns.

The 'ITG18' associates left open a server with more than 40GB data on their operations that have now been analysed by the X-Force IRIS researchers.

Three of the video files discovered reveal that ITG18 had successfully compromised several accounts associated with an enlisted member of the US Navy as well as an officer in the Hellenic Navy.

"Rarely are there opportunities to understand how the operator behaves behind the keyboard, and even rarer still are there recordings the operator self-produced showing their operations," said Allison Wikoff, Strategic Cyber Threat Analyst, IBM X-Force IRIS, adding that this provides a unique behind-the-scenes look into their methods and potentially, their legwork for a broader operation that is likely underway.

During a three-day period in May, IBM X-Force IRIS discovered the 40 GBs of video and data files being uploaded to a server that hosted numerous ITG18 domains used in earlier 2020 activity.

Some of the videos showed the operator managing adversary-created accounts while others showed the operator testing access and exfiltrating data from previously compromised accounts.

In nearly five hours of videos, an ITG18 operator searching through and exfiltrating data from various compromised accounts of a member of US Navy and a personnel officer with nearly two decades of service in Hellenic Navy.

The video files uncovered by IBM X-Force IRIS were desktop recordings using a tool called Bandicam, ranging from two minutes to two hours.

The timestamps of the files indicated the videos were recorded approximately one day prior to being uploaded to the ITG18-operated server.

"Using these accounts could allow the operator to obtain other data on military operations of potential interest to Iran," the IBM researcher said on Thursday.

Some of the operator-owned accounts observed in the training videos provided additional insight into personas associated with ITG18, such as phone numbers with Iranian country codes.

IBM X-Force IRIS observed the "Yahoo.avi" video displayed profile details for a fake persona, "which we will reference as 'Persona A' including a phone number with a +98 country code, the international country code for Iran.

Other suggestions of an Iranian operator behind 'Persona A' included unsuccessful attempts to send emails to an Iranian American philanthropist, and potentially two personal email accounts for US State Department officials in April 2020, including one account that was associated with the US Virtual Embassy to Iran.

"The recording appeared to show bounce-back emails in the operator's inbox, notifying them that these possible spear phishing emails did not go through, though we do not know the theme. The targeting of these individuals is in line with prior ITG18 operations," said Wikoff.

ITG18 has been active since at least 2013.

The hallmarks of this group's activity include credential harvesting and email compromise operations through phishing attacks against numerous targets of strategic interest to the Iranian government.
COVID-19 samples taken at the Reference Laboratry at Effia-Nkwanta in the Western region are reportedly going bad following the shortage of reagent for testing in the region.



A source at the lab told Empire News, some samples have gone bad and have been disposed of already.



The source at the reference laboratory further revealed to Empire News that the storage facility at the reference lab is currently overwhelmed, and could no longer receive samples from the various districts in the Western Region and other parts of the country.



When contacted, Medical Director for Effia-Nkwanta, Dr Joe Tambil, decline to comment on the matter saying he was out of the jurisdiction. However, the Western Regional Director for Health Services, Naa Dr Jacob Mahama told Empire News Emmanuel Ohene-Gyan that some of the COVID-19 samples have gone bad due to the storage capacity but was quick to add that it will not affect the fight against the virus in the region.



Dr Mahama also confirmed that the only testing centre, Veterinary Laboratory, has also been shut down for the past two weeks due to the nationwide shortage of reagents



The Western Region now has to transport COVID-19 samples to Accra for testing while the remaining samples are kept at the districts.



The latest daily report released by the Regional Health Directorate indicates that a total of 4,092 samples are pending testing with Tarkwa-Nsuaem leading with 1,316 pending cases.

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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A study released last month brings relatively good news for those interested in the rehabilitation of the Chesapeake Bay.

The dead zone is slightly smaller than the long-term average. Only 11% of the Bays total volume (12.2 cubic miles) is off-limits to most aquatic life. In July, the zone is expected to rise to 16%.

The good news: The dead-zone prediction for this summer is 9% below the average since 1985, according to the Bay Journal News Service. This is good news in the same sense new daily COVID-19 infections tapering off are encouraging.

Dont light the victory cigars just yet.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation knows this more than most. Thats why the Foundation, along with Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia, gave notice of intention to file suit against the Environmental Protection Agency in May. The problem: Bad stuff tends to flow downhill. If youre at the top, it doesnt matter as much.

Pennsylvania and New York, which have streams and rivers feeding the Chesapeake, are uphill, so to speak. Since their states dont actually touch the Bay, they seem less inspired to do what it takes to clean it up.

The EPA, our watchdog, has been on a short leash the past few years.

Much of the problem is about fertilizer. Excess nutrients, especially nitrogen, flow into the Bay and spur algae blooms. The blooms die and sink to the bottom, where they are decomposed by bacteria, which uses up oxygen.

Some creatures, such as striped bass, can save themselves by moving nearer the surface. Some, like mussels and clams, cant, and they die.

Excessive rain can exacerbate the problem by washing the nutrients, coming from farms and industrial use but also from people over-fertilizing lawns, into the Bay. Turning wetlands into housing developments means the nutrients arent filtered out as they once were. Draining the swamp is not always a good idea. And high temperatures make the oxygen situation worse.

One reason the numbers are at least temporarily encouraging: River flows into the Bay were below normal the first half of the year.

The Clean Water Blueprint, implemented in 2010, was designed to bring the Bay back to health. The goal was to reach acceptable limits by 2025. Pennsylvania and New York are far behind in reaching their marks, and the EPA seems hesitant to step in.

At the outset, the EPA committed to implementing penalties when states didnt do their share. The Bay Foundation says that isnt happening. The EPA has 60 days to respond to the lawsuit. After that, the Bay Foundation would ask federal courts to force action.

Those who realize how much the Bays health means to our region look to the federal government to get our neighbors motivated. With rising populations and temperatures, saving the Bay is not getting any easier.

EPA, we need all the help we can get.

The (Fredericksburg) Free Lance-Star
Pentagon Lays Groundwork for Future US Experimental Space Station

Sputnik News

20:51 GMT 16.07.2020(updated 20:52 GMT 16.07.2020)

The Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) was recently awarded a US Department of Defense contract to transform its own intended NASA transport vehicle into the core structure of the US military's future Unmanned Orbital Outpost.

A Tuesday news release published by SNC detailed that its Shooting Star transport vehicle's versatility will be useful as the global aerospace and national security leader begins repurposing the vehicle as the core of a future autonomous space station for logistics demonstrations and experiments.

"We're excited by the multi-mission nature of Shooting Star," SNC CEO Fatih Ozmen expressed.

"It was originally developed for NASA resupply missions to the International Space Station, and since then we keep identifying new capabilities and solutions it offers to a wide variety of customers. The possible applications for Shooting Star are really endless."

Measuring 16 feet in length, the Shooting Star was originally developed as an attachment to provide extra storage for payloads on the Dream Chaser space plane during NASA Commercial Resupply Services 2 missions. The Shooting Star was also designed to facilitate cargo disposal upon the vehicle's reentry into Earth's atmosphere.

However, the possibilities of the versatile vehicle do not stop there.

"The current Shooting Star is already designed with significant capabilities for an orbital outpost and by adding only a few components we are able to meet Department of Defense needs," SNC Space Systems Senior Vice President of Strategy Steve Lindsey, a former NASA space shuttle commander and retired US Air Force pilot, explained in the release.

"We are proud to offer our transport vehicle to DoD as a free-flying destination for experimentation and testing, expanding beyond its current payload service capabilities for Dream Chaser cargo missions."

The release argued that the practice of repurposing past space hardware is not only cost-effective, but it also "reduces the time to achieve a minimal operating capability."

According to established Pentagon plans for the Unmanned Orbital Outpost, the autonomous space station will be situated in low-Earth orbit and provide "guidance, navigation and control for sustained free-flight operations to host payloads and support space assembly, microgravity, experimentation, logistics, manufacturing, training, test and evaluation," SNC noted.

"Future outposts may be based in a variety of orbits including, medium-Earth orbit, highly elliptical orbit, geosynchronous Earth orbits (GEO) to include GEO transfer orbits, and cislunar orbits," the release concluded.

A Sputnik

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Helping Virginia recover from the economic and health crisis of COVID-19 will require strong Democratic leadership that will fight for all, McAuliffe said in a statement July 1. Im extremely excited about the work Common Good VA will do to elect Democrats up and down the ballot this year and beyond.

No Republican in Virginia has won statewide elected office since 2009, when Bob McDonnell led a GOP sweep for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.

Chases contributions came overwhelmingly from individual donors, with only a handful of contributions above $3,000.

Former Virginia state Sen. Bill Carrico, R-Grayson, is the only other Republican to formally announce an exploratory bid. Carrico has not begun fundraising. He is expected to make an announcement in September or October.

Carroll Foy, who is in her second term in the Virginia House of Delegates, led the way among declared Democrats.

Her largest contribution came from high-profile donor Sonjia Smith at $250,000. The Voter Protection Project donated $32,500 to Carroll Foy's campaign.
The law enforcers are working on the scene, carrying out investigative actions and establishing all the circumstances.

One person has been injured in a blast outside the Shuliavska metro station in the capital city of Kyiv.

Read alsoKyivan who threatened to blow up Kyiv bridge served with charge papers

"Today, at 20:10 Kyiv time, the police were informed that a blast had occurred on Peremohy Avenue at the entrance to the Shuliavska metro station. Police squads, crime scene investigation teams of the Main and District Police Directorates, as well as bomb squads, detector dog handlers and representatives of other specialized services immediately left to the scene," as reported by the Police Communication Department in Kyiv.

It is preliminarily established the blast took place in an orderly bin. As a result, one person was injured, he was hospitalized. His identity is being established.

The law enforcers are working on the scene, carrying out investigative actions and establishing all the circumstances.

Meanwhile, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko wrote on Telegram one of the passers-by had got a leg injury as a result of the blast.

He said the windows of the metro station had been damaged, but the subway operates as usual, the station is open to passengers.
Highlights Google has temporarily disabled the Twitter carousel or widget that displays tweets by people or brands when their name is entered in Search.

The development came after a massive security breach on July 15 in which tens of high profile accounts were compromised.

Twitter disabled the high-profile accounts from posting anything on the platform right after the scam took place.

Twitter faced a massive security breach as official accounts of tens prominent personalities like Barack Obama, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Bill Gates et al were hacked in a bitcoin scam on Wednesday. The compromised accounts were then used to fool people into donating bitcoin money through a link.

After Twitter realised the vulnerability, it temporarily disabled verified or blue tick users from tweeting or posting anything on the platform. "You may be unable to Tweet or reset your password while we review and address this incident," Twitter Support page had said.

Shortly after the incident, Google stopped displaying Twitter carousels after the massive security hack on July 15. Before the hack, when a user would type in the name of a celebrity or prominent personality's name in Google search, a widget displaying all tweets by that person would appear. But now, the widget seems to have gone missing. Google is possibly trying to reduce the visibility of tweets until the matter is settled.

Broadie Clark, an SEO consultant first noted the development and shared it on Twitter. "Whoa, looks like Google has demoted the visibility of Twitter accounts in Google Search. Likely related to many accounts being compromised with the BTC scam. Main change I'm seeing is the removal of the prominent real-time tweet carousel format," Clark tweeted with before and after photos of Google Search.

Whoa, looks like Google has demoted the visibility of Twitter accounts in Google Search. Likely related to many accounts being compromised with the BTC scam. Main change I'm seeing is the removal of the prominent real-time tweet carousel format. pic.twitter.com/JQTC7RDn0c  Brodie Clark (@brodieseo) July 16, 2020

Google said that the feature has temporarily been disabled and will be reinstated after review.

"We can confirm we have temporarily removed the Twitter carousel from Search following Twitter's security issues. Before restoring the feature we will carry out a careful review," Google told Search Engine Land.

Google Search added the Tweet Carousel feature in 2015. SEO and marketers used it as a strategy for more visibility in Search results.

As for Twitter, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has opened an investigation saying that Twitter's systems may pose serious security risks. "At this time, the accounts appear to have been compromised in order to perpetuate cryptocurrency fraud," the FBI said in a statement given to the WSJ.

A Twitter employee was seemingly the reason behind the hacking of high profile users that took place on Wednesday. "We detected what we believe to be a coordinated social engineering attack by people who successfully targeted some of our employees with access to internal systems and tools," Twitter's security page said.
Federal officers deployed tear gas and rounds designed to be less lethal into a crowd of protesters in Oregon on Thursday evening, hours after the head of the Department of Homeland Security visited Portland and called the demonstrators violent anarchists.

Video footage showed many protesters leaving the area near the federal court late on Thursday as smoke filled the air. Protests have taken place for nearly two months in Portland, since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.

The protests have been largely peaceful, though violence has occurred. Journalists and demonstrators have been apprehended by police and federal agents outfitted in military gear, according to reports.

During a visit to Portland earlier on Thursday, Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf said state and city authorities are to blame for not putting an end to the protests, angering local officials.

Mayor Ted Wheeler and other local officials have said they did not ask for help from federal law enforcement and have asked them to leave.

Black Lives Matter protesters in Portland are being assaulted  shot in the head, swept away in unmarked cars, repeatedly tear gassed  by uninvited and unwelcome federal officers. We won't rest until these federal officers are gone.  ACLU (@ACLU) July 17, 2020

A few hundred people had gathered near the federal court on Thursday night and set up tents, news outlets reported. Police told protesters to leave after announcing they heard some chanting about burning down the building, according to The Oregonian.

A short time later, federal officers fired rounds and deployed tear gas to break up the crowd.

Some protesters remained in the area early on Friday and were detained, but it was unclear whether any arrests were made, the newspaper reported.

Homeland Security acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said on Fox & Friends on Friday morning the federal government has a responsibility to protect buildings such as the court.

What weve seen around the country is where responsible policing is advanced, violence recedes, Cuccinelli said. And Portland hasnt gotten that memo. Nor have a lot of other cities. And the president is determined to do what we can, within our jurisdiction, to help restore peace to these beleaguered cities.

President Donald Trump recently sent the federal officers to the city. Tensions have escalated in the past two weeks, particularly after an officer with the US Marshals Service fired a round at a protesters head on July 11, critically injuring him.

WATCH  Portland Police officers knock a protester off of his bicycle and arrest him outside of Lownsdale Square Park near the Federal Courthouse downtown #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/tow0GzeyzW  Dan McCarthy (@DanMcKATU) July 16, 2020

Bystander videos show Donavan LaBella, 26, collapsing to the ground unconscious and bleeding profusely from the head after a federal officer fired a less-lethal round at him.

He was standing with both arms in the air holding a large speaker across the street from the courthouse when he was hit.

LaBellas mother, Desiree LaBella, told Oregon Public Broadcasting that her son suffered facial and skull fractures. He came out of surgery early on July 12 and was responding to doctors.

He was awake enough to give the OK to talk to me, Desiree said in the interview. Hes had some facial reconstruction surgery. Theyre just watching him right now.

Protests against police violence have rocked the US since May, following Floyds alleged murder by Minneapolis police.

While violence has subsided in some cities, it remains present in others. Trump previously faced harsh criticism for his use of the military to quell protests in Washington, DC, and threats to deploy them elsewhere.
The T Rowe Price Equity Income Fund (Trades, Portfolio), part of Baltimore-based T. Rowe Price Group Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW), disclosed this week that its top five buys during the second quarter included new positions in Volkswagen AG (XTER:VOW3) and Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK). The fund also raised its stakes in Enbridge Inc. (NYSE:ENB), Becton, Dickinson and Co. (NYSE:BDX) and Loews Corp. (NYSE:L).





Fund manager John Linehan pursues dividend income and long-term growth potential. The Equity Income Fund invests in the stocks of established companies that are expected to pay above-average dividends and are trading at attractive valuations.

As of the June quarter's end, the fund's $14.10-billion equity portfolio contained 104 stocks, with 11 new holdings and a turnover ratio of 9%. The portfolio's top three sectors in terms of weight include financial services, health care and industrials, with weights of 20.92%, 15.49% and 11.93%, respectively.

Volkswagen

The Equity Income Fund purchased 400,000 shares of Volkswagen, giving the position a 0.43% weight in the equity portfolio. Shares averaged 127.72 euros ($145.38) during the second quarter.

8edbaf3d17bf67b10ce9740646a0f88b.png

The Wolfsburg, Germany-based company manufactures automotive brands like Volkswagen, Audi, Bugatti and Porsche. GuruFocus ranks Volkswagen's profitability 6 out of 10 on the back of net margins and returns on equity outperforming over 68% of global competitors, despite operating margins outperforming just over 59% of global auto manufacturers. Additionally, Volkswagen's predictability ranks three stars out of five despite a three-year revenue growth rate that outperforms just 55% of global peers.

6a87616f8834ebaf393cfd44752a0cf3.png

Sarah Ketterer (Trades, Portfolio)'s Causeway International Value (Trades, Portfolio) Fund also has a holding in Volkswagen.

Story continues

8842644acf8d240eb82c9bd337eb0245.png

Merck

The fund purchased 660,000 shares of Merck, giving the position a 0.36% weight in the equity portfolio. Shares averaged $78.88 during the June quarter.

71ba60f19621726ba192e809a74e2a51.png

The Kenilworth, New Jersey-based company manufactures pharmaceutical products for the treatment of a wide range of therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular disease, asthma, cancer and infections. GuruFocus ranks the company's profitability 8 out of 10 on several positive investing signs, which include a high Piotroski F-score of 8, a return on equity that outperforms 97.75% of global competitors and an operating margin that has increased approximately 9% per year on average over the past five years.

194fb1f3c04c3f204e2837cc0668335f.png

Gurus with large holdings in Merck include Ken Fisher (Trades, Portfolio), Pioneer Investments (Trades, Portfolio) and the Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio).

fa326fe3d602ab73599a19088790dadd.png

Enbridge

The fund purchased 3.62 million shares of Enbridge, increasing the position 495.89% and impacting the equity portfolio by 0.78%. Shares averaged $30.68 during the second quarter.

6c7608c20fe9ed8444d5ceb1638b3b57.png

The Calgary, Alberta-based company distributes and transports oil and gas through its pipeline network, which consists of the Canadian Mainline system, regional oil sands pipelines and natural gas pipelines. GuruFocus ranks the company's profitability 6 out of 10 on the heels of profit margins outperforming over 73% of global competitors, partially offset by three-year revenue and earnings growth rates underperforming over 60% of global midstream energy companies.

f08d3db892e942f0a60640131a6301b2.png

Becton Dickinson

The fund added 315,000 shares of Becton Dickinson, increasing the position 64.29% and impacting the equity portfolio by 0.54%. Shares averaged $246.67 during the second quarter.

662f42501f777b133b69d0d4906b8b87.png

The Franklin Lakes, New Jersey-based company manufactures and distributes surgical products like needles, syringes and sharps-disposal units. GuruFocus ranks the company's profitability 8 out of 10 on the heels of a GuruFocus business predictability rank of three stars, a high Piotroski F-score of 7 and operating margins that are outperforming 71.20% of global competitors.

cf8f01b3ee779545fa4eb30c60d74503.png

Loews

The fund purchased 1,461,472 shares of Loews, increasing the holding 39.18% and impacting the equity portfolio by 0.35%. Shares averaged $33.79 during the quarter.

78923ce8b0330147da091475c3db4fb1.png

GuruFocus ranks the New York-based property and casualty insurance company's financial strength 3 out of 10 on the heels of cash-to-debt and debt-to-equity ratios underperforming over 84% of global competitors, suggesting high financial leverage.

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Disclosure: No positions.

Read more here:

4 Farm and Construction Machinery Companies With High Financial Strength

4 Stocks Trading Near Historical Low Price-Book Ratios

Johnson & Johnson Dips on 2nd-Quarter Sales Decline







Not a Premium Member of GuruFocus? Sign up for a free 7-day trial here.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






Armenian parliament speaker Ararat Mirzoyan briefed OSCE PA President George Tsereteli on Ankara's statements.

His remarks came during phone talks on Friday, parliament's press service reported.

The speaker presented details of the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan in the northeastern part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, shelling of civilians, houses, and kindergartens, as well as Azerbaijan's official threat to strike at the Armenian nuclear power plant.

Mirzoyan also drew attention to the Turkish statements, noting that they pose a threat and can destabilize the entire region. He confirmed the readiness of the Armenian authorities to overcome the situation peacefully, adding that Armenia will continue to use all means to ensure the physical safety of Armenian citizens.
<! Ned Nwoko: sues U.S. based blogger Azuka Jebose Molokwu >

By Our Reporter

Prince Ned Nwoko, husband of Nollywood star Regina Daniels, has dragged an online publisher, Azuka Jebose Molokwu, to court for describing him a cultist.

Nwoko, a lawyer and businessman, is claiming N2billion for defamation of character, according to a writ of summons filed at Effurun High Court, Delta State by Ikhide Ehighelua and Co.

It was dated 13 July 13.

Also joined in the suit No. EHC 99 as the second defendant is Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko identified as the employer and sponsor of the first defendant, Jebose.

Jebose hails from Onicha-Ugbo in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State and is resident in the United States of America.

According to the suit, both defendants made highly defamatory publications in several online blogs and other social media platforms calculated to reduce the estimation of the claimant and denigrate his reputation in the public.

It stated that the malicious publications had continued unabated against the plaintiff in spite of warnings by his solicitors to the defendants.

Counsel to Nwoko also stated that the first defendant defiantly came out openly on the social media that the cautions would not be a deterrent to his defamatory publications, prompting the legal action.

Nwoko, in addition to the financial claim, is seeking a public apology to be published by the defendants in at least two national daily newspapers circulating in Nigeria and social media platforms.

He also wants an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from making any further defamatory publications against him. The Guardian

Related
UN calls for end to son preference and gender-biased sex selection

Urgent, accelerated action is needed to stop gender-biased sex selection and other practices that harm women and girls, according to UNFPA State of World Population report 2020 that was released on July 17 in Hanoi by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.









At the launching ceremony (Photo: VNA)



The report, which focuses on the three most prevalent ones: female genital mutilation, child marriage, and extreme bias against daughters in favour of sons, said that millions of girls are subjected to at least 19 practices that harm them physically and emotionally, with the full knowledge and consent of their families, friends and communities every year.



Harmful practices against girls cause profound and lasting trauma, robbing them of their right to reach their full potential, said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem.



This year, an estimated 4.1 million girls will be subjected to female genital mutilation. Today, 33,000 girls under age 18 will be forced into marriages, usually to much older men. Also, an extreme preference for sons over daughters in some countries has fueled gender-biased sex selection or extreme neglect that leads to their death as children, resulting in 140 million missing females.



Some harmful practices are waning in countries where they have been most prevalent. But because of population growth in these countries, the number of girls subjected to them will actually rise in the coming decades, if urgent action is not taken.



Decades of experience and research show that bottom-up, grassroots approaches are better at bringing change, the UNFPA report states. We must tackle the problem by tackling the root causes, especially gender-biased norms. We must do a better job of supporting communities own efforts to understand the toll these practices are taking on girls and the benefits that accrue to the whole of society by stopping them, said Dr. Kanem.



In Vietnam, gender equality has improved over the past decades, but gender-biased sex selection as a harmful practice remains persistent in society. It has been identified as the major cause of an imbalance in the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) in Vietnam. The skewed SRB in Vietnam was first identified in 2004, and since 2005, the imbalance towards more boys has rapidly increased and reached 111.5 boys per 100 girls in 2019 as indicated in the 2019 Census, against the biologically normal SRB of 105. The State of the World Population Report 2020 estimates that for Vietnam alone, 40,800 female births are estimated to be missing every year, as shown in the unbalanced SRB.



Addressing the national launch of the State of World Population 2020 at the Green One UN House in Ha Noi, Mr. Pham Ngoc Tien, Director of the Gender Equality Department, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said: Vietnam has always considered gender equality as both a goal and a driving force for sustainable development. We have built and continued to improve the legal framework to better work in this important and relatively unfamiliar area. However, gender equality remains persistent in the society due to the influence of Confucianism. SRB imbalance is deeply rooted in the social norms and practices which reinforce son preference and the low value of women and girls. Bringing SRB the natural balance is also one of the goals of the National Strategy on Gender Equality for the 2021 - 2030 period that we are developing to submit to the Prime Minister for approval in 2020.



Evidence shows that this demographic imbalance is a result of pre-natal sex selection based on son preference, which is deeply rooted in the traditional culture in many countries in the world including Vietnam. Son preference is a powerful manifestation of gender inequality.





We must put an end to son preference and the undervaluing of girls in our efforts to promote gender equality in the country. Vietnam is making progress, but the progress must be accelerated within the context of the Decade of Action for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said Ms. Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam. In this regard, men have a special role to play. I call on Vietnamese men to raise the value of girls and demand equal treatment and equal rights. In particular, we need men and boys to support this effort.



At the launch, the Government of Vietnam and UNFPA affirmed their strong commitment and called for urgent action to bring an end to this harmful practice. Together lets join hands to stop son preference and gender-biased sex selection now, for our future generations.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ohio

Juvenile complaint: Stanwell Drive

A resident said July 13 that a child was using sidewalk chalk to deface her sidewalk, driveway, and the street. She said she is writing political statements, which included one that read not on stolen land. She believed she was being singled out because she has Donald Trump signs in her yard. The suspect was not in the area when officers arrived. Special attention was given to the area.

Neighbor dispute: Barkston Road

A resident reported July 13 that a neighbor had set up a security camera that appeared to be pointing at his swimming pool. Officers confirmed the neighbor set up the camera only to cover his property and it was not pointing at the pool. The other resident was advised to install a fence if he had further concerns.

General assistance: Brainard Road

Three bullets were turned over to police July 10 after being located in a business parking lot at 850 Brainard Road.

Suspicious person: Brainard Road

Police received reports around 11:45 p.m. July 9 of possible suspects in the area that matched the description of recent vehicle trespass thefts in the city. Lyndhurst and Mayfield Heights police assisted in stopping and identifying the suspects, but none matched the description of the suspect.

Fraud: Ford Road

A resident reported July 8 that an unknown person made fraudulent charges on her credit card. Her bank is determining the nature of charges.

Fraud: Davidson Drive

A woman, 18, reported July 8 that she was in contact with someone on social media and was tricked into allowing a fraudulent check to be deposited into her bank account. She said a third party was given access to her account and withdrew the funds before the check bounced. Her bank is investigating.

Disturbance: Highland Road

A man said July 11 that he received a phone call from his 12-year-old son, who told him his mother and her boyfriend were drunk and fighting. Officers responded to the home and learned the couple had only been arguing. They were subsequently separated, and the man left the home.

Read more news from the Sun Messenger here.
The war of words between the White House and Chicago City Hall continued as Mayor Lori Lightfoot in a Thursday tweet called the White House spokeswoman a Karen and told her to watch her mouth. White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany set off the new round of vitriol with the Chicago Democrat at her news briefing earlier in the day. McEnany called Lightfoot the derelict mayor of Chicago and accused her of not doing enough to resolve the citys gun violence.
Tonie Walsh knows more than most about Ireland and homophobia. For 40 years, he has been at the forefront of gay rights, and his CV demonstrates just what pivotal a role he has played: he was president of the National LGBT Federation at a time when homosexuality was classed as criminal in Ireland, he was among the founders of one of gay Dublin's most important community spaces, the Hirschfeld Centre in Temple Bar, and he co-created Gay Community News, Ireland's largest and longest-running gay publication.

Walsh, who grew up in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, and moved to Dublin after school, has witnessed all kinds of homophobia, not least the dark days of the 1980s when two men, Declan Flynn and Charles Self were, respectively, beaten and stabbed to death for being gay. He remembers the casual anti-gay language, the sneering of conservative politicians, the threat of violence that hung in the air if the wrong person saw you emerge from a gay pub.

More recently, he has seen a new form of homophobia, one stoked by far-right zealots and conspiracy theorists, many of who purport to be devout Christians, and facilitated through social media. He has seen them attack new Children's Minster Roderic O'Gorman - who is gay - on the basis that he was once photographed with Peter Tatchell, the British gay rights campaigner who has made controversial comments about underage sex. (Tatchell claims his views were misrepresented.)

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O'Gorman, who was the victim of what appeared to be an orchestrated Twitter attack, moved to distance himself from any views attributed to Tatchell, but it wasn't enough to quell the rage of his tormentors. Walsh says their actions amount to little more than dog-whistling homophobia.

"They are conflating paedophilia and homosexuality," he says. "We thought in the early 1990s [homosexuality was decriminalised in 1993] that we had laid that odious, age-old slur to bed. It's been a stick to beat gay men with for a long time and the fact that you've people openly spouting that nonsense again is a real cause for concern."

Expand Close Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman / Facebook

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Last Saturday, hundreds of protesters marshalled by far-right groups, the National Party and the Freedom Party gathered outside the gates of Leinster House. Some of those bore placards depicting nooses, while National Party leader Justin Barrett called for the death penalty for so-called paedophile-apologists. Footage shared on social media showed that members of an LGBT-friendly group holding a counter-demonstration were attacked by some in attendance.

John Connors, the actor and campaigner of the Travelling community, also spoke at the event - which its organisers called March for Innocence - but he did not respond to requests for comment by the time of going to press.

In a conversation with Review, Barrett says "homosexuality wasn't mentioned at any point - this was about paedophilia and the protection of children. We were calling for the resignation of Roderic O'Gorman. His sexuality has nothing to do with it."

Barrett says he and his party opposed marriage equality, but says he is "absolutely not" a homophobe. "I am opposed to the LGBT+ whatever-you-call it agenda to push sex education to primary school children," he says. "My initial response was to ignore it because I think there's a risk giving that element a platform and I very much try to avoid that," Roderic O'Gorman told TheJournal.ie this week. "But the volume with which they were able to magnify the lies they put forward was such that it was starting to creep into the discourse.

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"I think a very significant amount of it was motivated by homophobia. Most people involved, which makes it all the more worrying, were careful in how they crafted their abuse. But I think that was the basis of it, that I'm somehow incapable of making decisions regarding children and young people."

For Colm O'Gorman, Amnesty International Ireland's executive director, the abuse directed at the Children's Minster was a chilling reminder that in some pockets of Ireland there is a deep-rooted hatred of gay people.

"As a gay man and a father, I have been frequently attacked, right back to 2007 when it become publicly known that we [Colm O'Gorman and his husband, Paul] were parenting children. I've been told I'm not fit to be a father. I had someone say I was only too happy to get into bed with a priest."

The founder of the abuse survivor's group One in Four, O'Gorman was the victim of clerical sex abuse when he was a child.

Hate speech legislation

"After many years in the public eye, I have got used to that sort of abuse," he says. "I've toughened up to it. But it's very hard for those close to me, especially my family."

He says the sustained attack on Roderic O'Gorman was among the worst he has witnessed. "Those attacks began long before that photograph with Peter Tatchell. And that has to be seen in the context of the kind of attacks that Katherine Zappone would have had when she was appointed Minister for Children - and from exactly the same kinds of people. A website was created before the last general election associating her with witchcraft and other such nonsense."

Paula Fagan, chief executive of LGBT Ireland, says it is vital that fit-for-purpose hate speech legislation is enacted, and for social media networks to deplatform those who post homophobic comments. "A lot of it seems to be orchestrated and it's come from far-right groups," she says. "Interpol published the statistics on extreme right-wing groups and it was the first time that Ireland featured in that report.

"We've seen a trend towards more overt, threatening behaviours," she adds. "It is still isolated, but there is a trend upwards. Looking at our stats, we went from 11 calls about violence up to 40 last year - and that's a big leap."

Fagan says a common thread for many of those who espouse naked homophobia is their hatred of immigration, of Muslims and "minorities in general". She says their aggression can filter down and potentially trigger anti-gay sentiment among some who are impressionable.

One prominent figure in the LGBT community - who is also well-known among the wider population - initially spoke on record to Review about the homophobia he has experienced, including being assaulted in broad daylight in Dublin city centre, but then opted not to have his name used.

"I just don't want to bring them down on me," he says. "Already, I get tweeted stuff like 'paedo', which is so hurtful, and I'd be fearful that by going public on this, I'd be piled-on. I'd even be worried about my life - there's a lot of hate out there.

"After the marriage referendum in 2015 there was this collective feeling of euphoria, but homophobia has never gone away. It just looks a bit different now. Social media has amplified it and the people spouting all that hatred are getting away with it - no matter how many times they are reported, they are still there, on their platforms, shouting abuse."

He believes fringe elements in Ireland have taken their cues from the rising popularity of conservative figures such as Andrzej Duda, who was re-elected president of Poland this week. "My partner is Polish and he is really worried about what's happening there," he says. "The frightening thing is that people like that are getting to power all over the world."

Another gay man who has campaigned against the rise of homophobic far-right elements declines to be involved in this article: "I've decided not to make a comment. What has happened happened and I really don't want to give these people [far-right agitators] any more attention," he says.

Lisa Connell, managing editor of Gay Community News, understands the reluctance for people to put their heads above the parapet, but she believes it is vital that homophobia is confronted. "We can't ignore what's happening," she says. "We have to call it out for what it is."

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She is comforted by the sense that for the vast majority of Irish people, overt homophobia is a cause for revulsion. "I really feel that the sentiment is, 'Oh no, we don't really have Irish people like that, do we?' We recognise that sort of aggression from fringe elements in our neighbours on both sides of the water [the US and UK], but we can forget that that dark underbelly is here, too.

"We can say to ourselves, we're the people who voted for marriage equality and to repeal the Eighth [amendment on abortion], but we sometimes forget that there's this cohort of people, who are amplified on social media, who think very differently and they're not afraid to show just how homophobic they are.

"And I think they've become emboldened by the likes of Duda getting re-elected because it sort of vindicates their standpoint - they're thinking, 'If somebody in Poland is saying 'We think LGBT people are intrinsically disordered, something is wrong with them, we don't want them near our children' then that really does embolden anyone who might think like that here. And Duda isn't even hiding it. It's 'You're paedophiles - we don't trust you near children'."

Moninne Griffith, chief executive of BelongTo, the LGBT youth organisation, says homophobia is still felt keenly by today's teenagers. "There's a huge variation in the sort of prejudice they're encountering," she says, "from people who don't realise the language they are using them is hurting them - banter among friends - to actual physical attacks and damage to their property. Young LGBT people are experiencing slurs, exclusion, isolation..."

Dublin attack

She says a survey of young LGBT people found that 90pc reported mental health issues during lockdown. "Some of them find themselves in really difficult situations, where they might be in a family environment and their sexuality is not supported. You've even people who get cast out of their homes. In our survey, over 50pc of them didn't feel that they were accepted."

She fears that a climate of normalised homophobia will seep down to children and teenagers and intensify the problem. "So much progress has been made over the years and it would be awful to see it regress," she says.

There are sobering reports that even children of primary school age are displaying homophobic attitudes. In February, the Dublin writer Gavin McCrea was attacked in a south Dublin park by a group of six boys. He had been jeered with homophobic insults and had stones thrown at him before being assaulted. He sustained a broken nose and cheekbone.

"I am a private person and going public in this way makes me uncomfortable," he said at the time, "but I felt it was the right thing to do. I think it's important. I was bullied severely from the ages of 10 to 20, after which I left Ireland vowing never to return, and now I have and I am made to revisit those old experiences. It has been quite intense. I say 'revisit' because the kids who beat me up were 12 to 14 years old, the same age as the kids in my youth. It gave me a bizarre feeling of deja vu."

Tonie Walsh, meanwhile, believes it is worthwhile to try to engage with homophobes, to open a line of conversation. "We can't pretend it's not happening," he says. "We have to try to understand them.

"They seem to be broken people who are lashing out at everything and everyone. They must feel very marginalised, like nobody is listening to them. I don't know what it's like to carry that much hate around with you, but it must be draining.

"It comes down to us refining our notions of empathy and tolerance and education and rather than ignoring it or being adversarial towards it, we should apply whatever mechanisms we have in society - either legal or social mechanisms - to engage with these broken, hurt people.

"I know full well," he adds, "that that's an enormous task and it won't achieve results overnight. But we have to start somewhere."
Next CDS of India: Rajnath Singh to receive list of probables soon

India tells France, have the political will, ability to counter misadventure by China

Want to manufacture BrahMos so that no country has audacity to cast evil eye on us: Rajnath Singh

IAF chopper crash: Rajnath Singh likely to be apprised of probe team's findings in next couple of days

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, CDS, Army Chief review security in Leh amid border row with China

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pti-Madhuri Adnal

Leh, July 17: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Leh on Friday on a day-long visit to carry out a comprehensive review of the security scenario in the region in wake of the border row with China.

Rajnath Singh in Ladakh: Military strength display amid India-China tensions | Oneindia News

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Army chief Gen M M Naravane are accompanying Singh on the visit. The defence minister visited Stakna forward areas after landing in Ladakh where the troops showed him paradropping skills of the armed forces.

His trip comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Ladakh on July 3 during which he also addressed troops and signalled the country's firmness in dealing with the India-China border row. Singh was originally scheduled to visit Ladakh on July 3 but the trip was deferred.

Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh witnessing para dropping and scoping weapons at Stankna near Leh. pic.twitter.com/2vwvjotI7q    / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 17, 2020

Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for over eight weeks since May 5.

Rajnath Singh meets jawans of 16 Bihar Regiment that gave Chinese a bloody nose

The tension escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. However, following a series of diplomatic and military talks, the two sides began a mutual disengagement process on July 6 and withdrew troops from most of the friction points.
The Rapper arrest warrant is dealt with according to a report in the "Hessenschau" due to a gunshot wound in the hospital of Darmstadt. The 34-year-old native of Offenbach, the citizen is contractually Aykut Annex, is supposed to have according to the report, after a stay in the Frankfurt station district, apparently under the influence of drugs or alcohol standing in the lower leg shot. The injury was serious, but not life-threatening. Which is why the rappers have gone in Darmstadt, Germany, to the hospital, was unclear. In the hospital he was being treated remains stationary.

The Prosecutor's office in Darmstadt and the police headquarters South Hessen published on Friday morning, a joint communication stating that on Thursday afternoon against 16 o'clock a man with a gunshot wound in the leg, was in a Darmstadt hospital representations. The 34-year-old man had shown to the agreed police officers, very uncooperative.

The investigations, how and where it came to the injury, continued currently, informed the authorities. In the evening hours under the notification address specified in the home of the man and a Bar in the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg searches have been had. In this case, no evidence had been found means that would have contributed to the clarification of the facts.

Updated Date: 17 July 2020, 04:19
Hong Kong, July 17 : Hong Kong flag carrier, Cathay Pacific on Friday said that it expected to make a loss of HK$9.9 billion ($1.28 billion) in the first six months of 2020, the largest in the airline's history.

In a profit warning, Cathay said the loss had been caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, reports the South China Morning Post (SCMP) newspaper.

Cathay reported the biggest loss in the company's reporting of a six-month or full-year period from a HK$1.3 billion net profit in the same time last year.

Its previous biggest loss was in 2008 at the height of the global financial crisis, when it lost HK$8.6 billion.

The company said 16 Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon planes would not re-enter service before the summer of 2021, causing an estimated HK$2.4 billion loss.

It is the first time the airline has given an estimate of how many fewer aircraft it would require to operate its optimal schedule post-pandemic, giving a better indication of company size and how many staff it would ultimately need.

The airline has been losing up to HK$3 billion a month since February as the pandemic crippled the aviation industry worldwide.

In June, Cathay continued to carry less than 1 per cent of its normal passenger volume, handling 900 customers a day on average, a far cry from the 100,000 on average, the SCMP reported.

It operated less than 4 per cent of its normal schedule.

The airline is expected to unveil its half-year 2020 results on August 12.
Syracuse, N.Y.  One man was seriously wounded in a gunfight with a sheriffs detective on Syracuses North Side Thursday night, the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office said.

The mans injuries are life-threatening, deputies said. The detective was not injured.

The detective was working a surveillance detail near North Salina Street and LeMonyne Avenue when he saw suspicious activity involving an SUV shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, said sheriffs office spokesman Sgt. Jon Seeber. The detective ordered backup and followed the SUV.

As the SUV turned onto Commonwealth Avenue from Carbon Street, the people inside got out and began firing multiple shots at the detectives vehicle, Seeber said in a release. The detective returned fire before the suspects drove away, Seeber said.

Other police were dispatched for a shots fired call at 11:07 p.m., according to the Onondaga County 911 center.

Syracuse police found the SUV on Lodi Street at LeMoyne Avenue with one man inside, unconscious from a gunshot wound.

As of Friday morning, the man remained in critical condition at Upstate, Seeber said.

Neighbors at Commonwealth and Carbon heard about 15 gunshots in two bursts, they said.

More than a dozen sheriffs office vehicles could be seen securing the scene. They closed Carbon Street between Wolf Street and Commonwealth Avenue for several hours.
Amid conflicting reports over the filling of the reservoir of Ethiopias mega dam on the Nile River, tensions continue to escalate between Cairo and Addis Ababa.

Minister of Irrigation Seleshi Bekele announced July 15 that Ethiopia had started filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) without reaching an agreement with Egypt and Sudan on the controversial project addressing concerns of its impact on the two countries' water supply.

In statements reported by Ethiopian state television, Bekele said that the initial storage process, estimated to fill reach 4.9 billion cubic meters, had begun. The reported start of the filling of the GERD came after the July 13 conclusion of 10 days of tripartite negotiations on the dam under the auspices of the African Union and in the presence of international observers.

However, hours later Bekeles office denied the news, with state television apologizing for misinterpreting the ministers statements. The conflicting reports came after images circulated online showing rising water levels in the reservoir. The Ethiopian side later attributed the increase to recent rains.

Egypt blamed Ethiopia for the failed talks. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said in televised comments July 13 that the Ethiopians had not shown any desire to reach an agreement on the dam.

During the talks, two meetings were held in parallel for technical and legal teams from the three countries to find common ground on the dam.

The ministry said that during the technical meetings, Egypt put forward some alternatives for dealing with water scarcity during both the filling and the operation of the dam. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian side suggested postponing decisions on the points of contention during the last round of talks, to be referred to a technical committee to be later formed to monitor the implementation of the agreement.

Egypt squarely rejected the idea, arguing that it is not possible to delay addressing technical issues of great concern to Egypt for the committee to review until after the signing of the agreement.

The Ethiopian Ministry of Irrigation expressed its position on the meetings' failure with a complaint: The unchanging and additional demands from Egypt and Sudan prevented reaching an agreement.

On July 14, Sudan submitted its final report on the tripartite talks to the AU, including Sudans assessment of the meetings and propositions to solve the issues and outlining the progress made.

The main points of dispute revolve around the operation and filling of the dam during periods of drought. Ethiopia proposed filling the reservoir of 74 billion cubic meters during a period of four to seven years, while Egypt demanded the reservoir be filled over a period of 10 years with a legal agreement ensuring that the other dams won't be affected and manages the water flow during times of drought.

Alaa Zawahiri, a professor of engineering at Cairo University and a member of Egypt's technical committee for the GERD negotiations, said that in the last round of talks, Ethiopia backtracked on accepting the rules for filling and operating the dam. Zawahiri told Al-Monitor over the phone that there has been some rapprochement between Cairo and Khartoum, explaining that Sudan and Ethiopia made compromises on some technical points though they were rejected by the Egyptian negotiators.

Khartoum has concerns about the dams safety and impact on the Sudanese water supply.

Zawahiri said, The Egyptian negotiating team explained all the technical and legal aspects and Egypts consistent demands to international observers. It also conveyed Egypts concerns in full. The Egyptian negotiators have several principles that cannot be waived. The talks discussed the quantities of water discharge from the dam during the periods of drought and flood. They did not touch on Egypts water share.

Zawahiri added that Addis Ababa had been wasting negotiation opportunities by focusing on the points of dispute and Egypts domination of the Nile waters.

Hani Raslan, an analyst at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, finds the last round of negotiations not promising at all.

He told Al-Monitor that Egypt would turn again to the UN Security Council as Ethiopia is rejecting all of Egypt's offered concessions. Raslan explained that talks at the level of experts, observers and water ministers have failed and now the time has come for the state leaders to step in.
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 widow of the late founder of suicide prevention charity Console has been sent for trial accused of fraud and concealing crime proceeds.

Patricia Kelly (58), wife of the charity's former chief executive Paul Kelly, is facing a "lengthy and complex" trial on allegations of financial crime, a court heard.

Mr Kelly took his own life on February 9, the night before he was to be charged over irregularities at Console.

Ms Kelly, a former director of the charity, had a book of evidence served on her at Dublin District Court today.

Judge Bryan Smyth sent her forward for trial to the next sittings of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The accused, of Alexandra Manor, Clane, Co Kildare faces two counts of fraudulent trading by Console Suicide Bereavement, between December 2006 and July 2016. These offences were contrary to the 1963 and 2014 Companies Acts.

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The third charge was for money laundering, in which it was alleged that from September 2010 until July 2016 she concealed or disguised the true nature, location, movement or ownership of properties of Console, which were proceeds of criminal conduct.

Her prosecution followed an investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) in conjunction with the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE).

The probe began after the 2016 RTE Investigates documentary programme  Broken Trust  about the charity, which has gone into liquidation.

State solicitor Alva O'Herlihy told Judge Smyth the DPP was consenting to the accused being sent for trial to the next sittings of the circuit court.

A book of evidence was ready and had been served on Ms Kelly, she said.

Applying for free legal aid, Ms Kelly's solicitor said his client was in receipt of a widow's allowance and her assets had been frozen by High Court order.

He asked the judge to certify for both junior and senior counsel in the circuit court, saying it was "a complex matter, involving allegations of financial crime" and it would be a "lengthy and complex trial."

Judge Smyth granted legal aid to cover two counsel with no objection by the prosecution.

He gave Ms Kelly the formal notice that she had 14 days to provide any alibi details to the prosecution. She indicated that she understood the notice and acknowledged her signature on the new bail bond.

The judge also ordered the prosecution to furnish the defence with copies of the accused's garda interview video.

On a previous date, evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given by GNECB Detective Glenn MacKessy, who said Ms Kelly, made no reply.

The DPP directed trial on indictment.

There was no objection to bail in her own bond of 200 subject to several conditions being imposed.

Under conditions set at the time, she was to reside at her home address, remain within the jurisdiction and not apply for a passport, be contactable by mobile phone and sign on weekly at a garda station.

She was also to have no contact with witnesses or any of the charitys employees or directors, except her son Tim Kelly.

At the earlier hearing, Ms Kelly's solicitor said she would be contesting the charges.
The missing Chinese underground Bishop was found dead after 17 years missing. Bishop James Su Zhimin was reported last seen 17 years ago by a Catholic in a hospital located in Baoding, Hebei province. Many assured and confirmed his death since 2003 due to not being able to contact or reach him in any way possible.

In 1996, the authorities in China detained the Bishop An and placed him under house arrest for ten years then released him in 2006 according to the report. He then agreed to start working for the CCPA.

However, the underground church no longer recognized him as the bishop as they refuse to tow the Chinese line. Demanding for his release, he also told UCA News that the Vatican's cooperation with Bejing is a betrayal of Catholics like Bishop Su, who have been standing up to the CCP.

Most Catholics considered Bishop An a traitor for following CCPA and living on his own comfort instead of maintaining his faith.

"The Vatican's cooperation with Bejing is a betrayal of Catholics like Bishop Su who has been standing up to the communists." "

"The Vatican cannot forget the bishops in prison, but the CCPA teases them."

Born in 1932, Bishop Su was arrested eight times, imprisoned, put under house arrest, or put through labor camps for more than 30 years. He was ordained a priest in 1981 and appointed bishop of Baoding in 1992.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 03:08:44|Editor: huaxia

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TIRANA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission has adopted a 100-million-euro (114-million-U.S. dollar) package to support Albania's reconstruction efforts following last year's devastating earthquake, the European Union (EU) Delegation office to Albania said in a press statement on Friday.

The funding is part of the Commission's pledge of 115 million euros made at the International Donors' Conference "Together for Albania" in Brussels on Feb. 17, the statement said.

"With the adoption of this 100 million euros' financial package, the EU is living up to its commitment to help Albania in the reconstruction efforts following the earthquake, just as we are also supporting the country to address the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis," the statement quoted EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi as saying.

The newly adopted program, according to the press statement, will focus on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of education facilities to allow children and the youth to return to school with better conditions and facilities.

Moreover, the adopted program will further finance the rehabilitation of damaged cultural heritage sites, including monuments, museums, libraries and archaeological sites, contributing also to local economic development.

A devastating 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit the country on Nov. 26 last year, leaving 51 dead and damaging thousands of houses and apartments. (1 euro = 1.14 U.S. dollars) Enditem
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ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jul, 2020 ) :Uzbekistan has donated 25 metric tons Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and medicines to Pakistan, said spokesman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

According to spokesman, Uzbek ambassador in Pakistan handed over the PPEs, included surgical masks, gloves, sanitisers, shoe covers, pyrometers, respirators and various medicines to NDMA representative.

The PPEs have been donated by President of Uzbekistan.
The suspended EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu has been making clarification, denials, and artful jabs since he was freed from the police cage Wednesday after 10 days in detention.

While he was locked away and dragged daily to the presidential panel probing corruption allegations against him, Magu was unable to defend himself as he was just being investigated blind.

His lawyers made vain efforts to get the Justice Ayo Salami panel to present Magu a copy of the allegations which Aso Rock sources describe as weighty.

The petitioner, AGF/Justice Minister Malami, would not deem that appropriate eitherto provide a copy of the allegations so the suspect would know the grounds for the probe.

But in the course of his detention, Magu found himself mired in a bog of claims in the media, especially the News Agency of Nigeria which kept quoting sources within the investigative panel.

According to the media reports, Magu gave V.P Yemi Osinbajo N4bn, and Lagos lawyer Femi Falana, N28m, and a church general overseer bought a property in Dubai on his behalf, among other misappropriations.

NAN categorically stated Magus connection not only with the lawyer, but with a bureau de change operator in Kaduna who helped the anti-graft fighter launder money.

But since Magu found his voice, he has consistently described the AGF allegations as nonsense and falsehoodsboth in the media and in a letter his lawyers wrote on his behalf to the panel.

Our client strongly denies this falsehood against the respected Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our client has never given the sum of N4 billion or any sum at all to Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON, Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria as wrongly reported, the letter stated in part.

This allegation is complete falsehood designed to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the Vice President.

He also spoke on the claim involving Falana.

Our client never gave N28 million or any amount to Mr. Femi Falana SAN as maliciously reported. Our client also denies any link with a Kaduna-based Bureau De Change Operator as alleged.

Malami, who has been the hand in the glove in all this, and has periodically been updating the media on the presidential order to suspend Magu and the commissions directors, has yet to sort out his own allegations amidst the barrage swirling around Magu.
TRAVERSE CITY, MI -- A Kalkaska man accused of pulling a knife on an employee at a Meijer in Acme Township after they asked him to wear a mask inside has been formally charged, according to Up North Live. Ken Inman, 39 was arraigned in court Thursday on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison.

Inman is accused of of pulling the weapon on staff during an altercation Sunday at the grocery store. After staff repeatedly informed him that he must wear a mask inside, he allegedly threatened an employee with the knife. That employee then backed away and called police.

Police were able to catch up with Inman after asking the for the publics help in identifying him. He was arrested at his home without incident according to the Grand Traverse Sheriffs Office. Inman is due back in court on Aug. 6. Inman has also been barred from returning to the Meijer store.

The incident took place a day before Gov. Gretchen Whitmers latest executive order went into effect which requires people to wear a mask indoors in public spaces. Businesses that refuse to enforce the order are subject to having their licenses revoked and fines. Individuals that refuse to comply with wearing a mask indoors or wont wear a mask outdoors when unable to maintain six feet of social distancing from others are subject to fines.

There are however several exceptions to the order.

On Tuesday, a 43-year-old Grand Ledge man was shot and killed by an Eaton County Sheriffs deputy after he charged at her with a knife. The man was stopped by the officer after he allegedly stabbed a 77-year-old man inside of a convenience store following an altercation over not wearing a mask.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

READ MORE

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus
In the first analysis of its kind, US-based doctors have shown that women who take menopausal hormone therapy (MHT, also known as HRT) have a greater variety of beneficial bacteria in their urine, possibly creating conditions that discourage urinary infections. The study also shows that women who suffer from recurrent urine infections have fewer different types of bacteria in urine than women who don't have infections, making them more prone to infections. This work is presented at the European Association of Urology Virtual Congress.

Around 50% to 60% of women will suffers from a painful Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) during their lifetime, with women being around x8 more likely than men to suffer a UTI. Urine is not sterile, and normal urine contains a variety of bacteria, fungi and viruses. Increasingly doctors are finding that the people's bodies act as host to a variety of harmless resident bacteria, which may help in processes such as digestion.

Now the first controlled, systematic analysis of the diversity of bacteria in the urine of postmenopausal women has begun to unpick how the presence of different bacteria is related to recurrent urinary infections and susceptibility.

A group led by Dr Nicole J. De Nisco, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Dallas, collected and analysed bacterial DNA from the urine of 75 postmenopausal women who were attending the Urology Clinic at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. They were able to divide the women into 3 groups: 25 women who had never had a UTI, 25 women who had recurrent infections in the past (i.e. 3 or more infections per year) but no current infection, and 25 women who had recurrent infections in the past and were currently infected. Recurrent UTI is a growing clinical concern which disproportionately affects postmenopausal women.

According to Dr De Nisco

"The DNA analysis showed two things. Firstly, woman who have recurrent infections have fewer types of bacteria in their urine than women who do not have infections; women who don't have recurrent UTIs have around x10 greater variety of bacteria. Secondly, 34 of the women were taking Menopausal Hormone Therapy, and they tended to have more Lactobacillus-type bacteria in their urine, which may imply that the oestrogen in MHT supports the growth of Lactobacillus in the urogenital tract. We also found that women who were taking MHT via patches or orally had more Lactobacillus than women taking MHT via vaginal cream.

This is important because Lactobacilli are known to play a protective role against infections in the vagina and this function may be conserved in the urogenital tract. If Lactobacillus really can help with UTIs, development of a probiotic to use in conjunction with MHT may avoid antibiotic use in these women, but this needs to be tested. This finding also fits with the observation that postmenopausal women, who have less natural oestrogen, tend to have more infections.

As far as we know, this is the first focused analysis of the bacteria in the urogenital tract of postmenopausal women, and the results indicate that oestrogen use is associated with high levels of Lactobacilli in the urine, which could possibly offer some protection against infection. However, this is a small study and needs to be repeated with a larger group of women.

We now need to look more closely at whether managing the bacterial content of the urogenital system might affect susceptibility to infection. Additional studies need to be performed to determine a causal link between oestrogen therapy, Lactobacillus colonization and prevention of UTI. Possible future applications may include administering probiotic vaginal pessaries to women at risk of infection and perhaps prescribing oestrogen therapy. However it's too early to bring these into clinical practice. We know that oestrogen therapy is not recommended for all women going through menopause, and the optimal formulations of probiotic pessaries need to be developed and their use in women with UTI would need to be tested. This is the next step in our research".

Commenting, Professor Florian Wagenlehner (Giessen, Germany), Chair of the EAU specialist group on Infections in Urology, said:

"This study, which evaluates urine microbiome in postmenopausal women, shows that patients with fewer urinary infections tend to have a greater species diversity in their urine. We see more and more evidence that diversity in the microbiome prevents infections. The growth of lactobacillus species is dependent on oestrogen, so oestrogen supplementation may be a helpful therapy in postmenopausal patients".

Professor Wagenlehner was not involved in this work, this is an independent comment.

The 35th European Association of Urology conference takes place online from 17-19 July, 2020. This replaces the physical conference which was scheduled to take place in Amsterdam. The EAU conference is the largest and most important urology congress in Europe, with up to 14,000 attendees. Conference website https://eaucongress.uroweb.org/

Type of study: not peer-reviewed/observational study/people

###
Disturbing new revelations that permanent immunity to the coronavirus may not be possible have jeopardized vaccine development and reinforced a decision by scientists at UCSF and affiliated laboratories to focus exclusively on treatments.

Several recent studies conducted around the world indicate that the human body does not retain the antibodies that build up during infections, meaning there may be no lasting immunity to COVID-19 after people recover.

Strong antibodies are also crucial in the development of vaccines. So molecular biologists fear the only way left to control the disease may be to treat the symptoms after people are infected to prevent the most debilitating effects, including inflammation, blood clots and death.

I just dont see a vaccine coming anytime soon, said Nevan Krogan, a molecular biologist and director of UCSFs Quantitative Biosciences Institute, which works in partnership with 100 research laboratories. People do have antibodies, but the antibodies are waning quickly. And if antibodies diminish, then there is a good chance the immunity from a vaccine would wane too.

The latest bad news came from scientists at Kings College of London, whose study of 90 COVID-19 patients in the United Kingdom found antibody levels peaked three weeks after the onset of symptoms and then dramatically declined.

SCHOOL GUIDANCE: TEA releases new guidance for Texas schools on online-only classes, start of year

Potent antibodies were found in 60% of the patients, according to the study, but only 17% retained the same potency three months later. In some cases, the antibodies disappeared completely, said the study which was published as a preprint Saturday, meaning it has not yet been peer-reviewed.

The report is the latest in a growing chain of evidence that immunity to COVID-19 is short-lived.

A Chinese study published June 18 in the journal Nature Medicine also showed coronavirus antibodies taking a nosedive. The study of 74 patients, conducted by Chongqing Medical University, a branch of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, showed that more than 90% exhibited sharp declines in the number of antibodies within two to three months after infection.

There is still hope that the remaining antibodies will bestow some immunity, but infectious disease specialists around the world were surprised and discouraged by the rapid reduction observed in the studies. If the numbers continue dropping after three months, it could mean people will be susceptible to infection by the coronavirus year after year.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

So far, though, there have been only scattered reports of reinfection and no comprehensive studies have verified that it can happen. Experts say the disease hasnt been around long enough to determine the likelihood of contracting the disease more than once. But other kinds of coronaviruses, like those that cause the common cold, offer clues.

Studies of four seasonal coronaviruses that cause colds show that although people develop antibodies, the immune response declines over time and people become susceptible again. Scientists suspect that the severity of cold symptoms is reduced by previous infections.

READ ALSO: Texas economy continued recovery in June; jobless rate falls to 8.6%

Waning antibodies affect vaccine development, said Shannon Bennett, the chief of science at San Franciscos California Academy of Sciences. Where natural immunity doesnt really develop or last, then vaccine programs are not likely to be easily successful or achievable.

Nobody knows yet whether infections by other coronaviruses will help peoples bodies resist COVID-19.

Our understanding of protective immunity engendered by this virus and how it interacts with past immunity to other coronaviruses is still evolving,Bennettsaid. People should not presume they have immunity.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

The recent findings are particularly disappointing because of the promising discovery this spring of neutralizing antibodies, the kind that attack the virus crown-like spikes and prevent them from hijacking human cells.

Epidemiologists found these neutralizing antibodies in less than 5% of COVID-19 patients and were hoping to isolate and use them to inoculate others, a precursor to a full vaccine. Unfortunately, the recent studies show that the super-strength antibodies also fade away.

The Chinese study found an 11.7% decline in neutralizing antibodies in symptomatic coronavirus patients and an 8.3% drop in asymptomatic individuals over the three months.

Those are the ones you want, but they just arent sticking around, said Krogan, who is also an investigator with the Gladstone Institutes, a biomedical research lab in San Francisco. They just arent staying long enough in our bodies to prevent reinfection. If this is only lasting six weeks or three weeks, thats not good.

Even if a vaccine were produced, infectious disease specialists say it could take years before the entire population was inoculated. If the vaccine wore off over time, periodic boosters would be needed, as with influenza shots.

All of which emphasizes the need for effective treatments.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

Krogans Quantitative Biosciences Institute, created four years ago, has been scouring the genome of SARS-CoV-2  the specific coronavirus that causes COVID-19  and testing in petri dishes how viral proteins interact with human cells.

The idea, said Danielle Swaney, a researcher for the QBI Coronavirus Research Group, comprised of at least 40 laboratories affiliated with UCSF, is to find ways to fight the disease once it is in the body.

Our whole approach is to find what is the virus hijacking and what drugs can be developed to reverse that hijacking, said Swaney, an assistant professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology at UCSF. Basically, we try to take away what the virus relies on for survival so it cant rely on it anymore.

One possible target for intervention is a receptor embedded in the membrane of human cells called SigmaR1, which Swaney said the coronavirus interacts with. The SigmaR1 gene plays an important role in the functioning of tissues associated with the endocrine, immune and nervous systems.

What we found is that if we use drugs that reduce the level of SigmaR1 in human cells, the virus cannot replicate in those human cells, Swaney said, adding that many other potentially influential receptors are being studied.

THE LATEST NUMBERS: Texas reports record 154 COVID-19 deaths, third straight day of 100-plus

One drug that targets SigmaR1 is hydroxychloroquine, which Swaney said is problematic because it can cause heart problems. In June, the Food and Drug Administration withdrew emergency use authorizations for hydroxychloroquine, which had been touted by President Trump despite the concerns.

The trick, Krogan said, will be to find several drugs that work against the virus and create a kind of cocktail, like the combination of treatments HIV-AIDS patients use to control infection. Researchers are currently testing drugs in hamsters and mice, and will soon be doing trials in monkeys, Krogan said. He said he hopes to develop such a cocktail by the end of the year.

It will be difficult, he admitted, because people infected with COVID-19 display so many different symptoms, some lingering long after the virus has gone.

People have reported vision problems, confusion and memory issues. Cases of chronic fatigue, heart problems, lung damage, blood clotting and neurological symptoms like dizziness and confusion have been documented in numerous patients long after the initial symptoms of COVID-19 have gone away.

Epidemiologists believe the most severe cases are the result of an overactive human immune system response. Thats what they think causes an inflammatory reaction similar to Kawasaki disease that has recently been affecting children exposed to the coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Doctors at UCSFs Benioff Childrens Hospital have recently seen dozens of children with reddish-purple lesions on the feet and hands known as acral perniosis. The rashes all appeared weeks or months after exposure to adults with flu-like symptoms, leading researchers to believe it is an after-the-fact inflammatory reaction to COVID-19.

Ive never seen a virus get its fingers in so many biological processes all at once, Krogan said. Its a very fascinating, horrifying, complicated virus.

The situation is not hopeless, Bennett said, because the human immune system uses both B cells, which produce antibodies, and T cells, which drive the immune response, to fight off viruses. It may be that a T cell response does not require as many antibodies to be effective, she said.

And some vaccines have shown promise, including one being produced by Massachusetts biotechnology company Moderna Inc. The Moderna vaccine provoked production of neutralizing antibodies in all 45 healthy volunteers tested during a preliminary study released Tuesday. The study did not include a comprehensive measurement of longevity, but researchers observed antibody activity for 43 days after a second injection.

Whatever happens, epidemiologists hope the recent reports about antibody viability put to rest the concept embraced by many young people of herd immunity, where the disease cant find any more victims because so many people have survived infections and must be immune.

This attitude that if I go out there and just get exposed  get it over with  then Ill be immune is a dangerous presumption, Bennett said. Now more than ever.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
Taiwan military drilling with live fire for first time in 13 years

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 9:06 AM

Taiwan is conducting annual military maneuvers in which it is also drilling with live fire for the first time in 13 years, amid tensions with mainland China.

Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen was expected on Thursday to observe the 36th edition of the five-day annual Han Kuang war games, which will end on Friday and which are based on the scenario of an invasion by the Chinese military.

Taiwanese military sources told Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) that a day earlier, a heavyweight Surface and Underwater Target (SUT) torpedo fired from a Chien Lung-lass diesel-electric submarine had "successfully" hit its target, a decommissioned Knox-class frigate.

The last time a submarine from the naval forces of the self-ruled island fired a live torpedo during the annual war games was in May 2007, the sources said.

The major military exercises, involving all branches of the military and reserve forces, are said to be aimed at testing Taiwan's combat readiness in the event of a potential attack by China.

The CNA, citing the military, said that during the exercises on Wednesday, two Chinese reconnaissance vessels had been seen off the east coast of Taiwan. A Taiwanese warship was dispatched "to monitor and deter" the two vessels, which "eventually sailed away," it added.

Taiwan's air force also scrambled its warplanes late Tuesday to intercept a simulated attack by Chinese fighter jets.

On Thursday, Taiwanese troopers, backed by fighter jets and warships, also fought off simulated coastal assaults from China, trying to repel a mock enemy attempt to land on a beach in the central city of Taichung.

The war games reportedly involve some 8,000 service members.

The second stage of the annual drills, which comprise computerized exercises as well, is scheduled to be held on September 14 to 18.

China has sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan, and under a policy known as "One China," almost all world countries recognize that sovereignty.

The United States, too, recognizes Chinese sovereignty over the island but has long courted Taipei in an attempt to counter Beijing. It often sails warships through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, angering China.

Washington has no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei by law, but remains the island's largest weapons supplier. Taiwan reportedly purchased 46 MK-48 Mod 6ATs heavyweight torpedoes from the US three years ago and this year gained approval from Washington to purchase another 18.

Meanwhile, tensions are rising between China and the US over territorial claims by regional countries in the South China Sea.

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WASHINGTON  Millions of Americans' unemployment payments will abruptly shrink if Congress doesn't find a solution in the next week to extend emergency benefits created in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Democrats have one proposal and Republicans promise another, but with no sign of negotiations, chances are slim that Congress will pass a bill before the added $600-a-week unemployment payments expire.

More than 32 million Americans claimed some form of jobless benefits at the end of June, the Labor Department said Thursday. The unemployment rate was 11.1 percent last month. And the pandemic shows no sign of waning, with new hot spots emerging across the country and governors shuttering businesses.

For Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the task of finding a deal may be daunting.

McConnell faces a difficult balancing act: He must appease conservatives wary of new spending, but he also must address the needs of politically vulnerable Republicans facing difficult re-election prospects who are eager to return home in August with accomplishments.

And he needs 60 votes to advance the bill, which means at least seven Democrats must agree.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Any deal will have to weigh at least four elements: unemployment benefits, possible cash payments to families, funding for schools and assistance to state and local governments.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is pushing a $3.4 trillion package that would provide payments to families, continue boosted unemployment benefits and help states whose tax revenues have fallen.

McConnell said he'll unveil his own bill next week, which Republicans expect to cost more than $1 trillion. His office is talking with the Trump administration and some Senate Republicans, according to officials familiar with the discussions who requested anonymity to describe internal conversations.

McConnell hasn't provided the details of his proposal, but he has said he will focus on funding to get children back to school, lower the unemployment rate and help companies that are beginning to reopen by providing liability protections.

Story continues

Unemployment payments

For many anxious Americans, a priority is the boosted unemployment payments.

States provide unemployment benefits, but when the economy shuttered in March to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Congress provided federal funding for an extra $600 a week, hoping to avoid a collapse of the economy and ease financial pressure on workers to look for jobs in a pandemic.

But now, the drumbeat of opposition is growing in the White House.

"We can't allow those benefits to be extended, or we're not going to have a jobs recovery in the fall," said Stephen Moore, a conservative economist who has advised the White House.

Image: Unemployment line (Bryan Woolston / Reuters file)

Conservatives like Moore are calling on Congress to eliminate the federal bonus entirely and let states determine unemployment payments. But he said there are discussions about that, because some Republicans want to replace it with a smaller benefit, while others want to peg it to a percentage of workers' pre-pandemic earnings.

"I guarantee you it's not going to be $600," Moore said. "That number is negotiable."

McConnell backed the $600-a-week jobless bonus in March, but in an appearance Tuesday in Kentucky, he called the payments "a mistake." He also appeared to leave room for negotiation, saying he could support federal benefits that didn't top workers' previous salaries.

The details are still being negotiated, two GOP aides said.

"We expect the Senate will act on this issue when it returns," Michael Zona, a spokesman for Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said in an email.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the powerful business lobbying group that is influential among Senate Republicans, said in a letter Thursday that "completely withdrawing the $600 risks significant individual hardship as well as a drop in consumption that holds back economic recovery."

But the chamber said it does want the payments to change. It called for payments to cover 80 percent to 90 percent of people's previous wages, capped at $400 a week. The payments would be lowered when a state's unemployment rate is under 15 percent and eliminated when it falls below 7 percent.

Senate Democrats' proposal would extend the $600, which would be reduced by $100 a week until a state's unemployment rate falls below 6 percent.

Pelosi is making the public case to preserve the bonus as new coronavirus cases break daily records and force numerous states to pause or reverse their reopening plans.

"They make a big fuss over $600 when they were willing to give $2 trillion in tax breaks at a cost of $2 trillion to the national debt  to give tax breaks to their friends," she said Wednesday on MSNBC's "All In With Chris Hayes." "People need the $600."

'It will be costly'

Pelosi indicated that there is room for negotiation on unemployment insurance. She told reporters Wednesday that she will look at the benefit and another round of direct payments in totality to determine where she could compromise with Senate Republicans.

"We'll see what the entire package looks like," she said. The Democratic bill would provide families of four with up to $4,800. The CARES Act provided up to $3,400 for families of four.

McConnell indicated that he's open to another round of direct payments, but, unlike Pelosi, he wants it to be more targeted, potentially to those making less than $40,000 a year. In the CARES Act, people making up to $99,000 a year received the payment.

Image: Nancy Pelosi (Carolyn Kaster / AP)

Most lawmakers agree that to reopen, schools will need more money to accommodate personal protective equipment, staggered schedules, extra sanitation and more.

"There's going to be a heavy emphasis in the bill I'm going to unfold next week on education. I know it will be costly," McConnell said. "We need to find a way to safely get back to work, and we feel, I feel, like the federal government will have to play a financial role in helping to make that possible."

Senate Republicans are discussing whether to make school aid contingent on whether schools offer in-person classes, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said Thursday. President Donald Trump has pushed to cut off funding for schools that don't reopen. He can't do that by himself, but Congress can offer schools incentives to reopen with more money.

Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics

Another unsettled point is whether the federal government should provide pandemic relief to state and local governments,

House Democrats are proposing $1 trillion in government aid, but Republicans have resisted the funding, with some pushing for a small price tag.

Senate Democrats are already showing signs of chafing, saying Republicans aren't actively negotiating with them even though Democratic votes will be needed.

"We've heard nothing from the Republicans on unemployment insurance or state and local aid. They're just pursuing their own bill," a senior Senate Democratic aide said.

"The stakes are just too high for them to say it's our way or we're going home," the aide said.
... with all that $$ they couldnt have gotten a better photographer for her?

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These actually are not good.

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both girls really have the "dead behind the eyes" look perfected

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She favors Charlie, in the face.

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She has Denises eyes but not much else

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Shes pretty but if she ends up having a modeling career its 100% nepotism related.

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came here to post this exactly.

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I think she got her mom's eyes and her dad's jaw (or I guess her grandpa's jaw).



Not sure how well she will do as a model but I'm always fascinated by the features of celebrity children which sounds creepy now that I've said it out loud oops.

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idt its creepy. genetics are pretty cool.

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lol same. It's always interesting how much some of them do or don't resemble their parents.

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I mean, I think its a known fact that most if not all of the people in Hollywood, have had nose jobs since like the 1930s. A nose can dramatically change your look, so it doesnt surprise me that their kids end up looking way different sometimes.

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This thread reminds me of those "if they mated" bits they used to do on late night TV...

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It's funny to see how much some of them are just clones of their parents, like Reese Witherspoon's daughter looks just like her.



I think this one looks a tiny bit like a young Rene Russo.

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i think she looks like Martin Sheen

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She has her dads eyebrows too

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eh, its not weird. genetics are fucking creepy!!

my sister has three kiddos, and the oldest one is a copy of myself. not just at one age, she's growing the exact same way i did. even has the same personal style (at ten). i live far from them and therefore have little to no influence on her directly. it's awesome.

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Martin's genes are so strong in his kids, especially Emilio and Renee. None of them look exactly like him but they're all so clearly related.

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ALL I am seeing here is Martin in Badlands! Like shes pretty but I cant unsee. Martin, Emilio, and Renee all have the same face.

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I don't think that she really resembles either parent tbh.

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She looks like Martin to me.

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And Emilio

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She especially looks like Emilio when she's talking/in motion

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She looks like Emilio with her mom's eyes.

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she kind of reminds me of dalia from suburgatory in some pics

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In that pic I can see a bit of Martin Sheen's features.

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gurl go do something else; this ain't it

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i know. she should dj.

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I don't know why more nepotism kids dont do something impactful like that, makes no sense. People know you, you get to travel and meet fun people, if your work is great it could possibly be on the radio or a movie. They always go for the low hanging fruit.

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I wonder whatever happened to the twin boys?

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idg why celeb kids even want to model. I'd just stay home and be rich.

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Or travel and be rich...\_()_/

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I think it's mostly an ego thing.

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Same. And a lot of their faces aren't even model worthy

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so they can claim they work hard and have a job while they just travel to random cities and do coke

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Work hard for every penny just like us normies

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California beachgoers have been filmed refusing free masks in a county where they are required, as cases there threaten to overwhelm some hospitals in the state.

In a video posted online Tuesday by YouTubers Chad Kroeger and JT Parr, a number of people on Huntington Beach turn down the offer of the face coverings.

One couple, refusing masks, say they 'are killing us'; another man says coronavirus 'is a f***ing lie'. One beachgoer even offers to fight the two YouTubers. Masks are required while out in public in Orange County, where the clip was shot.

On Thursday, California reported its largest two-day total of confirmed cases, nearly 20,000, along with 258 deaths in the last 48 hours. There are more than 8,000 people in hospitals who have either tested positive for the coronavirus or are suspected to have it.

The footage, called Solving the Mask Shortage in Huntington Beach, has been watched more than one million times. One of the men behind it, Kroeger, told CBS: 'It is interesting how people interpreted it as a personal judgment.'

Scroll down for video

In video posted online by YouTubers Chad Kroeger and JT Parr Tuesday a number of people on Huntington Beach turn down the offer of the face coverings

One beachgoer even offers to fight the two YouTubers following their offer of a free mask

California is grappling with a rise in infections and hospitalizations after allowing many businesses to reopen and as people gather in the warmer weather.

The footage begins with a couple who say they 'don't need one', with the unnamed woman adding: 'I don't know if anybody has explained to you that breathing your own carbon monoxide is not healthy.'

The man she is with then adds: 'You do not want to go to hell, do you?'

Another woman says she does not need a mask because she 'lives here'.

The clip then shows a man who, after refusing the offer, tells the two men: 'It's [coronavirus] a f***ing lie.'

At one point a man riding a bicycle appears to offer to fight the YouTubers, telling them: 'You believe in masks. I don't. Or if you want some of me? Come on and get this.'

The YouTubers reply: 'We're not trying to fight anyone. We just want to hand out masks.'

This man called coronavirus a 'f***ing lie' after refusing the offer of a free mask

These two men gladly took the free masks and promised to wear them, the footage shows

CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield has said: 'Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus  particularly when used universally within a community setting.

'All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.'

California governor Gavin Newsom has been forced to shutter bars and indoor dining throughout California and halted indoor religious services, gyms and salons in most places after virus-related hospitalizations jumped 28% in two weeks.

Teams of military doctors, nurses and other health care specialists are also being deployed to eight California hospitals facing staffing shortages amid a record-breaking surge of coronavirus cases across the state.

The Air Force, at California's request, assigned 160 people to increase capacity in intensive care units.

California had been on a good trajectory with its virus efforts until mid-June.

While the mask rule in California mainly mandates that face coverings must be work inside, they must also be worn outside if it's not possible to stay six feet away from others.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:45:07|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

CAIRO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's president and the African Union (AU) chairperson discussed on Friday the recent round of talks on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the presidency office said.

"The Nile water is an existential issue for the Egyptian people," Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said during a phone conversation with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, who is in his capacity as the AU chief.

Sisi stressed the importance of forging "a comprehensive legal agreement between all parties concerning the rules for filling and operating the dam," Egyptian Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Rady said.

Rady reiterated Egyptian rejection for any unilateral measures that would harm Egypt's rights to the water of the Nile.

For his part, Ramaphosa hailed "the constructive approach Egypt has taken during the recent negotiations to resolve the dispute," said Rady.

Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan begun talks on July 3 in a bid to resolve the disagreements over the filling and operation of the mega-dam.

The discussions were concluded on Monday without major breakthrough, according to Egypt's Foreign Ministry statement.

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 the main point of their talks. Enditem
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg attends a lecture at Georgetown Law Center on Oct. 30, 2019. (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press)

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said Friday she is receiving chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer, but has no plans to retire from the Supreme Court.

Here is her full statement:

On May 19, I began a course of chemotherapy (gemcitabine) to treat a recurrence of cancer. A periodic scan in February followed by a biopsy revealed lesions on my liver. My recent hospitalizations to remove gall stones and treat an infection were unrelated to this recurrence.

Immunotherapy first essayed proved unsuccessful. The chemotherapy course, however, is yielding positive results. Satisfied that my treatment course is now clear, I am providing this information.

My most recent scan on July 7 indicated significant reduction of the liver lesions and no new disease. I am tolerating chemotherapy well and am encouraged by the success of my current treatment. I will continue bi-weekly chemotherapy to keep my cancer at bay, and am able to maintain an active daily routine. Throughout, I have kept up with opinion writing and all other Court work.

I have often said I would remain a member of the Court as long as I can do the job full steam. I remain fully able to do that.
I used to patronize that store and even worked a few weeks one summer with the owner, Sam. So it was VERY close to my heart, Henson wrote to the Richmond Times-Dispatch last week about Floyds death.

Henson is the author of a 2017 book, Life Is So ... You Know, in which he described his own encounter with the Minneapolis Police Department more than 20 years ago.

In the book, he describes his arrest, at 17 years old, by a police officer in Minneapolis. He said he was stopped while driving, ordered out of the car, placed in the back of the police cruiser, called racial slurs and then told by the officer that he could kill him and no one would care.

I was a street dude by nature at the time, but I was still terrified, according to Hensons account in his book.

He added, I will never forget it as long as I live, the anger he had toward me was startling. What did I do to him? Why was he so angry? I wonder, if I were to see him again today, 25 years later, would he still feel the same way?

Mind you, my book came out two years ago. I also talk in the book about the effects of the Confederate statues and race relations, he added.
 Close Mark Zuckerberg says Dr. Fauci is being 'quite generous in your description of the governments response here'

Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order that would prevent states from counting undocumented immigrants in their census, according to a Politico report confirmed by The Independent. The order could potentially undercounting significant parts of the US and depriving federal spending and congressional seats from those areas. It's likely to be challenged in court.

Unidentified federal border control officers have been deployed to Portland, Oregon in recent days to indiscriminately arrest protesters and forced them into unmarked vehicles, as Department of Homeland Security chief Chad Wolf condemned protesters "violent anarchists" while releasing a list of crimes that mainly amounted to graffiti.

Portland's mayor has demanded the president withdraw the troops, and Washington officials are outraged, liking the show of federal force to an "authoritarian" measure, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley said.

The president  who has falsely and repeatedly accused his Democratic rival of endorsing efforts to "defund" police in a campaign bid to pin recent unrest on Democrats  snapped at Fox News host Chris Wallace in an interview to air on Sunday after the president has pressed to prove his claims.

Pentagon officials meanwhile have banned Confederate battle flags completely from US military installations despite the president's defence of the symbol as "free speech" amid growing calls to remove the icons from public spaces.

Coronavirus infections continue to surge across the US, with daily cases Thursday reaching at least 77,255. That figure is nearly triple the daily cases discovered three weeks ago. In a White House document obtained by Centre for Public Integrity, 18 states are in the coronavirus "red zone".

Florida has seen its fourth consecutive day with more than 100 deaths, as daily cases there top 11,000. The World Health Organisation also recorded a record-high number of daily cases, as global infections near 14 million. Nearly 139,000 people in the US have died from Covid-19-related illness, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The Trump administration has blocked the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention from appearing at a House committee discussing school reopening plans, as the White House pushes states to reopen within weeks despite a raging public health crisis and no clear guidance for managing outbreaks, as teachers and school staff brace for spikes in infections.

Recommended Portland protesters hit with tear gas and snatched into unmarked vans

This week, the administration directed hospital systems to send crucial coronavirus reporting data to a central Washington database under the Department of Health and Human Services  not the CDC. Researchers and health officials fear that White House-controlled data will not reflect the growing crisis but become a political cudgel.

Follow live updates as they happened

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The UAE Mission has extended all cooperation to the Customs Authorities in gold smuggling racket and examining the said consignment. (Photo- Twitter)

New Delhi: Amid media reports claiming that a senior diplomat posted at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) consulate in Keralas Capital Thiruvanathapuram---who was being suspected of alleged involvement in a sensational gold-smuggling racket unearthed---had left India, New Delhi on Thursday said it was in touch with the UAE  on investigations in the matter.

There have been recent media reports of numerous phone calls allegedly between the one of the main accused in the case and the concerned senior UAE diplomat. According to certain media reports, the senior UAE diplomat---enjoying diplomatic immunity---who was based in Thiruvananthapuram has now returned home to Dubai. The issue is also being seen as sensitive since India enjoys excellent diplomatic relations with the UAE.

It may be recalled that India had last week said its Customs Authorities had seized a consignment sent from abroad in the name of an official working in the Consulate of the UAE in Thiruvananthapuram and that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had informed the the UAE of the matter which is under further investigation.

The MEA had last week said, The Customs Authorities, following established protocol and procedure, have seized a consignment sent from abroad in the name of an official working in the Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates in Thiruvananthapuram. The Ministry of External Affairs had kept the Embassy of the UAE informed regarding the matter. The UAE Mission has extended all cooperation to the Customs Authorities in examining the said consignment. The matter is under further investigation.

The UAE had also last week claimed neither its consulate in Kerala nor any of its diplomatic staff were involved in the gold smuggling racket uncovered in the State, asserting that a former sacked employee of its Consulate in Thiruvanthapuram was responsible for this and had exploited his knowledge of the Mission's channels to indulge in criminal activity.

The UAE Embassy in New Delhi had been quoted by reports last week as saying, The embassy of the UAE in India utterly condemns the attempted misuse of diplomatic channels by an individual engaged in smuggling activity. The Embassy firmly rejects such acts and uniequivocally affirms that the mission and its diplomatic staff had no role in this matter.

The UAE had also been quoted as stating, Initial inquiries conducted by the mission revealed that a former locally hired employee of the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram was responsible for this Act. The employee in question was fired for misconduct long preceding this incident. At this time, it appears that this individual exploited his knowledge of the mission's channels to engage in criminal activity.

The Gulf nation had added, The UAE looks forward to fully cooperating with Indian Customs authorities to thoroughly investigate this matter and urges stringent legal action against those involved.
Solar power has been gaining momentum in recent years, even among gas and electric companies. Photovoltaic (PV) power has become so popular that researchers predict it'll be the most dominant renewable energy by 2023. With other options like hydropower, oil, gas, wind and geothermal, why is solar experiencing a surge in popularity?

Lower Prices

A few years ago, solar power was so expensive that only large corporations and wealthy families could afford installation. Now, however, the price of solar is going down, and more people are taking advantage of these lower prices. Already, battery prices have dropped 84% since 2010 and module costs are down 89%. By 2030, experts predict module costs will decline another 34% as manufacturing becomes more efficient.

Tax Incentives

Additionally, the federal government offers a solar tax credit, allowing you to deduct 26% of the installation costs from your taxes. This deduction applies to both residential and commercial installations. However, next year this deduction will drop to 22%, and, from 2022 on, residential installations won't receive any incentive.

Rather, only commercial solar will receive a 10% tax credit. Subsequently, many are rushing to install PV systems before these cost-lowering incentives disappear, inevitably creating a surge in solar.

Monetary Savings

The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts residential electricity prices will rise by 1.2% this year, indicating a 13.1 cents per kilowatt-hour increase. Meanwhile, the current decline in natural gas production could set the stage for an increase in prices next year. The cost of powering a home or company with solar, however, is a fixed amount and won't fluctuate with the rest of the energy market. Moreover, solar is generally less expensive than traditional gas or electric.

Problematic Non-Renewables

In addition to being overly expensive, most traditional forms of energy depend on non-renewable fossil fuels. Thermoelectric power plants generate about 90% of the electricity in the U.S. Because these resources are non-renewable, humans will eventually deplete them, leaving no other choice than to adopt solar and other renewables. In the meantime, people will continue burning fuels, therein creating carbon emissions that exacerbate global warming and pollute the air.

Green Consumers

Two years ago, a mere 25% of consumers preferred renewable utilities over non-renewables. Now, however, more than 40% prefer the former, and 45% say they would be willing to pay higher utility bills to achieve 100% renewable energy. As consumers become more environmentally conscious, they expect companies to do the same. Thus, to please and retain customers, many energy companies are making the switch to greener fuels and solar power.

Power Companies

Although the U.S. is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels, the very companies that burn them are beginning to switch to solar  and not just to please customers. Already, California and New York have ruled that power companies will get half their energy from renewables within the next 10 years. This slow transition will allow plants to stay in business and enable them to begin investing in the renewables which will inevitably become their future.

A World of Uncertainty

While many believe solar will become the poster child for the renewable revolution, this form of energy will have to jump a few hurdles first. One of the largest obstacles standing in the way of solar is pending tariffs. In recent years, the government has applied and unapplied tariffs and trade policies over and over again. Meanwhile, China remains the leading producer of solar panels.

With the U.S. unable to settle on trade regulations and negotiations, the future of solar power is uncertain. However, if the government rules in favor of solar and the costs don't skyrocket, solar could likely become the most dominant renewable in 2023.

Emily Folk is a conservation and sustainability writer and the editor of Conservation Folks.
With the arrest of six men -- from Delhi, Bihar and West Bengal -- the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) on Friday claimed to have busted a gold smuggling racket and recovered 14 kilos of gold worth 7 crore from the arrested persons. Senior officers said the gold was smuggled in from Myanmar and was being transported to Delhi via road from Assam, in the absence of international flights.

According to the DRI officials, the operation was executed on Tuesday and arrests were made simultaneously in Delhi, Mujaffarpur and Siliguri in west Bengal.

Deputy director Nilesh Rai said based on intelligence inputs, the Delhi unit of DRI acted and intercepted two men at Jewar toll plaza when they were headed to Delhi in a roadways bus from Guwahati via Siliguri. Gold bars weighing 4.98kg were recovered from them, Rai said.

Simultaneously, on further information, our teams in Siliguri intercepted two passengers at a bus station when they were about to board a bus to Patna, Bihar. Their luggage was checked and 30 gold bars weighing 4.98kg were recovered, Rai said.

The officer said teams kept building intelligence and in yet another operation in Patna, they intercepted two other passengers who had arrived there in buses from Guwahati. Twenty-four gold bars weighing 3.982kg were recovered from the duo, he said.

Further inquiry revealed that all seized gold bars were smuggled into India from Myanmar. These were being taken to Delhi by road from Guwahati, via Siliguri and Patna. The gold bars were found concealed in the handles of stroller bags, inside inner wears and in specially modified waist belts, Rai said.

He said the arrested men were using the road route, probably believing that the checking would be less stringent on highways as compared to airports.

DRI and other agencies have started cracking down on gold smuggling after a similar racket came to fore in Kerala on July 5. The customs had seized an air consignment bound for the UAE consulate at Thiruvananthapuram and found 30 kilos of gold, valued at 15 crore. The smuggling of gold using diplomatic channels triggered a political firestorm in the state with the opposition accusing the state government of abetting the racket.
Membership: Ann Wagner reported 2020-21 dues are now due. Please pay your dues to keep them current and support our Veterans.

Americanism: Linda Duell read a list of historical events for the month of July.

Unit Activities: Three of the ladies made patriotic mug rugs for the Veterans in assisted living facilities. There were 35 made. For Flag Day and the 4th of July. Also 35 masks were made for the Grand Island Veterans Med Center as well as ten centerpieces for the month of Julys activities. Poppy Day was postponed in May due to the coronavirus and is planned for some time closer to Veterans Day.

Community Service: Blood Mobile  JoAnn Kuester volunteered at two collection sites and a couple of ladies donated.

Scholarship: We have been notified our recipient has enrolled in school for 2020-21.

Children & Youth: A motion was made by JoAnn Kuester and seconded by Claudia Braden to donate $100 to the 4-H York County Council for the Quilts of Valor program. Vote taken and carried.

Committees not reporting are as follows: Rehab, Leadership, Courtesy, Legislative and Girls State.

Old Business: None.
Burma Myanmar Military Chief Affirms Support for Chinas BRI Projects

Myanmar military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Chinese Ambassador Chen Hai meet in Naypyitaw on Thursday. / Chinese Embassy / Facebook

YANGONMyanmar military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has assured China that the armed forces will continue to guarantee the implementation of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the country, saying he believes it will support the peace process and national development.

During a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Chen Hai on Thursday, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing said the Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) supports the establishment of the BRI, Chinas ambitious grand infrastructure plan, and the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) one of its local components, according to a press release from the Chinese Embassy.

In 2018, Myanmar agreed with China to establish the CMEC, which will stretch for 1,700 km, starting in Chinas Yunnan Province and going through Myanmars major economic citiesMandalay in central Myanmar and the commercial capital of Yangonbefore reaching the Bay of Bengal coast at the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Rakhine State.

Under the CMEC, Myanmar has also signed a framework agreement for the Kyaukphyu deep seaport, a planned hub for Chinese trade that would give direct access to the Indian Ocean and allow Chinas oil imports to bypass the Strait of Malacca, between peninsular Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The CMEC also serves Beijings goal of developing landlocked Yunnan.

China is promoting the CMEC as a Road for Peace and Road for Development that would seek to strike a balance between revamping Myanmars economic engines and targeting poverty reduction. It says the resulting economic development would bring peace and stability along the corridor, particularly to Myanmars conflict-torn states.

Ambassador Hai said China is willing to push ahead with implementation of the three pillars of the project, the Kyaukphyu deep seaport, cross-border economic cooperation zones, and the New Yangon City project, and to promote Myanmars electricity, transportation and agriculture sectors.

These projects were branded the three pillars of the CMEC during Chinese President Xi Jinpings trip to Myanmar early this year. Xi also called for both sides to deepen result-oriented Belt and Road cooperation and move from the conceptual stage to concrete planning and implementation.

In a statement, the commander-in-chief said the two sides exchanged views on practical cooperation to ensure peace and stability in northern Myanmar, information and technology exchange, drug eradication, and cooperation in the media sector and between the two countries armed forces.

Hai said China would continue to support Myanmars peace process and its efforts to hold the Fourth Session of the 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference. He also assured Myanmar that China would join with it to oppose foreign interference.

The upcoming 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference is scheduled to be held in August to discuss the implementation of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, and further peace talks and discussions on the basic principles for forming a federal union are planned after Novembers election.

Since 2017, China has been acting as an official peace broker between the military and the Northern Alliance, which comprises the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). The group is actively fighting government troops in northern Shan State, where many BRI backbone projects are planned, including the Muse-Mandalay Railwaythe initial phase of the envisioned China-Myanmar Railwayand cross-border cooperation zones in Muse and Chinshwehaw.

Moreover, China has officially played a mediation role between Myanmar and Bangladesh since 2017. More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh since August 2017 to escape military operations the UN has called a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. The Myanmar military denies the allegations, insisting the crackdown was a response to coordinated attacks on security posts in Rakhine State by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.

Despite allegations that the treatment of the Rohingya and the militarys operations amount to genocide and war crimes, Beijing has continued to offer strong support to Myanmar. Last year in April, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing praised China as an eternal friend during a visit to Beijing and thanked it for countering international pressure on Myanmar over the Rohingya crisis.

In 2018, China voted against the UN Human Rights Councils move to establish a body to investigate claims of genocide in Rakhine. China said at the time that the Rohingya issue should not be complicated, expanded or internationalized, saying instead that it is an issue between Myanmar and Bangladesh.

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The popular Phantasialand theme park in Bruhl, North Rhine-Westphalia has issued a statement regarding entry restrictions for Luxembourg residents.

According to the statement, which triggered uproar on social media, Luxembourg residents can still enter the park under one condition: they need to present a negative Covid-19 test that is not older than 48 hours.

The park also recommended that visitors keep the test result with them for at least two weeks.

Germany's largest theme park Europa-Park in Rust has implemented the same rule. Luxembourg residents will also be required to present a negative test result in order to enter the park and its hotels.

Germany declared Luxembourg a risk zone on 14 July. A number of restrictions came into effect.
Offaly County Council should consider making publicly owned land available to developers to build affordable housing for homeowners.

That is according to one county councillor, who's calling on the local authority to consider establishing an affordable housing scheme, in light of the fact that housing continues to be a big issue for many people.

Speaking to the Tribune last week, Cllr John Leahy, Cathaoirleach of Birr Municipal District, explained he was highlighting the issue in the context of the current preparations of the new Offaly County Development Plan 2021  2027. Housing is a big issue in terms of how we as a council predict what kind of future housing needs are out there, he outlined. A number of councillors are saying there's not enough land being zoned to match the housing demand that's there. The one problem I see is that people are coming to me and they are looking to get onto the housing list.

He went on to explain what he's experiencing is that people, who are in employment and would like to purchase a house, but they are renting and can't save for a deposit. They are never going to own their own home because they can't afford a mortgage, have been refused by two financial institutions and they are getting nowhere.

So then what they are doing is, he outlined, is that some people are coming to him and telling him they have cut their days back at work so they can get under the council's income threshold to get on the housing list. Then these people come under the threshold and what happens then is they qualify for the Council's waiting list and they may have to wait four or five years but they believe they are better waiting these four or five years in that scenario then waiting for a lifetime another way and going nowhere.

They are getting into the system and they are doing their time on the waiting list in the hope they are going to get a council house. Can you blame them? Absolutely, you can't blame them. The one thing that people, who are out in the workforce want, is they want to be able to have their family home and not be paying for rented accommodation.

There is a major demand for housing at the moment while there's a shortage of property on the market.... I have always made the point that people, who are paying income tax and contribute to the coffers of the country. This taxpayers' money is being used to contribute to the building of social housing. However, it's ironic to think that someone, who has spent all their lives paying tax and rent, is actually contributing to the security of someone else getting a house rather than themselves.

According to the Independent Councillor, these were the people what he referred previously to as the working poor.

Asking the councillor if it was people working around the system to get onto the housing list, Cllr Leahy replied: My argument, is that one of the biggest motivators in anyone's life is to try and secure a family home and it's one of the biggest decisions in anyone's to buy a home. It's unfortunate that people have to 'work the system' because the system isn't working for them. I can't say to someone that this is the wrong thing to do because how is it the wrong thing to do, to reduce your hours so that you can secure a home for your family. That is the way, I would think of that.

Having seen an increase in the numbers of people coming to him in this situation, Cllr Leahy pointed out what the Council need to come up with publicly owned land, go out and give developers an incentive e.g. The council give up five acres, look for expressions of interest to build units on the land and then have a tender process. What is out there at the moment is an affordable housing scheme, nationally but it's only for Dublin, he remarked.

Cllr Leahy stated: If we use that model and expand it, the state handing over land and if there's a proper tender process, straight away, the builder doesn't have the cost of the site and take the average price of building a unit, this brings back the price of the unit. The council should also be waiving their contribution and development fees because it's a special category you are working on.

Later, he said with the figures he had, a developer could sell a house back to the council on council owned land for about 170,000/180,000. Then straight away, the person, who couldn't get a loan from the bank, then qualifies for the council's loan scheme, which is still available, he continued.

Continuing, Cllr Leahy said the Housing Minister was now indicating he would be putting up the threshold for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme, which is facilitated through the council. However, the councillor had concerns about this because if the thresholds were pushed up it was going to increase the price of property.

What he needs to do is look at this differently. What should be done is bring the unit price down on publicly owned land, which can be controlled in some way and you aren't interfering with the housing market. My fear is that he [the Minister] is just throwing money at the problem, which is going to give more money to the likes of developers, he concluded.
Washington's policy shift on the South China Sea could embolden Southeast Asian claimant states to take on China with legal action, observers say, after the US rejected most of Beijing's claims in the strategic waterway as "unlawful" this week.

While avoiding being seen to be taking sides, some of China's neighbours said in a statement after the US remarks that Beijing should follow international law in relation to the South China Sea.

Tensions over the resource-rich region have been rising, with both Southeast Asian nations and the United States saying China was to blame because of its infrastructure and military build-up there. The US, which is not a claimant state, has meanwhile stepped up its military presence, sending warships and aircraft to the disputed waters to keep tabs on China's activities.

The situation escalated on Monday, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying the US formally opposed Chinese claims to waters within the so-called nine-dash line that encompasses almost all of the South China Sea " in line with a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal at The Hague.

David Stilwell, US assistant secretary of state for East Asia, on Tuesday said the US could sanction Chinese officials and companies that pursued "illegal" claims in the South China Sea.

Elizabeth Economy, director of Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in the US, said Pompeo's statement signalled that Washington would reinforce its support of the tribunal ruling and would "likely encourage other countries to more actively support the ruling as well".

By rejecting China's maritime claims, the US was serving the "interests of those who want the [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea] to be the basis for determining maritime rights in the South China Sea", according to retired US Navy Rear Admiral Michael McDevitt.

"What Washington wants is for [China] to just follow accepted international law, which includes UNCLOS," said McDevitt, a senior fellow with CNA Strategic Studies.

Story continues

That UN convention was the basis for the case filed by the Philippines with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2012.

It challenged the legality of China's claims to waters based on the "nine-dash line" that appears on official Chinese maps and encircles much of the South China Sea. The tribunal invalidated those claims in 2016, ruling in favour of the Philippines, but China has refused to recognise the decision.

Four years on, Vietnam is mulling legal action to assert its maritime claim. Its deputy foreign minister Le Hoai Trung said Hanoi would prefer to negotiate, but other measures such as mediation, arbitration and litigation would not be ruled out. In May, Hanoi nominated four arbitrators and four conciliators, a sign it could soon file a complaint.

After the remarks from Pompeo and Stilwell, Vietnam's foreign ministry released a statement of its own. It did not name the US, but said "respecting the legal order at the sea and implementing [the UN convention] in full and with good faith" was critical.

Manila-based academic Richard Heydarian said the US statement had "major operational implications", especially for US allies like the Philippines, as it offered clarification of America's commitment in the South China Sea.

"In the event that China engages in a provocative or aggressive unilateral action against Filipino vessels or troops in the area, then you can make the legal argument that the Pentagon has to intervene on the Philippines' behalf," he said.

Heydarian said Vietnam could launch a legal challenge against China's claim after Hanoi's new leadership is confirmed next year. "Vietnam is ready for it. It's just a matter of the political decision by the Vietnamese leadership," he said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US formally opposed Chinese claims to waters within the "nine-dash line". Photo: Reuters alt=US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US formally opposed Chinese claims to waters within the "nine-dash line". Photo: Reuters

Jay Batongbacal, director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea at the University of the Philippines, also said the tougher US stance "gives the Asean states some leverage in negotiations because they know that their positions have wider international support than China's".

"The declaration that Beijing's excessive claims and activities to assert them are unlawful establishes a justification for cooperation and policy coordination between the US and concerned Southeast Asian countries against China's activities," Batongbacal said.

He added it was "not a basis for military action against China". He said if there were an agreement between the US and Southeast Asian countries on when and where China could be considered to be acting unlawfully it would set the stage for negotiations or for claimant states to take judicial action.

But McDevitt from CNA expected Association of Southeast Asian Nations members to continue to carefully balance their relations between China and the US because they would not want to be forced to choose a side and get caught up in the dispute.

According to Thomas Daniel, senior analyst at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia, it was unlikely that claimant states would take legal action against China.

"Asean and its members will be very cautious with dealings with China and how they officially respond to the US statement," he said. "The reality is that China has a huge amount of influence in most member states. It is a very important economic trading partner. It is a major power that is very much present in our region, a geographic reality that is not going to go away."

In the first quarter of this year, Asean overtook the European Union and the US to become China's biggest trading partner amid the protracted US-China trade war and the coronavirus pandemic.

Daniel said Asean should take a more "minilateral" approach in coordination with the claimant states to address their South China Sea disputes with China.

"Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia should really be doing more with each other because the South China Sea dispute is not just a dispute with China " all of these states have disputes with each other," he said. "They should minimise the issues between them and then put more emphasis on common positions when it comes to negotiating with China."

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.
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KANSAS CITY  Just as the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 approaches new highs in some parts of the country, hospital data in Missouri is suddenly incomplete or missing.

The Missouri Hospital Association reports that it no longer has access to the data it uses to guide state coronavirus mitigation efforts.

President Donald Trumps administration this week directed hospitals to change how they report data to the federal government and how that data will be made available.

In an email, Missouri Hospital Association spokesperson Dave Dillon called the move a major disruption.

All evidence suggests that Missouris numbers are headed in the wrong direction, Dillon said. And, for now, we will have very limited situational awareness. Thats all very bad news.

The absence of the data will make it harder for health and public officials, as well as the general public, to understand how the virus is spreading.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 06:31:48|Editor: huaxia

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HOUSTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. state of Texas added nearly 15,000 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the total number to over 300,000 cases.

According to Texas Health and Human Services, as of Friday there have been 307,572 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state, 14,916 more cases than that of Thursday. The death toll reached 3,735, up 174 from Thursday.

Although confirmed cases, death toll and hospitalization continue to soar in the state, Governor Greg Abbott said there will not be another shutdown.

"Let me tell you, there is no shutdown coming," Abbott told local TV station on Thursday.

Abbott in recent weeks have taken some measures, including statewide mask mandate and bar shutting down order, to slow down the spread of coronavirus. He said in the interview that it would take a few weeks to see a reversal in coronavirus case surges.

He, again, pointed that people must wear masks in public places as ordered to avoid a shutdown. "The only way we can avoid a shutdown is if we do get everybody buying into this process of wearing a face mask," he said.

Meanwhile, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner urged people to stay home this coming weekend as the city is in full crises mode due to the pandemic.

"If we do not turn our numbers around and adhere to the advices we have been saying, there will be no choice but to do a stay home order. Our destiny in our hands," he said in the press conference Friday.

The mayor also added two businesses that have violated capacity limits for large gatherings on his "COVID-19 Accountability Wall."

"For businesses/establishments who are blatantly defying the orders, they will force us closer to a stay home order," he said. Enditem
Loading It would be "dishonest", she added, "much as we would love to have elimination it's not going to happen in NSW. It never will  with a population our size". Yet there are plenty of well-credentialled voices arguing for a strategy that would have elimination as the end game. They include Professors Greg Dore (Sydney University), Tony Blakely (Melbourne University), Stephen Duckett (now of the Grattan Institute and a former head of the federal health department) and Professor Nick Talley, editor-in-chief of The Medical Journal of Australia. Talley sees "more voices coming out for a different strategy to suppression. I think that's because it's been recognised that elimination can happen, New Zealand being a good example." "Whether or not we call it an 'aggressive suppression' strategy is semantics. The issue is, do we want no virus  or almost no virus - circulating in our community, with the risks kept very low, or do we want a strategy where we will accept the lumps and bumps which will be tested and traced and with ring-fencing from time to time?"

Loading The problem with ring-fencing is the assumption that outbreaks will be manageable. Yet the escalation of COVID-19 community transmission in Melbourne has been so rapid that Victoria's testing and tracing capacity was "overwhelmed", Talley says. "Nobody wants a lockdown, but nor do I want a strategy where there is chaos  and that's what happened in Victoria." The southern capital, now in the grip of a further six-week lockdown, is currently wrestling with 160 outbreaks, including nearly 40 in aged care homes. Hundreds of health care staff and other front-line workers have either been infected or forced into isolation. The state's chief health officer Brett Sutton warns worse may still lie ahead, while federal aged care minister Richard Colbeck fears "tragic" consequences in the nursing homes. The economic fallout is having knock-on effects around the country, particularly in NSW. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt described the outbreak as having a "catastrophic impact in human terms as well as societal terms".

For all Berejiklian's determination not to go in and out of lockdown, her announcement on Friday of newly reimposed restrictions on social gatherings, and the businesses that facilitate them (pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes and function venues) may not be the end of tougher measures in this state either. NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant addresses the media on Friday with Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Deputy Premier John Barilaro. Credit:Renee Nowytarger Berejiklian looked grim-faced on Friday as she warned that "we remain in a state of high alert". It was time to stay seated and stop dancing at weddings, she warned. "Mingling" at events like funerals had to be kept to a minimum. The state's citizens had grown complacent but needed to be forcefully reminded that "life is not back to normal until there is a vaccine or a cure". Wake-up call It's been a bitter wake-up call for NSW leaders to discover that the uptick in community transmission in this state over the past fortnight has been seeded by the Victorian outbreak.

Loading Victoria's Premier Dan Andrews has yet to publicly explain how that state allowed its hotel quarantine regime to become so lax. A number of state agencies, including police and health and human services, and the Department of Jobs were involved in the fateful decision to hire poorly trained private security guards to supervise returned travellers. But why the police and Australian Defence Force personnel were not involved from the outset, as they were in NSW, remains one of the "known unknowns", to steal a phrase from former US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. However political leaders outside Victoria have mostly avoided playing a blame game  with the exception of Queensland senator Matt Canavan, who labelled it a "Dan-made disaster". NSW has been fortunate in having a strongly-led and well trained public health workforce which has played a vital part in getting on top of the south-west Sydney outbreak centred on the aptly-named Crossroads hotel in Casula. Fast detective work, genomic analysis of the newly-circulating viral strain and extensive contact tracing determined that a freight worker who travelled up from Melbourne on June 30 was the ignition point for the 42-strong cluster of cases so far linked to the hotel. The man, who did not suspect he was ill, had travelled to his Sydney office on business and then joined his colleagues for a party at the hotel on the night of July 3.

Loading Luck and diligence have also played their part, with NSW Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant singling out a junior Liverpool clinician for particular praise this week. That young doctor's decision to order a COVID-19 test for a patient with unexplained fever allowed contact tracers to draw the first link between that individual and another positive case who recalled being at the pub. State health minister Brad Hazzard also paid tribute to Jennie Musto, who heads the public health team's emergency operations centre, inviting her to step into the limelight at a press conference this week. But of most concern to Chant remains the handful of cases uncovered in Sydney this week that have, as yet, not been linked to the Crossroads Hotel cluster and for which the source is unknown. Establishing whether there are new chains of transmission at loose in the community is a race against time, given the speed with which the virus can spread. UNSW infectious diseases expert Professor Raina MacIntyre is hoping for "some sort of improvement in the epidemic curve in Victoria next week because of the lockdowns. But the question is what the NSW trajectory will be ... and if it starts to look like out-of-control community transmission, then they will have to look at what other measures they need to take".

Loading Asked for a definition of "out-of-control transmission" MacIntyre replies "when the human resources capacity to contact trace all the contacts of all the cases is exhausted". Just trying to track down all possible cases from the Crossroads outbreak this week has meant chasing up between 5000 and 6000 contacts. In Victoria, hundreds of members of the ADF have now joined the mammoth contact-tracing effort, as have experts from other states. Insiders say NSW has had a major advantage over Victoria in contact tracing because of the long-standing strength and local expertise of its 18 public health units. Whereas Victoria's public health program is mostly run out of head office, the NSW model has recognised the value of vesting a large measure of independence in local public health teams who are already expert in knowing what is happening in their communities.

Loading Leeder was a professor of community medicine at Westmead when the NSW program began in the late 1980s, thanks to the vision of the then-chief executive at Westmead, Bernie Amos, who went on to head the state health department. Amos had set up the first local public health unit to deal with an outbreak of gastroenteritis at a facility for disabled children in western Sydney, and later established a public health unit in every district across the state. Leeder cites the fast response to an outbreak of measles in Blacktown several years ago to illustrate why local knowledge and contacts are so important. "They were able to move on that very quickly because they knew their community," he says. "In NSW, public health has always been taken seriously - it has had very high quality individuals who also have a clear position of political seniority in the bureaucracy."

Members of the Australian Defence Force and Victoria Police at a vehicle checkpoint along the Princes Freeway near Little River. Credit:Luis Ascui A senior Victorian medical insider says "when the reviews and the royal commissions are all done, it's not the Ruby Princess cruise ship and Melbourne's public housing towers that will need to be looked at the most. It's whether we had a public health system in each of the states and the territories that was fit for purpose. Hopefully what will come out of this is a much greater appreciation for investment in public health infrastructure." Push for masks Not every proponent of elimination believes lockdowns are necessary to drive out the virus. Nick Talley says the time has come for governments to consider a major advertising campaign, which would among other things encourage the uptake of mask-wearing in the general population. He cites the hugely successful campaign against HIV/AIDS which the federal government launched during the Hawke years.

"Obviously there are differences, but there are some possible similarities," he says. "Wearing a condom was really protective (against acquiring HIV infections)  now wearing a mask is protective. "The data has firmed up in favour of masks. I know some people argue the contrary, but the data has firmed up. And there are quite excellent disease models that suggest, combined with social distancing and handwashing, that by adding a mask you don't need to go to lockdown if you have sufficient numbers of people complying." Britain has made mask-wearing mandatory on public transport since June. Taiwan, which like New Zealand has achieved near-elimination of COVID-19, also brought in mandatory masks on mass transit systems in April, only recently slightly relaxing that policy.

As cases grow across Sydney, public transport workers here are starting to ask about masks again, according to the secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union division, David Babineau. Loading "It's time the NSW government mandated for the public to wear masks while travelling on public transport  we need to put these safety measures in now rather than waiting until it explodes, otherwise it's a Bandaid solution and it's too late." Babineau says. Australia is not alone in wrestling with suppression/elimination dilemmas. Until there is a vaccine or cure for COVID-19 many countries will repeatedly face the "fundamental challenge" of periodic lockdowns, the head of the WHO's Health Emergencies Program Dr Michael Ryan warned this week. "We all want to avoid whole countries going back into total lockdown, that is not a desire that anybody has," he said.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump's plans for a grand convention keep shrinking, as the Republican National Committee announced Thursday it is sharply restricting attendance on three of the four nights of its convention in Jacksonville, Florida, next month.

As the GOP looks for ways to move forward with the event while coronavirus cases are spiking in the state, chair Ronna McDaniel said in a letter to RNC members that only the roughly 2,500 regular delegates to the convention would be permitted to attend the opening three nights of the convention. Delegates, their guests and alternate delegates would be permitted to attend the final night, Aug. 27, when Trump is set to deliver his acceptance speech.

The move comes after the GOP was forced to move most of the convention from Charlotte after local officials ruled out a full-capacity crowd during the pandemic.

"When we made these changes, we had hoped to be able to plan a traditional convention celebration to which we are all accustomed," McDaniel said. "However, adjustments must be made to comply with state and local health guidelines."

In recent weeks, Florida has seen significant increases in confirmed cases, with Jacksonville instituting a face-covering mandate and the state limiting gatherings to 50 percent of a venue's capacity.

The convention notice comes as Trump aides and allies have increasingly questioned whether the event is worth the trouble, and with some advocating that the convention be scrapped altogether. Conventions are meant to lay out a candidate's vision for the coming four years, not spark months of intrigue over the health and safety of attendees, they have argued.

Ultimately, the decision on whether and how to move forward will be Trump's alone.

The RNC was still working to determine a programming lineup for the event. McDaniel said the convention was planning to use both indoor and outdoor spaces. GOP officials familiar with the planning said the marquee evening program, including Trump's speech, were expected to take place outdoors to accommodate the largest crowd possible.

The GOP will be providing on-site temperature checks and face coverings, and will have COVID-19 testing available for attendees.

"We can gather and put on a top-notch event that celebrates the incredible accomplishments of President Trump's administration and his renomination for a second term  while also doing so in a safe and responsible manner," McDaniel wrote.

The formal business of the renominating Trump will still take place in Charlotte, but with a far smaller group of delegates casting proxy votes.
By Trend





In the process of Armenian armed forces training they are taught the tactics of shooting at civil objects, Assistant to Azerbaijans President, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said.

He made the remark at a press conference held on July 16, Trend reports.

According to Hajiyev, this was clearly displayed during the Khojaly genocide and other events.

"We were eyewitnesses of this in 2016. Such are the philosophy and intentions of the Armenian armed forces. This process continues in Tovuz. The Armenian side even deployed its military facilities in settlements. Shelling from these territories, they accuse Azerbaijan of alleged firing at civil objects," the assistant to Azerbaijani president said.

By hiding behind civil objects, the Armenian armed forces resort to the methods used by terrorists, while accusing Azerbaijan for alleged doing this, Hajiyev said.

Such a tactic is never used by Azerbaijani army, he added.
Hayden Panettiere says she is ready to "regain my voice and my life."

Just days after the actress was granted a restraining order against ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson, new legal developments have surfaced.

E! News can confirm Brian was arrested Thursday in Los Angeles. According to inmate records, Brian remains in custody at press time with bail set at $320,000. A source tells E! News he was arrested on eight counts of charges ranging from domestic violence and assault to witness intimidation, occurring over the course of his year and a half long relationship with the Nashville star.

In a statement on Twitter Friday morning, Hayden wrote to her followers: "I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve. I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I'm grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life."

She added, "For anyone affected by abuse and needing support, call 1-800-799-7233, or if you're unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474."

Hayden Panettiere's Best Looks

E! News has reached out to Brian's attorney for comment on the arrest and has not heard back.

Back in April, Brian reportedly pleaded not guilty after he was arrested in Wyoming for domestic battery following an incident allegedly involving Hayden. A trial is scheduled to begin in September.

Hayden Panettiere, Brian Hickerson

Soon after news broke of Brian's latest arrest, Hayden's lawyer also spoke out on behalf of his client.

"After suffering for years as the victim of psychological, emotional and severe physical abuse, Hayden Panettiere has begun the process of taking back her life. Hayden has found the strength and courage to share the truth about her abuse and her abuser, and she intends to assist the prosecution to see that justice is served," attorney Alan Jackson shared in a statement to E! News. "As a survivor, she recognizes that her arduous journey of healing has just begun."

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A source tells E! News that Hayden recently moved back to Los Angeles where she is closer to her family.

"Hayden has been undergoing successful treatment for alcohol abuse issues and is focused on healing, sobriety and recovery. This is a big step in the recovery process," an insider shared with E! News. "She hopes to be honest about what happened in hopes it may help someone else who is dealing with emotional abuse or physical violence."

Reporting by Spencer Lubitz
China's financial regulators seized control of several insurers, trust firms and stock brokers linked to one of the country's most powerful oligarchs, in a devastating blow against corporate malfeasance and freewheeling capitalism while the stock market is in the midst of a runaway rally.

Huaxia Life Insurance, Tian'an Property Insurance, Tian'an Life, Yi'an Property Insurance, New Times Trust and New China Trust were placed under state ward to "protect the rights of policy holders, customers and serve the public's interest," the China Banking and Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) said in a statement. Separately, New Times Securities, Guosheng Securities and Guosheng Futures were placed under the government's management for a year, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said.

The coordinated seizures extend the break-up of Xiao Jianhua's Tomorrow Group, a sprawling empire with stakes in hundreds of publicly listed companies held through a labyrinthian network of entities, that began three years ago. The crackdown of 2017 also placed half a dozen of China's biggest global asset buyers under regulatory scrutiny to prevent their debt-fuelled acquisitions from harming the nation's financial system.

"The seizures of the insurers and trust firms signify a very big clean-up operation by the regulators," said Gordon Tsui, chairman of the Hong Kong Securities Association. "It shows the country's commitment to clean up the market and to enhance the protection of policyholders and investors. Some of the insurance companies are too big to collapse, and taking them over with a restructuring plan is the only way forward to maintain the stability of the market."

On the eve of the Lunar New Year three years ago, Xiao was persuaded to leave his luxury hideout at the Four Seasons residence in Hong Kong to return to mainland China for investigations by financial regulators. Xiao, who has not been seen since in public, is awaiting trial at an unknown location on charges of bribery and manipulating stock prices, while key pieces of his empire had been taken over one by one, shut down or sold.

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The latest seizures of Xiao's companies come a year since the regulator took over several regional and provincial-level banks that was engaged in errant lending. The Tomorrow Group's interests span energy, financial services, technology and real estate, among others.

A handout photo made available by the Chinese University of Hong Kong on 2 February 2017 shows Xiao Jianhua speaking during a robotics symposium in Hong Kong on 21 April 2016. Photo: EPA alt=A handout photo made available by the Chinese University of Hong Kong on 2 February 2017 shows Xiao Jianhua speaking during a robotics symposium in Hong Kong on 21 April 2016. Photo: EPA

Five of the six insurers and trusts taken over by the CBIRC, except Yi'an Property Insurance, are linked to the Tomorrow Group, according to Bloomberg. An unsigned statement appeared in Tomorrow Group's WeChat account a day later to hit back at the regulators for their seizure, but was taken down hours later. The authenticity of the statement could not be confirmed.

The seized companies can continue to operate as usual, while their debts to creditors and insurance policies will be unaffected, CBIRC said. Their boards of directors will be replaced by the staff of six financial firms that were appointed as their custodians for the next 12 months.

Six state-owned firms will form the custodian group: China Pacific Property Insurance, a unit of China Life, New China Life Insurance, PICC Property and Casualty, Citic Trust, and Bank of Communications International Trust. Each custodian will manage one seized firm, and restructure its business, improve its corporate governance and inject capital if needed, CBIRC said.

Guo Shuqing, chairman of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, attends a news conference at the Great Hall of the People during the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Beijing on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. Photo: Bloomberg alt=Guo Shuqing, chairman of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, attends a news conference at the Great Hall of the People during the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Beijing on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. Photo: Bloomberg

Huaxia Life, founded in 2006, is the privately owned flagship and the largest chunk of Xiao's conglomerate, with 182.8 billion yuan (US$26.12 billion) of insurance premium in 2019, ranking it fourth among China's life insurers. Several companies including China's most valuable insurer Ping An Insurance (Group) had been in talks since Xiao's takedown to buy either all or part of Huaxia Life. No deal was possible because the asking price was too high, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Ping An officials declined to comment.

New Times Trust, formerly known as Baotou Trust, is based in Inner Mongolia, the hometown of Xiao's Baotou Bank, seized by the regulator in May 2019. Established in 1987 and renamed in 2003, New Times offers financial and investment services in infrastructure, finance, equity, educational and medical sector, according to the company's website.

New China Trust, based in Chongqing, is the oldest among the six seized firms. It was established in 1979, offering property trust, family trust, infrastructure trust and a service to help qualified domestic institutional investors (QDII) invest their funds offshore, its website showed.

The front gate of China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC). Photo: CCTV.com alt=The front gate of China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC). Photo: CCTV.com

Yi'an Property Insurance, which is unrelated to Xiao, is an online insurer that offers a few hundred yuan worth of medical and property insurance for as little as 20 yuan per policy.

The three seized brokerages will be managed by Avic Securities, China Merchant Securities, CSC Financial and Guotai Junan Futures, and can continue to operate and trade, CSRC said.

New Times Securities, linked to the Tomorrow Group, had 22.1 billion yuan in assets as at the end of May. Guosheng Securities had 30.8 billion yuan in assets and Gousheng Futures had 746 million yuan, CSRC said.

Two weeks after the regulator taking over Baotou Bank, CBIRC said Tomorrow Group has transferred its holdings in more than 10 financial institutions to new shareholders. The more than 10 entities include Bank of Weifang and Taian in Shandong province, and Zhongjiang Trust in Jiangxi province.

Hong Kong-listed Harbin Bank, where Tomorrow Group also owns shares, is operating normally and has disclosed its financial results, the regulator said at the time.

Earlier in 2018, the CBIRC took over control of Anbang Group, a former motor insurer turned global asset buyer, after jailing its former chairman Wu Xiaohui for fraud.

Anbang, which used insurance premium from its wealth management products to fund its worldwide shopping spree - including the Waldorf Astoria in New York - was nationalised for two years. The government is poised to introduce strategic investors to take over the former Anbang, since renamed Dajia Insurance.

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.
Stocks to watch today: Here is a list of top stocks that are likely to be in focus in Friday's trading session based on latest developments. Investors are also awaiting April-June quarter earnings that are scheduled to be released today. Companies set to announce their earnings are Britannia, HCL Technologies, ICICI Lombard, Coffee Day Enterprises, Granules India

Share Market LIVE: Sensex rises 150 points, Nifty at 10,767; Britannia, HCL Tech, Coffee Day earnings today

Cyient: Company reported a 10% decline in consolidated net profit at Rs 81.4 crore for June 2020 quarter as against Rs 90.5 crore in the year-ago period. The company's revenue decreased 8.9% to Rs 991.7 crore as against Rs 1,089 crore in the first quarter of 2019-20.

Yes Bank: The Rs 15,000 crore follow-on public offer (FPO) of Yes Bank was subscribed 53% on the second day.

Thomas Cook India: The company has signed a pact to operate as the travel management company to service dnata's customers as it closes this operation in India.

L&T Technology Services: The company said it will acquire US-based Orchestra Technologies for $25 million.

Bajaj Consumer Care: Company reported 4.35% fall of net profit to Rs 54.23 crore in Q1FY21 from Rs 56.7 crore in a year ago period. Company's revenue declined 15.63% to Rs 208.14 crore from Rs 246.70 crore, YoY.

Central Bank of India: Lender plans raise up to Rs 5,000 crore of equity capital through various modes, including follow on public offer and rights issue, to maintain its capital adequacy ratio.

Godrej Industries: Company has allotted NCDs worth Rs 750 crore.

Titan: Ratings agency Icra has assigned MAAA 'stable' rating to company's fixed deposit programme worth ?2,500 crore.

Earnings today: Britannia, HCL Technologies, ICICI Lombard, Coffee Day Enterprises, Granules India, Hathway Cable among other companies will announce their April-June quarterly earnings today.
Three militants were killed Friday in a fierce gunfight with government forces in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight broke out at village Nagnad-Chimmer of Kulgam district, about 91 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"A gunfight between militants and joint contingents of army, paramilitary and police broke out early today here at Nagnad-Chimmer. Three militants were killed in the gunfight," a police official said.

According to police officials, the government forces cordoned off the village on specific intelligence information suggesting the presence of militants in the area.

Government forces came under fire after moving closer to the suspected area, triggering an exchange of fire between the two sides.

Reports said three troopers were wounded fighting militants in the village, following which they were removed to hospital.

A senior police official told media that one of the slain militants was an improvised explosive device (IED) expert and top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit. The police official said the slain commander has previously escaped unhurt in three gunfights.

Authorities have snapped mobile internet service in the area.

Gunfights between militants and government forces take place intermittently in the region.

Officials said since the beginning of this year over 100 militants were killed in gunfights across the region.

Militant groups opposing New Delhi's rule are engaged in a guerilla war with Indian troops in the region since 1989.
Credit: Cardiff University

New markers hidden inside the influenza virus have been discovered by scientists at Cardiff University.

The researchers from the School of Medicine worked with an international team of expertsincluding collaborators in Moscow, Russia and Melbourne, Australiato look at how people's immune systems responded to the new protein markers.

They showed for the first time that "helper" T cells, a type of white blood cell that can suppress viral function, were activated when they came into contact with them.

Importantly, they found these internal markers rarely change across different strains, meaning they could provide a potential new target for a vaccine that could protect against all forms of flu.

The World Health Organization estimates that up to 650,000 respiratory deaths globally each year are associated with seasonal influenza.

Lead author Dr. Alex Greenshields-Watson, from Cardiff University's School of Medicine, said: "Unlike external influenza proteins that are the main targets for current vaccines, these internal proteins are highly conserved between different influenza strains.

"This means that vaccines or therapies that target these internal proteins would potentially be universal across common and emerging types of the virus.

"We hope that in future this could alleviate the need to make seasonal vaccines based on predicting which influenza strains may emerge in a given year."

When the flu virus infects a cell some of its internal proteinswhich are critical for viral functionare chopped up and presented on the cell's surface.

Effectively this gives the body's helper T cells a unique "window" into the infected cell so killer T cells can then destroy it with the ultimate aim of clearing infection from the body.

Influenza can change its external proteins very readilybut its internal proteins can be common to many strains of flu.

Researchers believe targeting these markers could be the key to developing a universal vaccine.

In this study, the Cardiff scientists were able to map the response of helper T cells to specific internal proteins. They discovered many individuals share the same receptors for these proteins on helper T cells.

Finally, using Diamond Light Source, the UK's synchrotron science facility, the group was able to use intense light, 10 billion times brighter than the sun, to uncover the molecular basis for the recognition.

Study co-author Professor Andrew Godkin said: "These are really intriguing results. We have shown that conserved regions of the internal proteins of flu viruses are seen by the immune system.

Furthermore, we have shown these sequences are highly conserved across tens of thousands of virus sequences.

"This raises the intriguing question as to why we are not better protected from emerging new strains of flu and related viruses that share these sequences and should trigger memory responses in our immune system.

"We are concentrating our efforts in understanding this question, in the hope this will lead to superior vaccine designs in the future."

Co-author Dr. David Cole said: "We have comprehensively investigated T cell responses to these fragments of conserved influenza proteins by looking at responses in people, as well as taking advantage of state-of-the art facilities to solve the atomic resolution structures of these fragments.

"This super high-resolution view really helps us to understand how our bodies 'see' viral infections at the molecular level, which has the potential to inform new treatment strategies. I hope these insights will drive new research in helper T cell responses to infection."

The findings were published in the journal Cell Reports.

Explore further Universal flu vaccine with nanoparticles that protects against six different influenza viruses in mice

More information: Alexander Greenshields-Watson et al. CD4+ T Cells Recognize Conserved Influenza A Epitopes through Shared Patterns of V-Gene Usage and Complementary Biochemical Features, Cell Reports (2020). Journal information: Cell Reports Alexander Greenshields-Watson et al. CD4+ T Cells Recognize Conserved Influenza A Epitopes through Shared Patterns of V-Gene Usage and Complementary Biochemical Features,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107885
An 84-year-old woman accidently locked herself inside a bed box in her house in Central Delhi's Karol Bagh on Thursday afternoon. Old age and weakness didn't let her come out on her own and she got stuck. Luckily, her granddaughter, who had installed CCTV camera in the room, noticed the accident and immediately informed the police.

"She had noticed through the CCTV camera, which she was monitoring on her mobile, that her grandmother while trying to open the box of a double bed lost control and locked herself inside the box. The police team rushed to the spot on the second floor of the house in Dev Nagar, Karol Bagh," said Sanjay Bhatia, DCP, Central Delhi.

They found that the main door of the flat was locked from inside. Without wasting time, the police arranged hammer and an iron rod and broke open the iron door of the flat. The police found the woman, Sworsh Kohli, inside the box of the bed.

She could not come out of the box due to her old age and weakness. In the meanwhile, the caller, Nancy, and her husband also reached the spot from Alaknanda in South Delhi. The old woman is stable and ok. The family thanked police for prompt action which saved the life of the woman.
(JTA)  Zach Banner of the NFLs Pittsburgh Steelers wants the Black community to know: Jews deal with the same amount of hate, similar hardships and hard times.

In a tweet accompanied by a video, Banner said he does not want to harp on the controversy surrounding the recent social media posts of fellow NFLer DeSean Jackson in which the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver featured anti-Semitic statements attributed to Adolf Hitler.

But, he said, the community can only progress by educating ourselves. We cant move forward while allowing ourselves to leave another minority...
A button for launching the Netflix application is seen on a remote control in this photo illustration in Warsaw, Poland on April 25, 2019.

Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading.

Netflix  Shares of the streaming video giant fell 6.5% after company missed earnings estimates gave guidance for subscriber growth that came in lower than Wall Street expected. The company also announced that Ted Sarandos would become co-chief executive officer.

Nio  Shares of electric car maker Nio dropped more than 14% after a Goldman Sachs analyst downgraded them to sell. The analyst cited concern around Nio's valuation after the stock surged more than 60% last month. "We believe the current share price reflects over-optimism given no substantial changes to volume/profit expectations," the analyst wrote in a note.

BlackRock  Shares of the money manager jumped 3.3% after it beat estimates on the top and bottom lines for its second quarter. The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $7.85 on $3.65 billion of revenue, showing growth in performance fees and technology service revenue. Analysts surveyed by Refinitiv expected $6.99 in earnings per share and $3.54 billion of revenue.

Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet  Alongside Netflix, the so-called FANG stocks slid, continuing technology stocks weakness this week. Facebook lost 0.5% and Alphabet dropped nearly 1%. Microsoft and Amazon lost 0.6% and 0.9%, respectively. All of the FANG stocks are headed for big weekly declines.

State Street  Shares of State Street dropped 3.5% despite its better-than-expected quarterly earnings. The asset manager said it earned $1.86 per share in the latest quarter, helped by lower expenses and strong fee performance. Analysts polled by FactSet were expecting $1.58 a share.

J.B. Hunt  Shares of JB Hunt Transport gained 3% after the transportation and logistics company's second-quarter earnings beat expectations. Wall Street also grew more bullish on the company following the results. Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock to hold from sell, citing pricing benefits and a better macro backdrop. Citigroup, UBS and Morgan Stanley all raised their price targets on JB Hunt Friday.

Tesla  Shares of the electric vehicle maker gained 1% after Credit Suisse doubled its target on the stock to $1,400 from $700. The firm maintained its neutral rating on the Elon Musk-led company, however. Shares of Tesla have more than tripled this year.

Carnival Corp., Norwegian Cruise, Royal Caribbean Cruises  Shares of the major cruise line operators all dropped more than 1% after the CDC extended a no-sail order through the end of September. The order, which was first announced in March, was set to expire on July 24.

Regions Financial  Shares of the company slid 3.2% after missing on its second quarter earnings. Third quarter net interest income guidance disappointed.

 with reporting from Yun Li, Fred Imbert, Jesse Pound and Pippa Stevens.
(Newser)  On Tuesday, the editorial board of USA Today published a piece praising Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House task force's epidemiological ace, calling him a "national treasure" and warning we'd be foolish not to listen to him amid the pandemic. The paper then proceeded to publish an opposing viewpoint from White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who claimed Fauci has been "wrong about everything I have interacted with him on." Now, the newspaper has slapped a disclaimer on Navarro's piece, explaining how it came to pass in the first place and noting that, after a careful review, it "did not meet USA Today's fact-checking standards." Bill Sternberg, the paper's editorial page editor, notes that USA Today was the one that reached out to Navarro to see if he'd write an "opposing view" column to counteract its own editorial, which Sternberg says has been a longtime tradition at the paper.

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"We felt it was newsworthy because it expanded on [Navarro's previous Fauci] comments, put an on-the-record name to the attacks on Fauci, and contradicted White House denials of an anti-Fauci campaign," Sternberg wrote. He put up a link to a fact check of Navarro's piece, noting that multiple assertions by Navarro were "misleading or lacked context," including claims about hydroxycloroquine and wearing masks. The New York Times notes that Sternberg didn't get into if or how the fact-checking process before initial publication had failed. Per Business Insider, the White House has since said that Navarro acted on his own in penning the editorial, with chief of staff Mark Meadows calling it an "independent action" on Navarro's part. However, an administration official tells the Los Angeles Times that "not only was [Navarro] authorized by President Trump, he was encouraged." (Read more USA Today stories.)
Eric Michael Carter, 23, of Philadelphia, right, was indicted by a virtual grand jury in Mercer County, N.J., for a robbery case in Trenton. He is pictured here with his mother, Helen Carter. Read more

Eric Michael Carter, a Philadelphia man, was indicted last month on robbery charges by grand jurors in New Jersey.

In pre-coronavirus days, that process would have unfolded like this: As many as 23 jurors, chosen from registered voters, licensed drivers, and personal-income-tax filers, would have gathered in a closed courtroom to hear evidence, ask questions, and then discuss the case and decide whether a suspect should be charged.

But for Carter, accused in a Trenton robbery, the indictment came from jurors sitting, most likely, at home, in front of computer screens and watching the presentation of his case by a prosecutor. His lawyer, Mark Fury, said he believes that an in-person grand jury hearing his clients case would have decided to not indict. He said his experience with Zoom conferences is that the more people you have on the call, the fewer people talk.

The use of virtual grand juries in state courts in New Jersey  a pilot program that started in Mercer and Bergen Counties in May  has garnered criticism from both criminal defense lawyers and county prosecutors. Carter, 23, is one of 55 defendants who have been indicted by virtual grand juries in the two counties.

The Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey this week said that it roundly condemns the use of virtual grand juries and contended that the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts seemed to celebrate the WiFi indictments as trophies, totally ignoring the constitutionally unsound process utilized to achieve them.

In a commentary this month in the New Jersey Law Journal, leaders of the association outlined reasons why they say the experiment should end. They contended that the virtual grand jury pool is limited to wealthy suburban residents with reliable broadband connections; the secrecy of the process, including the identities of witnesses, cant be guaranteed when jurors are at home; and problems can arise with video freezes so that not everything may be heard.

The defense lawyers argument got support from an unlikely source: the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey. In a statement supporting the defense lawyers position, it called the judiciarys endeavor to impose virtual grand juries a constitutional mistake.

In New Jersey, grand juries are used in certain cases to see whether there is enough evidence to indict a suspect and move toward a trial. The grand jury, unlike a trial jury, does not determine whether a person is guilty.

Defendants and their lawyers are not present during grand jury proceedings, which occur in secret to protect witnesses, victims, and suspects.

The pandemic shut down courts in mid-March. Since then, in-person grand juries have resumed for federal courts in New Jersey and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and for the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office. Jurors convene in large-enough venues for social distancing and have face masks, spokespeople for those agencies say.

In Philadelphias city court system, grand juries have not yet reconvened, a spokesperson said.

The New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts began its pilot program of virtual grand juries as a way to move stalled criminal cases forward. Pete McAleer, an office spokesperson, said Friday that it is considering expanding the program with the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office.

We simply do not have the space to keep large numbers of grand jurors socially distanced throughout our facilities during this unprecedented health crisis, he said by email. If we could safely accommodate hundreds of grand jurors at courthouses throughout the state while tending to other emergent needs, we would do so. Even if a courthouse has a location large enough to accommodate a virtual grand jury, we must first prioritize the resumption of jury trials, which will demand a significant amount of space.

Court staffers have delivered tablets with broadband access and web cameras to grand jurors who need them. Jurors were also provided headphones so no one else can listen in when they join the proceedings.

McAleer said three suspects whose cases went before virtual grand juries were not indicted on any charges, and in three other cases, jurors declined to indict on some charges. The number of panel members has ranged from 15 to 22.

Critics are not assuaged.

We cant operate a criminal justice system by WiFi. There are too many problems, said Matthew Adams, lead coauthor of the New Jersey Law Journal commentary and an officer with the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey.

He said that grand juries could resume in person with social-distancing guidelines, such as using private banquet spaces, but that its up to the court system to find and secure appropriate venues. The County Prosecutors Association, in its statement, suggested using larger courtrooms or county or school theaters and auditoriums.

McAleer said the state Supreme Court had considered locations such as gymnasiums but for various reasons, including availability and the ability to provide proper security, none was acceptable.

Carters lawyer contends that his client was a victim and not an accomplice in a November robbery in Trenton. Another man, who has not been identified, pulled out a gun and ordered the victim to hand over his wallet to Carter, who then under the gunmans order gave it to the gunman, Fury said. Authorities allege that both Carter and the other man robbed the victim of $2,850.

Fury said that video of the episode, which the grand jurors should have seen, would be cause for reasonable doubt of the allegations against Carter, who remains jailed in New Jersey.

Seeing video live in a courtroom is tough enough, he said. How do you show it on Zoom and make sure everybody got a good view of it?
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Linkedin Yunindita Prasidya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 13:33 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066715e14 1 Business LinkAja,digital-payment,state-owned-enterprises,SOEs,Telkomsel,telkom,Bank-Rakyat-Indonesia,bank-mandiri,pertamina Free

A year and a half since it started doing business, state-backed digital payment platform LinkAja has reported strong growth propelled by robust collaboration with state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

LinkAja chief marketing officer Edward Kilian Suwignyo said the platform had assisted 466 traditional markets in 22 Indonesian cities transition to a digital system, as well as connected over 234,000 merchants to its noncash payment platform.

Cooperation between sectors is very important to reach all [levels] of society in Indonesia, Edward said at a virtual press conference on Wednesday. To stimulate the accelerated adoption of digital technology, LinkAja was not charging small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to join the platform, he added.

LinkAja is a product of PT Fintek Karya Nusantara (Finarya), a subsidiary of state-owned telecommunications giant PT Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel) that was founded on Jan. 21, 2019. LinkAja is now co-owned by seven other SOEs: Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), Bank Mandiri, Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN), Pertamina, PT Asuransi Jiwasraya and PT Danareksa.

According to the 2020 financial report of parent company PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, Finarya was not yet profitable and booked a net loss of Rp 821 billion at the end of last year.

The platform's ties to SOEs have proven a vantage point as the firms help propel LinkAja to the forefront of e-payment players in Indonesia's fintech sector, particularly as the COVID-19 health crisis has pushed customers, businesses and markets across the country to switch to cashless transactions.

BRI consumer director Handayani said at Wednesday's press conference that top-up transactions among LinkAja users had grown twofold since the outbreak emerged in Indonesia. In terms of transaction volume, the platform had recorded 700 percent growth.

Now everyone is using e-wallets because physical money is deemed dangerous as a [vector of] virus transmission, she said.

Digital banking senior vice president Sunarto Xie of Bank Mandiri said the bank had recorded 2 million top-up transactions totaling around Rp 600 billion in May. He added that Mandiri's collaboration with LinkAja was helping it reach a new customer segment.

We used to say, This is the unbankable segment. Why? Because the cost of serving them was greater than the revenue we [made]. Digital [payment] platforms have now transformed that by making the cost to serve very low, Sunarto said.

Transactions through MyPertamina and LinkAja consistently rose along with the completion of digital infrastructure at all gas stations, Pertamina retail marketing director Masud Khamid said during the same event.

He added that Pertamina was pursuing a digitization program for over 7,000 petrol stations and 160,000 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) outlets to offer the LinkAja payment facility, planned for completion by the end of this month

PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI), meanwhile, had introduced its own noncash payment facility in 2013 and added LinkAja just last year.

By ecosystem, up to 70 percent of our service users use the e-money [payment facility]. [Some] of these users use the LinkAja service, noted KCI commercial vice president Karina Amanda .

She added that in normal times, the Commuter Line transported over 1 million passengers per day. The train service was currently averaging 400,000 passengers per day.

The switch to digital payment systems among the Indonesian public was projected to become a long-lasting trend, said LinkAja's Edward. Entering June, he had seen quite a significant increase in e-commerce transactions and utility payments on the platform.

CEO Andi Kristianto of Telkomsel Mitra Inovasi, Telkomsel's venture arm, said that it had been strengthening its technology infrastructure to better cater to fintech payment services like LinkAja.

University of Indonesia economics professor Mohamad Ikhsan, who is also an expert staffer at the SOEs Ministry, pointed out that digitalization would not only help during a crisis, but it would also drive productivity and economic growth.

He noted, however, that the implementation of a digitalization policy would depend on whether access and infrastructure, as well as the bureaucracy, were in ready to support a cashless system.

It is possible that digitalization will create greater inequality, Ikhsan also cautioned, as people with a higher level of education would be quicker to adapt to a digital ecosystem.
Both Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan are currently admitted at a Mumbai hospital, while Aishwarya Rai and Aradhya are in self-quarantine at their residence

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who is currently getting treated for coronavirus in Mumbai's Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital, expressed gratitude towards his fans for their prayers for his well being.

On Friday, 17 July, Bachchan took to Twitter to thank his fans and also said that he is receiving messages from his concerned fans on all of his social media platforms.

Read the tweet below

T 3596 -

I receive all your blessings and love and prayers for our well being .. on sms, on whatsapp, on insta on Blog .. and all possible social media ..

my gratitude has no bounds ..

Hospital protocol is restrictive, i cannot say more .. Love   Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) July 16, 2020

Fans of the superstar have been organising special prayers in different parts of the country for his speedy recovery. In West Bengal's Asansol, fans of the actor organised a 'yagna', praying for his speedy recovery.

Check out the tweet here

West Bengal: Fans of Actor Amitabh Bachchan organised 'yagna' in Asansol to pray for his speedy recovery from #COVID19. A fan, Pradeep Agarwal says,"We're upset that Amitabh ji has contracted the infection. We pray that everyone including him recovers soon." (14.07.2020) pic.twitter.com/Ifjs6LUaTn  ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2020

Besides Bachchan, his son, actor Abhishek Bachchan, daughter-in-law, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and granddaughter Aaradhya Bachchan also tested positive for COVID-19.

Other members of the Bachchan family, including veteran actress Jaya Bachchan, Agastya Nanda, Navya Naveli Nanda, and Shweta Nanda have tested negative.

(With inputs from Asian News International)
The post-July Fourth trough didn't stay for long, as tender rejection rates have climbed back to 15.9%. While this is good news for carriers, consumer spending remains cushioned only temporarily by unemployment checks, which extend only until July 31. In regions where COVID-19 cases continue to grow, lockdowns may be coming. But freight volumes weren't the main casualty of the first lockdown.

"There are a lot of service-based industries that don't move a ton of freight on their own," said Andrew Cox, research analyst at FreightWaves. "If those industries are locked down and the people in those areas aren't able to go there, they may shift their purchasing to goods. You may see another grocery explosion like we saw back in March and April. The carriers aren't in such a bad position this time around with the lockdowns as they were the last one. I don't think they're going to be as severe."

"This is a surprising circumstance if you overlay seasonality with what traditionally happens at this time of year," said Zach Strickland, director of freight market intelligence at FreightWaves. "Normally, we would have seen our seasonal peak way back in June. Tender rejection rates can go up into the holiday July Fourth due to supply side conditions, but this year they've come down and then all the sudden they've jumped back up to 15.9% when it was 15%. The direction is what's important, especially at this time of year."

July is typically a softer month, so these current volume patterns that mirror pre-July Fourth surges are a curious development, one that extends across all regions. Craig Montgomery, senior vice president of global branding at PowerFleet, has observed an increase in manufacturing and logistics activity.

"With the normal summer holiday season disrupted by COVID-19 impacts and many states returning to various stay at home orders, the manufacturing and logistics activity appears to be rising around areas such as DIY home upgrade materials and consumer durables, along with the continual strong demand in food, beverage and healthcare items," Montgomery said.

Story continues

The Van Outbound Tender Reject Index chart above shows that while all regions in the U.S. show increasing rejection rates, the Southwest region, in yellow, takes the lead at 21.34%.

The more disruptive markets are Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas, as well as Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Atlanta market, however, shows rates climbing for reefer outbound tender rejection, but the overall tender rejection rate is coming down.

"Rejection rates continuing to increase, above the national average, in all of the aforementioned markets are an indication that carriers are having difficulty managing their networks," said Strickland. "Carriers without existing loads entering these markets should be able to find loads with relative ease on the spot market this week."

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
President Trumps account was not affected by the breach, Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, said on Thursday. Mr. Trumps account got extra protection after past incidents, according to a senior administration official and a Twitter employee, who would speak only anonymously because the security measures were private.

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence said it would request information from Twitter about the hack. The ability of bad actors to take over prominent accounts, even fleetingly, signals a worrisome vulnerability in this media environment, exploitable not just for scams but for more impactful efforts to cause confusion, havoc and political mischief, said Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, the vice chairman of the committee.

The attack on Wednesday came in waves. First, attackers used their access to Twitters internal tools to take over accounts with distinctive user names like @6, an account that once belonged to the security researcher and hacker Adrian Lamo. Then the attack hit the Twitter accounts of prominent cryptocurrency leaders and companies. The next wave included many of the most popular accounts, including those belonging to political leaders, industry titans and top entertainers.

The messages were a version of a long-running scam in which hackers pose as public figures on Twitter and promise to match or even triple any funds that are sent to their Bitcoin wallets. But the scam on Wednesday was the first to use the real accounts of public figures.

The hackers received $120,000 worth of Bitcoin in 518 transactions from around the world, according to Chainalysis, a research company that tracks the movement of cryptocurrencies. Most of the victims had Bitcoin wallets associated with Asia, but about a quarter came from the United States, according to another cryptocurrency research firm, Elliptic.

Soon after the money came into their wallet, the hackers began moving the money in a complicated pattern of transactions that will help obscure the source and make it harder to track, Chainalysis found.

It looks like someone who has some computer skills, but not someone who is using the most sophisticated ways to launder the coins, said Jonathan Levin, the chief strategy officer at Chainalysis.
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The coronavirus outbreak in England isn't changing in size and 1,700 people are still catching the illness every day, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Estimates based on population testing suggest one in every 2,300 people is now carrying Covid-19 - a total of 24,000 people or 0.04 per cent of the population. This is a slight rise from the 0.03 per cent (14,000) estimated last week but both are within a possible range, showing any change is not significant.

The number of people catching the virus each day - 1,700 - has not changed in a week, however, and the ONS said the outbreak has 'levelled off'.

Separate estimates of cases by King's College London and Public Health England say between 2,100 and 3,300 people are getting infected in England every day.

ONS data is considered to be some of the most accurate available - this week's update was based on the results of 112,776 swab tests taken over six weeks, of which 39 were positive.

The data suggests that lifting the rest of the lockdown rules on 'Super Saturday', July 4, does not yet seem to have triggered a rise in coronavirus cases in England - backdated data will only just be starting to take that effect into account, however, meaning the next few weeks will be critical.

Separate antibody testing by the ONS - looking at people's blood for signs of past infection - suggests 2.8million people, or 6.3 per cent of people in England, have had Covid-19 already.

SAGE today claimed Britain's coronavirus outbreak is still shrinking by up to 5 per cent a day but the scientific advisory panel warned the R rate could be above one in the South West of England and London. And Britain today announced 114 more coronavirus deaths.

It comes after Boris Johnson today urged all workers to return to offices in August as he set out his timetable for life in the UK to return to normal by Christmas. In a Downing Street press conference, he revealed restrictions on the use of public transport in England are being dropped immediately with trips on the train and bus to no longer be viewed as the option of last resort.

In other coronavirus developments in Britain today:

Health Secretary Matt Hancock ordered Public Health England to review the way it counts deaths because of a 'statistical flaw' that means officials are 'over-exaggerating' the daily toll;

Security Minister James Brokenshire said the UK is at least '95 per cent' certain the Kremlin gave the green light for Russian cyber attacks designed to steal coronavirus vaccine research;

Britain could already have herd immunity against Covid-19 because so many people have had similar illnesses in the past, an Oxford University study claimed;

Half a million coronavirus tests made by Randox and used by thousands of Britons were recalled after spot checks revealed they were not sterile.

BRITAIN ANNOUNCES 114 MORE CORONAVIRUS DEATHS Britain today recorded 114 more Covid-19 victims with the rolling average number of daily deaths now 10 per cent higher compared to last week. Department of Health figures show 82 Britons are now succumbing to the life-threatening infection each day - up from the seven-day mean of 74 last Friday. More than 1,000 people were dying each day during the darkest days of the crisis in April. Alarming statistics also reveal a similar jump in cases, with officials today confirming 687 more Britons had tested positive - taking the average to 609 infections. For comparison, the rate last Friday was 556. One fatality was recorded in all settings in Wales but none were registered in either Scotland or Northern Ireland, according to official updates. It comes as the Health Secretary today ordered Public Health England to review the way it counts deaths because of a 'statistical flaw' that means officials are 'over-exaggerating' the daily toll. Advertisement

The ONS said it has today changed the way it counts data and is following trends over a six-week period rather than a two-week period.

As a result, the organisation said its new data shouldn't be compared with its older publications.

Testing data is collected by the ONS from swab tests sent regularly to people's homes to test whether they are infected with the virus at the time. The people are chosen to be representative of the UK population.

Only very small numbers of people test positive in any given period, which creates a wide range of possible estimates for the ONS to choose from about how many people in the community have the virus.

The possible range in this week's estimate is between 15,000 and 34,000 people currently infected. This does not include patients in hospitals or care home residents, who cannot be tested at home.

Separate estimates of the prevalence of the coronavirus in England are produced regularly by the team who run the COVID Symptom Tracker mobile app, at King's College London and the health tech firm ZOE, and also a team of statisticians at Public Health England and Cambridge University.

King's College London's COVID Symptom Tracker app estimates 2,100 people are catching the virus in the community every day across the whole of the UK  up from its prediction of fewer than 1,400 last week.

The increase is too small to say definitively that the outbreak is growing once again but the scientists confirmed the epidemic had 'definitely levelled off' and claimed cases are only dropping in the Midlands, which contains Leicester - the only place in the UK to be hit by a local lockdown.

KCL experts, working with health tech company ZOE, collected data on symptoms and test results from four million UK citizens between June 28 and July 11. It is one of several surveillance projects tracking the spread of the disease in Britain.

Their data shows the virus is spreading most widely in the North East of England and Yorkshire, which is still experiencing 401 daily cases.

COVID-19 WAS STILL THE THIRD MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DEATH IN JUNE Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales in June, even though the darkest days of crisis are over. One in 14 deaths were caused by the coronavirus in June - the same month Number 10 began to relax strict lockdown measures. The disease was written on 2,525 death certificates, meaning 50,335 confirmed or suspected Covid-19 deaths have been recorded over the course of the pandemic. But coronavirus deaths in June were significantly lower than they were in May, when the life-threatening infection accounted for a fifth of all fatalities. And it's the first time since March that the coronavirus was not the leading cause of death, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released today. Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death in June, accounting for 10 per cent of fatalities. Advertisement

The second worst-hit region is the Midlands, where there are still 363 new daily cases, many of which would have been in Leicester, which has had to roll back its easing of lockdown because of rising infections.

In the North West, 321 people are catching the virus every day. Some extra restrictions came into force in the Lancashire authorities of Blackburn with Darwen and Pendle yesterday because cases are creeping up again.

Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist at KCL and lead researcher behind the app, said it was clear 'the virus is not going away any time soon' and that his team were monitoring the situation closely.

Meanwhile the forecasting report by PHE and Cambridge, last updated on Monday, July 13, predicted that around 3,300 people are still catching Covid-19 each day.

This was a rise from the team's estimate on July 1, when it was 2,900, which may be due to the loosening of lockdown restrictions or localised outbreaks like the one in Leicester.

The Department of Health's testing programme has detected an average of 584 new cases over the past seven days, with 642 people diagnosed yesterday.

The PHE estimate of new cases is falling - it was 5,300 last week, later adjusted to 3,600 - but remains higher than estimates from the ONS and the ongoing project by King's College London.

It comes as SAGE today said Britain's coronavirus outbreak is still shrinking by up to 5 per cent a day, according to official data released today  but warned the R rate could be above one in the South West of England and London.

The Government's scientific advisory panel revealed the UK's current growth rate  how the number of new cases is changing day-by-day  is between minus five and minus one per cent.

BRITAIN'S OUTBREAK IS STILL SHRINKING BY 5% A DAY, SAGE SAYS Britain's coronavirus outbreak is still shrinking by up to 5 per cent a day, according to official data released today  but SAGE has warned the R rate could be above one in the South West of England and London. The Government's scientific advisory panel revealed the UK's current growth rate  how the number of new cases is changing day-by-day  is between minus five and minus one per cent. It is more confirmation the crisis is still petering out and suggests the reopening of pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and beauty salons on July 4, dubbed 'Super Saturday', has not triggered a resurgence yet. But the figures show the UK's outbreak is now be shrinking at a slightly slower speed because the growth rate has crept up from last week's rate of minus 5 per cent to minus 2 per cent per day. Scientists today said they were 'cautiously optimistic' about the data, which they say shows 'there is no indication the epidemic has gotten out of hand as a result of the easement' of lockdown. But they warned Brits 'must stay completely vigilant' because a lag in the statistics means it is at least two weeks behind and it could take until next week for any spike to become visible. Separate figures released by SAGE today shows the virus's 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 two months. But SAGE admitted the R could be as high as 1.1 in the South West of England, where Britons have been flocking for stay-cations to enjoy the coastline of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, and in London, where pubs have been rammed with customers after reopening earlier this month. For England as a whole, the R is slightly higher than the rest of the country, with the reproduction number hovering between 0.8 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. Advertisement

It is more confirmation the crisis is still petering out and suggests the reopening of pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and beauty salons on July 4, dubbed 'Super Saturday', has not triggered a resurgence yet.

But the figures show the UK's outbreak is now be shrinking at a slightly slower speed because the growth rate has crept up from last week's rate of minus 5 per cent to minus 2 per cent per day.

Scientists today said they were 'cautiously optimistic' about the data, which they say shows 'there is no indication the epidemic has gotten out of hand as a result of the easement' of lockdown.

But they warned Brits 'must stay completely vigilant' because a lag in the statistics means it is at least two weeks behind and it could take until next week for any spike to become visible.

Separate figures released by SAGE today shows the virus's 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 two months.

But SAGE admitted the R could be as high as 1.1 in the South West of England, where Britons have been flocking for stay-cations to enjoy the coastline of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, and in London, where pubs have been rammed with customers after reopening earlier this month.

For England as a whole, the R is slightly higher than the rest of the country, with the reproduction number hovering between 0.8 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.

Separate ONS data today revealed Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales in June, even though the darkest days of crisis are over.

One in 14 deaths were caused by the coronavirus in June - the same month Number 10 began to relax strict lockdown measures.

The disease was written on 2,525 death certificates, meaning 50,335 confirmed or suspected Covid-19 deaths have been recorded over the course of the pandemic.

But coronavirus deaths in June were significantly lower than they were in May, when the life-threatening infection accounted for a fifth of all fatalities.

And it's the first time since March that the coronavirus was not the leading cause of death, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released today.

Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death in June, accounting for 10 per cent of fatalities.

Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales over June. Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death followed by heart disease. The leading causes of death are shown per 100,000 of the population
Pan-African Organisation for Research and Protection of Violence on Women and Children (PAORP-VWC), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has called on law enforcement agencies and other relevant stakeholders to strictly enforce laws that protect children from early child marriages.



It said early child and forced marriages undermined the rights of children, adding it was prudent for existing laws and policies to be rigorously enforced to save these children from the menace.



Madam Mary Agiiba, a Project Officer at the PAORP-VWC, was speaking at a workshop to school stakeholders on the existing laws and policies, which protected children from forced and early marriages and also seek strategies to promote child rights campaigns, in the Tolon district of the Northern region.



The workshop brought together traditional leaders, officials from the Ghana Education Service (GES), Social Welfare, the Ghana Police Service, the Tolon District Assembly and other interest groups to devise strategies to strengthen and promote child right laws in Northern Ghana.



It formed part of the PAORP-VWCs three-year project dubbed: Promotion of Protection against Child Trafficking and Child, Early and Forced Marriage in Northern Ghana, being implemented in Tolon, Kumbungu, Gushegu, Zabzugu and Tatale districts, with funding support from KiRA Germany.



Madam Agiiba said for the girls to explore her full potentials, there was the need to intensify the advocacy in observing the laws to end child marriages.



Hajia Alima Sagito Saeed, the Executive Director for Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA), noted that educating the girls was critical to the development of the nation, and stressed on the need for national laws on protecting children to be strictly enforced.



Participants at the workshop pledged their commitment to join the campaign to end forced and early child marriages among residents to accelerate their growth.

Source: GNA









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Secretary of State Michael Pompeo is in Iowa to speak with Christian leaders and meet farmers, the latest in a series of domestic trips that have fueled suspicion he's using his job as America's top diplomat to lay the groundwork for a future political run.

Pompeo, a devout evangelical Christian, was to give a speech Friday to the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines and meet behind closed doors with Iowan farmers, business leaders and politicians, according to his public schedule for the day.

The speech is expected to hit the same themes as a report he commissioned on "unalienable rights" that was released yesterday, which emphasized religious freedom over ideas Pompeo opposes, such as the right to an abortion and same-sex marriage.

While the secretary of state has repeatedly rejected suggestions that he's laying the groundwork for a post-Trump administration political future, his Friday trip drew a rebuke from the president's Democratic opponent ahead of the November election, Joe Biden.

"Whether Secretary Pompeo is in Iowa today to garner support for President Trump's foreign policy or position himself to run for office, he needs to really listen to Iowans for the truth," a Biden campaign news release said on Friday, citing Iowa farmer Pam Johnson. "All is not well."

In a speech about the unalienable rights report on Thursday, Pompeo frequently strayed into U.S. politics, offering a bleak view of the protests that have shaken America in recent weeks.

"The rioters pulling down statues thus see nothing wrong with desecrating monuments to those who fought for our unalienable rights - from our founding to the present day," Pompeo said. "This is a dark vision of America's birth. I reject it."

Pompeo's airing of those views, along with his frequent visits to his adopted home state of Kansas, have raised suspicion that he's actively courting the conservative base he'll need if he runs for the presidency in 2024, as many Republicans expect. His advisers have acknowledged he has ambitions for higher office.

Success in Iowa's quadrennial presidential caucuses have long been the first official test of a potential candidate's support.

Pompeo often layers political tasks onto his domestic travels. When he went to Florida in January, he made an unannounced stop at The Villages, a mostly Republican retirement community. He's also met frequently with Republican donors on the sidelines of trips to California and New York, with few of those events showing up on his public schedule.

In an interview with The Hill on Thursday, Pompeo denied there was any hidden agenda behind his Iowa visit.

"When I travel to America's heartland, everybody always has some second theory of the case about why Mike Pompeo might travel there," Pompeo said. "I think every American ought to hear it from America's secretary of state about our foreign policy, about our trade policies that affect the people of Iowa greatly."
TROY, N.Y.  The South Troy Pool is slated to reopen this Saturday, July 18. Troy Mayor Patrick Madden revealed news Thursday afternoon, that the public will be able to go for a swim starting at 1 p.m.

The pool located off 4th Street, which originally opened on July 4, 1960, will be available for public use Monday through Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Reopening of the South Troy Swimming Pool follows a multi-year renovation effort at the facility. The pool was closed in 2017 after an engineering assessment discovered significant structural, mechanical, and accessibility issues. Upgrades and improvements to the facility include:

New roof and skylights on the amenities building

Interior of amenities building repainted, lighting re-wired, bathrooms re-plumbed, and changing rooms rebuilt

Replacement of pump and filtration room, including installation of new plumbing lines and wiring

Replacement of compromised sections of concrete pool walls, and installation of a new liner and gutter system

Replacement of exterior fencing around facility

Installation of new concrete decking

Addition of pool lift to increase accessibility for individuals with disabilities

Restoration of splash pad (located behind amenities building)

Keeping in line with state health guidelines for COVID-19, the pool capacity will be limited to 50 patrons. Among those 50 patrons, the pool will be accessible to only Troy residents, and children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Were pleased to officially reopen the South Troy swimming pool for public enjoyment this summer. Updates to this facility represent a complete renovation that improves safety for patrons, increases accessibility for individuals with disabilities, and will add decades of life to the facility with proper maintenance, Madden said.

I applaud the work of Deputy Mayor [Monica] Kurzejeski, the Department of Engineering, including Todd Dickinson, and Parks & Recreation staff who worked tirelessly to reopen the South Troy pool this year. We look forward to welcoming back swimmers for the first of many seasons of summer fun, Madden added.

Due to the looming heatwave this weekend, the pool will be open for public swimming on Sunday, July 19, from 1 p.m.  6 p.m.

Council members also voiced their pleasure upon hearing the news the pool would finally reopen.

As was the case in 2019, Troy City Council President Carmella Mantello noted that the council voted Thursday night to waive pool fees, something that the mayors office was in favor of as well.

This is just super great news, super great news for our youth here in Troy and the residents and its way, way long overdue and especially in this period of such a challenging and unprecedented time with COVID, Mantello remarked.

Our kids are struggling to find activities and I certainly correlate the increase in violence to, unfortunately, many of our youth just not having activities, not having some summer activities to do and are bored. So certainly the opening of the South Troy Pool just fabulous news for our youth, Mantello noted on providing kids with somewhere to go and have fun.

Im just so, so happy for the kids in Troy, they truly deserve this. This is there not just vacation but this is their getaway for the day and theyll have more activities, Mantello added on the ability for kids and families to have a welcome distraction and break from the world.

This is great news for the youth of South Troy and all of our city, Eileen McDermott (D6) whose district the pool is located, noted.

The South Troy pool has a long history of providing a fun and safe place for young children and families in the community to cool off during hot summers. Im so pleased that tradition can now continue, McDermott added.

Im thrilled to hear that Mayor Patrick Madden waived the admission fees during the 2020 swim season. We want to do all we can to help residents during the economic uncertainty of COVID-19, Council President Prop Tempore Ken Zalewski (D5) stated.

The pool project turned into much more than was originally expected. However, we can all look with pride on the finished product. Not a band-aid but a rebuild that, if taken care of, will last for years of Troy youth, Anasha Cummings (D4) noted.

Sue Steele (D3) also lauded the Madden administration in, doing the job right and not bending to pressure to settle for a shoddy job. Kudos for the partnership between the city and the Troy Boys & Girls Club. Thanks also to Assemblyman John McDonald who helped secure the necessary funding to do the pool construction correctly.

The city will also provide free swimming lessons for children at the South Troy pool this summer. Lessons will be held Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. until noon, beginning Monday, July 27. Lessons will be available in two sessions (July 27  Aug. 7, and Aug. 10  Aug. 21). Registration is required for participants. For more information on swim lessons, or to register your child, residents are asked to call the Department of Parks and Recreation at (518) 270-1125.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Capital Area will provide a free lunch program as well. The program will be available Monday through Friday, from 1 p.m.  2 p.m., for children 17 and under.

The city also outlined health guidelines amid the ongoing pandemic:

Admittance to the pool will be limited to city of Troy residents only.

Visitors will be required to present proof of residency during their visit (ex. drivers license, utility bill, school I.D., or other govt issued identification)

A 50-person capacity limit will be instituted at the South Troy Pool

Entrance fees have been waived for city residents due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Restrooms with be available, but changing rooms will be closed. City residents should come dressed to swim.

Visitors should practice social distancing (maintaining 6 feet distance from other people) when not in the water.

Use of a mask or face covering is required in public. However, visitors should NOT wear a face covering in the water.

Were taking extra precautions this summer to protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, Madden explained.

Its important that city residents follow the instructions of staff during their visit to the South Troy pool to keep everyone safe in compliance with NYS health guidelines. Because the coronavirus has limited the availability of recreational opportunities, we are pleased to waive entry fees this summer for the enjoyment of Troy residents and families, Madden added.

Those who feel sick or are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should stay home and contact the Rensselaer County Health Department. For more information on COVID-19 precautions, residents can visit www.health.ny.gov/coronavirus
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > COVID-19 outbreak in Nagpur Prison: The worsening health situation of Prof (...)

DOCUMENT

COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENCE AND RELEASE OF G.N. SAIBABA

15th July 2020

PRESS STATEMENT

COVID-19 outbreak in Nagpur Prison: The worsening health situation of Prof G.N. Saibaba

Dr. G. N. Saibaba in his most recent call to his family and advocate informed despite the preventive measures taken by the jail administration many prisoners were affected by COVID-19 including jail guards in Nagpur Central Prison. One of the prisoners near to his anda cell got tested positive for COVID-19. The disease has reached very close to me", Saibaba said, and that it was only a "matter of time" since it reaches his cell as he is highly vulnerable due to existing co-morbidities.

Once, Saibaba (53) is infected, he cannot recover and survive on his own from COVID. The jail has not assigned him helpers to take care of his daily needs and he is being forced to live in unhygienic conditions. This is a certain death sentence for him, as he is one of the most sensitive to infections in his current conditions. Such an unhygienic environment most probably leads to bad health conditions including allergies, infection, etc. Especially when contracted, he will be left alone. This is a dire case as once he tests for COVID positive; he will be either confined to his cell with no helpers and he will not be allowed to shift to the family for healthcare.

On 14th July 2020, again a writ on medical grounds came before the Bombay High Court Bench at Nagpur and the honorable High court gave 10 days time for the prosecution to submit its reply and scheduled the case at the end of July.

In view of the precarious health condition of Dr. G. N. Saibaba, we appeal Maharashtra State Government and the Central Government to release him by granting bail or parole immediately so that he can avail appropriate medical treatment either at Hyderabad or Delhi where his family members are living.

Prof G. Haragopal

Chairman

15th July 2020

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE FAMILY MEMBERS PROF G.N. SAIBABA REGARDING HEALTH SITUATION OF PROF G.N. SAIBABA AND THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN NAGPUR PRISON

The prison authorities gave special permission to Prof Saibaba to explain his condition to lawyer and family. Dr. G.N. Saibaba in his most recent call to his family and advocate informed that there has been an uncontrolled outbreak of COVID-19 in Nagpur Central Prison. Despite the preventive measures taken by the jail administration in an active way, COVID-19 has infected 100s of prisoners, including convicts, undertrials and even the jail guards. The infections are widespread and on a large scale, where barrack after barrack is being infected. On 8th July 2020, all 20 prisoners of Anda cell have undergone COVID-19 swab tests and one prisoner was found infected. "The disease has reached very close to me", Saibaba said, and that it was only a "matter of time" since it reaches his cell. Because of his weak health and existing co-morbidities, Saibaba is further in a more vulnerable situation with his damaged and low immunity. According to him, even the officers who used to roam the barracks contacted COVID. There is no special care or treatment in order to combat this. Moreover, he has not been provided with his treatment for his other serious health ailments. Saibaba (53) is an easy target for the virus, and once infected, he cannot recover and survive on his own from COVID. The jail has not assigned him helpers to take care of his daily needs and he is being forced to live in unhygienic conditions. Especially when infected, he will be left alone. This is a dire case as once he tests for COVID positive; he will be either confined to his cell with no helpers and he will not be allowed to shift to the family for healthcare. This is a certain death sentence for him, as he is one of the most sensitive to infections in his current conditions.

During his previous telephone call on 6th July 2020 informed me that his health is not in good condition. The jail authorities took him to Nagpur Government Super Specialities Hospital two times during the COVID-19 lockdown. He was taken to 5 various departments in the hospital and advised to undergo more tests and prescribed some pain killers. The Hospital conducted MRI-Brain scan, other tests, and reports have not been given so far. Even after several requests, the old diagnostic test reports since September 2018 have not been provided. As the medical records are not available the family members could not able to take the advice of their family doctor on his health issues.

The Nagpur Government Super Specialities Hospital doctors on 25th June 2020 again advised to go for surgery to remove Gall Bladder. But under his deteriorated health conditions and existing pandemic COVID-19, the surgery is not advisable as the chance of infection is more. The Nagpur Government Super Speciality Hospital doctors again suggested using cold and hot packs regularly, use the medical bed for sleeping and six side pillows (to relieve continuous shooting pain) were not yet provided.

So far, no supporting attendants have been assigned to him. Due to the non-availability of the attendants, he is unable to perform his routine day to day activities including going to the toilet. No one is there to help him and therefore he is using very dirty and unclean clothes and bedsheets for a long time. Such an unhygienic environment most probably leads to bad health conditions including allergies, infection, etc.

He has been denied newspapers since March. Dr.GN Saibaba informed that his left hand is totally on the verge of failure. The nervous systems further affected the right hand also. Acute pain is spreading along the length of both the hands up to the fingers.

The first parole application was rejected citing that his brother residence was in COVID containment zone as reported by Cyberabad Commissioner. His brother applied again for Saibabas parole almost a month ago, but there is no response from the concerned jail authorities.

On 14th July 2020, again a writ on medical grounds came before the Bombay High Court Bench at Nagpur and the honorable High court gave 10 days time for the prosecution to submit its reply and scheduled the case at the end of July.

Dr. G. N. Saibaba suffers severe physical pain caused by the degeneration of muscles in his hands. He is plagued by pancreatitis, high blood pressure, Cardiomyopathy, chronic back pain, immobility, and sleeplessness. Consequently, his physical ailments intensified while the lack of pain relief and neglect due to inadequate medical facilities further debilitate his already fragile health. Despite interventions made by the National Human Rights Commission and authorities of international human rights organisations, the Courts have repeatedly denied him bail. Undue delays without bail for the incarcerated are a blatant denial of the fundamental right to life and liberty guaranteed under Article 21.

The Supreme Court of India has upheld the right to life and reflected on prisoners observing that the treatment of a human being which offends human dignity, imposes avoidable torture and reduces the man to the level of a beast would certainly be arbitrary and can be questioned under Article 14. India is also a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which recognises the inherent dignity of human beings and the ideal of free human beings enjoying civil and political freedom. Furthermore, India has ratified the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on October 1st 2007. India has even adopted the United Nations Resolution 70/175 on Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules). These covenants, conventions and resolutions ensure life and dignity to all persons, prisoners and persons with disabilities and layout the essential parameters necessary for its implementation.

The spread of the COVID-19 virus in such a space is likely to be a death sentence for Dr. G.N. Saibaba. In such a precarious health condition of Dr. G.N. Saibaba, we appeal the Maharashtra State Government and the Central Government to release him on bail or parole immediately so that he will be provided appropriate medical treatment either at Hyderabad or Delhi where his family members are living.

Release all the incarcerated voices of democracy and uphold their right to life.

A.S. Vasantha Kumari

W/o Dr. GN Saibaba

New Delhi

G. Suryavathi

(Mother of GN Saibaba)

&

Family members
Derrick Robinson stood in the blistering heat at the "Ground Zero" of the 1995 Chicago heat wave. One body after another was carted into the morgue on Harrison Street -- a shocking sight for the 25-year-old, who was a relatively new photojournalist at the time.

From July 12 to July 15, temperatures in Chicago felt like they were in the triple digits, and the heat was made overwhelmingly unbearable by humidity and the heat-retaining concrete elements of the city.

Robinson, a photographer and transmission technician who operated the live truck for the Chicagoland Television, had spent hours in front of the morgue as the station reported on the heat wave.

"I've never seen anything like it in my life," Robinson told AccuWeather in a phone interview. "Ground Zero was the morgue on Harrison Street on the west side of Chicago in the medical district, and body after body after body coming into that morgue. I'll never forget it was just endless... endless. It was so bad it was like, you got tired of shooting it."

Adding to the problem of the heat was widespread power outages spread across the city as people turned up air conditioners, leaving more than 8,000 customers without power or cool air. In an effort to stay cool, as many as 3,000 people illegally opened fire hydrants, causing a severe water pressure strain throughout the city, WBBM's Sylvia Gomez reported at the time. Children filled the streets, playing in the water and desperately trying to stay cool in the deadly heat.

The heat became so overwhelming that busloads of children were overcome by the temperatures as they returned from a field trip. At least 11 were taken to the hospital for treatment. Some firefighters brought out hoses to cool off some 40 heat-exhausted people outside the Jackson Park Field House at the Southside, Lester Holt, who now anchors NBC's Nightly News broadcast, reported for WBBM as the heat wave escalated.

Story continues

Three daily high records were shattered as the mercury soared to 97 degrees on July 12, 104 degrees on July 13 and 100 degrees on July 14.

Chicago's Midway International Airport also reached 106 degrees on July 13, making it the hottest day during the blistering heat wave. Chicago typically has high temperatures in the mid-80s during the month.

An estimated number of 739 people died during the 1995 Chicago heat wave, most of whom were elderly residents. The death toll underscored the dangers posed by extreme heat.

"Heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. In fact, on average, excessive heat claims more lives each year than floods, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes combined," according to Changon et al. at the State Climatologist Office for Illinois.

In 1995, there was a lack of uniform standards for determining a "heat-related death," Eric Klinenberg, a sociologist and scholar of urban studies culture and media told the University of Chicago Press. Edmond Donoghue, the Cook County chief medical examiner at the time, used "state-of-the-art criteria" to report 465 heat-related deaths for the week and 521 heat-related deaths for the entire month.

Still, the mayor at the time, Richard M. Daley, underestimated the deadly effect of the extreme heat.

"We all have our little problems, but let's not blow it out of proportion. It's hot," Daley said, according to The Chicago Tribune.

Workers at the Cook County morgue in Chicago wheel a body to refrigerator trucks on Tuesday, July 18, 1995. Several trucks were parked near the morgue to handle an overflow of bodies, most believed to be victims of the heat wave. (AP Photo/Mike Fisher)

Medical examiners nationwide had confirmed Donoghoue's heat-related death criteria were scientifically sound and had endorsed his findings, according to Klinenberg. However, the estimate of 739 deaths comes from the "excess death" rate, which is an accounting of the difference between reported deaths and the typical deaths for a given period of time.

"According to this measure, 739 Chicagoans above the norm died during the week of 14 to 20 July -- which means that Donoghue had been conservative in his accounts," Klinenberg said.

The people most affected by the heat wave, Robinson said, were the African-American communities.

"I think it affected the city as a whole. It was just kind of disproportionate, and I think it affected a lot of the African-American residents," Robinson recalled.

Of the estimated 739 fatalities, more than 70% of the victims were over 65 years old, and African-American mortality rates were roughly 1.5 times higher than the white mortality rate, according to the Encyclopedia of Chicago.

A Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from Aug. 11, 1995, using Donoghue's number of 465 heat-related deaths, found that 229 (49%) of the people were Black, 215 (46) of them were white and 21 (5%) had been from other racial or ethnic groups. However, Klinenberg points out the disparity in the mortality rate.

"The actual death tolls for African Americans and whites were almost identical, but those numbers are misleading," Klinenberg said. "There are far more elderly white than elderly African Americans in Chicago, and when the Chicago Public Health Department considered the age differences, they found that the black/white mortality rate was 1.5 to 1."

Autopsy technicians move bodies into refrigrated trucks at the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office Monday, July 17, 1995, in Chicago. Bodies were backed up outside the morgue throughout the weekend and Monday as the heat-related death toll may climb as high as 300 after several days of brutally hot weather. (AP Photo/Charles Bennett)

Kathryn Sullivan, the leader of the national disaster survey team that investigated the event and former National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) chief scientist, believed much of the loss of life could have been prevented.

"In both Chicago and Milwaukee, the National Weather Service issued warnings of the developing heat wave several days in advance, which were quickly broadcast by the local media," Sullivan said. "Given this advance warning, many, if not all, of the heat-related deaths associated with this event were preventable."

Robinson remembered the forecasters at Chicagoland Television covering the heat wave in advance but couldn't recall any preparations made by the city.

"I can't remember anything, any dire warning, saying to stay inside," Robinson said. "But, like I said, the city itself was not prepared, especially with its elderly residents or its poor residents."

City officials did not release a heat emergency warning until July 15 -- the last day of the heat wave.

According to the disaster survey from the National Weather Service (NWS), the heat wave had been so unusual that it was not immediately recognized as a public health emergency.

"Unfortunately, a heat wave connotes discomfort, not violence. Inconvenience, not alarm," Sullivan said.

The refrigerated semi-trucks, originally purposed as food distribution trucks, that came to hold the number of bodies the morgue didn't have the space to hold reframed the heat wave for many Chicagoans. The heat wave of 1988 was still fresh in the minds of many, including Robinson, but there had been one weather factor that made the 1995 heat wave deadlier than the last.

Cook County morgue technicians work between a row of refrigerated trucks outside the morgue on Tuesday, July 18, 1995, as the city of Chicago continues to deal with the rising death count from the recent heat wave to hit the area. At least 199 lives have been claimed by the hot humid temperatures. (AP Photo/Mike Fisher)

The dew points in the heat wave were in the upper 70s to lower 80s, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Nicole LoBiondo. The NWS defines a dew point temperature as the temperature to which the air would need to be cooled at a constant air pressure to create a relative humidity of 100%. After that point, the air would not be able to hold any more moisture as a gas, so either precipitation or fog would occur beyond that point.

The NWS states that dew point temperatures values at or above 65 degrees become "oppressive." AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg added that dew points in the upper 70s to lower 80s were rare in the U.S., particularly that far north from the Gulf of Mexico.

"In addition, a general lack of wind added to the overall withering effect of the record heat and the very high humidity levels, elevating temperatures to what today would contribute to AccuWeather RealFeel Temperatures in excess of 120 degrees," Lundberg said.

And it wasn't just extreme heat during the daytime. No relief was felt during the night due to a localized weather phenomenon.

"These dew points made it oppressively humid during the day outside, and temperatures were exacerbated at night due to the 'urban heat island' effect in the city," LoBiondo said.

The "urban heat island" concept refers to the factoring in of a high concentration of buildings, parking lots and roads in cities that tend to absorb the heat during the day then radiate it at night. Temperatures during the nights of the heat wave lingered in the upper 70s to lower 80s, providing little relief when the sun had sank below the horizon.

The fatality numbers caught officials off guard, overwhelming the system. Ambulances became unavailable, hospitals filled to the breaking point and funeral homes even had trouble picking up the bodies. Later on, finding an organist for a funeral was a task in itself, according to then-Chief Medical Examiner Edmund Donoghue. The city had to call in refrigerated food trucks to store some of the bodies.

"It was certainly epidemic levels," Donoghue told WGB News.

Chicago's summer of 2020 is on track to be hotter than the summer of 1995, which the NWS considers the second-warmest summer on record. Chicago's average temperature from June 20 to July 13, 2020, has been 78.8 degrees, which is 5.9 degrees above average. In comparison, Chicago's meteorological summer of 1995 averaged 75.2 degrees, which is 2.2 degrees above average.

"As bad as the 1995 heat wave was, this disaster is worse," Donoghue told WGN News, referring to the current health crisis and reasoning that people can't escape the virus the way survivors escaped the heat and the health care workers involved can also be endangered.

A grim lesson from the 1995 heat wave prompted Cook County to take over a refrigerated warehouse to hold up to 2,000 bodies 25 years later in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic during the summer of 2020.

Like the heat wave of 1995, systemic health and social inequalities have put some racial and ethnic minority groups at an increased risk of getting COVID-19, the CDC statists reported in June. The CDC found that both Black and Native American or Alaska Native people are five times more likely to die from COVID-19 than white people. Latinx people are four times more likely to die from COVID-19 than white people.

The city has reacted to change how the local government responds to heat waves. Since the heat wave of 1995, Robinson said, there has been a change from the city, including cooling centers opening in extreme heat and warming centers during the wintertime. Still, it had been a heavy lesson to learn.

Robinson was at the front of the morgue for news coverage for as long as 12 hours in a day that July. He and the crew would report on the death toll from the heat wave for about three weeks as families came to identify loved ones.

"I just remember seeing bodybag after body bag after body bag," Robinson said.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
ANKARA, Turkey - Dr. Murat Dilmener sometimes bent hospital rules in Istanbul to ensure patients without health insurance got the treatment they needed. He frequently saw poor Turks for free at his private clinic and persuaded more affluent ones to sponsor medical student scholarships.

His charity and compassion would inspire Turkish newspapers to dub Dilmener the Robin Hood of the medical profession and earn the professor and practicing physician the admiration of thousands of patients and students. But they also landed him in trouble.

Dilmener died of COVID-19 on May 3. His family thinks the 78-year-old infectious diseases specialist acquired the coronavirus tending to another one of the patients he couldnt turn away. The team that treated him included former students who were devastated they could not save his life.

He was at the frontline of the fight against infections, but he succumbed to an infection, said Dr. Haluk Eraksoy, Dilmeners former assistant and the current head of infectious diseases at the hospital where his late mentor had worked. This was very unsettling for us.

___

EDITORS NOTE: This is part of an ongoing series of stories remembering people who have died from the coronavirus around the world.

___

Following in Robin Hoods footsteps with a stethoscope instead of a bow and arrow wasnt easy.

In 2004, Dilmener and other doctors were investigated for allegedly causing the Istanbul Medical Faculty Hospital financial losses by unlawfully treating patients who had neither social security coverage nor certificates proving destitution that were required at the time.

Dilmener was ordered to pay 500,000 lira (equivalent to $73,000 today) in restitution - a colossal amount for a Turkish family at the time. The case dragged on for a decade before an appeals court eventually ruled in his favour.

A 2006 article in Turkeys Hurriyet newspaper quoted Dilmener as saying the patients at issue were in such a hopeless situation that we treated some of them for free, in line with our Hippocratic Oaths.

It was a stressful time for his family. The youngest of his three children, son Caner Dilmener, 32, recalls asking his mother how they would manage to pay the hospital. His father, a quiet man of few words, remained calm.

Dilmener was convinced he was in the right and defended himself at court hearings. If anything, he was annoyed the restitution case took up precious time he could effectively use treating patients, Caner said.

Years later, Dilmener would feel vindicated when Turkey overhauled its health care system to provide the universal access and health coverage hed strongly championed.

Dilmener retired from hospital work in 2008 but continued to treat patients at his clinic. His family thinks he was infected with the coronavirus on March 16, a day when he hadnt planned to go to the clinic but did because his assistant told him three patients made appointments.

One of those patients displayed COVID-19 symptoms. After Dilmener was hospitalized, his son and wife of nearly 48 years, Lale, tested positive for the coronavirus. They recovered, while Dilmener spent 36 days on a ventilator and died.

He didnt reject any patients during his life, Caner said. You cannot find any single person who could talk any negative word about my dad. His students loved him. His patients adored him. His family loved him dearly.

Dilmener was born in 1941 in Mardin, near Turkeys southern border with Syria. He was a member of the tiny Christian, Syriac community, whose ancestral home stretches over parts of Syria, Iraq and Turkey. He and Lale, a Syriac from Aleppo, met in 1969 at the funeral of the Syriac Orthodox bishop of Mardin.

Dilmener remained committed to his community and visited Mardin frequently despite a fear of flying. He saw fellow Syriac Christians at a temporary clinic he set up in his familys villa overlooking the plains of Mesopotamia.

Members of the Syriac community looked up to Dilmener, who found himself trying to resolve disputes and mend broken marriages in the unofficial role of community elder. The people of Mardin regarded Dilmener as their saint, recalled Eraksoy, the former assistant.

It was the same in Istanbul, where lines formed outside Dilmeners office and the doctor was so busy he never had five minutes to spare for a chat, Eraksoy said.

Another former student is taking over Dilmeners private clinic.

He taught us how to be human, Eraksoy said.

Caner Dilmener likens his father to Dr. Gregory House, the protagonist of the American TV series House who diagnoses complex medical conditions.

He was the Dr. House of Turkey, solving cases that no one else could. He never gave importance to money and always helped the needy people. He was named Robin Hood or the doctor of poor people, Caner said.

Despite the legal problems his activism had caused during Dilmeners life, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month opened the new Dr. Murat Dilmener Emergency Hospital in honour of a man with a good heart who continued serving until his last breath.

Professor Dilmener was a person who embraced every patient who came to him, Erdogan said, using all means available and with sincerity.

Caner wishes his father could have been at the dedication ceremony.

Im sure he was watching us from above the clouds and he was smiling, the doctors son said. He loved his country, and he loved serving his country.

__

AP video journalist Ayse Wieting in Istanbul contributed to this report.
The European Union is negotiating advance purchase deals of potential Covid-19 vaccines with drugmakers Moderna, Sanofi and Johnson & Johnson as well as biotech firms BioNtech and CureVac, two EU sources told Reuters. The talks follow a deal reached in June by four EU member states with AstraZeneca for the upfront purchase of 400 million doses of its potential Covid-19 vaccine, in principle available to all 27 EU nations. The information on the ongoing talks was shared by the European Commission, the EU executive arm, with EU health ministers at a meeting in Berlin on Thursday, the ...
Historian William Appleman Williams wrote: Read him carefully and he deserves the nickname of Honest Abe. But take him at one glance, or listen to him with but one ear, and you think he is saying something rather different from his real message. And one has to read him that closely, because he wrote that precisely. For example, in 1848, he said that any people anywhere . . . have the right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and for a new one that suits them better. Sounds as if the South had the right to secede. But Lincoln finished his thought: Nor is this right confined to cases in which the whole people of an existing government, may choose to exercise it. Any portion of such people that can, may revolutionize, and make their own, of so much of the territory as they inhabit. Lincoln was saying quite precisely that if you want to secede, you can, but you will be successful only if you can stop me from preventing you. And because of his vision of a new nation dedicated to freedom, he determined to snuff out the Souths idea of an independent slave empire.
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Linkedin Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 11:30 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066708c5a 1 National COVID-19,COVID-19-vaccine,coronavirus,virus-korona-indonesia,Bio-Farma,Sinovac,vaccine,clinical-trial Free

State-owned pharmaceutical holding company PT Bio Farma claims a COVID-19 vaccine developed in cooperation with China-based biophramaceutical company Sinovac Biotech will be ready for domestic use by as soon as early next year.

Bio Farma president director Honesti Basyir said the company was ready to launch a Phase III clinical trial for the vaccine in Indonesia before authorities authorize its widespread usage. The trial was made possible thanks to the collaboration with Sinovac, which allowed a transfer of technology and vaccine substances between the two companies, he went on to say.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Honesti said the trial would commence soon in cooperation with Padjajaran University in Bandung, West Java, as well as the Health Ministry's research and development agency.

It is anticipated that the preliminary result of this Phase III clinical trial can be submitted for emergency use authorization by the BPOM [Indonesian Food and Drug Monitoring Agency] by the first quarter of 2021, Honesti said.

Read also: China's Sinopharm begins late stage trial of COVID-19 vaccine in UAE

He added the vaccine substances sent from China would be formulated in Bio Farma facilities. The Phase III trial in Indonesia would involve nearly 1,600 volunteers and be funded by Bio Farma.

Once the BPOM authorizes its usage in the country, the pharmaceutical company will produce the vaccine to meet national needs.

Honesti claimed Bio Farma's existing facility had the capacity to produce 100 million doses, but it could increase to 250 million as the company was building a new facility, slated to begin operations by the end of this year.

The president director said Bio Farma decided to work with Sinovac because of the latter's product portfolio, which had passed the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification assessment.

"It is evidence that Sinovac has implemented a robust quality management system," he said, praising the company for being among the first companies to conduct Phase III clinical trials for the vaccine in more than 30 countries outside China.

Bio Farma is currently in discussions with the Bill Gates-baked Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) over conducting clinical trials and increasing manufacturing capacity. Honesti claimed the CEPI was currently reviewing Indonesia's proposal.

Read also: Bio Farma to start pre-clinical trial for COVID-19 vaccine in 2021

Bio Farma is also working to develop a COVID-19 vaccine under the national consortium led by the Ejikman Institute for Molecular Biology that also involves relevant ministries, institutions and universities.

However, the consortium might not be able to finish the first phase of the vaccine development of delivering a prototype clone until February 2021.

The pharmaceutical company predicted that a preclinical study under the national consortium could be launched in the second quarter of 2021, followed by a Phase I clinical trial in the third quarter of next year. Honesti said the vaccine could be available for mass production by the first quarter of 2022 at the earliest.
United States based Globalization Partners is to create 25 jobs at its newly established European headquarters in Galway.

The roles are in the technology space and the company is recruiting for the positions immediately.

Among the roles the company is hiring for are software engineers, technology leads, help centre support, and UI/UX designers.

Globalization Partners provides technology to businesses that enables them to hire employees in as little as 12 hours without having to navigate international legal, tax, and HR issues.

As well as a dual US headquarters in Boston and San Diego, the company has regional hub offices located in the UK, Ireland, Germany, the UAE, India, China, Singapore, Brazil, and Mexico.

This project is supported by the government through IDA Ireland and is expected to create up to 100 new technology jobs over the next three years, with the company planning to invest tens of millions in Galway

CEO of IDA Ireland, Martin Shanahan, said: The decision by Globalization Partners to establish its European Operations Centre in Galway will accelerate Irelands reputation as a location to manage EMEA operations in the global employer of record and workforce management space.

This investment is a great win for Galway and the west region which boasts a rich and diverse talent pool.

The team in Galway is headed up by Ciaran OToole.
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Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Generally cloudy. Morning high of 39F with temps falling sharply to near 20. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 9F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph.
A Louisiana appeals court on Thursday ordered the company that built the Bayou Bridge Pipeline to pay a group of landowners $30,000 plus legal fees for building the pipeline on their land before the company had the legal right to do so. Three landowners will receive $10,000 apiece.

The company got permission to build on the property through eminent domain, but not until after it had already begun construction.

The primary owner of the 163-mile pipeline is Energy Transfer Partners, which completed the project in March 2019. The pipeline transports crude oil from Lake Charles to refineries and chemical facilities in St. James Parish.

In 2018, workers cleared trees, dug trenches, and began construction of the pipeline on a 38-acre parcel of land in the Atchafalaya basin without securing the permission of the single property's 470 landowners. One of the landowners, Peter Aaslestad, sued in July 2018 to stop construction on the property by Bayou Bridge Pipeline LLC, the builder, which is an affiliate of Energy Transfer Partners. Shortly afterward, the company began eminent domain proceedings to build on the jointly owned land.

In response, three landowners sued for trespass and for violating their constitutional rights to due process. A lower court found the pipeline company had indeed trespassed by beginning construction before it had permission to do so, and a judge awarded the three landowners $75 apiece for trespass damages. But the trial court did not order additional damages, and the landowners appealed the decision.

On Thursday, the Lake Charles-based Third Circuit Court of Appeal ruled that Bayou Bridge Pipeline had "not only trampled defendants due process rights as landowners, it eviscerated the constitutional protections laid out to specifically protect those property rights."

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The appeals court found that the lower court committed legal error when it failed to compensate the landowners.

Aaslestad said that he went through with the lawsuit even though he believed his odds were long in Louisiana, where state law gives pipeline companies broad authority to exercise eminent domain.

"For others out there thinking they can't win, I hope this victory shows that they can, and that these companies cannot simply do what they want, run roughshod over people's rights, and get away with a small fine as the cost of doing business," Aaslestad said in a news release.

Alexis Daniel, a spokesperson for Energy Transfer Partners, said the company does not comment on legal proceedings.

Misha Mitchell, an attorney with Atchafalaya Basinkeeper and co-counsel for the landowners, said that court-ordered penalties are a form of acknowledgment of landowners' legal rights.

"Basically, it sends a message to these oil and gas companies that they are not above the law," she said. " I hope it will encourage more people to know and stand up for their rights."
In the wake of rising COVID-19 cases, the Assam government would soon launch a mega drive to boost its plasma bank reserves for the treatment of coronavirus positive patients, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

Sarma said that the state government would launch a nationwide campaign and would take all out initiatives to encourage the people to voluntarily donate the plasma to save the lives of the people infected by coronavirus."

Plasma therapy has been found to be very effective in the US and other countries. If any people staying outside the state and kin to donate plasma, the government would bear their travel and accomodation expenditure.

Displaying their exemplary dedication, some doctors in Assam while doing treatment to the COVID-19 patients, become infected with the virus and after being recovered from the disease, voluntarily donated their plasma to save the lives of the people contaminated by the coronavirus.

"One people by donating their plasma can save the lives of at least two people," the Minister told the media.

Plasma bank started in Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) earlier this month and six centres of the bank are working in the six medical colleges across the state.

A doctor, who was recently recovered from the dreaded disease, first donated his plasma followed by other doctors and some other people.

He said that as part of the state government's aggressive treatment in consultation with premier and prominent health institutions of India including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, the doctors in Assam have administered various available therapy and medicines including COVID-19 drug Remdesivir and oxygen therapy.

Sarma said that to tame the rising spike of the COVID-19 cases in Assam's main city of Guwahati, the health authorities have taken steps for conducting three lakh tests in the city and already 1.10 lakh tests were done.

The state government has extended the "total lockdown" in the Kamrup (Metro) district, for one more week till July 19, after the 14-day shutdown ended on Sunday. With a population of 11.20 lakh, the Guwahati city is the district headquarters of the Kamrup (Metro) district and main commercial hub of the northeastern region.

Of the total of Assam's 19,754 COVID-19 positive cases so far, over 8,500 cases found alone in the Kamrup (Metro) district. Assam has 33 districts. Of the 50 deaths due to the corinavirus in Assam so far, 25 deaths took place in the Kamrup (Metro) district.

The Health Minister said that Assam has so far conducted 601,385 tests in 13 laboratories and the testing ratio would be increased to a large extent with the setting up of the six more labs. With the testing of 17,800 samples per million, Assam stands fourth among the major states in the country after Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

In Assam, out of the total 19,754 COVID-19 positive patients so far, 13,554 have recovered and on late Thursday night there were 6,147 active cases.
Jaipur, July 17 : Congress on Friday suspended two MLAs from the Sachin Pilot camp from party's primary membership and demanded the arrest of Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for his alleged role in horse trading.

Soon after releasing a purported audio which captured alleged conversation between three people, which Congress claimed were its MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, Union Minister Shekhawat and a Jaipur resident Sanjay Jain, the party took the step.

Addressing a press conference in Jaipur, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala raised several demands.

"We demand FIR against Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat by SOG; a fair investigation against him and if there are proofs for misusing position (which seems so at first instance), he should be arrested immediately.

"Secondly, FIR should also be registered against Bhanwarlal Sharma, Pilot camp's MLA and Sanjay Jain, a BJP leader, and action should be taken against them." Thirdly, he demanded a fair investigation into the black money coming into the state. "Who sent the money, from where it came, did it come via Hawala are issues which need to be investigated," he said.

Fourthly, Surjewala said that investigation should expose all those senior leaders, officials and agencies who were misusing their position while occupying senior ranks.

Fifth, he said that Pilot should also come forward and clarify his position in the matter of "MLAs list" being discussed in the audio tape relaesed on Thursday evening. Also it should be investigated if there was any other person or MLA who exchanged money for toppling the Ashok Gehlot government.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Alyssa Milano says her past Snooki parody  which recently resulted in allegations of blackface  was a political statement on the portrayal of Italian-Americans on US television.

The actor, who has denied the blackface claims and called them a smear campaign, was asked about the allegations in a new interview with comedian Ziwe Fumudoh.

Fumudoh hosts the programme, titled Baited, every Thursday on Instagram Live. Past guests have included food writer Alison Roman, influencer Caroline Calloway, playwright Jeremy O Harris, and Milanos former Charmed co-star Rose McGowan.

During the latest interview, Fumudoh asked Milano: Have you ever worn blackface before?

Milano responded: Ive never worn blackface. She then said that she once did a parody of Jersey Shore for the comedy platform Funny or Die, which involved being transformed into Nicole Snooki Polizzi, one of Jersey Shore's stars.

There are pictures of me all over the Internet in tanface, Milano added. And thats what people are saying  that I did blackface.

Milano, who comes from an Italian-American family, said she felt moved at the time to comment on Jersey Shore's portrayal of Italian-Americans.

Polizzi was born in Chile and adopted by Italian-American parents. Jersey Shore was a topic of controversy at the time of its release in 2009, as some criticised its portrayals of young Italian-Americans, deeming it offensive and stereotypical.

In her interview with Fumudoh, Milano added: There are a lot of people that have done blackface, though. And I dont know that, in hindsight, that maybe making fun of Snookis tan wasnt the greatest move, especially with the Internet.

But I did feel like at that time I was making a political statement about how Italian-Americans are depicted.

Back in June, Milano responded to the blackface allegations on Twitter, writing: Hey, a*******. The below picture is me parodying Jersey Shore and Snookis tan. Snookis tan (she is a sweetheart by the way) is worthy of parodying as is Trumps tan. So go f*** yourselves with your smear campaign.

The Independent has contacted Milanos representative for further comment.
9:14 AM ET

AL ROKER: Welcome back, everybody. Election day is just about four months away, our next guest, a campaign veteran, working on the campaigns of both President Obama and former First Lady Hillary Clinton.

CRAIG MELVIN: Zerlina Maxwell is also an MSNBC political analyst and the senior director of progressive programming over at SiriusXM radio. And now, shes an author as well. Theres the new book, its called The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide. And she joins us now, good to see you. Zerlina, good morning

ZERLINA MAXWELL: Good to see you, too, good morning.

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: The End of White Politics; MSNBC Political Analyst Zerlina Maxwell on the 2020 Race & Her New Book]

MELVIN: So the spark for this book, as I understand at least, it sort of came at a time when you were speaking on a panel at Politicon, which is this nonpartisan event that takes place annually, what happened?

MAXWELL: I got booed, Craig. And all I was trying to say in that particular moment was that black women are the base, the loyal base of the Democratic Party and that we want to be heard and seen and validated in the fact that we are the ones who win the elections for Democrats. And I was booed, and mostly by Bernie Sanders supporters. And as a result, in that moment, I decided I was going to use that moment to really articulate my vision for the future of the Democratic Party. Because Pew Research predicts that by 2045, white voters will be a minority of the American electorate. So I dont like to say majority/minority country. Just say white voters will be a minority, that has never happened before, it will have a transformational impact on our politics.

MELVIN: And this is sort of the thesis for your book. I mean, you talk openly about white politics, identity politics, the issues within your party, the Democratic Party. Explain for folks how each of those plays a part.

MAXWELL: Well, what Im saying in the book, the end of white politics is essentially talking about the fact that weve been doing white identity politics the entire time weve been in America. The entire time America has been here, weve been centering white men in all of our conversations. Whether it be political, cultural, economic, all of it. And so what Im saying is now that were emerging into a new place where people of color are going to be the majority, lets center those folks and talk about everyones interests. White politics is essentially politics, we just left the white off the front. And what I am saying is that everything is identity politics. And so, lets go forward with that understanding. Stacey Abrams puts it this way, I see you. I see you, I see your concerns, and I see how your identity is important in terms of setting a policy agenda to address your unique set of issues.

ROKER: So, Zerlina, with COVID-19, weve been seeing all the protests and the state of the nation. You just turn on the TV, you see this divide. So how do you think we start healing that divide?

MAXWELL: Well, first of all, we need to call it out and call it what it is. So one of the things I talk about in the book is the fact that both white privilege and the fact we have a reluctance to call out racism for what it is leads us to a place where were not able to fully recognize those privileges and biases when theyre present in our politics. So for example, when we were analyzing the primary candidates, we had the most diverse set of candidates in Democratic primary election history. And yet, we ended up with two old white men. The traditional model for what weve seen in the past, excluding Barack Obama, of course, for president.

And so, what Im trying to say is that, look at what we just did, we went through, essentially, the hierarchy of various oppressions. You know, Kirsten Gillibrand, the explicit feminist, she dropped out first. Then it was the black woman. Then it was the Latino man, Julian Castro. Then it was Cory Booker. And then you were left with two white men. And so, I think that we on the left need to be honest. The right understands the changing demographics, thats why theyre targeting the black and brown vote with voter ID and voter suppression strategies. They understand what the future is going to bring. Democrats need to understand that, too.

MELVIN: You worked on Hillary Clintons campaign and Barack Obamas campaign as well. The presumptive nominee right now, Joe Biden, that you just mentioned, what do you think that your party needs to do to help him win the presidency?

MAXWELL: I think that, you know, Joe Biden has a unique opportunity, and he has said he is open to being a transitional figure to the future that, I argue, looks like the squad. Looks like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, women of color. And so, I think what he needs to do is pick a black woman to be the vice presidential pick. And I think thats important not just because a black woman makes for a pretty picture, I think a black woman brings with her a moral compass and a perspective of lived experiences in the United States of America, in a black womans body. That is critically important as we go forward. Particularly because COVID exposed many of the systemic inequities and were seeing a disproportionate impact on black and brown communities. Now, a black woman is not going to need much motivation to try to set up a policy agenda to rectify those issues.

MELVIN: Which black woman brings the most to the ticket?

MAXWELL: Well, I think that we have an embarrassment of riches, so to speak. So I think they all bring unique experience. Susan Rice is on the list, she brings obviously national security credentials. Senator Kamala Harris, she has already run herself for president, so shes been on that debate stage and Joe Biden has talked about how that is an important factor in his analysis of picking his vice presidential selection. And so, I think that all of them are qualified. Lets just set that as the standard. Because Donald Trump is the president and I am more qualified than Donald Trump.

MELVIN: Alright, were going to leave it there. Zerlina Maxwell, thank you. And again, the book, by the way, its right behind her, so there it is, The End of White Politics. Thats what its called, How to Heal 

MAXWELL: Thank you, Craig. You were the one, who on live TV, told me to write a book. And so now I have done that.

MELVIN: Well, you know, Im glad someone listens to me, Zerlina. Thank you. Best of luck, my friend. Good luck to you, okay.
 Flash

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Thursday paid an official visit to Iraq to discuss bilateral relations and confirm France's support to Iraq in its fight against Islamic State (IS).

During his visit, Le Drian and his accompanying delegation met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in the Green Zone in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, where the two sides discussed the bilateral relations and issues of common concern, according to a statement issued by al-Kadhimi's media office.

"The French role is of great importance in supporting Iraq through the international coalition in facing the terrorism and the remnants of IS militants," al-Kadhimi was quoted as saying.

Al-Kadhimi extended an invitation to French President Emmanuel Macron to visit Iraq.

For his part, the French minister confirmed that France, as a part of the international coalition to fight IS group, is ready to support Iraq to play its due role in the region, the statement said.

During the meeting, the two sides also discussed the issue of confronting the coronavirus pandemic, and how to benefit from the French experience in containing the disease.

A separate statement issued by the media office of Iraqi President Barham Salih said that Salih held a meeting with Le Drian to discuss the means of advancing bilateral cooperation, including in the economic and cultural fields.

Salih confirmed that Iraq is looking forward to the international community for protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including exerting efforts "to stop the repeated Turkish military violations on Iraqi territory," according to the statement.

The Iraqi president believed that it's essential to continue cooperation internationally and regionally to achieve a complete victory in eradicating the hotbeds of terrorism and extremism, and drying up its sources.

Earlier in the day, Le Drian was received by his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein upon arrival, and the two held a meeting before appearing at a joint press conference.

"Our visit to Iraq aimed at supporting the Iraqi government to face the challenges, including supporting the security forces in the fighting against IS, and we won't relent in front of our common enemy," Le Drian told the reporters.

He said that "there are disturbing signs of the return of the IS in Iraq, and we should not relent it."

"The coalition's aim at its core is to fight IS, and it should for no reason be derailed from this central mission," he noted.

Le Drian also said that Iraq's sovereignty is important and confirmed that his country is looking forward to seeing Iraq "restoring its pioneering role to create balance for the Middle East."

As for the coronavirus pandemic, Le Drian told reporters that France is supporting Iraq in combating the disease.

For his part, Hussein said that Le Drian's visit "comes at an important circumstance and amid many challenges, and is aimed at showing support to Iraq and to strengthen French-Iraqi relations."

During his last visit to Iraq in October 2019, Le Drian held meetings with Iraqi top officials to discuss bilateral cooperation and the means to end the threat of IS militants.

France is part of the U.S.-led international coalition tasked with helping Iraqi security forces in the fight against IS militants by carrying out airstrikes against their positions in Iraq and Syria as well as providing military equipment and training.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said talks are underway to resolve the border dispute between India and China and assured that not one inch of Indian land can be taken by any power in the world.

"Talks are underway to resolve the border dispute (between India and China) but to what extent it can be resolved, I cannot guarantee. If we can find a solution through talks, nothing would be better than that," said Singh while interacting with the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel here.

Referring to the India-China border standoff, he said, "Talks are underway to resolve the border dispute but to what extent it can be resolved I cannot guarantee. I can assure you, not one inch of our land can be taken by any power in the world."

The Defence Minister interacted with the troops here along with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane.

"I consider it to be my good fortune to interact with you all. All the countrymen are proud of the miraculous work done by our army from time to time. Even our Prime Minister came here and said the martyrdom of our soldiers will not go in vain," Singh added.

He motivated the troops here by adding that whatever has happened recently between the army personnel of India and China, Indian soldiers have not only protected the border of the country but they have protected the honour of 130 crore Indians.

"You have such sense of self-respect that you can bear everything but cannot let your self-respect get hurt. National pride is at the top... If anyone dares to look at the borders of our nation, at that time our national self-respect awakens," said Singh.

Emphasising on finding a diplomatic solution to the standoff, he further said, "If a solution can be found by talks, there is nothing better."

Singh elaborated on the recent stand-off between troops of India and China at PP14 and how some of Indian personnel sacrificed their lives protecting the country's border. "I am happy to meet you all but also saddened because of their loss. I pay my tributes to them," he added.

Earlier today, the Defence Minister witnessed para dropping and scoping weapons here. He also inspected a Pika machine gun.

Indian Army T-90 tanks and BMP infantry combat vehicles carried out the exercise at Stakna, Leh in presence of Singh, Chief of Defence Staff and Army Chief.

Defence Minister is on a two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. He will take stock of the situation at both the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Line of Control (LOC).

While Pakistan constantly violates ceasefire from across the LoC, China has continued to intrude into Indian territory in Ladakh region in recent past, escalating tensions between India and its eastern neighbour.

On June 15, 20 Indian soldiers laid out their lives during combat with Chinese forces in Galwan valley, leading to tensions between both nations. Chinese soldiers subsequently started moving back following dialogues between two countries through the military level and diplomatic level.
The Coastal Development Authority (CODA), led by Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lawyer Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has taken its public education against the novel coronavirus to the ongoing voters registration centres.

The Authority on Wednesday, 15th July, 2020, collaborated with the Members of Parliament for Ledzokuku and Krowor Constituencies to visit some registration centers and distribute facemasks, hand sanitizers and soft drinks to electoral officials, applicants and security officers.

Ledzokuku Constituency

At Ledzokuku, MP for the Constituency, who doubles as the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye supported the CEO to call on EC registration officials and registrants to strictly adhere to government-prescribed measures to help stop the spread of the virus.

Dr. Okoe Boye, addressing registrants, stressed the need for all Ghanaians to approach COVID-19 with a sense of urgency. He also commended constituents for coming out in their numbers to participate in the current exercise to compile a new voters register.

Some of the registration centres visited by the team were Osabu Kojo Square Market, Ataa-Okoe Forward 3 and Jem Palace 1 registration centres. The team also stopped over at Jem Palace 2, Ebenezer Junction and Penny Teshie registration centers. The rest were Muji Park, Teshie; Malik Park, Tsuibleoo North, Teshie; and Okpoi Gono Railway Station.

Krowor Constituency

At Krowor Constituency, the CEO was supported by the MP and Minister of Fisheries and Aquacultural Development, Hon Elizabeth Afoley Quaye to educate applicants about safety measures laid down by government and urged them to comply with same to ensure their safety as well as the safety of their family and loved ones.

Hon. Afoley Quaye implored constituents to endeavor to go through the registration process peacefully and without incident. The Minister congratulated constituents for taking part in the registration exercise and, while at it, for making efforts to ensure compliance with COVID-19 safety measures.

Among centers visited were Obene Tso Shishi Center and the Ghana National Preparatory School Nungua 3 Centre.

CODA anti-coronavirus education

Addressing the media, CEO of CODA, Lawyer Jerry Ahmed Shaib lauded registrants for exercising their civic duty by enthusiastically partaking in the ongoing compilation of a new voters register. He called on all stakeholders to comply with all safety protocols namely frequent handwashing, use of hand sanitizers, wearing of facemasks and maintaining social distancing.

CODA has gone a step further in the Authoritys public education drive by visiting voter registration centers to educate stakeholders through a public address system. This effort is expected to keep Ghanaians aware of preventive protocols as they go through the registration process.
There is a huge market for these certificates among migrant workers from Bangladesh hungry to get back to work in Europe, doing jobs like stocking grocery stores, bussing tables in restaurants or selling bottled water on the streets. Many Bangladeshi workers have recently flown to Italy, where they said that employers required such certificates before allowing them to go back to work.
Popular activewear brand Lorna Jane has been hit with fines totalling almost $40,000 over a new range it initially spruiked as "anti-virus", advertising Australias medical watchdog warned could create complacency during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The clothing line, launched earlier this month, promised to protect wearers from viruses and germs. By Thursday, the company website was instead referring to the leggings and tops as "anti-bacterial".

Lorna Jane has rebranded its 'anti-viral' activewear range and updated its description of the product on its website.

After confirming it was investigating the range, the Therapeutic Goods Administration issued a statement late on Friday saying it had issued the Brisbane label with three fines worth $39,960.

The watchdog, which comes under the federal Health Department, alleged in advertising the "anti-virus activewear", Lorna Jane had implied it was a therapeutic good "effective against COVID-19".
A condemned inmate in San Quentin State Prison tried to stab a correctional officer in the neck on Thursday, instead slashing the officers hand, officials said.

The officer was picking up food trays shortly after 9 a.m. when Todd Givens, a 51-year-old member of a white supremacist prison gang, tried to stab the officer in the neck with a hand-made weapon, according to a statement from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
In response to President Trump's commutation of Roger Stone's prison sentence last week, the Russia investigation's two lead prosecutors published op-eds in the nations top newspapers that fueled the collusion narrative their own investigation failed to validate. As they chided Stone and others for alleged deceptions, both Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller and one of his top deputies, Andrew Weissmann, made claims greatly at odds with their official report, discrepancies that they did not acknowledge.

Neither responded to emailed requests Thursday for comment.

Andrew Weissmann: Now the prosecutor argues Roger Stone should be brought "before a grand jury," something his probe could have done earlier but didn't.

The Mueller op-ed, published in the Washington Post, does not just take aim at Stone  who was convicted for lying about his failed efforts to make contact with WikiLeaks regarding emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee in 2016. Mueller focuses, instead, on what he calls "broad claims that our investigation was illegitimate and our motives were improper."

In a bid to refute that criticism, Mueller begins by defending the FBI's justification for launching the probe. "By late 2016," he writes, "the FBI had evidence that the Russians had signaled to a Trump campaign adviser that they could assist the campaign through the anonymous release of information damaging to the Democratic candidate," Hillary Clinton. The campaign adviser is George Papadopoulos, whose barroom conversation with Australian diplomat Alexander Downer served as the basis for the Trump-Russia probe. (Downer passed this tip to the U.S. government in late July  though Mueller writes "late 2016.")

Contrary to Mueller's assertion, the record shows the FBI was not acting on any evidence that "the Russians had signaled" anything to Papadopoulos, but instead on the Australian diplomat's recounting of vague hearsay -- which Papadopoulos never relayed to anyone else in the Trump campaign. The bureaus own documents make this clear. The recently declassified FBI electronic communication (EC) that officially opened its Russia investigation, code-named Crossfire Hurricane, states that Downer had told the U.S. government that Papadopoulos had "suggested the Trump team had received some kind of suggestion from Russia that it could assist" the Trump campaign by anonymously releasing damaging, yet "unclear," information about Clinton and President Obama. Not only was this tip vague, there was no evidence that the "some kind of suggestion" actually came from the Russian government or even a Russian national.

George Papadopoulos: Mueller had no evidence that "the Russians had signaled" anything to the junior Trump adviser. But the Special Counsel wrote otherwise in the Washington Post on Saturday.

Instead, Downer was relaying what he claims Papadopoulos told him about an unspecified suggestion he had received of Russian assistance. Papadopoulos later told the FBI that the suggestion came from a conversation with Joseph Mifsud, a Maltese academic. But Downer did not hear about Mifsud at the time, and his tip to the FBI accordingly made no mention of him. Regardless of the exact date it learned of Mifsud, the U.S. government has never formally claimed or presented evidence that he was a Russian government representative or was relaying information that he had received from Russia. (After leaving office, former FBI Director James B. Comey claimed without evidence that Mifsud was a Russian agent in a Washington Post op-ed.)

The Mueller Report conspicuously avoided such a label. It instead stated that Mifsud had suspected "connections to Russia." Its inventory of such connections is this: Mifsud was apparently in touch with "a one-time employee" of the Internet Research Agency (the private Russian social media company that Mueller indicted before dropping the case) about "possibly meeting in Russia," but the investigation "did not identify evidence of them meeting." Mifsud was also apparently in contact with a social media account "linked to an employee of the Russian Ministry of Defense." At his congressional hearing one year ago, Mueller declined to discuss Mifsud's identity or explain why the FBI had not arrested him after interviewing him in Washington, D.C., in February 2017. Mueller also did not explain why his office did not charge Mifsud for perjury despite claiming in its final report that he had made false statements.

Joseph Mifsud: The Mueller Report conspicuously avoided labeling him a "Russian agent," but that hasn't stopped Mueller from implying otherwise.

Recently declassified December 2017 testimony from Andrew McCabe, the former FBI deputy director who helped launch and oversee the Russia probe, support these details.

Speaking to the House Intelligence Committee, McCabe said the Papadopoulos-Mifsud tip was not considered evidence of a Russia connection. Asked to explain why the FBI never sought a FISA surveillance warrant on Papadopoulos, McCabe responded: "Papadopoulos' comment didn't particularly indicate that he was the person that had had -- that was interacting with the Russians." That admission not only contradicts Mueller's claim that the "FBI had evidence that the Russians had signaled" something, it raises an important question for his team to answer: Why did the FBI open  and continue  the Trump-Russia investigation based on a hearsay comment from a Trump adviser whom they did not believe was actually interacting with Russia?

After claiming that the collusion investigation was predicated on evidence of Russian outreach to the Trump campaign, Mueller's op-ed turns to Roger Stone. The veteran Republican operative, Mueller writes, "lied about the identity of his intermediary to WikiLeaks," as well as about "the existence of written communications with his intermediary."

Roger Stone (center): A new Mueller claim is at odds with his investigations failure to establish that Stone had an intermediary to WikiLeaks.

But that claim from Mueller is at odds with his investigations failure to establish that Stone had an intermediary to WikiLeaks. In both public and private, Stone claimed to have intermediaries, but as the Mueller team found out, they were two individuals, Randy Credico and Jerome Corsi, who never made contact with WikiLeaks. The only interaction that either Credico or Corsi had with WikiLeaks during the campaign came when Credico interviewed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on his radio show in August 2016. And the only known contact between Stone and WikiLeaks before the election came when WikiLeaks wrote Stone, in a Twitter message, to cease making "false claims of association." This exchange was excluded from Stone's indictment and the Mueller Report, and Mueller's op-ed is no different.

Mueller also makes a striking claim about Stone's supposed Russian contacts and foreknowledge of WikiLeaks releases. "Stone became a central figure in our investigation," Mueller writes, "for two key reasons: He communicated in 2016 with individuals known to us to be Russian intelligence officers, and he claimed advance knowledge of WikiLeaks release of emails stolen by those Russian intelligence officers."

While Stone claimed advance knowledge, Mueller omits that he never asserted that Stone actually had such knowledge.

Jerome Corsi: Evidence showed he had no contact with WikiLeaks and no inside information of its plans, despite Weissmann's suggestion to the contrary now.

Mueller's reference to communication with Russian agents is likely the Twitter messages exchanged with Guccifer 2.0, the online persona that Mueller alleges was a front for Russian intelligence. Yet the only known communication between the two is in fact exculpatory for Stone. Stone sent Guccifer 2.0 just three short messages. None mentioned the stolen DNC emails. The closest they came to coordination was when Stone asked Guccifer 2.0 to retweet an article in The Hill. Mueller implies that all of this was grounds to investigate Stone, when it was evidence that Stone's contact with Guccifer 2.0 was minimal and inconsequential.

Three days after Muellers piece was published, the top prosecutor on his team, Andrew Weissmann, published an op-ed in the New York Times that went even further. While Mueller's article tried to defend his investigation, Weissmann effectively called for it to continue: Stone, Weissmann argued, should be brought "before a grand jury."

Weissmann  now a legal analyst for MSNBC and preparing for the September publication of his memoir on the Mueller probe -- bases his argument on the possibility that Stone hid incriminating information in order to protect Trump. Stone, Weissmann claimed (approvingly quoting the sentencing federal judge), "had been prosecuted for 'covering up for the president.'" Stone, Weissmann added, was found guilty of "lying to Congress about the coordination between the Trump 2016 campaign, Mr. Stone, WikiLeaks and Russia," and putting him before a grand jury would "get at the truth of why he lied."

The Mueller Report: It doesn't agree with what its lead author and his deputy write now.

Yet Stone's own case  and, of course the Mueller Report, which found no conspiracy -- underscored that there was no such "coordination," which is presumably why Stone was never accused, let alone convicted, of lying about it. The word "coordination" only appears once in his indictment: in describing the FBI investigation of potential Trump-Russia collusion, not in describing anything to do with Stone.

Stone was instead convicted of making false statements to Congress about his failed efforts to obtain information about WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign. Stone's case and trial underscored that these efforts went nowhere: Both individuals whom he tapped as his intermediaries, Corsi and Credico, had no contact with WikiLeaks and no inside information of its plans. The suggestion to the contrary by Weissmann in the New York Times' op-ed section is contradicted by the paper's own reporting on Stone's trial last year, when it noted that Stone "had no real ties to WikiLeaks."

Despite this, Weissmann goes on to suggest, without evidence, that Stone still has something to hide. "If there was nothing nefarious about his coordination efforts, why did he lie about them to Congress?" the investigator writes. "This question remains unanswered, as the Mueller report notes." Yet the Mueller team has already answered Weissmann's question. In revealing that the Trump campaign tried to learn about WikiLeaks' plans through Stone  who had no inside information  Weissmann and his colleagues showed that the campaign had no "coordination" with WikiLeaks and no advance knowledge of its publications.

Lindsey Graham: The Senate Judiciary Chairman could get to resolve the new Mueller and Weissmann discrepancies with sworn testimony.

Weissmann fails to mention that his own team of prosecutors consciously avoided the very action that he is now advocating. The Mueller team never interviewed Stone or tried to bring him before a grand jury after an exhaustive investigation of Stone and his associates. By November 2018, CNN reported, "[r]oughly a dozen of Stone's current and former associates have been contacted by Mueller's team for interviews or to testify before the grand jury."

The Mueller team's pursuit of Stone included an engagement with Corsi that descended into farce. The Mueller investigators, the Washington Post later reported, spent more than two months "chasing tantalizing leads offered by Corsi," even "dispatch[ing] FBI agents around the country to interview potential witnesses," but, after "expending valuable government money and precious time," found "themselves unable to untangle Corsis assertions." This included multiple sessions with Corsi where Mueller prosecutors "spent weeks coaxing, cajoling and admonishing the conspiracy theorist, as they pressed him to stick to facts and not reconstruct stories." They even delved into philosophical territory: "At times, they had debated the nature of memory itself."

If, after all of this effort, Weissmann and the Mueller team thought that Stone was coordinating with WikiLeaks or had something to hide, they could have questioned him or brought him before a grand jury. But by the end of 2018, Stone was no longer claiming that he had a back channel to WikiLeaks and had corrected his prior statements to the contrary. Presumably, the Mueller team had reached the same conclusion after questioning scores of Stone's associates and chasing down leads from coast to coast. And presumably, they would have expected Stone to tell them the same story under oath.

That would have negated their ability to prosecute him, and it would have denied them an opportunity to advance the collusion theory with one final indictment. In January 2019, the Mueller team chose an off-ramp: Stone was indicted for making false statements to a House inquiry all the way back in September 2017. The Mueller team released a lengthy indictment that suggested a collusion angle, and conducted an early morning SWAT raid on Stone's Florida home with television cameras present.

Stone's January 2019 indictment appeared to be the Mueller probe's final act, the last in a series of cases that publicly implied collusion without ever alleging that such collusion occurred. These two op-eds suggests that effort continues.

Weissmann and Mueller's new public statements about Stone and the Russia investigation are only the latest in a series of contributions to the collusion narrative. In response, Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham has said that he will seek Mueller's testimony. If Weissmann is summoned as well, this would be a critical opportunity, through sworn testimony under penalty of perjury, to get to the bottom of claims about the Russia investigation  although perhaps not the ones that the prosecutors behind it want the public to focus on.
Albany, N.Y.  Bars and restaurants throughout New York state will no longer be allowed to serve alcohol to customers unless they also order food, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today.

In addition, patrons will no longer be allowed to order alcohol by walking up to bars, Cuomo said. Customers will only be allowed to order and consume their drinks while seated at least 6 feet apart.

Cuomo announced the two new policies during a conference call with reporters this morning.

Like other nonessential businesses, bars and restaurants in New York closed in March to help slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, although they were able to offer takeout and delivery. The businesses have been able to reopen for in-person service in recent weeks throughout the state as long as they follow certain reopening guidelines.

The requirements announced today are meant to boost compliance with the rules, Cuomo said. New York has been flooded with complaints and photos of bars and restaurants across the state violating guidelines.

That increases the risk of spreading the virus, Cuomo said.

New Yorkers are outraged at these establishments, he said. We are getting thousands of complaints.

The problem with both walk-up bar service and allowing drinking without food is that customers at many businesses have not been isolated at separate tables, Cuomo said. They also havent been keeping far enough apart from each other.

Mandating that food be served with alcohol and banning walk-up service are both meant to help address those issues.

The problems have been most serious in New York City, Cuomo said. He announced a third new rule today aimed specifically at bars and restaurants there.

Starting today, any New York City establishment that violates reopening rules three times will be immediately closed, Cuomo said. Major violations of reopening rules can still result in the immediate loss of a liquor license.

The state has reviewed records of over 5,000 businesses in Downstate New York and found significant evidence of compliance problems, Cuomo said. Its wrong and dangerous, he added.

In addition to the new three strikes rule, the state will begin publicizing the names of all establishments facing disciplinary action for violating reopening rules.

This is a developing story. Check back soon for more information.

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Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
Warren Buffett's $9.7 billion bet on natural gas looks even more contrarian today.

As Democrat Joe Biden unveils a staggering $2 trillion clean-energy plan-the most ambitious climate package ever offered by a presumptive presidential nominee-Buffett's recent deal to buy Dominion Energy Inc.'s natural gas assets is a stark sign he's expecting that the market's shift away from fossil fuels won't happen overnight.

The deal is "a bet that the future doesn't come as fast as some people think," said Jim Shanahan, an analyst who covers Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. at Edward Jones. "I think they want to be bigger in renewables, but it's going to take time. In the meantime, they have to be able to provide power generation to their customers."

On its face, Berkshire's deal last week to buy gas assets including some 7,700 miles of pipelines seems risky even for a contrarian like Buffett. The energy industry is under increasing pressure from public officials and investors to abandon coal and natural gas. The use of natural gas for power generation, once hailed as a cleaner, cheaper alternative to coal, is now projected to drop to 36% in 2021 from 41% this year. In the last decade, prices for solar and onshore wind power have plummeted 90% and 70% respectively per megawatt-hour, according to BloombergNEF. Renewables now supply 20% of Americans' power needs, up from 13% five years ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Biden's plan, unveiled Tuesday, is an attempt to propel that surge, calling for spending $2 trillion for a clean-electricity economy and outlining a goal to have a carbon-free power sector by 2035.

But despite, or, more likely, because of those trends, Buffett is following his well-worn investing path-buying assets cheap in a buyers' market. Natural gas futures in the U.S. dropped last month to their lowest point in 25 years. Plus, he's one of the few buyers in a market where many utilities are searching for ways to get out. Political, regulatory and legal pressure have stymied the building of new pipelines and other infrastructure. Just last week, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy Corp. shelved a plan for a new gas pipeline crossing the Appalachian Trail in the face of stiff environmental opposition.

The prices and political pressure are likely to deter any new entrants, potentially allowing Buffett to reap natural gas's historically good returns for some years coming.

"People assume we're getting rid of coal, and then we're getting rid of gas next," said Noah Kaufman, a research scholar at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy. But because gas is plentiful, cheap and provides round-the-clock electricity it's "a lot harder to get rid of."

The deal reinforces the idea that Berkshire, despite its expansive clean-energy portfolio, isn't a friend to environmentalists, who want a quicker shift to renewable energy. Berkshire routinely faces criticism for the company's ties to fossil fuels. Buffett comes in at No. 3 on Bloomberg Green's list of billionaires whose fortunes derive largely from climate-damaging industries. He's faced shareholder proposals from groups such as the Nebraska Peace Foundation urging Berkshire to disclose how climate change will affect its insurance subsidiaries, a significant chunk of the Berkshire empire.

"Berkshire has made some bad fossil fuel investments over the last few years and we expect this one to be a similarly bad investment, and ultimately a losing investment," said Mark Kresowik, a regional director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign. (The Sierra Club has received funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the charitable organization founded by Michael Bloomberg, the majority owner of Bloomberg LP.)

Buffett has acknowledged the risks from the changing climate, saying in a shareholder letter in 2016 that it seemed "highly likely" that it would be a "major problem" for the world. But he has also previously said climate change can't be a decisive factor in deciding investments.

Buffett didn't respond to a request for comment. Berkshire Hathaway Energy declined to comment.

In explaining the Dominion Energy deal, Berkshire positioned natural gas as part of its strategy for sustainability. Its energy company called it a "reliable" and "less-carbon intensive" energy source in a slide show. Of the company's generation capacity at the end of 2019, about 36% was from wind and solar, while 32% came from natural gas and 26% coal. The remainder came from hydroelectric, geothermal, nuclear and other sources, according to a filing.

Buffett has gotten caught flat-footed in the past by burrowing into a market that was soon to be upended. Last year, he invested $10 billion to help finance oil-producer Occidental Petroleum Corp.'s bid for Anadarko Petroleum Corp. But the investment has struggled since because of a volatile market. Occidental slashed its common dividend when oil prices crashed earlier this year and ended up paying the dividend on Berkshire's preferred stock in Occidental shares.

And Buffett's been burned by volatile natural gas prices before. Berkshire bought about $2 billion of the debt of Energy Future Holdings, but ended up suffering a pretax loss of $873 million as that business filed for bankruptcy in 2014, according to his annual letter in 2014.

For now, Berkshire is simply betting that controlling a wide swath of the natural gas transmission lines will be profitable for the immediate future, climate issues aside.

"It's wrong to say that he loves fossil fuels," said Jigar Shah, president of clean-energy financier Generate Capital. "He's just indifferent."
London: In the end, Sir Tom didn't need to rise.

On a day infused with emotion, Queen Elizabeth II tapped the blade of a sword once owned by her father on the slender shoulders of 100-year-old Tom Moore, making a hero of a nation a knight of the realm on Friday.

The Queen knights Captain Tom Moore, who said he wouldn't kneel "because if I did I'll never get up again". Credit:Chris Jackson

Moore captivated the British public by walking 100 laps of his garden in England to raise 1000 but ended up raising some 33 million ($59 million) for the National Health Service in April. The Queen knighted him with the traditional sword tap, but the World War II veteran was not required to take a knee before the monarch.

Instead, Moore steadied himself against his now-famous walker and wheeled it across the grass to stand in front of her.
Kerala smuggling: 3 days after UAE attache slips out, gunman now missing alleges family

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 17: Three days after UAE attache Rashed Khamis Ali Musaiqri Alshemeli slipped out of the country, the family of a gunman of the United Arab Emirates' consular attache has been missing for the past two days.

These developments add yet another twist to already numerous ones in the Kerala Gold Smuggling case. Earlier, it was reported that gunman Jaya Ghosh had been detained by the multi agency team. However there was a denial regarding this.

Wide network of hawala operators under scanner in Kerala Gold Smuggling case

Ghosh's relative said that he had called them two days back and told them he had received threats. The smugglers suspect that he had tipped the Customs about the hidden gold. His brother law said that before he had gone missing, he had surrendered his service pistol.

Rajnath Singh speech at Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken | Oneindia News

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency is probing the possible terror links to Kerala Gold Smuggling case. Further the NIA suspects that there was a wide network of hawala operators involved in this case and were helping the accuse move the money, officials part of the investigation tell OneIndia.

At the time of taking over the case, the NIA had said that the case was being booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA as it suspected a terror angle to the case.

Meanwhile the Customs Department arrested two persons in connection with the case.

The arrested have been identified as Muhammad Anwar and Saidalvi. Both hail from Mallapuram district. The arrests came after the Customs conducted raids at multiple locations in Kerala earlier today.

Raids were carried out at the Kerala State IT Infrastructure Limited, which falls under the IT Department. The raid lasted for more than an hour at the KSITL, where key accused Swapna Suresh used to work.

A raid was carried out by the Customs as well at the flat where M Sivasankar, the former principal secretary to the Kerala Chief Minister used to reside. The Customs suspects that the the plan pertaining to the smuggling was hatched in this flat.

Was the Kerala Gold Smuggling plot hatched in Sivasankars home: Customs raids to ascertain

It may be recalled that the Customs had questioned Sivasankar for nearly 9 hours at the Customs House.

On Friday, the NIA registered an FIR in the Kerala Gold Smuggling Case. The case was been registered under sections 16, 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, against 4 accused persons including Swapna Prabha Suresh, the NIA said in a release.

The case relates to the seizure of 30 kg of 24 carat gold worth Rs.14.82 crores at Trivandrum International Airport

The aforesaid consignment was found camouflaged in diplomatic baggage from UAE that is exempted from inspection as per the Vienna Convention. The said consignment was to be received by Sarith P S who had worked in the UAE Consulate earlier as Public Relations Officer. Initial investigation by Customs Department has revealed that Sarith 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.

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 had taken up the investigation of the case.

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Story first published: Friday, July 17, 2020, 12:02 [IST]
ISLAMABAD  The Taliban have put the son of the movement's feared founder in charge of their military wing and added several powerful figures to their negotiating team, Taliban officials said. The shake-up, one of the most significant in years, comes ahead of expected talks with Kabul aimed at ending decades of war in Afghanistan.

As head of a newly united military wing, 30-year-old Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob brings his father's fiercely uncompromising reputation to the battlefield.

Equally significant is the addition of four members of the insurgent group's leadership council to the 20-member negotiating team, Taliban officials told The Associated Press.

The shuffle, overseen by Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhunzada, is meant to tighten his control over the movement's military and political arms, the officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the inner workings of the Taliban.

Analysts say the shake-up could be good news for negotiations with the Afghan political leadership, and a sign of how seriously the Taliban are taking this second  and perhaps most critical  step in a deal Washington signed with the insurgents in February.

"I'd say it appears to be a positive development because the Taliban are creating a delegation that seems more senior and more broad-based than they've used to date, or than might be strictly necessary for the opening stages of talks," said Andrew Wilder, vice president of the Asia Program at the Washington-based U.S. Institute of Peace.

"If you want to see the glass as half full, this strengthened Taliban delegation could be interpreted as a sign that the group is planning to engage in serious discussions," he said.

When the U.S. signed the deal with the Taliban on Feb. 29, after more than a year and a half of negotiations, it was touted as Afghanistan's best chance at peace in four decades of war. It was also seen as a road map for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, ending America's longest war.

On Monday, 4 months since the signing, chief U.S. negotiator and peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted that "a key milestone in the implementation of the U.S.-Taliban agreement" had been reached as American troop numbers dropped to 8,600 from about 12,000 and five bases were closed in Afghanistan.

Even as Khalilzad chastised increased insurgent attacks on Afghan security forces, he said the Taliban had been true to their word not to attack U.S. and NATO troops.

"No American has lost his/her life in Afghanistan to Taliban violence. Regional relations have improved," he tweeted.

The Taliban have stepped up their military activity against Afghan government forces since Yaqoob's appointment in May, a sign the militants under his leadership may see battlefield wins as upping their leverage at the negotiating table.

"I can see a lot of reasons for the Taliban to be pushing the envelope  perhaps as a negotiation tactic, but equally likely as a means to test U.S limits," said Daniel Markey, a senior research professor at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. "So far, the Trump administration looks like it is heading for the exit, no matter what. Why not ratchet up the violence to see what greater victories can be won? "

Surprisingly, the shuffle also sidelined senior Taliban leader Amir Khan Muttaqi, removing him from the negotiating committee. Seen as close to neighboring Pakistan, his removal could limit Pakistan's influence and buttress their position with Kabul, which is deeply suspicious of Islamabad.

Already a deputy head of the movement, the sudden appointment of the son of Mullah Mohammed Omar as the Taliban military chief reportedly ruffled feathers among members of the leadership council, who had not been consulted. Yaqoob, however, met with the council and won over the dissenters, said the Taliban officials.

"Yaqoob's appointment appears to be, at least in part, an effort by Mullah Akhundzada to shore up oversight of battlefield operations at a key moment ... as the insurgents ramp up violence to strengthen their negotiating position in preparation for potential peace talks with the Afghan government," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the Washington-based Wilson Center.

In recent weeks, hopes have been raised of a July start to negotiations but the Taliban and the Kabul government have become bogged down in the final release of prisoners, a prerequisite for the start of negotiations. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the AP on Friday that the Taliban reject government efforts to substitute prisoners from the originally negotiated list for the exchange.

Countries have been lining up to host the talks, with Germany being the latest to put in an offer and Turkey, Iran, Indonesia, Japan and Norway reportedly among the nations volunteering. However, the Taliban and Afghan government officials say the first round is likely to be held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office.

The newly strengthened negotiating team includes Abdul Hakeem, the Taliban's chief justice and confidant of Akhunzada, as well as Maulvi Saqib, who was chief justice during the Taliban rule.

Under the U.S.-Taliban deal, the Taliban  who during their rule of Afghanistan hosted al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden as he planned the 9/11 attacks  have pledged to no longer host any terror groups. They also guarantee that Afghanistan will not be used as a launching arena for future attacks against America.

In a tweet this week, Khalilzad said "more progress is needed on counter-terrorism," without elaborating.

This week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also spoke about the controversy surrounding the White House over reports of Russian money being paid to Afghan militias  reportedly with links to the Taliban  to kill U.S. troops.

"There's a lot of Russian footprint; there are Russian weapon systems there. We have made clear to our Russian counterparts that we ought to work together to get a more sovereign, more independent, peaceful Afghanistan," he said.
The defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) Presidential Aspirant during former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) retired and National Chairman of National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP), Alhaji Umar Muhammad Maizabura has in strong terms called on Presidet Muhammadu Buhari as a matter of priority and urgency to take drastic action against the incessant attacks on innocent Nigerians across the country by Boko Haram Insurgents and armed bandits to address the security challenges once and for all in the interest of the country.

He also called on the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu as a matter of importance to immediately reopen schools across the country to avail students and pupils the opportunity to go back to school to study and write their exams in the interest of their future and development of the nation.

Addressing Journalists in a press conference held at the Correspondents' Chapel office of the NUJ, Maiduguri, Friday said," the issue of security is paramount and significant to the nation which requires urgent attention to tackle the menace ravaging the nation.

"This gives great concern to Nigerians with the calibre and strength of the Nigerian armed forces on ground in all the nooks and crannies of the country but the security Situation continues to be unbelievably smearing the competence of the military and other security agencies to end the Insurgency and other criminalities.

"While our children will continue to stay at home without schooling neither job to do despite the COVID-19 pandemic, some may end up being criminals because an idle mind is devil workshop", Maizabura said.

According to him, "allowing the children to return to school to study and write their exams as future leaders of the country is important and a way forward for the development of the children and country at large.

He however, lamented that some wealthy Nigerians and government officials have taken their children to school abroad and not all Nigerian parents and guardians can afford sending their children to school overseas.

The Elder Statesman added that if security situation of the country is not being handle properly, in future, the situation may be uncontrollable and dissaterous to everybody as it could consume all and sundry, noting that, no nation can develop without peace and no meaningful development can take place in chaos.

He further commended Governor Babagama Umara Zulum of Borno State for his untiring efforts and concern towards restoration of peace in the state and called on Borno people within and outside to continue to support and encourage him develop the state despite the security challenges as a tree can not make a forest.

The NDLP National Chairman further called on the governor to prioritize construction works on township road network, drainages, boreholes, electricity, schools and hospitals among others especially this raining season to make places accessible and habitable.

He also called on the Nigerian Military to redouble their efforts in their continuous counter Insurgency fight against the Boko Haram Insurgents and bandits in their peace restoration process in the interest of peace and development of the state, region and country at large.

Maizabura further urged President Buhari and Governor Zulum to continue to distribute Pallaitives to the people as a result of the dreaddul COVID-19 pandemuc lockdown to cushion the sufferings of the people, especially the vulnerables in the society.

On the issue of APC leadership crisis, the NDLP National Chairman appealed to President Buhari as the National Leader of the APC ruling party to appoint the Yobe State former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) , Engineer Baba Goni' Machina as the new National Chairman of the APC.

He said as an Elder Statesman who watched the interim crisis which traversed to the appointment of Yobe State Governor, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni as National Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee for 6 months to conduct election for a substantive Chairman that should resolve its crisis through the appointment of Engineer Baba Goni' Machina who has proven integrity and wide knowledge of administration as a seasoned politician.

He argued that it is only through the appointment of credible, experienced, seasoned , competent, dedicated and committed person like Engineer Machina to lead the APC ruling party that there will be stability in the polity and development could be entrenched.

Maizabura noted that his suggestion for Engineer Machina as an Elder Statesman became necessary based in the prevailing situation and the need to bring to an end the lingering crisis rocking the leadership of the ruling party in order to move the nation forward and ensure stability in the system because without stability at the ruling party, there would not be effective development and the nation will continue to suffer unnecessarily.

"I make this suggestion as a Nigerian not APC member. I am from an opposition but the polity will not be stable without the stability of the ruling party. This is our concern as oppositions that without them, the ruling party can not survive and even be functional as we remained the watchdog the ruling Patty.

"And nobody has asked me to make this statement and I am doing this in the overall interest of the country. I don't collect money from any politician and I don't have a godfather. My suggestion is purely on democracy and unbiased for good and interest of democracy as an Elder Statesman who has good knowledge of the Nigerian politics.

"While my opinion on the issue of scrapping or dissolution of some political parties in the country that have leadership and party structures on ground as well as have participated in the last general elections was neither biased nor out of hatred.

"These political parties have leadership and party structures across the 36 states of the country and these party offices are functional as well as recognized by INEC. Their dissolution or scrapping was uncalled for and needed to be reviewed.

" I however blamed INEC for it's action because the political hierarchy had leaders and offices even at the wards and LGC levels and participated in the electioms. I oppose INEC's decision to dissolve them as we went round the 36 states of the federation as required by INEC in over 30 days.

"We are nevertheless ever ready to challenge INEC for that inaction hence the ruling party, APC can not survive without the oppositions. Funds were not even given to us as announced but we managed to establish ourselves and participated in the elections", Maizabura said.

Speaking on the EFCC's Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu's suspension and allegations, Umar Maizabura opined that all the controversies surrounding his removal were unclear and manipulated if not conspired.

He said that what the presidency could have done first was to ensure that nobody rubbishes the integrity and competence of Magu by ensuring that all those behind his suspension or allegations are brought to book to prove themselves with facts and figures before making the findings public.

The political Chieftain notes that hence the office and seat are targets of corrupt leaders in all the circles of Government including the private sector, military, political office holders and service chiefs as nobody is a scapegoat or should be allowed to be one.

According to him with these facts and figures handy, drastic action can be taken against him to serve as detriment to others not mere allegations or skemishes as it happened to his predecessors like Farida Waziri, Nuhu Ribado and Lamurde.

He said scheming people of integrity and competence out of office due to sentiments was not good for the nation and democracy especially the anti graft crusade which cleanses the corrupt leaders and politicians because they have questions to answer from their people in terms of good governance and transparency.

"It is only in developed or advanced countries that fight against corruption is transparent and upheld by all, including governments and the poor masses. No politician or public office holder or security Chief will like his antecedents to be exposed whether in office or after leaving office in Nigeria and Africa except in advanced countires" ,Umar said.
In March of this year Saudi Arabia launched what was clearly a catastrophic move to regain its role as the world oil superpower. What initially was a move aimed at taking markets away from Russia, after the latter declined to make further production cuts, has quickly turned into a clumsy even catastrophic repeat of the Saudi 2014 oil miscalculation. At this point US shale oil industry is indeed hurting as a result. However, OPEC and Saudi Arabia are themselves in a deep crisis whose outcome may radically transform the geopolitical power map of oil.

In the early days of March just as the coronavirus pandemic shutdowns were spreading across Europe, the Middle East and North America, a Vienna OPEC ministers meeting discussed how to stabilize world oil prices amid falling economic demand. Saudi Arabia as the strongest voice in OPEC essentially called for Russia to take the bulk of added proposed output cuts of some 300,000 barrels daily, something Russia politely but firmly declined. At that point, on orders from Saudi de facto monarch, Prince Muhammad bin Salman, Saudi embarked on an aggressive strategy of price dumping its oil on especially European markets to undercut Russian sales. The upshot, as the price war continued, was the worst collapse in oil prices since the Saudi 2014 failed strategy to bankrupt the US shale oil industry.

What Saudi strategists did not calculate was a pandemic response beginning mid-March that would bring oil demand to new lows as air travel virtually stopped along with much auto and truck transport. In 2016 as the Saudi low pricing war against US shale oil proved disastrous bringing oil from $100 a barrel to below $30, Russia agreed for the first time, as the worlds largest oil producer, to join with Saudi-led OPEC to cut oil production by some 2 million bpd. Prices then began a slow recovery.

The problem is that the US shale oil sector recovered as well, with astonishing success as the US in the past two years has become the worlds largest oil producer. This time with a weakening world economic growth evident already in late 2019, before the corona depression, the Saudis again badly miscalculated as world oil prices went into free fall. Within two days of the Saudi announcement of modest 10% price cuts, oil traders pushed prices down by 20% to 30%. Instead of correcting a disastrous strategy, Saudis doubled down in a move that can only be called historic, by announcing a 25% increase in production, to 12.3 million barrels a day, flooding a saturated oil market and collapse in global demand with surplus oil. Russia announced it would respond by boosting its production as well.

What the Saudis ignored in their calculation was something unprecedented. As the world, from China to Iran to Italy to the USA, simultaneously went into coronavirus lockdown, world oil demand disappeared overnight. No planes were flying meaning no demand for jet fuel. No cars were driving as people were told to stay at home. The world economy ground to a screeching halt.

One day in early May as options expired, oil prices briefly went into minus as traders were forced to pay to get rid of their oil overextremely scarce storage space, particularly at a key hub in Cushing, Oklahoma.

Ignominious retreat

Finally in early May, in a desperate bid in damage control, Saudi Arabia and the OPEC producers agreed with Russia to jointly cut an unprecedented 9.7 million barrels daily from output to revive prices. The result has been a weak recovery in the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the benchmark for US shale oil, to around $40 a barrel, a price near or below breakeven for many US shale oil producers. For the June month OPEC total oil production fell to a three-decade low of less than 23 million bpd. Russia and OPEC have agreed to extend the production cut until end-July when they hope to see economic recovery and rising demand. That will most certainly be wishful fantasy.

China, the worlds largest oil importer just announced it was near limits of storage space for more oil, despite the low prices. That suggests if OPEC and Saudi believe they can rapidly return to pre-March production they may have a shock. As well, the world economy is descending into a Covid19 depression which at this point, despite state stimulus, is preprogrammed to only get worse which means collapsed global oil demand going forward. For the Saudi budget to be in balance the Kingdom needs an oil price of from $70 to $90 a barrel. Instead prices below $30 look more realistic now. Prolonged world oil depression will have severe consequences for Saudi ability to fund peace at home let alone abroad in its running conflict with Iran or Qatar.

In the USA the shale industry has been responding as the corona lockdowns continue. In recent weeks a sudden covid19 cases upsurge, some say politically-motivated in part, has led to many states such as Texas and California into re-imposing lockdown. That is leading to further drop in oil demand. The US active oil drilling, the rig count, at end of June had dropped to a new low of 278 rigs, a drop of 72% from a year ago and 65% since the Saudi March oil war was launched. Industry sources expect this to stay low until at least 2021.

This however, even as US oil output slows, will bring little good news to OPEC and Saudi Arabia. The world oil market is collapsing and to imagine a return to normal as a new alarm in the USA and China over Covid19 cases is pure wishful thinking. As Saudi tries to raise prices and increase output, it will intersect a world oil demand that is contracting as never before in the post-1945 era. As events in 2014 made clear the death of the US shale oil industry is far from certain. Wells can be reopened quickly. Further Russia has less reason to side with OPEC this time.

All this is having a huge impact on not only Middle East oil geopolitics, but of the world. Saudi Arabias ongoing proxy war against Iranian influence in Syria and Iraq and Lebanon is being severely undercut. The Saudi proxy war backing Egypt against Turkey in Libya similarly faces severe problems of finance going forward. The fallout from the disastrous March oil war is only beginning.

F. William Engdahl is strategic risk consultant and lecturer, he holds a degree in politics from Princeton University and is a best-selling author on oil and geopolitics, exclusively for the online magazine New Eastern Outlook
White said his memory might not be perfect. If I remember right, reading the reports, I didnt think it was something that I could charge based upon the evidence that I had.

Going by his memory, White doesnt know if a report of the assault still exists. I think we have something in a file, but I cant tell you what without looking at the file, he said.

Kraus, contacted by The Independent, said he had no comment. He said he is leaving his position at the end of this month to take a different job.

Waldo said he had no clue that Riebschlager, 61, had any animosity toward him before he arrived that night.

He was my friend right up until he tased me, he said.

Waldo said there had been no arguments or texts from Riebschlager telling him to stay off of his property.

In Waldos view, he went to Riebschlagers house to visit a friend.

If hed have come over here that day, hed have been welcome in my house, Waldo said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Starting from July 12 this year, the armed forces of Armenia have continued to grossly violate the ceasefire regime, shelling civilians and committing heavy crimes against them, in order to aggravate the situation on the line of contact, a source in Azerbaijani Prosecutor Generals Office told Trend on July 17.

On July 16, at nearly 6:00 am, the Armenian armed forces shelled a dwelling house and auxiliary building in front of it belonging to Roza Abdullayeva, a resident of Dondar Gushchu village in Azerbaijan's Tovuz district, causing significant damage.

The prosecutor's office and police officers immediately conducted the inspection at the place of the incident, during which they collected the necessary material evidences. Respective specialists were involved to determine the amount of damage caused, and other necessary investigative measures were taken.

The criminal case has been initiated in the Tovuz District Prosecutor's Office under Article 186.2.2 of the Azerbaijan Criminal Code (deliberate destruction or damage to anothers property by an arson, explosion or other publicly dangerous way or entailed heavy consequences).

The necessary institutional measures will be undertaken to bring to account Armenian armed forces servicemen within the norms of international law.
By Erica Villavicencio

Last Sunday, Jersey City schools superintendent Franklin Walker announced plans to partially reopen schools in the fall, with students rotating through school with one week of remote learning and one week of in-person instruction. The plan to rotate all students from Pre-K through 12th Grade at 50% capacity is not in line with best practices introduced in European and Canadian schools, which have full instruction for younger children while including more remote learning for the oldest students.

The idea behind the Jersey City plan is that reducing crowding in schools will allow greater social distancing, so teachers will be more protected from infection. However, this plan will actually put teachers at greater risk of infection, while failing young students and creating a financial disaster for working parents, because it does not take into account realities about education or raising and caring for children.

Working parents, already under financial duress from months of being unable to work at full capacity, are now being asked to find alternative childcare arrangements for their children every other week.

While older children may be able to stay home and watch themselves, most working parents will have no alternative but to send younger children to daycare during these off-weeks. In these daycares, children from one school and class will be mixed with and interact with children from completely different schools and classes.

Thus, these young children will be exposed to a much larger number of other young children than if they only interacted with their classmates. This will increase risks of rapid viral transmission for everyone, including teachers.

Even more troublesome is the unfortunate fact that young children fail to learn much of anything in remote learning environments. Asking small children who are too young to operate technology or even sit still for more than a few minutes at a time to spend 40 hours per week in front of a screen during their remote weeks is an absurdity.

Older children, especially those in high school, are better equipped to spend more of their time learning remotely.

For these reasons, places as varied as the UK, Denmark, and the French province of Quebec have returned the youngest primary students to a full-week schedule, while continuing remote learning for older students. Jersey City must come up with a more nuanced plan that actually works for young children, parents, and teachers, following best practices around the world.

Erica Villavicencio is a resident of Jersey City.

Submit letters to the editor and guest columns at jjletters@jjournal.com
Uzbekistan cement prices fall

ICR Newsroom By 17 July 2020

At the last auction of the Uzbek National Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange on 29 June, the average weighted cost fell 4.9 per cent from UZS792,000/t (US$77.71/t) to UZS754,000/t, according to the UzEX press service.



Between January and June 2020, the average price of all cement brands on the exchange advanced 59 per cent from UZS499,000/t to UZS792,000/t as the construction season got underway in May. A reduction of volumes offered by sellers and a threefold increase in cement imports also contributed to the price rise. Nearly 4.08Mt of cement were entered for trading on the exchange and 4.04Mt were sold, according to News of Uzbekistan.

Published under
Shaheed Al-Hafed, 06 July 2020 (SPS) - The Permanent Office of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front has praised the position expressed by the European Union on Western Sahara.



At its meeting today, Monday, chaired by President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Brahim Ghali, the Permanent Office noted the position expressed by the European Union, which asserts that the Kingdom of Morocco has no sovereignty over Western Sahara.



The Permanent Office stressed the need for the EU's practices to be consistent with this position, in conformity with the charter and resolutions of the United Nations, considering Western Sahara and the Kingdom of Morocco as separate and distinct countries, and consequently the EU refrains from signing any agreement with the Moroccan occupation state that includes these parts, as this is a flagrant violation of international law, through blunt and shameful participation in the illegal plundering and exploitation of the natural wealth of the Sahrawi people. (SPS)



062/SPS/T
tech2 News Staff

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has predicted that two space rocks will zip past our planet on Sunday.

The space agency has named the first rock 2016 DY30 and the second one 2020 ME3, IBTimes reported.

The first asteroid, 2016 DY30, is about 15 feet wide and currently moving in the general direction of Earth at a speed of over 54,000 kilometres per hour. The second asteroid, 2020 ME3, is roughly 131 feet wide, and moving at an average speed of over 16,000 kilometres per hour. 2020 ME3 will fly past Earth at a much farther distance as compared to 2016 DY30.

CNEOS has predicted that 2016 DY30 will make its closest approach to Earth on Sunday, 19 July at 10.02 am IST, when it will be about 0.02306 astronomical units (roughly equivalent to 3.4 million km) away from Earth.

Asteroid 2020 ME3, on the other hand, will reach its closest distance to Earth at 2.51 am IST, the following morning (Monday), when it is expected to be 0.03791 astronomical units (5.6 million km) from Earths centre as it moves past our planet.

Near-Earth Objects occasionally approach close to the Earth as they orbit the Sun on their fixed paths. CNEOS determines the times and distances of these objects as and when their approach to the Earth is close, recording it in a comprehensive, regularly updated database.

NASA defines NEOs as comets and asteroids nudged by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into orbits which allows them to enter Earths neighbourhood in the solar system.

These objects are composed mostly of water ice with embedded dust particles. They are also of scientific interest since comets and asteroids are relatively unchanged remnants from the early solar system, formed over 4.6 billion years ago. NEOs, therefore, also offer scientists clues about processes and chemicals involved in the formations of planets in our solar system, Earth among them.

The biggest known asteroid that orbits the sun is a whopping 21 miles (34 km) long, CNN quoted Lindley Johnson of NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office as saying.

The space agency asserted that none of the asteroids in the CNEOS database are currently thought to pose a threat to Earth.
REC Silicon ASA (REC Silicon) will release its Q2 2020 results on Thursday, July 23, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. (CEST).

The same day at 8:00 a.m. CEST, the company will host a conference call to present the results. Following the presentation, it will be opened for questions from the audience. The presentation will be in English.

The event will be available as video- and audiocasts.

To join the videoconference, use the following link.

REC Silicon Q2 Webcast Presentation



To join the event via audiocast, use one of the following access numbers. Please make sure to dial in 5-10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

Norway: +47 2195 6342

Sweden: +46 8 1241 0952

United Kingdom: +44 203 769 6819

United States: +1 646 787 0157

Participant code for all countries: 260196

For further information, please contact:

Nils O. Kjerstad, IR Contact

Phone: +47 9135 6659

Email: nils.kjerstad@crux.no

About REC Silicon:

REC Silicon is a leading producer of advanced silicon materials, delivering

high-purity polysilicon and silicon gas to the solar and electronics industries worldwide. We combine over 30 years of experience and proprietary technology with the needs of our customers, and annual production capacity of more than 20,000 MT of polysilicon from our two US-based manufacturing plants. Listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: REC), the company is headquartered in Lysaker, Norway.

For more information, go to: www.recsilicon.com

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
The lack of water infrastructure in Graignamanagh could jeopardise plans to expand housing in the town.



A new local area plan (LAP) for Graignamanagh and Tinnahinch is currently being prepared but the town is not included in Irish Waters capital programme for the coming years.

There is a problem with the current water supply in Graignamanagh - not just capacity but also quality.



The draft LAP makes a provision for an additional 103 residential units in Graignamanagh while Tinnahinch will need 34. Almost nine hectares in Graignamanagh and 3.45 hectares in Tinnahinch will be zoned for this purpose - a proposal welcomed by local area councillors.



However, the provision of water will have to be discussed before any development takes place, Senior Executive Planner Nicolaas Louw said.

Even though we have zoned 8 hectares for residential use this will have to be addressed at the development stage. It will have to be discussed between the Kilkenny County Council, Irish Water and the developer before any development can take place, he said.



Mr Louw said unfortunately upgrading the water supply is not in Irish Waters infrastructure projects before 2024

Problems already exist with water provision in Graignamanagh, particularly in the summer. At issue is the amount of freshwater available. In 2018 a well was sunk to increase capacity, but the water quality was not up to standard, this is something the council hope to address in the near future.



Positive Plan

Cllr Deirdre Cullen said extra residential units will be very positive. To expand the town people have to move in and live in the town, she said, but water is an issue.



Cllr Michael Doyle agreed water supply was a concern, and said the Irish Water investment issue affected rural villages as well. He said it was vitally important to get development in Graignamanagh and rural areas.

Mr Louw said Kilkenny County Council is liaising with Irish Water and focusing on settlements with existing water supplies for development. They have to be realistic about what can be achieved.



Director of Services Mary Mulholland said there will be an issue with water supplies in a number of places in the county.

The sooner we identify them the better case we will have to be included in Irish Waters investment plan. Its right we identify the problem, quantify it and present it as clearly as we can and show its impact so we can make a case to be included in Irsih Waters future plans, she said.

Its an ongoing discussion with Irish Water, they do take on board the information we provide.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 17:10:21|Editor: huaxia

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Residents look for their belongings from their charred homes after a fire at a slum area in Manila, the Philippines on July 17, 2020. About 300 families were left homeless in the fire. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
Ryan Murphy is, of course, one of the major voices and creators in television right now. With massive hit shows like Glee, American Horror Story, The Politician, and Hollywood, he has such a unique position in the industry. Hes obviously been making shows for a while. Because of this, there are tons of series hes worked on that are less well-known. Here are a few, which include a couple of movies, too.

Ryan Murphy backstage at the 73rd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 09, 2019 | Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions

RELATED: From Pose to American Horror Story, 7 Amazing Ryan Murphy Shows You Can Stream on Netflix Right Now

Popular

Popular was a show that aired on The WB back in 1999. It went for two seasons and followed two teens: Sam and Brooke. They couldnt be any more different, with Brooke a popular cheerleader and Sam a less-liked school journalist. Their worlds are forced to collide when Brookes dad and Sams mom marry. Think of it as a similar Step-Brothers situation. Minus the drumset.

Murphy was the showrunner for the show: he created it, directed a couple of episodes, wrote for it, and was executive producer. Murphy is known for using his favorite actors in several different projects, so youll see a familiar face with Leslie Grossman as a fellow cheerleader, Mary Cherry.

Nip/Tuck

Nip/Tuck is Murphys longest-running series before Glee came along in 2009. It ran on FX from 2003 through 2010 and was all about two plastic surgeons, McNamara and Troy. They worked on cases that had to do with crimes but not always. Both had serious serial hookup issues, but it was a drama through and through. It went on to earn many Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

The New Normal

The New Normal was a sitcom that premiered on NBC and only ran for one season. Murphy was also the full showrunner for the show, and directed four of the 22 episodes. The show focused on a single mother, Goldie Clemmons, who had her child unexpectedly nine years prior. Her husband is unfaithful and her grandmother is judgemental and conservative, so Goldie leaves Ohio for Los Angeles. There, she meets Bryan and David, a gay couple who are looking for a surrogate. They all make their own little family from there.

The Normal Heart

With Murphys popular show Pose, he looked at the 1980s ball culture in New York City amid the HIV-AIDS crisis. This HBO movie also looked at the crisis from a different community and point of view. It stars Mark Ruffalo as an openly gay writer, Ned Weeks, who has a friend directly affected by the disease (Jonathan Groff). Ned goes into investigating the governments involvement (or lack thereof) and sheds a lot on what gay men went through during this time. It also stars Julia Roberts, Matt Bomer, and Jim Parsons, who all appear in other Murphy productions.

9-1-1 and its spinoff, 9-1-1: Lone Star

Some fans might already know that Murphy was the creator and showrunner for 9-1-1, but its also not like his other work so many others didnt. Either way, he created this show and it started in 2018 and is still going on today. Its a procedural drama about  you guessed it  first responders. It stars Murphy favorites like Angela Bassett and Connie Britton.

The spinoff is a similar premise, except its set in Texas. This one stars Rob Lowe and Liv Tyler.

Eat, Pray, Love

Lastly, its not a secret that Murphy sticks to mostly television. So this is probably his biggest movie hes worked on, although its not his only one. It stars Julia Roberts as a woman looking for purpose and renewed meaning in her life. To do this, she goes on a journey to Italy, Indonesia, and India. Murphy directed and co-wrote this film.

RELATED: Ryan Murphys Latest Instagram Trolled American Horror Story Fans With a Fake Zoom Call Picture, and Announced a Spinoff
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 17:30:37|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) is building a platform to develop a scientific innovation ecosystem by using a new generation of information technology.

The digital economy ecosystem is expected to generate new power for both industrial transformation and high-quality economic development, according to the CAST at the Global Digital Economy Summit for Small and Medium Enterprises 2020 which was held online in Beijing on Thursday.

The scientific innovation platform will promote the interaction among science, industry and finance, as well as deepen the integration of science and economy.

The digital economy has been a new economic growth area, containing more opportunities and challenges, said Huai Jinpeng, executive vice chairman of the CAST. He called for global cooperation and efforts in the fields like scientific innovation, industrial restructuring, development of small and medium-sized enterprises, talent cultivation and social governance.

The summit was hosted by the CAST, focusing on the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises. More than 10 million global users watched the summit. Enditem
B ryce Dallas Howard has certainly had a rough time of it filming Jurassic World: Dominion  and she has the bruises to prove it.

Filming on the latest movie in the deadly dinosaur franchise has restarted following the near-worldwide halt in productions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and judging by the 39-year-olds injuries, its been a heavy-going shoot.

Discussing her excitement to be back on set, Howard wrote on Twitter: These past couple of weeks my abs have been sore from laughing so much.

It's good to be back at work with this funny guy."

She accompanied her tweet with a throwback snap of herself and Jurassic World frontman Chris Pratt giggling while at work.

The tweet prompted Pratt, 41, to insist Howard show her 247,000 Twitter followers her crazy bruises, and she happily obliged.

Revealing blossoms of bruises on her arms and thigh, Howard wrote: Raise your hands if youre happy to be doing stunts again!

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom - In pictures 1 /25 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom - In pictures AP

Its of little surprise Howard has found herself getting truly stuck into filming again, as she described the script of Jurassic World: Dominion as awesome.

It was so exhilarating reading it, she told Collider. My husband got to read it too. We were like ahhh just kind of flipping out we are all so excited to come back together!

Thought to be the final film of the saga, Howard added she feels Jurassic World: Dominion will marry the events from the original Jurassic Park films to this one, and that she wanted her character, Claire Dearing, to have a harder edge.

Bryce says she wants her character Claire to have more of an edge

In terms of the third movie, the goal overall is to bring the entire saga together, she told Cinema Blend.

It'll be the sixth film at the end of the day. For me, what I'm most wanting, other than an undercut, is for there to be more characters from the earlier films.

She continued: I've been lobbying for Claire to get an undercut and I think that's not going to happen. I don't think she's going to become an eco-terrorist.

Jurassic World: Dominion is slated for release in June 2021
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Yarington's funeral home in White Center sold in February for a little over $3.7 million to an LLC associated with FivePoint Capital Management of Miami, a private equity firm. The prior month it bought a neighboring parcel to the east for almost $1.3 million.

That address, 1511 S.W. 107th St., is where plans for a new mixed-use apartment building have been filed by Jackson Main Architecture.





. . .
Inside Friday TV: Producer/star Vivica A. Fox keeps churning out those Wrong movies for LMN. In The Wrong Wedding Planner (8/7c), as Detective Jones, she looks into the sinister shenanigans threatening the upcoming nuptials of Ashley (Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe) and Brad (Stephen Richard Harris) We tv's Love After Lockup (9/8c) is back for a third season, following more couples on emotional probation after one is released from prison Far removed from 7th Heaven, Barry Watson goes through hell in Hulu's latest installment of the horror franchise Into the Dark. In the title role of "The Current Occupant," he plays an amnesiac in a mental asylum who believes he's the president of the United States and the victim of a conspiracy. This could explain a lot Filmed over 10 years, the Netflix documentary Father Soldier Son follows the often-wrenching family dynamics of a former platoon sergeant, returning home after being seriously injured in Afghanistan, and his two young sons.
A visa rule reversal has provided relief, but Vietnamese students in the U.S. remain worried about the stability of their status.

"I almost cried with relief. But I was also furious," says Nguyen Minh Phuong a Vietnamese graduate student in the University of Georgia. "They turned our lives upside down for a week. Whats next?"

Phuong was referring to the Trump administration rescinding a rule that required foreign students to leave the U.S. if their colleges stopped offering on campus classes in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that is ravaging the country.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the new policy a week ago, subjecting foreign students to deportation if they did not attend classes on campus as universities grappled with the question of whether or not to reopen campuses during the pandemic.

The rule was rescinded after two Ivy League universities  Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology  filed a lawsuit against it.

A man walks on an empty campus green at Georgetown University, closed weeks ago over the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo by Reuters//Kevin Lamarque.

"I wont have to move to another school with hybrid courses to maintain my status, so of course I feel good after a week full of stress and anxiety," said Le Hong Hanh, a 21-year-old Vietnamese student at the University of Southern California.

Nguyen Thanh Anh, 20, shared the sense of relief after the whole of last week looking for face masks offering greater protection if had to return to campus soon.

"If I stay at home and have online lessons, I am deported. If I go to campus, I may get infected. But now that anxiety is gone," said Anh, pursuing a bachelors degree in finance at George Washington University.

But the relief the Vietnamese students feel is accompanied by uncertainty as they realize that their education in America can easily become a political target. Many are concerned that the authorities could come up with other regulations as the fall semester nears.

"They sent us a storm with no humanity and decency, and now they revoke it. Why has our life as an international student become so unstable in the U.S.?" asked Nguyen Huy Hoang of Wilmington University.

He said he wants to spend time and energy to study and research instead of "worrying that we do not belong here or becoming a target forcing universities to open amid the pandemic."

Hoang had considered moving and had talked with his landlord about the lease. He has had to change his plans with the rescinding of the order, "but I know I must be ready for any new policies towards international students by the authorities. I have to stay alert."

Phong Nguyen, his roommate, shared the uncertainty and tension, saying the authorities playing hot and cold makes him tired.

"The coronavirus per se is not tiring enough?" the graduate student in cybersecurity asked, rhetorically.

"But at least we are here, staying in the U.S. Online courses are okay for us if the authorities do not come up with any new inhumane regulations," Hoang said.

Buying discomfort

The new uncertainty and concern about their future status has also made many Vietnamese students, whose parents pay thousands of dollars for their education in the U.S., rethink their choice.

After the "unnecessary stress," Nguyen Trong Khoi, graduate student at Utica College, is regretting that he chose to pursue higher education in America.

"If the administration does not want international students like me to be in this country, they should have told us before we are here, then we would never have come," he said, adding he does not pay more than $40,000 per year "to buy discomfort or the feeling of being unwelcome."

Luong Anh Dao, 24, a graduate student at American University, said she feels disappointed as her American dream "is slowly shattering after they put us on a roller coaster for a week."

"They said that America is great, and we come here not only to take something for us, we also contribute. Why don't they see that and welcome us?"

According to a report from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program of the United States Department of Homeland Security earlier this year, Vietnam is a top 10 country sending students to higher education institutions in the U.S.

A report from the U.S.-based Institute of International Education says around 25,000 Vietnamese students spent nearly $1 billion on studying in U.S. colleges and universities last year.

However, the prestige and value of an American education has kept the American dream alive for some Vietnamese students and their parents.

Nguyen Anh, new student in international affairs at the George Mason University, has agreed to home-based learning for the coming fall semester, hoping he will be able to find a good job with an "American-made degree." He added that being a student in the U.S. was one of his best achievements.

Phuong still hopes to find a job in the country after her graduation next year.

"I just want to be at ease to pursue my dreams, and I miss it when things were normal last fall."
Audiences didnt answer the call for the 2016 reboot. But things are very different  or at least the studio hopes so  for Ghostbusters: Afterlife. For starters, the movie takes place in the original continuity. And it is directed by Jason Reitman, son of the original movies Ivan Reitman. Now one of the original Ghostbusters stars weighs in on how the new film sets itself apart.

Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Bill Murray | Randy Holmes/Walt Disney Television/Getty Images

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the sequel to 1989s Ghostbusters 2

1984s Ghostbusters was the highest-grossing movie that year. The sci-fi comedy even defeated hits like Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Ghostbusters 2 followed five years later, to lesser but still notable success. And for decades, that sequel was the end of the franchise.

Ghostbusters 3 rumors swirled for years, with Bill Murray often cited as the primary hold-out. Following the passing of Harold Ramis in 2014, the project faded away quickly. And Sony opted instead for a Paul Feig-directed reboot led by Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy.

But that 2016 film didnt recapture the magic in the way some fans had hoped. Enter Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which sees the series original cast return decades later. The movie has been pushed to a March 5, 2021 release date, leaving fans to wait a bit more for the long-awaited cast reunion.

RELATED: Ghostbusters: Afterlife Is Coming: Heres What We Know (So Far)

Ernie Hudson returns as Winston Zeddemore after more than 30 years

Ernie Hudson  who plays Winston Zeddemore in both original Ghostbusters films  is among the actors to reprise their roles in the new movie. And in a recent interview with Deweys Movies, Hudson discussed what it felt like to return to the role decades later.

Everybody came back to be a part of [Ghostbusters: Afterlife]. Its an amazing new cast that moves the franchise into the future.  It was almost a spiritual experience.  The story is bigger than us though. Were not the center of it. What Jason Reitman, who wrote the movie, came up with is just amazing.  I could not have imagined a better situation.

Indeed, Ghostbusters fans have been waiting to see what became of the original quartet. Reitmans movie doesnt focus on the original players, as Hudson said. But hopefully, it can finally satisfy those who have been waiting so long for a follow-up to Ghostbusters 2.

RELATED: Dan Aykroyd Hints At a Ghostbusters: Afterlife Reunion with Bill Murray

Ernie Hudson also shares why the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot failed

Speaking of the franchises long history, Hudson opened up about why some fans rejected the 2016 reboot. In that film, the actor and many of his former castmates  including Murray  made cameos as entirely new characters. And Hudson told Deweys Movies this disconnect was at the center of the movies shortcomings.

You follow up with the characters, and you want to see them do their thing.  I think Paul Feig wanted to do his sort of interpretation, which is fine. I like the movie. Im a fan of all the girls. I just think that it was not the same as the original Ghostbusters. I think thats what fans are looking for. So I dont think it was just the fact that it was women.

Well find out if Ghostbusters: Afterlife is able to revive the franchise or at least give it one last hurrah when it hits theaters in 2021.
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $40 gift card!

In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of GVC Holdings PLC (LON:GVC) by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward.

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.

Check out our latest analysis for GVC Holdings

Step by step through the calculation

We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. 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.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, 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) UK496.5m UK595.0m UK666.4m UK724.9m UK772.0m UK810.0m UK840.8m UK866.3m UK887.8m UK906.6m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x8 Analyst x5 Est @ 12% Est @ 8.77% Est @ 6.5% Est @ 4.92% Est @ 3.81% Est @ 3.03% Est @ 2.49% Est @ 2.11% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 8.7% UK457 UK504 UK519 UK519 UK509 UK491 UK469 UK444 UK419 UK394

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = UK4.7b

Story continues

We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (1.2%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 8.7%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030  (1 + g)  (r  g) = UK907m (1 + 1.2%)  (8.7% 1.2%) = UK12b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= UK12b ( 1 + 8.7%)10= UK5.3b

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is UK10b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of UK8.8, the company appears quite undervalued at a 44% 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.

dcf

The assumptions

We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. 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 GVC Holdings 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 8.7%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.245. 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.

Next Steps:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For GVC Holdings, there are three essential aspects you should explore:

Risks: Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for GVC Holdings you should be aware of. Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for GVC's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. 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 LSE 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.


By Richard Pennington





I was feeling rather pensive on June 25. That marked 70 years since Kim Il-sung, the late leader of North Korea, precipitated the Korean War. He did so after Secretary of State Dean Acheson made a speech that seemed to indicate the U.S. would take a hands-off approach if an inter-Korean conflict were to erupt.



This invasion, which happened amid countless skirmishes instigated by both sides, was one of the defining moments of the Cold War.



Kim would not have acted without tacit permission from Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong, his fellow Communist dictators. Their blessing, whether subtle or explicit, was given. When Kim said, "go," a well-trained, highly disciplined army equipped with the latest Soviet military technology  especially T-34 tanks  sprang an early-morning attack.



About 75,000 men raced across the 38th parallel from multiple points but their main focus was Seoul. Kim wanted no less than to "unify the motherland." South Korean President Syngman Rhee had argued for the same thing non-stop since taking office in 1948.



Within three days, Rhee and much of his government had crossed the Han River and fled south. The North Korean Ramhongsaek Konghwagukgi was run up the flagpole at the capital.



With the ROK military no match for that of the DPRK, this war would have been over quickly were it not for the Americans, undisputed difference-makers in World War II; Acheson would later claim to have been misinterpreted. The man of the hour was President Harry Truman.



Although the U.S's primary interest then was Europe, he did not dither. With support from the United Nations Security Council, Truman ordered air and sea forces brought over from Japan. They tried valiantly but were unable to hold back the North Koreans in those crucial early weeks, which explains why the South Koreans, Americans and other allies hustled down to the protection of the Busan Perimeter.



There is no need to detail other related events  such as Douglas MacArthur's Incheon Landing, the drive up to the Yalu River and the Chinese intervention, followed by yet another retreat south and the negotiations that led to the signing of an armistice in 1953.



More than 5 million people, both military and civilian, died during the war. I mourn every one of them, even the North Koreans and Chinese. This is where a sober study of history comes in, as it allows me to see the enemy (and make no mistake, the North Koreans and Chinese were our enemies then) as human.



Kim Il-sung may have felt justified in sending his men over the border that morning. He was in firm control of North Korea, having sponsored massive purges and built his cult of personality  he'd had a mystical birth on Mount Baekdu, defeated the Japanese almost single-handedly, could change the weather and deserved mega-statues all over the country  and expected to be welcomed with rose petals in Seoul.



He was actually surprised to find that the South Koreans liked freedom and a capitalistic economy rather than what he had instituted in the North. The southerners stood and fought, and so did their American and U.N. allies.



The U.S.'s geopolitical motives were less than pure, but that seems secondary because the very existence of the Republic of Korea was in doubt in the hot summer of 1950. If the Americans were reluctant allies, they nevertheless committed a lot of treasure and blood to preserving democracy in the southern half of the peninsula.



Had Truman not acted swiftly and with vigor, Kim's takeover would have been a fait accompli. Western powers might have protested and grumbled, but they would have soon acquiesced. "Too bad, but it's just Korea," I can almost hear them saying. Japan seemed to be of far greater importance, notwithstanding the fact that it was on the wrong side of World War II.



I have no illusions about South Korea being a perfect place. We have fundamental social, economic and political problems, a few of which might have been ameliorated with wiser guidance from the Americans in the 1940s and 1950s.



But they are miniscule in comparison with what obtains up north. Many times I have been at the Demilitarized Zone and gazed across the border. I think of the suffering people  not the Kim family, not the military elites and their wives and kids who shop at Pyongyang's malls, cavort at Munsu Water Park in the summer, ski at Yangdok Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center in the winter and eat to their hearts' content  and commiserate.



The facts of history draw me to Tapgol Park every March 1 and Seoul National Cemetery every Memorial Day, and they are why I have visited more than 100 Korean War memorials during my travels around this country. Acknowledging the sacrifices made by so many gutsy people is the least I can do.





Richard Pennington (raput76@gmail.com), a native of Texas in the U.S., works as an editor at a law firm in southern Seoul. He has written 22 nonfiction books, including "Travels of an American-Korean, 2008-2013." He is the director of an NGO, the Committee to Bring Jikji Back to Korea.








Canadian researchers from the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, have found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may be using a unique method to gain entry into the cells.

The virus that causes COVID-19 disease has infected over 13.74 million individuals and killed more than 588,000 persons around the world. It was first detected in late December last year, and because of its novel nature, much is not known about its pathology. Researchers are still in the process of unraveling the science behind the high rate of infectivity of this virus.

This new study titled, SARS-CoV-2 uses clathrin-mediated endocytosis to gain access into cells, was published before peer review on the open-access preprint server bioRxiv*.

The virus and its pathology

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost all countries across the world and shows no sign of diminishing in its infectiousness, say the researchers. They call this virus, and this pandemic one of the greatest challenges ever to the scientific community. The experts suggest that it is vital to fully understand the biology of SARS-CoV-2.

What we know now is that the coronavirus has spike proteins on its surface. These spike glycoproteins help the virus to interact with the surfaces of the host cells by way of the cells angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors. Once this interaction takes place, the virus membrane and the cell membranes fuse, and this allows the virus to inject its RNA or genetic material into the host cell.

SARS-CoV-2 viruses binding to ACE-2 receptors on a human cell. SARS-CoV-2 uses clathrin-mediated endocytosis to gain access into cells. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock

ACE2 is a protein on the surface of many cell types. It is an enzyme that generates small proteins  by cutting up the larger protein angiotensinogen  that then go on to regulate functions in the cell.

Using the spike-like protein on its surface, the SARS-CoV-2 virus binds to ACE2  like a key being inserted into a lock  prior to entry and infection of cells. Hence, ACE2 acts as a cellular doorway  a receptor  for the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

The researchers added that this membrane system of the host cells or eukaryotic cells is an important cellular defense against invading viruses and microbes. However, the viruses tend to gain access into the cells by bypassing this complex mechanism. Antiviral drugs target this level of cellular entry of the virus, they wrote.

Infection rates of the virus

The team wrote that the numbers of confirmed CVOD-19 cases and the real number of people infected might be different. They said that antibody tests have revealed that 3 to 20 percent of certain communities have already been infected by the virus, indicating its high rates of infectiousness. These rates of infection in the community are far below those required for herd immunity, the researchers added.

How does the virus enter the cells? What is known?

The team of researchers explained that the virus has a transmembrane spike (S) glycoprotein that is capable of forming homotrimers. The S protein has S1 and S2 subdomains. Here the S1 codes for the receptor-binding domain that allows the virus to bind to the host cells and the S2 subdomain have a transmembrane domain that allows the virus membrane to fuse with the host cell membrane. The receptor on which the S glycoprotein binds is the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) that is present on the host cells. Once the S protein binds to the ACE2, it is broken into S1 and S2 by type II transmembrane serine protease TMPRSS2, a cleaving enzyme. Another enzyme furin activates the S2 subdomain that allows fusion of the viral and cellular membrane and entry of the viral RNA.

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds to the surface of HEK-293 cells expressing ACE2. (A) HEK-293 cells, wild-type (top row of images) or stably expressing ACE2 (bottom row of images) were incubated with purified, His6-tagged spike protein and with alexa-647 labelled transferrin for 30 min at 4C. Following PBS wash, the cells were fixed and stained with DAPI to reveal nuclei, with an antibody selectively recognizing ACE2, and with an antibody recognizing the His6 epitope tag of the spike protein. Scale bars = 40 m for the low mag images and 10 m for the higher mag inset of the composite. (B) Experiment performed as in A except that the HEK-293 cells were briefly acid washed prior to fixation. Scale bars = 40 m for the low mag images and 10 m for the higher mag inset of the composite.

Endocytosis

The coat proteins of the virus thus do not enter the host cell. What enters is viral RNA. Another theory is that the ACE2/SARS-CoV-2 bound complex on the cell membrane is engulfed as a whole by the cell membrane by the process of endocytosis. This endocytosis includes capsid proteins.

Two methods of endocytosis of the whole virus/ACE2 receptor complex have been reported in the scientific literature. These are;

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME)

Clathrin-independent process

What was done and what did the team find?

For this study, the team first took purified spike glycoprotein protein. They used lentivirus pseudotyped with spike glycoprotein. The whole simulation showed that the SARS-CoV-2 could undergo rapid endocytosis in the cell membrane after binding to the receptors.

They then used specific chemical inhibitors to stop each of the steps. The results revealed that this entry of the virus and receptor complex is through clathrin-mediated endocytosis. The team wrote, Thus, it appears that SARS-CoV-2 first engages the plasma membrane, then rapidly enters the lumen of the endosomal system, strongly suggesting that fusion of the viral membrane occurs with the lumenal membrane of endosomes.

Conclusions and implications

The team explained that Chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)  antimalarial drugs that were initially thought to be successful in treating COVID-19 cases are known to clock this clathrin mediated endocytosis. Chlorpromazine, a drug used in psychiatric illness, is also known to disrupt this process of endocytosis the team wrote. The researchers wrote that their finding is hugely significant because if chemical inhibitors to this clathrin mediated endocytosis could be developed, a possible drug to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 infection could be developed. They said that clathrin-mediated endocytosis should be considered as a key cellular pathway in any future drug target screens for COVID-19.

*Important Notice

bioRxiv 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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 22:32:59|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The so-called "sanctions" by the United States are not expected to harm Hong Kong's long-term development as Hong Kong is backed by the motherland and its advantages remain intact, many people from the business sector in Hong Kong have said.

The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (CGCC) in Hong Kong said in a statement it strongly opposes the U.S. moves, which seriously interfere in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs at large and will undermine the trade relation between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the United States and business interests of both.

The United States recently signed into law the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act", which maliciously denigrates the national security legislation for Hong Kong and threatens sanctions.

The CGCC said that the enactment of the law on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong complies with the "one country, two systems" principle and the HKSAR Basic Law, and has won wide support in Hong Kong society as it will not only safeguard national security and territorial integrity but also ensure Hong Kong's long-term prosperity, stability and development.

In response to the U.S. move of revoking Hong Kong's "special status" and suspending "preferential treatment", the HKSAR government has said it will carefully consider if the U.S. measures contravene World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, and does not rule out the possibility of taking action under WTO rules to protect Hong Kong's interests.

The CGCC said it supports the HKSAR government's relevant actions to safeguard Hong Kong's international status, business and judicial reputation, and overall interests.

CGCC Chairman Jonathan Choi said that the national security law for Hong Kong only targets four categories of serious crimes, while the legitimate operation of industrial and business sectors in Hong Kong will not be affected at all.

The implementation of the law is conducive to building a stable business environment in Hong Kong and enhancing investors' confidence, he stressed.

Laurence Li, chairman of Hong Kong's Financial Services Development Council, noted that the market has not reacted dramatically to the U.S. measures so far, which shows that the market is looking at the big picture.

There is no need to worry considering that Hong Kong's role as a middleman has not changed, its status as an international financial center remains solid, it is still attractive to overseas financial talents with its advantages and opportunities, and no company has moved operations out of Hong Kong so far, he said.

Chan Chun-ying, a HKSAR lawmaker representing the finance sector, said Hong Kong is backed by the motherland and boasts advantages including the rule of law, free capital flow and abundant financial talents.

Hong Kong's competitiveness remains intact, and it will hardly be replaced by other places soon, he said.

Willy Lin, chairman of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, said the U.S. policy of unilateralism will eventually hurt its own economy. Enditem
Foreign students coming from Europe are exempt from a travel ban the United States imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the US State Department told congressional offices on Thursday.

The State Department also told lawmakers that it would offer exemptions for some au pairs and family members of visa holders in the United States, according to a memo sent to lawmakers and seen by Reuters.

The moves are part of a Trump administration effort to gradually reopen international travel following months of sweeping restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. President Donald Trump banned travelers from most European countries in March as Covid-19 cases soared in the region before the disease took hold in the United States.

The European Union began to allow non-essential travel from a limited number of countries last month, but such travelers from the United States, where coronavirus cases have risen rapidly in recent weeks, remain banned.

The US decision to allow European students comes days after the Trump administration agreed to drop a policy that could have forced tens of thousands of international students to leave the United States if their classes went entirely online. The reversal came amid legal challenges by major universities and pressure from business and tech companies.

China, Brazil and Iran face similar travel bans, but students from those nations were not included in the US exemptions.

Students in European countries who already have visas to study in the United States are exempt from the ban, according to the memo.

The State Department also said spouses and children of certain foreign workers coming to the United States could qualify for exemptions, including the spouses of skilled workers with H-1B visas.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Russian man faces trial on charges of throwing Scottish fold kittens out of balcony

 flickr.com/ fbazhenov

15:45 17/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI)  A 35-year resident of Russias Novokuznetsk will go on trial on accusations of throwing two Scottish fold kittens out of a balcony, RAPSI has learnt from the Interior Ministrys Kemerovo Region Main Directorate.

According to investigators, in May, the defendant under the influence of alcohol threw two kittens out of the balcony of his apartment on a fifth floor in front of his three kids. The animals died from injuries, the statement reads.

The man stands charged with cruelty to animals. If convicted he could face up to 5 years behind bars.




New York, NY, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glacier Portable AC Reviews Update: There Is Now an Updated Report Published by FitLivings Regarding the Latest Glacier Air Conditioner.





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Get the Lowest Discounted Price for Glacier Portable AC Available Right Here



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FitLivings Reports on the Features of Glacier Portable AC



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More Information on Glacier Portable AC Can Be Found On The Official Website Here



FitLivings Reports on Glacier Portable AC Settings



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Also read Glacier Portable AC customer reviews and consumer reports: Does it Really Work as Advertised? Dont Buy Until You Read This!



Consumer Reports on Glacier Portable AC



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FitLivings is a well-respected public source of information and product review source situated in Long Island, NY. The company assists interested consumers to find important information concerning specified products and services that will then help them determine if those specific products and services are in fact a suitable fit or not.



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Media Details

Company: FitLivings

Email: laura@fitlivings.com

Website URL: https://fitlivings.com
One of the rebel Congress MLAs whose suspension of party membership was announced by the spokesperson Randeep Surjewala in a press conference in Jaipur on Thursday is Bhanwar Lal Sharma. As it happens, the name of the seven-time MLA from Sardarshahar, Churu, has often figured over the last three decades whenever attempts have been made to topple the state government.

While in the present case, he is alleged to be trying to topple a Congress government, he has been accused in the past of trying to unseat a BJP government in Rajasthan.

The first known incident of political upheaval in which his name figured dates back to March 1990, when Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was made the Chief Minister after BJP and the then Janata Dal fought elections together. In this case, however, he is said to have played a role in saving the government.

The BJP had 85 seats in the assembly and the Janata Dal 54, but following the rath yatra of Lal Krishna Advani, Janata Dal had pulled its support from the government. However, an alternative faction of Janata Dal emerged, led by Digvijay Singh, which broke from its parent party with 25 rebel MLAs. Bhanwar Lal Sharma was part of this breakaway faction of the Janata Dal, which later merged with the BJP.

From '92 to '93, President's rule was imposed in the state after the violence following demolition of Babri Masjid. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat returned to power in the fresh elections. Sharma had by then been expelled from Janata Dal and had joined the BJP. It was after Shekhawat had returned to power and had gone on a medical trip to the US in '96 that Sharma was alleged to be involved in a plot, in connivance with many other BJP MLAs, to destabilise the government behind his back.

Shekhawat's government went on to complete its full term. Two years later Sharma joined the Congress, and has stayed there since.

The current charges against him, of trying to topple the Ashok Gehlot led government, is being seen in context of these previous allegations. In a statement released on Thursday, the members of the Gehlot camp alleged that the "Former minister and MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma had attempted to topple the government in the 90s. This is his fifth attempt to topple the government but he never succeeded...Bhanwarlal Sharma is again dreaming of forming a government with the help of BJP by being a part of Sachin Pilot's conspiracy," the statement read.

The Congress also released what it claims are transcripts of alleged audio conversations of deal-making between Bhanwal Lal Sharma and another rebel MLA, Vishwendra Singh, and the BJP to try and dislodge the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan.

Sharma has has refuted the allegations. "The audio that has gone viral is fake. They are trying to pressure MLAs using fake audios as the Chief Minister is in trouble," the MLA said. A police case has been registered against the MLAs as well as union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Sharma, who was a minister in the state cabinet led by Gehlot, had five days ago become a vocal supporter of the breakaway faction of the Congress led by Sachin Pilot. This is the second time that Congress has suspended Bhanwar Lal Sharma. He was suspended by the party leadership in 2014 for criticising the leadership of the then vice-president of the party, Rahul Gandhi, following the party's drubbing in Lok Sabha polls.
ELMIRA  A three-vehicle crash in Elmira has sent a Kitchener woman to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Shortly after noon on Thursday, an SUV, a transport truck and a minivan were involved in a collision.

Waterloo Regional Police said the driver of the minivan, a 46-year-old Kitchener woman, was airlifted to a Hamilton hospital with serious injuries.

There were also five kids under 16 years of age in the minivan, police said. They were taken to a local hospital for treatment.

A section of Arthur Street was closed for hours after the crash, between Whippoorwill Drive and Oriole Parkway.

On Friday morning police were still investigating.

Investigators are asking anyone who may have seen the crash to contact them at 519-650-8500, ext. 8856.
Government of Georgia adopts key energy efficiency laws

Focus on reducing energy intensity while strengthening resilience of the economy

EBRD supported drafting of reform concept

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has welcomed a set of key energy efficiency laws that are being adopted by the government of Georgia.

The two new pieces of legislation  the Law on Energy Efficiency and the Law on Energy Performance of Buildings  are important milestones for Georgia in meeting its requirements under the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), as well as its membership of the Energy Community, an international agreement that brings the European Union and its neighbours together to create a pan-European energy market.

These laws will enable Georgia to realise energy savings of 14 per cent by 2025, thereby helping the country to meet its international obligations in combating climate change, increase its energy security and strengthen its energy links with the EU. In addition, these laws will help improve the energy performance standards for new constructions and building retrofits in line with EU standards.

The initiative that paved the way for these laws was conceptualised in late 2015, when the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development started working on a draft of the first National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP) with the EBRD. This work benefited from support from the Swedish International Development Agency.

The NEEAP addressed challenges such as reducing the economys energy intensity, while allowing for continued economic growth and compliance with the countrys international commitments. It was a set of measures that Georgia needed to undertake in order to improve its energy efficiency, and provided a roadmap to the adoption of these two new laws which were drafted with support from the EBRD and the Energy Community Secretariat.

Commenting on the new legislation, Catarina Bjorlin Hansen, EBRD Regional Director for the Caucasus, said: This is an outstanding achievement for Georgia. The legislation opens new investment opportunities with greener technologies while boosting the usage of energy from ecologically cleaner sources. Emissions reduction and climate mitigation are a big part of the EBRDs strategy going forward.

Her comments were echoed by Vesselina Haralampieva, Senior Counsel in the Legal Transition Programme, who led the EBRDs work on the Energy Efficiency Law and the NEEAP: The adoption of the new energy efficiency laws is a landmark achievement for Georgia, which until now had virtually no energy efficiency regulations in place and very limited investment in energy performance, she explained.

The NEEAP, adopted in 2019, is Georgias signal to the world that it is prioritising energy efficiency policies and investment, which will result in better energy services for consumers, well-insulated homes with less wasted energy, and ultimately a more competitive economy.
Tornado God

By Peter J. Thuesen

Oxford. 293 pp. $29.95

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On May 22, 2011, a supercell thunderstorm from southeast Kansas developed into an EF-5 tornado, with violent winds rushing at 200 miles per hour. When the mile-wide storm reached Joplin, Mo., a city of roughly 50,000, it obliterated almost everything in its path, demolishing homes and churches, downing power lines, turning trees into deadly missiles, and piling crushed cars on top of each other. The death toll was about 160.

Among the thousands left homeless was my cousin. Her belongings were scattered and mixed with debris. Many of Joplin's residents asked themselves why there was so little warning, what had made the storm so violent and whether there was any meaning to such utter destruction. Even with all the advances in radar technology and forecasting, this storm was the fourth-deadliest tornado in U.S. history. Some wondered if God still spoke out of the whirlwind, as in the Old Testament Book of Job. And, if so, what kind of God was that?

President Barack Obama addressed the search for meaning and the debilitating pain of grief at a memorial service in Joplin a week after the tornado struck. Assuming the role of consoler in chief, he asked those assembled: "Why our town? Why our home? Why my son, or husband, or wife, or sister, or friend? Why? We do not have the capacity to answer."

Peter J. Thuesen's insightful and deeply researched "Tornado God: American Religion and Violent Weather" reveals the many ways severe weather has prompted theological and moral reflection as well as action. Thuesen, a professor of religious studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, explores the relationship between natural disasters and human responsibility, and the ethical questions posed by climate change.

His focus on extreme weather and the sublime is particularly interesting given that Americans are far more religious than their counterparts in other wealthy nations. Tornadoes are also much more common in the United States than in other parts of the world, and they occur more frequently in the Bible Belt, the locus of American evangelicalism and Pentecostalism. (The headquarters of one of America's largest denominations, the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, for instance, is just an hour's drive east of Joplin.) For Americans, observes Thuesen, a "whole nexus of religious questions comes together in the whirlwind."

From the days of the earliest English settlements, Puritan divines recorded the frightening wonders of the natural world and speculated about whether violent thunderstorms, floods and hurricanes portended God's judgment. They could be surprisingly nuanced, Thuesen explains. In 1694 Cotton Mather, America's eminent Puritan theologian, minister and author, was preaching when word arrived that his house had been badly damaged by lightning. Though such phenomena were accidents, they were still, in his words, "under the Conduct of God, the High Thunderer." Others assumed it was no wonder that lightning commonly struck lofty homes and towering spires, symbols of human pride. Benjamin Franklin came under suspicion, writes Thuesen, for having the temerity to redirect thunderbolts from heaven with his invention, the lightning rod. Franklin's contemporaries began to question old certitudes. Scottish philosopher David Hume developed his naturalistic critique of religion, which he explained away "as a projection arising from human ignorance and fear." That line of thought would later be advanced in the systematic atheism of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud.

In the 19th century, as Americans pushed farther West, settlers experienced the capriciousness of weather in new and powerful ways. The two deadliest tornadoes of the century - the Great Natchez Tornado of 1840 and the St. Louis Tornado of 1896 - led Americans to theological reflection and soul-searching. The development of the telegraph and the proliferation of newspapers spread word of such atrocities, rich with grisly detail, far and wide. After the Natchez storm, one churchman wrote, "The Lord seems to have been speaking to our country, and rebuking our sins of late in the most solemn manner."

For certain theologians an all-powerful divine judge was reassuring. In the 1850s Princeton Seminary's Charles Hodge defended the biblical doctrine of providence. Hodge elaborated on the "secure conviction that a sparrow cannot fall, nor a sinner move a finger, but as God permits and ordains." The tornadoes that leveled houses and killed entire families put such convictions to the test.

Calvinistic visions of judgment and doom later gave way to a wider array of religious and nonreligious interpretations. Late-19th-century men of the cloth hoped that humankind would eventually leave behind primitive theologies of a God of thunder and retribution. Popular ministers like Henry Ward Beecher preached a softer brand of evangelicalism. In his telling, God reigned with hope and love, rather than force and fear. Other optimistic Protestants even looked on destructive tornadoes as a positive force. After all, so went the logic, God could use such calamities to turn hearts heavenward. It was a kind of careless cheerfulness that would make Pollyanna blush, but it was certainly in step with an age of empire building and confidence.

The Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, which killed more than 6,000 and wrecked a city, tested a confident faith like little before. As with other storms in the century ahead, it proved that local, state and regional governments could do much more to prepare. "God never sent that awful storm," a Methodist minister remarked, "natural conditions produced it." In the aftermath, the city constructed a 10-mile-long, 17-foot-high sea wall.

Other precautions had already been taken. The U.S. Army Signal Service started to issue daily weather maps in 1870. An American meteorologist and officer in the service, John Park Finley, worked to educate the public about the dangers of tornadoes and the signs of their coming, even encouraging the construction of shelters in homes. The religious fatalism of Americans, Finley believed, was especially troublesome. The work of public educators and meteorologists like Finley, along with progressive ministers, proved remarkably difficult. The government even banned the use of the word "tornado" in forecasts from 1885 to 1938, because it was thought to produce panic.

There was one truth about severe weather that was impossible to deflect or hide. Each devastating storm revealed the profound inequalities that plagued the nation. The poor and minorities suffered disproportionally, a cold fact that was abundantly clear in the aftermath of tornadoes in rural towns on the plains, floods along the banks of the Mississippi or hurricanes along the Gulf Coast.

Even in the modern era, tornadoes and other natural disasters often reveal deep fault lines in the United States. A 2011 poll by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Religion News Service showed that 84 percent of white evangelicals believed that God controlled all that happened in the natural world. Only 52 percent of Catholics and 55 percent of mainline Protestants thought the same. In the samepoll, 59 percent of white evangelicals also viewed natural disasters as signs from God. Not surprisingly, a 2015 Pew Research Center survey found that only 28 percent of white evangelicals thought that "the Earth is getting warmer because of human activity." President Trump's former EPA chief, the evangelical Scott Pruitt, was one of those doubters. When he resigned under a cloud of scandal in 2018, he wrote to the president, "I believe you are serving as President today because of God's providence." Millions of American evangelicals think the same.

Fittingly, Thuesen concludes that storms have "exposed Americans' chronic moral failings: indifference to racial and economic inequalities in disaster response, and, more recently, refusal to acknowledge human-induced climate change as a contributing factor in severe weather." In the coming decades, disruptive, violent weather is likely to become more frequent and more severe. How America's millions of believers respond and act will be more important than ever.

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Stephens is a professor of American and British studies at the University of Oslo. His most recent book is "The Devil's Music: How Christians Inspired, Condemned, and Embraced Rock 'n' Roll."
By Agencies

The Rajasthan High Court adjourned till Monday the hearing in a petition filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident Congress MLAs, challenging the disqualification notices issued by the assembly Speaker.

The court further directed Speaker CP Joshi not to take any action against the rebel MLAs till Tuesday.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Speaker, assured that no action will be taken and said that he will continue his arguments on Monday 10:30 am.

A division bench of the Rajasthan High Court on Friday had begun hearing a petition filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident Congress MLAs, challenging the disqualification notices issued by the assembly Speaker.

Rajasthan high court adjourns Sachin Pilot petition to Monday @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard  kanusarda (@sardakanu_TNIE) July 17, 2020

The notices had asked the MLAs to respond by Friday to the Congress move to disqualify them from the state assembly.

The dissidents' petition first came up before Justice Satish Chandra Sharma on Thursday, but their advocate Harish Salve sought time to file a fresh petition.

Later, in the evening, the petition was referred to a division bench.

ALSO READ | Rajasthan crisis: Congress accuses BJP of trying to topple Gehlot government, demands arrest of union minister Shekhawat

On Friday, the petition was taken up a by a bench of Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Prakash Gupta.

The bench had accepted a plea by Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi to include him as a respondent in the case.

The notices were served after the party complained to the Speaker that the MLAs had defied a whip to attend two Congress Legislature Party meetings, on Monday and Tuesday.

The Pilot camp, however, argues that a party whip applies only when the assembly is in session.

In its complaint to the Speaker, the Congress had sought action against Pilot and the other dissidents under paragraph 2 (1) (a) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

The provision disqualifies MLAs if they "voluntarily" give up the membership of the party which they represent in the House.

Pilot was sacked as deputy chief minister and the president of the state unit of the party after he rebelled against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

(With inputs from PTI, ENS)
Zamfara has reported no new locally transmitted coronavirus cases in more than 50 days since the state recorded its first infection in late April, marking a major turning point in Nigerias battle to contain COVID-19.

The milestone will likely be held up as proof of the state governments ongoing success in limiting the spread of the virus to less than a hundred despite allegations that local officials are not turning in enough test samples.

On April 25, the Zamfara Governor, Bello Matawalle confirmed two index cases of COVID-19 in the north-western state.

This came a few weeks after the state government announced the purchase of 12 ventilators and 20,000 test kits for its isolation centers, according to a statement by the spokesperson of the governor, Zailani Baffa.

In late May, the Zamfara branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) said eight of its members tested positive for coronavirus while treating patients at various health facilities in the state.

On June 8, authorities in Zamfara celebrated 14 days of no new local infection after the state reported 76 confirmed cases, leading to five deaths.

As of the time of reporting, the north-western state bounded by Sokoto State to the North has not reported a single case in the past 54 days, data from Nigerias infectious disease outfit, NCDC, showed.

How we Responded

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES in a phone interview Friday morning, the state governors spokesperson, Mr Baffa explained how the state promptly responded to the outbreak.

Mr Baffa said the state government adhered to all federal government guidelines including the closure of schools, borders and markets as well as maintaining social distancing and strict use of face masks in the public.

Even before Zamfara recorded its index case, the state government has already set up two committees: one is in charge of enlightening the people about the virus and providing palliatives to cushion the adverse impact of the lockdowns as well as providing cleaning products for free.

The other committee was in charge of providing support for the two infectious disease centres set up in Gusau and Damba.

We provide more than 100 beds for the two centres, 12 ventilators, test kits and thousands of facemasks.

The official said fumigation of streets, markets and public places were done constantly. We also did aerial fumigation and enforced all safety protocols.

When we started having problem(s), what we did is that once a case is found in a particular place, we move in, surround the area, isolate the confirmed cases and trace contacts.

After sometime, the highest case we had was 76. Out of these, five died unfortunately but 71 have recovered and sent home. Since then, we have not seen a single new case.

Even when the northern governors agreed that all Almajiri children should return to their various states. The Zamfara governor asked all Almajiri from the state to return. They were received at the state border where they were all tested before allowed in, he explained.

Beyond Zamfara

As the danger has lessened in Zamfara, a state of over 4 million population including about 800 thousand children under five, the national infection rate continues to accelerate, with other states across the country now grappling with fast-expanding outbreaks of their own.

As of Friday morning, the virus, which first landed in Nigeria late February in an Italian man, has infected almost 35, 000 persons, according to NCDCs latest update.

About 14,292 patients have been discharged after treatment in the countrys 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. More than 750 have died.

There are 19,793 active cases in Nigeria.

Lagos remains the epicentre of the disease with a total tally of 13,097 infections and 176 deaths. Almost 2, 000 patients have been discharged after treatment while more than 10, 000 cases are on admission in the city.

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Nigerias commercial nerve is followed by the nations capital, Abuja, with 2,761 infections and 39 deaths. Oyo has since displaced Kano to become the third state with the largest caseload with 1,989 cases and 19 deaths.

Nigeria is the West African nation most impacted by the coronavirus.

She has tested about 202,097 of her 200 million population.

Health experts believe there is a gross undercount of the infection, questioning the governments testing capacity especially after new symptoms of loss of senses of smell and taste emerged.
AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A+ (Superior) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of "aa" of Munich Reinsurance Company (Munich Re) (Germany) and its subsidiaries. AM Best also has affirmed the Long-Term ICR of "a" of Munich Re America Corporation (Munich Re America) (Princeton, NJ) and the Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings (Long-Term IR) of Munich Re and Munich Re America. The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. See below for a detailed listing of all companies and ratings.

The ratings reflect Munich Re's balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorises as strongest, as well as its strong operating performance, very favourable business profile and very strong enterprise risk management.

Munich Re's balance sheet strength is underpinned by risk-adjusted capitalisation that exceeds the level required to support the strongest assessment, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio. AM Best expects risk-adjusted capitalisation to remain at the strongest level, despite the group's exposure to potentially large losses and its record of substantial dividend payments and share buy-backs. In addition, the group's financial leverage is relatively low and it benefits from excellent financial flexibility.

The group's operating performance is strong, demonstrated by a 10-year weighted average return on equity of 8.6% (2010-2019). In 2019, Munich Re reported a net profit of EUR 2.7 billion (2018: EUR 2.2 billion). The group's property/casualty (P/C) reinsurance division reported a net profit of EUR 1.56 billion despite exposure to significant natural catastrophe and man-made losses. Life health (L&H) reinsurance and ERGO reported good net profits of EUR 706 million and EUR 440 million, respectively, demonstrating the benefits of the group's good earnings diversification.

Munich Re is a leading global reinsurer and its business profile benefits from excellent diversification, with the performance of its various life, health and P/C operations largely uncorrelated. Given its global market presence and excellent brand, the group is well-positioned to benefit from improving P/C reinsurance market conditions and positive pricing momentum.

The FSR of A+ (Superior) and the Long-Term ICRs of "aa" have been affirmed with stable outlooks for Munich Reinsurance Company and its following subsidiaries:

Great Lakes Insurance SE

New Reinsurance Company Ltd.

Munich Reinsurance America, Inc.

The Princeton Excess and Surplus Lines Insurance Company

American Alternative Insurance Corporation

Bridgeway Insurance Co

Munich American Reassurance Company

Munich Reinsurance Company of Canada

Temple Insurance Company

American Family Home Insurance Company

American Modern Home Insurance Company

American Modern Insurance Company of Florida, Inc.

American Modern Lloyds Insurance Company

American Modern Select Insurance Company

American Southern Home Insurance Company

American Western Home Insurance Company

American Modern Property and Casualty Insurance Company

Munich Re of Bermuda, Ltd.

Digital Edge Insurance Company

Digital Affect Insurance Company

Digital Advantage Insurance Company

The following Long-Term IRs have been affirmed with stable outlooks:

Munich Reinsurance Company-

-- "a+" on EUR 1.0 billion 6.0% subordinated fixed to floating rate bonds, due 2041

-- "a+" on EUR 900 million 6.25% subordinated fixed to floating rate bonds, due 2042

-- "a+" on GBP 450 million 6.625% subordinated fixed to floating rate bonds, due 2042

Munich Re America Corporation-

-- "a" on USD 500 million 7.45% senior unsecured notes, due 2026

American Alternative Insurance Corporation-

-- "a+" on USD 92.5 million 5.0% surplus notes

The Princeton Excess and Surplus Lines Insurance Company-

-- "a+" on USD 20.1 million 5.0% surplus notes

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/20200717005374/en/

Contacts:

Victoria Ohorodnyk

Senior Financial Analyst

+31 20 308 5432

victoria.ohorodnyk@ambest.com

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Manager, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

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Director, Analytics

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(TNS)  A new mitigation plan to combat a resurgence of coronavirus cases was announced Wednesday morning by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.A continued emphasis on personal efforts, hand-washing, sanitizing and social distancing is being combined with possible state action and more localized mitigation efforts.This comes as Madison County has seen increased numbers of cases, particularly since breaking the record for case numbers Saturday, tying that on Sunday, then breaking that record again Monday.This is not political, its just about caring for the community and the people you love, Pritzker said during a press conference Wednesday. The state is now in phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan, and while officials have always said a resurgence could move the plan backward, officials said they are looking at more focused responses to more localized outbreaks.Pritzker said the resurgence plan recognizes the state is in its strongest position to combat the virus since the start of the pandemic. He cited a robust testing operation, expanded contact tracing and other factors.He also noted that the state has lower hospital and infection rates than many states, including most of the surrounding ones.Illinois now has the lowest infection rates among all our neighboring states and one of the lowest positivity rates in the country  and its because of the individual actions of millions of our residents, Pritzker said. Opening up our economy does not have to come with a spike in cases.Other countries have done it successfully, while reducing cases and infection rates, he continued. But that requires vigilance on the part of all of us.Its imperative that individuals, families, workers and businesses follow the recommendations doctors have given about vital mitigations and that we act quickly if we see any outbreaks and upticks, signs that could lead to a surge of coronavirus infections.The three-tiered plan includes establishing metrics and mitigations to determine where resurgences are occurring, and how to deal with them effectively, emphasizing action in smaller regions to help focus mitigation efforts, and increased emphasis on COVID-19 testing and tracing.Madison County will be a part of the Metro East region, which also includes St. Clair, Bond, Clinton, Monroe and Randolph counties.Calhoun, Greene, Jersey and Macoupin counties will be in the West-Central region.The original Restore Illinois plan was criticized because many considered the regions to be too large, and not reflect local conditions.More details about the regions and the plan will be available atThis plan ensures we are looking at all available data to make timely decisions to protect the health of our communities, Ezike said.By assessing key metrics that indicate both the disease burden, and the capacity of each COVID-19 region to respond, we can then take targeted actions within specific regions to help mitigate the spread of this deadly disease, while keeping as much of our state open as possible.The issue of whether schools will be able to reopen also was talked about extensively. Ultimately, much of that depends on whether people continue to follow protoc0ls, Ezike said.Our actions today will determine what school looks like, she said,She noted those actions will absolutely include masking and social distancing.Locally, the Madison County Health Department reported a total of 43 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 1,318 cases and 71 deaths. The number of cases is two shy of the record  set Monday.Statewide there were 1,187 new cases and eight deaths reported.According to the Illinois Department of Public Health website, there now are 156,693 cases statewide and 7,226 deaths. In the past 24 hours, 38,161 tests have been completed, for a statewide total of 2,079,601.The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from July 8July 14 is 3.1 percent. That percentage has been increasing gradually statewide over the past week, but is still far below the peak levels of April and May.As of late Wednesday, 1,454 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 324 patients were in the ICU and 130 patients were on ventilators.The Madison County figures include 677 people released, meaning they have completed isolation. A total of 25,356 tests have been completed in the county.Information by ZIP code shows additional cases in the Godfrey, Brighton, Jerseyville, Cottage Hills, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Troy, Granite City/Pontoon Beach, Collinsville, Madison, Highland, Staunton and Litchfield areas. New cases also are being reported for the first time in the Roxana (62084) and Bunker Hill (62014) areas for the first time, with six cases each.The IDPH is releasing case numbers by ZIP code for areas with more than five cases. Numbers are not released in ZIP codes with fewer cases to protect the privacy of patients.The information is available at the IDPH website. Click on the coronavirus banner, then COVID-19 statistics in the drop-down menu on the left side.Additional cases also have been reported in Jersey, Greene, Macoupin, Montgomery, St. Clair, Clinton, Bond, Monroe and Washington counties. Additional deaths were reported in Montgomery and Clinton counties, while in Bond County both the number of cases and deaths went down by one, to 21 cases and one death.
Baby killer Brendon Toohey has had his conviction for raping the 11-month-old girl quashed by a NSW appeal court, making him eligible for parole immediately.

The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on Friday ruled the judge presiding over the 31-year-old's sexual assault trial without a jury failed to give adequate reasons for his guilty verdict.

Toohey has been in custody since April 2014, when he arrived at Blayney Hospital, near Bathurst, with the unconscious girl.

Baby killer Brendon Toohey has had his conviction for raping the 11-month-old girl quashed by a NSW appeal court, making him eligible for parole immediately (stock)

She died of blunt force trauma atypical of a simple fall and had bleeding in her rectum, leading detectives to accuse Toohey of both homicide and child rape.

A NSW jury found him guilty of the girl's manslaughter before Judge James Bennett heard the sexual assault trial in late 2018.

The trial was beset by delays. Hearings took place on four days between early September and mid-October while the verdict was given in November.

In March 2019, when giving his verdict reasons, Judge Bennett only briefly explained why he preferred certain expert evidence over other expert evidence.

He also didn't provide reasons for why he rejected the part of the defence case related to the absence of certain damage to the girl's rectum, appeal judge Natalie Adams said.

'I have come to the view that the significance of the evidence the trial judge failed to mention in his reasons means that the applicant has established error,' Justice Adams said on Friday.

The appeal court ordered a new trial but acknowledged that it was up to prosecutors to determine if it still wanted to pursue the charge.

Toohey's minimum jail term for the sexual assault charge was to expire this September.

The non-parole period for his seven-and-a-half-year manslaughter sentence ended in October 2018.
A further 19 agricultural workers have tested positive for Covid-19 on a farm which went into lockdown last weekend.

Herefordshire vegetable producers AS Green & Co was forced to go into lockdown after the outbreak, which initially infected at least 73 crop pickers.

Herefordshire Council and Public Health England (PHE) said the number has increased to 93 on the Mathon-based farm. Further testing is ongoing.

Two groups of farm workers who came to the UK via bus and plane, some of whom worked at AS Green & Co, are now being traced as a precaution.

The council and PHE explained that those who tested positive for the virus were not showing symptoms on entering the country.

The joint statement added that Scottish authorities were now investigating a group of 63 workers who were on the same flight as the AS Green workers.

No Covid-19 cases have been identified among a further 76 people on the flight who travelled to other farms in England.

Karen Wright, director of public health for Herefordshire, said: "We continue to test workers at the farm and expect to see the number of cases rise over the coming days before social distancing and infection prevention measures start to take effect.

"Workers have been asked to remain on site and self-isolate to reduce risk of spread within the workforce and into the wider community.

"Were aware that local residents are concerned, but the risk to the general public remains low."

She added: "We are arranging food and essential supplies to the farm and its workers during the period of isolation."

The government has issued Covid-19 guidelines on working safely in the agricultural industry.

It comes as a number of meat plants confirmed recent outbreaks of Covid-19, including 2 Sisters's Anglesey chicken site and Tulip's West Midlands' pork plant.
The good times continued on Thursday as Natalya Wright showed off another striking bikini during her latest appearance in Majorca.

The younger sister of former TOWIE stars Mark and Jessica Wright looked stunning in a maroon two-piece while striking a series of poses in front of a bare whitewashed wall.

Taking to Instagram with four separate images, Natalya, 19, admitted she had only intended to post one of herself, before deciding they were all good enough to share.

Stunning: The good times continued on Thursday as Natalya Wright showed off another striking bikini during her latest appearance in Majorca

Captioning the images, she wrote: 'Couldnt choose so heres 4.. @prettylittlething bikini.'

Giving her beach ready look an appropriately Mediterranean flourish, Natalya rounded off her appearance by tying her hair with a printed bandanna.

The brunette was scouted by Select Model Management, who have Daisy Lowe, Sam Rollison and David Gandy on their books, at the age of just 16.

I say: The youngest Wright sibling's toned physique was on full display in her latest post

Finishing touch: Giving her beach ready look an appropriately Mediterranean flourish, Natalya rounded off her appearance by tying her hair with a printed bandanna

Don't mind me: The 19-year old has shared an array of bikini snaps with Instagram followers sine jetting off to Spain with her family

In demand: Natalya was scouted by Select Model Management, who have Daisy Lowe, Sam Rollison and David Gandy on their books, at the age of just 16

But with work commitments on hold she has made the most of recently relaxed lockdown restrictions by jetting off to Majorca for a hastily booked holiday with sister Jess, who is expected to marry fiance William Lee-Kemp on the island in June 2021.

Speaking to HELLO! magazine in June, Jess explained that Majorca has been like a second home to her as her family have a house on the island.

She said: 'I've been dreaming of a fairytale wedding since I was little, when I used to dress up in my mum's net curtains.

She's off: But with work commitments on hold she has made the most of recently relaxed lockdown restrictions by jetting off to Majorca for a hastily booked holiday

'Now I can't wait for the moment I've been imagining for so long, walking up the aisle in a fabulous dress to marry Will.'

Of the location, she added: 'We've enjoyed some amazing holidays here and I practically grew up on the island because it's where my family has a second home.'

It's understood that sister-in-law Michelle Keegan will serve as a bridesmaid when the couple do finally exchange vows.
Walk Like An EChristian: a heart-tugging book of short stories that reflect on the vibrancy of Christianity in a believers life. Walk Like An EChristian is the creation of published author Lindy Pierce, a ballet and tap teacher in central Kentucky.

Pierce shares, You are holding in your hands a collection of 110 short stories about the supernatural and lessons learned over forty years of serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Dead Christianity does not appeal to any but the dead. Come alive with the Holy Spirit, and learn what its like to live in the miraculous.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Lindy Pierces new book is a treasured tome that proclaims the graciousness of God that blesses life with the miracles of joy and wisdom.

Readers will surely be enthralled with every story that imparts gems of virtues that uplift the spirit and lead it toward Gods light and mercy.

View the synopsis of Walk Like An EChristian on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Walk Like An EChristian at traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Walk Like An EChristian, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
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Too Hot To Handle stars Francesca Farago and Haley Cureton were seen this week enjoying a beach day in Malibu.

The dynamic duo could be spotted splashing around in the sea in their barely-there bikinis as they enjoyed each other's company while fully done up with frosty makeup and their hair nicely styled straight.

Francesca, 26, modeled a pair of different two-pieces (tie-dye string bikini by Yandy) for her latest outing and accessorized with jewelry.

Out and about: Too Hot To Handle stars Francesca Farago and Haley Cureton were glimpsed this week enjoying a beach day in Malibu

The reality TV personalities were previously seen enjoying a dog-walk together in West Hollywood this Tuesday.

Late last month Haley told TMZ that she and Francesca were 'potentially thinking about moving in together. In the future.'

However this past weekend Francesca was in New York City enjoying a dinner date with Jersey Shore dreamboat Vinny Guadagnino.

DailyMail.com exclusively obtained photos of Vinny and Francesca sitting down to a meal together Saturday evening.

A place in the sun: The dynamic duo could be spotted strolling across the sand in their barely-there bikinis as they enjoyed each other's company

Their date comes just weeks after it emerged that Francesca was dumped by her fiance Harry Jowsey whom she met on Too Hot To Handle.

Harry insisted: 'Nothing bad happened. I simply fell out of love, I lost that massive spark that I had at the start of the show.'

Both he and Francesca said the long-distance factor was involved in the split as they were self-isolating separately amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Sizzling sensation: Francesca, 26, modeled a pair of different two-pieces for her latest outing and accessorized with jewelry

In a YouTube video about the breakup Australian hunk took 'full responsibility' for Francesca's 'heartbroken' state and publicly told her: 'If you're watching, I hope you're okay. I'm only a phone call away. I'll always be here for you.'

Francesca, who shared a kiss with Haley on their Netflix reality show, sobbed during her own YouTube video discussing the breakup.

Haley told TMZ that 'I think Harry was with Francesca for publicity 100 percent' and claimed that he never 'genuinely loved' her.

She said Harry was not 'capable of loving anyone besides himself' and that ''Everything he does in life is to benefit himself. I don't know if I ever saw it working.'
Oregon elected officials blasted President Donald Trump's administration after reports that federal law enforcement personnel in recent days have arrested protesters off the streets of Portland while using unmarked government vehicles and refusing to tell people why they are being detained. The tactics came as federal authorities already were being criticized for shooting a protester in the head with an impact munition on Saturday night outside of Portland's federal courthouse. "This political theater from President Trump has nothing to do with public safety," said Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, in a Twitter thread condemning the arrests. "The President is failing to lead this nation. Now he is deploying federal officers to patrol the streets of Portland in a blatant abuse of power by the federal government," Brown wrote.

Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. Zach Gibson | Bloomberg | Getty Images

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, pinned a video of one of the arrests in question to the top of his official Twitter account, and wrote, "Authoritarian governments, not democratic republics, send unmarked authorities after protesters." "These Trump/Barr tactics designed to eliminate any accountability are absolutely unacceptable in America, and must end," wrote Merkley, referring to the president and U.S. Attorney General William Barr. MerkleyTweet The protests in Portland, like others nationwide, were initially sparked by the Memorial Day killing by Minneapolis police of George Floyd, a Black man who was being arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill to make a purchase. Oregon Public Broadcasting, in a report Thursday night, said that federal authorities, including the U.S. Marshals' Special Operations Group, and a tactical unit from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, since at least Tuesday have used unmarked vehicles to patrol downtown Portland and arrest protesters. "Personal accounts and multiple videos posted online show the officers driving up to people, detaining individuals with no explanation of why they are being arrested, and driving off," OPB reported. "But interviews conducted by OPB show officers are also detaining people on Portland streets who aren't near federal property, nor is it clear that all of the people being arrested have engaged in criminal activity," the report said.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler's office referred local press to his statement earlier in the week about federal law enforcement agencies dealing with protesters. "We do not need or want their help," Wheeler, a Democrat said in that statement. "The best thing they can do is stay inside their building, or leave Portland altogether." The White House referred a request for comment from CNBC to the Department of Homeland Security, which did not immediately respond.

In a statement, U.S. Border Patrol said its "agents have been deployed to Portland in direct support of the Presidential Executive Order and the newly established DHS Protecting American Communities Task Force (PACT)." "As a law enforcement component under DHS, CBP will be providing support, as needed at the request of the Federal Protective Service, to protect Federal facilities and property," Border Patrol said. A Marshals' Service spokeswoman said the agency does use unmarked vehicles, but also said that its personnel wear clear identification on their uniforms, and do inform suspects about why they are being detained.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf looks up during the launch of a new initiative to combat online child sexual exploitation during a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, U.S., March 5, 2020. Kevin Lemarque | Reuters

Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, in a letter issued Thursday, on the same day he visited Portland, said that the city "has been under siege for 47 straight days by a violent mob while local political leaders refuse to restore order to protect their city." The letter included a long list of vandalism or attempted vandalism of federal properties, including the courthouse, in Portland by what Wolf repeatedly called "violent anarchists." "Instead of addressing violent criminals in their communities, local and state leaders are instead focusing on placing blame on law enforcement and requesting fewer officers in their community," Wolf wrote. "This failed response has only emboldened the violent mob as it escalates violence day after day." "DHS will not abdicate its solemn duty to protect federal facilities and those within them." Wolf on Friday tweeted a photo of him addressing men in camouflage, writing, "Our men and women in uniform are patriots. We will never surrender to violent extremists on my watch." Wolf tweet During an interview with Fox News on Friday morning, Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security, said, "What we've seen around the country is where responsible policing is advanced, violence recedes." "And Portland hasn't gotten that memo. Nor have a lot of other cities. And the president is determined to do what we can, within our jurisdiction, to help restore peace to these beleaguered cities," Cuccinelli said. But Oregon's other senator, Democrat Ron Wyden, wrote on Twitter, "'A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald Trump's secret police." "Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media," Wyden wrote. WydenTweet Brown, in her Twitter post, wrote, "I told Acting Secretary Wolf that the federal government should remove all federal officers from our streets." "His response showed me he is on a mission to provoke confrontation for political purposes. He is putting both Oregonians and local law enforcement officers in harm's way," the governor wrote.

Police make arrests after a 'riot' is declared as hundreds gather at the Portland, Oregon Police Association building on July 13, 2020 to protest police brutality and racial inequities. John Rudoff | Sipa USA | AP Images
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A new guidebook from Yale outlines the barriers and potential benefits of bringing rooftop solar to more low- and middle-income (LMI) households.

This guidebook is based on research by Kenneth Gillingham, associate professor of environmental and energy economics at the Yale School of the Environment, and Bryan Bollinger, associate professor of marketing at New York University, who convened a team of scholars and practitioners to generate insights on accelerating solar adoption in LMI communities.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), this resource offers a roadmap for installing rooftop solar panels in communities that are often overlooked when it comes to promoting renewable energy solutions.

The guidebook includes insights derived from field studies conducted during a series of Yale-led "Solarize" campaigns run by the nonprofit SmartPower. Solarize is a proven mechanism that brings together solar installers, environmental nonprofit groups, community-based volunteers, local officials, and residents to accelerate adoption of rooftop solar systems. Previous research by Gillingham details the effectiveness of these campaigns and messages, which, he said, can lead to an average 1,000-percent increase in local installations.

"The research underlying this guidebook provided new insights into how to reach LMI households to help them reduce energy costs and the negative environmental impacts from building energy use," said Gillingham.

The more recent phase of the research focused on LMI communities, and how different messages can resonate differently with different communities. One first finding is that Solarize campaigns were proven to be effective among LMI communities. But the messaging field experiment provided further nuances on how to reach potential solar customers across all income groups. While self-interest, financially-oriented messages work best among high-income households, evidence suggests that community-focusedor "pro-social" messagesresulted in more satisfied customers who were more likely to tell their friends and neighbors about the positive experience.

Key findings from the research include:

1. It is critical to assess and remove key barriers. A starting point is to make sure that the policy environment is conducive to LMI solar adoption. It is especially important to have financing options that are tailored to the needs of these customers. When capital is available, solar can be much more attractive and accessible to LMI households. Shared community solar options also hold great promise for LMI adoption of solar.

2. Solarize programs work in LMI communities. Households in these communities are open to the idea of installing solar, and grassroots campaigns to encourage adoption can succeed. A major reason for this is that trust matters, so community volunteer "solar ambassadors" can be very influential.

3. Getting the word out is critical. In LMI communities, customers are equally likely to adopt solar as a result of either a community-based or individual-based message; The researchers find that messaging does not matter for the number of adoptions. This suggests simply that engaging in messaging at allis critical.

4. Messaging matters for who adopts. Households that install solar after receiving community-based messages are happier with their installations and are more likely to recommend solar to their friends and neighbors, even if the installations tend to be somewhat smaller and less financially lucrative to the household. So, if the goal is to deliver happy adopters who continue to tell their peers about solar, community-based messaging is the preferred approach for LMI communities.

This guidebook aims to identify the best ways to connect with potential LMI customers and understand what makes them interested in purchasing rooftop solar systems. The authors hope that policymakers, once armed with this information and tools that they can use, will continue to develop programs making solar attractive for as many customers as possible. A forthcoming paper by Gillingham, Bollinger and Marten Ovaere digging deeper into the effects of self-interest messages will be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS).

Explore further Want to nudge others to install solar? Actions speak louder than words

Provided by Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
Rapper Medikal says at a point in his life he had nowhere to call home so he slept under a popular bridge at the Kaneshie market in Accra to fend for himself prior to fame.



According to him, these were days that he had no money, adding that, it got to a point I didnt have money for even gari and sugar; friends gave me money to give to my mother so she could also survive.



I was selling phones at Circle and I slept under the Kaneshie bridge for three weeks.



Medikal, thus, showed gratitude to his AMG record label boss, rapper Criss Waddle for helping him attain the limelight.



On the music side, it is Criss Waddle that held my hand just as Samini did for Stonebwoy he said in an interview with actor Kwaku Manu.



Watch the video below:













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 Trump administration is exploring options for banning TikTok on American phones and other devices because of national security risks, the Financial Times reported on Thursday evening.

Scrutiny of TikTok has increased sharply over suspicions that user data collected by the app can be transferred to and viewed by Chinese government officials. TikTok is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, and while TikTok asserts that it stores data in the U.S. and Singapore, its privacy policy says the company may shareinformation with a parent, subsidiary, or other affiliate of our corporate group.

One proposal being considered by the Trump administration would see ByteDance placed on the entity list of the commerce department. Doing so would greatly hinder American companies from providing technology to TikTok, and app stores including on Apple would be prevented from providing software updates.

We are going to send a very strong message to China, a senior U.S. official told theA Financial Times. The official said the administration would make its decision within a month.

Another proposal would be to declare TikTok an unusual and extraordinary threat to national security under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. The law authorizes the president to block certain transactions seen to threaten national security. President Trump threatened to invoke the law in 2019 to force certain companies to leave China, but did not follow through on the threat.

TikTok and ByteDance have added to their U.S. lobbying teams in recent months in response to growing scrutiny by the Trump administration. ByteDance has hired the lobbying firm of David Urban, Trumps former Pennsylvania campaign chairman.

Last week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration was looking at banning TikTok and other Chinese social media apps over data-collection concerns. India has banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps after border clashes with Chinese soldiers saw 20 Indian troops killed.

More from National Review
(Newser)  Protesters in Portland, Oregon, say unidentified federal agents dressed in camouflage have been driving around in unmarked minivans and grabbing people off the streets. The US Marshals Special Operations Group and the Border Patrol Tactical Unit have been sent to Portland to protect federal property. But protesters describe being detained well away from federal property, where nothing is happening, per KPTV. Local accounts and videos suggest this has been happening since at least Tuesday, reports Oregon Public Broadcasting. Two men told the outlet they were headed home from a peaceful protest early Wednesday when an unmarked minivan pulled up and four or five men jumped out. "It was just like, 'Oh s---. I don't know who you are or what you want with us,'" says Conner O'Shea, who ran and started filming.

story continues below

"I'm recording this," he says in the video. "I had to let somebody know that this is what happens." Companion Mark Pettibone tells OPB he was "basically tossed into the van." At that point, "I had my beanie pulled over my face so I couldnt see and they held my hands over my head." Pettibone says he was taken to the federal courthouse, searched, placed in a cell, then released after asking for a lawyer. He says he wasn't given a reason for his arrest or any record of it. "I just happened to be wearing black on a sidewalk in downtown Portland." Federal authorities dispute that Pettibone was arrested but did not answer questions about the tactics being used to detain people. Mayor Ted Wheeler and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown have called for federal officers to leave the city. This is "a blatant abuse of power," says Brown. "It's like Stop and Frisk meets Guantanamo Bay," adds Juan Chavez, a civil rights attorney. (Read more Portland, Oregon stories.)
Jalil Frazier, left, laughing with John Muldrow, right, at the Carousel House in West Philadelphia on Dec. 16, 2019. The gunshot survivors group was having a holiday party for its final meeting of the year. Read more

Good thing we can turn off our cameras on Zoom calls. Because as Victoria Wylie played a slideshow of a years worth of memories on a recent celebratory call, I found myself getting a little emotional:

There, a photo of the first meeting of the support group for paralyzed gunshot survivors on July 15, 2019. It was in a basement room at Temple University Hospital, and I worried that no one but Wylie, the groups facilitator, would show up.

And there, one of the many group photos taken at the Carousel House recreation center in West Philly, where the meetings were later held each month as the group grew.

One of the photos commemorated the night a young man showed up in dark sunglasses and barely said a word  at least until Ty Shoemake and others wore him down like relentless big brothers. By the end of the night, the glasses were off and everyone was smiling.

Another photo captured Mykkia McDonald, the first woman to join the group just months after she was shot. I will never forget how McDonald rendered the room silent the night she lifted her hoodie to show the scar that nearly split her stomach in half.

And, oh, the photos of the Christmas party. Wylie, part task master, part big sister, went all out: red tablecloths, music, food for days.

That night, the support group became a family.

One year! Wylie exclaimed while the others on the call Wednesday night cheered. They laughed when she playfully held up a bottle of sparkling apple cider in celebration.

The group was started last July after Jalil Frazier, a 30-year-old gunshot survivor I had been writing about, confided that as he struggled to rebuild his life, he found the most comfort by connecting online with other paralyzed survivors. Frazier, a young father, was shot in 2018 while protecting three children during a robbery at a Philadelphia barbershop.

I had no idea if I could really make good on my promise when I told him that if a support group for paralyzed gunshot survivors didnt exist, Id help him start one. But I put out a call, and month after the month, I watched the members grow not only in number, but also in confidence.

In February, I proudly watched Frazier and Jaleel King testify at a City Hall hearing on gun violence. The conversation on gun violence, they told politicians, was too often framed between those who lived and those who died, with little thought (or services) for those who suffered life-altering injuries.

Who could have guessed that less than a month later, the world would stop?

As everyone struggled to come to terms with the coronavirus, I worried about the effect of isolation on the survivors still digging their way out of the physical and emotional aftermath of their injuries.

I was thrilled when Wylie moved the meetings online, but wondered if the group would survive.

They only got stronger. Until recently, they met virtually every week. Now, they meet every other week.

Leon Harris, 30, is among those who call in regularly. Same with King.

Harris was a 17-year-old honors student when he was shot by robbers as he walked home from his job in 2007. King, 44, was 8 when he was shot by a South Philadelphia neighbor who was angry that kids were setting off fireworks and tried to quiet them with a sawed-off shotgun.

Both joined the group in hopes of helping Frazier, but found renewed perspective in a group they wished existed when they were putting their shattered lives back together.

A lot of us didnt have this when we were going through it, said Charles Horton, 49, a longtime Philadelphia disability advocate who was shot 31 years ago.

As the call came to an end, there was a rush of Love yall! Love yall! Love yalls before, one by one, they clicked off.

Until next time.

And then my phone rang. It was Frazier, who had started it all.

We reminisced about the day we blindly plotted the creation of the group. He teased me for never knowing how to take no for an answer, including the day I knocked on his door to ask him to share his story with me.

And then he said something that nearly brought me to tears again:

I think I am at peace with my new life.
A file photo of recently released convicted sex offender Cary Jay Smith, who has been traveling throughout Southern California. (Courtesy of Orange County District Attorney)

Orange County DA Warns of Sex Offenders Release

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CNS)A convicted sex offender, who has been committed to a state mental health hospital for 20 years, has been released and appears to have made his way back to Orange County on July 15, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said.

Cary Jay Smith, 59, was released from Coalinga State Hospital on July 14, Spitzer said.

We were told he spent the night somewhere in Los Angeles County, Spitzer said.

Then Smith got picked up by his siblings and was brought to stay in Orange County, Spitzer said. Smiths parents, whom he previously lived with in Costa Mesa, have died, Spitzer said.

Spitzers investigators are attempting to find out why Smith was released and why he no longer is required to register as a sex offender.

Smith pleaded guilty in 1985 to a misdemeanor sex offense against a child, requiring him to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, Spitzer said.

But in 2005, that requirement was lifted for an unknown reason, Spitzer said.

Spitzer and Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom on July 14 inquiring about the case.

We need to look into this and know why he is no longer a lifetime 290, Spitzer said, referring to the code in the law that requires sex offenders to register with authorities so they can be tracked.

We believe he is a lifetime registrant, Spitzer said.

In 2002, prosecutors attempted to charge Smith with sexual assaults on a 13-year-old, but the case was thrown out because of an issue with the statute of limitations, Spitzer said.

Smith was committed to Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino in 1999 on a psychological hold when his wife gave a psychiatrist a letter her husband wrote that described sex acts he fantasized about on a 7-year-old boy in his neighborhood in Costa Mesa, according to prosecutors.

The state kept him locked up in a state hospital under a civil commitment that concluded he was a danger to children, according to prosecutors. Under that law, he had the opportunity to seek release in a trial every six months.

But during the hearings he has testified that he continues to fantasize about sexually assaulting and killing young boys, prosecutors said.

He calls himself Mr. RTK, which stands for Rape, Torture, Kill, Spitzer said. Thats what I think has kept him in. He says, `If you dont cut off my penis and hands I will molest again. 

Spitzer said he has no real connection to the case since it was a civil commitment, but wanted to warn the public about the potential danger.

Its just really upsetting and aggravating to me that one of the governors departments released a guy who is such an aberration and outlier and it doesnt advise the public, Spitzer said.

Thats crazy to me. So the only thing I can do under the law is warn people and get his picture out there and build awareness of him, but I cant do much else.

It was the county counsels office that had the authority to object to Smiths release, but it was apparently not notified this time, and the hold on him expired on July 11, Steel and Spitzer said in their letter to Newsom.

Spitzer said his office has been in touch with the state Attorney Generals Office to determine why the sex offender registration requirement was lifted and whether it can be reinstated.

There has not been a response to messages left since July 14 with Newsoms press office.
Rajnath Singh

Leh: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Leh on Friday on a day-long visit to carry out a comprehensive review of the security scenario in the region in wake of the border row with China.

Rajnath Singh

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Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Army chief Gen M M Naravane are accompanying Singh on the visit.

His trip comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Ladakh on July 3 during which he also addressed troops and signalled the country's firmness in dealing with the India-China border row.

Singh was originally scheduled to visit Ladakh on July 3 but the trip was deferred.

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Rajnath SinghIndian and Chinese troops were locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for over eight weeks since May 5.

The tension escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.
Dharamsala, July 17 : Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has written to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to express solidarity with the victims of the unprecedented floods in the state which have so far claimed 71 lives and affected over 40 lakh people.

"The monsoon rains in Assam and other parts of India bring destruction and great suffering to people year after year," the Dalai Lama observed.

"Unfortunately, this year the situation has been made even more troublesome by the continuing coronavirus pandemic. I am writing to you today to express my sadness at the loss of life and devastation of property, as well as the tremendous hardship caused to so many due to flooding in many parts of your state.

"I appreciate that the state government is doing everything it can to rescue those affected and that relief efforts are underway. As a gesture of solidarity with the people of Assam, I am making a donation from the Dalai Lama Trust towards relief and rescue efforts." The spiritual leader concluded by offering his deep condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and to everyone who has been affected by the deluge.
Some neighbourhoods in south Delhi received rain on Friday morning and afternoon.

The Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC) said that rains would intensify over the weekend. At present, Delhi has a -52% deficiency and the corresponding figure for north-west India is -16%.

Some parts of north-west India, including Haryana and Delhi-NCR, were lashed by rain on Friday, as the monsoon trough shifted northwards amid worries of rain deficiency in the region.

The monsoon trough (line of low pressure) has started moving northwards and is likely to bring widespread rains to the north-western region until Monday. We are expecting moderate intensity rains in Delhi on July 19 and 20 which will help in reducing the deficiency, said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, RWFC.

The highest rain deficiency is in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh at -59% and -66%, respectively.

Under the influence of strengthening of lower-level easterlies over north-west India and the monsoon trough, widespread rain with some heavy falls is likely over the plains of northwest India between Friday and Monday, with maximum intensity and distribution of rainfall on Saturday and Monday, said India Meteorological Department.

Widespread and very heavy rain is likely over the north-east and adjoining eastern India from that day onwards, IMD said.

Heavy rain (over 20 centimetres) is likely to occur over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and Meghalaya on Monday.

IMD has is a red category warning for Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Sub Himalayan WB on July 19, 20 and 21.

It has issued orange category warning for Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west and east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on July 18, 19 and 20
Sushant Singh Rajput's untimely demise has left everyone in deep shock. The demand for a CBI probe into his death case seems to be growing stronger with each passing day. More recently, the late actor's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty also joined the chorus.

However, recently, while speaking to Mid-day, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that he doesn't think a CBI probe is required, since the police doesn't see any foul play as of now.

The tabloid quoted him as saying, "I have the tweets and the campaign. But I don't think that a CBI probe is required. The Mumbai Police is competent enough to handle such cases and they are investigating every aspect of the case including professional rivalry. As of now, we do not see any foul play. Details of the investigation will be shared once it is completed."

A police officer told Mid-day that a month-long investigation into Sushant's death matter has brought to fore any foul play. He was quoted as saying, "We are now waiting for the forensic report to get more clarity. Our investigation continues to look into the professional rivalry angle."

Meanwhile, former Union Cabinet Minister Subramanian Swamy recently wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra in connection to Sushant's death case. In his letter, Swamy spoke about how some big names from Bollywood with the help of dons in Dubai are trying to cover up Sushant's death as a voluntary suicide.

So far, the police have recorded 35 statements, which includes Sushant's family, girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, casting directors Shanoo Sharma and Mukesh Chhabra, Sushant's Dil Bechara co-star Sanjana Sanghi, filmmakers Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shekhar Kapur.

Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra residence in Mumbai on June 14, 2020. His post-mortem report confirmed his death by asphyxia due to hanging.

ALSO READ: Big Bollywood Names With Links To Dons Covering Up Sushant's Death: Subramanian Swamy Writes To PM

ALSO READ: Rhea Chakraborty On Getting Murder, Rape Threat Post Sushant Singh Rajput's Death: Enough Is Enough


Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday visited east Delhi's Laxmi Market, where the MCD has been carrying out demolition of illegally constructed buildings for the third consecutive day, as per the East Laxmi Market Master Plan.

According to the officials, more than 60 structures, which served as houses for the families in the East Laxmi Market area, have been demolished until now. All the buildings were residential.

Kejriwal, who was accompanied by Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla, and MLAs Kuldeep Kumar, and Ajay Dutt, took stock of the situation, spoke to the residents of the area and assured them of all support.

He also directed the officials to ensure that the temporary housing of the affected people is completed immediately so that people, who are now without shelter, have a roof over their head.

"Many jhuggis have been demolished here on the directions of the Delhi High Court. I have directed the officials to begin an in-depth study of the order of the Delhi High Court, and on how a court order for demolition can be issued in the time of this pandemic," Kejriwal said.

"After the analysis of the court order, we will explore all options and try to find a permanent solution to the issue. We will also arrange temporary shelter for the people here by either erecting tents on nearby land, or providing lodging facilities in schools, where all necessary arrangements such as food, water, lodging, and sanitation will be made."

MLAs visiting the area have unanimously said that the demolition should not happen because of the coronavirus pandemic. They said the demolition by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation is making people suffer more at a time when they are already affected.
Aside from being an actress and having several projects for endorsement, Song Hye Kyo still has time to give honor to her roots by donating guidebooks to historic sites all over the world.

Recently in the news, she and Professor Seo Kyung-Duk of Sungshin Women's' University's donated 10,000 Korean/English guidebooks to the Korean National Association in Los Angeles.

This is to help provide information about the historical places and sites of the Korean independence movement against their neighboring country, Japan. Their contribution to LA started in 2018, and this has been a yearly gesture done by the actress and the professor.

The "Refill Project" aims to deliver leaflets to all historic Korean sites around the world that started last year. The leaflets/pamphlets include Korean independence fighter Yong Bong Gil along with other related historical sites like private galleries, cathedrals, and many more.

Professor Seo mentioned that they are deploying the 'guidebook refill project' in order to maintain the number of books in the relic they had donated in the previous years.

The actress is doing this to reinforce her advocacy so that many will recognize those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the martyrs of Korean liberation as she wants to honor those unsung heroes who gave up their lives to have freedom.

The actress and the professor similarly have the same goal: to promote awareness about what had happened to the heroes in Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial occupation. Both initially embarked on the mission to donate guidebooks outside Korea as they noticed some of these facilities were preserved very well.

Professor Seo believes that it is better to refill the books rather than provide new ones at another site. Professor Seo is an active promoter of Korea, and both are a perfect pair. Professor has accomplished quite a lot in the past twenty years. His persistence blossomed as it helped visitors receive Korean services at the world-famous are museums. He was also the person behind the advertisements that helped promote South Korea in The New York Times and the screens at Times Square in New York.

Just last April, they have donated another 10,000 copies of the guidebook to Site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Chongqing, China.

According to Seo, the newest guidebooks highlight how the Korean National Association was formed in 1909. It will also tell how the association was able to raise funds for Korea's independent movement. Also, how the Korean Independence activists, which include Ahn Chang-ho, established the political organization in San Francisco to help liberate the Japanese who colony in Korea. Its central headquarters was permanently moved in 1938 to Los Angeles.

This duo has been donating Korean guidebooks and other items to twenty-two historic sites globally for nine years.Because she is a traveler, she became aware of the importance for Korean tourists to be able to read the information in their language. Their collaboration has brought a significant effect on the tourists as they can easily understand the information on the brochures given to them.

Aside from being a quiet promoter of Korea, the actress is actively participating in voluntary work for animals. Aside from that, she is known for her frequent large social donations.Song Hye Kyo is not just beautiful on the outside but also beautiful on the inside.

You may visit www.historyofkorea.co.kr for your online guidebooks.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 16

Trend:

Information disseminated by the representative of the Armenian Defense Ministry Artsrun Hovhannisyan that 13 Azerbaijani UAVs were allegedly shot down during the fighting in the Tovuz direction, is fake, Head of the press office of Azerbaijans Defense Ministry, Colonel Vagif Dargahli told Trend on July 16.

"We declare that all UAVs owned by units of the Azerbaijani army are in service, and none of them were shot down," he said.
New Delhi: The Indian Army, in an official statement on Thursday, said India and China remain committed to complete disengagement in the Ladakh sector but the process is intricate and requires constant verification.

The Army statement, that comes two days after the corps commanders meeting, indicates that the disengagement is going to be long drawn and there is a distrust of the Chinese Army after the June 15 Galwan clash.

The second phase of the disengagement is stuck over Pangong Tso, where India wants the Chinese to move back beyond Finger 8, as was the case in April 2020, sources said. However, the Chinese side has put some conditions, on which India put forth its views during the commanders meeting Tues-day. These are being discussed by both sides at the political level. Both sides will exchange messages when they hear from political authorities on how things can be taken forward, the sources said.

The Armys statement came after the China Study Group met Wednesday evening to discuss the Ladakh situation and how to proceed further with China.
Democracy in One Book or Less

By David Litt

Ecco. 400 pp. $28.99

---

David Litt, a former Obama speechwriter, brings Dave Barry-style humor to an illuminating book on what is wrong with American democracy - and how to put it right. His humor and ability to clarify the complex take readers on a jaunty journey. In rejecting jargon like "voter suppression," for instance, he explains, "It's like describing a murderer as engaged in 'lifespan adjustment.' "

Witty forays show how contingent our founding history often was. Instead of a sacred creation by gods, as constitutional originalists and some Christian legal scholars seem to believe, our government was structured by politicians fighting over the political issues of their time - such as Aaron Burr accidentally enabling the filibuster while rewriting Thomas Jefferson's Senate cribsheet.

Litt's playful stories and fun facts explode common wisdom. Only in 1964, for instance, did courts declare that congressional districts had to have roughly equal populations; beforehand, a district in New Hampshire had a constituency of three. The effect is to make U.S. history feel malleable.

Unfortunately, that malleability has been exploited. In the book's strongest contribution, Litt shows how radically our democracy has been altered in recent decades. Since 2008, once-rare tools like the filibuster have been constantly engaged, and lobbyists have taken on roles formerly the purview of the declining ranks of congressional staff; since 1970, the number of disenfranchised felons has grown by 500 percent. Together, these changes have yielded a fundamentally different system than many of us intuitively assume. It's an important contribution - and it saves this volume, which would otherwise be a (well-told) compendium of the major complaints liberals have with our governing system, bookended by practical suggestions.

Litt makes the case that nearly all of these negative trends are occurring by design. America runs some of the most flawed elections of any developed democracy. But it was no accident when, in 1959, a Louisiana parish cut 85 percent of its black voters while cleaning its voting list, just as it isn't a technical error that recent elections feature wait times in African American precincts twice as long as those in white neighborhoods. Litt's tale of the fiendish obstacles Texas has erected to prevent registering voters offers a vignette of such dark comedy that it merits a stand-up routine.

Our current predicament, Litt argues, is a result of a Republican Party that sees its demographic demise and believes that undermining democracy is the only way to maintain power. It's the same argument President Trump made against expanding absentee voting.

Since bipartisan solutions are impossible in such circumstances, Litt suggests that whenever Democrats hold a trifecta of power - a Luke Skywalker moment when the Death Star is within rebel sights - they pass a slew of legislation to level things. Now that the right has skewed the playing field so far to their side, leveling requires not setting the rules to be equal but weighing things to the left so all comes out straight.

Fear of such a strategy is what drives Republicans to believe each election is Flight 93. It's also an increasingly popular view among Democrats. Republicans have embraced an authoritarian leader and are undermining independent institutions and the rule of law - and when any Republican objects, they get evicted from the party and sent to the Island of Misfit Toys with the other Never Trumpers. Pro-democracy groups can work with conservatives at odds with Republicans, but bipartisanship is no longer possible when one party thinks it can win only by undermining democracy itself.

I admit to similar concerns myself. There is a long list of democracies (with Hungary the most recent) where one party has abandoned its commitment to democratic rules to maintain power. Partisans in polarized countries generally put their party slightly above their abstract commitment to democracy, as Yale professor Milan Svolik found in his study of how modern democracies are most often subverted. Their leaders dismantle democracy to widespread acclaim. From Argentina to India to Hungary, even if democracy is restored, it's never as strong. The United States is on a well-trodden trajectory.

But if the future seems dire, there are three ways to pull back from the brink.

First, both Democrats and Republicans could recognize that they are wrong about the latter's demographic doom. Since the nonvoting population is younger, poorer and more minority than most Republicans, both sides think more voting would benefit Democrats. Yet demographics aren't destiny. Nearly two-thirds of nonvoters are white, and even the minorities are more conservative than most Democrats. A 14,000-person survey by the Knight Foundation found that if all nonvoters voted, both parties would gain about equally. In battleground states, nonvoters could push Trump into winning territory.

That hardly sounds like a reason for hope among liberals, but it is. Because if both parties believed that enfranchisement could help them, they might both do it. The country could become more democratic. And by being forced to actually listen to voters who don't line up nicely with Democratic cultural policy or Republican financial policy, both parties might learn something.

Second, Litt's Luke Skywalker solution ignores another new political reality. A party used to have a lock on Congress for decades. Now, despite all the trends Litt cites, Congress is more competitive than ever. Even if Democrats ram their policies through, those gains could all be reversed in two years. To avoid the roller coaster of Obamacare and DACA, we have to find some detente as a country.

Luckily, Litt provides the solution - the majority of Republican voters are to the left of their leaders. Over their leaders' objections, Republican voters were essential to reenfranchising felons in Florida and passing ranked-choice voting in Maine. They compose part of the overwhelming public support for common-sense policies on immigration, gun control and even abortion.

But party membership today is less about policy preferences than about expressing an identity that scholars find is stronger than race or religion. A Republican with liberal views on climate change and gun control may be unwilling to undermine his self-image and vote for a Democrat. For Republican voters to stop fueling a party that has given up on democracy, they need somewhere to go that doesn't make them admit defeat and become Democrats - and doesn't serve as a spoiler.

That's why reforms like ranked-choice voting are so important. They could enable a democratic wing of the Republican Party to form without being a spoiler. If Republicans had the option of conservative candidates who believed in democracy and didn't need to toe the GOP's current "hear no evil, see no evil" line, they might vote for many of Litt's ideas.

Finally, liberals could drop the air of intelligent condescension. Despite sharing Litt's political leanings, alma mater and love of cats, I could barely get past the off-putting tone I call liberal East Coast smug. More important, it means I can't get my conservative brother or father to read this book and take its lessons to heart.

I'll hope some former Republican takes it upon herself to write a translation. Meanwhile, those on the other side of the aisle can enjoy Litt's rollicking read about this important topic.

---

Kleinfeld is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Her most recent book is "A Savage Order: How the World's Deadliest Countries Can Forge a Path to Security."
Police are appealing for information about a petrol bomb attack on the Fountain estate in Derry.

Local councillor Graham Warke said three petrol bombs were thrown into the estate around 1am yesterday morning over the Bishop Street interface wall.

No damage was caused but Cllr Warke said residents are 'very concerned' about this incident and 'how the summer will go'.

"I have been in contact with PSNI and have been told that they will be setting out measures over the coming nights to stop these sectarian attacks on the community of the Fountain," he said.

Police have appealed for anyone with information about the attack to contact them.

The PSNI said that about two hours after the Fountain attack, youths gathered in the Fahan Street area of Derry and threw petrol bombs and stones at police officers.

Petrol bombs were also thrown over the city's walls.
Adam Rahuba, a former concert promoter, works part-time as a food-delivery driver and a DJ. At 38, he spent most of the past year staying on a friend's couch in a small town north of Pittsburgh.

A Washington Post investigation found that Rahuba is also the anonymous figure behind a number of social media hoaxes - the most recent played out in Gettysburg on Independence Day - that have riled far-right extremists in recent years and repeatedly duped partisan media outlets.

Rahuba once claimed that activists were planning to desecrate a Confederate cemetery in Georgia, The Post found. He seeded rumors of an organized effort to report Trump supporters for supposed child abuse. And he promoted a purported grass-roots campaign to confiscate Americans' guns.

These false claims circulated widely on social media and on internet message boards. They were often amplified by right-wing commentators and covered as real news by media outlets such as Breitbart News and The Gateway Pundit.

The hoaxes, outlandish in their details, have spurred fringe groups of conspiracy-minded Americans to action by playing on partisan fears. They have led to highly combustible situations - attracting heavily armed militia members and far-right activists eager to protect values they think are under siege - as well as large mobilizations of police.

Since the election of President Donald Trump, Rahuba's hoaxes have focused on leveraging fears of antifa, loosely affiliated activists who oppose fascism and have sometimes embraced property damage and violent protest. His July 4 hoax, a purported burning of the American flag, was billed as an antifa event. Hundreds of counterprotesters, including skinheads, flocked to Gettysburg National Military Park to confront the nonexistent flag burners.

A Post examination of Rahuba's activities provides a rare inside look at the work of a homegrown troll who uses social media to stoke partisan division. It shows that in an era of heightened sensitivity about disinformation campaigns carried out by foreign nations, bad-faith actors with far fewer resources can also manipulate public discourse and affect events in the real world.

A previous Post story raised questions about the identity of the person behind the Gettysburg deception. In response, several of Rahuba's former acquaintances contacted reporters and said they suspected he operated Left Behind USA, the social media account that promoted the fake event. The Post examined dozens of accounts and websites, some linked to him by name and others used to anonymously promote hoaxes. Similarities in content, design and other details were apparent.

Post reporters located Rahuba last week at a friend's apartment in Harmony Township, Pa., where he acknowledged in an interview that he was behind 13 aliases and social media accounts that promoted hoaxes as far back as 2013.

"I guess I'm outed," he said.

Rahuba has a long history of provocative online commentary, including a website he created years ago that made light of 9/11. A self-described democratic socialist and supporter of former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, Rahuba said he antagonizes far-right extremists mostly for his own amusement.

"I've found myself very annoyed with the rise of right-wing populism," he said. "So I thought I'd do my own thing to push back against them."

Rahuba laughed when asked whether he considered himself a member of antifa.

"I am antifa," he said. "But I think you're antifa as well . . . as is everybody with common sense. But as a part of an organized group? Absolutely not."

He said he was not concerned about potential backlash from his identity being revealed. "I'm all in," he said.

This week, two members of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., wrote to the FBI and the CIA asking whether the agencies were investigating who was behind the Gettysburg hoax and similar false claims in nine other cities this summer.

"Over the past few months, local misinformation about apparently nonexistent antifa gatherings and 'invasions' has proliferated in communities throughout the United States, sowing social and political division," the lawmakers wrote.

In an interview, Krishnamoorthi said he was concerned that responses to the hoaxes could "spiral out of control."

The agencies declined to comment. Legal experts said Rahuba's hoaxes did not appear to violate criminal laws and would likely be protected under the First Amendment. The Post found no indication that Rahuba was involved in any of the other hoaxes cited in the letter, and Rahuba said he was not.

Some of Rahuba's hoaxes have taxed law enforcement agencies and put bystanders in danger. In Gettysburg this year, a local pastor wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt was surrounded by armed counterprotesters until officers accompanied him out of the park for his own safety. Three years ago, an armed man who went to Gettysburg in response to a purported flag burning Rahuba had promoted on Facebook accidentally shot himself in the leg with a revolver.

Rahuba dismissed concerns that his efforts had harmed people or put them at risk.

"The message here was that any idiot on the internet can get a bunch of people to show up at a Union cemetery with a bunch of Confederate flags and Nazi tattoos on their necks that just make them look foolish," he said.

He also had little sympathy for the man who shot himself. "There's some comedic value to that happening," Rahuba said.

- - -

Rahuba, a lifelong resident of the Pittsburgh area, said he began trolling in high school. Using a dial-up modem, he and a group of friends posed as a 12- or 13-year-old girl in online chat rooms to lure older men to meetings, he said. In his telling, the men arrived to find Rahuba and his friends mocking them.

"It made me realize that people will believe the most unrealistic nonsense on the Internet," he said.

Rahuba was a concert promoter in Pittsburgh in the early 2000s. Former friends and acquaintances said he was not particularly political but enjoyed provoking people on the Internet.

For a time, he ran a website called 911wasfunny.com, where he made light of 9/11 and other tragedies. "September 11th was funny. If this offends you, you need to lighten up," a passage on Rahuba's website stated. "Those people deserved what they got, mostly because people from NY are pompous jerks."

He acknowledged that he was behind the site in a 2007 story in the New York Post that ran under the headline "9/11-Site Sicko One Sorry Sob." Rahuba later took the site down.

In 2009, his life seemed to take a turn. He married and took a job as a financial adviser at his wife's family firm. But his marriage ended four years later, and he began working as a weekend DJ while trying to cobble together a living through various online ventures, according to a review of his online activities.

One such venture was selling T-shirts with controversial messages. He explained his business model in a 2014 YouTube video using his real name.

"Controversy creates cash," he said. "One of the best ways you can generate traffic to your website, to generate attention to anything, is by pissing a lot of people off."

Also in 2014, he began advertising services to artificially inflate signs of traffic on blogs and other websites. In one promotional video, he offered to provide social media users "4,500 free Twitter followers." In another, he offered to post 25 comments on a blog for $5.

"Can't go wrong," he said in the video. "It gives the appearance of activity on your blog."

In 2013, a year after the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watch coordinator in a gated community in Florida, Rahuba saw an opportunity to antagonize gun-rights activists and make money at the same time.

He set up a website that promoted Trayvon's Amendment, a purported grass-roots movement to change the U.S. Constitution. The website was initially registered in Rahuba's name with his Pittsburgh address, but about a week later, the name was changed to "Horse Head," with an address in St. Louis, records show.

In a YouTube video under the pseudonym Richard Cabeza, Rahuba concealed his face in a black ski mask as he read a list of the group's demands. They included repealing the Second Amendment, designating the National Rifle Association a terrorist organization and imposing heavy taxes and penalties on gun owners.

In the interview with The Post, Rahuba confirmed that he had adopted the pseudonym Richard Cabeza, a wordplay that becomes vulgar by combining the diminutive form of the first name with the English translation of the Spanish word he used as a last name.

"Obvious fake name," he said.

The website was widely shared and debated on pro-gun rights message boards and forums. Rahuba sold ads on his website, he later wrote on an Internet message board.

"That one was really fun," he wrote on Reddit under the username GeorgeUUSmith. "I put ads on the website and made like $3000 in a week."

Rahuba told The Post that the figure was accurate.

- - -

Rahuba's hoaxes grew increasingly farcical in the following years, some succeeding even though the names of the accounts and pages purporting to promote them left little doubt as to their true purpose. One Facebook page was called "Trolling Trumpsters."

Rahuba told The Post that he was responding to the far-right's embrace of baseless conspiracy theories such as QAnon, which holds that Trump is secretly combating a ring of powerful sex predators in politics and elite circles.

"I see the QAnon lunatics getting riled up about things very easily, and . . . low-hanging fruit," he said.

At the same time, his politics also began to shift to the left. A longtime Democrat, he changed his party affiliation in 2015 to the Socialist Party, according to voter records. Rahuba, who has struggled financially and now collects food stamps, said his difficulties obtaining adequate health insurance were a factor in the change in his views.

In May 2017, Trolling Trumpsters called for the desecration of a Confederate cemetery in Marietta, Ga. Word of the purported event was widely shared on social media.

Bill Bearden, a member of a local chapter of the Sons of the Confederacy in nearby Haralson County, said in an interview that he traveled 50 miles to protect the cemetery after learning from the Facebook page of plans to destroy gravestones and statues. Bearden was joined by dozens of heavily armed people, including militiamen, members of the Ku Klux Klan and other Confederate sympathizers, according to a local television report.

"We took it as a legitimate threat," Bearden told The Post. "It may have turned out to be a hoax."

A month later, in June 2017, Rahuba's Facebook page began promoting his first event in Gettysburg, "Burn a Confederate Flag to Trigger Trump Fans Day."

The hoax received an unexpected boost after a Pennsylvania news website called Harrisburg100.com reported on the event. The far-right websites Gateway Pundit and Breitbart News soon picked up the story.

"Should members of the 'Antifa' movement carry out their plan to desecrate the graves of soldiers who fell at Gettysburg, they will join the Taliban, ISIS, and Turkish Islamists who have launched a campaign to destroy historic sites and desecrate graves of their enemies," the Breitbart story stated.

On its website, Fox News also published a story about "reports of possible disruptive or even violent actions by the militant left-wing group AntiFa at Gettysburg National Park," though it noted that an antifa group called the reports "most likely false." The story has since been deleted.

Among the armed counterprotesters who went to the park on the day of the supposed protest was Benjamin Hornberger, the man who accidentally shot himself. Park rangers applied a tourniquet to his leg and he was taken to a hospital, according to news accounts. Hornberger, who was 23 at the time, unsuccessfully ran as a Republican for Congress the following year. He did not respond to an interview request.

Rahuba later claimed responsibility for the hoax on an Internet message board.

"At this point in my life, I consider it performance art," he wrote under the username GeorgeUUSmith.

- - -

Rahuba said that he has mostly worked alone, opening social media accounts as others were shut down for violating platforms' rules. But in September 2019, he said, he worked with another troll whom he declined to identify. He created memes for a Twitter account called @joinantifa that he said was controlled by the other person.

One meme he created showed a picture of attendees at a Trump rally and asked: "Know any MAGA parents? Child Services will investigate any anonymous claim even without proof. Child Service agents tend to be liberal."

Patrick Howley, founder and former editor in chief of the far-right website Big League Politics, retweeted the meme to his 42,000 followers.

"Self-identified ANTIFA operatives are filing false reports on Trump-supporting parents," he wrote. "Lots of sources say this is happening - don't let them say this was a joke."

Within days, Twitter disabled the @joinantifa account.

In February, Rahuba created the Twitter account Left Behind USA. He wrote on the account that his name was Alan Jeffs, a pseudonym that he also used on other accounts. Rahuba later told The Post he came up with the name while watching a documentary about Warren Jeffs, the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was convicted of child sexual assault.

The Christian Science Monitor and a student newspaper at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism quoted Alan Jeffs in the spring, noting his frequent tweets in support of Sanders on a Twitter account called @BernieOrElse.

Rahuba also raised money on GoFundMe, where he identified himself as Alan Jeffs in May and said that he posted as @Left Behind USA and @BernieOrElse. "For over a year now, I've been unable to work due to intensive therapy after a suicide attempt," he wrote. He said he needed money for a new car to help rebuild his life. Donors gave him $560.

Rahuba told The Post that most of the money was used to license graphics from a stock website for use on his next hoax in Gettysburg. In June, he set up a Facebook page called Left Behind USA and began promoting the Independence Day flag burning event.

Rahuba also set up an Internet-based phone number and published it on his Left Behind USA account, knowing he would be inundated with angry calls. He gave The Post access to the hundreds of voice mails he received in the weeks before the Gettysburg event.

"Y'all going to get to real . . . surprised in Gettysburg," one caller said. "I cannot wait to participate, you n------loving f---s," one said.

Another caller said he hoped the event would result in a mass shooting. "I hope someone shoots every one of you motherf-----s. I pray to God in heaven for someone to shoot everyone involved in that event," the person said.

A Facebook page called Central PA Antifa denounced the event as fake. Rahuba's Facebook and Twitter accounts were shut down a week before the protest, but many militia members and biker groups pledged to go nonetheless to guard the cemetery and a monument honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

A local middle school was transformed into a makeshift command center to help coordinate the 16 federal and local law enforcement agencies monitoring the event. The state provided 100 Pennsylvania State troopers to assist, including mounted officers and a helicopter, according to Gettysburg city manager Charles Gable.

"What we were left with was a threat and with such we would be negligent if we didn't address it. We had to spend the resources that we spent," Gable said.

Numerous militia members at the park told The Post they felt their presence had scared off actual antifa flag burners.

Rahuba said that after his Left Behind USA accounts were shut down, he assumed that the event would fizzle. That weekend, he said, he went camping with his girlfriend.

- - -

The Washington Post's Alice Crites contributed to this report.
States that fail to require people to wear masks in public should be denied federal funding in the next coronavirus bailout bill, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein says.

Wearing masks in public should be mandatory. Period, Feinstein said in a statement Thursday in which she promised to propose that a funding ban be attached to the bailout bill.

Research shows that masks reduce transmission of the coronavirus, the Democrat said. She noted that Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the recent surge in infections in several states could end within two months if we adopt universal masking.

Feinstein said that when the Senate takes up the next coronavirus relief package, possibly as early as next week, she plans to offer an amendment to prohibit sending funds to states that havent adopted a statewide mask requirement.

More than half of states, and the District of Columbia, now require that people wear masks in public. Typically, as is the case in California, the mandate applies when physical distancing of at least 6 feet is not possible.

However, Florida and Arizona, where coronavirus infection rates have soared in recent weeks, have no statewide requirements. Political resistance is largely popular among conservatives, some of whom argue that being compelled to wear a mask in public is an infringement on their personal liberties. Others argue that such bans are unenforceable.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, suspended local mask requirements this week and on Thursday sued Atlanta, challenging the right of officials there to require masks.

Several other Republican-run states, however, have adopted mask requirements. Among them are Texas, Alabama and West Virginia. On Thursday, Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas issued a mask mandate, as did Democratic Gov. Jarid Polis of Colorado.

Feinstein noted that several large chain stores also now require customers to wear masks, including Walmart, Kohls, Kroger and Costco.

My hope has been that other governors would show the leadership to institute their own mask mandates, but so far that hasnt happened, Feinstein said. Its time for Congress to step in. This is a matter of life or death, and partisan politics shouldnt play a role.

The House passed a $3 trillion version of the next bailout bill in May, with no restrictions for states without mask requirements. Republicans who control the Senate have yet to introduce a measure of their own, but pressure is increasing for them to do so. A $600 extra weekly unemployment payment for millions of people expires at the end of the month, and California is just one of the states that will have to make deep cuts to schools, universities and social programs without a fresh infusion of money from Washington.

The CDC said this week that the latest science ... affirms that cloth face coverings are a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19 that could reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when used universally within communities. There is increasing evidence that cloth face coverings help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.

Any proposal to bar funding to states without mask requirements would face an uphill fight in the GOP-dominated Senate. However, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has urged people to wear masks and has been seen wearing one several times  unlike President Trump, who wore a mask in public for the first and only time Saturday in a visit to wounded veterans at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

McConnell told reporters Thursday in a visit to a hospital in Leitchfield, Ky., Im here to tell you, put it on. The single best way all of us can be responsible to ourselves and sensitive to the health of others is to wear a mask and to practice social distancing.

Trapper Byrne is the San Francisco Chronicle political editor. Email: tbyrne@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @trapperbyrne
The New Jersey Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Aug. 5 in the fight over a new law Gov. Phil Murphy signed Thursday authorizing the state to borrow as much as $9.9 billion to offset tax losses amid the pandemic crisis.

The State Republican Committee and Republican lawmakers filed suit against the New Jersey COVID-19 Emergency Bond Act on Thursday evening, shortly after it was passed by the state Legislature. The bond act allows the state to borrow up to $9.9 billion through June 30, 2021, provided borrowing requests are approved by a committee of four lawmakers.

Murphys administration has not said how much it intends to borrow.

The lawsuit makes good on Republicans pledge to block the state from taking on new debt, which they argue violates the state Constitutions appropriations and debt limitation clauses. The state cannot consider bond proceeds as revenue for the purposes of balancing the budget, they said.

Plaintiffs seek a declaration that the challenged bill signed into law on July 16, 2020, violates the Constitution of the state of New Jersey, as well as a permanent injunction against further infringement of their rights under these clauses, enjoining defendant from enacting into law and/or enforcing the bill and from passing any further orders or rules similar to the invalid ones described in this action, along with any and all relief the Court deems equitable and just, the lawsuit says.

Murphys administration disagrees. And on May 8 the governor said, We wouldnt be doing this if we didnt think it was constitutionally feasible.

The bond act was the result of a deal struck by Murphy and Democrats who control the Legislature, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex. It passed the Senate 22-15 and the Assembly 46-26.

Democrats have warned of trouble ahead if the law is struck down.

If the courts do not rule in our favor, Im going to be looking to each and every one of you to come up with real solutions of where youre going to come up with $9 billion, Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Bergen, told lawmakers this week. Nobody has told me yet how theyre going to come up with that.

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

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com.
Waterways Ireland wishes to advise masters and users of the Shannon-Erne Waterway that the Locks will be operating at Summer Hours from Monday, 20th July 2020:

Lock Operating Hours

20th July onwards: 9am  8pm daily

Lock Passage

Lock passage will continue to be free as no units shall be deducted from the smart card during a lock operation. A smart card shall be required to operate the lock at all times to facilitate a lock passage.

Waterway Patrollers

Should you require assistance please contact the following:-

Lock 1: +44 286 7748976

Ballyconnell Waterway Patroller: +353 87 2603662

Ballinamore Waterway Patroller: +353 87 2602478

Kilclare Waterway Patroller: +353 87 2603663

Lock 16: +353 87 2608569

Carrick-on-Shannon Office: 353 71 9650562



Smart Cards

Please note, Waterway Patrollers will be unable to sell smart cards to our customers at this time. Smart cards are to be purchased in advanced of embarking on a journey. Smart Cards can be purchased on Waterways Irelands web shop or from designated retail outlets along the waterway.

Service Blocks

Waterways Ireland intends reopening the Service Blocks (Toilets and Showers) on a phased basis commencing on Monday 20th July 2020 with the reopening of the Service Blocks in Lough Key and Carrick-on-Shannon. It is intended that all Service Blocks on the Shannon Navigation and Shannon Erne Waterway will be reopened by Friday 24th July 2020.

Users are requested to comply with COVID-19 protocols and HSE guidelines when using the Service Blocks.

Waterways Ireland thanks its customers for their co-operation in relation to this matter.

For further information visit http://www.waterwaysireland.org
Firstly, tourists and nationals must obtain a negative COVID-19 test (PCR) result recorded 24 to 72 hours before arriving in Dominica. Then, they complete an online questionnaire at least 24 hours in advance and show their clearance to travel. Upon arrival, they will undergo a series of checks, including a rapid test screening. Should the passenger present any signals deemed unsafe, such as a positive test result, they will be quarantined at a government facility or a certified hotel.

"The reopening of borders will be done in a phased manner, with nationals allowed to return home from July 15th in phase one for travel by air [via] Douglas Charles and Canefield Airport," said Minister Charles in a press briefing. "all travellers, including non-nationals, can travel to the Nature Island from August 7th, 2020, as part of phase two of the reopening of borders  if all goes well," she stressed.

Dominica has had no COVID-19 deaths and only 18 cases. It is one of the least affected countries in the world and features on the United Kingdom's quarantine-free list. The government has been cautious about reopening borders, especially as the island specialises in ecotourism that promotes respiratory health and suits social distancing requirements. "Health and safety guidelines have been carefully deliberated and formally announced to keep the probability that new cases of COVID-19 may be recorded once the borders are reopened as low as possible," Minister Charles added.

As the Nature Isle of the Caribbean, Dominica attracts unconventional visitors seeking intimacy, adventures and eco-luxury experiences. Some even make it their home by obtaining its citizenship. This is possible through a special government initiative, established in 1993, called the Citizenship by Investment Programme.

There is a growing population of foreign investors who become citizens after contributing US$100,000 or more to a government fund or investing at least US$200,000 in prime hotels and resorts. The CBI Index, published by the Financial Times' PWM magazine, ranks Dominica as the best country for citizenship by investment.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1216367/Arriving_Dominica_CBI.jpg

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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the government's foreign policy, saying that under the Modi dispensation India's major partnerships are stronger, international standing higher and it engages China on more equal terms politically.

"Pakistan (that you skipped) surely notes the difference between Balakot and Uri on the one hand, and Sharm-el-Sheikh, Havana and 26/11 on the other. Ask yourself," Jaishankar said, attacking Gandhi over his comments.

Jaishankar's no-holds-barred attack on Gandhi came after the former Congress chief, in a video message posted on Twitter, hit out at the government saying that over the last six years, India has been "disturbed and disrupted" with regard to its foreign policy and economy.

Also Read | PM Modi's 'indiscretions' weakened India, left it vulnerable: Rahul Gandhi on border standoff

Gandhi shared his thoughts on why did China chose to be aggressive now and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "indiscretions" have weakened the country and left it vulnerable.

"Rahul Gandhi has questions on Foreign Policy. Here are some answers: Our major partnerships are stronger and international standing higher. Witness regular summits and informal meetings with the US, Russia, Europe and Japan. India engages China on more equal terms politically. Ask the analysts," Jaishankar said in a series of tweets in which he made a point-by-point rebuttal of Gandhi's criticism and tagged his video.

India speaks its mind more openly now on issues such as China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China's Belt and Road initiative, South China Sea and UN-sanctioned terrorists, he said, adding, "ask the media".

"And some facts on our neighbourhood: The Hambantota Port agreement between Sri Lanka and China was concluded in 2008. Ask those who dealt with it...Difficult ties with Maldives, after India watched President Nasheed being toppled in 2012, now stand transformed. Ask our business," he said.

#Bhutan finds a stronger security and development partner. And unlike 2013, they dont worry about their cooking gas. Ask their households.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 17, 2020

On Bangladesh, Jaishankar said a settled land boundary in 2015 which opens the path to more development and transit.

"Terrorists no longer find safe haven there. Ask our security," he said.

"Nepal after 17 years is getting Prime Ministerial visits. And a swathe of developmental projects: power, fuel, housing, hospital, roads, etc. Ask their citizens," Jaishankar said, highlighting strengthening of India's ties with neighbours.

#Afghanistan sees completed projects (Salma Dam, Parliament), expanded training and serious connectivity. Ask the Afghan street.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 17, 2020

Bhutan finds a stronger security and development partner and unlike in 2013, they don't worry about their cooking gas, he asserted, referring to the row over cooking gas with that country under the UPA rule.

Ask the households in Bhutan, he added.

Afghanistan sees completed projects -- Salma Dam and Parliament, expanded training and serious connectivity, Jaishankar said, adding that ask the Afghan street.

On India's foreign policy, Gandhi said the country had relationships with multiple countries and it used to share a strategic partnership with the US.

India also had a relationship with Russia and Europe and they used to help it manoeuvre in the world, he said.

A settled land boundary (2015) with #Bangladesh; opens path to more development and transit. And terrorists no longer find safe haven there. Ask our security.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 17, 2020

"Today...we have a transactional relationship with the United States. We have disturbed our relationship with the Russians. We have a transactional relationship with Europe," he alleged.

He claimed that in the neighbourhood all countries, other than Pakistan, had been working with India and partnered with it in the past.

Gandhi alleged that today Nepalese are angry, Sri Lankans have given a port to the Chinese, the Maldives is disturbed and so is Bhutan.
Iranians Amirhossein Moradi, 26, Saeed Tamjidi, 28, and Mohamad Rajabi, 26, are seen in file photos provided by Amnesty International. All three men were sentenced to death in February 2020 for taking part in anti-government protests in Iran in November the previous year. / Credit: Amnesty International

Tehran  Several high-profile executions and a number of death sentences handed down by Iran's judiciary system  including against three anti-government protesters  have caught the world's attention and sent a fresh wave a fear, and defiance, through Iranian society. State executions aren't new in Iran, and there are a wide range of charges that can carry the death penalty, but the uptick in recent weeks appears to have a clear goal.

Judiciary spokesman Golamhosein Esmaeili announced on Tuesday the execution of Reza Asgari, a former Defense Ministry employee who was accused of selling information to the CIA about Iran's missile program.

Last month, Iran said another alleged spy, Jalal Hajizavar, had been hanged. Hajizavar was also a former employee of Iran's Defense Ministry, and officials said he admitted in court to being paid to spy for the CIA.

It's not just purported spies, however. Morteza Jamali, a 55-year-old father of two, was executed last week after being found guilty of drinking alcohol more than three times, Amnesty International said, citing the man's lawyer. Local justice officials defended the sentence and warned that the government would not hesitate to execute anyone deemed a threat to law and order.

"The Iranian authorities have once again laid bare the sheer cruelty and inhumanity of their judicial system by executing a man simply for drinking alcohol," said Amnesty's Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Diana Eltahawy, in a statement released last week.

A number of others are awaiting the same fate.

Mahmoud Mousavi Majda, a former member of the Iranian military's elite Quds Force unit, was found guilty of spying for the CIA and Israel's Mossad and sentenced to death last month.

#Do_not_execute

The cases that have galvanized public opinion the most, however, are those of three young men accused of taking part in anti-government protests last November. Amirhossein Moradi, Saeed Tamjidi and Mohamad Rajabi, all in their 20s, were condemned after participating in the protests sparked by a hike in gas prices.

Story continues

The men were sentenced to death in February after confessing to "vandalism and arson with the intent to confront and engage in war with the Islamic Republic of Iran." All three men have said they were forced to make false confessions under harsh treatment in prison.

The sentences have sparked a huge outcry online, with almost 10 million tweets and retweets using the Persian language "#do_not_execute" hashtag since Tuesday, when the Supreme Court upheld their death sentences.

View this post on Instagram

Irans @khamenei_ir must quash the death sentences of protestersAmirhossein Moradi, Saeed Tamjidi & Mohammad Rajabiimmediately! Their trial was unfair & they said they were subjected to torture through beatings, electric shocks and being hung upside down. #_

A post shared by Amnesty International (@amnesty) on Jul 15, 2020 at 9:21am PDT

Amnesty, which has launched an online petition calling for Iran to halt the executions, said the men's "trial was grossly unfair. They were denied access to lawyers during the investigation phase and say they were tortured."

Under pressure, the judiciary reportedly agreed to hear any appeals made by the three men, and one of their lawyers said he'd been allowed  for the first time  to view case materials. As of Friday, however, judiciary officials and state media had given no indication that the death sentences were being reconsidered.

Former Iranian prisoners lucky enough to be released and leave the country have said forced confessions are common in Iran. Survivors have described physical and mental torture in Iranian prisons, and said their family members were also put under pressure to get them to make recorded confessions that are often aired on state TV.

The motivation

Many Iranian political analysts believe, though they're reluctant to speak publicly, that the recent death sentences have been handed down as part of an effort to discourage new protests, which the government can ill afford right now.

Many who joined the rallies in November were reluctant to discuss their motivations with CBS News or say whether they'd join any new demonstrations, citing the protesters currently facing execution.

Amir, a 35-year-old taxi driver who lives in a southern suburb of Tehran, agreed to speak if he wasn't fully identified. He said he went to the rallies in the autumn to show his disapproval of the fuel price hike and the wider economic hardship Iranians are suffering.

He stopped taking part, however, after three days, saying he feared for his life given the brutality of the security forces' response to the protests. He said he saw them shooting directly at protesters, and he had to think about his family.

The Iranian government has been put under tremendous pressure over the last year, both from the protests and the coronavirus epidemic inside the country, and the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" policy of crippling Tehran with economic sanctions.

Sporadic, small-scale anti-government demonstrations continue to pop up. Police officials told a local news outlet that they'd quashed a protest in the southern city of Behbahan on Thursday night.

     #   "      "   pic.twitter.com/GPjgGvmLYV

   (@shimababaeii) July 16, 2020

Unconfirmed reports said tear gas was used, and online monitoring group NetBlocks.org said internet access had been disrupted in the region after videos showing the protests, like the one above, surfaced on social media.

A series of recent, mysterious explosions and fires near sensitive industrial, military and nuclear facilities has put even more attention on the Islamic Republic, so the government has little capacity to try and quell any significant new round of unrest right now.

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Innovative agri-tech projects, including fruit picking robots and autonomous crop systems, are set to benefit from a 24 million government fund.

The nine projects benefiting will apply big data, artificial intelligence and robotics to UK farming, with the aim of creating a more efficient system of food production.

It includes React First in Nottingham, which is receiving over 2m to generate clean, sustainable food for poultry with an up to 75% smaller carbon footprint.

The project will use technology to turn carbon dioxide from Drax Powers Selby power station into animal food with minimal water usage and without the need for arable farmland.

Another project led by Saga Robotics in Lincoln will perform the largest known global demonstration of robotics and autonomous technologies on a farm.

The robots will assist farmers by carrying out essential, energy intensive physical farm processes such as picking and packing fruit and treating crops to reduce critical pests and diseases.

The worlds first Autonomous Growing System (AGS) will receive over 2m to provide autonomous technology that controls climate, irrigation and lighting, enabling crops to be grown in any location.

This will boost production levels and resource-efficiency in existing UK greenhouses, Optimal Lab, an agri-tech firm based in London, says.

Melanie Welham, executive director of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), said British food production was a 'beacon of innovation'.

"These brilliant ideas have the potential to make food production more resilient, efficient and less resource intensive, he said.

In this funding round, weve awarded funding to 9 innovative companies. In the future, we encourage businesses to come forward with fresh ideas to help UK agriculture.

Other projects to receive the funding

 Production at the Point of Consumption (Maidstone) will receive nearly 850k to develop the next generation of autonomous growing systems.

 InFarm2.x (London) will receive 3m to develop a farming system that can grow fruit and veg by producing crops in vertically stacked levels.

 AGRI-SATT (London) will receive 4m for its project which is based around an algae growing system that exploits natural seawater to produce food in deserts.

 GelPonic (Manchester) will receive 1m to develop a material that conserves water and protects plants by filtering pathogens.

 REMEDY (Bath) will receive o1.7 m to provide precision technologies to dairy farmers enabling them to access real time data to ensure their farm is as productive.

 TUBERSCAN-DEMO (Lincoln) will receive 2m to develop an innovative demonstrator system to measure average potato sizes and yield throughout potato fields.
DUBLIN, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Salmon Fish Market: Insights & Forecast with Potential Impact of COVID-19 (2020-2024)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Presently, the overall industry is experiencing growth with the ongoing research & development activities conducted by the key fish breeding corporations to improve their respective smolt (young salmon fish) harvest volume.

The global salmon fish market is expected to reach US$21.52 billion in 2024, witnessing growth at a CAGR of 7.72%, over the period 2020-2024.

The growth of the market is supported by factors such as growing population, increasing fast-casual restaurants, escalating smolt releases, growing tourism industry and rising healthcare awareness. However, market growth would be challenged by growing carbon dioxide emissions and an outbreak of salmon induced disease. To overcome the challenges in the market, a few notable trends like emerging salmon fish harvesting projects, accelerating demand for smoked salmon, mounting penetration of online food orders, increasing per capita consumption of fish and technological advancement are expected to boost the market in future.

The fastest-growing regional market was Europe owing to the decline in the occurrence rate of marine animal diseases such as Sea Lice, Pancreas Disease & Salmonid Rickettsial Septicaemia in key revenue contributing areas and high adoption of the recirculation aquaculture system by the seafood companies. However, the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has caused a major trade disruption worldwide, leading to a significant decline in the demand for salmon fish, impacting the growth of the market globally.

Scope of the Report

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global salmon fish market with the potential impact of COVID-19.

The major regional markets ( Norway , Chile , the U.K., Canada ) have been analyzed.

, , the U.K., ) have been analyzed. The market dynamics such as growth drivers, market trends and challenges are analyzed in-depth.

The competitive landscape of the market, along with the company profiles of leading players (Mowi ASA, Austevoll Seafood ASA (Lery Seafood Group ASA), SalMar ASA, Grieg Seafood ASA, Bakkafrost P/F and Norway Royal Salmon ASA) are also presented in detail.

Key Topics Covered



1. Market Overview

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Types of Salmon Fish

1.3 Production Cycle of Salmon Fish

2. Impact of COVID-19

2.1 Decline in Fishing Activity

2.2 Impact on Food Purchase Preferences

2.3 Impact on Seafood Industry

2.4 Impact on Salmon Prices

3. Global Market Analysis

3.1 Global Salmon Fish Market by Value

3.2 Global Salmon Fish Market Forecast by Value

3.3 Global Salmon Fish Supply Volume

3.4 Global Salmon Fish Supply Volume Forecast

3.5 Global Salmon Fish Demand Volume

3.6 Global Salmon Fish Demand Volume Forecast

3.7 Global Salmon Fish Consumption per Capita by Region

4. Regional Market Analysis

4.1 Europe

4.1.1 Europe Salmon Fish Supply Volume

4.1.2 Europe Salmon Fish Supply Volume Forecast

4.1.3 Europe Salmon Fish Supply Volume by Country

4.1.4 Europe Salmon Fish Demand Volume

4.1.5 Europe Salmon Fish Demand Volume Forecast

4.1.6 Europe Salmon Fish Demand Volume by Country

4.1.7 Norway Salmon Fish Supply Volume

4.1.8 Norway Salmon Fish Supply Volume Forecast

4.1.9 The U.K. Salmon Fish Supply Volume

4.1.10 The U.K. Salmon Fish Supply Volume Forecast

4.1.11 Germany Salmon Fish Demand Volume Forecast

4.1.12 Germany Salmon Fish Demand Volume by Product Category

4.1.13 France Salmon Fish Demand Volume Forecast

4.1.14 France Salmon Fish Demand Volume by Product Category

4.2 The Americas

4.2.1 The Americas Salmon Fish Supply Volume

4.2.2 The Americas Salmon Fish Supply Volume Forecast

4.2.3 The Americas Salmon Fish Supply Volume by Country

4.2.4 Chile Salmon Fish Supply Volume

4.2.5 Chile Salmon Fish Supply Volume Forecast

4.2.6 Canada Salmon Fish Supply Volume

4.2.7 Canada Salmon Fish Supply Volume Forecast

4.2.8 The U.S. Salmon Fish Demand Volume

4.2.9 The U.S. Salmon Fish Demand Volume Forecast

4.2.10 The U.S. Salmon Fish Demand Volume by Category

4.2.11 The U.S. Salmon Fish Imports Volume

4.2.12 The U.S. Salmon Fish Imports Volume by Country

4.2.13 Brazil Salmon Fish Demand Volume

4.2.14 Brazil Salmon Fish Demand Volume Forecast

5. Market Dynamics

5.1 Growth Drivers

5.1.1 Growing Population

5.1.2 Increasing Fast-Casual Restaurants

5.1.3 Escalating Smolt Releases

5.1.4 Upsurge in Economic Growth

5.1.5 Growing Tourism Industry

5.1.6 Rising Healthcare Awareness

5.2 Key Trends and Developments

5.2.1 Emerging Salmon Fish Harvesting Projects

5.2.2 Accelerating Demand for Smoked Salmon

5.2.3 Mounting Penetration of Online Food Orders

5.2.4 Increasing Per Capita Consumption of Fish

5.2.5 Technological Advancement

5.3 Challenges

5.3.1 Growing Carbon Dioxide Emissions

5.3.2 Outbreak of Salmon Induced Disease

6. Competitive Landscape

6.1 Global Market

6.1.1 Revenue Comparison of Key Players

6.2 Norway

6.2.1 Salmon Fish Market Share Comparison by Key Players

6.3 Chile

6.3.1 Salmon Fish Market Share by Key Players

7. Company Profiles

7.1 Mowi ASA

7.1.1 Business Overview

7.1.2 Financial Overview

7.1.3 Business Strategies

7.2 Austevoll Seafood ASA (Lery Seafood Group ASA)

7.3 SalMar ASA

7.4 Grieg Seafood ASA

7.5 Bakkafrost P/F

7.6 Norway Royal Salmon ASA



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1oxl8y

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.



Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

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With three weeks before Congress breaks for its scheduled August recess, library supporters are ramping up their efforts to ensure that public libraries are included in a second round of coronavirus relief, urging librarians and library users to go to bat for the recently introduced Library Stabilization Fund Act (LSFA).

The LSFA, introduced on July 2 by Rhode Island Democratic Senator Jack Reed and Michigan Democratic Congressman Andy Levin, would authorize $2 billion in federal support for libraries, and comes as the Senate has finally begun discussions on what ALA officials believe will be its final relief package of 2020.

Specifically, the LSFA would authorize $1.7 billion to be distributed to local libraries through state library agencies, via the IMLS, with a minimum of $10 million in library funding going to each state based on population. It also sets aside $45 million for formula grants to Tribal libraries; $200 million in competitive grants to strengthen library services to communities affected by Covid-19, and another $40 million for IMLS to administer grants and conduct research and data collection" related to the impacts of COVID-19.

Local budget shortfalls have left libraries to grapple with severe cuts, furloughs of staff, and reduced operations just when communities need their services the most," Senator Reed said in introducing the bill. "This legislation will help ensure libraries can safely weather COVID-19 and continue to find new ways to bridge the digital divide and safely provide information, books, programming, and services that people of all ages need to stay engaged and informed. This is a smart investment in our libraries to keep people and communities connected and contribute to our economic recovery.

The proposal comes as various other bills look to provide funding for internet access and digital services, including The HEROES Act, which includes $2 billion for hotspots and other devices for library patrons and students; The Moving Forward Act, a $1.5 billion infrastructure bill passed in the House in June, which includes provisions to support digital literacy training, devices, wider broadband adoption, as well as funding for hotspot and device lending by libraries; the Accessible Affordable Internet for All Act, introduced in late June by House Majority Whip James Clyburn with a companion bill in the Senate introduced by Senator Amy Klobuchar; and a pledge by Senators Joe Manchin and Susan Collins to introduce the HOTSPOTS Act, which would provide $160 million to state library agencies, administered through IMLS, for a hotspot pilot program.

 This is a smart investment in our libraries to keep people and communities connected and contribute to our economic recovery. 

ALA and library supporters strongly back legislation to expand access to digital resources and broadband, but ALA officials note that the LSFA recognizes and supports the vital role physical librariesand more importantly, librarians and library staffplay in our community, roles that are severely threatened as the local tax revenues public libraries depend on are ravaged by the Covid-19 crisis.

While ALA supports solutions to the digital gap that include libraries, we also know that access to broadband depends on the thousands of library staff who deliver service, ALA officials wrote in an update published this week in American Libraries. Senator Reed and Rep. Levin recognize the importance of dedicated library funding to accelerate community recovery efforts. The Senate HOTSPOTS Act, together with LSFA, would bridge the nations widening digital gap with support for the librariesand library workerswho deliver the service.

ALA is now asking all members and library supporters to call and email their members of Congress to urge them to cosponsor the LSFA. Additional resourcesincluding a one-page explainer on LSFA, sample social media posts, and a sample letter for state and local library associations/ boards of trusteesare available on the ALA site.

With just a few weeks left before Congresss August recess, the self-imposed target for the Senate to complete its COVID-19 relief package, library advocates have a limited window of opportunity to ensure emergency funding includes libraries, wrote Kathi Kromer, associate executive director of the ALAs Public Policy and Advocacy Office, in an American Libraries editorial.

At a time when budgets of local governments have been decimated, America cant afford to dismiss a national infrastructure of 117,000 libraries nimble enough to offer relief and advance recovery," said American Library Association President Julius Jefferson Jr., in a statement. "The Library Stabilization Fund Act is the comprehensive federal response needed to keep our nations libraries safely in operation, and ALA is throwing the full weight of our advocacy network into supporting the bill. ALA applauds Senator Reeds leadership in recognizing that the library services Americans rely on are utterly dependent on library funding.
Even as it grapples with a political crisis in Rajasthan, the Congress received another jolt in Madhya Pradesh after Sumitra Devi Kasdekar, an MLA from Nepanagar in Burhanpur, resigned from the membership of the state assembly on Friday. Kasdekar is considered to be close to former AICC chief Arun Yadav.

Kasdekar later joined the BJP in the presence of MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Mahdya Pradesh: Sumitra Devi Kasdekar joins BJP, in the presence of State Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at party office in Bhopal. https://t.co/fipErTB7O0 pic.twitter.com/9bovkKuYS9 ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2020

The move came days after Bada Malhera MLA Pradyumn Singh Lodhi resigned as a lawmaker -- soon afterwards, he was given the post of chairman of Food and Civil Supplies Corporation by the Chouhan-led BJP government. Chouhan has so far accommodated 14 Congress rebels into his cabinet.

With this, a total of 24 Congress MLAs have resigned from the MP assembly since March when 22 of them, led by Jyotiraditya Scindia, jumped ship from the Congress and resigned from the assembly as well.

The BJP is attempting to convert the countrys politics into a 'mandi' and neither the democracy nor the public will forgive this, said Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta.

On being asked if there was any issue with the Congress as large numbers of MLAs are jumping ship, he said, We have only one issue that we cant offer such huge amounts and also do not wish to indulge in such tactics.

BJP's Rajneesh Agrawal hit back at the Congress, describing it as a sinking ship. Suggesting that the opposition should introspect rather than level allegations against others, Agrawal said it would have been proper if the Congress had a word with the said MLA on why she decided to call it quits.

Following Lodi's exit, it was speculated that four to five MLAs could leave the Congress, leading to the party switching to damage control mode. Former Congress MLA Aidal Singh Kansana had said that several lawmakers were in his touch and could resign shortly.

PCC chief Kamal Nath had recently held a one-on-one meeting with Damoh MLA Rahul Singh and Banda MLA Tarwar Singh after reports of their resentment and plans to switch over. After the meeting, the two MLAs had reposed their faith in the party. Both of them were under the scanner as they are relatives and also have family relations with Lodhi.

The anger among Congress MLAs dates back to the days when Nath was in power when 30 first-time lawmakers complained that prominent leaders in the organisation and the state government were ignoring them and were not meeting them. Later, eight of these MLAs had switched to the BJP.

With this, it is expected that the by-polls will be held at 26 assembly constituencies, including two seats where Congress and BJP lawmakers died.
T he FBI is leading the investigation into a major cryptocurrency scam on social media that saw hackers take control of the Twitter accounts of celebrities and politicians.

Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Barack Obama and Joe Biden were among the big names whose social media profiles were hacked as part of the bitcoin scam.

A federal inquiry has been launched into the hacking which is being led by the FBI, two sources familiar with the situation confirmed on Thursday.

Earlier the FBI had said: We are aware of todays security incident involving several Twitter accounts belonging to high profile individuals.

The accounts appear to have been compromised in order to perpetuate cryptocurrency fraud.

Former US president Barack Obama was among those targeted. / Twitter

Official Twitter accounts for companies Apple and Uber, and billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, were also targeted in the scam.

They were simultaneously hacked on Wednesday evening and a scammers' message posted encouraging users to send 1,000 dollars (794) to a Bitcoin address.

In return, users were promised that their money will be doubled and returned to them.

Twitter said it believed the incident was a "coordinated social engineering attack" that targeted some of its employees with access to internal systems and tools.

They were then used to take control of many high-profile and verified accounts and tweet from them, the social media firm said in statement.

The Bitcoin account mentioned in the fake tweets appeared to have been created on Wednesday.

Agencies contributed to this report
Paris, France (PANA) - The French council of ministers Wednesday adopted a draft bill on the return of cultural property to Benin and Senegal, an official source said here Friday
REDMOND (dpa-AFX) - Halliburton Co. (HAL), Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Accenture plc (ACN) announced Friday that they have entered into a five-year strategic agreement to advance Halliburton's digital capabilities in Microsoft Azure. Halliburton said the strategic agreement is an important step in its adoption of new technology and applications to enhance our digital capabilities, drive additional business agility and reduce capital expenditures. Under the agreement, Halliburton will complete its move to cloud-based digital platforms and strengthen its customer offerings by enhancing real-time platforms for expanded remote operations and improving analytics capability with the Halliburton Data Lake utilizing machine learning and artificial intelligence. It will also accelerate the deployment of new technology and applications, including SOC2 compliance, for Halliburton's overall system reliability and security. The agreement also enables the migration of all Halliburton physical data centers to Azure, which delivers enterprise-grade cloud services at global scale and offers sustainability benefits. Accenture will work closely with Microsoft, in conjunction with their Avanade joint venture, to help transition Halliburton's digital capabilities and business-critical applications to Azure. The companies expect to complete the staged migration by 2022. 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.
JAC 12th Result 2020: Jharkhand Academic Council, or JAC, will declare the class 12th or intermediate examinations results on Friday, July 17, 2020, on its official website at jac.jharkhand.gov.in. The results will be announced at 5 pm. The plan was to declare results at 1pm but the programme had to be rescheduled due to some unavoidable circumstances. More than 2.34 lakh students who appeared in the class 12 examination will get their results today.

Follow Jharkhand Board 12th Result 2020 live updates

After the results are declared, students who have taken the Jharkhand class 12 board examination will be able to check their results at our HT portal or online at jac.jharkhand.gov.in.

Also Read: JAC 12th Results 2020: How to check Jharkhand class 12 results on HT Portal

Students can also register for HT Result alert for free by entering their name, mobile number and email address. The registered candidates will get an email and SMS with a direct link to check their result, as soon as the result is declared by the Jharkhand board.

Click here to register for Result alert

How to check JAC Class 12 results at HT Portal after it is announced:

Step: 1- Visit the official website of Hindustan Times at hindustantimes.com

Step: 2- On the home page, go to the Education section and click on the Exam Results section

Step: 3 -- Go to the Jharkhand Board tab

Step: 4-- Click on the link that reads JAC 12th arts result 2020, JAC 12th science result 2020, and JAC 12th commerce result 2020

Step: 5-- Key in your roll number in the rectangular box provided and submit

Step 6 --Your JAC 10th Result 2020 will be displayed on the screen.

This year, Jharkhand class 12 examinations were conducted from February 10 to 28, 2020, at 470 examination centres spread across the state.

Earlier, the evaluation process for JAC class 12 exams was scheduled to begin from March 20 but due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was deferred. Finally, the evaluation process began on May 28.

How to check JAC Class 12 Result online after it is declared:

1. Visit the official websites of JAC at jacresults.com

2. On the homepage, find the link that reads Results of Annual Intermediate Examination - 2020

3. Key in your school code and password and submit

4. Your result will be displayed on screen

5. Download and take its print out.
Press Release

July 17, 2020 Bong Go: nothing wrong with barter for personal transactions; urges DTI to support alternative modes to unburden ordinary Filipinos amid economic hardships Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go urged the Department of Trade and Industry to come up with alternative modes and platforms where individuals can conduct exchange of goods. This comes after many Filipinos turned to the barter system to exchange personal items for food and other essentials amid economic hardships caused by the months-long COVID-19 pandemic. "Hindi po illegal ang barter kapag ito ay personal transactions, ayon sa DTI. I am also encouraging the government to promote alternative modes of personal transactions to ease the burden of our fellow Filipinos as long as it is legal and beneficial to the people," Go said. "Gawin po nating klaro sa ating mga mamamayan ang guidelines para di po sila malito at magkamali. Magbayanihan po tayong lahat at suportahan ang mga alternatibong paraan ng transaksyon na makakagaan sa pasakit na dulot ng krisis sa taumbayan," he added. Due to the community quarantine now on its fourth month, several Filipinos turned to social media to conduct barter trading, one of the world's oldest forms of trade conducted by exchanging goods and services without money involved. The trade of used gadgets for food, produce or school supplies are among the examples that fall under 'personal transactions' which are legal and exempted from tax so long as they are not conducted as a business. As for local barter trade done in the course of business, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez emphasized that these are subject to regulations. Lopez added that they must be registered and are subject to tax. He also mentioned that this may also apply to online transactions. Under the law, any kind of business transactions, online or otherwise, must be registered and are subject to taxes. In the case of barter, when done as a form of business, value-added taxes are charged to businesses and individuals engaging in such practice. Barters with yearly gross sales of PhP3 million, however, are exempted from paying value-added tax, Lopez said. He also pointed out that it is safer to buy goods from registered sellers because they can turn to DTI in case of defective products. Currently, barter trade is only allowed in three areas in the country: Siasi and Jolo towns in Sulu, and Bonggao in Tawi-Tawi, as provided for by Executive Order 64 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in October 2018. The EO prescribed barter trade in said towns under the supervision of the Mindanao Barter Council. "Outside those areas, barter trading across borders is not allowed. This is what I meant as illegal if done in other areas, or if done online and cross border as a regular business," Lopez said. In social media, online barter communities had emerged, such as in Bacolod and Cebu, where transactions have increased due to the community quarantine. Meanwhile, Go said that so long as existing laws are complied with, he supports various alternative forms of personal transactions or product exchange. As to those conducting these transactions as a business, he advised them to make sure regulations are followed in accordance with the law. "Wala kaming problema sa businesses basta legal. Susuportahan ko po iyan, maliit man o malaki. Ang importante ay makakatulong ito sa tao at nasusunod ang batas," he said.
The Peoples Committee of Tay Ninh Province and relevant agencies have arranged several quarantine facilities equipped with adequate conditions for accommodation and internet connection to serve the Cambodian students.

Speaking at the reception site, Cambodian Ambassador to Vietnam Chay Navuth said that the resumption of students studies in Vietnam is of significance to Cambodia as they are valuable human resources training to contribute to Cambodias future development.

He also appreciated Vietnams achievements in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and thanked the Vietnamese Party, Government, and people for presenting medical supplies to Cambodia.

Approximately 4,000 Cambodian students are studying in Vietnam while nearly 100 Vietnamese students are studying in Cambodia.
Whats in a name?

For fashion and travel blogger Fisayo Longe, her debut apparel line needed a mononym that encapsulated the fun, unapologetic and celebratory designs she was sketching.

Looking to her Nigerian heritage, she settled upon Kai, which translates as Wow! in Hausa. London-based Longe decided to bequeath the moniker to her brand upon learning that it also translated into a string of other languages as victory (in Chinese), willow tree (in Navajo), and keeper of the keys (in Scandinavian.)

In different ways, I identified with its different meanings and really loved the sound of the word, Longe, 27, tells the Standard.

Kai Collective (the former was added to summarise the community of women Longe endeavours to foster through the brand) was born in August 2016 and, in the four years since, has become a hub of fashion that celebrates the female form.

Indeed, its the sisterhood thats at the heart of Kai Collective. Five out of six of the young brands team are women and Longe does her best to hire exclusively women at every step of the design, manufacturing and marketing process.

Given that a recent government report has stated that 'female-led businesses are only 44 per cent of the size of male-led businesses... and male SMEs are five times more likely to scale up to 1million turnover than female, for Longe the inclusion and amplification of female voices and talents is paramount.

If youd resigned yourself to thinking that wearing dresses and body-conscious pieces was just a touch too 2019, Kai Collective is here to make you think again.

I caught up with Longe to learn a little bit more about the brand and her hopes for its future.

(Kai Collective ) / Kai Collective

When did you have the idea for Kai Collective?

I started thinking about launching Kai in 2015 for various reasons. After making a career change from accountancy at one of the Big Four to fashion buying/merchandising, it became very clear to me that I wasnt going to feel the level of fulfilment and purpose I seek in life, except if I ran my own fashion business. The seed was planted after that experience of working in merchandising at a department store in London for a few months. I also always knew that I am extremely entrepreneurial and liked the idea of moving to my home country, Nigeria, at some point, to build the fashion industry.

When did you launch your business?

I decided to go for it in 2016 because I had been a fashion and travel blogger since 2012 and when I would travel, I would shop for fabric in different countries and post photos in the clothing I made out of the fabric. My followers would then ask me where I got the clothing from. Already knowing that I had very entrepreneurial qualities, I decided that the only way to be true to myself and my purpose was to go for it!

What was the gap in the market that you were trying to fill with Kai?

Initially, my plan was to build Kai as an H&M equivalent in Nigeria, because we still dont have any such business there. But I realised that I wanted to continue to live in London and I am a lot more inspired by clothing that is more carefully and thoughtfully crafted.

The gap that Kai fills now is an attainable clothing brand but with luxury aesthetics crafted from excellent fabric, one with clothing that makes women feel like their best, most confident selves. The women who shop Kai are very vocal about how the clothing makes them feel. I think the community that we have built is very rare.

The brand's Gaia dress has rapidly become its best-seller (Kai Collective ) / Kai Collective

Who do you have in mind when youre designing?

At first, I had myself in mind when designing. But I now get a lot of feedback from the community and my friends. So, Im evolving to be more community-focused even with the design process.

Has lockdown been a challenging time for your business?

Lockdown has been the most successful period for the business so far which has blown my mind. We came out with a stunning dress called Gaia that everyone loves and has resulted in a lot of growth and popularity for the business.

It has also been a time of people appreciating thoughtful business that make them feel good about themselves which is exactly what Kai is.

(Kai Collective ) / Kai Collective

What do you make of the current state of the fashion industry?

I love how democratised the industry has become. I have never been one to follow rules and follow the fashion calendar just because so I love that social media has created an industry where people like me and brands like mine can thrive without permission from the gatekeepers.

I also love that the fashion industry is becoming more thoughtful and asking the right questions - how can we waste less fabric? Use more sustainable packaging? Make less but better clothes? I love that brands are becoming more accountable and answering all of these questions. I am sad about how much Covid has affected many incredibly talented people in the industry but I am also optimistic and hopeful about the future.

Whats next for Kai Collective?

For now, its really just constant improvement and perfecting what were already doing. Even better quality fabric, more exciting designs, stronger community, more visibility and popularity so that we can grow. I am very happy with the direction that the brand is going in and I want that to continue.

Follow Kai Collective on Instagram here and shop the brand here.
Mr. Haspil, who has no previous criminal record, was formally charged with second-degree murder on Saturday morning in criminal court in Manhattan. Judge Jonathan Svetkey ordered him held without bail.

Mr. Haspils lawyers, Sam Roberts and Neville Mitchell, said their client had pleaded not guilty. They were in the early stages of gathering facts in a complex case, they said in a statement.

We urge the public to keep an open mind, the lawyers said. There is much more to this narrative than the accusations, an arrest by the police and a charge by the district attorney.

Mr. Saleh was discovered dead on Tuesday, when his cousin went to check on him at his $2.25 million condo in a luxury building on East Houston Street on the Lower East Side. The cousin, officials said, was worried after not hearing from him for about a day.

When the cousin got to the apartment, the police said, she discovered a horrifying scene: Mr. Salehs head and limbs had been removed, and parts of his body had been placed in plastic bags designed for construction debris. An electric saw was plugged in nearby. (The police had originally said Mr. Salehs sister had made the discovery.)

Investigators have concluded that Mr. Saleh had been killed the day before, according to a fourth official with knowledge of the inquiry.

A video shows the man the police believe to be Mr. Haspil following Mr. Saleh into his building and then into an elevator, where they appear to engage in small talk, the officials said.
Critics Wary of Beijing's Pick to Enforce Hong Kong Security Law

By Joyce Huang July 16, 2020

As mayor of Shanwei city in Guangdong in 2011, Zheng Yanxiong oversaw mass arrests of citizens protesting corruption. He lashed out at "untrustworthy" foreign media coverage. A village representative detained during the unrest died in custody; his family claimed he was beaten to death.

Now Zheng is emerging in a new, high-profile role, as a leader of the office that will enforce Hong Kong's new national security law and, critics say, China's sweeping effort to stifle the city's pro-democracy movement with enhanced police powers and the threat of lifetime sentences.

Zheng's appointment signals that China plans a spare-no-prisoners approach, say opponents of the new law, which was written by Communist Party officials and took effect on July 1.

"Beijing will be adopting a very hard line," pro-democracy activist Albert Ho said. The appointment, he said, puts Zheng at the heart of a "super-power center" with Luo Huining, the prominent head of Beijing's liaison office, and with Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam as a figurehead.

"Zheng, of course, is notorious," Ho said.

Journalists have raised concerns over the vague wording of the national security law, which they say could be used to censor or harass them.

Police arrested hundreds of protesters after the new security law came into force, including at least 10 who were accused of violating the new law, which carries heavy penalties for anyone convicted of terrorism, separatism, subversion of state power or collusion with foreign forces.

Zhang Jian of the Shanghai Institute for International Studies said that despite Zheng's reputation, he was appointed to the post because he was the right person for the job.

"He is in a politically appointed position, which serves to execute the central government's policy. That, I don't think, has anything to do with his past experience," Zhang said.

"He has two deputies who are experienced [in managing national security issues.]," Zhang said. "He will play a bigger role in liaising and coordinating the city government's interaction with Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong, the Chinese military's garrison in Hong Kong, the foreign ministry and central government agencies."

Hong Kongers Vow to Continue Pro-Democracy Pursuits Despite New Security Law

The law passed by China's legislature on June 30 and enacted in Hong Kong on July 1, punishes crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison

Zhang maintained that Beijing has no intention to squash opposition in Hong Kong. Instead, it aims to restore order and stability.

VOA's request for comment from Zheng's office and Beijing's liaison office went unanswered.

Hostile to foreign media

Zheng's previous response to dissent has also worried critics.

While mayor of Shanwei in 2011, Zheng cracked down on anti-corruption protests in Wukan, a fishing village that falls under the city's administrative jurisdiction.

Thousands gathered between September and December of that year in protest after local party officials sold land to property developers without properly compensating villagers, and after a negotiator elected to represent them died in custody.

Zheng supported mass arrests, including that of Xue Jinbo, the village representative who died, according to a rights lawyer and Zhuang Leihong, one of the village leaders.

Police told the family that Xue died of cardiac arrest. But relatives rejected the claim, saying bruises were found on his hands, feet and forehead. The family told journalists they believed he had been beaten to death.

After his death, residents barricaded the village and kicked out local party officials in the so-called "siege of Wukan."

The protests came at a time of wider pushback against corruption in China. But the Wukan demonstrations, which attracted attention from the international media, were like no others.

The siege led to a rare show of compromise by the Communist Party, which allowed villagers to hold free elections for their village council in 2012.

Zheng criticized international media coverage of the initial unrest, saying, "If foreign media are trustworthy, then sows can climb trees."

In 2013, he was appointed executive vice director of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party's Guangdong Provincial Committee.

New era of control

Whether Zheng will be able to act with such force in Hong Kong  a bigger stage that is under intensifying international glare  is a question local journalists are asking.

"Yes, he's a hardliner. He's tough. How far he would go with that kind of toughness in Hong Kong? No one knows at this point," Michael Chugani, a veteran TV host and columnist in Hong Kong, told VOA. "But it's not the person itself. The media is worried about the [national security] law because it's too ambiguous. And they don't know where the red line is."

Although Zheng's areas of responsibility don't extend to the city's media, Willy Lam, a Chinese political analyst in Hong Kong, said he suspected Beijing would enforce tighter control through the office and that there would be more censorship.

Lam said he was not optimistic about the city's future and media environment.

Earlier this month, libraries removed several books by pro-democracy authors, and Hong Kong declined to renew a work permit for a New York Times reporter. The Times announced this week that it planned to relocate part of its newsroom to South Korea.

New York Times to Move Digital News Operation from Hong Kong to Seoul

Prestigious US news outlet cites concern over Beijing's new national security law imposed on financial hub

U.S. President Donald Trump this week signed legislation approving sanctions on any Chinese official who attempts to undermine Hong Kong's autonomy.

Village leader Zhuang, who fled to the U.S. in 2014, told VOA, "I don't think [Zheng] has any respect for democracy. He completely conforms to the dictatorship's mindset."

He added that Zheng is like a communist loyalist who "[has] no desire to look after citizens' interests, but to hush you up."

A rights lawyer, who spoke with VOA on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, said citizens think Zheng supports an "iron-fist rule."

The lawyer said he was hired to defend an elected village chief in Wukan in 2016 who was arrested on corruption charges, but authorities instructed the lawyer to "immediately go home"  an order he believes came from Zheng.

"This shows that he is ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what he wants," the lawyer said.

"He fully upholds the essence of the Communist Party's reign of terror  that is, 'My way or the highway.' "

At his inauguration in Hong Kong last week, Zheng said the office was committed to its mandate, and he called on other sectors in the city to help safeguard national sovereignty and security while promoting "one country, two systems."

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Pictured is the headquarters of K bank in Seoul. The internet-only lender seeks a revival as BC Card is set to become a new major shareholder of the cash-strapped bank. Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



A three-way rivalry is heating up in the competition to become Korea's leading internet-only bank, with two emerging players  K bank and Toss  set to take on market leader Kakao Bank in the latter half of this year.



Kakao Bank has been dominating the internet-only bank market since its launch in 2017, increasing its user base to more than 12.54 million as of June this year. Another first-generation internet-only lender, K bank, which also started the same year, ended up trailing behind the Kakao subsidiary, suffering financial difficulties.



K bank started its business amid hopes the internet-only lender, along with Kakao Bank, could bring about a paradigm shift in the conventional banking industry. But the lender faced funding problems as the Fair Trade Commission prevented its parent company, KT, from providing capital to K bank because of the telecom firm's violation of the nation's Fair Trade Act.



But with BC Card, another KT subsidiary, becoming a new savior to the cash-strapped lender, expectations are K bank will be able to regain its momentum for business normalization possibly in the second half of 2020.



The card issuer will become a major shareholder of K bank once the former's suggested plan to acquire a 34 percent stake in K bank is approved by financial authorities on July 22.



For now, it appears it will be tough for the lender to rival others in the market as the number of K Bank users falls far short of that of Kakao Bank. As of the end of 2019, K bank has 1.2 million users.



But another powerful mobile money transfer platform, Toss, is coming to the forefront as a visible threat to Kakao Bank, as the number of Toss subscribers already surpassed that of the market leader. As of the end of May, Toss subscribers topped 17 million. The banking app has particularly drawn attention from young customers for its easy-to-use platform.



Viva Republica, a fintech startup operating Toss, plans to launch its internet-only bank, Toss Bank, sometime early next year after receiving a preliminary license to operate the nation's third internet-only bank in December 2019.



Continued additions in terms of users would be a huge plus for Toss. However, market analysts say it is too early for emerging players to win the competition against Kakao Bank in a short period of time due to the latter's business agility and current dominant status in the market.



Thoughts are that Kakao Bank is expected to become larger and more influential in the local banking industry after its planned initial public offering in the latter half of this year.



"An estimated market capitalization after the lender goes public will top 8.9 trillion won," SK Securities analyst Koo Kyung-hoi said. Outlook for Kakao Bank's additional leap-forward remains promising as it's been increasing its spending in infrastructure and accelerating efforts to diversify business portfolios encompassing medium-rate loans to credit loans, according to the analyst.




Thought of the day: If you want to make good use of your time, youve got to know whats most important and then give it all youve got.  Lee Iacocca

These past two days were full of discussing really important topics. And these next three weeks are going to be even more critical as Congress comes back into session.

Restaurants  especially locally owned, independent restaurants  are neighborhood gathering places. Right now, these restaurants  which are the heart and soul of our communities  are bearing the brunt of the very real challenges of the pandemic. Yesterday, I held a very emotional and at times raw conversation with Ari from Zingermans, Melvin from We the People Growers Association in Ypsi, and Ping Ho of Marrow in Detroit. Institutions like Zingermans provide jobs, feed us, donate to so many, and help feed the hungry. They are really going through hard times and none of us can ever imagine them not being there. But that is the reality we are talking about. Its critical that Congress works together to provide much-needed assistance to the industry and all in our community that need a help up. We cant let them fall to the side.

Speaking of much-needed assistance. Today marks one week until Congress must take action to extend federal unemployment benefits. Last week 1.3 million people applied for unemployment, while the numbers have fallen since the spike in March, these numbers are almost double the worst levels during the Great Recession. Yesterday, I joined Michigan United, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, labor leaders and economists to discuss the critical need to extend federal unemployment benefits. People need to feel safe. They need to know if they get sick, they can afford to stay home and not put others in danger. And if they have pre-existing conditions or childcare challenges, they need to know they can still make rent and buy groceries. We must extend critical federal unemployment benefits so no worker who lost their job or had their hours reduced because of public health measures should have to face financial ruin.

Wednesday, over the course of four hours, the Energy and Commerce committee advanced 30 bipartisan bills  all but one by unanimous votes. These bills will make a real difference in peoples live including many areas very important to me. The committee passed critical legislation of bipartisan provisions to enhance the Strategic National Stockpile. Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin brought together 18 members  9 Democrats, 9 Republicans  with bills to reduce Americas dependence on foreign sources of critical medical supplies and make much-needed improvements and updates to Americas Strategic National Stockpile, including my bill to boost domestic manufacturing to make critical medical supplies needed to fight COVID-19 in America. When we all work together, theres so much we can do to combat COVID-91 and to help the hardworking men and women of this country. We also passed critical legislation that I have been working on for years to make it easier for people to access the suicide prevention hotline. Having a three digit code will make it easy to remember and save lives.

This weekend, I return to DC as Congress comes back into session for three weeks. Well start with important legislation to address our nations defense policy. We have to pass this legislation every year and provides the opportunity to improve and strengthen our national security and defense systems. Im working hard to make sure this critical legislation includes provisions the takes long-overdue actions to address PFAS contamination in Michigan and across the country. Stay tuned, we will have plenty to update next week on this and more topics.

Team Dingell is here seven days a week and wants to listen and help. It isnt as smooth as we want on some issues, but we will never stop fighting for you. Call our office at 313-278-2936 or contact us through Facebook or our webpage.

New information becomes available every day. Below is a list of resources and information that can be helpful during this time. Please share this information with your family, friends, and colleagues. Remember, stay home, stay safe, save lives.

Coronavirus information

File for unemployment

Small Businesses can apply for low-interest disaster loans

Navigating Social Security Benefits

School Based Food Service Interactive Map

Food Banks and Kitchens in Michigans 12th Congressional District

Contact numbers for people looking for information are:

* Centers for Disease Control, cdc.gov/coronavirus, 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).

* Michigan.gov/coronavirus, or 888-535-6136.
I have had on many an occasions referred to the craft shop I ran in Santiniketan in this column. Having given up my job in Mumbai, I had absolutely no desire to do anything but chill in Santiniketan. But the level of craftsmanship that I saw around here made me change my mind and, over the last 16 years, my engagement with crafts people across Birbhum district became deeper.

This of course reflected in my setting up of a shop that not only sold to residents and tourists of Santiniketan but also to similar shops across the country. It was fun all the way. Finding new artisans, developing ...




Vietnam and other ASEAN members actively push forward negotiations between the bloc and China for a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). In photo: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Vinh led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the 6th ASEAN-China Senior Officials Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC in Suzhou city, Jiangsu province, China from September 14-15, 2013 (Photo: VNA)



Vietnam and other ASEAN members actively push forward negotiations between the bloc and China for a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). In photo: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the 10th ASEAN-China Senior Officials Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC in Chengdu city, China from October 19 to 21, 2015 (Photo: VNA)
Prices of residential property in Mumbai, NCR, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad witnessed a sharp fall in H1-2020 with Kolkata witnessing the steepest drop of 7.5% to Rs 33,433 per square meter.

Demand for office space fell the most in Pune and NCR markets at 47% and 45% respectively.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing nationwide lockdown since March 2020 has severely dented the Indian real estate sector that was already grappling with slowing sales and rising unsold inventory levels since the past few years.

While sales of residential units across eight major metros in India - Mumbai, National Capital Region (NCR), Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad - hit a 10-year low, office vacancy rates across these metros are near four-year high.

Prices of residential property in these eight major metros witnessed a sharp fall in the first half of 2020 (H1-2020) with Kolkata witnessing the steepest drop of 7.5 per cent to Rs 33,433 per square meter (sq. mtr.) during this period, says the latest report by Knight Frank India (See table below: Residential Pricing per square meter).

Sales of residential units during this period across these metros dropped 54 per cent to a decadal low of 59,538 units as compared to 129,285 units in the year ago period with new launches dropping 46 per cent to 60,489 units.

The impact can be gauged by the fact that sales and launches have capitulated by 84 per cent and 90 per cent YoY in the April-June 2020 quarter of the calendar year 2020 (Q2-2020) across the eight markets under review.

"NCR, Chennai and Hyderabad had near zero sales during this period, while developers were forced to postpone launches across markets due to labour unavailability and the well anticipated drop in demand, the Knight Frank report said.

Office market

A similar trend was witnessed across the office market.

Office demand and supply, according to Knight Frank, came to a near standstill during the April-June 2020 quarter of calendar year 2020 (Q2-2020) with total transactions and project completions falling 79 per cent year-on-year (YoY) during this period.

Transactions in H1-2020 fell by a massive 37 per cent YoY to 17.2 million sq. ft., the steepest in a decade.

"Demand fell the most in Pune and NCR markets at 47 per cent and 45 per cent respectively, while Mumbai transaction volumes fell by a comparatively modest 17 per cent YoY due to two big ticket leases totaling 1.8 million sq. ft. that amounted to almost half of Mumbais total transactions and salvaged an otherwise disastrous period.

"Bengaluru and Hyderabad office market transactions fell by 42 per cent and 43 per cent, respectively, the Knight Frank report said.

For now, Shishir Baijal, chairman and managing director at Knight Frank India does not expect a sharp recovery in the residential segment, while the recovery in the office segment, he says, will depend on how the pandemic plays out over the next few quarters.

For the residential segment, I don't expect a V-shaped recovery.

"The demand needs to pick up first for this segment to stabilise and then recover.

"A recovery in the office segment, on the other hand, will happen only when employees resume going to the office, Baijal said.

Work from home culture sees vacancy levels rise

As India adopted the work from home (WFH) culture over the past few months, office vacancy levels across these metros saw an uptick with most companies letting go of the leased spaces to save on cost.

Office rentals in this backdrop across these markets also witnessed a drop with the NCR recording the sharpest fall of 8.8 per cent to Rs 844 per (square metre) sq. mt. per month.

At an aggregate level, the combined vacancy level across these markets moved up to 14.1 per cent in H1-2020, as compared to 12.7 per cent in the corresponding period in 2019.

Bengaluru accounted for almost 56 per cent of the space surrendered during H1-2020.

"Kolkata and Ahmedabad which are the smallest and relatively less established markets among the eight under review saw vacancy level jump the most, by 9 and 8 percentage points YoY respectively to 41 per cent and 42 per cent by the end of H1 2020, the Knight Frank report said.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) has recently added the European Hamsters to their red list meaning the creatures are now critically endangered and risk extinction. As per reports, global warming, industrial development, light pollution and plantations have been reported as the probable cause for the decline in numbers.

Hamster birth rate has dropped significantly

According to reports, the IUCN has stated that over the years female European Hamsters have been giving birth to less number of babies, in the last century female European Hamsters could give birth to almost 20 babies a year but that number has dropped significantly to only five or six leading to an almost 75 per cent decline in population in the French region of Alsace, in Germany and across Eastern Europe.

Read: Conservation Study Shows Lemurs, Whales Nearing Extinction

Read: Video Of Lemurs Showering Kisses On One Another Leaves Netizens In Awe; Watch

Along with the European Hamsters, the IUCN has also added 33 different species of Lemurs to the list of critically endangered animals, 103 out of the 107 lemur species that are indigenous to Madagascar are threatened with extinction. They are threatened mainly due to deforestation and the illegal wildlife trade. Lemurs are regarded as Madagascar's 'treasure' and are one of the precious species unique to the island nation. The United Nations' biodiversity panel IPBES last year warned that up to one million species faced the risk of extinction as a result of human activities.

Read: Madagascar's Native Lemurs Are Facing The Threat Of Extinction: Report

Read: Koalas Heading Towards Extinction By 2050 In New South Wales, Australia: Report
OAKLAND, Calif., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mary Alexander has announced that 3  years after the Ghost Ship fires occurred, costing the lives of 36 people and injuring several others, the first portion of the case has settled for $32.7 million for dozens of families and one of the injured parties.

Thirty-two (32) families, along with a survivor who suffered brain damage and burns, have agreed to a $32.7 million settlement with the City of Oakland.

The City had 100's of contacts with the Ghost Ship over more than two years, by police and firemen who knew that people lived there, but turned a blind eye. The City knew that unpermitted musical events were held there. A policeman who responded to a complaint, wrote in his report that it was an "illegal cabaret", but the report was ignored. The City knew that it was a fire hazard, loaded with wood objects, furniture and carpets, with no fire protection systems. Though a block from a fire station, it was not on the list of buildings to be inspected by the fire department. The City failed to protect the public who came to the musical event that night and those who lived there.

The case continues against the City with a trial in February, 2021 for people who lived in the Ghost Ship and fled for their lives that night through flames and choking black smoke, lost their home, and are traumatized for life.

"While no amount of money can bring these people back to their families, we are grateful that we are able to bring them some sense of justice," said Mary Alexander, lead attorney in the case. "This was the deadliest concert fire in the history of Oakland and one of the deadliest mass-casualty events in Oakland in 40 years."

On December 2, 2016 around 11:20 PM, a fire broke out in the Ghost Ship warehouse that included illegal living spaces and a concert venue. When the fire broke out, a concert was being held in the space and was attended by 80-100 people, 36 of whom were killed.

Mary Alexander & Associates filed a wrongful death lawsuit in December of 2016, just days before Christmas. The civil litigation listed several causes of action against the defendants, including negligence, premises liability, public nuisance and much more.

The civil case is In Re Ghost Ship Fire Litigation, Alameda Superior Court, Case No. RG16843631 (And Related Cases). To read the complaint, please click here.

About Mary Alexander & Associates

At the law firm of Mary Alexander & Associates, we are proud of our record and tradition of excellence. Preparing thoroughly for trial is the trademark of our firm, and we build innovative courtroom exhibits and technology to help juries understand even the most complex legal matters. Our innovations, creativity and preparation have allowed us to achieve an outstanding record of success. We are justifiably proud of the verdicts and settlements we have obtained for our deserving clients.

Contact:

Mary E. Alexander

Mary Alexander & Associates, P.C.

44 Montgomery Street, Suite 1303

San Francisco, CA 94104

Telephone: (415) 433-4440

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Mary Alexander & Associates
Australian embassy to provide letters to assist visa extensions

PHUKET: Australian Ambassador to Thailand Allan McKinnon has confirmed that the Australian Embassy in Bangkok is now providing letters to assist Australian nationals seeking to extend their visas.

COVID-19immigration

By The Phuket News

Friday 17 July 2020, 11:09AM

Australian Ambassador, Allan McKinnon announced the news in a video post last night. Screenshot: Australia in Thailand / Facebook

Last night the Australian Ambassador, Allan McKinnon, announced that the Australian Embassy and Consulate-General in Phuket will be issuing visa letters to Australians who require them, Matthew Barclay, Australian Consul-General to Phuket, told The Phuket News today (July 17).

While there has been no announcement on the future of the visa amnesty to date, we understand many people have gone to Immigration to extend their existing visas (or to convert their visas) ahead of the deadline. Many have been informed that they require a letter from their Embassy to do this, he explained.

It is our intent to ensure that we are not an obstacle in this process. As a result, we will be issuing letters (at no fee and via email) to those Australians who send their passport biodata page to Consular.Bangkok@dfat.gov.au. People should expect a reply within one to two working days, he added.

As always, anyone with queries about their visa circumstances should direct these to Thai Immigration, Mr Barclay advised.

We are in regular contact with Immigration authorities and we will ensure that when we have official news it is conveyed through our regular announcements on our Australia in Thailand Facebook page, he added.

In his daily video address posted on the Australia in Thailand Facebook page, Ambassador McKinnon said plainly, I know that many of you are focussed on the fact that the thai visa amnesty finishes on 31 July. We received well over 100 queries in the past few days about this issue

I must stress that there has been no official announcement of what will happen after this date. My team is in regular contact with Thai Immigration and we have been told to wait for an announcement, he said.

That said I know many of you have already sought to extend your visas and in some cases Thai authorities have asked for a letter to facilitate this process. if you are asked for a letter, we can assist, Amb McKinnon confirmed.

I know previously we said that we would not sign these letters. That was at a time when we were trying to encourage everyone to leave Thailand, but now we can see that it is very hard to leave and we are happy to provide those letters.

Should you require such a letter please email consular.bangkok@dfat.gov.au with a copy of the biodata page of your passport. The team here will email your letter within a couple of days.

There is no fee for this service. The letter will be sent by email and no physical copies will be provided, Ambassador McKinnon explained.
All eyes have been on the protests and calls for police reform in the U.S. and Europe in recent weeks, but the publics trust in policing institutions is at an all-time low in many countries around the world. The police are the gatekeepers of the criminal justice system. They are the physical manifestation of the social contract, and as such the level of trust between the people and the police is a litmus test for the state of democratic development in a society.

The decline of public trust in security institutions in general  police and military  has been a worrying trend, and it seems this crisis might just prove to finally be the catalyst for much-needed reform. Countries that have made the transition from conflict to peace, with effective rule of law and democratic control, have learned that an accountable system of security and justice is the foundation on which political, social, and economic development depends.

As such, the current debate around de-funding the police should not centre on questioning a societys need for policing, but rather on whether the expected role of the police  as an institution of last resort for all of societys problems  is really effective or sustainable. Over time, the traditional mandate of the police  maintaining public order and safety, enforcing the law, and preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal activities  has been expanded to compensate for shortcomings in political and economic systems and civic engagement. And therein lies the problem.

Practice at home what we preach abroad

Police reform, like reform in all areas of the security sector, is as much a political and social challenge as it is a technical and legal one. It is time for western countries to practice at home what they have been preaching for decades to countries in the so-called developing world. The same development and security assistance programmes supporting reform in the global south, for instance, could provide guidance and good practices for police reform in countries in the west.

Forged in the fires of experience and tested over long periods of time, the principles that guide such reforms are well known. They have been enshrined and reinforced in policies and official statements by no less than the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union.

Firstly, police reform needs to be a political priority and commitment, internally owned and locally defined. While change must be based on a strong political commitment, police personnel themselves must also recognise the need for change and own it. And the public needs to have a part in identifying priorities for reform, including how the police are structured, resourced, mandated and held to account.

We commonly find that in less mature policing environments the public policy discussion on policing remains more limited or even monopolized by the police themselves with limited civilian input. The common excuse for limiting the open debate is that policing is a complex subject matter that is poorly understood by non-policing experts; yet, the type of policing agencies we want in our communities must fundamentally remain a public policy issue that is thoroughly consulted and collectively developed with all spectrums of society.

In Ethiopia, where lack of police accountability has been a source of contention in many communities, the Government has pursued extensive consultations with local communities, academics, police experts, civil society, and a range of political parties across all parts of the country as part of the development of a revised national policing doctrine.

Public perception surveys, an important tool

In other contexts, for instance in Liberia or Gambia, governments have conducted public perception surveys to understand the extent to which police are trusted in the communities and to identify which parts of a community, for instance specific gender or ethnic groups, have a particularly challenging relationship with the police or other security institutions. Such consultations allow policy makers to shape the police reform process based on the views and needs of specific communities. If perception studies are carried out in regular intervals, they can serve as an important tool to understand whether reforms have had the intended result.

Secondly, if the potential for abuse is to be reduced, increasing police effectiveness needs to be balanced with appropriate accountability mechanisms. This is usually where police reform fails. The focus is too often on providing training and enhancing equipment, without putting in place the institutional safeguards necessary to ensure that this acquired capacity is used appropriately.

Thirdly, police reform is a systemic process anchored in the social contract between the state and the community and has repercussions across the whole spectrum of security and justice institutions. Policing does not occur in isolation; it needs to be understood within the social, economic, and political context, and as part of the wider criminal justice and governance system.

Policing by consent or police as a coercive force?

In view of the recent protests, the evolving role of police institutions, and emerging findings from DCAF  Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governances long-standing work on police reform in many regions of the world, reformers in the U.S. and other western countries are facing four key issues.

One is demilitarisation. The division of roles and responsibilities of different security institutions has often been an issue in countries in transition to democracy, yet we have also witnessed a trend towards militarizing the police in the developed world over the last two decades. This is partly due to the easy availability of surplus military equipment, sourcing of police personnel from the military, and use of the military for internal security, but it is equally due to a change in policing tactics, philosophy and approach. What is clear is that this trend has moved the police away from the idea of service  of policing by consent  and reinforced the perception of the police as a coercive force.

Another issue is inclusiveness. To be effective, the police need to have the publics trust. The first step is to ensure the police are representative of the society that they serve, which usually implies greater diversity of ethnicity and gender in the upper ranks. This needs to be coupled with confidence-building measures and inclusive dialogue on policing needs, in particular involving social groups who are vulnerable, suffering from gender, cultural, or socio-economic discrimination.

Why social change is required

One more challenge is to have multiple levels of accountability. Experience has shown that this is needed to ensure the integrity of a policing system.

Both Sierra Leone and Northern Ireland provide good examples of where reforms targeted the creation of multiple levels of accountability, as a means of building integrity within policing and bridging the gap in trust with the population. Based on a comprehensive approach to oversight and the development of integrity plans, codes of conduct, complaint mechanisms, disciplinary procedures, a clear break with the past was possible. This was reinforced through parliamentary oversight, local community consultative bodies and other external mechanism such as the creation of an ombuds institution, policing boards and the provision of greater access to information. In the western Balkans, but also in many other countries across all continents, similar reforms have included a focus on strengthening the role of civil society in overseeing work practices of the police.

The last issue is responsiveness to social change. Police institutions, like other security and justice structures, are a product of a countrys history, its unique political system, and the cultural it upholds. So, while the principles of reform transcend the context, no two policing systems are the same, and change must reflect social and cultural norms. A change in the approach to policing does not just require political change, but in most cases also some social change.

It is about systemic change

The recent demonstrations and protests against police brutality mark a tipping point and it is not only policing that is at risk. In some contexts, important democratic values are also being challenged. Until we accept the need for systemic change, civil unrest and protests against the police will likely continue. The further erosion of trust between the police and the people they are meant to serve will weaken the social contract. Policy makers need to accept that this is not about a few bad apples who behaved inappropriately. It is about the way in which police institutions operate and how they are held to account. The public deserves it, and democracy depends on it.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Great (Little) Train Robbery, the San Antonio Zoo will be reenact the famous Brackenridge Park incident during an event Saturday.

On July 18, 1970, two masked robbers looted the Brackenridge Eagle at gunpoint. They got away with $500, car keys, checkbooks and credit cards. Two soldiers stationed at Fort Sam Houston were arrested for the crime and sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison, according to the San Antonio Public Library.

At first, passengers on the train that day thought it was a skit and some even laughed at the robbers before realizing its seriousness.

San Antonio made history that day, as it was the first time in nearly half a century that a train had been robbed in the Wild West, and it marked the last known train robbery in Texas.

ON EXPRESSNEWS.COM: Nearly 50 years later, Brackenridge Eagle train robbery is still famous

On the anniversary of the robbery, the reenactments will showcase educators in full costume holding up the Zoo Eagle Train passengers with bubble guns and asking them for their money for a good cause  to donate to the Zoo Eagle Train.

"Everyone that lived in San Antonio in 1970 remembers the Eagle Train robbery," said Tim Morrow, President and CEO San Antonio Zoo. "We are excited to have some fun with the history, this unique one of a kind fundraiser is an opportunity to raise funds for much needed new miniature trains."

The reenactments will occur during each train ride.Tickets for the train are $10 a person and can be purchased here for time slots from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
To enter, any Instagram follower of Nick's just needs to tag someone with the first or last name Nick or any of its derivations -- Nic, Nikki, Nicholson, Nicholas  for both to possibly win a year's supply of Nick's Ice Cream. And why not? Each pint is keto-friendly and only 220 to 360 calories, depending on which of the 16 flavors you choose. Some popular flavors are Salta Karamell (240 calories),Triple Choklad (300 calories) and Butter Pekan (300 calories).

Along with the Grand Prize winner, 10 entrants will receive six pints of Nick's Ice Cream and another 100 will receive one free pint.

And even if you don't know or never met a Nick, you can still participate in this Sunday's festivities simply by going to nicks.com and using code NICKSDAY10 at checkout to receive 10 percent off your purchase.

The idea for Nick's grew out of founder Niclas "Nick" Luthman's frustration over not being able to find good-tasting sweets that he so enjoyed before being diagnosed in 2014 as pre-diabetic. A mechanical engineer turned serial entrepreneur in his native Sweden, Luthman taught himself food science and, two years later, gathered a group of similarly minded entrepreneurs and food scientists to create Nick's Ice Cream.

Luthman points to eight elements of differentiation that contribute to Nick's 16 flavors retaining creaminess and great taste, despite no added sugar. Chief among them is the utilization of plant-based fat which produces 92% less calories than dairy versions.

"We believe you don't have to compromise deliciousness for healthiness," said Luthman. "And with breakthrough advances in food technology, we're now able to offer great tasting ice cream without the sugar and calories."

In just its first year in the U.S., Nick's is in more than 3,500 stores and also available through its website, nicks.com .

About N!CK'S

Luthman Backlund Foods was founded in Sweden by Niclas Luthman with the mission of creating tasty and indulgent foods without sacrificing healthiness. N!CK'S applies cutting-edge food science in its R&D and uses functional ingredients to produce premium ice creams, protein bars, and confectionery products. N!CK'S sells its line of 16 Swedish-style light ice creams in more than 3,500 grocery stores nationwide, and directly online to consumers.

Visit www.nicks.com, and [email protected] on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

To arrange an interview with Nicks Ice Cream founder Nick Luthman, or for more information, please contact:

Jeff Graubard at [email protected], 212-966-9000, or Howard Ruben at [email protected], 818-445-4543

SOURCE Nicks Ice Cream

Related Links

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 03:52:11|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Thursday called for the advancement of the peace process in Colombia and voiced concern over violence, including that against ex-combatants.

In a press statement, the members of the Security Council reaffirmed their commitment to working closely with Colombia to support the implementation of the peace agreement between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The council members expressed their serious concern about the continued threats, attacks and killings targeting community and social leaders, as well as those targeting former FARC members.

They underlined the need for the fuller use of the security guarantees mechanisms in the peace agreement, the extension of integrated civilian and security state presence to conflict-affected regions, and for the perpetrators of threats and violence to be brought to justice.

They noted with concern that insecurity had forced several groups of ex-combatants to abandon their locations of residence, and called for efforts to ensure the physical protection of former combatants.

The council members welcomed efforts by the Colombian authorities to promote inclusive development as an important element of stable and lasting peace. They stressed the importance of implementing all aspects of the peace agreement, including rural reform, political participation, countering illicit drugs, and transitional justice.

They commended the resilience of Colombians in the face of COVID-19, and welcomed efforts by the parties to mitigate its impact on peace implementation.

They noted the particular challenges the pandemic posed to the reintegration process, and in this context stressed the importance of continued joint efforts by the government and FARC to ensure the sustainability of reintegration projects.

They urged the acceleration of efforts to ensure access to land for former combatants, which is essential for income-generating projects, and underlined the importance of increased support in the form of technical assistance and market access.

The Security Council on Tuesday heard a briefing from Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the UN secretary-general's special representative for Colombia, to assess the progress in Colombia's peace process.

The Colombian government and FARC struck a peace deal in August 2016 after four years of negotiations in Havana, Cuba, ending a five-decade-long conflict in the country. The United Nations deploys a verification mission in Colombia, which is led by Massieu, to verify the reintegration of former FARC fighters. Enditem
CONWAY, S.C.  More than 2,300 undergraduate students at Coastal Carolina University were named to the Deans List for the spring 2020 semester, including Logan Bellos, a Languages and Intercultural Studies major from Ivoryton; Lauren Bomely, a Marketing major from Middletown; Jack Bugg, a Marketing Pre-Major major from Clinton; Nicholas Carta, a Undeclared-Undergraduate major from Chester; and Erika Kidd, a Finance Pre-Major major from Old Saybrook.

Rochester Institute of Tech

ROCHESTER, N.Y.  The following local residents made the Deans List at Rochester Institute of Technology for the 2020 spring semester. Degree-seeking undergraduate students are eligible if their term grade-point average is greater than or equal to 3.400; they do not have any grades of incomplete, D or F, and they have registered for, and completed, at least 12 credit hours.

They are: Emilie Mackinnon of Portland, biomedical engineering; Benjamin Blair of Higganum, computing and information technologies; Kim Labby of Portland, film and animation; Wyatt Morrell of Higganum, physics; Derek Labasi of Durham, mechanical engineering; John Carlson of Middletown, computer science; Freddy Stock of Haddam mathematics; Conner Cart of Old Saybrook, game design and development; Bridget Harry of Higganum, film and animation; Aubrey Figoras of Durham, mechanical engineering; Josef Lenz of Deep River, software engineering; and Mason Muszynski of East Haddam, computer science.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

WORCESTER, Mass.  The following local residents were among 1,749 students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute named to the universitys Deans List for academic excellence for the spring 2020 semester.

Rachel Flanagan of Clinton, class of 2023 majoring in architectural engineering; Morgan Hughes of Middletown, class of 2023 majoring in architectural engineering; John Gabelmann of Old Saybrook, class of 2023 majoring in biochemistry; Daniel Maynard of East Hampton, class of 2021 majoring in chemical engineering; Everest Peacock of East Haddam, class of 2020 majoring in chemical engineering and mechanical engineering; Madeline Kasznay of Middletown, class of 2022 majoring in electrical and computer engineering; Christopher Brainard of Westbrook, class of 2020 majoring in environmental engineering; Jillian Clemente of Killingworth, class of 2020 majoring in industrial engineering; Julia Duffield of Killingworth, class of 2021 majoring in mechanical engineering; and Connor Sullivan of Durham, class of 2022 majoring in mechanical engineering.

WPI does not compute a grade-point average. Instead, it defines the Deans List by the amount of work completed at the A level in courses and projects.

Gettysburg College

GETTYSBURG, Pa.  Gettysburg College has released the names of local students whose semester averages were 3.6 or above, placing them on the Deans Honor List for the fall 2019 semester: Caitlin Glance of Deep River, Bridget Haines of East Haddam, Peter Halsey of Essex.

Miami University

OXFORD, Ohio  Hannah Sroka was named to the Miami University spring 2019-20 presidents list. Students in the top 3 percent of undergraduate students within each division for second semester 2019-20 are placed on the presidents list. Sroka, from Portland, is majoring in English: Creative Writing, Professional Writing.

Dean College

FRANKLIN, Mass.  Dean College announces students who earned a place on the Deans List for the spring 2020 semester: Kaitlyn Anderson of Clinton and Mireille Fortin of Chester.

Pomfret School

POMFRET  Students named to the Pomfret School high honor roll earned a grade-point average of 4.00 and received no grade lower than an A- for the spring 2020 term. Hanley Ferrucci of Essex achieved the honor.

Nicholas Ferrucci of Essex earned a grade-point average of at least 3.330 and received no grade lower than a B, placing him on the honor roll.

Saint Michaels College

COLCHESTER, Vt.  The following local residents graduated May 10 from Saint Michaels College: Emma Elizabeth Clark of Killingworth, Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies; and Sarah Donahue of Portland, Bachelor of Science, magna cum laude, in business administration.

University of Maine

FARMINGTON, Maine The University of Maine at Farmington announces its Deans List for the spring 2020 semester includes Westbrook resident Terri Potvin.

UMF maintains a Deans List each semester for those students completing a minimum of 12 credits in courses producing quality points. Students whose grade-point average for the semester is equal to or greater than 3.8 are awarded high academic achievement. Students whose GPA for the semester is less than 3.8 but equal to or greater than 3.5 are awarded academic achievement.

Drake University

DES MOINES, Iowa  Middletown resident Elizabeth Rambhia earned a Bachelor of Science, Mathematics and Math Education from Drake University at the end of the spring 2020 semester. She also made the deans list after earned a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher during the spring 2020 semester.
RALEIGH, North Carolina, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The coronavirus pandemic is having a high impact on the facilities maintenance and services industry. Currently, the properties are managed by about 5  10 percent of the total resource personnel deployed which will add up the cost for facility management companies in the short-term, according to Beroe Inc, a procurement intelligence firm. In the long-run, these resources are critical for the normal working of different types of properties, due to which suppliers are incentivizing blue-collar workers providing cleaning and sanitizing services for commercial & real estate properties.

Regionally, and in many locations around the world, social distancing, remote working, reduction of open public spaces with closure of schools and shopping malls are seriously impacting delivery of security services, yet the need to provide adequate security services continues. Hence more technological based surveillance like drones, CCTV etc. are used instead of physical security. Facility management companies are ensuring a minimum number of workers are posted on sites, with some companies dividing the workforce into multiple smaller batches.

https://www.beroeinc.com/category-intelligence

Beroe, which is based in North Carolina, further stated that procurement experts can access this report on market intelligence platform Beroe LiVE: live.beroeinc.com

Business continuity is the key for any organization and as a result, facilities management providers are changing their strategy to tackle the pandemic. Although the short-term attention of corporates will focus on business continuity, there are significant longer-term implications for real estate decision-making  with a renewed emphasis on the ability to react quickly to a similar event in the future with a focus on operational resilience. Suppliers are maintaining minimum essential workforce at client sites, by providing incentives and other benefits like food and accommodation.

Cleaning services are highly impacted as FM companies have started building capabilities to avoid infection at client sites. To minimize risk of infection in client sites, FM service providers have partnered with suppliers to provide a supply of masks, hand sanitizers, hand-wash and also offer 'step-up cleaning' or high-frequency cleaning to disinfect high-touch or high footfall areas. When buildings are closed or minimally staffed, HVAC systems have to be reprogrammed to match changes in occupancy or operational needs to avoid unnecessary spend.

Key Findings:

Catering services are having a moderate to high impact from COVID-19. While many offices are in lockdown affecting demand, at the same time food demand is increasing with many providers supporting health workers and other essential service personnel.

As a result of COVID-19, the demand for food supplies has increased. FM companies have reinforced the existing rules for food safety, personal hygiene and infection control. Buyers have the largest bargaining power for small/medium FM service providers.

Due to COVID-19, the real estate companies have seen a meaningful fall off in transaction volume (supply) as measured by deals coming to market and demand.

Short-term leasing activity will decline as occupiers take a wait-and-see approach and there are challenges with site inspections for capital markets activity.

One of the biggest food service providers in the world, Compass Group predicts operating profit is expected to be 125m - 225m lower than previously expected, and has also announced their decision of furloughing employees.

Based on the last few weeks' observations of Sodexo in China , Italy , France and the U.S., it is expected that for each 100m of revenue decline the impact on underlying operating profit is around 30 percent depending on the country and the segment.

The research methodology adopted for the report included:

Experts with twenty years of domain experience

Interaction with buyers

Inputs from supply chain partners

Global supplier partnerships by ISS are helping ISS bring all consumables required for functioning of facilities management as alternative sources of supply bases have brought in more efficiency. Aramark's uniform services division converted its manufacturing facilities to design products, re-engineer and configure the production lines, and train employees on fabricating new products like respirator and medical masks, scrubs and isolation gowns. Cushman & Wakefield asked facility management and security workforce to stay at the sites during the duration of the crisis providing them with food and accommodation.

The report also includes:

Market Analysis:

Facility Management Services

Cleaning & Security Services

Catering & Hard Services

COVID-19 Impact Analysis:

Cleaning Services

Security Services

Catering Services

Hard Services

Commercial Real Estate

Impact Cost Assessment

Steps Taken by FM Companies

Outlook Analysis:

Business Strategies

Immediate Outlook

Short-term Analysis

Mid-term Analysis

Long-term Analysis

Supplier Analysis:

Key Suppliers

Supplier Updates & Initiatives

About Beroe Inc.:

Beroe is the world's leading provider of procurement intelligence and supplier compliance solutions. We provide critical market information and analysis that enables companies to make smart sourcing decisionsleading to lower costs, greater profits and reduced risk. Beroe has been providing these services for more than 13 years and currently works with more than 10,000 companies worldwide, including 400 of the Fortune 500 companies.

To learn more about Beroe Inc., please visit: http://www.beroeinc.com

Media Contact:



Debobrata Hembram

[email protected]

SOURCE Beroe Inc.




"We believe that the 2021 general elections might be particularly intense. There surely be different kinds of proposals (...) but we assume that, in the end, whoever wins the presidency next year will follow the same guidelines that the last administrations in Peru have maintained," he affirmed.





According to the economist, these guidelines involve discipline on the fiscal side, discipline on the monetary side, and an economy that provides a favorable environment for the private sector and not the State to be the protagonist.

"So, I think that regardless of the administrations that have ruled the country in the last two and a half decades, the foundations have been maintained, thus allowing Peru to transition from a bankrupt country to a country with potential," he stressed.





In this line, the BBVA Research officer stated that the new ruler will keep in mind the macroeconomic indicators achieved in 25 years, and thus continue the poverty reduction line and the strengthening of the middle class.





"We believe that the economic activity will continue regardless of whether the new leader is a traditional politician or an outsider, that entails a deeper political analysis," he concluded.





(END) RGP/RMB/MVB

BBVA Research assumes that the upcoming Government will maintain the guidelines to ensure macroeconomic stability in Peru since this approach has yielded results over the past 25 years, its Chief Economist Hugo Perea affirmed.Published: 7/17/2020
WASHINGTON - Here are some snapshots from what President Donald Trump describes as the nation with the best testing in the world for the coronavirus:

In Sun Belt states where the virus is surging, lines of cars with people seeking tests snake for hours in the beating sun, often yielding results so far after the fact that theyre useless.

In Pittsburgh, adults who are afraid theyve been exposed to the coronavirus are being asked to skip testing if they can quarantine at home for 14 days to help reduce delays and backlogs.

In Hawaii, the governor will wait another month to lift a two-week quarantine on visitors because of test supply shortages and delays that potential visitors are facing in getting results.

Testing has been a challenge everywhere, says Utah Republican Gov. Gary Herbert.

The White House insists its giving states whatever they need. But public health experts say the testing system is in shambles and federal leadership is lacking. Trumps persistent salesmanship about the prowess of testing in the United States is colliding with a far different reality for those affected by the explosion in coronavirus cases.

The long lines and processing delays are contributing to the virus spread and upending plans to reopen stores, schools and other activities that are vital to the economic rebound that Trump himself is intent on bringing about.

We have the best testing in the world, the president insisted Tuesday. He falsely claimed the cases are created because of the fact that we do tremendous testing.

But U.S. testing on a per-capita basis lags other countries that have done a far better job of controlling their outbreaks. And state, local and federal officials are warning of the consequences of testing bottlenecks  including tests rendered useless because results come too late.

Its essentially worthless to have a test result that comes back after 48 hours, said Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University who previously served as Baltimores health commissioner. She explained that after that time, the window to begin contact tracing and prevent additional infections has essentially closed.

We are nowhere near being able to rein in this virus with the amount of testing we have available at the moment, she added. Testing is the linchpin.

The Trump administration plays down the problem.

Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant health secretary, says more than half of U.S. states are processing test results in three days or less, adding everybody is doing a really good job as much as they can.

Guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that states, as they lift final virus restrictions, have a turnaround time under two days.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany suggests that its states that need to do more.

There are various different types of tests in this country, she said Thursday. Some take longer to process than others. But we have surged testing to the states and we encourage them to use it to their best ability and to process those tests as quickly as possible.

Yet even Republican governors say they need more federal help.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, chairman of the National Governors Association, is deeply critical of the administrations testing response.

We expected something more than constant heckling from the man who was supposed to be our leader, Hogan wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Post this week. Trump soon disabused us of that expectation.

On April 6, he declared that testing wasnt Washingtons responsibility after all, Hogan went on. States can do their own testing, he quoted Trump as saying. Were the federal government. Were not supposed to stand on street corners doing testing.

Whoever is responsible for testing shortfalls, the result is working against Trumps own goals to move beyond the virus and get the economy moving.

In Hawaii, Democratic Gov. David Ige said a shortage of chemical reagents used in testing was one reason the state will delay a plan to make it easier for tourists to visit. It was a huge disappointment to many in Hawaii hoping for a surge in tourism to reopen hotels, get people back to work and reduce the states 22.6% unemployment rate.

In Pennsylvanias Allegheny County, which encompasses Pittsburgh and 1.2 million residents, health officials are trying to triage the demand for tests. Dr. Debra Bogen, director of the countys Health Department, is asking adults who are concerned that they were exposed, but do not have symptoms, to put off getting tested.

Even as the White House sticks with its rosy outlook, the U.S. governments top official in charge of coronavirus testing is urging Americans not to get retested for COVID-19 to confirm theyve recovered.

Its clogging up the system, Giroir said. He said U.S. officials will soon issue guidelines explicitly recommending against the practice, except for patients in the most severe cases.

The American Clinical Laboratory Association said many of its labs are being stretched beyond capacity or dont have the supplies they need, and this week encouraged members to give priority to those most in need, especially hospitalized and symptomatic patients.

I feel a bit like a broken record  nothing has really changed, said Dr. Carmen Wiley, president of the American Association of Clinical Chemistry. Theres a huge disconnect between what the task force indicates is happening and what we are truly experiencing in the field.

U.S. officials are aiming to increase the use of rapid tests to shorten turnaround times. Those tests can usually be developed in 15 minutes or less and be performed at testing sites, doctors offices and clinics. They tend to be less accurate than the tests that need to be processed at clinical laboratories.

This week U.S. health officials announced they would begin shipping rapid testing machines and kits to nursing homes in COVID-19 hot spots. The goal is to eventually provide the equipment to all nursing homes in the U.S.

The Health and Human Services Department has also been establishing surge test sites in hot spot areas to increase testing for vulnerable populations, said Devin OMalley a spokesman for Vice-President Mike Pence, who is leading the coronavirus task force.

Lawrence Gostin, a public health expert at Georgetown University, called the Trump administrations claims about effective testing laughable.

The on-the-ground experience, in fact, is borne out by the data, Gostin said. We dont have the testing kits. We dont have the labs to process it. There are backlogs. All of this is very unhelpful.

___ Stobbe reported from New York. Associated Press writer Matthew Perrone in Washington contributed to this report.
You recognize the New York City health department letter grade in the restaurant window, and maybe even the Michelin seal. Now, you might also want to look for a blue-and-white sticker that says Safe Eats.

The sticker represents membership in a new nonprofit organization of the same name, introduced Thursday, that has set standards for what it deems to be the safe operation of restaurants for on-site dining, takeout and delivery during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The effort has started with a small collection of restaurants in New York City. The chef Dan Kluger joined Safe Eats for his restaurant Loring Place in Greenwich Village, where he has been selling takeout meals and has tables outdoors. He considers it to be a response to often confusing directions from government agencies.

That is the main draw for restaurants: In the absence of consistent, up-to-date government standards for safe restaurant operation during the pandemic, Safe Eats provides a list of safety measures to follow. It is also meant to reassure diners that the member restaurants have made a commitment to follow those rules.
The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) PMs' meeting will be hosted by Yerevan in October, said Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan on Friday.

I would like to remind you that Armenia expressed its readiness to host the next meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Yerevan. I am glad that we have already decided in this regard. So I am waiting for all of you in Yerevan in October, Pashinyan said in Minsk during a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union intergovernmental council.

The Eurasian Economic Union is an international integration economic association that has been operating since January 1, 2015. The members of the union are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. This year Belarus presides over the EAEU bodies.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday warned investors in two Russian natural gas pipeline projects that they could face sanctions as the Trump administration seeks to curb the Kremlins economic leverage over Europe and Turkey.

Pompeo told a news conference that European investors in the Nord Stream 2 and a branch of the Turkstream pipelines could be put at risk of U.S. sanctions under the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017. The pipelines will carry gas from Russia to Europe and Turkey.

Its a clear warning to companies aiding and abetting Russias malign influence projects will not be tolerated. Get out now, or risk, the consequences, Pompeo said.

The United States, which has a glut of natural gas, is trying to export liquefied natural gas, or LNG, to Europe. It has also supported efforts by Europe to diversify its imports of LNG from other sources, including Norway.

Russia Response

Russias foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said sanctions on the two pipelines equated to political pressure, TASS news agency reported.

This is the use of political pressure for unfair competition, Zakharova said. It is an indicator of the weakness of the American system. Apart from forceful methods, there are no effective tools.

Nord Stream 2 suspended construction last December after Swiss-Dutch company Allseas, which specializes in subsea construction, pulled out following U.S. President Donald Trumps signing of a defense policy bill that contained other sanctions on the project.

Two Russian-owned pipe-laying vessels may finish the remaining 100 miles (160 km) of the project, led by Russia state-run company Gazprom. Gazprom is financing half of the project worth about 9.5 billion euros ($10.5 billion).

Gazprom did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Senate Expansion to Insurance

Last month, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators led by Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, and Ted Cruz, a Republican, introduced a sanctions bill on Nord Stream 2. The measures, which only become law after being passed by Congress and signed by Trump, would expand existing sanctions to include penalties on parties providing underwriting services, insurance or reinsurance, and pipe-laying activities.

Nord Stream 2, which would take 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Germany under the Baltic Sea, bypassing Ukraine and depriving it of potentially billions of dollars in transit fees, aims to double the Nord Stream routes existing capacity.

Nord Stream 2 chafed at the U.S. move.

Efforts to obstruct the project reflect a clear disregard for the interests of European households and industries, who will pay billions more for gas if this pipeline is not built, said spokesperson Steffen Hartmann.

Other partners in Nord Stream 2 are Austrias OMV, German firms Uniper and Wintershall, Anglo-Dutch energy major Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Frances Engie.

The sanctions are opposed by Germany, Europes largest economy, which needs cheap gas as it weans itself off of coal and nuclear power plants.

Analysts pointed out that the sanctions remain optional.

In short, we would describe todays change as loading and aiming of the sanctions weapon without cocking or firing it, said analysts at ClearView Energy Partners, LLC in a note to clients.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner, Jonathan Landay and Humeyra Pamuk in Washington and Alexander Marrow in Moscow Editing by Marguerita Choy, Lisa Shumaker and Diane Craft)

Topics Carriers USA Europe Germany Russia
LOS ANGELES and SAN JOSE, Calif., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced it has begun powering two of its largest Los Angeles-area facilities with Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) solid oxide fuel cells. The switch to fuel cells will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air pollutants and the cost of power, as well as provide reliable electricity independent of the power grid. Photos of the fuel cells at one of the SoCalGas facilities are located here.

SoCalGas is now powering two of its largest Los Angeles-area facilities with Bloom Energy fuel cells. Powering the facilities with the grid-independent fuel cells will reduce GHG emissions, air pollution and electric costs, and increase reliability. Credit: SoCalGas/Tim Sarell (PRNewsfoto/Southern California Gas Company) (PRNewsfoto/Southern California Gas Company)

To produce electricity, Bloom Energy's fuel cells could use natural gas, renewable natural gas, or hydrogen. The fuel cells at SoCalGas intake natural gas and oxygen, and through an electrochemical reaction, produce electricity without any combustion. Bloom Energy Servers can operate at 60% efficiency and are considered one of the most efficient power solutions currently available. More information on how fuel cells work may be found here.

"Using Bloom Energy's fuel cells for our facilities is yet another way that SoCalGas is demonstrating our commitment to be an industry leader supporting a 21st century energy system," said Maryam Brown, president of SoCalGas. "These onsite generation systems will provide clean, affordable and resilient energy to key facilities so that we can ensure safe and reliable service to our 22 million customers."

"The SoCalGas pipeline system is integral to many Bloom Energy Servers installed in central and southern California, so we were eager to team up again to bring fuel cells to SoCalGas' own facilities," said Kris Kim, managing director of strategic development at Bloom Energy. "Fuel cells at utility-owned sites are a natural fit as we are both looking to the future of energy and prioritize qualities like fuel flexibility, emissions reductions, efficiency, and reliability."

"I am delighted to see SoCalGas has chosen Pico Rivera to showcase this exciting new technology," said Sen. Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera). "It is no longer up for debate; hydrogen will be a part of California's clean energy future. I have fought for investments in both hydrogen infrastructure and clean transportation programs in the California Legislature and I will continue to do so. I am proud of SoCalGas for taking the initiative and bringing these investments to the 32nd Senate District and I look forward to continuing to work with them as we pursue our clean energy goals."

In addition to providing cost savings and improving reliability of power, the fuel cells will lead to a reduction in carbon emissions by 683 metric tons per year compared to the current grid profile  which is like eliminating annual GHG emissions produced by the electricity use of 112 homes. Because no fuel is burned to produce the electricity, smog-forming pollutants and particulate matter are reduced by more than 99%. And, because they virtually eliminate all combustion-related pollutants, the California Air Resources Board has certified the Bloom Energy Servers as a Distributed Generation Technology that do not require a generation permit, a designation given only to the cleanest technologies in the state.

Adoption of distributed power generation solutions, also called distributed energy resources, is a growing trend in the U.S. These solutions can combine environmental benefits and the ability to provide uninterrupted power in the event of natural disasters or outages. While SoCalGas uses solar generation at 6 of its 113 facilities, the company selected the fuel cell solution for its Monterey Park and Pico Rivera facilities for their superior resiliency.

The Bloom Energy Servers at each of SoCalGas' facilities total 950 kilowatts in size, replacing over 90% of the baseload power that would otherwise come from the grid. The Servers are configured as AlwaysON Microgrids. Microgrids are a distributed power supply that are always-on  operating alongside the main grid and independently during an outage. Bloom Energy has deployed its Servers at 600 sites globally, and more than 85 of those are microgrids, which have powered through over 1,500 outages.

The environmental benefits of switching to fuel cells at these facilities are part of SoCalGas' vision to be the cleanest gas utility in North America, and support a 21st century energy system that provides clean, affordable, resilient and integrated energy. As part of its vision, the utility last year committed to replacing five percent of natural gas supplies to its core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2022 and 20% by 2030.

About SoCalGas

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.

SoCalGas's vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in North America , delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through 2018, the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade and modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

About Bloom Energy

Bloom Energy's mission is to make clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone in the world. The Company's product, the Bloom Energy Server, delivers highly reliable and resilient, always-on electric power that is clean, cost-effective, and ideal for microgrid applications. Bloom's customers include many Fortune 100 companies and leaders in manufacturing, data centers, healthcare, retail, higher education, utilities, and other industries. For more information, visit www.bloomenergy.com.

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 03:03:29|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday, with both sides voicing support for strengthening coordination and cooperation.

The strategic guidance of the two heads of state is the biggest political advantage of China-Russia relations, Wang said.

After Russia successfully carried out a referendum last week, the two heads of state spoke to each other again by phone, confirming their firm support for each other and stressing that they regard the China-Russia relations as the top foreign policy priority of the two countries, Wang said.

The two sides should further implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, maintain the momentum of exchanges at all levels, deepen anti-COVID-19 and practical cooperation, and strengthen strategic coordination in major international and regional affairs, Wang said.

Wang stressed that the United States is practicing its policy of stark "America First" and pursuing its egoism, unilateralism and bullying policy to the extreme.

By shifting its own responsibilities, the U.S. side has used the epidemic to smear other countries and shift the blame in every possible way, and even created hot spots and confrontation in international relations, Wang said, adding that Washington has lost its sense of reason, morality and credibility.

Wang said that the U.S. side has revived its notorious McCarthyism and outdated Cold War mentality in its policy toward China, deliberately provoked ideological confrontation and crossed the bottom line of international law and basic norms governing international relations.

China will not be misled by a small number of anti-China forces in the United States, but will firmly defend its legitimate interests and dignity, Wang said.

Wang said that as major responsible countries, China and Russia should not only push their bilateral relations to a higher level, but also stand by all countries with an objective and fair stance to reject any actions destructive to international order and against the historical trend, jointly safeguard world peace and stability, maintain the international justice and preserve global development.

For his part, Lavrov said Russia is willing to follow the guidance of the consensus reached by the two heads of state, support the strengthening of pragmatic cooperation between Russia and China in the context of the regular epidemic prevention and control, and promote the synergy between the Eurasian Economic Union and the construction of the Belt and Road.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council and major responsible countries, Russia and China should further strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs and safeguard international law and common interests of the two countries, Lavrov said.

He said that the United States has always believed in the American exceptionalism and egotism, adding recently, it stripped off its pretence and was ready to threaten or wield sanctions against others.

Russia opposes unilateralism in international affairs, he said.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on holding a summit of the five permanent members of the Security Council, maintaining international strategic stability, as well as the development of regional situation and international hotspot issues of common interest. Enditem
A City In North Carolina Approved Reparations For Black Residents

In a historic move on July 14, the City Council of Asheville, North Carolina, held a vote to provide Black residents of the city with reparations. The City Council also apologized for the citys participation in slavery and for its discrimination and denial of liberties to Black residents, who make up 12 percent of the city's population.

Councilman Keith Young, a Black member on Ashevilles City Council, said, Its simply not enough to remove statues. Black people in this country are dealing with issues that are systemic in nature. The statement referred to the calls in many cities to take down statues of racist figures in history, such as Christopher Columbus and Robert E. Lee, among others.

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Hes right: removing statues is a good first step, but we have to go further. Removing statues doesnt erase the pain of systemic racism that Black people still feel to this day. Asheville is making a historic and much-needed move by giving their Black residents reparations from slavery and the legacy of slavery that continues to permeate the country to this day.

The resolution was passed unanimously by the City Council. It does not mandate direct payments to Black residents; instead, it mandates investing in areas where Black people in the city face disparities. The resolution called on the city to create the Community Reparations Commission, which invites community groups and other local governments to join. The council allowed one hour of public comments on the resolution, the majority of which were in support of the resolution.

However, Councilwoman Shaneika Smith said that she did hear from some opposing the resolution. A lot of the feedback that weve gotten so far by email is that you know, Why should we pay for what happened during slavery? Smith said. And my pushback against that is reparations is more than restitution for what happened during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. It is a dark evil sin of chattel slavery that is the root of all injustice and inequity that is at work in American life today.

Giving Black residents reparations in a great step in trying to address the legacy of slavery. Reparations have become a part of the mainstream conversation recently, and new polling shows that twenty percent of Americans approve of providing reparations. The resolution comes after the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Ideally, this action by the City Council of Asheville will set a precedent. Councilwoman Gwen Wisler has similar hopes. I just hope that we will be, just maybe, a little spark that will really get this conversation not only going in Asheville but in North Carolina and across the country, she said.

Header image via Wikimedia Commons / Leoboudv

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Shamima Begum has appealed the decision to revoke her British citizenship. (PA Images)

Sadiq Khan has backed a court ruling that Shamima Begum should return to the UK to face justice in the criminal courts.

On Thursday, the Court of Appeal ruled that Begum  one of three east London schoolgirls who travelled to Syria to join Isis  should be allowed to return to the UK to fight the decision to remove her British citizenship.

Downing Street said the Government was bitterly disappointed by the ruling and the Home Office said it plans to appeal.

On Friday, Khan said: People who commit criminal offences must face the music.

While weve got courts in this country and judges who are some of the fairest in the world, I think if a British citizen commits an offence here or overseas they should face justice in the criminal courts.

And if she has committed a criminal offence Im sure the jury will find her guilty, and justice will be served.

What Im not in favour of is us sub-contracting justice to another country.

Mr Khans comments come after the Begum family lawyer said she could still be a threat if allowed to return to the UK.

Shamima Begum's family lawyer Tasnime Akunjee says only the facts should be considered in her case.



He says she should face the accusations of joining a terrorist organisation in a UK court and be found guilty or innocent.



Watch the whole debatehttps://t.co/fzcHkA6S4k pic.twitter.com/1oPhSsjx1E  Good Morning Britain (@GMB) July 17, 2020

Tasnime Akunjee told Good Morning Britain: No one can be sure, including her family, that that wont happen but that is pure speculation and what we deal with here is facts, is what is the persons status right now, what have they done right now, and then accuse them formally of those crimes.

She had joined a terrorist organisation, albeit at the age of 15. Now that being the case, thats a criminal offence and an accusation, a criminal accusation, should be levied at her, evidence brought and then a jury of her peers listens to the evidence and then finds her guilty or innocent.

Story continues

Begum, now 20, married a Dutch convert shortly after arriving in Syria and said she has given birth to three children, though all have since died.

She has said she regrets her actions and was brainwashed by Isis.

Sajid Javid revoked Beguns citizenship in 2019 on national security grounds. She remains at the al-Roj camp in Syria, insisting the former home secretarys decision leaves her stateless and exposes her to real risk of death.

Among those also concerned about her return is Richard Walton, the former head of Counter Terrorism Command at the Metropolitan Police, who has said the charges that might be brought against Begum may end up being relatively minor, such as membership of a proscribed group.

He warned efforts to prove more serious allegations could be hampered by the difficulty of collecting evidence from war-torn Syria.

Begum travelled with three others to Istanbul, then Syria, to live under Isis rule. (PA Images)

That could then lead to issues when she came to be released, Walton added.

He told LBC the Court of Appeal had made a profound mistake which will have serious ramifications for our security and set a dangerous precedent and interfered in the states duty to protect the public.

He suggested a workable treason law should be considered.

After the court ruled Begum should be allowed to return to the UK to challenge the revocation of her citizenship, the prime ministers spokesman said: The governments priority is maintaining our national security, and decisions to deprive individuals of their citizenship are not taken lightly.

We will always ensure the safety and security of the UK and will not allow anything to jeopardise this.
The McDonald's ad showing a father try to order a coffee without waking his newborn has touched parents around the country who have ever struggled to get a baby to sleep.

But it left Nova radio hosts Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton wondering if it was actually possible to place an order at the fast food chain without stopping.

In a hilarious video the pair shared to Nova 919's Facebook page on Wednesday, the comedic duo decided to put it to the test.

Is it possible? On Wednesday, Nova's Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton (right) decide to see if it's possible to order a coffee without stopping and waking a baby at a McDonalds drive-thru, just like the ad (left)

The Adelaide-based radio hosts seemed to be having a ball as they repeatably drove around a local restaurant with Liam sitting in the backseat wearing an adult-sized diaper.

The short clip opens showing Liam sucking on a dummy while he pretends to sleep in the back, wearing a bonnet, diaper and T-shirt.

'Strong skim...,' is all Ben can manage to get out as he drives past the order window, causing the two to break out into hysterical laughter.

Dressing the part: The real ad featured an adorable infant sleeping soundly (left) but for the recreation, Liam sucked on a dummy while he pretends to sleep in the back, wearing a bonnet, diaper and t-shirt (right)

'There's not even anyone in the window,' Ben then confesses to his sidekick.

On the third attempt, the boy's plans are thwarted as they are informed the store is about to close.

'We're doing a system close at the moment, so if you want to do your order you just have to come into the store,' they are told.

'Strong skim...,' is all Ben can manage to get out as he drives past the order window, causing the two to break out into hysterical laughter

Getting into character: Seeming to forget that he is an adult playing a baby and not an actual infant, Liam finds this so hilarious he starts to blow raspberries

Seeming to forget that he is an adult playing a baby and not an actual infant, Liam finds this so hilarious he starts to blow raspberries.

After parking their car, Ben picks up Liam and carries him into the store to place his coffee order.

Ben struggles to carry the two out before he finally hands his latte over to Liam who ends up drinking it.

Thwarted: On the third attempt, the boy's plans are thwarted as they are informed the store is about to close

The stunt went over great with the pair's fans who declared it the best thing they'd seen all year.

'The best f**king thing I've seen all year,' wrote one followed by several faces crying tears of joy emojis.

Another added: 'OMG I'm dead.'

'These guys kill me,' said another.
An Istanbul court has sentenced a prominent Turkish-German journalist to nearly three years in prison in absentia in a trial that has further heightened tensions between two NATO partners.

Deniz Yucel, 46, was convicted of incitement to hatred" and spreading "terrorist propaganda" through the articles he wrote about the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party as a Turkey-based correspondent for Germany's Die Welt newspaper.

Yucel, who denies all the charges, did not attend the trial, and his lawyer says Yucel will appeal the courts sentence of two years, nine months and 22 days in prison.

Yucel has lived in Berlin since his release from Turkish custody in February 2018 after a year spent in pretrial detention, including solitary confinement.

Turkish authorities have also accused Yucel of connections to Pennsylvania-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for the 2016 coup attempt. The court ruled Thursday that he was not guilty of spreading propaganda for Gulens network.

Separately, the Istanbul court filed two new criminal charges against the journalist for insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The president has routinely described Yucel as a terrorist agent" and German spy.

In an article for Die Welt headlined "I regret nothing," Yucel wrote that he was arrested for simply doing his job. The ruling, he said, shows once again what the rule of law is in this country: pathetic.

Relations between Ankara and Berlin have soured over Turkeys detention of a number of German citizens rounded up after the failed coup. In January, Germanys Foreign Ministry announced 59 of its citizens were held in Turkish prisons and an additional 74 were barred from leaving the country pending investigation.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the conviction sent the "absolutely wrong signal and called for the release of the remaining German nationals.

As long as that is not the case, this stands against a normalization of Turkeys relationship with us and the European Union as a whole, Germanys top diplomat tweeted.

Turkey has arrested tens of thousands of people in recent years for alleged ties to terrorist groups, including the Kurdish rebels and the Gulen movement. The country is also considered one of the worlds leading jailers of journalists.
Every Indian kid has memories of watching their mothers and grandmothers cook fragrant, robust meals with ingredients and spices that somehow the kitchen never ran short of. There was always an order to these spices, almost like an assembly line. The round spice box was akin to the conveyor belt inside which these dish-changing, nostalgia-inducing masalas were stored.

The humble stainless steel round box was no less than an artists palette, housing a magic trove of colours, flavours and aromas. The granny, with the flourish of a master sorcerer, would extract her choice of spices from its various compartments, completely transforming a dish. So what exactly is this spice box and why has it been such an intrinsic part of Indian kitchens? Is there a standard to be followed or are there variations in the spices? Five renowned chefs answer these questions and take us on an aromatic trail along the spice route.

Gulam Qureshi is a force to reckon with in the countrys culinary landscape. The senior masterchef at Dum Pukht, ITC Maurya carries the legacy of Padma Shri chef Imtiaz Qureshi. And as is with any legacy, his has its own secret ingredients. We have a khandaani masala made with 18-19 different kinds of spices, including laung, elaichi, dalchini, tej patta, badi elaichi and saunf. We call this the potli masala, which is an Awadhi speciality, he says. His wife, Aisa Qureshi, is the daughter of Imtiaz Qureshi, and when you come from a family of stalwarts, traditions are part of the package. Her mother and grandmother had these dabbas. In Lucknow, we also have dried rose petals in this box, he shares.

A traditional Awadhi spread at the house of chef Gulam Qureshi. (Photo: Shivam Saxena/HT)

Its all about the right balance which comes with practice. Gulam says, Balance is very important in traditional Indian cooking. It is important to understand how much masala to use at what stage of preparation and how long to cook it for. Dum pukht, for example, is a slow form cooking, and comes with practice.

Read: Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: At home with food

Classifying these spices into three categories, chef Osama Jalali says that these form the foundation of every Indian dish. Saundha (earthy), Khushboo (fragrance) and Garam (hot)  these are the basics. Saundha masala has spices like khus, patthar ke phool and paan roots. Cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, green cardamom and cloves go into the making of the khushboo masala. Dishes of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Delhi will always have dhaniya powder, lal mirch, garam masala and khushboo masala, he says. Hailing from Rampur in UP, his family would always carry their own spice box whenever they would travel. As kids, whenever we had to go somewhere, our grandmother would make sure to keep that masala-daani, otherwise she would refuse to cook, he shares with a laugh.

He reveals an interesting bit of trivia concerning the spice boxes used commercially and in restaurants. Sugar, although not a spice, is a secret component restaurant chefs and cooks swear by. You will find sugar in most of these boxes as it helps bind all the flavours and lends a glaze to the final dish, he says.

There is no limit to the spice boxes one keeps, and the spices vary on individual tastes and style of cooking. Chef Manish Mehrotra of the widely-acclaimed Indian Accent, has two of these boxes. One box has turmeric, jeera powder, dhaniya powder, lal mirchi, saunf powder. The other spice box has whole spices like tej patta, badi and chhoti elaichi, laung, black pepper  all khada masalas. In my spice box, you will also find saffron, Maggi seasoning powder, Kolhapuri masala, pav bhaji masala and chaat masala, he says, adding, Indian cuisine is not only about individual spice; it is about spice blends.

Spice boxes are not merely boxes of utility; they are intrinsic to Indian kitchens and take the shape of the region they are used in. My mother had one, and all the houses in our village had one. In those days, they were heavy copper or stainless steel boxes. Spice boxes are a part of my life and at my restaurants, I use the standard 16-hole boxes. I like to keep whole spices separate, and grind my own masalas, says chef Sabyasachi Gorai. Any one spice he swears by? I can live without salt, but cant live without star anise, he shares. Having seen the dabbas of various families on his travels across India, he says that only a few spices differ, ensuring that the essence of the dabba remains intact. In Hyderabad, they have Guntur chilli, and khopra in Kerala. In some areas, they store urad dal in these dabbas. Goan households have cinnamon and nutmeg. Standard items include salt, turmeric, red chillies, and jeera and dhaniya powder. I personally procure Mathania mirchi and sendha namak so that I know the origin of my spices, he says.

The entire purpose of a spice box is to have the basics of tadka, or tempering, ready when the oil is hot. The moment the oil is hot, you shouldnt have to run around, otherwise the oil will burn. The whole point of the spice box is to have a box that solves everything, says chef Ranveer Brar.

Elaborating on the fundamental differences in the spice boxes of India, Brar adds, The masala-daani has three aspects  regional, cultural and heritage. Regional is essentially dependent on agriculture, based on what spices grow in that region. Cultural is part of the religion, and heritage revolves around family tradition. An entire culture converges into a spice box. The moment you open a spice box, you immediately know which spice is used most in that family. In my house, we have two compartments for coriander powder. You can actually create an image of the taste of the dish based purely on the spice box.

With the changing culinary landscape and global influences on Indian styles of cooking, the spice boxes are also taking newer forms. Earlier the spice boxes were very conservative because the cooking was conservative. Today, spice boxes are becoming global. Rye was never a part of the spice box of a north Indian family, till maybe five years ago. Oregano and chilli flakes are now part of many Gujarati spice boxes, informs Brar.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Etti Bali Etti Bali reports on Page 3 parties and cultural events for the daily entertainment and lifestyle supplement, HT City ...view detail
A Spanish sighthound has incredibly survived being beaten, tied in a plastic bag and dumped in a river after managing to poke its nose out to breathe while the sack was floating in Spain.

Three dogs, all Spanish sighthounds, were found by two bike riders in the area known as Gil Gomez de Arahal, in the province of Seville, in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, on 30 June.

Olga Diana, president of the El Amparo del Sur animal protection association, said she had driven there in a car after being called to the scene by the bike riders, whose names have not been revealed.

The riders, she said, 'saw there was a nose coming from one of them (the bags) and the bag was open and the dog ran away but it came back by itself shortly after'.

Pictured: The moment the one of the dogs is pulled from the river in the area known as Gil Gomez de Arahal, in the province of Seville, in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, near the Guadaira River on 30 June

Pictured: Vets treat the malnourished Spanish sighthound after it was rescued from a river in Seville

Pictured: The dog which survived moments after it was rescued from the river in Seville last month

Olga said volunteers from the association went to the scene and called the police after they found the three dogs, which all had been microchipped and belonged to the same person.

The Spanish Civil Guard confirmed in a press statement that the three dogs had been beaten and placed inside sacks which were then closed with a rope.

The dogs, all sighthounds, were then thrown into the river and only the survivor managed to get its nose out of the bag to breathe.

In the video, volunteers can be seen caring for the wounded dog whilst the sacks containing the other dogs are pulled from the river.

The bodies of the dogs can be seen packed into the sacks with visible wounds to their heads as the surviving pooch looks on.

The Civil Guard confirmed a 60-year-old man who lives in the town of Arahal is being investigated as the alleged perpetrator.

The owner of the dogs, who has not been named, has been asked to give a statement as part of the police investigation.

The sighthound which survived was taken to the Moron de la Frontera veterinary clinic where vets found it had suffered a serious blow to the head, injuries to its legs and further injuries to its nose caused by an improvised muzzle.

A video shows the seemingly undernourished sighthound on the vet's table and then being cared for in a cage.

Pictured: Vets treat the malnourished Spanish sighthound after it was rescued from a river in Seville. The dog is said to be recovering well but still becomes afraid around men

All three dogs were microchipped and supposedly all belonged to the same single owner

The dog named Gabi was also infected with parasites and Olga said the pooch is recovering properly but 'it is scared of men and avoids them'.

She said they are looking to have the dog officially given to the association so they can help find it a new family.

Javier Sanabria, coordinator of the political party PACMA (an animal rights political party) in Seville, said that both the association and the political party have reported the case.

He said killing sighthounds 'used to happen, especially in areas where hunting with greyhounds is common, like in Andalusia and Castilla La Mancha,' adding it is done 'for many reasons, they are getting old, they are useless, because the animal does not have the skills they want, but not all greyhounds are hunters or have the skills for hunting.

'According to reports from Affinity, more than 50,000 greyhounds are abandoned in Spain every year.'

The investigation is ongoing and so far no arrests have been made but the suspect remains under investigation.
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Linkedin Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 08:21 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666f4efa 1 Business AP-I,air-travel,COVID-19,protocols-COVID-19 Free

Many people remain reluctant to fly amid lingering fears of COVID-19 and concerns about travel costs, a survey by state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura (AP) I has found.

The AP I survey found that 84 percent of the 500 respondents were erring on the side of caution and were taking a "wait and see" approach, mostly because of the perceived heightened risk of COVID-19 transmission during flights.

The results of the survey come despite the government laying out strict health protocols for the aviation industry. The protocols were stipulated in Transportation Ministry Circular No. 13/2020 and cover mandatory procedures from pre-flight to post-flight to reduce the risk of virus transmission.

We need to pay special attention to [consumers] level of confidence. Airports needs to demonstrate compliance with the health protocols, AP I president director Faik Fahmi said on Wednesday during an online webinar held by The Habibie Center.

The low level of consumer confidence is a major challenge for the already struggling aviation industry, which has been battered by the pandemic as people canceled travel plans due to travel restrictions.

Domestic air passenger numbers saw a steep 98.3 drop in May, falling to 87,000 from 5.3 million in May 2019, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS). The number of international air passengers also dropped more than 99 percent year-on-year (yoy) in May to 11,700 passengers.

However, AP I recorded around 394,000 passengers in the first 10 days of July, a huge increase from around 222,000 passengers in the first half of June and 76,000 passengers in the entire month of May.

To address the passengers concerns, Faik said the company, which manages 13 airports across the country, planned to digitize airline passenger check-in procedures to minimize person-to-person contacts.

In the AP I survey, 68 percent of respondents said they favored online flight check-in to avoid contacts with airport staff, while 76 percent said they would feel more comfortable using digital customer service at airports.

The role of technology has become crucial to meet our customers desires, he said.

In addition to the fear of COVID-19 transmission, the high cost of rapid and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, a requirement for air travel, has also dampened peoples interest in flying. As many as 78 percent of the survey respondents said they hoped air travel costs could be reduced.

A lot of our customers complained about the high prices of rapid tests. While the Health Ministry has set a price ceiling of Rp 150,000 [US$10.25] for the test, in reality the price is much higher, Faik said.

The Health Ministry issued on July 6 a circular that set a price ceiling of Rp 150,000 for COVID-19 rapid tests, following numerous complaints over high prices.

Earlier this month, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has also asked the Finance Ministry to subsidize rapid tests for public transportation users.

Several Indonesian airlines have also taken initiatives to drive up air travel demand by providing free or low-cost COVID-19 testing for their passengers.

Airlines under Lion Air Group, namely Lion Air, Wings Air and Batik Air, are offering rapid COVID-19 testing for passengers, with prices starting from Rp 95,000, the companys spokesperson Danang Mandala Prihantoro said in a statement in June.

Meanwhile, national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia service and business development director Ade R. Susardi emphasized on Wednesday the importance of restoring consumer confidence in the aviation industry.

We are now trying to increase our passengers numbers by convincing people that it is safe to fly. With a rising number of passengers, we can boost our cash flow, Ade said.

Garuda Indonesia currently has an occupancy rate of around 40 percent, he said.
'Cult' mom Lori Vallow has waived her right to a speedy trial in connection with the disappearance and death of her two children.

Lori Vallow, 46, faces three misdemeanor charges in Madison County, Idaho.

The charges - resisting or obstructing officers, criminal solicitation to commit a crime and contempt of court - face a maximum sentence of two years.

She had been charged with two counts of desertion and non-support of children, but those charges were dropped July 2.

She also faces two felony charges in Fremont County, Idaho, of conspiracy to destroy, alter, or conceal evidence.

Lori Vallow is pictured in court in Madison County, Idaho, Friday, has pleaded not guilty to the charges

Her children, seven-year-old Joshua 'JJ' Vallow and Tylee Ryan, 17, were found buried on the Salem, Idaho property of her fifth husband, Chad Daybell, 51, in June.

They had been reported missing in September.

For months, the couple refused to tell authorities where the children were, and they were arrested in Hawaii in February.

No one has yet been charged with killing the two children.

Daybell has been charged with two counts of felony destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence.

Court documents allege Daybell hid or destroyed human remains on two occasions between September 22, 2019 and June 9, 2020 - knowing that the remains would be discovered as evidence in a criminal proceeding.

Vallow, 46, was arrested in Hawaii in February, after the disappearance of her children. She is seen above in a March court appearance

If he is found guilty, Daybell would face a maximum of five years in the state penitentiary or up to $10,000 fine for each charge. The sentences could run consecutively or concurrently.

Vallow, whose husband shared her belief in 'end of times' philosophies, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.

On Friday Judge Michelle Mallard agreed to reduce her bail from $1 million to $150,000.

The judge ordered that if Vallow posts bail, she can not have contact with her alleged co-conspirators, who were not named during the hearing.

Mallard scheduled the jury trial for January 25-29, 2021 at 9am.

JJ Valow, 7, with his sister Tylee Ryan, 17, and their uncle Alex Cox in September 2019

Police are also investigating a string of other deaths in the Vallow-Daybell family.

Vallow's fourth husband, Charles Vallow, was shot dead in July 2019 by her brother, Alex Cox, reportedly in self-defense.

Vallow's nephew-in-law, Brandon Boudreaux, was targeted in October 2019 in a failed drive-by shooting in Arizona, carried out by someone driving a green Jeep Cherokee still registered to Charles Vallow.

Cox died in December 2019, with the autopsy attributing it to natural causes - blood clots and high blood pressure.

Daybell's first wife, Tammy, died in October 2019, aged 49, purportedly in her sleep.

Daybell and Vallow married two weeks later.
Chris Evans says that Marvel movies deserve more awards recognition (Image by Marvel Studios)

Chris Evans believes that Marvel and other comic-book movies deserve more awards season recognition.

Evans, who until recently played Captain America and Steve Rogers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, made this declaration during his recent interview with Deadline.

Read More: Chris Evans pledges to send Captain America shield to brave dog attack boy

But rather than just getting nominations for their stunts, visual effects, and make-up, Evans insists that the writing, direction and performances of the blockbusters deserve to at least be celebrated, too.

There is enormous thought and consideration that goes into these story arcs, Evans explained. If you take the Marvel moniker off those movies, and characters that arent identifiable from comic books these movies would be lauded in that way. Im not saying every ones a home run. But they really turn out some really impressive movies.

Actor Chris Evans arrives at the European premiere of "Captain America, Civil War" at a shopping centre in east London, Britain April 26, 2016. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Evans is right that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has failed to receive many plaudits from the various awards bodies over the years.

The Marvel movies to have earned Oscar nominations are Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Doctor Strange, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Avengers, Guardians Of The Galaxy, and Avengers: Endgame.

Read More: Chris Evans turned down Captain America several times due to anxiety

Of course, theres also 2018s Black Panther, which received seven nominations at the Oscars, including Best Picture, while it also won for best costume design, best original score, and best production design, which meant that it became Marvels first Oscar winning film in the process.

Other comic-book movies havent fared too badly at the Oscars. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse won Best Animated Feature Film at the 91st Academy Awards, while Logans James Mangold, Scott Frank, and Michael Green were nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, too.
Two crew members were killed in a helicopter crash Thursday as Taiwan's military held drills across the island -- including one simulating coastal assaults from China. Thursday's climax of the five-day drill aimed to test how democratic Taiwan's armed forces would repel an invasion from its giant neighbour. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it -- by force if necessary. Thursday's main simulation saw Taiwan fighter jets, warships and ground troops repelling an enemy attempt to land on a beach in the central city of Taichung in an operation involving some 8,000 service members. The military said a Bell 0H-58D helicopter crashed as it returned to Hsinchu airbase from one of the exercises, killing the pilot and co-pilot. Taipei has lived with the threat of invasion by China since the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war. In recent decades it has found itself increasingly outnumbered and outgunned by China's enormous People's Liberation Army. Beijing has piled military, economic and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016 because she refuses to acknowledge its stance that the island is part of "one China". Tsai won a landslide re-election in January in what was seen as a strong rebuke to China's strong-arm tactics against the island. Last year President Xi Jinping gave an especially bellicose speech about Taiwan, warning unification was coming. "I think it's inevitable that the People's Republic of China will realise the reunification of the motherland," Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters when asked about Taiwan's drills. In recent months Chinese warplanes have started buzzing Taiwan with unprecedented frequency, repeatedly breaching its air defence zone and prompting Taipei to scramble its own fighter jets. - New hardware - The military mismatch has been compounded by Western governments being increasingly wary of selling Taiwan advanced weapon systems, fearful of incurring Beijing's wrath. That has pushed the island to develop its own hardware, including advanced missiles, boats and a new trainer jet. Some of that hardware, including locally built surface-to-air and hypersonic missiles, was used during this week's drills. China's increasingly muscular approach towards the island has also sparked renewed international co-operation with Taiwan. Under US President Donald Trump, Washington has become far more willing to sell big-ticket items, including F-16 fighter jets and other hardware. Earlier this week, Beijing vowed to impose sanctions on defence company Lockheed Martin in response to the US agreeing to upgrade Taiwan's Patriot missile systems. France has also angered Beijing by agreeing to upgrade the missile interference systems on frigates Taiwan purchased in the 1990s. Washington has remained a leading unofficial ally and arms supplier to Taipei despite switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry has disclosed it is working closely with the Ministry of Interior and other bodies, including the local government to phase out the birth certificate as one of the requirements for acquiring a passport.



According to Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Mohammad Habibu Tijani, birth certificate has not been a valid document to prove a persons true identity as a Ghanaian as there have been instances where some persons have presented fake ones, even though it has been the primary requirement for acquiring a passport.



Passports, before any applicant is considered for the Ghanaian passport, we have a number of factors that come into play. It is true that birth certificates have been one of the fundamental requirements for getting a Ghanaian passport.



But I want to also add that it is not only the birth certificate because sometimes we are able to detect that people have the birth certificates but they are not even genuine ones, he said in an interview with the media.



This decision comes after a Supreme Court ruling that the birth certificate is not a form of identification because the document does not establish the identity of the bearer.



The decision written by Justice Ashie Kotey states that a birth certificate does not link its holder to the information it contains. It adds that it provides no evidence of citizenship.



The Foreign Affairs Ministry, however, says it stands with the Supreme Courts ruling, indicating that, there have been instances where persons have presented fake ones.



Other times people are found not to be Ghanaians also having birth certificates, Mr Tijani said.



The Ministry however, has indicated that this decision of phasing out birth certificate as requirements for acquiring a passport will not affect existing passports.



Hitherto it, we were thinking of working closely with the NIA because if every Ghanaian has identification, it will be easier to have to credible information about their identities.



So that anyone coming to us for passport will not be asking the same questions that the person went through in acquiring the national ID, once we are linked its a matter of checking one or two things because every information that is required to give out a passport, we already have it, he added.



So after this ruling, we will be awaiting to get instructions from the Ministry of Interior whiles we are increasing our vigilance on questioning applicants, he said.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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

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Ghanas Finance Minister is expected to present a review of the mid-year budget before Parliament on Thursday, July 23, 2020, Citi Business News reports.



In accordance with Section 28 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 92), the Finance Minister is mandated to provide Parliament on the strategies and roadmaps as to how the government intends to deal with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak in Ghana.



Ghanas budget deficit for 2020 is likely to double the legal limit as a result of the adverse impact of Coronavirus on the economy which sees an undoing of the fiscal discipline that was supposed to curb financial bailouts from other countries.



Ken Ofori-Atta in a recent interview with Bloomberg explained Ghanas fiscal gap is forecasted to widen beyond 10% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from an adjusted outlook in March of 7.8%.



Earlier, Mr Ofori-Atta on March 30, 2020, before Parliament disclosed Ghanas economy will lose some GH9.5 billion as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.



According to him, this will represent 2.5 percent of Ghanas revised GDP



For next week, the minister is expected to provide Parliament with a roadmap as to how the government plans to pay a GH10 billion loans granted by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).



Additionally, a roadmap is also needed for the US$219 million transferred from the Ghana Stabilization Fund to the Contingency Fund to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Source: B&FT online









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| 2020-07-17 23:31:36|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. signing of the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act" into law is "a grave violation of international law" and a flagrant interference in China's internal affairs, a Sudanese political analyst said Friday.

"The United States has got used to unilateral actions that constitute a grave violation of international law," Abdul-Raziq Ziyada told Xinhua.

"The American move also represents interference in China's internal affairs as Hong Kong is an integral part of China," he added.

Ziyada underscored China's sovereign rights to adopt what it deems suitable measures to confront the U.S. move.

"China is a sovereign state and of its duty to protect its authority in Hong Kong together with the interests of its citizens against any external interference aiming at undermining the stability of the region," Ziyada said.

China has strongly condemned the U.S. move.

"The Chinese government firmly opposes and strongly condemns this move by the United States," China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Wednesday.

"The Act maliciously denigrates the national security legislation for Hong Kong, and threatens to impose sanctions on China. It seriously violates international law and the basic norms underpinning international relations. It constitutes gross interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs," the statement added.

The government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), for its part, expressed its strong opposition to the U.S. move and vowed to fully support the central government to adopt countermeasures.

"The U.S. move seriously violates international law and the basic norms underpinning international relations and constitutes gross interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs," a spokesman of the HKSAR government said Wednesday. Enditem
Hungarian GP 2020

Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport

Valtteri Bottas (2nd, 1:40.736): "The car didn't feel too bad in the dry today in FP1. It seemed like we were in a good place balance-wise, although I was struggling with a bit of understeer but that can be fixed, and I think it wasn't a bad start. Obviously, it would have been nice to get some more practice laps in during the afternoon, fine-tuning the balance more, but the conditions were the same for everyone. The grip level was pretty low in FP2 in the wet. I got to get a feel for the balance in those conditions and I tried both the Inter and Wet tyres. They both felt pretty similar. It looks like we'll see more rain this weekend so I'm sure we can keep working on the car and doing a better job, before qualifying and the race."

Lewis Hamilton (16th, No Time): "We got everything done that we needed to in the first session. The car felt good out there in FP1 although there was still some work to do, so we made some changes for the second session - then it rained, so we've still got learning to do tomorrow. The wet conditions in FP2 didn't really leave us with a lot to do, so we just completed an installation lap on the Intermediate tyres. This is such a great track to drive in the dry, but it's very tricky in the wet and it felt quite low grip out there today. Looking ahead to Qualifying tomorrow, I think it is going to be a lot closer as it's not such a power-dependent circuit. I'm hoping for a tighter pack, it'd be great to see the Renaults doing well, the McLarens are doing a fantastic job, as are the Racing Points, it's really exciting to see. We also expect Red Bull to be strong, so I anticipate a tough battle with them."

Andrew Shovlin: "The first session was pretty good. We ran an unusual tyre order with the soft tyres first and the harder tyres second. That was driven by the fact we were most interested in the long-run information on Medium and Hard and with a wet second practice on our forecast, it seemed the best way to be sure of getting the data we needed. The car was working well; both drivers were happy with the balance on Soft and it was quite easy to bring the tyres in. We thought we'd look quick on those runs by virtue of being on softer rubber than our competitors. However, it was a bit surprising how competitive we were on the second runs. With Lewis on the Hard tyre and Valtteri on the Medium, they were both able to beat their previous times and ended up first and second in the order. You never know fuel loads and Power Unit modes until Qualifying, but we do look to have made a decent start. The long-run pace seemed fine and as we'd seen last year, the Soft doesn't look like a great race tyre. The second session wasn't great for learning. With Valtteri we checked out the Wet tyre but didn't want to put many laps on it. Both cars then installed an Intermediate towards the end of the session so that they can carry it into final practice tomorrow. The weather looks quite unsettled for the remainder of the event which is going to keep everyone on their toes."

Scuderia Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel (1st, 1:40.464): "I think this morning was ok. This track should be a bit better for us and let's hope that's the case tomorrow, but we won't know until we hit qualifying. We did more laps than others in the wet, because after the weaknesses we showed last week, we need to understand the car a bit better. We need laps to gain confidence in the car. It's not a secret that there's still a lot of homework to do, but overall we seem to be a bit more competitive. The weather looks like being changeable in the next few days, but if it's dry like Austria, it'll be ok as we were also good this morning on a dry track. I am looking forward to tomorrow."

Charles Leclerc (10th, 1:43.725): "Today things went better than we expected. We arrived here with basically the same car we had in Austria but it seems to suit this track better, which is good to see. There are fewer straights here compared to the last race venue and here, we are quick around the corners. This afternoon, in the rain, we struggled a bit as we were trying out a few things and I wasn't very happy as I was lacking a bit of confidence in the wet, but we've seen some positive signs this morning. In my first run on extreme wet tyres I only did two laps, which is not really representative, but looking at Seb's lap time on the same tyre, he did a great job and there's probably something positive to take from that. I am really looking forward to tomorrow. Hopefully we can convert these positive signs in free practice into a positive result in quali and in the race but there's still quite a lot of work to do on my side and I'll try to be in a good place tomorrow."

Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen (7th, 1:42.820): "FP1 was not what we wanted and we have a lot to look into. It's a shame that it was raining this afternoon for FP2 because we already had a few things to change and we could have had a good comparison to work from. Luckily, we have overnight to look at the data and for sure we will make some changes and try to improve the overall balance for tomorrow. There are strong areas to our car but we still have work to do to match Mercedes. The weather looks like it could be a bit like today for the rest of the weekend and we don't know how much rain will come yet, but that is the same for everyone. It's still early days and we haven't done much running, so there is no point in making any guesses about how the rest of the weekend will look yet."

Alexander Albon (19th, No Time): "The weather has been hurting us as we're trying to understand the car at a new circuit after two weeks at the Red Bull Ring. FP1 wasn't ideal and then with the downpour we couldn't exactly try anything for FP2. We'll have a look through the data from this morning and see what we can do for tomorrow. I think the car is lacking a bit of predictability, not so much in one corner or sector but just little bits everywhere. There have definitely been places where we've made improvements, like at R02 compared to R01, but it just hasn't followed through to here like we would have expected. The weather looks mixed for the weekend but I'd prefer it to be dry so we're able to learn and make progress."

Renault Sport Formula One Team

Esteban Ocon (14th, No Time): "Practice one went well and we ran through the programme with no issues. We can see that the car is working quite well, but as normal for a Friday, there are a few things we can improve. We can see we have a fairly quick car, however, we'll need to confirm that tomorrow when it counts. At the moment, it's a good start to the weekend, I'm comfortable in all conditions and we'll see what weather we have for tomorrow and Sunday."

Daniel Ricciardo (15th, No Time): "The morning was pretty good and I felt we got into it right from the get-go. It was a bit like the first session in Austria, when we got into the track quite quickly and found a solid base set-up straight away. I'm happy with the start to the weekend and I'm feeling good. It was too wet in the afternoon, so we took it easy on the Intermediates, meaning we save a set of Wets for tomorrow. Otherwise, I'm feeling positive and content with our Friday's work."

Ciaron Pilbeam, Chief Race Engineer: "We had a very good morning session where both drivers ran the Hard and the Medium compounds, mainly on low fuel but with some high fuel running at the end. We've completed a lot of the homework that we need to do on a Friday. The afternoon session was pretty much washed out. The full Wet tyre was fine to run, but it was too wet for the Intermediate. With the possibility of a wet qualifying and race, a lot of teams are saving Wet tyres in case they are required for the rest of the weekend. Despite the weather conditions, we've had a good day. We were comfortable when it rained last weekend in Austria and we'll be ready to run in the wet this weekend if we need to."

Haas F1 Team

Romain Grosjean (8th, 1:43.335): "It was my first time in the wet this afternoon, as we didn't get to compete in qualifying in Austria. I did a few laps and the car felt okay  which is good. I think the morning went okay as well. We were more competitive than we were in Austria. I haven't run the soft tires yet, so we don't really know what's going to come with that. Generally, we were happy with the car. There are some limitations, but we've made some set-up changes which should put us in a good direction. The whole team was quite positive, and the momentum was good after the session. There's obviously a bit of a question mark on the weather for the rest of the weekend but I think we're ready for most cases."

Kevin Magnussen (20th, No Time): "It did look positive this morning  the car felt good. This is a fun track to drive and I'd say we had a good start to the weekend. We didn't get too much time in the wet. I did an installation lap on the intermediates just to see how it is, there's not too much to say about that  it was very slippery. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and seeing what kind of weather we're going to get. When it's like this, mixed, it makes it tricky and exciting. It always shakes things up a little bit and potentially gives you a chance to do something special, or mess it up, but we'll always go for something special."

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal: "We didn't have any issues in the morning session  which is progress from the last two races in Austria. It was a productive FP1. I think we found a little bit of speed in the car, so that looked a lot better than the last two races. Obviously, the afternoon was rained out. We sent Romain (Grosjean) out so he could get a few laps in on the full wet as he didn't get any driving in last weekend when it rained in Austria. Then we just sent both guys out for a look on the intermediates. It was a very short afternoon. Overall it's been a better Friday than we've had so far this year."

McLaren F1 Team

Carlos Sainz (3rd, 1:41.784): "It's been a challenging Friday for us here at the Hungaroring. In FP1 we struggled with the balance more than we wanted to, and putting good laps together was quite tricky compared to our performance in Austria. We're finding different challenges and we need to make sure we adapt to these, just in case it's dry tomorrow. In the wet we did very little running, but otherwise had a decent feeling with the car. We had a specific test programme for FP2 to try different set-ups and improve our performance in dry conditions, but we obviously couldn't do it. So, if it's dry tomorrow, we'll need to work hard to pull it all together and get it right for quali."

Lando Norris (12th, 1:46.000): "Today was quite tricky. We're in a very different situation to Austria in terms of car balance and what we're suffering with. This was a good track for us last year, but after the feeling this morning it wasn't looking quite as good. We've got some work to do if it's going to be dry tomorrow. I think the weather conditions tomorrow are still a bit unknown, so it's all still to play for. I think we can probably make some progress and go again tomorrow."

Andrea Stella, Racing Director: "This morning wasn't the hot Hungaroring we're used to seeing, but even though it was cold, we could work during FP1 like any normal practice session and go through the programme. We learned where car performance has its limitations, and what we have to work on. We also ran the Soft tyre on consecutive laps and discovered that it is quite fragile. We made changes to the car during the break and wanted to test them in FP2, but the session was consistently wet and all we could do was assess the level of grip for the Intermediate and Wet tyres. This year the grip in the wet seems to be very low, and we'll have to adapt to this as well in case it's wet in qualifying or Sunday's race."

Racing Point F1 Team

Lance Stroll (4th, 1:42.380): "The car felt good and we hit the ground running today. It was a shame there was rain this afternoon, but we worked to improve our understanding of the car in the wet. I think we've made a good step in those conditions compared to last weekend, which is a positive. There's the potential for mixed conditions this weekend and the important thing is that we look strong in the dry too. All in all, it was a useful day."

Sergio Perez (5th, 1:42.470): "Today was a good opportunity to prove that we had found improvements in wet conditions compared to Austria. That gives me confidence for tomorrow - regardless of the conditions. I think we can target a place in Q3 and build from there. Everyone was on different programmes today and there was only the one practice session in ideal conditions, but I think we've made a good step in further understanding our car."

Alfa Romeo Racing

Kimi Raikkonen (9th, 1:43.471): "The conditions out there weren't easy this afternoon, so it's quite hard to get a good amount of information. We are obviously still a bit far off from where we'd like to be, which means we will need to work hard tonight, crunch all the data and hopefully come back with a better car for tomorrow. The weather could play a part in qualifying, but we won't know it until we're there, in the meantime we just have to figure out the best way forward with the setup."

Antonio Giovinazzi (11th, 1:44.411): "It hasn't been the most straightforward Friday but there is still plenty of scope to improve. I did a fair bit of running in the wet, on top of the session in the dry in the morning: hopefully this means we have enough data for our engineers to work with to find the best balance for tomorrow. The rest of the weekend could still produce surprises when it comes to the weather, so we will need to take that into account when setting up the car for qualifying: we will also need to be ready for any opportunity, to seize the moment as you never know what can happen in a wet qualifying or race."

Robert Kubica: "It's been a busy Friday in the car for me as we followed our test programme, trying different things to tackle this kind of weather. I think we did some useful work and hopefully it will reflect in a step forward in performance for tomorrow and Sunday. We continue to work on understanding how our car works in different conditions: running in the wet and on a cold track means we need to adapt to the circumstances, with the engineers relying on our feedback to make their decisions."

Red Bull AlphaTauri Honda

Pierre Gasly (6th, 1:42.588): "It wasn't a very productive day for us. We got no running this morning due to an issue on the car which cost us quite a bit of time. The afternoon session was wet so we just did a few laps, which is obviously not ideal considering we couldn't run in FP1. There is still another practice session tomorrow morning, which should be dry, so that we can set-up the car for Quali. We'll try to work with Dany's data from this morning to try and have a better day tomorrow."

Daniil Kvyat (13th, 1:47.422): "We had a few things to test this morning on dry tyres. We had the feeling there was room for improvement and we were looking forward to making some changes to improve for FP2 but then it became wet, so we could not proceed as planned. We did a few laps to check the car behaviour in wet conditions, when it's very important to make the tyres work and it seems like we didn't manage it, as I was sliding quite a lot. We will have to analyse all the data and get ready for tomorrow."

Guillaume Dezoteux, Head of Vehicle Performance: "FP1 was a difficult one for us today as only Daniil could hit the track and run because of an issue on Pierre's car. The first baseline run was tricky in terms of balance as the car was suffering some understeer in most of the corners. The long run consistency looked quite ok but again, we had a significant level of understeer and some front tyre graining started to appear on the medium compound. As for competitiveness, we were not really where we wanted to be, but we didn't put a clean lap together when the tyres were at their peak. We have seen many cars having heavy front tyre graining on the soft tyre and this could play an interesting role going forward in the weekend and during the race if it's dry. During this afternoon's second session, we had quite a lot of rain. We did an installation lap on car 10 to check that the repairs done over lunch were effective. It was a track for full wet tyres at all times and the running on intermediate tyres was only to get the set replaced for tomorrow. Both drivers struggled with grip and balance. To be able to have a proper read on balance and performance, we would have needed more laps, but this goes against saving the full wet tyres for Qualifying and the race in case it rains again. We have a lot of homework to do tonight and we will do our best to improve our cars for tomorrow."

Toyoharu Tanabe, Honda F1 Technical Director: "We knew from the forecast earlier this week that we could expect bad weather for the weekend in Hungary and it was proved correct today. There was just light drizzle before FP1 so the cars were able to use slick tyres, however, for FP2 the conditions were much worse with heavy rain, therefore none of our cars did much running. We will therefore have to use our time very effectively in tomorrow morning's FP3 to work on our PU settings for qualifying and the race. In FP1, we spotted an anomaly in the data from Gasly's PU and, as a precaution, we changed some components and it ran trouble-free in FP2."

Williams Racing

Nicholas Latifi (17th, No Time): "I think we started off on a pretty good base line this morning, and we were ready for the first run on the qualifying tyre. We got into a good rhythm quite quickly and we set a relatively competitive time compared to everybody else, so I was pleased. For the rest of FP1 we tried a few different set-up options, to experiment a bit, which is what practice is for. I think we learnt some things, but obviously nothing could be carried over into FP2. We didn't really do any proper running this afternoon, just a few install laps during that session, so I guess we just have to see what the weather does tomorrow."

George Russell (18th, No Time): "This morning during FP1 and in the dry conditions, the car was feeling alright, nothing special, but our focus was on trying some different set-up changes. We know where our baseline is and we know what we are going to get from the car, so we have gone in different directions to see if we can get more performance. Nothing we tried offered more performance, which suggests that we were in a good position from the off. Although I only did an out and an in lap due to the moist conditions in FP2, the car felt fine on those two laps. I am sure it will be a hectic session tomorrow if the conditions stay the same, but I think that is what we need to mix things up a bit. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and will be ready with the rest of the boys to try and pounce on that."

Dave Robson, Senior Race Engineer: "Off the back of two consecutive races in Austria, we were looking forward to testing out the car and drivers at a different circuit. However, the weather has made it difficult to conclude much today. In FP1, there was some light rain, which masked the track evolution, encouraged drivers to use different tyre compounds, and made conclusions on our relative pace almost impossible. Nonetheless, we completed the work that we set out to achieve, and we will be able to make conclusions tonight that will impact the set-up of the cars tomorrow. Following heavy rain between the sessions, and further steady rain throughout FP2, we chose to do very little this afternoon and instead to protect the cars. For much of FP2, the conditions were very poor, and it is unlikely that we would either qualify or race in such low grip, low visibility conditions. We are hoping for better weather tomorrow so that we can further our understanding of the FW43. However, given our relatively good pace during wet qualifying last weekend, if it remains wet then we'll be happy, and we'll once again do our very best to outperform the basic pace of the car. Overall, a bit of a washout of a day but both drivers got some useful experience of the Hungaroring circuit in FP1. Both showed decent pace and have provided us with some valuable feedback on the car and the tyre compounds."
SHENZHEN, China, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, today announced that it has hosted a live-streaming global 5G SA webinar in partnership with Omdia, a global leading technology research powerhouse.

At this webinar, experts from Omdia and ZTE have shared their insights on the global industry trends of 5G SA, and explored the various 5G SA deployment practices in China.

"56% of telecommunications service providers are preparing to deploy 5G core networks and 5G SA networks in the next 24 months," said Dario Talmesio, Research Director of Service Providers Strategy at Omdia. "For that, China provides important learning opportunities from real-life implementations, as Chinese telcos are pioneering in 5G SA now."

Jason Tu, Principle Scientist of NFV/SDN Products at ZTE, has elaborated the benefits of deploying 5G SA networks as well. "NSA/SA dual-mode terminals are now very popular in the market. The large -scale deployments of 5G SA networks in Chinese market have successfully verified the 5G SA end-to-end solutions," said Jason.

"As the target architecture of 5G networks, 5G SA networks will help operators open a new 2B market. By selling different SLA-guaranteed network slicing to vertical industries, operators will obtain a new revenue source," Jason added. He believed that speeding up the evolution to SA networks and even hopping directly to them seems to be a reasonable option now.

"With extensive experience in deploying 5G SA solutions in China, Asia and Europe, ZTE is well positioned to work with global operators and provide them with 5G common Core, SA radio networks or hybrid SA/NSA radio networks," said Alex Wang, Managing Director of 5G RAN Solutions at ZTE.

ZTE has increased the coverage and capacity of 5G SA networks through FAST (FDD Assisted Super TDD), and has further enhanced the capability by virtue of low latency, mobile edge computing, network slicing and network sharing, according to Alex Wang.

ZTE is a provider of advanced telecommunications systems, mobile devices and enterprise technology solutions to consumers, operators, companies and public sector customers. The company has been committed to providing customers with integrated end-to-end innovations to deliver excellence and value as the telecommunications and information technology sectors converge. Listed in the stock exchanges of Hong Kong and Shenzhen (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), ZTE sells its products and services in more than 160 countries.

Media Contacts:

Margaret Ma

ZTE Corporation

Tel: +86 755 26775189

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE ZTE Corporation

Related Links

www.zte.com.cn


JACKSON, MI  From a Michigan college moving ahead with plans to host a large graduation ceremony despite coronavirus safety concerns, to a woman being found shot and killed in a Leoni Township home, a lot has been going on in the Jackson area this week.

Here are some headlines you might have missed.

Hillsdale College moves ahead with large graduation ceremony despite health officials concerns

Although shes still in the dark about what Saturdays commencement ceremony might look like, Hillsdale College graduating senior Claire Calvert said she trusts college officials will protect students and those in attendance.

I think its very important, especially for seniors, to feel that kind of recognition, Calvert said. Hillsdale is a very rigorous school and for most of our time here, we are not really able to celebrate this great gift we have of going to college and being able to learn these wonderful things. I think its really necessary to have that kind of closure before going out into the real world.

Local health officials disagree and have raised concerns over the rescheduled Hillsdale College graduation ceremony on July 18 thats expected to bring 2,600 people to the city of 8,000 residents.

Woman found shot, killed in Jackson County home

Police are investigating the death of a woman found shot in a Jackson County home Wednesday night.

Police were called at 11:23 p.m. July 15, to a home in the 200 block of Showerman Road in Leoni Township for a reported shooting victim.

The victim, a 66-year-old woman, was found inside the home and pronounced dead at the scene.

Heres what youre missing with no Faster Horses Festival this weekend

If it were a normal year, today was supposed to be moving in day for the Faster Horses country music festival at Michigan International Speedway.

But 2020 is anything but a normal year.

With the self-described Hillbilly Sleepover canceled due to the coronavirus, headliners Jason Aldean, Luke Combs and Thomas Rhett will have to wait until 2021 to perform at the festival.

Jackson moving forward with potential redesign of official city seal

An effort to change the citys official seal is moving forward after the Jackson City Council asked an arts commission to begin public discussions for a new seal.

The council voted unanimously at its Tuesday, July 14 virtual meeting, to have the Jackson Public Arts Commission engage in a redesign of the seal that features former U.S. President Andrew Jackson waving his hat in the air while riding a rearing horse much like the Jackson Monument near the White House.

Cases of Lyme disease double in Jackson County  and were only halfway through tick season

Jackson County has more than doubled the number of Lyme disease cases seen in a typical year  and its only halfway through the active season.

Jackson County has averaged two cases of Lyme disease per year for the last five years, according to the Jackson County Health Department. There are already five cases in 2020, officials said.

Ticks are more active in the warmer months of April to September.

Smoking now banned in Jacksons public parks

Smokers will have to use their tobacco products or e-cigarettes outside of city parks under a new ordinance passed by the Jackson City Council Tuesday night.

The council voted 6-1 during its July 14 virtual meeting to outlaw smoking, including e-cigarettes and vapes, in all public parks and cemeteries owned by the city. Councilman Jeromy Alexander cast the dissenting vote.

I cant look at this ordinance and see that were actually doing anything that will actually result in anything that can be enforced, Alexander said. I think this is just an overreach.

Driver seriously injured in rear-end crash on U.S. 127, police say

A pickup driver was seriously injured in a crash Tuesday morning.

The male driver of a red Dodge Ram rear-ended a Brooklyn Plumbing, Heating & A/C truck on U.S. 127 north of Jefferson Road around 9:45 a.m., July 14, Jackson County Sheriff Deputy Dan Deering said.

The pickup driver was heading south when he hit the truck, lost control and crossed U.S. 127, Deering said. A guardrail at the Park and Ride was partially destroyed, and the pickup ended up in a clearing near the parking lot.

Car intentionally set on fire in Hillsdale County, police say

Police are investigating a car fire in the village of Litchfield they say was intentionally set.

Officers were called to the suspicious vehicle fire at 4:15 a.m., June 17, in the 100 block of Clay Street in the Hillsdale County village, according to Michigan State Police.

With assistance from the Litchfield Fire Department, investigators determined one or more suspects approached the vehicle on foot, set it ablaze using an accelerant and ran from the scene through several residential properties before police and fire crews arrived.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 01:03:12|Editor: huaxia

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The president of the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Andrew Leung meets the press at an end-of-session press conference in Hong Kong, south China, July 17, 2020. Andrew Leung Friday called on lawmakers to work for the well-being of Hong Kong residents as he reviewed the work of the current-term LegCo. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

HONG KONG, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The president of the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Friday called on lawmakers to work for the well-being of Hong Kong residents as he reviewed the work of the current-term LegCo.

The LegCo needs all its members to work towards the same goal so as to build a sound political environment in the HKSAR, LegCo President Andrew Leung said at an end-of-session press conference during which he reviewed the work of the LegCo during the 2019-2020 legislative session and that of the sixth-term LegCo.

He called on LegCo members to stay true to their original aspiration and work for the well-being of Hong Kong residents.

The sixth-term LegCo has passed more than 70 of the 90 bills submitted by the HKSAR government, including the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (Co-location) Bill and National Anthem Bill, Leung noted.

It has held 141 meetings with a total duration of 1,711 hours, less than the previous two terms, he said.

The current-term LegCo faced unprecedented challenges and problems, including the vandalism of the LegCo Complex during the social unrest last year and the COVID-19 epidemic this year, Leung pointed out.

The election for the LegCo House Committee chairperson had been delayed for months, which resulted in a total loss of about 60 hours of meeting time, he said.

The term of office of the sixth-term LegCo runs from Oct. 1, 2016 to Sept. 30, 2020. The sixth-term LegCo will stand prorogued on July 18, and its operation will then be terminated.

The election for the seventh-term LegCo will be held on Sept. 6, 2020. Enditem
A disgruntled shopper has been left 'irritated' after an Aldi cashier told her to use a trolley the next time she visits the store to 'make it faster' for other customers.

The woman, from Melbourne, claimed she was loading up her shopping bag with 10 items at the checkout when she was told about the little-known trolley rule.

'Feeling really, really annoyed. Just went into Aldi's to grab a few items for dinner - a total of 10 items,' she wrote in Aldi Mums Facebook group.

'When the cashier starts scanning them through and I place them into a bag, he said to me "next time you come into the store bring a trolley to load your groceries into". 'I said "ok".'

A disgruntled shopper has claimed an Aldi employee suggested she should bring a trolley the next time she does her groceries despite her grabbing just 10 small items (pictured)

Poll Does the shopper have the right to be mad? Yes No Does the shopper have the right to be mad? Yes 647 votes

No 448 votes Now share your opinion





But clearly confused by his remark, she then questioned him about the trolley.

'As I was preparing to pay, I said "sorry, why do I need to bring a trolley?", he said "to load your groceries into, to make it faster for the other customers". I was so irritated by this. I have 10 items mate,' she claimed.

She also shared a picture of her grocery showing 10 items, including Greek yoghurt, bananas, frozen baby peas, potato gratin, pies and marinated chicken pieces.

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, an Aldi spokeswoman said: 'While using a trolley to shop at our stores isnt a policy, we recommend customers use one when purchasing multiple products as it saves time at the register.

'We currently have no plans to trial stores with self-service checkouts. Feedback has told us that our shoppers prefer face-to-face interactions at registers, and that they are an important part of their in-store experience.

'Our current store format enables us to focus on creating the best possible in-store experience, while continuing to deliver high-quality products at permanently low prices.'

In the woman's post, she called on the German supermarket to 'open more registers, have an express lane for less items and have self-serve registers' if 'you want to make things faster for your customers'.

Her post quickly sparked a heated debate among customers, with many people suggesting the woman didn't need a trolley for 10 items.

The woman revealed how she was left furious after an Aldi cashier suggested a little-known trolley rule she was unaware of (file image)

'For only a few items like this I'd definitely only have a bag or my own basket as well. Very silly to get a giant deep trolley for only a bag's worth,' one shopper said.

One woman said: 'It's the customer's choice what they load their shopping in and none of the cashiers' business. If they're under the time pressure, they should be the ones dealing with it.'

Another customer said: 'How rude is that. I would have said it's not store policy to use a trolley,' and one added: 'If every single person takes a trolley, they don't have enough firstly, and secondly, there would be enough room in the store.'

One shopper claimed a cashier from another store made the similar comment about getting a trolley despite her only buying three items.

'I went in for three items once. And the lady said the same to me and I laughed at her,' she said.

The woman's post quickly sparked a heated debate among customers, with many people suggesting the woman didn't need a trolley for 10 items (file image)

But many defended the chain, saying they appreciate the scanning speed because they 'hate' waiting in line for other customers who 'take their time' with loading their bags.

'I actually love how fast they go, saves being stuck waiting at the register... I waited in line for a good 15 minutes for one customer before me, I could have had my whole ALDI shop done and been in the car in that time,' one said.

Another added: 'I find it really annoying that people can't simply do what's being asked. They scan you put in the trolley and move over to the bench to pack your groceries. It's not hard but seems to be for some people. Why? Just do it already and be done.'

A former Aldi employee also responded to the thread, saying: 'Aldi staff are told to encourage customers to use trolleys to save time at the registers. The poor guy was just doing as he is told.'

While a current employee added: 'We encourage trolley shopping to make it easier for staff. Three people running a supermarket at a time is not easy and constantly having to open tills prevents other things getting done around the store like bread, milk or bananas.'

The post has since attracted more than 600 comments and over 2,200 'likes'.
A 28-year-old man gunned down by a hitman outside a gym in Bolton last week but survived the attack despite being shot three times.

The attack is believed to have been linked to a car bomb attack made last July which resulted in the jailing of three men - Darren Holland, Tom Omona and Luqman Hamid.

It the latest in a string of violent and dangerous clashes between criminal gangs in the Bolton area which go back several years.

Greater Manchester Police have released an e-fit image (pictured) of a gunman involved in a shooting outside a Bolton gym on July 12. The hitman from the gym attack is described as mixed race, aged between 25 and 30, and was wearing a black bomber jacket at the time

Greater Manchester Police are appealing for help in identifying a gunman after releasing an e-fit image of the suspect.

The hitman is described as mixed race, aged between 25 and 30, and was wearing a black bomber jacket at the time.

Police are also seeking information about the location of a dark red Vauxhall Mokka, which just up on the corner of the road outside the gym car park just before the attack.

The car, registration number DW68 GDY, was reported stolen in Cheadle, Greater Manchester on June 20.

It was then spotted by CCTV three weeks later on the day of the attack with a man in dark clothing appearing from the rear driver's side.

It is also suspected the gunman had a contact from inside the gym who informed the attacker that the target was appearing from the gym.

The hitman shot a 28-year-old man outside the gym three times, with the victim surviving the attack after receiving emergency treatment. The attack is believed to be the latest in a string of violent and dangerous clashes between criminal gangs in the Bolton area

The 28-year-old man was approaching his Mercedes when he was shot by the gunman, who then returned to the Vauxhall and sped away from the scene towards the Salford area.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Clitherow of Greater Manchester Police said: 'We have not yet been able to locate a stolen dark red Vauxhall Mokka, registration DW68 GDY, which was seen in the area at the time of shooting on Friday 12 July 2019.

'We have also not yet been able to identify the gunman in this first linked incident.

'If you know anything about either of the incidents or have any information at all about the stolen red Mokka which we know drove to the Cheetham Hill area shortly after the shooting, I am appealing to you to please get in touch with police as soon as possible.

'Even the smallest piece of information could prove vital in helping police to complete their enquiries.

Police are also looking for information about the stealing of a dark red Vauxhall Mokka, which just up on the corner of the road outside the gym car park just before the attack

'We have not ruled out that the gunman was local but one line of enquiry is that he has no links to Greater Manchester and was hired to commit the offence.

'We believe that there are answers within the community and I am asking anyone with any information to please come forward.

'The offenders behind this attack are dangerous individuals and we are doing everything we can to find them. We need the public to provide the missing pieces within our investigation.'

Anyone with information is encouraged to report it via the dedicated Major Incident Public Portal at https://mipp.police.uk.

Officers can also be contacted on 0161 856 4711. Reports can also be made anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Twitter is now ramping up to launch a new API that will reportedly be more developer-friendly for third-party apps. The API will be cleaner, completely rebuilt from the ground up, and focused on providing devs an easier-to-use experience. Conversation threading, poll results, pinned tweets, spam filtering, and better stream filtering are all a part of the new API. And so is better search query language support.

The company also plans to launch an expansion to the tiers of access it has on offer. That will include new options over top of the three that currently exist  from free to premium and enterprise. The purpose of that, Twitter says, is to provide developers with elevated access and growth options within the same API. And new product tracks will help developers meet the needs of their users better.

This new Twitter API could potentially fix third-party app problems

Historically, Twitter has kept its API fairly locked down, particularly as that pertains to third-party apps. Updates have, at various points, removed core features, functionality, or even third-party developer tools in their entirety. In other cases, it has severely limited the number of users a third-party Twitter client can host.

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Twitter has also claimed it would restore those at various points. And that undoubtedly makes it difficult for some developers to trust the company. And it remains to be seen whether it will rectify the situation with this API update.

If so, this update could go a long way toward making some of the best Android apps for Twitter even better.

This is coming soon but maybe not as soon as might be hoped

Now, this updated API had been listed as coming soon for developers of Twitter experiences and third-party apps. The initial launch will be available across all levels of the API. And they chiefly center around data and conversation analysis. To that end, the new endpoints for developers will start with the ability to stream Tweets in real-time. Alongside that, Twitter says the change will also allow the analysis of past conversations. That will allow a better understanding of public conversations on the platform or to help businesses discover customer insights.

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API endpoints centered around measuring Twitter performance and listeners for important events are part of that too. And a whole lot more are being added at the same time, Twitter says.

But none of that will necessarily arrive soon. Because of the widely-reported recent security incident at Twitter though, the release has been delayed. Thats according to an update on the initial announcement of the incoming API.
Having already tackled War And Peace and Les Miserables, two of the most epic novels ever written, screenwriter Andrew Davies is clearly still up for a challenge.

A Suitable Boy, which runs to 1,349 pages, is one of the longest books in the English language, a sprawling and ambitious story set in post-colonial India as it discovers its true identity.

Written by Indian author Vikram Seth and published in 1993, it follows the fortunes of a young girl called Lata Mehra, whos attempting to find a suitable boy to marry as her country, still bearing the scars of Partition and Empire, matures.

Latas trials of the heart speak as loudly to me now as when I first read Vikrams epic novel two decades ago, says Andrew, who has condensed the novel into a magical six-episode BBC1 series.

At its heart is newcomer Tanya Maniktala, 23, who plays studious Lata. Tanya was contemplating giving up her fledgling acting career to study for a Masters degree in media studies in Australia where her sister lives when she was asked to audition

Shes a great literary heroine in the tradition of Jane Austen and George Eliot. But behind her stands a massive supporting cast of funny, irrepressible characters and a vision of India in the 1950s no reader will ever forget.

Directed by Mira Nair, who made the award-winning 2001 film Monsoon Wedding, it is the BBCs first drama production with an all-Indian cast and the first filmed entirely in India.

At its heart is newcomer Tanya Maniktala, 23, who plays studious Lata. Tanya was contemplating giving up her fledgling acting career to study for a Masters degree in media studies in Australia where her sister lives when she was asked to audition.

I was all set to go to Melbourne when a friend whos a casting agent kept calling me to audition for a role, she recalls.

He didnt tell me what the role was, but when I learned it was Lata I was quite overwhelmed.

The auditioning process was long and drawn out, but watching the show its immediately obvious why the producers fell in love with her. Like Lata shes lively, engaging and charismatic, a worthy new star for this huge role.

Shes a very colourful character, says Tanya.

Latas mother is very clear about what kind of boy she wants for her daughter. He has to be from the right caste, the right place and the right religion. Pictured, Mrs Rupa Mehra (Mahira Kakkar), with suitors Amit (Mikhail Sen), Haresh (Namit Das) and Kabir (Danesh Razvi)

Shes open-minded, which is something I can relate to, but shes not afraid to make mistakes. I hope Ive done justice to her, because she has to be seen in all her glory.

The series starts with book-loving university student Lata, whos 19, attending her big sisters wedding  an arranged marriage. The family are upper middle class and her mother decides its now time to find Lata a suitable boy.

Lata though wants to marry for love, and over the course of the story three boys, whose suitability varies, become the focus of her attentions.

Lata wants to go with what her heart says

Latas mother is very clear about what kind of boy she wants for her daughter, says Tanya.

He has to be from the right caste, the right place and the right religion. But Lata just wants to go with what her heart says  she cares more that the boy should truly understand and love her.

She first loses her heart to a fellow university student called Kabir.

Shes very passionate about him and wants to run away with him, says Tanya. But theres a problem  hes Muslim and therefore not suitable for her Hindu family.

Next on the list is Amit, the brother of Latas sister-in-law.

Pictured: Lata with her mother, Rupa Mehra

Hes a great poet and author and he and Lata have an intellectual connection. He shares her passion for books, says Tanya.

The problem here is that Lata isnt sure she loves him. The final contender is Haresh, a humble shoe factory foreman who shares a vulnerability with Lata.

The story is set against the backdrop of rising tension between Hindus and Muslims as the repercussions of Partition in 1947, when British India was divided into two states, predominantly Muslim Pakistan and Hindu India, take hold. An estimated one million people died in the violence that followed.

A real Bollywood legend Maan Kapoor sees his world spiral out of control after he falls in love with a Muslim courtesan. Pictured: Lata chats with Maan Saeeda Bai, the courtesan Maan falls in love with in the show, is played by Bollywood legend Tabu, who has won numerous best actress awards in India. Although Tabu, 48, has filmed in Britain before and starred in the Hollywood film Life Of Pi, this is her first work for British television. But she was happy to take the role when her friend, director Mira Nair, said shed be perfect for the part. I was at a dinner party with Mira and she said, Ive just been in Calcutta doing a recce for my latest show and Im going to come to you soon with a part and you had better be ready, recalls Tabu. Saeeda Bai, the courtesan Maan falls in love with in the show, is played by Bollywood legend Tabu, who has won numerous best actress awards in India. Pictured, the couple When I read the script I was so excited to be playing this interesting, exotic character. Her personality is built up by the experiences shes led. She was born into the life of a courtesan, but she has no control over it. 'She has a younger sister and she does what she can to shield her. And then this boy falls for her. Because he knows shes fond of poetry he brings her this book and for the first time she has complete joy. He doesnt just desire her for sex or entertainment but because he sees value in her. But she knows their relationship is dangerous... Advertisement

Latas life, in fact life for all of them, is affected by the political situation, says Tanya.

It still affects us in India today. I grew up with stories from my grandfather who is originally from Lahore, which is now in Pakistan, and he still wants to go back there.

'After making this show I spoke to him about Partition and tears rolled down his face as he talked about how he almost lost his life moving from Lahore to India. His brother was stopped by Muslims as they were moving and they demanded to know whether he was Muslim.

'They had knives and were ready to kill him. Thankfully a Muslim family took pity on him and said he was with them and he escaped unharmed.

'Trains full of Hindus were burned, people would try and murder everyone. A lot of humanity was lost at that time.

Its hard to imagine what they went through but there was one scene where we filmed a riot and I was genuinely shaken by it. I shiver just thinking about it because it felt so real.

Running alongside Latas storyline is another love story, but a very unsuitable one.

Maan Kapoor, whose brother is married to Latas sister, is the son of a high-ranking government minister but hes lazy and unsettled until he falls madly in love with a Muslim courtesan and his world starts to spiral out of control.

He has a rebellious streak, and like Lata he doesnt believe in the concept of arranged marriage  he would prefer to follow his heart, says Ishaan Khattar, 24, who plays Maan.

Hes free-spirited and lets his passions guide him, but that can land him in a lot of trouble. Hes overly sensitive and sometimes explosive.

Both Maan and Lata are on a journey of self-discovery, and their stories sometimes intertwine. But they go on very different paths. Maan is a victim of his own desires and habits.

Author Vikram Seth regularly appeared on set as the cast filmed all over India. Hes a very friendly personality and almost neurotically smart, says Ishaan. It was wonderful to have him there.

Each morning would start with a yoga session for the cast and crew before a full day of work. We filmed in villages that no ones ever filmed in before, and sometimes the villagers would become extras, says Ishaan.

It was very special.

While the history of Partition is more familiar to the actors than it will be to the British audience watching the series, Ishaan believes it will also have a message for modern India, especially the younger generation who cant imagine what it would have been like.

My grandparents were freedom fighters and Ive grown up hearing these stories, but its very different for my generation, he says.

People of my age have grown up in a time when theres no need to revolt about anything, weve never had to fight for a cause.

The interesting thing about it being on British television is that its not about the British, he adds.

The British influence is huge but this is about what happened next. Its about these people and who they are, what they went through. Its a journey of self-discovery as the country became an independent nation.

A Suitable Boy starts on Sunday 26 July at 9pm on BBC1.
Rajasthan's lone Communist Party of India-Marxist MLA Balwan Poonia Friday pledged his supports to the Ashok Gehlot government in the state, saying any attempt to topple it will not succeed.





He said he will vote in favour of the Congress government if there is a floor test in the assembly.

"The BJP is committing the sin of trying to topple an elected government. They will not succeed," the MLA told reporters at his official residence.

He said his name was also mentioned in audio clips, purportedly having conversation among Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat and a person named Sanjay Jain, and that he will go to the Special Operations Group to record his statement.



Poonia, who voted for Congress candidates in Rajya Sabha elections in the state last month, said he would file a defamation case against those who took his name in the conversation.
30th East China Fair boosting exports of anti-epidemic materials

By:An Ranran, Lu Yukun | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-07-16 21:51





The East China Fair, known as the weather vane of Chinas foreign trade, held its 30th opening ceremony online on July 13. To help stabilize the trade market which has been affected by the outbreak, the East China Fair is providing a 24-hour online service, bringing new opportunities for foreign businesses.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, demand has declined in the international market. Under this difficult circumstance, foreign trade enterprises in China have started to produce and export epidemic prevention and control products to supple domestic and overseas needs. The East China Fair this year thus set up an area for epidemic prevention materials. Exhibitors coming here include healthcare enterprises and some enterprises that have just got into the healthcare market.



Fujian Colorful Fox Garment & Weaving Co., Ltd. was originally engaged in making beachwear. Affected by the epidemic this year, the companys orders decreased sharply. However, the need for epidemic prevention and control products has spawned a huge market for medical products. In March and April, this company quickly turned to producing anti-epidemic materials. They rebuilt the original production line to produce knitted masks and supplied them to the US. So far we have sold tens of millions of masks, a manager said.

Besides Fujian Colorful Fox, there are many companies actively helping themselves through exporting anti-epidemic materials. According to data released by The General Administration of Customs on July 14, China's exports and imports both rose in June for the first time this year.

Nevertheless, some exhibitors said that they are still confronted by various difficulties in the process of serving the anti-epidemic material industry market including certification, logistics and insurance.

Firstbusinesses have to get a certificate to export products to Europe and America. Second, most enterprises understanding of logistics and green channels for anti-epidemic materials is limited. Finally, after dealing with overseas purchasers, they have found that its quite difficult to enter the market.

To help companies go through this difficult period and create as many trading opportunities as possible, the East China Fairs special area for anti-epidemic materials provides convenient conditions for exhibitors to communicate with each other. The fair exposes us to lots of purchasers and partner enterprises. We can jointly enhance our competitiveness in the international market, another manager said.
He was eliminated from MasterChef: Back to Win on Tuesday night.

But Callum Hann was all smiles as he returned to work in Adelaide two days later.

The 31-year-old chef was spotted outside his business, Sprout Cooking School, with his friend and co-founder, Themis Chryssidis.

Work break: Eliminated MasterChef star Callum Hann (right) and his business partner, Themis Chryssidis (left), were spotted outside their cooking school in Adelaide on Thursday

The mates appeared to be in good spirits as they enjoyed a chat and a stroll before heading to work.

Callum was dressed in an all-black ensemble featuring a T-shirt, jeans and boots.

Meanwhile, Themis also kept things casual in a pair of denim jeans, a white T-shirt and suede shoes.

Business: Callum launched his health-focused cooking school with nutritionist Themis in 2011, a year after placing runner-up on MasterChef season two

Callum, who is known for his 'nice guy' persona, cheerfully waved at photographers before entering the building.

He launched his health-focused cooking school with nutritionist Themis in 2011, a year after placing runner-up on MasterChef season two.

Every class is hosted by a chef and a health professional, and the school aims to teach students how to create meals that are nutritious and delicious.

Always happy: Callum, who is known for his 'nice guy' persona, cheerfully waved at photographers before entering the building

Like most businesses, the cooking school has struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the company has adapted by offering virtual cooking classes starting from $5, allowing clients to follow along in their own kitchens.

'We wanted people to get cooking, and its worked,' Themis told In Daily.

End of the road: Callum was eliminated from MasterChef: Back to Win on Tuesday, following a pressure test against Laura Sharrad (left)

Callum was eliminated from MasterChef: Back to Win on Tuesday, following a pressure test against Laura Sharrad.

The three chefs going into the finale are Laura, Emelia Jackson and Reynold Poernomo.

MasterChef: Back to Win continues Sunday at 7:30pm on Channel 10
The stories Keith Famie comes across while making films are both heartbreaking and inspirational.

For two years, Famie and his crew worked on the film Those on the Front Lines of Cancer.

The film will debut on PBS stations nationally Sunday, July 19, and will be shown at 10 p.m. on New Mexico PBS.

The film helps us understand where were at now and how far weve come, Famie says. Understanding the research is key, and I wanted to give a voice to those that are on a cancer journey.

The documentary features heartfelt stories and several well-known medical professionals.

Working in the trenches with these professionals, Famie explores the latest medical advances as well as body, mind, and spirit approaches and how lifestyle changes and disciplines can affect what may otherwise be a genetic roll of the dice.

Its always fascinating for me when I work on these films, Famie says. When I film with different medical professionals, one part of the country hasnt heard of an idea. Its usually bridged by the patients advocating for themselves and figuring out the best possible treatment. The patients have to push the envelope on this.

Famie is grateful to the Heart to Heart Hospice Foundation, the presenting sponsor for the national launch of the film on PBS.

 Cancer  this word evokes fear into anyone who hears a doctor use it in the context of a checkup. I truly wanted to explore where we are with treatments and research as well as better understand how lifestyle can impact our long-term health to possibly avoid a cancer diagnosis, he says. Most importantly, I wanted to give a voice to those on a cancer journey  enabling these unsung heroes of the film to teach us about strength, courage, faith, and the drive to overcome this devastating disease.

Michigan media personality JoAnne Purtan is the host of the two-hour documentary.

Cancer affects all of us in one way or another. I watched both my mom and mother-in-law battle ovarian cancer for years, and currently have friends facing their own cancer journey, Purtan says. This film provides hope  hope for new treatments on the horizon and hope for alleviating the financial toxicity that often accompanies a diagnosis. What an honor it is to work with Keith Famie and to be a part of such an important project.

Famie is looking forward to the documentary getting a national rollout because its an issue that people need to talk about.

These films are a real journey of love, he says. They really are done with the sense that people can react. Getting messages of hope really fuels my drive. Boy, if I can dig deep and serve up something that makes a difference, Im going to try each time.

On TV

Keith Famies Those on the Front Lines of Cancer, premieres at 10 p.m. Sunday, July 19, on New Mexico PBS
Not long before he died a couple of years ago at the age of 91, the ANUs great historian, Professor John Molony, took me aside at the National Library to tell me of an episode involving Captain Cook which he maintained should be known by all Australians  an event in our history that could be the key to healing that weeping wound on the national soul that stems from our deeply troubled history.

I was entranced by the story he told, followed up hard in my own book on Cook and as the event he described has its 250th anniversary tomorrow, please let me tell it.

A painting of Captain James Cook by John Webber.

The lead-up came from the Endeavour, with 95 men on board, which crashed into the Great Barrier Reef in the middle of the night, before  by the miracle of the piece of coral breaking off in the hole  just managing to make it to the shore of the Australian continent three days later. Five weeks of fierce skirmishing with the people of Guugu Yimithirr nation ensued, with spears thrown, shots fired, and the defenders of their land even trying to burn the invaders out.

It came to a climax on the afternoon of July 19, 1770 when Cook takes up a musket and for the second time on this continent fires lead shot  to sting, not kill  at threatening warriors. A confused chase ensued.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and New Zealands counterpart Jacinda Ardern will hold online summit on July 22, Foreign Ministrys Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang told reporters Thursday.

Foreign Ministrys Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang

The two leaders are expected to discuss measures to foster bolateral ties across such fields like politics, trade-investment, defense and security, education, agriculture, people-to-people exchanges, and COVID-19 response, in a comprehensive and practical manner, Hang said.

The summit aims to lift up the bilateral ties to new levels in line with the spirit of the Joint Statement issued on the occasion of Prime Minister Phucs visit to New Zealand in 2018.

The two Prime Ministers will also exchange views on regional and international issues of common concerns, said the Spokesperson.

Asked about the possibility of upgrading the bilateral ties to strategic partnership on the summit day, Hang said this year marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and New Zeland.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975, the bilateral ties have advanced progressively and sustainablly. Last year, the two sides lifted up the ties to comprehensive partnership level, which was a milestone for the sides to beef up the ties in an increasingly comprehensive, practical and effective manner across fields.

Based on the positive achievements of the past 45 years, Vietnam wishes and pledges to work with New Zealand to soon advance the ties to a new height, according to Hang. VGP
My dad always reminded me that, as a child, whenever he had a hole in his shoes, he would put a piece of cardboard inside as a sole, since his family could not afford to buy him a new pair, Vanessa wrote in an email. Stories like these gave me a whole new appreciation for the little things that are so easy to take for granted in life.
WASHINGTON  Data on the federal governments $521 billion coronavirus bail-out program for businesses contains numerous inaccuracies, including critical data on job retention, loan values and loans returned or canceled, according to published reports and government watchdogs.

The Small Business Administration released partial data on the program last week, but chose to conceal the names of about 85 percent of the 4.9 million loan recipients because they received loans of less than $150,000.

The incomplete and inaccurate information that was released leaves the public with a blurred picture of the nation's biggest business rescue program in years, obscuring the real impact of the taxpayer dollars and the identity of many of their beneficiaries.

Undercutting a Trump administration claim that the Paycheck Protection Program rescued 51 million jobs, multiple news outlets have found that many companies are reported in the database to have retained far more workers than they employ. In some cases, the SBAs job claims for entire industries surpasses the total number of workers in those sectors, the Washington Post found.

In New York, where the SBA has approved 323,900 loans, 45,972 companies reported they would retain zero jobs through the program and 18,603 left that information blank, according to the federal database. Some loans in other places list negative job numbers.

Danielle Brian, executive director on the Project on Government Oversight, said it is either bad data or a problem with the loan application  including what information the government asked for or what companies chose to disclose.

Bloomberg News reported the PPP application didnt ask about jobs retained by the loan, but did have a box for number of employees. Some companies left that information blank.

RELATED: Who got PPP loans in the Capital Region?

The database also did not include information on loans that were canceled or returned to the SBA before July, the SBA said. That means that companies like Shake Shack, which took out a $10 million PPP loan and then returned it after public outcry, were not included in the database.

Also not included was Manning and Napier, a Fairport, N.Y.-based investment advisory firm catering to wealthy individuals, which was approved for PPP loans for two of its subsidiaries totaling $6.7 million, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings show. The investment firm decided not to close on promissory notes for the loans on the same day in April that Treasury announced new guidance requiring borrowers certify in good faith their loan is necessary, SEC filings indicate.

Many loans went to needy companies, but in an effort to get money out the door as fast as possible, the SBA also waived some underwriting requirements from lenders leaving the program more susceptible to fraudulent applications, the U.S. Government Accountability Office found. Beyond outright fraud, theres the potential for misuse  loans for well-off companies that did not need the money to support their employees, which many sources said accessed the funds.

In addition, after the program was launched, the SBA regularly rewrote its rules, releasing updated guidance that changed eligibility and forgiveness requirements. U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, and a bipartisan group of 14 other House members complained to the SBA and Treasury Monday that the fluctuation of the guidance blocked some small businesses from getting the full loan amount they are now entitled to under the current rules. They asked the administration to allow those companies to apply for a loan increase.

Although the SBA regularly publishes detailed information on recipients in its other loan programs, the agency was reluctant the release public information on Paycheck Protection Program loans.

The SBA said it did not disclose the names of small PPP loan recipients to protect their proprietary business information. The SBAs decision makes it harder to know if the loans reached the desperate Main Street companies it was intended to rescue, outside of anecdotes. It also could conceal how many well-connected companies secured the smaller loans.

Data on loans above $150,000 shows billionaire West Virginia Gov. Jim Justices family's companies received PPP loans and at least nine companies owned or operated by members of Congress or their spouses received loans.

Treasury gave out billions of our tax dollars and said, We're not going to say who we gave it to, said Kathleen Day, a lecturer at the Johns Hopkins Cary Business School. Well, there's a reason they didn't want to say who they gave it to because they gave it to a lot of friends and relatives of congressmen who didn't want it publicized.

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

Previous reporting by the Times Union revealed publicly traded companies ranging from very large hotel chains and luxury cruise companies to smaller manufacturing operations got PPP loans. The New York Times found that banks and big lenders served their wealthy clients first with concierge treatment, handing them loans before smaller firms or businesses new to them and contributing to the quick evaporation of the first round of billions of PPP dollars.

The Times Union also reported in April that many workers were opting to stay on unemployment rather than return to work, because they were receiving more money than they had been paid on the job.

The SBA said it would review loans of $2 million or more  over 30,000 loans  to ensure they were made to companies who needed them, but the Government Accountability Office found as of June 15 the SBA had no definitive plans to complete the review.

A lack of clarity on exactly who got the money, and how much, makes assessing the effectiveness and fairness of the program tougher  particularly relevant at a time when Congress is considering passing a new round of coronavirus relief this month that is intended to be more targeted to the needy than the past programs.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., spoke in Glen Falls Thursday in favor of passing legislation that would offer a second round of PPP loans of up to $2 million to companies with less than 100 employees that lost half their revenue due to the pandemic. This round would not be available to publicly traded companies, he said.

Schumer also would like to extend the deadline to apply for a PPP loan until the end of the year. The PPP program is still open and businesses can apply until Aug. 8. Extensions to the PPP program have won bipartisan support in Congress.

Several news organizations are suing the SBA under the Freedom of Information Act to force the agency to release more data on the PPP program.

It also remains unclear whether the agency will release information later on loan forgiveness for these companies  key for determining whether the money becomes a grant for companies and how much of the funds are returned to government coffers.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday took to Twitter to thank the Sonu Sood for his 'generous contribution'

After helping scores of stranded migrant labourers return to their native places amidst the coronavirus pandemic,

actor Sonu Sood has now extended a helping hand towards the coronavirus warriors as he donated 25,000 face shields to Maharashtra Police personnel.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday took to Twitter to thank the Bollywood actor for his "generous contribution" to help the Police personnel who have been working tirelessly amid the testing times.

Responding to the Home Minister, Sood said, "Truly honoured by your kind words Sir! My police brothers and sisters are our real heroes and this is the least that I can do for the commendable work which they have been doing. Jai Hind."

The 46-year-old actor who is known for his roles in films like Singh is Kinng, Simmba, and Happy New Year has been hailed all over the media for arranging hassle-free passage of migrant labourers to their respective homes.

Check out the post

(With inputs from Asian News International)
Michigan Rep. Justin Amash (L) is no longer campaigning for public office, including his House seat, an aide told the Detroit News.

Why it matters: Amash is the first member of the Libertarian Party to serve in Congress. He left the Republican Party in 2019, and has served in Congress since 2011. He has also been a vocal critic of President Trump and partisanship in Washington, D.C.

What they're saying: "He hasn't been campaigning for any office and doesn't plan to seek the nomination for any office," Amash adviser Poppy Nelson told the Detroit News.

The big picture: After Amash announced that he will not run as a candidate in the 2020 presidential race in May, the Libertarian Party hoped he would seek the nomination for his House seat.
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Drug deaths in America rose to record numbers in 2019 and are continuing to climb with 2020 on track to see even more overdose deaths. According to preliminary data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year, a staggering increase of 5 percent from 2018.

To put this number in perspective, drug overdoses claimed more lives in 2019 than the peak yearly death totals ever recorded for car accidents, guns or AIDS. The sheer volume of deaths from drug overdoses has become so devastating in recent years that it has lowered the overall life expectancy in the US.

Experts predict that this deadly trend will only get worse in the coming year. Preliminary data covering 40 percent of the US population collected by the New York Times shows that so far in 2020, drug deaths have risen an average of 13 percent. In New Jersey, overdose deaths in the first half of 2020 were 17 percent higher than in 2019. In Colorado, deaths were up by 30 percent through March. Even more shocking numbers were reported in large counties across the country with Los Angeles, California showing a 35 percent spike and 32 percent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Times  analysis suggests that if this trend continues for the rest of the year it will be the sharpest increase in annual drug deaths since 2016.

While there is no doubt that the social and economic pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic will have devastating consequences in 2020 in terms of overdose deaths and increase drug abuse, several leading public health experts have noted that the rise in deaths in 2020 was well underway before the pandemic began in the US, and certainly before the stay-at-home orders were put into place.

In other words, the pandemic is going to dramatically worsen an already horrific situation.

Dan Ciccarone, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, explained it to the New York Times as such: Covid just makes [the crisis of drug overdoses] a bit worse but its a small wave riding on top of a tsunami that continues to devastate.

Experts believe that one factor in the increase in deaths stems from the proliferation of fentanyl, a synthetic pain killer, and the deadliest opioid available. Since 2014, the US has seen a dramatic increase in the prevalence of fentanyl and its cousin, carfentanil. These drugs are extremely lethal. Less than half a teaspoon of pure fentanyl is enough to kill 10 people. Carfentanil, which is used as an elephant tranquilizer, is 5,000 times stronger than heroin. For a human, an amount of carfentanil equal to a few grains of salt can be a lethal dose.

Fentanyl had been confined mostly to New England and other parts of the eastern US since 2014. Generally, fentanyl was found in powdered heroin. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, however, increasing numbers of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl have been found in California, Arizona, and other Western states. Deaths involving fentanyl accounted for 36,500 overdose deaths in 2019. Deaths involving cocaine and methamphetamine also are rising.

The real root of the problem is not primarily a question of the prevalence of drugs. Rather, it is the expression of a profound social illness. The depth of despair which an individual often feels when succumbing to drug abuse is the consequence of inequality, poverty, unemployment, and a general feeling of hopelessness that afflicts broad sections of the population. At its root, it is the product of an economic and political system that leaves those most severely impacted by the social crisis to fend for themselves.

Perhaps nowhere has this reality been more blatantly displayed as in the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Millions of workers have had their lives upended and their livelihoods destroyed. Millions remain unemployed or underemployed. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions more, do not know if their jobs will be secure next month or even next year. Workers do not know how they will put food on the table for their families in the coming weeks, or if they will be able to pay their rent or mortgages. Devastating scenes of workers lined up for hours to get tests, hospital ICU beds over capacity, and nurses and doctors worked to exhaustion have left so many in precarious situations, with few public resources, and a profound sense of despair.

On top of the impact of these events on the social and political outlook of broad sections of the population, there have also been many practical impediments for those already struggling with addiction.

For thousands of people who are struggling with addiction, the isolation of quarantine places them under extraordinary danger. Using drugs alone is much more dangerous than doing so with others since there is no one around to call a hospital or to revive you with Naloxone if needed. On top of this, many in-person treatment optionsincluding group counseling sessions and residential treatment centershave been shuttered, leaving many without the medical and emotional support on which they rely.

Substance use and abuse also increase the risk of both infection and a negative prognosis with COVID-19. The effect of opioids on the immune system has been extensively studied. Those using opioids chronically or therapeutically have been shown to have both slower and weaker immune responses.

There is no doubt that the current crisis will intensify the on-going drug epidemic in the US in profound ways. The measures required to confront the drug crisis in the US cannot be carried out without a frontal attack on the wealth of the corporate and financial elite and its stranglehold on the entire economic and political system.

As tens of thousands die from drugs this year, and hundreds of thousands die from the pandemic, the ruling class has conspired to dump trillions of dollars into the stock market to keep Wall Street afloat and conjure up new ways to amass ever-greater fortunes. No faith can be put in representatives of either bourgeois parties to address the prevailing ills of the capitalist system, including drug abuse.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Filipino and Japanese artists team up for a showcase of poetry, music, and new media digital art aimed at giving hope to everyone during these trying times.

The Collaborative Quarantine Art is the latest project of the Taguig-based Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. (BAFI), under its You ART Not Alone campaign.

The project, which can also be shared online, is also made possible with the support of the Japan Foundation Manila.

In these extraordinarily tough times, we in BAFI would like all of us to rethink how the arts are really part of the essentials in our life, in fact now, more than ever," said Maribel Garcia, BAFI managing director. "It uplifts, it transforms, it designs the wait. We would be emotionally crippled to survive this crisis if it were not for the arts."

Filipino artist Ron Capinding is the center of the project as he wrote a piece entitled Mabuhay Lahat, recognizing what the world is currently going through and also conveying what people can hold on and look forward to.

This situation has actually made my writing more helpful than it already was in the past," shared Capinding. "It has helped me a lot to make sense of these things, to keep my sanity, or should I say my insanity because we have to be always crazy as artists."

Capindings poetry was then converted into music by fellow Filipino music producer Sage Ilagan, who also performed it.

It is my responsibility as an artist to make people believe that we still have a chance, there is hope, and to be a beacon of light using my talents, said Ilagan.

Japanese artist Noriko Kinouchi completed the collaboration by providing stirring provocative visuals. Kinouchi said she listened to the audios melody and read the text before creating the digital art.

I am honor(ed) to join such a meaningful project," said Noriko upon accept upon the project. The difficulties which are caused by the pandemic give us many spiritual gifts exceeding the difficulties, I believe. I depict my work of art with such wishes.

The original pandemic-borne Collaborative Quarantine Art between Filipino and Japanese Artists will be released online this July 2020, in time to celebrate Philippines-Japan Friendship Month.

Follow the Bonifacio Global City Arts Center on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Gujarat breached 46,000 mark, with 949 people testing positive on Friday, the state health department said.

Total number of cases in the state stood at 46,516.

As many as 17 persons with COVID-19 infection died across the state, taking the toll to 2,108, the department said.

Besides, 770 patients were discharged in the state on Friday, taking the recoveries to 32,944.

Gujarat has witnessed nearly 14,000 Covid cases detected in seventeen days of July, almost each day with a new record. With an average of almost 816 cases daily, the state has registered 13,873 positive cases during these seventeen days.

Surat, the new hotspot for coronavirus in the state is also witnessing each day with a higher count than that of the previous day. Registering nearly 25 per cent of Friday's positive cases, Surat saw 234 cases. While on the declining trend, Ahmedabad saw 184 cases coming up.

Ahmedabad was followed by Vadodara 77, Rajkot 58, Bharuch 47, Bhavnagar 44, Junagadh 33, Gandhinagar 32, Navsari 30, Kheda and Mahesana with 21 each, Valsad 17, Jamnagar 16, Dahod, Kutch and Patan with 15 each, Gir-Somnath and Surendranagar with 13 each, Sabarkantha 12, Banaskantha 11, Panchmahals 10, Anand 8, Morbi and Tapi with 5 each, Botad 4, Amreli and Mahisagar with 3 each, Chhota Udepur, Devbhumi Dwarka and Narmada with one positive case each.

After witnessing 10 to 12 deaths for a couple of days, once again 17 fatalities were reported on Friday, where five patients died each in Surat and Ahmedabad, 2 each in Rajkot in Bhavnagar and one patient each died in Gandhinagar, Patan and Vadodara due to COVID-19.

The total number of Covid deaths in Ahmedabad have reached 1,543. 243 have died in Surat, 57 in Vadodara, 37 in Gandhinagar, 24 in Aravalli, 20 in Patan, 16 in Panchmahals, 16 deaths each in Rajkot and Bhavnagar, 15 deaths in Banaskantha, 14 deaths each in Mahesana and Kheda, 13 deaths in Anand and 11 have died in Bharuch.

The death toll rate of Ahmedabad which used to be around 81 per cent of the total toll is gradually getting lower. On Friday, it has come down a bit to 73.19 per cent. Gujarat's mortality rate is 4.53 per cent, which has come down a bit, is still one of the higher in the country.

On Friday, the health authorities carried out the maximum number of RT-PCR tests carried out in 24 hours, 12,830. Till now the health authorities have conducted over 5 lakh tests, 5,12,000 RT-PCR tests in Gujarat.

Out of a total RT-PCR tests carried out in the state, 4,65,484, have been found negative.

There are 11,464 active cases, out of which the condition of 11,393 is stable, whereas 71 critical patients are still on ventilator.

Currently, there are over 3.7 lakh people quarantined in the state at 3,74,559, where 3,72,356 are home quarantined and 2,203 in government facilities.
Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia have begun discussions on postponing the West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), an official has said.

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said this in Abuja on Friday.

He said Nigeria and the four countries are considering a new date for this years WASSCE, which Nigeria has temporarily pulled out from.

We met with WAEC on Monday and (we) have agreed to further consult with four other countries on a new examination date, he said.

Efforts to get a reaction from WAEC on the discussions were unsuccessful as its spokesperson, Damian Ojijeogu, did not respond to calls and messages sent to him.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Nigerian government reversed its earlier announcement on the resumption of schools. It also said no Nigerian school will participate in the WASSCE earlier scheduled for August 5 to September 5.

The decisions were to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among students.

WAEC

Secondary school graduating students who live in the five English-speaking countries write the WASSCE, which is organised by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

This years examination was postponed indefinitely in April after it was earlier scheduled to commence in May.

It was postponed after schools were shut down across the countries in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Apart from postponement of its examination, WAEC also suspended its 68th Annual Council meeting scheduled for Liberia from March 23 to 27, 2020.

The council made the decision to postpone the annual meeting after its 176th special international A & F Committee meeting in Accra.
DY365 correspondent Rajib Sharma was detained by Dhubri police on July 16 in Assam after a Dhuburi Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) lodged a first information report (FIR) against the journalist. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) condemns the arrest of Rajib Sharma.

Police arrested Rajib at 2 am, picking him up from his house in relation to an FIR lodged by the forest officer Biswajit Roy. The FIR alleged Rajib demanded money and threatened to expose the DFOs corruption. Rajibs father had a heart attack soon after his sons arrest and passed away. Police released Rajib on bail to attend his fathers funeral.

According to IJU, local journalists allege Rajib has been falsely implicated in the illegal timber business after DY365 recently exposing a scandal involving timber smuggling, deforestation and the local police.

IJU president Geetartha Pathak said: Arresting a journalist at midnight like a dreaded terrorist for the journalists reporting is a sheer attack on press freedom and freedom of expression. IJU also demanded compensation for the death of Rajibs father.

The IFJ said: The arrest of Rajib Sharma appears to be a clear attempt to intimidate the media and silence critical voices. The IFJ calls on authorities to withdraw the case against Rajib and ensure DY365 employees can continue working without fear of legal conflict.
Broadband connectivity alone doesnt make a postsecondary institution inclusive or competitive, said tech leaders from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) during a National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) webinar Wednesday.The main point at the webinar was that HBCUs and TCUs must view cyberinfrastructure from a broad lens in order to better serve students and capitalize on research opportunities that can bring dollars to educational organizations. Deborah Dent, CIO at Jackson State University (JSU), said institutions need the right trained workers and tools to take advantage of what one can do with a high-speed network.A lot of times when we hear the word cyberinfrastructure, we think its just the network  [but] its more than just equipment, Dent said.We know that most states are experiencing budget cuts, she later observed. Its important that we increase our research capabilities because were just not going to be able to survive on state funding.Al Kuslikis, senior associate for strategic initiatives for the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), said if you dont have cyberinfrastructure on campus to support research that involves large datasets, it can be very difficult to attract faculty. This fact presents a challenge to TCUs, which are often resource-challenged, but theres still hope if all an institution has is broadband access.Cloud computing is big  you can do a lot with Amazon without having the local computing horsepower, Kuslikis said.Dent said JSU transferred just about everything that we have to a cloud-based system over the last three years. JSU was nervous about the change at first, but then came COVID-19, which made the benefits of moving to the cloud clear: socially distanced students and faculty still had access to everything they needed.Our biggest challenge was training our traditional faculty to move to that online environment, Dent said.Curtis Bradlee, interim director of University Computing and Information Technology Services at South Carolina State University (SCSU), said his institution is actively replacing fiber to increase bandwidth across campus. Another critical activity, however, involves setting up a secure connection with Clemson University so that resources can be shared for research purposes.Bradlee said one challenge comes down to who has immediate access to the research network.The research network is separate from the commodity network, so were looking for a way for students across the country to access the resources across that research network, Bradlee said.Although both HBCUs and TCUs face similar pressure to make the most out of limited resources to serve particular populations and communities, leaders highlighted key differences between the two types of institutions.Bradlee and Dent said that Internet speeds at their universities fall in the gigabits per second range, while Kuslikis cited research showing that TCUs, on average, have an on-campus Internet speed of 336 megabits per second, which is significantly lower than national averages. Moreover, Kuslikis pointed out that hardware at TCUs tend to be refreshed every eight years, compared to three to five years for all postsecondary institutions.Tribal institution students also face substantial connectivity issues at home on reservations. Jason Arviso, vice president of operations at Navajo Technical University, said while the Navajo Nation has taken advantage of the Federal Communications Commissions spectrum program for rural tribal populations, the FCCs current broadband maps greatly underestimate the connectivity limitations of the Navajo Nation.Kuslikis said it will take the right type of wireless technology to give TCU students the home Internet that they need.Theres mountains, theres valleys, theres canyons, theres just a lot of challenges there, Kuslikis said.On the encouraging side, Kuslikis said because environmental sciences is a popular field among TCUs, AIHEC is developing a climate change data analysis training and support platform that will be made available to faculty and students, who will be able to analyze data from NASA and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.Kuslikis added that partnerships with the Texas Advanced Computing Center and the University of Miami are providing analytics mentorship opportunities for TCU students.Dent said one potential key cyberinfrastructure resource for educational institutions is The Quilt. According to its website , The Quilt facilitates the ability of research and education networks to develop, deploy and operate advanced cyberinfrastructure that enables innovation in research and education.We have to be able to take our workforce from one side and take it over to the other side, Dent said. Thats why its important to collaborate with each other.
Entering the second phase, the cuts will be reduced from 9.6 million barrels per day (bpd) to 7.7 million bpd starting August until the end of the year, according to an OPEC statement released after the online meeting.

The meeting, co-chaired by Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak, highlighted full commitment of all parties to follow the oil cuts deal.

The meeting also required the countries that overproduced in previous months to submit their compensation plans to the OPEC Secretariat by the end of July.

The compensation plans mean that the effective oil cuts will exceed 7.7 million bpd.

OPEC and its allies, an oil group known as OPEC+ led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed in April to slash output by 9.7 million bpd for May and June as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged demand, and decided in June to extend the first phase of oil output cuts until the end of July.
The country should meet certain EU criteria.

Ukrainian Health Minister Maksym Stepanov says the dynamics of the COVID-19 incidence in Ukraine over the past two weeks have exceeded the levels approved by the European Union; he also named a key condition when the EU may reopen its borders for Ukrainians.

Read alsoUkraine not included in EU's updated coronavirus safe list

"We estimated [this might happen] if the number of cases did not exceed 460-480 during two weeks," he said on July 14 in an interview for the RBC Ukraine news agency, which was published on July 17.

Noteworthy, the country should meet the following EU criteria  the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the past 14 days should be close to or below the EU's average indicator (as of June 15, 2020); a flattened curve should show a downward trend in the number of new cases per day. The overall situation with handling COVID-19, including testing and monitoring, is also taken into account.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the EU on July 16 updated the so-called "green list" of countries whose citizens enjoy free access to the EU member states' territory.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria has already allowed Ukrainians to enter the country without mandatory observation and COVID-19 testing.
A union has called on the public to ensure dogs are kept on leads at all times after a farmer lost 14 sheep to livestock worrying in the past two months.

In the latest incident to hit the County Down farmer, an ewe had to be put down after falling from a cliff while being chased by an out-of-control dog.

The sheep broke both legs as a result of the livestock worrying incident, which occurred earlier this week.

The farming family, who work in the Mournes, have been left to deal with the 'horrific aftermath' of the case, the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) said.

It added that farmers should not have to pay for a 'lack of respect' for livestock.

Under the Access to the Countryside (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, the public are not allowed in the countryside with a dog that is not under proper control.

If a dog worries, attacks or kills sheep the person in charge of that dog is guilty of an offence. The penalty for this offence is a fine of up to 1,000.

The UFU said the most recent attack reinforced the need for dog owners to ensure that their pets are not permitted to roam freely in the countryside.

The union's deputy president, Victor Chestnutt said it was a 'harrowing sight' to see sheep fall victim to dogs.

"I would urge dog owners to remember that the desire to hunt and chase is part of any dogs natural instinct," he said.

"The safest and most appropriate thing for all dog walkers to do is to always keep their dog on a lead when out and about, and I cannot emphasis this enough.

"Whether walking along rural roads, through the countryside next to fields and farms, dogs must be kept under control as there is the potential for livestock worrying."

Mr Chestnutt said such incidents resulted in serious financial loss and stress for affected farmers, and increased levels of depression amongst the flock.

He urged farmers to ensure incidences of livestock worrying were reported to their local council dog warden for investigation.

In Northern Ireland dog wardens are employed by each of the eleven local councils and can be contacted in the event of a livestock worrying incident.

It comes as recent figures by NFU Mutual shows that livestock worrying cost farmers 1.2 million last year.
Furniture shopping just got a whole lot easier. (Getty Images)

Online shopping has undoubtedly made our lives a lot easier.

In need of some new clothing? Online retailers such as ASOS and John Lewis stock almost every high street brand you could ever want, meaning you can easily do all your shopping in one fell swoop.

In a similar vein, Cult Beauty and LookFantastic have every beauty label your skincare routine needs and Argos and Amazon offer strong one-stop-shop appeal for all things electrical.

But, when it comes to shopping for homeware online, its not quite as simple.

No website stocks a good variety of home retailers, which often means that when you go to purchase a new interior item youre probably battling with endless tabs on your computer, filled with options from the likes of Dunelm, Laredoute, John Lewis, Made and Habitat.

In short: shopping for home items is undeniably frustrating and time intensive. Plus, even after hours of scrolling, you cant help but feel like you may have missed something.

Whether you're looking to invest in a new bed, or are simply in need of trendy new side lights, ufurnish.com will help you find the products you're after. (Icona Furniture/Ufurnish)

Enter ufurnish.com. A new find of ours, which is a sparkling new digital destination that acts as a search engine and catalogue for all things homeware.

You can search from over 100 retailers, from well-known brands John Lewis and Dunelm, to smaller independent labels such as Barker & Stonehouse, Cox & Cox and The French Bedroom Company.

Whether youre after a big piece of furniture or some soft furnishings and accessories, the options are vast.

Founded by Irish/Australian couple Deirdre Mc Gettrick and Ray Wright, the creation of ufurnish.com was based on their own experience of struggling to find the furniture they wanted for their own home.

Deirdre recalls: We found the experience very frustrating and disconnected. Working long hours, the last thing we wanted to do in the evenings was trawl websites to find the right sofa or bedside cabinet, especially as we kept having to repeatedly input the same search criteria on every furniture website we found.

Deirdre Mc Gettrick and Ray Wright created ufurnish.com after struggling to find the furniture they wanted for their own home. (Supplied)

Undoubtedly, ufurnish.com, will save you a lot of time and give you peace of mind that youve found the best product out there.

Story continues

Plus, not only does the website act as a directory of all the best furniture retailers, but shoppers can also use it to find interior inspiration.

If you set up an account you can create home furnishing design boards, plus find practical furnishing advice with top tips, style guides and design inspiration.

And, the website couldnt of come at a better time.

The website features over 100 retailers from big brands such as John Lewis to smaller independent labels such as Grace and Grey. (Grace and Grey/Ufurnish).

Due to the coronavirus pandemic weve all spent more time than ever at home, which has made a lot of us want to update a few things around the house.

Recent research by ufurnish.com shows that since being confined at home, 69% of people have re-evaluated the furniture they have in their house, prompting them to consider new purchases during recent months.

So, if like us, youve been putting off updating your home furnishings because finding items online became too much of a faff, youre about to be pleasantly surprised with how easily homeware shopping can actually be.
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A British man who went viral this week thanks to video footage of him blocking a wrong-way driver in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Ngai is in hospital for head and knee injuries he sustained in a crash, doctors said Thursday.

Stuart Surtess, 60, is hospitalized at Quang Ngai General Hospital with a traumatic brain injury and a complex injury on his left knee, doctors told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

His health is stable for now but he will need further monitoring, according to the head of the infirmary.

Surtess was riding a bicycle when he got involved in a crash with a motorbike in Quang Ngai on Wednesday, according to Duy, a man from neighboring Da Nang City who witnessed the collision and rushed the British man to the hospital.

I know a little English so I was able to communicate with him and ask to check his personal belongings for identification. He couldn't speak at that time but nodded his head in approval, Duy recalled.

Duy was not able to find a passport amongst the mans belongings, so he decided to post the story on his Facebook account to ask netizens for help in finding the mans relatives.

The locals were able to quickly identify Surtess as it turned out he had gone viral just the day before when footage of him using his bicycle to block a wrong-way motorbike driver on a Quang Ngai street appeared on Facebook.

The Britons uncompromising attitude eventually forced the motorbike driver to turn his vehicle around.

Many who viewed the video praised Surtess for the good example he set.

Footage recorded by a passer-by shows British citizen Stuart Surtess blocking a wrong-way motorbike driver in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam, July 14, 2020. Video: P.T.

Phuong Trung, the Quang Ngai local who recorded the video, was stunned to see a foreigner being a role model to her countrymen.

I was traveling on Nguyen Van Linh Street when I saw a male foreigner who was standing with his bicycle near a construction site on Bau Sat Bridge blocking a young man riding the wrong way with a child on a motorbike, Trung told Tuoi Tre.

[Surtess] became very assertive and convinced the other man to turn back and ride correctly. I recorded the entire encounter because I found it such an inspiring story, she explained.

After the clip went viral, netizens began researching Surtess and found he was a retired expert who had worked for a company in the Dung Quat Economic Zone in Quang Ngai.

After retiring, he chose to settle down permanently in Quang Ngai were he offers free classroom lessons to locals.

British citizen Stuart Surtess undergoes a CT scan at Quang Ngai General Hospital following a road accident in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam, July 15, 2020. Photo: M.D.

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UN says response of wealthy countries grossly inadequate as it increases appeal for funds to record $10.3bn.

Coronavirus support to poor countries has been grossly inadequate UN aid chief Mark Lowcock said on Thursday, as he asked wealthy countries for billions of dollars more to fight the coronavirus and deal with food insecurity.

The additional $3.6bn is the UNs third appeal for funds since it launched the Global Humanitarian Response Plan in March, and brings the total appeal to a record $10.3bn.

The money is to help 63 countries, mainly in Africa and Latin America.

The response so far of wealthy nations, whove rightly thrown out the fiscal and monetary rule books to protect their own people and economies, the response that theyve made to the situations in other countries has been grossly inadequate and thats dangerously shortsighted, Lowcock, the UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said as he warned of the risk of multiple famines this year and into 2021.

In addition to Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen and Nigeria, which have already been hit by food shortages, he expressed growing concern over the situation in Sudan, Zimbabwe and Haiti.

The prospect of cascading crises more brutal and destructive than anything the virus alone can do must jolt us all out of our comfort zone, he added.

Health system stress

As well as combating famines exacerbated by the pandemic-induced economic crisis, the additional funds are needed for medical equipment, information campaigns and to establish humanitarian air bridges in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

We welcome the @UN's appeal for USD10.3 billion to fight #COVID19 in the world's most vulnerable places. Our research shows tens of millions more children are at risk of increased hunger, violence, disease and death due to secondary impacts of the pandemic.  World Vision NZ (@WorldVisionNZ) July 16, 2020

UN agencies estimate that the disruption to health systems caused by the pandemic could lead to the deaths of 6,000 children every day from preventable causes, while annual deaths from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria could double.

The first cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Idlib in Syria last week, raising concern the respiratory disease could spread in the crowded camps where hundreds of thousands of people forced from their homes in the countrys civil war have taken refuge.

The UN has raised only $1.7bn since the plan was first launched.

Aid concerns

Lowcock spoke of discussions in the US Congress, the European Union, and the UK where the Department for International Development is being merged with the Foreign Office. He said aid from Gulf countries was also long overdue.

We do want to see these countries get back to play the role they had played in the previous two or three years, he said, highlighting the risk of significant reduction in UK assistance.





China has recently promised to spend two billion dollars on poorer countries, and Lowcock said it would be good if some significant proportion of those resources could be used directly to support the UN plan.

According to a projection by the UN and the University of Oxford, 121 million more people could be affected by food insecurity by December if nothing is done.

Failure to act could also lead to instability or conflict in countries such as Lebanon, Senegal, Belize, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Burundi, according to the United Nations.

In poor countries, the human cost could be devastating if the virus is not brought under control. It could kill 1.67 million people in 30 low-income countries, according to UN projections.
July in a presidential year is better late than never for a campaign reboot. But a third-down audible is reportedly in the Trump campaign's playbook. They're calling it: swap out moderate outreach, helmed by family capo Jared Kushner, and run with thunder-and-lighting populism.

Out goes exulting prison reform; in comes tenebrous talk of American carnage.

One problem with calling it a comeback: finding the footing to rebound. The Los Angeles Times reports that the Trump camp, having postponed its upcoming New Hampshire rally, is struggling to find an inflection point. The July 3 address at the foot of Mt. Rushmore, with its tone of unapologetic American pride, laid out the dichotomy the president must emphasize to stay viable amid a pandemic-caused economic slump: that the Democrats despise America's civic foundation, while Republicans still find Uncle Sam a proud and admirable fellow.

The culture-war framing might not be enough of a wedge issue to capitalize on. And Trump, forced to abandon boasts about the barrel-chested economy, may have put the pivot to patriotism off for too long. In an interview with columnist Marc Thiessen, he decried the iconoclasm of young progressives tearing around cities, wrenching monuments off their plinths. He then outlined his new re-election pitch: "Maybe I'm a voice in the wilderness but most people agree with me. And many won't say it, and they might not even say it in a poll, but I think they'll say it in an election."

Will they, though? Will the much-mythologized "silent majority" repudiate the youthful malcontents dispossessing their own country?

Count me as skeptical. The shy Tory effect is real, and it likely nudged Trump over the finish line in 2016. Enough housewives in Lancaster County, Pa. and Kenosha County, Wi. were willing to skirt propriety to vote for someone who hadn't spent thirty years in government. The screw-you factor also shouldn't be discounted. Some voters went with the outer-borough brandmaster just to stick it to the conceit-huffing self-identified superior class.

But the catharsis of choosing the unlikeliest president in American history has expired, the novelty expended within the first few months of 2017. Spite is a powerful electoral force. But it's not clear that spiting the youthful critical-theory enthusiasts with a Trump vote will actually deter them. It didn't before. Leftists are more zealous, and more influential, than ever.

Progressive woke narration has infiltrated every major American institution. Corporate chains from Burger King to PetSmart unthinkingly mouth Black Lives Matter slogans. Social media channels promote anti-white graphics. Newspapers tilt reporting to be openly hostile to conservatives. Talk of binning "The Star-Spangled Banner" is spotlighted. A passel of writers and thinkers signed on to an open letter denouncing the thought-limiting illiberalism of the left, only to have the tract ridiculed as reactionary, with some signees bullied into retracting their names..

The Facebook and Twitter feeds of countless Millennials are filled with the same reductionist precept: America is an irredeemable nation unworthy of fidelity. And Trump and his followers are a churlish band of racists.

Will casting a Republican ballot in the fall change this mindset in the slightest? Will it stop your Bernie-loving nephew from calling George Washington a white supremacist at Thanksgiving? If Trump squeaks his way into a second term, will it dial back the red-hot tempers of the left? Or will four more years make the current unrest seem quiescent in comparison?

There is a danger of fatalism gripping the president's steadfast base, and Republicans more generally. The only message the loyal Trump voter has heard for three years running is that his choice was illegitimate. Trump was never allowed to be president. His re-election should not be allowed. On the off chance of a repeat performance, the second term will be just as hamstrung as the first, with ceaseless congressional sniping and lawsuit-driven inquiries from an unscrupulous press.

That kind of guaranteed acrimony makes a Trump re-elect less a cure for our fraying bonds than a sepsis reaction, exciting the pestilential forces corrupting the republic from within.

The left's propensity for poor-sportish dudgeon doesn't make Biden a shoo-in, however. A new Monmouth poll revealed that 57% of Pennsylvania voters believe that a muted contingent of "secret" Trump-supporters will return their candidate to the White House. Unstinting cultural aggression can easily turn despair into intolerable abjection. Even the worm eventually turns.

Where the right could lose enthusiasm over being unable to alter their country's course, the left risks overshooting its ambition. Attacking America's core, its fundamental ousia, can cause something greater, more precious, to snap. The nothing-left-to-lose reaction won't be pretty. Convincing progressives of their errors will be secondary to lashing out for the hell of it. It may even end up handing Trump the reins back.

Image: Fox News via YouTube.
German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz was aware of potential market manipulation at Wirecard almost 1 1/2 years before the company collapsed, putting pressure on a key figure in Angela Merkel's government.

Financial watchdog BaFin informed Scholz in February 2019 about the case "because of the suspicion of a violation against the prohibition of market manipulation," according to a report by the Finance Ministry seen by Bloomberg.

His early knowledge of the allegations swirling around Wirecard increases scrutiny on the highest-ranking Social Democrat in Merkel's coalition and lays bare the delicate dynamics just over a year before the next election.

Presented to the heads of the parliamentary finance committee on Thursday evening, the report creates a new opening for critics who accuse German authorities of being too lax by failing to pursue fraud allegations of a company that aspired to be a leading light in Europe's tech industry.

The minister was told that BaFin would "investigate in all directions," said the document, which was reported earlier by German media.

While Scholz has denied any direct involvement in the Wirecard scandal, he has struggled to insulate himself from the issue. His deputy, Joerg Kukies, confirmed on Wednesday that he met the digital payments company's then-Chief Executive Officer Markus Braun twice at the end of last year, including once on the manager's birthday.

Merkel kept the scandal at arm's length, saying the responsibility to clear up the issue lies with Scholz.

"What information the Finance Ministry possessed at what time will be disclosed by the ministry to the public, and the chancellor sees that as good and correct," Martina Fietz, Merkel's deputy spokeswoman, said Friday during a regular government news conference.

She stopped short of stating that Scholz has the German leader's full support. "The chancellor works faithfully with all members of the cabinet," Fietz said.

Despite the mounting pressure, Merkel would be hard pressed to take action against her vice chancellor without bringing down the coalition, an unlikely scenario in the midst of a global pandemic and during Germany's six-month presidency of the European Union.

Wirecard, a member of Germany's benchmark DAX index, became a national disgrace when it said last month that a quarter of its balance sheet probably doesn't exist. That set off a blame game between banks, auditors and public authorities and revealed large gaps in the country's oversight of nonfinancial companies.

"Politically it's highly problematic that the finance minister got involved with the case at such an early stage," Danyal Bayaz, a lawmaker with the Green party, said in a phone interview on Friday.

"Scholz had Wirecard on his radar, he had an interest, but this interest apparently never became big enough to prompt him to take action," he said, adding that the Finance Ministry has failed to clear up its role and that he wouldn't rule out seeking a parliamentary investigation.

Any decision over Scholz's fate would rather lie with the SPD, whose members last year rejected his bid to lead the party in favor of a duo who voiced more support for policies such as a wealth tax, a higher minimum wage and public spending.

Still, voter backing of the SPD remains mired at historic lows, and the party has begun to maneuver in support of Scholz's bid to run for the chancellorship. That fragile balance would be upended if the politician's standing was challenged.

The Finance Ministry waved off suggestions that Scholz didn't act appropriately. German regulators pursued various accusations against Wirecard over the years and the ministry was regularly informed about the state of the various probes, Finance Ministry spokesman Dennis Kolberg said at the government briefing.

The ministry is "actively" looking to overhaul accounting oversight in the aftermath of Wirecard's collapse and will present a plan "as quickly as possible."

"We're looking intensively at whether improvements are necessary," Kolberg said.

BaFin, which is overseen by the Finance Ministry, has come under criticism for appearing to focus more on targeting investors who alleged irregularities at Wirecard and made bets against the stock, rather than the company itself.

The regulator said in March last year that it was investigating both sides. BaFin President Felix Hufeld said last month that his institution is among those parties responsible for the failure to catch what he has called "massive fraud" at the company. Still, he defended BaFin's actions against so-called short sellers as being a legal obligation.

Despite outrage over the shortcomings, political opponents have stopped short of calling for Scholz to step down.

"The sloppiness when it comes to controlling billion-dollar companies is simply inconceivable," Bernd Riexinger, head of the Left party, said in an emailed statement. "Scholz urgently needs to explain why suspicions of irregularities at Wirecard -- but also the problems with the oversight regime -- were ignored in his ministry for so long."
Home Search ICH UK Shoots Self In Foot for Uncle Sam By Finian Cunningham July 16, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - In a dramatic U-turn, the British government is scrapping Chinese telecom giant Huaweis involvement in modernizing its internet infrastructure. And the Trump White House is crowing with glee. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hailed Londons decision as protecting free-world values. What values might they be? Bullying, intimidation, subservience, empire-building? The Trump administration has been piling pressure on the British to back away from earlier plans to partner with Huawei for developing its 5G wireless network. American sanctions and a media campaign vilifying Chinese technology as a national security threat seems to have won the day. Boris Johnsons government overturned its previous decision in January to partner with Huawei. British telecom operators have now been ordered to stop using Huaweis technology and to rip out existing 5G equipment over a seven-year period. The British government admits that this reversal will result in delays for modernizing the countrys telecoms services  seen as vital for economic development  and will add huge costs of up to 2 billion ($2.5 bn) for eventual replacement. Something which taxpayers and consumers will no doubt have to pay for. So much for the much-vaunted Anglo-American special relationship. Its special alright. Uncle Sam calls the shots  and Britain shoots itself in the foot. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Newsletter It should be obvious that the whole debacle has nothing to do with alleged national security concerns and everything to do with Washington strong-arming for commercial and strategic advantage. Huawei, the worlds largest telecoms equipment maker, is supplanting American technology across the world. And Washington is endeavouring to blacklist the company in order to give its own firms a competitive advantage. The Trump administration has accused Huawei  without evidence  of offering a backdoor to the Chinese Communist Party for global surveillance. It takes a lot of brass neck for the Americans to punt that particular line given the actual global spying that its tech giants have enabled the US-based National Security Agency to conduct, as revealed by whistleblower Edward Snowden. The battle over technology and commerce is only part of the bigger strategic struggle which Washington views as vital to sustaining its presumed global power. American capitalism and power view the world as a zero-sum contest. All perceived competitors must be vanquished or controlled so that American power can prevail as an all-dominant entity. To that end, Washington must necessarily portray the world in polarizing Cold War terms of us against them, or of so-called allies against enemies. As Chinese and Russian diplomats have repeatedly pointed out, Washington seems incapable of shedding its Cold War ideology of containment and great power rivalry. For American capitalism, the idea of mutual partnership and cooperation is simply and utterly anathema. The fight with China over the telecoms industry is just one front among many others in Americas wider strategic conflict against Beijing. Washington needs to kill the competition with draconian interventions, either with propaganda, sanctions or arm-twisting. Because the bigger picture is about subjugating others to accept Washingtons political, economic and military diktat. China and Russia are not amenable about that designated subordinate role desired by Washington. Hence the Cold War revival and indeed intensification. Ultimately, war is the potential endpoint. In classic zero-sum mode, Washington is demanding that its ostensible allies in Europe must shun Chinese telecoms and Chinese commerce in general. The same applies to trade with Russia as exemplified by Americas bullying over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. It is no coincidence that as Britain was set to announce its decision (that is, Washingtons decision) on Huawei, Trumps national security adviser Robert OBrien was lobbying other European governments to likewise ditch plans to partner with the Chinese firm for 5G development. Germany, France, Spain and Sweden, among other EU members, appear to be moving ahead with their Huawei partnership plans. They have so far rebuffed Washingtons alleged fears over national security. Not so Britain and other members of the US-led Five Eyes nations: Australia, New Zealand and Canada. They, not surprisingly, appear to have swallowed the national security propaganda and anti-China bigotry with gusto. Indeed so subservient is Britain to Washington, the government in London seems willing to damage its own economy and the wellbeing of its own people in order to suck up a little favour from Uncle Sam. The free world? Yeah, freedom to be a vassal. Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. - " Source " - Post your comment below See also The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Search Information Clearing House === The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load.
Drone footage captured by a travel blogger Zamkadniy revealed the disaster caused by an abandoned mine in the Ural Mountains, Russia, causing the river to turn orange, filled with poisonous water.

AFP

After this footage surfaced, Russian authorities have commenced an investigation to find the culprit behind the serious damaged caused to the environment, as reported by AFP.



The water has turned orange from the waste at the Levikhinsky mine -- an abandoned copper mine near Lyovikha in western Siberia. The waste was essentially stored in ponds but with heavy rains affecting that region of Russia, the ponds have overflowed.

AFPs report also highlighted that a local environmentalist Andrei Volegov (who works for a non-governmental organisation called Ecopravo) had alerted authorities last year about this overflowing of wastewater.

However that the time the authorities responded stating that the company behind this mess didnt have enough funds to procure lime, to neutralize the acid. And now this acid is meandering through the state, destroying everything in its way.

Reports by local news agencies, highlighted by AFP also reveals the fact that Sverdlovsk regional government had even urged authorities to shut down the mine, but this request was rejected as the capital stated that there were still valuable resources in the mine.

AFP

Russia isnt having the best time in the world from the aspect of the environment. Just last month, the nation saw a major spill of fuel oil in the Arctic that raised several concerns of industrial pollution in Russia, where the authorities arent strict on the impact companies have on the environment by punishing them with small fines while hazardous waste is left unaddressed for years due to bureaucratic challenges.

Also last month we saw a town in Siberia experience one of the hottest days in its lifetime -- a region that is otherwise known for freezing temperatures.
Coronavirus cases in India passed one million on Friday, official data showed as authorities struggle to check the spread of the deadly pandemic across the world's second-most populous nation. With over 600 Indians dying daily, lockdowns are being re-imposed across the country of 1.3 billion following an easing of restrictions in recent weeks on hopes the outbreak was under control. Health ministry data released Friday put the total cases recorded at 1,003,382, a jump of almost 35,000, with 25,602 deaths after an increase of 687 -- both new daily records. India, home to some of the planet's most densely packed cities, is the third nation to hit a million cases after the United States and Brazil, although the numbers of deaths in those two countries are far higher. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Thursday that India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are together fast becoming the next epicentre of the virus. "While the world's attention has been focused on the unfolding crisis in the United States and South America, a concurrent human tragedy is fast emerging in South Asia," the organisation said. "COVID-19 is spreading at an alarming rate in South Asia, home to a quarter of humanity." - Rural spread - Until now India's main hotspots have been the megacities of Mumbai and New Delhi, but recently smaller cities and rural areas -- where 70 percent of Indians live -- have begun to raise the alarm. Goa on Thursday evening became the latest state to go under lockdown, imposing a three-day shutdown and a nightime curfew until August 10. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said too many people were "stepping out to meet people at parties" and there was a low level of "awareness and sensitivity". The coastal tourist region followed Bihar, one of India's most impoverished states and home to 125 million people, in reintroducing curbs after IT hub Bangalore did so earlier in the week. Other areas have also brought back restrictions including parts of badly-hit Tamil Nadu and Kerala -- previously lauded as a success story -- as well as Assam. But the situation on the ground in Bihar underscored the challenges in keeping the pandemic in check. The streets of state capital Patna were still teeming with traffic and people after the lockdown began, many ignoring social distancing advice and not wearing masks. "The lockdown is not being fully enforced," local businessman Ranjeet Singh complained. - 'We have no idea' - With per capita spending on health care among the lowest in the world, India's hospitals are reeling. Frontline staff, especially in rundown state-run hospitals, are working punishingly long shifts with often shoddy protective equipment. "COVID patients often get delirious. They refuse to eat, pull away their tubes and even get violent with us," Showkat Nazir Wani, a doctor at one hospital in Uttar Pradesh state told AFP. Many experts say India is not testing enough people or properly recording fatalities, meaning the true caseload is likely much higher. The tally is "almost certainly underestimated", Gautam Menon, a professor of physics and biology at India's Ashoka University, told AFP. "We feel it might be underestimated by a factor of maybe something like 20 to 30... And maybe that number could be even larger. We have no idea at the moment." More than 120 million people have been placed under lockdown in the Indian state of Bihar
Chinese technology giant Huawei has announced plans to launch three stores on UK high streets.

The move, which is expected to create more than 100 new jobs, comes just days after the UK Government said it will strip the firm's infrastructure equipment from 5G networks by 2027.

Huawei's consumer arm said on Friday that the 10 million expansion plan shows 'the confidence we have in our future here' following strong growth in its mobile phone business.

Huawei is planning to open three new retail stores in the UK despite the government's decision to block the company from supplying equipment to the nation's planned 5G network , pictured a soon to be open store in Beijing

The three stores will be in London and Manchester and are expected to create 100 jobs

The UK store openings follow the launch of stores in Madrid, Barcelona and Paris over the past 12 months

Last month, Huawei opened its first service centre site in Wembley, London, and the expansion plan will see the business open its first UK shop.

The retail store will open in the Olympic Park in Stratford in October, with plans to open a retail and service site in Manchester in February next year, it said.

Huawei said it will also open an 'experience store' in London early next year.

The new stores will feature its full range of consumer products including smartphones, laptops, tablets, headphones, earbuds, smartwatches, fitness bands and speakers, it said.

The UK store openings follow the launch of stores in Madrid, Barcelona and Paris over the past 12 months.

Anson Zhang, managing director of Huawei's UK consumer business group, said: 'We are excited to be making this strong commitment to the UK, and to be coming to the high street to deliver our innovative new devices and experiences direct to the millions of people who own and love our products.

'We know that millions of people here in the UK love our products and we're delighted we will now have these new high street spaces where we can interact with our owners in a more personal way'.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announced all Huawei equipment will have to be stripped from the UK's 5G network by 2027

The decision to to strip Huawei equipment from its 5G network, has seen China questioning whether the UK can provide a 'fair' environment for business as tensions with Beijing deepened.

Boris Johnson on Tuesday ordered telecoms firms to strip equipment from the Chinese tech giant out of 5G networks by 2027.

The move, which will delay the deployment of 5G technology by up to three years and add billions to the cost, came after the UK's experts warned that highly restrictive US sanctions meant the security of Huawei's equipment could not be guaranteed.

Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador to the UK, tweeted: 'Disappointing and wrong decision by the UK on Huawei.

'It has become questionable whether the UK can provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for companies from other countries.'

The reaction from China signals a reversal in relations since former prime minister David Cameron heralded a 'golden era' between the two countries less than five years ago.

The decision, taken by the National Security Council (NSC), led to concerns being raised in the Commons about the possibility of retaliation from Beijing, but ministers insisted they would not be 'cowed' by China.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, pictured, welcomed the UK's decision to strip Huawei's equipment from its 5G network

Huawei said it was disappointed by the move and claimed decisions on its future in the UK had become politicised.

From next year, telecoms firms will be banned from purchasing new 5G equipment from Huawei and will have to remove all the Chinese company's kit by 2027.

They are also expected to be ordered to shift away from the purchase of Huawei's equipment for full-fibre broadband networks over a period lasting up to two years.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of the NSC, chaired by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on Tuesday morning.

It followed an assessment of the impact of US sanctions by experts from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

In January, the firm had been given permission to play a limited role in the 5G network, but Downing Street insiders said the sanctions imposed in May were a 'game changer'.

The restrictions imposed by Donald Trump's administration removes Huawei's access to products which have been built based on US semiconductor technology.

The NCSC's technical director Ian Levy said products adapted to cope with the restrictions 'are likely to suffer more security and reliability problems because of the massive engineering challenge ahead of them' and it will also be 'harder for us to be confident' in their use within the mitigation measures already in place for the 'high risk' firm's equipment.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the decisions taken in relation to Huawei could delay the roll-out of 5G by two to three years and potentially add 2 billion to the overall cost.

There had been a 'global market failure' which meant that there countries including the UK had become 'dangerously reliant on too few vendors' leaving few clear alternatives to Huawei, Mr Dowden said.

The Government had faced pressure from Tory backbenchers for a quicker approach to removing Huawei equipment, but Mr Dowden insisted that the changes would mean that, by the time of the next general election  expected in 2024  the UK would be on an 'irreversible path' to a network free from the firm.

The move takes place as the relationship with Beijing was already under strain over the imposition of a new national security law in Hong Kong.

Mr Dowden said the Government is 'clear-eyed about China' but wanted a 'modern and mature relationship' based on mutual respect.

Defence Select Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood said the Government should 'expect repercussions from China'.

Tory former Cabinet minister David Jones highlighted a warning from China's ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, of 'consequences' if Huawei was banned.

Mr Dowden said: 'This Government will not be cowed by the comments of any other country.

'This decision has been made in the national security interests of this nation.'

Meanwhile, GCHQ's protective signals intelligence network is on stand-by to detect and disrupt any attempt by China to mount cyber attacks on the UK in retaliation for the decision.

Officials say they are already dealing with a sustained high tempo of hostile cyber activity by state-sponsored actors including both China and Russia.

Huawei UK spokesman Ed Brewster said the 'disappointing decision' is 'bad news for anyone in the UK with a mobile phone'.

'We remain confident that the new US restrictions would not have affected the resilience or security of the products we supply to the UK,' he said.

'Regrettably, our future in the UK has become politicised  this is about US trade policy and not security.'

The decision was welcomed by the US, which has called for members of the Five Eyes alliance  which also includes the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand  to avoid Huawei kit.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted: 'Today's decision by the UK to ban Huawei from its 5G networks advances trans-Atlantic security in the 5G era while protecting citizens' privacy, national security, and free-world values.'

Shadow digital, science and technology minister Chi Onwurah accused the Government of an 'incomprehensibly negligent' approach and questioned whether the UK's security policy was now being led by the US.

Huawei's UK chairman Lord Browne is to step down six months early, the firm announced shortly before the Government's decision was made public, leaving the company in September.

Placing further pressure on the company, the Trump administration has said it will impose travel bans on employees of Huawei and other Chinese companies the US determines are assisting authoritarian governments in cracking down on human rights.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Huawei employees found to be providing 'material support to regimes engaging in human rights violations and abuses globally' would be hit with sanctions.

'Companies impacted by today's action include Huawei, an arm of the CCP's surveillance state that censors political dissidents and enables mass internment camps in Xinjiang and the indentured servitude of its population shipped all over China,' he said.

'Certain Huawei employees provide material support to the CCP regime that commits human rights abuses.

'Telecommunications companies around the world should consider themselves on notice  if they are doing business with Huawei, they are doing business with human rights abusers.'
Hamilton police say they have arrested a 21-year-old man in connection to the shooting death of a 17-year-old girl.

Police have identified the victim as Myah Larmond, a high school student in the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board who lived with her mother in the city.

Shortly after 4 a.m. on Wednesday morning, police were called to a 911 call at 16 St. Matthews Ave. When officers arrived at the home, they found a teenage girl suffering from a gunshot wound.

She was taken to Hamilton General Hospital in life-threatening condition and died around 9:30 a.m., said Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk of the major crime unit.

Larmond did not live in the home where she was shot but knew at least one person who did.

Police said officers working overnight on the investigation were able to identify a suspect in Larmonds death. The suspect was located near the scene by officers and was arrested at 2:35 a.m. on Thursday.

Devante Skye-Davis, 21, who appeared at John Sopinka Courthouse by video Thursday, has been charged with manslaughter, according to Mateja Anic, supervisor of court operations.

Skye-Davis was remanded into custody until a bail hearing set for July 23.

At this time, police said evidence supports an element of carelessness and recklessness by the accused.

There is no confirmation that Larmond was the intended target.

In the Criminal Code, manslaughter is a homicide committed without the intent to cause death.

On Wednesday, Bereziuk said Larmonds family was extremely distraught, theyre hysterical, you can imagine getting this information.

Its a very sad incident, he added.

In a statement Thursday, Hamilton Catholic school board chair Pat Daly said the school will be contacting Larmonds family to offer support.

The HWCDSB fully understands and respects the familys request for privacy during this difficult time, he said. Our thoughts and prayers are with Myah and her family.

The board will have social workers and its compassionate, care and crisis response team available to support staff and students, Daly said.

Police have obtained a search warrant for the home where the shooting took place and will spend Thursday into Friday collecting evidence from the scene.

The discarded firearm, which police believe to be a handgun, still remains outstanding.

Residents are encouraged to search their properties in case the weapon may have been tossed or concealed in their yard.

People that were in the house at the time of the shooting are advised to come forward to police.

Anyone with information in relation to the shooting is asked to call Det. Geoffrey Burbidge at 905-546-2288.

To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit anonymous tips online at crimestoppershamilton.com.
Belarusian Opposition Campaigns Issue Joint Program For Presidential Election

By Current Time July 16, 2020

The campaigns of three opposition figures involved in Belarus's upcoming presidential election have issued a joint statement on cooperation in the controversial poll.

The campaigns of Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, former Belgazprombank head Viktar Babaryka, and prominent businessman Valer Tsapkala on June 16 announced a joint program comprising five points.

The program includes urging Belarusians to vote in the August 9 election, a call for the release of all "political and economic prisoners" and new trials for each of them, a pledge to hold "an honest repeat election after August 9," and a pledge to cooperate on a program to combat electoral fraud and to monitor the presidential poll.

On July 14, the Central Election Commission registered five candidates for the presidential poll, including Tsikhanouskaya and incumbent President Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

Babaryka, who was viewed as a potential rival to Lukashenka, was denied registration and subsequently jailed on suspicion of money laundering, bribery, and tax evasion. He denies the charges and says they are politically motivated. The government took over Belgazprombank on June 15.

Amnesty International has proclaimed Babaryka and his son, Eduard, who was arrested with his father on June 18, to be prisoners of conscience.

Tsapkala's attempt to register was foiled after election officials disqualified at least 38,000 of the signatures he had submitted in support of his candidacy.

After the registrations were announced, a wave of protests rocked the country and hundreds of people have been detained.

Lukashenka, who has ruled the country since 1994, is currently serving his fifth term as president. Belarus abolished presidential term limits in 2004.

The 65-year-old Belarusian leader on July 15 rejected Western criticism of the government's violent dispersal of the demonstrations and the disqualification of candidates.

"We don't want anyone to tell us how to live," he said during a meeting in the eastern city of Vitsebsk.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarusian- opposition-campaigns-issue-joint-program-for- presidential-election/30732042.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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Screenshots of video obtained by RFA show two different Vietnamese license plate designs with maps of the country that depict the Spratly and Paracel island chains (right), the other lacking the disputed territories in the South China sea.

Police in Vietnam will begin fining drivers for using an older version of license plates showing a map of the country that does not include the disputed Spratly and Paracel island chains, local news reported Friday.

In a complex, overlapping territorial dispute in the South China sea, Vietnam, China and Taiwan claim the Paracels, while the Spratlys are also claimed by three other countries.

The seemingly insignificant sandbars and sea rocks cover a territory sought for rich fishing grounds and potential petroleum deposits.

The older license plates show the map of Vietnam without depicting either the Spratlys or the Paracels. They were replaced by newer plates, of which several designs exist, that render the island chains as either blocks or stars.

RFA could not confirm when exactly the government stopped issuing the older plates, or when it started issuing any of the newer designs.

VietnamNet on Friday quoted an official of the traffic police department, who said that using the old plates is now a finable offense under Vietnamese law.

The police warning comes on the heels of the Communications and Information Ministrys recent dispatch to the Ministries of the Police, Trade and Industry, and Natural Resources and Environment, instructing them to correct instances in their jurisdictions where maps of Vietnam that do not depict the disputed territories are used.

According to the dispatch, the use of license plates that do not include the Spratlys and Paracels might cause erroneous opinions about sovereignty over the island chains and their surrounding seas and seabeds, which could leave Vietnam at a disadvantage in legal battles over the territories.

Prior to the ministrys dispatch, the omission of the disputed island chains from the older plates had been a hot topic on Facebook and in state media.

Though Vietnam continues to assert its sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, Vietnamese police routinely break up anti-China protests each year on the anniversaries of Chinese takeovers of the island groups.

Demonstrators have been detained by Vietnam, a one-party communist state, for asserting Vietnamese sovereignty over the territories during protests.

Chinas military currently controls the Paracels, with China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Malaysia occupying different parts of the Spratlys and Brunei claiming part of it inside its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Huy Le. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
EDWARDSVILLE  The Madison County Historical Society has announced the receipt of two grants to assist with operations and programming.

The first is a $2,500 CARES Emergency Relief Grant from Illinois Humanities, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the National Endowment for the Humanities.
By Mica Rosenberg, Kristina Cooke and Reade Levinson

NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES, July 17 (Reuters) - Public health specialists have for months warned the U.S. government that shuffling detainees among immigration detention centers will expose people to COVID-19 and help spread the disease.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has continued the practice, saying it is taking all necessary precautions.

It turns out the health specialists were right, according to a Reuters review of court records and ICE data.

The analysis of immigration court data identified 268 transfers of detainees between detention centers in April, May and June, after hundreds in ICE custody had already tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Half of the transfers Reuters identified involved detainees who were either moved from centers with COVID-19 cases to centers with no known cases, or from centers with no cases to those where the virus had spread.

The Reuters tally is likely just a small fraction of all transfers, former ICE officials said. ICE does not release data on detainee moves, and court records capture only a smattering of them.

At least one transfer resulted in a super-spreading event, according to emails from ICE and officials at a detention center in Farmville, Virginia, court documents and interviews with more than a dozen detainees at the facility.

Until that transfer, only two detainees had tested positive at the Farmville center -- both immigrants transferred there in late April. They were immediately isolated and monitored and were the only known cases at the facility for more than a month, court records state.

Then on June 2, ICE relocated 74 detainees from Florida and Arizona, more than half of whom later tested positive for COVID-19. By July 16, Farmville was the detention center hardest-hit by the virus with 315 total cases, according to ICE data.

(For a graphic on Farmville: https://tmsnrt.rs/3es4Lg0)

Story continues

`THE WALKING DEAD'

Serafin Saragoza, a Mexican detainee at Farmville, said he and another detainee - who confirmed Saragoza's account to Reuters - had contact with the transferees when they first arrived. His job was to distribute shoes and clothing to the new arrivals.

The new group was kept in a separate dormitory, but about two weeks after their arrival, dozens of other detainees began falling ill, 15 detainees said in interviews. The Centers for Disease Control says COVID symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

"There are people with fevers, two guys collapsed on the floor because they fainted," Saragoza said. "There is one guy who has a really high fever. He looks like the walking dead."

Faced with an outbreak, Farmville tested all detainees in the first few days of July. Of 359 detainees tested, 268 were positive, according to an ICE statement in response to questions from Reuters. While the majority are asymptomatic, it said, three detainees are hospitalized.

The ICE statement said the agency was committed to the welfare of all detainees and continued some transfers to reduce crowding. ICE did not respond to a request for comment on Reuters analysis.

Former ICE officials and immigration attorneys say the agency regularly transfers people in custody for myriad reasons, including: bed space, preparing migrants for deportation, and security reasons. With the pandemic still raging in the United States, lawmakers have called on ICE to halt the practice.

Carlos Franco-Paredes, an infectious disease doctor studying COVID-19 outbreaks in correctional settings, said it is not possible to transfer detainees safely in the current environment.

"If you're moving people, particularly from an area where there is an ongoing outbreak, even though you sequester them for two weeks or so, there is contact with people," said Franco-Paredes. "You're basically spreading the problems."

In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19, ICE halted detention center visits in mid-March and has slowed arrests. U.S.-Mexico border crossings have also fallen, leading to smaller detained populations overall.

RISING CASES

Prisons and detention centers have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus outbreaks. Large numbers of people confined in close quarters with insufficient access to medical care and poor ventilation and sanitation all create a breeding ground for viral infections, infectious disease doctors say.

As of July 16, ICE had reported 3,567 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its detention centers. The actual number of infected detainees is almost certainly higher, Franco-Paredes said, since not all centers are doing widespread testing.

About 22,000 detainees are in ICE custody now, and about 13,500 tests have been done, but that likely includes some immigrants who have since been released.

(For a graphic on cases in ICE custody: https://tmsnrt.rs/32md8HJ)

To be sure, detainee transfers are not the only means of introducing the virus to a detention center. Employees with the disease are another main source of transmission, public health specialists said. Nearly 1,000 detention center employees have tested positive for the virus.

Before it transfers detainees, ICE policy is to screen them for fevers and other symptoms, but not to test for the disease. Those with positive or suspected cases of COVID-19 are isolated from other detainees, ICE says.

MASS TRANSFER

But the case of Farmville shows that efforts to keep sick and healthy detainees separate don't always prevent the spread.

A week after the out-of-state transferees arrived at the Farmville center, three of them tested positive for the virus while still quarantined from the general population. In response, center officials decided to test the entire group of new arrivals, according to an email from ICE deputy field office director Matthew Munroe to immigration attorneys. Fifty-one tested positive.

ICE data shows that the day before the transfers, two of the three centers where the detainees came from had reported cases. ICE's Krome North Service Processing Center in Florida had 15 confirmed COVID cases, and Eloy Detention Center in Eloy, Arizona had one.

The Reuters review of immigration court records identified 195 transfers to or from detention centers where ICE had reported confirmed cases. These include:

--A May 6 transfer from New Mexico's Otero County Processing Center, which at the time had 10 confirmed cases, to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington, which had no known cases until two weeks later on May 19.

--A transfer on May 7 from the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, which at the time had 41 confirmed cases, to the Johnson County Jail in Dallas, which had no known cases until May 19.

--Four transfers in late May from a detention center in Glades County, Florida, which at the time had no known cases, to the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, Florida, which at the time had 19 known cases.

Immigration court data notes when the government notifies the court that it has moved a detainee in its custody to another location. Reuters only counted transfers if the data showed a detainee having a hearing in a new, known detention facility, prison or jail. The news agency then compared those records to ICE counts of infections at detention centers.

Saragoza, the Mexican detainee in Farmville, lived in the United States for 21 years before his arrest. He has diabetes and high blood pressure - two conditions that the CDC says puts coronavirus patients at higher risk of falling seriously ill. He said he started feeling ill in late June but was not as sick as some others in his dormitory.

On July 9, he got bad news. He and almost all the men in his dorm had tested positive for coronavirus.

(Reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York, Reade Levinson in London and Kristina Cooke in Los Angeles. Editing by Ross Colvin and Janet Roberts.)
New Delhi:

Republican nominee Donald Trump has won the 2016 US presidential election after the poll results were declared on Wednesday (Indian Standard Time). Trump defeated his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in a pitched race to the White House.

Click here for more updates

The election result is in stark contrast to the opinion polls that projected Hillary's victory.

Interestingly, the Trump campaign, in the build up to the polls, had filed a lawsuit complaining about the voting process. Trumps legal team had sued Joe Gloria, a registrar of voters in Nevadas Clark County, over his decision to keep polling locations open two hours beyond the designated closing time on the final day of early voting. However, Nevada judge rejected Trump request for order over early voting.

There were reports of intimidating voters during the election. According to Election Protection helpline, there were 63 cases of intimidation reported at the polling booths.

Here are the highlights:

12:15 (IST)

Donald Trump to win Alaskas 3 electoral votes as per CNN projects

11:07 (IST)

Hillary Clinton wins Nevada

11:07 (IST)

Trump on verge of victory, leads Clinton by 238-209 in race to 270 electoral votes

10:29 (IST)

Trump wins Utah and Georgia

9:44 (IST)

Trump wins North Carolina

9:30 (IST)

Donald Trump edges past Clinton in battleground state of Florida

9:20 (IST)

Donald Trump wins Colorado, inches closer to victory

9:15 (IST)

Donald Trump wins key swing state Ohio, Clinton wins Virginia

9:00 (IST)

Clinton wins New Mexico, Trump takes Missouri

8:20 (IST)

Donald Trump wins Louisiana. Hillary Clinton wins Connecticut.

8:10 (IST)

Republican Donald Trump has won Arkansas and its six electoral votes.

8:00 (IST)

Trump wins Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska while Hillary Clinton takes New York and Illinois.

Trump wins Nebraska and two of the state's three congressional districts, winning total of 4 electoral votes.

7:45 (IST)

Donald Trump has won Tennessee and its 11 electoral votes.

As per reports in Associated Press (AP), Donald Trump has won Alabama and its nine electoral votes after Sen. Jeff Sessions endorsed the billionaire candidate.

7:42 (IST)

Donald J. Trump has won Alabamas 9 electoral votes. Trump has polled 9,644 more votes than Hillary Clinton, with 2 percent reporting. Donald J. Trump is up by 39 points with 2 percent of precincts reporting.

7:32 (IST)

As per reports from ABS poll, Hillary takes the lead with 72 to Trump's 57

7:20 am (IST)

Senate control up for grabs as GOP holds Florida. Republicans held onto a key Senate seat in Florida on Tuesday as their hopes of protecting their narrow majority rested on a handful of states that were tossups until the end.

7:00 am (IST)

As per ABC News projections, Republican nominee Mr Trump has racked up wins in southern states and Democrat Mrs Clinton has taken northeastern states

6:50 am (IST)

As per ABS poll prediction reports, Republican candidate Donald Trump was tipped to be victorious in Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Mississippi and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, The network tips Mrs Clinton to win in New Jersey, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, Illinois and Rhode Island.

6:40 am (IST)

Polls closed in North Carolina and Ohio, each of those states expected to be very competitive, but it is too early to call a winner.

6:30 am (IST)

Polls have closed in two of the fiercest battlegrounds, North Carolina and Ohio; Donald Trump jumps to the lead in very early returns in those states.

6:20 am (IST)

Donald J. Trump has won three deep red states  Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia, earning a total of 24 electoral votes in his bid for the presidency.Hillary Clinton has won Vermonts three electoral votes, emerging victorious in the state represented in the Senate by Bernie Sanders, her top Democratic challenger in the primaries

The wins were on expected lines. Vermont has voted for a Democrat every election since 1988, while Kentucky has gone Republican every cycle since 2000. Indiana is normally a Republican stronghold but went for President Barack Obama in 2008

5:40 am (IST)

According to exit polls, Donald Trump is projected to win in Indiana and Kentucky. Hillary Clinton has taken Vermont.

Earlier, polling was opened in United States on Tuesday night as eight ballots were cast in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire as part of town's tradition of being "first in the nation", with Democratic candidate Clinton winning the contest.

Clinton registered her first 'win' in the 2016 elections by four votes to two against her Republican rival Donald Trump soon after midnight in the remote northeastern part of the US.

Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump traded barbs in their final pitch to voters as the curtain came down on the ugliest campaign in US history and voting began on Tuesday in the knife-edge polls that will elect America's first woman president or put a political outsider in office.

(Read this story in Hindi here)

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Pennsylvanias new daily cases of COVID-19 jumped past 1,000 on Friday, as the state moves closer to the 100,000-case benchmark during the pandemic.

The 1,032 new positive cases reported Friday brings the statewide total to 99,478 since the start of the pandemic in March, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Healths daily update.

Pennsylvania has been a model for the country on how to reopen effectively using a careful, measured approach. However, we know the virus has not gone away as we see cases rise, so we must work together to stop another surge, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a news release.

There were 19 new deaths, and the state death toll now stands at 6,992 people.

The department reported 899,912 people have tested negative for the virus.

The Lehigh Valley has 8,133 cases -- 4,519 in Lehigh County and 3,614 in Northampton County -- and 615 deaths.

Allegheny County accounts for 23 percent of Fridays new cases, with 240 cases reported, and Philadelphia reported 163 new cases.

The jump in Allegheny from 140 cases on Thursday comes as its county health department announced it would allow indoor dining at 25% capacity starting at 5 pm. Friday. Outdoor dining was allowed, but indoor dining was barred by a previous order in the county.

The change matches Wolfs new regulations for restaurants and bars: reducing indoor capacity from 50% to 25%; requiring meals for onsite alcohol service; still allowing to-go food and alcohol orders; and closing all night clubs.

Lehigh Valley restaurants, bars and breweries expressed frustration with the sudden change and new rules.

In Cumberland County, area restaurant owners rallied Friday morning outside a Bonefish Grill in Lower Allen Township against the new regulations.

We spent thousands of dollars to make our restaurants safe and weve lost thousands of dollars to get to this point. All we want to do is survive, said Matt Flinchbaugh, the owner of Flinchys restaurant and who organized the meeting of the minds.

Flinchbaugh said the governor has too much power, and was stomping on the constitution.

How can one person have this much power? Flinchbaugh asked. What can we do to stop this?

LIVE : Area restaurant owners meet outdoors at Bonefish Grill in Lower Allen Township against Pa. Gov. Tom Wolfs new COVID-19 restrictions for bars and restaurants. Posted by PennLive.com on Friday, July 17, 2020

Wolf is urging Congress to pass the $120 billion Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed to Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act.

The act would give grants, with a maximum of $10 million per applicant, to help independent restaurants make up the difference between 2019 recent and project losses this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lehigh Valley Rep. Susan Wild is one of the bipartisan sponsors.

These small businesses are an important part of every community. They serve as places that help to unite us and are an important economic driver in local communities that create thousands of jobs that working families rely on. The RESTAURANTS Act is a critical step to help many of these small businesses and save jobs from the diner to the farm, Wolf said in a news release.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.

Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

As Wolfs office released statements on Friday from former Govs. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, and Republicans Tom Ridge and Mark Schweiker who voiced their support for how Wolf and his team have handled the situation, including endorsing this weeks statewide mitigation efforts and Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levines mask-wearing order.
The European Union is negotiating preliminary purchases of potential COVID-19 vaccines with Moderna, Sanofi, Johnson & Johnson, BioNtech, and CureVac, Reuters reported referring to two EU sources.

The talks follow a deal reached in June by four EU states with AstraZeneca to pre-purchase 400 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine.

According to the sources, the information on the ongoing talks was shared by the European Commission, the EU executive arm, with EU health ministers at a meeting in Berlin Thursday.

Numerous talks confirm a more assertive EU stance on the procurement of potential COVID-19 vaccines and drugs following Washington's moves to secure promising treatments and vaccines.

We are in talk with several companies on possible COVID-19 vaccines, a spokesman for the EU Commission told Reuters.

Over 150 possible vaccines are being developed and tested all over the world to try to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 23 in human clinical trials, at least three are in final Phase III testing - including candidates from Chinas Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotech (SVA.O) as well as AstraZeneca and Oxford University.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Spokesperson of Indias ministry of external affairs Anurag Srivastava commented on the latest developments taking place on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

We followed the alarming news about the exchange of fire on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border from July 12 to 13. India is concerned by this situation which is a threat to the regional peace and security.

We urge the sides to show restraint and take all possible actions to maintain the bordering peace. India believes that any lasting solution to the conflict is possible to achieve only with peaceful means, through diplomatic negotiations.

In this respect we support the continuous efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group aimed at the peaceful settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the ministry spokesperson said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Bangladesh: Women in online fish market: Changing social norms and the economy

July 17,2020 | Source: Dhaka Tribune

Women entrepreneurs told Dhaka Tribune of their bitter experiences when they started their fish business, a sector traditionally dominated by men in this country. Women in Bangladesh are not only contributing to the development of the countrys business sector but also have been playing a vital role in changing social norms of doing business. Going against the tide, several women entrepreneurs are now selling fresh fishes online instead of traditional women-oriented businesses like boutiques and ornaments.



Farzana Akter, a new entrepreneur and a journalist of a private television, started selling fresh-water fishes through the Facebook page River Fish on March 29 last year. With an initial investment of only Tk10,000, her efforts turned her into a successful entrepreneur within a year with a profit margin of Tk8.1 lakh per month. I tried starting business earlier and failed. But, I never gave up and started again. Since I hail from the Haor area, it became a plus point for me to get success, Farzana said while talking to Dhaka Tribune. Through her Facebook page, she sells formalin-free natural and non-frozen fishes directly from rivers, Haors and swamp areas, which quickly gained popularity among consumers across the country.



Farzana said although she initially had no idea about fishes, their name or nature, she put her effort to learn more on fisheries from the internet and local fish markets. She also received help from fisheries officials in understanding the difference between farmed fishes and naturally-harvested fishes. After receiving huge responses from consumers, she hired employees for digital marketing and established an office and a warehouse just after five months into her business venture. I re-invest from my profits. Within the eighth month, my sales rose to Tk80,000 to Tk1.2 lakh per day. Now, it is around Tk1 lakh to Tk1.4 lakh per day and my profit is around Tk8.10 lakh per month, She said. Currently, Farzanas business has 19 permanent employees with salaries ranging from Tk15,000 to Tk40,000 per month, and also few part-time employees. Delivery persons earn from Tk25,000 to Tk50,000 per month from her business.



More women entrepreneurs entering the sector



Like Farzana, two other women entrepreneurs, Aysha Siddika and Pritilota, have also started selling fish online. However, they established their business through WE, a Facebook-based platform founded by Razib Ahmed, former and founding president of e-Cab. Aysha Siddika started fishdhaka.com with Tk 45,000 on January 8 after leaving 13 years of service in the banking and garments sector. She currently has eight employees and is earning sales worth Tk12,000 to Tk15,000 per day. Asked why she chose this business, Aysha told Dhaka Tribune: I grew up in a fish export and packaging area in Khulna. My father and my uncle had fish farms and I know about this sector. Therefore, I can serve better, fresh and formalin-free fishes to my consumers.



Pritilota, an MBA student, entered into the sector just a month ago with her facebook page Chai Chandpur er Ilish. I sell only Ilish (Hilsa) fish since I live in Chandpur with my husband. I am now branding myself, not thinking about profit. This is because people only buy from those who they know, she said.



Fighting social norms



Women entrepreneurs told Dhaka Tribune of their bitter experiences when they started their fish business, a sector traditionally dominated by men in this country. At the beginning, some customers became puzzled when they learned that I was a woman selling fish online. I faced awkward questions on why I was selling things like fish. These people think women can only run a boutique business, not fish business, Farzana said. But their criticism gave me more strength. I worked harder to make myself a successful entrepreneur to prove them wrong and to change this social norm, she added. Pritilota said she sometimes feels uncomfortable while collecting fish from the wharf because of the negative attitude of people there. But, she has gradually adapted to it. Aysha also has similar experiences. At first, my friends and relatives thought I cant do this business since I am a woman, but later they got inspired by me. Sometimes labourers used bitter words and teased me when I went to the fish market early in the morning amid a crowd full of men said Aysha.



Challenges for women entrepreneurs



When asked about the challenges women entrepreneurs face in this sector, all three women fishmongers said that apart from holding the position of a woman entrepreneur in the fish business, collecting and delivering fresh fishes to consumers has been another major challenge for them. Consumers in Dhaka find rotten fishes after buying them from the kitchen markets. Upholding their trust by providing fresh fish is a challenge, Farzana added. Meanwhile, Aysha said: Delivering fresh fishes by courier or delivery person is important. I recruited my own delivery man so that I can deliver on time.



Fishmongers are considered as low class people in our society. It is not right to judge people on the basis of their occupation. I chose this as it is a challenge for me instead of going for a boutique. Pritilota added. By establishing herself as a successful fishmonger, Pritilota wants to turn herself into a role model for the society so that no one feels shy to do fish trade.



It is true that there are many women entrepreneurs working with food, clothing or jewellery, but there are very few women entrepreneurs working with fish. This is actually due to the negative attitude of the society. Women entrepreneurs now can easily establish through online by opening a facebook page, said Razib Ahmed. We are working with local products in the WE Group, which is creating a customer base platform. It is very effective for women entrepreneurs from every sector, he mentioned. However, challenges in logistics are to be blamed for the negative attitude. If good courier service is available, many women will be able to do fish business. Maybe it will take another year but it will happen, he added.
Utah Governor Gary Herbert said people crowding into a local public meeting to push for an exception to mask requirements in schools - without wearing masks of their own - was 'foolish' and suggested an 'almost mob mentality' on the issue.

Local officials in Utah County abruptly canceled the meeting Wednesday after parents gathered en masse to discuss their objections to their children wearing face masks with some claiming they will 'rewire children's brains' and 'teach them to fear the world'.

Images taken at the meeting showed dozens of parents sitting right next to each other, not engaging in any form of social distancing meant to help prevent the soread of coronavirus.

Utah's Republican governor calls people 'foolish' with a 'mob mentality' after 100 parents crowd into a meeting (pictured) about children wearing masks at school without wearing their own face coverings

Utah Governor Gary Herbert (pictured) blasted parents who crowded into a local public meeting without wearing masks or social distancing, calling their actions 'foolish.' Herbert

'I think the experts will tell us that's kind of a foolish action,' Herbert, a Republican, said Thursday of the parents opting not to wear masks while in such close proximity. 'People get caught up in almost a mob mentality ... theres a better way to dialog with leadership.'

Utah, like many states, has been experiencing a surge of coronavirus cases in recent months. Another 413 cases and seven deaths were reported Wednesday, while a top state hospital chief issuing a grave warning that the outbreak is 'unsustainable'.

Herbert announced last week that all students, faculty, staff and visitors in all K-12 schools and on school buses must now wear masks in efforts to tackle the mounting health crisis.

Health experts say masks can prevent the spread of the disease by catching respiratory droplets that contain the virus when people exhale or cough. The face coverings are promoted as a key tool in allowing the resumption of economic activity and students' return to schools.

Images from the Wednesday meeting showed 100 people packed the room (pictured) without face coverings and ignored social distancing markers

Parents had gathered Wednesday to discuss their objections to their children wearing face masks with some claiming they will 'rewire children's brains' and 'teach them to fear the world'

The meeting that the parents attended had been meant to include a planned to vote on whether to ask for a partial exemption from Herbert's statewide mask mandate for schools.

Utah County Commissioner Tanner Ainge was met with jeers from the crowd of people who poured into the meeting room in Provo, Utah, as he blasted them for disregarding coronavirus safety precautions and called off the meeting as the vast majority of attendees refused to wear masks and ignored social distancing markers on the floor.

'This is the exact opposite of what we need to be doing,' Ainge told attendees.

'We're supposed to be physically distancing, wearing masks.'

Loud boos and jeers rose up to meet him as he added: 'This gathering violates current health recommendations.'

The commissioner filed a motion to adjourn the meeting until a later date because of attendees flouting the rules.

The motion was approved on a 2-to-1 vote, with commissioner Bill Lee who organized the meeting dissenting.

Swarms of attendees - and the two commissioners besides Ainge - stayed in the meeting room for two hours despite its official adjournment to voice their outrage at the mask policy for schoolchildren.

One mom showed her disregard for masks by spitting her gum out into one as she took the podium and slammed them as 'garbage', according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

Another mother said she believes wearing a mask will 'rewire' her son's brain.

'It's going to rewire their brains,' she said.

Utah County Commissioner Tanner Ainge (pictured) was met with jeers from the crowd of people as he chastised them for disregarding coronavirus safety precautions and called off the meeting with immediate effect

The motion to cancel the meeting was approved on a 2-to-1 vote, with commissioner Bill Lee (left) who organized the meeting dissenting

'I'm especially not going to send my son back to have his mind broken.'

Meanwhile a grandmother of five dismissed the pandemic that has killed more than 137,000 Americans as a 'hoax'.

'We are perpetuating a lie. COVID is a hoax. It's a lie. It's a political stunt,' she said.

Other theories were floated including that children will learn to fear the world and will not be properly socialized if their faces are covered and that masks cut down on a person's oxygen, the Tribune reported.

One father even threatened to pull his children out of school altogether in the fall if the governor does not lift the mask mandate.

Around 150 people also gathered at an anti-mask protest ahead of the meeting, where they held up signs reading 'Don't smother the children' and 'Let kids be kids.'

The outrage over wearing masks comes as cases and hospitalizations are surging across the state and fears grow that healthcare systems will buckle under the demand.

Utah has reported 30,891 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 233 deaths.

Hospitalizations in the state reached 204 Wednesday, up from 176 Tuesday and just short of its all-time high of 209 on Sunday

Two-thirds of the state's ICU beds are already full and Dr. Thomas Miller, Chief Medical Officer at University of Utah Hospital, has warned that the surge in cases in the state is 'unsustainable'.

More than 137,000 Americans have been killed by the pandemic and almost 3.5 million have been infected.
She was rushed to Kings College Hospital in London by air ambulance on Sunday

The part-time Viking was practising his moves in Benover, near Maidstone, Kent

A Viking re-enactor nearly killed a woman when he stabbed her with a sword

A woman was nearly killed by an apparent Viking re-enactor after he stabbed her with a sword while practising his moves outside a caravan.

An unnamed woman sustained a life-threatening injury after a Viking re-enactor sliced her with a sword 'on her neck'.

The part-time Viking is thought to have been practising his moves outside his caravan when he stabbed her at the grounds of the Woolpack Inn in Benover, near Maidstone, Kent.

She was rushed to Kings College Hospital in London after an air ambulance arrived at the scene on Sunday.

The couple had been living in a caravan on a patch of land behind the 17th Century pub, according to locals.

A Viking re-enactor nearly killed an unnamed woman when he stabbed her with a sword while practising his moves outside his caravan on the grounds of the Woolpack Inn (above) in Benover, near Maidstone, Kent

They added that the pair had been practicing their sword skills when the brother, whose name is not known, seriously injured his girlfriend in the freak accident.

A man who lives at a neighbouring house and did not want to be identified said: 'I saw the helicopter hovering around and a police car shoot down there.

'I was just sat here reading the paper around 7pm so poked my head out the front and saw the sirens.

'I've heard it was an accident involving a sword but that's about it.

'There's a couple who live in the caravan round the back of the pub.'

Another woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, also lives near the 17th Century pub. She said: 'I don't know them but the man who lives in the caravan has a great big beard like a viking.

'The sword cut her neck and now she's in hospital. We don't know how she's getting on and haven't heard anything since.

'We saw the air ambulance land at the back and apparently she had to have a blood transfusion on the spot. It's a wonder how she didn't die there and then.'

She added: 'Apparently they were doing a viking re-enactment where they go slashing swords about and it's gone terribly wrong.

'It seems a bit of a funny thing to do with actual weapons but I suppose they're trying to get as close to the real thing as possible. It's a bit unexpected for this nice quiet area really.'

A woman, who lives nearby, said that neighbours believed the incident occurred when a couple were dressed as Vikings.

She added: 'The couple live in a caravan near the pub. The guy is a part time Viking and was practising his moves.

'She was caught with a sword on her neck. She had a blood transfusion on the spot and was then taken to London.

'We wondered why a helicopter had landed. Police and ambulances also arrived.'

Locals from Benover village (above) said the couple had been living in a caravan on a patch of land behind the 17th Century pub and added that a man seriously injured his girlfriend in the freak sword accident

Kent, Sussex and Surrey Air Ambulance service received the call out to an 'accidental injury' just after 5pm on July 12.

A spokesperson from South East Coast Ambulance Service said: 'I can confirm that we were called to reports of a woman with serious injuries in a field near Benover Road, Yalding.

'Ambulance crews including critical care paramedics attended the scene and were joined at the scene by the air ambulance service.

'The medical team worked together to provide emergency treatment at the scene before the patient was taken to Kings College Hospital by road in a life-threatening condition.

'The air ambulance team joined our crews to help treat the patient en route to hospital.'

One regular customer who wished to remain anonymous cycled down to the area at around 8pm to enjoy a few pints in the beer garden.

But he said: 'I've never seen any sort of viking behaviour round here. It's a quiet little place and you don't hear of any violence or stabbings. I hope the woman will be okay.'

A certified Caravan Club is located on a one acre field behind the Grade II listed Tudor building where people can pitch up for as little as 12 a day.

A spokesperson for the Woolpack said that the incident was an accident and that it was a 'private matter' they did not wish to discuss.
From BISD:

On July 16, 2020, Beaumont ISD received notice that a staff member who works at Blanchette Elementary tested positive for COVID-19. The employee was on campus and involved in meal distribution on July 15, 2020. During distribution the employee wore a mask and gloves, followed frequent sterilization measures and did not come in direct contact with any member of the public. As such, the Health Department has advised that the risk of someone contracting COVID-19 from the employee is low and this notice is being provided in an abundance of caution. Nevertheless, Beaumont ISD has been in close communication with officials at the Jefferson County Health Department, and the District is following all recommended protocols.

The Blanchette Elementary campus is closed for deep cleaning and disinfection and will be open again Monday, July 20. Meal distribution at this site is discontinued for the remainder of the summer feeding program, however, we invite all families to receive meals from Marshall and Smith Middle Schools.

Members of the public that picked up a meal from Blanchette Elementary in the last week should continue to closely monitor their health. Should you exhibit any symptoms of COVID-19 contact your health provider immediately. In addition, please continue all other safeguards outlined by the CDC including frequently washing your hands with soap and water, avoiding touching your face, staying home if you feel sick, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces and objects daily. The health and safety of our community is our top priority and we appreciate your cooperation as we work through these challenges as a community

This post may be updated

isaac.windes@hearstnp.com

twitter.com/isaacdwindes
Biden is expected to choose a candidate for vice president from a shortlist of women by early August.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is facing pressure from contending groups inside his party as he prepares to interview a shortlist of women for the most important hire of his political career: His running mate.

Biden, who committed to choosing a woman for the job he held for eight years under President Barack Obama, said this week he expected the background vetting process to conclude around July 24. He would then interview each finalist before making a decision, expected by early August.

The selection of the vice presidential candidate has taken on outsize importance this year, reflecting the desperation to defeat Republican President Donald Trump among Democrats, who have agonised over which candidate would give Biden the biggest boost in the November 3 election.

Biden leads in national and battleground-state opinion polls as voters fault Trump for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the subsequent economic recession and race relations.

Adding to the weight of Bidens choice is his age, he would be 78 at his January inauguration, making him the oldest US president, setting up his vice president as an early frontrunner for the 2024 race should he serve only one term.

Theres a lot of attention on this for a number of reasons, not least of which that Vice President Biden is 77 years old, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said.

Reid, who has had several conversations about the topic with Biden, said the list narrowed in recent weeks but remained fairly large.





The women under serious consideration include Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth; US Representatives Val Demings and Karen Bass; former US National Security Adviser Susan Rice; New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham; and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, according to interviews with Democratic officials.

Harris cemented herself early on as a favourite after dropping her presidential bid, particularly among top fundraisers, who have Bidens ear and tend to be more centrist. Online betting site PredictIt puts her odds of being picked at 41 percent, far higher than any of the other candidates on the list.

The Biden campaign declined to comment on the search.

In making his choice, Biden has to balance many factors, including ideology, race and ethnicity, as well as candidates ability to raise money, create enthusiasm and fulfil the traditional vice presidential attack dog role by going after Trump.

Alex Heckler, a member of Bidens national finance committee who backs Harris as running mate, said the ideal candidate given Trumps bogus allegations about Bidens lack of mental stamina would be someone who could attack Trumps shortcomings and be qualified to serve as president if needed.

Calls for a Black running mate

Perhaps the biggest question facing Biden is whether to select a Black woman following national protests over racial injustice following the police killing of George Floyd, an African American, in Minneapolis. Warren is the only white candidate on the shortlist, which includes five Black women as well as Grisham, who is Latina, and Duckworth, who is Asian American.

As I am witnessing what is happening in this country right now, I am more convinced than ever that Joe Biden needs a Black woman as his vice presidential candidate, said LaTosha Brown, a co-founder of the advocacy group Black Voters Matter.

Leah Daughtry, a Democratic official who ran the 2008 convention that nominated Obama, the countrys first Black president, has also lobbied Biden and top campaign officials like Anita Dunn to pick a Black woman.

Nominating a Black woman will get you the enthusiasm that Joe Biden is going to need to run a successful race in this pandemic environment, she said.

Left-wing activists mounted a campaign to support Warren, who they argue would help unite the partys liberal faction behind the more moderate Biden and whose commitment to big structural change could address the countrys deepening health and economic crises.

Senator Elizabeth Warren is on a short list of potential vice presidents for Bidens campaign [Elise Amendola/The Associated Press]

Some progressive Black advocates pointed to Warrens attention to racial inequity in crafting her policy platform as a presidential contender, while noting that Harriss background as a prosecutor in California and Demingss as a police chief in Florida might make them less appealing to criminal justice activists.

Representation is important; its just not sufficient, said Maurice Mitchell, executive director of the liberal Working Families Party. Mitchell said he planned to make the case for Warren directly to Biden or his senior aides during an expected sit-down soon.

Among the other potential picks, Grisham could boost Latino turnout in key Sun Belt states like Arizona and Florida, which the campaign regards as an area Biden needs to shore up.

Duckworth, a military veteran who lost her legs in combat, would give the ticket a compelling personal narrative and help bolster the campaigns national security credentials.

Some advisers harbour doubts about whether Harriss ambition for higher office might upstage Bidens message. But Keith Williams, chairman of the Democratic Black Caucus in Michigan, a battleground state Trump narrowly won in 2016, said he told the Biden campaign that Harris was hands down the best option.

Shes been on the world stage. She has acquitted herself in the debates, he said. She is the most likely choice that they should go with.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 03:50:49|Editor: huaxia

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by Dana Halawi

BEIRUT, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's rush to ease the anti-pandemic measures to avoid an economic collapse has led to a resurgence in COVID-19 and could hamper the efforts to curb its spread, Lebanese experts said.

Firas Abiad, director general of Rafic Hariri University Hospital (RHUH), told Xinhua that Lebanon has lately witnessed a daily increase in the number of COVID-19 infections due to several factors including the re-opening of the country to avoid further economic collapse.

"The economic collapse prompted Lebanese authorities to re-open the airport and resume economic activities in the country. This has contributed to an increase in the number of infections," Abiad told Xinhua in an interview.

Indeed, Lebanon has been witnessing a remarkable resurgence of COVID-19 pandemic for the past few days, as the tally of confirmed cases reached 2,599 so far while the death toll climbed to 40.

Abiad said that the authorities would have been capable of keeping the country closed for longer time to guarantee a better and more successful fight against the virus.

Moreover, the country would have been more at ease in importing the needed medical equipment for a more effective fight against COVID-19.

"It is worth noting that Lebanon imports 90 percent of its needed medical equipment," he said.

Lebanon has been suffering for the past few months from a shortage in U.S. dollars, prompting the banks to impose unofficial controls on withdrawal of dollars.

Despite the difficulties and challenges facing Lebanon, the country was able to restrict the spread of the virus to some extent.

"We closed the airport at the right time and we took measures that have resulted in low number of infections at the beginning of the virus' outbreak; but unfortunately, the economic situation forced us to open the country and bear the risk of a surge in infections all over again," Abiad said.

Lebanon has been fighting the COVID-19 pandemic since Feb. 21.

The country has received several donations from different countries for the fight against COVID-19, including China.

"We have received support from China which helped Lebanon in continuing their testing for patients and providing medical staff with personal protective equipment," Abiad said.

Abiad expected the Lebanese government to witness more challenges in this area by having to decide on whether to reinforce mobilization measures or maintain the current situation to prevent a further rise in infections.

Abiad urged Lebanese citizens to remain cautious by taking proper precautionary measures, while noting that the hospitals are doing their best to raise the awareness among the public against the spread of the virus.

Hussein Kataya, head of the Nursing Department at RHUH, told Xinhua that the nurses at the hospital were very well trained to treat the COVID-19 patients and their belongings to prevent the virus' spread.

He noted that there is a specialized team at the hospital which is responsible of following up and supervising the nurses' work.

Kataya added that only one of their colleagues was infected with the virus, outside the hospital, and all other nurses in the hospital tested negative.

Lebanese Health Minister Hamad hassan announced on Thursday that a free mobile application will be launched within one week, which will inform people about the others who have contacts with the infected patients.

Dubbed "Together against Corona," the application aims to convey a message to the public that the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over and further precaution must be taken to stem its spread. Enditem
OTTAWACanadas elections watchdog says a Quebec engineering firm illegally donated more than $46,000 to federal political entities over a period of seven years.

The firm, now known as Norda Stelo Inc., gave the money to both the Liberals and Conservatives, including to candidates and riding associations, between 2004 and 2011.

The Commissioner of Canada Elections says the investigation didnt turn up any evidence the federal parties knew the money represented illegal indirect contributions from companies.

Most of the money has now been returned and the firm will pay upwards of $139,000 to the government and has also instituted a series of internal reforms to guard against further breaches.

The commissioner released the information today along with a series of findings about two other entities that didnt comply with election financing rules in the last federal election.

One, the United Conservative Party of Alberta, handed out free bumper stickers campaigning against the Liberal prime minister, and the second was labour union Unifor, which held a pancake breakfast to support a local NDP candidate.

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By Bai Wei and Li Jianwen

BEIJING July 16 -- According to authoritative release of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, the pilot recruitment campaign in 2020 is in full swing. More than 3,800 fresh high school graduates who have passed the preliminary and second round of selection are now in the final-stage test.

A relevant official in charge of the Pilot Recruitment Bureau of the PLA Air Force introduced that given the prevention and control situation of the COVID-19 pandemic this year, no recruitment test base was set up in Beijing this year for the first time. Instead, three pilot cadet recruitment test bases were established in Jinan of Shandong Province, Chengdu of Sichuan Province and Changsha of Hunan Province.

More than 2,000 candidates from 16 provinces including Shandong, Henan, Heilongjiang, etc. will be examined in 16 batches in Jinan, while more than 1,800 candidates from 15 provinces including Sichuan, Shaanxi, Xinjiang, etc. will be under test simultaneously in Chengdu or Changsha.

Prior to testing, all recruiting staff and candidates will be required to take nucleic acid test (NAT), and for the first time, expert examiners will carry out the medical assessment system for selection via video link.

The campaign aims to comprehensively evaluate the basic physical fitness, physical adaptability in aviation, mental health and individual mental characteristics of the candidates, which includes two major items, medical selection and psychological selection. Medical selection covers more than 100 physical examination items in 10 categories, and psychological selection includes more than 400 tests on 4 testing platforms.

A total of more than 90 medical experts and over 70 psychologists have been selected by the PLA Air Force to participate in this pilot recruitment campaign. The whole selection process will be carried out under real-time monitoring and be completed by early August.
THE family of a man who died in a double-stabbing has challenged Taoiseach Micheal Martin to get the Health Service Executive (HSE) to justify why his parents and siblings are not deemed next-of-kin for access to a special internal report on his mental health treatment.

Kevin Greaney, whose brother Michael (53) was involved in a Cork murder-suicide in December 2014, said it was "absolutely outrageous" that his family have still not been briefed in detail on the full mental health report into the tragedy almost six years ago.

Now, the family have been informed, via a letter to Mr Martin from the Department of Health, that only Michael Greaney's legally appointed estate personal representative (his daughter) can be given the special report.

The department letter, dated January 31 2020, said written permission would be required to share it beyond the estate representative - even including Mr Greaney's parents and siblings who first campaigned for the independent review.

Expand Close Kevin and Margo Greaney with a photo of their late brother Michael and his wife Valerie. Photo: Michael MacSweeney/Provision / Facebook

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Whatsapp Kevin and Margo Greaney with a photo of their late brother Michael and his wife Valerie. Photo: Michael MacSweeney/Provision

"The HSE commissioned a systems analysis review into the care of Mr Greaney's brother," the letter said.

"Completion of the review has been protracted due to a number of factors including the complexity of the case and the number of people involved. However, I am informed that the review is now close to completion.

"The HSE has sought legal advice regarding with whom the report can be shared....as a result the HSE intends to release the full report (to the estate representative). Written permission would be required in order for the HSE to discuss or release any information in relation to Mr Greaney's medical records or treatment to other individuals."

The department letter also insisted the system analysis was independent on the basis the individuals involved do not work in any of the related services.

Kevin Greaney said this was simply not acceptable and did not represent a proper independent inquiry.

"I want Taoiseach Micheal Martin to work to ensure my family gets access to the garda files, the HSE files and department files in relation to the treatment provided for my brother," he said.

"A Fianna Fail official told me several years ago that this was the worst case he had heard about - and my family deserve to know why."

Mr Greaney said Ireland needed to learn urgent lessons to ensure such future tragedies can be prevented.

"I think it is appalling the way our family has been treated by (former) Ministers like Leo Varadkar and Simon Harris, the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

"We were promised that our questions would be treated as a priority by the HSE so as not to cause further hurt and suffering. But the exact opposite has been the case."

Mr Greaney claimed he was informed by the HSE in 2016 the report was almost ready - and four years later his family still don't know what it contains.

He said he was prompted to speak out by distress over a number of recent murder suicides in Ireland.

When I hear details of these cases it is like reliving our own tragedy all over again, he said.

Im making this appeal because Ireland has to learn lessons and do everything possible to ensure that these kinds of tragedies stop being commonplace.

Mr Greaney said he believes an independent national public inquiry is now the only option as his family has lost all faith in the HSE's ability to examine its own dealings with such cases.

The Cork father said he was "deeply hurt" by the way his family's appeals have effectively been ignored by successive ministers.

He has demanded that mental healthcare funding be prioritised over coming years.

Mr Greaney said it was clear that major issues need to be clarified surrounding the mental healthcare dealings with some individuals involved in murder-suicides, existing national support services and the adequacy of resources for Irelands psychiatric services.

I have said it again and again that we have no problem with any doctor that may have treated my brother  but I have a problem with the system and the chronic lack of resources that is provided for mental healthcare professionals in this country.

These kinds of tragedies will keep happening until we learn lessons and put proper systems and resources in place, he added.

Eight recent murder-suicides in Ireland involved some element of prior dealings with mental healthcare services.

Mr Greaneys brother, a Naval Service veteran, was admitted to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dublin after he attempted to kill a teenager and then take his own life in 2013.

He was admitted under Section 5(2) of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act in May 2013.

However, he was released from full-time residential care after six weeks and spent the next 18 months effectively being treated in the community, forbidden to return to his family home.

Even that restriction was lifted when Mr Greaney, supported by his wife Valerie (49), took legal action to be allowed to return home.

In December 2014, a short time after being allowed back to his family home in Cobh, Co Cork, Mr Greaney fatally stabbed his wife, Valerie, before taking his own life.

He also stabbed his eldest daughter.

The brave young woman managed to escape the property and has since recovered from her injuries.

A coroner's inquest heard harrowing details of the December 2014 tragedy in Cobh, Co Cork.

Michael Greaney stabbed his daughter and wife before kissing his injured daughter on the forehead, asking her to look after her dying mother and then running into a bedroom to take his own life.

His final words to his injured daughter were: "I know you love me - take care of your mam."

Kevin Greaney said he doesnt want any other family to suffer their heartache  and he said hard lessons urgently need to be learned from the circumstances of his brothers death.

How an earth can a man who was treated in the Central Mental Hospital for something as serious as happened in 2013 receive such a short amount of residential care, he asked?

Even the treatment programmes for people with alcohol problems are longer.

I have absolutely no doubt that Michaels death and the tragedy that happened was a direct result of the chronic under-funding of Irelands mental health system for years, he said.

The HSE insisted it has tried to work closely with the family on the issues involved.

"All parties concerned have been given the opportunity to comment for factual correctness etc., prior to the submission of the final draft by the investigators to the commissioner," a spokesperson said.

"Local mental health services have also provided support to the family and this remains available at the family's request."
A family was left baffled after they spotted their pet dog licking a mysterious sticky substance dripping down the walls.

Homeowner Andrea Isabell, from the US state of Pennsylvania, told ABC6 they then discovered it was honey pouring down the sides of their house.

My husband felt this really sticky, syrupy stuff. We were brave and smelt it, she said.

After some detective work, the family traced the source to the top of their multi-storey house where they found an active beehive.

Panda the dog (left) was the first to spot the honey  leading to the discovery of a beehive (circled). Source: Facebook/Andrea Isabell

Ms Isabell told the outlet she had once spotted a single bee in the attic but hadnt thought much about it until now.

"I have three boys and they were wondering if we could set a tap up so we could just pour honey on our yogurt and granola in the morning, she said.

Their local beekeeper Allan Lattanzi did a thermal scan of the house and discovered the colony had made themselves very comfortable inside the family home.

The plan is for the demo and careful removal to begin at the cornice circled in the [picture], Ms Isabell wrote on Facebook, sharing an image of the house circled where the removal of the hive would be.

Other people were shocked by the size of the hive and responded with a mixture of horror and laughter.

Thats insane! Im not sure I could sleep. Youre one brave girl going up there! I hope they get out safely and that guy shares some honey, one person commented.

No way!! Do you believe the hive stretches from eaves to ground floor? another person added.

A few people were pretty happy that the familys dog had done her best to clean up the mess.

Hoping that gets taken care of soon! Panda is living her best life! one person wrote.

The family was baffled after spotting honey dripping down their walls. Source: Facebook/Andrea Isabell

Despite needing some pretty invasive renovations, Ms Isabell said she was going to miss their new flatmates and wished she could have kept them.

Story continues

They need a better home where they're safe and happy and not living with us," she said.

Mr Lattanzi said he will be back for the removal and is happy to give the buzzing colony a new home.

"I will take them home and they will become a honey producer for me. I will make a colony, he told ABC6.

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.
Antarctica more widely impacted by humans than previously thought

Antarctica is considered one of the Earth's largest, most pristine remaining wildernesses. Yet since its formal discovery 200 years ago, the continent has seen accelerating and potentially impactful human activity.

How widespread this activity is across the continent has never been quantified. We know Antarctica has no cities, agriculture or industry. But we have never had a good idea of where humans have been, how much of the continent remains untouched or largely unimpacted, and to what extent these largely unimpacted areas serve to protect biodiversity.

A team of researchers led by Monash University, including Dr Bernard Coetzee from the Global Change Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits University), has changed all of that. Using a data set of 2.7 million human activity records, the team showed just how extensive human use of Antarctica has been over the last 200 years. The research was published in the journal Nature.

With the exception of some large areas mostly in the central parts of the continent, humans have set foot almost everywhere.

Although many of these visited areas have only been negligibly affected by people, biodiversity is not as well represented within them as it should be.

"We mapped 2.7 million human activity records from 1819 to 2018 across the Antarctic continent to assess the extent of wilderness areas remaining and its overlap with the continent's biodiversity," says Coetzee, a conservation scientist at Wits University. Based in Skukuza in the Kruger National Park in South Africa, Coetzee helped conceptualise the study and collated a spatial database from multiple sources to map the extent of human activity in Antarctica.

"In a region often thought of as remote, we showed that in fact human activity has been extensive, especially in ice-free and coastal areas where most of its biodiversity is found. This means that "wilderness" areas do not capture many of the continent's important biodiversity sites, but that an opportunity exists to conserve the last of the wild."

The study found that only 16% of the continent's Important Bird Areas, areas identified internationally as critical for bird conservation, are located within negligibly impacted areas, and little of the total negligibly impacted area is represented in Antarctica's Specially Protected Area network.

High human impact areas, for example some areas where people build research stations or visit for tourism, often overlap with areas important for biodiversity.

Lead author, Rachel Leihy, a PhD student in the Monash School of Biological Sciences, points out that "While the situation does not look promising initially, the outcomes show that much opportunity exists to take swift action to declare new protected areas for the conservation of both wilderness and biodiversity."

"Informatics approaches using large data sets are providing new quantitative insights into questions that have long proven thorny for environmental policymakers," says Steven Chown, the corresponding author based at Monash University.

"This work offers innovative ways to help the Antarctic Treaty Parties take forward measures to secure Antarctica's Wilderness."

The transdisciplinary team delivering this work includes researchers from Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and South Africa.

###

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Easton Area School District administrators hope to host short-day, in-person instruction for its elementary school students this fall and hope to bring back middle and high school students half the week and provide online instruction for the other half.

The plans are subject to change based on community feedback and based on the spread of COVID-19, according to Easton Area School District Superintendent David Piperato.

To say that we are navigating uncharted waters is a dramatic understatement, he said Thursday during an online information session on plans to open school this fall.

A Zoom meeting hit its maximum level of public participation when 500 participants logged on. For those who couldnt log on to Zoom, the meeting was live-streamed on YouTube, where as many as 849 people watched.

More than 500 people tried to log on to an Easton Area School District Zoom meeting.Zoom

The Easton Area School District has developed a four-phase plan to re-open school if Pennsylvania remains in the green phase of the governors coronavirus mitigation plan.

Director of Elementary Education Tracy Piazza said the district hopes to start the year in Green Phase Two of its plan. That means kindergarten through fifth grade students will come to school every day, but the school day will end at 1:30 p.m. rather than 3:25 p.m. The children would get core subjects in school but would get library, art, music and physical education online at home, she said.

In Green Phase Two, the middle and high school students would take turns coming to school, according to director of secondary education Michael Koch. Students with last names that start with A-K would come to school Monday and Tuesday and get online instruction the rest of the week. Students with last names that start with L-Z would come to school Thursday and Friday and get online instruction the rest of the week. Wednesday would be spent deep cleaning the schools, he said.

Under Green Phase One, half the elementary kids would come to school Monday and Tuesday and half would come Thursday and Friday. For middle school and high school kids, Green Phase One is the same as Green Phase Two.

Green Phase Three calls for a to-be-determined modified time schedule for schools. Green Phase Four would be a return to school as it was run prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The district does not foresee reaching Green Phase Three or Four this school year, Piazza said.

If the governor takes the state back to the yellow or red stage of the coronavirus plan, all Easton Area classes would be delivered online.

The school re-opening plan will be subject to heavy feedback from parents and community members. An update is planned for the first week of August. A question and answer session is also planned. Piperato apologized for not being able to take questions Thursday. There were too many participants online and too many questions to reasonably answer at this time.

He also apologized for audio feedback that made it impossible to listen midway through the presentation on YouTube.

Each child will need a district-issued iPad, a face mask, hand sanitizer and a water bottle to attend school this fall under the plan.

For more information about social distancing requirements and school cleanliness provisions, see the complete PowerPoint presentation on the district website.

You can watch the YouTube information session video online.

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

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
17.07.2020 LISTEN

A former People's National Convention (PNC) Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, David Apasara has declared his intention to contest for the presidential seat in the upcoming December 2020 polls.

He said he will contest on the ticket of the PNC.

Mr. Apasara says he wants to change the dwindling fortunes of the party.

While acknowledging that the party has performed abysmally in recent national elections, he said he knows how to ensure that the party becomes very vibrant and gain great influence within the country's political space.

Speaking to Citi News after what he calls an extensive consultation with party stalwarts and his family, Mr. Apasara says he is ready to lead the PNC to victory.

I know how to do it, I have done it before and I know what to do to bring this party back, he indicated.

He is not the first member of his party aspiring for the high office of the president.

The Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association, Sampson Asaaki Awingobit in February 2020 also declared his intention to contest as a presidential candidate in the 2020 general elections on the ticket of the People's National Convention (PNC).

He said his decision is borne out of the desire to serve the country and contribute to its socio-economic development.

I have been serving all my life. I've realized that I have an interest, and I am eyeing the PNC presidential candidate slot and I want to use this opportunity to announce [this] to all the PNC fraternity in the country including Ghanaians who know that there is the need for a 3rd force party, he said.

He had also pledged to ensure that the PNC becomes again, a vibrant political party.

My face alone will bring in more youth, I will inspire more youth to come to the party. I can convince, I will let you understand what I will be bringing to the tableI am well equipped and I will bring that image, that new thing, that new face, onto the political limelight in the country, he said.

PNC presidential primaries

The National Secretariat of the People's National Convention (PNC) is yet to announce a date for the party's presidential primaries to elect a flagbearer ahead of election 2020.

The party's National Chairman, Bernard Mornah in a statement last year to congratulate the NDC for electing a flagbearer said the party within the shortest possible time will elect its flagbearer for the 2020 election.

He said the PNC will embark on an internal retooling process that will lead it to elect a candidate who will offer Ghanaians an issues-based campaign.

---citinewsroom
Pittsfield Asked to Add Spanish to City Communications

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The City Council has asked the mayor to explore adding Spanish translations to city communications.

The council on Tuesday referred a petition from Councilors Patrick Kavey and Helen Moon to the Mayor Linda Tyer asking her to find a way to include Spanish translations for both mailed and online communications.

"We should be working toward accessibility for all in Pittsfield," Moon said.

The petition specifically noted that an estimated 7 percent of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latinx and approximately 5 percent of the population use Spanish as their primary language.

Moon said she learned after further discussions that closer to 10 percent of the population are Spanish speaking only.

Kavey said he felt this consideration was even more important now during the pandemic with so much information being shared via mail and the city website.

Moon added that she saw this as a first step and there may be more translations to consider.

In other business, the council approved the allocation of $281,025 in Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds for eight projects.

"We found that many of these projects were not likely to happen if they were not approved in a timely fashion," City Planner CJ Hoss said.

Some of the projects are city projects including $15,000 for the Allen Heights Playground, $69,325 for Burbank Park Beach sand replacement, and $5,000 for a joint city and Historical Commission historic inventory.

The package also includes $12,000 to fund the purchase of a new dock at Burbank Park for Berkshire Community Rowing. The public will also have access to this dock.

The Community Preservation Committee recommended the use of $110,000 for a Daniels Avenue Habitat for Humanity project and $40,000 to fund engineering for a Christian Center project.

The applications also include $25,300 for Colonial Theatre facade improvements for the Berkshire Theatre Group and $4,000 for Greenagers Invasive Kiwi Removal at Burbank Park.

Hoss said originally the committee halted all application presentations in March once City Hall shut down hoping to be able to hold these presentations later in person.

As the pandemic went on and this scenario appeared more unlikely, the committee asked what projects were even still being considered.

Hoss said he took inventory and brought forth the projects that were dependent on funding and able to move forward.

The committee then took another look at these applications and scored them accordingly.

"It became clear that several of these projects were time-sensitive and may not happen at all," Hoss said. "The committee decided that there were a number of projects that had complete applications and they felt strongly about these applications."

The councilors first voted to waive Rule 27 allowing them to approve the allocation without having to kick it to the subcommittee.

Hoss said they asked for this to expedite funding for two projects, specifically the dock project and the Greenagers project. He said without funding in the very near future these projects would not go forward.

He said the CPA Committee will meet again to go over another round of applications to be sent before the council next month.
Shiv Sena president and chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with Sena members of Parliament (MPs) on Friday over the rising cases of Covid-19 in their constituencies and directed them to take measures to tackle the outbreak by involving citizen groups and NGOs. The meeting with MPs comes after Thackeray held similar meetings with party ministers, Mumbai MLAs, and vibhag pramukh (division heads) last week.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said that there was no political discussion during the meeting, which was held at the CMs official residence Varsha bungalow. Former Union minister and south Mumbai MP Arvind Sawant said, The party chief regularly meets his MPs, but due to the coronavirus, the meeting could not be held in the last three months. Measures to be adopted to fight Covid-19 were discussed.

Raut said, Several MPs spoke about issues [from their region], and the CM and minister Aaditya Thackeray heard them. What stand to take on the celebration of the Ganpati festival in Konkan was also discussed.

Senior party leaders said that there is a lot of opposition from locals in Sindhudurg district on allowing people from Mumbai, Thane, and Pune to visit their villages for Ganeshotsav this year, fearing the spread of Covid-19.
INTERPOL says organized crime groups are exploiting Africa's billion-dollar mobile money industry, a trend only set to increase as the service is rolled out across the continent.



The Mobile money and organized crime in Africa report, authored by the international police organisation, presented an overview of the criminal exploitation of mobile money services.



This included fraud, money laundering, extortion, human trafficking and people smuggling, the illegal wildlife trade and terrorism.



The African continent is the world leader in the mobile money industry, accounting for nearly half of all registered mobile money accounts globally.



The prominent role that mobile money plays in African societies and economies, and the rapid pace at which its infrastructure has been developed, INTERPOL said, had enabled criminals to exploit weaknesses in the regulations and identification systems and commit mobile money-enabled crimes.



It said mobile money itself had proven to be a positive force for financial inclusion and economic development in many African countries, and that a more cash-based informal economy can sometimes present even graver challenges to law enforcement.



It added, however, a lack of robust identity checks to verify users combined with a need for greater law enforcement resources and training on mobile money-enabled crimes have created a financial system distinctly vulnerable to criminal infiltration.



Types of ID required to register for a mobile money account are not standardized across Africa and acceptable documents range from national identity cards to company IDs, tax certificates and drivers licenses.



The report noted, while such a broad spectrum of acceptable IDs benefit the growth of mobile money services, it also increased their vulnerability to fraud, money laundering and other crimes.



It said, In parallel, despite progress in conviction rates for mobile money-enabled crimes, the technical expertise and equipment required to complete investigations can prove difficult to integrate into the court process.



With mobile money poised for even greater growth in Africa, unless the vulnerabilities are addressed, these services pose a significant threat to consumers and national security."



By 2025, smartphone user rates in Sub-Saharan Africa alone are projected to rise from roughly 39 per cent to 66 per cent.



Higher smartphone adoption, combined with a wider array of mobile money services on offer, will likely increase the number of transactions performed through smartphone apps, according to experts.



Cyril Gout, INTERPOL Acting Director of Operational Support and Analysis, was quoted as saying, The evidence shows that criminals are already exploiting mobile money services in Africa.



The anonymity that these services too often allows and the technical nature of the industry also present a challenge to law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting these crimes.



INTERPOL said the report emphasises the need to act was now by addressing the vulnerabilities highlighted by Project ENACT, We can ensure that the mobile money industry continues to grow throughout Africa without being compromised by those who seek to undermine it.



INTERPOL and Institute for Security Studies in partnership with the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized are implementing the ENACT project that covers the entire African continent in analysing the scale of organized crime and its impact on security, governance and development.

Source: GNA









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More than 13,320 overseas Vietnamese repatriated so far: Spokeswoman





Vietnamese citizens in Australia wait to handle boarding procedures at Sydney Airport on July 13

Vietnam has organised 55 flights bringing 13,323 citizens home from overseas since April 10 in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said on July 16.

She said at the ministrys regular press conference that under the direction of the countrys leaders, in particular the Prime Minister, relevant agencies and Vietnams overseas representative bodies have worked closely with authorities in host countries to bring Vietnamese citizens home.

Agencies, ministries, and sectors in Vietnam, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Public Security, will continue working with the countrys overseas representative bodies to bring more citizens home on the basis of their aspirations, repatriation priorities, and domestic quarantine capacity, according to the spokeswoman.

Replying to a question about online ticket scams targeting citizens who wish to return to home, she cited national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines as saying that it has warned passengers, especially overseas citizens, about such online ticket scams.

Since the pandemic broke out and the Vietnamese Government began conducting repatriation flights for its citizens in disadvantaged circumstances, the countrys overseas representative bodies and the Foreign Ministrys Consular Department have publicised information about related procedures on their websites and on the media.

Citizens who wish to return to home need to register with Vietnams representative bodies in the host country, and agencies will then work with domestic authorities and contact each person by email to inform them on ticket booking procedures, Hang noted.

She recommended that to protect their interests, overseas Vietnamese citizens need to follow the instructions issued by Vietnamese representative bodies and only buy tickets after receiving official emails from these agencies.

Vietnam clear of community coronavirus infections for 92 days

There were no new cases of coronavirus infection to report in Vietnam on July 17 morning, and the country has stayed free of community transmission of the virus for 92 consecutive days.

A medical worker takes a blood sample from a recently repatriated overseas Vietnamese for COVID-19 testing at a quarantine site in Ha Nam province

According to the National Steering Committee for COVD-19 Prevention and Control, as many 241 of the 381 confirmed patients are imported cases who were quarantined upon their arrival in the country.

Up to 356 patients or 93.4 percent of the total have recovered from the disease.

Meanwhile, most of those still under treatment are in stable condition, including two negative for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, once and five others at least twice.

There are 10,133 people having close contact with confirmed cases or coming from pandemic-hit areas in quarantine at present, including 78 in hospitals, 9,613 in other quarantine sites, and 442 at home or accommodation facilities.

Defence Ministry donates medical supplies to help Cuba fight COVID-19

The Ministry of National Defence handed over medical supplies to Cuba at a ceremony in Hanoi on July 16 to aid its fight against the coronavirus.

The aid included quick COVID-19 test kits, medical masks, and personal protective equipment (PPE).

In remarks at the ceremony, Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh said success in containing the COVID-19 pandemic not only requires the efforts of each country but also international cooperation. International cooperation in COVID-19 response is crucial, he said.

Vietnam has been moved by the efforts of the Politburo of the Cuban Communist Party to quickly respond to all of its requests for cooperation in defence and COVID-19 relief since the disease broke out, he noted.

The deputy minister said Vietnam greatly appreciates Cuba sending hundreds of health care workers and medicine to many countries around the world to help fight the pandemic, despite facing numerous difficulties itself.

In the current circumstance, Vietnam and Cuba providing each other with medical supplies is vivid evidence of the brotherhood and solidarity between the two countries, which is significant and meaningful to bilateral relations, Vinh went on to say.

It will help both sides together be victorious over COVID-19 and at the same time lay a foundation for long-term cooperation in health care, he added.

Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera thanked Vietnam for its medical support, saying she is very happy that both countries have controlled the disease better than many developed nations.

The aid clearly demonstrates the special friendship between the two countries people, she said. We have never abandoned each other, even in the most difficult situation.

Vietnam and Cuba celebrate 60 years of bilateral diplomatic this year (December 2, 1960 - 2020).

Nearly 280 Vietnamese flown home from Russia, Belarus

Nearly 280 Vietnamese citizens in Russia and Belarus were repatriated on a flight that landed at Van Don International Airport, the northern province of Quang Ninh, on July 17.

They include children under 18, pregnant women, people with illnesses, workers with expired visas or labour contracts, and students without accommodation due to COVID-19-induced school and dormitory closures.

The flight was arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, authorised agencies of Vietnam, the Vietnamese embassies in Russia and Belarus, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, and relevant agencies of the host countries.

As many countries have imposed travel restrictions for fear of the pandemic, the embassies had actively worked with the host countries authorities to prepare necessary procedures and instruct the citizens to move to airports in Moscow and Minsk. They had also sent staff to the airports to coordinate with the airlines and local authorities to assist the citizens in handling relevant procedures.

Disease prevention measures had been carried out during the flight. Upon landing at Van Don airport, the passengers received health check-ups and were sent to quarantine centres in line with regulations.

In the time ahead, authorised agencies of Vietnam, the countrys overseas representative bodies and domestic airlines will conduct more repatriation flights on the basis of pandemic developments, overseas citizens aspirations, and local quarantine capacity.

From April 10 to July 16, Vietnam organised 55 flights bringing 13,323 citizens home from overseas in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang.

Kazakhstan receives medical supplies from Vietnam

Kazakhstan lower house on July 16 announced that the Vietnamese National Assembly had sent humanitarian aid in the form of personal protective equipment (PPE) to help Kazakhstan people curb the spread of COVID-19.

The PPE from Vietnam has been sent to medical facilities in Atyrau province in western Kazakhstan, it said in a press release.

The Kazakhstan lower house appreciated the gift from the Vietnamese NA, adding that the distribution of the humanitarian aid was made under the supervision of members of the Kazakhstan lower and upper houses.

Indonesia reports highest daily COVID-19 death toll, Philippines deploys police to quarantine patients

The Indonesian Ministry of Health reported 87 new coronavirus deaths on July 15, its biggest daily jump, taking the total number of fatalities to 3,797.

Indonesia also reported 1,522 COVID-19 infections, putting the overall tally at 80,094 cases.

In the Philippines, police are being deployed to ensure people who test positive for the coronavirus and cannot self-isolate at home are taken to state-run quarantine centres.

The move comes as authorities step up efforts to slow the rapid spread of the disease by increasing testing, re-imposing lockdowns, and building dozens of quarantine centres for patients with mild symptoms.

To clamp down on local transmission, police are accompanying health workers to the homes of people who have tested positive and taking them to government facilities if their homes are considered inadequate for self-isolation or if they live with "vulnerable" people. All expenses are covered by the Philippine government.

The Philippines already has more than 8,300 quarantine centres with over 73,000 beds. To handle the growing number of cases, the government plans to build 50 more facilities.

After imposing one of the world's longest lockdowns, the country has been easing restrictions in recent weeks, fuelling a surge in new infections.

It had 58,850 confirmed cases on July 15, with 1,614 deaths.

VNA/VNN/VOV/VNS
Aerial photos of the rallies  three have dominated the city of 2.6 million since June  show protesters clogging main streets and surrounding the stone arches of the Monument of Independence, where mass singalongs of the national anthem have erupted: If the enemy should show himself, inside or outside, standing on the ramparts, we are ready to die.
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) London, United Kingdom  Fri, July 17, 2020 18:15 550 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406672cded 2 World UK,Britain,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-death-toll,data,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

Britains health minister Matt Hancock has ordered a review into how deaths from coronavirus are reported in England after academics said the daily figures may be unreliable and include people who have died of other causes, an official said.

The government official, who asked not to be named, said an announcement of the review might be announced later on Friday.

The way Public Health England, a government agency responsible for managing infectious disease outbreaks, calculates the figures in England means they might look worse than in other parts of the United Kingdom, according to two academics.

Yoon Loke, from the University of East Anglia, and Carl Heneghan, from the University of Oxford, said Public Health England cross-checks the latest notifications of deaths against a database of positive test results  so anyone who has tested positive can be recorded as dying from the virus.

In a blog called "Why no-one can recover from COVID-19 in England", the academics said that patients who tested positive for COVID, but are successfully treated, will still be counted as dying from the virus if they have a heart attack or are run over by a bus three months later.

The Department for Health and Social Care did not have any immediate comment.
Mani Bhushan, who lost his father to COVID-19, uploaded a video on social media shedding light on the pathetic condition of Bihars medical infrastructure. While talking to CNN-News18s Political Editor Marya Shakil, he detailed how the negligence on the part of the medical staff; doctors and nurses exacerbated the already grim situation.

We used to change the oxygen water, check blood pressure and stay by his bedside all night. I was asked to administer the syringe by a nurse, Bhushan said.

His father was admitted to Patna's Nalanda Medical College. He accused one Dr AK Singh not visiting the patient and providing basic facilities.

The doctor visited him only once. The nurse was asked to look after him, who would not attend to him on time. It is the neglect on the part of the system that resulted in his death, he said.

According to the 2019 health index of the NITI Aayog, Bihar ranked second-last with a score of 32.11, next only to Uttar Pradesh. The state has always lacked health facilities and with Covid-19 cases doubling in the last fourteen days, the infrastructure has crumbled. Bihar's northern region is also witnessing floods, making it all the more difficult for the medical staff to respond on time.

Another case that came to fore was that of AIIMS, where Rupali and Khushboo's brother succumbed to Covid-19. The 33-year-old would have survived if he had been attended to properly, his sister claimed.

In the ICU ward, we asked for the doctor several times but the staff kept giving us excuses. They called and asked for the medicine that was not available with the hospital. But shouldnt medicines be provided by the administration? Its their responsibility to arrange for it when running a hospital, Rupali said.

The staff is confused and misguided, she added.

It was reported that of the 11,373 sanctioned posts of doctors around 50% remained vacant till June last year.

Theres one doctor for an average of 29,000 people and one bed for every 8,645 individuals. Unpreparedness and failing to take appropriate preventive measures have resulted in a sudden spurt in cases.

Dr Diwakar Tejaswi accepted the sad condition of the states health infrastructure. He said, The steps that should have been taken were not taken on time. We dont have any infrastructure in district headquarters to cater to even serious patients.

Pointing to inadequacies like weak administration and a neglect of the seriousness of the situation, he talked about the measures that need to be taken now to prevent it from getting worse.

We need to start testing. And for that, we need to procure as many testing kits as possible. This can only be done by giving free hand to all the organisations for manufacturing them. We also need to have enough oxygen and pulse oximeter, Dr Tejaswi said.

Bihar government allotted Rs 10,937.68 crore to the health sector in its 2020-21 budget. It is about 3.54% of the total budget, second-lowest in the country. The state has an insignificant testing rate, almost non-existent compared to other states, though the government claimed that it has ramped up testing to 9,000 per day in the last week.

Bihar's health department has reported more than 21,000 positive cases which is a small number as compared to Mumbai or Delhi. Clearly, the curve is going to rise. In the wake of the current situation, it was wise of the administration to introduce lockdown from July 15- July 31.
The Vestfold Hills, the proposed site of the aerodrome. Credit: Nick Roden

Australia wants to build a 2.7-kilometer concrete runway in Antarctica, the world's biggest natural reserve. The plan, if approved, would have the largest footprint of any project in the continent's history.

The runway is part of an aerodrome to be constructed near Davis Station, one of Australia's three permanent bases in Antarctica. It would be the first concrete runway on the continent.

The plan is subject to federal environmental approval. It coincides with new research published this week showing Antarctica's wild places need better protection. Human activity across Antarctica has been extensive in the past 200 yearsparticularly in the coastal, ice-free areas where most biodiversity is found.

The area around Davis Station is possibly Antarctica's most significant coastal, ice-free area. It features unique lakes, fjords, fossil sites and wildlife.

Australia has successfully operated Davis Station since 1957 with existing transport arrangements. While the development may win Australia some strategic influence in Antarctica, it's at odds with our strong history of environmental leadership in the region.

Year-round access

The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), a federal government agency, argues the runway would allow year-round aviation access between Hobart and Antarctica.

Australia says the runway would have significant science benefits. Credit: Australian Antarctic Division

Presently, the only Australian flights to Antarctica take place at the beginning and end of summer. Aircraft land at an aerodrome near the Casey research station, with interconnecting flights to other stations and sites on the continent. The stations are inaccessible by both air and ship in winter.

The AAD says year-round access to Antarctica would provide significant science benefits, including:

better understanding sea level rise and other climate change impacts

opportunities to study wildlife across the annual lifecycle of key species including krill, penguins, seals and seabirds

allowing scientists to research through winter.

Leading international scientists had called for improved, environmentally responsible access to Antarctica to support 21st-century science. However, the aerodrome project is likely to reduce access for scientists to Antarctica for years, due to the need to house construction workers.

Australia: an environmental leader?

Australia has traditionally been considered an environmental leader in Antarctica. For example, in 1989 under the Hawke government, it urged the world to abandon a mining convention in favour of a new deal to ban mining on the continent.

Australia's 20 Year Action Plan promotes "leadership in environmental stewardship in Antarctica", pledging to "minimize the environmental impact of Australia's activities".

The contribution of disturbance footprint from countries in Antarctica measured from Brooks et al. 2019, with Australias share increasing to 35% including the aerodrome proposal. Credit: Shaun Brooks

But the aerodrome proposal appears at odds with that goal. It would cover 2.2 square kilometers, increasing the total "disturbance footprint" of all nations on the continent by 40%. It would also mean Australia has the biggest footprint of any nation, overtaking the United States.

Within this footprint, environmental effects will also be intense. Construction will require more than three million cubic meters of earthworksleveling 60 vertical meters of hills and valleys along the length of the runway. This will inevitably cause dust emissionson the windiest continent on Earthand the effect of this on plants and animals in Antarctica is poorly understood.

Wilson's storm petrels that nest at the site will be displaced. Native lichens, fungi and algae will be destroyed, and irreparable damage is expected at adjacent lakes.

Weddell seals breed within 500 meters of the proposed runway site. Federal environment officials recognize the dust from construction and subsequent noise from low flying aircraft have the potential to disturb these breeding colonies.

The proposed area is also important breeding habitat for Adelie penguins. Eight breeding sites in the region are listed as "important bird areas". Federal environment officials state the penguins are likely to be impacted by human disturbance, dust, and noise from construction of the runway, with particular concern for oil spills and aircraft operations.

The summer population at Davis Station will need to almost double from 120 to 250 during construction. This will require new, permanent infrastructure and increase the station's fuel and water consumption, and sewage discharged into the environment.

The AAD has proposed measures to limit environmental damage. These include gathering baseline data (against which to measure the project's impact), analyzing potential effects on birds and marine mammals and limiting disturbance where practicable.

But full details won't be provided until later in the assessment process. We expect Australia will implement these measures to a high standard, but they will not offset the project's environmental damage.

An Adelie penguin colony near Davis Station. Credit: Nick Roden

Playing politics

So given the environmental concern, why is Australia so determined to build the aerodrome? We believe the answer largely lies in Antarctic politics.

Australian officials have said the project would "contribute to both our presence and influence" on the continent. Influence in Antarctica has traditionally corresponded to the strength of a nation's scientific program, its infrastructure presence and engagement in international decision-making.

Australia is a well-regarded member of the Antarctic Treaty. It was an original signatory and claims sovereignty over 42% of the continent. It also has a solid physical and scientific presence, maintaining three large year-round research stations.

But other nations are also vying for influence. China is constructing its fifth research station. New Zealand is planning a NZ$250 million upgrade to Scott Base. And on King George Island, six stations have been built within a 5km radius, each run by different nations. This presence is hard to justify on the basis of scientific interest alone.

Getting our priorities straight

We believe there are greater and more urgent opportunities for Australia to assert its leadership in Antarctica.

A Weddell seal and her pup near Davis Station. Credit: Nick Roden

For example both Casey and Mawson stationsAustralia's two other permanent basesdischarge sewage into the pristine marine environment with little treatment. And outdated fuel technology at Australia's three stations regularly causes diesel spills.

At Wilkes station, which Australia abandoned in the 1960s, thousands of tons of contaminants have been left behind.

Australia should fix such problems before adding more potentially damaging infrastructure. This would meet our environmental treaty obligations and show genuine Antarctic leadership.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Online education courses to last long term

By:Huang Qingyang, Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-07-17 10:52

The Shanghai Education Commission, Shanghai Broadcasting and Television Station as well as Shanghai Media Group (SMG) signed a contract on July 14th to jointly build a long term online educational programme titled Classroom on Air, marking a milestone in the development of Shanghais online education.

Classroom on Airwas set up in early March to allow 1.43 million elementary and middle school students in Shanghai to learn online amid the epidemic lockdown.

Besides the current fall semester courses from grade 1 to 12 broadcast on 12 TV channels, two new course types - special education for pupils and middle school students, as well as adult life time education- will be added.

Moreover, more qualified young teachers will participate in this program to improve the overall quality of these online courses.

Via the wide reach and accessibility of SMG, Classroom on Air is expected to keep expanding its future influence on children. By cooperating with SMG, a complete set of quality courses will be formed to empower both teachersteaching and studentsself-learning. A teaching mode combining online and offline education will be formed, said Wang Ping, director of the Municipal Education Commission.

According to research from China Central Television Market Research (CTR) these online courses have been viewed more than 92 million times and have received high praise from teachers and students.
Cursed creators talk about reimagining such a well-known story for a modern audience, and about the thrills of bringing their book to life on screen.

Merlin, King Arthur, the Lady of the Lake. Yeah, we all know the story.

Or maybe not. Imagine a version in which Merlin is a heavy drinker who has lost his magic; Arthur is a scrounging but ambitious nobody with questionable scruples; and the Lady of the Lake is a teenage fairy with powers she cannot control, and is not sure she wants.

In a post-Game of Thrones world, every programmers dream is finding the next big spectacle series  and in the age of COVID-19, a new binge-worthy show is worth its weight in mystical swords. That is the magic Netflix is hoping to pull from Cursed, a live-action fantasy series created by Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler that puts the young Lady of the Lake at the center of Arthurian myth.

When the show premieres Friday, it will be the latest stage in a kind of evolving dream project for Miller and Wheeler, which started with their collaboration on the 2019 illustrated young-adult novel on which it is based. Wheeler, a writer and producer perhaps best known for the Puss in Boots (2011) screenplay, was a self-described lifelong Frank Miller fan when the two were introduced several years ago. Miller, a beloved graphic-novel and comic-book artist, had already had his work translated many times to the screen: Daredevil, The Dark Knight Returns, and 300, as well as Sin City, the movie versions of which he also helped direct.

But Miller had never tackled Arthur, and he was excited to discover in Wheeler a common love of the medieval legends. Id been enraptured with the King Arthur story since I was a boy, when I saw Disneys Sword in the Stone," Miller said in a three-way Zoom interview with Wheeler this month. I tend to love all the incarnations, as wildly different as they are.

So they decided to create one of their own, a prequel of sorts with a distinctly modern approach, set before Arthur is king. In it, the young Lady, Nimue, is being hunted along with her fellow fairies  fae in Cursed parlance. Their persecutors are the Red Paladins, a violent and intolerant religious sect with an uncomfortably familiar contempt for the other.

It seemed an amazing playground, Wheeler said. I certainly had a fans desire to see what Frank would do with his aesthetic and storytelling in that world.

Wheeler wrote, and Miller illustrated; the book was published last fall, by which time Netflix had already picked it up.

With its lavish visuals, Cursed may invite comparisons to Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings; Nimue (played by Katherine Langford) shares traits with Harry Potter (she is the girl who lived) and Stephen Kings Carrie (a teen who feels her powers are, well, a curse). It is stiff competition, and that is not counting the many earlier screen adaptations of Arthurian legends, including Camelot, Excalibur, and perhaps most inescapably, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Miller and Wheeler spoke about the challenges of reimagining such a well-known story for a modern audience, and about the thrills of bringing it to life on screen. These are edited excerpts from that conversation.

How challenging was it to create something distinctive within this saga?

Miller: You have to approach this material regarding everything as an opportunity, rather than a limitation. We have a boundless mythology, which can be interpreted any number of ways: You could just tell it as a political story, a mythological story or a romance.

Wheeler: We had an obligation to bring something new to the table after so many interpretations. That led us to the image of the young woman reaching her arm through the water with the sword and offering it to Arthur. We were drawn to it because of the questions it evokes: Who was she? Why is she offering the sword? What is their relationship? Why was there this tragic, mysterious end for her? We talked about this as a dark fairy tale, and as the character of Nimue grew in our minds, she would make decisions  sometimes wildly flawed decisions  but she took over the story, which was great.

Miller: What Tom and I have been doing has been picking and choosing, using this young woman with a destiny that carries us on this journey through all these pieces of mythology and fantasy and politics.

Wheeler: When we started talking about this story, my daughter was 10 or 11 years old, and she didnt have characters to really lock onto in this mythology. Yet the themes  seizing the sword, taking control of your own destiny, responsibility at a young age  made this about building out a story for her that she could connect to. That idea of being the hero of your story is for all of us. Its great to have a woman with this sort of power.

Did creating the book make it easier to adapt it for TV?

Wheeler: I would have moments where Id say: Who wrote this? Whos responsible for this? as we tried to interpret certain scenes. There were moments where something felt perfectly clear in the book, and we wondered how we would make it clear in the scenes. We only had ourselves to blame. The challenge was taking a chapter where youre inside Nimues head, and you have this intimate relation with her as a reader, and then you have to turn that completely around for the series and show everything through behaviour.

Miller: A lot of things inside Nimues head instead became fantastical sets and location shots. Thats what fantasy art does, so I felt very much at home seeing the stalactites or the bridges as indications of the characters state of mind.

Amid the striking visuals, the most unusual touch is the animation used for transitions between scenes. How did those come to be?

Wheeler: There was a company doing our title sequence, bringing a lot of Franks artwork from the book to life. We saw it midway through shooting the series, and felt it was perfect tonally.

Miller: It was a way to evoke the memory of lushly illustrated storybooks, the kind I remember finding in my parents bookshelves, where Id open these books and fall into them. I liked the idea of the show giving you a sense of where these stories come from.

How do you sift through, avoid, honour or subvert all those connections to other fantasy films and series, and to all the Arthur and Merlin stories of the past?

Miller: Its one of the knottiest questions. You cant entirely ignore everything out there. Theres always a dance: Do I try so hard to avoid these influences that I ignore a chance to execute this great idea Ive got? You cant do that. Youve got to work hard on your central concept  you build an identity of your own, stay true to that and dont worry if theres an overlap with other things.

Wheeler: Arthurian mythology is the first shared universe. Were taking our swing at it and bringing something new, but we can still honour the others. I love Excalibur, and would love to find images that connect us to that world. Holy Grail was always sort of there. We were scouting in Scotland and Ireland, and at one castle I said: Am I having a past-life experience? I recognise this place. Then I realised it was the castle where Lancelot kills the entire wedding party in Holy Grail. When scenes would go wrong, youd have moments where youd say, I think were getting into Holy Grail territory.

Miller: We still havent done a Bring Out Your Dead scene.

Are the moments of humour and lighter tone consciously included for balance or is it just the way you write?

Wheeler: Its a serious story with serious consequences and stakes, but you do need that pressure release valve to give audiences a moment. We found more comedy in the series than in the book, but a lot is just what the actors bring.

How much of the sets is real, and how much is computer-generated?

Miller: Ah (cackles). That would be telling.

Wheeler: Frank has more experience than I do, but its amazing seeing the layering of effects on top of sets. Theres a good mix, but we shot in the UK because there are incredible locations and beautiful vistas, and a lot of that was captured in camera. We talked a lot about vivid nature as a character in the series.

Given that you created the book, was it tricky to have an open mind in casting?

Miller: You have to stay open because you dont want to miss out on the pleasant surprises.

Wheeler: Its a combination of what you think the character is and then the surprises the actor brings. Lily Newmark, who plays Pym, got the part when she walked in  she was late, a little disorganised; she had a great Pym energy.

Miller: Gustaf Skarsgard walked in and consumed the part of Merlin. And I loved Emily Coates for Sister Iris as soon as I met her. Shes so lethal.

Wheeler: She was so scary. In rehearsal, the crew backed away from her.

Writers often talk about using actors personalities for their roles or about enlarging the parts of actors that are special. Was that possible given that you were working from your book?

Wheeler: We felt an obligation to keep finding new things, and not treat our book as frozen in amber, to go where the characters needed to go. Weve tried not to completely contradict the book, but there will be storylines in the series that are not in the book. So characters have expanded because of what the actors inspired us with  what they were bringing in their performances. It kept the whole thing feeling organic. And that was part of the fun.

Stuart Miller c.2020 The New York Times Company

All images from Twitter.
As arrests of Portland protesters by unidentified federal agents gained national attention Friday, the U.S. attorney for Oregon announced he would request an investigation into the matter.

Based on news accounts circulating that allege federal law enforcement detained two protestors without probable cause, I have requested the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General to open a separate investigation directed specifically at the actions of DHS personnel, Billy Williams said in a statement Friday. Williams is the top federal law enforcement official in the state.

The announcement came on the heels of statements from Democratic elected representatives in Oregon, including Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, who along with Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici, said they would call for an investigation into the unrequested presence and violent actions of federal forces in Portland and demanded that federal agents immediately be removed from the city.

Those calls were in response to reports that a protester suffered a severe head injury after being shot in the head with an impact munition fired by a police officer Saturday, and reports that multiple protesters were pulled off the streets by unidentified federal agents in downtown Portland and swept away into unmarked vehicles Wednesday.

First reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting on Thursday, the story of the detentions has received attention from national media following a visit to Portland by the interim head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf.

Wolf on Thursday said his visit was meant to restore order to the city, which he claimed has been under siege for 47 straight days by a violent mob. On Friday, he tweeted out photos of himself touring federal property in downtown Portland, highlighting graffiti and boarded up windows.

His presence received swift condemnation from Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese and others, who released statements in opposition to the visit.

Brown said she told Wolf that the federal government should remove all federal officers from our streets.

His response showed me he is on a mission to provoke confrontation for political purposes, she said. He is putting both Oregonians and local law enforcement officers in harms way.

Protests in Portland were originally spurred by the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department in May, and have at times drawn thousands of people to marches and events across the city.

Some protesters have gathered nightly at the downtown Justice Center, where confrontational events have led to violent crackdowns by police, including the use of tear gas and non-lethal munitions.

Those tactics have also been used by federal agents in Portland, who on Thursday night once again used gas, smoke and impact munitions on boisterous but non-violent protesters, walking through city streets in an attempt to clear away crowds.

Wolf responded to news reports of Thursdays protests by dismissing those who participated, claiming federal agents were attacked by lasers and frozen water bottles, and saying that two officers were injured.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection chief Mark Morgan said on Friday that the agency will continue to arrest the violent criminals that are destroying federal property & injuring our agents/officers in Portland in a statement on Twitter.

The Nation, a left-leaning media organization, reported Friday that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents had arrested one Portland protester and it had obtained a document that outlined the coordination of the federal response.

Meanwhile, protesters continued to release video footage on social media of federal agents pulling people into unmarked vans and firing rounds of smoke canisters as they marched through the streets of downtown Portland.

Those actions drew a sharp response from the American Civil Liberties Union on Friday, which wrapped recent events from Portland into a national conversation around federal use of force against protesters.

What is happening now in Portland should concern everyone in the United States, Jann Carson, interim executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, said. Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping. The actions of the militarized federal officers are flat-out unconstitutional and will not go unanswered.

U.S. District Judge Michael Simon on Friday granted the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregons request to add the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Marshals Service to a temporary restraining order preventing police from dispersing, arresting or targeting journalists or legal observers at protests.

The agency said Friday it would file a revised motion that includes those federal agencies.

The organization filed the original request for the injunction on behalf of the Portland Mercury, as well as several independent journalists and legal observers.

One of the plaintiffs, Mathieu Lewis-Rolland, is a photographer for Eleven PDX, a publication that focuses on music, and his work has appeared in other local news outlets as well, according to the lawsuit. According to the ACLUs latest court filing, Lewis-Rolland attended the protests on several nights to photograph them.

Last Sunday, in the early hours of the morning, federal law enforcement officials fired on Lewis-Rolland 10 times using impact munitions. He sustained severe lacerations, welts and bruises all over his upper body, according to the lawsuit.

The city of Portland and the ACLU of Oregon agreed to a preliminary injunction that extends to Oct. 30. Under that injunction, police may not disperse or arrest journalists and legal observers and they cant unlawfully seize photographic equipment, recording equipment or press passes from journalists and legal observers, or order journalists or legal observers to stop photographing, recording, or observing a protest.

Noelle Crombie contributed to this report.

--Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
In this article ANZO-MY

Pedestrians wearing face masks walk along a road in the Central Business District in Beijing on July 16, 2020. Wang Zhao | AFP | Getty Images

Southeast Asian nations will likely benefit from China's economic rebound as the country commands a "lion's share" of regional exports, one economist said this week. China on Thursday said its gross domestic product grew by 3.2% for the second quarter of 2020, compared to the same period a year ago. The country's GDP shrank by 6.8% in the first quarter, when lockdowns were in place due to the coronavirus outbreak. Analysts were expect GDP to grow only 2.5% for the April to June quarter. "While numerous challenges remain, the uptick would rekindle hopes that China's economy can help to pull others along," Wellian Wiranto, an economist at OCBC Bank, wrote in a note on Thursday. "The fact that China commands a lion's share of ASEAN exports ... takes on extra importance now," he said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. That dependence on China was a "painful liability" in the first quarter, but the recent uptick has now turned it into a "key asset," he added.

Global trade is not going to be a strong lift for the region, it will be a modest lift. Steve Cochrane chief Asia Pacific economist, Moody's Analytics

Southeast Asian countries ship 18.8% of their exports to China, the note said. China's recovery will not "save the day" for these countries, but would make a slight difference given that other export destinations  such as the U.S.  are still working to control the coronavirus situation.

Signs of rebound

The wider Asia-Pacific region may also be entering the recovery phase, said Steve Cochrane, chief Asia Pacific economist at Moody's Analytics. "We troughed back in May," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" on Monday, noting that economies in China, Australia and New Zealand are improving. That's because activity is restarting as lockdowns and restrictions are eased, removing supply-side constraints, he said. Not everyone is so positive. Vishnu Varathan, head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank, said the economic pick-up in the first half of 2020 may have been "flattered" by various factors such as "speculative" property investment and the fact that China was one of the first countries to emerge from lockdowns. "The recovery ahead will, in all likelihood, be hampered by lingering waves of pandemic risks colliding with fresh flare up in U.S.-China tensions, and sheer uncertainty," he wrote in a note on Thursday. Cochrane of Moody's Analytics agreed that social distancing and other risks will remain a point of friction.
For nearly four months during the lockdown, New Yorkers have been confined to famously cramped apartments, front stoops that served as the center of social lives and a handful of parks that often overflowed with people.

Now New Yorkers desperate for a break from the city but wary of traveling by plane or train are reimagining their summer vacations  and turning to rental cars in record numbers.

In June, car rental reservations in New York City on Priceline, a hotel and car rental booking website, jumped by 73 percent at rental locations excluding airports compared with the same time last year. On Kayak, a travel site, the demand for rentals surged even higher: In May, as the city entered its third month of lockdown, car rental searches were up 56 percent compared with the same time last year. By June, they had spiked 98 percent.

The surge in demand has caused a sharp increase in prices as rental car companies scramble to send their available fleets to the city, a reflection of a pandemic-induced shift in the travel industry toward car travel over shared transportation like planes and trains. Its a trend industry leaders expect to last months, if not years.
The Phase-1 of human clinical trials for Covaxin  one of the two indigenous vaccine candidates for Covid-19 started at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS)-Rohtak on Friday. Haryanas health minister Anil Vij took to Twitter to break the news on Friday afternoon.

Human trial with Corona vaccine (COVAXIN) of Bharat Biotech started at PGI Rohtak today. Three subjects were enrolled today. All have tolerated the vaccine very well. There were no adverse efforts (sic), wrote Vij on Twitter.

Covaxin is an indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, which is being developed by Bharat Biotech and ICMRs National Institute of Virology, Pune. It is one of the two Indian vaccine candidates that have received the Drug Controller General of Indias nod to proceed with the Phase-1 and Phase-2 human clinical trials. In Rohtak, the sample size for Phase-1 trials is expected to around 8 to 10 people, officials said. In the past 10 days since PGIMS-Rohtak began enrolling subjects for trials, close to 100 individuals from Haryana have registered to be a part of the study.

Officials at PGIMS Rohtak said that 22 of these volunteers have already been screened for their medical history, and three of them received the vaccine on Friday.

Human dosing began at 10:30am, when one of the three subjects was first given a 3ug dose of Covaxin, via an intramuscular injection. After observing the subject for 30 minutes, the remaining two subjects received their vaccine doses between 11am and 12pm. The subjects are in the age group of 22 to 35. They were kept under observation at PGIMS for three hours before being sent home. During follow-up calls in the evening, the subjects were not showing any adverse reactions. We are quite relieved and happy at todays progress, said Dr Savita Verma, principal investigator of the Covaxin clinical trial at PGIMS-Rohtak.

The subjects will now be given a second dose of the vaccine in 14 days, provided no adverse reactions are reported prior to the date. Blood samples, to check for the presence of antibodies, will also be taken from the subjects at 14 days and 28 days, officials at PGIMS confirmed. There are two proposed doses of the final vaccine  3ug and 6ug. These are extrapolated from data obtained from pre-trial tests on animals. We have administered the lower dose today, Verma added.

Doctors at PGIMS explained that, at this point in the double-blind trial, it is unknown whether any of the three subjects received a placebo. The vials we received are not marked. There is a 4:1 ratio, where for every four persons who receive the vaccine, one person gets a placebo, but as the administrator, we will not know who gets what. We may know in 14 days, depending on seroconversion, Verma said.
A thief has stolen nine WWII medals from an elderly Victorian man's home and smeared human faeces on an army uniform.

Michael Knight, 91, returned to his Frankston house, in Melbourne's southeast, last week after being treated in hospital for a respiratory condition, to find it ransacked, and the medals gone.

His medals included a 1946 MBE certifcate signed by the Queen and hios brother John's WWII medals were also stolen.

Some of the World War Two medals (pictured) that were stolen during a burglary in the Melbourne suburb of Frankston

A substantial amount of cash, jewellery and an army uniform were also missing, with the total stolen haul worth about $30,000.

The thief also did a poo at the side of the Margate Avenue house and used some of the stolen clothing to clean themselves, police confirmed.

'It is a disgusting act and adds insult to injury,' Detective Senior Constable Chris Fidler told AAP on Friday.

The house is believed to have been burgled between July 8 and 10 and the thief is believed to have forced their way in via the back door, he said.

Mr Knight's wife had also recently been relocated to 24-hour care, his son Glenn Knight told the Herald Sun.

'Dad served for 25 years and has always been very independent  he means the world to me,' Mr Knight said.

'We appeal for whoever has possession of the property to return it, or hand it in anonymously,' Detective Fidler said.

Anyone with information, or who saw suspicious activity in the area, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
On June 2, the state only had 44 vote centers open. That left one for every 93,000 voters. According to Amber McReynolds, chief executive of the National Vote at Home Institute and the former head of Denvers elections office, there should generally be one polling place for every 30,000 registered voters. To meet that standard, Maryland would need at least 136 in-person vote centers and an early voting period for its more than 4 million registered voters. That would be vastly superior to 44. Those fixes would not only allow the state to replicate the high turnout it had in June, but they also would make the election go much smoother overall.
Caroline Cunningham says her first pregnancy was "really good... I couldn't really complain". But by the time she was 38 weeks she was facing the possibility of giving birth during a pandemic, without her husband, all while still working on the frontline as a clinical nurse manager at Temple Street Children's Hospital.

Ms Cunningham, who is this week's Frontline Star of the Week, was eight weeks' pregnant when her husband Padraic left to serve as a sergeant for the Defence Forces in Lebanon. He had been due back home in April, but this was delayed twice because of Covid-19.

The couple's first baby was due on June 24. Padraic made it home on June 22 - just in time for the birth of baby Aiden hours later.

"Padraic touched down on Irish soil on Monday morning, and I went into labour on Monday afternoon," Ms Cunningham said.

Padraic is only 37, but has already served in the Defence Forces for 20 years.

"I'm 12 years being an army wife and you know what you're getting into. They're away a lot," she added.

She said it had been a "huge relief" that Padraic got back in time, but he couldn't be in the delivery room because he was quarantining at home - which was "a bit tough".

"Knowing that he'd be home when I got home made it all the better," she said.

Now three weeks old, baby Aiden is "the pup off Padraic".

"He has a big head of black hair, I didn't get a look-in," Ms Cunningham said.

She has worked at Temple Street Children's Hospital for 11 years. For the last six years, she has been making the four-hour round trip between Dublin and Longford.

She previously took the train, but when Covid-19 hit she started to drive to minimise the risk while she was pregnant. She continued working on the frontline until she was 38 weeks' pregnant.

"We were as protected as we could be, but I suppose every day you went out with a risk regardless of whether you were a healthcare worker or pregnant," she said.

"Anybody that was working frontline that was pregnant was concerned. Work did their best to avoid putting pregnant people near confirmed cases.

"You're working in a hugely female-dominated environment, there's going to be a lot of pregnant ladies. Pandemic or not, these kids still needed their care needs attended to."

The Cunninghams were nominated by their friend, Natasha Kennedy.

Natasha said that the "power couple" were "a true inspiration, focusing on the best in every situation and selflessly giving of themselves for the betterment of our country".

Ms Cunningham said she and her husband were just "glass-half-full people".

"Padraic has served on six different peacekeeping missions... I think we're both very grateful for the life that we have, and when you have this little baby in your arms you just think, 'Yep, this is what it's all about,'" Ms Cunningham said.
Police officers and volunteers march to the woods to search in Saint-Apollinaire, Quebec, Canada, on July 10, 2020. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

Quebec Manhunt for Missing Man Intensifies in Ninth Day

STAPOLLINAIRE, Que.Quebec provincial police deployed in large numbers southwest of Quebec City Friday, the ninth day of the manhunt for the father of two young girls found dead last weekend.

Sgt. Helene Nepton said authorities are searching the Saint-Apollinaire area on foot with the help of dog handlers, ATVs, and Wildlife Department officers in the search for Martin Carpentier.

Martin Carpentier in a file photo. (Courtesy of Alerte Amber Quebec)

Cabin and outbuilding owners are being asked to call 911 to facilitate police searches.

The goal of this deployment is to search for new hints and secure properties, the force said in a Twitter message.

Romy Carpentier (L), and Norah Carpentier (R). (Courtesy of Alerte Amber Quebec)

The 44-year-old suspects two daughters, Norah and Romy Carpentier, aged 11 and 6, were found dead Saturday following an Amber Alert.

Nepton said the search has intensified since police reported Thursday Carpentier had allegedly stolen items from a trailer within the search perimeter.

Police believe Carpentier may be desperate and try to enter barns, trailers and cabins looking for materials to help him survive.

Police officers search a back road in Saint-Apollinaire, Quebec, Canada, on July 11, 2020. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

Owners are asked to have a police escort to search their buildings, but Nepton said theres no indication Carpentier is violent or poses a danger to the public.

Nine days into the search, she said theres also a chance he is unconscious or dead.

Surete du Quebec officers block the road accessing a search area near Saint-Apollinaire, Que., on July 11, 2020. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

Investigators have said the girls and their father were believed to have been in a serious car crash on Highway 20 in the Quebec City suburb of Saint-Apollinaire July 8, but there was nobody inside the vehicle when they arrived on scene.

An Amber Alert was issued July 9 but cancelled two days later after the bodies were found.

Autopsies were performed on the two girls, but police said they wont reveal the cause of death until Carpentier is found.

Their funeral is scheduled for Monday in Levis, south of Quebec City.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 00:24:03|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry on Friday recorded 2,023 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 88,171.

The new cases included 521 in the capital Baghdad, 202 in Basra, 200 in Babil, 154 in Wasit, 141 in each of Karbala and Salahudin, and 121 in Sulaimaniyah, while the other cases were detected in the other provinces, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry reported 94 more deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 3,616.

It also said that 2,179 people recovered during the day, bringing the total recoveries from the disease to 56,495.

The new cases were recorded after 17,211 testing kits were used across the country during the day, and a total of 762,058 tests have been carried out since the outbreak of the disease, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi officially opened al-Salam Hospital, which is a makeshift hospital at the site of Baghdad International Fair in western the capital.

At a televised opening ceremony, al-Kadhimi said that such (makeshift) hospital is meant to boost the health measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic by giving the best healthcare to all the citizens.

"We have to abide by the health preventive measures to overcome the disease like some other countries did," al-Kadhimi said, adding that it is important to support the health personnel in their fight against the pandemic.

On Thursday, the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed al-Kadhimi, decided that the partial curfew hours to start from 9:00 p.m. (1800 GMT) to 5:00 a.m. (0200 GMT) as of the coming week, except for the full curfew days of Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The committee also decided to completely lift the curfew after the Eid al-Adha holiday, which is expected to end in the early days of August according to the Islamic lunar calendar, the statement said.

The committee decisions also included reopening the airports for the flights starting from July 23, in addition to reopening two crossing border points with neighboring Iran and one with Kuwait for commercial exchange, according to the statement.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Iraq has been taking measures to contain the pandemic.

China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 7, China has sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem
NOIDA:

Aiming to check the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease, the Gautam Budh Nagar administration set up testing camps for the general public at five places in the district on Friday. Testing will be done for four days, at five new locations, every day. The target for each day is to take samples of at least 3,000 persons for rapid antigen kits, the officials said.

On the first day of this drive, though, the district achieved more than 100% of its target; a total of 3,020 persons were tested through rapid antigen kits, of which 46 reported positive.

According to district magistrate Suhas LY, apart from 27,000 antigen kits received in earlier lots, requisition of another one lakh rapid antigen kits for the month of July has been sent to the government.

The kits received in the earlier lots were spent during the 10-day surveillance in the district, which ended on July 12. As far as new requisitions are concerned, we have received 24,000 kits so far. We have started four-day surveillance camps in different localities. Every day, it will be held at five different places and we have set the target of taking samples of at least 3,000 persons in these camps, he said.

The DM also said that now anyone can get tested at these camps.

Even if somebody doesnt have any symptoms of Covid-19, but wishes to be tested, it will be done without any delay. Of the 22,397 samples taken during the 10-day surveillance drive earlier this month, only 1,265 tested positive. It indicates that our positivity rate was 5.6% in that drive  which is 12th in the state, he said.

The DM further said despite the rising number of positive cases, residents are ease with the administrations efforts. We have constituted many rapid response teams, who will help in identifying positive patients from different localities. In a meeting through video conferencing held on Wednesday, all residents associations appreciated the preventive and surveillance measures taken by the district administration, he said.

The five camps were held at Stellar Kings road (Sector 50), Paras Season Society (Sector 168), Silver City (Sector 93), Krishna Apartments (Sector 61) and Pan Oasis apartments (Sector 70) on Friday. Five teams have been formed for this. The administration has also formed a mobile team which will be sent to different places in the district as and when required.

According to sources, the camps will be held in community centres (sectors 11 and 25), Amrapali Eden park (Sector 50), Sadarpur baraat ghar (Sector 44) and Cleo County (Sector 121) on Saturday. On Sunday, they will be held at Sector 45 opposite Shiv Mandir in Chhalera, Shahpur community centre in Sector 128, primary school in Rasoolpur in Sector 62, Mahagun Maestro in Sector 50 and Grand Omaxe in Sector 93B.

On July 20, the camps will be held in community centres of sectors 20 and 24, Chhijarsi baraat ghar in Sector 63, Mahagun Manor in Sector 50 and Gail apartment in Sector 62.
Federal law enforcement officers have used unmarked vehicles to detain protesters in Portland, according to news reports and at least one protester who spoke to USA TODAY.

Videos shared online show officers driving up to people, detaining them without explanation, then driving off, Oregon Public Broadcasting first reported. The ACLU filed a lawsuit Friday evening to try and end what it called "lawlessness" on the streets of Portland.

The lawsuit  the first of several that the ACLU said is to be filed against the Trump administration in Portland  seeks to block the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies from attacking journalists and legal observers at protests.

"Federal agents are terrorizing the community, threatening lives, and relentlessly attacking protesters demonstrating against police brutality," the ACLU said in a tweet. "This is not law and order. This is lawlessness  and it must be stopped."

BREAKING: The @ACLU_OR is taking federal authorities in Portland, Oregon, to court.



This is a fight to save our democracy. These federal agents must be stopped and removed from the city.  ACLU (@ACLU) July 17, 2020

Conner OShea, 30, a Portland resident whos been attending protests for almost two months, told USA Today that early Thursday morning, around 2 a.m. he and a friend had left protests downtown and were walking back to their car when they were suddenly pursued by men who they believed to be federal agents.

OShea said after being warned by other protesters that federal agents were driving around in unmarked vans "snatching people," a van pulled over to the side walk and four of five dudes in camo jump out and start charging at us.

Both O'Shea and his friend ran in opposite directions. OShea did not see any sort of identifying markers on the men  badges or numbers or words on their camouflage uniforms. OShea managed to get away, and was later picked up by another friend and driven back home. But his friend Mark Pettibone, 29, has told media he was arrested and booked by federal agents, a story OShea confirmed.

Story continues

Nothing so far has been as scary as this, OShea said. Even with cars speeding around protesters (during marches), nothing has come close to how terrified I was the other night.

Pettibone told the Washington Post that officers placed him in a holding cell in a federal courthouse, where he was read his Miranda rights. After Pettibone, who did not respond to calls from USA TODAY, declined to answer questions, he was released, he told the Post.

In a statement Friday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that it detained a protester but disputed accounts that it did so without reason. The agency, which did not name Pettibone, said agents had information about a person suspected of assaulting federal agents or destroying federal property.

"Once CBP agents approached the suspect, a large and violent mob moved towards their location. For everyone's safety, CBP agents quickly moved the suspect to a safer location for further questioning," the department said, adding that agents identified themselves and were wearing the agency's insignia.

The statement did not address the use of unmarked vans.

FILE - In this July 4, 2020, file photo, protesters gather near a fire in downtown Portland, Ore. Oregon's largest city is in crisis as violent protests have wracked downtown for weeks.

Protests in Oregon's largest city following the police killing of George Floyd have continued for 47 days. The Trump administration has sent federal officers from multiple agencies to the city, and tensions escalated after an officer with the U.S. Marshals Service fired a less-lethal round at a protesters head on July 11, critically injuring him.

The heavy federal presence has drawn criticisms from Democratic lawmakers, local leaders and civil rights groups. House speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted that "Trump & his stormtroopers must be stopped."

Unidentified stormtroopers. Unmarked cars. Kidnapping protesters and causing severe injuries in response to graffiti.



These are not the actions of a democratic republic.@DHSgovs actions in Portland undermine its mission.



Trump & his stormtroopers must be stopped.  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 18, 2020

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., compared the unidentified federal officers to a "secret police force." Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., called the incident involving Pettibone "chilling," and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., described it as "authoritarian."

Merkley and other lawmakers from Oregon are asking the inspectors general of the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security to investigate, decrying the unrequested presence and violent actions of federal officers in Portland.

The jarring reports of federal law enforcement officers grabbing peaceful protesters off the street should alarm every single American. This is not the way a government operates in a functioning democracy, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., said in a statement.

What legal authorities require officers to share their identities, and are there any consequences for failing to do so?



Heres Rachel Brown and Coleman Saunders from last month here on Lawfare:https://t.co/ISZijFhXpd  Lawfare (@lawfareblog) July 17, 2020

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Border Patrol agents have been deployed to Portland to protect federal property amid ongoing protests.

"While the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) respects every Americans right to protest peacefully, violence and civil unrest will not be tolerated. Violent anarchists have organized events in Portland over the last several weeks with willful intent to damage and destroy federal property, as well as injure federal officers and agents. These criminal actions will not be tolerated," the agency said.

However, officers appeared to detain people who werent near federal property, and it isn't clear that all of those being arrested had committed a crime, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.

OShea called the situation an insane escalation in a city thats seen more than 50 consecutive nights of Black Lives Matter protests.

The feds have been ramping up their brutality, but I didnt think this was gonna happen, OShea said. After the other night it was like, OK, this is a testing ground for federal occupation of cities. This is just furthering the weird authoritarian fantasy (President Donald) Trump is living in.

State officials in Oregon are keeping an eye on the situation.

"If media reports of their actions are accurate, federal officers arresting Oregonians without probable cause is extraordinarily concerning and a violation of their civil liberties and constitutional rights," said Charles Boyle, deputy communications director for Oregon Gov. Kate Brown.

On Thursday night, federal officers fired rounds and deployed tear gas to break up a crowd of a few hundred people gathered near the federal courthouse, according to The Oregonian. Some protesters remained in the area early Friday and were detained, but it was unclear how many arrests were made by either Portland police or federal officers, the newspaper reported.

Stephen Vladeck, a constitutional law expert at the University of Texas School of Law, said the most important takeaway from the Portland situation is that we should not be allergic to the idea that federal officers are allowed to enforce federal laws in our cities. What we should be allergic to is federal officers abusing their authority by arresting protesters who have broken no laws, and doing so in a manner in which its not clear what they were arrested for or by what authority.

The critical question we should all be asking is, which one of those two scenarios are we talking about in Portland?

Vladeck wrote extensively about the situation Friday. Many more details are needed, he said, to fully understand what happened and the legal implications of it.

President Donald Trump declared victory at a news conference on Monday, praising efforts by federal officers to address violence in the city, which he said was "totally out of control."

"Weve done a great job in Portland," Trump said. "I guess, we have many people right now in jail, and we very much quelled it. And if it starts again, well quell it again very easily. Its not hard to do if you know what youre doing."

Brown, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and other local leaders have said they didnt ask for help from federal law enforcement and have asked them to leave.

"Were aware that theyre here," Wheeler said on Twitter. "We wish they werent."

Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf also drew criticism from local leaders when he visited the city Thursday hours after calling the protesters violent anarchists."

"I told Acting Secretary Wolf that the federal government should remove all federal officers from our streets. His response showed me he is on a mission to provoke confrontation for political purposes," Brown said in a tweet. "He is putting both Oregonians and local law enforcement officers in harms way."

In tweets over the past weeks, Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan said Border Patrol agents were assaulted by protesters who threw rocks and used baseball bats to break down the doors of the federal courthouse in Portland. Morgan said the agents deployed less than lethal force.

Criminals, armed with weapons, continue to organize attacks on Federal property in Portland, Morgan tweeted Thursday, echoing the presidents language. The Trump administration is committed to supporting law enforcement officers, maintaining law & order, and protecting Americans.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Follow N'dea Yancey-Bragg on Twitter: @NdeaYanceyBragg

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Reports: Federal officers detain Portland protesters in unmarked vans
Victoria has now shot past 5000 coronavirus cases, but the virus has not spread evenly throughout the state.

As the outbreak has progressed, a virus that was disproportionately infecting people in affluent areas in Melbourne's south and east during the first peak of the pandemic has taken hold in more disadvantaged areas in Melbourne's north and west.

You can see how total case numbers have shifted over time using this interactive.

By default it shows the top 10 local government areas for coronavirus cases as of late March but when you press the "play" button it runs through to the present day.

It takes 90 seconds for almost four months of data and 5000 cases across the 79 local government areas to unfurl. The colour coding on the bars represents the part of the state where the local government area is.
I want to learn English

Living in I moved to Singapore, my mind was opened widely. The country was a culturally diverse population. It was mixed up with the eastern and western cultures. Its official languages were English, Chinese, and others. The first impression of the country gave me was that there were a lot of churches. The buildings were beautiful and fantastic. People had a direct relationship with various religions.

One day, when I shopped in a supermarket, I found two western men dressed the black formal suites. They distributed the Bible to shoppers. I got one in the English version. Back home, I started to read the Bible. No matter how serious I was, it was too hard to understand the story. I had to left the book on my bookshelf as a souvenir. The Bible was translated into English. I thought it might be because my English was too poor to understand it. I decided to learn English. Almost all churches provided free English classes for the public. I picked up one church and enrolled in an English class there.

Lillian - Just at that time, I made my first Singaporean friend, Lillian. She was a kind of thinking positive person and would like to look at the sunny side of things. I was able to see she smiled all the time. That smile made me feel comfortable. She had been in the US for ten years and attended a church for Sunday worship and Bible study. In that church, she got to know three American girls. After coming back to Singapore, she served as a church leader and also the English class manager. She invited her friends, those three American girls, taught the class. They were Christians and had a missionary in Singapore. We soon got familiar with three girls. We chatted about their Christian lifestyle and asked a lot of questions about their purposes to travel overseas. They told me it was their mission to preach the gospel. I asked them what was "gospel." They said the gospel is the record of Jesus' life and teaching in the first four books of the New Testament. That was the second time I heard "gospel." However, they didn't take the opportunity to share the gospel with me because they left Singapore and went back to the US.

Meian - I told Lillian I wanted to continue to learn English. She helped me found another class held by another church. The teacher, Meian, was a beautiful Singaporean lady. She worked as a part-time teacher in that church. I told her that I wanted to learn English. She said, "yes" but the textbook would be Bible. She was so real and would like to share her stories with me. Even though I joined the class shortly, we got to know

each other quickly. Following Meian, I started to learn Matthew, which was the book of the New Testament. I read a paragraph, and she corrected my pronunciations. I had a feeling that even though I didn't have any unknown words, I was still not able to find a clue what the book told me. I realized it was not a language barrier to understand the Bible. The problem was I didn't have any knowledge of the background. Meian was very patient, and she did a lot of explanation. She also brought me to watch a move about Jesus' life.

After one year, I had improved not only my English but also heard some classic Bible stories. One day, Meian asked me if I would like to have a Christian name. I answered her, "yes." She gave me a name called Esther, which came from the Old Testament. She also asked me if I would like to accept Jesus as my Savior. I didn't say "yes" Because I still confused about why I needed a Savior and what was wrong with me. I told her that I just a normal person and need to improve myself and to be better than I was before. She encouraged me to be patient, and some things took time, even with God's help. I knew I still had a long way to go, but I was already so far from I used to be. I was proud of that.
The Department of Education has moved to allay fears about college admission delays after it emerged that Leaving Cert results will not be issued until the first week of September.

This evening the department confirmed that thousands of students this year will receive their Leaving Cert results on Monday September 7, three weeks later than usual.

This date ensures that the results work "seamlessly" with the CAO process and with the UCAS system in the UK, according to the Department of Education.

Students will go on to receive their first round offers of a college place from the CAO on Friday September 11.

Applications for appeals will open on September 14, and it is hoped the exams can be held during November.

Most schools signed off on calculated grades by the end of June, at which point the data was transferred to the Department of Education for the final stages of the process.

I know that many students will be anxious while awaiting their results, said Norma Foley, the Minister for Education.

I want to assure them that the people working on this are taking every precaution to ensure fairness so that students can receive the grades that reflect their work.

This standardisation process at national level is essential for fairness and equity. It is really important to me that we deliver these Calculated Grades to the highest possible standards, and that the outcomes are fair to students.

I have met and heard from the statisticians and experts involved about the intricate processing of the data that is being undertaken.

This work is so important for students  we need to take the time it takes, to get it right.

Read More Leaving Cert results will not be issued until September 7, Department confirm

From Monday, students will be able to confirm online if they wish to receive calculated grades, the alternative grading process introduced this year after this summer's Leaving Cert exams were cancelled.

Concerns were raised in the Dail this evening that the delays with the results would have a serious impact on the college admissions process.

The Department of Education at that stage had yet to confirm if the results would be issued in September.

Many universities have already indicated that first-year students will begin at the end of September, before the rest of the college cohort.

Labour's education spokesman Aodhan O Riordan said that this year's students had suffered enough due to the stress associated with cancelling the exams initially.

He called on Ms Foley to provide some clarity for students.

Leaving Cert students have been left high and dry, according to Donnchadh O Laoghaire, Sinn Fein education spokesman, speaking after confirmation from the Department of Education.

This is a hugely disappointing turn of events for students and it adds to the uncertainty, stress and anxiety they have had to face during the Covid-19 pandemic.
To assist in earning her second academic degree, Georgia Northwestern Technical College Aviation Maintenance Technology major Stephanie Tarbous received the $5,000 Delta Air Lines Aircraft Maintenance Technology Scholarship, which will pay for her education until she graduates next month.

The money is out there, you just have to apply for it, said Ms. Tarbous, a resident of Rome. You might think you dont have a good enough story to receive a scholarship, but if you show passion for your field it really helps.

This is the fourth scholarship Ms. Tarbous has received during her time at GNTC. The money she receives makes it possible for her to focus solely on her second degree. Ms. Tarbous has a bachelors degree in Industrial Design from Philadelphia University, but after graduation she wanted to go specifically into the field of aviation.

"I remember my dad taking me to the airfield when I was younger to watch the planes take off, she said. I loved watching them fly. Planes are so huge and powerful, but they have to be handled with great care.



Her goal once she graduates is to work on airplane turbine engines in an overhaul shop. According to her instructor Jon Byrd, director of Aviation Maintenance Technology at GNTC, working on airplanes comes naturally to Ms. Tarbous.

She not only strives to learn as much as she can, but she also helps other students by sharing what she has learned with them, said Mr. Byrd. I have no doubt she will make an extremely valuable employee soon after graduation.

In the meantime, Ms. Tarbous is at GNTCs Aviation Training Center located at the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport in Rome working on the many planes housed at the hanger. Earlier this year, she and her fellow Aviation Maintenance Technology students deconstructed an engine prior to the college-wide closure at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its been two months since we took it apart, she said. I hope we took good notes!

On top of the scholarship, Ms. Tarbous attended the annual Women in Aviation International Conference in early March for free. Andrew Csondor, Delta aviation maintenance technician and technical analyst, said Ms. Tarbous also had the opportunity to meet with some of Deltas upper management at the conference and attended multiple educational classes.

"I hold Stephanie in high regard, Mr. Csondor said. She is extremely driven and her passion for the aviation maintenance trade shines through brightly.

Ms. Tarbous also received the Fred and Diane Fitts Aviation Scholarship in 2019, the ATP and Case Bank Aircraft Maintenance Technology Scholarship in 2019 and the Pratt & Whitney Engine Maintenance Training Scholarship. She was also a Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) semifinalist for GNTC in 2020.









Stephanie Tarbous 1: Aviation Maintenance Technology major Stephanie Tarbous received the $5,000 Delta Air Lines Aircraft Maintenance Technology Scholarship to help with her education at GNTC.







Stephanie Tarbous 2: Aviation Maintenance Technology major Stephanie Tarbous works on a plane engine at GNTCs Aviation Training Center.
On Wednesday, a Fox News reporter in Dallas tweeted that Texas had to remove over 3,000 cases from its COVID-19 positive case count because San Antonio public health officials were "reporting 'probable' cases for people never actually tested, as 'confirmed' positive cases."

The reporter, Steve Eagar, later clarified that he meant the results were misreported, not that the individuals were never tested at all.

But many of the people replying to the tweet  which was shared over 26,000 times, including by Sen. Ted Cruz  understood the tweet to mean that San Antonio officials were identifying COVID-19 cases in people never tested for the virus.

That is not the case.

On ExpressNews.com: Severe stress  Bexar County reports 21 more coronavirus deaths

Chris Van Deusen, spokesman for the Department of State Health Services, told the Express-News that patients not tested were never included in the statewide tally.

The department removed 3,484 "probable" cases reported by Bexar County because the state's dashboard reflects only confirmed cases, not probable ones. San Antonio had been including positive antigen tests, which the state considers probable cases, in its overall tally.

The antigen tests are FDA-approved  and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes probable cases detected through antigen tests in its national COVID-19 case count.

"These are people who really do have COVID," said Dr. Junda Woo, Metro Healths chief medical officer. "And we feel we've got a more accurate picture of whos really sick in our community by using this [antigen test]."

Antigen tests should not be confused with antibody tests, which look for evidence of past infections. Clinical problems have been found in some antibody tests.

Antigen tests identify infections by testing fragments of proteins on samples collected from the nasal cavity using swabs. The confirmed cases in the Texas count used positive molecular tests, which look for the virus genetic code through nasal swabs and take longer to complete.

Now, at the request of the state health department, San Antonio officials will break out confirmed cases from probable ones in its tally.
West Bengal HS Class 12th results 2020: More than 90% of the candidates who took the class 12 board examinations in West Bengal passed the Higher Secondary examination this year, the results of which were declared on Friday. This is the highest ever pass percent recorded in the class 12 board exams in the state.

Out of the 7.6 lakh students who appeared in the examination held in March, more than 6.8 lakh candidates passed. This is a record as 90.13% candidates have passed. In 2019, 86.29% students had cleared the exam, said Mahua Das, president of the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education.

Also Read: WBCHSE HS Result 2020: West Bengal class 12 results declared at wbchse.nic.in

Officials said that as examinations in at least 14 subjects could not be held because of the pan-India lockdown, the merit list was not published. While the examination started on March 12 and was scheduled to end on March 27, it could only be held till March 21.

Also Read: West Bengal 12th Result 2020: How to check WB HS results online at wbchse.nic.in

The board considered the highest number, which a student received in the papers in which he could appear before March 21. That number was given to him in the papers in which he could not appear. So if a student received 100 out of 100 in the Maths and could not appear for the Chemistry paper, he was given 100 in Chemistry, said a board official.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated the students, on Twitter.

Uchcho Madhyamik (Higher Secondary) results are out. Students are taking another step forward in their beautiful lives. Congratulations to them all, along with their principals, teachers and parents. The future is waiting for you, she tweeted.

Uchcho Madhyamik (Higher Secondary) results are out. Students are taking another step forward in their beautiful lives. Congratulations to them all, along with their principals, teachers and parents. The future is waiting for you.  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) July 17, 2020

At least four students got 499 out of 500. More than 50% of the successful candidates passed in the first division scoring more than 60% marks. At least 30,220 students scored 90% and above. In 2019 only 7818 students got 90% and above marks. While this year nearly 85,000 students scored between 80% and 89%, in 2019 only around 48,000 was in this grade.

Also Read: West Bengal HS Class 12th results 2020 declared, 90.13% pass, check details

I got 80% in selection test. Today I got 99.8%. I studied very hard after the selection exam. I used to sleep very less and didnt touch my mobile phone in those days. Even when I was not studying I used to think of the lessons. I would have been happier had I got this number by writing all my papers. I could not write three papers, said Srotasree Ray, a student who got 499 out of 500. She is from a school in Kolkata.

Also Read: West Bengal HS Results 2020: WB Board Class 12 results declared, heres direct link to check

The top three districts which recorded the maximum pass percent were Kolkata, East Midnapore and West Midnapore. Schools in Kolkata, however, put up a poor show in the recently declared Madhyamik (class 10 board examinations) results.

Also Read: WBCHSE HS result 2020: List of websites to check West Bengal Uccha Madhyamik class 12 score

Officials said that students would be able to down and print replicas of their mark sheets from the councils website. They can collect the actual marksheets from school on July 31.

The council has also reduced the fees for review and scrutiny of answer scripts. Students can apply for review and scrutiny of answer scripts before August 31.
Gopalganj, July 17 : The issue of the damage to the Ramjanaki Road has now aggravated as three different FIRs have been lodged in the Baikunthpur police station.

The Ramjanaki Road which was inaugurated just a month ago could not withstand the pressure of the Gandak river in Gopalganj district of Bihar and collapsed, affecting traffic on this route. The incident also triggered a political controversy as former state Deputy Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the damage.

The police said on Friday that an FIR has been registered on the basis of Circle Officer Pankaj Kumar's written application, in which 10 to 15 unknown villagers and District Council member Vijay Bahadur Yadav have been made accused.

The Circle Officer in his complaint alleged that a large number of villagers created a ruckus near the bridge at the time of inspection, violating the lockdown norms on July 16.

Another FIR was lodged by Gandak Department official Uday Kumar. He said that the road between Sheetalpur and Khomharipur which proceeds to Sattarghat Bridge got damaged on July 15 due to erosion. In view of the erosion, Water Resources Department's Junior Engineers Om Prakash and Neeraj Kumar were ordered to work at the erosion site.

It is alleged that when the repair work started, at night Chandashekhar Rai alias Sanjay Rai, husband of the head of Faizullahpur Panchayat, came with some people and started abusing them. Thereafter, Om Prakash and other workers had fled the site. A police officer said that a case has been registered under sections 341, 504, 506, 553,34 of the Indian Penal Code.

The third FIR in the case has been lodged at Baikunthpur police station on a written complaint of Mohit Kumar Gupta of Motihari, Project Engineer of Bihar State Bridge Corporation Limited. In the complaint, unidentified people have been made accused for obstructing government work.

A police official said that all the cases are being investigated.
The Hanoi Peoples Court on Thursday sentenced three men to a total of 32 years in prison for smuggling elephant tusks and rhino horns from Africa into Vietnam.

The trial of Nguyen Van Nam, 38, Duong Van Phong, 40, and Nguyen Van Hung, 29, took place on Thursday morning.

Nam and Phong were sentenced to 11 years in prison each, while Hung received a ten-year jail term for violating regulations on the protection of endangered, precious and rare animals under Article 244 of Vietnams 2015 Penal Code.

The three defendants were involved in the smuggling of 204 kilograms of elephant tusks and rhino horns busted by authorities in Hanoi on September 30, 2019, according to their indictment.

Nam, a.k.a. Nam Beo (Fat Nam), was notorious for his roles in the illegal transportation of wildlife parts from Africa into Vietnam.

In a separate case, the Peoples Court in the northern province of Hung Yen on Thursday sentenced Nguyen Dinh Hong, 31, to 11 years behind bars for violating regulations on the protection of endangered, precious, and rare animals and another five years for destroying or intentionally damaging property.

The illegal trade and smuggling of wildlife parts are considered hyper profitable in Vietnam, leading to many individuals disregarding the law to commit the crimes, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

To deter such crimes, the 2015 Penal Code raised the punishment for wildlife violations from seven years to up to 15 years in prison compared to the 1999 Penal Code.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Amber Heard filed a fraudulent domestic violence claim against Johnny Depp to extort and blackmail him, a friend of the actor has told the High Court.

Isaac Baruch, an artist who has known Mr Depp for 40 years, said he did not see any marks on Ms Heards face the day after she was allegedly attacked by the Hollywood star.

Mr Baruch  who lived rent-free in a penthouse owned by the actor at the Eastern Columbia Building in Los Angeles  also described how Mr Depp told him that Ms Heard likes to argue and likes to hit.

He gave evidence by video-link from the US on the ninth day of Mr Depps libel action against The Suns publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an article which labelled 57-year-old Depp a wife beater.

The court was read a text message sent by Mr Depp to Mr Baruch in October 2016 which read: I hate it but Ive got to lose those f*****g penthouses. That c**t ruined such a f*****g cool life we led for a while. I cant even look at the building anymore.

F****d up. I really loved that spot.

Mr Baruch told the court that Mr Depp used the word c**t about Ms Heard because she filed for a fraudulent domestic violence claim to push her hand and extort and blackmail him.

The court also heard from Travis McGivern, a member of Mr Depps security team, who said he saw Ms Heard punch the actor in the eye, spit on him and throw a can of Red Bull at his back during a heated row in March 2015.

Mr McGivern denied the allegation that Mr Depp hit Ms Heard repeatedly while holding her hair, telling the court: This did not happen and at no point did Mr Depp hit Ms Heard.

In other evidence, Alejandro Romero, a concierge at the Eastern Columbia Building, told the court that Elon Musk regularly visited Amber Heard at Mr Depps penthouse late at night from March 2015.

The court further heard from actress and #MeToo activist Katherine Kendall, who claims she was completely misquoted and misused by The Sun in the April 2018 article.

Ms Kendall said that after reading the story, I immediately understood that The Suns purpose was to present the appearance of a #MeToo backlash.

A photo of Ms Heard, which is said to show her with a reddened face after an alleged assault in May 2016, was released after being referred to as an exhibit in the case.

On Monday Mr Justice Nicol is expected to hear legal arguments about whether images apparently showing injuries to Ms Heard have been manipulated or edited.

Ms Heard is then due to be called as NGNs first defence witness. Her evidence is due to last three days.

Additional reporting by agencies
The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with Patoranking, a popular Nigerian musician and some other artistes, on Friday re-released the late Bob Marleys iconic song, One Love.

This is contained in a statement signed by UNICEF Abuja, Communication, Advocacy and Partnerships officer, Oluwatosin Akingbulu.

Mr Akingbulu said that proceeds from the song and related activities would be used to support Reimagine, UNICEFs new global campaign.

He said the campaign was organised to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from becoming a lasting crisis for children and to ensure the post-pandemic world was fairer and more equal for every child.

The release is to support UNICEFs work to reimagine a fairer, more just world for children whose lives had been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money raised from One Love for UNICEFs Reimagine campaign will help UNICEF respond to the immediate needs of children worldwide by providing soap, masks, gloves, hygiene kits, protective equipment and life-saving information for children and families.

Also, to support near term recovery efforts, including education, protection and healthcare systems; and further UNICEFs work to reimagine a fairer, more just world for children, he said.

The officer said Tuff Gong International and Amplified Music released the new version of the seminal song, with the help of several international artistes who appeared in the new version, including Nigerian artiste, Patoranking.

He said the song featured artists and musicians from Nigeria, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Jamaica, Mali, New Zealand, Sudan, Syria, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The statement quoted Patoranking as saying that he was thrilled to be a part of the project, with UNICEF and the Marley family, who were lending their generous support, creativity and love to help the most vulnerable children around the world.

Patoranking

Together, we can defeat the virus and also build our countries to be stronger and better.

In her remarks, the daughter of late Marley, Cedella Marley, said her late fathers message through the song, One Love, remained true in present days.

READ ALSO:

More than 40 years ago, my father wrote One Love about unity, peace and universal love during a time when there was much trouble in the world.

Even in a time when we arent able to get together, his message remains true today.

We can get through this global crisis if we come together through one love and one heart, she said.

(NAN)
Dame Darcey Bussell has warned of the talent that will fall by the wayside due to the devastating impact of coronavirus on the cultural sector (Matt Crossick/PA)

Dame Darcey Bussell has warned of the talent that will fall by the wayside due to the devastating impact of coronavirus on the cultural sector.

The retired ballerina and former Strictly Come Dancing judge lamented the pandemic and the resulting shutdown of the countrys arts industry.

And she warned ballerinas already relatively brief careers may be curtailed further by the enforced period of inaction.

Expand Close Dame Darcey Bussell has warned of the talent that will fall by the wayside due to the coronavirus pandemic (Matt Crossick/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dame Darcey Bussell has warned of the talent that will fall by the wayside due to the coronavirus pandemic (Matt Crossick/PA)

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, she said: If you think

of all those dancers who are near the end of their careers, maybe theyre going

to finish those careers earlier than they should do because of this gap.

There isnt enough time in a dancers career to be able to withdraw temporarily.

Dame Darcey added the situation is horrible, really scary and said: Theres so much talent thats going to fall by the wayside.

There isnt enough time in a dancers career to be able to withdraw temporarily Dame Darcey Bussell

The ailing cultural sector received a boost earlier this month when the Government announced a 1.57 billion support package to protect the future of Britains museums, galleries and theatres.

Dame Darcey welcomed the intervention.

She said: It was quite something to see that, and so wonderful to see the Prime Minister acknowledging that the arts, and our talent in the arts, are some of the most important assets the UK has  and he is completely right.

Video of the Day

We are exceptional in the arts and we should never ever forget that.
The Northeast in general, and Arunachal Pradesh in particular, is considered to have immense hydropower potential. Yet, what is little known is that these projects are financially unviable and are likely to burden Indias financial institutions with non-performing assets, while adversely affecting the health of state electricity distribution companies.

First, thanks to sustained investments, increased efficiency and attractive pricing in the solar and wind energy sector, and recently-commissioned power assets, there is a supply glut in the energy market. The market for energy is saturated and there is a negligible shortage in peak demand (which was only 0.7% in the last 18 months). This is likely to continue in the future, well beyond the current decade.

Over the years, hydropower has been justified as being necessary to provide power at night, when demand peaks and solar energy is absent. This rationale is no longer applicable for new projects, as hydropower loses ground to hybrid solutions  a mix of solar and spare thermal capacity, for instance  that offer round-the-clock power and are priced at low, competitive rates. Power storage  specifically battery technology  is rapidly evolving. A report by McKinsey & Company, The New Rules of Competition in Energy Storage, predicts: The total cost of energy-storage systems should fall 50 to 70% by 2025 as a result of design advances, economies of scale, and streamlined processes.

Second, the proposed hydropower projects in the Northeast are financially unviable and it is likely that most of them will end up as stranded assets. An analysis of the Etalin Hydropower (3,097 Megawatts) project shows cumulative cash flow during the loan life-cycle of 23 years to be negative, despite a highly favourable levelled tariff of 4.32 per unit. At prices being offered in auctions for round-the-clock power supply today (prices are likely to drop further in future), the project will be unable to even service its loan of 17,500 crore.

Third, there is a high risk of geological accidents: Arunachal Pradesh is categorised as Zone V (maximum risk) in the mapping of seismic zones in India, and there is a recent history of numerous quakes above five on the Richter scale. In 2011, an earthquake at the Teesta Dam site left 16 people dead and damaged the project. Regular landslides in the monsoons have also been disruptive. A study by the Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Potsdam, Germany, estimates that at least 25% of hydropower projects in the India, Nepal and Bhutans Himalayas are likely to face severe damage from quake-triggered landslides. Then there are risks from glacial melt and lake bursts due to the unpredictable nature of the volume and velocity of the water.

Fourth, long gestation period: A hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh will, realistically, take eight to 10 years or more to be operational, after considering the terrain, monsoon activity and the clearance of forest cover. The economics of power generation are likely to change substantially in favour of consumers in this decade, which will affect revenues and profitability.

Fifth, hydropower projects will lead to further deterioration in distribution companies (discom) finances. If the government supports the Etalin Hydropower project, for example, by mandating a Power Purchase Agreement at 4.32, the estimated implicit taxpayer-funded subsidy (considering the current opportunity options available) would be about ~11,480 crore. This does not consider the inevitable power transmission losses from a remote location in the Northeast to its user destination. In a recent interview with the Mint, the chief operating officer of the Indian Energy Exchange predicted that, in future, the discoms would emphasise more on lowering costs and increasing consumer choices, which imply a lowering of tariffs and consequent increase in financial losses.

Sixth, hydropower projects in India have a notoriously poor record in engaging with local communities and their concerns of livelihood and displacement; these concerns have been met with indifference and, at times, force. The existing projects in the Northeast are no different and do not pass even the most basic tests in the social responsibility checklist that financial institutions seek from their borrowers.

Hydropower projects in the Northeast are today a poor financial investment and need to be shelved for the larger common good. Instead of providing subsidies to the power-generation value chain, the urgent imperative is to encourage power conservation (by introducing, for instance, a variation of surge pricing during peak hours), reduce distribution losses, promote optimum utilisation of existing energy infrastructure and popularise rooftop solar energy.

Gopakumar Menon has a PGDM from IIM (Bangalore), and is a consulting professional in the area of strategic planning and business viability, with about three decades of experience

The views expressed are personal
Vickie Gonzales next paycheck from her reduced work hours at McDonalds will just be enough to cover gas and temporary storage for whatever items in her home she cant fit into her SUV.

People dont realize these landlords are like, We want our money or you have to leave, said Gonzales, who owes roughly $5,000 in back rent and fees on her Pueblo, Colorado, apartment, according to documents reviewed by NBC News. These landlords, they dont care.

Along with roughly 28 million people across the country, Gonzales and her family are facing homelessness as states lift temporary eviction moratoriums put in place to protect people who fell behind on rent because of the coronavirus.

At the same time, 30 million unemployed workers will lose their $600 a week in pandemic unemployment assistance, a benefit that is set to expire at the end of the month if Congress does not agree to extend it. Across the country, landlords are filing eviction orders with courts, leading some jurisdictions to hold eviction proceedings over Zoom or at large convention centers as social distancing measures are still in place.

The country is on the cusp of a tsunami of evictions that could exacerbate already high homeless rates in states such as Colorado, according to John Parvensky, president of the nonprofit organization Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.

We see more and more people turning to us for help, he told NBC News. We will likely see more people unable to pay rent and end up being evicted and turning to the streets.

The homeless population in the Denver metro area alone is expected to increase by about 30 percent from roughly 6,000 people who were reported homeless in January, according to the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless point-in-time survey. Homelessness could increase nationally by between 40 to 45 percent this year compared to January 2019, according to a Columbia University study.

Before the coronavirus even came to our country, we were in a housing crisis and had a shortage of 7 million homes available to low-income renters, said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The longer the crisis, the deeper in the hole they fall.

Story continues

Jackie Shahan lost her job as a cafeteria worker at a high school in New Orleans in March, putting her behind on rent for the two-bedroom apartment she shares with her two children with disabilities. Shahan said she set up a payment agreement with the property management company to pay back any missed rent. But on July 6, she said she came home from the doctors office to an eviction notice and court date taped to her front door.

There is nowhere to go, she said. I dont know what is going to happen.

Shahan lost her eviction trial and is now mandated to pay $3,199 in back rent and leave her home by July 25. Shes now scrambling to gather attorney letters and documentation to find a home suitable for her children.

You cant expect people to not work and still pay their bills, she said. If the state is making it so people cant work, they should help them.

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, which represented Shahan in her case, said it has seen its eviction intake triple between 2019 and 2020. Currently, evictions make up about 66 percent of its intake, compared to 47 percent last year, the organization told NBC News in an email.

All we can do is try to work out a repayment plan with a landlord if there are no other defenses, said Amanda Golob, a managing attorney with the housing law unit at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services. Its not easy, so a lot of our folks do end up homeless.

As renters facing eviction are scrambling, legislators in Washington, D.C., are stalling on passing legislation and doling out funding that could provide some relief. A Democratic proposal to set up a $100 billion rental assistance program is stuck in the Republican-controlled Senate, while a separate piece of legislation that would extend eviction moratoriums to March 21 faces a steep battle from the landlord lobby.

About 40 percent of renters live in a home backed by a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac mortgage, which makes those landlords eligible to take additional time to pay back their mortgages, the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced in late June. But it is difficult to enforce, as eviction proceedings are done on a local or county level and tenants often dont know who backs their property managers mortgage, according to Yentel with the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which has advocated for a uniform national moratorium on evictions.

Eviction moratoriums on their own arent enough, she said. We dont want to create a financial cliff for renters who owe and then cant pay.

Gonzales is deciding on whether she should stay in her home and fight the eviction in court or start packing. She has little recourse because there is nothing to prevent her landlord from evicting her family.

Were losing our home, she said. But I dont want to leave. I dont want to leave my house.


By Ko Chang-nam





President Moon Jae-in unveiled a roadmap for the "Korean New Deal," Tuesday, which seeks to invest over 160 trillion won (about $133 billion) and create 1.9 million jobs over the next five years.



According to the roadmap, the Korean New Deal is composed of the "Digital New Deal" and "Green New Deal." Accordingly, the Green New Deal is becoming the core agenda of the Korean government in the post-coronavirus world. President Moon said, "The Green New Deal is definitely the way we should go, considering the strong demand by international society and civil society."



As you know, Green New Deal is a compound word of "Green" and "New Deal" which means a policy that promotes investment in the environmental sector including measures to deal with climate change and energy transformation, thus promoting employment and economic growth.

As is widely known, New Deal refers to a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s.



The government has selected 10 signature projects for the Digital New Deal and Green New Deal, including the data dam, eco-friendly mobility, smart healthcare infrastructure, green energy, the digitalization of social infrastructure, intelligent government, green/smart school, green/smart industrial complex, green remodeling of public spaces, and Digital Twin.



According to the roadmap, Green New Deal is composed of three pillars, including green remodeling of public spaces to eliminate carbon emissions; establishment of innovative ecosystem of green industry; and enlargement of low-carbon, decentralized energy supply system.



In this context, I would like to talk about the relationship between the Green New Deal in the transport sector and the Korean railway industry.



A few months ago, I said in a seminar that one of the most well-known Korean policies in the global society is the "green growth" policy, and it is devised by the Lee Myung-bak administration and spread all around the world.



When I worked for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in 2011 and 2012, I drafted up a low-carbon green growth road map in the transport sector for Asia and the Pacific and it has been spread around the world ever since. I insisted that the essence of green growth in the transport sector lies in railway investment.



As is generally known, railways are a mode of transportation which is environment-friendly, energy saving, sustainable and capable of mass transportation.



As these merits of railway as a transport mode are globally spread, railway investment is increasing year after year, and in sync with this trend, international organizations such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank are increasing their investments. For instance, the ADB is enlarging its railway investment from 16 percent in 2009 to 25 percent in 2020, according to its sustainable transport initiative.



In this context, the Korean government should enlarge the railway investment which is at the center or the Green New Deal.



A good example is the case of the European Union.



The European Commission has put rail investment at the heart of its ambitious Green New Deal. EU's Green New Deal document details plans to tackle the environmental impact of the transport sector, which "accounts for a quarter of the Union's greenhouse gas emissions." The ambitious plans for change are set to cost 220 billion euros in total, a combination of public and private investment.



Emissions from the transport sector must drop by 90 percent by 2050, the document states. It warns current EU policies will not reach carbon neutrality by 2050, despite EU promises outlining that in 2018.



Seventy-five percent of inland freight in the EU is carried by road, which must be replaced by rail and inland waterways, according to the document.



"Rapid 100 percent electrification of rail networks" must also follow, alongside a new Single European Sky proposal, a measure with the aim of reducing aviation emissions across Europe.



Talking about the Green New Deal in Korea again, from all these considerations, the government should include railway programs in Korean Green New Deal projects and its investment in railways as shown in the case of the European Union.



Anyway I hope railway investment by the government will be increased during this opportunity of the Korean Green New Deal, and that a railway renaissance will be resurrected in Korea.





Ko Chang-nam is a former economic affairs officer of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).








The saga of missing Canadian Malcom Madsen, who disappeared in Mexico in October 2018, took a turn this week with the arrest of the mans former girlfriend.

Authorities in Puerto Vallarta say Marcela Acosta Ramos, 44, was arrested in a municipality just north of Mexico City on Tuesday and has been charged with the crime of disappearance committed by individuals. The charge stems from Mexicos law on forced disappearances, used when the fate of a missing person remains unknown.

On Thursday, Ramos was ordered by a judge in Puerto Vallarta to remain in prison for up to a year while her lawyers prepare the case for the defence.

The Star was not able to reach Ramos and her lawyers. In earlier statements to investigators after Madsen went missing, Ramos said she had done no wrong and had no knowledge of Madsens whereabouts.

Madsens daughter and only child, Brooke Mullins, who has been desperately searching for answers since her father went missing, said she was overwhelmed by the news of Ramoss arrest.

Ive had so many ups and downs and disappointments that theres part of me thats kind of still pinching myself, Mullins said, adding that although she is very grateful and happy, shes disappointed that it had to be myself and my team that orchestrated this and not the district attorney that was left in charge of my dads case.

Frustrated with local authorities responses, Mullins, who lives in Port Hope, Ont., has hired lawyers, private investigators, translators and even a former member of the French Foreign Legion in an effort to find out what happened to her father. Meanwhile, Mullins said Canadian and Mexican authorities have seemed to show little interest in finding out what happened.

I had one local politician and my contact at Global Affairs who were the only two that seemed to take any interest in this case, she said.

A Star investigation published last year chronicled how Madsen, a 68-year-old snowbird from Sutton, Ont., disappeared from Puerto Vallarta on Oct. 28, 2018, after spending an evening with Ramos, his girlfriend of six years, at a popular tourist spot in the resort town on Mexicos west coast.

Video footage captured by a security camera at Andales Restaurant and Bar  footage recovered by Mullins, not the police, during one of her trips to Mexico  shows Madsen and Ramos sitting at a table drinking as other patrons down shots and dance. When Madsen gets up to go to the washroom, Ramos pulls what appears to be a white pill or powder from her purse and cradles it in her left hand beneath the table. When Madsen returns, he leans in close to speak into Ramoss ear, momentarily cutting off his sightline to his drink. At that moment, Ramos quickly brings her left hand up from beneath the table and appears to sprinkle a powder into Madsens drink. The footage shows Madsen taking several more sips before the couple leaves the bar.

After that, Madsen vanished.

Ramos, who reported Madsen missing five days later, told police that after leaving Andales, she and Madsen returned to the home Madsen had purchased for her in Puerto Vallarta and fell asleep.

GPS data from a tracking device Madsen installed on his Toyota van show that the vehicle  which Ramos told police sat in the garage that night  was driven to several locations before sunrise, including a neighbourhood about half-an-hour north of Puerto Vallarta close to a jungle-like area and a marina.

Ramos told police that the day after she and Madsen went to the bar, Madsen gathered his luggage and departed for his seaside tree house several hours south.

Mullins, who found the GPS data, gave it to Mexican investigators, but its not clear what they have done with it.

Rene Ortega, the district attorney in charge of the investigation in the Mexican state of Jalisco, did not respond to the Stars multiple requests for comment.

Global Affairs Canada told the Star that it is aware that a Canadian citizen is missing in Mexico and that consular officials are in contact with local authorities but due to provisions in the Privacy Act no further information can be disclosed.

In private correspondence with Mullins, Global Affairs told her that arrest warrants for Ramos, as well as her son Andres Javier Romero Acosta, and brother Martin Alejandro Acosta Ramos, were issued by a judge on March 5. Both men remain at large, according to local media.

Global Affairs also told Mullins that the house Madsen bought for Ramos was sold after Madsen disappeared.

Ricardo Loaiza, Mullinss Costa Rica-based lawyer who is co-ordinating the private investigation in Mexico, told the Star that a private investigator and local sources  not the police  located Ramos in a municipality just north of Mexico City two months ago. Loaiza told the Mexico attorney generals office of Ramoss whereabouts and that office obtained the arrest warrant from the Jalisco attorney generals office.

RELATED STORIES Investigations This Canadian vanished from a Mexican resort town. Startling video shows the last night he was seen in Puerto Vallarta before he disappeared

I had to force the arrest and was trying to get them to do this for two weeks. The arrest would not have been possible if we depended only on Mexican authorities, said Loaiza, who added that getting justice in Mexico is almost impossible without outside help.

You need a legal team outside of Mexico that has agents or trusted Mexican citizens to help. Otherwise, you cannot do it, he said.

Local Puerto Vallarta media reports that Ramos was hiding out in a house north of Mexico City with a local businessman with whom she had a romantic relationship.

That man, Julio Alejandro Marquez Camacho, was shot dead in his neighbourhood two weeks ago. No suspects in his killing have been named.

After her arrest, Ramos was escorted by an agent from the attorney generals office in Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta, where she remains in jail awaiting trial, Loaiza said.

I feel good in the sense that we forced the Mexican authorities to actually do the arrest. But I dont feel good in the sense that we  Brooke and the team  had to spend so much money and so much time to make it happen, he said. My client has been suffering twofold. First, the loss of her father and two, the burden of the whole proceeding.

Kenyon Wallace is a Toronto-based investigative reporter for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @KenyonWallace or reach him via email: kwallace@thestar.ca

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Sushant Singh Rajput's "girlfriend" Rhea Chakraborty has requested Home Minister Amit Shah for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry into the late actors death.

Rhea took to Instagram on Thursday afternoon to introduce herself to the Home Minister as the late actor's "girlfriend" while demanding a CBI investigation. Sushant was found hanging at his residence on June 14 and postmortem report has stated he committed suicide.

"Respected @amitshahofficial sir, I'm Sushant Singh Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, it is now over a month since his sudden demise. I have complete faith in the government, however in the interest of justice, I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry into this matter. I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step. Yours sincerely, Rhea Chakraborty #satyamevajayate," the actress wrote on her verified Instagram account.

Ever since the 34-year-old actor passed away last month, several politicians, celebrities and fans have been voicing a demand for a CBI enquiry into the case, currently being investigated by Mumbai Police.

Meanwhile, Pappu Yadav, an ex-MP from Sushant's home state Bihar has shared an acknowledgement of the letter that he sent to the Home Minister demanding a CBI inquiry into Sushant's death.

Yadav recently shared a copy of the letter he has received from Home Minister Amit Shah on his verified Twitter account. The acknowledgement letter states that Yadav's letter is being forwarded to the concerned ministry.

Text: IANS

Images: Rhea on Instagram
This was the principle reason for our 2 days decision. As I think more on it though, what do we think social will look like? There arent going to be any lunch table groups, any lockers, any recess games, any study halls, any sitting next to friends, any talking to people in the hallway, any dances. All of that is off the menu. So, when we say that we want the kids to benefit from the social experience, what are we deluding ourselves into thinking in-building socialization will actually look like in the fall?
WCHSBY: CHRISTINA CARREGA, ABC NEWS

(CHARLESTON, W.V.)  A church in Charleston, West Virginia, has moved their in-person service online after at least 24 congregants tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department announced on Wednesday that it has tracked the two dozen cases of COVID-19 to the North Charleston Apostolic Church.

The outbreak has affected residents in Kanawha, Putnam and Logan counties. Kanawha County reported the majority, with 19 positive cases.

"We dont want to discourage people from going to church ... but COVID-19 is still out there and we have to be very careful," Dr. Sherri Young, health officer and executive director of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, said in a statement.

Church leaders said they will close for three weeks "in order to conduct deep cleaning throughout the building" and have asked congregants to isolate, according to health officials.

The North Charleston Apostolic Church did not return a request for comment.

The church will now stream previously recorded sermons on its website on Sunday morning and Wednesday evening.

Young advised anyone attending in-person services anywhere to "wear your mask, keep six feet between you and other congregants and wash your hands frequently.

West Virginia was the last state in the U.S. to report a coronavirus case. To date, over 3.4 million Americas have tested positive for the virus, over 137,000 have died and over 1 million have recovered.

As of Wednesday, the state has 4,557 confirmed cases and 98 deaths, according to health officials.

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Association of Azerbaijanis of Finland disseminated a statement in protest against provocations of the Armenian armed forces on the state border with Azerbaijan, the Associations Co-Chairman Arzu Oktay told Trend.

According to him, Armenia, which has continued to pursue its aggressive policy reflected in the country's security strategy against Azerbaijan for about 30 years, instead of eliminating the consequences of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, withdrawing the occupying forces from the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, clearly disguised its intentions to seize new territories, create a new hotbed of tension on July 12.

"The Azerbaijani army, which, according to the instructions and requirements of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, is equipped with the most modern weapons, and is considered the most powerful army in the South Caucasus, as always, resolutely suppressed the provocation made by Armenian armed forces on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border. The 2016 April battles have clearly demonstrated the level of combat readiness, fighting spirit of the personnel of the Azerbaijani army, the unity of the people and the army, our ability to free our lands from occupation, the statement said.

We, Azerbaijanis living abroad should unite around the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, fulfill our civic duty in such a difficult moment for the Motherland, and not remain outside this war. There is a certain peak for every citizen of Azerbaijan - it is called the Motherland. We all took oath before it. Remaining faithful to our oath to our Motherland, we express our protest to all international organizations and urge the international community to give legal assessment to Armenias aggressive policy.

Starting from July 12 afternoon, while grossly violating the ceasefire regime in Azerbaijans Tovuz district on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border, the Armenian armed forces opened fire at the Azerbaijani positions by using artillery.

As a result of the appropriate measures, the Armenian armed forces were silenced.

The tensions continued on the border, July 12 night. During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, vehicles, as well as killed Armenian servicemen on the territory of the Armenias military unit.

The battles continued on the night of July 13, as Azerbaijan lost more soldiers, fighting off the Armenian army's attacks.

The battles continued on July 16, as one more serviceman of Azerbaijani army - Nazim Ismayilov was killed.

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.
In his words: "I am just a professional writer, which means I don't do blogs and try and get money for whatever I write."

We're beginning to see the shape of the post-COVID UK: Freeports all around but a wall in the channel

The left hand said to the right

Whats given you the privilege

To shake hands and to write?

Why has nature given you the edge

And all the noble tasks?

Why do I have to wash Indian bums

The left-behind hand asks!

-- From the opera Bheeda Pareeda by Bachchoo

The plague is upon us and it has disrupted individual lives and global economies. Humans are resilient, capitalism is less so. For instance, scribbling and cooking and not meeting people hasnt depressed me, though I do miss contact with loved ones and going to pubs, shops and dirty dens. I pass the time (my God, this is becoming Twitter or Facebook with boring self-preoccupied garbage --fd. When were your columns not? --Ed).

The capitalist economies -- and there are very few others in our sad world -- are  well the word which begins with an 'f'.

Countries have to deal with the fact that the plague has shut down production and the service sector. Billions are out of work and very many are struggling to survive. Yes, Europe and the West are privileged beyond comparison with other parts of the world, but still have to encounter the damage and attempt recovery.

I am best placed, gentle reader, by being stuck in London to inform you about the UK. This government has a chancellor (finance minister) called Rishi Sunak. He is an ex-banker of the American/international firm of Goldman Sachs. He was also an offshore hedge fund manager. This, I am told by people wiser than myself, is a profession that earns money by gambling vast sums on the ups and downs of shares within the international capital markets. Its not an enterprise that makes anything or does any good to anyone except to the gamblers who make zillions. The offshore element is that people who profit by this enterprise are tax dodgers.

As the chancellor of the exchequer in this plague year, poor Rishi has been faced with one of the deepest financial crises that Britain has suffered for a century. He got the job when Sajid Javid, another Tory climbing the greasy political pole, resigned as chancellor and left the Cabinet because Boris Johnsons weirdo adviser, Dominic Cummings, instructed him to dismiss the civil servants and advisers who work for his finance ministry and amalgamate with Prime Minister Boris Johnsons civil servants and advisers. Sajid, famously a Pakistani immigrant bus-drivers son, resisted and finally, or almost instantly, resigned. He didnt want to be Cummings ventriloquist-dummy.

It was then announced that Rishi would get the job. Sajid wished him good luck. It is as yet unclear whether Dominic has Rishi on strings or whether dishy Rishi, with the broad inane grin, has branched out on brave economic courses on his own.

The wage gimmick

Politicians who owe their power to a democratic electorate have to make gestures to keep the hoi polloi sweet. The COVID-19 plague has thrown millions of people out of their jobs. As a consequence, Rishi has announced a 9.4 billion job retention package. He will pay employers 1,000 for every worker they continue to employ. This sounds good until one realises that the average monthly wage of UK workers is 1,940. In other words, the employer will have to fork out half that wage for the average worker and more or less for those above and below which make up the average. This will work for the first month, but then what? The chief ec=xecutive of Her Majestys Revenue and Customs, who will dispense the cash, went on record saying this handout was a gimmick and would not deliver value for money.

The figures are in stark contrast to the relief operations undertaken by the finance ministry of Germany. Britain, with a population of 67.8 million, is given a handout of 9.4 billion. Germany, with a population of 84 million, has designated 115 billion towards employment relief. Compare!

Regardless of how Germany, the richest country of the European Union, rebuilds its economy and pays its debts after the Covid period, Rishi has already announced his plans for what he says will trigger the recovery. You can take the capitalist out of tax-dodging, but you cant take the idea of tax-dodging out of the capitalist. Rishi now proposes to turn several of Britains coastal cities into freeports. This idea has been mooted for decades and its tantamount to turning Britain into Bringapore. Its tax-dodgers of the world unite and buy up land in Grimsby and nine other havens where you can register and bring your capital. The plan (dreamt up by Dominic, or by Rishi?) is supposed to attract money and turn these freeports into industrial hubs to spread prosperity.

With Britains workers being paid five times the wages of workers in, say, Vietnam, will capital really build manufacturing in these havens? Or will they deteriorate, as has been the experience in most freeports, into illegal money-laundering, legal tax-dodging, crime and capitalistic fiddles of all sorts? Apart from the projected prosperity for these ports, will they benefit the rest of the country? Has San Marinos trade in illegal international arms deals, etc, sorted out Italys economy? Rishi wants to pave the way for his usurer mates to re-enter the temple.

This week the government announced that they will expel Huawei from Britains 5G project. This was done after pressure from the American government which, after Brexit, seems to have Britains government by what the British call the short and curlies. This government is in danger of becoming Donald Trumps lapdog. Which brings one to another speculation. This week home secretary Priti Clueless Patel said that too many illegal immigrants were entering Britain via small boats coming across the English Channel, and she was determined to stop them. It remains to be seen if she flies to Washington to get some ideas and starts on her return to construct a wall in the English Channel to keep the boats out.
The popular Big Mac is a sign the Australian dollar is undervalued and finance experts predict it will be worth more in coming months.

The Economist newspaper has since 1986 used the global prices of the ubiquitous McDonald's hamburger to determine the strength of exchange rates.

Big Macs typically sell for $6.55 in Australia, compared with $US5.71 in the United States.

With the Australian dollar now worth 69.86 US cents, an Australian tourist stranded in the United States would effectively be paying $A8.15 for two beef patties on a sesame seed bun.

The popular Big Mac is a sign the Australian dollar is undervalued and finance experts predict it will be worth more in coming months. The Economist newspaper has since 1986 used the prices of the ubiquitous McDonald's hamburger to determine the strength of exchange rates

One American dollar is worth $A1.43, which The Economist's Big Mac Index calculated made the Australian dollar 19.8 per cent undervalued.

IG market analyst Kyle Rodda said the Australian dollar was likely to get stronger and be worth 73 US cents in coming months if COVID-19 cases were contained.

This would reduce the prices of imported goods and overseas holidays, when they were eventually allowed again.

'You could probably see an Australian dollar up to 72, 73 cents within the next couple of months if the virus were to look like it was being controlled especially in the United States,' Mr Rodda told Daily Mail Australia.

'If there was a realistic chance a vaccine would emerge in the next couple of months and that vaccine would become available probably before the end of the year or the start of next year - in that instance, you'd see the Australian dollar rally quite considerably.'

The Australian dollar fell below to 55.71 US cents in March, sinking to levels unseen since 2002, as the share market's benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was close to plunging by 38 per cent since peaking just one month earlier.

One American dollar is worth $A1.43, which The Economist's Big Mac Index calculated made the Australian dollar 19.8 per cent undervalued. IG market analyst Kyle Rodda said the Australian dollar was likely to get stronger and be worth 73 US cents in coming months if COVID-19 cases were contained

The local currency has recovered since that time as both the American and Australian stock markets bounced back, despite fears the coronavirus pandemic will spark the steepest downturn since the 1930s Great Depression.

The S&P/ASX200 has surged by 35.7 per cent since sinking to an eight-year low of 4,446 index points on March 23 and was worth 6,033.6 points on Friday, with the Australian Securities Exchange rising by 0.38 per cent.

Historically, the Australian dollar's fortunes have been closely tied with commodity prices like iron ore, which is used to make steel.

Mr Rodda said there was now a stronger correlation between movements in the Australian dollar and share markets as governments around the world pumped money into the financial system to alleviate the effects of a deep recession.

Big Macs typically selling for $6.55 in Australia, compared with $US5.71. With the Australian dollar now worth 69.86 US cents, an Australian in the United States would effectively be paying $A8.15 for two beef patties on a sesame seed bun. Pictured is a McDonald's at Merrylands in Sydney's west

'There's so much stimulus in the world and so much money being pumped into financial markets that once we a bit of clear runway with the virus and the economic recovery, that's a lot of upside potential in the global economy,' he said.

Westpac's head of foreign exchange strategy Richard Franulovich said the Australian dollar was holding well despite the surge in Melbourne coronavirus cases.

'It remains resilient, rounding out the week just below 70 cents, despite second wave virus concerns in the US and Australia - raising doubts about recovery momentum - and the ongoing breakdown in US-China relations,' he said.

In a sign of slightly more buying power, Daily Mail Australia saw Big Macs in central Sydney selling for $6.35 on Friday.
Graciela Mohamedi is one of several hundred Brookline educators to receive a reduction in force notice on May 30, when the town announced it had no way to bridge a nearly $13 million budget shortfall amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Mohamedi is Puerto Rican and Algerian. She says she was the only teacher of color at the high school she taught at previously in the Rockland School District. She was recruited to teach physics in Public Schools of Brookline ahead of the 2017-2018 academic year  an effort on behalf of the district to increase diversity in what is traditionally one of the wealthiest school systems in Massachusetts.

But the districts diversity hiring initiative suffered a major blow when pink slips were issued to more than 360 teachers in an effort to resolve a budget crisis that only worsened when COVID-19 hit. Dozens of recently hired teachers of color were being laid off; but the exact number remained unclear, as communication channels between the administration and the union all but shut down amid the public health crisis, according to the Brookline Teachers Union.

Weve had an extremely difficult time getting information from the administration, said Jessica Wender-Shubow, the unions president. We almost had to file a grievance to get the list.

The union spoke to members of the Brookline Public Schools ALANA (African, Latino, Asian and Native American) group to begin piecing together the list of RIFed educators and paraprofessionals.

As of July 15, only a handful of teachers have not been recalled since the layoffs; but many of them have since quit and started to look for other jobs, according to Wender-Shubow. The union has been speaking out publicly against the administration for several months now, believing that the move further impaired its relationship with people and communities of color in Brookline, and has jeopardized planning for the new school year.

The discontent among teachers in Brookline over how the layoffs have impacted people of color coincides with a national conversation about race and policing in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died at the hands of a former Minneapolis police officer.

Already I know that some of these educators are actively being recruited by other districts, Jason Montrose, a special education teacher at Brookline High School, said during a union rally on June 15.

Brookline community members protesting cuts to the school district on June 15, 2020.

Public Schools of Brookline has been in crisis for several years now due to turnover in the district and in the superintendents office. In 2019, the district hired Ben Lummis as an interim superintendent after Andrew Bott abruptly resigned. Bott left in the middle of contentious teacher contract negotiations, noting that his work for the district had come at great personal cost to his family, according to Patch.

Lummis had left by the beginning of July. The districts Human Resources Director Lisa Richardson also left her post recently, as well as Deputy Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Nicole Gittens, according to Wender-Shubow.

Several district and town leaders, including the Superintendent, the town administrator and several school committee members, did not return multiple phone calls requesting comment for this story.

At the same time, the district had a hard time retaining educators of color, Mohamedi said. After she received her RIF notice on May 30, the administration sent a follow-up letter, saying they would rescind the decision to lay her off.

Then, she was told she was sent the recall letter prematurely.

It appears that you were sent a recall from reduction in force letter prematurely, the towns human resources director wrote. We are double checking our records to be sure of your status with the District next year.

The day after educators rallied in front of Brookline High School, demanding that officials address the impacts of the layoffs on its diversity hiring initiative and educators of color, administrators contacted Mohamedi again, informing her  yet again  that she is being recalled; that the letter sent informing her that they had prematurely recalled her, after she was send a RIF notice, was a mistake.

She said the whole process has been exhausting.

Gauging exactly how many educators of color were impacted by the cuts has been tricky because the union has not been privy to districts accounting of demographics in its schools, according to Wender-Shubow. Based on prior reports to the School Committee, it appears town staff have in the past shared data on the districts demographic makeup as part of its diversity hiring initiative.

I wasnt confident if we asked for this information that we get it right now, Wender-Shubow said.

Wender-Shubow says historically, the staff of color do not stay employed in Brookline for very long.

They do not stay either because they are non-renewed, or they are alienated and leave, she said.

The break down of paraprofessionals non-renewed on account of performance as of June 24 include five Black men; five Latinx women and one man; two Asian women; one Iranian-American man and four white people whose gender was not specified, according to the union.

The number of paraprofessionals laid off on June 22 for budgetary reasons stands at 20, including 17 white men and women, and three Asian women.

The number of laid off teachers whose original positions have not been restored include two Black men and one Black woman; one Southeast Asian woman; four Asian women; two Latinx women and 20 white women and five white men.

Programs like the Brookline Early Education Program  or BEEP  have been largely gutted as a result of the layoffs. The program serves hundreds of pre-kindergarten age children, and increasingly families of color due to the towns changing demographics in recent years, according to Kumi Wauthier, an occupational therapist for BEEP.

Because paraprofessionals are typically lower-paid and require less training, (BEEP) tends to be a more diverse group of people, Wauthier said.

In a letter addressed to the Brookline school community, School Committee chairperson Julie Schreiner-Oldham and Vice-Chairperson Suzanne Federspiel said that the reduction in force planned for the district was a product of the committee looking to meet contractual obligations with the Brookline Educators Union.

School officials said that the health crisis has had a significant impact on revenues, citing the decline in restaurant taxes, parking meter citations and commercial revenue.

Brookline has been trying to cope with a structural deficit problem for some years, but Wender-Shubow insists that there was never a need for the cuts to teachers.

Even with the supposed deficit shrinking every day, the district continues to claim the need for austerity with many in the community believing them, Wender-Shubow said. The austerity narrative pit educator against educator, and parents and even a few teachers against workers rights.

Got a news tip or want to contact MassLive about this story? Email newstips@masslive.com or message us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also call our news tips line at 413-776-1364.
Eurasian Union member states have formulated draft industrialization map.

"This is our first face-to-face meeting after a long pause amid the COVID-19 pandemic," Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said at a regular meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council hosted by Minsk.

Our Union has passed this challenge with honor," he added.

"Our cooperation within the Union would not have been so effective if it had not been based on the strong friendship that exists between all our countries and peoples. It is especially important for me to note the high level of cooperation and mutual support that we have felt these days on the part of all our Union partners without exception. I would like to express my gratitude to [Russian] PM Mikhail Mishustin and Deputy PM Alexey Overchuk for their prompt response to all issues, in particular, those related to uninterrupted transport links between Armenia and Russia. This was strategically important for our economy."

The PM also noted Belavia airline work as during the pandemic, it was operating regular flights to Armenia, despite the fact that all other airlines suspended their activities.

"I would like to express my general satisfaction with the work done to form the common gas market of the Eurasian Economic Union," he added.

"We hope to accelerate further constructive work in this regard based on the mutual understanding and respect for the interests of all member states."

"As for the industrialization map of the Eurasian Economic Union, it can become a mechanism for additional stimulation of cooperative interaction and contribute to the implementation of joint import-substituting projects, as well as assessing the potential of the Union's industries. The development of an industrialization map will also allow more efficient use of production resources in all member states and will help support enterprises of the Eurasian Union countries working in cooperation with enterprises of other member states," he added.
The Defence Minister is accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MN Naravane to take stock of the situation in volatile parts of the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control on a scheduled two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane on Friday arrived at Leh Airport. Troops of Armed Forces carried out para dropping exercise here in presence of the Defence Minister and Army officials. The Defence Minister also witnessed scoping weapons.

Defence Minister is on a two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. He will take stock of the situation at both the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Line of Control (LOC).

Earlier today, taking to Twitter, Singh wrote, Leaving for Leh on a two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir. I shall be visiting the forward areas to review the situation at the borders and also interact with the Armed Forces personnel deployed in the region. Looking forward to it.

Ladakh: Troops of Indian Armed Forces carry out para dropping exercise at Stakna, Leh in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane. https://t.co/6k8PjTgKKq pic.twitter.com/qC5q03AYQ4  ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2020

Also read: Consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan neither meaningful nor credible: MEA

Also read: Rajasthan political crisis: Sachin Pilot camps HC plea gets deferred

While Pakistan constantly violates ceasefire from across the LoC, China has continued to intrude into Indian territory in Ladakh region in recent past, escalating tensions between India and its eastern neighbour.

During his visit to Ladakh on July 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed the soldiers where he had said, From Leh, Ladakh to Siachen and Kargil and Galwans icy waters, every mountain, every peak has seen the valour of Indian Army. The age of expansion is over. This is the age of development. History has seen that expansionist forces have either lost or were forced to turn back.

On June 15, twenty Indian soldiers were killed during combat with Chinese forces in Galwan valley, leading to tensions between both nations. Chinese soldiers subsequently started moving back following dialogues between two countries through the military level and diplomatic level.

Also read: Disengagement at LAC an intricate process, requires constant verification: Army

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WASHINGTON  Western governments accused hackers believed to be part of Russian intelligence of trying to steal valuable private information about a coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, calling out the Kremlin in an unusually detailed public warning to scientists and medical companies.

The alleged culprit is a familiar foe. Intelligence agencies in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada alleged that the hacking group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear and blamed for American election interference four years ago, is attacking academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in COVID-19 vaccine development.

It was unclear whether any useful information was stolen. But British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, "It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic."

He accused Moscow of pursuing "selfish interests with reckless behavior."

Sticking to more general language, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, "We worked very closely with our allies to ensure that we would take measures to keep that information safe and we continue do so so."

The allegation that hackers linked to a foreign government are attempting to siphon secret medical research during the pandemic is not entirely new. U.S. officials as recently as Thursday have accused China of virtually identical conduct. But the latest public warning was startling for the detail it provided, attributing the targeting by name to a particular hacking group and specifying the software vulnerabilities the hackers have been exploiting.

Also, Russian cyberattacks strike a particular nerve in the U.S. given the Kremlin's sophisticated campaign to influence the 2016 presidential election.

The coordination of the new warning across continents seemed designed to add heft and gravity to the announcement and to prompt the Western targets of the hackers to protect themselves.

"I think (the governments) have very specific intelligence that they can provide," said John Hultquist, senior director of analysis at Mandiant Threat Intelligence. "The report is full of specific operational information that defenders can use" to protect their networks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, rejected the accusations, saying: "We don't have information about who may have hacked pharmaceutical companies and research centers in Britain."

"We may say one thing: Russia has nothing to do with those attempts," Peskov said, according to the state news agency Tass.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity agency warned in April that cybercriminals and other groups were targeting COVID-19 research, noting at the time that the increase in people teleworking because of the pandemic had created potential avenues for hackers to exploit.

The persistent attacks are seen as an effort to steal intellectual property rather than to disrupt research. Individuals' confidential information is not believed to have been compromised.

The accusations come at a tenuous time for relations between Russia and both the U.S. and U.K. Besides political ill will, especially among Democrats, about the 2016 election interference, the Trump administration is under pressure to confront Russia over intelligence information that Moscow offered bounties to Taliban fighters to attack allied fighters.

The Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, said that "it's clear that Russia's malign cyber operations and other destabilizing activities  from financial and other material support to non-state actors in Afghanistan to poisoning dissidents in democratic countries  have persisted, even when exposed." He urged President Donald Trump to condemn such activities.

Relations between Russia and the U.K. have plummeted since former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a Soviet-made nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury in 2018, though they later recovered. Britain blamed Moscow for the attack, which triggered a round of retaliatory diplomatic expulsions between Russia and Western countries.

More broadly, Thursday's warning announcement speaks to the vulnerability created by the pandemic and the global race for a vaccine.

Profit-motivated criminals have exploited the situation and so have foreign governments "who also have their own urgent demands for information about the pandemic and about things like vaccine research," Tonya Ugoretz, an FBI deputy assistant director, said at a cybersecurity conference last month.

"Some of them are using their cyber capabilities to, for example, attempt to break into the networks of those who are conducting this research as well as into nongovernmental organizations to satisfy their own information needs," Ugoretz said.

The alert did not name the targeted organizations themselves or say how many were affected. But it did say they were in the U.S., U.K. and Canada.

Britain's NCSC said its assessment was shared by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Security Agency, and by the Canadian Communication Security Establishment.

The vaccine assessment came two years to the day after Trump met with Putin in Helsinki and appeared to side with Moscow over U.S. intelligence agencies about the 2016 election interference. The U.K. statement did not say whether Putin knew about the vaccine research hacking, but British officials believe such intelligence would be highly prized.

A 16-page advisory prepared by Western agencies and made public Thursday accuses the hacking group tied to Russian intelligence services and known colloquially as Cozy Bear of using custom malicious software to target a number of organizations globally. The malware, called WellMess and WellMail, has not previously been associated with the group, the advisory said.

"In recent attacks targeting COVID-19 vaccine research and development, the group conducted basic vulnerability scanning against specific external IP addresses owned by the organizations. The group then deployed public exploits against the vulnerable services identified," the advisory said.

Cozy Bear is one of two hacking groups suspected of separate break-ins of computer networks of the Democratic National Committee before the 2016 U.S. election. Stolen emails were then published by WikiLeaks in what U.S. intelligence authorities say was an effort to aid Trump's campaign over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

A report on Russian election interference by former special counsel Robert Mueller called out another group, Fancy Bear, in the hack-and-leak operation. Cozy Bear, though, operates "quietly gaining access and gathering intelligence," said Hultquist of the Mandiant cybersecurity firm.

"Their job is good, old-fashioned espionage," he said.

Separately, Thursday, Britain accused "Russian actors" of trying to interfere in December's U.K. national election by circulating leaked or stolen documents online. Unlike in the vaccine report, the U.K. did not allege that the Russian government was involved in the political meddling.

-

Eric Tucker, Jill Lawless and Danica Kirka of The Associated Press wrote this story. Lawless and Kirka reported from London. Associated Press writers Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Jonathan Lemire and Ben Fox in Washington contributed.
Weather alert in place for 9-12 hours today in Rome and Lazio region.

Rome has issued a weather alert, following a warning from the regional civil protection agency, from late morning on Friday 17 July, in the capital and the Lazio region.

Over the following 9-12 hours heavy rainfall can be expected in Lazio, with the possibility of thunderstorms particularly in eastern and southern areas.

For more details see Rome city website.

Photo credit: Kirk Fisher / Shutterstock.com
By Azernews





By Aisha Jabbarova

The Non-Aligned Movement's Coordinating Bureau has held an emergency session upon Azerbaijans initiative to discuss the recent Armenian provocation on the Azerbaijani border, the Foreign Ministrys press service reported on July 16.

Addressing the meeting, Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov spoke about the military aggression on the border that started with Armenias firing artillery at Azerbaijans Tovuz region on July 12 as well as about Azerbaijans retaliatory military operations.

Bayramov stressed that Azerbaijani civilians and civilian facilities have also been targeted by the Armenian troops against the international humanitarian law.

The minister state that Armenian was deliberately staging a provocation on the border with the intention to divert the attention from the countrys socio-economic, financial and political crisis that has been further worsened due to COVID-19.

He stressed that Armenia's actions were a serious violation of international law in general, as well as the Bandung Principles, which form the basis of the Non-Aligned Movement.

The minister said it was important that that the international community condemns Armenias provocation on the border and ensures that the conflict is resolved in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

He also thanked the states who have demonstrated a principled position in their support for Azerbaijans territorial integrity.

It should be noted that an Azerbaijani civilian in Tovuzs Aghdam village was killed in Armenian attack on July 14.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Leh on Friday on a day-long visit to carry out a comprehensive review of the security scenario in the region amid the ongoing tension with China.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane are accompanying Singh on the visit. The defence minister visited Stakna forward areas after landing in Ladakh where the troops showed him paradropping skills of the armed forces.

Leaving for Leh on a two day visit to Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir. I shall be visiting the forward areas to review the situation at the borders and also interact with the Armed Forces personnel deployed in the region. Looking forward to it.  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 17, 2020

The defence minister is on a two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. While he is in Ladakh on the first day of his visit today, the defence minister will go to Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Singhs visit comes at a time when there is military tension between India and China in the sensitive sector.

Both the sides recently held the fourth round of talks on disengagement in eastern Ladakh. In the talks between corps commanders of the Indian and Chinese armies, that started on Tuesday and stretched into the early hours of Wednesday, both sides discussed the roadmap for further reducing tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The focus of the latest round of military talks was to hammer out a consensus on easing tensions in the Finger Area near Pangong Tso and Depsang plains as well as pulling back weapons and equipment from friction points in other sectors, said people aware of the developments.

The previous attempts to reduce tensions along the contested border were made on June 6, June 22 and June 30.

Singh was expected to visit Ladakh in early July but his tour was deferred. The defence minister will be visiting Ladakh two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to the sector on July 3. The PM then declared that the era of expansionism is over, sending a strong signal to China about Indias determination to defend its borders.

The military is keeping a strict vigil on the western front to deter Pakistan from fishing in troubled waters and prevent what could turn out to be a two-front conflict, as reported by Hindustan Times on July 2.

The tension along the LAC began after 20 Indian soldiers were killed during a face-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Ladakhs Galwan valley on June 15.
The UP Police also denied that Dubey had surrendered at Ujjain and said that the accused who was on the run was identified at the Mahakaal Temple by the policemen at the temple premises.

The police party escorting gangster Vikas Dubey from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh to Kanpur had to "fire back in self-defence" as he tried to escape and was killed, the Uttar Pradesh government has said in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court.

The UP government has constituted a 3-member SIT, headed by UP additional chief secretary Sanjay Bhoosreddy on 11 July, to look into the crimes committed by the dreaded gangster and the alleged collusion between Dubey, police and politicians, the affidavit said. Dubey was killed in the encounter on 10 July.

"The only option available to the escort party, under the circumstances was to fire back in self-defence," Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Hitesh Chandra Awasthy, in the affidavit filed on behalf of the state, on a plea seeking a court-monitored probe by the CBI or the NIA into the encounter killing.

The top police officer denied that Dubey had surrendered at Ujjain and said that the accused who was on the run was identified at the Mahakaal Temple by the Samiti authorities as well as the policemen at the temple premises.

The DGP also dealt with the question as to why Dubey was not handcuffed and said, "There were 15 police personnel and 3 vehicles to escort the accused directly to the court at Kanpur. He had to be produced at Kanpur within 24 hours before court which deadline was expiring at 10 am on 10 July."

The affidavit said: "These facts are explained in detail only with one objective of satisfying this court that deceased Vikas Dubey not only had a strong reason and motive to flee away from police custody (as he attempted to do on 10 July) but had the capacity, potential and experience of attacking the police personnel and killing them which in fact happened on 10 July, when he tried to escape and fire at the police party when prevented."

On 14 July, the top court had said it may consider appointing a committee headed by a former judge to inquire into the encounters of Dubey and his associates as well as the killing of eight policemen in Uttar Pradesh like it did in the case of Hyderabad encounter in gang rape and murder case of last year.

"The government has directed the SIT to submit its inquiry report to the government before 31 July, 2020, after vising the scene of crime and other related places...," it said.

Awasthy said the state authorities have acted strictly in accordance with the law and the guidelines laid down by the top court in its 2014 verdict in PUCL case and intimated NHRC and SHRC within 24 hours of the incident which clearly shows complete lack of mala fides on the part of police.

He said the government has taken serious cognizance of all events and constituted a commission of enquiry headed by a former Allahabad High Court Judge.

"The government of Uttar Pradesh holds the incident of the night of 2 July and 10 July linked to Vikas Dubey and his associates, and all the encounters between the given dates as issues of public importance and hence the state government has appointed a judicial panel of Justice (retd) Shashi Kant Agarwal as a single member commission of Inquiry," the affidavit said, adding that commission is required to complete the probe within two month from 12 July.

Dubey on July 2 had massacred eight policemen on duty and had brutally cut the circle officer's leg after shooting him dead, Awasthy said.

"This clearly demonstrate that a dreaded gangster, who massacred and brutally mutilated bodies of eight policemen to escape while being on parole, had all the reasons, motive, object and capacity to escape taking advantage of an accident which took place en route," he said.

He said the facts of the present case are completely and diametrically different from the facts emerging in last year's Hyderabad encounter of four accused in gang rape and murder case of a veterinary doctor as Dubey was a hardened criminal with 64 cases against him. He highlighted several differences between the two encounters.

"It is relevant to point out that for over 30 years, Vikas Dubey and his 'Bullet Gang' had created a notorious lair of crime and terror in the State of Uttar Pradesh. He was a gang leader of registered Gang D-124", the affidavit said.

On the 2 July, incident it said: "There were about 80-90 criminals and gang members of gangster Vikas Dubey who were stationed on several housetops at strategic locations and who started indiscriminate firing at the police party which was ambushed in a pre-meditated manner by placing a JCB machine with an open hatch to block the road and force the police party to disembark and become easy targets."

The DGP further stated that the motive of Dubey was not only to flee (as he was on parole) but also to kill the policemen to create terror in the minds of the people as well as the police.

"It will be shocking to note that the DSP was shot five times, out of which three bullets passed through his body. One bullet hit his head, one in the chest, one ankle joint and two in the stomach. Apart from this, deceased Vikas Dubey and his gang members had also brutally cut the Circle Officers (late) Devender Mishra's leg after shooting him dead. All the bullets were fired on the police party from point-black range," the affidavit said.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Apple is expanding its coding partnership with historically black colleges and universities as big tech firms face increased scrutiny surrounding diversity and inclusion.

The iPhone giant said Thursday that it's adding 10 more HBCUs to its year-old community education program meant to create opportunities for people seeking to learn coding skills. The announcement comes a month after the company launched a racial equality initiative aimed at communities of color.

Under the expansion into more HBCUs, Apple will give an increasing number of people of color "the building blocks of coding," the company said in a press release. Coding is the infrastructure that makes digital technologies operate, and more Black programmers put more Black people in the running for in-demand, high-paying jobs tech jobs.

Morehouse College in Georgia, Tougaloo College in Mississippi, Dillard University in Louisiana and Prairie View A&M University in Texas are among Apple's roster of partnership schools.

Of the 24 locations listed in Apple's Community Education initiative, 12 are HBCUs, which were generally established in the 1800s to serve the needs of the Black community toward the end of slavery for the decades that followed.

It's clear that tech giants, including Apple, have a diversity problem.

Many companies including Facebook and Google have faced increasing backlash over lackluster minority representation, especially at a time when many firms are declaring to be allies in the Black Lives Matter movement.

While Black people make up roughly 13% of the population, representation at tech firms is minuscule.

From 2013 to 2018, Facebook failed to meaningfully increase the number of employees from underrepresented groups in its U.S. workforce, a U.S. TODAY analysis shows. The number of Black employees rose from 1% to roughly 3.7%.

In 2012 at Google, African Americans made up roughly 1.5% of U.S. employees. In 2018, the most recent figures available for Google parent company Alphabet, its workforce was 2.6% Black.

Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that said his company "must do more" to fight racism and promote diversity.

In a letter on Apple's website, Cook vowed to bring more technology to underserved school systems and address inclusion and diversity within its ranks.

"To create change, we have to reexamine our own views and actions in light of a pain that is deeply felt but too often ignored," Cook wrote. "Issues of human dignity will not abide standing on the sidelines. To the Black communitywe see you. You matter and your lives matter."

2020 USA Today

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A Harvard University survey has found that Chinese citizens' satisfaction with government has increased virtually across the board, with the central authorities receiving the strongest level of approval, increasing from 86 percent to 93 percent between 2003 and 2016, the period of the study.

Grassroots officials were also rated far more as "problem solvers" and "concerned with the difficulties of ordinary people" and far less as "beholden to the wealthy" and "only concerned about their own interests" by the end of the study, which was released last week by Harvard's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.

The landmark report, "Understanding CCP Resilience: Surveying Chinese Public Opinion Through Time", presents responses that sometimes surprised its researchers and shed light on the close rapport between the Communist Party of China and the people in the world's second-largest economy.

'Near-universal increase'

This is the longest academic study of Chinese public opinion ever conducted by a research institution based outside China. It involved in-person interviews with more than 31,000 individuals in urban and rural areas and used "the most objective and quantitative methods" currently available, according to the report's authors, led by Ash Center China Programs Director Edward Cunningham.

"The most striking feature of our survey's data since 2003 is the near-universal increase in Chinese citizens' average satisfaction toward all four levels of government," the researchers said, referring to governments at township, county, province and central levels.

For example, in 2016, the last year the survey was conducted, 93.1 percent of respondents were either "relatively satisfied" or "highly satisfied" with the central government, representing a rise of 7 percentage points from 2003.

In contrast, Americans who responded they were satisfied with the federal government ranged from 39 percent in 2003 to 37 percent in 2016, according to Gallup polls.

Contrary to what researchers observe in the United States, where lower-level governments usually gain more trust than the federal government does, the Harvard survey found that in China in 2003, township governments, the lowest level of government examined, got the approval of only 44 percent of respondents, just about half of the approval rating for the central government.

The number, however, had drastically improved by 2016, with 70 percent approving.

"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," Ash Center Director Tony Saich was quoted as saying in a Harvard Gazette report on Thursday.

Saich and Jesse Turiel, a China Energy postdoctoral fellow at the Ash Center, were also the authors of the survey report.

The increase in satisfaction goes beyond the overall assessment of government performance. When asked about the specific conduct and attributes of local government officials, increasing numbers of Chinese citizens view them as "kind", "knowledgeable" and "effective", according to the survey.

In addition to the public's assessment of the Chinese government and officials, the survey sought to examine public opinion on the three key policy areas of public service provision, corruption and the environment.

As a result, the survey finds that low-income residents and people in inland regions showed much greater increases in satisfaction than high-income residents and those living along China's eastern coastline.

Both findings are far stronger at the local level, which researchers said makes sense because it is local governments that are primarily responsible for basic services.

The responses from survey participants in rural areas surprised the researchers, according to the Harvard Gazette report.

"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," it quoted Cunningham as saying.

'Positive direction'

These findings suggest that, far from representing a "dangerous undercurrent" of social and political resentment, China's poorer residents feel that government is increasingly effective at delivering basic healthcare, welfare and other public services, noted the report.

"Ultimately, while Chinese citizens still identify significant problems such as persistent income inequality and job insecurity, the majority believe that things are moving in a positive direction and credit the government for improvements in their material well-being," it said.

As to public opinion on corruption, Chinese citizens were generally supportive of the country's anti-corruption efforts, the Harvard survey finds. While just 35.5 percent of respondents approved of government efforts to fight corruption in 2011, that figure had jumped to 71.5 percent by 2016, according to the survey.

"Even on the issue of the environment, where many citizens expressed dissatisfaction, the majority of respondents expected conditions to improve over the next several years," the report said.

Interestingly, the survey found that three-quarters of Chinese respondents believe that climate change is real and caused by human behavior, and nearly 70 percent support enacting a nationwide emissions tax, far higher percentages than found in the US.

In conclusion, the Harvard survey said that for each of the key policy areas, China's poorer, noncoastal residents expressed equal, if not even greater, confidence in the actions of government than more privileged residents.

"Our survey shows that, across a wide variety of metrics, by 2016 the Chinese government was more popular than at any point during the previous two decades," it said.

The survey noted that citizens' perceptions of governmental performance correlate most to real, measurable changes in individuals' material well-being, and that satisfaction and support must be consistently reinforced.

This could be a "double-edged sword" for governments at all levels, it added.
Land Rover has revealed the India-bound 2021 model year (MY) Range Rover. The SUV gets fresh set of mechanical and feature updates. Additionally, the company celebrates the 50th anniversary with special edition Range Rover models  Fifty Edition, Westminster Editions and SVAutobiography Dynamic Black. The SUV defined the luxury SUV segment since 1970, therefore only 1,970 units of the Range Rover Fifty Edition will be available, to celebrate the year of its world premiere 50 years ago. The limited-edition is joined by the Westminster and Westminster Black editions, while the exclusive SVAutobiography Dynamic Black is also new to the line-up.

Engines

The MY2021 Land Rover Range Rover will debut with the new straight-six Ingenium diesel engines with 48V Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle technology (MHEV). The company claims that the MHEV technology reduces fuel consumption and enhances refinement. The in-house developed 3.0-litre, six-cylinder engine is available in multiple options, such as 

D250 - 245bhp and 600Nm of torque at 1,250 - 2,250rpm

D300- 296bhp and 650Nm of torque at 1,500 - 2,500rpm

D350 - 346bhp and 700Nm of torque at 1,500-3,000rpm

The petrol engine range comprises of three engine options 

3.0-litre, six-cylinder P400  394bhp and 550Nm of torque at 2,000 - 5,000rpm

5.0-litre, V8 P525  518bhp and 625Nm of torque at 2,500  5,500rpm

5.0-litre, V8 P565  557bhp and 700Nm of torque at 3,500  5,000rpm.

The 2.0-litre, four-cylinder plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version is available as the P400e  398bhp and 640Nm torque between 1,500  4,000rpm. Interestingly, the P400e is believed to be the most efficient version of the Range Rover. On fully electric mode it offers a driving range of 40kms. The PHEV combines 296bhp four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine with a 141bhp producing electric motor to deliver a fuel efficiency of 30.3kmpl. The Mode 3 charging cable (available as standard in UK and European markets) offers a full charge in under three hours as compared to 7.5 hours when using a Mode 2 charging cable.

Features

The safety feature list include - Lane Departure Warning, Emergency Braking, and Cruise Control with Speed Limiter as standard across the model range. The company also offers the Adaptive Cruise Control function. The Nanoe PM2.5 cabin air ionisation feature filters the filters harmful particulates in the cabin and can be controlled via a soft button, called Purify within the infotainment. The SUV offers three-zone ambient lighting and the customers can configure the colour (10 colour options) and light intensity via the tri-coloured LEDs.

Range Rover Fifty

Limited to 1,970 units, the Range Rover Fifty features a number of bespoke exterior accents in Auric Atlas and is available with two 22-inch wheels, one with a unique finish. The badging features a Fifty script created personally by Prof Gerry McGovern OBE, Land Rovers Chief Creative Officer. The badge which will appear on the exterior of the vehicle and throughout the interior on the unique 1 of 1970 centre console commissioning plaque, headrests, dashboard and illuminated treadplates. The Range Rover Fifty will be available in standard and long wheelbase body designs with customers able to choose from four carefully curated exterior colours. Moreover, it is also available in one of three Heritage exterior solid paints reproduced from the original Range Rover paint palette; tuscan blue, bahama gold and davos white.

Westminster Edition

The new Westminster Edition is based on the Vogue model and is available with a choice of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid electric powertrains. Privacy Glass and 21-inch Diamond Turned alloy wheels set it apart on the outside. The new model is available in a range of solid, metallic and premium metallic finishes. Inside, Grand Black Veneers combine with a Suedecloth Headlining, a sliding panoramic roof, soft close doors and a powerful 19-speaker Meridian Surround sound system (number of speakers likely to vary in different markets). This edition will also be offered with black exterior pack that allows customers to choose from three black wheels ranging from 21-inch nine-spoke design to a distinctive 22-inch gloss black nine split-spoke design.

SV Autobiography Dynamic Black

Since 2014 the expert engineers and craftsmen and women at Special Vehicle Operations have designed and produced some of the fastest, most luxurious and most exclusive Range Rover models in the luxury SUVs 50-year history. For customers who want elevated refinement and performance, the Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations family will include the Range Rover SVAutobiography, SVAutobiography Dynamic and new SVAutobiography Dynamic Black. The SVAutobiography Dynamic Black is designed to enhance the visual character of the purposeful model and combines santorini black metallic paintwork with narvik black gloss exterior accents, 22-inch gloss black wheels and branded treadplates. Other distinguishing exterior features include black brake calipers while the interior is completed in ebony seats with pimento stitching.

Land Rover Range Rover  2.11 Crore Onwards

Land Rover | Range Rover | Land Rover Range Rover
If everything goes as planned, Wednesday will be the day when the chicken starts sizzling on the grill at the second San Antonio location of the famed Pollos Asados Los Nortenos.

Owner Frank Garcia was in the process of putting the finishing touches on the property Friday at 4822 Walzem Road on the Northeast Side, and said he wants to open that day after shipments of chicken arrive Tuesday. The new location is just steps away from the Rackspace campus, and has been renovated from a past life as a bank and the former Big Easy restaurant.

Well be practicing social distancing inside the dining area, but when the time comes that we can operate at full capacity, this will be a little bigger than the original, Garcia said, comparing it to the original location at 4642 Rigsby Ave.

Garcia said the new location will feature the same menu as the original, featuring whole and half chicken meals that are so popular, the restaurant regularly sells upwards of 750 to 800 chickens per day and regularly draws a line of customers waiting to get in.

The new location has a grill room adjacent to the dining area, where the chicken is cooked in an assembly-line process over mesquite charcoal. It has also a substantial outdoor covered seating area and plenty of parking.

On ExpressNews.com: The top 10 pollos asados roasted chicken places in San Antonio

The new restaurant will have expanded operating hours, and Garcia said that a main reason why he chose the location was because of all the of Rackspace employees he had as customers at the original restaurant, which was founded in 2006. He also doesnt anticipate any of the complaints regarding the smoke from the grill, which forced a temporary closure of his original property, since the new spot is in a mostly commercial area off Interstate 35.

In September 2017, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality filed a lawsuit against Garcias restaurant for violating the Texas Clean Air Act. He was able to reopen in April 2018 after installing a massive filtration and smoke-scrubbing system that was large enough to fill up a long-haul trailer bed.

Weve been getting calls every day asking us when we will be opening, Garcia said. I have no doubt that this location will be just as popular.

Pollos Asados Los Nortenos, 4822 Walzem Road. Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays. Facebook: @polloslosnortenos

Chuck Blount is a food writer and columnist covering all things grilled and smoked in the San Antonio area. Find his Chuck's Food Shack columns on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.comTo read more from Chuck, become a subscriber. cblount@express-news.net | Twitter: @chuck_blount | Instagram: @bbqdiver
BETHEL  Outdoor classrooms under tents, one-way hallways and assigned seats on buses are among the districts ideas to keep students safe in the fall.

The district expects an additional $1.9 million cost to reopen under cleaning, social distancing and other requirements and changes. Various sources, including the state, federal coronavirus relief funding and money left over from previous budgets, is expected to cover this.

Our goal is to make sure our students and staff are healthy, Superintendent Christine Carver told the school board Thursday evening when she presented the plan. That is the primary way were approaching this.

As the state required, Bethel developed three models  full in-classroom learning, a hybrid plan and full-distance learning  that can be implemented depending on the level of transmission in the community. A final version of the plan must go to the state by next Friday.

Bethel and area towns are adapting the same hybrid model, which should help parents who teach and live in different communities, Carver said.

Half of the student population goes to school Mondays and Tuesdays, while the rest completes distance learning. Everyone has distance learning on Wednesdays while the buildings are sanitized. The groups switch Thursday and Friday.

Students with disabilities may attend school more often. The goal is to keep families together, Carver said.

Based on health conditions, the state expects districts to start the school year with full in-classroom learning, although parents are allowed to keep their children on distance learning.

Families will be surveyed on their decisions, including whether their children will take the bus, after virtual information sessions planned for Monday and Tuesday.

Lesson plans

Teachers will simultaneously instruct mask-wearing students in the classroom and those watching the lessons from home on the Zoom platform. The latter would log off Zoom to complete assignments. This would be the case under the hybrid and distance learning models.

Jennifer Ackerman, vice chair of the school board, said she was worried that may be challenging for teachers, especially at younger grade levels.

The thought of having kids also online while I have to attend to the kids in the classroom sounds a little bit overwhelming, said Ackerman, a Westport teacher.

But Carver said this would allow all students to interact with their teachers. It would also prevent teachers from having to plan two lessons and prepare them for a switch to full distance learning, she said.

The district would need to hire roughly one new staff member in every department for every grade level if certain teachers were assigned to distance learning only, Carver said.

Lessons will not be recorded to protect student privacy and to prevent students from skipping.

If you miss the lesson, its like you were absent that day, Carver said.

The goal is to keep children with the same group of students  called cohorting. In elementary and middle school, students will mainly stay in their homerooms, with teachers moving between classrooms for different lessons. The high school aims to limit the places students go.

Students with disabilities will receive services within their cohort.

Its hard to explain exactly what all our programs will look like because they will be so individualized and flexible, said Christine Sipala, director of special education.

The district is working to identify students who did not receive support before, but may need it after months of distance learning.

Other changes

Depending on how children stay at home, Carver said it should be possible to keep students 3-to-6 feet apart in the classroom, per guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Extraneous furniture will be moved out of the classroom.

The district is looking at renting or buying tents and extending WiFi outside, so classes can be held outdoors.

Students will eat breakfast and lunch in the classroom or cafeteria depending on their school. Families who choose distance learning may pick up meals at the high school.

The music curriculum will be transformed because students need to be outdoors or 12 feet apart if they are singing or using wind instruments, which space does not allow, Carver said. Virtual opportunities will be emphasized.

Its certainly not going to look like how we typically run our music program, Carver said.

Extracurricular activities will be limited. The before-and-after school care program through the Parks and Recreation Department will be offered.

Students are required to wear masks on the bus and sit in assigned seats with their families. Monitors will likely be needed initially to enforce this, Carver said.

Health precautions

Staff will encourage frequent hand washing and sanitizing, Carver said. Water fountains are closed, so students are encouraged to bring water bottles.

The district is unlikely to check students temperatures before they come to school because children could congregate in the hot sun, leading to inaccurate temperatures, Carver said.

Its a really low mitigation strategy and it may not be worth the effort to implement it, she said.

Isolation spaces will be set up for sick students. Teachers will receive supplies like band-aids to prevent non-sick students from going to the nurses office.

Fans are not permitted, so the high school  the only building without air conditioning  may need to be dismissed early on hot days, Carver said.

Teachers will be trained to support students with trauma and to include social-emotional learning in the classroom, Sipala said. Administrators expect more students will struggle with mental health due to the pandemic.

We recognize this is very important for students, families and our staff right now, Sipala said.
By Trend

Azerbaijan certainly is a rich and self-sufficient country but it will not waste money, Spokesman for Azerbaijans Defense Ministry, Colonel Vagif Dargahli said, Trend reports on July 16.

Dargahli was commenting on the information disseminated by representative of the Armenian Ministry of Defense Artsrun Hovhannisyan that resident of Chinari village of Armenias Tavush district Aramayis Hovakimyan was allegedly injured as a result of a strike by a combat drone of the Azerbaijani army.

"Firstly, as I said earlier, we never fire at the settlements, the spokesman said. Secondly, there are more important goals for our UAVs than a mere peasant, such as, for example, the positions of the Armenian army. Thats what we are doing."

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 16, 2020 | 03:03 PM | BENTON

Blevins has held numerous positions with the bureau since 2011, including marketing director, marketing assistant, and interim director. Blevins had been heading the bureau since last November when long-time director Randy Newcomb resigned.





The tourism industry in Marshall County and Kentucky Lake has experienced difficult times due to the Asian Carp crisis, a changing travel landscape, and now the global pandemic.



Blevins says she is looking forward to leading the local tourism industry through a period of diversification and growth as it strives to recover.





My predecessor, Randy Newcomb, led this organization proudly and successfully for over two decades, Blevins said. His knowledge and understanding of the industry is unparalleled, and he was loved and respected by our peers across the state. I know he is missed by many and that I have some big shoes to ll!





Blevins graduated from Murray State University with a bachelor's degree in Organizational Communication. She received a master's degree from Mid-Continent University in Human Resources Management in 2014. Additionally, she recently completed a Travel Marketing Professional Certification through the Southeast Tourism Society.





She has served numerous local organizations, including The Benton Partnership, Calvert Area Development Association, Marshall County Rotary Club, Kentucky Lake Young Professionals, Kentucky Lake Chamber of Commerce, Kentucky Lake Economic Development, and Marshall County Industrial Development Authority.





The promotion happened back in March, right as the travel industry was shutting down across the nation due to COVID-19, Blevins said. At that point in time, it just didnt feel right to make such an announcement with the future so uncertain. I went straight to work trying my best to keep the industry as informed as I could during this unprecedented time. Thankfully, our beautiful destination survived the shutdown, and we have reopened to nd that people have truly appreciated our destination and the natural distance it provides through an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities. Throughout this crisis, Kentucky Lake has been discovered by many new people as well as rediscovered by the local and regional community.





I believe the tourism industry plays a vital role for our local community, she said. We create opportunities for people to spend quality time with those they love, and time is universal. I have always been passionate about what this industry can do for people, and I hope to bring new opportunities for all to enjoy while visiting our destination, whether they are ve minutes from home or ve hours.









The Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced the permanent promotion of Elena Blevins to Executive Director.
Twin red-ruffed lemurs have been born at Singapore zoo, officials said Thursday, a rare double delivery that is a boost for the endangered saucer-eyed primates.

It was the first birth at the zoo of the endangered creatures, which are native to Madagascar, in over a decade, Wildlife Reserves Singapore said.

The arrival of the yet-to-be-named twins was "particularly special" because the creatures breed only once a year, it said.

The fluffy lemurs are a distinctive rust colour, with black faces, hands, feet and tails, and a distinctive white patch on their heads.

One of the twin red-ruffed lemurs is given a full medical check-up by a vet in Singapore. Photo: AFP

The last of the species to be born at the zoo was the twins' father, Bosco, 11 years ago.

The mother is eight-year-old Minnie, who arrived in Singapore from a Japanese zoo in 2016.

Although the twins were born earlier this year, they have only recently become an attraction as the zoo was closed for months as a result of a coronavirus lockdown.

The twin red-ruffed lemurs are moved in a pet-carrier to a vet for check-up in this picture relased by Wildlife Reserves Singapore. Photo: AFP

Red-ruffed lemurs are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to logging and hunting.

Of the 107 surviving lemur species on Madagascar, some 103 are threatened, including 33 that are critically endangered -- the last stop before "extinct in the wild", the group said earlier this month.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 04:49:47|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A United Nations index report published Thursday shows that progress in tackling poverty is at risk now due to the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, although such progress was made before the pandemic hit.

New figures show that before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, progress was being made in tackling multidimensional poverty, according to the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), a measure that looks beyond income to include access to safe water, education, electricity, food and six other indicators. Now that progress is at risk.

The data, released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), shows that 65 out of 75 countries studied significantly reduced their multidimensional poverty levels between 2000 and 2019.

The countries with the fastest reduction in MPI value in absolute terms were Sierra Leone, Mauritania and Liberia, followed by Timor-Leste, Guinea and Rwanda. North Macedonia had the fastest relative poverty reduction, followed by China, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Turkmenistan and Mongolia. Each of these countries cut its original MPI value by at least 12 percent a year.

"COVID-19 is having a profound impact on the development landscape. But this data - from before the pandemic - is a message of hope. Past success stories on how to tackle the many ways people experience poverty in their daily lives, can show how to build back better and improve the lives of millions," said Sabina Alkire, director of OPHI at the University of Oxford.

While data is not yet available to measure the rise of global multidimensional poverty after the pandemic, simulations for 70 countries in the developing world, based on the anticipated impacts of the virus on just two components of the global MPI - nutrition and school attendance - suggests how much impact the crisis could have unless it is addressed.

In three scenarios of varying deterioration in which 10, 25 and 50 percent of people who are multidimensionally poor or vulnerable become undernourished, and half of primary school-aged children no longer attend school, poverty levels could be set back eight to 10 years. "But even if we look only at the impact on nutrition, if anticipated increases in undernutrition are not prevented or swiftly reversed, the setback could range between 3-6 years," the report says.

"COVID-19 is the latest crisis to hit the globe, and climate change all but guarantees more will follow soon. Each will affect the poor in multiple ways. More than ever, we need to work on tackling poverty - and vulnerability to poverty - in all its forms. This is why the Multidimensional Poverty Index is so important," said Pedro Conceicao, director of the Human Development Report Office at UNDP.

Among the 1.3 billion people still living in multidimensional poverty today, more than 80 percent are deprived in at least five of the 10 indicators used to measure health, education and living standards in the global MPI.

The data also reveals that the burden of multidimensional poverty disproportionately falls on children. Half of the 1.3 billion poor have not yet turned 18. While 107 million are 60 or older.

"The MPI - with its information on both the level and composition of poverty - provides the data needed to pinpoint where and how poverty manifests itself. Otherwise policymakers are flying blind, unable to know how - or where - to target resources and interventions," added Alkire.

For instance, in Sub-Saharan Africa, 55 percent of the population (558 million people) is multidimensionally poor. Of these, 98 percent (547 million people) do not have access to clean cooking fuel, 84 percent (470 million people) lack access to electricity and 66 percent (366 million people) do not have access to clean drinking water.

Addressing each challenge requires a different approach, many of which need to go beyond improving income. This is particularly true in the light of UNDP's work encouraging societies everywhere to take the opportunity to rethink development pathways and "build back better" post-COVID, according to the report. Enditem
Prison officer at HMP Berwyn arrested following joint investigation

This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 17th, 2020

A local woman who is based at HMP Berwyn has been arrested yesterday in a joint operation.

Officers from the Regional Prison Intelligence Unit at the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) jointly with North Wales Police, have arrested a prison officer based at HMP Berwyn yesterday.

Following enquiries, the 25-year-old woman from Wrexham was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and conveying prohibited articles into prison.

She was taken to a police station for questioning and has been released under investigation pending further enquiries.

In a joint statement, Detective Inspector Dawn Hampson from NWROCU and Nick Leader, Governor at HMP Berwyn, said: We can confirm that following a joint investigation between the Prison Service and NWROCU, a member of staff from HMP Berwyn has today been arrested.

Corruption of any kind will not be tolerated and we continue to work closely in partnership to ensure anyone who breaks the rules is brought to justice.

We would like to encourage members of staff working at prisons to report anyone they suspected are involved corrupt activity, so that we can act on it immediately and put offenders before the courts.

The majority of prison staff are hardworking, honest individuals and we are committed to removing the harmful minority and deterring others from this foolish and harmful path.
Were in the 21st century and yet, it isnt very often that we see people associate women and business without snickering. However, things have changed for the better in recent years.

Not only are women holding top positions in the corporate sector, many are also leading major companies and evening starting their own businesses from scratch. Yet, when it comes to inheriting mega-successful businesses, people still watch out for the heirs to take over from their fathers.

 Twitter/IMC_India

But recent years have shown us that the business arena has also undergone great changes and welcomed business heiresses with open arms to take over the top spot in the company. For their part, these heiresses are taking their companies to greater heights on their own terms and relying on their own potential.



Here are 6 such leading businesswomen and heiresses who are leading major Indian companies:

1. Roshni Nadar

 Youtube

Roshni is the newly-instated Chairperson of HCL Enterprise although she had already been serving as the Executive Director and CEO of the multinational IT and consulting firm.



Known for her business strategies and philanthropic ventures, Roshni is a Communication graduate from Northwestern University and also holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management.

She also made it to Forbes World's 100 Most Powerful Women list in 2019

2. Tanya Dubash

 Wikipedia

The leading lady at Godrej, Tanya serves as the Executive Director and Chief Brand Officer at the Godrej Group.



An economics and political science graduate from Brown University, she also attended the Harvard Business School for its six-week Advanced Management Program.

She sits on the boards of multiple, very crucial Godrej subsidiaries and also happens to be the chairperson of Godrej Nature's Basket.

3. Isha Ambani

 Twitter/Reliance Foundation

Over the last few years, we have witnessed the Reliance Industries heiress take the lead in her family business.



A Yale University alumni, she also completed her MBA from Harvard University in 2018.

The brain behind the conception of Reliance Jio, Isha is a board member of Reliance Jio Infocomm and Reliance Retail and also looks after branding and management of RILs retail venture AJIO.

4. Ashni Biyani

 Twitter/Forbes India

Touted to be the first woman in her family to graduate, this Future Group heiress has broken many a glass ceilings with the support of her father, Future Group chairman Kishore Biyani.



A textile design graduate from Parsons, she went on to complete a business program from Stanford University. Under Ashnis leadership, the entire value chain at Future Consumer underwent major consolidation and integration.

From operating the agrisourcing networks to handling manufacturing, brand development, distribution, and retails, she does it all.

5. Pia Singh

 BCCL

The DLF Realty heiress, Pia is a finance graduate from the University of Pennsylvania. Known to have a keen interest in the arts, she also enrolled for a six-week filmmaking course at New York University.



She was appointed the Non-Executive Director of DLF in 2015, and currently heads DT Cinema, apart from also serving as the chairman of DLF Retail Developers Ltd.

6. Vanisha Mittal

 ArcelorMittal

The ArcelorMittal heiress, Vanisha serves as the non-independent Director at the company.



A BSc graduate from European Business School, Vanisha started out as a member of the LNM Holdings Board of Directors in 2004. In the same year, she was put on Mittal Steels Board of Directors where she took charge of the Procurement Department.

She eventually joined Aperam in 2011 and has since held the position of Chief Strategy Officer.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 21:13:24|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has allocated 120 million yuan (about 17 million U.S. dollars) for flood control and disaster relief in the country's flood-hit regions, including Jiangxi and Hubei.

The funds come from the Party fees, which, having been collected from CPC members, are administered by the department on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the department said in a statement.

They will mainly be used to support Party members, officials, and the people fighting on the frontline of flood control and disaster relief, as well as Party members and people who are in difficulties due to the floods.

The department demanded that Party members and officials be mobilized to go to the frontline of flood-control and rescue work and play an exemplary role. Enditem
Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle 2018

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said that mask-wearing should be mandatory and people should be fined for refusing to wear them, in an interview with CNN Business on Thursday.

At some point, the government has to step in and say yes you have to wear a mask, and if youre not wearing a mask, youre going to get fined. Just like if you dont wear a seatbelt, youre going to get fined. Theres no difference, Benioff said.
Kathmandu, July 17 : The Nepal government has planned to lift the ongoing suspension on domestic and international flights starting from August as the Himalayan country has witnessed a drop in new COVID-19 cases, a senior official said on Friday.

"The Ministry on Thursday decided to recommend COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre for lifting suspension of domestic flights from August 5 and international flights from August 17," Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, told Xinhua news agency.

The COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwar Pokharel was formed to coordinate efforts against the pandemic.

Based on the recommendation of this centre, the cabinet will decide whether to lift the suspension order.

Both domestic and international flights have remained suspended in Nepal since March 22, except chartered flights for humanitarian purpose or delivery of medical goods.

Although the Nepali government decided on July 10 to relax the lockdown, allowing the most of the economic activities to resume, flight services, schools and theatres have remained suspended.

Nepal on Thursday reported 167 new COVID-19 cases in a day, a sharp drop from the record high 740 cases on July 3 as the total cases stood at 17,344.

Due to COVID-19, Nepal's tourism sector is estimated to lose around $332 million by July 21, with an extended lockdown imposed since March 24, according to the Ministry.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
AFTER been stuck inside for the week during the mini Irish monsoon, we were all keen for some fresh air. We had been planning to do some pond dipping in a local river for the last month, but life kept on getting in the way. This was the perfect opportunity and the stream is only a mile from the house.

Thy normally low and gentle stream was a bit faster than usual after all the rain. To gain access we waded through long grass and brambles and set up the tray on the bank. Harry waited up top, while I carefully slid down into a shallow part of stream.

The water was clear and there is a good bed of gravel for insects and also lots of stones to hide under. Someone had placed a line of stones across the river and this helps ripple the water and add extra oxygen. I placed the net with the flow of the water and gently kicked up the gravel with my welly.

I waded over to Harry and we both knew that this was a good place. The first insects we identified were flattened Mayfly. Their large eyes were visible and the gills at the side of their bodies pulsated when they stopped moving.

There were also rounded mayfly nymph and as there name indicates their bodies are long and round.

Another encouraging sign was a stonefly. It swam with a snake like movement of its body and its tails were more than were more than half as long as body. These creatures are only found in the cleanest streams. We also found long thin red segmented worms.

A slight drizzle brought us back to the car and we disinfected our gear so as not to spread and pathogens.

Our last stop was a little stream located in a field by a tall standing stone. It marks the entrance to a very intact wedge tomb and you can sit inside and shelter from the rain. The farmer was cutting silage and we had to be quick as we parked in front of his gate.

This part of the stream had different creatures. It was full of freshwater shrimp and leeches and this indicates an ok water quality. As we watched the movement in the tray we were briefly joined by a stonechat. I have seen a lot of these birds this year and their population fluctuates depending on the severity of the winter. We also identified a new plant for us, water cress with cabbage like flowers and seed pods.

The farmer approached on the tractor and we quickly moved out of the way. He asked what we were doing and I explained that we were searching for water insects. He wondered out loud was there anything their? He pointed to a spot a few hundred meters away where the stream rises and flows on and around the back of my house.

He knew the source of all the local rivers and this is a knowledge of the land built up over a lifetime. The megalithic tomb came into the conversation, but he thinks that people have lost their interest in history.

I asked the important question around how good the summer was going to be. He paused for a minute and then explained that if you have lived for as he has, you know you are only going to get one summer. This he feels happened during the lockdown. I respect his wisdom but I hope he is wrong about the weather.

For More

albert.nolan@rocketmail.com or 089 4230502. Albert is also available to do walk/talks with schools, tidy towns, youth and community groups
New Delhi:

Delhi is under the grip of the toxic smog which has been considered fatal in all measures for the citizens of the national capital. The national capital region is experiencing its worst smog in 17 years.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has compared the city to a gas chamber while the US environmental protection agency labelled the Indian capital as the most polluted city on earth. The smog also led to the cancellation of two Ranji Trophy matches in Delhi.

With the air pollution situation worsening day by day in the national capital region, Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli, a resident of Delhi, has posted a video on his twitter account in which he expressed concern over the alarming pollution levels in the national capital.

Please be more aware. The future depends on how we act now. It's heartbreaking to see the pollution levels rise so high pic.twitter.com/s1cZcRcS5C a Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) November 7, 2016

In the video, he stated that he was worried by the pollution levels and urged the people to tackle the situation urgently.

Life is precious & nature is our lifeline. The air we breathe, the water we drink. It is our responsibility to be more conscious towards... a Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) November 7, 2016

India will take on England in a five-Test series for the first time in 29 years, with the first Test beginning in Rajkot on November 9. Virat Kohli has won four consecutive series since taking over as full-time Indian Test skipper in August 2015.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called the prison sentence handed down on German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel an "absolutely wrong signal" and "does not help build confidence in the implementation of the principles of rule of law in Turkey."



"Further investigations are incomprehensible for me. This shows that we continue to have significant differences in the protection of freedom of the press and freedom of expression," Maas said on Twitter.

"We must also not forget that many Germans are still in Turkish custody. Cases of unresolved imprisonment stand in the way of normalizing #Turkey relations with us and with the European Union as a whole," Germany's top diplomat added.

A Turkish court in Istanbul sentenced Die Welt journalist Deniz Yucel to two years and nine months in prison.



Yucel, who currently lives in Germany and did not attend the more than two-year-long trial, was convicted by the court of "incitement to hatred" and producing "terror propaganda" in the articles he wrote for the German newspaper as Turkey correspondent. Among other things, Yucel was accused of spreading propaganda for the Kurdistan People's Party (PKK)  a group that is outlawed in Turkey.

Yucel's lawyer said he will appeal the decision, Deutsche Welle reported.
In response to the economic impact of COVID-19, the State of Michigan has allocated $100 million of CARES Act funding to implement the Michigan Small Business Restart Program to support the needs of Michigan businesses.

Midland County will receive a part of $3,545,455 distributed to the counties of Region 5, including Arenac, Bay, Midland and Saginaw. The Michigan Strategic Fund authorized distribution of the funding across 15 local or nonprofit economic development organizations (EDOs) covering all 83 counties in the state to provide a base amount of $3.5 million per EDO for grants up to $20,000 each to support certain small businesses that have realized a significant financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 virus.

The economic impact of COVID-19 continues to hurt small businesses not only across the nation but right here in our community, said Tony Stamas, president and CEO of the MBA, in a news release. The Michigan Small Business Restart Program will help get them the funding they need to get through these hard times and will help rebuild our local economy.

Applications are now open and will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. Aug. 5. The MBA and a local team of reviewers will review and recommend distribution of these grant funds for qualifying businesses in Midland County. Funds can be used as working capital to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility expenses or other similar expenses.

This is not a first-come-first-served grant process. All applications will be reviewed following the closure of the acceptance period on Aug. 5. Local award recipients will be notified no later than Sept. 30.

Eligibility criteria:

 50 or fewer employees, worldwide, located in Michigan.

 Is a business or nonprofit that can demonstrate it is affected by the COVID-19 emergency.

 Needs working capital to support eligible expenses.

 Demonstrates an income loss as result of the COVID-19 emergency.

 Has not received a grant through the Michigan Strategic Funds Michigan Small Business Relief Program.

 Businesses who have received support through other COVID-19 relief programs, including the Michigan Small Business Relief Program loans, are eligible to apply for Restart grants.

 At least 30% of the funds awarded will be awarded to women-owned, minority-owned, or veteran-owned eligible businesses.

Businesses interested in applying can do so by visiting the MEDC website: www.michiganbusiness.org/restart/

Midland County businesses that have questions or need assistance in applying can contact Nicole Wilson, vice president of economic development, at nwilson@mbami.org.

 Processed by Ashley Schafer, Ashley.Schafer@hearstnp.com
WHEN she returns to her studies at the University of Limerick in September, Riona Maguire will spend three of the 12 weeks of the new semester on the university campus.

While some students are opting to commute rather than pay for accommodation, Riona, who lives in Cavan, doesnt have that option.

I live three hours away so commuting won't be possible. I'm not sure whether I'm expected to pay for a full semester in rent or if there will be options provided to me. she said.

Riona studies Journalism and New Media and is going into second year.

She got a taste of online learning last semester when UL closed in March to adhere to government public health guidelines.

I received PowerPoints as a form of lectures and I felt it was difficult to ask lecturers to explain concepts via email, Riona concluded.

In an email from UL it was stated that the new approach next semester is to allow as many students as possible back on campus, while also protecting the health of the campus and wider community. We have also incorporated feedback from students and staff on your experience last semester.

On campus facilities such as the Glucksman Library will be available to students during their on campus weeks.

Final year student Natasha would like to see priority given to students who are in the final phase of their undergraduate programme. Maybe more prioritised access to the library [for fourth year students], she said.

Natasha doesn't see having just three weeks on campus as a massive issue but would welcome clarification on how Final Year Project (FYP) dates will be affected. It could be harder to meet supervisors, said Natasha who plans to commute to college from her hometown of Clonmel.
Written by Diana Bocco

Jul 16, 2020

The practice of tipping is relatively new in the Czech Republic and only commonly practiced for the past decade. Until recently, it was mostly something expected just from tourists, though things are changing, and tipping is becoming more common in many areas.

Customer service in the Czech Republic is very different from what you would normally expect in other countries  overly friendly, smiling faces are rare, so tipping is more about the actual service you received than the friendliness of the person you're dealing with.

Although the Czech Republic has its own currency, the Koruna, tips in US Dollars and Euros are welcome in the city center and touristic areas. Make sure you always have enough coins in the local currency to tip in smaller cities or off-the-beaten-track destinations, though  you're unlikely to receive change for a Euro bill, especially in smaller cities.

Here are some must and must-not customs when it comes to tipping etiquette in Prague.

Note: Some businesses may be temporarily closed due to recent global health and safety issues.
By Giuseppe Fonte and Stephen Jewkes

ROME (Reuters) - The Italian government plans to list Autostrade per l'Italia by early next year after forcing through an agreement with the Benetton family to take Atlantia's <ATL.MI> motorway business under state control, sources close to the matter told Reuters.

The agreement was hammered out at an all-night cabinet meeting this week, avoiding the threatened cancellation of Atlantia's lucrative operating concession.

"On Wednesday we built the picture frame, now we have to put the picture in," one of the sources said, asking not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The deal opens the way to settlement of a bitter dispute sparked by the collapse of a Genoa bridge run by Atlantia's tollway business in 2018, killing 43 people.

Under the proposed deal, state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) is expected to take an initial 33% stake in Autostrade through a capital increase of more than 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion).

An official memorandum of understanding is expected to be ready by the end of July, the sources said.

CDP will then, by October, set up a vehicle that will control an overall 55% of Autostrade by incorporating a stake bought from Atlantia by private investors designated by the state lender.

Atlantia, which is currently 30% owned by the Benetton family, has an 88% stake in Autostrade, with Germany's Allianz <ALVG.DE>, France's EDF <EDF.PA> and China's Silk Road owning the rest.

A second source cautioned that the situation is fluid and the deal's structure could change in the next few days.

Over the next six to eight months Autostrade will be demerged and listed, paving the way for the Benettons to reduce their stake to about 10%, two sources said.

"The new Autostrade could be listed as soon as January," one of the sources said.

As the largest shareholder in Atlantia, which also controls airport operator ADR and digital toll payment business Telepass, the Benettons have become the focus of intense pressure from the ruling 5-Star Movement, which wants the family to pull out completely at the time of the planned listing.

CDP, Atlantia and the Benettons declined to comment.

(Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte and Stephen Jewkes; Additional reporting by Francesca Landini; Editing by David Goodman)
Representative image

IIT Alumni Council, which is building MegaLab - the world's largest genetic testing lab, has announced a Rs 500-crore incubator to intensify offensive against the pandemic in Mumbai University campus. The University of Mumbai was the first institution to partner the under-construction MegaLab - which will be operational from this month.

Called the MegaIncumbator, it will be the world's first and largest engineered bio-molecule focused incubator to involve startups, other existing incubators and accelerators, and will come up at 2.5 million sq ft space at the Kalina campus of Mumbai University.

It will be a part of the varsity's National Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, the council said in a statement on Friday.

The council has also announced plans to set up a captive 1,00,000 sq ft pilot plant facility for bio-molecule manufacturing in the NCR area. It also has plans to develop as a global hub for biologics manufacturing.

The incubator will support MegaLab and will be part funded by Rs 23,000-crore fund raising announced by the council last month.

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 engineered biomolecule mega incubator initiative will get a Rs 500 crore direct investment in the first phase, and the entire ecosystem will see a fund flow of around Rs 10,000 crores," Ravi Sharma, president of the council, said.

Engineered biomolecules play a key role in molecular diagnostics, genetic testing as well as biotherapeutics, besides in host of applications in sectors varying from water treatment and agriculture to advanced genetics, he said, adding since more than 70 per cent of RT-PCR or NGS test kits are biomolecules, the need and urgency of focusing on this domain is immediate.

Similarly, most advanced biotherapeutic drugs from insulin to interferon to plasma antibodies are biomolecules. With the incubator, we can influence a very substantial cost and price reduction in bio-therapeutics and thus to ensure that every Indian is able to afford genetic tests like COVID-19 and biotherapeutic treatment, Sharma added.

The incubator will use a mobile app to onboard an incubatee very fast thereby accelerating the time to market manifold.
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.
Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, on Thursday, again offered a settlement package to the consortium of banks. Mallya has exhausted his judicial remedies against his extradition to India. The settlement package, if accepted, is the only sliver of hope against the cases by the Enforcement Directorate.

According to a report on The Times of India, Mallya's counsel told the Supreme Court that he has offered a comprehensive settlement package to the banks. The counsel did not mention the amount of settlement before the bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde. However, a petition filed before the apex court last month offered a settlement of Rs 13,960 crore, as mentioned in the daily. The principal defaulted amount is of Rs 9,000 crore. This settlement offer is the highest offered by Mallya against his dispute with the consortium of banks and for the closure of money laundering cases under PMLA.

However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that Mallya has been offering such settlements from time to time. "This is one of the many carrots Mallya had dangled at the end of a stick from time to time. Let him deposit the money before coming to India," he said.

The consortium of banks too, earlier this month, had rejected one of Mallya's settlement offers.

Last month, media reports suggested that Mallya's extradition to India was imminent and only a matter of time. However, as it turns out, there are multiple legal issues that need to be resolved before his extradition. "Vijay Mallya last month lost his appeal against extradition, and was refused leave to appeal further to the UK Supreme Court. However, there is a further legal issue that needs resolving before Mr Mallya's extradition can be arranged. Under United Kingdom law, extradition cannot take place until it is resolved. The issue is confidential and we cannot go into any detail," a British High Commission spokesperson had said.

Also read: Coronavirus: 'Shut my companies but still paying employees,' says Vijay Mallya

Also read: Vijay Mallya not returning right away, extradition yet to be signed
San Francisco, July 17 : To make it easier for users to shop within its app, Instagram is rolling out a new feature called Shop, along with launching Facebook Pay on its platform for purchases and donations.

The dedicated 'Shop' page under the Explore tab will showcase different brands and items that people can purchase.

Instagram will charge a selling fee for businesses to use its shopping feature, reports The Verge.

The 'Shop' page will also give users personalised recommendations on things to buy within the app.

Tapping on the 'Shop' tab at the bottom bar in Instagram will take users to the existing shopping experience in the app, with a listing of posts that have Shopping Tags added via approved merchants.

The Shops tab would replace the current 'Activity' tab. Users would be able to access 'Activity' via an additional icon in the top right.

Facebook Pay is also available on Instagram for both shopping purchases and donations, first in the US.

Any seller, no matter their size or budget, can bring their business online and connect with customers wherever and whenever it's convenient for them.

Facebook in May announced to roll out the 'Shop' feature on its main platform.

"Creating a Facebook Shop is free and simple. Businesses can choose the products they want to feature from their catalogue and then customise the look and feel of their shop with a cover image and accent colours that showcase their brand," Facebook said in a statement.

In Facebook 'Shop', the users will be able to message a business through WhatsApp, Messenger or Instagram Direct to ask questions, get support, track deliveries and more.

In the future, they will be able to view a business' shop and make purchases right within a chat in WhatsApp, Messenger or Instagram Direct.
I never thought that almost 50 years after my days as a law student in Philadelphia, I would still find myself trying to convince Americans that Puerto Ricans are co-citizens.

Early in the 1970s I was a student at Temple University School of Law. The disparity between the Puerto Rican community and the rest of the citizens was palpable. One of the first projects I participated in while I was still a law student was identifying Puerto Rican children classified as handicapped because they could not speak English. The result was a series of cases where the federal courts ordered various states to provide bilingual education to these citizens who had recently arrived from Puerto Rico.

The truth about the situation of Puerto Ricans is that, regardless of whether we are born on the island or in the United States, we are born American citizens. This has been a fact for more than 100 years, when in 1918 the federal Congress, through the Jones Act, granted citizenship to all Puerto Ricans residing in the island, as well as to their descendants. Since then, we have served in all wars in which the United States has participated. However, our community, even after a century, has remained bogged down and without good access to the middle class.

During the last three years our community has lost even more ground. We have lost very basic and fundamental benefits, including access to the Affordable Care Act which was an advantage to many Puerto Ricans. With the high incidence in our community of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, any complication from an illness could lead to the denial of insurance coverage, which could be disastrous.

But this is not the only issue which has burdened us. We have seen how the present administration dismantles programs that support us, while enacting policies that choke our community and reduce benefits to which all citizens are entitled.

To my Puerto Rican colleagues, I suggest that our political strength is in our vote. In the United States, we have absolutely every right to register and vote. Each one of us has the power to make a great difference, particularly in a state like Pennsylvania, where the margins of victory in past elections have been small. Each and every single one of our votes is important. There are no exceptions to this rule.

In addition to electing candidates who have our best interests at heart, voting also sends a signal to our government and other co-citizens that we are a community with a strong, solid, and powerful voice. This shows our leaders that they must respond with policies that help our communities who got them elected.

What Puerto Rico and our community need is not rolls of paper towels. What we need are responsible leaders who will ensure better access to health, access to quality education services which prepare our community for the jobs in a 21st century economy, and access to ballot boxes so we can vote for the candidate which will best respond to our needs.

Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte was the first Puerto Rican-born woman confirmed by the Senate as Ambassador for the United States. She also served as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the United States Department of State and was the first Puerto Rican woman admitted to the practice of law in Pennsylvania.
Tim Fischer

Whats it like to be totally helpless, while the chief executive of the state orders that your business be closed?

Erica Mann, owner of the Blue Door bar in north Midland, has come forward and addressed being shut down and feeling like there is a target on the back of her business. Not once, but twice, did Gov. Greg Abbott order the closure of Texas bars for public health reasons. As she says in an op-ed that will be appear in Sundays Reporter-Telegram, that will be 87 of the last 116 days.
The county made temporary repairs that initially included covering the leaky atriums with tarps so the upper level could be used.

At the time, county officials said the skylight structures were attractive architectural features that had outlived their usefulness.

The courthouse near downtown is part of a five-building, $42 million government complex with construction that dates back to the mid-1980s.

In his memo to commissioners this week, Durham said that repairing the skylights is not a viable option due to the cost involved and the likelihood of recurring leakage.

He added that new lighting would be installed in the fourth-floor hallway to make up for the loss of natural light the rooftop windows provide.

Joe Craig, the senior resident Superior Court judge, was glad to hear that repairs are on the horizon. This winter, he expressed disappointment county officials werent moving more quickly.

The judge said in a recent email that he and other court officials are still disappointed with the pace.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan has so far spent AZN 752 million ($442.3M) to fight coronavirus pandemic, Finance Minister Samir Sharifov said during an online meeting of Cabinet of Ministers on July 15.

The government has allocated AZN 1.4 billion ($823.5m) from the state budget to combat the coronavirus pandemic and to curb its negative impact on the countrys economy according to the relevant presidential decree.

Of this AZN 752 million ($442.3M) have been used in six months.

Some AZN 149 million ($87.6M) out of AZN 250 million ($147.1M) allocated for health care has already been used, as well as AZN 281 million ($165.3M) out of AZN 570 million ($335.3M) allocated for social and economic support measures.

Moreover, AZN 244 million ($143.5M) out of AZN 309 million ($181.7M) allocated for social security measures, and AZN 118 million ($69.4M) out of AZN 280 million ($164.7M) allocated for financial support to state companies has also been used already.

Azerbaijan has opened five modular hospitals to treat coronavirus patients and the number of such hospitals is expected to reach ten soon.

Azerbaijan registered its first coronavirus case on February 28. So far, 26,165 COVID-19 cases have been registered in the country, 17,256 patients have recovered, 334 people have died.

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The Deputy Communications Director of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mame Yaa Aboagye says the NPP represents hope for the next generation.



Speaking to Peacefmonline.com, she indicated that the government has performed beyond expectation and salvaged the economy by introducing developmental initiatives that have put Ghana in good shape.



She added that the ruling NPP has in its three and half years resolved the unemployment situation in the country and further improved the living conditions of Ghanaians.



She recounted some achievements of President Akufo-Addo citing the One District One Factory which has created over 58 factories out of the 181, NABCO for the unemployed graduate, Youth Employment Agency (YEA) giving employment to over 70,000 young people, Planting for Food and Jobs, expansion of the scholarship scheme, massive employment in the areas of education, health, afforestation, among others.



NDCs regime was filled with despondency, hardships, power outages which made life unbearable for Ghanaians.



It is quite evident that the NDC has no message for Ghanaians and it is obvious they will lose the 2020 elections because the alternative is still empty. The only message they can boast about is scrapping the allowances of teachers and nurses trainees, mismanagement and massive corruption under the watch of former President MahamaThey have no message to warrant votes from Ghanaians, she stated.



She also touched on the governments free SHS policy saying indeed Akufo-Addo has given Ghanaian children a renewed sense of hope, the hope for a better tomorrow because of free SHS. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo represents the hope for the next generation of Ghanaians. He deserves four more years to complete this visionary mission.





Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected]









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

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The edict from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, R, edict expressly voiding coronavirus mask orders by local governments, capped a week of turmoil in a state once touted as proof that reopening in a pandemic could work.

For six weeks, Georgia had been a model, especially for those eager to end shutdowns. Among the last U.S. states to lock down, Georgia in April was first to widely reopen, after just three weeks. Critics said the state misrepresented its data to justify the move, and they predicted disaster.

It didn't happen: Covid-19 case numbers bumped along, neither rising nor falling significantly. Pandemic skeptics crowed.

That ended last month.

Although still lagging Florida, Texas and Arizona, Georgia's covid-19 cases are surging. As of Thursday, the state's seven-day rolling average of newly reported cases was 3,507 -- quadruple its April pre-shutdown peak. Last week, Georgia joined states whose citizens must quarantine if they visit the Northeast or Chicago. It also reopened a makeshift hospital overflow ward in an Atlanta convention center as local governments tried to contain the surge themselves.

On Thursday, though, Kemp's administration followed his mask-voiding order with a lawsuit seeking to block Atlanta's requirement.

It was another example of him hindering local efforts, making him an outlier among Southern governors who have rolled back reopenings in the face of surging infection rates. The contrast speaks to a larger challenge for Republicans trying to fight the pandemic in the age of President Donald Trump.

"You've got this tragedy going on now in these red states that's a direct result of bad public health, safety, bad public policy decisions in an effort to please Donald J. Trump," Anthony Scaramucci, former White House communications director turned critic, said in an interview.

Kemp's office didn't respond to a request for comment. But local leaders in Georgia said their hands have been tied by his statewide orders since late April.

"Helpless and demoralized," is how Clarke County Commissioner Russell Edwards described sentiments. Many local officials believed case counts were swelling even as Kemp used the state's official -- and optimistic -- statistics as reasons to keep the economy going.

But the same week Kemp ordered the reopening, his administration began presenting data in a way that made the state appear healthier than it was, said Thomas Tsai, a professor at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The technique involved backdating new cases to the time of first symptoms or taking a test, instead of reporting them as they were reported to the state, like Georgia had previously done -- and like most states do.

"It is deeply concerning," Tsai said. "I cannot of course speak to the motivation."

The effect -- as states were being told to predicate their reopenings on two weeks of declining case numbers -- was to artificially make Georgia's trends look better. The state began adding new cases to past dates on its trend line, making current numbers both too low and incomplete, Tsai said.

"What's deceptive is that they shave off the most recent two weeks," he said. "If you look at the most recent two weeks, it's always very low. It always looks artificially like a downward trend."

The backdating has value for epidemiologists, said Nancy Nydam, a state Public Health Department spokeswoman. "The traditional way to look at data during an outbreak is by symptom onset date, which tells you more about when people are infected," she said in an email.

But Tsai said that the massaged trend chart appeared to dictate policy, and that Georgia shouldn't have shifted counting methods midstream. He called the timing "fishy."

The methodology "may be accurate from the epidemiologists' point of view, but it's another thing entirely to do this halfway through a pandemic," Tsai said. "It is always going to look like it's declining. You are constantly moving the goal posts."Even now, according to a daily comparison by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the difference is striking. A chart based on new reported cases had numbers soaring through July 16. The state's symptom-onset version showed them plummeting after July 2.

The newspaper's chart counted 3,441 new cases Thursday. The "preliminary" number on the state chart: 20.The health department's Nydam said the state will change its methodology again soon, because symptom-onset dates have become less relevant as more asymptomatic people get tests.

The state's counting methods may have obscured the pandemic's spread, but other factors may have had actual mitigating effects.

One was fear: Georgians didn't rush out when allowed, according to mobility data collected by Google. Movement didn't accelerate in earnest until June and remains below prepandemic levels for all location categories except parks and home.Another was sobriety. Georgia didn't open bars until June 1, making a locus of transmission off limits. And restrictions Kemp imposed on reopening other businesses -- like masks for hair salons -- initially kept new infections down.

Many Republicans have argued that late May police-brutality protests were a culprit in the surge, although Tsai is skeptical: "None of us can prove if it was the protests or not. But given what we know about transmission, the clusters are coming from indoor events in settings with poor air circulation for a long duration. Outdoor protests don't check off those boxes."What is certain is that cases began rising in late June and surged in July, developments even massaged data couldn't hide.This month, the state education department and the University System of Georgia both reversed careful reopening plans. The latter also forbade universities from requiring masks in class, sparking fury in Athens, home to the University of Georgia, said Clarke County's Edwards.

"Some of the large-scale student bars have reopened, which science tells us is the most high-risk activity out there," he said. "There is a tremendous amount of apprehension in the community based on a current trajectory."

On July 1, Savannah became the first Georgia city to rebel, mandating masks for citizens.

Kemp initially didn't react. "We saw that and said, 'To hell with this,' " said Edwards. By Wednesday, Clarke County and at least 14 other localities had mask mandates.

That night, Kemp suspended any "law, order, ordinance, rule, or regulation that requires persons to wear face coverings, masks, face shields, or any other Personal Protective Equipment while in places of public accommodation or on public property."

On Thursday, the 3,441 new cases reported brought the total to 131,275. More than 3,100 people in Georgia have died of the disease.
SPRINGFIELD  Unions representing workers at MGM Springfield are pushing the company to extend benefits for furloughed casino workers until the end of the year.

MGM Resorts International previously committed to provide benefits for all eligible employees enrolled on its health plan through Aug. 31.

MGM Springfield reopened this week after a four-month coronavirus-related shutdown that resulted in virtually all of its employees being placed on furlough.

The casino had 2,004 employees at the end of 2019, including 1,479 full-timers and 525 part-timers, according to a report it filed in February with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The casino said Monday that about 700 employees have returned to the payroll.

Ethan Snow, chief of staff for the New England Joint Board of the union Unite Here, said discussions are ongoing between MGM Resorts International, Unite Heres national organization and union locals at MGM sites across the country.

Part of it is based on how quickly they are able to recall people, Snow said. We are hoping that number of recalled employees increases to the point where we dont even have to think about this. But it is something in the back of our minds.

Unite Here is the largest union at the property and represent porters, bartenders, cocktail servers, waiters, slot machine attendants and others. It had about 600 members working at MGM before the pandemic. About 200 have been recalled.

Snow said hes been pleasantly surprised over the past few weeks at the pace employees have been recalled to MGM Springfield. Its a trend he hopes continues.

It seems like every day is more and more, he said. We are hoping thats a good sign.

MGM executives have said they are recalling workers as operations at the casino ramp back up. The entire staff of cleaners was brought back to do the necessary sanitizing work.

The optimism on both sides doesn't mean workers are not concerned.

People have been rightfully worried. The end of August is fast approaching, Snow said, referring to the expiration date for furloughed workers benefits.

The problem is not unique to MGM, Snow said. Unite Here is in similar talks trying to extend health care benefits from other employers in the hospitality industry.

"It's a problem in this country," he said.

Nationally, an estimated 5.4 million American workers are becoming uninsured because of job losses they experienced from February to May of this year. Thats according to a study released last month by Families USA, a nonpartisan think tank focusing on health care.

In Massachusetts, the number of uninsured adults nearly doubled, rising by 93%. This is one of five states that have experienced increases exceeding 40% in the number of uninsured adults, according to the same study.

MGM didn't comment on Unite Here's efforts.

The MGM Emergency Grant Fund is available to support laid-off and furloughed employees. Grants are being provided to MGM employees with urgent needs, such as rent payments, mortgage payments, groceries or utilities. The MGM Resorts Foundation has raised more than $7 million for its Employee Emergency Grant Fund, including a $1 million donation from MGM Resorts International.

To date, the company has disbursed more than $10 million in emergency grant payments supporting qualified employees and their immediate families impacted by the coronavirus.

Frank A. Rossi, president of Teamsters Local 404 in Springfield, said MGM has been cooperative throughout the shutdown and reopening process.

The Teamsters negotiated and extension of their members recall rights so that even recently hired members are recalled if jobs open up within a year. The union also negotiated an end to the waiting period recalled employees would have had to work through before getting health insurance. Now, theyll get back on the plan immediately after being rehired.

Rossi said the union gave up notification requirements for scheduling changes, giving management more flexibility.

The Teamsters had a total of 70 members working at MGM before the shutdown, mostly in the warehouse and in shipping and receiving, but also at the front desk of the still-closed hotel and in the valet parking department.

"We are hoping they will recall the people by the end of August," he said. "And if not, then those folks will be on unemployment still."

Snow said casino operators in New England stand to benefit from the regions largely successful efforts to contain the disease. But he warned that MGM Resorts has locations elsewhere  Mississippi, Las Vegas  where coronavirus is not yet on the wane. In those states, the casinos might have to close back down.

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Britain is 95% certain that cyber attacks against labs developing a Covid-19 vaccine were carried out by the Russian state, Security Minister James Brokenshire has said.

The minister said that is the assessment of the National Cyber Security Centre.

Mr Brokenshire also tried to play down talk of confusion over whether or not people should continue to work from home.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Brokenshire said the cyber attacks were carried out with the intent of extracting intellectual property and information.

He said: This is incredibly serious, it is appalling that any government should act in this way and thats why we have called this out.

Referring to the National Cyber Security Centre, he said: Their attribution is about 95%-plus in terms of who is responsible.

Mr Brokenshire was speaking after Britain, the United States and Canada accused Russian spies of targeting scientists seeking to develop a coronavirus vaccine.

The three allies said hackers linked to Russian intelligence were seeking to steal the secrets of research bodies around the world, including in the UK.

Mr Brokenshire refused to comment on whether the attacks have been effectively halted, saying only: This is an ongoing incident, which is why we have put this alert out there, why there is mitigation that has been put in place.

The comments came as Mr Brokenshire said it is up to employers to decide with employees whether people should work from home.

Mr Brokenshire said: The advice actually says that employers should decide in consultation with their employees whether its viable for them to continue working from home.

But, if they do (return to the workplace), then obviously this needs to be based on risk assessment, public health guidance, and ensuring that its a Covid-safe space for them to do so.

His remarks came after the Governments chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said working from home is a perfectly good option.

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Pressed on whether people should return to workplaces if they can, Mr Brokenshire said: Its for employers to make that assessment.

The National Cyber Security Centre and allies have revealed that Russian cyber actors have been launching cyber attacks against #coronavirus vaccine developers. This is completely reprehensible. Organisations at risk should follow @NCSC advice. https://t.co/yrcfMuNpJ2  James Brokenshire (@JBrokenshire) July 16, 2020

The minister insisted there is no evidence that Russia has succeeded in stealing any information from pharmaceutical companies developing a Covid-19 vaccine in a series of co-ordinated cyber attacks.

He said: Obviously, we know these groups have been able to penetrate systems and to look around and assess what information is there.

He added that a separate allegation of Russian interference with the December general election was not being attributed to the Russian state.

Mr Brokenshire said there is an ongoing criminal investigation into how a document relating to a planned UK-US trade deal had been obtained and leaked online.

He refused to comment on whether Britains democratic processes had effectively been tampered with, saying only: Any type of intervention in this way is completely unacceptable too, in terms of our democratic processes.
Mary Trump, the niece of President Trump, has said she heard her uncle use the n-word and anti-Semitic slurs.

Speaking to Rachel Maddow on MSNBC she said: 'Of course I did. And I don't think that should surprise anybody given how virulently racist he is today.'

Mary Trump had earlier said in a new interview about her blockbuster book that her family engaged in casual bigotry throughout her childhood.

'Growing up, it was sort of normal to hear them use the n-word or use anti-Semitic expressions,' she told The Washington Post. She said the president is 'clearly racist,' which is a product of his upbringing and also politically motivated.

Pressed by Maddow if she had heard the president use the n-word and anti-Semitic slurs Mary Trump replied: 'Yes.'

The White House has called Mary's allegations 'a book of falsehoods', adding: 'The president doesn't use those words.'

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Mary Trump, the niece of President Trump, has said in an interview with Rachel Maddow on MSNBC she heard her uncle use the n-word and anti-Semitic slurs

Mary Trump said President Trump (pictured) is 'clearly racist,' which she said was part of his upbringing, but he also uses racism politically 'to score him points with the only people who are continuing to support him'

BREAKING: President Trump's niece tells @maddow that she's heard Trump use anti-Semitic slurs and the N-word.



The latest for @NBCNightlyNews: pic.twitter.com/55FERVVXgX  Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) July 16, 2020

Mary Trump's book 'Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man' came out Tuesday and is already a bestseller

She told The Post that she hasn't been surprised by the president's racist language nor policies, including separating children from their parents at the southern border.

'No, the more divisive the better, the cooler,' she said.

'It comes easily to him and he thinks it's going to score him points with the only people who are continuing to support him,' Mary Trump said.

She described what her family engaged in as 'a knee-jerk anti-Semitism, a knee-jerk racism.'

'Homophobia was never an issue because nobody ever talked about gay people, well, until my grandmother called Elton John' an anti-gay slur,' she also told The Post.

That anecdote was one of many memorable moments in Mary Trump's new book, 'Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man.'

In the book, she describes her grandmother Mary calling the choice to have John sing at the funeral of Princess Diana 'a disgrace' and said he was a 'little' six-letter slur.

She said that led to her decision not to come out to her family.

Mary Trump was secretly engaged to a woman, but had to push back her wedding because her grandfather, Fred Trump Sr., had died.

In the book, Mary Trump recalls her grandfather Fred Trump Sr. (left) using phrases like 'Jew me down,' and said her grandmother, also named Mary (right), called Elton John an anti-gay slur

Mary Trump writes in the book about her father Freddy Trump (center) joining a historically Jewish fraternity and wonders if he did so as a 'conscious rebuke' to Fred Trump Sr.'s anti-semitism. Pictured are all five Trump children: Robert, Elizabeth, Freddy, Donald and Maryanne

She recounts her grandfather using terms like 'Jew me down.'

She said her father, Freddy Trump, who died at age 43 in 1981 after suffering from alcoholism, joined the historically Jewish fraternity Sigma Alpha Mu as a young man, and pondered in the book whether it was a 'conscious rebuke' of Fred Sr.'s anti-Semitism.

She described President Trump's 2016 campaign as being racist several times in the book.

'He did tap into a certain bigotry and inchoate rage, which he's always been good at doing,' she wrote, pointing to the 1989 New York Times ad the president took out demanding that the Central Park Five - a group of five black suspects who were cleared of assault and rape charges - be executed.

Mary Trump wrote about the Department of Justice case that accused Fred Trump Sr. and President Trump of not renting apartments to black people, though she called them allegations because she didn't have evidence to back them up.

While not mentioned in the book, there's long been speculation that Trump used the n-word behind-the-scenes during the filming of 'The Apprentice,' but the tapes have never surfaced.

Pressed by Maddow if she had heard the president use the n-word and anti-Semitic slurs Mary Trump replied: 'Yes'

Mary Trump said of the Trump family in a new interview with The Washington Post that it was 'normal to hear them use the n-word or use anti-Semitic expressions.' Here she's captured during her first TV interview, with 'Good Morning America'

She also recalled the odd scene at Ivanka Trump's wedding to Jared Kushner when Kushner's father, who'd been released from prison three years prior, spoke about how 'when Jared had first introduced him to Ivanka, he had thought she would never be good enough to join the family.'

'It was only after she had committed to converting to Judasim and worked hard to make it happen that he had begun to think she might be worthy of them after all,' Mary Trump wrote.

The author took offense to this, adding, 'Considering that Charles had been convicted of hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, taping their illicit encounter, and then sending the recording to his sister at his nephew's engagement party, I found his condescension a bit out of line.'

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's wedding marked the first time Mary Trump had seen her living aunts and uncles in 10 years after her grandfather - and then grandmother - cut Mary Trump and her brother out of their wills, since their father had died.

It kicked off Mary Trump having a closer relationship with her eldest aunt, Maryanne, who's quoted in parts of the book.

She also said that led to her decision to visit the White House in April 2017, as the family was celebrating aunt Maryanne and also aunt Elizabeth's birthdays.

Mary Trump, seen sitting at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office during an April 2017 visit to the White House to celebrate the birthdays of two of her aunts. She opens the book with that White House trip

Still, Mary Trump had been a Hillary Clinton supporter and says she will vote for Joe Biden this time around, while having supported Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the Democratic primary.

She told The Post that she didn't think her cousin Ivanka was enough of a steadying force in the administration.

'She doesn't do anything. She spouts bromides on social media, but either she tries to have an impact and fails, or just isn't interested in having an impact,' Mary Trump said. 'I can't think of one thing she's done to show that she's moderate or a moderating influence.'

And so she decided to make her own mark by putting out the book a mere four months before voters head to the polls.

'Id seen enough in the last few years to know that no one thing is going to make a bit of difference,' she told The Post. 'This is going to be - using the expression loosely - death by a thousand lashes, right? And maybe in this case it's going [to] take a million lashes, so it's more about adding to the record of egregious things that have happened and for which there has been no accountability.'

'But more than that,' she continued. 'I also felt a responsibility to make sure that people are as informed as possible when November comes, because I do not believe that was the case in 2016 at all.'

When asked what will happen if her uncle wins a second term, she told the paper, 'I may be in the Caribbean.'
An Ebonyi state Magistrates Court sitting in Abakaliki on Thursday July 16, handed a 12 months jail sentence without an option of fine to one Emmanuel Nwonu, said to be the son of a visually-impaired man.

The convict was accused of stealing N45,465 belonging to St. Patrick Catholic Church in Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki. The sum of N41,465 was recovered from Nwonu who was also accused of stealing an undisclosed amount of money and a phone from a woman in the Udunukwe area of Abakaliki.

The charges against the convict who was arraigned on two counts of burglary and stealing on Thursday July 16, read;

That you, Emmanuel Nwonu, July 11, 2020, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District, did enter a building used for religious worship and stole the sum of N45,465 belonging to St. Patrick Catholic Church, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 415 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009. That you, Emmanuel Nwonu, on the same date and place and in the same aforesaid magisterial district, did wilfully and unlawfully damaged one offering box and its padlock valued at N15,000, property of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.

Nwonu pleaded guilty to charges and also blamed his actions on his poor condition. He said;

I am really suffering taking care of my visually impaired father; it has not been that easy for me. Currently, I have no place of my own to stay. I sleep under the Spera-In-Deo flyover every night. I am a driver and I lost my job, and since then, I have not found any other job to do.

Magistrate A. C. Nwusulor who presided over the case, said he decided sentence Nwonu to 12 months imprisonment instead of 7 years so he can think and repent. It was further gathered that prior to his recent sentencing, the convict was apprehended twice for stealing in 2017.
The House of Representative Committee which is investigating alleged misappropriation of funds in the Niger Delta Development Commission...

The House of Representative Committee which is investigating alleged misappropriation of funds in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has summoned Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, to appear before it on Monday.





This follows the appearance of the former Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Joi Nunieh, on Friday.





Nunieh showed up before the committee via Zoom.





She was scheduled to appear before the committee on Thursday, but her Port Harcourt home was surrounded by Police.





It took the intervention of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to save her from the siege and she was taken to the Government House





The House Committee is investigating alleged mismanagement of funds by the current NDDCs Interim Management Committee (IMC).





Akpabio had ordered his lawyer to commence legal actions against Nunieh over allegations she made against him.





The former Governor of Akwa Ibom State described Nuniehs claims against him, as cornucopia of false, malicious and libellous.




Police officers captured an unlikely suspect bouncing through a Florida neighbourhood Thursday morning.

After receiving a call about a kangaroo running loose, Fort Lauderdale police officers managed to capture him and place him in a squad car. The marsupial was taken to a barn where the agency keeps its horses. Later, it was handed over to Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission who took it to a safe location.

Taking to Twitter, the department shared an update about the marsupial:

#Kangaroo update. Hes been turned over to the custody of @MyFWC. They have him at a safe location outside Fort Lauderdale where he is under the care of veterinarians and wildlife experts. @FTLCityNews @SunSentinel @wsvn @CBSMiami @WPLGLocal10 @nbc6 pic.twitter.com/Llc3BsDpq8  Fort Lauderdale Police (@FLPD411) July 17, 2020

Anthony Macias, who claims to be the kangaroos owner, told the Sun Sentinel he had been hoping to bring his pet, Jack, home, but police told him the animal wont be returned, because Fort Lauderdale isnt zoned for kangaroos.

Macias said he was at work when he learned Jack had escaped.

I was taking out the recycle bin, and I didnt shut the gate all the way, Macias said. I guess he just punched his way through.

Jack was first spotted about a block from Maciass home around 9:30 a.m., officials said. Officers followed him for three blocks before grabbing him.

Macias said he got Jack about four months ago from a Davie man who was moving and did not want the animal anymore. Macias also has a Corgi named Max.

They love each other, he said. They play and run around.

The department also shared another video which shows the animal in their horse barn. They wrote Fort Lauderdale code does not allow exotic animals like this within the city limits.

The @MyFWC will be taking care of the kangaroo rescued from wandering the streets of the city this morning. Fort Lauderdale code does not allow exotic animals like this within the city limits. @FTLCityNews @wsvn @CBSMiami @WPLGLocal10 @nbc6 @AC360 @ABC pic.twitter.com/n06Cg58xr6  Fort Lauderdale Police (@FLPD411) July 16, 2020

People shared various reactions on the posts. One Twitter user claimed that they are the one who informed the police about the wandering animal. Sharing their experience they wrote, I called it in! Strangest conversation with police dispatch EVER. Jokingly, another individual tried to recreate the conversation and tweeted, There is a loose Kangaroo in Ft Lauderdale. Ok, we will send out a unit right away. Police dispatcher after: got anymore coffee?

Looks like a baby, expressed a Twitter user.

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My partner had been allowed into a few ultrasound scans. Still wearing masks, he beamed, so happy to see our little tacker spinning and flicking its limbs. Although not a DHHS guideline, different hospitals set their own rules tailored to ensuring the safety of staff and patients. The Royal Women's Hospital eased restrictions and two support people were allowed in a birthing suite. Now, as the second wave sweeps metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, and at 36 weeks, it seems I'll be giving birth under stage 3 restrictions. Will my partner be present at the birth? Will our parents be allowed to visit? What happens if we get sick in the lead-up and the doctors and midwives have to wear full personal protective equipment? But I've come to terms with the realities. Two support people have been reduced to one again. The birthing partner must also wear a mask and can no longer use the waiting room. As Ryan says, they are in it for the long haul. Almost six months since COVID-19 began spreading, there is still very little known about its impact on pregnant women. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a report that found pregnant women may be at increased risk for severe COVID-19.

But researcher Dr Clare Whitehead from the Royal Womens Hospital says she thinks this isn't the case. Whitehead has spearheaded a national registry of 28 Australian maternity hospitals alongside Dr Kirsten Palmer from Monash Health and a research project to try to improve the limited evidence on the impact of coronavirus on mothers and babies. Since March there have been 50 pregnant women in Australia who have contracted COVID-19. "I think, on the whole, the outcome from a pregnancy point of view is pretty reassuring,

the outcomes if you catch it when you are pregnant seem to be very similar to if you're not pregnant," she says. They are working closely with researchers in Britain, Europe and the US to contribute their information into a global understanding. She also says pregnant women shouldn't be deterred from coming to hospital for their antenatal appointments. Mordialloc mum Frances Domingo gave birth to her baby Minda at the start of the first lockdown in Melbourne.

"There's a lot of procedures that's gone into making sure people are safe and healthy. I think we've put good structures in place for pregnant women." Mordialloc new mother Frances Domingo went into labour at Jessie McPherson Private Hospital in Clayton on March 24. When we arrived at the hospital, the lockdown strategies weren't entirely in place yet, everything was much stricter by the time we were discharged five days later, she says. But Domingos husband, Chris, was the only one allowed in the birthing suite. My obstetrician said the last patient had been bawling her eyes out because she wasn't going to be able to bring her son to the hospital, she was going to have to leave him with someone.

Only having one person in the birthing suite can be a challenge for some people, due to cultural reasons, not having the support of a doula or the inability to have sons or daughters visit. Loading It was a bit strange being in lockdown with a newborn. In a way, it was good because I really appreciated the quiet time to bond with my baby, she says. But what was hard was not having that face-to-face advice when you want it. We had no maternal health visits at all. We only had phone calls, no one saw [my daughter] Minda in person between her birth and when I took her in to get weighed at four to five weeks. PANDA CEO Julie Borninkhof says they'd seen an increase in Victorian-based callers with the second lockdown announced. "We're expecting that rate to rise," she says.

Parenting groups have also been migrated online. Borninkhof says it was important people reached out to friends, support networks or agencies like PANDA. "There are so many disruptions and things that can trigger the way that you cope with life, your ability to be resilient," she said. "We allow people to check in and find out how they're travelling, we're able to connect them up with localised services and supports when they need that." For me there have been positives to being in a lockdown; I've had the privilege of throwing up in my own toilet when I've been nauseous, of wearing leggings all day and of working comfortably in the weeks before my maternity leave kicks in. I've also had my partner working from home, which has meant we've had more time to "nest" together. Amid the outside chaos, the dance of new life continues. As my partner keeps saying, global health crisis or not, this baby is coming out.
An international expert group led by Mathias Wirth, Professor of Systematic Theology and Ethics at the University of Bern, has developed recommendations for avoiding triage of COVID-19 patients in extreme situations. The recommendations should support medical personnel in difficult decisions during a second wave of the infection and ensure better patient care.

A lack of intensive care ventilation units owing to rapidly increasing infection rates numbers among the most significant nightmare scenarios of the corona pandemic. Shortages of supply can result in triage of patients suffering from severe cases of COVID-19 and thus force a life or death decision." Mathias Wirth, Head of the Ethics Department in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Bern

Here, triage means favoring some COVID-19 patients over others depending on urgency and prognosis. Together with experts from Yale University, King's College London, Charite Berlin and Essen University Hospital, medical ethicist Mathias Wirth has prepared a statement on these difficult decisions. The statement was published in the American Journal of Bioethics (AJOB), the most frequently cited scientific journal in the entire field of ethics.

Triage is only ethically justifiable under very specific circumstances

The experts warn against the possibility of prematurely implementing triage; even though triage allows for decisions based on fairness in extreme situations, it leads to significant strain on the affected parties, relatives and medical personnel. In order to avoid it, every effort must be made to transfer seriously ill patients to other hospitals without shortages of supply - across country borders in case of emergency, according to the authors.

In concrete terms, Mathias Wirth's team of researchers recommend increased regional, national and even international collaboration in intensive care for COVID-19 patients in preparation for future waves of infection. "Just because triage is correct under some circumstances does not mean that it is correct under all circumstances," says Wirth. "There is no real and legitimate triage situation as long as treatment spaces are available elsewhere."

Negative decision requires special care

Secondly, a negative triage decision for individual people should not under any circumstances mean that their medical and psychological care is neglected. Quite the opposite: If they are deprived of a ventilator, maximum effort is required for their care and treatment, both for them and for their relatives.

The statement from Wirth et al. presents all stakeholders who advocate for more collaboration in the future situation with strong arguments. Because the judgments associated with triage give too little consideration to moral problems, according to medical ethicists. "The suffering that triage decisions involved for patients, relatives and medical personnel in the epicenters of the first wave attests to this," says Wirth. Thanks to the recommendations, triage planning can be classified more clearly as a last resort, meaning that alternatives must be afforded greater attention.
On July 16, armed formations of the Russian Federation violated the ceasefire in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) area in Donbas 13 times.

The enemy used 122mm artillery systems, 82mm and 120mm mortars banned under the Minsk agreements, grenade launchers of different systems, heavy machine guns, antiaircraft guns, sniping weapons, and small arms to attack Ukrainian positions, the press center of the JFO Headquarters reports.

In the zone of action of tactical force East, Russian-occupation troops fired 120mm mortars, grenade launchers of different systems, heavy machine guns, antiaircraft guns, and small arms near Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk); grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms  outside Opytne (12km north-west of Donetsk); grenade launchers of different systems and small arms  on the approaches to Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk), Hnutove (20km north-east of Mariupol), Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk); heavy machine guns and sniping weapons  outside Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk).

In the zone of action of tactical force North, the enemy used 122mm artillery systems to shell Ukrainian positions near Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk); 120mm mortars, grenade machine guns, and small arms  outside Prychepylivka (50km north-west of Luhansk); 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns  in the area of Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk).

Four Ukrainian soldiers were wounded over the past day.

Today, the Russian armed formations have violated ceasefire once, firing tripod-mounted man-portable antitank guns, heavy machine guns, and small arms on Ukrainian strongholds near Vodiane.

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In June, 2020, Dan Cathy, the CEO of Chick-fil-A; Louie Giglio, pastor of Passion City Church; and Lecrae, a platinum-selling recording artist, gathered to discuss the tortuous death of George Floyd, choked by officer Derek Chauvin, who put his knee on the unarmed mans neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. They gathered to talk about Ahmaud Arbery, who was chased down by armed residents, surrounded, and shot to death in Glynn County, Georgia, on February 23. A potential cover-up protected the murderers.

After Rayshard Brooks was killed by police in the drive-thru of an Atlanta Wendys, Cathy, Giglio, and Lecrae sat together to talk about racism and the churchs role. Over 60 percent of white Christians think pastors should not talk about race. Forty percent believe race and immigration should never even be a topic in church. Meanwhile, an equal number of black folks say that pastors and churches should. This shows that racial reconciliation conferences do not work. Before reconciliation can be introduced, we have to embrace the truth.

In the aftermath of terrible state violence in other countries, truth and reconciliation commissions convened to bring reparative, restorative, or punitive justice. This happened in Rwanda after the 1994 genocide, in South Africa after the fall of apartheid, and after what is termed the Dirty War in Argentina. This has never happened in the United States.

Christians of every color should have a firm, biblical grasp of the necessity for individual and collective confession and repentance before forgiveness and reconciliation can occur.

These secular governments understand a fundamental reality that should be familiar to followers of Jesus: We confess and God forgives. Truth and acknowledgement come before reconciliation. Christians of every color should have a firm, biblical grasp of the necessity for individual and collective confession and repentance before forgiveness and reconciliation can occur.

When we trespass, we must wrestle with the gravity of personal and corporate sinsincluding sinful actions we were not even aware of, injustices we benefit from, and results that we did not intend. We must lament, confess, and repent (Acts 2:38; 3:19). Only then are we truly reconciled to God through Christ Jesus and sent, equipped, to be ministers of reconciliation to others (2 Cor. 5:18).

In well-resourced, often white evangelical churches, entire ministries and parachurch organizations disciple people out of patterns of sin, struggles with alcoholism, and drug addiction. Ministries serve those in need while reinforcing their personal dignity and value. But such compassion toward sinners and the needy gets lost once the topic turns to white supremacy.

White Christians and those pursuing whiteness often become defensive and angry when asked what Jesus would say about the race-, class-, gender- and ideologically based hierarchy evident in our world. The inability and unwillingness to acknowledge and confess what exists and repent creates conditions for violence and oppression against people of color. Our country and its churches are socialized to not critique white supremacy.

The church has been instrumental in the creation, defense, and propagation of the myth of whiteness under the reign of White Jesus. Jemar Tisby, author of the best-selling The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Churchs Complicity in Racism, lays out clear and searing connections between the enslavement of Africans and leaders of white congregations. Many of the men who conducted night rides that terrorized black communities with burned crosses and lynchings were the very same men who ascended to pulpits to preach on Sunday.

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Soong Chan-Rah and Mark Charles in Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery, go back further, detailing how 15th-century church edicts exalted those with lighter skin and rejected the personhood of those with darker skin. A series of Roman Catholic decrees (the Doctrine of Discovery, 1493) codified white supremacy and sanctioned genocide, rape and abuse against African and Native peoples. Theologian Willie Jennings asserted the purpose was to bring people and the planet to maturity.

Colonialism created a counter-faith I call White American Folk Religion (WAFR). Its a set of beliefs and practices grounded in a race, class, gender, and ideological hierarchy that segregates and ranks all people under a light-skinned, thin-lipped, blond-haired Christ. Americans of every color and racial assignment must reckon with the current and historic reality of a country and its churches rooted in White American Folk Religion. WAFR fuels ignorance, complicity, and willing participation in the patterns of injustice that perpetuate the death and degradation of brown, black, and indigenous women and men. Yet, in this moment of racial turmoil, those entangled in WAFR believe it is their right and responsibility to speak, teach, and lead.

In our post-colonial world, and especially in the United States, Western seminaries and theology prioritize whiteness and defer to white men like Giglio and Cathyevangelical, older, white, wealthy, well-known, well-educated, well-connected, able-bodied, and gainfully employedand regard them as credible and trustworthy, though neither Giglio nor Cathy is an expert on American policing or the history of a racism that promotes mass incarceration and instinctively perceives black bodies as criminal in every community. Neither of them has done the inner work to decolonize and disempower their frames of WAFR reference. They were not chosen to lead this dialogue in front of cameras and congregants in a crisis because of their experience or expertise but because they fit the description of authority.

There are many leaders who could have led this dialogue with clarity, conviction, and compassion and who are already leading Christ-centered, Holy Spiritfilled movements. They were passed over in favor of these, like too many in the white church and of the world, who speak lies from the pit of hell about how slavery is a white blessing from their Christ in their stained glass windows.

Colonialism succeeded. Racism is pervasiveso much so that we are often unaware of the depths of our socialized sin and individual participation.

Colonialism succeeded. Racism is pervasiveso much so that we are often unaware of the depths of our socialized sin and individual participation. Giglio apologized on Instagram and asked for prayer. What he did not do was confess how his seminary training and discipleship did not prepare him to lead in this moment; that he is stepping down and stepping back to make space for the women and men of color to lead this conversation; and that he will take their direction. Often, white Christians are not willing to believe, let alone follow, people of color or rigorously engage in the process of detangling the Jesus of scripture from WAFR. This is what the work of decolonization looks like.

Pastors of every color in Giglios position must acknowledge that western theology and praxis are intertwined with WAFR and confess where they lack the personal and institutional wisdom to comprehensively resist white supremacy. Church leaders that are ill-equipped to lead and teach on issues of ethnic justice and reconciliation should confess their limitations and empower leaders of color to shepherd them and their congregants towards the Acts 2 community of true fellowship and wonder and unity and prayer (Acts 2:4244). In the face of certain backlash, pastors must do more than denounce racism. Christians need to be discipled out of prejudice, bias, and WAFR. This begins with white pastors confessing complicity in racist systems and testifying to Gods grace and forgiveness in their own lives; then they can lead others to do the same.

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How amazing it would be if pastors and leaders who benefit from the racism in their families and institutions repented for not resisting racist actions, ideology, and theology? What if pastors repented publicly for not rejecting the curse of Ham, not standing up for the Japanese during internment, or participating in white flight because people of color moved into their neighborhoods? What if parents asked for forgiveness from God and their children for saying, You can marry anyone but one of them? What if Christian families and institutions quantified their benefits from slavery and genocide of native peoples and allocated money toward financial reparation? This would be profound, powerful, and beyond significant for people of color.

White people too would be liberated from the false burden of superiority, the lie of white supremacy, and enter into the desegregated, reconciled family of God. No more statements, panel discussions, conferences, or book clubs; what we need is lament, confession, repentance, and a refusal to conform to the worlds racist patterns. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we might all be one and preview the coming great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb (Rev. 7:917). We can experience a slice of this future on this side of heaven if, as the body of Christ, we embrace truth and reconciliation in the United States.

Jonathan Walton is the author of Twelve Lies That Hold America Captive: And the Truth That Sets Us Free. He is also an area director for InterVarsity NY/NJ focusing on spiritual formation and experiential discipleship. He is from Southern Virginia and lives in New York City.
USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the support organization for the advancement and adoption of USB technology, today announced an updated USB Device Class Definition for MIDI Devices, Version 2.0 in support of MIDI 2.0 devices. The standard represents an industry-wide effort by the USB-IF, MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA), and Association of Musical Electronics Industry (AMEI) to provide MIDI users with an expanded MIDI environment connected by USB.

USB-IF is proud to support the MMA and AMEI by publishing an updated USB Device Class Specification for next-generation MIDI devices, said Jeff Ravencraft, USB-IF President and COO. USB has been an integral part of the MIDI environment over the past 20 years, and we look forward to seeing innovative new devices that are enabled by this updated specification.

Mike Kent, Project Chair of the USB MIDI class specification and Chairman of the MMA's MIDI 2.0 Working Group, said, "This updated specification delivers many improvements that musicians and artists want from MIDI 2.0, including bidirectional communication, higher-speed throughput, more MIDI channels, accurate timing with dense MIDI streams, and backwards compatibility with MIDI 1.0 devices. The USB-IF's work is a major, and significant, step forward for MIDI 2.0."

The original USB Device Class Specification supporting MIDI 1.0 devices was published in 1999. Since then, USB MIDI has grown significantly and is now the most widely used transport for MIDI. The updated specification uses the new Universal MIDI Packet format over USB, and is designed to cover the widest range possible of MIDI applications and products. This USB specification is a key enabler for MIDI 2.0, supporting the inspiring features of MIDI 2.0 devices while integrating backward support for MIDI 1.0 devices.

Companies contributing to the updated specification include Apple Corporation, Knowles Corporation, Native Instruments, Roland Corporation, and Yamaha Corporation.

About the USB-IF

The non-profit USB Implementers Forum, Inc. was formed to provide a support organization and forum for the advancement and adoption of USB technology as defined in the USB specifications. The USB-IF facilitates the development of high-quality compatible USB devices through its logo and compliance program, and promotes the benefits of USB and the quality of products that have passed compliance testing. Further information, including postings of the most recent product and technology announcements, is available by visiting the USB-IF website at www.usb.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200716005214/en/
Mining giant Rio Tinto lifted its shipments of iron ore during the June quarter, driven by strong demand from China's steel mills, but warns a second wave of COVID-19 infections presents a key risk for advanced economies.

The nation's second largest miner on Friday revealed it had shipped 86.7 million tonnes of the steelmaking commodity from its operations in Western Australia's Pilbara in the three months to June 30, compared to 85.4 million tonnes a year earlier. The result came in slightly below investment bank UBS expectations that Rio's iron ore shipments for the quarter would be 88.1 million tonnes.

Australia's top miners have benefited as prices for iron ore, the nation's top export, have passed $US100 a tonne.

Chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques said Rio remained on course to meet its full-year iron ore export targets. "Despite various COVID-19 related challenges, all our assets have continued to operate, with our first priority to protect the health and safety of all our employees and communities," he said.

The production and sales of iron ore, Australia's biggest export commodity, are considered pivotal to the strength of the federal budget and the national economy.
BANGALORE, India, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Agriculture IoT Market size was valued at USD 16,330 Million in 2017 and is projected to reach USD 48,714 Million by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 14.7% from 2018 to 2025.

In the agriculture industry, IoT incorporates advanced technological tools, systems, equipment, and solutions to enhance operational efficiency, maximize yield and minimize energy wastage through real-time field data collection, data storage, data analysis, and platform development.

One of the major factors that are expected to increase the Agriculture IoT Market size is the efforts of various governments of the countries across the globe to increase the quality and quantity of agriculture production. Shortages in skilled labour in advanced countries are pushing automation in the agriculture sector.

Get Detailed Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on Agriculture IoT Market: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/ALLI-Auto-0H300/Internet_of_Things_IOT_in_Agriculture_Market

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE AGRICULTURE IOT MARKET SIZE

Factors such as an increase in the global population and a rise in food demand have fuelled the adoption of new technologies to maximize agricultural production. This is expected to be one of the major factors that are driving growth in the Agriculture IoT Market.

Climate change plays an important role in affecting global agricultural growth. Severe weather conditions are thus helping to implement IoT-based technologies to improve agricultural production.

According to recent estimates from the United Nations, by 2050, the global population is projected to hit 9.8 Billion, with an estimated population growth of about 83 Million. The growing population is in turn increasing the food demand there by prompting farmers to either increase the amount of agricultural land to grow crops or increase productivity on existing agricultural land by introducing new methods such as precision farming. This factor is expected to fuel the growth of the Agriculture IoT Market.

Several government agencies have implemented awareness campaigns, policy changes, and private-sector links to promote smart farming in their respective regions. This, in turn, is expected to increase the Agriculture IoT Market size.

Many farming societies are unaware of the internet of things due to which IoT is less commonly adopted in agriculture. Farmers are not given sufficient awareness about the use of IoT in agriculture, and this factor is limiting the growth of the Agriculture IoT Market size.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/ALLI-Auto-0H300/internet-of-things-iot-in-agriculture

AGRICULTURE IOT MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

The agriculture IoT market for services is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. Service providers include businesses offering farm management services, computer processing, and farm data analytics to tech companies or farmers directly. Analytics tools help provide appropriate calls and warnings on farming operations to enhance the farmers' decision-making ability.

Precision Farming to account for the largest share of the agriculture IoT market during the forecast period. This rise in the market can be attributed to the rising emphasis on improving farm production and productivity. Precision agriculture has the ability to change the agricultural paradigm by making conventional farming practices more productive and predictable.

In 2017, Asia-Pacific held the largest Agriculture IoT Market share. This dominance is due to population growth, coupled with increased food demand in the region. Furthermore, the government's initiative to use remote sensing technology to gather ground data and satellite imagery to detect agricultural conditions in different regions is expected to further improve the demand growth.

held the largest Agriculture IoT Market share. This dominance is due to population growth, coupled with increased food demand in the region. Furthermore, the government's initiative to use remote sensing technology to gather ground data and satellite imagery to detect agricultural conditions in different regions is expected to further improve the demand growth. During the forecast period, Europe is projected to hold the second-largest Agriculture IoT Market share. European farmers are already using smart agricultural technologies such as yield tracking, GNSS technology in guidance and steering, variable rate application, and crop scouting.

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INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) IN AGRICULTURE KEY MARKET SEGMENTS

By System

Automation and control systems

Sensing and monitoring devices

Livestock monitoring hardware

Fish farming hardware

Smart greenhouse hardware

Software.

By Application

Precision farming

Livestock monitoring

Smart greenhouse

Fish farm monitoring.

Some of the Major Players Analyzed in the Global Agriculture IoT Market Report Include

Cisco Systems, Inc.

International Business Management Corporation (IBM),

Telit, Hitachi, Ltd

Decisive Farming

Trimble Inc.

OnFarm Systems Inc.

Farmers Edge Inc

SlantRange, Inc.

The Climate Corporation.

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SIMILAR REPORTS :

Agriculture Analytics Market Report

In 2019, the global Agriculture Analytics market size was USD 548.9 Million and it is expected to reach USD 1060.5 Million by the end of 2026, at a CAGR of 9.8% during 2021-2026.

The major drivers for the growth of Agriculture Analytics Market size are government measures to implement modern farming techniques, rising competition to meet global food demand and improving farm productivity.

The major vendors include Deere & Company, IBM, SAP SE, Trimble, Monsanto Company, Oracle, Accenture, Iteris, Taranis, Agribotix, Agrivi, DTN, aWhere, Granular, Proagrica, etc. This report focuses on the global Agriculture Analytics status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-13W2918/covid-19-impact-on-global-agriculture-analytics

IoT in Smart Farming Market Report

The scale of the IoT market in agriculture varies greatly across regions due to technological growth speed. In North America, a growing number of companies provide IoT solutions to improve agricultural production and maximize the advantages of incorporating emerging technologies, such as 5 G and cloud computing with IoT applications, which help streamline farming businesses.

The IoT in Smart Farming Market report includes an extensive assessment of the key strategic developments adopted by the leading market participants in the industry.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-0R269/iot-in-smart-farming

Livestock Monitoring Market Report

The livestock monitoring market is anticipated to grow rapidly owing to the growing size of dairy farms, technological advancements and new product launches, and substantial cost savings associated with livestock monitoring management.

The Livestock Monitoring market is analyzed, and market size information is provided by regions (countries). This report also analyzes the impact of Coronavirus COVID-19 on the Livestock Monitoring industry.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-0A225/livestock-monitoring

Smart Agriculture Market

The global Smart Agriculture market size will reach USD 6385.13 Million in 2026, from USD 3428.48 Million in 2019, with a CAGR of 9.59% from 2020 to 2026.

The Smart Agriculture Market size is driven by factors such as the increasing strain on the food supply system due to the increasingly growing population, the increasing use of new technology in farming, the growing focus of farmers on livestock monitoring and disease detection and the increasing emphasis on reducing the number of animals.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-29P2139/global-smart-agriculture

Smart Agriculture Sensors Market Report

The main factors driving Smart Agriculture Sensors Market size include the growing use of agricultural sensors in precision farming, growing collaborations between agrochemical firms, and providers of agricultural sensors.

The major players in the market include Vishay, Honeywell, Texas Instruments, Auroras s.r.l., Bosch, Avidor High Tech, Libelium, Sol Chip Ltd, Pycno Agriculture, CropX Inc, Trimble Inc, Sentera, LLC., The Yield Pty Ltd, etc.

The research report has incorporated the analysis of different factors that augment the market's growth. It constitutes trends, restraints, and drivers that transform the market positively or negatively.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-1D318/smart-agriculture-sensors

Crop Management Software Market Report

The key regions covered in the Crop Management Software market report are North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, and Central & South America, etc.

The report includes a country-wise and region-wise market size for the period 2015-2026. It also includes market size and forecast by Type and application segment in terms of revenue for 2015-2026.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-1Y2874/covid-19-impact-on-global-crop-management-software

Crop Monitoring Technology in Precision Farming Market Report

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-28T2138/global-crop-monitoring-technology-in-precision-farming

Farm Management Systems Market Report

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-2V312/farm-management-systems

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A 28-year-old Zimbabwean man two weeks ago doused himself with petrol before setting himself on fire in the eastern Johannesburg suburb of Alberton.





Tinashe Marimo, who hailed from Chitungwiza, allegedly committed the act in a fit of rage. He was hospitalized for a few days with third degree burns and eventually succumbed to the injuries.





Sources close to the story say Tinashe had a romantic relationship with a 38-year-old woman named Lizzie Ndlovu (ten years his senior) who also stayed in the same suburb. He allegedly could not stomach seeing Lizzie with other men after she called off their relationship in December last year.





The two had an on-and-off relationship and seemingly the woman had more power financially. At first they were so much in love and were inseparable. They actually had a child together but they would fight a lot. Lizzie finally called it quits in December and they were staying in separate places, said a source close to the two.





Tinashe was a hustler but things were not going well for him due to this COVID pandemic. He had been trying to reconcile with Lizzie who had since moved on. He didnt take this lightly possibly resulting in what he did, added the source.





Marimo who was also a qualified truck mechanic met Lizzie when they were working at the same company. The multi-talented Tinashe was also into music specializing in Zimdancehall.





Everybody in the house was shocked with the way he was behaving and he lit himself up. Neighbours rushed with buckets and the complexs fire extinguisher but the fire was too much. On the fateful night an angry Tinashe allegedly barged into Lizzies house already dripping with petrol.Everybody in the house was shocked with the way he was behaving and he lit himself up. Neighbours rushed with buckets and the complexs fire extinguisher but the fire was too much.





A video circulating on social media shows sympathisers pouring cold water on a motionless Tinashe who was visibly in deep pain and speechless. Some chided him for wanting to kill his own child in the act. Apparently this is not the first time Tinashe attempted to take his life. A few years ago he attempted to hang himself, said the source.





Tinashes body was taken to Zimbabwe on Wednesday night in a Doves hearse. In a short memorial service at the funeral parlour heartbroken relatives could not stomach what they saw during the body viewing session. They suspect foul play.





Shuwa here Tinashe kuurayiswa nehu** mwana mudiki kudai? wailed one inconsolable relative. Some even fainted. What made it more painful for the family is they could not accompany the body even to leave the province of Gauteng. With the COVID regulations in place no mourners are allowed to travel with the body and only the driver and the casket are allowed to travel to Zimbabwe.




Paramilitary police officers patrol in a shopping area on the closing day of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing on May 27, 2020. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinese Authorities Secure Police Funding in Spite of Nationwide Budget Cuts

The Epoch Times obtained leaked documents from local police departments in China that reveal the communist regimes public security (Chinese police) continues to receive funding, despite a nationwide budget cut announced during the Two Sessionsan annual meeting of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)s rubber-stamp legislature and its advisory body to enact policies and agendas.

During a video-based press conference in Beijing on May 28, Chinese premier Li Keqiang said that the central government will lead by example in living on a tight budget, and cut over 50 percent of outlays on non-essential, non-obligatory expenditures at the central government level. In particular, he stressed, governments at all levels must tighten their belts, and reject pointless formalities and spending splurges.

A series of internal documents from China show that while other departments and sectors were required to cut their spending and warned of economic downturns, the public security funds were kept in place.

Baoding City

Baoding has a population of over 11 million people and is located in central Hebei Province, approximately 93 miles southwest of the regimes capital, Beijing.

On Jan. 16, the Baoding municipal government set goals to tighten its budget and cut spending, according to its 2020 annual report. However, the internal documents obtained by The Epoch Times show a different plan.

Baoding citys internal document dated on May 20 proposed a plan to improve the facilities of its police department and to implement artificial intelligence to ensure law enforcement operates efficiently.

Baodings proposal stated: Optimize the infrastructure and the police force, and secure a long-term funding and facility support system. This means money and personnel are guaranteed in order to strengthen police work in the new age.

A committee was formed to execute the plan. The group included the deputy mayor of Baoding, and the heads of the local public security bureau, the civil affairs bureau, the housing construction bureau, the finance bureau, and the development and reform commission.

To optimize the infrastructure and police force, the document stated that there should be enough staff and accommodation in the police stations.

In order to secure long-term funding to support the police facilities, the municipal finance bureau and other departments should fully guarantee the funds, with a priority to fully equip the police force with vehicles, mobile terminals, and video cameras, according to the document.

Both the city and county governments are required to secure a budget for wages, welfare, and equipment acquired by the police force assistants (part-time workers at the police station).

The document specifically emphasized the authority of law enforcement, in particular, the press release of social events and opinions involving the public security bureau must be forbidden and censored.

In addition, big data is widely and directly employed by the public security organs through surveillance cameras that are installed throughout the city, including colleges, schools, hospitals, banks, gas stations, and facilitated by the use of mobile phones and terminals. The document stated that security departments are required to update and implement big data.

Chongqing City

Internal documents from Chongqing city, in southwest Sichuan Province reveal that the municipal government has cut their budget, except for its police department.

The Jiulongpo district office issued a notice on March 3 on the 10 measures for operating on a tight budget and to cut spending.

Another document also from Jiulongpo district on the same topic was issued on July 3 by the local human resources and social security bureau.

The notice from the bureau demanded the medical sector to reduce and freeze hiring of temporary workers and to cut down annual employment by 10 percent. The local health commission cannot buy or build new housing and offices, and the purchasing of new vehicles is put on hold for this year.

Local Hospital in Debt

While the police force in Jiulongpo continues to receive funding, the Second Peoples Hospital in the district is on the verge of bankruptcy, according to internal documents obtained by The Epoch Times.

According to the hospitals financial report, its total debt to asset ratios were 84.5 percent in 2017, 87.8 percent in 2018, and 89.5 percent in 2019. The ratio is close to 100 percent, indicating that it is close to insolvency. However, the urgent crisis of the hospital was its short- and medium-term debts.

In the same document, the hospitals total assets were 139.5 million yuan in 2017, 127.2 million yuan in 2018, and 137.3 million yuan in 2019. The total liabilities were listed as 117.8 million yuan in 2017, 111.7 million yuan in 2018, and 122.9 million yuan in 2019. Long-term liabilities accounted for less than 0.5 percent of the total debt, at 525,700 yuan in 2017, 400,000 yuan in 2018, and 400,000 yuan in 2019.

In other words, the proportion of short- and medium-term debt exceeds 99.5 percent every year. This means that more than 99.5 percent of the debt of the hospital needs to be repaid immediately or in the near future, but the hospital cannot afford to do so.

According to a 2017 report by China Hospital CEO, a biweekly magazine, the scale of public hospital debt in China has risen with a compound growth rate of 20.5 percent since 2005, as of the end of 2014, the scale of public hospital debt has reached trillions of yuan. According to the report, 90 percent of county-level hospitals are operating in debt. The high debt ratio not only increases the financial risk of public hospitals, but also prompts hospitals to increase fees and the cost of medicinal drugs to pay off the debts. Consequently, the ordinary people have to pay for expensive medical services.
D etectives have released an image of a cyclist they want to trace following a fatal hit-and run crash in east London.

Officers were called to Bow Road, Tower Hamlets, on the evening of Friday, July 3, to reports of a collision involving a pedestrian and bike.

London Ambulance Service attended the scene and the pedestrian, 72-year-old Peter McCombie, was taken to hospital in a critical condition with serious head injuries. He died eights days later on July 11.

The cyclist did not stop at the scene and police are appealing for information that will help track him down.

Anyone who recognises the man is asked to contact police / Met Police

So far no arrests have been made and enquiries by the Mets Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) continue.

Detective Inspector Julie Trodden, leading the investigation, said: I am appealing to anyone who recognises this man or saw him leaving the scene to call police.

"This man cycled off from the scene, but from photos we can see he abandoned his cycle and then ran off. If anyone knows the location of this bike please tell us, it is vital evidence. Any information you can give, even if it is just the street where you saw him, could be crucial.

Peter was an active man who had continued to work beyond retirement age. As a result of this collision his family, friends and colleagues are now mourning his loss.

I am also asking anyone who in the area at around 5pm on Friday, 3 July and who witnessed this collision, or the events immediately prior to and after the collision to contact the police.

Finally, I continue to appeal directly to the cyclist involved  please come forward to assist this investigation but, more importantly, to provide answers to the victims family who are grieving the tragic loss of a loved one.

Any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage is asked to call police on 02085974874 or via Twitter @MetCC quoting CAD 5779/03JUL. Information can also be passed anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, one of the neighborhoods of Los Angeles that attracts recently arrived New Yorkers. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

It was totally an innocent question. She promises.

Taylor Lorenz, a New York Times Style reporter known for cheeky but astute explainers on online youth culture, tweeted an innocuous query to her 171,000 followers that set off  true to the high-wire tensions of the web these days  an avalanche of indignant responses.

LA Twitter, Lorenz wrote , Everyone says Silverlake, Echo Park, and Los Feliz are the best places to live in LA. But why not Santa Monica or Venice? Wouldnt u wanna be near the beach if u live in CA? Just something Ive been wondering.

The replies were, uh, impassioned. Hundreds weighed in, revealing a complexity of emotions and biases that inform any hot take about the social and cultural landscape of urban Los Angeles.

I feel like non-LA people just dont understand how infrequently LA people go to LA beaches, responded Haley Potiker, who works in communications for a local union.

"A not perfect at all analogy would be 'Everyone says Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint are the best places to live. But why not Upper East or Upper West Side? Wouldn't you wanna be near Central Park if you live in NY?'" wrote Nicolas Gonzalez, offering actually a near-perfect analogy for Lorenz's lens on L.A.

"Not criticizing you but you may be getting slanted intel," he added.

Another said : This thread is peak LA. Everyone thinks every place is awful besides where they live.

In Los Angeles, needling a New Yorkers cluelessness about L.A.'s geography has become something of an internet pastime. Especially in recent years, as the city grapples with what often feels like an unending stream of plopped-in arrivals from New York, the countrys cockiest metropolis.

Angelenos have a stereotype about these folks: people who ceaselessly, often ridiculously try to define every central neighborhood in L.A. with an analogous counterpart in New York.

Although Lorenz was tweeting for her own reconnaissance mission, her question unleashed for many the memories of an embarrassing string of New York Times pieces, largely in the Travel and Real Estate sections, that make L.A. sound like an alien kingdom, devoid of history or meaning that doesn't involve a New Yorker's stamp of approval.

Story continues

One such story referred to Olvera Street as little more than the source of all useless items in the world, resulting in an apology from its writer and editors. Other pieces recycle the tropes of L.A.'s supposed lack of pedestrian culture, or its epic traffic, or the symbols of palm trees and plastic surgery. "What is Los Angeles?" one New York Times writer recently asked, as if the mere existence of this place was too much for the brain to bear.

Little wonder L.A. Twitter was triggered.

Reached this week at home in New York, Lorenz admitted that her question was maybe too innocent for the knives-out climate surrounding the New-Yorkers-on-Los-Angeles problem.

I was just looking at a map of L.A. trying to be like, Hmm, where should I even start looking? Lorenz said. This is before I was even looking at prices.

The writer is moving to L.A. because much of her area of coverage lately is centered here, where she flies in, takes Ubers and chases TikTok stars at mansions in Calabasas or the Hollywood Hills. (Disclosure: This reporter briefly overlapped with Lorenz on the staff of the New York Times Style section last fall.) Regarding her tweet, she said she honestly needed the guidance.

"I didnt realize some of the challenges these communities are facing with gentrification," Lorenz said. "My whole family is from New York. I'm deeply aware of those issues in New York."

Just prior to this L.A. Twitter storm, Lorenz was facing an aggressive doxxing campaign for her reporting work. On July 1, her name came up in a conversation on the invite-only live-audio app Clubhouse, in which members derided the "right" of Lorenz, and journalists at large, to question or "cancel" venture capitalists and Silicon Valley tech leaders. Since then, powerful VC figures have attacked her character. It's easy to understand why she might want a nice home retreat.

The reporter said she probably wont live in any of the neighborhoods mentioned in the original tweet, realizing that all of them  even once-scrappy Echo Park  are out of her price range. The places I saw in Los Feliz were not that much cheaper than places in Venice, so I kind of got the sense [the replies were] more of a beef between areas, Lorenz said.

And what a beef it was. The Twitter storm also revealed deeply entrenched stereotypes that Angelenos harbor about one another, along hard geographical lines. Many respondents, cruelly, called the Santa Monica and Venice shorelines smelly, ugly or worse. (It was a lot of Westside bashing, the reporter marveled.)

Anything west of the 405 might as well be North Korea for how likely I am to visit, tweeted screenwriter Sam Laskey.

Why not Venice? It smells, some respondents told writer Taylor Lorenz. (Allison Zaucha / For The Times)

More serious replies accused Lorenz of ignoring lower-income or non-white native Angelenos by using the euphemism of everyone to mean people like her: outsiders with enough mobility to move to California, which in 2018 had the highest rental housing prices of any state, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Its erasure rooted in white supremacy, tweeted journalist Aura Bogado.

Times staff writer Esmeralda Bermudez responded with a truism repeated throughout the mini-controversy, that L.A., in its spatial vastness, is far richer than the neighborhoods where privileged arrivals from the East Coast tend to congregate  a handful of locales compared to the 272 hoods, cities or unincorporated places that are currently designated by The Times neighborhood mapping project.

Been in L.A. since I was a kid. Ive never lived or had any interest in living in any of these places, Bermudez replied to Lorenz. L.A. is so much more than these neighborhoods, though its often all transplants choose to see.

For other hardened Angelenos, the Lorenz tweet reflected the shifting edges of "cool" and "up-and-coming" in a city characterized by constant layering, upheaval and displacement. Pat Saperstein, an editor at Variety and founder of the old-school blog Eating L.A., grew up in Santa Monica and lived in the Melrose area when it was the absolute hippest  in the 1980s.

She then moved to Silver Lake, or the area she tried at one point, unsuccessfully, to normalize as the Near Eastside (reminder: "Eastside" should only be used for places east of the L.A. River). Saperstein said she explicitly avoided weighing in on the Lorenz tweet controversy, saying, "Weve litigated it so many times." Today she lives in Echo Park.

"A decade or two ago, everyone wanted to be in Santa Monica or Venice, thats why those areas are so incredibly expensive; then they went to Silver Lake so they could afford it, and now that area is attractive to a whole other group of people," Saperstein said.

And judging from the machinations of the local real estate market, the boundary of the next-edgy hood has arguably already left places like Echo Park behind. "In my neighborhood there are huge houses going up that are now selling for close to $3 million, which is just insane," Saperstein said.

It's possible, she added, that defensiveness about the coolness factor of Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Echo Park is rooted in the anguish over the trifecta's inevitable de-cooling. "I think its starting to get those characteristics that people don't like about the Westside," Saperstein said, adding that she has no intention of leaving.

In that regard, others noted, the Westside is also too often dismissed by so-called new Eastsiders, or anyone who refuses to acknowledge that the Westside is not simply rich, white and recent.

"L.A. is a big, vibrant, wonderful city that has great neighborhoods in the Eastside, the Westside and even the fake Eastside that all the gentrifiers live in is really nice," said Eric Nusbaum, a Culver City native and author of "Stealing Home," a new book about the displacement of working-class residents in Chavez Ravine for the construction of Dodger Stadium. "I don't like the superiority that people have, because there's a lack of curiosity in that."

A view of the 405 Freeway heading into the San Fernando Valley, a place the New York Times writer is seriously considering calling home. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Lorenz seemed to take the raking gamely. The use of everyone in her L.A. tweet, she admitted, landed wrongly: She actually meant a casual group chat with friends who already live in Los Angeles. As far as the Westside vs. Eastside battle in L.A., Lorenz offered another New York analogy, because of course.

"People in Brooklyn talk a lot of [crap] on Manhattan, and people in Manhattan just dont care," she said.

The roasting she took by L.A. Twitter users, she said, was more instructive than any piece of advice she's gotten on where to move. "I'm scared of L.A. Twitter now," Lorenz laughed. "I always thought New York Twitter is the most intense Twitter, and this literally felt like I was being introduced to L.A. Internet."

Meanwhile, her search continues. Somewhere in the Valley, she said in all seriousness, suddenly sounded nice.
Dr. William R. Hite Jr., superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, shown here in the hallway during a media tour at Benjamin Franklin High School and the Science Leadership Academy, where crews spent months remediating asbestos and completing construction and renovations, in Philadelphia, Monday, Feb. 17, 2020. Read more

To answer the question Could things get any worse? the School District of Philadelphia released its plan Wednesday for reopening schools in September. This is not a swipe at the district, which takes its fair share of criticism, but rather the supremely impossible situation the pandemic  and our governments response to it  has created for families and children.

Once again, the burden and pain will fall on the least privileged people. Once again, its a reckoning for a system whose structural weaknesses we have chosen to paper over rather than fully resolve.

 READ MORE: Phillys school plan is out. Parents are panicked.

How to deliver education effectively  which experts agree requires on-site learning  and do it safely is a dilemma faced by all districts across the state and country. It falls particularly hard on some, like Philadelphia.

The districts plan calls for two days a week of in-person instruction for most students, with the rest of the time in virtual instruction at home. It also offers an option for parents to enroll children in a digital academy, for full-time virtual learning. The plan also calls for sanitizing and deep cleaning of schools, students staying in cohorts without changing classrooms, and smaller class sizes.

Its not the best option  the best option is one in which there is no pandemic  but its the option that the district can afford. The plan will cost between $60 million and $80 million.

 READ MORE: Philly mom in Hong Kong: What returning to school after COVID-19 was really like | Perspective

Its one of the many variations that districts are coming up with, where reopening plans are based on a number of factors, including both political and parental pressure. That underscores the failure of the government to provide a clear plan forward. Its pressure for businesses to reopen has led to a new spike in cases. Now there is pressure from the president and the secretary of education to reopen schools without the proper guidance to ensure the safety of teachers, staff, and children. Science is not driving these decisions, politics and the economy are.

Like all plans made in 2020, the school plan is predicated on the idea that plans could  and probably will  change again. Big concerns remain, including:

Different and wildly diverse needs: Younger students need different things than older students, educationally and socially. Special-education students have more complicated needs. The district must solve for thousands of low-income families with no internet access. Working parents who dont have the luxury of working from home have just been handed a very challenging curveball.

One size doesnt fit all. This pandemic has exposed just how challenging our expectations are for a public educational system to effectively serve everyone.

 READ MORE: COVID forced working moms like me to prove were superheroes. But how long can we last? | Opinion

A drive to the cybers: The plans for this and other districts could drive parents to enroll in one of the 14 cyber charter schools in the state. Thats troubling for two reasons:

A recent report on charter-school performance in Pennsylvania from Stanford University found that cyber charters show overwhelmingly negative results in the academic growth of students. This sector, which last year educated over 30,000 students and represents $463 million in spending, is not only not bringing improvements, but actually making the situation worse. Spikes in cyber enrollment will further diminish the money the districts have since charter tuitions come out of district budgets.

To be clear: These cyber charters are distinct from the Philadelphia School Districts digital academies. But not all districts have the capability for online learning. (Those digital academies are separate from the online learning that will take place on days students are not in schools.)

Transportation: Many schoolkids use SEPTA to travel to school. Who will monitor social distancing and mask-wearing?

 READ MORE: Should kids return to school in September? | Pro/Con

Money: Heavier cleaning, smaller classrooms, and other protocols will require more staffing, including aides, teachers, and maintenance crews. Some of the money comes from the federal government, possibly from a new HEROES Act bill currently in Congress. The governor and the General Assembly have yet to disburse some of the money from the CARES Act. The business community should also find ways to be part of the solution.

The pandemic has exposed frailties in our systems, especially education. Philadelphias schoolchildren, already shouldering the burden of this inequitable system, will once again be harmed. The best we can do is mitigate that harm. But fingers crossed is no way to move a nation and its children forward.

 READ MORE: Schools cant reopen safely without better COVID testing for kids, say these Philly pediatricians l Expert Opinion
Under Xi Jinping, China now shows a greater amount of risk-taking ability and goes against the grain of its established foreign policy principles.

Last week we witnessed what seemed like a tactical retreat from China. During a video conference Wednesday on Sino-US relations co-organised by a Chinese and an American think tank, Chinas vice foreign minister Le Yucheng extended an olive branch towards the US, calling for dialogue and cooperation, warned against economic decoupling, cited past history of close engagement and urged both nations to accommodate each others core interests and concerns.

A day later, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, at another video conference, read from the same script. Setting aside the familiar wolf warrior rhetoric, a conciliatory Wang repeated the call for a dialogue putting all issues on table. He admitted that bilateral relation is facing the most severe challenge since establishment of diplomatic ties, urged the US to set aside its paranoia and suspicion about China and sort issues of cooperation and competition into separate boxes so that overall ties remain stable.

Coordinated messaging from Chinas top two diplomats in the space of a day isnt a coincidence, rather an attempt to pare down the temperature and stop the ball rolling towards an all-out confrontation. It is obvious that China is worried about the trajectory of Sino-US relationship. Beijing wants to lessen the degree of hostility and increase engagement with Washington.

Wang and Les speeches are also a deviation from wolf warrior diplomacy -- the increasingly brusque and bellicose style adopted by Chinese diplomats while dealing with what they perceive to be unwarranted criticisms of China in a post-pandemic world.

The angle of deviation becomes apparent when we consider that China has not been defensive about either its assertive and recidivist foreign policy, territorial aggrandisement or full-throated pushback against growing criticism.

Take, for example, this recent essay carried by its state-controlled media on wolf warrior diplomacy: The days when China can be put in a submissive position are long gone. Chinas rising status in the world requires it to safeguard its national interests in an unequivocal way. After all, whats behind Chinas perceived Wolf Warrior style diplomacy is the changing strengths of China and the West As Western diplomats fall into disgrace, they are getting a taste of Chinas Wolf Warrior diplomacy.

The impression that emerges is of a China that has convinced itself that its transition to a great power is now complete, it is increasingly impatient with the Deng Xiaoping policy of biding its time and feels that it has arrived and must seize the moment as the global hegemon is in irreversible decline. So pervasive has been this impression that sober voices within Chinas strategic circles are worried about Beijings vaulting ambition ruining its plan.

While professor Xiang Lanxin has put this wolf warrior culture down to Chinese translators from foreign language institutions handling foreign affairs who are convinced of the superiority of China model and have no acumen in long-term strategic thinking, professor Shi Yinhong of Renmin University of China believes the effort to project China as the world leader is being done too hastily, too soon and too loudly.

In this context, the sudden change in Chinas tone and effort to reduce the fraught tensions between the two sides, therefore, appear stark. But it is not just the US with whom China has attempted a rapprochement. In the same week, Chinas ambassador to India Sun Weidong on Friday uploaded a 17-minute video claiming that China and India are partners, not rivals, and pose no threat to each other.

In his long speech, Sun attempted to hit the right notes in restoring bilateral relationship after the Galwan clash where 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action along with an unspecified number of Chinese casualties marking the first combat fatalities between the two sides in 45 years. He called the Galwan incident a situation both countries will not like to see, claimed that China has all along advocated that peace is of paramount importance and insisted that it was neither a warlike state nor an assertive country.

There were calls for pursuing win-win cooperation instead of zero sum game, references to the informal summit between Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping, invoking of the 2000-year-old friendly exchanges, urging India to meet China halfway, defending Chinas actions at Galwan and also a veiled threat against strategic miscalculation.

The overall address, however, barely hid an urgency that normalcy in bilateral ties must be restored at once, mutual trust should be soon rebuilt and both nations should get back to business because fighting with each other will only hurt those close to us and gladden the foes  a hat tip to the US who, China believes, stand to gain the most from a Sino-Indian conflict.

Chinese ambassadors outreach towards India is unconvincing. It is little else apart from a justification of Chinese aggression in Ladakh and a bit of dishonest and insincere semantical jugglery. For instance, Sun correctly assumes that both countries share long-term strategic interests but puts the onus of disrupting the bilateral relationship and mutual suspicion and friction on India. Sun even manages to blame Indians for the dip in ties, for making false assumptions about Chinas intentions, exaggerating conflicts and provoking confrontations.

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 neighbor over thousands of years as enemies and strategic threats. It is not the fact. It is harmful indeed and not helpful, reads his address.

Perhaps it was the Indian Army and not the PLA, that crossed over to the Chinese side of the LAC at several points in Ladakh, started raising constructions and triggered the conflict? No one can blame the Chinese Communist Party for lacking an effort to build a post-truth narrative.

Sun needs to be reminded that it is China that has repeatedly broken Indias trust by raiding its sovereign territory, flouted all norms, agreements and principles of peaceful coexistence several times through its predation, territorial aggrandizement and salami-slicing tactics, and caused the current crisis by going back on its words and killing Indian soldiers. For China to now preach the very values that it trampled on is amusing. But we need not press a point thats obvious.

The larger issue is Chinas ham-handed attempt at reconciliation. While the disengagement process is underway at the LAC  recent reports suggest that China is dragging its feet on pulling back from Pangong Tso and Depsang plains despite recent military commander-level talks that went on for 15 hours  Suns address to India betrays a sense of urgency that bilateral ties must not be allowed to go more astray than it already has.

Should we see this as Chinas reasonable approach prompted by a pang of conscience, or a genuine attempt at a rapprochement? Hardly. The answer to Suns outreach lies in trade. India runs a massive trade deficit with China, and the souring of relations puts a question mark against continuing with that trade relationship amid a total collapse of trust.

As Gautam Bambawale, former Indian ambassador to China, recently observed, India will have to take measures to indicate that if there is no peace on the border, the rest of the relationship with China will also be negatively impacted. A reassessment and recalibration of Indias China policy are required to make Indias messaging crystal clear.

No one is talking about an economic decoupling, but it is well within Indias ability to inflict considerable pain on China (while accepting some self-harm) and deter Beijings attempts at gaining global technological leadership. As has been previously argued by this commentator, New Delhis decision to ban 59 Chinese apps including the wildly popular TikTok on grounds of national security is a serious setback for China and it may interminably damage the ability of Chinese startups to dominate the tech landscape by denying access to the largest overseas market.

Indias move may be even more damaging for China in terms of setting a precedent, and the buzz of Australia or the US following Indias footsteps in banning the popular video-sharing app is growing louder. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has already given such signals and latest report indicate 25 US Congressional leaders have urged President Donald Trump to take decisive action to protect the American peoples privacy and safety by banning TikTok that has been accused of data theft and acting as a CCP surveillance tool.

Banishment from India, which has more than 500 million smartphone users, hobbles Chinas effort to compete with US firms like Facebook, Google and Amazon for the next billion users, people turning to the internet for the first time to shop, search for information or make digital payments, observes AEI fellow Sadanand Dhume in Wall Street Journal.

Nor is the impact restricted only to apps. State-owned telecom firms BSNL and MTNL have been asked not to use Huawei or ZTE equipment in its infrastructure. The government is apparently leaning on private players to follow suit, and it seems increasingly likely that Huawei may be kept away from Indias 5G rollout  a market that the Chinese tech giant desperately needs to access after suffering reverses in the West.

The fact that Indias telecom giant Jio claims to have developed an indigenous, cost-effective complete 5G solution from scratch that can be field deployed next year queers the pitch further for Huawei.

Chinese interest in keeping bilateral trade untroubled from geopolitical squabbles is intense, and the reason is evident. In 1999-2000, Indias bilateral trade deficit with China stood at $743.85 million. In just about two decades, that gap has widened to $48.66 billion. The trade stood at $53.56 billion in 2018-19 and $63 billion in 2017-18. Conducting business with India has been profitable for China.

One of the reasons India tolerated and even encouraged growing trade and commerce with China despite an uneven field and Chinas unfair practices is geopolitical.

Despite Chinas recalcitrant behaviour on market access to Indian firms  a tactic that China successfully applies globally  New Delhi believed that deepening of trade ties would de-incentivize Chinese territorial aggrandisement and allow India the chance to access Chinese investment and help its own market to mature. The Galwan inflection point has underlined to the Indian establishment the futility of hope masquerading as policy.

While this may explain Chinese outreach towards India, what lies behind Beijings tactical retreat and lowering of rhetoric vis-a-vis the US? Chinas role in mishandling the coronavirus outbreak and suppressing data leading to the spread of the global pandemic has already prompted a global backlash. Beijing made it worse through its wolf warrior diplomacy and weaponisation of medical aid and supplies. Consequently, a majority of the public in western democracies view China as a malign force.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It seems China has pissed off the Western public. <a href="https://t.co/NbLHA6M618">pic.twitter.com/NbLHA6M618</a></p> Nate Jeris (@NateJeris) <a href="https://twitter.com/NateJeris/status/1279784257792045058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

China is not just pissing off the western public. Beijings post-pandemic aggression  raising tension in the South China Sea by harassing littoral nations, violating Indias sovereignty through unilateral action, murdering 20 Indian soldiers during another border flare-up, bullying Australia through economic coercion for Canberras probe demand into origin of the Wuhan virus and finally, taking away Hong Kongs semi-autonomous status through a draconian law whose jurisdiction covers practically the entire planet  is reshaping attitudes in Asia and toughening American policy approach towards Beijing across the political spectrum.

A series of high-ranking officials in the Donald Trump administration has, in recent past, identified China as Americas biggest military, ideological and geopolitical threat that seeks to supplant the US as the global superpower while making the global ground fertile for the decline of democracy and rise of authoritarianism.

Worth noting that this is not a new American approach. In October 2018, US vice president Mike Pence was outlining the dangers that China poses to the US. However, even as Pence had warned on Beijing employing a whole-of-government approach to advance its influence and benefit its interests on American soil and using this power in more proactive and coercive ways, Pence still talked about a vision of future built on the best parts of our past, when America and China reached out to one another in a spirit of openness and friendship

Washington seems to have abandoned that cautious approach. Lets look at a few recent speeches. On 24 June, US National Security Advisor Robert C OBrien delivered a lecture on Chinese Communist Partys Ideology and Global Ambitions where he acknowledged that the US has all along been wrong on China.

As China grew richer and stronger, we believed, the Chinese Communist Party would liberalize to meet the rising democratic aspirations of its people. This was a bold, quintessentially American idea, born of our innate optimism and by the experience of our triumph over Soviet Communism. Unfortunately, it turned out to be very naive. We could not have been more wrongand this miscalculation is the greatest failure of American foreign policy since the 1930s.

On 7 July, FBI director delivered an address at a Washington DC-based think tank. In it, Wray identified Chinese counterintelligence and economic espionage as the greatest long-term threat to our nations information and intellectual property economic vitality and national security. Wray echoed Pences remarks in declaring that CCP believes it is in a generational fight to surpass our country in economic and technological leadership and China is engaged in a whole-of-state effort to become the worlds only superpower by any means necessary.

A few days later on 13 July the US hardened its position on South China Sea and for the first time called Beijings claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them. Notably, as Gregory B. Poling of Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative has explained in his essay, this is not a new American approach but certainly a more clear-eyed one that sets the stage for a  long-term effort to impose cost on China and rally support for U.S. partners.

Right on cue, David R Stilwell, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs reiterated US South China Policy and called Chinese state-owned enterprises in South China Sea the modern-day equivalents of the East India Company  the British agent of colonialism in early-18th to mid-19th century.

And on Thursday, US Attorney General William Barr accused China of being engaged in an economic blitzkriegan aggressive, orchestrated, whole-of-government (indeed, whole-of-society) campaign to seize the commanding heights of the global economy and to surpass the United States as the worlds preeminent superpower and accused American businesses and polity of naivete. American companies must understand the stakes. The Chinese Communist Party thinks in terms of decades and centuries, while we tend to focus on the next quarterly earnings report.

This hardening of attitude in the US  that many have speculated to have been sparked by Chinas malicious actions in Hong Kong  has been accompanied by greater US activism. The Trump administration has not only outlawed Huawei, but it is also pressurising its NATO allies and other Western democracies of doing the same and showing an eagerness to form a coalition of sorts.

The US NSA is touring Europe along with his deputy, China expert Matthew Pottinger and meeting counterparts from France, UK, Germany and Italy to address a range of national security challenges including China, 5G, Russia, Afghanistan, Middle East/North Africa and COVID response and recovery, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is going to the UK and Denmark, where, among other issues, China will be high on agenda.

American effort at galvanising a broad anti-China coalition worries China. Beijing has, at various times, denounced Americas Cold War mentality. In recent comments, as has been mentioned, Chinas vice foreign minister has warned the US that to build a bloc against China and force other countries to take sides will not win hearts and minds.

It is a quaint argument, given the fact that Beijing is responsible for hardening of global attitude towards it. Under Xi Jinping, China now shows a greater amount of risk-taking ability and goes against the grain of its established foreign policy principles. Chinese diplomats have covered the distance from a culture of persuasion and compromise to naked arrogance quicker than it took the time for China to rise.

As Kurt M Campbell and Mira Rapp-Hoope write in Foreign Affairs, In the past, the CCP generally sought to maintain a relatively stable security environment, occasionally seizing opportunities to advance the countrys aims without provoking undue international backlash and carefully recalibrating whenever it overreached.

This has been replaced with a reckless abandon and bullying behaviour from diplomats that arises from a belief that Chinas composite national power is now requisite for a fundamental rethink in foreign policy, one that accurately reflects its might.

This change has been captured eloquently by the former foreign secretary and an old China hand Vijay Gokhale, who writes, a new generation of diplomats, with knowledge of the English language and a careerist mindset, has started to whittle away at the anchors laid down by Zhou and Deng. Arrogance has replaced humility. Persuasion is quickly abandoned in favour of the stick when countries take actions contrary to Chinese wishes.

However, the recent tactical retreat goes to show that China is still not confident enough to go into an all-out confrontation with Washington and reckons that managing the relationship is a better idea that raising the temperature. One of the reasons behind this thinking is obvious. Chinas rapid rise is linked intrinsically with globalisation  the merits of which it successfully harnessed to register aggressive growth for decades  and it feels that the time is still not ripe for a total disruption of that plan.

Accordingly, we find Chinese foreign minister stressing that China never intends to challenge or replace the US, or have a full confrontation with the US. What we care most about is to improve the livelihood of our people and the foreign ministry spokesperson calling the US the most developed country with the greatest strength and the only superpower in the world.

This is a tightrope walk and a tactical retreat from China but it is unconvincing because, in the same presser where Hua Chunying sought to flatter the US, she used naked threats against the UK to warn it that London will face grave consequences for acting against Huawei. Beijing is finding it difficult to balance its strategic imperatives with unrestrained might, but it would do well to take lessons from the great Greek historian Polybius.

As Pell Center fellow Iskander Rehman reminds us quoting from Polybius Histories, Throughout the Histories, Polybius reminds his Roman readership  sometimes subtly, sometimes not so subtly  that primacy can only endure if it appears more benevolent, just, and conducive to prosperity than the system or lack of system that preceded it.

China isnt there yet but it is acting as if it has, and it may a steep price for this miscalculation.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 17 : Malayalam star Prithviraj Sukumaran has posted an adorable picture with his furry friend Zorro.

Prithviraj took to his verified Instagram account, where he shared a photograph of his pet dog Zorro sleeping on his chest.

"Was meaning to cuddle..but fell asleep! Zorro," the actor wrote alongside the image.

In March, the actor along with over 50-member cast and crew of the Malayalam film "Aaadujeevitham", was stranded at a desert camp in Jordan following the COVID-19 outbreak.

In May, Prithviraj returned to the country after which he was in quarantine.

Earlier this year, Prithiviraj starred in the blockbuster "Ayyappanum Koshiyum" directed by Sachy. The film also stars Biju Menon. It was released in February.

A Hindi remake of the film is in the works. Bollywood star John Abraham will be bankrolling the project. The story of the action thriller revolves around the dispute between an influential havaldar and a police inspector.
L&T Technology Services (LTTS) tumbled 5.43% to Rs 1361 after the company's consolidated net profit declined 42.5% to Rs 117.20 crore on a 3.9% fall in net sales to Rs 1294.70 crore in Q1 June 2020 over Q1 June 2019.

Consolidated profit before tax stood at Rs 159.70 crore in Q1 June 2020, falling 42.4% from Rs 277.3 crore in the same period last year. Total tax expense for Q1 June 2020 were at Rs 41.7 crore, falling 43% from Rs 73.2 crore in Q1 June 2019.

Consolidated EBITDA stood at Rs 205.9 crore in Q1 June 2020, tumbling 24.5% from Rs 272.70 crore in Q1 June 2019. EBITDA margin stood at 15.9% in Q1 June 2020, lower than 20.2% in Q1 June 2019.

Meanwhile, LTTS has executed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% stake in Orchestra Technology, a specialist technology solutions provider for the telecom industry. Orchestra is based in Texas, USA and will enable LTTS to strengthen its capabilities in Telecom Network Engineering and Modernization Services that will be a key differentiator as 5G rollouts take off across geographies. It will also provide LTTS strategic access to Telecom service providers who are investing in next generation digital systems for 5G and IoT networks.

LTTS is an engineering research and development services company. The firm is engaged in providing a range of engineering services and related technologies in the areas of embedded systems, mechanical and others.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It is an effective veneer, however, which has allowed her to slip undetected between very different roles: flapper socialite Jordan in Baz Luhrmanns The Great Gatsby; an arms dealers enigmatic mistress in The Night Manager; Virginia Woolf; and one of a Chicago heist gang in Widows. Director Giuseppe Capotondi. Credit:Franco Origlia/Getty "Elizabeths one of these great actors who, when theyre brought to your attention, you realise youve seen them in a lot of things but not realised its the same person," says Christopher Nolan, who cast her as Kenneth Branaghs estranged wife in his forthcoming time-warping spectacular Tenet. "For somebody as striking and interesting to look at as she is, the idea she has a chameleon-like ability speaks volumes to her skills as an actor." It is exactly this elusive quality she brings to The Burnt Orange Heresy. Capotondi says she was more supine in the book; he wanted a strong personality. She is also allowed to be funny, as she is in real life; from the first scene, Berenice and James establish a mocking style of banter. Some critics have blamed this shift for upending the story. "There are some issues that are not satisfactorily resolved," said the Hollywood Reporter. "The main problem is that Berenice (and also Debicki!) is clearly at least as smart as James, so a few last-act twists are hard to stomach." Some of Berenices mystery is acquired, like a cloak of invisibility that allows her to glide through a world that is not hers. Maybe. "Everybody has a different checklist of she could be this or that," Debicki told the Boston Herald. "Whats interesting in the relationship between her and Claess character is that because of where she is in her life, she presents a blank canvas and he can project on to her whatever he wants her to be. Which is a dangerous place to be in the end. You become very vulnerable and lose track of yourself."

There is no need to explore or explain Joseph Cassidy; the fact he is played by Jagger is all the explanation you need. Having lured James to his lair, his Satanic Majesty offers James a Faustian bargain: the interview in return for stealing one of Jeromes closely guarded late paintings. Jaggers familiar leer confirms that there is nothing about James that Joseph has not divined, no foible he has not pinned, no crime he has not anticipated. Elizabeth Debicki on the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival for The Burnt Orange Heresy. Credit:Mattea Chinellato/Getty "We were looking again for someone with a strong personality," says Capotondi. "We knew from common friends that Mick was looking for maybe a last film to do." Capotondi had his reservations. "Obviously, because hes the most famous rock star in the world. I was not scared of his acting skills  in fact, he proved to be a very good actor. I was afraid of the fame he brings with him. But he proved to be extremely professional and very, very nice." "I was afraid of the fame he brings with him. But he proved to be extremely professional and very, very nice. Director Giuseppe Capotondi on casting Mick Jagger "I was super f---ing star-struck," says Bang breezily. Debicki was cast first, he says. Then he was. "Then, all of a sudden, they phoned me and said, Oh, Mick Jagger is going to play What? Yes and Donald Sutherland.' And they are legends, you know. I was like, Please sit me down on a chair before Mick comes into the room because I might faint or something. Obviously I didnt." The first day on set, they discussed their scene. "So we were straight into it. But I thought the open-minded, humble way of approaching something that is not something that is his comfort zone was f---ing amazing."

In real life, Bang is less like Cary Grant than the characters he plays here and in The Square; he has far too much piratical swagger to faint at the sight of an old rocker. It is true, he agrees, that The Square changed his life. He was lucky that Ruben Ostlund was looking for someone like him, even luckier that it went to Cannes, where the whole industry would see him. Star struck: Mick Jagger (as Joseph Cassidy) and Claes Bang (as James Figueras). "I worked really well in that film and I can carry a film for two and a half hours. Ive got what my agents call a great playing age, because Im like mid-40s [to look at]." He is actually 53. "So that was really lucky, but what is really what Id like to take pride in is that I also had what it takes to make that f---ing thing work. And it wasnt easy." The stars arrive at the Venice Film Festival photocall, from left, Claes Bang, Elizabeth Debicki, Mick Jagger, Donald Sutherland. Credit:Rocco Spaziano Mondadori/Getty He was initially disconcerted, he admits, when he started reading The Burnt Orange Heresy and realised it was another script about an art expert  "that was weird"  but it won him over. "Then we started working on it, preparing it and reading again and I thought, 'Ooh, this could be the continuing story of what happens to that guy in The Square [in which Bang played an art curator], because he loses his job in a big museum and so we dont really know what happens to him; this could be it.' But I think there is something else with this guy. Hes darker. I really liked Christian in The Square; I thought he did everything sort of out of a big heart, in a way. He just wasnt very clever, very aware of himself. This one is more cynical. Hes all vanity and ambition, isnt he?"
Imagine for a second you are Joseph Benavidez. You have been among the elite of the elite in mixed martial arts for a little more than the last decade. No matter whether you were at bantamweight or at flyweight, you were always one of the sports greats.

For various reasons, a championship eluded you.

Now, with your 36th birthday closing in, there is one more shot, most likely a final shot, at the title that has managed to elude you for so long. If you think of the best fighters never to win a UFC title, it wouldnt be much longer than a snap of the fingers before Benavidezs name came up.

When he was booked to rematch with Deiveson Figueiredo for the vacant flyweight title on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) in the main event from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, he took the bout knowing that it would not only be difficult in the cage, but that there was no guarantee that Figueiredo would make it to the cage.

Figueiredo missed weight when they fought the first time on Feb. 29 in Norfolk, Virginia, a bout that ended in a second-round finish after the referee missed a head butt. So as he prepared for the rematch, Benavidez had to do so knowing there was a chance Figueiredo, who is a large flyweight, could miss again.

Then, Figueiredo tested positive in Brazil for COVID-19. When he was finally cleared to fight, he immediately flew to Abu Dhabi and went into quarantine. He wasnt released from quarantine until Friday, the day of the weigh-in.

Just preparing for a championship fight requires all of ones attention. On top of this, Benavidez had to prepare knowing things could change in an instant. The UFC was concerned about whether Figueiredo would make it to the post, as well, and so brought in a replacement fighter, Alexandre Pantoja, who would step in for Figueiredo if anything happened.

That made it worse, because Benavidez would have to at least consider the possibility of taking on Pantoja while he geared up for Figueiredo.

Benavidez, though, shrugged. One of the sports true good guys, he dealt with the uncertainty with the grace and poise that hes shown throughout a career that has been filled with highlights.

Story continues

Im not going to lie, Im glad they found a replacement fighter in case we need him, Benavidez said. I knew when I was coming here that I was going to get into a fight. But were professionals and we cant let that stuff bother us. I had to do my job and I knew what I needed to do.

Joseph Benavidez poses on the scale during the UFC Fight Night weigh-in inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on Friday in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Both fighters made weight Friday, so the bout is officially on, and theyll get an opportunity to prove which of them was correct about the first fight.

Benavidez has repeatedly said that the head butt played a major factor as well as Figueiredo missing weight. Figueiredo, of course, felt the opposite.

Tell Benavidez not to go [forward] with his head and hell be fine, Figueiredo said.

Tactically, Figueiredo said he learned a few things from the first fight that he believes will aid him on Saturday. He said he plans to play a pressure game and try to back Benavidez up.

There wasnt anything that new that I got from the fight, but we were able to confirm that he doesnt deal well with pressure, Figueiredo said. He doesnt really deal well with having to [fight going] backwards. For sure, Im going to have to use that to my advantage for this fight again.

Benavidez won the first round on all three cards and points to that as his response to Figueiredos claims of pressure. It wasnt, he said, until the head butt that made him woozy and that the referee didnt see that the course of the fight changed and Figueiredo got the finish.

Hes gone about as far as he can go and after chasing the belt for so long, so its hard for him to express how much this career-long chase means.

Ive won a lot of big fights that have felt great and meant a lot, but the belt is what is going to separate this one from all the others, he said. There wont be a crowd, and that will be different, but Ill have a lot of people here with me. My corner is here, obviously, and my wife will be here, and theyre the people who have been with me on this journey. Theyre the ones I want to share it most with.

I really wish I could have done it in Norfolk because the crowd was so awesome and was behind me so much. I could really feel the love that night. But in this game, you have to take things as they come. I would love for there to be fans there, but its not going to mean any less [because there arent], believe me.

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The folding furniture market expansion is happening rapidly in sync with the urbanization that is unfolding across the globe at an unprecedented speed. This has caused a significant space crunch as more people are now moving to cities for a better lifestyle. In Beijing, it is only 21 square meters per person. Not just in China, but all the leading cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Tokyo, New York are facing the same problem. Hence, saving space to enjoy better becomes important. Folding furniture sector understands better the idea of space economization and is driven by cost-effective measures which are gaining popularity. At the same time, industrial upheaval in developing countries is changing the consumption pattern of the end-users. These folding furniture are luring in more clients such as taking less space than the conventional ones and often are multi-purpose. The global folding furniture market is eyeing for a 5.8% CAGR during the forecast period (2017-2023), reveals Market Research Future (MRFR) in a detailed report.

The report in its discussion has covered major factors such as customer-centric outlook of the manufacturers and eco-friendly approaches. Manufacturers are aware of the problems related to space which is why they are developing multi-functional furniture that is inexpensive, durable, aesthetically pleasing, and lightweight. Their endeavor to increase their product portfolio can assist in the market expansion. In sync, the demand for eco-friendly methods is growing that is why multi-functional furniture has emerged as a new interior decoration rage. These furniture reduce the demand for raw materials and are designed for specific needs which prevent the tendency of unnecessary consumption. Hence, the growth of the folding furniture market is about to be healthy over the forecast period.

Segmentation:

For a better understanding of the overall folding furniture market, the report has been segmented by product and application.

Based on the product, the folding furniture market can be segmented into chairs, tables, sofas, beds, and other furniture.

Application-wise, the folding furniture market includes residential and non-residential. Residential segment is generating the maximum market share and is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period as well.

Regional Analysis:

Geographically, the global folding furniture market can be segmented namely by four major regions of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Rest-of-the-World (RoW).

The APAC region dominated the market in 2016, with Europe and North America coming second and third respectively. The APAC market can also record the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. China, Japan, India, and Singapore are contributing substantially to the APAC region market growth. Europe is the second-largest market for folding furniture.

Europes future relies heavily on the increasing repair and rehabilitation activities of the already existing infrastructure and interiors. This can considerably take the regional market forward.

North American market is also substantially strong. With major market players operating from the region, this zone is experiencing robust growth at present. Among the others, South America is recording significant move forward. With Brazil and Argentina, emerging as strong economies, the region can enlist significant growth rate.

Competitive Landscape:

Notable players to impact the folding furniture market are Expand Furniture (Canada), IKEA Systems B.V. (Sweden), Meco Corporation (U.S), Resource Furniture (U.S.), La-Z-Boy Incorporated (U.S.), Murphy Bed (U.S.), Ashley Furniture Industries Inc. (U.S.), Flexfurn Ltd (Belgium), Gopak Ltd (U.K.), Nilkamal Limited (India)., Dorel Industries Inc. (Canada), Leggett & Platt, Inc. (U.S.), and others.

In 2018, Layer and Kvadrat collaborated to produce Shift. It is made from recycled pieces of Kvadrat solid textile board which can be assembled or disassembled for multiple purposes. Once done working with the piece, users can turn the piece into something else for further applications.

In 2018, Marcus Voraa launched a role out table that can be used for several purposes and mostly for dining. The table has a telescope like a stand on one end and a steel crank on the other to changes the length of the table from 1.5 meters to 4 meters.

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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BEDFORD, Ohio  Police are investigating after a male died in a shooting Thursday night.

Officers were called just before 8 p.m. to the entrance drive to the Palmetto Woods Development, which is off of Palmetto Drive, police say. When they arrived, they found the victim lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds.

Police gave medical help to the victim until paramedics arrived, but the male died at the scene, police say.

Officer say the male had no identification. Bedford police detectives, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office and officials with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are all investigating.

More crime-related content on cleveland.com:

12-year-old Cleveland girl shot when someone opened fire on aunts friend, police say

Man killed, another hurt in shooting in Clevelands Central neighborhood

Cuyahoga County Corrections officer charged, accused of stomping docile inmates arm through food chute in cell

Cleveland Community Police Commission asks DOJ for civil rights probe into police handling of May 30 protests

Berea police search for man in minivan who led them on vehicle chase
A Ryanair aircraft flying from London to Norway has landed safely at Oslo's main airport after receiving a bomb threat while in the air and a suspect has been arrested, Norwegian police said on Friday.

Danish F-16 military aircraft scrambled to escort the plane to Norway, The Danish Defence Command said on its Twitter account.

The situation is under control and police have arrested a 51-year-old British man on suspicion of being behind the threat, the police said in a statement.

The aircraft will now be examined by the emergency squad and bomb group, the police said, adding all passengers were safely evacuated.

There were 142 passengers on board, plus an undisclosed number of crew members, a senior police official told Norwegian media.

"Crew on a Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Oslo today discovered a note that claimed there was a potential security threat on board," a Ryanair spokeswoman said in an email to Reuters.

"The captain followed procedures and continued to Oslo airport where the plane landed safely. Customers remained on board while authorities carried out a security search," she added.
The Rajasthan Police registered two FIRs on Friday on a complaint lodged by the Congress over the alleged conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot government through horse trading of MLAs.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had earlier in the day demanded the arrest of union minister and BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and rebel Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma after two audio clips surfaced pertaining to an alleged conspiracy to topple the Rajasthan government.

Two FIRs have been registered under IPC sections 124-A (sedition) and 120-B (Conspiracy) to probe into horse trading of MLAs and alleged audio recordings that went viral on social media, ADG (ATS and SOG), Ashok Rathore, told PTI.

He said Sanjay Jain, whose name surfaced in one of the audio recordings, was called for interrogation on Thursday and is being further questioned.
WHO warns of a decline in vaccinations during COVID-19

The World Health Organization and UNICEF warned today of an alarming decline in the number of children receiving life-saving vaccines around the world. This is due to disruptions in the delivery and uptake of immunization services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to new data by WHO and UNICEF, these disruptions threaten to reverse hard-won progress to reach more children and adolescents with a wider range of vaccines, which has already been hampered by a decade of stalling coverage.





The latest data on vaccine coverage estimates from WHO and UNICEF for 2019 shows that improvements such as the expansion of the HPV vaccine to 106 countries and greater protection for children against more diseases are in danger of lapsing. For example, preliminary data for the first four months of 2020 points to a substantial drop in the number of children completing three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3). This is the first time in 28 years that the world could see a reduction in DTP3 coverage  the marker for immunization coverage within and across countries.



Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools in the history of public health, and more children are now being immunized than ever before, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. But the pandemic has put those gains at risk. The avoidable suffering and death caused by children missing out on routine immunizations could be far greater than COVID-19 itself. But it doesnt have to be that way. Vaccines can be delivered safely even during the pandemic, and we are calling on countries to ensure these essential life-saving programmes continue.



COVID-19 disruptions



Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at least 30 measles vaccination campaigns were or are at risk of being cancelled, which could result in further outbreaks in 2020 and beyond. According to a new UNICEF, WHO and Gavi pulse survey, conducted in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control, the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, three quarters of the 82 countries that responded reported COVID-19 related disruptions in their immunization programmes as of May 2020.



The reasons for disrupted services vary. Even when services are offered, people are either unable to access them because of reluctance to leave home, transport interruptions, economic hardships, restrictions on movement, or fear of being exposed to people with COVID-19. Many health workers are also unavailable because of restrictions on travel or redeployment to COVID response duties as well as a lack of protective equipment.



COVID-19 has made previously routine vaccination a daunting challenge, said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. We must prevent a further deterioration in vaccine coverage and urgently resume vaccination programs before childrens lives are threatened by other diseases. We cannot trade one health crisis for another.



Stagnating global coverage rate



Progress on immunization coverage was stalling before COVID-19 hit, at 85 per cent for DTP3 and measles vaccines. The likelihood that a child born today will be fully vaccinated with all the globally recommended vaccines by the time she reaches the age of 5 is less than 20 per cent.



In 2019, nearly 14 million children missed out on life-saving vaccines such as measles and DTP3. Most of these children live in Africa and are likely to lack access to other health services. Two-thirds of them are concentrated in 10 middle- and low-income countries: Angola, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Philippines. Children in middle-income countries account for an increasing share of the burden.



Progress and challenges, by country and region



There has been some progress. Regional coverage for the third dose of DTP in South Asia has increased by 12 percentage points over the last 10 years, notably across India, Nepal and Pakistan. However, that hard-won progress could be undone by COVID-19 related disruptions. Countries that had recorded significant progress, such as Ethiopia and Pakistan, are now also at risk of backsliding if immunization services are not restored as soon as feasible.



The situation is especially concerning for Latin America and the Caribbean, where historically high coverage has slipped over the last decade. In Brazil, Bolivia, Haiti and Venezuela, immunization coverage plummeted by at least 14 percentage points since 2010. These countries are now also confronting moderate to severe COVID19-related disruptions.



As the global health community attempts to recover lost ground due to COVID-19 related disruptions, UNICEF and WHO are supporting countries in their efforts to reimagine immunization and build back better by:



 Restoring services so countries can safely deliver routine immunization services during the COVID-19 pandemic, by adhering to hygiene and physical distancing recommendations and providing protective equipment to health workers;

 Helping health workers communicate actively with caregivers to explain how services have been reconfigured to ensure safety;

 Rectifying coverage and immunity gaps;

 Expanding routine services to reach missed communities, where some of the most vulnerable children live.


Amid the coronavirus pandemic, China continues to pursue its goal of becoming the first to produce and manufacture a working vaccine for the deadly virus. Beijing was found to be offering employees at oil companies that the government owns a chance to be among the first to get treated by a COVID-19 vaccine.

Unapproved human testing

According to The New York Times, PetroChina personnel were given a chance to try one of two vaccines that will be reserved for emergency use. The vaccine would be used by employees when they are away working on China's progressive infrastructure program.

A copy of the notice obtained and reviewed by the newspaper suggests that the workers will be used as experimental guinea pigs to test the effects of the unproven vaccines that the government is using in unofficial clinical trials.

The Chinese government wholly supported the efforts and emphasized that the data found from the trials showed the Sniopharm-made unproven vaccines did not have harmful consequences. However, it did not implicate the potential side effects the drugs could cause or that the tests did not have the approval of international regulators.

The chief executive officer of I-Mab Biopharma, a pharmaceutical firm in Shanghai, Joan Shen, expressed her concerns that the trials were ethical in testing the vaccines.

The move is considered a cornerstone in China's attempts to become the producer of the first coronavirus vaccine in the world as it deviates from regulatory methods and approval.

Companies in China are eager to collect and gather as much data as possible to provide safe and effective vaccines. In the Asian country, the Communist Party allows selective testing of vaccines conducted on a small number of its citizens.

The non-regulatory process trials are a double-edged sword as they pose a significant risk of setting scientific breakthroughs back and the potential for international political backlash.

Also Read: A Look Inside Horrific Hospital Environments in South Africa Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic

One of the leading coronavirus vaccine researchers, Moderna, is set to begin the final testing phase of its COVID-19 vaccine, as reported by Forbes.

Pre-testing the vaccines

In line with multiple testings and research by various medical establishments, China confidently announced that it was conducting what it called "pre-testing" shots before the drug's approval for use in human testing.

The pharmaceutical firm stated it gave 30 doses of an experimental coronavirus vaccine to "special volunteers" before authorization was granted, allowing the human testing phase of the drug.

The company also uploaded a photo of its leaders who are said to have had a hand in the pre-testing period and captioned it with "Giving a helping hand forging the sword of victory."

Experts have previously stated that the world would require multiple vaccines in fighting against the deadly coronavirus. The primary reason for the need for various treatments is that a single medical company could not hope to produce billions of doses required to treat citizens from around the world.

Related Article: China's New Security Law Forces Fund Adviser to Step Down as Primary Elections Cited Illegal

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Behind Biden in public opinion polls, Trump is in a precarious political position as 2020 re-election campaign begins.

President Donald Trumps gamble on reopening the United States economy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the nation has backfired, leaving the president in a losing political position just four months before the US election.

Trump cast himself as the cheerleader-in-chief and has pushed US governors and business leaders to reopen the economy with the hope that the virus would wane. That has not happened.

Now, infection rates are exploding throughout the South and West of the US, and the virus is returning to states that had previously peaked. Trump has refused to acknowledge the rising risks, claiming case numbers are a function of more widely available testing and instead pushed to reopen schools beginning as soon as next month.

The talk of reopening schools, as the virus resurges, has unsettled parents and families nationwide and left governors and local officials in the difficult position of having to make plans without adequate resources or guidance.

Trump has clearly lost his footing, said Shibley Telhami, a pollster and professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland.

He is losing the narrative. If you cant get the pandemic under control, you cant reopen the economy, Telhami told Al Jazeera.

Trumps handling of the pandemic is not winning over the American public. Opinion polls suggest Trump is trailing his Democratic opponent Joe Biden by an average of more than eight percentage points, according to RealClearPolitics.com. Biden leads in the key states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Florida that are likely to turn the election.

The president has a governing problem that has become a political problem, said Kyle Kondik, an analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

He has failed to stop the spread of this disease. The United States is the worst in the world among developed nations, Kondik told Al Jazeera.

Democratic US presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden has pledged to reverse President Trumps executive orders imposing an effective ban on immigration from a number of Muslim countries [Leah Millis/Reuters]

Biden leads Trump in support among Americans by 49 percent to 40 percent, according to a survey of 1,500 adults by The Economist/YouGov taken July 12-14.

If his poll numbers look this way on election day, he is almost certainly going to lose, Kondik said.

Indeed, for weeks Republicans who could lose control of both the White House and the US Congress to Democrats have been expressing alarm at the presidents weakened political position.

After low turnout at a much-hyped Trump rally in Oklahoma, Karl Rove, the Republican mastermind behind former President George W Bushs winning campaigns, told the television outlet Fox News that the president needed to hit the reset button on his campaign.

In late June, after Black Lives Matter protests had rocked the US, the number 2 Republican in the Senate, John Thune, called for a change in tone from the president.

Trump is losing independent voters and needs to deliver a new message that deals with substance and policy, Thune told reporters at the US Capitol.





But the president has stayed his course, appealing to his base of partisan Republican voters, advancing a tough law and order posture towards the protests, and escalating tensions with China, which he blames for the viruss spread.

The president has abandoned his once-daily briefings on the coronavirus, sidelined government scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and waged a whisper campaign of criticism of Dr Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert at the National Institutes of Health.

Fauci has been a leading voice for social distancing and shutdown measures to control the spread of the virus. He called the White Houses attempts to discredit him bizarre and in a series of interviews this week, called for stepping back from reopening the economy.

Trump continues to be, frankly, irrationally indifferent to the magnitude of the coronavirus pandemic, said James Henson, a politics professor at the University of Texas.

The Trump administration and the Trump campaign are gambling that in states like Texas  where the pandemic is just burning out of control  hell survive it, Henson told Al Jazeera.

In a speech at the White House on July 14, Trump gave a preview of the campaign ahead by claiming the number of deaths from the virus are going down. The president drew distinctions between himself and Biden on rebuilding the economy, stopping immigration and getting tough on China.

But his performance was rambling, many of his claims were not backed up by facts and his use of a ceremonial space at the White House to deliver a partisan speech drew criticism.

Campaign manager for the Trump 2020 reelection campaign Brad Parscale has been replaced [File: Carlo Allegri/Reuters]

The next day, Trump replaced his campaign manager Brad Parscale, who had delivered his unlikely 2016 win, with Bill Stepien, a political consultant and former operative for former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Whether Stepien can reinvent Trumps campaign is an open question. Trump has been forced to cancel planned events in New Hampshire and Alabama because of the virus.

Trumps political position is precarious at this point, said James Lance Taylor, a professor of politics at the University of San Francisco.

He has to run on the pandemic response and the economy, but he cant. His response to the crisis has been inept, Taylor told Al Jazeera.

Hes going to have to pull a rabbit out of the hat, he said.

Attendance at the Republican National Convention, scheduled for August 24-27 in Jacksonville, Florida  where Republicans will formally nominate Trump for a second four-year term  will be curtailed as the state suffers the USs worst outbreak.

And without firm national leadership coming from the president on the pandemic, state and local leaders have been left to devise their own strategies leading to a patchwork of policies and uncertainty about what the future holds.

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi criticised President Trump during a weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, July 16, 2020 [Tom Brenner/Reuters]

The president has made so many bad executive decisions, said House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the number 1 Democrat in Congress.

He is like the man who refuses to ask for directions, Pelosi said.

The answers are there. The scientists have the answers. The answers are testing, tracing and treating, Pelosi told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.
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Vietnam has a full legal foundation and historical evidence to back up its sovereignty claims over the Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) islands and calls for all countries to respect international law.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Le Thi Thu Hang at the regular press briefing held on Thursday in Hanoi.

The foreign ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang made the remarks during Thursday's press briefing in response to Chinese foreign spokeswoman Hua Chunyings series of tweets on the South China Sea (known in Vietnam as the East Sea).

They were likely triggered by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos Monday statement which called out China for illegal maritime claims and activities in the disputed waters that go against international law and especially, the 2016 ruling of a Hague-based arbitral tribunal.

The Chinese foreign spokesperson spewed out numerous erroneous claims such as Chinese peoples activities in the sea date back to over 2,000 years ago or that China has lawfully recovered the so-called Nansha and Xisha islands from Japanese occupation and resumed exercise of sovereignty there.

Nansha and Xisha are the names China gives to Vietnams Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracels) archipelagos.

Vietnam had exercised legal control over the two islands until Hoang Sa was illegally seized and occupied by Chinese forces in 1974, while a number of geographical features in Truong Sa have also been taken by China.

"All countries have the responsibility and common interests in respecting the basic principles of international law," Hang said, adding that the full respect to legal order at sea and "compliance with good faith" to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) play an important role in the maintenance of peace, stability, co-operation and development in the sea.

Vietnam's consistent view is that UNCLOS 1982 sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out, and it welcomes all countries' stances that align with this view, Hang said.

"We expect that all countries, together with Vietnam, will bring the fullest efforts to contribute to the maintenance of peace, stability, co-operation and development in the South China Sea, and resolve the issues via dialogues and other peaceful measures in line with international law and the aspirations of countries in the region and the international community," the Vietnamese diplomat said.

She added that Vietnam "has always contributed in a positive and responsible manner to this course."

Some other ASEAN member countries who are claimants in the South China Sea dispute the same day also announced their stance regarding the latest remarks from the US.

Retno Marsudi, foreign minister of Indonesia, said countries should respect international law, including UNCLOS 1982.

Malaysia foreign minister Hishammuddin Hussein also released a statement, maintaining Malaysias position that all parties must work together to ensure peace, security and stability in the South China Sea, and that matters related to the sea must be resolved peacefully based on international law.

Air links

Under the direction of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, ministries and agencies are working with their foreign counterparts on the restoration of air transport links between Vietnam and several Asian countries and territories, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hang said when answering questions regarding the resumption of overseas flights with COVID-19 largely under control in Vietnam.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she said, has informed foreign agencies in Vietnam about plans to resume flights to Seoul (Republic of Korea), Tokyo (Japan), Taiwan (China), Guangzhou (China), Vientiane (Laos), and Phnom Penh (Cambodia) from mid-July, based on ensuring compliance with prevention measures to ensure the coronavirus does not spread in the community.

Aircraft in front of the Noi Bai international terminal in Hanoi in mid-July.  VNS Photo Trong Kien

The Ministry of Transport is also holding discussions with relevant agencies in these countries and territories to reach consensus on flight and route specifics, Hang added.

Vietnam will prioritise people currently allowed to enter the country, including Vietnamese citizens, foreign experts, investors, business managers, and skilled workers, those entering for diplomatic and official purposes, and other special cases, she said.

All arrivals into Vietnam must comply with medical quarantine rules.

Vietnam has banned foreign arrivals since late March in a bid to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. VNS
Key indices are trading higher in early trade on buying demand in index pivotals. At 9:25 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 163 points or 0.45% at 36,634.68. The Nifty 50 index was up 61.80 points or 0.58% at 10,801.75.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.65%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.61%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, is strong. On the BSE, 949 shares rose and 500 shares fell. A total of 67 shares were unchanged.

On the macro front, India's services exports declined 10.2% to US$ 16.77 billion in May 2020 over May 2019. Meanwhile, India's services imports dipped 20.4% to US$ 9.94 billion in May 2020. India's services trade surplus improved 10.4% to US$ 6.83 billion in May 2020 from US$ 6.19 billion in May 2019.

Oil prices fell on Thursday after OPEC+ agreed to ease record supply curbs and as new infections of the novel coronavirus continue to surge in the United States.

Stocks in news:

HCL Technologies rose 0.79% ahead of its quarterly result today, 17 July 2020.

Bharti Airtel rose 0.52%. Bharti Airtel said that commercial papers bearing ISIN no. INE397D14233 issued on April 20, 2020 have been paid by the company on July 15, 2020 (on the maturity date).

L&T Technology Services dropped 5.69%. The company has signed a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) to acquire Orchestra Technology, Inc for $25 million to be paid in tranches. Orchestra Technology is a specialist technology partner for the wireless and mobile eco-systems.

L&T Finance Holdings rose 1.76%. The company's consolidated net profit dropped 72.98% to Rs 148.31 crore on 1.8% fall in total income to Rs 3,623.14 crore in Q1 June 2020 over Q1 June 2019.

Endurance Technologies rose 1.18%. Endurance Technologies said that Endurance SpA, one of the step-down and the major operating subsidiary in Italy has decided to undertake consolidation of its foundry activities whereby the plant operations, including workmen and necessary plant and machinery, from Grugliasco are shifted to the Chivasso plant. This aims to improve the operating & cost efficiencies and achieve economies of scale which is expected to result in annual savings of around Euro 600,000.

PTC India gained 3.43%. PTC India Financial Services jumped 10%. The Board of Directors of PTC India had recommended a proposal to the shareholders regarding dilution of the company's holding in its subsidiary PTC India Financial Services (PFS) in a form and manner which is determined to be in the interest of the Company and its shareholders.

Global Markets:

Overseas, Asian stocks are trading higher on Friday, shrugging off an overnight fall in US stocks as the United States prepares to debate fresh economic stimulus to see the country through its coronavirus outbreak.

In US, stocks dropped on Thursday, as elevated levels of unemployment claims heightened concerns about the economic toll from rising coronavirus cases.

Congress is reportedly set to begin debating such a package next week, as several states in the South and West implement fresh lockdown measures to curb cases. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is reportedly considering banning travel to the United States by all members of the Chinese Communist Party.

New data from the U.S. Labor Department found 1.3 million people filed for jobless benefits, largely unchanged from the prior week. U.S. retail sales jumped 7.5%.

Back home, amid bouts of volatility, the main equity benchmarks ended near the day's high on Thursday. The barometer S&P BSE Sensex surged 419.87 points or 1.16% at 36,471.68. The Nifty 50 index jumped 121.75 points or 1.15% at 10,739.95.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 1,091.08 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net buyers to the tune of Rs 1,659.91 crore in the Indian equity market on 16 July, provisional data showed.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The alleged murderer of CEO Fahim Saleh was arrested on Friday, July 17, and it was his personal assistant. The tech CEO was found dismembered and beheaded in his apartment located in Manhattan this week. The New York Times reported that the two officials briefed on the matter said the PA is expected to be charged in the gruesome murder.

Can we just take a moment to pray for the friends and family of Fahim Saleh. A Bangladeshi self-made Millionaire who was found decapitated and limbless in his NYC apartment. They really dont want to see our people win pic.twitter.com/MACCNR6SmD  Ishan (@I_Ali101) July 16, 2020

Also Read: [VIRAL] Undergrad Student Shares on Twitter Dr. Anthony Fauci's 'Overly Effusive' Review of His Thesis

The 33-year-old entrepreneur was found dead by his sister in a luxury building on the Lower East Side, inside his $2.25-million condo, the police department reported. After not hearing from the young CEO for a day, his sister decided to check in on him. His sister found his limbs and head removed and other parts of the young man's body. The remains of Saleh had been placed in large plastic bags; an electric saw, which was still plugged in nearby, was also found in the death scene.

Also Read: [VIRAL] Dashboard Video Shows Police Officer is Saving 3-Week-Old Baby: What to Do to Help a Choking Baby

The 21-year-old personal assistant, Tyrese Devon Haspil, was expected to be charged in a criminal complaint with 2nd-degree murder, including other crimes. Officials and detectives concluded that Tyrese's motive was caused by Saleh's discovery about the tens of thousands of dollars his assistant has stolen. One of the officials said that although the CEO didn't file any criminal complaint on the man, he still required him for the amount he was accused of stealing, setting up a repayment plan. The arrest was expected to be announced by the police at the conference on July 17.

The officials' theory

The officials responsible for the investigation believed that the young tech CEO was killed on Monday, July 13, before his remains were found. Investigators also suspected that his killer used the CEO's own credit card to buy the cleaning materials needed to sanitize the crime scene, as well as paying a car to a Home Depot, located on West 23rd Street in Manhattan.

Can we just take a moment to pray for the friends and family of Fahim Saleh. A Bangladeshi self-made Millionaire who was found decapitated and limbless in his NYC apartment. They really dont want to see our people win pic.twitter.com/MACCNR6SmD  Ishan (@I_Ali101) July 16, 2020

The assistant was accused of dismembering Saleh's body after he returned to the CEO's apartment on July 14. A medical examiner of the New York Times announced on Thursday, July 16, that multiple stab wounds caused Saleh's death to his torso and neck. The murder was believed to be done by a professional killer; a law enforcement official described the killing as a hit.



Detectives concluded that the murderer's gruesome act was interrupted when Saleh's sister ringed from the building's lobby, forcing the suspect to escape through the condo's back door and into a stairwell.



"Fahim is more than what you are reading," said the victim's family, saying that the murder was so shocking it was unfathomable.



"He is so much more. His brilliant and innovative mind took everyone who was a part of his world on a journey, and he made sure never to leave anyone behind," they added.

Also Read: [BEWARE] US Army Twitch Streamers Use Fake Giveaways to Recruit Teens as Young as 13: Twitch Orders Them to Stop

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Ibrahim Magu, the suspended acting chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has opened up on the allegations that he g...

Ibrahim Magu, the suspended acting chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has opened up on the allegations that he gave N4 billion to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.





Magu described the claim as false and a calculated attempt to tarnish Osinbajos hard-earned reputation





The suspended EFCC boss, who was freed from detention on Wednesday, equally denied giving the sum of N28 million to Femi Falana SAN, a human rights lawyer.





Magu spoke in a petition signed by his lawyer, Wahab Kunle Shittu and addressed to the Chairman of the Presidential Investigations Panel, Justice Isa Ayo Salami.





Our client strongly denies this falsehood against the respected Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our client has never given the sum of N4 billion or any sum at all to Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON, Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria as wrongly reported.





This allegation is complete falsehood designed to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the Vice President.





This allegation is a complete fabrication. Our client never gave N28 million or any amount to Mr. Femi Falana SAN as maliciously reported. Our client also denies any link with a Kaduna-based Bureau De Change Operator as alleged.




Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 22:16:22|Editor: huaxia

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NANCHANG, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A senior legislator has stressed a complete ban on eating and illegally trading wild animals to safeguard people's health and public health security.

Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, made the remarks during a law enforcement inspection in east China's Jiangxi Province from Monday to Thursday.

Wang called for strictly implementing the Wildlife Protection Law and a decision adopted in February to completely ban illegal wildlife trade and eliminate the unhealthy habit of indiscriminate wild animal meat consumption.

Illegal wildlife trade chains must be cut off and offenders must be brought to justice, he said.

Wang also stressed protecting wildlife habitats, tightening supervision and management of non-food use of wild animals and improving the legal system for wildlife protection. Enditem
In a press conference on Friday, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala slammed the BJP, accusing it of horse trading MLAs, claimed existence of recorded evidence on audio tapes against Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, and BJP leader Sanjay Jain of hatching a conspiracy to topple Ashok Gehlot's government.

Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala seems to have gone all-assailing on what he presupposes is a BJP conspiracy to topple the Gehlot government in Rajasthan. In a press conference on Friday, Surjewala has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre of using the pestillence of what has been the spread of Coronavirus across the country as a means to hijack the peoples mandate.

Reading the transcripts of two audio tapes he claims were leaked by the media on Thursday, Surjewala, in a series of remarks, went on attempting to expose a nexus between Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, and BJP leader Sanjay Jain, the three of whom, he is convinced, discussed a malicious agenda on the tape to take over the Ashok Gehlot reign.

The Congress leader has also alleged a larger BJP-helmed conspiracy to jam into elected Congress governments across the country and re-installing the BJP regime everywhere it was ousted from power in recent elections. Pointing specifically at the fall of the Kamal Nath-led government in Madhya Pradesh earlier in March, Surjewala has accused the BJP of indulging in practices like horse-trading and attempts to defect duly elected representatives in state assemblies across the country.

Also read: Ram temple construction to commence soon, PM likely to attend ceremony

Also read: Rajasthan political crisis: Sachin Pilot camps HC plea gets deferred

Surjewala went on to urge the Special Operations Group (SOG), Rajasthan, to register FIRs against the three, charging, in addition, the Congress MLA of further being in touch with Deputy CM Pilot, scheming the larger plan of tinkering with the popular mandate received by his own party in December 2018.

Congress MLA Sharma, however, has denied all allegations and has argued that the leaked audio tapes are totally fabricated. Alongside Bhanwarlal Sharma, the INC has also suspended another MLA-gone-rogue, Vishvendra Singh, from party-membership.

While the SOG has assured that a thorough examination on the audio tapes in question is in process, the Additional Director General has filed 2 FIRs on complaints of Congress leader Mahesh Joshi under Section 124A and 120B of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has also come on-record challenging Surjewala on his alleged collusion with Sanjay Jain and said that he is ready to face any investigation on his involvement.

The tussle between CM Ashok Gehlots camp in the state against Sachin Pilot-led rebellious cohort has been the breaking point of long-standing suspicions on Rajasthans recent political scene. The All India Congress Committee discharged rebel Deputy CM Sachin Pilot of all assigned duties on July 14 on grounds of indiscipline and activities against party-line, but has henceforth attempted to re-establish cordiality and communication with the estranged leader and keep its majority secure on ground.

Also read: Kulgam Encounter: Security forces eliminate JeM terrorists including IED expert

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
* Euro zone periphery govt bond yields http://tmsnrt.rs/2ii2Bqr

By Olga Cotaga

LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) - Long-term Italian government bond yields hovered around their lowest in months on Friday, the first day of a European Union summit during which member states are expected to vote on a 750 billion euro recovery fund.

Opinions on the possible outcomes of the summit - likely known during the weekend - range from a deal being agreed close to what was proposed to no agreement, with a follow-up meeting at a later date.

ING analysts believe that some progress will be made this weekend, but that the final agreement will take place later, envisaging a compromise around a 600 billion euro package split in equal part between grants and loans.

Some wealthier northern European countries are against providing the money via grants.

Nonetheless, such an outcome would likely shrink the premium Italy has to pay to bond-holders, ING analysts said.

"We're expecting progress but, save for a few smaller countries, the benefit should fall short of a game changer. Still, the way is clear for further spread tightening," they wrote in a note to clients.

"In numbers, a swift agreement would push 10-year German-Italian yield spread towards our 150 basis point target by the end of the summer," they said.

The Bund-BTP spread - the premium Italy pays over safe-haven German Bund yields - was last at 170 bps, close to the lower end of the trading range this year.

Italian 10-year yields were last up 1.1 bps at 1.25% , hovering around the 16-week low it fell to the day before, when the ECB reassured markets it would most likely use the full firepower of emergency bond purchases to tackle the economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic.

German 10-year yields were steady at -0.46%.

The summit will stretch well into the weekend. ING analysts said they were not expecting much by way of soundbites during the Friday session, advising against acting on them.

(Reporting by Olga Cotaga; Editing by Alex Richardson)
A Hindu lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday told the provincial assembly that the minority community in the country would welcome the construction of a Krishna temple in Islamabad.

Speaking in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, MPA Ravi Kumar said the minorities were enjoying equal rights and living in peaceful coexistence with the majority community in Pakistan.

The Pakistan government has approved Rs 10 crore for the Krishna temple, the first temple in Islamabad which will come upon a 20,000-square feet plot in the H-9 administrative division.

"We would welcome the decision of the government as it would be according to law and the Constitution of the country. The minorities are enjoying equal rights and living in peaceful coexistence with the majority in Pakistan," he said.

He said action should be taken against those who are trying to wedge differences between Muslims and Hindus, he said.

Kumar submitted a resolution in the provincial assembly secretariat this week condemning the alleged derogatory remarks against the Hindu deities on social media on the issue of the construction of the temple.

"This negative propaganda against Hindu religion has hurt the feelings of the Hindu community not only in Pakistan but all over the world," the resolution stated.

Anti-state elements were damaging inter-faith harmony and promoting hatred among the various sects, it said.

On July 8, a Pakistani court dismissed three identical petitions challenging the construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad.

A single bench of the Islamabad High Court delivered the judgment, making it clear that there was no bar on the Institute of Hindu Panchayat from building the temple on the land allotted to it by using its own funds.

Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan.

According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country.

The majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province where they share culture, traditions, and language with Muslims.
Alyssa Milano insists she was doing 'tanface' in a Funny Or Die parody of Jersey Shore star Snooki.

Milano, 47, recently faced accusations of doing blackface after her skin was significantly darkened for her 2013 Funny Or Die parody of Snooki.

In an Instagram Live interview with Ziwe Fumudoh, Milano insisted she has never done blackface, and even saw the Funny Or Die skit as her way of making a political statement against the way Italian Americans were represented in the show.

Hitting back: Alyssa Milano insisted her impersonation of Jersey Shore star Snooki was not blackface but rather 'tanface' (pictured October 2019)

Milano, who is Italian American, said, 'I've never worn blackface. I did a parody of, she doesn't like me much so let me just say that, but I did do a parody of Jersey Shore on Funny Or Die where I played, I came in like this, light skinned, and then makeup transformed me into Snooki and my take was a how I felt was how that show was representing Italian Americans, and so there are pictures of me all over the Internet in "tanface."

Though Milano initially wanted to make a statement with the Funny Or Die parody, she now realizes poking fun at Snooki's tan 'wasn't the greatest move.'

'Tan face, and that's what people are saying I did blackface. There are a lot of people who have done blackface though, you know? And I don't know that hindsight that maybe making fun of Snooki's tan wasn't the greatest move, specially with the Internet. But I did feel at that time that I was making a political statement about how Italian Americans are depicted.'

Alyssa also said she was told during her trip to South Africa that she was a descendant of slavery.

Controversy: Milano's face was significantly darkened for a 2013 Funny Or Die parody of the Jersey Shore cast, and in recent days the actress has faced accusations of doing blackface in her role

Telling her side: In an Instagram Live interview with Ziwe Fumudoh, Milano insisted she has never done blackface, and even saw the Funny Or Die skit as her way of making a political statement against the way Italian Americans were represented in the show

'When I was in South Africa, South African Black people kept telling me that I was from slave descent and I said, "I don't understand, how do you know that?" And they said "It's because your last name is Milano. So you were actually bought into a city and instead of allowing you to keep your last name, they gave you the last name of the city you were bought into.'

The controversy all started last month, after Milano faced accusations she was being racially insensitive in the Funny or Die video.

Milano slammed the accusations, and asserted she was 'parodying Jersey Shore and Snookies tan' in the video, during which her face was significantly darkened.

Not taking it: Alyssa fired back at critics trying to take the activist actress down over a 'blackface' video

The Who's The Boss? actress wrote, 'Hey, a**holes. The below picture is me parodying Jersey Shore and Snookies tan.'

'Snookies tan (she is a sweetheart by the way) is worthy of parodying as is Trumps tan.'

'So go f*** yourselves with your smear campaign.'

It accompanied an image from an article by conservative publication LifeZette.

Parody: The Charmed star, 47, [R] took to Twitter to slam the accusation that she was being racially insensitive in a 2013 Funny or Die video, asserting that she was 'parodying Jersey Shore and Snookies [L, in 2019] tan'

Debunked: However a link to the original video proved that Alyssa was indeed portraying reality TV star Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi

However a link to the original video proved that Alyssa was indeed portraying reality TV star Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi.

The Jersey Shore actress is known in part for her distinctive tan.

The sketch was a parody of a Dove brand commercial which showed how the beauty industry manipulates images to set unrealistic beauty standards for women.

However in the FOD video, Milano was made up and styled to resemble Snooki, with the punchline being that Snooki's tan and body had been manipulated to 'distort' perceptions of New Jersey, where her show is set.

Homage: The Jersey Shore actress is known in part for her distinctive tan

Original: The sketch was a parody of a Dove brand commercial which showed how the beauty industry manipulates images to set unrealistic beauty standards for women

Milano seemed to make a veiled reference to the attack in a Monday tweet, in which she wrote, 'Cancel culture is being weaponized by the right/Putin.'

'Take notice of who they are targeting & what is trending. Are they trying to hurt Trumps most vocal critics? Yup.'

'The misinformation campaign has begun. Be vigilant in what you post on social media. Truth still matters.'

The actress has long been a vocal Trump critic.
New Delhi, July 17 : Seventeen long years after a leaked audio clip made headlines that put the unfavourable spotlight on then Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi (since deceased), release of another set of audio tapes by the Congress has provided a deja vu moment for those keeping a close eye on Indian politics.

Old-timers would recall that a similar audio tape were leaked way back in 2003. The only difference is that at that time, a Congress leader was the main player -- CM Ajit Jogi -- unlike now when the Congress is playing victim of a 'conspiracy hatched by the BJP to topple the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan'.

The Congress on Thursday released three audio clips purported to contain discussions on "horse-trading" between Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma of Sachin Pilot's camp and Jaipur resident and BJP leader Sanjay Jain.

In Chhattisgarh, Jogi was short of a majority in the Assembly, but tried to cobble up a majority. He was caught on tape in a conversation with Virender Pandey, the then leader of the BJP, while allegedly attempting to poach MLAs from the rival party.

After the audio was leaked, it took the intervention of Sonia Gandhi to ensure that BJP MLAs were not poached. Later, Jogi was suspended by the party.

Levelling allegations against Jogi, then Union Law Minister Arun Jaitely (since deceased) had said: "One of the voices (on tape) which could be heard belonged to Jogi and the other to BJP MLA Virendra Pandey." As per reports, Jaitely clarified that Pandey had taken part in the conversation only to trap Jogi. After Jogi's attempt came a cropper, Raman Singh of the BJP was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the state.

Addressing a press conference in Jaipur, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had demanded an FIR against Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and otherrs and a fair investigation.

Surjewala also demanded a fair probe into the black money coming into the state. "Who sent the money? From where it came? Did it come via hawala? These are issues which need to be investigated," he said.
Vietnamese citizens in Australia wait to handle boarding procedures at Sydney Airport on July 13 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - Vietnam has organised 55 flights bringing 13,323 citizens home from overseas since April 10 in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said on July 16.

She said at the ministrys regular press conference that under the direction of the countrys leaders, in particular the Prime Minister, relevant agencies and Vietnams overseas representative bodies have worked closely with authorities in host countries to bring Vietnamese citizens home.

Agencies, ministries, and sectors in Vietnam, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Public Security, will continue working with the countrys overseas representative bodies to bring more citizens home on the basis of their aspirations, repatriation priorities, and domestic quarantine capacity, according to the spokeswoman.

Replying to a question about online ticket scams targeting citizens who wish to return to home, she cited national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines as saying that it has warned passengers, especially overseas citizens, about such online ticket scams.

Since the pandemic broke out and the Vietnamese Government began conducting repatriation flights for its citizens in disadvantaged circumstances, the countrys overseas representative bodies and the Foreign Ministrys Consular Department have publicised information about related procedures on their websites and on the media.

Citizens who wish to return to home need to register with Vietnams representative bodies in the host country, and agencies will then work with domestic authorities and contact each person by email to inform them on ticket booking procedures, Hang noted.

She recommended that to protect their interests, overseas Vietnamese citizens need to follow the instructions issued by Vietnamese representative bodies and only buy tickets after receiving official emails from these agencies.
C ity Hall is to reopen to staff  with those who have found it hardest working from home to be allowed back first.

About 200 workers  about a sixth of the Greater London Authoritys 1,190 workforce  will return from July 30, Mayor Sadiq Khan announced today.

Of the GLA's total workforce, about 750 are normally based at City Hall - and the 200 returning staff will be drawn from this number.

Priority will be given to staff who are working in cramped, busy homes, who are feeling lonely or isolated or those who - because of the nature of their work - need to be around others for support.

The building, home to the Mayor and the London Assembly, will remain closed to the public to minimise the risk of coronavirus.

It is close to being declared Covid-secure in line with Government guidelines. Desks will be kept 2m apart and a one-way system will be introduced.

City Hall, on the south bank of the Thames near Tower Bridge, closed shortly before lockdown was imposed on March 23. Staff have been working remotely for the last 18 weeks, though Mr Khan has been seen in his eighth-floor office in recent weeks.

Mr Khan said: For four months, our staff have worked tirelessly from their homes to keep the city running, many with difficult domestic circumstances.

We are nowhere near able to allow everyone back into City Hall and home working is going to continue for the majority of staff, but a number of GLA staff and officials, particularly those struggling with home arrangements, will now be able to return to City Hall in a safe and Covid-secure manner.

Yesterday the Standard revealed that Mr Khan was facing a backlash against his plans to move City Hall to the East End.

He has proposed relocating the Greater London Authority to The Crystal, a small exhibition centre in the Royal Docks, by December next year to save 55m over five years.

But the cross-party assembly has demanded that other locations be considered  including the possibility of restoring County Hall, the former home of the Greater London Council, as the home of London government.

County Hall, opposite Parliament on the South Bank of the Thames, was previously home to the London County Council and then the GLC, until the GLCs abolition by Margaret Thatcher in 1986. It now houses the London Aquarium and two hotels.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday vetoed a bill seeking to strip the Ohio Department of Health director and local health officials from enforcing health orders, as he previously said he would.

Senate Bill 55 originally increased penalties on drug trafficking within 1,000 feet of a treatment center. But it was amended in the House, and accepted by a majority in the Senate, to decriminalize violations of public health orders. Statehouse Republicans passed the bill partially as a rebuke to former ODH Director Dr. Amy Acton.

Currently, people who violate the orders face a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable with up to 30 days behind bars and a fine of up to $750. SB 55 amended it to make the orders a minor misdemeanor, with a warning for first-time offenders and a fine of up to $150.

In the midst of this pandemic, now is not the time to change tactics and impede local health officials ability to protect all Ohioans, DeWine wrote in his veto message to lawmakers.

DeWine said he liked the original idea of the bill, called the Relapse Reduction Act. But he couldnt sign the bill with the public health provisions.

A robust public health system protects us from E-coli and Legionella outbreaks, threats of bioterrorism, or once-in-century pandemics, DeWine wrote.

Lawmakers could override the veto, but it takes a three-fifths affirming vote in each legislative chamber. The Senate would be the first to hold a veto override vote and would need at least 20 votes before the bill would go to the House for an override.

However, after SB 55 was amended in the House, the Senate concurred with only 18 votes, making an override unlikely.

Just receiving it today, our members are going to review it and have an internal discussion about the path forward, said John Fortney, a spokesman for Senate Republicans, who control the chamber. 

Fortney added that senators may have discussions with the DeWine administration over how to resurrect the part of the bill centering on drug trafficking outside treatment centers.

Other coverage:

Ohio Capitol Square board gives preliminary approval for a womens suffrage monument

Gov. Mike DeWine is not committing to attend Republican National Convention

Ohio coronavirus cases up 1,290: Thursday update

Gov. Mike DeWine implores Ohioans to take immediate action to slow coronavirus, but gives no mandates
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: While Special Investigation Team (SIT) has commenced its probe into the Kanpur encounter where eight policemen including a Deputy SP were killed by gangster Vikas Dubey's henchmen in Bikru village, the investigators are contemplating to make the wife of one of Dubeys close aides an approver in the case.

As per the police sources, the probe team is planning action against Manu Pandey, wife of Shashikant Pandey, a cousin and close aide of the slain gangster. Shashikants father Prem Prakash Pandey was killed in police action in an adjoining forest area of Bikru village a few hours after the encounter of cops on July 3.

READ| Vikas Dubey tried to escape, police fired in self-defence, UP government tells Supreme Court

However, Shashikant was taken into custody on July 15 for his alleged involvement in firing on the police from the rooftop of Vikas Dubey's house. Shashikants wife Manu hit the headlines when some of her audio clips went viral where she is heard calling up her father-in-law Prem Prakash and discussing the preparations for the ambush.

She is even heard asking Prem Prakash to take a position on the rooftop.

In another clip, Manu is heard talking to her other relatives and discussing the details of the case and modus operandi of concealing the facts from the police. She was heard informing her sister-in-law that two cops have been killed and lying at her doorstep. One body was lying in her courtyard.

The police sources claimed that the authorities may accept Manu as an approver in the case as she was one of the eye-witnesses of the gun battle that ensued on the intervening night of July 2/ 3 night in Bikru village.

Both Manu and her husband Shashikant had informed the investigators that they were ready to help them in providing details with regard to Bikru ambush, sources said.

Police sources further said their statements would be taken under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (recording of confessions and statements by a magistrate in the course of an investigation).

Manu was detained by Kanpur police on Wednesday but was released after questioning on Thursday evening. She had been sent back to her home amid heavy police security, said a senior police official.

Moreover, two police constables were deployed at her residence evaluating the threat to her and her family, said the police source.

Meanwhile, Manus husband Shashikant admitted to his role in the ambush claiming that he was also firing from the rooftops at the behest of Dubey. He reportedly shared details of other accused including the slain gangster and his two dozen aides, who were involved in killing eight policemen.

He conceded to the police authorities that three policemen, including deputy SP Devendra Mishra, an S-I, were killed in his house. He claimed that he was coerced by Dubey to fire or else he would have killed all of them. He further stated that there were all types of firearms including semi-automatic guns and 30 Spring field rifle used in executing the killings of eight policemen.
- The man said his former wife left him immediately after giving birth and later called him to tell him the child was not his

- The biological father then moved to court to have the child's birth certificate rectified to include his name

- The man, however, filed a counter-petition that saw the judge rule he be paid a total amount of KSh 700, 0000

- Out of the amount, KSh 300,000 will be to compensate him for the money he spent o his former wife when she was pregnant and hospital delivery cost

- The remaining amount will be compensation for mental anguish, stress and embarrassment

A High Court in Mombasa has ruled that a man be paid KSh700,000 as damages after he found out that he was not the biological father of a child he had with his ex-wife.

According to the court's ruling made on Wednesday, July 15, the money awarded to the man will be paid by the child's biological father.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Brides wedding entrance leaves guests crying, worshiping

A High Court in Mombasa has ruled that a man be paid KSh700,000 as damages. Photo: Daily Nation.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Yassin Juma: Kenyan journalist remains detained in Ethiopia 2 weeks after arrest

In the judgment made by Justice Eric Ogola, the sum was compensation for mental anguish, stress and embarrassment after a paternity test revealed that the minor was not his.

The cash award is also supposed to cater for KSh 300,000 that the man identified in court papers as Mr SVK, spent taking care of the child's mother during pregnancy and for delivery costs.

The man had filed a cross-petition against a suit filed by the child's biological father identified as NTA, who sought to have the child's birth certificate rectified and read his name.

READ ALSO: Boy caught on busy highway taking little girl for a ride in toy car

Mr SVK had told the court that he was living together as husband and wife with the child's mother identified as Mrs RNL when out of their co-habitation, a baby girl was born in October 2015.

He argued that he had cleared the hospital bills and bought the minor clothes, as well as all necessary items required for a newborn before his former wife left him.

Mr SVK said the baby girl was his pride and joy as a father and since he comes from the Giriama community, he proudly named the child after his mother.

READ ALSO: Kenya expecting additional 20 doctors from Cuba to support fight against COVID-19

However, his pride and joy soon turned into embarrassment and disappointment when his wife called him and informed him that he was not the biological father of the child.

He refused to believe the news and demanded a paternity test which was done in South Africa for testing and results confirmed that he was not the biological father of the child.

The judge described the man as an honourable man who took his wife to give birth in a good hospital and paid the bills.

READ ALSO: 174 Kenyans who were stuck in Saudi Arabia due to COVID-19 repatriated

Soon after, she decided to go back to her fathers home from where she delivered the devastating news to him

"For all his troubles, the first respondent (Mr SVK) is entitled to compensation for the expenses he incurred in caring for the mother and the baby," the Judge said.

On his part, Mr NTA said he was in a relationship with Ms RNL but cut it short when she married Mr SVK and they were blessed with a child.

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly

Source: TUKO.co.ke
(Natural News) You have probably heard all about the statues and monuments that are being destroyed by the likes of Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa. But are you aware of the fact that churches are also being targeted in a coordinated attack on Christianity?

Just this past week, several church buildings were vandalized and/or set ablaze by domestic terrorist factions in the United States. These facilities include Saint Junipero Serra, a historical mission church located just outside of Los Angeles that was erected nearly 250 years ago.

Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Ocala, Florida, was also targeted by a 24-year-old man who drove his vehicle straight into the church and proceeded to douse it with two gallons of gasoline before lighting the place on fire. Parishioners were reportedly inside the building when the man set fire to it, but thankfully they were able to leave the premises without injury.

Suspect Anthony Shields has been charged with attempted murder, and the claim is that he suffers from schizophrenia but had not been taking his medication. At the time of his arrest, however, he was seen smiling and laughing about the incident while claiming that it was awesome.

Referring to himself as the king and saying he was on a mission, Shields told the detective he has problems with the Catholic Church and made reference to several Bible passages, including the Book of Revelation, a local newspaper reported, suggesting that Shields may have been demonically possessed at the time he committed the horrific act.

Queen of Peace incident motivated by anti-police hatred and retaliation against law enforcement

When asked, Shields reportedly told police that he knew what he was doing, and that he knew it was wrong but planned to do it anyway. This further suggests that it was not a case of unmedicated schizophrenia that committed this crime, but an antichrist spirit that did it.

Interestingly, just prior to this incident some men of the parish of Queen of Peace, reports indicate, had approached a group of nearby police officers in order to give them medals of St. Michael for protection.

They made a Catholic gesture, stated Dr. David Marshall, founder of the New Saint Thomas Institute and author of Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within. According to Marshall, there was another motive at play here that went unnoticed or ignored by the media.

They were doing evangelism, he added about the men of the Queen of Peace parish. Theyre doing what we Catholics should do.

Not even 24 hours later, Shields drove his car into the facility and the rest is history. In other words, it would appear as though Shields became triggered by what he saw and proceeded to seek revenge in the form of violent destruction and attempted murder.

Within 24 hours someone serving the invisible enemy ran his car into their church, and poured two gallons of gasoline and lit it, Marshall further explained during a recent episode of his podcast.

The same police officers were the ones who came to the church and got the bad guy. So you never know. I think it was the Holy Ghost leading these good men from the parish  to give this medal, these medals to the police officers.

To top it all off, a Virgin Mary statue was reportedly vandalized in Boston, Massachusetts, around the same time. Someone set fire to the Our Lady image, which had on its figure plastic flowers that immediately lit up upon being torched, causing the face and upper body of the statue to be burned.

All over the country, in other words, icons of Christianity are being targeted by violent people with one thing on their minds: the destruction of Christians and their deeply held religious beliefs. But is anybody paying attention?

For more stories like this, check out Evil.news.

Sources for this article include:

LifeSiteNews.com

NaturalNews.com
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From Ahmad SAKA , Bauchi

Some political thugs suspected to be loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Uba Ahmed Nana in Bauchi state has on Thursday stormed the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Bauchi state to disrupt a press conference.

The hoodlums attacked the secretariat of the union at 10:40 am where they disrupted the press conference being addressed by some factional members of the party who were calling for the dissolution of the state executives of the party.

Headed by Nana.

The thugs hurled stones and chairs at journalists and other attendants of the press conference in a bid to stop it from holding.

It took the intervention of the police men led by the public relations officer Muhammad Ahmed Wakili who visited the secretariat to bring succour to the journalists and the organizers of the press conference.

Our correspondent reports that some of the culprits fled the scene to avoid arrrest by the police men while the rest were taken to the zone 12 headquarters of the Nigeria police force (AIGs office) in the state where the case was being handled.

Two journalists sustained mild injuries during the attack and were accompanied to the police headquarters zone 12 by the state NUJ chairman Umar Said to give statements.

When contacted Uba Nana denied sponsoring the thugs to carry out the attack
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Ambassador Henrik Villadsen.

Ive signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Ambassador Henrik Villadsen. I thanked the OSCE for its sustained support of international projects in the field of human rights protection, in particular the project entitled "Civil society support in conducting trial monitoring", which was successfully implemented in 2019," she wrote on Facebook.

Denisova also noted that she is ready to strengthen cooperation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine in 2021 in priority areas, in particular, in promoting social dialogue, the rule of law and human rights. She noted that a training course for labor inspectors on combating human trafficking, recently developed and presented with the assistance of Ambassador Villadsen, helps civil servants implement policy on this issue.

She also handed over the 2019 Ombudsman's annual report on the state of observance and protection of human and civil rights and freedoms in Ukraine to Ambassador Villadsen.

At the end, we signed an important document that will deepen the cooperation of both parties in various directions, in particular, in conducting educational campaigns in all regions of our state in order to raise awareness of the population about their rights. I hope that the signing of the memorandum will open up new opportunities for both sides, and cooperation between the Ombudsman's Office and the OSCE will reach a new level, Denisova said.

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A deputy spokesperson of the opposition National Democratic Campaign for election 2020, Madam Margaret Ansei also known as Magoo has opined that the NDC has been vindicated on some of the irregularities going on with the Voters registration process as predicted.

Magoo speaking on the Platform Show on Peace FM Monitored by GhanaPoliticsonline.com said that if the voters registration was going on smoothly, there would not be any cause for alarm, but it is evident from the happenings so far especially voters suppression in NDC's strongholds and unfavorable treatment of persons believed to be sympathizers of NDC including polling agents that the registration process is not fair.

Magoo also gave a chronology of incidents that happened at various registration centers where Ghanaians were asked to be in a queue for hours because the EC machine code could not be detected.

She also lamented at the recent murder of a student in the North and EC adding of figures in an attempt to allegedly rig the elections in Ashanti Region by saying that so many irregularities are occurring throughout the process.

Sighting several areas including the Suhum Constituency where she contested as the parliamentary candidate for the NDC in 2016, she stated that the ruling party is busing people from different constituencies which is an illegality and a major cause of the confusion that has creating mayhem during the party.
Regulatory News:

Rallye (Paris:RAL) has issued today 210,042,400 bonds which were entirely subscribed by Fimalac, for a total amount of 210,042,400 euros, under the financing facility entered into with Fimalac (see Rallye's press release dated 30 March 2020) 1

The proceeds of this bond issuance have been entirely used today to repay all the derivatives transactions entered into by Rallye, HMB, and Cobivia2, which were not covered by the safeguard plans of such companies but had been the subject of specific agreements (see Rallye's press release dated 25 November 2019).

The bonds subscribed by Fimalac bear PIK interest and have a maturity of 4 years (with a one-year extension subject to agreement between Rallye and Fimalac)3.The early repayment events are customary for such type of financing, the main events being set out below:

occurrence of an event leading to Jean-Charles Naouri no longer holding directly or indirectly at least 50% of the voting rights of Casino, plus one vote; and

rescission (resolution) of the safeguard plan of Rallye.

As a guarantee of the bond financing, 9,468,255 shares of Casino (i.e. approximately 8.73% of Casino's share capital), previously pledged to the benefit of the financial institutions parties to the derivatives transactions, have been transferred by Rallye to a fiduciary trust (fiducie-surete) for the benefit of Fimalac.

1 As a result of the completion of this bond financing, Fimalac's undertaking to finance Par-Bel 2 (as described in Rallye's press release dated 30 March 2020) has been terminated. Par-Bel 2 is a subsidiary controlled at 100% by Euris, itself controlled at 100% by Jean-Charles Naouri and his family.

2 HMB and Cobivia have been merged into Rallye.

3 The subscription agreement entered into between Fimalac and Rallye is a regulated agreement (convention reglementee) and has been the subject of a publication (in French) on Rallye's website in accordance with article L. 225-40-2 of the French Code de commerce

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200717005394/en/

Contacts:

Press:

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Alienor MIENS 33 6 64 32 81 75 Alienor.miens@citigatedewerogerson.com

Annelot Huijgen +33 6 22 93 03 19 Annelot.Huijgen@citigatedewerogerson.com
Manchester, July 18 : England on Friday continued their domination on Day 2 of their second Test against West Indies at Old Trafford. After Ben Stokes' 176, which was part of an epic 260-run partnership with Dom Sibley, Dom Bess and Stuart Broad added 42 for the last wicket before the hosts declared on 469/9.

The West Indies then lost opener John Campbell and at stumps, they are 32/1 with Kraig Brathwaite in the middle with night watchman Alzarri Joseph. The third session of the day started with Stokes and Jos Buttler looking to score at a quick rate. Stokes was on 172, having ground the West Indies bowlers to dust with Sibley over the course of the third session on Day 1 and the first two sessions on Day 2.

He however did not last too long after Tea. After Buttler hit chase for three fours, Stokes looked to go after Kemar Roach in the next. He however ended up edging him to Shane Dowrich behind the wickets while trying to reverse slap a length delivery.

This was Roach's first Test wicket in 86.5 overs. As it turned out, the next wicket came off the very next ball for Roach with Chris Woakes edging the delivery to Shai Hope at gully.

The hat-trick did not come but Roach almost got a wicket off the ball after that when he got the ball to nip back into Sam Curran and the ball went straight through the batsman and over the stumps. Buttler soon picked a man on the boundary off Jason Holder and departed on 40 off 79 balls.

Roston Chase got Curran out in the next over to complete his five-wicket haul. Bess then toyed around with the visibly tired West Indies players and when the score reached 469, Joe Root called declared the innings.

Curran struck in the 10th over of the West Indies innings when England successfully overturned an LBW decision that the umpire had given in John Campbell's favour.

A number of decisions went against the West Indies particularly during Stokes and Sibley's epic partnership over the course of the two days due to the replays finally showing leaving the decision to the umpire's call and they had no luck with the reviews while batting either on Day 2.

The replays showed that the ball would have hit almost the middle of leg stump and Campbell had to walk. Joseph was sent in as night watchman and he rattled off 14 runs off 18 deliveries, hogging much of the strike until stumps.

West Indies will start the third day on 32/1, trailing England by 437 runs as the hosts look to level the series. Brief scores: England 469/9 (Ben Stokes 176, Dom Sibley 120; Roston Chase 5/172) vs West Indies 32/1 (Alzarri Joseph* 14, John Campbell 12; Sam Curran 1/8)
Around 30% of the 65,810 Covid-19 cases diagnosed in Delhi between June 14 and July 12 were done using rapid antigen tests, according to data collated by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA )highlighting the importance of these tests in identifying infections.

While Delhis use of antigen tests, which provide results quickly, and on anyone in a containment zone (and not just people who met the stringent criteria for testing laid down by the Indian Council of Medical Research), was known, this is the first time data on the number of people diagnosed positive using these tests is being publicised. HT has reviewed the data. From July 3, the government also allowed the antigen tests to be used more widelyin hospitals, dispensaries and testing centres.

The 65,810 cases account for 54.79% of the 120,107 cases of Covid-19 Delhi registered till Thursday.

In the same period (June 14-July 12) 201,950 individuals went through RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription - Polymerase Chain Reaction) test, and of this, 151,690 test results were received, the data showed. A senior government official who asked not to be named said that laboratories, in the light of the workload during the mentioned period, took up to three days to release results. The results of 50,260 tests were awaited as on 8 pm July 12 (the cut off for the data).

Out of the total test results received, 46,320 individuals tested positive, translating into a positivity rate of 30.54%. The 46,320 individuals who tested positive through RT-PCR tests account for 70.38% of the total caseload of 64,810 recorded in the mentioned period.

Between June 14 and July 12, 299,699 individuals went through rapid antigen tests and as many results were received. A total of 19,490 individuals tested positive,translating into a positivity rate of 6.50%. This is understandablethe rapid tests were applied indiscriminately on anyone in a containment zone (and later outside containment zones) who wanted to be tested; the RT-PCR tests are only applied to symptomatic individuals who meet certain criteria. They also have to be prescribed by a doctor.

The data summarised by the DDMAwhose chairperson is lieutenant governor Anil Baijal and vice-chairperson is chief minister Arvind Kejriwalwas submitted to the Union home ministry earlier this week, senior government officials said.

While RT-PCR tests are considered to be more accurate, it may take anything between 4 to 6 hours to show results (and labs could take even longer given the backlog). Rapid antigen tests, though less accurate, can show results between 30 to 45 minutes.

At present, antigen tests are carried out by the sole kit approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)Standard Q COVID-19 Ag detection kit developed by South Korean company SD Biosensor. In evaluations by ICMR, the test kit was found to have moderate sensitivity at 50.6-84%, and high specificity of 99.3-100%.

A highly sensitive test will detect all positive cases but will also throw up several false positives. A highly specific test means that there are few false positive results, which is why any test that shows positive in the Standard Q kit is regarded as a positive infection. Since the kit has low sensitivity, there is a chance that some positive cases could go undetected, which is why people who symptoms and do not trigger a positive result are advised to take a second lab test.

The Delhi government started using rapid antigen tests in mid-June. Initially these were used only in containment zones. From July 3, the government started rapid antigen tests in hospitals, dispensaries and centres set up in several parts of the city (the tests are free in the centres).

Delhis deputy chief minister and interim health minister Manish Sisodia said, Testing has always been one of the key focus areas of the Delhi government. We have increased testing in Delhi manyfold on the directions of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. We are using a mix of rapid antigen testing and RT-PCR to identify people with Covid-19 at an early stage, so that we can isolate them in time and provide them with proper treatment. This has been a very successful strategy in restricting the spread of the disease in Delhi. As per ICMR guidelines, the patients whose rapid antigen test is negative but they still exhibit Covid-like symptoms, need to be re-tested through RT-PCR. The Delhi government is following this guideline.

Experts said that the numbers suggest that Delhi is on the right track in terms of testing.

Dr Lalit Kant, former head of epidemiology at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said: It is good that a large number of positive cases are being identified quickly through rapid antigen tests. The infected individuals can be isolated without any delay. However, individuals who test negative should also be diagnosed through RT-PCR tests in order to trace the maximum possible number of individuals who are infected. The sensitivity is lower than the specificity. So, retests help in detection of false negatives.

Dr T Jacob John, virologist and former professor at Christian Medical College in Tamil Nadus Vellore, said: The number suggests that around 20,000 people were quickly tested positive with much less efforts in a period of around four weeks through rapid antigen tests. The government did not have to invest RT-PCR kits on them. The RT-PCR tests consume more time and effort. This also helped reduce burden on the laboratories. It is also good that the government has adopted a strategy which relies on a mix of both kinds of tests. However, the government must ensure that individuals who test negative in rapid antigen are sent for testing again through RT-PCR method.

As per ICMR guidelines, symptomatic persons who test negative in the rapid antigen tests should be followed up with an RT-PCR test.

The data shows that of the 280,209 individuals who tested negative through rapid antigen tests till July 12, 1,513 were re-tested through RT-PCR tests. Of these, around 249 were diagnosed positive.
Tara O'Neill / Hearst Connecticut Media

BRIDGEPORT  Some people were treated by medics after having trouble breathing while trapped in an elevator Thursday night, according to the fire department.

Firefighters responded to the Greene Homes apartment complex at 7:10 p.m. for a report of an elevator rescue with multiple people stuck.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 17, 2020) - Red Light Holland Corp. (CSE:TRIP) (FSE:4YX) ("Red Light Holland" or the "Company"), an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, is pleased to announce that it has engaged RadixMotion Inc. ("RadixMotion"), a virtual reality company based in the State of Delaware, to design and develop a virtual reality shopping experience module (the "VR Module") intended to explain the effects of microdosing of magic truffles on the human brain, as well as a virtual reality avatar (the "VR Avatar") that is centered around Red Light Holland's brand and expected to be integrated into the Meu Platform (as defined below). RadixMotion, which will work closely with Red Light Holland's Scarlette Lillie Science and Innovation division ("Scarlette Lillie Science and Innovation"), is a virtual reality company that utilizes the latest neuroscience research with immersive technology to strengthen the connection between the human body and human brain.

"As a company, Red Light Holland's mission is to always educate and inform shareholders and eventual end consumers about our product, as we develop our legal magic truffles Microdose Packs in the Netherlands. This agreement with RadixMotion and Sarah Hashkes, the CEO of RadixMotion and a scientific researcher with valuable knowledge on microdosing (and now our new Scientific Advisor), reinforces our belief that the public needs to learn more about psilocybin. Now imagine shopping for something new - but wanting to truly experience it before purchasing? Pretty cool idea, right? What we are aiming to create here is a virtual reality experience that potential consumers can use before buying our Microdose Packs. This way, they can experience what the effects of microdosing magic truffles would be like, to help with their personal comfort and understanding before actually purchasing our product! They can also opt in and provide us with key data that we can use to study and help support valuable research and study. We are so passionate about providing knowledge to our community of Red Light Holland supporters, and we believe that developing this truly innovative virtual reality experience will propel us into the future of retail and online shopping experiences, with responsible use in mind. We are grateful to be working with Sarah and her team, and we are proud as a company to support RadixMotion and create this synergistic partnership," said Todd Shapiro, the Chef Executive Officer and Director of the Company.

Story continues

The VR Module and the VR Avatar

The VR Module, which is expected to be completed in Q4 2020, will be designed with the goal of educating and enabling individuals to make reasoned, informed decisions with respect to magic truffles and other psychedelic substances, and enabling Red Light Holland to gather valuable data on user experience of synesthesia, loss of autonomy and suggestibility to inform further study and research in the psychedelic space. The VR Avatar, which is expected to be completed in Q3 2020, is expected to be integrated into RadixMotion's "Meu" platform (the "Meu Platform"), the first social platform based on 3D human movement data, which uses RadixMotion's movement data channels to bridge virtual reality and mobile augmented reality. The VR Avatar is expected to assist Red Light Holland's larger efforts towards reducing the stigma associated with, among other things, magic truffles and other psychedelic substances.

Pursuant to an independent consulting agreement (the "Consulting Agreement") entered into by RadixMotion and Red Light Holland, Sarah Hashkes, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of RadixMotion, is expected to guide the design and development of the VR Module and the VR Avatar. Ms. Hashkes has a history of using her academic research focused on cognitive neuroscience and psychedelics to create 3D human movement data channels. Further, RadixMotion is expected to provide Red Light Holland with access to the "Movement Channel API", which is expected to be launched by RadixMotion in the future as an interface designed to aid in assessing prospective clients' reactions to altered states of consciousness.

In connection with the Consulting Agreement, Red Light Holland has also entered into an intellectual property license agreement (the "IP License Agreement") with RadixMotion, wherein RadixMotion has licensed to Red Light Holland, on a limited and non-exclusive basis, certain intellectual property underlying the VR Module and the VR Avatar, as well as other technologies developed under the consulting agreement.

In consideration for the services provided under the Consulting Agreement and the license granted under the IP License Agreement, the Company has agreed to pay to RadixMotion a one-time fee of USD $20,000 (plus applicable taxes). In addition, the Company has issued to Ms. Hashkes, who will join Scarlette Lillie Science and Innovation as Scientific Advisor, 150,000 incentive stock options. The options entitle the holder thereof to acquire one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") for a period of 3 years, at an exercise price of $0.095 per share, and vesting over a 12 month period. All securities issued remain subject to compliance with all applicable laws (including the rules and policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange), including being subject to a hold period of four months plus one day from the date of issuance.

About Red Light Holland Corp.

The Company is an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale (through existing Smart Shops operators and an advanced e-commerce platform) of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, in accordance with the highest standards, in compliance with all applicable laws.

For additional information on the Company:

Todd Shapiro

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Tel: 647-204-7129

Email: todd@redlighttruffles.com

Website: https://redlighttruffles.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

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.

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "potential", "believe", "intend" or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Readers are further cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such forward-looking statements (including, but not limited to, the assumption that (i) the Company will be able to execute on its business plan and/or enter into the medical psychedelics market as proposed, (ii) the Company will receive one or multiple licenses, permits, and authorizations from time to time necessary to execute on its business plan and/or enter into the medical psychedelics market, (iii) the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, (iv) there will continue to be a demand, and market opportunity, for the Company's product offerings, (v) the Company will be able to establish, preserve and develop its brand, (vi) the Company will be successful in attracting and retaining required personnel, (vii) RadixMotion will successfully develop and deliver to the Company the VR Module and the VR Avatar, on the terms, and within the timelines, set forth in the Consulting Agreement, and (viii) the intellectual property license granted to the Company under the IP License Agreement grants to the Company all intellectual property rights necessary for the Company to make use of the VR Module and the VR Avatar), although considered reasonable by management of the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and result in actual results differing materially from those anticipated, and as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements, forward-looking financial information and other metrics presented herein are not intended as guidance or projections for the periods referenced herein or any future periods, and in particular, past performance is not an indicator of future results and the results of the Company in this press release may not be indicative of, and are not an estimate, forecast or projection of the Company's future results. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

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/59987
Ongoing development of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects in Russia will allow it to seize a 15-percent share of the global LNG market, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak wrote in an article in the Russian magazine Energy Policy.

Since Russia began LNG exports in 2009 with the Sakhalin-2 project, its exports of LNG have increased 4.5 times, Novak said.

While Russian gas export monopoly, Gazprom, has been busy launching new pipelines east and west  the Power of Siberia to China and TurkStream to Turkey  Russias largest private gas producer Novatek is boosting its presence on the global LNG market.

Novatek, which already exports LNG from the Yamal LNG plant, gave in September 2019 the go-ahead to its second large LNG project, Arctic LNG 2 on the Gydan Peninsula.

The Russian government is helping Novatek with its LNG projects in the Arctic.

The Arctic area could become the key driver of Russias natural gas production in less than two decades, as it has the potential to produce 90 percent of all the gas produced in Russia by 2035, a senior government official said in October last year.

The Arctics contribution in the oil and gas sector will continue to grow, we can really bring gas production to 90% of the national level and to a quarter of all oil production in Russia, Alexander Krutikov, Russias Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic, said back then.

Krutikov was presenting a strategy for the development of the Arctic regions in Russia, in which energy and chemicals will play leading roles.

The Arctic region is also key to Russias ambitions to be a dominant player in the global LNG market, Krutikov said.

Russia is supporting its companies with tax breaks, waivers on extraction taxes, and other incentives in order to develop its Arctic areas.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. World Council of Churches (WCC) interim general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca issued a statement over the recent military aggression launched by Azerbaijan against Armenia.

In the statement Ioan Sauca called for urgent de-escalation of the confrontation on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border, where renewed fighting since 12 July has cost the lives of at least 16 people and resulted in destabilization.

The WCC is deeply concerned by reports that artillery exchanges have imperiled civilians and essential infrastructure, including a factory in the Tavush region of Armenia making personal protective equipment essential for the COVID-19 response, said Sauca. Particularly in the context of the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has badly affected both Azerbaijan and Armenia, WCC calls on both sides to observe the global ceasefire called for by the UN secretary-general to enable all necessary resources to be deployed in the fight against the virus. While Armenia has expressed commitment to the global ceasefire, the WCC regrets that Azerbaijan has not, Sauca said.

The WCC calls for renewed engagement in diplomatic efforts to find a solution to this issue, said Sauca.

Since July 12th, Azerbaijan has launched a series of cross-border attacks against Armenias northern Tavush province.
Prosecutors have dropped felony charges against 87 protesters who peacefully gathered this week outside the Kentucky attorney generals home to demand charges against the police officers responsible for the death of Breonna Taylor.

Mike OConnell, the Jefferson County attorney, said on Friday that after carefully reviewing the relevant law, he had decided to dismiss the felony charges proposed by the Louisville Metro Police Department.

While we do believe the L.M.P.D. had probable cause for the charge, in the interest of justice and the promotion of the free exchange of ideas, we will dismiss that charge for each protester arrested this past Tuesday, he said in a statement.

More than 100 people attended the protest on Tuesday, which started at Ballard High School in eastern Louisville and ended on the front lawn of Daniel Cameron, the Kentucky attorney general. There, police arrested 87 protesters including Leslie Redmond, the president of the N.A.A.C.P.s Minneapolis chapter; the Houston Texans wide receiver Kenny Stills; and Porsha Williams, a member of the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
The fresh release of China's economic data for the first six months of 2020 revealed the economic recovery from the coronavirus onslaught, which, to a certain extent, will allow the country sufficient flexibility and ammunition, when it comes to redefining ties with the UK.

The hubris and arrogance behind the UK government's ban on Huawei 5G, will lead to a cooling of the once "golden" China-UK relations. And British politicians that sought to pamper to the US' international bullying at all costs should be held accountable for the subsequent damages to bilateral ties.

As the first major economy to recover and stabilize after the coronavirus outbreak, China is again on the rise. The developments will give the government a firmer resolution to protect its businesses and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests abroad.

China's Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Gao Feng said at a press conference on Thursday that "China firmly opposes the UK's decision to ban Huawei from its 5G construction ... Following the British side's abandonment of its free trade policy, China is now conducting a comprehensive assessment (of the relations) and will take necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights of Chinese firms."

It is highly possible that broader economic and cultural links between the two countries will go down, and the impact could be limited on China's colossal economy, but agonizing on the UK economy. China has brought the COVID-19 outbreak under control, while the UK has become one of the worst-hit countries by the coronavirus, making its economic recovery look like a "mission impossible."

The contrast between the two countries' economic outlook will make those arrogant UK politicians feel embarrassed. The Chinese economy has continued its recovery with a faster-than-expected 3.2 percent growth in the second quarter, while the urban unemployment rate dropped to 5.7 percent in June, representing renewed momentum in economic activities.

By comparison, the UK is "on track to record the largest decline in annual GDP for the past 300 years," the Office for Budget Responsibility said, adding that the unemployment rate is likely to peak at almost 10 percent in the third quarter even in the most optimistic scenario.

Moreover, Britain's foreign trade outlook has never seemed as bleak as it is today. The Johnson government still has not finalized a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU, with the transition period due to expire by the end of this year.

The deterioration of UK's relationship with China is expected to cast a shadow over its link with Asia's industrial chain spearheaded by China. And it would be naive of the UK to place any hope on getting any trade benefits from the US, which is embroiled in a second wave of the pandemic.

Some in the UK tend to downplay the importance of China-UK relations as they did not see many economic benefits in the "golden era" between the two sides, but that's completely misguided and shortsighted.

The market is highly concerned about what the Chinese "sanctions" on the UK will be, which may include discouraging Chinese students to go to UK universities, and Chinese tourists to shun the country. A fraught relationship is not something London can bear.
" " What do you say when someone sneezes? PeopleImages / Getty Images

Many people have become accustomed to saying "bless you" or "gesundheit" when someone sneezes. No one says anything when someone coughs, blows their nose or burps, so why do sneezes get special treatment? What do those phrases actually mean, anyway?

Wishing someone well after they sneeze probably originated thousands of years ago. The Romans would say "Jupiter preserve you" or "Salve," which meant "good health to you," and the Greeks would wish each other "long life." The phrase "God bless you" is attributed to Pope Gregory the Great, who uttered it in the sixth century during a bubonic plague epidemic (sneezing is an obvious symptom of one form of the plague).

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The exchangeable term "gesundheit" comes from Germany, and it literally means "health." The idea is that a sneeze typically precedes illness. It entered the English language in the early part of the 20th century, brought to the United States by German-speaking immigrants.

Virtually every country around the globe has its own way of wishing sneezers well. People in Arabic countries say, "Alhamdulillah," which means, "praise be to God." Hindus say, "Live!" or "Live well!" Some countries have special sneezing responses for children. In Russia, after children are given the traditional response, "bud zdorov" ("be healthy"), they are also told "rosti bolshoi" ("grow big"). When a child sneezes in China, he or she will hear "bai sui," which means, "may you live 100 years."

 For the most part, the various sneeze responses originated from ancient superstitions. Some people believed that a sneeze causes the soul to escape the body through the nose. Saying "bless you" would stop the devil from claiming the person's freed soul. Others believed the opposite: that evil spirits use the sneeze as an opportunity to enter a person's body. There was also the misconception that the heart momentarily stops during a sneeze (it doesn't), and that saying "bless you" was a way of welcoming the person back to life.

We now know that sneezing is a reflex action and is most often the sign of something relatively benign, such as a cold or allergy. A sneeze also can be provoked by being outside in the sunlight or from smelling a strong odor. Still, we persist in the custom of saying "bless you" or "gesundheit," mainly out of habit and common courtesy.

For more information on sneezing and related topics, check out the next page.

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Originally Published: Nov 30, 2006
Dubai-based conglomerate Al-Futtaim Group has joined hands with tabby, a UAE-based startup, giving customers the option to buy now and pay later across a number of its brands.

With tabby, customers can purchase products online or instore and choose to pay within 14 days or pay using interest-free instalments for up to six months.

At launch, the feature will be available on Al-Futtaim Groups online shopping destination, muudha.com and Al-Futtaim Watches & Jewellerys online store watches.ae.

Al Futtaim Group President (Retail) Regis Schulz said: "With the change in consumer behaviour, retailers are going through a major shift globally. We are constantly looking for ways to improve the experience for our customers and are excited to introduce the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) option in partnership with tabby for our customers in the UAE."

"This advancement in the payment landscape will help customers who are credit card averse better manage their spending by making purchases at their convenience when the funds are available," he stated.

Schulz said customers could sign up by clicking pay with tabby in the online checkout process.

"After registering with their mobile number and Emirates ID, customers get credits that can be used instantly. If customers choose to pay in instalments, they can link their tabby account to their credit or debit card," he explained.

Schulz pointed out that now more than ever it is important to adapt Al-Futtaim's business model to the evolving needs of customers and introduce innovations to improve their shopping experience, putting them at the centre of it.

"In addition, this means that our retailers will benefit from gaining access to a larger customer base," he added.

Al Futtaim Group will be extending this feature to its retail stores, other brands and business units across the UAE by the end of 2020.-TradeArabia News Service
At Least 7 Security Personnel Dead After Reconnaissance Plane Crash in Turkey

Sputnik News

02:37 GMT 16.07.2020(updated 03:47 GMT 16.07.2020)

The crash of the reconnaissance plane in Turkey's Van province claimed the lives of seven security personnel, according to the Anadolu news agency.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that seven security personnel died following the crash of a reconnaissance plane in Van province, eastern Turkey, Anadolu news agency reported.

Two of the seven police officers that died in the crash were said to have been pilots.

The incident reportedly occurred at an altitude of 2,200 meters in the Artos mountains of the Gevas district.

The Turkish Interior Minister announced that an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

"Our teams have informed us that we have lost seven heroes, two of them are the pilots," said Suleyman Soylu, cited by Anadolu.

No further details were immediately available.

A Sputnik

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 11:01:14|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A top U.S. vaccinologist warned on Thursday the United States is "weeks" away from such a high rate of serious COVID-19 infections that "every single American's going to know someone who's seriously ill."

"Because (the increasing COVID-19-related death rate) is being paralleled by a rise in hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and now the deaths are starting to arrive," Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College, told MSNBC.

Hotez gave the warning as the country registered over 1,400 deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, the record nationwide single-day death toll since mid-May, according to The Hill.

The warning also came as the U.S. administration and U.S. President Donald Trump in particular continued to tout alleged progress in tackling the COVID-19 outbreak by citing a falling U.S. mortality rate.

In a recent tweet, Trump even claimed that the United States has "the lowest" mortality rate for COVID-19 in the world.

However, according to CNN's fact-checking, among the 20 countries most affected by COVID-19, at least 14 have lower death rates than the United States. Enditem
Stanford GSB accounting professor Lisa De Simone teaching remotely from her home

Stanford GSB accounting professor Lisa De Simone teaching remotely from her home

As the COVID-19 case count and the death toll from the virus continues to surge in California, plans for the reopening of in-person classes at Stanfords Graduate School of Business have become increasingly complicated and stubbornly challenging. Shifting state and county guidelines, still-to-be-unveiled university protocols along with the spread of the coronavirus itself have forced the business school to plan for not one but several scenarios this autumns forthcoming quarter.

For the core curriculum, the school plans to adopt a hybrid format that will mix in-person and online learning components for most courses. Some classes, however, will be entirely online. But in communicating its plans to both incoming and second-year MBA students, the school is warning all students that its ability to offer any in-person classwork is dependent on both state and county restrictions. We are hopeful that these restrictions will ease before the quarter begins, but we also acknowledge, especially given recent trends in virus cases, that we may be forced to hold classes largely online, wrote Paul Oyer, senior associate dean of academic affairs, in a recent email to the Class of 2022.

Of course, university administrators all over the world are dealing with the frustrations of planning at a time when little certainty is possible. What is really difficult is trying to manage the tradeoff between waiting longer for better information so you can optimize vs. the sooner you start the better prepared you will be, sighs Oyer in a Poets&Quants interview. We have had to make redundant investments in time to plan for both the hybrid and worst-case scenarios.

MAKING DECISIONS WITH A LOUSY SET OF OPTIONS AND LIMITED INFORMATION

The uncertainly is not something I have ever had to deal with in any position Ive ever had, adds Oyer who joined Stanford 20 years ago as an economics professor. Things are getting a little better, but in the early days, we were making decisions day after day from a lousy set of options with limited information. And that gets old after awhile. On the other hand, we have students who are wonderful and rising to this challenge, and we have the resources to deal with these challenges. It is not easy and it is taxing our resources in ways we never imagined but we are very lucky.

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The No. 1 ranked business school in the world is inviting its new MBA students to come to campus for Week Zero, for orientation activities on Sept. 4 and the start of classes on Sept. 14. Second-year MBA classes are set to begin on Sept. 21. Students coming from outside of California are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. Exactly what those students will experience when coursework starts is unclear, though an internal task force has been diligently working on a reopening plan since mid-May. The goal: Not to simply put classes online and call it a day.

Planning around this has been incredibly difficult, adds Oyer. We are going down two paths at this point: One is how can we set up the most in-person experiences possible under the restrictions we face, and the problem is that is a new model. In the Spring, we were fully online but we are not just replicating that and making it better. We want to increase the in-person experience as much as possible. The other is entirely online. We live in a world of constraints and we are working very hard to make this as great an experience as it can possibly be in all dimensions.

FACULTY ARE REIMAGING THEIR COURSES FOR THE REOPENING OF CAMPUS

Brian Lowery, senior associate dean of academic affairs

Among other things, Stanford is planning staggered class schedules so all the students arent streaming into and out of the in-person class sessions at the same time. The school is ordering more furniture to allow for socially distanced student interactions outside of class. It is putting up extensive signage to control the flow patterns of students in its buildings. Faculty, meantime, are reimaging their courses, deciding what should be taught in-person and what should go online.

Stanfords iconic Interpersonal Dynamics course, often dubbed by students Touchy Feely, plans to have class lectures and activities online, while smaller eight-person groups are expected to meet in person. In a finance elective on private equity investing, faculty are planning an A/B format where students will alternate between attending the class in person and attending via Zoom. In virtually every Autumn course, students who are not able to come to campus or attend in person will be able to participate remotely. With access to campus severely restricted, all guest speakers will participate remotely during the Autumn quarter.

Despite all of the uncertainty, the faculty seems game. A lot of the faculty want to teach in person, says Brian Lowery, another senior associate dean involved with the plans to reopen. They trust the university and the school. They are telling us, If you say I can do it, I assume there will be sufficient protocols in place to make it safe. We dont feel the need to push anyone and demand that people go in and teach. Its tough because you really want to give the students an incredible experience, and you want to make sure the faculty is in a place to be successful. Yet, everyone is under such stress.

ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS OF THIS IS HOW DO WE ESTABLISH A CULTURE WHERE ITS OKAY TO TELL SOMEONE TO PUT YOUR MASK ON

Key to the success is preparation. We are doing a lot of preparing for in-person classes that may pay off someday but it might not be in the fall quarter, admits Oyer. On the non-academic side, we are asking what are other things we can do to facilitate small group meetings. How do we bring people together in a world where they all wear masks and be six feet apart? One of the hardest parts of this is how do we establish a culture where its okay to say, Put your mask on, and its the norm to call out a classmate if they dont. Our students are very naturally community-minded and its just a matter of getting them to understand the need to wear a mask and not to have a big party or anything that leads to a super spreader event. In the pre-COVID world, a lot of what occurred at the GSB was a super spreader event every day. If we went back to normal life tomorrow, there would be a lot of spread.

In email and webinar communications, in fact, school administrators have been discouraging students from taking trips together before they come to campus. Oyer told returning MBAs that their individual and collective behaviors before arrival will impact their experience during the reopened quarter. We are aware of the unofficial leisure travel that occurs in a typical year before students matriculate, he wrote. We do not endorse or sponsor such travel. Our observation over many years is that these events do not reflect well on the GSB and the student community, nor are they an effective way to build an inclusive class dynamic, as many students are unable to participate. These issues are especially salient given the current trajectory of Covid-19 in the U.S. and throughout the world. Not only will gathering in large groups prior to arrival compromise the health and safety of others, but such gatherings may also create unintended consequences for the experience you will be able to have on campus. If there is a cluster of COVID-19 cases within the GSB, our ability to hold class meetings in person and have social gatherings will be jeopardized.

Planning for the fall began in mid-May with the creation of a task force that included students, faculty facilities staff, the MBA program office, the teaching and learning team, and representatives from the deans office. The group has met at least weekly and often more frequently to deal with the mountain of details necessary to build contingency plans for nearly every scenario. One conclusion: In-person classes are critical to the MBA experience so every effort should be made to have them. The students really missed that intense in-person experience in the spring, says Lowery. By no fault of anyone here was it taken away, but we are trying to make sure they have social connection when they return.

Paul Oyer, senior associate dean for academic affairs

THE CALIFORNIA ADVANTAGE: WE CAN SIT OUTSIDE FOR INFORMAL MEETINGS

Oyer agrees. If we have people coming into class every day, even if that class wasnt as good as having it online, we still want to do it so people have a reason to come to campus every day, says Oyer. As long as it is done with the proper protocols because that serendipitous running into people is an important part of the community. Being in California is a good advantage to us because we can sit outside for informal meetings. In fact, the school plans on installing more furniture outside to encourage those encounters, all socially distanced, of course.

The school began running test classes over the summer to both allow faculty to get more comfortable teaching in a hybrid format and to iron out any kinks, including the realization that faculty who write on whiteboards in their online classes need to make sure the glare from camera angles or lighting in the room does not interfere with students ability to read what theyre writing.

When people say hybrid that can be a number of things, explains Lowery. One version is teaching in two modalities at the same time. We had a test with that. Some people might use that. There is going to be a range of what we do so faculty can really tailor the experience to the material and so students have the best possible experience. We are trying to create as much flexibility as possible.

NO IDEA WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE CLASSES WILL BE IN-PERSON

Katherine Casey at Stanford

Katherine Casey, an associate professor of political economy at Stanford GSB, emerged as a star in the abrupt shift to remote instruction during the spring

Asked to estimate what percentage of Stanfords MBA classes will actually be in-person in the autumn quarter, Lowery could not provide a reliable estimate. I would not hazard a guess, he says. It matters based on first and second years and what second year students choose to take. Things are changing so quickly that anything I tell you right now could be outdated tomorrow.

While many details are yet to be finalized, Stanfords 80-seat, tiered classrooms, of course, will not be completely filled. Right now my sense is that maybe somewhere to a quarter to a third of the seats will be used, says Lowery. The university is telling us what is possible. In any case, in-person classes also will be broadcast so they can be taken by students remotely. Some students might not be able to make it back so we want them to have the opportunity to stay on track by taking classes online, adds Lowery.

MBA candidates who come back to the reopened campus will benefit, in part, from the abrupt transition to remote instruction that occurred in the spring. The amount we learned about Zoom-based teaching was incredible, says Oyer. We have a bunch of people who did such a great job in the spring quarter, and they are spreading best practices. One task force member was an absolute star in adopting her class. He cites Katherine Casey, an associate professor of political economy at Stanford GSB. In the spring, you saw a little bit of the reversal of the teaching experience. The great teachers were always the great teachers but some of the newer teachers who hadnt yet found their sea legs were more tech savvy to begin with and were absolute stars. For them, there was nothing to unlearn and nothing to adapt.

ITS A GOOD TIME TO BE IN SCHOOL

Beyond the classwork, the task force is also grappling with how to reimagine the required global experience for second-year MBAs. Currently, all university-sponsored travelwhether domestic or internationalhas been suspended. So the school is working closely with we will focus on working with student leaders on a reimagined experience. For incoming MBAs, theres the opportunity to participate in what the school is calling Global Dialogues in August prior to the start of the MBA program.

Some European schools that have already reopened their campuses have adopted some unique aspects to minimize the dangers of an outbreak. IE Business School in Madrid, Spain, for example, has UV-ray robots patrolling the classes and offices in the evening to disinfect them and has installed thermal imaging cameras to detect students with elevated temperatures. We dont have any new fangled fancy thing, says Lowery. We are waiting to see what the testing and quarantine regime will be. There will be a health app that people will use to check in before they come to campus, and we will limit off-campus visitors while increasing the number of guess visitors to classrooms via Zoom. But the protocols of people coming to campus is driven by the university.

Its all part of the new normal: A raging, still out-of-control pandemic. An ensuing recession with record unemployment. And a country convulsed by a national discourse over racial justice. Yet from Oyers standpoint, its also an ideal opportunity for young professionals to take a break and become students. Its a good time to be in school, he says flatly. This is exactly the time you want to be in school gathering human capital, even if the experience isnt exactly what you expected or hoped for.

DONT MISS: How Yale Brought Its First MBA Students Back To Campus or MBA Classes This Fall: Daily Temperature Checks, Masks, Plexiglass & Smaller Classes

The post Inside Stanfords Efforts To Welcome MBA Students Back To Campus appeared first on Poets&Quants.
Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel admits there will be plenty for his fellow EU leaders to fight about when they meet Friday to discuss a huge post-coronavirus recovery package. But, in an interview with AFP, he urged his "frugal" colleagues from the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and Sweden to agree to provide grants -- rather than loans -- to their struggling southern neighbours. EU officials have drawn up a stimulus plan that would see 500 billion euros ($569 billion) handed out as grants and subsidies and a further 250 billion as loans. The Frugal Four would prefer the package to be wholly or mainly loans, and for these to come with stern conditions attached, requiring the likes of Italy and Spain to commit to tough reforms with intrusive EU oversight. On the eve of the summit, the liberal leader of small but wealthy Luxembourg, urged both sides to "put a bit of water in their wine" to find what still seems an unlikely compromise. - 'Few easy summits' - On loans versus grants, Bettel said: "They should complement each other." "What's the point of asking a country that we know very well will not be able to repay to take loans? It's ridiculous. So we must also know how to give," he argued. "Because today I am giving, but maybe after tomorrow I will be the one who will receive something." Bettel predicted there would be other clashes, for example over demands for deeper rebates on EU contributions and Brussels' bid to make spending contingent on member states' commitment to the rule of law. But he said compromise must be possible. "I know that there are issues that make people angry: There are rebates, there is the rule of law, and there are reforms, some of them structural, that should take place," he said. "I've had few easy summits, in the last few years we've had a lot of difficult discussions, but in the end, we're always finding compromises. "We know very well that if we have other countries falling, it drags Europe down, so it is important to support each other." And what is the subject that could make Bettel angry? Well, on Friday he may upbraid his neighbours about renewed border controls on his landlocked Grand Duchy, which relies more than most on European free movement of goods and people. Luxembourg has recently seen a small uptick in coronavirus cases, and neighbours like Belgium and Germany are concerned, restricting some non-essential cross-border traffic. - Honest accounting? - But Bettel says his country's high caseload is a side effect of an aggressive testing program. "The WHO and the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, editor's note) tell us: 'test, test, test'," he said. "That's what we're doing. We're testing 20 times more than France, 20 times more than Belgium, more than 10 times more than Germany, because we decided that testing would make it possible to stop people from infecting each other more quickly. "We test more than 10,000 people a day. I have a mortality rate that's one of the lowest. I prefer to test. I prefer to know my figure. "And today if we are being punished because we are honest, because we are transparent, because we are far-sighted, that is not the spirit of solidarity that I expect from my colleagues and I will say so tomorrow without any problem." Xavier Bettel: 'We know very well that if we have other countries falling, it drags Europe down, so it is important to support each other.'
Charities in the Western Bay of Plenty can get technical help to understand more about their clients  and their supporters.

SociaLink, the Western Bay umbrella group for social service providers and community organisations, has a digital expert to give advice on managing client and supporter information, and it wants to help more organisations.

Managing the details of people who need help from an agency and those who can provide funding and support is a major but essential task for charities, which often dont have the expertise, or the funds, to do the job well, says Bryan Winters, who heads SociaLinks digital technology programme.

With charities busy serving people needing help, few charities have given much thought to what they need to manage client and supporter information.

Knowing who your supporters are is essential to get people to know about what youre doing and support your work.

Brian works with groups of all sizes to find out what their digital technology needs are and then works with them to find the best system or software for their needs including assisting them to install and use the technology.

Often, Brian is able to call on local IT people who can do some pro bono work for community organisations.

He says most organisations need a customer relationship management system to manage client and supporter information.

I spend about an hour with them and then provide them with a single sheet of information to suit their needs. We dont recommend one particular CRM as it depends on what they want to do.

Knowing who you are helping and who can help you is vital to strengthening an organisation. Every charity starts with Excel, but there is so much more that can be done with the right digital help.

So far, hes worked with about 50 social service providers and community organisations, but SociaLink wants more groups to take up the help.

Organisations need to make the community aware of what they do, be visible at events and be able to ask for donations, especially monthly recurring ones.

They can be advocates for their organisation by telling their stories to others.

Having a good database system also allows charities to report on all aspects of their work and measure what they are doing, which helps them acquire more supporters, he says.

Some will need a supporter database, some a client database to help them assess peoples needs, and some will need both.
Rajasthan, Indias biggest state in terms of area, has witnessed an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the last 10 days. It reported its highest spike of 866 cases on 15th July. The state has recorded more than 500 daily infections every day since the 5th of the month.

Despite the surge, the states commendable work in containing the spread of infections has ensured that its growth rate remains lower than most of the other major states of the country.

LOW CASE-LOAD DESPITE SURGE

Rajasthan is still at Number 10 in terms of the total case-load of the country. It has a higher population than Delhi, Gujarat, Telangana and Karnataka and yet it recorded a lower number of Covid-19 infections.

Unlike other states- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal, Gujarat and even Karnataka which have one major hotspot (usually the states capital), the cases are not concentrated in one or two major cities of Rajasthan.

Not even one district from the state is amongst the 25 worst-affected in the country (in terms of case-load). Jodhpur, with 4,223 cases has the maximum number of infections in Rajasthan, followed by Jaipur (4,127), Bharatpur (2,004), Pali (1,692) and Alwar (1,492).

Even in terms of Incidence Per Million, Rajasthan with just 344 cases per million population is amongst the best cluster of states on this count.

What is impressive about Rajasthan is that despite conducting a high number of tests, the count of positive cases are still low.

EXTENSIVE TESTING AND LOW POSITIVITY RATE

Rajasthan has conducted 1.1 million Covid-19 Tests  only Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have tested more than this.

Even in terms of Tests Per Million Population, Rajasthan with 14,500, fares better than most of the other major states barring Delhi (37,200), Andhra Pradesh (23,300) and Tamil Nadu (22,900). Just for perspective, Gujarat has tested just 7,200 per million, West Bengal  6,700, Madhya Pradesh  6,600, Uttar Pradesh  5,300 and Bihar  2,800.

Usually, extensive testing helps trace, track and control the pandemic significantly and thus it is not surprising that Rajasthan has the second-lowest Positivity Rate amongst all the major states of India. It is more than three times lower than the National Positivity Rate of 7.67%.

Not only has Rajasthan has managed to keep the infection rate low, but the authorities have worked extensively on patients recovery- nearly three-fourths (73.77%) of the total infected have recovered in the state.

Even more significantly, it has managed to contain the number of Covid-19 deaths.

LOW MORTALITY RATE

Rajasthan has recorded a total of 534 Covid-19 deaths. Its Mortality Rate is 2.02% which is lower than the National Average of 2.56%. It has fared better on this parameter than Uttar Pradesh (2.45%), West Bengal (2.9%), Madhya Pradesh (3.47%), Maharashtra (3.96%), Gujarat (4.66%) amongst others.

In terms of the number of tests conducted per Covid-19 death, Rajasthan is only behind Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. While Andhra has reaped the benefits of extensive testing, Bihar, in spite of testing poorly, has a high ratio because of its very low mortality numbers.

Jaipur, with 179, has recorded the maximum number of Covid-19 fatalities and a comparatively higher Mortality Rate of 4.34%, followed by Jodhpur (65), Bharatpur (43) and Kota (27).

BIKANER AND ALWAR SEE DOUBLING OF CASES IN RECENT SURGE

Bikaner district has seen its cases rise from 492 ( July 5 ) to 1,066 ( July 15 ). Alwar has also witnessed infections doubling in this period mainly due to the rise in cases in the industrial town of Bhiwadi.

Jalore district in rural Rajasthan witnessed the highest influx of migrants from other states  more than 2.4 lakh have returned to the district recently  resulting in a spike in cases from 392 to 721 in a span of 10 days.

Pratapgarh saw its numbers surge from a mere 16 till the end of June to 151 on 15th July after cases have been reported from the district jail. While Dholpur has also seen a sharp rise from 290 to 877 cases in the last three and a half weeks.

But the recent spike notwithstanding, Rajasthan is working effectively in curbing the spread of the virus. A two-pronged approach of testing aggressively and targeting the elderly and contact tracing went a long way in containing the infection in the state.

The state government also took a slew of measures such as the Mission Lisa (Life Saver) Campaign launched as early as April where the elderly and other high-risk group people were screened and tested in containment zones and hotspots.

The authorities also set up an elaborate contact tracing system to deal with the isolation and quarantining of the migrants returning to Rajasthan.

Another possible reason for the control of the virus in the state could be its low density of population.

However, the next few weeks will be crucial for Rajasthan as the number of cases continues to rise unabated.
Most people have heroes  people they want to emulate. For many people, their heroes live elsewhere and some are even historical figures. A number of mine are in the Great Lakes Bay Region and several of those are in Midland. One is Michael Miller, who resides in Midland with his wife, Deborah. He also has a home and business in Colorado.

Miller grew up in rural Oklahoma and, after several attempts was accepted into West Point. He graduated with the class of 1964 and went on to become an Airborne Ranger. In 1968, he was a captain in charge of 60 men in Vietnam for a full year. He came close to being killed at least a half dozen times and it was the year of the Tet Offensive. In one night alone, almost 200 infantry troops in an adjoining unit were killed in a mortar attack. Miller recounts that year in his engaging book, A Terrible Beauty.
A mini-African summit will be held on Tuesday to continue discussing the disputes around the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Sudanese Irrigation Minister Yasser Abbas stated on Friday.

The summit is part of the recent African Union-brokered negotiations aiming to resolve the near decade-long disagreements between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the mega-dam.

The leaders of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia attended a virtual African mini-summit on 26 June in response to a call from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the current chairman of the African Union.

As a result, Cairo, Addis Ababa, and Khartoum began new talks over the $4.8 billion dam on 3 July. The talks wrapped up on Monday with no major breakthrough, however.

The 11-day long virtual talks did not see resolution of the differences on major issues regarding the rules of filling and operating the hydropower project Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile, one of two tributaries of the Nile water.

The three countries presented their final reports concerning the path of negotiations to South Africa on Tuesday.

The Sudanese irrigation minister said on Friday his country is looking forward to taking part in the summit to reach a consensus over filing and operating the dam.

Earlier on Friday, Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told Ramaphosa in a phone call that Nile water is an existential matter for Egyptians and said he rejects unilateral measures concerning the Ethiopian project.

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A fishing expedition nearly turned into a tragedy on Tasmania's north-west coast on Friday afternoon when a shark snatched a 10-year-old boy from a boat.

The six-metre vessel, containing the boy, his father and two other men, was about five kilometres off the coast of Stanley, when a shark pulled the boy into the water, an Ambulance Tasmania statement said.

The shark left a dent in the side of the boat when it pulled a 10-year old boy into the water off Stanley in Tasmania. Credit:Ben Allen

"The boys father jumped into the water at which point the shark swam off," the statement read.

"The boy, who was wearing a personal flotation device, suffered lacerations to his arm, and cuts to his chest and head.
FILE PHOTO: A palm oil seed is seen at a plantation in Pulau Carey

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Asian palm oil producers, long at loggerheads with the European Union over curbs on imports of the edible oil, have offered to "work together" with the European Commission in drafting rules for the EU's latest 'Farm to Fork' food supply policy.

The EU, a major palm importer, has already decided to phase out palm-based transport fuels from its renewable energy sector by 2030, citing the environmental impact of the oil's production, and is expected to set new limits on food contaminant 3-MCPD esters, found in refined fats and oils.

In a statement late on Thursday, the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), led by top producers Indonesia and Malaysia, said, "The Farm to Fork strategy recently launched by the European Commission offers a major opportunity for us all to work together and further improve sustainability standards."

"We want to be part of this discussion, not mere spectators," it said.

Neighbours Indonesia and Malaysia produce 85% of the world's palm oil, and have been battling criticism of rampant clearing of tropical forests for palm cultivation.

The EU in May announced proposals for a "fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system", raising alarm bells that it could decide to implement its own sustainability standard for palm oil in food.

CPOPC had previous accused the EU of unfairly targeting palm oil and creating trade barriers, and again voiced frustration in its Thursday statement, referring to "constant, exasperating attacks on our industry every day".

Indonesia in December filed a World Trade Organization suit against the EU over its ban on palm-based biofuel, and Malaysia is expected to follow suit.

(Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
In December 2016, Ben Smith, then BuzzFeeds editor-in-chief, wrote a memo to his staff that was meant to be a kind of charter for the dawning of the Trump Era. In truth it spoke to and aimed to speak for the entire mainstream media. Smith would eventually move on to the New York Times, which elevated him to a role as the supervisory voice of conscience for the whole media. But that December, he warned his staff of the danger of fake news, and the need of the media to be accurate and factual:

The information environment itself will become even more central to our coverage: Fake news will become more sophisticated, and fake, ambiguous, and spun-up stories will spread widely. Hoaxes will have higher production value. It is, for instance, getting easier and easier to create video of someone saying something he or she never said  a tool both for fake news and false denials. And powerful filter bubbles will drive competing narratives from parallel universes of facts.

The Times and The Atlantic have minted tens of thousands of new subscribers from across the nation since Trumps election, readers who want to keep informed, even as their local newspapers shrivel into nothing. The importance of these institutions has lately been increased substantially by their ability to survive, grow, and set trends across a more tightly concentrated media environment. Their staffers have largely defined themselves as part of a resistance to Trumps administration.

So how is the information environment now, three and a half years after Smiths memo?

Pretty bad.

Last week, the Times ran a story about a 30-year-old Texas man who believed COVID-19 was a hoax and contracted the disease at a COVID party before dying. Every detail of the story was uncorroborated, which made it exactly the kind of urban legend that moral panics produce. Though it was viral on social media, because it confirmed all the prejudices of the Timess energized liberal readership, the Times began to edit the story as it was criticized here in National Review and in Wired. The entire tone of the story went from credulous to skeptical, but you wouldnt have noticed the difference if you hadnt been paying close attention, because no editors notes were appended to it announcing the changes. The Times has begun stealth editing its stories in this manner more and more lately, effacing the traditional journalistic ethic that seeks to keep an intact record not just of the news, but of how the reporting of the news evolves.

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Also last week, The Atlantic ran an essay, How I Became a Police Abolitionist, that roots the activism of its author in a heart-rending story of a 16-year-old gunned down by the police in a rec center for failing to put his name on a sign-in sheet. Christopher Bedford, at The Federalist, a conservative web outlet that has far fewer resources than The Atlantic, rather conclusively showed that the story as told was full of holes and likely never happened.

In recent months, the Times has failed to report properly even on its own internal controversies. Take the publication of an op-ed by Senator Tom Cotton, which called for the use of the U.S. military to quell rioting while taking pains to separate rioters from peaceful protesters. The piece caused a freakout among Times staffers that ultimately cost editorial-page editor James Bennet his job. The news desk at the Times, in its own navel-gazing story on the controversy, falsely described Cottons op-ed as a call for the federal government to send the military to suppress protests against police violence in American cities.

Digital media has made the emergent cliches of journalism seem more sinister. On June 2, in a story on criticism of how Mayor Bill de Blasio and the NYPD had responded to the protests in New York, the Times reported that widespread looting had taken place as many officers were dispatched to oversee what turned out to be largely peaceful demonstrations. (Emphasis added.) On June 5, the Times reported that the NYPD had turned what had been  largely peacefu l protests into chaos. The phrase then spread like wildfire through the rest of the media. The protests were mostly peaceful according to Vox.  Largely peaceful protests had occurred, said NPR. Even the author of the BBCs Twitter account seemed to get the memo and wrote a hilarious tweet: 27 police officers injured during largely peaceful anti-racism protests in London.

Nearly half the days of June featured a New York Times news story employing that phrase largely peaceful to describe the protests that sprung up in response to George Floyds death, even as cities across the country saw rioting unlike almost anything since the late 1960s. For people who both follow Twitter and carefully read the newspaper, it seemed like the half-spontaneous emergence of a party line; it felt manipulated and manipulative.

Such manipulation is everywhere in our information environment. The Times recently commissioned an unscientific study in which people self-reported their mask-wearing, and it showed that Democrats wear more masks in the coronavirus hot spots and most dense parts of the country. The lovely infographic comes complete with the catchy headline, A Detailed Map of Who is Wearing Masks in the U.S. You can zoom in to your own town. I did. Though it is one of the most-masked places in the country, according to the Timess data, from what Ive been able to tell with my own eyes, far fewer of my neighbors are wearing masks than the map would suggest. The Timess data set is surely accurate, just as it was accurate to say that a hospital official in San Antonio was sharing the tale of the 30-year-old man who died of COVID  accurate, but with no discernible relationship to the real-world truth.

A lot of news is like this now, especially on points of political contention or embarrassment relating to the coronavirus pandemic. News outlets have uncritically accepted stories that the early warnings not to wear masks, given by public-health officials, were a noble lie to preserve available masks for medical personnel during a shortage. Of course, this isnt really believable, as those early warnings came buttressed by dubious, preexisting studies assuming improbable things about human nature. But journalists have participated in the retcon anyway.

At the end of the day, that may be the most troubling thing of all: The journalists themselves dont seem bothered by the obvious double-standards and shoddy practices that have infected their own work and the wider information environment. They look zealously for evidence of a COVID spike after a single Donald Trump re-election rally. They shrug as New York Citys contact tracers are instructed not to ask COVID-carriers whether theyve attended the massive largely peaceful protests.

We should have seen this coming. Less than two weeks after his 2016 warning that hoaxes would have higher production values from now on, Ben Smith decided to publish the unedited Steele Dossier, containing all sorts of sordid allegations against Donald Trump that Smith said his reporters could not confirm or disprove. The stories in the dossier were compiled by a British spook talking to Russian intelligence as part of opposition research for the Clinton campaign, and they formed the basis for treating the just-elected president as a suspected Manchurian Candidate controlled by Moscow. After a few years, an impeachment trial, and endless breathless updates on how the walls were closing in, we discovered the very thing any news-literate reader would have guessed at the time if the relevant journalistic investigations had been done: The dossier was filled with misinformation that Russian intelligence hoped to get the U.S. media to run with. The media that had warned against fake news willingly and happily propagated it.

And thus another critical democratic institution decided it would be more fun and emotionally satisfying to fail than to perform the function with which the public entrusts it.

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Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesman and former parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran announced at a press conference on June 16 that if President Gotabhaya Rajapakse was ready to make a constitutional change that would fulfill political aspirations of Tamil people, the TNA is ready to support him.

The TNA, which is comprised of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) and Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), has a long and sordid history of making deals with Colombo governments to advance the interests of the Tamil elite. It has no concern for the democratic aspirations and social needs of Tamil working people.

Sumanthirans appeal for constitutional changes is a reference to the TNAs long-standing call for a limited power-sharing arrangement for the north and east where the majority of Tamil people live. The appeal is particularly cynical and grovelling as Rajapakse is vehemently opposed to any devolution of powers to provincial councils or concessions to the Tamil elite.

In the midst of the current campaign for the August 5 general election, Rajapakse is indeed pushing for constitutional changesbut of a different character. He is seeking to win a two-thirds parliamentary majority in order to amend the constitution to strengthen the already sweeping powers of the executive presidency.

The TNA is offering to support Rajapakses moves to dictatorial forms of rule as long as he makes concessions, no matter how small, to the interests of the venal Tamil elites. In doing so, the TNA is seeking a pact with the man, who, as defence secretary, was directly responsible for the slaughter of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians in the final offensives of the communal war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009.

Such was the hostility among Tamils to Rajapakse at the presidential election last November that the TNA called for a vote for Sajith Premadasa, the candidate of the right-wing United National Party (UNP), falsely portraying him as the lesser evil. After Rajapakse won, however, the party abruptly shifted its position.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has greatly accelerated the economic and social crisis in Sri Lanka and thus the political crisis in Sri Lanka. The entire political establishment has come together to back Rajapakse as he has militarised his administration and moves towards dictatorial forms of rule.

On April 27, the TNA joined the other main opposition parties in pledging responsible cooperation with the president without any strings, if he reconvened parliament. In an anti-democratic move to strengthen his position, Rajapakse had dissolved parliament, where his party is in a minority.

On May 4, TNA leaders held a closed-door meeting with the presidents brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse. After the meeting, Sumanthiran declared everyone should cooperate and support the government.

Workers opposition is brewing against the relentless attacks on jobs, wages and conditions while rural unrest is developing due to severe hardships. Like their counterparts in the south, the Tamil bourgeois parties are deeply fearful of the developing struggles of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim workers amid growing international class struggles.

We warn workers: the TNA is willing to support Rajapakse as he is rapidly entrenching the basis for dictatorship based on the military to crush the growing workers resistance. Thus, the Tamil nationalists have shown their class unity with the Sinhala chauvinist political establishment in Colombo against the working class.

In a lengthy interview in Veerakesarion June 21, TNA leader R. Sambandan sought to justify the partys rotten collaboration with the Rajapakse government by citing wretched negotiations and deals reached by Tamil bourgeois parties in the past. The party must have a connection to those in power, he declared.

S. J. V. Chelvanayakam

Sambandan detailed the history of negotiations by the ITAK (also known as the Federal Party) under its founding leader S.J.V. Chelvanayakam with successive Colombo governments. He even boasted that after the end of the communal war in 2009, the TNA held 18 discussions with then President Mahinda Rajapakse, who with his brother Gotabhaya, had presided over the slaughter of Tamil civilians and the incarceration of some 300,000 Tamils.

What this record reveals is the history of the treacherous role played by the Tamil bourgeoisie in collusion with the reactionary Sinhala ruling elites in Colombo. It is an outright lie that these talks brought progress for Tamil masses. Rather the result has been one disaster after another including a 30-year war that was a disaster for the entire population of the island.

Ever since formal independence from Britain in 1948, Sri Lankan bourgeois parties and their governments have exploited Sinhala supremacism and anti-Tamil chauvinism to divide the working class and establish a social base for their rule. Tamil bourgeois parties have responded, not by defending the democratic rights of Tamil working people, but by seeking to manoeuvre within the Colombo political establishment for the interests of the wealthy Tamil elites.

The ITAK was formed in 1949 after the UNP government, in one of its first acts following independence, abolished the citizenship rights of a million Tamil-speaking plantation workers of Indian origin. The ITAK opposed this blatantly anti-democratic measure and split from the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, which was a partner in the UNP government and supported the legislation.

From the outset, the ITAK sought a federal set-up in which the Tamil bourgeoisie would have significant powers within predominantly Tamil areas in the north and east of the island. In other words, it sought an accommodation with the Sinhala ruling elites that would enable their joint exploitation of the working class.

ITAK, like the UNP, was always bitterly opposed to the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), which, despite its political backsliding, was fighting to unite the working classSinhala, Tamil and Muslimaround a socialist program.

In his account of ITAKs history, TNA leader Sambandan approvingly cites the deal struck by ITAK leader Chelvanayakam with Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike to give limited autonomy for Tamils via regional councils.

Bandaranaike and his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) had come to power in the 1956 election on a blatantly anti-Tamil program that advocated Sinhala as the countrys only official language. ITAK steered the protests against this Sinhala-only policy into the dead-end of demands for Tamil autonomy.

The deal came to nothing. Bandaranaike himself tore up the agreement in public after Sinhala chauvinists on whom he based himself in the 1956 election denounced it as a betrayal and launched anti-Tamil protests. Bandaranaike was assassinated by a Sinhala extremist in 1959. With the collapse of the agreement, racist thugs turned their attacks on Tamils.

R. Sambandan

The LSSP, which still claimed to be a Trotskyist party, opposed the Sinhala-only policy but increasingly adapted to the Sinhala populism of the SLFP. In 1964, the LSSP, amid a huge upsurge of working class struggles, entered the bourgeois SLFP-led government of Bandaranaikes widowPrime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike. Its historic betrayal had profound consequences leading to the emergence of petty-bourgeois radical tendencies advocating the armed strugglethe Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna among Sinhala youth and later, separatist groups including the LTTE among Tamil youth.

TNA leader Sambandan hails another, equally disastrous pact reached in 1965 between ITAK leader Chelvanayakam and UNP leader Dudley Senanayake whom ITAK helped form government after the Bandaranaike coalition fell apart. The agreement to modify the Sinhala only policy and make limited land grants to Tamils collapsed in the face of chauvinist opposition from the SLFP, LSSP and Sri Lankan Communist Party (CP). Nevertheless, ITAK continued to support the anti-working class policies of the UNP government.

The LSSPs betrayal deepened the communal divide with the formation of the second SLFP coalition government after the 1970 election. LSSP leader Colvin R. de Silva was directly responsible for the 1972 constitution that enshrined Buddhism as the state religion as well as the Sinhala only language policy.

Amid mass opposition among Tamil youth, ITAK formally opposed the constitution and in protest refused to sit in the parliamenta stance it dropped within weeks. It formed the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) in 1972 and, at its Vaddukoddai conference in May 1976, passed a resolution demanding a separate state of Tamil Eelam.

The TULF backed the opposition UNP and promised support for a future government led by its right-wing, anti-working class leader, J.R. Jayawardene. Having helped Jayawardene to power in 1977, the TULF participated in the committees to prepare a new constitution. Far from democratic rights including Tamils, the 1978 constitution established an executive presidency with sweeping powers.

Jayawardene was well aware that his pro-market agenda of transforming Sri Lanka into a cheap labour platform for global investors was provoking opposition in the working class and sought autocratic powers to suppress unrest. As opposition emerged, the TULF expressed nominal opposition to the constitution, but not to the governments austerity agenda.

Confronting deepening resistance among workers, Jayawardene resorted to whipping up divisive anti-Tamil chauvinism and provocations. Tamil youth frustrated with the TULFs parliamentary tactics turned to armed, separatist groups such as the LTTE to fight back. The brutal anti-Tamil pogroms in 1983 in which the UNP had a direct hand, precipitated a bloody civil war that lasted for three decades.

TNA leader Sambandan cites the 1987 Indo-Lankan Accord that paved the way for Indian troops to enter northern Sri Lanka to disarm the LTTE as another positive outcome of talks involving Tamil leaders. They welcomed the establishment of provincial governments as a means of widening their power and privileges.

In reality, President Jayawardene reached the deal with Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi out of desperation. It was a bid to buy time in the war against the LTTE while the Colombo government used police state measures to crush rising opposition among rural youth in the countrys south. All the Tamil parties including the LTTE backed the rotten agreement which rapidly broke down leading to fighting in which Indian peace-keepers killed thousands of Tamil civilians.

In the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union which reflected the undermining of all national programs by the processes of the globalisation of production, the LTTE and the Tamil bourgeois parties, like their counterparts around the world, dropped all their socialistic phrasemongering. Far from posturing as anti-imperialists, the Tamil parties have all sought the backing of the imperialist powers, offering in return to turn north and eastern Sri Lanka into a cheap labour platform.

In the end, however, US imperialism had no interest in supporting the establishment of a separate Tamil state on the island. Neither did India, which was deeply concerned that Tamil separatism would spread to southern India. Both backed the Rajapakse governments savage offensives that finally crushed the LTTEs armed forces in 2009.

The response of the TNA, the successor to the TULF, was to shift further to the right and align itself completely with the US. It backed the US regime change operation that ousted Mahinda Rajapakse in 2015not for his brutal war against Tamils, but because he was too closely aligned with China.

What Sambandans review of the tortured history of maneouvres by the Tamil bourgeoisie demonstrates is the futility of Tamil workers, youth and rural toilers placing any faith in their empty promises. At every turn, the Tamil bourgeois parties bartered with their counterparts in Colombo for a few temporary crumbs, and in return blocked any unified movement of the working class and rural masses to overturn capitalismthe root cause of their joint oppression.

The SEP and its predecessor, the Revolutionary Communist League (RCL), have consistently opposed all forms of nationalism and racismthe Sinhala chauvinism of successive Colombo governments and the Tamil parochialism of parties like the TNAand fought for the unity of the working class on the basis of a socialist program.

The SEP/RCL advanced its program for a Sri Lanka-Eelam Socialist Republic as part of Union of Socialist Republic South Asia and internationally in 1987 to fight for the socialist unity of workers across ethnic lines. On this basis we opposed the war from its inception and continue to demand withdrawal of the military still occupying the north and east. Our party relentlessly exposed the treachery of Tamil bourgeois parties while intransigently defending the democratic rights of Tamils.

In this election we advance this program in opposition to all capitalist parties and their pseudo-left hangers on. We are standing candidates in the Jaffna, Nuwara-Eliya and Colombo districts. Vote for us to support this program of socialist internationalism. Join our party and its youth wing, International Youth and Students for Social Equality.
RICHMOND, Va. - Gov. Ralph Northam on Friday called the General Assembly into a special session next month to remake a state budget upended by the coronavirus - and to grapple with social justice issues raised by the death of George Floyd.

The legislature will reconvene Aug. 18.

"I look forward to bringing legislators back in session as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times," Northam, D, said in a written statement. "We have a unique opportunity to provide critical support to Virginians, invest strategically in our economic recovery, and make progress on policing and criminal justice reform. Let's get to work."

The governor has said for months that the legislature would have to return sometime this summer to revamp the ambitious two-year, $135 billion spending plan that the legislature's new Democratic majority assembled early this year when the state's finances were flush.

The novel coronavirus was just starting to threaten the economy as the legislature took its final votes on the plan, with Northam declaring a state of emergency as the House and Senate gaveled out of its regular session March 12. Democrats resisted calls by Republicans to hold off on the vote, but Northam eventually froze all new spending - amounting to about $1 billion a year in the budget, which took effect July 1.

Northam's move in April to freeze or "unallot" $2.2 billion in new spending was intended to preserve the Democrats' priorities until the magnitude of the health and economic crises could be better understood.

"This strategy allowed time for the Commonwealth's fiscal outlook to stabilize and avoided major cuts to important new programs and state services," Northam's office said in his announcement. "Legislators will now consider a number of items previously 'unalloted' - including the Governor's historic investments in early childhood education, tuition-free community college, affordable housing, and broadband."

In the months since the legislature gaveled out, police brutality and racial injustice have at times overshadowed the twin health and economic crises, with demonstrations in Richmond and around the country in response to the death of Floyd in Minneapolis police custody in late May.

Enormous nightly protests lasted for more than a month in Richmond, initially erupting with arson, looting and vandalism, but soon settling down into mostly peaceful demonstrations. Police repeatedly used chemical gas on marchers - at times, police acknowledged, without provocation or notice.

Legislators are expected to use the special session to propose measures aimed at "police accountability and oversight, use of force, increased training and education, and officer recruitment, hiring, and decertification," the announcement said.

House Minority Leader C. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, criticized Northam for not including schools in the mandate for the special session. Districts around the state and country are grappling with whether to return to in-person instruction in the fall.

Northam "issued a statement on the special session today with no mention of addressing the looming crisis in public education and the thousands of children who will be negatively impacted," Gilbert tweeted. "Hoping things will improve is not a plan of action, and kids need to be in school."

Northam's office did not immediately respond to Gilbert's complaint.
This week marks nine years since South Sudan was admitted to the United Nations, becoming the 193rd and most recent entrant into the club of internationally recognized countries.

The big picture: This is the longest period in modern history during which the world map has remained unchanged.

Simply relabeling three small countries  Cape Verde to Cabo Verde, Swaziland to Eswatini, Macedonia to North Macedonia  would bring a world map from Barack Obamas first term up to date.

By the numbers: The UN added 44 members (most of them newly independent African nations) in the 1960s, 26 in the 1970s, seven in the 1980s, and 26 in the early 1990s as the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia fractured.

Since 1995, there have been five island countries  Tonga, Kiribati, Nauru (all 1999), Tuvalu (2000) and Timor-Leste (2002)  added to the UN roster, while Serbia and Montenegro split in two in 2006.

In the 2010s, South Sudan stands alone. The young countrys tumultuous history seems to reinforce the view that new countries will be inherently fragile.

How it happened: In his 2018 book Invisible Countries, Josh Keating writes that we're living through a period of cartographical stasis," unique in history.

When I was growing up  late '80s, early '90s  it seemed like new countries were being created all the time, Keating told Axios in an interview.

If you look back at international relations scholarship at that time, there was sort of an assumption that that would keep going. That self-determination movements would just keep succeeding and the world would keep being carved up into smaller and smaller national units.

Instead, the worlds borders  many of them drawn by colonial powers and maintained after independence  have locked into place.

Existing states and multilateral institutions nearly always oppose border changes and separatist movements.

Even when theres little chance of warfare or ethnic cleansing  as in Scotland or Catalonia, for example  the world tends to line up behind the status quo.

Other recent movements toward statehood, as in Iraqi Kurdistan, have stalled.

We're seeing fewer fights for independence, Keating says, and more movements for greater autonomy at a subnational level, as in Ethiopia.

The flipside: By fueling frozen conflicts and annexing Crimea, Vladimir Putin's Russia has proved a glaring exception in this age of immovable borders.

But elsewhere, rising nationalism has expressed itself not as "a challenge to existing borders" but an effort "to build those borders up and keep the rest of the world out," Keating says.

What to watch: The UN could gain a new member if Kosovo  already recognized by around 100 countries  ever reaches a deal with Serbia.

Tensions over Taiwan's status are also increasing, with the U.S. redoubling its support to the self-ruling island as China threatens reunification, by force if necessary.

Palestinian statehood continues to be debated and to move no further than that.

The bottom line: I dont see any candidates for independence on the horizon," Keating says.
New Delhi, July 17 : A Delhi Court has convicted Geeta Arora alias Sonu Punjaban, notorious for running flesh trade in Delhi, and one other in a case of kidnapping and prostitution of a minor girl.

The 12-year-old victim was kidnapped by Sandeep Bedwal on September 11, 2009 and was sold and re-sold to a score of people, including Sonu Punjaban, for the purpose of prostitution.

According to the prosecution, Sonu Punjaban used to administer drugs into the body of the victim to make it "more suitable for prostitution" and used to charge Rs 1,500 from the customers.

Five years after the case was registered, the victim came to the police station to record her statement, in which she claimed that she was kidnapped by convict Bedwal after he confessed his love to her.

The victim divulged that Bedwal took her to the house of one Seema Aunty on the pretext of marriage and raped her. From there, the chain of selling and re-selling her for flesh trade began.

The minor girl was then sold four times by different people and eventually ended up with Sonu Punjaban, who after using her for prostitution, sold her to three men. Following this, one of the men named Satpal married her.

"On February 7, 2014, the victim left the house of Satpal and on February 9 came to Police Station Najafgarh and on her statement an FIR was registered," the court said. Sonu Punjaban was then arrested in December 2017 and the charge sheet was filed in March 2018.

Additional Session Judge Pritam Singh of Dwarka Court noted that the prosecution has proved the charges against the two accused -- Sonu Punjaban and Sandeep Bedwal beyond reasonable doubt.

Sonu Punjaban has been convicted for commission of offences such as procuration of minor, slavery, selling and buying minors for prostitution, poisoning, wrongful confinement and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code and sections of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.

Whereas, Sandeep Bedwal has been convicted for kidnapping, procuration of minor, slavery, selling minors for prostitution, rape and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code.

The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on July 22.
There are fears of a knock-on effect for student grants as the Leaving Cert results and CAO offers have been delayed until September.

The Department of Education last night confirmed calculated grades for 60,000 students will not now be issued until September 7, three weeks later than usual.

This means the first round of CAO offers cannot be sent out until September 11.

News of the delay has been met with widespread criticism. Parents' representatives told the Irish Independent last night that the anticipation which was already building for results day is now being replaced by further stress and anxiety.

Read More

And the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) warned that the delay would have an impact on the approval of SUSI grants and students' ability to find accommodation.

Expand Close Calculated grades will be fair: Education Minister Norma Foley. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos / Facebook

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Whatsapp Calculated grades will be fair: Education Minister Norma Foley. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

Having declined to give any clarity around the timeline for results while taking questions in the Dail yesterday, new Education Minister Norma Foley last night issued a statement after Independent.ie revealed details of the delay.

She said more time was needed to ensure the calculated grades system could "operate seamlessly with the CAO system and Ucas in the UK".

Addressing students, the minister said: "All of this means that you have certainty that you will be able to use the grades to move on to the next phase of your life, either in work or further study, in the autumn."

About four in five school leavers who have applied for a college place have done so through the centralised, CAO application system.

Because of the disruption to education caused by the coronavirus, third-level colleges have already pencilled in later reopening dates. However, due to the latest delay, these dates may have to be pushed back further.

The cohort most likely to be affected would be first years, who must await, and decide on, their CAO offers.

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) last night warned the delay will have an impact on SUSI grants and student's ability to find accommodation.

President of the USI, Lorna Fitzpatrick, said: "The rug was pulled from underneath Leaving Cert students with the flip-flopping on the decision about holding the Leaving Cert or not, and now this is yet another issue that adds to the stress and anxiety that they're already facing."

Ms Fitzpatrick said there are now concerns about the inevitable impact the delay will have on students' ability to plan their college lives.

In the last academic year, SUSI, the national student grant awarding authority, processed almost 96,000 applications with more than 76,000 students awarded funding.

SUSI is a means-tested grant intended to support students in higher or further education. Last year, figures released by SUSI showed the most common type of grant received by students was the '100pc non-adjacent' grant.

This was given to applicants with a household income of 39,875 or less and an address at least 45km from their college. These students had their fees paid in full and received monthly payments of 336.11.

SUSI opened its application process for student funding for the upcoming academic on April 23. Ms Fitzpatrick said the priority deadline for SUSI applications, July 9, now needs to be revised.

The union wants the priority deadline for SUSI to be revisited and extended.

"What we're calling for is for that priority deadline to be extended so that students can apply after that point but would still be considered a priority application. It would provide people with a little bit more time and in what is a whirlwind of a situation, between being told one thing and then being told another."

Ms Fitzpatrick added students have been "through the mill" and the delay in results and CAO offers is another issue for them to deal with.

Ms Foley said the portal for students to confirm they wish to receive calculated grades will open from Monday, July 20 at noon.

"Calculated grades will provide you with a formal record of your work and achievements in second-level school. They will be fair and reliable, and will be accepted by employers and colleges," the minister said.

"I know how important and exciting this 'moving-on' phase of your life is to you, and I am determined to enable you to do that.

"So, when you receive a text message next week, please respond and opt-in to receive your grades on the portal," she added.

The Department of Education has said that all students whether they opted to receive the calculated grades or not, will have the option of taking the Leaving Certificate examination later in the year.

Meanwhile, the National Parents Council Post Primary (NPCPP) said the delay in results and CAO offers would cause added stress and anxiety for students.

President of the NPCPP, Mai Fanning, told the Irish Independent: "From our point of view, this is three weeks later than had been anticipated by the students and by parents and I suppose that in itself brings an extra amount of stress in that the timelines have been shifted yet again.

"There was nothing said prior to this to give an indication that the results are not going to come out as normal, it had been constantly stated that the results would come out within as near to normal time as possible.

"I think the communication line to students and parents could possibly have been clearer in just giving the facts straight so everybody knew where they stood."
Pottsville, PA (17901)

Today

Generally cloudy. High 41F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early followed by a mixture of light rain and snow overnight. Some sleet may mix in. Low near 30F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 70%. About one inch of snow expected.
The European Union's top court fined on Thursday Romania and Ireland for delays and incomplete application of the bloc's rules against money laundering and terrorist financing, it said in a statement.

Romania was ordered to pay to the European Commission a lump sum of 3 million euros, while Ireland was fined 2 million euros.

"Both member states failed to transpose in full, within the period prescribed, the directive on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing," the court said, referring to anti-money laundering rules adopted by the EU in 2015.

Those rules reinforced surveillance requirements for banks, lawyers and accountants and mandated more transparency on company owners. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Charles Aznavour Foundation strongly condemns all violence at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and call for respect for the inalienable human right - the right to life.

According to the foundation statement, despite the difficult circumstances Charles Aznavour faced during the Armenian Genocide, and despite his own thorny path, there was never a place for hatred in his heart.

"Today, we are watching with great concern everything that happens at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border," where several villages have been targeted to constant shelling, the statement said.

"However, the residents of Tavush province [the northern border region of Armenia], who live under the threat of hostilities, do not allow hatred to overwhelm them."
Nepal crisis will not come in the way of bi-lateral ties with India: Sources

With Oli stunning CCP team, China would look to target his credibility

Oli sticks to his guns, will not step down as Nepal PM

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 17: Nepal's Prime Minister, K P Oli has told his rivals that he will not resign. He told Pushpa Kumar Dahal Prachanda that he would attend the Nepal Communist Party's standing committee meeting on Friday.

It may be recalled that a recent meeting between the two remained inconclusive.

Prachanda, who has been a former Prime Minister of Nepal wants Oli to step down on the ground that his continuation is detrimental to the interests of the country.

Nepals archaeological department plans excavation in Thori after Oli claims it as real Ayodhya

Oli and Prachanda, who are co-chairs of the community party held a meeting earlier this month. Oli, however refused to give up both the post in the party and also the PM's chair.

Rajnath Singh speech at Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken | Oneindia News

Oli is however in a tough situation as 30 of the 44 member standing committee want him to go. However, Oli has threatened to split the party.

It may be recalled that in the past one week, China, which backs Oli has held one on one meetings with Nepal's Communist Party leaders. The Chinese ambassador, Hou Yanqi has met with Madhav Kumar and Jhala Nath Khanal, two former PMs of Nepal. The ambassador also met with President Bidhiya Devi Bhandari to find ways to keep the party united. The Chinese have indicated that no split within the party should take place.

'Not meant to debase Ayodhya's significance': Nepal after backlash over PM KP Oli's remarks

The Chinese would be willing to let Oli go, if it meant keeping the Communist Party intact.

However there is immense public pressure owing to the immense interference by the Chinese. The public feel that there is too much meddling by the Chinese in the internal affairs of the country.
(Photo : Screenshot from Twitter post of @BigJermHQ) Twitch Warned US Army Streamers to Stop Using Fake Giveaways: They are Accused of Recruiting Teens (Photo : Screenshot from Twitter post of @light_squared_) Twitch Warned US Army Streamers to Stop Using Fake Giveaways: They are Accused of Recruiting Teens

Twitch United States (U.S.) Army online game streamers were accused of using fake giveaways to recruit teens as young as 13 years old. The popular video streaming platform orders them to stop the activity, according to Independent's latest report.

Also Read: Twitter's Massive Attack: Hackers Targeted Employees Who Had Access to Its Internal Systems, Tools

The Nation also reported that teen gamers are spending hours watching the video of Navy, Army, and Air Force.

"Have a nice time getting banned, my dude," told Joshua "Strotnium" David, an Army recruiter and online gamer, to one of the people who watched his live stream before he booted out the viewer from his Twitch channel, the report stated.

The teams of the Army, Air Force, and Navy Twitch streamers are made up of skilled gamers who already competed in e-game tournaments for cash prizes. The members of the military e-sports teams, together with on-screen talents and recruiters, are offering their viewers a chance to win regular gaming skill set such as Xbox Elite Series 2 controller; an enhanced gaming controller with extra paddles and customizable options for advanced play that costs $200. The kids who were lured hanged out with one of the US Army during their video game live stream, spending hours chatting with the US Army streamer.

Also Read: [Leaked] Dark Web's CryptBB Exposed: Here's What's Inside Hacker Elite's Forum; Newbie Hackers Can Apply

What does the US Army live stream looks like?

A recruiter around his 30's, is usually the one who is on the live stream, sitting comfortably in his gamer chair inside a dimly lit room, with a monitor and the colorful LED lights of his computer tower illuminating the place. An American flag, which is hanged on the wall, can be seen behind his right shoulder; together with an oversized stuff toy, sitting to his left side. The US Army recruiter usually plays Valorant or Call of Duty while talking about how he loves being in the Army.

This is creepy af I just read an article about the US Army using their twitch to trick users into joining up using fake giveaways and THIS in my sponsored post... pic.twitter.com/WQwcB7zYKm  Blacklivesmatter (@light_squared_) July 17, 2020

Once the viewers accepted the offer, they'll be directed to an army recruitment page with no additional information of a contest, the total number of winners, odds, or if there will be a draw. Twitch viewers and streamers voiced their outrage on social media.

"This promotion did not comply with our Terms," they said, "and we have required them to remove it," said Twitch's spokesperson regarding the controversy.

The U.S. military capitalizes on Twitch's large base of young U.S. men using its extensive commercial deal with the video streaming service platform. The armed forces of the United States is an official sponsor of "Twitch Rivals", the platform's esports brand. The U.S. military logo is featured on some of the biggest esports brandings such as Valorant and League of Legends.

Also Read: COVID-19 Update: Trump's Theory May Work! X-ray Radiation Speeds Patient's 'Clinical Recovery'

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
For some people who couldnt vote in person given their age, concern over the novel coronavirus or an inability to vote in person, D.C. allowed them to vote by email. That, too, is a great solution, until you consider that voting by email disenfranchises more than half of the residents of Wards 7 and 8. A recent study by the Urban Institute found that fewer than half of the residents in Wards 7 and 8 have broadband Internet at home. In some parts of Northeast D.C., the number is as low as 37 percent. Some Northwest neighborhoods are at 90 percent. But even if those 37 percent who subscribed to broadband service were sent an absentee ballot to vote by email, they still had to open the ballot on a computer, a hurdle for the 17 percent of D.C. residents who dont have access to a computer at home.
In normal times, an estimated 20 percent of deaths in India arent reported at all, according to government statistics, often because they occur at home and far from cities. The gaps in Indias data mean the true number of covid-19 deaths is higher than the official figure, but no one knows by exactly how much in the absence of further research, said K. Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India, an independent initiative that conducts research and training across the country.
A mineral wildfire that started on Monday is still raging into the rugged terrains in Coalinga, California. The blaze has now covered more than 18,00 acres & only 25 percent is contained. The structures were destroyed, and approximately 1200 firefighters are responding to contain the fire. (Photo : Pixabay)

A mineral wildfire that started on Monday is still raging into the rugged terrains in Coalinga, California. The blaze has now covered more than 18,00 acres & only 25 percent is contained. Three structures were destroyed, and approximately 1200 firefighters are responding to contain the fire, according to a Twitter Post of Micheal IKahihifo (@Mike_Ikahihifo) of #FOX26AM.

The fire prompted evacuations in the city of Coalinga, Fresno County. Authorities closed State Highway 198 and the Monterey County line.

The evacuation order is still on in some areas, including the Bingham Springs Community. No injuries from the fire have been reported yet.

#MineralFire UPDATE: 18,000+ acres burned & 25% contained. 3 structures were destroyed. 1200+ first responders are working to contain this wildfire just west of Coalinga. We will be back live tomorrow morning for Day 5 of wildfire coverage on #FOX26AM #GREATDAY starting at 5am. pic.twitter.com/OuEENA3sUz - Michael Ikahihifo (@Mike_Ikahihifo) July 17, 2020



Meanwhile, authorities urge residents living north of Los Gatos Creek, east of Derrick Road, west of South San Joaquin Rocks Lookout Road and south of Spanish Lake along Juaquin Ridge and Wright Mountain to evacuate immediately as per the evacuation orders given on Thursday.

Residents near the mentioned areas are also asked to prepare for evacuation. Authorities also urged residents with pets and livestock should leave the soonest time.

The new evacuation order is an addition to the following areas which have been issued with evacuation orders as of Wednesday:

 Los Gatos Creek Road from Indians Springs to Union Carbide Road

 Highway 198 from Parsons Road west to the Monterey County line

 The Monterey/ Fresno County line from Hwy 198 north to Coalinga/ Los Gatos Creek Road

 Los Gatos Creek Road east to Parson/Mud Run Road and Mud Run/Parson Road south to Hwy 198

The firefighters are fighting an uphill battle as the fire is razing in steep and rugged topography that has not been on fire before.

Efforts to contain the fire are hampered by extreme fire behaviors, including rapid uphill and wind-driven runs.

"Overnight, firefighters continued to reinforce existing containment lines," the agency said in a statement.

AS of Thursday, authorities reported one damaged structure, but 60 structures remain threatened.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but California is on its dry season; thus, there is no rain in-store to douse the fire, senior meteorologist Jon Erdman said.

Some isolated thunderstorms are expected on Thursday afternoon, which could spark new wildlife or shift the wind direction that may cause existing wildfires to blaze in a new direction.

Meanwhile, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District issued a health warning among Fresno County residents and urged those with asthma or respiratory issues to stay indoors. The counties of Merced, Madera, and Tulare are also affected by the smoke; thus, residents with respiratory problems are also advised to take precautions.

Firefighters, numbering to hundreds, are expected to battle the flame for days, depending on the weather situation.

To curb the spread of coronavirus, crews are required to practice new protocols such as wearing masks, social distancing, and avoid exposure at all cost.

An evacuation site was established at West Hills College in Coalinga by the Red Cross. Still, on Wednesday evening, Red Cross officials decided to close it as evacuees were able to make their own arrangements.

Red Cross, however, announced that they will still be available virtually should any arrangements are needed.
The landlord who owns two of the student houses near UCC which have been dubbed the Covid Party House and Party Central was ordered to take measures to reduce noise levels at the properties.

That followed a submission from the landlord about extensive steps he had already taken since an environmental noise case was brought against him a week ago at Cork District Court.

Eamonn Murray, solicitor, asked Judge Olann Kelleher not to impose the order on Fachtna OReilly today and to simply adjourn the case with no order to see how things would go in light of the steps taken in the past week.

But David McCoy, solicitor for the residents who brought the complaint, wanted an order to be made. The significance of this is that any breaches of the order from now on would be punishable by a fine up to 1,000 and/or a 12-month jail term.

If there is a Road to Damascus type conversion, my clients dont trust the response, Mr McCoy said.

Mr Murray said that in the case that went on last week at Cork District Court, Mr OReilly did not recognise himself from the way he was being described in evidence.

He is a man of integrity. He came out badly in this. He has now taken any steps he could take, Mr Murray said as he itemised those steps taken by the landlord.

On Friday, July 10, he spoke to the tenants in the party houses and gave them a warning letter. The following day, he installed a system for logging noise levels at the houses.

He gave the tenants formal written warnings last Monday and, on Wednesday, he installed CCTV outside both properties. He is also paying the costs the local residents incurred in bringing their complaint to court.

On the basis of those steps taken by Mr OReilly, Mr Murray asked for an adjournment and no order to be made on future behaviour.

However, Judge Olann Kelleher did impose the order on him formally requiring him to take the necessary measures to reduce noise levels.

The judge said he was conscious of the fact that Mr OReilly is 80 and recently widowed and accepted he had done the right thing in the past week but wondered why it had taken until now.

This thing has been troubling the area for a considerable period of time. I hope this will be the end of it for all parties and that they (the residents) will have calm in their homes and everyone will go on and live peacefully and he (landlord Fachtna O'Reilly) wont be getting calls at three oclock in the morning, Judge Kelleher said.

Last week, Judge Kelleher said, I am accepting the evidence of the witnesses about the terrible time they have had. I accept the evidence of these people who are moving on in years. It is very sad to hear people cannot sleep at night.

He (landlord Fachtna OReilly) says it is not his problem, it is the students. He has turned a blind eye. He hasnt much interest in the residents of the area as far as I can see. He seems to answer all questions in a similar way, that the students have rights. But people living in the area have rights.

Sadie OMahony an elderly resident said when she engaged with the landlord before about noise, All he would say is blame UCC, blame the pubs It is the same thing all the time, They (students) have rights. Youd have no business talking to Mr OReilly, it is just the same thing all the time.

During last weeks case Mr OReilly said, in fairness to the residents who were complaining, They have rights to the peaceful enjoyment of their homes. I am obliged to follow the law to make sure they get it.

But he said that when he was dealing with a noisy student, The offender can tell me to get lost. I have to deal with the person causing problems diplomatically, inform them of their obligations to neighbours. Most times they adhere to these. Sometimes they do not. If they do not there is a process I put in place to get rid of them.
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In these trying times, kids have to deal with a lot of stuff they werent prepared for: a significant loss of weeks of education, damaged GPAs, and no assurance theyll be going back in the fall.

However, some schools were able to pivot because they already had implemented remote programs that were mature, easily implemented, and designed by teachers for teachers. Thats because some school districts have a critical mass of students who are widely spread geographically, or for other reasons cant make it to school.

These schools deployed LanSchool, a little known tool and service that Lenovo recently  perhaps prophetically  bought. As a result, they are doing fine.

Ill share some observations about this approach to education and close with my product of the week: Lenovos new VR Headset that offers the performance and ruggedness needed for use in education.

The Problem With Remote Education

Faced with an unanticipated lockdown, the only tool many schools could use readily was something like Zoom, which turned out to be woefully unsecure even though it was impressively easy to use. Another issue with Zoom is that it was never designed to be an education solution  it merely allows one person to talk remotely with many others.

That undoubtedly is part of the problem. To keep kids focused and interested in remote lessons, its critical to have tools that go beyond ordinary communications to help teachers ensure better student attention and performance.

The problems with remote schooling are similar to those associated with working from home, with a few exceptions. Students usually arent as mature, and most lack the attention span of an adult. They dont have their careers to or income to worry about, so they tend to be less focused, in general, on accomplishing their tasks.

With a solution like Zoom, which is just a communications tool, its likely that the lessons wont work, because the students arent engaged. The level of acting out in the classroom will make it virtually impossible to hold class, let alone instill any knowledge.

Tech companies sell to schools, but they typically dont create focused educational tools. Generally, they sell PCs that are priced lower for the market but are specified by the school itself, and there isnt much engagement beyond that.

Lack of engagement makes it difficult for those companies to offer effective help when a school has to pivot to remote operations, because their answers typically will be to buy new Windows PCs, Chromebooks or iPads. While these tools are critical to remote learning, they fall well short of what a solution should be.

Lack of engagement speaks to why so many schools, after trying to operate remotely, gave up. Their programs werent working.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Lack of engagement likely impacted sales to the education market as well. Lenovo came up with the idea of buying a company  LanSchool, created by teachers for teachers  and selling its product to schools to increase engagement. Lenovo realized that while technology was becoming more prevalent in schools, the OEMs werent advancing as quickly in understanding the changes affecting education and werent positioning effectively.

Approaches to education have changed a great deal in recent years. Teachers responsibilities have shifted from teaching core STEM to helping students develop life skills like critical thinking, collaboration and digital literacy. (Schools also are teaching kids to use technology  which means that older folks typically will rely more on younger ones to help them get their tech to work.)

Lenovo also knows from market data that schools were moving to the cloud to reduce costs and improve security. They already knew that schools were using Chromebooks heavily in K-12 (16 percent penetration) but that purchasing was problematic. When many schools recently tried to buy PCs at once, they found they were unable to.

The LanSchool Approach

LanSchool is a classroom orchestration solution provider. Classroom orchestration goes well beyond managed hardware to include all aspects of education. LanSchool is a complete offering that was created from scratch over time, specifically to address the problems school districts and teachers faced with remote learning. The teachers who were in the middle of the problems developed the approach.

Those teachers, particularly in disaster areas, learned the hard way that continuity was essential. Their experiences made them uniquely qualified to set up a program designed to ensure that schools not only stayed operational but also remained effective.

LanSchool has 12 million global users. It operates in 75-plus countries, and supports 14 languages. Thanks to its international scope, lessons learned both from schools that had to shift to remote early, as well as from those that have shifted back to their traditional models, have propagated across borders to help others prepare better.

Many teachers using the system have expressed that the most significant benefit to them is that they feel like teachers again instead of like failing babysitters.

The software in the program empowers teachers to accelerated the application of technology in these new virtual classrooms. It avoids the need for aggressive behavior management by using a combination of interaction tools and security monitoring, providing a decent balance between instruction and technology.

What is interesting is that based on teacher testimonials, it is so easy to use that it takes the fear of technology out of the process, liberating teachers to focus on teaching.

Individual components of the solution include a comprehensive, secure communications suite for personal and group communications across a variety of mediums. The teacher can even control the students hardware remotely, doing things like blocking websites and blanking their screens when they are misbehaving, or just to get their attention.

Collaboration tools include easy-to-use screen sharing, digital material distribution, quiz and poll administration, and methods to reward students for outstanding work. Multitasking tools enable teachers to manage multiple classroom activities. There are customization options to addree the unique needs of the teacher using the system.

One recent change was the launch of LanSchool Air, which better supports educations move to the cloud and is particularly well suited for schools to continue providing students with an education despite having to shut down their campuses.

Wrapping Up: Kids Are Our Greatest Asset

Our kids are our greatest asset, and they have been hard hit by COVID-19. With all of the other drama going on, it is easy to forget that we are not ready for our kids to return to school. We know that most of the remote learning shifts that we attempted at the end of spring failed. We can assume that unless the problem is approached more capably, trying again without better working tools will have a similar outcome.

School districts suddenly sweating bullets should consider an approach like LanSchool. Efforts to meet the challenges of remote learning on their own could increase the odds of another failure.

Virtual reality headsets mostly have been junk, with complex installations, high prices and low resolution. They have the added benefit of not being very robust either. In other words, they sucked on all fronts.

Now VR is essential to education, because the headset ties the student more tightly to the teacher, who can control what the student sees and hears almost absolutely. If you need to engage deeply and command the full attention of younger students, a VR solution is compelling.

However, if the headset optics are of low quality, children wont be able to wear it for long  nor would you want them to. If a headset is fragile, kids being kids will end it. In short, most headsets in the market suck at what they are supposed to do, and theyll break doing it  but that may be a positive feature.

The Lenovo Mirage VR S3 is designed for the professional market. It is robust enough for multiple users, it has optical performance that is in line with best-in-class (4K), and it has a hands-free control that is ergonomically designed and can be held by young or old hands.

Lenovo Mirage VR S3 Standalone Headset with ThinkReality

It is wireless, so there are no cords to break or trip over. It has a hygienic faceplate  kind of critical for multiple users right now  as well as integrated sound and three hours of battery life. Its not a good idea to stay in VR for longer than three hours.

The price is US$450, which is not that much more than the cheap VR headsets weve been seeing in the consumer market. Because the Lenovo Mirage VR S3 headset is an excellent tool for the education market, it is my product of the week. (Now you can justify getting one.)

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network.
(Newser)  The former New Mexico police officer who used a fatal chokehold on a Latino man is now charged with second-degree murder. Former Las Cruces police officer Christopher Smelser was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in the Feb. 29 death of Antonio Valenzuela. State Attorney General Hector Balderas filed the new charge Thursday, saying he was taking over the prosecution from the Third Judicial District Attorney's office, per CBS News. Valenzuela, 40, had an open warrant for a parole violation when he ran from officers during a traffic stop. He was placed in a vascular neck restraint after a foot chase. "I'm going to (expletive) choke you out, bro," Smelser is heard saying in a police video. Valenzuela died at the scene of asphyxial injuries, with meth in his system having "significantly contributed" to his death, per KOB.

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The new complaint, filed after witness testimony from 15 law enforcement officers from various agencies in the area, accuses Smelser of killing Valenzuela without lawful justification or sufficient provocation, adding he knew use of the restraint carried a strong likelihood of death, per Las Cruces Sun-News. Balderas said he was "focusing on appropriate charges for violent and dangerous chokeholds." Third Judicial District Attorney Mark D'Antonio said his office agreed to hand over the case "given the seriousness of the charges." But Smelser's attorney, Amy L. Orlando, called it a political move, per the AP, noting the restraint was "sanctioned by the department" at the time of Valenzuela's death. It was only banned in the aftermath. The maximum sentence for second-degree murder is 15 years, compared to 18 months for involuntary manslaughter. (Read more second-degree murder stories.)
The Securities Commission (SC) of Malaysia has put crypto exchange Binance under its list of unauthorized companies.

The regulator said Binance is "operating a recognized market without authorization." Binance offers fiat-to-crypto and peer-to-peer crypto trading services via Malaysian ringgit.

"The public is advised not to make any investment with companies/individuals that are not licensed or approved by the SC," said the regulator.

It is not clear whether Binance can continue offering support for Malaysian ringgit or needs to stop it. The exchange declined to comment when reached. The Block has reached out to the SC and will update this story should we hear back.

Earlier this month, Brazil's Securities and Exchange Commission also said Binance is unauthorized and therefore banned it from offering derivative products in the country.

In March, Malta's financial regulator issued a similar warning against Binance, saying that the exchange is not authorized to operate in the country and is not subject to its regulatory oversight.





 2020 The Block Crypto, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
Announcement: Moody's assigns Aaa-mf rating to LGIM Euro Liquidity Fund

Global Credit Research - 16 Jul 2020

Paris, July 16, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has assigned a Aaa-mf to LGIM Euro Liquidity Fund (the "Fund"), a Low Volatility Net Asset Value (LVNAV) money market fund, domiciled in Ireland and managed by Legal & General Investment Management Limited (LGIM). The Fund's primary investment objective is to achieve a return in line with money market rates while preserving capital and providing daily liquidity.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The Aaa-mf rating reflects Moody's view that the Fund has a very strong ability to meet its objectives of providing liquidity and preserving capital. This view is supported by the portfolio's high scores for each of the key rating factors, including credit quality, asset profile, liquidity and exposure to market risk.

The Fund invests in high credit quality securities, primarily short-dated commercial paper and deposit securities as well as short-dated bonds from government, agency, corporate and financial issuers. The Fund's weighted average maturity (WAM) is below 60 days. The Fund maintains a strong liquidity profile supported by high levels of overnight and weekly liquidity in the portfolio, in excess of regulatory requirements.

The Fund's exposure to market risk is low, supported by the high credit quality of the fund's investment portfolio, strong liquidity and relatively short WAM. Moody's expects the Fund's adjusted NAV score to be '1' or '2' in Moody's money market fund rating scorecard.

LGIM is an investment asset manager with GBP1.2 trillion assets under management, out of which GBP51.6 billion in the liquidity management, as of December 2019.

PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY

The methodology used in this rating was Money Market Funds published in January 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1147802. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

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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.

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.

Vanessa Robert VP - Senior Credit Officer Financial Institutions Group Moody's France SAS 96 Boulevard Haussmann Paris 75008 France JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 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 France SAS 96 Boulevard Haussmann Paris 75008 France JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454

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DOHUK, Iraq - Iraqs minister of water resources says his country will face severe water shortages if agreements are not forged with neighbouring Turkey over Ankaras irrigation and dam projects that have decreased river inflows to Iraqs parched plains.

Descending from the mountains of southeast Turkey and coursing through Syria and then Iraq before emptying out in the Persian Gulf, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers are Iraqs main water source and essential to for agriculture. But tensions have mounted over the years as Turkey pressed ahead with dam projects to meet its domestic electricity demands.

In turn, this has directly impacted water flows into Iraq.

Measurements of inflows from the border with Turkey in northern Iraq were 50% below average this year, Iraqs Water Resources Minister Mahdi Rashid Al-Hamdani said in an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday. This year also saw a reduction in annual rainfall by 50% compared to last year, he said.

We asked our Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send an urgent message to Turkeys Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to ask them what is the reason for the drop in our flow, he said.

Iraq is still waiting for a response, he added.

With the impacts of climate change, as well as future hydroelectric projects in Turkey, the ministry estimates Iraq will face a shortage of 10.5 billion cubic meters of water by 2035, according to an internal study, al-Hamdani said.

Ordinary Iraqis have yet to fill the effects of the drop, partly because of the reservoir at the Hadhitha dam on the Euphrates River in Iraq, which is compensating for the shortage, he said.

In Fishkhabour, along the border with Turkey, Ramadan Hamza, a senior expert on water strategy and policy at the University of Dohuk, eyed the drop in river flows with concern.

The water level of the Tigris River was around 600 cubic meters per second, he said. After Turkey built the so-called Ilisu Dam, it dropped to around 300-320.

The Ilisu Dam on the Tigris, part of a megaproject by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is at the heart of the dispute. The dam, which became operational in May after three years of delay, is to be one of 22 power dams in southeastern Turkey. Negotiations over water allocations resumed when Ankara began to make progress on plans to fill the Illisu reservoir last year but have since stalled.

Hezha Abdulwahed, the director of Dohuks water department, said water levels had dropped by 8 billion cubic meters, compared to water flows in April 2019.

Iraq needs to put pressure on Turkey to release its share of water, Hamza said.

A recent report by the U.N.s International Organization for Migration found that water levels of the Tigris and Euphrates are decreasing at an unprecedented rate, that could result in the forced displacement of entire Iraqi communities.

Water shortages, pollution and high levels of salinity lead to many Iraqis falling sick and prompted violent protests in the summer of 2018 across southern Iraq.

Many letters were sent to Ankara over its plans for the Ilisu dam, said al-Hamdani, but Turkey only responded with many excuses.

They say its their right to build a dam and we argue that it is is harmful to our rights to water, he said.

The coronavirus pandemic postponed a face-to-face meeting with Turkish officials. The Iraqis have requested a video conference in the meantime to revive talks. Last year, an envoy of Erdogan came to Baghdad with an action plan to improve data sharing and management of water resources.

A Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to talk to journalists, said negotiations to ensure a certain amount of water allocations to Iraq are difficult because of climate change issues.

At one point, Iraq demanded Turkey ensure at least 500 cubic meters per second. But inside Turkey, the Tigris sometimes doesnt go above 350 on average, he said. Its hard to speak about certain limits of water  its so unpredictable now.

In the absence of an international agreement, it also unclear what responsibilities Turkey has toward Iraqs water supply. But al-Hamdani said there are international laws Iraq could turn to if needed to pressure Ankara.

Turkeys position will change, al-Hamdani said on a hopeful note.

___

Kullab reported from Baghdad.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

By Asif Mehman  Trend:

Hungary firmly supports Azerbaijans territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said.

Szijjarto made the remark at the meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, Trend reports on July 17.

While expressing concern over the aggravation of the situation in the region, the Hungarian minister stressed that Hungarys position on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is extremely clear and remains unchanged.

Hungary firmly supports Azerbaijans territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders, Szijjarto added.

As for the double standards that are often demonstrated in the global international politics, the minister stressed that Hungary has repeatedly witnessed them.

The principle of mutual respect is at the core of Hungarys foreign policy, Szijjarto said.

The minister touched on the relations between Azerbaijan and the EU and stressed that Hungary supports the rapid completion of the negotiations on a new agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan.

At the end of the meeting, Szijjarto invited his Azerbaijani counterpart to pay an official visit to Budapest after normalizing the situation in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meri Brown has been running around without her wedding ring for months. At least, it appears as though shes ditched the ring according to recent Instagram photos. While fans have recently begun discussing Meris missing ring, it looks like she may have stopped wearing the symbol of her commitment more than a year ago. Does the missing wedding ring mean her marriage is over, though? It may, or it may not.

Meri was spotted wearing a band on her left ring finger in April 2019

Meris pictures rarely feature a clear shot of her hands, but it looks as though she was wearing a ring on her left ring finger up until around April 2019. At the very least, she appeared to have a ring that seemed to match the style of ring that her sister wives wear. During the early seasons of Sister Wives the four rings were easily visible during interview segments.

Robyn Brown, Janelle Brown, Meri Brown and Christine Brown | Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic

RELATED: Sister Wives: How Big of a Deal is Meri Browns Missing Wedding Ring?

Each of Kodys four wives wears a Claddagh ring. The ring, common in the Irish culture, is meant to represent love and loyalty. Each of the women wears the ring to show their commitment to Kody and their plural family. Christine Brown has featured her ring on Instagram in the past. Robyn has spoken briefly about the importance of her ring, as well.

The ring disappeared sometime after April 2019

Fans began noticing Meris naked fingers in the last several months, but a quick scroll through her Instagram feed suggests she was going without her ring, at least some of the time, as early as May 2019. The family picked up and moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, in the summer of 2018, and Meri wasnt thrilled with the move. She spoke regularly about feeling lonely and out of place in her new city.

Meri has solved her homesickness by staying in Flagstaff as little as possible and sharing inspiring and motivational quotes on Instagram. Is the move what pushed Meri closer to separation? Some fans believe so. Whether or not Meri will actually pack up and leave her famous family, however, remains to be seen.

Is Meris missing wedding ring really that big of a deal?

There are plenty of reasons why someone could decide to take off their wedding ring. For those with hands-on jobs, wedding bands can be considered a hazard. Others prefer to forgo their ring if its too hot, or if their ring size has changed significantly since exchanging vows. Some couples decide to reserve the wearing of wedding rings for special occasions only. The lack of a wedding ring, in general, doesnt mean that a marriage is in trouble. A sudden change in ring-wearing behavior, however, could signal a problem.

RELATED: Sister Wives: Did One Of The Brown Kids Just Reveal The Familys Best Kept Secret?

Fans note that Meris sudden habit change is evidence that her marriage is finally over. To be fair, neither Meri nor Kody have hidden the fact that their union is rocky. Neither, however, have confirmed that they are officially separated. Fans assume the announcement is forthcoming, though. In fact, some fans think the couple might be waiting for the next season of Sister Wives to announce the big news. Meris lack of a wedding ring and recent Instagram posts seem to hint at a significant change in her status, at the very least.
SAGINAW TWP, MI  The Saginaw County Health Department reports there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 linked to an unofficial Valley Lutheran High School prom that took place earlier this month at a banquet hall.

Valley Lutheran High School Executive Director John Brandt said the unofficial prom, which took place July 7 at Swan Valley Banquet Center, was not a school-sanctioned event. School administrators previously canceled prom because of coronavirus concerns and state mandates amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

After learning of the event, which appeared to have violated Gov. Gretchen Whitmers Executive Order 2020-110, the health department issued a warning to Swan Valley Banquet Center and advised anyone who attended the party to self-monitor for symptoms of and get tested for COVID-19. Now, they have discovered two positive cases of the disease among people who attended the event.

During our investigation of positive cases we have now discovered two individuals that attended the prom have since tested positive for COVID-19. These individuals were not symptomatic at the event; however have since developed symptoms. This means that these students may have been exposed at the prom or other events in the days surrounding, a health department news release states.

We have contacted direct close contacts of the positive cases and instructed them to home quarantine for up to 14 days and to get tested. We are encouraging all those in attendance at this event to be tested for COVID-19 and continue monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms until at least until July 21.

The release continues, It is important to note that a negative test within that 14-day period does NOT rule out the possibility of still developing COVID-19. The incubation period is up to 14 days and CDC reports that 97.5% of positive cases who develop symptoms will do so within 11.5 days from exposure.

Public health nurses and health department staff are available to help any affected families via the health departments COVID-19 Hotline at 989-758-3828.

We also want our residents to know that when health department nurses call cases for investigation it is critically important they provide us accurate information on who they may have had contact with, Nursing Director Tawnya Simon said in a statement. Our staff are encountering an increase in younger persons not providing us truthful information. We are not here to get anyone in trouble. We are trying to do our job to identify community contact and limit any further spread of the disease.

With an increase in cases statewide and within Saginaw County this week alone, health officials say they need the publics cooperation more than ever.

Following the Executive Orders, wearing masks, and practicing good prevention measures like washing our hands and staying home if we feel ill, will help us fight further spread of COVID-19 in Saginaw, the release states. We understand high school events such as these are being considered across the county, therefore SCHD wants to remind anyone planning a social event (whether a graduation or celebration) the Governors EO 110 is still in effect which states indoor social gatherings amongst persons not of a single household are not to exceed 10 people, and outdoor gatherings or events may not exceed 100 people and must include social distancing.

For more information, find the Saginaw County Health Department on Facebook or visit www.saginawpublichealth.org

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 tightens Michigan mask order, says businesses cant assume customers are exempt

Are Michigan students really going back to school? Teachers, health officials say reopening is a minefield

Michigan reports 645 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, July 16
Religious Freedom Advocacy Group Seeking to Raise Awareness About Global Christian Persecution

NEWS PROVIDED BYJuly 17, 2020LONG BEACH, Calif., July 17, 2020 / Standard Newswire / -- The number of Christians persecuted for their faith has risen 20% in just two years. Currently, there are over 260 million people across the globe who face high levels of persecution because of their faith in Christ. Shockingly, the growing crisis of Christian Persecution is widely ignored by the media and often overlooked within faith communities of the West.For this reason, March for the Martyrs will be held on Saturday, September 5th, 2020 in Long Beach, California. The purpose of this demonstration is to stand in solidarity with the persecuted Christians and bring media attention to the crisis of Christian persecution. March for the Martyrs is sending a clear message: Christian Persecution will not be ignored, suffering believers are not forgotten, and Jesus Christ still has the victory.For the Martyrs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks to bring awareness to the crisis of Christian persecution, advocate for religious freedom, and provide aid to suffering Christians across the globe. Founded by Gia Chacon.Founder of For the Martyrs, Gia Chacon is a humanitarian, speaker and Pro-Life Director of Bienvenido US. She first began her humanitarian efforts in 2017 and has traveled to Central America, East Africa, and throughout the Middle East. She has worked with the victims of hurricanes, natural disasters, hunger crisis, and refugees of war and persecution. Through working with refugees and hearing their stories, her first-hand experience in the Middle-East, as well as her extensive research of religious oppression, Gia felt called to make a larger impact for the suffering members of The Body of Christ. This led to the founding of For the Martyrs. In addition to public speaking, pro-life advocacy and religious freedom advocacy, Gia is a published writer and has been featured in articles and interviewed on TV and radio shows. To donate or learn more please visit www.forthemartyrs.com SOURCE For the MartyrsCONTACT: Paloma Chacon, 949-281-6259, press@forthemartyrs.com Related Links
Northrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/17/2020 -- The report "Breathable Films Market by Type (Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polyurethane Polyether),Technology (Microporous, Monolithic) End-Use Industry (Hygiene, Medical, Food Packaging, Construction, Fabric), and Region - Global Forecast to 2024" The breathable films market is estimated to be USD 2.2 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 3.3 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 8.2% between 2019 to 2024. The breathable films market is driven by growing awareness regarding health and hygiene and increasing usage of breathable films in premium hygiene products in both developed and developing countries.



View detailed Table of Content here - https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/breathable-film-market-208493214.html



Polyethylene-based breathable film estimated to be the largest type of breathable films

Polyethylene-based breathable film accounts for the largest share of the overall breathable films market in 2018. Polyethylene-based breathable films will remain the dominant type during the forecast period due to their lower cost compared to other types of polyolefin films. The major application of polyethylene breathable films is in hygiene products such as baby diapers, adult incontinence, and sanitary napkins.



Medical application: the fastest-growing consumer of breathable films

The breathable films market size in the medical application is projected to register the highest growth during the forecast period. The consumption of breathable films is growing in the manufacturing of surgical drapes, surgical gowns, patient gowns, back-table covers, operation bed covers, mayo stand covers, and gloves. This is fuelled by the rising demand for healthcare facilities, increasing per capita spending in healthcare in the developing countries, increasing old age population, and increased usage of disposable drapes and gowns in the developed countries.



Speak to Analyst @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=208493214



APAC is estimated to be the largest market for breathable films. China is estimated to be the leading market for breathable films in APAC. India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and South Korea are the other major countries contributing to the growth of the breathable films market in the region. The increasing demand for breathable films from applications such as medical, hygiene & personal care, food packaging, and construction is expected to drive the breathable films market in these countries.



The key companies profiled in the breathable films market research report are RKW Group (Germany), Berry Global Group (US), and Arkema (France). Other prominent players in the breathable films market are Toray Industries (Japan), Covestro (Germany), Nitto Denko (Japan), Trioplast Industries (Sweden), Rahil Foam (India), Skymark Packaging (UK), Daika Kogyo (Japan), American Polyfilm (US), and Innovia Films (UK).



Request 10% Customization on this Report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=208493214



Recent Developments :

- In July 2019, Schweitzer-Mauduit International added a TPU film line at its manufacturing site in Suzhou, China, to support the demand for protective film in China and the Asia Pacific region.

- In February 2017, Mitsui Chemicals started a new manufacturing facility for breathable films through its wholly-owned subsidiary Mitsui Hygiene Materials (Thailand). The plant capacity has been expanded to 10,900 tons annually to meet the growing demand in South East Asia.

- In November 2017, Toray expanded the Polypropylene Spunbond production in China to increase the annual capacity to 20,000 tons annually to meet the rising demand for disposable baby diapers in China.

- In July 2016, the company invested in a line of good quality film prints for packaging solutions in Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia, and Myanmar. Through this, the company aims to meet the rising quality standards for different products.



Key Questions addressed by the report :

- What was the market size of breathable films and the estimated share of each region in 2018, in terms of volume and value?

- What will be the CAGR of the breathable films market in all the key regions during the forecast period?

- Do you expect to see any changes in the demand pattern of breathable films in your industry during the forecast period?

- Which type of breathable sheet is preferred the most?

- What is the estimated demand for polyethylene breathable films in various applications?

- Who are the major players in the market?



Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=208493214



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Hyderabad, July 17 : Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech on Friday announced that the Phase-I clinical trials of India's first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin began across the country on July 15.

"This is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on 375 volunteers in India," the company said in a brief statement.

The leading vaccine maker had announced on June 29 that it successfully developed Covaxin in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV).

The SARS-CoV-2 strain was isolated in NIV, Pune and transferred to Bharat Biotech. The indigenous, inactivated vaccine was developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech's BSL-3A (Bio-Safety Level 3) High Containment facility located in Genome Valley, Hyderabad.

The Drug Controller General of India - Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare granted permission to initiate Phase-I and II human clinical trials after the company submitted results generated from pre-clinical studies, demonstrating safety and immune response. The Nizam's Institute of Medical Science (NIMS), Hyderabad is one of the 12 centres selected by the ICMR for the clinical trials.

The subject enrolment for Phase-I clinical trials at the NIMS began on July 7. There was no clarity on the number of subjects selected at this centre.

The officials had earlier said that for two days after administering the vaccine, the subjects would be monitored in the ICCU at the NIMS by a team of doctors, after which they would be sent home and monitored through video conference or phone.

The Phase-I clinical trial would go on for 28 days, after which the ICMR and Drug Controller General of India would accord permission for Phase-II, which will include more subjects.

Phase-1 would have around 375 subjects across the country and Phase-II, 875.

In a letter to the selected centres early this month, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava asked them to fast-track all approvals related to initiation of the clinical trial.

"It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by 15th August 2020 after completion of all clinical trials. BBIL is working expeditiously to meet the target, however the final outcome will depend on the cooperation of all clinical trial sites involved in this project," reads the letter dated July 2.

While experts raised doubts on the August 15 target, the ICMR defended it, saying its process is in accordance with the globally accepted norms to fast-track vaccine development for diseases of pandemic potential.

The research body said Bhargava's letter was intended to cut red-tape, without bypassing any necessary process, and speed up recruitment of participants for human trials so that these phases can be completed at the earliest.

Bharat Biotech had refused to comment on the ICMR's August 15 deadline.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Central Nebraskans are getting a boost in optimism with the opening of Stuhr Museum a couple weeks ago and now Hastings Museum this week. And this weekend the first livestock event at Fonner Park, Lopin and Ropin in the Heartland, is drawing people to town from across the region. Plus, we will be able to spend a leisurely Sunday in the park with Art in the Park back for another year at Stolley Park.

All of this is great news to the residents of the Grand Island area. Crowds will be smaller than in the past, with some people still wary about going out in public. But everything is being conducted safely, with guidance from the Central District Health Department. Participants are urged to wear masks and observe social distancing. Hand sanitizer and hand washing also are important.

At the museums, there are limits to how many people can be inside a building at one time and some exhibits arent available because of concerns about crowding. But museums do have a lot of space so people can spread out and easily stay 6 feet away from each other.

The main thing for us to remember is that, even though we can leave our homes and enjoy activities that havent been available for several months, we need to remain vigilant about wearing a mask and social distancing.
Kemira Oyj

Half-year Financial Report

July 17, 2020 at 8.30 am (CET+1)

Kemira Oyjs Half-year Financial Report 2020: Good overall performance, outlook for H2 2020 provided



This is a summary of the January - June 2020 Half-year Financial Report. The complete January-June 2020 Financial Report with tables is attached to this release and available at www.kemira.com/investors.

Second quarter: Strong profitability, demand impacted by COVID-19 related economic slowdown

Revenue decreased by 12% to EUR 582.9 million (663.6) due to lower sales volumes. Revenue in local currencies, excluding acquisitions and divestments, decreased by 12%.

Operative EBITDA was stable at EUR 105.7 million (106.1) following favorable development of variable costs and good fixed cost management. The operative EBITDA margin increased to 18.1% (16.0%). EBITDA increased by 2% to EUR 103.8 million (102.1).

Operative EBIT decreased by 4% to EUR 57.6 million (60.3). EBIT decreased by 1% to EUR 55.7 million (56.3). The differences between operative and reported figures are explained by items affecting comparability.

Cash flow from operating activities remained strong at EUR 60.8 million (57.2).

EPS, diluted, was EUR 0.22 (0.22).

January-June: Good performance despite the economic slowdown

Revenue decreased by 7% to EUR 1,224.9 million (1,311.4) due to lower sales volumes. Revenue in local currencies, excluding acquisitions and divestments, decreased by 7%.

Operative EBITDA increased by 6% to EUR 214.2 million (201.8) due to favorable development of variable costs. The operative EBITDA margin increased to 17.5% (15.4%). EBITDA increased by 9% to EUR 212.2 million (194.6).

Operative EBIT increased by 7% to EUR 118.4 million (110.4). EBIT increased by 13% to EUR 116.4 million (103.3). The differences between operative and reported figures are explained by items affecting comparability.

Cash flow from operating activities was good at EUR 111.0 million (122.4).

EPS, diluted, increased by 16% to EUR 0.47 (0.40), mainly due to higher EBITDA.

Story continues

Kemiras President and CEO Jari Rosendal:

"The second quarter of 2020 was impacted by the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic slowdown. Despite the unprecedented situation, there were no significant disruptions to Kemiras operations. All our manufacturing facilities and supply chain continued to operate with strict safety precautions in place. The economic slowdown related to COVID-19 impacted our sales volumes. The biggest negative impact was visible in our Oil & Gas business, particularly in shale, and overall revenue in Oil & Gas declined by 65%. As a result, group revenue declined by 12% to EUR 582.9 million (Q2 2019: EUR 663.6 million). Profitability, however, remained strong. Our operative EBITDA remained stable at EUR 105.7 million (EUR 106.1 million) thanks to lower variable costs and good management of fixed costs. Our operative EBITDA margin improved from 16.0% to 18.1%.

In Pulp & Paper, the operative EBITDA margin improved to 18.4% in Q2 2020 (14.4%). Customer demand remained fairly resilient during the second quarter, apart from printing and writing demand, which was impacted by the economic slowdown. The ramp-up of our AKD wax facility in China has been successful, and it continued to have a positive contribution to our operative EBITDA during the quarter. In May, we announced a long-term extension to our contract with UPM-Kymmene in Uruguay. The agreement will result in an expansion of bleaching chemical capacity at our Fray Bentos site to serve UPM-Kymmenes existing pulp mill as well as their new pulp mill in Uruguay. We are very pleased with this extension, as it will support our long-term growth in bleaching, one of our strategic focus areas.

In Industry & Water, the operative EBITDA margin was at a good level of 17.7% in Q2 2020 (18.1%). We saw relatively stable demand in municipal water treatment. Volumes in industrial water treatment declined following the economic slowdown. Demand in shale was very weak during the quarter due to a significant reduction in shale market activity. The polymer facility expansion in the Netherlands continued to contribute positively to our operative EBITDA during the quarter.

Looking ahead, we have provided an outlook for H2 2020. We still see uncertainty related to the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our outlook for the second half of 2020 is based on the assumption that our operations will run without significant disruptions. Overall demand in Kemira's end markets in H2 2020 is expected to be approximately at the same level as in Q2 2020 in both segments. In Pulp & Paper, printing and writing demand is expected to remain weak. In Industry & Water, we do not anticipate shale demand to recover in 2020. As a result, we expect the operative EBITDA in H2 2020 to be lower than in H1 2020 (EUR 214 million).

Finally, I would like to thank our employees, suppliers, customers and other stakeholders for their commitment, trust and excellent collaboration during these uncertain times. Our employees have shown that we are able to operate  even under very exceptional circumstances  to ensure our own and our customers' business continuity. I am very proud of this achievement and the whole Kemira team."

KEY FIGURES AND RATIOS

EUR million Apr-Jun 2020 Apr-Jun 2019 Jan-Jun 2020 Jan-Jun 2019 Jan-Dec 2019 Revenue 582.9 663.6 1,224.9 1,311.4 2,658.8 Operative EBITDA 105.7 106.1 214.2 201.8 410.0 Operative EBITDA, % 18.1 16.0 17.5 15.4 15.4 EBITDA 103.8 102.1 212.2 194.6 382.3 EBITDA, % 17.8 15.4 17.3 14.8 14.4 Operative EBIT 57.6 60.3 118.4 110.4 224.0 Operative EBIT, % 9.9 9.1 9.7 8.4 8.4 EBIT 55.7 56.3 116.4 103.3 194.4 EBIT, % 9.6 8.5 9.5 7.9 7.3 Net profit for the period 35.5 35.2 75.1 64.6 116.5 Earnings per share, diluted, EUR 0.22 0.22 0.47 0.40 0.72 Capital employed* 1,993.5 1,901.0 1,993.5 1,901.0 1,998.2 Operative ROCE*, % 11.6 10.8 11.6 10.8 11.2 ROCE*, % 10.4 9.5 10.4 9.5 9.7 Cash flow from operating activities 60.8 57.2 111.0 122.4 386.2 Capital expenditure excl. acquisition 44.1 39.9 80.2 68.2 201.1 Capital expenditure 44.1 41.5 82.8 69.9 204.1 Cash flow after investing activities 16.6 16.9 28.1 56.7 189.8 Equity ratio, % at period-end 43 41 43 41 43 Equity per share, EUR 7.80 7.58 7.80 7.58 7.98 Gearing, % at period-end 70 79 70 79 66

*12-month rolling average

Kemira provides certain financial performance measures (alternative performance measures) that are not defined by IFRS. Kemira believes that alternative performance measures followed by capital markets and Kemira management, such as organic growth (revenue growth in local currencies, excluding acquisitions and divestments), EBITDA, operative EBITDA, operative EBIT, cash flow after investing activities as well as gearing, provide useful information about Kemiras comparable business performance and financial position. Selected alternative performance measures are also used as performance criteria in remuneration.

Kemiras alternative performance measures should not be viewed in isolation to the equivalent IFRS measures, and alternative performance measures should be read in conjunction with the most directly comparable IFRS measures. Definitions of the alternative performance measures can be found in the definitions of the key figures in this report, as well as at www.kemira.com > Investors > Financial information. All the figures in this interim report have been individually rounded, and consequently the sum of the individual figures may deviate slightly from the sum figure presented.

OUTLOOK

Outlook for JulyDecember 2020

Kemira expects its operative EBITDA in H2 2020 to be lower than in H1 2020 (H1 2020: EUR 214 million).

Assumptions behind Kemira's outlook for JulyDecember 2020:

Overall demand in Kemira's end markets in H2 2020 is expected to be approximately at the same level as in Q2 2020. Demand in Pulp & Paper is expected to remain approximately at the Q2 2020 level, with printing and writing demand to remain weak. Also in Industry & Water, demand is expected to remain approximately at the Q2 2020 level. The shale market is not anticipated to recover in 2020. Kemira's outlook for H2 2020 assumes no significant disruptions to Kemira's manufacturing operations or supply chain.

Previous outlook

On April 27 2020, Kemira withdrew its outlook for 2020 due to the uncertainty following the COVID-19 pandemic and the oil price drop.

FINANCIAL TARGETS

Kemira aims for above-market revenue growth with an operative EBITDA margin of 1517%.

The target for gearing is below 75%.

Helsinki, July 16, 2020

Kemira Oyj

Board of Directors

FINANCIAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR 2020 AND 2021

Interim Report JanuarySeptember 2020 October 27, 2020

Financial Statements Bulletin 2020 February 11, 2021

Interim Report January-March 2021 April 27, 2021

Half-year Financial Report January-June 2021 July 16, 2021

Interim Report January-September 2021 October 26, 2021

Annual Report 2020 will be published the week starting on February 15, 2021.

The Annual General Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at 1.00 pm (CET+1).

WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL FOR PRESS AND ANALYSTS

Kemira will arrange a webcast for analysts, investors, and media on Friday, July 17, 2020, starting at 10.30 am (8.30 am UK time). During the webcast, Kemiras President and CEO Jari Rosendal and CFO Petri Castren will present the results. The webcast will be held in English and can be followed at www.kemira.com/company/investors. The presentation material and a recording of the webcast will be available on the above-mentioned company website.

You can attend the Q&A session via a conference call. In order to participate in the conference, please call ten minutes before the conference begins:

FI +358 (0)9 7479 0361

SE +46 (0)8 5033 6574

UK +44 (0)330 336 9105

US +1 323 794 2093

Conference ID: 8158663

For more information, please contact:

Kemira Oyj

Mikko Pohjala, Vice President, Investor Relations

Tel. +358 40 838 0709

___________________________________________________________________________________

Kemira is a global chemicals company serving customers in water intensive industries. We provide best suited products and expertise to improve our customers product quality, process and resource efficiency. Our focus is on pulp & paper, oil & gas and water treatment. In 2019, Kemira had annual revenue of around EUR 2.7 billion and over 5,000 employees. Kemira shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. www.kemira.com









Attachment
The Electoral Commission has disclosed that more than seven million Ghanaians have registered for the voters ID card after 16 days of the exercise, spanning from June 30 to Wednesday, July 15.



This means that the first 3 phases of the registration exercise have so far seen a total of 7, 279, 237 people receiving their voter ID cards.



According to the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, Dr. Bossman Asare, four regions constitutes 60% of the registrants who have successfully gone through the process.



These regions, he noted, are Greater Accra, Ashanti, Eastern, and Central regions.



Dr. Bossman noted that the Commission is expecting an additional one million to be registered by Sunday, July 18, 2020 which will bring the number to about 8.2 million.



See below the breakdown

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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

Featured Video
The United States stands firmly with Ukraine in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The United States is calling on the Russian Federation to help bring those responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 be held to account.

"On the 6th anniversary of MH17s downing, we extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the 298 innocent civilians aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 who lost their lives six years ago today," U.S. Charge dAffaires, a.i. Kristina A. Kvien said in a video address posted by the U.S. Embassy on Twitter on July 17. "We urge Russia to respect and adhere to UN Security Council Resolution 2166, which demands that those responsible for this incident be held to account and that all states cooperate fully with efforts to establish accountability."

Read alsoMH17 anniversary: Ukraine calls on Russia to accept responsibility

She also stated that "Russia must ensure that every indicted individual currently in Russia or Russian-controlled territory face justice."

"Russia has repeatedly obstructed progress on measures to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which it started and continues to fuel. Russia must implement a comprehensive ceasefire, withdraw its forces and heavy weapons, support the disbanding of armed formations operating in Donbas, and return control of Ukraine's internationally recognized borders to Ukraine," she said.

The American diplomat added that the United States also called on Russia to cease its occupation of Crimea, return control of the peninsula to Ukraine, and free all Ukrainian political prisoners.

Kvien assured that the United States stands firmly with Ukraine in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"We are confident the Dutch legal system will establish the truth and bring justice in the MH17 trial," she added.
FM Zarif: Iran-China cooperation plan in negotiation phase

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 16, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined that the 25-year cooperation plan between Iran and China is presently in the negotiation phase and waiting for further approvals.

"We are in the negotiation phase and in this phase the approval for negotiation has been obtained from the government," Zarif said on Thursday.

The Iranian foreign minister underscored that if there will be a legal binding in the plan, it should be later submitted to the Iranian parliament for review, otherwise as a government approval, the parliament will study the plan's compliance with the country's law and hence it will never be hidden from the parliament.

In related remarks earlier in July, Zarif was quoted by Rapporteur of National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Iran's parliament Abolfazl Amouie as saying that Iran-China relations are strategic, and based on common interests, as well as mutual respect.

Zarif made the remarks in a session of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission while briefing the Iranian lawmakers on the landscape for a 25-year Iran-China cooperation plan.

Amouie cited Zarif as dismissing some rumors, including giving away Iran's Persian Gulf Island of Kish for rent to China and bestowing exclusive rights of selling oil to the Chinese companies at low prices.

"Zarif stressed the significance of taking into consideration the national interest in drafting the document," the Iranian lawmaker said.

"The rumors on Iran-China relations are the clear manifestation of the animosity towards the two countries," Amouie quoted Zarif as saying.

During the 2016 visit of China's President Xi Jinping to Tehran, the two sides decided to design a 25-year comprehensive roadmap.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS  Police want to hear from anyone who strolled through Congress Park on Wednesday night.

Sometime that night, or very early the next morning, someone destroyed the Civil War statue at the entrance to the park. Police found it shattered into pieces on the ground around 3:30 a.m. during a routine foot patrol.

It was a Union soldier statue, erected to commemorate the members of the 77th New York Volunteers, drawn from Saratoga Springs and the northern Saratoga County towns. The soldiers face was of Capt. Luther Wheeler, a local man who died leading the 77th battalion.

There are many security cameras in the park, but none was pointed directly at the statue, said Saratoga Springs Police Department Lt. Bob Jillson.

So police are looking at other cameras to see whether the vandal can be seen walking through the park afterward. For that, they need to know approximately when the statue was destroyed. If residents can report when they saw it still standing, that narrows down the window of time.

If you crossed through the park  did you happen to notice the statue was there intact? Jillson said. That kind of gives us a little help. Its right inside the entrance to the left. We want to hear from anyone who saw it that night.

Some cameras in the park are focused on certain monuments in hopes of better protecting them. But the city cant afford cameras for every statue, Jillson said.

Its chock full of monuments and statues, he said.

Police are already viewing all of the footage from all of the cameras in an effort to find possible perpetrators, even though they only know the event happened sometime Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

We havent had any success yet, Jillson said. But theyre still plugging along.

A resident has started a GoFundMe online campaign to raise money for a reward to offer anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of the vandal or vandals.

It is at https://www.gofundme.com/f/congress-park-vandal-reward.

You can reach Kathleen Moore at 742-3247 or kmoore@poststar.com. Follow her on Twitter @ByKathleenMoore or at her blog on www.poststar.com.

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People work out July 17 at Boulevard Fitness in University Heights in San Diego. (Sam Hodgson / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Shawn Gilbert is not shutting down. Not again, after losing tens of thousands of dollars during the first government-mandated closure of his University Heights gym, Boulevard Fitness.

Not even after getting a visit Thursday from two San Diego police officers, who were checking out his facility after reports that Gilbert had stayed open against state and county orders.

Gilbert, the son of Irish and Italian immigrants and blue-collar workers in Boston, said hes been working toward small business ownership since he was a teenager. At 18, he began working in low-level gym jobs, peppering his bosses with questions about how they made their business successful.

Now, with 25 years under his belt in the fitness industry, hes at his limit with Gov. Gavin Newsoms latest order to shut down gyms again, barely a month after he reopened.

If I closed again, theres a possibility Id have to close these doors forever, and Im not going to let that happen, Gilbert said. Ive worked nonstop, taking virtually no sick days, to build something up from nothing. I wont let it get destroyed.

Boulevard Fitness remained open Thursday, even though San Diego County ordered all gyms, salons and other personal services to close as of midnight on Tuesday.

Gilbert is not alone in that decision. At least two gyms in north San Diego County also remained open: Metroflex Gym in Oceanside and the Gym Vista. The owner of the former, Lou Uridel, became a bit of a local celebrity after he was arrested in May by Oceanside police for reopening his gym against the countys health order. Uridel was released the same day and has a court hearing scheduled for September.

As these businesses and others  from salons to churches  push back against county and state regulations meant to slow the spread of COVID-19, some are questioning whether the countys education approach to enforcement is working. Although county officials have ordered a handful of businesses to close, they have largely relied on community members and businesses to adhere to a sort of honor system  an honor system some businesses feel is built on faulty regulations that unfairly impact some more than others.

Story continues

But the county has long stressed that these regulations are whats needed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Thursdays COVID-19 report was a study in contrasts. While just 4% percent of the 10,434 test results that the county health department received Wednesday were positive, adding 409 new COVID-19 cases to the regional total, the number of current hospitalizations jumped by 34. The increase pushed the total number of people with the disease currently in hospital beds to 500, just eight fewer than the local pandemic record set on April 1.

It is becoming clear that San Diego County is starting to see more severe consequences after overall case totals spiked a few weeks ago. For the third straight day, the health department announced COVID-19-related deaths in the double digits. Seventeen were announced Thursday with 12 on Wednesday and 14 on Tuesday.

As of Thursdays COVID-19 report, there had been 83 COVID-19-related deaths in July. Given that the month is only half over, the current pace appears to be the fastest so far. If July continues to see deaths at its current pace, it will pass the 160 mark by the end of the month. County records show there were 147 COVID-19 deaths in May, 128 in April, 91 in June and 16 in March.

With these sorts of numbers as a backdrop, a new picture of enforcement has emerged  one involving state and local strike teams that will be tasked with cracking down on rogue businesses.

At the beginning of the month, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the creation of teams from 10 state agencies creation of teams from 10 state agencies that would be tasked with enforcing regulations imposed during the pandemic. On Thursday, county officials confirmed that these teams are actively operating in the region.

County officials also announced this week that they will be creating strike teams of their own. Its still unclear how those teams will operate, but they would be similarly charged with investigating any complaints about noncompliance involving businesses or other locations, Dr. Wilma Wooten, the countys public health officer, said Monday.

But will those teams be more able to persuade businesses to close their doors, even as some owners dig in their heels?

Uridel reopened his Oceanside gym two days after his arrest, after an anti-shutdown demonstration in his parking lot, and has been open ever since. Hes invested in new cleaning and disinfecting equipment, spaced equipment apart, and limited the number of people who can be in the building at once.

Masks were mandatory briefly until someone passed out and injured himself while wearing a face covering and lifting weights, Uridel said. Now masks are optional. About 20 people could be seen working out inside the gym Thursday morning. Hardly anyone wore a face covering.

Uridel said he has no intention to shut down his business again.

Were not light switches, he said, explaining that his business cant just be switched off and on. Employees need training, experience and steady work, and when their employer shuts down, they find another job.

A collection of San Diego gyms, including Boulevard Fitness and Metroflex, have banded together to fight what they perceive as an unfair mandate. Several of the gym owners have consulted the same attorney, and they plan to sue if officials try to shut them down.

The last thing we want to do is file a lawsuit, said Gilbert of Boulevard Fitness. But this is about protecting whats ours. Were not millionaires. Thats the perception people have about small business owners, but its completely wrong.

Gilbert said he was denied help from multiple lenders, not qualifying for assistance from the government-backed Payroll Protection Program loan, nor the Economic Injury Disaster Loan  two programs meant to keep small business owners alive during closures.

In Vista, the Gym Vista reopened May 7 and was busy Thursday morning. Patrons were not wearing masks. The manager said there were no plans to close but declined to discuss the situation further.

Its not just gyms that are fighting the latest wave of shutdown orders.

Hair salons  businesses also ordered to shut down this week for the second time  are getting more vocal about their own resistance movement. A federal lawsuit was filed on behalf of hairstylists and salon owners against Newsom in May, alleging the governor had unfairly kept them closed. The lawsuit represented over 500,000 licensees via the Professional Beauty Federation of California.

Theres a lot of anger in our industry right now, said Gayle Fulbright, owner of Headlines The Salon in Encinitas.

Fulbright is closing her salon until she can get the green light from state regulators to operate outdoors. But she understands the urgency felt by her peers who feel closure is not an option.

We already lost three salons up here in North County during the last shutdown, Fulbright said. I think some will take the risk or dont care.

Officials with the San Diego Police Department have long preferred to issue warnings and otherwise educate the public about the rules versus issuing citations and making arrests.

We will not be able to enforce our way through this pandemic, said police spokesman Lt. Shawn Takeuchi. What we are asking for is cooperation from the community and for the community to take responsibility to stop the spread.

Meiling, Winkley and Diehl write for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Staff writers David Hernandez, Karen Pearlman and Paul Sisson contributed to this report.



Kansas congressman forced to leave committees after charges



Germany: Black Forest fugitive held after 5 days on the run
The Right to Information (RTI) Secretariat was commissioned on Friday, to provide backend support to the designated RTI Officers and Assistant Officers at the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the public sector to fully operationalize the RTI Act.



The RTI Secretariat is a Division of the Information Services Department (ISD), which would help the MDAs to process information requested by the citizens.



A Divisional Head is expected to be appointed soon to manage the daily administrative activities of the Secretariat.



Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who cut the tape to officially open the Secretariat in Accra, implored the ISD staff who would be working at the Office to be professional in their dealings to ensure timely release of information to applicants.



"You're to provide the information as it is required and not hide it, and should be dedicated to the tenets of the law to ensure that the rights given to citizens by the Constitution is upheld", Mr Oppong Nkrumah stressed.



The Minister said the first batch of Assistant RTI officers were recruited to support the designated RTI officers at the various MDAs to process requests made by individuals and organizations.



The RTI Bill was passed on March 26,2019 by Parliament and the President subsequently assented it into law on Tuesday, May 21, 2019.



The Act provides for the implementation of the constitutional right to information held by any public institution and to foster a culture of transparency and accountability in public affairs.



The law is a critical tool in the fight against corruption in the country.



Mrs Mamle Andrews, the Chief Director at the Ministry of Information, in her welcome address, said the Secretariat would help in monitoring and coordinating the implementation of the activities of the RTI law across the public sector.



The effective roll out of the law, she said, would help government in policy formulation and decision-making.



The Information Ministry was tasked by the government last year to assist in putting up the requisite infrastructure towards the full operationalisation of the Act within a year of the passage of the law.



Information Minister Oppong Nkrumah, his Deputy Pius Enam Hadzide and members of the RTI Implementation Committee toured the facility.



The fully air-conditioned Secretariat has furniture, computers, a Server and a Free Conference equipment for organizing virtual meetings.

Source: GNA









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Featured Video
Hong Kong: Elderly home infections probed

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 58 additional COVID-19 cases, of which 50 are locally transmitted and eight imported.

Briefing the media this afternoon, the centres Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said three of the confirmed cases include a 92-year-old resident, a nurse and a staff member of an elderly care home run by the Jockey Club in Wong Chuk Hang.

We are still investigating the route of transmission or whether the cases are actually related in the elderly home. We are not sure how the infection was transmitted, but usually it is through either face-to-face contact or through some environmental contamination.

That is why we are asking the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department to help to disinfect the concerned place to remove the possible source of transmission.

We would like to remove the source as soon as possible and that is why we will not take the swabs and last night we did not take the swabs because it was so late.

Dr Chuang added that residents considered as the patients close contacts will be quarantined on-site, while the staff members will be sent to the quarantine centre.

She also noted that a Government inspection had found the care home's hygiene was up to standard.

The beds are quite well spaced out, actually the environment of that elderly home is quite nice. That is why we consider it is suitable for on-site quarantine instead of moving them to another elderly home.

Additionally, the Hospital Authority reported that 375 confirmed COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalised and 1,264 confirmed and suspected patients have been discharged.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
It seems like, practically every day, theres a new video featuring an angry shopper screaming at the staff at a grocery store or cafe for simply doing their job and enforcing mask policies.

There isnt enough hazard pay in the world. Especially since it might get worse if the next wave of unhinged anti-maskers are armed with phoney face mask medical exemption cards that are currently being printed and distributed in Toronto by at least one guy on Facebook who wants to turn a piece of cloth into a culture war.

It begs the question: Are there any valid reasons not to wear a mask? One of the most abusive shoppers recently caught on camera was yelling about how masks make people sick. Its science, he said, referring, we presume, to the science offered up on social media about Co2 building up in masks. We decided to ask some scientists about this, but, instead of going online, we picked ones with actual credentials.

This is nonsense, says Dr. Ken Chapman, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto. There is no evidence whatsoever that wearing a mask will cause your carbon dioxide level to build up and certainly theres no relationship between wearing a mask and damaging your immune system and other nonsense you read online.

The Canadian Thoracic Society recently issued a statement similarly claiming theres no evidence that wearing a mask will exacerbate an underlying lung condition.

Another common refrain from angry folks claiming they can no longer shop happily in supermarkets with mandatory mask policies is that they have medical conditions that prevent them from wearing one.

Which conditions, exactly, might exempt you from wearing a mask? Dr. Jason Lee, a specialist in clinical immunology, allergy and internal medicine with a practice in Toronto, says not very many and that the disinformation campaign is exploiting confusion surrounding different types of masks.

What the issue really comes down to is that home-made cloth masks and the N95 respirator masks are two separate issues altogether, explains Lee. N95 masks are the kind that doctors use with active COVID-19 patients and the way they filter, it does require sufficient ability to be able to breathe in, because youve got to pull the air through the mask.

Now, most people can do this, Lee continues. Even doctors who are asthmatic, including myself, are able to do this.

Lee says your lung function would have to be less than 40 per cent of a healthy persons capacity to have trouble with an N95. Anyone with such a serious condition would probably also have a disability parking permit and, quite likely, portable supplementary oxygen.

Almost all of this is irrelevant anyhow since, outside of medical settings, nobody is required to wear an N95. The grocery stores and cafes just want people to wear a cloth covering, like the kind you get from Peach Berserk, Tribal Rhythm, the Poop Cafe or any one of hundreds of local, independent businesses making clever and/or fashionable masks.

These masks arent going to make you bulletproof. Theyre easier to breathe through because theyre not airtight and very small droplets that hang in the air (also known as aerosols) could still get in. What cloth masks are great at is protecting other people by keeping you from transmitting the disease with a cough, sneeze or throat clearing. And, in case you havent got the memo, you can transmit COVID-19 to other people even if you dont feel sick, since you could be pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic. If everyone wears a mask in indoor spaces, though, the chance of transmission drops dramatically.

Whats more, infectious disease experts hypothesize that those exposed while wearing a mask are more likely to have milder cases of COVID-19, since they are taking in a relatively smaller viral load. With many infectious diseases, the larger the load, the more severe the illness and some are speculating that could be the case with the novel coronavirus as well.

You know, in almost every country where theyve been able to Crush the Curve, people have been wearing masks, says Lee. And in a lot of countries where everyone wears a mask, it wasnt even a public order. People just did it since it was a good citizen thing to do. Its kind of strange that we have to fight for it and make bylaws for this in Canada since, if everyone wore a mask, and did social distancing, we would have no cases.

Which would allow for further reopening of businesses and a faster revitalization of the economy. Its a win-win. And both Chapman and Lee say the legitimate exemptions to masks are few and far between. People with supplemental oxygen should still wear one over the tube and people with severe lung problems should be self-isolating instead of screaming at cashiers. Legitimate exemptions include disabilities that make it hard to safely remove the mask, people for whom a mask might be a choking hazard, a group that would include people with disabilities and small children.

So why the mask resistance? Asserting our right to prolong the pandemic is not only sociopathicsince there will be fatalitiesitll also increase the likelihood of a prolonged recession, which could lead to increased poverty, a pre-condition for a number of chronic illnesses. Its an own-goal on an unprecedented scale.

RELATED STORIES Canada Man who was shot and killed by police earlier assaulted Minden grocery store worker after refusing to wear mask, OPP says

In answer, both Lee and Chapman point to the fact that theres a lot of overlap between the anti-masker and the anti-vaxxer camps and, if you think about it, they share a lot of common ground in that they distrust scientific authority, spread disinformation and insist on their right to do so.

Medical misinformation has always been with us, but it used to be Aunt Nellie, who would say Watch out for that inhaler, or tell you about home remedies, says Chapman. These false beliefs would spread quietly and slowly. Now it happens online and soon a broad swath of the population believes its true because they see it on the internet. Its disheartening.

And were not talking about benign advice like apple cider vinegar and oil of oregano. This isnt snake oil. Its going to lead to needless deaths.

Some of the rumours are harmless, but not wearing a mask or getting a vaccination is harmful to, in particular, the patients I deal with, he continues. Like most lung doctors, I deal with older patients who have emphysema and, if theyre exposed, some of them will die.

It would happen less if people got the flu shot and it will happen less often if people just wear the damn mask.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

A meeting with Alec von Graffenried, mayor of Bern, the capital of Switzerland, was held at the initiative of the Azerbaijani embassy in Switzerland to inform the Swiss official structures about the provocative actions carried out by the Armenian armed forces in the direction of Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border to seize new positions, the embassy told Trend on July 17.

New chairman of the Switzerland-Azerbaijan Friendship Group in the Swiss parliament, member of the Liberal Party of Switzerland (FDP) Laurent Wehrli, members of the country's influential Swiss Peoples Party, MP from Canton of Geneva Yves Nidegger and MP from the Canton of Ticino Marco Chiesa were also provided with detailed information about the recent Armenian provocations.

In addition, the Swiss Foreign Ministry, influential politicians, leading media outlets, including Tamedia AG - located in Zurich and currently the biggest and most functional press center in Switzerland, were also informed about the provocation.

The embassy continues the targeted activity to expose the lies and provocations of Armenians.

The issue related to the recent military provocation committed by Armenia was discussed during the meetings. Azerbaijani ambassador to Switzerland Hanum Ibrahimova emphasized that Azerbaijans leading position in the region and the rapid pace of development could not but irritate Armenia.

While providing her interlocutors with the detailed information about the history of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the ambassador informed them that Armenia has been holding 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territory under occupation for about 30 years, where cultural and religious monuments belonging to the Azerbaijani people are being destroyed.

As a result of Armenias aggression, about a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced people, Ibrahimova added.

The ambassador stressed that this provocation of Armenia casts doubt on the essence of the negotiations and poses a threat to peace and security in the region.

In turn, expressing concern about the provocation that occurred on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, mayor Graffenried and other participants of the meetings expressed support to the ambassador, referring to Switzerlands official position supporting Azerbaijans territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Brands: Liam Harrington of Iconic Labs (L) and Greencastle Capitals Paul ODonohoe plan to retain the Maximum Media brands of Joe.ie and Her.ie

THE team that is set to buy the Joe.ie online media business out of Examinership intends to retain all of its brands. The teams sees particular scope to develop Her.ie which is aimed primarily at women.

Pending sign-off from the High Court overseeing the examinership and competition clearance, UK based investor Greencastle Capital has agreed a deal to buy Maximum Media Network Limited (MM), the owner of the JOE, Her, SportsJOE and HerFamily digital media brands as well as MADE, a digital advertising service for brands.

Greencastle has in turn agreed a management contract with Iconic Labs PLC to run the business. The same team has already taken over management of Maximum Media's UK business.

Once a deal for the Irish arm is approved there is likely to be greater integration between operations here and in Britain, but the buyers intend to operate all of the existing brands. "We are keen to get in and steady the ship," Liam Harrington, chief business officer of Iconic Labs told the Irish Independent.

"Her.ie needs more time and more love [from management]" he added, noting that staff numbers are around half the pre-examinership level.

Within Maximum Media the Her brand may be carved out under its own manager, he added.

"Its important that Her is represented by the right person, so you could see a [management] split," he said.

Across the Maximum Media brands, the buyers expect to shift from what they regard as over-reliance on video to a higher mix of written editorial content that can attract digital programmatic advertising despite the current tough ad market, he said.

Brand partnerships formats will also drive revenue, according to Paul O'Donohoe, a partner at Greencastle Capital.

"We will look to develop those formats and potentially to broadcast TV quality," he said.

The new management expect to launch "an aggressive" engagement with stakeholders including the advertising industry, hoping to draw a line under a sometimes fraught relationship.

That saw Ireland's biggest ad-buying agency Core Media pull all advertising from Maximum Media's products for around nine weeks last year after revelations that the engagement numbers for a 2017 podcast had been inflated by a so-called 'click farm', the company insisted it was a one-off and the sides eventually re-engaged.
U.S. energy secretary signs initial agreement with India on emergency oil reserves U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette speaks with journalists during a roundtable in Rio de Janeiro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and India signed a preliminary agreement on Friday on cooperating on emergency crude oil reserves, including the possibility of India storing oil in the U.S. emergency stockpile, officials said.

U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette told reporters in a teleconference with India Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, that officials will discuss details of the emergency reserves in the next months.

The United States would like to begin the process of sharing with India the establishment of a strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) and then see how the U.S. SPR, comprised of underground caverns in Texas and Louisiana, could help India store oil there, Brouillette said.

U.S. President Donald Trump in March ordered Brouillette to fill the SPR to its capacity of about 714 million barrels of capacity, but Congress failed to fund a purchase.

Brouillette said it could mirror a recent plan with Australia, which in April committed to spending about $60 million to build an emergency oil stockpile, first by buying crude to store in the U.S. SPR.

"It could ultimately look similar ... but there's no predetermined outcome as to where this conversation is going to go," Brouillette said.

Global oil prices fell steeply earlier this year as shutdowns from the novel coronavirus sapped demand, but have stabilized at around $43 a barrel on hopes for stimulus programs.

In May, Pradhan said India, the world's third-biggest oil consumer and importer, had already filled its 5.33 million tonnes of strategic storage and parked about 8.5-9 million tonnes of oil on ships, primarily in the Gulf.

India is the fourth-largest export destination for U.S. crude. It plans to build new strategic storage to expand capacity by 6.5 million tonnes.

Pradhan said on Friday that the bilateral hydrocarbons trade between the two countries had touched $9.2 billion during 2019 to 2020, about 10% of the overall bilateral trade.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner in Washington and Nidhi Verma in New Delhi; Editing by Dan Grebler and Marguerita Choy)
NASA is currently planning to return astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to Earth on board SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft in about two weeks, the space agency told CNBC on Friday.

The spacecraft, which the astronauts named Endeavour, is scheduled to splash down in the Atlantic Ocean on Aug. 2 at about 3 p.m. ET, according to NASA's Johnson Space Center public affairs officer Kyle Herring.

Herring noted that the departure time from the International Space Station "is a bit of a moving target," but said in an email that the spacecraft is scheduled to un-dock at about 8 p.m. ET on Aug. 1. NASA will look more closely at the weather forecasts for where the spacecraft might splash down after the astronauts perform a spacewalk next week. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine also confirmed those dates.

Splashdown and recovery would mark the conclusion of NASA and SpaceX's Demo-2 mission, which launched successfully on a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida on May 30. The mission is the first time that Elon Musk's space company has launched people with its spacecraft.
PRAGUETen people were arrested on Monday as the nations largest adult producer was raided by Czech Republic police.

The bust at CzechCastings offices and 13 other locations was conducted by 50 officers from the governments National Central Office Against Organized Crime (NCOZ) under the code name "LENS."

The 10 held, according to police, posed as modeling agents but manipulated women into shooting adult scenes that were posted online.

Human trafficking, sexual coercion and rape charges were later filed against CzechCasting owner Martin Stiborek and the others.

Stiborek operates numerous other adult sites and brands, including affiliate program CzechCash, under the Netlook s.r.o. label.

If found guilty, Stiborek and others face 12 years in prison, police said.

The women involved in productions were paid between 1,000 to 5,000 Czech Crowns for scenes, police said.

The financial profit of the members of the group of people was to depend on the erotic scenes that the girls managed to get or force, Czech police said in a release. The persons were to have precisely divided roles and an agreed division of activities.

These included transporting women to the casting site, concluding written contracts for the performance of artistic performance, verifying the age of majority of applicants, conducting personal interviews, removing any barriers, persuading, persuading and forcing women to engage in various sexual practices, often involving themselves.

Many have experienced psychological and health problems requiring medical attention, including longer treatment.

According to a report, the attorney for Stiborek said that performers shooting scenes were never bamboozled.

"They did everything voluntarily, no one manipulated them," attorney David Bascheri said. They changed their minds [about doing the scenes] and turned to the police.

He noted that CzechCasting has shot more than 1,600 scenes in its seven years.
Chinese-Australian businessman Chau Chak Wing's defamation case against the ABC and Nine is likely to be heard remotely, with the media outlets' barrister telling the Federal Court he is in "fortress Melbourne".

Since the onset of the coronavirus crisis, the Federal Court has conducted the bulk of its hearings online using Microsoft Teams.

The latest outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Melbourne means it is likely Mr Chau's latest defamation case, to be heard by Sydney-based Justice Steven Rares, will proceed to trial on October 6 using the remote technology.

Barrister Matthew Collins, QC. Credit:Penny Stephens

Mr Chau is suing the ABC, Nine and journalist Nick McKenzie, an investigative reporter at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, over a joint investigation that culminated in a Four Corners broadcast on June 5, 2017. The investigation included an accompanying article on the ABC website.
Celebrity MasterChef contestant Amar Latif, who's blind, has been dubbed the 'best thing that's ever happened to the show' by viewers thanks to his can-do attitude.

The cheery Scottish presenter, 45, left viewers 'in awe' of his skills in the studio kitchen as he chopped vegetables with a sharp-looking knife and managed to carry a huge bowl of curry to a serving station in the latest episode.

Latif's blossoming friendship with fellow contestant Gethin Jones, who's been helping to guide him around the kitchen, has also left those watching the cooking show at home cooing at their 'bromance'.

Thursday night's episode saw entrepreneur and motivational speaker Latif, the programme's first ever blind contestant, showing off his mantra of 'say yes to everything'. He previously told producers he doesn't want 'challenges where the goalposts were different, because what would be the point in that?'

Scroll down for video

Positive: Amar Latif, Celebrity Masterchef's first ever blind contestant, has wowed viewers with his 'say yes to everything' approach - showing off his kitchen skills and winning a place in the final four

The latest episode of the cookery show saw Amir carefully chopping vegetables with a sharp knife

Bromance: Fellow competitor Gethin Jones helps Amar place a boiling hot bowl of curry at a serving station

Amar joked 'I hope I don't spill this!' as he prepared to serve his mum's recipe curry to engineers at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Cambridgeshire

The first Challenge saw Amar team up with Gethin to cook their version of judge John Torodes apple charlotte with ginger butter and custard.

The duo had to try and cook an identical-looking dish purely by communicating about what they were doing through a wall dividing their kitchen space.

John Torode and fellow judge Gregg Wallace were impressed with Latif's efforts, telling him: 'Your custard is fantastic, it's sweet and creamy and packed with vanilla.'

Later Amar joked: 'I hope I don't spill this!' as he prepared to serve his mum's recipe curry to 100 engineers at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Cambridgeshire.

On social media, Latif's positive approach to life garnered huge praise from viewers.

@Mhysa23 wrote: 'What an inspiration Amar is! There is no excuse for people not getting out there and learning to cook, he puts a lot of us to shame! What a guy and a great sense of humour.'

@ChrissyBags added: 'I'm in so much awe of Amar on #celebritymasterchef what an inspiration.'

Amar and Gethin were charged with making an apple charlotte to John Torode's recipe, with Amar's dish, right, winning big praise from judge Gregg Wallace

Gethin offered verbal instruction to help his friend and fellow competitor safely deliver the curry he'd made

Almost there: Amar's spicy dish makes it to the service station

@x__em wrote: 'Amar Latif cooking on #CelebrityMasterchef is an absolute stellar performance. I am absolutely flawed by his talent and ability, what an inspiration.'

@Chrisy_Saunders penned: 'Amar is the one facing the most challenges but is the most cheerful, enjoying it and seems to smash every task.'

In a recent interview with the Mail on Sunday, the 45-year-old explained how he has refused to let his blindness stop him doing any number of terrifying things.

He has skied down black runs in the Alps, single-handedly sailed a yacht across the Ionian Sea and dodged crocodiles, snakes and sharks on a hair-raising journey across Nicaragua.

Many viewers watching at home said Amar's smiley approach to life was impressive

Hes also set up his own successful international travel company. My motto is basically to say yes to everything, he told the newspaper.

'I didnt want to do a challenge where the goalposts were different, because what would be the point in that?

'As a blind person, I find a lot of people constantly tell you that you cant do things  I hope that this shows that, with a bit of single-mindedness and some creativity, anything is possible.'

Celebrity MasterChef continues tonight, 8pm on BBC One and is available to catch up on BBC iPlayer
The New York Times building is seen in New York City on April 15, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Liberty University Files $10 Million Lawsuit Against New York Times Over Pandemic Story

Liberty University has filed a $10 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times for a fictional tale about the universitys decision to stay open amid the CCP virus pandemic.

The private Evangelical university announced Wednesday on its website that it is suing The New York Times, reporter Elizabeth Williamson, and photographer Julia Rendleman for defamation and other claimsincluding trespassingarising from their alleged intentionally false reporting.

The article in question, which was published on March 29 with the title Liberty University Brings Back Its Students, and Coronavirus Fears, Too, reported that nearly a dozen students were found sick with what seemed to be COVID-19 symptoms after they returned to Libertys campus in Lynchburg, Virginia, from spring break.

They published in March a story that was completely made up, that there was a COVID outbreak caused by Liberty allowing students to come back after spring break, Liberty president Jerry Falwell Jr. said on Wednesday during an interview with America This Week host Eric Bolling. We had zero cases among students, faculty, or staff.

Students at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., on March 31, 2020. (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/AFP via Getty Images)

As universities and colleges across the country closed their campuses and ordered students to move out, Liberty announced on March 16 that students who wish to live in their residence halls were free to do so. Falwell said at the time that by keeping the campus open, Liberty would able to house all the international students who were unable to return home due to a travel ban, as well as commuter students who had no better place to live.

In accordance with Virginias public health restrictions, Liberty has moved most of its courses online, capped gatherings in lecture halls and gyms at 10 people, and closed the campus to visitors since March 23. No Trespassing signs have been posted at the entrances to help ensure that only students, employees, prospective students and their families, and those with official university business are allowed on campus, according to a press release.

Falwell said in April that he was considering legal action against Rendleman, as well as ProPublicas Alec MacGillis, who allegedly entered Libertys campus without permission. He also blamed the two for traveling there from where the pandemic was especially severe, putting the students living on campus at risk. He later came to an agreement with a local attorney to not press trespassing charges against them.

When there were no reported cases of COVID-19 in the Lynchburg area yet, the New York Times sent a reporter and photographer from actual virus hotspots to violate our campus containment zone and make up a completely false claim that we had created a hotspot on campus, Falwell said in the July 15 statement, alleging that Liberty was targeted for being a conservative and Christian institution.

In a statement released to ABC 13, NY Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy said their story accurately covered the consequences of Libertys decision to bring students back in spring.

We are confident that our story accurately portrayed the reopening of Liberty University and the public health concerns that the reopening raised, Murphy said. We look forward to defending our work in court.
Donald Trump told reporters to quiz Prince Andrew about Jeffrey Epstein's 'pedophile island' as long ago as 2015, newly resurfaced footage reveals.

Trump described the island as a 'cesspool' and said reporters should 'just ask Prince Andrew, he'll tell you about it' while linking the Epstein scandal to his adversary Bill Clinton.

Andrew acknowledges that he visited Epstein on the Caribbean island and is under growing pressure to give evidence to US authorities, but says he never witnessed or suspected any of Epstein's crimes.

Like the Clintons, Trump himself also socialized with Epstein in the years before the late financier was disgraced and jailed for child sex crimes.

Donald Trump (pictured left) told reporters to quiz Prince Andrew (right) about Jeffrey Epstein's 'pedophile island' as long ago as 2015, newly resurfaced footage reveals

The island in question was Little St James, a spot in in the US Virgin Islands which Epstein bought for $7.95million in 1998

Trump's remarks on Epstein came at the conservative gathering CPAC in February 2015, before he had entered the presidential race.

In a Q&A session with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump was asked for his view on Bill Clinton and said: 'Nice guy, got a lot of problems coming up in my opinion with the famous island with Jeffrey Epstein'.

Later, Trump was asked to expand on that in an interview with Bloomberg and brought up Prince Andrew apparently unprompted.

'That island was really a cesspool, there's no question about it. Just ask Prince Andrew, he'll tell you about it. The island was an absolute cesspool,' Trump said.

Asked whether the issue would affect Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, Trump said that 'it could be a political problem' for the Clintons.

At the time, Epstein was already a known pedophile because of his 2008 conviction in Florida and was currently embroiled in a lawsuit with Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the woman who alleges she had sex with Prince Andrew. The prince denies this.

Before Epstein's conviction, he had a network of powerful friends including Andrew, Trump and the Clintons.

The island in question was Little St James, a spot in in the US Virgin Islands which Epstein bought for $7.95million in 1998.

Bill Clinton is known to have flown on Epstein's 'Lolita Express' airplane and one alleged Epstein victim claims she saw the former president on the island.

Andrew acknowledges that he visited Epstein (pictured) on the Caribbean island and is under growing pressure to give evidence to US authorities

Donald Trump was among the rich and powerful people who socialized with Epstein and Maxwell. They are seen here with Trump's future wife Melania in 2000

The Virgin Islands sued Epstein's estate earlier this year, claiming the late sex offender raped and trafficked dozens of women and young girls on the island.

The complaint alleges that Epstein's abuse spanned from 2001 to 2018 and targeted girls who appeared to be as young as 11 or 12.

The lawsuit seeks civil penalties plus some assets from Epstein's estimated $577.7 million estate, including the forfeiture of his two private islands, Little St James and Great St James.

Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to a Florida state prostitution charge, and completed a 13-month jail sentence now widely considered too lenient.

The scandal came rushing back to prominence in 2019 when the financier was arrested on new child sex charges in New York and then killed himself in jail.

Earlier this month, Epstein's ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell was dramatically arrested in New Hampshire and charged with procuring underage girls for him to abuse.

Maxwell denies wrongdoing, but is due to stay in custody until a trial next year after she was denied bail by a federal judge.

Andrew, 60, has been at loggerheads with US prosecutors for months after they claimed he was failing to co-operate with their Epstein probe.

The Duke's lawyers say he has offered to help on 'at least three occasions this year' but US officials claim he has 'repeatedly declined our request' for an interview.

Royal commentators say the discrepancy may lie in the nature of the offer, with Andrew's lawyers offering a 'witness statement' while former US attorney Geoffrey Berman made it clear he was seeking an 'interview'.

Audrey Strauss, acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, speaks during a news conference to announce charges against Ghislaine Maxwell on July 2

Andrew's last verbal interview on the subject - his BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis - was widely seen as a disaster and led to his resignation from public life just days later.

The prince was criticised for failing to show any empathy towards Epstein's victims, and many of his explanations for his behaviour attracted mockery.

In a subsequent statement he said he 'regretted my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein' and 'deeply sympathised with everyone who has been affected'.

'Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required,' he said at the time.

The issue was thrown into further confusion last month when Berman was fired by the Trump administration in a separate row.

Prosecutors renewed their appeal for Andrew to give evidence as they announced the charges against Maxwell, saying that 'we would welcome Prince Andrew coming in to talk with us'.

A source close to the Duke said Andrew was 'bewildered' by the latest pressure, saying: 'We have twice communicated with the DOJ in the last month and to date we have had no response.'

Andrew's legal representatives are adamant that the Duke 'is not and has never been a target' of the criminal investigations and that US prosecutors are seeking his help as a witness. He denies any wrongdoing.
In a briefing with reporters about his ongoing efforts to deal with the MS-13 gang, Trump said he would have more to say next week with the attorney general, the FBI and others concerning our cities, because the left-wing group of people that are running our cities are not doing the job that theyre supposed to be doing, and its not a very tough job to do if they knew what they were doing.
Berlin, July 17 : German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has rejected the US' latest threat to impose sanctions over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Moscow and Berlin, saying "European energy policy is made in Europe".

"By announcing measures that will also sanction European companies, the US government is disregarding the right and sovereignty of Europe to decide where and how we source our energy," Xinhua news agency quoted Maas as saying in a statement on Thursday.

"European energy policy is made in Europe and not in Washington. We clearly reject extraterritorial sanctions," Maas added.

Mass said that the German government had held numerous talks with the US in recent weeks as Washington was planning to tighten a sanctions law against Nord Stream 2.

The law -- U.S. Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act (PEESA) -- was enacted in December 2019.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent fresh warnings of possible sanctions to companies involved in Nord Stream 2 and the second line of the TurkStream pipeline stretching from Russia to Turkey.

Pompeo claimed that the projects were not commercial but serve as Moscow's tools to exploit European dependence on Russia's energy supplies.

Peter Beyer, the German government's coordinator for transatlantic relations, tweeted Thursday that the US should grant Europe comprehensive energy sovereignty.

The Nord Stream 2, stretching 1,230 km from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea, is scheduled to start operation in the middle of 2020.
mike baker This is Mike Baker, a correspondent for The New York Times based in the Northwest. Its 2:00 a.m. right now. Im in downtown Portland watching through some clouds of tear gas. Theres a group of protesters right now. [CLEARS THROAT] I can feel the tear gas. [COUGHS] I am watching here through clouds of tear gas. A group of protesters moving down Main Street. Theyve got their umbrellas out to protect themselves. And just down the street is a line of federal officers. Theyre firing  [SOUND OF TEAR GAS FIRING] firing tear gas down at the crowd. The officers are standing in a long line down the city block protecting the federal courthouse.

michael barbaro

From the New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. Today: Inside the volatile situation in Portland, Oregon, and why federal forces are being deployed to American cities. Its Thursday, July 23. Zolan Kanno-Youngs, you cover the Department of Homeland Security for The Times, the entire universe of federal law enforcement. So where does the story of whats happening right now in Portland, where does it start?

zolan kanno-youngs

So I think we have to go back to late May. In late May, as we know, there were protests sweeping throughout the country. Mass demonstrations. A majority of those protests involved people who were demonstrating peacefully. But you did also have instances of people damaging property, looting, as well as acts of violence. And in Oakland, you had a situation where an officer with the Federal Protective Service, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, who was guarding a federal courthouse, was actually shot and killed. I should say that the person who shot and killed him was actually affiliated with a fringe anti-government movement and wasnt affiliated with the protests. But that killing did prompt 

archived recording Good afternoon 

zolan kanno-youngs

 a rare press conference.

archived recording The Department of Homeland Securitys highest priority is to ensure the safety and security of the American people and the Departments workforce.

zolan kanno-youngs

From the top senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security.

archived recording Any loss in the D.H.S. family impacts all of us, and I want the loved ones of these brave officers to know that you have the support of the department behind you.

zolan kanno-youngs

They go out there, and of course, they honor the memory of this officer, but they also have a message.

archived recording (kenneth t. cuccinelli ii) There are currently threats by some to attack police stations and federal buildings. That violence not only wont be tolerated, we are also committed to ensuring that it wont succeed anywhere. Anywhere. And let me be clear 

zolan kanno-youngs

They make it clear that they are going to take action against anybody that makes a threat or has any sort of action against federal property. The acting deputy secretary Kenneth Cuccinelli even says 

archived recording (kenneth t. cuccinelli ii) That is an act of domestic terrorism.

zolan kanno-youngs

 that would be an act of domestic terrorism.

archived recording (kenneth t. cuccinelli ii) Thank you very much.

michael barbaro

And Zolan, why is that phrase significant, domestic terrorism?

zolan kanno-youngs

The reason why this is significant is you have to remember how this department was created in the wake of the September 11th attacks. This department was formed in the Bush administration to have a coordinated effort in the federal government to defend the United States against national security threats  directly at that time, foreign terrorism threats. This was a department that was going to protect the borders of the United States. And this signaled that the top officials in that department were turning their attention inward, domestically, to these protests that are sweeping major cities.

michael barbaro

So what happens after this news conference, which, from what youre describing, feels like more of a statement than a set of actions?

zolan kanno-youngs

Right. I think at that point, its a message. The message is were not going to tolerate this, right? Its clear. But then things start to move pretty fast. Within two days on June 1, we start to see that the department is going to back up this rhetoric with the concrete action of federal resources. I remember early in the day, you know, I got a message from a source who sent me an alert that all Homeland Security investigation special agents around the Washington, D.C. area got, and it said, you have to be on standby for any potential unrest later today around the area of Lafayette Park.

[music]

So that day, you know, later on, thats where you saw the images of Secret Service, D.E.A., National Guard, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well. And of course, it was many of those same federal officials and agents who were stationed outside of Lafayette Park and would clear out protesters to make room for the presidents photo op.

michael barbaro

So were now seeing the message delivered at that news conference put into action on the streets of Washington.

zolan kanno-youngs

Thats right. And I mean, if you listen to the senior officials with the Department of Homeland Security, as well as other officials in the Trump administration, they would say, look, this federal presence was needed in Washington. Our agents in front of the White House were being threatened. And they would also say, well, look, after about a week, the unrest calmed down.

michael barbaro

So from their perspective, as controversial as some of these actions were, and as intimidating and unusual as it felt on the ground, this was working.

zolan kanno-youngs

Thats right. Thats right. It worked. Their deployment worked if you were to ask them.

michael barbaro

So what happens next?

zolan kanno-youngs

OK, so over the next few weeks, what really happened is we saw a shift.

archived recording A tense standoff with police as protesters tried to tear down a statue of former president Andrew Jackson.

zolan kanno-youngs

Now were starting to see protesters and demonstrators honing in and focusing on statues and memorials.

archived recording Were addressing white supremacy finally, and its just something that we grew up with. And its just been so normalized that the people on our money would have owned me.

zolan kanno-youngs

Targeting those statues and memorials, sometimes pulling them down, sometimes defacing them. And you also saw a pretty prompt reaction by the federal government.

archived recording (donald trump) Theyre bad people. They dont love our country, and theyre not taking down our monuments.

zolan kanno-youngs

So in late June 

archived recording (donald trump) I will have an executive order very shortly.

zolan kanno-youngs

 the president then signs an executive order. The gist of it pretty much says that the attorney general as well as the acting Secretary of Homeland Security should direct their resources to defend statues and monuments and federal property. Just a couple days later, the Department of Homeland Security then formed a task force, whats known as these rapid deployment teams. Those teams involve 2,000 officers and agents that are on standby  from air marshals with the T.S.A., to tactical agents with Customs and Border Protection, to special agents with I.C.E., ready on standby to be deployed throughout the U.S.

michael barbaro

And how unusual is this kind of rapid deployment that youre describing?

zolan kanno-youngs

Well I mean, actually, the department, when it was formed  and many former officials with the department would say this as well  that flexibility to be able to move different officials around is an advantage, right? It was actually an intention as well to be able to have these different agencies support one another. But its the mission here, deploying them for monuments and statues, you know, the appearance of these teams in front of the National Mall and Gettysburg. Thats where many observers, as well as some of the architects of the department, raised an eyebrow at this.

michael barbaro

Why?

zolan kanno-youngs

This country is grappling with a couple different national emergencies right now. The Department of Homeland Security also has a huge stake in the response to the pandemic. We have an election coming up as well. The department is the agency tasked with cyber security. So it was a question over priorities. But for the department, it really comes down to this. Are any of these people in these crowds committing the federal crime of defacing federal property? The acting secretary has said that he sees it as his job to deploy if there is any mere violation of that federal law, whether it be graffiti on a property or some of the more violent acts that weve seen in these demonstrations. And its that rationale that the department used that weekend, the weekend of July 4, to start deploying these teams to different cities, but primarily to Portland.

[music]

michael barbaro

Well be right back. Mike Baker, I just spoke with our colleague Zolan, who explained how this has all unfolded in Washington over the past few weeks. But you are actually on the ground in Portland. So help us understand what it has looked like there during that same period.

mike baker

You know, it began with a similar sort of scene that we saw around the country.

archived recording We matter! We all matter! Black lives matter! [CHEERING]

mike baker

The mass peaceful demonstrations.

archived recording [CHANTING] George Floyd! Say his name! George Floyd! Say his name!

mike baker

Thousands of people on the streets. There are really powerful images here in Portland of crowds covering the entire Burnside Bridge over the Willamette River, you know, in honor of George Floyd. And at the same time, you got what we saw and a lot of cities.

archived recording Windows shattered, graffiti everywhere.

mike baker

Smashing windows of businesses.

archived recording 1 Well, theres a variety store, the Nike community store, Starbucks got hit. archived recording 2 Youre looking at some pictures that show the fires that were set.

mike baker

The first night of protests they broke into the Justice Center and lit fires. But whats really been different here is the persistence of it. Were now more than 50 consecutive days into the protests happening every night.

michael barbaro

Wow, 50 days nonstop.

mike baker

Nonstop, every night.

michael barbaro

And what have these nightly confrontations in Portland looked like?

mike baker

You know, its all over the place. You know, in some of these confrontations, many of which you can see in videos online, you can see these standoffs between protesters and police, where some protesters will throw water bottles or fireworks.

archived recording [SOUNDS OF SHATTERING AND CLAMORING]

mike baker

Videos of them breaking windows of buildings downtown or setting up barricades in the streets. Police claim theyve had bricks thrown at them, rocks thrown at them. Thereve been videos surfacing online of people shooting guns in the air. One group set a fire in the headquarters of the police union, the local police union. And throughout much of this time, they made it really their nightly routine to gather downtown right next to the federal courthouse.

archived recording This is the Portland Police Bureau. This is a civil disturbance, and we have declared an unlawful assembly. Leave the area now, or youll be subject to use of force to include crowd control munitions. Leave now.

mike baker

Police kept coming out, arresting a number of people and responding with so much tear gas that some of these protesters went to court, sued and won a judges order limiting how much this gas could get used.

archived recording  never seen or covered anything like this. The damage and just the impact of the statement being made is unprecedented. Its crazy to see.

mike baker

Just been a persistent issue that they havent really been able to resolve.

michael barbaro

And who are the people who are involved in these nightly encounters, as best you can tell?

mike baker

Its a group with a wide range of backgrounds, ideologies, strategies, tactics that theyve brought. You know, Portland has a history of anarchist groups. And you can see some of the anarchist symbols on the streets. You see a lot of people wearing all black clothing, which is pretty common for those who are part of the Antifa group. And then you have people who are part of the Black Lives Matter movement chanting the name of George Floyd and just  so you really have this huge mix.

michael barbaro

Mike, in your time in Portland, I imagine youre talking to people in the city about this ongoing problem. What are people youve talked to in Portland saying about the situation?

mike baker

Yeah, youve got, I mean, it seems like a pretty broad consensus of people who sympathize with the overall message of the protesters  the need for police reform and the need for resolving racial injustices. At the same time, those same people are, you know, frustrated by what seems like a line of protest that wont seem to end. Business people I talked to, who, you know, have had their windows boarded up and then shortened their hours for safety reasons. And one of them I talked to is considering, like, maybe its time to just get out of here because there doesnt seem to be a resolution ahead.

archived recording We are physically and emotionally in pain. I have officers that are injured 

mike baker

From police, you hear them saying essentially that theyre out of ideas.

archived recording We love our community. We want to serve our community and facilitate free speech.

mike baker

Saying that theyre exhausted and in pain, and theyre trying to show that theyre part of the community, too. That they arent some sort of outside force thats here.

archived recording Were at a loss for other solutions right now, and Im open to any community member whos got ideas for other solutions. We all are.

michael barbaro

So I have this sense at this point  correct me if Im wrong  that the police dont quite know how to resolve these nightly encounters. And these nightly encounters are still happening. And so, is there some sense of resignation that this is just kind of how it is going to be for a while?

mike baker

Yeah, I mean, there is certainly no deadline that was going to be coming up. Theres a hope that things were on a better track, that the numbers that were coming out each night were starting to shrink a little bit, and that they might be on a pathway to finishing this. And thats when a deployment of federal officers arrived in town.

michael barbaro

So what happens when those federal officials start showing up and at the direction of the Department of Homeland Security?

mike baker

Well, I mean, right away, you can see that theyre standing out. I mean, theyve shown up here in camouflage fatigues and tactical gear. So just just visually its pretty clear that theres an outside force that has now arrived. And theyve come with a pretty aggressive posture.

michael barbaro

And what are these aggressive tactics from the federal forces there looking like?

archived recording [BOOM SOUNDS]

mike baker

Well, some of it, you know, in the streets, you can see a return to a large amount of tear gas, because these federal officers were not under the same mandates as local police. But then there were also tactics you could see coming out in different videos. In the first one, you have this protester standing across the street from the federal courthouse. Hes got a boombox over his head, and hes just cursing at the officers across the street.

archived recording [EXPLETIVE] you!

mike baker

All of a sudden, you see him drop to the ground. Hes apparently been shot with some sort of less lethal munition and really just created a bloody scene right there on the street. Blood all over the sidewalk, and his family says he had to go to the hospital for more than a week. In these other videos, you have these protesters 

archived recording 1 What are you doing? archived recording 2 I havent done anything wrong. archived recording 3 What is going on? Who are you?

mike baker

 on the streets of Portland, and federal officers again in camouflage and tactical gear approaching them, grabbing them, and then pulling them back to unmarked vans 

archived recording (interposing voices) Dont hurt him. No, dont hurt him. Hes hurt!

mike baker

 filled with officers in tactical gear.

archived recording 1 This is an unmarked car. Who is this? Who are you? Where are you taking her? archived recording 2 You follow us, you will get shot. You understand me? archived recording 3 What is happening?

michael barbaro

And what is the response to these videos?

mike baker

I mean, youve got outrage from not just the protesters, but from the same city officials that have been the target of the protesters all along.

archived recording The tactics that the Trump administration are using on the streets of Portland are abhorrent. People are being literally scooped off the street into unmarked vans, rental cars, apparently.

mike baker

The mayor has been villain number one for a lot of these protesters, as someone who has failed to reform the police department in the ways they want. And yet here you have him 

archived recording (ted wheeler) Its not helping the situation at all. Theyre not wanted here. We havent asked them here. In fact, we want them to leave.

mike baker

 ask the federal officers to leave his city. He doesnt want them here. He doesnt want them on the streets.

archived recording (ted wheeler) And what theyre doing is they are sharply escalating the situation. Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism. archived recording [SOUNDS OF CRASHING AND CLAMORING]

mike baker

And you have the cycle here of tear gas, things being thrown back and forth. Standoffs where protesters are holding umbrellas and shields made out of pool noodles and plywood. And the officers standing on the other side in their full tactical gear and helmets and gas masks. And a scene of two sides and not much a pathway to a resolution in the space between.

michael barbaro

So as of now, it feels like the very thing the federal government is in Portland to try to tamp down is actually escalating in response.

mike baker

I mean, its been a significant escalation. I mean, now were seeing thousands of people out there. You have people out there coming out for the first time.

mike baker So what was the  what was your motivation for coming out? protestor I have five grandkids and three daughters, and I dont want to be at the end of my life and say that I didnt do anything to make them have a better future.

mike baker

I caught up with this grandmother from Eugene, Oregon, who was there and had come up to Portland for the first time and told her family that she planned to stay on the outskirts to be safe. And then while she was there, she was motivated to keep moving up. And I caught up with her again, and she was right at the front of the federal courthouse. Shes a little uneasy watching this unfold.

protestor I do feel a little bit unsafe. I dont know whats going to happen.

mike baker

Doesnt necessarily agree with the tactics shes watching, but shes staying there. She feels the need that this is a moment to stand up, to do something and she needs to be there.

michael barbaro

Zolan, Mike Baker said that the federal presence in Portland has basically made things worse, not better. And it has really created a kind of violent feedback loop between the protesters and these federal officers. And I wonder what you think about that.

zolan kanno-youngs

Well, I mean, whether you listen to the demonstrators, the local officials there, or the senior officials with the Department of Homeland Security, its clear everyone agrees that the federal presence thus far has not succeeded in terms of bringing an end to the violence that were seeing, the unrest that were seeing at this time. So by that measure, the goal has not been accomplished. But there is also a question here. For the Trump administration, is that solely their measure of success? Is this solely about bringing an end to this unrest? You know, optics do matter, and the optics of having agents in camouflage gear and tactical teams in a city led by Democrats, that does send a message.

archived recording The radical left-wing mobs agenda, take over our cities 

zolan kanno-youngs

And just a couple days ago, the presidents re-election campaign actually issued a campaign ad.

archived recording And Joe Biden stands with them.

zolan kanno-youngs

With images that look a lot like that area around the federal courthouse in Portland, displaying images of unrest and individual acts of violence.

archived recording Violent crime exploding, innocent children fatally shot. Who will be there to answer the call when your children arent safe?

zolan kanno-youngs

And at the very end of that ad, they actually lay it out in pretty direct terms  text that reads, You wont be safe in Joe Bidens America.

archived recording (donald trump) Im Donald J. Trump, and I approve this message.

zolan kanno-youngs

Youre actually seeing the White House kind of double down here.

archived recording (donald trump) I can tell you in Portland, theyve done a fantastic job. Theyve been 

zolan kanno-youngs

And say, well, look, theyre doing a great job in Portland. In fact 

archived recording (donald trump) Were not going to let New York and Chicago and Philadelphia, Detroit, and Baltimore and all of these  Oakland is a mess. Were not going to let this happen in our country. All run by liberal Democrats.

zolan kanno-youngs

Some of these other cities led by Democrats could use the same kind of deployment.

archived recording (donald trump) This is worse than Afghanistan by far. This is worse than anything anyones ever seen, all run by the same liberal Democrats. And you know what, if Biden got in, that would be true for the country. The whole country would go to hell. And were not going to let it go to hell.

[music]

michael barbaro

So Zolan, where does this leave us at this point?

zolan kanno-youngs

So it leaves us in this precarious position. We know that on the ground in Portland, the presence of federal agents and those officers has increased tension. But to the president, hed like to see a similar presence in other cities.

michael barbaro

Zolan, thank you very much.

zolan kanno-youngs

Thanks for having me here. [MUSIC PLAYING]

michael barbaro

On Wednesday, President Trump announced that he would immediately dispatch federal law enforcement officers to Chicago.

archived recording (donald trump) The F.B.I., A.T.F., D.E.A., U.S. Marshal Service and Homeland Security will together be sending hundreds of skilled law enforcement officers to Chicago to help drive down violent crime.

michael barbaro

In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she would not tolerate the kind of federal deployment that has played out in Portland.

archived recording (lori lightfoot) What we saw the president and the attorney general do in Portland is a travesty, and we are not having it in Chicago.

michael barbaro

Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today.

archived recording (mike dewine) Its essential that we wear masks statewide in Ohio to contain the spread of this virus. So therefore, tomorrow at 6 oclock, tomorrow night, our mask order for people who are out in public will be extended throughout the state of Ohio.

michael barbaro

As the daily death toll from the coronavirus again surpasses 1,000 Americans a day, governors in three more states issued orders requiring masks: Ohio, Indiana and Minnesota.

archived recording The wearing of the mask, plus the social distancing makes a huge, huge difference.

michael barbaro

The orders came a day after President Trump, who has long resisted wearing masks, and at times even disparaged them, made his most forceful call yet for wearing them. And 

archived recording (joe biden) No sitting president has ever done this. Never, never, never. No Republican president has done this, no Democratic president. Weve have racists, and theyve existed, and theyve tried to get elected president. Hes the first one that has.

michael barbaro

During a campaign event on Wednesday, the presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, called President Trump the first racist to be elected president.

archived recording (joe biden) The way he deals with people based on the color of their skin, their national origin, where theyre from is absolutely sickening.

michael barbaro

In response, historians noted that previous presidents owned enslaved people and were openly racist. And during a news conference, Trump rejected Bidens characterization.

archived recording Would you like to respond to Joe Biden who today described you  you might have heard that  as the first racist to be elected president? Those are his  that was his words. archived recording (donald trump) Ive done things that nobody else  and Ive said this, and I say it openly, and not a lot of people dispute it. Ive done more for Black Americans than anybody with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln. Nobody has even been close.

[music]

michael barbaro
During the month of July, Chico Hyundai has various manager specials available for customers interested in select 2020 Hyundai Elantra models. Three models are included in the special and receive retail bonus cash off the initial sales price. Both a 2020 Hyundai Elantra SE and 2020 Elantra ECO receive considerable bonus cash offers while a 2020 Hyundai Elantra GT receives both cash off its price as well as a special lease offer. Each model also receives 0% APR financing for 36 months.

The first vehicle available in the manager special is a 2020 Hyundai Elantra SE. For specifications, the model receives up to an estimated 30 city and 40 highway MPG with its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Though its sales price is initially $19,105, the Elantra SE is available for $17,105 after a $2,000 retail bonus cash offer.

A black 2020 Hyundai Elantra ECO is also available in the manager special. The model receives up to an estimated 41 highway MPG and 33 city MPG and possesses a 1.4-liter automatic transmission. The front-wheel drive model is available for a net price of $19,500 after a $1,500 retail bonus cash offer.

Lastly, a Stellar Silver-colored 2020 Hyundai Elantra GT is available with both retail bonus cash attached or at a special lease price. The model holds a 2.0-liter engine that receives an estimated 25 city, 32 highway MPG rate. The base price for the hatchback is initially $21,880, but it is marked at $20,147 after a $1,000 retail bonus cash deal. However, the vehicle can also be had for $179 per month for a 36-month closed-end lease with $2,999 due at signing for well-qualified buyers.

Those interested in the available manager specials at Chico Hyundai are welcomed to contact the dealer or head to their location at 2562 Cohasset Road in Chico, CA. For more details on each special, customers can call the dealership directly at 833-308-0570 or on their website at https://www.chicohyundai.com/.
Air India has proposed a 60 per cent salary cut for pilots amid the coronavirus pandemic which has infected 55 of its cockpit crew members, said two leading pilot unions of the airline on Thursday. "The proposed cut for pilots is almost 60 per cent of gross emoluments. It is hilarious to note that the top management has proposed a meagre 3.5 per cent cut on its own gross salary," said a joint letter by the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) and Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) to Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal.

"For eg. the Director Personnel takes a minuscule cut of 4 per cent on gross pay while a co-pilot who is paid less than the market is given a cut of 60 per cent. How is this justified? Doesn't this amount to unchecked greed and selfishness?" the unions said in Thursday's letter.

While scheduled international flights have been suspended in the country since March 23, Air India has been operating international repatriation flights all around the world under Vande Bharat Mission. Moreover, since scheduled domestic passenger flight operations resumed on May 25, the airline has been operating services domestically too.

"As of date, 55 pilots have tested positive for COVID-19. Is it fair to penalise these pilots by saying that they will be paid on actual flying hours? They are unable to fly as they contracted the coronavirus while on duty. Is this how the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) wants to honour frontline workers," the unions asked the CMD.

The unions said the CMD informed them that the MoCA has given the directions to slash pilots' salary by 60 per cent. "This is nowhere at par with market standards. If this is true, then we would like to humbly submit that we would like to seek an appointment with the Hon'ble Minister of Civil Aviation and return all the appreciation letters given to our pilots by him as well as the Honourable Prime Minister for our service to the nation," they stated.

Meanwhile, Air India on Tuesday said it has started the process of identifying employees, based on various factors like efficiency, health and redundancy, who will be sent on compulsory leave without pay (LWP) for up to five years. Equity infusion of Rs 500-600 crore every year is not sustainable and cost-cutting in Air India is necessary, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday, justifying the national carrier's decision to send certain employees on leave without pay for up to five years.

The minister's remarks came after TMC MP Derek O'Brien slammed Air India, saying its leave-without-pay scheme violates labour laws and is an 'obvious ploy' to protect the top management and sacrifice other workers.

Also read: International air flights to resume soon under 'air bubbles' strategy
There is not an expectation that anyone has to come back, but we do want to offer it up to those that want it, she said. We are doing this by design to allow us time to test things to get it right. Nobodys done this before.
"Loose lips sink ships" was a slogan dreamt up by America's War Advertising Council in the 1940s as a way to save lives. Controlling information during times of war is often a necessary evil, but when the enemy is a pandemic and the battle is with a deadly virus, adherence to truth and transparency is paramount.

And it's not just for the sake of good governance. As Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says repeatedly each day, combating COVID-19 is as much dependent on the actions of each individual as it is on government. That relies on the community having a level of trust in government that goes beyond political allegiance.

For the most part, Mr Andrews has rightly secured the backing of most Victorians. But the second surge of infections in Victoria has put that to the test. Of most concern has been his insistence on deflecting all queries over the failings of the hotel quarantine system that have driven much of the state's new outbreak. Questions about outbreaks, about who is in charge, become "a matter for the inquiry". While he rightly says that he cannot sit in judgment of himself, it also means no information is provided.

This has allowed doubts to fester over his government's ability to manage this dual health and economic crisis.
This week, Peterborough city council had unanimously approved a ban on Confederate flags and swastikas on city property, confirming the citys commitment to Coalition of Municipalities against Racisms by creating a Peterborough-specific plan of action that will help the city become more inclusive.

Even with the removal of these visible symbols of hate from the public sphere, therere still those who will have them in their private homes or offices and worse yet have hatred symbols in their hearts and mind.

Removing the Confederate flags and swastikas from city property is one step in creating a welcoming and inclusive society. Personally, therere discomfort and apprehension when seeing these hatred symbols. Those who want to display the Confederate flags say that it is keeping with their southern heritage or in keeping with tradition of love for history which does not make sense since we have a Canadian history.

The history of the Confederate flag stems from the American Civil War when seven southern states went to war with the U.S. army to continue their enslavement of African-Americans. One of these southern states, Mississippi, to justify taking up arms against the United States in their resolution that they adopted read, "Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery  A blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization." The other southern states adopted similar resolutions. Since then, the Confederate flag has been associated with racism and hate and is a common fixture at white supremacy and KKK meetings.

Mississippi was the last U.S. state to remove the Confederate flag from its government building, doing it on June 29 this year. Their Gov. Tate Reeves stated, There are people on either side of the flag debate who may never understand the other. We as a family must show empathy. We must understand that all who want change are not attempting to erase history. And all who want the status quo are not mean-spirited or hateful.

Bubba Wallance, the only African-American driver in NASCAR top series, who succeeded in having the Confederate flag banned at NASCAR, stated, "You look at the Confederate flag and how, yes, it may mean heritage to most, but to a group that is in a lot of pain right now  that's a symbol of hate and it brings back so many bad memories; signs of oppression from way back when, and just, there's no good that comes with that flag."

Aligning oneself with these hateful symbols is more than having a display either in public or in private of the Confederate flag or swastikas  it is having a demonization of others that are different from us, ethnically, culturally, racially, gender orientation, religion, etc.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.  Dalai Lama XIV

We as Peterboroughans have to assess our own hearts and minds on how we view others. Do we treat them differently with contempt or scorn? Do we instantly not like them? Or, easily find fault with them? Do we ignore them because they are different from us?

NASCAR president Steve Phelps: "The time is now to listen, to understand and to stand against racism and racial injustice. We ask our drivers, our competitors and all our fans to join us in this mission, to take a moment of reflection, to acknowledge that we must do better as a sport, and join us as we now pause and take a moment to listen."

Peterborough should create an atmosphere of welcoming to those who are different from the 96 per cent of European majority descent in Peterborough. We want to build diversity and inclusivity in Peterborough, then we can:

Extend a hand of friendship to others and give a helping hand to our newcomers

Be patient with those who are different from you and take the time to listen to their differences and their stories

Educate yourself with stories from other cultures and backgrounds that are different from yours through reading books, music, shows, magazines

Do not stand for any racist comments or jokes; put a lid in it before its even stated

These are just limited examples of what you can do as an individual to be inclusive. However, racism is a systemic problem. Any organization or business that is interested in having a diversity and inclusion workshop, please contact our ED, Angela Connors at racerelation@gmail.com.

Thank you to our Peterborough council for standing up and doing what is right in creating a welcoming and inclusive Peterborough environment.
AKRON, Ohio -- Akron police on Friday asked for the publics help in locating a 36-year-old man accused of using an SUV to fatally strike a 43-year-old Akron man and his 1-year-old daughter on the sidewalk.

Shawn Allen, whose last known address is in Canton, has been charged with two counts of aggravated murder, according to Akron Municipal Court records.

Summit County Crimestoppers are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to Allens arrest and indictment.

The victims, Horace Lee and his 22-month-old daughter, Azeria Tucker, died at the scene of the crash around 10 a.m. Sunday on the 400 block of Crouse Street, according to a police report.

Investigators say Lee was pushing Azeria in a stroller on the sidewalk when a black SUV struck and killed them. Police have said they believe Allen intentionally targeted Lee because of a fight shortly before the crash.

Allen has an ace of spades tattoo on his left cheek, police said.

Anyone with information about Allen or his whereabouts is asked to call Akron police detectives at 330-375-2490, Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-2677 or text TIPSCO with your tips to 274637. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
NOAA names University of Miami to lead cooperative institute

MIAMI - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has selected the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science to host the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS). CIMAS, will bring together the research and educational resources of eleven partner universities to increase scientific understanding of Earth's oceans and atmosphere within the context of NOAA's mission.

The cooperative institute will conduct collaborative, multidisciplinary research that advances NOAA's mission to improve our understanding of global, national and regional weather, climate and marine ecosystems. The cooperative institute will also focus on coastal resilience and better use and management of natural marine resources in the Southeast United States, including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and the South Atlantic.

"Our cooperative institutes are a vital component of NOAA's mission to address emerging scientific issues and train the next generation of researchers," said Craig McLean, assistant NOAA administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. "This institute will help NOAA achieve our mission to better understand the ocean and atmosphere, which depends on research, data and information to make sound decisions for healthy ecosystems, communities and a strong blue economy."

The selection of the University of Miami, made through an open, competitive evaluation, comes with an award of up to $310 million over the course of five years, with the potential for renewal for another five years based on successful performance.

"CIMAS brings together the resources of the University of Miami with those of NOAA to foster excellence in research and education targeted at understanding the Earth's oceans, atmosphere and marine ecosystems," said Ben Kirtman, director of CIMAS and professor of atmospheric sciences at the UM Rosenstiel School. "This collaboration enables unprecedented innovation in NOAA's mission of science, service and stewardship."

CIMAS, in partnership with NOAA and other agencies, will conduct and coordinate innovative, research in four main areas, focusing on the Southeast US including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and the South Atlantic:

Tropical weather observations, analysis and prediction

Ocean and climate observations, analysis and prediction

Ecosystem observations, modeling, forecasting and management

Protection and restoration of marine resources

Led by the UM Rosenstiel School, the institute will direct a unique consortium of degree-granting institutions, which includes the Caribbean Region Association for Coastal Ocean Observing, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Institute of Technology, Florida International University, Florida State University, NOVA Southeastern University, University of Florida, University of South Florida, University of the Virgin Islands. Florida International University and University of Virgin Islands are Minority Serving Institutions.

CIMAS will build on the research and infrastructure accomplishments of its predecessor cooperative institute at the UM Rosenstiel School. It will accelerate scientific innovation in each of the four focus areas by advancing tropical weather prediction, ocean and climate observations, ecosystem forecasting, and protection and restoration of marine resources. For example, CIMAS will innovate in fish stock assessment by taking advantage of recent advancements in genetic technology to develop ecosystem models that focus on economically important fishes. CIMAS will also continue innovative work on coral restoration efforts.

"In Miami-Dade County alone, we are fortunate to have NOAA's National Hurricane Center, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, and Southeast Fisheries Science Center, and UM's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, all of which are uniquely positioned at the crossroads of tropical meteorology and climatically important oceanographic processes." said Roni Avissar, dean of the Rosenstiel School. "We are thrilled to lead this collaboration with such great neighboring institutions and we will advance our knowledge through the multiple research projects that we will conduct together."

###

NOAA supports 19 cooperative institutes consisting of 69 universities and research institutions in 27 states and the District of Columbia. These research institutions provide strong educational programs that promote student and postdoctoral scientist involvement in NOAA-funded research.

About the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School

The University of Miami is one of the largest private research institutions in the southeastern United States. The University's mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. Founded in the 1940's, the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, visit: http://www. rsmas. miami. edu .

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Gandhinagar, July 17 : The four-member central government team on a two-day visit to Gujarat expressed satisfaction with the Covid-19 situation in the state. The team visited hospitals in Ahmedabad and Surat on Friday and will take stock of affairs in the rest of the state on Saturday.

Speaking to the media, NITI Aayog member, Vinod Pal said, "The situation in Gujarat is satisfactory for the treatment of coronavirus patients. On a two-day visit to Gujarat, we went to Ahmedabad and Surat, visited the hospitals, met the healthcare officials and staff, doctors and reviewed the entire situation." "In Gujarat, we saw many initiatives which can be replicated for Covid-19 treatment in other states, like the Dhanvantari Rath, 104 helpline, community participation in isolation wards. The linking of private hospitals by the government is also a good initiative which can also be replicated elsewhere in the country. We are taking lots of valuable information and ideas from here, which can be replicated in other parts of the country," added Pal.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) director Dr Randeep Guleria said, "The initiative of Dhanvantari Rath is wonderful. These 'Raths' have been very helpful in treating non-Covid patients, where the patients do not have to go to the hospital to get treated, while exposing themselves to other threats." "Throughout the course of time of Covid treatment across the country, we have come to know that the most important aspect in treatment is oxygen supply. If a critical patient is provided adequate oxygen at the right time, I don't think that in many cases even the ventilators are required," added Guleria.

He said that the government is setting up Covid centres of excellence in every state for the improvement in Covid treatment. "Every Tuesday and Friday we regularly have a review meeting, where we exchange ideas on treatment, so that we can learn from each other's experience and the treatment can be improved," added Guleria.

The four-member team will be visiting other districts of the state on Saturday and review the situation there. They will also meet with healthcare officials of the state government.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 18:33:41|Editor: huaxia

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Han Wenxin (R) and Han Baocheng check the lifesaving suits on the boat at the Miaoshang crossing in Huangjinxia Town, Hanzhong City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, July 16, 2020. Han Wenxin, 71, a ferryman for 60 years at the Miaoshang crossing, a 100-year-old crossing in Huangjinxia Town, stuck to his position every day despite of the weather and whenever the villagers needed him, and charged no money from his impoverished clients. In 2018, Han Wenxin broke his feet and called his son Han Baocheng back to continue his business. Although earning few money, Han and his son feel hard to give up the work, as they have deep feelings for the local villagers. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)
The 30 rare shore plovers or tuturautu relocated to Mana Island off the coast of Porirua New Zealand vanished, leaving ornithologists baffled and concerned.

These shore plovers are considered critically threatened in New Zealand, with only about 250 left. The majority of the population is in the Chatham Islands.

The shore plovers were relocated to Mana Island since February as part of the effort to establish a new colony. She said that three of those 30 had been recaptured. The whereabouts of the other birds are still unknown. It is not clear why the birds left, MacKenzie said although she could think of various reasons like being lost to predation or a single bird decided to return to the mainland, and the others followed. Avian predators may also have threatened them, or it could be due to random behavior, Mackenzie surmised.

This is not the first time that shore plovers were relocated to the island. In 2007, the department also did a relocation, but the shover birds were decimated by the rats on the island.

This time, measures to keep the rats from the plovers were done. As Nick Fisentzidis, the Mana Island Ranger, said in February, "We are very aware of the devastation caused by a single rat to Mana in 2011. We've put a lot of effort into keeping Mana predator-free since then."

Dave Houston, the Shore plover recovery group leader, said that it is challenging to move the birds to the new island. It requires "fixing" them in their new homes by holding them in an aviary for a week or so to try to help them adjust to the new environment, but it does not always work.

He cited that there are instances that the birds would disappear entirely and get eaten by predators, or the birds might also fly away, but in some cases, they would also return to their island home.

The birds were seen in various places like Miramar Peninsula, near Foxton Beach, Tihati Bay Pauatahanui Inlet, but frequent sightings were reported in Plimmerton. None of the released birds stayed on the island, Houston noted.

A woman reported having spotted three plovers near the fire station. She reckons that it looks like the plovers have now settled on the beach, but shared her concerns that the beach may not be a safe place for the rare birds as Norwegian Rats and cats are a threat.

The expert staff from the department would try to recapture the birds in Plimmerton with special equipment as the department will consider putting radio transmitters on the birds.

Once a common sight along the coastlines of New Zealand, the tuturuatu /shore plover population had declined dramatically since the 1880s. The loss was attributed to introduced predators such as rats and cats as the rare birds are prone to predation.

But translocation of plovers has a silver lining. The shore plover population in Waikawa, Portland Island are steadily increasing, the Department of Conservation reported.

The birds, which were introduced in 1999, had 37 pairs in 2012. However, rats decimated the population, with only four pairs surviving.

Rigorous predation control was done after, and the population of the shore plovers increased dramatically since.
Tennessee Capitol Commission Voted to Removed the Bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest

If you recall a few weeks ago, I wrote at length about the relocation of the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest, the power of symbols, and the need to give proper context to these symbols. I am happy to inform you that my words, and the words of countless Tennesseans from all corners of the state, did not fall on deaf ears. Last Thursday, the Tennessee Capitol Commission voted 9-2 approving Governor Lee's proposal relocating the bust of Confederate Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest from the State Capitol to the Tennessee State Museum. This decision marks a significant turning point in the State of Tennessee. The vote that took place last Thursday was more than just a relocation of a bust of a historical figure. It was an acknowledgment of the pain and suffering that comes with honoring a man who spent much of his life, contributing to a racist ideology, and who committed brutal crimes against African Americans and humanity. Like many of my collages, I am happy to see the State of Tennessee, Governor Lee, and the members of the State Capitol Commission recognize the need to provide context and educate people on this life rather than honor his legacy. Last week, we saw the state reject symbols of hate and division and move towards a future inclusive to all Tennesseans.

Absentee Ballots

In a major win for voting rights in the state of Tennessee, Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle, ruled that the state's limits on absentee voting during the pandemic constitutes "an unreasonable burden on the fundamental right to vote guaranteed by the Tennessee Constitution." Her ruling mandates that the state of Tennessee must give all eligible voters the option to vote by mail in the upcoming 2020 elections because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, the following day the state of Tennessee filed a motion to stay the chancellor's order along with a motion for interlocutory appeal, which would allow a direct appeal to the Court of Appeals before the Chancery Court makes its final ruling on the injunction. Following the state's motion to stay, Chancellor Ellen Lyle ruled that the state of Tennessee must comply with the court's order and instructed the state to fix its absentee voting request forms. Anyone who deems COVID-19 a risk to their health or others will be able to request an absentee ballot. The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that it will not block the order allowing mail-in ballets to all eligible voters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

First Time Voters: It is unclear at this monument whether first time voters will be able to vote absentee. In the chancellor mandate, she states that "any eligible Tennessee voter". However, in her order, she does not specifically state first time voters.

Update: Tennessee election officials plan to enforce the requirement that first-time voters who register by mail cast their ballot in person.

On election day, if there is a dispute on your ability to vote you can request and cast a provisional ballot.




A scientific update released by Northern Arizona Universitys Center for Health Equity Research is advising against reinstating in-person university operations prior to the spring 2021 semester, as NAU moves forward with its Jacks are Back plan for returning to campus in August.

The Public Health COVID-19 Response, dated July 5, compiles information about the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona as well as in Coconino County, noting that local transmission is high  with more than 20% of cases requiring hospitalization  and the testing supply chain has become bottlenecked as the County collects an average of upwards of 200 tests each day, causing people to possibly continue to spread the virus as they wait for testing results.

As of Thursday, there were 2,490 cases and 102 deaths from COVID-19 in Coconino County.

In order to reopen the campus safely and avoid overwhelming the local health system, the Center for Health Equity Research (CHER) report said NAU must implement what it calls a Box It In approach to limit the spread of COVID-19. This approach would require NAU to test widely, isolate all infected people, find everyone who has been in contact with infected people and quarantine all contacts for 14 days.

Considering the current surge in COVID-19 cases and those predicted for the fall, the report concluded that it will be difficult to protect both the NAU and Flagstaff communities without moving to virtual-only options for classes and activities, which is the lowest risk option for universities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Doing so will enable the state and local health departments and regional and local healthcare systems to recover from the current surge in cases, and provide the time required to develop infrastructure that can effectively box in the virus on the NAU campus. From a public health perspective, this is safest way to move toward bringing faculty, students and staff back to campus for the Spring 2021 semester, the CHER report said.

Representatives with CHER declined to comment on the report.

NAU President Rita Cheng said the university has developed a reopening plan focused on prevention and education. Every student, faculty and staff member will receive healthcare kits and NAU will encourage individual daily health screenings. It will also be tracking the virus using tools like wastewater monitoring.

Challenges resulting from this pandemic continue and are not isolated to academic settings or to our campus, Cheng said. NAU has been aware of the information in the CHER document and has used the findings as one of many inputs in developing our comprehensive plan. We will continue to consult with sources like CHER, as well as county, state and federal health officials, to fine-tune our plans going forward.

In the ideal situation for the fall, the CHER report says NAU would test every student at least twice in the first two weeks of the semester as a baseline and repeat testing throughout the semester, removing those who test positive from the campus environment for 14 days.

Without such efforts, it is possible that we would never be able to control the spread on campus, and it would certainly spill over into our community, the report states.

It also suggests NAU may be required to create its own investigation and contact tracing system, in coordination with the campus and county health departments to better manage these investigations. But it says rolling out a plan like this now, less than a month before classes begin, could disrupt local health efforts already in place to monitor COVID-19.

NAU stated it will support Coconino County Health and Human Services in its investigations and contact tracing for the university campus. Areas for isolation or quarantining are available, but the location and number of such spaces were not shared with the Arizona Daily Sun due to privacy concerns.

The University Union of Northern Arizona released a statement last week expressing members concerns about returning to campus during this surge in COVID-19 cases. It called for NAU administration to wait to allow students to take classes or live on campus until a reliable testing and tracing system is established or a vaccine is readily available.

In an email accompanying its statement, the union said the CHER report supports its position on reopening campus.

If NAU does reopen as planned, the union has asked that faculty, staff and graduate workers be given the right to decide their modality  whether online or in-person  without consequences from administration and not be forced to disclose their reasoning, which could include private health information.

Moving forward as NAU Administration has currently planned will have catastrophic consequences for the health of everyone connected to NAUstudents, their families, faculty, sta, and all of the communities of which we are a part. We must do better, it said in the statement.

Northern Arizona Healthcare leaders also commented on the return to campus during a media briefing Thursday.

CEO Flo Spyrow said she has been in conversation with Cheng about the restrictions and safeguards NAU is implementing for the fall.

She is taking great strides, great pains in trying to quarantine those students on campus and not allowing them to be active in a lot of community events, as to what she can control, Spyrow said of Cheng. And so, although I have concerns, I think it is the right decision to restart classes and to continue education. Remember  as I always say  education is a strong component of making healthy communities.

All NAU students will begin classes Aug. 12, after move-in for on-campus residents from Aug. 6-11. The semester will end by Thanksgiving.

Classes will be offered in-person and through NAUFlex, which aims to allow students to alternate between attending class in-person on scheduled days and virtually on other days for classrooms that cannot safely hold all enrolled students at one time.

Those who will be on campus have been instructed to wear masks and maintain six feet of social distance when possible.

Kaitlin Olson can be reached at the office at kolson@azdailysun.com or by phone at (928) 556-2253.

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Following the detection of its first omicron case Saturday in Haidian district of Beijing, the Chinese capital locked down certain communities and office buildings just weeks before the Winter Olympics and the Lunar New Year holiday. The city opened 30 emergency testing points in Haidian on Monday as it rushes to contain the spread

Jan 19, 2022 05:37 PM
Sky News

Novak Djokovic has landed in the Serbian capital of Belgrade following his deportation from Australia over his lack of a COVID-19 vaccination. The world tennis number one arrived on a flight from Dubai after being forced to leave the country as the Australian Open was getting under way in Melbourne. The three judges upheld the visa cancellation on public interest grounds - meaning he could not defend his Australian Open title - a tournament he has won nine times.
Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles believes the Melbourne Rebels don't deserve to be around next year in a trans-Tasman competition, but has described talk of New Zealand wanting as few as two Australian teams involved as "ridiculous".

On Friday, New Zealand Rugby invited Australia to submit expressions of interest to join a competition in 2021 featuring eight to 10 teams, which it hopes will include a Pacific Islands side.

New Zealand Rugby has outlined its vision for 2021. Credit:Getty

NZRU chief executive Mark Robinson and his board have approved a number of recommendations from their three-month review and outlined a vision for 2021.

The announcement all but spells the end of New Zealands 25-year-old association with SANZAAR and puts the ball in Australias court, with NZRU saying it hopes the make-up of the competition can be finalised by the end of next month.
Algeria is planning a law to protect health workers after an increase in "physical and verbal attacks" since the country's coronavirus outbreak began, as it registered another record number of daily cases.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune called for new legislation after an increase in recent weeks of "physical and verbal attacks on medics, paramedics and administrative staff," according to a statement published on the prime minister's website.

The incidents have also in some cases involved "acts of damage and destruction of public assets and medical equipment," the statement added.

Algeria on Thursday registered 585 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 21,355, including 1,052 deaths, said Djamel Fourar, spokesperson for the scientific committee monitoring the pandemic, during a daily press conference.

The number beat several single-day records this week.

Algeria had been relaxing anti-coronavirus measures since early June, but faced with a resurgence of infections, the government decided Thursday to extend a partial lockdown in some provinces, including the capital Algiers.

Authorities said the increase was due to the population "relaxing" and "not respecting" preventive measures.

Algeria's main virus hotspots are the provinces of Setif, Algiers and nearby Blida, which was also the epicentre early in the country's outbreak.

Algeria's healthcare workers have come under increasing pressure as cases rise.

On Monday, the director of a hospital in Bouira, around 125 kilometres (78 miles) southeast of the capital, jumped out of a window to escape the angry family of a patient suspected of having died from the COVID-19 disease, said Mohamed Laib, health director in the city.

The family members of the deceased had burst into Djamel Boutmer's office after the hospital refused to release the patient's body, Laib added.

Boutmer fled "the attack by jumping from the window of his first-floor office, lightly injuring his foot".

The government statement said the new law would aim to "protect medical workers from all attacks... inside hospitals and other health structures and establishments," without elaborating on measures that could be taken.

On July 10, the president announced support measures for healthcare workers on the front line in the fight against the virus.

In the statement, the government also slammed "the manipulation and dissemination of images on social networks and in the media" that it said harmed the medical profession, after videos circulated denouncing conditions in some hospitals.

It said such "unacceptable acts" sought to discredit public health services and were punishable by law.
3M Files Lawsuits Over Protective Gear Price Gouging, Fraud

Americas leading manufacturer of key protective equipment in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has filed 18 lawsuits in connection with claims of fraud, counterfeiting, and price gouging related to gear including its iconic N95 mask.

The lawsuits are part of a series of ongoing actions to fight fraud related to the outbreak, 3M stated in a press release. The company added that in order to stop pandemic profiteers, it has teamed up with law enforcement and online retailers to remove thousands of deceptive websites and social media posts.

3M launched this ambitious effort to prevent and stop fraud at the same time as we have been rapidly increasing production of N95 respirators and other needed supplies to combat COVID-19, said Denise Rutherford, 3M Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs.

3M said its legal team has investigated over 4,000 reports globally of suspected fraud, counterfeiting, and price gouging. The company said its actions have led to more than 7,000 e-commerce listings with fraudulent or counterfeit product offerings being taken down. Also, it said over 10,000 false or deceptive social media posts related to its products have been removed.

The schemes we shut down were not only unlawful, they also endangered lives and wasted precious time and resources by diverting buyers from legitimate sources of much-needed respirators, Rutherford said.

3M said courts have so far issued six temporary restraining orders and four preliminary injunctions to stop unlawful actions related to its critical protective equipment products, including N95 respirators.

Some of the cases have resulted in defendants agreeing to stop improper behavior immediately. In other instances, 3M said its actions have led to criminal charges being brought against several bad actors.

The company said the lawsuits have been filed in 10 states and Canada.

We will continue to partner with law enforcement and online retailers to take action against profiteers, Rutherford said.

In a bid to fight price gouging, the company has published N95 respirator pricing information (pdf).

3M has not, and will not, increase the prices of its respirators as a result of the pandemic. Any damages we recover in lawsuits are donated to COVID-19 relief efforts at nonprofit organizations, including Direct Relief, the company said.
"In this time of rapid change and uncertainty for the future of health care, Alec brings an admirable level of experience and performance Memorial Hermann strives to embody for its employees, patients and community," said Dr. David L. Callender, President & CEO of Memorial Hermann . "His strategic leadership will allow us to support the long-term needs and goals of our health system in a transformational way. We are incredibly pleased to have Alec join Memorial Hermann and help ground our vision with fiscal and operational strength."

With nearly 13 years in the healthcare sector, King joins Memorial Hermann from Children's National Health System in Washington, where he was CFO. In his role, King provided fiscal, operational and strategic leadership for more than $1.6 billion in operating revenue and cultivated four years of record financial performance. Prior, King held multiple financial leadership roles within Texas Children's Hospital in Houston over a span of nine years. Both financially and operationally, his work has focused on supply chain services, infrastructure modernization, payer relations, information technology and innovation, patient financial services and revenue cycle, internal audit and more.

"For many years, I have admired the extraordinary work being done at Memorial Hermann and am thrilled to be joining one of our country's premier health systems," King said. "I am equally as excited to return to Texas and again play a role in delivering essential and exceptional care throughout Greater Houston."

In the community, King is board director of Safe Kids Worldwide and Brainy Camps Medical Education Youth Camps in Washington, and is founder and board chairman of Camp Awesome Youth Camp in Buda, Texas. He is a former member of the State of Texas Hospital Payment Advisory Committee, an advisory board member for Texas A&M University's Mays Business School, and former chairman of the board for the Institute of Pediatric Innovation. King earned his master's degree from Stanford University and his bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University.

King succeeds Brian Dean, who served as Memorial Hermann's CFO since 2018 and recently relocated to California. Cindy DeMoya, Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, will serve as interim CFO until King assumes his new role in October.

About Memorial Hermann

Charting a better future. A future that's built upon the HEALTH of our community. This is the driving force for Memorial Hermann, redefining health care for the individuals and many diverse populations we serve. Our 6,700 affiliated physicians and 27,000 employees practice the highest standards of safe, evidence-based, quality care to provide a personalized and outcome-oriented experience across our more than 300 care delivery sites. As one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in Southeast Texas, Memorial Hermann has an award-winning and nationally acclaimed Accountable Care Organization, 17* hospitals and numerous specialty programs and services conveniently located throughout the Greater Houston area. Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center is one of the nation's busiest Level I trauma centers and serves as the primary teaching hospital for McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. For more than 112 years, our focus has been the best interest of our community, contributing more than $588 million annually through school-based health centers and other community benefit programs. Now and for generations to come, the health of our community will be at the center of what we do  charting a better future for all.

*Memorial Hermann Health System owns and operates 14 hospitals and has joint ventures with three other hospital facilities, including Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital First Colony, Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital Kingwood and Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital-Katy.

Media Contact:

Alex Loessin

[email protected]

SOURCE Memorial Hermann
Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

June saw India make its first trade surplus in 18 years. But this isnt good news

Indias trade balance went into positive territory in June . The last time this happened was in January 2002. In normal circumstances, a trade surplus generates tail winds for economic growth. Read more

BCCI bids to minimise non-IPL losses as apex council meets

While the health of BCCIs balance-sheet hinges greatly on IPL, Covid-19 has begun to eat into Indias equally lucrative bilateral calendar. At its apex council meet on Friday, BCCI will look to reshape its engagements that are part of the Future Tours Program (FTP). Read more

Cong demands FIR against Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat, accuses him of conspiring to topple Gehlot govt

The Congress on Friday upped the ante against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the ruling party of hatching a conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan. Read more

Covid: India crosses 1 million mark and half of active cases in 10 cities

India reported 34,956 cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and 687 deaths between Thursday and Friday morning, in another record jump in a single day, according to the Union health ministry. Read more

World Emoji Day 2020: Have our words evolved into emojis as a form of expression?

World Emoji Day is a global celebration of the digital icon that has helped people around the world express their emotions better. When you are at a loss of words or simply too lazy to type, you can convey a wide range of emotions through just a tap of your finger. Read more

NASA shares 51 years old throwback video of Apollo 11 launch. People cant keep calm

NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, 51 years ago on July 16 1969, blasted off on their famous mission which later turned into one giant leap for mankind. Read more

Raat Akeli Hai trailer: Nawazuddin Siddiqui ditches gangster garb for cops khakee in Netflixs murder mystery

Netflix on Thursday released the trailer for Raat Akeli Hai, an upcoming murder mystery, starring an ensemble cast led by Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte. The film marks the directorial debut of casting director Honey Trehan. Read more
For the first time in the University of California's history, Latino students are now the biggest ethnic group of the university's incoming freshman class.

In the University of California (UC) Office of the President released data stating it had a record number of freshman class admissions to at least one of its nine undergraduate campuses for the fall semester.

The number of Latino students admitted to UC now surpassed the number of Asian American students in the university. Latino students account for 35% of the freshman class, followed by Asian Americans at 35%.

Last year, the Latino freshman population in the university made up 34% of the total. White, Black, and American Indian newcomers made up 21%, 5%, and 0.5%.

UC President Janet Napolitano said the present time is "incredibly challenging" for students who had to make their college decisions in the middle of the pandemic. "UC continues to see increased admissions of underrepresented students as we seek to educate a diverse student body of future leaders," she said.

UC Freshman Admission Increased

As universities are struggling with holding classes in the middle of a pandemic, UC says it expects an increase in its total 2020-21 resident enrollment by around 1,600. This is to add to over 17,700 California-based students who have been in the university since 2014-15, reported CBS Los Angeles.

The university also saw an increase in low-income students, reported The Sacramento Bee. They made up 44% of admitted students.

There was also an increase in first-generation students. First-generation students are the students who are the first in their family to attend college. In UC, this accounted for 45% of admitted students.

Los Angeles Times reported that the UC system's nine undergraduate campuses admitted a record number of 119,054 freshmen. This is up from 108, 178, from last year.

Twenty-eight thousand seventy-four transfer students from the California Community Colleges system were also admitted to the campuses.

As fall approaches, most UC campuses have announced plans on holding hybrid classes with both in-class and remote learning.

Hispanic Dropout Rate Hits New Low

According to a 2017 report from Pew Research Center, the U.S. Hispanics' high school dropout rate had fallen to a new low. The data extends a decades-long decline.

The study had data from more than 6.5 million Hispanics aged 18 to 24.

In 2016, the dropout rate was 10%. Pew Research Center recorded about 648,000 Hispanics had not completed high school and are not enrolled in school. Five years before, the rate was 16%.

The rate dropped along with the overall high school dropout rate in the U.S., as it has in recent decades.

More Hispanics in College

With the dropout rate falling, the number of Hispanic high school graduates who enroll in college went up. In 1999, the rate of Hispanics in college was just 32%. Come 2016; the rate went up to 47%.

If this data is compared to white, black, and Asian high school graduates, Hispanics' share in the increase was more modest.

The record of Hispanics enrolled in public and private colleges in the U.S. is 3.6 million in 2016. This is nearly twice higher than the 1.3 who were enrolled in 1999.

Even though there had been strides in education in recent times, the research center noted that the ethnic group is still lagging behind others in other academic measures as Hispanics are less likely to have a four-year college degree.

Want to read more? Check these out!
Negotiations for a trade and investment pact between the two regions has stalled for years over differences in securing market access and enabling the free movement of professionals.

Despite no major changes in these positions on the part of India and the EU  both Delhi and Brussels are keen to ease their dependency on Chinas supply chains and prefer an international order based on multilateralism.

Both sides make mention of economic sovereignty and strategic autonomy as vital to their economic and security policy agenda and an alignment of interests in this regard could bring fresh impetus to restart India-EU FTA talks.

India and the European Union (EU) held their annual summit this week after a gap of two years due to unresolvable differences.

This year, the 15th India-EU summit was held virtually, on July 15, and attended by the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, Charles Michel, president of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission. The European Council shapes the political direction and policy priorities of the EU and the European Commission is the EUs executive branch.

India-EU virtual summit 2020  key takeaways

On Wednesday, India and the EU announced a five-year roadmap to build a wider strategic partnership.

A key aspect of this roadmap is likely to be the setting up of a high-level dialogue to address long-standing trade irritants that have come in the way of the 27-member union signing an FTA with India. The dialogue will include discussions on improving conditions for traders and investors on both sides as well as supply chain linkages. According to Indias External Affairs Ministry Secretary Vikas Swarup, the two sides are hoping to restart trade talks in the next few months.

Swarup also said that PM Modi invited European companies to invest in India, given the efforts made by his government to improve ease of doing business, regulatory environment and its aim to integrate the country with global value chains.

At the end of the virtual summit, a joint declaration was released, which included a commitment to achieving resource efficiency by working towards a circular economic model. Such a model envisions the reduction in primary resource consumption and enhancing the use of secondary raw materials.

A post COVID-19 economic recovery can potentially accelerate this transition to sustainable patterns of economic growth and development. That in turn will open up greater opportunities for bilateral trade and investment.

Another frontier for future trade and investment will be the digital economy  India values the EU states as a source of high-tech, including artificial intelligence and 5G, besides the innovation and investment needed to expand the countrys infrastructure, tackle climate change, and upgrade cities with smart architecture. While COVID-19 has pushed the shift towards a digital economy with more urgency than ever seen before, the new normal will require massive and secure technology upgradation. This is going to necessitate a closer partnership between India and the EU as new priorities may reset the tone of future trade negotiations.

Sticking points in India-EU FTA talks

The EU launched talks with India to establish a broad-based free trade agreement (FTA) back in 2007 after discussions at the seventh India-EU summit held at Helsinki the year before. However, negotiations over the proposed Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) broke down in 2013 after no significant progress was made and talks were suspended in May that year. Talks resumed at a technical level in October 2017 but reached another impasse.

Major sticking points in the India-EU trade and investment negotiations have been over tariffs on automobiles, wines and spirits and the restrictions on free movement of professionals. Here, it would appear that Indias position is similar to why it ultimately refused to join the RCEP  New Delhi seeks to protect the extensively lobbied interests of its domestic players in the goods trade but wants greater relaxations for Indias services exports.

Further, India has previously asked for a smaller trade agreement with the EU first before negotiating a wider FTA. The EU, on the other hand, desires a full-fledged trade agreement and slashing tariffs on 90 percent of the goods traded.

EU officials have complained that India is increasingly favoring economic protectionism over market openness as evidenced in the recent Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and Make in India programs.

The European Commission also clearly states that Indias trade and regulatory environment is restrictive: Technical barriers to trade (TBT), sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) measures, deviation from international standards and agreements, as well as discrimination based on legislative or administrative measures by India, affect a wide range of sectors, including goods, services, investment and public procurement.

Factors impacting India-EU trade and investment talks

The US-China trade war, a resurgent China, and a pandemic does plenty to shift ground realities for negotiators on both sides. The worlds dependency on Chinas highly integrated supply chain suffered during the initial days of the pandemic but as China stabilized, other concerns came to the fore. Meanwhile, foreign firms based in China were already expanding or relocating operations to lower cost regions, with countries in Southeast Asia proving early winners. Regardless, India has a lot to offer EU businesses in terms of manufacturing and sourcing as well as cheap and surplus labor  but it will need to back up its material commitments through regulatory easing and transparent bureaucracy.

Tariff protections have also been a pain point for all parties negotiating trade deals with India as it does not want domestic firms to become uncompetitive in the Indian market. At the same time, India aspires to be a manufacturing hub and integrate into the global supply chain, all of which will require extensive foreign investment and an open market. To balance these outcomes, New Delhi will need to make compromises and the nature and extent of those is what market analysts are waiting to see. Under the Modi government, various agriculture and industry lobby groups have continued to wield influence over policymaking despite the departure expected by foreign governments who assumed India would be now open for business. That is because the current regime is essentially a nationalist one.

Yet, as Indias economy continues to suffer from successive years of slow economic growth due to external headwinds and rising levels of bad debt in the country, and now the impact of COVID-19  it cannot afford to be self-reliant on its own. A mere glance at funding for new capital-intensive projects and startups will show just how dependent India is on foreign capital, which  additionally  has been dominated by Chinese players and associated VC firms.

As Indias border tensions continue to impact Chinese-funded sectors in the country, the Modi government will want to diversify sources of FDI  irrespective of the propaganda-bound nationalist narrative. Just earlier this week, Google announced it would be investing US$4.5 billion (Rs 33,737 crore) in Reliance Jio Platforms Ltd for a 7.73 percent stake over the next five to seven years through a mix of equity investments, partnerships, and operational, infrastructure, and ecosystem investments to accelerate the development of Indias digital economy and improve affordable internet access. EU manufacturers and businesses in key sectors relating to technology and renewables could tap into the emerging priorities in the Indian economy.

India-EU trade and investment profile

Trade in goods between India and the EU increased by 72 percent over the last decade, according to data published by the European Commission. The Commission reported the following breakdown of bilateral trade and investment:

The EU is Indias largest trading partner and last year accounted for trade in goods worth 80 billion (US$91.07 billion) or 11.1 percent of total Indian trade  on par with the US and ahead of China (10.7 percent). For Indian exports, the EU is its second largest destination (over 14 percent of total Indian exports) after the US.

India is the EUs 10th largest trading partner, accounting for 1.9 percent of the EUs total trade in goods in 2019, well behind the US (15.2 percent), China (13.8 percent), and the UK (12.6 percent).

Trade in services between the EU and India is steadily rising, going from 22.3 billion (US$25.38 billion) in 2015 to 29.6 billion (US$33.69 billion) in 2018.

The EUs share in foreign investment inflows to India also more than doubled from eight percent to 18 percent in the last 10 years. Nevertheless, foreign direct investment (FDI) from the EU to India amounted to just 68 billion (US$77.41 billion) in 2018, much below its FDI stocks in China (175 billion or US$199.22 billion) and Brazil (312 billion or US$355.19 billion).

Around 6,000 European companies, involved in a broad range of sectors, have their presence in India, generating 1.7 million direct jobs and indirectly providing 5 million jobs.

Indian companies invested just over 50 billion (US$56.92 billion) in Europe since 2000.
It is increasingly clear to all Americans what Black communities have known for generations: Systemic racism not only persists throughout our institutions, laws, and policies, but it negatively impacts physical, psychological, and emotional health . Less evident, however, is that the overpolicing and systemic racism we see playing out in the streets, has occurred for decades in our public school systemfrom a 6-year-old being handcuffed and arrested for a tantrum to a 12-year-old being suspended for sharing an inhaler with an asthmatic friend who could not breathe .

As school boards across the countryincluding in San Francisco ; Denver ; Rochester , N.Y.; Minneapolis ; Portland, Ore.; and Charlottesville, Va. move to sever ties with police departments, the goal must be broader than merely removing police. Police-free schools alone do not equal safe and healthy learning environments.

As schools prepare to reopen during the age of COVID-19, they must address another public health crisis: the deep-rooted and racialized practice of exclusionary school discipline, which includes suspensions, expulsions, and referrals to law enforcement. More than 45 years of research proves this approach to discipline not only is ineffective in achieving intended goals (maintaining classroom order and safety and preventing future misbehaviors) but also has for decades exacerbated intergenerational trauma and health and economic disparities faced by Black families and communities.

Research illustrates the chilling similarities between children who experience exclusionary school discipline and adults with post-traumatic stress disorder."

Calls to end racialized school discipline practices are not new. In 1975, the Childrens Defense Fund found that Black students were suspended at twice the rate of white students because of pervasive school intolerance for children who are different. In 2018, the Government Accountability Office confirmed that race remained the persistent driver of discipline disproportionality. Exclusionary school discipline pushes Black students out of classrooms at rates higher than their white peers regardless of types of punishment, types of school, or levels of poverty. And it starts early: Black preschoolers are 3.6 times as likely as white preschoolers to be suspended.

Governors, state school boards, and local school districts must take decisive action to implement an immediate moratorium on exclusionary school discipline in all schools. Such a moratorium is the first step in ending a legacy of educational racism that threatens community health and well-being. Offering trauma-informed supports and resources to students, teachers, and families is equally important.

Whenever students return to their classrooms, they will be carrying particularly heavy burdens of trauma on their shoulders. Without these positive interventions, the effects of the pandemic will leave a lasting mark on the very architecture of childrens brains , impeding their ability to focus, learn, or cope with stress.

Research illustrates the chilling similarities between children who experience exclusionary school discipline and adults with post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition to the negative psychological impacts, this approach to discipline decreases students likelihood of high school graduationa key marker of educational attainment, which is tied directly to risks for chronic disease, social and economic instability, incarceration , and life expectancy . By age 25, those with a high school degree can expect to live 11 to 15 years longer than those without one.

Finally, exclusionary school discipline is the steppingstone to the school-to-prison pipeline. Youth incarceration has devastating mental- and physical-health effects during adolescence and adulthood. Each of these individual outcomes of exclusionary school discipline is a public-health issue, but cumulatively, they represent an undeniable public-health crisis.

When Black students return to classrooms, they will unequivocally need support, not punishment. Failing to do so will not only repeat a long history of oppression and harm but further fuel health inequities. Schools cannot afford to make the same mistakes with COVID-19 that occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina , when trauma was misinterpreted and treated with strict consequences for even the slightest infractions. Students were punished for wearing the wrong kind of socks to class, not sitting up, or even talking in the hallways. Instead of asking, What has happened to this child? school officials asked, Whats wrong with this child?

Issuing a nationwide moratorium on exclusionary school discipline is a critical protection for children coping with unprecedented trauma. It will also support school staff so that they do not unintentionally misinterpret the symptoms of trauma and turn to punitive measures. We must remember that school staffwho have been asked to take on a number of different roles and responsibilities during this pandemicare also navigating unparalleled stresses, anxieties, and grief, both personally and professionally.

Dismantling the deeply entrenched roots of racism will require local and national educational policy changes to ensure these practices become permanent. Education leaders are not in this alone. Public-health and medical communitiesthat understand the negative impacts of racism on children and young peoples healthy development as well as the mental and physical toll of COVID-19 are critical partners in developing school-based policy and practice solutions. Many in public health (including local health departments) and medicine are already stepping up to provide guidance to schools grappling with how to safely reopen and address the physical, social, and emotional needs of staff, students, and families.

The work of health justice in schools is vital. The recent wave of demonstrations has made clear that radical change is possible when we come together and lend ourselves to a broader movement. As author James Baldwin eloquently reminded us, Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. We cannot miss the opportunity presented by these extraordinary times for real and transformative change in schools.
Five Togolese who managed to secure the new voters Identification card at Aflao in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region have been arrested.



The five were arrested by operatives of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) along the Aflao beach when they attempted to illegally exit Ghana.



DGN online sources in the area indicate that the five were arrested last Saturday, July 11, 2020 and are currently being prepared for court by the Ghana Police Service in Aflao.



Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the GIS in the Volta Region, Assistant Inspector Felix Klu-Adjei noted the suspects were all young men in their 20s and 30s. He identified them as Dayo Yao, 33; Gatago Kudjo, 32; Quist Mawutor, 26; Desouza Theodore, 29 and Gatogo Kudjovi.



He said after arrest by a patrol team, the five admitted to being Togolese nationals when interrogated.



They also admitted to registering for the new voters card at one of the registration centres in Aflao.



The issue of Togolese registering for Ghanas Voters ID and subsequently partaking in elections has become a controversial issue, especially during elections years.



Whereas the governing NPP have always raised concerns of the phenomenon, the opposition NDC and residents in the Volta region which shares boundaries and ties with Togo continue to discount it and describe such persons as Ghanaians only living on the other side of the border line.



Togolese who have been arrested in the past for illegally possessing Ghanaian Voters cards have usually claimed, they got the cards not for electoral purposes, but to assess some social interventions in Ghana such as the Heath Insurance Scheme, Free Education among others as well as facilitate easy movement in and out of Ghana reasons that are not tenable.



Assistant Inspector Klu-Adjei noted that the five are being screened and handed back to the Police for further action. He noted that one of them had in his possession a Togolese voters ID card which confirms the admission of guilt by the suspects upon interrogation.



A statement issued by the GIS is warning non-Ghanaians against entering the country illegally.



It said, The Ghana Immigration Service wishes to once again remind all non-Ghanaians to desist from entering and leaving the country through unapproved routes. It is an offence under the laws of Ghana to use illegitimate means to enter or exit the country.



Mr. Klu-Adjei also appealed to Ghanaians to also stop aiding non-Ghanaians in crossing into the country illegally as it was a dangerous act that could destabilise the country.



He said, Who knows who these foreigners are and the threat they pose? You may think you are being a good Samaritan, but that foreigner could be an armed robber or a terrorist. Who knows?

Source: Daily Guide









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WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that the American way of life and its founding principles are "under attack," focusing his criticism on voices in the mainstream news media and protesters who have torn down statues of historical figures.

Speaking as he unveiled the first report of the Commission on Unalienable Rights, Pompeo said the events roiling the United States are antithetical to the nation's ideals. Both Pompeo and the 60-page report, made public by the commission after a year of work, said property rights and religious freedom are the foremost unalienable rights.

"And yet today, the very core of what it means to be an American, indeed the American way of life itself, is under attack. Instead of seeking to improve America, leading voices promulgate hatred of our founding principles," he said in his speech at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Pompeo criticized The New York Times's 1619 Project, on the history of American slavery, saying its underlying message was that "our country was founded for human bondage."

"They want you to believe the Marxist ideology that America is only the oppressors and the oppressed," he said. "The Chinese Communist Party must be gleeful when they see The New York Times spout their ideology."

He also criticized protesters who have yanked down statues across the country, many of them erected in honor of Confederate officers in the Civil War but also slave-owning founders of the nation.

"The rioters pulling down statues thus see nothing wrong with desecrating monuments to those who fought for unalienable rights - from our founding to the present day," he said. "This is a dark vision of America's birth. I reject it. It is a disturbed reading of history. It is a slander on our great people. Nothing could be further from the truth!"

Citing Frederick Douglass, an escaped enslaved person and abolitionist who called the Constitution "a glorious liberty document," Pompeo added, "America is special. America is good. America does good, all around the world."

The nationwide protests after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody had not occurred when Pompeo created the Commission on Unalienable Rights a year ago. He directed the academics he appointed to the panel to examine principles of human rights embedded at the dawn of American democracy and said he wanted it to spark debate over human rights at a time when authoritarian governments are committing abuses with abandon.

The commission's report called the recent civil unrest a testament to "the nation's unfinished work in overcoming the evil effects of its long history of racial injustice."

"The credibility of U.S. advocacy for human rights abroad depends on the nation's vigilance in assuring that all its own citizens enjoy fundamental human rights," the report said. "With the eyes of the world upon her, America must show the same honest self-examination and efforts at improvement that she expects of others. America's dedication to unalienable rights - the rights all human beings share - demands no less."

Controversy has swirled around the commission since its creation. Its 11 members are predominantly professors and scholars. They include three women, one African American, one Asian, a rabbi and the president of a Muslim liberal arts college. Seven members are white men.

Hundreds of human rights advocates and former diplomats have signed letters objecting to the panel's mission, saying it suggests some rights have more priority than others. A coalition of rights groups filed a lawsuit saying the commission aims to undercut rights for LGBT people, restrict reproductive and sexual rights, and erode protections for marginalized people.

Although some of the commission members have spoken out publicly against abortion and same-sex marriage, those topics are not dealt with at length in the report. The document mentions abortion twice in passing, and same-sex marriage, affirmative action and capital punishment briefly as examples of social and political controversies. The report says the commission members did not all agree on whether they were human rights issues.

A senior State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the commission's internal deliberations, said the goal is not to weigh in on unalienable rights granted by God over "positive rights" agreed on by governments, but to get people thinking about which are the most fundamental.

"The report doesn't say those rights are meaningless, get rid of them," the official said. "The report does not say this one is better than that one. It affirms some rights are extremely important and we should protect them at all costs. But you can't protect every right, everywhere, at all times."

Some human rights groups immediately criticized Pompeo's remarks and the report.

"There's a tone-deafness for the moment we're in," said Akila Radhakrishnan, president of the Global Justice Center. "This is yet another tool in the arsenal of U.S. attacks on multilateralism. This is about all the other things the Trump administration has done to undermine and decimate the human rights system because they don't like where it's going."

Rob Berschinski, vice president of policy for Human Rights First, said Pompeo is trying to recast American foreign policy in line with his personal religious and political views.

"Secretary Pompeo's speech today on the Commission on the Unalienable Rights loosely clothed a foray into the culture wars under the seal of the U.S. State Department," he said. "It should rightfully be seen as a political speech unbecoming of a secretary of state."

Sen. Robert Menendez, of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Pompeo's speech suggested a "hierarchy of rights," in which some are not worth defending.

"By justifying the roll back of hard-won advances for the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQ persons, Secretary Pompeo detailed a report that does not call on the U.S. Government to champion greater protections for all human rights abroad, but may in fact narrow the scope of U.S. human rights obligations and further erode America's moral and global leadership," Menendez said in a statement.
U.S. weeks away from high rate of serious COVID-19 infections: vaccinologist

A top U.S. vaccinologist warned on Thursday the United States is "weeks" away from such a high rate of serious COVID-19 infections that "every single American's going to know someone who's seriously ill."

"Because (the increasing COVID-19-related death rate) is being paralleled by a rise in hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and now the deaths are starting to arrive," Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College, told MSNBC.

Hotez gave the warning as the country registered over 1,400 deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, the record nationwide single-day death toll since mid-May, according to The Hill.

The warning also came as the U.S. administration and U.S. President Donald Trump in particular continued to tout alleged progress in tackling the COVID-19 outbreak by citing a falling U.S. mortality rate.

In a recent tweet, Trump even claimed that the United States has "the lowest" mortality rate for COVID-19 in the world.

However, according to CNN's fact-checking, among the 20 countries most affected by COVID-19, at least 14 have lower death rates than the United States.
Ukraine's parliament voted on July 16 to appoint the NBU's new governor.

The International Monetary Fund welcomed on Thursday the appointment of Kyrylo Shevchenko as the new governor of Ukraine's central bank, and hopes he would preserve the bank's independence.

"It is essential that the national bank's independence and high level of professionalism be maintained under the new governor," the Fund said in a statement, Reuters reported.

Read alsoUkraine's parliament backs appointment of Kyrylo Shevchenko as NBU governor

Ukraine's parliament on Thursday appointed Shevchenko, head of the state-run Ukrgasbank, putting an end to two weeks of turmoil that had threatened Kyiv's access to critical funding.

As UNIAN reported earlier, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call that it is in the interest of Ukraine to preserve the independence of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU).
Social media users are swooning over an adorable video of a San Diego dad learning to braid his daughter's hair  while his own mother gives him instructions.

Jamir Grigsby, 27, recently shared video of the sweet multi-generational moment on Twitter and Instagram, which shows him learning to braid five-year-old Amirah's natural hair.

His mother Tonnette DeCree, 60, can be heard behind the camera, patiently giving Jamir directions while he practices the valuable skill.

Cute! Jamir Grigsby, 27, recently shared video of himself braiding his five-year-old daughter Amirah's hair

Family time! His mother Tonnette DeCree, 60, can be heard behind the camera, patiently giving Jamir directions

Taking off: The video is going viral on Twitter, with over a million views

My mom giving me a tutorial on how to braid my daughters hair...lol



Imma keep yall updated when I finally get it down... pic.twitter.com/QE65iUfR6s  JAMIR (@KosherLifeMir) July 12, 2020

'My mom giving me a tutorial on how to braid my daughters hair...lol Imma keep yall updated when I finally get it down...' Jamir tweeted on July 12.

As the video begins, he is standing behind Amirah, brushing the top half of her hair as the bottom half is in a ponytail at her neck.

Jamir then separates the hair into sections to begin braiding, checking with his mom that he's doing it right and getting affirmation.

'There you go. Just like that. There you go. Perfect, Jamir!' she tells him.

As the little girl starts to fidget, her grandmother reminds her to stay still, telling her that her dad is doing a good job.

The video cuts short halfway through his first braid  the whole process can take hours  but it's clear Jamir is learning quickly.

Take after me! Jamir hopes it will encourage more dads to learn to do their daughters' hair

The doting dad said that he wanted to learn how to braid his daughter's hair to help his wife  and he's also been practicing how to wash his daughter's hair and put it in a ponytail

Pro! Jamir has spent weeks perfecting the technique, and now says that he has mastered cornrows

Speaking to Allure, the doting dad said that he wanted to learn how to braid his daughter's hair to help his wife  and he's also been practicing how to wash his daughter's hair and put it in a ponytail.

Jamir has spent weeks perfecting the technique, and now says that he has mastered cornrows.

'Its a great time to bond with your daughter. It changes the narrative in society because it should be OK for dads to do their daughter's hair!' he said, adding that he hopes more dads will follow his lead.

'Many men, especially African American men, feel like they shouldnt be doing hair, like its a womans job,' he told Today. 'But you should look at it like just another activity you can do with your kid like going for ice cream or playing video games.

'Whether or not you look masculine should be the last thing on your mind,' he added. 'Take every opportunity to spend time together.'

Checking in! Jamir revealed in a later tweet that he has been FaceTiming Tonnette so he can update her on his progress

'Its a great time to bond with your daughter. It changes the narrative in society because it should be OK for dads to do their daughter's hair!' he said

'Whether or not you look masculine should be the last thing on your mind,' he added. 'Take every opportunity to spend time together'

Twitter users are loving the sweet clip, which has been viewed 1.2 million times on the social media platform.

'Respect cause In 12 years Ive never had the patience to attempt anything but a brush up,' wrote one dad  to which Jamir replied, 'Gotta challenge yoself bro!'

'Keep it up man! I loved doing my daughters hair when she was little. I used to mess it up alllll the time so she learned how to do it herself haha shes like dad you always mess it up its crooked or other things,' said another dad.

'This kind of stuff just melts my heart... I love seeing fathers doing stuff that a lot of men would consider maternal duties. Active fathers are always a win in my book,' another commenter added.
The Central government wants other states to follow the Mumbai and Delhi approach to dealing with issues related to difficulties in hospital admission for Covid-19 patients, grievances with how hospitals treat patients , and other such -- by appointing senior government officials to keep an eye on each large hospital treating Covid-19 patients, public and private.

In Delhi, the Kejriwal government even publicized the name and contact number of the nodal government officer of a hospital, said a senior central government official who asked not to be named.

Last week, in Pune, a 44-year-old security guard who tested Covid-19 positive died as his family couldnt find an ICU bed for treatment for six days. In Kolkata, complaints were lodged with the local authorities after a private hospital deployed bouncers at the entrance.

Also read| Covid-19: A million and a manifesto

Earlier this month, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal warned private hospitals and accused some of them of lying about the number of beds they had for patients of the coronavirus disease.

The need to monitor private hospitals was discussed at several levels of the union government including at a meeting chaired by cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba this week and, subsequently, at meetings between experts and ministry officials and the states.

We are encouraging states to adopt a new hub and spoke model for the benefit of Covid patients. The model, implemented in Delhi and Mumbai, has seen less refusals and better bed management, said a senior official involved in the process who spoke on condition of anonymity -- referring to a model popularised by the logistics and aviation industry where everything gets shipped or everyone gets flown to a hub from where the products or people are sent on to their eventual destination. In this case, the flow isnt physical, though -- but of information.

District magistrates are expected to act as hubs, and senior government officials, under them, as spokes. This system can also help in screening of patients and admitting only those who need hospital care, added the second official.

Better hospital bed management or allotting beds to only those who actually require to be hospitalized and cant manage from home is an integral part of Indias battle against Covid-19. As the focus of the government has shifted rapidly from containing Covid numbers to lowering death rates, the new model is likely to be actively pursued by many states.

Also read: ICMR tells states to scale up rapid antigen testing

The centre is also asking states to monitor ambulance services including their refusal rates and time taken to bring patients to hospitals.

Last week, at a review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was decided to sharpen focus on ramping up tests and keeping the mortality rate low. Better hospital management, improved ambulance service and shorter triage period are some key parts of the governments strategy to keep the mortality rate low.

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Australia's biggest steelmaker, BlueScope, has flagged an uncertain start to the next financial year for the business, warning that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could potentially further dampen demand for steel.

The company, valued at $5.7 billion, told the market on Friday that it expected underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) for fiscal 2020 to land around $560 million, less that half of the $1.35 billion it delivered in fiscal 2019.

The earnings were also heavily skewed to the first half, with the second half contribution expected to be around about $260 million. BlueScope had previously flagged earning for the six months ending June 30 to come in at $302.4 million.

It has also warned of a likely impairment of the carrying value of its New Zealand and Pacific Steel division of about $200 million, given expectations of weaker earnings in the longer term.
Amid widening social media campaigns to encourage victims of sexual harassment to open up and tell their stories and reveal the identity of the harassers, there has been an outpouring of social support for survivors of such assaults. The National Council for Women (NCW) has released a statement urging victims to take legal action against harassers. But thats not all. Earlier this week the cabinet approved a bill that guarantees the confidentiality of survivors of sexual assault and harassment. Head of the NCW Maya Morsy tells Al-Ahram Weekly about the councils current and future efforts to deal with the problem.

Why was a new law introduced and to what extent can it help combat harassment?

The suggested new law is an amendment in the Criminal Procedures Law. It helps protect the confidentiality of the victim so that the victims name or contact information are not revealed in any investigation documents or reports that might cause problems for the victim if shared with the predator at the wrong time. The suggested amendment makes sure that the investigation takes the right direction without causing any pressure or psychological damage to the victim that might demotivate her to proceed with the case.

Harassment has always been a problem in Egypt. There were often incidents that enraged society before. What are the actions being taken this time to make sure that it is really being dealt with?

Egypt has exerted a lot of effort to combat violence against women at large and harassment specifically. There is a strong framework. We have a constitution that explicitly states in Article 11 that the state shall protect women against all forms of violence. In 2015 a national strategy for combating violence against women was launched. In 2017 the Egyptian president endorsed a national strategy, the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030, which has a specific pillar for protection from all forms of violence and discrimination against women.

Practically speaking, Egypt has paved the way for ending harassment through three main components: legislation, training and awareness raising.

On the legislative level, the law is there to protect women from harassment. Articles 306 (a) and 306 (b) of the Penal Code of 2014 was amended to criminalise sexual harassment and expand the scope of criminalisation to include the family, school and work environment.

On the institutional level, we have the National Complaints office with its hotline 15115 as a means to report incidents, a specialised Violence Against Women (VAW) unit within the Ministry of Interior, three VAW clinics within the department of forensic medicine, 21 anti-harassment units in universities, training programmes for law enforcement authorities and public prosecution and judiciary bodies on VAW and the essential service packages for women who might be subjected to violence.

On the awareness raising level, several campaigns were launched to raise public awareness on this crime. Among those is the Secret of Your Power campaign which started its first phase by addressing harassment in public spaces and transportation. Several videos and short movies were also launched in cooperation with development partners to raise awareness on the cause. Also, there is the Knocking Doors campaign that NCW is launching all over the governorates of Egypt to raise awareness on violence against womens issues and harassment and which provides means of reporting to women. The latest on the ground campaign the NCW has initiated was the metro campaign in four of the most dynamic stations with around two million visitors per day. Awareness raising campaigns dont only target women victims or the predator. The campaign targets the witnesses of a crime and encourages them to take action.

The NCW is monitoring and observing social media and media platforms. In the latest case, for instance, the NCWs complaints office immediately connected with the prosecution-general office, filed a report and issued several statements to assure the victims that they are supported and to motivate them to report any harassment or violence that they were subjected to if they wish to do so. The womens complaints office provides legal and psychological assistance to the victims. Moreover, Egyptian authorities took immediate action to start the investigation with the predator, while announcing the suggested law to assure the victims that they are protected and their data is confidential. The strong coordination between all concerned authorities is crucial and the NCW is working on all levels with all partners to ensure that women have their own rights.

Is other legislation in the pipeline to deal with this problem or modifications to make sure punishment is harsher?

The penal code already has a law against harassment. Articles 306 (a) and 306 (b) of the Penal Code of 2015 was amended to criminalise sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is for the first time defined by the law. Accordingly, verbal, physical, behavioural, phone and online sexual harassment is punished by a prison sentence ranging between six months and five years, and up to LE50,000 in fines, representing a major step towards achieving safety for Egyptian women and girls in public spaces.

At this stage we are working on the application of the law itself while providing all the means for girls and women to report if they want to. The current law is in favour of Egyptian women.

More legislative amendments are being prepared and efforts made to ensure the protection of women from all forms of violence against them.

To what extent has social media encouraged many to come forward with their stories?

Social media has a great impact. The movements and campaigns are very dynamic which is important to encourage women to tell their stories. It provides space for the public to come forward whether anonymously or not. Story-telling is an important step, however, we want to encourage girls to file official reports so that they can take their full rights as set forth in the constitution.

Furthermore, Egyptian authorities have also shown great determination to follow up on social media platforms and use them to provide awareness and direct messages to the public through those platforms. For instance, the prosecutions office recently issued a decree to establish a media and social media department to follow up and engage with citizens.

The NCW also uses those platforms to reach out to the public and create awareness raising and interactive campaigns and designing messages in a language that is friendly to social media users.

Therefore, Egyptian entities are taking the stories mentioned or told on social media seriously.

Going forward, what does the NCW plan to do to combat this phenomenon?

The NCW will be working on two components: The first is more legislative amendments and the second is intensifying awareness-raising initiatives and campaigns to raise the awareness of the public on this crime and its legal consequences and means of reporting it.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 July, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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A Kenyan judge has awarded $12m ($9.6m) to a community that suffered from lead poisoning from a battery smelting plant.



The court case came about as a result of work done by Phyllis Omido, a resident of the slum settlement of Owino Uhuru, which is in Mombasa on Kenya's coast.



As an employee at the plant, she was inspired to act after her baby son was diagnosed with lead poisoning.



Her young son became very ill after she had been working at the plant for three months.



After tests, doctors discovered that he was suffering from lead poisoning that could have been passed through his mother's breast milk.



She found that other community members had similar problems and finally got the plant shut down in 2014.



But Ms Omido went to court in 2016 to get the government to clean up the area and pay compensation to the families of those who had died or were made sick from the lead.



As well as the money, Justice Ann Omollo ordered the authorities to get rid of the remaining lead, the Daily Nation reports.



Journalist John-Allan Namu, who has been following the case, says that various government agencies will have to fund most of the $12m pay out.

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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Anthony Mmesoma Madu is shattering stereotypes about ballet dancers, one pirouette at a time.

The 11-year-old from Lagos, Nigeria, told BBC News that he is one of just a few male ballet dancers where he lives, and he wants people to know that it is "not only for girls." He is always moving, and loves dancing because "the feeling that comes over me, it is as if I am dreaming."

A video showing Anthony dancing in the rain recently went viral, after being shared by actress Viola Davis; this made Anthony "very, very happy," he said. He is learning ballet at the Leap of Dance Academy, founded in 2017 by Daniel Ajala Owoseni. A self-taught instructor, he offers lessons for free in order to make ballet accessible for everyone. "We are changing the narrative about the stereotype of ballet male dancers," Owoseni said, adding, "Male ballet dancing is here to stay."

Anthony's mother, Ifeoma Madu, told BBC News that whenever she sees her son dancing, "I have joy." She advises other parents of talented children to "give their full support," so their son or daughter can "go far." Anthony's goal is to become a professional ballet dancer. "Dance is just part of my life," he said.

More stories from theweek.com

Has Trump incidentally squashed his own argument about the Supreme Court?

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Marco Rubio mistakenly tweets a picture of Elijah Cummings alongside tribute to John Lewis


Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The controversial Anti-Terrorism Act will take effect on Saturday, the Department of Justice clarified amid confusion on the start date of its implementation.

In a statement on Friday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra explained that since the law was published on July 3, it will take effect on July 18, or 15 days after.

He apologized for the confusion caused by an earlier statement. We rectify our earlier statement that the law will take effect after the 15th day, or on July 19. Our apologies."

Guevarra stressed that the law can take effect even without the implementing rules and regulations since some provisions are "self-executing."

"But there are provisions where operational details need to be spelled out or standards clearly defined in the IRR for a proper implementation of the law," Guevarra said.

The Anti-Terrorism Council, chaired by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, has started meeting in small groups to draft the IRR, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. told CNN Philippines.

"IRR will come in 90 days," Esperon said in a text message.

As early as July 4, Esperon said the council was ready to convene to craft the IRR which will be submitted to Congress.

Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 mandates the creation of a joint congressional oversight committee which can summon the council and law enforcement officers over the implementation of the measure.

Several petitions have been filed at the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the law since President Rodrigo Duterte signed it on July 3.

Solicitor General Jose Calida said he filed a comment on Friday on the eight petitions consolidated by the high court, where he defended the validity of the measure.

"All their petitions allege the unconstitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act, relying primarily on baseless allegations of vagueness of the law, unjustified fears of abuse, and imagined conjectures," Calida, the government's top lawyer, said in a statement.

He stressed the need for a strong anti-terrorism law to ensure national security and protect Filipinos against terrorist acts.

Critics say the law relaxes safeguards on human rights and is open to abuse, but lawmakers who authored and sponsored the measure deny this.

Duterte also said law-abiding citizens should not fear the newly-signed measure, but stressed that communist rebels should be considered as terrorists because "I finally declared them to be one."

Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, principal sponsor and author of the Anti-Terrorism Act, said this may be a "personal opinion" of the President, but the governments petition to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing New Peoples Army as terrorists will have to be tried and approved by the Court of Appeals.

CNN Philippines' Anjo Alimario contributed to this report.
JOLIET, IL  The Joliet City Council considered at least six people to succeed Steve Jones as the next interim city manager of Joliet during a closed door special meeting held this week. Patch learned that the candidate who emerged with the most support is Joliet's interim corporation counsel Sabrina Spano.



Sources told Patch this week that five of the nine council members supported Spano as their choice to fill the vacancy when Jones departs Joliet Aug. 7. The council is expected to vote on Spano's appointment during its first meeting in August.

Jones gave his resignation notice on the night of July 7. During an interview with Joliet Patch's editor in late May, Jones said he expected to remain as interim city manager until after the April 2021 city council elections for the open seats of Don "Duck" Dickinson, Mike Turk and Jan Quillman.

Dickinson and Turk are political adversaries of Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk while Quillman is a strong supporter of the mayor.

The 2021 election will determine whether O'Dekirk has the power to implement his agenda or whether councilman Pat Mudron, a long-time Joliet insurance agent, will continue to wield the political power. At the moment, Mudron  not O'Dekirk  has the upper hand.

Patch has learned that in addition to Spano, two prominent members of the Joliet community received support from the Joliet City Council to serve as interim city manager once Jones leaves next month.

Those Joliet businessmen in the running for interim city manager were Jim Roolf, who is the senior vice president and corporate relations officer of First Midwest Bank. Roolf has served on the boards of directors for Silver Cross Hospital, Will Counter Center for Economic Development, Joliet Catholic Academy and American Red Cross Illinois River Valley Chapter.

In addition to Roolf, one of Joliet's most notable private practice attorneys, Michael Hansen, also garnered support to take over as interim city manager, Patch has learned.

Story continues

According to his law firm bio, Hansen was a partner with the Joliet law firm of Herschbach, Tracy, Johnson, Bertani & Wilson from 1976 to 1994. Hansen helped found the Empress Casino and he served as vice president and chief legal officer for Empress from 1994 until December 1999.

Practically every week, Hansen is a regular presence inside City Hall and many businesses and developers hire Hansen to speak on behalf of their projects that go before Joliet's City Council.

Joliet attorney Michael Hansen, front row, at left sitting down, received support from some Joliet City Council members to serve as interim city manager, Patch learned. Image city of Joliet





Besides Hansen, Roolf and Spano, the other three people considered for interim city manager were: inspector general Chris Regis, private practice attorney Jim Capparelli and lawyer Moira Dunn, a former prosecutor for Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow.

Dunn lost her election in the 2018 Democratic primary against David Garcia to become a Will County Circuit Court judge.

Nowadays, Dunn serves as chief of staff for the Will County Board.



Spano was hired at the city of Joliet in 2018 to fill a newly created position, assistant corporation counsel.

She worked in the same department as corporation counsel Marty Shanahan and Regis.

In October 2018, the city council negotiated a settlement to pay city manager David Hales $89,000 to break his three-year contract. After 10 months on the job, Hales, the former city of Bloomington manager, was not a good fit to run Joliet, city officials have said.

From October 2018 until June 2019, the council pulled Shanahan out of the city's legal department to serve as interim city manager. Then, after eight months in that position, Shanahan started to get backlash to his efforts to clean up the Joliet Police Department.

Sgt. Patrick Cardwell, Sgt. Dave Harris and Sgt. Larry Collins showed up at a Joliet City Council meeting and they raised their hands when Quillman polled the audience whether they wanted Shanahan out as city manager.

Joliet Police Sgt. Pat Cardwell has been a behind the scenes mover and shaker in city of Joliet politics. Image via city of Joliet

At that meeting, Mudron, Turk, Dickinson, Bettye Gavin and Sherri Reardon voted to oust Shanahan as interim city manager and send him back to the legal department.

Next, Mudron tried to bring former city manager Jim Hock, who was living in Michigan, out of retirement, but Hock and the council could not agree on the financial terms of a contract, so the deal to make Hock the city's interim city manager collapsed by August.

At that point, Mudron spoke with Steve Jones, the city's economic development director since 2015, and Jones agreed to serve as interim city manager. Jones received a salary increase of about $40,000 and a six-month contract to fill in as interim city manager.

Last fall, Joliet conducted a national search for a permanent city manager, but, given all the political upheaval, the city did not generate as many applications as some council members anticipated. Shanahan re-applied for the job, but the council did not select him as one of its three finalists.

Instead, the three finalists were:

Joliet private practice attorney Jim Capparelli, who works for Castle Law and is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army. Capparelli worked as Illinois Assistant Attorney General, Bureau Chief, from 2005-2007.

Will Jones , city administrator in the affluent Milwaukee suburb of Mequon, who previously ran the northern Illinois suburb of Glencoe, a village of about 9,000. Before that, Will Jones worked several years for Highland Park, Ill. Will Jones is not related to Steve Jones.

J. Mark Rooney, former city manager in the western Chicago suburb of Carpentersville. In 2018, Rooney was paid $220,000 as part of an out-of-court settlement against Carpentersville, which got rid of him. Rooney then went to Rhode Island to become a town manager, and Rooney was actively looking for a new job after less than a year in Westerly, Rhode Island, a community seven times smaller than Joliet, according to news reports.

Back in January, Capparelli assured Joliet Patch he would not be offered the job as Joliet city manager, and he was right. With only Will Jones and Rooney left, councilwoman Sherri Reardon made the recommendation to spend another $1,600 to make them undergo a battery of psychologists tests.

Afterward, the council did not offer the job to Will Jones or Rooney, meaning the city's national job search proved unsuccessful, leaving the council back to square one.

In February, the Mudron 5 coalition voted to give Steve Jones a new contract, allowing him to retire from the city of Joliet and begin collecting his Illinois municipal pension, but remaining on the job at City Hall as an independent contractor.

Councilman Larry Hug berated Jones for proposing the arrangement, calling the practice highly unethical and double dipping on steroids.

Under the new contract supported by the Mudron 5 bloc, Joliet agreed to pay $135.10 per hour or $281,000 annually for Jones' services as interim city manager, on a month-to-month basis.

At that point, the council majority appeared to embrace the idea of letting Steve Jones remain as interim city manager as long as he wanted to fill the job at City Hall.

In March, the new coronavirus pandemic negatively affected the city's finances. By May, Jones fired his former boss, Marty Shanahan, as corporation counsel.

That same week, Jones told Joliet Patch's editor he planned to stick around Joliet City Hall until after the April 2021 city elections, once three of the council races are settled.

"I think spring of next year is time. It's probably the end of my rope," Jones told Joliet Patch in May. "I think I'm doing a decent job, and I'm willing to do it a little longer. Keep in mind I have been a city manager in other places for about 30 years."

Incidentally, Jones lives in La Grange Park, a fact that has rankled many on the Joliet City Council.



On July 7, the same night Jones was blasted at a Joliet City Council meeting by Black residents of Joliet, who were also critical of the Joliet Police Department's role in the Jan. 29 in-custody death of Eric Lurry, Jones announced his resignation during a closed session of the council.

This week, Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH coalition came to Joliet City Hall, seeking the termination of all the Joliet police officers involved in Lurry's in-custody death.

The four main officers involved in Lurry's in-custody death were: Joliet Police Lt. Jeremy Harrison, Sgt. Doug May, field training officer Jose Tellez and new patrolman Andrew McCue.



Members of Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH coalition came to Joliet this week to denounce the Joliet Police Department of Chief Al Roechner. Image via John Ferak/Patch

This article originally appeared on the Joliet Patch
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 00:33:43|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Ministry of Health reported 1,400 new coronavirus cases on Friday, raising the total number in the country to 47,459.

The death toll rose from 384 to 392, while the number of patients in serious condition increased from 202 to 208, out of the 577 hospitalized patients, according to the ministry.

The number of recoveries rose to 20,744 after 374 more have recovered from the deadly disease, while the number of active cases reached 26,323, the highest since the outbreak in the country in late February.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli government imposed a new weekend closure in an effort to curb a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The closure will be imposed only during Israeli weekends, from Friday at 5 p.m. until Sunday at 5 a.m., according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

It will be allowed to go out but gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited.

Shops, malls, retail markets, hair and beauty salons, libraries, zoos, museums and exhibition spaces, pools, and tourist attractions will be closed.

Starting July 21, sitting in restaurants will also be prohibited, but takeaways and deliveries will be allowed. Enditem
The United Nations is making an appeal for $10.3 billion (8.2 billion) to help fight the coronavirus pandemic, its largest-ever fundraising call.



The UN says up to 265 million people could face starvation by the end of the year because of the impact of Covid-19.



The money will be used for low income and fragile countries.



The UN warned that failure to act could undo decades of development. It initially asked for $2 billion in its first coronavirus appeal in March.



The coronavirus pandemic is having a huge impact on the world's poorest, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva.



This revised appeal is a record, but, the UN says, wealthy countries have thrown away the financial rule book to protect their own economies, and must now do the same for poorer nations.



If they do not, the UN warns, the world faces a series of crises, with millions pushed into starvation.



Millions of migrant workers laid off under lockdown cannot send money home, vaccination programmes for childhood diseases are on hold, and countries already enduring years of conflict are ill-equipped to handle Covid-19.



In Yemen, a quarter of all those confirmed to have had the virus have died from it, five times the global average.



It comes as an appeal to help the world's most vulnerable through the pandemic was launched by the UK's Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).



Fourteen charities - including Oxfam, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief and the British Red Cross - will join together to ask the British public to donate.



There have been more than 13 million confirmed Covid-19 cases so far globally and nearly 600,000 people have died.

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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Even during the best times of the pre-Covid era, Khan Market was a bleak place in early mornings. There would be no crowd, and only a few cafes would be open for an early-hour breakfast.

The market is looking bleak this morning, too. Doubly more so because the cafes that used to be open by this hour are still locked. In any case, the coronavirus pandemic forbids table service in restaurants. At least two cafes have already shut down permanently because of their inability to pay high rents to Khan Market landlords.

The only human sighting on the markets middle lane is of a showroom security guard changing his blue long-sleeved shirt into a casual T-shirthis night shift must be ending.

Theres actually another figure further ahead, down the lane: A masked woman in red top and shorts. She is strolling slowly, carefully looking at closed shops and cafes on either sides. The woman could easily pass off as Ms Marple, the famous mystery sleuth of Agatha Christie mysteries, probably on a lookout for clues to solve some Khan Market crime.

But Joban is no literary character. Even so, she is an equally rare specieone of the very few persons on Earth who call Khan Market a home. Delhis most upscale shopping destination began as a low key bazaar with shops on the ground floors and residences on the upper floors, allocated to Partition refugees. Over the years, most of those flats owners sold away their homes or raised them on rent as commercial outlets.

What were houses turned overnight into expensive restaurants and fashion houses. Only 7 homes out of 74 survive. Jobans is one of them.

The lady ambles up to the end of the middle lane and turns towards her door. She gestures up at the lush pink bougainvillea creepers falling down the front of the building, saying, My mother, Harbans, planted it many many years ago, as a twig, with no roots.

Joban is 76 and divides her time between Khan Market and Scarsdale in New York. A single person, her two children live with their families in Europe. Her father, Avtar Singh Dugal, a doctor, migrated from hometown Lahore after the Partition.

We were given the flat in Khan Market in 1952. Eventually, the doctor settled into a cosy life in this central Delhi locality with his home upstairs and the clinic directly below. He died in 1984. What used to be the clinic was leased out to a business.

Joban confesses that its the first time in 50 years that I have spent the summer in Delhi. She arrived in February for her annual trip and had her return ticket to the US booked for March-end when coronavirus hit worldwide and disrupted her travel itinerary. The pandemic is also obliging her tenants to finally call it quits.

This has given Joban a new opportunity. She has no intentions to rent out the property to the highest bidder, but has other ambitions. I want to turn this place into a light house for each person navigating to their authentic self to find safe harbour. Inspired by the ideals of economist Sardar Tarlok Singh, the first private secretary to prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Joban plans to create a space that will help the youth of India become the architect of the modern world.

Gazing up again at the bougainvillaeas, she hopes that her ambitious initiative will take birth sooner than later and grow organically with time, just like mummys plant. Later in the evening, Joban is spotted again walking in Khan Market. This time she is dressed more formally, as she steps inside a long-time shop run by a fellow Khan Market dweller.
A Georgia judge denied setting bond for one of the three men indicted for murdering Ahmaud Arbery, after his mother pleaded for him to remain behind bars.

Gregory McMichael and his son Travis were arraigned on Friday and entered not guilty pleas for allegations that they unjustifiably ambushed, shot and killed Arbery, as William Bryan recorded the incident. Arbery was Black; the three defendants are white.

Bryan, who was denied bond, was also arraigned on Friday, and Kevin Gough, his attorney, entered a not guilty plea on his client's behalf and then proceeded to argue for the judge to release him on bond. The McMichael's did not argue for bond on Friday.

"I'm asking this court to say no, and not allow him [Bryan] to go home," said Wanda Cooper-Jones, the mother of Arbery, in court. "I stand before you as the mother of Ahmaud and ask you to give Mr. Bryan the same energy he gave my son."

MORE: Timeline: Events leading up to the arrests of 3 men in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery

PHOTO: Demonstrators protest the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery at the Glynn County Courthouse, May 8, 2020, in Brunswick, Ga. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images, FILE)

Arbery's father, Marcus Arbery Sr., submitted a brief written statement that the prosecutor read in which he also asked Chatham County Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley to keep Bryan in jail pending trial: "I suffered the deepest loss a family can endure, when the McMichaels and Bryan acted as my son's judge, jury and executioner."

Gough told Walmsley that he is concerned about how long his client will be sitting in jail because of the COVID-19 climate and it's unclear when a jury trial can actually commence.

"Bryan is the only eyewitness in this case, he is the state's star witness. If he didn't make the video, there will be no case," said Gough, who maintains Bryan's innocence in the Feb. 23 murder.

The prosecutor objected to Bryan's release because additional charges may be filed against him based on a "number of text messages on his phone that are filled with racist, bigoted remarks" and because other law enforcement agencies are investigating him.

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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced on Friday that a sex crime investigation has been launched against Bryan as requested by the Glynn County Police Department. "The investigation is active and ongoing," according to the GBI.

"William Bryan doesn't feel he did anything wrong; he is dangerous and unapologetic, so I ask for the judge to keep him behind bars," said Cooper-Jones.

PHOTO: Ahmaud Arbery, left, and his mother Wanda Cooper-Jones attend a graduation. (Courtesy Wanda Cooper-Jones)

The McMichaels and Bryan were indicted by a grand jury last month with nine counts of malice and felony murder, as well as aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment charges. Hate crime charges were not included in the indictment as Georgia passed hate crime laws on the heels of Arbery's death.

The incident started after Gregory McMichael, a retired police officer, suspected that Arbery was the person who previously broke into a neighbor's home in the Satilla Shores neighborhood of Brunswick, Georgia, according to a police report.

MORE: Gregory McMichael, ex-police officer charged with killing Ahmaud Arbery, had service weapon suspended in 2019

Gregory McMichael alerted Travis and at some point called Bryan, who is known as "Roddie," to join them to go after the alleged burglar, according to a police report.

The McMichaels and Bryan denied knowing each other before the murder, but, according to prosecutors, one of the McMichaels called Bryan an "ally."

Arbery's family says he was out on his daily jog when he was ambushed by the men; Gregory McMichael, 64, was armed with a .357 magnum handgun while Travis McMichael, 34, had a shotgun.

"The defendant [Bryan] used a truck on a man running on a road. . . . He used his vehicle as a weapon, which is a danger to the community," the prosecutor said on Friday, adding, "Mr. Arbery's palm print was found on the side of the truck and Mr. Bryan said the victim was 'trapped.'"

PHOTO: William Bryan, 50, is pictured in a booking photo released by the Glynn County Sheriff's Office in Brunswick, Ga. (Glynn County Sheriff's Office)

Bryan's cellphone captured Arbery jogging before he encountered Travis McMichael.

The younger McMichael and Arbery tussled with the shotgun as Gregory stood inside their white truck's open flat-bed trunk. Three shots were fired, striking Arbery in the chest.

MORE: Man who filmed shooting of Ahmaud Arbery charged with murder

Arbery died on the scene. He was 25.

During the three months before Bryan's brief cellphone video was leaked onto social media May 5, charges were not filed against any of the men and two prosecutors recused themselves from investigating the case by citing conflicts of interest.

Protests sparked, and the local NAACP chapter and civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and S. Lee Merritt got involved, calling for the justice they said the Arbery family deserved.

PHOTO: Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory McMichael, right, in a photos released on May 7, 2020, after their arrest in Georgia. (Glynn County Sheriff's Office)

Less than three days after District Attorney Tom Durden requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation probe Arbery's death, the McMichaels were charged, and on May 22, Bryan was charged.

If convicted, they all face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Georgia judge denies bail for 1 of the 3 men indicted for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A Florida father is hospitalized with the coronavirus and was on a ventilator after apparently getting infected by his 21-year-old son who went out with friends, the father's wife says.

John Pace, 42, of Plantation, about six miles west of Fort Lauderdale, fell ill the day after Father's Day, his wife, Michelle Zymet, said in a Facebook Live video earlier this month.

Pace, who Zymet said is diabetic, was placed on a ventilator after his condition worsened. He has since been taken off the ventilator and has improved slightly, according to an update by his wife on Thursday.

"It's been hard. I'm here at home," Zymet said with emotion in her earlier video. "We can't leave the house; we can't see him; we can't be with him."

Zymet said that the entire family, including a 14-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter, have tested positive for the coronavirus. They were infected after their older son, Zymet's stepson, became ill and learned that a friend he had hung out with was infected with the virus, the mother said.

Zymet said in an interview Tuesday on MSNBC that she had pleaded with her son not to go out because she was worried about the family getting sick.

Her husband was at risk of becoming seriously ill with the coronavirus because he has diabetes, she said. Doctors have also said he is obese, which is an additional risk factor.

Zymet has said she wanted to share their story to help young people realize the dangers.

"The younger generation, they just don't get it. They don't care; they don't think. I'm not quite sure what it is they don't get," she said on MSNBC. "Our son, he was cooped up for a while and when the state lifted up and you could get out again and we weren't in quarantine, he decided he wanted to go out and hang out with his friends."

"We are trying to open everyones eyes that by not wearing a mask, washing your hands frequently and by not social distancing you are putting yourself at risk and of those at home that you love ... each and every day," she wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.

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Zymet said in her Facebook video that her older son developed symptoms after going out and initially thought he had a cold. He didn't tell the family he was sick. When her 14-year-old son started to feel ill, the older one came forward and told his parents that a friend had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The family all fell ill, but Zymet said her symptoms were minor.

"I had a sore throat, a little cough, but again that was the severity of my symptoms at that moment," she said on her video.

Pace was not so lucky. He first developed a fever before his condition quickly worsened, Zymet said.

"He could barely open his eyes," she said in her video. "Very lethargic, so I drove him to a test site and we got him tested. ... A couple days go by and finally at that point after four days of having the fever he could barely get off the couch, move."

Michelle's husband. (Michelle Zymet/Facebook)

She said she took her husband to a hospital emergency room, where he was admitted and then moved to the intensive care unit.

"You're not allowed into the room with them because I'm COVID, he's COVID. So, yes all of our family members were positive for COVID when we did get the results back. It's just something that you just never expect to happen and to the severity that it's gotten to," she said.

Zymet could not immediately be reached by NBC News on Friday.

Cases of the coronavirus have been on the rise among younger people in the U.S., including in Ohio since the state loosened its stay-at-home order.

Dr. Stephen Blatt, medical director for infectious disease at TriHealth Hospitals in Cincinnati, told NBC News earlier this month that "the problem is that people are not wearing masks."

He said most new cases in the state are young people who he thinks "just got sick of not going out and seeing their friends."

"I think they saw that things were getting better and just said, OK, lets go out. We have to get the message out that this is not over and its not going to be over for awhile," he said.

In the U.S., Arizona, Florida and Texas in particular have reported an explosion of new cases.

This story was originally published on NBCNews.com.
The US talent boss boyfriend of the Miss Swimsuit UK stripped of her crown after posting an anti Black Lives Matter rant has himself declared that white privilege is a 'leftist lie' in a series of his own outbursts following George Floyd's murder, MailOnline can reveal today.

Jasmine Archer-Jones, 23, from Chester, who moved to Texas shortly after winning the title last year, took to Facebook to share her view that Mr Floyd may not have been innocent and that 'ALL lives matter'.

Miss Archer has been in a relationship with US-based talent agency boss Todd Markey since March, according to her Facebook profile.

Based in Houston, Texas, Mr Markey, who spent some of his childhood in South Africa, is believed to be a Donald Trump supporting separated father-of-two who shares his girlfriends views on the Black Lives Matter movement.

Last month he posted a photograph of white BLM protesters with the caption: White guilt is real, white privilege is a leftist lie' and declared: 'Couldn't have said it better myself'.

Miss Archer-Jones made her controversial post on June 3 relating to the wave of protests sweeping the globe.

She wrote: 'This is ridiculous now. It HAS to STOP. ALL lives matter, if you look deeply into statistics, more UNARMED WHITE people DIED than BLACK last year', reports The Sun.

She added: 'Yes some people may say George Floyd died when he was innocent but I am yet to see hard evidence of this.

The 2019 swimsuit champion, Jasmine Archer-Jones, 23, from Chester, who moved to Texas shortly after winning the title, took to Facebook to share her view

Miss Archer has been in a relationship with US-based talent agency boss Todd Markey since March, according to her Facebook profile

Two weeks later, her boyfriend Todd Markey posted a photograph of white BLM protesters with the caption: White guilt is real, white privilege is a leftist lie' saying: 'Couldn't have said it better myself'.

Miss Swimsuit UK quickly de-crowned the fitness queen, deleting all traces of Miss Archer-Jones (pictured) from their website

'There is video footage of him refusing to get out of his car which warrants for the police officers to use whatever means necessary to restrain the person.'

Miss Archer-Jones also suggested that Mr Floyd may have had drugs in his system at the time he was killed by a Minneapolis Police officer.

Miss Archer-Jones competing in a bikini

Two weeks later, her boyfriend Todd Markey posted a photograph of white BLM protesters with the caption: White guilt is real, white privilege is a leftist lie' saying: 'Couldn't have said it better myself'.

Mr Markey is a Trump supporting father-of-two who spent time as a child in South Africa and learnt how to speak Afrikaans according to Facebook.

He has taken a dim view of the BLM protests, attacking the group in a number of ranting Facebook posts.

Last month he posted an image of Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and the citys mayor Sylvester Turner prancing around with their arms locked together with BLM protesters.

He fumed: So if the these sprinkle **** are out frolicking like a bunch of happy go lucky **** nuts... Why are the rest of the hard working people in this city being forced to stay home or close their businesses??

Im starting to see the picture here.. and I am guessing rules dont apply to certain peoples agendas...

Mr Floyd was held down by the neck as he repeatedly told officers he couldn't breathe on May 25.

Jasmine Archer-Jones is a former waitress and make-up artist who studied music, theatre and entertainment management at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.

The daughter of Philip and Hazel Jones, the aspiring actress was brought up in a 500,000 family home in the smart Cheshire village of Hawarden with her sister, Olivia.

Her businessman father Philip, 60, runs two events companies and a property development firm where his 56-year-old wife Hazel is also listed as a director with Companies House.

Father Philip is listed as a director of Sugarmill Concerts Ltd and Velico Ltd, both events and arts companies.

The Sugarmill is a music venue in Stoke-on-Trent.

Both parents are listed as directors of a property firm called Lymehouse Ltd, which is describes its business activities as buying and selling of real estate.

Miss Swimsuit UK quickly de-crowned the fitness queen, deleting all traces of Miss Archer-Jones from their website.

A source told The Sun that Jasmine had 'tried to sweep it [the post] under the carpet.

The source added that Miss Swimsuit UK quickly disassociated with Miss Archer-Jones as they support the Black Lives Matter campaign.

Explaining the importance of Miss Swimsuit UK contestants as role models the four-year-old competition states on its website: 'The aim of Miss Swimsuit UK is to shape the beauty stars of tomorrow, meeting the demand among todays social media generation for glamorous, accessible role models that they can aspire to and emulate.'

In a now deleted post made on June 3 she wrote: 'This is ridiculous now. It HAS to STOP. ALL lives matter'

The competition winner is yet to address the controversy on her social media. Here Miss Archer Jones is pictured riding a quad bike while wearing camouflage

In the post Miss Archer-Jones wrote 'Innocent people are dying because of the riots' before asking 'what for?'

The competition winner is yet to address the controversy on her social media.

MailOnline has contacted Miss Swimsuit UK and Miss Archer-Jones' representatives for comment.
London, July 17 : It has been revealed that a UK parliamentary group, whose aim is to highlight alleged human rights violations in Kashmir, received 30 lakh PKR ($17,917) from Islamabad for a visit to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The register of all party parliamentary groups reveal that "All Party Parliamentary Group on Kashmir" (APPGK), which is chaired by Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, received a benefit of between 29.7 lakh PKR and 31.2 lakh PKR on February 18 from the Pakistan government for a visit to PoK between February 18-22.

Parliamentary groups are bound to declare benefits and money received worth more than 1,500 pounds on the parliamentary register.

Abrahams was deported to Dubai on February 17 after being informed at Delhi Airport that her e-visa was not valid.

The following day she flew to Pakistan and met Prime Minister Imran Khan, all funded by Islamabad.

The APPGK, which is made up of cross party British parliamentarians some of Pakistani heritage, aims at supporting the right to self determination of Kashmiris; to seek support from UK MPs; to highlight the human rights abuses in Kashmir and to seek justice for people there.

This is not the first time APPGK has received funds from Pakistan.

On September 17, 2018, the Pakistan High Commission in London gave around 12,000 pounds to the group to fund a visit to Islamabad and Kashmir between September 17-20 that year.

Abrahams has been highly critical of the Indian government's move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status, granted under the Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.

On August 5, 2019, she wrote to India's then High Commissioner in London, Ruchi Ganshyam, expressing serious concern about the removal of Kashmir's special status.

The same day, she wrote to the UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab saying the Indian actions in Kashmir violated international law and requested the UK to call for a temporary prohibition on New Delhi's moves.


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Worldwide, over 2,45,000 cases have been reported in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, India saw its biggest single-day spike of more than 35,000 cases, surpassing the one million-mark.



However, if we talk about active cases, at present 3.4 lakh people are infected from the while 6.3 lakh have already recovered or cured from the disease.





Over 25000 people have lost their lives due to the pandemic and many businesses are on the edge of shutting down.

In fact, the International Monetary Fund has warned that the rate of bankruptcy for small- and medium-sized businesses may triple from 4 per cent to 12 per cent this year in the absence of sufficient government support.



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Hundreds gathered for the weekly Saturate OC worship event held north of the pier in Huntington Beach, on Friday, July 10, 2020. (Raul Roa/Daily Pilot)

In the first months of the pandemic, Orange County leaders looked at the frightening coronavirus outbreaks and rising death toll to the north in Los Angeles County and felt their communities were doing pretty well in comparison.

"Orange County has the lowest rate of confirmed cases in comparison to our neighboring counties," Michelle Steel, chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, said on May 21, just two days before the county was cleared by the state to reopen restaurants for indoor dining. "Orange County is in good condition."

But less than two months later, the conditions have changed dramatically. Over the last two weeks, Orange County as well as two other suburban counties to the east of L.A.  Riverside and San Bernardino  are reporting worse coronavirus case rates per capita than L.A. County, according to a Times analysis.

The shift is all the more dramatic because Los Angeles County  long the epicenter of the coronavirus in California  continues to see huge spikes in cases. On Thursday, it reported more than 4,000 new cases, shattering a one-day record. But the new surge in COVID-19 has been particularly painful for suburban counties that were eager to reopen their economies after months of stay-at-home orders and where political battles raged about whether the government should require residents to wear masks in public settings.

The three counties opened many businesses a week before Los Angeles County. And along with the decisions by all three counties to rescind local mask-wearing orders, some experts said that sent an unintended message to some residents that they could go back to old routines.

"What it does do is send you a psychological message to the community: 'Hey, maybe things are getting better. Maybe I don't have to worry anymore, or ... I don't have to be as judicious with my activity and social distancing and masking and hygiene,'" said Dr. Shruti Gohil, associate medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine and a professor of infectious diseases.

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On July 1, Orange County had the lowest coronavirus case rate of the four counties, reporting 165 new cases over the preceding 14 days per 100,000 residents. San Bernardino County reported 222; Riverside County, 256; and L.A. County, 281. But by Wednesday, the trio of suburban counties now fared worse: San Bernardino County has 408 new cases over the preceding 14 days per 100,000 residents; Orange, 399; Riverside, 391; and Los Angeles, 372.

The community spread has brought other grim consequences. Orange and Riverside counties have seen the numbers of its hospitalized patients with confirmed coronavirus infection nearly triple in the last two months; in San Bernardino County, the number has more than quadrupled.

By contrast, counties that kept local mask-wearing orders without interruption reported a smaller increase in hospitalizations. In L.A. County, hospitalizations have increased by 29%; in San Diego County, by 23%.

Health experts are particularly concerned about the backlash about wearing masks, which has been especially pronounced in Orange County, where educators proposed a plan to reopen schools without masks or social distancing.

In Huntington Beach on Thursday, as the sun burned down on the shoreline, almost no one on the beach was wearing a mask. Neither were the people walking on the streets outside the restaurants, which were open only for outside dining. The beach was full of towels and people, and the ocean was dotted with surfers and swimmers.

Robert Hurtado, 58, sprawled out on the steps by the citys pier. He had nothing better to do, he said, because everything was closed and he couldnt find work during the pandemic  a pandemic he doesnt really believe in.

"Its a hoax. A lot of these cases are people eating bad seafood and drinking contaminated water, said the maskless Hurtado, an Orange resident. He did, however, say he believed the virus was bad in Third World countries. Were not able to do nothing I cant even go the the gymnasium, cant go to the movie theaters, cant go to the restaurants  theyre playing games.

Up the road, Lisa Campbell, a 27-year-old Huntington Beach resident, walked out of a restaurant, to-go bag in hand. I think its all bull, Campbell said.

In her opinion, the numbers look bad because everyone is getting tested for coronavirus and theyre giving a lot of false positives. She wasnt wearing a face covering. Wearing a mask is kind of outrageous to me. Think about all of the other illnesses, Campbell said.

She worried that her daughter, who will be heading to kindergarten in the fall, will have to wear a face covering to class. Id hate to send my child to school with a mask on her face, and when shes 18 shes afraid of society cause she has to wear a mask all the time, Campbell said.

In fact, the coronavirus pandemic is the world's worst public health crisis in more than a century, and the mainstream medical establishment is virtually unanimous in now saying that masks are essential to controlling the spread of disease and reopening the economy. The fact that hospitalizations are surging is proof that coronavirus disease transmission is worsening, experts say.

"The data is clearly there: that masking works," Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a webcast with the Journal of the American Medical Assn. on Tuesday. "If we could get everybody to wear a mask right now, I really do think that in the next four, six, eight weeks, we could bring this epidemic under control."

But mask resistance remains strong. Orange County's former health officer, who issued a mandatory mask order, resigned after receiving a death threat; it was her replacement who rescinded the order. The rescission was reversed a week later by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who on June 18 issued a statewide mandatory mask order.

In recent weeks, some Orange County elected officials, including Steel, have urged residents to wear masks in public settings, and some people are heeding the advice.

In the face of alarming increases in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations statewide, Newsom two weeks ago ordered bars and indoor restaurant dining in most of the state to be shut. This week, he ordered the rest of the state to also close bars and indoor dining rooms. And in the hardest-hit counties that are home to more than 88% of the state's population, he also ordered the shutdown of businesses such as gyms, malls, nail salons and hair salons.

"With Orange, it's all about defiance ... defiance about personal protection," said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco. "When you look at places that enforce masks, in general, by state, they tend to do better." A recent study found that mandating face mask use in public is associated with a decline in the daily COVID-19 growth rate, and such mandates may have averted up to 450,000 deaths.

The Orange County executive officer, Frank Kim, said Thursday that he did not think Orange County's case rate was out of line with its neighbors. "Obviously, there are some days where one county is higher than another, but I did not see us as an outlier within the large urban counties in Southern California," Kim said.

A spokeswoman for Riverside County, Brooke Federico, said Thursday that officials believe the increase in cases dates to Memorial Day, with the main drivers being increased social gatherings and residents moving about in the community, attending protests and visiting businesses. "Now is not the time to go to parties or visit with people outside of their household," Federico said.

Federico wrote that the rescission of the mask order in early May in Riverside County "was to be in alignment with the state." At that time, counties were given the authority to decide on their own whether to institute a mandatory mask order. "The county has always maintained that wearing face coverings is important to slowing the spread of the disease," Federico said.

Corwin Porter, interim public health director for San Bernardino County, said he believes the county is seeing more cases because of "an increase in private gatherings brought on by recent holidays and the onset of summer, the reopening of businesses, protests during June, and less vigilance by individuals and businesses in physical distancing and wearing of face coverings."

"We have intensified our efforts to urge safe practices and we believe that will make a difference in the long run," Porter wrote in an email. He said the message he will continue putting out there is for people to not gather; to practice physical distancing; and to "wear face coverings, which is mandated, to reduce the viral spread."





For the record:

4:44 PM, Jul. 17, 2020: An earlier version of this story said suburban counties surpassed L.A. County in growth of coronavirus cases over the last week. It was actually over the last two weeks.



This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The man killed in a crash Thursday while fleeing a traffic stop was identified as Jeffrey Rimmer, Jr. of Milwaukee.

Rimmer, 27, was killed when he ran a light on Highway E at Green Bay Road, crashing into a southbound semi truck.

Rimmers Ford Explorer hit the semi broadside at an estimated 85 mph, according to the Kenosha County Sheriffs Department, shearing off the top half of his SUV. The Ford then continued west, hitting a Jeep driven by a Kenosha News circulation employee.

The crash left a field of debris spread across about 400 feet from the site of the collision, with the truck to the ditch where Rimmers vehicle came to rest.

Rimmer was dead at the scene. The truck driver was uninjured and the driver of the Jeep had a minor injury.

Capt. Robert Hallisy said Thursday that a deputy had stopped Rimmer on the 4300 block of Highway E for a traffic violation. The deputy had spoken to him, then went back to his squad car for a records check. He was cooperative when the deputy spoke to him, Hallisy said. But as the deputy walked back to the Ford, Rimmer fled.

During the crash probe, investigators discovered Rimmer was on parole. They also found a 9mm handgun, cocaine and marijuana in the crash debris, along with a large amount of cash on Rimmers body.

According to court and Wisconsin Department of Corrections records, Rimmer had past convictions for drug offenses and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In 2017 he was sentenced for the gun charge to three years in prison followed by three years of extended supervision. He was released from prison in January 2019, earning an early release credit through a substance abuse program.

Had Rimmer been arrested with a handgun and drugs, he not only would have faced additional felony charges, his supervision would likely have been revoked, sending him back to prison for at least three years.

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A top official from the United Nations warned Friday of decades of tragedies if wealthy nations don't help poorer nations fight the coronavirus, which continues to rapidly spread across the globe.

"Unless we act now, we should be prepared for a series of human tragedies, more brutal and more destructive than any of the direct impacts of the virus itself," U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock told reporters on a call hosted by the World Health Organization.

Inaction from world leaders will leave the coronavirus free to circle the globe and "undo decades of development, and it will create decades worth of tragic and exportable problems," Lowcock said.

All of that is preventable, he said in a plea to wealthy nations to contribute to a $10.3 billion U.N. program to help poor nations fight the pandemic.

"It can be fixed with money and leadership from the world's wealthier nations and some fresh thinking," he said. "We estimate that the cost of protecting the poorest 10% of the global population from the worst effects of the pandemic and global recession is about $90 billion. That's less than 1% of the stimulus package wealthy countries have put in place to protect the global economy."

The coronavirus, which emerged more than six months ago, has infected nearly 14 million people worldwide and killed at least 590,600, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Health authorities in Idlib, Syria, reported last week their first case of Covid-19, sparking fears of an outbreak in crowded refugee camps.

The U.N. program, called the COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan, is aiming to respond to the humanitarian impacts of the coronavirus in low- and middle-income countries and support their efforts to fight it, Lowcock said. The plan has generated $1.7 billion from donors since it was launched in March.

The initiative comes as the U.S. cuts ties with the WHO, ending funding for programs that help countries in "all sorts of fragile and difficult settings," according to Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO's health emergencies program.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the WHO's response to the coronavirus, which has hit the U.S. worse than any other country, amid scrutiny of his own administration's response to the pandemic. He has claimed the WHO is "China-centric" and blames the agency for advising against China travel bans early in the outbreak.

The agency has defended its initial response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying it gave world leaders enough time to intervene early in the outbreak.

The agency declared Covid-19 a global health emergency on Jan. 30 when there were only 82 cases outside of China and zero deaths, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a press conference on May 1. "Meaning, the world had enough time to intervene."

The WHO said Friday the coronavirus isn't just a humanitarian issue. The agency said that unless the coronavirus is controlled everywhere "it is a risk everywhere and it will continue to threaten the world economically and it will continue to threaten the world politically until we get rid of this virus or bring it under sustained control."
After running and losing 24 elections in New York, Syracuse resident Howie Hawkins has entered into his biggest race yet, as the Green Partys presidential candidate.

The 67-year-old grassroots organizer has run for governor of New York three times, as well as Syracuse mayor, city auditor and common councilor. He's also run for Congress and the U.S. Senate  typically as the Green Party nominee.

The biggest difference between his previous campaigns and this one, Hawkins told City and State, is that theres a lot more work involved. I've never been in a campaign where so many people stepped up to work so hard to get this done, Hawkins said. A lot of people are counting on me, so I have to work hard.

In 2016, Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein won more votes than Donald Trumps margin of victory over Hillary Clinton in the three pivotal battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. That wasnt the first time Democrats have blamed Green Party candidates for a loss after the left-wing minor partys nominee picked off voters who would have otherwise been more likely to back the Democrat over the Republican. In 2000, Ralph Nader won more than 98,000 votes in Florida, which was decided by fewer than 600 votes and which determined the outcome of the presidential election.

While those two Green Party candidacies did not lead to more progressive political outcomes, Hawkins hopes his campaign this time will hasten the arrival of Medicare for All and a Green New Deal.

City & State spoke to Hawkins about what he hopes will come of his first national campaign, growing the Green Party, rethinking the two-party voting system and why he thinks its not fair to call any candidate a spoiler.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

You have run and lost 24 different elections in New York over the past two decades, so I have to ask what keeps you running in these different elections? What motivates you?

There are measures of winning other than winning the office, such as advancing a political agenda and raising issues that havent been picked up. For example, I got 5% (of the vote) running for governor in 2014. All of the reporting said that Cuomo wanted to run up the vote, get more votes than his father Mario (Cuomo) ever got and get more votes than he got in 2010. And at the end of the election, he had less votes. He couldn't take us for granted anymore.

There were four issues that he had not supported before that election that he then took on after winning. He sort of changed his branding from the social-liberal, fiscal-conservative to the pragmatic progressive. So we got a ban on fracking, we got a $15 (per hour) minimum wage, we got paid family leave and we got the Excelsior scholarship, which was billed as tuition free public college  but its not. So we moved the agenda, even without winning the office.

What are you hoping that you can change or influence, either in the state or the nation, with the campaign that you're currently running?

I started the campaign focused around what I called three life or death issues. The first is the climate meltdown, that's where the green New Deal comes in. I was the first candidate to campaign for a Green New Deal when I ran for governor here in New York in 2010. It's as much a program for economic recovery as it is for climate recovery. The second issue is inequality  inequality kills. We have a declining life expectancy in this country now, particularly among the working class. (Our campaign) has this economic bill of rights which includes a job guarantee, a guaranteed income above poverty, and Medicare for All. And then the third issue that none of the major party presidential candidates have talked about is the new nuclear arms race. We're about to get out of the last bilateral treaty between the United States and Russia, Africa and a whole lot of other treaties. We're calling for peace initiatives, deep cuts on military spending, pledging no first use of nuclear weapons.

I read that your campaign has received a lot of support from Sen. Bernie Sanders supporters, which makes sense given the number of similarities between your two platforms. How do you think this could benefit or hurt your campaign?

Well, the way things have unfolded, I think we have a much bigger opportunity to get a big vote. When we started the campaign, we thought it might be (President Donald) Trump versus Sanders election and that Sanders would steal our thunder on some issues. Now Trump is crumbling and the Democrats chose (former Vice President Joe) Biden, who is a center-right politician that would be comfortable in the Conservative Party in Europe. (Editors note: Each European nation has its own political parties. The European Union parliament includes the European Conservatives and Reformists Party, which is largely focused on national sovereignty issues.Bidens Senate voting record and campaign platform, by every empirical measure, is left of center in the United States.) So that opens up a big path for us.

There has been some concern that you may be a spoiler in the upcoming presidential election. Do you think thats a fair assessment or criticism?

The first question I usually get is, Are you afraid of spoiling the election for Biden? And my answer to that is No, it's Biden and the Democrats who are spoiling the election. Going back to Ralph Nader's campaign in 2000, (the Green Party has) been offering a proven nonpartisan solution to the spoiler dilemma, and that is to replace the Electoral College with a rank-choice national popular vote for president. And Biden and the Democrats are welcome to embrace that, we'll work with them on it and we get rid of the spoiler problem.

What are your hopes for the Green Party in the future?

Well, to elect thousands (of Green Party candidates) to local office, state Legislature and Congress, so that when we raise issues like Medicare for All and a Green New Deal, they cannot be dismissed by the Democratic Party, which has dismissed those things.
Castel Underwriting Europe B.V. has agreed to acquire the renewal rights for a Navigators Europe book of predominantly of Dutch marine cargo, inland hull, land-based equipment and liability business from The Hartford.

Navigators Europe is the trading name of the Bracht, Deckers & Mackelbert NV (BDM)/ASCO Continentale Verzekeringen NV (ASCO), Rotterdam marine business.

Details of the transaction were not disclosed.

The Navigators Europe marine underwriting team based in Rotterdam will transfer to Castel Europe under the agreement, ensuring all relevant business continues to be handled by the same underwriting team. The team will continue to be led by Duco Teijema, as Marine manager, Netherlands. Duco will report into Gert van Middelkoop, head of Castels Marine Centre of Excellence.

Mark Birrell, chief executive of Castel, said this renewal rights agreement brings into Castel, the skills, experience and products needed to support its European expansion plans.

The move follows the launch of Castels Marine Centre of Excellence in June 2020, with teams in London and Rotterdam focused on all classes of marine business.

Castel Europe provides a platform for specialty underwriting cells and supporting individual underwriters with books of niche business across Europe. Castel Underwriting Agencies Limited is part of Arch Insurance International.

Topics Mergers Europe Underwriting
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 00:10:20|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Ministry of Culture on Friday said it will award the title "Benefactor of Thai Language Use" to the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok on July 29, the day marking the National Thai Language Day.

In a statement released by the Ministry on Friday, the award is given to individuals or organizations who have made significant contributions to the promotion of Thai language use.

The Ministry also said it will specify which achievements the embassy is recognized for in the next few days.

The Thai government's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin will also be honored by the Ministry with this year's special distinction, "Creative Use of Thai Language During a Crisis Situation," for his role in the virus pandemic.

The award will be officially presented to the winners on July 24. Enditem
WILMOT TOWNSHIP  A 39-year-old man faces charges of trespass at night, voyeurism and criminal harassment after reports of a man looking into windows in a residential area in St. Agatha.

Waterloo Regional Police said the man was peeping into windows in the St. Agatha area from July 9 to 16.

He was arrested on Thursday.

Police remind residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
Three members of a family were killed when Pakistani troops shelled various forward areas and civilian places along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Friday, prompting the Indian Army to give a befitting reply, officials said.

"At around 2120 hours on Friday, Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and resorting to shelling of mortars along the LoC in Gulpur sector of Poonch district," a defence spokesperson said.

Pakistan army also shelled heavily the hamlets along the LoC in Khari Karmara sector, officials said.

A shell landed on a house in Karmara village in which Mohd Rafiq (58), his wife Rafia Bi (50) and son Irfan (15) died on the spot, they said, adding that some houses have been damaged and a few people injured.

"The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly," the officials said. Firing and shelling between the two sides were going on when the last report came in.
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Jul 16, 2020

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Biodiverse and naturally beautiful, Nicaragua is a still off-the-grid destination, filled with active volcanoes, cloud forests, jungles, lakes, and two coastlines, all boasting plenty of attractions and things to do.

Outdoor adventure enthusiasts can hike to natural attractions like crater lakes in dormant volcanos or sled down mountains of ash on wooden boards. While those in search of wildlife experiences can explore one of the many protected reserves around Nicaragua that are home to everything from jaguars to howler and white-faced monkeys and hundreds of species of birds.

With beaches on both its Caribbean and Pacific Ocean coastlines, there are plenty of options for getting wet as well. Towns like San Juan del Sur on the Pacific Ocean's Emerald Coast near Costa Rica are top places to visit, famous for their colorful architecture and surf scene. While the Corn Islands in the Caribbean Sea are known for their laid-back beach vibe.

Managua is Nicaragua's capital city, but people tend not to linger here unless visiting for business. Many things to do really lie in the smaller cities, like Leon and Granada, which are known for their colorful architecture and churches, and natural attractions such as Lake Nicaragua. It is the largest freshwater lake in Central America and home to hundreds upon hundreds of islands, including some with amazing ecolodges.

And then there are the multitude of volcanoes, some dormant; others, like the Masaya Volcano, still very much active. Here are our picks for the top things to see and do around Nicaragua.

Note: Some businesses may be temporarily closed due to recent global health and safety issues.
According to information released by the Asian Military Review on July 17, 2020, the Royal Thai Army has taken delivery of the Black Widow Spider 88 armored vehicle developed by Thailands Defence Technology Institute (DTI). The new vehicle will be tested for one year by the Thai armed forces.

Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link



New Black Widow Spider 88 armored vehicle for the Thai army. (Picture source Blogspot aagth1)

The Black Widow Spider 88 wheeled armored vehicle was fully designed and developed by Thailands Defence Technology Institute (DTI), the National Metal and Materials Technology Centre and private international companies that have expertise in the manufacturing of combat vehicles. According to Thai officers of DTI, the new Black Widow Spider has the same level of technology in terms of mobility, protection and firepower to other similar modern combat vehicles currently available for the European market.



The Black Widow Spider was unveiled in November 2015 during the International Defense and Security Exhibition in Thailand. The vehicle unveiled at the Defense Exhibition in Thailand was configured to be used as IFV Infantry Fighting Vehicle fitted with a one-man turret designed and manufactured by a defense Company from Singapour. The turret is armed with 30mm automatic cannon and one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun mounted to the left of the main armament.



The new vehicle uses an 8x8 chassis with the driver and powerpack a the front and the troop's compartment at the rear. It can carry a total of 12 soldiers including commander, driver, and gunner. offers a high level of protection up to Level 4 STANAG 4569, against the firing of small arms up to 14.5mm caliber and mine explosion of 10 kg of TNT under the wheels and body of the vehicle.



The Black Widow Spider can run at a maximum speed of 100 km/h with a maximum cruise range of 600 km. The vehicle is fully amphibious being propelled in the water by two propellers mounted at the rear of the hull at a maximum speed of 8 km/h.



New Black Widow Spider 88 armored vehicle at the Defense Exhibition in Thailand, November 2017. (Picture source Army Recognition)
One side of those opinions is that they feel we should return to school as normal, that there is nothing to worry about in terms of COVID-19 and they feel everything should look close to normal, Olson told Pioneer Press. Then there is a subset of those parents who feel it is too challenging to ask kids to wear a mask all day. Then you have parents in the other camp who feel it is mandatory and they should wear a mask in our buildings. Those parents are scared to send their kids to school if they are not wearing a mask.
Michigan public schools are a month and a half away from welcoming kids back to classes for the traditional post-Labor Day start.

At least thats the plan.
Mercurial rapper Kanye West is reportedly ending the presidential campaign he launched on the Fourth of July.

Hes out, political adviser Steve Kramer told New York magazine.

Kramer was brought on to help West get his name on ballots in time for the November election. The Gold Digger performer was hoping to challenge presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and incumbent Donald Trump, whom West once vehemently supported.

Kramer told the magazine that there was great enthusiasm behind Wests candidacy early on, but the momentum seems to have come to a halt. West missed the deadline to get on the ballot in several states including Nevada.

The report said staffers whod signed on to launch Wests unlikely candidacy were disappointed.

Ill let you know what I know once I get all our stuff canceled, Kramer said.

West announced he would run under an independent party called The Birthday Party. That literally prompted news magazine Inside Edition to ask: Is Kanye Wests Presidential Candidacy a Joke?

According to New York magazine, West had brought in a team that indicated he was seriously contemplating a run for office. TMZ reported Wednesday that West had filed statement of organization papers with the Federal Election Commission, but had yet to submit a statement of candidacy to make his run official.

How much of an impact a West candidacy might have made will remain a mystery. His anti-abortion message and claim that Joe Biden is nothing special would not have helped his chances with Democrats.

Voters on the left likely have not forgotten the rappers 2018 White House visit where he wore a MAGA cap, shamelessly flattered the president, rambled on about Superman and said black people vote for Democrats because they want more welfare money.

Two-term Democratic President Barack Obama famously called West a jackass. Twice.

Stealing away traditional Republican whove become disillusioned by Trumps conduct would have been a challenge for the also-erratic West. The presidents base has been unwavering in its loyalty.

Story continues

Much the way its been heavily speculated that Trump ran for office to promote his brand, theres been chatter that Wests brief candidacy was an effort to promote his new clothing deal with The Gap.

Trump is confident West will come back to his camp.

He is always going to be for us, and his wife is going to be for us, Trump told Sean Hannity during a recent appearance on Fox News.



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Beaumont voters likely will have to wait at least two more years before theyre given a greater say in how much more the city can take from them in taxes each year.

Starting in January, local governments were required to seek voter approval if the amount of taxes collected, not related to new construction, would increase by more than 3.5%.

That was a reduction from the 8% increase that previously would trigger an election.

But the Legislature also included a provision that a region that has been under a disaster declaration within the prior year can postpone that change for at least two years.

All of Texas is currently under state and federal disaster declarations due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Related: Tax hike could be in Beaumonts future

Earlier this week, unanimously and without discussion, the Beaumont City Council directed the city to take the disaster exemption.

City staff have repeatedly prepared the council for whats expected to be a tough budget year, in part because of the economic slowdown brought on by coronavirus.

City manager Kyle Hayes has warned about a potential need for the council to consider a tax increase. Additionally, the citys bond counsel currently is analyzing whether the city will need to raise water and sewer rates to cover the debt service on bonds the city is expected to issue next year.

Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox

Late last month, however, Hayes noted that the city already had budgeted for sales tax revenue to be down. This year was expected to see spending closer to a normal year, as opposed to last years post-storm boom. As a result, at that time the city was still $415,000 ahead of what it budgeted.

Property appraisals also have increased. While there will be value challenges, the result of which the city doesnt get back for a few more weeks, appraised values have increased by 4.9%. That could bring in an additional $1.8 million to the citys general fund, Hayes said, as well as money to other funds.

With the disaster-related tax exemption, the city would be able to accept this increase in revenue without asking for voters approval.

Its unclear how much additional revenue the city actually will receive and if it will accept all of it.

Related: What to know about Beaumonts upcoming budget

Councilman Randy Feldschau noted that the exemption means the city can accept up to 8% more revenue, but that doesnt mean it has to be set as high as possible.

Hayes is expected to present the citys proposed budget to the council by Aug. 15.

Jefferson County commissioners have been in budget hearings much of this week. The majority of county department heads and elected officials budgeted conservatively this year, so most of the conversations have been regarding relatively small expenditures, comparatively.

Auditor Patrick Swain said previously that he hasnt heard anything from members of the court that would lead him to believe theyre considering a tax increase.

Kaitlin Bain is the Government Reporter for the Beaumont Enterprise. Contact her at Kaitlin.Bain@BeaumontEnterprise.com or on Twitter by clicking here.

Don't miss a thing: Sign up for our Daily Headlines newsletter.


But as the country reopens, a number of those couples are now reaping the benefits: Theyre emerging from quarantine with a newfound sense of clarity, about both the future and where they stand in relation to each other. In other words, if ever there were a scenario that could disabuse us once and for all of the notion that the right moment is a prerequisite for having an important conversation, look around: Were living through it right now.

James Henderson, 29, who uses the pronouns they and their, and their boyfriend had just celebrated six months as a couple when the coronavirus arrived. Based in Austin, Texas, the pair had planned on waiting until they reached the 18-month or two-year mark to move in together.

But then all of this happened, and it just sped everything up, Mx. Henderson said.

Mx. Henderson moved into their partners house in early spring under the assumption that the arrangement would be temporary. Instead, over the course of a few conversations, the two recently decided it was time for Mx. Henderson to move all their stuff in permanently.

Initially, Mx. Henderson was careful to set boundaries. They wanted to ensure that both they and their partner could count on having ample space and alone time every day. But after a few months of cozy 24/7 hangout time, Mx. Henderson said, the two just became even more inseparable. Their job teaching at a ceramics studio started back up in May, and even after being away from each other for a day, we both laughed about how it was weird that we missed each other. Plus, in a time when cash flow to any business or individual seems less dependable than usual, it made little sense to Mx. Henderson to continue renting an apartment where they never slept anymore.

Indeed, across the globe, multitudes of people are either in precarious financial situations or bracing for them. And many, like Mx. Henderson, are moving in with their partners  partly for love, and partly to save money.
The HONOR 9A was announced back in April this year, as the ultimate budget offering from the company. Before we get into anything, it is worth noting that this phone costs 149.90 / 129.99. In some markets, you even get the HONOR Band 5 with your purchase. All of that makes this phone extremely affordable. That is worth noting as we go through this review, as you cant expect flagship-level features out of a phone that costs so little.

That being said, the HONOR 9A is nothing to scoff at. If you want a budget phone to purchase for your kid, or as a secondary device, this phone has proven to be quite capable. Another thing to note, though, is that it doesnt come with Google services. That may be a problem for some, though well get more into that later in the review, when we hit the software portion. That being said, lets get going, shall we.

The HONOR 9A is a nice-looking phone, especially considering its price

The HONOR 9A is a nice-looking phone, no doubt about that. That is especially true considering its price point. That being said, youd be hard-pressed to notice this phone is made out of plastic just by looking at it. It sure looks like theres glass on the back, and that it has a metal side, but it doesnt. Theres plastic on the back, plastic around the phone, and glass on the front. The bezels are not that thick at all, theyre quite thin, in fact. The bottom bezel is thicker than the rest, though.

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The device has a fingerprint scanner on the back, which works fairly well, while it has a teardrop notch on the front. That notch is also quite small, and if you ask me, a much better choice than display holes that have become popular. It is really non-obtrusive, in fact. The phone includes a camera module in the top-left corner of its back. The power / lock, volume up, and volume down buttons are placed on the right.

The phone is not exactly light, though. It weighs 185 grams, which is lighter than most flagships, but still not that light, especially considering the plastic build. This phone does have some heft to it, and many people will appreciate that. In terms of size, itll be about right for most people, it is 159mm tall, 74.1mm wide, and 9mm thick. It is really comfortable to hold, its not too large, and not small either. All in all, I enjoyed carrying it during the review period.

The display is not exactly the sharpest around, plus its a bit washed out as well

The HONOR 9As display is not the sharpest, but itll be good enough for most people. The device features a 6.3-inch 1600 x 720 display, so its essentially an HD+ panel. Its an IPS LCD display, and it gets bright enough outside, even though Ive used far better ones. Once again, this is a budget phone, keep that in mind.

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This display tends to lean on the cooler side, but thats something you can change in the settings. Temperature controls are available in the Display settings, along with the Eye Comfort mode, Dark mode, eBook mode, and some additional settings. You can, of course, increase and decrease fonts, and so on.

This is a flat display, which was to be expected. Thats a good thing, actually, well, at least it will be for most people. What is worth noting, though, is that this display does not have a curved glass on top of it. As a result, the edges may be a bit weird to your finger, if youve used a more expensive device recently.

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Colors on this display are okay, though theyre nowhere as vivid as on an OLED panel. Blacks are also not as black as theyd be on an OLED panel, or even on a high-end LCD display. Viewing angles are good, though, very good. The resolution could also be higher, as I did notice the lack of sharpness, but thats not something regular users will be bothered by it.

Its chip is not exactly powerful, but this phone offers really good performance

What about the performance? Well, the best thing I can say is that its okay. Dont expect this phone to navigate through the menus without a stutter, or to be extremely quick when it comes to jumping between apps, opening apps, games, and so on. Dont get me wrong, its not exactly a slow phone, Ive seen way slower, but its not exactly on the level of flagships either, which is understandable. It will get the job done, but it will take a bit longer than a lot more expensive phones, and it may stutter a little bit.

That is not surprising considering that the MediaTek MT6762R aka Helio P22 SoC is included in here. That is the budget processor from MediaTek, and not even close to the companys best offerings. That chip is backed by 3GB of RAM, while the phone also offers 64GB of expandable storage. Gaming is not exactly a great experience on the HONOR 9A, at least when it comes to CPU / GPU-intensive titles. Games that are not as graphically-demanding run perfectly fine, though, without an issue.

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Is this a phone for someone who wants a really fast phone, no, not really. As already mentioned, you will notice stutters here, quite often. The phone will get the job done, and wont heavily lag, but youll notice stutters. That is when you should remember how much it costs, any other chip would have increased its price, basically.

The fingerprint scanner is not the fastest around

The HONOR 9A includes a capacitive fingerprint scanner on the back. That unit works well, but its not the fastest around. That is to be expected considering this phones price tag. It will serve you well, though. It is quite accurate, though it takes a bit of time to unlock. Its not slow by any means, but once again, dont expect flagship-grade performance here, at least not in terms of speed.

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Dont count on Google services here, that includes the Play Store

The HONOR 9A does come with Android 10 out of the box. The thing is, it does not include Google services. Due to the US ban, and everything related to it, Huawei is not allowed to pre-install Google services on its phones, and that includes HONOR, which is technically a separate company, but still owned by Huawei. That being said, the HONOR 9A comes with Huaweis very own services pack. Android 10 is still pre-installed, as is Magic UI 3.1.

The experience is exactly what youd expect out of a Huawei / HONOR phone, similar to those that still have Google services. The only difference is, you dont have access to Google services, and that includes the Google Play Store. The Huawei AppGallery is a replacement for the Play Store, and it grew quite a bit, but its still lacking some apps. If you cannot find an app on the AppGallery, however, you can always get it via the Petal Search that Huawei is offering.

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That being said, if you dont like EMUI, you wont like Magic UI either, as its basically rebranded EMUI. If you do, youll be right at home here. Magic UI is packed with features, so you wont lack those, while EMUI / Magic UI are much better than they were before. You do get access to full dark mode here, along with a ton of other options. Do note that its a bit different than stock Android, though, thats for sure.

It offers astounding battery life

Is the battery life good? No, its not its great! This phone packs in a huge 5,000mAh battery. Considering its display resolution and a processor that is not power-hungry, well Ive expected great battery life. I did not expect it to be this great, though. This phone will easily last for two days for people who are not power users, no problem. The first day I used the phone as my daily driver the battery percentage dropped so slow, I thought somethings wrong.

So, lets take one charge cycle as an example. That was in the middle of my use cycle, a couple of days after I initially started using the phone. I took it off the charger in the morning, and at the end of my day (12:53 AM), the phone still had 70-percent of battery charge left. Some of you may instantly assume that I didnt use it much, and that it simply sat there. Well, I used it quite a bit, it had 6 hours and 17 minutes of screen on time, from my usage. The vast majority of flagship smartphones are dead at that point. Well, this handset still had 70-percent of battery charge left, that is just amazing.

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As you can see in the screenshots below, I used it for a wide range of things. I did use Viber, typed up some SMS messages, watched a ton of YouTube videos (via browser, as this phone doesnt have access to Google apps), browsed various websites, used the navigation for a bit, took a number of photos and filmed some videos as well, and so on. I even played a game or two for a bit. And after all that, the phone still stood strong. By the way, auto brightness was enabled.

Now, in terms of the second day (gallery below). Based on the first day battery life, it was easy to assume that Id get through the second day without a problem. Thats exactly what happened. My usage was similar, though I used the display for an even longer period of time the second day. At 12:10 AM in the morning, before I went to bed, the phone showed 13 hours and 11 minutes of screen on time. At that point, its battery percentage was at 27-percent.

I tested this battery for about a week and a half, so I got in several battery charges in there. The results were similar. You can easily get two days of battery life, even with heavy use. Some people may even be able to squeeze out there, which is remarkable. The device does not support fast charging, though, so dont count on that. Considering its battery longevity, thats not really necessary.

Theres much to be desired in terms of camera performance

What about the camera quality? Well, phones at this price point usually dont have good cameras, and the HONOR 9A is not an exception. These cameras are usable, for sure, but theyre not good. Lets start with well-lit environments. If you take a look at the samples provided in the gallery below, youll notice quite a few issues. Even though the phone can provide its best pics in well-lit environments, the dynamic range is not the best. Colors tend to look way oversaturated, and the white balance is also off. The phone also tends to blow out highlights in images.

You can, however, capture some really nice shots if the sun is not directly involved, and the scene is well-lit, though, as shown in the samples below. In these cameras samples, the colors are much closer to real-life, and the pics actually turned out well. Do note that there was plenty of natural light in most of those pictures.

Low light is where this camera completely falls apart, though. That is to be expected for phones in this price range, though. The HONOR 9A does not come with a dedicated night mode, unfortunately. That mode would have helped at least a little bit. Ive taken a number of pictures inside and outside, during nighttime, with very little light available. You can see some samples down below. A lot of detail goes away in such images, while they have a lot of noise. They also turn out way too dark. This camera is not meant to be taking night photos, so if thats important to you, keep that in mind.

PIctures from the front-facing camera are a bit washed out, but theyre okay overall. I usually dont have high expectations for front-facing cameras, so to see a somewhat decent camera on the front on such a budget phone is well, good. All in all, the HONOR 9A is not a camera smartphone, and this is one of the main parts of the device where HONOR had to cut costs.

Camera samples (Flickr)

The HONOR 9A has a single speaker, and that speaker is good enough

The HONOR 9A comes with a single speaker, which is located at the bottom. Im just glad its not included on the back of the device, as it still is on many phones that belong in this price range. That single speaker gets plenty loud, to be quite honest. I was a bit surprised it gets that loud, though the clarity is not the best. It is a little bit muffled, but not the extent Ive expected. Ive seen so many speakers that are worse than this, and Ive expected it to be a lot worse. It is not, though, its perfectly usable, and not something that should prevent you from getting this phone.

What about audio through the headphones? Well, its not as bad as I thought it would be. You can get passable output via a solid pair of headphones, just dont expect it to be great. Manage your expectations, and youll be perfectly fine. Mids are really good here, though lows and highs are not the best. Still, if I dont nitpick, the audio output is perfectly fine, and not something you should worry about.

If you consider its price tag, the HONOR 9A is actually not bad

So, is this phone worth 150, which is how much it costs in a number of European countries? Well, yes, as long as you dont mind the fact it doesnt have Google services on it. The phone offers amazing battery life, its audio is not bad, and the build quality is solid. The phone also looks really nice, and as long as you dont need blazing fast performance, and great cameras this is a solid option.




Mohammad Shahed finally arrested by the police

Mohammad Shahed,42 has been arrested by the police after his hospital, Regent hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh issued thousands of fake coronavirus test results.

He was arrested on Wednesday, July 15, after a nine-day manhunt over allegations he issued fake certificates to patients saying they were virus-free without even testing them.

Police said he was apprehended while trying to flee to India in a burqa.

The 42-year-old was one of more than a dozen people detained by authorities in connection with the scam. A well-known doctor and her husband were also arrested by police and accused of issuing thousands of fake virus certificates at their Dhaka laboratory.

He was arrested from the bank of a border river as he was trying to flee to India. He was wearing a burqa, Rapid Action Battalion spokesman Colonel Ashique Billah told AFP.

His hospitals carried out 10,500 coronavirus tests, out of which 4,200 were genuine and the rest, 6,300 test reports, were given without conducting tests.

Shahed is also accused of charging for the certificates and COVID-19 treatments despite agreeing with the government that his hospitals in the capital Dhaka would provide free care.

His arrest comes a week after Italy suspended flights to Rome from Bangladesh after several passengers arriving from Dhaka tested positive for Covid-19.

According to Shakirul Islam of migrant rights group OKUP, some of those who tested positive in Italy were allegedly carrying negative coronavirus certificates from Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has reported over 193,000 cases and 2,457 deaths from Coronavirus so far.
MADISON, Wis. - Vice-President Mike Pence stepped up attacks on Joe Biden with an aggressive speech Friday in the birthplace of the Republican Party, casting the election in under four months as a choice between freedom and opportunity and socialism and decline.

Pence, drawing sharp contrasts between President Donald Trumps vision for the country and that of Biden and other Democrats, said the election will determine whether America remains America. ... or whether we leave for our children and grandchildren a country thats fundamentally transformed into something else.

Pences message in Wisconsin reflects a broader effort from Trumps reelection campaign and his allies to paint November in the starkest terms, and it highlights the core message the president appears to have settled on for the closing months of the campaign.

The speech delivered on the campus of Ripon College in battleground Wisconsin comes as polls show Trump trailing Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in a state that Trump won by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016. Winning Wisconsin is key to both Trump and Bidens plans for victory.

Biden, for his part, also frames November as a fundamental choice, with his campaigns paid advertising and daily arguments casting Trump as fundamentally unfit for the presidency. Biden points repeatedly to Trump downplaying the coronavirus pandemic and stoking racial tensions amid a national reckoning with police violence against Black Americans and centuries of systemic inequalities. Beyond Republicans usual framing of Democrats as tax-and-spend liberals, Pences attack on Biden Friday was pegged in part to the Democrats sweeping economic proposals, from making a government health insurance plan available to all working-age Americans to a $2 trillion plan to overhaul the nations energy grid and reduce the carbon pollution driving the climate crisis.

Pence said that if Biden wins the election, the country will spin into economic decline, be less safe and have open borders and taxpayer-funded abortions. He accused Biden of having a radical agenda that will transform this country into something utterly unrecognizable.

Pence said Trump, not Biden, supports law enforcement and will stand with African American families and all minorities to improve our quality of life in our cities and towns. He called a recent rise in shootings and murders in some major cities a frightening preview of Joe Bidens agenda in action.

The hard truth is you wont be safe in Joe Bidens America, Pence said.

Pence said Biden had aligned himself with socialist Bernie Sanders and the radical left wing of the Democrat Party.

Pence referenced Ripons place in history as the birthplace of the Republican Party, while invoking former Republican presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan in attacking Biden as someone who supports socialist agendas like the one of former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

Their agenda is based on government control, our agenda is based on freedom, Pence said of Democrats.

Ripon is home to the  Little White Schoolhouse,  a national historic landmark that was build in 1850 and is recognized as the birthplace of the Republican Party. It hosted the first meeting of three existing political parties that formed the Republican Party.

Pence cast Trumps record before the coronavirus pandemic crippled the economy as an extraordinary three years of progress and renewal. He said Biden would crush the economy with new clean energy regulations, move toward socialized medicine, open the borders, have taxpayer-funded abortions and work against school choice.

Biden spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield countered that Trumps economic policies have harmed Wisconsin at every turn and that Pence glossed over Trumps economic record, both before the pandemic and since. As for casting Biden as a radical, Bedingfield was incredulous.

Thats a ludicrous argument, and I think they will have a very hard time getting that to stick to Joe Biden, she said, pointing to the candidates long record of making deals as a senator and as vice-president. The Pence visit came as COVID-19 cases were spiking in Wisconsin. Only about 50 people were allowed into the room where he spoke, with chairs set up so they would be at a distance. They had temperature checks before entering and were given a squirt of hand sanitizer. Ripon College policies require everyone in a campus building to have on a mask, and those who attended the speech complied.

Pence wore a mask when he entered the room but removed it for his speech.

Pence also toured a dairy farm in western Wisconsin outside of La Crosse and participated in a roundtable discussion with farmers to discuss the new trade deal that took effect this month. Trump won that congressional district by 4.5 points in 2016.

___

Associated Press reporter Bill Barrow contributed from Atlanta.

___

Follow Scott Bauer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sbauerAP
U.S. soldiers perform a ceremony to repatriate a set of an American soldier remains home in Hanoi on July 16, 2020. Photo courtesy of Vietnam's Ministry of Defense.

The remains of an American solider lost during the Vietnam War was ceremonially repatriated Thursday at the US MIA (missing-in-action) Office in Hanoi.

Representatives from the Board of Directors of Vietnamese Office for Seeking Missing Personnel (VNOSMP) handed over to the U.S. the remains recovered during a joint field activity from May 5 to June 23 this year, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi stated.

Vietnamese forensic specialists initially concluded the remains to be associated with a U.S. serviceman gone missing during the Vietnam War before transferral to the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's laboratory in Hawaii for further tests.

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink, who attended the ceremony, vowed to continue supporting Vietnam in searching and gathering the remains of Vietnamese soldiers missing in actions in addressing the consequences of war.

The search for the remains of U.S. servicemen lost during the Vietnam War involves humanitarian cooperation between the Vietnamese and American governments. This is the 153rd handover of American remains since 1973.

Vietnam and the U.S. mark 25 years of normalization of diplomatic relationships this year. The countries have worked together on MIA soldiers for over 30 years, serving as one of the major pillars in bilateral ties.

So far, American and Vietnamese investigators, excavators and scientists have participated in over 130 joint operations, locating the remains of 770 American soldiers.

There are an estimated 1,200 Americans still unaccounted for in Vietnam since the war.

Last week, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced it would fund and assist Vietnam in improving its technical ability to identify the remains of soldiers found in its soil under an agreement signed with VNOSMP.
(Newser)  "Hey, Karen. Watch your mouth." That was the message Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot sent to White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany on Thursday, following McEnany's mention of Lightfoot during a press briefing. McEnany had referred to "the derelict mayor of Chicago" while speaking on gun violence, per the Chicago Tribune. McEnany was initially asked about President Trump's level of focus on the ongoing pandemic. "There are other things the president has to focus on: namely, Democrat cities not controlling their streets; namely, the mayor of Chicagopeople dying  on the streets of her city every weekend," she said. Later, in response to a question about Trump's comment that "more white people are killed" by police than black people, McEnany again referred to Lightfoot.

story continues below

"I've listed for you the names of these kids who have died across this country," McEnany said in part, referring to her mention the week before of six children killed by gun violence in Chicago. "It is unacceptable, and under this president, he'll take action," she continued. "And the derelict mayor of Chicago should step up and ask for federal help because shes doing a very poor job at securing her streets." Lightfoot's response came in a Thursday tweet. Days earlierafter Trump compared Chicago to Afghanistan, per the TribuneLightfoot accused the president of not doing enough to stop the flow of illegal guns. "If the president was really committed to helping us deal with our violence, he would do some easy things" like endorse universal background checks and an assault weapons ban, she said. (Read more Kayleigh McEnany stories.)
She co-hosted the popular Channel Nine game show Sale of the Century in the mid '90s alongside Glenn Ridge.

And Nicky Buckley looked remarkably youthful during an appearance on the Today show on Friday, as she celebrated 40 years since the program first went to air.

The 54-year-old proved she hasn't aged a day, showing off her radiant, line-free visage.

Ageless! Sale of the Century star Nicky Buckley (pictured), 54, looked remarkably youthful during on Friday's the Today show - as she celebrates 40 years since the show first debuted

Nicky appeared on screen from her home in Victoria's Surf Coast Shire.

She drew attention to her delicate decolletage in an off-the-shoulder white number, and her signature blonde locks were styled out in soft waves.

Most eye-catching, however, was Nicky's blemish and line-free visage, which was enhanced with an elegant makeup palette.

While on the Today show, the TV personality reflected on having caused a stir when she appeared pregnant on Sale of the Century back in 1997.

What's her secret? Nicky co-hosted the Channel Nine game show in the mid '90s alongside Glenn Ridge

Youthful: Nicky appeared on screen from her home in Victoria's Surf Coast Shire. She drew attention to her delicate decolletage in an off-the-shoulder white number, and her signature blonde locks were styled out in soft waves

Nicky continued to wear the sexy, figure-hugging gowns her job required of her, shocking TV audiences by refusing to wear maternity clothing.

The ageless beauty told Today co-hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon that she never set out to 'create a stir'.

'Honestly I was a working woman who had a mortgage. I didn't see why I couldn't work when I was pregnant when everyone else could if they had a desk job,' she said.

In 2015, Nicky told Daily Mail Australia just how bad the criticism was.

'I was told I jammed fax machines at Channel 9 and newspapers - with faxes coming in from people commenting negatively,' she said.

Creating a stir: While on the Today show, the TV personality reflected on having caused a stir when she appeared pregnant on Sale of the Century back in 1997

'At the time there wasn't any maternity wear except kaftans which covered you from head to toe, hiding your boobs and bump.'

With no adequate maternity wear available, Nicky just went up a size from her usual attire and got on with things.

'I wasn't out to raise the flag or cause a stir, I simply wanted to work  as was my right. Yet in doing so people had other opinions and thought I shouldn't be seen publicly with a bump,' she said.

Criticism: Nicky continued to wear the sexy, figure-hugging gowns her job required of her, shocking TV audiences by refusing to wear maternity clothing

'I had a mortgage, people tend to forget and put you in a bubble. But I still had a mortgage and do you think I should just stop and be taken off the air?'

'I needed to pay the bills and I was happy with what's going on,' Nicky continued.

'Looking back I'm proud of how strong I was. I can't push the point hard enough, I was steadfast and strong, I was going to work and do my job.'
Leaving Shamima Begum and other former Isis members in Syria could be more dangerous than allowing them to return to Britain, the government has been warned.

Officials are fighting a court ruling that Begum, who left the UK when she was 15, should be allowed back into the country for a legal battle over the removal of her British citizenship.

The same power of citizenship removal has been used against dozens of British jihadis who joined Isis, including several who are currently in the custody of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Maya Foa, director of the legal charity Reprieve, said the current situation was untenable.

Britain is putting its head in the sand about the safety and security concerns of a large number of British children, as well as the prospect of justice for the adults, she told The Independent.

It was the former director of MI6 who said leaving them there is more dangerous to British national security than bringing them there, and its obvious to see why.

You have unstable camps, held by a non-state actor in a pretty fractious region where we know there have been escapes. They could very well be back on battlefields. Thats not a good option from a security perspective.

Kurdish officials have repeatedly called for nations to repatriate foreign fighters and warned that they could not guarantee the security of prisons and detention camps after the Turkish-led invasion of northern Syria in October.

Some MPs have raised similar concerns, including a former Conservative defence minister.

Tobias Ellwood accused the government of walking away after joining the US-led coalition to bomb Isis territories.

Tens of thousands of hardline fighters and families are held by a militia we trained  now under siege from Turkey, he wrote on Twitter. Daesh is escaping, regrouping and will attack the West again.

Timeline of the Isis caliphate Show all 19 1 /19 Timeline of the Isis caliphate Timeline of the Isis caliphate ISIS began as a group by the merging of extremist organisations ISI and al-Nusra in 2013. Following clashes, Syrian rebels captured the ISIS headquarters in Aleppo in January 2014 (pictured) AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi declared the creation of a caliphate in Mosul on 27 June 2014 Timeline of the Isis caliphate Isis conquered the Kurdish towns of Sinjar and Zumar in August 2014, forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes. Pictured are a group of Yazidi Kurds who have fled Rex Timeline of the Isis caliphate On September 2 2014 Isis released a video depicting the beheading of US journalist Steven Sotloff. On September 13 they released another video showing the execution of British aid worker David Haines Timeline of the Isis caliphate The US launched its first airstrikes against Isis in Syria on 23 September 2014. Here Lt Gen William C Mayville Jnr speaks about the bombing campaign in the wake of the first strikes Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Isis militants sit atop a hill planted with their flag in the Syrian town of Kobani on 6 October 2014. They had been advancing on Kobani since mid-September and by now was in control of the citys entrance and exit points AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Residents of the border village of Alizar keep guard day and night as they wait in fear of mortar fire from Isis who have occupied the nearby city of Kobani Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Smoke rises following a US airstrike on Kobani, 28 October 2014 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate YPG fighters raise a flag as they reclaim Kobani on 26 January 2015 VOA Timeline of the Isis caliphate Isis seized the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra on 20 May 2015. This image show the city from above days after its capture by Isis Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Kurdish forces are stationed on a hill above the town of Sinjar as smoke rises following US airstrikes on 12 November 2015 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Kurdish forces enter Sinjar after seizing it from Isis control on 13 November 2015 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Iraqi government forces make the victory sign as they retake the city of Fallujah from ISIS on 26 June 2016 Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Iraqi forces battle with Isis for the city of Mosul on 30 June 2017 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Members of the Iraqi federal police raise flags in Mosul on 8 July 2017. On the following day, Iraqi prime minister Haider Al Abadi declares victory over Isis in Mosul Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Members of Syrian Democratic Forces celebrate in Al-Naim square after taking back the city of Raqqa from Isis. US-backed Syrian forces declare victory over Isis in Raqqa on 20 October 2017 after a four-month long campaign Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Female fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces celebrate in Al-Naim Square after taking back the city of Raqqa from Isis. US-backed Syrian forces declare victory over Isis in Raqqa on 20 October 2017 after a four-month long campaign AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Trucks full of women and children arrive from the last Isis-held areas in Deir ez-Zor, Syria in January 2019 They were among the last civilians to be living in the ISIS caliphate, by this time reduced to just two small villages in Syrias Deir ez-Zor Richard Hall/The Independent Timeline of the Isis caliphate Zikia Ibrahim, 28, with her two-year-old son and 8-month-old daughter, after fleeing the Isis caliphate, on Saturday 26 January 2019 Richard Hall/The Independent

Mr Ellwood previously told The Independent the detention of thousands of jihadis and their families in Syria was creating conditions for an Isis resurgence.

Well see Daesh 2.0, he warned. Well see a repeat of al-Qaeda regrouping and becoming a very real threat, and that threat wont just pose itself in the Middle East, but also to Britain.

In 2016, a report commissioned by the UK government concluded that removing extremists citizenship may be an ineffective and counter-productive weapon against terrorism.

The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, then Lord Anderson, was asked to review changes to the law that allowed the home secretary to strip naturalised British citizens of their nationality, even where they would be made stateless.

His report said: A citizenship deprivation power has been characterised as an ineffective and counter-productive weapon against terrorism.

It quoted research by academics in Canada saying it amounted to a policy of catch and release, setting up todays convicts as tomorrows foreign fighters and exporting them to places where they can do more damage because they cannot be monitored.

The academics warned in 2016 that citizenship deprivations encouraged the dangerous delusion that terrorism is (or can be made into) a foreign threat and problem.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said Begum and others should face the music in Britain.

I think if a British citizen commits an offence here or overseas they should face justice in the criminal courts, he added. And if [Begum] has committed a criminal offence Im sure the jury will find her guilty, and justice will be served.

The Court of Appeals judgment has been stayed pending an appeal by the home secretary, meaning that Begum cannot currently gain leave to enter the UK.

Lord Justice Flaux said she could only have a fair and effective appeal against citizenship deprivation in Britain, because of an inability to communicate with lawyers from the SDF camp where she is being held.

But the judge added that the ruling did not prevent Begum being arrested upon arrival in the UK and charged with terror offences, or made subject to a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures order.

Al-Hol camp in al-Hasakeh governorate in northeastern Syria, where Begum was previously held (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images)

Sajid Javid, who as home secretary stripped Begum and other Isis members from the UK of their British citizenship, said difficult decisions had to be made.

Limitations in UK law mean there would only be a small chance of significant prosecution for crimes committed in a foreign warzone, he added.

Richard Walton, the former head of Scotland Yards counter-terror command, said Begums return would present a very real challenge for police.

She would likely be arrested and charged with terrorism offences but the evidence against her could be weak, owing to the difficulties of obtaining and seizing evidence in warzones, he added.

If released, she would present an ongoing threat and would need to be subject to rigorous monitoring costing the state hundreds of thousands of pounds over months and years.

But Ms Foa accused the government of abdicating responsibility for Begum and other Isis members, who were born, raised and radicalised in the UK.

She said: Its better to have a justice system that works effectively and to understand and prevent this from happening.
Experts from Petrozavodsk State University found out that mostly foreign migrants from Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan move to Arctic regions. The university's professor Maria Pitukhina, assistant professor in politics, spoke about this at the meeting of a discussion club on The Arctic Labor Market after the Pandemic organized by the Project Office for the Development of the Arctic and the Agency for Human Capital Development in the Russian Far East and Arctic.

Experts studied four Russian Arctic regions: the Republic of Karelia, Murmansk Region, Chukotka Autonomous Area and Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Surveys among foreign labor migrants and receiving population were carried out in each region.

"Surveys are carried out with the help of migration centers that issue licenses. A migrant has to fill out a survey before getting a license. Different surveys were also developed for the receiving population that lives in the Arctic," Maria Pitukhina noted.

According to the received data, there are several countries from where people come to the Russian Arctic. In particular, Ukrainians come to work in Chukotka more often than others, Kyrgyz to Yakutia, and Tajiks and Uzbeks almost equally to the Republic of Karelia and the Murmansk Region.

"An Arctic migrant's profile looks like this: a man with secondary vocational education. Older migrants go to Chukotka and the Republic of Karelia, while younger ones go to Yakutia and the Murmansk Region. About 90 percent of migrants earn 20,000-40,000 rubles," Maria Pitukhina said. She added that most foreign labor migrants were satisfied with the working conditions in the Arctic. The highest rate was recorded in Chukotka.

"Migrants who come to the Chukotka Autonomous Area get jobs in the production and distribution of electricity, gas and water. Migrants in Yakutia mostly work in the wholesale and retail trade. In Karelia, migrants work in the construction sector, and in Murmansk, in construction and restaurants," she added.

Maria Pitukhina also noted that the research of the foreign labor migration in the Arctic had been going on for several years with support from the Presidential Grants Foundation and were important for the northern regions, because the increase in the coefficient of migration growth by 2035 was among indicators of the development strategy for the Russian Arctic zone.
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OTTAWAIt started quietly, as most things in Ottawa do.

Months before Justin Trudeau announced WE Charity would receive $19.5 million to run a pandemic volunteer corps, the idea of WEs involvement with Canadas COVID-19 response was already floating around the prime ministers inner circle.

In early April, when the country was still coming to grips with the scale of devastation from the coronavirus, WE made an unsolicited pitch to multiple senior officials and ministers in Trudeaus cabinet to run a social entrepreneurship program for Canadian youth.

Only one minister has been publicly named as having received the proposal  Mary Ng, the minister for small business and a close associate of Trudeaus inner circle, especially chief of staff Katie Telford.

The organization wanted to help young people during the pandemic, and the Trudeau government was under pressure on that front  youth employment opportunities were drying up in the face of a summer lockdown.

WE was facing pressures of its own. Like many Canadian charities, the organization had seen donations dry up. Physical distancing rules meant its massive WE Day fundraisers headlined by celebrities were impossible, at least for the foreseeable future.

As WE made its pitch to cabinet ministers, public servants in the Employment and Social Development Department were frantically trying to arrange supports for students and young Canadians. According to Rachel Wernick, a senior official, she had just weeks to put together a new volunteer grant program that would funnel federal money to young people in exchange for serving their communities.

When Wernick called WE co-founder Craig Kielburger on April 19 to discuss the program, WE saw an opportunity. When Trudeau announced the $900-million Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) program three days later, the charity had its pitch ready.

There are outstanding questions about how WEs revamped April 22 pitch for the CSSG worked its way through the bureaucracy and the Liberal cabinet before June 25, when the Star broke the news that WE was selected to run the program.

What is well known is what came after. The proposal immediately raised questions due to the Trudeau familys connections to the charity. The prime minister himself had appeared at WE-hosted events. His wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, is known as an ambassador and ally of the charity and hosted a podcast under its banner.

But on July 9, financial ties between Trudeaus family and the charity emerged, with Trudeaus mother, Margaret, and brother, Alexandre, having received a total of $282,000 for speaking at WE events between 2016 and 2020.

A day later, the website Canadaland revealed Finance Minister Bill Morneaus daughter is employed by the charity.

Both Trudeau and Morneau participated in the cabinets discussion and decision to award the contract to WE, and now both face ethics probes into potential conflicts of interest. As the political heat intensified, WE and the Trudeau government mutually agreed to nix their partnership.

The opposition parties smelled blood in the water. The Conservatives are calling for a police investigation into possible breach of trust, and have painted the arrangement as Trudeau once again helping friends in the rarefied realm of celebrity, business and philanthropy.

Liberal sources have rejected the charge that Trudeau is close with Marc and Craig Kielburger, the founders of WE (formerly known as Free the Children).

Theyre not friends in any shape or form. But theres an obvious overlap to what Free the Children and WEs mission statement was and (Trudeaus) interests both as a public figure, a political leader, and as a private citizen, said one source close to the prime minister, who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Its not a surprise that their paths crossed many times.

Ethics commissioner Mario Dion  and multiple parliamentary inquiries into the deal  will no doubt shed more light on what happened between April 22 and June 25.

But a close examination of what is known so far presents a partial timeline of how WEs proposal made its way through the public service, landed in front of the Liberal cabinet, and eventually transformed a program meant to help students give back to their communities into a full-blown scandal for both the Liberal government and the charity.

It was Rachel Wernick, a senior official at Employment and Social Development Canada, who ultimately recommended WE run the Canada Student Service Grant program.

Wernick told the House of Commons finance committee on Thursday that her department was under incredible pressure in April, when she was tasked with coming up with how the service grant should work. It was at the height of pandemic fears, and the department was overwhelmed, pushing out other emergency supports for Canadians. The government lacked capacity to directly deliver the student program.

In early discussions with Department of Finance officials, WEs name came up. Wernick testified that she volunteered to call Craig Kielburger, with whom she had worked before, to discuss the broad strokes of the volunteer program. That call took place on April 19.

On April 22, Trudeau announced a $9-billion aid package for students and young Canadians, including the $900-million CSSG program. Wernick testified that she received a proposal from Kielburger that day, outlining how WE would run the program.

They were an obvious option as the largest youth service charity in Canada, with high technological capacity and a Facebook following of four million youth. They had already provided several officials and ministers a proposal related to social entrepreneurship and indicated it could be adapted as needed, Wernick testified.

Given the need for speed and scale, I determined, with my team and colleagues, that (WEs) draft proposal was the best available option in the time we had to work with.

According to Wernick, she made the recommendation to go with WE, and her deputy minister forwarded the recommendation to cabinet in early May.

To be clear, the departments recommendation was that a contribution agreement with WE Charity to mobilize other not-for-profit partners was the best available option, given the requirement for speed, scope, scale and to reach a broad diversity of youth, Wernick testified.

Wernicks account largely lines up with the Liberal governments public explanations throughout the scandal  that the recommendation came from the public service. But what had not been previously disclosed, until Thursday nights meeting of the finance committee, was that WE had been pitching the government  including cabinet ministers  for weeks on pandemic programs.

WE did not immediately respond to questions on Friday.

On Friday afternoon, the Opposition Conservatives called on the federal lobbying watchdog to investigate WE and Craig Kielburger for failing to register as lobbyists.

(The lobbying) registry shows no registered lobbying activity by anyone acting on behalf of WE Charity, including Craig Kielburger, who Ms. Wernick named as having communicated with the government, wrote Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre to lobbying commissioner Nancy Belanger.

I am thus asking that you investigate whether anyone in the WE organization ought to have registered to lobby public office holders, but failed to do so which would be an infraction under  the Lobbying Act.

In early June, a government source told the Star that the government was close to finalizing the CSSG program  including what kind of volunteer work would count and the number of hours needed to qualify for various levels of grant money.

By June 25, the agreement had made its way through cabinet. WEs involvement was announced by Bardish Chagger, the minister of youth, diversity and inclusion, in an interview with the Star that day. The agreement, she said, would allow the charity to approve postings to an online portal for service opportunities  volunteer work for which Ottawa would pay post-secondary students and recent graduates up to $5,000 for at least 500 hours.

Just eight days later, the Liberal government backed away from WEs involvement in the program, which the public service will now administer.

WE Charity and its for-profit corporation, ME to WE, now finds itself in the midst of a political scandal that has had far-reaching consequences for the organization. The publicity has brought national media attention.

On Wednesday, WE announced it was launching an external review of its governance, and would refocus the organization on its original mission: international development work.

The Liberals now find themselves with a prime minister and finance minister both facing their third ethics investigations in four years, an opposition hungry for more revelations, and a news cycle focused more on the scandal than on the governments overall pandemic response, which has been largely supported by Canadians.

That sticks in the craw of some Liberals. One source said when the federal government is pushing out billions of dollars in emergency pandemic supports, more quickly than any government in modern history, issues are bound to be missed.

Mistakes, in other words, were made. But while the WE scandal started quietly, it certainly doesnt look likely to end that way.
Tyrese Devon Haspil, personal assistant to late Fahim Saleh, a tech entrepreneur, has been arrested over murder of the deceased. A...

Tyrese Devon Haspil, personal assistant to late Fahim Saleh, a tech entrepreneur, has been arrested over murder of the deceased.





According to the New York Times, Haspil, who was arrested in the early hours of Friday, is expected to be charged with second degree murder among other counts.





An official who spoke with the news outlet linked Salehs murder to the discovery that his assistant had stolen tens of thousands of dollars from him.





The source also said this was despite the fact that the deceased did not divulge his findings about Haspil and had even arranged a repayment plan for him to return the money.





The investigators said Saleh was murdered on Monday but his killer had returned to his apartment on Tuesday to clean up and dismember his body.





They added that the killer had used Salehs credit card to buy the materials needed to clean the scene of his death.





Autopsy results on Thursday showed he was stabbed multiple times before he breathed his last.





A video footage in his apartment taken hours before his death showed him walking into an elevator at about 1:40pm on Monday while the assailant followed  clad in a suit, tie, mask and clutching a bag.





A heated exchange had ensued between the two afterwards when Saleh discovered he was been accosted.





Sahel was found decapitated and dismembered in his $2.2 million Manhattan apartment, by his sister who had gone in search of him on Tuesday.





The 33-year-old tech entrepreneur, was until his death, the CEO of Gokada, a motorcycle-hailing company in Lagos, Nigeria.




A New Braunfels firefighter resigned during a recent investigation into hotel damage caused during a COVID-19 quarantine, city officials said Thursday.

Several firefighters were asked to quarantine in April after possibly being exposed to the virus during a medical emergency call. They chose the option to quarantine at a local hotel to avoid exposing family and friends.

At the hotel  where the firefighters were still considered on duty per city policy  they consumed alcohol and the hotel suffered water damage, according to City Manager Robert Camareno.

READ ALSO: 'Psych' star and San Antonio native explains decision to change name

"Specifically, the water damage resulted from an overflowing bathtub and it has since been determined to have been caused accidentally. The city reacted quickly by immediately working with the hotel to reach a solution regarding repairs to their facility and to address the conduct of city personnel," said Camareno in a statement.

The firefighter responsible for the damage to the hotel resigned before an investigation into the incident was completed. Three other firefighters received disciplinary action.

"The choices made by these firefighters are disappointing, but those actions should not reflect on the culture, professionalism, and commitment of the New Braunfels Fire Department or the City of New Braunfels," said Camareno.

"All matters in this incident have been resolved and no further action will be taken."

KENS5 reported that the water damage was caused when the firefighter drank alcohol, ran a bath, and fell asleep. The tub overflowed.

The city paid the hotel approximately $19,775 for repairs. An additional $10,000 was paid through the Texas Municipal League risk pool.
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From Ali Galadima, Bauchi

Following the herdsmen-farmers clash that claimed nine lives in Misau local government area of Bauchi State, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Bauchi State chapter, has blamed the suspended Caretaker Council Chairman Yaro Gwaram for escalating the crisis.

Speaking with journalists in an interview in his office, MACBAN Chairman in the state, Sadiq Ibrahim Ahmed, State Chairman, said that his association warned the suspended Chairman on several occasions but the warnings were ignored.

Ahmed described the clash as unfortunate incident

It has happened and we have been trying to prevent it long ago. We commiserate and condole with the people of Misau Local Government. What actually happened is a pity because it was like a deliberate act of the suspended Caretaker Chairman of the local government area who refused to listened to the advice of his subjects, he said.

MACBAN has tried all along to tell him (the suspended Caretaker Chairman) to understand that the land and the place in dispute has long been grazing area which had been allocated to farmers. It started when the anchor borrowers scheme started, some of them at the dry season farming thinking that when it comes to the raining season the Fulani nomads will now use it as a grazing land but unfortunately the last Chairman tried all he could do to prevent the crisis but his successor did not understand the issue at hand and he refused to adhere and listen to the complaints of the people who have been complaining.

The MACBAN in the state as a leading group of its members, we have on several occasions contacted the LG caretaker chairman and other stakeholders to ensure that peace is maintained even before this incidence happened. Just a week or two I cautioned the Chairman to be careful on allocating this area to other people but he turned deaf ears unfortunately he went to the area that day to give out the land to farmers and that was what happened

The MACBAN Chairman explained that the contentious land belongs to the cattle breeders who had been residing in the area for many years saying that allocating it to farmers was a serious issue.

This people have long been using this land and have stayed in that place for over a decade and collecting it and bringing in new people is a serious problem. They allocated large hectares of land to other people who are not farmers in the area. So the Fulani cannot go and stay on stone or outside Nigeria because there is a Care-taker chairman, so we cautioned him, he said.

Every land in Nigeria belongs to the government whether state or local; government and every Nigeria belongs to a local government which is the grassroots and if the local government wants to use it for the people in the community ,for everybody fine, it is a different thing but collecting it from the people who are indigenes of the state and allocating it to another group of people within the same locality is a serious issue and that is not acceptable in the Nigeria Constitution.

The suspended local government chairman was sentimental and bias and took sides by telling people who are indigenes of the local government who have been living in the area, people who have all privileges in the local government, people who have the right and other facilities to be allocated to them in that area, but he was trying to take over the land not to talk of allocating other government resources to them. So that was the problem
According to several reports, COVID-19 vaccine development, arguably the most valued research being conducted right now, has been targeted by Russian hackers.

Several US, UK and Canadian security agencies have blamed the recent cyber attack on trying to steal sensitive COVID-19 vaccine research on Russian spies.

AFP / Reuters

According to reports, organisations in the UK, US and Canada have reportedly been a victim of a targeted attack on COVID-19 vaccine research. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has said the hackers "almost certainly" were a "part of Russian intelligence services".

The agency did not specify names of the organisations targeted, or whether any COVID-19 vaccine research information had been stolen. It did, however, confirm that the vaccine research has not been hindered by the attack.

Russian spies attacking COVID-19 vaccine research

Representative Image

The NCSC has blamed the cyber attacks on a hacking group called APT29, a.k.a The Dukes or Cozy Bear. The security agency said that it is more than 95% certain that the group is part of the Russian intelligence services, highlights according to a report from The Verge.



The infamous Russian hacking group with ties to Russian spy network has been accused of such cyber attacks in the past. It was previously implicated to have hacked the US Democratic National Committee (DNC) during the US Presidential election in 2016.

The recent report accusing the group of the attack has been published jointly by several security services, including the UK's NCSC, the Canadian Communication Security Establishment (CSE) and has been agreed upon by the the US National Security Agency (NSA) as well as the United States Department of Homeland Securitys Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (DHS CISA).

The COVID-19 vaccine research stealing accusation is different from anything seen in the past, as such blames are usually specific in nature. That is why terms like state backed hackers are much more prominent. This time though, the NCSC report calls out the cyber espionage group as almost certainly part of the Russian intelligence services.

(Representative Image: Reuters)

"Throughout 2020, APT29 has targeted various organisations involved in Covid-19 vaccine development in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, highly likely with the intention of stealing information and intellectual property relating to the development and testing of COVID-19 vaccines," the report further said.



Russia denies involvement

Russia has denied any role in the cyber attacks, which comes as no surprise. Just earlier this week, Russia announced successful completion of phase I human trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, while not providing any medical information about the vaccine's chemical ingredients.

As per Tass news agency, Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Putin, said "We do not have information about who may have hacked into pharmaceutical companies and research centres in Great Britain. We can say one thing - Russia has nothing at all to do with these attempts."

How the alleged Russian cyber attack happened

In the report, the security agencies highlighted that the hackers exploited software flaws in vulnerable computer systems to gain access to critical research data. In addition, the hackers used malware called WellMess and WellMail to upload and download files from the infected machines.

Further extending the attempt, the hackers also conducted spear-phishing attacks through emails sent to individuals, in an attempt to gain login credentials directly through them.

(Representative Image: Reuters)

The report also highlights recommendations to help organisations protect themselves from such cyber-attacks in the future.



These are not the first of their kind cyber attacks on COVID-19 research. Similar attacks have previously been blamed on hackers from China by the US. As long as the vaccine holds its importance in the COVID-19 stricken world, such notorious attacks can be expected on organisations involved in making the vaccines.
Portland demonstrators reacted Thursday to a wave of national attention from President Donald Trump and his administration by once again amassing throughout the city to decry police violence against Black Americans.

Federal officers responded to one late-night demonstration downtown by using gas, smoke and impact munitions to press protesters away from two federal buildings. The confrontation between federal officers and protesters came hours after interim Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf arrived in Portland to meet with federal law enforcement officials.

Wolf had issued a statement condemning the actions of some protesters during the seven weeks of demonstrations in Portland and referring to them as lawless anarchists. Wolf said local and state elected leaders are failing to address the protests, which have continued for 50 straight nights since late May.

Two large crowds gathered Thursday night, east and west of the Willamette River.

About 200 protesters marched to an East Burnside precinct where police and sheriffs deputies work, the latest of many protests during the day. Officers blockaded entrances to the building, and several officers in riot gear stood posted outside. People chanted, Who do you protect? Who do you serve?

Around 10 p.m., police announced that they had heard some people chanting that they wanted to burn the building down and told peaceful protesters to leave. You are subject to arrest and use of force including crowd control munitions if you enter the property, police said over a loudspeaker.

A crowd of about 250 people remained and chanted, Quit your job, as songs by Beyonce and Ice Cube played. Ice Cube had tweeted earlier Thursday about the federal police presence in Portland, labeling it the Invasion of the Body Snatchers, in response to an article about federal arrests by Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Protesters brought plastic lids lined with tin foil and held them up to shield themselves and reflect light back toward officers gathered at the building. Some people in the crowd also shined flashlights or lasers toward police.

A boisterous but nonviolent crowd continued to confront police past 11 p.m. The crowd had grown to 300 people and a pair of support vans, one supplying snacks and one providing medical care.

The eastside protest had diverted some police attention from downtown, where a sparse number of protesters had gathered as of 9 p.m. outside the federal courthouse and county jail. The two buildings have been at the center of nightly protests, and federal officers in recent weeks have used impact weapons and tear gas on protesters outside the courthouse.

The crowd downtown eventually started growing late Thursday, including outside a federal office building next to the jail. By 11:15 p.m., more than one dozen officers, wearing either blue or camouflage uniforms, were posted near the entrance of the building at Southwest Third Avenue and Madison Street. Two dozen more officers soon streamed out of the building to join them.

Several dozen protesters stood on the sidewalk and street near officers. Officers shot some type of less-than-lethal projectiles to break up the crowd around 11:25 p.m. It was not clear what precipitated officers actions.

Officers then pressed toward the crowd, shooting impact munitions and setting off devices that emit gas and smoke to force people to keep walking north on Third Avenue past the jail and then past the courthouse. Other officers in camouflage assembled on nearby Madison Street. As they pressed the crowd away from the buildings, the officers in camouflage walked beyond federal property and onto city streets.

Officers eventually formed a line on Third Avenue at Salmon Street, near the north end of the courthouse. Crowds of people gathered nearby on the other side of Salmon. Protesters pressed toward officers, and officers again set off devices that made loud noises and released gas, smoke and flashes.

Around midnight, most federal officers wearing camouflage appeared to have retreated, and their efforts to quell the protests seemed to have ceased. Smoke wafted through the air. Some people called for volunteer medics to help injured people.

The crowd reconvened near Salmon and Fourth Avenue, where a section of chain-link fencing near a recently-closed city park sat open. Several protesters started to dismantle more of the fencing, then move the fence to block off parts of the street.

By 12:30 a.m., some protesters had made their way back near the buildings that they had been forced to leave an hour earlier. Many people eventually gathered near a bonfire inside a stone planter on Main Street. Officers stayed mostly away, at least until 1 a.m. A thinned-out crowd of several dozen people remained in the area.

Across town, officers outside the Portland police and Multnomah County Sheriffs precinct on Burnside had dispersed protesters away from that building, livestream videos showed.

Authorities declared an unlawful assembly at 11:45 p.m. because several people in the crowd were throwing items and pointing lasers at officers, Portland police said.

Video footage appeared to show officers detaining several people shortly before midnight. People remained near the building; then police pressed them away again.

Twenty people were ultimately jailed after being arrested by Portland police.

Among them was Andrew Jankowski, a freelance journalist who was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center early Friday and has since been released. Jail records say Jankowski, whos accused of disorderly conduct and interfering with an officer, was arrested by Portland police East Precinct personnel.

Video of his arrest was captured by Nicholas Lee, who posted footage to Twitter.

Jankowski, speaking to someone off camera, spelled his last name aloud while being led to a police car. Jankowski was later asked if hes a member of the press, and he responded affirmatively. Jankowski also said he had a press pass on his chest.

Lees video said the incident took place shortly before 1 a.m. Friday.

The arrest came hours after journalists and legal observers who report about the demonstrations learned that a preliminary injunction would be extended to Oct. 30, barring police from arresting, threatening to arrest, or using physical force directed against them for not leaving when an unlawful assembly is declared.

The specific impetus for Jankowskis arrest wasnt immediately clear. Portland police have not responded to a request for information or comment about the arrest.

Thursdays demonstrations came as elected leaders, including Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, called on federal officers to leave Portland.

Both said they had no plans to meet with Wolf while he was in the city, and Wheeler said he would decline if asked.

Brown called the deployment of federal officers blatant abuse of power by the federal government.

This political theater from President Trump has nothing to do with public safety, she said. The President is failing to lead this nation.

Wolfs comments  and the accompanying national attention  landed at a time when tensions were already high. Portland Police cleared two downtown city parks across the street from the federal courthouse and county jail early Thursday morning. The parks had become a gathering spot for nightly protests.

Mark Ross, a spokesperson for Portland Parks and Recreation, said the parks were temporarily shuttered under a section of city code pertaining to emergency park closures to conduct necessary repairs and maintenance.

Portland police said nine people were arrested during the sweep and booked into jail ranging from trespassing to interfering with police. In one arrest captured on video by a KATU reporter, an officer forcefully knocked a person off a bicycle, taking the person to the ground.

Many protesters regrouped later and to prepare for future demonstrations. About two dozen people brought cardboard, trash can lids and sheets of wood to Kenilworth Park in Southeast Portland Thursday afternoon to craft shields to protect protesters when police use force, such as impact munitions. In a scene resembling a picnic, people gathered in a shady tree-covered corner and chatted while duct-taping their handmade shields together.

Several demonstrations occurred Thursday evening, including a march organized by the Black Youth Movement from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Northeast Portland. Organizers said they wanted to call for more Black representation in schools.

Black Youth Movement is one of two groups that split off from Rose City Justice, an activist group that had led massive nightly marches for much of June. The other group is Fridays 4 Freedom.

Paige Pierce said that she decided to attend the march after hearing about the rally from social media and her friends.

"I just want to support my culture," Pierce said.

Hillary Le and Rina Alazas, two others who were getting ready to march, said they also wanted to come support the Black Youth Movement.

"What we can do as community members is to show up, and for this group especially," said Le, a research assistant at Oregon Health & Science University.

Alazas said that people need to be cautious and more critical of the medias presentation of Black Lives Matter protests, which are sometimes portrayed as violent and damaging to society.

She said that people who want to support the movement need to do so in more ways than one.

Show up with your body, show up with your money and show up with your voice, Alazas said.

Beth Nakamura, Jim Ryan, Dave Killen, Alex Hardgrave, Noelle Crombie and Everton Bailey Jr. of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.

-- Piper McDaniel; @piperamcdaniel

-- Ryan Nguyen; rnguyen@oregonian.com; @ryanjjnguyen
Most of the $52 million will go toward cleaning up the high levels of PCB contamination that remain in the Potomac and Anacostia rivers, plus dozens of small creeks and streams, Racines office said. The remainder will go toward legal fees and the Districts general fund budget, the attorney generals office said.




The US' internal divisions are intensifying, but American politicians have at least reached a high degree of consensus on one thing - to act tough against China.

The Financial Times on Wednesday published an opinion piece titled "America's eerie lack of debate about China." The US has the advantage of "raucousness of its public discourse," the article read, but "on the China question, it is troublingly civilized."

There seems to be a serious malfunction in the US democratic system. One advantage of the US democratic system is supposed to be the full debate of policies to avoid any extreme strategy. Pros and cons are carefully weighed. But this is not the case when it comes to the China question. Donald Trump and Joe Biden, the two 2020 presidential candidates, are fiercely competing on who is tougher on China. As the election approaches, American politicians' frequent and reckless criticism of China has reached an unprecedented level.

The US' China policy has deteriorated rapidly after Trump took office. Attacking China seems to be the only work that US politicians and senior officials engage in every day. Toughness against Beijing has already become political correctness in Washington. Such an extreme mind-set has almost hijacked the US, squeezing out the rational and objective voices toward China. The atmosphere of the US' China policy is distorted.

Such a distorted atmosphere has deprived US voters of their right to choose - after all, the US democratic system should have provided voters with a choice as the country claims. But the voters have to face two presidential candidates accusing the other of being weaker on China. The space for internal debates on the US' China policy is disappointingly shrinking.

US policy on China lacks debate, and some US politicians cannot even bear any rational voice. Isn't that a kind of tyranny? Every day, the White House would come up with some new policies targeting China, or sanctions against China. Yet, the US political system is unable to curb this vicious trend. Many Chinese scholars and students are purged by US authorities - including some Chinese Americans - under the sweeping anti-China strategy of Washington.

China hopes to build a win-win relationship with the US, but Washington rejects the idea. It is pursuing decoupling at the risk of bringing huge losses to both sides and great uncertainty to global strategic stability.

Such an extreme and abnormal mind-set has dragged China-US relations to the worst stage since the two countries established diplomatic relations. As a superpower, can the US only try to maintain its leading position through demonizing and suppressing its rivals? If the US cannot face China objectively and adopt a more inclusive mentality, US democratic system will hardly help the country avoid making the worst strategy. (Source: Global Times)




SPRINGFIELD  Illinois saw 37,626 new unemployment claims for the week ending July 11, a decrease of more than 1,000 from the previous week as continued claims numbered 663,399.

That represented a 0.7 percentage point decrease to the state unemployment rate, which was 14.6%, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. U.S. Department of Labor data shows there were 4,061 fewer continued claims for the week ending July 12 than there were the previous week.

Nonfarm payrolls added 142,800 jobs in June based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In a news release, state officials expressed optimism that the positive employment trends could continue and accelerate as the state tries to navigate a path toward virus mitigation and economic growth.

While unemployment is decreasing during the states measured reopening period from COVID-19 related shutdowns, the virus remains present, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker laid out actions this week that could be taken if there is a sustained increase in new cases.

On Thursday, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,257 new confirmed cases and 25 COVID-19-related deaths.

For now, virus positivity rates and hospitalizations for COVID-19 appear to have leveled near their pandemic lows.

There were 43,006 tests results reported in the previous 24 hours  a state high for a one-day period  which made for a one-day positivity rate of 2.9% and kept the seven-day rolling positivity rate at 3.1%.

As of Wednesday night, statewide hospitalization metrics remained near their pandemic lows. There were 1,434 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those, 311 patients were in intensive care units and 127 were on ventilators. Those all represented decreases from the day prior.

When the governor on Wednesday outlined a plan separating the state into 11 coronavirus mitigation regions  up from four in the initial reopening plan  he also took questions about continued difficulties callers face when trying to access IDES call centers.

He once again reiterated that those who are able to file an unemployment benefits application online should do so, and said that problems with unemployment systems are widespread throughout the U.S.

The governor also addressed the callback only system which was put in place to prevent long wait times and to allow applicants to dial a number, then wait to be called back by an IDES employee.

This is an enormous challenge. IDES, you know, was overwhelmed. There's just no doubt about it, he said, noting that the department has added 500 employees to call centers.  The challenge has been, even with additional people answering phones, that in order for them to deal with your specific case, they have to meet a federal requirement that is about 10 months of training. We haven't even been in this pandemic for  more than five months.

He said the state has been separating calls that require such expertise from ones that do not. Still, he said, due to the sheer volume of calls coming into the agency, it would be impossible to have enough people to be able to answer every call as it comes in, which is why the callback system was implemented.

According to IDES, the states unemployment rate was 3.5 percentage points higher than the national unemployment rate reported for June, which was 11.1%, down 2.2 percentage points from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was up 10.6 percentage points from a year ago when it was 4%.

While Pritzker said there is a lot of progress that needs to be made, he said new IDES Director Kristin Richards, who joined the department last week after serving as chief of staff for Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, and his predecessor, is already providing great ideas for us.

In her 18-year career in state government, Richards served two governors and two Senate presidents, overseeing several state agencies and state budget negotiations.

At a Thursday news conference in Rockford, the governor also took questions on the immediate future of K-12 education for the fall term in Illinois. He reiterated that masks and social distancing are required in any district, otherwise individual districts and schools will have leeway for developing plans.

He also warned, This fall is not going to be like any other fall from a school perspective that we've seen.

We've left it up to school districts to make these decisions because every one of them is different, their capability to do that is different, he said of the potential of opening schools early and having classes outside. What we want to make sure is that there are options here. So we put a lot of money this summer and, frankly, even in the spring to building up our E-learning resources.  It's not nearly as good as in-person.  I think the experts have determined that. But having options is hugely important, particularly in this very uncertain world of a novel coronavirus.

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.

Have you seen these missing children?
EBRD 20 million loan to Sparkasse Bank Makedonija for on-lending to local businesses

Helping the local economy overcome the coronavirus pandemic

EBRD steps up engagement under Solidarity Package

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a 20 million loan to Sparkasse Bank Makedonija for on-lending to local private businesses and corporates affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Less dependent on tourism than other countries in the Western Balkans, North Macedonias economy is strongly influenced by manufacturing and trade. New financing is vital to mitigate the current crisis and through Sparkasse Bank Makedonija the EBRD will be able to assist viable companies in need of support.

The EBRD has responded to the Covid-19 crisis swiftly with the launch of a Solidarity Package. The Bank expects the entirety of its investments of up to 21 billion in 2020-21 to be dedicated to the response to and the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Sparkasse Bank Makedonija was established in 1992 and is a longstanding partner of the EBRD. Now part of Steiermaerkische Sparkasse and Erste Bank Group, the bank has a market share in North Macedonia of more than 5.5 per cent in the corporate segment. Its strong local network in the country will make financing for small businesses more widely available.

Andi Aranitasi, EBRD Head of North Macedonia, said: We are proud to sign this agreement with Sparkasse Bank Makedonija today, our longstanding partner. The banks commitment to serve the private sector and its excellent outreach make it well placed to channel EBRD funds and provide help and liquidity to companies that are going through an unprecedented period of volatility. Providing financial help and liquidity to businesses during these difficult times is essential for supporting the entire economy of the country.

Gligor Bishev, CEO of Sparkasse Bank Makedonija, stated: Sparkasse Bank Makedonija is guided by the principles of socially responsible operations as part of the Steiermaerkische Sparkasse Group and in accordance with the measures adopted by the Ministry of Finance and the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, has developed measures and solutions to support long-term viable businesses that today are negatively affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. We will continue through our partnership and support from the EBRD to work together with our clients in order to make the greatest possible contribution to minimising the negative effects of the coronavirus in our country.

The EBRD is a major institutional investor in North Macedonia. To date, it has invested more than 2 billion in 133 projects in the country.
The Indian industry has a delayed recovery in comparison to other countries, but the FMCG sector has touched pre-COVID-19 level sales in June primarily helped by a rebound in rural consumption and sales from traditional channels, said data analytics firm Nielsen on Friday.

According to Nielsen, both urban and rural sales are growing but the recovery/sales from the undeveloped semi-urban/rural quarters are much faster and traditional trade channels as neighbourhood and Kirana stores have scored over modern trade outlets as retail outlets and hypermarkets.

Compared with other global markets such as China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, the industry in India has witnessed a delayed growth recovery due to extended lockdowns, said Nielsen President - South Asia Prasun Basu.

"Though it has taken three months, we are kind of coming back to the levels, which we had left behind at the end of last year and the beginning of this year Q1 period. If that was 100 in the index, then today we are at 98, which is almost recovered. Good news is that it is a clear recovery but a slowish recovery," said Basu.

The FMCG industry had a sharp decline in April .It started recovering in May ( 25 per cent decline ) and in June, it returned almost to pre-COVID-19 level, said the Nielsen report.

Nielsen is comparing the average sales data of December, January and February and from June. It has dropped March for the baseline comparison as according to Basu, it was the month when there was panic buying in the segment with lots of pantry uploading.

According to Nielsen Global Connect West Market Leader - South Asia Sameer Shukla, the growth recovery is led by rural and traditional channels.

"Rural is the major contributor toward that recovery. It's not that urban has not recovered as it had a higher dip in April and May and then gain. In rural, the dip was not that significant," he said.

Over baselines of 100 of December, January and February sales, rural has now recovered to 109, while the urban trade is 92, while the traditional trade has come to 101 as against 78 of the modern trade, which includes big format retailers.

Rural sales contribute to around 37 per cent of the total FMCG sales, Shukla added.

Interestingly, some segments as beauty have witnessed a sharp recovery in June.

"With the majority of people confined to their house, cosmetics and beauty categories were de-prioritised in the lockdown phase - categories like Deodorants, Hair Colour and Skin Care had witnessed a significant slowdown. These categories witnessed a sharp bounce back in June," said Nielsen.

Hygiene segments including products as toilet soaps, liquid toilet soaps and floor cleaners continue to be in the priority list of the shopper under the new normals post-COVID-19.

"These categories continue to command a higher share of wallet in the unlock phase and are firmly entrenched in the 'new normal' shopping basket," it said.

Besides, Nielsen has reported surge in immunity boosting products as chyawanprash and branded honey amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Nielsen, which had conducted a study during June 19 to 25, involving 1,725 respondents in 22 cities, found that safety and immunity will remain embedded in consumer behaviour for a long time and a very high proportion of consumers are planning to continue these measures for more than six months.

"This behaviour is corroborated by high and accelerated sales growth of evolved hygiene categories like liquid toilet soaps, and immunity-boosting categories like chyawanprash & branded honey," it said.

Moreover, the consumer is preferring home delivery over in-person visits to the neighbourhood or departmental stores, and are consciously minimising interactions through 'contactless' options.

"Two in every three respondents in the Nielsen study revealed apprehension of the vast majority for any form of long-distance travel in the next six months," it said.
If President Donald Trump wants to convince voters that he deserves a second term, he must spend the remainder of the campaign clearly explain
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - July 17, 2020) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged David Hu, the co-founder and chief investment officer of International Investment Group LLC (IIG), a former registered investment adviser, with fraud for his role in a $60 million Ponzi-like scheme.

The SEC's complaint, filed in federal district court in Manhattan, alleges that, from October 2013, Hu orchestrated multiple frauds on IIG's investment advisory clients. According to the complaint, Hu grossly overvalued the assets in IIG's flagship hedge fund, resulting in the fund paying inflated fees to IIG. In addition, through IIG, Hu allegedly sold at least $60 million in fake trade finance loans to other investors and used the proceeds to pay the redemption requests of earlier investors and other liabilities. The complaint alleges that Hu deceived IIG clients into purchasing these loans by directing others at IIG to create and provide to the clients fake loan documentation to substantiate the non-existent loans, including fake promissory notes and a forged credit agreement.

"As alleged, Hu's deception caused substantial losses to a retail mutual fund, and other funds IIG advised," said Sanjay Wadhwa, Senior Associate Director of the SEC's New York Regional Office. "The SEC remains committed to holding accountable individual wrongdoers who seek to take advantage of investors for personal gain, including when they employ elaborate means to cover up their fraud."

The complaint charges Hu with violating the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement, and civil penalties.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York today announced criminal charges against Hu.

The SEC previously charged IIG with fraud on Nov. 21, 2019, and revoked IIG's registration as an investment adviser on Nov. 26, 2019. On March 30, 2020, the SEC obtained a final judgment on consent that enjoins IIG from violating the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and requires IIG to pay more than $35 million in disgorgement and prejudgment interest.

The SEC's ongoing investigation is being conducted by Philip A. Fortino, Lindsay Moilanen, Diego Brucculeri, and Sheldon L. Pollock of the New York Regional Office and Osman Nawaz of the Complex Financial Instruments Unit, with assistance from Eli Bass of the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, and is being supervised by Mr. Wadhwa and Daniel Michael. The SEC's litigation is being handled by Mr. Fortino and Ms. Moilanen. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
French authorities are opening an investigation into accusations of complicity in acts of torture against the powerful crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, sources said Friday.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the case told AFP that a French investigating magistrate had been mandated to take on the probe, which will notably look at acts allegedly committed in the war in Yemen.

An initial investigation had been opened in October 2019 against the prince, who is known as MBZ, after two complaints were filed when he came to Paris on an official visit in November 2018.

MBZ  a close ally of Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman  is seen as one of the most influential leaders in the region and has also built a tight alliance with French President Emmanuel Macron.

UAE forces have joined Saudi Arabia in the hugely controversial conflict in Yemen where the UAE-Saudi coalition is battling Huthi rebels in a war activists feared is mired in rights violations.

Six Yemenis had filed a complaint with a judge specialising in crimes against humanity at in Paris.

My clients welcome the opening of this probe and have great hope in French justice, their lawyer Joseph Breham told AFP.

Their complaint focuses on alleged acts of torture committed in UAE-controlled detention centres on Yemeni territory.

It alleges that MBZ as commander in chief of UAE forces is likely to have provided the means and orders for these violations to be carried out.

Such accusations can be tried in France on the basis of universal jurisdiction which allows the courts to take on cases, even if the alleged crimes took place on foreign territory.

Yemens war has seen tens of thousands of people killed, an estimated four million displaced and 80 percent of the countrys 29 million people dependent on aid for survival.

The war between the Iran-backed Huthis and pro-government troops escalated in March 2015 when the coalition intervened against the rebels who control large parts of Yemen including the capital Sanaa.
Gandhinagar, July 17 : The total number of COVID-19 cases in Gujarat breached 46,000 mark, with 949 people testing positive on Friday, the state health department said.

Total number of cases in the state stood at 46,516.

As many as 17 persons with COVID-19 infection died across the state, taking the toll to 2,108, the department said.

Besides, 770 patients were discharged in the state on Friday, taking the recoveries to 32,944.

Gujarat has witnessed nearly 14,000 Covid cases detected in seventeen days of July, almost each day with a new record. With an average of almost 816 cases daily, the state has registered 13,873 positive cases during these seventeen days.

Surat, the new hotspot for coronavirus in the state is also witnessing each day with a higher count than that of the previous day. Registering nearly 25 per cent of Friday's positive cases, Surat saw 234 cases. While on the declining trend, Ahmedabad saw 184 cases coming up.

Ahmedabad was followed by Vadodara 77, Rajkot 58, Bharuch 47, Bhavnagar 44, Junagadh 33, Gandhinagar 32, Navsari 30, Kheda and Mahesana with 21 each, Valsad 17, Jamnagar 16, Dahod, Kutch and Patan with 15 each, Gir-Somnath and Surendranagar with 13 each, Sabarkantha 12, Banaskantha 11, Panchmahals 10, Anand 8, Morbi and Tapi with 5 each, Botad 4, Amreli and Mahisagar with 3 each, Chhota Udepur, Devbhumi Dwarka and Narmada with one positive case each.

After witnessing 10 to 12 deaths for a couple of days, once again 17 fatalities were reported on Friday, where five patients died each in Surat and Ahmedabad, 2 each in Rajkot in Bhavnagar and one patient each died in Gandhinagar, Patan and Vadodara due to COVID-19.

The total number of Covid deaths in Ahmedabad have reached 1,543. 243 have died in Surat, 57 in Vadodara, 37 in Gandhinagar, 24 in Aravalli, 20 in Patan, 16 in Panchmahals, 16 deaths each in Rajkot and Bhavnagar, 15 deaths in Banaskantha, 14 deaths each in Mahesana and Kheda, 13 deaths in Anand and 11 have died in Bharuch.

The death toll rate of Ahmedabad which used to be around 81 per cent of the total toll is gradually getting lower. On Friday, it has come down a bit to 73.19 per cent. Gujarat's mortality rate is 4.53 per cent, which has come down a bit, is still one of the higher in the country.

On Friday, the health authorities carried out the maximum number of RT-PCR tests carried out in 24 hours, 12,830. Till now the health authorities have conducted over 5 lakh tests, 5,12,000 RT-PCR tests in Gujarat.

Out of a total RT-PCR tests carried out in the state, 4,65,484, have been found negative.

There are 11,464 active cases, out of which the condition of 11,393 is stable, whereas 71 critical patients are still on ventilator.

Currently, there are over 3.7 lakh people quarantined in the state at 3,74,559, where 3,72,356 are home quarantined and 2,203 in government facilities.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The unconditional loyalty of animals towards their owners is not unknown. Dogs, for instance, are considered to be the most loyal towards humans and cases of abandoned or lost dogs finding their way back to their owners are many.

However, it turns out that dogs arent the only animals thirsty for love. This story of a homesick camel who trekked alone to find its former owners after being sold to another family more than a hundred miles away, has touched many hearts.

Bayan Nur Daily

According to Bayan Nur Daily, the animal was covered in scars and exhausted, having to trudge through sharp fences and busy highway, when it finally met its former owners.

The elderly camel had reportedly walked more than 62 miles alone in the desert when a herdsman spotted it and contacted its former owners.

After nearly nine months of separation, the camel met the people who previously owned it. The couple had sold the aged animal in October to a herdsman.

Also Read: Camel Hugs Caretaker Who Had Been Away From Its Herd For A Few Days

Bayan Nur Daily

But eight months after being purchased the camel ran away from its new keeper.

The couple was touched by the camel's loyalty. They decided to buy the camel back from the new owner. The parties agreed to use another camel for exchange.

Also Read: Camel Bites Man, Wife Bites Camel's Crotch, Camel Is Now On Antibiotics!

Bayan Nur Daily

The couple wrapped Hada, a traditional Mongolian ceremonial scarf, around the camel's neck making it a part of their family.

What do you think of the loyalty of this camel?
Citizens with residence in Serbia or Montenegro will no longer be authorised to enter the Grand Duchy as of Friday.

New temporary restrictions for third-country nationals will come into force on Friday 17 July, remaining in place until 15 September 2020.

The EU has updated the list of third countries whose residents are not affected by the temporary restrictions. Montenegro and Serbia have been removed from the list.

Third countries whose residents are still authorised to enter the territory are as follows:  Algeria

 Australia

 Canada

 China (subject to reciprocity at EU level)

 Georgia

 Japan

 Morocco

 New Zealand

 Rwanda

 South Korea

 Thailand

 Tunisia

 Uruguay

Citizens of the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom and the Schengen countries, as well as their family members, can enter freely into the territory of the European Union.

Find more info here
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A gigantic swarm of flying ants at least 50 miles wide which can be seen from space has shown up on the Met Office's weather radar today as Britons bask in 84F sunshine on one of the hottest days of the year.

Video posted by the Met Office shows a cloud of ants swarming off the south-east coast today as temperatures rocket and sun-seekers flock to the seaside today.

The plague of insects peppered the skies over Kent and Sussex during their 'nuptial flight', during which they mate - an event triggered by the mini-heatwave which has hit the nation.

The Met Office tweeted: 'It's not raining in London, Kent or Sussex, but our radar says otherwise...

'The radar is actually picking up a swarm of #flyingants across the southeast. During the summer ants can take to the skies in a mass emergence usually on warm, humid and windless days #flyingantday'.

Ants swarm together to raise the odds of pairs successfully mating and to deter predators at this vulnerable stage in the life cycle of their colonies.

Video posted by the Met Office shows a cloud of ants swarming off the south-east coast today as temperatures rocket and sun-seekers flock to the seaside today. The plague of insects peppered the skies over Kent and Sussex on their so-called 'nuptial flight', during which they mate - an event triggered by the mini-heatwave which has hit the nation

Sun-seekers flocking to the beach at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset today on a day of scorching hot sunshine

Pictured: Jola and her daughter Isla (one) and Rowan (three) enjoying the warm weather as they paddle in the Lymington River at Balmer Lawn in the New Forest, Hampshire today

Security guards are seen patrolling the busy beachfront on Bournemouth on Friday as temperatures soar across the UK

Britons are set to bask in 84F heat while temperatures soar and are set to make a perfect weekend before the rain is due to sweep in next week. Pictured: A woman enjoys the sun on Clapham Common

Sun-seekers enjoy the warm weather at Clapham Common today as temperatures across the country continue to rise

Two people enjoy the sizzling sun along the Putney embankment in London today as temperatures soar to 84F today

A gigantic swarm of flying ants 50 miles which can be seen from space has shown up on the Met Office's weather radar today as Britons bask in 84F sunshine on one of the hottest days of the year. Those looking to have a Friday-night barbecue in the south of England and Wales will be in luck as it is set to see the hottest temperatures

Why flying ants swarm Ants swarm in order to mate - travelling on a journey known as a 'dispersal' or a 'nuptial flight'. After being born from a queen ant and fed up by worker ants, sexually mature ants leave the nest to procreate. Swarming, a group activity, increases the odds of mating and gives strength in numbers, deterring predators. This behaviour is triggered by certain weather conditions - such as bright sunlight, high humidities, warm temperatures and calm winds. These conditions tend to happen around late Spring and early Summer, and can cause multiple colonies to swarm in a single area. Swarming at the same time increases the likelihood of finding a mate. Flying ants will gather together in clumps to mate on high structures - a phenomenon experts dub 'hilltopping'. After mating, around half the male ants die - having served their purpose. Meanwhile, the fertilised queen ants will fly around trying to find a good site to start a new colony. Different ant species prefer different environments for their nests - with some liking decaying wood and others cracks in pavements. When a nesting site is found, the queen breaks off her wings, never to fly again. Her wings muscles are converted into fuel to keep her going as she begins laying her eggs. Advertisement

The Royal Society of Biology is studying why this phenomenon occurs and are investigating what weather conditions encourage ants to fly.

'After four years of our flying ant survey, we have found that flying ant day isn't as predictable as we had at first thought,' the group said.

It comes as delighted sunbathers were seen flocking to Lyme Regis beach in Dorset while early-morning exercise enthusiasts took to Clapham Common to make the most of the high temperatures before they drop next week.

Met Office charts show temperatures of 72F in the south by Tuesday - though its long-range forecast shows any warmer weather will be 'short-lived' until at least mid August.

Flocks of children were seen taking to Lymington Sea Water Baths in Hampshire on Friday as it reopened for the first time during coronavirus lockdown.

The lido is the oldest and largest in the UK. Swimmers have to book a time slot online and numbers have been restricted to around 100 swimmers a day, 10 per cent of its usual capacity.

A band of rain will move from Scotland and Northern Ireland into the north of England later today but sunnier skies are set to follow.

Those looking to have a Friday-night barbecue in the south of England and Wales will be in luck as it is set to see the hottest temperatures.

Met Office Nicola Maxey that those in the southeast have a 'hot day to come' on Friday, with highs of 84F.

Ms Maxey said despite the highs today in the south, Scotland will be a mixture of 'sunny spells and showers', with temperatures set at about 18C.

'There will be showers throughout the weekend, most likely in Scotland and northern England.'

She said that while Friday is likely to see the hottest temperatures of the weekend, but Saturday will still be very warm at 82F.

Things will start to cool off on Sunday as a cold front pushes in from the north and sees temperatures drop to about 70F.

Rain may return tonight in central parts of the UK but it will be clearer in the north. The south of England is likely to stay dry and warm into tomorrow.

Wales, northern and central England will see more rain tomorrow while sunny skies are set to stay in the south.

Those in Scotland and Northern Ireland should expect showers with some sunny spells.

More rain will be spotted on Sunday all over the country but is likely to dry off and reveal some sunny skies afterwards.

Farmers have been making the most of the fine weather to harvest their bumper crop of lavender as the UK looks forward to a warm weekend.

Two people lie back on the deck chairs and soak up the sun on the beach in Margate, Kent, as mercury levels rise in the UK

One woman enjoys a book on Putney embankment as as temperatures rocket and sun-seekers flock to the seaside today.

Sun-seekers are enjoying the warm weather on the beach in Margate, Kent, as parts of the UK enjoy glorious sunshine today

People gather along the Putney embankment as the Met Office charts showed temperatures of 72F in the south by Tuesday

Two women read their books in the warm weather on the beach in Margate, Kent, ahead of the predicted warm weather across the south of England this weekend

Sun-seekers are enjoying the warm weather on the beach in Bournemouth, as parts of the UK enjoy glorious sunshine today

A speed boat passes the P&O crusie ship Arcadia which is anchored off the beach in Bournemouth today

A woman on the seafront in Margate, Kent today, as parts of the UK enjoy warm weather ahead of a scorching

People enjoying the fine weather on Putney embankment on a hot humid day in London. A mini heatwave is forecast to last all weekend with sweltering temperatures reaching 84F in parts of the UK

woman enjoys the warm weather by the beach in Margate, Kent, as parts of the UK enjoy warm weather today

A couple sunbathe at the beach in Dorset while the UK experiences extraordinarily high temperatures of up to 84F today

Two women are seen using their mobile phones as they enjoy glorious summer sunshine on Clapham Common today

A man sunbathes on Clapham Common as he listens to music on his phone ahead of a weekend of scorching weather

Two women chat and play with their phones as they sunbathe on Clapham Common today as temperatures hit 84F

Three women chat and sunbathe on Clapham Common in south London today as temperatures soar to 84F

A cold front is slowly sinking in, meaning patchy rain at times, despite the highs, before a drop in temperatures into next week. Pictured: A woman doing yoga on Clapham Common

Members of the public enjoy the sunshine on pedalos on the Serpentine in Hyde Park as temperatures soar to 84F

Finn Collingwood, 14, jumps into Lymington Sea Water Baths on Friday as the UK is set to see temperatures soar to 84F

And farmers have been making the most of the fine weather to harvest their bumper crop of lavender as the UK looks forward to a warm weekend. Pictured is a lavender field in Norfolk

Lymington Sea Water Baths is the oldest and largest lido in the UK, and have reopened to the general public today. Pictured are brothers James, 16, and Myles, 12

People visit the beach in Bournemouth as parts of the UK enjoy warm weather today

People enjoy the warm weather on the beach in Margate, Kent, as parts of the UK enjoy warm weather today

A woman is spotted rowing along the River Thames in Maidenhead, Berkshire, in the sunlight on Friday morning

A man is spotted taking a jog without any shoes on while basking in the sunlight on Clapham Common

One man rows along the River Thames by Putney embankment as hundreds continue to flock to the nation's outdoor spaces to enjoy the sun

Piera Annalise, 28, enjoys a day on the beach as she takes selfies along the Bournemouth coastline

Claire Piddington and her son Isaac, three, were spotted making sand castles on Bournemouth beach on Friday morning

Pictured are two women making the most of the glorious weather and taking to Clapham Common for a bit of exercise

***Have you seen any flying ants? *** Send us your pictures - pictures@dailymail.co.uk Advertisement

Growers at Norfolk Lavender near Hunstanton were out in their 100 acres of lavender fields as England looks set to see highs of 84F today.

Norfolk Lavender was founded in 1932 when three men and a boy planted 13,000 lavender plants on six acres of land in 18 days for a total of 15.

The purple lavender has been harvested every year since and the oil is distilled to make perfumes and cosmetics.

Norfolk Lavender now houses the national collection of more than 100 varieties.

Lavender was first introduced to Britain by the Romans and during medieval times it was grown in the monasteries for culinary and medicinal use.

During Tudor times its popularity increased and England was covered in acres of lavender fields.

The Victorians used the plant as perfume scent and for flavouring honeys, jams and custard.

Cosmetic companies such as Yardley later fuelled the growing trend by producing hundreds of gallons of lavender oil.

A woman is seen on a jog in the bright sunlight on Friday morning on Clapham Common

By World War One lavender had become the most common antiseptic and it was also used to disinfect hospital walls, but it slowly went out of fashion with scientific advancements.

Soon cheaper lavender was being imported from Provence and Britain's fertile lavender fields were gradually flattened to make way for new buildings.

Over the last decade lavender has seen a revival in England with more people using its essential oil to treat a wide range of conditions from migraines and skin complaints to stress, depression, tension and exhaustion.

***Have you seen any flying ants? Send us your pictures - pictures@dailymail.co.uk***
Researchers report that while magnesium and other multivalent metals show promise for high-density energy storage, but a number of obstacles remain. Photo: Getty Images

Lithium-ion batteries are recognized for their high energy density in everything from mobile phones to laptop computers and electric vehicles, but as the need for grid-scale energy storage and other applications becomes more pressing, researchers have sought less expensive and more readily available alternatives to lithium.

Batteries using more abundant multivalent metals could revolutionize energy storage. Researchers review the current state of multivalent metal-ion battery research and provide a roadmap for future work in Nature Energy, reporting that the top candidates  using magnesium, calcium, zinc and aluminum  all have great promise, but also steep challenges to meet practical demands.

In this review, we clarify the key strengths as well as common misconceptions of multivalent metal-based batteries, said Yan Yao, Cullen College of Engineering associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Houston and co-corresponding author of the paper. Multivalent metal-ion batteries are better viewed as alternative solutions for large-scale energy storage than as a direct competitor to lithium-based batteries in the race toward ever-rising energy density targets.

Researchers also examined the growth behavior of metal anodes. While magnesium is a promising material, Yao said it is important to note that it is not guaranteed to plate universally in dendrite-free morphology. It only does so in selected electrolyte solutions where there are no side reactions, the active metal surface is free of passivation, and the coulombic efficiency of magnesium platingstripping is close to unity, he said.

Yao is also a principal investigator with the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH (TcSUH).

Yanliang Leonard Liang, a research assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UH and co-first author, said the papers review of existing cathode materials also offers new insights. We also discuss design strategies to enable genuine multivalent metal-ion-based energy storage materials with competitive performance, he said.

Researchers key points include:

Concerns about the availability and cost of lithium have prompted interest in alternative battery technologies that use more abundant elements with the potential for higher energy density and enhanced safety. Prime candidates include magnesium, calcium, zinc and aluminum, all of which are known as multivalent metals, or metals with multiple valence electrons to give

These multivalent metal-ion batteries share many similarities in working principles with lithium-ion batteries, suggesting they could be swiftly adopted by industry

Previous assessments of the anticipated energy density of these batteries often considered only the multivalent metal anode  merely one of the two electrodes in a battery  which tends to reach misleading conclusions. The researchers have provided a reassessment of the energy density based on both anode and cathode, aiming to better position these batteries in the energy storage landscape

Direct use of metals as anodes is an important aspect for the safety and energy density promises of these batteries, but there are uncertainties surrounding the viability of these anodes

Electrolyte solutions and understanding of the associated interfacial phenomena are improving but still far from established

And finding good cathode materials requires considerations that are uncommon in traditional battery studies. The ion storage mechanism of multivalent battery cathodes is much more complicated than its lithium-ion counterpart. Misinterpretation of the cathode chemistry is surprisingly widespread in the literature as a result

The researchers also issued a list of recommendations to ensure future research is squarely directed at improving the batteries, including:

Gaining a better understanding of the growth behavior of the metal anodes, a critical step in realizing the purported safety promises over lithium-ion batteries

Practices to properly assess the compatibility of metal anodes with electrolyte solutions and the effectiveness of protection coatings

Procedures and techniques to correctly interpret the ion storage mechanism at the cathode

Approaches to design better cathode materials

A table comparing the state-of-the-art components  metal anode, electrolyte and cathode materials  for batteries based on each of the multivalent metal elements that could potentially replace lithium found that although some are further along than others, none of the options are ready for commercialization.

Yaos research group has focused on materials chemistry and design of magnesium and other multivalent metal batteries; he has published widely in top journals.

In addition to Yao and Liang, coauthors include co-first author Hui Dong of UH, and co-corresponding author Doron Aurbach of Bar-Ilan University in Ramat-Gan, Israel. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energys Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, as part of the Battery 500 Consortium under Contract DE-EE0008234.
The all-time high price of silver is Rs 75,000 a kg, recorded in April 2011.

Silver is fast catching up with the rally in the gold during this calendar year and, in fact, has outperformed the yellow metal since the start of this financial year.

In the Indian spot market, silver has turned most expensive since September 2013.

On the MCX, September futures of silver is trading above Rs 53,000 a kg.

In Mumbais Zaveri Bazar, the metal on Wednesday closed at Rs 52,195 a kg (Rs 840 costlier than Tuesday) - the highest in seven years.

The all-time high price of silver is Rs 75,000 a kg, recorded in April 2011.

With 3 per cent goods and service tax, the wholesale price of silver adds up to Rs 53,760.

Gold in the physical market price closed at Rs 49,053 per 10 gram.

In the international market, silver was trading at $19.30 an ounce and gold at $1,807.93 an ounce.

In India, the price of silver has increased 33.2 per cent since the beginning of April and 7.4 per cent only in July.

However, year-to-date, the price of gold has surged 25.5 per cent and silver is up 11.9 per cent.

In the April-June quarter, 2,100 tonne of silver was imported, matching the year-ago figure and almost double of that in the March quarter, according to a market expert.

The gold import was just a little over 10 tonne in the June quarter.

Gold had been giving good returns but silver remained laggard because of weakness in industrial economies.

More than half the silver output is for industrial purposes, led by the solar sector. Industrial commodities, such as base metals, have witnessed a sharp rally over the past three months and the price of silver has also started reflecting that upswing now.

The gold-to-silver ratio, which represents relative price movements between the two, was 134 last February, reflecting weakness in the white precious metal.

But now, it has improved to 93-94 and this figure is slated to reduce even further as silver gets stronger.

Ajay Kedia, director, Kedia Advisory, said: We have already seen the price of gold surging due to Covid-19 concerns and the threat of a recession.

"Silver has dual benefits - it has properties of bullion and also base metal.

"With global stimulus, which should help generate growth in industrial production and economic activities, silver will get support.

"Silver demand is closely tied to industrial production, accounting for 50 per cent of its demand.

Silver is also known as Poor Mans gold when interest in precious metals surges (as it is now). A lot of investors historically diversify part of their gold purchases with silver.

Silver can outperform gold because it is a smaller market and moderate relocation of investment into it can lead to a material price spike.

"A break above $20 can see prices moving towards $26 internationally, said Kedia.

The Silver Institute, a premier body for the silver industry, in its latest study published late last week, said: Retail and institutional inflows into silver ETPs (exchange-traded products) have been impressive this year.

"As of June 30, global holdings reached a fresh all-time high of 925 million ounce or 26,223 tonne, which is roughly 14 months of mine supply.



"ETP growth in the first half 2020 of 5,556 tonne comfortably surpassed the highest annual inflow of 4,224 tonne set in 2009.

"North American-listed funds accounted for some 90 per cent of ETP inflows since March.

Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters
University of Queensland vice-chancellor Peter Hj has written to students defending the university's commitment to free speech, while warning a "shift" in perception around its links to China "could have significant implications" for Australia's economy.

The lengthy email comes ahead of a 60 Minutes broadcast on the university's links to Beijing and the suspension of student activist Drew Pavlou, who has extensively criticised UQ's financial ties to China.

Outgoing University of Queensland vice-chancellor Peter Hoj.

In the letter, Professor Hj says freedom of speech is "of utmost importance" to the university.

"At UQ, we live and breathe an ongoing commitment to the protection and promotion of free speech every day," he writes.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to award compensation to paramilitary coronavirus warriors from the Bharat ke Veer funds. The 36 paramilitary personnel who lost their lives to Covid-19 will be paid additional Rs 15 lakh from the fund, DG CRPF AP Maheshwari confirmed to CNN-News18. "The soldiers who have sacrificed their lives because of coronavirus while working in hotspots are being taken care of. In the Bharat ke Veer fund, some arrangement have been made to give some extra amount to the corona warriors," Maheshwari said in an exclusive conversation.

The DG CRPF said the pandemic has proved to be a big challenge for the force which has lost 13 men to the disease. The virus also created operational challenges as more and more personnel had to be quarantined. "Because of the pandemic, in operations we had to pool in resources. Instead of reducing numbers, we sought help from nearby companies. We had to pool in resources from other units. Operations in Kashmir or in Bastar were such that we could not compromise on number of soldiers required," he said.

Maheshwari told News18 that coronavirus has permanently changed the living and mess arrangements of the forces on the ground. To maintain social distancing norms, additional spaces have been hired for stay of forces in operational areas. "State administration helped us in a big way. They provided additional tents where needed, MHA authorised DG to hire space where needed. Our food distribution, restrooms, everything was altered in consultation with states," he said.

So far, 7,267 paramilitary personnel have been infected by the virus. While recovery rate is rising, 86 fresh cases were reported from CRPF alone on Friday. The CRPF has lost 13 men to the virus, BSF 9, ITBP-3, CISF 9 and SSB 2.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

By Samir Ali  Trend:

The situation has been relatively calm in the direction of Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border since July 16 evening, resident of Aghdam village of Tovuz district Isa Aliyev told Trend.

There are no shootings now, Aliyev added. "It has been quiet since yesterday. We're all at home, no one has left anywhere, and we don't plan to. We stayed here in the 1990's, will stay until the end," Aliyev said.

The villagers are busy with their usual activities, he added.

For the last several days, the villages in Tovuz district of Azerbaijan underwent serious shelling from the Armenian armed forces, who violated the ceasefire regime yet again.

Starting from July 12 afternoon, the Armenian armed forces opened fire at the Azerbaijani positions by using artillery. Azerbaijan retaliated, silencing the opposing side, yet losing sergeant Vugar Sadigov and corporal Elshad Mammadov, who were killed repelling the attack. Another serviceman of Azerbaijan's army Khayyam Dashdemirov died from wounds, despite the doctors' efforts.

The tensions continued on the border, July 12 night. During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, vehicles, as well as killed Armenian servicemen on the territory of the Armenias military unit. Azerbaijani senior lieutenant Rashad Mahmudov was killed during the battles.

The battles continued on the night of July 13. Major General Polad Hashimov, Colonel Ilgar Mirzoyev, Major Namig Ahmadov, Major Anar Novruzov, Ensign Ilgar Zeynalli, Ensign Yashar Babayev and soldier Elchin Mustafazade became martyrs during the battles.

The battles continued on July 16, as one more serviceman of Azerbaijani army - Nazim Ismayilov was killed.

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.
HomeServe has started advertising for new customers again (Victoria Jones/PA)

HomeServe has said customers have continued to renew their policies as normal despite the pandemic ripping large chunks out of many other businesses.

The house repairs business said its membership business normally dips during the period April to mid-July, but did not do so more than usual this year.

Policy renewal and mid-term cancellation rates have continued in line with historic trends in this traditionally quieter period, with no impact from the Covid-19 pandemic, the company said in an update to shareholders on Friday.

It has now restarted efforts to get new customers on board, with good results from its advertising, the business said.

In May and June, the company bought four other businesses in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning space.

Acquisitions, which had been on pause, have restarted, and the company has a list of attractive targets.

The uptick in activity is as a result of more people being at home and deciding to perform home improvements, which is a trend that HomeServe is seeing across all its geographies Joe Brent, Liberum

The biggest buy of recent months gave it 38,000 new policy customers in Spain, HomeServe said.

It added: Customer acquisition marketing has now resumed, with initial small-scale campaigns producing better results than expected, notably in the UK and North America.

While government guidance only permitted emergency repairs during the lockdown, all claims are now being completed in each of HomeServes territories, and customer satisfaction is at record highs, reflecting strong service levels during the pandemic.

The business said it expects a solid performance during the current financial year, and will present its half-yearly results in the middle of November.

Joe Brent, an analyst at Liberum, said: Call traffic is at record highs at eLocal, although exact metrics have not been disclosed to compare versus the prior year, as HomeServe only acquired the business in November.

The uptick in activity is as a result of more people being at home and deciding to perform home improvements, which is a trend that HomeServe is seeing across all its geographies.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Tajikistan expresses concern about the aggravation of the situation and the armed incident on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, which led to the human casualties, the Tajik Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports.

We urge the parties to demonstrate maximum restraint to prevent further escalation of the difficult situation and adhere to the ceasefire, the Tajik Foreign Ministry said. We hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan will use the political and diplomatic methods again to resolve the emerging issues as soon as possible. We offer our deepest condolences to the families of the victims."
By Aisha Jabbarova

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has said that fresh Armenian attack on Azerbaijans Tovuz district on July 16, which targeted civilians, openly demonstrates Yerevans intention to commit new acts of aggression and to strengthen the effects of its aggressive policy by use of force.

The ministry said that Armenian forces fired at civilian infrastructure from large-caliber small arms and artillery in Azerbaijans Aghdam, Dondar Gushchu and Vahidli villages on July 16. A soldier of the Azerbaijan army was killed during the attack.

Armenia grossly violates the norms and principles of the international law, including the international humanitarian law, the ministry said.

The Armenian leadership, which is trying to strengthen its aggressive foreign policy and divert the attention of the international community from its responsibility for the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and to hide its unsuccessful domestic policy, must realize that Azerbaijan will never reconcile with the fact of the occupation of internationally recognized territories and a centimeter of Azerbaijani lands will not remain under occupation, the statement said.

The ministry reminded that the only source of tension in the region is Armenias occupation of Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region and the adjacent seven districts and the violation of fundamental rights and freedoms of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis.

Azerbaijan has always stated that supports the political settlement of the conflict; however, this must not mean that the negotiations will continue forever. Azerbaijan supports the result-oriented negotiations and expects the mediation efforts to be made by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group exactly in this sphere, the ministry said.

It stressed that the Armenian leadership is fully responsible for the tension on the front line and all possible consequences.

The cross-border clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia started on July 12 noon after Armenian troops fired artillery at Azerbaijani military post in Tovuz region.

___

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The coronavirus crisis may have grounded Jane Hertzmark Hudis, recently named executive group president of the Estee Lauder Cos. Inc., but it hasnt slowed her down.

Hudis, whose portfolio includes many of the companys highest-growth brands, including Estee Lauder, La Mer and Aveda, averages anywhere from eight to 10 Zoom calls a day from her home on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the first one usually kicking off around 7:30 a.m.

As challenging as the year has been for business, the executive clearly relishes the complexities of todays landscape. This is not a time for the faint of heart, she said. You have to be strategic and quick, and have great teams and be able to lead through challenging times. Business is there to be had. This is the time to go for it because so much is changing.

Here, Hudis reflects on becoming the first woman at Lauder to be named an executive group president, and shares her vision for driving growth in a fast-changing world, including making Aveda the companys next billion-dollar brand.

What does being named executive group president mean to you?

It is an incredibly exciting moment. Im responsible for skin care and the other highest-growth areas of the company. It is really about having an impact on the companys total performance, both in terms of the brands I oversee and my leadership across the organization.

Ive always been passionate about this business and now, in particular, is a time when powerful leadership could not be more important.

What have the last few months been like for you  whats been key as you steer the brands through these turbulent times?

Im an eternal optimist, and I see everything with the lenses of what is the opportunity. In the early days, I led with heart and empathy, connecting to all of our teams around the world. The beginning was about caring for the safety and health of our employees.

At the same time, it was a period of unprecedented transformation. The speed of transformation over the last few months has been nothing short of extraordinary  the pivot to digital and online is happening at an accelerated speed, literally overnight.

Story continues

We always wanted to be a digital first company and that happened. We not only went from producing the highest-level products, but also [became] a media company. We are calling ourselves a digitally empowered beauty powerhouse. The teams did this huge pivot in one feel swoop, which was pretty extraordinary.

Besides the pivot to online, theres been an incredible focus on hero products. Heroes have the highest recruitment and repeat rate. People wanted more of what they loved.

Can you talk more specifically about where you saw out-performance versus the market?

Estee Lauder and La Mer are continuing on a fast trajectory, both growing double digits and enjoying great success around the world. But we also see the emergence of a brand like Aveda, which was born with the values consumers find important today. It is plant based and will be vegan as of January.

Aveda has also transformed its business model. The primary channel, especially in North American, is salons. About two years ago, we thought it would be important to enlarge and transform the business by putting their model online. Consumers might buy in salons, but they want to replenish online.

The Aveda team developed A-commerce, where orders are fulfilled through aveda.com, but created through the salon owner, which has really helped these small business owners, which many salons are, and has transformed the Aveda business model to be more direct to consumer. Im particularly excited about the trajectory of this brand.

Bobbi Brown has also made an incredible pivot. The brand has gone from being a makeup artist concept that was almost 100 percent store dependent to a direct to consumer business with always-on artistry.

What is so amazing is the speed of decisionmaking in todays world. Things that took months now take minutes. Weve learned that we can do things in unprecedented ways with extraordinary speed and that is here to stay. Are we going to forever spend our lives away from each other? No. But we have learned how to do things far more effectively.

For example, we created a holiday program for the Lauder brand and did it on a couple of Zoom calls versus six months of meetings.

What is Chinas recovery looking like?

China is buoyant. Shopping is happening with passion. It is happening online, but also in store. What is so exciting about whats happening in China is that because they have the consumer data, they are able to accelerate the ability to personalize and target messaging  match the right consumer with the right product with the right messaging and that is going with unbelievable speed.

What theyve been able to achieve portends great things for the rest of the world, even though there are challenges, like getting data from retailers.

How about North America?

North America is not so easy. There are so many other challenges that arent there in the rest of the world. The most important thing is the acceleration of the online business  both our own and that of our retail partners.

Its not just younger consumers who are buying online. It is across age groups. That will continue. The ageless consumer has moved to shopping online in droves. The idea that you can capture everyone from Gen Z to the ageless consumer makes this channel incredibly important.

We look at our brand dot-coms as media platforms  even if she doesnt buy, we have the opportunity to introduce consumers to our brands and our hero products. When they come to our brand dot-com, they spend much more time  were able to teach them, show them, introduce them to our brands, and this will be critical to the turnaround of North America, as we figure out and rationalize what the store landscape and experience are going to look like.

The future of North America is understanding not only what the experience and the players in-store look like, but what is the experience online and who are going to be the players? Together, we have to invent the future of prestige beauty. Our retailers are open to new ways of partnering and working together. We have to leapfrog ourselves into the future.

Whats the biggest challenge you face?

The consumer is changing at the speed of light. We need to be in touch with her  connect with her, stay ahead of her.

There are different challenges along the way  I do have makeup businesses, and skin and hair are so much more powerful. But those things change. The opportunity with our brands is they are there to connect, and what Ive seen happen, really out of necessity, bodes well for the future.

You talked earlier about passion. What role has that played in your rise?

Passion is how you go into overdrive. Its what spurs you on to go for more, to be competitive, to be challenging, to drive for success. That is a key ingredient.

Direct Connect: @jhhudis

For more executive insights, go to:

Fabrizio Freda on Beautys 3 Biggest Challenges

Macys Nata Dvir on Driving a Digital Future

Master Class: Nathalie Gerschtein

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Defending its decision to implement leave without pay (LWP) for its employees due to the Covid-19 pandemic, national carrier Air India on Friday referred to its scheme as a win-win situation for both parties. It said that the while the scheme on the one hand gives freedom to its employees to engage themselves with another employer for the said period, the airline is able to save its cash flow on the other hand.

This comes after the national carrier was flooded with letters of criticism from its employees from all sections.

The airline said that in a challenging financial situation, it is taking recourse to several initiatives with a view to ensure that its flight operations continue.

The LWP scheme was introduced on Tuesday and according to the airline enables employees to avail the benefits of proceeding on leave without pay on voluntary basis. It has been introduced for grant of leave without pay and allowances for permanent employees for a period of six months/two years, which is extendable upto 5 years, the airline stated.

Recalling previous instances, Air India said that it had brought out similar LWP schemes in September 1998, in June 2009 and in August 2009 and employees had availed of the LWP scheme.

However, this time the addition in this scheme as compared to the earlier LWP scheme is that the airline management can pass an order requiring the employees to go on compulsory leave for a period of six months to two years, which is extendable upto five years.

The airline spokesperson said, In the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there may be employees who are unable to attend their office duties in person on account of personal reasons. The LWP scheme enables employees to take a break from their office responsibility for a defined period of time with the approval of the management, while retaining their employment with the company. They will continue to avail facilities such as passage, medical and housing at specified rates.

As on April 2020, Air India had over 14,000 employees that included around 1,800 pilots and around 4,000 cabin crew.

Justifying the scheme, the spokesperson also said that the LWP scheme provides opportunity to employees to take up alternative employment with the approval of the management during the period of the said leave.

The LWP scheme is a win-win situation for both the management as well as employees as it provides flexibility to employees and simultaneously reduces the wage bill for the company. The Covid-19 outbreak has very seriously impacted the aviation sector and currently, the airline operations of the company are a small fraction of the prior Covid-19 level operations, said a senior AI official.

Disagreeing with the management, a senior airline official said, LWP scheme is to save money for the company not a weapon to settle scores with employees. This is going to affect the livelihood of many. Why doesnt the airline make every employee of AI take LWP a few days every month? This way the burden can be shared. The motive of the top management is to save their money by snatching money from lower employees.

The airline, however, assured to use the scheme sparingly and with complete fairness, and said that the selected names of employees that can be sent on mandatory LWP will be implemented after assessing their performances.

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GODFREY  Edward Burnley has been named the Fire Science Program Coordinator at Lewis and Clark Community College.

An instructor with L&Cs Workforce Education Solutions and Safety Training program since 2016, Burnley will succeed Bernie Sebold who has led the program since 1999. Sebold also retired last year as Alton fire chief.

Every time I teach a course, I learn something new  either from the material itself or from the students, Burnley said. It is this constant development of the firefighting career field that drives me to teach.

Ultimately, I want the Fire Science program to be a top-notch program known throughout the state, he said. We are hiring more instructors with the education, training and experience who bring a wealth of instructional knowledge and will improve our overall program.

An Air Force veteran, Burnley has worked in fire service since 2001 including time with the Alton Fire Department and, currently, the Edwardsville Fire Department. Since 2008, he has been a member of the Madison County Hazmat team. He also is a Chief Master Sergeant with the 131st Bomb Wing of the Missouri Air National Guard where hes served for 19 years.

Burnley earned an Associate in Applied Science in Fire Science from Community College of the Air Force, an Associate in Applied Science in Paramedicine from LCCC, a cum laude bachelors degree in Safety Management with a minor in Fire Science from University of Central Missouri and a Master of Public Administration and Policy Analysis from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Burnley said he wants to build the LCCC program with an eye to better serving local area firefighters. That includes providing more opportunities for shift workers who want to obtain a degree without taking off work.

We are introducing several online courses that meet the National Fire Academys (NFA) Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) curriculum, he said. It enables us to deliver course material by highly trained and educated instructors that is the basis of fire services as an overall enterprise.

Although the program is being expanded to offer more opportunities for online students, Burnley considers himself a traditional instructor.

I enjoy getting dirty with hands-on equipment because I feel that is the best way to learn, he said. I am the first person to admit that I dont know it all. So Im not afraid to say, I dont know, but I will get you an answer.

In 2007, Burnley was named Edwardsville Firefighter of the Year. His other honors include 231st Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year in 2016, Air Education and Training Command Top Graduate in 2015, 387th Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Month in 2012, 376th Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter in 2006 and a University of Central Missouri Achievement Award in 2005.

A 1999 Eagle Scout, he also earned the Degree of ChevalierDeMolay in 2000.

Burnley has high aspirations for the L&C Fire Science program.

For more information on L&Cs Fire Science program, contact Burnley at (618) 468-4914 or eburnley@lc.edu or visit www.lc.edu/program/firescience.

L&C is enrolling now for Fall 2020, Spring 2021 and Summer 2021. Visit www.lc.edu/admissions or contact (618) 468-2222 or enroll@lc.edu to get started.
New Delhi, July 17 : Can a state government frame a policy, irrespective of the gravity of the crime committed, for the release of a life-term convict prematurely before completing 14 years in jail? The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Chief Justice to constitute a Constitution Bench to consider this issue.

Article 161 empowers the Governor to commute, remit and pardon the sentence of a convict, while Section 433A of the CrPC says there is no scope for any pardon or remission for a person, convicted of a crime which involves the death sentence as the maximum punishment. Therefore, a larger bench will examine the issue whether before completing 14 years in jail, can a policy by a state government allow the release of a convict, and also could this remission be granted in a blanket fashion.

A three-judge bench comprising Justices U U Lalit, Mohan M Shantanagoudar and Vineet Saran, framing the question, said "Whether in exercise of power conferred under Article 161 of the Constitution a policy can be framed, where under certain norms or postulates are laid down, on the satisfaction of which the benefit of remission can thereafter be granted by the Executive without placing the facts or material with respect to any of the cases before the Governor and whether such exercise can override the requirements under Section 433-A of the Code." The top court also appreciated the assistance rendered by advocate Shikhil Suri in the matter of the premature release of a life term convict from Haryana. The issue cropped up in a pending bail application filed by a murder accused Pyare Lal, who was more than 75 years old. Suri informed the top court that he had already been granted remission after serving 8 years in jail, as a result of Haryana state rules. "The modalities adopted in the present matter, however, unmistakably, show that the individual facts and circumstances of the case were not even placed before the Governor", noted the top court.

The court asked that while granting remission were these basic aspects taken into consideration -- the manner in which the crime was committed and the impact of the crime on the society. Also, "the seriousness of the crime got completely suppressed and relegated in the background under the norms laid down in the policy and it was then left to the Executive to see whether any individual case came within the parameters laid down by the policy", noted the bench.

The bench observed that the consistent line of cases decided by the apex court has laid down that the principles of Section 433-A of the Code do not and cannot apply to the exercise of constitutional power either under Article 72 or under Article 161 of the Constitution.
We are now in the midst of trying times when every one must be for or against his country, and show his colors too, by his every act. Whatever may have been my political opinions before, I have one sentiment now. There are but two parties, traitors and patriots and I want hereafter to be ranked with the latter.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- These words of a great son of Ohio, Ulysses S. Grant, in a letter to his father in the early days of the Civil War, are our guide and lodestar today. For us, they serve as inspiration as we seek to extend the battle against Trumpism to Grants birthplace. To ensure the defeat of President Donald Trump and Trumpism, were pleased to announce that our two organizations, the Lincoln Project and Republican Voters Against Trump, have joined together to launch Operation Grant. We begin this week with a paid advertising campaign and a grassroots guerrilla campaign that will help deliver Ohios 18 electoral votes to former Vice President Joe Biden this November.

The politics of this decision are simple. For President Trump, there is a narrowing electoral map that gives him few paths to re-election. None of those paths exist without Ohio. And so Operation Grant aims to use the great American generals home turf to put the nail in the coffin of todays Neo-Confederate president.

Donald Trump won Ohio by eight points in 2016, causing some to leave it off the electoral map of contested states. But during the spring and summer of Americas discontent, with an incompetent and scared commander-in-chief unwilling and unable to unite a fractured country and handle a genuine national crisis, it has become clear that writing off the Buckeye State was premature.

As it stands today, the presidents status in Ohio is shaky and the ranks of patriots there are swelling.

John Weaver is a co-founder of the Lincoln Project.

If Donald Trump wants to win the state again, he will have to fight for it.

We aim to make certain of that.

Because, given the terrible political environment for the president, why would we concede the great state of Ohio to Trump? The suburbs of Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati provide fruitful ground for the types of regretful Trump voters who in 2018 powered Nancy Pelosi to the speakership. The industrial part of the state has seen Trumps promises to the forgotten man go unfulfilled, as he proved incompetent in the face of our economic collapse, caring more about sending mean tweets from his cable TV bunker than addressing the crisis that is hollowing out our economy.

Bill Kristol is founding director of Republican Voters Against Trump.

A Fox News poll bears that out, showing Donald Trump trailing Joe Biden by two points in the state, and Quinnipiac has the former vice president leading by one. In the 2018 midterms, Sen. Sherrod Brown -- a blue-collar candidate with a similar base as Joe Biden -- won the state handily against a credible challenger for whom President Trump unsuccessfully campaigned.

So the path to victory is there. And so we take our cue from one of Gen. Grants early important successes during the Civil War -- the Battle of Fort Donelson in early 1862. During the battle, Gen. Grant said that, no terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted.

With all due respect, we offer the same terms to President Trump today.

Well see you in Ohio, Mr. President. A place where all things are possible.

John Weaver is a co-founder of The Lincoln Project and political consultant who served as a political strategist for George H.W. Bush in 1988 and 1992 and oversaw Sen. John McCains political operations from 1997 to 2007. Weaver also served as chief strategist for Republican John Kasichs campaign race in 2016. Bill Kristol is founding director of Republican Voters Against Trump and editor-at-large of The Bulwark. Kristol served as chief of staff to Education Secretary William Bennett in the Reagan administration and as chief of staff to Vice President Dan Quayle in the George H.W. Bush administration. This op-ed was written for The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com.

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She always looks fantastic whenever she steps out.

And Kelly Brook rocked summer chic as she donned a floaty white midi-dress for a stroll with her beau Jeremy Parisi on Friday.

The presenter and model, 40, appeared to be in good spirits as she enjoyed an ice cream and chatted away while arriving at Heart Radio in London.

Looking good: Kelly Brook, 40, opted for a relaxed white dress as she enjoyed an ice cream and a stroll with her beau Jeremy Parisi, 35, in London on Friday

Kelly opted for a laid back ensemble with her white dress, which boasted a tiered shape and long sleeves.

Not forgetting to accessorise, Kelly completed her look with a selection of gold jewellery and pair of white trainers with black laces.

The beauty slicked her locks back into a sleek ponytail and added a full face of makeup, including a dark pink lipstick to accentuate her pretty features.

Happy: The presenter appeared to be in good spirits as she arrived at Global Radio in Leicester Square

Yum! The couple managed to make time for an ice cream before heading into the studio

Relaxed: Kelly looked fantastic in her white dress which she paired with some trainers

Jeremy also looked stylish for the stroll, opting for a double denim outfit which he broke up with a v-neck black t-shirt.

Earlier this month, Kelly claimed that sex gets better with age and said her longterm love Jeremy Parisi, 34, is a big fan of her curves.

Speaking on Vicky Pattison's The Secret To... podcast, she said: 'My boyfriend is 35 and he is Italian, so, you know, he likes a nice large curvy woman so that's always a good thing! I think your sex life gets better as you get older!

Loved-up: Kelly couldn't keep her hands off her beau as they waited for their ice creams

Chic: The brunette beauty donned a pair of black sunglasses during the romantic stroll

Delicious: After stopping to get an ice cream, the couple enjoyed them on their walk

'You get confident! You are not so hung up on stuff. You know what you enjoy. You know what you like, so you are not as scared to tell them.

'When you're young you don't tell them. They are like "is that nice?" or whatever and you're like "yeah!" When you're older you are gonna make sure you get what you want!'

The pair have been in a relationship for nearly five years, having started dating in 2015.

Happy: Kelly wrapped an arm around Jeremy as they ordered from the snack stall

Making decisions: Kelly appeared to have opted for a Mr Whippy while Jeremy waited for his

Looking good: Kelly's white summer dress boasted a tiered shape and long sleeves

All in the details: The model accessorised with a selection of gold jewellery

Kelly famously began modelling aged 16 after she won a beauty competition, which her proud mother had entered her into.

Campaigns for the likes of Bravissimo, Foster's and Walker's crisps followed, as well as shoots with lads' mags such as GQ, Loaded and FHM.

FHM dubbed her the winner of their '100 Sexiest Women in the World' list in 2005, which polled 15 million people.

Casual: Jeremy went for a double denim ensemble, which he broke up with a black t-shirt

Happy: Kelly linked arms with her beau and could not stop smiling as she arrived at the radio studio
The parking lot of the Denver Coliseum is under serious consideration as the site for the first Safe Outdoor Space, a sanctioned and managed camping space for people experiencing homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Michael Hancocks chief of staff, Evan Dreyer, confirmed Thursday.

On July 1, Hancock announced with some reluctance his support of the proposal, which was brought forth in April by the Colorado Village Collaborative, which runs the citys tiny home village.

Hancock said he based his decision on these being extraordinary times that require extraordinary measures, a pivot that comes eight years after the city passed its urban camping ban and barely a year since Denver residents voted overwhelmingly to uphold it. (A Denver county judge has since ruled the camping ban unconstitutional, and the city has appealed that decision.)

A week later, Hancock asked a group of council members who, in late April, had written to him lobbying for a temporary sanctioned outdoor space.

In Hancocks letter to Robin Kniech, Candi CdeBaca, Amanda Sandoval, Jamie Torres, Paul Kashmann, Stacie Gilmore, Debbie Ortega and Chris Hinds, he said the citys intent was to work closely with the Colorado Village Collaborative to set up two to three 50-tent campsites, each with enough room for up to 60 people.

CdeBaca, who represents District 9 in which the Denver Coliseum sits, said in a statement that she was saddened that the Mayor asked for feedback without any intentions of honoring it.

We will work with any situation because of the urgency of the need, but we hope to see a site in every district within the next month, she wrote in an email. We cannot continue to concentrate inequities in a single neighborhood or district just because it is the most politically convenient option.

In response to the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the city established two large homeless shelters at the Denver Coliseum and the neighboring National Western Complex, both of which are in CdeBacas district.
A scene from the drama 24 Hours highlights rescue efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tianjin. [For China Daily]

An anti-epidemic drama called 24 Hours by the Tianjin Northern Performing Group premiered in Tianjin early this month and inspired local residents to further combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The drama records the swift action taken by the city to deal with fever cases onboard the Costa Serena, an international cruise ship carrying 4,000 people, which returned to Tianjin on January 25, after traveling to Fukuoka and Sasebo, Japan.

Director Zhong Hai says that since April, the performers have polished and enriched the story by interviewing the members of staff who were there.

"This drama has been created to honor the anti-epidemic achievements by the people of the whole country, who were united by their arduous efforts," he says.

The stage vividly recreates the approaching cruise ship, and the story includes the temperature screenings of all the travelers and the transportation of medical samples of 17 fever cases via helicopter. The results are all negative, after nucleic acid tests that were implemented within 24 hours.

The cruise liner was reported to have 148 passengers from Hubei Province, China's hardest-hit area.

After the checks, passengers from Hubei were sent to a centralized quarantine facility, and others were allowed to leave.

After 14 days of quarantine, with free medical assistance, accommodation, food service and stringent health checks, the Hubei passengers were cleared.

"The rescue and emergency response efforts on Costa Serena are in sharp contrast with some other cruise liners, including the Diamond Princess and Grand Princess," says Zheng Weihang, vice-president and executive general secretary of the China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association.

A key moment in the play shows a helicopter taking samples for nucleic acid testing from a ship to the city. [For China Daily]

The Diamond Princess was ordered to let its 3,711 passengers stay aboard the cruise ship for two weeks after it returned to Yokohama, Japan, on February 3. Nearly 700 passengers aboard were confirmed to have the virus, and 13 died by the end of May, according to the NHK, a Japanese news agency.

Niu Rong, a Wuhan resident who joined the quarantine with her daughter on the Costa Serena, says:"When reading the Diamond Princess news a few days later, we really appreciated the speed of the cooperation between Costa and Tianjin local authorities."

Lu Guoqi, an actor who plays a doctor in the drama, says: "I have done the role of a doctor many times in different dramas. However, in this drama, I felt the enormous strength and responsibility as a doctor."

He had rehearsed the drama in the past few months, he says. "I constantly thought what we should do, as an artist, to make a contribution to the battle with the virus. With other artists we voluntarily joined some initiatives, to recite poems to doctors working at the front lines ... that's part of our efforts that we really want to contribute to those tired and courageous doctors."

Wu Qi, the head of the COVID-19 rescue team in Tianjin and chief expert at the Haihe Hospital, the pinpointed COVID-19 treatment hospital, says, after watching the drama: "The rescue efforts of Costa Serena could be considered as an example during the pandemic for the world."

Zhang Boli, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, says: "The drama makes me go back to the hardest moment when the pandemic was in its peak in China and it's an epitome of the hardest time."

The drama is expected to be performed on stages around China in a bid to give strength and confidence for local people along with the ongoing campaign to fight against the virus.

Director Zhong notes the drama has the fusion of realism and romanticism and utilizes transparent LED mesh video-wall, which enables the background wall to display pictures rapidly, to showcase the scenes from the luxurious performance inside the cruise liner, the nucleic acid tests, the news conference, and the helicopter taking the samples, just to name a few.

(Source: China Daily)
An airstrike by a Saudi-led coalition Wednesday killed at least 10 civilians, including six children and two women, in the mountainous northern Yemeni province of Jawf, Houthi rebels and a rights activist said.

The Houthi-run Health Ministry said the airstrike took place in Masafa village east of the provincial capital of Hazm , which the rebels took in March from forces of Yemen's internationally recognized government.

At least three adults and four children were also wounded, the ministry said in a statement. The wounded were taken to the al-Thawra hospital in the capital of Sanaa for treatment, it said.

There was no immediate comment from the Saudi-led coalition, which has frequently drawn international criticism for errant airstrikes that have hit schools, hospitals and wedding parties, killing thousands of civilians.

Activist Omar al-Nomeim, from the Mwatana Organization for Human Rights in Jawf, told The Associated Press that the airstrike in Jawf hit civilian houses in the village and that most of the causalities were children and women.

The victims were celebrating the circumcision of a week-old boy, who was one of those killed in the attack, the ministry said. Youssef al-Hadri, a spokesman for the ministry, shared graphic photos showing wounded children on hospital beds with bandages on their bodies.

The attack came after an airstrike in the northwestern Hajjah province killed at least seven children and two women Sunday, according to the U.N. humanitarian office in Yemen.

The humanitarian group Save the Children condemned the airstrikes amid amid an escalation of violence in recent weeks in the war-torn country.

These attacks not only threaten children lives directly, but also the lifesaving humanitarian work and efforts to battle the coronavirus outbreak which many health workers say is spreading out of control amid minimal testing, said Xavier Joubert, Save the Childrens country director in Yemen.

Yemen has officially recorded at least 1,530 cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, including 692 deaths. However, the actual tally is believed to be much higher as testing capabilities are severely limited.

The charity said the airstrikes also came after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month took the Saudi-led coalition off a global blacklist of parties whose actions have harmed children in conflict. The move drew immediate protests from human rights groups.

Yemens conflict erupted late in 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels swept across much of the north and seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi into exile. The following year, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states formed a coalition to take on the Houthis in what they said was an effort to stop Iran's growing sway in Yemen.

The conflict has killed more than 100,000 people and created the worlds worst humanitarian disaster, with more than 3 million people internally displaced and two-thirds of the population relying on food aid for survival.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a key note address at the UN on Friday (July 17, 2020) in an annual High-Level Segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESC) session. This is the first time that India will address the broader UN membership since getting elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC).

The PM's virtual address at this year`s High-Level Segment commences from 9.30 am to 11.30 am (local time) at the UN in New York. He will be speaking at the valedictory session along with Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The theme this year is "Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary".

The theme of the High-level Segment of the ECOSOC, on the 75th Anniversary of the UN, also resonates with India's Security Council priority, wherein it has called for 'reformed multilateralism' in a post-COVID-19 world.

This session will focus on critical forces shaping the course of multilateralism and explore ways to bolster the global agenda through strong leadership, effective international institutions, a broadening of participation and enhanced significance of global public goods.

The Prime Minister had earlier delivered the keynote address virtually at the 70th anniversary of the ECOSOC in January 2016.
As noted in my recent column, Guelph had a long-standing bathing problem. Except for the fortunate few citizens with their own bathing houses on the river, most Guelphites swam in the river illegally, that is, undressed and in plain sight. Then, a glimmer of hope in this sea of lawlessness appeared in 1874 when an advertisement for Hazeltons Baths appeared in the Evening Mercury.

Born in 1823 in Kingston, the son of an English army officer, James Hazelton had moved with his family to Perth County in 1838 and thence to the budding town of Guelph in 1843. He set up his shingle in town as a house painter and a furniture maker and dealer. Although the former had been his specialty, the latter was more profitable, so Hazelton devoted himself wholly to the furniture trade by 1856. His small manufacturing business moved with the times, starting with horse power, moving to water power, and then steam engines. With the advent of the railways, Hazelton found it difficult to compete with larger, regional manufacturers and so concentrated on the retail side of the business, at which he succeeded in amassing considerable wealth.

His prosperity allowed Hazelton to develop some real estate, most notably the Hazelton Block, built on the west side of Upper (now North) Wyndham Street in 1873, part of which remains in place today. His store was long known for the oversized chair that Hazelton fixed to the roof, a memento of his days as a chairmaker and reinforced with the motto, The stone house with the chair on the roof, that appeared in all his advertising. So noted was this landmark that subsequent owners of the business left it in place for decades afterwards.

In addition to his eponymous block, Hazelton bought lot 66 on the west side of the Speed River a little downstream of Eramosa Road. There he moved some houses from across Woolwich Street and built a new structure on the riverbank: Guelphs first commercial bathhouse! A Mercury column noted its luxurious appointments:

There will be six rooms, provided with the ordinary baths, as well as apparatus for shower baths and all necessary furniture. These will be supplied by water from tanks placed on the floor above. The power for raising the water to these tanks from the river will be an engine and boiler in the rear of the building, which will be used also for warming the water when necessary.

At the end of the building near the river there is an enclosure of water about 20 feet long and 10 feet wide, provided with dressing rooms, where swimmers can go for a bath; and through this, access can be had to the open water in the river.

Tickets to use the baths could be obtained from Hazeltons store, with 12 going for only $2. At last, respectable Guelphites could enjoy decent bathing right in town.

Although the business seems to have prospered, it did not survive its owner. By 1878, James Hazelton had become very melancholy, although he had always been considered quite a jovial man all his life. Treatment at a facility in Buffalo seemed to alleviate his affliction but, once back in Guelph, he committed suicide in July 1879.

Besides his notable furniture business, Hazelton had been an active organizer of the towns St. Patricks Society, celebrating the familys descent from the Hazeltons of Cookstown, Ireland. In addition, he was a founding member and officer of the Guelph Rifle Association, a group dedicated to the cultivation of marksmanship and the defence of Canada from the threat of Fenian invasion from the United States. Hazelton was a good shot, winning the associations annual medal on at least two occasions.

The sudden washout of Hazeltons Bathhouse may have nudged the city fathers in 1880 to relax the bathing bylaw and incentivize construction of more commercial bath houses, although the development of swimming facilities in Guelph followed a different course.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a Friday press briefing that schools and school districts can reopen for in-person instruction if they are located in a county that has stayed off the watch list for more than 14 days. Schools in counties that don't meet the criteria, can only open with distance learning. (Read the new order from the state.)

This marks a change in what Newsom has said in the past with the state initially giving school districts the flexibility to reopen on their own timelines in consultation with local public health officials.

Newsom's order applies to all schools, public, charter, independent and parochial. And he said the state has set aside an additional $5.3 billion to enhance learning during the pandemic.

Newsom also said the new reopening guidelines for schools require teachers and students in third grade and above to wear masks and keep six-feet-apart. It lays out in detail when classrooms and schools would have to close if there is an outbreak. If a student or educator test positive for the virus, a classroom would have to close and the students and teacher would quarantine for 14 days. An entire school should revert to distance learning if it reports multiple cases, or 5 percent of students and staff test positive within a 14-day period.

More than half of the state's 58 counties are on the watch list including seven Bay Area counties  Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma. Being on the list puts restrictions on the ability to reopen various segments of the economy.

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. The watch list is constantly changing based the latest data available from public health departments.

Several school districts have already said their schools will begin the new term virtually, including Los Angeles and San Diego, the states two largest, with a combined population of 720,000 K-12 students.

San Francisco Unified School District announced this week fall semester classes will begin August 17 via distance learning exclusively.

The news, sent in a letter by Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews, notes that the district eventually hopes to implement a "hybrid approach" to learning. This involves a combination of in-person classroom learning and virtual instruction, but only "when science and data suggest it is safe to do so."

Administrators intend to release a plan detailing ways in which virtual learning can be improved in a meeting with the San Francisco Board of Education on July 28 at 3 p.m. The "most essential details" will be shared with parents the following day.

Oakland, Sacramento, Long Beach, Santa Ana and San Bernardino are among the other districts opting not to immediately return to classrooms.

Some districts have said they aim to open with hybrid models. The Palo Alto Unified School District recently approved a plan for distancing learning for high school and middle school students and a return to classrooms for elementary school students. The Alum Rock district in San Jose said 90% of students will continue with online school while 10% will come to class. Students in foster care and with disabilities will be prioritized for on-site school.

The decisions were made amid growing concern by teachers and parents over the state's surge of coronavirus cases and uncertainty surrounding the safety of both students and staff on campuses. The state this week reported its second-highest one-day totals in infection rates and deaths since the start of the pandemic and more than 7,200 have died.

Many small, rural communities argue they shouldnt have to comply with the same rules as big cities where infection rates are higher. Thurmond indicated Wednesday that he agreed.

We have some counties in this state where the number of cases is actually quite low, Thurmond said. As long as schools in those counties follow state guidance on hand washing, six feet (1.8 meters) of spacing, maintaining physical distance and face coverings, Thurmond said, we believe that those schools can open safely.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

 San Francisco's health director discourages 'hard-to-resist' gatherings

 Gauging the early impact of Fourth of July gatherings on Bay Area coronavirus spread

 'The PPP thing was a joke': Why gov't loans did nothing for this SF neighborhood

 Were going to be put on the watch list any day now: July 4 COVID-19 transmissions worry officials

 Calif. Lt. Gov. Kounalakis refutes CNN's characterization of state's virus surge

Amy Graff is the news editor for SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.
WASHINGTON, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's leading lung cancer-focused nonprofit organization, announced today that registration for the International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference (ILCSC) is now open. The conference, now in its 10th year, will be held virtually August 21-23, 2020, and will be free to attend. Participants will be able to immerse themselves in a realistic conference environment while safely gathering virtually with others affected by lung cancer to learn, connect, and find hope in today's scientific progress.

ILCSC provides a variety of opportunities to connect with other survivors, hear from world-renowned researchers on the latest treatments, and learn about ways to manage lung cancer and the treatment journey. This unique conference, designed by and for people diagnosed with lung cancer and their caregivers, has been described by past attendees as "transformational." The virtual format for the traditionally in-person event allows for even more great expert speakers, sessions, and meetups that would not be possible in person. It also allows the educational event to be available to more people affected by lung cancer who otherwise might have been restricted by monetary, mobility, or health concerns.

"We are excited to offer this International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference virtually for the first time in its ten years," says Andrea Ferris, CEO and President of LUNGevity. "While we will miss seeing everyone in person, we are pleased to be able to offer this conference, which has positively educated, supported, and provided community to so many, to a larger audience through the virtual format. We hope to make this our biggest conference to date with more lung cancer survivors participating from around the world than ever before!"

The conference will include a virtual interactive exhibit hall with nearly 30 exhibitors and several live, virtual demonstrations, such as cooking and yoga demos. The exhibit hall will be available for attendees to visit throughout the conference weekend.

Sessions to be included in this year's ILCSC include general 101 sessions led by renowned medical experts on chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, surgery, small cell lung cancer, and precision medicine; multiple Ask the Experts panels, including a panel specific to lung cancer in the era of COVID-19; sessions on avoiding caregiver burnout and balancing work and caregiving; and the popular "Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll," delving into issues of daily living with lung cancer as a chronic disease. See the full agenda on the ILCSC website.

ILCSC will also include networking groups in which attendees can meet and connect with others like themselves. Groups include mutation specific, non-mutation specific, veterans with lung cancer, Spanish language speaking, caregivers, and many more. Participants are encouraged to continue the conversations that begin in the networking group beyond the conference.

Registration is now open. Those affected by lung cancer, particularly patients and their caregivers, should attend. Learn more about the conference and register at www.LUNGevity.org/ILCSC.

LUNGevity looks forward to virtually seeing many faces, both familiar and new, at the International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference in August!

About LUNGevity Foundation

LUNGevity Foundation is the nation's leading lung cancer organization focused on improving outcomes for people with lung cancer through research, education, policy initiatives, and support and engagement for patients, survivors, and caregivers. LUNGevity seeks to make an immediate impact on quality of life and survivorship for everyone touched by the diseasewhile promoting health equity by addressing disparities throughout the care continuum. LUNGevity works tirelessly to advance research into early detection and more effective treatments, provide information and educational tools to empower patients and their caregivers, promote impactful public policy initiatives, and amplify the patient voice through research and engagement. The organization provides an active community for patients and survivorsand those who help them live longer and better lives.

Comprehensive resources include a medically vetted and patient-centric website, a toll-free HELPLine for support, the International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference, and an easy-to-use Clinical Trial Finder, among other tools. All of these programs are to achieve our visiona world where no one dies of lung cancer. LUNGevity Foundation is proud to be a four-star Charity Navigator organization.

Please visit www.LUNGevity.org to learn more.

About Lung Cancer in the US

About 1 in 16 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime

More than 228,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year

About 60%-65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers

Lung cancer takes more lives than the next three leading cancers (colorectal, breast, and prostate) combined

Only 19% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves dramatically

SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation

Related Links

http://www.lungevity.org


Sudhir Suryawanshi By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: Ruling out religion angle in the Palghar lynching, Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department said the two monks and their driver fell victims to child lifting rumours at Gadchinchale village on the border of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The CID filed two charge sheets  one running into 5,921 pages and another of 4,955 pages  in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at Dahanu taluka in Palghar district on Wednesday.

As many as 808 suspects and 118 witnesses were examined to collect strong evidence against the accused, the CID said in a release.

In all, 154 people were arrested and 11 juveniles detained. None of the accused has been released on bail so far, it added.

The charges of murder, common intention, attempts to murder besides relevant sections under the Disaster Management Act, Epidemic Diseases Act were slapped against the accused.

The three victims were waylaid and lynched by a mob on April 16 when they were travelling in a car to Surat, Gujarat for attending a funeral amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Incidentally, an initial probe had brought to fore that fake messages were being spread through various social media platforms like WhatsApp for last 15 days that child kidnappers and organ harvesters were active in the region.

The CID thoroughly investigated the case. Some of the political parties were trying to give it religious colour to this entire incident. Now, it has been proved that it was an episode which happened because of rumours, Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said.

TNIE had also reported that the tragedy occurred because rumours had circulated in the village that child-lifters were roaming in the area during the lockdown.
In the South China Sea, the Spratly Islands are just of several districts that China has militarized. These are the Paracels, Pratas, and the Scarborough shoals that are in China's grip.

Beijing sees these parts of SCS as China's holdings and is making claims that are not substantiated by the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea treaty (UNCLOS), using this to claim parts of the ocean and outcroppings as proof of its ownership that has been refuted by international courts.

China hoodwinks President Obama in 2015

When Xi Jinping visited the White House and talked to then-President Barack Obama about the Spratlys and similar areas, he asked if China will militarize the Spratlys, Xi said that Beijing has no intention to.

During this time, China was already building on Nansha (the Chinese name for Spratly) when it was opened up by Obama. Now, five years later, China has several installations that include an airfield. Also, the Island is fortified with missiles batteries.

There's a proof that Beijing did not honor its pledge, as result in 2020 there are two carrier strike groups in the SCS, cited The Diplomat. The US Navy has a larger military presence to counter the communist's attempt for the Dominion of the SCS.

Why is the Spratlys important for China to hold onto and maintain in the South China Sea?

The US Navy has been conducting freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) that emphasize that the Chinese cannot monopolize the sea lanes. Nansha is strategically right in the middle of the SCS, as China develops it more, there will be problems for ships plying this part of the world.

Also read: China's Plan On How to Claim the Entire South China Sea Revealed

Facilities are already established and Nansha is used to send PLA Navy to terrorize non-military ships from passing. Legally, it is only 12 nautical miles from an island, but the PLA Navy insists that a bigger part is the sovereignty of China.

If China controls this part of the South China Seas in the Spratlys, it brings trouble to the establishment of air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the South China Sea.

There is an ADIZ in the East China Sea that is no worth it. ADIZ in the Nansha gives Chinese control of the surrounding airspace. The establishment of airfields and hangers signifies an intention to militarize the airspaces illegally.

Once the ADIZ is developed, there will be a threat to other claimants of the district. PLA Airforce can run missions in support of its domination goal. A fully established ADIZ will even be a danger to the US Navy.

Natural resources in the South China Sea will be exploited for Chinese gain.

The Nansha is just a chess piece for Beijing to dominate the SCS, with no intension to leave. Resources in the area are fishing stock and a bit farther is oil with other exotic energy sources.

Communists want to consolidate resources as their own, even stealing from the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia is not beyond them.

America declares the surrounding areas are not Beijing's, which chaffs Xi Jinping. Tension is souring as China says it owns the Spratlys in the South China Sea.

Related article: China Claims Expulsion of US Navy Near Disputed Islands in South China Sea

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
JERSEYVILLE  Special Prosecutor Crystal Uhe this week filed a response refuting all allegations by Roger Carroll, the convicted killer of Bonnie Woodward who is seeking a new trial.

In March, a Jersey County jury found Carroll was found guilty of Woodwards 2010 murder. His attorneys, Clyde Kuehn and Scott Snider, have filed a motion seeking a new trial for Carroll in June.

Uhe filed prosecutors response to the trial request on July 15. Uhe, Madison County First Assistant States Attorney, was appointed along with former Madison County Prosecutor Jennifer Mudge as special prosecutors because the case involved both Madison and Jersey counties.

Carroll, 53, could get up to life in prison because a firearm was used in the commission of the killing, which enhances the usual sentence range. Carroll was an early suspect in the June 25, 2010, death of Woodward, 48, of East Alton, but the case lay dormant until April 2018 after the reported assault of his wife, Monica, and subsequent testimony by his son, Nathan.

Kuehn and Snider contended Roger Carrolls attorneys during the trial were not given property notice of the testimony of the witness who identified Carroll. They also claim the judge erred in allowing testimony about a confrontation between Roger and Monica Carroll or testimony about charred bone fragments at the spot where Roger Carroll is said to have set a fire to burn Woodwards remains.

A hearing on the motion is set for 1 p.m. Aug. 19 in front of Circuit Judge Eric Pistorius at the Jersey County Courthouse.

At the trial, witnesses testified Roger Carroll killed Woodward and burned her remains on a huge pile of brush before pushing it into a creek outside his rural Jersey County home.

Mudge said that, in the days before Woodwards death, Roger Carroll stalked her, figuring out her schedule and likely whereabouts in Alton. According to court testimony, before the killing Carroll and his wife had taken in Woodwards stepdaughter, Heather, who was not getting along with her stepmother.

Prosecutors said Roger Carroll used the teen as bait for Bonnie Woodward who was found to be missing after her car was left in the parking lot of Eunice Smith Nursing Home in Alton.
MAASAI MARA, Kenya - The world's most famous savanna boasts two epic migrations.

One has traversed it for millennia: Millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles follow billowing rain clouds in search of new grazing grounds. The other horde descends upon the first in open-air safari jeeps, zoom-lens cameras at the ready, coolers tucked between the seats filled with snacks and prosecco.

Coronavirus travel restrictions mean the humans have suddenly vanished, and along with them a billion-dollar tourism industry that employs millions and underpins a symbiotic human-wildlife ecosystem - the private conservancy - that is essential to wildlife conservation in many African countries.

Conservancies constitute more than 11 percent of Kenya's land, more than national parks. The model is simple: Community shareholders, mostly cattle herders, receive tourism revenue from wildlife safaris as compensation for lost grazing land, and salaried jobs proliferate at new hotels and for rangers. Wildlife becomes more valuable alive than dead, disincentivizing poaching.

Now, with tourism revenue nearly zeroed out, most workers at Kenya's 167 community-owned conservancies are furloughed, and payouts to nearly 1 million shareholders have been reduced or suspended entirely. Communities are considering a return to grazing, jeopardizing decades of wildlife conservation efforts across the continent's vast grasslands.

"Through conservancies, we built a system in which coexistence between humans and wildlife is central," said Dickson Kaelo, CEO of the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association. "Conservation used to be premised on kicking communities off their land. Now we know that those communities are essential. Without benefiting them, there is no future for conservation."

Travel restrictions from March to July brought international tourism to a halt. Industry analysts say 2020 is essentially a lost year for tourism operators: as much as $2.2 trillion lost, at least 80 percent lower profits, as many as a billion fewer travelers, and more than 100 million jobs gone. Other closely related businesses like airlines, construction, handicrafts, catering and car rentals have been drawn into a whirlpool of bankruptcy.

In Kenya, where 8 percent of the economy is directly derived from tourism, the gross domestic product is forecast to shrink by 5 percent. Other tourism-dependent economies like Jamaica and Thailand could see declines of around 10 percent or more, according to the United Nations. International flights to Kenya resume on Aug. 1, but arrivals are expected to be limited by continued restrictions on travel imposed by European and Asian countries.

With limited flights and travelers worried about the quality of available health care, it could be years before bookings return to normal. Stock market slumps and terrorist attacks threatened tourism here in the past, but the pandemic may leave an indelible scar.

"Right now, we're in survival mode," said Jimi Kariuki, chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board and CEO of one of the country's swankiest hotel chains. "Let's not even talk about recovery yet."

Whereas the past decade saw a growing debate around "overtourism" clogging the canals of Venice and dirt tracks of the Maasai Mara, there's now talk of a future in which tourists stay closer to home, away from packed planes and public spaces. Vast parking lots sit empty from Disneyland to the pyramids of Giza.

Asia and Europe are hardest hit because of the sheer number of tourists they receive, but some African economies are more dependent on tourism even with fewer travelers. That's partly because wildlife tourism tends to be pricey: Week-long packages cost upward of $10,000 even at midrange camps. Kenya, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania are particularly reliant. Although Africa has less than 5 percent of global coronavirus cases, the pandemic's effects on economies may be most dire here.

Tourism brings these countries the very taxes and foreign exchange they might use to bail out tourism operators on the brink of failure. No African country has announced a major bailout for the industry. In Tanzania, the president has reopened borders to promote tourism while denying that the novel coronavirus is present in the country despite clear evidence to the contrary.

By late June, Kenya's Tourism Ministry said, tourism operators had lost more than $750 million in 2020, and 82 percent said they had put employees on unpaid leave.

"The entire tourism sector is out of business," said the minister, Najib Balala. "We are on our knees."

- - -

It's July, the peak of the high season, and bookings made years in advance pointed to another banner year for the conservancy business in the Mara, an undulating savanna whose human inhabitants mostly belong to the Maasai peoples.

The great migration of animals had begun; wildebeest on their way north from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania crossed the Mara River in frantic stampedes, crocodiles picking off the young and the weak. Guests would be paying huge premiums to witness the spectacle. Orders for prime meats, cheeses and wines had been placed, reserve waitstaff put on standby.

Instead, as many as 7 million Kenyans working in tourism and tourism-dependent jobs - around a third of the country's labor force - were out of jobs or on reduced pay, said Kariuki, the tourism board chairman. Huge investments in the burgeoning sector had been made with loans that look increasingly impossible to pay back.

"Across the Mara, there are brand new camps, new luxury tents, refurbished jeeps, millions and millions and millions spent in anticipation for the high season," said Jimmy Lemara, 40, who has been a guide for 15 years and now manages the Porini Mara Camp, a cluster of plush tents along a gurgling stream on a private conservancy. "Gone, all gone. Might as well have thrown it away."

The savanna's creatures chewed their cud and chased their prey unperturbed by the rumble of jeep engines, the click of camera shutters and the whine of impatient human children. To the animals, the crisis is imperceptible, but it may cost them, too.

The communities around the Maasai Mara that once saw profit in leasing their land to conservancies are now getting only half of their payout - and that, too, only because of a massive fundraising campaign, with donors as big as the U.S. Agency for International Development. Other conservancies have stopped paying entirely.

"Thirty years of hard work building this ecosystem is being undone," Kaelo said. "Tourism is gone for now, and it won't bounce back quickly. I'm afraid this could be the demise of conservancies as we know them."

Not all of Kenya's conservancies have shareholders. Some of the biggest ones sit on land that was converted from ranches into conservancies by the descendants of colonial settlers as a way to keep their land. They have been criticized for not investing as much in local communities as others. But the model at large is based on community ownership, and Kaelo said that as tourism revenue plummets, even rangers, now considered essential, may have to be let go, greatly increasing the risk of poaching.

At a cattle market in one village, locals were already preparing to reclaim old grazing lands and increasing the size of their cattle herds to make up for lost conservancy payments. Old bulls were headed for slaughterhouses, while new calves were brought home to ranches right on the Mara's edge.

"Ask anyone here, and they'll say the same," said Ole Muli Tipatet, an older Maasai man who like nearly everyone else at the market held conservancy shares as well as owned cattle. "If the conservancies can't pay us, then what need will we have for them? Why keep holding shares that are worthless? We'll go back to grazing the land, what else?"

Lemara, the camp manager, embodies the model's success. He was one of 29 siblings and half-siblings from a big family in a tiny village, and he now earns an enviable salary by Kenyan standards.

"Everything I have - my new house, my cows - I owe to tourism. Even my bush limousine," he said, referring to his brand-new safari jeep that can fit eight passengers.

He and all his family members, as well as the majority of Maasai living near the Mara, are conservancy shareholders. A full share, 150 acres, earns its holder just under $400 a month, about 25 percent higher than the average Kenyan income. Like Lemara, many shareholders earn both through dividends and jobs on conservancies.

"It could be years before we can pay shares in full again," said Mohanjeet Brar, the director of Gamewatchers, a safari company, and Porini Safari Camps.

Investors like Brar face a conundrum: The business could better survive the pandemic's economic shock by totally shutting down, but for many conservancies, that would mean returning land to communities who would use it for grazing.

"If we could shut down and furlough everyone, it would be better for the bottom line and easier to reopen eventually," he said. "But then we'd lose all the shareholders."

The sudden nosedive has put the trajectories of thousands of guides aspiring to Lemara's level on indefinite hold, including some of his own siblings. It is an especially cruel irony because fewer than 40 cases of the virus have been confirmed in the Kenyan county home to the Mara.

Lemara's job, too, is greatly diminished. Instead of hosting lavish dinners and round-the-clock game drives, followed by telling stories around the camp bonfire, he goes out into the bush on his own, at times of day geared for viewers in American time zones, and live-streams safaris on Facebook and Instagram, where Porini has tens of thousands of followers.

Americans make up the largest and most lucrative portion of tourists in Kenya, and the virtual safaris are meant to entice people to come back "once this is all over," he said.

"It's a way for us to remind viewers that the beauty is still here. It is waiting for you as soon as you can come," he said. Rather than charge viewers a fee, he promotes an "adopt-an-acre" program in which people can essentially donate to the conservancy's mission. (So far, that initiative has raised about $200,000 through the "adoption" of about 5,700 acres, with more than 35,000 acres still available.) He and Brar don't expect bookings to return to normal until at least 2023.

"It's a lesson," he said. "So many Maasai went all in on tourism, and now in a flash, it's all gone."

- - -

For now, the best survival method is fundraising. Conservancy officials are scrambling to cobble together funds for immediate payments to shareholders but worry how long they can expect them to accept less than what they're owed.

"Yesterday, I was on Zoom for 14 hours fundraising," said Daniel Sopia, CEO of the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association, which comprises 15 conservancies that surround the government's Maasai Mara National Reserve and has secured enough to pay shareholders half their dues through next year. "We had expected to pay out $7.5 million to shareholders this year. Now we're just praying that people don't sell their shares."

Many in the industry are looking to Tanzania to see how its reopening plays out. It began welcoming tourists again in June, amid a propaganda push by President John Magufuli, who has declared the country free of the coronavirus. Kenyan operators worry that should hot spots of the virus emerge at camps there, the entire safari industry could be seen as high risk by potential visitors, further deepening the crisis.

On July 6, Kenya lifted some domestic travel restrictions, allowing people to move around the country more freely. But domestic tourism accounts for a minuscule proportion of the whole.

"Tourism, for us, is an export product, like tea or coffee," Kariuki said.

That's why Lemara sees promise in the virtual safaris he hosts each dawn and dusk through his cellphone - they might just convince people that a conservancy is where they should take their first post-coronavirus vacation, whenever that may be.

On a recent morning, Lemara opened his phone and began to record.

"It's another beautiful morning here in the Mara," he started.

"The moon and Venus are in perfect alignment," he continued, pointing his camera at the sky, where the first whispers of dawn hadn't yet dimmed the stars.

Only a few minutes later, as the sun catapulted off the horizon, Lemara came upon a scene of intense carnal beauty: two lions mating as the rays of red light behind them were cut into shards by an errant cloud.

In America, where midnight approached, an attenuated version of the drama unfolded for viewers watching on bright screens in dark rooms. A cellphone video couldn't convey how the savanna was coming alive with the grunts of other, unseen beasts, or how the scent of wildflowers rose off the plain. Nor could whatever donations it prompted make up for the real thing: hordes of tourists and their dollars.
Pennsylvania State Police remind people who hang out on the Delaware River Viaduct, a former railroad crossing that connects Upper Mount Bethel Township to Knowlton Township, that they are trespassing and face a fine of up to $300.

The viaduct, a smaller sister to the Paulinskill Viaduct in Knowton, is still owned by the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority, police said, although a hoped for rail-reuse connecting Scranton to New Jersey was never completed. The viaduct was retired in 1983 and the tracks were removed in 1989.

Viaduct visitors parking along Slateford Road tie up traffic, making it a difficult area for pedestrians, and the deteriorating bridge has become a target for graffiti, police said.

Drugs, alcohol and bungee jumping have been issues troopers have had to deal with as well, Trooper Nathan Branosky said.

On Wednesday, troopers from the Belfast barracks cited two people with trespassing on the viaduct, police said.

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.
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Health authorities struggling to cope and treat COVID-19 patients as virus spreads to smaller cities in the country.

Hospitals in Brazil are struggling to cope with an influx of coronavirus patients, as confirmed cases have crossed the two million mark in the worlds second-worst hit nation by the pandemic.

More than 45,000 new infections were reported by the health ministry on Thursday, but the real figures are believed to be much higher due to insufficient testing. The overall confirmed number of coronavirus-related death stood at 76,688, also the second-highest globally behind the United States.

Even as cases wane somewhat in the biggest and hardest-hit Brazilian cities, infections are peaking in new locations across the country.

At a public hospital in the city of Campinas, northwest of Sao Paulo, a video recorded by a doctor who works at the facility showed no intensive care unit (ICU) beds available to treat COVID-19 patients.

Health officials in the city say the coronavirus has become a major public health threat.

Weve had many days with a 100 percent of ICU beds occupation, Andrea von Zuben, director of the Municipal Health Vigilance Department, told Al Jazeera.

For around 10 days, some people had to wait to get an ICU bed. They all could get medical care, but had to wait for vacancy.





With long queues outside the Ouro Verde public hospital in Campinas, patients were also refused to get tested.

I came to test for COVID-19 because my father got the disease and is actually in ICU right now, said Marcos Piccolo.

I accompanied him in hospital and since I had flu symptoms I came to get tested but I couldnt do it, the Campinas resident told Al Jazeera.

200710131610501

President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently in isolation after twice testing positive for the virus, has been widely criticised for not taking the countrys outbreak seriously.

The former army captain has opposed lockdown restrictions, often appeared in public to shake hands with supporters and mingle with crowds, at times without a mask, and derided the coronavirus as a little flu.

He has continued to tout an unproven anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine, despite warnings against its use to treat coronavirus by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Experts also blame the countrys crisis on a lack of national coordination combined with scattershot responses by city and state governments, with some reopening earlier than health experts recommended.

Over the last two months, Brazil has recorded more than 30,000 daily new cases 26 times, and on 11 of those occasions there were more than 40,000 infections.

Two million is a symbolic number because we dont have wide-scale testing, Jean Gorinchteyn, infectious disease expert from the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo, told AFP news agency.

There are probably four or five times more. The most pessimistic projections signal up to 10 times more.
Vietnamese sailors stranded in Malaysian waters to be repatriated soon

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested the Vietnam Maritime Administration to make every effort to soon bring home 12 Vietnamese sailors who have been stranded in Malaysian waters for about four months.









Twelve Vietnamese sailors have been stranded in Malaysian waters since March. (Photo: NUSPM)



Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang told the ministrys regular press conference in Hanoi on July 16 that the ministry has contacted the Vietnam Maritime Administration and learned that the seafarers started working aboard vessel Viettin 01 around mid-March with an aim to sail the ship, docked at Malaysias Zoho strait, back to Vietnam.



Due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have received no salary and others to cover their expenses from the ships owner  Thuan Thien Co., Ltd  since May 26, she said, adding that though they have repeatedly asked for pay from the company, their request has remained unsettled.



After getting the information, the Foreign Ministry has tasked the Embassy of Vietnam in Malaysia to contact the seafarers to learn about the case and take citizen protection measures if needed.



It urged the Vietnam Maritime Administration to demand Thuan Thien Co., Ltd to immediately fulfill their responsibilities as outlined in contracts signed with the sailors, regarding salaries and living expenses, and meet requirements by the Malaysian side to soon bring the vessel back to Vietnam.



The ministry and its representative agencies in Malaysia will discuss with the Malaysian side on necessary procedures to repatriate the sailors, she added.
It has been almost forty years since the last time a Jeep was offered with a V8 engine. The very last of its kind was the 1981 Jeep CJ, equipped with a 5.0-liter V8 that produced 125 hp and almost 300 Nm of torque.

For decades, Jeep enthusiasts have been asking for the return of a V8-powered Wrangler, and finally, the American automotive marque grants their wishes with the new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept.

Jeep Wrangler Concept



Powered by a 6.4-liter V8 engine that pushes out 450 hp and 610 Nm of torque, the new Wrangler is as fast and powerful as can be, going from 0-100 kph in less than five seconds.



Jeep Wrangler enthusiasts have been asking us for a Wrangler V8 and our new Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept proves that we have the ability to make that happen, said Jim Morrison, Head of Jeep Brand  FCA North America.

To accommodate the massive 6.4-liter V8 engine and eight speed automatic transmission, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept features upgraded engine mounts and a modified frame. Suspension upgrades include new aluminum, monotube Fox shocks for improved damping and heat dissipation. Road grip comes from 37-inch mud-terrain tires around custom 17-inch beadlock wheels.



From the recently introduced 29-mpg Wrangler EcoDiesel to our award-winning Jeep Gladiator, and the upcoming Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, Jeep is clearly listening to its customers. We are anxious to gauge their reaction to this new Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept, a vehicle that delivers an incredible and unmatched level of fun-to-drive performance and capability, on- and off-road," Morrison added.

Cosmetics-wise, the new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept is wrapped in a Granite Crystal exterior paint, adorned with bronze tow hooks. Other exterior features include an aggressive, heavy-duty raised performance hood, custom-made half doors and Wranglers Sky One-touch powertop, complete with removable side panels for the open-air freedom you can only get in a Jeep.

Story continues

Inside, the Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept features rich Red Rock-colored leather bolstered seats adorned with gold stitching, along with a performance steering wheel.

Although there is no news yet as to whether or not this V8 Wrangler will come to the Philippines, the closest thing we have in the market is the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It comes equipped with a 2.0 liter 4 Cylinder engine that makes 268 hp and 400 Nm of torque. The Wrangler Rubicon starts at Php 4.49 million.



Photo/s from FCA

Also Read:

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator is FCA's 'most capable midsize truck ever'

ANG unleashes all-new Jeep Gladiator into PH arena
On Monday, the Baraboo Burger Co. announced that several employees had tested positive for the disease and the restaurant would remain closed for a week for deep cleaning.

They did that voluntarily, said Lawther. We may have announced that, but there was no reason to because they announced that.

Lawther said that Sauk County wont make a public announcement of the presence of COVID-19 unless multiple cases have been reported, which would create a public health benefit for the public to know.

There certainly are cases in multiple businesses around the entire county, not just the Dells, he said. But they have not turned into an outbreak scenario yet. We are monitoring them, we are investigating them, trying to figure out what is the point that we may need to announce that to protect public health.

Amanda Dederich, health officer for the Juneau County Health Department, said the criteria for disclosing COVID-19 cases at businesses varies by county.

"For businesses in our county, we notify the public if we determine there is increased risk of exposure to the public and we cant identify all individuals who may have been exposed by name," she said in an email.
As novel coronavirus cases rise around the country and deadlines loom to extend economic lifeline programs created in the wake of the pandemic, congressional leaders are still far from agreement on an overall price tag for the next relief bill or what should be in it. Key jobless benefits run out at the end of the month, leaving lawmakers just 11 days to act.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said at an event on Thursday in his home state he expects to unveil the outlines of his conference's bill next week, which two senior GOP aides said will come in at roughly $1 trillion to $1.3 trillion.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi derided that sum as far too little, pointing to her chamber's passage of a more than $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill two months ago while adding that she thought the opposition party would eventually cave.

"I have no doubt they will come around," Peolsi said in a Bloomberg interview. "In the beginning they said, 'No, we have spent enough money.' Now, they're at $1.3 trillion. That's not enough. We have $3.4 trillion."

MORE: House passes $3 trillion relief package, bill 'DOA' in Senate

But the two sides remain far apart in several key areas.

Senate Democrats have insisted on the House-passed bill that includes aid for front-line workers, state and local governments, and more money for hospitals, testing, schools, nutrition and housing assistance. Senate Democrats are seeking to add an additional $430 billion for education-related needs.

And on Thursday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and his caucus unveiled a $350 billion plan to target aid to communities of color, which have been disproportionately hit by the virus. The 10-point proposal would require $150 billion in new funds with the remainder from unspent coronavirus loan programs. It would be used for child care, job training, at-risk youth initiatives, housing tax credits, anti-poverty programs and more.

Story continues

PHOTO: In this Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020, image, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer speak during a news conference, on Capitol Hill, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Outlining his bill Thursday, McConnell said four key themes will prevail: liability protection, schools, jobs and health care.

The GOP leader has drawn a red line on the lawsuit shield, something Democrats oppose. But McConnell was unbowed Thursday, saying the legislation Republicans will put forward will "cover the period from Dec. 19 up until about 2024, and it covers everybody: hospitals, doctors, nurses, businesses, schools, colleges, universities, K-12 (schools). Nobody should have to face an epidemic of lawsuits on the heels of the pandemic that we already have related to the coronavirus."

Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., a member of leadership and chairman of the Health Care Spending Subcommittee, said Thursday that his piece of the bill -- which includes health care, education, virus testing and vaccine development -- was nearly done.

"We're close," Blunt told reporters, saying he and Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who chairs the Health Committee, and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., have been working with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

MORE: 3 things to know about kids, schools and COVID-19

Blunt said members were still grappling with how and whether to incentivize schools to reopen while being sensitive to the resurgence of the virus in many states, but he indicated that funding would be needed, regardless of whether schools are open or students are learning from home.

"I'm undecided yet. My view is that schools are going to have a significant number of expenses that don't change if you're learning at a distance. Your faculty still has to be paid. An awful lot of the staff and administrators have to be paid, and your communication costs have to go up. I don't think it should be exclusively based on whether you're back in a school room or not. But I think it's likely that some of the funding will relate to that, because there are additional costs when you reopen these buildings."

McConnell, for his part, indicated that the decision was one localities and parents would have to make, a position that appears as odds with President Donald Trump, who has threatened to withhold federal funds for those institutions that refuse to reopen amid the pandemic.

Blunt said he wants to see schools have "an easily taken, point-of-contact response kind of test, so that you can take a test easily and know within 15 minutes or so what the results are," a move that seems unlikely anytime soon given the testing shortages and lag time for results across the country.

PHOTO: Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, speaks during a news conference following the Senate Republicans policy luncheon, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

As the nation's unemployment rate remains historically high, it seems certain lawmakers will continue expanded pandemic jobless benefits. But those benefits are set to run out at the end of this month, a deadline Congress is unlikely to meet.

Republicans have fought against a flat $600-per-week rate created under the original CARES Act virus relief bill, claiming it is a disincentive to work for those who made less before the virus hit. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who would manage that portion of the bill, has indicated that the benefit is likely to taper off and not end abruptly.

Some Republicans, led by Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, have pushed a back-to-work incentive payment, but economic analysts have questioned the workability of such a proposal.

And there is still a lingering question about whether or not to send Americans of modest income another round of stimulus checks, one of the more popular provisions of the last stimulus bill. Trump has expressed support, and Blunt said Thursday he was "open to it."

MORE: 1.3 million workers filed jobless claims last week

There is also a disagreement over how much aid to send to states and localities, though Blunt conceded that whatever amount is added to the previously appropriated $150 billion would likely contain the flexibility in spending many governors and mayors have pleaded for. Many have faced rising deficits, but have been unable to use federal aid due to restrictions built into the previous relief bill, with Republicans fearing a use of aid to pay off state pension funds that have been in the red for years.

The one area where there is far more agreement is aid to small businesses crushed by the recession.

The popular Paycheck Protection Program, which was renewed until Aug. 8, is likely to be reformed to target the smallest of businesses, in particular minority and women-owned businesses with low interest, forgivable loans designed to help owners retain employees through the pandemic. But many businesses have requested a chance to apply for a second PPP loan, and it is unclear if Republicans will approve such a move as it would swell the overall price tag of the bill.

PHOTO: Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer Nancy Pelosi attend a ceremony honoring first responders in Washington, Nov. 9, 2017. (Afp Contributor/AFP via Getty Images)

The total size of the next package is sure to be a major roadblock to negotiations. And while bipartisan talks have been happening at the member level, they have yet to happen on a leadership level, complicating the timeline for completing work.

And no one is sure what Trump will want. He has, in the past, insisted on a payroll tax cut, and though some Republicans, like Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have said they support the idea, most do not.

McConnell said on Thursday he knows the path forward will not be an easy one.

Unveiling his plan mid-week "will just begin the process," McConnell said.

"Making laws is not easy. And even though the CARES Act ended up passing unanimously, this is four months later," he said. "We're much closer to the election. It's much more challenging politically to get everybody in the same place. So I'm not predicting that our next product is going to be without more -- dramatically more -- controversy and partisanship because of the proximity to the next election."

Congressional leaders at odds over next coronavirus relief package originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Whats a rodeo without bull-riding cowboys and prize-winning barbecue?

For the first time in 71 years, The Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo will find out.

Officials for the nonprofit group announced the decision this week to host the annual Pasadena tradition in the fall without some of its biggest draws  the barbecue cookoff, the traditional rodeo show featuring such competitions as bronco riding and the concerts of popular musical acts.

Those PLSR staples, along with the kick-off dDance, membership picnic and other events, have fallen victim of the coronavirus pandemic.

Having to eliminate audience favorites and traditions like the concerts and cookoff, which draws participants from all over the state, was tough, PLSR president Jay Hunt said.

Over the years, performers in the rodeo arena at the Pasadena Fairgrounds, 7601 Red Bluff Road, have included everyone from Ray Price to Foghat to, more recently, Pat Green.

Livestock show and auction still planned

More Information Fewer events planned at rodeo Here how things stand now for events for the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo, held each year on the Pasadena Fairgrounds, 7601 Red Bluff Road in Pasadena. For updates, visit the PLSR Facebook page at https://bit.ly/3h5o9Ry or its main website, www.pasadenarodeo.com/ Events that are canceled: Kick off dance Cookoff Rodeo performances Parade Little Wranglers Rodeo Membership picnic Events still scheduled: Spring barrel race July 180 Bowling tournament Aug 1 Kick off auction Aug 6 Livestock show Sept. 20-23 Livestock auction Sept 24 Beauty pageant Oct 10 Fun run Nov 7 See More Collapse

Rodeo organizers confirmed that the livestock show and auction  the cornerstone of the organizations fundraising events  are still on schedule, with the livestock show for Sept. 20-23 and the auction for Sept. 24.

Other rodeo activities still on the calendar include barrel racing (noon to 7 p.m. July 18), a bowling tournament (12:30-4:30 p.m. Aug. 1), the kickoff auction (Aug. 7), the beauty pageant (Oct. 10) and a fun run (Nov. 7), which will be all organized under Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

These decisions were made based on the latest orders and recommendations from State and local agencies, PLSR officials said in a press release. There are many decisions being made by the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo officials and we ask for patience and understanding as we work to create a plan of action.

These are the things were attempting to still do, Hunt said, noting that potential Harris County restrictions on audience capacity could be a factor. Were planning on putting on a rodeo, but we cant have it with just a few 100 people in the stands.

Holding public events where capacity is limited by circumstances like the pandemic and public safety concerns is a challenge, said Hunt. Organizers will to weigh any restrictions on attendance in their planning, he said.

The (rodeo) is our biggest fundraiser; its also our biggest expense, Hunt said.

As we get closer, well know what we can do in September, he said. At 50 percent (capacity), were OK, we can do that those types of events. If it gets less than that, we have to deal with what were dealt with at the time. With everything closing down around us  Texas State Fair and all these other county fairs and rodeos  weve got to think of we want to do in the future.

 Now whether we get to do or not, we could be shut down tomorrow, who knows? Hunt said. Im not the county judge, Im not the mayor  we could be like the (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which was canceled in March), they could come in and shut us down.

Hunt said the PLSR has created committees to implement CDC protocols, including frequent sanitizing of all equipment just like they do at the supermarket, the stores and anywhere else.

Were doing everything that we can by CDC guidelines, he said.

On the eve of July 4, many public events throughout Harris County were canceled due to the rise in coronavirus cases.

The Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo draws thousands of visitors and provides thousands of dollars for student scholarships each year. It is a Pasadena tradition  the biggest of its kind in the region outside the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo..

The livestock show is where animals including pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, rabbit and cattle are exhibited and judged on breed standards. The auction where these animals are sold is the primary fundraising driver of the PLSR.

Hunt said the PLSR raises funds throughout the year.

We are financially set to be able to do what we need to do (raise money for student scholarships), he said.

Were doing everything we can according to the CDC  we dont want anybody to take a risk, Hunt said of people involved in planning rodeo activities. Ive always said at the beginning of this to our people: if you dont feel comfortable, dont come to an event or meeting.

Hunt said that there will be signs on rodeo grounds at events requiring face masks.

In its seven decades, The Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo has never been canceled, including after Hurricane Harvey in 2017, when it was rescheduled for a later date.

yorozco@hcnonline.com
Realme Narzo 10A smartphone goes on sale at noon through Flipkart and Realme online portal. Launched in May, the phone was initially available in sole 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage variant. However, the Chinese smartphone brand later added the 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage variant, too. Both the variants will be available during the sale on Friday.

The Realme Narzo 10A is priced at Rs 8,999 and Rs 9,999 for the 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB variants, respectively. It will be available in So Blue and So White colours. The sale starts at 12 noon on July 17. On Flipkart, the phone will be ...
Following the carnage at Chauri Chaura on 4 February 1922, Mahatma Gandhi abruptly called off the Non-cooperation Movement. However, the Non-cooperation Movement was a mere appendage, indeed a fig-leaf for the Khilafat Movement. As the objectives of the Khilafat Movement had not been met, it continued without the pretensions of the Non-cooperation Movement. To recapitulate, the original objectives of the Khilafat Movement were four-fold - complete freedom of the Turkish Empire, restitution of Thrace region in south-east Europe to Turkey, restitution of Smyrna (modern-day Izmir) and the coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Anatolia or Asian Turkey) to Turkey and freedom and safeguard of the Jazirat-ul-Arab (Arabian peninsula that includes Islams Holy Places).

End of the Khilafat

According to the Lausanne Treaty (24 July 1925) between the Allies and Turkey, Turkey retained Constantinople and Thrace upto the Meritza line with the control of the Straits. Though Turkey had lost her vast empire, yet by this Treaty she managed to emerge once more as the chief power in the Near East. Thus the Treaty met the first three objectives. However, from the Islamic point of view, the fourth objective was most important. The Khilafatists resolved to continue the Movement and even supported Mustafa Kemal initially as they did not reckon that he would abolish the Khilafat.

To the newly formed Turkish Republic, the Khilafat had come to mean an anomalous and anachronistic institution, which Mustafa Kemal regarded as a constant nuisance and a perpetual danger to the Turkish republic. Turkey, he argued, was no longer in a position either to afford military adventure or to claim the power to defend the rest of Islam.

On 3 March 1924, the office of the Khilafat was abolished and the Khalifa was deposed. The Turkish Nationalists did everything in their power to humiliate and belittle the Caliph. Within hours, the Imperial family was asked to leave Turkey. The passport issued to the deposed Khalifa referred to him simply as Monsieur Abdul-Mejid file d' Abdul Aziz and the Italian Embassy was informed that it was not a case for a diplomatic visa.

The Turkish Nationalists also took special measures to ensure the omission of his name from the Friday khutba and substituted it with a prayer for the Republic. The dejected ex-Khalifa had to spend the rest of his life on a stipend from the Nizam of Hyderabad, donations from Indian Princes and magnates and funds from the Red Crescent Society (The Khilafat Movement in India, 1919-1924, Muhammad Naeem Qureshi, dissertation submitted to University of London, 1973, pp.269-271, 276).

Demise of the Khilafat Movement

The shell-shocked Khilafatists continued with their bravado. Maulana Azad even proposed that Mustafa Kemal declare himself as Khalifa. When the Khilafatists woke up to reality, their internal contradictions came to the fore. One bone of contention was Non-cooperation, specifically entry into Legislative Councils. Men like Maulana Abdul Bari and Ajmal Khan favoured entry into the Councils in contravention of official CKC policy and a fatwa issued by Jamiyat-ul-Ulama. A section of the Khilafatists felt that they were subordinating their programme to the Congress. To the Khilafatists, anti-British sentiment was incidental, depending on events affecting Turkey. Certain Khilafatists like Maulana Abdul Bari and Kidwai were in favour of a patch-up with the British in February 1922 when they felt that the British were favourably disposed to Turkey. However, not all Khilafatists felt that the British were doing enough for Turkey.

There was also the principle of non-violence to which lip-service had to be paid. The increasing number of riots after 1922 broke down the facade of Hindu-Muslim unity. In July 1924, there were serious Bakr Id riots in Delhi. In the same month, there was another clash at Nagpur and in August at Panipat. Then there were riots at Lahore, Lucknow, Muradabad, Bhagalpur, Roorkee, Agra, Hanpar, Jampur, Meerut, Abmedabad, Pilibhit, Shahjehanpur, Hardoi, Kalpi, Allahabad, Jhang and even at Gulburga in the Nizam's dominions. The murder of Arya Samaj leader Swami Shraddhanand in December 1923 created severe resentment among Hindus.

Importantly, discovery that the various Khilafat funds, amounting to several lakhs of rupees, had been mismanaged severely eroded the credibility of the Khilafatist leaders. Rumours spread of serious deflections not only in the CKC but also in various provinces. Between Rs.40000-50,000 were said to have been embezzled in Punjab alone. A balance of over Rs.16 lakhs of Khilafat Fund was lying with the Treasurer who had reportedly diverted it to his private firm. Subscriptions to the Khilafat Fund fell drastically.

The last phase of the Khilafat movement was marred by scandals, political factionalism, personal squabbles and, worst of all, Hindu-Muslim dissensions. After 1929, the CKC remained but no Khilafat conference appears ever to have taken place. Instead, the disunited and disorganised Khilafatists withered and scattered into various groups. The so-called nationalist Muslims such as Ansari, Azad, Dr. Mahmud, Sherwani, Kidwai, Asaf Ali, Akram Khan, Kitchlew, Dr. Alam and Khaliquzzaman formed themselves into a Muslim Nationalist Party, meeting as the All-India Nationalist Muslim Conference.

Others like the Ali brothers, Hasrat Mohani and Azad Subhani, formed the All-India Muslim Conference in association with the Muslim Leaguers. Many of the Khilafatist leaders such as Abdul Bari, Ajmal Khan, Dr. Ansari and the Ali brothers passed away from 1926 onwards. The Khilafat Movement disintegrated and finally disappeared around 1938. What remains is the Khilafat House in Mumbai (For preceding paragraphs, Qureshi, ibid, pp. 254-305).

Significance of Khilafat Movement

Though the Khilafat Movement failed, as it was bound to, it was not without significance. Though it was preceded by Muslim revivalist movements such as the Wahabi and Faraizi, it may be called the first all-India agitation of the Indian Muslims with a central organisation to guide its course. Provinces such as the Punjab, Sind and the Frontier, which were hitherto lagging in Muslim politics, responded side by side with Bombay, Bengal and the U.P. which had established political traditions.

After 1857, Muslim politics was largely the prerogative of the upper and middle classes. Now the ulama came to the forefront of Muslim politics and aligned themselves with Western-educated Muslim politicians. The Khilafat Movement mobilized the Muslim masses. The mobilization was so effective that it prompted Gandhi to jump into it to cement his own leadership within the Congress.

The Khilafat Movement, in a sense, gave birth to other movements. One such movement called Tanzim (organization) was started by Dr. Kitchlew in the summer of 1923 and adopted by the CKC in 1924; besides Dr.Kitchlew, Shaukat Ali became its foremost leader. Dr. Kitchlew emphasized that a new and more dynamic programme embracing the whole phase of the life of the community would be considered jointly by the Jamiyat-ul-ulama and the CKC. He wished to organise not only Muslim Jathas, but also their primary schools in mosques, prepare text-books, issue Khutbas which were read in mosques, enforce punctuality in prayers, to found technical and commercial colleges; supervise Wakfs and collection of Zakat: to arrange for relief of widows and orphans and to start Muslim co-operative societies and banks.

In 1919 the Jamiyat-ul-ulama Hind (Association of the Divines of India) was formed. For the first few years when party politics -within Muslims as well as between them and the Hindus-was silenced by the exigency of the Khilafat campaign, the Jamiyat contained all varieties of ulama. Later, it became the political arm of the Deoband School.

The symbiosis between Gandhi and the Khilafatists gave the Khilafat Movement a veneer of Hindu-Muslim unity. The Hindus believed that the Movement was all about Swaraj and that unity was a prerequisite for attaining Swaraj. The Muslims accepted accommodation with the Congress and political cooperation of the Hindus to achieve their pan-Islamist goals.

Writing in November 1920, Abdul Bari said that the strength of Islam lies in association with him (Gandhi) (Religion and Politics: The Ulama and Khilafat Movement, Mushirul Hasan, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 16, No. 20, 1981, p. 907). At the Khilafat Conference in Kakinada on 27 December 1923, Shaukat Ali clearly stated that the attainment of swaraj was not only a political and national but the foremost Islamic duty (Qureshi, ibid, p. 270). In one sentence, the Hindus shed their Hinduness to become Indian; but the Muslims remained Muslim first and last.

The lasting contribution of the Khilafat Movement to Muslim politics was that it laid the groundwork for Pakistan. By emphasizing Islam, the movement made the Muslims conscious of their being Muslims... Though this feeling was old, it was only now that they felt, with unprecedented intensity, that they were Muslims first and Indians afterwards. This was a triumph for Muslim nationalism, for it provided a base on which other unities could be built (The Making of Pakistan: A Study in Nationalism, K.K. Aziz, Chatto and Windus, London, 1967, p.115).

Lesson 1

A perusal of Muslim politics in general and Khilafat Movement in particular reveals certain traits of the Muslim psyche. Commenting on Muslim politics in the light of the Khilafat Movement, Dr. Annie Besant writes, We have seen revived, as guide in practical politics, the old Muslim religion of the sword; we have seen the dragging out of centuries of forgetfulness the old exclusiveness, claiming the Jazirut-ul-Arab  the Island of Arabia  as a Holy Land which may not be trodden by the polluting foot of a non-Muslim; we have heard Muslim leaders declare that if the Afghans invaded India, they would join their fellow-believers, and would slay the Hindus who defended their Motherland against the foe; we have been forced to see that the primary allegiance of Musalmans is to Islamic countries, not to our Motherland; The claim now put forward by Musalman leaders that they must obey the laws of their particular Prophet above the laws of the State in which they live, is subversive of civic order and the stability of the State; it makes them bad citizens, for their centre of allegiance is outside the Nation, and they cannot, while they hold the views proclaimed by Moulanas Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali - to name the most prominent of these Muslim leaders - be trusted by their fellow-citizens. If India were independent, the Muslim part of the population - for the ignorant masses would follow those who appealed to them in the name of their Prophet - would become an immediate peril to India's freedom (The Future of Indian Politics, Annie Besant, Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar, 1922, pp. 301-303).

Dilating on pan-Islamism, Dr. Ambedkar writes, Islam does not recognize territorial affinities. Its affinities are social and religious and therefore extra-territorial...This is the basis of Pan-Islamism. It is this which leads every Mussalman in India to say that he is a Muslim first and Indian afterwards. It is this sentiment which explains why the Indian Muslim has taken so small a part in the advancement of India but has spent himself to exhaustion by taking up the cause of Muslim countries and why Muslim countries occupy the first place and India occupies a second place in his thoughts (Pakistan or the Partition of India, B.R. Ambedkar, Thacker and Company Limited, 1945, pp. 290, 291).

Lesson 2

A natural corollary of pan-Islamism is the inability of Muslims to unite with their non-Muslim countrymen against a fellow-Muslim. In 1924, the editor of a Bengali paper had an interview with Rabindranath Tagore. The report of this interview, as given by The Times of India dated 18 April 1924 states, another very important factor which, according to the Poet, was making it almost impossible for the Hindu-Mohamedan unity to become an accomplished fact was that the Mohamedans could not confine their patriotism to any one country. The poet said that he had very frankly asked many Mohamedans whether, in the event of any Mohamedan power invading India, they would stand side by side with their Hindu neighbours to defend their common land. He could not be satisfied with the reply he got from them. He said that he could definitely state that even such men as Mr. Mahomed Ali had declared that under no circumstances was it permissible for any Mohamedan, whatever his country might be, to stand against any other Mohamedan (B.R. Ambedkar, ibid, pp. 268,269).

To Congress leaders like Gandhi, Hindu-Muslim unity had only to be proclaimed to be a fact. Men like Jawaharlal Nehru were wilfully blind to the problem inherent in any Hindu-Muslim unity. According to Nehru, there was no such problem as the Muslim problem in India. Communalism was mere propaganda, and would not present the slightest difficulty. It was overrated and over-emphasized. It did not fundamentally affect the masses. As social issues would come to the forefront, it is bound to recede into the background (K.K. Aziz, ibid, p. 187).

Dr. Ambedkar advises the Hindus thus, ...efforts, sincere and persistent, have been made to achieve it (Hindu-Moslem unity) and that nothing now remains to be done to achieve it except surrender by one party to the other. If anyone, who is not in the habit of cultivating optimism where there is no justification for it, said that the pursuit of Hindu-Moslem unity is like a mirage and that the idea must now be given up, no one can have the courage to call him a pessimist or an impatient idealist. It is for the Hindus to say whether they will engage themselves in this vain pursuit in spite of the tragic end of all their past endeavours or give up the pursuit of unity and try for a settlement on another basis (B.R. Ambedkar, ibid, pp. 307).

The so-called Hindu-Muslim unity seen during a certain phase of the Khilafat Movement was deemed necessary by the Khilafatists because it added to their strength. It was never a unity of hearts and minds but merely a strategic alliance.

Lesson 3

Was the Khilafat Movement religious or political in nature? This is a sham problem because of the inseparability of these categories in Islamic thought. In Islam, spiritual and temporal powers are confounded and intermixed so that all the acts of civil and political life are regulated more or less by Islamic principles. Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi (1903-1979), described as the most systematic thinker of modern Islam says, Islam is not a mere collection of dogmas and rituals. It is a complete way of life. It is the embodiment of Divine Guidance for all fields of human life, may they be private or public, political or economic, social or cultural, moral or legal and judicial. Islam is an all-embracing ideology ...It looks upon life in its totality and provides guidance for every field of activity... Islam does not admit of any separation between religion and politics: it wants to conduct politics also in accordance with the guidance provided by religion and to use the state as the servant of the Lord. The Quran lays down that Allah is the Sovereign and the Law-giver and His revealed law must be adopted as the law of the land (The Islamic Law and Constitution, Tr. Khurshid Ahmad, Islamic Publications Limited, Lahore, 1960, pp. 1-5). Those who plead that religion be confined to home and that a secular Constitution must prevail in the public sphere have not understood the essence of Islam.

Lesson 4

The Indian Khilafatists were obsessed with the Turkish Khalifa. Strangely, as it turned out, the Turks themselves could not care less for their own Khalifa. Even the Sherif of Mecca who claimed the Prophets lineage revolted against the Turkish Khalifa. The Arab subjects of the Ottoman Turkish Empire wanted self-determination. The Amir of Afghanistan to whom the Khilafatists looked up to for their deliverance gave them a royal ditch when Indian muhajirin trooped en masse to Afghanistan in search of an Islamic utopia. In the autumn of 1924, when Ibn Saud, the Sultan of Nedz and founder of the Saudi dynasty took control of Islams Holy Places, he ordered the removal of all domed structures from the graves of Muslims held sacred by the generality of the Muslims.

This threw the Khilafatists themselves into camps, supporting and opposing Ibn Saud for his iconoclasm. That pan-Islamism was a fiction should have been apparent to the Khilafatists. But they clung on to it solely because it was ordained by Scripture. As Historicity is subservient to Scripture, it may be assumed that future generations of Muslim leaders will continue to invoke this fiction.

Lesson 5

Muslim behaviour-pattern is conditioned by Islamic belief-system. Since the belief-system stems from an eternally valid Scripture, the behaviour-pattern transcends time and place. To the perceptive eye, Islamic behaviour-pattern is pretty unoriginal and predictable. The caveat is that one needs to acquaint oneself with the belief-system to predict the behaviour-pattern. Else, behavioural events will continue to be viewed in isolation and met with woefully inadequate knee-jerk responses. During the Khilafat Movement, the Hindu leaders, save an honourable handful, seem to have made no effort to understand the Islamic belief-system or educate their followers. A century has passed since the Khilafat Movement. But the lessons it offers should not be ignored.
Russia is looking to woo technology companies by giving firms annual tax breaks worth more than US$1.1 billion as it aims to diversify its oil export-dependent economy after the second price crash in four years.

Russias government proposed this week amendments to the Russian tax laws, in order to create a more favorable tax regime for IT companies and start-ups.

The development of the IT sector will allow Russia to lessen the dependence of its economy on energy resources, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said at a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

The government proposes slashing the profit tax for the IT sector to 3 percent from 20 percent, as Russia hopes it can become a cheap and corporate tax-friendly destination for the industry.

The need to diversify the economy became painfully evident for Russia which suffers the consequences of the oil price crash it helped create with the temporary rift with its OPEC+ partner Saudi Arabia in March. The Russian ruble crashed, and the oil income for Russia shrank as a result of the plunge in oil prices. Under the new OPEC+ deal from April, Russia is cutting its oil production by 2 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of July, after which cuts are set to ease.

The price crash, along with the coronavirus-driven global recession, will result in Russias economy shrinking this year by the most in 11 years, the World Bank said in its latest economic report on Russia last week.

Russias economy will suffer from the global recession and local efforts to contain the pandemic and the low price of oilRussias largest exportthe World Bank said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has weakened the Russian ruble and has resulted in lower fiscal revenues for the country, according to the bank.

Heightened global risk aversion on financial markets, further exacerbated by a slump in oil prices, has weakened the ruble by 11 percent since the beginning of 2020, the World Bank said in its report.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
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Its been a tumultuous year in Downing Street since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister last July - but throughout much of it devoted Dilyn the Jack Russell has been by his side.

A photo of Mr Johnson and the rescue dog he shares with fiancee Carrie Symonds has been released by No10 to mark the upcoming one-year anniversary, next Friday.

The Prime Minister was snapped while looking at his phone with Dilyn at his feet on March 5, after Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds had attended an event for International Womens Day.

Just a few weeks later the Prime Minister was rushed to hospital with coronavirus symptoms, where he was treated in intensive care before being discharged.

Dilyn was rescued from a breeder by an animal charity before being adopted, and was moved into Downing Street in September last year.

From cabinet reshuffles to coronavirus press conferences, the Prime Minister has been captured in various scenarios during his first year in Number 10.

The PM has also had to battle the virus itself and also became a father over the past year.

The Mail takes a look at the best photographs taken of the Mr Johnson, including the one with his furry friend Dilyn.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson back in his office in No10 with his dog Dilyn after attending the International Woman's Day inside No10 Downing Street in March 2020

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left) has a private meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak (right) in his office at No10 Downing Street after the cabinet reshuffle in Februrary

Boris Johnson (middle) during a conference call with with G7 leaders on the Coronavirus inside No10 Downing Street in March 2020

Boris Johnson (third left) is joined by the Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Chris Witty, Dominic Cummings, Lee Cain, Jack Doyle, Martin, Tara and Ed Lister, as he chairs an update on the UK Government's stratefy on the Coronavirus inside his office of No10 Downing Street in February

Boris Johnson is joined by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak (left) and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance during a press conference on the Coronavirus inside No10 Downing Street in March 2020

Boris Johnson walking through St James Park on his way to have his weekly audience with the Queen in February 2020

Boris Johnson returns to No10 Downing Street from Chequers after recovering from the coronavirus in April 2020
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Police said the victim, whose age was unknown, was on the street when he heard shots and felt pain. He was hit in the chest, and was taken in critical condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.
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Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 14:24 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40667196a6 1 Business Trade-Ministry,SME,business-matching,US,export,COVID-19 Free

The Trade Ministry held a virtual business matchmaking event on Tuesday to help connect food and beverage (F&B) small and medium enterprises (SMEs) looking for potential buyers in the United States.

The event was part of the government's strategy to stimulate the SME sector and boost exports toward reviving growth in mitigating the economic impacts of the pandemic.

The virtual event facilitated 12 export-oriented SMEs in connecting with four American F&B companies, including Los Angeles-based Jans Enterprise Corp. and Ontario-based food trading giant Takari International, Inc., both located in the state of California.

The Indonesian Trade Promotion Center in Los Angeles (ITPC LA) and the Indonesian Exports Education and Training Center (BBPPEI) in West Jakarta co-organized the matchmaking event.

American importers welcomed the virtual business matchmaking [event], and several expressed interest in some of the products that Indonesian SMEs were promoting, ITPC LA head Bayu Nugroho said in a statement on Thursday.

The ITPC LA will facilitate further communication between the Indonesian SMEs and [their] importers to realize the export [deals], he added.

Takari already distributes several well-known Indonesian brands, including Kara coconut products and Kopiko coffee-flavored candy.

Bayu said the virtual matchmaking event aimed to promote Indonesian F&B export products in the US while pushing the government's export drive amid the current decline in trade.

Global trade is projected to fall 18.5 percent year-on-year (yoy) in the second quarter as an impact of the pandemic, according to the World Trade Organization. The global trade body also forecast that world merchandise trade volumes would contract at best 13 percent and at worst 32 percent in 2020 amid the disruption brought about by the pandemic.

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data showed that despite recording a slight recovery in June, Indonesian exports declined 5.49 percent yoy to US$76.41 billion in the first half of the year, while imports had slumped 14.28 percent yoy to $70.9 billion.

In the F&B sector, Indonesian exports to the US increased 29.69 percent yoy to $293.63 million in January-April, maintaining the sector's upward trend over the past five years. Seafood, fruits, snack foods and sugar are Indonesias top F&B exports to the US.

Overall Indonesian-US trade totaled $27.1 billion in 2019.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has battered the world and the restrictions on person-to-person meetings, the Indonesian government has been forced to find a creative, alternative way to maintain its presence on the international stage, especially in the United States, said Bayu.

The Trade Ministry plans to hold another virtual business matchmaking event on Friday for the furniture industry and on July 21 for the fashion industry.

The ministry held a similar event earlier in May to help brown sugar producer Gula Merah Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara to secure a Rp 529.8 million ($37,000) purchase agreement with Australia's Bakso Rawit Ani Pty. Ltd, which specializes in meatball and sambal products.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-16 23:51:19|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends and presides over the first China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting via video link, on July 16, 2020. Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, and Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov attended the meeting. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday attended and presided over the first China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting via video link.

Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, and Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov attended the meeting.

Wang said the Chinese government attaches great importance to developing strategic partnerships with Central Asian countries. Cooperation between China and Central Asia is based on the common needs of both sides. "It does not target any third party, nor does it affect bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the region."

Wang proposed to jointly defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, to jointly promote economic recovery, to safeguard regional security, and to strengthen multilateral cooperation.

Noting Central Asian countries and China are friendly neighbors with high political mutual trust and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation, the five ministers said China's decisive and effective response to the COVID-19 has achieved remarkable results, setting an example for the international community, adding that all parties support WHO to play an important role and firmly oppose the politicization of the pandemic.

The ministers supported the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the development strategies of central Asian countries and stressed their readiness to further strengthen security cooperation.

The meeting adopted and issued the Joint Statement of the C+C5 Foreign Ministers Video Meeting. Enditem
Fairfield, MT (59436)

Today

Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 22F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low 12F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 18:04:17|Editor: huaxia

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JOHANNESBURG, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Zindzi Mandela, South Africa's Ambassador to Denmark and daughter of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, was laid to rest next to her mother's burial place at Fourways Memorial Park in Johannesburg North on Friday.

Zindzi's son Zondwa said his mother's legacy will leave on: "My mother was clear that it is important to celebrate who we are. We will continue her work. She was diversified, kind and loving and true to herself."

"We are happy to have given her a beautiful and celebratory send off. I can't describe the feeling, its been an unfortunate loss." he said.

African National Congress (ANC) senior member Jeff Radebe represented the party at the ceremony.

He said Zindzi was a leader. "Even though she was the daughter of one of our iconic leaders, Nelson Mandela, she was a leader in her own right. The speech she delivered in 1985 in Soweto resonates not only true to South Africans but to people around the world. It is a sad day."

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema who is a close family member also graced the ceremony.

Malema said it was difficult to accept Zinzdi's passing.

"We are shattered. We are in disbelief but there is nothing we can do. She was fearless. She spoke her mind. When they threatened to fire her, I was like you can't threaten Zindzi Mandela," he said. Zindzi supported the expropriation of land without compensation."

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa sent their condolences to the Mandela family ahead of her burial.

Zindzi's family confirmed that she tested positive for COVID-19 on the day of her death. She died on Monday aged 59. Enditem
One of the three suspects linked with serial killings in Akinyele area of Ibadan has said he got N500 and food for each of the six persons he murdered in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than five persons were raped and murdered in Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan in the month of June.

The 19-year old suspect was among the 19 suspects paraded on Friday by Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Nwachuckwu Enwonwu, for various offences ranging from armed robbery, defilement, motorcycle theft, among others.

The suspect said he was sent on the mission by a 50-year-old herbalist, who, he claimed, was his master.

Anytime Im to go for the killing, Baba will give me some charms and also teach me some incantation to be recited so that nobody will see me at the scene of the crime.

I will hit the victims with a shovel and recite the incantation immediately. I saw blood coming out of the victims body.

Baba instructed me to always move around the victims at the scene after killing them and then turn my back on them, staying there for like three minutes; which I did and nobody will see me.

Baba said the spirits of the victims will come to him after I kill them.

Baba did not tell me the reason for the killings, but did buy me food and gave me N500 after each of the killings I carried out for him, he said.

On his part, the herbalist denied ever sending the suspect on the mission to kill, but confirmed that the suspect was brought to him by his parents to learn about herbs.

The boy was brought to me in 2016 and only spent six days with me and I sent him away and since then I have not seen him.

I only saw him some days ago when he came with the police, though I do give him food, he said.

The Commissioner of Police said the 19-year-old suspect was arrested through a receiver on a phone he stole from one of the deceased victims, Azeezat Shomuyiwa.

Mr Enwonwu said the modus operandi of the suspect was to target female victims and attack them with dangerous weapons, rob them before hacking them to death.

The CP said the suspect confessed to have masterminded various criminal activities within Ojoo, Akinyele and Moniya areas of Ibadan.

He attacked and killed an 18-year- old, Barakat Bello, on June 1, attacked and killed 21-year-old, Grace Oshiagwu on June 13, killed a 5-year-old, Mojeed Tirimisiyu on June 22, all in Akinyele

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His last operation was carried out on June 29 where he attacked Mrs Adeola Azeez and her daughter with a shovel.

The duo was seriously injured on the head, carted away their phone and money, the victims are currently responding to treatment at the hospital, Mr Enwonwu said.

The police commissioner said the suspect led the SARS operatives to the hideout of the herbalist that engaged him for the killings.

The police also paraded two teenage boys for allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl.

(NAN)
What is expected of you during your probation period and how can you make sure it goes smoothly? Photo: Getty

Youve been offered a great position at a company youve wanted to work at for a long time. You aced the application process, the interview and youre finally about to start the new job  and you cant wait to relax. The only problem is, youve got a three-month probation period you have to pass before you can finally settle in, which is making you anxious.

Many businesses require new staff to pass a probation period, but it can feel like an extra hoop you have to jump through once youve landed a new job. It can be nerve-wracking to feel like youre being constantly assessed, which can lead to stress and impair your performance.

So what is expected of you during your probation period  and how can you make sure it goes smoothly?

A probation period is a trial period of employment used when an employee first starts working at an organisation. They mostly last between one and six months although it can vary, says Lee Owen, director at Hays Accountancy & Finance.

The point of a probation period is so a company can determine whether an employee is suitable for the role, and so an employee to work out whether the role and organisation lives up to their expectations.

READ MORE: How to recognise if you are being 'breadcrumbed' at work

Sometimes, a probation period may be put in place for employees who have just been promoted, or for those who are experiencing significant dips in performance. In both cases, the probation period is to assess their suitability for the role in question.

During a probation period, a new employee will complete all necessary onboarding and training so they are equipped to carry out the tasks and responsibilities of the role, Owen says.

Once this has taken place, its expected that the employee will begin carrying these out. Inductions and shadowing will often take place in a probation period as well. At key points during the probation period and once the period comes to an end, the employee should expect reviews with their line manager to discuss how they are progressing.

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What five things should you make sure you do in order to pass your probation period?

Be visible but unobtrusive

Everyone wants to make a good impression at a new job  and part of this is making yourself known. You want people to think you are indispensable and become a key member of the team.

Youll no doubt want to stand out and get yourself noticed during your probation period, but consider how you can do this without being obtrusive, Owen says. Absolutely put yourself forward, ask questions, meet your colleagues and learn as much as possible, but try to also work independently and be mindful of others responsibilities and workloads.

Make lasting relationships

Youll probably meet a lot of people during your probation, and while remembering names can be overwhelming, try to make the most of these new connections.

READ MORE: How to be more adaptable at work when everything is changing

Networking is a vital tool in your career, so even if you dont stay at the company for the long term, you might benefit further down the line from the connections you made during your probation period, Owen adds.

Seek feedback

The thought of getting feedback is enough to make anyone sweat, but it can actually be really helpful during a probation period. If there are any issues, it shows youre keen to make improvements and develop.

A probation period is usually one of quick growth and progression, as theres often a lot to learn about a new role. To make sure you are going in the right direction, seek feedback where possible, Owen says. At a minimum you should have a review halfway through your probation and again at the end, but perhaps request more frequent one-to-one sessions to make sure youre staying on track.

Remember it works both ways

While a probation period is essentially a way of trialling a new employee, it should provide mutual benefits for the employee and company. While the company is assessing you as a potential employee, you can assess the company too. You can use this period to work out if it is the right job and company for you.

READ MORE: How to cope when your work friend leaves

Take accountability

If you are going into a new role, its inevitable that you will make a few slip ups along the way. Its not easy to start a new job  even if you arent doing anything particularly wrong, businesses have different ways of operating.

Whats important in your probation period and indeed throughout your whole career is to hold yourself accountable, apologise, explain where you went wrong and how you intend to fix it or learn from it, Owen says.
BROOKLYN, N.Y., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- John A. Ashkar, MD, is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Top Pulmonologist in acknowledgment for his commitment to field of Medicine specializing in and Critical Care with JA Personal Medical Care.

JA Personal Medical Care is a private medical practice that specializes in Pulmonary Critical Care, Pulmonary Disease and Sleep Medicine with 3 physicians on staff. One physician is one of the country's top rated doctors in pulmonary medicine for 25 years, Dr. John A. Ashkar working with JA Personal Medical Care for the past 15 years.



In his 25 years, Dr. Ashkar is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonologist, critical care and sleep medicine. He is proficient in Lung Disease, works primarily in the ICU with privileges at NYU Brooklyn, New York, Community Hospital and Maimonides Hospital with honors as Most Compassionate Doctor and with the American Registry.



He gained the knowledge necessary for his career in medicine; Dr. Ashkar attended medical school at Damascus University receiving his Medical Degree in 1996. He completed his residency with the Lutheran Medical Center in 2002 following his Fellowship with Down State University in 2004, and 2005. To this day he is a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and a Fellow American Academy of Sleep Medicine.



Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

Related Links

http://www.continentalwhoswho.com


The Pakistani government has welcomed a United Nations Security Councils (UNSC) decision to add the leader of the Tehrik-e Taliban militant group (TTP) to a sanctions list of individuals and entities subject to an assets freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo.

The sanctions against TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud are being implemented by Pakistan in compliance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and we hope that other countries will also follow suit, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on July 17.

A sanctions committee of the Security Council on July 17 designated Mehsud for participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of entities associated with the Al-Qaeda terrorist network.

Mehsud was named the TTP leader in June 2018 following the death of the groups former leader, Maulana Fazlullah, in a U.S. strike in Afghanistan.

Under Mehsuds leadership, TTP claimed responsibility for deadly attacks across Pakistan.

The group was designated by the Security Council in 2011 for its association with Al-Qaeda.

The United States designated Masud as a global terrorist in September last year.
Christopher JB. releases The Order of the Sword: The Knights Templar

BURWOOD, Australia, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A young man finds himself entangled into an unexpected, mysterious adventure when he attempts to understand more about a mysterious organization that has turned his world to chaos. His complicated journey is told in Christopher JBs new fiction, The Order of the Sword: The Knights Templar (published by Balboa Press AU).

JBs book introduces readers to Rohan, a young print presser working to support his fun-seeking lifestyle. A mysterious order of the monk militia, operating as a modern day cult, leads Rohan on a mystical journey of mayhem and action to resolve their plight, in which he barely retains his sanity and sense of reality. Medieval fantasy intermingles with Rohans modern life in secretive and inexplicable ways.

Through these connections to ancient conquered holy lands, Rohan finds himself on an unimaginable adventure, thereby gaining unexpected insight into the world around him, and at the end of it all, he returns with a sense of fulfillment and mystical wisdom. For more details on the book, please visit https://www.balboapress.com/en-au/bookstore/bookdetails/803671-the-order-of-the-sword.

Through his book, JB hopes that readers, like the main character, may gain a sense of fulfillment. [The book] not only has the ability to create and delve into escapism, but encapsulates this medium of travel, holiday and mystery in order to give sense of a questionable reality, and bring knowledge and wisdom to the readers, he states.

A passage in his book reads:

I looked sharply to my left and right, suddenly there stood 13 knights of the Templar order. Genuine and clear as a crisp morning. Their heads were fashioned with merchant hats, and skull caps both white tied to their necks. Three were armored, with one shaven though with long hair curling down to his shoulders. All of them bore the red cross on their chests.

Story continues

The Order of the Sword: The Knights Templar

By Christopher JB.

Softcover | 6x9 in | 238 pages | ISBN 9781504319928

E-Book | 238 pages | ISBN 9781504319935

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Christopher JB. is an emerging writer of the short story, novella and graphic novel medium, having both A Shuffle & A Deal published in the short story collection Inkshed, as well as the graphic novel The Dreamstone screened at Australian Centre of Moving Image (ACMI). JB continues to practice his short story craft at Eastern Writers Group.

Balboa Press Australia is a division of Hay House, Inc., a leading provider in publishing products that specialise in self-help and the mind, body and spirit genre. Through an alliance with the worldwide self-publishing leader Author Solutions, LLC, authors benefit from the leadership of Hay House Publishing and the speed-to-market advantages of the Author Solutions self-publishing model. For more information or to start publishing today, visit balboapress.com.au/ or call 1800 050 315.

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Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $40 gift card!

In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Cervus Equipment Corporation (TSE:CERV) by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. This will be done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. There's really not all that much to it, even though it might appear quite complex.

Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model.

View our latest analysis for Cervus Equipment

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. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. 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.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF (CA$, Millions) CA$11.0m CA$11.8m CA$12.5m CA$13.0m CA$13.5m CA$13.9m CA$14.3m CA$14.6m CA$14.9m CA$15.2m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x1 Est @ 7.31% Est @ 5.61% Est @ 4.43% Est @ 3.6% Est @ 3.02% Est @ 2.61% Est @ 2.32% Est @ 2.13% Est @ 1.99% Present Value (CA$, Millions) Discounted @ 14% CA$9.7 CA$9.1 CA$8.5 CA$7.8 CA$7.1 CA$6.4 CA$5.8 CA$5.2 CA$4.7 CA$4.2

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = CA$68m

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The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (1.7%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 14%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030  (1 + g)  (r  g) = CA$15m (1 + 1.7%)  (14% 1.7%) = CA$128m

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= CA$128m ( 1 + 14%)10= CA$36m

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is CA$104m. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of CA$7.5, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

dcf

Important assumptions

We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. 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 Cervus Equipment 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 14%, which is based on a levered beta of 2.000. 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.

Next Steps:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation 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. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For Cervus Equipment, we've compiled three further elements you should further examine:

Risks: For example, we've discovered 4 warning signs for Cervus Equipment (1 shouldn't be ignored!) that you should be aware of before investing here. Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for CERV's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. 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. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Canadian stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock 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.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Russia appreciates the Azerbaijani government's efforts to support the teaching of the Russian language in the country, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said in an interview with TASS on July 16.

"There are about 300 Russian schools in Azerbaijan teaching the Russian language. Each school has a 'Russian track' where everything is taught in Russian. We express our gratitude to the Azerbaijani government for such attention to the preservation of the Russian language," Rudenko said.

Moreover, he stressed that efforts should be made to preserve the status of the Russian language as a means of inter-ethnic and interstate communication.

"This direction will continue to be one of our key vectors of development and as one of the most important elements of soft power," Rudenko added.

He said that Russia takes significant measures to this end.

"Maybe they [these measures] are not so visible, maybe our shortcoming is that we do not sufficiently advertise and promote them, but nevertheless the work is being done both by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Rossotrudnichestvo. The new head of the agency, Evgeny Primakov, gives priority to the Russian language in his reformatting program in this area," he emphasized.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
As need for cooling rises in step with world temperatures, energy-efficient, climate-friendly appliances are critical to reaching Paris Agreement goals; 3.6 billion appliances in use now, 14 billion will be required by 2050 to meet all needs

Coordinated international action on energy-efficient, climate-friendly cooling could avoid as much as 460 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions - roughly equal to eight years of global emissions at 2018 levels - over the next four decades, according to the Cooling Emissions and Policy Synthesis Report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Reductions of between 210 and 460 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide-(CO2) equivalent emissions can be delivered over the next four decades through actions to improve the cooling industrys energy efficiency together with the transition to climate-friendly refrigerants, according to the report.

The report says countries can institutionalize many of these actions by integrating them into their implementation of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. Signatories to the Kigali Amendment have agreed to reduce the production and use of climate-warming refrigerant gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which has the potential to avoid as much as 0.4C of global warming by 2100 through this step alone.

Nations must deliver massive cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions to get on track to limit global temperature rise this century to 1.5C. This is critical to minimizing the disastrous impacts of climate change. As nations invest in COVID-19 recovery, they have an opportunity to use their resources wisely to reduce climate change, protect nature and reduce risks of further pandemics. Efficient, climate-friendly cooling can help to achieve all of these goals," said Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director.

The report highlights the importance of cooling to maintaining healthy communities; fresh vaccines and food; a stable energy supply, and productive economies. The essential nature of cooling services is underlined by the COVID-19 pandemic, as temperature-sensitive vaccines will require quick deployment around the globe; lockdowns forcing people to stay at home for long periods of time are a health concern in many hot countries.

However, increasing demand for cooling is contributing significantly to climate change. This is the result of the emissions of HFCs, CO2, and black carbon from the mostly fossil fuel-based energy that powers air conditioners and other cooling equipment.

"As governments roll out massive economic stimulus packages to deal with the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, they have a unique opportunity to accelerate progress in efficient, climate-friendly cooling.Higher efficiency standards are one of the most effective tools governments have to meet energy and environmental objectives. By improving cooling efficiency, they can reduce the need for new power plants, cut emissions and save consumers money. This new report gives policy makers valuable insights to help them address the global cooling challenge" said Dr Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director.

Worldwide, an estimated 3.6 billion cooling appliances are in use. The report says that if cooling is provided to everybody who needs it - and not just those who can afford it - this would require as many as 14 billion cooling appliances by 2050.

The IEA estimates that doubling the energy efficiency of air conditioning by 2050 would reduce the need for 1,300 gigawatts of additional electricity generation capacity to meet peak demand - the equivalent of all the coal-fired power generation capacity in China and India in 2018. Worldwide, doubling the energy efficiency of air conditioners could save up to USD 2.9 trillion by 2050 in reduced electricity generation, transmission and distribution costs alone.

Action on energy efficiency would bring many other benefits, such as increased access to life-saving cooling, improved air quality and reduced food loss and waste, the report says.

The report lays out the available policy options available that can make cooling part of climate and sustainable development solutions, including:

International cooperation through universal ratification and implementation of the Kigali Amendment and initiatives such as the Cool Coalition and the Biarritz Pledge for Fast Action on Efficient Cooling

National Cooling Action Plans that accelerate the transition to climate friendly cooling, and identify opportunities to incorporate efficient cooling into stronger Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement

Development and implementation of Minimum Energy Performance Standards and energy efficiency labelling to improve equipment efficiency

Promotion of building codes and other considerations to reduce demand for refrigerant and mechanical cooling, including integration of district and community cooling into urban planning, improved building design, green roofs, and tree shading

Campaigns to stop environmentally harmful product dumping to transform markets and avoid the burden of obsolete and inefficient cooling technologies

Sustainable cold-chains to both reduce food loss - a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions - and reduce emissions from cold chains

The 48-page peer-reviewed report was authored by a range of experts under the guidance of a 15-member steering committee co-chaired by Nobel laureate Mario Molina, President, Centro Mario Molina, Mexico, and Durwood Zaelke, President, Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, USA. The report is supported by the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Programme (K-CEP).

###

About the UN Environment Programme

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

About the International Energy Agency

The International Energy Agency (IEA) works with governments and industry to shape a secure and sustainable energy future for all.
A weak weather system passing north of Portland will push a deep marine layer of clouds inland from the coast Friday morning.

The coast will see some drizzle, while the metro area stays mostly dry. Clouds in Portland will gradually clear by afternoon, bringing some sun breaks. The high will be near 78 degrees.

By Friday night, high pressure will build in over the Pacific Northwest. Forecasters with the National Weather Service expect skies to remain mostly sunny Saturday and Sunday with temperatures ranging from 82 to 86 degrees, about average for this time of year.

The Portland area will then see temperature shoot up about 10 degrees warmer than average by Monday and Tuesday. High pressure covering Oregon early next week will bring a warm air mass from the southwest. The metro area will see some of the warmest temperatures of the year so far, with highs in the lower 90s.

Some parts of Oregon will see their first 100-degree days of 2020 early next week.
PASADENA, Calif., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation (the "Company") (NYSE: WMC) today announced that it will release financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020 after the market closes on Wednesday, August 5, 2020. The Company will host a corresponding conference call with a live webcast on Thursday, August 6, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time/8:00 a.m. Pacific Time, to discuss those results and answer questions.

Individuals interested in participating in the conference call may do so by dialing (866) 235-9914 from the United States, or (412) 902-4115 from outside the United States and referencing "Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation." Those interested in listening to the conference call live via the Internet may do so by visiting the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.westernassetmcc.com.

The Company is enabling investors to pre-register for the earnings conference call so that they can expedite their entry into the call and avoid the need to wait for a live operator. In order to pre-register for the call, investors can visit http://dpregister.com/10146563 and enter in their contact information. Investors will then be issued a personalized phone number and pin to dial into the live conference call. Individuals can pre-register any time prior to the start of the conference call on August 6, 2020.

A telephone replay will be available through August 20, 2020 by dialing (877) 344-7529 from the United States, or (412) 317-0088 from outside the United States, and entering conference ID 10146563. A webcast replay will be available for 90 days.

ABOUT WESTERN ASSET MORTGAGE CAPITAL CORPORATION

Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation is a real estate investment trust that invests in, acquires and manages a diverse portfolio of assets consisting of Residential Whole Loans, Commercial Whole Loans, Non-Agency CMBS, GSE Risk Transfer Securities and to a lesser extent Agency CMBS, Agency RMBS, Non-Agency RMBS and ABS. The Company's investment strategy may change, subject to the Company's stated investment guidelines, and is based on its manager Western Asset Management Company, LLC's perspective of which mix of portfolio assets it believes provide the Company with the best risk-reward opportunities at any given time. The Company is externally managed and advised by Western Asset Management Company, LLC, an investment advisor registered with the SEC and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. ("Legg Mason").

On February 18, 2020, Franklin Resources, Inc. ("Franklin") and Legg Mason announced that they had entered into an agreement under which Franklin would acquire Legg Mason and its affiliates, including Western Asset Management Company, LLC. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2020 and is subject to customary closing conditions. Upon completion of the transaction Western Asset Management Company, LLC would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin.

Please visit the Company's website at www.westernassetmcc.com

SOURCE Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation

Related Links

http://www.westernassetmcc.com


When newscasters announce the latest tally of coronavirus cases, Arthur Hall chuckles and turns to his wife.

Whatever number they say, Id add one, he said.

Hall is an uncounted survivor of the coronavirus.

The 51-year-old school administrator spent five days in the hospital with what doctors told him was severe respiratory distress caused by COVID-19. Although he had tested negative for the coronavirus, his Delaware care team said the tests available in early April were unreliable.

Experts estimate tens of millions of Americans contracted the coronavirus but are not included in official tallies because of testing errors, misdiagnoses, a sluggish public health response and ignorance about the disease during its early days in the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday that there have been about 3.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 nationwide and at least 136,000 deaths. The actual number of infections is likely 10 times the number of reported cases, CDC Director Robert Redfield said in a news conference June 25.

The nations understanding of the pandemic is hampered because so many victims remain uncounted. Americans who paid a physical and emotional toll for COVID-19 describe how being excluded from official statistics exacerbates their isolation, uncertainty, distrust and fear. And without an accurate count, researchers might draw flawed conclusions about the virus behavior, local leaders might make poor reopening decisions, and citizens might underestimate their own risks.

USA TODAY interviewed dozens of people who were diagnosed by a doctor after a presumed false negative test or who were unable to get tested for the coronavirus at all, as well as the friends and family of some who might have died from undiagnosed COVID-19 early this year.

Whatever the reason official tallies missed them, most uncounted survivors said they just want their experience to matter.

Who are we? asked Emily Talkington, an uncounted survivor in California. Did we just battle this out for nothing?

Story continues

Misunderstood coronavirus symptoms

On her worst nights of illness, Talkington said she awoke soaked in sweat, unable to sleep because of difficulty breathing, joint pain, severe itchiness and burning eyes.

When the 45-year-old woke up gasping for air, Talkington thought she might die. She wondered how long it would take people to notice since she lived alone. Sometimes, she hallucinated that her dog lying in bed next to her was dying and that she, a vet, could do nothing to keep him alive.

Talkington- Uncounted

I travel worldwide quite a bit with my work. Ive had zika, dengue, malaria, she said. This felt very different.

She visited a drive-up testing site and received a negative result that left her wondering why she was ill if it was not COVID-19. After four weeks of bed-bound sickness and isolating at home, Talkington coughed up blood and nearly blacked out. She took herself to a Santa Cruz urgent care clinic on a day she had the strength to go.

The physician assistant who treated her in early April didnt believe she was sick at all.

He thought I was making it up, Talkington recalled. He said, Well you just have menopause  and youre coming up with things in your head.

Days later, she said her regular doctor told her that the physician assistant had emailed him to warn she might be on the verge of a mental break.

Her doctor also reassured her she did not have perimenopause  which does not cause women to cough up blood  and agreed that she likely had been suffering from COVID-19. He told her the urgent care clinic staff probably hadnt read the latest CDC guidance, which recognized a broader array of symptoms for COVID-19 than just a dry cough and fever.

Talkington still suffers from heart and blood pressure symptoms, which she says are documented daily as part of two medical research projects on the coronavirus. Information about older cases like hers is critical to accurately understanding how the virus behaves to develop better treatments, vaccines and public health interventions.

But Talkington doesnt tell most people what she has been through. Some relatives and friends have told her they are skeptical she really was so sick for so long. When she runs into people she knows, they often comment on the 20 pounds she lost while ill.

Talkington doesnt tell them the truth. Instead, she says, Ive been eating healthy and walking my dog.

Trauma continues long after illness

Christine Orrick, 47, was sick for nearly a month in Denver.

For the first two weeks, she thought she was just anxious and exaggerating a cold as details of severe coronavirus cases flooded the news in late March and early April. After all, she already had a history of chronic illness, including asthma, pain and hypertension.

In the third week, Orrick became much sicker: fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing, body aches, coughing, swollen lymph nodes and a dysfunctional gastrointestinal system. Her doctor said she almost certainly had COVID-19, but told her to stay away from the hospital unless she could not breathe.

After more than a month of escalating symptoms, her doctor fudged the rules that limited who could be tested. She approved one for Orrick, a former mental health therapist, on the grounds she was an essential health care worker. The result was negative, but her doctor told her it was likely inaccurate. The tests available to her had a known 20% false negative rate and few people still have active virus cells in their system so many weeks after being infected.

Orrick is grateful for her doctor, who helped her navigate a terrifying few weeks when no one really understood how the virus worked. Like other survivors, Orrick said it is important their experiences are recognized even if they are not studied or added to official counts.

That validation is important, Orrick said, in part because survivors trauma continues long after physical recovery. Doctors still do not know the long-term health consequences of COVID-19. Friends dismiss their stories as attention-seeking tall tales. Survivors watch neighbors resume normal activities as if the coronavirus isnt still spreading.

Orrick

As Orrick continued to recover, she recognized the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Without a positive test, she faced additional scrutiny and personal uncertainty about whether her illness was real.

We were put in a double bind  told by the experts that we should not seek help until it was too late, and then due to poor testing or testing too far out, we felt additionally invalidated in our illness (when we received a false negative), Orrick wrote. This left many of us in a powerless place.

Orrick, Talkington and others found solace in one place: Facebook.

Coronavirus survivor groups have proliferated on social media sites. For some, the posts spark new anxiety about what they might face next. Most, however, said they were comforted by the informal networks, reading personal stories that often reflect their own.

Thank God for that group, Talkington said. Im not the only one feeling disheartened and completely defeated.

Other coronavirus testing gaps

In Cheyenne, Wyoming, Chase Brumley received an email in March informing him that a person with a confirmed case of COVID-19 had been in his office at the Department of Transportation.

Brumley, 28, was already ill. He had asthma but was deemed a low-risk case because of his age and was denied coronavirus testing. Public health officials told him to stay home.

Brumley became so weak he couldnt walk across the apartment without collapsing from fatigue. His lungs felt like they were so full there was no room for air. One night, his lips turned blue, and his wife begged him to go to the emergency room. Brumley refused, remembering a nurse practitioner had told him during a video appointment that they wanted to preserve hospital beds for high-priority patients.

He described his experience as a paradox: You simultaneously had it and not had it. It was Schrodingers coronavirus.

Accurate and available testing is critical, not only to better treatment for patients like Brumley, but also for tracking, tracing and stopping the coronavirus spread. If people with COVID-19 can be identified and isolated before they infect someone new, communities can avoid widespread shutdowns, hospitalizations and deaths. Often the virus is spread before people develop symptoms as bad as Brumleys or without showing any signs of illness at all.

Most cases are not going to lead to outbreaks or super-spreading events, but some are. And you dont really know which ones those are going to be, said Jaline Gerardin, an assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine. They can be devastating. They can restart your outbreak.

A complete count also helps people determine when its safe to return to normal activities.

It's important, both for directing resources at the time, but also to plan for future needs, said Dr. Donna Hansel, who leads the pathology department at Oregon Health Sciences Universitys School of Medicine. We cant forget whats happened and think it wont happen again.

Two months after falling ill, Brumley described lingering symptoms and chest pain. On bad days, he cant go downstairs without getting winded. On good days, he can go to the grocery store but returns exhausted.

Im just one person, Brumley said. How many people did this happen to?

Uncounted neighborhoods

Early research suggests entire communities might have been dramatically undercounted. Experts say gaps in testing can be widest in low-income and marginalized neighborhoods unless health officials and local elected leaders make concerted efforts to reduce barriers.

One April study highlighted how income, work and cultural barriers to testing contributed to undercounting cases of the coronavirus early in the pandemic.

Researchers from the University of California-San Francisco collaborated with community organizers and the local government to test nearly 3,000 people in San Franciscos Mission district, a historical immigrant neighborhood where one-third of residents are Hispanic.

The results suggest that as many as 1 in 50 people living and working in the Mission could be actively infected with the virus, and that many are likely to be asymptomatic, the group wrote in its initial report.

Latinos accounted for 44% of residents in the tested area, but they made up 95% of the positive tests.

It was the first time neighborhood leaders had data to back up what they had heard anecdotally about coronavirus spread, said Susana Rojas, who is executive director of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District in the Mission.

It gave us a direction and a focus, she said. Before, we didnt know for sure. We didnt have the data to confirm it.

The challenges that make it easy for Latino workers and families to contract the illness, as well as those that make it difficult for Mission residents to access testing, are the same structural problems that lead to poor health outcomes for many other diseases: low-income, no health insurance or paid leave, high-exposure jobs, crowded homes, and complicated rules about safety-net services for people without permanent residency or citizenship. Many of those factors also were confirmed and quantified by the UCSF study.

Among those who tested positive, 90% could not work from home and 89% earned less than $50,000 a year in one of the nations most expensive cities. Almost 60% lived in homes with three to five residents and another 29% reported even larger households.

The communities that have been historically underrepresented and underfunded because of race are going to be the ones that bear the brunt of the pain any pandemic will bring, said Jon Jacobo, a community organizer with the Latino Task Force on COVID-19 and a lifelong resident of The Mission. If we all understand that framework, we are able to prepare and hopefully push the resources to always help those with the least first.

Inaccurate COVID-19 tests

Arthur Hall isnt included in official COVID-19 tallies because of a false negative test result.

Hall, a 51-year-old school administrator in Wilmington, Delaware with no pre-existing health conditions, had taken several trips in the early spring to Washington, D.C., for work and to the West Coast to visit friends. His family had planned a spring break trip in mid-March, but their flights were canceled amid coronavirus concerns.

Three days later, Hall started to feel back pain. Then, he became fatigued, and his breathing was labored.

I was out of breath taking a shower, just standing there, he said.

He said his doctor told him not to go to the hospital, which would send him home. She said to call 911 if he couldnt breathe. By that night, he couldnt. And he started vomiting. Paramedics took him to the ambulance so quickly that Halls wife didnt have a chance to ask which hospital they would take him to.

That experience was pretty traumatic for all of us, Paula Hall said. She developed mild symptoms but was never tested because supplies were limited to serious cases at the time.

Arthur Halls symptoms worsened at the hospital: fever, chills, hallucinations and low oxygen levels. He was hospitalized for five days and tested negative for coronavirus twice. Doctors said not to be bothered by the tests, which they described as unreliable.

Theres no way this was just pneumonia, Hall said. I dont necessarily begrudge the fact that I came up negative. Im just happy to be alive and with my family.

The day after he returned home, one of his daughters turned 12 years old. He was supposed to isolate himself in a room away from family until he had a second negative test. He broke the rule briefly to join the celebrations from 6 feet away, wearing gloves and a mask.

It took my family a while to get used to me being home and even longer to make sure I wasnt contagious anymore, he said.

His wife agreed that it was nerve wracking to not know when exactly her own husband was safe to be around her and their children.

I just did not want to be in the same position knowing we had to take care of the girls, she said. And with these new cases in kids in New York City, I guess as a parent thats my next worry.

Coronavirus antibody tests

Melissa Hennings, an IT worker at a hospital in Berkeley, California, suspects she contracted COVID-19 in December.

When her fever shot up to 103 and she developed a bad dry cough, Hennings feared pneumonia. In a tele-appointment with a doctor, she had trouble describing her symptoms because talking triggered coughing fits that made her nauseated. After a few days of medication, Hennings still did not feel better, so she drove to the ER.

They diagnosed me with pneumonia in both lungs and multiple nodes, the 48-year-old said. They hooked me up to four bags of IV fluids. I had two different nebulizer treatments in nine hours and my oxygen didnt come up by much.

Doctors conducted several tests but found nothing. Against their recommendation, she went home to ride it out. Hennings said it took months to fully recover.

Melissa Hennings

That part is really crazy, having actual doctors say to you, You are really, really sick, and we have no idea how you got this sick this fast, she said.

Like Hennings, many interviewed by USA TODAY said they were seriously ill before the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic and as states struggled to gather testing supplies.

Because their coronavirus antibodies might dissipate before antibody tests are developed that doctors broadly trust, they might not receive formal confirmation of their COVID-19 experience.

Gerardin, from the Feinberg School of Medicine, said identifying early cases like Hennings is helpful in understanding how the virus spread before public health leaders intervened with shut-down orders.

Its important to understand what the baseline looks like, she said. If we gave up and went back to 100% normal life, thats what spread would look like.

Cause of death: 'Undetermined'

Months before federal leaders identified and acted on community spread in the U.S., some people were dying from the coronavirus. Many will never be identified, experts said.

Understanding how many more people died from COVID-19 may not change public health policies, said Nicholas Jewell, a professor of biostatistics at The University of California-Berkeley. But it matters deeply to communities that have experienced loss.

Its recognizing death and the passage of loved ones. The impact we had on families is incredibly important as humans, he said. We have to get beyond just hearing a number.

Angie Summers friends and family believe she might be one of those early victims.

Summer

Friends of the 57-year-old former Fort Worth newspaper columnist said she had not traveled recently nor did she have medical conditions that would have put her at high risk for COVID-19.

But on Feb. 18, Summers texted friends and family, saying she was sick but a flu test was negative. Doctors told her that some of her lab results had been troubling and puzzling.

Three days later, Summers died. An ambulance brought her to the hospital. Within hours, kidney failure triggered a heart attack that killed her.

That same day, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters that they had not yet seen community spread of coronavirus in the United States but warned that a pandemic was likely.

It would be weeks more before officials confirmed that the virus had, in February, killed several Americans who had no international travel history.

For months, Summers friends and family checked the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Offices website over and over to see if officials had identified her cause of death.

For me, the fact that we still don't have answers has provoked a range of painful emotions, said her friend Rhonda Aghamalian. I think that it's human nature to seek an answer to the question of what took her from us. And I also feel quite strongly that if Angie succumbed to COVID-19, she deserves to be counted and recognized as a victim of the pandemic.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office cited privacy laws as it declined to discuss Summers case.

Four months after Summers death, family members learned officials had finally finished their investigation.

Summers official cause of death: undetermined.

Contributing: Investigative reporter Jessica Priest

Illustrations by Veronica Bravo, Jennifer Borresen and Javier Zarracina/ USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID-19: With no positive test, uncounted millions still had symptoms
New Delhi, July 17 : Covid-19 pandemic is bringing India and the US closer than before with the two sides now looking to strengthen their strategic energy sector partnership.

A strategic energy dialogue is scheduled between the two sides this week with the agenda of more collaborations and identifying mutually beneficial investment proposals.

Sources said that under the enhanced energy sector partnership while India looking to more than double its oil imports from the US this year, it wants the US to call upon its energy industry leaders to collaborate with the Indian companies to facilitate and develop tie-ups in innovative initiatives.

The further strengthening of the Indian-US relations during the outbreak has created growth for further partnership and take the energy dialogue of the last into credible deals and cooperative ventures.

India is already expanding its oil import basket looking for a wider spectrum of global suppliers to de-risk operations. It had started importing oil from the US for last few years. But the quantity remains small.

India imported close to 10 million tonnes (Mt) of oil in FY20. This may be doubled in FY21 if official and company level negotiations yield positive results. India is looking at $3-4 per barrel discount on crude and a higher credit period of 60-90 days from the US that would bring the import cost of the US oil at par with the Iranian oil. India used to import a lot of oil from Iran before sanctions.

India's shift to the US would not be sudden as gas transportation company GAIL, oil marketing firm Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and country's largest oil refiner Indian Oil Corporation have sealed deals for supplies of the US crude earlier as well. The shale oil price there has also become very competitive in comparison to the Middle East and Gulf crude.

During a session with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) earlier this week, oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also emphasized the importance of the strategic energy partnership, stating that it will go a long way in advancing shared goals between the US and India, including universal energy access, strengthened energy security, and increased energy trade between the two countries.

He added, "Energy infrastructure is a key component in transforming India as a global manufacturing hub of the 21st century and achieving the goal of self-reliance. India is going to witness an investment of over US $118 billion across the oil and gas value chain in the next few years. I welcome US energy industry leaders to leverage these opportunities and also collaborate with Indian companies to facilitate and develop tie-ups in innovative initiatives."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17) - The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has allotted 7.7 billion in its proposed budget next year for the implementation of the free Wi-Fi program in public spaces and state universities and colleges (SUCs).

DICT Secretary Gringo Honasan II said on Friday that the earmarked budget will be utilized to reach the departments target of establishing 23,100 live sites by the end of 2021.

Honasan said the department is planning to establish most of the live sites in educational institutions, with 10,300 sites in public schools and 1,804 sites in SUCs and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) schools.

This is part of our commitment to DepEd, CHED and TESDA to ensure the education sectors access to broadcast, connectivity and digital security this upcoming school year while the country is still under state of public health emergency, said Honasan in a statement.

Classes in all levels will open this August through a so-called flexible learning, which involves digital and non-digital technology.

Of the targeted 23,100 sites next year, DICT said 5,644 will be installed in national and local government offices, 3,300 in public hospitals and rural health centers, 1,505 in public parks, plazas, and other open areas, 368 in public libraries, and 179 in transport terminals.

Honasan said there are so far 4,248 sites installed and operating as of June 30, with 400 of them in public hospitals and rural health centers.
With school scheduled to start within the next month, parents are beginning to prepare their students for a return to classrooms.

For some students, that means its time to get physicals, dental exams and vaccinations  services often provided through county health departments.

But with departments dealing with COVID-19 cases, contact tracing, and working with organizations on safety precautions and operations, health department resources can be pretty scarce. In a bid to accommodate the needs of both the pandemic response and an expected increase in appointment requests, some departments are shifting resources.

In Cass County, the department has moved a majority of its COVID-19 testing to its Beardstown location, leaving its Virginia offices to handle its other programs, including back-to-school physicals.

Public administrator Teresa Armstrong said her department hasnt stopped giving immunizations during the pandemic and is hopeful, as a result, that its resources wont be stretched too thin; some on her staff have been filling multiple roles.

We have been using our clinic staff for COVID testing by appointment in Beardstown, Armstrong said. By moving all testing there, we can conserve staff and it helps us conserve supplies like our PPEs.

Without any real set plan for what schools are going to do next month as students are scheduled to return to learning, Armstrong isnt sure what the real impact on the department will be, she said.

Parents should prepare to send their students back to school as they normally would, just in case schools return to in-person learning, she said.

The department is asking all those who need a physical or immunizations to call the department and make an appointment. Each person will be screened prior to being allowed in the building for an appointment.

This is something that we face every year and we will do everything to meet the needs of our community, Armstrong said.

In Morgan County, the health department is providing its normal immunization services for county residents, though the process is different this year.

While in past years the department welcomed walk-ins, it now is only performing immunizations by appointment.

Pike County Health Department is open for dental appointments, but Sharon Bargmann, director for nursing and public information, said appointments could be harder to come by because the clinic has been closed.

Appointments also are needed for immunizations, she said.

We will be working with our residents as best as we can to get them in for appointments, Bargmann said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 19:17:22|Editor: huaxia

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CHANGCHUN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Yanazaki Yumiko, who runs a language school in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, is not temperamental.

But recently, the teacher has been angry after reading some false reports in the Japanese media about China's COVID-19 fight. She wrote many letters to the Japanese media, telling the truth about what she has seen and experienced in China.

"I feel safe here. I am impressed with 'China's speed' demonstrated in the fight against the outbreak of the disease," one of Yanazaki's letters reads.

Some of her letters were published on a Japanese media website and recorded hundreds of thousands of views in a short time.

Yanazaki flew back to China in late January when many foreigners left amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.

To avoid potential cross-infection, her residential community was closed overnight, with community workers taking body temperature of every resident at the entrance. She was impressed by the dedication of the staff and the unity of the residents.

Then she joined local volunteers in disinfecting the community every day. She also did some translation work for the Changchun Municipal Administration for Market Regulation to help them investigate a case concerning masks and drugs.

The administration wanted to pay for her translation work, but she declined. She said she could never forget the banners saying "Japan, stay strong" and the college students that made donations in Changchun streets when Japan was hit by a massive earthquake in 2011.

Yanazaki is concerned about the epidemic in Japan, and often communicates with her family and friends there about China's epidemic prevention and control efforts.

She said that China always puts the lives of people first.

Yanazaki's school will soon reopen and she is busy preparing for classes. However, she insists on writing to the Japanese media to eliminate the prejudice against China.

"I hope the Japanese media could be more fair and hear from more people. I hope the friendship between the two countries will last long," Yanazaki said. Enditem
When COVID-19 first started rearing its ugly head across the globe, 90 Day Fiance star Nicole Nafziger took a trip to Morocco. Unsurprisingly, Morocco chose to close its borders to stem the spread of the virus, and Nafziger was stuck in the country as a result. Since then, fans have been blasting her for her decision to go to Morocco and leave her daughter behind in the care of her mother. Whats more, some fans arent even sure Nafziger is actually staying with Azan Tefou while in Morocco. Some think shes staying alone. Now, it looks like Nafziger may wind up leaving the country in August, whether she wants to or not.

90 Day Fiance fans speculate that Nicole Nafziger is alone

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: David Toborowsky Opens Fire on Nicole Nafziger and Azan Tefou  That Is Not True Love

While Nicole Nafziger claims shes in Morocco visiting Azan Tefou, fans of 90 Day Fiance arent totally convinced. In fact, some believe that Nafziger may be pulling everyones leg, and that shes not staying with Tefou at all.

One Redditor posited that shes staying in an AirBnB while in Morocco. The user wrote, My belief is that she is in Morocco, but that she invited herself over there, so Azan really couldnt say no. Azans family didnt want her with them, so she is staying in an AirBnB. She thought she would see Azan all the time (hence her promise to vlog her trip), but that hes been avoiding her on the regular, and that she spends a lot of her time there alone.

As you point out, the room is not the same as his Moms or his Aunts. The childrens toys arent consistent with either of them either, since the Aunts daughter was older. It might be his sisters, but then we wouldnt see her regularly eating alone in front of the TV, they continued.

In fact, eating alone is a weird thing to do when you are in another familys home, especially when they have cooked for you, which they did (two tajine photos). Its not so weird when you dont know the family you are staying with and when they are used to renting to foreign guests, they went on to add. At this point, I am guessing that he is using quarantine to avoid her. Shes sitting around watching TV all day with a family she doesnt know, who make dinner for her, and let her eat in front of the TV since she is paying.

Could Azan Tefou be snubbing Nicole Nafziger while shes in Morocco? It is true that Nafziger has not been vlogging her journey as promised, and has not posted many pics of herself in Morocco.

Nicole Nafzigers mother replies to rumors about Azan Tefou

Meanwhile, 90 Day Fiance fans have been concerned about whether or not Azan Tefou actually has Nicole Nafzigers best interests in mind. Robbalee Nafziger took to Instagram to reply to some comments made by fans along those lines.

She wrote, I am always concerned that someone will try and take advantage of one of my children, but I have also said that he seems like a really nice person. The world is full of loafers, all over the world the only difference is he is a none working boyfriend in another country, we have them here too [sic].

Nicole Nafziger may need to leave Morocco

Nicole Nafziger and Azan Tefou of 90 Day Fiance | alwayssnicole via Instagram

Whether or not Nicole Nafziger is actually staying with her 90 Day Fiance love, it sounds as if she may be leaving the country soon. As reported by Morocco World News, non-resident foreigners in the country will be expected to leave by August 10.

The report explains, According to Moroccos Ministry of the Interior, as cited by the US embassy in Morocco, non-resident foreigners who were unable to leave Morocco within the normal 90-day limit will be permitted to exit without penalty until the end of Moroccos state of emergency on August 10. Those who do not leave before the specified time may need to go through a legal process of fixing their immigration status and could be subject to fines or imprisonment.

So, regardless of her situation with Tefou, it sounds like Nafziger will be making her way back home soon. Fans will be glad to see her back with her daughter, though it seems there are still plenty of questions about her status with Tefou left unanswered.
Ben Godley

Greenough Communications has brought on Ben Godley, the former chief operating officer of Boston public television station and content producer WGBH, as president.

Godley was most recently the CEO and co-founder of CDP (Contributor Development Partnership), a WGBH-owned public benefit corporation that provides marketing, technology, data analytics and fundraising services to 230 public media stations as well as managing $110M in annual donations.

He joined WGBH, the countrys largest public television content producer, in 2008 as executive vice president, was named COO in 2010 and was additionally named president of business services in 2017. Prior to joining WGBH, Godley served as senior advisor and deputy national finance director with Mitt Romney's 2008 presidential campaign.

In his newly created role, Godley will leverage his executive management and marketing experience to help support Greenoughs portfolio of national clients in the healthcare, life sciences, technology, professional services, consumer and non-profit sectors.

Ive known Ben well as a client and former colleague and I am thrilled to bring his experience and skills in business strategy, brand-building, service innovation and problem-solving to our roster of leading clients, said Greenough founder and CEO Phil Greenough.
Spain hailed its medic heroes during the coronavirus crisis, but as infections fall many frontline staff have been left depressed and traumatised by their experience, fearful of an insecure future. With 36.3 percent of public healthcare workers without a permanent contract, according to one survey, demonstrations calling for change are growing. "We have to end this low-budget health system," says Patricia Calvo, a 40-year-old doctor, who made her own protective gear out of bin bags at the height of the pandemic. "I finished specialising in 2010 but I'm still on a temporary contract," says the doctor from the southern city of Granada where she works with 14 other medics, most of whom are in the same situation. "There was a major outbreak at our medical centre, people died and (at the start) we had to deal with everything on our own." When the virus hit, costing more than 28,400 lives, Calvo and her husband, who is also a doctor, spent months without hugging their children for fear of infecting them. And they themselves were afraid of getting sick in a country where 10 percent of healthcare workers contracted the virus, twice the rate of the general population. - 'Abusive contracts' - "If there is a new outbreak in the autumn, we could find ourselves facing a very serious lack of staff," warned Pilar Grande, a 48-year-old nurse at a Madrid hospital. "The staff are exhausted, there are a huge number of people off, a lot of anxiety and many people with symptoms of depression." Since May, demonstrations calling for "quality public healthcare" have multiplied. Elena Barci, a 39-year-old auxiliary nurse in Madrid, says she's worked for 12 years on "abusive contracts". "They take you on for five days, from Monday to Friday" so they don't need to pay for the weekend, "and the contract starts again on Monday". In March, she was called in to help at a hospital in Madrid. "People were dying and you didn't even have time to find out their name. You would leave in tears, while knowing that once it was all over, you'd be redundant again." She left at the end of May, but was contracted again at the start of July and is now dreaming of "a decent contract". Medical residents, or specialists, working at Madrid hospitals recently went on strike over salaries which have still not reached the levels they were in 2009 when the last financial crisis took hold. "Jobs are very insecure which creates widespread anger," explained Dr Vicente Matas who has seen many younger colleagues leaving for France, Germany or Finland. "And the pandemic has been the last straw when they've had to face the virus without adequate means of protection and with tremendous workloads." - Bolstering public healthcare - Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has pledged to invest nine billion euros into Spain's decentralised public health system. "We cannot come out of this crisis with a public health system that is weaker than what we already had, which was a result of the austerity policies" put in place by regional governments following the 2008 crisis, he said. Beatriz Gonzalez Lopez-Valcarcel, who specialises in the healthcare economy, said public health spend "reached its maximum in 2009 and was reduced every year between 2010 and 2013, by a total of some 8.2 billion euros." It began to increase again in 2014 and by 2018, had reached 2009 levels, she said. In Madrid, officials say the health system has been "reinforced with more than 10,100 additional hires, who will be kept in place until December 31". But staff want the contracts to be extended beyond that date. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has pledged to invest nine billion euros into Spain's decentralised public health system following the coronavirus crisis With over a third of public healthcare workers without a permanent contract, according to one survey, demonstrations calling for change are growing
In Malaysia, an angler caught a bizarre-looking fish which had what seemed to be human-like teeth and shared the photograph of his catch on social media, sparking widespread attention and quickly became viral.

Human fish?

Twitter users immediately shared the image and speculated on what type of fish it was or if it was a real photo or if it was edited.

The fish was discovered to be a type of toothy fish called "triggerfish" and is a common species of brightly colored fish found in Malaysian waters, as reported by Mirror UK.

Triggerfish mainly make their homes in tropical or subtropical waters. The males of the species are considered extremely territorial and aggressive. They will protect their home by charging at intruders and utilizing their set of teeth as weapons when battling against crabs and other sea creatures.

On the other hand, the angler's photograph has become an online sensation as social media users continued to share the image and add their edits, giving the fish a significant makeover.

One Twitter user gave the eerie-looking fish digital eyelashes to compliment its full set of mandibles.

Surprisingly, the triggerfish is not the only type of fish that has unique denticles. Previously, a school teacher residing in West Papua discovered an odd-looking fish that had similar human teeth.

The teacher stated he found the fish when he was fishing beside the village docks in his hometown in Indonesia. He then gave it to his student, Ahmad Seseray, who initially planned to give it to his mother for dinner.

Looking inside the animal's mouth, however, gave Ahmad quite a shock to see that the creature had a full set of human-like teeth. The strange fish found in West Papua was believed to be a type of sea creature known as the emperor fish.

Also Read: 3 Common Myths and Misconceptions About Vaccine Debunked

Hometown

According to Metro UK, the triggerfish found in Malaysia are considered highly sought after for aquarium trade purposes, leading fishers in the area to hunt them to near-extinction.

Marine experts from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) confirmed that the creature was a Blackpatch triggerfish, due to its unique orange side-stripe.

One spokesman for WWF told reporters that the Blackpatch triggerfish is a wide-known species and is commonly found from the islands of Seychelles to the Great Barrier Reef.

However, despite the photograph going viral since its uploader posted it on social media, one marine expert claims that the image was forged.

Marine ecologist at the University of Technology, Sydney, David Booth, told reporters that the creature is also famous for attacking divers who stray too close to their nests. The expert added the fish has incredibly powerful teeth that are strong enough to bite a human's fingers off.

Booth noted that the species' teeth are large but do not resemble the human teeth as portrayed in the image, leading him to believe that the user posted it after forging the photograph, as reported by Indian Express.

The doubts surrounding the authenticity of the photo did not stop social media users from spreading and making fun of the fish; however, the post continued to grow viral and catch attention.

Related Article: Bubonic Plague Kills Mongolian Teen Who Ate Infected Marmot

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Thiruvananthapuram, July 17 : With chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the LDF government on the defensive over the gold smuggling scandal, the CPI(M) state secretariat that met on Friday has pledged its support to the state government.

The CPI(M) leadership commended the swift manner in which the chief minister acted to oust beleaguered IAS officer M Sivasankar as his principal secretary as soon as the controversy over the gold smuggling through diplomatic channel broke.

Throwing its weight behind the state government, the CPI(M) state secretariat came down on the congress-led opposition UDF and the BJP.

The congress and the BJP were involved in a concerted bid to tarnish the reputation of Pinarayi Vijayan. They were trying to implicate the chief minister in the gold smuggling case, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said.

Neither the chief minister nor the state government would protect anyone in connection with the case. The state government had proven through his actions thus far that it would not provide patronage to anyone involved in the case. Still, the opposition was going ahead with staging protests to further their political agenda, Kodiyeri charged.

The opposition staged protests violating covid-19 safety protocol, prompting the high court to intervene and ban protests in the state, he added.

The CPI(M) state secretary also welcomed the oppositions decision to move a no-confidence motion against the state government when the assembly convenes on July 27.

The motion would be defeated, which would prove that the state government enjoyed the backing of the public, he said.

Meanwhile, according to reports, a section of the CPI(M) secretariat criticised the chief ministers office (CMO) for having failed to rein in M Sivasankar.

There was neglect on the part of the CMO in monitoring the controversial decisions taken by the IAS officer. The gold smuggling scandal dented the state governments image among the public, a section of leaders reportedly opined.
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former head of the federal Food and Drug Administration who is an adviser to Gov. Ned Lamont, warned Thursday that Connecticut is likely to see another major surge of the coronavirus this fall because its still raging throughout much of the country, even as its spread has slowed down here.

Im very concerned that at some point were going to see a national epidemic, Gottlieb said during Lamonts daily news conference from the State Capitol. This is a virus that wants to infect 50 or 60 percent of the population. Only a small portion of the population at this point has been infected. And as you get into flu season, this is going to spread more widely.

Four months into the pandemic, the United States has not yet shown the ability to contain the virus, he said.

Lamont reported the latest state statistics, with nine new fatalities bringing the total to 4,389 since the first death on March 17. A net loss of one patient brought the total hospitalized statewide to only 66, down from 1,972 on April 22. Lamont said that between July 5 and 11, the largest number of new COVID-19 cases, nearly 120, were among people aged 20 to 29, probably because social distancing rules were ignored.

I think at this point, many of us hoped that the infection level would be much lower, and we would be heading into the fall with much lower levels of infection, said Gottlieb, a state resident whose children attend public schools. But when you have this much of infection around the country, those systems become overwhelmed. I think there is a significant risk that were going to have more wide-spread infections across multiple states, multiple regions.

Gottlieb predicted that since more than 40 states are seeing big increases in infections, its bound to head back to the Northeast. The reality is we have six more months of COVID, Gottlieb said. This is going to be touch and go.

Lamont, who said that the latest sample showed only a one-percent positivity rate in 11,453 COVID tests, said that if 15-to-20 percent of students decided to stay at home for virtual learning in the fall, smaller class sizes might be able to slow the spread. He noted that surveys recently returned from communities including Stonington and Fairfield indicate that as many as one fifth of parents are reticent to send their kids back to school.

Were letting parents make their own decision, Lamont said. Parents are going to be cautious. Some school kids are going to stay at home, and thats going to open up space within the classrooms. Just like many people dont want to go to an indoor restaurant right now, so even though weve got it capped at 50 percent, there are fewer people in there, because it takes a while to catch up.

Lamont has indefinitely suspended Phase 3 reopenings of bars and full indoor seating at restaurants that had been scheduled for this coming weekend.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
Rajasthan crisis: This is not my voice, ready to face probe: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on audio tape

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, July 17: Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday rejected the Congress' allegation based on two audio clips that he was part of a conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan, saying his voice is not in those recordings and that he was ready to face any probe.

The Congress' attack on Shekhawat and some rebel Congress leasers, including MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, came after two audio clips surfaced pertaining to an alleged conspiracy to topple the Gehlot government.

Rajasthan crisis: Two Congress MLAs suspended, probe against Shekhawat sought

"This is not my voice... Let there be an investigation. I am ready to face any probe," the senior BJP leader from the state told reporters here after the Congress demanded his arrest. AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also demanded the arrest of one Sanjay Jain, whom he described as a BJP leader.

The Congress demanded that a case be lodged against BJP leader and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, accusing him of being involved in horse trading of Rajasthan MLAs.

The party also suspended rebel MLAs Bhanwarlal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh from the party for allegedly being involved in the conspiracy to topple the government.

Rajnath Singh speech at Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken | Oneindia News

AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that two audio recordings have surfaced in which the MLA Sharma, union minister Shekhawat and a BJP leader Sanjay Jain are purportedly talking about the "conspiracy" to topple the government.

He demanded an FIR against the three and their arrest.

Surjewala said chief whip Mahesh Joshi has given a complaint to the Special Operation Group for registration of FIR in the matter.

Sharma has, however, denied the allegations. When the audio tapes surfaced on Thursday, he had termed them as fake and said the voice in it was not his.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, July 17, 2020, 13:26 [IST]
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

India aims at achieving $1 trillion GVA from manufacturing in the next 5 years. It seeks to improve the share of the sector to over 20 per cent in GVA.

To facilitate investors for investing in India and to boost growth in key sectors of the economy, an Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) has been approved.

Taking leaf out of industrial success of countries like China, South Korea and Vietnam, the DPIIT has mooted a slew of proposals to make Indian manufacturing globally competitive.

Among the key areas which require significant reforms are land, logistics and power.

The draft strategy paper floated by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on reforming industrial growth has identified multiple areas such as land and power for pushing reforms. It also focuses on taking the share of manufacturing in India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 20% by 2025.

Taking leaf out of industrial success of countries like China, South Korea and Vietnam, the DPIIT has mooted a slew of proposals to make Indian manufacturing globally competitive. The key areas chosen for giving thrust include defence, pharma, leather, automobiles and food-processing. The department on Friday held a virtual meeting with top industry bodies to seek their suggestions.

The key focus area of the strategy paper is to scale up manufacturing in the country to achieve the goal of $5 trillion economy. It has noted that manufacturing goods enable a country to export to 'unlimited' international demand. Further, this circumvents the limitations of domestic demand which is driven by domestic income, thus acting as a binding constraint on growth.

"One of the most critical (steps) is to increase the share of manufacturing, which for India, has been steady at around 16 percent," the strategy paper said.

Among the key areas which require significant reforms are land, logistics and power. The DPIIT has proposed to revise the National Building Code of India to raise Floor Space Index (FSI) in a rule-based manner. FSI in the Indian cities ranges between 2-5 with low variation across the city, while FSI in cities like New York varies from 15 in the commercial business district to 0.5 in the suburban residential areas.

The industrial promotion department has also suggested to utilise the unused government land especially in the large urban centres. As per the official data, Indian Railways owns about 40,000 hectares of unused land while Defence holds 33,000 hectares of unused land. The 13 Major Ports have about 15,000 hectares of land that could be used for industrial manufacturing or housing.

The DPIIT has proposed to adopt alternative models for land allotment and acquisition. This includes annual payback of 10% of land value conditional on operations beginning after specified gestation period (3 years) with penalty up to 2% for idling of land. It has also suggested leasing of land at a concessional rate with payment holiday for 2-3 years after allotment.

In order to promote Special Economic Zones, it has been suggested to allow companies located in SEZs to sell a specified portion of their output to the domestic market as well. Developers could be permitted to enter into a long term lease agreement with stakeholders in Zones in line with the state policies.

For providing power at competitive rates to the industry, plans are afoot to deepen the wholesale power market in India. Improving service delivery and reducing tariffs through better competition among DISCOMS is another key area.

"State/UT governments may be pursued to fix electricity tariffs for industrial purposes at least for next 3-5 years to ensure stability of power charges to entrepreneurs," an industry executive aware of the plan said.

With a growing chorus for Vocal for Local, the DPIIT has also proposed to help industry in brand promotion.

"Incentives must be provided to develop capabilities and resources to help firms enhance their brands, nationally and internationally to boost awareness of Indian brands abroad and access global market intelligence," the DPIIT has stated.

Apart from measures to lower the cost of factors of production, select industries would be given additional push. For instance, electric vehicles would get a major push. Policy steps would be taken to boost Electric Vehicle (EV) penetration in the country.

In order to make India a global manufacturing hub for EVs, the government may consider entering into Free Trade Agreements and mining agreements with resource rich countries in Latin America (Bolivia, Argentina, Chile) and Africa (Congo, South Africa) and others to secure essential minerals like lithium and cobalt.

Also Read: How Roshni Nadar, the new HCL Chairman, stepped into her father's shoes

Also Read: HCL revenue declines 7.4% QoQ; Roshni Nadar first woman to chair Indian IT services firm
Sue Carr recalls the time she and a police officer tried to help a homeless woman on Barton Street East.

They spent hours looking for a bed in a shelter that night, but there were none for her.

Eventually, the police officer gave her some food and a blanket. The woman slept on the street near the volunteer-run non-profit restaurant Carr operates in the impoverished pocket of Hamilton.

We did as much as anybody could, she says with a note of anguish.

Carr mentions the frustrating scenario in a discussion about people with mental illnesses falling through cracks. She also talks about the efforts of police  no matter how heartfelt  to respond to them.

Something else is required.

Sue Carr operates 541 Eatery & Exchange, it's a volunteer-run non-profit restaurant located on Barton Street East. John Rennison/The Hamilton Spectator file photo

Thats why she welcomes a Canadian Mental Health Association project that pairs a mental health nurse with a peer support worker during visits to the area.

Theyll make the rounds at homeless encampments, drop-in centres and 541 Eatery & Exchange, Carrs charity on Barton where paying customers can buy buttons others cash in for lunch.

The idea is that the peer support workers street credibility will instil trust while the nurse can pull up health records remotely, prescribe medication, or treat physical ailments, such as an abscess.

I think we do have to be out there and I think we can do that in a way where we dont need police, says Sue Phipps, chief executive officer of the local CMHA.

Registered nurse Ed Jacinto, whos teamed up with four peer support workers, hopes to provide another point of access for health care and recovery support to those who are homeless.

One goal is to be a safe and approachable presence within Hamilton.

Jacinto describes it as crisis prevention for people who cant access traditional primary care.

Renee Wetselaar, executive director of St. Matthews House, expects the approach will result in less confrontation than when police handle calls.

Thats probably going to have a more long-term result; that we dont see this person coming back tomorrow and having the same issue.

Harrison Wheeler, Mike Lavelle, Ed Jacinto, and Paul Dolhun are part of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Hamilton. They will be part of a pilot project that offers mobile mental health support along with peer support workers for some of the city's most vulnerable residents Cathie Coward/The Hamilton Spectator

But police still have a role in certain crisis calls, especially if safety is a factor, Phipps says. So we dont see it as an us-and-them.

The recent deaths of people in crisis after police responded in Canada has reignited a public debate about whether law enforcement should handle mental health calls.

This charged discourse comes with a push for police reform that reallocates funds to social, health and housing services.

In one tragic case last month, Peel Regional Police shot Ejaz Choudry dead after the 62-year-old barricaded himself in a Mississauga apartment building. Ontarios police oversight agency, the Special Investigations Unit, is probing the incident.

In Hamilton, police have also shot and killed people experiencing mental crises in recent years.

Deputy chief Frank Bergen has told The Spectator its fair to question whether police are best suited to handle mental illness, harm reduction, homelessness and poverty.

It warrants a larger conversation, he said. We want to play a role.

A reliable beat cop

For Rachel Braithwaite, executive director of the Barton Village Business Improvement Area, calling 911 to help people in crisis hasnt been ideal.

Braithwaite likens the immediate police response to a Band-Aid that doesnt offer deeper support or followup care. Its a one-time solution and then our businesses have to deal with it day in, day out.

The mere presence of the police uniform, Braithwaite adds, does nothing to defuse a situation, whether its an irate person yelling on the street or someone overdosing in the doorway of a business.

Wetselaar says police routinely arrest people in distress on Barton, where St. Matthews House is located.

I witnessed a take-down right here yesterday, she said. So a high presence of police officers showing up for something that was probably I would say more mental-health related.

But Wetselaar, Braithwaite and Carr all cite one example of a uniform that didnt escalate situations: a reliable beat cop who worked Barton Village for 14 years before retiring in 2017.

We saw people get connected to supports and to have someone they could call a friend, Braithwaite says of Const. Dale Neil.

Carr remembers Neil shooting the breeze with 541 patrons over cups of coffee. It was a very friendly, non-threatening presence.

Const. Dale Neil was a reliable beat cop who worked Barton Village for 14 years before retiring in 2017. Scott Gardner/The Hamilton Spectator file photo

Adds Wetselaar: He had a real understanding of people. He was welcome. Hed integrated himself in the community.

When Neil retired, the BIA asked for a replacement, but it never came, Braithwaite says.

Filling the gap

After that, law enforcement wasnt meeting Barton Villages needs, Braithwaite says.

So the BIA, 541, businesses and service agencies like St. Matthews House, John Howard Society, Mission Services and Helping Hands decided to find a solution that didnt involve police.

McMaster students even conducted surveys to gauge the need for mental health services in the area, Braithwaite says.

Our intent was to use their work and their findings to go after maybe some funding so that we could actually pay someone to then come in and provide those supports.

In the end, the CMHA offered to dedicate a mental health nurse and train peer support workers. Which is amazing. Its totally what is needed, Braithwaite says.

The initiative will be part-time at first, but the hope is to make it full-time next year, Phipps says.

Hamilton police spokesperson Jackie Penman called the pilot exactly the kind of support that should result from the citys Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, a multi-sector exercise that includes the service.

Community safety and well-being is an important discussion that involves all facets of our community, particularly around the area of mental health, she wrote in an email.

Penman also said building relationships is a key component of polices Social Navigator, which pairs officers with paramedics.

Its part of the Crisis Response Unit, which includes COAST, a mobile, phone-based crisis initiative, and MCRRT, a rapid response team that involves an officer and mental health worker.

This forms a wraparound approach in order not to criminalize homelessness and people in crisis, Penman said.

But not everyone gives police a passing grade on that front.

Harm-reduction advocates and street outreach doctors criticize the service for sticking homeless people who dont obey physical-distancing laws with hefty fines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tickets issued to people who panhandle  and similarly have little ability to pay  are another point of contention.

At 541 Eatery & Exchange, Carr and the crew offer free meals at the door Monday to Saturday as the pandemic wears on.

Most are regulars who use the buttons. But weve met some who havent been to 541 before.

And that woman who slept outside that time?

She did on many occasions, Carr says. Last time I saw her she was doing well.
COVINA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / North America Frac Sand, Inc. dba Voycare (OTC PINK:NAFS) ("NAFS", "Voycare" or "Company"), a California-based telemedicine service provider and digital health platform exclusively dedicated to women's health, announces today it has formally begun the application process for a name, ticker symbol and CUSIP number change with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) as part its reorganization efforts in communicating the Company's preeminent position as a virtual care provider for women's health in China's rapidly growing telemedicine industry, with a projected market size of 700 billion RMB or approximately $US100 billion by the end of 2020.

"These changes are important and necessary to demonstrate our commitment for transparency and to create a better understanding of our vision and business strategy before our shareholders, partners, clients and qualified investors," said Hong Chen, Voycare CEO. Chen forms part of the leadership team that lead the Company in a reverser merger acquisition last December after acquiring HTT & CTT Inc., a California based tour operator and medical tourism service provider with combined revenues of close to $10 million in the previous two fiscal years.

The name change will see the Company change from North America Frac Sand, Inc (NAFS) to Voycare (VOYC), subject to the approval of FINRA. Until such approval, company stock trades will continue to occur under the ticker symbol NAFS.

"The name change represents an important milestone for the Company's strategic rebranding, as it helps us evolve our new business direction, and gain greater visibility and credibility among qualified investors," said Xuemei Li, Voycare COO. "We remain committed to creating a world-class digital health platform for women in China, especially now that COVID-19 has placed many limitations on in-person healthcare.

The Company's secure online platform will help women connect with vetted health providers in China and abroad via online audio/video calls featuring simultaneous Chinese interpretation. The main specialties areas will initially focus on mental health and fertility. The Company plans to debut the telehealth platform in late Q3 2020. Demand for telehealth services has seen a surge in recent months due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus global pandemic.

Earlier this week the Company electronically filed an Attorney Legal Opinion Letter required to obtain Pink Current Information Status on OTC Markets, after recently completing all of its OTC Markets reporting requirements.

For more information about Voycare, please visit, www.voycare.com or follow us on Twitter @nafsvoycare.

About Voycare

North America Frac Sand, Inc. (OTC PINK:NAFS) dba Voycare is a California based telemedicine service provider and digital health platform exclusively dedicated to women's health in Asia, with the primary focus on China. Voycare is creating a new type of cross border health care experience for women by leveraging telehealth and the gig-economy, giving women a voice when making the right health care decision for themselves and their families. Voycare currently focuses on two important areas in women's health, Counseling and Fertility. Founded in 2019, Voycare has offices in Los Angeles and Shanghai.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains certain forward-looking information. All information, other than information regarding historic fact that addresses activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future is forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this news release reflects the current expectations, assumptions and/or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update or modify such forward-looking information, either because of new information, future events or for any other reason. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Contact Information

Voycare

+1.626.784.5846

info@voycare.com

www.voycare.com

SOURCE: North America Frac. Sand Inc. / Voycare

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597815/Voycare-Begins-Formal-Application-Process-with-FINRA-for-Name-Ticker-Symbol-and-CUSIP-Changes
The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo have held their first face-to-face talks in 20 months under a European Union-mediated dialogue process aimed at normalizing relations between the two Balkan neighbors.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo's prime minister, Avdullah Hoti, came away from the July 16 talks in Brussels still far apart on a host of issues but agreed to meet again in-person in early September.

Technical-level talks will continue next week among officials.

EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak, who is mediating the talks, said the two sides focused on the issues of missing and displaced persons as well as economic cooperation.

He urged both Belgrade and Pristina to work with the International Committee of the Red Cross to resolve the issue of missing persons to foster reconciliation.

Economic cooperation is one of the backbones of the European Union, and will improve living standards and create jobs in Kosovo and Serbia, he said.

Hoti emerged from the meeting saying progress had been made in dialogue but that it was a difficult meeting.

I have presented our position in this meeting and I will never move from that position, he said.

The Serbian leader said he wanted to solve the outstanding disputes with Kosovo.

"But it is obvious that the differences are too big at the moment, concerning all important and strategic matters," Vucic said.

"They would like to solve (everything) overnight, with an attempt to make Serbia accept everything they want."

Earlier, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who is chairing the Brussels talks with Lajcak, called on both sides to approach dialogue in the spirit of compromise and pragmatism and with the European future for their people in Kosovo and Serbia in their minds."

Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, declared independence in 2008 in a move rejected by Belgrade.

Five of the EUs 27 countries -- Romania, Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia, and Spain -- also dont recognize Kosovos independence, and statehood remains a huge stumbling block in any rapprochement.

EU-backed negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade broke down in November 2018 over reports of a proposed land swap and after Kosovo imposed a 100-percent tax on Serbian imports.

Both Kosovo and Serbia, which aspire to join the EU, have been facing mounting pressure from the West to reboot negotiations.

On July 10, both sides agreed to resume talks after a video summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In those talks, Vucic and Hoti held firm to their positions. The Serbian president said the EU-backed process will be meaningless if they focus on whether Belgrade should recognize Kosovos independence.

Kosovo says mutual recognition between the two countries is the only way to normalize relations.

The new push at dialogue comes as war-crimes prosecutors in The Hague on July 16 ended four days of questioning Kosovar President Hashim Thaci.

The charges against him led to the postponement of a planned June 27 White House summit between Thaci and his Serbian counterpart.

With reporting by AFP
VANCOUVERThe union representing hospitality workers across the country says it fears staff laid off because of COVID-19 may not have a job when the pandemic is over.

The challenges facing workers are unprecedented, with more than 90 per cent of employees in hotels, airports, stadiums, universities and schools out of work since March, said Ian Robb, the Canadian director of Unite Here.

That is why were putting forward three essentials that Canadas hospitality workers need for a fair and safe recovery in our industry, he told a news conference Thursday.

The union representing 300,000 workers says it wants to protect jobs, ensure it is safe for workers to return to their workplaces, and get income support for those who are laid off.

Too few employers are using the federal wage subsidy program to keep workers tied to their jobs, and all levels of government need to do to more to avoid long-term unemployment in the sector, Robb said.

Analysts predict the $102-billion industry may not fully recover until the summer of 2022, leading to uncertainty for tens of thousands of workers and their families, he said.

Were calling on various levels of government to be creative and to work with us, Unite Here, Canada, to avert long-term unemployment, Robb said.

The Canadian Emergency Response Benefit is at the centre of the debate as employers recall workers who are concerned about the effects of the pandemic.

Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said the benefit has created a disincentive to return to work for some staff, especially in industries like hospitality.

The Hotel Association of Canada said the industry is eager to get as many workers back on the job as possible, but most hotels are hanging on by a thread with occupancy levels hovering under 30 per cent as a national average.

The missing link here is access to liquidity. Most hotels do not qualify for the governments loan programs and therefore cant pay the bills during this period, the association said in a statement.

If you cant pay the bills, you cant survive and there will be no jobs to return to.

The association wants the government to address its emergency response programs to give workers an incentive to return to work.

Nia Winston, president of Unite Here in Detroit, said Canadas hospitality industry should heed the experience in the United States in handling unemployment benefits.

In the U.S., unemployment benefits of $600 a week are set to expire at the end of July, which will make it will be nearly impossible for workers to support their families, she said.

I strongly urge you to hear our cautionary tale. So Canada can do it differently. So Canada can get it right, Winston said.

Hotel worker Christie Spiteri said shes worries the pandemic will be used to replace workers for a lower cost.

She echoed Robb, saying too many employers in the hospitality sector are not using the federal wage subsidy program to keep workers on the payroll.

I went from having a really good job with benefits and pension to not knowing what my future holds, and obviously thats really scary for me.
New research published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]) reveals that too much or too little sleep in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is linked to sharply increased death rates, with the effect much larger than that found in the non-diabetic population. The study, based on data from the USA, is by Dr Chuanhua Yu, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China, and Dr Xiong Chen, Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China, and colleagues.

While previous research has shown that extreme (too much or too little) sleep duration is linked to increased mortality in the general population, in this new study the authors wanted to examine how the presence of diabetes affected this association.

The authors used data from 273,029 adults including 248,817 without diabetes and 24,212 with T2DM who participated in the US National Health Interview Survey from 2004 to 2013, and had linked mortality data up to the end of 2015. Sleep duration was measured using self-reporting, with participants asked "on average how long do you sleep each day" (5 hours or less, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 or more hours/day). The relationship between sleep duration and mortality were investigated using computer modelling with adjustments for demographics, body mass index, lifestyle behaviours and clinical variables.

As expected, regardless of the amount of sleep compared, death rates were higher in people with T2D than those without (see table 2, full paper). The mortality rate for people with T2D with the 'ideal' level of 7 hours sleep was 138 per 10,000 person years, compared to 215 for less than 5 hours sleep and 364 for those with 10 hours of sleep or more. After adjustment of the data, the authors used people without diabetes who slept 7 hours as the reference or comparison group. Compared to this group, people with T2D who slept 7 hours had a 42% increased risk of death; for those with T2D and 10 or more hours sleep there was 2.2 times increased risk, while for those with T2D and 5 hours or less sleep there was a 63% increased risk of death.

A similar pattern, though less pronounced, was seen in the group without T2D. For those with the ideal 7 hours sleep, the death rate was 78 per 10000 person years, compared with 122 for 5 hours or less and 256 for 10 hours or more. Too much or too little sleep did increase the death rate, but not as much as in the group with T2D. Compared with those who slept 7 hours, those who slept 5 hours or less were at a 33% increased risk of death and those with 10 hours or more had an almost doubled (90%) increased risk of death.

Among people with T2D, there were also some links found between sleep duration and cause-specific mortality. For cancer mortality, people with five hours or less sleep per day, eight hours per day, and 10 hours or more per day had 41%, 26% and 59% greater risk of mortality, respectively compared with 7 hours per day (see table 3). The association between sleep duration and CVD mortality was only statistically significant for the longest sleep duration group (a 74% increased risk for 10 or more hours per day compared with 7 hours per day). The longest sleep groups (10 hours or more) also showed an increased risk of stroke mortality (3 times) and Alzheimer's disease (2.6 times) compared to 7 hours sleep.

The study also found that the shortest and longest sleep duration were associated greater risk of all-cause mortality relative to those sleeping 7 hours per day among people with T2DM diagnosed before the age of 45 years compared with those diagnosed after age 45 years. And the effect of extreme sleep duration on mortality was generally more pronounced in those who had had diabetes for more than 10 years compared with less than 10 years.

The authors point to previous research that shows insufficient sleep results in a 40% slower glucose clearance rate in the body, and activates the sympathetic (involuntary) part of the nervous system, which in turn can aggravate a person's status of insulin resistance, obesity, or high blood pressure. "Therefore, sleep deprivation in people with T2DM is likely to increase complications and affect the control and management of blood glucose which drive excess mortality risk," they say.

They add, however, that sleep is a complex phenomenon and extreme sleep duration may be a reflection of poorer health status and reduced functioning. For example, the finding that people with T2DM who sleep longer have an increased mortality risk may be linked to the possibility that these individuals experience greater diabetes-related complications that require more rest or long-term bed rest. Another possible explanation of these findings is that longer sleep duration has been associated with chronic inflammatory responses which increase mortality risk.

They say: "For people with T2DM, as per the general population, 6 to 8 hours of sleep is recommended on account of reducing mortality risk. Sleep interventions as an addition to standard diabetes treatment may warrant further attention."

They conclude: "This study provides preliminary evidence that the associations between sleep duration and mortality are different between people with and without diabetes. Patients with diabetes sleeping for less than or in excess of 7 hours had an increased risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality, while too much or too little sleep also increased absolute death rates in people without diabetes, but to a lesser extent. The association was more prominent in those with younger age at disease onset. These patients may require greater medical attention that targets sleep and lifestyle to reduce the risks of adverse health outcomes."

###
(JNS)  Given the racial strife in the United States during the past month, the news media appears determined to exploit every possible manifestation with partisan political purpose in mind. Or so it seems.

A recent news story that captivated the nations headlines focused on the report of a noose found hanging in the garage stall of African-American NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace. It was, it appeared on merit, newsworthy. Until it wasnt.

But the lack of credibility of the story, and the obvious ramifications, continued to be exploited for its obvious political value. It no longer...
A three foot wall has proved no match for sneaky travellers who have been spotted jumping over the NSW border to slip into Queensland.

The 700m long wall was set up along Dixon Street in Coolangatta at the border on Thursday after reports drivers had been avoiding checkpoints by using backstreets.

The Queensland government is stopping anybody from NSW hotspots Campbelltown and Liverpool, along with anyone from Victoria, from entering the sunshine state.

But on Friday a number of rule breakers were caught jumping over the makeshift wall, Seven News reported.

Sneaky travellers have been caught jumping over the wall set up at the NSW/Queensland border on Friday (pictured)

The Queensland government is stopping anybody from NSW hotspots Campbelltown and Liverpool from entering the sunshine state (pictured, police at the Coolangatta checkpoint)

A woman speaks to reporters about the barrier at the NSW/QLD border on Friday after it was set up a day earlier

The wall has sparked frustration in many residents living near the border as they are set back by huge daily delays to get to and from work.

All NSW-registered vehicles are carefully being checked by police, with those found entering Queensland unlawfully incurring a $4,003 fine.

The barricades, which have been filled with water so they can't be moved, have turned quick trips for residents into two-hour-long journeys.

'A gentleman I know, he does his banking in Coolangatta, his chemist is in Coolangatta, post office and he to somehow get around that now. He's 70-something years old,' one local said.

For him to get into town to do his daily activities, he's now got to go down that hill and go the long way around.'

One man is seen walking near the barrier at the Gold Coast on Friday

The 700m long wall was set up along Dixon Street in Coolangatta (pictured) at the NSW/QLD border on Thursday after reports drivers had been avoiding checkpoints by using backstreets

There are now talks to move the barricades to Tweed Heads to make it more convenient for those living in the border town (pictured, police stop a motorcyclist at NSW/QLD border)

One car drives alongside the border wall set up in Coolangatta at the NSW/QLD border

Cars line the sides of Dixon Street after the three foot border wall was constructed on Thursday in Coolangatta

Gold Coast chief superintendent Mark Wheeler said the idea arose after people were caught using alternative routes to sneak into Queensland.

'We were finding people were encroaching across the fencing that was there and coming into Queensland technically unlawfully,' he said.

'We're funneling tens of thousands of vehicles a day through one lane to visually assess and then filter either to an express lane or to an inspection bay.

'So irrespective of saving time, and we will, there will still be delays.'

One man has already been fined $4,003 after lying about coming from Melbourne.

The 27-year-old had been turned away twice before he was caught lying on his border form.

There are now talks to move the barricades to Tweed Heads to make it more convenient for those living in the border town.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll urged both Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to discuss the issue.

'Certainly, in terms of flows, it would address some of the issues, because the largest congestion is between Coolangatta (on the Gold Coast) and Tweed,' Ms Carroll said on Friday.

'I hope they have those conversations, but if it stays the way it does, which I suspect it will do so, we will keep saying that you need to plan your trip.

'Part of that plan is that you will sit in queues for an extended period of time.'

One resident speaks to the media after the 700m barricades were set up at the NSW/QLD border

A woman is seen walking around the NSW/QLD border wall with a suitcase and dog on Friday
iStock/ (WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- Vaccine research based in the U.S., Canada and Britain was threatened by a "cyber espionage group" with links to Russian intelligence services. The report comes from the U.K.'s National Cyber Security Center.

The group attempting the hacks goes by the name APT29 and also the pseudonyms "Cozy Bear" and "the Dukes." The FBI has labeled this group as the one that carried out malicious cyber activity during the 2016 presidential election.

The NCSC report claims, "Throughout 2020, APT29 has targeted various organizations involved in COVID-19 vaccine development in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, highly likely with the intention of stealing information and intellectual property relating to the development and testing of COVID-19 vaccines."

Dominic Raab, the U.K.'s foreign secretary, expressed concern and outrage over the attempt. "It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic," he said. "While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behavior, the U.K. and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health."

The NCSC believes APT29 has not been thwarted and will continue conducting cyber attacks on global entities working on vaccine research.

The National Security Agency cautioned everyone to "take this threat seriously."

COVID-19 has sickened over 13,740,000 people globally and killed nearly 600,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. In the U.S., the worst affected nation, over 3,560,000 people contracted the virus and over 138,000 died.

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Bengaluru, July 17 : More than 13,470 people have registered to volunteer as civil police wardens with the Bengaluru Police, to assist in regulation and anti-Covid measures, said an official on Friday.

"We are proud of Bengaluru and every Bengalurean. A call by the Commissioner of Police for civil police volunteers and we are overwhelmed with the response," said Additional Commissioner of Police Hemant Nimbalkar.

He said 13,470 citizens, who care for the city, have registered to fight Covid shoulder to shoulder along with the police and called the response an unprecedented civic movement.

The volunteers registered from the eight divisions of the city. Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said the volunteers were doing outstanding work.

"Outstanding work being done by the overwhelming number of Bengaluru civil police volunteers, they are unsparing. Policemen have become law abiding citizens," said Rao.

On Tuesday, Rao had urged interested people to volunteer for the department, indicating how short-staffed the department has been amid the pandemic.

As some people were misunderstanding that the voluntary work would be a paid duty, Rao later clarified that people volunteering as civil police wardens with the city police department will not receive any remuneration.

Incidentally, people from as far as Ramangara, Tumkur and other districts have also applied, but the department is considering only volunteers from the city as they want people with local geographical knowledge.

The volunteers will accompany the policemen in night patrolling, man check posts, answer questions of the general public and assist station house officers.

They are also required to assist in documentation and computer work at the police station level, enforce social distancing and wearing face masks among the public.

As many as 100 volunteers were used in the Bengaluru South division on Thursday night for barricading, patrolling and assisting the policemen.

On Thursday, Bengaluru reported more than 2,000 cases with 2,344 infections, raising its tally to 25,288, out of which 18,828 are active.

Being the epicentre of the pandemic in the southern state, Bengaluru hosts 61 per cent of all the active cases.

Bengaluru is currently under Covid lockdown till July 22 5 a.m.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 22:13:47|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent reached 664,051 as of Friday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The Africa CDC in its latest situation update issued on Friday said that the death toll from the pandemic surged from 14,044 on Thursday to 14,399 as of Friday.

The Africa CDC further said that 345,320 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have so far recovered from the infectious virus.

Amid the rapid spread of the virus across the continent, the highly affected African countries in terms of positive cases include South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, and Ghana.

The Africa CDC also said that the Southern Africa region is the most affected area across the continent in terms of positive COVID-19 cases, followed by the North Africa region. Enditem
There was heavy drama at the Haryana hotel where the dissident Congress MLAs are staying after Rajasthan cops were not allowed to enter the premises by the state police on Friday evening. Made to wait at the gates, the cops were finally allowed to enter the hotel.

Earlier today, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police registered two first information reports (FIRs) against two incriminating audiotapes in which a Congress lawmaker is purportedly talking to a middleman and a person named Gajendra Singh about toppling the Ashok Gehlot-led government.

The FIRs were registered on the basis of the complaint filed by Mahesh Joshi, the Congress chief whip of the Rajasthan assembly, after audiotapes surfaced on Thursday evening and went viral on social media amid the political turmoil in state.

The Congress has repeatedly accused Sachin Pilot of being in cahoots with the BJP to topple the state government.

In another development, the Rajasthan High Court on Friday asked assembly speaker CP Joshi to hold off on action against Sachin Pilot and the 18 lawmakers who were issued disqualification notice this week. The court, which was hearing Pilots challenge to the disqualification notice, will resume hearing the case on Monday.
SAN JOSE, Calif., July 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Soul Dope is launching a Wellness Subscription Box initiative to help fund their mission to connect children in underprivileged communities to technology.

The Soul Dope Wellness Subscription Box costs $39.95 per month, and each box has contents that retail for at least $75 and includes items such as meditation guides, sage blends, candles, t-shirts, face masks, gratitude journals, teas, body scrubs, and more. Items vary monthly.

Soul Dope

"Our wellness boxes are designed to pamper the soul. Each monthly box will have a unique wellness theme and contain premium products and tools for your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being," says Mya James, owner/founder of Soul Dope Inc.

Soul Dope was established in 2019 as a non-profit, and 100% of their proceeds go towards technology initiatives. They built their first computer lab in Ghana in 2019 and more recently provided more than 20 laptops to kids in the U.S .in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our mission is pretty simple; we connect children in unprivileged communities to technology by providing them with computers and/or building computer labs. This is funded by our commitment to making wellness accessible to black and brown communities through our monthly subscription boxes," says James.

James, who has worked in tech for 20 years, was offered the opportunity to teach a technology class on her first visit to Ghana in 2017. She quickly realized the students were learning about computers without actual computers and using a single computer book about Windows.

After about an hour in which she was asked about Facebook's password security and whether "making Facebook" was a job, she knew these kids needed more.

"It's not something I feel like I had a choice to do. It was a response to a natural reflex as necessary as breathing. There was a need and I knew I could help," says James.

Their first computer lab in Ghana was done through donations, but they soon realized they needed a better revenue stream. Because Soul Dope is all about accessibility, they decided to make wellness accessible through their subscription boxes.

The Soul Dope Wellness Subscription Box can be purchased by visiting souldope.org.

About Soul Dope, Inc.

Soul Dope, Inc. is a non-profit dedicated to bridging the technology gap for children in underprivileged communities. Established in 2019, Soul Dope built their first computer lab for the Virgin Kids Academy in Ghana

Media Contact

Mya James

678-533-9762

[email protected]

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SOURCE Soul Dope

Related Links

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There was no need for a Central Bureua of Investigation probe into the death case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput as the Mumbai police were capable of handling the matter, said Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday.

The police were also examining the angle of "business rivalry" in the case, he said.

Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Bandra apartment in Mumbai on June 14 and what the police claimed was a case of suicide. In the initial investigation, the Mumbai police had found that the actor was under medication for depression.

On Thursday, Rajput's friend, actor Rhea Chakraborty, in a tweet, demanded a CBI inquiry to understand what "pressures" prompted Rajput to take the extreme step of suicide.

Chakraborty said though she has "complete faith" in the government, a CBI inquiry would help bring justice to the case.

Deshmukh said the Mumbai police were conducting a detailed inquiry into the actor's death and also recording statements of people concerned.

"There was no need to give the case to the CBI. Our police officials are capable and doing the inquiry in right way. We are also examining the angle of business rivalry," said Deshmukh.

So far, the police have recorded the statements of more than two dozen people, including Chakraborty, filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bollywood casting director Mukesh Chhabra and Rajput's family members, as part of probe into the suicide, which jolted the Hindi film industry.

Rajput starred in films such as Shuddh Desi Romance, Raabta, Kedarnath and Sonchiriya.

But his most prominent role came as cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the biopic, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story.
India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Govt

We will continue to deal with Chinese PLA in firm, resolute manner: Army chief

Next India-China military commander talks after partial disengagement

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 17: The next couple of days would be crucial as India will keep a close watch on the disengagement process by the Chinese PLA.

Rajnath Singh in Ladakh: Military strength display amid India-China tensions | Oneindia News

This would set the stage for the next meeting between the two military commanders.

Sources tell OneIndia that the next meeting will be held after the partial disengagement takes place. All hopes have been pinned on this meeting as India is hopeful that this would set the stage for a complete disengagement.

Meanwhile, the Indian Government's high power China Study Group reviewed for nearly two hours the outcomes of the 14.5 hour long talks held by the military commanders of India and China that was held earlier this week.

Also Read:

The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval and other senior officials, including those from the security agencies.

There has been consolidated disengagement at Galwan, Gogra and Fingers 4 and 5 of the Pangong Tso.

There has been substantial easing of tensions following the latest meeting, officials familiar with the development told OneIndia. The talks were positive and we expect complete disengagement at Gogra by this weekend, the official also said.

While the disengagement continues, India is closely monitoring the situation and also verifying the withdrawal through both physical and technical means.

The meeting of the military commanders on Tuesday began at 11.30 and went on for almost 14.5 hours. During the meeting both sides discussed de-escalation at Pangong Tso. The two sides extensively discussed vacating the Finger Complex on the northern side of Pangong lake.

The commanders also discussed additional reduction of troops from the Depsang Bulge, which is north of Galwan Valley. The Indian side insisted that the status quo be restored and the Chinese move back to their side of the Line of Actual Control. India also said that the traditional patrolling routes of the Indian Army should not be blocked.

Further the Indian side also insisted on complete restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to May 5.

Sources say that more such meetings are on the anvil. The future meetings would discuss the road map for the overall restoration process. Both sides would also discuss restoring tranquillity in the region, which has been witnessing tensions off late.
The Janhvi Kapoor-starrer "Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl" will premiere digitally on August 12, the actress confirmed on Instagram.

"Proud to bring to you the story of India's first woman Air Force Officer to go to war. A journey that I hope will inspire you the way that it has inspired me. GunjanSaxena - The Kargil Girl' is landing on 12th August," she wrote.

The actress also shared a poster and stills of the film.

"Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl" is inspired by the life of Indian Air Force combat pilot Gunjan Saxena, and stars Janhvi in the titular role. Saxena entered the war zone during the 1999 Kargil War.

Directed by Sharan Sharma, the cast also features Pankaj Tripathi, Angad Bedi, Viineet Kumar, Manav Vij and Ayesha Raza.

Angad also shared the stills on Instagram, writing: "Thrilled to be bringing such an inspiring story of Gunjan Saxena: India's first woman Air Force Officer who went to war. We are absolutely honoured & can't wait for you all to experience her journey. Arriving on 12th August!"

The film will premiere on Netflix.

In June, it was revealed that "Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl" would be ditching traditional theatrical release amid the Covid-19 crisis and opt for a direct-to-OTT release.

"Gunjan Saxena' is a defining film based on a true story about a woman who showed unparalleled courage, and inspiration to many in the coming years. We are excited to share this fearless story about following your heart and your dreams with millions around the world," Karan Johar, who has backed the film through his production house, Dharma Productions, said at the time of the announcement.

Text: IANS

Images: Instagram
TDT | Manama

The Ministry of Labour and Social Development has announced that the annual ban on afternoon work in open spaces throughout Bahrain will start today. To protect workers from occupational diseases and injuries, especially during the extreme summer climate, the ban will last throughout July and August and prohibits work from noon until 4:00 pm.

The ministry stressed that the correct implementation of the decision will be closely monitored around the Kingdom. Around 30,000 companies and establishments are included in the list to be monitored. To report violations, public can call on the hotline (17873648) number and the ministrys inspection teams will immediately take the needed action.

Violators will face imprisonment for up to three months and fines of at least BD 500. Labour Minister Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan stressed the importance of compliance with the decision, pointing out that the commitment rate in previous years was exemplary with at least 98per cent.

He also emphasized the need to provide workers with the best work equipment to protect them from the hot and humid weather. The ministry called on employers, work site supervisors, and occupational safety and health engineers to train workers in first aid, to provide health care and adequate drinking water to protect workers from heat stress.
The film industry has largely welcomed the federal government's $400 million incentive to attract Hollywood movies and television series but warned about the urgent need for more support for hard-hit Australian productions.

The Location Incentive, to run over seven years, aims to create 8000 jobs annually and take advantage of the country's success managing COVID-19 compared to such rivals for international production as various US states, Canada and Eastern Europe.

Announcing the scheme after visiting director Baz Luhrmann on the set of his planned Elvis Presley movie on the Gold Coast, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Hollywood filmmakers Jerry Bruckheimer and Ron Howard had already inquired about bringing productions.

"Our film industry, our screen industry, will be a key part of our COVID recovery," Mr Morrison said.

The scheme allows foreign producers to get cash grants that top-up the existing tax offset of 16.5 per cent to a more internationally competitive 30 per cent, with government modelling suggesting it will attract $3 billion in foreign expenditure.
Some of the worst polluting vans on Britains roads will still be allowed free access into new Clean Air Zones because of flaws in official Government data, a new report reveals today.

Experts say that admitted errors in the DVLAs own records  described by ministers as limited gaps - mean they will fail to stop some of the dirtiest diesel vans from causing even more problems across the nations towns and cities where air quality has already been in breach of legal limits for more than a decade.

The same mis-classified vans  including models from Ford, Peugeot, Citroen and Volkswagen - are already being allowed free access to Londons Ultra Low Emission Zone today, they add.

Error in the system: Incorrect DVLA records will allow dirty diesel vans free access to London, despite ULEZ restrictions banning them

Ministers are aware of the disparity but are accused of dragging their feet to find a solution  even when one was presented to them.

Some estimates suggest that the errors in the official database could allow the equivalent of half a million additional supposedly clean but actually dirty vans into the UKs towns and cities.

The findings are published today by the AIR Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation committed to providing practical solutions to air quality and climate change. They cite new research which they commissioned from automotive data specialist MotorCheck.

Researchers said they discovered multiple examples of diesel vans which should be restricted, but which, according to the governments online vehicle checker, are still being allowed.

In some cases, in real-world driving, these mis-classified vans are producing up to 12 times the official emissions limits of harmful nitrous oxides or NOx blamed for breathing problems.

Gaps in the governments database - which links the number plate to the official emissions data - already allows them free access to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London today and will do the same for the Clean Air Zones due to launch next year, they warn.

Non-compliant vehicles (Euro 5 and below for diesel and Euro 3 and below for petrol) have to pay 12.50 under the polluter pays rules.

Free access to Clean Air Zones and the ULEZ in London is supposed to be restricted to only the latest, clean Euro 6 diesel vans.

However, many dirtier Euro 5 diesel vans registered after the transition date from Euro 5 to Euro 6 in 2016 have been mis-classified.

And when the official Government system is unsure it defaults to allow them the benefit of the doubt, say experts.

Free access to Clean Air Zones and the ULEZ in London is supposed to be restricted to only the latest, clean Euro 6 diesel vans

In a letter sent in May by Environment Secretary George Eustice to the AIR Alliance, the government acknowledged that there are problems with data accuracy but declined their offer of an immediate solution

The AIR Alliance commissioned data specialists MotorCheck to analyse the issue and develop a solution which was offered to the government in February this year, but declined.

The governments Clean Air Zones were supposed to have already been operating by now to keep out dirty vehicles from vulnerable towns and cities but their introduction has been delayed until 2021 at the earliest.

It has fuelled some speculation that ministers may be quietly seeking to drop the Clean Air Zones policy altogether.

In a letter sent in May by Environment Secretary George Eustice to the AIR Alliance, and seen by This is Money, the government acknowledged that there are problems with data accuracy but declined their offer of an immediate solution and insisted implementation of the Clean Air Zones in 2021 was going ahead as planned.

Mr Eustice writes: We acknowledge there are some limited gaps in the data that affect a small number of vehicles.

We are working to obtain data from manufacturers to help complete the dataset.

But he stressed: This will not, however, delay the implementation of Clean Air Zones, which, at the request of the implementing local authorities, are due to go live in early 2021, after the Covid-19 outbreak response.

He adds: Under the UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations, published in July 2017, the Government set out how NO2 exceedances would be brought down to at least statutory levels.

The principles that local authorities should follow were further set out in the Clean Air Zone Framework.

Many dirtier Euro 5 diesel vans registered after the transition date from Euro 5 to cleaner Euro 6 standards in 2016 have been mis-classified, according to the data

However, the AIR Alliance report says: Clean Air Zones should be operating across the UK now, but their introduction has been delayed with a range of reasons being cited by different stakeholders.

Assuming that the government is not trying to delay CAZ implementation into 2021 in order to avoid their implementation completely, the recurring theme that justifies the current delay is the uncertainty about the accuracy of the DVLA vehicle data required to implement effective CAZs.

Analysts point out that the difference between the NOx emissions from a Euro 5 and Euro 6 diesel van are  significant.

Euro 5 diesel vans tested by the AIR Alliance produced up to 1,000 mg/km of NOx during on-road driving compared with Euro 6 diesels which produce less than 50 mg/km under the same test conditions.

Nick Molden, co-founder of the AIR Alliance said The residents of towns and cities where air quality has been in breach of legal limits for more than a decade do not need to wait any longer.

He noted that in a case brought by campaign group ClientEarth, the Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that NOx needs to be brought into compliance as soon as possible and with money being no object.

Air Alliances Mr Molden said: The AIR Alliance believes that further delay can be avoided by using the solution from data experts MotorCheck which is available immediately.

Shane Teskey, founder of MotorCheck said: Our analysis reveals that the database beneath the current CAZ emissions checker is unable to access the true emissions status of all vehicles, and in some cases is giving vehicles the benefit of the doubt without being certain they are Euro 6 compliant.

We would welcome the opportunity to integrate our emissions data solution, which is available, to provide a fast-track route to opening Clean Air Zones immediately.
She's well known for her immaculate style and designer stuffed wardrobe.

And Kimberley Garner looked every inch the natural beauty as she went make-up free for an ear piercing appointment on Thursday.

However, Kimberley, 29, took to her Instagram to tell her fans she had chickened out. and fled her appointment.

Hasty getaway: Kimberley Garner took to Instagram to reveal s she 'chickened out of getting her ears pierced' after booking an appointment on Thursday as she fled salon in a cab

Lovely lobes: Kimberley took to Instagram to share her piercing near miss with her 238K fans

The blue-eyed reality star looked effortlessly flawless as she made her escape in a taxi and showcased her toned shoulders in a tiny white crop-top.

A sun-kissed Kimberley highlighted her bronzed decolletage with an elegant gold link necklace, while her ears remained notably unadorned.

Speaking of her hasty exit, Kimberley pulled back her beach blonde tresses to reveal unadorned earlobes.

She said: 'So fun fact, I have never had my ears pierced and I went today to get them pierced and I chickened out.'

Stunning: Kimberley looked every inch the natural beauty wearing minimal make-up on the day

Untouched: Speaking of her appointment with the needle, Kimberley pulled back her beach blonde tresses to reveal her unadorned earlobes

The swimwear designer looked bashful at reneging on her appointment with the needle and blushed in the video captioned 'the only girl who has never pierced her ears?!'

Kimberley skyrocketted to stardom in 2012 when she joined E4's third series of Made in Chelsea.

The West Londoner has gone on to appear in the Wright Stuff and launched her swimwear label Kimberley London in 2013.

Natural beauty: A sun-kissed Kimberley highlighted her bronzed decolletage with an elegant gold link necklace, while her ears remained notably unadorned

The actress recently shared that she felt 'stronger and happier than ever' after cancelling secret wedding plans and ending a long-term relationship last summer.

Addressing her 238K followers in May, the notoriously private star admitted she came close to exchanging vows almost a year ago, before pulling out.

She wrote: 'I keep my love life a secret. But why not tell u a little. Almost got married last summer. I decided not to. Been single and dating since. Its great.

Here she is: Kimberley looking stunning in one of her own creations from her swimwear label Kimberley London

'Single over lockdown, Have grown so much, this past few months to myself has been amazing. Stronger and happier than ever.

'Want to reassure you whatever stage your in, enjoy it, make your decisions for YOU.

'Dont stay in a relationship you dont want to be in. whats to come, what you dont know around the corner, is very, very exciting.'
The citys mayor said it is the first step in addressing racism, slavery and the mistreatment of Native Americans.

Rhode Islands capital city is looking at providing reparations to residents of African and Native American heritage, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza announced on Wednesday.

The Democratic mayor signed an executive order creating a Truth-Telling, Reconciliation and Municipal Reparations Process that would examine the feasibility of providing reparations, which are typically direct cash payments to individuals.

Elorza said it is the first step in accepting the citys role in the countrys fraught racial history, including Black slavery and mistreatment of Native Americans.

Were putting a marker on the ground and committing to elevating this conversation and using the levers at our disposal to correct the wrongs of the past, he said.

Protesters march to the Statehouse as part of a Juneteenth demonstration in Providence, Rhode Island [AP Photo/David Goldman]

Elorza said two other cities in the United States have taken similar steps to provide reparations, but have not gone as far as what he is pushing Providence to do.

Evanston, Illinois, created a reparations fund last year that draws from tax revenue from recreational cannabis sales. Officials in nearby Chicago have also been debating the issue, and countries such as South Africa and Canada, and colleges including Georgetown University have some form of reparations initiatives.

Elorza said Providences months-long effort will include accurately telling the history of slavery, Jim Crow segregation and structural racism in Providence. It will also involve recognising that in some way at the city level, and then taking steps to address its continuing effects.

No details yet

He stressed the question of what kind of reparations the city could ultimately provide residents is premature.

How much, what form, how long are all legitimate questions, but questions for another day, Elorza said. Its important to go step by step through this.

But at least one Black city leader said she was sceptical of the efforts, which have been backed by other prominent Black Rhode Islanders, including Keith Stokes, the former head of the state Economic Development Corporation.

When we utter the word reparations, Im thinking of a remedy so thoughtful, holistic and valuable as to make a dent in the debt owed to my community, Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris said in a lengthy statement ahead of Elorzas announcement. 2020 is definitely not the year to overpromise and underdeliver. My people have been through enough.

The city of roughly 180,000 residents, the majority of whom are persons of colour, has been taking other steps to reconcile its past in the wake of the national reckoning on race spurred by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

Last month, Elorza ordered the removal of the word plantations from the states formal name  the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations  in all official city documents.

Democratic Governor Gina Raimondo followed up with a similar edict for state documents.
From House Beautiful

Over the last couple of months, HGTV's Leanne Ford has been super busy. In April, she penned a first-person essay about how the pandemic made her realize that her "forever home" wasn't actually forever . She and her husband Erik decided to sell their Los Angeles home after living there under a year. However, she gave no timeline of when and how this would all happen.

Now it's July and Leanne Ford lives on a different coast. She discusses this big move over a video call with My Lottery Dream Home star David Bromstad on the latest episode of the new digital series "HGTV Happy Hour."

"During quarantine, we finished construction on our house, sold our house, moved out of our house, moved to Pennsylvania, and now to our contingent other next house," Ford tells Bromstad, who hosts HGTV Happy Hour. As she expressed in her essay, Ford explains that she and her husband felt like they "were on this merry go-round that's just go go go!" When the pandemic hit, it made them realize that "if we're gonna be stuck somewhere, we wanna be stuck by Grandma," she says. Ford's family is based in Pittsburgh, which is why they chose Pennsylvania.

She notes that with filming the next season of Restored by the Fords , she would constantly be flying back-and-forth and she didn't want to put her 1-year-old daughter, Ever, through that too. "I love that! Being near family I'm sure is going to be fabulous," Bromstad says of Ford's decision while laying on his couch in silk pajamas.

HGTV Happy Hour, which launched last Friday, stars Bromstad as he virtually checks in with various HGTV talent across the country. Besides Ford, he'll also chat with Orlando Soria (July 24), Alison Victoria (July 31), Tamara Day (August 7), and Brian & Mika Kleinschmidt (August 14). The digital series airs every Friday at 5pm across Facebook and IGTV and launches on HGTV.com the following week.

Story continues

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tech2 News Staff

A group of hackers in Russia have been accused by the governments of the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, of stealing information about ongoing COVID-19 vaccine research from various laboratories in their respective countries.

The Advanced Persistent Threat 29 (APT-29), more popularly known as "Cozy Bear" and The Dukes, are a familiar name in cybersecurity circles. They are one of two groups that researchers in cybersecurity have long since thought is linked to Russia's intelligence services. APT29, for one, has even been accused of having a key part to play in affective the US elections in 2016.

The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has said that it is 95 percent confident that the hacker group is part of Russian intelligence services.

Multiple reports quoting cybersecurity experts reveal that APT29  which has a rap sheet going back to 2008  has targeted several governments, diplomatic, think-tank, healthcare, energy and research organizations around the world to gather intelligence that reportedly informs the Russian government's policymaking process.

Cozy Bear: Who are they?

The APT29 (a.k.a. Cozy Bear) hackers, experts say, has kept a low profile, prioritising intelligence gathering over creating a ruckus. That was till earlier this week, when the group used a combination of malware and known vulnerabilities in security to access the servers of organizations involved in COVID-19 vaccine research, UK and US cybersecurity agencies have said.

The group is thought to be run by Russian domestic intelligence (the FSB), as per am ABC News report. Though more recently they have come to believe it belongs to Russia's foreign intelligence service, the SVR.

The group first made news as a "threat actor" in 2014, American cyber-security firm Crowdstrike said in a statement. Unlike many other nation-state hackers in the intelligence arena, Cozy Bear casts a wide net, sending out thousands of phishing emails to a broad set of targets, it adds.

The intelligence service went on to describe the group as "aggressive" in its tactics, and "nothing if not flexible", changing tools and methods to suit the target operating system, and successfully evade antivirus and other security tools.

What data did they steal?

News about APT29's targetting "various organizations involved in COVID-19 vaccine development" came on Thursday in the form of a joint announcement by the UK, US, and Canadian governments. They didnt identify specific victims of the hack, but added that the hackers were probably "acting with the intention of stealing information and intellectual property" relating to vaccine development and testing for COVID-19.

The Kremlin, however, denied the accusations. The Spokesman Dimitry Peskov simply said, "Russia has nothing to do with these attempts."

"Russias efforts to steal information regarding COVID-19 vaccine development is part of an ongoing pattern of behavior by hostile foreign intelligence services to use cyberattacks as a means to gather sensitive information and even conduct covert attacks," security expert John Cohen told ABC News.

The hackers targetted "valuable intellectual property (IP) and public health data related to vaccines, treatments, and testing from networks and personnel affiliated with COVID-19-related research," According to a statement by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

However, it is still unclear whether the hackers efforts in stealing information about ongoing COVID-19 research were successful.

Technical details released by the UK NCSC said the hackers used a combination of methods to break into their victims computers.

"APT29 is using custom malware known as WellMess and WellMail to target a number of organisations globally...[including] those organisations involved with COVID-19 vaccine development," the NCSC statement said. "WellMess and WellMail have not previously been publicly associated to APT29."

Its no surprise that cyber-espionage capabilities are being used to gather intelligence on a cure, John Hultquist, senior director of intelligence analysis for cybersecurity firm FireEye, told Bloomberg. "The organizations developing vaccines and treatments for the virus are being heavily targeted by Russian, Iranian and Chinese actors seeking a leg up on their own research. Weve also seen significant COVID-related targeting of governments that began as early as January."

APT29 is likely to continue to target organisations involved in COVID-19 vaccine research and development, to answer additional intelligence questions relating to the pandemic, as per an NCSC report on the cyber threat.

In the last decade, APT29 has allegedly hacked governments and political organizations in the US, Georgia, Turkey, Uganda, Norway, and the Netherlands. Most famously, it was confirmed to be behind an attack on the US Democratic National Committee's servers.

Cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike found an intrusion by Cozy Bear at the Democratic National Congress going back to 2015. Another hacker group, known as Fancy Bear, is thought to have breached the network in a separate attack on April 2016. Crowdstrike added in a statement that they didn't find the two groups collaborating, or even that they were aware of each other's activity.
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The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has 'paused' publication of the daily coronavirus death figures as Matt Hancock orders an urgent review into how the numbers are calculated.

Another 114 UK victims were announced on Friday, but researchers criticised 'statistical flaws' in the way the deaths are reported across England, saying they are left looking far worse than any other part of the country.

Public Health England's figures figures feed into the daily death statistics published by the DHSC, with information from Public Health Wales, Health Protection Scotland and the Northern Ireland Public Health Agency also fed in.

According to a note on the Government's website, the review means it is 'pausing' the publication of the daily death figure 'while this is resolved'.

The daily DHSC data represents the number of reported deaths of people who have tested positive for Covid-19, who have died in all settings.

But in a blog entitled 'Why no-one can ever recover from Covid-19 in England - a statistical anomaly', Professors Yoon Loke, from the University of East Anglia, and Carl Heneghan, from the University of Oxford, said more robust data is needed.

They argued that PHE looks at whether a person has ever tested positive and whether they are still alive at a later date.

This means anyone who has ever tested positive for Covid-19 and then dies is included in the death figures, even if they have died from something else.

DHSC's announcement sparked frustration and disbelief on social media, however, with one user writing: 'I suggest you get someone to pull their finger out and get this sorted over the weekend. Behave like a private sector company would when its reputation has tanked.'

Another added: 'Still not able to count the number of people being tested each day I see. I must admit that is a tricky thing to do.'

A third said: 'Can this be resolved ASAP so we have daily figures to gauge the danger we are in. Please do not let this drag.'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, pictured in the Commons on Thursday, has ordered an urgent review into how the numbers are calculated

The announcement posted on the Department for Health and Social Care website regarding daily death statistics

The department's announcement on Friday evening sparked frustration and disbelief from many on social media

Earlier today, 114 more coronavirus victims were recorded, with the rolling average number of deaths now 10 per cent higher than last week amid accusations the government's official daily counts are too high.

Department of Health figures show 82 Britons are now succumbing to the life-threatening infection each day - up from the seven-day mean of 74 last Friday. More than 1,000 people were dying each day during the darkest days of the crisis in April.

Alarming statistics also reveal a similar jump in cases. Officials today confirmed 687 more Brits had tested positive for Covid-19 - the equivalent of 609 each day over the past week. For comparison, the rate last Friday was 556.

Other troublesome data released today, by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), warned 1,700 people are still catching the illness every day in England - exactly the same estimate as last week.

But while an array of data suggests the outbreak is inevitably getting worse after Boris Johnson relaxed lockdown rules to allow millions of Britons to enjoy some summer freedom, scientists today claimed there is 'no indication' the crisis has 'gotten out of hand' as a result of the easing of the draconian measures.

Their comments came after Number 10's scientific advisers today revealed Britain's coronavirus outbreak is still shrinking by up to 5 per cent each day. But SAGE also warned the R rate could be above one in the South West of England and London and is only definitely below the dreaded number in the North East and Yorkshire.

Separate ONS figures today also revealed coronavirus is no longer the leading cause of death in England and Wales. But the same official figures showed it was still the third most common way to die in June, behind only dementia and heart disease.

The catalogue of figures come after Health Secretary Matt Hancock today ordered Public Health England to review the way it counts deaths because of a 'statistical flaw' that means officials are 'over-exaggerating' the daily toll.

PHE counts people as victims if they die of any cause any time after testing positive for Covid-19  even if they were hit by a bus months after beating the life-threatening infection, top academics revealed last night. The method is likely why the daily fatality tolls are not dropping quickly in England because survivors never truly recover from the disease as their deaths are blamed on the coronavirus  regardless of their real cause.

And the data came as the UK's chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance today warned that Britain could need another national lockdown this winter just hours after Boris Johnson announced plans to try and get the country back to normal by Christmas.

Boris Johnson today urged all workers to return to offices in August as he set out his timetable for life in the UK to return to normal this winter. In a Downing Street press conference, he revealed restrictions on the use of public transport in England are being dropped immediately with trips on the train and bus to no longer be viewed as the option of last resort. But scientists and medics fear the move out of lockdown is too 'rash' and could risk a second wave this winter.

Dr Loke's analysis shows that 'all settings' deaths (red bar) remain very high in England even as hospital deaths (blue bar) - which the Office for National Statistics says should make up two thirds of the total - have plummeted

In other coronavirus developments in Britain today:

Security Minister James Brokenshire said the UK is at least '95 per cent' certain the Kremlin gave the green light for Russian cyber attacks designed to steal coronavirus vaccine research;

Britain could already have herd immunity against Covid-19 because so many people have had similar illnesses in the past, an Oxford University study claimed;

Half a million coronavirus tests made by Randox and used by thousands of Britons were recalled after spot checks revealed they were not sterile.

BORIS JOHNSON'S TIMETABLE FOR GETTING LIFE 'BACK TO NORMAL' BY CHRISTMAS The Prime Minister revealed today he is aiming for life in the UK to return to something close to normal by this Christmas - but warned the country must 'plan for the worst but hope for the best' as he announced 3billion of extra NHS funding and unveiled new 'lightning lockdown' powers to enable councils to pounce on local outbreaks. In a Downing Street speech setting out his timetable for the further easing of lockdown measures, he said it was likely that the coronavirus will become more virulent - more harmful - in the winter and that it would add to the 'certain' pressures of flu season. But in the same breath, Mr Johnson unveiled plans to get the country back to 'normal life' by Christmas, giving the green-light to letting thousands of Britons back into stadiums to watch football matches and outdoor gigs this autumn. The PM said the Government is hoping to review all the 'outstanding restrictions' in the coming months in order to allow a 'more significant return to normality from November' and 'possibly in time for Christmas'. Today: Rules on using public transport will be relaxed so that 'anybody may use' buses, tubes and trains. Public transport no longer needs to be treated as a last resort. Tomorrow: New 'lightning lockdown' powers for councils will be introduced to allow them to shut public spaces and premises without consulting the Government to stop outbreaks. Next week: New local lockdown draft powers for ministers will be published to allow them to issue stay at home orders and impose travel restrictions. August: New rules on working from home to be introduced to encourage more workers to return to their offices. Remaining leisure facilities like bowling alleys, casinos and skating rinks will reopen from August 1. Socially distanced indoor performances in theatres can start. October: Stadiums could reopen to audiences for sport and music events, depending on the success of a pilot programme. November: All 'outstanding restrictions' will be reviewed and eased in November at the earliest and 'possibly in time for Christmas'. Advertisement

Sir Patrick Vallance today warned that Britain could need another national lockdown this winter just hours after Boris Johnson announced plans to try and get the country back to normal by Christmas. In signs of a growing rift between the PM and his top advisers, both Sir Patrick and chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, today said the coronavirus challenges in the UK will be 'very much greater' in the winter because the season 'benefits' the virus. The PM's plans also came under fire from scientists and medics who fear it is too soon for Number 10 to ease more restrictions because the virus is still 'rife' and people becoming complacent could risk a second wave. The Prime Minister revealed today he is aiming for life in the UK to return to something close to normal by this Christmas. In a Downing Street speech setting out his timetable for the further easing of lockdown measures, he said it was likely that the coronavirus will become more virulent - more harmful - in the winter and that it would add to the 'certain' pressures of flu season. But in the same breath, Mr Johnson unveiled plans to get the country back to 'normal life' by Christmas, giving the green-light to letting thousands of Britons back into stadiums to watch football matches and outdoor gigs this autumn. Scientists and medics fear the move out of lockdown is too 'rash' and could risk a second wave in the winter, given that the virus is still known to be circulating. Data today showed 1,700 people in England are still getting infected each day - a figure that has not changed in a week. Sir Patrick Vallance, Mr Johnson's chief scientific adviser, told members of the House of Lords this afternoon: 'As you release measures it is inevitable as you get more contacts that you will see more cases... Come winter, the challenges will be very much greater and of course there is a risk that this could need national measures'. His counterpart, chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, also hinted that lockdown rules might return as colder weather sets in, explaining people may have 'a group of things you could do for three seasons of the year but it may be that in winter this is more difficult'. There is a danger that by announcing the easing of restrictions, people will take less care when adhering to social distancing rules, according to Professor Lawrence Young, a molecular oncologist at Warwick University. He said: 'Clearly the virus is still here.' Professor John Ashton, former regional director of public health for North West England, told MailOnline: 'This is exactly the wrong time to be letting things go down, and certainly to be announcing it.' He accused Mr Johnson of behaving 'in a very rash fashion'. Department of Health figures released today showed 165,000 tests were carried out or posted yesterday. The number includes antibody tests for frontline NHS and care workers. But bosses again refused to say how many people were tested, meaning the exact number of Brits who have been swabbed for the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been a mystery for a month  since May 22. Health chiefs also reported 687 more cases of Covid-19 today. Government statistics show the official size of the UK's outbreak now stands at 293,239 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  who say the overall lab-confirmed death toll now stands at 45,233  work off a different time cut-off, meaning daily updates from Scotland as well as Northern Ireland are always out of sync.

BRITAIN'S OUTBREAK IS STILL SHRINKING BY 5% A DAY - BUT R RATE MAY BE ABOVE 1 IN LONDON AND THE SOUTH WEST, SAGE SAYS Britain's coronavirus outbreak is still shrinking by up to 5 per cent a day, according to official data released today  but SAGE has warned the R rate could be above one in the South West of England and London. The Government's scientific advisory panel revealed the UK's current growth rate  how the number of new cases is changing day-by-day  is between minus five and minus one per cent. It is more confirmation the crisis is still petering out and suggests the reopening of pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and beauty salons on July 4, dubbed 'Super Saturday', has not triggered a resurgence yet. But the figures show the UK's outbreak is now be shrinking at a slightly slower speed because the growth rate has crept up from last week's rate of minus 5 per cent to minus 2 per cent per day. Scientists today said they were 'cautiously optimistic' about the data, which they say shows 'there is no indication the epidemic has gotten out of hand as a result of the easement' of lockdown. But they warned Brits 'must stay completely vigilant' because a lag in the statistics means it is at least two weeks behind and it could take until next week for any spike to become visible. Separate figures released by SAGE today shows the virus's 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 two months. But SAGE admitted the R could be as high as 1.1 in the South West of England, where Britons have been flocking for stay-cations to enjoy the coastline of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, and in London, where pubs have been rammed with customers after reopening earlier this month. For England as a whole, the R is slightly higher than the rest of the country, with the reproduction number hovering between 0.8 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. Advertisement

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'.

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.

NHS England today posted 16 deaths in hospitals across the country, including none in London for the second day in a row or the South West. One fatality was recorded in all settings in Wales but none were registered in either Scotland or Northern Ireland, according to official updates.

It comes as two leading experts who uncovered the flaw in the way PHE counts deaths today told MailOnline their 'best guess' was that more than 1,000 people have had their deaths wrongly recorded as caused by Covid-19.

Dr Yoon Loke, a pharmacologist at the University of East Anglia, warned that it is 'not a good way of collecting data', has had a significant impact in the past two months and is happening because PHE 'chose a quick and easy technique'.

And the daily death tolls may not hit zero 'for months to come' because of a long tail of elderly people who beat Covid-19 but will die of other causes, Dr Loke added. He uncovered the flaw alongside Oxford University's Professor Carl Heneghan.

Dr Loke said: 'By this PHE definition, no-one with Covid in England is allowed to ever recover from their illness.'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed in a press conference today that the Health Secretary has ordered PHE to review the way it is counting people's deaths.

It comes after a string of mistakes at PHE, including stopping testing and tracing at the peak of Britain's outbreak. Tory MP David Davis this month told MailOnline the organisation had 'made a complete mess' of Covid-19 testing.

A Department of Health spokesperson said today: 'The Health Secretary has asked Public Health England to conduct an urgent review into the reporting of deaths statistics, aimed at providing greater clarity on the number of fatalities related to Covid-19 as we move past the peak of the virus.'

The way PHE counts victims on a daily basis works by it combing through records of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past to see if they have died. If they have, their death is automatically added to the coronavirus count.

It means that if, for example, somebody tested positive in April but recovered and was then hit by a bus in July, they would still be counted as a Covid-19 victim.

Dr Loke pointed out that unless PHE changes its system, all 292,000 people who have tested positive so far will be added to the Covid-19 death toll when they eventually die.

The Department of Health, which uses PHE's data for its daily announcements, has so far counted 45,119 fatalities with 66 announced yesterday.

COVID-19 WAS STILL THE THIRD MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DEATH IN JUNE Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales over June. Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death followed by heart disease. The leading causes of death are shown per 100,000 of the population Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales in June, even though the darkest days of crisis are over. One in 14 deaths were caused by the coronavirus in June - the same month Number 10 began to relax strict lockdown measures. The disease was written on 2,525 death certificates, meaning 50,335 confirmed or suspected Covid-19 deaths have been recorded over the course of the pandemic. But coronavirus deaths in June were significantly lower than they were in May, when the life-threatening infection accounted for a fifth of all fatalities. And it's the first time since March that the coronavirus was not the leading cause of death, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released today. Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death in June, accounting for 10 per cent of fatalities. Advertisement

The 'statistical flaw' should not drastically affect the total number of deaths but means the ongoing death tolls appear worse than the reality.

The Office for National Statistics - which is not affected by the counting method - has confirmed at least 50,698 people have died in England and Wales up to July 3.

Public Health England admitted it is counting the deaths of anyone who tests positive for Covid-19, regardless of how long afterwards they died.

Dr Loke said: 'It seems that PHE regularly looks for people on the NHS database who have ever tested positive, and simply checks to see if they are still alive or not.

'PHE does not appear to consider how long ago the Covid-19 test result was, nor whether the person has been successfully treated in hospital and discharged to the community.

'Anyone who has tested Covid-19 positive but subsequently died at a later date of any cause will be included on the PHE Covid-19 death figures... even if they had a heart attack or were run over by a bus three months later.'

The pharmacologist, who published his findings in a blog post last night, said the bizarre way of recording deaths is why there are such wide variations in daily figures.

On Monday July 6, for example, 16 deaths were recorded, while 152 were announced the next day on Tuesday the 7th.

The Department of Health has blamed low numbers on Sundays and Mondays on a 'weekend effect' which means paperwork doesn't get completed.

But academics are increasingly confused about why there are such wild variations, and why the number of deaths seems to remain so high.

And it appears to be simply that anyone who dies after being added to a register of people who have tested positive is classified as a victim.

It is currently impossible to know how many of the deaths announced by the Department of Health were not actually caused directly by Covid-19.

Dr Loke told MailOnline: 'This is a very serious issue for public confidence.

'When you go onto social media you will see hundreds of posts from rightly anxious people who are petrified at the seemingly relentless, unyielding daily death toll in England. The public are scared.

'The public are asking questions about why England is doing so badly, when actually the truth is that the healthcare professionals in NHS are doing a great job in ensuring thousands of Covid survivors. The statistics here are misleading the public.

SIR PATRICK VALLANCE WARNS BRITAIN MAY NEED ANOTHER NATIONAL LOCKDOWN THIS WINTER The UK's chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance today warned that Britain could need another national lockdown this winter just hours after Boris Johnson announced plans to try and get the country back to normal by Christmas. In signs of a growing rift between the PM and his top advisers, both Sir Patrick and chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, today said the coronavirus challenges in the UK will be 'very much greater' in the winter because the season 'benefits' the virus. The PM's plans also came under fire from scientists and medics who fear it is too soon for Number 10 to ease more restrictions because the virus is still 'rife' and people becoming complacent could risk a second wave. The Prime Minister revealed today he is aiming for life in the UK to return to something close to normal by this Christmas. In a Downing Street speech setting out his timetable for the further easing of lockdown measures, he said it was likely that the coronavirus will become more virulent - more harmful - in the winter and that it would add to the 'certain' pressures of flu season. But in the same breath, Mr Johnson unveiled plans to get the country back to 'normal life' by Christmas, giving the green-light to letting thousands of Britons back into stadiums to watch football matches and outdoor gigs this autumn. Scientists and medics fear the move out of lockdown is too 'rash' and could risk a second wave in the winter, given that the virus is still known to be circulating. Data today showed 1,700 people in England are still getting infected each day - a figure that has not changed in a week. Sir Patrick Vallance, Mr Johnson's chief scientific adviser, told members of the House of Lords this afternoon: 'As you release measures it is inevitable as you get more contacts that you will see more cases... Come winter, the challenges will be very much greater and of course there is a risk that this could need national measures'. His counterpart, chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, also hinted that lockdown rules might return as colder weather sets in, explaining people may have 'a group of things you could do for three seasons of the year but it may be that in winter this is more difficult'. There is a danger that by announcing the easing of restrictions, people will take less care when adhering to social distancing rules, according to Professor Lawrence Young, a molecular oncologist at Warwick University. He said: 'Clearly the virus is still here.' Professor John Ashton, former regional director of public health for North West England, told MailOnline: 'This is exactly the wrong time to be letting things go down, and certainly to be announcing it.' He accused Mr Johnson of behaving 'in a very rash fashion'. Advertisement

'Because of this major flaw in the statistics, and the fact that tens of thousands of older people are being monitored, there is going to be a very very long tail of daily deaths.

'The death toll will go down exceedingly slowly. It's certainly not going to get to zero for months to come yet, because older people who have recovered from Covid-19 will unfortunately still succumb to other illnesses.'

Professor Carl Heneghan and Dr Jason Oke, Oxford University researchers who published Dr Loke's work on their website, said that officials also seem to be spreading out historical deaths and just adding them on to ones that are happening now.

The pair pointed out the death counts from NHS England, which are accurate around three days after the date in question, are too low to match counts from PHE.

According to the Office for National Statistics, hospital fatalities now make up around 60 per cent of all deaths that happen on any given day.

On June 30, NHS England recorded 27 fatalities. If this was 60 per cent of all deaths that happened on that day the total number would be 45.

But the Department of Health, using PHE's data, announced 115 more deaths on that day.

Dr Loke now suggests these massively inflated numbers are because PHE is counting people who died outside of hospital but didn't die of coronavirus at all.

He wrote: 'PHE data confirm that more than 125,000 patients have been admitted to NHS hospitals for Covid-19, the majority being successfully treated and discharged.

'There are now less than 1,900 patients in hospital. So, roughly 80,000 recovered patients in the community will continue being monitored by PHE for the daily death statistics.

'More and more people (who are mainly in the older age group) are being discharged to the community, but they clearly may die of other illnesses.'

Dr Loke said it would be a 'reasonable approach' to set a three-week limit on blaming someone's death on coronavirus unless they were in hospital.

Public Health England told MailOnline that the World Health Organization has not defined a time limit for counting a death as caused by Covid-19, and said it 'continues to keep this under review'.

It admitted that a coronavirus death is a death that happens to anyone who has previously tested positive, regardless of how long ago the test happened.

It said the 'vast majority' of Covid-19 deaths are correctly identified.

Dr Loke added: 'This statistical flaw arose because PHE chose a quick and easy technique.

'Their statistical method is reasonably accurate at the beginning of the pandemic, when there were not yet many people in the community who had survived Covid.

'However, PHE did not - and have not yet - realised that glaring inaccuracies arise when tens of thousands of frail older people are discharged from hospital, and these Covid survivors unfortunately die from other, non-Covid related causes.

'Like most things that are a quick fix, the monitoring system eventually churns out gibberish, and needs a thorough overhaul so that a lasting solution is implemented.'

Dr Susan Hopkins, Public Health England's incident director, said: 'Although it may seem straightforward, there is no WHO agreed method of counting deaths from Covid-19.

'In England, we count all those that have died who had a positive Covid-19 test at any point, to ensure our data is as complete as possible.

CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IN ENGLAND HASN'T CHANGED The coronavirus outbreak in England isn't changing in size and 1,700 people are still catching the illness every day, according to the Office for National Statistics. Estimates based on population testing suggest one in every 2,300 people is now carrying Covid-19 - a total of 24,000 people or 0.04 per cent of the population. This is a slight rise from the 0.03 per cent (14,000) estimated last week but both are within a possible range, showing any change is not significant. The number of people catching the virus each day - 1,700 - has not changed in a week, however, and the ONS said the outbreak has 'levelled off'. Separate studies by King's College London and Public Health England that estimate new cases suggest the range is somewhere between 2,100 and 3,300 - higher than that found by the ONS. Advertisement

'We must remember that this is a new and emerging infection and there is increasing evidence of long term health problems for some of those affected. Whilst this knowledge is growing, now is the right time to review how deaths are calculated.'

Other ONS data released today suggested the coronavirus outbreak in England isn't changing in size and 1,700 people are still catching the illness every day.

Estimates based on population testing suggest one in every 2,300 people is now carrying Covid-19 - a total of 24,000 people or 0.04 per cent of the population.

This is a slight rise from the 0.03 per cent (14,000) estimated last week but both are within a possible range, showing any change is not significant.

The number of people catching the virus each day - 1,700 - has not changed in a week, however, and the ONS said the outbreak has 'levelled off'.

Separate studies by King's College London and Public Health England that estimate new cases suggest the range is somewhere between 2,100 and 3,300 - higher than that found by the ONS.

ONS data is considered to be some of the most accurate available - this week's update was based on the results of 112,776 swab tests taken over six weeks, of which 39 were positive.

Separate antibody testing by the ONS - looking at people's blood for signs of past infection - suggests that 2.8million people, or 6.3 per cent of people in England, have had Covid-19 already.

The ONS said it has today changed the way it counts data and is following trends over a six-week period rather than a two-week period. As a result it advises against comparing the new estimates to old ones.

Britain could ALREADY have herd immunity against the coronavirus because so many people have had similar illnesses in the past, study claims

Britain could already have herd immunity against Covid-19 because so many people have had similar illnesses in the past, a study claims.

Experts have noticed the infection looks extremely similar to other, milder strains of coronaviruses which cause coughs and colds and circulate regularly.

Brits who have had these in the past may have some level of 'cross-protection', they suggest, which means they aren't seriously harmed by Covid-19.

While it remains unlikely that people will be totally protected from any infection at all, 'background' immunity could make their illness less severe and death less likely.

Theories that even exposure to common colds may protect people from the coronavirus have been floating around for months and raise hopes for a milder second wave.

Combined with the fact millions of people have been infected in the pandemic's first wave, it may mean the UK is already protected against another deadly surge.

The concept of herd immunity - in which so many people are immune to a virus that it cannot spread - is controversial because there is no scientific proof that people who have had Covid-19 once can't get it again.

Scientists have claimed, however, that if immunity does develop, the proportion of people who need to have had it could be as low as 20 or even 10 per cent.

And Britain may already be reaching this level, the Oxford University paper said, adding: '[Immunity] measures of 10-20 per cent are entirely compatible with local levels of immunity having approached or even exceeded the [herd immunity threshold], in which case the risk and scale of resurgence is lower than currently perceived.'

Scientists say if a vaccine was developed it would need 60-70 per cent coverage to work  but this threshold could be significantly lower for natural immunity because the most at-risk people will always be the first to get exposed to the virus and, if it can't infect them, it can't spread through them to the less at-risk groups

WHAT IS HERD IMMUNITY? Herd immunity is a situation in which a population of people is protected from a disease because so many of them are unaffected by it - because they've already had it or have been vaccinated - that it cannot spread. To cause an outbreak a disease-causing bacteria or virus must have a continuous supply of potential victims who are not immune to it. Immunity is when your body knows exactly how to fight off a certain type of infection because it has encountered it before, either by having the illness in the past or through a vaccine. When a virus or bacteria enters the body the immune system creates substances called antibodies, which are designed to destroy one specific type of bug. When these have been created once, some of them remain in the body and the body also remembers how to make them again. This provides long-term protection, or immunity, against an illness. If nobody is immune to an illness  as was the case at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak  it can spread like wildfire. However, if, for example, half of people have developed immunity  from a past infection or a vaccine  there are only half as many people the illness can spread to. As more and more people become immune the bug finds it harder and harder to spread until its pool of victims becomes so small it can no longer spread at all. The threshold for herd immunity is different for various illnesses, depending on how contagious they are  for measles, around 95 per cent of people must be vaccinated to it spreading. For polio, which is less contagious, the threshold is about 80-85 per cent, according to the Oxford Vaccine Group. Advertisement

A study by Oxford University said the threshold needed to achieve herd immunity could be lower than expected - scientists had thought it would be around 60 per cent if a vaccine was used - because coronaviruses are common.

There are four other types of coronavirus known to infect humans regularly, which are named NL63, 229E, OC43, and HKU1.

The fifth, known as SARS-CoV-2, is the one that causes Covid-19.

If people have had these in the past, their bodies may have developed some immunity to coronaviruses, the Oxford researchers suggest.

Professor Suneptra Gupta and colleagues wrote: 'It is widely believed that the herd immunity threshold (HIT) required to prevent a resurgence of SARS-CoV-2 is in excess of 50 per cent.

'Here, we demonstrate HIT may be greatly reduced if a fraction of the population is unable to transmit the virus due to innate resistance or cross-protection from exposure to seasonal coronaviruses...

'Significant reductions in expected mortality can also be observed in settings where a fraction of the population is resistant to infection.

'These results help to explain the large degree of regional variation observed in seroprevalence [how many people have signs of immunity] and cumulative deaths and suggest that sufficient herd-immunity may already be in place to substantially mitigate a potential second wave.'

The way cross-protection might develop lies in the fact that coronaviruses all have similar structures - that is, they have spike-shaped proteins on the outside.

These spikes may look similar to the body's immune system and be recognised as a threat even if someone has not been infected with that particular one before.

When the body recognises a protein as a danger it can stoke the immune system into life and immediately send white blood cells and antibodies to destroy the viruses, thereby either preventing illness or making it less severe.

The body stores memories of how to fight viruses it has seen in the past and, if it encounters one that looks a lot like another one it has attacked, it may attack that more quickly than usual, too.

Immune cells are highly specific and only attack the bugs they are designed to, but if coronaviruses are extremely similar there is a chance that immunity developed to one virus may be compatible with another.

CHILDREN 'MAY BE PROTECTED FROM COVID-19 BECAUSE THEY GET SO MANY COLDS' Children may be better protected against coronavirus because they get so many colds, some scientists believe. There are four coronaviruses known to cause coughs and colds, with adults averaging between two to four colds a year. But children are believed to attract up to 12 colds a year, and scientists say this could provide youngsters with a resistance to the virus that adults lack. Professor Sir John Bell, a medicine professor at Oxford University, told the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Commitee: 'How you respond may be due to the state of your existing immunity coronaviruses generally. 'There is an interesting speculation at the moment, that many people in young or middle age groups may have T-cells that can already see coronaviruses. 'It may well be able to provide some protection against this pathogen when it arrives.' Professor Adrian Hayday added: 'All adults past a certain age - 30 to 35 - eventually have no thymus so their T-cells work by looking at whether they have seen something before, whereas children are very good at seeing things that are unknown. 'The issue may be that children are able to see this as something fresh.' Coronaviruses are thought to cause up to 30 per cent of all colds but it is not known specifically how many are caused by the betacoronavirus types, which also cause severe chest infections in the oldest and youngest patients. Advertisement

While this might not stop infection completely, the fast immune response could make the illness less severe and make it more likely that people will survive.

Research from scientists in Germany last month found that 81 per cent of people who had never even had the coronavirus produced some kind of immune response to it - which they put down to infection with common colds.

Researchers at the University Hospital Tubingen, who studied the immune reactions of 365 people, wrote: 'Similarity to common cold human coronaviruses provided a functional basis for... immunity in SARS-CoV-2 infection'.

And Professor John Bell, another researcher at Oxford, recently said a significant number of people may have 'background immunity' to Covid-19.

He explained to MPs on the Science and Technology Committee that people were showing signs of a type of immunity called T cell immunity - T cells are ones that trigger the production of antibodies, which fight viruses.

Professor Bell said: 'What seems clear is you do have cross-reaction from T-cells that are activated by standard endemic coronaviruses,' The Telegraph reported.

'I think they are present in quite a significant number of people.

'So there is probably background T-cell immunity in people before they see the coronavirus, and that may be relevant that many people get a pretty asymptomatic disease.'

The Oxford team's latest study - which did not involve Professor Bell - has not been published in a journal but on the website medRxiv without being reviewed by independent scientists.

In Britain's first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, there have been almost 300,000 confirmed infections and 45,000 deaths.

Separate data suggests there have likely been more than 3.5million infections - most of them untested - and more than 60,000 fatalities.

Britain as a whole is not close to a high level of herd immunity, with Government testing surveys suggesting between five and six per cent of the population have had Covid-19 so far - about three million people.

London, however, has a much higher past infection rate at an estimated 17.5 per cent, so could be approaching a low level of protection.

THE MYSTERY OF COVID-19 IMMUNITY Scientists still do not know for sure whether people can catch Covid-19 more than once or if they become immune after their first infection. With some illnesses such as chickenpox, the body can remember exactly how to destroy it and becomes able to fend it off before symptoms start if it gets back into the body. But it is so far unclear if people who have had coronavirus can get it again. Tests have shown that many people who recover have antibodies - which can produce future immunity - but it is not known whether there are enough of them. One doctor, Professor Karol Sikora, said he had found that only 10 per cent of people known to have had Covid-19 actually developed antibodies. This means it is hard to measure whether they could fight it off immediately if infected again. Another study, by the University of Melbourne, found that all patients in a group of 41 developed antibodies but, on average, they were only able to fend off 14.1 per cent of viruses if they were exposed a second time. Research into other similar coronaviruses, which also infect humans but usually only cause mild illnesses, found that people did tend to develop protective immunity but their antibody levels dropped off within months and they could get reinfected again after around six months. However, antibodies are only one type of substance that can produce immunity. Others, including white blood cells called T cells and B cells, can also help the body to fight off disease but are more difficult to discover using currently available tests. The Melbourne study found signs of elevated numbers of coronavirus-specific B cells and T cells in recovered patients, suggesting those types of immunity may be stronger than antibodies. They called for more research on the subject. A promising study done on monkeys found that they were unable to catch Covid-19 a second time after recovering from it, which led scientists to believe the same may apply to humans. The rhesus monkeys were deliberately reinfected by scientists in China to test how their bodies reacted. Because the coronavirus has only been known to scientists for seven months there has not been enough time to study whether people develop long-term immunity. But, so far, cases of people getting infected more than once have not been numerous nor convincing. Advertisement

The NHS is now preparing for a second wave of the disease but experts say they do not expect another one to be quite as devastating.

Future outbreaks will likely be confined to local areas and be able to be controlled with local lockdowns, they suggest.

While scientists around the world are racing to try and create a vaccine for the coronavirus, herd immunity may be vital as a long-term solution to the disease.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, said yesterday: 'It's important to recognise that the chances of having a totally sterilising vaccine, i.e. one that 100 per cent protects you from this, I think, are low.

'Much more likely that you have a vaccine that reduces the severity of illness and reduces spread a bit. I think that's the more likely outcome on vaccines.'

Natural herd immunity - if lasting immunity develops from infection - can arise from the virus spreading through a large part of the population.

Immunity from a vaccine was expected to have to include at least 60 per cent of the population to effectively stop the virus from spreading.

But developing it through natural infection, meaning that the people most likely to spread the disease would get it first, may dramatically reduce that threshold.

A recent study claimed it could work to some extent if only one or two out of 10 people have been infected naturally and become immune to the disease.

They said higher estimates worked on the basis that immunity is given to everyone by a vaccine, but in reality the people who first get infected are likely to continue to be the ones most at risk, so if they develop immunity, the less-at-risk will also benefit.

These could include health workers, people who live in cities and those in people facing jobs like drivers, shop workers and schoolchildren and teachers, for example.

Immunity among the most socially active people, scientists say, could protect those who come into contact with fewer others.

The study led by Dr Gabriela Gomes, a mathematician at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the University of Strathclyde, said: 'In idealized scenarios of vaccines delivered at random and individuals mixing at random, herd immunity thresholds are given by a simple formula which, in the case of SARS-CoV-2, suggests that 60-70 per cent of the population would need be immunized to halt spread considering estimates of R0 between 2.5 and 3.

'A crucial caveat in exporting these calculations to immunization by natural infection is that natural infection does not occur at random.

'Individuals who are more susceptible or more exposed are more prone to be infected and become immune, which lowers the threshold.

'In our model, the herd immunity threshold declines sharply... and remains below 20 per cent for more variable populations.'

Another study has taken a similar line and suggested herd immunity could develop at around 43 per cent of the population getting infected.

Professor Frank Ball, Professor Tom Britton and Professor Pieter Trapman  three authors of the study from the universities of Nottingham and Stockholm  wrote in the journal Science: 'Our application to Covid-19 indicates a reduction of herd immunity from 60 per cent... immunization down to 43 per cent in a structured population, but this should be interpreted as an illustration, rather than an exact value or even a best estimate.'

They said that immunity would be stronger in cities, large households and big workplaces.
Bowl Inn may not feel the pressure of reducing crowd sizes as much as bigger bowling alleys, but helping people feel safe enough to return to the alley for a few rounds of bowling remains a challenge.

Manager David White said a busy day for the business would feature around 30 bowlers on the lanes at the same time; the alley also is less busy during the summer, when people prefer to take part in outdoor activities.

That means a good day for Bowl Inn still would have a crowd below the state-mandated 50-person limit under Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan. Larger lanes where more than 100 people can be expected to bowl at a time  such as King Pin Lanes in Springfield  are more affected by the limit.

Concern that the crowd-size limit is hindering business for bowling alleys led the Illinois State Bowling Proprietors Association to file a lawsuit asking Lee County state court to invalidate Gov. J.B. Pritzkers exercise of authority to issue consecutive emergency declarations and restrict the number of people allowed in a bowling center.

Representatives of the Illinois State Bowling Proprietors Association say that bowling alleys are being unfairly penalized while activities and businesses that scientists consider more dangerous are not capped to 50 people.

Frankly, Gov. Pritzker has thrown a gutter ball on this one. Even medical experts agree that bowling is not a highly dangerous activity with regard to COVID-19 spread, said R. William Duff Jr., executive director of the Illinois State Bowling Proprietors Association.

When asked about the suit on Tuesday, Pritzker said state government is trying to measure what activities are less dangerous and where more capacity can be allowed. The governor denied that any one industry is being politically targeted.

With 12 lanes at Bowl Inn, White said keeping bowlers separated has been manageable so far and the alley already was cleaning and spraying bowling shoes and balls.

One of the biggest things is, if you dont feel well, dont come in, White said.

Wearing masks is optional for Bowl Inn customers. White said he has not faced any issues with his mask policy and people are able to decide whether the crowd size at any given time is too much for them.

Im not a firm believer in the masks and Im not a firm believer against them, White said.

While the crowd limit may not be the biggest hurdle for Bowl Inn, White said how safe people feel about going to the alley remains an issue for the business.

Its been a hard hit on us, White said. And its going to be a struggle to get people back in here and feeling theyre safe.
BRANDON  A Dauphin woman attacked by a black bear in Riding Mountain National Park says she feels lucky she wasnt seriously injured during Mondays encounter.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/7/2020 (551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRANDON  A Dauphin woman attacked by a black bear in Riding Mountain National Park says she feels lucky she wasnt seriously injured during Mondays encounter.

Erin McKenzie said she was out for a run with her dogs on her favourite hiking path, Moon Lake Trail. She had her headphones on while running up a steep hill  her dogs a few feet in front  when a bear ran out of the forest.

"I guess we startled it quite bad and it must have heard me as I was passing by it It confronted me and was about a foot away from me and it hit me twice, once in the face and once on the back with its paws," McKenzie said.

She suffered a cut beside her nose, as well as four long scratches on the left side of her back.

"Im not sure which strike happened first, it happened so fast that its a little bit of a blur," she said.

"I do remember it standing up on its hind legs and almost as if it was getting ready to continue to attack... As quickly as it all happened, the bear took off back into the bush and my dogs didnt even know what was going on," McKenzie said.

"My initial thought was: Im going to die, this bear is going to kill me."

After the bear fled, McKenzie said she called her brother to let him know what had happened. It took approximately 40 minutes to walk the five kilometres back to the start of the trail.

"I think what I was most scared about was the amount of blood that was coming out of my face, because its quite frightening when you dont know how serious of a cut youve sustained," she said.

At hospital, medical strips were used to close the wound on her face.

Parks Canada confirmed the attack in an email Wednesday.

"On July 13, an individual had a surprise encounter with a young black bear on Moon Lake Trail in Riding Mountain National Park. The individual suffered lacerations to the face and back," the statement reads.

Moon Lake Trail was closed July 14, after Parks Canada learned of the attack. The trail is a natural feeding and travel corridor for animals throughout the summer, according to the statement. It is currently filled with ripe berry bushes. On July 10, Parks Canada prohibited dogs and bicycles from the trail, and asked walkers to travel in groups of three or more.

"Human and wildlife safety is of the utmost importance to Parks Canada. The agency takes action to promote co-existence between people and wildlife, to ensure the well-being and safety of both," the statement reads.

"It is important for visitors to remember that they share the surrounding habitat with wildlife. Riding Mountain National Park is home to many black bears and visitors can encounter a bear at any time or any place."

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The animal that attacked McKenzie ran off after the altercation, so there is no reason to believe it is aggressive, Parks Canada said. "Bears generally prefer to avoid people. However, encounters between bears and people do occur."

McKenzie said she didnt see the warning signs prohibiting dogs and the use of trails by individuals. With the number of other signs up, including regular warnings about bears and to practise physical distancing on trails, she says she missed them.

A sign posted at the beginning of the trail says people who violate restrictions could face a $25,000 fine under the Canada National Parks Act. The restrictions are set to end Sept. 15.

The experience was humbling, McKenzie said.

"I think we sometimes get a little bit too comfortable hiking the same trails that were so familiar with, and kind of lose a sense of how tiny we are out there... Ill definitely take this experience and learn from it."

 Brandon Sun
Jaipur/New Delhi, Jul 17 (UNI) The political crisis in Rajasthan deepened on Friday after cases were registered against Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, a BJP leader and a Congress MLA over an audio clip of purported conversation of horse-trading of MLAs to overthrow the Gehlot government.

Reacting over the audio clip which first appeared on Thursday night and soon went viral, Mr Shekhawat denied that any of the tapes has his voice and said he was ready to face any probe.

Ripping through Mr Shekhawat's assertions, Mr Joshi asked the Union Minister to give his voice sample for investigations so that truth is out in open.

"If Shekhawat is saying that it is not his voice, he should give his voice sample. We will be also very happy if it's not him otherwise it will be a blot on politics," Congress party chief whip Mahesh Joshi said.

Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma and BJP leaders Sanjay Jain were the other two against whom the FIR was registered on the complaint filed by Mr Joshi.

As per media reports, the FIR carries the name of Gajendra Singh Shekhawat but without his designation--Union Minister.

The cases were lodged under Indian Penal Code sections 124-A (sedition) and 120-B (conspiracy).

The Congress was quick to suspend Mr Sharma as well as Vishvendra Singh over "anti-party activities".

'Show cause notice has been issued to them to explain their conduct in the conspiracy to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan, ' AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said.

The Congress also trained gun at the BJP and demanded resignation of Shekhawat as well as his arrest.

"The recording is enough proof that give and take of money has taken place. This has been done for changing the loyalties of the MLAs with the intention of toppling the elected government of Rajasthan," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala claimed while holding a press conference in Jaipur.

Counterattacking the Congress, the BJP termed all allegations 'baseless' and said the grand-old party was frustrated as it couldn't put its house in order.

"Actually, Congress is frustrated as it couldn't put its house in order. They (Congress) want to blame the BJP for their failures by using a manufactured audio clip,' BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told mediapersons in the national capital.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan High Court ordered the Speaker not to take any action against Congress dissident MLAs till July 21.

The direction came on a writ petition filed by Rajasthan leader Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs challenging the notice for disqualification by Speaker C P Joshi for 'anti-party' activities.

Noted Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the petitioners, contended that not obeying the whip's direction outside the floor of House is not a violation of the anti-defection law. Also, having certain disagreement with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot does not amount to defection, Salve claimed.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing as a respondent, contended that the court cannot interfere in the notice by the Speaker.

He said the writ petition is pre-mature and the petitioners can approach the Speaker for any clarifications.

The court adjourned the hearing till July 20, Monday and asked the Speaker not to take any action till 1700 hrs of July 21, Tuesday.

Mr Pilot was stripped of the posts of deputy chief minister and state president for 'anti-party' activities on Tuesday. Hours later, the Speaker sent notices to Mr Pilot and 18 other rebels.

The move by the Speaker came against the backdrop of Pilot camp skipping the Congress Legislature Party meeting in Jaipur to discuss their frictions with the Gehlot camp.

Later, these notices were found pasted outside the houses of several MLAs asking a reply by July 17, Friday.

The notice has been sent under anti-defection law enshrined in Tenth Schedule of Constitution.

On Thursday, Mr Pilot and other rebels moved the court challenging the notice.

If the disqualification of 19 MLAs take place, the strength of the Assembly will be reduced to 181, with a new halfway-mark of 91 required to rule the House.

The disqualification will make it easier for Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to retain the majority.

In the present Assembly, Congress has 107 MLAs while Bharatiya Janata Party 72.

Thirteen independents, two MLAs each from the CPI(M) and the Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP), and one from the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) are in the Congress kitty.

Mr Pilot remains cemented in Manesar hotel in Delhi-NCR region, over 280-km-away from the Pink city.

The political turmoil in the desert state began last week when Special Protection Group, constituted to investigate alleged horse-trading during Rajya Sabha polls, sent a notice to Mr Pilot for recording his statements. Mr Pilot, along with several MLAs, then moved to Delhi-NCR region and claimed the support of 30 MLAs sufficient to topple the Gehlot government.

On Wednesday, Mr Pilot categorically refuted the rumors that he will join the BJP and asserted that he was still a Congressman.

UNI Team PS SV 2038
(Reuters) - The foreign ministers of China and Russia held a telephone conversation on Friday, in which they opposed 'U.S.

(Reuters) - The foreign ministers of China and Russia held a telephone conversation on Friday, in which they opposed "U.S. unilateralism", China's state news agency Xinhua reported.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi told Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Beijing felt the United States was reviving a "Cold War mentality" in its policy toward China, according to the report. It quoted Lavrov as saying that Russia opposed unilateralism in international affairs.

The remarks come as tensions between the United States and China have increased over China's imposition of its national security law in Hong Kong, an ongoing trade war between the two economies and their handling of the coronavirus outbreak, among other diplomatic rifts.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra Maler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Abdul Qadir Sediqi

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan is to release more Taliban prisoners in the hope of getting peace talks going, a government spokesman said on Thursday, after the insurgent group provided the government with a revised list of several hundred of their detainees.

Disagreement over about 600 prisoners from a total of 5,000 the Taliban want released has prevented the launch of U.S.-brokered peace talks aimed at ending nearly 19 years of war since the Islamist militants were ousted.

While releases by both sides have taken place, the Afghan government has said it does not want to release some prisoners for security reasons and its Western allies also object to some of them being set free.

"They have given us another list, the release process will continue but direct talks should also start immediately," Javid Faisal, spokesman for the National Security Council, told Reuters.

The Taliban could not be reached for comment and it was not clear if they would be willing to start talks based on the release of the prisoners on the list.

The United States and the Taliban struck a landmark agreement in February on the withdrawal of U.S. forces in exchange for Taliban security guarantees.

As part of the pact, the Taliban agreed to open power-sharing talks with the U.S.-backed government.

But a senior government official said there was still no agreement on starting the talks.

"The government will start the process of release in the coming few days and will complete the release whether the Taliban agree or not," he said.

A diplomatic source said U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has overseen the negotiations with the Taliban, has been pressing Taliban leaders to compromise on the prisoner issue and there were hopes the hurdle would be overcome.

"Momentum is such that it would not be possible for any side to back out," the source said.

(Reporting by Abdul Qadir Sediqi and Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Robert Birsel)




A nine-month-old baby from Maphisa in Matabeleland South Province who allegedly travelled to Bulawayo with her mother last week has died of Covid-19, becoming the first child in the country to succumb to the virus.





The baby was admitted to Maphisa District Hospital last Friday with severe pneumonia and died the following day.





It was only discovered that she had succumbed to Covid-19 after her death through a post-mortem and was buried on Wednesday at the familys rural home in Silawa, Maphisa.





Preliminary investigations by the Ministry of Health and Child Care have shown that the child travelled to Bulawayo with her mother some time last week.





The mother who lives in Garikai Houses in Maphisa has now been placed under isolation at her home.





Matabeleland South Provincial Medical Director, Dr Rudo Chikodzore said this was the first Covid-19 related death of a child recorded in the country.





As Matabeleland South Province we recorded a Covid-19 death of a nine-month-old female baby from Maphisa area in Matobo District.





The child died on Saturday at Maphisa District Hospital after she was admitted with severe pneumonia. A post-mortem was then conducted and it revealed that the child had succumbed to Covid-19. These results came in yesterday (Tuesday), said Dr Chikodzore.





Investigations have shown that the child travelled to Bulawayo some time last week and upon returning she fell ill. This is a local transmission case. We have started making follow ups and we have informed authorities in Bulawayo and we are making follow ups to find the addresses of the people they visited while in Bulawayo.





We are also tracing contacts within the local community. We have been recording cases of children testing positive for the pandemic across the country but this is the first death.





In a statement released on Tuesday night, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said it regretted the babys death.





A senior health official who has been directly handling the matter said they have been struggling to get information from the bereaved family as they have not been co-operative. He said the authenticity of some of the information is questionable.





The official also said members of the family were also giving contradicting explanations on issues surrounding the death of the baby and the travel history.





This family has been giving us problems when it comes to supplying us with information as they are not forthcoming.





It might take us longer to gather all the details as we also have to consider that this is a bereaved family and we have to be patient with them, said the official on condition of anonymity.





The mother of the late child said her daughter was buried under strict supervision by Ministry of Health and Child Care officers and there were about 20 people. She said the burial was conducted in line with the Covid-19 regulations.





The woman said she had been placed under isolation at her home for the next 14 days, but had not yet been tested for Covid-19. She said she was advised to contact health officials once she experiences any pain.





The bereaved mother said she however, does not believe that her child succumbed to Covid-19 as reported by health officials. She also said they had not travelled to Bulawayo as alleged.





My child was born with an asthma problem and when I took her to hospital, she had experienced an asthma attack. Unfortunately, she died the following day and all I know is that it was because of an asthma attack and not Covid-19.





I dont understand how my child could have contracted this virus as we have not been mobile since the outbreak was reported and the lockdown was introduced, she said.

We stay in Maphisa and thats where we have remained over the past months without travelling.





We last travelled to Bulawayo before the lockdown came into effect. My husband has been away for some time.




Houston-based Brock Services LLC, part of the Brock Group, will pay $35,000 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit, federal officials say.

In its lawsuit, the U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleged Brock Services forced an employee to take three eye examinations after learning he had a vision impairment related to glaucoma in one eye. Despite his glaucoma, the eight-year employee could perform the essential functions of his position. After the third exam, Brock Services fired the employee.

Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) which prohibits discrimination based on an employees disability. The EEOC filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division (Civil Action No. 1:19 cv 00212) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its voluntary conciliation process.

On its website the Brock Group describes itself as providing specialty craft and maintenance services to key industries across North America. Brock Services provides scaffolding, insulation, coatings/linings, fireproofing, abatement, facilities maintenance and operations support.

The 15-month consent decree prohibits Brock Services from engaging in similar discriminatory conduct in the future. The company has also agreed to conduct disability discrimination training programs for managerial employees.

Source: EEOC

Topics Lawsuits
Possible collapse of JCPOA as "failure of EU values": Iranian envoy

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:39, July 16, 2020

TEHRAN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The world anticipates Europeans to take measures to protect the Iranian nuclear deal, also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), against its collapse, said an Iranian diplomat.

Gholam Hossein Dehghani, Iran's ambassador to Belgium, wrote in an article on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the clinch of JCPOA, saying "it would be a failure of EU values" if the deal collapses.

Dehghani penned the article against the backdrop of perils for the abortion of the JCPOA after the U.S. unilateral exit from the pact and EU's "insufficient" response to Washington's intention to paralyze Iran's economy and to hurt its economic interests guaranteed under the deal sealed five years ago.

The JCPOA was reached in July 2015 to find a long-term comprehensive solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. It was endorsed by the UN Security Council and supported by the EU.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the multilateral nuclear agreement in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions against Iran.

Iran then began to gradually reduce its commitments under the pact in retaliation for Washington's departure and Europe's "failure to honor their commitments."

Iran has repeatedly criticized Europe's sluggishness in facilitating Iran's banking transactions and its oil exports which have been targeted by U.S. so-called maximum pressure campaign.

"How Europe behaves towards the JCPOA, particularly under the current circumstances, determines the fate of its quest for foreign policy integration in the years to come and will irrevocably define the sort of player it aspires to be on the international scene," Dehghani noted.

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The spokesman of Rivers police command, Nnamdi Omoni, says policemen who attempted to arrest Joi Nunieh, former acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), were on legitimate duty.

The Nigerian Voice had earlier reported how policemen laid a siege to Nuniehs residence at GRA, Port Harcourt, hours before she was supposed to testify before a house of representatives panel probing the NDDC.

Nyesom Wike, governor of the state, had prevented the policemen from arresting Nunieh.

Addressing reporters at government house, Port Harcourt, after Wike rescued her, Nunieh had said the officers, who were without arrest warrant, pulled down her gate and attempted to break the security door before the arrival of Wike.

She had accused Godswill Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta affairs, of being behind the invasion.

In a statement on Friday, Omoni said the police operatives were from the inspector-general of police (IGP) monitoring team, with support of Joseph Mukan, the state commissioner of police.

The Rivers police command wish to clarify that officers who went to the residence of Nunieh were from the I-G Monitoring Team in Abuja on official assignment to the state, the statement read.

The officers, before proceeding to Nuniehs residence, observed due protocols and requisite standard operating procedures.

On arrival, the officers reported to the police command headquarters with their investigation activities duly signed and approved by the commissioner.

Omoni said the mobile policemen that accompanied the team to effect the arrest of Nunieh, went there on official duty.

The reference that police officers went to arrest Nunieh without the directive of the CP and I-G is ridiculous and most unfortunate, hence should be disregarded, he said.

Mukan is poised to deliver quality policing services and the command will continue to remain firm, focused and will not be distracted by any consideration.

Nunieh had earlier accused Akpabio of perpetrating illegality at the NDDC. She also accused the minister of sexual harassment, an allegation he denied.

Wike had described the action of the police as disgraceful, saying the commissioner of police told him he was unaware of it.

He had called on Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, to probe the incident.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 09:30 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666fdc5b 1 National COVID-19-in-Indonesia,transmission,poor-ventilation,Achmad-Yurianto,office Free

The Health Ministrys disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, has said that many of the new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Indonesia were found in office settings with poor air circulation.

Many working spaces rely on air conditioners only. In such settings, the air tends to settle instead of circulating, which increases the risk of transmission, Yurianto said during a press briefing on Thursday, as quoted by kompas.com.

Besides poor ventilation in indoor settings, Yurianto added, transmissions were also rampant in offices due to peoples unruly behavior of refusing to wear masks or maintain physical distance because they assumed their coworkers were healthy.

Even in office settings where we know the people we encounter, we must remember that those people came from different places with possible COVID-19 risks, he said.

Yurianto emphasized that anyone could be a virus carrier, and that, therefore, wearing a mask was essential.

As of Thursday, Indonesia had recorded a total of 81,668 confirmed infections with 3,873 deaths and 40,345 recoveries. (aly)
By James Zogby

July 16, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - I came to Washington, more than four decades ago, to run the Palestine Human Rights Campaign. We founded the PHRC after hearing from lawyers and human rights activists in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian lands horrible stories of rights being abused on a daily basis. Because these stories werent known in the U.S., or they were ignored, we launched the PHRC to shine a light on these violations and mobilize support for the Palestinian victims.

Early on, we were successful in gaining the endorsement of prominent civil rights leaders, major anti-Vietnam war activists, and church leaders from a number of major Christian denominations. There were, however, only a few members of Congress who embraced our efforts, and those who did often put themselves at risk of incurring the wrath of the pro-Israel lobby  the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. AIPAC made no secret of their displeasure with elected officials who were supportive of Palestinian rights and often threatened members of Congress that if they didnt back off, they would be defeated.

In 1979, I received a call from the staff person of one Congressman who had endorsed a few of our more prominent cases and had been a consistent critic of Israeli policies. He had repeatedly voted against bills to give Israel more aid, citing their human rights record. The staff person told me that her boss met with representatives of AIPAC and someone from the Embassy of Israel and a heated discussion had ensued. She said that because he liked and trusted me, I should come over to the office and speak with him. I did so, but never got to see him. In fact, despite the fact that we had been friends, he rarely spoke with me after that day. Not only that, but during his next few decades in Congress he never again voted against AIPAC-supported legislation, all the while becoming one of the largest recipients of pro-Israel financial contributions.

It was fear  the threat of defeat and the power of campaign contributions, either for you (if you voted correctly) or against you (if you dared to vote incorrectly)  that shaped the way that Congress behaved on matters involving Israel and the Palestinians.

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Members of Congress are not, by definition, the bravest souls on the planet. Because of the corrupting influence of money in politics and the ever-increasing amounts being spent on political campaigns (mainly for television and digital advertising), elected officials find themselves engaged in never-ending fundraising.

I remember expressing my frustration to former Congressman John Conyers that members who consistently voted to give Israel blank check support were acting in an unprincipled way against the interests of the United States. He laughed and told me that from the day they were first elected, the only principle that guided a Congresspersons behavior was what they felt they needed to do to be reelected. In their minds, he said, the national interests of the U.S. becomes synonymous with their reelection.

While there are a number of principled souls serving in Congress, for too many members raising money and getting reelected become ends in themselves. Many will have issues that motivate their public service but as they make their election calculations theyll say why should I go against the banking industry, or the health insurance and pharmaceutical companies, or the gun lobby, or Israel  when doing so might only result in money being raised to defeat me?

Even very principled Congressmen have been known to make such determinations. In 1980, after Israel had expelled two Palestinian mayors, I went to Congress seeking support. My first stop was a well-known human rights champion. I said to him, Im asking for your help because I know that you are a consistent advocate for human rights. Youve spoken out for victims in South Africa, the Philippines, and Latin America. And youre a leader in the struggle for nuclear disarmament and civil rights here in the US. His response was And if I do what youre asking me to do, money will be spent to defeat me and I wont be around to champion those causes for which Ive been fighting. Now I knew and I believed that he knew that wasnt true. He was from a very safe district and would be reelected until he decided to retire. But the point he was really making was Ive already got so many powerful interests lined up against me, do I really need to add another one to create more discomfort for me and my staff? [Note: he remained on office for many more terms, ultimately came around on Palestinian rights and was never seriously challenged.]

The money that could be raised for or against a candidate was real, but it was never the decisive factor. More consequential was the cultivated myth of AIPACs invincibility.

AIPAC consolidated its hold early in the 1980s when they received two unearned gifts. They were able to claim credit for the defeat of two prominent elected Republicans, a Congressman and a Senator. I know first-hand that although AIPAC did pour a great deal of money into both elections, other critical factors decided both contests. The Republican Congressman lost because he had been redistricted from a Republican-majority district to one that favored Democrats. In addition, in the year he lost, there was a Democratic wave in which the party won an additional 27 seats in Congress. But that didnt stop AIPAC from boasting that they had vanquished their foe and use this victory to cement fear of their power.

The Senators defeat in 1984 also played into the AIPAC myth. Its true that a great deal of money was raised to defeat him  including one million dollars to run a more conservative individual as a third-party candidate to siphon votes away from him. But, as he told me just one month after his loss, the real reason for his defeat was that for the first time Black voters had endorsed his opponent. Up until that election, he had run against more conservative Democrats and had won the support of the Black community. The year he lost, he ran against a liberal Democrat who had the backing of newly-elected Chicago mayor, Harold Washington. That didnt stop AIPAC from once again boasted of their victory in defeating a foe of Israel. In the years that followed, one pro-Israel Senator became known for taking colleagues aside who were undecided on an issue of importance to Israel and reminding them of their former colleagues defeat saying, you dont want the same thing to happen to you, do you?

During the time of the Iron Curtain, when the Roman Catholic Pope would name a Cardinal in an Eastern European country, he would do so in our heart fearing that if the name were released it would be cause for persecution. Over the decades, I have compiled my own list in my heart of Members of Congress who have told me, in confidence, Im really with you, but Im afraid to go against AIPAC. None have been profiles in courage. Some, though publicly vocal supporters of Israel, have been nothing more than outright anti-Semites. I had a special name for them  anti-Semites for Israel. But thats what fear does. It may win public support, but it also provokes silent resentment.

I can be thankful that all this is changing  at least among Democrats. The recent victory of Jamaal Bowman over AIPAC-backed Eliot Engel; AIPAC being forced to give permission to members of Congress to oppose Israeli annexation plans for the West Bank; and the recent letter to U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, from 12 Representatives and one Senator not only opposing annexation, but promising legislation to condition U.S. aid to Israel to their policies in the West Bank  all provide evidence that AIPAC may be losing its grip on Congress. Here are some of the reasons for this change: the outrageous arrogance of Benjamin Netanyahu; the fact that today the dominant pro-Israel lobby in Washington is the Christian right-wing of the Republican Party; the virtual marriage of Netanyahu and President Donald Trump; the deep divisions in the Jewish community that have given birth to powerful new groups that advocate for justice and peace; the fact that Arab Americans have become empowered and unafraid to speak out; and the growing support for Palestinian rights among especially Black voters, but also Latinos, Asian-Americans, and young voters, in general.

It is these factors combined that have turned the tide. I wish that it had been sooner. But its happening now, and we are better for it.

James Joseph Zogby is the founder and president of the Arab American Institute, a Washington, D.C.based organization that serves as a political and policy research arm of the Arab-American community.

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A brutal video of four teens beating an allegedly pregnant woman and kicking her toddler on the head circulated online.

The disturbing footage of the brutal beat down was taken in Brooklyn, Illinois, on July 14.

Recording of the incident came out on Twitter, revealing how a black woman, dressed in a black and white hoodie, has been attacked by three female teens as she was standing with her young girl outside a home.

On the footage, it could be seen that the three girls were punching the black woman, while being pushed onto the ground, and savagely pulling her hair.

A male offender has been seen on the video when he jumped into the fight, he landed, the black woman's daughter was hit on the head, which caused her to fall towards the ground, EuroWed reported.

In the clip, the child was heard crying as her mother crumpled vulnerably on the ground being attacked by the four teens.

When the woman had the chance to get off the ground and tried to move towards the home, she was kicked by the male offender in the back that caused her to fly forward and ended hitting her head on a side of a door frame.

The video clip of the rough fight has gone viral and has been viewed for over 227,000 times.

The unidentified attackers in the incident came out to be youths.

At the time of the incident, the victim was reportedly pregnant when being attacked, but there was still no confirmation received regarding this matter.

Read also: 'Professional Hitman' Used Electric Saw to Dismember, Scatter Body Parts of Tech CEO

Attack caused online outrage

On Facebook, the mother of the male attacker, who kicked the helpless toddler, defended her son, saying that the guy did not intend to kick the young girl, he was only trying to jump over the baby onto the black woman. And added that what happened was an accident, claiming her son is not the type of person who would kick a baby.

The clip triggered anger on social media with users asking justice for the helpless victims.

On a tweet, one of the Twitter users said the way the young girl was hanging on the black woman's leg and has been kicked by the male attacker was a sick move. Adding that what happened was against the code and people should refrain from fighting in front of kids.

Another Twitter user said someone has to provide information on the incident in order for them to report the attackers.

The guy kicked the toddler on purpose, as claimed on another tweet, explaining how far the guy was from the black woman being attacked by the three female offenders when guy's kick landed. Adding there was no way the guy intended to kick the mother,according to Daily Mail.

One tweeted asking why would the male attacker feel that it was okay to jump on to the black woman when a toddler was holding her mother's leg. And added the moment they saw the guy kicked the baby, the fight should have stopped, and questioned how could people be standing and watching what was happening like the incident was an acceptable one.

Related article: Fact Check: Did George Floyd Appear on 'Judge Judy'?

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Prison officer Kenson King of Park Hill was, for the second time in almost two months, picked up by members of the local constabulary on Wednesday July 15.





Reports are that King was on duty at the Her Majestys Prison Kingstown, when he was taken into custody.

He was, according to a police source, subsequently charged for the offence of wounding an inmate at the Prisons, and was expected to appear in Court on Thursday.





A reliable source indicated that the inmate King is accused of wounding instigated the altercation when he slapped King while he, King was on duty. The officer retaliated in apparent self-defense and inflicted at least one blow which resulted in a swollen eye on the inmate.





According to our source, the lead investigator visited the prison compound on several occasions and was insistent that prison officer King journey to the Criminal Investigations Department to "give a statement under caution. We were also told that King was equally adamant that the incident report he lodged with his superiors ought to have been sufficient information for the police.





Sources allege that the lawyer who ostensibly wrote to King complaining of his clients ill-treatment pushed for police involvement in the matter.





When this reporter reached out to Kings lawyer Jomo Thomas, he declared: "Its part of a pattern of harassment against Mr. King. He is a prison officer. The State authorities know where to find him. He is not going anywhere. They could do their necessary investigation and then arrest him if they find reasonable cause to do so.





"There is absolutely no reason to detain him pending the outcome of police investigation. From a jurisdictional standpoint, this latest police action regarding Mr. King, amounts to State overreach, Thomas added.





King recently shot to national prominence after he was arrested for obscure reasons. To date no charges have been filed against him since his May 22 detainment which lasted for approximately 32 hours  some 16 hours shy of the mandatory 48 hours that a person can be held without charges being filed.





Kings lawyer confirmed that the promised legal action to challenge the polices "unlawful detention is still being prepared and assured, "it would be brought.








PCI DSS meaning

PCI DSS is a cybersecurity standard backed by all the major credit card and payment processing companies that aims to keep credit and debit card numbers safe. PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. The standard, which is administered by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, establishes cybersecurity controls and business practices that any company that accepts credit card payments must implement. Companies can demonstrate that they've implemented the standard by meeting the reporting requirements laid out by the standard; those organizations that fail to meet the requirements, or who are found to be in violation of the standard, may be fined.

What is PCI DSS used for?

Credit and debit card numbers are probably the most valuable sequences of digits around: anyone with access to them can immediately make fraudulent purchases and drain money from user accounts. Because banks and other credit card issuers will generally refund their customers in these situations, they have a vested interest in ensuring that credit card numbers remain secure as they are transmitted across the economic ecosystem.

The PCI Security Standards Council was created by these industry players to make sure that transactions involving credit card numbers are secure as possible. The Council lays down several security standards that organizations in different industry segments must implement: for instance, PCI PTS covers manufacturers of PIN-based devices, and PCI PA-DSS governs software developers writing code that manages cardholder data.

Who does PCI DSS apply to?

PCI DSS is the most wide-ranging of the Council's standards. It applies to "any entity that stores, processes, and/or transmits cardholder data," which means that any organization that accepts credit card payments  which is to say, any virtually any organization that sells anything or accepts donations  must adhere to the standard.

Compliance with PCI DSS represents a baseline of security, and is certainly not a is not a guarantee against being hacked. As we'll see, compliance can be quite complex, and it's difficult to say with certainty that every aspect of an organization's security is compliant 100% of the time. Some have argued that the credit card and payment companies that make up the PCI Security Standards Council use PCI DSS to shift security responsibilities and the financial burden of breaches onto retailers.

When did PCI DSS become mandatory?

PCI DSS compliance became mandatory with the rollout of version 1.0 of the standard on December 15, 2004. (PCI DSS 3.2 is the current version of the standard, and 4.0 is in the works.) But we should pause here to talk about what we mean by "mandatory" in this context. PCI DSS is a security standard, not a law. Compliance with it is mandated by the contracts that merchants sign with the card brands (Visa, MasterCard, etc.) and with the banks that actually handle their payment processing.

And, as we'll see, for most companies compliance with the standard is achieved by filling out self-reported questionnaires. For those merchants, PCI DSS compliance mainly becomes "mandatory" in retrospect: if a breach occurs that can be traced back to a failure to implement the standard correctly, the merchant can be sanctioned by their payment processors and the card brands. Merchants may be required to undergo (and pay for) an assessment to ensure that they've improved their security, which we'll discuss in more detail later in this article; they may also be required to pay fines. Very large companies may be required to undergo assessments conducted by third parties even if they haven't suffered a breach.

PCI DSS fines

When merchants sign a contract with a payment processor, they agree to be subject to fines if they fail to maintain PCI DSS compliance. Fines can vary from payment processor to payment processor, and are larger for companies with a higher volume of payments. It can be difficult pin down a typical fine amount, but IS Partners provides some ranges in a blog post. For instance, fines are assessed per month of non-compliance and the per-month charge increases for longer periods, so a company might pay $5,000 a month if they're out of compliance for three months, but $50,000 a month if they go as long as seven months. In addition, fines ranging from $50 to $90 can be imposed for each customer who's affected in some way by a data breach.

Again, keep in mind that these aren't "fines" in the same sense that, say, you'd pay for violating some government regulation or traffic law; they're penalties built into a contract between merchants, payment processors, and card brands. Generally the card brands fine the payment processors, who in turn fine the merchants, and the whole process is not necessarily based on the same standards of evidence one would expect in a criminal court, though disputes can end up in civil court.

A 2012 case involving Utah restaurateurs Stephen and Cissy McComb brought some of the murky world of PCI DSS fines into the limelight; the McCombs claimed that they had been accused of lax security based on no evidence and that $10,000 had been siphoned from their bank account by their payment processor improperly. In 2013, Tennessee shoe retailer Genesco fought back against a $13 million dollar PCI DSS fine leveled in the wake of a major data breach, eventually recovering $9 million in court.

Still, most merchants seek to avoid having to pay these fines by ensuring that they comply with the PCI DSS standard. So let's dive into the details of what that entails.

PCI DSS requirements

The PCI DSS standard lays out 12 fundamental requirements for merchants:

Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect cardholder data. Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters. Protect stored cardholder data. Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks. Use and regularly update anti-virus software. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications. Restrict access to cardholder data by business need-to-know. Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access. Restrict physical access to cardholder data. Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data. Regularly test security systems and processes. Maintain a policy that addresses information security.

What does it mean to be PCI DSS compliant?

DSS compliance comes from meeting the obligations laid down by these requirements in the way best suited to your organization, and the PCI Security Standards Council gives you the tools to do so. The RSI security blog breaks down the steps in some detail, but the process in essence goes like this:

Determine your organization's PCI DSS level. Organizations are divided into levels based on how many credit card transactions they handle annually. For instance, PCI DSS level 1 organizations process more than six million transactions a year, whereas PCI DSS level 4 orgs process less than 20,000. Complete a self-assessment questionnaire. These are available from the PCI Security Standards Council website, and there are various questionnaires tailored to how different companies interact with credit card data. If you only take card payments online via a third party, you'd fill out Questionnaire A, for instance; if you use a standalone payment terminal connected to the internet, you'd go with Questionnaire B-IP. Each questionnaire determines how well your organization adheres to the PCI DSS requirements, tailored as appropriate by the ways in which you interact with customer credit card data. Build a secure network. The answers you give on your questionnaire will reveal any weak spots in your credit card infrastructure and requirements you fail to meet, and will guide you in plugging those holes. Formally attest your compliance. An AOC (attestation of compliance) is the form you use to signal that you've achieved PCI DSS compliance. Finishing your questionnaire with no "wrong" answers means that you're ready to go.

As should be clear, the questionnaires provide a sort of PCI DSS compliance checklist. However, don't let this be the end of your security journey. As David Ames, principal in the cybersecurity and privacy practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, told CSO Online's Maria Korolov, "we have seen that concentrating strictly on standalone compliance efforts can produce a false sense of security and an inappropriate allocation of resources. Use the PCI DSS as a baseline controls framework that is supplemented with risk management practices"

Who is responsible for PCI compliance?

Every organization will have a somewhat different take on who should lead its PCI compliance team, based on its structure and size. Very small businesses who have outsourced most of their payment infrastructures to third parties generally can rely on those vendors to handle PCI compliance as well. At the other end of the spectrum, very large organizations may need to involve executives, IT, legal, and business unit managers. The PCI Standards Security Council has an in-depth document, "PCI DSS for Large Organizations," with advice on this topic; check out section 4, beginning on page 8.

PCI DSS certification vs PCI DSS assessment

How can you become PCI DSS certified? The cheeky and succinct answer is that you can't: there's no such thing, in the world of PCI DSS, as "certification." As we've discussed, the most common means of showing compliance with the PCI DSS is by completing the appropriate questionnaire and completing an attestation of compliance (AOC). This process is known as self-assessment.

However, merchants may also choose to pay a third-party vendor to conduct a PCI DSS assessment. The PCI Security Standards Council certifies Qualified Security Assessors who can conduct these audits and produce what's known as a report of compliance (ROC); you may sometimes see this process referred to as PCI DSS certification, though that's strictly speaking not correct. While some organizations pay for ROCs voluntarily, others may be required to acquire one if they have suffered a breach or some other security violation; and large companies that qualify as PCI DSS level 1 are required to get an ROC on a regular basis.

Assessments aren't cheap: they can run up to $50,000 for a large company. But even you aren't required to get one, it may pay off in the long run. As Paul Cotter, senior security architect at West Monroe Partners, told CSO Online, in self-assessments companies tend to look at themselves in "in the most flattering way possible. You might spend $50,000 to hire a professional, but it might wind up saving you in the long run" because you'll get an honest assessment of your security situation. And at its heart, that's the kind of assessment the PCI DSS standard ought to deliver.
News Myanmar Conservationists Slam Moves for Endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins Captive Breeding

The Irrawaddy dolphin in the Irrawaddy during Februarys survey. / WCS Myanmar

Mandalay  Myanmars approval of the gravely endangered Irrawaddy dolphin for captive commercial breeding has prompted condemnation from wildlife conservationists.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Conservations Forestry Department ordered last month that 90 protected species, including the tiger, red panda, clouded leopard, pangolin and snub-nosed monkey, be made available for captive commercial breeding.

The Forestry Department said the endangered species can be commercialized through being displayed at zoos, hotels and for ecotourism in compliance with the 1994 Conservation of Biodiversity and Protected Areas Law.

The order allows the dolphins to be kept and bred in zoos.

It also allows species like the sambhur and barking deer, crocodiles and silver pheasant to be bred for meat and traditional medicine. Conservation campaigners say the wildlife trade will increase as a result.

The conservation and protected areas law says it aims to conserve endangered wildlife, natural habitat and ecosystems. It has, however, drawn criticism from conservation activists.

The captive breeding of the Irrawaddy dolphin would not be easy as with other species, due to the breeding opportunities in Myanmar, their nature and habitation, said U Kyaw Hla Thein, the project coordinator of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)s Irrawaddy dolphin conservation team.

Myanmar has a population of 79 Irrawaddy dolphins, the WCS reported in February. However, between March and early July, at least four dolphins, including a calf, died due to electro-fishing, the major threat to the species.

They are named after the river where they live.

The dolphins are known for their unique nature and cooperative fishing with residents where the dolphins gathered fish and signal where nets should be cast.

The WCS welcomed the proposals for ecotourism, based on community-based dolphin watch tour packages. It said the move could promote education in the community and understanding of cooperative fishing, which is seen as unique to Myanmar.

Putting dolphins in a small zoo pond is not a good idea. We have breeding projects for the star tortoise. The nature of the tortoise allows captive breeding and we can send them back to the wild. But dolphins are not the same, U Kyaw Hla Thein added. The dolphins should be allowed to survive in the wild.

The group also criticized plans for captive commercial breeding because of the inability of the authorities to enforce the law and control the wildlife trade.

U Win Myo Thu, the director of EcoDev (Economically Progressive Ecosystem Development), said: Captive breeding could increase populations, allow species to be researched and boost education. However, if the government does not set concrete regulations, we worry the plan will encourage wildlife trading.

Without restrictions on trading wild animals and their body parts, campaigners said demand for wild meat and body parts for traditional medicine might increase.

We are worried the private sector might misuse the orders and develop private zoos and hotels, breed wildlife and illegally trade wildlife because there are many legal loopholes and weaknesses, U Win Myo Thu added.

Activists said the plans will not encourage the conservation of endangered species.

U Thaw Phyo Shwe, the field coordinator of the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (Banca), said: We do not encourage this plan.

He said the government plans may limit the numbers of wild animals that can be seized.

But this will impact the environment and the habitat of the animals and mislead conservation efforts, he said.

A WWF and Flora and Fauna International joint statement expressed concern for the commercial breeding of 90 species, some of which are globally endangered.

The statement said experience elsewhere in Asean showed commercial breeding of wildlife was extremely difficult to regulate and rarely boosted conservation efforts.

Some commercial trading has been shown to increase the illegal trade in wildlife, particularly in high value and critically endangered species, by encouraging a parallel market and boosting overall demand for wild animal products. Commercial wildlife breeding and trade can also increase the risk of disease spillover from wildlife to humans, such as COVID-19, the statement said.

Conservationists in Myanmar told The Irrawaddy that the plan to commercialize breeding and show off wild animals needed to be reviewed, calling for the removal of endangered species like the Irrawaddy dolphin, tigers, red panda and Gurneys pitta, a species of hornbills, and to look for an alternate way to protect them.

Wildlife should be in the wild. Putting them in a zoo is not the solution, said U Thaw Phyo Shwe of Banca.
Six cases of COVID-19 have been linked to the Melbourne offices of a law firm that told staff they couldn't work from home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Legal giant HWL Ebsworth has now been labelled a 'key outbreak' by Victorian health authorities after the cluster grew from four cases last week.

Victorian Chief Medical Officer Brett Sutton said on Thursday the cluster was an example of why workers should not be rushing to return to city office buildings.

'Anywhere people are in close contact is a risk setting. Everyone should reflect on whether they have to be on-site for work, or whether they can work from home,' he said.

Legal giant HWL Ebsworth has now been labelled a 'key outbreak' by Victorian health authorities after the cluster grew from four cases last week

Victorian Chief Medical Officer Brett Sutton ( pictured) said on Thursday the cluster was an example of why workers should not be rushing to return to city office buildings

Management at the law firm sent staff home for the week on July 6 after the first employee case of coronavirus was identified at the firm's inner-city offices.

Up until that point, the firm had previously told staff to continue to work from the company's CBD premises.

Deep cleaning of levels the firm occupies in the Collins Street building was undertaken as two further employee cases were identified by Wednesday.

The firm's managing partner Juan Martinez told staff, however, that they were expected to return to the office the following Monday 'barring any issues,' according to the Australian Financial Review.

Mr Martinez said the cases did not pose a risk to employees because they had not been at the office while infectious.

'It's important to note that it is not an outbreak that originated from our office, and it didn't arise as a result of our operating practices.'

Mr Martinez said that the virus had been transmitted between staff at a function which occurred outside of the office environment.

Since the additional two cases this week, bringing the total to six, the Department of Health and Human Services has written to HWL Ebsworth's Melbourne staff requesting they be tested for COVID-19.

Managing Partner at HWL Ebsworth Juan Martinez (pictured) has now said staff can work from home

On Thursday, Mr Martinez issued new directions, reversing the requirement for staff to come into the office and giving them the option to work from home.

'All of our Melbourne based professional staff that can work from home have been directed to do so,' Mr Martinez said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.

'Those team members that cannot work from home are operating on tailored arrangements, and our office environment has been set up to ensure that anyone that needs to work from the office can do so in a safe way.'

'We have been liaising very closely with the Department of Health & Human Services to ensure that we are complying in full with their directions.'

Mr Martinez also said that the firm had worked with authorities throughout the lockdowns to ensure they had operated within relevant guidelines.

As lockdown restrictions began to be eased in Victoria in May, Premier Daniel Andrews said all employees who had been working from home would be required to continue doing so until at least July.

The Victorian government formalised the guideline by attaching large fines to be applied to companies that broke the rules.

Officials check people at testing centers as lockdown is reimposed in Melbourne amid a surge in cases in the southern state
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One of the best feelings in the world is the moment a pilot announces that we are on approach into LAX. I feel an instant swell of love and pride because I'm home. People spend money to vacation here, others sing songs about it and many more fight to get here and stay here to make their dreams come true. And until I was 18 years old, Los Angeles was all that I had ever known.

Brandi, pictured with her friend and former colleague, a Delta flight attendant who lives in Florida. They shared a brief reunion during one of Brandi's frequent work trips in 2019 on her short layover at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport. (Courtesy Brandi Tanille Carter)

No matter where I go, I've almost (and a few times actually) been brought to tears as I take in the birds-eye view of the sprawl below as the plane begins its descent and I settle in for landing: the Hollywood sign, the iconic palm trees, the coastline, downtown, snarling traffic on the freeways. I feel so blessed to call Los Angeles my home. I am proud to tell people, in this city of transplants, that I am an original that was born and bred right here.

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.

When I was 7, I began attending school at Calvary Chapel Christian in Downey. There, I got my first of many lessons on race: Don't bring your full self to the party.

Growing up, I was surrounded by people that looked like me. I was affirmed, I was told that I was smart, that I was pretty, that I was loved. My world at home was unapologetically Black and beautiful; it felt safe and secure. At home, we didn't talk about race, and we didn't talk about being Black people. Consequently, I wasn't aware that there was a different standard that would contradict what I knew amid my community.

Then, I started going to school in Downey. My experience with racism was not the overt kind that Ruby Bridges experienced desegregating her Louisiana school. There were no parents and students yelling slurs at me and the handful of other Black students. It was much more subtle.

There was one time I got into a fight with a girl who had put a "Kick me" sign on my back, which incited much of class to start kicking me. I was suspended for being "violent;" she got detention -- but only after my mom lobbied for her to be punished in some way too. I've reflected over the years, and come to the realization that this was the first but not the last time in my life that I was invisible. The adults around me were ambivalent about my presence. They were neither interested nor uninterested in my presence in their classroom.

Experiences like these were quietly eroding my confidence and understanding of who I was in such a way that my own parents didn't even recognize what had happened until I was ready to head off to college. I learned that there was a standard that needed to be met in order to fit in and to exist in this predominantly White environment. So, I adapted.

THE TWO FACES OF BRANDI

I split myself in two, the Brandi at home and the Brandi at school. Both were genuinely me, but sharing the wrong part of myself to the wrong audience resulted in being too White or too Black for the other side.

Brandi at school scrunched her socks, gushed over Scott Baio on "Charles in Charge" and sang Debbie Gibson songs that she heard on KISS-FM. But at home, I dreamed of marrying Ronnie DeVoe while listening to New Edition on my record player, watched "Amen" on TV with my family, did the wop with Soul Train dancers on Saturday mornings and wished my mom would buy me a pair of Fila sneakers.

Brandi's dad, Jim Carter, holds her on the day she was christened at Greater New Light Baptist Church in Los Angeles in 1976. (Courtesy Brandi Tanille Carter)

At the same time, the local news told the stories of two Los Angeles-es, one where White people live in safe, respectable cities, and Black people lived in dangerous, poor, drug-infested communities. So, when my classmates would ask where I lived, I would tell them Culver City or Carson, where my dad lived. In my mind, anything was better than telling them that I was a Black girl from Compton.

Between age 7 and 11, I learned to be conflicted and ashamed. As pervasive gang violence and the crack epidemic took root in Compton, we lost our home. I witnessed childhood friends being taken in by relatives and taken away by social services because their parents' addictions took priority over their care. Yet, my grandmother's home, the center of our family life, was always a place where God, love and really good food overflowed. But that's not what people at my school understood about the community I was from. By the sixth grade, I was firmly entrenched in living out my double consciousness.

COLLEGE-BOUND, IN A NEW DIRECTION

By the time I reached high school, it was now cool to celebrate your pride in being black. The most-watched night on TV was when "The Cosby Show" aired followed by "A Different World." In that hour, we saw an aspirational Black family. We learned about Black college life. Watching the likes of Dwayne and Ron, we donned hoodies displaying Black college names over baggy jeans made by Black-owned clothing brands like Cross Colours and Karl Kani. We spent spring break taking Black college tours. We wore African medallions, listened to Public Enemy and Queen Latifah, and participated in the Black Student Union. Now, living in suburban L.A. County, I could fully represent "my people" with my Black peers, while still tamping down my Blackness when visiting my White peers.

I had mastered my dual existence by 1991, the year 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was killed, Rodney King was beaten by police and the '92 L.A. Riots were on the horizon. Race was suddenly all we were talking about, and well-meaning White friends found it important to declare that they were not racist because they "didn't see color." At the time, it seemed like the right thing to say, the thing we should be hearing. You accept me as a part of the whole of humanity; my color is not what you see. That's a good thing, right? So, I was convinced that being racially absorbed into mainstream culture, indistinguishable from the rest, was best.

I graduated from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts in 1994. As senior year neared, conversations about what was next and where we were headed post-graduation became increasingly common among myself and my 90 or so classmates. Attending a school like LACHSA, schools like Juilliard, Yale School of Drama, and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts were the most desirable. Yet, my heart was set on attending Sarah Lawrence College.

However, my plans begrudgingly changed one evening after a call with my father.

That night, my father and I were catching up by phone. I don't recall the specifics of what we discussed, but I do remember his frustration with me in that conversation. I was talking about the behavior of my fellow Black classmates in the cafeteria that we shared with the college students at Cal State Los Angeles.

Brandi and her dad, Jim Carter, in 2014 at The Magic Castle attending an event where he received an award. (Courtesy Brandi Tanille Carter)

I used the term "those kids," in reference to whoever I was talking about. The words flowed out of my mouth without any forethought or malice, it was simply a reference point. My intent wasn't to distance myself from the Black students, who were also my friends.

Yet, what my dad heard was his Black daughter speaking of other Black teens as though the world didn't see us as the same and as though I saw myself differently. Although this isn't what I believed, my father had watched the development of my dual existence over the years without comment.

Unlike my mother who grew up in Los Angeles, my father moved west from Louisiana as a young adult in the early 1970s. He followed several older siblings here, and connected with others from Lake Charles that had moved to Los Angeles. Their upbringing was segregated, although we have never spoken of it in those terms. Because colorism determined their social hierarchy, my father has demonstrated a greater concern for the acceptance of other Black people. However, I've never seen him strive for the approval of White people. The Jim Crow laws he grew up under clearly communicated that their approval wasn't achievable.

My dad has never led a bifurcated racial existence. He is a Black man. Period. So hearing me saying "those people" was the unacceptable straw that broke the camel's back. It was clear to him that I needed a course correction.

At the time, my older sister was finishing up her senior year at Grambling State University in Louisiana. Whereas kids from my high school aspired to Juilliard and Yale, my dad's classmates' children had dreams of attending Grambling. For my sister, and eventually my younger sister, attending the school was a great source of pride for my dad. There, my older sister had flourished: pledging Delta, winning scholarship pageants and finding teachers and administrators who were invested in her success.

So, not long after this call, my father made a proposition. For years, my mother selected the private schools that I attended, and I already had my choice college picked out. Yet, my dad asked me to set it aside to spend one year at an HBCU. I wasn't happy about the idea, and I can't remember what actually convinced me to agree, but I did. Applications for schools I had never heard of began to arrive. I completed the applications for the schools located in major cities that I wouldn't mind living in: Howard in Washington, D.C., Xavier and Dillard in New Orleans.

Ultimately, I chose Clark Atlanta University. Like the Claremont Colleges just minutes from our home in Pomona, CAU is co-located with Spelman College, Morehouse College, Morris Brown College, the Interdenominational Theological Seminary and Morehouse School of Medicine to form the largest contiguous consortium of Blacks in higher education in the U.S.

MORE FROM OUR RACE IN LA SERIES

I wouldn't be alone in Atlanta. By the time I accepted a place in the freshmen class of 1994, four family friends and distant family members had moved from Los Angeles to Atlanta. Something was happening in the Black community. This return to the South was baffling to many Black Angelenos who had escaped the region and built good lives for themselves and their families in L.A.. Why would you ever go back? I would soon find out, and it would change me forever.

MY BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL

My mother and I took a red eye flight from Ontario to Atlanta in mid-August so that I could attend a college I had never seen in a state I had never been to. We went a couple of weeks ahead of when I was scheduled to move on campus to help us get our bearings.

When the pilot announced our descent into Atlanta, I did what I always do. I got myself situated and opened the shades that had propped up my pillow through the night and saw more green than I had ever seen in my life. I was in awe. I looked at my mother and said, "Don't you want to live here?" I was finding my way home.

The next couple of weeks marked the beginning of a journey that can only be described as finding myself. I had many firsts in those weeks: My first sweet tea and Mrs. Winners chicken biscuit. My first time pressing my own hair after my mom realized she had forgotten to teach me how to do it myself. My first hot and ready Krispy Kreme Glazed donut (before they were a national franchise -- there's a difference). The first of countless warm summer rains that make humid Georgia nights a little more bearable. The first time that I stepped foot on my campus (This also coincided with the first time that I stepped into a nest of fire ants, so it's a bit of a bittersweet memory).

We arrived early on move-in day. It was exactly how I pictured it, just like in the movies. Parents were parked in front of an old brick building unpacking trunks and carrying in a hodgepodge of essentials inside. There were energetic RAs greeting everyone, answering questions and giving directions. There were new roommates and soon-to-be friends meeting for the first time. The only difference from what I anticipated? Everyone was Black, and it was unbelievably beautiful.

Brandi and some her college friends attending a formal event at Clark Atlanta University in 1996. (Courtesy Brandi Tanille Carter)

I was seeing myself for the first time. Black, female, ambitious and ready to take on the world. I wasn't alone. There were thousands of us on that campus. I was not an anomaly. I was not a credit to my race. This was my race. These were my people -- in every shape, color, size, from every economic background. There were different languages spoken, accents from New York to the Caribbean, but we were all here, and we were all Black. This was Blackness. This needed to be seen. This needed to be celebrated.

And, for the next week of freshman orientation, that's exactly what we did! It started with a barbecue on the lawn, where I saw countless well-dressed Black parents. They, like my parents, had diligently prepared their Black sons and daughters for greatness, and were nervously preparing for the moment when they would have to leave us to begin our adult lives.

The week concluded with the Induction Ceremony, a CAU tradition, where I was one in a sea of beautiful young Black women in white dresses and handsome young Black men in suit and tie. The ceremony added us to the ranks of distinguished CAU alumni like James Weldon Johnson, who penned the Negro National Anthem "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," and civil rights icons Hosea Williams and Ralph David Abernathy.

Here, my race, my Blackness, was on full display and celebrated every day. It was not invisible. You couldn't be colorblind because the full spectrum of our collective body shined so brightly. We, as Black young men and women, mattered. Our Black lives -- full of diverse experiences, talents, hopes and dreams -- mattered.

Everything about attending Clark Atlanta University told me so.

AN AWAKENING

The new dating pool I had entered, brimming with smart, funny, cute young Black men I finally had to choose from told me so too. Dating is a big part of high school and college life for most young people. Yet, dating as a Black teen in Los Angeles meant dating from a shallow pool of guys of all races who were attracted to Black girls. I was not born with skin that appeared lightly tanned by the sun or with a cascade of wavy hair flowing down my back, the standard of beauty depicted in 1990s music videos and on the arms of celebrities and athletes around L.A. I was a Black girl with skin the color of coffee with a splash of cream and kinky, curly hair and who appeared undeniably of African descent. My sophomore year of high school, I met my first boyfriend, a senior. He graduated and went off to college. That's the end of my high school dating story.

But at Clark Atlanta, for the first time, I found myself quite dateable. I was suddenly surrounded by young Black men with bright futures like mine, each with their own criteria of what that they found attractive. For many, I fit the description. I filled a calendar on my dorm room wall with the names of young men I spent time with -- in between studying, of course; one for each day of the week. Coming to understand that I was not the only one who thought I was a catch was freeing and exciting, and resulted in my second boyfriend who I dated for most of my college years.

Brandi and her best friends from college stayed in Atlanta and began their careers together. "Of the four of us, I am the only one that returned back to our home states permanently," she said. She and her friends are pictured here at one of their favorite Atlanta nightspots during the summer 2001. (Courtesy Brandi Tanille Carter)

I also stopped working to live up to impossible beauty standards that had been a challenge to Brown girls like me since the days of playing with blonde Barbies. Nineties music groups like Zhane, Total and Brownstone featured brown-skinned women who confidently cut off their pressed or relaxed hair in exchange for short pixie-style haircuts that put their beautiful brown faces at the forefront. One spring break I spent in Los Angeles, I made a salon appointment, and watched my shoulder-length pressed hair fall to the floor. When I stepped off the plane in Atlanta, I was freer, lighter and owning my newly defined ideal of Black femininity.

* * *

For the first time in my school career, I was keenly aware that my teachers were wholly invested in me -- which required that I make a greater investment in myself. They cared whether I succeeded, failed, self-sabotaged, fell apart and most importantly, that I lived up to my fullest potential. Because of that, even when I didn't care for myself, I didn't want to let them and my parents down. So, I pressed forward.

The one year that my father originally proposed, quickly turned into five years of matriculation at Clark Atlanta. With this clarity, I returned to Los Angeles for vacations more aware of "those people" who were struggling with their identity, presenting their full selves to the world, who were blind to the beauty of their own Blackness. I wished that they could share my college experience. I wanted them to fully know the wonder and uniqueness of the Black experience and perspective.

By the time I graduated, I was a young Black professional fully awakened to my whole self, no longer compartmentalizing parts of my being and unpacking the most acceptable parts for the acceptance of others.

Brandi and her fellow Clark Atlanta public relations program classmates on graduation day in 1990. (Courtesy Brandi Tanille Carter)

When I awoke in the backseat of my new car packed with my belongings and my pitbull puppy, as my Uncle Sam pulled into my mother's driveway after helping me move back to L.A. from Atlanta in 2004, I felt sadness. I felt lost. Looking out of the car window, I knew my mom was inside ready for my arrival five years in the making. She had arrived for my college graduation with a one-way plane ticket to Los Angeles in hand. To her dismay, I declared I was staying in Atlanta. I wasn't ready to go. There, I had found a place where being Black and Brandi were one in the same; I was just me. It had been freeing and liberating to explore my young adult life without expectations of what being me, a Black woman, should be or should mean.

But now, I was back and aware of what my upbringing in Los Angeles had given me, but had also failed to provide: room to be me. I was unsure whether I had left Atlanta with the strength to remain unified, to continue to reject a double consciousness. Had I arrived home only to begin living a divided life once again?

A few months later, I walked through the doors of my first post-college job for my first day of work. I wore the latest jeans, a vintage yellow blazer, fly heels and a curly afro. I was self-assured, grounded in what I knew and who I was and ready to take on the world. I had landed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brandi Tanille Carter is a Los Angeles native born to parents that arrived in Los Angeles from Texas and Louisiana as a result of the Great Migration. From 1994 to 2004, she lived in Atlanta, where she completed her undergraduate studies at Clark Atlanta University and began her 20-year career in philanthropy. Brandi returned to Los Angeles in 2004 where she continued to build her career. Today, she is the founder and CEO of The Fruitful Company, which engages people of color in charitable giving so that the full spectrum of American philanthropists feel included and honored for their generosity.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-16 22:06:02|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks on Thursday, with both sides agreeing to cooperate on the development of an effective vaccine to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Japanese government, during the 35-minute virtual meeting, Abe told Merkel that Japan will contribute to the development and distribution of vaccines via what is known as the ACT-Accelerator.

The ACT-Accelerator is a global collaborative framework led by the World Health Organization to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to new COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.

Abe added that Tokyo is seeking to improve the health care system in developing countries, while Merkel responded that Germany hopes to work with Japan to that end, according to the Japanese government. Enditem
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, held on Thursday a phone conversation on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), joint energy projects, Syria and the coronavirus response, the Kremlin said

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th July, 2020) Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, held on Thursday a phone conversation on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), joint energy projects, Syria and the coronavirus response, the Kremlin said.

"They discussed in details various aspects of the JCPOA implementation. Vladimir Putin stressed that the JCPOA remains an important agreement contributing to global stability and safety," the Kremlin said in a statement, adding that the leaders also touched upon major bilateral energy projects.

"Hassan Rouhani confirmed Iran's commitment to the JCPOA and readiness for equitable and constructive cooperation both with all the [JCPOA] participants and within the International Atomic Energy Agency framework.

He also thanked Vladimir Putin for Russia's consecutive policy in favor of preserving and implementing the nuclear deal," the Kremlin added.

Putin and Rouhani confirmed their intention to continue coordinating their effort toward peace and the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Syria, according to the statement.

"Hassan Rouhani and Vladimir Putin briefed each other on the measures implemented for countering the spreading of the coronavirus infection. They agreed to continue cooperation on the fight against the pandemic, including between the ministries of health," the Kremlin concluded.
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The record low rates are also making homes more affordable to potential buyers, who appear to be returning to the market.



By ALEX VEIGA

AP Business Writer

LOS ANGELES  With the 30-year mortgage rate falling this week below 3% for the first time in a half-century, more U.S. homeowners are likely to seize the chance to refinance their home loans.

Americans refinanced nearly 2 million home loans from January through April, more than double the same four-month stretch in 2019, according to real estate data company CoreLogic. And cash-out refinancing, when homeowners withdraw equity from their home's value, typically to pay down higher-interest debt or cover remodeling expenses, rose more than 70% from a year earlier.





. . .
By PTI

JAIPUR/CHANDIGARH: A Rajasthan police team was on Friday evening stopped for some time by the Haryana police from entering a hotel in Gurgaon where some dissident Congress MLAs are said to be holed up, an official said.

A Special Operations Group (SOG) team went to Manesar in Gurgaon to question MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, as part of its investigation into two audio clips which allegedly indicate a plot to bring down the Congress government in Haryana.

The Congress had also alleged that senior BJP leader and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also figured in the clips, which surfaced on social media.

But the FIR registered by the Special Operations Group does not identify one "Gajendra Singh" as any minister.

Television channels showed a Rajasthan police vehicle being stopped outside the Manesar hotel for nearly an hour by policemen from the BJP-ruled state.

The police vehicle was later seen entering the hotel compound and then being driven out after several minutes.

Additional Director General (SOG) Ashok Rathore said the team was told at the reception that the MLA was not there.

The police then left the second hotel in Manesar where some of the MLAs led by rebel Congress leader Sachin Pilot are said to camping.

"A team was sent to Manesar to ascertain the versions of those whose names have come up in audio clips as there have been statements that these audio clips are fake or morphed," Rathore had said earlier.

The refusal to allow the team, at least initially, to enter the hotel, prompted senior BJP leaders to charge that the BJP was part of the plan to "topple" their government in Rajasthan.

"If BJP claims not being involved in Congress' internal fight, then why BJP-led Haryana Government is extending their support and protection to MLAs inside the hotel?" AICC general secretary Avinash Pande tweeted.

AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also made the same allegation.

"Haryana Police blocking Rajasthan Police from investigating the "toppling game' is naked proof of this plot," he tweeted.

He claimed that the BJP "collusion" in the "plot" has now been exposed.

In separate statements, Union minister Shekhawat and MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma has rejected the charge that they figured in the audio clips.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 01:00:25|Editor: huaxia

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An employee packages goods at a warehouse of e-commerce platform Kilimall in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Nov. 1, 2019. (Xinhua/Yang Zhen)

One of Kenya's e-commerce platform draws inspiration from Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba's global success. According to the entrepreneur who established it, African e-commerce platforms can borrow critical lessons from their Chinese counterparts who have created global online sales platforms.

NAIROBI, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Victor Botto's dream to build a pan-African e-commerce platform is largely inspired by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba's global success.

The 34-year-old's ambition was nurtured by his month-long training stint back in 2019 at the Alibaba Business School in Hangzhou, China, where together with other budding African entrepreneurs, he received valuable lessons on the opportunities available in the digital economy.

"The training was the best investment I have ever made for myself because it was an eye-opener. It cut a lot of guesswork in my entrepreneurial journey," Botto told Xinhua during a recent interview.

Before schooling in China, the married father of two children was already operating a brick and mortar electronics store in the Kenyan capital city of Nairobi.

"I was totally dependent on walk-in customers but from what I learned from Alibaba, I decided to develop an e-commerce platform in order to expand my customer base to all towns in Kenya," Botto said.

He was then inspired to establish an online platform dubbed Bovic.co.ke.

Jack Ma, the founder of the world's largest e-commerce trading platform Alibaba, takes a selfie with local entrepreneurs in Nairobi, Kenya, July 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)

Botto told Xinhua that he has since gained traction with many online shoppers attracted to affordable priced electronic products, most of which are sourced from reputable Chinese suppliers.

He observed that while in China he also received training on how to interact with suppliers and vendors as well as how to structure partnerships.

According to Botto, African e-commerce platforms can borrow critical lessons from their Chinese counterparts who have created global online sales platforms.

"The Chinese are hard-working and disciplined, and focus on volumes and low margins to be able to offer competitive prices to consumers," he added.

The entrepreneur, who is also a graduate of electrical engineering from the University of Nairobi, said that e-commerce players in Africa face a lot of challenges due to underdeveloped infrastructure.

"The lack of street names in many neighborhoods makes it costly to deliver goods ordered online," Botto said.

He noted that his operation is currently profitable despite the fact that some larger e-commerce platforms in Kenya are not because he owns the inventory and therefore can make more profit margins.

Photo taken on Nov. 1, 2019 shows a warehouse of e-commerce platform Kilimall in Nairobi, capital of Kenya. (Xinhua/Yang Zhen)

BOVIC has also emerged as a viable enterprise because it stocks over 2,000 different electronic products at price points that target different income brackets.

Botto said that the future of e-commerce in Kenya is bright because it is largely unexploited as the bulk of retail sales is from informal shops and supermarkets.

"A lot of consumer education is therefore required to educate people on making online purchases. Consumer confidence will also have to be built in order to have a vibrant e-commerce industry," he added.

Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya indicates that as of March, total internet subscriptions stood at around 39.3 million.

Botto urged the continent to take advantage of the growing online presence by Africans in order to boost the e-commerce industry.
A YouTuber who 'threatened to cut off the head of the English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson' in a series of home-made videos, appeared in court today.

Muhammad Abdul Basir, 24, from Mitcham, south London, posted a series of videos on YouTube last year in which he talked about 'beating up and assaulting' Mr Robinson, 37, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.

Basir, who appeared to have filmed the videos in his bedroom, also mentioned Prince William in his films but there are no charges regarding those, Wimbledon Magistrates Court was told.

During the short hearing today, Basir, who was described as having 'certain vulnerabilities' by his defence, denied stalking and racially aggravated harassment.

Muhammad Abdul Basir (pictured outside Wimbledon Magistrates Court), 24, from Mitcham, south London, denied stalking and racially harassing Tommy Robinson in court today

He spoke to confirm his name, age and address, and to enter his pleas to the two charges.

A court heard how Basir, who lives with his parents, talked about 'beating up and assaulting Mr Robinson' before going on to describe how he would would 'cut his neck off' in one video titled 'Tommy Robinson Abdul Basir 5'.

Prosecutor Trevor Green told the court: 'On September eighteen, last year police became aware of an anonymous referral regarding a series of videos posted on YouTube by the defendant.'

He continued: 'The defendant is seen filming himself in what appears to be his bedroom.

'He talks about beating up and assaulting Mr. Robinson, describing him as a street kid who hurts people, while telling Mr. Robinson he will cut his neck off and all his EDL fans.'

The court heard there were further video posts of a similar nature regarding Mr Robinson.

Basir is accused of posting videos online threatening the former EDL leader, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon in 2019

Basir spoke to confirm his name, age and address, and to enter his pleas to the two charges at Wimbledon Magistrates Court (pictured) today

The defendant's lawyer told the court there was a police bail condition regarding video postings naming Prince William, but there are no charges regarding those.

Basir, from Mitcham, is charged with stalking Mr Robinson between September 13 and 18, last year, causing serious alarm or distress by posting the YouTube videos on September 14 and 16 last year and threatening unlawful violence.

He is also charged with racially-aggravated harassment of Mr Robinson between the same dates by causing fear that violence would be used against him.

Basir was bailed to appear before Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court on August 13 on the condition that he resides at his home address, does not contact Mr Robinson and does not post material about the former EDL leader.
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Gov. Tom Wolfs refusal to release federal CARES Act aid to Lebanon County over a decision by its commissioners to defy his COVID-19 restrictions is an incredible insult to its residents, the countys Republican state legislators contended Friday.

Sen. Dave Arnold and Reps. Sue Helm, Russ Diamond and Frank Ryan characterized Wolf as a petty tyrant a day after the governor admitted to withholding the CARES funds over the county commissioners rebellion. State Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York, joined their ranks in an independent statement.

Lebanon is the only one of Pennsylvanias 67 counties that has not received its CARES allotment, which is designed to help individuals and businesses cope with the economic turmoil created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Karen Groh, CEO of the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce, has claimed the county is losing out on $13 million.

The CARES money is being channeled to counties through the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

Wolf said during a press conference Thursday that the lack of CARES cash for Lebanon County is a direct result of the commissioners decision in May to reopen ahead of his schedule. Lebanon County made the threat, I mean there were other counties that made the threat, but they actually didnt go through with it, he said. There are consequences, and these are the consequences.

Those consequences are way out of bounds, the Lebanon Republicans and Saylor contend. The county contingent called Wolfs act the epitome of political retribution.

It is based on a fallacy, they said, because the commissioners never told county businesses to reopen in violation of the governors draconian stay-at-home edict. Their order applied only to county-run agencies, the GOP contingent said.

According to the Governors logic, 66 counties - including those experiencing massive protests over the last month in which Wolf personally participated - are entitled to Federal CARES relief, but one county where businesses werent told to open by county commissioners is being punished, the contingent wrote.

The governor is wrong, his motive is improper, and he may be in violation of provisions of the CARES Act and other federal or state laws, the lawmakers insisted. This is an incredible insult to the 140,000 people who have chosen to live in Lebanon County, and we are considering every available avenue of recourse to protect our constituents from his petty tyranny.

Saylor, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, said the governor lacks legal authority to withhold the CARES aid since its distribution was authorized by the Legislature. He called the act shameful.

All citizens of this commonwealth deserve to be treated equally and should not be subject to petty and punitive outbursts by their governor, Saylor said.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Pat Browne, R-Lehigh, urged Wolf to release the money to Lebanon County immediately.

The Governor does not have the authority to withhold funding that has been appropriated through legislation approved by the General Assembly and agreed to and signed into law by that same Governor, Browne said in a statement. The legislation specifically required that the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development distribute those funds no later than July 15, 2020.

Although the stay-at-home order was lifted, the governor has resumed tightening COVID-19 restrictions as the pandemic shows no signs of abating. As of Thursday, more than 99,000 Pennsylvanians had tested positive for the virus, which has been blamed for 6,692 deaths in the state.
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary will on Thursday review rules on travel to neighbouring Austria, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia where numbers of coronavirus cases have been rising, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said.

The landlocked country lifted most of its lockdown restrictions and opened its borders to travellers from European Union states and neighbouring non-EU members in June.

But Gergely Gulyas said the coronavirus task force would meet later on Thursday to discuss the rules on cross-border travel. He told a news conference that infections had been rising in Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Slovakia and Austria in the past two weeks.

"Wherever we have a small new coronavirus infection cluster, the infectious person brought the virus into the country from abroad," Gulyas added.

Hungary, which has a population of around 10 million, had recorded 4,220 cases of COVID-19 and 591 related deaths as of Thursday.

Austria issued travel warnings for Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova on Wednesday because of the worsening coronavirus situation in those states.

(Reporting by Anita Komuves; Editing by Alison Williams and Andrew Heavens)
The European Space Agency and NASA are zooming toward the sun, releasing new photos that provide the closest look yet.

The two agencies launched Solar Orbiter into space on Feb. 9. It's studying how the sun creates its giant bubble of charged particles and magnetic fields, called the heliosphere, that is blown outward and across the entire solar system.

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Researchers didn't expect results this quick, but early photos have identified "campfires" dotting the sun -- hinting at a solar feature that, until now, has not been observed in such detail.

The campfires we are talking about here are the little nephews of solar flares, at least a million, perhaps a billion times smaller, principal investigator David Berghmans, an astrophysicist at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, said in a news release. When looking at the new high resolution (Extreme Ultraviolet Imager) images, they are literally everywhere we look.

Its not yet clear what these campfires are, but its possible they are mini explosions known as nanoflares. These are tiny but ubiquitous sparks theorized to help heat the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona, to its temperature that's 300 times hotter than the solar surface, according to the news release.

Scientists will need the campfires' temperatures to know for sure. The Solar Orbiter has an instrument that can obtain this when it gets even closer to the sun.

So we're eagerly awaiting our next data set, principal investigator Frederic Auchere, with the Institute for Space Astrophysics in Orsay, France, said in a news release. The hope is to detect nanoflares for sure and to quantify their role in coronal heating.

The Solar Orbiter is operated by the European Space Operations Centre in Germany. Of its 10 instruments, nine were provided by ESA member states and ESA. NASA provided one instrument, as well as hardware and sensors for three other instruments, and the Atlas V 411 rocket that launched the Solar Orbiter.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The ORA White Cat, the third mass-produced model of Great Wall Motor (GWM)'s BEV-focused brand ORA, formally hit the market on July 15. Offering four variants in total, the mini-sized BEV is priced from 75,800 yuan ($10,838) to 88,800 yuan ($12,696) after subsidy.

Following the Haval Big Dog, the ORA White Cat is GWM's second model named after a kind of pet, catering to urban residents' affection for adorable cats.

The outer appearance conveys a design idea of less is more. Featuring a flowing silhouette coupled with sleek form lines, the new car resembles a cat that is ready to catch its prey, delivering a sense of agility and strength.

Adopting an integrated design, the front face features less multi-layered sense, while is able to draw more visual attention to the overall front. The badge of ORA is located between the headlights and the grille carrying numerous oval ventilation holes, triggering the imagination of a cat's face.



The brevity of the side profile is highlighted by the floating roof coupled with hidden door handles. The two-tone boomerang-shaped rims are palatable to the taste of consumers who favor avant-garde looks.

The ORA White Cat presents a simple light-colored interior that somewhat looks like the ORA R1. The liquid crystal dashboard seamlessly connected with the console-mounted display is located behind the three-spoke multifunctional steering wheel. Besides, it also carries such technical amenities as wireless charging, ESP (electronic stability program), T-BOX, LDW (lane departure warning) system, and active braking assist, etc.



Apart from the 173-liter trunk room, the internal storage capacity can be increased to 867 liters by putting down the back seats. Besides, an occupant can also discover many clever designs for placing or storing goods at places like the auxiliary dashboard, front & rear door plates and front seats.

The dimension of 3,625mm long, 1,660mm wide and 1,530 tall and the wheelbase of 2,490mm put the White Cat in the mini-sized segment.

The new BEV model is driven by an electric motor that offers two power choices35kW and 45kW. The battery pack with capacity of 34kWh or 38kWh correspondingly enables a NEDC-rated range of 360km or 401km. All variants come standard with the battery heating system and the braking energy recovery system (photo source: ORA).
By the time Dauphin County Coroner Graham Hetrick sees his patients, none of them are breathing. He says he now knows a little of how they must feel.

Count Hetrick among those who view mandatory face mask rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as far too rigid. He fears face masks have become more of a politically-charged symbol than a pandemic precaution thats safe and effective for all.

It should be a choice, No. 1, Hetrick said in an interview with PennLive. No. 2, if a person has a question, they should be able to go to their own personal physician and ask, should I be wearing a mask? Im not anti-mask. What I am saying is, one size doesnt fit all.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said that he wants to do everything possible to keep peace for the people of India and China, according to his spokesperson.

Over the past several weeks, the Trump administration has come out in support of India against China.

"He (Trump) said I love the people of India and I love the people of China and I want to do everything possible to keep the peace for the people," White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters at a news conference here on Thursday.

She was responding to a question on Trump's message to India, which recently had a standoff with China in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control.

Earlier in the day, White House Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow described India as a great ally, saying President Trump is a great friend of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that India has been a great partner of the US.

"India has been a great partner. They are an important partner of ours. I have a great relationship with my foreign minister counterpart. We talked frequently about a broad range of issues. We talked about the conflict they had along the border with China.

"We've talked about the risk that emanates from the Chinese telecommunication infrastructure there," Pompeo told reporters in response to a question.

Travelling in Europe, US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien told reporters that China has been very aggressive with India.

O'Brien said that India is a democracy and is a great friend of the United States.

Prime Minister "Modi and President Trump have a super relationship," he said.

"In fact, it was the last foreign trip that I took with the president before the COVID-19 crisis hit, was to India, and we had a great reception of the Indian people there. We have a lot in common with them, we speak English, we're democracies. We've got a growing, very strong relationship with India," O'Brien said.

Welcoming the White House statement, Al Mason, co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian American Finance Committee, said that unlike his predecessor, President Trump has come out openly in support of India.

"Most of the Indian-Americans have observed that every earlier president - be it a Democrat or Republican, like Clinton or Bush Senior or Bush Jr or Obama have been very scared to side with India openly, for fear of hurting China.

"Only President Trump has had the courage to say that, I love India, America respects India, US stands with India - and that also, to over one billion Indians in India at the Namaste Trump rally held in India, and that too, near India's neighbour China," Mason said in a statement.

"And he is consistent in his love for India and Indian-Americans," he added.
Instagram launching Reels in the US next also ties in with the possibility of TikTok being banned in the US as the Trump administration has been mulling a similar move.

Instagram has confirmed that its TikTok rival, Reels, will be launching in the US soon. The Facebook-owned photo-sharing app is going to bring in Reels, which is a special video feature designed for short-form content like TikTok, to the platform for the US by early August, a spokesperson had said.

Reels has already been launched in India and has been tested in France, Brazil and Germany. TikTok getting banned in India left a huge void in the social media space as far as short-video content is concerned and several Indian alternatives like Chingari, Mitron, Roposo etc have rushed in to fill the space. It only makes sense for Instagram to roll out Reels first in India to ride the trend of upcoming TikTok alternatives. And it looks like the US is next on the Reels map.

According to an NBC News report, Instagram is planning to roll out Reels to the US soon followed by 50 other countries in a matter of weeks. The Facebook spokesperson did not provide a specific date for the US rollout but did confirm that it was going to be launched in other countries as well in early August.

Reels has been created to take on TikTok directly and the feature that's built into Instagram allows users to post 15-second videos. Reels also offers a set of editing tools to make it easier to record and upload content, like TikTok does, but it does not have the two-tabbed, scrollable feed like TikTok. These Reels can be seen from your Explore tab and also as normal posts on your timeline.

Instagram launching Reels in the US next also ties in with the possibility of TikTok being banned in the US as the Trump administration was mulling a similar move. India cited national security reasons for banning TikTok and America is speaking the same language. There is no confirmation about this, though the government has been considering it.

Instagram is not the only platform thats looking to encash in on the TikTok ban, Snapchat has been testing a TikTok-like navigation for its public video content and YouTube is also testing something similar.
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Linkedin Irine Hiraswari Gayatri (The Jakarta Post) Melbourne  Sat, July 18 2020

Amid serious efforts to ease the suffering of women and all victims of sexual crimes, including children, the public was shocked by politicians at the House of Representatives, who decided to remove the bill on sexual violence from this years National Legislation Program.

Deputy chair of the Houses Commission VIII overseeing peoples welfare Marwan Dasopang said scheduling difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic were behind the withdrawal of the draft law, known as the PKS bill, from the table. Instead, the commission proposed deliberation of a bill on elderly welfare, he said.

Pulling out the PKS bill is in retrospect a serious breach of painstaking efforts of activists on behalf of victims of sexual violence to get the bill passed. Again, the politicians deny the rights of victims of sexual crimes. A political decision was taken arbitrarily and with a very political nuance guised under technical apologia of "very difficult" as expressed by one of the lawmakers.

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By Agencies

WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday set yet another record for new coronavirus cases with 68,428 infections recorded in 24 hours, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

In that period the death toll also climbed by 974 people, the Baltimore-based university's tracker showed at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Friday).

That brought the total death toll in the country since the pandemic began to 138,201, and the total number of cases to 3,560,364.

The US remains the hardest-hit country in the world in absolute terms.

Experts believe it never emerged from its first wave of infections, and cases have been surging again in recent weeks, particularly across the south and west in states that pushed to lift lockdown restrictions early.

Florida has emerged as the epicentre of the US outbreak, reporting a record 156 COVID-19 deaths on Thursday and nearly 14,000 new infections.

The total number of virus cases in the "Sunshine State" has now surpassed 315,000, and there have been 4,782 deaths, according to Florida Department of Health figures.

Florida is now reporting more COVID-19 cases daily than any other state in the country. California and Texas are next, with about 10,000 new cases a day each.

Texas reported 10,000 new cases for the third straight day and 129 additional deaths. The state has seen a third of its more than 3,400 total COVID-19 fatalities in the first two weeks of July alone.

Florida reached another ominous record, with 156 virus deaths, and health officials reported a staggering 13,965 new cases.

South Carolina confirmed 69 deaths, more than double any other day. In Louisiana, where officials thought they had contained the virus earlier this year only to become a hot spot again, it's averaged more than 2,000 new confirmed infections a day over the past week.

Many of the governors leading states with the highest rising numbers had refused to mandate masks in public or prevented local officials doing so. While a number of them have reversed course  including Arkansas Republican governor  and at least 25 states now have mask rules, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp banned cities and counties from requiring face coverings and then sued Atlanta to prevent the city from defying his order.

Georgia's capital and 14 other cities had ordered masks be worn, but the Republican governor has maintained that no local directive can be more or less restrictive than his statewide mandates.

How can we take care of our local needs when our state ties our hands behind our back and then says, Ignore the advice of experts? Savannah Mayor Van Johnson told reporters. He later added: If you dont want to protect us, then allow us the opportunity to protect ourselves.

Arizona, meanwhile, has been so hard hit by the virus, the medical examiner's office in metro Phoenix has gotten portable storage coolers and ordered more to handle an influx of bodies  reminiscent of New York City at the height of the pandemic there earlier this year.

The Arizona agencys regular morgue storage was 63% full Thursday. Marcy Flanagan, executive director of the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, said many funeral homes are at capacity and unable to accept more bodies.

In Texas, the rising numbers are hitting big cities like Houston as well as smaller communities along the Mexico border. This month, Hidalgo County, about 220 miles (354 kilometers) south of San Antonio on the border, has reported more deaths than Houston's Harris County.

An 86-person Army team of doctors, nurses and support staff was setting up a nursing station at United Memorial Medical Center and expected to begin treating up to 40 patients in the coming days.

Some of the soldiers from around the country wore their uniforms. Others wore scrubs affixed with strips of surgical tape that had their ranks, names and medical titles.
Olsi Jazexhi, a historian, was invited by Chinese authorities in August last year to see what was happening with Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang. He was shocked to see gross violation of human rights in the re-education centres and became a global voice against Chinese oppression of Uighurs. Edited excerpts of an interview with Jazexhi:

You have visited these concentration camps in China. How did you manage to reach there?

I had a keen interest to know what is going on in Xinjiang with the Muslim community. For this reason, I contacted the Chinese Embassy in Tirana, Albania, in July 2019. I told our Chinese friends that I doubted the story that I was seeing in western media about the Uighurs and Chinas treatment of Muslims. I told them that I wanted to prove the Western narrative about Xinjiang to be wrong. Our Chinese colleagues in Tirana liked my profile and invited me, like they have invited other journalists in the past to see the situation in Xinjiang.

From August 16 to August 25, 2019, I visited Xinjiang on the invitation of the State Council Information Office of China and Xinjiang. I was part of a group of journalists who were sent to visit three major cities: Urumqi, Aksu, and Kashgar.

These concentration camps are unknown world for many. Kindly explain what all you saw there and condition of youth.

China is very good in concealing its doings. What we call in the West as concentration camps, China calls Vocational Training Centers. The Chinese government claims that in these centers, it fights terrorism and de-radicalises extremists.

However, during our visit to these centers, we found that the people whom China calls students of the Vocational Training Centers were prisoners. They were not terrorists and extremists but Turkic people who were not Han Chinese. Their crime was to be Muslim and Indo-European. The Chinese were forcing them to renounce their Turkic language, culture and Islamic religion. In these centers, they were forced to eat non-halal food, to cheer and give loyalty to Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China, speak Chinese 24 hours per day and renounce their Islamic culture. Their crime was being a Muslim. We did not find any terrorist, extremist or suicide bomber in these camps.

Are you suggesting these youths are brought in here for brainwashing? To impose ideology by the state?

Yes indeed. I have video recordings which you can see on my YouTube channel where you can see people with Islamic names like Aisha, Summayah, Mahmut etc who have been locked in these mass detention centers only because two years before they had prayed to Allah, made Islamic religious marriage, had put headscarf and consumed halal food. When interviewed by me, these people, who two years before were believers of Allah, now were renouncing their faith and telling to me that they do not believe in Islam anymore, but believe in science and in the Communist Party of China.

They were afraid even to speak their Turkic language but were struggling to learn the language of Beijing. Chinese state propaganda was that Xinjiang had been Buddhist and Islam was imposed by the Turks and the Arabs and China was making sure to turn Xinjiang back to the Buddhist civilization. China is forcefully Sinicizing the people of Xinjiang.

We have seen your videos and they look like as someone surrounded you. It was like a guided tour?

Yes. We were in guided tours. Our Chinese friends wanted us to take pictures of Muslim prisoners who were singing and dancing in Han Chinese and wanted us to tell the world that all was fine in Xinjiang and China was civilising its Muslims by making them Chinese. Our Chinese friends did not allow us free movement in cities. Everything was guided and under strict supervision of Communist officials.

You think China is successful in hiding the fact from the world about Uighur Muslims atrocities in China?

Yes. China is very successful in hiding its cultural genocide against the Islamic and Indo-European culture of the Altai Mountains and East Turkestan. It is succeeding in mass assimilation and crushing the Uighur, Turkmen, Kirghiz, Kazakh and Tatar people of Xinjiang and forcefully converting them into the Han Chinese culture. China is succeeding in doing what Hitler failed to do with the Jews.

And why you say this is a systematic attack to eliminate an ethic race from China?

Our visit and filming in Xinjiang proved beyond doubt that China is erasing more than 3,000 years of Turkic, Indian and Islamic civilisation from Xinjiang. It is colonising and destroying the Indo-European demography of Xinjiang by force. China sees Xinjiang and Aksai Chin as important gateways for its imperialist advance towards Asia and Indian subcontinent. It does not want any foreign power to arm and use the Uighurs and turn Xinjiang into a Chinese Afghanistan. It perceives the Turkic and Islamic people of Xinjiang as major threat for its future imperialist expansion. For this reason it is doing a final solution for them: Mass Sinification through colonization, cultural genocide and brainwashing.

OIC is silent and good friend Pakistan is also not coming for the help of Muslims in China. How should the world take this situation?

Pakistan stands between two fires. On one side it faces a powerful India. On the other hand it has to kiss Chinas hand since it desperately needs Chinese money and weapons to defend itself from India. If Pakistan was to be on peace terms with India, it would have condemned what China is doing. But as things stand, it cannot say anything.

Regarding OIC  most Arab dictatorships do know what China is doing with its Uighur Muslims but they do not care. During our visit in Xinjiang, we had with us journalists from Saudi Arabia and Emirates who saw how China was imprisoning people only because they were Muslims  but nothing was reported in the Gulf Countries.

Arab dictatorships need China. It supplies them with weapons, high tech and money. China is the best friend of dictators. However, Muslim countries like Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia etc are speaking up against China. While the OIC speaks about Palestine and Kashmir, it must speak about Xinjiang too.

The reason why many Islamic countries choose to side with the lesser evil  China and accept to ignore the suffering of their East Turkestani Muslim brothers, is related to US imperialism. They see China as the Shaytan which we can work with.
The Ekiti State Government has postponed the reopening date of worship centres earlier scheduled for July 17 to August 14.

Services in worship centres including Mosques and Churches had been suspended since March following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Friday, the state Commissioner for Health, Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, said the governments new decision was because leaders of worship centres could not meet the conditions set for reopening.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on Thursday, the leadership of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) had also said it had no capacity yet to comply with COVID-19 protocols stipulated as conditions for reopening by the government.

Yaqubu Sanni, a representative of the NSCIA, had in a statement, said mosques in the state could not meet the conditions set by the government, describing the time within to respond as too short.

The conditions include provisions of Covid-19 facilities like infra-red thermometers, sanitizers, face masks, hand washing facilities and maintenance of social distancing, among others.

The commissioner said: The latest communique of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is indicative of the fact that worship centres are not yet ready to comply with conditions stipulated as guidelines set out by the government for reopening of worship centres.

In view of the foregoing, the state government has shifted the date for the reopening of worship centres till August 14, 2020, to give the worship centres enough time to meet the prescribed conditions for the reopening.

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The commissioner said as much as fumigation of religious centres remained a prerequisite for reopening, such should not be done in contravention of the Ekiti States Environmental Health and Sanitation Law.

She said those within the ages of 1 -12 and those of 65 and above were also exempted from attending any congregational programme in any religious centre because of their vulnerability.

Mrs Yaya-Kolade further said: The churches are only permitted to hold their programmes once in a week and should last for just two hours.

(NAN)
A national project aims to build a collection of works from artists around the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, and one Spring artist is contributing her own work.

The Great American Paint In is collecting more than 150 pieces of artwork from the U.S. and Canada, with artists invited to submit artworks created during the pandemic with a story.

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One work added to the collection comes from Spring painter Krystal Brown, who created the piece Floating while in her own pool.

I was literally floating in my pool and my kids were swimming, Brown said. I painted from the pool because it was hot and its like time is suspended with this whole COVID thing and I was just trying to go with it and not drown in it.

The piece is from the perspective of someone floating in a pool, showing plants near the pool and a column and the sky in front of them.

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Its from the perspective of one who is floating, Brown said.

Brown said a friend of hers recommended her to contribute to the project, as they were both stuck inside with nothing to do.

It starts with one (painting) and theres more opportunities to sell more, Brown said. The one I sent them already was in my own backyard and theres several from my backyard that could be available for this.

Browns primary source of income came from plein air, the French term for painting outdoors. She would travel to plein air events across the country to paint the area they were in and sell the artwork to collectors. But due to the pandemic, many of the events she planned to attend this year were cancelled.

Brown has painted since she was young. She has a degree in fine arts and has gotten by for the last 25 years doing commissioned portraits, in addition to her plein air work the last four years.

Rather than painting abstract or dark and moody, Brown said she likes to paint art thats motivating, inspiring, and leaves something beautiful that can last for generations.

Beauty, and seeking for and finding beauty, fuels us, Brown said. It heals our spirits; it connects us to one another. Thats one of the reasons why I do what I do because a lot of people dont have my view or perspective. They dont have the opportunity or cant see things this way.

The Great American Paint In was founded by Bill Weinaug and his wife, Mary Weinaug, who were inspired to take traditional outside painting events and turn them into inside painting events.

We had a vision for this project to document history through great works of art, Bill Weinaug said. The collection we have amassed shows that the project connects with people, and I believe what we have put together will be a seminal work in studying this period of time.

paul.wedding@hcnonline.com
Belarusian authorities have detained at least 17 members of the press covering protests that erupted across the country this week, in a move decried by activists and watchdogs as part of a campaign of repression ahead of a presidential election next month.

The wave of protests has rocked Belarus in the days since the Central Election Commission (CEC) on July 14 denied several opposition presidential candidates the ability to register in the upcoming vote.

Hundreds of people were detained and physically attacked, including five journalists from RFE/RL, in the cities of Minsk, Brest, and Homel on July 14-15.

In a statement on July 16, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged the authorities to stop "harassing, detaining, and charging" media workers.

"Belarusian authorities must stop detaining and prosecuting journalists if they want the country's upcoming elections to be seen to have even a shred of legitimacy," Gulnoza Said, the media-freedom watchdog's Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, said in a statement on July 16.

Events in Belarus have drawn criticism from the United States and the European Union, which in recent years have eased sanctions slapped on the country over its human rights record as part of a nascent rapprochement with President Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

Lukashenka, who is seeking a sixth term in the August 9 poll, has rejected Western criticism of the government's violent dispersal of the demonstrations and the disqualification of candidates.

On July 15, RFE/RL journalist Anton Trafimovich was detained and beaten by riot police who left him handcuffed and kneeling on the floor of a police van, bleeding with a broken nose, as he was taken to a precinct station. He was later released without explanation.

The previous day, RFE/RL journalists Ales Piletsky and Andrey Rabchyk were detained during a live broadcast about the CECs decision and held by police for several hours.

"That our colleagues were attacked in the middle of live broadcasts leaves no doubt that the government is trying to stop our coverage and prevent audiences from having access to reliable news," RFE/RL acting President and Editor in Chief Daisy Sindelar said.

The upcoming election comes as Lukashenka faces mounting public opposition to his rule. The country has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic with more than 65,000 confirmed cases as of July 16, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Lukashenka ignored calls to institute any lockdown measures, dismissing the virus as nothing more than a "psychosis." Hundreds of people, including activists and bloggers have been arrested as the government has cracked down hard on rallies and demonstrations despite calls for restraint from Western governments and institutions, including the United Nations.

Last month, Belarusian authorities detained at least 14 journalists for allegedly participating in unsanctioned protests, and in May, five journalists covering opposition candidates were detained, according to CPJ.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called on the authorities to "stop this escalation of the repression of the fundamental freedom to express oneself and to inform."

RFE/RL's Belarus Service is known locally as Radio Svaboda (Radio Liberty).
The Maharashtra government on Friday informed the Bombay high court (HC) that it has appealed to the apex bodies of professional or non-professional courses to overlook the conduction of final-year exams in the state and permit degrees to be issued by the respective universities.

The government reiterated that it would not allow final-year examinations to be conducted in light of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state.

The states submission was made to the bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice Anuja Prabhudessai, which was hearing multiple petitions seeking cancellation as well as conduction of exams.

One of the petitioners, represented by advocate Dr Uday Warunjikar, submitted that as the future of many students was compromised by the cancellation of exams, appropriate directions should be issued to ensure that the interests of the students are safeguarded.

Advocate Rajshekhar Govilkar for Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), on the other hand, submitted that post-graduate examinations had to be conducted as students required to be assessed physically to ascertain their skills and comprehension. He said that MUHS planned to conduct the exams from August 25. Govilkar submitted that a decision regarding undergraduate exams was yet to be taken.

Advocate Kuldeep Nikam, appearing for one of the petitioners, sought interim reliefs with regards to dental exams scheduled to start on August 3. Nikam submitted that as per the directions by the concerned authority, students had to reach the exam centres and also undergo quarantine. However, as Bombay Dental College had conveyed that it did not have sufficient facilities to provide quarantine to the students, the exams should be cancelled. In light of this, Nikam sought that the exams be held online rather than making students appear in person.

As there were multiple petitions, advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni submitted that to avoid confusion, a compilation of all petitions, public interest litigations (PIL), and intervention applications pertaining to the final-year exams should be submitted so that the hearings could be expedited.

After hearing the submissions, the court accepted the suggestion of the state, and directed all parties to submit their affidavits and replies by July 21, and posted all matters for hearing on July 31.
A new online art project launched today and I've had a lot of fun browsing around the online video exhibition. It's called Decameron Row and when you go to the site you'll see eight multi-story buildings, each with a bunch of windows in them. When you click on a window, it starts a 1 or 2-minute video from one of 100 artists in the series.

I was kindly invited to participate, and next week my video will be available.

For now, check out the first 27 videos.
In a typical year, a good way for a company to handle an announcement it hoped to bury is to schedule it before a nice long holiday weekend. This is one way to interpret the last week of June online, when several internet giants took decisive action against mostly far-right communities and users, many of whom who had been sources of controversy for years.

Reddit banned The_Donald, the sites main hub for Trump supporters, and a source of near-constant complaints from other users and communities about hate speech and harassment. The platform also banned more than 2,000 other groups, most much smaller, as part of a revision of the sites rules that prohibit communities and people that incite violence or that promote hate based on identity or vulnerability.

YouTube, which hardened its rules around hate speech in 2019, banned a group of popular accounts for, among other things, promoting supremacist content.

Twitch, the livestreaming site, temporarily banned an account associated with President Donald Trumps campaign for hateful conduct.

And Facebook banned hundreds of accounts, groups and pages associated with the boogaloo movement for violating a prohibition against users and organizations who proclaim a violent mission or are engaged in violence.

Another way to understand these bans is as a calculated response to globe-spanning demonstrations against white supremacy, with which each of these platforms has been accused of being, at minimum, complicit. That the platforms acted in the same week suggests that some were waiting for others to act.

The move also suggests a desire to have it both ways: to get credit for the bans, most of which were late and represented small fractions of infringing users or groups, and to enact them when any backlash would have a hard time getting traction online.

The bans have been described as a reckoning for social media companies that have, as The Associated Press put it, fuelled political polarization and hosted an explosion of hate speech and that are now, public relations calculations aside, upping their game against bigotry and threats of violence.

Reckoning, however, is an odd word to describe a situation in which social media companies were finally asserting control after years of either pretending not to have any. It looked, instead, like buying time. But for what?

The rules sometimes apply

What might real change look like for the social media giants? The week of bans suggests one specific vision. When platforms tout the banning of these big names, its an important step in the right direction, said Becca Lewis, a researcher at Stanford University who studies online extremism. But it doesnt address underlying issues and incentives that have led to the flourishing of white supremacist content in general.

In some cases, social platforms have taken action against figures and groups with roots and power elsewhere, who have found audiences on YouTube or Reddit, in effect banishing them to where they came from. Often, though, these bans are more like corrections, shutting down accounts and groups that were conspicuously successful on the services own terms.

The content and behaviour of extremists may run afoul of particular YouTube rules, but those users are very much examples of success on the platform. They have cultivated large audiences, are easy to find in searches and seem to perform well in YouTubes automated recommendation system.

They are practiced in the formats, styles and subjects that YouTube seems to reward not just as a marketplace full of autonomous viewers, but as a complex and assertive system with its own explicit and implicit priorities. (A representative from YouTube declined to comment on the record about the proliferation of extremist content on the platform, but pointed to a recent blog post about the companys commitment to curbing it.)

YouTube, Lewis, a doctoral candidate, said, made early commitments to a relatively hands-off style of governance, and has gradually adjusted the shape of its marketplace over the years, often in response to controversy. Like many platforms of its era, it characterized its commitment to openness and free speech as a democratizing force, giving cover to the realities of living and coexisting within strange and materially limited new space.

What is popular on YouTube is a reflection of what its users want to see, but also what YouTube wants them to see, what YouTube wants them to want to see, and what advertisers want them to see.

So much of the confusion about YouTube comes from the fact that we use these public-square metaphors for what is fundamentally a commercial space, Lewis said. Thinking about it through market frameworks is more accurate.

YouTube is not so much the marketplace of ideas as a marketplace for some ideas, if those ideas work well in video format, in the context of a subscription-driven social environment consumed mostly on phones, in which compensation is determined by viewership, subject matter and potential for sponsorship.

The less abstract and idealized that platforms are, the less complicated their decisions seem. (This is true for any industry. See: the media!) If we understand early commitments to openness and loose moderation as stances rooted in a desire for growth and minimal labour expenditure, then the recent wave of bans is quite easy to grasp.

These areas of previously unfettered growth  in far-right content, in groups with a tendency to harass and intimidate other users and in certain political circles  are, finally, more trouble than they are worth. Maybe they alienate a platforms own employees, making them uncomfortable or ashamed. Maybe they have attracted the wrong kind of attention from advertisers or even a critical mass of users.

Social platforms, in defence of moderation decisions, are afraid to state the most obvious truth, which is that they can host or not host whoever or whatever they want. Instead they hide behind rules and policies, or changes in enforcement.

This is understandable. To say, simply, we banned a bunch of white supremacists because we decided it was expedient in 2020 is to say, more or less, we hosted and supported a bunch of these same white supremacists because we decided it was expedient in every year before 2020.

Whose community is this?

The gap between how social media companies talk about themselves and how they actually operate is contained within a single word they have leaned on for years, and have been using a lot lately: community.

Executives use it in keynote speeches. Terms of service agreements refer to the Facebook community and the YouTube community. Reddits leadership tends to use the word to describe its various subreddits, but speaks broadly about community governance.

In banning the Trump campaigns Twitch channel, the company said that politicians on Twitch must adhere to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Invocations of democratic language, or of legalistic concepts like policies or governance or appeals, distract from an uncomfortable truth about social media companies: Their rules are arbitrary and can be changed at any time. Anything that may feel like a right or an entitlement  the ability to share certain content, or to gather and act in certain ways, or to sell certain products, or to log on without being terrorized  is provided by and subject to the whims of a private company with no hard obligation to do so.

Governance-wise, social platforms are authoritarian spaces dressed up in borrowed democratic language. Their policies and rules are best understood as attempts at automation. Stylistically, they are laws. Practically, and legally, they are closer to software updates.

What polite fictions, then, do platforms that use the word community expect users to uphold? Writing in Cyborgology, in 2017, researcher Britney Gil took issue with Mark Zuckerbergs frequent use of the word:

Community is one of those words that gets applied to so many social units that it becomes practically meaningless. Facebook is a community. The city you live in is a community. The local university is a community. Your workplace is a community. Regardless of the actual characteristics of these social units, they get framed as communities.

Facebook is not a community, Gil said in an interview in July, but people form communities on it. Reddit is explicitly built around thousands of subreddit communities, which in many cases function as such.

During periods of intense activism and social change, social networks can provide space and amplification for pre-existing communities as well as provide tools for the creations of new ones  in the case of Black Lives Matter in 2020, most visibly on Twitter and Instagram.

Hosting actual communities, and in particular providing spaces for activism, only sharpens the difference between how platforms use the word and what it actually means.

The platforms circular diversions about rules and policies smooth over the harsh but obvious reality of how commercial spaces deal with the people, content and groups they say they do not want around anymore, after years spent elevating and cultivating them. It is a way to avoid responsibility for the worst of what happens on their platforms. Community is an attempt to take credit for the best.
Lorraine Kelly was overwhelmed with emotion as she signed off from her self-titled ITV show for the summer on Friday.

The presenter is due to take her summer break as usual and a send-off video of highlights of the lighter moments from the past few months prompted tears from Kelly, who reflected on how difficult it had been not to see loved ones over the past few months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The video was comprised of clips including Matt Lucas singing Thank You Baked Potato, her TV companion Dr Hilary, and Boy George discussing his many hats.

Read more: Lorraine Kelly slates Cats to Bonnie Langford - whose niece was in it

"Oh goodness me. What a time it has been. You know the toughest thing is that we cant see who we love," the 60-year-old said through tears whilst clutching a tissue.

Lorraine Kelly attends the Good Morning Britain Health Star Awards at the Rosewood Hotel on April 24, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

Kelly was then offered words of comfort from the show fashion correspondent Mark Heyes.

She went on: "It has been great and thank you everyone for watching, my crew are amazing and my team are fantastic."

Sending a message out to viewers, Kelly continued: "Goodness me, Im going to need a big lie down, But thats it from me, I will be back very, very soon.

Lorraine Kelly attends the TRIC Awards 2020 at The Grosvenor House Hotel on March 10, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)

"Be sensible, try and find some joy every day, and thanks again for watching, I appreciate it so much and Ill see you again soon."

Read more: Piers Morgan taunts Matt Hancock over Lorraine interview

As the mother-of-one breaks from the show, she will be replaced by Andi Peters for the first time and regular fill-in Christine Lampard.

It was only this week that the presenter returned to her own studio after months appearing from the Good Morning Britain studio after crews were reduced due to the pandemic.
American reality show superstar Kim Kardashian has posted her second comment on the events in Armenias Tavush Province, and this time on her Instagram.

The comment reads as follows:

For those of you that may not be aware of what is happening in Armenia right now I would like to share so you can all help!



Despite an ongoing global pandemic, Azerbaijan has violated the UNs appeal for global ceasefire by unprovoked attacks against the Republic of Armenia. Civilian structures in Armenia have been targeted, and Azerbaijan has now threatened to bomb the nuclear power plant in Armenia. In the meantime, congressional amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act will be voted on next week to ensure that the US does not enable Azerbaijan with military aid that would be used against Armenia and Artsakh. The international community needs to pay attention and intervene now with such political and diplomatic measures to prevent unnecessary escalation and the loss of human life.



I stand with my fellow Armenians and pray for those that are involved in recent tensions on the border of the country. I urge for a peaceful resolution for these unprovoked attacks during this already very difficult pandemic.

Please call on your Senators and Representatives to Support Armenia.

Kim Kardashian: I stand with my fellow Armenians and pray for those that are involved in recent tensions
For Black and Indigenous people and other persons of colour, the backbreaking weight of American racism is inescapable.

The weight of all forms of American racism on Black people  African, American, Afro-Latinx, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Caribbean  on Indigenous peoples, on people of colour with proximity to Blackness (collectively, BIPOC) is often overwhelming.

At sea level, the Earths atmosphere exerts 14.7 pounds per square inch on us all. Or, for metric-system lovers, 1 kilogram per square centimetre. Racism has a weight that is equal to atmospheric pressure, doubling the effect of the Earths air on every square inch of every Black and Indigenous persons body, mind, and spirit.

All that weight, all this constant pressure, equivalent to being 10 metres underwater, slowly drowns many a Black and Indigenous person, outside-in and inside-out.

From conception to the afterlife, this weight is inescapable.

Black hyper-masculinity and Latino patriarchy cannot shift it. Nor can socioeconomic mobility and educational achievements. Nor can alcohol or drugs or sex. Nor can Christianity or respectability politics or virginity or doin the right thing. No matter a BIPOCs class standing, this weight and pressure is always there.

It constricts skin and muscle, crushes bone and bone marrow, entangles neurones and blood vessels. Leaving so many Black and Indigenous persons in a constant state of anxiety-ridden awareness. No human should be on alert for attacks and oppression their whole lives.

I have been an American Black male for more than half a century. There have been only a handful of times since turning seven and watching the mini-series Roots for the first time in 1977 when I have not felt this excess weight, this otherwise unyielding pressure. Like when I went to Toronto in 1999 to do a conference presentation, leaving the US for the first time. Or when I visited an Athabascan village in the middle of Alaska during the summer solstice in 2001. Both put me outside the weight and pressure of my life in the US. Otherwise, anxiety, bouts with depression, a quiet yet deep well of rage, the nagging feeling that my work and my accomplishments are never good enough, the everyday struggles with being Black in the US, all have been my companions over the past 43 years.

This weight, this pressure, has consequences, for me and millions of others. A lower life expectancy and a lower quality of life. Hypertension, high blood pressure, cancer and diabetes are often on this toxic menu. Justified paranoia that with the weight of racism can contribute to clinical depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, real and socially constructed.

If only all the contradictory voices shouting inside my head would calm down and sing a song in unison  I wouldnt care as long as they sang without dissonance  But there was no relief, Ralph Ellisons bodiless narrator says in his 1952 classic Invisible Man.

Imposter syndrome for the small percentage of BIPOC folks who find themselves among Americas elite is another consequence. People of colour  are particularly vulnerable to this debilitating sensation  imposter syndrome isnt just an imaginary voice in our heads. We  receive almost daily messages from society that we truly dont belong, HuffPost Life reporter Jolie A Doggett wrote in 2019.

Expressions that denigrate achievement, like telling a Black student who received an acceptance letter from an elite university they got in because of race, or congratulating an accomplished BIPOC orator for being articulate, exacerbate imposter syndrome. These not-so-micro aggressions feed that sense of not belonging, of being a fraud, of using the white gaze as the means for measuring BIPOC self-worth.

But the most common consequence is being constantly at war. War with ones self as WEB Du Bois identified it in The Souls of Black Folk (1903), part of his definition of double consciousness, of using the white lens to see ones self rather than ones own self-reflective ID. Or, two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder, as Du Bois wrote.

And, with white patriarchy, there is also an intraracial and intersectional war, as whiteness and the narcissism that whiteness nurtures is a world more insidious than anything seen in The Matrix. The intersection between racism, colourism, misogynoir and narcissism nourishes many BIPOC men into internalised racism, domestic violence, rape and other forms of dehumanisation. Leaving Black and Indigenous women, LGBTQIA folx of colour, and BIPOC living with poverty fighting on multiple fronts, with that much more weight to carry and that much more pressure on their beings.

There is also the culture of resistance in which African diasporic and Indigenous people especially have engaged for centuries. Resistance to slavery, by escaping and freeing oneself. Resistance to cultural erasure, by combining the remaining shards of African folk traditions into music, into prayer, into family, with medicine and with food. Resistance to Jim Crow, in building civil rights movements, in self-defence, in Pan Africanism.

Resistance to marginalisation, to lynchings, to law enforcement-sanctioned murders, to rapes, to wage theft, in protesting with their feet and migrating for the opportunity to joy their freedom (to quote Princeton historian Tera Hunter indirectly) to cities all over the US.

And as with any organised resistance, freedom fighters from Nat Turner, Ida B Wells, and Marcus Garvey to Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Angela Davis, and Assata Shakur have faced repression, detention, assassination and exile.

We can possibly add Ferguson and St Louis Black Lives Matter activists like Darren Seals, Deandre Joshua, and Bassem Masri to this mix. For those activists who do not die young, there is also the toll on their physical and mental health, the ostracism they face, the loss of income that occurs.

Being a resistance fighter in the war against American racism can crush spirits and bodies like a tin can caught in the gravity well of a black hole.

To expect Black, brown, and Indigenous people to respond to these lethal weights and pressures with nonviolent protest and instant forgiveness is simply ignorance and racism defying all logic. Like Du Bois, I believe it is a wonder that there is not more violence directed at individual white people and individual American institutions for their everyday anti-Black and anti-brown violence. Like author and activist Kimberly Jones, I understand why so many would want to burn this bitch to the ground, and agree the US is lucky that what Black people are looking for is equality and not revenge. But, the weight of American racism is backbreaking, the pressure suffocating. How long are marginalised Americans supposed to wait before the US restructures itself to remove the weight and release the pressure?

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Democratic Senate candidate Sara Gideon greets voters on primary day Tuesday in Portland, Maine, before winning the right to challenge longtime GOP Sen. Susan Collins. (Elise Amendola / Associated Press)

President Trumps faltering reelection campaign increasingly is dragging on the Republican Senate, giving Democrats their best hope in more than a decade of winning control of both houses of Congress as well as the White House.

Democrats now threaten Republican Senate incumbents in Georgia, Iowa and Montana  states that had seemed reliably red  in addition to Colorado and Arizona, where Democrats have had the advantage for months, and Maine, where GOP Sen. Susan Collins is facing the toughest election in her long career.

The challengers have been swamping Republican rivals in fundraising and moving ahead in polls, leading independent analysts to dial up their assessment of the Democrats' chances.

After Donald Trumps unexpected victory in 2016, theres a temptation to avoid making political projections, wrote Nathan Gonzales, a nonpartisan analyst and editor of Inside Elections. But one election result shouldnt cause us to ignore the data. And right now, the preponderance of data points to a great election for Democrats, including taking control of the Senate.

New campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission this week show that most Democratic Senate challengers out-raised their GOP rivals in the last three months  some by as much as 3 to 1.

In Georgia, where both Senate seats are up, polls have tightened so much that the Trump campaign and other GOP committees have begun advertising in a state that hasn't backed a Democrat for president or Senate in more than 20 years.

Even worse for incumbent Republicans: Their fate is largely in the president's hands. The Trump-dominated political environment, turned sour for his party by his handling of the coronavirus crisis and the nationwide protests over racism, has essentially made the Senates state-by-state contests a single, nationalized campaign.

Republicans currently control the Senate 53 to 47. Democrats need a net gain of four seats for a majority, or three if Joe Biden wins the presidency. When the Senate is split 50-50, the vice president is the tiebreaker.

Story continues

But Democratic ambitions have grown larger: Biden said this week he could see his party winning 55 seats. Many Republicans fear that could happen.

"Panic is gripping the Senate races, said Rob Stutzman, a California Republican political strategist who is a vocal Trump critic. A lot of candidates are in a really, really tough spot.

One sign of how nationalized the Senate races have become: An analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics finds that a record 69% of money contributed to Senate candidates now comes from outside their states. That's up from 59% in 2018, as donors across the country are treating individual races as a referendum on Trump and GOP control of the Senate.

Nowhere is the national profile of a race as high as here in Maine. Sara Gideon, the speaker of the state House who won the Democratic primary Tuesday, stands to gain about $4 million raised in a national fundraising drive for the benefit of whichever Democrat won the nomination to challenge Collins.

The incumbent is a rare Republican with a record of supporting abortion rights, but her vote to confirm Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court despite his opposition to abortion rights has drawn donations and attention to her race from coast to coast.

We are following all the campaigns where there is a chance of tipping a seat to Democrats, said Sonia Cairns, an 80-year-old Minneapolis retiree who is planning to donate to Gideon. Of course I need to know more about Sara Gideon, but I want a Democrat to win that Senate seat.

A Center for Responsive Politics analysis by senior researcher Doug Weber found that both parties saw a surge in out-of-state giving, but it was more pronounced for Democrats. Republicans pulled in 64% of their contributions from out of state; for Democrats it was 72%.

A big money advantage built on out-of-state support can be a shaky political foundation, warned Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the center.

Its great to raise money, but only voters can cast ballots, she said.

Jesse Hunt, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, put the best face on his party's money deficit: Democrats will need to spend every penny to defend records that are disqualifying in the eyes of mainstream voters," he said, accusing the party of backing "a socialist agenda."

Some analysts, however, said the money woes are not nearly as much of a problem for the GOP as having Trump on the top of their ticket.

Its all about Trump, said Alan Abramowitz, a political scientist at Emory University. If Trump loses those states, the Republican Senate candidates will almost certainly go down."

Even before Trump, ticket-splitting had become increasingly rare. Then, in 2016  for the first time  it disappeared entirely on the Senate level: Not a single state elected a senator from one party while favoring the presidential candidate from the other.

Thats a major force working against GOP Sen. Cory Gardner, who's seeking reelection in Colorado, which Biden is favored to win. But it also works against Democrats in some states  like in Montana, where Gov. Steve Bullock is the Democrats Senate candidate. Trump won the state by 20 percentage points in 2016, and although current polls show the Senate race neck and neck, Biden's not likely to seriously contest the state.

The connection between the presidential and senatorial fortunes could be crucial in North Carolina and Arizona  states Trump won in 2016 that Biden is seriously contesting. GOP Sens. Thom Tillis in North Carolina and Martha McSally in Arizona have long been seen as among the most vulnerable incumbents.

But Trumps recent political struggles also seem to be taking a toll on formerly more-secure red-state senators.

In Iowa, which Trump won handily in 2016, a Des Moines Register poll in June found GOP Sen. Joni Ernst  whose race was not considered competitive just months ago  narrowly trailing her Democratic challenger, real estate developer Theresa Greenfield. The survey also found Biden essentially tied with Trump.

A top GOP strategist, speaking on condition of anonymity to assess his party's candidates, said he remained confident about Montana, Georgia and Iowa. He worried most about Arizona, Colorado and North Carolina, he said.

If those three states fell, Senate control could all come down to Maine, he said, and Collins ability to withstand a possible anti-Trump wave.

Collins is trying to keep her distance from Trump and promote her record as someone who can deliver for Maine.

There is no one who knows the state of Maine better than I do or fights harder," Collins told reporters in Gorham, just outside Portland, the day after the primary.

Asked about Trump, she said, In parts of this state, President Trump is very popular. In parts of the state, hes very unpopular. I am running my own race.

That argument appeals to Collins supporters like Mary Ann Lynch, a lifelong Democrat in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, who said that control of the Senate is less important to her than backing a senator she believes is one of the few remaining legislative bridge-builders in Congress.

Democrats are conveniently forgetting that because they want so badly to take over the Senate, said Lynch, 65, a retired lawyer who plans to vote for Biden for president.

Gideon, by contrast, used her primary-night victory speech to accuse Collins of having enabled and excused Trump.

She is winning support from voters like James Gertmenian, a retired minister on Great Cranberry Island, who is disappointed that she has stuck with Trump on major issues like the 2017 tax bill and the Kavanaugh nomination.

Collins should hang her head before all Mainers who counted on her to stand by her principles rather than falling for a party line, Gertmenian wrote on Facebook. She deserves to be called home permanently.

Times staff writer Seema Mehta contributed to this report from Los Angeles.
Rajasthan crisis: Two Congress MLAs suspended, probe against Shekhawat sought

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Jaipur, July 17: The Congress has removed two of its MLAs from its primary membership for allegedly being involved in a conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot government.

The party also demanded an FIR against BJP leader and Union Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, while accusing him of bribing legislators in Rajasthan.

MLAs Vishvendra Singh and Bhanwaralal Sharma were suspended as primary members after they were heard in the purported audio clip, spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

In Sachin Pilots plea against disqualification notice, answers on 10th Schedule sought

Rajasthan Congress chief whip, Mahesh Joshi told ANI that he has complained to the Special Operations Group seeking a probe and registration of a case against those involved in horse trading.

Later during the day, the Rajasthan High Court will take up a petition filed by Sachin Pilot and other challenging the disqualification notices issued to them by the Speaker.

In his petition, he also speaks of freedom of speech and expression in his amended petition before the Rajasthan High Court. The hearing will place later today and the Speaker too has assured the High Court that the proceedings against Pilot and others shall remain in abeyance until 5 pm today.

Rajnath Singh speech at Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken | Oneindia News

Mere expression of dissatisfaction or even disillusionment against the party leadership cannot be treated to be conduct falling within clause 2(1) (a) of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India. The petition also challenges the validity of the clause under the 10th Schedule, while stating that this provision can be so widely construed that the very same fundamental freedom of speech and expression of a member of the House is jeopardised.

While dealing with this in the past, several Supreme Court judgments have held that indulging in any anti-party activity tantamount to voluntarily giving up membership of the party.
Forget having a healthy dose of cynicism  trusting others could add years to your life, a study suggests.

Researchers found that men and women who believe in the kindness of strangers are likely to live longer than their more suspicious friends.

Seeing the best in others seems to be particularly good for the heart, with deaths from cardiac problems 13 per cent less likely.

Trusting other people could add years to your life, a new study has suggested. Researchers found that men and women who believe in the kindness of strangers are likely to live longer

The study compared death records with answers to a question on trust in a long-running US survey. The question was: Would you say that most people can be trusted or that you cannot be too careful?

Just 37 per cent of the 24,000 participants agreed that most people can be trusted. And 58 per cent said you cant be too careful while 5 per cent were undecided.

They found that men were more trusting than women and married and older people were generally more optimistic.

The researchers from Stockholm University explained that seeing the good in others may make it easier to cope with lifes ups and downs.

Seeing the best in others means you're less likely to suffer from heart problems later on in life

But being suspicious may increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which over time could increase the risk of heart attacks.

Those who distrust may also be more likely to drink and smoke.

The study, published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, concluded: There is a clear survival advantage for individuals who trust strangers.

But researcher Alexander Miething added that sometimes cynicism is needed as its wise to watch out for people who intend to misuse your trust.
President Donald Trump is expected to soon issue an executive order that would ban undocumented immigrants from being included in the 2020 census count of every person living in the United States, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, had no details of the order.

The timing of the order was unclear. It was possible it could be issued as early as Friday, the source said.

The move would once again inject a controversial social issue into the public discourse, at a time when the the president is suffering poor public approval for his handling of the coronavirus. The U.S. had more than 70,000 infections Thursday.

The government's census count helps in determining where taxpayer money is spent for building public facilities like schools, hospitals and fire departments, as well as calculating states' apportionment in the U.S. House of Representatives.

President Donald Trump is expected to soon issue an executive order that would ban undocumented immigrants from being included in the 2020 census

The Trump administration has long sought to use the census as a vehicle to identify, and possibly limit the political power of, undocumented immigrants. In 2018, the administration said it would ask respondents to the 2020 census whether they were citizens, a move ultimately nixed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

At the time, immigration advocates argued the question would frighten Hispanics and immigrants into abstaining from the census, potentially costing their communities political representation and federal aid dollars that are doled out based on population.

Immigration rights activists celebrate the US Supreme Court decision to reject efforts to dismantle the DACA 'Dreamers' program in Los Angeles, California USA, 18 June 2020

U.S. Border Patrol agents detain undocumented immigrants caught near a section of privately-built border wall under construction on December 11, 2019 near Mission, Texas

People celebrate after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against a Trump administration bid to end a program that protects from deportation hundreds of thousands of immigrants, dubbed "Dreamers," outside the court in Washington, U.S., June 18, 2020

The move comes as districts with high numbers of undocumented immigrants push for all people to take the census for the division of federal resources

The Supreme Court issued a ruling last year that blocked the Administration from including a new citizenship question on the Census. Opponents argued it would deter many undocumented people from filling out the forms. Census data impact a raft of federal programs.

The 5-4 ruling, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, found that the question appeared 'contrived' and wasn't properly justified in the rule-making process.

Republicans close to Trump also wanted citizenship data so that conservative U.S. states could more easily exclude non-citizens when they redraw voting maps in the next round of redistricting, according to documents uncovered https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-census-redistricting-insight/republicans-want-census-data-on-citizenship-for-redistricting-idUSKCN1RK18D during litigation on the citizenship question.

Trump's power to limit the counting of immigrants is questionable. Longstanding Supreme Court precedent has interpreted the U.S. Constitution as requiring that U.S. House districts be based on total population. State-level legislative districts don't necessarily have to include non-citizens, but they are drawn by states, not the federal government.

A move by Trump to unilaterally change the rules would likely be met with litigation, said Jeffrey Wice, an attorney, census expert and Democratic redistricting adviser.

The White House called a 'lid' Friday afternoon, which usually indicates the president will not make any other movements or take major actions, although the White House often supersedes the guidance.

Politico reported early Friday morning that the immigration order was 'likely,' but had no details.

Late last month, the Census announced it had created two new political positions and installed a pair of political appointees  raising concerns among Democrats it signaled a move to shape results to the GOP's political advantage.

The agency announced that Nathaniel Cogley would be the new deputy director for policy. He is a professor at Tarleton State University in Texas. He was publicly critical of the Democrats' effort to impeach Trump. The other hire is Adam Korzeniewski, a former GOP political consultant who spent five years in the Marines. Both have served as advisors to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
Liberty University sued The New York Times for defamation on Wednesday, accusing the paper, and a reporter of crafting a clickbait story intended to mislead the public about a coronavirus outbreak at the schools Lynchburg campus.

In a 55-page complaint filed in Lynchburg Circuit Court, the university takes aim at a March 29 story in which The Times reported about a dozen students living on campus were sick with symptoms suggesting COVID-19.

The lawsuit argues that reporter Elizabeth Williamson deliberately misrepresented a Liberty- affiliated physician who the school claims told the paper that nearly 12 students only showed signs of upper respiratory infections.

Lawyers for Liberty claim in the suit that an upper respiratory infection is not indicative of COVID-19 but milder illnesses like the common cold.

There was never an on- campus student diagnosed with COVID-19, the suit states. The only actual viral element of this narrative that existed was the intense viral Internet attention it generated for the New York Times website and for those paying to advertise on that website.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said people with COVID-19 can experience a wide range of mild and severe symptoms, including congestion, sore throat and loss of smell. The novel coronavirus has also been shown to cause lower and upper respiratory tract infections, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The Times story was initially titled Liberty Brings Back its Students, and Coronavirus, Too when it was published online at 3 p.m. but later was changed that evening to Liberty Brings Back its Students, and Coronavirus Fears, Too  a sign the paper recognized the claim was false, according to the suit.

Liberty faced a flood of criticism this spring after University President Jerry Falwell Jr. invited students to return to campus dorms at the end of spring break, even as classes moved online due to the public health threat.

The New York Times was one of several national outlets that descended on Lynchburg to cover the schools approach to the pandemic. Falwell has accused the paper of attempting to undermine him because of his close relationship with President Donald Trump.

Politically-motivated attacks by the mainstream news media that defame and libel conservatives and Christians should not be allowed in the United States of America and will not be tolerated by Liberty University, he said in a statement and on Twitter on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for The Times said Wednesday the paper stands by its reporting and intends to fight the suit in court.

We are confident that our story accurately portrayed the reopening of Liberty University and the public health concerns that the reopening raised. We look forward to defending our work in court, spokesperson Eileen Murphy said in an email.

In addition to defamation, the lawsuit also accuses Williamson and Julia Rendleman  a freelance photographer for The Times  of civil trespass for visiting Libertys campus without permission from school officials and despite signs barring visitors.

The defamation suit is not the first time Liberty has gone after The Times for its coverage of the schools response to the pandemic.

After the March 29 story was published, Liberty police obtained arrest warrants for Rendleman and a reporter for ProPublica, accusing the two journalists of criminal trespass. Liberty police also sought an arrest warrant for Williamson but a magistrate determined there was not enough evidence to warrant charges.

Falwell later agreed to drop the case after consulting Lynchburg prosecutors.

The suit filed Wednesday demands more than $10 million in damages. Any money awarded to Liberty would be determined by a judge or a jury if the case goes to trial and Liberty wins.

Falwell told the Sinclair Broadcasting show America This Week with Eric Bolling on Wednesday that the university will donate any money it is awarded to charities fighting the pandemic.

Were not looking for money, Falwell said. We want to expose the New York Times for the liars and the Buzzfeed clickbait organization theyve become.

Richard Chumney covers Liberty University for The News & Advance. Reach him at (434) 385-5547.

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President of Moldova Igor Dodon expressed regret over the clashes on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

He hopes that the parties will be able to sit down at the negotiating table and find a solution to the problem, RIA Novosti reported.

"We will develop cooperation and partnership with both Azerbaijan and Armenia," Dodon noted in a video broadcast on Facebook.
FORT HOOD  Spc. Vanessa Guillen was remembered by her comrades and her family at a private memorial service Friday morning that her familys attorney called not enough.

We were all able to witness a very beautiful memorial service, lawyer Natalie Khawam said. But its not enough.

A portrait of Guillen, a native of Houston, rested on a black shrouded easel before the socially distanced audience of several hundred in the Spirit of Fort Hood Chapel. The Soldiers Cross  her helmet, rifle, identification tags and boots  were front and center.

Guillen, 20, was killed in April on the post, investigators said.

Authorities said fellow soldier Aaron Robinson bludgeoned Guillen to death, then disposed of her with the help of his girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar. Guillens remains were found June 30 near the Leon River in Bell County.

Robinson died by suicide as officials closed in to arrest him. Aguilar faces federal charges of tampering with evidence, after months of calls by family members for answers as to what happened to Guillen, who they believe had been sexually harassed at Fort Hood.

The case has drawn national attention and criticism of the post for its handling of the case. Khawam said the family wants a congressional investigation of the case. She said they will meet with President Donald Trump on July 29 and hold a march in Washington, D.C., on July 30.

We will not take anything less than justice for Vanessa, Khawam said. She said the elephant in the room  sexual harassment  has got to stop.

Khawam has said she provided Robinsons name to authorities after learning that he may have harassed Guillen before her disappearance. Khawam told reporters in Washington, D.C., this month that a superior walked in on Guillen as she showered in a locker room and watched her.

She said she saw the armory room where, authorities said, Guillen was killed and that it had a barred window that was open to the outside so that any noise inside would be audible outside. Therefore, she said, she believed that the noise of a struggle between Guillen and her killer would have been heard.

We need to have that base opened up inside and out, flipped upside down, every nook and cranny turned around, she said. We want to know the truth. We demand the truth.

Investigators said they were unable to corroborate that report.

This is difficult. This is difficult to discuss because the tragedy of her loss has forever changed our squadron and it has forever changed her family, said Lt. Col. Edward Gavin, commander of Regimental Engineer Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, according to the units Facebook page. We wrestle with feelings of anger, depression, anxiety, fear, frustration and sadness. And we have so many questions, some of which may never be answered.
LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ryan White, the former Chief of the Cyber & Intellectual Property Crimes Section at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, is joining the law firm Halpern May Ybarra Gelberg LLP as a partner. Mr. White will chair the firm's Cybersecurity and Data Privacy practice group.

Mr. White led the federal investigations of cyber threats in Southern California, including attacks by nation-state hackers, the dismantlement of Wall Street Market, the world's largest darknet marketplace, and the "Celebgate" data breach, resulting in the conviction of five defendants for hacking into thousands of iCloud, Gmail, and Facebook accounts.

"We're thrilled to have Ryan join the firm," said Grant B. Gelberg, Halpern May partner and co-chair of the firm's White Collar Defense & Corporate Investigations practice. "His experience managing cyber threats is unmatched and he adds to our already deep bench of trial attorneys. Most importantly, I've known Ryan since our early days as prosecutors and he's a terrific colleague and friend."

"It's been exciting to watch the growth of the firm," said Mr. White. "There's so much cross-over between my practice areas and those of the firm, so it's a natural fit."

Early in his career, Mr. White served as a law clerk to the Honorable Kim McLane Wardlaw, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and worked as an attorney at Latham & Watkins LLP, before joining the U.S. Attorney's Office in 2011.

Halpern May Ybarra Gelberg LLP is a premier Southern California litigation boutique specializing in insurance recovery, white collar defense and investigations, professional liability defense, cybersecurity and data privacy, and trial and appeals.

Contact:

Grant Gelberg

[email protected]

SOURCE Halpern May Ybarra Gelberg LLP
On Sunday, the New York Police Department reported on the murder of Davell Gardner, a 1-year-old attending a sidewalk cookout in Brooklyn with his family. Is this what we want to become the new normal in our region and state?

Lawlessness is not the answer to reforming our police departments; instead comprehensive conversations are a much better place to start. Nobody, whether in Brooklyn, Stamford, Bridgeport or New Haven, should have to fear for their life attending a family picnic with young ones.
A photo of two Armenian servicemen holding an Israeli SkyStriker UAV has been disseminated on the Internet, and this Skystriker UAV is one of the 14 UAVs of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces that the Armenian Armed Forces have been striking down since July 12.

Military expert Vitaly Mangasaryan posted the photo on his Facebook page.

Mangasaryan provided details about the UAV in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

This is an Israeli Kamikaze UAV. There is not much tactical-technical data on this UAV on the Internet. There is information according to which the UAV can stay in the air for two hours, has two regimes and can lift a 5-10 kg bomb, he said.

Asked how the Armenian Armed Forces succeeded in striking down the UAV, the military expert said the following: I believe the relevant units for radio-electronic defense did a good job. When it comes to such strike UAVs, it is very important to make sure the adversary doesnt have the brain because our engineers can decipher the schemes and algorithms and lead a more effective battle against such UAVs.

The expert said that, according to different sources, this UAV costs $200-250,000.
Twitter has confirmed that some 130 accounts were hacked during Wednesday night's attack - the most serious breach of its security in history.

Joe Biden, Bill Gates, Barack Obama and Elon Musk were among those targeted, with the hackers posting messages on their accounts suggesting followers make 'donations' via Bitcoin.

Millions of followers were told that, that in the spirit of generosity, they would double anyone's Bitcoin 'for the next 30 minutes'.

Some were duped, sending Bitcoin payments and expecting a double return that never arrived.

The FBI is investigating, Twitter confirmed, and on Thursday it was reported that the hacker had gained access to a Twitter 'admin' tool on the company's network, which allowed them to hijack high-profile Twitter accounts.

Some speculated it could have been an 'inside job'.

Scroll down for video

Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, has apologized for Wednesday night's hack

The identity of the hacker remained unknown, and Twitter has been left embarrassed by the scam.

As Twitter took down the posts, many would reappear moments later. Identical tweets, and a similar whack-a-mole response from Twitter, then was seen on the account of celebrities, entertainers and politicians.

Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, said everyone at the company 'feels terrible' about the breach.

'Tough day for us at Twitter. We all feel terrible this happened,' he tweeted on Wednesday.

'Were diagnosing and will share everything we can when we have a more complete understanding of exactly what happened.'

Some U.S. political figures, candidates and lawmakers locked out of their Twitter accounts in collateral damage were beginning to return to the social media site on Friday.

Twitter said that around 130 accounts were affected in Wednesday's hack

Lawmakers also expressed concerns over what would happen if a similar breach occurred a day before the U.S. presidential election in November.

'Guess who's back?' President Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted on Friday.

Trump Jr., who Fox News reported had been unable to access his account following the incident, attached to his tweet an Iron Man GIF captioned 'Wake up, daddy's home.'

'After 36 hours, @Twitter has finally given back access to my account,' tweeted Democratic Senate candidate Barbara Bollier.

At least seven of about 10 Democratic senate candidates and senators who had been locked out of their accounts were able to access the platform on Friday, according to a party official.

Both Republicans and Democrats have called for Twitter to better explain the security lapse through which hackers were able to access the company's internal systems and seize control of influential accounts.

The FBI's San Francisco division is leading the inquiry into the hacking.

The hack saw figures such as Bill Gates 'offer' on Twitter to match Bitcoin donations

Twitter said on Thursday that it had locked any accounts that attempted to change the account's password during the past 30 days, but said the locked accounts had not necessarily been compromised.

It said it was working to restore the accounts to their owners.

'What took so long, @jack? Look forward to discussing later this month,' Representative Doug Collins, a Georgia Republican, tweeted at Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey on Friday.

'Thanks for finally unlocking me, @jack. Now, when can I expect a response to our letter?' tweeted Representative Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee.

Jordan's tweet linked to a letter previously sent to Dorsey, accusing the company of exerting 'editorial control' over conservatives after it attached warnings and fact-checking labels to tweets by Trump in recent weeks.

Trump, a prolific Twitter user, did not have his account jeopardized during the attack, White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said on Thursday.

She said that the White House had been in constant contact with Twitter over the last 18 hours to keep Trump's Twitter feed secure, and that the president would continue tweeting.

Twitter said on Thursday that the hackers targeted about 130 accounts, gaining control of a 'small subset' which included VIP voices such as Kanye West, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla CEO Musk.

Twitter said it was still assessing whether attackers were able to access private data of targeted accounts.
(TNS)  Pennsylvanias hospitals will still be required to send key coronavirus data to the state amid the Trump administrations move to strip the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of its role in coronavirus data collection.Information about COVID-19 hospitalizations, bed capacity, protective equipment and ventilators disappeared from the CDC website only to return this week with a disclaimer that the figures no longer included data being funneled to a contractor of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Trump officials said the change was designed to speed up reporting under a single reporting system but critics raised concerns about privacy, transparency and the $10 million no-bid federal contract awarded to TeleTracking, a Pittsburgh-based health data firm.Nate Wardle, a spokesman for the state Department of Health, said Thursday that the federal reporting shakeup does not exempt hospitals from reporting the information to the state.Hospitals will need to continue to report data to the department, as they have been [doing] for several months now, he said, in a written statement. We hope that any further reporting requirements asked of them by the federal government does not detract from their ability to provide health care services to those in need, or require further changes and modifications.Thus, hospitalization data at the state level should remain unchanged  for now  although he noted that public health officials may face difficulty when seeking reliable information from other states.Our public-facing data will not change and . . . we do not expect it to affect our work, Wardle said. However, it may affect our ability to look at data from other states, and nationally, but there are other groups that are tracking this data as well.One example: Johns Hopkins University, who launched one of the first and most popular coronavirus tracking dashboards, sources its data directly from the states  not the CDC nor HHS.What worries me, Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Jennifer Nuzzo told, is that we seem to be pushing rather suddenly in the midst of what feels like a very urgent time in terms of surging cases that were seeing across the country. The question is, what are we going to lose in this transition, and in particular at a moment where we really dont want to lose any ability to understand whats happening in hospitals.The changes in federal reporting came amid a resurgence of cases nationwide, hospitals being stretched to the limit in places like Texas and increasing tension between President Donald Trump and his public health advisors, including a public spat with infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci and Trumps criticism of the CDCs school reopening guidelines.Trump administration officials said the changes were not punitive. Instead, they were designed to create a single repository for hospitalization data.We needed to collect this data as fast as possible, HHS spokesman Jose Arrieta said, in a written statement. Thats why we created [this project], a secure set of capabilities powered by eight commercial technologies for sharing, parsing, housing, and accessing COVID-19 data.But a number of public health experts remain skeptical of this plan to turn oversight to a private company overseen by a federal agency run by a political appointee. The move marks a significant change: the CDC has overseen public health data collection for decades.Placing medical data collection outside of the leadership of public health experts could severely weaken the quality and availability of data, add an additional burden to already overwhelmed hospitals and add a new challenge to the U.S. pandemic response, said Thomas File, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, in a written statement.Coronavirus data, he said, must be collected and reported in a transparent and trustworthy manner and must not be politicized.U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington state, raised concerns about the no-bid contract with TeleTracking. The existing system, she wrote in a letter to officials at the CDC and HHS, already had capacity to expand to growing needs without the added time and expense of switching over to a brand new system.The new system seems to create a second mechanism through which hospitals could report the same information already collected through [that system], she wrote.In Pennsylvania, at least, hospitals will still be expected to use the existing reporting system, raising the possibility of duplicated efforts. Its also unclear where the data sent to the new system will end up. So far, at least, HHS has not launched a coronavirus data dashboard of its own.Spokeswoman Rachel Moore said the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania looks forward to working with the state and federal officials to align . . . reporting but did not comment on how the changes impacted actual hospital systems.Amid a surge of new COVID-19 infections, Gov. Tom Wolf this week imposed new restrictions on restaurants, bars and indoor gatherings. He also said hes willing to pull the plug on school reopenings.
Michigans heavily Democratic 13th Congressional District in Wayne County will decide in the Aug. 4 primary which candidates to send on to the general election in November.

Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, made a splash on the national scene during her first congressional term, which started in 2019.

Shes staked out a position as one of congresss more progressive members and been on the other side of President Donald Trump on some high-profile issues, from saying shed work to impeach the mother****er to when Israel denied her entry at Trumps urging.

In the primary shes facing a challenge from Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones, who held the congressional seat for a short time in 2018 after she was elected to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former longtime U.S. Rep. John Conyers after he was accused of sexual harassment.

When both Tlaib and Jones were on the ballot in 2018, Detroit voters chose Jones to fill the partial term and Tlaib for the new term starting in 2019.

But those 2018 races split the vote between many candidates. Now, the two will go head-to-head in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary. Going into the race, Tlaib has a big fundraising advantage. Shes pulled in $2.87 million and has $1.28 million cash on hand, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.

Jones, meanwhile, has raised $37,512 and has $16,661 left in cash on hand.

On the Republican side, three candidates are duking it out: David Dudenhoefer, Al Lemmo and Linda Sawyer.

Dudenhoefer lists his occupation as a casino employee and is the 13th Congressional District Chairman for the Michigan Republican Party. Lemmo is a retired mechanical engineer. Sawyer is a retired nurse.

Lemmo has raised the most money at $640,978 and is left with $65,798 in cash on hand. Dudenhoefer raised $158,728 and has $81,286 in cash on hand. The FEC has not processed a campaign finance report from Sawyer.

After the primary election, the winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries will face off in the general election on Nov. 3.

According to the Cook Political Report Partisan Voting Index, the 13th Congressional District is the most Democratic district in Michigan, trending +32 points blue.

Heres where the candidates stand on several issues, according to candidate questionannaires compiled by a partnership between MLive and the League of Women Voters. Access the full guide and search for candidates in your area at vote411.org.

One candidate, Sawyer, did not fill out the voter guide or respond to a request for an interview. Her positions on these topics are gleaned from her campaign website when available.

HEALTH CARE: What do you see as the federal governments role in health care? Given the Covid19 pandemic, what are your concerns and plans regarding U.S. health coverage, policies and programs, including Medicare and Medicaid?

David Dudenhoefer, Republican: Getting the government out of the business of health care would dramatically improve the delivery of service. Health care should be a doctor/patient experience--today health care resembles more of a Wall Street experience. The current plague is a prime illustration of the failures of central planning by members of the political class based on predictive models over the empirical data--and we must never accept a loss of liberty through the edicts aimed at greater control over markets and people. We cannot pull the rug out from under people who have become dependant on programs but must change the model over time.

Brenda Jones, Democrat: Policies such as Section 1135 waivers, which are available whenever the president declares a national disaster or emergency, together with new state Medicaid options under the recently enacted Families First Coronavirus Response Act and existing Section 1115 Medicaid waivers should be implemented permanently. These actions are helping states to move forward quickly to open new care access points, expanding eligibility rules for care, and waiving cost sharing for certain populations. Also blending program funds so that there is more reach for the use of the funds. Access to health care should be affordable for everyone.

Al Lemmo, Republican: While the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly address this issue, with the enormous cost of health care in general, it is time the government intervenes. America is a generous nation, and it is inexcusable that one of our citizens goes without care.

The Lemmo to Congress campaign does have a plan whereby legislation will be crafted that allows even the uninsurable to be provided access to quality health care through the expansion of Medicare. Reductions in cost are also addressed in this plan.

Linda Sawyer, Republican: On her campaign website, Sawyer cites her experience as a nurse and medical researcher as the basis of her position on health care. She advocates a direct primary care model, in which people would have catastrophic health insurance and otherwise pay for access to a primary care physician and whatever procedures they need.

Per her campaign website, I want to propose direct patient care health care model for our nation and its going to start here in the 13th district. No one should have to suffer. No more prior authorizations. Wholesale medications AND it doesnt matter if you have prior health conditions or citizenship!

She also notes Trump has done a superb job of handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rashida Tlaib, Democrat: We need universal health care coverage in the United States, available to everyone, regardless of income. We currently have system that is more of sick care than preventative health care. Big Pharma and health insurance companies continue to have too much influence in our governance system and people continue to suffer. I have voted to strengthen and improve the Affordable Care Act and am a co-sponsor and strong supporter of Medicare for All. We need to defend the Affordable Care Act from Republican attacks while pushing for a Medicare for All system.

SOCIAL INJUSTICE: Do you believe there is systemic racism, economic disparity, and other social injustices which should be addressed by Congress? If so, what policies do you support?

David Dudenhoefer, Republican: Adding a modifier to a word detracts from its original and strongest intent--justice is for one and all as individuals. Conversely, group justice is to give special privileges to one over another, this is evil. Racism is an ugly form of collectivism, again, the group mentality. The case could be made that government group policies pit groups against one another causing animous, leading to hatred and violence. The injustice comes from individual liberties being shredded by government policies which only see people as part of a social group rather than a unique individual. Economics works best through a free market.

Brenda Jones, Democrat: Social injustice can currently be seen in how schools are funded, the criminal justice system, car insurance policies and banking policies. I recently introduced a resolution supporting Justice in Policing Act that takes action to ban choke holds, prosecute officers, amend immunity protections and address other issues that are prevalent in the treatment of black people by police. Additionally, I am introducing a resolution supporting criminal justice reform to take actions such as reducing custodial arrest, increasing pretrial release, reducing the criminalization of civil issues and expanding pretrial diversion.

Al Lemmo, Republican: Systemic racism is something that needs multiple major reforms, particularly with our legal system. It is not a fair and just legal and prison system that sends 19-year old boys to prison for 20-years for the sale of marijuana. Reforming these systems must be near the top of my agenda as a United States Congressman.

Linda Sawyer, Republican: Sawyer does not address the broad issues of racism and social injustice on her campaign website, but does take a stance against Black Lives Matter, specifically. She labels the group as being communist.

I do not support the #blacklivesmatter

I support black lives, white lives, all lives.

Their violence and support of communism is what I am fighting against. I will FIGHT, her website says.

Rashida Tlaib, Democrat: Absolutely. Ive brought two Congressional hearings to the 13th District so my colleagues could see the injustices communities of color, especially Black folks, face in housing and with the environment. Ive co-sponsored legislation that would direct resources and change policies to increase access to home ownership. Ive introduced numerous pieces of legislation that address environmental racism and puts communities like ours in front to get those resources. I also fully support reparations and I co-sponsored and voted for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

ECONOMY: What federal policies do you support for a healthy economy and to help the broader American public improve their economic positions?

David Dudenhoefer, Republican: The foundation of any economy is its monetary system and ours has devolved into a cancer. Fiat currency has destroyed businesses, robs from laborers, and punishes the savers. Policy changes before we correct our foundation is tantamount to building the finest structure on a foundation of quicksand. We must restore an honest and Constitutional monetary system and allow Americans to chose which system they trust, then we can explore ways to free up the markets in order to allow hard-working Americans to thrive by igniting their own creative spirit, rather than just get by. Excess encourages charity as well.

Brenda Jones, Democrat: I support federal policies that invest funding into support for educational opportunities and resources for youth and adults interested in skilled labor, STEM and small business start up. Additionally, the average American spends the majority of their earnings on taxes and necessities. Increasing the national minimum wage and increasing corporate income taxes to relieve the average american provides the average American with the access to a quality standard of life.

Al Lemmo, Republican: Most agree that for the past many years, government spending is all but out of control. Our nations economy, salaries, and quality of lifestyle would improve greatly if our government would balance our budgets thus having the ability to lower taxes on our citizens and companies.

The government also needs to provide inducements to attract the many corporations overseas to return to America bringing hundreds of thousands of jobs plus tax revenue back to our shores.

Linda Sawyer, Republican: While her website does not address the economy broadly, Sawyer does touch on it under her platform for smaller government.

Republicans want LESS government and as you can see with less government we are now starting to thrive again. President Trump is rolling back regulations and our economy is growing, unemployment is the lowest in history, the stock market is the highest in history. Why would you want to vote him out? He is doing EXACTLY what we hired him for and FAST! her website says.

Rashida Tlaib, Democrat: During the pandemic, I introduced the Automatic Boost to Communities (ABC) Act, which would give every person in the U.S. $2,000 per month until the end of the crisis and $1,000 monthly for a year after.

Ive also introduced the BOOST Act which would allow everyone making below $100,000 a refundable tax credit for up to $3,000 per year. This would cut the poverty rate in the U.S. by 45%.

We must increase the minimum wage to at least $15/hr and create equitable public school funding.

We must address income inequality and invest in people first. This means our government resourcing communities and not corporations.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (File image: Reuters)

The Finance Ministry on Friday said public sector banks have sanctioned Rs 19,668.87 crore to 71 MSME hubs across the country under the Rs 3-lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS).

Disbursement in these clusters stood at Rs 12,871.50 crore as of July 15 to entities belonging to micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector, hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis.

The scheme is the biggest fiscal component of the Rs 20-lakh crore Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last month.



As of July 15, #PSBs have sanctioned loans worth Rs 19,668.87 crore for 71 #MSME hubs in 27 States/UTs under the 100% Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme, of which Rs 12,871.50 crore has already been disbursed. Here is the cluster-wise data: #ECLGS #AatmanirbharBharat pic.twitter.com/q9go6UvU4i

 NSitharamanOffice (@nsitharamanoffc) July 17, 2020

"As of July 15, #PSBs have sanctioned loans worth Rs 19,668.87 crore for 71 #MSME hubs in 27 States/UTs under the 100 per cent Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme, of which Rs 12,871.50 crore has already been disbursed," Sitharaman said in a tweet.

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

Ahemdabad cluster has the highest sanction of Rs 1,983 crore, followed by Surat Rs 1,715 crore as on July 15.

"The July 15 update of the 100 per cent ECLGS loans to #MSME hubs marks a substantial increase over the July 8 update in terms of the amounts sanctioned and disbursed, and the number of accounts benefiting from the Scheme," she said.

On May 20, the Cabinet had approved additional funding of up to Rs 3 lakh crore at a concessional rate of 9.25 per cent through ECLGS for the MSME sector.

Under the scheme, 100 per cent guarantee coverage will be provided by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC) 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 provided by the government, spread over the current and 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 plan to October 31 or till an amount of Rs 3 lakh crore is sanctioned under GECL, whichever is earlier.

The main objective of the scheme is to provide an incentive to member lending institutions to increase access and enable availability of additional funding facility to MSME borrowers, in view of the economic distress caused by the COVID-19 crisis, by giving them 100 per cent guarantee for any losses suffered by them due to non-repayment of the GECL funding by borrowers.

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, would be eligible for GECL funding under the scheme.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
BELMOPAN, Belize, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Government of Belize announced today that it is seeking the consent (the "Consent Solicitation") of eligible beneficial owners of Belize's U.S. Dollar Bonds due 2034 (the "Bonds") as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 16, 2020 (the "Holders") to a capitalization of interest payments due on the Bonds on August 20, 2020, November 20, 2020 and February 20, 2021, on the terms and conditions detailed in the consent solicitation statement dated July 17, 2020 (the "Consent Solicitation Statement"). Interest due on the interest payment dates after February 20, 2021 and the final maturity date of the Bonds will not be affected by the proposed amendment.

"The outbreak of COVID-19 has hit the economy of Belize hard. The lockdown has already led to a contraction of 4.5% of GDP in Q1 of 2020 and the contraction during Q2 is expected to be far steeper," said Joseph Waight, Belize's Financial Secretary. "Regrettably, despite aggressive fiscal management actions, funds to meet the coupon payments on the Bonds, scheduled for August 2020, November 2020, and February 2021 (which together represent 1.5% of GDP) will simply not be available. The measure we have proposed  a capitalization of interest coupons for a limited period  gives us the best chance of riding out this storm while not materially prejudicing the bondholders' position."

This announcement and the Consent Solicitation is being directed at Holders that are: (i) if in the United States, "qualified institutional buyers" as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") in a private transaction in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Section 4(a)(2) thereof and (ii) if outside the United States (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) and (x) located within a member state of the European Economic Area (the "EEA") or the United Kingdom (the "UK"), "qualified investors" as defined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended, the "Prospectus Regulation"), (y) if located in the UK, persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order" and all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"); and (z) in any case are eligible to receive this offer under the laws of its jurisdiction (each, an "Eligible Holder").

Belize will pay to each Eligible Holder that delivers a consent in accordance with the procedures described in the Consent Solicitation Statement a consent fee of 0.125% of the face amount of the Bonds, if the amendments become effective. Holders of Bonds for which no consent is delivered will not receive such consent fee.

The Consent Solicitation will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on August 10, 2020, unless extended or earlier terminated by Belize.

Identifiers for the Bonds consist of CUSIP Nos. 07782GAG8 and P16394AG6 and ISIN Nos. US0778GAG82 and USP16394AG62.

Global Bondholder Services Corporation is serving as Information and Tabulation Agent. Eligible Holders may obtain copies of the Consent Solicitation Statement from Global Bondholder Services Corporation by telephone at +1 (866) 794-2200 (Toll-Free) or +1 (212) 430-3774 (Collect), email address: [email protected]. or by download, following registration, via: https://gbsc-usa.com/eligibility/belize.

Important Notice

This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States, and none of the Bonds has been or will be registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction. Unless they are registered under the Securities Act, the Bonds may be offered only in transactions that are exempt from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, this announcement is directed only to Eligible Holders. This press release does not constitute an offer of the Bonds for sale, or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, in any state or other jurisdiction in which any offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

No offer of any kind is being made to any beneficial owner of Bonds who does not meet the criteria set forth in the Consent Solicitation Statement or any other beneficial owner located in a jurisdiction where the Consent Solicitation is not permitted by law.

The distribution of materials relating to the Consent Solicitation may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. The Consent Solicitation is void in all jurisdictions where it is prohibited. If materials relating to the Consent Solicitation come into your possession, you are required by Belize to inform yourself of and to observe all of these restrictions. The materials relating to the Consent Solicitation, including this communication, do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation in any place where offers or solicitations are not permitted by law.

Notice to Eligible Holders of Securities in the EEA and the UK

This Consent Solicitation is only being made to beneficial owners of Securities who are within a member state of the EEA or the UK (each, a "Relevant State") only if they are "qualified investors" as defined in the Prospectus Regulation. The Consent Solicitation is not directed to any retail investors in the EEA or in the UK, and retail investors will not be given the opportunity to state their views on the proposed amendments described in the Consent Solicitation Statement. As a result, no "offer" of new securities is being made to retail investors in the EEA.

This communication and any other documents or materials relating to the Consent Solicitation is not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorized person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, the Consent Solicitation and such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, persons in the UK other than (i) those persons in the UK falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the Order), (ii) to those persons falling within Article 43(2) of the Order, including existing members and creditors of Belize, (iii) to those persons who are outside the UK, or (iv) to any other Relevant Person. In the UK, this Consent Solicitation is directed only at Relevant Persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. In the UK, any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons.

Questions regarding this press release should be directed to Joseph Waight at the email address: [email protected].



SOURCE The Government of Belize
She made the statement at the ministrys regular press conference on July 16 in answering questions regarding the resumption of overseas flights in the context of COVID-19 being largely controlled in Vietnam.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she said, has informed a number of foreign agencies in Vietnam about plans to resume flights to Seoul (Republic of Korea), Tokyo (Japan), Taiwan (China), Guangzhou (China), Vientiane (Laos), and Phnom Penh (Cambodia) from mid-July, on the basis of ensuring compliance with prevention measures to ensure the coronavirus does not spread in the community.

The Ministry of Transport is also holding discussions with relevant agencies in these countries and territories to reach consensus on flight and route specifics, Hang added.

In the immediate future, Vietnam will prioritise people currently allowed to enter the country, including Vietnamese citizens, foreign experts, investors, business managers, and skilled workers, those entering for diplomatic and official purposes, and a number of other special cases, she said.

People who enter Vietnam must comply with medical quarantine rules and undergo appropriate quarantine measures in line with regulations.

Vietnam is committed to together with New Zealand soon lift bilateral relations to a new height, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said. She revealed that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will hold an online talk with his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern on July 22, during which they will discuss how to foster the comprehensive and practical bilateral partnership in multiple respects, such as politics, trade and investment, security and defence, education, agriculture, people-to-people exchanges, and COVID-19 response.

The talks aim to take bilateral relations to a new level in line with the Joint Statement on Advancing the Comprehensive Partnership towards Strategic Partnership, released during the visit to New Zealand by PM Phuc in 2018, Hang added.

The two sides will also exchange views on several regional and international issues of mutual concern. Vietnam and New Zealand are celebrating 45 years of diplomatic ties this year, she said.

Bilateral ties have grown strongly over the past 45 years and the upgrade of ties to a Comprehensive Partnership in 2009 marked a milestone for the two countries in developing more comprehensive, practical, and effective cooperation in various fields.
How close a healthcare system is to capacity is an important figure because it directly relates to mortality. High-income countries with excellent healthcare systems, like Italy, suffered high mortality rates after their hospitals became overwhelmed. Australian hospitals have not been overwhelmed, meaning local COVID-19 patients have, so far, enjoyed world-leading survival rates. What is Victoria's surge capacity?

The state government has more than 1000 ventilators ready to set up in new intensive care beds as part of its plan to activate surge capacity if COVID-19 infection numbers soar, with thousands more on order. Loading Australian College of Critical Care Nurses chief executive Rand Butcher said health authorities had spent months working to boost surge capacity, which required physical beds, ventilators, monitoring equipment and specially-trained nurses, along with ICU drugs and personal protective equipment. The federal government has amassed 7500 ventilators and 220 million masks in the national medical stockpile and has trained up 15,807 nurses to work in intensive care, including 5619 in Victoria. The state government has separately trained an additional 1629 ICU nurses. Mr Butcher said the extra Victorian nurses trained through the program could staff 1445 intensive care beds under current clinical standards, which allocate one nurse to every patient, with about five nurses staffing each bed on a seven-day roster.

The Grattan modelling showed that it would take between 4000 and 7700 daily new infections over 10 days for this capacity to be reached, a scenario that would require "a lot to go wrong" given current infection rates and the return to stage three lockdown. About 1800 doctors would be needed to staff intensive care beds under the surge plan and Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society president Dr Anthony Holley said hospitals would have their pick of "highly skilled" anaesthetists and other physicians freed up by the elective-surgery freeze. How the modelling was done To estimate whether hospitals could be overwhelmed, modellers asked two key questions: For every 100 people who get COVID-19, how many will end up in ICU? And how long will they stay there?

The Grattan Institute model assumes that, in a best-case scenario, two people in every 100 will need intensive care - four in the worst-case scenario. In the later scenario, 910 new cases a day over 10 days would fill the state's existing non-surge intensive-care capacity. Intensive care admissions tend to lag confirmed cases by a few weeks as patients get progressively sicker, Cabrini Health deputy director of intensive care Associate Professor David Brewster said. The Grattan model assumes patients stay in intensive care for 10 days, reflecting the average stint for the first wave of severely ill coronavirus patients in Australia in March. The model assumes 50 per cent of Victorias 695 ICU beds could be made available for COVID-19 patients, in line with official federal government models. It does not model surge capacity.

Victorias ICU beds were 85 per cent full last Thursday, with 380 out of 446 staffed beds full. At the time, there were 40 COVID-19 patients in hospital, including nine in intensive care. On Friday, eight days later, 122 COVID-19 patients were in hospital with 31 in intensive care. Dr Stephen Warrillow, director of the ICU Ward at the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg on Thursday. Credit:Arsineh Houspian Austin Hospital director of intensive care Dr Stephen Warrillow said intensive care units were designed to run near capacity, but that capacity could be quickly increased. "We dont have a bunch of resources sitting there chronically underutilised  because thats not efficient. The system has the capacity to flex to meet demand.

"If I need to double my ICU capacity tomorrow, I make several calls. And we convert it. And that happens in about a day." Chair of epidemiology at Deakin University Professor Catherine Bennett suggested the Grattan Institute calculations may be a little conservative, but were generally similar to her own. "We have plenty of capacity, even before we move into surge capacity." Professor Tony Blakely, a leading epidemiologist based at the University of Melbourne, argued improving treatments likely would push the estimate of how many people ended up in intensive care down. "We have ample ICU capacity for the current case loads. No panic, please," he said.

Loading How high will Victorias infection rate get? Victorias daily number of new infections has jumped from 73 at the start of July to 428 on Friday. However, Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton told media he was confident the virus was under control. "We have significant controls in place. We have the kind of restrictions that worked through our first wave. I expect them to work through this wave."
The Canada Emergency Response Benefit might be a potent stimulant of activity involving the next generation of home buyers, if the results of a new market study are any indication.

According to Fraser Institute economists Jason Clemens, Milagros Palacios, and Nathaniel Li, around 400,000 Canadians in the 18-24 age range are eligible for CERB. The study estimated that this cohort earned between $5,000 and $12,000 per month in 2019.

These [young] Canadians represent a total potential cost to CERB of $4.8 billion (before taxes on CERB), the economists said in an analysis published by The Financial Post. Its also worth noting that for this group of CERB-eligible Canadians, CERB benefits are on average higher than their monthly earnings in 2019, meaning theyre actually better off receiving CERB than they were working.
A son of a former Donegal Labour Senator has won a BAFTA for Best Factual Editing in blockbuster Netflix documentary 'Dont F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer' tonight.

Former Senator Jimmy Hartes son Michael Harte won the prestigious award at tonights online event, hosted digitally for the first time ever due to the pandemic.

Michael is the son of Jimmy and Mary Harte, who have four children together - Michael, Amy, Lochlainn and Saibh.

Michael was nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA last year for his work in Three Identical Strangers, a documentary about triplets who were separated at birth.

Speaking to Independent.ie tonight, he expressed his delight at the win.

We were watching the BAFTAS on an iPad in Regents Park [London] with my partner Claire whos due next week.

Im over the moon, its a cliche but it was a real team effort and its so nice that the team were recognised in this way, there was a lot of hard work and late nights.

He said that due to the title of the documentary having a curse word in it, he hoped that the documentary would go under the radar for fear of offending his grandmother.

When I work on docs, its always good to tell my granny so she can watch them.

I kinda had to hide it from her, because of the title, so I said, you know, lets just never tell her about this and hopefully it goes under the radar.

Unfortunately, weve won a f****ing BAFTA tonight, so its going to be hard to hide it from granny any more, he laughed.

The widely acclaimed documentary, which had Netflix lovers talking when it was released in December 2019, is a three part true crime series about an online manhunt.

Michael said that winning tonight is a real high for the Donegal family as it went through a tough time in 2013 after the former Senator suffered a major health scare in 2013.

Hes been in and out of hospital for the last six years so its a nice thing for us to enjoy and to take our mind off other things, he said.

He added that before the lockdown, he returned to Ireland once every two months but has not been back to Donegal since the pandemic began.

To be honest, if there was anywhere Id rather be tonight, it would be in Donegal having a few drinks with my family and friends.
A gunman of Kerala Police posted at the United Arab Emirate consulate allegedly tried to end his life at nearby Thumba on Friday, a day after he was reported missing by his family.

The police said that the condition of the policeman, who was found lying near his ancestral home with his wrist slit, was now stable and he was recuperating at a private hospital.

The policeman had gone missing from his home on Thursday night, and a police complaint had been filed by his family, police said.

We found him lying in a pool of blood. He was conscious and muttered he didnt do anything wrong, a neighbour who did not wish to be named, said. The policemans last call was traced to somewhere near his house, which led the police to search for him in the vicinity, where they found him in a vacant plot.

The policeman went missing from his home a day after gold smuggling accused Swapna Sureshs call records were leaked to the press.

Suresh, who is currently in judicial custody, had reportedly made calls to the policeman at least three times on July 5, the same day that 30 kilograms of 24-carat gold was seized by the Customs department from a baggage addressed to the UAE consulate.

The gold worth around Rs 15 crore was received at the airport here as a diplomatic cargo addressed to a consulate official, who has since left the country. Rashed Khamis Ali Musaiqri Alshemeli, the consulate attache, left the country mid-week, amid reports that he had been called back.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is in charge of the probe has filed a First Information Report against five persons, including UAE-based Fazil Fareed, whom they suspect forged the countrys seal and emblem to ensure diplomatic protection for the baggage.

Four of the accused, including Suresh, have been arrested, under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act which is usually invoked to deal with terrorists and those who pose a threat to the integrity of the nation. The agency suspects that money from the smuggled gold was being used to fund terror operations.

The policeman, who attempted suicide, was earlier posted in the airport and has been with the UAE consulate since 2017.

Police suspect he feared being questioned or made an accused in the audacious gold smuggling case.

The policemans brother said he was under tremendous pressure after he was reportedly threatened him. He looked very tense after smuggling incident came to light. Two days ago, two motorcycle-borne people came to his house and threatened him. He was worried after this. He told some of his friends that the smuggling syndicate suspected his role for tipping off the authorities, his brother said.

A police officer said his statement will be recorded and handed over to the NIA, which is investigating the smuggling case.

Indian Administrative Services officer M Sivasankar, the chief ministers former prinicipal secretary, was suspended from service on Thursday after he was grilled by the NIA for his alleged links with Suresh.

Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front has said it will bring a no-confidence motion against CM Pinarayi Vijayans government over the smuggling. The chief minister cannot get away by suspending his secretary. The needle of suspicion is on him now, said Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.

The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led alliance has a comfortable majority of 98 lawmakers in the 140-member Kerala assembly. The governments popularity after its perfect virus management really worries the Opposition. So it is creating a smokescreen raising allegations, said CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

The Customs separately carried out raids in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts and detained four more people in connection with the smuggling case. At least 12 people have already been arrested by the agency till now.

(With inputs from PTI)
The EU-US Privacy Shield agreement between the European Union and the United States has now been thrown out by the top EU court. The agreement was set in place to help facilitate transatlantic e-commerce and data transfers. In particular, it was arranged to ensure privacy and data protection for those transfers. The transfers themselves range in association from banking to social media.

The basis for the decision, as announced and subsequently reported, is privacy. Summarily, the EU Court of Justice determined that the laws of the US limit the agreements effectiveness. The domestic law of the US, the court indicates, doesnt satisfy requirements essential to ensuring protection as described by EU law. Comparatively, US laws tend to favor surveillance over privacy.

The EU-US Privacy Shield ruling takes everything back to square one

US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross has already released a statement on the ruling. Mr. Ross notes that he has been in close contact with the European Commission and European Data Protection Board. But he also indicates that the US will continue to administer the Privacy Shield agreement on its end, despite the disappointing decision.

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Mr. Ross indicates that the Department of Commerce is still studying the decision.

Ultimately, its goal is to a better handle on its practical implications, at least for now. In the interim Mr. Ross says that the department will work negate or limit any negative consequences to the $7.1 trillion transatlantic economic relationship.

Are any services unaffected by this decision?

This decision by the EU courts will likely have a dramatic impact on many tech companies doing business between the US and Europe. The companies could potentially be forced to set up dedicated European data centers. Or, conversely, pull out of the region if further negotiations dont bear fruit. But that doesnt mean everybody should panic just yet. Data transfers deemed necessary wont be impacted at all.

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That means that users can continue sending emails, visiting travel sites, and reading articles from across the web. There wont be any impact on that front for the overwhelming majority of users.
The press has described how pension fund beneficiaries have taken setbacks in two recent court decisions: the US Supreme Court case Thule v. US Bank, and Mayberry v. KKR. I am late to post on these cases, and yet feel it is important to do so, since the commentary on them, particularly from parties who support holding public pension fund trustees and other fiduciaries accountable, has misread the importance of these cases. The fact that both rulings are deeply offensive, in the sense that they allowed investment bad guys to get away with it, does not mean that future public pension cases are doomed.1

The short version is that Thole v. US Bank has no precedential force in most US states. The Mayberry v. Kentucky Retirement System decision was strained and effectively ignored two of the three plaintiff arguments as to why they had standing. As one expert put it, The Kentucky Supreme Court appear to be local elites protecting the prerogatives of local elites.

Thole v. US Bank

Thole was a uphill battle, since the plaintiffs had lost on standing at the trial and appellate court. level. Two retired employees, presenting themselves as representatives of a class, argued that US Bank had engaged in self-dealing and made investments, according to Supreme Court filings, designed to generate excessive management fees boost their reported incomes, inflate their stock prices, and exercise lucrative stock options to their own (and their shareholders) benefit, resulting in about $750 million in losses.

The National Law Review summarized the ruling, which you can read in full here. From the article:

The Court observed that the outcome of the lawsuit would not change the plaintiffs financial status: they have received all of the benefits to which they are entitled to date, and their future benefit payments would not be affected by the outcome of the lawsuit they win or lose the lawsuit, their monthly payments will be the same. Thus, the Court concluded that the plaintiffs had no concrete stake in the lawsuit, and therefore lacked standing to sue. The Court rejected the plaintiffs argument, based on an analogy to trust law, that participants in a defined benefit pension plan have an equitable or property interest in the plan as a whole, such that injuries to the plan are by definition injuries to the participants The Court also rejected the plaintiffs arguments based on representative standing and statutory standing under ERISA. First, the Court noted that the plaintiffs could not sue as representatives of the plan without having suffered a concrete injury-in-fact themselves or having been legally or contractually assigned the plans claims. Second, the Court held that Article III requires a concrete injury even in the context of statutory violations, so ERISAs statutory standing provisions cannot confer Article III standing.

What may not be obvious to most readers is that the US Supreme Court rejection (which came in a 5-4 vote) rests in a very large measure on Article III standing. Among other things, Article III requires a plaintiff to have suffered an actual loss. Interestingly, the Trump Solicitor General submitted an amicus brief on Thole that argued in favor of the plaintiffs and is dramatically at odds with the eventual ruling. A relevant section:

A. An ERISA Plan Participant Or Beneficiary Has Standing To Sue For Breach Of Fiduciary Duty Even Without A Monetary Loss To have Article III standing, a plaintiff must show, among other things, that hesuffered a concrete injury. Spokeo, Inc.v. Robins, 136 S. Ct. 1540, 1548 (2016). A concrete injury is one that is real, and not abstract. Ibid.(citation omitted). Generally that means the injury must be tangible, but an intangible injury can be concrete under some circumstances. Id.at 1549. [B]oth history and the judgment of Congress play important roles in determining whether an intangible injury is sufficiently concrete. Ibid. Courts thus ask whether an alleged intangible harm has a close relationship to a harm that has traditionally been regarded as providing a basis for a lawsuit in English or American courts. Ibid. And because Congress is well positioned to identify intangible harms that meet minimum Article III requirements, it may elevate to the status of legally cognizable injuries certain intangible harms that were previously inadequate in law. Ibid. (brackets and citation omitted).. Reflecting both traditional trust law and congressional judgment, ERISA supports a participant or beneficiarys standing to sue a planfiduciary under three distinct yet overlapping theories. First, a participant or beneficiary may sue on behalf of the plan in a representative capacity. Second, a participant or beneficiary may sue on his own behalf because a breach of fiduciary duty constitutes an invasion of his own legal right. Third, a participant or beneficiary may sue because of an increased risk of monetary harm resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty. All three theories support standing regardless of whether the defined-benefit plan is overfunded or underfunded.

Most states have not adopted Article III. Dave in Santa Cruz explained how California would have applied considerably different standards, with the odds that its courts would have come to a different conclusion (emphasis his):

You are quite wrong that a CalPERS member or beneficiary cannot sue CalPERS for breach of fiduciary duty because you do not have standing. First of all, California is but one of the majority of states which do not follow the Federal Article III case or controversy standing doctrine interpreted in Thole. The Article III standing limitation is intended to limit the judicial power of the United States, not that of the states. Unlike the federal Constitution, our state Constitution has no case or controversy requirement imposing an independent jurisdictional limitation on our standing doctrine. Weatherford v. City of San Rafael, 2 Cal. 5th 1241, 1247-48 (2017). Secondly, the CalPERS Board has a duty exclusively mandated under Article XVI sec. 17 of the California State Constitution to act as fiduciaries for the members and beneficiaries of the trust, a higher duty than that under the Common Law of trusts interpreted in the Thole decision. A retirement boards duty to its participants and their beneficiaries shall take precedence over any other duty. Thirdly, California has a broadly-written qui tam Private Attorney General statute, the False Claims Act, found at California Government Code 12650 et seq. The linked Forbes articles dismissal of litigators who are going-after the gross breaches of fiduciary duty that are and have been perpetrated against pension funds as ambulance chasers as they are dismissively called by the author is far from the truth.

What may not be obvious from this discussion is that the plaintiffs in Thole v. US Bank were beneficiaries in a corporate defined benefit plan. They are governed by ERISA, which is administered by the Department of Labor. That is why Federal rules applied.

By contrast,public pensions, which now constitute the majority of defined benefit plans, are governed by state law.

Mayberry v. KKR

Mayberry v. KKR got a lot of media attention because it involved big names and salacious conduct. Kentucky Retirement System is both one of the most corrupt and underfunded plans in the US. Its only 13% funded. As its performance continued to fall short, its desperation increased.

To simplify a much longer story, three hedge fund operators, KKR/Prisma, Blackstone, and PAAMCO pitched dedicated funds which had the financial-gravity-defying properties of being high return and low risk. All of the vehicles fell well short of their promised outcomes. Kentucky has extremely strong, statutory fiduciary duties, so a lot of the selling practices, which sure looked like bad faith, appeared to set up a solid case, particularly since some key insiders looked to be playing both sides of the street.

Trial court judge Phillip Shepherd, who is the Jed Rakoff of Kentucky, a progressive and highly respected jurist, considered a raft of Motions to Dismiss by the defendants and dismissed them all, ordering the case to proceed. The defendants quickly appealed and got a ruling in their favor that lawyers for the defendants admitted was so strained that they didnt expect it to survive.

Thole made it easier for the Kentucky Supreme Court to swat down a case that would have shaken up the Kentucky establishment (among other things, the principals at Prisma were from Kentucky).

The plaintiffs had three major arguments regarding standing, and recall they filed their arguments before the Thole decision. The judges do a sleight of hand by acting as if Thole is a magic talisman and deals with all of the standing issues the plaintiffs raised. It doesnt, as shown by the fact that the ruling dismisses two important, stand-alone standing arguments with legal handwaves.

The awkwardly-written decision (always a bad sign) hangs its argument on Article III notions from Thole, that the plaintiffs have to have suffered an actual, particularlized loss in order to be able to sue. Theres no such notion as is pervasive in finance, of marking to market. Funny how the economics part of law and economics gets applied only so as to favor big commercial interests.

A lawyer elaborated by e-mail as to how it was a bit of a contortion to apply Thole, a ruling on private sector pensions which are governed by Federal law, to a state law matter:

States that are hostile to plaintiffs lawyers like to say that they follow the Federal Article III standing rules. The problem is that Article III is intended to limit the judicial power of the United States in deference to the jurisdiction of the state courts. Under the U.S. Constitution, it is the state courts that are supposed to confer standing to sue upon their citizens. The Kentucky Supreme Court engages in circular reasoning of following the Federal limitation on jurisdiction in order to rob their citizens of their right to sue in state court.

The Supreme Court further argues that even if the plan runs totally out of money (which at 13% funding is a given; one group estimated that will take place in 2027), not to worry, the State of Kentucky is on the hook and has made an inviolate promise and so surely will make up any shortfall.

Anyone who has been paying the slightest amount of attention knows that argument is an insult to intelligence. The Kentucky Retirement System has been getting sicker with each passing year, yet the state has taken no meaningful steps to shore it up. Perhaps the judges labor in such ignorance because they have a completely separate plan that is fully funded.

And its also spurious legally, since the plaintiffs came before the court both as beneficiaries and as taxpayers. Raising contributions high enough to continue to pay full pensions would mean large increases to taxpayers, including fund beneficiaries! Their gains (assuming they actually did get a full pension) would be offset by the big tax hikes. The court effectively ignored this argument.

The other standing argument the Supreme Court blew off was on qui tam grounds, that the attorneys were stepping in to act as private attorneys general, enforcing state laws where the attorney general declines to step up. The Supreme Court dismissed the qui tam standing argument by saying that Kentucky has no qui tam statute. Thats true but irrelevant. As Judge Shepherd pointed out in his decision, with citations, Kentucky has ample qui tam case law. From a lawyer by e-mail: This is the part of the Supreme Court decision that is complete garbage. Kentucky courts have found standing in the past for taxpayers derivative suits.

The qui tam argument is in such obvious bad faith that it suggests, just as the appellate court did, that the Kentucky Supreme Court was bound and determined to rule against the plaintiffs no matter how dodgy their logic was. A contact close to the case argues otherwise, that absent Thole, the ruling would have been 5-2 in favor of the plaintiffs based on the body language of the jurists, particularly the Chief Justice, during oral arguments.

But regardless of what coulda-shoulda been, the Kentucky court appears to be handing this hot mess over to the governor, Andy Beshear, who when he was the Attorney General who declined to take up this lawsuit. And Beshear may have assumed there was a long enough time before even this pension fund failed for him to be able to dump the problem on his successor. Covid-19 has made that a less likely bet.

____

1 In fact, we learned today of a new legal team, one that is politically well-connected, seeking to take a new, promising-sounding strategy towards private equity grifting.
Epidemiologist Prof Carl Heneghan said the way coronavirus deaths are recorded is flawed. (PA)

Matt Hancock has ordered an urgent review into how Public Health England (PHE) calculates daily coronavirus death figures after experts criticised flaws in the way they are recorded.

Concerns have been raised that the reported death toll in England appears so high in contrast to neighbouring countries because of flaws in the way PHE is compiling out of hospital death statistics, including anyone who has ever been diagnosed with COVID-19  even if they did not necessarily die from the disease.

Epidemiologist Professor Carl Heneghan, director of the University of Oxford's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and Professor Yoon Loke, from the University of East Anglia, said the figures record people who have ever tested positive for coronavirus and then have died.

In a blog post on The Centre for Evidence-Based Medicines website, they said: PHE does not appear to consider how long ago the COVID test result was, nor whether the person has been successfully treated in hospital and discharged to the community.

Why no-one can ever recover from COVID-19 in England  a statistical anomaly https://t.co/SrDYX1W9jU by @drykloke @carlheneghan  Carl Heneghan (@carlheneghan) July 16, 2020

Anyone who has tested COVID positive but subsequently died at a later date of any cause will be included on the PHE COVID death figures.

By this PHE definition, no one with COVID in England is allowed to ever recover from their illness. A patient who has tested positive, but successfully treated and discharged from hospital, will still be counted as a COVID death even if they had a heart attack or were run over by a bus three months later.

Public Health England defended its reporting, telling Yahoo News UK it had been right to include all deaths up until now because COVID-19 is a new infection and there is increasing evidence of long term health problems for some of those affected.

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Dr Susan Hopkins, Public Health England Incident Director, welcomed the review, indicating the way England accounts for its death toll could soon change.

The professors said the system explains why PHE figures vary substantially from day to day.

They added: Its time to fix this statistical flaw that leads to an over-exaggeration of COVID-associated deaths.

One reasonable approach would be to define community COVID-related deaths as those that occurred within 21 days of a COVID positive test result.

In summary, PHEs definition of the daily death figures means that everyone who has ever had COVID at any time must die with COVID too. So, the COVID death toll in Britain up to July 2020 will eventually exceed 290k, if the follow-up of every test-positive patient is of long enough duration.

Health secretary Matt Hancock is expected to order an urgent review into the situation, clarifying any confusion over coronavirus deaths.

On the Government death statistics website for England, the issue is acknowledged, saying: Deaths are counted where a lab-confirmed positive coronavirus test result is reported in any setting.

This means that not all deaths reported here are caused by coronavirus.

Dr Susan Hopkins, Public Health England Incident Director, said: Although it may seem straightforward, there is no WHO agreed method of counting deaths from COVID-19. In England, we count all those that have died who had a positive COVID-19 test at any point, to ensure our data is as complete as possible.

We must remember that this is a new and emerging infection and there is increasing evidence of long term health problems for some of those affected. Whilst this knowledge is growing, now is the right time to review how deaths are calculated.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: The Health Secretary has asked Public Health England to conduct an urgent review into the reporting of deaths statistics, aimed at providing greater clarity on the number of fatalities related to Covid-19 as we move past the peak of the virus.

Coronavirus: what happened today

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Law students take a practice California State Bar Exam at the UC Berkeley campus. (Sam Deaner / Associated Press)

The California Supreme Court, citing the coronavirus pandemic, decided Thursday to permanently lower the passing score for the bar exam and allow aspiring lawyers to take it remotely in October, or obtain temporary provisional licenses and practice under supervision.

"The changing circumstances surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in California, and throughout the country, have had an unprecedented impact on professional licensure testing for graduates seeking admission to many professions," the court wrote to the State Bar. "Many law school graduates are being substantially affected by the resulting disruption."

The court met over videoconference this month with law school deans and graduates. Plans for a July exam had been canceled due to the pandemic and rescheduled for September, which the court on Thursday moved to Oct. 5 and 6.

Graduates told the court they were losing job offers, could not find work to make ends meet and feared they would be unable to pay student loan bills due in November without a law license.

"The court has sought the safest, most humane and practical options for licensing law graduates by encouraging and working with the State Bar to pursue the option of administering the California Bar Examination online as a remote test, to avoid the need for, and dangers posed by, mass in-person testing," the court wrote in a letter signed by its clerk and Chief Executive Officer Jorge E. Navarrete.







California's bar exam has been considered one of the most rigorous in the nation, and the court decided to drop the passing score from 1440 to 1390. The letter said the court based its decision on bar exam studies.

The court said it recognized that some 2020 law graduates might be unable to prepare for the October examination and directed the State Bar of California to create and oversee a temporary, supervised licensing program, which would end no later than June 1, 2022. Graduates would be required to work under the supervision of licensed attorneys.

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"This time frame will afford the 2020 graduates several opportunities to take the exam of their choosing through February 2022 and await the exam results," said the letter to the president of the bar board of trustees.

California is one of 16 states to move their bar exam online.

The court encouraged law schools to help graduates who lacked internet access at home or whose home situations were not amenable to two days of uninterrupted examination.
N ew powers to deal with Leicester-style local outbreaks of Covid-19 will be available to local authorities from this weekend.

The Prime Minister announced on Friday that local lockdowns can be used to control the coronavirus pandemic in future.

The Government have granted authorities additional powers to respond to flare-ups, which will come into force on Saturday.

Boris Johnson, speaking at a Downing Street press briefing, said: At the start of the pandemic, we knew far less about the spread of the virus and we had to take blanket national measures.

Boris Johnson updated the UK's lockdown roadmap on Friday / PA

National lockdown was undoubtedly the right thing to do and has saved many thousands of lives.

Now, however, we know more about the virus, we understand the epidemiology better and our intelligence about where it is spreading is vastly improved.

Local lockdown in Leicester during Coronavirus pandemic 1 /41 Local lockdown in Leicester during Coronavirus pandemic Leicester has seen 866 cases in the past two weeks PA A city council worker carries rubbish from a coronavirus testing centre at Spinney Park which will be incinerated Getty Images Leicester could be the site of the UK's first local lockdown PA The Government says it is supporting officials in Leicester in their battle against Covid-19 PA Members of the military set up a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester PA A worker for Leicester City Council disinfects public toilets PA A man cleans the windows of a launderette in Leicester PA A member of military personnel uses a tub to collect used a self-test kit from a member of the public at a COVID-19 drive-through mobile testing unit set up at Evington Leisure Centre in Leicester, AFP via Getty Images Members of the military operate a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester PA People queue at walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester PA A man wearing a protective visor crosses the road on mobility scooter in Leicester PA Members of the military operate a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester PA People walk by an electronic billboard displaying a government message AFP via Getty Images Robin Dignall and Maria Demetriou-Clamp disinfect chairs at their hair salon Hair@1RD in Leicester as the city may be the first UK location to be subjected to a local lockdown after a spike in coronavirus cases PA A woman wearing a PPE mask walks past social distance advisory singns in Leicester's North Evington neighbourhood Getty Images People walk by an electronic billboard displaying a government message AFP via Getty Images Soldiers from the Royal Logistics Corp operate a mobile coronavirus (Covid-19) testing site at Evington Leisure Centre Getty Images A youth cycles past a sign telling local residents to "Social Distance" and advising on how to help "Prevent the Spread" of coronavirus, in the North Evington district of Leicester AFP via Getty Images Gallowtree Gate in Leicester after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock imposed a local lockdown following a spike in coronavirus cases in the city. PA A man sits on a bench, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Leicester Reuters A worker disinfects a bin following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Leicester, Reuters A worker disinfects a McDonald's restaurant Reuters A police car on Gallowtree Gate in Leicester PA Shops open their shutters in Leicester after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock imposed a local lockdown following a spike in coronavirus cases in the city PA AFP via Getty Images Reuters PA AFP via Getty Images Getty Images PA PA

That means we can control it through targeted local action instead.

The measures go beyond the extended lockdown being experienced by Leicester, which was imposed after a wave of cases in the citys crowded centre.

They will be subject to appeal routes and oversight to guard against misuse, but Mr Johnson was clear that they are necessary.

They include:

Local stay-at-home orders that will bar people from entering or leaving defined areas without permission.

Powers to shut down or restrict transport systems, effectively cutting off a town or area where there is an outbreak.

Special measures to cancel events or shut down individual businesses and venues.

Means to limit gatherings more severely than national rules.

Boris Johnson said: From tomorrow, local authorities will have new powers in their areas.

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They will be able to close specific premises, shut public outdoor spaces and cancel events.

These powers will enable local authorities to act more quickly in response to outbreaks where speed is paramount.

Action by local councils will not always be sufficient, so next week we will publish draft regulations on how central government can intervene more effectively at a local level.

Where justified by the evidence, ministers will be able to close whole sectors or types of premises in an area, introduce local stay-at-home orders, prevent people entering or leaving defined areas, reduce the size of gatherings beyond the national defined rules or restrict transport systems serving local areas.

The Prime Minister said: This local approach relies on having an effective testing regime in place. And, here, we have made substantial progress.

Antigen test capacity, thats the test which tells you if you currently have the virus, has increased 100-fold since the start of March  from fewer than 2,000 tests a day to more than 200,000 tests a day now.

Mr Johnson also sought to revive the economy by scrapping official guidance to work from home if you can from August 1.

The Prime Minister responded to fears that cities including London are being hollowed out by coronavirus by giving more discretion to firms to ask staff to come in, as long as they do so in a safe and socially responsible way.

At a press conference, he unveiled the toughest lockdown powers yet, allowing ministers to seal off communities and order people to stay at home.
Rating Action: Moody's downgrades ratings on $62.5 million of notes issued by Carlyle US CLO 2017-1 Ltd.; actions conclude review

Global Credit Research - 16 Jul 2020

Moody's also confirms the rating on $32.5 million of notes

New York, July 16, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the ratings on the following notes issued by Carlyle US CLO 2017-1 Ltd. (the "CLO" or "Issuer"):

U.S.$38,500,000 Class C Mezzanine Secured Deferrable Floating Rate Notes due 2031, Downgraded to Ba1 (sf); previously on April 17, 2020 Baa3 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade

U.S.$24,000,000 Class D Mezzanine Secured Deferrable Floating Rate Notes due 2031, Downgraded to B1 (sf); previously on April 17, 2020 Ba3 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade

Moody's also confirmed the rating on the following notes:

U.S.$32,500,000 Class B Senior Secured Deferrable Floating Rate Notes due 2031, Confirmed at A2 (sf); previously on June 3, 2020 A2 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade

These actions conclude the review for downgrade initiated on April 17, 2020 on the Class C notes and Class D notes and on June 3, 2020 on the Class B notes issued by the CLO. Carlyle US CLO 2017-1 Ltd., issued in April 2017, is a managed cashflow CLO. The notes are collateralized primarily by a portfolio of broadly syndicated senior secured corporate loans. The transaction's reinvestment period will end in April 2023.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The downgrade on the Class C and Class D notes reflects the risks posed by credit deterioration and loss of collateral coverage observed in the underlying CLO portfolio, which have been primarily prompted by economic shocks stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. Since the outbreak widened in March, the decline in corporate credit has resulted in a significant number of downgrades, other negative rating actions, or defaults on the assets collateralizing the CLO. Consequently, the default risk of the CLO portfolio has increased, the credit enhancement available to the CLO notes has eroded, exposure to Caa-rated assets has increased significantly, and expected losses (ELs) on certain notes have increased materially.

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Based on Moody's calculation, the weighted average rating factor (WARF) was 3493 as of June 2020, or 19.5% worse compared to a WARF of 2922 reported in the March 2020 trustee report[1]. Moody's calculation also showed the WARF was failing the test level of 2903 reported in the June 2020 trustee report[2] by 590 points. Moody's noted that approximately 37% of the CLO's par was from obligors assigned a negative outlook and 2% from obligors whose ratings are on review for possible downgrade. Additionally, based on Moody's calculation, the proportion of obligors in the portfolio with Moody's corporate family or other equivalent ratings of Caa1 or lower (adjusted for negative outlook and watchlist for downgrade) was approximately 23% of the CLO par as of June 2020. Furthermore, Moody's calculated the total collateral par balance, including recoveries from defaulted securities, at $585.9 million, or $14.1 million less than the deal's ramp-up target par balance, and Moody's calculated the over-collateralization (OC) ratios (excluding haircuts) for the Class C and Class D notes as of June 2020 at 111.01% and 106.18%, respectively.

The rating confirmation on the Class B notes reflects the notes' priority position in the CLO's capital structure and the level of credit enhancement available to it from both over-collateralization and cash flows that would be diverted as a result of coverage test failures. Based on Moody's calculation, the OC ratio (excluding haircuts) for the Class B notes is currently 119.75%, compared to its trigger level of 114.60%. Moody's also noted that according to the trustee's April 2020 distribution report[3], the OC test for the Class D notes and the interest diversion test were failing, and as a result, $254,456 of interest collections was diverted to repay the Class A-1 notes and $873,661 of interest collections was applied towards the purchase of additional collateral obligations. If these failures were to occur on the next payment date, they would result in a portion of excess interest collections being diverted towards further note repayment or reinvestment in collateral.

Moody's modeled the transaction using a cash flow model based on the Binomial Expansion Technique, as described in "Moody's Global Approach to Rating Collateralized Loan Obligations."

The key model inputs Moody's used in its analysis, such as par, weighted average rating factor, diversity score and the weighted average recovery rate, are based on its published methodology and could differ from the trustee's reported numbers. In its base case, Moody's analyzed the collateral pool as having a performing par and principal proceeds balance of $581.1 million, defaulted par of $9.5 million, a weighted average default probability of 28.90% (implying a WARF of 3493), a weighted average recovery rate upon default of 47.92%, a diversity score of 82 and a weighted average spread of 3.45%. Moody's also analyzed the CLO by incorporating an approximately $11.8 million par haircut in calculating the OC and interest diversion test ratios. Finally, Moody's also considered in its analysis the CLO manager's recent investment decisions and trading strategies.

In consideration of the current high uncertainties around the global economy and the ultimate performance of the CLO portfolio, Moody's conducted a number of additional sensitivity analyses representing a range of outcomes that could diverge, both to the downside and the upside, from our base case. Some of the additional scenarios that Moody's considered in its analysis of the transaction include, among others: additional near-term defaults of companies facing liquidity pressure; additional OC par haircuts to account for potential future downgrades and defaults resulting in an increased likelihood of cash flow diversion to senior notes; and some improvement in WARF as the US economy gradually recovers in the second half of the year and corporate credit conditions generally stabilize.

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 corporate assets from the collapse in the 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.

FACTORS THAT WOULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS:

The performance of the rated notes is subject to uncertainty in the performance of the related CLO's underlying portfolio, which in turn depends on economic and credit conditions that may change. In particular, the length and severity of the economic and credit shock precipitated by the global coronavirus pandemic will have a significant impact on the performance of the securities. The CLO manager's investment decisions and management of the transaction will also affect the performance of the rated securities.

Methodology Underlying the Rating Action:

The principal methodology used in these ratings was "Moody's Global Approach to Rating Collateralized Loan Obligations" published in March 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBS_1111156. 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.

The analysis relies on an assessment of collateral characteristics to determine the collateral loss distribution, that is, the function that correlates to an assumption about the likelihood of occurrence to each level of possible losses in the collateral. As a second step, Moody's evaluates each possible collateral loss scenario using a model that replicates the relevant structural features to derive payments and therefore the ultimate potential losses for each rated instrument. The loss a rated instrument incurs in each collateral loss scenario, weighted by assumptions about the likelihood of events in that scenario occurring, results in the expected loss of the rated instrument.

Moody's quantitative analysis entails an evaluation of scenarios that stress factors contributing to sensitivity of ratings and take into account the likelihood of severe collateral losses or impaired cash flows. Moody's weights the impact on the rated instruments based on its assumptions of the likelihood of the events in such scenarios occurring.

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.

REFERENCES/CITATIONS

[1] Trustee report 10-Mar-2020

[2] Trustee report 10-Jun-2020

[3] Trustee report 08-Apr-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.

Haoning Ding Asst Vice President - 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 Aniket Deshpande 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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Assuming OSCE Chair in 2021, Sweden will continue to work towards a political settlement of the conflict in Ukraine in line with OSCE commitments and in full respect of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty within internationally recognized borders including Crimea and Sevastopol.

"The most blatant and recent challenge to the European security order is what is often referred to here in Vienna as the crisis in and around Ukraine, or rather, as described at the annual Security Conference in June, the events concerning Ukraine. As Chair we will continue to build on the dedicated efforts of our predecessors in finding a sustainable political solution to the conflict, in line with OSCE principles and commitments. This must be in full respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and independence of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including Crimea and Sevastopol," Swedens Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Robert Rydberg said during the presentation of Swedens Chair priorities at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

At the same time, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden pointed out the importance of the work of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, the Trilateral Contact Group and close cooperation with the Normandy format.

In addition, Swedens Chair will make efforts to settle the conflicts in Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Transnistria.

"Contributing to the settlement of conflicts in the OSCE area will be among the top priorities of our agenda," Rydberg said.

In order to ensure a stable and sustainable situation in the area, Swedens Chair will work closely with the OSCE field missions, which are "the central tool that makes the OSCE truly unique security organization."

Robert Rydberg said that Swedens primary focus as Chair will have to be to go back to basics and the fundamental tasks of the OSCE, reminding participating States that it is high time to live up to the common commitments laid down in the Helsinki Final Act and the Paris Charter of 1990.

The OSCE Chairmanship is held for one calendar year by the OSCE participating State. Albania chairs OSCE in 2020, and Sweden will take over the chairmanship on January 1, 2021.

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One hundred and thirty-five years ago this July 20, Canada put Louis Riel on trial for high treason for precipitating the North West Resistance (traditionally called the North West Rebellion in mainstream settler history).

Today, Riel is considered one of Canadas most popular figures, easily eclipsing the countrys founding prime minister and his nemesis, John A. Macdonald.

The political metamorphosis of Riel illustrates one of the most paradoxical aspects of nationalism: how former enemies can be transformed into compatriots. Over time, individuals who had battled a given country are turned into icons of the very polity they opposed and that vanquished them.

But there are indications that a significant segment of the population has not accepted this transformation.

Leadership, exile

Louis Riel was born in 1844 into a French-speaking, devoutly Catholic Metis family in the Red River Settlement, now Winnipeg. Along with the rest of Ruperts Land, Red River was then controlled by the London-based Hudsons Bay Company.

When Canada acquired Ruperts Land from the Hudsons Bay Company in 1869, without consulting the territorys inhabitants, Riel galvanized the residents of Red River into opposition to Canada and formed a provisional government in 1869-70.

Partly because of his governments controversial execution of a Protestant Canadian expansionist named Thomas Scott early in 1870, Riel was banished from Canada for five years and went into exile in the United States.

Charged with treason, executed

While visiting Washington, D.C., in 1875, Riel underwent a mystical experience in which God purportedly anointed him the prophet of the new world. Soon after, his behaviour became increasingly erratic and his Montreal-based uncle, John Lee, and a series of French Canadian Catholic clergy became concerned. Riel was smuggled back to Canada and against his will in 1876, he was interned in two Quebec mental hospitals.

Nearly two years later, Riel returned to the United States and eventually became a school teacher at a Jesuit mission in Montana Territory.

He was still living there in 1884 when a Metis delegation from the Saskatchewan Valley invited him to help prepare their grievances against Ottawa. Riel accepted the invitation and travelled north with his wife and two young children.

This was a fateful journey that would lead to the North-West troubles of 1885, which once more pitted Riel against the Canadian government. Riel was charged with high treason, found guilty by a jury, sentenced to death and hanged in Regina on November 16, 1885.

Evolving image, icon

For decades after his death, Riel was largely perceived by Canadians as a rebel, when he was discussed at all. But his image started to change after the end of the Second World War and by the late 1960s he had become one of the most iconic figures in Canadian culture.

Riel has now been the subject of endless poems, novels, graphic memoirs, films and even a world-class opera, recently remounted and reinterpreted.

Riels transformation was particularly swift in his birthplace, Manitoba, which entered Canada as a province in 1870 and whose name Riel had advocated based on its existing usage grounded in the Ojibway language.

In the mid-1960s, Metis advocate Jean Allard, elected to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly in 1969, began lobbying the provinces leading citizens to have a memorial built to Riel for Manitobas Centennial in 1970.

Thanks to Allards initiative, a monument to Riel by the architect etienne Gaboury and the sculptor Marcien Lemay was unveiled on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislature in 1973.

Allard was successful in gaining support before and after the statues installation, but not, according to his account, with the Conservative cabinet minister Sterling Lyon, who later became premier in 1977. In a letter to the Winnipeg Free Press, published on July 19, 1994, Allard said Lyon told him in 1968 that Riel was a traitor who deserved to hang.

Controversial nude statue

The Gabouray-Lemay statue was subject to criticism from more than one perspective. The main criticism of the modernist monument was that it presented the subject not just as tormented but also naked.

Riels nudity, with its evocation of poverty and mental instability, was especially distasteful and shameful to many contemporary Metis leaders. They mounted a concerted campaign to have Riel portrayed like a statesman, and almost 25 years later succeeded in having the modernist statue replaced with a traditional one by the sculptor Miguel Joyal.

Declared Manitoba founder

Riels triumph would appear to be complete by 1992 when the governments of both Canada and Manitoba declared Riel a founder of Manitoba.

To top it off, in 2008 Manitoba declared the third Monday in February Louis Riel Day. In 2016, Manitoba declared Riel first leader of the province.

But there is evidence that not everyone in Manitoba is enthusiastic about the newly popular Riel. To begin with, the Gaboury-Lemay monument was often the target of violent vandalism, usually aimed at the subjects private parts.

Even more troubling, during the so-called war of the Riel statues, a series of Manitoba premiers discovered that some of the provinces non-Indigenous citizens did not at all approve of their governments sanction of a memorial to Riel, feelings that they had no qualms expressing in rather vitriolic language.

History of celebrating Riels enemies

In retrospect, the backlash against Riels rehabilitation should not have come as a surprise. The fact is that Winnipeg has a history of celebrating, not Riel, but his enemies, from Thomas Scott,

to the Winnipeg Rifles. The Winnipeg Rifles is the Canadian military regiment whose forerunner, the 90th Battalion, fought the 1885 war against the Metis.

According to the regiment, during the 1885 war, the captured enemy (the Metis) called the regiment the Little Black Devils because of their almost-black, dark rifle green uniforms. Today the regiment formally preserves this legend in their iconography, and also uses as its motto Hosti Acie Nominati, meaning named by the enemy force.

The citys very cultural landscape is a reminder that it once venerated different icons, not all of whom have yet been rejected. No wonder that some of its residents are reluctant to embrace other heroes.

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As school districts across New Mexico try to plan for an uncertain future, legislative analysts are looking to the past school year to make determinations about distance learning.

A Legislative Education Study Committee report found that academic gaps between students were likely widened because of varying district responses to school shutdowns across the state.

For instance, 30% of districts had a plan to address students who were falling behind while the others did not.

The reports release came a day after school districts statewide submitted their plans for the upcoming school year to the state Public Education Department.

During a Thursday meeting of the Legislative Finance Committee, PED chief Ryan Stewart testified online that remote learning is not a perfect substitute for in-person learning.

But he said school districts will be better prepared to teach students online than they were after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration announced statewide public school closures in March in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Our plan is to go to full re-entry as soon as its safe to do so, Stewart said Thursday.

After shuttering schools for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, the PED tasked districts with educating students from afar, issuing guidance to move to a pass/fail grading model and to focus on critical standards when teaching.

Chelsea Canada, LESC senior policy analyst, noted that the guidance was a big deviation from the norm, which doesnt come without consequences. What resulted at the end of the school year was a lack of uniformity in the state for continuous learning, the LESC report shows.

Canada said differences in the way plans were offered and implemented may have widened the achievement gap between New Mexicos economically disadvantaged students and their more affluent peers.

And there are some gray areas in terms of whether PED is allowed to make some of the calls it did around instructional time and attendance requirements, among others.

It is unclear whether public school laws and regulations  designed to ensure access to a free education for all children  can be waived by the department during a public health emergency, she said.

In response, a PED spokeswoman defended the agencys handling of the situation, citing federal guidance and a state law that gives the agency secretary the ability to waive the minimum length of school days in certain situations.

At-risk superclass

The LESC report follows findings from the LFC that school closures could result in months to a years worth of learning loss for students.

Achievement gaps are widening in a state that was already found by a New Mexico judge to have failed to provide a sufficient education for all students, especially those who are considered at risk by the landmark Yazzie-Martinez lawsuit.

An analysis of continuous learning plans found the majority of districts had a plan to support students with disabilities, but were less consistent in supporting English language learners.

Just 12% of districts said they had a plan to support Native American students.

During the pandemic, Gwen Perea Warniment, PED deputy secretary, said the department has identified a new superclass of at-risk students who are considered as such because they are struggling to learn in the new environment for a variety of reasons. This could include students who were considered at-risk before COVID-19 but for whom hurdles have mounted.

Some lawmakers have urged education officials to prioritize in-person learning, with Sen. Clemente Sanchez, D-Grants, saying Thursday that remote learning proved problematic in many rural parts of New Mexico after schools were shuttered.

Im just worried about the future outcomes of our students and what theyre losing, he said during Thursdays LFC hearing.

Other lawmakers voiced similar concerns, with Rep. Cathrynn Brown, R-Carlsbad, predicting additional lawsuits could be filed targeting the adequacy of the states education system.

Digital divide

The LESC report found most educators went the digital route to continue teaching. But student access was a key issue that districts had to combat and will have to continue to combat.

The report shows 47% of the states 89 districts provided Wi-Fi hotspots at the school or in the community. That percentage dropped to 20% for the districts that provided Wi-Fi devices to students who dont have home internet access.

The vast majority of districts provided physical learning resources due to the lack of digital access.

Moreover, most of New Mexicos teacher workforce was never trained to use online platforms like Zoom or Google Classroom to effectively deliver basic education services, the report says.

With school re-entry plans varying around the state, PED and many districts have spent money on new technology. The LESC report shows 83% of districts distributed devices to students last school year.

But Stewart acknowledged there could still be gaps. Whats known as the digital divide disproportionately affects low-income students in both rural and urban areas, the LESC report notes.

Kimball Sekaquaptewa, the director of technology at Santa Fe Indian School, testified during a LESC hearing this week the divide is stark. Many Native American families lack regular access to the internet and some families rely on cell phones for the internet, she said.

The digital divide  is now a chasm, Sekaquaptewa said.

Looking ahead

With the school year set to start in most parts of New Mexico in about a month, Stewart said roughly a dozen school districts and charter schools have already signaled their intent to begin with online classes, a number that could grow even higher.

During Thursdays LFC meeting, Hobbs Municipal Schools Superintendent T.J. Parks told lawmakers that his district plans to have younger students and some special education students attend school four days per week, with schools closed one day a week for cleaning.

Older students would only go to school two days a week and do distance learning on the other school days.

But he also said it was important to prioritize the safety of both teachers and students alike.

New Mexico school districts were told to draft back-to-school plans that include ramped-up safety and cleaning, based on PED guidance.

However, the LESC report said the guidance doesnt effectively distinguish between what is required and what is recommended. It also highlights that while PED outlines best practices it doesnt have mechanisms to guarantee follow through.

LESC staff estimate about 17% of the states schools will be unable to accommodate all of their students with six feet of separation.

Even if ample physical space is available to accommodate all students during the hybrid phase, schools may have a difficult time finding sufficient staffing for all classrooms, especially given the current statewide shortage of licensed educators, the report says, among a host of other considerations for the upcoming school year.

While PED officials have also said they plan to expand child-care services to help parents who have to leave home for work, that could prove a difficult task.

Rep. Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences, a former early childhood center director, said Thursday about half of child care centers statewide currently remain closed due to the pandemic.

Ryan Boetel contributed to this report.
A single Australian radio producer has discovered that she was a 'foster girlfriend' for many of her previous lovers, as she explains the new dating trend and how to identify it.

Triple M producer Jana Hocking, 34, came across the term last week when she was social media stalking her ex-boyfriends, only to find they are all now married with a child on the way.

She diagnosed herself as a 'foster girlfriend', who according to Urban Dictionary is a woman who dates men until they find their wife and who doesn't want to be with a man long-term.

Triple M producer Jana Hocking, 34, came across the term last week when she was social media stalking her ex-boyfriends

She diagnosed herself as a 'foster girlfriend', who according to Urban Dictionary is a woman who dates men until they find their wife and who doesn't want to be with a man long-term

Jana, who once claimed she had been single for the past seven years, was 'frantic' about the possibility of being a 'foster girlfriend' and began to look at the 'evidence'.

'It could be argued that I am terrible at texting. I don't have much time for dating if I'm snowed under with work. I can't stand it when a guy stays over and then wants to spend the rest of the day with me,' she told news.com.au.

'I enjoy the cute cuddly part of the relationship minus the responsibilities.'

Jana realised that she isn't concerned about having a child just yet and has a 'long list' of life accomplishments she'd like to achieve before settling down

What defines a 'foster girlfriend'? * Late to reply to text messages or call back after a date. * Enjoy having sex with them but don't want the night to 'linger' into the next day. * Happy to mainly be by yourself with a small sprinkling of dates throughout the week. * Don't talk about long-term plans together. * Not spending a lot of money on the dates you do go on. * Don't necessarily care if you 'look your best' on the date. Advertisement

Jana also realised that she isn't concerned about having a child just yet and has a 'long list' of life accomplishments she'd like to achieve before settling down.

According to research done by Purdue University in Indiana those that are ready to find a lifelong partner will start engaging in an 'active pursuit', something that Jana is not yet doing.

'It could be paying more attention to your appearance, updating your wardrobe, spending money on dates, or actively seeking out a partner,' she said of the study.

'It could be paying more attention to your appearance, updating your wardrobe, spending money on dates, or actively seeking out a partner,' she said of the study

Those that are less interested in finding The One are usually more focused on their career, lifestyle or position in life.

While Jana doesn't feel rushed to make a serious commitment she does note there are two distinct types of daters: Those that are actively dating to find their one true love and those who are dating for fun.

And at the moment she's happily in the second category.
Union Human Resources Development Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' e-launched the world's most affordable RT-PCR based COVID-19 diagnostic kit. It has been developed by IIT Delhi and approved by the ICMR and DCGI.

The Union Minister in a statement said that the kit named Corosure is a step towards the Prime Minister's vision of a self-reliant nation.



Twitter/IIT Delhi

He also said that the country needs cheap and reliable testing for the people which will further help to control the novel pandemic coronavirus. The Corosure kit is much cheaper compared to other kits and the HRD Ministry praised the hard work done by the team from IIT.



The team includes Prashant Pradhan (PhD Scholar), Ashutosh Pandey (PhD Scholar), Praveen Tripathi (PhD Scholar), Dr. Akhilesh Mishra, Dr. Parul Gupta, Dr. Sonam Dhamija, Prof. Manoj B. Menon, Prof. Bishwajit Kundu and Prof. James Gomes.



Also read: IIT Delhi Startup Builds Machine To Clean & Reuse Face Masks To Reduce Waste



TOI

The kit will be available for use by the authorised testing labs and the ministry believes that this step will play a significant role in bringing down the cost of COVID-19 RT-PCR testing. The base price of the RT-PCR testing is Rs 399 and even after the RNA isolation and laboratory charges are added, the cost per test will be cheaper than any other kit which is available in the market.



IIT Delhi has given license to 10 companies to manufacture COVID-19 diagnostic kits using the technology developed by its researchers.



Also read: IIT Delhi's Coronavirus Test Gets ICMR Approval; Can Improve Speed And Reduce Cost

TOI

Also read: IIT Delhi Steps Up Production Of Hand Sanitisers To Cope With Shortage

During the launch of the kit, Prof V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi said, IIT Delhi is thankful for the support it has received from the Indian government, HRD Ministry, Health Ministry and the ICMR for the development and manufacturing of the affordable kit. Our researchers will continue to focus on COVID-19 related research and development to help the country as well as the world in the fight against coronavirus.




European Union leaders face very tough talks over a proposed budget and recovery plan to lift the bloc from an economic crisis sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday, pointing to deep differences.

"We are all going into the talks with a lot of vigor but I must say that the differences are still very, very big and so I can't yet say whether we will get a solution this time already," Merkel said as she arrived at the summit.

"I expect very, very difficult negotiations." (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Roman Kemp has been spotted for the first time since he split from his neuroscientist girlfriend Anne-Sophie Flury.

The radio presenter, 27, confirmed the break-up on Wednesday after three years together.

The star donned an NHS Nike hoodie as he left the Capital studios after his breakfast show.

Heartbreak: Roman Kemp put on a brave face on Friday as he was spotted for the first time since splitting from girlfriend Anne-Sophie Flury

Roman matched the hoodie with a pair of black tracksuit bottoms and trainers for the casual look.

He wore Air Pods and carried a face mask as he made his way home after work.

Roman and Anne-Sophie only moved in together in January but things went downhill during lockdown and they 'weren't able to make things work'.

Lockdown casual: The star donned an NHS Nike hoodie as he left the Capital studios after his breakfast show

Dead air: The radio star had been with Anne-Sophie for three years and had moved in together at the start of the year

Roman met Swiss scientist Anne-Sophie on Tinder - and he is said to already be back on the dating apps to take his mind off the split.

A source told The Sun: 'Roman loved Sophie and things had been going really well for them. But being in lockdown is tough for any couple and they just werent able to make things work, which has been upsetting and tough for them both.

'His pals have encouraged him to move on and have got him on [dating app] Raya, which is packed with attractive and creative women.'

The source also added that he has made a nod to his father Martin's band - Spandau Ballet - on his profile.

'Hes set up a profile with his best photos and has set the music on his page to the song Gold, by his dads band. Hes having fun with it.'

Done! The couple only moved in together in January but according to The Sun things went downhill amid the UK's lockdown

Beauty and brains: Roman met Swiss scientist Anne-Sophie on Tinder

MailOnline has approached Roman's rep for comment.

The couple seemed inseparable until now - even co-owning a pet dog together, called Luna.

Reports believe Anne-Sophie has kept the pooch - who would occasionally appear alongside Roman on Celebrity Gogglebox, but who has been absent of late

Roman took part in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! 2019, and it was Anne-Sophie who flew to Australia to wait for him to come out of the jungle.

In and out: The pair are seen after moving into their new home on January 7

It's always hardest on the kids: The couple seemed inseparable until now - even co-owning a pet dog together, called Luna

He was left famously red-faced in December when Lorraine Kelly asked him, via video link, what he and his girlfriend got up to when they got back to their hotel room.

And on their return from Oz, they posed up a storm in a very cosy magazine shoot for Hello! in which they discussed marriage and children.

Roman said: 'We're both very family-orientated so marriage and kids is a natural progression for us. But before any of that, we want to focus on having fun, exploring the world and making memories.'

He added: 'Every time I see a child, I get broody. Soph is so good with kids and you notice those things when you're in a relationship.'

Anne-Sophie said: 'I knew pretty quickly that I loved him. I wasn't looking to be emotionally invested but it just happened. After a couple of weeks, we both knew.'

The couple had been in a relationship since 2017, and spent eight months of their relationship apart because Anne-Sophie lived in Hong Kong.

Roman had said while on I'm A Celebrity that the couple had been used to spending time apart so weren't worried about him being on the show.

During his appearance, Anne-Sophie had written on Instagram: Im so proud of ur achievements and the exciting places your life is taking you.

'I cant wait to watch your experience in the jungle unfold and to be able to admire your face, your kindness, perseverance and your wit every single day.

'I literally cannot contain my excitement can we fast forward to 9pm already [three laughing face emojis] I love you.'

Roman had told OK! that he would miss her while on the show but that he had no worries about anything because they were so strong.

He said: 'But she's so supportive. We live together so she's going to hold down our little fort until I'm back.'

He was also keen to stress that Anne-Sophie has nothing to worry about in terms of any sort of TV romance.

He said: 'My parents have instilled the value of respect and loyalty in relationships into me.

'Ive seen the best husband in my dad and you cant build something similar if you go on TV and flirt with someone else.'
ASSUMPTION  Displayed prominently on a back wall of Assumptions 1905 Brewing Company is a quote from author Danielle LaPorte.

As the legend goes, when the Phoenix resurrects from the flames, she is even more beautiful than before.

Those words carry special meaning here.

Last week marked the grand re-opening of the 1905 Brewing Company, located at 121 N. Chestnut St., in Assumption. In February 2019, a fire destroyed the original location, down the street at 301 S. Chestnut. The craft brewing business had been opened to the public for less than a year before the fire.

After months of consideration, three of the original owners decided to give the business another try. The first weekend back turned out to be a success, according to co-owner Tom Dooley.

And despite the social restrictions, the crowds were also ready to welcome the business back.

It was really good, Dooley said. It was what we expected.

1905 Brewing Company serves craft beers, as well as ciders, sangria, wine and soft drinks. The business is open on weekends. Food trucks have been invited to join each night.

The staff and facility are ready for social distancing with tables separated 6 feet apart.

Dooley is one of six owners, which also includes his wife, Jackie, and two other couples, Craig and Kathy Collins and John and Joannie Mitsdarffer.

Although Dooley has been a claims adjuster for 30 years, even he wasnt able to determine how last years fire started.

The evidence had basically collapsed, he said. When the burn patterns go, its hard to determine the cause.

The original 1905 Brewing Company was in a building that previously housed the areas weekly newspaper, The Golden Prairie News. The building was constructed in 1905, serving as the inspiration for the brewing company's name.

Dooley and other owners decided to create a craft brewing business after attending a meeting on how to revitalize small towns. They concentrated on beautification, events and festivals, agriculture and retail development, a focus for Dooley and the other owners. They studied old buildings, including the location of the original 1905 Brewing Company. A brewery was one of the ideas. However, money was needed to get the business off the ground.

And we knew nothing about running a brewery, Dooley said. But I liked the idea.

The process took a year before they could open the business to the public. Within another year, the owners were back to where they started after the devastating fire.

Three items survived. An American flag and the original 1905 dated sign are now part of the new business. And a keg of Amber Ale was consumed two weeks after the fire. We cleaned it up and chilled it, Dooley said. It was good.

The new building is bigger and better, Dooley said, with improved sound quality and more barrels and storage. The brewery doubled in size to nearly 4,000-square-feet. Outdoor seating is also available.

The building has touched of the community throughout. Much of the wood counters, walls and doors are made from recycled Assumption and Moweaqua barns and other buildings. The names of the beers have local connections as well, such as Smoking Coal Yard after the coal business from years ago, Raider Red after the Central A&M school mascot, and Hopped Up Hearse after co-owner Collins, the towns mortician.

Bell Ringer is enjoyed during a toast each evening. At 7:05 p.m., every night the business is open, the bartender rings a ships bell. Thats 19:05 in military time, Dooley said.

The business is also located across the street from the Assumption Military Memorial.

Thats a big part of who we are, Dooley said. Military and police matter. Were thankful for them. And were going to continue to honor them.

Even with all of their challenges, the owners already have loyal customers.

Dan Davis, 64, along with his wife, was one of the original owners before the fire. During the decision to rebuild, he decided not to be part of 1905 Brewing Companys future.

We realized how much work it was, he said. We were getting too old for that. It was an opportunity to step aside and let the younger ones have it.

Although he no longer has a partnership, Davis said he still appreciates the business. Im one of their biggest fans, he said.

The owners and staff are important to the business. And it shows to their customers.

They didnt do this for themselves as much as they did this for the community, Davis said. And they make fantastic beer.

Jackie Robley said she appreciates seeing the community coming back to the local business. She described the atmosphere of the previous 1905 as cozy. The new location has a similar feeling. Its just as friendly as it ever was, she said.

Robley admits she is not a craft beer connoisseur, but does have her favorites. And I love the people and the crowd, she said.

She said she tries to be at the business at 7:05 with a glass of the Bell Ringer. I love being there for the toasts, she said.

History photos: Decatur Brewing Co.

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

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Luke Boyea, Managing Director availed himself of an opportunity to clear the air on a numbers of rumours, suppositions levelled at the station.

Listeners to the popular local radio station GHoy97.1 FM would have noticed major changes in the stations on air personality line-up.





Managing Director Luke Boyea sought to give some clarity to what led to these changes, in an interview hosted by Vincentian podcasters Jagger Ranks and DJ Krash.





The wide ranging interview provided Boyea with the opportunity to weigh in on the current economic and political climate.





He dismissed the suggestion that tax breaks would have helped in staving off the adverse impact resulting from the economic fallout occasioned by Covid-19.





"If they [Vincentian government] had forgone things like PAYE [Pay As You Earn] that could have made a difference; if they had forgone VAT [Value Added Tax] that could have made a difference; if they had cut electricity prices that would have made a difference. But a tax break at this time wouldnt make any difference because a tax is something you pay in the future, Boyea posited.





Pay cut  stay home options





As for the "impression that his company laid off what amounted to over 50% of its on-air work force, he responded with, "Thats slightly, uh, thats incorrect well we didnt lay off anybody. We asked for a salary discount, a temporary salary discount  sorry  a reduction, and it was agreed by everybody. Later it was decided by a number of the staff that they didnt want to do that.





Reports are that the management offered the employees the choice of accepting a 60% pay cut or 2 months off without prejudice. Several of the staffers who opted to go home have not returned as part of the stations broadcast schedule.





In addressing the situation that led to the controversial pay cut proposal and the subsequent developments, Boyea said, "What had happened, in March we were already experiencing a massive decline in advertising revenue..... Brewery had basically stopped advertising, Coreas had stopped  all the main advertisers had pulled back  .





" We forewarned the staff that this was happening, which they would have been able to see themselves because theyre running the ads. And we had a meeting with everybody and said, we are facing a massive decline in advertising revenue and its going to be unsustainable for the company to keep paying everybody at their current rate.





"So we offered a  or suggested a lower amount, a reduction; it was accepted.  with the reduction taking place in April. Then in early May, some of the staff came and had like a surprise meeting  an ambush meeting might be a better term  and said that they werent happy with it and some other grievances came up in the process .





A walk-out





An allegation that the entreated pay cut was not asked of all staff was addressed as were requests for increased salaries amongst other issues in that meeting. But, as Boyea put it, "They walked out, leaving me with no staff for the 1 oclock til 4 shift, no staff for the 4 til 7 shift and no staff for the 7 to 10 shift . So basically how I saw it, it was a kind of sabotage .





According to Boyea, those who stayed - Too Cool Kris, Blaze, Alex, Bones  stepped up and did double shifts.





The Hot 97.1 SVG boss described his reaction to the alleged walk out as "shocked, since he thought he had a solid relationship with his staff, particularly with some of the more senior people.





Boyea also took time out to address purported rumors that he had a "rough and tumble relationship with the former host of the drive time shift, Supadawg Pitbull.





He rubbished the supposition that he "always wanted to get rid of him  an allegation he said Pitbull "suggested to him.





"I told Pitbull if that were true, youre late six/seven times per month, I could have gotten rid of you within a month. Three letters and you would have been gone. But the point and the truth is I never wanted to. Why would I want to fire Pitbull? He was number one.




In his second week in office, the new president of Malawitheologian and former Assemblies of God leader Lazarus Chakwerahas called on the African nation to join in three days of prayer and fasting against the spread of the coronavirus.

Despite the challenges of the current circumstances, with the pandemic taking a significant economic toll on one of the worlds poorest countries, Christians across the region are hopeful about Chakweras leadership.

He pledged in his inauguration speech: With your help we will restore faith in having a government that serves; not a government that rules, a government that inspires, not a government that infuriates, a government that listens, not a government that shouts but a government that fights for you and not against you.

The pastor spent more than 20 years as the head of one of the countrys largest denominations, the Assemblies of God, before he entered politics as the Malawi Congress Party leader in 2013. In the presidential election held last month, following more than a year of political protests, Chakwera won with 58 percent of the vote. It was the first time in Africa that a court-overturned vote resulted in the defeat of an incumbent president.

Describing his political ambitions as a divine calling, Chakwera said, God spoke to my heart. He said, I am not pulling you out of ministry. Instead I am extending your ministry. I want you to get into politics.

The new president has repeatedly targeted the corruption, nepotism, and injustice that has plagued his country and said he wants to work for economic progress that allows everyone to prosper.

Christians dream for a better country and an improved leadership, said Matilda Matabwa, secretary general of the Malawian Assemblies of God. We expect to see and experience the birth of a new nation, and are excited to have a highly respected man of God as the head of state.

The 65-year-old leader had trained with the ministry Haggai International, attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and worked in partnership with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, whose president Franklin Graham congratulated him on Twitter.

Chakwera taught at the Pan African Theological Seminary and the Assemblies of God School of Theology, where he also served as chair. Over 80 percent of the population in Malawi is Christian.

Christian leaders in Kenya have also voiced their support, according to a report by Nairobi-based reporter Tom Osanjo for Religion Unplugged.

Edward Munene, head of the International Christian Center in Mombasa, called Chakwera a focused, wise, eloquent and godly man, and said, I believe he will lead this nation as a leader of integrity, leading with wisdom and the humility to take Malawi forward.

Leo Kinuthia, a pastor with the International Christian Centre Nairobi, a Kenyan Assemblies of God church, said the Malawians have spoken clearly and loudly by electing Chakwera, and may Africa learn from you what it means to lead with a servants heart.

This week, Agenzia Fides reported that Chakwera asked for prayers for the healing of those affected by the virus; for the protection and support of frontline health workers in the struggle; for the protection and zeal of those who have not contracted the virus.

The three days of prayer and fasting conclude Sunday with a national Day of Thanksgiving.
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VALLEY COTTAGE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / CreditRiskMonitor (OTCQX:CRMZ). NOTICE IS HEREBY that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of CreditRiskMonitor.com, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company") will be held on July 28, 2020 at 9:30 am ET. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on June 12, 2020 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting or at any adjournment thereof.

As a result of the COVID-19 restrictions put in place by the State of New York, the Annual Meeting will be held telephonically by means of remote communication. The conference call details are as follows:

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The Company also collects a significant amount of trade receivable data on both public and a select group of private companies every month, to help subscribers determine payment performance.

Over 35% of the Fortune 1000 plus over 1,000 other large companies worldwide depend on CreditRiskMonitor's timely news alerts and reports featuring detailed analyses of financial statements, ratio analysis and trend reports, peer analyses, bond agency ratings, crowdsourcing of risk professionals as well as the Company's proprietary FRISK and PAYCE scores.

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Asking for a CBI inquiry into the death of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, her boyfriend, actor Rhea Chakraborty joined the chorus on Thursday. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that the Mumbai police are capable of handling the death case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, ruling out the possibility of a CBI probe in the case.

The untimely demise of actor Sushant Singh Rajput has shocked the entire country.

Asking for a CBI inquiry into the death of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, her boyfriend, actor Rhea Chakraborty joined the chorus on Thursday.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that the Mumbai police are capable of handling the death case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, ruling out the possibility of a CBI probe in the case.

Also read: Raat Akeli Hai: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte starrer promises a gripping thriller

Also read: National College and AquaKraft launch Indias 1st Covid response & resilience oriented Swachh skill development course

A CBI inquiry would help bring justice to the case, although she has complete faith in the government, said Chakraborty. She demanded the inquiry to understand what pressures prompted Rajput to take the extreme step of suicide.

Chakraborty earlier requested the cybercrime cell to look into rape and murder threats she was receiving ever since Rajputs death, with social media users blaming her for his suicide.

Sushants fans have been demanding a CBI probe into his death.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has also written a letter to the PM Narendra Modi and has demanded a CBI inquiry.

Anil Deshmukh said that he has the tweets and the campaign. He said that in the case, the angle of business rivalry was also examined by the police.

No foul play was suspected so far by Mumbai Police in relation to Sushants suicide, said Anil. Mumbai police were conducting a detailed inquiry into the actors death and also recording statements of people concerned. Details of the investigation will be shared once it is completed, he said.

On June 14, Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide in his Bandra apartment in Mumbai.

Sushant was suffering from depression, according to the reports.

Also read: No plan to shut: Tirupati Temple after 140 staffers test Covid positive

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London: Princess Beatrice got married in a private ceremony on Friday, with her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in attendance, Buckingham Palace said.

Beatrice married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at The Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge, Windsor. The monarch, the Duke of Edinburgh, and other close family members attended.

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi when their engagement was announced. Credit:Getty Images

Guidelines in place to stop the spread of COVID-19 were followed, the palace said.

Beatrice, the daughter of Prince Andrew and his former wife Sarah Ferguson, had originally planned to marry the property tycoon on May 29 in the Chapel Royal at St James' Palace. The ceremony was postponed because of the pandemic.
The risk of dying from coronavirus increases significantly depending on your age, with those over 65 over 18,000 times more likely to die than those under 20.

Epidemiologists from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health studied data from Geneva, Switzerland to calculate the likelihood of dying from Covid-19.

For those aged 10 to 20 the risk of dying from a coronavirus infection is three in a million but for those over 65 it goes up to about 60,000 in a million, figures show.

The team say that as Geneva has an 'effective health care system' that was able to cope with the surge in demand from Covid-19 their figures are a 'best care scenario'.

They said their findings suggest doctors, specialists and governments should work on an age specific approach to treating the virus and its spread.

For those aged 10 to 20 the risk of dying from a coronavirus infection is three in a million but for those over 65 it goes up to about 60,000 in a million, figures show. Stock image

The spike in the risk of death for those aged 65 and above is staggering, researchers working on the Geneva study explained.

It goes from a 0.14 per cent risk of death for people aged 50-64 who have been diagnosed with coronavirus to 5.6 per cent for those aged over 65.

To put this into a wider context, the average risk of death for someone who has been diagnosed with Covid-19 is 0.64 per cent, the authors explained.

Johns Hopkins researchers, with support from University of Geneva looked at the infection fatality risk (IFR) - an average number of deaths per infection.

This measure is used globally and is key to characterising the severity of infection across the population and for specific demographic groups.

To date, few empirical estimates of the IFR for SARS-CoV-2 have been published owing to challenges in measuring infection rates, the team explained.

'Outside of closed, closely observed populations where infection rates can be monitored through viral surveillance, we must rely on indirect measures of infection, such as antibodies,' according to the study authors.

To create the IFR rates in this study they used representative seroprevalence - that is the level of the virus in the population - studies combined with death counts.

From February 24, to June 2, 2020, there were 5,039 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 286 reported deaths within Geneva, which has a population of 506 765.

'We inferred age-stratified IFRs by linking the observed number of deaths to the estimated number of infected individuals from each group,' they explained.

A lot of the deaths in Geneva happened in long-term care facilities, according to Andrew Azman from the research team.

He said this may have had an influence over estimates of age-specific death risk and so the data used in the study may not be representative of the wider population.

'Our estimates of the age-specific infection fatality risk from Geneva are likely on the lower side of what we may expect globally given that the health system was able to cope with the influx of COVID-19 patients with planned surge capacity,' he said.

The spike in the risk of death for those aged 65 and above is staggering, researchers working on the Geneva study explained

Of the 286 reported deaths caused by SARS-CoV-2, the youngest person to die was 31 years old, the authors found during their study.

Infected people aged 2049 years had an IFR of 0.0092 per cent, which increased to 0.14 per cent for those aged 5064 years and to 5.6 per cent for over 65s.

OVER 65s FACE THE GREATEST RISK OF DEATH FROM CORONAVIRUS Age 5-9: 0.002 per cent

Age 10-19: 0.0003 per cent

Age 20-49: 0.009 per cent

Age 50-64: 0.14 per cent

Age 65+: 5.6 per cent SOURCE: JOHNS HOPKINS Advertisement

The figures from Geneva are similar to the risk of death from coronavirus infection for England, although the specific data isn't entirely compatible.

The UK figures seemed to show a 0.007 per cent death risk for under 20s, going to 0.5 for those aged 20 to 69 and 6.4 per cent for over 70s.

'Estimates of the IFR are key to understanding the true pandemic burden and for comparing different risk-reduction strategies,' the study authors wrote.

'The IFR is not solely determined by host and pathogen biology, but also by the capacity of health systems to treat severe cases.'

The team said that despite Geneva having the highest per-capita Covid-19 infect rate in Switzerland, its health system was able to cope with the intensive care peak.

It did this 'while maintaining care quality standards', the team explained.

'As such, our IFR estimates can be seen as a best-case scenario with respect to health system capacity.

'Our results reveal that population-wide estimates of IFR mask great heterogeneity by age and point towards the importance of age-targeted interventions to reduce exposures among those at highest risk of death.'

Details have the study have been published in the Lancet.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 18:40:43|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Friday that Lebanon insists on the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, a statement by the presidency reported.

"We insist on the return of Syrian refugees to safe areas in Syria and the Syrian government has welcomed this move while it's been offering needed support for returnees," Aoun said during his meeting with head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation to Lebanon Christophe Martin.

The flow of Syrian refugees to Lebanon weighed heavily on the country's economy and infrastructure, prompting Lebanese officials to urge the international community for support in guaranteeing the return of refugees. Enditem
A Metropolitan Police officer has been suspended and another place on restricted duties after "disturbing" footage emerged of a man being restrained on the ground shouting "get off my neck" in north London.

Police were called to a fight in Isledon Road, Islington, north London, at around 6.30pm on Thursday.

Footage posted on social media showed two officers holding a handcuffed man, who is black, on the pavement.

The force had said a video showing part of the incident "looks very concerning" and it has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

At the start of the clip, one of the officers appears to be using his knee to control the suspect and has his hand on his head.

The struggling man on the ground can be heard shouting: Get off meget off my neck, I aint done anything wrong, get off my neck.

One of the police officers is heard asking him: Are you going to behave yourself?

He then tells him to stay down, before standing up and asks onlookers who are filming the incident to "move back". Another clip shows more police officers arriving at the scene.

Marcus Coutain, 45, will appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on Saturday charged with possession of a knife in a public place.

The Twitter user who shared the footage said: "Absolutely disgusting, my sister is in this video witnessing police brutality and them kneeling on this black mans neck. He is clearly not a threat and is in cuffs."

On Friday Sir Steve House, Deputy Commissioner, said: The video footage that I have seen today and is circulating on social media is extremely disturbing. I understand that many viewing the footage will share my concern.

The officers are seen restraining the man on the pavement

The man involved was arrested, taken to a police station and has now been seen by a police doctor

Some of the techniques used cause me great concern  they are not taught in police training.

We have quickly assessed the incident, including the body worn video footage from the officers and their statements and justification for their use of force. As a result we have referred the matter to the IOPC.

"One officer has been suspended and another officer has been removed from operational duty, but not suspended at this time. This decision will be kept under review.

We will co-operate fully with the IOPC investigation.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was "deeply concerned about this distressing incident", adding he has raised the incident with senior Met Police officers "as a matter of urgency".

"I welcome the fact the incident has been reviewed quickly by the Met and its right that they have referred it to the IOPC," he said.

"I look forward to a swift and thorough independent investigation, with all decisions made public. Its crucial our police service continues to earn the trust of the communities it serves."

Scotland Yard said a man, who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of affray and possession of an offensive weapon, remains in custody at a central London police station.

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds tweeted: This an extremely concerning incident.

"It is right that it is quickly referred to the IOPC and an officer has been suspended.
PHOENIX (AP)  A former Arizona prosecutor known for winning a conviction in the Jodi Arias murder case agreed Friday to be disbarred in an ethics case in which he was accused of leaking the identity of an Arias juror and sexually harassing female law clerks in his office.

Juan Martinez agreed to give up his license to practice law, ending the ethics case that was scheduled to go to trial in November.

Even though he still disputes the allegations, Martinez said in a court filing that I no longer desire to defend the charges but wish to consent to disbarment.

The State Bar of Arizona, which regulates lawyers and was seeking discipline against Martinez, said the outcome was just. Earlier this week, Martinez suffered a defeat when the Arizona Supreme Court reinstated the sexual harassment allegations after a lower court had dismissed them.

In the ethics case, Martinez was accused of leaking the identity of a juror in the Arias case to a blogger with whom he was having a sexual relationship and lying to investigators about it.

The ethics complaint also alleged Martinez would stare at the chests of some female employees in the county prosecutors office and look them up and down as they walked away. It said some female employees would hide in the bathroom, duck into cubicles or engage in busy work to avoid encountering Martinez.

Two years ago, Martinez was reprimanded by then-Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomerys office for inappropriate and unprofessional conduct toward female law clerks. Montgomery now serves on the state Supreme Court.

Martinez was fired earlier this year after 32 years as a prosecutor and was appealing his termination.

Martinez didnt immediately return a phone message seeking comment on the disbarment. His attorney, Donald Wilson Jr., said the disbarment does not represent an admission of misconduct on his part nor can it be interpreted as an adverse judicial finding as to any of the allegations.

Earlier this year, Martinez was reprimanded by the state Supreme Court for violating an ethical rule at three other death penalty trials. The court had concluded that Martinezs efforts to elicit sympathy for victims and fear of defendants, and his failure to follow court rulings had jeopardized the integrity of the legal system.

Story continues

Arias is serving a life sentence for her first-degree murder conviction in the death of Travis Alexander at his home in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa.

Martinez was criticized for writing a book about the Arias case and for his courtroom tactics, such as disregarding court rulings by repeating questions after a judge had overruled them.

In a sidebar conversation among lawyers and the judge during the Arias trial, Martinez profanely told one of the defense attorneys that if he was married to her, hed kill himself. He apologized after an objection was made.
A crash took place on the A1 Trier motorway, between Potaschberg and Mertert, shortly after midnight. Two people suffered injuries as a result.

Shortly before 11.30pm, there was an electrical fire at Arcelor Mittal in Differdange. No one was hurt.

One person was injured after their car went into a ditch between Kayl and Rumelange, around 11.15pm.

A car crashed into a post on rue Berwart in Esch-sur-Alzette at 10.15pm, injuring three.

In Bettembourg, a person was knocked down by a car in the Krakelshaff industrial zone, shortly after 7pm.

Finally, there was a fire in a field on rue de Hellange, Peppange, around 6pm on Thursday. No injuries were reported.
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We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So before you buy or sell Funding Circle Holdings plc (LON:FCH), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.

What Is Insider Buying?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise'.

Check out our latest analysis for Funding Circle Holdings

Funding Circle Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Chairman Andrew Learoyd for UK51k worth of shares, at about UK1.14 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of UK0.72. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. It is encouraging to see an insider paid above the current price for shares, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels. Andrew Learoyd was the only individual insider to buy shares in the last twelve months.

You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

Story continues

Funding Circle Holdings is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insider Ownership

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Funding Circle Holdings insiders own 9.3% of the company, worth about UK23m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Funding Circle Holdings Tell Us?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Funding Circle Holdings shares in the last quarter. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders own shares in Funding Circle Holdings and we see no evidence to suggest they are worried about the future. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. While conducting our analysis, we found that Funding Circle Holdings has 2 warning signs and it would be unwise to ignore these.

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

More than a million Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, indicating that companies are cutting more jobs as the coronavirus scythes through the Sunbelt and some of the nation's most populous states.

Layoffs in Florida, Georgia and California rose by tens of thousands, the Labor Department said Thursday in its weekly report. The number of laid-off workers seeking assistance remained stuck at 1.3 million. It was the 17th consecutive week that jobless claims surpassed 1 million.

Infections are rising in 40 states, and 22 states have either paused or reversed efforts to reopen their economies, according to Bank of America. The rising number of virus cases threatens to push what appeared to be a recovering nation into critical condition.

Applications for aid paralleled rising infections geographically. Claims in Florida doubled to 129,000, and in Georgia they rose nearly one-third to 136,000, according to the Labor Department report. In California, they increased 23,000 to nearly 288,000. Applications also went up in Arizona and South Carolina.

"Conditions in the labor market remain weak, and the risk of mounting permanent job losses is high, especially if activity continues to be disrupted by repeated virus-related shutdowns," said Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics.

The number of people seeking jobless aid shrank in New Jersey and New York and in another hot spot, Texas, a state that hammered by job cuts this year in the energy sector.

There was a surprisingly strong report Thursday from the Census Bureau on retail sales.

While sales climbed 7.5 percent in June, private credit card data shows that those gains stalled toward the end of the month as new clusters of infections emerged.

The country has entered a phase in which businesses and consumers alike are adjusting to the perpetual risk of viral outbreaks. Retailers are already relying on skeleton crews.

"This is my biggest nightmare that we would open and re-close small businesses," said Sandy Sigal, president and CEO of NewMark Merrill Companies, which runs 85 outdoor lifestyle centers in California, Colorado and Illinois.

Sixty of the centers are located in California, which just re-closed gyms, nail salons and other "nonessential" businesses statewide.

BC-US-Virus Outbreak, 7th Ld-Writethru,0967

More than 1M Americans seek help as companies cut more jobs

More than a million Americans sought unemployment benefits last week

AP Photo transref:NENH101, transref:NYSB336, transref:NYSB337, transref:NYAG902, transref:NYAG901, transref:NENH107

Eds: EDITS: This version updates the story summary and does minor editing throughout.

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER

AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP)  More than a million Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, indicating that companies are cutting more jobs as the resurgent coronavirus scythes through the Sunbelt and some of the nation's most populous states.

Layoffs in Florida, Georgia and California rose by tens of thousands, the Labor Department said Thursday in its weekly report. The number of laid-off workers seeking assistance remained stuck at 1.3 million  a stunning number that, while lower than the previous week, illustrated the devastation wrought by widespread shutdowns. It was the 17th consecutive week that jobless claims surpassed 1 million.

Infections are rising in 40 states, and 22 states have either paused or reversed efforts to reopen their economies, according to Bank of America. The rising number of virus cases threatens to push what appeared to be a recovering nation into critical condition.

Applications for aid paralleled rising infections geographically. Claims in Florida doubled to 129,000, and in Georgia they rose nearly one-third to 136,000, according to the Labor Department report. In California, they increased 23,000 to nearly 288,000. Applications also went up in Arizona and South Carolina.

"Conditions in the labor market remain weak, and the risk of mounting permanent job losses is high, especially if activity continues to be disrupted by repeated virus-related shutdowns," said Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics.

The number of people seeking jobless aid shrank in New Jersey and New York and in another hot spot, Texas, a state that has been hammered by job cuts this year in the energy sector.

There was a surprisingly strong report Thursday from the Census Bureau on retail sales, though there is trouble below the surface there as well.

While sales climbed 7.5% in June, private credit card data shows that those gains stalled toward the end of the month as new clusters of infections emerged.

"While today's report gives the illusion of a fearless consumer spending lavishly, the reality is more sobering: Consumers are increasingly fearful amid new spikes in COVID-19 cases and a looming fiscal cliff," said Lydia Boussour, senior U.S. economist at Oxford Economics.

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

The country has entered a phase in which businesses and consumers alike are adjusting to the perpetual risk of viral outbreaks. Retailers are already relying on skeleton crews.

"This is my biggest nightmare that we would open and re-close small businesses," said Sandy Sigal, president and CEO of NewMark Merrill Companies, which runs 85 outdoor lifestyle centers in California, Colorado and Illinois.

Sixty of the centers are located in California, which just re-closed gyms, nail salons and other "nonessential" businesses statewide. Bars in Texas are again shuttered because of surging infections. Pennsylvania this week ordered restaurants to operate at only 25% capacity.

According to an analysis of credit cards by JPMorgan Chase, consumer spending, the largest driver behind the U.S. economy, began to stall at the end of June.

The total number of people who are receiving jobless benefits nationwide dropped 400,000, to 17.3 million last week, the government said, suggesting that hiring in some regions could offset some of the job losses in states with surging COVID-19 cases.

But huge U.S. companies continue to lay off people. American Airlines warned its workers Wednesday that it may have to cut up to 25,000 jobs in October because of sharply reduced air travel. Airlines are barred from layoffs until then as a condition of federal aid they have received. American followed United Airlines, which warned 36,000 of its employees last week that they may lose their jobs.

The uncertainty of what comes next is heightened by the pending expiration of many of the government support programs that have shored up the finances of both businesses and families.

The government's small business loan program, known as the Paycheck Protection Program, will stop taking applications Aug. 8. More than $500 billion has already been loaned, and more than half of small companies that got loans say they have spent all the money, according to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business. Nearly a quarter say they have laid off workers or expect to do so once the funds run out.

And an extra $600 in weekly unemployment benefits provided by the federal government on top of regular aid from the states will expire this month, unless replaced or extended. Those funds, along with the $1,200 relief checks sent out in April, enabled millions of Americans to stay current on housing costs and bills.

More than 13.5 million people have been infected worldwide and over 580,000 have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are thought to be far higher for a number of reasons, including limited testing.

Meghan McGowan, 30, lost two jobs when the pandemic intensified in mid-March, one as a full-time librarian in Detroit and a second as a substitute at a different library system to help bring in some extra cash.

She is currently making more from unemployment than she earned at her previous jobs, but she is prepared to return to work even though she worries about the health risks. Detroit is a viral hot spot.

The looming expiration of the $600 is nerve-wracking for her because the hiatus on her student loans will end this fall, and she has an auto insurance bill due.

"Before when I was working through grad school, I worked in restaurants so that had always been my backup plan, but that's not an option now," she said.



Associated Press Personal Finance Writer Sarah Skidmore Sell in Portland, Oregon, and AP Retail Writer Anne D'Innocenzio in New York City contributed to this report.
An accident that injured an Adams County sheriffs deputy illustrates the importance of drivers moving over when police have someone stopped on the side of the road, Illinois State Police and Adams County Sheriffs Department representatives said Friday.

During a news conference, Adams County Deputy Javier Lofton described what happened while he conducted a traffic stop July 9 on a road between Pike and Adams counties. A vehicle traveling south hit Loftons squad car, which then hit both Lofton and the car that was stopped.
New Canaan First Selectman Kevin Moynihan emphasized in his Thursday update to residents about the coronavirus in the town that the low number of positive cases from the virus in town should be expected, but residents should not become complacent about it, especially with recent reports to the Health Department of parties where young people did not observe social distancing.

One such party was in Waveny Park, according to Moynihan.

Last week, we had several reports of parties in town and at Waveny Park that caused concern for our Health Department, Moynihan said.

Moynihan urged parents to urge young people to help limit the spread of the virus by socially distancing from others, wearing face masks, and frequently washing or sanitizing hands.

I urge parents to caution their teens, and young adults to not be irresponsible, and avoid large gatherings, and wear masks when around others. New Canaans record of success in avoiding viral infection is due to the personal responsibility that we took in the spring to have seniors stay safe at home, social distance when in public, and wear (face) masks when indoors in public, or in close contact with others, and also frequently washing, or sanitizing hands when in contact with public surfaces like handrails, and doorknobs. Stay safe, New Canaan, Moynihan said.

New Canaan has 189 cumulative reported positives since March. Darien has 219 cases of the virus. Wilton has 230 cases. Westport has 318. Greenwich has 853. Norwalk has 2100, and Stamford has 3,348.

New Canaans total includes 35 residents who died from COVID-19. The residents were principally elderly seniors with compromised health conditions, Moynihan said.

The town has 236 positive cases of the virus. This includes 40 people who work but dont live in town.

This should not be alarming to our residents. In summary, we should be comforted by our relativ(ly) low cumulative number of cases of local infections. But we should not be complacent. This pandemic is not over for New Canaan, Moynihan said.

RELATED: New Canaan First Selectman Kevin Moynihans recent update to the towns residents for Thursday, July 17, 2020

Moynihan also spoke about a new strategy that the town has for reporting data about its cases from the virus, and its tracing of them.

Thank you for your continued interest in my reporting on coronavirus cases and their tracing. We have attempted to find a balance in reporting  providing more frequent reports when we have new data, and less frequent when we see our community in compliance with donning of (face) masks, and social distancing. Please know that we are following the progression of this disease daily. It is also important to note that we take great pride in the fact that our towns Department of Health has the most up-to-date and accurate numbers. We encourage you to review the towns website for updates as they are timely and consistent. There is a lot to be extraordinarily proud of, Moynihan said.

Moynihan also spoke about the results of the towns Community Testing Program, and how it relates to the total number of cases from the virus in the town.

In this context it is important to realize that our Community Testing Program in June of nearly 3,200 residents, and town employees, and an additional 173 residents tested this past Monday, (July 13, 2020), with DOCs Urgent Care produced fewer than 10 total positive, and presumed positive cases, Moynihan said.

Moynihan reminded residents that a spike of the virus has not been detected in local cases of the virus since restaurants in the town began indoor dining again, and its gyms, and formerly non-essential businesses also (re-opened for Phase 2 of Connecticuts Phase 2 re-opening plan after June 20, 2020. (Some re-opened June 17, 2020, just prior to Fathers Day weekend, and Fathers Day, which was on June 21, 2020).

Moynihan also compared the tally to where the cases from the virus were coming into the town from.

As I reported last Friday evening, our Health Director does not see a spike in local cases after the June 20 re-opening of many formerly non-essential businesses, but rather a handful of cases arising mainly from travel of residents, or visitors from hotspot states, or visitors from neighboring towns, and predominantly younger persons. No seniors have been among the recent cases, Moynihan said.
When I read that Philadelphia Managing Director Brian Abernathy, who was deputy managing director under Mike DiBerardinis during my nine-month tenure as deputy executive director of the Mayors Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, said he hopes a Black woman succeeds him in this incredibly powerful position, I bristled.

To be a Black woman in a leadership position with the City of Philadelphia is frustrating on a good day, traumatic on a bad one. This isnt to say it cant be done. During my brief time in city government, I worked with some tremendous Black women at the commissioner, deputy, and director levels. But the Black women who filled these roles in the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity while I was deputy there are gone. Gone from that agency, and all but one gone from city government. During our time working for the city, I, with my fellow Black women colleagues, cried tears of rage as we were forced to navigate gaslighting and silencing baked into the workplace culture. One former boss told me that 33% of the job was putting up with the bullst and that if I didnt like it, I was free to leave. I did.

While it continues to attract the talent of Black women (because we love Philadelphia), the swamps that Black female city employees must wade through to be effective and impactful in their positions must be acknowledged, drained, and reconciled. This must happen before we hand the fallout from brutal clashes with a racist Police Department, a global pandemic, and education and economic crises (among a host of other decades-deep community traumas) to a Black woman and ask her to fix it. Lets be clear: The pain that so many Philadelphians are experiencing right now, the lack of housing, the rage and deep grief because racism is still killing us, the fear of a pandemic that has spun out of control  this is the dumpster fire awaiting the next Black woman to hold this position.

 READ MORE: Managing Director Brian Abernathy to resign so different voices can lead in Black Lives Matter era

The citys work culture is one where 1) Black femme leadership is not intentionally developed or cultivated, 2) Black femme leaders are often pushed out of city government altogether, and 3) politicking and back-scratching result in the promotion of men to positions well above their executive capacity, restricting access to roles with greater decision-making power and influence. I ask: How is a Black woman supposed to succeed in this environment? Especially at this moment in time.

Do I want to see a Black woman appointed as managing director of the City of Philadelphia? Absolutely. I believe that Philadelphians will benefit from the unique and exceptional experience that she would undoubtedly bring to the role  because Black women have a unique and exceptional experience (so you can sit down with that but all experience matters).

But first, we need to acknowledge that whoever she is, wherever she is, she is not set up to succeed. Black women are more critically evaluated under conditions of organizational failure, and Black women leaders are more unfairly judged as ineffective when organizations perform poorly. The weight, pressure, and expectation lacing Abernathys comment does not set her up to be an effective leader. The racism and sexism, that which is overt and that which is hidden behind the walls of cubicles and in squashed HR complaints, has not set her up to win. The world has not set her up to win.

 READ MORE: Philly Managing Director Brian Abernathy to resign following criticism of city response to protests

So, Mayor Kenney, recognizing the odds  which I hope we can agree are generally stacked against Black women  and what our community truly needs to pave a path forward through this terrifying time and amid abysmal examples of leadership across the nation: What are you going to do to ensure the success of your new managing director? How will you invest in the Black women in your administration to ensure that the next Black woman in this position wont be the last?

Cassie Haynes is co-executive director of Resolve Philly, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing journalism built on equity, collaboration, and the elevation of community voices and solutions. She has a background in community organizing, public policy, and nonprofit leadership, and is passionate about journalisms vital role in creating a fair and just society.

Editors note: A previous version of this piece erroneously stated that if a Black woman is named as Brian Abernathys replacement, she would be the citys first Black woman managing director. This is incorrect. The Inquirer regrets the error.
The police chief in Behbahan, a southwestern Iranian city where the first of what appears to be a new round of protests took place Thursday evening, says security forces used their "might" to disperse the protesters.

Speaking to the official news agency IRNA on Friday 17 July, Behbahan Police Chief Mohammad Azizi claimed, "the protest was against the economic situation," but insisted only "a small number of people" took part.

Videos shared on social media show hundreds of people rallying in various places in the city, particularly at the venue of last Novembers protests, while the police attacked the crowd with tear gas.

The police chief warned the protesters both Thursday evening and Friday morning that the crackdown might be heavy-handed.In November, the security forces shot protesters in the head or heart at point blank in various cities including Behbahan. Various sources put the casualty toll of November protests between 230 to 1500, but the Iranian government has still not released the official figures of the violent crackdown.

Although disruption in Internet connection stopped the flow of fresh videos from Behbahan and Shiraz, where most protests took place Thursday night, the videos that made it to social media platforms show clashes with the police and gun shots heard at least in one video.

The police chief says the slogans were against the norms of the society, which is the official jargon to describe demanding regime change. "Being ruled by clerics, we don't want - we don't want" was one of the most frequently chanted slogans in Behbahan while other protesters answered: "The Islamic Republic, we don't want - we don't want."

Other slogans included "Neither Gaza, nor Lebanon, my life for Iran," which is a slogan against the Islamic Republic's regional ambitions. One of the most stinging slogans that must have annoyed the officials was: "Mullahs should get lost."

The police chief warned once again that the people should avoid joining any gathering and said that "protests will be dealt with forcefully."

Various reports from Iran said that tight security measures were in place and massive security presence was observed in Tehran, Isfahan, Mashad and Shiraz from mid-day on Thursday as the police anticipated some kind of protests following the "promotion" of Dont Execute hashtag on Twitter by over nine million social media users in less than two days.

The amplification of anti-execution messages on social media was initially meant to reverse the death sentence issued for three young men arrested during the November protests, but gradually it turned into a remembrance of all those who have been executed by the Islamic regime in Iran since 1979.

The government's response was the same routine practice that has taken shape since the post-election unrests in 2009: Heavy riot police presence and cutting off the internet to deprive protesters of an effective means of mobilization and messaging, as well preventing news and images being shared.

According to the international Internet Shutdown Observatory NetBlocks, the Iranian government restricted Internet access in Khuzestan Province from around 10 PM local time.

In the meantime, the Iranian Human Rights News Agency HRANA reported from Behbahan that Farzaneh Ansarifar, a young woman whose brother was shot to death during last November, has been arrested Thursday nights. At least 10 demonstrators were killed in Behbahan in November.

Arrests have also been reported in the Province of Khorasan Friday morning. The local police accused those arrested in Mashhad, the provincial capital, of "spying, encouraging others to take part in protests, acting against national security and disrupting public order through social media platforms."

The IRGC in Mashad charged that those arrested in the city were inked to "belligerent groups but did not elaborate.

In Shiraz however, the IRGC intelligence announced that it has arrested a team "affiliated with the Mojahedin-e Khalq" opposition group. The IRGC did not say how many were arrested but said that those arrested "had come to the Fars Province for sabotage in a part of Shiraz."

Iranian officials, particularly President Hassan Rouhani have been preoccupied with the fear of recurring protests following massive demonstrations against deteriorating economic conditions in 2018 and 2019 which threatened the regime's existence and eroded its legitimacy to a great extent, particularly as the government's violent crackdown on protesters led to international disgrace for the Islamic system.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has been quoted earlier as having said that protesters might take to the streets as a result of financial problems created by U.S. sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic. His health minister Saeed Namaki suggested that Rouhani's priority should be keeping the population safe from the virus while also looking for a solution for the economic problem.
I am a 39-year-old mother of five who until four years ago was in perfect health, or so I thought. Soon after my twins were born in 2016, my mother found me unconscious in a parking lot at work. The day-to-day activities of my life were about to change significantly. Id have episodes of speech loss and facial numbness. I was diagnosed with a horrible and painful rash. On any given day I could be in an ambulance on my way to the hospital. I went to the emergency room more times than I can count. I had $37,000 worth of testing done by my doctors over a two-week period. We were desperate to find the cause. I saw so many doctors and specialists, it was dizzying, until finally a rheumatologist diagnosed me with Behcets disease.
China has enforced what officials called 'the strictest' anti-virus measures on the capital city of Xinjiang as the region braces for a looming COVID-19 outbreak.

Urumqi, a city of 3.5million in China's western Uighur region, recorded five new confirmed cases today after registering its first COVID-19 infection in five months on Thursday.

Fears of a new virus crisis have arisen as the government has shut down the city's only subway line and the shuttle bus services to the airport. Around 200 flights in and out of the city's international airport have reportedly been cancelled today.

Urumqi, a city of 3.5million in China's western Uighur region, recorded five new confirmed cases today after registering its first COVID-19 infection in five months on Thursday. The file picture taken on June 21 shows a group of Uighur women working at a garment factory in a resettlement area in Yecheng county of China's Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region

Urumqi, a city of 3.5million in western China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region, recorded five new confirmed cases today after registering its first COVID-19 infection in five months on Thursday

The news comes after Hong Kong is battling what officials called 'a third wave' of infections that has topped previous surges of cases.

In Urumqi, all air passengers must show a negative result from their nucleic acid testing - which detects the existence of the virus - carried out in the past seven days before being allowed to board flights to and from the city, according to multiple Chinese airlines.

Beijing has also been hit by a local coronavirus outbreak linked to a seafood market since mid-June, despite the majority of the nation appears to have contained the crisis.

Xinjiang had reported a total of 76 COVID-19 cases since January. The autonomous region had stopped registering new cases from February 18.

After reporting zero infections for five months, the Urumqi officials recorded a new confirmed case on Thursday, a 24-year-old female retail worker, who developed a sore throat last Friday and was sent to hospital via ambulance.

She was diagnosed as a confirmed COVID-19 infection on Wednesday after testing positive for the virus, said the local health authorities yesterday.

Officials also confirmed three asymptomatic patients who had close contacts with the woman.

China has enforced what the provincial officials called 'the strictest' anti-virus measures on the capital city of Xinjiang as the region braces for a looming COVID-19 outbreak. The file picture taken on June 17 shows workers making a type of traditional baked pancake at a poverty alleviation workshop in Keping County, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China

After reporting zero infections for five months, the Urumqi officials recorded a new confirmed case on Thursday, a 24-year-old female retail worker, who developed a sore throat last Friday. The file picture shows an aerial view of the western Chinese city Urumqi in Xinjiang region

Following the first confirmed infection, the provincial officials have imposed 'the strictest' measures to battle the looming new COVID-19 outbreak.

Xinjiang's Communist Party committee said in a meeting on Thursday: '[We] must resolutely cut off the channel of transmission, focus on key people and key areas, take the most determined, decisive, and strictest measures to ensure that all investigations and inspections are conducted to resolutely curb the spread of the epidemic.'

The officials also pledged to 'strictly implement prevention and control measures' by tightening control of citizens travelling in and out of the region.

Areas with a dense population, as well as communities and neighbourhoods will be closely monitored.

Following the first confirmed infection, the provincial officials has vowed to launch 'the strictest' measures to battle the looming new COVID-19 outbreak. The file picture taken on June 18 shows workers at a garment factory in Aketao county of the Uighur region Xinjiang

The city's transport authorities announced to shut down the subway in a statement yesterday, said Chinese media. But the post appears to have been removed from its social media page. The file picture taken on June 17 shows a worker carrying nang, a traditional bread, at a poverty alleviation workshop in Keping county, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in western China

'[We must] strengthen the control of crowded places, the grid management of communities and villages, and carry out stringent screening in the fever clinics of hospitals,' the government said.

The city's transport authorities announced to shut down the subway in a statement yesterday, said Chinese media. But the post appears to have been removed from its social media page.

The government also activated an emergency mechanism to provide sufficient amount of produce supply in the city's food markets, reported Chinese media.

The transport group of Changji, a city bordering Urumqi, has reportedly suspended all routes and ordered its staff to undergo nucleic acid testing.

On Friday, the government reported another five new confirmed infections, bringing the total active cases to six. Eight new asymptomatic cases were also registered.

A total of 135 people are under quarantine for medical observation, the authorities say.

It remains unclear if all the patients are linked to the same infection cluster or source.
On July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, violating the ceasefire in the direction of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in the Tovuz region, subjected the positions of the Azerbaijani army to artillery fire, after which they made an unsuccessful attempt to seize the border section of the Azerbaijani territory. In the course of further battles, villages and civilian objects on the Azerbaijani side of the border were repeatedly shelled. In connection with the latest provocation committed by Armenia in the Tovuz region, Vestnik Kavkaza spoke with a military expert Uzeyir Jafarov.

- What is the current operational situation on the border, and can the events of the last days develop into a full-scale war?

- Today the situation in the zone of recent hostilities was calm. However, it became known that yesterday, under the leadership of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, a meeting was held, where Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan and the new Chief of General Staff Onik Gasparyan were present, and it looks like the Armenian side is planning a new provocation.

The events of June 12 were also preceded by certain steps by the Armenian side: Armenian President Armen Sarkissian visited the occupied territories, and former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan visited the border regions. There he was presented with a map, to which only the first persons in the military administration have access. I would like to note that Seyran Ohanyan was mired up to his elbows in the blood of Azerbaijani servicemen and civilians when he was the commander of the second battalion of the 366th motorized rifle regiment of the United CIS Forces, which during the Karabakh war took an active part in the occupation of Azerbaijani lands and massacres, including in the massacres of the peaceful population of Khojaly. That is, he has some experience in creating provocations in Karabakh and in the border regions.

Meanwhile, if until recently the Armenian side stubbornly denied losses in manpower, then yesterday the head of the press service of the Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan admitted the loss of two officers, two conscripts. Today they are already talking about ten wounded and seriously wounded servicemen. That is, this is the tried and tested method of the Armenian side, tried back in April 2016, to first declare that they have no losses, and then gradually disclose the information.

This time the Armenian side must answer for its crimes. In this battle, we lost high-ranking officers of the Azerbaijani army, General Polad Gashimov, Colonel Ilgar Mirzoyev and other officers. Therefore, I think that the Azerbaijani side will not leave these crimes of the Armenian military unanswered ...

At the same time, much will depend on the actions of the Armenian side. They are interested in the tension developing not only into local battles, but into battles that can last for several days. I personally do not see anything good for the Armenian side. The weapons they have are very weak compared to those that Azerbaijan has. Do you remember how the Armenian side was offended by Israel because it sold to Azerbaijan kamikaze drones, which, by the way, are now also used in this direction. There is documentary footage when our drones hit the stronghold of the Armenian armed forces, not only manpower was destroyed, but also the infrastructure, military equipment, cars.

In short, there are incommensurable differences between the capabilities of the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia. It is difficult for me to understand the actions of the Armenian commanders, who, knowing about the advantage of the Azerbaijani side, conduct such a crazy policy, go to provocations.

- For what heights are battles going on, and what is the benefit for Armenia from getting these heights?

- In the village of Agdam (not to be confused with the regional center of Agdam), there is one height, which makes it possible to control the railway, as well as the main road of the Tovuz region. Tovuz is one of the largest regions of Azerbaijan, so in this case it is also difficult for me to understand the Armenian military leaders, who know perfectly well that this is the territory of Azerbaijan, and not a neutral area. How can you strive for this height?

I believe that Armenia made a gross mistake by committing this crime on the territory of Azerbaijan. To be continued. There will be losses both from the Azerbaijani side and from the Armenian side. In the near future, provocations can be expected in different areas. For a long time there has been no disturbing news from the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic. This time the Armenian nationalists also violated the ceasefire there, although they know the capabilities of the Nakhichevan Separate Arms Army. They are sufficient to carry out a very voluminous work in a short time due to the Kasyrga missile launchers purchased from Turkey, as well as from Belarus.

Nikol Pashinyan's experiments this time will end in tears for him. I say this not as an Azerbaijani or a skeptic, but as a professional military man who analyzes the capabilities, forces and means.

The Armenian side hoped for the CSTO, but the CSTO has no mandate on Karabakh. They have a mandate on Armenia - if Azerbaijan attacks Armenia (though Azerbaijan never had a desire to attack Armenia).

The CSTO understands Pashinyan's "cunning". He recently came "from the street" to the political arena and thinks that smart, literate people will fall for his bait. It will not happen. Thank God, the world already understands everything, everyone knows. Azerbaijan is supported by Turkey and Pakistan. I was pleasantly surprised by yesterday's statement by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Iran actively supports Armenia, even in some cases of separatists, but yesterday's statement by the minister suggests that Iran already understands that Azerbaijan has one task in this matter - to put an end to the bacchanalia that Armenia is creating in the region.

- Do all the posts now remain in the hands of Azerbaijani units?

- Our servicemen did not retreat a single step from their positions. But from the Armenian side such misinformation is launched that one is simply amazed! How can you say that they allegedly took some heights on Azerbaijani territory? Even if it is theoretically assumed that they took it, is it possible to gain a foothold there? They show some kind of primitive trenches, as if some kind of posts, some kind of positions are being equipped. But this is ridiculous! It is impossible to do anything against the weapons that Azerbaijan has. Armenia simply had the task of using a third force - the CSTO. This, too, did not work for them. The gamble that was started by Pashinyan failed.

- According to your observations, what was the nature of the battles? Was it trench warfare or was the enemy trying to maneuver?

- On the 12th, the Armenian side began shelling. After the retaliatory shelling followed, they suffered losses, and when the kamikaze drones were involved, they realized that this time they would receive a strong blow, which happened. Then they tried to transfer hostilities from the Tovuz region towards Gazakh, to the village of Khanlyglar. This did not work either. Then they started shooting at civilians, not only at the military. They launched misinformation that Azerbaijan was allegedly shelling the city of Berd, although there was no such thing. They didn't even present any evidence. Previously, they tried to somehow fabricate facts, allegedly shot down some kind of drone. They showed that this drone belongs to Azerbaijan, but this time there was no such thing ... Yesterday, they probably explained that the further, the worse. Therefore, it is now relatively calm. But I think that the tension will return in the coming days, and there will certainly be losses.
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Envoys of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), who arrived Wednesday in Bamako met Thursday with leaders of the Movement of 5 June-Rally of Patriotic Forces (M5-RFP), the presidential movement, members of the Supreme Court, representatives of the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) and the outgoing Minister of Territorial Administration, Boubacar Bah, to work out a solution to the Malian crisis, PANA learned from official sources
Adau Mornyang, 25, (pictured) made international headlines after being hauled off a flight in 2019

A Sudanese-Australian model who was charged with assaulting a flight attendant mid-air has revealed the traumatic details of her time behind bars.

Adau Mornyang, 26, was hauled off a flight on January 21 2019 after she lashed out at a crew member.

She was sentenced to three years probation and 100 hours community service over the 'wine-fuelled' assault.

But she was locked up again in September after being arrested by Immigration and Customers Enforcement officers in the US for allegedly breaching her visa.

She eventually returned to Australia a free woman on December 21 after being released from the Bergen County Jail in New Jersey, where she spent four months.

Ms Monyang (pictured) has revealed how she got experienced some of her darkest moments in the United States penitentiary system

Ms Monyang has revealed how she got experienced some of her darkest moments in the brutal American prison system.

'You are basically stuck there with your thoughts,' Ms Monyang told the Herald Sun.

'At night, when you're lying in bed, all you hear are other girls crying because that's all you can do. It felt like every day, it was somebody else crying. You just took turns.

'They treated me like I was less than human. Then, after being locked in a cage like an animal, you're suddenly thrown back into society, like: "Go and fend for yourself!"

She was locked up with 24 other women in a small unit who were all awaiting a chance to plead their case to stay in the United States.

The Miss World Australia finalist revealed she contemplated suicide during those tough times, but was able to stay strong with the support of the other women.

The model (pictured) was locked up with 24 other women in a small unit who were all awaiting a chance to plead their case to stay in the United States

She said her daily life was dull and repetitive - involving tasteless meals, cleaning and other menial tasks.

But the thought of returning home to Australia and sharing her story gave her hope.

Since being deported she has signed up with Duval Agency in Brunswick, Melbourne.

She has big plans for her return, including reconnecting with her biological mother in Sudan, finishing her studies and running modelling classes for disadvantaged young women.

A court in Los Angeles heard that during her mid-flight row, the model ordered 'several glasses of wine' on the 2019 United Airlines flight.

The Miss World Australia finalist (pictured) revealed she contemplated suicide during those tough times, but was able to stay strong with the support of the other women

She was then cut off from drinking more, the court heard, yelled obscenities and racial slurs, slapped the flight attendant and had to be handcuffed by an air marshal and held at the rear of the plane.

The court heard passengers first began complaining about Ms Mornyang's 'erratic behaviour' around eight hours into the flight, and when flight attendant Romeo Gutierrez tried to calm her down she put her left index finger near his face and suddenly 'smacked' him.

An air marshal escorted her to the back of the plane and put her in handcuffs.

The judge noted that about two hours before the plane landed in LA, Mornyang was allowed to use the bathroom, but she stayed inside for 45 minutes and would not leave.

Marshals had to carry her out and 'while they held her arms and legs, she allegedly kicked' one of the marshals in the chest, the court heard.
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Britons have taken to the beach, parks and newly reopened lidos as temperatures across the UK soar to 84F on one of the hottest days of the year.

Temperatures will stay high over the weekend despite the onset of a cold front bringing patches of rain at some points.

Delighted sunbathers were seen flocking to Lyme Regis beach in Dorset while early-morning exercise enthusiasts took to Clapham Common to make the most of the high temperatures before they drop next week.

Met Office charts show temperatures of 72F in the south by Tuesday - though its long-range forecast shows any warmer weather will be 'short-lived' until at least mid August.

Sunbathers and holidaymakers flock to the beach at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset on a day of scorching hot sunshine

A couple sunbathe at the beach in Dorset while the UK experiences extraordinarily high temperatures of up to 84F today

Britons are set to bask in 84F heat while temperatures soar and are set to make a perfect weekend before the rain is due to sweep in next week. Pictured: A woman enjoys the sun on Clapham Common

A cold front is slowly sinking in, meaning patchy rain at times, despite the highs, before a drop in temperatures into next week. Pictured: A woman doing yoga on Clapham Common

Brothers Myles, 12, and James, 16, jump into Lymington Sea Water Baths on the first day of the lido reopening in Lymington, Hampshire

Finn Collingwood, 14, jumps into Lymington Sea Water Baths on Friday as the UK is set to see temperatures soar to 84F

And farmers have been making the most of the fine weather to harvest their bumper crop of lavender as the UK looks forward to a warm weekend. Pictured is a lavender field in Norfolk

Flocks of children were seen taking to Lymington Sea Water Baths in Hampshire on Friday as it reopened for the first time during coronavirus lockdown.

The lido is the oldest and largest in the UK. Swimmers have to book a time slot online and numbers have been restricted to around 100 swimmers a day, 10 per cent of its usual capacity.

A band of rain will move from Scotland and Northern Ireland into the north of England later today but sunnier skies are set to follow.

Those looking to have a Friday-night barbecue in the south of England and Wales will be in luck as it is set to see the hottest temperatures.

Met Office Nicola Maxey that those in the southeast have a 'hot day to come' on Friday, with highs of 84F.

Ms Maxey said despite the highs today in the south, Scotland will be a mixture of 'sunny spells and showers', with temperatures set at about 18C.

'There will be showers throughout the weekend, most likely in Scotland and northern England.'

Lymington Sea Water Baths is the oldest and largest lido in the UK, and have reopened to the general public today. Pictured are brothers James, 16, and Myles, 12

People visit the beach in Bournemouth as parts of the UK enjoy warm weather

Security guards are seen patrolling the busy beachfront on Bournemouth on Friday as temperatures soar across the UK

A woman is spotted rowing along the River Thames in Maidenhead, Berkshire, in the sunlight on Friday morning

Other sailors and rowers were spotted taking advantage of the soaring temperatures in Maidenhead, which is currently experiencing highs of 74F

A man is spotted taking a jog without any shoes on while basking in the sunlight on Clapham Common

She said that while Friday is likely to see the hottest temperatures of the weekend, but Saturday will still be very warm at 82F.

Things will start to cool off on Sunday as a cold front pushes in from the north and sees temperatures drop to about 70F.

Rain may return tonight in central parts of the UK but it will be clearer in the north. The south of England is likely to stay dry and warm into tomorrow.

Wales, northern and central England will see more rain tomorrow while sunny skies are set to stay in the south.

Those in Scotland and Northern Ireland should expect showers with some sunny spells.

More rain will be spotted on Sunday all over the country but is likely to dry off and reveal some sunny skies afterwards.

Farmers have been making the most of the fine weather to harvest their bumper crop of lavender as the UK looks forward to a warm weekend.

Piera Annalise, 28, enjoys a day on the beach as she takes selfies along the Bournemouth coastline

Claire Piddington and her son Isaac, three, were spotted making sand castles on Bournemouth beach on Friday morning

Met Office charts show temperatures of 72F in the south by Tuesday - though its long-range forecast shows any warmer weather will be 'short-lived' until at least mid August. Pictured: A woman exercising on Clapham Common

Pictured are two women making the most of the glorious weather and taking to Clapham Common for a bit of exercise

Growers at Norfolk Lavender near Hunstanton were out in their 100 acres of lavender fields as England looks set to see highs of 84F today.

Norfolk Lavender was founded in 1932 when three men and a boy planted 13,000 lavender plants on six acres of land in 18 days for a total of 15.

The purple lavender has been harvested every year since and the oil is distilled to make perfumes and cosmetics.

Norfolk Lavender now houses the national collection of more than 100 varieties.

A woman is seen on a jog in the bright sunlight on Friday morning on Clapham Common

Lavender was first introduced to Britain by the Romans and during medieval times it was grown in the monasteries for culinary and medicinal use.

During Tudor times its popularity increased and England was covered in acres of lavender fields.

The Victorians used the plant as perfume scent and for flavouring honeys, jams and custard.

Cosmetic companies such as Yardley later fuelled the growing trend by producing hundreds of gallons of lavender oil.

Growers at Norfolk Lavender (pictured) near Hunstanton were out in their 100 acres of lavender fields as England looks set to see highs of 84F today

By World War One lavender had become the most common antiseptic and it was also used to disinfect hospital walls, but it slowly went out of fashion with scientific advancements.

Soon cheaper lavender was being imported from Provence and Britain's fertile lavender fields were gradually flattened to make way for new buildings.

Over the last decade lavender has seen a revival in England with more people using its essential oil to treat a wide range of conditions from migraines and skin complaints to stress, depression, tension and exhaustion.
The taxpayer stands to miss out on hundreds of millions of pounds after the Crown Estate sold a historic 15th century plot of land for just 12.5million.

Taylor Wimpey has made moves to build a new town on 1,000 acres of the Orchard Portman Estate in Somerset which could boost the value of the land to more than 500million.

But if the housebuilder gets planning permission, the Crown Estate, which owns property and land all over Britain on behalf of the Queen and returns its profits to the Treasury, will not receive a penny.

Taylor Wimpey has made moves to build a new town on 1,000 acres of the Orchard Portman Estate in Somerset which could boost the value of the land to more than 500m (file picture)

MPs and campaigners said the deal was an 'absolute disgrace' and called for the Government's spending watchdog, the National Audit Office (NAO), to intervene.

The land in question was part of a 3,400-acre estate on the edge of the Blackdown Hills near Taunton  owned by the Portman family since Walter Portman married Christina Orchard in 1440  which was sold through property agent Savills in 2018.

Taylor Wimpey bought the lion's share of the land, 1,100 acres, including the jewel in the crown  Orchard Portman farm  for 12.5million.

The Crown Estate failed to add a clause allowing it to recoup any uplift in the value of the land, meaning the Treasury will not benefit if the development goes ahead.

Richard Holden MP, a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), said: 'The fact that it appears that the custodians of the Crown Estate screwed up on such an epic scale with public money on very basic elements is absolutely unbelievable.

'An immediate investigation is required. I'm certain that both the NAO and PAC will want to look at this as a matter of urgency.'

Ian Liddell-Grainger, a Conservative member of the cusiness committee, said: 'I think it's an absolute disgrace what is happening in Taunton. It is particularly appalling because it is 16,000 houses  the value for money just isn't there.'

The industry's regulator, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), is investigating the role of Savills in the deal over an alleged conflict of interest.

Within weeks of the sale, the estate agent was advising Taylor Wimpey how to get planning permission for 16,000 homes, documents obtained the Freedom of Information Act reveals, which could generate more than 3billion in revenue.

A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey said 'we strongly refute any allegations of wrongdoing in relation to the land acquisition.

'This was a competitive open market sales process and we believe our terms offered the best value in the market at the time.

'We are currently at the very start of what will be a lengthy process of promoting the land through the Local Plan before seeking planning permission for the land.

'At this very early stage we have no firm plans for how many homes and other community facilities we could deliver.'

A Savills spokesman said they are 'confident there was no conflict of interest given its role and the nature of the advice provided and it acted in accordance with RICS requirements'.

A Crown Estate spokesman said: 'We're looking into this matter.'
Last year, after police had placed Elijah McClain in a chokehold, then handcuffed him, paramedics injected him with a dose of ketamine, a powerful sedative. They said he "appeared to be" exhibiting signs of "excited delirium"; he subsequently went into cardiac arrest and died. Earlier this year, police officers in Tacoma, Wash., cited excited deliriumin in the case of another unarmed black man, Manuel Ellis, who died in custody. And as Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck for the final moments of his life, a fellow police officer said, "I am concerned about excited delirium or whatever." This may be part of Chauvin's defense against murder charges.

Across the United States, police officers are routinely taught that excited delirium is a condition characterized by the abrupt onset of aggression and distress, typically accompanying drug abuse, often resulting in sudden death. One 2014 article from the FBI's Law Enforcement Bulletin describes "excited delirium syndrome" as "a serious and potentially deadly medical condition involving psychotic behavior, elevated temperature, and an extreme fight-or-flight response by the nervous system."

How often is excited delirium invoked? It's unclear, but in Florida at least 53 deaths in police custody were attributed to it over the past 10 years. One study showed that 11% of sudden unexplained deaths in police custody in Maryland from 1990 to 2004 were attributed to excited delirium. The American College of Emergency Physicians published a controversial position paper in 2009 stating its consensus that excited delirium is a valid disease, associated with a significant risk of sudden death.

But excited delirium is pseudoscience. It's not a concept recognized by the American Medical Association or the American Psychiatric Association. It isn't a valid diagnosis; it's a misappropriation of medical terminology, and it doesn't justify police violence.

While delirium is a well-recognized diagnosis frequently seen and treated by neurologists and psychiatrists, excited delirium is not. Delirium is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as an acute, fluctuating disturbance in attention and cognition, typically provoked by an underlying medical condition such as infection, drug intoxication, a medication's adverse effects or organ failure. It can have "hyperactive" or "hypoactive" features, meaning that patients may be agitated or drowsy, or may move between these states. A typical case might be seen in an elderly man admitted to a hospital with a urinary tract infection, who over the course of a day or two becomes confused (e.g. unable to understand where he is or recognize family members) and starts sleeping throughout the day and getting agitated overnight. Delirium is not associated with sudden unexpected death.

Excited delirium, on the other hand, stems from an 1849 description by Luther V. Bell in the American Journal of Insanity. Bell looked at 40 patients admitted with "fever and delirium" to the psychiatric facility at McLean Hospital in Boston. Proponents of the excited delirium diagnosis refer back to Bell's description as historical data, but the cases he studied did not involve deaths occurring in the span of minutes to hours, but rather two or three weeks after admission. While it is not possible to retrospectively diagnose these patients, it's likely that many of them suffered from forms of infectious or autoimmune encephalitis.

Charles V. Wetli, a forensic pathologist, first used the phrase "excited delirium" in 1985 to explain a series of sudden deaths in cocaine users, occurring primarily in police custody. Wetli also used the term to describe the deaths of 32 black women in Miami during the 1980s, proposing that a combination of cocaine use and sexual intercourse had led to their demise. He posited that, with chronic cocaine use, "the male of the species becomes psychotic and the female of the species dies in relation to sex," stating, "My gut feeling is that this is a terminal event that follows chronic use of crack cocaine affecting the nerve receptors in the brain." Later, however, police attributed the deaths to a serial killer, and evidence of asphyxia was found upon reexamination of the corpses.

Despite these shaky origins and the lack of grounding in medical science, this concept - of a febrile, agitated state often culminating in death - has persisted, advanced by law enforcement. The features of this purported condition, as listed by the American College of Emergency Physicians, betray its entanglement with law enforcement, including "bizarre behavior generating phone calls to police," "failure to respond to police presence" and "continued struggle despite restraint." Several analyses have found that the majority of deaths attributed to "excited delirium" are associated with the use of physical restraint. Some emergency-medicine doctors who are proponents of the diagnosis have been criticized for having conflicts of interest with the stun gun industry. And the manufacturer of Tasers has helped popularize this diagnosis to help attribute Taser-associated deaths to other possible causes.

The syndrome is disproportionately diagnosed among young black men, highlighting the racist undertones of the reported clinical symptoms: having "superhuman strength" and being "impervious to pain." It winds up being a convenient scapegoat cause of death after a violent confrontation. Or it becomes a justification for police aggression that may be unwarranted. There is reason to believe that it increases the risk of police encounters turning fatal. When officers are taught that traditional tactics such as "pepper spray, impact batons, joint lock maneuvers, punches and kicks" are "likely to be less effective" against suspects with excited delirium, as the American College of Emergency Physicians paper suggests, they may resort to more aggressive maneuvers, such as knee-to-neck chokeholds or hogtie restraints. According to a 2012 article published by the Force Science Institute, at one police training seminar in Illinois, a police veteran described excited delirium suspects' "imperviousness to pain" and recommended responding with force that is "fast and overwhelming, with a vascular neck restraint possibly considered as part of the package." The result can be a tragic paradox: an apparently terminal "condition" that can be treated only with the escalation of force, inevitably increasing the chances that it will be fatal.

The other justifications for this "diagnosis" also fail to pass scientific muster. Some proponents of excited delirium point to the accumulation of "heat shock protein 70" in the brains of affected individuals. But this is also seen in deaths associated with cocaine use and is not evidence of a unique diagnosis. Others cite cases of extreme responses to stimulant use and emotional duress, such as heart failure and cardiac arrest, but these cases are not associated with agitation or altered consciousness. At any rate, cardiac stress responses are much more common in older, postmenopausal women, not in younger black men, who aren't a particular risk for this kind of stress response but are disproportionately likely to be killed in police encounters.

Excited delirium implies that there is a medical condition that predisposes certain individuals, often black men, to die in police custody. It draws upon aspects of real medical conditions such as delirium, psychosis, drug intoxication and sudden cardiac death. But it manipulates them to form a broadly applicable blanket diagnosis that serves the interests of law enforcement and absolves officers of accountability.

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O'Hare is a neuromuscular fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Budhu is a neuro-oncology fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Saadi is a general academic neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.
Data security experts are warning Australian researchers working on coronavirus vaccines and treatments to remain vigilant as global hackers try to access their work.

Industry insiders said Australia's world-leading research made it a target for state and non-state actors, with experts warning hackers aren't just looking for vaccine and treatment blueprints, but also for information about supply chain logistics, including plans for vaccine production and information on strategies for procuring supply.

The University of Queensland, which is working on developing a coronavirus vaccine candidate, says it has not seen any evidence of attempts at cyber breaches in recent months. Credit:University of Queensland

"Researchers are on the front lines: they will be targeted because they are the ones developing new ideas, new capabilities and, in a pandemic, the possible solution," said Professor Lesley Seebeck, chief executive of the Cyber Institute at the Australian National University.

"Australia has research and trials underway that will be of interest to bad actors, both state and non-state."
An incoming Greens senator who lives in Melbourne has called for every asylum seeker to be released immediately so they don't catch coronavirus from an infected guard or each other.

Lidia Thorpe, who next month replaces former Greens leader Richard Di Natale in Parliament, made the controversial call as the number of active COVID-19 cases in Victoria surged by a record 428 in 24 hours.

Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge has reacted angrily, describing her campaign as 'unacceptable from a person who will soon take a seat in the Australian Senate'.

A guard at a Melbourne hotel detaining asylum seekers last week tested positive to coronavirus, sparking calls from the Greens, left-wing activist group GetUp! and the Refugee Action Collective for all asylum seekers to be allowed to live in the community.

'We're putting them in danger by keeping them in close quarters with people exposed to COVID-19 and refusing to let them have the space to self-isolate,' Ms Thorpe told Daily Mail Australia.

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An incoming Greens senator who lives in Melbourne has called for every asylum seeker to be released immediately so they don't catch coronavirus from an infected guard. Lidia Thorpe (pictured) made the controversial call as the number of active COVID-19 cases in Victoria on Thursday surged by a record 428 in just one day

'Let's be sensible and do what's right for everyone in the community, listen to the health professionals and help each other stay safe.'

Ms Thorpe is campaigning to have all asylum seekers released after a guard at the Mantra Bell City hotel at Preston, in Melbourne's north, tested positive to COVID-19 on July 11.

Trent McCarthy, a Greens councillor in the Darebin local government area, is moving a motion next week calling on the council to 'boycott all activities held at Bell City and other Mantra facilities while refugees and asylum seekers are held in prison-like conditions'.

Australian Border Force Commissioner Michael Outram said this Mantra guard had not worked there since July 4 and did not develop symptoms until several days later.

The 67 men in detention at the Mantra were last year moved there from Nauru and Manus Island under the short-lived 'medevac' laws - backed by Labor, the Greens and independents - allowing them to be brought to Australia to receive medical treatment.

Of the 184 transferred to Australia, 45 were found not to be genuine refugees.

Ms Thorpe suggested the men detained at Preston 'had to fight to open their windows just a little bit'.

'They had to fight for a few centimetres of fresh air. This isn't right. They've been here for nine months and they still haven't received any medical attention,' she said.

Mr Tudge, who also lives in Melbourne, reacted angrily to her call for asylum seekers to be released based on the argument they could contract coronvirus.

'Either Ms Thorpe knows this and is lying to the Australian people, or she has not bothered to look into the facts,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Friday.

'This is unacceptable from a person who will soon take a seat in the Australian Senate.

'No detainee in any immigration detention facility anywhere in Australia has tested positive to COVID-19.'

Mr Tudge also rejected the Greens's accusation the detainees kept in the Mantra hotel had been denied medical care and barred from opening windows.

'No one has been refused medical care or treatment. At both the hotel detention facilities in Melbourne,' he said.

'The windows at both the hotel detention facilities in Melbourne are able to be opened to allow fresh air and all rooms, including communal activity spaces have windows.'

Ms Thorpe is campaigning to have all asylum seekers released after the Refugee Action Collective revealed a guard at the Mantra Hotel at Preston in Melbourne's north had tested positive to coronavirus. Pictured are protesters on the roof of that hotel in May demanding their release

Ms Thorpe is echoing left-wing activist group GetUp!'s call for 760 immigration detainees to be released from Broadmeadows in Melbourne's north and Villawood in south-west Sydney, in cities with higher numbers of coronavirus cases.

Mr Tudge has accused GetUp! and the Greens of colluding to undermine Australia's border protection.

'It should come as no surprise that GetUp, like Labor and the Greens, want to see foreign criminals and illegal boat arrivals settled permanently in the Australian community,' he said.

Labor in government scrapped offshore processing at Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea in 2008, only to revive the Manus Island centre in 2013 when Kevin Rudd was briefly reinstalled as prime minister.

The party frontbench, however, hasn't sought to abolish mandatory detention of asylum seekers, despite calls from sections of Labor's hard left.

Ms Thorpe (pictured in Melbourne in July 2018) is echoing left-wing activist group GetUp!'s call for 760 immigration detainees to be released from Broadmeadows in Melbourne's north and Villawood in south-west Sydney

Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge has accused GetUp! (online campaign pictured) and the Greens of colluding to undermine Australia's border protection

During his first stint as PM, Mr Rudd gave in to pressure from the left faction, leading to the number of asylum seeker boats surging from 21 in 2007 to 4,597 by the time Julia Gillard overthrew him in 2010.

By 2012, during Labor's last full year in office, the number of illegal boats had soared to 18,365, prompting Mr Rudd in 2013 - during his second, brief stint as PM - to declare asylum seekers arriving on boats would never settle in Australia.

The Greens nonetheless remain resolutely opposed to mandatory detention and argue Prime Minister Scott Morrison's government had no legal right to lock them up under the United Nations's 1951 Refugee Convention.

'Something we need to remember when we're talking about refugees is that, according to international law, seeking asylum is not a crime,' Ms Thorpe said.

'The Morrison government has no grounds to keep these people locked up.

'They're not criminals. They're not dangerous.'

Ms Thorpe said residents at Northcote in Melbourne's north had volunteered to house asylum seekers now in detention.

'We have so many volunteers in Northcote that have said that these men have a room to go to when they're free,' she said.

'Why deny anyone the opportunity to self isolate and flatten the curve in our communities?'

Greens leader Adam Bandt, who is also the member for Melbourne, in April called for the men detained at the Mantra hotel to be released.

His immigration spokesman Senator Nick McKim this week argued the asylum seekers should be released because 'the virus will spread like wildfire if it gets a foothold in immigration detention facilities'.

'The Mantra hotel is simply not suitable for safe detention as genuine social distancing is impossible with multiple men sleeping in the same small room,' he said.'

'This is literally a life or death issue for detainees who are arbitrarily detained under ministerial whim.'
Going back to school means learning lessons and facing tests. Ontario will soon face a crucial test of whether it has learned from the mistakes and successes of other jurisdictions in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in schools.

There are plenty of examples of countries around the world that reopened schools for in-class instruction without significant increases in new cases of the novel coronavirus among students, teachers and staff, including Denmark and Finland.

There are also countries where significant outbreaks occurred in schools after reopening, notably Israel and South Korea.

From examining what has happened in these countries, the most fundamental principle that emerges is that the best way to lessen the likelihood of COVID-19 spreading through schools is by having a low infection rate in the community.

With a low infection rate as a baseline, prevention measures can be put in place in classrooms to reduce the risk of transmission even further.

Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press

"A combination of keeping student groups small and requiring masks and some social distancing helps keep schools and communities safe," says a recent article in the journal Science, which analyzed the strategies used in a range of countries.

Ontario's 72 school boards have been told to prepare three plans for September:

Full-time in-class teaching with COVID-19 prevention measures in place.

Full-time remote learning.

A hybrid that would see half the school population in class at a time while the other half learns online.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce has shifted from telling boards in June that he expected the school year to begin with the hybrid model to saying his preference now is for kids to be in class full-time.

Premier Doug Ford has repeatedly said he wants to see full-time school resume in September. Top officials at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto and the CHEO children's hospital in Ottawa have called for children to return to class full-time in the fall.

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To make it happen safely, experts say Ontario should draw on the measures used in other countries that have managed to keep a lid on the spread of COVID-19 in schools.

REUTERS

Adopting the hospital model of multiple layers of infection prevention and control is recommended by a range of public health experts, including Amy Greer, an epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Guelph.

"The idea is to layer these different strategies in a way that gets us to a situation where any potential spread would be able to be quickly identified and contained, and minimize the risk of those outbreaks happening in the first place," said Greer in an interview with CBC News.

"The first layer is just keep it out of the school setting to the best of your ability," said Greer. That involves daily screening, making sure that kids do not come to school sick.

The next layer involves steps to lessen the chances of students and staff transmitting infections, which means physical distancing, hand washing and potentially masks.

Finally, if transmission does occur, schools can minimize the spread by reducing the amount of interaction among the school population.

Evan Mitsui/CBC

That is captured by a concept called cohorting: separating students into small groups, perhaps 15 at the most, who spend their whole day in the same classroom with one teacher, take their lunch and breaks together, and do not mingle with anyone else in the school.

Cohorting would work more easily with the way elementary students are taught than with high school kids, who typically move around the school to several classrooms, each with different groups of students and different teachers.

There's some emerging evidence that teenagers have a greater tendency to spread COVID-19 than elementary-age students. Coupled with the fact that teaching teens online is far easier than teaching youngsters, that could mean Ontario takes a different approach to reducing the risk in high schools.

The Toronto District School Board, the province's largest, is considering a model that would see the high school year divided into "quadmesters" with students taking only two courses at a time in each nine-week session.

Every TDSB high school student would spend roughly half the day doing online learning, creating physical distancing by ensuring that no more than half the student body is in the building at once.

Ben Nelms/CBC

At the provincial level, Ontario has not yet landed on any particular prevention measures it wants school boards to take.

"This is a matter of a lot of discussion right now," said Dr. David Williams, the province's chief medical officer of health.

The province is looking at how other jurisdictions have fared with preventing COVID-19 infections in schools, Williams said during a news conference on Thursday.

"We want to pay attention to those to understand what worked, what were the challenges or the issues they faced,"

Asked what direction he is giving boards on safety measures, such as setting up classrooms in a way that provides physical distancing, Williams didn't offer any specifics. Rather, he posed questions.

"We want to look at these public health measures [already being practised in the community]. How would we integrate that into the school type setting to make it safe?" Williams said.

Calgary Catholic School District

"How we would handle if there were concerns or issues or a possibility of some cases?" he added. "This is all in the process right now of being discussed."

Whatever prevention measures school boards put in place for September, public health officials will need to closely monitor school-based transmission.

"The outbreak has manifested itself in different ways in different countries, which is why the solution that we create for Ontario has to be sensitive to the way the outbreak has occurred in Ontario," said Dr. Michael Warner, medical director of critical care at Toronto's Michael Garron Hospital.

"We need to make sure that we are managing active infections in the community very well," said Greer, the University of Guelph epidemiologist.

"We need to be able to find them quickly, we need to be able to trace them and to isolate them," she added.

"That's going to reduce the risk that we're going to import potentially infected students or staff into the school setting."
Nothing in the framework is finalized. CPS says it will solicit feedback from parents in five virtual meetings through the end of July, with sessions held in English and Spanish, and parents can also their reactions in a new survey launched by the district.
The ex-boyfriend of actress Hayden Panettiere has been arrested and charged with seven felony counts in relation to a series of alleged domestic violence incidents involving the former "Nashville" star.

Brian Hickerson, 31, was arrested Thursday by the Los Angeles Police Department and charged in an eight-count criminal complaint regarding a series of alleged abusive instances that occurred between May 2019 and January 2020, according to the criminal complaint obtained by NBC News.

Four of the felony counts are defined as injury to a spouse/co-habitant, and two are for assault with a deadly weapon. The deadly weapons were defined as a garage floor and stairs, according to the complaint. He also was charged with one count of misdemeanor battery on a spouse/co-habitant.

Build Presents Charles Esten & Hayden Panettiere Discussing

He was also charged with a felony for dissuading a witness from prosecuting a crime. He tried to "prevent and dissuade Hayden P., a victim and witness of a crime from causing a complaint, indictment, information, probation and parole violating to be sought and prosecuted and assisting in the prosecution thereof," according to the complaint.

Panettiere, 30, also filed on Tuesday to register an out-of-state restraining order obtained in Wyoming to be enforced in California against Hickerson, according to court documents obtained by NBC News.

"I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve," Panettiere said in a statement to TODAY. "I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. Im grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life."

Watch TODAY All Day! Get the best news, information and inspiration from TODAY, all day long.

Hickersons bail is set at $320,000, according to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. He was arraigned Friday, and pled not guilty, according to the L.A. District Attorneys Office. A preliminary hearing is set for July 30.

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Hickerson did not immediately respond to TODAYs request for comment, and it was not immediately clear whether Hickerson retained an attorney.

Panettiere's attorney, Alan Jackson, also provided a statement to TODAY.

"After suffering for years as the victim of psychological, emotional and severe physical abuse, Hayden Panettiere has begun the process of taking back her life," he said. "Hayden has found the strength and courage to share the truth about her abuse and her abuser, and she intends to assist the prosecution to see that justice is served. As a survivor, she recognizes that her arduous journey of healing has just begun."

Panettiere has reported alleged domestic violence incidents by Hickerson to the LAPD, Teton County Sheriff in Wyoming and Santa Monica Police Department from their 18 months together, the source said.

Hickerson was arrested by the Teton County Sheriff's Office on Valentine's Day after officers responded to a disturbance at a residence in Jackson, Wyoming, according to court documents. Panettiere told police that she and Hickerson were arguing and he "struck her with a closed fist on the right side of her face," according to the police report.

Police said Panettiere's face was red and swollen, and she also had a scrape and swelling on her left hand, according to the report. He was charged with a pair of misdemeanors, domestic battery and interference with a cop, and his trial is scheduled for September after he pleaded not guilty in April.

Panettiere wrote in her petition for an order of protection in Wyoming that similar incidents have occurred in California and Puerto Rico. Panettiere wrote that "generally when alcohol is involved," Hickerson "pulls my hair, swings me around, and hits me, spits in my face and has dumped water over me while I'm in bed," according to documents filed to have her restraining order enforced in California.

Panettiere was previously engaged to Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she has a 5-year-old daughter, Kaya.
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: Medicine is not a profession to me but a god-send opportunity to serve people, said Dr. Rajiva Ranjan who continued practising at his clinic throughout the lockdown period in the city.

Putting aside the suggestion of many of his family members or colleagues to stay at home, Dr. Ranjan walked out from his flat to open the clinic everyday.

At those times, patients of non-Covid ailments were facing horrible times as most of the private medical establishments and clinics were closed for fear of getting infected with corona.

"I recalled the words of my mother when I graduated with MBBS degree from BHU - beta doctor ka kam 24 hours bimar ka jan bachana hai. Ye davik seva hai bhulna mat (My son duty of a doctor is to save the life a patient. This is a divine service, never forget in). I still walk with on this motto, he recalled.

Defining himself as a 'medical activist', Dr Ranjan said that serving patients during the lockdown was more important than getting confined at home in fear.

Dr. Ranjan not only continued providing medical services to the patients at his clinic during the lockdown but also visited the homes of several patients upon knowing about their immovable conditions.

No doubt, during that period of lockdown, the number of patients at the clinic was not so high because of transportation problems. But I never hesitated to visit the houses of patients when I knew that they are facing the problem of transportation to come to the clinic, he said, adding that he also provided telemedical counselling on the basis of common symptoms of diseases from the house.

I also ensured the doorstep delivery of medicines from the pharmacy near my clinic. The people battling with Covid-19 need a humane approach along with medicine. A strong and positive feeling created by a doctor proves to be more impactful than medicine, he said.

He said that people during the pandemic or epidemic need more confidence-building counselling. I advised all the patients who visited my clinic at Boring canal road during the lockdown to avoid carbohydrates as it weakens the immunity. Thereafter, I told them and still advise patients to increase the intake of Vitamin C from natural resources such as fruits and zinc from fully-boiled eggs and milk.

According to a rough count, Dr Ranjan provided medical services to more than 600-800 patents during the first and second phases of lockdown.
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Linkedin Zeba Siddiqui (Reuters) Mumbai, India  Fri, July 17, 2020 14:45 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406671b1c6 2 World India,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,COVID-19-in-India,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

India on Friday became the third country in the world to record more than one million cases of the new coronavirus, behind only the United States and Brazil, as infections spread further into the countryside and smaller towns.

Given India's population of around 1.3 billion, experts say, one million is relatively low - but the number will rise significantly in the coming months as testing increases, further straining a healthcare system already pushed to the brink.

The pandemic has surged in the country in recent weeks as it spread beyond the biggest cities, pushing India past Russia as the third-most-infected country last week.

Authorities imposed fresh lockdowns and designated new containment zones in several states this week, including the largely rural Bihar state in the east and the southern tech hub Bengaluru, where cases have spiked.

But officials have the struggled to enforce the lockdowns and keep people indoors.

India recorded 34,956 new infections on Friday, taking the total to 1,003,832, with 25,602 deaths from COVID-19, federal health ministry data showed. That compares to 3.6 million cases in the United States and 2 million in Brazil - countries with less than a third of India's population.

Epidemiologists say India is still likely months from hitting its peak.

"In the coming months, we are bound to see more and more cases, and that is the natural progression of any pandemic," said Giridhar Babu, epidemiologist at the nonprofit Public Health Foundation of India.

"As we move forward, the goal has to be lower mortality," he said. "A critical challenge states will face is how to rationally allocate hospital beds."

The last four months of the pandemic sweeping India have exposed severe gaps in the country's healthcare system, which is one of the most poorly funded and has for years lacked enough doctors or hospital beds.

The Indian government has defended a strict lockdown it imposed in March to contain the virus spread, saying it helped keep death rates low and allowed time to beef up the healthcare infrastructure. But public health experts say shortages remain and could hit hard in the coming months.

"As a public health measure, I dont think the lockdown had much impact. It just delayed the virus spread," said Dr. Kapil Yadav, assistant professor of community medicine at New Delhi's premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

The million cases so far recorded likely left out many asymptomatic ones, he said. "It's a gross underestimate."

Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress party, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take concrete steps to contain the pandemic, tweeting that the number of infections will double to two million by August 10 at this pace.

Millions of migrant workers, left stranded in the cities by the lockdown in March, took long journeys home on foot, some dying on the way while others left without work or wages.

Several states including Bihar, to which many of the migrants returned, have witnessed a surge in cases in recent weeks as the lockdown has been eased to salvage a sagging economy.

Babu predicts India will not see a sharp peak and decline.

"The surges are shifting from one place to another, so we cannot say there will be one peak for the whole country. In India, its going to be a sustained plateau for some time and then it will go down."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 02:57:02|Editor: huaxia

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TUNIS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied has begun consultations on "the most appropriate" candidate to form a new government, the presidency said Friday.

Saied sent correspondence to various parliamentary blocs and political parties represented in the parliament, calling on them to propose candidates able to form a new government, according to a presidency statement.

"Political parties are asked to give lists of names before July 23," the statement noted.

Once a new candidate is appointed, the candidate will have 30 days to form a cabinet, which must later win the confidence of the parliament.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh, submitted his resignation to Saied, hours before a motion of censure against him was presented in the parliament. Enditem
Signing up with Racing Point would be a "good interim solution" for Ferrari refugee Sebastian Vettel.

That is the claim of Dr Helmut Marko, the Red Bull chief who brought Vettel into F1 but has told the quadruple world champion there is no room for 2021.

"Sebastian is at the best age at 33 and if the opportunity arises with Aston Martin and he takes advantage of it, then it would be a good interim solution," he said.

When asked by RTL's Sportbude program how Vettel can 'take advantage' of the deal, he said the "contract should be designed in a way that is to his satisfaction".

It is believed he means that Vettel might be free to jump ship to another team for the start of the new regulations in 2022.

"The chances for 2022 are significantly greater because some contracts expire and the budget cap will take full effect for the first time, so teams like McLaren and Renault can also have a chance," Marko said.

He can therefore imagine that Vettel will simply decide to take a sabbatical in 2021.

"He could recharge the batteries and think 'Do I really want it?' Because racing is not only pleasant. You have to travel the world separated from your family, and being stressed and angry is not a good way to think," said the Austrian.

However, the big money at present is on Vettel switching to Racing Point, even though Sergio Perez is already under contract.

Marko clarified: "This (Perez's) is an option contract that has to be taken up every year.

"I think if you see how Perez performed in Austria, going through to the front like a hot knife through butter, then you have to say that the car has a lot of potential.

"And a Vettel would certainly be valued higher than a Perez," Marko quipped.

(GMM)
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

Now mouth rash, reddish spot is the new Covid-19 symptom

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, July 17: Coronavirus symtoms list are growing. Researchers in Spain have now listed enanthem, or a rashes inside of the mouth as a new symptoms of Covid-19.

Along with the general flu symptoms, new symptoms that have been included are chills, loss of smell and taste and now mouth rashes.

The rashes inside the mouth are clinically known as enanthem.

'COVID-19 symptoms outside lungs decoded'

The new study was published July 15 in JAMA Dermatology. Researchers led by Dr. Juan Jimenez-Cauhe, of University Hospital Ramon y Cajal in Madrid, examined 21 patients diagnosed in early April with COVID-19 and associated skin rashes.

Of these patients, six patients (29%) had enanthem on the inside of their mouths. The affected patients ranged in age from 40 to 69, the team said, and four of the six were women.

In most cases, the enanthem did not appear to be tied to any medicines the patients were taking, further strengthening the notion that it was illness with the new coronavirus causing the reddish spots to appear.

Loss of smell, taste symptoms can help quarantining potential COVID-19 patients: Study

Rajnath Singh speech at Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken | Oneindia News

The study further suggest that the rash could appear anywhere from two days before the onset of other COVID symptoms to 24 days after, with 12 days as an average time.

The age of the patients infected with the rashes range from 40 to 69 while the study also revealed that four of the six patients with rashes were women.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, July 17, 2020, 11:25 [IST]
Rating Action: Moody's withdraws Metso's (Neles) ratings for business reasons

Global Credit Research - 17 Jul 2020

Stockholm, July 17, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service (Moody's) has today withdrawn the Baa2 long-term issuer rating and (P)Baa2 senior unsecured medium term note (MTN) rating of Metso Corporation (renamed to Neles, following the successful completion of the spin-off of its Minerals business).

At the time of withdrawal, the long-term issuer rating was on review for downgrade following the announcement that Metso Corporation intends to demerge its Minerals business and to combine it with Finnish company Outotec Oyj. The transaction closed on June 30, 2020.

The Baa2 long-term issuer rating of Metso Outotec remains unchanged with a stable outlook.

RATINGS RATIONALE

Moody's has decided to withdraw the ratings for its own business reasons. Please refer to the Moody's Investors Service Policy for Withdrawal of Credit Ratings, available on its website, www.moodys.com.

COMPANY PROFILE

After the spin-off of the Minerals business, Metso Corporation was renamed as Neles, which is a leading flow control solutions and services provider for oil and gas refining, pulp, paper and the bioproducts industry, chemicals, and other process industries. In 2019 Neles reported revenues of EUR660 million.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

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 unsolicited.

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a.With Rated Entity or Related Third Party Participation: YES

b.With Access to Internal Documents: NO

c.With Access to Management: NO

For additional information, 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.

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.

Daniel Harlid Vice President - Senior Analyst Corporate Finance Group Moody's Investors Service (Nordics) AB Norrlandsgatan 20 Stockholm 111 43 Sweden JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Christian Hendker, CFA Associate Managing Director Corporate Finance Group JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service (Nordics) AB Norrlandsgatan 20 Stockholm 111 43 Sweden JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454

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Earlier this week, Trump vaguely referenced an upcoming announcement on how his administration intends to deal with crime in those cities, again citing Chicagos violence. In a briefing with reporters about his ongoing efforts to deal with the MS-13 gang, Trump said he would have more to say next week with the attorney general, the FBI and others concerning our cities, because the left-wing group of people that are running our cities are not doing the job that theyre supposed to be doing, and its not a very tough job to do if they knew what they were doing.
There is gold at the end of the rainbow after all. Taylor Berg will not have to repaint her rainbow house, 1625 9th Ave., Moline.

Moline Acting Zoning Administrator Chris Mathias hand-delivered a letter to Berg Thursday evening, telling her the city will not pursue action against her and that her house can remain as it is. The city also issued a formal apology.

"The courtesy notice concerning a violation of section 5501 is hereby withdrawn and rescinded," the letter stated. "After further review and consultation with additional city staff, we have determined that section 5501 does not apply to this situation. We apologize for any stress and confusion that we may have created."

Berg was thrilled.

"I am humbled and overwhelmed by the outreach of community support I've received over this," she said. "My son told me, 'I'm so happy we get to keep the rainbow house, mama.' It was a good lesson for him to stand up for yourself when there is an injustice being done.
Texas Instruments TXN or TI is scheduled to report second-quarter 2020 results on Jul 21, after market close. In the last reported quarter, TI delivered an earnings surprise of 22.8%.

For the to-be-reported quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings has improved 1.2% to 87 cents per share over the past 30 days. However, it indicates a decline of 32.6% from the year-ago reported figure.

The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $2.94 billion, implying a decline of 19.7% from the year-ago reported figure.

Lets see how things have shaped up for this announcement.

TIs compelling product line and manufacturing efficiencies, which include growing 300-millimeter Analog output, are likely to have helped this segment achieve growth during the quarter. However, weak performance of high-volume and power product lines may have affected its earnings.

Markedly, demand for the PCs and servers that power data centers is expected to have increased in the quarter to be reported as people are increasingly working from home due to the pandemic.

However, weak performance of processors and connected microcontrollers, along with reduced factory loadings might have affected its earnings in the to-be-reported quarter.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Embedded Processing revenues is currently pegged at $573 million, suggesting a decrease of 12.3% from the year-ago quarter.For the Analog segment, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is currently pegged at $2.13 billion, indicating a 13.5% year-over-year decrease.

Texas Instruments Incorporated Price and EPS Surprise

Texas Instruments Incorporated Price and EPS Surprise

Texas Instruments Incorporated price-eps-surprise | Texas Instruments Incorporated Quote

Overall Picture

TI has always been a well-executed company. Management has been focused on increasing its free cash flow per share and strengthening competitive advantages. However, increasing competition in the auto and industrial space, along with unfavorable currency impact might have hurt the companys second-quarter performance.

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Also, the coronavirus pandemic is likely to impact the upcoming results.

What Our Model Says

Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for Texas Instruments this time around.The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is the case here.

Currently, the company has a Zacks Rank #3 and an Earnings ESP of +6.19%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Other Stocks to Consider

Here are a few other stocks that you may also want to consider, as our model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in the quarter to be reported.

NXP Semiconductors N.V. NXPI has an Earnings ESP of +11.90% and holds a Zacks Rank of 2.

Netflix, Inc. NFLX has an Earnings ESP of +2.27% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Expedia EXPE has an Earnings ESP of +12.98% and a Zacks Rank #3.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17) - Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said Friday that reports of the police and military leading the search for COVID-19 patients under home quarantine are fake news.

Ano said that such reports are part of the disinformation campaign by unscrupulous individuals.

He reiterated that cops will only assist in the transport of patients.

Again, I repeat, the police are there merely in a supporting role, he said in a statement.

Malacanang already clarified that mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 patients would be transferred from home quarantine to isolation centers by health workers and not by government forces.

Moreover, DILG has also ordered the Bureau of Fire Protection to assist local health officials in transferring COVID-19 patients to isolation facilities, citing that it has the necessary health personnel and equipment.

Ano also directed BFP to intensify its contact tracing efforts.
(All dollar amounts are United States dollars unless otherwise stated)

VANCOUVER, BC, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Galiano Gold Inc. ("Galiano" or the "Company") (TSX: GAU) (NYSE American: GAU) (formerly Asanko Gold Inc.) is pleased to announce the publication of its first Sustainability Report under the new Company name. This is the sixth report containing sustainability performance data from the Asanko Gold Mine ("AGM") in Ghana, including certain ESG indicators from Galiano's corporate and project offices. The AGM is a 50:50 joint venture ("JV") with Gold Fields Ltd (JSE,NYSE: GFI) which is managed and operated by Galiano.

The 2019 Sustainability Report, prepared in accordance with the 'Core' Global Reporting Initiative ("GRI") Standards, reflects Galiano's corporate and social commitment to increase transparency and improve disclosure. In 2019, the Company had made sustained progress across a number of ESG indicators.

Sustainability Report Highlights

Implemented International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) safety reporting standards and achieved a Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) 1 of 1.26, well below the 2019 ICMM benchmark of 3.20

of 1.26, well below the 2019 ICMM benchmark of 3.20 Recorded zero significant environmental incidents or spills

Emphasized hiring from local communities with approximately 53% of employees hired locally and a workforce that is over 99% Ghanaian

Leveraged the presence of the mine for mutual benefit with the host communities, investing over $1 million in local community programs and supporting 307 Ghanaian businesses

in local community programs and supporting 307 Ghanaian businesses Achieved a 90% score on the 2019 annual Ghana Minerals Commission independent environmental audit

Became a signatory to the International Cyanide Management Code

Recognized for a second year in a row by the Ghana Chamber of Mines with the Asanko Gold Mine winning Mining Company of the Year award.

"2019 was a year of transition for the Company which culminated in May this year in a new brand and corporate foundation, reflecting the refreshed business strategy and vision of a sustainable business aimed at long-term value creation," said Greg McCunn, Chief Executive Officer. "I am proud to recognize the joint efforts and strong contribution from the entire team to advance our health and safety performance, enhance environmental management practices, and improve the ways we engage with our key internal and external stakeholders, altogether strengthening our social license to operate.

2020 will see the launch of the Social Responsibility Foundation which will bolster existing local investment programs and enhance partnerships. We have welcomed Judith Mosely to the role of Chair of the Sustainability Committee and Todd Romaine as the EVP of Sustainability, who will take the Company further on this exciting journey to advance our sustainability program and improve our data and disclosure.

I look forward to continuing to optimize our flagship asset through exploration opportunities that will help us continue to contribute to socio-economic development in our geographies."

New Brand and Sustainability Strategy

The Company's new brand and executive management open a new chapter for the integration of sustainable principles into the refreshed corporate and business strategy which is focused on a robust exploration program and contribution to socio-economic development in the geographies of operation. The broader sustainability mandate now expands upon the existing site level sustainability programming to further track and align our business with evolving international best practices.

Galiano's Sustainability Commitment

Galiano's mission is to create and grow sustainable value for all stakeholders through the application of best practices in mining and commitment on protecting the health and wellbeing of employees and the environments in which we operate. The Sustainability Report provides our internal framework and sets out our commitment to and progress on integration of socially and environmentally responsible practices at our current and future assets. This report is our annual commitment to transparent disclosure on our non-financial performance across the material topics that have been identified by our internal and external stakeholders.

The Report is available on the Company's website, under Sustainability  Reports and Publications.

Notes 1 Total recordable injury frequency rate is per million workforce hours based on 6,366,445 hours worked

About Galiano Gold Inc.

Galiano is focused on creating a sustainable business capable of long-term value creation for its stakeholders through organic production growth, exploration and disciplined deployment of its financial resources. The company currently operates and manages the Asanko Gold Mine, located in Ghana, West Africa which is jointly owned with Gold Fields Ltd. The Company is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities. For more information, please visit www.galianogold.com.

Neither Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Galiano Gold Inc.

Related Links

https://www.galianogold.com/home/default.aspx


STAMFORD  A Cloonan Middle School seventh grade student was recently recognized by the state for her idea to cope with the global pandemic.

Lila Gow was one of only 10 students statewide to earn recognition in the lieutenant governors COVID-19 Computing Challenge, which invited students in grades three through 12 to come up with ideas for apps, websites and programs that could help combat the virus or inform residents.

Gows entry was a website concept called Lockdown Escape, and was featured in a live-streamed showcase of the 10 best ideas presented on June 30.

During the showcase, Gow described her idea as a website to cure boredom.

Before quarantine, I was a very busy person, she said. When quarantine came around, I got very bored very fast. I started looking up stuff to do on websites and I only found things meant for 6-year-olds and 18-year-olds and up.

Gows website idea featured recommendations for age-appropriate activities including movies, crafts, recipes, as well as indoor and outdoor activities that students could safely participate in during quarantine, according to a press release from Stamford Public Schools.

In all, the state received 372 entries.

During the showcase, each of the 10 students described their winning projects and fielded questions from a panel that included Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona.

Throughout this challenge, our students stepped up and exceeded our expectations  our students have shown that they have the ability to make a meaningful difference in peoples lives, said Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz.

Cardona praised the submissions.

The ingenuity of the solutions submitted through the Coding Challenge shows that when we effectively engage the people we serve  our students  and give them a platform to amplify their voice, they exceed expectations time and again, he said.
This is the first time Aspergillus latus has been found in a hospital; the species is more drug-resistant than its two parents and highly dangerous; the researchers will now investigate the role of fungi in COVID-19

Aspergillus latus, a species of fungus previously found only in soil or plants, has been found for the first time in a hospital environment by an international group of researchers. The group sequenced its genome and discovered that it is actually a hybrid and is up to three times more drug-resistant than the two species from which it derives.

An article on the study is published in Current Biology and coauthored by researchers from Brazil, the United States, Portugal and Belgium. The research was supported by Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP .

Aspergillosis is a lung disease caused by fungi of this genus, especially A. fumigatus, which is widely found in plants and soil. All humans regularly inhale spores of Aspergillus, which do not usually cause symptoms in healthy subjects. In patients with weak immune systems, however, the mold can cause pneumonia, build up fungal balls (aspergillomas) in the lungs, and spread to become invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, the most severe form of the disease. A. fumigatus is the most frequent cause of aspergillosis, but other species also cause the condition, including A. flavus, A. niger, A. nidulans and A. terreus.

"In about 90% of cases, infection by Aspergillus is caused by A. fumigatus, but in some human genetic diseases, A. nidulans is a more frequent cause. We therefore started assembling clinical material from various parts of the world to see how often this species occurred in a hospital environment. To our surprise, six out of ten samples contained a fungus that had never before been found to infect people," said Gustavo Henrique Goldman , a professor in the University of Sao Paulo's Ribeirao Preto School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCFRP-USP) in Brazil and coprincipal investigator for the study with Antonis Rokas, a professor at Vanderbilt University in the United States.

Genetic sequencing also revealed that A. latus is a hybrid of two relatively distantly related species and contains complete copies of the DNA of both parental species. Tests performed by other groups have already shown that A. latus can be up to three times more resistant to anti-fungal drugs than its parental species, A. spinulosporus and an unknown relative of A. quadrilineatus. It also more effectively combats human immune cells.

"The fungus gains significant advantages from being a hybrid," Goldman said. "Accurate identification of the species that causes the infection is important in order to decide on the best treatment and avoid resistance to existing drugs."

However, he added, few Brazilian hospitals currently have the resources to perform genetic sequencing in order to identify the fungi that contaminate patients with greater than genus-level precision. Identification is typically achieved by morphological analysis under a microscope, which leaves room for misdiagnosis. The samples of A. latus used in the study, for example, had previously been labeled as A. nidulans by this method.

Fungi and COVID-19

The presence of fungi in hospital environments is a well-known factor in disease aggravation and even death. In collaboration with researchers in Germany, Goldman and his group are now assembling samples of fungi present in the lungs of COVID-19 patients with the aim of investigating how these organisms can aggravate their condition as a basis for developing strategies to avoid and combat infections.

"Several COVID-19 patients have died owing to concomitant infection by Aspergillus," Goldman said. "We currently have four strains that were isolated from patients who died of COVID-19 in Europe and will sequence their genomes to identify the species and see if they're favored by the disease."

He is looking for partners to help collect material in Brazil, but the sample isolation procedure entails a strict clinical protocol not yet in use in Brazil that ensures health workers and researchers are not infected by the novel coronavirus. In Europe, the experimental protocol was implemented in time for the pandemic.

Cases of concomitant COVID-19 and infection by fungi of the genus Aspergillus evidence the importance of knowing more about these microorganisms. For example, A. fumigatus is found worldwide and capable of surviving under extreme conditions, such as temperatures of up to 70 C and a scarcity of nutrients. It can even extract food from water.

"We've now brought to light another feature of the genus, which is the formation of hybrids," Goldman said.

For the recently published study, the researchers assembled ten samples of fungi mainly found in material collected from patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and other disorders, such as chronic granulomatous disease, caused by a genetic dysfunction that impairs the immune system, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

The samples were collected in Portugal, Belgium, the US and Canada. Sequencing confirmed only three to be A. nidulans. One was identified as A. quadrilineatus, a soil fungus that also infects humans, and the other six as A. latus, hitherto found only in soil and plants.

Evolution

A. latus is the first hybrid filamentous fungus known to cause disease in humans, a relatively common property of yeasts such as those of the genus Candida, which causes candidiasis. Another curious feature of A. latus is that it is diploid; i.e., its cells contain two sets of chromosomes, similar to all human cells except egg and sperm cells. Most fungi are haploid, with only one set of chromosomes.

The hybrid also retains the DNA from both parental species, suggesting that the fusion is recent. Genes are recombined in ancient hybrids or species that diverged from a common ancestor eons ago, and some genes are lost or change position during the process of evolution.

Mules are a well-known example of a hybrid. They have 63 chromosomes, a mixture of the mare's 64 and the donkey's 62. In the case of A. latus, however, the genetic material of both parents is preserved in its entirety.

"Another curiosity is that the genetic distance between its two parental species is more or less the same as that between Homo sapiens and the lemur," Goldman said, referring to the 88 species of Lemuroidea primates native to Madagascar in Africa.

###

The Brazilian authors of the study also include Fausto Bruno dos Reis Almeida , a professor in the University of Sao Paulo's Ribeirao Preto Medical School (FMRP-USP) with a grant from FAPESP; Laure Nicolas Annick Ries, a researcher in the same institution, also with a grant from FAPESP; and Vania Luiza Deperon Bonato, a professor in FMRP-USP, also with a grant from FAPESP.

About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can learn more about FAPESP at http://www.fapesp.br/en and visit FAPESP news agency at http://www.agencia.fapesp.br/en to keep updated with the latest scientific breakthroughs FAPESP helps achieve through its many programs, awards and research centers. You may also subscribe to FAPESP news agency at http://agencia.fapesp.br/subscribe.
(TNS) - Advocates for Ohio's assisted-living facilities say they're being short-changed and passed over for federal COVID-19 assistance.Congress has appropriated $2.6 trillion in CARES Act Provider Relief Funds to help the country deal with COVID-19 hardships. Almost half, $1.2 trillion, has gone to individuals, businesses, health care providers and state and local governments, according to an analysis by the Government Accountability Office ending May 31, 2020.The data indicate that nursing homes have received about one-third of 1% of that funding. Assisted-living facilities  nothing.Yet Ohio Department of Health figures show long-term care facilities, which include assisted-living, have suffered more than two-thirds of the state's COVID-19 deaths.Ohio's 950 nursing homes are most vulnerable to outbreaks, with critical care and elderly patients, close-quarter staffing and frequent visits from specialists treating patients and potentially spreading virus.Nursing homes in Ohio have each received $50,000 in CARES Act funds plus $2,500 per licensed bed. An additional fund of $25 million will be distributed based on results of infection control surveys.By contrast, the 765 licensed assisted-living facilities in Ohio, from which about 5-10% of the state's COVID-19 cases have originated, have gotten nothing, said Jean Thompson, executive director of the Ohio Assisted Living Association."Even if you don't have any active cases in your building, you have to purchase personal protection equipment (PPE) ... because you want it to stay that way," said Thompson.Costs to prevent and contain spread have been a financial burden and may jeopardize a facility's survival, she said. The vast majority of residents are "private pay," meanng that they're not using Medicare and Medicaid assistance, for which much of the assistance is directed."It's impossible to just pass on these costs to our residents. There would be substantial hikes the providers can't afford to absorb."Thompson said cost hikes would force staffing layoffs and other cuts to service. "People weren't dying to work in long-term care before this happened," she added.Profit margins are slim at Wallick Communities' seven properties, including two memory-care centers in Ohio, said Stephanie Hess, vice president of operations."We're asked to do a lot with very little," said Hess. "We're (long-term care) the most vulnerable population. But when it comes to getting PPE, it feels like we're the last on the list."Without federal stockpile aid, her staff has been forced to buy supplies online, often at high prices and dubious quality.A large shipment of hand sanitizer arrived but had a strong bleach smell."We didn't know what it was. We threw it out," Hess said. "You're desperate and you keep your fingers crossed."With rising infection rates, some worry that funding shortages will force facilities to close, said Peter Van Runkle, executive director of the Ohio Health Care Association."We just don't see the end of it," said Van Runkle. "Is there going to be continued and sustained relief?"A representative for U.S. Sen. Rob Portman's office said, "We don't know why the money hasn't been doled out." Questions were referred to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.A spokesman for HHS disputed the GAO data and said that additional distributions are planned.Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living, called COVID-19 "the perfect killing machine."Testing remains one of the biggest challenges, as many are unable to conduct widespread, ongoing testing or to get results quickly  a key to preventing spread.A national survey of 375 assisted-living communities showed that more than half have less than a two-week supply of PPE. Seven of 10 facilities reported they had sought aid from their state and local health departments and nearly half had been forced to seek donations from the public.On Tuesday, the long-term care associations sent the National Governors Association a request for faster testing, more PPE and better coordinaton when re-opening facilities. Late Tuesday, the Ohio Controlling Board approved an additional $91 mllion for skilled nursing, but not assisted living, facilities, say Sen. Jay Hottinger, who said lawmakers must use the federal money in specific areas.Last month, the national associations sent a letter to Health and Human Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking $5 billion in funding on behalf of assisted living communities to help with testing, PPE and staffing. And this week the association sent governorsdnarciso@dispatch.com@DeanNarciso2020 The Columbus Dispatch (Columbus, Ohio)Visit The Columbus Dispatch (Columbus, Ohio) at www.dispatch.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Ten former and one current employee of Ellen's talkshow claim they faced bullying and racism behind the scenes and that they were even fired for attending family funerals.

The show, which has been airing since 2003, has built a brand around the compassionate slogan of 'Be Kind', which ranges from dishing out cash to people who appear on the show and instituting wider charity initiatives.

However, many of the former staffers claim it's 'all for show'.

'That 'be kind' bulls**t only happens when the cameras are on. It's all for show,' one ex-staffer told BuzzFeed. 'I know they give money to people and help them out, but it's for show.'

One black woman claimed she was the subject of racist micro-aggressions and abuse over an 18-month period.

Soon after she was hired she recalled being told by senior producer that 'I hope we don't get confused', by the fact two black employees have box braids.

Pictured: A grab from the Ellen show last year as the host speaks to Killing Eve star Jodie Comer. Ten former and one current employee of Ellen's talkshow claim they faced bullying and racism behind the scenes and that they were even fired for attending family funerals

She was also allegedly told by one of the show's writers: 'I'm sorry, I only know the names of the white people who work here.'

The employees pinned the blame on executive producers rather than Ellen herself but accused Degeneres of not being involved enough to see what was happening on her show.

'If she wants to have her own show and have her name on the show title, she needs to be more involved to see what's going on,' one ex-employee said.

They added that it seemed like the executive producers told the host 'things are going great, everybody's happy', and that she 'just believes that'.

They say Ellen should be checking the wellbeing of her staff herself.

The show's executive producers issued a joint statement to BuzzFeed yesterday.

'Over the course of nearly two decades, 3,000 episodes, and employing over 1000 staff members, we have strived to create an open, safe, and inclusive work environment,' read the announcement written by Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner.

'We are truly heartbroken and sorry to learn that even one person in our production family has had a negative experience, it's not who we are and not who we strive to be, and not the mission Ellen has set for us.'

'For the record, the day to day responsibility of the Ellen show is completely on us. We take all of this very seriously and we realize, as many in the world are learning, that we need to do better, are committed to do better, and we will do better,' the statement added.

The same African-American employee said she asked producers not to use terms like 'spirit animal' and was referred to as the 'PC police' by colleagues.

She brought up the issue to her white boss, who would use the fact he had a black friend to say, 'I understand your struggle', she said.

'But it was all performative bulls**t', she added.

She said that she asked for a raise owing to a new hire being paid more, and that she asked senior producers to roll out diversity training.

Eventually she walked out of the show one day and never returned.

'I feel angry about the way I was treated, and I am always going to stand up for Black, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian people, regardless if they're around,' she told BuzzFeed. 'I can't not say anything. I'm not going to stop talking.'

One former employee added to the allegations, saying: 'I think it is a lot of smoke and mirrors when it comes to the show's brand.

'They pull on people's heartstrings; they do know that's going to get likes and what people are going to go for, which is a positive message. But that's not always reality.'

Ten former and one current employee of Ellen's talkshow claim they faced bullying and racism behind the scenes and that they were even fired for attending family funerals

Another, who had been working on the show for a year, returned after being checked into a mental health facility following a suicide attempt to find that her position was terminated.

'You'd think that if someone just tried to kill themselves, you don't want to add any more stress to their lives,' the employee said.

They said that the producers talk 'openly' about mental health but that 'they're the reason there is a stigma'.

Another former employee said they had a tough year, in which they had to battle supervisors and HR for time off, but they were finally fired after a family funeral.

A current employee revealed, anonymously, that the show's producers held a meeting with all staff to address the current allegations.

Earlier this month, producers for the show were forced to confirm that rumors about the show being cancelled amid multiple reports of unkind off-camera behavior were 'untrue'.

DeGeneres has been slammed on social media after multiple reports surfaced in April painting an uncomfortable picture of the way she treats others when the cameras aren't rolling.

A group of around 30 crew members were upset after she hired an outside company called Key Code Media to film the shows, and also rankled at what they called a lack of communication or transparency about their jobs following the March shutdown amid the coronavirus outbreak, Variety reported in April.

'Higher-ups in production would occasionally answer phone calls but reveal little' to the crew members, who had their pay slashed by 40 percent amid changes brought about by the virus, insiders told the outlet.

Sources told the outlet that this was not the case with all the shows, as crews for John Oliver, Desus and Mero and Samantha Bee were paid their full rates, while Jimmy Kimmel dipped into his own pocket for a time to keep his staff getting their regular rates.

Producers responded that 'Our executive producers and Telepictures are committed to taking care of our staff and crew and have made decisions first and foremost with them in mind.'

Her character also came under fire after a series of tweets from comic Kevin T. Porter March 20 asking his followers to post 'insane' tales of 'Ellen being mean' caught the attention of social media. (Porter's effort was linked to a charity drive for the Los Angeles Food Bank.)

Writer Ben Simeon said that 'a new staff member was told, 'Every day she picks someone different to really hate. It's not your fault, just suck it up for the day and she'll be mean to someone else the next day.' They didn't believe it, but it ended up being entirely true.'

'Everyone must chew gum from a bowl outside her office before talking to her and if she thinks you smell that day you have to go home and shower.'

Ellen - who Forbes reported is worth around $330 million - has also caught flak for tone deafness after joking that locking down in her opulent mansion was 'like being in jail.'
Assam Police has arrested two jail officials for their alleged involvement in two separate cases of sexual assaults.

In the first case, Mrinmoy Dawka, the superintendent of Tezpur Central jail in Sonitpur district, was arrested on Thursday following complaints of sexual assault by two women.

There were two complaints against the accused. He had allegedly sexually assaulted the wife of an inmate on the promise of releasing her husband. The second case is of him outraging the modesty of the wife of a jail warden, said Mugdhajyoti Dev Mahanta, superintendent of police (SP), Sonitpur.

The first incident had occurred a month ago and came to light, when the woman disclosed the matter to her husband, who is lodged in the jail. The second incident was more recent, he added.

Based on both the complaints, the police arrested Dawka on charges of criminal breach of trust, assault or criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman and intercourse by luring inducements under Sections 354 (A), 409 and 376 (C) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Dawka was produced before a court on Thursday and has been sent to judicial custody for five days. Further investigations into both the complaints are on.

In the second case, a jailer of the district jail in Dhemaji was arrested on Thursday on charges of sodomising a male inmate with the promise of securing an early release of the latter.

The jailer Dulal Das was arrested following a complaint filed by the mother of an inmate who alleged that her son was sodomised thrice in 2019 by the accused, said Dhananjay P Ghanawat, SP, Dhemaji.

The 20-year-old victim, whos in jail in connection with a child sexual assault case, was reportedly in trauma due to the assaults and allegedly attempted suicide once.

Because of his mental trauma, the victim is undergoing treatment at the Assam Medical College Hospital in Dibrugarh. We have lodged a case under Section 377 of the IPC for unnatural sex. The magisterial inquiry into the incident has also been ordered, said Ghanawat.

The accused was produced in court on Thursday and was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Utpal Parashar Utpal is an assistant editor based in Guwahati. He covers all eight states of North-East and was previously based in Kathmandu, Dehradun and Delhi with Hindustan Times . ...view detail
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 17, 2020 | 03:21 PM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY

Despite the pandemic, they have provided three ways to donate.





Beginning today, you can help local students prepare for the upcoming school year by giving a gift of any amount through text or online. Those who wish to provide students with actual supplies can do so by using the United Way's Stuff the Bus Amazon Wish list.





The platforms for donation are available through the first week of august.





Those wishing to donate can do so in the following three ways:





 Text "GIVE" to 77513

 Go online at unitedwaypaducah.org/give (or click the link below)

 Shop the Amazon Wish List (also available at a link below)





Schools will have a greater need for donations this year. Family Resource and Youth Service Center coordinators outfitted students twice since last year's Stuff the Bus campaign: once for the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year and once more when students were forced into remote learning from home. FRYSC coordinators had to outfit many children's households so children could complete their work away from the classroom. Due to the circumstances, many schools are critically short on supplies for the upcoming school year.





For over a decade, United Way and its donors have provided school supplies to all 18 public and private schools in the Paducah-McCracken County area. Last year, schools helped more than 1,300 students receive supplies. Stuff the Bus is made possible by their sponsor, Paducah Bank.









The United Way of Paducah-McCracken County is hosting their annual Stuff the Bus school supply drive virtually.

On the Net:
One month from now, voters in Orange and Osceola counties will make a crucial choice about the future of criminal prosecution in their community.

Candidates often vow to vigorously go after the bad guys we see cuffed each night on the evening news.

But today I want to ask you  and the candidates  to also think about the crimes that arent always prosecuted with such gusto: The political, the financial and the fraudulent.

For I believe such crimes do more damage to our public trust and collective wallets than any single petty theft. Yet theyre often overlooked.

In fact, it too often seems as if we have two justice systems in America  one for those with power, connections and money and one for those without.

Steal a TV, and you get five years in prison.

Steal millions of dollars from taxpayers, and you get a deal  and maybe elected to public office.

Violate statutes that govern drug possession, and you have to explain to your family why youre getting locked up.

Violate the statutes that govern open meetings, and the prosecutor will explain why he or she isnt punishing anyone.

Im just tired of powerful people giving other powerful people a pass.

So I asked the candidates in next months primary for state attorney in the 9th Judicial Circuit what they plan to do about it. The winner of the four-way Democratic race will face independent candidate Jose Torroella in November. No Republicans filed to run.

The good news is that voters have a strong slate of smart candidates with solid credentials. (Thats unusual. Choosing the best candidate in Florida races sometimes feels like choosing your favorite plane crash.)

But I wanted you to hear what each said, via email exchanges, about prosecuting corruption and white-collar crimes  and also give you an example of the lazy, indifferent approach to investigating weve seen before.

Deb Barra, the districts current chief assistant state attorney, has made prosecuting corruption a major plank in her campaign and vowed to create a special corruption unit. Fighting government corruption is a top priority for me, she said, noting that she helped prosecute past scandals at the expressway authority. She also wants to revamp the offices Economic Crimes Unit by hiring new attorneys who specialize in  and crave prosecuting  those offenses.

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Belvin Perry, a former prosecutor and chief judge, said hell emphasize the prosecution of cyber-crimes, saying: Their victims include citizens from every walk of life and myriad businesses, organizations and associations. He also said hed consider a special corruption unit and set up an anonymous hotline to field complaints to empower citizens to hold account those who disregard the law.

Ryan Williams, who handles death penalty cases in the neighboring 5th circuit, wants to prove his commitment to combating corruption by assigning his most seasoned prosecutors to those cases. I take public corruption crimes very seriously, he said. My view is that many, if not most, Americans no longer trust their government, and we as prosecutors have a duty to hold those who hold the public trust accountable.

Monique Worrell, the former head of the districts Conviction Integrity Unit and now lead attorney for a national justice-reform group, has made targeting illegal actions by law-enforcers a priority and said she will similarly target corruption and white-collar crimes. In my office, we will make sure that no one is above the law, she said. Much like officers who harm the public trust will be held accountable, so will those who prey on workers, who harm our waters, and who undermine our electoral process.

Why are their stances important? Because prosecutors make choices. And the laws they choose to enforce help determine whether others even bother abiding by those laws.

As an example of casual indifference, look at the weak effort staged by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement last year when the agency decided not to seriously probe possible open-meeting violations at Orlandos Airport authority.

I have no idea whether anyone broke the law. But when a sitting member of that board  the mayor of Orange County, no less  publicly states that he suspects fellow members took actions that seemed inappropriate, authorities should take it seriously.

The FDLE did not. In a dismissive letter to the state attorneys office, the agency noted open-meeting crimes only amount to a misdemeanor  and claimed the allegations relied solely on a newspaper article.

That last parts just wrong. The newspaper article was written by journalists who simply watched a public meeting and documented public statements. If an ink-stained wretch can muster up the energy and intellectual curiosity to watch a meeting and do some investigating, maybe the people who receive taxpayer-funded salaries and pensions can do the same.

To Barras credit, she made specific note that she would end the offices existing practice of farming out Sunshine Law cases to the FDLE and handle them herself, saying: I dont care if its classified as a misdemeanor  I believe it is a serious violation of the law.

All these crimes are.

All four of these candidates have vowed to stop wasting tax dollars by locking up offenders for petty, non-violent crimes that dont harm anyone other than the offenders. Fair enough. Lets hope they also take hard looks at these corrupt and fraudulent crimes that cost us all.

smaxwell@orlandosentinel.com



2020 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.)

Visit The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) at www.OrlandoSentinel.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Prince Charles received a lot of criticisms when he cheated on Princess Diana. However, multiple outlets revealed how the the People's Princess also committed adultery during their marriage.

The Prince of Wales' infidelity is still one of the most controversial issues the royal family has ever faced.

During his unhappy married life, Prince Charles restarted his romantic entanglement with Camilla, which caused his relationship with Princess Diana to become even more problematic.

According to Andrew Morton's book entitled "Diana: Her True Story," the couple reportedly reached the rock bottom of their relationship since "three people" were involved in the marriage.

Princess Diana personally confirmed to a Panorama interview that she was aware that her husband was having an affair with Camilla, one year before the royal couple got divorced in 1996.

But in the middle of those matters in the past, the royal princess seemed to have done the same thing and had private affairs after her 1981 wedding.

James Hewitt

When Prince Charles and Princess Diana started to deal with more misunderstandings during their marriage, the royal princess met James Hewitt at a party in 1986.

The cavalry officer and polo player allegedly offered to help her overcome her fear of horses. However, the said riding lessons turned into something romantic.

Hewitt himself revealed his five-year affair with Princess Diana to author Anna Pasternak. The story caused Pasternak to pen her book titled "Princess In Love."

Princess Diana also confessed about the affair during her 1995 Panorama interview.

"Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him. But I was very let down," she disclosed.

Aside from the private relationship, Hewitt faced rumors that he is the real father of Prince Harry since they look similar.

"When I met Diana, he was already a toddler," he explained. Moreover, Hewitt repeatedly clarified that the accusation is far from being true since the Duke of Sussex was born in 1984.

Hasnat Khan

The "drop-dead gorgeous" man who caught Princess Diana's eyes, Hasnat Khan was a Pakistani-British heart surgeon. The royal princess met Khan when she was visiting a friend's husband in a hospital in 1995.

Princess Diana even nicknamed him "Mr. Wonderful" before they reportedly "upgraded" their relationship. The two only dated for two years, but it did not stop Diana from visiting Khan's family in Pakistan in pursuit of marrying him one day.

"I told her that the only way I could see us having a vaguely normal life together would be if we went to Pakistan, as the press don't bother you there," Khan told police after Diana's death.

Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams indeed is the most famous personality to have an alleged affair with the Princess of Wales.

In 2018, Adams addressed the affair rumors during his interview on "Watch What Happens Live."

The Canadian guitarist debunked the claims of Diana's former butler Paul Burrell, who alleged that the royal princess used to "sneak" him into the Kensington Palace. For his part, Adams insisted that they were just "great friends."

Previously though, Adams' ex-girlfriend Cecilie Thomsen disclosed that she and Bryan had a stormy relationship and her beau's affair with the royal princess "did not make it easier."

READ MORE: Royal Devastation: Prince Harry Slapped With Harsh Reality After Megxit
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Kyle Curtin had some big goals when he took his first steps on the Tahoe Rim Trail at the Echo Summit mountain pass just after sunrise on the morning of July 3, 2020.

Although the 33-year-old former Army special-forces helicopter mechanic from Durango, Colorado, was running unsupported without any assistance, he had set his sights on breaking Kilian Jornets 2009 supported mark for the Fastest Known Time on the 171-mile Tahoe Rim Trail loop.

Meanwhile, a few days later, Candice Burt returned to Lake Tahoe to tackle a task that had eluded her on a couple of occasions over the past eight years. But while the 38-year-old race director of the Tahoe 200 Endurance Run, Altra-sponsored pro and mother of two young girls was gearing up to give the womens unsupported FKT another go, two other women were also trying to set the fastest womens time.

The route is situated between 6,000 and 10,000 feet above sea level and includes a hefty 29,000 feet of elevation gain. No doubt, the Tahoe Rim Trail was the place to be before, during and after the July 4 holiday weekend.

Curtins Crush

Although he lives in Colorado, Curtin, an Altra- and Suunto-sponsored pro, is no stranger to the Tahoe Rim Trail, having won the Tahoe 200 two years ago in a record-setting 49 hours 27 minutes and change. He needed every bit of energy and good fortune in that race, as he was able to outlast Courtney Dauwalter by a mere 27 minutes. He also completed the Appalachian Trail in 2015 and the Colorado Trail in 2017, so he knows what it takes to cover long distances self-sufficiently.

Curtin continued to post big race results in 2019, including a respectable 43rd place overall (38th among men) in his first attempt at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix, France. He placed sixth in the Red Mountain 30K in Ivins, Utah, on March 7, but then, like everybody else, had his 2020 race season shattered by the COVID-19 pandemic. He shifted gears and started thinking about FKTs and, based on his experience in 2018, was compelled to go after the Tahoe Rim Trail FKT.

When he set out with a nine-pound pack, Curtins primary goal was to surpass the mens unsupported FKT (51 hours 45 minutes), he really wanted to make a run at Jornets 38:32 supported effort. That would mean hed have to finish before sunset on July 4. He was carrying 10,000 calories of nutrition, headlamps, extra clothes and a water filtration system to fill up at the streams along the route.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCKBfMunWZ5/

Curtin was crushing it for the first 93 miles without incident, but then a small miscalculation with his water supply left him without enough hydration for a 36-mile stretch of trail. After suffering through water rationing and with roughly 25 miles to go, Curtin slumped over and fell asleep along the trail. He was pretty sure he was done, especially because it was hard to consume the liquid calories of Tailwind Nutrition without additional water.

I knew from the way I set up my run, water was going to be an issue, says Curtin. Theres a 36-mile stretch on the Nevada side of the lake were the only water option was a mucky lake a mile off trail. At 3 a.m. and 93 miles in, I cameled up, topped off my bottles and started this segment. I opted to skip the mucky lake and push to the creek another 24 miles past. I made it around 11:30, but I dont think I ever really recovered from getting dehydrated on this stretch. I needed the perfect performance to get the overall FKT, so Im OK with some risks, but this one got me.

At that point, breaking Jornets overall FKT was out of reach, but the unsupported FKT was still in sight. After a short nap, the rejuvenated Curtin picked himself up and continued. Pushing strong into the night, Curtin finished the TRT at 11:09 p.m. on July 4, setting a new unsupported mark of 41 hours 9 minutes by slicing 10 hours off the previous mark set by Sean Ranney in 2015. Curtins time is second only to Jornets since the trail was completed in 2001.

I knew I was falling behind and wouldnt have the day I was hoping to, Curtin told the Durango Herald on July 7. At Mile 145 or 150 or so with Armstrong Passone of the higher points on the route at 9,500 feet of elevationthe mental side and physical side of being that far in and that high, it was pretty difficult. I mentally quit for a little while.

Once I got over the pass, I knew I wasnt going to get the time I hoped for. I was dizzy and not moving very fast on the trail. I stopped, took off the pack and fell asleep on the side of the trail for what I am guessing was 40 minutes or so. Even when I woke up from the nap, I was disappointed I wouldnt have the day I hoped for. I texted Luis Escobar and told him I was going to walk back to the car and that I was done. But he sent me encouraging messages, and some friends who were tracking me texted and said I was doing great and to keep it up. That was pretty inspiring, knowing people were watching and cheering me on. I kept going. By the time I got down to the car, I had 16 miles to go at that point. I am happy I decided to finish it up.

Burts Battles

Curtins effort was the first new FKT set by any runner on the Tahoe Rim Trail in five years, but by the time he had finished and before Burt even started, the womens unsupported FKT had gone down twice.

Fran Zelenitz (47, Bozeman, Montana) completed her solo tour on June 27, covering the loop in 101 hours 51 minutes. But just as she was finishing, Helen Pelster, a local from Truckee, California, and also 47, was just getting started. She sliced a day off Zelenitzs time, by hammering the loop in 75 hours 44 minutes.

On July 4, less than 30 hours since Pelster had finished and while Curtin was still on the loop, Burt set out from Tahoe City to lower the womens mark one more time. Like the others, she also ran completely unsupported and unaccompanied, but she had the experience of attempting it previously. She hadnt planned on another attempt at the Tahoe Rim Trail so soon, but when the Badwater 135 was canceled this summer she knew she could convert her training into an FKT attempt.

Burt carried her own food, carrying out her own trash and only drinking water she collected and filtered from streams. She carried about 11,500 calories (mostly in the form of Spring Energy Gel), but only consumed about 7,000. She suffered from blisters early onshe admits it was odd because she never gets blistersand had to strip off her socks to ease the friction and pain.

She said she tried to sleep on a few occasions, but ultimately could never fall asleep. She rested three different times for 15 to 30 minutes, but never slept a wink.

That ultimately affected her mental well-being during the second half of the run, resulting in hallucinations. It was the hallucinations that did her in last November when she was 65 hours in and just 10 miles from the end of the loop. Although she eventually finished last fall in 72 hours 21 minutes, it couldnt be credited as an FKT because she had called for help at one point.

The hallucinations got pretty bad this time around, too, but she forced herself to focus and keep the fear and anxiety at bay.

I would constantly question whether I was just running in circles and at Echo Summit almost got really turned around thinking Id already passed the summit when I still had not arrived, she recalled in her post-run report. I had to pay very close attention and I still had not arrived. I had to remind myself that what I was seeing was not real. At night, everything became something else and inanimate objects moved and became alive.

Despite all of that, she charged to the finish to try to reach her sub-60-hour goal. She ran the final 16 miles faster than any segment on the loop, but ultimately fell short because it got dark again and she had some navigational challenges. She returned to where she had started in Tahoe City at 11:10 p.m., for a new womens unsupported FKT of 60 hours 47 minutes. With little fanfare, Burt crawled into her car and fell asleep.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CB7HMoMnVcp/

Thats the second-fastest womens effort ever, ranking behind Krissy Moehls 2015 supported FKT of 47 hours 29 minutes but ahead of Amber Monfortes 2014 unsupported mark of 49 hours 17 minutes.

A reminder that its never too late to chase your goals, and that any meaningful path is often made of failure on our way to completing the biggest and best adventures, Burt said. I knew I could run the route a lot faster. Lets just say it takes at least one go at this kind of unsupported effort to know how to approach it and what to take, when to push and when to relax. OK, theres no real relaxing. This time I knew Id be able to conquer the mental battles that toppled me last time.
Subway commuters at Raffles Place MRT Station in Singapore. (PHOTO: AP/YK Chan)

SINGAPORE  The Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed 248 more COVID-19 cases on Thursday (16 July), bringing the total to 47,126, as well as 268 additional recoveries.

Of them, 11  including two Singaporeans  are classified as cases in the community, while four  half of whom are Singaporeans  are imported cases. The remaining 233 are foreign workers residing in dormitories.

Overall, four per cent of the new cases have no established links.

UPDATE: More details on the 11 COVID-19 community cases, 4 imported cases on Thursday in Singapore https://t.co/ffCvpNmeYs pic.twitter.com/mtir2jPjYf  Yahoo Singapore (@YahooSG) July 16, 2020

All of the 11 community cases, except for one, are asymptomatic and were detected through proactive testing, said the ministry. Apart from the two Singaporeans, they consist of five work pass, two work permit and two dependants pass holders.

Five of them are linked to previous cases or clusters. Of these, two  cases 47173 and 47174  had been identified as contacts of previously confirmed cases and had been tested during their quarantine to determine their status.

Another two  cases 47086 and 47088  were swabbed as part of the periodic screening of workers in the construction sector. The fifth linked community case  no. 47181 was identified via the testing of individuals working in frontline COVID-19 operations and is linked to the cluster at Toh Guan Dormitory.

Five of the six unlinked community cases  no. 47085, 47090, 47092, 47093, and 47170  had been detected as a result of the screening of workers in essential services who are living outside dorms.

Epidemiological investigations are ongoing for the remaining case  no. 47204  who was swabbed under the enhanced community testing to test all individuals aged 13 and above who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection at first presentation to a doctor.

Story continues

Epidemiological investigations of the unlinked cases are in progress. In the meantime, all the identified close contacts of the cases have been isolated and placed on quarantine, and will be tested at the start and end of their quarantine period so that we can detect asymptomatic cases, said the MOH.

Serological tests will also be conducted on their household contacts to determine if these cases could have been infected by them, it added.

Amongst the four imported cases, three  no. 47084, 47087, and 47091  are Singapore residents who returned from the USA on 3 July and Azerbaijan on 4 July.

The remaining case  no. 47058  is a work pass holder who is currently employed in Singapore and arrived here from Indonesia on 4 July.

All of them had been placed on 14-day stay-home notice upon arrival in Singapore, and had been tested while serving their notice, the MOH said.

The ministry added that the number of new cases in the community has decreased, from an average of 16 cases per day in the week before, to an average of 12 per day in the past week.

Similarly, the number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased, from an average of eight cases per day in the week before, to an average of seven per day in the past week, it said.

As of Tuesday, more than 215,000 foreign workers  or two-thirds of those living in dorms  have been tested and cleared in an ongoing effort, said the ministry. Of Singapores total COVID-19 tally, 44,404  some 94 per cent  are workers living in dorms.

We are on track to clear about 80 per cent of workers staying in the dorms by end-July, and to complete the testing of dorm residents around mid-August, the MOH added on Tuesday.

The ministry also said to expect a higher number of confirmed cases from foreign workers living in dorms over the new few days.

In the next few days, we have a larger population of migrant workers in various purpose-built dorms completing their isolation period and being tested for COVID-19, it added, noting that some of them came from dorms with a higher prevalence of COVID-19 infection.

92% of cases recovered, zero in ICU

With 268 more patients discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities on Thursday, 43,256 cases  some 92 per cent of the total tally  have fully recovered from the infection.

Most of the 146 hospitalised cases are stable or improving, while none are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

A total of 3,697 patients with mild symptoms or are clinically well but still test positive are isolated and cared for at community facilities.

Apart from 27 patients who have died from COVID-19 complications, 14 others who tested positive for the virus were determined to have died from unrelated causes, including three whose deaths were attributed to a heart attack and another four, whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease.

Only cases where the attending doctor or pathologist attributes the primary or underlying cause of death as due to COVID-19 infection will be added to the COVID-19 death count, said the MOH in previous press releases, adding that the method of assessment is consistent with international practices for classifying deaths.

As of 13 July, the ministry has conducted 1,009,532 swab tests, of which 519,911 were done on unique individuals. This translates to around 177,100 swabs conducted per 1 million total population, and about 91,200 unique individuals swabbed per 1 million total population.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

More Singapore stories:

Senior constituency manager who cheated RC of nearly $6,000 in funds jailed 12 weeks

Probation reports called for youths in 'how to spread Wuhan virus' video

Ang Mo Kio Town Council corruption case: Ex-manager's jail term increased

WP targeted younger Singaporeans well during GE2020, PAP has to do better, says Chan Heng Chee
Some unprecedented visuals emerged from Taiwan on Friday when fighting erupted inside and outside of Taiwans parliament again on Friday over the disputed nomination by President Tsai Ing-wen of a senior aide to a top government watchdog post, which the main opposition party has labelled cronyism.

This follows Monday's incident when Taiwanese lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) broke through barricades erected by the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) who had occupied it to protest against government "tyranny".

On Friday, the Kuomintang (KMT) has mounted a noisy campaign against the nomination of Chen Chu to head the Control Yuan, an independent government watchdog.

The KMT, soundly beaten by Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in elections in January, this week occupied parliaments main chamber for three days, trying to thwart Chen from taking the post.

Several KMT lawmakers knocked down voting booths inside the chamber to block DPP legislators from casting ballots over the nomination. KMT has accused the DPP of cheating in part of the vote on the nomination this week. In photos and videos shared by AFP, lawmakers can be seen throwing punches at each other.

DPP lawmakers were seen using boards to block water balloons thrown by opposition Kuomintang legislators.

VIDEO: Punches and water balloons thrown in Taiwan parliament melee over the nomination of a new head for top government watchdog pic.twitter.com/66s8dsKCpr AFP news agency (@AFP) July 17, 2020

Fights break out in Taiwan's parliament after President Tsai's nomination of Chen Chu as head of the Control Yuan, the countrys watchdog body. Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party used boards to block water balloons thrown by opposition Kuomintang legislators pic.twitter.com/JXf14KBbhZ AFP news agency (@AFP) July 17, 2020

Kaohsiungs previous KMT mayor was thrown out of office in a recall vote in June.

The voting on Friday went ahead despite shouting and protests from KMT lawmakers, who held banners reading invalid vote.

About 100 KMT supporters outside parliament fought with police and some tried to break through barricades, calling on the DPP to withdraw the nomination.

Rejection to cronyism. Withdraw the nomination, KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang told supporters on the back of a truck outside the parliament.

Taiwan is a boisterous, sometimes unruly democracy. Punch-throwing and rowdy protests are not uncommon in parliament.

The DPP has a large parliamentary majority, and has been angered by the targeting of Chen, who was jailed in 1980 for helping lead pro-democracy demonstrations against the then-KMT government when Taiwan was a dictatorship.

The KMT, under its youthful new leader, Chiang, has been trying to reinvent itself since its election defeat, having failed to shake off DPP accusations they were too pro-China.

The party traditionally favours closer ties with China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory.

The KMT faces a further challenge next month in a mayoral by-election in the major southern metropolis of Kaohsiung, traditionally a DPP stronghold.

(With inputs from Reuters)
Repentant bandits in Nigerias north-western state of Zamfara are being offered two cows for every AK-47 they surrender.



It is an attempt to encourage them to give up a life of crime and live a normal life as responsible citizens, Zamfara Governor Bello Matawalle says.



Motorcycle-riding armed bandits operating out of abandoned forest reserves are ransacking communities in Zamfara and nearby Katsina and Sokoto states.



They often loot shops, steal cattle and grain, and take people hostage for ransom.



In a recent attack in Zamfara state, 21 people were killed in Talata Mafara town by armed bandits.



Most people are into agriculture in Zamfara state, where the motto is "farming is our pride".



These bandits who choose to repent initially sold their cows to buy guns and now that they want a life free of criminality we are asking them to bring us an AK-47 and get two cows in return, this will empower and encourage them, Mr Matawalle said in a statement.

Source: BBC









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

Featured Video
Dr Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), New Delhi talks about how DBT is supporting COVID 19 Vaccine ZyCoV-D, designed and developed by Zydus

The Department of Biotechnology Government of India has partnered with Zydus to address rapid development of an indigenous vaccine for COVID-19 under the National Biopharma Mission. This partnership with Zydus is to serve the countrys need for a vaccine to fight the dreaded pandemic which has put a billion people at risk. Such research endeavours will help the country to develop preventive strategies for future disease outbreaks as well and exemplifies the governments focus on creating an ecosystem that nurtures and encourages new product innovation to make real and measurable changes to issues most relevant to our society.

This is an important milestone for AtmaNirbhar Bharat as Zydus begins human clinical trials for the indigenously developed vaccine. We hope, that the vaccine continues to show positive outcomes as it has done so far in the pre-clinical phase where it was found to be safe, immunogenic and well tolerated. This will be a big leap forward for Indian scientific research.

Dr. Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), New Delhi
Warsaw, July 17 : Poland's main opposition group Civic Coalition and the campaign of losing candidate, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, have filed complaints at the Supreme Court about the results of the presidential election.

The complaints contained hundreds of incidents that, according to the opposition, have given the winner, incumbent President Andrzej Duda, an unfair advantage, Xinhua news agency reported.

Duda won the run-off election Sunday by a slender margin, gaining 51.03 per cent of the vote over Trzaskowski's 48.97 per cent.

The main complaints concerned what the opposition said unfair involvement of state institutions in the campaign.

"These elections were not fair, because fair elections mean equal treatment of candidates," Barbara Nowacka, a Civic Coalition MP, said at a press conference on Thursday.

The Civic Coalition is made up of the main opposition party Civic Platform and several minor parties.

The Supreme Court has 21 days to review all the protests and rule whether any of them undermines the validity of the election.

Observing body of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has said the voting was organized professionally on the whole.

Sunday's official turnout stood at 68.12 per cent, which is 0.08 percentage point short of the record set in 1995, according to the National Electoral Commission.

Exit polls had indicated 62.9 per cent of voters cast their ballots in the first round of polls on June 28, up from 49 per cent five years earlier.

The presidential election, originally planned for May 10, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown.

To date, Poland has a total of 39,054 COVID-19 infections, with 1,605 deaths.
Suncor Energy Inc. SU is set to release second-quarter 2020 earnings results on Wednesday Jul 22.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarters loss is pegged at 50 cents per share and for revenues stands at $4.07 billion.

Lets delve into the factors that might have impacted the companys performance in the June quarter.

Factors to Impact Q2 Results

Following the Petro-Canada acquisition, Suncor Energy became one of the largest owners of oil sands in the world. Further, the companys newly-gained oil sands properties, which enrich its operating portfolio in northern Alberta, make it emerge as the leading producer in the region where its reserves come a close second to Saudi Arabia.

The companys cost-reduction efforts have also been encouraging throughout. It controls its capex at a steady pace by limiting its spending levels. For 2020, the company intends to trim its capital budget by nearly 26% to the C$3.9-C$4.5 billion range from its prior projection after reckoning the ongoing crash in commodity prices. This, in turn, should boost the companys earnings and generate higher cash flows.

However, Suncor Energys first-quarter 2020 operating earnings from the downstream unit decreased to C$165 million from the year-ago figure of C$1,009 million due to FIFO losses associated with the significant decline in commodity prices. Moreover, the company recorded soft refined product sales in the March quarter, which fell to 531,500 barrels per day (BPD) from the prior-year level of 542,800 BPD due to lower refinery utilization levels, a trend that most likely continued in the second quarter as well. In fact, Suncor already anticipated the second quarter to be weakest in terms of consumer demand for refined products due to the coronavirus crisis.

Further, the companys upstream unit witnessed an operating loss of C$5 million against a profit of C$492 million in the prior-year quarter, thanks to weak price realizations and mandatory production curtailments. This downtrend is also likely to have continued in the second quarter too.

Story continues

What Does Our Model Say?

Our proven Zacks model predicts an earnings beat for Suncor Energy this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of beating estimates.

You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Earnings ESP: Suncor Energy has an Earnings ESP of +19.66%.

Zacks Rank: Suncor Energy currently carries a Zacks Rank #3, which increases the predictive power of ESP.

Highlights of Q1 Earnings & Surprise History

In the last reported quarter, Suncor Energys operating loss per share of 15 cents was narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 19 cents, attributable to higher contribution from Fort Hills operation.

However, the year-ago bottom line was a profit of 58 cents per share. This downside in the year-over-year performance is due to softness in commodity prices and elevated costs and expenses.

Quarterly operating revenues of $5,783 million fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8,492 million. Moreover, the top line dropped 18.18% from $7,068 million in the year-ago quarter.

As far as the earnings surprise track is concerned, this Alberta-based companys bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters and missed the same on the remaining occasions. The average negative surprise is 3.04%. This is depicted in the graph below:

Suncor Energy Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Suncor Energy Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Suncor Energy Inc. price-eps-surprise | Suncor Energy Inc. Quote

Stocks to Consider

Some other firms worth considering from the energy space on the basis of our model that shows that these too have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this season are as follows:

Murphy USA Inc. MUSA has an Earnings ESP of +16.97% and a Zacks Rank of 3, currently. The company is scheduled to release earnings on Jul 21.

Halliburton Company HAL has an Earnings ESP of +14.94% and is presently Zacks #3 Ranked. The company is scheduled to release earnings on Jul 20. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here

National Oilwell Varco, Inc. NOV has an Earnings ESP of +16.36% and is #3 Ranked at present. The company is scheduled to release earnings on Jul 27.

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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Cleveland State Community College hosted their first Advanced Technologies Institute Signing Day Wednesday. After representatives from local industry reviewed applications and chose their top high school recruits, they had the opportunity to celebrate and connect face-to-face this week.



Cleveland State hosted the signees, industry partners and immediate family for the 2020 Signing Day event. In a special ceremony at Cleveland States main campus in Cleveland, where COVID-19 safety measures were put into place, Austin Bayne (Cleveland High School), Mason Cochran (Cleveland High School), Holly Farrow (Homeschool), Dylan Griswold (Bradley Central High School), Makaylah Shoemate (Walker Valley High School), Lucas Wallace (Walker Valley High School) and Brady Watson (McMinn County High School) all signed their letters of intent to join the special work-based learning program.



Mr.

Bayne and Ms. Farrow signed with Waupaca Foundry, Mr. Cochran and Mr. Griswold signed with Beiersdorf, Ms. Shoemate signed with McKee Foods, Mr. Wallace signed with Mayfield Dairy Farms, and Mr. Watson signed with Denso Manufacturing. As signees with the Advanced Technology Institute, each student is making a two-year commitment to work with their sponsoring company while attending Cleveland State.They earn while they learn, said Marci Reiter, Cleveland State Advanced Technologies Institute director. The companies know the classes their student enrolls in each term. Then, they provide them with practical training in the same areas when they are working as a paid employee in their facility. We evaluate them at the end of each term and tell them the good and the bad so the know what they excel at as well as what things they can work on.This August begins the third year of the program at Cleveland State. The first class of students who signed in 2018 graduated this year. Several of the students are continuing with their education at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on engineering tracks. We are also anticipating another student will be signing on with his sponsoring company in the near future, officials said.The ATI is designed to help students who are pursuing technology degrees and high-demand careers in their chosen fields, as well as area companies in need of a talented and trained workforce.The ATI helps educate, train and build our local workforce, said Dr. Bill Seymour, Cleveland State Community College president. The work our companies and the institute are doing is helping grow our communities. It is helping create highly skilled jobs that lead to a higher quality of life for those who call Southeast Tennessee home.

The Cleveland State Advanced Technologies Institute is part of a $25 million state investment to incentivize collaboration at the local level among higher education institutions, K-12 and economic development partners called the Governors Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) program. It is administered by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.



For more information on the Advanced Technologies Institute, visit MyCS.CC/ATI or e-mail to ati@clevelandstatecc.edu. To apply for admissions, visit the college at MyCS.CC/ApplyNow or call 423-472-7141.
When India encountered its first case on January 30 in Kerala, the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) seemed like an abstraction  an unknown infection in a corner of China that seemed to have created a scare of sorts.

But it wasnt our problem.

When, in early March, a Delhi resident  who had returned from Europe; whose children studied in an elite school in Noida; and who went out for a meal to Hyatt  tested positive, that abstraction became a reality for urban middle class Indians. Suddenly, it was not someone elses problem. Covid-19 had hit home.

Five-and-a-half months later, a million Indians have been infected by Sars-Cov-2. Over 25,000 Indians are dead due to the disease. And India has changed.

Indias governance structure has confronted the most serious multi-dimensional crisis in its history. Its political life is on the verge of a potential transformation, both in form and substance. Its public health system has emerged as the most critical determinant of the nations ability to fight and revive. Its economy has gone through an unprecedented contraction. Its governing economic philosophy has shifted. Its companies have been forced to reconfigure their businesses.

Thats not all.

The countrys labour has gone through a humanitarian tragedy, more severe than it has ever experienced. Indias poor have got poorer, the rich have not got richer, and the middle class has seen opportunities shrink, jobs disappear, and incomes get depleted. Its professionals have had to reconfigure the very idea of what it means to work and how. Its children have been forced to adapt to a new education system, where going to school itself is an elusive prospect. Its young adults are graduating, but with nowhere to go.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

Finally, Indias rich social and family traditions have transformed. Its relations with the world have undergone a reset, driven by the imperatives of managing the pandemic while securing the country. And its citizens have changed the way they live, eat, travel, interact, and work, perhaps irreversibly.

This then is a story of a virus, a million cases, and the creation of a new pattern of State-citizen and citizen-citizen engagement, a new political system, a new economic paradigm, a new social framework, a new citizenry, and, in many ways, a new national imagination. There is a caveat, however. This pandemic-induced rupture has not wiped away the past  but retained elements of it; there is, thus, continuity. A new post-pandemic India is taking roots, but old India has not gone away.

The States centrality

In the new post-pandemic India, the State is more powerful and present in everyday life than it was in pre-pandemic India.

From when people can leave their neighbourhood to when children can go to school, from where people can shop to where they can travel, from what they need to do if they are feeling unwell to the penalties they have to pay for flouting official directives, from when businesses can open in the day to where they can source supplies from or export, the States writ is larger than ever before in influencing the public and private sphere.

Also read | Covid-19: A million and a manifesto

To be sure, this is not exclusively an Indian phenomenon; nor necessarily a negative one  the pandemic required the State to step in and regulate society in ways which would prevent the spread of the infection and ensure common good. In cases where the State did not fulfil this role  the United States is an obvious example  the situation is a lot worse. But to think that only three decades ago, a reform process which hinged on the retreat of the State in Indias political economy commenced, it is remarkable to see how powerful the State apparatus indeed is.

The centrality of the State is most acutely reflected in the health care system. People may have seceded from the realm of state services by turning to private services for basic needs, but the pandemic has shown no one can truly secede from the larger public health system. It is the web of the health ministry, state governments, government hospitals in each district, government doctors and health care personnel which has provided the first line of response. The private sector has chipped in  but even the conditions under which it can do so have been determined by public health authorities.

This expansive role of the State also required new ways of working. From the Prime Minister holding video conferences with chief ministers to the cabinet secretary convening a meeting of all chief secretaries digitally, from rolling out the Aarogya Setu app to track infections to the deployment of officials from a range of departments for contact tracing, the State has had to adapt, embrace technology, divert its resources for the most urgent tasks at hand, and realign priorities .

But through all of this, it has also become clear that Indian States capacity is woefully inadequate. Its investment in key areas which are central to its mandate  such as health  is way too limited. Its coercive apparatus has a tendency to go overboard, as during the enforcement of the lockdown. It is slow to respond to immediate needs of the most vulnerable citizens (migrants being the most obvious example), and it lacks the required domain expertise needed for emergencies.

The centrality of class

Even as the pandemic has shown both the overwhelming presence of the State and its inadequacy, it has also led to tremendous suffering  and in the process, highlighted, and reinforced, the existing inequalities of Indian society.

The pandemic affected every citizen, but it affected some more than others. If you were a migrant worker living in a Mumbai slum  with your factory shut, with no wages, with no accommodation, with your family hundreds of miles away in Bihar or eastern Uttar Pradesh, with no transport to go back home  you suffered.

If you were a small roadside vendor in Delhi  with your tea stall closed, with your landlord in an unauthorised colony asking you to vacate your room immediately, and with the only way to get home being a long arduous walk back for hundreds of miles  you suffered.

Also read | Covid-19: Appoint officials to monitor hospitals, Centre asks states

If you were a small business owner  whose imports had collapsed, supply chains were disrupted, factory was closed, orders had dried up, and entire financial planning had collapsed  you suffered.

If you were a child, born in a poor family, in a village, going to a government school which shut down, dependent on the mid-day meal which was no longer provided, and where the idea of online classes could barely be imagined, you suffered.

If you were a salaried professional who just lost a job  and you struggled to pay back your monthly interest on that loan for a recent car, or fees for your school children, or rent for the house  you suffered.

This tragedy of human suffering  caused both by the pandemic and the lockdown imposed to curb its spread  will remain entrenched in public memory and private stories for years to come. It has shown the importance of class. It has brought to light the vulnerabilities of millions of migrant workers. It has shown the essential nature of State welfare programmes, which have acted as the only, limited cushion in trying times. And it has shown that how, when decisions are taken at a policy-level, the human cost is not always adequately factored in.

Contours of politics

If the State has been central, and if the economic suffering has been tremendous across spheres, can politics be far behind?

The pandemic has forced political parties to recognise that the old ways of engagement with citizens is gone, at least temporarily. Crowded mass rallies will only be a memory. But this does not mean that the engagement with citizens will end. Indeed, the pandemic had already forced a reset, with parties embracing digital technologies to interact with workers, mobilise citizens, and push out their messages. It is not a neat substitute. It cannot replace the human touch, essential in politics. But it will be the norm, and those who adapt it quicker will have the advantage.

But the pandemic has the potential to change the substance of politics, too. Political parties recognise that the response to Covid-19 will be a defining element of their legacy if in power. And that is why the rush to claim credit, to show that the country  or a particular state  is doing better than others, is visible on part of ruling parties, and the rush to critique the response is apparent on part of the Opposition.

But the key question is how the discourse on issues will now shape up. For citizens, public health, livelihoods, welfare, formal jobs with a degree of security, income support in difficult times is, now, a matter of life and death. If these become central themes of Indian politics, then the country may be on the verge of a reset, for the better.

Life of a citizen

What has changed in these six months is also the life of an ordinary citizen. If you are a young professional, you live and work differently. Online meeting platforms are central to your work life, as is the idea of working from home. Attending weddings online, or socialising with your friends on a web platform with a drink, is the new normal. If you are a student, online classes are central to your education, the nature of exams has changed, and the memory of playing with friends in your school ground is just that  a memory. If you are an old retired couple, going for a walk is suddenly a risk, and your children dont visit you for the fear of exposing you to the disease.

These fundamental shifts in the lives of citizens are changing society. The pandemic has restructured social interactions, and transformed the manner in which social bonds are sustained or individuals form groups. It has, at a micro level, allowed resident welfare associations to dictate your life. At a macro level, it has created new associations  of class for instance  but also reinforced old associations, of more parochial identities as people slide back into their own families, caste networks, and communities. All of this will alter social frameworks, in ways difficult to anticipate at the moment.

In the post-pandemic India, Indians will have to be ready for a more uncertain and fragile future.

All assumptions lie challenged, all old ways of living lie broken, and the security of the past lies shattered. What will emerge from this debris will depend on how, and when, the world, and India is able to fight off the pandemic.

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If youre following the science of COVID-19 youre likely still working at home. So how can Apples Siri help you get that work done?

Heres a handful of tasks you can request from Apple's voice-based assistant, with a couple of useful Mac-only suggestions:

Open an app

The best and easiest way to open any application on any Apple platform that supports Siri is Siri. Just ask it to Open [app name]. Its that simple.

Send a Message, text or email

You can ask Siri to send an email to a named person, so long as they are listed among your contacts. Just say: Send an email to [person] saying [dictate short message]." You can send texts, too. Just say, Send a text.

You can send short messages the same way; just replace the word email with Message." Siri will tell you if you have new emails and read the name and subject line for you if you wish, but I usually find that takes more time than looking for myself. Finally, if youve paired your Mac with your iPhone, you can use Siri to make a call via your Mac.

Who is calling, please?

Siri will tell you who is calling as long as they are included within your Contacts book. Set this up in Settings>Phone>Announce Calls.

Start a FaceTime call or schedule a Zoom meeting

Just ask Siri to start a FaceTime call with (named person). You can also ask Siri to Schedule a Zoom meeting on Friday at 3pm with [name]. Useful.

Take a Note

Do you use Notes? Siri will let you open and create a new Note. Just say, Create a note that says. This is such a useful tool if youre trying to stay focused in the application you are working in, but have an idea you want to take note of  just ask Siri to help.

Organize meetings

You can Add a meeting on a dedicated day.

Thats neat  did you know you can schedule a meeting for a certain date and time and in the same instruction tell Siri to let contacts know about the meet?

Just say: Add a meeting Tuesday at four and tell [name] and [name]. So long as the named parties are in your Contacts book, Siri will drop them a message to let them know the meeting is taking place.

Managing meetings

You can use Siris meeting management tools to stay on top of whats going on, asking things like When is my next meeting? or When is my meeting next Monday? So long as youve popped these meetings into your Calendar, Siri will let you know.

Siri will also help you reschedule a meeting. Just tell it, Move my 11 a.m. meeting to 12.30 p.m., for example.

What time is it?

If you hold meetings across time zones, Siri can be useful. Want to know the time in Tokyo? Ask Siri. Want to know the time in Boston? Siri knows. Its usually better to check the time rather than calling someone in the middle of their night, after all.

Siri can also convert currency, figure out percentages and run almost any calculation for you, which is way easier than finding an app for that.

Whats my password?

You can open System Preferences/Settings just by asking Siri to do this for you. You can also request that Siri access your passwords, so you might say Hey Siri, show my enterprise VPN password. Youll be asked to authorize that it is you asking, and then youll be presented with what you need.

Mac Siri talents

You can use Siri to open Mission Control, search for stuff on your Mac, open named items, open System Preferences, show you specified documents and images, and provide you with useful system information, such as how much memory your machine has. You can also ask it for information such as stock prices, weather conditions, search the web and more.

Dictate

In any app on an iPhone or iPad, you just need to tap the microphone icon on your keyboard to ask Siri to dictate for you.

Tell jokes

Siris sense of humor is at best unique.

Even more Siri tips

10+ essential Siri tips for productive Macs

Please follow me on Twitter, or join me in the AppleHolics bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.
Clay and Associates DDS, PLC welcomes Associate Dentist Dr. Nadeen Altaie starting August 1, 2020. She will join Dr. John Clay, Dr. Shaun O'Neill and Dr. Tyler Wallingford at the Fort Dodge, Iowa clinic.

A commitment to excellent dental care combined with a positive experience is at the core of what Clay and Associates provides for their patients. State of the art technology including: CEREC same day crowns, KAVO 3D imaging, and implant dentistry puts each patient at the fore front of the best technology dentistry has to offer. These services coupled with a friendly and highly competent staff is what places Clay and Associates at the top in the dental care industry.

Dr. Altaie attended Drake University graduating with a degree in Biology and then attended the University of Iowa College of Dentistry where she graduated with the Class of 2020. She is a member of the Iowa Dental Association and the American Dental Association.

Joining a progressive dental practice such as Clay and Associates DDS, PLC is an excellent opportunity that I am looking forward to, states Dr. Nadeen Altaie. The entire dental team has their patients best dental care in mind at all times.

Dr. Altaie enjoys being outdoors with her husband and two children. You can find them biking, fishing, swimming and some days just spending the day watching Nexflex.

Clay and Associates DDS, PLC is accepting new patients at their 1905 North 15th Street, Fort Dodge, IA dental clinic. For additional information call 515-573-7601 or visit us at http://www.clayassociatesdds.com. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
1 Market Buzz

Going big on smallcaps

Some of India's top investors, including Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and Radhakishan Shivkishan Damani, either bought or raised stakes in some smallcap stocks in the June quarter. Jhunjhunwala bought an additional 57 lakh shares in Firstsource Solutions, while Damani acquired 1.3 percent equity stake in Kalyani group company, BF Utilities, and 1.03 percent stake in defence sector player, Astra Microwave Products, during the quarter. These are just a few examples. While the mentioned names are smallcap companies, midcaps, too, have been witnessing traction, giving a signal that they are ready to go higher. Read here.

2 Big Story

Not out of the woods yet

Global economic activity is picking up after an unprecedented decline this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but a second major wave of infections could trigger more disruptions, the International Monetary Fund's Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said. Georgieva said the fiscal costs of actions aimed at containing the pandemic and mitigating its economic fallout were driving up already high debt levels, but it was premature to start withdrawing needed safety nets. "We are not out of the woods yet," she said in a blog posting ahead of July 16s virtual meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of 20 major economies. Read here.

3 Your Money

Corona insurance cover for seniors

Those with pre-existing diseases and senior citizens have been among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus outbreak. Therefore, it comes as a relief to them that two coronavirus standard health insurance policies, Corona Kavach (reimbursement) and Corona Rakshak (fixed benefit) have been rolled out by insurance firms. These will cover co-morbiditiesor pre-existing illnessesas a part of the treatment under standard COVID-19 policies. But it does not mean individuals will manage to obtain these new policies easily. Insurers have already indicated that their underwriting  health risk assessment before issuing policieswill be stringent. Read here.

4 Global Watch

Taiwan holds military drills against potential China threat

Taiwan's military fired missiles from the air and the island's shore facing China on July 16 in a live-fire drill to demonstrate its ability to defend against any Chinese invasion. The drills were part of a five-day annual exercise that ends Friday. Assault helicopters launched missiles and fighter jets dropped bombs on targets at sea, while tanks and missile trucks fired from a beach to deter a simulated invading force. We want the world to see our determination and efforts to protect our country. President Tsai Ing-wen said, observing the exercise in a helmet and camouflage military fatigues. China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province that is part of its territory. Read here.

5 Tech Tattle

Twitter hacked in bitcoin scam

The hackers who seized control of the Twitter accounts of Joe Biden, Kim Kardashian, Barack Obama and Elon Musk appear to have been in it only for the money. Twitter Inc said hackers had targeted employees with access to its internal systems. Other high-profile accounts that were hacked included rapper Kanye West, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, investor Warren Buffett, Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates, Uber and Apple Inc. The hijacked accounts tweeted out messages telling users to send bitcoin and their money would be doubled. Blockchain records show that the scammers received more than $100,000 worth of cryptocurrency. Read here.

6 Startup Tales

Trouble for Oyo

Layoffs, loss-making hotels, coronavirus and now a fresh round of litigation, trouble has resurfaced for Oyo Hotels and Homes, as hoteliers accuse the Softbank-backed hospitality firm of failing to honour contracts and breach of trust. On July 15, the Madras High Court asked Oyo to respond before August 12 to a petition by a Chennai hotel seeking a compensation of Rs 75 lakh for breach of contract. Other hoteliers, too, have accused the firm of withholding payments and being blindsided by changes in revenue-sharing arrangement. Oyo has denied the charges as misleading and inaccurate. Read here.

7 Tailpiece

Russia targeting coronavirus vaccine

Britain, the United States and Canada say Russia is trying to steal information from researchers seeking a COVID-19 vaccine. The three nations alleged that hacking group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear and said to be part of the Russian intelligence service, is attacking academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in coronavirus vaccine development. The persistent and ongoing attacks are seen by intelligence officials as an effort to steal intellectual property, rather than to disrupt research. Britain's National Cybersecurity Centre made the announcement, which was coordinated with authorities in the US and Canada. Read here
A televised address by Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the countrys new parliament July 12 covered a wide range of topics from foreign policy and the domestic economy to the coronavirus pandemic. But what grabbed the most media attention was his rejection of a plan by some lawmakers to impeach President Hassan Rouhani. The closing year of any administration is usually the most sensitive one.  I do strongly believe that administrations should work hard to the very end of their tenure and fulfill their responsibilities, Khamenei said.

For weeks, hard-line parliamentarians had been lobbying and collecting signatures to bring down the president before his second term came to an end. The project was shut down with a simple statement by the supreme leader that he did not find the impeachment effort to be in the best interest of the country.

Two days after the supreme leaders speech, one of the dogged architects of the impeachment bid, Javad Nikbin reversed his previous confrontational stance, announcing that the motion is no longer on our agenda. The ultraconservative cleric from the Paydari Movement  the parliaments most hard-line and anti-Rouhani faction  noted, however, We still need close oversight of the governments performance.

Member of the Parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Ebrahim Rezaee said though it is the lawmakers' legitimate authority to impeach the president, doing so is not helpful under the current circumstances. Another conservative lawmaker, Reza Taghipour, said he feared impeachment could do more harm than good.

After that speech, we will no longer pursue the impeachment, said lawmaker Ahmad Hossein Fallahi. Still, the parliamentarians have vowed to press ahead with summoning the president and are expected to grill him over his handling of Irans crumbling economy.

On multiple occasions during his 30-year leadership, Khamenei has intervened to push back other institutions when their plans have countered expediency or endangered the face of the establishment. Yet the tactic has also inspired questions about the extent of the Iranian leader's legal authorities enshrined in the constitution.

In 2000, a new parliament of Reformists was determined to overhaul Iranian media legislation after a mass closure of newspapers and the detention of a large number of dissident journalists. The supreme leader blocked the plan in a directive to then-parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi, who is now under house arrest.

In 2012, the parliament summoned former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning, but the move was blocked by a brief message from the supreme leader: The bid has already gone too far and it needs to be dropped right here, he wrote to the lawmakers, who withdrew their signatures immediately. Obedience of the directives of the supreme leader is an obligation all parliamentarians are proud to observe, former speaker Ali Larijani wrote back to Khamenei.

The supreme leader openly ordered an end to the heated media debates and parliamentary action on a $3 billion fraud case in the Iranian banking system that rocked the nation in 2011 as the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the Islamic Republic. Khamenei has separately argued that despite what critics have said, there is no systemic corruption in Iran. As recently as last November, Iranian lawmakers had to abide by the supreme leader's order not to seek the cancelation of a government fuel subsidy plan despite the widespread public discontent and the deadly unrest it had sparked nationwide.

The embattled president needs the supreme leaders support. On the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Iran nuclear deal, the accords prospects appear dimmer than ever, leaving Rouhani an easy target for his hard-line opponents. The impeachment bid was motivated in part by the deal, which Rouhani's critics say has brought Iran nothing but empty promises and humiliation.

Despite escaping the impeachment bid unharmed, there is more yet to come for Rouhani. The new uncompromising parliament continues to oppose the administration with almost every single move it makes, particularly in its push to take the helm in the fight against the ailing economy.

In a televised address earlier this week, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf unveiled an economic road map that set out a new five-year vision for economic stability. Rouhani supporters see it as a clear example of Ghalibaf trying to frame Rouhani as incompetent.

The day before the televised address, Rouhani and Ghalibaf took part in a meeting of the Supreme Council for Economic Coordination. While state media coverage of the session presented a picture of consensus, Reformist paper Etemad reported on a verbal clash between Rouhani and Ghalibaf, in which the president allegedly criticized the parliament speaker for independently presenting an economic package to the supreme leader. It is the president who commands the economic war, Rouhani reportedly complained.

Then let it be and lets find out if you can handle the crisis or you will simply continue to make speeches  the fruit of which is the countrys current economic turbulence, Ghalibaf hit back, according to Etemad. Unsurprisingly, government spokesperson Ali Rabiee dismissed the bitter exchange as fake news.
Photograph: Javier Gonzalez Toledo/AFP/Getty Images

A former naval officer, charged with human rights crimes during Argentinas bloody 1976-83 dictatorship, has been discovered living in Berlin  despite being the subject of an international arrest warrant.

Luis Esteban Kyburg, the alleged commander of an elite navy unit believed responsible for the deaths of at least 150 people, was filmed by the Bild tabloidwalking down the streets of Berlins trendy Friedrichshain district .

Im waiting here. Court in Germany, not in Argentina. Im waiting, innocent, calmly, Kyburg is seen telling a Bild reporter in the video.



Kyburg, who has dual Argentinian-German citizenship, escaped to Berlin in 2013, after fellow members of the military task force he belonged to were convicted in Argentina.

About 30,000 people are believed to have been murdered by Argentinas dictatorship, which set up Nazi-style death camps where its victims were tortured and then killed, many of them thrown alive from military planes into the South Atlantic.



Anahi Marocchi, the sister of one of Kyburgs alleged victims, called for Germany to bring him to justice.

I came to Germany seeking justice for my brother, said Marocchi in a video posted on Friday by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), a Berlin-based human rights organization. In Argentina, Luis Kyburg, who shares responsibility for my brothers murder, would have been convicted long ago. I have hope that the German justice system will now ensure he will be justly punished for his crimes.

Her brother, Omar Marocchi, is thought to have been killed in 1976 in the city of Mar del Plata by a naval unit whose deputy commander at the time was Kyburg. The young activist disappeared together with his partner Susana Valor, who was three months pregnant.

Pregnant women were often kept alive until they gave birth, then murdered, and their child handed over to a military family to raise as their own.

Related: How an Argentinian man learned his 'father' may have killed his real parents

Story continues

Valors child is on the list of grandchildren being sought by the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, an organization of women who have so far located 130 of their grandchildren.

Luis Ks German citizenship must not shield him from prosecution, said the ECCHR general secretary, Wolfgang Kaleck, in a statement.

As the commander of an elite combat swimmer unit, he is believed to have been involved in the kidnapping and murder of 152 people during the military dictatorship in Argentina, said ECCHR.

The discovery of Kyburgs presence in Berlin follows the case of another alleged Argentinian torturer, Mario Sandoval, who was discovered to have worked as a professor at the Sorbonne in Paris, before he was detected in December and extradited to Argentina.

Kyburgs flight to Germany offers a mirror image of the escape to Argentina of a large number of Nazis after the second world war, including Josef Mengele and Adolf Eichmann.
Tyler Perry is giving back to his adopted city of Atlanta.

The actor and director gifted 1,000 $50 gift cards to people in need on Thursday morning. A spokesperson for Perry said the Atlanta Police Department handed out the Kroger gift cards.

"This is about the community that I love, that I live and work in. This is about good people who are in need of a hand up not a hand out. This is about the good police officers who do their job well everyday some of which are my personal friends, Perry said in a statement. This is about trying to bridge unity in a city that adopted me and held me up high enough to reach my own branch on the tree of success. I love Atlanta and its people!"

Interim Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant talks to a man as his officers pass out gift cards for groceries to people amid the coronavirus pandemic, courtesy of filmmaker Tyler Perry. (Tyler Perry)

This isnt the first time this pandemic that Perry has lent a helping hand to those who might be food insecure.

Related: Need a dose of good news? TODAY brings you one good thing each day to lift your heart and make you smile.

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In April, the Madea star and creator paid for customers' groceries at 29 Winn-Dixie locations in New Orleans during shopping hours for seniors and high-risk individuals, the company said. In Atlanta, he picked up the tab at 44 Kroger stores.

The generous gesture began when shoppers at Winn-Dixie received a piece of paper that read "Random Act of Kindness," NBC Louisiana affiliate WDSU reported. At checkout, they found out their groceries were fully paid for.

Perry's generosity is a gift that comes as the nation is struggling with lower incomes and food prices on the rise. A recent study found the coronavirus pandemic roughly doubled food insecurity in the United States. Nonprofit Feeding America  which helps provide food to those in need  estimated around 40% of people visiting food banks were there for the first time.

The demand is unprecedented and unlike any challenge that we've faced in food bank history in the United States. Weve really never seen the level of need that were seeing now, and having seen it come about as quickly as its come about, its been a real shock, Katie Fitzgerald, the chief operating officer at Feeding America, told NBC News. Its been a perfect storm in that the demand has been unprecedented and the supply of food has been pretty significantly disrupted.
Luxembourg's Ministry of Health on Wednesday published a map displaying virus infections per canton. This move was not welcomed by everyone.

The map shows that the respective cantons of Esch and Luxembourg City have recorded more virus cases than other parts of the country.

Numbers per canton: Esch has highest number of infections

Syvicol president Emile Eicher highlighted what he perceives to be the pitfalls of publishing such a map. According to the president of the trade union, the map may lead inhabitants of less affected cantons to underestimate the virus threat.

He also argued that the map could lead to the assumption that individual municipalities and mayors did a poorer job than others.

The trade union demanded that the ministry also provide further information about where and how new patients contracted the virus. This additional set of information is vital for municipalities to take concrete action.

Municipalities will receive additional support from high commissioner for national protection Frank Reimen, who will directly contact municipal authorities in case of new localised infection clusters. According to Eicher, the high commissioner will be able to discuss tangible problems with municipal officials.

Eicher stressed that the potential stigmatisation of individual regions due to the map would be a completely wrong approach.
By Online Desk

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually addressed the United Nations at the High-Level Segment of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), his first since India was overwhelmingly elected as a non-permanent member of the powerful Security Council last month.

The Prime Minister in his addresss lauded India's effort in fighting COVID-19 and said "Our motto is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas  meaning Together, for everyones growth, with everyones trust. This resonates with the core SDG principle of leaving no one behind.."

The annual High-level Segment convenes a diverse group of high-level representatives from the government, the private sector, the civil society, and academia, a PMO statement said.

The theme of this year's High-level Segment is "Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary".

Key notes from Modi's address: 'While celebrating 75 years of UN, let us pledge to reform global multilateral system, says PM Modi at ECOSOC session'

'Only reformed multilateralism with reformed UN at its center can meet aspirations of humanity'

'In India, we have tried to make the fight against the pandemic a people's movement'

'In fight against COVID, our grass-roots health system is helping India ensure one of the best recovery rates in the world'

This will be first opportunity for PM Modi to address the broader UN membership since India's overwhelming election as a non-permanent member of the Security Council on June 17 for the term 2021-22.

Set against the changing international environment and the COVID-19 pandemic, the session will focus on critical forces shaping the course of multilateralism and explore ways to bolster the global agenda through strong leadership, effective international institutions, a broadening of participation and enhanced significance of global public goods, it pointed out.

WATCH ADDRESS HERE:

The theme of the High-level Segment of the ECOSOC, on the 75th Anniversary of the UN, also resonates with India's Security Council priority, wherein it has called for 'reformed multilateralism' in a post-COVID-19 world.

It also recalls India's role as the holder of the inaugural presidency of ECOSOC (Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar, in 1946).

Modi had earlier delivered a keynote address virtually at the 70th anniversary of ECOSOC in January 2016, the statement said.

(Inputs from PTI)
A new kitemark will verify when face coverings are of a certain quality.

Masks or some form of face covering will be mandatory in shops in England from July 24 to help tackle the spread of coronavirus.

The mark will certify that the covering filters out at least 70 per cent of all particles while also passing tests for 'breathability'.

It is expected that the first face coverings with the Kitemark will be available from late July.

Scroll down for video

A new kitemark will verify when face coverings are of a certain quality. It is expected that the first face coverings with the kitemark (pictured) will be available from late July

Masks or some form of face covering will be mandatory in shops in England from July 24 to help tackle the spread of coronavirus. Pictured, Boris Johnson wearing a mask earlier this week

Business improvement company BSI said the scheme will assess face coverings to a technical specification.

It will also provide 'independent approval' of the quality of fitting and the instructions provided to a wearer on how to properly use the covering.

By law, masks should now be worn by passengers in England using public transport despite little enforcement.

Face coverings must already be worn in shops and on public transport in Scotland.

They are also compulsory on public transport in Northern Ireland.

In Wales, face coverings will only become mandatory for public transport when new rules come into force on July 27.

By law, masks should now be worn by passengers in England using public transport despite little enforcement. Face coverings must already be worn in shops and on public transport in Scotland

According to Government guidance, face coverings such as surgical masks used in medical settings are not classified as personal protective equipment (PPE).

However, they are designed to stop the wearer infecting other people near them.

English speakers some of the least likely to wear face masks Research from Durham University found Brits, Americans and other English speakers are some of the least likely to wear face masks. The only native speakers, researched by the academics, less likely to following health precautions are German speakers. Many European countries have already implemented mandatory face masks in shops at the beginning of their lockdowns. Researchers found that Italian and French speakers were most likely to follow their own governments guidelines and recommendations, whilst Spanish and English speakers were much less likely to stick to the rules. Advertisement

The covering does not have to be of medical quality and can be either reusable or single-use.

People can use scarves, bandanas, religious garments or handmade coverings, as long as they cover the nose and mouth and fit securely around the side of the face.

Howard Kerr, chief executive of BSI, said: 'There is an overwhelming choice of face coverings available in the market.

'The challenge is knowing which claims they make are valid and whether they provide a basic level of protection to others.

'Face coverings that are independently assessed to schemes such as the Kitemark will allow consumers to make an informed and trusted decision.'

Mr Kerr added: 'As we continue to pull together as a country to combat the impact of Covid-19, it is important that we all take appropriate measures to protect one another.

'Whilst a face covering can never provide the same level of personal protection as a PPE or medical grade face mask, it is neither necessary nor appropriate for such products to be diverted to general consumer use.

'Providing consumers with confidence that their face covering provides some level of protection for those around them will help reduce the spread of the virus whilst we emerge from lockdown.'

BSI said UK manufacturers Cookson and Clegg and Rototherm are among the first organisations in the final stages of assessment to achieve the new Kitemark.
Italy heals after coronavirus, but scars remain for priest who blessed the dead Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown, in Brescia

By Angelo Amante

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's coronavirus lockdown is over and the daily death toll has dwindled, but Italians are coping with the fallout of an epidemic that has killed 35,000 people and shaken lives.

Marco Mori is a catholic priest from Brescia, one of the worst-affected cities of the Lombardy region at the epicentre of the country's COVID-19 tragedy.

In March, the Brescia province saw overall mortality up 292% compared with the average of the same month in 2015-2019. By the end of April it had recorded 2,500 confirmed COVID-19 deaths.

Soon after Lombardy discovered its first infections, Don Marco put a book in his church where people wrote their thoughts, prayers and hopes as the virus spread through the city. It will probably be published in September.

"I am 10 years old but my fear is bigger than me. I hope the Lord will help us in this bad situation and that even though we cannot go to mass he will still be able to understand us from our hearts," wrote Martina.

Father Marco saw about a dozen deaths among his own parishioners, but he blessed many more COVID-19 corpses. "March 28 was the day I blessed most bodies, around 20," he told Reuters.

He comforted patients who were trapped in their houses, fighting for breath, and performed the last rites as they slipped away.

During the long lockdown, priests from smaller towns were no longer allowed to accompany their dead church members on their final journey to Brescia crematorium, but Mori was there to give the last blessing to people he did not know.

He found himself in front of 16 coffins in a funeral home warehouse. "There was a piece of paper with a name jammed under the cross on each coffin, and the same name was written on a label stuck on the coffin to avoid confusion," he said.

On May 18, Father Marco celebrated Mass for the first time in nearly three months. "I almost cried at the sight of all those people back in the church," he said.

(Editing by Gavin Jones and Janet Lawrence)
MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a snap "combat readiness check" involving 150,000 personnel and hundreds of aircraft and naval vessels to ensure security in Russia's southwest, where he sees a "serious threat" from terrorism.



Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on July 17 that the "check" had already begun and will test the readiness of Russian armed forces for the Caucasus-2020 military maneuvers scheduled for September.



"In accordance with the decision of the commander in chief of the Russian Armed Forces [Putin], a snap combat readiness check is being conducted by troops of the Southern and Western military districts," Shoigu said.



The southern and western military districts of Russia border Ukraine, in the east of which Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian armed forces since April, 2014..



The "check" is taking place in several areas, including the Black and Caspian Seas, and involves airborne troops and marine infantry from the Northern and Pacific Fleets.



More than 400 aircraft and over 100 vessels will also take part in the military event, according to Shoigu.



After forcibly seizing Crimea and the outbreak of the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, Russia conducted a large number of snap military exercises in its western and southwestern regions.



In Ukraine, Defense Minister Andriy Taran said on July 17 that Ukrainian armed forces will also conduct military drills in September.



"As [Russian] troops accumulate under the pretext of preparing for the Caucasus-2020 strategic drills, the leadership of Ukraines Defense Ministry and the armed forces plan to conduct Joint Effort-2020 strategic command exercises... at the same time, namely in the last part of September," Taran said.



Taran added that Kyiv expects representatives from NATO countries to take part in the exercises, adding that, according to Ukrainian data, Russia is not preparing any armed offensives during the Caucasus-2020 drills.



Some 13,200 people have been killed since April 2014 in Ukraines east, where Moscow has been supporting to pro-Russian separatists there.

With reporting by UNIAN, AFP, TASS, and Interfax
Businesses, including the Dome, hairdressers and a newsagent, have become so frustrated with the council's inaction they banded together last year to form the Reconnect Jull Street action group. Together they hired one of the states most high-profile public relations firms, GRA Partners, to lobby for the street. On Wednesday, they ramped up their efforts for change with an online petition, which has received nearly 100 signatures. Mr Hill said fights were a regular occurrence in the mall. He had seen stabbings and even public defecation and without some drastic help said more businesses would fail. Jull Street Mall business owners at the launch of the one way street petition.

Previous efforts made to clean up the mall, including security patrols and hosting more events, hadnt helped in the long-term. It is just that constant thing we put up with day in day out and weve got no help, Mr Hill said. There is no investment in this mall, we have one of the fastest-growing suburbs in WA and Australia. On paper, everything says to a business, invest in Armadale. The minute you step into Armadale you walk out going, no chance. Efforts to get new tenants in to bring more customers into the mall and push the anti-social behaviour out have not worked either.

Michael Facey works for one of the malls biggest landlords, who shut down their bar and bistro just two years after spending $1 million on a refurbishment. Mr Facey said attempts to lure national and international brands came to nothing because they preferred to be on streets with car accessibility. In one instance a prospective new tenant was being shown around the mall by a property manager when a stranger jumped on her back and tried to ride her around like a horse. It should be a thriving precinct. There is potential there for restaurants and everything, he said. If people dont want to walk through the mall and cant access it and are afraid to walk through it then we have what we have now, and that is a ghost town.

It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. People say were not going to go out because there is nothing on offer, well there is nothing on offer because they wont go out. He told of one instance when a prospective new tenant was being shown around the mall by a property manager when a stranger jumped on her back and tried to ride her around like a horse. Cost estimates vary greatly between the Reconnect Jull Street group  which believes a one-way street would cost under $400,000  and the City of Armadale, which argues it would come to more than $1 million, when the cost of moving utilities and trees was considered. Armadale Mayor Ruth Butterfield and chief executive Joanne Abbiss both said a one-way street wouldnt be the quick fix the businesses wanted, and consultant reports said the economic benefits wouldnt be reaped for at least 10 years.

Council to unveil ambitious plan - a tree top walk through the city centre Ms Butterfield vehemently denied the city had been ignoring the businesses and said next week it would reveal an ambitious plan that would get people, and investment, back into the Armadale CBD. We are not dragging our feet, we are not thinking at too-high a level, we are being extremely practical and were trying to include the whole city because it is the whole city that is suffering, she said. Just letting cars going down the mall - and this is what our consultants said to us - is not a silver bullet. The CBD plan includes a tree top walk that will wind through the entire city centre, including the mall, and would include rooftop parks, zip lines from shopping centres and an Aboriginal cultural centre.
RTHK: Russia accused of hacking for vaccine data

The US, UK and Canada have accused Russia of trying to steal coronavirus vaccine research as the pandemic surges across the world, with Brazil surpassing two million confirmed cases and the US notching a new daily record.

The virus has killed more than 588,000 people, infected more than 13.7 million and crippled the global economy since emerging late last year, and world hopes have turned to a vaccine to end the onslaught.

In the latest positive sign, British media reported Thursday that an Oxford University trial had shown its prototype vaccine generated an immune response against Covid-19.

But hours later, the UK's National Cyber Security Centre said a hacking group called APT29 had targeted British labs conducting vaccine research to "steal valuable intellectual property."

The agency said it was "almost certain (95%+) that APT29 are part of the Russian Intelligence Services" and its targeting of researchers was "highly likely (80-90%)" to "collect information on Covid-19 vaccine research.

The US, UK and Canada all accused Russia in a joint security advisory.

Moscow denied any involvement, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying: "Russia has nothing to do with these attempts."

The dispute came as ever-growing tolls in Brazil and the United States, the world's two worst-hit countries, underscored the need for a vaccine.

Both passed bleak mileposts, with Brazil soaring past its two millionth infection and the US adding more than 68,000 cases in 24 hours, a new daily record.

Experts say the true case load in Brazil, home to some 209 million people, could be understated by as much as a factor of ten, and fatalities  officially over 76,000  as much as twofold.

While the virus runs rampant across the Americas, the Red Cross warned that South Asia is fast becoming the next global epicentre.

India will hit one million cases soon, and the 125 million people in impoverished Bihar state, which borders Nepal, started a new 15-day lockdown on Thursday.

Governments in many other countries have been forced to reimpose restrictions as Covid-19 refuses to fade, including Spain, which has locked down a northeastern area as it fights more than 120 active outbreaks.

In north Africa, Algeria is planning a law to protect health workers after an increase in "physical and verbal attacks" since the country's outbreak began, as it registered another record number of daily cases.

On Monday, the director of a hospital around 125 kilometres southeast of the capital jumped out of a window to escape the angry family of a patient suspected to have died from the Covid-19 disease. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
NASAs Deep Space Network has dishes in the U.S., Spain, and Australia, so that as the Earth rotates, at least one station is able to talk to any spacecraft in any direction. The Australian facility is getting some much-needed upgrades (pictured) so it can better communicate with Voyager 2, which is 18 billion kilometers (11 billion miles) away. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

The United Arab Emirates Hope spacecraft missed its first 2 Mars launch attempts this week due to bad weather at the launch site in Japan. Visit planetary.org/mars2020 to see up-to-date launch times for all 3 Mars missions scheduled to launch this month. Hope is the Arab worlds first mission to another planet and will study Mars climate in an attempt to understand what ancient Mars was like.

A new paper using data from Chinas Yutu-2 rover says that a dark-green gel-like substance found on the Moons far side is, as suspected, probably just glassy rock. The result is still intriguing because Apollo astronauts found a similar substance on the near side, likely formed after an impact or volcanic eruption. Learn more about Yutu-2 and the Change-4 mission here.

NASA has updated its planetary protection regulations that outline how well space missions must protect against the human contamination of Mars and the Moon, as well as the contamination of Earth by possible Mars microbes. The new policies are less restrictive and remove provisions NASA said would have constructively prohibited the human exploration of Mars. Learn why we explore the Moon and Mars.

NASA astronauts have just one spacewalk left on 21 July to finish a three-and-a-half-year upgrade of the International Space Stations power system. Chris Cassidy and Robert Behnken completed the next-to-last spacewalk on Thursday and will perform the last on 21 July. The latter will be Cassidy and Behnkens tenth spacewalk, which places them in a tie with Michael Lopez-Alegria and Peggy Whitson for the most spacewalks by Americans.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on July 16 holds a meeting with outstanding business leaders who are members of the Private Sector Development Research Board (Board IV) of the governments Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform and Young Presidents Organisation (YPO). (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on July 16 held a meeting with outstanding business leaders who are members of the Private Sector Development Research Board (Board IV) of the governments Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform and Young Presidents Organisation (YPO).

During the event, the business leaders presented their ideas and proposed solutions to help the government achieve its goals and priorities. They also assessed feasibility of each idea and solution and discussed how public-private partnership can help translate the goals into reality.

PM Phuc highlighted the significant role played by businesses to the economy and highly spoke of their ideas and proposals during the meeting.

He urged the enterprises to neither drop their guard down nor let the COVID-19 return because of economic benefits in the current circumstance.

The PM said that the government is giving top priority to FDI attraction in the new context, adding that he will always listen to proposals by all companies, especially those related to infrastructure, land and delivery of public services on the national public service portal.

He pledged to provide better conditions for the development of Vietnamese enterprises as the private sector remains one of the economys main driver.

He expected all ministries, sectors as well as Board IV and companies will make extra efforts to contribute to the countrys prosperity and development.

Board IV was established by PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc in 2017 to support the government in reforming mechanism, policies and administrative procedures related to the private economic sector. Meanwhile, YPO was set up in the US in 1950 and now becomes the largest non-profit organisation on the globe with over 27,000 members.
Participants at the ARUA Water CoE foundation course, funded by UKRI:GCRF capability grant: Addressing Complex Water and Land Problems: Applying the Adaptive Systemic Approach, at the University of Addis Ababa, Land and Water Resources Centre.

United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) announced the outcomes of its African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) partnership research programme to tackle global challenges such as disease, poverty, climate change, fragile states and food insecurity. This research programme is a key part of UKRIs three-year partnership with ARUA, developed through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), to strengthen pan Africa-UK collaborations across all disciplines, mobilise excellence and build robust research ecosystems across Africa.

UKRI works in partnership with universities, research organisations, businesses, charities and governments to create the best possible environment for research and innovation to flourish. ARUA is a network of universities from different countries and different historical backgrounds, but with a shared vision. It aims to enhance research and graduate training in member universities through several channels, including the setting up of Centres of Excellence to be hosted by member universities. The ARUA-UKRI research programme has two strands: Capacity building to support the 13 ARUA Centres of Excellence, and Research Excellence to support four multidisciplinary and multinational projects addressing the UNs SDGs; the latter is the one that has been just announced.

The Institute for Water Research at Rhodes University is one of the four cross-cutting Excellence award winners. Professor Carolyn Palmer is leading the project titled Unlocking resilient benefits from African water resources (more information at https://www.ru.ac.za/iwr/aruacoe/). The awards for the Centres of Excellence will enable the awarded Centres of Excellence to develop into expert hubs where leading researchers, alongside a new generation of researchers, collaborate and undertake world-class research across priority themes including energy, water conservation, urbanisation and food security. The four joint research excellence projects will help forge new relationships and synergies between the ARUA Centres of Excellence and UK-based GCRF researchers. They together will build on existing activities to develop new proposals and projects aligned to the SDGs. Both aspects of the research programme will help strengthen and expand Africas crucial research base.

Rhodes Universitys Director for Institute for Water Research, Professor Carolyn Palmer said the Institute was thrilled to be part of the international research consortium. Water is fundamental to thriving human life and society, and people are inextricably part of the natural environment. But with growing demands on water across Africa, and increasing constraints on supply, there is an urgent need for new research, methodologies and practices to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and realise the Africa Water Vision 2025 she said.

The research will see a collaboration that will bring together researchers from South Africa, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and the UK, to form an African water research cohort, addressing water-related SDGs, with community engagement to catalyse change.

UKRIs International Champion, Professor Andrew Thompson said: To sustainably address global challenges, we need a genuine global response and that means forging stronger partnerships that are fair, equitable and fully reciprocal between researchers in the northern and southern hemispheres. This exciting research programme with ARUA is supporting research that transcends national boundaries and will produce different ways of thinking about challenges and different solutions to tackling them.

ARUA Secretary-General, Professor Ernest Aryeetey said: I would love to see a world where discussions about global health are influenced by work done in Africa, where discussions about climate change are influenced by African researchers and where African governments and the international academic community listen to African researchers. ARUAs partnership with UKRI is an important stepping stone to realising this vision.

The 13 ARUA Centres of Excellence being supported through capacity building grants are:

Climate Change  University of Cape Town, South Africa

Energy  Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Food Security  University of Pretoria, South Africa

Good Governance  Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

Materials, Energy and Nanotechnology  University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

Migration and Mobility, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

Non-Communicable Diseases  University of Nairobi, Kenya

Notions of Identity  Makerere University, Uganda

Post-Conflict Society - Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

Poverty and Inequality - Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

Unemployment and Skills Development  University of Lagos, Nigeria

Urbanisation and Habitable Cities  University of Lagos, Nigeria

Water  Rhodes University, South Africa

Source: Communications

Please help us to raise funds so that we can give all our students a chance to access online teaching and learning. Covid-19 has disrupted our students' education. Don't let the digital divide put their future at risk. Visit www.ru.ac.za/rucoronavirusgateway to donate
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These incredible images of remote tribes in Africa were taken by a frontline nurse who says that the people there are the most caring on the planet.

American Cohan Zarnoch, 54, has worked and travelled with multiple non-profit organisations over the past 12 years, snapping breathtaking pictures of rural tribes in countries including Ethiopia, Rwanda, Namibia and Morocco.

The mother-of-four explained that her love of photography began when she was just 15 years old after she received her first film camera and it continued into her adulthood.

Nurse and photographer Cohan Zarnoch captured these images in Ethiopia. She has been snapping stunning pictures such as these for the past 12 years

Cohan snaps her beautiful images while working for non-profit organisations and on medical missions. Pictured is a tribe in Ethiopia

Cohan, who regularly travels solo, says that the beautiful thing about Africa is that there is always something to take pictures of

However, Cohan, who recently returned home from New York after serving on the frontline in a hospital taking care of Covid-19 patients, said she put off her photography hobby for many years due to her job as a nurse and her children.

She explained: 'I felt that the responsibilities outweighed the passion I felt behind the lens until one day when I was travelling with a medical mission team and they asked me to take some pictures because I had my camera with me.

'Their usual photographer was unable to join them and they needed photos for their fundraising efforts. From there, I became their photographer for every trip and it expanded to multiple organisations capturing their mission efforts across the world.'

Twelve years later, Cohan is still working for non-profits and medical missions and regularly travels solo, visiting and photographing tribes throughout Africa.

The photographer, who has had work published in Africa Geographic, said the continent has 'always been my calling' and that it is home to the 'most interesting and loving people on the planet'.

She added: 'They are not aggressive by nature, they adhere to their centuries of culture and allow me in.

Cohan took this picture in Ethiopia. The award-winning photographer said she is particularly drawn to women and children and enjoys capturing the 'innocence of a child and their perspective of the world around them'

The photographer typically shoots for hours at a time, constantly scanning the tribe for interaction or emotion that she can capture on camera

Cohan says that Africa has 'always been my calling' and that it is home to the 'most interesting and loving people on the planet'

'It is a place I go knowing that I am accepted not by conditions, but who I am in that moment. I do not have to explain, justify or defend because they have no judgement. They remind me that judgement need not exist when the connection is real.'

Speaking of the process behind taking her breathtaking photos, Cohan explained: 'My process is simple. I smile and connect with the children at first. It then gives the mothers an understanding that I value and enjoy being around their children.

'Once the connection is made, I allow the tribe to continue about their day with me standing to the side until I know they are comfortable with my presence.

'I have a long lens I use until I have spent a good amount of time with them. I carry two cameras, one long lens, one short lens and when I feel they are comfortable with the cameras, I begin to shoot with both.'

Cohan said she allows the children to hold her hands. She plays with them and sometimes shows them the photos she has taken, noting that many of the children have never seen themselves before because there are no mirrors in the remote tribes.

She typically shoots for hours at a time, constantly scanning the tribe for interaction or emotion that she can capture.

Speaking of the process behind her breathtaking photos, Cohan explained: 'My process is simple. I smile and connect with the children first'

Photographer Cohan is currently preparing for a 150 to 200-piece photography show at a museum in Rome. Pictured is a tribe member in Ethiopia

According to Cohan, Africa is a 'place I go knowing that I am accepted not by conditions, but who I am in that moment'

Cohan says: 'My work gives light and voice to those who have yet to find their truest self those you have never seen nor heard'

She said: 'The beautiful thing about Africa is that there is always something to shoot. I can walk away from a week-long trip with 5,000 photos of the purest human nature to exist.'

Explaining the inspiration behind her images, Cohan said: 'During my travels, I have had the opportunity to shoot thousands of people, all of whom are an inspiration to me.

'It is a smile of connection that one shares when words cannot be spoken. A smile is a universal language that requires simply kindness and a willingness to accept them for who they are in that given moment. It becomes a moment of vulnerability for myself, as I too want to be accepted for who I am in that moment.'

Cohan said her favourite images are 'those that speak the loudest through their expressions and emotions' adding that 'love is a universal symbol across the borders and capturing it brings such joy to a world of so much hurt'.

The award-winning photographer said she is particularly drawn to women and children and enjoys capturing the 'innocence of a child and their perspective of the world around them'.

She said: 'Women with their children express so much love and commitment to their child that it takes my breath away.

Cohan says her favourite images are 'those that speak the loudest through their expressions and emotions'

Speaking of one travel memory she is particularly fond of, Cohan explained that she was invited to stay with the Himba tribe, who are considered the last semi-nomadic people of Namibia. She recalled: 'I stayed in a dung covered hut with the grandmother. I slept on the hard dung covered dirt with no blanket or pillow, but it was a privilege to be in the grandmother's hut because she was the most senior of the tribe'

'My work gives light and voice to those who have yet to find their truest self those you have never seen nor heard.

'The best part of shooting is the experience and connections made with the people along the way. Everyone has a story, but it is up to us to see and hear that story so it can be captured on film. I will continue to hold that dream and hope that one day soon it will be reached.'

Speaking of one travel memory she is particularly fond of, Cohan explained that she was invited to stay with the Himba tribe, who are considered the last semi-nomadic people of Namibia.

She recalled: 'I stayed in a dung covered hut with the grandmother of the tribe as well as a few other ladies.

'I slept on the hard dung covered dirt with no blanket or pillow, but it was a privilege to be in the grandmother's hut because she was the most senior of the tribe and, therefore, carried authority.'

Cohan is currently preparing for a 150 to 200-piece photography show at a museum in Rome, the date of which has yet to be confirmed.
L & T Technology Services Limited (BSE: 540115, NSE: LTTS), India's leading pure-play engineering services company, announced its results for the first quarter ended June 30, 2020.

Key financial parameters for Q1FY21:

* USD Revenue at USD 171 million

* Revenue at Rs 12,947 million; down 4 per cent YoY

* EBIT margin at 12.1 per cent

* Net profit at Rs 1,173 million; down 42 per cent YoY

LTTS has executed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 per cent stake in Orchestra Technology, a specialist technology solutions provider for the Telecom industry.

Orchestra is based in Texas, USA, and will enable LTTS to strengthen its capabilities in network engineering and modernization.

"With many industries operating at limited capacity on account of the pandemic, Q1 was a challenging quarter as expected. Still, we had a good performance in two of our segments - Telecom & Hitech and Medical, and our large deal engine continues to churn wins. Free cash flow generation was strong during the quarter and the healthy cash position sets us up well for the future. Looking ahead, we see a path for a recovery backed by good order bookings and a healthy pipeline. We expect both revenue and operating margin to show sequential improvement over the remaining quarters of the current fiscal," said Dr Keshab Panda, CEO & Managing Director, L & T Technology Services Limited.

"The acquisition of Orchestra will enhance our offerings in the areas of Network Engineering & Enterprise Mobility and provide us strategic access to Telecom service providers who are investing in next-generation digital systems for 5G and IoT networks," added Dr Keshab.

"As customers redraw their business plans, we are working with them to improve operating efficiency, finetune sourcing and production plans, and prepare for faster go-to-market. Our newer set of offerings like Frugal Manufacturing, Telehealth solution, and i-BEMS Shield are seeing good traction in the market. The large deal discussions we are having with customers are a notch higher in terms of criticality and adoption of new-age technologies, which we believe will pave the way for greater mind share and competitive differentiation", said Dr Keshab Panda.

During the quarter, LTTS won nine multi-million dollar deals across all major industry segments which includes one deal with TCV of USD 30 million-plus and two deals with TCV of USD 15 million-plus. On a YoY basis, LTTS has increased its USD 10 million-plus clients by five and its USD 1 million-plus clients by three.

Industry recognitions:

* TechCircle honored LTTS with the Business Transformation Award in the "New Markets" category to our IT and HR functions jointly for leading digital transformation at LTTS with innovative solutions.

* Enterprise IT magazine conferred LTTS' IT Team with the "COVID-19 Super Hero Award" for their tireless efforts to help LTTS' workforce during the lockdown.

Patents

At the end of the first quarter, the patents portfolio of L & T Technology Services stood at 525, out of which 385 are co-authored with its customers and the rest are filed by LTTS.

Human Resources

At the end of Q1FY21, LTTS' employee strength stood at 16,641.

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.)
Victoria moved a step closer on Friday to even tougher COVID-19 restrictions with 428 new cases statewide and another three lives lost.

The first case of coronavirus in a Melbourne prison was also diagnosed, sparking fears the pandemic could take hold among the state's 8100 prisoners.

As the grim news mounted, prominent infectious disease and health experts urged a "stringent" lockdown, shutting all schools and allowing only chemists and supermarkets to trade.

Austin Hospital nurse Brigid Algie and her colleagues are braced for an influx of people suffering from COVID-19. Credit:Eddie Jim

The group of physicians said 80 per cent of the workforce should be sent home to eliminate community spread of the illness, warning there was no chance current restrictions would clear Victoria of the illness by the time they were due to expire on August 19.
By PTI

BENGALURU: Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Friday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the union government to pay urgent attention to the situation in flood devastated Assam and offer maximum aid to the state.

The JD(S) supremo noted that the state was fighting on two fronts - the COVID-19 pandemic and the floods and said he would visit Assam, 'God willing', after the virus abates.

In a statement here, he said he was 'deeply disturbed' by reports of the floods in Assam that has killed more than 60 people and affected four million.

He also expressed grief over the death of 60 animals in the Kaziranga National Park.

"I appeal to the Prime Minister and the central government to pay urgent attention to the situation emerging in Assam and offer maximum assistance to the state government," he said.

"The people of Assam, and the people of North East in general, have blessed me and showered a lot of affection when I was Prime Minister, and later too. They will be in my prayers," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 16:35:22|Editor: huaxia

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VIENNA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) daily basket price stood at 43.80 U.S. dollars a barrel on Thursday, compared with 44.12 dollars per barrel on Wednesday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations released on 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
Californias coronavirus numbers are going in the wrong direction. And even though Bay Area residents tend to be more mask-compliant than other areas of the state  softening the worst of the pandemic in this area  hot spots abound.

Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties have had more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people in the past two weeks, in striking contrast to Imperial County in Southern California, which has the highest new case rate at 409 for every 100,000 residents.

Another measure of trouble is hospitalizations for COVID-19. Santa Clara and Solano counties each saw more than a 10% increase in hospitalizations, on average, over the past three days. By contrast, Merced County averaged more than a 32% increase in three days, among the largest surges in the state.

The Bay Area has fair compliance with masking compared to other areas, an action that has helped soften the blow locally, said Warner Greene, an infectious disease expert with the Gladstone Institutes of Virology and Immunology in San Francisco.

Statewide, counties reported an astonishing one-day increase of 9,453 more people with the coronavirus as of 7 p.m. Thursday, bringing the total to 364,315. In the Bay Area, cases rose by 805 in a single day, to 39,217.

Since the pandemic began, California has seen 7,488 people die of the disease, 680 of them from the Bay Area.

California launched a data tracker in June to monitor counties risks for transmitting the disease. The data include case rates, positive test results, rising hospitalizations and limited hospital capacity  including availability of ICU beds and ventilators.

Any county not meeting the criteria in at least one category goes on the watch list. Counties on the monitoring list for three consecutive days become subject to new state orders that closed indoor businesses this week.

The watch list reveals that dozens of counties are struggling to control upticks in cases and hospitalizations, weeks after many of them emerged from the shutdown and reopened an array of businesses and indoor activities.

Greene, like many experts, blames those upticks  and Californias surging cases  on this springs easing of restrictions in most counties.

On Monday, Newsom reversed the trend and ordered the closure of all bars and indoor dining.

As of Thursday, 32 of the states 58 counties were on the watch list, including seven of the Bay Areas nine counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Santa Clara and Solano. Counties come and go on the list, depending on their numbers.

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.

One danger of high case rates and increased hospitalizations is that ICU units risk becoming too crowded.

Madera County, north of Fresno, has the most crowded ICU units in the state, with 89% filled, according to the tracker.

In the Bay Area, its Napa County that has the most crowded ICU units, with 81% filled up.

San Francisco and San Mateo were not on the list as of Thursday, despite data indicating that their case rates were too high.

Rachael Kagan, spokeswoman for the San Francisco Department of Public Health, said she will have more information Friday about whether the county will land on the list.

All the counties in the Bay Area region are interconnected, as residents flow from one county to another for work, school, essential and social reasons, Kagan said in an email Thursday. We are in close touch with one another and share many of the same issues.

Tatiana Sanchez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TatianaYSanchez
In a case which looks straight out of Bollywood, a 20-year-old youngster was found dehydrated and semi-conscious in the Rann of Kutch by the BSF on Thursday. On inquiry, the youngster gave his name as Siddiqui Mohammed Zishan, resident of Osmanabad, Maharashtra.

Zishan claimed he wanted to meet his girlfriend in Karachi and was following Google Map to travel from Osmanabad to Karachi via Rann of Kutch. He had biked down from Osmanabad to Dholavira and then started walking across the Rann of Kutch.

"Zishan was stopped at around 2100 hours on July 16 about 1.5 kilometre short of the India-Pakistan international border when he was attempting to cross over to Pakistan through the Rann of Kutch area," a statement by BSF PRO in Gujarat said.

Zishan was found in a dishevelled and dehydrated state. Before the BSF found him he had laid in Kutch unconscious for more than two hours. As per BSF officials, he claimed that he befriended Karachi resident Samra on Facebook and was going to meet her.

"He revealed that he fell in love with a girl namely Samnra from Shah Faisal town, Karachi, Pakistan on Facebook and two were in constant touch over Facebook and WhatsApp. He intended to go to paksitan and used Google Map," BSF said.

It appears Zishan's family got wind of his intention and alerted police. A missing complaint report was filled by Zishan's family in his home town which suspected that he would try and cross over to Pakistan.

Crime Branch of Maharashtra Police shared the information with Balsar police station in Gujarat who in turn got in touch with the BSF.

Zishan's mobile tower location was traced to Dholivara. Search in the area led police to Zishan's black-coloured Bajaj Boxer bike near the fossil park and that gave BSF the first lead. A man hunt finally led to a dehydrated Zishan.

The BSF says Gujarat police is now verifying Zishan's claims who is in their custody.
New York authorities are seeking the public's help in identifying a man who poured red paint on the Black Lives Matter mural in front of Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan.

The NYPD released footage of the vandal pouring the red paint on Monday and shared that he is wanted for criminal mischief.

Video shows the man at approximately 12.03pm pull the paint out of a bag as he approaches the mural on 725th 5th Avenue.

Cops release surveillance footage and photos of vandal who poured red paint on Black Lives Matter mural in front of Trump Tower in Manhattan

He can then be seen pouring the paint on various letters of the mural before heading off in an unknown direction.

The suspect appears to be a white man who could be in his mid-20s or early-30s.

Police described the vandal as being medium build and said that he was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, black shorts, black sneakers and black sunglasses.

The mural was painted last week by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and local community activists.

Video first went viral on Monday showing the man vandalize the mural

Police described the vandal as being medium build and said that he was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, black shorts, black sneakers and black sunglasses

De Blasio hit out at the person responsible on Monday night, tweeting: 'To whoever vandalized our mural on 5th Avenue: nice try @NYCDOT has already fixed it.'

The unidentified man fled the scene after throwing the paint

Trump Tower has been the site of dozens of protests since Donald Trump was elected - including one on Saturday where anti-racism protests clashed with the president's supporters at the new mural.

One of the witnesses to Monday's defacement was a man wearing and selling 'Dump Trump' gear on the street.

He was pictured standing nearby a man holding up a sign seemingly intended to gaslight people highlighting racial inequalities.

It read: 'The only time black lives matter is when they are shot by a white policeman or an Oreo cookie. Defend all policemen.'

An 'Oreo' is a derogatory term used against people of color, comparing them to the cookie which is classically brown on the outside and white on the inside. The slur suggests the person exhibits behavior that the person judging aligns with being characteristically white.

The Black Lives Matter mural outside Trump Tower was one of five that de Blasio promised to paint across New York City last month as part of an initiative to honor civil rights activists.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, who joined the community effort to paint the mural in large yellow letters last Thursday, hit out at the person responsible for the defacement in a tweet

Heavily-armed NYPD officers looked on as workers repainted the mural outside Trump Tower

Trump Tower has been the site of dozens of protests since Donald Trump was elected

Trump supporters clashed with anti-racism protesters outside Trump Tower on Saturday

One of the witnesses to Monday's defacement was a man wearing and selling 'Dump Trump' gear on the street when Trump supporters confronted him

A Trump supporter held up a sign in reference to protests over racial inequalities on Monday

'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,' the mayor said at the time.

'We are acknowledging the truth of ourselves as Americans by saying "Black Lives Matter". We are righting a wrong.'

Trump expressed his opposition to the mural earlier this month, saying it would denigrate the luxury shopping area. He also said it would 'further antagonize New York's finest'.

'Maybe our GREAT Police, who have been neutralized and scorned by a mayor who hates & disrespects them, won't let this symbol of hate be affixed to New York's greatest street,' Trump tweeted on July 1.

But police appeared to ignore the president's remarks and were seen protecting the people painting the mural from counter-protesters on Thursday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio is seen helping paint the Black Lives Matter mural last Thursday

De Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray are seen painting next to The Reverend Al Sharpton

President Donald Trump expressed his opposition to the mural outside his building earlier this month, saying it would 'further antagonize New York's finest'

Black Lives Matter murals in other cities have been similarly defaced in recent weeks, including in Chicago, Milwaukee and Washington, DC.

Last week a couple in Martinez, California, were charged with a hate crime after they destroyed a mural there.

'We must address the root and byproduct of systemic racism in our country. The Black Lives Matter movement is an important civil rights cause that deserves all of our attention,' Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement announcing the charges against David Nelson and Nicole Anderson.

'The mural completed last weekend was a peaceful and powerful way to communicate the importance of Black lives in Contra Costa County and the country. We must continue to elevate discussions and actually listen to one another in an effort to heal our community and country.'

The decision to paint the murals came as Americans across the country expressed their hurt at statues and memorials to Confederate soldiers and slave-owners that have loomed over public places for decades.

Trump recently signed an executive order that would see anyone found to have tampered with a statue or monument face up to 10 years in prison.
In cases where a sheriffs deputy has shot someone, the sheriffs office has released information immediately, and typically, the SBI investigates the circumstances surrounding the shooting. But Kimbrough said Nevilles death is different because he didnt know the cause of death until the day before ONeill had his news conference.

The SBI was investigating and the family and the lawyers made a request to allow the investigation (to go forward), Kimbrough said. He said that based on that request and the SBI investigation, he decided not to disclose the death publicly.

He also said that he would handle things the same way if he had to do it all over again.

If I went against the familys request and what the lawyers asked of me, I would have been damned if I did that, he said. They would have been highly upset. The family was hurting, not the public. It was about the family.

Sara Hines of Winston-Salem declined to comment on behalf of the local protest groups on Kimbroughs specific statements.

If Bobby Kimbrough wants to know how we feel about his statements, he knows where we are, Hines said. If he wants to talk to us, we are here.
Corry Bliss, a top Republican strategist who has worked in Ohio, said that whatever trouble Trump appeared to be in now, the election would turn on how voters feel about jobs and the economy in October. The president, he said, still has the upper hand. At the end of the day, President Donald Trump will win Ohio, he said. Itll be closer than it was in 2016. The question is, how does that translate to Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania?
British Airways, the worlds largest operator of Boeing 747, said late Thursday it would retire its entire jumbo jet fleet with immediate effect due to the downturn in travel industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Global curbs imposed to stem the spread of the virus led to a turbulence in air travel, placing the future of many airline companies in doubt.

It is unlikely our magnificent queen of the skies will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again, the company said in a statement.

British Airways, which is owned by International Consolidated Airlines Group, added that it will operate more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as its new A350s and 787s and expects such aircraft to help in achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

A wave of restructuring triggered by the virus outbreak is hitting airlines and industrial firms across the world.

The Sun reported last month that British Airways had reached an agreement with its pilots to sack 350 and another 300 in pool for rehiring when needed.

The majority of pilots being pooled were expected to be the jumbo jet first officers, according to the report.

Boeing Cos 747, a plane that democratized global air travel in the 1970s but fell behind modern twin-engine aircraft, marked its 50-year flying anniversary in February 2019.

The US-based aerospace company and its suppliers signalled the end of the plane, when they set the final number of parts it would need for the 747 jumbo jet program at least a year ago.

However, the decision was left in limbo for years amid falling orders and pricing pressure.
Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and 8-year-old Aaradhya Bachchan are all currently admitted in Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital for Covid-19 treatment.

Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan have been admitted in Mumbais Nanavati Hospital. Recently, they both tested positive for Covid-19 a few days back and were home quarantined. However, their condition deteriorated on late Friday evening and had to be shifted to the hospital.

Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan are already undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at Nanavati Hospital. They were found corona positive on June 11, 2020. Soon after, their other family members had also undergone rapid antigen tests for COVID-19. However, in the swap test, 8-year-old Aaradhya and 44-year-old Aishwarya were found corona positive.

Other family members that include Jaya Bachchan, Navya Naveli Nanda, Agastya Nanda, and, Shweta Nanda had tested corona negative. Rajesh Tope, Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare, had informed about Aishwarya and Aaradhya through a tweet, which was later confirmed by Abhishek Bachchan.

Also read: Extended help to over 150 countries during Covid-19: PM Modi at UN ECOSOC

On June 11, 2020, senior Bachchan himself tweeted to inform that he has tested positive for coronavirus. He asked everyone who has been in close proximity to him within the last 10 days to get their tests done.

Sometime after Amitabhs tweet, his son, actor Abhishek Bachchan tweeted that he has also tested positive for coronavirus and he also informed that BMC is in touch with them and they are complying with it.

Also read: Community transmission of Covid-19 in Kerala, confirms CM Pinarayi Vijayan

For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App
The Wendy's restaurant that was set on fire by rioters after Rayshard Brooks was killed is seen in Atlanta, Ga., on June 17, 2020. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Atlanta Wendys Where Rayshard Brooks Was Fatally Shot Gets Demolished

The Atlanta Wendys where a man who resisted arrest was fatally shot last month was torn down this week.

Rayshard Brooks was fatally shot in the restaurants parking lot while moving away from an Atlanta police officer. Brooks was partially angled toward the officer when he fired a Taser hed stolen from another officer and he was hit with several bullets in the back.

Garrett Rolfe, the officer who shot Brooks, was later fired and charged with murder. He is out on bail.

A day after the June 13 shooting, a mob burned down the Wendys. By the time firefighters could access the scene, the building was consumed.

A makeshift memorial for Brooks appeared in front of the shell. Armed men later took over the area, blocking some from passing through and shooting an 8-year-old girl, killing her.

An armed man stands outside the Wendys where Rayshard Brooks was shot, in Atlanta, Ga., on June 23, 2020. (John Bazemore/AP Photo)

The owner of the building made the decision to demolish the building and clear the site, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said at a press conference on Thursday.

We hope that this will be an important step in the healing process for the community, she said.

Wendys has committed to providing services and support to the community, according to Bottoms.

Wendys told The Epoch Times that the restaurant debris was cleared out this week.

This was done in a thoughtful way, with safety as the priority and in cooperation with city officials. There are no additional details to share at this time regarding this site, the spokesperson said in an email.

The restaurant was seen by many residents as the only place to get healthy food in the area, according to the mayor, who called it a food desert.

Three people are facing arson charges for allegedly helping torch the building last month.

A Wendys burns following a rally against alleged racial inequality and the police shooting death of Rayshard Brooks, in Atlanta, Ga., June 13, 2020. (Elijah Nouvelage/Reuters)

Atlanta fire officials announced the arrests on July 2 of Chisom Kingston, 23, and John Wade, 33.

Natalie White, 29, was released on bond in late June. Investigators said video footage showed White starting the fire.

Chief fire investigator James Oliver told reporters that the fire was started by several people, using items that included fireworks and a homemade blowtorch.

All three suspects face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 if convicted.
EDMONTON - The lawyer representing a former Edmonton nightclub employee convicted of sexual assaulting five women says his client "simply went too far" and should serve between five and nine years in prison.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/7/2020 (550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Matthew McKnight and his mother walk into court, in Edmonton on Friday, July 10, 2020. The defence lawyer representing the former Edmonton nightclub employee convicted of sexual assault says his client should serve between five and nine years in prison. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

EDMONTON - The lawyer representing a former Edmonton nightclub employee convicted of sexual assaulting five women says his client "simply went too far" and should serve between five and nine years in prison.

Matthew McKnight, 33, was accused of sexually assaulting 13 women ranging in age from 17 to 22 between 2010 and 2016. He pleaded not guilty, but a jury convicted him on five counts.

His defence lawyer, Dino Bottos, made his recommendation Friday to Justice Doreen Sulyma at the Court of Queen's Bench in Edmonton on the fifth day of McKnight's sentencing hearing.

"I've never been involved in a case where the Crown and the defence have been so apart," Bottos told the court.

"The Crown submits 22 1/2 years with little to no reduction for mitigating factors is appropriate. I am suggesting ... the sentence should be between five and nine years."

Court has heard McKnight met most of the women in bars and assaulted them at his apartment.

Several victims told court last week that they have had nightmares, thoughts of suicide and anxiety since they were attacked. Some of their family members also gave victim impact statements.

Crown prosecutor Mark Huyser-Wierenga has argued that alcohol and "something else" were used in at least three of the offences, what he dubbed "drug-facilitated" sexual assaults.

Bottos said there wasn't enough evidence to say that the women were drugged.

"There is no merit to this argument and it was not proven by a reasonable doubt," he said Friday.

Alcohol was involved, Bottos said, but he argued it wasn't used by McKnight in a premeditated attempt to sexually assault the women.

"Isn't it far more likely .. that Mr. McKnight engaged in this lifestyle  a businessman, a bar promoter  which included buying a lot of people drinks?" Bottos suggested to the judge.

He said the lifestyle included inviting women who he was interested in back to his apartment.

"He slept with 200 to 300 women over six years," said Bottos. "That included eight women that he was found not guilty of sexually assaulting.

"In these five, he went too far."

Bottos suggested McKnight didn't get proper consent from the women.

"These five women were caught up in that lifestyle," he said. "You can call it reckless, you can call it irresponsible.

"That does not mean he was predatory, purposeful."

Bottos said a different argument could be made if the Crown had proven all 13 cases or if the five had happened closer together rather than over a period of six years.

"The only pattern was ... from the bar scene," he said.

He suggested a sentence between 18 months and four years for each of the five counts, depending on what the judge accepts as evidence in each circumstance.

Crown prosecutors have recommended consecutive sentences, which would be served one after another, because each of the five offences was separate. They asked for two terms of four years, one of 4 1/2 years and two at five years  for a total of 22 1/2 years.

Bottos said he has looked at cases of offenders sentenced to more than 20 years.

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"The Crown's position is that Mr. McKnight's overall culpability is so heinous that he's worse than a killer," he said.

He referenced several high-profile cases where offenders received lower sentences.

"The Crown's position is ... wrong under the circumstances," he said.

Bottos said the court should consider his client's lack of a criminal record and evidence he was assaulted in the remand centre.

The hearing is set to continue Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2020
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 21:19:02|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- German state Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Boris Pistorius on Friday called for a study on police work and racism commissioned by a group of several German states, local media reported.

"I would like to see us tackle this, with or without the federal government," Pistorius told the Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung (NOZ) on Friday.

Last week, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer cancelled a study on police racism which was previously announced by the government, on the basis that there was no need for such a study.

Seehofer reiterated that Germany had "no structural problem" with racism within the country's police forces. Instead, he noted, there were constant criticism and "defamation" of German police forces.

Pistorius announced to try to convince interior ministers of other federal states of a joint study this fall. To get a representative picture, the study would have to cover several German states. The main focus of the study would be on racial profiling.

Last week, German Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration, Annette Widmann-Mauz, 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 local media. "This is exactly what we need in order to encourage all those who do important work every day and tackle problems where they arise."

German police forces have been in favor of such a study. Sebastian Fiedler, chairman of the Federation of German Police Officers (BDK), stressed last week that "even if negative results come out for us, we have to know that." Enditem
On United Nations' 75th anniversary, PM Modi to deliver keynote speech at ECOSOC

International

pti-Madhuri Adnal

United Nations, July 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually address the UN on Friday at the High-Level Segment of the ECOSOC, his first since India was overwhelmingly elected as a non-permanent member of the powerful Security Council last month.

Modi will deliver the keynote address at the Valedictory of the High-Level Segment of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on July 17. India last month was overwhelmingly elected as a non-permanent member of the powerful UN Security Council on Wednesday for a two-year term. India, the endorsed candidate from the Asia-Pacific States, won 184 votes out of the 192 ballots cast in the elections for the five non-permanent seats of the Security Council.

PM Modi to deliver address on World Youth Skills Day today

During the address, Modi will be joined by Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also address the segment. The theme of this years High-Level Segment is 'Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary.

Held on an annual basis, the High-level Segment represents the culmination of the ECOSOC's annual cycle of work and convenes a diverse group of high-level representatives from Government, the private sector, civil society and academia.

Against the backdrop of a changing international environment and the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, the session will focus on critical forces shaping the course of multilateralism and explore ways to bolster the multilateral agenda through strong multilateral leadership, effective international institutions, a broadening of participation and an enhanced focus on global public goods, the Permanent Mission of India to the UN said in a statement.

Moderna's Covid vaccine shows promise in early stage trials & more news | Oneindia News

PM Modi, Sundar Pichai discuss Covid-19 crisis, technology and more

The event, being held on the eve of the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the UN, assumes special significance as it will be the first opportunity for Modi to address the broader UN membership since India overwhelmingly won the Security Council election on June 17.

This years theme also resonates with Indias priority for its Security Council tenure in which New Delhi has called for reformed multilateralism in a post-COVID-19 world. Modi had earlier delivered the keynote address virtually at the 70th anniversary of the ECOSOC in January 2016.

India has had a long tradition of close association with the ECOSOC. The inaugural Presidency of the ECOSOC in 1946 was held by Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar of India. The UN Charter established the ECOSOC in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the United Nations and is mandated to offer direction to, and undertake the coordination of, the economic, social, and cultural activities of the United Nations, with responsibility for advancing international economic and social cooperation and development.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

The activity of hairdressing and beauty salons, and rendering of cosmetic services, except for massage parlors and baths, are allowed from July 20 in the Azerbaijani cities in which the tightened quarantine regime has been introduced, the Operational Headquarters under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers told Trend on July 17.

The special quarantine regime was extended in Azerbaijan until August 31 in accordance with the results of analysis of the sanitary-epidemiological situation in connection with the spread of COVID-19.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 17, 2020) - Tethyan Resource Corp. (TSXV: TETH) ("Tethyan") is pleased to announce it has mailed the management information circular for its annual general and special meeting (the "Meeting") of the holders of common shares of Tethyan (the "Shareholders"). The Meeting is primarily being held to approve the proposed plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") with Adriatic Metals plc ("Adriatic") under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia).

Pursuant to the Arrangement, Shareholders will receive 0.166 of one ordinary share of Adriatic for each common share of Tethyan they hold. The board of directors of Tethyan, after careful consideration, unanimously approved the Arrangement and determined that it is in the best interests of Tethyan and the Shareholders. The board of directors of Tethyan recommends that Shareholders vote for the Arrangement at the Meeting. The directors and certain significant Shareholders representing 54.3% of the issued and outstanding shares of Tethyan have entered into voting support agreements committing to vote for the Arrangement.

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Meeting will be held in virtual-only format by telephone conference on Monday, August 17, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific). Shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders may attend the meeting by calling the number that appears in the management information circular, as well as on the form of proxy or voting instruction form that have been mailed to Shareholders. These documents also contain information regarding how registered and beneficial Shareholders may vote in advance of the Meeting. In particular, completed proxies or voting instruction forms must be received by Tethyan by 10:00 a.m. (Pacific) on August 13, 2020.

Registered Shareholders will also receive a letter of transmittal for the purposes of exchanging their Tethyan shares for Adriatic shares. In order to receive their Adriatic shares as soon as possible following closing of the Arrangement, registered Shareholders are encouraged to complete the letter of transmittal and return it, together with any Tethyan share certificate(s) held, in accordance with the instructions set out in the letter of transmittal. Shareholders will not actually receive their Adriatic shares until the Arrangement is completed.

Story continues

Non-registered or beneficial Shareholders, being Shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of a broker, investment dealer or other intermediary should contact their intermediary for instructions and assistance in depositing their Tethyan shares. The Adriatic shares to be issued to Shareholders will be listed on the London Stock Exchange, and may be held under the CREST system, being the central securities depository system for markets in the United Kingdom. Where Tethyan shares are currently registered to CDS & Co., intermediaries must make arrangements with a CREST participant for the shares of Adriatic to be deposited into CREST. In the event that improper, incomplete or no CREST details are provided by intermediaries, the Adriatic shares will be issued to beneficial Shareholders in certificated form. Non-registered or beneficial Shareholders are encouraged to contact their broker, investment dealer or other intermediary to confirm that their intermediary has made arrangements for the Adriatic shares to be deposited into CREST.

Closing of the Arrangement is subject to completion of a spin-off transaction by EFPP d.o.o., as well as customary conditions, including obtaining the requisite approval from the Shareholders, a final order of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange and London Stock Exchange. Upon completion of the Arrangement, Tethyan will apply to delist the Tethyan shares from the TSX Venture Exchange. For further information regarding the proposed Arrangement and related transactions, please refer to the management information circular, available under Tethyan's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on Tethyan's website at www.tethyan-resources.com.

In connection with the management information circular and in accordance with NI 43-101, Tethyan has also filed technical reports on Adriatic's Vares project dated June 4, 2020, and on Tethyan's Kizevak and Sastavci projects dated February 13, 2020. For more information on these projects, see the parties' news release dated May 11, 2020. Copies of the reports are available under Tethyan's profile on SEDAR and on Tethyan's website.

ABOUT TETHYAN RESOURCE CORP.

Tethyan Resource Corp. is a precious and base metals mineral exploration focused on the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt in Eastern Europe, mainly Serbia.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Fabian Baker

President & CEO

fabian@tethyan-resources.com

Andjelija Vujovic

Investor Relations

andjelija@tethyan-resources.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking information or statements ("forward looking statements") under applicable securities legislation and rules. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the anticipated completion of the Arrangement. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Tethyan and/or Adriatic to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: (i) any inability of the parties to satisfy the conditions to the completion of the Arrangement on acceptable terms or at all; and (ii) receipt of necessary stock exchange, court and shareholder approvals. Although management of Tethyan has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Tethyan will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE DISCLAIMER

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/60037
17.07.2020 LISTEN

... Lauds committee for successfully delivering COVID-19 positive women of babies

... Declares Prof Ugboma a special blessing to humanity

The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), under the leadership of Prof. Henry Ugboma, has continued to feature in reports of notable information dissemination platforms, including journals and periodicals that command wider circulation for good reasons, especially the commendable efforts the institution is making in containing the Covid-19 spread in the South-South region of Nigeria.

The ground breaking and outstanding records of the institution especially, in the fight against the novel Corona Virus has continued to awe naysayers while attracting sharp commendations from people of goodwill across board.

Reacting to the latest report of the successful delivery of babies to two Covid-19 Positive women at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People's Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, expressed warm pleasure over the development, describing it as one outstanding news that has greeted Nigerians amidst the spread and fight against the rampaging novel virus.

In a statement made available to media houses, Chief Eze, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress quoted the Director of Administration and Secretary, Board of Management, UPTH, Deacon Akie Opuene Hart as making the revelation thus; "the management of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital under the Vibrant, Dynamic, and Visionary leadership of the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Henry Arinze Ugboma and ably supported by a Star-Studded Management Board of Diverse professional callings under the Chairmanship of His Excellency, Alhaji Anka Murkthar Ahmed have scored another positive goal as UPTH Covid-19 Team Successfully Delivered Babies to Two Covid 19 Positive Women on Thursday the 9th and Friday the 10th of July 2020.

The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital made Covid-19 history in Rivers State with these two successful deliveries

The Hospital's Covid-19 team is made up of over 120 well trained and well-motivated Health professionals. These doctors, nurses, hygienists, laboratory scientists, paramedics and support staff worked tirelessly round the clock to use best practices and the internationally and nationally approved Protocol to successfully deliver these two women who are Covid-19 positive of their babies. The first delivery was a Spontaneous Vertex Delivery of a bouncing baby boy while the second was delivered by Elective Caesarian Section of a beautiful baby girl. Mothers and babies are doing well and are under the continuous management of the Covid-19 team.

This development is not a flash in the pan as the COVID 19 treatment and testing center of the hospital has admitted 80 patients and successfully discharged 47 of them with 11 currently on admission. The few deaths recorded have mostly arisen from late presentation to the hospital. The UPTH molecular laboratory has run over 1500 samples and serves the South-South states. The treatment center has been expanded with the opening of another treatment area for suspected cases in the hospital. This is to meet up with the expanding responsibilities arising from the increased demands on the existing facilities.

The present Board and Management have tremendously improved the quality and quantity of infrastructural facilities and placed a high premium on staff welfare. The 2020 promotions for junior and Senior Staff were conducted, released, and implemented in January and February.2020 which has never happened before and that is why the staff is putting in their best. It is the best efforts of the staff enabled and empowered by Board and Management support that is seen in the positive quantum leap in all areas of Service delivery".

Consequently, Chief Eze urged state governments in the South-South, Corporate Organizations and people of goodwill to give all necessary supports to Prof. Ugboma to boost the institution's service to the people of the region as they continue to lead in the fight against covid-19.

Eze described Prof Ugboma as a great blessing to humanity and congratulated him and his team of competent professionals for proven that with determination and commitment we can turn UPTH into a health tourism centre for the entire African countries. The party chieftain appealed to the hospital management to maintain the tempo, stressing that the institution under the current CMD remains a premier health facility at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19 in South-South region.

Similarly, the party stalwart congratulated the two nursing mothers and their babies and counselled them to continue to cooperate with health officials and religiously observe every regulation promulgated to curb the virus and prayed for their speedy recovery and discharge from the facility soonest.

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Leadership  corporate, military, or political  is loaded down more with the inheritance baggage than the exigencies of the moment. The old empties itself into the new.

But neither helps during a crisis thats unfathomable. Uddalok Bhattacharya sums up Corporate history has shown us how founders are great at starting and building, but usually terrible at letting go and allowing the organisation to grow into a second phase of life without them, with a different leader at the helm. Shyamal Majumdar illustrates with examples All the government needs to do is ...
Supreme Court broadens scope of freedom of speech



The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung should not be found guilty of violating the election law. The decision cleared him of criminal charges of spreading false information in the run-up to the 2018 gubernatorial election.



Lee won the high-profile court battle. The top court overturned a lower court decision that ordered him to pay a 3 million won ($2,500) fine for making a false claim during the campaign period. Lee was indicted on four criminal charges, including abuse of power. A district court acquitted him of all charges, but an appeals court found him guilty of only one: circulating misinformation.



Finally, the 13-member Supreme Court ruled 7-5 in favor of the governor, sending his case back to the lower court for rehearing. Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su said in a verdict that Lee should not be punished for spreading false information for his remarks made during a televised debate with other candidates ahead of the local elections.



The verdict has saved his governorship. It has also given the green light to his political ambition to run for president on the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) ticket in 2022. Had the court upheld the lower court ruling, Lee would have been deprived of the elected post and banned from running in any election for five years.



Now Lee should focus on managing provincial affairs, especially to help about 13 million residents overcome the coronavirus crisis. He needs to prove his track record as governor in preparation for his bid to contend with other DPK presidential hopefuls such as former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon.



The not-guilty verdict is also good news for the governing party, which is now beleaguered with sexual harassment allegations against Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, who died in an apparent suicide last week. The party has already been criticized for similar allegations against Oh Keo-don, who had to step down as Busan mayor in April. Former South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung resigned in 2018 and is imprisoned for sexually abusing his female secretary.



Gov. Lee welcomed the court action, thanking the top court for what he described as a fair and right decision. But he should not be too upbeat. He needs to understand why five justices were against him in the ruling. He and the ruling party should be careful not to become self-righteous and arrogant.



The top court's decision is meaningful in that it has expanded, to a certain degree, the scope of freedom of speech in the political area. At the center of the controversy was whether the governor lied about allegations that he had abused his power to forcibly commit his elder brother to a mental hospital in June 2012 when he served as Seongnam mayor. He denied in a live TV debate in 2018 that he had been being involved in the forced hospitalization of his brother.



Turning down the lower court's ruling, the Supreme Court decided that Lee's denial should not be seen as a deliberate and determined act to spread false information. This decision is likely to allow candidates to engage in more active and freer debates. But there are still concerns that candidates might try to use Lee's case as an excuse to spread groundless claims and misinformation against each other.



That is why lawmakers should revise the election law to make a clearer and more concrete definition of "false information" as well as what to do and what not to do. It is time to make fairer rules for election campaigns.




Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, right, arrive at the Korea Furniture Museum in Seoul, in this July 4, 2019, file photo, to attend a dinner with the chiefs of Korea's conglomerates. / Korea Times file



By Baek Byung-yeul



Samsung Electronics has a rare opportunity that may not appear again after Japan's SoftBank recently put its chip-designing affiliate Arm up for sale.



Industry analysts said Thursday Samsung must join the acquisition race as this is the fastest way for the company to become a leading player in the non-memory chip business by 2030.



SoftBank is reportedly considering either selling the chip-designing affiliate or going through with an initial public offering for the unit. It is strapped for cash after its $100 billion Vision Fund recorded losses for two consecutive quarters, hit by the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the global economy.



To offset the investment losses, the Japanese tech giant has said it plans to sell off up to $41 billion in assets. In 2016, SoftBank acquired Arm for $32 billion, which was the company's largest-ever purchase, with the aim of expanding into the connected devices business.



Established in 1990, the U.K-based company Arm is a global leader in mobile chip architecture design, and licenses its intellectual properties to other companies including Samsung, Apple and Qualcomm.



Mobile application processors chips are used in most smartphones, and Apple's A-series, Samsung's Exynos and Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips are based on Arm's architecture. Every chipmaker using the architecture pays a licensing fee upfront, which depends on the complexity of the design, and royalties, which Arm gets for each chip sold.



In 2019, Samsung unveiled an ambitious plan to dominate the global logic chip sector by 2030, detailing an investment of 133 trillion won ($111 billion) to improve its competitiveness. If one of Samsung's competitors succeeds in purchasing Arm, this could be a huge blow to the Korean tech firm, which pays royalties to Arm every year.



The acquisition cost of Arm is estimated to be around $41 billion considering SoftBank plans to sell up to that value in assets as part of its debt reduction efforts.



Given Samsung's ample cash-equivalent assets, it is seen as one of the "potential buyers" to purchase Arm independently. As of the first quarter of this year, Samsung's internal cash and cash-equivalent assets stood at 97.53 trillion won ($81 billion).



Given the complex nature of Arm's shareholding structure, in which the Chinese government has a 51 percent stake, some officials say it would be difficult for Samsung to independently pursue an acquisition deal with Arm. China has also identified the semiconductor and display industries as the country's next growth engines. China is financially assisting its semiconductor companies to catch up with the industry leaders.



But because of the significance of Arm in the entire semiconductor industry, it's also likely Samsung may join with other chipmakers including Qualcomm, MediaTek and Huawei to acquire controlling stakes in it. Given the ongoing trade conflict between Beijing and Washington, if Huawei participates in a possible consortium for Arm, then Washington may sanction it.



Regarding the possibility of Samsung pursuing the chip designer, Samsung officials said the company has "no comments for the time being."



Along with global tech giants seeking to evolve and grow in the post-COVID-19 pandemic age, Samsung is expected to aggressively seek M&A opportunities. After Samsung Electronics acquired U.S. automotive electronics company Harman for 9.3 trillion won ($7.7 billion) in 2017, the group has remained passive.



In 2016, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son decided to acquire Arm, betting big on the growth potential of connected device technology. Though many expressed concerns that SoftBank had massively overpaid for the British firm, Son claimed this was a rare opportunity, as Arm had a leadership in the chip designing sector.



"People think this was a stupid move, but they've voted with their money," the CEO said at that time. "It's easy to look at where your pieces are now and place the next one nearby. This one is 10, 20, 50 moves ahead."



Industry officials said Samsung will seek to takeover companies that have disruptive technologies but are struggling financially due to the pandemic.



It remains to be seen whether Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong will pursue Arm. All eyes are also on whether Lee will use his relationship with the SoftBank CEO as a leverage point to promote Samsung as a potential buyer.



The two are known to maintain a close relationship with each other. In 2019, Son had a meeting with Lee in Seoul to discuss future growth engines and joint business opportunities here and abroad.










Family, friends and community supporters of Jared Lakey, 28, will be marching today in rural Wilson, Oklahoma to demand Justice for Jared, sparked by the release of harrowing video of his brutalization by Oklahoma police little more than a year ago this month.

Lakey was sadistically tortured and electrocuted with a less lethal Taser-X26P 53 times over a nine-minute period beginning July 4 and into the morning of July 5 by Wilson police officers Joshua Taylor, 25, and Brandon Dingman, 34, before being choked unconscious by Carter County Sheriff's Deputy David Duggan.

Officers ignored Lakeys pained pleas of Please, help me God! as Taylor and Dingman coolly zapped Lakey repeatedly in between half-hearted commands for Lakey to put his hands behind his back. Lakey was naked and unarmed throughout the sickening ordeal that ended with his death on July 6, 2019.

Jared Lakey, second from left, with his family. (Credit: The Frontier/Lakey family lawyers)

Demonstrating once again that the primary factor in determining whether or not one will become a victim of police violence is which class they belong to, and not their race, Lakey was white, as are all the officers involved in the assault.

While police-recorded video of the incident shows officers repeatedly alleging that Lakey was on drugs, possibly PCP, toxicology reports taken after the autopsy revealed that Lakey was not under the influence of any illegal drugs, with the only irregularity being his elevated blood sugar levels.

The law firm of Bryan & Terrill, representing the Lakey family, released an edited 11-minute video of the nearly one-hour-long encounter featuring multiple angles of the available body and dash cam footage earlier this week on Monday. The videos release has substantiated the claims of the family that Lakey was not aggressive and has engendered further outrage at the murderous actions of the officers, who remained free for nearly a year during the glacial state investigation into the killing.

Lakeys family has filed a public records lawsuit and a federal civil rights lawsuit as well as a civil lawsuit against the city of Wilson alleging the police department falsified reports, erased body cam footage, and lied to emergency medical services regarding how many times officers tasered Lakey.

The incident began late on July 4, 2019. Acting Wilson police captain Taylor was dispatched to the area following a report in which the caller reported seeing a man, screaming and running down the road. Attorneys for the family attest that Lakey had a preexisting medical condition which caused disorientation and confusion and that Lakey at no point threatened the officers nor caused violent offence to any persons, including the police.

Writing in his official report following the incident, Taylor stated that Lakey appeared agitated, and was only wearing socks when he first encountered the young man. After inquiring as to where his clothes were, Taylor alleged that Lakey, became aggressive, before declaring Okay, were going to do this, at which point Taylor states he then unsheathed his taser and kept Lakey at taser point waiting for Dingman to arrive.

Taylors report then states that Dingman arrived and attempted to put handcuffs on Lakey, at which point the individual went to raise up in an aggressive manner, causing Taylor to deploy his taser for the first time with Dingman following shortly thereafter. Both officers claimed in their reports that they had only fired their tasers four times.

Taser data logs submitted in court filings confirm that Taylor deployed his Taser 30 times for over two minutes while Dingman sent 50,000 volts surging through Lakey 23 times in just under two minutes. Axon, the company that sells the directed energy weapon, advises that using the taser against a subject for more than 15 seconds or deploying multiple devices against the same person could result in death.

Officers Taylor and Dingman were finally arrested and charged with second-degree murder at the beginning of this month. The charges against Taylor and Dingman were filed following a ten-month investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations (OSBI). If convicted, a remote possibility, the officers could face sentences of 10 years to life in prison.

The two cops were briefly held on $250,000 bonds, before being released on house arrest. Both officers remained on duty during the entire investigation and are on administrative leave as they continue to be employed with the department. Their next court appearance is slated for August 27, 2020.

The OSBI report does not substantiate any of the officers claims nor does the video footage available. The report noted that Lakey is tased numerous times while merely lying naked in the ditch, presumably for not rolling onto his stomach and complying with the officers commands to Put your hands behind your back.

The footage shows officers debating whether or not to go hands on as they continue to electrocute Lakey, who is simply lying on the ground.

Near the end of the video, Carter County Sheriff Deputy David Duggan arrives on the scene and proceeds to sneak behind Lakey, who is sitting in the ditch breathing heavily with his hands in front of him and proceeds to put him in a chokehold for 40 seconds. Taylor and Dingman then handcuffed Lakey, who by that time was unconscious. Duggan never engaged verbally with Lakey before rendering him unconscious.

After placing handcuffs on Lakey, body cam footage shows officers pressed down on Lakeys neck while he labored to breathe. As the officers got their stories straight, Lakey stopped breathing due to the cumulative effect of repeated electrocution, strangulation and officers pushing down on his neck, further impeding breathing.

Even though it was clear to the multiple officers on the scene that Lakey was no longer breathing, not a single officer made an effort to begin CPR or chest compressions. Instead Dingman slapped him on the back a few times and tells Lakey to wake up. In the video, Duggan then asks Dingman, is he breathing? Dingman replies, No, and then in reference to the ambulance on its way Dingman advises his partners to tell EMS to step it up. No other actions were taken by the officers to save Lakeys life as they waited three and a half minutes for the ambulance to arrive, according to family attorneys.

Court documents submitted in Clark County, Oklahoma, by District Attorney Craig Ladd attest that the officers use of force represented a substantial factor in Lakeys death and that the tasing of Lakey greatly exceeded what would have been necessary or warranted.

Carter County court records obtained by the Daily Ardmoreite hypothesize that Lakeys probable cause of death was due to complications of myocardial infarction (clinical) in the setting of cardiomegaly and critical coronary atherosclerosis and law enforcement use of electrical weapon and restraint. Despite restraint being referenced as a probable cause of death, Duggan has yet to be charged with a crime, which the family is strongly protesting.

Wilson is located roughly 100 miles south of Oklahoma City near the border of Texas. Nearly 14 percent of the less than 1,500 residents in Wilson live in poverty.

A 2017 Reuters investigation found that at least 1,005 people have died after police electrocuted them with a less lethal stun gun. As was the case with Lakey, Reuters found that nine out of 10 of those killed by tasers were unarmed and one out of four suffered a mental illness or neurological disorder.
The United States' top law enforcement official slammed Hollywood studios and American tech firms for "kowtowing" to Beijing on Thursday, the latest in a coordinated series of speeches from senior US officials attacking the actions and ambitions of the Chinese government.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was seeking to "extend its influence around the world, including on American soil," said US Attorney General William Barr during a China policy-related address at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Michigan.

"All too often, for the sake of short-term profits, American companies have succumbed to that influence, even at the expense of freedom and openness in the United States," said Barr.

Singling out Marvel Studios, a Disney subsidiary, Barr pointed to its 2016 production of Doctor Strange, which switched the ethnicity of a monk in the original comics from Tibetan to Celtic.

One of the film's screenwriters said in an interview following its release that casting the character as a Tibetan would have risked "alienating one billion people" and risked causing the government in China to ban the film's screening there.

"Chinese government censors don't need to say a word, because Hollywood is doing their work for them," said Barr. "This is a massive propaganda coup for the Chinese Communist Party."

Marvel Studios and Disney did not respond to a request for comment.

Barr's speech came a week after US Federal Bureau of Investigation director Christopher Wray told an audience in Washington that China had ambitions to become the world's only superpower.

An unnamed Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official had described Wray's speech last week as "particularly disgusting," Barr said at the beginning of his address. "I told [Wray] that I was going to aim today to be 'despicable'."

Barr did not unveil any new China-related actions from his department, instead using his 45-minute speech to hammer down on numerous recurring grievances of the Trump administration against Beijing.

Story continues

They included accusations of widespread economic espionage against US companies, a "ruthless crackdown" in Hong Kong, the detention and mistreatment en masse of ethnic minority groups in China's northwest, and predatory financing through the Belt and Road Initiative.

The US response to Beijing's "global ambitions" could prove to be the "most important issue for our nation and the world in the 21st century", Barr said.

Throughout his address, Barr targeted his ire squarely at the CCP, in-line with increasing efforts by top US officials to draw a line between the will of Beijing's leaders and that of the people they govern.

The party, said Barr, "seeks to leverage the immense power, productivity, and ingenuity of the Chinese people to overthrow the rules-based international system and to make the world safe for dictatorship".

Both Wray and Barr referred to Xi Jinping not as the country's leader but by his other role as General Secretary of the CCP, wording that has also increasingly featured in remarks by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about China.

Pompeo is expected to deliver another China-related address in the coming days, which Barr said would outline "what is at stake for the United States and the free world".

The coordinated onslaught against the CCP comes amid reporting by The New York Times that the administration is weighing a sweeping entry ban on all party members and their family members.

Asked about the plan, which is reportedly yet to be finalised, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Thursday that every option was "on the table" with regard to China.

Accusing the CCP of using threats barring market access to exert influence, Barr also accused US tech giants of "kowtowing" to that pressure and allowing themselves to become "pawns of Chinese influence".

Barr reserved particular criticism for Apple, citing reports that it had removed the Quartz news app from its App Store in China because Beijing had complained about its coverage of Hong Kong protests. He also criticised its decision to host some cloud services in China despite concerns that the move could make user data vulnerable to government surveillance.

An Apple spokesman did not respond to a request for comment about the removal of the Quartz app, but pointed to a past statement defending the cloud services decision, saying it had not been requested to create "back doors".

However, the company said that it would maintain its global policy of responding "to legal requests for data that we have in our possession for individual users".

Barr on Thursday also singled out US telecommunications firm Cisco, which he said was among some American tech companies to have "helped the Chinese communists build the Great Firewall of China, the world's most sophisticated system for internet surveillance and censorship".

An internal Cisco document leaked over a decade ago indicated that engineers viewed China's digital censorship system as an opportunity to market its routers in the country. Cisco officials later acknowledged they sold hardware to China that was used to build its censorship system, but denied catering the products to Beijing's needs.

In a statement responding to Barr's speech, Cisco said the products it supplies to China "are the same we provide worldwide, and we comply fully with all export control rules applicable to China including those related to human rights".

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.
Calls at the Orlando Senior Help Desk at the Jewish Pavilion have increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Nancy Ludin, CEO, It is harder to find the resources you need when tours are less available. In recent weeks, we have received numerous calls about assisted-living and rehabilitation facilities. We have also received calls pertaining to medical services, low-income housing, home repair and numerous other topics. Some residents of senior living communities have called with Covid-related complaints.

Have you found yourself searching and scouring the Internet for senior...
Buying Or Selling A Vehicle Don't Be A Yutz - Go Dealer Direct

DALLAS---RumbleOn, Inc , the e-commerce company using innovative technology to simplify how dealers and consumers buy, sell, trade, or finance pre-owned vehicles, today announced it was chosen for a pilot program with CarGurus , a leading global online automotive marketplace. CarGurus will leverage RumbleOns technology as well as their transportation and distribution services in the testing of a new inventory acquisition product for dealers that enables dealers to source consumer cars on the CarGurus platform.

RumbleOn CEO Marshall Chesrown commented, Our proprietary technology suite has underpinned our offering since day one. We have strong relationships with dealers and our agnostic business model has propelled our rapid expansion in both Powersports and Automotive. We are proud that CarGurus has selected RumbleOn for this pilot, and we are excited to help support their new and innovative solutions for dealers around the world.

This program not only validates the strength of our technology, but it demonstrates the agility of our business model. We believe there are boundless opportunities ahead of us and this is yet another example of how we are executing on our disruptive strategy, concluded Chesrown.

We are excited to work with RumbleOn as we continue to build an innovative inventory acquisition solution for our dealers, said Ryan Russell, Head of Strategic Partnerships for CarGurus Labs. As with all of our product development, our ability to rapidly test and learn is critical. RumbleOns technology and dealer-centric processes will allow us to execute this pilot with speed and flexibility so that we can evolve our product and deliver a best-in-class solution for dealers.

The latest phase of CarGurus inventory acquisition product pilot launched in July in Massachusetts.

About RumbleOn

RumbleOn is an e-commerce company that uses innovative technology to simplify how dealers and customers buy, sell, trade, or finance pre-owned vehicles through RumbleOns 100% online marketplace. Leveraging its capital-light network of regional partnerships and innovative technological solutions, RumbleOn is disrupting the old-school pre-owned vehicle supply chain by providing users with the most efficient, timely and transparent transaction experience. For more information, please visit http://www.rumbleon.com.

About CarGurus

Founded in 2006, CarGurus is a global, online automotive marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of new and used cars. The Company uses proprietary technology, search algorithms and data analytics to bring trust and transparency to the automotive search experience and help users find great deals from top-rated dealers. CarGurus is the most visited automotive shopping site in the U.S. (source: Comscore Media Metrix Multi-Platform, Automotive  Information/Resources, Total Audience, Q1 2020, U.S. (Competitive set includes: CarGurus.com, Autotrader.com, Cars.com, TrueCar.com)). In addition to the United States, CarGurus operates online marketplaces under the CarGurus brand in Canada and the United Kingdom. In the United States and the United Kingdom, CarGurus also operates the Autolist and PistonHeads online marketplaces, respectively, as independent brands. To learn more about CarGurus, visit www.cargurus.com. CarGurus is a registered trademark of CarGurus, Inc.
OTTAWA - A man accused of threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and carrying guns illegally on the grounds of Rideau Hall is expected to have his bail hearing postponed later today.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/7/2020 (551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The man accused of threatening the prime minister while carrying guns illegally on the grounds of Rideau Hall is due in court today for a bail hearing. A police officer stands by a fence outside Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Thursday, July 2, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA - A man accused of threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and carrying guns illegally on the grounds of Rideau Hall is expected to have his bail hearing postponed later today.

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Corey Hurren's case is due in court this morning but it is now expected the hearing will be brief, just to set a new date.

Hurren has been in custody in Ottawa since July 2, when police say they arrested him after he crashed a truck through the gates of the property where Trudeau, his family and the Governor General live.

None of them was on the grounds at the time.

Hurren, a Manitoba reservist and sausage-maker, faces 21 charges related to the weapons he was allegedly carrying and one of uttering threats against Trudeau.

Before the incident, he had posted online about the financial and other stresses he was under because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2020.
Two new cases opened against prosecuted founder of Police Ombudsman public page

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

11:59 17/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI)  Two more criminal cases have been opened against Vladimir Vorontsov, the creator of the Telegram channel called Police Ombudsman, according to lawyer Sergey Badamshin.

Vorontsov is suspected of insult of representative of authority, the attorney told RAPSI on Friday.

In total, there are seven launched cases against Vorontsov.

However, charges were brought only in one of them, over alleged extortion, Badamshin added. According to the police, the defendant has demanded the money for non-distribution of personal photos.

From 2012 to 2017, the victim served in Moscow police. In October 2017, the suspect called him and demanded 300,000 rubles threatening to publicly share his personal photos, the statement reads. The victim refused and his photos were published in the Telegram channel.

The defendant could face up to 7 years in jail if convicted of extortion.




Craigbane native Siobhan ONeill has recently been appointed as Northern Irelands Interim Mental Health Champion. Liam Tunney caught up with her to hear about her journey, plans for the role and how she almost ended up on a Vogue photo shoot in an Aran jumper.

Is that you in the white car?

Professor Siobhan ONeill spots my hapless attempt at navigating the back roads out of Park from the window of the first-floor office at her home.

That vantage point in the North Derry hills will also act as the nerve centre for her new role, at least while Covid-19 regulations encourage working from home.

Siobhan is proud of her roots. She lives with her three-year-old daughter, Annabel, in close proximity to her sister and on the same land where she was brought up.

I was raised on this farm, my parents lived here, she told the County Derry Post.

I went first to university at Queens in Belfast to study Psychology and then on to Galway for a few years to do a Masters.

I worked down there too in the Department of Public Health after my Masters, and then came to work at Ulster University twenty years ago.

I was getting married at that stage, so we wanted to move home. It was lovely being back and close to family, but it was great to get away as well.

I totally understand why young people leave. If I hadnt been in a relationship then, it might have been different.

Sometimes you need to go away to appreciate what youve got here. You need to experience that and make a decision about where you want to be rather than just ending up here by default.

Being away, and seeing how other people live their lives, is so important. It contextualises everything. You realise that there are other people with worse problems.

The new role was created as part of Health Minister Robin Swann's Mental Health Action Plan.

Those with worse problems have never been far from Siobhans mind and, while studying in Galway, she volunteered with the local branch of the Samaritans.

She describes the restless nights spent manning the phones as powerful.

It was so valuable, really brilliant. I was looking, as a lot of students do, to do voluntary work that was in some way related to what I wanted to do, she said.

Going through their training programme, meeting other Samaritans and then being there for callers was incredible.

The stuff they deal with and the number of people they help is incredible. It was 24 hours in those days - you used to sleep on site and take calls through the night.

All sorts of people who discreetly do this work get a lot out of it. I benefited from it, I felt I was giving something back and it made me feel good about myself.

You really are getting people through nights where there might be nothing else for them. Its a really powerful thing.

Siobhan led a busy existence. As well as studying for a PhD and volunteering with the Samaritans, she also worked part-time in Fallers Aran sweater shop.

Such was the draw of the world-renowned Aran sweater, that she recalls Vogue magazine arriving at the shop one afternoon.

In Galway, I worked in Fallers, selling Aran sweaters to American tourists, she said.

The tourists would have been a big market, so you would be talking to them about the sweaters you were selling them.

One of the Vogue magazines came in and did a shoot with the sweaters. I wish I had bought some for myself now, but they were really expensive!

It kept me going through my Masters, because there were no grants then, you had to work your way through it.

Now in the countrys newest and most progressive role for mental health, Siobhan is reflecting on the steps that led her into the field.

It chose me in a way, she said.

When I finished my PhD, there was a research post for a job on a survey that Brendan Bunting was leading, which was the 2005 to 2008 Northern Ireland Study of Health and Stress.

It was the biggest mental health survey in NI, and he was looking for staff to help run it, so I applied. It was part of a worldwide group of studies and led by a group from Harvard in the US.

I got the job, which meant I could go to the US and work with some of the best people in the world and it was just brilliant. It was Brendan Bunting who gave me that opportunity.

The study became one of the widest-ranging research pieces on the effects of the Troubles on mental health in Northern Ireland.

At first though, the research team were sceptical about whether the methods used in America could translate to Irelands tendency to say nothing.

We were saying, people in Northern Ireland are not going to do this, theyll say theyre grand or they have no problems, said Siobhan.

There is a counselling or therapy culture in the US and here, there really wasnt, especially in those days.

If anyone had depression, they were bad with their nerves. It was really stigmatised. But we believed in it. The training we got from Harvard worked. What we found was mind-blowing.

As the data was coming out, we realised that out of all those countries, we had the highest rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Other studies had shown high levels of mental illness, but this was showing that, using the psychiatric criteria for PTSD, our rates were 8.8%, which was the highest of all the countries.

We were higher than Lebanon and South Africa. We were talking to people from those countries in the meetings and asking them what they did about mental health there.

We were moving in a world that was delivering quality mental health services, and we werent there yet.

Twenty-two years on from the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland is experiencing relative peace, but mental illness has not gone away.

While Troubles-related trauma still impacts on society, the driving factors behind mental illness are more diverse.

The patterns have shifted. That study was 15 years ago and drugs have become a much more prominent issue in suicide now, said Professor ONeill.

We have a new generation and the issues are slightly different. Youre finding more drug abuse now in rural areas that maybe wasnt the case then.

The Troubles are still in the background, because it has led to decades of disadvantage. Money that could have been put into struggling areas to bring them on has been spent on other areas.

The impact is still felt, even though there isnt as much shooting and killing. Every time there are historical cases or ongoing enquiries, it stirs up feelings and keeps people awake at night.

Siobhans new role will see her champion the cause of mental health across all the different government departments.

The role was created as part of the 38-point Mental Health Action Plan brought forward by Health Minister Robin Swann.

Professor ONeill has taken on the role on an interim basis in order to get things moving as quickly as possible.

A few weeks ago, they asked me if I would be interested in doing on an interim basis. They wanted the work to start straight away because of Covid, she said.

They wanted a champion to be involved with the mental health strategy from the outset. A mental health champion would be an advocate or a voice for the people.

It was something I found interesting, and I was wondering what type of person they were looking for, and then I got a phone call one day around a quarter to five.

I couldnt pass on the opportunity. If they believed I was a good person for this role, I thought I could make it work.

I suppose its recognition that mental health affects all the different departments. When youre building a road from Derry to Belfast, there are mental health aspects of that.

How you design a bridge, planning a green space, making sure you have disability access  these are all mental health considerations. It doesnt just fit in one place.

One of the key projects that Siobhan will be working on is the implementation of a mental health framework in schools.

She hopes it will supplement and help streamline the good work already going on.

Most schools are concerned, and they are doing amazing stuff, but we need some oversight and strategic stuff to make sure that all schools are doing whats helpful, she said.

Teaching young people about how to manage stress is so important. You can make a big difference. Were trying to make it easy for schools to ensure that child gets support.

Things that happen in the first years of life really do influence the rest of your life, including whether you get a mental illness.

Living in a good home, with good relationships, is really powerful, but things like poverty and deprivation can be the biggest adversaries.

Childrens response to stress can be different and it can get them into trouble if they cant cope with it. Youll have kids coming in [to school] scared, on high alert and they cant learn like that.

Stress reactivity and self-regulation is impacted if that early environment isnt good and you can imagine how that translates into suicidal behaviour in later years, if something happens and they snap.

Energy, drive and ambition will not be a problem for the Craigbane native. Asked to sum up her role, Professor ONeill said it was about applying world-class practice to Northern Ireland.

There are key committees I would hope to be involved with. I have a network of contacts who are doing research on what works, which will be useful, she said.

The first goal is to listen to peoples experiences. I want to do a proper piece where I collect that by talking to people.

Im hearing stories about people accessing services that hasnt worked, and thats a big thing, but I also want to find out what the magic ingredient is when it does work.

I have no assumptions, but I have a plan in my head for how I can do the most good and ensure the voice of those with lived experiences is coming through.

These arent things that are necessarily going to be too expensive. Its about picking the best practice from around the world and, as far as possible, doing it here.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are not ashamed of airing their dirty laundry in public.

Taking the witness stand at London's High Court for Depp's libel trial against British tabloid The Sun, he denies beating his wife ever, as alleged by the newspaper in 2018.

Now, new horrifying and disturbing details have emerged about their violent relationship.

Star Magazine reported on their July 27, 2020, issue that as reports surface, they revealed the source of the couple's vicious battles, including allegations of affairs on both sides.

Now, people are wondering who might it be. Depp called his ex-girlfriends to testify, including the "other woman" in his marriage to Heard, Angelina Jolie.

The publication reported that Jolie was the person who came between the married couple.

Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp worked together for "The Tourist" film.

Jolie, who had a bad feeling about Heard, warned Depp to "tread carefully" and get an ironclad prenup to protect his $350 million fortune before tying the knot.

But it wasn't just Johnny Depp who had a reported fling.

According to Sky News, Tesla CEO Elon Musk paid secret midnight visits to Amber Heard while Depp wasn't home.

According to a building staffer who testified via video link said that he spotted Musk in 2015 around the time, Depp injured his finger when the blonde actress allegedly chucked a vodka bottle at him, which resulted into a severed digit.

Alejandro Romero said that he saw the SpaceX CEO a "few times a week" and would "always visit when Mr. Depp wasn't home.

Romero would allegedly give the millionaire access to the garage to park his car and then let him go up to Depp and Heard's penthouse.

Musk and Heard have denied their romance started while she was still married to Depp.

Another man has also been involved in the courtroom showdown of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.

Amber Heard's former assistant Kate James gave details about her time working with the actress for "The Adderall Diaries."

The "Aquaman" star reportedly told James not to let Depp or his team know her schedule.

The former PA said that when her boss was shooting, Heard would liaise with her every day about her schedule and have reportedly asked her not to tell Depp that she was doing the romantic scene with James Franco.

The ex-assistant explained that there had been some confusion over why Heard was working with Franco once again after previously describing him as "sexually aggressive."

Johnny Depp has also accused his ex-wife of cheating on him for the "rapist" James Franco.

The "Pirates of the Caribbean" star claimed that he had been concerned about Franco because Heard had once described him as "creepy and rapey" when they worked together in "Pineapple Express."

Depp stated that his ex-wife had told him she had to run from Franco's advances while they filmed.

It is also worth noting that several women have accused James Franco of sexual abuse and harassment, but the actor has denied them.

READ MORE: Amber Heard Liar: Johnny Depp's Ex USED Former PA's Sexual Abuse Story As Her Own?
Brazilian health officials are expected to report more COVID-19 cases even as the country hit two million cases on Thursday. The news comes after months of constant dismissal from the country's President Jair Bolsonaro.

It has been less than a month since Brazil surpassed one million confirmed coronavirus cases. The country has had the second-largest outbreak across the globe. However, medical experts have reported more than 40,000 new daily cases in recent weeks, Yahoo News reports.

Since late May, state officials also recorded more than 1,000 daily coronavirus-related deaths. It now has 76,000 deaths. The trend has yet to show signs of tilting downward.

Why is the virus spreading?

Experts say the denial of COVID-19's deadly potential and the lack of national coordination has led to a surge of cases.

President Bolsonaro pressured governors and mayors to lift their stay-at-home orders despite the rapid spread of the virus. He also fought against social distancing orders and attended rallies alongside hundreds of his supporters.

In Ribeirao Preto, San Paulo, shopkeepers surrounded the mayor's car. Many punched his vehicle's windows and cursed at him, demanding they be given permission to reopen.

In Campinas, political pressure caused the city councilman to allow businesses to reopen on June 8. Two weeks later, the number of cases and deaths tripled.

The interim health minister, General Eduardo Pazuello, is untrained in presiding over the pandemic response. He was given the position in April after Dr. Nelson Teich resigned after serving for a month. According to Bloomberg, the doctor and healthcare consultant quit after Bolsonaro showed support for the use of unproven treatments.

Luiz Henrique Mandetta, Brazil's former health minister, compared the country's 7,000 deaths equal to several plans packed with Brazilians that crashes every day, the Associated Press reports.

Experts believe the lack of widespread testing means the number of coronavirus cases may be many times higher than reported. A model created by researchers from a number of academic institutions in Brazil estimated the country has over 10 million infections.

What is President Jair Bolsonaro doing now?

On Wednesday, the far-right populist tested positive for the coronavirus for the second time. The results came a week after he announced he was infected with the deadly virus.

During a press conference, he claimed he wasn't experiencing any symptoms. He also removed his mask in front of the journalists, causing many to file a lawsuit against him.

Bolsonaro attended a flag ceremony on Wednesday. He was seen wearing a face mask and socially distancing himself from others.

In recent weeks, the president has continuously promoted the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in treating the coronavirus. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said recent studies show the drug did not treat coronavirus symptoms. It also carried adverse side effects, including irregular heartbeats and death.

Want to read more? Check out the latest news here:
Screening entire populations for breast and ovarian cancer genes could prevent millions more breast and ovarian cancer cases across the world compared to current clinical practice, according to a global study led by Queen Mary University of London

Screening entire populations for breast and ovarian cancer gene mutations could prevent millions more breast and ovarian cancer cases across the world compared to current clinical practice, according to an international study led by Queen Mary University of London. The research also shows that it is cost effective in high and upper-middle income countries.

The most well-known breast and ovarian cancer causing genes are BRCA1 and BRCA2. These gene mutations cause around 10-20 per cent of ovarian and 6 per cent of breast cancers. If mutation carriers could be identified before they develop disease, most of these cancers could be prevented by drugs, increased screening or surgery.

Current clinical guidelines globally only recommend genetic testing for high-risk women, for example, if they fulfil certain clinical criteria or if there is a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer. However, over 50 per cent of BRCA carriers do not meet these criteria so are not tested, and over 97 per cent of BRCA carriers in the UK population remain unidentified.

This new study was supported by the NHS Innovation Accelerator Fellowship and women's cancer charity The Eve Appeal and published in the journal Cancers. The researchers estimated the cost-effectiveness and health impact of BRCA testing in the general population, compared with current standard clinical testing of women designated as high risk, in countries considered high income (UK/USA/Netherlands), upper-middle income (China/Brazil), and low-middle income (India).

The researchers modelled a number of scenarios of population based BRCA-testing and compared the costs and health impact to the current family history based policy. Cost effectiveness was calculated from both a societal and a payer perspective. A payer perspective only includes medical costs incurred by the health system or health providers (such as costs of genetic testing, screening, prevention and cancer treatment). A societal perspective also takes into account costs such as the impact of income lost from inability to work and shorter life spans due to cancer.

The research team found that population based testing was extremely cost effective in high and upper middle income countries from a payer perspective. From a societal perspective it was cost saving in high income countries and cost effective in middle income countries like China and Brazil. Costs of BRCA testing would need to fall to around USD $172 to become cost effective in low income countries like India.

Findings suggest that population based BRCA testing can prevent an additional 2,319-2,666 breast cancer and 327-449 ovarian cancer cases per million women than the current clinical strategy. Over the course of a lifetime, this translates to preventing around an additional 57,700 breast cancer and 9,700 ovarian cancer cases in the UK; 269,000 breast cancer and 43,800 ovarian cancer cases in the USA; 15,000 breast cancer and 2,500 ovarian cancer cases in the Netherlands; 1,050,300 breast cancer and 154,700 ovarian cancer cases in China; 156,300 breast cancer and 25,170 ovarian cancer cases in Brazil; and 692,570 breast cancer and 97,650 ovarian cancer cases in India.

Lead researcher Professor Ranjit Manchanda from Queen Mary University of London said: "General population BRCA testing can bring about a new paradigm for improving global cancer prevention. Why do we need to wait for people to develop a preventable cancer to identify others in whom we can prevent cancer? Strategies and pathways for population testing must be developed to enable population genomics to achieve its potential for maximising early detection and cancer prevention.

"With the costs of testing falling this can provide huge new opportunities for cancer prevention and changes in the way we deliver cancer genetic testing. This approach can ensure that more women can take preventative action to reduce their cancer risk or undertake regular screening."

Dr Rosa Legood, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine added: "Our analysis shows that testing all women for BRCA mutations is a more cost-effective strategy which can prevent these cancers in high risk women and save lives. This approach has important implications given the effective options that are available for breast and ovarian cancer risk management and prevention for women at increased risk."

Athena Lamnisos, CEO, Eve Appeal said: "We must invest in cancer prevention - this is what will save most lives and also be cost effective within cash-strapped healthcare systems. The evidence emerging from this study is an exciting step forward: we can stop cancer before it has a chance to start through broadening a simple genetic test to a wider population. At The Eve Appeal we work with women given a heart-breaking diagnosis of cancer, this is really hard news to process when they find out they carry a mutation which could have been identified at an early stage and their cancer prevented. For those women and their loved ones, this research provides hope."

This research was led by Prof Ranjit Manchanda (Queen Mary University of London) and supported by Dr Rosa Legood (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine). This research was an international collaboration involving research teams from Queen Mary University of London, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and involved Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands); Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo (Brazil); Peking University, Beijing (China); Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (India); Presidency University, Kolkata (India); Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata (India); University of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia); Newcastle University (UK).

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: 'Economic Evaluation of Population-based BRCA1/BRCA2 Mutation Testing across multiple countries and Health systems'. Ranjit Manchanda, Li Sun, Shreeya Patel, Olivia Evans, Janneke Wilschut, Ana Carolina de Freitas Lopes, Faiza Gaba, Adam Brentnall, Stephen Duffy, Bin Cui8, Patricia Coelho de Soarez, Zakir Husain, John Hopper, Zia Sadique, Asima Mukopadhyay, Li Yang, Johannes Berkhof and Rosa Legood. Cancers.

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.

###

About the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is a world-leading centre for research, postgraduate studies and continuing education in public and global health. LSHTM has a strong international presence with over 3,000 staff and 4,000 students working in the UK and countries around the world, and an annual research income of 180 million.

LSHTM is one of the highest-rated research institutions in the UK, is partnered with two MRC University Units in The Gambia and Uganda, and was named University of the Year in the Times Higher Education Awards 2016. Our mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy and practice.

http://www.lshtm.ac.uk

About The Eve Appeal

The Eve Appeal is the only UK national charity raising awareness and funding research in the five gynaecological cancers - ovarian, womb, cervical, vaginal and vulval. It was set up to save women's lives by funding ground-breaking research focused on developing effective methods of risk prediction, earlier detection and developing screening for these women-only cancers. The world-leading research that we fund is ambitious and challenging but our vision is simple: A future where fewer women develop and more women survive gynaecological cancers. http://www.eveappeal.org.uk
About 25,000 deaths have been officially attributed to COVID-19, but testing remains sparse, so the real figure could be significantly higher.

New Delhi: India hit a milestone Friday morning that it had made great sacrifices to avoid: recording more than 1 million coronavirus infections.

The virus has been gnawing its way across this country of 1.3 billion people and gaining speed, fueled by high population density, an already beleaguered health care system and a calculation by the Central government to lift a nationwide lockdown in hopes of getting the economy up and running, come what may.

But as Indias number of confirmed new infections keeps hitting record highs, many states and cities have been locking down again. In some areas, long lines of bodies snake out of cremation grounds. India is racking up about 30,000 new reported infections each day  more than any other country except the United States and Brazil, and it is catching up to Brazil.

India now has the third-highest total cases  1,003,832 cases and 25,602 deaths  after the United States and Brazil. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimate that by the end of next year, India will be the worst-hit country in the world.

We have paid a price for laxity, said K Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India, a nonprofit organisation of public health experts and academics.

About 25,000 deaths have been officially attributed to COVID-19, but testing remains sparse, so the real figure could be significantly higher.

Schools and universities have been shut since March with no clear plans to reopen, leaving nearly 278 million students without much to do.

More than 100 million Indians have lost their jobs. The economy, which already had been showing deep cracks before the pandemic, is now forecast to contract by as much as 9.5 percent in the year that began 1 April, a stunning reversal from the last decade, when India was one of the most promising business environments on Earth.

In the early days of the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took swift action. He advised masks and social distancing. At a time when India had fewer than 1,000 known infections  although the true figure was certainly higher  he imposed a severe nationwide lockdown that would last nearly three months.

Millions of migrant labourers, who over the years had gravitated to jobs in the cities, suddenly found themselves with little or no work. They poured out of the cities and back into the countryside, hoping to rely on relatives in their home villages to survive. In the process, they spread coronavirus infections into nearly every corner of India.

As the economic pain really began to bite, Modi changed course. Last month he urged the leaders of Indias 28 states and eight territories to unlock, unlock, unlock.

Public health experts say Modi got it backwards and should have waited until the crisis was further along and then imposed a strict lockdown.

The early lockdown was premature and it did nothing because the virus hadnt spread at the time, said Dr Anand Krishnan, a professor of epidemiology at the New Delhi-based All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Now is the time to impose such drastic public health measures.

The worst-hit areas are cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad and the tech hub of Bengaluru. The crowded urban areas, where many families live eight or even 10 people per room, make social distancing nearly impossible, hastening the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus.

Officials in Bihar imposed a two-week lockdown beginning Thursday after a sudden spike in cases  more than 20,000 in 24 hours. Bihar is a source of migrant labour across India; the surge in Bihars cases correlates with the return of workers from distant cities.

A sharp rise in cases has also forced a new lockdown in Goa just a few weeks after it reopened to tourists, a lifeline to the state economy.

The southern state of Kerala, which had been largely successful in controlling the spread of the virus, also extended lockdown restrictions by a week in its biggest city, Thiruvananthapuram, after cases nearly doubled in just a few days.

We need more focus on the new COVID-19 hot spot in South Asia, said a statement from John Fleming, an official with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Lives of people in India are no less valuable than people in other parts of the world.

Modi and top government officials have repeatedly said in televised speeches that India is doing better than richer countries, especially when it comes to the death rate. India has reported about 20 coronavirus-related deaths per million people, while many other nations, including the United States, Brazil, Spain, Italy, have all lost hundreds per million.

I dont think it has anything to do with how the government has handled the pandemic, Krishnan said. Instead, he said, its because Indias average age is younger than that of other countries, and obesity and diabetes, which increase peoples vulnerability to the virus, are less prevalent here.

The Indian Medical Association said that COVID-19 had killed 99 doctors.

If COVID mortality has to be lessened, it has to start with doctors, the organisation said in a news release Wednesday.

Public health experts say India still lacks a transparent and robust mechanism to respond to a crisis of this magnitude. And whats needed, they say, is a vigorous and energetic response from both the government and citizens.

Opening malls and allowing large religious gatherings is not the way, said Reddy. You cant give the virus a highway to travel.

Karan Deep Singh and Jeffrey Gettleman c.2020 The New York Times Company
Maharashtra recorded more than 8,000 fresh Covid-19 cases for the second consecutive day on Friday, as the states coronavirus tally neared the three-lakh mark. The state reported 8,308 infections, pushing up its count to 292,589, according to the state health department bulletin, which said active cases stood at 120,480. On Thursday, the state had recorded its sharpest single-day spike of 8,641 cases. The states toll rose to 11,452, after 258 deaths were reported in 24 hours.

Maharashtra is likely to cross the three-lakh cases mark over the weekend, which would mean the state has reported its last one lakh cases in 14 or 15 days. The virus tally crossed the two-lakh mark on July 4, 22 days after the state had breached the one-lakh mark on June 12. The first lakh cases were reported in 96 days.

Mumbai, meanwhile, inched closer to the one-lakh cases mark, with a rise of 1,214 cases on Friday. The citys tally stands at 99,164, of which 23,948 are active cases. Mumbais death toll rose by 62 to 5,585.

A study published in Lancet, a global health journal, has placed Maharashtra, among the nine states that have high vulnerability to the Covid-19 pandemic. The study has found Maharashtra as the seventh-most vulnerable state across India in the vulnerability index. Madhya Pradesh tops the list, followed by Bihar and Telangana.

The study has rated the vulnerabilities of the states to the pandemic on a scale of zero to one, measured using 15 indicators across five domains  socio-economic vulnerability, demographic vulnerability, housing and hygiene conditions, availability of health care and epidemiological factors.

Although social, demographic, economic, health, and epidemiological data is available in India, district-level data is not available yet. So the researchers have used National Family Health Survey 2015-16, Census of India 2011, Rural Health Statistics 2018 and National Health Profile 2019 data.

Our index aims to help planners and policy makers effectively prioritise regions for resource allocation and adopt risk mitigation strategies for better preparedness and responses to the Covid-19 epidemic, Rajib Acharya and Akash Porwal from Population Council, New Delhi, have said in the study.

Meanwhile, state health minister Rajesh Tope said the health infrastructure needs to be augmented only in cities of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), as in the rest of the state there is no shortage of beds. We have built field hospitals in Mumbai and are building more in MMR cities as there is a shortage of ICU beds. Thane city has been taken care of, but the situation is different in Kalyan-Dombivli, Ambernath, Badlapur and Bhiwandi as the health infrastructure there is still not sufficient, he said. A multi-speciality hospital is needed in these areas. I have been speaking about this to the chief minister [Uddhav Thackeray] and in the cabinet. We are planning a jumbo facility with 1,000 beds with oxygen supply and 350 ICU beds. It will be completed in a months time.

Nine cities of MMR, including Mumbai, have recorded 174,715 cases, which contribute to 59.71% of the states tally.

In Mumbai, however, the rise of cases has plateaued. The highest single-day spike this month has been 1,552 on July 2. Mumbai had reported its sharpest 24-hour spike of 2,077 cases on June 27.

Everybody agrees that Mumbai is on a plateau. Cases are not coming down, but they are not rising either We have kept our finger crossed, said a senior BMC official, requesting anonymity.

The rise in cases in the other cities of MMR is massive, with most civic bodies re-imposing lockdown restrictions in a bid to flatten the case curve. Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Bhiwandi-Nizampur and Navi Mumbai have extended lockdown restrictions until July 19, while Ulhasnagar and Panvel have curbs till July 22 and July 24 respectively.

Along with spike in cases, the state is also recording rise in fatalities on a daily basis. In the past 17 days, the state has recorded 3,446 Covid-19 deaths.

With 11,452 deaths, the case fatality rate (CFR) of the state stands at 3.91%. It is the second highest in India after Gujarat, where the CFR is 4.59% with 2089 deaths (45,481 cases) till Thursday, according to the statistics shared by the state medical education department.

Maharashtra, however, has highest number of deaths in the country.

To bring down Covid deaths, the government has started conducting rapid antigen tests in containment zones. These tests provide report in around 30 minutes. If test report comes negative and the patient has Covid symptoms, then we also conduct RT-PCR test to confirm whether the patient is free from Covid. This helps in providing early treatment to patients, ultimately reducing Covid deaths, said Tope.

The number of recovered patients in Maharashtra has also risen to 160,357, after 2,217 recovered and discharged from various hospitals across the state on Friday. The recovery rate of the state has improved to 54.81%. The national recovery rate stands at 63.33%.

The state has so far tested 1,484,630 people and has a positive rate of 19.7%.

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The Chief Executive Officer of Literacy Ambassadors Ghana, Mr. Mathias Tulasi, has condemned Ghanaians wearing face shields for fun and refusing to wear nose mask.

His full statement below

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is currently having a significant adverse impact on our economy as a nation.

As such, the government is seen implementing some fiscal measures in order to mitigate the adverse effect and providing some relief for businesses and households, etc.

It is, therefore, imperative and prudent on our part as a nation to act responsibly in order to get out of it quickly in order for things to become normal.

It is, therefore, sad seeing fellow Ghanaians wore face field shield without nose mask deceiving themselves that they are protecting themselves or fighting against COVID-19.

Some have taken it to be fashion and using it gradually to replace the nose mask which is suicidal.

I am calling on the NCCE as a matter of urgency to educate the public on issues regarding the use of the face shield in order to avoid abuse of it because people using face shield without nose mask increases the risk of one contracting COVID-19.

Let us all adhere to the safety protocols against COVID-19 and stop all ugly practices such as wearing face shield without nose mask.
Xinhua Photo

LONDON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese technology company Huawei said Tuesday that the British government's move to ban the company's involvement in the country's 5G networks is a "disappointing decision" which "threatens to move Britain into the digital slow lane, push up bills and deepen the digital divide."

"This disappointing decision is bad news for anyone in the UK with a mobile phone." said Ed Brewster, a spokesperson for Huawei UK in a statement.

"Instead of 'levelling up', the government is levelling down and we urge them to reconsider. We remain confident that the new U.S. restrictions would not have affected the resilience or security of the products we supply to the UK," Brewster said.

The British government announced Tuesday that buying new Huawei 5G equipment will be banned after Dec. 31, 2020 and all Huawei equipment will be removed from the country's 5G networks by the end of 2027.

"Regrettably our future in the UK has become politicized, this is about U.S. trade policy and not security," said Brewster.

The British government announced in January its plans to safeguard the country's telecoms network, approving a restricted role for Huawei in helping build the country's 5G networks. Tuesday's decision marks a U-turn in Britain's policy concerning Huawei.

"We will conduct a detailed review of what today's announcement means for our business here and will work with the UK government to explain how we can continue to contribute to a better connected Britain," said Brewster.

The latest decision by the British government is expected to delay the country's 5G roll-out, according to Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden.

From an economic viewpoint, eliminating Huawei from Britain's 5G infrastructure market could be expected to lead to higher prices and delays in roll-out, according to a recent report released by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, a research institute in Britain.

A previous study conducted by Oxford Economics and commissioned by Huawei also said that restricting Huawei from helping to build Britain's 5G infrastructure market would increase roll-out costs by 9 percent to 29 percent.

"Outages would be possible" if BT is forced to pull out Huawei's 5G kit too quickly, the telecoms operator's chief executive Philip Jansen told BBC Radio 4's Today program.

Depending on how big or how intrusive the work to be carried out is, users would lose their signal, "sometimes for a couple of days", Vodafone UK's Head of Networks Andrea Dona, told British lawmakers last week.

The Chinese technology company has been operating in the British market for some two decades. It employs 1,600 people in Britain and supplies telecoms network equipment to all the major mobile and broadband service providers in the country, according to Huawei.

Recently, Huawei announced that it will build a state-of-the-art center in Cambridge, Britain, which will focus on the research, development and manufacturing of optical devices and modules.
Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore may steam up the screen as Ghosts doomed lovers, but its Whoopi Goldberg who walks away with Jerry Zuckers 1990 blockbuster, which premiered in theaters 30 years ago this week. As the psychically-included Oda Mae Brown  who finds herself able to converse with Swayzes Sam after his untimely death  Goldberg gives the movie a live-wire comic energy that still cracks audiences up three decades later. She also made Hollywood history: At the 63rd Academy Awards, Goldberg became only the second Black actress to win the Best Supporting Actress statue, five decades after Hattie McDaniels win for Gone With the Wind.

Accepting her Oscar, Goldberg credited Swayze with helping her land the role, but in a new interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Zucker corrects the historical record. For some reason, theres this persistent rumor that Patrick said to the studio, I wont [make the movie without Whoopi], the director says. If thats true I never heard about it. Patrick loved Whoopi, no question about it, but the rumors of him getting her the role are apocryphal. (Watch our video interview above.)

Whoopi Goldberg and Patrick Swayze in Jerry Zucker's 1990 hit, Ghost. (Photo: Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection)

Its not apocryphal that Zucker  who was transitioning to drama after directing such beloved comedies as Airplane! and Top Secret!  took a little while to come around to casting Goldberg, though. I didn't want a comedian playing Oda Mae, and my image of Whoopi was her comedian side, he explains. Instead, he and Paramount Studios had another person in mind: music superstar Tina Turner, who recorded a memorable audition tape. She was in London and sent in a video, and the studio was very excited about the idea, he remembers. At the end of the video, she was like, Jerry, I really want it! I was like, I can die now. While Paramount wanted to move ahead with Turner, Zucker had nagging doubts. She did a credible job, but she wasnt quite an actress. Maybe she could be, but there was a big difference. So I had to go in and make a case why I wanted Whoopi and not Tina.

Story continues

What sealed the deal was a trip that Swayze and Zucker took to Mississippi where Goldberg was shooting another film. We read her and Patrick, and man you could just see it. For me, its so great to see someone just doing it. Ghost was my first drama, and I was terribly afraid of not getting it right. So I was really fortunate that Patrick and Whoopi were able to read together so that I could see it in front of me and go, Yeah, that works. (Swayze died in 2009.)

Here are four other stories that Zucker shared with us about the making of Ghost, which will be available in a new Blu-ray edition on July 21.

Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer almost played Sam and Molly

Swayze and Demi Moore in Ghost in roles that were almost played by Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer. (Photo: Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection)

Tina Turner wasnt the only casting near-miss: Theres a universe in which Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer would have been throwing pots as Sam Wheat and his beloved Molly Jensen. The studio wanted Harrison Ford in this so badly, and I did, too. I loved Harrison Ford. They took him out to lunch, and he was very honest about it. He said, Why are you making this? Is it a comedy? Is it a tragedy? Its very weird. And a lot of people thought that, he was certainly not the only one that didnt see how it was going to mix. Meanwhile, Paramount was also hoping to land a big star to play Molly, and Michelle Pfeiffer was at the top of their list. We looked at a lot of names, and Michelle was in consideration at the time, Zucker reveals. (Funnily enough, Ford and Pfeiffer would go on to star together in a very different kind of ghost story a decade later. The two played husband and wife in Robert Zemeckiss 2000 horror film, What Lies Beneath.)

With Ford and Pfeiffer out, Zucker turned his attention to Swayze and Moore. To my shame, I really didnt believe in Patrick, and his agent finally called and said, Patrick wants this so much, he'll be willing to audition. So he came in, and I just saw the whole movie working at a much higher level than I had ever imagined. And that was it; he instantly got the part. Meanwhile, he found himself drawn to Moore because of the young actresss on-screen presence. We always saw Molly as being a strong woman, and Demi certainly has that.

Zucker remembers experiencing a brief moment of concern about his casting decisions, though, when Moore showed up on set with a new haircut. She had her hair cut very short, and Patricks hair was really long, because we had told him to grow it before wed cut it. I thought, This is my first romantic drama, and Im going to be a laughingstock! But then I started videotaping some of the rehearsals, and when I looked through the viewfinder, she looked beautiful. Weve talked about this since, and I always tell her, Thank you for cutting your hair without asking me, because I definitely would have said No.

The pottery scene was a sensuous affair

The famous pottery scene in Ghost. (Photo: Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection)

If you think the pottery scene plays hot and heavy onscreen, Zucker says the mood on set was pretty steamy as well. I think Demi was feeling the heat, he laughs. Patricks a handsome guy, and hes there with his shirt off and youve got your hands on him and all of this clay. I didnt sense that either of them were going to run out and have an affair, but they were good collaborators!

As evidence of their stellar collaboration skills, Zucker points to the moment when Moores pot collapses, which was an on-set accident. When the pot fell, it was one of those great accidents, and I didnt yell Cut, thank god. Their reactions are pretty spontaneous. Theres this one moment there where Patrick kind of goes Oooh. Walter Murch, who edited the movie put it in, and I said, Thats weird, he looks feminine or something. It bugged me. Walter said, Leave it in, I think people will like it. And sure enough at the first screening, there was an audible reaction from the audience! So I said, OK, whatever you want from now on, Walter.

Besides the pottery hijinks, the star of that scene is the Righteous Brothers classic Unchained Melody, which plays on the jukebox in the lovers apartment. Zucker says that song was picked well before shooting began by the films producer, Lisa Weinstein. When I listened to it, I was like Its like they wrote it for the movie. It was perfect. The director played the song on set to get the actors in the mood, but shut if off while the cameras were rolling to avoid interfering with the dialogue. But Unchained Melody was booming from the speakers in the love scene that follows. We played the song then because there was no dialogue, just kissing, and it helped them get into the scene.

The pottery scene has enjoyed a long afterlife with numerous parodies in everything from a Wallace & Gromit cartoon to the NBC sitcom, Community. One of the best send-ups was overseen by Zuckers brother, David, with whom he directed all of his 80s favorites as part of the famous Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker (ZAZ) team. The year after Ghost, David Zucker helmed The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear, which featured Leslie Nielsen and Priscilla Presley standing in for Sam and Molly. I loved it, Zucker says, chuckling. Leslie Nielsen taking over for Patrick Swazye  its perfect. You know, it came down to casting Swayze or Leslie Nielsen in Ghost. It was tough, but I think Leslie was busy, so...

He wouldnt change the use my body scene

Goldberg and Moore in Ghost. (Photo: Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection)

Its established in a hilarious scene midway through Ghost that phantoms can leap into Oda Maes body and temporarily take possession. That device lays the groundwork for the emotional climax of the film, where she invites Sam to use my body in order to enjoy one last embrace with Molly. But where Goldberg remained on camera during the earlier possession scene, this time shes replaced by Swayze. When the film was released, several critics  most notably Roger Ebert  chided Zucker for not showing the two women holding each other. In strict logic, this should involve us seeing Goldberg kissing Moore, but of course the movie compromises and shows us Swayze holding her  too bad, because the logical version would actually have been more spiritual and moving, Ebert wrote in his two-and-a-half star review.

I never questioned it, Zucker says now. In fact, in the early screenings I remember you could hear that people were uncomfortable. And actually, they started to giggle a little bit. I got worried, like, This is not a place we want people giggling. If it had been two women, you would have had people laughing, and I dont think that would have been the right decision. It had nothing to do with what's politically correct or what's acceptable or anything like that to me.

Zucker adds that hed make the same choice today, even at a time when Hollywood  and moviegoers  are accepting of seeing two women sharing a romantic moment. Above and beyond political correctness or what we think about two women being together, for me, it wasnt about that at all. You want to give that moment to Patrick and Demi. They dont really have a lot of them in the movie after he dies, so to have one moment where they dance to the music. The emotion would not have been the same with Demi and Whoopi.

You have to go to Zuckers house to see the Ghost jukebox

Jerry Zucker at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for TCM)

Next time you visit Londons Hard Rock Cafe, be aware that the jukebox from Ghost that they claim to have isnt the real deal. Thats because the actual jukebox is on display in Zuckers home office, and its still in perfect working order, as he demonstrated for us. My wife and I were at the Hard Rock in London and I saw a sign that said The jukebox from Ghost and I went, What? he says, laughing. Paramount was kind enough to give me this when we finished shooting, the director tells us. I told them Id loan it back to them if there was every a sequel... but I lied.

For the record, Paramount did very much want a sequel to Ghost, but Zucker and screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin never saw a viable way to continue the story. My feeling was that it was a story with a beginning, middle and an end. The movies that make great sequels are those with characters like James Bond, who you can put in any country or any situation. But a story like this is so much harder, so I didnt have any interest in it, and fortunately the cast didnt seem to either. That said, hed be fine to see a Ghost remake if it involved the right creative team. Its all about the writer; Bruce wrote a brilliant script. So I think someone could take the bones of the film and remake it, but how do you hit that kind of magic again?

Ghost is available to rent or purchase on Amazon; a new Blu-ray edition will be released on Tuesday, July 21.

 Video produced by Jon San

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
Mark Boal will adapt the Israeli military thriller "When Heroes Fly" as a 10-episode series for Apple TV+. Under the title "Echo 3," the show will be set in South America.

A young American scientist goes missing on the Colombia-Venezuela border, and her brother and husband, both men with military experience and training, set out to find her as a secret war rages around them.

If that sounds incredibly interesting and you can put up with a few subtitles, you can watch the original eight-episode Israeli show right now on Netflix. If subtitles drive you crazy, you can switch the audio and watch it dubbed in English.

"Echo 3" is sure to mix in more American cultural references and the internal doubts that all military characters have dealt with in Boal's earlier movies.

He won Oscars for writing and producing "The Hurt Locker" and earned nominations for writing and producing "Zero Dark Thirty." He also wrote the screenplays for "In the Valley of Elah" and the Netflix military thriller "Triple Frontier."

He will be joined by Jason Horwitch, the executive producer of the excellent EPIX espionage show "Berlin Station," who will work as co-showrunner with Boal.

There's no word about when "Echo 3" will air on the streaming service because no one involved has any idea when the show might go into production as long as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps the movie and television business on hold. We'll have updates as they become available.

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I dont need to tell you the value of workforce development and what a difference it makes in peoples lives, Pritzker said. Even in our most difficult times, prioritizing young people ought to be a no-brainer, and this program is a prime example of how public policy can help businesses and organizations meet their needs by investing directly in the communities that make our state strong.
Man Who Killed Family of Four, Including Children, Is Executed in Federal Prison

Dustin Lee Honken, who was convicted for the killing of five people, including a family of four that included two young children, was executed on Friday afternoon.

Honken, described as a meth kingpin, was killed via a lethal dose of pentobarbital, a powerful sedative that is commonly used in executions, in a federal prison in Indiana. His death was pronounced at 4:36 p.m. ET without incident, said the Bureau of Prisons in a statement to a WTHI reporter who observed the execution.

His final words were a prayer, Mary Mother of God, pray for me, according to the reporter.

A federal judge declined to issue an injunction in Honkens execution. Lawyers for the inmate had requested that U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issue a stay for the lethal injection.

Honken has not demonstrated a likelihood of success on his claim that the 2019 Protocol is arbitrary and capricious based on its failure to consider the risk of flash pulmonary edema, the court of appeals wrote in declining their appeal, according to the Des Moines Register.

Honken, 52, received the death penalty for the murders of two drug dealers who later became government informants, a girlfriend of one of those dealers, and her two children. Honken has maintained he is innocent over the years.

Prosecutors said he killed informants Greg Nicholson, and Terry DeGues, as well as Nicholsons 32-year-old girlfriend Lori Duncan and her two daughters, 10-year-old Kandi, and 6-year-old Amber.

A spokesperson with the Sisters of Providence said she was surprised at how calm Honken sounded over the phone in recent days, adding that his mother, brother, and daughter visited him.

He was at peace. I was totally amazed, she said, as reported by The Associated Press. He believed he would go to heaven. He is ready to meet his maker.

It came after the Supreme Court cleared the Trump administration to carry out the first federal executions in the criminal justice system in nearly 20 years. Earlier in June, Attorney General William Barr ordered the Bureau of Prisons to implement the plan again.

He is one of several inmates on federal death row in the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, who have said the new one-drug protocol, which replaces a three-drug protocol the government last used in 2003, would cause an unnecessarily painful death.

Two other men convicted of murdering children were executed in Terre Haute earlier this week: Daniel Lee on Tuesday, and Wesley Purkey on Thursday.

While the Supreme Courts conservative majority wrote that it had established that lethal injection was a constitutional method, some of the liberal justices complained that new problems raised by the changed protocol were being dismissed too hastily.

I remain convinced of the importance of reconsidering the constitutionality of the death penalty itself, Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in a dissenting opinion on Thursday.

Reuters contributed to this report.
New clashes erupted Thursday on the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia following a day-long lull, dashing hopes of a rapid end to a flare-up in fighting. Azerbaijan said another of its soldiers had been killed, bringing to 17 the number of dead on both sides since fresh fighting broke out between the arch-rivals on Sunday. The two ex-Soviet republics have been locked for decades in a conflict over Azerbaijan's southwestern separatist region of Nagorny Karabakh, which was seized by ethnic Armenian separatists in a 1990s war that claimed 30,000 lives. The recent fighting has been unusual as it broke out hundreds of kilometres from Karabakh, in the northern regions of Tovuz in Azerbaijan and Tavush in Armenia. Local villagers on both sides of the border told AFP their homes had come under fire and they feared for their lives. "An artillery shell hit our yard, 10 metres from the house," resident Shain Abiyev said in the Azerbaijani village of Dondar Quscu near the border. "Fortunately my family was not at home, but if they had been in the house there would have been a tragedy." In Aygepar on the Armenian side, 70-year-old Evelina Hovhannisyan said she had spent eight hours in her bathroom while the village was under fire. - 'This is our land' - "I could not go out because they were firing. No matter what happens, this is our land, we will not leave our land, our home," she said. The clashes broke out on Sunday, with the two sides exchanging artillery and mortar fire for three days until a pause on Wednesday after international calls for restraint. The two countries' defence ministries said shelling had resumed in the early hours of Thursday, with both sides blaming each other. Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Sushan Stepanyan said Azerbaijani forces were "shelling Armenian villages with mortars and howitzers" in Tavush. The defence ministry in Baku blamed Armenian forces for the renewed fighting, saying in a statement that clashes started in the north after "Armenians shelled Azerbaijani villages with large-calibre weapons." Eleven Azerbaijani troops and one civilian were killed in the first three days of clashes, as well as four Armenian soldiers, according to the two countries. Azerbaijan's defence ministry said that another of its soldiers had been killed in Tovuz on Thursday. Raising the stakes, Azerbaijan threatened to strike Armenia's atomic power station if Yerevan attacked strategic facilities. "Our high-precision missile systems are capable of striking the Metsamor nuclear power station in Armenia," Azerbaijani defence ministry spokesman Vagif Dyargahly told journalists. - Foreign minister sacked - In a surprise move on Thursday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev sacked his long-serving foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, after denouncing his performance during the crisis. He was replaced by the education minister, Jeyhun Bayramov. The fighting has prompted calls for an immediate de-escalation from the United States, the European Union and regional powerbroker Russia. Turkey has spoken out in support of its ally Azerbaijan. It is unclear what ignited this summer's flare-up, but analysts say it could have been a small incident like a cross-border shooting that quickly escalated. Olesya Vartanyan, senior South Caucasus analyst for the International Crisis Group, told AFP a major confrontation would draw in big regional players Russia and Turkey. But she said it seemed unlikely the crisis would escalate, as "neither side has territorial claims" on northern border areas and the fighting had not spread to Karabakh itself. Talks to resolve the Karabakh dispute -- one of the worst conflicts to emerge from the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union -- have been largely stalled since a 1994 ceasefire agreement. France, Russia and the United States have mediated peace efforts as the "Minsk Group", but the last big push for a peace deal collapsed in 2010. Flush from years of oil revenues, energy-rich Azerbaijan has invested heavily in its military and repeatedly vowed to retake Karabakh by force. Armenia has said it will defend the territory, which has declared its independence but relies heavily on Yerevan. Armenian servicemen fortify their positions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border Armenian servicemen carry the coffin of Major Garush Hambardzumyan, who was killed during the clashes An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube by the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry on July 15, 2020, allegedly shows smoke billowing from what they said was destroyed Armenia's military equipment on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. Map of Azerbaijan and Armenia locating the Armenian province of Tavush where border clashes have occurred Evelina Hovhanisyan, 70, points out the damage caused by shelling in a village in the Tavush region of Armenia A man shows an artillery shell fragments in a village in the Tovuz district of Azerbaijan
Loading As she was drinking flutes of prosecco at Eaglemont Cellars and Wine Bar on March 17, she likely contracted the virus from staff, who had caught it from British guests who'd visited the venue for a birthday party a couple of days prior, triggering a significant coronavirus cluster. As she busied herself preparing for the possibility of the lockdown that was to come, the virus incubated and her husband, Eugene, began to notice something was off. "Normally, Im a little dynamo," Ms Breheny said. "I was just sitting a lot and I didnt have much of an appetite. "I didnt have a headache. There was no sore throat, no sneezing or coughing.

"I did have a mild stomach upset and I did vomit a couple of times, but maybe that was twice over a period of six days." Ms Breheny tested positive for coronavirus following her admission to intensive care. Ms Breheny meets with some of the people who cared for her at the Austin Hospital, including nurse Kaitlin Lowe and Dr Caleb Fisher. Credit:Eddie Jim Ms Breheny was still recovering from a little sunburn when she was admitted to hospital, but by the time she emerged from her induced coma, it was April and she was struck by how cold it was. Her first clear memory is of physiotherapists swooping into her room in the COVID-19 ward, telling her: "Come on, we're going to get you going."

Within two days, she was walking again. Doctors partially credit her survival to her good levels of health and fitness before she fell sick. She remembers almost nothing from her time in intensive care, only a sliver of memory from the night in late April when four police officers were killed on the nearby Eastern Freeway, and the wail of the ambulances that broke through. Ms Breheny meets staff at the Austin Hospital. Credit:Eddie Jim The details have been filled out somewhat by a diary kept by the doctors and nurses who cared for her, recording what drugs they gave and when they decided to take her off a ventilator and put a tube into her windpipe. Even before she read their accounts, though, Ms Breheny felt like she had an impression of her care.

"Those people looked after me in that ICU, I could just tell from the condition of my body. My skin was soft and I smelled lovely," she said. Loading An excerpt of the diary from early April reads: "Today we tried to wake you up slowly after being asleep for 13 days! Unfortunately you had some trouble waking  it was a pleasure looking after you today! Good luck." Recovery from coronavirus is ongoing for Ms Breheny, who reports that while she is close to physically better, her cognition is not what it used to be. She sometimes has problems recalling the right words and often confuses "nourishment" and "nutrition". "You probably think Im quite an articulate and coherent person, but you dont know me from before," she said.

The day Ms Breheny was admitted to intensive care, March 28, was then a peak day for coronavirus infections in Victoria  with 111 cases reported. On Friday, as the state saw another fresh daily record of 428 new infections, Ms Breheny said she believed many people still weren't willing to listen to the experts or think of others. "The wanting to do whatever you want is so much more ingrained in people than it used to be," she said. "Just because people are told they should stay at home, doesnt mean people will stay home  they just wont do it."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 03:09:25|Editor: huaxia

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LOS ANGELES, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A wildfire burning in the U.S. state of Wyoming scorched over 17,606 acres (71.2 square kilometers), the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the state said Friday.

According to the latest information updated by the local BLM office, the fire dubbed "Neiber Fire" occurred on Tuesday on wild land south of Worland, a rural small city with 5,000 residents, and the cause is unknown so far.

The fire was estimated at 2,000 acres (8.1 square kilometers) in size when it was first reported, but hot, dry and windy conditions, as well as difficult terrain, hampered firefighters' efforts to battle it.

With the help of at least 6 airplanes, some 200 firefighters have been assigned to fight the blaze, which is still burning even though the authority said 30 percent had been contained.

Meanwhile, the BLM office in the state issued new Stage 1 fire restrictions "due to dry conditions and high fire danger," effective Friday in seven counties, prohibiting many behaviors dealing with fire, such as building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire except within agency-provided fire equipment. Enditem
Joint security forces in South Kashmir's Kulgam district have managed to neutralize three terrorists in Nagnad Chimmer area. Sources told Republic Media Network that all three terrorists killed were affiliated with Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad and were active in South Kashmir since a long time. The operation was launched at around 3 in the morning and encounter broke out at 5:30 when the hiding terrorists fired upon the joint team of security forces during Cordon and search operation.

"A joint team of Police, Army's 09 RR and of CRPF launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Nagnad Chimmer. As the joint team encircled the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired upon them. The fire was retaliated by the joint team, triggering off an encounter," officials said.

"Another operation launched on a credible input at Chimer village by Kulgam Police along with security forces have turned into an encounter. Exchange of fire is on now. Third terrorist also killed. Identification of the killed terrorists is being ascertained," DGP Dilbag Singh said.

"Op Nagnad ( Kulgam). Joint Operation was launched today early morning. Cordon was laid & contact established. Firefight ensued. Two more terrorists killed (Total three terrorists eliminated). Joint Operation in progress," Srinagar-based Defense Spokesperson said.

"KulgamEncounterUpdate: Another unidentified #terrorist killed (total 03). Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition recovered. Search going on. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice," Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

The killed terrorists are from Jaish e Mohammed and reportedly include a Top Terrorist commander known to be an IED expert taking direct instructions from his Pakistani Handlers and was responsible for a large number of attacks including many IED attempts against security forces in the recent past. He was reportedly able to escape from 3 to 4 encounters, leaving behind an MO 4 American rifle in one case, DGP added.

Earlier, three Army Jawans were also injured in the encounter, and were shifted to 92 Base hospital. 133 terrorists have been killed so far in Kashmir valley this year. Forces have managed to neutralize 49 terrorists in June in Jammu and Kashmir.

18 terrorists were killed in the month of January, 7 in the month of February, 7 in the month of March, 28 in the month of April and 18 in the month of May. In June itself, Forces have carried out 16 Anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir; 15 in Valley and 1 in Jammu. 11 operations among there were carried out in South Kashmir which is known to be hotbed of terrorism. 41 terrorists have been killed in three districts of South Kashmir in 11 Anti-Terror operations.
BANGALORE, India, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Agriculture IoT Market size was valued at USD 16,330 Million in 2017 and is projected to reach USD 48,714 Million by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 14.7% from 2018 to 2025.

In the agriculture industry, IoT incorporates advanced technological tools, systems, equipment, and solutions to enhance operational efficiency, maximize yield and minimize energy wastage through real-time field data collection, data storage, data analysis, and platform development.

One of the major factors that are expected to increase the Agriculture IoT Market size is the efforts of various governments of the countries across the globe to increase the quality and quantity of agriculture production. Shortages in skilled labour in advanced countries are pushing automation in the agriculture sector.

Get Detailed Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on Agriculture IoT Market: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/ALLI-Auto-0H300/Internet_of_Things_IOT_in_Agriculture_Market

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE AGRICULTURE IOT MARKET SIZE

Factors such as an increase in the global population and a rise in food demand have fuelled the adoption of new technologies to maximize agricultural production. This is expected to be one of the major factors that are driving growth in the Agriculture IoT Market.

Climate change plays an important role in affecting global agricultural growth. Severe weather conditions are thus helping to implement IoT-based technologies to improve agricultural production.

According to recent estimates from the United Nations, by 2050, the global population is projected to hit 9.8 Billion, with an estimated population growth of about 83 Million. The growing population is in turn increasing the food demand there by prompting farmers to either increase the amount of agricultural land to grow crops or increase productivity on existing agricultural land by introducing new methods such as precision farming. This factor is expected to fuel the growth of the Agriculture IoT Market.

Several government agencies have implemented awareness campaigns, policy changes, and private-sector links to promote smart farming in their respective regions. This, in turn, is expected to increase the Agriculture IoT Market size.

Many farming societies are unaware of the internet of things due to which IoT is less commonly adopted in agriculture. Farmers are not given sufficient awareness about the use of IoT in agriculture, and this factor is limiting the growth of the Agriculture IoT Market size.

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AGRICULTURE IOT MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

The agriculture IoT market for services is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. Service providers include businesses offering farm management services, computer processing, and farm data analytics to tech companies or farmers directly. Analytics tools help provide appropriate calls and warnings on farming operations to enhance the farmers' decision-making ability.

Precision Farming to account for the largest share of the agriculture IoT market during the forecast period. This rise in the market can be attributed to the rising emphasis on improving farm production and productivity. Precision agriculture has the ability to change the agricultural paradigm by making conventional farming practices more productive and predictable.

In 2017, Asia-Pacific held the largest Agriculture IoT Market share. This dominance is due to population growth, coupled with increased food demand in the region. Furthermore, the government's initiative to use remote sensing technology to gather ground data and satellite imagery to detect agricultural conditions in different regions is expected to further improve the demand growth.

held the largest Agriculture IoT Market share. This dominance is due to population growth, coupled with increased food demand in the region. Furthermore, the government's initiative to use remote sensing technology to gather ground data and satellite imagery to detect agricultural conditions in different regions is expected to further improve the demand growth. During the forecast period, Europe is projected to hold the second-largest Agriculture IoT Market share. European farmers are already using smart agricultural technologies such as yield tracking, GNSS technology in guidance and steering, variable rate application, and crop scouting.

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INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) IN AGRICULTURE KEY MARKET SEGMENTS

By System

Automation and control systems

Sensing and monitoring devices

Livestock monitoring hardware

Fish farming hardware

Smart greenhouse hardware

Software.

By Application

Precision farming

Livestock monitoring

Smart greenhouse

Fish farm monitoring.

Some of the Major Players Analyzed in the Global Agriculture IoT Market Report Include

Cisco Systems, Inc.

International Business Management Corporation (IBM),

Telit, Hitachi, Ltd

Decisive Farming

Trimble Inc.

OnFarm Systems Inc.

Farmers Edge Inc

SlantRange, Inc.

The Climate Corporation.

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SIMILAR REPORTS :

Agriculture Analytics Market Report

In 2019, the global Agriculture Analytics market size was USD 548.9 Million and it is expected to reach USD 1060.5 Million by the end of 2026, at a CAGR of 9.8% during 2021-2026.

The major drivers for the growth of Agriculture Analytics Market size are government measures to implement modern farming techniques, rising competition to meet global food demand and improving farm productivity.

The major vendors include Deere & Company, IBM, SAP SE, Trimble, Monsanto Company, Oracle, Accenture, Iteris, Taranis, Agribotix, Agrivi, DTN, aWhere, Granular, Proagrica, etc. This report focuses on the global Agriculture Analytics status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-13W2918/covid-19-impact-on-global-agriculture-analytics

IoT in Smart Farming Market Report

The scale of the IoT market in agriculture varies greatly across regions due to technological growth speed. In North America, a growing number of companies provide IoT solutions to improve agricultural production and maximize the advantages of incorporating emerging technologies, such as 5 G and cloud computing with IoT applications, which help streamline farming businesses.

The IoT in Smart Farming Market report includes an extensive assessment of the key strategic developments adopted by the leading market participants in the industry.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-0R269/iot-in-smart-farming

Livestock Monitoring Market Report

The livestock monitoring market is anticipated to grow rapidly owing to the growing size of dairy farms, technological advancements and new product launches, and substantial cost savings associated with livestock monitoring management.

The Livestock Monitoring market is analyzed, and market size information is provided by regions (countries). This report also analyzes the impact of Coronavirus COVID-19 on the Livestock Monitoring industry.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-0A225/livestock-monitoring

Smart Agriculture Market

The global Smart Agriculture market size will reach USD 6385.13 Million in 2026, from USD 3428.48 Million in 2019, with a CAGR of 9.59% from 2020 to 2026.

The Smart Agriculture Market size is driven by factors such as the increasing strain on the food supply system due to the increasingly growing population, the increasing use of new technology in farming, the growing focus of farmers on livestock monitoring and disease detection and the increasing emphasis on reducing the number of animals.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-29P2139/global-smart-agriculture

Smart Agriculture Sensors Market Report

The main factors driving Smart Agriculture Sensors Market size include the growing use of agricultural sensors in precision farming, growing collaborations between agrochemical firms, and providers of agricultural sensors.

The major players in the market include Vishay, Honeywell, Texas Instruments, Auroras s.r.l., Bosch, Avidor High Tech, Libelium, Sol Chip Ltd, Pycno Agriculture, CropX Inc, Trimble Inc, Sentera, LLC., The Yield Pty Ltd, etc.

The research report has incorporated the analysis of different factors that augment the market's growth. It constitutes trends, restraints, and drivers that transform the market positively or negatively.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-1D318/smart-agriculture-sensors

Crop Management Software Market Report

The key regions covered in the Crop Management Software market report are North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, and Central & South America, etc.

The report includes a country-wise and region-wise market size for the period 2015-2026. It also includes market size and forecast by Type and application segment in terms of revenue for 2015-2026.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-1Y2874/covid-19-impact-on-global-crop-management-software

Crop Monitoring Technology in Precision Farming Market Report

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-28T2138/global-crop-monitoring-technology-in-precision-farming

Farm Management Systems Market Report

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-2V312/farm-management-systems

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Six out of the 10 Senior High School (SHS) students who tested positive for coronavirus in the Ahafo region in three schools of the Ahafo region have recovered.



Two are currently on admission at the treatment centre and the other two isolated in their school, while six out of the 24 Health workers, who also tested positive have also recovered and the remaining 18 in self- isolation.



Dr Boakye Boateng, Ahafo Regional Director of the Health who confirmed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani explained that five of the cases were recorded from a school at the Tano South, where two of the patients were discharged with one on admission at the treatment centre and the other two in isolation in their school.



He said at Tano North, all the four Covid-19 students had recovered and were discharged, while at Kenyasi in the Asutifi North, one case was recorded and was isolated at a health centre.



Dr Boateng said measures were in place to inform parents whose wards tested positive to cooperate with the health officials to offer psychosocial support and build the capacity of school counsellors to support the work of the health directorate and the Assemblies.



He said issues were diplomatically carried out to prevent parents from rushing into the schools for their wards.



Dr Boateng called on the public, particularly students to adhere to the safety protocols to curtail the spread of the virus.

Source: GNA









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More Russians fly home from Phuket

PHUKET: More than 200 Russians boarded a flight at Phuket International Airport yesterday (July 16) to head home as the Russian Government continues its drive to get their nationals stranded in Thailand home.

RussianCOVID-19transport

By The Phuket News

Friday 17 July 2020, 06:02PM

The Boeing 777 aircraft, designated Rossiya Airlines Flight SDM6695 took off at about 1pm. According to the Phuket Consulate-General of the Russian Federation Facebook page, there were 225 passengers on board.

The aircraft touched down at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, where 207 more Russians boarded the home-bound flight, bringing the total number of passengers on board to 432.

The plane landed in Moscow at 9:20pm Thursday night local time, according to the website Flightradar24.com.

The Phuket Consulate-General of the Russian Federation noted that since the beginning of April, more than 1,500 people had flown out of Phuket on eight specially organised flights to various regions of Russia. The total number of specially arranged repatriation flights carried out from Thailand, according to the Russian Embassy in Bangkok, is 42.

In total, more than 9,000 Russian nationals have been flown home during the COVID-19 crisis," the embassy noted.
By Wilda Diaz

COVID-19 has devastated the people of the City of Perth Amboy. With more than 125 deaths, we have been the hardest hit of any part of Middlesex County.

In addition to the tragic loss of life, thousands of residents who have spent their entire lives in Perth Amboy now face the risk of losing their homes. Perth Amboy needs Trenton to act now to pass legislation saving us from the scourge of homelessness and foreclosure that could result from the economic devastation of the pandemic.

The New Jersey state Senate has already passed legislation to protect tenants from eviction and I urge the Assembly to do the same by voting on a series of bills -- A4266, S2340/A4034 -- as quickly as possible so Gov. Phil Murphy can sign them into law. Renters and homeowners, who have suffered through no fault of their own, are depending on it.

This legislation is the most important thing lawmakers can do to prevent an unnecessary and painful wave of evictions and foreclosures. The people of Perth Amboy and residents across New Jersey are counting on it.

Governor Murphy made the right choices to impose an eviction moratorium in New Jersey and to direct $100 million in federal CARES Act funding to housing assistance.

But we need to do more.

If we dont protect vulnerable renters, once the state of emergency is lifted, landlords will demand that tenants pay all of their rent immediately or else be evicted. If we dont offer loan forbearance for people who cant afford to pay their mortgage, foreclosures will rise. The proposed legislation tackles both ends of this difficult problem.

Mass displacement, homelessness and relocation would only exacerbate the risks that COVID-19 will further spread. Relocation will also prevent people from resuming their jobs and livelihood when the pandemic subsides and the economy picks up again.

At the same time, if nothing is done, the credit of millions of families who miss their payments will be hurt.

As a former executive in the banking industry, I have seen firsthand the roadblock poor credit scores pose to families seeking to purchase a new car or trying to get a mortgage to buy their first home.

Yet corporate interests and the New Jersey Apartment Association are pushing to preserve the profits of large, corporate landlords by opposing this legislation. The Legislature must put the interests of working families first.

The economic shutdown has hurt people of color who live in Perth Amboy the hardest. Seventy percent of our residents are Hispanic. Latino workers are more likely to work in service jobs that have evaporated as their businesses have been ordered closed and as people have been asked to remain at home.

Latino workers are also more likely to serve as essential workers in businesses that continue to operate even at the risk of contracting the coronavirus. Latinos are more likely to contract COVID-19 than non-Hispanic white people. Latinos, who are COVID-19 positive, have a hospitalization rate that is four times that of non-Hispanic white people.

As our nation focuses on resolving long-time systemic racial injustices, we must work to protect the most vulnerable among us. We must come together and support the previously unsupported.

Perth Amboy residents do amazing things. We have a long tradition of vibrant minority-owned businesses. We must do everything we can to prevent businesses from permanently closing. Our people need to be supported through this crisis so they can pick up where they left off when the crisis subsides.

We are a middle-income city in normal conditions. Our median household income is $50,883. We are not a city that can weather this crisis by doing nothing. Independent of the Covid-19 crisis, 56.21 percent of Perth Amboy renters are overburdened with rental payments that are unsustainably high.

A4266/S2340/A4034 -- sponsored by Senator Troy Singleton, Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake, and Assembly Housing Committee Chairman Benjie Wimberly -- would protect our residents by giving them adequate time to repay back rent and prevent landlords from filing credit complaints for COVID-related rent arrears.

Passing this bill is the right thing to do. It is the only way Perth Amboy can have confidence in restoring our vibrant and beautiful community.

Wilda Diaz is mayor of Perth Amboy.

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WATERLOO REGION  Long-term care homes and other Ontario facilities wont be caught short on personal protective equipment if theyre faced with another wave of COVID-19 cases, Premier Doug Ford pledged Friday.

Theres no one in this province that should have one problem with PPE, Ford said, responding to a question regarding concerns that long-term care homes are stockpiling equipment in advance of a potential spike in cases borne by visitors.

Ford said he had a message for the provinces 626 long-term care homes. Any front-line worker, if youre stockpiling and you arent handing out the PPE, then were coming after you, simple, he said. We have more PPE suppliers than we know what to do with.

Fords comments came during a visit to the Medical Innovation Xchange in Kitchener, where he announced the launch of a new intellectual property action plan designed to protect homegrown research and innovations. It was the premiers second trip to Waterloo Region this week, as a summer-long, campaign-style swing through Ontario kicked off.

Earlier in the day, he visited The Canadian Shield, a PPE manufacturer spun out of educational technology company InkSmith in response to the pandemic. The Canadian Shield has been churning out millions of face shields and cloth masks, and is now expanding production to include disposable surgical masks for the general public.

Two production lines running around the clock are expected to create one million surgical masks every week; the company says its annual capacity will ramp up to more than 200 million masks. The Canadian Shield also plans to begin making isolation gowns in the coming weeks.

Weve invested heavily in PPE manufacturing to ensure that we as a nation can withstand any future health threats while reducing our dependence on global supply chains, founder Jeremy Hedges said in a release. Were doing this to keep Canadians safe, to create good-paying manufacturing jobs and to be part of what we see as the beginning of a Made in Canada revolution.

During Fords first visit to the region this week, he vowed that Ontario would never again find itself at the mercy of other countries when it comes to the supply of PPE and other medical equipment.

On Friday, his whistle-stop tour also included visits to Frito-Lay Canada in Cambridge, and the Waterloo Brewing Company, where he poured pints of beer to mark the return of indoor dining at restaurants and bars as COVID-19 restrictions are further eased.

The announcement of the intellectual property plan includes the launch of a special team chaired by former Research in Motion co-chief executive officer Jim Balsillie. The teams responsibilities will include working with post-secondary institutions and research institutes on the commercialization of their discoveries.

Our plan will ensure our researchers and innovators, and the people they employ, benefit from the valuable intellectual property they are creating, Ford said. We want to keep the value of all our homegrown ideas in the province for the benefit of all Ontarians, because too often, the priceless intellectual property developed here in Ontario gets bought up by the big U.S. or international firms.

Ford was joined by Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli, Colleges and Universities Minister Ross Romano, and local MPPs Amy Fee and Michael Harris.

Fedeli said strengthening Ontarios position in retaining and commercializing intellectual property (IP) is critical to building the provinces innovation ecosystem and in recovering, economically, from the pandemics impacts.

Were already a global epicentre of innovative ideas, he said. But great ideas can only take us so far. Now, we must commercialize these breakthroughs and capitalize on the substantial benefits of IP ownership. We want to smooth the road from the lab to the marketplace.

The venue for the announcement, the Medical Innovation Xchange, is a medical technology incubator founded by Intellijoint Surgicals Armen Bakirtzian.

Ford noted that the vast majority of the medical customers using Intellijoints surgical navigation tools are in the United States and Australia, not Canada. The hardest thing is breaking down the barriers and the bureaucracy in Ontario or in Canada, he said. Buy Ontario intelligence, technology. Thats what we need to do.

Bakirtzian has previously described the procurement process for Canadian hospitals as particularly challenging; the Medical Innovation Xchange was created, in part, to help medical startups deal with similar hurdles. We are proud to be here in Ontario and we are eager to break through the Ontario market; I think every medical technology company born here feels the same way, Bakirtzian said Friday.

Read more about:
On Monday, July 20, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency will host a press conference entitled "Truth about Perpetrators of Crimea Surrender," where the facts that testify to the readiness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to repulse external aggression in Crimea in 2014, and the role of the current leadership in these events will be voiced. Participants will include ex-chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel-General Volodymyr Zamana and attorney, honored lawyer of Ukraine Oleh Zhyvotov (8/5a Reitarska Street). The broadcast will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Admission requires press accreditation on the spot.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 17, 2020 - 17:05 | All, Coronavirus, Japan, World

Defense Minister Taro Kono said Friday he has requested that the U.S. military conduct coronavirus testing on all personnel coming to Japan, after an outbreak of cases at U.S. bases in the southern island prefecture of Okinawa.

The U.S. forces responded that they are considering carrying out the tests, Kono said. Currently, polymerase chain reaction tests are only being conducted on those who exhibit symptoms.

"With so many asymptomatic people, PCR testing is a must," Kono said in a press conference, adding he had also called for tests to be carried out, without exception, on personnel before they leave the United States for Japan.

As of Thursday, 138 military personnel had tested positive at several U.S. bases in Okinawa, with 73 from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and 58 from Camp Hansen, according to the prefectural government.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki met Wednesday with Japanese and U.S. government officials in Tokyo to relay local concerns over the on-base outbreaks.

In a letter to Kono and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Tamaki called for the U.S. military to suspend transfers to Okinawa as soon as possible and, in the meantime, conduct PCR tests on all incoming personnel.

Okinawa hosts the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan.

Related coverage:

Okinawa cab driver infected amid virus outbreaks at U.S. bases

U.S. base in Okinawa reports 36 more coronavirus cases: pref. gov't

Japan urges U.S. to stem virus outbreaks on military bases
The U.S.-Canada border will remain closed for nonessential travel until Aug. 21 after both governments agreed to extend the restriction by 30 days to curb the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday.

Today, Canada and the United States have agreed to extend the temporary restriction of all non-essential travel across the Canada-US border by one month, until August 21st.  Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) July 16, 2020

"We're going to keep working closely with our American neighbors to keep people safe on both sides of the border," Trudeau said during an afternoon news conference.

The extension of the border closure was widely expected. It means truck drivers will soon enter their fifth month of crossing the border largely free of passenger traffic.

The U.S. and Canada closed the border to nonessential travel in March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The closure exempts trucks moving freight.

Cross-border freight recovery continues during closure

The border closure itself hasn't directly impacted cross-border freight. But the shutdowns of large parts of the economies in both countries have impacted cross-border truck traffic and freight volumes.

In an encouraging sign for cross-border freight, U.S.-to-Canada truck traffic reached its pre-COVID-19 pandemic seasonal norm during the first week of July. It reflects a broader recovery in both directions, U.S. and Canadian government data show.

But rolling back of lockdowns in parts of the U.S. could hurt cross-border freight volumes.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Donald Trump discussed the border during a call on Monday. Trudeau reportedly expressed concerns about the surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States.

A recent poll by Nanos Research found that more than 80% of Canadians support keeping the border closed.

Canadians' support of the closure came as new COVID-19 cases steadily decline in the country.

Nevertheless, 29 members of Congress recently wrote a letter calling for the Canadian government to consider re-opening the border.

Story continues

While goods largely continue to move freely between the countries under the ban via truck, the border closure has disrupted some parts of the supply chain. Some Canadian businesses, especially those near the U.S., have faced problems bringing small shipments across the border themselves.

Click for more FreightWaves articles by Nate Tabak.

Titanium's US expansion heats up as Nashville brokerage launches

Feds still probing million marijuana shipment after trucker's release

Trucker free after charges dropped in M US-Canada border drug bust

Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Law Offices of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP If you would like to know more about the MISTRAS Group, Inc. lawsuit, please contact Attorney Nicholas J. De Blouw today by calling (800) 568-8020.

The Los Angeles employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action complaint alleging that MISTRAS Group, Inc., failed to provide their California employees with meal and rest periods as required by California law. The MISTRAS Group, Inc. class action lawsuit, Case No. 20STCV22485, is currently pending in the Los Angeles Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here.

According to the lawsuit filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, MISTRAS Group, Inc. allegedly (a) failed to provide PLAINTIFF accurate itemized wage statements, (b) failed to properly record and provide legally required meal and rest periods, (c) failed to pay overtime wages, (d) failed to pay minimum wages, (e) failed to reimburse employees for required expenses, and (f) failure to provide wages when due, all in violation of the applicable Labor Code sections listed in Labor Code Sections  201, 202, 203, 226, 226.7, 510, 512, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 2802, and the applicable Wage Order(s), and thereby gives rise to civil penalties as a result of such alleged conduct.

Additionally, the complaint further alleges MISTRAS Group, Inc., committed acts of unfair competition in violation of the California Unfair Competition Law, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code  17200, et seq. (the UCL), by engaging in a company-wide policy and procedure which failed to accurately calculate and record the correct overtime rate for the overtime worked by PLAINTIFFS and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members. As a result of DEFENDANTs intentional disregard of the obligation to meet this burden, DEFENDANT allegedly failed to properly calculate and/or pay all required compensation for work performed by the members of the CALIFORNIA CLASS and violated the California Labor Code.

If you would like to know more about the MISTRAS Group, Inc. lawsuit, please contact Attorney Nicholas J. De Blouw today by calling (800) 568-8020.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is an employment law firm with offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today.

***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT***
Shareholders at meetings this year are expressing caution about setting specific business targets due to Covid-19.

Some commercial banks have not set targets for 2020 which is the last year of the roadmap on implementing the plan to restructure and settle bad debts.





The targeted consolidated profit of VietinBank, for example, was left open at the shareholders meeting held in late May, though the bank set a credit growth rate of 4-8.5 percent and bad debt ratio of less than 2 percent.



VIetcombank president Nghiem Xuan Thanh said there are four key tasks for the bank this year, including reducing the proportion of income from credit, increasing income from non-credit operations, restructuring capital sources, and accelerating development of products and providing services with new technologies.

Some commercial banks have not set targets for 2020 which is the last year of the roadmap on implementing the plan to restructure and settle bad debts.

However, like VietinBank, while setting some business targets (7 percent growth rate in total assets and 10 percent credit growth rate), the bank has not announced figures about profit targets.



Similarly, SCB shareholders have approved a series of business targets in 2020, including a 12.9 percent increase in total asset increase and 13 percent growth rate in loans, but is still unclear about the profit target.



Tran Minh Binh, CEO of VietinBank, said the bank cannot determine the profit target for this year because it relies on a plan to raise charter capital, which has been submitted to appropriate agencies.



The bank has been struggling to raise charter capital for many years. This is a difficult task as the states ownership ratio in the bank has fallen to the lowest possible level (64.46 percent), while there is no more room for foreign investors.



Meanwhile, It is nearly impossible to issue shares to increase capital, because the State doesnt intend to spend more money for commercial banks.



In theory, the bank can retain profits to increase its charter capital. However, a plan has not been approved.



The problem was thought to be settled when Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue earlier this year said the government would raise the charter capital of two state-owned banks, including Vietcombank and VietinBank, in the first quarter of 2020.



However, no further move has been made.

Meanwhile, Vietcombank cannot set a profit plan because it is waiting for the States decision and watching the pandemic situation.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) earlier this year set a credit growth goal of 14 percent. As of June 29, credit had risen by 3.26 percent.

Luong Bang

Low credit growth may redirect bank money to securities The increasing number of guests booking tours and hotel rooms during the summer vacation has given a much needed boost to the tourism industry, which has been down due to the Covid-19 pandemic over the past several months.
US tech giants like Google and Facebook announcing big investments in India shows that people are losing trust in China and India is emerging as a big competitor, a top economic advisor to President Donald Trump said on Thursday. Larry Kudlow, White House Economic Advisor, talking to reporters here, said that with the slashing of corporate taxes, India could be a very attractive investment place.

I think it (investment of US companies in India) is interesting. Just a moment on India. I have been to a couple of bilateral meetings with the (Indian) leaders. What (does) that tell you. People are losing trust in China and India becomes a big competitor, Kudlow said. The top economic advisor to Trump was responding to a question on a series of investments being announced by major American companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon and Walmart running into billions of dollars in various Indian companies.

Google chief executive Sundar Pichai on Monday announced plans to invest Rs 75,000 crore in India over the next five to seven years to help accelerate the adoption of digital technologies in the country. The investment follows commitments made by other US tech majors Facebook and Amazon, earlier this year.

The US and China are at loggerheads over several issues, including the coronavirus and China's implementation of a controversial security law for Hong Kong. The Trump administration blames China for not warning the world of the coronavirus pandemic earlier and hiding the extent of its outbreak. Beijing has rejected the allegations.

The US has also lambasted China for suppressing the freedom of Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese territory that has a special trading relationship with America, by implementing the national security law which allows Beijing to tighten its grip over the former British colony.

If I'm not mistaken, India has slashed its corporate tax rate. I know that was my recommendation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when I met him 18 months ago. So, it (India) may be a very attractive investment place and he is a great ally of the US," Kudlow said. In a major concession to industry, the Centre last year slashed the corporate income tax rate for new companies in the manufacturing sector to 15 per cent. For existing companies, the rate has been brought down to 22 per cent.

However, Kudlow cautioned against India continuing to be a "very protectionist" country. We are not opposed to international commerce. Those are great American companies. Good luck with India. India is a great country. President Trump is very friendly (with India). He was with Prime Minister Modi. It's also very unfortunately, very protectionist country. So I'll just wish them (US companies) luck. But a lot of population, Kudlow said in response to a question.

Also read: Want to do everything possible to keep peace for people of India, China: Trump
When youre the owner of a seafood restaurant in Winnipeg, its pretty rare to get an urgent phone call telling you to race in to work as soon as possible.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/7/2020 (550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

When youre the owner of a seafood restaurant in Winnipeg, its pretty rare to get an urgent phone call telling you to race in to work as soon as possible.

But thats what happened July 9 to Thomas Nguyen, the 34-year-old owner of the Captains Boil, a Cajun-style seafood restaurant that opened in December 2018 in a former Salisbury House at 2081 Pembina Hwy.

That was the day Nguyens staff picked up a regular biweekly shipment of 200 lobsters from Nova Scotia at the airport, ferried it back to the restaurant, cracked it open  and discovered something none of them had ever seen.

DOUG SPEIRS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Tom Nguyen shows off Peggy, a rare orange lobster that arrived at his restaurant last week.

"They were opening the box and they saw this lobster and they said: Why did they ship us a cooked lobster? They thought it was cooked and placed there by mistake," Nguyen recalls, sipping coffee in his sun-dappled eatery, which reopened this month with social-distancing restrictions.

"They picked it (the lobster) up and it started moving so our staff freaked out and called me and said: Tom, youve got to come in, we found an orange lobster!"

The restaurateur says hes seen an ocean of lobsters  "Ive seen thousands and thousands"  but hed never come across anything as strange as this bright orange, 900-gram female crustacean flown in live from the East Coast.

Lobsters turn red when theyre cooked, but the vast majority of living lobsters are of the brownish-greenish-grey variety.

According to the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine, orange ones are incredibly rare  that colouring occurs in only one in 30 million lobsters. They rarely survive because their colouring is like a flashing neon sign to larger predators.

There are other rare colour variations caused by genetic mutations: blue (one in two million), red (one in 10 million), or the rarest of all, the split-coloured lobsters with two distinct colours (one in 50 million).

"None of us has ever seen anything like this. Weve seen a red lobster when its cooked, but an orange lobster is unheard of," Nguyen says. "Id heard of blue lobsters, but Id never heard of orange lobsters. I was shocked. Its like youre seeing a unicorn."

Id heard of blue lobsters, but Id never heard of orange lobsters. I was shocked. Its like youre seeing a unicorn.

This writer raced over to the restaurant Thursday morning because, when youre a humour columnist and someone stumbles on a one-in-30-million crustacean, you are professionally obligated to check it out.

Which is when Nguyen happily climbed up a step-ladder and fished the new arrival out of a 200-gallon saltwater tank, in which she lives alone to ensure the other lobsters  housed in a separate tank  dont pick on her because shes different.

Lobsters rarely come in unusual colours, including orange, blue and calico. (Rebecca McAleney / The Associated Press files)

"There she is," he said with obvious pride. "Shes special! Shes on her own so that no one bothers her until she finds a new home. She can rest peacefully in there until she finds a new home."

He offered to let this columnist hold the lobster, but was rejected, because you do not get to be a big-shot local personality by putting your mitts on crustaceans that have more legs than a standard softball team.

Its something of a miracle such a bright lobster made it all the way to Winnipeg from the East Coast. "I dont know how it went from catching to sorting to packing to ending up in Winnipeg," Nguyen says.

While some at the restaurant were keen to eat the unusual new arrival, Nguyen is determined their star crustacean  nicknamed "Peggy" in honour of her unexpected arrival in this Prairie city  will never end up on a dinner plate with a side of melted butter.

"I want to find her a new home," he declares. "Shes special. I like her to live a full lobster life and for other people to appreciate its uniqueness. How many people have had the chance to see a live orange lobster. Its like a golden lobster!"

DOUG SPEIRS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Peggy lives in a 200-gallon saltwater tank in the kitchen at the Captains Boil.

The goal is to find an aquarium eager to display such a rare crustacean, or to have a Free Press reader with deep pockets step forward and offer to ship "Peggy" back to Nova Scotia to be released into her native stomping waters, so to speak.

"Im thinking of donating her to anyone, any organization, that can keep her, or release her back into the wild. An aquarium or someone willing to fly her back to Nova Scotia."

(Anyone interested in paying airfare for a unique lobster is invited to email Nguyen at 2081Pembina@thecaptainsboil.com.)

"We want her to live," the restaurateur says. "Were feeding her shrimp and other seafood to keep her strong. Shes in good shape. Lobsters only have their claws up when theyre strong."

Shes special. I like her to live a full lobster life and for other people to appreciate its uniqueness. How many people have had the chance to see a live orange lobster. Its like a golden lobster!

Asked if "Peggy" has her own personality, Nguyen pauses briefly to think. "I wont say personality," he finally answers. "Its hard to say. I will say shes very shy, because she always curls up in the corner of her tank."

Its not the first time an orange lobster has surfaced  a seafood restaurant in Massachusetts saved one last month after it arrived in a wholesale delivery. It plans to donate it to a local aquarium.

In 2018, an orange lobster was spared becoming dinner and donated to the New England Aquarium after it was discovered at a local grocery store.

Even though "Peggy" is a one-in-30 million find, Nguyen is determined to bid farewell to his lobster  because he refuses to be shellfish.

doug.speirs@freepress.mb.ca

Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 16:57:45|Editor: huaxia

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NUR-SULTAN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev tweeted on Friday that COVID-19 and other pneumonia data must be made more transparent to the public.

"In addition to coronavirus, pneumonia causes great damage to the health and life of citizens," Tokayev wrote.

The president said the public should have access to all data concerning the country's epidemiological situation. The more transparent the statistics are, the faster the country can defeat the epidemic.

Kazakhstan reported 1,707 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 66,895, including 375 deaths and 40,256 recoveries.

At a government meeting on July 10, Kazakh Health Minister Alexei Tsoi said that 98,546 non-COVID-19 pneumonia cases had been recorded since the beginning of the year. Enditem
IS RIDLEY NEXT?

Now that the P.C. mob has forced Radnors Red Raiders to change their mascot, I guess that theyll be going after Ridleys Green Raiders. That would be a mistake. I am a Ridley alumnus. I know that the high school was built in 1934 and that the nickname is not an offensive avatar for Native Americans, but was chosen to honor the brave Prohibition agents of the previous decade.

ONE OR THE OTHER

Has anyone besides me noticed that the Trump campaign runs an ad on TV almost 24-7 saying Biden was too hard on lawbreakers and another ad all day saying he is too weak on crime in our cities?

JOE IN UPLAND

SILENCE IS DEAFENING

Kudos for Christine Flowers column on July 16 exposing the medias cowardly silence after four horrific hate crimes against Catholic churches. Last weekend four churches were destroyed  Marion County Florida, Los Angeles, Boston, and Queens New York. These followed the destruction in June of the statue of Fr. Junipero Serra. Ms. Flowers states that perhaps their silence is based on their disagreement with Catholic teachings. In my opinion religious teachings have nothing to do with the burnings. Our media, supposedly defenders of religious freedom, fears the brownshirts who are taking over our country. Both V.P. Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are nominal Catholics, but they remain silent. It is an anatomical miracle that they can ambulate without backbones.

JR

DOCTORS ORDERS

Dr. Fauci graduated first in his class from Cornell. Trump is still hiding his grades from everyone! My money is on Dr. Fauci.

TIRED OF THE FIASCO!

TEN YEARS TOO LATE

Daily Times, your July 16 trivia medley section of the paper says Bill Haley released Rock Around the Clock in 1965. This is wrong. It was released first in 1954 on May 20. And again in May 1955 where it went to number one on the Billboard Chart.

ADVICE FOR THE COPS

Lt. Gov. John Fettermans guest column (July 14) makes sense. Weeding out officers who are unfit for the job is the right way to go. However, he failed to mention one important point: Holding corrupt officers accountable by pressing charges against them and not letting them off the hook. Time and time again, we see these unscrupulous cops getting away with murder, literally. All cops should be trained to distinguish mentally ill people from real criminal behavior. Just because someone approaches you with a knife doesnt mean you have to shoot to kill. Aim at the persons legs to deter the person from approaching.

TIME FOR IMPEACHMENT

Once again Gov. Chickencrap and his draconian lockdown is taking milk out of the mouths of babies. How are our business people supposed to support their families with his ridiculous lockdown? When is the Senate and the House in Pennsylvania going to impeach this bum?

THE END IS NEAR

A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for I dont know. He doesnt know where he stands on anything. Hes a cranky old man. Hes being pushed by the left and its not going to end well. Hes going to fall fast and that will be the end of Joe Biden. Democrats wont be happy until they ruined him and poor Joe doesnt understand whats happening. Voters will see this and they will make the right decision in November.

KICK THEM OUT

Republicans have already shown how idiotic and how selfish they are by not wearing masks. And now Republican governors are showing just how irresponsible they are. The governor Oklahoma contracted coronavirus by being at Trumps rally in his state and not wearing a mask, but hes still refusing to put a mask mandate in. Its totally irresponsible and even worse than that, the governor of Georgia has issued an executive order overriding local municipalities orders to wear masks. Now that is even worse than irresponsible. That is malfeasance. of office. Both of these governors should be removed from office because they are putting thousands upon thousands of people at risk by refusing to do what they should do.
The Rajasthan political crisis is not showing any signs of improvement with Sachin Pilot's squad moving court and the Congress party saying he has gone to a point of no return. The deserted young leader is now seeking advice from party veterans before finalising his next plan of action.

Pilot spoke on phone to senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday night seeking his advice. "I just reiterated that the leadership had publicly invited him to meet with it and all issues can be discussed. I advised him to seize the opportunity," Chidambaram told India Today.

He also reportedly told him that his rebellion will be forgotten if he would sit and talk with the central leadership. The senior party leader, who's trying to pacify the temperatures on both sides, reportedly assured Pilot that the situation will now be different than before in the Ashok Gehlot government. Pilot has also been told about the possibility of the party accommodating him in the central leadership.

Meanwhile, the state Congress unit has continued to attack Pilot for allegedly planning to topple the Congress government in the state. The pilot squad has moved the Rajasthan high court against the disqualification notice after they skipped two meets called by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Mukul Rohatgi, former attorney general, and senior advocate Harish Salve will represent the team Pilot in the court.

The Congress has also alleged the BJP was supporting the Pilot camp to snatch power in the state. MLAs owing commitment to Pilot are currently holed up at the ITC Grand Bharat Hotel in Manesar. Notably, just three months ago, the BJP returned to power in the Madhya Pradesh after former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the BJP along with other MLAs.

Pilot has also reportedly spoken to Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Abhishek Manu Singhvi over the issue. Besides, Rahul Gandhi is also trying to pacify the rebel leader through emissaries. Pilot on Wednesday clarified that he's not joining the BJP, and that he had worked hard to defeat it the previous Assembly elections. This also led to speculation that Pilot might be angling towards a patch-up but some Congress leaders are sceptical and say Pilot is merely buying more time till he gathers more support from MLAs to topple the Congress government.

Since the BJP is short of 28 MLAs to reach the majority mark of 101 in the 200 Rajashtan Assembly, the Congress leaders say Pilot is trying to garner more support to just help the BJP. Though Gehlot has said he has the support of around 109 MLAs, the Pilot camp they have enough MLAs in their fold.

Pilot was sacked on Tuesday as Rajasthan's deputy chief minister and the president of the state unit of the party after he did not attend the Congress Legislature Party meetings. After being sacked, Pilot had tweeted in Hindi on Tuesday, "Truth can be rattled, not defeated."

Pilot has accused Gehlot of humiliating and undermining his leadership ever since the Congress formed the government in the state. The current crisis erupted last Friday when the Rajasthan Police sent a notice to Pilot, asking him to record his statement over the alleged bid to bring down the government. The same notice was sent to the chief minister and some other MLAs, but Pilot's supporters claimed that it was only meant to humiliate him.

The Special Operation Group (SOG) had sent out the notices after tapping a phone conversation between two men, who were allegedly discussing toppling of the Gehlot government. The rivalry between Gehlot and Pilot became prominent during the Rajasthan Assembly elections in 2018. Pilot has been upset since the Congress picked Gehlot as Rajasthan CM after the 2018 polls, while his supporters insisted that he deserved credit for the party's victory as its state unit president.

Also read: Rajasthan political crisis: Tussle continues; Congress asks Sachin Pilot to make 'ghar wapsi'
New York, July 17 : US President Donald Trump's economic adviser Larry Kudlow has said that TikTok may cut off ties to its Chinese parent and become a 100 per cent American company to circumvent demands to ban it as India has done.

"I think TikTok is going to pull out of the holding company which is China-run and operate as an independent American company," he told reporters at the White House on Thursday.

The US has not made a final decision on whether to ban it - which has been suggested by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, he said.

TikTok being divested by ByteDance Technology Company "is a much better solution than banning or pushing away", said Kudlow, who is the Director of the National Economic Council.

He said that its services will be located in the US and "it will become an hundred per cent American company".

If it becomes a US company without Chinese links, India may have to reconsider the ban on the short video app wildly popular in the country.

India banned TikTok along with 58 other Chinese apps on June 29 citing threats to its defence and national security.

The ban came after a deadly clash between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

Under Beijing's National Security Law, all Chinese companies have to provide intelligence requested by the government, creating risks for users and their countries.

India was TikTok's biggest market outside of China, where it operates as Douyin.

There were about 200 million users in India and over 300 million downloads.

The US comes next with over 30 million users for the app.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
LAS CRUCES, N.M.  Charges against a Las Cruces police officer who is accused of killing a man during a traffic stop in February were increased from involuntary manslaughter to second-degree murder Thursday when New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced his office would be taking over the case.

The maximum possible sentence for involuntary manslaughter is 18 months; second-degree murder carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

Christopher Smelser stands accused of killing Antonio Valenzuela, 40, on February 29 after placing him in a vascular neck restraint. Police video from the incident shows Smelser cursing at Valenzuela and telling him he was going to, "choke you out bro."

We are taking over prosecution and focusing on appropriate charges for violent and dangerous chokeholds, Balderas said.

After working with the district attorney to fully review the case, the Office of the Attorney General determined that the evidence warrants a charge of second-degree murder.

In a statement, Third Judicial District Attorney Mark D'Antonio said his office maintains the integrity of the fair trial process in the continuation of efforts to ensure justice is served for the victims and defendants.

Since the incident occurred, D'Antonio said Balderas' office and staff have been in contact with his office regarding the case, as well as with police and law enforcement reforms and accountability for the use of deadly force, including the ban placed on chokehold restraint techniques.

Related: Officer involved in Rayshard Brooks' death speaks

"In the pursuit for justice and given the seriousness of the charges against Las Cruces Police Officer Smelser, we agreed that this case be adopted and prosecuted by the New Mexico Attorney General," D'Antonio said.

According to the new criminal complaint filed in Third Judicial District Court, Smelser is accused of killing Valenzuela without lawful justification or excuse and without sufficient provocation, sudden quarrel, or in the heat of passion, and the defendant knew that his acts created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to Antonio Valenzuela, a second-degree felony resulting in the death of a human being.

Story continues

The complaint states that witness testimony from 15 law enforcement officers from various agencies throughout the area helped spur the decision to increase charges against Smelser. Those officers include:

Dona Ana County Sheriff's Department Sgt. A. Sanchez

DASO Detective L. Louick

New Mexico State University Police Department Detective D. Pedraza

New Mexico State Police Officer W. Mora

NMSP Officer D. Herrera

NMSP Officer F. Hall

NMSP Officer N. Rhoades

NMSP Officer M. Avilucea

NMSP Officer N. Alvarado

NMSP Officer G. Avina

Las Cruces Police Department Sgt. M. Henke

LCPD Officer A. Contreras

LCPD Officer J. Guaderrama

LCPD Officer Brisco

LCPD Officer N. Krause

Follow Bethany Freudenthal on Twitter: @bethanyfreuden1.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: New Mexico police officer facing murder charges in chokehold death
President Donald Trump posing with Goya Foods products on Wednesday: (realdonaldtrump - Instagram)

Donald Trump has shaken up his campaign staff amid falling poll numbers less than four months before the US presidential election, replacing his campaign manager Brad Parscale with veteran Republican operative Bill Stepien.

The RNC has told members that attendance will be severely restricted for much of August's convention in Jacksonville due to the coronavirus. Many events over the four-day period will also take place outside. The surge of coronavirus cases continues with Florida reporting the most deaths per day it has seen since the start of the pandemic.

The New York District Attorney's office has told Donald Trump's legal team to "bring it on" in regards to their challenge to a subpoena for access to the president's tax returns.

Meanwhile, China has accused the US of "gangster logic" after Mr Trump ordered an end to Hong Kong's special status in US law in response to Beijing's imposition of new security legislation on the territory.

Check out The Independent's live coverage below:
While its been a tumultuous time for the travel industry, travellers points balances remain in a stagnant pond. To help rectify this, Qantas has delivered a status credit boost for frequent flyers  even those who arent jet setting much right now.

To help frequent flyers maintain their benefits throughout travel restrictions, eligible Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One members will automatically receive 50 per cent of the Status Credits they need annually to keep their tier.

Members most impacted, such as those whose membership year started at the peak of travel restrictions, will also be eligible for additional monthly Status Credits support.

This additional monthly Status Credits support means that for every 500 Status Credits earned by a member, they receive a Loyalty Bonus of either 50 Status Credits or 8,000 Qantas Points.

This Loyalty Bonus, Qantas says, will count towards reaching or retaining Platinum One until the 31st of December 2021.

This initiative appears to back up comments made to DMARGE by aviation expert Professor Rico Merkert, Chair in Transport and Supply Chain Management at the University of Sydney.

Rico recently told DMARGE, when asked about a leaner, meaner Virgin Australia eying up the middle market: Qantas will defend their market share and use their loyalty program even more to keep customers flying with them.

He also told us: They will also combine the international and domestic offering in a better way than Virgin will be able to (unless Virgin enters a number of new alliances now that they dont have SIA, EY and HNA at their board table pulling the strings anymore).

More on that another time.

Qantas is also making a slew of other tasty changes. For one: its now easier for Frequent Flyers to use their points on domestic and Trans-Tasman flights, as more travellers look closer to tierra for their next holiday.

For the rest of 2020, Classic Flight Reward seat availability will be increased by up to 50 per cent to the most popular destinations in Australia and New Zealand including Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Queenstown and Auckland (when flights recommence).

To help regular flyers maintain their travel benefits, Qantas Frequent Flyer will also be giving tiered members Silver and above a one-off Status Credits bonus to compensate for reduced flying activity.

The increased availability and status support are part of a range of initiatives from Qantas, designed to give members more bang for buck from their upcoming holidays and the broader program.

Better value on accommodation is another new benefit. Qantas says the number of points required for Points Plus Pay Qantas Hotels bookings will decrease by 20 per cent effective immediately.

For a limited time only members will also receive 5,000 points back when they book a minimum of 3 nights and on selected Qantas Luxury offers earn up to 125 bonus Status Credits when they book before Monday 31 August 2020.

Greater flexibility is another bonus, with Qantas also announcing, To enable members to plan their holidays with more confidence, bookings made using points on Qantas Group flights will have any change or cancellation fees waived until 31 October 2020.

Qantas Frequent Flyer will, in addition, launch more Points Planes  exclusive flights for frequent flyer redemptions  to meet the bridled (but growing) travel demand of members and boost Australian tourism (timings and destinations of the flights are to be released over the coming months).

Finally, Qantas has announced a Dream Planner  an intriguing new way to plan your holidays with points. Launching on the 28th of July 2020, this Dream Planner uses real time data and notifications to keep members informed on reward seat availability and special offers to their preferred destinations.

Of the changes, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said: Australia is home to world-class destinations and Qantas is making it easier for frequent flyers to visit them.

Were adding more Points Planes and more reward seats to our most popular domestic destinations, because thats where people will be holidaying for the rest of the year.

Were also helping our most loyal flyers maintain their travel benefits by giving them extra Status Credits in recognition of their long-term loyalty.

Qantas Loyalty CEO, Olivia Wirth said Qantas Frequent Flyer said: Weve been listening to our Frequent Flyers closely over the last few months about how they feel about travel, where they want to go and how they want to use their points.

What emerged was that despite whats going on around the world, the notion of the dream trip is well and truly alive, theyre just looking a little closer to home.

Qantas Frequent Flyers are some of the countrys biggest advocates for travel and this has been reflected in the number of bookings were seeing as travel restrictions ease.

Thats why were continuing to invest in making our members travel dreams a reality with more choice, better value and greater flexibility.

These changes come in a context where intention to travel, Qantas claims, for frequent flyers, remains high at 90 per cent.

Other changes that have recently occurred include Qantas collaborations with BP and Afterpay, which are now Qantas Points earn partners, giving members more chance to earn status on the ground.

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If you have the ability to have people wear masks and you have teachers able to be in a position where they can teach at a social distance  that, I think is one thing, he said earlier this week in an interview with WBTV in Charlotte. But it costs a lot of money to do that. If you dont have that capacity, I think its too dangerous to open the schools. So it depends.
Rentsenkhorloo Ren Bud, from Mongolia, claims to have the longest legs in the world. The 29-year-olds extraordinary height is genetic; her father stands at 6 feet 10 inches, and her mother measures 6 feet 1 inch.

Towering Ren adores showing off her 52.8-inch legs in high heels but admits that while being able to reach high shelves is a bonus, hitting her head on door frames is an annoyance she could do without.

I like to wear shorts and high heels, especially so my legs look more long, Ren, who now lives in Chicago, told Barcroft TV. I love my long legs and I think they make me more beautiful.

While she was never bullied at school, coming to terms with her height was a lengthy process. Even when I was in the first grade I was the same height as my teacher, she recalled. I was a little girl and I wanted cute clothes, but you cant find any.

Showing an old school photo in footage shot for Trulys miniseries Shake My Beauty, Ren pointed to herself and explained, She is me, but all of [the others] stand on the chairs!

When she was younger she was a little self-conscious, said Rens mother, Kelly. However, as she got older, she became more confident in herself. She knew she was special and different from other people  she was more proud.

Now an adult, Ren occasionally runs into difficulties with her everyday needs. She wears U.S.-size-13 shoes and has struggled to find clothes and shoes that fit since moving to Chicago. The 29-year-old mostly stocks her wardrobe by shopping online.

On the plus side, Ren can help her mother at home by reaching high shelves and often feels like a superstar on the streets of Chicago. The 6-foot-9-inch beauty is often approached for photographs and receives many complimentary comments about her unusual stature from passersby.

As such, Ren has grown to embrace her unique appearance. In the last 15 years, I started to like my height and Im really comfortable with my body and also long legs, she explained.

Officially, the current record for the woman with the longest legs is held by 16-year-old Maci Currin from Austin, Texas, whose legs measure 53 inches from hip to heel. Maci, who also measures 6 feet 9 inches tall, is an aspiring model whose growth spurts saw her rocket to 5 feet 7 inches by the age of 9, reports Yahoo Style.

In submitting her measurements for official recognition, Maci beat the previous longest-leg record of 52.2 inches, held by Ekaterina Lisina of Russia.

Ren has no plans to submit her own measurements to the Guinness Book of World Records, telling Barcroft TV, I dont have any interest in it. She is, however, a willing ambassador for tall women, having shared her story with numerous media outlets and even branching into modeling in her twenties.

Many people asked me, Are you a model? so I feel great when they ask me that, Ren explained. She realized her modeling potential and started out working with a brand that makes leggings for tall women.

Rens enduring motto is simple: Being tall is beautiful.

(Courtesy of Rentsenkhorloo Bud)

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc
Pleasantrees East Lansing Provisioning Center It's fitting that we're opening our first provisioning center in East Lansing, the home of my alma mater

Emerald Growth Partners (EGP) is proud to announce that its Pleasantrees branded provisioning center is now open for business in East Lansing. Located at 1950 Merritt Road, the provisioning center will be serving the needs of the areas medical patients seven days a week from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.

This location will offer card holding patients a full assortment of Pleasantrees cannabis products which already have a reputation for excellence in the industry. In addition, select products from other industry-leading brands will be available at highly competitive prices.

Its fitting that were opening our first provisioning center in East Lansing, the home of my alma mater, Michigan State University. For me, this store symbolizes a decade of participation in the Michigan cannabis arena. I am grateful for the many people who have helped me along the way, and most specifically the tireless efforts of my Pleasantrees team members. To share our carefully crafted Pleasantrees products with Michigans patient population under our own

roof is a true blessing. We are not businesspeople that started a cannabis company; we are cannabis people that started a business. This is a very proud moment. Randall Buchman, EGP Founder & CEO.

Under the guidance of Travis Harrison, formally of Shinola, the 1,500 square foot brick-and-mortar store boasts a sleek design which highlights the Midwest sensibilities that form the foundation of the Pleasantrees brand.

In addition to providing the highest quality cannabis products in Michigan, what sets Pleasantrees apart is our boundless attention to hospitality, patient needs, and the celebration of Michigan cannabis culture, said Harrison. It is vital to us that all of our guests feel welcomed, excited and empowered when visiting.

The East Lansing Pleasantrees location was designed in partnership with Midwest Common, a leading Detroit-based independent design agency. Their creative products, packaging, identities, environments and experiences for global and boutique brands have garnered awards from IDSA, Graphis and the Art Directors Club of NY.

In addition to the new East Lansing location, EGP recently began selling medical and recreational cannabis generated in its world-class, 50,000 square foot cultivation facility located in Harrison Township, Michigan. EGP plans to complete a neighboring 10,000 square foot processing lab within the next month.

EGP has already created 100 new jobs in the state, more than half of which were recently hired in spite of unprecedented unemployment brought about by the COVID pandemic. This, even more than the East Lansing opening, is Pleasantrees proudest accomplishment to date
Bug spray, swollen welts, citronella. It's mosquito season. And in a normal year, the health department serving Ohio's Delaware County would be setting out more than 90 mosquito traps a week  black tubs of stagnant water with nets designed to ensnare the little buggers. But this year, because of COVID-19, the mosquitoes will fly free.

The coronavirus has pulled the staffers away, so they haven't set a single trap yet this year, according to Dustin Kent, the program manager of the residential services unit. Even if they had the time, the state lab that normally would test the insects for viruses that infect humans isn't able to take the samples because it also is too busy with COVID-19.

That means the surrounding community, just north of Columbus, Ohio, has to wait until potentially deadly mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile sicken humans to find out if the insects are carrying disease.

"It's frustrating knowing that we can do a more preventative approach," Kent said. "But we're stuck reacting."

In Washtenaw County, Michigan, mosquito samples aren't being collected because the health department didn't have the staff or ability to hire and train the summer interns who would typically perform the work. In COVID-19 hot spot Houston, Texas, a third of mosquito control staffers are working a COVID call center, stocking warehouses and preparing coronavirus testing materials. And across Florida, public health officials couldn't test chicken blood for exposure to mosquito-borne viruses  chickens get bitten by the insects, too, so they can serve as warning signs  at the overwhelmed state lab until mid-June, a task that normally begins in the spring.

Monitoring and killing mosquitoes is a key public health task used to curb the spread of deadly disease. In recent years, top mosquito-borne illnesses have killed some 200 people annually in the U.S. But those low numbers are due in part to the efforts of public health departments to keep the spread at bay, unlike in other countries where hundreds of thousands are sickened and die each year.

"Mosquitoes are the biggest nuisance and pest on this planet. Hands down," said Ary Faraji, the president of the American Mosquito Control Association, a nonprofit that supports public agencies dedicated to mosquito control. "They are responsible for more deaths than any other organism on this planet, including humans."

This is a physical job that can't be done by telecommuting from home. Keeping track of mosquitoes and the diseases they carry requires setting up traps, and searching backyards and commercial lots. Public health workers patrol irrigation ditches, and overturn the backyard tires, plastic bins and garbage that can hold standing water where mosquitoes breed.

Around the U.S., more than half of public health departments combat mosquitoes. In some states, including Florida and California, specific departments are dedicated to tracking and preventing their spread. The goal is to find infected mosquito populations and kill them before they get to humans, or at least warn the community about their presence as mosquito-borne epidemics are happening more frequently nationally as temperatures rise.

But a joint investigation published this month by KHN and The Associated Press detailed how state and local public health departments across the U.S. have been starved for decades, leaving them underfunded and without adequate resources to confront the coronavirus pandemic, let alone the other work like mosquito control they are tasked to handle at the same time. Over 38,000 public health worker jobs have been lost since 2008. Per capita spending on local health departments has been cut by 18% since 2010.

So as public health workers scramble to summon enough of a workforce to address a once-in-a-generation pandemic, they're being pulled from normal mosquito-related tasks. The short staffing is leaving many localities  especially those without separate, dedicated control districts  flying blind on potential mosquito threats.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stepped in to help and is now running mosquito testing for at least nine states, including Florida, Arizona and the Carolinas, said Roxanne Connelly, entomology and ecology team leader for the CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, as well as evaluating human blood samples for mosquito-borne disease for 40 states. Concerned about the disruptions, the CDC issued a policy brief with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday, stressing that mosquito prevention and spraying of insecticides was an essential service that needs to continue even in a national health emergency.

"Mosquitoes are still going to be around, and still causing diseases, no matter what sort of pandemic is going on," Connelly said.

Even with limited testing to measure the problem and relatively low rates of disease so far this year, there are worrying signs. Fourteen people in the Florida Keys have come down with locally acquired dengue, which can cause fever, severe body aches and vomiting. Massachusetts has found its first mosquito carrying Eastern Equine Encephalitis, which kills approximately a third of people infected, according to the CDC. West Nile Virus has been found in mosquitoes, birds or other species in at least 18 states and has infected people in nine.

"This year it's more of a wild card, we're not getting the surveillance we'd normally get," said David Brown, the technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Association.

The flu-like symptoms of diseases like West Nile  fever, body ache  especially worry Nina Dacko, who supervises the mosquito control program for Tarrant County Public Health in Fort Worth, Texas.

"I wonder which cases are going to be missed as everyone is going to expect COVID and then move on when they test negative," she said.

Budget cuts are coming in waves as tax shortfalls rock local health departments. Three municipalities in Texas, including Watauga, Saginaw and Lake Worth, haven't sent any mosquitoes in for testing this year  they don't have the time, or have lost staffing and money due to revenue shortfalls from COVID-19, Dacko said.

Smaller health departments and control programs appear to be bearing the brunt of the problems, North Carolina state public health entomologist Michael Doyle said in an email, as they have less staff to fight coronavirus. Some larger departments and programs  like those covering Houston, California's Central Valley or Maricopa County, Arizona  say they've been able to operate close to normal.

And while public health officials say small outdoor gatherings are safest when it comes to avoiding exposure to the coronavirus, some worry that the risk of acquiring mosquito-borne diseases could rise. "Everyone knows if you're outdoors, that's where you're actually going to get exposed," said Chelsea Gridley-Smith, the director of environmental health for the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

Lab crunches may be increasing that risk. Local governments often rely on the same public health labs to test whether mosquitoes are carrying diseases like West Nile, dengue or Eastern Equine Encephalitis that they do to test humans for infectious diseases, like COVID-19. As a result, much of the country is weeks behind where they would normally be in testing mosquitoes for the presence of dangerous diseases, Brown said.

Stopping mosquitoes requires getting information in real time. If a mosquito is carrying West Nile Virus, "you want to know that today, not two weeks from now," Brown said.

When the COVID pandemic hit Salt Lake City, which has its own labs to test mosquitoes, the mosquito department shared its materials with the labs testing for COVID-19 and donated N95 masks that its staff uses when spraying mosquito-killing chemicals, according to Faraji, who is also the executive director of the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District. Utah has done about 5% of the mosquito testing it would normally do at this point, he said.

"Our underlying concern is that one public health emergency doesn't lead into another," Faraji said.

Any grand fix to the hole in the nation's current mosquito netting is going to require some serious cash, Gridley-Smith said, to allow for dedicated staffing, instead of expecting public health workers to juggle it alongside multiple other programs.

The Southern Nevada Health District  which includes Las Vegas  doesn't have a dedicated mosquito department. From April to October, workers there trap, collect and test mosquitoes for viruses, said Vivek Raman, who oversees the efforts. The rest of the year, the same team is in charge of sanitation for all of the area's hotels and mobile home parks, including those on the casino strip. But restaurant inspections, permitting and sanitation help pay their way.

"One of the challenges with mosquitoes is they don't pay permit fees," he said. Several bills to support mosquito control efforts, including the Strengthening Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health Act, have passed through Congress with bipartisan support in recent years, but haven't been funded.

For CDC's Connelly, the lack of dollars is just another part of the boom-bust nature of funding for health departments and mosquito control programs nationally. Infusions of cash after bouts with mosquito-borne Zika or hurricanes aren't enough to fully maintain robust programs, she said, and they often have to start over when the next crisis hits.

Raman and his colleagues did have plans this year to work with the CDC on a project to reduce the population of Aedes Aegypti, an invasive mosquito species that can carry a range of deadly viruses, including Zika, and which first showed up in southern Nevada around 2017. That project is on hold until next year.
On July 14, 2020, the Hochiminh Stock Exchange (HOSE) received the Board resolution No.10 dated July 07, 2020 regarding the record date (July 22, 2020) to pay dividends for 2019 of Chuong Duong Beverages Joint Stock Company (stock code: SCD).

Based on the Board resolution No.10 dated July 07, 2020 by Chuong Duong Beverages Joint Stock Company regarding the record date to pay dividends for 2019.

Pursuant to Point 4 of Article 9 of Circular 155/2015/TT-BTC dated October 06, 2015, 4. Information disclosure related to the record date to implement rights to existing shareholders. A public company must report and submit all documents, and they are the legal basis related to the expected record date to implement rights of existing shareholders to the Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD), Stock Exchange (in case listed organizations, register for transactions), report to the State Securities Commission of Vietnam (SSC), and disclose information no later than 10 days before the expected record date. The Company was late in disclosing the Board resolution and documents supply as regulated

Therefore, HOSE asked and reminded Chuong Duong Beverages Joint Stock Company to comply with current regulations.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

The efforts to get ready to respond to possible COVID-19 spread in the country are underway in Turkmenistan, World Health Organization (WHO) told Trend.

WHO pointed out that the country has recently strengthened measures to prevent the transmission of respiratory infections and protect the health of the people, including at mass gatherings, markets, shops and on public transport.

New restrictions are in place [in Turkmenistan] for domestic travel between regions by bus and train, noted WHO.

In terms of restrictions, WHO highlighted countrys new individual prevention measures, such as use of face masks, hand hygiene, and maintaining physical distancing.

Earlier this year, Turkmenistan established a national multi-sectoral COVID-19 task force; approved a COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan; and developed COVID-19 guidelines for prevention, diagnosis and treatment, added WHO.

WHO/Europe experts have been working in Turkmenistan since July 6 at the request of the government, to support Turkmenistan in the aspects of preparedness and response to COVID-19.

Earlier, Turkmenistan presented its program to fight infectious diseases to experts of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe).

The Turkmen side noted that the country follows the WHO recommendations and is currently implementing a program to ensure preparedness for countering and responding to infectious diseases.

In addition, Turkmenistan is currently working with UN agencies to develop a third national plan that covers the humanitarian component of the country's measures to combat COVID-19.

To the date, Turkmenistan has reported no coronavirus cases.

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.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
With many out-of-state residents flocking to Rhode Islands beaches, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is asking Connecticut residents not to head to the states shoreline this weekend.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management said that despite parking restrictions intended to allow adequate physical distancing on the sand, crowds at Rhode Island state beaches continue to soar as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

The department said few visitors are wearing masks to prevent the spread of the virus, calling it a dangerous combination.

On Wednesday, Rhode Island Gov. Gina M. Raimondo announced parking lot capacity at Misquamicut State Beach, in Westerly, R.I., and Scarborough State Beach in Narragansett, R.I., would drop from 75 percent to 25 percent.

The Rhode Island DEM is working to spread the word on the capacity reduction at the beaches in the hopes it will deter Connecticut and Massachusetts residents from visiting the beaches this week and help residents there adhere to social distancing guidelines and other safety protocols.

The DEM said despite the parking restrictions, Rhode Island state beaches saw a 79 percent increase in visitors in June compared with June 2019  340,000 and 190,000 visitors respectively.

Misquamicut beach specifically attracts the most out-of-state visitors, about 77 percent, most of which are from Connecticut, the Rhode Island DEM said, citing a 2016 University of Rhode Island economic impact study.

The request from Rhode Island comes on the heels of a prior weekend where beaches were very crowded, especially during high tide.

Rhode Island officials said though the message isnt the most friendly, the intention is to reduce crowding and protect public health.

Beyond hoping to reduce any potential spread of coronavirus in Rhode Island, the DEM said the hope is to also prevent any spread getting into Connecticut as well.
Ive always had a fondness for French culture and cuisine, from the art, pastries and cheeses to the history, wines and all the rich and heavy sauces served with flair. In just a few weeks, I will celebrate my 50th birthday on Aug. 13. Two decades ago, to mark my 30th birthday, I enjoyed a 10-day trip to Paris, which included a birthday morning mass at Notre Dame Cathedral, and a packed schedule, that highlighted a visit to the Palace of Versailles, a day trip to the recently opened Euro Disney World, time at the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, the Moulin Rouge nightclub as well as plenty of dining and shopping. Today, at the farm, a concrete flower planter with a carved fleur-de-lis near the steps of the back porch represents my homage and love for France.
Uttarakhand government has said it will retract the controversial order by the previous Congress government declaring a stretch of the Ganga river as an escape channel and not mainstream river. The decision was taken amid mounting pressure from seers and saints.

Madan Kaushik, cabinet minister and state government spokesperson, blamed the then Congress-led Harish Rawat government for the whole fiasco, saying it hurt religious sentiments of millions of Hindus.

Definitely we (BJP government) will scrap the previous governments decision on Ganga stretch in Haridwar. Already, various legal aspects are being considered. But, exactly when it will be retracted, I cant say as of now. But it will definitely be overturned and the ancient old status of Ganga stretch at Har-Ki-Pauri will be restored said Kaushik.

The Congress-led government had issued an order declaring Ganga stretch from Sarvanand Ghat, Bhoopatwala till Shri Daknesheswar Mahadev temple, passing through sanctum sanctorum of Brahama Kund, Har-Ki-Pauri as an escape channel on December 14, 2016.

This meant Har-Ki-Pauri ghat was not on the main river Ganga course and thus did not come under NGT directive prohibiting construction activities within 100 metre of the Ganga river.

Former chief minister Harish Rawat said the controversial order was passed to safeguard the interests of local traders and commercial activities but later he realized it was a mistake.

The delay in scrapping the order has infuriated the priests, saints and Ganga Sabha which manages the affairs of sanctum sanctorum of Brahamkund, Har-Ki-Pauri.

Last week former chief minister Harish Rawat sought an apology from the saint community and urged BJP-led state government to nullify the December, 2016 order.

Despite the pressure, its not an easy task for the BJP government as interests of many politicians, businessmen, hoteliers, lodge, dharamshalas, ashram owners and traders will get affected due to this step.

A large number of these stakeholders are either close to BJP or Congress office bearers, party workers or are in close touch with top party leaders and even with Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).

Social-RTI activist JP Baduni, who has filed applications regarding Har-Ki-Pauri and Ganga pollution issues, pointed out that certain traders close to the political parties, who view Ganga through the commercial point of view, had earlier pressurised the Congress government to pass this order and are now lobbying with the BJP to ensure the order doesnt get nullified.

Notably, way back in 2011-12, Nainital High Court had given directives for the demolition of commercial buildings and establishments falling under the 200-metre periphery of Ganga riverbed.

Later in 2015, National Green Tribunal (NGT) prohibited the construction of any commercial building within 100 metre of Ganga river bed, which led to the Congress-led state government issuing the order on December 14, 2016 to safeguard interests of the affected people.

A senior official privy to the development said that for the past three years, the state government has been dwelling on ways to nullify the order but at the same time, interests of hotel owners, builders, traders and noted saints, who have numerous-dharamshalas at core Har-Ki-Pauri zone, also have to be taken care of.

Aggrieved by the delay in retracting the order, several Akhadas have expressed their displeasure and warned of boycotting Mahakumbh if it is not nullified by this year.

Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, the apex body of all the major Akhadas, has decided to raise this issue again with chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, when the next meeting on Mahakumbh affairs is held.

To put pressure on the state government for time-bound invalidation of the previous Congress government order, the Ganga Sabha, which manages affairs of Har-Ki-Pauri Ganga ghats, has now decided to take the legal route.

Ganga Sabha president Pradeep Jha said on past several occasions they have apprised the CM TS Rawat and cabinet minister Madan Kaushik in this regard but despite assurances, officially nothing concrete has been done.

If in the coming weeks this escape channel order is not repealed we will be moving the apex court as this is a matter related with sacred Ganga whom we regard as mother and deity, said Jha
In addition, one full-scale growing license remains from the original 21 medical marijuana licenses that Illinois awarded in 2015. One license was given for each of the state police districts in the state, but the last license was for the district that patrols the tollways. State regulators said they would not give it out because it lies on tollway land, and would be impossible to use. Red White and Bloom pushed for legislation to force the state to award that license, but the measure was never voted on and is seen as a long shot.
San Antonio officials reported a record 21 new deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday and 5,501 new cases of the coronavirus.

Of the new cases, just 691 had been diagnosed in the previous 24 hours. The rest were identified earlier but werent reported until Thursday because of a backlog that built up over the past two weeks, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said at the daily coronavirus briefing.

The backlog resulted primarily from a glitch in the states reporting of laboratory results to the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, city officials said. The problem has been resolved, they added.

As of Thursday night, 1,202 patients were hospitalized at civilian medical facilities throughout San Antonio, a slight improvement over the previous few days. Among them, 430 were in intensive care, while 277 were on ventilators.

Twelve percent of staffed beds remained available at San Antonio hospitals Thursday evening, also a modest improvement over the past couple of days. That figure doesnt include military hospitals, which by Pentagon policy cannot accept COVID-19 patients who arent military service members, veterans or their dependents.

Our hospital system as a whole remains under severe stress, Nirenberg said. Were working very hard, as well continue to do, to relieve that pressure.

The 21 latest victims ranged in age from a woman in her 20s to a patient in their 90s. Ten of those deaths were associated with nursing homes and assisted living facilities, the mayor said.

The latest numbers bring San Antonios death toll to 229. A quarter of those who have died  58 people  lived in nursing homes or assisted living facilities.

The citys total number of diagnosed cases has reached 27,047 since the start of the pandemic.

On ExpressNews.com: Texas reports a record number of COVID-19 deaths, third straight day of more than 100 fatalities

Nirenberg expressed frustration as controversy flared over whether San Antonio has accurately counted how many residents have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Texas Department of State Health Services on Wednesday eliminated from its statewide tally 3,484 probable cases reported by Bexar County. City officials learned of that development through media reports.

A Fox News reporter in Dallas reported on Twitter that San Antonio public health officials had identified probable cases in people never tested for the virus  a claim that state and city officials said was incorrect.

The state health departments COVID-19 dashboard, which tracks the number of Texans diagnosed with the virus, reflects only confirmed cases, not probable ones.

But all the patients whose probable cases were eliminated from the statewide tally had been tested for the virus, said Chris Van Deusen, spokesman for the Department of State Health Services. Patients not tested were never included, he said.

Nirenberg questioned why the state reduced Bexar Countys numbers.

The mayor said it seems that some people at the state and federal level are trying to suppress just how bad this pandemic is. And were trying to make sure that people have the data so they can make informed decisions to protect themselves, their businesses and their families.

Confirmed cases  those reflected on the state health departments dashboard  are identified through positive molecular tests, also known as PCR tests, which are considered the gold standard. Those tests, which use nasal swabs to look for the virus genetic code, take longer to complete.

Probable cases are detected through positive antigen tests given to patients with symptoms of COVID-19. Those tests can identify infections within minutes by detecting proteins from the virus in secretions from the nose and throat.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the emergency use of antigen tests to diagnose COVID-19 on May 8 and again July 2.

San Antonio is one of three cities in Texas to report COVID-19 cases based on positive antigen tests. Galveston and Corpus Christi are the others.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio officials secure five refrigerated trailers that can each hold several dozen bodies of COVID victims

Now, Metro Health has begun to break out confirmed cases from probable ones in its public tally, at the request of the state health department.

Of Bexar Countys total number of cases since the start of the pandemic, 23,180 are confirmed and 3,867 are probable, Metro Healths website shows.

Probable cases do not mean maybe cases of COVID-19. Antigen tests are FDA-approved, and positive tests are highly accurate, Colleen Bridger, assistant city manager and interim director of Metro Health, said in a statement.

These are people who really do have COVID, Dr. Junda Woo, Metro Healths chief medical officer, said at Thursdays briefing. And we feel weve got a more accurate picture of whos really sick in our community by using this (antigen test).

Nirenberg agreed.

Those people have COVID, and they should be counted, he said.

Unlike the state health department, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes probable cases detected through antigen tests in its national count of COVID-19 cases.

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
A woman travelling from Victoria has allegedly ignored quarantine restrictions after flying into Western Australia and attending a party with elderly people.

The 29-year-old arrived in Perth Airport last month and ignored her 14 day self-quarantine order to attend a birthday party, WA Police said.

The returning Perth resident was charged with one count of failure to comply with a direction.

A 29-year-old woman who flew into Perth Airport from Victoria has been charged after allegedly attending a party with elderly people despite her stay at home order. Pictured are passengers at Perth Airport

Breaching coronavirus restrictions in Western Australia carries a maximum penalty of $50,000 or a year in jail.

The woman will face court at a later date.

Officers in Western Australia charged a 28-year-old man for breaching a dedicated quarantine zone at an AFL match on Thursday night.

The man allegedly ran onto the field in breach of the rules and chased after players on the field before he was tackled by security.

A hard border closure in WA has been in place since April 5 with the state not looking to reopen as new clusters break out across Victoria and New South Wales.

Breaching coronavirus restrictions in Western Australia carries a maximum penalty of $50,000 or a year in jail. Pictured is a woman receiving a coronavirus test in Perth

Victoria has struggled to contain coronavirus outbreaks across Melbourne with 428 cases detected in the state overnight.

Three more people have died bringing the state's death toll to 32 and the national death toll to 116, with 29 people receiving intensive care treatment.

Just 28 of the new cases announced were connected to known outbreaks, while the sources of the other 289 were being investigated.

Despite lockdown restrictions and rising numbers breaches have been frequent with Victoria Police handing out $107,000 in fines in 24 hours over Wednesday and Thursday.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijans national carrier Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) airlifted 159 citizens from Tashkent to Baku by a charter flight on July 16, 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
Here's how Catalan radio described the moment Barcelona lost the league title FC Barcelona - La Liga They fell at home to Osasuna

Barcelona would have been mathematically eliminated from the title race anyway due to Real Madrid's victory over Villarreal on Thursday night, but the fact that they also lost their own match against Osasuna by the same 2-1 scoreline stung.

The Blaugrana lost to a stoppage time Roberto Torres goal and this was the moment when everything began to sink in for Barcelona fans across Catalonia.

On Catalan radio, the mood was sombre.

"Cross, shot, goal," was the way they unexcitedly narrated the Osasuna winner.

"It's surreal."
A London teenager has donated more than 3,000 face coverings to the Evening Standards Food For London Now campaign to protect volunteers delivering food to the capitals most vulnerable.

Business student James Eid, 19, has given thousands of protective coverings to our appeal partner The Felix Project, which is delivering up to 30 tonnes of food every day to those hit hardest by the pandemic.

Mr Eid, who lives in Radlett, was inspired to make face coverings because his grandmother, Anna Ross, 68, has Behcets disease. The condition, which causes blood vessel inflammation and has various side effects, also lowers the immune system meaning she is more vulnerable to Covid-19.

Mr Eid struggled to obtain low-cost face coverings to protect his grandmother and so, spotting a gap in the market, decided to import specialist production machines and make them himself.

Using money donated by his father, who is joint CEO of food company Signature Flatbreads, the Lancaster University student imported a production line of four machines, naming his new company Signature Masks.

The entrepreneur has since opened a factory in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, with production beginning in earnest at the end of the month.

To start with, he will make 36,000 face coverings a week, but the size and scope of the factory means he will be able to scale up production and make up to 500 million coverings annually.

The coverings are disposable and made up of three-ply non-woven plastic material  meaning they are water resistant and can be worn for up to 24 hours. He will sell the coverings from his website  they will cost 3.79 for 10, or 2.99 if consumers subscribe for weekly deliveries.

On donating thousands to The Felix Project, the teenager said: I want to support those who are helping others in this crisis.

Mark Curtin, of The Felix Project, said: These Signature Masks will help protect volunteers and staff in our food redistribution warehouses.

signaturemasks.co.uk
Mums masks: Elaine Honey, a designer whose daughter Rosies first communion was among those postponed, is making face masks suitable for the rescheduled ceremonies. Photo: Ciara Wilkinson

Priests and parishes are busy with the "huge task" of rescheduling thousands of first communions, with social distancing doubling the number of ceremonies involved.

It remains unclear if children making their first communion will have to wear masks.

But one Dublin priest, who has already set out a schedule for ceremonies for families in his parish, told the Irish Independent that the current guidelines suggest wearing a mask.

"We haven't directly suggested to parents or children that they should wear one. We leave it up to individuals to choose," he said.

Fr Gerry Corcoran is moderator of four parishes in Donaghmede-Clongriffin-Balgriffin. In Holy Trinity parish in Donaghmede, there are 210 children for holy communion and 168 for confirmation from the parish's seven schools.

Fr Corcoran stressed that the ceremonies would be "minimalist", with no choirs, reduced in size and with everyone carefully socially distanced within the church in compliance with Covid-19 restrictions.

Expand Close Ms Honey began to make masks for frontline workers and retail staff during lockdown and has donated nearly 2,000. Photo: Ciara Wilkinson / Facebook

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Whatsapp Ms Honey began to make masks for frontline workers and retail staff during lockdown and has donated nearly 2,000. Photo: Ciara Wilkinson

"The ceremonies will take place one class at a time," he said. "Normally we would have done our first communions over four Sunday Masses in May.

"The rescheduled ceremonies won't take place at Sunday Masses, but they will be held at the weekend. We are conscious that parents have been off work and so the last thing they need is to be taking a day off during the week."

Fr Corcoran said he had not heard of any parishes so far that intended to postpone holy communions until 2021.

He added: "I've had lots of parents on to me really delighted that this is going to go ahead. I don't think parents would be particularly happy to see it postponed."

He added that parishes would have to ensure that protocols around entering and exiting were adhered to and there would be no congregating outside after the ceremony.

"We will ask people not to congregate but to keep walking. That may be difficult especially if parents and children want to see other children and exchange cards," he said.

In the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, Fr Michael Toomey said: "Every parish will do it differently, as they have different challenges around spacing and layout."

He said ceremonies would cater for smaller numbers and so would "be more unique".

Meanwhile, parishes in the diocese of Clogher are making arrangements to celebrate the sacraments from August until October, according to spokesman Gary Carville. "We hope to have dates finalised in the next week or two," he said.

In the event of a small rural church being unable to accommodate numbers, either another church in the parish will be used or the ceremony will be done in smaller groups.
By Trend





Delegations of Azerbaijani and Hungarian ministries of foreign affairs are having a meeting in an expanded format, Trend reports with reference to Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Azerbaijan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto are heading their respective delegations.

Prior to the expanded meeting Azerbaijani and Hungarian ministers met one-on-one.




In the development of artificial intelligence applications, the holy grail is the creation of an artificial neural network that functions like the human brain. This is an elusive goal, because the human brain is an extremely complex organ that functions in flexible and fluid ways that can be difficult to replicate in the world of AI.

Today, a team of leading-edge scientific researchers are making breakthroughs in this area by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the brains of people carrying out various cognitive tasks. The goal is to better understand and create computational models of how the brain works, and then use those models to train artificial neural networks to map images to actions quickly and accurately.

For example, having a fully developed computational model of how memory works would make it possible to compare brain activity and to understand which model is playing out in the simulated brain of a patient. With this base, the research team could gain deep insight into the mechanics of memory function in those suffering from age-related brain illnesses, including Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia.

Dell Technologies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y15QDaKH0Z0

This would be a big leap forward for the AI world, according to one of the lead researchers on the project, Dr. Pierre Bellec, an associate professor at the University of Montreal. Dr. Bellec is the scientific director of the Courtois Project on Neuronal Modelling (NeuroMod), which is spearheading the collaborative research effort.

Something the brain does really well is to switch from one context to another, Dr. Bellec explains in a Dell Technologies case study. It has very elaborate organization, and specialized networks and subnetworks, and those networks and subnetworks are able to reconfigure dynamically. By contrast, current architectures used by AI researchers are extremely specialized for certain types of tasks, and have a hard time generalizing over different contexts.

The researchers hope that by mimicking the architecture of the human brain, they can develop a more versatile AI model that can generalize over different tasks, much the way the human brain does.

To collect the datasets for this ambitious effort, the research team has recruited a small group of volunteers to watch videos, look at images and play video games while they are in an MRI machine. To enable these studies, the research team had to build a new game controller without any metal, printed in 3D plastic with a fiber optic cable connection. The machine allows the researchers to track and record the activity in the brains of the subjects as they carry out their tasks. The research team expects to gather many terabytes of data over the course of the five-year study as each subject will spend around 500 hours in the MRI machine.

Essentially, we are trying to find a new way to integrate activity from human neural networks to help train artificial networks, Dr. Bellec says. The hope is that if we manage to do that, we can create computational models of how the brain works. And potentially we can train new artificial neural networks that may perform better in some settings than what we have now.

To move this project forward, researchers from the University of Montreal teamed up with researchers from Dr. Alan C. Evans lab at McGill University who have extensive experience in high performance computing and work with MRI images that require large memory capacities.

They also sought the help of Dell Technologies and Intel, along with the data science and supercomputing resources of the Dell Technologies HPC & AI Innovation Lab in Austin, Texas. The team is using the labs Intel-based Zenith cluster, which includes Dell EMC PowerEdge servers with Intel Xeon Scalable Processors and the Intel Omni-Path Architecture.

A CPU architecture with big memory

After testing on a GPU architecture, the team found that a CPU-based model can maintain similar performance  with validation accuracy reaching 99 percent after 10 epochs in distinguishing five types of body movements, and 91 percent after 20 epochs in classifying eight types of visual working-memory tasks. At the same time, the CPU-based model requires much less training time  20 minutes vs. 3 hours per epoch  when using 10 CPU nodes and two GPU cards, respectively. Considering CPU resources can often be more easily accessed, the project provides a feasible solution for the application of deep neural networks on large-scale neuroimaging data by training the model directly on CPU hubs instead of waiting for other resources.

The deluge of data associated with this research effort makes it even more important to have ready access to systems with big memory, which is what the team is getting through the Zenith supercomputer. This all-CPU system is on the Top 500 list of the worlds most powerful HPC machines, and it has been designed to support massively parallel traditional scientific applications as well as emerging machine learning workloads.

Many people are excited about being able to evolve neural networks in ways that are inspired by biology, and its increasingly clear that we need a different type of hardware to do that, Dr. Bellec says. And thats what we have with the Zenith cluster in the Dell Technologies HPC & AI Innovation Lab.

To learn more

For the full story, including details on the dataset used in the benchmarks, see the Dell Technologies case study Paving a New Path to AI-Driven Neuroscience.

Learn from and engage with leading players in the industry who are pushing the boundaries in AI and data analytics. Join us at AI & Data Analytics Re-Imagined.
Jaipur: Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday (July 17) dismissed the horse-trading allegations by Congress and said the audio in the purported clip, which has surfaced on social media and is going viral was not his voice. The Union Minister added that he is ready to face any probe into the matter and will appear before the investigative agency if asked.

"I am ready to face any investigation. The audio doesn't have my voice," Shekhawat was quoted as saying by ANI today.

The statement from the Union Minister came a day after audiotapes surfaced on social media of an alleged conversation between a rebel Rajasthan Congress MLA and a Union Minister over how to topple the Rajasthan government. As per Congress, the alleged conversations in the purported audiotapes are between three people - MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Jaipur resident Sanjay Jain.

Earlier on Friday, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala addressed a press briefing where he announced that the party has suspended Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh from primary membership of the party after they were found to be conspiring with BJP against the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan. He added that the party has issued show-cause notices to the two MLAs.

"Action against Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh came after the former was heard on tape discussing with BJP leader and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on how topple the state government," Surjewala said during the address.

Surjewala demanded an FIR against Shekhawat by Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG), stating, "A fair investigation against him and if there are proofs for misusing position (which seems so at first instance), he should be arrested immediately."

He demanded that an FIR be registered against suspended party MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, who belongs to the Pilot camp, and BJP leader Sanjay Jain, for allegedly being involved in horse-trading.

The Congress spokesperson demanded a fair investigation into the black money coming into Rajasthan. "Who sent the money, from where it came, did it come via Hawala are issues which need to be investigated," he said. He also demanded Pilot to come forward and clarify his position in the matter of 'MLAs list' being discussed in the audio tape, which was released on Thursday evening.

Rajasthan Congress continues to remain in turmoil after simmering differences between Sachin Pilot and CM Ashok Gehlot came out in the open. Pilot was, on July 14, also sacked from the posts of Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and state PCC president.

CM Gehlot accused the BJP for attempting to destabilise the state government by poaching MLAs.

A controversy broke out in Rajasthan after Special Operation Group (SOG) sent a notice to Pilot to record his statement in the case registered by SOG on the alleged poaching of Congress MLAs in the state.
The US, UK and Canada have accused Russia of trying to steal coronavirus vaccine research as the pandemic surges across the world, with Brazil announcing it has surpassed two million confirmed cases.

The virus has killed more than 585,000 people, infected more than 13.6 million and crippled the global economy since emerging late last year, and the worlds hopes have turned to a vaccine to end the onslaught.

In the latest positive sign, British media reported on Thursday that an Oxford University trial had shown its prototype vaccine generated an immune response against the virus.

But hours later, the UKs National Cyber Security Centre said a hacking group called APT29 had targeted British labs conducting vaccine research to steal valuable intellectual property.

The agency said it was almost certain (95%+) that APT29 are part of the Russian Intelligence Services and its targeting of researchers was highly likely (80-90%) to collect information on COVID-19 vaccine research.

The US, UK and Canada all accused Russia in a joint security advisory.

Moscow denied any involvement, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying: Russia has nothing to do with these attempts.

The dispute came as the need for a vaccine was underscored once more with Brazil, the second hardest hit country in the world, passing the bleak milepost of two million coronavirus cases.

The number of deaths recorded in the country are now over 76,000.

Horrible experience

Experts say the true case load in Latin Americas largest economy, home to some 209 million people, could be understated by as much as a factor of ten and fatalities as much as twofold.

Like the US, which has the worlds biggest epidemic by far, Brazil is led by a populist leader, Jair Bolsonaro who has downplayed the virus and railed against restrictions.

Bolsonaro was himself diagnosed positive a week ago.

The United States has recorded by far the most deaths and infections in the pandemic, setting a record on Wednesday with more than 67,000 new cases in 24 hours.

Florida is the countrys new epicentre, and is shaping up as a key battleground in a partisan-tinged fight playing out nationally over reopening schools in the fall.

US President Donald Trump meanwhile has been escalating a conflict with Anthony Fauci, the countrys top infectious disease specialist, but has so far stopped short of firing the scientist from his coronavirus task force.

Faucis warnings on the dangers of reopening states too fast are at odds with Trump, who has placed his re-election hopes on declaring victory over the virus and jumpstarting the economy.

South Asia new epicentre?

While the virus runs rampant across the US and Latin America, the Red Cross warned that South Asia is fast becoming the next epicentre.

India is on course to hit one million cases in the coming days and the 125 million people in the impoverished Bihar state, neighbouring Nepal, started a new 15-day lockdown on Thursday.

We have not faced such a situation in my life before, it is really a horrible experience, housewife Radhika Singh said in Patna, the capital of Bihar, where all schools, clubs, temples and non-essential businesses were ordered closed.

Governments in many other countries have been forced to reimpose restrictions as COVID-19 refuses to fade, including Spain, which has locked down a northeastern area as it fights more than 120 active outbreaks.

Spain honoured its more than 28,000 virus dead at a solemn state ceremony joined by bereaved families and top EU and World Health Organization figures on Thursday.

Elsewhere in Europe, Germanys federal and regional governments agreed on tougher, more localised lockdowns to contain fresh outbreaks.

France meanwhile said it will make mask-wearing compulsory in indoor public spaces from next week after an uptick in infections.

In Italy, the first European country to lock down, the official death toll topped 35,000.

In north Africa, Algeria is planning a law to protect health workers after an increase in physical and verbal attacks since the countrys outbreak began, as it registered another record number of daily cases.

On Monday, the director of a hospital around 125 kilometres (78 miles) southeast of the capital jumped out of a window to escape the angry family of a patient suspected of having died from the COVID-19 disease.
Two white men were charged this morning in connection with an 'attempted lynching' of a black activist, who said that a group of men assaulted him and threatened to 'get a noose' during a Fourth of July gathering at a southern Indiana lake.

Monroe County prosecutors on Friday charged Sean Purdy with felonies of criminal confinement, battery resulting in moderate bodily injury and intimidation. Jerry Cox II has been charged with felony criminal confinement and battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, as well as two misdemeanors.

Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Erika Oliphant requested warrants for the arrests of Purdy and Cox after reviewing Indiana Department of Natural Resources's investigative reports and digital evidence.

The charges follow weeks of protests demanding arrests in the assault on Vauhxx Booker, a local civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission.

Scroll down for video

Sean Purdy, seen left in a red shirt in a video, was charged on Friday along with Jerry Cox in connection to an alleged 'attempted lynching' of black activist Vauhxx Booker (right)

Booker said he called 911 after the men assaulted him and pinned him to a tree at the lake just south of Bookers hometown of Bloomington.

David Hennessy, a criminal defense attorney for Purdy, previously said Booker has been 'putting forth a false narrative' about what happened. Hennessy alleged that Booker 'was the instigator and the agitator.'

Booker said the group of five men accused him of trespassing on private property. After he tried to apologize, the situation got physical.

Booker said the men threatened to break his arms and said, 'get a noose,' while telling his friends to leave the area. Booker also said one of the men had a hat with a Confederate flag on it and that the men made statements about 'white power.'

Witnesses who were with Booker that day said they heard racial slurs being shouted and that someone said 'get a noose' and 'leave the boy here, we will take care of him.'

Booker and attorney Katherine Liell said they were 'relieved' by the charges but that they believe this is 'just the first step towards justice and change.'

'We will watch closely to ensure that the individuals arrested for perpetrating this disgusting and sickening attack against Mr. Booker are duly punished,' they said in an emailed statement.

Booker planned a news conference for Friday afternoon.

Part of the confrontation was captured on video which shows at least three white men pinning Booker to a tree. Booker posted the footage on Facebook along with his version of events

Officers with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources who responded to the alleged assault released a 68-page investigatory report to The Associated Press Thursday through a public records request. It indicates that Purdey, Cox, Booker and one of Bookers acquaintances potentially committed crimes.

Hennessy has said that Booker was on private property on the day of the incident, and that after Purdy and his associates informed Booker of the property line, the situation was assumed to be resolved. Hennessy contends that hours later, however, Booker again approached Purdy and a group of others.

Booker and his attorney released a statement hours later and doubled down on their previous claims that he was the victim of a 'violent prejudice fueled attack'.

'Mr Booker did not instigate this encounter; he did not provoke anyone to hold him against his will. He did not yell or shout or lose his temper,' the statement said.

'This is what repeatedly happens. The victim gets blamed and shamed. He gets re-victimized. Vauhxx Booker is the victim. Black people across the nation have been the victims.'

Witnesses told DNR investigators that Booker threatened them, claiming to be a county commissioner. Then, he said, Booker 'got in the face' Purdys girlfriend and punched Purdy three times.

Cox, who is Purdy's friend, said Booker also punched him in the face and that he 'was pretty sure' that he hit Booker twice in the face.

Sean Purdy and Caroline McCord, who was present during the confrontation, stood silently behind their attorney David Hennessy as he presented their version of events at Monday's press conference

Hennessy said Booker has been 'putting forth a false narrative' about what happened and accused him of launching a 'smear campaign' against Purdy and McCord

Purdy, Cox and Booker all sustained minor injuries, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Hennessy said Purdy did not hear or said 'get a noose,' but that 'some racially insensitive stuff' was said by people known to them.

'No talk of a noose, no talk of a rope, no talk of a lynching. No white power,' he said.

When asked, Hennessy said his clients know the people and condemn the language used.

'There is a grand awakening regarding racial injustice happening in all of our communities. This is long overdue. It is deplorable that a person would be targeted because of his or her race,' Hennessy said.

'It is equally deplorable for a person to use his race as a weapon and to arouse public passion over a false allegation.'

The FBI said it was investigating the incident as a possible hate crime, though no additional updates have been provided about the status of its investigation.

'After a review of the full and complete investigation by INDR Law Enforcement, the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office believes that the above listed charges are supported by probable cause, that admissible evidence will be sufficient to support conviction beyond a reasonable doubt, and that the decision to charge is in the interests of justice,' according to a press release from Oliphant's office.

Hennessy said that the men restrained Booker after he punched Purdy (pictured) three times

Booker has said that he and his friend were on their way to watch the lunar eclipse at an organized event on July 4 when a white man with 'an oversized hat with a confederate flag print on it' began following them in an ATV.

Booker claimed the man informed him and his friend that they were trespassing on private property, so they apologized and continued on their way to the event.

That's when he said the man and his friends began following him and two of them knocked him to the ground from behind.

'I tussled with the two and another one joined in, then two more,' he wrote in a viral Facebook post about the incident. 'The five were able to easily overwhelm me and got me to the ground and dragged me pinning my body against a tree as they began pounding on my head and ripped off some of my hair, with several of them still on top of my body holding me down.'

'They held me pinned and continued beating me for several minutes seemingly become more and more enraged as they kept trying to seriously injure me and failing. At one point during the attack one of the men jumped on my neck. I could feel both his feet and his full bodyweight land hard against my neck.'

Booker further claimed that one of the men threatened to break an arms and repeatedly called out: 'Get a noose.'

Only part of the altercation was captured in videos recorded by Booker's acquaintances that he included in his Facebook post.

One clip shows Booker hunched over as at least two men pinned him against a tree and several other people in their group crowded around, while Booker's friends begged for them to let him go.

A second clip, filmed after Booker was released, shows a man repeatedly calling someone off-camera a 'nappy-headed b***h'.

In a third clip the same man yells: 'You invaded us!' and calls someone in Booker's group a 'stupid f**king liberal f**ks.'

As Booker's group walks away, one of the men follows them shouting: 'Those black boys want to start it all.'

Booker said the attack unfolded after a group of white people confronted him and his friend as they made their way to a Fourth of July event on Saturday afternoon. Three of the people in the group are shown above in a video believed to have been recorded by Booker's friend

Booker said he and his friend were trying to walk away from the aggressors when two of them knocked him to the ground. Video shows at least three men holding him up against a tree

Many of Booker's descriptions, including the lead-up to the confrontation, the call to 'get a noose', the threat to break his arms and a man stomping on his neck, are not visible in the videos. The videos do, however, show several of the men cursing and using racially-charged language at him after he said onlookers were able to pull him out of harm's way

Booker said he suffered a minor concussion, cuts, bruises and had patches of his hair pulled out during the attack.

Many of Booker's descriptions, including the lead-up to the confrontation, the call to 'get a noose', the threat to break his arms and a man stomping on his neck, are not visible in the videos.

Hennessy said there is more video that the public has not seen that will provide proper context but that neither he nor his clients possess the footage.

The attorney also accused Booker of 'race baiting' and encouraging one of the men involved to use racist language.

Hundreds of members of the Bloomington community turned out for a protest demanding arrests in Booker's attack on the night of July 6

Booker broke down in tears as he addressed the crowd gathered at the protest

Booker recounted his version of the incident in an interview with ABC News last week after he and hundreds of members of the Bloomington community staged a protest calling for his alleged attackers to be arrested.

'They were literally referring to me as a boy,' Booker said. 'They didn't even see me as human. They just saw me as something they could abuse and get away with.'

'Looking back now, it's apparent that these individuals began targeting our group the moment they saw myself, a black man, and were looking to provoke a conflict,' he said.

Booker said he called 911 after the altercation, but responding officers from the IDNR refused to make any arrests despite seeing the videos filmed by his friends.

'They didn't seem overly concerned that I might need medical attention or anything else,' Booker said of the officers. 'I didn't even feel like they were going to do an investigation.'

He said the officers didn't even take down the names of the attackers until one of the white people who intervened demanded that the officers conduct a thorough investigation.

'I was heartbroken when the supervising officer, the major, showed up. I felt re-traumatized as I recounted to him how I was afraid for my life,' Booker said.

He said the supervising officer told him: 'Well I could go arrest these guys but they would tell me: 'Hey, what about our property rights. We have a right to defend our property.''

'It was earth shattering,' Booker added.

Booker recounted his version of the incident in an interview with ABC News last week

The FBI joined the case last Tuesday and is now questioning witnesses to determine whether charges will be brought, according to Booker's attorney, Katherine Liell.

'We want this investigated as a hate crime. It was clearly racially motivated,' Liell told the Associated Press.

'We will continue our quest every day until some justice is served.'

Liell also complained that the IDNR officers 'did not move rapidly enough' in response to reports of the attack.

She said their failure to make arrests at the scene warrants further investigation from other law enforcement agencies.

Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton and Bloomington City Clerk Nicole Bolden issued a statement on July 6 expressing their 'outrage and grief' over what they said was a racially motivated attack.

State Sen Mark Stoops, a Bloomington Democrat, said he was 'horrified by the racist attack' and called on Republican Eric Holcomb to suspend and investigate the Department of Natural Resources officers who responded to the scene for failing to make any arrests.

'This is not just an issue of violence,' Stoops said in a statement. 'This is clearly a hate crime and must be treated as such.'
Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has commenced a legal process against Joy Nunieh, a former Managing Director of the...





Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has commenced a legal process against Joy Nunieh, a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.





Akpabio ordered his lawyer to seek court redress against Nunieh over allegations she made against him.





The Ministers directive was contained in a statement signed and sent by his Special Assistant on Media, Anietie Ekong.





He described Nuniehs claims against him as cornucopia of false, malicious and libelous.





The statement said: Akpabio has instructed his lawyers to seek necessary redress in a Court of competent jurisdiction on his behalf over the defamatory statements made by the former acting managing director of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Ms. Joy Nunieh.





The Honourable Ministers initial attitude was to allow his lawyers and the judicial system vindicate him of the false allegations against him, but he is compelled to react to some of the wayward allegations levelled against his person by Ms. Nunieh, especially the one bothering on sexual harassment.





Nunieh had accused the former Akwa Ibom State governor of sexual harassment, fraud, among others.





He, however, denied all the allegations against him.





Just yesterday, police officers had invaded Nuniehs residence in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.




State school principals are expecting an increase in student numbers as financially stretched families turn away from private schools.

Student recruitment has taken a different form this year, with shutdowns and social distancing killing off face-to-face open days and tours. Some schools have reported lower enrolment interest as parents got bogged down by remote learning in term two and the COVID-19 recession.

Brighton Secondary College principal Richard Minack. Credit:Jason South

Non-government schools fear the delays are related to families' uncertainty over what they can afford. Some private schools have already offered fee cuts and deferrals, and asked alumni to help pay the fees of students at risk of quitting due to family money pressures.

Beth Blackwood, chief executive of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia, said parents "may be delaying responses given the uncertain financial circumstances".
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jul. 16, 2020 | FRANKFORT

By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 16, 2020 | 05:24 PM | FRANKFORT

Gov. Andy Beshear updated Kentuckians Thursday on the number of COVID-19 cases as well as the state's ongoing efforts to speed up the unemployment process for citizens.



Beshear announced 413 new cases of the virus on Thursday and five new deaths. This brings the total number of cases in Kentucky to 21,083 with 650 deaths. There are currently 418 Kentuckians hospitalized with the virus, with 92 patients in the ICU.



"Today, we have a record number of kids under five diagnosed with COVID-19," said Beshear. "These kids are counting on us to do the right thing."



The Governor again emphasized that the rising case numbers show the importance of wearing a face covering in public or in close quarters with non-immediate family members.



Beshear also spoke about efforts being made to process unemployment claims in Kentucky.



Beshear said that in an effort to process more unemployment insurance claims, contractor Ernst & Young has increased their work hours from eight hours per day to ten, and they are now working on Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm. He said that going forward, they expect to resolve 4,000 claims per day.



Beshear reminded Kentuckians that it is important to answer the phone in order to get these claims processed.



"Make sure you answer this line. We're getting a lot more of these claims processed than ever before," said Beshear. "We have a long way to go, but if you think about 4,000 claims a day, you can catch up really fast, which is what we want to do."



The number for incoming calls from Unemployment Insurance is 502-333-9130.
Rajasthan's lone CPI(M) MLA Balwan Poonia Friday pledged his supports to the Ashok Gehlot government in the state, saying any attempt to topple it will not succeed.

He said he will vote in favour of the Congress government if there is a floor test in the assembly.

"The BJP is committing the sin of trying to topple an elected government. They will not succeed," the MLA told reporters at his official residence.

He said his name was also mentioned in audio clips, purportedly having conversation among Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat and a person named Sanjay Jain, and that he will go to the Special Operations Group (SOG) to record his statement.

Poonia, who voted for Congress candidates in Rajya Sabha elections in the state last month, said he would file a defamation case against those who took his name in the conversation.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) daily basket price stood at 43.80 U.S. dollars a barrel on Thursday, compared with 44.12 dollars per barrel on Wednesday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations released on 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.
Quintana Roo governor Carlos Joaquin says he has tested positive for Covid-19

Chetumal, Q.R.  Quintana Roo governor, Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez has reported his testing positive for Covid-19. The governor made his public announcement Thursday on social media saying that he will stay home during his recovery while being attentive to the needs of the state.

Due to my actions as Governor I have been monitoring my health, the test I had this week has been positive to #Covid_19 , I feel good and in a responsible way I will stay at home always attentive to the actions of @GobQuintanaRoo. #JuntosSaldremosAdelante

Carlos Joaquin is the sixth Mexican governor to test positive for Covid-19. During the last 14 days he has carried out numerous public activities that have taken him around the state. Last week, he also participated in a GOAN (Asociacion de Gobernadores de Accion Nacional) meeting in Queretaro, as well as the delivery of food aid in both Cancun and Chetumal.

Other Mexican governors have who tested positive for Covid-19 include Tamaulipas governor Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca, Hidalgo governor Omar Fayad, Tabasco governor Adan Augusto, Guerrero Hector Astudillo and Queretaro governor Francisco Dominguez, all of whom were discharged after two weeks of recovery.
A bungled prison transfer has seen two jails put on alert for COVID-19 after an inmate tested positive for coronavirus.

The man was swabbed for coronavirus as part of new COVID-19 protocols when he arrived at the Melbourne Assessment Prison on Monday.

But he was immediately transferred to a second facility, the Metropolitan Remand Centre, while he was still awaiting his results.

He was diagnosed with COVID-19 three days later, prompting fears he may have spread the disease among other inmates.

The prisoner's positive COVID-test came back after he was transferred to the Metropolitan Remand centre (pictured) at Ravenhall, west of Melbourne

A spokesperson for Department of Justice and Community Safety told Daily Mail Australia the risk of the virus having spread is relatively low (pictured, the remand centre in Ravenhall)

Contract tracing is underway to determine if anyone who came into contact with the infected inmate is experiencing symptoms.

According to the Herald Sun the prisoner was arrested for for robbery, drugs and stolen goods offences.

A spokesperson for Department of Justice and Community Safety told Daily Mail Australia the risk of the virus having spread is relatively low.

'He will continue to be monitored and assessed while in isolation, and is being provided with a range of supports,' the spokesperson said.

Since March 28 anyone newly entering prison undergoes a 14 day quarantine.

They are placed into controlled quarantine units when they are admitted for a period of 14 days, before being placed with the rest of the prison population.

He was immediately transferred to a second facility - the Metropolitan Remand centre (pictured) while he was still awaiting his results

During this time they are required to wear face masks if they leave their cell when they could come into contact with staff or other inmates.

Welfare groups are concerned the infection could spark and outbreak behind bars, which would leave prisoners as 'sitting ducks'.

In the United States a total of 41,107 prisoners have contracted coronavirus with 501 deaths according to research from John Hopkins University.

The country's prison population is around 1,295,285.

The overcrowded facilities and lack of hygiene make them a perfect breeding ground for the spread of viruses, leading for calls to release low-risk non violent offenders.

Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Greg Barne SC said prisoners who are low risk should be released.

'Since the COVID-19 crisis broke we have said that prisoners are at grave risk of becoming infected and that the poor sanitary conditions of prisons around Australia means COVID-19 could spread quickly if it enters a prison,' he told the Herald Sun.

'Non-violent prisoners, prisoners who are on remand simply because they have no home address, and vulnerable prisoners such as those over 65 should be released now. In fact, the Victorian government should already have done this.'

However a prisoner insider said it was hard to trust corrections authorities to handle the situation.

Police officers and prison officers are required to wear face masks and gloves if interacting with accused offenders or convicted felons (pictured, officers in Melbourne on July 10)

Victoria has recorded 428 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 5,165 (pictured, testing in Melbourne on Friday)

'How can Victorians have confidence in Corrections Victoria managing the state's hotel quarantine if they haven't even been able to effectively manage the frontline prison COVID-19 protocols,' the source said.

Greens spokesperson for justice Tim Read told 7NEWS the state's prisoners are 'sitting ducks'.

Victoria has recorded 428 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 5,165.

Of those, 935 cases are feared to be community transmissions.
Upon further reflection on the issues in this case, I conclude that the location of my home in the vicinity of the Lee Monument area may create the appearance of a bias among some Virginians, Cavedo wrote in his disqualification order. I was unaware at the outset of this case that I live in the Monument Avenue Historic District.
New Delhi: In Vikas Dubey's encounter case the Uttar Pradesh police on Friday (July 17) told the Supreme Court that all the guidelines of the apex court have been followed and it fired in self-defence as the fleeing criminal had snatched the police weapon.

The police also informed the top court that the UP government has constituted a judicial commission to investigate the encounter as per the guideline. It has also submitted photos of the police vehicle overturned at the scene, photo of Vikas Dubey's body, and photos of the bodies of the eight slain policemen who were killed in Bikru village by Vikas Dubey and his gang on July 3.

The police also submitted a list of all criminal cases filed against gangster Vikas Dubey before the court.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh government told the apex court that it would file a status report on encounters of gangster Vikas Dubey and his associates.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said it may consider appointing a committee headed by a former judge to inquire into the encounters of Dubey, his aides as well as the killing of eight Uttar Pradesh policemen by the gangster.

The apex court would hear the pleas seeking court-monitored probe into the encounters on July 20. The bench, also comprising Justices R S Reddy and A S Bopanna, had observed that monitoring of investigation is something that the court is very reluctant to do.

Notably, 8 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.

Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter on July 10 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. Four policemen, including an inspector posted in Nawabganj, were injured in the accident.
For the first time in its 50-year history, Comic-Con organizers were forced to make the heartbreaking decision to cancel the annual celebration of comics and pop culture. Soon after the cancelation, they announced an online version to launch July 22, the official start date of the originally scheduled convention. "We're very excited about bringing Comic-Con online," said David Glanzer, spokesperson for the nonprofit organization. "And it couldn't have been achieved without the help and support of so many of our usual friends, and some new ones too."

The virtual event will exist on the www.comic-con.org website which, at 9:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time on Wednesday, July 22, 2020, will transform to [email protected] The redesigned Home Page will be the means by which participants can access programming, the Online Exhibit Hall, and various events and interactive elements, as each will be supported by a variety of different platforms. While programming for each day will be available on the website, Comic-Con is working again with Sched.com for those who would like to create their own daily schedule.

Joining in the fun is the Comic-Con Museum which has long planned an interactive component to their efforts. They began offering activities through Comic-Con [email protected] earlier this summer which will continue through the [email protected] weekend and beyond.

YouTube will host over 350 panels and programs as well as the 2020 Eisner Awards. The Online Exhibit Hall, with approximately 700 exhibitors, will exist on the GoExpo by Community Brands page. And for fans of Gaming, those activities will live on the Discord platform.

Fans will be excited to learn that DC Comics, longtime supporters of Comic-Con, will again provide exceptional artwork for the official event T-shirt. The event T-shirt will be accompanied by an assortment of official Comic-Con-related and Comic-Con Museum-related merchandise available on the Merch store page on the Comic-Con website.

Amazon and Prime Video are official sponsors of [email protected] and will be treating fans to additional activities from a variety of Amazon-owned platforms through their Amazon Virtual-Con portal. Prime Video is also the official sponsor of the Comic-Con 2020 print-at-home badge, which will allow participants to print and wear the free badge and take part in many fun, yet to be announced, interactive challenges.

Collaborator and sponsor IGN will stream roughly 34 [email protected] panels as well as produce extensive hosted shoulder content, hosted interviews and more, all in support of the online initiative.

Tumblr will serve as the platform for both the Comic-Con Art Show and the always popular Masquerade. The 46th annual Masquerade will open for viewing Friday, July 24, and winners announced on Saturday, July 25.

Films and anime have long been popular elements at Comic-Con. This tradition continues as both will employ the Scener Watch Party Platform, Funimation will exclusively host all of the anime watch parties including Black Clover and Fruits Basket. Scener is a Chrome browser plug-in that will allow fans the ability to simultaneously watch and discuss movies and anime.

Anyone who has visited Comic-Con is familiar with and may have participated in the outside activations (immersive experiences). Even they will be represented as FX will unveil the digital experience: FX UNLOCKED- where fans will engage with virtual activations for American Horror Story, What We Do in The Shadows, Cake and DAVE.

FutureTechLive! returns for a fifth year to present the virtual "World Builders" activation, featuring content by a global community of creators. In this unique experience, participants can explore new worlds in mixed reality, and unleash their imagination to create some of their own!

If that weren't enough, there will be a number of activities including portfolio review, gaming, a SideWalk Art Challenge, a Cosplay Challenge, the SuperVolunteer Challenge, and even some shared recipes should you need a break and a little sustenance during the [email protected] weekend.

Comic-Con will also be offering an online version of its Souvenir Book, which will be available as a free, downloadable PDF, starting on Wednesday, July 22. The 260-page book contains new art and articles celebrating various anniversaries, including the 100th birthdays of Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen, plus celebrations of EC Comics, Moomin, Jack Kirby's Fourth World comics, and more. This year's cover is by William Stout.

"This type of online event is a first for us," Glanzer continued, "and we are grateful for the support of all involved. Our hope is that Comic-Con can provide a small respite from the confines of various stay-at-home orders. While we can't be together in person, we can be together online."

About Comic-Con:

SAN DIEGO COMIC CONVENTION (Comic-Con) is a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation organized for charitable purposes and dedicated to creating the general public's awareness of and appreciation for comics and related popular art forms, including participation in and support of public presentations, conventions, exhibits, museums and other public outreach activities which celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture. In addition to its San Diego convention each summer (the premier event of its kind in the world), Comic-Con organizes the Anaheim-based WonderCon each spring, the SAM (Storytelling Across Media) symposium in the fall and is the parent organization of the Comic-Con Museum in San Diego's Balboa Park. On the web: Comic-Con.org , Facebook.com/comiccon , and follow us on Twitter (@Comic_Con) and on Instagram (@comic_con)

Comic-Con, WonderCon, SAM, and Comic-Con Museum are registered trademarks of San Diego Comic Convention.

SOURCE Comic-Con International

Related Links

http://www.comic-con.org


A reputable online anthropology publication offers an insight into the ongoing racial obsessions of a discipline founded more than a century ago when racists tried to use the field to advance white superiority. Now, though, the whole point of anthropology is to advance the superiority of races other than the white race. This is not an improvement.

Sapiens is a digital anthropology magazine. Its "about us" page says the publication is meant to change "how people see themselves and the people around them." It also hopes to "deepen your understanding of the human experience by exploring exciting, novel, thought-provoking, and unconventional ideas." A lot of these ideas aren't novel at all. Instead, they're just racial theories that are the reverse image of theories from 100 years ago. Then, it was "white good and black bad." Now the opposite is true.

The magazine certainly has an audience. Its articles are syndicated at some heavy online hitters catering to people who believe themselves to be well informed: The Atlantic, Slate, DiscoverMagazine, ScientificAmerican, Aeon, and RealClearScience, to name just a few.

On social media, Sapiens's Facebook page has over 70,000 likes and follows, and it has another 18.9 thousand Twitter followers. This attractively packaged website is the kind of publication that students use for research products.

For those curious as to whether Sapiens has a noticeable bias, Media Bias/Fact Check says Sapiens has only a "slight to moderate liberal bias." While its editorials don't like Trump, "[m]ost information is science based and free from bias."

Here's a sampling of the kind of unbiased, pro-science material you'll find at Sapiens:

In "Can Protesters Humanize the Police," Hugh Gusterson accuses police of stifling the speech of tearful, loving activists, who are only trying, desperately and mostly unsuccessfully, to humanize these robotic fascists.

In "Why the Whiteness of Archaeology Is a Problem," William White (who is black) and Catherine Draycott explain that whites are ineptly and insensitively trying to understand people who are different. They accuse the whites of associating these differences with being unequal (and, presumably, inferior). I lost interest when the article bogged down in theories about "othering" and unconscious bias.

In "Is the Term 'People of Color' Acceptable?," Yolanda Moses (writing in 2016, although it's a "most popular" article now) explained at length that POC is a collective term that gives different racial groups "the potential to form solidarities with each other for collective political and social action on behalf of many disenfranchised or marginalized people. This terminology is useful in social justice and in civil rights and human rights contexts." Academese is awful writing, isn't it? Ultimately, the problem is that people of different races don't like being lumped together.

In "Why Do We Keep Using the Word 'Caucasian?'," that same Yolanda Moses (this time writing an article in 2017 that's popular today) explains that Caucasian is a meaningless word because it originated in the 18th century, when a German anatomist trying to classify people by race thought the people of the Caucasus Mountains perfectly represented people with white(ish) skin. The word "Caucasian" caught on for describing whites, and it's therefore still racist today. Moses wants to hyphenate people instead. To African-Americans, we'd add European-Americans and Mexican-Americans, a wordy way to say the same things we've been saying before.

In "What Ancient Gender Fluidity Taught Me About Modern Patriarchy," Maria Fernanda Ugalde tells us that thousand-year-old clay figurines in Ecuador aren't always clearly one sex or the other. "In decoding these gender relations of the past, I have begun to think differently about the present  and my role in a modern, chauvinistic, Ecuadorian society." And then she's off about the patriarchy and women's health magazines.

Other recent articles include

A mere three weeks after Sapiens published that last article, telling us that DNA is irrelevant to the Wuhan virus, the New York Times reported that "DNA Inherited From Neanderthals May Increase Risk of Covid-19." The same article noted that:

Genes play a role as well. Last month, researchers compared people in Italy and Spain who became very sick with Covid-19 to those who had only mild infections. They found two places in the genome associated with a greater risk. One is on Chromosome 9 and includes ABO, a gene that determines blood type. The other is the Neanderthal segment on Chromosome 3.

Whoops!

Sapiens is just one of many leftist online publications, but I note it because it perfectly represents the kind of racial obsessions that drive modern academic anthropology. Just as many anthropologists in the first half of the 20th century dedicated themselves to proving white superiority, today's anthropologists are doing the opposite when they work to prove white inferiority. This racial misuse of anthropology was revolting 100 years ago, and it's still revolting today.

Image: A 1921 picture showing the Shrine of the Rain Gods from the Archaeological Society of New Mexico.
Jerusalem, July 17 : The number of active Covid-19 cases in Israel rose to 25,305 on Thursday, the highest since the outbreak of pandemic in late February, according to the state's Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, the total number of Covid-19 cases climbed to 46,059 after the addition of 1,871 new cases, the second highest daily rise since the outbreak, the ministry's data showed, Xinhua reported.

The death toll from the disease increased from 376 to 384, while the number of patients in serious condition decreased from 204 to 202, out of 542 patients currently hospitalized.

The number of recoveries reached 20,370, with 381 new recoveries.

Earlier on Thursday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an urgent meeting in Jerusalem, in light of the fast increase in morbidity.

The meeting was attended by senior ministers, the head of the National Security Council and the Health Ministry's director general, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

Netanyahu said that following the recent jump in the number of infections and severe cases, temporary steps were discussed to prevent a general lockdown.
(Natural News) American hospitals will no longer send data related to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the hospitals will now send the data directly to a central database in Washington instead.

The HHS made the announcement in a statement on July 10. As part of the statement, HHS said that Vice President Mike Pence sent a letter to hospital administrators across the country asking them to send the federal government daily pandemic data on testing, capacity, utilization, and patient flow.

The objective is to allow states and hospitals either to leverage existing data reporting capabilities or, where those capabilities are insufficient, to provide guidance in how to build upon existing capabilities, the HHS said in a statement.

New system to streamline coronavirus data reporting

According to HHS officials, the change will streamline data gathering and assist the White House in its efforts to allocate scarce resources such as personal protective equipment and medicines.

This data will be used to inform decisions at the federal level, such as allocation of supplies, treatments, and other resources, said the HHS.

As part of the change, the federal government will no longer be sending out one-time requests for data to aid in the distribution of treatments and supplies. The daily reporting will now become the only mechanism to be used for distribution calculations.

The shift apparently grew out of a tense conference call several weeks ago between hospital executives and Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus response coordinator for the White House. During the call, Birx said that hospitals were not adequately reporting their data.

According to Dr. Janis Orlowski, chief health care officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges, Birx later convened a working group of government and hospital officials who devised the new plan.

The change exposes gaps in the federal governments ability to collect and manage health data, with experts calling the existing systems antiquated at best. The CDC had been collecting coronavirus data through its National Healthcare Safety Network, which had to be expanded at the outset of the pandemic to be able to handle the vast amounts of hospital capacity and patient information specific to COVID-19.

The CDCs data collection has come under criticism throughout the ongoing pandemic. For example, in May, the agency acknowledged that in tracking the viruss spread, it had been combining tests that detect active coronavirus infections with those that detect recovery from the disease. This ended up muddying the picture of the pandemic in America, though it did raise the percentage of people tested in the country. (Related: CDC errors caused crucial delays in the war on the COVID-19 coronavirus.)

With the HHSs new system, managed by Pittsburgh-based health data firm TeleTracking, hospitals will now report their data directly to the centralized database. The only exception would be hospitals that are already reporting their data to their states. In the latter case, the states will do the reporting instead.

Therefore, hospitals may be relieved from reporting directly to the Federal Government if they receive a written release from the State stating that the State will collect the data from the hospitals and take over Federal reporting responsibilities, said the HHS.

Experts criticize new system

While the move to the new centralized system ostensibly comes with the intention of improving current deficiencies with the governments coronavirus data collection, it has received some criticism.

Unlike the CDCs old system, the HHSs new centralized database is not open to the public. This is something that could affect the work of scientists, researchers, modelers and health officials who rely on the CDCs data to make projections and crucial decisions.

Historically, CDC has been the place where public health data has been sent, and this raises questions about not just access for researchers but access for reporters, access for the public to try to better understand what is happening with the outbreak, said the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundations Jen Kates.

How will the data be protected? she asked. Will there be transparency, will there be access, and what is the role of the CDC in understanding the data?

In addition to transparency concerns, some have also questioned whether the HHSs new system really solves the issues with the CDCs old one.

Experts have pointed out that, as with the CDCs system, the new system still relies on push data. It still requires hospital employees to manually enter data, rather than the government tapping into an electronic system to get it.

The whole thing needs to be scrapped and started anew, said medical and disaster preparedness expert Dr. Dan Hanfling, a vice president at the nonprofit In-Q-Tel. It is laughable that this administration cant find the wherewithal to bring 21st-century technologies in data management to the fight.

Other experts, however, are just frustrated that it took this long for a central system to be put in place.

It has been an administrative hassle and confusing to constantly be shifting gears on reporting while hospitals are on the front lines during a pandemic, said Texas Hospital Association spokesperson Carrie Williams in an email to the New York Times.

Meanwhile, at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Dr. Bala N. Hota explained that they had four full-time employees reporting coronavirus data to four different agencies.

Hopefully, the new system means that such frustrations will be a thing of the past and that the coronavirus data collection process becomes much more efficient.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NYTimes.com 1

NYTimes.com 2
The next sitting of Federal Parliament will be cancelled because of the risk of coronavirus transmission as cases rise in NSW and Victoria.

Acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly told the government that parliamentarians and their staffers coming from interstate could "jeopardise the health situation in the ACT" and "place residents at unnecessary risk of infection".

Parliament was going to sit for a fortnight from August 4 but the next sitting week, in which the government can pass legislation and the opposition can scrutinise its agenda, will now be from August 24.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he did not believe it would be right to exclude parliamentarians from one state  in a reference to Victoria, where new cases have hit successive records in recent days.
Tami Fox talks about the life-saving potential of the pet oxygen masks the company donated to the Whitfield County Fire Department, including (from left) Firefighter Phillip Bowling, Engineer Stephanie Burch, Lt. Jesse Bond, Engineer Jacob Chester, and Chief Ed OBrien. - photo by Mitch Talley

Tami Fox holds one of the laminated charts that includes information to help firefighters use the pet oxygen masks donated Tuesday morning to the Whitfield County Fire Department. - photo by Mitch Talley

Standing with the 14 pet oxygen mask kits donated to the Whitfield County Fire Department this week by Invisible Fence Chattanooga are (from left) Chief Ed OBrien, Lt. Jesse Bond, Engineer Stephanie Burch, Tami Fox of Invisible Fence with her dog Keeva, Firefighter Phillip Bowling, Engineer Jacob Chester, and Assistant Chief Randy Kittle. - photo by Mitch Talley

Tami Fox, left, of Invisible Fence Chattanooga fits an oxygen mask on the snout of her dog Keeva as Engineer Stephanie Burch of the Whitfield County Fire Department looks on. - photo by Mitch Talley

Keeva the Siberian Husky sat quietly, waiting patiently for her chance to demonstrate one of the pet oxygen masks being donated to the Whitfield County Fire Department.

Along with her owner, Tami Fox, general manager of Invisible Fence Chattanooga, Keeva was at Station 8 on the South Bypass Tuesday morning to deliver 14 kits full of the life-saving equipment specially designed for dogs, cats, birds, and other animals that might need oxygen after being overcome by smoke during a house fire.

The addition of this new equipment will allow our firefighters to provide proper life-saving care for all of Whitfield Countys furry citizens, says Lt. Jesse Bond, who contacted Invisible Fence earlier this year about Project Breathe, a nationwide campaign by the company aimed at saving the lives of pets with the special masks after fires.

Each of the 14 fire trucks in the county located at 12 stations will be equipped with one of the kits, Bond said, so that every time they go out on a call, the masks will be available if needed.

Each shift will be familiarized with the masks, Lt. Bond said, on their proper use, care, and maintenance.

The reusable masks come in small, medium, and large sizes that should fit most animals. Unlike the oxygen masks designed for humans that are flatter to fit over the face, these masks have a rubber seal to create an airtight seal around the animals snout. The first responder can hold the mask on the pet and bring it back to consciousness as oxygen is pumped into its mouth via a hose connected to an oxygen tank supplied by the fire department.

Ms. Fox said the masks are easy to use on animals  from dogs and cats to rabbits and gerbils  if they are unconscious. Its trickier if they are awake. Putting an unknown object near an animals face if it is already anxious and panicked can induce a fight or flight response, she said, adding that its all about watching how stressed the animal is and not contributing to that.

In the past, county firefighters have been known to do what they could to try to save a pet overcome by smoke, sometimes holding a human oxygen mask close to the animals face, Fire Chief Ed OBrien said.

But there is a huge difference with this specialized mask, he said. With a human mask, the oxygen concentration isnt as high since most of the oxygen just blows at the animals face. You can see by giving the animal some type of oxygen that its very beneficial to them.

The kits also include a laminated chart that gives more detailed information such as how much oxygen is needed according to the size of the animal, as well as stickers that can be placed on fire trucks to remind first responders that the masks are onboard.

As of July 1, Ms. Fox says Invisible Fence has donated 10,665 such kits throughout the nation, and the equipment has helped save the lives of 229 animals, including multiple pets saved with the masks last Thanksgiving after two house fires in Tampa, Fla.

Chief OBrien says the department periodically brings animals out of structures that are on fire and will likely put the equipment to good use. Two weeks ago, for example, he said firefighters pulled six puppies and two large dogs out of a burning house.

Another shift up on Cleveland Highway pulled a dog out of a fire one time, he recalled, and finally it caught some air and woke back up. But when they first came out with it, I didnt think it was going to make it.



Since people have been known to run back into burning homes to save a beloved pet, these masks will give residents comfort in knowing that firefighters can help their pets if they are suffering from smoke inhalation, Chief OBrien said.

People take their animals serious, he said. In the past, sometimes, timing wise if we could, we might take an animal and put oxygen near its mouth, but then its just dispersing it into the air. These masks are cup-shaped and fit tightly on the snout, so the animal gets 100 percent oxygen then. It will be neat to have these masks  one of those things you hate to have to use, but its great to have them if you need them.

Ms. Fox says Invisible Fence Chattanooga has donated about 75 of the kits in the area, with the most recent being in Dayton, Tn. Were trying to push that number and do a little bit more, she said. Hopefully well be able to do a fund-raiser soon so we can do kind of a big push for the area.

Invisible Fence has been a partner with Project Breathe since 2010, and Ms. Fox encouraged other fire departments and first responders to go to the companys website and apply for the kits. Once we get approval for them, we can then purchase the kits and set a meet and greet date to bring them out and show them the kits, she said.

Although the U.S. Fire Administration doesnt keep an official statistic, industry sources estimate 40,000 to 150,000 pets die each year in fires, with most succumbing to smoke inhalation. In most states, emergency responders lack the equipment to resuscitate and save pets.



"On behalf of the department and our citizens, Chief OBrien said, we appreciate this donation by Invisible Fence.

Participation in Project Breathe is a natural fit for Invisible Fence. Back in 1973, a well-traveled dog lover named Richard Peck made it his business  and his lifes work  to protect pets from danger, while allowing them to enjoy their independence. Working with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and Battelle Laboratories, he patented a groundbreaking invention: the worlds first electronic dog fence system. Now, nearly half a century later, Invisible Fence has protected more than 3 million pets worldwide with their underground pet fence, automatic pet door, and indoor and outdoor avoidance solutions.

When a family suffers the tragedy of a fire, lives are turned upside down, Ms. Fox said. Pets are valued family members, so we want families to know that their pet can be cared for if tragedy strikes. We realize that humans are the first priority, but in many cases, pets can be saved if firefighters have the right equipment. Project Breathe is simply a way of giving firefighters the tools necessary to save pets lives.
Alcohol bottles will display a prominent warning label outlining the dangers of drinking while pregnant, after politicians voted to make the new label mandatory.

State, territory, federal and New Zealand food ministers approved the label recommended by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand on Friday in a vote that was split 6-4. It has black, white and red text stating "PREGNANCY WARNING: Alcohol can cause lifelong harm to your baby."

Food Standards Australia New Zealand's pregnancy warning label will be mandatory.

The label, approved despite lobbying from alcohol industry representatives who argued it would cost manufacturers too much to use red ink, will replace the current voluntary DrinkWise label, which FSANZ found was ineffective.

Federal food minister Richard Colbeck, who chairs the ministerial forum, proposed an amendment to remove the red ink requirement, which was supported by New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland but voted down by New Zealand, Western Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT.
There were humorous scenes in the Dail on Thursday after Green Party leader Eamon Ryan was spotted catching up on his beauty sleep.

As the Members voted during a Social Democrat motion on lower paid jobs and employment rights, when Mr Ryan was called on to vote, he was spotted snoozing.

It took the Fianna Fail government chief whip Jack Chambers, sitting a seat ahead, to wake up the party leader and tell him to vote for or against the motion.

This comes in the midst of a head-to-head leadership race with deputy Green Party leader Catherine Martin, who was sitting four rows behind and suppressing a smile with her hand to her mouth as she watched Eamon awake from his slumber.

The Green Party, as well as Mr Ryan, did not reply to repeated requests for comment.

He then voted against the motion which sought to increase protection for workers across a range of areas, including low-pay, precarious work, collective bargaining and the valuing of essential workers.

It did not pass and Social Democrat TD Gary Gannon, who proposed the motion, called the incident disappointing.

There is a manner in which we carry ourselves in the Dail chamber and there is an expectation that at the very minimum, you should be awake, he said.

We brought this motion very seriously and I felt very honoured to propose this motion.

The leader of the Green Party is going to be asleep after amending it without any substance, I dont think it sends a very good message, he added.

We brought a motion that we felt was very constructive and then he goes and falls asleep?

Its disappointing.

Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice, who was in the Chamber, also told Independent.ie that the seats in the Convention Centre in Dublin, where the Dail has been sitting during the pandemic, are like cinema seats.

Probably the man has been doing long hours and anyone can fall asleep whos doing long hours.

Its like being in the cinema and its not too hard to fall asleep in the cinema. The sooner we get back to the Dail, the better, because its the most unsuitable place ever we were.

Wed be better off back in the Dail, whatever sacrifices wed have to make.

Youre like a midge above in the sky, a tadpole in the sea, he said, referring to the size of the convention centre.

That can happen to anyone.

The Dail is sitting late most nights now, if youre doing 15, 16, 17 hours a day, you have to be tired, he added.
The proposed amendments to Afghanistans media law introduced to Parliament in June has been dropped following strong criticisms from Afghanistans media. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) welcome the withdrawal of the controversial amendment to the media law.

The amendment initially introduced into Parliament in June sought to restrict media outlets and investigative reporting, providing security agencies with access to sources of media reports. On June 20, Afghanistans Upper House of Parliament opposed the proposed amendment. The government withdrew the bill on June 24. In an open letter to Afghanistans president Ashraf Ghani, media outlets and institutions voiced their opposition to the amendments.

The government formed a committee to begin consultation with media outlets for the amendment of Afghanistans media law after it was proposed, but the committee vetoed the amendment.

AIJA said: Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association welcomes the veto. The current media law is a comprehensive law that does not need serious amendment.

The IFJ said: The IFJ welcomes the positive outcome on this consultation that followed the medias guidance and inputs. The IFJ hopes the government will continue to work collaboratively with media workers to promote press freedom and the rights of working journalists.
ALBANY  Before Congress heads back to Washington D.C. on Monday to debate another stimulus package, Albany County leaders are imploring the federal government to provide some relief for smaller municipalities.

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said the county saw a $15 million decrease in expected revenue in the second quarter.

Thats a huge impact on our budget, said McCoy, who leads a government that's operated on a $733 million budget this year. Not just our county budget, but the town, cities and villages moving forward.

Colonie Town Supervisor Paula Mahan made a similar plea in early May. The town ended up furloughing about 50 employees to cover part of a $7 million budget shortfall caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

McCoy said the health crisis - 138,543 Americans, including 32,133 New Yorkers have been killed by the virus - is also an economic crisis. A fifth stimulus package up for discussion in Washington should do more for local governments, he said.

Going forward the county will look at possibly refinancing debt and short-term borrowing. McCoy said short term borrowing was a strategy the county used in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Some counties are considering closing parks and laying off employees, said McCoy, who stopped short of saying whether county workers will face furloughs or layoffs.

We need the president and Congress to do the right thing, McCoy said. Its a matter of fairness.

There was a $2 trillion stimulus package passed earlier this year, but for local governments with populations over 500,000, so it wasnt any help for Albany County, which has a population of 305,506, according to Census data.

New York State Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen Acquario said the county has seen large losses in hotel occupancy and sales taxes.

Right now we are in unprecedented times, creating unprecedented certainty, Acquario said. We dont know how long this is going to go.

Acquario estimated that counties outside of New York City could see a combined loss of between $780 million and $2 billion dollars in sales tax revenue during the coronavirus crisis. With travel down too, occupancy taxes could drop anywhere from $50 million to $80 million.

State reimbursements and aid can fall from $600 million to $1.5 billion all across the state. Acquario said he was expecting to see a robust economy in Albany County for 2020. Increases were expected for hotel occupancy taxes and sales taxes.

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

Albany County went into 2020 with a strong economy, Acquario said.

However, the pandemic took its toll. Albany County could experience a $25 million hit or a 10 percent decline in sales tax alone.

That would be a mild economic injury, Acquario said. The sales tax could plummet by 22 percent under a severe recession scenario.

Some counties are seeking cuts to critical programs like mental health support, social services and infrastructure needs. Without federal aid these cuts could become permanent, Acquario said.

The drop in sales tax cash in Albany County has been higher than other counties in the state, Acquario said. This is because restaurants are the second highest earners for sales tax in the county. Its followed by clothing, department stores and general merchandise, travel and accommodations.

For months, restaurants and many retailers were either closed by the government orders during the pandemic or forced to limit commerce to curbside sales.

These sectors have been more affected by the lockdowns and they represent more than 25 percent of the county's sales tax, Acquario said. Thats why we need the federal government to act.
Douro-Dummer Township has had to ban fishing from township-owned docks.

Due to a large number of people from out of town using the areas and disregarding the importance of social distancing, fishing has been banned from McCrackens Landing and Crowes Landing, said Douro-Dummer Mayor J. Murray Jones, who is also warden of Peterborough County.

Because of that, we had no choice but to ban fishing to stop them from doing that,Jones said. They were also interfering with the local people who have cottages in the area.

Jones said there are also ongoing issues at Youngs Point on the Old Bridge Inn on Douro-Dummers side of the Trent-Severn Waterway canal and, as a result, the township has had to ask for extra police presence and pay for extra signage in the area.

And weve had to do that just to tell people what theyre supposed to do anyway, and its just not fair, he said. Were in tough, ridiculous times here like weve never experienced before, the least we can ask people to do is use their common sense and co-operate so we can all get through this.

With Fridays start of Stage 3 of the reopening of the provinces economy from the COVID-19 pandemic, Jones said hes concerned about even more people potentially fleeing to Peterborough County from the GTA for a day trip.

While Peterborough entered Stage 3 on Friday, allowing such businesses as gymnasiums, theatres and indoor dining and bars to open with COVID-19 precautions in place, the Toronto and Hamilton areas remain in Stage 2.

Thats a concern now and it was a concern in the early going of this whole thing, Jones said.

The closure of the Crown land area at Burleigh Falls was an example of what happens when people from out of town come to the county with little or no concern for local residents and business owners, Jones said.

Its just not fair. We shouldnt have to babysit everyone who thinks they have a right to just come here and put everyone in danger, he said.

Trent Lakes Mayor Janet Clarkson said townships in the county dont have the proper bylaws in place to deal with the influx of individuals from the GTA, because theyve never had to.

Weve got them at beaches, weve got them at dams, weve got them along causeways  Theres no observation for your six-foot mandatory distancing, and theyre using roadsides for their bathrooms and the police are inundated and they cant begin to handle it, Clarkson said.

So its a problem and, the warmer it gets, the worse it gets.

Sandy Beach in Buckhorn is one of the sites in Trent Lakes thats currently a concern. Clarkson said that while the numbers werent necessarily problematic in previous years, theyre problematic this year as a result of inadequate social distancing.

Another issue thats still a concern in the municipality are Airbnbs, said Clarkson. While other cottage resorts have certain protocols they must abide by, Airbnbs dont, she said.

One of the people on our economic development advisory committee is a resort operator and they lose a day-and-a-half to two days a week, just because of the degree of sanitation that they go through, said Clarkson.

Most owners of rental cottages that arent listed on Airbnb need to know the address of each individual who stays with them, she said, which would be beneficial if there were an outbreak in the region.

But when you go to Airbnbs, if theres an outbreak in the area, where do you go? Clarkson said.

Its not that Peterborough County doesnt want individuals from the GTA coming to the area, but people need to do their part in containing the virus, Jones said.

We all hope the worst is over, and I guess we all can bet on that, but we just dont know. With the way things are going in the states, our little dot up here that we call Peterborough County would be pretty easy picking if we let our guard down, he said.
New York, July 17 : India is emerging as a big competitor to China and New Delhi's corporate tax rate cuts makes it attractive for investors, according to US President Donald Trump's top economic adviser.

Addressing reporters at the White House on Thursday, Larry Kudlow, head of the National Economic Council, said: "People are losing trust in China and India becomes a big competitor. And if I'm not mistaken India has slashed its corporate tax rate.

"So it may be a very attractive investment place and India is a great ally of the US." Kudlow said that he had recommended the corporate tax cut to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he met him 18 months ago.

India cut the corporate tax rate last September from 30 per cent to 22 per cent for companies existing at that time and from 25 per cent to 15 per cent for manufacturing new companies.

Earlier when he was asked about recent investments in India running into over $17.5 billion by US tech and ecommerce companies, he said sarcastically that India was "unfortunately a very protectionist country; so I'll just wish them luck. But a lot of population".

He indicated that he was not opposed to the investments by those companies in India in the midst of Trump's America First campaign and efforts to bring manufacturing back home.

"We are not closed to commerce, international commerce. Those are great American companies, bulk of their operations are here." The exodus of American companies out of China would be principally technology, pharmaceutical or pharmaceutical supply chain-type companies, he said.

"I know of a number of plans." The attitudes of US business towards China is changing because of "the experience with the China flu and the lack of transparency and assistance to the rest of the world", Kudlow said.

The adviser said that he foresaw a "like a textbook shift in attitude from the long complicated supply chain based overseas to something not only closer to home, but home" and businesses were going to do it on their own.

This year Walmart announced an investment of $1.2 billion in Flipkart and Amazon $305 million in Indian operations.

Google has said it is investing $10 billion in India over five years and of that 4.5 billion will be with Mukesh Ambani's Jio, the technology and communications giant.

Facebook also plans a $5.7 billion investment and Intel $253.4 million in Jio.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
THE Government has taken the first step towards the introduction of temporary changes to company law that will allow general meetings to be postponed until the end of the year and raises the debt bar at which a creditor can issue a statutory demand.

The laws will also allow for general meetings - including annual and extraordinary meetings - to be held electronically "provided all those entitled to attend have a reasonable opportunity to participate".

Importantly for many firms, it will also permit those meetings to be held electronically even if a company's constitution does not allow them.

The general bill of a scheme to make amendments to the Companies Act to cater for the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has just been published by the Government.

Tanaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Leo Varadkar said in a response to a Dail written question that proposals on the amendments had been brought to Cabinet this week and were approved.

But there's no definitive date by which the new laws are expected to be introduced.

"In terms of timelines, Government has approved priority drafting of the Bill with a view to enactment as soon as possible," said a spokesperson for the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

The changes being introduced will also see an increase in the amount at which a creditor can issue a statutory demand, from 10,000 to 50,000 for an individual debt, or from 20,000 to 50,000 for aggregate debts owed to a single creditor.

"This amendment is intended to support viable businesses and ensure they are not wound up by the Court for relatively low levels of debt," Mr Varadkar said following a written question from Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell.

Mr Varadkar also said that companies will be able to hold virtual general and creditors' meetings under the new temporary legislation, in order to comply with obligations under the Companies Act.

Examinerships will also be able to be extended to a maximum of 150 days under the new rules.

Under the existing law, examinership can be granted by a court for 70 days in the first instance, while the protection from creditors can be extended by another 30 days in certain circumstances.

"The amendment seeks to provide businesses in examinership with additional breathing space as they attempt to restructure and trade through the pandemic," Mr Varadkar said.

"This extension is subject to court approval and in making its determination the court will consider the impact of Covid-19 and the impact any extension will have to the survival of the company and preservation of employment," he added.

The amendments to the Companies Act will also permit documents that are normally required to be executed under seal to be signed in separate counterparts.

"This is to address the situation where a company seal and its directors and secretary are in separate locations due to remote working," Mr Varadkar noted. "It is a small amendment but one with a practical impact that will reduce the administrative burden on companies," he added.
Netflix's Vikings spin-off series is due to start filming at Ashford Studios in August.

Shooting for Vikings: Valhalla was initially due to start earlier in the year but had to be postponed with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The hugely successful Viking series was shot in Ashford Studios between 2012 and 2018. Vikings: Valhalla begins 100 years after the conclusion of the original series and follows famed Viking Leif Erikson, who was the first European to travel to North America. Erikson's sister, a Viking warrior, and Harold Harada, a ninth century king of Norway, will also play major roles in the new series. William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England, will be a main character as well.

Creator Michael Hirst has welcomed news of the return to Ashford Studios.

He said: 'I am so happy that we are returning to Ireland and Ashford Studios in glorious County Wicklow, which has been our home for the last eight years. Our Irish crew, in my opinion, is the best and most professional crew in the world. And it has been a particular joy to me, shared with my producer Morgan O' Sullivan, that we have been able to give continuous employment to many hundreds of Irish men and women.'

Netflix has ordered 24 episodes of the new series.
Top Kerala bureaucrat M Sivasankar was on Thursday suspended pending inquiry in the gold smuggling case, days after being removed as Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, while an official of the UAE consulate here, a key witness, returned to his country.

The suspension of Sivasankar, also removed as IT secretary and is on a year's leave, was based on the report of a high-level panel headed by Chief Secretary Dr Vishwas Mehta, which enquired into allegations that the officer had close links with a key woman accused in the case.

Vijayan announced the suspension of Sivasankar for 'violation' of All-India Service Rules. The action came two days after the IAS officer was summoned by Customs officials and grilled for nearly nine hours lasting till around 2 am on Wednesday to find out if he had used his office to provide any help to key accused -- Sarith, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair.

The consulate official, who enjoys immunity under the Vienna convention, reached Delhi from here on Sunday and took another flight to the United Arab Emirates, sources privy to the development said.

"This development has been noted," an officer, part of the investigations, told PTI on Thursday. As the scam-hit the LDF government in the midst of COVID- 19 pandemic, the opposition Congress-led UDF and the BJP used it as ammunition to target the Chief Minister, demanding his resignation.

The Congress also demanded that Vijayan be questioned by the NIA and other agencies to unravel the truth. Vijayan said the government took action against Sivasankar based on the recommendation by the panel headed by the chief secretary.

"The committee has found that Sivasankar had violated the All India Service Rules. Based on the recommendation in the report, he has been suspended. The department-level enquiry will continue," he told reporters here.

The Customs had on July 5, seized gold, weighing over 30 kg and valued at around Rs 15 crore from diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE consulate. The probe into the case has been entrusted with the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has booked four people -- Sarith, Suresh, Nair and Fareed -- under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and barring Fareed others have been arrested.

The Customs is probing whether Sivasankar had used his office to provide any help to the key accused. On alleged fake certificate submitted by Sureshfor getting a posting in a project under the IT department, from which she has been removed after her name cropped up in the smuggling racket, Vijayan said the police was probing it based on the complaint filed by the concerned department.

A CBI probe as demanded by the opposition was not required, he added. When asked about the removal of Chief Minister's IT Fellow Arun Balachandran, following reports that he had made arrangements for getting a flat for Suresh, Vijayan said the person was appointed based on the recommendation of an expert panel and the matter was being probed by a central agency.

"A serious investigation is going on in the matter. I hope the probe will not be compromised. As of now, I do not feel there is any lapse in the ongoing investigation," he said. Reacting to Sivasankar's suspension, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said Vijayan should be questioned and only then the truth will come out.

"The chief minister tried his level best to protect Sivasankar. But all his efforts failed and he was forced to take action against the official. One thing is very clear that the Chief Minister is involved and he should be questioned by NIA and other agencies. His role should come out", he said.

Vijayan should also be brought under the probe's purview and he has the moral responsibility for the actions of his principal secretary, Chennithala said in a release.

The ruling CPI(M) has alleged that the gold smuggling case was being used by the BJP and the UDF to destabilise the LDF government. The issue was being used to target the chief minister, the party said in an editorial in its mouthpiece People's Democracy published on Wednesday.
Hitachi ABB Power Grids, a Swiss-based joint venture company that works with electricity grids, has significant confidence in Egypts domestic market, aiming to make Egypt a regional hub for energy

In interview with Ahram Online, country managing director for Egypt and North Africa at Hitachi ABB Power Grids, Mohamed Hosseiny, reveals the companys future plans and investments in Egypt and worldwide.

On Tuesday, Hitachi announced the acquisition of 80.1% of ABB for extended operations in Egypt and the region.

Ahram Online: How do you see business and the investment climate in Egypt?

Mohamed Hosseiny: Some people may be surprised that were launching a multi-billion dollar company in these extraordinary times. Actually, were convinced that now is the right time for our unique joint venture to start in the Egyptian market. Now more than ever, the world needs innovative energy solutions to address the huge challenges facing society. Only by balancing social, environmental and economic value in harmony can durable progress be made  the basis for our generation and those that follow. And this is why we believe that now is the right time for us, for Hitachi ABB Power Grids.

How do you see the incentives and procedures that the government introduced?

We see a perfect storm; the chance for government, consumers and industry to seize this moment to drive for a greener economic recovery by investing in a sustainable energy future, underpinned by modern infrastructure and power systems.

How do you assess the private sectors role in the Egyptian economy?

Since 1928, Hitachi has been well-established in Egypt. We have been the partner of choice for our customers and governments in their projects. We are aiming to support the government to transform Egypt into an energy hub for the Africa region.

What are the total investments of Hitachi ABB Power Grids in Egypt?

Globally, we are a $10 billion business (by business volume). Hitachi ABB Power Grids has two state-of-the-art production facilities in Egypt, located in the 10th of Ramadan Industrial Zone. The first has been renowned for manufacturing transformers and has been hugely successful in exporting to more than 30 countries across the MENA region, while the second is a high voltage products factory.

Why is Hitachi ABB Power Grids particularly focused on the Egyptian market?

Egypt acts as a hub for North and West Africa, covering more than 27 countries with branches and representative offices in Morocco and Cote dIvoire respectively.

How will the new acquisition (80.1 percent of ABB) benefit the company and Egypts efforts in electricity and energy sector development?

The joint venture is aimed at merging Hitachis leading open digital technologies with ABBs world-class power grid solutions, in order to play an active role in the global transformation and decarbonisation of energy. In Egypt, we are focusing on serving four key sectors. The first is the transport sector, serving power-fueled vehicles. The second is the industrial sector. The third is infrastructure and facilities, and the fourth reinforcing the implementation of smart cities. The new giant aims to thrive with green renewable resources.

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Mercury NashvilleTravis Denning's in the middle of a hot streak right now, having just taken his second single, "After a Few," all the way to the top of the country chart.

The Georgia native's luck extends to the water as well, he recently discovered, as he traveled to the outskirts of Nashville to hang out with one of his pals.

"Jake Owen lives out in Kingston Springs," Travis explains, "and he's got your full-on country superstar pond where it's not big and it's just full of big fish."

"Prior [to when] we were out there, he's like, 'Yeah, the smallest thing you'll catch in here is like three or four pounds,'" Travis continues. "He's like, 'But I put in three nine-pound bass in here, like the other day. So they're in there.'"

"And guess who got one of those three nine-pound bass?" Travis smiles.

The "David Ashley Parker from Powder Springs" hitmaker admits he had a pretty big reaction.

"I screamed like a little girl, man," Travis recalls. "Straight up! Like high-pitched screaming. I was shaking like crazy."

"That was pretty cool," he adds. "And I don't give a damn it's a pond that's stocked. It's like, you still gotta catch 'em. So I was pretty excited about that."

Travis has just released his follow-up to his first number one. "Where That Beer's Been" is the second single from his debut EP, Beer's Better Cold.

By Stephen Hubbard

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Merchants dont only need to worry about shoplifting from physical stores. Now shoplifting is happening both online and offline, causing an even bigger security issue for merchants and brands. According to the latest National Retail Security Survey retailers believed about one-quarter (26%) of theft is happening from online purchases while nearly half (49%) is happening in physical stores. Nearly 20% of fraud is committed multi-channel including buy online/pick up in-store options that retailers have rolled out to make shopping easier for consumers.

Between an increase in incidents and new ways to steal, shrink is at an all-time high, NRF Vice President for Research Development and Industry Analysis Mark Mathews said. Loss prevention experts are facing unprecedented challenges from individual shoplifters to organized gangs to highly skilled cybercriminals. Retailers are responding with both traditional methods and the latest technology, but this is an ongoing challenge that can only be won with the support of lawmakers and law enforcement.a

According to retailers, their biggest challenges include ORC gangs (61%) and ecommerce/cybercrime (59%), but just over half (58%) say employee/internal theft is a rising issue. Shoplifting and employee theft account for about two-thirds of retailers yearly shrink.

The shrink issue could become even more prevalent moving forward, especially in the ecommerce space, as more consumers have moved their purchases online because of the COVID pandemic. According to new Adobe data ecommerce was $77 billion higher in Q2 2020 than in Q2 2019, primarily because of the pandemic. For the first half of the year digital commerce totaled more than $368 billion.
Fruits currently ripe for picking are peaches and blueberries. There is a variety of fresh vegetables available, including potatoes, onions, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, field corn, sweet corn, peppers, peas and okra. There is an onsite cafe that serves homemade pies, fudge and ice cream  the perfect end to a day on the farm. The barn, pavilion and grounds can be rented for weddings, birthday parties, corporate events and more.

Under COVID-19 safety measures, visitors are not required to have a reservation, but should follow these guidelines:

Stay with your group and remember to social distance while in the fields and store.

When the store is busy and social distance is challenged, send one group representative into the store to pay for and/or order food and ice cream.

There are sinks for handwashing located in the restrooms. Hand sanitizer is located throughout the store.

Pick up cafe orders from the window located outside on the front porch.

The orchards allowed the sisters to carry on the traditions from childhood that they always dreamed of passing on to their own children.
Jammu:

Pakistani troops targeted on Tuesday Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district by opening fire and lobbing mortar shells.

There has been firing by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Nowshera sector since 8.45am, a senior army officer said.

There has been no casualty or injury to any one in the firing by Pakistan, he said.

Pakistani troops had on Monday targeted Mankote and Balakote areas of Mendhar sector in Poonch district. On November 6, two army jawans were killed and five others were injured as Pakistani army opened fire in an attempt to facilitate two infiltration bids along the LoC in Krishna Ghati and Poonch sectors.

There have been over 100 ceasefire violations along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir after the surgical strike.

The worst-ever Pakistani shelling targeting civil population took place on November 1 when eight persons, including two children and four women, were killed and 22 others injured along the IB and the LoC in five sectors of J&K.

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By Dr. Nehginpao Kipgen and Shivangi Dikshit





Dr. Nehginpao Kipgen Shivangi Dikshit
A Turkish Diplomat's Mysterious Death In Turkmenistan

By Bruce Pannier July 16, 2020

Turkish diplomat Kemal Uchkun had been stationed in Turkmenistan since January 2018.

On June 27, Uchkun realized his coughing fits that had started two days earlier were probably something serious.

He went to a hospital in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, where he was admitted with respiratory problems and treated for pneumonia.

He never left alive.

According to official records in Turkmenistan, Uchkun died of heart failure after being admitted to hospital with pneumonia in the midst of a sudden wave of deaths that Turkmen officials have attributed to pneumonia.

But one person familiar with the sequence of events leading up to Uchkun's death says the diplomat died from COVID-19.

That source, who requested anonymity over fears of reprisal for speaking out, told RFE/RL that Uchkun might have been saved had Turkmen officials not been so obsessed with clinging to the government's claim that coronavirus does not exist in Turkmenistan.

Uchkun passed away at night on July 7. A plane specially sent from Turkey took his body away for burial back home shortly after.

Negative Test Result

RFE/RL's source wanted to give their account of the events that occurred from the time Uchkun was admitted to the hospital until his death.

According to the source, Uchkun was being treated for pneumonia and doctors at the Ashgabat hospital gave him antibiotics.

The source says Turkmen doctors tested Uchkun for coronavirus on two separate occasions but, both times, said the results were negative.

As the Turkish diplomat's condition worsened, he obtained his medical records, including X-rays taken several days apart, and had them sent to several doctors in Turkey to get their opinions.

Those doctors in Turkey included physicians who specialize in treating coronavirus cases.

They believed it was more than 90 percent certain that Uchkun had the coronavirus and recommended Uchkun return to Turkey immediately for treatment.

On his seventh day in the hospital, Uchkun requested emergency evacuation.

But according to RFE/RL's source, Turkmen officials refused to allow a Turkish medical-evacuation plane to fly into Turkmenistan.

To some extent, this is not entirely surprising.

Since early March, Turkmenistan has rerouted all international flights arriving in Turkmenistan to the airport in the eastern city of Turkmenabat, several hundred kilometers to the east of Ashgabat.

The medical-evacuation plane that Turkey wanted to send was naturally requesting landing permission in Ashgabat where Uchkun was hospitalized.

This should not have been a major hurdle. But for some reason, it was.

Permission for the flight into Ashgabat was only granted on July 9, two days after Uchkun died.

From the time Uchkun received the opinions of the Turkish physicians until his death, doctors at the Ashgabat hospital continued to treat him with antibiotics.

Uchkun knew to ask for antiviral therapy. But doctors at the Ashgabat hospital continued treating him with antibiotics, which are ineffective against viral infections because they can't kill viruses.

Turkmen officials' insistence that the country has no cases of coronavirus defies reason.

Turkmenistan's neighbors -- Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Iran -- have registered tens of thousands of COVID-19 cases.

Unofficial information from inside Turkmenistan suggests the virus is already hitting the population hard.

Turkmen authorities have occasionally introduced measures that other countries have implemented to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

But in Turkmenistan, officials have never admitted that COVID-19 is the reason for the new public health measures.

For example, wearing masks was unofficially prohibited, with police actually removing masks from people's faces, until July 8, just after a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) arrived and the day after Uchkun died.

Suddenly, wearing masks in public became mandatory in the Central Asian former Soviet republic.

The official reason for the new mask rule was to protect people from dust. But dust blows regularly through Turkmenistan, as most of the country is desert.

When strong winds blow from the northeast, they often carry salt from the dried-up bottom of the desiccated Aral Sea.

There have never previously been calls from authorities for people to wear masks.

WHO Recommendations

That visit by the WHO team was originally scheduled for late April. But Turkmen authorities delayed the team's arrival for more than two months.

At a July 15 press conference, WHO mission chief Catherine Smallwood said the team visited all sites agreed upon in advance with Turkmen authorities.

She said the team had not seen or heard anything that would contradict the Turkmen government's assertion that coronavirus does not exist in the country.

However, Smallwood did recommend that Turkmen authorities act "as if COVID-19 was circulating" in the country.

She also commented on the "reports of increased cases of acute respiratory disease or pneumonia of unknown cause."

She said the WHO recommended "that surveillance and testing systems are scaled up, and that samples are sent to WHO reference laboratories for confirmed testing."

Turkmen authorities shut the country off from the rest of the world years ago, making it virtually impossible to independently verify the many claims of success the government continues to make.

Ashgabat has gone to great lengths to preserve their myths.

It is difficult to imagine that any person, particularly a foreign diplomat, would be allowed to die in order to maintain a government's claim that COVID-19 does not exist in the country.

But RFE/RL's source has no doubt that is exactly what happened to Uchkun in Turkmenistan.

RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk, contributed to this report

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/a-turkish- diplomat-s-mysterious-death-in- turkmenistan/30730856.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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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 08:07 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666f27c6 1 Editorial micro-and-small-businesses,small-and-medium-enterprises,economy,Internet,digital-transformation,infrastructure,#Editorial Free

Recent studies and data show encouraging signs about small and medium enterprises (SMEs) pivoting to adjust to new consumer demands and the need for digitalization against the backdrop of the ongoing pandemic, which is hitting the global economy hard.

Digital platforms are seeing an increase in first-time entrepreneurs listing their brand-new businesses online. On e-commerce and social media platforms, merchants have transformed their businesses and now focus on high-demand items from face masks and frozen or ready-to-cook meals to home decor and hygiene products, as consumer behavior shifts.

The speed at which SMEs are adapting to new consumer demand and digitalization is a breath of fresh air in the middle of massive layoffs and business closures all over the world. SMEs, which account for 60 percent of Indonesias gross domestic product (GDP) and 97 percent of domestic workforce, are after all the backbone of the domestic economy.

This backbone of the economy needs all-round support from the government, large enterprises and communities across the country. Big enterprises can contribute by involving as many small businesses as possible in their production or distribution processes. For local communities, the buy from local businesses mindset needs to be promoted. In fact, this spirit is what lay behind the rise of Asias economic giants.

The government needs to accelerate its Rp 123 trillion (US$8.8 billion) rescue funding for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), while at the same time addressing the demand side so consumers will have the purchasing power to support local small businesses, as well as widening access to the internet and financing.

A Mandiri Institute survey shows MSMEs that have an online presence are more resilient as they are more likely to continue producing and selling goods. Some 42 percent of offline MSMEs have stopped operating, compared with 24 percent for online MSMEs in the survey.

In fact, digitalized MSMEs can help Indonesia reduce 1.5 percent of the economic burden on its GDP caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the study. This rate is significant given that Indonesias economy is expected to grow by a mere 2.3 percent this year, the lowest in 21 years, or contract by 0.4 percent under the worst-case scenario, according to government estimates.

Unstable internet connections and difficulty in accessing financing continue to be the major roadblocks for MSMEs in digitalizing their operations, according to a recent Sea Insights survey. Having said that, internet infrastructure to bridge the digital divide and expand internet connections nationwide, the spirit of which is reflected in the governments Palapa Ring project, should be accelerated as well. Meanwhile, branchless banking programs and supporting licensed fintech need to be amplified.

Countries around the world are also rolling out SME rescue programs in recognition of their key role in the global economy, accounting for half of employment worldwide and 40 percent of national income. SMEs are a crucial element in preventing more job losses and an economic slump. By addressing their issues  demand, internet connections and access to finance  to boost SMEs resilience, Indonesia could save the economy from a projected 5.5 million job loss this year.
By Ayya Lmahamad

The Prosecutor-Generals Office has launched a criminal case in connection to Armenian troops crimes against Azerbaijani civilians, the agency said in a statement issued on July 16.

It is stated in the statement that starting from midday on July 12, the Armenian armed forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of the Tovuz region of the Azerbaijani- Armenian state border.

Through these provocative actions, Armenia openly violated the fundamental norms and principles of international law by openly attacking the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Armenian army units also deliberately and directly fired at densely-populate areas, committing crimes against civilians.

Military crimes committed by Armenian military personnel against the civilian population of Azerbaijan were registered and documented by the investigation group, operating at the place of incident. The military prosecutors office initiated a criminal case under the article 186.2.2 of the Criminal Code (intentional destruction or damage to someone else's property as a result of arson, explosion or other generally dangerous method that caused significant damage to the victim or caused serious consequences).

Relevant measures will be taken to ensure that members of the Armenian armed forces who have committed war crimes are brought to justice and punished in accordance with international law.

It should be noted that, as a result of cross-border fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan, started on July 12 with Armenia's firing artillery at Azerbaijan's positions in the direction of Tovuz region, Azerbaijani army lost several officers and soldiers. One civilian was killed as a result of artillery fire by the Armenian armed forces.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Let it go? Never! Frozen, the 10 million musical based on the Oscar-winning film, may have had to shift its West End opening from this autumn to next spring.

But the show will still reopen the magnificently made-over Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, with previews starting on April 2 and a grand official opening scheduled for April 14.

The venue has been undergoing a 65 million refurbishment  to restore it to its Regency glory  overseen by impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber, his wife Madeleine and Rebecca Kane Burton, chief executive of the couples LW Theatres group, which also controls the London Palladium.

Michael Grandage, whos directing Frozen, with Samantha Barks (right) as Elsa and Stephanie McKeon (left) as her sister Anna, said hes delighted with the innovations

The Lloyd Webbers have been at the forefront of plans to covid-proof our theatres, and demonstrated pilot measures to culture secretary Oliver Dowden at the Palladium. They include imaging cameras to check temperatures of theatregoers, performers and staff; silver ion door covers which are effective against pathogens similar to coronavirus; fogging machines, to coat seats and carpets with antiviral chemicals; and other safeguards introduced for the South Korean production of Phantom Of The Opera, which has been up and running for months.

The best of those protocols will be used at the Drury Lane and other theatres around the UK. The temperature checking technology is already up and running at the Drury Lane, keeping construction workers safe as they install doors that are held open magnetically, ensuring audiences need not touch a door handle, except in a powder room.

Michael Grandage, whos directing Frozen, with Samantha Barks as Elsa and Stephanie McKeon as her sister Anna, said hes delighted with the innovations. Were going into a completely refurbished theatre  a theatre with a massive history, he said.

Frozen is one of a handful of stage blockbusters that will be crucial in the fight to woo family audiences back to the theatre

The show will still reopen the magnificently made-over Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, with previews starting on April 2 and a grand official opening scheduled for April 14

Theres a new design were working on for Elsas ice palace, Grandage said. And a new song, too: I Cant Lose You, written by Oscar-winning team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who penned the rousing anthem Let It Go.

Frozen is one of a handful of stage blockbusters, including Mamma Mia!, The Lion King, Les Miserables and Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, that will be crucial in the fight to woo family audiences back to the theatre.

In a way, its also a perfect story for these strange times. The central theme is about a woman (Elsa) who puts herself into self-isolation, then joins society again, Grandage observed, wryly.

Joining Barks and McKeon at the Drury Lane will be Craig Gallivan, Obioma Ugoala, Richard Frame, Mikayla Jade, Ashley Birchall, and Oliver Ormson

(L-R) Gabriel Mokake, Emily Mae, Jeremy Batt, Leisha Mollyneaux Justin-Lee Jones, Jak Skelly, Jacqui Sanchez, and Jacob Maynard are also set to appear

Joining Barks and McKeon at the Drury Lane will be Obioma Ugoala (George Washington in Hamilton at the Victoria Palace) as the hunky ice-master Kristoff; Craig Gallivan as Olaf, the gormless but lovable snowman; and Oliver Ormson as scheming Hans. Gabriel Mokake and Jacqui Sanchez will play the King and Queen.

The rest of the company consists of: Richard Frame, Mikayla Jade, Ashley Birchall, Jeremy Batt, Cameron Burt, Lauren Chia, Laura Emmitt, Emily-Mae, Danielle Fiamanya, Hannah Fairclough, Matt Gillett, Joe Griffiths-Brown, Emily Lane, Justin Lee-Jones, Jason Leigh Winter, Jacob Maynard and Leisha Mollyneaux.

Rounding out the company are Sarah OConnor, Jemma Revell, Jak Skelly, Jake Small, Isabel Snaas, Joshua St. Clair, Monica Swayne and Anna Woodside.

(L-R) Joshua St Clair, Lauren Chia, Cameron Burt, Isabel Snaas Monica Swayne, Jason Leigh Winter, Hannah Fairclough, and Emily Lane also make up the cast

(L-R) Danielle Fiamanya, Joe Griffiths-Brown, Laura Emmitt, Matt Gillett Anna Woodside, Jemma Revell, Jake Small, and Sarah OConnor are also on the cast list

Grandage said that because everyone has been stuck at home, none of the cast members knows who else is in the show. Its like a family being announced, he said. They will all meet for rehearsals in early February.

The original Broadway cast of Frozen was a diverse one, and that will be true in London, too, Grandage told me.

I want people to come in from the street and watch a show thats at least representative of the place theyve just come from.

The original Broadway cast of Frozen was a diverse one, and that will be true in London, too, Grandage told me
By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Europe can do more in Libya by designating Russian military contractor Wagner Group and calling out Moscow and other countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Egypt that are violating a U.N. arms embargo, a senior U.S.

By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Europe can do more in Libya by designating Russian military contractor Wagner Group and calling out Moscow and other countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Egypt that are violating a U.N. arms embargo, a senior U.S. diplomat said on Thursday.

Europeans are "proud" about their naval mission in the Mediterranean Sea, carried out to help enforce the U.N. arms embargo on Libya, but their maritime interdictions have been limited to Turkey, David Schenker, assistant secretary for Near East Affairs at the State Department, told a virtual think-tank event.

"The only interdictions that they (EU) are doing is of Turkish military material that they're sending to Libya. Nobody is interdicting Russian aircraft, nobody is interdicting Emirati aircraft, nobody is interdicting the Egyptians," Schenker said.

"They could at least, if they were serious, I think, call them out - call out all parties of the conflict when they violate the arms embargo," he said.

Libya has descended into chaos after the NATO-backed overthrow of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since 2014, it has been split, with an internationally recognized government controlling the capital, Tripoli, and the northwest, while military leader Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi rules the east.

Haftar is supported by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia, while the government is backed by Turkey. It is a messy battlefield where foreign powers have been pouring in weapons and fighters in violation of the arms embargo.

Washington has increasingly voiced concern about the heavy involvement of Russian mercenaries as well as other external powers and has called for de-escalation, but fighting has persisted.

A U.N. report in May said Russian private military contractor Wagner Group has up to 1,200 people deployed in Libya, strengthening Haftar's forces.

"There is a lot more that they (Europe) could do. They could, for example, designate the Wagner Group. ... If they aren't going to take out a more robust role, then this thing is going to drag on," Schenker said.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
China's belligerence in eastern Ladakh is a reflection of its expansionist policy that was thwarted by a 'firm' and 'excellent' response by the Indian army, according to strategic affairs experts on Friday.

The experts also said China's military 'misadventure' may have been driven in part by President Xi Jinping's attempt to show 'gains somewhere" after the growing global criticism against his country over the origin of COVID-19.

Former Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor (retd) said China will have to incur a 'massive economic cost' as a result of its military belligerence in eastern Ladakh as well as in South China sea as more and more countries are voicing concern over its behaviour.

He called as 'excellent' India's response to the aggressive posturing by China in eastern Ladakh, saying the Indian troops are much better trained than their Chinese counterparts.

"Having suffered economic reverses, to retain his hold on the party and people, Xi Jinping had to show gains somewhere. A successful military adventure in eastern Ladakh would have bolstered his image domestically. However, it possibly did not work as per plan due to the firm Indian response," Gen Kapoor told PTI.

Noting that the West has extended support to India on Ladakh, he said in South China Sea even the smaller nations are raising their voice against Chinese expansionism and insisting on rule of law.

"COVID-19 has made the world distrustful of China. World opinion is gradually turning against them. This would affect their global production and supply chains, resulting in severe economic downturn.

"At the regional level too they do not want a competitor like India. Thus the adventurism in Ladakh."

China is facing intense global criticism over the origin of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed nearly 600,000 people globally besides wrecking the world economy.

The former army chief said there would definitely be economic and geopolitical costs due to China's belligerence.

Echoing General Kapoor's views, Lieutenant General D B Shekatkar (retd) said the aim of the Chinese military's aggression along the Line of Actual Control(LAC) in eastern Ladakh was to divert attention from growing global criticism against China over the origin of coronavirus.

"Chinese President Xi Jinping is facing a lot of domestic pressure for a variety of reasons including due to global criticism over the origin of COVID-19 in China's Wuhan province. The military misadventure was a ploy to divert attention from internal anger," Lt Gen Shekatkar said.

He said Chinese military resorted to aggressive behaviour in eastern Ladakh to help the Chinese president gain some lost ground.

Gen Kapoor, who was Chief of the Army Staff from October 2007 to March 2010, said there has been growing criticism against China over its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as well as its 5G technology.

The BRI is being opposed by a sizeable number of countries as it is being seen as a 'debt trap'.

The BRI proposed by China in 2013 seeks to develop a large number of connectivity projects linking Asia, Africa and Europe with an investment of billions of dollars.

"The Chinese will definitely have an economic cost. It's going to cost it big time. Their production line is bound to get affected as people would say we do not want your stuff and if that happens it will have a huge impact on the Chinese economy," said Gen Kapoor.

He also saw a collusion between China and Pakistan to corner India and said the number of ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir have witnessed an upswing following the eastern Ladakh faceoff.

"China and Pakistan always work in tandem. We have to be prepared to deal with them," he said.

Asked about India's response in eastern Ladakh, he said: "We responded excellently. We have excellent troops, much better trained than the Chinese and who can perform very well."

Gen Kapoor also pitched for increasing the country's defence budget as the security matrix in India's neighbourhood is changing rapidly. In a marginal hike, the defence budget was increased to Rs 3.37 lakh crore for 2020-21 against last year''s Rs 3.18 lakh crore.

The Indian and Chinese armies are locked in a standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh since May 5.

The tension escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.

However, following a series of diplomatic and military talks, the two sides began a mutual disengagement process on July 6 envisaging withdrawal of troops from most of the friction points.

On Tuesday, the two countries held a fresh round of Corps commander-level talks during which the Indian delegation conveyed a 'very clear' message to the Chinese army that status quo must be restored in eastern Ladakh and China will have to follow all mutually agreed protocols for border management, according to people familiar with the developments.

During the course of the 15-hour-long intense and complex negotiations, the Indian delegation apprised the Chinese Army about the 'red lines' and conveyed that the onus was largely on China to improve the overall situation in the region, they said.
Wreckage photographs of a mangled supercar which ploughed into a wooded area of a rural Welsh village have emerged following the teenage driver's arrest.

The 150,000 Porsche 911 GT3 RS was written off in a brutal crash on a roundabout in Tonyrefail, near Pontypridd, in the early hours of this morning.

Police tweeted pictures of the battered car, showing a shattered windscreen, a caved-in side and a gaping hole where a wheel has been ripped out.

A 17-year-old male is in custody in connection with aggravated vehicle taking and other driving offences, after he allegedly took the car from a family member without permission.

Wreckage photographs of a mangled supercar which ploughed into a wooded area of a rural Welsh village have emerged following the driver's arrest

Police tweeted pictures of the battered car, showing a shattered windscreen, a caved-in side and a gaping hole where a wheel has been ripped out

South Wales Police Roads Policing Unit tweeted: 'Male arrested for various offences by officers following an RTC (Road Traffic Collision) near Tonyrefail.'

The Porsche is capable of reaching breakneck 193mph speeds and can hit 60mph in just three seconds.

Much of the bodywork on the white Porsche has been torn out and is seen strewn on the grass in the woods.

A uniformed officer is seen shining a torch at the rear of the vehicle, of which the rear window also appears completely smashed in.

A deep dent on the roof suggests the car took serious impact and it also seems the steering while airbag was inflated.

Much of the bodywork on the white Porsche has been torn out and is seen strewn on the grass in the woods
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 16)  The founder of the COVID-19 testing firm LabX defended the high sensitivity rate of antigen test in identifying the presence of the deadly virus.

Thomas Navasero told CNN Philippines The Final Word on Thursday that antigen tests have sensitivity rate of around 93 percent contrary to the claim of Philippine Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo that antigen tests have only 34 to 80 percent sensitivity rate.

READ: FDA: Antigen tests for COVID-19 still not as accurate as PCR tests

In the last four to six months, technology and research have improved the sensitivity of antigen testing. The 93.8 percent is probably the highest sensitivity in the world, said Navasero, noting that its sensitivity rate was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Sensitivity in antigen tests measures the false negative test results for the virus, according to Navasero.

The LabX founder pointed out that the U.S. and many European countries are using antigen tests as main COVID-19 testing method, along with the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests.

Navasero mentioned that both RT-PCR and antigen tests can identify the protein of the coronavirus, resulting in higher chances of detecting the virus presence in a patient.

He also explained that antigen tests have 100 percent specificity rate, where it can fully identify if a patient is positive of the virus.

Navasero said he hopes that antigen tests can also be recognized as the gold standard for COVID-19 testing, as it can detect the presence of virus in just 15 minutes.

He added that there is no need to undergo a confirmatory RT-PCR test once an antigen test was taken.

The LabX founder further explained that antigen tests can also boost the countrys testing capacity and help the government reduce the cost in testing citizens.

At the cost of one BSL-2 (Biosafety Level 2) laboratory for COVID-19 which is about 25 million, that can acquire 100 machines for antigen testing," Navasero said.

"We can actually do one million tests per day with one thousand machines, he added.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam, empowered by the State President, presented the Friendship Medal to Seiji Hagiwara, Governor of Mimasaka city in Japans Okayama prefecture,

in recognition o his contributions to the growth of the Vietnam-Japan friendship.

Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam presents the Friendship Medal to Seiji Hagiwara, Governor of Mimasaka city







Speaking at a ceremony in Tokyo on July 16, Nam hailed the Japanese officials efforts for the development of ties between the two countries.

For his part, governor thanked Vietnamfor the honour. He said that in the 90s of the previous century when Vietnam was in difficult situation, the Vietnam-Japan relations had few opportunities to grow. At that time, he told himself to work for the expansion of the ties and then strived for the resumption of official development assistance for Vietnam.

He expressed his hope that on the basis of the current firm foundation, the Japan-Vietnam relationship will continue to thrive in the future.

Seiji Hagiwara was born in 1956 and worked at the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from 1980 to 1998, during which he actively lobbied the Japanese Government to resume the provision of ODA to Vietnam.

Since becoming the Governor of Mimasaka from 2018, he has made great contributions for the growth of the ties between the city as well as Japan and Vietnam./.VNA
A pretrial hearing in the Ahmaud Arbery murder case in Georgia featured a dispute over coronavirus face coverings on Friday, with a defense lawyer objecting to a George Floyd mask in court.

During an arraignment of suspect William Roddie Bryan, defense lawyer Kevin Gough called attention to a mask with the words "George Floyd" worn by courtroom spectator S. Lee Merritt, an attorney for Arbery's family.

Gough said it should not be allowed.

Ahmaud Arbery. (Courtesy of Family)

Floyd, who like Arbery was a Black man, died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25, setting off worldwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism. His death came a month after Arbery was confronted by three white men and gunned down in Brunswick, Georgia.

Gregory McMichael, 64, and Travis McMichael, 34, and Bryan, 50, have all been charged in connection to that slaying.

"If we are permitted to wear masks making political statements, then Mr. Evans and I and his office should be free to wear 'MAGA' masks if we wanted to in the courtroom," Gough said, referring to prosecutor Jesse Evans and President Donald Trump's campaign slogan.

"I imagine the court wouldnt appreciate that," Gough added. "And I think the same rules should apply and any political statements whether on masks, on lapels, bumper stickers, T-shirts. Whatever people (wear), this is not the place for political statements."

Image: (Glynn County Jail via AP)

Gough said only "content-neutral" masks should be allowed in court.

Chatham County Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley said he hadn't noticed Merritt's mask and overruled the defense request. But he left the door open for possibly revisiting the issue.

Im not one for games," Walmsley said. "If anything in the court becomes disruptive, its the courts position that that disruption will be dealt with. This is not a place to make a statement."

Later in the court day, Gough asked the judge to set bail for his client, insisting that he is not a flight risk and poses no danger to the community.

Story continues

The prosecutor, Evans, argued that Bryan faces a long prison sentence if convicted, which could be incentive to skip bail. Evans also revealed that prosecutors have obtained text messages from Bryan's phone which allegedly show that he regularly uses racist slurs.

" 'Working like an 'N' today,' " Evans quoted from an alleged text message of Bryan's. "There's just a ton of filth in this defendant's texts regarding that."

And Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arbery's mother, pleaded with the judge to keep Bryan locked up,

"He does not believe theres anything wrong with what he did. He wants this court or allow him to go home," she told the court. "I am asking this court to say, 'No.' He cannot go home. He did not allow my son to go home.

The judge denied Bryan bail.
Rating Action: Moody's affirms HD Supply's Ba1 CFR; changes outlook to negative

Global Credit Research - 16 Jul 2020

New York, July 16, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service (Moody's) affirmed HD Supply, Inc.'s (HDS) Ba1 Corporate Family Rating (CFR) and Ba1-PD Probability of Default Rating. Moody's also affirmed the Ba1 rating on HDS' senior secured term loan maturing 2023 and the Ba2 rating on the company's senior unsecured notes due 2026. The SGL-1 Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating is maintained. The outlook is changed to negative from stable.

The change in outlook to negative from stable results from ongoing economic uncertainty resulting in lower demand for maintenance and repair and operations (MRO) especially within the hospitality business. Further, Moody's expects that the potential for longer term disruption in these segments will have a more pronounced impact on the remaining HDS operations following the separation of the Construction & Industrial (C&I) business.

The rapid and widening spread of the coronavirus outbreak and the resulting economic contraction are creating a severe and extensive credit shock, greatly reducing demand for products used in the hospitality end market and limiting construction. Moody's regards the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under its ESG framework, given the substantial implications for public health and safety. Today's action reflects the impact on HD Supply of the deterioration in credit quality it has triggered.

HDS plans to separate by fiscal year-end 2020 (on or about January 31, 2021) its Facilities Maintenance and C&I businesses into two independent publicly traded companies, resulting in each company having a high degree of product and end market concentration. C&I is showing less volatility during the current economic downturn relative to the Facilities Management business. HDS will have only Facilities Maintenance once the separation is complete. Moody's believes that the hospitality segment within Facilities Management will be a drag on earnings well into 2021.

Story continues

"Despite revenue and earnings pressures credit metrics will remain good," according to Peter Doyle, a Moody's VP-Senior Analyst. "However, ongoing uncertainty within the hospitality business will have a greater impact on the remaining HD Supply operations following the planned separation."

The following ratings are affected by today's action:

Affirmations:

..Issuer: HD Supply, Inc.

.... Probability of Default Rating, Affirmed Ba1-PD

.... Corporate Family Rating, Affirmed Ba1

....Senior Secured Bank Credit Facility, Affirmed Ba1 (LGD3)

....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture, Affirmed Ba2 (LGD5)

Outlook Actions:

..Issuer: HD Supply, Inc.

....Outlook, Changed To Negative From Stable

RATINGS RATIONALE

HDS' Ba1 CFR reflects sound credit metrics despite reduced profitability. Moody's projects revenue will decline by 15% to $5.2 billion for fiscal year 2020 on a year-over-year basis. Moody's also forecasts adjusted operating margin contracting but remaining healthy at about 10.6% over the next year versus 11.5% for LTM Q1 2020. Management is reducing costs by lowering personnel expenses to meet the decline in demand. However, these efforts will be offset by decreasing volumes due to end market contraction, which reduces operating leverage and will contribute to the contraction in margin. Moody's projects leverage remaining near 3.0x through 2020. Interest coverage, measured as EBITA-to-interest expense, will fall towards 5.0x through the balance of fiscal year 2020.

HDS' SGL-1 Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating reflects Moody's view that the company will maintain a very good liquidity profile over the next year, generating free cash flow throughout the year. HDS also has abundant revolver availability and no near-term maturities. Its revolving credit facility expires in 2022 followed by the senior secured term loan maturing 2023.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

Factors that could lead to an upgrade:

(All ratios incorporate Moody's standard adjustments)

 Operating margin is sustained near 15%

 Debt-to-LTM EBITDA is maintained near 2.0x

 EBITA-to-interest expense sustained above 7.5x

 A very good liquidity profile is preserved

 Ongoing positive trends in end markets fuel sustained organic growth

Factors that could lead to a downgrade:

(All ratios incorporate Moody's standard adjustments)

 Operating margin is sustained below 10%

 Debt-to-LTM EBITDA is expected to stay above 3.0x

 The company's liquidity profile deteriorates

HD Supply, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the largest North American industrial distributors of products and services for maintenance, repair and operations, and specialty construction.

The principal methodology used in these ratings was Distribution & Supply Chain Services Industry published in June 2018 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1121974. 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.

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.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 97 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

At present, relative calm is observed in the Tovuz district direction of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, our settlements are not being shot at, but in general the tension remains, the ministry said.

Starting from July 12 afternoon, while grossly violating the ceasefire regime in Azerbaijans Tovuz district on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border, the Armenian armed forces opened fire at the Azerbaijani positions by using artillery.

As a result of the appropriate measures, the Armenian armed forces were silenced.

Azerbaijan lost sergeant Vugar Sadigov and corporal Elshad Mammadov, who died repelling the attack. Another serviceman of Azerbaijan's army Khayyam Dashdemirov died from wounds, despite the doctors' efforts.

The tensions continued on the border, July 12 night. During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, vehicles, as well as killed Armenian servicemen on the territory of the Armenias military unit.

Azerbaijani senior lieutenant Rashad Mahmudov was killed during the battles.

The battles continued on the night of July 13. Major General Polad Hashimov, Colonel Ilgar Mirzoyev, Major Namig Ahmadov, Major Anar Novruzov, Ensign Ilgar Zeynalli, Ensign Yashar Babayev and soldier Elchin Mustafazade became martyrs during the battles.

The battles continued on July 16, as one more serviceman of Azerbaijani army - Nazim Ismayilov was killed.

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.
Approximately five years ago, Danielle McKinstry graduated The University of Connecticut and landed her first job at Central Florida Hillel as engagement associate. During the ensuing five years, McKinstry received nearly annual promotions until her most recent one last year when she became Hillel's assistant director. As AD, McKinstry led an unprecedented period of growth in the numbers of Jewish students being active in Jewish life on our campuses here in Orlando.

Moreover, her work as a highly effective manager of the entire Jewish student life team eventually became the focus of a n...
Let's begin with a fact that undoubtedly contradicts the hysterics that you've routinely heard about the viral pandemic of 2020  COVID-19 is anything but an indiscriminate killer of those infected by it.

A new study, released by the CDC on July 10, finds that the median age of death where COVID-19 is involved is 78. Mathematically, what this means is that half of the people who have died with COVID-19 were over the age of 78, while the other half who have died were younger than 78.

That might sound normal, given that 78 is the statistical life expectancy for Americans. But we can glean vital information about the actual threat of COVID-19 from that statistic alone. Data show that there are around 22 million Americans who are 75 or older living in America. This means that roughly seven percent of our population (of ~328 million) is over the age of 75, and this logically yields an assumption that the other 93 percent is south of that age.

Here's the first of a few inconvenient yet undeniable truths. Half of the deaths attributed to COVID-19 have occurred among less than seven percent of the population, and the other half occurred among the other 93 percent of the population. Already, we have a pretty good idea as to who is most at risk when it comes to the risks of infection.

But we can actually demographically narrow down COVID-19 victims much more closely than that. Not only are those dying with COVID-19 often quite old, but they're usually very unhealthy as well. According to this same CDC study, over 75 percent of those who've died with COVID-19 had one or more "underlying medical conditions," and over half of them had two or more such conditions, defined in the study's footnotes as "cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease (including end-stage renal disease), neurologic conditions, immunosuppression, chronic liver conditions, or obesity." All of these, it should be noted, can be life-threatening conditions, even without the introduction of a novel coronavirus.

This is all critical information that's often been left out of the media's breathless reporting throughout the spring and summer about how everyone might die if young or healthy people are allowed to visit bars or restaurants.

Here's another crucial bit of information that you won't often hear. According to the New York Times, 42 percent of all COVID-19 deaths occurred among those who were "at some 14,000" nursing homes in America. Separate data from the CDC show that, in 2016, only 1.3 million Americans lived in America's 15,600 nursing homes.

Let's recap what the available data have shown us so far. Those dying of COVID-19 are overwhelmingly very old and most often very unhealthy, and nearly half of them lived in nursing homes, where less than one-half of one percent of our country's population lives. Though the media seem uninterested in reporting any of that, we know well, and as near to precision as we might expect in a viral pandemic, whom COVID-19 actually kills.

Equally well, the data show us whom it does not kill.

Provisional data on COVID-19 deaths can be downloaded at the CDC, and my recent observations in perusing that data are worth noting in today's environment, where there are widespread suggestions not to open our children's schools for classes in the fall.

Consider the below data, the most recent on the CDC website:

Age Demographic Sum of COVID-19 Deaths (2/1/20 through 7/8/20) Under 1 year 9 14 years 7 514 years 14 1524 years 149 2534 years 795 3544 years 2,026 4554 years 5,650 5564 years 13,808 6574 years 23,866 7584 years 30,369 85 years and over 38,048 Total COVID-19 Deaths 114,741

We notice that roughly four in five deaths occur over the age of 65. That's consistent with, say, influenza deaths in 201718. But a quick look at the other side of the spectrum yields what may be surprising conclusions that contradict the media narrative that your friends and neighbors may have imbibed wholesale.

Between the ages of zero and 24, we find that there has been a sum of 179 provisional COVID-19 deaths. None of this is meant to diminish the tragedy of these deaths, I want to be clear. But despite the much higher number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in 2020 than we'd find in an example of a bad flu season like 20172018, we find that this number of deaths among youth demographics is strikingly low by comparison.

The CDC's age demographic breakdown of 201718 flu season deaths is not identical to the COVID-19 data, but it's informative. In that flu season, influenza is estimated to have killed 643 children between the ages of zero and 17.

Age Demographic Estimated Number of Influenza Deaths (2017-18) 04 years 115 517 years 528 1849 years 2,803 5064 years 6,751 65 years and older 50,903 Total Influenza Deaths 61,100

This comparison excludes the 1824 age demographic for tallying estimated influenza deaths, yet despite the generous comparison, more than three times as many children aged zero to 17 are estimated to have died of influenza in 201718 than have died with COVID-19 in the child/young adult statistical age category of zero to 24 so far in 2020.

What this all tells us isn't the answer to some mystery. We know, specifically, who is statistically at risk and who is not statistically at risk. If you're older, or have serious underlying medical conditions, or live in a nursing home, you're far more likely to die from COVID-19 infection than a healthy person visiting a bar or restaurant or a child going to school.

In an article that I've referenced several times (here, here, here), noted epidemiologist Dr. David Katz didn't need to see all these data I've referenced to give America the prescription we needed back on March 20 in the New York Times. Using only very early American data and foreign data (the best of which came from South Korea), he concluded that our data were "entirely aligned with data from other countries." He continued:

The deaths have been mainly clustered among the elderly, those with significant chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease, and those in both groups. This is not true of infectious scourges such as influenza. The flu hits the elderly and chronically ill hard, too, but it also kills children[.] ... The clustering of complications and death from Covid-19 among the elderly and chronically ill, but not children (there have been only very rare deaths in children), suggests that we could achieve the crucial goals of social distancing  saving lives and not overwhelming our medical system  by preferentially protecting the medically frail and those over age 60, and in particular those over 70 and 80, from exposure.

He suggests that we should not shut down schools or the economy, favoring a more "surgical" approach of protecting those most at risk. In an incident of pure prescience, he writes:

There is another and much overlooked liability in this [social and economic lockdown] approach. If we succeed in slowing the spread of coronavirus from torrent to trickle, then when does the society-wide disruption end? When will it be safe for healthy children and younger teachers to return to school, much less older teachers and teachers with chronic illnesses? When will it be safe for the work force to repopulate the workplace, given that some are in the at-risk group for severe infection? When would it be safe to visit loved ones in nursing homes or hospitals? When once again might grandparents pick up their grandchildren? There are many possible answers, but the most likely one is: We just don't know. We could wait until there's an effective treatment, a vaccine or transmission rates fall to undetectable levels. But what if those are a year or more away? Then we suffer the full extent of societal disruption the virus might cause for all those months. The costs, not just in money, are staggering to contemplate. So what is the alternative? Well, we could focus our resources on testing and protecting, in every way possible, all those people the data indicate are especially vulnerable to severe infection: the elderly, people with chronic diseases and the immunologically compromised.

We failed to heed this advice back in March. It's too late now to avoid many of the "staggering costs" of this calamitous policy failure that Americans will lament for decades to come. Fairly or unfairly, it will be President Trump whom future generations will associate with this epic calamity. There's little that can be done about any of that now. But all of the observed data available today only strengthen Dr. Katz's assertions and early policy prescriptions. For the sake of our parents, our children, and countrymen who are suffering from this unprecedented "societal disruption," we need to wake up from the media's trance, observe the reality in front of our eyes, and act upon his sage advice immediately.

If Trump is wise, he'll sideline Dr. Fauci, who's been wrong about virtually everything, and follow the advice of Dr. Katz, who appears to have been wrong about nothing so far.
A private girls' school in Dorset with fees from 5,600-a-term and once attended by Camilla's daughter has plunged into administration and closed with immediate effect after a deal with Chinese investors collapsed in June.

St Marys Shaftesbury, a Roman Catholic boarding and day school, said it also faced 'considerable challenges' following the pandemic.

The Duchess of Cornwall's daughter, Laura Lopes, attended the school before going to Oxford Brookes university.

A general view of St Mary's Independent Girls School in Shaftesbury. The private day and boarding school shut permanently on Wednesday after a deal collapsed in June

The Duchess of Cornwall's daughter Laura Lopes is among some of the well-known alumni at the private school

The school for pupils aged nine to 18 shut permanently on Wednesday after the deal broke down one day before signed contracts were due to be swapped.

In a message on its Facebook page, the school announced: 'St Marys Shaftesbury has now permanently closed.

'We wish all our girls every success for the future, and thank them for making this such a happy school.

'"Be seekers of truth and doers of justice", wherever you go.'

The former convent school's board of governors said 40 parties stepped forward but no official offers were made before the July 6 deadline, according to Business Live.

They wrote: 'We have sought every other possible means of getting through the current situation including potential mergers, but without success.

'Without an investor, the bank is not prepared to extend our credit, and we have other pressing debts to pay.'

The letter also said the Covid-19 crisis 'wiped away' financial progress that had been made over the last few years.

The former convent school's board of governors said 40 parties stepped forward but no official offers were made before the July 6 deadline (general view of school entrance, above)

Fees for the school start at 5,600 a term for day pupils in years five and six, 6,950 a term for boarders and 7,350 a term for international boarders.

A GoFundMe page was created to save the school, which was once attended by the Duchess of Cornwall's daughter Laura Lopes before going on to study History of Art and Marketing at Oxford Brookes University, yesterday.

Flora McDonnell, an artist and prize-winning author of children's books, is also among the school's well-known alumni.

At the time of writing, 15,000 has been raised of the 1.5million target for the establishment with 118 people donating so far.

One former pupil wrote on the fundraising page: 'Many wonderful memories at this beautiful school along with lifelong friendships!'

Another person said: 'My daughter is an ex pupil and had an excellent education in the 90s'.

A third added: 'A lot of the best people I know went to this school, and the world needs more of them!'
(ANSA) - RIMINI, JUL 16 - Teen gangs are "running rampage' on the Romagna Riviera, local dailies said Thursday.

The youths, some of them of North African or Eastern European extraction, meet up in Italy's most popular beach resorts after coordinating their movements on social media, police were quoted as saying.

They have allegedly been responsible for a string of petty thefts and robberies along the iconic coastline as well as hooliganism and generally making mischief, dailies said.

On two recent separate occasions, in Riccione and Rimini, they allegedly threatened people with tasers.

The so-called "rampages" have been taking place at weekends recently. (ANSA).


A minister says the cull in Aragon province was ordered "to avoid the risk of human transmission".

Almost 100,000 mink at a farm in north-eastern Spain are to be culled after many of them tested positive for coronavirus, health authorities say.

The outbreak in Aragon province was discovered after a farm employee's wife contracted the virus in May.

Her husband and six other farm workers have since tested positive for the disease.

The mink, bred for their prized fur, were isolated and monitored closely after the workers became infected.

But when tests on 13 July showed that 87% of the mink were infected, health authorities ordered for all 92,700 of the semi-aquatic animals to be culled.

Authorities said financial compensation will be given to the company that runs the farm, based in a village 200 km (125 miles) east of Madrid.

Along with Madrid and Catalonia, Aragon is one of the coronavirus hotspots in Spain, where more than 250,000 infections and 28,000 deaths have been recorded since the start of the pandemic.

Joaquin Olona, Aragon's minister of agriculture, told reporters on Thursday that the decision to cull the mink was taken "to avoid the risk of human transmission".

Mr Olona stressed that it was not clear if "transmission was possible from animals to humans and vice versa".

But one possibility, he said, was that an infected farm worker unwittingly transmitted the disease to the animals. Another unsubstantiated theory was that the animals passed on the disease to workers, he said.

What do we know about animal-to-human transmission?

Studies have shown that the virus is contagious among certain animals, including cats and dogs.

Less is understood about the possibility of animal-to-human transmission, however, with researchers studying the risk.

There have been other cases of workers testing positive for coronavirus at mink farms in Denmark and the Netherlands, both major producers of the animal's fur.

In the Netherlands, tens of thousands of mink have been slaughtered in recent months after outbreaks were discovered at farms across the country.

The move came after the Dutch government said it had found two suspected cases of farm workers being infected by the animals in May.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said the infections could be the "first known cases of animal-to-human transmission" since the coronavirus pandemic began in China.

At a news conference in June, WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove said "there were individuals who infected the minks, people who infected the mink and in turn some of these mink infected some people".

"We are learning about what this actually means in terms of transmission and what role they [mink] may play," Dr van Kerkhove said. BBC
Two-year-old Yuki Okinaga Hayakawa waits at Union Station for a train that will take her and her mother to Manzanar. (Clem Albers)

Sitting on a suitcase in Union Station, waiting to be hauled off to Manzanar with her mom, Yuki Okinaga Hayakawa was the very picture of uncertainty.

The look on the 2-year-olds face is difficult to read, though dread comes to mind. She clutches a tiny purse in one hand and a half-eaten apple in the other. Ahead lay years behind barbed wire fencing in the Owens Valley along with thousands of other people of Japanese descent as America was pulled into World War II.

The photograph is hard to miss in the visitors center at the Manzanar National Historic Site and seems to beg the same questions from visitors: Who was this child? What happened to her?

Yuki and her mother were among the first to arrive and the last to leave Manzanar when the war ended, when they moved to Cleveland to start anew. She was taunted and subjected to racial slurs at school but remained remarkably buoyant. She won a college scholarship, earned a bachelors degree and ultimately a masters in fine arts. She married, had a son, became a college administrator, wrote a cookbook and developed a dry sense of humor with spot-on timing when she told a joke, which was frequently.

Though the photo of her sitting in the train station became iconic  appearing on book covers, billboards and displayed at exhibits  her death on March 8 was little noticed. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented her family from having a memorial, and no public announcement was made. Unwilling to let her death go unrecognized, a family friend from Long Beach reached out to the Los Angeles Times.

Yuki Okinaga Hayakawa Llewellyn was 80 and had been ill for some time, her friend Carol Norcross said.

As with many Japanese Americans who were uprooted, imprisoned and left with an uncertain future, the memories of Manzanar were seared into Llewellyns soul. She did research on the incarceration camp, wrestled with what it meant to be a Japanese American and shuddered at the thought that such a thing might someday happen again.

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People you elect into power are the ones that are able to do things like that, she told author and photographer Paul Kitagaki Jr. in his book Behind Barbed Wire. "But I dont see the numbers showing that the young people are voting, and that saddens me. Thats the only way you can control whats going to happen.

Yuki Llewellyn visits Manzanar in 2005. (Paul Kitagaki Jr.)

In 2005, Llewellyn returned to Manzanar for the first time since she was a child. For years the prison camp had been left to the elements and the scavengers, until all that remained were a pair of sentry towers and a cemetery. Manzanar was eventually proclaimed a national historic site, and a visitors center and other features were added. It is now both a destination and an enduring emblem of racial hysteria.

Llewellyn was initially torn about reopening the old wounds of Manzanar, said Norcross, who drove her friend up Highway 395 for the visit. But when she got there, there was little left of what she remembered.

There was nothing for her to really hang her thoughts or emotions on, Norcross said. There was nothing to say, I was here.

In a commentary published in the Pacific Citizen in 2005, Llewellyn said she gathered some sand, an old nail from the barracks and a random piece of bamboo as mementos, tucking them carefully into a sandwich bag. As she stood there, she said she finally understood why her mother had no interest in revisiting Manzanar.

As an adult, it would have been hell on Earth, she wrote. I was lucky to have been a child  a young child at that  I didnt know what it was like not to be incarcerated.

Her son David said as word got out that she was visiting Manzanar, people began coming up to her and apologizing for what the country had done. Some hugged her.

"Many were probably just kids like her at the time who couldn't believe that we had done such a shameful thing," he said.

Llewellyn met her husband, Don, while working on her thesis at Tulane University in New Orleans. The two later worked together on a theatrical production of Akira Kurosawas psychological thriller Rashomon. They later divorced but remained friends.

At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she rose from being a secretary to assistant dean of students, Llewellyn explored her ancestry and her own past. She brought noted Japanese Americans to speak at the university, celebrated when the campus opened an Asian American cultural center, and spoke out about Manzanar and Executive Order 9066, which set the wheels in motion for the creation of the camps following the bombing at Pearl Harbor.

The Manzanar War Relocation Center officially closed Nov. 21, 1945. (Los Angeles Public Library)

In her research, Llewellyn discovered that her father, who had left her mother before the two were hurried off to Manzanar, was also detained at the camp. Among the thousands of other prisoners at the camp, she had never seen him.

Later in life, when she tried to find him, she discovered he was already dead.

At Manzanar, Llewellyn gazed at the childhood photo and the memories came tumbling back.

The happiest moment is the fact that I did discover something that I have been looking for all my life, she wrote in the commentary. The closure will be if I can write about it.

Llewellyn is survived by her son, her daughter-in-law and three grandchildren.
Armenia and Azerbaijan reported no serious ceasefire violations along their border on Friday after several days of heavy fighting that left at least 16 soldiers dead and dozens of others wounded.

The Armenian military said late in the afternoon Azerbaijani forces only fired small arms at its positions in Tavush province, the scene of the fighting, and did not targeted local border villages in the past day.

No artillery or other heavy weapons were used, a military spokesman, Artsrun Hovannisian, told a news briefing in Ijevan, Tavushs administrative center.

Hovannisian said that tension has eased considerably. In essence, things are calm and there is no gunfire right now, he said.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman, Vagif Dargahli, also described the situation in Azerbaijans Tovuz district bordering Tavush as calm. The Armenian army has stopped shelling Azerbaijani villages but is continuing to shoot at our frontline positions, he said, according to Azerbaijani news agencies.

The hostilities broke out at a Tavush-Tovuz border section on Sunday in still unclear circumstances. Each side accused the other of attacking its army posts in the mountainous area.

At least 12 Azerbaijani servicemen, including a general and a colonel, were killed in the clashes. The Armenian army reported four combat deaths within its ranks.

Hovannisian said 36 other Armenian soldiers were wounded in the clashes. Only ten of them are currently in hospital, he said, adding that one soldier remains in a critical condition.

The provincial town of Berd and several Tavush villages were shelled by the Azerbaijani side during what was the worst flare-up in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone in years. Many local residents spent nights in basements and bomb shelters. A resident of the village of Chinari was seriously wounded in Thursday in what Armenian officials described as an Azerbaijani drone attack on his car.

The mayor of another Tavush village, Nerkin Karmiraghbyur, told reporters on Friday that about a dozen local houses were seriously damaged by Azerbaijani artillery fire. Other locals said some of the women and children living in the community were evacuated for security reasons earlier this week.

Azerbaijani authorities have reported, for their part, Armenian mortar and howitzer fire on Azerbaijani villages located across the heavily militarized border.
After successfully raising cash from the Jio stake sale and rights issue, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is now putting money into domestic debt funds. Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate is putting nearly $4.7 billion or Rs 35,000 crore into debt mutual funds, Bloomberg reported citing unidentified sources.

The cash is being parked into ultra-short and money-market funds, and others with an average of three-to-five year maturities, the report said.

Earlier this week, Google became the 13th investor to pick up a stake in RIL's telecom and digital business in a span of less than two months. The deal would take total investments in Jio to Rs 1,52,055.45 crore for a combined 32.97 per cent holding. Besides major investors Google and Facebook, other global investors now include chipmaker Qualcomm, Abu Dhabi's two largest sovereign investment arms - Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Mubadala, private equity firms Silver Lake, Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, KKR, TPG, L Catterton and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The mega Rs 53,125 crore rights issue of RIL was subscribed 1.59 times, cumulating to an overall commitment of over Rs 84,000 crore. The RIL rights issue - the largest such offering by a non-financial company in the world in the past 10 years - received overwhelming response from investors, including from lakhs of small investors and thousands of institutional investors, both Indian and foreign. The public portion of the rights issue was subscribed 1.22 times. In June, Reliance said that it had become free of net debt.Also read: Shiv Nadar quits as HCL Tech chairman, hands over reins to daughter Roshni

Also read: Big GST scam! 1,377 'untraceable' exporters claim IGST refunds worth Rs 1,875 crore
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MILAN  Borsalino was founded 163 years ago, but owner Haeres Equita is actively taking measures to keep the company up to date and in tune with the times.

The world has completely shifted and we are adapting practically and reactively to the new order of things, said executive chairman Philippe Camperio. The hat specialist participated in Milan digital fashion week by leveraging the Camera della Modas virtual showroom and showing its mens spring 2021 collection.

Camperio is especially proud of having succeeded in maintaining the brands traditional production facilities in Italys Spinetta Marengo, near the town of Alessandria, while implementing new industrial measures, productivity and efficiency yet increasing employees health and safety.

The company has a production capability of 150,000 pieces a year, internally manufacturing the brands staple felt hats, between 70,000 to 80,000 pieces a year, and straw panama hats for a total of between 30,000 and 35,000 units a year. Borsalino has also extended its offer to textile and wool hats, outsourcing some parts of that production, but with plans to internalize these as well.

In September, the brand will present its womens collection. When we arrived at Borsalino, the womens category accounted for 20 percent of sales, Camperio said. As per our business plan, we think we can increase that consumers share to 50 or 55 percent by 2023. Today, womens hats represent 32 percent of revenues, so we are well in line with that plan, which proves that our strategy is working. Its interesting to see that in some of our own stores our ladies shares have overtaken mens. This is very encouraging.

Camperio explained that in taking over Borsalino, we established a three-way development strategy. One is territorial, the other is catering to a younger consumer and the third is brand extension.

Story continues

Borsalino is fully and well represented in the U.S. as well as in China, but Camperio is focused on further developing the two markets.

Speaking of a potential younger customer, the executive said that generation is very demanding and not yet geared to felt, thats why we are introducing wool and textile because we know they are keen on this.

Camperio is looking at introducing new product categories. We have tested the market and now we are holding off [given the current scenario], but its in the plans.

In 2018, winning the auction set up by the labels administrators through a deal valued at 6.4 million euros, Haeres Equita ended the troubled journey that started in December 2015 when it first took over the hatmaker, which had been hit by financial problems following the arrest of previous owner Marco Marenco for fraudulent bankruptcy and tax evasion related to a web of holdings.

Haeres Equita already owned the right to use the brand name, which it acquired in July 2017 from bank Mediocredito for a sum of 18 million euros.

Camperio addressed a complex, lengthy and expensive journey to acquire Borsalino. I can genuinely say that we have not been lucky and now its even more challenging with COVID-19. Having said that, I am very proud to point out that in the three months of emergency we put together a think tank with a limited management team, heads of business units, to completely reshuffle our strategy. We are relatively small so we can be reactive and proactive and we can exit COVID-19 much stronger than if we had done nothing, he observed. I am very proud of what we have achieved. We had two priorities, one was to protect employees and I am happy to say that out of 140, not one was affected. We took very strict measures, had the [fall 2020] event on Feb. 22 during Milan Fashion Week and two days later we had implemented protections, sent everyone home safe, well ahead of many other brands and the government.

The other priority was to protect the brand and its legacy. We immediately rethought our production and business models. The idea is to gradually enter the fashion market, we believe we have a very strong chance and we could have a foothold given our legacy and market positioning.

Borsalino will focus on carryovers and bestsellers, which account for 70 percent of sales. The company does not need to be influenced by fashions traditional calendar or brands. We have very loyal clients, and our intention is to keep supplying these clients on a monthly basis. The company will also work on four capsule collections, two of which will be aimed at collaborations with other brands and two will be themed.

Watching market trends, colors, shapes and materials, we plan to be very innovative on capsules and limited editions. Asked if Borsalino might be planning to produce hats for fashion brands, he did not elaborate, adding, Not yet but soon.

Borsalino is also launching an online store; it has completely restructured its business-to-consumer platform with a new web site that is more content-driven and more interactive as well as user-friendly, Camperio said. We are very happy we completed this in less than six weeks, he touted.

The company is also launching a business-to-business platform for wholesale accounts and e-tailers with very fast time-to-market deliveries.

Before, when we were following fashion calendars and the two traditional seasons, we manufactured felt hats in seven weeks, delivering products between July and September. The production to sales cycle was quite long, five months. Now, with the new business model, working on a constant stock basis, we have deliveries every six weeks. This will grant wholesale clients more flexibility, avoiding very large orders twice a year, with the risk of missing sell-throughs. This way, we can monitor sales orders every six weeks, its innovative and disruptive, and we can do this because we own our production facility, and we will be able to cater to our clients this way as of fall 2020.

Camperio said that, by placing the pieces on the brands B2B platform, they can be in stores 30 days later. This has taken a lot of work, we have revisited our production cycle in terms of sourcing materials, leveraging the versatility of the team, and finishing the product as per a specific order.

The company has 10 stores, including one in Paris, and Camperio said that he has been working on developing traveling pop-up stores, which are expected to be rolled out by January next year. Borsalino counts 350 wholesale clients worldwide.

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As a combat veteran, I served 24 years to protect your right to freedom of speech and your constitutional rights, and thats what I stand here for todayto protect the constitutional right of freedom of speech, as long as you do it within the limits of the law. Once you break the law, youre in a different territory. You have a whole new set of rights, which begins when you have the right to remain silent.

If you elect Bill Baker as your mayor, you can bet that I will be standing not behind our police, but right beside our police to enforce the laws of this city. I will also be standing right beside those peaceful protesters who have the right to free speech. Ill stand right there with them as long as theyre doing it within the limit of the law.

We have a homeless problem in Enterprise. What are your ideas on addressing and helping with this problem?
As the topic of face masks continues to be a focal point for many across Texas, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough said Thursday that focus on face coverings has led residents to abandon other important precautions to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

The first-term judge made headlines in April after announcing he would not follow Harris Countys lead and issue a mask order for residents citing no legal basis for a government to enforce such a mandate.

While Keough has maintained his stance on the issue, a spike in cases both locally and statewide prompted him to urge residents to follow all CDC guidelines to stay healthy during the current health crisis.

On Thursday, the Montgomery County Public Health Department confirmed 177 new cases. That brings the total number of cases in the county to 4,501. Of those, 2,088 are active. Health officials also confirmed the countys 46th death. The Magnolia man in his 60s was hospitalized at the time of his death. Total hospitalizations, both county and non-county residents, is 233 with 65 of those in ICU.

MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR: Montgomery County judge takes aim at Abbotts order to close bars, calling it 'ludicrous'

The CDC has given us some reasonable guidelines, he said in a video statement posted on social media. As I go around Montgomery County, I see people wearing masks everywhere. But what I have noticed is with the emphasis on masks, we have forgotten about some of the other elements of the CDC guidelines.

The CDC recommends the following measures in a public place: stay at least six feet from others at all times; wear a cloth face covering to help protect yourself and others; wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; and bring hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol to use if soap and water are not available.

Its this easy, he said. Coronavirus is not going away. Are we going to let the culture die? Are we going to move toward a shutdown? Are we going to do a slow bleed until we close down? Or are we going to practice those things we know will help us articulate through this difficult time?

Here is what I am asking you to do, practice those (guidelines).

Keoughs message comes on the heels of health officials announcing a backlog in cases causing the number of reported cases to skyrocket. Montgomery County Hospital District spokeswoman Misti Willingham said the health department will now report all cases it receives from area labs, not just the cases staff has investigated for more information such as sex, age, location and most importantly, the status of the person.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Coronavirus live updates: Paxton says religious schools can defy local restrictions

As a result, some of the positive cases confirmed could include people who have already recovered from the virus.

For Keough, the more residents that follow all the CDC guidelines, the sooner the number of cases will decrease.

If we all work at this together, we are going to keep Montgomery Count strong, we are going to stay open and we are going to get through this, he said. But we need your help. You and me, we have the power to keep Montgomery County open and beat this virus.

For those needing to be testing, MCPHD has launched an online registration process for its voucher program for both symptomatic and asymptomatic. The testing is for Montgomery County residents only.

To get a voucher, go to mchd-tx.org or mcphd-tx.org and click on the need to be tested link. Fill out the information. A voucher will be emailed. Once you have the voucher, make an appointment at your choice of testing center and get tested.

For more information, the MCHD/MCPHD COVID-19 Call Center is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Call 936-523-5040.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 19:59:20|Editor: huaxia

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PUL-E-KHUMRI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Six civilians and three police officers were wounded in a bomb attack in Afghanistan's northern province of Baghlan on Friday, a local official confirmed.

"Nine wounded people were admitted at a main provincial hospital Friday morning. Some of the affected people sustained serious wounds," Haleem Ghafari from provincial health directorate told Xinhua.

The incident occurred when an improvised bomb struck a police convoy on the outskirts of Pul-e-Khumri in the morning, a provincial police source told Xinhua anonymously.

Provincial police chief Wais Samimi who was in the motorcade did not get hurt in the incident, he said.

The province has been the scene of heavy clashes between Taliban insurgents and government security forces within the past several weeks.

The police official blamed Taliban for the attack. Enditem
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Cloudy early with thunderstorms developing later in the day. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm during the evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 36F. WSW winds shifting to N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

A telephone conversation was held between Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend on July 17.

Zalkaliani extended congratulations to Bayramov on his appointment.

The parties exchanged the views on a wide range of strategic partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia and stressed that the efforts to develop these relations will continue.

Having informed his Georgian counterpart about the Armenian armed forces' attempt to attack the Azerbaijani armed forces in the direction of Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border and the suppression of this attempt by Azerbaijan, as well as about the difficult situation in the region, Bayramov emphasized the importance of ending Armenias aggressive policy, the withdrawal of all occupation forces from the territory of Azerbaijan and ensuring the integrity of internationally recognized borders of the countries.
MUNICH, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Userlane (Userlane.com)  a leading Digital Adoption Software platform - has successfully completed a $11.5 million Series B financing round led by Five Elms Capital with participation from Series A investors Capnamic, High-Tech Grunderfonds (HTGF), and main incubator, early-stage investor of Commerzbank Group. The investment will fuel Userlane's U.S. and European expansion and accelerate product development with the goal of helping enterprises around the world improve adoption of the growing number of software solutions crucial to running an organization.

"We see that  especially given current market conditions  our customers are introducing software solutions to manage an increasingly remote workforce. Each of these customers is relying on Userlane to help employees adopt software faster and to effectively handle the increased demand for software support. With this new investment, we are able to expand our presence globally and accelerate our product roadmap, all while providing our customers with optimal support across different markets and time zones," says Hartmut Hahn, CEO of Userlane.

Joe Onofrio, Partner at Five Elms Capital adds, "The need for digital adoption solutions is growing exponentially as enterprises deploy more and more software to manage an increasingly complex and distributed workforce. Hartmut and his team have fostered an incredible culture, and built an impressive product, all with limited resources. We are excited to help the company build upon the foundation of success and significantly increase its market presence."

Userlane has seen a surge of demand since March

Despite this time of economic uncertainty, the number of companies that rely on Userlane's technology has been increasing rapidly. In addition to fast-growing technology companies such as Celonis, Personio, and Freighthub, large global organizations such as Beiersdorf, Linde, and Allianz started working with Userlane to empower their users and employees.

At the core of Userlane's technology are interactive step-by-step guides that layer on top of any browser-based software. These guides can be built with no technical knowledge and lead users through complex processes directly in the application. In contrast to video tutorials, Userlane communicates live with software users by using automatically gathered data from the underlying application to guide them through hundreds of actions. Users, through their own actions, can learn how to complete any task within the software platform, which in turn, increases adoption.

The trend towards an increasingly remote workforce and the costs associated with the introduction of software to manage a more complex organization put companies under enormous pressure. Userlane has been purpose built to help companies accelerate their digitization efforts and drive efficient and accurate software adoption. With Userlane, customers reduced their training and support costs by up to 75%, rolled out new software and/or processes three times faster and onboarded end-users in half the time. Userlane's platform has and will continue to help companies be more agile and react quicker to new challenges.

About Userlane

Userlane is an award-winning digital adoption platform that helps companies around the world to maximize the adoption and use of software. By implementing interactive in-app tutorials and real-time contextual support Userlane helps users to become familiar with new software. With over 200 customers globally, the company is one of the top 50 tech start-ups in Europe and ranks 26th on the FAZ list of top German companies. Further information can be found at www.userlane.com .

About Five Elms Capital

Five Elms Capital is a global investor in fast-growing B2B software businesses that users love. Five Elms provides capital and resources to help companies accelerate growth and further cement their role as industry leaders. For more information, visit www.fiveelms.com .

About Capnamic Ventures

Capnamic Ventures ( www.capnamic.com ) is one of Europe's leading early-stage Venture Capital firms, with offices in Berlin and Cologne. The VC invests most of its funds in tech startups in the German-speaking region. Capnamic also joins forces with international co-investors. All portfolio companies are supported through Capnamic's global network of investors and industry partners. The vast expertise of the Capnamic team includes more than 80 investments, a high turnover of successful trade sales and IPOs, as well as a strong entrepreneurial track record within the investment team.

For more details: www.capnamic.com .

About main incubator

main incubator is the research & development unit and the early-stage investor of Commerzbank Group. It examines future technologies of relevance to business and society, as well as promotes and develops sustainable products, solutions and infrastructures. Through strategic investments in tech-driven start-ups, main incubator already supports innovations at an early stage and makes them available for Commerzbank and its customers.

About High-Tech Grunderfonds

High-Tech Grunderfonds (HTGF) is a seed investor that finances high-potential, tech-driven start-ups. With around EUR 900 million in total investment volume across three funds and an international network of partners, HTGF has already helped forge almost 600 start-ups since 2005. HTGF's focus is on high-tech start-ups in the fields of digital tech, industrial technology, life sciences, chemistry and related business areas.

www.htgf.de/en

Press contact:

Manon Raschke

[email protected]

SOURCE Five Elms Capital

Related Links

www.fiveelms.com


Florian Krammer, a virologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, wonders if Johnson & Johnson can live up to that promise, given that it has never made Ad26 at anywhere close to this scale.

Making a couple of million doses over several years for clinical trials is very different than producing hundreds of millions of doses within months for the market, he said.

Johnson & Johnson has said it will distribute the vaccine on a not-for-profit basis. Speaking in March to the Belgian newspaper De Tijd, Dr. Stoffels calculated a cost of ten dollars per vaccine. In a follow-up interview, he said that the price would not be set until the company finished making an initial supply.

Amid a pandemic, critics say Johnson & Johnson should not be allowed to set the terms. If we get a vaccine, it should be free and available to everybody, said the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, the president of the North Carolina N.A.A.C.P. and a critic of Johnson & Johnsons drug pricing.

How do you get these big, massive awards to produce a vaccine without any rider on the money saying it must be used in a way that its affordable to everybody? he asked.

For now, no one knows if the vaccine will actually work. Dr. Barouch and his colleagues are getting ready to inject the Ad26 vaccine into hundreds of volunteers in Boston in late July. Researchers will not only observe whether the vaccine is safe but also look at the antibodies it prompts the volunteers to make. If those trials produce promising results, Johnson & Johnson will run a much larger one in the fall to see if the vaccine is effective.

At the same time, Dr. Barouch and his colleagues are planning a third round of experiments on monkeys. They want to inject the animals with antibodies against the coronavirus and then infect them. By giving different monkeys varying doses, the investigators hope to figure out what level of antibodies in the human body is required to prevent Covid-19.
Turkish Defence Industries Chief Vows to Keep S-400 Secrets Safe

Sputnik News

19:22 GMT 16.07.2020(updated 19:34 GMT 16.07.2020)

Late last month, a US senator suggested that the diplomatic spat between Turkey and the US over the Russian-made S-400 air defence system could be resolved if Washington simply bought the recently delivered systems from Ankara by tacking the expense on to the 2021 National Defence Authorization Act.

Turkey will keep any sensitive information it has related to the S-400 air defence system safe, Defence Industries president* Ismail Demir has said.

"Russia has expressed concern about the [safety] of data about the S-400, and Turkey promises to protect this information," Demir said, speaking at a recent panel discussion, as quoted by Turkey's Milliyet newspaper.

The Turkish government's decision to purchase S-400s in late 2017 caused a major cooling in Turkish-US relations, with Washington ultimately booting Turkey out of the F-35 fighter jet program and canceling the delivery of dozens of the fifth-generation fighter jets to the country. Last week, US lawmakers urged Pentagon chief Mark Esper to speed up the pace at which Turkey is removed from the F-35's supply chain, and expressed support for sanctions against Washington's NATO ally under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

On Wednesday, the US State Department included the Turkstream pipeline to its list of potential CAATSA targets.

In late June, Republican Senator John Thune proposed buying out Turkey's S-400s to enable President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to get "out of the jam he put himself in" by buying the systems in the first place.

Omer Celik, press secretary of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, responded to Thune's suggestion by stressing that Turkey would be the S-400s' "final user," and that Ankara had no legal grounds to resell the systems to any third country.

Turkey reportedly resumed testing of its S-400 air defence systems against its US-made F-16 and F-4 fighter jets at the Murted Air Base outside Ankara earlier this month, proceeding despite warnings from Washington that it could lead to new sanctions.

First introduced into service with the Russian military in the mid-2000s, the S-400 is Russia's most advanced road-mobile air defence platform, and designed to shoot down everything from aircraft and drones to ballistic and cruise missiles. Along with Turkey, Russia has exported the system to China and Belarus, and has signed a $5.5 billion contract to deliver four regiments of S-400s to India.

* The presidency of Defence Industry is a government post aimed at managing and coordinating Turkey's defence industries, and supplying them with military technology.

A Sputnik

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China US South China Sea In this photo provided by U.S. Navy, the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Carrier Strike Groups steam in formation, in the South China Sea, Monday, July 6, 2020. China on Monday, July 6, accused the U.S. of flexing its military muscles in the South China Sea by conducting joint exercises with two U.S. aircraft carrier groups in the strategic waterway.(Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jason Tarleton/U.S. Navy via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Trump administration escalated its actions against China on Monday by stepping squarely into one of the most sensitive regional issues dividing them and rejecting outright nearly all of Beijings significant maritime claims in the South China Sea.

The administration presented the decision as an attempt to curb Chinas increasing assertiveness in the region with a commitment to recognizing international law. But it will almost certainly have the more immediate effect of further infuriating the Chinese, who are already retaliating against numerous U.S. sanctions and other penalties on other matters.

It also comes as President Donald Trump has come under growing fire for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, stepped up criticism of China ahead of the 2020 election and sought to paint his expected Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, as weak on China.

Previously, U.S. policy had been to insist that maritime disputes between China and its smaller neighbors be resolved peacefully through U.N.-backed arbitration. But in a statement released Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. now regards virtually all Chinese maritime claims outside its internationally recognized waters to be illegitimate. The shift does not involve disputes over land features that are above sea level, which are considered to be "territorial" in nature.

The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire, Pompeo said. America stands with our Southeast Asian allies and partners in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources, consistent with their rights and obligations under international law. We stand with the international community in defense of freedom of the seas and respect for sovereignty and reject any push to impose 'might makes right' in the South China Sea or the wider region.

Although the U.S. will continue to remain neutral in territorial disputes, the announcement means the administration is in effect siding with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, all of which oppose Chinese assertions of sovereignty over maritime areas surrounding contested islands, reefs and shoals.

Story continues

There are clear cases where (China) is claiming sovereignty over areas that no country can lawfully claim, the State Department said in a fact sheet that accompanied the statement.

In a statement Monday night from its embassy in Washington, China accused the State Department of deliberately distorting the facts and international law. It added that the U.S. exaggerates the situation in the region and attempts to sow discord between China and other littoral countries. The accusation is completely unjustified. The Chinese side is firmly opposed to it.

China also accused the U.S. of interfering in disputes in which it was not directly involved and throwing its weight around in every sea of the world.

We advise the US side to earnestly honor its commitment of not taking sides on the issue of territorial sovereignty, respect regional countries efforts for a peaceful and stable South China Sea and stop its attempts to disrupt and sabotage regional peace and stability, the embassy statement said.

The U.S. announcement came a day after the fourth anniversary of a binding decision by an arbitration panel in favor of the Philippines that rejected China's maritime claims around the Spratly Islands and neighboring reefs and shoals.

China has refused to recognize that decision, which it has dismissed as a sham, and refused to participate in the arbitration proceedings. It has continued to defy the decision with aggressive actions that have brought it into territorial spats with Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia in recent years.

However, as a result, the administration says China has no valid maritime claims to the fish- and potentially energy-rich Scarborough Reef, Mischief Reef or Second Thomas Shoal. The U.S. has repeatedly said that areas regarded to be part of the Philippines are covered by a U.S.-Philippines mutual defense treaty in the event of an attack on them.

In addition to reiterating support for that decision, Pompeo said China cannot legally claim the James Shoal near Malaysia, waters surrounding the Vanguard Bank off Vietnam, the Luconia Shoals near Brunei and Natuna Besar off Indonesia. As such, it says the U.S. will regard any Chinese harassment of fishing vessels or oil exploration in those areas as unlawful.

The announcement came amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and China over numerous issues, including the coronavirus pandemic, human rights, Chinese policy in Hong Kong and Tibet and trade, that have sent relations plummeting in recent months.

But the practical impact wasn't immediately clear. The U.S. is not a party of the U.N. Law of the Sea treaty that sets out a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. Despite that, the State Department noted that China and its neighbors, including the Philippines, are parties to the treaty and should respect the decision.

China has sought to shore up its claim to the sea by building military bases on coral atolls, leading the U.S. to sail its warships through the region in what it calls freedom of operation missions. The United States has no claims itself to the waters but has deployed warships and aircraft for decades to patrol and promote freedom of navigation and overflight in the busy waterway.

Last week, China angrily complained about the U.S. flexing its military muscle in the South China Sea by conducting joint exercises with two U.S. aircraft carrier groups in the strategic waterway. The Navy said the USS Nimitz and the USS Ronald Reagan, along with their accompanying vessels and aircraft, conducted exercises designed to maximize air defense capabilities, and extend the reach of long-range precision maritime strikes from carrier-based aircraft in a rapidly evolving area of operations.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea and routinely objects to any action by the U.S. military in the region. Five other governments claim all or part of the sea, through which approximately $5 trillion in goods are shipped every year.
New Delhi, July 17 : The Uttar Pradesh Police have informed the Supreme Court that gangster Vikas Dubey did not surrender after the Ujjain police verified his identity and took him into custody. Later, this information was shared with the UP police.

Clarifying on the change of vehicles in the incident, the UP police said Dubey was taken in the STF vehicle from Ujjain to Guna (253 kms). "From Guna, he was handed over to the investigating officer Ramakant Pachuri who took him in his SUV.... accused was sitting between constable Pradeep Kumara and Pachuri in the middle seat when the accident took place. Accused Dubey was being transferred from vehicle to vehicle to ensure security and alertness", said the UP police affidavit in the apex court, answering more than dozen questions associated with the alleged encounter of Dubey.

How did police accurately fire four bullets? The police said, "This claim is incorrect. Actually six bullets were fired by police. Only three hit the accused. It was a close and face to face exchange of fire in self-defence by police." Why was he not handcuffed? The UP police replied, "There were 15 policemen and 3 vehicles to escort the accused directly to the court at Kanpur. He had to be produced at Kanpur within 24 hours before the court which was expiring at 10 am on July 10." Why was the media stopped 2 kms away? The UP police said no media was stopped by it. Media vehicles continuously followed the police vehicle from Ujjain and did a live telecast. The police claimed that there was a traffic jam at the checkpoints, and the vehicles of two media houses had immediately reached the accident site.

Clarifying gunshots were heard by locals but there were no witnesses to the accident, the police said "no locals came to the site claiming they had heard gunshots. Near the accident site there was no habitation/houses. Due to heavy rains, there was no pedestrian movement also. Video of heavy rains is recorded." Vikas Dubey had an iron rod implant in his leg and was spotted limping in Ujjain, then how could he escape by running? The police responded, "Accused was perfectly mobile. He had run for more than 3 km on July 2-3 after brutally killing 8 policemen. The video recording at Mahakaal Ujjain shows that accused was walking/moving very well. His fast and covert travel across several states in a couple of days is a clear testimony of his perfect mobility." What secrets he had with him that could have exposed the nexus between him and the police/politicians? The police said, "The government of Uttar Pradesh has constituted a judicial inquiry commission to inter alia enquire into the alleged collusion of accused and his associates with police and other departments." The police also informed the apex court that there was no decision at any stage to bring back Dubey on a chartered plane, as a team of STF had left from Lucknow by road to join the existing raiding teams at Guna, and one STF team was already stationed at Gwalior for intelligence collection and arrest.
Gabon's President Ali Bongo has appointed Christiane Ossouka Raponda as prime minister, the first woman to become the head of government in the West African country.



The 56-year-old replaces Julien Nkoghe Bekale, who held the post for 18 months.



"The priority mission of the new prime minister will be, above all, the economic revival and the continuation of the social support of the Gabonese people in a world context marked by the consequences of the crisis linked to Covid-19," La Libreville website said.



Ms Raponda, who previously served as the mayor of the capital, Libreville, was appointed defence minister in February 2019 after a failed coup against President Bongo. He had been convalescing in Morocco at the time after suffering a stroke in Saudi Arabia in October 2018.



Mr Bongo has not been seen in public for weeks. However, he is reportedly expected to travel abroad for a holiday amid rumours about his health.

Source: BBC









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Coordinated exit strategies crucial to avoid virus second-wave in Europe

Research by the University of Southampton shows European countries need to work together when lifting lockdown measures, to prevent COVID-19 cases rising again on the continent.

A study by WorldPop, experts in population mapping, has found any resurgence of the virus would be brought forward by up to five weeks if well-connected countries prematurely end their non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), such as social distancing and self-isolation, without coordinating efforts. This would give less time to expand testing programmes and develop new treatments or vaccines. Detailed findings are published in the journal Science.

Lead author of the study, Dr Nick Ruktanonchai comments: "Our study shows the timing of any second epidemic across Europe depends on the actions of countries that are populous, well-connected and currently have strong interventions in place. The uncoordinated easing of NPIs can lead to much earlier secondary epidemics, while coordination can mean much higher likelihoods of eliminating all local cases."

Director of WorldPop, Professor Andy Tatem, says: "Intergovernmental organisations, such as the World Health Organization, have stressed the importance of international solidarity to share resources and expertise to combat COVID-19. Our results underline this and suggest that coordination between countries removing lockdown measures is vital. One country ending NPIs before others could lead to an accelerated resurgence of the disease."

The researchers used anonymised Vodafone mobile phone data and a Google mobility dataset to provide information on trends of population movement. They combined this with publicly available COVID-19 infection data. Using a sophisticated model, the team ran multiple exit strategy scenarios - each estimating the effect of relaxing different lockdown measures in different country combinations among 35 European countries, to examine how this affected virus spread in Europe over a six month period (April 2020 onwards).

The researchers concluded that if countries work together, it could greatly improve the likelihood of ending community transmission of COVID-19 throughout the continent. In particular, they showed that synchronizing intermittent lockdowns across countries would lead to half as many lockdown periods being necessary to achieve an end to transmission of the virus among people in Europe.

Across 1200 simulations, the researchers found that if countries synchronised implementation and relaxation of NPIs, an end to community transmission (over the six months period) was always the most likely outcome. If this was achieved, it would shift the emphasis to testing, tracing and quarantining cases coming to the region from elsewhere.

The study also showed that certain countries have a higher potential to cause a resurgence of COVID-19 than others. France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK were all identified as being a greater risk to triggering any new wave of infection.

Furthermore, the way in which each country would contribute to any resurgence varies. For example, Germany was shown as most likely to spark epidemics in neighbouring countries, whereas virus spread from France tends towards adversely affecting main population centres continent-wide. This suggests the most effective interventions may depend on the country considered. For instance, airport closures might be more useful for France, while limits on local travel may be more effective for Germany.

The researchers believe their approach could be used to study virus resurgence beyond Europe and plan to undertake future work to examine the effect of coordinated relaxation of NPIs at a global level.

###

Notes to Editors

1) The paper 'Assessing the impact of coordinated COVID-19 exit strategies across Europe' is published in the journal Science and is available to view here: https:/ / science. sciencemag. org/ lookup/ doi/ 10. 1126/ science. abc5096

2) For more information about WorldPop at the University of Southampton visit: https:/ / www. worldpop. org/

3) The University of Southampton drives original thinking, turns knowledge into action and impact, and creates solutions to the world's challenges. We are among the top 100 institutions globally (QS World University Rankings 2019). Our academics are leaders in their fields, forging links with high-profile international businesses and organisations, and inspiring a 22,000-strong community of exceptional students, from over 135 countries worldwide. Through our high-quality education, the University helps students on a journey of discovery to realise their potential and join our global network of over 200,000 alumni. http://www. southampton. ac. uk

4) Other contributors to the study:

- Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA - Google, Mountain View, USA - Vodafone Group, London, UK - College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA - Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA

For further information or interviews contact:

Peter Franklin, Media Relations, University of Southampton. Tel: 07748 321087 Email: p.franklin@southampton.ac.uk

http://www. southampton. ac. uk/ news/ contact-press-team. page

Follow us on twitter: http://twitter. com/ unisouthampton

Like us on Facebook: http://www. facebook. com/ unisouthampton

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
QUINTAIN, a UK-based property developer, has received planning permission to build 245 new homes in Lucan, County Dublin.

The homes, which are all build-to-sell, are made up of 213 houses, 16 duplexes and 15 apartments.

Construction on the site, which has a gross development value of around 82m, is due to begin at the end of the year, with the first homes coming onto the market in the middle of next year, according to a statement from the group.

Led by Michael Hynes and former banking executive Eddie Byrne, Quintain is the property arm of Lone Star.

Quintain started operations in Ireland after Lone Star pulled the plug on plans to float its Irish development business on the stock market in conjunction with builder Durkan Residential.

The Lucan site, known as 'Tandy's Lane Village' is close to Quintain's 'Somerton' development where phase one of that project is complete.

Quintain has also reached "agreement in principle" with the Department of Education to build a new primary school at Tandy's Lane.

The two are targeting a 2023 opening for this school.

Michael Hynes, joint managing partner of Quintain Ireland, said: "We are delighted to be making further progress on our residential pipeline in the Lucan area with this planning approval for Tandy's Lane Village."

Elsewhere, Quintain is developing 220 acres in the Adamstown/Lucan area of Dublin, where it plans to build over 4,000 homes and 600,000 sq ft of commercial space.

The company's land portfolio covers 460 acres of assets at Adamstown, Clonburris, Portmarnock, and Cherrywood.

When these sites have been fully developed, they will make Quintain the third largest residential developer in the country.
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Linkedin Sausan Atika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 14:36 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406671a152 1 City Education,social-aid,DKI,enrollment,public-school Free

The Jakarta administration ended its public school enrollment period last week, but its effects are still felt among underprivileged students and their financially-strapped parents.

Titin Suwanti, 52, still feels bewilderment every time she thinks about her childs tuition. She has had to enroll her 15-year-old son, Kamali Ridhlo, at a private vocational school in South Jakarta, because she was not able to secure a spot for him at a local public school.

Titin makes ends meet by doing odd jobs, mostly as a cook for catering services. But the COVID-19 outbreak has affected the business and she is unable to find another source of income. Titin has two school-aged children and a husband who suffered a stroke under her wing.

For her sons private school, she has to pay a Rp 2.6 million (US$177.82) admission fee and Rp 310,000 monthly tuition.

At the very least, Titin was grateful that the city administration would be paying for some of the fees  her son is an eligible recipient of the Jakarta Smart Card Plus (KJP Plus) program, which aims to provide financial aid for students from lower-middle-income households.

The administration will pay Rp 240,000 for monthly tuition and another Rp 450,000 for other school purposes for vocational high school students studying in private schools, according to provisions on kjp.jakarta.go.id.

But state assistance is not always enough.

Titin said she had asked the school to allow her to make payment in arrears, especially for the admission fee.

I said that if I have the money, God willing, I will pay for it. Alhamdulillah [thank God], the school understands, she told The Jakarta Post this week.

I really hope the fees can be paid off by the administration because in private schools, we still have to buy books and other things that will cost us more money.

Titin said her son wanted to go to a public senior high school (SMA) located near his old junior high school (SMP) but he was pushed out of the registration list by kids who were older but had lower academic scores.

Read also: Jakarta parents protest age discrimination in school enrollment

Kamali is not alone. There are about 300 hundred students  KJP Plus recipients  who are unable to continue studying at public schools this year, according to Syah Dinihari, chairman of the Indonesian Education Advocacy Volunteers (RAPI) group.

Some among them have enrolled in private schools while others have not, mostly because they cannot afford the admission fees, Syah told the Post recently.

The parents of those students staged a protest in front of City Hall on Monday. They demanded the administration evaluate this years selection criteria and to help KJP Plus recipients continue their studies.

This years public school enrollment procedure in Jakarta uses a combination of zoning and preferential systems. Both systems use age as a determining factor in the selection process, replacing the system based on national exam scores from last year.

This change has sparked anger among parents whose children are unduly affected, even though the Education and Culture Ministry has said the policy does not violate regulations.

The relevant ministerial decree stipulates that age could be used as a determining factor if the quota was already filled but there were students on the waiting list who lived a similar distance away from a particular school.

It would be difficult to monitor distance as it was something that could be easily circumvented, city education agency head Nahdiana said, citing instances where parents purchased property close to a school to secure enrollment.

From this years enrollment process, there were 7,758 vacant seats at all public school levels, which comprise 6.71 percent at elementary schools (SD), 0.79 percent at SMP, 0.7 percent at SMA and 1.72 percent at vocational high schools (SMK).

Most vacant seats in elementary schools were located around commercial office buildings  further away from residential areas  and in Thousand Islands province. However, Nahdiana insisted there would be no further enrollment to fill the vacant seats.

Under the current circumstances, she said the agency had been collecting data on prospective students held back by an economic burden.

We are collecting data on children who were not accepted into states schools, specifically KJP Plus recipients. We are also coordinating with the Religious Affairs Ministry so that [potential students] are accepted at schools under the ministrys authority, the official said, referring to madrasah (Islamic schools), on Tuesday.

Nahdiana also said the agency was communicating with private schools on accepting potential applicants who were unable to pay admission fees.

Imam Parikesit, chairman of the Private Education Consultative Bodys Jakarta chapter, said the city education agency had asked to be given six months to come up with a solution for payment in arrears for school admission fees borne from students under financial distress.

Satriawan Salim, the deputy secretary-general of the Federation of Indonesian Teachers Associations, said the education agency should fulfill its commitment to providing financial assistance for formal education to students from lower-to-middle-income households.
The Minority in Parliament has accused the Akufo-Addo administration of politicising recruitment into Ghanas security agencies.

Addressing the press in Parliament on Friday, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said the government has undertaken a recruitment process without giving the required notice.

He described these alleged recruitments into the army, police service and immigration service as being clandestine in nature.

The Minority Leader also said this constitutes a form of discrimination by the New Patriotic Party government.

There is some training going on at the police depotsThere is some training going on between [the depots] Tesano and Pwalugu. This is not an acceptable public service practice, Mr. Iddrisu said.

Due process has been ignored by this government and by the political administration to serve their narrow partisan interests that will undermine their cohesion.

The idea of a public notice allows every eligible Ghanaian citizen desirous of to apply, he noted further.

Mr. Iddrisu said the Minority will be demanding a response from the Ministers of Interior and Defence.

I will accordingly be filing an urgent question to demand that, the Minority Leader assured.

Police suspend training of recruits; issue measures to curb COVID-19 spread

As part of efforts to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country, the Ghana Police Service suspended training of its recruits in March 2020.

In a statement, the leadership of the Ghana Police Service said recruits training activities have been suspended. Recruits other than the final/passing out squad have been released to go home until further directives.

It is unclear whether the Minoritys claims of an ongoing training by the security agencies has anything to do with the earlier recruits that were asked to go home following the COVID-19 pandemic.

 citinewsroom
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 12:50:53|Editor: huaxia

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HAVANA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Cuba announced Thursday that it will eliminate a 10-percent tax on U.S. dollars.

"Removing penalty on the U.S. dollar will benefit Cubans on the island and abroad alike. This will provide them with more purchasing power," Cuban Economy Minister Alejandro Gil told state TV Mesa Redonda Internacional.

The tax, which has been effect since 2004, will be lifted on July 20, to absorb more hard currency in response to the country's economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the tightened U.S. economic sanctions, Gil said.

The decision will allow citizens to use dollars to buy food, hygiene products and other goods via bank cards from nearly 70 stores.

Since last year, Cuba has begun to allow the public to buy with dollars imported goods such as electronics and car parts sold at state-operated stores. Enditem
The life of a missing teenage girl from the City of Rio Bravo may be in jeopardy, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Veronica Montiel, 14, was last seen on June 6 in Rio Bravo near her residence. She has medical issues but does not have the needed medications with her, according to the FBI.
Russia denounces Western bids to politicize humanitarian aid deliveries to Syria

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 1:49 PM

Russia has strongly condemned efforts by a number of Western countries to politicize delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria for the sake of their own interests, saying such efforts violate the Arab country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"The situation in Syria has been changing radically six years after authorization for a mechanism to bring life-saving humanitarian aid into Syria due to the fact that the Syrian government has regained control over large parts of the country and effectively contributes to aid delivery to local residents. Russia, therefore, considers it futile to extend the temporary and urgent cross-border mechanism for humanitarian aid delivery into Syria infinitely," said a statement late on Wednesday by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Syria's official news agency SANA reported.

The statement added that deliberations seen during the June 11 session of the United Nations Security Council clearly revealed the discrepancy among some Western states concerning respect for principles of the international humanitarian law and highlighted their attempts to exploit the humanitarian aid mechanism as well as unilateral coercive measures aimed at increasing the sufferings of Syrian people.

The Russian Foreign Ministry finally hoped that the cross-border mechanism would not be politicized, and that humanitarian aids are delivered to all Syrians in coordination with the Damascus government.

Separately, Russian Permanent Envoy to the United Nations Office in Geneva Gennady Gatilov told Russian-language daily broadsheet newspaper Izvestia that "the Americans and their allies actively seek to take advantage of the mechanism for humanitarian aid delivery into Syria in order to achieve their own political goals there."

"The goal is, in fact, to undermine the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly through creating political and economic preferences for areas not controlled by Damascus. It is well known that militants from anti-government groups are in charge there," Gatilov noted.

"By pursuing such a policy, the West clearly seeks to continue providing support to militants active in areas that the legitimate [Syrian] government doesn't control, with an eye on annexing these territories. Illegal and unilateral sanctions are also being used as a tool to achieve this goal since they continue to worsen the living conditions of Syrians," the diplomat underlined.

Gatilov emphasized that Russia would steadily oppose such a politicized agenda, which is against the UN Charter.

On Monday, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia condemned the exploitation of the cross-border mechanism for aid deliveries to Syria by some members of the UN Security Council, and their disregard for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

"Terrorist organizations positioned in Idlib use the humanitarian aid as a tool to exert pressure on civilian residents, and gain advantages. There is direct and indirect evidence for that," SANA quoted Nebenzia as saying in a statement carried by Russian RIA Novosti news agency at the time.

He added, "Moreover, some foreign parties exploit the mechanism of the cross-border aid deliveries to Syria in a way that threatens secession of a number of areas from the rest of the country."

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  Caloocan Bishop Pablo David is temporarily taking over the helm of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.

David, who is currently the vice president of the religious group, confirmed to CNN Philippines on Friday that CBCP President and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles had a stroke on May 21 and is now recovering.

The stroke was mild, but it was aggravated by a hospital-acquired pneumonia, David said in a text message. Archbishop Valles has been discharged from the hospital already and is now recuperating well in his residence in Davao City."

He added that on June 28, Valles requested him to serve as Acting President of the CBCP.

David is an outspoken critic of President Rodrigo Dutertes bloody war on drugs. He had been a target of Dutertes tirades against the Catholic Church, and he has belied accusations hurled against him by the President.

Early this year, state prosecutors dropped the inciting to sedition complaint filed by the police against David, other priests, and members of the opposition, including Vice President Leni Robredo.
The only life insurer cited in the top five is OnePath Life Ltd. Meanwhile the bottom half is made up of life insurance companies TAL Life Ltd, MLC Ltd, AIA Australia Ltd, and AMP Life Ltd. Non-life insurer Insurance Australia Ltd, which is another IAG entity, sits at number seven.

The top 10 insurers generate 71% of their business from non-life, while the remaining 29% comes from life, noted GlobalData insurance analyst Deblina Mitra. Life insurers are vulnerable due to an expected rise in claims due to COVID-19 and difficult conditions for investment.

Non-life insurance providers, however, have their own exposures to contend with.

A fall in retail sales and the resulting bankruptcies put pressure on the trade credit lines, said Mitra. The leading trade credit insurers are reported to have stopped issuing new products.

Property and motor lines, on the other hand, are seeing a decline in claims due to the pandemic-induced prevalence of remote work arrangements.
At the height of their fame in 1976, ABBA unbelievably fronted an Australian campaign for National appliances (now Panasonic) even rewriting the lyrics to Fernando.

An Australian film crew travelled to Sweden to film 5 commercials.

To think what they could charge for the same campaign now.
ATLANTA - Gov. Brian Kemp has prohibited local officials from mandating mask-wearing in public and sued the city of Atlanta on Thursday to block it from enforcing a requirement that people wear face coverings to help stem the spread of coronavirus.

Kemp's move comes as state and local officials nationwide are increasingly requiring people to wear masks in public - the governors of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado and Montana this week mandated face coverings, as did Walmart for shoppers in its stores.

Kemp said Wednesday he would prohibit municipalities from requiring people to wear masks, a decision that spurred confusion and hand-wringing by local officials and medical professionals throughout Georgia, who argued that jurisdictions should be able to decide whether to require masks.

The decision by Kemp, who was the first governor to lift coronavirus restrictions and reopen his state in April, escalated a spiraling political battle with local Democratic leaders over what rules they could put in place to help stem the spread of the virus.

Kemp sued Atlanta Thursday night. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms mandated mask-wearing last week, shortly after announcing she tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

"As of today, 3,104 Georgians have died and I and my family are amongst the 106k who have tested positive for COVID-19," Bottoms said in a statement. "A better use of taxpayer money would be to expand testing and contact tracing. If being sued by the State is what it takes to save lives in Atlanta, then we will see them in court."

The lawsuit reads: "Governor Kemp has the power to suspend municipal orders that are contradictory to any state law or his executive orders. Local governments, such as the city of Atlanta, do not have the ability or authority to regulate or control the State of Georgia."

At least 16 cities and other local jurisdictions across the state have issued new rules over the past two weeks requiring people to wear masks as the number of coronavirus cases has skyrocketed. Georgia now averages more than 3,500 new cases of the virus per day, according to Washingon Post data, well over double the rate of spread in April.

Kemp, a close ally to President Donald Trump, has previously said mask mandates are unenforceable. But he has also encouraged mask-wearing, donning one himself and crisscrossing the state on a "mask tour," holding events where he encouraged their use. Kemp signaled during the tour that he did not plan to challenge local mandates.

"Quite honestly, we don't have time for politics. We're looking at protecting lives," he said earlier this month.

Savannah, Athens, Decatur, Hinesville and Rome have mandated mask-wearing in recent weeks.

Then, hours after Kemp met Wednesday with President Trump at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the governor issued an executive order banning cities and counties from requiring masks.

Bottoms and other local officials expressed defiance and frustration, suggesting Kemp's decision drew more from politics than it did from science or law.

"It is my belief that the city of Atlanta still has appropriate standing to mandate masks, especially as it relates to buildings that we own and operate," Bottoms said at a news conference Thursday, hours before Kemp filed his lawsuit. She added that it was only after "it was noted" that Trump had not worn a mask during his visit, violating the city's order, that "suddenly the governor took a stance."

Kemp spokesman Cody Hall declined to say whether Kemp and Trump discussed mask-wearing. Hall said the executive order was consistent with an earlier order that barred local jurisdictions from enforcing coronavirus-related rules that were more or less restrictive than the state's.

"The order signed yesterday only continues that standard," Hall said in a statement. "The Governor continues to strongly encourage the use of masks and hopes that local officials will begin enforcing the existing guidelines on social distancing, large gatherings, and business regulations that have been in place for months." Hall said some of the cities that required masks were not enforcing the governor's social distancing guidelines, but he did not elaborate further.

The tug of war and mixed messages over masks has stoked confusion and skepticism about their effectiveness. Research has shown that wearing face masks reduces the risk of coronavirus infection. Still, masks have become a symbol of partisan divide.

One Georgia state representative from an Atlanta suburb said Thursday he remains unconvinced masks are effective in preventing the virus's transmission.

"For me, I need to see the absolute 100% scientific data that either all masks work for everybody, or that only certain types of masks work for certain types of folks," said Micah Gravley, a Republican, of Douglasville, who said he rarely wears one. "I've known people who have worn a mask from Day One, they've been very regimented in social distancing, and lo and behold they got coronavirus."

Many public officials and epidemiologists have expressed fear that such views are contributing to reckless behavior they say is fueling the spread of the virus.

"I think that we're all equally bewildered and frustrated by what's happening," Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, a Democrat, said in an interview Thursday. "It feels like we're fighting our own state to keep our citizens safe."

In neighboring Alabama, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced a statewide mask mandate. To the south is Florida, currently leading the country in new cases.

"All we're saying to the governor is: If you are not going to protect us, allow us the means to protect ourselves," said Johnson, noting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is headquartered in Atlanta, has repeatedly urged mask-wearing as one of the best available measures to stop the spread of the virus.

"All I want to do is get us beyond covid-19. And that's why we instituted this order," Johnson said, arguing that people are more likely to respect a law than a guideline.

A document prepared for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and obtained by the Center for Public Integrity on Thursday, identifies 18 states, including Georgia, that fall into the "red zone" for new coronavirus cases, meaning that as of last week, they were seeing more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people.

Kerwin Swint, a political science professor at Kennesaw State University in suburban Atlanta, said Republicans such asKemp feel pressure to be on the same page as the president - who has derided masks and wore one in public for the first time Saturday - even as coronavirus cases skyrocket. But Swint also suggested that even Kemp may eventually join others who have broken with the president to try to slow the spread.

"If things get scary enough, I could see Kemp altering course. He's not insane," Swint said. "If he feels like he has to do it, he'll do it. He'll look closely at the data and make decisions as he goes."

The political partisanship around mask-wearing seems to be dwindling as cases rise, Swint said.

"There may be peer pressure on governors like Kemp to go ahead and do so as well," he said. "It may be like dominoes - each state that does it puts pressure on the other states."
The death toll in the building collapse in the Fort area of Mumbai has gone up to six with four more persons succumbing to injuries, while a search operation was still underway at the site, civic authorities said on Friday morning.

Two persons were killed after a corner portion of six-storey 'Bhanushali' building collapsed in the Fort area around 4.45 pm on Thursday. Three more persons, who were rescued from the site, were declared dead at the hospital around midnight on Thursday, while a 62-year-old woman died on Friday morning, an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal ...
Baghdad, July 17 : French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian arrived in Baghdad to discuss bilateral relations and confirm his country's support to Iraq in its fight against the Islamic State (IS) terror group.

Upon his arrival on Thursday, Le Drian and his accompanying delegation met Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in the Green Zone here, where the two sides discussed the bilateral relations and issues of common concern, Xinhua news agency quoted a statement issued by al-Kadhimi's media office as saying.

"The French role is of great importance in supporting Iraq through the international coalition in facing the terrorism and the remnants of IS militants," al-Kadhimi said in the statement.

He extended an invitation to French President Emmanuel Macron to visit Iraq.

For his part, Le Drian confirmed that France, as a part of the international coalition to fight the IS, is ready to support Iraq to play its due role in the region, the statement added.

During the meeting, the two sides also discussed the issue of confronting the coronavirus pandemic, and how to benefit from the French experience in containing the disease.

A separate statement issued by the media office of Iraqi President Barham Salih said that he held a meeting with Le Drian to discuss the means of advancing bilateral cooperation, including in the economic and cultural fields.

Salih confirmed that Iraq was looking forward to the international community for protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including exerting efforts "to stop the repeated Turkish military violations on Iraqi territory", according to the statement.

The Iraqi President believed that it's essential to continue cooperation internationally and regionally to achieve a complete victory in eradicating the hotbeds of terrorism and extremism, and drying up its sources.

Earlier in the day, Le Drian was received by his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein upon arrival, and the two held a meeting before appearing at a joint press conference.

"Our visit to Iraq aimed at supporting the Iraqi government to face the challenges, including supporting the security forces in the fighting against IS, and we won't relent in front of our common enemy," Le Drian told reporters.

He said that "there are disturbing signs of the return of the IS in Iraq, and we should not relent it".

"The coalition's aim at its core is to fight IS, and it should for no reason be derailed from this central mission," he noted.

Le Drian also said that Iraq's sovereignty is important and confirmed that his country is looking forward to seeing the country "restoring its pioneering role to create balance for the Middle East".

As for the coronavirus pandemic, Le Drian told reporters that France is supporting Iraq in combating the disease.

For his part, Hussein said that Le Drian's visit "comes at an important circumstance and amid many challenges, and is aimed at showing support to Iraq and to strengthen French-Iraqi relations".

During his last visit to Iraq in October 2019, Le Drian held meetings with top officials to discuss bilateral cooperation and the means to end the threat of IS militants.

France is part of the US-led international coalition tasked with helping Iraqi security forces in the fight against IS militants by carrying out airstrikes against their positions in Iraq and Syria as well as providing military equipment and training.
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $40 gift card!

What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? In a perfect world, we'd like to see a company investing more capital into its business and ideally the returns earned from that capital are also increasing. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. So on that note, New Zealand King Salmon Investments (NZSE:NZK) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. The formula for this calculation on New Zealand King Salmon Investments is:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.099 = NZ$24m  (NZ$272m - NZ$34m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2019).

Thus, New Zealand King Salmon Investments has an ROCE of 9.9%. On its own that's a low return, but compared to the average of 7.5% generated by the Food industry, it's much better.

See our latest analysis for New Zealand King Salmon Investments

roce

In the above chart we have a measured New Zealand King Salmon Investments' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

Even though ROCE is still low in absolute terms, it's good to see it's heading in the right direction. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 9.9%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 178%. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at New Zealand King Salmon Investments thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.

Story continues

On a related note, the company's ratio of current liabilities to total assets has decreased to 12%, which basically reduces it's funding from the likes of short-term creditors or suppliers. So this improvement in ROCE has come from the business' underlying economics, which is great to see.

Our Take On New Zealand King Salmon Investments' ROCE

To sum it up, New Zealand King Salmon Investments has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. Considering the stock has delivered 18% to its stockholders over the last three years, it may be fair to think that investors aren't fully aware of the promising trends yet. So exploring more about this stock could uncover a good opportunity, if the valuation and other metrics stack up.

While New Zealand King Salmon Investments looks impressive, no company is worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether NZK is currently trading for a fair price.

While New Zealand King Salmon Investments isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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.
The splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean will cap NASAs first crewed mission launched from US soil in nearly 10 years.

The NASA astronauts who travelled to the International Space Station in SpaceXs first crewed flight in May are expected to return to Earth on August 2 after spending two months in orbit, a NASA spokesman said on Friday.

US astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will gear up for the final benchmark test of SpaceXs so-called Demo-2 mission: A coordinated splashdown somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean that will cap NASAs first crewed mission from US soil in nearly 10 years.

Since 2011, when the US space shuttle programme ended, NASA astronauts have had to hitch rides into orbit on board Russias Soyuz spacecraft.

Boeing Co, which is producing its own launch system in competition with SpaceX, is expected to fly its CST-100 Starliner vehicle with astronauts on board for the first time next year. NASA has awarded nearly $8bn combined to SpaceX and Boeing for development of their rival rockets.

Behnken is gearing up for his final spacewalk on July 21 before prepping with Hurley to depart the space station, NASA said. Mission planners on Earth will be watching weather forecasts to calculate the precise time and location of Crew Dragons splashdown, the NASA spokesman said, adding the date could slip.
DUBLIN, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Seed Cotton Market - Segmented by Geography - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2020 - 2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global seed cotton market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 5.2% over the forecast period. Cottonseed and cotton lint together constitute the seed cotton. Owing to the fluctuation in the prices of Bt Cotton, cotton seed companies halt the supplies. For example, cotton seed companies in India protested against the Government's plan to cut down prices by 7.5%.



Key Market Trends



Cotton Seed Companies in India no Longer Need NOC from License Providers



The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights authority has abandoned the condition of the no-objection certificate from license providers for developing new varieties based on the previous technology. The waiver is expected to open an ample number of opportunities for many cotton seed companies to develop hybrid cotton seed varieties. The no-objection certificate greatly hindered the growth of small- and medium-sized seed companies who were deprived of an access to the technology.



Asia-Pacific is one of the Largest Markets



China and India are the two largest seed cotton producers. China produced 10,100,000 metric ton of cottonseed in 2018, while India produced 9,527,000 metric ton of seed cotton in 2016.India held 68.5% of the market share of the Asia-Pacific market, in 2019. About 22 % of cotton production comes from India and it stands first in terms of production and second in terms of exports, after the United States. In order to sustain the same market position, India must increase its productivity. To improve cottonseed production, people are treating cotton seeds with calcium oxhychloride.



Reasons to Purchase this report:

The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format

3 months of analyst support

Key Topics Covered:



1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Deliverables

1.2 Study Assumptions

1.3 Scope of the Study



2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Market Drivers

4.3 Market Restraints

4.4 Value Chain/Supply Chain Analysis



5 MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 North America

5.1.1 United States

5.1.1.1 Production Analysis

5.1.1.2 Consumption Analysis

5.1.1.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.1.1.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.1.1.5 Price Trend Analysis

5.1.2 Mexico

5.1.2.1 Production Analysis

5.1.2.2 Consumption Analysis

5.1.2.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.1.2.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.1.2.5 Price Trend Analysis

5.2 Europe

5.2.1 Spain

5.2.1.1 Production Analysis

5.2.1.2 Consumption Analysis

5.2.1.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.2.1.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.2.1.5 Price Trend Analysis

5.2.2 Greece

5.2.2.1 Production Analysis

5.2.2.2 Consumption Analysis

5.2.2.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.2.2.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.2.2.5 Price Trend Analysis

5.3 Asia- Pacific

5.3.1 India

5.3.1.1 Production Analysis

5.3.1.2 Consumption Analysis

5.3.1.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.3.1.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.3.1.5 Price Trend Analysis

5.3.2 China

5.3.2.1 Production Analysis

5.3.2.2 Consumption Analysis

5.3.2.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.3.2.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.3.2.5 Price Trend Analysis

5.3.3 Pakistan

5.3.3.1 Production Analysis

5.3.3.2 Consumption Analysis

5.3.3.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.3.3.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.3.3.5 Price Trend Analysis

5.3.4 Turkey

5.3.4.1 Production Analysis

5.3.4.2 Consumption Analysis

5.3.4.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.3.4.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.3.4.5 Price Trend Analysis

5.4 Africa

5.4.1 Egypt

5.4.1.1 Production Analysis

5.4.1.2 Consumption Analysis

5.4.1.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.4.1.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.4.1.5 Price Trend Analysis

5.4.2 Nigeria

5.4.2.1 Production Analysis

5.4.2.2 Consumption Analysis

5.4.2.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.4.2.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.4.2.5 Price Trend Analysis

5.4.3 South Africa

5.4.3.1 Production Analysis

5.4.3.2 Consumption Analysis

5.4.3.3 Import Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.4.3.4 Export Market Analysis (Volume and Value)

5.4.3.5 Price Trend Analysis



6 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fdnr10

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For talented young artist Maria Farmer, it was the night shed been working towards for months  her graduation show at the prestigious New York Academy of Art.

Maria, then 25, was ecstatic, having sold all three of her exhibited paintings for five-figure sums.

Then a senior staff member appeared at her shoulder, took her arm and pointed out two people shed never seen before.

Annie Farmer outside New York court on July 15, 2019

This couple here are going to buy your art . . . theyre very important benefactors of the academy, she was told.

It was Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and they got the painting they wanted  a semi-naked man observing a sleeping girl, inspired by Edgar Degass The Rape  for $6,000, half the price Maria had been offered earlier.

Fast-forward 25 years and this week Marias younger sister gave an emotional statement to a Manhattan court about why Maxwell should not be granted bail.

Speaking via an audio feed from her home in Texas, psychotherapist Annie Farmer, one of three women whose claims are the basis for the criminal case against the British socialite, said Maxwell was a sexual predator who had never shown any remorse for her heinous crimes or the devastating, lasting effects her actions caused.

Maria, who says she feels guilty for unwittingly bringing her then teenage sister into the orbit of Maxwell and Epstein, was the first person to report the pairs alleged sexual abuse of underage girls in 1996. But her attempts to get the police and FBI to investigate the attack on Annie, then 16, were ignored, leaving Epstein free to pursue his depravity.

The sisters story is shocking and their determination to get justice remarkable. Now, at last, their voices are being heard. Annies testimony was a key factor in the judges decision to deny Maxwell bail and keep her in a New York jail cell before her trial next year  which is as it should be, Maria told the Mail yesterday.

For her, Epstein  who was found dead in his remand jail cell last year  isnt the worst villain in this scandal.

That woman was much more sinister than Epstein, and to me, much more dangerous, she says. She was definitely the mastermind. She was in charge.

Maria worked for Epstein, a financial guru, for a year, during which time she says she saw first hand Maxwells astonishing charm and her terrifying viciousness.

Ruse: Epstein and Maxwell claimed to be interested in Maria Farmers art (pictured)

The smart and well-bred English woman  a cool sister figure at first, Maria says  showered her with kindness and attention. But, Maria claims, she also tried to inveigle her in her hideous enterprise of procuring young girls for Epstein.

Maria says she fled after the couple sexually assaulted her. Later, to her utter horror, she discovered they had done the same to her 16-year-old sister, Annie.

Even then, she says Maxwell pursued her with dire threats against her safety and forced her into years of hiding.

Maria has rarely discussed her ordeal but, her voice often shaking with emotion, she described her joy that Maxwell  who denies sex trafficking and perjury charges  is finally facing justice.

Her first impression of Epstein and Maxwell in New York was not favourable  not least because she was directed to sell them one of her paintings at a loss. My first impression was that they were very cheap but also very strange, she says. I kind of felt sorry for them because she was dressed so garishly and I just felt Yuck. 

However, the next time she met Maxwell  when she was invited to stay on Epsteins ranch in New Mexico with other alumni from her art school  Maria thought she was the most elegant thing in the world.

As soon as he knew of her existence, Epstein asked to see photos of Annie (pictured), says Maria who claims she remembers Maxwell looking at them and saying: Shes perfect.

She explains: Ghislaine rode up on this white horse in this fabulous equestrian attire. Very elegant and well-spoken. She was charming. Several months after the art show, Epstein offered Maria a $1,000-a-month job managing his art collection and later manning the reception at the vast mansion he was renovating in Manhattan, the location of many of his subsequent sex crimes, and where Prince Andrew was later a guest.

As soon as Epstein moved into the house, one of the largest private residences in the city, the endless trail of passing workmen and decorators stopped and, says Maria, it started getting weird.

The visitors were now children  girls so young that some were wearing braces and school uniforms  and, sometimes arriving at the same time were prominent individuals whose names she doesnt want to disclose.

Maxwell, she says, told her the underage girls were auditioning as models for Victorias Secret, a lingerie brand owned by Epsteins friend and client, billionaire Les Wexner, and for a fashion venture she and Epstein called the Limited Corporation.

Maria says she once met Donald Trump in Epsteins office and says the future U.S. president cast an appraising eye over her before Epstein said: Shes not for you.

Given they were supposedly hiring models, neither Epstein nor Maxwell had to hide the fact that the girls were underage. Maria claims she recalls how Maxwell would fly out of the house on the hunt for new blood around 3pm each day when school ended, screaming: I need to get the nubiles!

In return, Epstein spoiled Maxwell, says Maria. She had an entire floor at each of his homes. In his New York mansion, it was decorated pink and was incredibly lush.

Her private quarters at Epsteins Palm Beach house in Florida included a room with what Maxwell is said to have called a sex swing, and another outlandish device that she boasted was the secret of her youthful appearance. I hang upside down like a bat for 45 minutes and it makes me look really young, she told Maria.

Both Epstein and Maxwell could lay on the charm and flattery when they wanted, says Maria. Epstein made you feel like he was the most special person on Earth, while Maxwell made you feel special and safe, she recalls.

Indeed, the couple told Maria they were married to make me feel safe. They would take her and other young women out for outings  shopping, rollerblading or the cinema.

Maxwell would just dote on you  make youd feel like youd won the lottery and that, wow, I must be really cool because this super-smart lady from Great Britain is paying attention to me, she says. You know when youre young you just think the accent is so cool. Hers was so proper and posh.

Now, she has no doubt what lay behind the love-bombing. They were grooming me, she says simply  and, indirectly, plotting to get access to her sister.

In her mid-20s at the time, Maria is convinced she was too old to be of sexual interest to Epstein. But Maxwell  who allegedly employed a group of younger Epstein acolytes to satisfy his vast appetite for new underage girls  had other uses for her.

Maria (pictured in her senior year at school), who says she feels guilty for unwittingly bringing her then teenage sister into the orbit of Maxwell and Epstein, was the first person to report the pairs alleged sexual abuse of underage girls in 1996

Around six months after she started working for Epstein, Maria says Maxwell invited her to her own apartment on New Yorks Upper East Side.

There, she made a play for sympathy by claiming that while she only wanted Epsteins love, he just loves all these women and admitted they werent married, but just dating. She told Maria that a teenage girl was coming round whom she was determined to make a Victorias Secret model.

Maxwell wanted Maria to convince her what a wonderful couple she and Epstein were to work for.

She was beautiful with long, blonde hair, recalls Maria of the 19-year-old whom she claims Maxwell conceded was older than Jeffrey usually wants. The girl told Maria an extraordinary story of what had just happened  Epstein, a stranger, had said hello to her as shed been walking through Central Park with her boyfriend. Epstein had then called Maxwell. who, it is said, rushed into the park and, after an hour, tracked the girl down and asked her about modelling.

Epstein relied on Maxwell to procure girls one million per cent, claims Maria. He was extremely awkward with women. He had zero sex vibe. I couldnt figure out whether he was gay or what. When Maxwell was out of earshot, Maria whispered to the girl that Epstein never paid her properly. Maxwell never again asked her to help recruit anyone, she says.

As time passed, and able to observe Maxwell on a daily basis in Epsteins mansion, Maria says she soon saw a far less pleasant side to her.

What made her tick was power and control over vulnerable people, she claims, not least the Filipina maids whom she treated as though they were barely human.

Both Epstein (left) and Maxwell (right) could lay on the charm and flattery when they wanted, says Maria. Epstein made you feel like he was the most special person on Earth, while Maxwell made you feel special and safe, she recalls

It has been alleged Maxwell often joined in with Epstein in his sexual assaults on underage girls, but Maria believes she was drawn by power rather than lust.

She was an emotional terrorist with a sado-masochistic side  she enjoyed harming people and having that power and control, she declares .

It is the prosecutions case that they acted as one in their alleged sex crimes, but Epstein and Maxwell were very different personalities, Maria claims.

Epstein definitely had a dark side, but Maxwell would turn on a dime into a very malicious, brutal human being  and I never saw that of Epstein, she claims. She would just suddenly become psychotic, and it scared me to death.

A sheet of paper incorrectly placed on a desk was enough for Maxwell to vent such fury that it made Maria cry. Then Epstein would come and dry her tears. It was a sick pattern for them  good cop, bad cop.

Maria may have been too old for Epsteins tastes but that didnt stop him and Maxwell molesting her, she alleges, in what she claims was an attempt to strengthen their power over her.

It is said to have happened in the summer of 1996 after Epstein invited Maria to paint at Les Wexners vast estate in Ohio  at the time she was working on a series of pictures of pubescent girls and using photos of her two younger sisters as models.

The New Mexico ranch where, as a teenager, Annie claims she was abused

She claims that Epstein and Maxwell came to visit her. That night, she said Maxwell asked her to give Epstein a foot massage. She thought it so inappropriate, but obliged.

It became far, far worse when the trio ended up lying on Epsteins bed with Maria in the middle and the other two mechanically groping her, she claims. Maria allgeges that they twisted her nipples painfully, and insulted her about her small stature and large bust.

As she wept, Maxwell is said to have reassured her: Shhh, its going to be OK.

She says she was scared that she was going to be raped, and so ran back to her bedroom and barricaded the door. She didnt emerge until she knew the couple had left in the morning .

When she did, she claims she discovered that three nude photos  two of Annie and another of their 12-year-old sister  were missing .

It was emotionally devastating for me but mainly because the whole time I was thinking: My sisters been alone with them . . . Oh my God,  she told me.

For by then, Maria claims Epstein and Maxwell had inveigled Annie into their twisted world.

In fact, Maria is convinced that one of the reasons the couple spent so much time grooming her, as she says, was so they could get access to her teenage sister.

As soon as he knew of her existence, Epstein asked to see photos of Annie, says Maria who claims she remembers Maxwell looking at them and saying: Shes perfect.

Maria knew the couple were weird but says she had no notion they might, as she believes, have sexual designs on her underage sister.

It is said they tried to persuade Maria to bring Annie to New York to be a model, but that held no appeal for the brainy teenager who had academic ambitions.

When he discovered Annie wanted to go to university, it is said that Epstein saw his opportunity and offered to help financially, flying her to New York from the family home in Arizona. Annie found Epstein to be charming  until he took the sisters to the cinema.

Sitting between them, Epstein began rubbing Annies hand and then her lower leg. She let it pass and did not tell her older sister. He then offered to pay for Annie to visit Thailand to improve her CV for college applications  but first invited her to his new ranch for the weekend. Annie assumed shed be one of many students there who were benefiting from Epsteins largesse, but she arrived to find herself alone with Epstein and Maxwell.

She claims that Maxwell repeatedly asked her if she wanted a massage and she finally gave in. Annie claims that she ended up being topless and lying on her back as Maxwell massaged her chest in an inappropriate way. She sensed Epstein was nearby, watching.

But the scariest moment of the weekend, Annie claims, was when Epstein came into her bedroom one morning and asked for a cuddle, crawling into bed with her. He was touching me and I dont know how long that lasted because I was sort of checking out a bit, she has said.

She says that she eventually excused herself and hid in the bathroom.

Maria claims it was only after her own sexual ordeal at the hands of Epstein and Maxwell that she spoke to her sister about it and was horrified to discover what had happened to Annie.

Back home in New York, Maria went to the police but they told her that alleged offences committed in Ohio and New Mexico were outside their jurisdiction. She called the FBI and spent half an hour describing what had happened. The FBI never rang back.

In 2003, the sisters spoke to Vanity Fair magazine, which was researching an article about Epsteins business activities. Maria says Maxwell started making threatening calls soon after, making clear she knew her movements in the city and telling her: Better be careful and watch your back. The eventual story omitted all mention of them.

Maria left New York and went into hiding, renovating houses for a living.

She says its disgusting that it took so long to bring Epstein and Maxwell to justice, but shes savouring the moment of the latters downfall.

Revenge is best served cold like this because Ghislaine wasnt expecting it, she says. If youd got away with something for a quarter of a century, why would you expect that to change.

What does she hope happens to Maxwell now? I hope she sits there [in prison] for ever. I also hope it really pains her to know shes just this plebeian prisoner with a number, Maria states.

I have waited 25 years  half my life  for this and, for Annie and me, its a miracle.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A former Miss Kentucky who admitted to exchanging sexual photos with a teenage student when she was working as a West Virginia school teacher has been sentenced to prison.

Ramsey BethAnn Bearse, 29, received her two-year sentence in Kanawha County Circuit Court on Tuesday. She was also sentenced to an additional 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender for life, according to Kanawha Assistant Prosecutor Meshell Jarrett.

The former middle school educator pleaded guilty to one count of possessing material depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct in December 2019, news outlets reported. She was initially charged with four counts of sending obscene material to a minor.

Authorities said Bearse admitted to exchanging photos with the student on Snapchat between August and October 2018. A parent of the male student reported finding the images on the teens phone, news outlets said.

Bearse previously testified she meant to send a photo to her husband, but accidentally sent it to the teen. She claimed the student asked for additional photos, so she continued to send them because she was "afraid to not appease him.

Bearse said Tuesday that she accepted full responsibility" for her actions.

Under her maiden name of Carpenter, Bearse was crowned Miss Kentucky in 2014 in the Miss America pageant.

She was suspended from her teaching position during the investigation, and the Kanawha County school district has said she no longer works there.
Six of the 155 persons who arrived on the American Airlines flight on Sat. 11th July, tested positive for the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has issued a stern warning to all those intent on breaching Covid-19 related quarantine.





"I am making an appeal for anybody  we are not making joke on this, Dr. Gonsalves said on Sunday hours after the arrival of the first international flight  an American Airlines flight out of Miami - to the Argyle International Airport, since air travel was suspended following the outbreak of Covid-19.





"My first call this morning is to ask those persons who were given oral instructions or those given a document  an order from the court  that they must stay inside and do their quarantine.





Dr. Gonsalves said that he had received information that persons who arrived on flight AA945 on Saturday were seen at a restaurant, and others were seen attending church on Sunday.





"Those were persons on specific quarantine..  instructed to remain in quarantine until they were notified by health officials, he stressed.





Protocols in place





Among the protocols to guide the resumption of air travel was for arriving passengers to produce evidence of a PCR test done 72 hours before arrival here, in order for them not to enter mandatory quarantine.





For those who were not tested, a PCR test would be administered locally and anyone testing positive will be required to be quarantined, as they awaited confirmation of their initial test from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), in Trinidad.





Results returned from CARPHA confirmed that there were six persons of the 155 who arrived on the AA flight last Saturday, who tested positive for the coronavirus.





They are now 35 reported cases of COVID in St, Vincent and the Grenadiness, 6 of which are active.





Fines or jail?





Meanwhile the Prime Minister reminded citizens, returning nationals and visitors, that the Public Health Act as amended, provided for fines of up to $2,000 for each day that quarantined is breached.





He reiterated that each person had a responsibility to obey the order of the Chief Medical Officer, or other health personnel, and remain in quarantine if instructed to do so.





"I am asking everyone to listen to the Ministry of Health, he said, adding, "The authorities do not want to take persons to the court for them to obey the order to quarantine.





He lamented that persons would listen to the officials in the United States, but refused to obey the local authorities.





And while contending that the state acted properly and followed all the relevant protocols, he warned: "The only area where the state is to act is for the authorities to take up those persons (who have breached quarantine) and let them spend the time in the police station.




The European Union is negotiating advance purchase deals of potential COVID-19 vaccines with drugmakers Moderna, Sanofi and Johnson & Johnson and biotech firms BioNtech and CureVac, two EU sources told Reuters.

The talks follow a deal reached in June by four EU states with AstraZeneca for the upfront purchase of 400 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, in principle available to all 27 EU nations.

The information on the ongoing talks was shared by the European Commission, the EU executive arm, with EU health ministers at a meeting in Berlin on Thursday, the sources said.

The multiple talks confirm the bloc's more assertive stance on procuring potential COVID-19 shots and drugs after Washington's early moves in securing promising treatments and vaccines.

"We are in talk with several companies on possible COVID-19 vaccines," a spokesman for the EU Commission told Reuters on Friday, declining to comment on specific firms as negotiations were confidential.

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

More than 150 possible vaccines are being developed and tested around the world to try to stop the pandemic. Of 23 in human clinical trials, at least three are in final Phase III testing - including candidates from China's Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotech and AstraZeneca and Oxford University.

The most advanced EU talks appear to be those with Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi, confirming a Reuters report in June, because the EU is already discussing details on the number of doses needed.

With US giant Johnson & Johnson, the European Union is negotiating a supply of 200 million doses of its potential vaccine, the sources said, adding that additional supplies may also be available.

'ADVANCED TALKS'

The bloc is also planning to secure in the second half of next year 300 million doses of the potential vaccine developed by France's Sanofi in cooperation with British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc, the sources said.

Asked about the negotiations, Sanofi told Reuters it was in "advanced talks with the EU for the delivery of 300 million doses".

Negotiations were also ongoing, sources said, with US firm Moderna, whose experimental COVID-19 vaccine showed this week it was safe and provoked immune responses in all 45 healthy volunteers in an ongoing early-stage study, according to US researchers.

The bloc is also in talks with German biotechnology firms BioNtech and CureVac to buy in advance their potential vaccines, the sources said. Both firms, which have already been offered EU funds to develop their shots, declined to comment.

BioNtech is developing a potential COVID-19 vaccine in cooperation with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, for which 100 million doses could be available by the end of the year.

CureVac is a pioneer in the so-called messenger RNA approach, which is also being pursued by BioNTech and Moderna.

RNA molecules are single-stranded versions of the DNA double-helix that can be produced in a relatively simple biochemical process.

The EU-led talks are conducted by negotiators selected by a steering group in which all 27 EU states are represented.

Once deals are struck, EU states can place orders with drugmakers to secure precise amounts for their populations.

If doses of successful vaccines were not sufficient to cover the whole EU population, shots would be distributed based on demographic and epidemiological data, the Commission has repeatedly said.

A third EU source said the bloc was also renegotiating the deal struck with AstraZeneca by Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, to make sure all EU states had equal access to the doses secured in the initial deal.

The source said this discussion was backed by the four states which first signed the deal.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
(Photo : REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst) U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak at an event at the United Parcel Service (UPS) Airport Facility in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., July 15, 2020 (Photo : REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro) A man holds an x-ray sheet as he observes the partial solar eclipse along Clifton beach, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Karachi, Pakistan June 21, 2020

Remember when the United States President Donald Trump suggested 'heat' as a possible killer of Coronavirus? It turns out recent studies may have connected this theory on the x-ray radiation experiment they created. Using an x-ray machine, experts found that elderly patients have more chances of speeding up 'clinical recovery' in the span of three days.

Can 'heat' kill the Coronavirus?

South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday, July 15, about a study conducted by Atlanta University using an x-ray machine as a possible treatment against Coronavirus.

10 elderly patients with COVID-19 were part of the experiment. The ages range from 43 to 104 years old with a median age of 78 years old. Most of the patients involved were African Americans.

The study concludes that the clinical recovery using the x-ray medication is a "well-tolerated, inexpensive, and globally available Covid-19 treatment," said the research team from Emory University in Atlanta, in a non-peer-reviewed paper posted on Medrxiv.org on Tuesday.

Research finds out that radiation therapy was only actually done in three days. This was compared to the common treatments such as the remdesivir and hydroxychloroquine drugs that were said to treat COVID-19 patients.

Trump believes 'heat' can kill COVID-19

The radiation experiment, which started on April 24, is called RESCUE 1-19. A day after this, Trump suggested the 'heat vs COVID-19' theory. He said that there are possibilities that the virus could be killed or removed through a powerful light-- likely the UV ray released in an x-ray.

"Suppose that we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it is ultraviolet or just very powerful light," Trump said in a briefing to the nation on the lawn of the White House.

However, researchers from Atlanta don't accept this claim. They said that there is no connection between their study and Trump. They're all just pure coincidence.

"[I am] not exactly sure what he was referring to," he said. "X-rays are not exactly the same thing. I guess if he had said more powerful energy, beyond the light wave spectrum, or the UV spectrum, then that would be a better quantification of X-rays."

The heat did not kill the virus

As explained, COVID-19 patients have some hyperactive immune cells. These are the reasons for a patient's tendency to weaken his immune system. The x-ray serves as the barrier between the virus and the cells-- allowing more time for the patient to prevent the spread of the virus, all over the body.





 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A man before Longford Circuit Court charged with robbery and assault has been sentenced to six years in prison with the final 18 months suspended.

Tony Wilson, formerly of Tallaght, Dublin 24, along with another co-accused was charged with robbing Jacqueline Ormond in Longford town on November 7, 2018. He was further charged with the assault of a third party who had come to Ms Ormonds aid when she was being robbed.

Speaking at a recent court sitting, Detective Garda Clive Glancy explained that Ms Ormond got the 5.30am train to Dublin on that day, and had arrived back in Longford at approximately 9.30pm.

As she disembarked the train and walked to her car at a carpark, CCTV footage shows Ms Ormond being followed by the defendant and three other people who had been on the same train.

She was accosted by three of the four when she reached her car. A female and a male grabbed her handbag, Det Gda Glancy explained.

She held on and was forcibly dragged until they forcibly took the handbag.

While this was happening, another man, Denis McGrath, who had been passing, intervened to try to help Ms Ormond and was accosted by two males, Det Gda Glancy continued.

A struggle ensued and he received facial injuries, he explained while CCTV footage of the incident was shown in court.

After the incident, Ms Ormond and Mr McGrath went to Longford Garda Station and reported the incident to Gda Satchwell.

The accused was arrested the following day and shown CCTV footage. During an initial interview, Det Gda Glancy explained, the accused replied no comment throughout but, in a second interview, he accepted he was on the footage from the train but said no more.

The court heard that Mr Wilson is well known to gardai. He had 98 previous convictions, many of which were for assault, and had a history of drug abuse.

A victim impact statement by Denis McGrath, which was read out in court by Det Gda Glancy, revealed that Mr McGrath had received a laceration below his left eye, which was black for a number of days due to being punched.

The statement read that Mr McGrath becomes nervous when its dark at night and hes alone, and that he is more aware of people around him.

I was shocked at the level of violence used against Jacqueline Ormond and by the violence used on me, his statement read.

His actions were commendable. Without his intervention, we could have been dealing with more serious matters, said Judge Keenan Johnson.

A victim impact statement written by Jacqueline Ormond was also read out in court. In it, she detailed the obliteration of any sense of security in public settings.

This happened in the presence of a number of significant deterrents, her statement read.

Ms Ormond wrote that she had identified the threat of one of the co-accused at the train station and had taken reasonable steps to ensure my own safety.

I was targeted, followed and isolated, she said, adding that she had no feeling of safety or security.

All that was missing on the night was a David Attenborough narration.

They dragged me along the ground on my back and they would not stop. I held a vice-like grip but they were unrelenting. They were so determined and had a complete disregard for my safety.

My arms were over my head, exposing my body to any number of violent attacks. I fully expected violence. I had to accept I was going to get hurt.

She also expressed her gratitude to Denis McGrath whose bravery she said could not be overstated and that, while this was a deeply traumatic experience, it also demonstrated the inherent good in people.

Ms Ormond also explained that she suffered grazes on her back from being dragged and was receiving ongoing psychotherapy to deal with her stress following the incident.

The court heard of Mr Wilsons history with drug abuse, as well as two assaults he fell victim to while in prison, and a probation report furnished to the court ahead of a sitting last week revealed that Mr Wilson had suffered a dysfunctional childhood.

He certainly wasnt born equal. He has suffered huge difficulties. The cards were stacked against him, said Judge Johnson when sentencing Mr Wilson.

He suffered appalling abuse, even while in foster care and he has yet to deal with that. I have a large degree of sympathy for him.

His drug addictions and all issues have all stemmed from that and he needs to deal with that.

In conclusion, Judge Johnson sentenced Mr Wilson to six years imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended for a period of five years.
A wildfire burning in Daniel, Utah, forced some residents to evacuate from their homes as a precaution on July 16.

According to Utah Wildfire Info, the wildfire, named Big Hollow Fire, was estimated to be at 300 acres when precautionary evacuations were ordered on Little Sweden Road.

Local news reported that some firefighting aircraft were deployed to drop water, and ground crews were at the scene. Credit: Robert Cook via Storyful
Businesses could have to requalify for coronavirus wage subsidies when the Morrison government overhauls its JobKeeper scheme.

Employers turning over less than $1billion with a 30 per cent fall in revenue are eligible for the program, while big businesses must show a 50 per cent decline.

Businesses that met the revenue test at any stage during the pandemic qualified for $1,500 fortnightly payments for all employees.

The government will next week unveil plans for the future of JobKeeper beyond its September 27 expiry date.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said the next phase of coronavirus support would be based on need.

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Pictured: People line up out the front of Centrelink in Sydney at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak in Australia in March. Businesses have been told they may be made to re-qualify for coronavirus wage subsidies when they expire in September

Labourers work at a construction site in the Sydney CBD last month. Australia's jobless rate has hit a 22-year high of 7.4 per cent

'Businesses that have recovered or are recovering clearly won't need the sort of support that has been in place over the last few months on an ongoing basis, but other businesses will,' he told Sky News on Friday.

'It will come down to making sure that we properly assess the need, and identify and target support into those areas where support is indeed needed.'

Senator Cormann noted businesses which qualified at the start of JobKeeper remained eligible for the entire six months.

'The truth is, a lot has changed during this period,' he said.

'A number of businesses have seen strong recoveries, other businesses continue to be seriously challenged.'

The latest unemployment data showed almost one million Australians were out of work in June, when the jobless rate hit a 22-year high of 7.4 per cent.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the real rate was estimated to be around 11 per cent, down from 13.3 per cent.

Tabletops are cleaned at Cafe Torta in Melbourne on June 1. Senator Matthias Cormann said some companies would be more in need of further wage support come September than others

A food delivery rider wearing a facemask is seen riding by one of many empty shops on Lygon Street in Carlton in Melbourne's inner-city on Wednesday

'So we're making progress. We've got a long way to go,' he told the Nine Network.

Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O'Neil warns without an extension to JobKeeper, there will be a huge jump in unemployment.

'People need reassurance that Australia isn't going over an economic cliff, so the sooner the government tells people the plan, the better for everyone,' she said.

On the other side of the debate, Mr Morrison is pushing for flexible industrial relations rules to be made permanent.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media on Tuesday. He said the real rate of unemployment was estimated to be around 11 per cent; the official jobless rate is at a 22-year-high of 7.4 per cent

'If that ends, if we don't get the support to keep that going for businesses, that will cost people their jobs,' he told Network Ten.

Senator Cormann urged unions and bosses to maintain the cooperative relationship fostered through the pandemic.

'This is not the time for everyone to go back into their corner and fight partisan battles,' he said.
HURON COUNTY  While schools across the county prepare to open their doors for the upcoming school year, more questions are being raised in reference to what students can expect to see in the classroom and what parents can do to prepare them for the changes that come with the pandemic precautions.

Local teachers, for both elementary and high school, are focusing on ways to provide student with an environment in which they can continue to thrive while also keeping them safe under current conditions. Schools across Michigan were provided the MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap and are working on several strategies to accommodate the changing requirements at various levels of the states response to the coronavirus.

While classrooms will look different for students at all levels, many teachers are feeling the pressure to make conditions as normal as possible, while ensuring the safety of the students.

Molly Ross, Caseville Public Schools second grade teacher, focuses on the importance of maintaining a strong social-emotional support system for students.

While we want to get them back on track academically, we want to also make sure students feel safe and are ready to learn, Ross said.

Many local schools will be implementing various virtual learning tools within their classrooms to build students' confidence with said programs, reducing the stress of distance learning in the event schools are forced to shut down again.

While events such as field trips and large assemblies with be impacted by the current precautions, elementary teachers are also faced with changes within their classroom routine. Social distancing and the possibility of mask requirements hinder activities like sharing school supplies, lining up, working with partners, and mealtimes.

We will have to get creative, said Ross. We want to make sure we have strategies in place that keep students, staff, and families reassured and safe.

Kalen Pokley, who teaches a variety of science classes at Bad Axe High School, said high school teachers are also planning for every possible outcome.

Its difficult, as a teacher who enjoys routine and planning ahead of time, to adequately prepare for the upcoming school year, said Pokley. Because things could change at any time, it's hard to know what we will be able to do further into the year.

Should I be preparing for hands-on frog dissections or should I be focusing on virtual platforms? he added. There are still so many unknowns that we are navigating.

The concerns of many local teachers and parents include the fear that not as much learning takes place in an online environment as compared to in class. In-person, hands-on learning provides various ways for students to understand material, whether they learn most through reading or seeing things firsthand. There is no question that online learning is less likely to be tailored to an individual student learning style.

Other concerns for rural schools include their ability to properly execute social distancing within the classroom. Schools are designed to be a working environment, often lacking in adequate spacing. There is also a concern for students required to wear a mask in many buildings without air conditioning. While many local schools are planning on utilizing previously unused space to accommodate social distancing requirements and smaller class sizes, there are still many unknowns that are being addressed.

Right now, we can only ask that the community, students, and parents support their local schools during this transition, said Pokley. We all hope that these precautions are temporary, and we must make sure the student continue moving forward despite the difficulties.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom laid out strict criteria Friday for school reopenings that make it unlikely the vast majority of districts will have classroom instruction in the fall as the coronavirus pandemic surges. The rules include a mandate that students above 2nd grade and all staff wear masks in school.

Newsom's new guidance mandates that public schools in counties that are on a monitoring list for rising coronavirus infections cannot hold in-person classes and will have to meet strict criteria for reopening.

"The one thing we have the power to do to get our kids back into school? Wear a mask, physically distance, wash your hands," Newsom said.

The guidance says all school staff and all students in grades 3 to 12 will be required to wear face coverings. Younger students will be encouraged but not required to wear masks.

The governor's strict new regulations marked a dramatic shift from his earlier position that it was up to local school districts and boards to decide when and how to reopen. His announcement came just weeks before many of the state's 1,000 school districts are set to resume instruction in mid-August, with many still finalizing reopening plans.

With school districts struggling over the decision, teachers unions, parents and school officials have urged state leaders to provide more direction on whether it is safe to go back to school.

The state this week reported its second-highest one day totals in infection rates and deaths since the start of the pandemic. Nearly 7,400 people have died in California  more than 1,100 of them in the past two weeks.

Several large school districts have already said their schools will begin the new term virtually, including Los Angeles and San Diego, the state's two largest with a combined enrollment of 720,000 K-12 students. San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, Long Beach, Santa Ana and San Bernardino are among the other districts opting not to immediately return to classrooms.

Los Angeles is the second-largest school district in the country after New York City, where mayor Bill de Blasio has said schools are expected to reopen with a hybrid model of in-person instruction and at-home learning, subject to state approval.

Republican Assemblyman Kevin Kiley accused the governor of listening to "special interests, not science" in laying out the rules.

"Rather than adopting a balanced approach that provides California families options for classroom-based and home-based learning, the governor is shutting down the vast majority of schools across the state," Kiley said.

California officials have placed at least 32 of the state's 58 counties on a watch list because of concerning coronavirus transmission and hospitalization rates. Being on the list puts restrictions on the ability to reopen various segments of the economy.

If those counties are still on the watch list when the new term begins, the guidance means that most California schools would not be reopening classrooms but holding school via distance learning.

It lays out in detail when classrooms and schools would have to close if there is an outbreak. If a student or educator test positive for the virus, a classroom would have to close and the students and teacher would quarantine for 14 days. An entire school should revert to distance learning if it reports multiple cases, or 5 percent of students and staff test positive within a 14-day period.

Newsom's administration and the state Department of Education had released guidelines in early June for districts to follow when reopening, including implementing temperature checks for students, remaking activities such as lunch and recess, and recommending cloth face coverings for students and teachers. But at that time, California had managed to keep its coronavirus case count under control.

"Since we've issued our guidance, conditions have changed dramatically," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said during a media briefing Wednesday.
CHICAGO (AP)  Young people have made up the largest percentage of new confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Chicago in recent weeks and city officials warned Wednesday that the trend could lead to the closure of bars or other businesses.

City health data showed 29% of the confirmed COVID-19 cases since June 15 have been among people ages 18 to 29, said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. People ages 30 to 39 made up the second largest percentage of confirmed cases. Thats a stark change from May, when cases of the virus peaked in the city and overwhelmingly affected older people.

Young people do have a lower risk of serious complications from COVID-19, but they still can happen, Arwady said at a news conference at City Hall. She pointed to the case of a Chicago woman in her 20s who required a double lung transplant because of severe damage caused by the virus. And once infected, younger people can spread the virus to older people who are more vulnerable, she said.

This disease does not discriminate, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. It attacks everyone.

As of Wednesday, there had been 7,226 deaths related to COVID-19 and 156,693 confirmed cases in Illinois since the start of the pandemic.

Chicago reported an average of 192 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past seven days.

Lightfoot said that if that figure tops 200 cases, the city might consider changes to its strategy for reopening businesses so that it can try to avoid the larger surges being seen in many states that were more aggressive about lifting virus restrictions.

Options could include closing down bars again if data suggests that people gathering in them has led to increased cases, she said.

We hope that we dont have to take closure steps  but as is now I think well known across the country, bars pose a particular challenge, Lightfoot said. Weve emphasized to bars: Were not messing around, youve got to follow the guidance.

Amid rising case counts, Californias governor this week shut down bars and indoor restaurant dining along with some other types of businesses. Louisianas governor also limited bars to takeout or delivery service, leading many to close in New Orleans.

City-ordered setbacks could be avoided in Chicago if people of all ages wear face coverings and keep their distance from others, Arwady said.

Now more than ever, we need you all to do the things that have gotten us this far, she said.

Bar and restaurant closures would be an automatic, first-step mitigation in Illinois for any of the states 11 regions in a surge-response plan released Wednesday by Gov. J.B Pritzkers administration. It spells out how and when rising indicators of a surge in various parts of the state would necessitate the closing of bars and restaurants, and if more severe, other retail shops or gathering places.

The only substantive change in strategy was carving up the states four virus-watch regions into 11 smaller areas, including two that cover Chicago and surrounding suburban Cook County. Pritzker was criticized for the states initial approach because much of northeastern Illinois was in the same region as hard-hit Chicago.

Associated Press writer John OConnor contributed from Springfield, Ill.
Fast-fashion retailer Boohoo has written to the Government to ask it to do more to stop workers being exploited in UK garment factories - despite investigating allegations of malpractice at its own supplier.

The move comes as more than 1 billion was wiped from Boohoo's share value in two days when an article claimed workers at a factory making clothes for Boohoo were paid 3.50-an-hour.

On Friday, Boohoo Group plc CEO John Lyttle sent a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel.

It was headed 'protecting people being exploited in UK garment factories'.

He wrote that around 40 per cent of Boohoo's products were manufactured in the UK, 'supporting thousands of jobs in this country that may otherwise be lost to overseas markets'.

The Fast-fashion retailer Boohoo has written to the Government after an article claimed workers at a factory making clothes for Boohoo were paid 3.50-an-hour (file image)

As other retailers such as Next and Asos dropped Boohoo clothing from their websites, the company hired top lawyer Alison Levitt QC to look into the allegations which its board said left them 'shocked and appalled'.

Mr Lyttle added: 'We firmly believe that "Made in Britain" should be a label of pride for those wearing our clothes and badge of honour for those who make them.

'We're taking action to investigate allegations of malpractice in our supply chain and we ask government to take action too.'

He wrote that Boohoo backed calls from the British Retail Consortium and the All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) for Fashion and Textiles and Ethics and Sustainability for the Government to implement a 'Fit to Trade' licensing scheme.

Boohoo's shares have plummeted this month

It would aim to force all garment factories to meet their legal obligations to employees. Mr Lyttle added: 'The UK has a proud history in fashion and textiles.

'A joint effort between industry and Government will ensure that the renaissance of which boohoo group has been a proud part is a key contributor to our country's trading future.'

He said statutory licensing of garment factory owners and managers would protect workers and 'provide an incentive for retailers and brands to invest in the UK'.

Mr Lyttle said that 'as a minimum' such a scheme should cover the protection of workers from forced labour, debt bondage and mistreatment, ensure the payment of the National Minimum Wage, VAT, PAYE, National Insurance and holiday pay, and the health and safety of employees.

'These measures will also raise tax revenues for the Treasury and create a barrier that prevents rogue businesses from accessing the market and undercutting legitimate fashion manufacturing companies, creating a level playing field for businesses to compete fairly,' Mr Lyttle wrote.

Clothing firm Quiz said on Monday it believes that one of its suppliers, based in Leicester, has used a subcontractor at the centre of allegations over breaches to the national living wage - something the company is investigating.

The National Crime Agency said on July 8 that it was assessing allegations of modern slavery and exploitation in the textile industry in Leicester.

Boohoo.com mini HQ on Hamilton Industrial Estate, Leicester. The company hired top lawyer Alison Levitt QC to look into the allegations

Asos stopped production in its Leicester factories two years ago after concerns were were raised over 'illegal wages', 'poor health and safety standards' and the employment of vulnerable employees (Stock image)

It comes after fashion retailer Asos said it dropped its Leicester clothing factories two years ago after concerns began to emerge over their poor ethical standards and working conditions.

The online giant stopped production in two factories after concerns were raised over their 'illegal wages', 'poor health and safety standards' and the employment of vulnerable employees

Earlier this week fast-fashion brand Quiz also suspended one of its suppliers amid claims that its factory workers in Leicester were being paid as little as 3-an-hour.

In 2017, Asos chief Nick Beighton visited manufacturers in Leicester with the former New Look boss Anders Kristiansen in the hopes of tripling his production line.

It was earlier revealed that clothes workers in Leicester were being paid as little as 3.50 an hour to produce items Boohoo (Stock image)

In a report to the committee, seen by the Leicester Mercury, the pair wrote: 'We have been sufficiently concerned about some of the conditions within the Leicester manufacturing industry as to join the Ethical Trading Initiative's (ETI) group focused on Leicester.'

They added: 'Despite our considerable efforts to play our part in improving the industry, we are still concerned over the presence of a number of key issues across the UK supply base and in Leicester in particular.

'These include illegal wages, right to work, poor health and safety standards, subcontracting and vulnerable workers.

'Those factories operating outside of legal standards are undermining our efforts to improve standards in UK manufacture and increase our sourcing in the Leicester area. The private sector cannot solve these issues alone.'
The Houthis, who control the region that surrounds the mooring area, have long balked at United Nations requests to assess the vessels condition. But they appeared to have a change of heart after a seawater leak into the Safers engine room in May, which the crew and an emergency team of divers sent by the vessels owner were able to temporarily patch.

Speaking at the same Security Council briefing as Ms. Anderson, Mark Lowcock, the top relief official at the United Nations, said that the Houthi leadership had confirmed in writing that it would allow a long-planned U.N. mission to appraise the tanker, which we hope will take place within the next few weeks.

Still, Mr. Lowcock was guarded in his optimism. In August of 2019, the Houthis consented to a United Nations request to inspect the tanker, only to cancel it the night before.

The Houthis reluctance to relinquish control over the vessel stems in part from the groups desire to sell the oil, or at least to use it for bargaining leverage with their Saudi adversaries. But the coronavirus pandemic has severely reduced the price of oil, making the Safers contents much less valuable. Moreover, the oil has been languishing in rusting tanks for at least five years, which may have befouled it.

The Houthis may think, We need to get rid of this before this becomes a massive problem for us, said Samir Madani, co-founder of TankerTrackers.com, an online service that monitors maritime shipments and storage of petroleum. I would like to think that is the case.

Moreover, he said, the Safers cargo is probably contaminated  this would be the last deposit of oil you would want to buy.

Ian M. Ralby, the founder and chief executive of I.R. Consilium, a maritime security consultancy, said it was possible that Houthi leaders who once viewed the Safer as an asset may now see the benefit in allowing the situation to be resolved.
A ruling Wednesday by the federal appellate court in Atlanta resolves new twists in a type of dispute that invariably arises between property owners and insurers after every hurricane: Was the damage caused by floodwaters or wind?

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a decision to dismiss a Georgia churchs breach-of-contract and bad-faith claims against its insurer. The panel overruled District Court Judge Lisa G. Woods finding that expert testimony was required to prove the claim, and also threw out her conclusion that a surface water exclusion in the policy barred coverage for the damage.

Southern Mutual Insurance Co. had denied a $15 million claim by the Greater Hall Temple Church of God in Brunswick for damages caused by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. While Wood decided that the insurer was within its rights, the 11th Circuit panel said a jury may find otherwise.

Although its true that Greater Hall presents no admissible expert testimony and that none of Greater Halls lay witnesses actually saw Hurricane Matthew cause the roof damage to the church building, it seems to us that Greater Halls witnesses provide enough circumstantial evidence for a jury to draw the conclusion that the hurricane did, in fact, cause the roof damage, the appellate court said.

Judge Wood had refused to allow the church to present expert testimony from three witnesses. One was a civil engineer who had little experience with the type of metal roof that had been installed on the church. Another was a roofing contractor who had put in a bid to repair the damage, but had little knowledge about the prior condition and no experience in determining the causes of roof damage. The judge rejected the third witness, the contractor who had installed the roof, because the church did not disclose the subject of his testimony until after the discovery deadline.

The judge did not bar those witnesses from providing lay testimony, but found that the church could not overcome Southern Mutuals unchallenged expert witness report that found the water damage to the church was caused by poor workmanship.

Southern Mutuals experts testified that the water damage to the interior of the church was caused by improper flashing that diverted rainfall through the buildings heating, ventilation and air condition ducts. There was also evidence that the churchs roof leaked long before the hurricane.

The 11th Circuit agreed with Wood that the expert testimony should be barred, but said the church might be able to prove its claim with lay testimony.

The panel noted that the churchs pastor had testified that after Hurricane Matthew struck, he found that water leaked in places that it had never leaked before. Another witness testified that the entire roof had shifted after the hurricane. One witness said anyone in Gwynn County could tell that Hurricane Matthew had damaged the churchs roof.

Taken together, we think that this evidence furnished facts from which a logical conclusion could be drawn that Hurricane Matthew caused the damage to the roof of Greater Halls church building, the court said, citing a previous court ruling.

The appellate panel also found that the district court incorrectly concluded that damage to the court was caused by surface waters, which would be excluded by the policy.

Greater Hall does not merely allegeas the district courts surface water analysis seems to presumethat rainwater accumulated on the church buildings roof and seeped into its interior, the opinion says. Rather, it claims that winds of Hurricane Matthew caused structural damage to the roof, creating holes through which rainwater was able to enter and cause damage to the church buildings interior.

The court affirmed the decision to bar the churchs expert witnesses, but reversed the ruling that granted summary judgment and remanded the case to proceed to trial. The court also reversed the district courts decision to dismiss Greater Halls bad-faith claims against the insurer.
The editor of British Vogue, Edward Enninful, said he was racially profiled after being told by a security guard to "use the loading bay" as he entered the magazine's offices in London.

Enninful, who in 2017 became the first man and the first black editor to take the helm of Britain's most powerful fashion publication, described the incident to his one million followers on Instagram in a post.

Anna Wintour and Edward Enninful attending the Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in 2019. Credit:Ian West/PA Wire/AP

"Today, I was racially profiled by a security guard whilst entering my workplace. I was instructed to use the loading bay," he wrote on Wednesday. "Just because our timelines and weekends are returning to normal, we cannot let the world return to how it was. Change needs to happen now."

Enninful said that Conde Nast, which owns British Vogue, "moved quickly" to dismiss the security guard. The magazine publisher, which also owns titles such as Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and GQ, has been hit with criticism after widespread Black Lives Matter protests for failures to support diversity in the workplace.
Beyond that, officials said at a Friday news conference held at the department during were they showed off two of the SUVs, the vehicles are energy efficient and are less costly to fuel up while providing officers with the same features -- including the ability to hit high speeds -- they need for their safety and that of the community.
Even as India nears the grim milestone of 1 million confirmed COVID-19 infections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government continue to boast that their efforts to combat the pandemic are proving successful. One of the most grotesque examples of this government propaganda is the repeated declarations from the Health Ministry and Indias top epidemiological institution that no significant community transmission of the potentially lethal virus is occurring in the worlds second most populous country.

Whether government officials care to admit it or not, the reality is the coronavirus is spreading like wildfire in numerous parts of India, and the influx of infected patients is increasingly overwhelming the countrys ramshackle health system.

In terms of COVID-19 cases, India is now the worlds third worst impacted country.

Health workers screen residents for COVID-19 symptoms at Deonar slum in Mumbai, India, Saturday, July 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

As of Thursday, according to data provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, COVID-19 cases reached 968,876. In the preceding 24 hours, 32,695 new infections were registered, the biggest single day spike to date. The death toll meanwhile climbed to 24,915, after another 606 fatalities. New infections have remained above 25,000 per day since July 10, with almost every day producing a new record in coronavirus infections.

While it took India 109 days to reach 100,000 COVID-19 cases, total infections grew nine-fold over the following 57 days, as the governments removal of lockdown measures went into high gear. Just four days passed before the total of 800,000 cases had reached 900,000.

The official death toll is suspiciously low in comparison to other severely impacted countries. Indian authorities are notorious for under-reporting death figures even in normal times, making it almost certain that the true number of deaths is much higher Even so, India has reported 500 plus deaths every single day since July 11.

Like US President Donald Trump, Modi trumpets on virtually every occasion crude falsehoods about the supposed effectiveness of his governments response to the pandemic, while showing no concern for the thousands of people who have already lost their lives. Indias prime minister has instead become the principal spokesman for the ruling elites criminal herd immunity policy, which one government adviser blithely estimated will result in 2 million deaths. To cover up the horrific cost of this policy, which is aimed at prioritising corporate profit over human lives, Modi and his ministers must resort to outright lies. Chief among these is the claim that no community transmission is taking place in India.

After chairing a meeting on COVID-19 last Saturday, Modi declared, We also highlighted successful initiatives being undertaken across India to ensure the coronavirus is kept under check.

This was aimed at concealing the fact that the principal purpose of the meeting, which involved Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, was to push forward with reopening the economy as the virus runs rampant. Rather than outlining new measures to stop the spread of the virus, Modi admonished the public. We must reiterate, he declared, the need to observe personal hygiene and social discipline in public places.

In other words, while the government throws open all sectors of the economy, forcing tens of millions of poorly paid workers to return to unsafe workplaces, the responsibility for preventing the spread of the virus is being placed on the individualand this in a country where hundreds of millions have no ready access to clean water and live in teeming slums where it is impossible to practice social distancing.

Although some states have been forced to re-impose certain limited restrictions due to the upsurge in cases, industrial workplaces and other worksites are being allowedindeed encouragedto continue operating; while employers, with government complicity, violate whatever meagre measures workplace safety measures have been officially ordered.

None of the initiatives taken by the Modi government in response to the pandemic have proven successful. His ill-prepared lockdown, announced with just a few hours notice in late March, was a disaster. Tens of millions of people were plunged overnight into destitution due to the governments failure to provide financial aid to workers who lost their jobs. The period of the lockdown was not used to strengthen Indias chronically underfunded health care system, or to put in place a system of mass testing and contact tracing to combat the spread of infections. Instead, the lockdown became the mechanism for spreading COVID-19 into remote areas as the Modi government kept tens of millions of migrant workers in packed unhygienic camps for weeks, then sent them back to their native states without testing them for the virus.

As recently as July 9, the government repeated that India has not reached the community transmission stage of COVID-19. Asked if India has entered the community transmission phase, Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty in the Union Health Ministry, told a press briefing, Even today, the health minister clearly said that India has not reached the state of community transmission. In some geographical areas, there have been localized outbreaks.

Engaging in an unsuccessful attempt to prove his point, Bhushan asserted that just 49 districts (out of 733) alone account for 80 percent of COVID-19 cases. Therefore, in such a situation in which you can trace and track close contacts of active cases, talking about community transmission is not justified. His claim conveniently ignores the fact that many of the 49 districts cover urban areas such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, and Bengaluru, where tens of millions of people live. Between them, Delhi and Mumbai alone are home to more than 40 million people.

The stupid and ignorant assertions of government officials are not merely a reflection of personal incompetence. Rather, the Modi government and its state counterparts have contemptuously dismissed any scientific approach to combatting the pandemic so they can focus exclusively on defending the profits and wealth of Indias millionaires and billionaires. If reopening the economy for big business requires that they cast aside World Health Organisation advice to carry out mass testing, isolate infected people, and trace contacts, so be it!

The reality is that serious scientists have been warning of the dangerous levels of community transmission in India for well over a month. Dr. Jacob John, a prominent virologist, pointed to widespread community transmission in India in an interview with the BBC in early June. Dr. John highlighted the fact that India, according to government data, has tested only 0.3 percent or 0.4 percent of the population. Referring to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data, he said that statistics have shown less than one percent0.73of cases across 83 districts showed evidence of past exposure to confirmed cases, and if that was not community transmission how else were they exposed.

In an interview with The Wire on June 16, Professor Ramanan Laxminarayan, Director of the Washington-based Center for Disease Dynamics and a Princeton fellow, stated that community transmission was absolutely happening in India. Applying mathematical models used in the US or UK to India, Laxminarayan estimated that India already had tens of millions of cases and that the figure could rise to 200 million by September.

While the Modi government bears chief responsibility for the massive humanitarian crisis triggered by COVID-19, the opposition parties who lead various state governments are also culpable. They have presided over miserable social conditions and continue to starve the health care system of desperately-needed funds.

Indias worst impacted state, with 275,649 cases and 10,928 deaths as of Thursday, is Maharashtra, where the far-right Shiv Sena leads a government backed by the nominally secular Congress Party. The southern state of Tamil Nadu, which is the second worst impacted state, with 151,820 cases and a total of 2,167 deaths, is governed by the right-wing All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), while Delhi, the National Capital Territory and third worst impacted state (116,993 cases and 3,487 deaths) is governed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). For decades, Indias political establishment has deliberately run the public health system into the groundspending 1.5 percent of GDP or less annually on health carein order to slash corporate taxes and pursue other pro-investor policies.

Indias criminal ruling elite has totally failed to deal with the health and social disaster produced by the pandemic. The only way that the relentless spread of the coronavirus can be stopped and working people shielded from the pandemics ruinous economic fallout is if the working class develops its own independent response. As the International Committee of the Fourth International explained in its June 23 statement:
Establishing a sustainable presence on the Moon, preparing for crewed missions to Mars, exploring the cosmos, and innovating how society travels by air requires new technologies and software. Each year, through its Inventions and Contributions Board, NASA recognizes the efforts of its engineers, software developers, and collaborative partners by awarding Invention of the Year and Software of the Year awards.

NASA's Invention of the Year includes two awards: Government Invention of the Year and Commercial Invention of the Year. The invention Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management developed by a team at the agency's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, was selected for the 2020 government award. NASA's 2020 Commercial Invention of the Year - a technology created in collaboration with industry - is RoboGlove, which was developed through a partnership between NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and General Motors.

NASA's 2020 Software of the Year is the core Flight System developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

"At NASA, we believe technology drives exploration, and our talented innovators are key to our continued leadership in space and technology. Each year we evaluate our inventions based on how they've benefitted NASA and other industries and recognize the great people behind the technologies," said Douglas Terrier, NASA's chief technologist. "The technologies we recognize with this year's awards will have lasting impacts on the way we transport goods, build cars and space stations, and enable audacious missions to accomplish NASA's most ambitious goals."

Preparing for More Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

NASA's patented Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management invention could enable new package delivery methods, precision agriculture monitoring, disaster response, and more. Ames developed this new air traffic management system to accommodate the increasing number of commercially operated, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The UAV commercial fleet is only expected to grow, and current air traffic control capabilities cannot handle the estimated future demand. A new way of safely managing this traffic was needed.

Traditional air traffic management relies on a central body (like the Federal Aviation Administration) to manage and control the airspace. The innovative, cloud-based UAS Traffic Management, or UTM system, allows for distributed airspace management where private companies collaborate to maintain a safe and accessible environment. The vehicles can detect other drones in the area, share flight paths, and monitor weather and terrain conditions. The vehicles can transmit their purpose, so monitoring teams are aware of all low-altitude airspace entities.

This new system will allow for the growth of the UAV airspace while keeping both vehicles and people safe.

New NASA Hand Tool

The RoboGlove is essentially a soft exoskeleton glove - inspired by NASA's Robonaut humanoid robot - that provides a power assist to workers who operate tools for extended periods, or who operate tools that require repetitive motions, such as automobile workers on assembly lines. The glove offers 15-20 pounds of extra force and, in short bursts, up to 50 pounds. This allows workers to use a lighter grip for the most demanding tasks and reduces strain on muscles and ligaments.

NASA has not used the technology in space yet, but it's being commercialized as "IronHand" by Bioservo Technologies in Sweden. "There are about $1 million in orders for IronHand," said Ron Diftler, the previous project manager for Robonaut at Johnson when RoboGlove was created. "It shows that technology developed with NASA very keenly in mind also can spread around the world and help people on the ground."

The benefits do not end at the assembly line. The glove can also be used for many other applications, including the construction industry, shipping warehouses, and medical and rehabilitation clinics to help people recover from injuries and assist those who battle chronic diseases.

The device also showed promise for use by NASA during a ground test with a high-fidelity spacesuit glove. Spacewalking astronauts grip tools, handrails, and large pieces of machinery during the time inside their spacesuits. While microgravity allows the astronauts to move thousands of pounds with just their pinky finger, gripping objects is more difficult. Spacesuits and gloves are pressurized to survive the harsh conditions of space. While gripping the tools and equipment, astronauts must work against that pressure.

"The benefits include mitigating fatigue, but the spacesuit RoboGlove also provides increased grip strength compared to a non-actuated spacesuit glove. The second-generation design essentially provided power steering of a glove's fingers to reduce the amount of effort," said Jonathan Rogers, deputy chief of the Robotic Systems Technology Branch at Johnson, who served as the project manager for RoboGlove from 2015 to 2017. "To use RoboGlove in space, the design must be further matured and tested."

An "App Store" for Space Missions

The core Flight System (cFS) software framework created an "App Store" or digital distribution platform environment for space missions. The cFS creates an open platform of reusable software applications that allow for collaboration, sharing, innovation, and commercialization. But unlike other frameworks, the cFS is written with the reliability and process rigor required for human spaceflight, while also being scalable and accessible for other less rigorous uses, such as student projects.

Elements of NASA's Artemis missions to the Moon, Earth-observing satellites, CubeSats, and autonomous vehicles on Earth could all use the cFS. Almost any embedded flight or ground system can use the cFS and take advantage of the flight quality code base and an active open source community.

Projects can browse and select existing processor platforms, operating systems, software tools, and applications from the cFS to implement their mission. This plug and play approach can significantly save money and time and reduce risk. Projects can then focus on mission-specific applications and chose to share any applications or updates back to the cFS open source community worldwide. Once written, an application can be used on any supported platform and operating system.

With the cFS, NASA created a free open source software system that allows NASA centers, government agencies, industry, academia, and international partners to collaborate and develop interoperable systems to push the boundaries in exploration and science.

About NASA's Invention and Software of the Year Awards

NASA's Invention of the Year and Software of the Year awards recognize the best innovations developed by the NASA team. The Inventions and Contributions Board evaluates the nominations (for the software award a panel of software experts provide the board input), and winners are selected and recommended to the award sponsors for concurrence.

The Invention of the Year awards are sponsored by NASA's Office of the General Counsel. The Software of the Year award is sponsored by offices of the Chief Engineer, Safety and Mission Assurance, and Chief Information Officer. The Inventions and Contributions Board is managed by NASA's Office of the General Counsel with support from the agency's Office of the Chief Technologist.

For more information about the Inventions and Contributions Board, visit: https://icb.nasa.gov

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
MOSCOW -- In September 2018, residents of Khabarovsk Krai, a Russian region bordering China, voted overwhelmingly for a governor not allied with the ruling party. Sergei Furgal, a former scrap-metal trader, won the election on a wave of discontent over falling wages and a hugely unpopular pension reform that raised the retirement age by five years.

Routing incumbent Vyacheslav Shport by winning nearly 70 percent in a runoff vote, Furgal celebrated a victory that dealt a humiliating defeat to a candidate endorsed by President Vladimir Putin and caused heads to turn in Moscow.

Some said that by challenging Shport, Furgal broke a promise he had made to the Kremlin: that he refrain from campaigning and accept a position in Shports cabinet instead. Once in office, he faced a dogged state TV campaign to blacken his name, and the kind of backstage jockeying for his ouster that may eventually have led to his downfall.

The Kremlin is shocked. No one knows how to react.

They crossed a red line," a source in Putins administration told the Vedomosti newspaper at the time, in reference to the deceptively named Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), a nationalist outfit usually loyal to the Kremlin, which fielded Furgal in the election. "They've turned into the [real] opposition -- and may now share its fate."

A week ago, those warnings appeared to come true. Less than two years into his term, Furgal was arrested and whisked off on July 10 to Moscows notorious Lefortovo jail, where he awaits trial on charges of organizing the murders of two businessmen and the attempted murder of another in 2004-05. He has pleaded not guilty, and supporters have questioned why the charges took 15 years to surface.

The following day, cities across Khabarovsk Krai were rocked by the largest protests witnessed in the region since the Soviet collapse in 1991, with an estimated 30,000 people marching through the streets of the regional capital, Khabarovsk, and demanding Furgals release. The protests have continued daily and featured anti-Putin slogans, leaving Moscow scrambling to gauge the right response.

The situation was emotionally very resonant, Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on July 14, warning that protests could aid the spread of the coronavirus. And Russian state TV has been conspicuously tight-lipped about the Khabarovsk rallies, which have provoked smaller protest events in other parts of the countrys Far East.

The Kremlin is shocked, said Abbas Galyamov, a political analyst based in Moscow. No one knows how to react.

In The East

Its Moscow that is traditionally viewed as Russias bastion of opposition sentiment, not the distant, industrial Far East. Regions on the countrys sprawling eastern flank are often reliant on central subsidies, and grudgingly accustomed to getting the short end of the stick. But mass protests there are rare, with grievances aired more commonly in private than on the streets.

But this time may be different, analysts say.

A June 25-July 1 vote that cemented a set of controversial changes to Russias constitution, including one enabling Putin to seek two more six-year terms as president, has contributed to a sense that peoples political choices are being ignored. The arrest of a popular governor has served as a catalyst for an expression of that sentiment in the form of protest rallies.

This is not a protest city, like Moscow or St. Petersburg, Zyoma Kulikov, one of the protesters in Khabarovsk, told RFE/RL. But Ill keep coming here until Furgal is brought back and given an open, jury trial here in Khabarovsk.

Crowd size in Khabavorsk has dwindled since the record turnout on July 11, with several hundred people protesting outside the regional administration each evening. But Sergei, a local builder who declined to give his last name because he feared repercussions for speaking out, said the mood was combative ahead of a major rally planned for July 18.

Were doing everything for Moscow to hear us, for Putin to hear us, he said. They say there are fewer and fewer of us each day, but this weekend, people will come in droves.

Last summer, crowds numbering in the tens of thousands protested in Moscow over the exclusion of independent candidates from elections to the city council. The police reacted with a show of force and a subsequent campaign of legal prosecutions in which several people were sentenced to prison on charges they denied or said were substantially overblown.

This week, on July 15, a smaller rally in Moscow against the amendment that could extend Putins rule featured chants of Khabarovsk, were with you! and banners displaying Furgals name. Some 140 protesters were detained in a sometimes violent police clampdown shortly after the main event ended.

But as protests in Khabarovsk continued, there have been few signs of a similarly forceful response by the authorities. Instead, the rallies appear to have baffled a local law enforcement mechanism unused to handling anything of the sort.

Kremlin 'Flummoxed'



The protest reached such a scale that the authorities are flummoxed, said Galyamov. Thats why law enforcement is acting with such restraint. Its unclear how people will react to arrests. They may be like a red rag to a bull.

Few predict the protests will spark a revolution that topples Putins two-decade rule. But after years of falling real wages and minimal support from the state during a pandemic that continues to sicken thousands of Russians each day, some analysts say that Khabarovsk is a harbinger of more unrest to come.

Furgals trajectory tells us much more about tectonic processes at work in Russian politics and society than anything specifically to do with him, Mark Galeotti, a Russia expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London, wrote in a recent column. You worry less about not having so loud a political voice when times are good, but recent years have not been that.

Galeotti argues the protests are another symbol of the gradual decline of Putinism. For residents of Khabarovsk, demonstrations are a release valve for anger over economic stagnation, job losses, and a widespread sense that their voices just arent being heard.

It is not that this will bring Putin down so much as that it becomes a symbol of the ossification and alienation of Late Putinism, he wrote.

With reporting from Khabarovsk by Yekaterina Khasina of the Siberia Desk of RFE/RLs Russian Service
Halloween was trending on Twitter today, and it has become very apparent that the remaining holidays in 2020 will most likely be spent in quarantine.

HOUSTON ON CHILL: Houstonians are less anxious about coronavirus despite spike, Rice survey says

Even with the spooky holiday being a whole three months away, it doesn't look like coronavirus is going anywhere. And while schools are attempting to open up in the fall, the promise of a pleasant return seems unlikely at best.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Spring Branch ISD announces plans for 2020-21 school year

In fact, the US wont return to its pre-COVID-19 normal until August 2021, according to frontline treating physicians from InCrowds Fifth COVID-19 Tracking Report.

With reports like these, parents may be reluctant to send their kids out for some spooky fun on Halloween. While trick-or-treating may still be somewhat of a viable option this year, the reality of coronavirus being able to exist in the air and on surfaces is enough for me to want to stay inside for all holidays to come.

It may not even be a matter of being allowed to go trick-or-treating. I'm not sure that I would even feel comfortable going door to door with my nieces and nephews, asking candy from people I've never really met. While I'm ready for the pandemic to be over, the transition from isolated social distancing to being around large groups of people in a pre-COVID environment almost seems bizarre.

A few Twitter users joined in on the conversation. One user tweeted, "I see people tweeting about Halloween 2020... you can forget about it baby."

In the grand scheme of things, while all the remaining holidays for this year in danger of being "cancelled," I'm glad to skip Halloween this year. Can 2020 really take anymore scares? The year 2020 could be deemed Halloween. Everyday is a new scare.
LONGUEUIL, Quebec, July 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reunion Gold Corporation (TSX-V: RGD) (Reunion or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding agreement with a Surinamese private company outlining the key terms and conditions under which the Company would get an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Majorodam Project in Suriname. The agreement is subject to Reunion completing technical and legal due diligence to its satisfaction, after which a definitive option agreement with the owner of the Majorodam Project will be executed.



The Majorodam Project comprises a right of exploitation for gold and other minerals totalling 99.85 square kilometres and is located 100 km south of Paramaribo. Approximately 15 km to the north of the Majorodam Project, and within the same greenstone belt, is Iamgolds recently discovered Saramacca deposit containing 1.5 million ounces of gold in reserves. This proximity to existing and proven mineralization, as well as the location within a major northwest striking shear corridor controlling the western edge of this greenstone belt, are two of the factors that have led Reunion to this project.

Historical gold mining on the project area was limited to small-scale operations dating back to at least the early 2000s, targeting mineralized alluvium derived from upland areas and ridges within the Majorodam Project area. An airborne geophysical magnetic and radiometric survey was recently completed on behalf of the Surinamese private company, in early 2020, and is currently under interpretation. This is expected to deliver a refined interpretation of the project area structural geology that could be used to target initial exploration work by the Company.

The Company intends to initiate its due diligence as soon as possible, pending the lifting of COVID-19 related restrictions. The recent restart of twice-weekly commercial flights between Amsterdam and Paramaribo is a positive indication in reaching this objective soon.

Extension of Option Period on Boulanger Project, French Guiana

The Company is also pleased to announce that the option period under the Boulanger Project option agreement has been extended by one year and will be exercisable until July 27, 2022. This will provide the Company additional time to explore and consider exercising its option to acquire the Boulanger Project. See news release dated July 27, 2017 for more details about the option agreement.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Justin van der Toorn, CGeol FGS, the Companys Exploration Manager for Guyana and Suriname. Mr. van der Toorn is a qualified person under Canadian National Instrument 43-101.

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.

Cautionary statement

This news release contains "forwardlooking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements relating to historical data, the potential of the Majorodam Project, the conduct of due diligence and the entering into the option agreement. Although we believe the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, the entering into the option agreement is subject to, among other things, the results of the due diligence and the availability of funds. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of our management on the date the statements are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.

About Reunion Gold

Reunion Gold Corporation is a leading gold explorer with a portfolio of projects in the Guiana Shield, South America. The Companys shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol RGD. Additional information about the Company is available on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com ) and on the Companys website ( www.reuniongold.com ). For further information please contact:

REUNION GOLD CORPORATION

Rejean Gourde, President & CEO

Paul Fowler, Manager, Corporate Development

Telephone: +1 450.677.2585

Email: info@reuniongold.com
Media expert Samvel Martirosyan took to his Facebook and stated the following:

Now we can see why the leakage of personal data was necessary  the Azerbaijanis are targeting people with those personal data and via phones.

Martirosyan also posted a video in which he gave advice on how people in Armenia can fight against the Azerbaijanis telephone terrorism and stated the following:

It has already been three days since the Azerbaijanis started attacking via phones.

Last night, many citizens of Armenia received so-called SMSs from the Ministry of Defense of Armenia stating the Armenian sides losses and more. This is part of a large operation. About two days ago, I noticed that they start disturbing a person with messages on Messenger and start addressing personal messages.

First, they use swear words and then make phone calls, and in both cases, you can block them. They also add you to groups and start pressuring you. The bad thing is that they start calling you on your phone at night. My advice is to turn the volume of your phone off at night.

Now they have the names, last names, dates of birth and phone numbers of a large number of citizens of Armenia, he stated.
The data provided by Scaler -- a platform by edtech start-up InterviewBit, showed that over 80 per cent of these graduates end up pursuing non-technical careers due to lack of available employment opportunities.

Bengaluru: Only three per cent of engineer graduates in India get high-quality tech jobs with salary packages of Rs 8-10 lakh and above, according to a report released on Thursday.

To address the gap between skills needed for high-quality technology jobs and work-readiness of graduates, the company has launched a college-companion programme called 'Scaler Edge' - to boost the employability of engineering students.

Additionally, to meet the growing demand for online skilling courses, the company plans to hire 500 more teaching assistants and mentors in this financial year.

"We strongly believe that this offering will provide future techies with a certain edge that will help them land relevant growth roles to further their careers and eventually become the job-creators of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' in software and technology," Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-Founder, InterviewBit & Scaler Academy said.

According to industry estimates, 15 lakh engineers graduate in India every year out of which only 2.5 lakh students land relevant jobs in technical domains. Out of those roughly 2.2 lakh openings are in software, within which a vast majority (1.8 lakh jobs) are in IT services garnering around only Rs 3-5 lakh per annum (LPA) in remuneration.

To address this discrepancy, a 2-year college-companion programme designed with input from top CTOs and engineers across tech companies, is being launched by Scaler to help students build industry-oriented skill-sets and pursue career tracks of the future.

Estimates further suggest that of the available engineering jobs, only approximately 40,000 jobs (for 3 per cent of 15 lakh engineers) provide an ideal mix of autonomy and learning potential with packages upwards of Rs 8-10 LPA for freshers.

Additionally, of the 3 per cent of graduates that land coveted high paying and high-quality jobs, the majority come from Tier 1 colleges -- implying the lack of good quality opportunities for students from Tier 2 and Tier 3 colleges.

The inequity in available employment opportunities across institutions leads to around 12.5 lakh engineers almost every year who have to reroute options and pursue non-technical opportunities to stay afloat, the company said.

The course also helps students work on functional projects that can be added to their resumes to highlight their capabilities to future employers. "Our offerings are built bearing in mind the need for a strong industry connect which most graduates might not have access to at their current level," said Anshuman Singh, Co-Founder, InterviewBit and Scaler Academy.
DETROIT, MI  A former Volkswagen senior manager who was sentenced to prison in the U.S. for his role in the companys emissions scandal will be transferred to his native Germany to serve out the rest of his term.

Oliver Schmidt, 51, agreed to the transfer during a hearing on Thursday, July 16, with U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Stafford in Detroit. The U.S. and Germany have signed off, the Associated Press reports.

In 2017, Schmidt was sentenced to seven years in prison for covering up a scheme to evade pollution limits on U.S. diesel vehicles.

Schmidt was dispatched to the U.S. from Germany in 2015 to meet California regulators who were suspicious of VW's actions. He didn't disclose rogue software that had long fooled authorities into believing that VW was meeting emissions rules on nearly 600,000 vehicles, according to AP

Schmidt also was accused of misleading American investigators and destroying documents. He has been in custody for 3 1/2 years since his arrest in Miami.

The reason for the move hasnt been publicly disclosed.

RELATED:

Guilty plea in emissions scandal could mean prison for Volkswagen exec

Former VW executive gets prison for role in emissions cheating scandal
President Trump's administration is proposing to weaken a key housing discrimination regulation. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)

The great rollbacks began as soon as Donald Trump took office.

The Iran nuclear deal. The Paris climate accords. DACA. Clean air and water regulations.

Trumps zeal to destroy the legacy of President Obama has been so single minded that you might be forgiven for thinking its his only ideology. Well, that and white supremacy.

Almost every aspect of our lives has been touched by Trumps obsession with undoing Obama-era laws and regulations that make our air and water cleaner, give us access to health insurance, make the workplace safer, and so on.

Now the Trump Administration has proposed a new regulation that would make it more difficult for people to prove theyve been the victims of housing discrimination.

Thats hardly a surprise, given the Trump familys history with allegations of race discrimination in its apartment rental business. In 1973, the Justice Department filed a civil rights case against the Trumps, alleging they refused to rent to Black people and had employees secretly code rental applications with the letter c for colored.

Without admitting guilt, the family signed a consent decree in 1975 that required them to refrain from discrimination and to thoroughly acquaint themselves personally on a detailed basis with the Fair Housing Act, as the Washington Post reported. Do you suppose Trump ever completed the assignment?

Last summer, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed a significant revision to a 2013 rule dealing with the disparate impact standard. Under the law, disparate impact refers to practices that adversely affect one group of people  lets say African Americans  even though the rules appear on their surface to be neutral. The language of the administration's proposed changes is technical and obtuse.

All you really need to know is that Obama made it less onerous for discrimination victims to prove their case; Trump wants to make it more difficult.

::

In the 1960s, when I was in elementary school and we lived in Northridge, my parents were members of the San Fernando Valley Fair Housing Council. They were testers, people who would pose as potential renters to see whether a landlord was discriminating against people based on race.

Story continues

A black couple would show up to look at an apartment, only to be told by the landlord that it had already been rented. Then my parents would show up and often be told the place was still available.

Housing discrimination is still rampant, and the technique my parents used is still valuable. It was used to extraordinary effect by Newsday, which last year published the results of a three-year investigation into housing discrimination on Long Island.

Using testers, Newsday found rampant racial discrimination among real estate agents, who steered Black, Asian and Latino would-be home buyers away from mostly white neighborhoods and steered whites away from neighborhoods with greater racial diversity.

The agents, who were secretly recorded, often would demand legal identification and mortgage pre-approval letters from people of color before even showing a single home to them. Some demanded exclusivity agreements. White people were simply assumed to be qualified. Often, they were shown far more homes than people of color, who were given limited options.

Redlining, or refusing to lend or insure properties within a certain geographical area, has been illegal for decades. Nowadays, as the Newsday investigation showed, housing discrimination is accomplished in far more subtle ways.

I would have never known, tester Johnnie Mae Alston, a retired state worker who is Black told Newsday. They make you feel like they are treating you like everybody else But once you see the other side, you realize you arent treated that well.

::

As you would expect, fair housing advocates, civil rights groups and Democrats immediately protested HUDs proposal to make it harder to prove housing discrimination.

But even the National Assn. of Realtors smelled a rat.

Now is not the time to issue a regulation that could hinder further progress on addressing ongoing systemic racism in our country, wrote NAR President Vince Malta in a July 13 letter asking HUD Secretary Ben Carson to withdraw the proposed rule.

Police killings of Black people and a pandemic that has disproportionately hit people of color, wrote Malta, have been painful reminders of the devastating impact of discrimination and segregation on racial minorities in nearly every facet of American life.

NAR, he added, continues to reckon with the role it played decades ago in segregating our metropolitan areas and  ongoing housing discrimination. (Decades ago, NARs code of ethics prohibited integration.)

For too long, racist tools like redlining, restrictive covenants and steering kept Black families from buying homes, and from enjoying the substantial accumulation of generational wealth that home ownership in booming post-war decades afforded so many white Americans.

We have barely begun to right those wrongs.

Making it harder to prove housing discrimination is not just wrong.

Its immoral  and downright Trumpian.

@AbcarianLAT




Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg revealed Friday that her cancer has returned and she is undergoing chemotherapy.

The 87-year-old released a statement detailing her illness after spending three days in the hospital this week, which she said was not related.

She said she had been treated for the recurrence of lesions on her liver since May 19. They had been diagnosed by a scan in February which was followed by a biopsy, she said. She had been treated last August for a tumor on her pancreas.

The oldest member of the court said in the statement: 'I have often said I would remain a member of the court as long as I can do the job full steam. I remain fully able to do that.'

Ginsberg (front, second from right) is a staunchly liberal vote on the nine-member court

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (seen last September) has been admitted to a hospital for treatment of a possible infection, according to a statement

In her statement, Ginsburg said: 'On May 19, I began a course of chemotherapy (gemcitabine) to treat a recurrence of cancer.

'A periodic scan in February followed by a biopsy revealed lesions on my liver. My recent hospitalizations to remove gall stones and treat an infection were unrelated to this recurrence.

'Immunotherapy first essayed proved unsuccessful. The chemotherapy course, however, is yielding positive results. Satisfied that my treatment course is now clear, I am providing this information.

'My most recent scan on July 7 indicated significant reduction of the liver lesions and no new disease.

'I am tolerating chemotherapy well and am encouraged by the success of my current treatment.

'I will continue bi-weekly chemotherapy to keep my cancer at bay, and am able to maintain an active daily routine. Throughout, I have kept up with opinion writing and all other Court work.'

In August 2019, the Supreme Court announced that Ginsburg had recently completed three weeks of focused radiation treatment to ablate a tumor found in her pancreas over the summer.

Ginsburg reported that she was cancer-free in January of this year. In May, she underwent non-surgical treatment for a gallstone that had caused an infection.

The statement came after the Supreme Court said Wednesday that Ginsburg was discharged from a hospital after being treated for a possible infection.

A court spokeswoman said in an emailed statement that Ginsburg was 'home and doing well.'

Ginsburg had gone to a hospital in Washington on Monday evening after experiencing fever and chills.

She had a procedure at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on Tuesday afternoon to clean out a bile duct stent that was placed last August when she was treated for a cancerous tumor on her pancreas.

The court said in a statement Tuesday that she would 'stay in the hospital for a few days to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment.'

Ginsburg, a staunchly liberal vote on the court, was first evaluated at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington DC on Monday night after experiencing fever and chills.

Although the Supreme Court's summer recess officially began last week, the justices worked into the wee hours of Tuesday, considering a request by the federal government to allow federal executions to resume after a 17-year hiatus - meaning she took part from her hospital bed.

The court issued its 5-4 ruling allowing federal executions to resume at approximately 2am Tuesday. Ginsburg joined dissents by Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor.

Following the ruling, the federal government on Tuesday executed Daniel Lewis Lee, who was convicted of murdering an Arkansas family in a 1990s plot to build a whites-only nation in the Pacific Northwest.

The government then executed Wesley Ira Purkey on Wednesday for the killing of a Kansas City teenager in 1998.

Ginsburg's determination to stay on the court in the face of health challenges comes before a November election in which Trump is already explicitly calling for four more years to move the court further to the right.

In 2016 when Justice Antonin Scalia died suddenly in an election year, Senator Majority leader Mitch McConnell blocked the Obama administration from moving forward its nomination of Merick Garland, a federal appeals court judge, to the vacant seat.

But in a move which has infuriated Democrats, McConnell has said he would advance a nomination from the Trump administration on the basis that the presidency is in its first term - meaning that if Ginsburg were to retire, it would be almost certain that her seat would go to a conservative, giving that wing of the court a 6-3 majority.

The Roberts court has offered Trump a series of defeats in recent weeks, with Ginsburg part of the 6-3 majority which extended civil rights protections to LGBTQ people, the 7-2 majority denying his claims of presidential immunity from any criminal investigation and Congressional oversight; and the 5-4 majority which blocked Trump's termination of DACA.
Good morning, Bay Area. Its Friday, July 17, and San Francisco has cut off more streets to car traffic. Heres what you need to know to start your day.

Like a lot of the rural West, Yosemite National Park seemed to be a safer haven from the coronavirus. No park employees or residents tested positive. No visitors reported being sick. The fresh air and open space seemed immune.

Thats until local health officials started looking for the coronavirus in the parks raw sewage  thats right, the poop.

Read more from Kurtis Alexander about what they found, and how more and more communities are keeping watch for the virus in wastewater.

 Tesla admission: Some employees caught the coronavirus at work.

Short-lived immunity?

Recent studies indicate that the human body does not retain the antibodies that build up when people are infected with the coronavirus, meaning there may be no lasting immunity, even with a vaccine.

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

Those studies reinforces a decision by scientists at UCSFs Quantitative Bioscience Institute to focus on developing effective treatments rather than a vaccine, director Nevan Krogan tells reporter Peter Fimrite.

Read more.

 Bay Area struggles to contain case surge as counties issue tighter restrictions.

 There are many good reasons to get tested for the coronavirus, but a big downside is holding some people back: Isolation during recovery will mean no wages for those who need it the most. A San Francisco program is trying to overcome that.

 Coronavirus map: Where new cases are growing the fastest in the Bay Area.

FBI seeking communications, documents

In 2002, about 10 years before he would take the helm of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Harlan Kelly partnered with Melanie Lok, a longtime family friend, on an investment property, splitting costs on the fixer-upper and owning the property jointly.

Michael Macor / The Chronicle

Then in 2011, Kelly, at the time the SFPUCs assistant general manager of infrastructure, bought out Loks stake in the property, eventually making it his home.

The transaction is now drawing scrutiny in light of the subpoena federal investigators sent to the SFPUC last month that has drawn the agency into the burgeoning City Hall corruption scandal thats unfolded since former Public Works Director Mohammed Nurus arrest in January on fraud charges.

Read more from reporter Dominic Fracassa.

Previously: Three more S.F. city departments hit with subpoenas in expanding Nuru corruption probe.

No cars go

San Francisco is closing 14 more streets to through traffic as part of its Slow Streets program, seeking to give residents more space for socially distant exercise and get to essential services without driving or taking transit.

Nina Riggio / Special to The Chronicle

The move doubles the number of streets in the network to 30. The city is also expected to approve the closure of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on the west side of Golden Gate Park, completing a car-free path through the park to the Pacific Ocean.

Read more on which San Francisco streets are now slow.

The Throughline: A map to make the city a bike and pedestrian utopia.

East Bay: Not everyones impressed with slowing down traffic near Oaklands essential places.

Whatever clean means

Actress Cameron Diaz and fashion CEO Katherine Power have released a wine brand called Avaline that promises to be clean. But its claims are misleading.

Avaline

The brands wines are no more clean than the average bottle of wine youd find on a grocery store shelf and no more natural than the Cabernets that stain your tongue.

Wine critic Esther Mobley takes apart the marketing claims of a celebrity wine, point by point.

 Read more stories from Esther in the weekly Drinking With Esther newsletter.

Around the Bay

 What now: Yes, theres a coin shortage in the Bay Area. Heres whats going on.

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.

 So dont use quarters for this: The cost to adopt a wild horse? $1.

 Tragic losses: Oakland settles with families of 32 Ghost Ship fire victims for $32.7 million.

 Not in the job description: Giants, As infection-control staff face nearly impossible task, huge pressure.

 Back and forth: Push to save Caltrain gets a second chance as S.F. supervisor says hell fight for tax measure. Fifth & Mission podcast: Rachel Swan explains the tug-of-war between San Francisco and Caltrain.

 Stunning rebound: Bay Area home sales surged nearly 70% from May to June; prices rose 3.6%.

 First robbery in February: Police arrest four accused of a string of robberies in San Francisco.

 Joblessness not going away: More than 51 million in U.S. have filed for unemployment under shelter-in-place.

 Essential power: Fearing fire season blackouts, California regulators require cell towers to add backup power. Official word: PG&E started 2019 Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, Cal Fire says.

Datebook

Topping off a string of prominent staff departures at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the museums senior curator of painting and sculpture has resigned  and a group of former museum employees hope SFMOMAs director follows suit.

Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle 2015

Sam Whiting reports on what happened in the latest shakeup at the museum.

More from Datebook:

 What Bay Areas Black theater artists want to ask industry now.

 BottleRock 2020 is officially canceled. Napa music festival plans to return next year.

 Review: Fatal Affair, with Nia Long and Omar Epps, is so bad its kind of good.

 Horrible, heroic or humorous: Screen depictions reflect shifting attitudes about police.

Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact Brown at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com.
Gerry Harrigan pictured with a copy of The Sligo Champion from 1897 at his home at St Brigids Place, Sligo

Gerry Harrigan was doing a bit of tidying underneath the stairs of his home at St Brigid's Place when he came across a newspaper which to his great surprise was a copy of his local newspaper dating 1897.

"I had no idea it was there," Gerry told The Sligo Champion.

Even more surprising is the excellent condition the newspaper is in considering its age.

The newspaper has hardly faded at all and is dated Saturday, May 1st 1897 and was on sale for two pence.

"I was just doing a bit of cleaning out under the stairs when I came across it," said Gerry.

The Sligo Champion was founded in 1836 and is one of the oldest provincial newspapers in the country.

It has continually published each week since its foundation and now comes out on a Tuesday having also had publication days of Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the past.

It has also gone from being a broadsheet newspaper to a compact edition over its 184 year history while it has also seen plenty of production changes as it moves with the times, the most signifcant being of late the launch of an e-paper.

The edition which Gerry unearthed was four pages in total and carried lots of local and international news and advertisements including many by shipping companies for trips to the US, Liverpool and Glasgow at the time.

Gerry is delighted with his find and says he has had an offer from a local publican to buy it from him already.
Actor Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor Khan took to Instagram to wish Katrina Kaif on her 37th birthday on Thursday. The actors posted warm pictures with Katrina along with sweet messages.

Priyanka wrote: Happy Birthday Katrina! Thank you for being such a kind and loving friend. Miss you tons! Sending you a big virtual bday hug. In the picture, the two pose for the camera; Priyanka has a white dress on, while Katrina looks pretty in a green and white polka dotted dress.

Kareena too wished the Bharat actor with a lovely picture of the two of them together. She wrote: Happy birthday Kat... I wish you happiness and love forever... may you continue to shine... @katrinakaif Both the ladies are dressed in traditional Indian finery.

Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra posted pictures with Katrina Kaif on latters birthday.

Evidently, Katrina is hugely popular among the film fraternity. Early in the day on Thursday, she was flooded by wishes by other stars. Deepika Padukone wished her good health and peace of mind while Alia Bhatt said: . Happy birthday to the gorgeous, gorgeous soul. May your day be full of sunshine ...oh and pancakes. I wish you a lifetime of all things lovely!! Love you loads Katy. Anushka Sharma too wished her on the occasion and said: Happy birthday Katrina. Heres to a beautiful, wise and strong one.

Also read: Richa Chadha says same directors who posted condolence messages have replaced actresses who refused to sleep with them

Actor Vicky Kaushal wished her saying, Happy birthday while posting a picture of hers on a terrace. Salman Khan posted a still with the actor from their film, Tiger Zinda Hai, and simply wrote: Happy bday Katrina.

The actor, meanwhile, who has been with her sister Isabella in Mumbai over the last couple of months, had a quite birthday celebration at her home. In a picture she shared on Instagram late Thursday, Katrina was seen sitting and set to cut her three birthday cakes. Sharing them, she wrote: Thank u for all the birthday wishes.

On the work front, Katrina delivered a major hit last year with Bharat. She will be seen next in Akshay Kumars Sooryavanshi.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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By Express News Service

PUDUCHERRY/CHENNAI: Surendra Natarajan an anchor of the Youtube channel Karuppar Koottam, surrendered before the Central Crime Branch police of Tamil Nadu, in Puducherry on Thursday. The BJP had lodged a complaint against him for allegedly denigrating lord Murugan and Kandha Sashti Kavacham, a prayer sung in his praise.

Natarajan was placed under arrest at Kottamedu in Ariyankuppam. The BJP had claimed that by uploading an episode titled Aabasa Puranam Series - Kandha Sashti Kavacham - Kathakalatchebam, the anchor attempted to malign the sanctity of Hindu Gods. Hindus would not tolerate such malicious content against their God and religion. We demand the arrest of all those involved, in addition to a ban on the channel, the complaint added.

Natarajan, who had sought anticipatory bail from Madras High Court, reached a library at Kottamedu on Thursday, and informed Kancheepuram police his location details. He told mediapersons that the case was foisted upon him by the BJP because they thought he was a DMK supporter. Around 4.30 pm, Natarajan garlanded a Periyar statue and boarded a police van.

Meanwhile, BJP organised widespread protests across Tamil Nadu on Thursday, demanding action against those involved with the channel. In Chennai, the party State president, L Murugan, along with party supporters held a protest near Murugans house slamming the Youtube channel. The protestors recited Kandha Sashti Kavacham and performed poojas to lord Murugan on the occasion. Similarly, Hindu Munnani members also staged a demonstration condemning the channel in Ambur Bazaar in Tirupattur district on Thursday.
Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

As coronavirus cases soar across our region, hospitals taxed to capacity may soon face the unthinkable  deciding who lives and who dies. The prospect that we or our loved ones might be denied needed care during the pandemic is distressing for anyone. But those who are older, disabled or have terminal conditions like Lou Gehrigs disease have good reason to fear being put at the bottom of the priority list. That is because experience has taught us that many people, including health care professionals, often see people who are aged, disabled and terminally ill as damaged goods or short-timers.

Now some might defend giving lower priority to patients who are older, disabled or have serious underlying health conditions. After all, providers have an obligation to responsibly steward scarce resources during a public health crisis, and isnt this the group of people who are most likely to die when they contract COVID-19? While it is true that patients with certain health conditions or advanced age often have a poorer prognosis than other patients, this is not always the case. Yet studies show that even well-meaning providers sometimes make medical decisions based on stereotypes or assumptions that devalue the lives of older or disabled patients. Consequently, hospitals might give lower priority to some patients who in fact would respond well to treatment.
Reuters

Britain's decision to ban China's Huawei Technologies from next-generation 5G telecom networks is the latest blow to the global leader in telecom equipment and could help lay the groundwork for broader changes in the industry.

Ericsson of Sweden and Nokia of Finland are currently the only companies besides Huawei that provide complete 5G wireless networks, and they, along with Korea's Samsung, are the most immediate beneficiaries of the US-led campaign against Huawei.

But the US government and many others are now touting a new, more open approach to wireless network architecture, called Open RAN. The idea is to make equipment from different vendors work with each other, allowing mobile operators to mix and match equipment from various suppliers and potentially improving flexibility and reducing costs.

For the moment, Huawei's competitors are unlikely to see an immediate revenue bump as telecom equipment sales cycles typically take more than a year to complete.

Nokia and Ericsson, both of which have struggled financially in recent years, already have a presence in the UK market. But Ericsson has been ahead of Nokia in the 5G race globally and has won much of the business in other countries where Huawei has been blocked. Samsung may also get a boost.

Open RAN is a wild card. US tech giants including Qualcomm, Oracle, Microsoft, Cisco, Intel, and Nvidia hope it will give them a chance to expand their presence in telecom equipment, where they already play a role as suppliers of routers, chips, and software.

Start-up companies such as Mavenir, Altiostar and Parallel Wireless, which are creating software for Open RAN and developing partnerships with the big hardware companies, could benefit too.

"The geopolitical uncertainty is providing them with a much-needed entry point - it is now up to the Open RAN players to capitalize on this opportunity and show that they are ready for prime time," said Stefan Pongratz of market research firm Dell'Oro.

Wireless carriers are enthusiastic about Open RAN in principle, because it could reduce their costs, but they are also nervous about security and other associated risks.

Costs and delays

There are costs to barring Huawei  the British government has estimated that its decision to purge Huawei equipment will cost the British telecom operators more than 2 billion pounds.

The operators would need to select new vendors to build upcoming networks and also replace existing Huawei equipment.

"Huawei's infrastructure is considered the most cost-effective, so we will ultimately see an increase in the cost of deploying networks," said CCS Insight analyst Kester Mann.

"And unfortunately, the upshot of that probably will be eventually that gets passed in some way or the other to the consumer."

5G networks  aimed at aimed at enabling everything from self-driving cars to connected devices  also feature dense antenna arrays that drive up power consumption on a cell site. Huawei claims that its 5G sites consume 20% less power than the industry average.

Both Nokia and Ericsson have said that they have the technology, supply chain capacity and expertise to replace all Huawei equipment in the UK's networks without any disruption to customers.

"The decision removes the uncertainty that was slowing down investment decisions around the deployment of 5G in the UK," Ericsson said.

Still, the British government estimates the restrictions and the costs involved could delay rollouts by two to three years.

Huawei accounted for around two-thirds of BT's mobile network and one-third for Vodafone UK, while Three UK, controlled by CK Hutchison Holdings, is solely using Huawei, according to estimates from UBS.

Hit To Huawei

Other European countries, notably Germany, will now be under even more pressure to follow the United States, the UK, Australia, and others in banning Huawei from 5G.

In many countries, 5G network development is still in its infancy. But they may still face a tough choice if they already use Huawei for 4G, given the initial cost of deploying 5G is lower if the same supplier provides both 4G and 5G equipment.

When Ericsson got a 5G contract from Bell Canada last month, analysts estimated about $200 million in costs over the next few years for switching from a network built using Huawei gear.

Huawei, meanwhile, has lost another round in its battle against the US-led campaign against the company. While it has a strong backstop in the China market and a supportive government, it could lose more business in the months ahead.

It was the world's biggest maker of telecom networking equipment in 2019, with $42 billion in sales, and telecom-related sales outside of China was estimated to be about $20 billion.

While the UK accounts for only around 1 precent of revenue, reputationally it matters a great deal to the company, according to a Huawei source.

"We have not given up on the UK market and are calling for the government to reconsider," the source said.
Virginia recently extended its unemployment benefits while it continues to grapple with problems brought on by the high volume of people filing insurance claims resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

A group of state legislators sent a letter to the Virginia Employment Commission on Thursday in response to thousands of complaints about the extensive wait time it takes for people to receive their unemployment insurance money or various other problems people are encountering when filing a claim that sometimes leads to them not receiving money.

Our current unemployment system cannot be sustained in this rapidly changing climate with historic levels of unemployment, reads the letter, which was signed by 43 Democratic state senators and delegates. The system penalizes workers for being out of a job through no fault of their own. We must do more to help Virginians navigate these uncertain times.

Republican lawmakers have been criticizing the unemployment system as well.

Joyce Fogg, the commissions spokeswoman, said the VEC received the letter and would respond to it after reviewing it. The VEC is an executive branch agency thats under the secretary of commerce and trade, a member of Democratic Gov. Ralph Northams Cabinet.

Del. Chris Hurst, D-Montgomery, whose signature leads the letter, said his office has been inundated with calls and emails from constituents who have been unable to collect their unemployment insurance or havent been able to reach someone at the employment commission. Hurst acknowledges the circumstances of a mass number of people applying for unemployment insurance at the same time undoubtedly would stress the system, but he said the situation highlights a need for changes.

I didnt go into this being an unemployment insurance reformer, but this has educated many of us on this issue and we dont want to let this go, Hurst said. State Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath also signed the letter.

Hurst cited the low unemployment benefit amounts, eligibility requirements, and the troublesome VEC website among the issues that need to be addressed. For example, unemployment applicants have little information provided to them about the status and issues with their claims on the website. That has contributed to a flood of calls to the commission from people trying to understand why they havent received their unemployment benefits and what the issues are with their claims and how to address them.

The letter also asks the commission to bring in line its criteria for providing unemployment with the new workplace safety regulations passed this week by the Virginia Department of Labor and Industrys Safety and Health Codes Board, so that if employees are called back to work but feel unsafe doing so, they can still receive benefits. Legislators also want the commission to put a deadline on how long employers have to provide information about why their employee is no longer working there so applicants dont face a lag in payments.

More than 1 million Virginians have filed initial claims for unemployment insurance since January. Last week, 32,292 initial claims were filed, according to commission officials. Compared to this time last year, about 2,000 Virginians filed initial unemployment claims.

Its really, really unprecedented, said Bill Walton, the unemployment insurance director at the commission.

The maximum weekly benefit amount is $378, and the minimum is $60. The benefit duration varies from 12 to 26 weeks, depending on wages earned.

Due to the extensive business shutdowns and an interest in keeping people at home, Congress temporarily provided recipients of unemployment with an additional $600 per week as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

The extra unemployment insurance boost will expire in the week ending July 25. If someone files a claim in that week, even if its delayed or the person has to work out issues with the claim and is ultimately deemed eligible weeks later, that person will be able to collect the extra $600.

Its unclear whether Congress will agree on a plan to address the programs fast-approaching expiration. Republicans have said they dont want to provide an additional amount as much as $600 again. As the country tries to reopen the economy, they want people to return to work rather than collect unemployment insurance that is more than what someone would make earning minimum wage.

The need for unemployment support hasnt gone away. Businesses continue to navigate closures and financial losses, so even while many businesses are reopening, the economic damage from the pandemic will last a while longer.

Under the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, Virginians collecting unemployment are eligible for extended benefits that will last an additional 13 weeks after they have already exhausted their regular benefits. The benefits last through the week ending Dec. 26.

The state already has paid out $16 million on more than 18,000 claims so far in extended benefits, commission officials said. Some of the benefits paid out were to people who exhausted their benefits before April, before the pandemic hit.

The eligibility for the extended benefits is the same as they are now, including the waiving of the requirement that someone be actively searching for work. Those who may not receive these benefits include people who have pending administrative hearings for their regular benefits as well as independent contractors and self-employed workers who dont qualify for traditional state unemployment benefits.

To deal with the surge in unemployment claims, Gov. Ralph Northam said this week that the employment commission had increased its staff by 550% since the pandemic began and is getting more than 60,000 calls per week.

Commission officials said Thursday that 91% of claims result in payment in 14 days.

But for those who dont get their payment within a week or two, legislators say theyre hearing stories about how grueling it is to reach someone from the employment commission over the phone.

About 60,000 unemployment applications have been flagged for issues, which results in a delay of benefits paid out. Reasons for the delay vary. A person may not be eligible for benefits, an applicant reported wages that equal or exceed the weekly benefit amount, or someone quit a job without good cause. If an employer calls people back to work and they dont go, their benefits may also be delayed or denied.

Those claims go through a review process, and many take four to eight weeks if the person appeals the initial denial of the benefits or some other issue arises.

We have thousands of people reaching out to us, and when someone reaches out to a state lawmaker, they expect an answer, and its hard to tell someone who hasnt received their benefits you dont know why, Hurst said.

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This is the editors letter in the current issue of The Week magazine.

The Sphinx has spoken. That tells you how perturbed the taciturn Robert Mueller was last week after President Trump commuted crony Roger Stone's prison sentence. Trump's gift of a "Get out of jail free" card was the crowning act in what is one of the most brazen cover-ups in American history  one that ultimately defeated Mueller, the special counsel who ran the Russia investigation. In a defensive Washington Post op-ed, Mueller complained that when a key figure like Stone "lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government's efforts to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable." A jury, Mueller noted, had convicted Stone of lying under oath about his many communications with WikiLeaks and the Russian hackers who stole Democratic Party emails. Several witnesses testified that they heard Stone directly telling an excited Trump about future email releases. Recently, in a public plea to Trump to save him from jail, Stone said, "He knows I was under enormous pressure to turn on him. But I didn't." In other words: I've got the goods on you, Mr. President. Where's my reward for not ratting?

He's been rewarded. Had Stone testified truthfully that he served as a conduit between Russian hackers and candidate Trump, Mueller's investigation might have ended very differently. Despite claims that Mueller conducted "a witch hunt," Jeffrey Toobin recently argued in The New Yorker, "his report was, ultimately, a surrender." Mueller didn't dig into Trump's finances and tax returns to find out why he's so fond of Vladimir Putin and Russia. Mueller never demanded that Trump testify, settling for written answers that the special counsel has said contained several falsehoods. That's called perjury. Sooner or later, Trump's financial records will be made public, and perhaps then the mystery will be solved. But the big reveal won't happen until after voters decide whether Trump deserves four more years.

More stories from theweek.com

Has Trump incidentally squashed his own argument about the Supreme Court?

What Americans are finally learning about freedom

Marco Rubio mistakenly tweets a picture of Elijah Cummings alongside tribute to John Lewis


Srinagar, July 17 : An RTI activist from Jammu and Kashmir on Friday accused officials of the Sopore Municipal Council of trying to "mislead" the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the High Court on the issue of municipal waste dumped in the Wullar Lake area.

"Municipal institutions are the guardians of environment and wetlands, but they themselves are destroying the same. MC Sopore was supposed to enforce the laws governing the environment under the Environmental Protection Act of 1986 and MSW Rules 2016, but this council has turned out to be a lawbreaker as unsegregated waste is being dumped at Ninglee, the catchment area of Wullar lake, for the last five months," Raja Muzaffar Bhat, Chairman of J&K RTI Movement, told IANS.

"When the High Court Chief Justice, while hearing a case, said she would personally inspect the area, which was covered by the local newspapers as well, the authorities in order to hide their misdeeds are further committing a crime by filling the site with earth and also burning the trash as well," the activist claimed.

"We have videotaped everything and will produce the recordings in NGT and High Court soon," he said.

Bhat pointed out that the NGT had taken cognisance of his complaint regarding the dumping of huge amounts of waste into the lake.

In another case, High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal too had decided to visit the lake after hearing a PIL regarding the "deteriorating" condition of Asia's largest fresh water lake.

"As the NGT and Jammu and Kashmir High Court have taken cognisance of the illegal dumping of municipal solid waste (MSW) by the Sopore civic body at Ninglee Tarzoo area near the Wullar wetland, the municipal authorities hired more than 150 labourers on Friday along with a JCB to fill the entire garbage dumping site with soil.

"This is being done to mislead the NGT and High Court as they have sought a detailed report from the government about this illegal garbage dumping." Bhat is a petitioner before the NGT in the Wullar wetland garbage dumping case. On July 8, a complaint filed by Bhat was listed before a 4-member bench of the NGT headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel.

In his order, Justice Goel sought a report from the Baramulla Deputy Commissioner, Director Pollution Control Board and Member-Secretary of the JK Wetlands Authority.

Residents of Ninglee Tarzoo have also filed a PIL in the High Court, which was heard by the HC Chief Justice a few days back whereafter she said that she would inspect the area.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday unilaterally weakened one of the nations bedrock conservation laws, the National Environmental Policy Act, limiting public review of federal infrastructure projects to speed up the permitting of freeways, power plants and pipelines.

In doing so, the Trump administration claimed it will save hundreds of millions of dollars over almost a decade by significantly reducing the amount of time allowed to complete reviews of major infrastructure projects.

The president announced the final changes to the rule at the UPS Hapeville Airport Hub in Atlanta, making the case that mountains and mountains of red tape and lengthy permit processes have held up major infrastructure projects across the country, including a lane expansion to the perpetually clogged Interstate 75 in Georgia.

All of that ends, he said. Were doing something very dramatic.

Revising the 50-year-old law through regulatory reinterpretation is one of the biggest deregulatory actions of the Trump administration, which to date has moved to rollback 100 rules protecting clean air and water, and others that aim to reduce the threat of human-caused climate change.

Because the action is coming so late in Trumps term, it elevates the stakes in the November elections. Under federal regulatory law, a Democratic president and Congress could eradicate the NEPA rollback with simple majority votes on Capitol Hill and the presidents signature.

Republican lawmakers, the oil and gas industry, construction companies, homebuilders and other businesses have long said the federal permitting process takes too long, and accused environmentalists of using the law to tie up projects they oppose.

This will modernize and rationalize the permitting process so that we can get these projects built at a state and local level, said Martin Durbin, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerces Global Energy Institute. The final rule, he said, is a big step forward and its about our nation maintaining its global competitiveness.

The final rule sets new hard deadlines of between one and two years to complete environmental studies, according to two people who have seen the document but were not authorized to speak about it publicly.

The rule will also allow agencies to develop categories of activities that do not require an environmental assessment at all.

And in one of the most bitterly contested provisions, the rule would free federal agencies from having to consider the impacts of infrastructure projects on climate change. It does so by eliminating the need for agencies to analyze a projects indirect or cumulative effects on the environment and specifying they are only required to analyze reasonably foreseeable impacts.

This may be the single biggest giveaway to polluters in the past 40 years, said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group. He accused the Trump administration of turning back the clock to when rivers caught fire, our air was unbreathable and our most beloved wildlife was spiraling toward extinction.

Belinda Archibong, an assistant professor of economics at Barnard College of Columbia University, said if the Trump administration wanted to improve the economy, the president would actually call for more regulations to protect vulnerable communities already highly susceptible to coronavirus from the threat of increased air pollution.

It requires agencies to analyze and disclose the extent to which proposed federal actions or infrastructure projects affect the environment, from local wildlife habitat to the projected levels of greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

Activists opposed to fossil fuel expansion have used the environmental policy to challenge a proposed major coal terminal in Washington state. Last year a federal judge found that the Obama administration did not adequately take into account the climate change impact of leasing public land for oil gas drilling in Wyoming, a ruling that also presented a threat to Trumps plans for fossil fuel development.

Earlier this month, a district court shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline, an oil route from North Dakota to Illinois that runs through west-central Illinois. It has inspired intense protests and legal battles, pending more detailed environmental review. Oil and gas industry officials said while changes to the law will not retroactively help the case for the Dakota Access Pipeline, it will speed decisions on future permits. The same week the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a district court order that cited the environmental policy act when it halted construction on the Keystone pipeline. The decisions were major blows to Trump, who has been determined to see those projects become reality.

Trump, a former real estate developer who has had personal run-ins with state-level versions of the law, had made weakening it a top priority of his administration.
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Linkedin Carl O'Donnell and Manas Mishra (Reuters)  Fri, July 17, 2020 10:52 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40667040d1 2 World Johnson-and-Johnson,Japan,Bill-Gates,Bill-Melinda-Gates-Foundation,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-vaccines,funding Free

Johnson & Johnson is in talks with the government of Japan and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation about locking up allocations of its potential COVID-19 vaccine as it prepares to kick off human trials, the company's Chief Financial Officer Joseph Wolk told Reuters in an interview.

More than a hundred vaccines are under development to try and stop the COVID-19 pandemic, and drugmakers including J&J are working to ramp up supply for their vaccines in the face of unprecedented demand.

J&J has already agreed to prioritize an allocation to the United States as part of its funding agreement with the US government's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Wolk said.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation would focus on allocating any vaccine it acquired to developing countries, Wolk added. Reuters previously reported that J&J is also in talks with the European Union.

"Nothing has been finalized yet. We continue to have those discussions," Wolk told Reuters. "People from the countries and the organizations we mentioned want to lock in a certain minimum level of capacity that they would get."

Wolk said that the "general construct" of the discussions is likely to take a form similar to AstraZeneca Plcs deal with the US government, which provided $1.2 billion in drug development aid to the U.K. drugmaker in exchange for locking in a delivery of around 300 million doses for fall 2020.

AstraZeneca has also signed a contract with France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands for up to 400 million doses of its potential vaccine. It has also partnered with non-profits to ensure distribution to developing countries.

Wolk added that these discussions will help Johnson & Johnson determine pricing for its vaccine, which the US drugmaker intends to sell on a not-for-profit basis during the pandemic.

"The more demand we have the better and lower that cost would potentially be, Wolk said.

The company aims to begin manufacturing the vaccine later this year, depending on its success in clinical trials, he added.

In its Thursday earnings call, J&J said it plans to start its first human trials of its COVID-19 vaccine on July 22 and could kick off late-stage studies as soon as September.
A spot fine of around 100 could be imposed on customers who refuse to wear a face mask in shops .

The suggestion was made by Tara Buckley, director-general of RGDATA, representing 4,000 family and other retailers, after Taoiseach Micheal Martin announced regulations are being drawn to make face coverings in shops and shopping centres mandatory to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Concerns are now growing about how the measure will be enforced and who will be responsible for ensuring the law is obeyed amid fears it could lead to potential violence.

Penalty

"We expect the vast majority of people will wear a mask when shopping in line with the expert advice," Ms Buckley said.

"If a person refuses to wear a mask and has no certified reason for not doing so then we think there should be a penalty - something along the lines of the UK model may work, with on-the-spot fines of 100."

However she stressed "this will have to be enforced by the gardai or some other representatives of the State".

Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA) head Vincent Jennings also said it was essential representatives of retailers are consulted before the regulations are finalised.

"The last thing people who are working themselves to the bone want is to be dealing with a confrontation or otherwise," he added.

"If one customer brings it to attention of a member of staff that another customer is not wearing a mask, that has the potential for confrontation.

"There must be discussion on the regulations."

This was also echoed by John Douglas, of Mandate trade union, who said "enforcement cannot be left to shop assistants".

Retail Ireland director Arnold Dillon said: "When it comes to enforcement, it is crucial that it does not fall to retail staff to ensure compliance.

"With incidents of violence and abuse directed at retail staff unfortunately a regular occurrence, it is important that enforcement is left to the authorities. Retail staff should not be exposed to the potential disputes and discord that might arise."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health, which is drawing up the regulations, said it is "strongly recommended that people wear face coverings in shops but this is not a legal requirement at present".

"Enforcement issues for wearing of face covering in shops are being considered," she added. "It's important to acknowledge the huge numbers of people who are already wearing face coverings on public transport to protect themselves and others.

Refuses

"This new recommendation is also being put in place to protect everyone, including the most vulnerable people in our society, and enforcement is always a last resort."

A garda spokesman said the Department of Health is the lead agency for Covid-19 related regulations and public health.

"In supporting the Covid-19 public health guidelines and regulations, An Garda Siochana has and will continue to adopt, a graduated policing response based on its tradition of policing by consent.

"This has seen garda members engage, educate, encourage and, as a last resort, enforce."

"Where potential breaches of the public health regulations are identified... a file is submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a direction as to how to proceed."
Freehold ground floor commercial podium with F&B approvals launches for sale at $18 million

Freehold ground floor commercial podium

image: Macly Group

Savills Singapore on 16 July announced that an entire freehold ground floor commercial podium at TEDGE  a freehold mixed-use development located within the heart of District 15  is up for sale via Expression of Interest (EOI).

Commanding approximately 90 metres of prominent dual road frontage onto Changi Road and Telok Kurau Road, TEDGE is strategically located in an established and affluent residential enclave with ready catchment. The commercial units is located at the first level of the development, while the forty-two residential units is spread across levels two to five, with the penthouses located at the attic level.

The sale offering comprises four adjoining commercial units on the ground floor  two purpose-built Food and Beverage (F&B) units equipped with kitchens, and two shop units, making up a total strata area of approximately 5,576 square foot.

The freehold ground floor commercial podium at TEDGE represents a significant stake of approximately 16.06 per cent Share Value in the development and there is generous car parking provision of seven lots at basement level one allocated to the users of the commercial units.

The guide price for the freehold ground floor commercial podium is in excess of $18 million, approximately $3,228 per square foot. The property is approved as Commercial with no additional buyers stamp duty or sellers stamp duty imposed.

The freehold ground floor commercial podium is slated for completion by the end of 2022.

Mr Galven Tan, Deputy Managing Director, Investment Sales and Capital Markets, Savills Singapore, said: The Covid-19 situation has not curbed the appetite of F&B end-users and investors for commercial properties with F&B approvals as the sector is perceived as resilient. We have been receiving strong interest for such properties, especially those in the established and matured residential estates.

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Mr Tan added: The stretch of Changi Road is an established F&B enclave, with other F&B outlets from the food courts, coffee shops and restaurants which have been there for decades.

The EOI exercise for the freehold ground floor commercial podium will close at 3pm on Tuesday, 18 August 2020.

Telok Kurau Road connects Changi Road to Marine Parade Road. Named after a fishing village called Telok Kurau on East Coast Road, the road has been a popular middle-class residential district since the 1960s.

Since the 1960s, Telok Kurau has been a sleepy and tranquil suburbia in Katong, known mostly as a middle-class residential enclave. The suburb roughly covers Telok Kurau Road, which is intersected by several smaller roads: Lorongs G, H, J, K, L, M and N Telok Kurau; Jalan Baiduri; St Patricks Road; Joo Chiat Avenue; and Joo Chiat Place.

The charm of this area has been attributed to the presence of unimposing buildings: a mix of modest bungalows, terrace and semidetached houses as well as low-rise apartments that exist among coffeeshops and small businesses. Despite the thronging urban development in nearby Katong, the Telok Kurau area has managed to retain its charm.

Since the 1990s, new housing projects have altered the landscape of Telok Kurau, though not drastically. Low-rise buildings still dominate the landscape, with few tall condominiums in the area. New semidetached houses have sprung up and, together with freshly painted terrace houses, they constitute a notable feature in the changing landscape of Telok Kurau.

Changi is a planning area located in the geographical region of Tanah Merah in the East Region of Singapore. Sharing borders with Pasir Ris and Tampines to the west, Changi Bay to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east and the Serangoon Harbour to the north. Changi, excluding the two water catchments and islands of Singapore, is the largest planning area by land size.

There are numerous amenities spread around Changi. They include shopping malls like Changi City Point and even Changi Airport, which is considered to be a shoppers paradise with duty-free shopping available inside the airports transit area. Besides those, the Changi Village hawker centre is renowned for its food options, with shophouses also found around the area for the convenience of its residents. Food and amenity centres are also found all around the industrial estates, including the airfreight centre.

Places of worship in the area include Changi Bethany Church, Maranatha Bible Presbyterian Church, Sree Ramar Hindu Temple and Yan Kit Village Chinese Temple.

Changi is served by 3 MRT stations, Changi Airport on the East West MRT line, Upper Changi on the Downtown MRT line and Expo which is an interchange station for both lines. All of the stations are located in the south or central of Changi, hence there are no MRT stations in the vicinity of Changi Village or the airfreight centre, located in the north.

Xilin MRT station is under construction as part of the Downtown line extension and would bring greater connectivity to Changi Business Park when it opens in 2024. There are however plans for the northern part of Changi as well as the upcoming Changi Airport Terminal 5 to be linked via the Cross Island MRT line and Thomson-East Coast MRT line.

There are three bus terminals in Changi, the Changi Airport Bus Terminal, Changi Business Park Bus Terminal and Changi Village Bus Terminal. In Changi Airport Bus Terminal, the main bus terminal is located in the basement of Terminal 2 but most public buses run to all terminals. Bus services 24, 27, 34, 36, 53, 110 and 858, operate from the airports Terminal 1,2 and 3, while only bus services 24, 34, 36 and 110 operate from Terminal 4 of the airport.

The post Freehold ground floor commercial podium for sale at $18 million appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.
Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, who has been hemmed in by his rivals in the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) for weeks, has suggested that his replacement should be from the CPN (Unified MarxistLeninist) faction of the party. The suggestion, made at his meeting with Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday, is seen as a new effort to drive a wedge between leaders of the rival faction. Dahal, who has been widely seen to be his replacement, is from the CPN (Maoist Centre). The two parties had merged in 2018 to form the Nepal Communist Party.

PM Oli, who came to power in a 50-50 power sharing deal with Pushpa Kamal Dahal, renegotiated the agreement in November 2019 that envisaged letting Dahal run the NCP while he continues to hold the reins of the government. But pressure has lately been building on PM Oli from the triumvirate in the communist party - former prime ministers Dahal, Jhala Nath Khanal and Madhav Nepal - to step down.

It is a ploy to split his opposition and get Dahal and Madhav Nepal fighting among themselves. But I dont think it will succeed. They (Madhav Nepal and Dahal) are determined that the prime minister should first step down, an NCP leader told Hindustan Times.

PM Oli had survived the last rebellion in April-May this year when he picked up a feud with New Delhi over a 80-km road built near Nepals border and came up with a new political map. Later when his rivals, who have overwhelming support in the partys standing committee tried to push him out, he hit back with accusations that they were working at Indias behest to destabilise him.

PM Oli attempts to play one against the order. Former Nepal PMs Madhav Nepal and Pushpa Kamal Dahal (right) (Agencies)

Dahal did reject the charge, even hardened his stand against PM Oli, but ended up slowing down their campaign against the prime minister. There were occasions when PM Oli skipped the meeting of the standing committee where he is in a minority, ostensibly because he wasnt feeling well, even when the meeting was being held at his official residence.

The 44-member standing committee, which last met on July 2, was scheduled to meet at 3 pm this afternoon. But the meeting, the panels first in a fortnight, was postponed again at the last minute. It has been rescheduled to meet on Sunday, July 19.

Earlier this month, PM Olis associates floated the idea that it was meaningless to discuss their differences at the standing committee and PM Oli should try to arrive at an arrangement with Dahal at one-on-one meetings. There had been no meeting ground; PM Oli wouldnt step down.

At his last round of meeting with Dahal on Thursday, PM Oli made the surprise suggestion about his replacement. Some see it as an attempt to buy time for himself, something that he has particularly excelled in over the last few months.

People familiar with the discussions within the Nepal Communist Party said one of the possibilities being explored by party leaders was that the PM Oli standoff be referred to the 445-member central committee, which would have the last word.

This could give him more time to work something out but would narrow his options, a party source said.

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Protesters tore down a statue of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States who owned more than 600 slaves, outside his namesake high school in North Portland. The high school is in a historically black neighborhood and amid the protests, a petition was started to change the name of the school. Brooke Herbert/The OregonianBrooke Herbert/The Oregonian
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Taipei, Taiwan  Fri, July 17, 2020 07:40 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666f03a1 2 World Taiwan,execution,death-penalty,death-sentence,capital-punishment Free

Taiwan has released new procedures for carrying out capital punishment -- including preventing the condemned from seeing their executioner -- but rights activists said Thursday the move merely whitewashes a barbaric practice.

The island has carried out 35 executions since a moratorium on capital punishment was lifted in 2010 -- with the last being in April of a 53-year-old man convicted of killing his parents.

In Taiwan, the death penalty is carried out by gunshot.

"The death penalty is a brutal and inhumane method of punishment... it's absurd to discuss how to enforce it in more humane ways," said Chiu E-ling, director of Amnesty International Taiwan.

Media reports say the condemned are first given a powerful sedative before being laid face-down and shot in the heart through the back.

Under measures passed by the cabinet this week, the condemned must now be hooded during the process.

They will also be allowed to hold final religious rituals as well as leave a farewell voice or video message for their families.

Executions are currently carried out without notice once all appeals have been exhausted.

Local media said the new rules were designed to make executions "more humane".

Lin Hsin-yi, executive director of Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty, urged the government of President Tsai Ing-wen to make good a promise to abolish capital punishment.

"There is no humane way to carry out the death penalty. It shouldn't be carried out anymore," she said.

Taiwan is one of Asia's most progressive democracies but has drawn criticism from the international community for enforcing the death sentence.

The island is divided on the issue, with the majority of public supporting it, but rights groups and some political elites calling for it to end.

Taiwan resumed capital punishment in 2010 after a five-year hiatus and there are currently 39 prisoners on death row.
After estimating that 200 people demonstrated outside her house Wednesday night, a Richmond City Council member and mayoral candidate said protesters have crossed a serious line.

In an interview Thursday with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, 2nd District Councilwoman Kim Gray said it was unacceptable for anyone to show up at her home and in peoples neighborhoods carrying guns and blocking off streets, adding that she isnt the only one experiencing this lawlessness in our community, but it goes against our constitution and our democracy.

I dont live on Twitter, I dont live in social media land. I live in the real world, Gray said. I have real children in my real home, and it is off limits to people who want to inflict their violence and intimidation on us. I am not going to respond well to that.

Gray released a statement Friday saying that the right to protest does not include the right to frighten children, senior citizens, or anyone and that she saw fear in her childrens eyes on Wednesday.

When my children are unsafe, we live in a society where no child is safe, she wrote. We cannot build the Richmond we want, and deserve, if the politics of intimidation are allowed to continue.
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN

Basel, Switzerland, July 17, 2020

Following the closing of the tender offer period on July 16, 2020, at 4 p.m. (CEST), Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. ("Basilea" or the "Company") today announces the first results of its partial repurchase offer ("Repurchase Offer") for at least CHF 90 million and up to CHF 110 million in principal amount of its outstanding convertible bonds due 2022 (ISIN: CH0305398148; SSN: 30'539'814, the "Bonds") as follows ("First Results Announcement"):

Number of tendered Bonds with a principal amount of CHF 5,000 each 9,417 Aggregate principal amount of tendered Bonds CHF 47,085,000

The Company previously announced that it placed and provisionally allocated CHF 125 million senior unsecured convertible bonds due 2027 (the "New Bonds").

The results of the Repurchase Offer of approximately CHF 47 million in tendered Bonds is below the threshold of at least CHF 90 million in Bonds to be tendered (minimum tender threshold condition) as set out in the Notice of the Repurchase Offer.

The Company is evaluating approaches to achieve its goal to extend its debt maturity profile as planned. It will announce during the evening of July 17, 2020 whether the Repurchase Offer and issuance of New Bonds are terminated or the minimum tender threshold condition is waived and the offer size of the New Bonds reduced.

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.

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Disclaimer

This announcement regarding the Repurchase Offer does not constitute an offer or an invitation to participate in the Repurchase Offer or the Offering 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




Irish Water and Leitrim County Council wish to advise customers in Ashanlish, Largydonnell, Keeloges and Aghalateeve in the Glenade area of Kinlough, Co Leitrim that their water supply may be impacted as a result of a planned electrical outage on Saturday, July 18.

The Glenade Water Treatment Plant will be affected by the planned electricity outage between 9am and 6pm. While not all customers will be affected there are approximately 70 properties in the listed areas that are expected to be affected by reduced pressure and or water loss.

Irish Water understands the inconvenience when an outage occurs and thanks customers for their patience while these necessary works are carried out by ESB Networks. Our customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For updates please see the water supply and services section of our website.

Irish Water is working at this time, with our Local Authority partners, contractors and others to safeguard the health and well-being of both staff and the public and to ensure the continuity of critical drinking water and wastewater services. Irish Water would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.
Throughout the history of medicine and science, researchers have frequently discovered evidence of promising ways to improve health outcomes for patients and communities -- only to have those findings languish in papers published in scientific journals.

To help bridge this gap between research findings and their application in the real world, the University of California San Diego launched the Dissemination and Implementation Science Center (DISC) earlier this year.

The center aims to provide researchers and practitioners with the training, technical assistance, mentoring and resources they need to conduct research that is meaningful in real-world settings, and implement these findings for the equitable benefit of diverse communities served in a variety of health settings.

UC San Diego DISC, administratively housed in the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute at UC San Diego, is funded by the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Health Sciences at UC San Diego and led by the following UC San Diego School of Medicine faculty members:

Borsika Rabin, PhD, MPH, PharmD, assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health

Gregory Aarons, PhD, professor and director of the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center, Department of Psychiatry

Lauren Brookman-Frazee, PhD, professor and associate director of the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center, Department of Psychiatry

Nicole Stadnick, PhD, MPH, assistant professor and investigator in the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center, Department of Psychiatry

"Most health studies focus on how well interventions designed to reduce illness and death fare in ideal settings, but little is known about how to scale them up effectively in real-world settings," Stadnick said.

"As a result, many life-enriching interventions fail to reach their full potential. "

"The promise of dissemination and implementation science, a relatively new area in health sciences, is to acknowledge the realities of communities and settings as we design ways to improve care in various contexts."

UC San Diego DISC provides leadership and guidance in conducting research in dissemination and implementation science, funding for pilot grants, education, and training in dissemination and implementation science methodologies, and consultation and mentoring to researchers and community partners.

In addition, UC San Diego DISC is committed to advancing dissemination and implementation science to promote health equity and justice through training, research and community engagement activities.

The overarching goal is to build capacity and a dissemination and implementation science community that will maximize the public health impact of research.

UC San Diego DISC already comprises 250 members and investigators, offers a doctoral course and leads a seminar series and monthly journal club.

In addition, the center offers the Autism Research and Practice Continuing Medical Education series, in which the latest research and actionable strategies for translating research to practice are discussed.

The team plans to post a call for pilot grant applications and host an Advanced Mixed Methods Workshop this fall.

At some point in their careers, UC San Diego DISC leaders each found themselves wondering: What good is a health-improving intervention or innovation if it isn't -- or can't be -- used?

For example, when Stadnick was a doctoral student in clinical psychology, she studied ways to collaborate with caregivers to improve outcomes for children with autism.

As she collected evidence for best practices, she started to see just how difficult it might be to get these evidence-based interventions adopted and scaled in diverse community health settings.

Rabin trained as a pharmacist and then as a public health researcher. Like Stadnick, she found that many programs that are effective in high-resource settings will not work for communities that have fewer resources and more complex problems.

This leaves the most in need without viable solutions for various public health problems, deepening existing health disparities, she said.

"That's where dissemination and implementation science comes in -- it's a way of helping researchers identify which new interventions and strategies are most relevant and needed in the community, understand how they can be used in routine care and ensure that evidence-based interventions are accessible to the community," Brookman-Frazee said.

UC San Diego DISC plans to engage experts across the broader UC San Diego campus, collaborating with teams at UC San Diego Rady School of Management, Jacobs School of Engineering, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and other organizations.

"Dissemination and implementation science doesn't fit squarely in one discipline, such as psychology or public health," Aarons said.

"Our transdisciplinary nature is what makes it exciting -- we can take ideas and ways of thinking from many fields, including engineering, public policy, organizational development and economics to make sure our study designs and methods will make the biggest impact."

Community engagement is also important throughout the dissemination and implementation process, the UC San Diego DISC team said.

They plan to meaningfully collaborate with community partners to make sure every study or intervention includes the voices of the stakeholders at all relevant levels, including health system leaders, clinicians, patients, community members, families and caregivers.

"For any implementation to be successful, we need engagement from 'the decision makers, funders, doers and users,'" Rabin said.

We hear from our health care partners that even if we provide them with the most state-of-the-art programs, they won't be successful if we don't take into account the needs, resources, priorities and preferences of their clinic and health system as well as the specific characteristics and realities of the patients they serve." Borsika Rabin, PhD, MPH, PharmD, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California - San Deigo

"In traditional clinical trials, we try to control for and exclude factors that could influence the outcomes of your primary hypothesis."

"But in dissemination and implementation science, we're trying to account for and measure all of these factors, not get rid of them."

"This allows us to have a more contextual and complex understanding of what works, for whom, under what circumstances. This is at the heart of dissemination and implementation science and practice."
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  New Mexico may be housing much of its prison population in tighter security than necessary, at a cost of up to $28 million a year, according to legislative analysts.

But its difficult to say for sure, analysts said, because the Corrections Department hasnt completed the research necessary to verify the accuracy of its classification system for inmates.

The findings were part of a report presented Thursday to the Legislative Finance Committee.

Cally Carswell, a program evaluator for the LFC, told lawmakers that the proper classification of inmates is the backbone of the prison system, a factor in the safety of inmates and staff, the cost of running prisons, and inmates access to rehabilitation programs.

It affects everything else in the prison system we care about, Carswell said.

Corrections Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero said the department is already working to revamp the classification system with help from outside experts.

We are very much aware that our classification system needs to be upgraded, Tafoya Lucero said. The system itself is over 20 years old now.

The Corrections Departments scoring tool  examining an inmates criminal and disciplinary history, among other factors  classified about 60% of new inmates from 2014-16 as appropriate for minimum security housing, according to the LFC report. But just 29% are actually held there, with most instead in medium security.

Deviations from the scoring tool cost the state up to $28 million a year, the report said, though its possible the changes are justified, if the system itself is inaccurate.

Housing someone in minimum security can cost as little as $27,000 a year, compared with more than $82,000 a year for a maximum-security inmate, the report said.

New Mexicos classification system was revised after a guard was stabbed to death in Santa Rosa in 1999. An investigation identified underclassification as a cause of the violence, with the state putting high-risk and gang-affiliated inmates in a medium-security setting, according to the LFC report.

The redesigned classification tool has helped reduce security threats, legislative analysts said, but the Corrections Department hasnt implemented several standard industry practices to ensure its current system works.

For one thing, the report said, the state should verify whether its classification system accurately measures security risk.

The state, in turn, is hiring the Institute for Social Research at the University of New Mexico to test the system and suggest changes.

Analysts also suggested that New Mexico examine whether different scoring systems should be developed for male and female populations and highlighted a lack of formal training for classification officers.
Washington

The United States has become overly reliant on Chinese goods and services, including face masks, medical gowns and other protective equipment designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Attorney General William Barr said Thursday.

He also accused hackers linked to the Chinese government of targeting American universities and businesses to steal research related to vaccine development, leveling the allegation against Beijing hours after Western agencies made similar claims against Russia.

Barr's address in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is part of a full-court press by the Trump administration to denounce China. President Donald Trump is trying to fend off criticism of his handling of the coronavirus and the U.S. economic downturn and to shift the blame back onto Beijing.

Barr's speech amounted to a condemnation of what he said were Beijing's tactics to gain an economic upper hand in the 21st century and to pressure American corporate leaders to promote policies favorable to the Communist government.
Clark turned his back, and Rev. Vivian continued: You can turn your back on me, but you cannot turn your back upon the idea of justice. You can turn your back now and you can keep your club in your hand, but you cannot beat down justice. And we will register to vote because as citizens of these United States we have the right to do it.
Turkey guarantees to ensure the safety of information about the S-400 air defense systems it had purchased from Moscow, head of the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries Ismail Demir said.



"Russia expressed its concern about [the safety] of S-400 data, and Turkey promises to protect it," the Milliyet newspaper quoted the official as saying.



Demir also said that from the very start, Ankara has planned to integrate the Russian-made systems into its defense.

Defense News reported last month that U.S. senator John Thune had proposed an amendment to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would allow to buy Russian-made S-400 air defense systems from Turkey using the U.S. Armys missile procurement account. According to the newspaper this move will make it possible to overcome the impasse between Washington and Ankara over Turkeys participation in a program to produce F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation fighter jets.
In America, you should always get a little suspicious when politicians suddenly start calling you a hero. Its a well-worn trick; theyre buttering you up before sacrificing you to the gods of unconstrained capitalism and governmental neglect.

A few months ago, it was nurses, doctors and other essential workers who were hailed as heroes  a perfectly accurate and heartwarming sentiment, but also one meant to obscure the sorry reality that the worlds richest country was asking health care workers to treat coronavirus patients without providing adequate protective gear.

Please dont call me a hero, a nurse in Brooklyn wrote on a protest sign at the time. I am being martyred against my will.

Now, its Americas parents and teachers who are being valorized for doing a job that really should not require putting their lives on the line.

At a White House event last week to encourage the nations schools to reopen, Vice President Mike Pence laid the heroism on thick. Parents and teachers, he said, were two categories of heroes that emerged in the crisis. Since the pandemic is all but over, at least in the magical thinking of the Trump administration, Pence wants parents and teachers to again put on our capes and save the day. To open up America again, we got to open up Americas schools, he said.

I want schools to reopen as much any parent does. My wife and I were driven to the verge of breakdown this spring while trying to home-school our kids while working from home, and I am freaking out about having to do that again in the fall.

But parents and teachers would be wise to reject any invitation to unnecessary heroism. I dont want educating my kids to be a heroic act of American defiance  I want it to be ordinary. And Id rather not sacrifice my childrens teachers, either, so that Americas economy can begin humming once more.

Again and again in this crisis, the federal governments callous incompetence has left Americans with no good options. Early research on school reopening suggests that classrooms can be safe when the virus is contained or declining, and as long as schools take necessary precautions to minimize the chance that classrooms become superspreaders. But in much of the nation, the virus remains uncontained, and so we face a grim future. There will likely be danger and chaos if the schools do not reopen, and there will be danger and chaos if they do.

The needs of children and working parents have long been ignored by American lawmakers, but Ive never felt the governments neglect as viscerally as in its inability to make school safe again during a pandemic.

Shouldnt getting our kids back to school have been a primary goal of the federal government throughout the summer? What possible excuse can anyone muster for falling down on this job?

Experts say there are many ways to mitigate the risks of the coronavirus while reopening the schools. The most obvious of these would have been to reduce the spread of the virus, but you know how well thats going.

The federal government could have provided the hundreds of billions of dollars that school district officials say is necessary to remake education during a pandemic. We could have funded hazard pay for teachers and paid time off for parents, and come up with a plan to repurpose office buildings or gyms for the space required to teach students while social distancing.

In May, Democrats in the House passed a bill that calls for $58 billion in new funds for schools. But the Republican Senate has not taken up the measure, and President Donald Trump has done little more than post several all-caps tweets demanding that they reopen. In cable-news interviews this weekend, Betsy DeVos, the education secretary, refused to say if schools should follow the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions health guidelines, which calls for strict social distancing, masks and the installation of physical barriers and improved ventilation to reduce the spread of the virus.

DeVos plan, like Trumps, appears to be little more than wishful thinking: Go to school. Dont worry about it. Things will be fine. Youre a hero!

Forgive me if I feel less like a hero than like a chump. This week several large school districts, including Los Angeles and San Diego, announced that its too dangerous to open for in-person instruction. I expect that well see a wave of others deciding the same, leaving parents across the country in an impossible bind.

There is a danger that frustrated parents blame teachers for the crisis. After all, distance learning has been a disaster. Its unfair, and likely impossible, for kids to learn by themselves off a screen, and in my experience, remote learning requires a great deal of parental oversight, which is difficult or impossible for most overburdened parents.

But as I tried and failed to educate my kids during months under quarantine, I gained new appreciation for my childrens teachers, and Im wary of asking more of them. Teachers shouldnt have to be heroes to do their jobs; educating our children should be heroism enough.

@fmanjoo
Published in partnership with The Fuller Project, a global nonprofit newsroom reporting on issues that impact women.

The three young women agreed they would escape by nightfall. They didnt have any money or documents, but Jessica, 19, and her friends knew it was time to go. The brothel was not as crowded as usual: since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the client base had fallen. Together, they waited for night to settle and for the madam to retire to her room. Then, they sprinted for the highway that runs through Papara, a town in the far north of the Ivory Coast, close to the border with Mali.

Jessica and her friend, Favor, had been trafficked into prostitution about a month earlier. (Both women, as well as the other survivors of trafficking in this story, asked TIME to use only their first names out of safety concerns.) Back in February, a female friend to both girls families in Nigeria had promised them jobs in a clothing factory in the Ivory Coast. Udochi, 20, had been trafficked in a similar manner earlier in the year. Upon arrival in Papara, all three women found themselves in a brothel, where the madam forced them to have sex with multiple men for a daily salary of $1.29.

The women fled the brothel in March, but almost four months later they are still in the Ivory Coast: three out of hundreds of trafficked Nigerian women who anti-trafficking advocacy groups believe are stuck abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic, as border closures hamper repatriation efforts across the region. When the Nigerian government imposed a state of emergency lockdown in March, they paused international flights in an attempt to curb the infections spread and unwittingly left trafficking survivors stranded in dangerous locations far from home. Now these women are anxiously awaiting evacuation from across Africa and the Gulf, as authorities contend with towering logistical hurdles involved in organising safe flights and the virus continues to rage around the world.

Story continues

Jessica, Favor and Udochi are safe in a womens shelter in Daloa, a city in the west of the Ivory Coast, but they dont know when theyll be able to get back home. Im happy I escaped that place, Jessica said, speaking by phone on a Saturday evening in June. But we want to go back to Nigeria.

That the pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on trafficking survivors is agreed by experts worldwide. A forthcoming OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and U.N. Women survey reveals that almost 70% of trafficking survivors from 35 countries say COVID-19 has negatively affected their financial well being, while more than two thirds say that their mental health is suffering as government-imposed lockdowns trigger memories of the last time their freedoms were taken away.

More than half of the survey participants worried that the outbreak would increase rates of human trafficking in the future, while 43% believed women and girls would be the most at risk in coming months.

Trafficking from Nigeria to other African countries is not a new phenomenon, though the nature of the crime means its impossible to accurately track. The International Organization for Migration believes that hundreds if not thousands of Nigeriansthe majority of whom are womenare trafficked out of the country every year, often across the continent. Of the 20,500 Nigerian survivors of exploitation helped by the IOM since 2017, some 90% needed to be brought home from Libya. Nigerias National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) identified 20,000 trafficked Nigerian women in Mali in 2019 alone. The Nigerian embassy in Ivory Coast repatriates 20 women monthly, Mohammed Abdulkadir Maccido, the Charge dAffaires told Nigerias Punch newspaper last year.



According to the IOM, most of the trafficking survivors who they work with in Nigeria are women of around 21 years old. Theyre often lured with promises of jobs in other African countries, or in Europe or Asia: countries often seen as a welcome escape from rising unemployment in Nigeria. Once the women reach their destination, traffickers hand them off to madams: female ring leaders who are often victims of trafficking themselves. The madams force the women into prostitution and domestic work in order to pay back the debts theyve incurred for food, transport and accommodation since leaving their homestypically thousands of dollars that can take years of forced labor to repay.

During COVID-19, the number of women who are trafficked from Nigeria continues to groweven as local governments curtail legal movement. When awareness of the coronavirus began to spread in March, authorities in Nigeria and the Ivory Coast swung into action early, fearing an outbreak could decimate their health care systems. By the end of the month, both countries had closed their land and air borders. But despite the restrictions, international law enforcement agents and anti-trafficking organizations say trafficking networks remain active in the region, as traffickers bribe their way across borders in order to move freely.

The Nigerian government began lifting domestic travel restrictions earlier this month, but there is no confirmation yet of when external borders may open again. Nigeria, one of the worst hit countries on the continent, had reported over 34,000 cases and more than 700 deaths by July 16.



Meanwhile, lockdowns are limiting repatriation efforts and leaving trafficking survivors stranded. According to the OSCE ODIHR and U.N. Women survey, at least a third of anti-trafficking organizations worldwide are struggling to repatriate survivors during the crisis. In 2018 and 2019, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) worked with the Nigerian government to repatriate upwards of 7,000 survivors of exploitation each yearmen and women who had experienced forced labor and prostitution. Since the start of this year, theyve only succeeded in repatriating 620 individuals. Its a drastic drop, says Franz Celestin, IOM chief of mission for Nigeria. The longer we wait, the more theyll be exploited and the longer the pain and suffering will last.



Motilola Adekunle, co-founder of Project Ferry, a Nigerian NGO working with trafficked survivors and helping Jessica and Favor, agrees that the coronavirus is hampering efforts to support exploited women. This pandemic has literally put a halt to our work because people cannot move around and thats an issue, Adekunle says. Work that previously took days, she adds, now takes months, as systems put in place by nonprofits and governments to repatriate and support trafficking survivors have been turned upside down.

The Nigerian government has organized so many flights that now they dont have any space, says Celestin, of IOM. Its very difficult. He said IOM is currently working to find the funding to shelter 180 survivors of exploitation who are awaiting repatriation from Niger. Until IOM can work out where to house them, they must remain in Niamey and Agadez, far from their families and unsure of when theyll be able to get home. Celestin hopes to have them back in Nigeria by the end of July.

Since March, repatriation flights have been allowed into Nigerias Abuja and Lagos airports, but a 14-day quarantine is imposed upon arrival and problems have arisen regarding where survivors should stay in the days following their return.

Even in ordinary times, the process of recovery following repatriation can be complicated. Nonprofit staff will wait at airports across Nigeria to bring trafficking survivors to previously-identified safe spacesa womens shelter, or a hotel. Counselling and psycho-social support follows in the form of daily or weekly sessions, while local nonprofit organizations often team up to ensure the women can find employment nearby, and that they wont fall victim to re-trafficking back over the border.

But during the pandemic, the risk of spreading COVID-19 means staying in shelters is no longer an option. In an attempt to help the women reintegrate, organizations have begun rolling out counselling sessions and skills training online, but not everyone has access to the Internet.

Weve tried to help some women with getting online during the pandemic, says R. Evon Benson-Idahosa, founder of Pathfinders Justice Initiative, a local anti-trafficking initiative thats helping trafficking survivors set up their own businesses. But many of them just do not have the capacity to switch.



Outside of the African continent, hundreds of Nigerian women also say theyre stranded after experiencing trafficking and exploitation. An estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Nigerian women are trapped in forced domestic servitude in the Middle East. Nigerias National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has received over 650 reports of trafficked Nigerian women in Lebanon and Oman in 2020 alone.

Toluwalase, 30, has been trying to get back to her home in Nigeria since June. When the single mother-of-three boarded a plane from Abuja, Nigerias capital, nearly two years ago, she was aware she would be a domestic helper in Oman with a $200 monthly salary. What she didnt know was that her employers would force her to work from dawn to midnight with little sleep, that they would confiscate her passport and delay her salary, and that her boss would sexually assault her.

I was not told its this terrible, Toluwalase told TIME over WhatsApp. She would not have agreed to work in Oman if she had known about the abuse of migrant workers like her, she says.

Part of the problem is the kafala systemwhich transfers control of immigration and employment status of migrant workers to individual employersin countries including Lebanon and Oman. That means reporting abuses to local authorities is rarely an option: legally, a migrant worker cannot leave the country without his or her employers permission, even if theyre experiencing abuse. Many migrant workers from Nigeria do not speak Arabic, which also limits their ability to seek help.



Pre-COVID-19, women who were exploited by their employers overseas could contact local human rights advocacy groups, who would then notify Nigerian officials to arrange their journey home. But lockdowns have put a pause to activists work, and the migrant workers have found themselves stuck.



Julie Okah-Donli, NAPTIPs director, said that the agency is working with Nigerian embassies across the Gulf and Middle East to evacuate exploited migrant workers and sex trafficking survivors. But because of movement restrictions, the agency can no longer reach stranded women in Europe and Asia. Without intervention, violence and abuse go unchecked. I can imagine the numbers that have died, unreported during this pandemic, she says.

There is no official timeline for bringing trafficked persons back home to Nigeria, confirms a spokesperson for the Nigerian ministry of foreign affairs. There are signs to suggest progress is being made, albeit only in certain regions. In May, the IOM and the Nigerian Government were able to repatriate 99 Nigerians who were being exploited in Lebanon49 of whom were survivors of labor and sex trafficking. Bringing back so many Nigerians from the region in one go is unprecedented: usually the IOM would receive word of two or three trafficking cases in Lebanon every month.



Were seeing a much more organized approach from the government in dealing with this, said Celestin. Usually with victims of trafficking, its all under the radar. Maybe its because of the spotlight thats on this, but we are seeing a concerted effort. The repatriations from Lebanon were possible because the Lebanese government supported Nigeria logistically and financially, said Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigerias minister of foreign affairs.

Similar efforts have yet to be seen elsewhere. For Jessica and her friends in the Ivory Coast, the longer repatriation takes, the longer theyre at risk of re-trafficking and violence. Although in a safe house, the threat remains that their traffickers will track them down and force them back into prostitution. All the women can do, they say, is hope that the Nigerian government will step in soon.

Those far away in the Gulf share the same wish. Although Toluwalase says that government officials have not responded to her requests for help, she remains optimistic about leaving Oman. The risk of contracting COVID-19 is low on her list of concerns: She is still sexually harassed by her employer and two years of abuse have taken a physical tollswollen feet, backaches, insomnia. Getting home is the priority.

If the evacuation flight is ready for us, if our government would evacuate us back home, I will be excited, she says.

Shola Lawal is a Nigeria-based contributing journalist with The Fuller Project, a global nonprofit journalism newsroom reporting on issues that impact women.



Corinne Redfern is a correspondent with The Fuller Project.

Correction: July 20

The original version of this story misstated statistics concerning Nigerian migrants helped by the IOM. Of the 20,500 Nigerian migrants helped by the IOM since 2017, 90% needed to be brought home from Libya and 76% had experienced exploitation; not every migrant helped by the IOM experienced exploitation. The story also misstated details about migrants for whom the IOM is working to find shelter. Its working to find shelter for 180 migrants; not all of them experienced exploitation.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 17 : As the four-year-old Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala was winning applause in the management of COVID-19, out of the blue came a gold smuggling case and a week later, two top officials in the Chief Minister's Office were booted out. The million dollar question now is who will be the next to fall? The gold smuggling case which has large scale ramifications first surfaced when P. S.Sarith, a former employee of the UAE Consulate, here was arrested by the Customs on July 5. He was facilitating the smuggling of 30 kg gold in diplomatic baggage to Thiruvananthapuram from Dubai.

It turned murkier when the name of Swapna Suresh, a former employee of the UAE Consulate here and now employed with the state IT Department, surfaced. The case turned full circle when their links with the second most powerful person in Vijayan's office -- his principal secretary M. Sivasankar, got revealed.

After dilly dallying, despite the Congress and the BJP up in arms demanding Vijayan to suspend Sivasankar, on Thursday the Chief Minister finally did it.

Also to fall was his IT man -- Arun Balachandran - a popular face in all the IT related events in the state.

Both of them were booted out by Vijayan, after several visuals and telephone call records surfaced which showed that Swapna was in frequent touch with the two.

Now on the radar of suspicion is State Minister of Higher Education K. T.Jaleel. He has on record said that he interacted with Swapna with regards to accepting sponsorship from the UAE Consulate worth Rs five lakh for the distribution of Ramzan kits in the Malappuram district, from where he hails.

According to the code of conduct for State Ministers, they cannot accept gifts which are valued more than Rs 5,000. Besides, rules are very clear that all such things should be routed only through the Ministry of External Affairs and not directly to either the state or Union Ministers.

Kerala Assembly speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan is also facing the heat as he himself has gone on record stating that he knew Swapna for a while now.

What has landed him in trouble is that last year he had inaugurated a business venture of Sandip, here, who has been arrested by the NIA.

At the inauguration function, visuals have come out where he is seen patting the shoulder of Swapna.

"I knew her as a functionary of the UAE Consulate, as she was a key personnel in dealing with officials and others in the state government for them," said Sreeramakrishnan.

With both the Congress and the BJP demanding Vijayan to quit over the way he has been managing affairs in his office and by now two of his close aides have been removed, it remains to be seen as to how Vijayan will manage in the coming days.

Already the Congress led opposition on Thursday served a notice to remove Sreeramakrishnan from the Speaker's post. The State Assembly is to meet on July 27 to pass the Finance Bill.

But, as per the rules, this notice requires a period of 14 days. Hence, it remains to be seen if it will be taken up during the session.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala has announced they will move a no confidence motion against the Vijayan government.

CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan wrote in the party organ, which came out on Friday, that Kerala has a history when a Chief Minister (K. Karunakaran) had to resign over the ISRO Spy case in 1995.

"The opposition and a section of the media is busy weaving out baseless stories in the gold smuggling case, but they will not be able to dislodge the present government. The colour of 'gold' here is not 'red' but it is 'green' and 'saffron'. The opposition is trying to rake up this issue as the main election campaign, but it won't be of any help. The CPI-M and the Left front is strongly behind the Vijayan government," said Balakrishnan.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
GLENDALE, Ariz., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bubble Huts, LLC, has officially debuted a solution to help flatten the curve of COVID-19 and provide families with the equipment necessary for self-isolation and quarantine during the pandemic. The company's Home Isolation Care Kit helps families comply with CDC guidelines for home isolation and quarantine.

reduces direct exposure with the sick family member Safely Isolate while staying intouch with loved ones

"We strongly believe that health starts in the home! If every home has a door shield, we can decrease the number of family members contracting the illness from each other and, ultimately, have the opportunity to save lives when used in conjunction with CDC guidelines," explained Amy Kaiserman of Bubble Huts LLC.

The Home Isolation Care Kit was developed from real-world experience. Shortly after shifting into the production of PPE for the Maricopa County Health Department, founder Amy Kaiserman's 19-year-old-daughter contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized in critical care for seven days. She was released to the family on Father's Day 2020 with additional guidelines for isolation and further care. However, the family realized that most Americans are ill-equipped to effectively isolate and care for COVID-19 patients.

The Home Isolation Care Kit is a simple, effective, low-cost solution to that challenge that delivers critical capabilities, including:

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"We invented this kit to help flatten the COVID-19 curve, starting in our own home," Amy said. "Amy and her family have remained healthy and her daughter has recovered completely from the novel coronavirus."

With each Isolation Care Kit/Door Shield sold, the company donates 10% of the sale proceeds to the Kaiserman Foundation to bring kits to families in need. To learn more about Bubble Huts, LLC, or purchase a Home Isolation Care Kit, visit https://www.bubblehuts.com.

About Bubble Huts, LLC: Founded in 2018, Bubble Huts, LLC designs and manufactures "glamping" tents and event domes. With 20 years of combined experience, the company is well-positioned as a leader in the glamping, experiential hospitality, and marketing industries.

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ANN ARBOR, MI  Susan M. Collins, a former dean of the University of Michigans Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, was named the universitys next provost and executive vice president for academic affairs Thursday.

Collins has been serving as interim provost since March, when former provost Martin Philbert was placed on administrative leave amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Philbert has since relinquished his position as provost and his tenured faculty position in the school of public health.

Former University of Michigan provost to relinquish tenured faculty position June 30

UM President Mark Schlissel noted her leadership as interim provost, a position shes held for just a few months, including the challenges the university faced during the coronavirus pandemic.

Her many years of experience as a distinguished academic leader and her expertise in public policy and financial systems make her ideally suited for the position of UM provost, Schlissel said.

Collins earned her bachelors degree in economics from Harvard University and her Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She was a member of the economics faculty at Harvard and Georgetown University before serving as dean of the Ford School from 2007-17, where she launched the schools first undergraduate degree program.

Collins appointment is effective immediately and runs through June 30, 2022.

Im honored to be part of the team that will lead the university as we navigate the uncertainties that the pandemic has brought to the world, Collins said in a statement. Higher education has a critical role to play in addressing these challenges. I look forward to working with UMs faculty, students and staff in developing responses that will strengthen our society and enrich our shared future.

The regents also named Susan A. Gelman the 2021 Henry Russel Lecturer, the universitys highest honor for senior members of its active faculty.

Gelman is a psychology and linguistics professor and has been at the forefront of research and theory on cognitive development, according to the university. She joined UM in 1984 and her research focuses on how children expect certain categories to have an underlying and pervasive reality that cannot be observed directly and how they use essentialist reasoning to give objects their identity and associational relationship with other objects, the university said.

Gelman will deliver her lecture in the winter 2021 semester.

Four other faculty members were selected to receive Henry Russel Awards, the universitys highest honor for faculty members at the early to middle stages of their careers. They include:

Jose Casas, assistant professor of theatre, School of Music, Theatre & Dance

Erin A. Cech, assistant professor of sociology, LSA, and faculty associate in the Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research

Matthew A. Davis, associate professor of nursing, School of Nursing; and associate professor of learning health sciences, Medical School

Johanna L. Mathieu, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science, College of Engineering

More information on these professors can be found here.

READ MORE:

Everyone required to wear mask everywhere on all 3 University of Michigan campuses

University of Michigan will offer in-person classes for fall semester

600 University of Michigan students create 89 proposals to keep students safe from COVID-19 this fall
A former Bergen County woman who stole luxury cars by obtaining fraudulent loans was sentenced to six years in state prison, authorities announced Friday.

Jacqueline Reyes-Keegan, 60, formerly of Fairview, was sentenced to six years in prison by a Bergen County Superior Court judge for helping a car theft ring steal luxury cars at different dealerships, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said in a statement. In February, Reyes-Keegan was convicted of second-degree conspiracy related to thefts from one dealership, after a jury trial. She was acquitted of a theft charge, the statement said.

Last month, Reyes-Keegan pleaded guilty to an additional charge of second-degree theft by deception, which was part of an indictment for thefts from a second dealership, according to the statement.

She was sentenced to six years in prison for the jury trial conviction. That prison sentence will run concurrent with a six-year prison term on the guilty plea, the statement said.

This prison sentence sends an important deterrent message to con artists like these defendants that prison, not profits, will be the end result of their criminal schemes, Grewal said in the statement. Because this criminal scheme targeted high-end vehicles, it quickly resulted in thefts totaling over half a million dollars.

Reyes-Keegan was disappointed with the prison sentence, but glad that she was able to negotiate a global plea deal to run the terms concurrently, said Howard Lesnik, the attorney who represented her for the guilty plea.

She is disappointed with the trial verdict, but she was happy to get a global resolution for all three of her cases, said Lesnik.

Reyes-Keegan is eligible for early parole and Lesnik plans to apply on her behalf next week, he said.

Between June and December 2015, Reyes-Keegan helped a car theft ring that used straw buyers, people who buy something on someone elses behalf, to hide the scheme, according to the statement. The car theft ring was led by Spencer Crump, 45, of Teaneck.

Last July, Crump pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy and was sentenced to five years in prison, according to the statement.

Reyes-Keegan would help Crump recruit straw buyers and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans to buy the cars fraudulently. The jury trial conviction for Reyes-Keegen stemmed from her and Crumps scheme targeting a Tenafly car dealership. The straw buyers were told theyd be paid by Crump, who used a company he controlled to recruit the buyers, the statement said.

The duo ended stealing $275, 191 in loans to buy four cars, the statement said. The cars were then given to Crump and Reyes-Keegan, the statement said.

There was never any intention that the loans would be paid back, the statement said.

At a Hackensack dealership, Crump and Reyes-Keegan worked with a dealership employee to once again steal thousands to buy cars. At the Hackensack dealership, the duo teamed up with Abdul Seedat, who worked at the dealership, to obtain $301,213 in loans to buy five cars.

Seedat, 64, of Fairview, pleaded guilty to theft by deception and is awaiting sentencing, according to the statement. Reyes-Keegans guilty plea comes from the theft at the Hackensack dealership.

Both Grewal and Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan emphasized that the crimes most affected borrowers, who often face higher rates for loans due to fraud.

The people who make the least are often impacted the most by higher costs resulting from financial fraud, causing many to take on loans they cant afford while preventing others from buying a vehicle altogether, limiting their employability, said Colonel Patrick Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.

These thefts dont just harm lenders - they also harm honest borrowers who face higher rates because of such fraud, said Grewal.

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.
It doesn't look like Wall Street is going back to the Street in any great numbers, at least any time soon.

That seems to be the message from major money center banks with large trading operations. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, JPMorgan and Bank of America have all reported earnings this week, as has Wells Fargo, which does not have a substantial trading operations but also has many banking employees in offices all over the country.

So far, few employees  traders or otherwise  have returned to their desks. JPMorgan said 80% of employees were still working from home. Bank of America said more than 85% were still working from home, Morgan Stanley said 90% were still working from home. At Bank of New York, 95% of employees were still working from home.

Health concerns are the major reason for continuing to work from home, but many executives emphasized how well the whole work-from-home experiment has been going.

"We've been now at 90% of the folks working from home for a while now, and the plant continues to hold up quite well," said Jonathan M. Pruzan, Morgan Stanley's chief financial officer.

Bank of New York Mellon has had a similar experience: "Our operating platforms and infrastructures are supporting the current market working model well with record volumes in certain areas," CEO Thomas P. Gibbons said.

Only Goldman Sachs appears to have an aggressive approach to bringing its traders back. A small group of employees has already returned to the New York office, but CEO David Solomon implied that would be changing soon.

"Our firm has always had a team-oriented apprenticeship culture, and we benefit from being and working together," he said on a conference call.

Solomon said the firm already was using a "split-team approach" in Hong Kong, with up to 50% working from the office. In Europe, 35% have already returned; 15% have returned in the U.K.

But Goldman seems to be in the minority. Indeed, some are pushing the return date out even further.

Last week, BTIG became the first firm to announce its 11 offices would remain shut through 2020. "There is no need for any immediate return to the office in any location," Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Mermel said in an announcement. "Our staff is secure in their positions and our clients are highly satisfied with our services during this transitional period."

Co-founder Steve Starker cited the success of work-from-home technology as a key factor.

"We've been thrilled by our teams' abilities to rapidly migrate to using technology from home," he said. "The transition was much easier than we would have ever anticipated."

What about 2021? Starker said he anticipates at least half of the staff to combine remote and in-office work on a permanent basis.

Fifty percent working from home?

Sounds far fetched, but a similar sentiment was expressed by Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman in a recent CNBC interview.

"My long-term hope for start of the year globally is to have about 50% of employees in the office  not every day of the week, but about 50% of employee hours worked will be in the offices," he said.

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Johnny Depp has accused his ex-wife Amber Heard lying in his libel case against the Sun. There are several reports of Amber Heard's different assault stories being faulty, which is starting to rain on her credibility.

On the other hand, the same can be said of Johnny Depp. As he fights tooth and nail to show that court that he is not a wife beater, there had been instances where evidence are revealed that he or his camp is not being entirely truthful.

On that note, it is still too early to make a judgement on the case. However, it is not too early to list all the times that Amber Heard was accused of lying, with evidence. Below are what we can enumerate:

1. Amber Heard Told An Employee To Lie For Her?

Johnny Depp's former estate manager has revealed recently that Amber Heard called him to lie under oath. He did not have to lie about who attacked who though, but he was called to lie about the terriers she has brought with her to Australia illegally. "She wanted me to say essentially that it was my fault in one way or another that the paperwork wasn't completed, so that I could take the blame for her," Kevin Murphy said.

If he did not, he would lose his job, Heard reportedy threatened.

Asked why he did it when he could have seek help from Johnny Depp, the employee said Amber Heard wielded a lot of power to make his life hell.

Murphy was not in the court to talk about the dog incident, but to testify in Depp's libel suit against the Sun, which wrote the actor has been physically abusing Heard. His allegations however, can help in showing Heard's true personality, and therefore, capacity to be the one doing the abusing of Depp and twisting everything for the court.

2. Amber Heard Used Ex-Employee's Sexual Assault Story For Her Benefit

If this is true, then Amber Heard can be a lot more twisted than people give her credit for. Again, only if this is true.

According to ABC News, Amber Heard's own ex-personal assistant claimed in the British court that she shared to the model-actress about her own experience of being violently sexually assaulted. However, to her shock, Amber Heard used that story for herself and twisted it a little bit - not enough for her not to notice though.

Kate James, the ex-PA, worked for Head between 2012 and 2015. Therefore, a close bond between them was created. She then was able to share to Heard that she was raped 25 years way back in Brazil. To her shock however, Heard used that story for herself.

"She referred directly to a violent rape that occurred to me 26 years ago and she twisted it into her own story and she used it for her own use," James said by video link from Los Angeles. Being a rape survivor, she cannot condone what Heard was doing.

One simply do not cry rape when this is not true and to be able to do so can be quite telling ofthe person's character.

911 Call staged?

Back in April, Daily Mail reported that it was able to obtain the 911 call made anonymously the night Amber Heard and Johnny Depp fought each other gravely that they decided to end their 18-month marriage. Hi, I need to report an assault right now happening at 849 Broadway at the Eastern building,' the caller says, referring to the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's home.

This can probably be used to support Amber Heard claims, but several discrepancies emerged. First, the female caller does not sound like iO Tillet Wright, the trans activists who is also Heard's friend that has on record, said he was the one who called 911. Wright even penned an op-ed for Refinery about this 911 call he made.

But LAPD showed that Tillet's call was made on 10:09 PM while the recording Daily Mail obtained was made around 8:27. Investigators revdaled the caller was a yoga instructor friend of Heard, living in a neighboring apartment without rent fees. Depp camp is adamant that this is a sign of Amber Heard's elaborate hoax.

Quite simply this was an ambush, a hoax. They set Mr Depp up by calling the cops but the first attempt didn't do the trick,' Depp's lawyer Adam Waldman explained.

READ MORE: Johnny Depp Camp Lying? The Truth Behind Amber Heard Attack Photos
Lotus Professional is the Professional Products Division of Lotus Herbals Pvt. Ltd. Through time Lotus Professional has become a leading premium herbal company, known for its customer centric approach providing state-of-the-art products, services and education to aestheticians and hairdressers in leading spas and salons.

With Mirum onboard, Lotus Professional aims to engage with both businesses and customers to create awareness for the brand and drive customers to avail their services.

Mirum will be responsible for the creating a digital strategy road map for the brand, manage the social media platforms and execute display and performance focused paid media campaigns. The account will be serviced from Mirum Indias Delhi office.

On associating with the leading premium herbal company, Sanjay Mehta, Joint CEO, Mirum India, said, Lotus Professional is one of the most respected beauty brands in Indian market. We are looking forward to working with them and enabling best solutions for new customers acquisition as well as brand engagement. We are confident of delivering solutions that will aid the brand in aligning their marketing budgets, to boost their brand awareness and drive sales."

Mirum India is a leading digital agency with a pan-India footprint, offering 360-degree solutions in digital media for over 50 brands, with an in-house strength of 250+ professionals. Mirum India offers a bouquet of digital services across Digital Strategy, Media Planning, Creative Services, Tech Builds and Marketing Automation solutions. Mirum is part of WPP Group.
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Linkedin Alya Nurbaiti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 19:07 550 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406672fe08 1 World COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-abroad,Tablighi-Jamaat,India,Foreign-Ministry,Indonesian-citizen Free

More than 400 Indonesian members of Tablighi Jamaat, a worldwide Islamic missionary movement, have been on trial in India over past three days for allegedly violating immigration and quarantine policies in the South Asia country.

On July 14, 150 Indonesians went on trial, followed by 197 people on July 15 and 89 people on July 16, Foreign Ministry director for citizens protection Judha Nugraha said during a press briefing on Friday.

Judha said the 436 Indonesians, who were stranded in India after attending an Islamic gathering, were accused of violating their visas as well as violating the Epidemic Disease Act and, therefore, contributing to the spread of COVID-19.

At least 17 states in India have reported COVID-19 cases linked to the religious gathering in Delhi, local media reported.

Read also: COVID-19: 361 Indonesian Tablighi Jamaat members return home, others still stranded overseas

During the court hearing, most of the defendants admitted to the violations but said they never intended to break the law.

The judge has yet to hand down a sentence, but according to previous cases in which other Tablighi Jamaat members from other countries were found guilty, the fines ranged from 5,000 rupees (US$ 66.69) to 10,000 rupees.

Judha added that the Indonesian government had provided legal assistance to the accused individuals, including by temporarily releasing them on bail.

On July 16, the Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi managed to release 53 Indonesian members of Tablighi Jamaat from prison in Chennai, so they could have better shelter while awaiting trial, he said.

Once the legal proceedings are completed, the Embassy and the Consulate General in Mumbai will facilitate the repatriation process of the Indonesian citizens, Judha added.
Gladwin County Community Foundation recently awarded a $4,150 grant to Skeels Christian School for their project, Filling the Gap  Technology in the Classroom. The money will be used to bring additional technology, in the form of student tablets, to pre-k through sixth grade students.

In order to keep up with the changes in learning, additional access to technology is needed. We are excited to be able to add additional tablets, keeping our students current with the world around them is important to us, stated Jaime Hunt, Skeels Christian School co-administrator and elementary teacher.
The city of Oakland, California, will pay more than $32 million to settle lawsuits brought on behalf of victims of the deadly 2016 "Ghost Ship" fire in which 36 people died, officials announced.

"This was a horrific tragedy that deeply impacted every corner of our community," a statement from the city attorney's office said.

The fire occurred in a warehouse that had been converted without permits into a residence for artists. There were no fire sprinklers or alarms.

When the fire broke out Dec. 2, 2016, there was an electronic music party on the second floor.

Fire officials and former residents have described the first floor of the building as a "labyrinth" and a firetrap, and a survivor testified that people who were unable to escape came up a flight of stairs shaking their heads and saying, "No." The stairs were built out of wooden shipping pallets.

Image: Ghost Ship fire (Ben Margot / AP file)

The settlement announced Friday allocates $23.5 million for the families of those who died, as well as $9.2 for someone who survived, Sam Maxwell, the city statement said.

Maxwell "will live with severe, lifelong injuries and major medical expenses," the statement said. The deal authorized by the city council Thursday settles lawsuits filed on behalf of 32 of the 36 people who died, the city said.

Paul Matiasic, an attorney for five of the families who lost loved ones, told the East Bay Times newspaper that the lawsuit was not about the money, but rather about what he said was the city's inaction when the building had been illegally converted.

"The amount doesnt come close to approximating the loss of loved ones for my clients; the money is insignificant. Theres no amount of money in the world that can bring their loved ones back, Matiasic said.

Two people were charged: Derick Almena, the man who rented out the space, and Max Harris, who prosecutors described as a tenant who Almena named "creative director" and who was in charge if issues like rent.

Story continues

A jury acquitted Harris of 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter in September. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on Almena, and a judge declared a mistrial.

Almena is awaiting a retrial that is scheduled to start in October, the city said.

Prosecutors alleged that Almena, called the master tenant, acted with criminal negligence by failing to install safety measures like smoke alarms or sprinklers, and that Almena resisted requests in order to thwart inspectors.

Almenas attorneys argued city workers were to blame for not raising concerns about fire hazards in the warehouse. A city official said in 2016 that no Oakland building code enforcement inspector had looked at the inside of the building in three decades. When inspectors did visit the site in November 2016, they were unable to enter to investigate a report of illegal construction, city officials have said.

Officials have said that the fire that engulfed the warehouse was already raging on the ground floor before victims on the floor above realized anything was wrong, and that smoke poured up the two staircases and trapped partygoers who were overcome.

No official cause of the fire was ever found. Some lawsuits said there were serious electrical problems with the building, The Associated Press reported. The owner of the building was not charged.

The city of Oakland said in a statement that it continues to assert under the deal that it is not liable for what it called the tragic losses from the fire. The city said that it agreed to settle the suits "because of the cost-benefit analysis," and that its insurance coverage is $22 million.

"This was a horrific tragedy that deeply impacted every corner of our community," the city said in a statement. "Mayor Schaaf, the City Council, City Attorney and City Administrator express their deepest sympathies to Mr. Maxwell and the families, whose losses are unimaginable."
OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio

Welfare check: Roberts Court

Someone called police July 12 concerned over hearing screaming and swearing from a neighbors house. Police went to the residence. They found a man yelling and swearing at a fighting match he was watching on TV. His grandmother was in the house reading a book.

Fraud: Inland Drive

A Colorado resident called police July 9. He said he was texting someone he thought was a friend. That friend asked for $500 and extra money for food. The man then sent him money through PayPal and food that was delivered several times to an Inland Drive address. The man then became suspicious. The dispatcher told the victim he needed to file a report with his local police department. The man, however, was unhappy with that response and became adamant about speaking to a police officer. The man was told an officer would contact him about the incident.

Debris: Bagley Road

Someone called police at 1:53 p.m. July 10 about a knife in the middle of the roadway on the bridge over the West Branch of the Rocky River.

Blocked railroad crossings: Brookside Drive

Police were called at 4:37 p.m. July 11 about a train blocking railroad crossings. It started to move, but stopped again. The railroad, which was contacted, then called the trains engineer. The city was told the train was joining cars. However, the train blocked three crossings in doing so. At 6:09 p.m. all crossings were opened. Police cited the railroad.

Parking: Columbia Road

Police cited a driver July 11 for parking in front of a fire hydrant.

Assisting agency: Interstate 71

Police were contacted about bringing its K-9 officer to Brunswick at 1:45 a.m. July 12 to determine if drugs were inside a stopped car. The K-9 dog did alert police that drugs were somewhere in the drivers side of the car.

Juveniles: Water Street

Police asked several juveniles to leave the area at 1:13 p.m. July 12 after finding them swimming in the water, which is prohibited.

Debris: Usher Road

Police received a call at 4:11 p.m. July 12 about a large bag of tools scattered across the roadway. The items were collected and taken to the station. Police later received a call about the items. The owner claimed the bag of tools at 5:25 p.m. that day.

Theft: Lake of the Falls

A person called police at 5:05 p.m. that an Amazon package was delivered to her address that day. When she got home, however, the package was opened and the item missing. She then learned the item was lost during transit and Amazon would cover the cost of it.

Fire: Fernwood Drive

Someone called police at 12:20 a.m. July 13 after seeing gray smoke coming from a balcony. The caller saw embers falling from the balcony. The fire department responded to the multi-family dwelling. Forced entry was made to the apartment due to the tenant sleeping. The fire was out at 12:31 a.m. A cigarette caused the smoke.

Vandalism: Water Street

Someone called the Mayors Office July 14 to report graffiti at David Fortier Park. The service department already removed the graffiti when police arrived.

Trespassing: Water Street

Police warned youngsters about swimming in the river. Their parents were contacted about their activity.

Found property: Northwood Drive

Someone found a cell phone on the street at 6:17 p.m. July 15 and took it to the police station. Its owner was contacted and picked it up at 8:05 p.m.
'He is not acting solo.'

'The plot may have people within the Congress and outside.'

IMAGE: Sachin Pilot, then Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president, right, makes a point to then Congress president Rahul Gandhi at an election rally in Jaipur.

First Jyotiraditya Scindia in Madhya Pradesh and now Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan. It seems that the Congress under Sonia-Rahul-Priyanka Gandhi can't keep its flock together.

What next for the Congress after Pilot's rebellion?

"Sachin's rebellion is timed when the 87th president of the Indian National Congress (Rahul Gandhi) is reportedly trying to stage a comeback," Rasheed Kidwai -- a Visiting Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation and the author of two books on the Congress party: 24 Akbar Road and Sonia-A Biography -- tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com in the second of a three-part interview:

Sachin Pilot was humiliated by Ashok Gehlot after the police summoned him for questioning in the plot to destabilise the Rajasthan government. Why did Ashok Gehlot do that?

There were faultlines on both sides.

The chief minister thinks that he is first among equals. And if he is chief minister, then the entire state is his fiefdom and they are not large-hearted.

This leads to some kind of unease and tussle and at one level both are at fault.

Also, the deputy chief minister is not recognised by the Constitution of India and it is just a minister's post with another name.

Just look at how Keshav Prasad Maurya is treated in Uttar Pradesh, he is also deputy chief minister of the state and the BJP state president.

Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee, Jaganmohan Reddy, Hemant Biswa Sharma, Jyotiraditya Scindia and now Sachin Pilot. Is it wrong to be ambitious in the Congress party?

Absolutely.

But what I am saying is that if you see each individual, they have a history of patience, sacrifice and struggle.

Mamata was in the Congress party in the 1980s and she left around 1997-1998. And she won West Bengal for the first time in 2011. A struggle of 30 years.

Leaving the Congress did not help Sharad Pawar as he walked out of the party on Sonia's foreign origin issue.

Had he not done that, he would have been a prime ministerial candidate.

The Congress has split, in my rough calculations, about 48 times and only a handful of names you mention have survived.

The late V N Gadgilji (who served as a minister and Congress general secretary) used to tell me that they (party rebels ) used to go out of the Congress like lions and came back as lambs.

Even Sharad Pawar had come back to the Congress (in 1986 after leaving the party in 1979). Madhavrao Scindia came back, Arjun Singh came back.

Some of them did not come back, like Jagan who is a success story in Andhra state, but then there were other dynamics like the Congress's move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

Sachin Pilot has not quit the Congress, but decided to stay back in the party. He preferred to be in the party though he has been sidelined now.

Pilot is a cautious, but ambitious, man.

I think there is a far bigger plot where Pilot is a player. He is not acting solo. The plot may have people within the Congress and outside.

You hinted about this in one of your tweets and gave a deadline stating if Sachin Pilot does not leave the Congress by August 10, it will mark the beginning of a fascinating protracted battle from within.

On August 10, 2019, Sonia Gandhi took over as interim president of the Congress party. Recently, she has been hinting that she wants to hand over power and quit.

As she is completing a year, therefore Hardik Patel was appointed Gujarat party chief before her term gets over.

Sachin's rebellion is timed when the 87th president of the Indian National Congress (Rahul Gandhi) is reportedly trying to stage a comeback.

Is Pilot going through some kind of challenge internally or outside?
REUTERS

The detention of a 15-year-old girl who was said to have violated her probation for not completing her online schoolwork during the pandemic has sparked uproar in a suburb in Detroit.

The teenager, named only as Grace in an extensive report by ProPublica, was sent to Childrens Village in Oakland by a judge who ruled she broke her probation by failing to complete her school work remotely.

Grace, who is black and has ADHD, has reportedly been detained at the centre since mid-May.

The decision has sparked outrage from students, teachers, and residents who organised a protest outside her school and a court in Michigan on Thursday, holding up signs that read "Free Grace" and "Black Lives Matter".

The teenager had initially been placed on probation in mid-April after facing assault and theft charges. The charges stemmed from an incident involving her mother and the theft of a classmate's mobile, according to the report.

Completion of her schoolwork was listed as a requirement of her "intensive probation". However, Grace reportedly said that she quickly became overwhelmed by remote home learning.

Who can even be a good student right now?, Ricky Watson Jr, executive director of the National Juvenile Justice Network told ProPublica.

Unless there is an urgent need, I dont understand why you would be sending a kid to any facility right now and taking them away from their families with all that we are dealing with right now."

Her mother reportedly said that while working remotely, her daughter could not receive her usual Individualized Education Plan that provided her with extra support for her ADHD.

In mid-May Judge Mary Ellen Brennan found Grace guilty on failure to submit to any schoolwork and getting up for school.

She hasnt fulfilled the expectation with regard to school performance, Judge Brennan said as she sentenced Grace, ProPublica reported. I told her she was on thin ice and I told her that I was going to hold her to the letter, to the order, of the probation."

Story continues

Judge Brennan has not yet commented publicly on the ruling, and the prosecutor's office declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

Some experts and Graces mother have argued that the case reflects a systemic racial bias in the judicial system.

Jason Smith of the nonprofit Michigan Center for Youth Justice, which works to reduce the confinement of youth, told ProPublica: It is clear that kids of colour are disproportionately involved and impacted by the system across the board."

They are more likely to be arrested, less likely to be offered any kind of diversion, more likely to be removed out of the home and placed in some sort of confinement situation.

A mother, Sheri Crawley, told local broadcaster WDIV: I know if Grace was a 15-year-old white girl she would not be sitting in juvenile detention right now."

Students who attended the protest on Thursday have pointed out that lots of pupils have been behind on their work during the pandemic due to the difficulty of adjusting to online learning.

No one had motivation to do anything because the teachers werent teaching and we were all online. I know so many people that didnt do their homework, Prudence Canter, 18, a graduating senior at the school said, Reuters reported.

Notably, Grace's detention also comes at a time when the states governor had encouraged courts to send children home amidst the ongoing pandemic.

The state gave clear directives that children, and all people, unless it was a dire emergency, were to be kept out of detention, Kristen Staley, co-director of the Midwest Juvenile Defender Centre told ProPublica.

Attorneys and advocates in Michigan and other areas have reportedly said that they are unaware of any other case involving the detention of a child for failing to meet academic requirements while schools have been closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The Michigan state's supreme court said on Thursday it would review Graces case, reports said.

The State Court Administrative Office is working with the Oakland Circuit Court to examine the processes in this case, John Nevin, the court's communications director, said in a statement.

Read more

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LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto Plc (RTNTF, RIO, RIO.L, RTPPF) reported that its second-quarter pilbara iron ore shipments was 86.7 million tonnes on 100% basis, up 1% from last year, despite the impact of COVID-19 related operational controls.



Pilbara iron ore production was 83.2 million tonnes on 100% basis, up 4% from the prior year.



Bauxite production rose 9% to 14.6 million tonnes, from the previous year.



Aluminium production of 0.8 million tonnes in the second quarter was 2% lower than the second quarter of 2019 primarily due to pot relining at Kitimat, the decision to operate the ISAL smelter at 85% capacity and the curtailment of the fourth pot line at New Zealand Aluminium Smelter in April 2020 due to COVID-19 impacts.



Second quarter mined copper was 3% lower than the same period of 2019 due to lower head grade at Kennecott.



Second quarter refined copper was 67% lower than the same period of 2019 due to the impact from the 5.7 magnitude earthquake in the first quarter resulting in an unplanned flash converting furnace rebuild at Kennecott, in addition to the planned 45-day smelter shutdown in May/June.



For 2020, the company now expects capital expenditure to be around $6 billion compared to the prior outlook of $5 billion to $6 billion. It is due to an appreciation in major operating currencies against the US dollar since the first quarter and a reduced impact of COVID-19 on both sustaining and development expenditure.



Capital expenditure for 2021 and 2022 is expected to be around $7 billion per year, compared to the prior outlook of $6.5 billion. It includes spend from 2020 that has been re-phased as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Looks like actor Ranveer Singh is finally getting out of his snooze mode. His hairstylist Darshan Yewalekar posted a picture with the actor, which seems to suggest so.

Sharing a picture with Ranveer couple of days back, he wrote: The New Normal visit by @ranveersingh to @dshavebarbershop #barber #barbershop #barberlife. The picture, which is from July 10, shows Ranveer and Darshan at, what appears to be, the latters salon. Ranveer is dressed in all-black, even his face mask is of the same colour. He is also wearing a pair of trendy sun glasses and a hat. Darshan stands next to the actor and he too is in a mask.

According to a report in Times of India, his visit to the hairstylist had given rise to a lot of speculation that the actor has begun work on his next film, a Zoya Akhtar directorial. The film is said to be a crime drama where Ranveer will reportedly play an undercover cop, who infiltrates an underworld gang. Despite the lockdown restrictions, Zoya is reportedly keen on a look test. Ranveer will have at least two distinct looks in the film, one as a cop and the other a gangster. The film also stars Katrina Kaif, the report adds.

Also read: Richa Chadha says same directors who posted condolence messages have replaced actresses who refused to sleep with them

Quoting a source, a Pinkvilla report gave more details,Ranveer wants to make a strong impression with the first look and hence, went to Darshans salon well ahead of the look test. The duo is in the process of creating two diverse avatars for him. While he will be clean-shaven for his cop act, the actor wants to try a dramatic look for the portions that will see him as a mole in the world of gangsters. Ranveer wore a mask and maintained social distancing as he ventured out after almost four months.

According to a report in Bollywood Hungama, Ranveer and Darshan have worked in several films together including Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Gully Boy and 83.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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The Centers for Disease Control, in a report released this week, highlighted the case of two hairstylists who had the coronavirus but did not pass it to their clients, likely because they wore face masks.

The CDC said the hairstylists in Springfield, Mo., had confirmed COVID-19. Of the 139 clients the two had, no symptomatic secondary cases were confirmed. According to the CDC, only 67 clients agreed to be tested and none tested positive.

Everyone wore face masks.

Adherence to the communitys and companys face-covering policy likely mitigated spread of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes the coronavirus).

According to the CDC, the first hair stylist began showing symptoms on May 12 and continued working for eight days until she received a positive test for coronavirus.

The second hair stylists began showing symptoms on May 15 and also worked for eight days until also testing positive.

Combined they had serviced 139 clients during appointments that lasted between 15 and 45 minutes.

Everyone followed an ordinance in Springfield requiring face masks be worn.

The CDC provided this chart about the case in Springfield, Mo., where two hair stylists tested positive but did not pass it to any of their clients, likely because everyone was wearing face masks.

The other hair stylists in the salon were quarantined and monitored daily for 14 days. None tested positive. The salon closed for three days to disinfect contaminated areas.

The Greene County Health Department used public health contact tracing and follow-up, and the CDC said no COVID-19 symptoms were identified among the 139 exposed clients or their secondary contacts. The citywide ordinance and company policy might have played a role in preventing spread of SARS-CoV-2 during these exposures. These findings support the role of source control in preventing transmission and can inform the development of public health policy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As stay-at-home orders are lifted, professional and social interactions in the community will present more opportunities for spread of SARS-CoV-2. Broader implementation of masking policies could mitigate the spread of infection in the general population.

The clients were asked to self-quarantine and provide daily symptom updates. Testing was offered to all of the clients, however, only 67 volunteered to be tested. They all tested negative.

The CDC said that four family members of one stylist tested positive while none of the other stylists contacts were infected.

The CDC said the face masks were likely a contributing factor in preventing transmission of the coronavirus. CDC recommends workplace policies regarding use of face coverings for employees and clients in addition to daily monitoring of signs and symptoms of employees, procedures for screening employees who arrive with or develop symptoms at work, and posted messages to inform and educate employees and clients.

READ MORE CORONAVIRUS NEWS ON PENNLIVE

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It has almost been a decade since Audrey Gleave was found murdered in her home in Lynden, a hamlet in Hamilton.

Gleave, 73, was discovered dead by her then 22-year-old friend and handyman Phil Kinsman on Dec. 30, 2010, in the garage of her Indian Trail home.

Shortly after her body was discovered, Hamilton Police charged a 50-year-old homeless man who squatted in a barn near Gleaves home. He was charged first-degree murder and, the day before Gleaves body was found, he was charged for breaching probation. He had been carrying a hunting knife.

Police said witnesses had seen the man in the area of the local seniors home. According to the Brantford Expositor, the man, who lived with schizophrenia, had previously been convicted for assault and cruelty to animals.

In June 2011, the charges against the man were dropped, with Hamilton assistant Crown attorney Warren Milko saying there was no reasonable prospect of conviction." Hamilton Police superintendent Bill Stewart said the decision to drop the first-degree murder charge was based on a review of forensic evidence in the case.

In the close to 10 years since, there has been little update on the case by police.

  

GLEAVE MEMORIAL PHOTO

A community memorial for slain Audrey Gleave was held in January 2011. This was one of the photos on display at the ceremony. | Torstar file photo

Gleave was born Otte Wilma Doveika in Hamilton on Feb. 6, 1937, to Baltic immigrants. As a teenager, she changed her name to Audrey.

The family lived on Locke Street and Mulberry Street before Beulah Avenue off Aberdeen Avenue. In 1964, she enrolled in science at McMaster University.

She graduated from McMaster with a bachelors of science in 1966 and began work on a masters degree in physics  also working two summers for Atomic Energy of Canada at the nuclear laboratories in Chalk River.

She became a high school science teacher, first at Hill Park, later Barton Secondary and then Westdale.

Gleave was married three times  the first when she was 16, which didnt last long, then in her 20s to Larry Blake. Her third marriage was to Allan Gleave, whom she met at McMaster. The couple divorced in the 1970s, and Gleave remained in the home. The last time she reportedly spoke to her ex-husband was 1976.

YEARBOOK

Audrey Gleave is seen in a photo from the Westdale Secondary School's 1990 yearbook. | Hamilton Spectator file photo

Gleave retired from teaching in 1997 at the age of 60 and met with a group of former colleagues for coffee every Wednesday. She visited the Lynden library at least once per week, but spent the majority of her time home alone with her dogs Togi and Schatze.

She also enjoyed taking her dogs for a drive in her white Camaro.

CAMARO

Audrey Gleave is seen with her white Camaro. | Hamilton Spectator file photo

A private person, Gleave kept many details of her life and past hidden  even from those closest to her.

She once told her ex-brother-in-law she feared she would one day be raped and murdered in her home.

In a 2011 interview with The Hamilton Spectator, Allan Gleave said his ex-wife was paranoid because she lived alone. In fact, she did not want many people to know her email address and had stopped communicating with his brother after he might have disclosed it, he said.

Shortly after Christmas in 2010, Gleave had been feeling unwell, but sent an email the morning of Monday, Dec. 27, saying she planned to make her weekly coffee meetup on Wednesday.

The last time she was known to be alive was the early evening of Dec. 27.

Gleave would occasionally have coffee and chat with a neighbour  but always outside her house, on a bench, hardly ever inside.

Kinsman, who lived in West Hamilton, had done odd jobs for Gleave and was one of the few people invited into her home.

He met Gleave when he was 18 working at Windmill Power Equipment in Dundas. She needed someone to help her around the property. At the time he lived with his parents in Brantford  just 5 minutes from Gleave.

When he would visit, Kinsman would customarily key the code into her garage, where they would chat or sit inside on a sofa. Her two dogs were so protective they would circle Gleave as though forming a wall, barking and nipping at Kinsman no matter how many times he visited.

On Dec. 30, he was bringing Gleave a piece of her favourite cake and keyed in the code. But when the door rose, he saw her body.

Although the garage was attached to the house, Gleaves two German shepherds had been in the house  apparently unable to save her.

  

GARAGE

Audrey Gleave's home and property at 3401 Indian Trail in Lynden. | Torstar file photo

Following the discovery of Gleaves body, Hamilton Police Service investigators conducted an extensive search of the retired teachers Indian Trail property, which is lined with mature trees.

Officers also teamed up with the Ontario Provincial Police to scour the area for clues, including a derelict barn located less than 10 kilometres away from the crime scene on Lynden Road in Brant County.

SEARCH

Police conduct a search of the property at 347 Lynden Road in Brant County on Jan. 2, 2011. | Torstar file photo

Shortly after the murder, police said Gleave was the victim of a horrendous, vicious attack.

Investigators at the time also said the crime was committed at the hands of one or more assailants unknown to the victim. Gleave suffered stab wounds, among other injuries, and police indicated that there was a sexual component to the attack.

But more recently, Det. Angela Abrams told The Hamilton Spectator at the time that Gleave was targeted  and Abrams said there is no hard evidence that Gleave was sexually assaulted.

In 2018, Hamilton Police said Gleaves case is not considered a cold case, but rather an active investigation  meaning detectives keep tabs on people of interest and explore tips.

According to the Hamilton Police Service 2018 active rewards list  presented at the March 12, 2020, police services board meeting, there is currently no reward for information pertaining to the Gleave case.

Hamilton Police Service corporate communicator Jackie Penman said in late June there are no updates on the case.

Hamilton Police continue to investigate the homicide and encourage anyone with information to call 905-546-3829, she said.

 with files from The Hamilton Spectator
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 07:44:08|Editor: huaxia

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LOS ANGELES, July 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. sailors and civilian fire crews extinguished all known fires aboard amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego in California on Thursday after four days of firefighting, authorities said.

"Our fire teams are investigating every space to verify the absence of fire. Until every space is checked and there are no active fires, we will not be able to commence any official investigations," said Philip Sobeck, commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, in a statement.

"We did not know the origin of the fire. We do not know the extent of the damage. It is too early to make any predictions or promises of what the future of the ship will be," he added, noting officials "cannot make any conclusions, until the investigation is complete."

Sobeck told reporters in a live webcast news briefing that the ship has proven to be survivable.

"The ship can be repaired," he noted. "Whether or not it will be repaired will be determined."

Sobeck also stated that three helicopter squadrons conducted more than 1,500 water bucket drops, fighting the fire and cooling the super structure and flight deck.

"We had 63 personnel, 40 U.S. Navy Sailors and 23 civilians, treated for minor injuries including heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation. We have no personnel hospitalized," he said.

A fire was first reported aboard the ship at Naval Base San Diego at approximately 8:30 a.m. local time on Sunday. The 40,000-ton Wasp Class amphibious assault ship, with a crew size of around 1,000, has been docked in San Diego since 2018 undergoing maintenance, according to the U.S. Navy. Enditem
Equipped with a laptop, legal pad and smartphone, Merta Maaneb de Macedo this week called a UW-Madison student whose roommate recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Maaneb de Macedo, a nurse with Public Health Madison and Dane County, is a contact tracer  one of hundreds of workers trying to stem Wisconsins growing coronavirus outbreak by urging people who test positive and those near them to stay away from others to reduce the spread.

The student said he had just developed a cough, shortness of breath and loss of smell  telltale signs of COVID-19. After testing negative two weeks earlier, he had been tested again, with no results yet.

Thats smart, Maaneb de Macedo said of getting retested. She said he had a probable case of the respiratory disease and asked him to isolate for 10 days.

Please stay home, she said. If you need anything, we would ask you to get someone to get it for you that is not positive for COVID.

With record numbers of new COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin and other states, there is still no treatment for the disease except in severe cases and no vaccine to prevent it. Public response has been mixed to orders or pleas for people to wear masks, maintain distance from others and frequently wash their hands. Officials are relying on contract tracing, a long-used public health tool, to curb the epidemic even as the effort struggles to keep up.

Wisconsin reported 880 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, with a record 964 cases Tuesday and a seven-day daily average of 822 cases, up from a daily average of 538 cases just two weeks ago. Dane County has had a daily average of more than 80 cases for nearly three weeks, with a record 142 cases June 30, after having a daily average of 17 as recently as mid-June.

It has been challenging with the recent increase in cases, said Amanda Kita-Yarbro, communicable disease epidemiologist for the city-county health department, which has 67 contact tracers, up from 38 about a month ago.

But this is still our best strategy for preventing people from getting infected, Kita-Yarbro said. Even if were not reaching everyone, were reaching a lot.

The state Department of Health Services has hired 200 limited-time workers, at $20 an hour, to do contact tracing and shifted another 200 or so state workers to such work, officials said.

The state workers help local health departments as needed. State officials said they dont know the total number of contact tracers at local health departments but the overall tally statewide comes close to meeting a goal set in April of having 1,000 people doing the work.

Between what were doing at the state level and what locals are doing, were working to fill the need across the state, said Traci DeSalvo, an epidemiologist with the state health department.

Its voluntary

Contact tracing depends on public good will, with no enforcement mechanism for people who refuse to participate and no incentives to encourage cooperation other than helping to protect others.

About 85% percent of people sought for interviews statewide have completed them, DeSalvo said. But conspiracy theories and legitimate warnings, such as one last month by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul about people posing as contact tracers to steal personal information, can lead to skepticism. Contact tracers wont ask for money or numbers for Social Security, bank accounts or credit cards, Kauls warning said.

In Dane County, 80% of people have completed interviews since the outbreak began and 87% last month. It can be difficult to get people who recently tested positive, especially young adults, to share names of those with whom theyve had close contact, Kita-Yarbro said.

Its so important that people share their contacts so that we can get the right information to them! the city-county health department said in a recent Facebook plea for cooperation.

Were here to help, Kita-Yarbro said in an interview. Were not judging people about what they did or how they might have gotten infected.

Gaps in tracing

Even when interviews are completed, nearly 30% of people who tested positive recently in Dane County havent known where they may have been infected. Only 42% have been contacted quickly and told to isolate, about half the portion from a month ago.

New hires this month should help the local health department catch up, Kita-Yarbro said. The agency also plans to start handling all case interviews and handing off some contact interviews to state workers, she said.

Contact tracers generally ask people who recently tested positive to isolate at home for 10 days. They ask their close contacts  anyone who spent at least 15 minutes within 6 feet of the positive person  to quarantine for 14 days after they were potentially exposed.

If the contacts have symptoms, they are told to get tested right away. If they dont, they are asked to be tested three to five days after exposure and again 10 to 14 days after exposure. A negative test does not release someone from quarantine, Kita-Yarbro said.

Contact interviews

Maaneb de Macedo, whose regular part-time public health nurse job is visiting high-risk pregnant women at home, began doing contact tracing in March.

She conducts about five or six interviews per shift, logging data on her laptop into a private state disease surveillance system and emailing follow-up information about COVID-19 to people she has interviewed.

When talking this week to a man who had no symptoms but some exposure to a person who tested positive, Maaneb de Macedo reviewed the list of symptoms to watch for. She suggested the man turn to her agency or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for information about the coronavirus. Sometimes other organizations are really creating a type of fear or hype, she said.

During her call with the UW-Madison student, she repeatedly identified herself as a nurse with the health department and frequently thanked him for providing information.

She learned he has a second roommate who had also developed COVID-19 symptoms and likely also was a probable case. When the student she interviewed said he was a smoker, Maaneb de Macedo, a mother of four young adults, couldnt resist delivering a public health message.

Now, you know, Im a nurse, so were going to tell you smoking is not good for your health, she said. Thats just extra. Thats not really part of the interview. You ought to think about that, OK?

The student said he and his roommates had not ventured out from their apartment recently.

Im happy to hear that you are staying at home, Maaneb de Macedo said. It really helps to decrease the spread of coronavirus.

COVID-19 in photos: How Wisconsin is managing the pandemic

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

The Armenians committed a provocation against Azerbaijanis in London, Trend reports referring to the message disseminated in social networks on July 17.

During a peaceful rally of the Azerbaijanis in front of the Armenian embassy in London, the Armenians came to blows by attacking one of the Azerbaijanis, injuring him, said the explanation for the video. "The London police had to separate the sides.

The footage:

The rally of the Azerbaijanis took place following several days of gross ceasefire violations by Armenian armed forces in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz region. Armed clashes that took place both during days and nights resulted in casualties.

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.
STAMFORD  Threatened with arrest if they did not move, the protesters that have occupied Latham Park in Stamford for a week packed up their belongings and cleared out of the downtown park Friday.

Capt. Sue Bretthauer said police arrived shortly before 8 a.m. and told the protesters they would have to leave the park. The demonstrators complied.

She said no arrests were made. At 9 a.m. the protesters were continuing to pack up their gear as about 10 police officers looked on along with city Public Safety Director Ted Jankowski.

The protesters, who numbered between 20 and 30, had been camping in the park since Saturday, said they were not happy about the early morning police action to evict them from the space.

It was a peaceful protest. I dont think they should have kicked us out, said Kira Ortoleva, from Milford, who has slept at the park since Saturday. I would not have expected any less from the police department. I believe their view of these protests, because of Black Lives Matter, is very, very different than other protests, which is why they cracked down on us more than they would for others.

Police first told the protesters, who dubbed themselves the Latham Abolition Camp, on Wednesday that they were violating city ordinances by camping in the park and would have to vacate the area.

The protesters maintained they did not need a permit to be in the park because they were expressing their First Amendment rights. They had promised to remain until city leaders adhered to several demands, including that they remove funds from the Stamford Police Department, demilitarize the police department and make more transparent internal police investigations.

The group formed the camp following a march last Saturday protesting the death of Steven Barrier, who died while in police custody in October. Police were called to Barriers home on reports of domestic violence on the night of Oct. 23. The state medical examiner said Barrier, who led officers on a foot chase through several properties, died after suffering a heart attack. The states attorney said there were no signs of injury on his body or evidence a taser was used when police took him into custody.

Barriers mother and others have called for more information about the incident to be released, and have said officers should have brought an incapacitated Barrier to the hospital, not the police station.

Demonstrator Isabella Mulas, 22, said the police were violating her First Amendment right by making her leave the park.

I think the heat has been applied (to police) and I think they want our voices to be silenced, but Im here to let them know that that is not happening, and we will get justice for Steven Barrier. Not only that but every resident in Stamford will know his name by the end of this and that is a positive, Mulas said.

Samantha Pleasants, 26, from Darien, who attends UConn in Stamford, said she had a right to assemble in the encampment. I think what they are doing will be detrimental to them and not us, she said.

Bretthauer would not discuss how many officers arrived at the park at about 7:40 a.m. to force the removal, except to say it was a sufficient number to ensure everyone's safety.

As you can see, no arrests were made, they complied voluntarily and took up the encampment and they are moving smoothly, she said, while she and other officers watched the remaining few protesters gather their possessions.

Jankowski said the police officers acted professionally and the protesters were peaceful.

This was a good operation. For the protesters their voices were heard and so were their concerns, he said.

But Maria Altamura, 27, of New Canaan, said their removal proved that the groups First Amendment rights were not being considered.

They are essentially putting park policy above our rights as American citizens, she said. Im disappointed, especially that they came so early in the morning when it was raining  there are a lot of factors. They could have gone about it in a better way, especially the letter they gave us. It was bogus.

Bretthauer presented the group with a written statement from the mayors office and police department Wednesday.

You are in violation of city regulations, it read. We are ordering you to pack up your tents and to leave the park with your tents and belongings.

She said the group collected 1,400 signatures from city residents who approved of them staying in the park.

Despite being kicked out she said there was an upside to the effort.

But I am really happy because I think we were able to spread Stevens story to a lot of citizens of Stamford who had no idea what had taken place. So Im glad we were able to get that word out and create a following as well, Altamura said.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

By Ilkin Seyfaddini  Trend:

Uzbekistan has completely stopped exporting natural gas to Russia and significantly reduced exports to China, Trend reports to Uzbekistan 24 TV channel.

The head of state got acquainted with new projects in oil and gas and chemical industries, electrotechnical and pharmaceutical industries via video-conferencing on July 16, 2020.

During the meeting it was noted that the exports of natural gas from Uzbekistan to China have fallen by two-thirds, while supplies to Russia have been halted altogether due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Moreover, Uzbekneftegaz made a statement on the implementation of forecasts for the first half of the year, despite the quarantine: one billion cubic meters of natural gas, almost 22,000 tons of condensate and 1,200 tons of oil were produced. Investments worth $846.5 million were made in 11 projects.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev gave instructions to reduce gas imports, improve product quality and localization.

With the increased domestic gas supply, Uzbekistan plans to produce more refined products such as chemicals, according to the state television report.

Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov said for the first time in January 2020 that Uzbekistan plans to stop gas exports by 2025 and fully process gas inside the country.

PetroChina, the main Chinese importer, issued a force majeure notice citing the coronavirus outbreak in March and significantly reduced its purchases across Central Asia.

---

Follow author on Twitter:@seyfaddini
Restaurants nationwide are starting to reopen, but there's one popular dining category that remains out of commission: outdoor food markets. A wildly popular New York destination, the Queens Night Market, remains closed.

John Wang left his job as a corporate lawyer at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett to open Queens Night Market five years agoto re-create the stalls he remembered fondly from childhood trips to Taiwan. He's recently been meeting with the Department of Transportation on ways to bring it back, "but it's hard to see how do it without eviscerating the experience. One-way traffic that doesn't allow for people to hang out doesn't seem very fun," Wang said. "Plus the vendors' business depends on volume." On the busiest nights, 20,000 people would come to the market, which had about 60 international stands from Argentina to Kosovo to Nigeria to the Philippines.

For those who badly miss the market, the consolation is Wang's energetic new cookbook, "The World Eats Here: Amazing Food and the Inspiring People Who Make It at New York's Queens Night Market," written with Storm Gardner (The Experiment Publishing; $20). There are profiles and recipes from vendors like Alberto Richardson of Treat Yourself Jerk Chicken whose smoker and Jamaican jerk recipe has been a major attraction at the market, and Maeda Qureshi who runs Pakistand, a pop-up restaurant whose profits support childhood education charities in Pakistan.

Another go-to vendor is Amy Pryke, a Columbia Business School graduate who parlayed a class project into her Native Noodles stand, inspired by hawker stalls from her native Singapore. Pryke specializes in thick laksa noodles in coconut broth, and that recipe is included.

But there's another one in the book that she hasn't yet served at the market: Roti John, a sandwich that personifies Singapore's melting pot cuisine.

Ground meat is stir-fried with cumin, onion, and garlic, then fried again with chile-spiked eggs and loaded into a baguette. A final flourish of ketchup enhanced with spicy sweet sriracha takes it over the top. The omelet sandwich feels both familiar and adventurous with spices jammed in every corner of it-a tasty treat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

"I didn't serve them at Queens Night Market because they're best made to order," said Pryke, who's opening a Native Noodles storefront in Washington Heights in the fall. "I have an academic background, so my focus was how do I bang out as many bowls as possible. But I saw that lines bring in more people, and people wait for something that's worth waiting for." She'll serve Roti John on the lunch menu in her new spot.

For home cooks, Pryke notes that it's very customizable: You can add cheese or spicy mayonnaise, or substitute sardines for meat.

Expert Roti John makers will spread the baguette halves on top of the eggs as they are cooking and flip the whole thing over in the pan. It takes some practice; I didn't get it exactly right my first try.

The following recipe is adapted from Amy Pryke of Native Noodles and reprinted from "The World Eats Here."

Roti John (Omelet and Meat Sandwich)

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 tbsp. ketchup

3 tbsp. sriracha

1 tbsp. sugar

2/3 baguette or 2 hero rolls, about 8 inches long

2  tbsp. canola oil, divided use

 lb. ground beef or lamb or beef/ lamb mix

1 tsp. ground cumin

 tsp. salt, plus more for seasoning

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 small white or yellow onion, sliced

6 large eggs

2 tbsp. sambal oelek (Southeast Asian chile paste, available at most supermarkets) or chopped seeded chile

Large pinch of ground black pepper

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, sriracha and sugar with 1 tablespoon of water; set aside.

Split the baguette or rolls lengthwise but do not cut all the way through, leaving a small hinge as on a hot dog bun. If using baguette, cut in half crosswise for 2 sandwich buns. Lightly oil a nonstick skillet with  tablespoon of the oil and toast the inside of the bread halves, pressing down with a spatula until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the ground meat and cumin. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Add the garlic and fry over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook over low heat until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the meat, raise the heat to medium, and stir-fry until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Season with salt.

In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Beat in the sambal oelek, salt, and pepper. Pour the eggs into the skillet, covering the meat. When the eggs just start to firm up on the bottom and sides, turn the mixture over with a metal spatula and continue cooking to desired doneness. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Press the inside of each bread half into the pan to pick up leftover scraps.

Place the eggs and meat on the buns and spread the ketchup mixture in the center. Close the sandwiches, cut into 4 pieces each and serve.
Bhuj, Jul 17 (PTI) A 21-year-old man from Maharashtra has been apprehended by the Border Security Force (BSF) in Gujarat's Rann of Kutch while he was trying to sneak into Pakistan on foot, officials said on Friday.

Police said that as per the preliminary probe, the man, identified as Zeeshan Siddique, was on his way to meet a woman in Pakistan whom he had befriended on a social media platform.

"Siddique was held by the BSF on Thursday night and later handed over to the local police. He is from Osmanabad town in Maharashtra," Kutch-East Superintendent of Police, Parikshita Rathod, said.

"Police had issued an alert after a motorcycle with Maharashtra registration number was found abandoned near Dholavira village in the Rann of Kutch on Thursday evening.

The BSF later nabbed the man when he was found walking towards the border in a bid to enter Pakistan," Rathod added.

According to police sources, Siddique is an engineering student and may have reached Gujarat from Osmanabad on his motorcycle.

After his motorcycle got stuck in the sand, he started walking towards Pakistan in a bid to meet his social media friend living in that country, they said. PTI COR PJT PD NP NP
Restaurant tables, shelves of merchandise and maybe even barbers chairs will replace cars on two blocks of Valencia Street in the Mission District four nights a week in an experiment that seeks to resuscitate a business district choked by the coronavirus and shelter-in-place restrictions.

Starting next week, Valencia will close between 16th and 17th streets and 18th and 19th streets every Thursday through Sunday from 4 to 10 p.m. The lanes usually used for parking, biking and traffic will become outdoor extensions of nearby businesses between 5 and 9 p.m., giving them a little extra breathing space and Mission residents more room to stroll, dine and shop while staying the recommended 6 feet away from others.

Meanwhile, city transportation officials are adding parts of 14 more streets to the Slow Streets program, which uses barriers to steer away through traffic to create more space for neighborhood residents to maintain social distancing while walking, biking or exercising.

The Valencia closures are part of a program designed to help business districts by allowing them to use sidewalks, street parking spaces and sometimes entire streets. Chinatowns Grant Avenue, which often closes for community festivals, was the first commercial district approved for business in the streets, starting Saturday, said Robin Abad Ocubillo, director of the Shared Streets program. Valencia Street will be the second.

Before the coronavirus arrived early this year, Valencia bustled with popular restaurants and shops. That activity vanished when shelter-in-place orders locked down the city, emptying the streets and sidewalks, and prompting merchants to cover their doors and windows with plywood.

It looked like an economically depressed area or a war zone, said Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who represents one side of Valencia.

Slowly, as the city has allowed some businesses to resume, Valencia has started to regain some of its lost vigor.

It used to be a crowded street, said Steven Garcia, manager of the popular Limon Rotisserie on Valencia. Then it was dead. But now its starting to come back.

The three-month experiment to turn Valencia into a part-time public retail and restaurant space was conceived by the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association. Manny Yekutiel, who runs the politically flavored event space, gallery and restaurant Mannys in the Mission, wrangled merchants, supervisors and city bureaucrats to make it happen.

This is about helping us to survive, he said. I wish I didnt have to say that, but its about survival now. And all we have to work with is outdoor space.

Garcia expects the extra space will equate to more business  and jobs  at Limon, which laid off all but a chef and manager after the city imposed stay-at-home orders. Business has been climbing back since San Francisco began allowing outdoor dining in mid-June, and Garcia has been rehiring some of his 50 workers.

The Valencia Street takeover should allow Limon to expand its outdoor dining space significantly, Garcia said.

I like the opportunity, he said. Its attractive to people, especially with families. With the right logistics and the right marketing, I think it will be way better for all the businesses.

Supervisors Ronen and Rafael Mandelman, whose districts are split by Valencia, embrace the plan as a bold attempt to save businesses while also repurposing streets as public spaces for pedestrians and bicyclists.

These businesses are at risk of closing forever, and the fact that they came together and worked with each other to attempt to stay alive is a great thing, Ronen said. The city should be supporting them.

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.

And it has, said Jonah Buffa, incoming president of the merchants association and co-owner of Fellow Barber on Valencia. He said both supervisors and city agencies cooperated to push the project through the red tape.

Theyve been nimble and adaptive and helped facilitate getting this started, he said. Im happily surprised.

Mayor London Breed said the city realizes that it needs to help small businesses survive, because COVID-19 wont vanish anytime soon.

We need to be willing to try new things and adapt as a city to protect our residents, she said. Our small businesses have been hit hard, and the Shared Spaces Program is one way we can help them continue to operate while protecting the safety of their workers and customers.

Barbershops and salons arent yet allowed to resume business in San Francisco, but Buffa hopes outdoor haircuts will soon be permitted. Even if that doesnt happen, he said, turning the streets over to merchants  and customers  should benefit both.

Abad Ocubillo said that more than 50 business districts around the city have applied for similar street takeovers and are being reviewed.

Other people in the city are looking at us to see if it works, Buffa said. If it doesnt, at least we tried something.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 01:49:30|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of Defense effectively banned the display of the Confederate flag at military installations, even though Defense Secretary Mark Esper in his carefully-worded memo released Friday laying out the policy did not mention the word "ban" or the specific flag.

"We must always remain focused on what unifies us, our sworn oath to the Constitution and our shared duty to defend the nation," Esper wrote in a signed memo. "The flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols."

The memo listed a number of accepted flags, including the U.S. and state flags, military service flags, and national flags of countries that are U.S. allies, among others.

The Confederate battle flag, which -- along with other Confederate symbols and statues as well as bases named after Confederate officers -- has become a source of division amid the recent Black Lives Matter protests, was not included, thus being effectively banned.

Those non-sanctioned flags will still be allowed to be featured in "museum exhibits, state-issued license plates, grave sites, memorial markers, monuments, educational displays, historical displays, or works of art, where the nature of the display or depiction cannot reasonably be viewed as endorsement of the flag by the Department of Defense," the memo said.

According to multiple U.S. media reports, the decision not to explicitly point out banned flags was made out of concerns that doing otherwise risks being political and facing legal challenges over freedom of speech.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces, has rejected renaming bases and defended flying the Confederate flag, citing freedom of speech as the reason.

The U.S. Marine Corps, for its part, already banned depictions of the Confederate flag at its facilities, effective in early June.

David Berger, the commandant of the Marine Corps, said in a letter to marines dated April 20 that while he was "mindful that many people believe" the Confederate flag "to be a symbol of heritage or regional pride ... This symbol has shown it has the power to inflame feelings of division." Enditem
What goes into that? A lot of people think its just drawing pretty pictures or doing a design. Its not. It really is a lot of psychology, understanding shopping behavior. We do all that and then we put together a presentation to show the client what we saw, and what their consumers, their customers are saying. We say, Here is our approach, here is what we suggest based on your objectives. ... This is the strategy wed like to move forward with. Do we have your blessing? Then were on a journey together, Norman said.
R esidents in Tooting were alarmed by a "loud rumbling noise" as steam billowed from the roof of St George's Hospital after a boiler valve burst.

Footage on social media showed what looked like smoke shooting out from a pipe into the sky from the hospital building on Friday evening.

St George's said in a statement that the boiler valve in the hospital's day surgery unit had burst but that the escaping steam was "harmless".

They added that it posed no risk to patients, staff or the public, before apologising to local residents for any inconvenience.

During the evening, people nearby took to social media to ask about a mysterious noise sounding throughout the area.

One person wrote: "Anyone else hearing a really loud rumbling noise in Tooting...?"

Another replied with footage of the incident, adding that it seemed to be a burst air vent.

A different Twitter user said: "Looks like a burst pipe on the roof of a building at St Georges Hospital.

"Pretty loud when you get up close. Been going on for about 45 mins now.

They later added: "Something probably unintentional going on round the back of St Georges Hospital, Tooting.

"Is it oxygen? Nitrogen? Water? Something very high pressured."

Someone else said: "I live very near and can see that from my house. Saw three fire engines."

While another Twitter user joked: "Think theres a new pope of Tooting."

In a statement, the hospital said: "This evening, a boiler valve in our day surgery unit at St Georges burst.

"The steam that escaped into the air was harmless, and posed no risk to patients, staff or the public.

"The problem has now been resolved, and we are sorry to local residents for any inconvenience caused."
The Delta State government says it will quarantine the Owa-Alero Youth Agriculture and Entrepreneurship Programme (YAGEP) Farm Cluster where an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) has been reported.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Julius Egbedi, in company of the State Chief Job Creation Officer, Eric Eboh, made this known on Thursday during an inspection of the affected farm in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta.

The commissioner noted that a permanent method to eliminate the dreaded African Swine Fever was to quarantine the farm for at least three months and destroy the pigs in the farm.

Mr Egbedi decried the level of indiscipline exhibited by farmers in that cluster and charged them to always pay close attention to and comply with prescribed guidelines for animal husbandry.

According to him, farmers have to adhere to laid down biosecurity and other measures in the rearing of livestock to prevent the eruption of avoidable diseases.

He said: To forestall outbreak of an epidemic, the farm would be shut down and quarantined for a minimum of three months and every pig in the farm would be destroyed.

Mr Egbedi, who also sympathised with the farmers over their losses, assured them of state government assistance to mitigate the losses incurred after an investigation to ascertain the extent of the loss.

Also, the State Chairman, Pig Farmers Association, Jerry Ossai, who described the incident as unfortunate and sad, appealed to them to adhere to the commissioners advice.

READ ALSO:

Mr Ossai said that farmers should also take advantage of services offered by Insurance Companies and get their farms insured so that they would not lose out totally in events of such nature.

On his part, the state Director for Veterinary Services, Charles Diai, charged the farmers to be disciplined in the rearing of their animals to ensure maximum yield and minimum losses.

Mr Diai also assured that since the ASF was not transmittable to humans there was no need to panic.

(NAN)
BS: Any time we talk aloud, we become the listener as well as the speaker. It gives our ideas a greater objectivity. We become more aware of those ideas, it adds a layer of mindfulness to what were doing. Lets say I have an impulse to buy or sell an asset, maybe because its moving a particular way and I dont want it to move against me. If I say out loud what Im thinking and what Im about to do, immediately I can recognize if it sounds ridiculous: This is not how I do my best money management, Im being completely reactive. I would be embarrassed to speak it out loud to a valued colleague. We get a layer of self-observation when we talk out loud that can be really useful. It makes us in a certain sense accountable.
DUNCAN, B.C.British Columbias police watchdog has been called in to investigate the death of a man not long after he was released from custody on Vancouver Island.

RCMP in Duncan say an officer arrested a man for public intoxication at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

They say the man was released from RCMP cells around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday and at 3:30 p.m., RCMP were called to assist emergency health services after a man was found dead inside a unit at Warmland House, a shelter and transitional residence.

Police say the dead man was the same man who had been released from custody earlier that day.

The Independent Investigations Office is investigating to determine whether police actions or inactions are linked to the mans death.

Police say they wont release any further information as the investigation in ongoing.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  After philanthropist Marylou Whitney died last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo promised her widower a memorial pavilion would be built on the backstretch space where the local socialite for a dozen years served free meals to the track's workers.

But when John Hendrickson visited the track earlier this week he found something else in the space: a day care center for those same workers.

They took my space, he said Friday. The governor just came here last year and told us he would put a pavilion, the Marylou Whitney Pavilion, and now you put up a day care center.  Where am I supposed to go? A day care center is great, but they didn't give me a fair warning.

So now, Hendrickson is looking for another place to build something in his late wife's name. He said "poor planning" was to blame for the construction of the center in the spot the canopy to feed and entertain backstretch workers always stood. The $750,000 facility for the children of the backstretch workers was built with a contribution from horse owner Michael Dubb and his wife Lee.

Earlier: 'Summer of Andrew' comes to Saratoga

Saratoga socialite, philanthropist Marylou Whitney dies at 93

Marylou Whitney leaves $17.2M to kids, homes to staff, rest to husband

Once built, the pavilion would be used to continued Whitney's tradition of serving meals to the backstretch workers on Sundays and as a place for evening entertainment for the workers who live at the track during racing season.

Hendrickson said he's spoken to the leaders of the New York Racing Association, the organization that runs the race course, Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack.

NYRA has promised to make it right, he said. I have confidence they will.

After Whitney died at age 93 and just days after the meets opening, Cuomo visited the track for the first time. He sat in Hendricksons box and promised to build the pavilion to accommodate 400 people for Whitney's Backstretch Appreciation Program. At a cost of about $250,000, the pavilion was to be a monument to the woman Cuomo called "the backbone of the Saratoga Race Course."

At the time of Cuomo's announcement, Dave O'Rourke, the president and CEO of NYRA, called the pavilion a fitting tribute to a woman whose "consistent support improved the lives of the men and women who sustain racing not only here in Saratoga but around New York state."

On Friday, Cuomo's spokesman Richard Azzopardi said the project is going forward.

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

The funding remains in place, but the development and construction of the site was stalled due to the pandemic," he said. "It is scheduled to resume after the season ends in September.

NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna said that the not-for-profit corporation would work with Hendrickson "to determine the most appropriate location for the pavilion."



"At the same time, NYRA is pleased to be able to provide a home for the Saratoga Child Care Center, which will provide the backstretch community with early childhood education," McKenna said. "These are important projects that will expand opportunities for the men and women who form the backbone of thoroughbred racing in New York."

Hendrickson said there is more room on the backstretch to build the pavilion. One suggestion was behind the recreation center, the location for Backstretch Employee Service Team office and where grooms, hot walkers and other workers watch TV and play pool. But Hendrickson doesnt like that idea.

I dont want her to go in back of a building, he said. "But Dave O'Rourke promised to make it right. He sees the value in the program. He's not trying to hurt it."

Though Hendrickson said that he's not happy that the pavilion will have to be moved, he did say that this year's tradition of Sunday meals, which feeds hundreds, had to be altered because of the pandemic. This year, the meals will be boxed and dropped off to the Recreation Center for the workers to pick up. The box meals begin this Sunday with Mexican food and will continue through Sept. 6 with an annual Thanksgiving meal.

Hendrickson is also building a new medical center for the backstretch workers. He is raising money for that project through an online auction of Whitney's gowns, jewelry, hats and a car. Auctions items can be viewed at http://marylouwhitneycollection.com/
Bengaluru, July 17 : As people await with bated breath a human vaccine against coronavirus amid home remedies suggested by different people, a Congress councillor in Karnataka has come up with a novel recipe to tackle the virus -- rum and half-fried eggs, sunny side up.

His recommendation to beat coronavirus through a video had went viral before Thursday.

"Add a teaspoonful of ground pepper in 90ml rum and stir it well with your finger and drink it. Eat two half-fried omelettes to ensure that the coronavirus vanishes," said Ravichandra Gatti, a councillor in Ullal town near Mangaluru, in the viral video.

Gatti said he had tried many medicines for Covid-19 but vouched that only rum and eggs worked.

"I am not suggesting this as a politician, but as a member of the corona committee," he said.

"Many people are there in Bengaluru and Madikeri who drink rum but I do not drink or eat fish," Gatti said.

Gatti is known to be social worker for nearly 15 years. Congress leaders from Mangaluru area were planning to discuss the matter.

Senior Congress leader Ugrappa declined to comment on the party worker's video while UT Khader was not reachable on phone.

Ghatti's phone was unreachable whereas he was last active on his Whatsapp account on Tuesday evening.

An official at the Ullal Municipal Commissioner's office said that councillors have been made members in the ward-level Covid task force committees.

Ullal town is 12 km from Mangaluru city.
New Delhi, July 17 : Does China have military edge over India? No, its a misconception say reports. India has come a long way since 1962. If China says dont forget the history, we also say the same to them.

While de-escalation talks are on, some experts are working overtime to prove that in case of war, China's military power is far superior to that of India. They claim that the People's Liberation army (PLA) has a decisive edge over the Indian army because of its numerical strength, infrastructure in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) abutting the Line Of Actual Control (LAC) as well as weaponry.

Chinese media too has been mocking India on its perceived inferiority in weapons and logistics.

But does the 'conventional wisdom' of China's superior military strength hold water? Recent studies done by Belfer Centre at the Harvard and the Centre For A New American Security (CNAS) have a different picture to share. These researches suggest that India has an edge over China in high altitude mountainous warfare.

India and China fought the war in 1962, which India lost. But that was 58 years ago and much has changed since then. The report says: "We assess that India has key under-appreciated conventional advantages that reduce its vulnerability to Chinese threats and attacks. India appears to have cause for greater confidence in its military position against China than is typically acknowledged in Indian debates, providing the country an opportunity for leadership in international efforts toward nuclear transparency and restraint." No one expects full scale war between the two countries and absolutely no chance of nuclear war. Nevertheless, experts always compare the nuclear strength of the two. According to the Belfer report, China's nuclear weapons comprising land and sea-based ballistic missiles and aircraft can be used as nuclear bombers. As an estimate, China has 104 missiles which could strike all over India. As far as India is concerned, bulk of its missile forces are located near Pakistan than China.

According to the report, "around ten Agni-III launchers can reach the entire Chinese mainland. Another eight Agni-II launchers could reach central Chinese targets. An estimated two squadrons of Jaguar IS and one squadron of Mirage 2000H fighters, totaling around 51 aircraft, can be tasked with nuclear missions. These aircraft could most likely reach Tibetan airspace equipped with nuclear gravity bombs. However, it is near certain that they would be identified and tracked by air defences before proceeding deeper into China from Tibet. The potential early surprise achievable in Tibet-centric missions would no longer be possible for missions elsewhere in China, as Chinese air defences would be alerted in the additional time necessary for Indian aircraft to transit Tibet." The Belfer Report estimates that India's total strike force would be around 2,25,000, deployed against China in Northern, Central and Eastern commands. While China may have the numeric superiority, the reports highlights several factors which give India an edge over China. Since 1965, India has been fighting many 'proxy conflicts' with Pakistan. India fought the decisive battle of Kargil against Pakistan in 1999.

Also, "western troops participating in war games and exercises regularly have expressed a grudging admiration for their Indian counterparts' tactical creativity and high degree of adaptability," says the report.

The PLA's last conflict, however, has been the 1979 Vietnam War, where it faced stiff losses from hardened Vietnamese, battle-ready after the US war. CNAS estimates that, in sheer numbers, Indian ground forces outmatch the Chinese-considering the proximity to the LAC, and also with regard to forward-deployed air assets. "India maintains a large number of military and paramilitary troops along the various plateaus, mountain passes, and valleys that provide the most obvious potential points of trans-Himalayan ingress, China-in accordance with its doctrine on frontier defence-stations the bulk of its conventional forces in its interior, to be surged forward in the event of conflict." India has developed many bases in the region with China in mind, according to an October 2019 report from the Center for a New American Security. "To weather a potential PLA attack, India has placed greater emphasis on infrastructure hardening; base resiliency; redundant command, control, and communications systems; and improved air defence," the report claims.

The report also says that the Indian acquisitions of Apache and Chinook rotary-wing assets, along with military transport aircraft such as the C-130 and the C-17 Globemaster, provide critical rapid firepower support to isolated Indian troops. "China hosts a total of around 101 4th-generation fighters in the theater, of which a proportion must be retained for Russian defence, while India has around 122 of its comparable models, solely directed at China." In a possible India-China war, China could be largely on its own, whereas New Delhi, has been developing defence ties with countries wary of Beijing as a rising military power. India has grown closer to the US military in recent years, with Washington calling India a "major defence partner" while increasing bi-and multilateral training.

China's main worry has been India's growing relationship the US. According to the report, the real counter to China in South Asia is India. "In South Asia, unlike Southeast, East, or Central Asia, there is a natural hegemon: India. China cannot cast it aside easily," India has traditionally viewed China as an equal, rather than a superior, and has been wary of Beijing's aims and suspicious of China's advances into its periphery. The two studies point out that India has key "under-appreciated conventional advantages that reduce its vulnerability to Chinese threats and attacks" that is not properly recognised.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Jaipur: In a fresh twist to the political crisis in Rajasthan, Congress on Friday (July 17) suspended Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh from primary membership of the party besides issuing show-cause notices to them for allegedly conspiring against the party.

Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewal, who addressed an online media briefing, sought an FIR to be registered against suspended MLA Bhanwar Lal over the alleged audiotapes, that have been doing rounds on social media. "An FIR should be registered against Bhanwar Lal Sharma and apart from that the party has decided to suspend Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishwendra Singh from their primary membership of the party," said Surjewala.

He also demanded an FIR be registered against Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat and BJP leader Sanjay Jain, accusing them of being involved in a conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan. "It should also be probed as to who arranged the 'black money' to bribe MLAs & who were given the bribe," Surjewala stated.

Urging the SOG to initiate a probe into the case, Surjewala said that a warrant should be issued against Shekhawat and he should be arrested if it is suspected that he could influence the investigation.

According to reports, audio clips in which Bhanwar Lal, who belongs to the Sachin Pilot camp, purportedly conspires to topple Ashok Gehlot led Rajasthan government under the influence of Sachin Pilot has surfaced online. The suspended MLA however refuted the allegations and termed the viral audio as 'fake'. "The Officer on Special Duty to Chief Minister, Lokesh Sharma is trying to pressurise MLAs by getting fake audios made as Chief Minister Gehlot is in despair," Sharma stated.

Rajasthan Congress continues to remain in turmoil after simmering differences between Sachin Pilot and CM Ashok Gehlot came out in the open. Pilot was, on July 14, also sacked from the posts of Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and state PCC president.

CM Gehlot accused the BJP for attempting to destabilise the state government by poaching MLAs.

A controversy broke out in Rajasthan after Special Operation Group (SOG) sent a notice to Pilot to record his statement in the case registered by SOG on the alleged poaching of Congress MLAs in the state.
A police officer has been suspended after he was filmed apparently kneeling on a suspect's neck during an arrest in London.

An unnamed witness filmed two police officer holding a suspect down while he screamed 'get off my neck' in Islington at around 6.30pm yesterday.

Another officer has been placed on restricted duties, Metropolitan Police said.

The arrest comes after George Floyd, 36, died in Minneapolis when a police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes, sparking mass protests across the world.

The force's Deputy Commissioner Sir Steve House described the footage as 'deeply disturbing' and said some of the techniques, which are 'not taught in police training', caused him 'great concern'.

Marcus Coutain, 45, was arrested at the scene and later charged with possession of a knife in a public place.

He will appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

A police officer has been suspended after he was filmed kneeling on a suspect's neck during an arrest in Islington, London, yesterday evening

Officers were called to a fight in Isledon Road, Islington. They arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of affray and possession of an offensive weapon, the force said.

Inquiries continue and the Met has referred it to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

At the start of the two minute and 20 second clip, one of the officers appears to be kneeling on the suspect's neck and has his hand on his head.

The struggling man on the ground can be heard shouting 'Get off me ... get off my neck, I haven't done anything wrong, get off my neck.'

One of the police officers is heard to ask him 'Are you going to behave yourself?' before telling him to 'Stay down'.

He then stood up and asked onlookers who were filming the incident to 'move back', while another clip showed more police officers arriving at the scene.

The situation calmed down by the time the suspect was led into a car and taken to a police station. He has since seen a doctor.

Sir House, Met deputy commissioner, said: 'The video footage that I have seen today and is circulating on social media is extremely disturbing. I understand that many viewing the footage will share my concern.

'The man involved was arrested, taken to a police station and has now been seen by a police doctor.

'Some of the techniques used cause me great concern - they are not taught in police training.'

He said the decision to suspend one officer, and remove the other from operational duty, would be 'kept under review'.

The video shows two male officers pinning a visibly-distressed man to the ground as he writhes on the concrete

'We have quickly assessed the incident, including the body worn video footage from the officers and their statements and justification for their use of force. As a result we have referred the matter to the IOPC,' he added.

'One officer has been suspended and another officer has been removed from operational duty, but not suspended at this time. This decision will be kept under review.

'We will co-operate fully with the IOPC investigation.'

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said what he saw in the video was 'an extremely concerning incident'.

He tweeted: 'It is right that it is quickly referred to the IOPC and an officer has been suspended. I will be following this closely: we are policed by consent and that relies on the highest levels of respect and professionalism.'

The suspect shouts a series of pleas including 'get off my neck' and 'I haven't done anything wrong'

The video showed two male officers pin a visibly-distressed man to the ground as he writhed on the concrete.

One officer had his hand pressed against the suspect's face and a knee on his neck while the other restrained his legs.

The suspect shouted a series of pleas including 'get off my neck' and 'I haven't done anything wrong'.

Horrified witnesses urged the officers to stop and repeatedly shouted: 'That's a human being.'

After several seconds, the officer took his knee off the suspect before telling an onlooker to 'shut it' when they criticised his use of force.

He stood up and walked towards the crowd to order them back before the second officer eventually let the suspect sit up.

After several seconds, the officer takes his knee off the suspect before telling an onlooker to 'shut it' when they criticise his use of force

One officer has his hand pressed against the suspect's face and a knee on his neck while the other restrains his legs

A second clip showed several more officers arriving on the scene as tension among the crowd escalated.

Witnesses urged officers arriving to 'arrest the officer' they had filmed kneeling on the suspect's neck.

A woman heard giving a statement to a constable said: 'It's okay to arrest him but don't push his head and then kneel on him. It might kill him, it might injure him.'

Another officer is then heard telling the crowd that the suspect 'matches the description' of a male they were searching for before the footage cuts out.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: 'Police were called by a member of the public at approximately 18.30hrs on Thursday, 16 July to reports of a fight in Isledon Road, N7.

'A man, who matched the description of one of those involved, was detained by officers and arrested at the scene on suspicion of affray and possession of an offensive weapon. He remains in custody at a central London police station.

'Enquiries into the circumstances continue.

A second clip shows several more officers arriving on the scene as tension among the crowd escalates with witnesses urging those arriving on scene to 'arrest the officer'

'We are aware of a video showing part of this wider incident where two officers have detained the man on the ground and appreciate this looks very concerning. This footage has been viewed, along with body worn footage from the officers who attended. Both officers involved have also provided statements.

'The officers' initial interaction with the man and the events that led to him being detained have also been analysed.

'Our officers carry out their duty on a daily basis across London in often difficult circumstances. Where force is used, officers must be able to justify this as lawful, proportionate and necessary.

'Our officers understand that their actions will be scrutinised as they go about their work and that the public have the right to hold them to account where appropriate.

'On this occasion we have decided to refer this incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.'
In a relief to Telangana government, The Apex Court dismissed a petition filed by Congress MLC T Jeevan Reddy which had challenged Telangana High Court's judgement on construction of new building after demolishing old Secretariat structure in Hyderabad.

The Supreme Court refused to interfere in the matter saying construction of the Secretariat was a prerogative of the Telangana government.

Earlier, the Telangana High Court had extended the temporary stay on demolition of buildings of the state secretariat till July 17 after a petition was filed by Prof P L Vishweshwar Rao and Dr Cheruku Sudhakar.

The petitioners alleged that the demolition of the present secretariat complex consisting of 10 blocks, approximately 10 lakh sq ft, was being done without following the due procedure of law.

The government's act is against the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016, Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and the Environment Protection Act 1986, among other laws, the petitioners alleged.

The Telangana Advocate General informed the court that the state government has taken necessary permission from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation for the demolition.
A black Portland cop has slammed 'hypocritical' crowds of Black Lives Matter protesters which include less minorities than the police force they are coming face-to-face with at demonstrations.

Officer Jakhary Jackson made his comments about the movement's 'violent' participants in an audio interview released by the department on YouTube last week.

'It says something when you're at a Black Lives Matter protest, you have more minorities on the police side than you have in a violent crowd,' he said in the recording.

Jackson, who has served in the department for about a decade, shared his thoughts as a member of a rapid response team responding to demonstrations almost daily since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

Officer Jakhary Jackson called out Black Lives Matter protesters as being hypocritical after noticing more white people than minorities driving violence at demonstrations which has gripped the city for weeks

Demonstrators stand over a burning dumpster during a violent protest in Portland last week. Jackson said: 'It says something when you're at a Black Lives Matter protest, you have more minorities on the police side than you have in a violent crowd'

Jackson shared his thoughts as a member of a rapid response team responding to demonstrations almost daily since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. A driver fires a gun in the air near demonstrators during a Portland protest on July 9

Riots have erupted in Portland following peaceful demonstrations that called for an end to police brutality and systematic racism.

Jackson described what it was like being a black cop at the riots in Portland, where he said white people have shown up and engaged in the very racist behavior they came to condemn.

'You have white people screaming at black officers: "You have the biggest nose I've ever seen,"' he explained.

Jackson recalled experiencing racism firsthand as a youth.

'I had been, when I was young, at a party and I got jumped by a group of white people,' he said. 'Me putting this uniform on doesn't erase that history that I've had.'

He commended some of the protesters he has met, and was supportive of their calls for police reform.

'I go to see folks that really do want change like the rest of us that have been impacted by racism, he said.

However, their efforts, he said, were 'faded out by people that have no idea what racism is all about. Never experienced racism.

'They don't even know that the tactics they're using are the same tactics that were used against my people and they don't even the history,' Jackson said. 'They don't know what they're saying.'

Jackson, a graduate of Portland State University with a degree in history, said the situation was 'actually frightening.'

'I'm cool with people feeling like they want to help a movement, but when you go to a gentrified community and one of the first pictures I saw of one of the businesses looted was a black-owned business, I'm like "They're not even from here."'

'They don't know what they're even doing,' he added, accusing the outsiders of causing divisiveness. He mentioned a cousin of his attended a march and who commented, 'This has turned into something else. This is weird, very eye opening.'

The ongoing protests in Portland prompted President Donald Trump to send in federal agents to quell the violence. US Marshals along with members of the Federal Protective Service, US Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations have been in Portland since the start or July.

Last weekend, a peaceful protester, armed with only a music speaker, was shot in the head with a 'rubber bullet' and severely injured by agents who were sent into the city.

Pictured are federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security who were deployed to Portland to help deal with violent protests earlier this month

Agents from the Department of Homeland Security are pictured among the reinforcements sent into Portland by President Donald Trump to quell violent protests

The disturbing incident on Saturday happened across the street from the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in Portland during a demonstration against police brutality and racism.

The shooting was widely condemned by local and state officials who shifted the blame onto Trump's decision to send in reinforcements.

Another riot erupted outside police headquarters Tuesday.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler on Tuesday turned down an offer of help from the federal government to confront the continued violence. The offer had come from Chad Wolf, acting Secretary of Homeland Security.

'Today the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security asked to speak with me about demonstration activity in Portland. He expressed his concern about ongoing violence and asked how his agency can help,' the mayor tweeted Tuesday.

'I told the Acting Secretary that my biggest immediate concern is the violence federal officers brought to our streets in recent days, and the life-threatening tactics his agents use. We do not need or want their help.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to the police department and Mayor Wheeler for comment on Jackson's comments.
US authorities on Wednesday slapped sanctions on entities linked to Russian financier Yevgeniy Prigozhin over attempts to suppress and discredit democratic reforms in Sudan.

Yevgeniy Prigozhin and his network are exploiting Sudan's natural resources for personal gain and spreading malign influence around the globe, said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The action targets five companies located in Sudan, Hong Kong and Thailand and three individuals that are involved in furthering Prigozhin's operations in Sudan.

The US Treasury said Prigozhin role in Sudan demonstrates the relationship between Russia's paramilitary operations, support for authoritarian regimes and exploitation of natural resources.

US authorities noted how Russia had developed a relationship with Sudan's former president Omar al-Bashir, offering military assistance and getting involved in oil, natural gas, agriculture and gold.

Bashir was ousted in April 2019 and a transitional government installed. The US Treasury said new sanctions would stop Prigozhin from interfering with Sudan's democratic transition and allow the new government an opportunity to regain control of Sudan's national assets.

The ongoing theft of Sudan's natural resources is a scandal that the civilian-led government should end immediately, said Suliman Baldo, senior advisor at The Sentry, a non-profit organisation supported by actor George Clooney.

The continued presence of these Prigozhin-linked companies in Sudan represents a threat to the fledgling democratic transition in the country, said Baldo, in a statement reacting to the newly announced sanctions.

'Putin's chef'

Prigozhin is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, described by some as the man responsible for the Kremlin's push into Africa.

He is a former hotdog seller, who grew up in in Putin's home city of Leningrad, served time in jail before setting up an elite restaurant, according to the Guardian newspaper.

After serving the Russian premier at his restaurant in 2001, he got to know Putin and began helping to organise his parties, earning himself the nickname, Putin's chef.

"Putin's chef got government contracts to provide children's school dinners and foodstuffs to the Russian military, becoming rich in the process.

After gaining the president's trust, Prigozhin allegedly supported and financed internet troll networks that interfered with the US elections. He is said to fund the Wagner Group, a Russian private military contractor operating on the African continent.

US authorities previously targeted Prigozhin for supporting the Internet Research Agency, a group that is accused of using fake social media profiles to spread disinformation in an effort to influence the 2018 US midterm polls.

The US Treasury Department in September 2019 targeted Prigozhin's property, slapping sanctions on companies supposedly used to manage three private jets and one yacht.

Sudanese gold for Russian mercenaries

Russian investigative website The Bell previously reported on how ties between Sudan and Russia were developed in November 2017 with the deployment of Wagner Group contractors and a company connected to Prigozhin starting to prospect for gold in Sudan.

Putin and Bashir met in Sochi, according to the The Bell, and discussed setting up a Russian naval base on the the Red Sea.

An agreement was also signed between the two governments paving the way for a company called M Invest, to secure a gold concession.

M Invest is owned or controlled by Prigozhin and serves as a cover for Wagner Group forces operating in Sudan, according to the US Treasury. A subsidiary of M Invest, Meroe Gold, is responsible for mining gold in Sudan.

Besides M Invest and Meroe Gold, the US has targeted Shine Dragon Group Limited, Shen Yang Jing Cheng Machinery Imp&Exp. Co., and Zhe Jiang Jiayi Small Commodities Trade Company Limited, for their role in transferring more than $7.5m in the interest of Prigozhin.

Sanctions will also hit Andrei Mandel, working as M Invest's director general, and Mikhail Potepkin, acting as M Invest's and Meroe Gold's regional director in Sudan.

US authorities said Prigozhin uses a vast network of financial faciliators and front companies to evade sanctions and carry out transactions in US dollars, despite being blocked from the US financial system.

The new US sanctions raised the ire of Moscow, the TASS news agency reported on Thursday.

We always feel highly negative about any sanctions regarding Russian citizens, Russian legal entities, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Front-line medical workers and hospital staff in Fort Bend County hospital are stretched thin to care for the growing numbers of COVID-19 infected patients as the ICU-bed capacity reported an all-time high with 119 of the countys 122 operational ICU beds occupied Wednesday (July 16), according to statistics provided by the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC). The number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Fort Bend County and the greater Houston-area region, with some hospitals reporting a shortage of medical workers needed to expand the countys ICU units to surge capacity levels. The ICU beds at OakBend Medical Center, a 274-bed health system based in Richmond, have remained full for the last six weeks.

We have reached out to staffing agencies and they are recruiting COVID-19 trained, battle-hardened nurses for us, Freudenberger said. A crew of new nurses is needed to add an additional 16 ICU beds to the hospitals existing 12-bed ICU unit. For now, we are making do with what we have. We have gone into overtime mode with our staff but theres only so far that can go and it tires out our people greatly.

Related: With COVID-19 cases spiking in Texas, should schools return via virtually or in-person?

So far, hospital administrators have hired an ICU nurse and a medical surgery nurse with offers extended to several other nurses, Freudenberger said. Until then, nurses and medical workers from different departments all over the hospital have arrived each day to help feed and care for the COVID-19 patients struggling to recover.

The way we have come together during this time of crisis is unparalleled and is something I could never have foreseen, Freudenberger said. Its something that makes me feel proud of our employees and their ethics.

According to SETRAC reports, general bed capacity remains available with 585 general use hospital beds filled of the countys 957 operational bed capacity Thursday. Of the total, 28.9 percent are occupied by COVID-19 infected patients. Infections happen quickly and despite reports earlier this year, can happen to healthy, younger people as well those who are chronically sick, Freudenberger said. During his July 12 online COVID-19 hospital update, the discussion took a more personal turn when Freudenberger confirmed he had tested positive for the virus. He later discovered hed been exposed not from infected hospital patients but during a quiet Sunday night dinner with his family, including his grown son whod unknowingly had lunch with an infected colleague earlier in the week. Of the six gathered for Sunday night dinner, four people became infected Freudenberger said.

Let me tell you when you get this thing, its scary, he said and described how he arrived to work feeling out of sorts, but it wasnt anything he could pinpoint until the next day when he developed a low-grade fever and a slight cough. Hes since been treated by an OakBend specialist and reported he and other family members were on their way to recovery.

Fort Bend County officials report a total of 3,302 active cases as of Friday (July 18) with the death count rising to 71 and a fatality rate of roughly 1.2 percent. Alarmed by the rising counts, Fort Bend County Judge KP George last week announced the county had advanced to Level 1 or Code Red, the highest possible COVID-19 threat level, following a recent surge that saw the number of new COVID-19 cases double over the last month.

Related: COVID-19: Fort Bend County advances to risk level 'red'

At this point, if our citizens are not participating in the process in a positive way, through frequent hand washing and wearing a face mask and following the CDC guidelines, its possible we are headed toward a shutdown and thats the last thing I want to do, Judge George said and urged resident to practice social distancing, frequent hand-washing and wearing a face masks when in public. We cannot afford at this point to increase these numbers. We want to avoid a shutdown in Fort Bend County or in Texas because that could have a devastating effects on our economy.

Judge George also voiced concerns over recent increases in the number of occupied ICU beds in Fort Bend County hospitals.

We are actively pursuing an alternative care site in case we need it. We are at that level, Judge George said and acknowledged the recent increases reported by Fort Bend County health officials mirror a regional trend as Texas has recently emerged as a hot spot as compared to many other states.

knix@hcnonline.com
Prisons are a large operation in the US. The countrys very first prison, Eastern State Penitentiary, was built in 1829 by the Quakers, and had its first inmate by October 25 of that same year. Charles Williams, a local farmer, was sentenced to two years of confinement with labor for stealing an expensive watch, a gold seal, and a gold key. It marked the beginning of a long story for convicted criminals in the US.

The country now has the highest documented incarceration rate in the world. 728 people for every 100,000 are currently living out a sentence behind bars. This means that well over two million people are now in all types of prisons in the US, including state, federal, private, and juvenile institutions. According to Pew Research, the majority of prisoners in federal and state institutions in 2017 were black, accounting for 475,900 inmates. Whites came in second, totaling 436,500 inmates. The Hispanic population in these prisons came in third, amounting to 336,500 people.

Depending on the crime committed, sentenced criminals can receive many different forms of punishment. Thankfully, many of the brutal ways humans have punished wayward members of society in the past have now faded from practice. Have you ever heard of drawing and quartering? Someone convicted of high treason in historic England up until 1870 would have suffered this fate. They would have been tied to a wooden frame and dragged by a horse to the location they were to be executed. They would then be hanged in such a way as to ensure their neck did not break. Before they died, they would have been taken down and subjected to inhumane torture. Their body would then be decapitated, and divided into quarters, all while the general public watched in horror, fascination, disgust, and perhaps relief.

Humanity has thankfully matured somewhat from these times of gore and ghastliness. We still have some unpleasant punishments however, some of which are used to penalize those who have committed the most horrible crimes. From various ways to die, to ways prisoners are punished for small misdemeanours inside prison, the best we can hope for now is that the punishment befits the crime.

The Death Penalty

Yes, it is true: you can actually die for committing a crime in 30 US states. The federal government and the US military also authorize the death penalty. Many states that have this form of punishment have not actually used it in recent years, but it does still exist. And it is varied. Criminals can be killed for their crimes in the US by hanging, firing squad, electrocution, by receiving lethal injections, and by being placed in a gas chamber.

Vintage photo of a Firing Squad With Rifles. Image credit: Chippix/Shutterstock.com

What is the most common method? Lethal injection is the primary method of capital punishment in the country. This approach involves injecting one or more drugs into a person that will kill them. It often consists of an anesthetic or a sedative, which is followed by a drug that paralyzes the person. Finally, something is given that will stop the persons heart from beating, and they die.

For those who feel squeamish about this method, there are other methods. Electrocution is used in eight states. These include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Three additional states allow inmates to be hung, (Delaware, New Hampshire, and Washington), and three others permit the use of a gas chamber, (Arizona, Missouri, and Wyoming). Oklahoma allows the use of a firing squad to kill someone if the other methods of killing are somehow found to be unconstitutional, and Utah still allows a firing squad, but only for inmates on death row who have picked it as a way to die before 2004, when it became outlawed.

Image credit: Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.com

Who is punished this way? People who commit treason, espionage, large-scale drug trafficking, and certain types of murder can possibly be given the death penalty. It all depends on their case, and how their cards fall during their trial.

Minor Punishments

Of course, not everyone who is in jail has committed a major crime. Sometimes criminals have committed something as simple as shoplifting. Once in jail, prisoners who do not cooperate can not have their food, water, or right to basic sanitation taken away. They can, however, lose privileges such as the right to see visitors, to earn wages, and to buy things from the commissary. Furthermore, some prisoners are placed in solitary confinement for their behaviour behind bars, which prevents them from having contact with other people. This is a minor punishment in comparison with the death penalty. It can really cause internal chaos with a persons emotions, however. Frank de Palma, an ex-convict who spent over 40 years in prison for multiple crimes including murder, spent 22 years in solitary confinement. He tells his tale as part of The Marshall Project, and somehow, he survived this ordeal, but became extremely agoraphobic as a result, and suffered from panic attacks once he was released from prison.

Punishments That Are Disallowed

Olympic gold medalist Misty Hyman speaks to Perryville State Prison inmates about making a fresh start in life after their release from prison. Image credit: Rebekah Zemansky/Shutterstock.com

Law authorities find many ways to penalize prisoners. Some things are truly off limits, however. An inmate cannot be tortured, as this goes against US and international law. In some states, you also cannot be asked to participate in slavery as a punishment. This might seem obvious, but some places do still allow this. Slavery as a punishment for crimes is still a part of some states constitution. This power is never acted out, but Ohio, Colorado, and Minnesota are all examples of states that have allowed for this until recently. Ohio tried to remove slavery as a punishment from its constitution in 2016, with a bill introduced by Alicia Reece, a Democrat representing Cincinnati. Reece attempted to remove the archaic and offensive references but dishearteningly, nothing was done to address the cause.

Some places have succeeded in changing. Lawmakers in Minnesota moved to change their states constitution in February of 2020 and removed all references to slavery, and Colorado reworded its constitution in 2018 to abolish absolutely all forms of slavery within the state.

What is your best way to avoid all these problems and terrible fates? Be a good person, watch out who your friends are, be in the right place at the right time. You can also try to make the right choices. Hopefully the law will be on your side.
China increases oil and gas outputs, imports in H1

Global Times

By Wang Sheng Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/16 20:48:40

Chinese oil and gas imports soared in the first half of 2020, partly driven by lower international oil prices, but experts warn that the industry could face sluggish demand in the second half of the year.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that in June China imported 53.18 million tons of crude oil, soaring 34.4 percent from a year earlier. China in the first half of the year (H1) imported 269 million tons of crude oil, an increase of 9.9 percent year-on-year, said the NBS.

In June, China produced 16.24 million tons of crude oil, a year-on-year increase of 0.7 percent, a growth rate of 0.6 percentage points lower than that of May. In H1, China's crude oil output hit 97.15 million tons, up 1.7 percent year-on-year, according to NBS.

Chinese oil fields have maintained stable operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, so outputs in the first half year have remained relatively flat, Gu Hongjun, a senior engineer at Xinjiang Oilfield Co of China National Petroleum Corp, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Additionally, Chinese oil demand is expected to peak between 2040 and 2050, when Chinese oil output will continually increase to keep pace with demand, Gu added.

The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) price for July stood at $40.81 per barrel, entering negative territory for the first time in April, while Brent crude for August delivery settled at $43.46 per barrel on Monday at 14:50.

In June China imported 8.33 million tons of natural gas, an increase of 10.8 percent from a year earlier, a growth rate of 6.6 percentage points higher than that of May. In H1, China imported 48.36 million tons of natural gas, an increase of 3.3 percent year-on-year, said the NBS.

The increase of natural gas imports is driven by China's new long-term contracts with Russia and low prices in spot gas markets, Bai Jun, vice president of Research Institute of Beijing Gas Group told the Global Times.

In June, China produced 15.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas, an increase of 11.3 percent from a year earlier, a growth rate of 1.4 percentage points lower than that of May. In H1, domestic natural gas output reached 94 billion cubic meters, an increase of 10.3 percent year-on-year, said the NBS.

"Natural gas production growth will likely slow in the second half of 2020, if demand can't pick up pace with supply," Bai warned.

Bai suggests that domestic oil companies should prepare for a rebalancing of the oil and gas market amid upstream investment contractions and a merger & acquisition push in the wake of the oil and gas price collapses when they do overseas investment and international trades.

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Gov. Ned Lamont and lawmakers have reached an agreement on four bills that will be voted on in a special legislative session early next week, the governor announced late Tuesday.

Legislators will consider bills to temporarily expand absentee voting for the November election and expand telehealth coverage for people with Medicaid and private insurance, as well as a limited bill to address police accountability and a bill that would cap the cost of insulin and supplies for diabetics.

Senate Democrats had proposed more than 30 reforms, some of them sweeping, many dealing with police and racial issues. Most will have to wait, Lamont said.

Logistics of the session and opportunities for public participation were not immediately available.

Lamont also said the State Bond Commission will meet Tuesday to consider a $325 million bonding agenda. Roughly $200 million is for school upgrades, and the rest is related to technical and communication upgrades.

Lamonts emergency powers will expire in September, along with his executive orders issued during the pandemic, so legislative action is needed to address voting in November, as well as to continue coverage for telehealth appointments.

It is very important to me ... that we dont want to see a long line of people waiting to vote in November, Lamont said. We dont know what the COVID epidemic will look like.

The bill pertaining to criminal justice reform will be narrow and focused specifically on community policing reforms that would mirror those Lamont issued by executive order for the State Police force. Broader reforms to address policing and systemic racism in housing, the economy and health care wont be addressed until September or later as the legislature and administration tries to maintain a focused agenda on the most pressing issues next week.

The bill to cap the cost of insulin and supplies was the legislatures top priority for the 2020 session before it was cut short. The bill has strong bipartisan support and has already undergone the public forum and committee process, passing with nearly unanimous bipartisan support from the General Assemblys insurance and real estate committee in early March.

The urgency has increased to implement caps on the cost of insulin and supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as diabetics can be more severely affected by the virus, especially if they do not have access to the medication that keeps them alive.

But at the time the bill originally went through the committee process, many kinks in the legislation were still to be worked out, and there were questions as to how broad the legislations impact would be.

Insurers said it wont lower the underlying, sky-high cost of insulin, the drug that keeps diabetics alive, which is set by three main pharmaceutical companies that make insulin. Others have quietly raised concerns about funding and logistics for a portion of the bill that would create an emergency access program.

Additionally, the legislation as originally written would only apply to the so-called fully insured market  roughly 32 percent of people insured in the state  and it is unknown how many diabetics are covered by fully insured plans or other plans. As a result, it is unclear how many people would actually be affected by the new law.

Lawmakers have continued to work behind the scenes throughout the pandemic, but its unclear yet if the final bill addresses those concerns.

As we slowly get back to a new normal here in the Capitol building, I told the legislators I look forward to seeing them, Lamont said. Also told them I appreciate the confidence they had in me with the emergency powers.

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt
Being ultra-black in deep oceans provides a great camouflage to creatures in a fish-eat-fish world. Scientists who have been studying some of these exotic creatures have uncovered the secret behind their extreme colour.

These fish - like the fangtooth, the Pacific blackdragon, the anglerfish and the black swallower - have modified the shape, size and packing of the pigment in their skin to the point that it reflects less than 0.5% of light that hits it, Reuters reported researchers as saying.

Scientists studied 16 species that fit the ultra-black category.

Karen Osborn/Smithsonian

In the deep, open ocean, there is nowhere to hide and a lot of hungry predators. An animals only option is to blend in with the background, Reuters quoted zoologist Karen Osborn of the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of Natural History in Washington, a co-author of the research published in the journal Current Biology as saying.

Not a lot of sunlight penetrates more than 650 feet (200 meters) below the oceans surface. Some of these ultra-black fish reside 5,000 metres deep.

Also Read: Even Before Its Discovery, Sea Creature Had Plastic In Its Gut, So It Has Been Named After It

Karen Osborn/Smithsonian

At depths like that, bioluminescence - light emission by living organisms - is the only source of light. Some of the ultra-black fish have bioluminescent lures on their bodies to coax prey close enough to be eaten, the report mentions.

The skin these fish have is among the blackest material known, absorbing light so efficiently that even in bright light they appear to be silhouettes.

Also Read: World's Largest Cave Fish Discovered In Meghalaya, It's 1.5 ft In Length & Has No Eyes

Karen Osborn/Smithsonian

The abundant melanin pigment in their skin is distributed in an unusual fashion. By packaging perfectly sized and shaped melanosomes - pigment-filled structures within the skin cells - into tightly packed and continuous layers at the skins surface, the fish ensure that essentially all light reaching them will hit this layer and never escape, the report explains.

This mechanism of making thin and flexible ultra-black material, could be used to create ultra-black materials for high-tech optics or for camouflage material for night ops, Osborn said.

What do you think of these fish's ability to adapt?
NUR-SULTAN -- Governments in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are adding pneumonia cases most likely caused by the coronavirus to their overall pandemic totals even though they were undetected at the time.

The move, which will cause a jump in virus-related deaths, comes as many Central Asian nations struggle to curb the spread of the virus after easing restrictions.

Kazakh Health Minister Aleksei Tsoi said on July 17 that the number of people killed in Kazakhstan by pneumonia so far in 2020 was 3,327, out of a total of 234,000 cases in the Central Asian nation.

Tsoi added that in the same period last year, the number of people killed by pneumonia was 1,896.

"From the last part of June, the number of cases of viral pneumonia from unknown causes has increased in Kazakhstan," Tsoi said, noting that year-on-year, the number of cases was up by 1.75 times.

A comparison of released Health Ministry data shows that for so far in July only 1,555 people died of pneumonia in Kazakhstan.

Tsoi also said that as of August 1, the country will start counting COVID-19 victims and people who died of pneumonia from unknown causes together as coronavirus victims.

Tsoi's statement came after Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev called on the government "to clearly set its sights" on the situation around the rising number of deadly pneumonia patients who had tested negative for the coronavirus.

As of July 17, the number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan was reported at 65,188, including 396 deaths.

In neighboring Kyrgyzstan, health authorities said on July 16 that the sharply rising number of pneumonia victims in the country will be also counted and given along with the COVID-19 death toll.

The Health Ministry said on July 17 that the number of coronavirus cases in the country reached 13,101, of whom 6,096 patients recovered and 173 people died.

The number of individuals hospitalized with acute pneumonia but who tested negative for the coronavirus is 10,682, of whom 3,314 people recovered and 77 died.

Consent Letters

In Uzbekistan, several medical workers told RFE/RL that all medical personnel involved in treating COVID-19 patients had been forced to sign consent letters to take full personal responsibility if they contract the virus.

According to the medical workers, the move allows local officials to legally block bonuses health workers treating such patients are eligible for.

"When I returned to work after spending two weeks in self-isolation, they requested I sign such a letter about 10 days ago. They insisted I sign it. The letter basically said 'if I contract the coronavirus at work, I will not file any complaint against anyone.' My neighbor works as a nurse at another hospital and they requested she sign a similar letter," a nurse at a Tashkent hospital, who asked not to be named, told RFE/RL on July 16.

An employee at the Sanitary and Epidemiological Safety Center in Tashkent also told RFE/RL that he and his colleagues were forced to sign the consent letters.

Similar claims have been made on social networks by Uzbek medical personnel and COVID-19 patients.

A day earlier, President Shavkat Mirziyoev officially reprimanded he country's health minister and top leaders of Tashkent and the Tashkent region for their "poor" efforts in containing the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

As of late July 16, the number of coronavirus cases in Central Asia's most-populous nation of 32 million was 14,991, including 73 deaths.

In Tajikistan, as of July 16 the number of coronavirus cases was officially reported as 6,741, including 56 deaths.

However, an investigative report by RFE/RLs Tajik Service last month revealed that the real number of lethal cases of COVID-19 in the country might be several hundreds.

Turkmenistan is the only country in the region that has not officially registered any coronavirus cases, but RFE/RL correspondents have reported that local hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients with pneumonia symptoms, some of whom, including medical personnel, have died.

In some parts of the country, so-called quarantine zones have been established, some industrial facilities are being shut down, RFE/RL correspondents report.

The leader of the World Health Organization' mission, Catherine Smallwood, told a press conference in Ashgabat on July 15 that the mission had concerns about reports of pneumonia in the tightly controlled energy-rich nation.

Smallwood advised the Turkmen government to activate the critical public health measures in Turkmenistan, as if COVID-19 was circulating.

Reporting by RFE/RL's Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, and Turkmen services
Bukola Saraki, former president of the senate, says Ibrahim Magu, suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commiss...

Bukola Saraki, former president of the senate, says Ibrahim Magu, suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), took his rejection by the upper legislative chamber he led personally.





The former senate president said this in reaction to a court order on Thursday directing the federal government to return his houses in Kwara state to him.





The court had granted an interim order of forfeiture following an application by the EFCC.





The eighth senate led by Saraki rejected the nomination of Magu twice based on a security report by the Department of State Services (DSS).





The former acting chairman is being investigated for allegedly mismanaging loot recovered by the anti-graft agency.





In a statement, Saraki said the senate under his leadership followed due process in rejecting Magu.





Today, as always, I thank Almighty Allah as I welcome the judgement of the Federal High Court, Lagos, by the Honorable Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa in which the court dismissed in its totality the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a forfeiture order on my home in Ilorin, Kwara state, he said.





I am particularly happy that the court specifically ruled that there was no evidence that the property was built with any illicit or stolen funds from the Kwara state government or any other institution or quarter, whatsoever.





The last five years have been very challenging for me and my family. I have endured and defeated one false allegation and malicious litigation after another, in an ill-motivated persecution, intimidation and harassment, through which some vested interests sought to damage my name and label me with charges of corruption but with the grace of Allah, I have always been victorious.





I thank God for the outcome of this case which is the fifth victory in cases in which the EFCC was either the main investigating agency or the plaintiff.





It is obvious that the EFCC leadership under its erstwhile acting chair, Mr. Ibrahim Mustapha Magu decided to take the issue of his non-confirmation by the 8th Senate which I led, personally.





However, I know that the Senate under my leadership only followed the due and normal procedure during the confirmation process and we never executed any personal agenda against Magu. The records of the Senate during the period are there for the perusal of all Nigerians interested in the truth.





The former Kwara governor said the EFCC used the mass and social media to tarnish his image.





It was directed at giving the wrong impression about me. As I record yet another vindication by the competent court of law, Gods willing, my focus will now shift to more serious issues, he said.





It is important to put it on record that I hold no grudge against any individual for their roles in my trials.





My experience in the last five years has only strengthened my faith in Almighty Allah, the Nigerian nation and her judiciary which has always risen above the din to give justice at all times and in all situations.




Surge in outbreak in state of Victoria prompts tightening of distancing restrictions in neighbouring New South Wales.

The Australian state of Victoria on Friday reported a record daily increase in COVID-19 cases as neighbouring New South Wales said it was banning dancing, singing and mingling at weddings as it stepped up efforts to contain a new wave of infections.

Victoria, where nearly five million people in the capital city of Melbourne are now in a six-week lockdown, said it had found 428 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, a record number of daily cases for Australia.

We are in the fight of our lives, Victoria states Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos told reporters in Melbourne.

Australia has recorded slightly more than 11,000 cases of COVID-19.

The death toll rose to 116 after the death of three people in Victoria on Friday, still well below many other countries.

#BREAKING Victoria records its biggest daily increase of 428 new COVID cases. This is the highest of any state so far; the second highest total nationally. The highest daily total nationally was 469 on 28th March 2020.#auspol #COVID19Vic #COVID19Aus #abc730  Jason Om (@jason_om) July 17, 2020

The surge in COVID-19 cases in Victoria has been linked to breaches of mandatory quarantine by travellers returning from overseas, and has stirred concerns of a second wave of the outbreak. Neighbouring states have closed internal borders and renewed social distancing restrictions.

No mingling

New South Wales (NSW), Australias most populous state, said it found eight cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, saying they believed to have originated from Victoria.

In a bid to curtail the spread, NSW state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said new restrictions would be imposed from next week.

Funerals and places of worship will be limited to no more than 100 people. Venues must also ensure they have four square metres (43sq feet) of space per patron.

No more than 150 people will be allowed to attend weddings, and they must remain seated.

No dancing, no singing, no mingling, Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.

Melbournes normally bustling Flinders Street Station is almost deserted as a result of the renewed lockdowm in the city [James Ross/AAP Image via Reuters]

Less than a month ago, Australia was widely heralded as a global leader in combating COVID-19.

But the security lapses in Victoria have put the states Premier, Daniel Andrews, under close scrutiny, with one of Australias biggest-selling tabloid newspapers running a front page with the headline: Dan-made disaster.

The surge in COVID-19 cases has also dented any hope of a quick economic rebound in Australia.

The country is on course for its first recession in nearly three decades, while unemployment has hit a 22-year high, data showed on Thursday.

Australias hopes to begin a travel bubble with neighbouring New Zealand also appear to be delayed. Australia and New Zealand had hoped to open their borders to each other in September.
Pakistan rakes up issue of Jammu and Kashmir at UN High-Level session

International

pti-PTI

United Nations, July 17: As global leaders underscored the importance of reformed multilateralism to ensure an "effective collective response" to global crises such as COVID-19 at a high-level session here, Pakistan used it to rake up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and oppose the expansion of the Security Council's permanent membership.

Pakistan's Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who just recovered from COVID-19, raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in his address Friday to the High-Level Segment of UN ECOSOC titled ''Multilateralism after COVID 19: what kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary?''

He said the United Nations and the entire concept of multilateralism has been eroded by resorting to hegemonism, coercion and arbitrary use of force.

Qureshi said Pakistan was "particularly concerned" by the "oppression and atrocities" being perpetrated against the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

India has firmly told Pakistan that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is, and shall continue to be an integral part of India. New Delhi has maintained that issues related to Jammu and Kashmir are internal matters to India.

Qureshi also said that the Security Council will not be revitalised by accommodating the "narrow ambitions of those who seek power and privilege" and additional permanent members in the Security Council will "compound, not resolve, its paralysis."

"Indeed, it is the small and medium sized states with the highest stake in the UN-led world order, which can help to promote an equitable and effective structure of international peace and security," he said.

Covid-19: 31.6 Lakh people in quarantine across India, highest in UP | Oneindia News

India has been at the forefront of efforts at the UN to push for an urgent long-pending reform of the Security Council, emphasising that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member.

Pakistan offers third consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav without presence of its officials

In his keynote address to the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the fury of the COVID-19 pandemic provides the context for the "rebirth and reform" of the United Nations and called on nations to pledge to reform the global multilateral system to enhance its relevance and make it the basis of a new type of "human-centric globalisation."

He said the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the UN is an opportunity to assess its role and relevance.

The prime minister underscored that only "reformed multilateralism" with a reformed United Nations at its center can meet the aspirations of humanity.

Pakistan uses various UN fora to consistently rake up India's domestic issues, including Jammu and Kashmir and other domestic policies and internal affairs.

Islamabad has been unsuccessfully trying to drum up international support against India for withdrawing Jammu and Kashmir''s special status on August 5 last year and bifurcating it into two union territories.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution was its internal matter. It also advised Pakistan to accept reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) had hosted the high-level conversation among leaders on "global solidarity and renewed multilateralism" during times of crisis and in the continuing pursuit of long-term sustainable development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg were among the world leaders who addressed the High-Level Segment.

The session was aimed at reflecting on the kind of "multilateralism needed today to deliver a forward looking and effective collective response to global crises such as COVID-19 and long-term challenges such as climate change, while accelerating progress towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The UN organ had said that central to the discussion will be the role of the UN and its institutions in charting the way forward towards more trusted and impactful international cooperation.

"Against the backdrop of a changing international environment, the session will focus on critical forces shaping the trajectory of multilateralism and explore ways to reinvigorate the multilateral agenda through strong multilateral leadership, effective international institutions and an enhanced focus on global public goods and justice for all," the UN said.
A German federal court said on Friday that several laws giving investigators access to personal internet or phone data were unconstitutional and needed to be amended to better protect privacy.

The court ruling is a victory for privacy activists who had said there were not sufficient limits on when and why federal police or domestic intelligence can access the names and addresses or even e-mail passwords and mobile phone PINs of users.

One of the suits on which the ruling published on Friday is based was filed by Katharina Nocun and Patrick Breyer of the Pirate Party, along with around 6,000 joint plaintiffs, in 2013.

They had said that Germany's telecommunications law gave investigators sweeping access to users' private data, risking the creation of "a new secret police of the internet that can ransack and scan our most intimate thoughts".

The court said on Friday that investigators can in principle be given access to the data of users, but that laws needed to balance how urgently such data was needed - to fend off imminent danger or solve crimes - with the protection of legal rights.

Otherwise they encroach on users' right to determine the use of their data as well as on telecommunications privacy.

Neither the existing laws regulating under which circumstances telecoms companies such as Deutsche Telekom can hand over the data, nor the ones determining why investigators can request such data, are in line with Germany's constitution, the court said.

Legislators will now have time until the end of 2021 to amend the laws, the court said.

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Melanie Santiago of Roxborough (second from left), her husband, Ricky (right), and their sons, Cole (left), 12, and Quinn (second from right), 9, eat pizza outside Jake's and Cooper's Wine Bar on Main Street in Philadelphia's Manayunk section on Friday, June 12, 2020. The city allowed outdoor dining to resume Friday for the first time since the city's coronavirus shutdown. Read more

I felt a wave of relief  or at least a momentary reprieve  when Philadelphia announced earlier this month it was postponing the return of indoor dining until the beginning of August at the very soonest.

The citys decision to punt this part of its planned reopening while other Pennsylvania counties moved forward with limited indoor dining made sense in early July, with coronavirus infections beginning to spike nationally. It continues to make sense as Pennsylvanias daily average of new cases has nearly doubled since mid-June. More than 27,000 Philadelphia residents have contracted COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic and over 1,600 have died. Pittsburgh cases are surging. The Sun Belt states are blazing coronavirus epicenters after early reopenings. And California just shut down its indoor dining and bars Monday  for a second time.

This virus is very much still among us. So, I have no desire to pick up a fork inside a closed dining room anytime soon.

Of course, this is disastrous for the restaurant industry, which has already suffered disproportionate job losses and cratering revenues since the initial shutdown in March. Most Philadelphia restaurateurs, desperate for any revenue to survive, have followed all the official safety guidelines from government leaders who are overwhelmed and contradictory, only to receive yet another economic gut punch after spending to retrofit dining rooms with clear acrylic panels, and to staff up and stock up for a reopening that was halted on just four days notice.

It sucks ... calling [to cancel] 45 reservations for Saturday, Marc Vetri told me shortly after the delay was announced, reaffirming also that, yes, some customers actually are eager to eat inside again. The owner of Vetri Cucina and Fiorella, whos opened two restaurants with indoor dining since the pandemic began  in Nevada and Japan  believes its unfair Philadelphia is the only county to not allow indoor dining after Pennsylvania shifted into its green reopening phase, saying the economic impacts should be considered: People should have a choice.

The problem is that an individuals choices now have impacts beyond ones personal health. So sorry, chef. I love your cacio e pepe, but Ill take it to go, or even at one of Fiorellas socially distanced seats on the Christian Street sidewalk.

Ive been cautiously warming to our burgeoning outdoor dining scene, where the risks are lower. And yet, is outdoor dining even safe enough? Not only for diners, but also restaurant workers, who must interact with all manner of customers in various stages of mask denial? Its an important question many restaurant critics across the country have been grappling with, often answering no. That includes Ryan Sutton of Eater.com, who suffered an excruciating bout of COVID-19 himself before deciding after his recovery that he had the moral obligation to model good restaurant citizen behavior and stick to takeout.

For me, the low risk of sending a single uninsured waiter to an ICU bed, someone who isnt really there by choice, in exchange for the pitcher of frozen margaritas you happen to be craving in the late afternoon, is a morally indefensible transaction.

He makes compelling arguments, especially in advocating safe work spaces for restaurant employees, without whom we wouldnt have the luxury to skip a meal at home. I think of Kaamil Jones, the laid-off Parc host I profiled with other front-of-the-house employees at the outset of the pandemic, who loves his job, who needs his job, and who is simultaneously preparing to return but fearful of getting sick.

Its just such a weird position to be in, says Jones, 20, a broadcast journalism major at Temple University. Because as much as I want to go back, and Im ready to go back, I also dont want to contract this disease.

His concerns are legitimate considering a Parc hostess recently tested positive for coronavirus. The timing, with the employee notifying management a day after the restaurant reopened its sidewalk tables, doesnt necessarily show cause-and-effect with outdoor dining. But it reinforces the gamble of being around others at a workplace.

Of course, there are levels of risk in interacting with every part of the food chain. Theres risk for the chefs in tight kitchen quarters, and for the couriers who bring that dinner to your door. Theres been a huge toll on workers in Central Pennsylvanias poultry processing plants. Theres risk for the cashiers and employees who stock the shelves (and online deliveries) for groceries we need to cook at home.

If gauging the risk level is at least part of the moral equation in deciding how we interact with the rest of the world, what is the real danger associated with outdoor dining?

Outdoor dining is definitely far safer for the patrons as long as they maintain adequate spacing between tables, and as long as people at a table are in the same unit, says Charles Haas, a professor of environmental engineering at Drexel University who specializes in microbiological risk assessment. In terms of the servers, thats an interesting one but the mandatory mask requirement definitely helps. Theres more of a risk to servers when the patrons have their mask off ... but its still reasonably safe as long as close contact is no more than 15 minutes.

Diners are the great wild card here. Ive witnessed some thoughtless behavior to shake my confidence. That includes two diners outside at Steve & Cookies in Margate who insisted their server, Jessica Scannapieco, take their picture with their phone. Scannapieco, too courteous to refuse, rushed away afterward to wash her hands as if they were radioactive.

I told them Im not really supposed to do it, but they didnt really care, and I said Id do it because I want to make sure they have an enjoyable time here, said Scannapieco, 26, whos grateful Steve & Cookies is outfitted with safety measures for staff like an outdoor sink. But I did feel little bad, and a little annoyed, because there are a lot of people who are not considerate of the employees who are putting themselves out there every day.

Working outdoor tables set up beneath tents on a blacktop parking lot with a mask on in 90-degree heat is no picnic for servers like Kim Mulherrin, who returned to work part time at the Dining Car Diner in Northeast Philly in June. But she has little sympathy for diners who resist the rules.

I feel disrespected because my feelings matter, too, she says. I hate the masks, like everyone else, because theyre awful in the heat. But I wear it out of respect. And youve gotta do what youve gotta do to get through this  because I dont want to do this again.

Its nonetheless unrealistic to expect customers hungering for a taste of quarantine escape to consistently respect boundaries, just as its naive to expect restaurateurs, with so little guidance or oversight to suddenly become altruistic public health experts, and not try to squeeze in a few more seats than they should. Some narrow sidewalks have also become so jammed with tables the city has become less accessible to people with disabilities. The overcrowded situations should be noted  and avoided.

These issues are enough to make me and my social-distancing family stay home for the majority of our meals. And yet, Ive also seen outdoor dining at its best, where chefs can share the joy of cooking again outside the confines of a takeout box, where genuine hospitality is still palpable in well-executed safety protocols that are good for everyone. The quest to reclaim extra dining spaces from converted parking spots (that relieves pressure on those clogged sidewalks) is a smart innovation to continue.

So, I find myself choosing to showcase the places that are doing outdoor dining right. Provided the citys COVID-19 numbers remain manageable, this can work if restaurateurs firmly set the proper tone and diners respectfully follow the rules. We have a limited opportunity to refine and embrace this while the warm weather is permitting. Because soon enough, the cold winds are going to force us to reckon with the quandary of dining indoors.

Were still learning more about the complexity of that increased indoor risk. Drexels Haas was among 239 scientists who recently urged the World Health Organization to acknowledge that airborne transmission of the coronavirus cannot be ruled out.

If the virus can float through a room on aerosols like cigarette smoke, as opposed to the close-range transmission of larger droplets already acknowledged, good ventilation must also be prioritized along with social distancing. All those clear acrylic dividers restaurateurs just invested in?

They may make matters worse, if air is flowing in the wrong direction, says Haas, who says stand-alone air purifiers and smart use of windows can help.

I want to continue to support these struggling local businesses so they can survive to provide jobs now and on the other end of this crisis. Their economic impact extends to livelihoods far beyond the restaurants themselves. And takeout alone might not do it: We cant afford to be shut down for another five months, says Jeff Michaud of Osteria and Via Locusta, which is doing a brisk outdoor business. But we dont force anyone to come back to work.

Restaurant employees like Kaamil Jones may be forced into that difficult choice, though, if the $600 weekly federal unemployment benefit created by the Cares Act is not extended. Its set to expire at the end of July: I cannot afford to just not work, he says.

Mulherrin agrees.

Surviving on $200 is going to be tough, she says. If I have to pick up a temporary job at ShopRite, Ill go scrub floors if I have to.

The many undocumented workers who form the backbone of countless Philly restaurants, meanwhile, dont have the option of that federal safety net to wait out the pandemic. And kitchen work remains preferable to other options, like cleaning, factory work involving long commutes, and construction jobs with unreliable pay, that have become last resorts while restaurants struggle back, says Dionicio Jimenez, the executive chef of El Rey and cohost of the popular Camino al Sabor program on Philatinos, a local Spanish-language radio station.

We talk about this on my show, how our people are taken advantage of, says Jimenez. But everyone is clear theyd rather work in restaurants because theyd have some security. Reopening restaurants is good, because its the main income for a lot of families here.

The pandemic has exposed a long menu of preexisting flaws in restaurant culture that must be addressed. But patronizing restaurants in various ways to keep them viable is worth it, provided theyre relatively safe, which outdoor dining appears to be.

And restaurateurs still have choices. While Philadelphia postponed indoor dining in late June, surrounding suburbs allowed the green phase privilege of indoor dining at partial capacity. On the Friday morning of the planned reboot at Teresas Next Door in Wayne, the restaurants leadership gathered employees, and I could tell from the tense body language that people were nervous [about working inside], says manager Matt Graves.

After debating the risks of ceding potential indoor business versus lingering anxieties over COVID-19, they swiftly decided on the safer choice. Teresas would remain open just for takeout, retail wine and beer sales, and outdoor dining. Suddenly, Graves says, I felt a big weight lift off my shoulders that I didnt know was there.

Thats the feeling of a choice with moral implications. And I could relate. But the indoor dining dilemma is far from over. This has only been a reprieve.
WATERLOO REGION  For the first time in months, Neighbourhood Group president Court Desautels got a parking ticket outside one of his restaurants.

It was one of the happiest moments of my life, he said. Parking is at a premium again downtown because people are out and about.

Waterloo Region is among 24 out of 34 public health units that moved to Stage 3 on Friday, allowing for the safe reopening of most businesses in the area.

For restaurants, the move from Stage 2 allows for a return to indoor dining, with a long list of precautionary measures including two metres of social distancing, use of masks and increased sanitation.

But the province has been sparse on the nitty gritty details, failing to confirm to operators whether the 50-person cap on indoor social gatherings applies to restaurants, or whether they can exceed that number if they can social distance.

We do not have any confirmation, said Desautels, whose company owns and operates a combination of restaurants, bars and cafes in the Guelph area, as well as Borealis Grille & Bar in Kitchener.

Ive reached out to get clarification and Ive not been able to get a direct answer. And Ive had conflicting responses as well whether the six-foot distancing is a recommendation and not mandatory. Regardless, we will be implementing the distancing.

He said the province is allowing for businesses to interpret its master plan, which, in his case, has led to implementing further safety measures.

At all his locations, customers will be able to scan a bar code to access the menu virtually. Staff have also moved to a virtual model, using a beefed up smartphone to send orders to the kitchen and reduce interaction  an innovation Desautels proposed two years ago, and is finally able to implement.

They are starting with limited indoor seating at all their locations on Friday, choosing to focus predominantly on the expanded patio space for now. But for those that want the air-conditioned option, the indoor tables will be available for a select few.

Were dealing with a traumatized customer base, he said. And so, I think there is a feeling of security when youre outside because its more open. So, thats what we have to do now, we have to gain that confidence inside.

And for some owners, that means taking some time to wait and see how customers react.

Its what Ambrosia Corner Bakery owner Aura Hertzog has done with each stage. They have yet to launch a patio, instead choosing to focus on other facets of the business.

They switched to a preorder system early in the pandemic and have been able to make the business model work by keeping costs low and utilizing minimal staff.

Our model is working really well, and a lot of people still dont want to come inside and are choosing for me to leave their orders outside, she said. There hasnt been a huge demand for people to want to come and eat indoors.

After polling customers on social media, she said close to 95 per cent of people said no, thank you to dining indoors.

So, for now, her indoor spots will remain off limits for customers until she feels more confident they can operate safely.

For smaller venues like Waterloos Red House, owner and chef Dan McCowan has needed to get creative with his property to get back to pre-pandemic levels, where he can seat 44 people in the dining room and 22 on the patio.

With social distancing, his dining room will hold 16 customers and the patio can seat about eight. But after applying for a second patio on their staff parking lot, theyre back to the 66-seat capacity.

Barring whether customers want to head back indoors.

It depends on peoples health concerns and their bubbles, he said. My own mom is taking care of my nana, so shes isnt necessarily rushing to go back into places.

But the summer weather will only last for so long. And when it ends, so too will patio season.

Some restaurants have already fallen victim to the pandemic, with Kitcheners Gilt restaurant announcing via Instagram this week they would not be reopening.

Although COVID-19 is a heavy factor in this ultimate decision, it isnt everything, the post read. At this time, it makes sense for us to focus on ourselves, families and futures. The restaurant industry we once knew is going to look a lot different for a while.

And its going to get worse in the fall if restaurants cant pivot.

For now, I am just wishing the best for everyone who is opening up right now, said Desautels. I have never seen something that has been so dire also be so unifying, and we just need everyone to keep working together.
Isaac and Joey Eisch would not remember a time when the United States was not at war.

When their father, Brian Eisch, left for Afghanistan in 2010 as a sergeant first class in the Army, he became one of the more than 775,000 American troops who have served in the longest war in U.S. history. Isaac and Joey became two of the countless children waiting anxiously at home.

The costs of war are often tallied in troops lost or wounded, but there are other consequences that are harder to measure.

The New York Times has followed the Eisch family for a decade, as their relationships were tested through Brians deployment, his homecoming and the aftermath. We watched the boys grow up in the shadow of their dads military service, while he struggled to reclaim his identity. Over the years, Isaac and Joey were shaped not only by his sacrifices, but also by his deeply held beliefs about what it means to be a man and an American.

When we began, we didnt know how much joy and tragedy we would witness.

The familys story is captured in a documentary, Father Soldier Son, now streaming on Netflix. Here, we present the narrative  spoilers included  in images and words.
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Motorways 'currently look like a cross between a caravan and boat show', police have said after millions hit the roads as the official school holidays begin for many families.

The busy roads heading southbound towards Cornwall, South Devon and Plymouth are pilling up with traffic ahead of the weekend, as many families set off on their holidays.

Mike Newton, Devon and Cornwall Police Control Room Supervisor, has said that the M5 is filled with caravans and boats ahead of the sunny weekend, Devon Live reported.

The busy roads heading southbound towards Cornwall, South Devon and Plymouth are pilling up with traffic ahead of the weekend, as many families set off on their holidays. Pictured, traffic on the M1 near Worksop today

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner has warned that there may be more domestic visitors to Cornwall and Devon than ever this year due to foreign travel restrictions. Pictured, the M1 near Worksop

In a tweet at 2.30pm this afternoon, he said: 'The M5 south currently looks like a cross between a caravan and boat show between 30 & 31.'

Traffic has piled up on the M1 near Worksop and delays have been reported on the M5 southbound, from Gloucestershire all the way down to Somerset.

Most schools are set to break up for the summer holidays between July 20 and July 22, after months of home schooling due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Traffic is expected to back up across Britain as the great 'summer getaway' is underway, with families setting off to the beach as lockdown eases across the country.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner has warned that there may be more domestic visitors to the two counties than ever this year due to foreign travel restrictions.

Traffic has pilled up on the M1 near Worksop (above) and delays have been reported on the M5 southbound, from Gloucestershire all the way down to Somerset

Drivers have been asked to avoid travelling in peak times and check how busy the roads are before setting off for long journeys

Many families have been forced to cancel their holidays abroad this year due to Covid-19 regulations and are instead looking closer to home for a trip away from home.

Drivers have been asked to avoid travelling in peak times and check how busy the roads are before setting off.

Highways England said: 'If you are travelling in the South West this weekend please expect traffic to be heavier than usual for the Summer Getaway.

'If possible try to travel outside of peak times and remember that all Motorway Services are open so ensure you take extra breaks along your journey.

'Routes to the South West are expected to be busy this summer as the region tops the list of 'staycation' destinations.'

This busy spell comes after two incidents have already been reported involving caravans.

One incident occurred on the A30 and caused a four-mile tailback after a caravan suffered a blow out, while another saw traffic come to a halt when the vehicle jack-knifed.

The M5 south of Bristol to Exeter and the A30 west are traditionally two of the country's worst affected routes as holidaymakers head to the beaches of Devon and Cornwall.

This comes as Met Office has forecast a long sunny spell across the south west, as temperatures are set to cool elsewhere in Britain.

Many families have been forced to cancel their holidays abroad this year due to Covid-19 regulations and are instead looking closer to home for a trip away from home

Figures from TomTom's traffic site shows congestion is higher than last week in London and only 9 per cent less than last year

Brits are heading to the coast this weekend after sunny weather has been promised for much of the south West of the UK

The weather forecast and the fact that schools have broken up for summer has meant the roads are busier than last week

Britons have been basking in scorching 84F sunshine on one of the hottest days of the year today.

A gigantic swarm of flying ants at least 50 miles wide which can be seen from space has also shown up on the Met Office's weather radar today.

Video posted by the Met Office shows a cloud of ants swarming off the south-east coast today as temperatures rocket and sun-seekers flock to the seaside today.

The plague of insects peppered the skies over Kent and Sussex during their 'nuptial flight', during which they mate - an event triggered by the mini-heatwave which has hit the nation.

The Met Office tweeted: 'It's not raining in London, Kent or Sussex, but our radar says otherwise...

'The radar is actually picking up a swarm of #flyingants across the southeast. During the summer ants can take to the skies in a mass emergence usually on warm, humid and windless days #flyingantday'.

Ants swarm together to raise the odds of pairs successfully mating and to deter predators at this vulnerable stage in the life cycle of their colonies.

Video posted by the Met Office shows a cloud of ants swarming off the south-east coast today as temperatures rocket and sun-seekers flock to the seaside today. The plague of insects peppered the skies over Kent and Sussex on their so-called 'nuptial flight', during which they mate - an event triggered by the mini-heatwave which has hit the nation

Sun-seekers flocking to the beach at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset today on a day of scorching hot sunshine

Pictured: Jola and her daughter Isla (one) and Rowan (three) enjoying the warm weather as they paddle in the Lymington River at Balmer Lawn in the New Forest, Hampshire today

Security guards are seen patrolling the busy beachfront on Bournemouth on Friday as temperatures soar across the UK

Britons are set to bask in 84F heat while temperatures soar and are set to make a perfect weekend before the rain is due to sweep in next week. Pictured: A woman enjoys the sun on Clapham Common

Sun-seekers enjoy the warm weather at Clapham Common today as temperatures across the country continue to rise

Two people enjoy the sizzling sun along the Putney embankment in London today as temperatures soar to 84F today

A gigantic swarm of flying ants 50 miles which can be seen from space has shown up on the Met Office's weather radar today as Britons bask in 84F sunshine on one of the hottest days of the year. Those looking to have a Friday-night barbecue in the south of England and Wales will be in luck as it is set to see the hottest temperatures

Why flying ants swarm Ants swarm in order to mate - travelling on a journey known as a 'dispersal' or a 'nuptial flight'. After being born from a queen ant and fed up by worker ants, sexually mature ants leave the nest to procreate. Swarming, a group activity, increases the odds of mating and gives strength in numbers, deterring predators. This behaviour is triggered by certain weather conditions - such as bright sunlight, high humidities, warm temperatures and calm winds. These conditions tend to happen around late Spring and early Summer, and can cause multiple colonies to swarm in a single area. Swarming at the same time increases the likelihood of finding a mate. Flying ants will gather together in clumps to mate on high structures - a phenomenon experts dub 'hilltopping'. After mating, around half the male ants die - having served their purpose. Meanwhile, the fertilised queen ants will fly around trying to find a good site to start a new colony. Different ant species prefer different environments for their nests - with some liking decaying wood and others cracks in pavements. When a nesting site is found, the queen breaks off her wings, never to fly again. Her wings muscles are converted into fuel to keep her going as she begins laying her eggs. Advertisement

The Royal Society of Biology is studying why this phenomenon occurs and are investigating what weather conditions encourage ants to fly.

'After four years of our flying ant survey, we have found that flying ant day isn't as predictable as we had at first thought,' the group said.

It comes as delighted sunbathers were seen flocking to Lyme Regis beach in Dorset while early-morning exercise enthusiasts took to Clapham Common to make the most of the high temperatures before they drop next week.

Met Office charts show temperatures of 72F in the south by Tuesday - though its long-range forecast shows any warmer weather will be 'short-lived' until at least mid August.

Flocks of children were seen taking to Lymington Sea Water Baths in Hampshire on Friday as it reopened for the first time during coronavirus lockdown.

The lido is the oldest and largest in the UK. Swimmers have to book a time slot online and numbers have been restricted to around 100 swimmers a day, 10 per cent of its usual capacity.

A band of rain will move from Scotland and Northern Ireland into the north of England later today but sunnier skies are set to follow.

Those looking to have a Friday-night barbecue in the south of England and Wales will be in luck as it is set to see the hottest temperatures.

Met Office Nicola Maxey that those in the southeast have a 'hot day to come' on Friday, with highs of 84F.

Ms Maxey said despite the highs today in the south, Scotland will be a mixture of 'sunny spells and showers', with temperatures set at about 18C.

'There will be showers throughout the weekend, most likely in Scotland and northern England.'

She said that while Friday is likely to see the hottest temperatures of the weekend, Saturday will still be very warm at 82F.

Things will start to cool off on Sunday as a cold front pushes in from the north and sees temperatures drop to about 70F.

Rain may return tonight in central parts of the UK but it will be clearer in the north. The south of England is likely to stay dry and warm into tomorrow.

Wales, northern and central England will see more rain tomorrow while sunny skies are set to stay in the south.

Those in Scotland and Northern Ireland should expect showers with some sunny spells.

More rain will be spotted on Sunday all over the country but is likely to dry off and reveal some sunny skies afterwards.

Farmers have been making the most of the fine weather to harvest their bumper crop of lavender as the UK looks forward to a warm weekend.

Two people lie back on the deck chairs and soak up the sun on the beach in Margate, Kent, as mercury levels rise in the UK

One woman enjoys a book on Putney embankment as as temperatures rocket and sun-seekers flock to the seaside today.

Sun-seekers are enjoying the warm weather on the beach in Margate, Kent, as parts of the UK enjoy glorious sunshine today

People gather along the Putney embankment as the Met Office charts showed temperatures of 72F in the south by Tuesday

Two women read their books in the warm weather on the beach in Margate, Kent, ahead of the predicted warm weather across the south of England this weekend

Sun-seekers are enjoying the warm weather on the beach in Bournemouth, as parts of the UK enjoy glorious sunshine today

A speed boat passes the P&O crusie ship Arcadia which is anchored off the beach in Bournemouth today

A woman on the seafront in Margate, Kent today, as parts of the UK enjoy warm weather ahead of a scorching

People enjoying the fine weather on Putney embankment on a hot humid day in London. A mini heatwave is forecast to last all weekend with sweltering temperatures reaching 84F in parts of the UK

woman enjoys the warm weather by the beach in Margate, Kent, as parts of the UK enjoy warm weather today

A couple sunbathe at the beach in Dorset while the UK experiences extraordinarily high temperatures of up to 84F today

Two women are seen using their mobile phones as they enjoy glorious summer sunshine on Clapham Common today

A man sunbathes on Clapham Common as he listens to music on his phone ahead of a weekend of scorching weather

Two women chat and play with their phones as they sunbathe on Clapham Common today as temperatures hit 84F

Three women chat and sunbathe on Clapham Common in south London today as temperatures soar to 84F

A cold front is slowly sinking in, meaning patchy rain at times, despite the highs, before a drop in temperatures into next week. Pictured: A woman doing yoga on Clapham Common

Members of the public enjoy the sunshine on pedalos on the Serpentine in Hyde Park as temperatures soar to 84F

Finn Collingwood, 14, jumps into Lymington Sea Water Baths on Friday as the UK is set to see temperatures soar to 84F

And farmers have been making the most of the fine weather to harvest their bumper crop of lavender as the UK looks forward to a warm weekend. Pictured is a lavender field in Norfolk

Lymington Sea Water Baths is the oldest and largest lido in the UK, and have reopened to the general public today. Pictured are brothers James, 16, and Myles, 12

People visit the beach in Bournemouth as parts of the UK enjoy warm weather today

People enjoy the warm weather on the beach in Margate, Kent, as parts of the UK enjoy warm weather today

A woman is spotted rowing along the River Thames in Maidenhead, Berkshire, in the sunlight on Friday morning

A man is spotted taking a jog without any shoes on while basking in the sunlight on Clapham Common

One man rows along the River Thames by Putney embankment as hundreds continue to flock to the nation's outdoor spaces to enjoy the sun

Piera Annalise, 28, enjoys a day on the beach as she takes selfies along the Bournemouth coastline

Claire Piddington and her son Isaac, three, were spotted making sand castles on Bournemouth beach on Friday morning

Pictured are two women making the most of the glorious weather and taking to Clapham Common for a bit of exercise

***Have you seen any flying ants? *** Send us your pictures - pictures@dailymail.co.uk Advertisement

Growers at Norfolk Lavender near Hunstanton were out in their 100 acres of lavender fields as England looks set to see highs of 84F today.

Norfolk Lavender was founded in 1932 when three men and a boy planted 13,000 lavender plants on six acres of land in 18 days for a total of 15.

The purple lavender has been harvested every year since and the oil is distilled to make perfumes and cosmetics.

Norfolk Lavender now houses the national collection of more than 100 varieties.

Lavender was first introduced to Britain by the Romans and during medieval times it was grown in the monasteries for culinary and medicinal use.

During Tudor times its popularity increased and England was covered in acres of lavender fields.

The Victorians used the plant as perfume scent and for flavouring honeys, jams and custard.

Cosmetic companies such as Yardley later fuelled the growing trend by producing hundreds of gallons of lavender oil.

A woman is seen on a jog in the bright sunlight on Friday morning on Clapham Common

By World War One lavender had become the most common antiseptic and it was also used to disinfect hospital walls, but it slowly went out of fashion with scientific advancements.

Soon cheaper lavender was being imported from Provence and Britain's fertile lavender fields were gradually flattened to make way for new buildings.

Over the last decade lavender has seen a revival in England with more people using its essential oil to treat a wide range of conditions from migraines and skin complaints to stress, depression, tension and exhaustion.

***Have you seen any flying ants? Send us your pictures - pictures@dailymail.co.uk***
The Missouri Christian summer camp Kanakuk, which is now in its 94th year of operation, likes to declare every year its Best Summer Ever. This year, that title will be tough to claim. Camp sessions opened on May 30 with an impressive roster of new safety measures in place, including new low-contact drop-off procedures, new air filtration systems, daily temperature checks, quarantine protocols, and more. But on June 26, the camp notified parents by email that there were two positive COVID-19 cases at K-2, one of its six camp locations. Over the next few days, the number of diagnoses climbed to 82. K-2 shut down, and parents from 10 states scrambled to pick up their children early.

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About 6.5 million young people will participate in overnight or day camps this summer, the American Camp Association has estimated. Thats down from 26 million in a typical summer. Some states, including New York and Oregon, canceled all sleep-away camps unilaterally. But many others have allowed camps, families, and local health departments to decide for themselves how to proceed. The CDCs COVID guidelines for summer camps, issued in May, lists campers coming from outside the local geographic area as a highest risk factor.

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Kanakuk reassured parents in part by touting the states approval for its summer plans. The Missouri Governor Mike Parson has given our opening his blessing, and said he was totally impressed with our COVID-19 Kamper Care Plan, the camp emailed parents on May 5. (The governors office did not respond to a request to confirm the camps account.) In a video posted to the camps website at the same time, Joe White, who has owned the camp since 1976, said he was confident in the camps precautions. As a 71-year-old man with compromised health issues, as well as a grandfather of 15 grandkids of my own, he said, I feel deeply the concerns that both the knowns and unknowns bring to a youth care ministry such as Kanakuk.

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Some parents say the camp has been incommunicative with them as the outbreak spread. There was 0 communication or efforts made from Kanakuk to contact us regarding the closure. Nothing! one Texas parent, Mia Chase, wrote to the camps president and health services, according to NBC News. Chase told NBC that campers were assembled in a single large group to receive the news about the diagnoses, furthering their exposure. She said kids gathered again that same night for a mosh-pit-style dance party, where not everyone wore their masks or the Kanakuk-branded face buffs they received on arrival at camp. The camp has made few public statements about the outbreak, and its communications office did not respond to multiple interview requests. Last summer, the camps Twitter account tweeted every day in June. This year, the camps main Twitter account did not tweet between June 1 and July 1, and the account for K-2 has not tweeted since June 1. When a rumor spread last week that a positive case had been diagnosed at K-1, another camp location, a camp representative declined to answer questions and asked a local news reporter to leave the property.

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"For us, the risk of COVID -19 versus the chance of the kids having more time with Jesus, it was hands down: the chance to have more of Jesus.  Laura Hobbs, who sent her three children to Kanakuk

Other parents say they understood the risks they were taking on by sending their children to camp and were pleased with how the camp attempted to control the virus. Ann Boles, who attended the camp herself as a child, told me that she agonized over whether to send her two teenagers for their seventh summer at Kanakuk this year. They were set to start camp on July 4 this year. The week before, she received a message from the camp notifying her of the initial positive cases at K-2. I cried a lot of tears trying to decide, she said. This was not something we took on lightly at all. Boles daughter has three close friends who attend camp with her every summer, and two of their parents decided not to send their daughters this year.

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Ultimately, however, Boles trusted the camp. She was reassured by the precautions she heard about. Campers were asked to quarantine for two weeks before arriving at camp, and they had their temperature taken on arrival. They were expected to wear masks or buffsa tube of stretchy fabric that can be worn around the neck or pulled up as a face coveringanytime they were indoors with people outside their cabin groups of eight to 10. The buffs were collected every night and washed. Another parent told me campers in bunk beds were instructed to sleep with their heads facing opposite directions, to create extra distance between their faces. I havent heard any parents unhappy about how this was handled, Boles said. And I felt nothing but good about sending them.

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Laura Hobbs sent her three children to Kanakuk this summer in the camps first session, which started May 30. I felt like so many things were being canceled for our kids, I wanted them to have something that felt like normal, she said. Hobbs grew up going to Kanakuk, and worked there as a counselor for eight summers. Last summer, the church her husband leads in Texas hosted a KampOut! sessionessentially a portable day camp that Kanakuk puts on in churches across the country. When Kanakuk canceled all KampOut sessions this summer, citing safety concerns, she decided to send her children to Kanakuks sleep-away camp for the first time: For us, the risk of COVID-19 versus the chance of them having more time with Jesus, it was hands down: the chance to have more of Jesus.

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Kanakuk is one of the largest sleep-away camps in the country, serving 20,000 children in a typical summer. Its unofficial motto is I Am Third: God is first, the camp teaches, others come second, and the self comes last. Founded in the mid-1920s by a Dallas educator, Kanakuk has had a reputation outside Missouri from the start. According to one book on Missouri history, the camps enrollment was so high by the late 1920s that a train was hired to transport all the campers from Texas.

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The camp is now a well-known brand among evangelical Christians, particularly in the South. In the 1990s, Whitethe camp ownerbecame a fixture on Christian radio and a nationally known speaker at major Christian conferences like Promise Keepers, sometimes building and hoisting a large wooden cross on stage. Kanakuk invited Christian music artists like Michael W. Smith and Lecrae to compose music for the camp, and boasts that at least four Heisman trophy winners, including Johnny Manziel, have attended over the years. The continual promise that Kanakuk has made to these American evangelical parents is youre sending your child here for them to be safe and protected, said Hunter Hampton, a historian at Stephen F. Austin State University who has written about Kanakuks role in evangelical culture. When youre in that world, the loyalty to Kanakuk is very, very deep.

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But some parents who have trusted their children to Kanakuk in the past viewed the camps best intentions warily. I think everything theyre trying to do is awesome. Its just impossible as a sleep-away camp to make it safe, said Jason Newland, a Missouri pediatric infectious disease specialist who has sent his three children to Kanakuk multiple times over the past decade. This year, he said, it was an easy decision to keep them home. To me, once they have 82 cases in K-2, youre just asking for the same thing happening in the other campuses, he said. Why dont we just be safe and stop everything? Instead, the camps other locations will apparently remain open for the rest of the summer.

For more of Slates news coverage, subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or listen below.
Hundreds of unemployed Kentucky residents wait in long lines outside the Kentucky Career Center for help with their unemployment claims in Frankfort, Ky., on June 19, 2020 (John Sommers II/Getty Images)

For 17th Straight Week More Than 1M Americans Seek Job Aid

WASHINGTONMore than a million Americans sought unemployment benefits for the 17th consecutive week as infections began surging in some of the nations most populous states. Layoffs in places like Florida, Georgia, and California rose by tens of thousands of people.

Hope early this month that the country had made it through the worst of the pandemic has been shaken, and the rising number of infected Americans threatens to push what appeared to be a recovering nation into critical condition.

The number of laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits remained stuck at 1.3 million last week, the Labor Department said on July 16. Its a stunning number that, while fewer than the previous week, showed that companies continuing to cut jobs as the outbreak scythes through the Sunbelt.

Case counts are rising in 40 states and 22 states have either paused or reversed their efforts to reopen their economies, according to Bank of America.

Applications for aid paralleled rising infections geographically. Claims in Florida doubled to 129,000, and in Georgia, they rose nearly one-third to 136,000, according to the Labor Department report. In California, they increased 23,000 to nearly 288,000. Applications also rose in Arizona and South Carolina.

Those seeking jobless aid shrank in New Jersey and New York. They also fell in another hot spot, Texas, a state that has been hammered by job cuts this year in the energy sector.

Conditions in the labor market remain weak, and the risk of mounting permanent job losses is high, especially if activity continues to be disrupted by repeated virus-related shutdowns, said Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High-Frequency Economics.

There was a surprisingly strong report on July 16 from the Census Bureau on retail sales, though there is trouble below the surface there as well.

While sales climbed 7.5 percent in June, private credit card data shows that those gains stalled toward the end of the month as new clusters of infections emerged.

While todays report gives the illusion of a fearless consumer spending lavishly, the reality is more sobering: consumers are increasingly fearful amid new spikes in COVID-19 cases and a looming fiscal cliff, said Lydia Boussour, senior U.S. economist at Oxford Economics.

The country has entered a phase in which businesses and consumers alike are adjusting to the perpetual risk of viral outbreaks. Retailers are already relying on skeleton crews.

This is my biggest nightmare that we would open and re-close small businesses, said Sandy Sigal, president, and CEO of Newmark Merrill Companies, which runs 85 outdoor lifestyle centers in California, Colorado, and Illinois.

Sixty of the centers are located in California, which just re-closed gyms, nail salons, and other nonessential businesses statewide. Bars in Texas are again shuttered because of surging infections. Pennsylvania this week ordered restaurants to operate at only 25 percent capacity.

According to an analysis of credit cards by JPMorgan Chase, consumer spending, the largest driver behind the U.S. economy, began to stall at the end of June.

The total number of people who are receiving jobless benefits nationwide dropped 400,000, to 17.3 million last week, the government said, suggesting that hiring in some regions could offset some of the job losses in states with surging COVID-19 cases.

But huge U.S. companies continue to lay people off. American Airlines warned its workers on July 15 that it may have to cut up to 25,000 jobs in October because of sharply reduced air travel. Airlines are barred from layoffs until then as a condition of federal aid they have received. American Airlines followed United Airlines, which warned 36,000 of its employees last week that they may lose their jobs.

The uncertainty of what comes next is being heightened by the pending expiration of many of the government support programs that have shored up the finances of both businesses and families.

The governments small business loan program, known as the Paycheck Protection Program, will stop taking applications Aug. 8. More than $500 billion has already been lent and more than half of small companies that got loans say they have spent all the money, according to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business. Nearly one-quarter say they have laid off workers, or expect they will once the funds run out.

And an extra $600 in weekly unemployment benefits provided by the federal government on top of regular aid from the states will expire this month unless replaced or extended. Those funds, along with the $1,200 relief checks sent out in April, have enabled millions of Americans to stay current on housing costs and bills.

More than 13.5 million people have been infected worldwide, and over 580,000 have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are thought to be far higher for a number of reasons, including limited testing.

Meghan McGowan, 30, lost two jobs when the pandemic intensified in mid-March, one as a full-time librarian in Detroit and a second as a substitute at a different library system to help bring in some extra cash.

She is currently making more from unemployment than she earned at her previous jobs but is prepared to return to work even though she worries about the health risks. Detroit is a viral hot spot.

The looming expiration of the $600 is nerve-wracking for her because the hiatus on her student loans will end this fall, and she has an auto insurance bill due.

Before, when I was working through grad school, I worked in restaurants, so that had always been my backup plan, but thats not an option now, she said.

By Christopher Rugaber
Theres a new federal funding proposal on the table for up to $150 million in healthcare supports for schools as they prepare to reopen for students.

The proposal, from Alabama Superintendent Eric Mackey, met the Friday deadline set by Gov. Kay Ivey after a contentious state school board work session Tuesday where state lawmakers presented an alternative plan.

The new proposal, which would give school districts wellness grants based on their student population, would still allow district officials to choose how to spend the money, but the plan is a beefed-up version with more detail than Mackeys original $72 million request for healthcare supports in early June.

Mackeys roadmap for reopening schools and that original $72 million plan--amounting to $50,000 for every school--came under fire by state lawmakers and the Alabama School Nurses Association for not requiring enough of schools to screen and care for children suspected of having COVID-19.

Related: Alabama leaders split on $150 million plan for school nurses, testing

Three state senators--Jim McClendon, R-Springville, Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, and Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills--made their case at the boards Tuesday work session for a different plan, created by the Alabama School Nurses Association. That plan would cost $150 million--$135 million in federal coronavirus relief funds and $13 million in state funding.

The senators plan, called Safely Open Schools, called for $70 million to build a freestanding 480-square-foot nursing station at every school to isolate students, $28 million for thermal imaging systems to screen students and employees as they board buses and enter schools, and $26 million to test 70,000 children at schools every month.

The senators also proposed using $20 million to hire 300 school nurses and pay their salaries for two years. The states education budget only pays for one lead nurse for each Alabama school district, and any costs for additional nurses are paid for with local funding.

Too many schools don't have nurses, Singleton said, and their plan would make sure every school did.

Mackey called the senators plan overly prescriptive, and state board members questioned the cookie-cutter approach, saying different schools have different needs. After a lengthy discussion, Ivey ordered Mackey to deliver a plan to her by Friday.

Mackey said he supports hiring more school nurses, but in the plan noted it would cost an additional $28.4 million, not $20 million as the senators proposed, on top of the $33 million state lawmakers allocated for the current school year, to fund salary and benefits to have a nurse in every school.

The revised plan lists allowable uses for wellness grants to include everything the senators wanted, including nursing facility improvements, hiring additional nurses, screening and diagnostic testing, but still leaves it up to school district officials as to how to spend the money.

In the revised plan, Mackey would still leave the decision of whether to hire more nurses with to local district officials.

After reviewing the revised plan, Sen. McClendon said he is still concerned about not mandating a minimum standard that all schools must follow.

"Based on past experience," McClendon said, "if you give superintendents and principals wide latitude on how to spend the money, we're not going to have a consistent COVID effort across the state."

McClendon said all students in all schools need a minimum effort to make sure they're safe.

Related: Reopening Alabamas K-12 schools: Here are the plans so far

"Number one, screening before they get on the bus, screening before they get in the system," McClendon said. "Number two is a school nurse to take care of a suspected case in a student and a place to isolate them until a parent or guardian can come get them."

The revised plan contains funding amounts for each school district at each of three proposed levels, $50 million, $100 million, and $150 million.

Every school district would receive at least $200,000 and amounts over that are weighted by the number of students considered at-risk in the district.

With a $50 million grant allocation, the states smallest non-charter school district, Linden City, could receive $215,000, while the largest, Mobile County, could receive $1.8 million.

At the $150 million allocation level, Linden City schools could receive $291,000 and Mobile County schools could get $9.5 million.

In an emailed statement to AL.com, Department of Education Communications Director Michael Sibley said Mackey would not comment on the proposal until Iveys office had time to review the plan.

As to what is next, Ivey Press Secretary Gina Maiola wrote in an emailed statement to AL.com, The governor and our team will thoroughly review it this weekend. We will be sure to share more information in the coming days.

Some schools in Alabama are scheduled to open the first week of August.

Updated 4:40 p.m. to include Michael Sibleys comments.
Police on the hunt for child grooming gangs in Rochdale have made a number of arrests.

Operation Lytton is a complex inquiry into abuse committed in the town between 2002 and 2006.

It is the latest probe to focus on historical abuse in Rochdale following the 2012 convictions of a gang of nine Asian men - eight of Pakistani and one of Afghan heritage - who were jailed for grooming young white girls.

Police on the hunt for child grooming gangs in Rochdale (pictured) have made a number of arrests

Those offences happened in and around Rochdale in 2008 and 2009 when the victims aged between 13 and 15 were given alcohol, food and money in return for sex.

The case was later dramatised in the BBC TV series Three Girls.

In the wake of the 2012 trial, another inquiry, Operation Doublet, was set up by GMP to investigate child sexual exploitation in the town between 2003 and 2013 and eventually led to more convictions and jail sentences for separate offenders.

Those offences happened in and around Rochdale in 2008 and 2009 when the victims aged between 13 and 15 were given alcohol, food and money in return for sex. Stock pictures

On Friday, Greater Manchester Police said: 'Operation Lytton is one of a number of ongoing major investigations into child sexual exploitation across Greater Manchester.

'This is a complex criminal investigation into non-recent abuse committed in Rochdale between 2002 and 2006.

'Detectives are working alongside partners to provide a multi-agency response to safeguarding victims and providing them with the most suitable support, whilst identifying and bringing offenders to justice.

The woman's plight was brought to life by the character Ruby Bowen (middle, actress Liv Hill) in the BBC drama about the scandal, Three Girls

'A number of arrests and interviews have already taken place and the investigation continues.

'Due to the sensitivities associated with offences of this nature, victims are at the forefront of our investigation and it would be inappropriate to release any further information at this time.'

The latest update was first reported in local news outlet The Mill.

A terrified victim of Rochdale's child sex grooming gang recently revealed her horror as she ran into her abuser at an Asda.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, fled the supermarket in Rochdale town centre in tears and reported Adil Khan, 50, to the authorities as he was with a 'seven or eight-year-old' child.

Pictured: Adil Khan, who was spotted by his victim in a Rochdale supermarket

She told a friend: 'Oh my God, he's been in Asda. I've never been so scared in all my life. I feel like my heart just stopped beating.'

The victim is outraged that Khan and two other members of the gang remain in Greater Manchester despite losing an appeal against their deportation to Pakistan in 2018.

Former taxi driver Khan, known as Billy, began a relationship with the woman when she was school-aged, a few weeks after his wife had delivered their first child.

The victim, who believed Khan was her boyfriend, fell pregnant with his child when she had just turned 13.

Khan, who was jailed for eight years for trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sex with a child in 2012 but released in 2016, also trafficked a second girl, 15, to other abusers.

A jury convicted him of trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child and he was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

Khan and two others who were jailed, Abdul Aziz, 49, and Qari Abdul Rauf, 51, were told they would be deported after their British citizenship was revoked.

The trio lost an appeal against the Home Office ruling in 2018 but, for unclear reasons, they still remain in the UK.

Their claims has been dismissed on all grounds by the Upper Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber.

Khan and two others, Abdul Aziz (left) and Qari Abdul Rauf (right), were told they would be deported after their British citizenship was revoked - but remain in Rochdale

Beverley Hughes, Greater Manchester's deputy mayor, told the BBC it was 'completely unacceptable' that the men remain in Rochdale.

She added: 'Their continued presence in the community will doubtless be very distressing to those affected by the appalling crimes they perpetrated.'

When approached, a spokesperson for the Home Office refused to outline why the three men had not yet been deported.

Khan, Aziz and Rauf were among nine men convicted and jailed in 2012 over a catalogue of serious sex offences against five victims in Rochdale and Heywood.

Girls, some as young as 12, were plied with drink, abused and pimped out to paying customers at parties held across the north of England.

Khan's younger victim has revealed her outrage at the government's failure to deport him after she bumped into him in a supermarket on November 14 last year.

The woman's plight was brought to life by the character Ruby Bowen in a BBC drama about the scandal, Three Girls.

She confided in former GMP detective Maggie Oliver who worked on the case, but later resigned and became a whistleblower and campaigner.

'She walked into an aisle and was face-to-face with him. He had a seven or eight-year-old child with him. How can he have a child in his care? She just left her trolley and ran out in tears and called me,' Ms Oliver said.

'The question is why are they still here? Why are they back in Rochdale? What about the rights of the children they abused? It really is outrageous.'

The incident, which happened on November 14 last year, was reported to Rochdale's safeguarding board, which includes police and council officials and is tasked with protecting children and the victims of sexual abuse.

Ms Oliver added: 'I don't necessarily blame the safeguarding board. These are the consequences of these sentences. These men should have had longer sentences.

Pictured: Former Police Detective Maggie Oliver, who worked on the Rochdale case

'The children who have been abused have to live with that for the rest of their lives and that's just not right. This is not the only incident where one of the survivors has come face-to-face with their abuser. This isn't unique.'

She also revealed that the young woman who encountered Khan 'now feels nervous every time she goes out'.

Rochdale Borough Council leader Allen Brett said: 'The government must now finally act to have these men removed from the country.

'The council is providing support to many of the victims of these terrible crimes and have for many years now been helping to bring more perpetrators of sexual abuse to justice.

'That work will continue but only the Home Secretary can provide further closure by fulfilling the previous promises that have been made to deport the offenders whose citizenship has been removed.'

A spokesperson for the Home Office refused to outline why the three men had not yet been deported.

They said: 'We are committed to removing foreign national offenders wherever possible.

'Foreign national offenders should be in no doubt of our determination to remove them, and since 2010 we have removed more than 52,000 criminals.'
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Victoria has reported its worst ever total of 428 new daily coronavirus cases as the state's second wave continues to spread.

Three more people - a man and woman in their 80s and a man in his 70s - have died, taking the state's death toll to 32 and the national death toll to 116.

A total of 122 Victorians are in hospital with 31 fighting for their lives amid fears dozens more will soon be rushed into intensive care.

The state has about 160 outbreaks ongoing, including in offices, aged care homes and schools after the virus escaped from the hotel quarantine system in June.

Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said the virus reproduction rate was about one, meaning each infected person is passing it to one other person on average.

He said the new case numbers are so high that 'dozens' will be hospitalised and several people will die in the coming days.

A woman runs along the Yarra River in Melbourne. The city has recently seen a spike in coronavirus cases in a second wave

Melbourne woke up to a cold and chilly morning. The city is enduring a six-week lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus

A person cycles along Princes Bridge in Melbourne. Only workers who cannot work from home are allowed to go to work in the city during the lockdown

A rower is seen on the Yarra River on Friday morning. Residents are allowed to take exercise but must stay close to their homes

Victoria is expected to report more than 400 cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours as the state's second wave continues to spread. Pictured: Melbourne residents wearing masks

A medical worker (centre left) speaks to people queueing outside a COVID-19 coronavirus testing venue at The Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne

Victoria has recorded 428 new cases of coronavirus

The catastrophic total comes as:

New South Wales records eight new cases and tightens restrictions on pubs and clubs

A Victoria Police officer tests positive, forcing dozens of colleagues into isolation

Victoria's Ombudsman investigates the treatment of residents placed on 'hard' lockdown

Talks restart on a trans-Tasman travel bubble that would exclude Victoria

The Prime Minister prepares to announce an extension of JobKeeper on Thursday

Residents in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire are currently under stay-at-home orders which will last for six weeks.

Premier Daniel Andrews said lockdown could be extended or even tightened - but urged residents to follow the rules to avoid that happening.

'If the data shows the strategy is not being as effective as quickly as we would like then we may need to go to new rules.

'The best and most important contribution that every Melburnian and Victorian can make towards that not happening is to follow the rules and to come forward and get tested,' he said.

Mr Andrews warned residents not to travel too far from their homes after a family was caught making a 200km round-trip for exercise.

'A day trip is not the same as daily exercise,' he said.

Victoria Police issued $107,000 in fines on Wednesday, many to people who were at illegal parties. Gatherings of more than two are banned in Melbourne.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the numbers may get worse.

'We not have hit our peak,' he said.

But he was hopeful that the figures will come down once the lockdown kicks in, saying: 'I expect it to turn around this week. But as I always said, it's no guarantee.'

The state government is establishing more testing sites in regional centres to tackle the spread of the deadly disease.

Meanwhile, New South Wales has recorded eight new cases of coronavirus. Premier Gladys Berejiklian has tightened restrictions to only allow bookings of 10 people at pubs, clubs and restaurants amid fears of widespread community transmission.

She has also banned mingling and dancing, and limited weddings to 150 and funerals to 100 people.

'We're on high alert and we're very concerned,' she said.

There are now 42 cases linked to the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, south-west Sydney. A freight worker from Melbourne brought the virus into NSW when he dined at the pub on 3 July.

This map shows the places in Melbourne that are suffering from outbreaks as the state's second wave gets worse

Residents of 33 Alfred Street (pictured) in North Melbourne have been in a 'hard' lockdown for nearly a fortnight, guarded by a large police presence. They will be released on Sunday

Members of Victoria Police are stationed at the entrance to the Alfred Street Public Housing Complex in North Melbourne

People wear masks outside Flinders Street Station in Melbourne as the city endures a six-week lockdown to slow the spread of the deadly virus

Victoria recorded zero new cases on 5 June but numbers started to pick up in the following weeks.

It later emerged that the virus had broken out from hotel quarantine after private security guards interacted with infected guests who had returned from overseas.

Premier Andrews tried locking down 12 postcodes but it failed to stop the numbers growing so the whole of Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire was put into six-week lockdown.

Nine public housing towers were put into 'hard' lockdown, meaning residents could not leave without permission. One of the towers is still under those rules until Sunday.

The treatment of those residents at 33 Alfred Street will be investigated by Victoria's Ombudsman.

Many have complained that they have not been given enough food. Ombudsman Deborah Glass says her office has been contacted by more than 50 people, including public housing residents, advocacy groups and the wider Victorian community.

Ms Glass says her investigation would consider the conditions under which people have been detained at the tower, the nature and accessibility of official communications with residents, and the nature and appropriateness of restrictions upon people's access to fresh air, exercise, medical care and medical supplies.

A Victorian police officer based in Melbourne's CBD has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing almost 30 others into isolation.

The officer based at Crime Command in the Spencer Street complex received the positive test result on Thursday, the force confirmed on Friday.

The office area was deep-cleaned on Thursday afternoon, with other police staff told not to come into the office.

A dozen police members who work in this area were told to immediately self-isolate and be tested, Victoria Police said.

The officer had been in Shepparton last week, prompting 16 police from that station to also be put into isolation and undergo testing.

Scott Morrison (pictured) said the situation in Victoria meant that the state will likely be excluded from a trans-Tasman travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand

Residents wear masks at Melbourne's Carlton Gardens on July 16. The city is being locked down for six weeks

Earlier on Friday Scott Morrison said the situation in Victoria meant that the state will likely be excluded from a trans-Tasman travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand.

The Prime Minister discussed the travel arrangements with his counterpart Jacinda Ardern last week following Australia's national cabinet, where the Victorian coronavirus outbreak was canvassed at length.

'I spoke to Prime Minister Ardern on Friday evening and she raised that very issue with me and we're progressing those discussions,' he told 3AW radio.

'Obviously it's got to be a little bit moderated for what's happening in Victoria, but we discussed it at national cabinet last Friday, so we're working with the states and territories about how they can participate in that.'

The two countries have for months been plotting easing border restrictions for travel across the ditch, but the plans were dealt a blow after Victoria was overwhelmed by a second wave of coronavirus infections.

Mr Morrison is preparing to introduce another wave of coronavirus economic support with almost one million Australians now out of work.

He is putting the final touches on the post-JobKeeper package before the details are announced next week.

'It will be there for everyone who needs it, based on the impact on their business and the impact on their employees,' he told the Seven Network.

Mr Morrison said the national measures would 'disproportionately benefit' Victoria, where a fresh outbreak has forced millions of Melburnians back into lockdown.
First Horizon National Corp. on Friday reported second quarter net income available to common shareholders of $52 million, or $0.17 per share, up from $12 million and $0.04 per share in first quarter 2020. Adjusted NIAC, excluding certain notable items, was $64 million, or $0.20 per share, compared with $17 million and $0.05 per share in first quarter 2020.

In this quarter of significant pandemic-related and broad-based economic challenges, we delivered solid results as we continued to work diligently to support clients, communities and our associates while prudently managing risk, said President and Chief Executive Officer Bryan Jordan. Our second quarter results reflect the benefit of our diversified business model with strong pre-provision net revenue growth led by robust fee income and a modest increase in net interest income.

Mr. Jordan continued, We completed our merger of equals with IBERIABANK Corporation on July first, creating one of the largest banks in the South. With $83 billion in assets on a combined basis, the organization has significant scale with expanded capabilities and geographic reach that position us well to continue to deliver enhanced value for all our constituents. I believe our strong balance sheet, the diversification of our portfolio, expense management, as well as the experience and commitment of the combined team will deliver significant shareholder value.

Chattanooga market president Jay Dale said, Similar to the overall bank, in Chattanooga we have seen significant deposit growth, loan growth, and solid revenue growth. First Horizon customers should feel very confident about our strength and stability with capital and reserves that are adequate under the worst stress test scenarios.

During the quarter, First Horizon secured $2 billion in loans through the Small Business Administrations Paycheck Protection Program which provided aid to more than 300,000 employees of 15,000 customers.

20 percent of the PPP loans supported women- and minority-owned businesses or businesses in low-to-moderate income tracts.

First Horizon entered Phase 2 of reopening on June 4. Banking centers are open with occupancy limits and in-person appointments arent required but recommended.

First Horizon continues to prioritize health and safety and remains focused on executing the business continuity plan and proactive client outreach and communication.

The company continues to be prudent in its focus on risk management and credit oversight.

The acquisition of 30 branches from Truist Financial Corporation is scheduled to close Friday.



Consolidated highlights for the second quarter:

Total revenue of $512 million increased 7 percent linked quarter (LQ  compared to first quarter 2020) and 11 percent year over year (YoY  compared to second quarter 2019).

Net interest income was relatively stable up 1 percent LQ despite rate headwinds, reflecting strong balance sheet growth.

Net interest margin of 2.90 percent decreased 26 basis points driven by a significant decline in interest rates and excess cash balances, somewhat offset by loan growth, accretion and disciplined deposit pricing.

Noninterest income growth of 18 percent LQ and 31 percent YoY was driven by strong fixed income results and higher other income tied to deferred compensation.



Noninterest expense increased $21 million driven by deferred compensation and merger-related expense of $14 million, somewhat offset by lower advertising, travel and entertainment expenses.



Efficiency ratio improved to 64.74 percent from 65.19 percent in first quarter 2020 and 65.08 percent in second quarter 2019.



Provision for credit losses of $110 million decreased $35 million from first quarter 2020 and included a $93 million reserve build tied to COVID-19.

Adjusted pre-provision net revenue of $194 million rose 13 percent LQ and 2 percent YoY, reflecting strength in noninterest income and stable net interest income.



Loan loss reserves as a percentage of average loans as of June 30, 2020 increased to 1.64 percent from 1.33 percent as of March 31, 2020 and 0.65 percent as of June 30, 2019.



Average loans increased 11 percent LQ and 18 percent YoY driven by loans to mortgage companies and the PPP program portfolio.



Average deposits increased 14 percent LQ and 17 percent YoY driven by significant strength in demand deposits and savings; demand deposits represented 30 percent of total deposits as of June 30, 2020.



CET1 Ratio of 9.3 percent, up 72 basis points LQ.



Tangible book value per share of $9.99 increased slightly LQ and 5 percent YoY.



Regional Banking highlights include: Tangible book value per share of $9.99 increased slightly LQ and 5 percent YoY.Regional Banking highlights include:



Revenue up 12 percent LQ and 13 percent YoY.

Net interest income up 17 percent LQ and 18 percent YoY, reflecting loan growth.

Average loans up 12 percent LQ and 20 percent YoY driven by loans to mortgage companies and PPP loans.



Average deposit growth of 10 percent LQ and 13 percent YoY.



Deposit costs trending down, reflecting lower rates and pricing discipline.



Provision expense of $108 million decreased $37 million LQ and increased $91 million YoY driven by the impact of changes in the macroeconomic forecast tied to current expected credit losses methodology.







Fixed Income highlights include: Noninterest expense decreased 4 percent LQ largely reflecting lower personnel, advertising, and travel and entertainment expense and increased 5 percent YoY largely reflecting an increase in the reserve for unfunded commitments.Fixed Income highlights include:

Total revenue of $127 million, up 19 percent LQ and 77 percent YoY reflecting robust sales activity across all trading desks.

Fixed income average daily revenue of $1.6 million, increased 26 percent LQ and 84 percent YoY, reflecting more favorable market conditions.



Noninterest expense increased 2 percent LQ and 50 percent YoY, reflecting an increase in variable compensation related to higher revenues. Capital and Liquidity highlights include:

Declared $0.15 per common share quarterly dividend in 2Q20, which was paid on July 1, 2020. No share repurchases in 2Q20. CET 1 of 9.3 percent and total capital 12.5 percent as of June 30, 2020.

Asset Quality highlights include: Asset Quality highlights include:

Allowance for loan losses increased to $538 million largely reflecting the impact of changes in macro-economic expectations given the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of current expected credit losses methodology.

Nonperforming loans increased $36 million from first quarter 2020 and $21 million from second quarter 2019.

Net charge-offs of $17 million increased $9 million from first quarter 2020 and $11 million from second quarter 2019 primarily driven by one energy credit and one restaurant credit.

The allowance for credit losses to loans ratio increased to 1.64 percent from 1.33 percent as of March 31, 2020 and 0.65 percent as of June 30, 2019.
Instagram will reportedly begin rolling out its Reels in the US soon with more than 50 other countries to follow. The feature, arriving as part of Instagram, effectively serves as a competitor to the popular Chinese app TikTok. It allows users to create 15-second videos over top of music and other audio.

Those videos can be edited extensively, and there are countdown timers, tools to adjust speed, and more. All of which is aimed at letting users get creative with short-form content. Once created, the videos are shared via stories.

Reels is already available in India as of last week and has been undergoing testing in Brazil, France, and Germany.

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Why is this launching now?

Now, Reels isnt the only TikTok-like competitor hoping to prove viable in the US right now. YouTube, Googles Area 120, Facebook, and a plethora of others are looking to cut into the apps market share as well. And thats not without good reason.

TikTok rose to popularity with what can only be described as meteoric ferocity. It held sway over more than a billion users in February, growing exponentially toward the end of 2019. Thats following a steadier growth pattern from its initial launch in 2016. The growth placed it as a top app on many app markets and its managed to hold onto those spots for the most part.

But thats started to change with the company under increased scrutiny from the US government and others. In fact, the app only just managed to avoid being banned outright over concerns about Chinese spying. And that could still change, as lawmakers mull over how to address those concerns. Its already been banned in India, at Amazon, and elsewhere.

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That makes this an opportune time for competitors like Instagram Reels to step in, especially in regions such as the US. As problems with TikTok continue to mount, it could start bleeding customers. Those customers will want a new platform to migrate to.

When, exactly, will Instagram Reels land in the US?

With regard to the exact timing of the launch for Reels, Instagram is keeping mostly mum. The company has hinted at early August in terms of a timeframe. That places a possible launch just weeks away. But specifics have not been provided regarding its arrival. Or what new features users might expect to see in celebration of the apps more global launch.
MIDDLETOWN  The citys Democratic Town Committee endorsed South Fire District Commission candidate Daniel Penney at its July 16 meeting.

The day-long election will be held July 21. Drive-through voting will be held at the station, 445 Randolph Road, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Penney, who has run for the post several times in the past is a member of the Board of Education Facilities Committee, according to DTC Chairwoman Lisa Loomis.

His professional experience includes collective bargaining negotiations, utilities and energy management, and fire code compliance. His goals as fire commissioner would be to increase transparency, have a forensic audit completed, and update the district charter and bylaws, Loomis said in a prepared statement.

Penney wants to bring transparency back to the fire commission, she said.

Penney ran for the open seat in February against Fire Commissioner Sebastian N. Giuliano, who took home 160 votes to Penneys 144; as well as Republican Town Committee Chairman William Wilson, with 44.

Next month, Wilson is also running for the position.

Penney, who has regularly attended monthly meetings of the Board of Fire Commissioners for the past 10 years, has an associates degree in arts with honors from Northern Essex Community College in Massachusetts, as well a bachelor of general studies degree with honors from the University of Connecticut, according to a press release.

He has held senior management positions in facilities management in both the private and public sector. After 32 years with UConn Health, he retired as associate vice president of facilities management. He was also a hospital safety officer with oversight of state- and federal-driven accreditation compliance matters related to the physical environment of care, according to the release.

Penney has a background in collective bargaining negotiations, utilities management, energy management and construction projects, as well as fire code compliance, with a focus on life safety codes involving complex occupancies, he said.

For information, visit southfiredistrict.com.
A police detective tried to secretly film a female colleague in the shower, sparking a trawl of his items which found extreme animal pornography, a court heard.

Det Sgt. Benjamin McNish, 29, allegedly trained his iPhone on the female officer through the shower door.

When the woman spotted the iPhone, it suddenly moved away, according to prosecutors.

Police later seized McNish's phone and other electronics and discovered a disturbing video of another woman receiving oral sex from a dog.

The sergeant appeared at Westminster Magistrates' court today charged with observing a person doing a private act for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, knowing that the person did not consent to being observed for your sexual gratification.

McNish, from Benfleet, Essex, is also charged with one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

Det Sgt. Benjamin McNish, 29, (arriving at Westminster Magistrates' today) allegedly trained his iPhone camera on the female officer through the shower door

He did not enter an official plea, but his solicitor indicted he would plead not guilty.

McNish appeared in the dock of Westminster Magistrates' Court today, wearing a smart, pale greyish blue shirt and dark blue suit and speaking only to confirm his name, address, and nationality as British.

Prosecutor Misba Majid said: 'While she was in the shower she noticed an iPhone at the top of the shelf peering into her shower through the door.

'She noticed that the phone looked away and disappeared. In fact, she believed that she was seeing things but she looked again and saw the phone.

'As a result of this incident, a number of the defendant's electronic items were interrogated and one of the items found on one of the defendants devices was footage, I believe, of extreme pornographic nature.

'It is described as footage which shows a female being given oral sex by a dog. This is what constitutes an extreme phonographic image.'

He appeared in the dock of Westminster Magistrates' Court today, wearing a smart, pale greyish blue shirt and dark blue suit

McNish had also been in the shower just before the alleged victim, the court was told.

Robert Morris, defending the police officer, told District Judge Angus Hamilton his client pleaded not guilty to one charge of observing a person doing a private act for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification knowing that the person did not consent to being observed for your sexual gratification and a second charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

McNish told the court he wanted to be put on trial in front of a jury at a crown court instead of in front of magistrate's. He is next due to appear at Southwark Crown Court on August 14.
LINCOLN  The Lied Live Online series continues in July, streaming new concerts at 7:30 p.m. every Friday night, according to a press release. All concerts are available on the Lied Center Facebook page and at liedcenter.org .

Daniel Martinezs solo performance on Lied Live Online in April was well received by audiences, and now hell be back joined by Stephen Cantarero, Oscar Rios and Jami Fristo. This Lincoln-based band blends South American, Mexican folk and Latin dance styles, and theyll be performing with their fusion of sounds of the Andes with acoustic flamenco riffs, rock beats and the salsa flavor of montunos and timbales.

Eric Zuber is an internationally acclaimed pianist who has thrilled audiences around the world. After making his orchestral debut at the age of 12, Zuber has established himself as one of the leaders of a new generation of American pianists. Hes performed with many of the major orchestras in the US and abroad, and made solo appearances at the Kennedy Center, the Sydney Opera House and many more. Hes also the lead teaching artist at this summers Lied Center Piano Academy, taking place online July 19 to 25. Zubers Lied Live Online performance will include works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky.
An Australian mother-of-three has shared how she made a delicious burrito for lunches by cooking the filling in a slow cooker.

Kirsty, from Adelaide, South Australia, shared her recipe and images to a popular cooking Facebook group where it was praised by hundreds of others.

'Photos don't do it justice, but this is my burrito slow cooker mix!' she said.

To make the filling, Kirsty said she used chicken breast, taco packet seasoning, rice and salsa with vegetables.

An Australian mother-of-three has shared how she made a delicious burrito for lunch by cooking the filling in a slow cooker

Kirsty first cooked the chicken for six hours on low, then for an additional four hours on high to ensure the meat was flavoursome.

After the time had passed, she shred the chicken into pieces using two forks, then added the rice and vegetables to cook for another hour.

She also filled the burrito with Mexican chilli beans, corn, capsicum, carrot, zucchini, and red onion - but any vegetables can be used depending on personal preference.

Kristy also filled the burrito with Mexican chilli beans, corn, capsicum, carrot, zucchini, and red onion - but any vegetables can be used depending on personal preference

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT BURRITO MIXTURE IN A SLOW COOKER Ingredients: 2 Chicken breast 2 taco packet seasoning 1 cup rice Burrito wraps Salsa Mexican chilli beans Corn Capsicum Serve in burrito wraps with grated zuchinni, carrot and red onion Aioli and extra salsa dressing Method: Cook the chicken in the slow cooker for six hours on low, then for four hours on high Once cooked, shred the chicken using two forks and cook for another hour along with the rice and vegetables of your choice Remove the filling from the slow cooker and lay in the centre of a burrito wrap Add aioli sauce on top Wrap the burrito and enjoy Source: Facebook Advertisement

Plenty of other social media users were excited to make the homemade burritos themselves, and those who did said the dish was a hit in their households.

'Attempting this tonight! I'm so excited, me and my partner are big burrito fans,' one woman said.

'Made this tonight! Was a win in my house with three adults and four kids!' another said.

A third added: 'I wonder if this could be done with beef.'
SANTA FE  New Mexico reported 319 new coronavirus cases Friday, pushing the states daily average to a record high, according to a Journal analysis.

The state has averaged about 273 new cases of COVID-19 a day over the last week, the largest total since the pandemic arrived in New Mexico in March. The daily average has shot up 48% since July 1 alone and more than doubled since a month ago.

State health officials also said Friday that COVID-19 had contributed to three more deaths  for a statewide death toll of 565 residents.

The average number of deaths has generally been falling, even as case growth remains strong  a disconnect state officials may be due to younger people making up an increasing share of the infections. Its also possible that deaths will grow as the disease progresses in people who have only just contracted it, officials say.

Older adults, in any case, are most at risk.

Fridays deaths included adults ranging in age from their 40s to their 80s, all with underlying medical conditions of some kind.

The state reported 166 virus patients in New Mexico hospitals Friday, a decline of four people since the day before.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 21:22:58|Editor: huaxia

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KAPENGURIA, Kenya, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A 12-year-old girl was buried alive while two others were rescued after walls of a gold mine collapsed on them in the north-western Kenyan county of West Pokot.

Local administrators said the minors were scouring for the precious metal when the mine caved in and killed one of them on Thursday night.

Faustino Longora, a local chief said the victims of the accident were aged 12, 13, and 14, respectively.

"Neighbours heard screams and rushed to the mine and managed to rescue two of the minors. One of them had already died," said Longora.

He said that children have been flocking to the goldmines to eke out a living amid prolonged school closure linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Since the school closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, most children have turned to mining to earn income to enable their parents to buy food," said Longora.

He said the government will support alternative sources of livelihood for nomadic communities amid rampant poverty linked to extreme weather events and inter-communal skirmishes. Enditem
After the Trump administration ordered hospitals to change how they report coronavirus data to the government, effectively bypassing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials at the CDC made a decision of their own: Take our data and go home.

The sudden disappearance of the CDCs coronavirus dashboards on Wednesday  which drew considerable scrutiny before the agency restored them on Thursday afternoon  has become the latest flashpoint in the extraordinary breakdown between the Washington, D.C.-based federal health department and the nations premier public health agency, located in Atlanta.

While Democrats and health care groups spent Thursday blasting the Trump administration over the missing dashboards, which tracked critical data on coronavirus hospitalizations, officials at the Department of Health and Human Services insisted that they were just as shocked when the CDCs data disappeared from public view.

No one came out of our conversations believing that CDC was going to stop doing analysis, said one administration official who was involved in plans for shifting the data-reporting responsibilities away from CDC. The official, who requested anonymity, said the 24-hour disappearance of the agencys dashboards was an unwelcome surprise.

All it did was feed into this narrative that we were cutting off the CDC when thats not what happened at all, the official said.

The flap over the missing CDC data is just the latest source of tension between the CDC and federal health officials thats contributed to a fragmented response to the pandemic. CDC officials have complained theyve been unusually sidelined during the crisis as President Donald Trump pushes for faster reopenings, while White House officials contend theyre being forced to work around the agencys weak spots.

The health department took credit for restoring the CDC dashboards Thursday and said it was committed to transparency. Going forward, HHS and CDC will deliver more powerful insights on the coronavirus, powered by HHS Protect, said spokesperson Michael Caputo, referencing the new data-reporting system that relies on outside vendors who have received at least $35 million combined. The CDC did not respond to multiple inquiries.

Story continues

Inside the health department, staff gave conflicting explanations for the agencys decision to pull its dashboards offline. Three officials characterized it as a flash of frustration with HHS order to shift management of coronavirus data away from the CDC. One official said the agency took down the dashboards just to update the system but failed to notify HHS ahead of time.

But they acknowledged that the health department's turf battles, which are now playing out in a very public way, are hampering the government's response to a pandemic that has claimed about 140,000 lives in the U.S. and is still surging in many parts of the country.

Two CDC staffers also left a White House data committee this week after the decision was made to stop using the CDCs system for coronavirus data collection. Two officials attributed the move to the agencys frustration with White House decision-making, although an HHS spokesperson disputed that characterization. The spokesperson said the employees were recalled to CDC because they were specialists in the old data-collection system, and new CDC staffers with appropriate expertise will be detailed to the task force.

POLITICO spoke with 12 current and former administration officials, as well as hospital systems, IT experts and state officials involved in the coronavirus data-tracking process.

Within the administration, the move to shift data management away from CDC has been portrayed as a necessary, overdue fix. White House coronavirus coordinator Deborah Birx and other senior officials had grown frustrated with data delays that they blamed on the CDCs system, arguing that it was clunky and inflexible. Among their complaints was that the agencys system hampered their ability to distribute remdesivir, one of the only approved treatments for Covid-19.

After discussions with the CDC across the spring about modernizing its existing system to perform coronavirus-related work, the administration instead contracted with a pair of outside vendors  TeleTracking and Palantir  that officials said were better suited to handle the evolving coronavirus response. An HHS spokesperson said it took three weeks to update the CDC system every time the federal government requested a new category of information from hospitals, compared to three days for the TeleTracking system.

Birx also played a central role in selecting Palantir to help run HHS new data system, said three people with knowledge of the decision. She had worked with the data firm, which is funded by Trump ally Peter Thiel, in her prior role with the U.S. international HIV relief program.

Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, during a coronavirus briefing in April.

Having brought on the new vendors, HHS in April offered hospitals a choice of where to send their data. But that decision introduced new complications: Instead of reporting to one system, some hospitals were sending data to three different places: their state, CDC and to the TeleTracking portal.

Major hospital lobbies urged a more streamlined approach to collecting data, worrying that confusion over reporting requirements was causing major discrepancies, while top administration officials grappled with the confusion created by the jumble of data systems. In one episode, Birx chastised hospital executives in a private meeting for not reporting enough data. Officials realized later, however, that some of the data had been mistakenly eliminated as the administration pieced information together from the CDC, HHS and states into a single database, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.

In June, meetings to overhaul the data collection began between Birx, HHS officials and the countrys largest hospital lobbies. Others, including for-profit chain HCA, were involved in some discussions.

Within the CDC itself, agency director Robert Redfield and other senior officials conceded that they would not be able to provide the daily data sought by the White House on its urgent schedule, and the agency agreed to halt reporting to the CDCs system. Administration officials informed hospital lobbies of the change Monday.

There was no one on the call, including the CDC, that balked at it. So its very interesting for me to see what has happened both on Twitter and as well as on other social media, said one senior executive of a hospital trade group, alluding to outrage from public health groups. Democrats have accused the administration of seeking to subvert the CDC and potentially manipulate coronavirus findings.

I don't know why the White House is saying they want to hide the numbers, but it makes no sense in terms of fighting this crisis, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on Thursday.

Health officials have rejected the suggestion that the data could be manipulated and insist that CDC will retain full access to all coronavirus data. The CDCs reporting system, known as the National Healthcare Safety Network, will still be used to track other data besides coronavirus hospitalizations.

The CDCs defenders said that the agency for years requested money to overhaul its data surveillance systems, but the funding never came. The administration has persistently budgeted about $21 million per year for the NHSN tracking system, which Obama-era CDC official John Auerbach said is not enough.

Thats blaming the victim. This is the moment you might say, Lets fix that problem, said Auerbach, who is now the president and CEO of Trust for Americas Health.

Meanwhile, health officials have spent months building out the HHS Protect system in hopes of creating a more nimble and comprehensive data collection system that could better guide the federal response.

But the health department never publicly explained why it was creating a new database, which helped fuel anxiety over the administrations motivations for not being more forthcoming, according to several officials and outside advisers.

They had a chance to announce this on their own terms, in their own time frame, and they didnt do it, said a GOP official familiar with the project, who added that officials had discussed a public rollout roughly a month ago.

It also didnt help that the reporting change took place shortly after Trump publicly attacked the CDC over its guidance for reopening schools and as White House officials had been discussing whether to review CDC performance. That prompted an unprecedented rebuke from the nations public health community and furthered concerns about the coronavirus response getting politicized.

Against that backdrop, a long-germinating and technical shift in the way that hospitals transmit data to the government appeared to be the latest evidence of the CDC being pushed aside.

I genuinely think this was an attempt to get better reporting, the GOP official said This is a mini-example: Theyre suffering because of their lack of credibility, and the problem is they had a chance to tell this story  which is not necessarily a bad story  but they didnt do it.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has ordered a probe on Lancet Kenya after conflicting Covid-19 results of 17 teaching staff of St Andrews School Turi.

Lancet Lab had declared the staffers positive but when the school sought a second opinion from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri), the 17 turned negative.

CS Kagwe on Thursday said he had directed the medical board to immediately begin a probe on laboratories producing contradictory results.

It is true that there is one lab, specifically Lancet that carried out these tests that eventually turned from positive to negative. It is also the same lab that had also tested a group of people in Nairobi that also had the same circumstance, said the CS.

Noting that the Ministry will take relevant action, Kagwe, who was speaking in Nakuru, also urged the public to avoid visiting such facilities.

The Ministry will take its measures we have asked our board to review that particular laboratory. But what I would like to urge is that if a lab has got all these unclear results, dont go there. Why are you going to a lab that you know has been giving information that may not be clear? he posed.

The CS warned that the laboratories risk closure should they be found to have violated any set regulations.

The worst thing that we can do is have a situation where people question the results that we give. We have asked the medical board to relook at some of these labs and where we believe a laboratory is not adhering to the standards then definitely we will close them down, CS Kagwe said.
It is widely believed that, 3,600 years ago, the ancient Egyptian pharaohs were usurped by an invading force known as the Hyksos.

However, new research claims the Hyksos people were actually a group of immigrants who had lived in Egypt for centuries before rising to power.

Analysis of the teeth of these people revealed they were descended from groups all over Asia who had inhabited Egypt for generations.

As a result, scientists now believe the Hyksos were not an invading force, dispelling the traditional narrative.

The Hyksos ruled for 100 years before the pharaohs retook their land and exiled the Hyksos folk.

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It is widely believed that 3,600 years ago the ancient Egyptian pharaohs were usurped by an invading force known as the Hyksos (pictured). However, this theory is now being disregarded and it it thought the Hyskos people were living peacefully in Egypt for centuries before rising to power

Analysis of chemicals in teeth spanning centuries revealed varying levels of isotopes of the element strontium, which paints a picture of the people's history.

A total of 75 teeth were studied after being excavated from Tell El-Dab'a, the ancient capital city of the Hyskos land.

The strontium levels prove that the people who took over the fertile lands near the Nile did not arrive in one wave, but via a constant trickle over time.

'[T]hese results challenge the classic narrative of the Hyksos as an invading force,' the researchers from Bournemouth University write in their study, published in the journal PLOS ONE.

New research claims the Hyksos people who briefly ruled a large portion of ancient Egypt were a group of immigrants who had lived in Egypt for centuries before rising to power

Analysis of chemicals in teeth spanning centuries revealed varying levels of isotopes of the element strontium which paints a picture of the people's history. A total of 75 teeth were studied after being excavated from Tell El-Dab'a, the ancient capital city of the Hyskos land

Mummies of two high-status Egyptians discovered in an ancient Nile temple The mummies of two high-status ancient Egyptians discovered in a temple on the Nile delta may bring researchers a step closer to finding the remains of Cleopatra. The mummies, which had lain undisturbed for 2,000 years, are in a poor state of preservation. But they were originally covered with gold leaf  a luxury reserved for only the top members of society's elite  meaning they may have personally interacted with Cleopatra. Also found at the site were 200 coins bearing Cleopatra's name and her face, which would have been pressed based on Cleopatra's direct instructions. Advertisement

'Instead, this research supports the theory that the Hyksos rulers were not from a unified place of origin, but Western Asiatics whose ancestors moved into Egypt during the Middle Kingdom, lived there for centuries, and then rose to rule the north of Egypt.'

The findings show a large wave of immigration into the region by Hyskos people centuries before they seized control of power.

Then, when they were in control, the population swelled.

'This is consistent with the supposition that, while the ruling class had Near Eastern origins, the Hyksos' rise to power was not the result of an invasion, as popularly theorised, but an internal dominance and takeover of foreign elite,' the authors write.

Hyskos people were different to the Egyptians in several ways.

For example, they had names similar to inhabitants of the neighbouring region of southwest Asia and not the traditional Egyptian monikers.

According to ancient artwork from the time, they also wore long, multicoloured clothes in stark contrast to the white attire favoured by the natives.

Egyptologist Orly Goldwasser at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem told Science Magazine that the immigrants most likely had peaceful intentions.

It is entirely possible they brought technologies such as the horse and chariot with them and may have even invented the alphabet after arriving.
Taiwan opens new immigration office for smoother evaluation of immigrant applications on case to case basis, as more and more Hong Kongers attempt to relocate ahead of potential human right abuses as China begins crackdown with the passage of the draconian national security legislation.

Amid fear of persecution under the new Hong Kong security law, a growing number of Hong Kongers are mulling relocating to Taiwan to protect themselves from the Chinese crackdown.

Many people have preferred Taiwan due to its proximity and cultural similarities, DW reported.

The Taiwanese government has opened an office on July 1 to help Hong Kongers who seek legal residency in Taiwan, in anticipation of an influx of immigrants.

The new office was created precisely to more efficiently evaluate and process applications on a case-by-case basis, said Kolas Yotaka, spokesperson at Taiwans presidential office, adding that existing resources are sufficient to handle the possible increase in arrivals.

Also read: US sanctions Huawei employees on human rights violations

Also read: China forcefully relocated almost 60 Tibetans: Report

According to the Mainland Affairs Council in Taiwan, which sets Taiwans policy towards mainland China, within a week of its opening, the office has received hundreds of phone calls and emails inquiring about how to move to Taiwan.

We think the number of inquiries could increase as the Chinese government continues to impose the national security law. The Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchange Office will closely monitor the development in Hong Kong, a council official told DW.

During 2019 protests, nearly 6,000 Hong Kongers moved to Taiwan, a sharp increase compared to the previous year, according to Taiwans immigration agency.

Renowned Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-Kee is a Hong Kong immigrant who came to Taiwan in April 2019.

Since then, he reopened his bookstore, Causeway Bay Books, in Taipei, and has been vocal about the drastic changes that have been taking place in Hong Kong.

Certain books written by pro-democracy figures are viewed as banned books in Hong Kong and raising a piece of white paper during a protest can be deemed illegal under the national security law, Lam told DW.

Also read: China vows to retaliate as US ends preferential treatment

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  Despite the pandemic, various groups announced their nationwide protests during President Rodrigo Duterte's fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27.

Lack of jobs and livelihood opportunities, the supposed militaristic approach in fighting the pandemic, the enactment of the Anti Terrorism Law, and violations to freedom of speech and of the press are among the issues that will be raised during the mass actions.

Senator Kiko Pangilinan said this is the first time in around 20 years that groups from various political spectrum will join forces for the so-called "SONAgkaisa."

"We have the right to assemble peacefully to express our grievance. It's a constitutionally guaranteed right," he said.

"Therefore, lalo pa ngayong nakikita nating makupad ang pagkilos ng gobyerno sa COVID, taliwas sa hinihingi ng ating mga kababayan ang kilos, tingin ko obligasyon natin na pumuna at tumutol."

[Translation: It is our obligation to criticize and protest, especially that we see the slow response of the government towards COVID-19.]

Detained Senator Leila De Lima called on the public to participate and fight against the Duterte administration - which she called "vindictive, murderous, power-hungry, morally-bankrupt, and abusive."

She even described the current government as a "pathocracy ruled by a psychopathic leader."

"Kung patatagalin pa ang paniningil, ilang libong maralita pa ang papatayin? Ilan pang inosente, mamamahayag, at tagapagtanggol ng karapatang pantao ang ipapakulong? Ilan pang media ang ipapasara? Ilan pang matinong pinuno ang patatalsikin para sa kanilang pansariling interes?" De Lima said in a written statement.

[Translation: How many more lives will it cost us before vindication? How many more innocent journalists and human rights activists will be imprisoned? How many other media outlets will be shut down? How many more rightful government officials will be kicked out from their posts for personal gains?]

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Spokesperson Renato Reyes said the huge protest will happen in Quezon City in relation to the recent announcement that the President will still hold the SONA at the Batasang Pambansa.

Reyes assured attendees will observe the minimum health requirements under the community quarantine like physical distancing and wearing of face masks.

"Tingnan natin yung nangyari nung June 12, I think we were able to gather more than 5,000 people na naka-physical distancing naman. Wala namang naging paglabag sa health protocols nung nangyari ang aksyon na yun. We expect the same level of discipline from different organizations," Reyes said.

[Translation: Look at what happened on June 12. I think we were able to gather more than 5,000 people who practiced physical distancing, and there was no violation of health protocols. We expect the same level of discipline from different organizations.]

Aaron Pedrosa of Sanlakas meanwhile says a coordination meeting with the Philippine National Police will happen on Saturday to lay down ground rules during the protests and ensure that everything will be in order.

With the recent memorandum of the Quezon City government allowing warrantless arrests for violators of quarantine protocols, Tony Lavina of the Concerned Lawyers for Civil Liberties insists that all arrests related to COVID-19 and community quarantine are illegal.

And should authorities arrest protesters on July 27, Lavina says their members are on standby to assist them.

"Hindi ako worried sa kaso. Kaya lang ang best scenario natin ay walang maaresto because of the exposure. Sa rally itself walang problema dahil sa mobilization alam natin ang mga rules natin, yung mga health protocols natin. Pero ang problema, pag nahuli ka, wala masyadong mga health protocols na maganda yung pulis. And we want to avoid that," the lawyer said.

[Translation: I am not worried with the case, but the best case scenario is that no one will be arrested because of the exposure. There is no problem in the rally itself because we know the rules in mobilization regarding health protocols. The problem is if you get arrested, the police doesn't have enough health protocols and we want to avoid that.]

Meanwhile, some overseas Filipino workers (OFW) under the group Migrante are also preparing to stage protest actions in different cities in the world.
OFALLON, Mo.  U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley on Thursday urged Attorney General William Barr to launch a federal civil rights investigation of St. Louis elected prosecutor, accusing her of abuse of power in her investigation of a white couple who wielded guns while defending their home during a protest.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey are under Circuit Attorney Kim Gardners scrutiny for the June 28 confrontation when several hundred protesters marched by their $1.15 million mansion. The couple accused protesters of knocking down an iron gate marked with No Trespassing and Private Street signs.

The McCloskeys, both in their 60s, emerged with weapons  him with a long-barreled gun, her with a small handgun.

Their actions, captured on video and viewed by millions, drew praise from some who said they were legally defending their home, but scorn from others who said they risked bloodshed by displaying the weapons. Photos emerged as memes on both sides of the gun debate.

Gardners office still was investigating, but no charges have been filed. Hawley, a Missouri Republican, wrote in a letter to Barr that Gardner abused her power by seizing the couples guns, investigating them and pursuing a possible indictment. He called her actions an unacceptable abuse of power and threat to the Second Amendment.

There is no question under Missouri law that the McCloskeys had the right to own and use their firearms to protect themselves from threatened violence, and that any criminal prosecution for these actions is legally unsound, Hawley wrote. The only possible motivation for the investigation, then, is a politically motivated attempt to punish this family for exercising their Second Amendment rights.

Gardner, in a statement, said, I am deeply disappointed that a U.S. senator would intervene in a local matter that is under investigation.

Hawley isnt the only high-level Republican to express concerns about Gardners investigation. The case caught the attention of President Donald Trump, who spoke about it Tuesday in a phone conversation with Gov. Mike Parson.

When he was in the Legislature, Parson co-authored Missouris castle doctrine law that justifies deadly force for those who are defending their homes from intruders. He said the McCloskeys had every right to protect their property.

Several Black leaders in St. Louis have expressed support for Gardner. U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, a Democrat, said in a statement that he was appalled that Hawley would attempt to interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation  by asking our racist, incompetent president and his failed attorney general  to misuse the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division by intervening in this case.

He said Barr has long-since surrendered any allegiance to the rule of law.

The Rev. Darryl Gray, who has led several protests, said Gardners critics are creating a volatile situation.

Kim has received death threats from all across this country and in the climate that this president has created, Mike Parson and Josh Hawley are simply piling on, and their comments only serve to fan the fires of hatred and discord in this country, Gray said.

Gardner, St. Louis first Black circuit attorney, has been at odds with some in the St. Louis establishment since her election in 2016. Most notably, her office charged then-Gov. Eric Greitens with felony invasion of privacy in 2018 for allegedly taking a compromising photo of a woman during an extra-marital affair.

The charge eventually was dropped but Greitens resigned in June 2018.

Gardner hired a private investigator, former FBI agent William Tisaby, to investigate the claims against Greitens. Attorneys for Greitens accused Tisaby of lying during a deposition, and a judge indicted Tisaby for perjury in June 2019. Tisaby denied wrongdoing and his case is pending.

Gardner also has often butted heads with police leaders, especially after she developed an exclusion list of more than two dozen police officers who were barred from serving as primary witnesses in criminal cases over what Gardner called credibility concerns. The move angered Police Chief John Hayden, who also is Black.

In January, Gardner filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city, the local police union and others of a coordinated and racist conspiracy aimed at forcing her out of office. The lawsuit also accused entrenched interests of intentionally impeding her efforts to reform racist practices that have led to a loss of trust in the criminal justice system.

Gardner faces a challenge from Mary Pat Carl, a white former homicide prosecutor, in the Democratic primary on Aug. 4.

The McCloskeys are personal injury attorneys. Their home initially was incidental to the June 28 protest  it was simply on the route demonstrators were taking to the home of Mayor Lyda Krewson. The Democratic mayor drew the ire of activists for reading on Facebook Live the names and addresses of some who had called for defunding police.

St. Louis, like many cities across the country, has faced numerous demonstrations in the weeks since George Floyds death in Minneapolis, and some demonstrators have pushed for the reallocation of police funding, including a few who want the department to be completely abolished.

The McCloskeys attorney, Albert Watkins, said they are longtime civil rights advocates and support the message of the Black Lives Matter movement. He said they grabbed their guns when two or three protesters  who were white  violently threatened the couple, their property and that of their neighbors.

A letter released July 1 by more than three dozen of the McCloskeys neighbors condemned the behavior of anyone who uses threats of violence, especially through the brandishing of firearms, to disrupt peaceful protest, whether it be in this neighborhood or anywhere in the United States.
At the core of Robertss opinion is the concern that courts have no workable standard to judge how much divergence between statewide and district-level party votes is too much. Yet the court recognizes that the question is one of degree, a task of determining when political gerrymandering has gone too far. The House could equip itself to make such judgments. It could, for example, establish an independent advisory body to analyze state districting plans and report on any that embody intentional, excessive partisan exploitation. The independent commissions already established in several states could provide a model. Since this board would assess districts drawn by states, not draw districts itself, it need not be large  perhaps five members, selected from outside Congress, with two chosen by each of the parties in the House and a nonpartisan chairman. The chairman might be selected by those four members or designated in some other appropriate manner  chosen, say, by the librarian of Congress or the director of the Congressional Research Service. The CRS, known for scrupulous nonpartisanship, might also provide support staff.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

The Turkish Grand National Assembly has issued a statement condemning Armenias aggressive policy, Trend reports on July 17 referring to the official website of the Turkish parliament.

The Turkish Grand National Assembly firmly condemns the provocation of the Armenian armed forces, which began on July 12, 2020, the document reads.

"Armenia is on the wrong path, the statement said. While keeping the Azerbaijani lands, namely, Nagorno-Karabakh region and the surrounding districts, under occupation for many years, it poses a big obstacle to peace and stability in the South Caucasus.

We urge the international community to respond to such behavior of Armenia, which ignores justice and law, the statement said. We reiterate our support for the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the internationally recognized borders and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Armenia must comply with the UN Security Councils and OSCEs resolutions and withdraw its armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories," the statement said.

Starting from noon on July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, opened artillery fire at Azerbaijani positions.

Azerbaijan's armed response forced the Armenian army to retreat suffering losses.

Azerbaijani personnel, sergeant of military service Vugar Sadigov and corporal Elshad Mammadov, died while repelling the attack of the Armenian armed forces.

Despite the efforts of the Azerbaijani doctors, severely wounded serviceman of the Azerbaijani army Khayyam Dashdemirov also died.

The tension remained in Tovuz district on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border on July 12 night.

During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, bombshells, vehicles and servicemen on the territory of the Armenias military unit.

Azerbaijani serviceman, senior lieutenant Rashad Mahmudov was killed during the battles.

The battles continued on the night of July 13. Major General Polad Hashimov, Colonel Ilgar Mirzoyev, Major Namig Ahmadov, Major Anar Novruzov, Ensign Ilgar Zeynalli, Ensign Yashar Babayev and soldier Elchin Mustafazade became martyrs during the battles.

Another serviceman of the extended military service of the Azerbaijani army, Private Nazim Ismayilov died in the battle in the direction of Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border on July 16.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pufferfish, a new brand of premium tools for building sand castles made from upcycled fishing nets, launched its first products on Kickstarter today. Pufferfish was founded to take a fresh look at a favorite beach activity and give it new life with premium tools for more fun.

Pufferfish's awesome tools for building sand castles, including the Really Big Shovel, Better Bucket, Super Scoop, and SandBag.

"I'm a dad and building sand castles with the family can be a ton of fun," said Lee Ott, founder of Pufferfish. "But everything on the market is designed for toddlers and is mostly flimsy junk. We're making really awesome, thoughtfully designed, strong and durable tools that let dads and moms and everyone have an incredible time and enable them to build something amazing."

Now available on Kickstarter, the Pufferfish Kit includes a Really Big Shovel for moving a lot of sand, a Better Bucket for soaking the sand with water, and a Super Scoop for shaping the sand into something amazing. All of Pufferfish's new products are made of high-quality materials and are strong, lightweight, and designed to pack down for easy transport in their SandBag.

In addition to building premium products, Pufferfish has a focus on healthier oceans. One of the biggest contributors of plastic pollution in the oceans is lost or discarded fishing nets. These "ghost nets" can trap marine life for decades, ensnaring everything from small fish to whales. Pufferfish uses recycled plastic made from used fishing nets to create its Super Scoop, removing those nets from the oceans and giving them new life. Pufferfish's SandBag is also made of recycled plastic.

Pufferfish is also announcing that it is joining 1% for the Planet and is committing 1% of revenue towards ocean clean-up efforts. "Currently, only 3% of total philanthropy goes to the environment, and only 5% of that comes from businesses. The planet needs bigger support than this and our growing network of member businesses is doing its valuable part to increase giving and support on-the-ground outcomes. We're excited to welcome Pufferfish to our global movement of over 3,400 businesses," says Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet.

Pufferfish was founded by Lee Ott, who has led well-known consumer products at Skype, Palm, and Yahoo!, in addition to a number of internet startups, and has team members from Apple and Rubbermaid, as well as trained artists.

To purchase The Pufferfish Kit and support efforts to recycle ocean plastics, please visit the Kickstarter page https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pufferfish/pufferfish-awesome-sand-castle-tools or the website Pufferfish.fun.

About Pufferfish: PUFFERFISH is creating amazing tools for building sand castles, for more fun for everyone. Pufferfish makes its tools out of upcycled fishing nets and is a member of 1% for the Planet. To learn more, visit pufferfish.fun.

Press Kit: https://bit.ly/2DPMrRr

Contact:

Lee Ott

PUFFERFISH

650-814-7298

[email protected]

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to warn the Centre that if the current pace of coronavirus spread continues, then India could have 20 lakh cases by August 10. India crossed a rather concerning mark on Thursday as cases shot up to more than 10 lakh. India now has 1003832 cases, including 3,42,473 active cases, 6,35,756 discharged and 25,602 deaths.

"The figure of 10,00,000 has been crossed. If this pace continues, then India will have more than 20 lakh cases of COVID-19 by August 10. Government must undertake strong, decisive measures to curb the pandemic," said Rahul Gandhi in a tweet. He had quoted a tweet from July 14 where he predicted that India would cross 10 lakh cases this week.

The Congress leader also shared an article that quoted WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warning that if adequate measures are not taken then the pandemic could turn worse from bad and there would be no return to the pre-COVID life.

Ghebreyesus had said that too many countries are headed in the wrong direction. He also lashed out at politicians for undermining the most important ingredient of any response towards coronavirus -- trust.

Gandhi has been criticising the government's measures against the coronavirus pandemic. He had recently advocated for the cancellation of exams. "It is extremely unfair to conduct exams during the Covid19 pandemic. UGC must hear the voice of the students and academics. Exams should be cancelled and students promoted on basis of past performance," he had said.

The Congress leader is also discussing various issues faced by the country currently. "Rahul Gandhi will be discussing the various issues India is facing today and making the truth more accessible to the people. The first video will be released at 11AM today. Stay tuned," announced Congress.

Also read: Coronavirus update: India surges past 1 million mark; records 34,956 new cases, 687 deaths in one day

Also read: IISc predicts worst-case scenario; projects 6.2 crore cases in India by March 2021
The sight of trash piling up around Philadelphia is bad enough.

But with temperatures approaching 90 degrees day after day, the smell is even worse.

Several Philly-area news organizations this week reported that residents are losing patience with a problem that shows no signs of being solved, made worse by what has been a string of hot days.

6abc.com reported that flies were seen around piles of trash in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia, and its a scene being reported throughout the city.

It stinks. I cant even go on my street because it smells too bad, and Im afraid of disease, Theresa Franks told a reporter.

Whats causing the problem? Some of it has to do with more people being home, creating more trash. Some of it also has to do with the sanitation department being short-staffed, it says, because of COVID-19.

One of our entire districts is pretty much in quarantine, Omar Salaam, the business manager of Local 427, told the TV station. We have 26 people that are currently quarantined because of whats happening.

Last weeks bad storms also had an impact, according to CBS3.

Even hotter weather is forecast this weekend and into the middle part of next week, which is expected to exacerbate the problem.
Boris Johnson appeared to contradict government guidelines on social distancing when discussing childcare at Friday's briefing (PA Video/PA Images via Getty Images)

Boris Johnson has unveiled the next stage of his road map to ease the UK out of lockdown, but with everything covered from public transport to sporting events, for many parents one key piece of information was missing: childcare.

When Victoria from Tadcaster posed the question during Johnsons Downing Street press conference on Friday morning of whether grandparents would be allowed to look after children if parents have to return to work, the PM appeared to go against government advice and implied that the one metre distancing rules between two households would not apply in that situation.

Childcare was redefined to exclude relatives caring for children in new coronavirus laws following the Dominic Cummings scandal.

Mr Cummings said he and his wife made the journey when relatives offered to look after their four-year-old son after the couple developed coronavirus symptoms.

At the time, the Health Protection Regulations made it legal to leave home in order to access critical public services, including childcare and police found Mr Cummings had not broken the law with the initial journey.

The rules on who can look after children during lockdown changed after the Dominic Cummings scandal (REUTERS/Hannah McKay)

Childcare was not defined in the legislation at the time, but the meaning of the word was narrowed under changes that came into force in June.

That law states that childcare cannot include care provided by relatives. It says: Relative, in relation to a child, means a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother or sister, whether of the full blood or half blood or by marriage or civil partnership.

So what do parents do?

With families allowed to form bubbles with one single person, or meet indoors at a distance with people from one other household, informal arrangements of relatives looking after children have resumed for some.

However, government rules dictate that the two households must remain at a one metre distance, something Johnson today appeared to imply could be ignored when it comes to childcare by grandparents.

Parents who can no longer work from home face a dilemma when it comes to childcare (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

For those without support networks of relatives, or whose loved ones are shielding, there has been no offer of financial support if parents have to return to an office setting from 1 August.

Story continues

A spokesman from No 10 told Yahoo News UK that returning to work would be something that needs to be discussed between the parent and their employer.

He added that parents can form a support bubble with one single adult, or meet another household inside at a one metre distance.

When asked what parents without support networks should do he said: If youre talking about somebody with no support network at all that seems a very extreme case. Its something that needs to be arranged between employer and employees.

Mother-of-two Tolulope Majebi told Yahoo News UK: From all indications the government is preoccupied with restarting the economy - whatever the costs.

Many parents have concerns about returning young children to a childcare setting (Photo by Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

Children are now on holidays and childcare is needed to enable parents and carers to work, but options are limited and parents need to take extra care in where they choose to leave their children, especially if they are in the shielding category.

We also have to bear in mind that not all employers are able or willing to accommodate work hours to suit childcare needs for this difficult summer, thereby putting working parents in an even more difficult position.

Tolulope, who has two sons, aged seven and four, added: Its not enough to announce that the economy will simply go on as usual, a lot more thought needs to be put into making it practical for working parents to return to work safely.

The PMs announcement on Friday ruled that employers can ask staff to return to office and on-site environments, and no longer have to be encouraged to work from home. But for many parents this is not possible without childcare, and concerns around infection still surround sending children into formal childcare settings.

As a result, the childcare industry is facing a crisis unless it receives immediate urgent investment.

Liz Bayram, chief executive at the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years, told Yahoo News UK: The loosening of the bubbles rules means preschools and nurseries will be able to look after more children, but currently most are only working at 40% capacity anyway.

Liz Bayram, chief executive of PACEY, has called for more government support for childcare providers (David Yiu)

Whether parents are unsure of the safety of sending their child into a childcare setting, or they cannot afford it due to the financial impact of COVID, childcare settings are battling to survive.

Bayram said that while 90% of nurseries, childminders and preschools are operating, 69% predict they will be operating at a loss for the next six months due to social distancing measures and lack of uptake.

One in four expect to face closure this year.

The situation needs immediate action, Bayram told Yahoo News UK. The arts, zoos, airline companies, they have all received bailouts, she said. But there has been no such targeted financial support for childcare providers and the industry is facing a crisis.

While many childminders, for example, are trying to stay open they have only a third of their usual children attending with huge uncertainties about the future.

One in four childcare providers face closure as a result of the coronavirus pandemic (Oli Scarff / AFP)

Thousands have already missed out on the existing self-employment financial support scheme and with this statement have been excluded once more. What we need is immediate and sustained investment in early years and childcare and not just tinkering with regulatory requirements.

Without childminders, nurseries and pre-schools, working parents cannot get back to work and children, especially our most disadvantaged, dont get the best start in life.

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Ireland will continue forcing Britons to self-isolate for 14 days after arriving in the country even after its coronavirus travel restrictions are eased next week.

That is despite the fact that the UK stopped forcing Irish travellers to self-isolate two weeks ago.

The US is also expected to be left off a 'green list' of quarantine-free countries which is due to be published on Monday.

Travellers who arrive from Northern Ireland will still be allowed into the country without having to isolate.

Ireland will continue forcing British tourists to isolate for 14 days even after rules are relaxed next week, despite UK allowing Irish tourists in quarantine-free (pictured, Dublin airport)

Ireland has taken a cautious approach to easing lockdown, despite currently having one of the lowest infection rate in Europe - 4 cases per 100,000 people.

It is thought the list will focus on countries with a similar rate of infection, such as Germany and Italy, and exclude

'I think it's very unlikely that either the UK or the U.S. will be on that green list. It's not going to be a particularly long list,' Foreign Minister Simon Coveney on Friday.

The move spells dire news for the tourism industry, as travellers from Britain and the US make up the majority of overseas holidaymakers in Ireland.

In 2018, 3.5million Britons visited Ireland while 1.7million Americans also travelled there - a total of 5.2million. The rest of the world made up 4.1million.

The same year, Ireland made an estimated 6.75billion from overseas tourists, or roughly 2 per cent of its economy.

New Zealand is in a similar situation, after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern banned all foreign visitors from coming to the country after effectively wiping out coronavirus.

The US is also expected to be left off the list in a fresh blow for the tourism industry. UK and US arrivals make up the majority of travellers to Ireland in a typical year (file)

The country makes around 8.2billion each year from foreign tourism.

The government is considering giving people more annual holiday to try and plug the gap with domestic tourists, but tour operators warn it will not be enough.

Ireland has already paused plans to reopen pubs, which were due to reopen on July 20, for at least three more weeks until August 10.

Pubs which serve food have been allowed to reopen, provided diners order food, but the new measures would have seen the food requirement dropped.

It comes after the country's R number was deemed to have risen above 1.

Professor Philip Nolan, who models the virus' progress for the Government, said: 'In the next couple of weeks we are in quite a precarious situation in terms of where this disease will travel.'

Prof Nolan said the virus' reproductive rate was somewhere between 1.2 and 1.8.

By August 10 the number of new infections could be 20 or 30 a day if the rate is the lower value, he said.

If it is 1.8 the daily tally could be 150-170 a day, Prof Nolan added.

Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said the impact of actions like keeping pubs closed would be felt in future weeks.

Ireland is taking an extremely cautious approach to reopening, with pubs ordered to remain shut until at least August 10 - after previously being told they could reopen on July 20 (file)

'The cases which we will report next week have already been seeded, however we have the power to limit the spread and impact of this disease beyond that.

'The way we do so is through following public health advice, avoiding high risk situations and encouraging our friends and family to do the same.'

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the situation could have been much more serious had his Government not acted quickly.

He acknowledged it was difficult for publicans but said ministers were acting on public health advice.

Their representative body said the delay was a 'hammer blow'.

Larger weddings have also had to be put on hold following the Government's decision this week.
P rotests have been held Detroit over a judge's decision to send a 15-year-old girl to juvenile detention for violating her probation by failing to complete her schoolwork during the coronavirus lockdown.

Hundreds of students turned out in protest outside Groves High School on Thursday to call for the release of their classmate, who was on probation for fighting with her mother and stealing.

The 15-year-old African-American student, called Grace in the original ProPublica story on the case, reportedly has attention deficit disorder.

ProPublica reported that the teen had been easily distracted while studying at home amid the Covid-19 lockdown and fell behind while remote learning.

Protesters angered by the teen's treatment assembled in their hundreds outside of her high school in the Detroit suburb of Beverley Hills / Reuters

A Michigan circuit court judge sent Grace to juvenile detention in May - citing the missed schoolwork as a probation violation and calling the teen a "threat to the community" because of previous charges against her - but the state's Supreme Court this week said it would review her case.

Michigan's Supreme Court announcement on Thursday that it would review Grace's case came after lawyers for the teenager filed a motion seeking an emergency review.

"The State Court Administrative Office is working with the Oakland Circuit Court to examine the processes in this case," John Nevin, the court's communications' director, said in a statement.

Meanwhile, protesters angered by the teen's treatment gathered in their hundreds outside of her high school in the Detroit suburb of Beverley Hills.

Those gathered later drove to the Oakland Countys Circuit Court and prosecutors office holding up "Black Lives Matter" signs and others featuring calls to Free Grace".

"A lot of people were behind on their work this semester, no one had motivation to do anything because the teachers weren't teaching and we were all online. I know so many people that didn't do their homework," 18-year-old student Prudence Canter told Reuters news agency.

Several thousand people have now signed online petitions calling for Grace's release / Reuters

Geoff Wickersham, a social studies teacher at Grove, meanwhile branded the situation a "huge injustice".

It didnt seem like the judge or the caseworker knew how grades and due dates and things were structured during the pandemic shutdown in the spring, Mr Wickersham told Reuters.

Several thousand people have now signed online petitions calling for Grace's release.
A 75-year-old Dalit sarpanch of Chiri village here was shot dead by two masked assailants on Thursday night, police said.

The incident took place around 8.30pm on Thursday when the village head, Balkrishan, was eating dinner with his wife at their house.

The victims son, Kuldeep Singh, said two unidentified assailants barged into their house and fired shots at his father at close range.

When my mother raised an alarm, I and my cousin came out from another room and chased the assailants for 500 metres, but they managed to flee on their bike. Then we took my father to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), where doctors declared him brought dead, the complainant added.

DSP Shamsher Singh Dahiya said they had registered a case under sections 302 (murder), 34 and 452 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 25 of the Arms Act against the unidentified assailants, who are at large.

We have launched a manhunt to nab the accused. The motive behind the murder could not be known, the DSP added.

HOODA SEEKS IMMEDIATE ARRESTS

Reacting to the sarpanchs killing, former Haryana chief minister and leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said law and order have completely collapsed in the state. He has demanded immediate arrest of the assailants.

The situation has worsened in Rohtak, Sonepat , Jhajjar, Bhiwani and Jind, where criminals are targeting public representatives and common citizens. I have spoken to Haryana DGP Manoj Yadava and Rohtak SP Rahul Sharma demanding immediate arrest of the sarpanchs assailants, Hooda said, adding that the government should compensate the victims family.
Tata Steel Ltd is quoting at Rs 354.8, up 3.85% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 23.96% in last one year as compared to a 6.76% slide in NIFTY and a 23.69% slide in the Nifty Metal index.

Tata Steel Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 354.8, up 3.85% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.68% on the day, quoting at 10812.8. The Sensex is at 36671.01, up 0.55%. Tata Steel Ltd has gained around 11.54% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Metal index of which Tata Steel Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 6.09% in last one month and is currently quoting at 2070.65, up 2.4% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 167.78 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 141.74 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark July futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 355.1, up 3.63% on the day. Tata Steel Ltd is down 23.96% in last one year as compared to a 6.76% slide in NIFTY and a 23.69% slide in the Nifty Metal index.

The PE of the stock is 4.82 based on TTM earnings ending March 20.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The sustained climb in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila is "very alarming" and may need a reversal to strict lockdowns for two weeks to slow down infections, health expert and former task force adviser Dr. Tony Leachon said.

Leachon said he would have preferred that the region return to enhanced community quarantine for two weeks to arrest the surging number of infections and build up healthcare capacity for future patients.

He made the recommendation to President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday ahead of the decision on quarantine rules for July 16 to 31  a surprise invitation from Malacanang just weeks after he was told to resign as a health adviser. He was let go for openly criticizing the policies of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

RELATED: Duterte also took offense at Leachon's public rants  Roque

"During my turn, I told the President that if I would decide this based on my clinical acumen as a physician  and not thinking of the economy and the social amelioration funds  I would perhaps suggest an ECQ (in Metro Manila) patterned after the first ECQ in March 15 onwards and in Cebu," Leachon told CNN Philippines' The Source on Friday.

"Clearly, theres a rapid acceleration right now of the cases," he added.

Experts from the University of the Philippines suggested a scaling up to modified ECQ. Duterte eventually opted to keep the National Capital Region under GCQ, following the call of Metro Manila mayors coursed through Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano and national task force chief implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr.

Leachon said the declaration of several hospitals that their coronavirus wards are at full capacity, as well as the death of two more healthcare workers merit the imposition of the strictest quarantine.

The doctor added it may be best to hammer down a two-week ECQ just to allow testing and isolation capacities to catch up, rather than stay under the current GCQ set-up.

He also pointed out the need to review case data weekly or even day-to-day and not just twice a month, saying it was alarming that the Philippines is now first in Asia in terms of the number of active cases. He said the country is averaging 1,500 new cases in the past week or so, which puts the country well on track to meet the estimate of UP researchers of as much as 130,000 infections by end-August  double the current tally of more than 61,000.

Leachon said these spikes show that the current strategies are not working, with more resources needed to prevent more Filipinos from getting the disease.

"These are telltale signs that we are not doing well in terms of arresting the virus transmission. I would say we have not really flattened the curve here," he added, noting that the Philippines is instead seeing a "stepladder" with a climb in the tally of new cases.

Leachon said he has spoken to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who has since corrected his Wednesday remark that the country has "successfully flattened the curve since April." Duque's statement sparked confusion on social media.

The case trend is plateauing but is far from being flattened, Leachon noted.

He added that cases started to decelerate in April just as the country marked its first month under ECQ, but eventually picked up due to the failure to follow social distancing and wearing of masks in public coupled with the spike in cases in Cebu City.
Costco Wholesale Corp. is closer to an open date for its Midland location, and it will begin the hiring process in the next few weeks.

Online, the retail giant listed October 2020 as the open date for the new membership-based store, however, Regional Marketing Manager for Costco Kayla Campillo said its subject to change and there is no firm open date yet. Residents can expect a late-fall open date, she said.

However, those interested in applying for a position at the new store can do so online only by visiting Costco.com and scrolling to the bottom and clicking the jobs link or visit Costco.com/jobs.html

Campillo said they will provide about 100-150 jobs to the Midland community.

In addition, she said the company is preparing for a surge of new customers while adhering to pandemic safety practices. So to promote social distancing and manage the flow of new customers, the company will be signing people up for memberships prior to opening.

And then when we open the doors, they can walk right in as opposed to having to wait and sign up, Campillo said.

Customers are welcome to apply online at any time, although Campillo said there are typically incentives offered for signing up in person.

The Midland Costco is located at 4816 Bay City Road and will include an eight-pump fuel station as well.

Other Midland business updates

Due to the pandemic, many businesses have been opening and closing in Midland. However, some might be gone for good.

Victoria Secret and PINK, which were located in the Midland Mall, appear to have closed permanently as the signs have been removed from the storefronts and the shells are boarded up.

In late May, L Brands, the parent company of both Bath & Body Works and Victorias Secret announced it would be closing 250 Victorias Secret and PINK stores in malls and shopping centers across the country and Canada. CNBC reports this is about a quarter of the stores.

In addition, the company plans to close 50 Bath and Body Works stores in the country as well.

Bath & Body Works in the Midland Mall had been closed but a sign on the window states it would reopen Friday, July 17. The beauty and bath supply store was open and serving customers Friday afternoon.

Kay Jewelers has permanently closed inside the mall as well, confirmed by the Midland Mall Facebook page.

Kay's and Ruby Tuesday's have closed due to the Pandemic, the page stated in a comment. We are working on similar businesses that will occupy those locations. Stay tuned.

Right next to the mall, Pier 1 Imports is going out of business after the company announced in late May it will be closing all its stores nationwide. The Midland store will be open until early fall, hosting liquidation sales.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based company cited a combination of uncertainties due to the coronavirus pandemic and a challenging retail environment as the reason for shuttering business operations. This came after the company had already filed for bankruptcy and was planning to close just half its stores earlier in the year.

In addition, Logans Roadhouse has reopened after being temporarily closed due to the pandemic. Kitchen Manager Emily Lederer said they have new owners, SPB Hospitality, though the company could not be reached for comment.

Lederer said they were able to retain almost all of the employees.

Everybody is really excited about (reopening)  I think were all excited to get out of the house and be back in here, Lederer said. The team members here are really great and we all work really well together and were like a big family.

CraftWorks Holdings, LLC, the parent company of Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom and Logans Roadhouse, filed for bankruptcy in March. It temporarily closed all corporate-owned stores in the country and laid off nearly 18,000 employees without health benefits just weeks later, as reported by multiple other news outlets. There are about 260 restaurants that carry those brand names in the U.S. and Craftworks has stated that some may not reopen.

Located at 7135 Eastman Ave, the local restaurant is now open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday with a limited menu. They offer dine-in at half capacity, takeout orders, and delivery through Door Dash.
C ity bankers are readying for a wave of corporate takeovers as companies take advantage of the Covid carnage to make opportunistic swoops on rivals.

Since the onset of the crisis in March, Londons army of bankers and brokers have been largely focused on helping companies shore up their balance sheets through emergency fundraisers. Some 15.69 billion has been raised on Londons markets since March, peaking at 6.3 billion in May.

However, City sources said listed companies attentions are now turning to raising funds for acquisitions.

Carlton Nelson, co-head of Investecs corporate broking business, said: We are expecting an increase in M&A in the later part of the year. We are also expecting more fundraisings done on the front foot  companies raising money to aid growth or to fund bolt on deals.

What you may see is private or family-owned businesses now put in a difficult position by Covid, that means they are forced into an earlier than previously anticipated exit.

Blue-chip companies including IWG, Ocado and Segro have all tapped the markets for cash to fund growth while appetite for corporate fundraisers has been strong with a temporary lifting of pre-emption limits to 20% of a companys share capital in place.

Numis co-chief executive Ross Mitchinson said: We will see more M&A activity generally. It stands to reason that buyers put their plans on hold to see how Covid pans out, and some of those plans will be revived as business confidence starts to return.

Logically, you will likely also see some defensive mergers where companies get together to take cost out and gain efficiencies in industries which have been hit particularly hard.

Bosses are also expecting the return to private equity deal-making. Nelson added: People are gearing up for a busy end of summer and autumn. That market hasnt been as active as the public market during the lockdown but its clear theres a groundswell of deals waiting to happen.

Office of National Statistics figures showed the value of domestic M&A rose 600 million to 3.2 billion in the first quarter of 2020 on the previous quarter, pre-Covid, while the value of deals involving foreign companies buying UK firms markedly fell to its lowest level since late 2017.

There is also hope for Londons paralysed IPO markets  just three companies have floated since March: Mining Minerals & Metals, China Pacific Insurance and Elixirr International.

Nelson expects floats to return at the end of this year or start of 2021. A lot of people have seen how well the public markets have worked with the capital raisings and will now think an IPO is right for their business, he said.

But Ivan Sedgwick, investment director at mid-cap corporate advisor LGB & Co, sounded a note of caution: For the rest of the year, the queue of companies shoring up their balance sheets may eventually soak up demand; weve been told about the huge dry powder available to private equity funds, but this is not money in the bank, and theres no certainty as to when theyll commit it.

Mitchinson expects the fundraising rush to continue, despite a quieter July. Theres no doubt we still have a way to go with the equity raises, he said. I think what well see now is more complicated raises that require a balance sheet restructuring or a rights issue with a prospectus if companies want to raise more than 20% their share capital. So far we have mostly seen accelerated bookbuilds. This week, Sir Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital raised a better-than-expected 116 million to fund M&A.

Mitchinson pointed out that, excluding banks, UK companies raised 60 billion amid the financial crisis so, using that as a benchmark, it is likely there will be plenty more raises.


The Delhi government has extended the ban on manufacture, storage, sale and distribution of gutkha and pan masala for one more year. Food Safety Commissioner D N Singh issued a notification on the ban of these products on Wednesday.

"Commissioner (Food Safety), National Capital Territory of Delhi, prohibits in the interest of public health for a period of one year in NCT the manufacture, storage, distribution, or sale of tobacco which is either flavoured, scented or mixed with any of the said additives, and whether going by the name or form of gutkha, pan masala, flavoured/scented tobacco, kharra..." the notification read.

The city government's Food Safety Department has been issuing notification on the ban of gutkha and pan masala for the last four years. However, there is no ban on cigarettes in the city.

Also read: Is India on way towards another period of high currency in circulation?
In April, author and political commentator Michael Walsh predicted that Joe Biden would choose Michelle Obama as his running mate within a month or so: "[It] would be an unstoppable ticket, and potentially give the Obamas eight more years in the White House." Walsh quotes Dick Harpootlian, South Carolina's former Democratic Party Chair: "If she engages, God help Donald Trump, because she's tough as nails and enormously popular."

Mrs. Obama, Walsh wrote, "is the perfect vice presidential candidate, one who will ... push progressive causes, and check all the social justice boxes" while sparking a massive African-American vote, a feat beyond Biden's wildest dreams. But it's mid-July, and Biden is still dithering. Or is he? In any case, the scenario Walsh lays out remains plausible:

* The party would enthusiastically unite around Mrs. Obama.

* MSM coverage would be universally adoring.

* Former president Barack Obama instantly becomes a valuable asset.

* With the Obamas breaking trail, Michelle and Biden handily defeat Trump and Pence on November 3.

* On January 20, Joe Biden is inaugurated.

* On January 21, the Bidens announce the that 78-year old president is resigning, as "he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."

* Michelle becomes president.

* On January 22, President Obama names her choice for V.P.

In a July 4 blog post here at AT, Douglas Herz posted a partially concurring opinion. He suggests the search for a minority candidate is a sham designed to give Michelle time to make up her mind about running.

Perhaps. Or maybe the talk that Mrs. Obama is not interested in being V.P. or campaigning is a smokescreen to conceal the fact she has been on board with the notion for some time. If this is the case, why haven't Biden and his handlers made the big announcement yet? Like Herz, I suspect that Biden's search for a woman of color to share the ticket has been a charade from the get-go. Like Walsh and Herz, I think it was always going to be Michelle. None of the other possibilities matches her iconic status. Suppose the vetting of Harris, Demings, et al. is a dodge, meant to appear that Michelle wasn't interested, and the rest of the wannabes are seriously being considered and so far found wanting. There would be no blowback if the others believed they really had a chance.

The extended dog and pony show allows Biden to hold back his announcement that Michelle is the one until the timing is right for the greatest effect. I've seen little speculation recently in the liberal media about Michelle joining Biden. For me, that's a tell. When/if she's finally unveiled, it will be a political supernova, with the news dominating the media until election day, and Oprah waxing rhapsodic, and Ellen DeGeneres shedding tears of joy, and all Hollywood erupting in approbation.

At a time when "white guilt" is the sin that must now speak its name, Michelle Obama is uniquely situated to assuage that guilt and endear herself to a vast swath of the white electorate who want to believe they are not fully responsible for the "systemic racism" they've been told is embedded in their personalities and in American culture.

Michelle smoothed her rough edges in the White House, and she has maintained a low profile since leaving. Independents uncomfortable with Slow Joe at the top of the ticket might be reassured by her steady presence and the implicit, pivotal role her experienced husband would play in the new administration. The likely spin: she'd rather remain a private citizen but accepts Biden's offer as a way to give back to her country. How noble.

Some other consequences/advantages of a Michelle V.P. candidacy:

* Attention will swing away from Dementia Joe and focus on her. Biden can stay in his basement until Election Day.

* The black vote is hers, period, as well as a healthy chunk of independents and Latinos.

* Anticipating a win, rich backers will now go all in with Michelle on the ticket.

* Everyone knows that Michelle doesn't like campaigning, so she will get little criticism for doing so little in the brief period between the big unveil in August and November 3.

* Debate Pence? Won't happen. See, he's a professional politician, and she isn't. The left will accept this excuse, as will many independents. Biden will stand in solidarity with her by refusing to debate the charlatan Trump.

This is all assuming that Biden makes it to November 3 and the Dems don't pull a Torricelli and replace Biden before the election because the polls are not telling them what they want to hear.

Could be Walsh, Herz, and I are dead wrong. But what if we're not? Are Trump's people preparing for this possibility?

Steve Grammatico is the author of You Hear Me, Barack? PC-Free Conservative Satire. He blogs at youhearmebarack.blogspot.com, where he's just reprised from the book the satire "Obama War Room: Michelle Ma Bellicose."
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Linkedin Riska Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 07:54 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666f15f2 1 Business state-capital-injection,PMN,State-owned-Enterprises-Ministry,state-owned-enterprises,SOEs,economic-recovery,Garuda-Indonesia,PLN,pertamina,Krakatau-Steel Free

The House of Representatives has approved a plan to channel Rp 151.1 trillion (US$10.32 billion) into state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as part of the governments national economic recovery (PEN) program.

The funds, which are lower than the governments initial projection of Rp 152 trillion, will be disbursed to 16 state-owned firms using three schemes, namely state capital injections (PMN), government debt payments and government loans, said Aria Bima, the deputy chairman of House Commission VI overseeing SOEs, trade and industry, on Wednesday.

The commission agreed to channel Rp 23.65 trillion via PMNs, Rp 11.5 trillion through government loans and Rp 115.95 trillion in government debt payments to SOEs as part of the economic recovery program and [these numbers] will be reported to the House budget committee, he said during a hearing with the SOEs Ministry in Jakarta.

The allocation for the SOEs is part of the governments Rp 695.2 trillion COVID-19 budget to help strengthen the healthcare system, provide social assistance and support the economic recovery.

Aria said the PMNs would be disbursed to seven state-owned companies, as they had agreed to add three companies to the list, namely agricultural holding firm PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) III, housing firm Perum Perumahan Nasional (Perumnas) and train operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI).

In the governments initial proposal, the three companies were to receive government loans to help support their working capital and cash flow. However, the House agreed to give them PMNs instead, as the companies were fully owned by the government.

PTPN III will receive Rp 4 trillion via a PMN to help fund its investments and working capital to increase production, while KAI will receive Rp 3.5 trillion to help fund its operational costs, as it is currently working on the Greater Jakarta LRT project. Meanwhile, Perumnas will receive Rp 650 billion via a capital injection to help shore up its liquidity amid the slumping housing market.

As much as Rp 7.5 trillion will be disbursed to construction firm PT Hutama Karya via a PMN to finance the trans-Sumatra toll road project, while Rp 500 billion will go to the Indonesian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) to develop infrastructure for the Mandalika special economic zone (KEK) in West Nusa Tenggara.

The government will also provide a PMN of Rp 1.5 trillion to financing firm PT Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) to support the women-based finance lending development program Mekaar and give Rp 6 trillion to insurance holding firm PT Bahana Pembangunan Usaha Indonesia (BPUI) to increase its capacity to provide loan guarantees for micro, small and medium (MSMEs) and the government micro lending program (KUR).

Although the Commission VI members initially suggested giving flag-carrier PT Garuda Indonesia and steelmaker PT Krakatau Steel capital injections as well, SOEs Minister Erick Thohir insisted on providing government loans to the two companies.

We have to find the appropriate scheme to convert the PMN schemes for the two companies because they are both publicly listed companies that have public and minority shareholders, Erick explained during the meeting.

The funds for both companies will be channeled using a mandatory convertible bonds (MCB) scheme. Under the scheme, the bonds holder will convert their debt papers into the companys common stocks before or on a contractual conversion date.

Infrastructure financing firm PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (SMI) will act as a buyer for Garudas MCB, while either SMI, state-owned banks or Indonesia Eximbank will be Krakatau Steels MCB.

Garuda has requested a Rp 8.5 trillion loan while Krakatau Steel has applied for a Rp 3 trillion loan.

The airline plans to use the loan as working capital after experiencing a 95 percent plunge in its passenger numbers amid the pandemic, while Krakatau Steel will use the loan to support its upstream industries and end-users.

The lawmakers also agreed for the government to pay its Rp 115.95 trillion in debts to nine SOEs. These debts consist of unpaid land acquisition costs to construction firms Hutama Karya, Wijaya Karya, Waskita Karya and toll operator PT Jasa Marga, and public service obligation payment shortages for KAI, fertilizer holding firm PT Pupuk Indonesia and logistic firms Perum Bulog.

We also agreed for the government to pay Rp 45 trillion to [energy holding firm] PT Pertamina for unpaid compensation and Rp 48.46 trillion to PLN for unpaid electricity subsidies and compensation, Aria said.

The lawmakers excluded the payment of Rp 1 trillion in government debt to pharmaceutical firm PT Kimia Farma from the PEN program as they suggested both parties should settle it by themselves. The debt is for unpaid drug costs under the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) and for COVID-19 patient treatment.
As demand for gold as a safe haven surged during the coronavirus pandemic, concerns about sourcing the precious metal responsibly have again been thrust into the spotlight.

A report from Global Witness alleging one of the worlds biggest gold refiners has worked with a supplier that was at risk of having bought conflict metal originating in Sudan is the latest in a series of calls from advocacy groups urging the London Bullion Market Association to scrutinize suppliers more closely.

Gold, which is trading near an eight-year high, is one of four conflict minerals that U.S.-listed companies from Tiffany & Co. to Apple Inc. must trace and report on to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Suppliers are coming under pressure to show theyve got processes and policies in place to make sure the metal hasnt financed conflict or been linked to corruption or human rights abuses.

In its report on Thursday, Global Witness alleges that Swiss refiner Valcambi SA bought large amounts of gold from Dubai-based Kaloti Precious Metals Group, which in turn was at risk of having purchased Sudanese conflict gold. It said there are gaps in the LBMAs responsible sourcing standards that dont generally require refiners to disclose their suppliers.

The LBMA and Valcambi declined to immediately comment on the Global Witness report. Kaloti said the allegations in the Global Witness report are not true.

Kaloti is independently audited each year against the relevant standards and at no time has any conflict material, from any jurisdiction, including Sudan, been identified in any of its supply chains, it said. Furthermore, Kaloti has never sent any gold material sourced from Sudan to any Swiss refinery whatsoever.

Valcambi has also denied Global Witnesss findings and said it conducts enhanced due diligence, the advocacy group said.

Valcambi last month said it pledged to adopt a new system to increase transparency in its process for sourcing precious metals. Based on blockchain technology, the system will require the refiners potential gold suppliers to upload all due diligence information, including data and documents into a database, which will then be accessible to all appropriate auditing parties.

Its not the only refiner coming under recent scrutiny.

Last week, activist group RAID asked the LBMA to suspend India-based refiner MMTC-PAMP, part of another Swiss major, MKS PAMP Group, over gold from a mine in Tanzania where there have been allegations of human rights abuses. The refiner denied all the complaints and allegations by RAID.

The LBMA also said last month its reviewing reported sourcing concerns at the Perth Mint over gold originating from Papua New Guinea.

The association introduced its responsible gold guidance in 2012, and requires accredited refiners to undergo annual audits. Sourcing is also a concern for industrial metals like copper and cobalt. The London Metal Exchange introduced responsible-sourcing standards covering all metals traded on the bourse in October 2019, forcing producers to probe their supply chains and demonstrate compliance with due-diligence guidelines drawn up by the OECD.
Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan today held a working meeting with Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan. As reported the Public Relations and Communication Department of the National Assembly of Armenia, Tatoyan presented the results of the efforts to find facts regarding the shelling of the Berd, Chinari, Aygepar, Nerkin Karmiraghbyur and several other civilian settlements of Tavush Province by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

Tatoyan particularly stated that the fact-finding efforts helped identify reliable data according to which the Azerbaijani Armed Forces had shelled the peaceful settlements of Armenia in a way that was clearly dangerous for the life and health of the civilian population. The fact-finding efforts also attest to gross violations of the norms of international humanitarian law (the Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelled the textile factory at a working hour, a textile factory that products face masks designed for the prevention of the spread of the novel coronavirus, the shelling in Chinari was in the direction of a village school).

Tatoyan also stated that the reliable data obtained from the primary source and the results of necessary studies will be sent to international organizations and the relevant state and public human rights organizations in Armenia.

Mirzoyan attached importance to these data and underlined the urgency of protection of the civilian population. He stated that he has been following the events since the very first day of the shelling in the direction of Tavush Province and that parliamentarians have been analyzing the data and ensuring contact with local and international partners.

Once again, the parliamentary speaker condemned the Azerbaijani Armed Forces targeting of the civilian population and civilian infrastructures and the statement of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan to launch a missile strike at the Metsamor Armenian Nuclear Power Plant.
The Electoral Commission (EC) says the alleged issuance of a voters ID card with an Asian man's image is photoshopped.

According to the EC, the image of the said ID card that has gone viral on social media is fake and an alteration of an original card duly issued to a Ghanaian male.

The Commission in a statement said the ID card in question, has been photoshopped to superimpose the image of the Asian male onto the face of the card.

It said it is working with the police to investigate how the card rightfully belonging to one Nana Kweku Okai Brako was photoshopped and circulated on social media.

Read the full statement below:

The attention of the Electoral Commission has been drawn to a Voters ID card making the rounds on social media.

The card that bears the photograph of an Asian male has the ID No:2809012504.

It has been photoshopped to superimpose the image of the Asian male onto the face of card.

The Commission did not issue the card to the Asian male. The card was originally issued to Nana Kweku Okai Brako.

All of the photographs on the EC Voters ID cards have a blue background. In the photoshopped ID card, the background of the photograph with the Asian male is cream. We call on the public to disregard it.

We are working with the Police to investigate how the card belonging to Nana Kweku Okai Brako was photoshopped and circulated.

----citinewsroom
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Boris Johnson's timetable for getting life in the UK back to normal Today: Rules on using public transport will be relaxed so that 'anybody may use' buses, tubes and trains. Public transport no longer needs to be treated as a last resort. Tomorrow: New 'lightning lockdown' powers for councils will be introduced to allow them to shut public spaces and premises without consulting the Government to stop outbreaks. Next week: New local lockdown draft powers for ministers will be published to allow them to issue stay at home orders and impose travel restrictions. August: New rules on working from home to be introduced to encourage more workers to return to their offices. Remaining leisure facilities like bowling alleys, casinos and skating rinks will reopen from August 1. Socially distanced indoor performances in theatres can start. Wedding receptions of up to 30 people permitted. October: Stadiums could reopen to audiences for sport and music events, depending on the success of a pilot programme. November: All 'outstanding restrictions' will be reviewed and eased in November at the earliest and 'possibly in time for Christmas'. Advertisement

Boris Johnson's hopes of getting life back to normal by Christmas have been attacked as over optimistic as unions accused the Prime Minister of 'passing the buck' to businesses over when workers should return to offices.

Mr Johnson today announced a timetable for the further easing of lockdown in England as he said restrictions on using public transport were being lifted from today while workers will be encouraged to resume their normal commutes in August.

He said football stadiums could reopen to crowds in October, leisure facilities like ice rinks and bowling alleys can welcome back customers from next month and that he is aiming to 'allow a more significant return to normality from November at the earliest'.

However, the announcements prompted an immediate wave of criticism as Mr Johnson's political opponents ridiculed the suggestion that life could be back to normal by the end of the year while unions accused the PM of failing to take responsibility for getting the nation back to work.

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said you would 'have to take a pretty sunny view of circumstances' to think the PM's December prediction is achievable while Labour's Lord Adonis said it was a 'mistake' and it is not 'at all likely that we are going to be back to normal by Christmas'.

John Phillips, acting general secretary of the GMB union, said Mr Johnson had 'once again shown a failure of leadership' by handing responsibility for the return of workers to businesses rather than taking charge of the issue himself.

'Passing the responsibility of keeping the people safe to employers and local authorities is confusing and dangerous,' he said.

'With fears of a second spike looming, bewildering advice, and a desperately underfunded health service  the Prime Minister's talk of returning to normality by Christmas just seems phoney.'

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady echoed a similar sentiment as she said: 'Returns to workplaces must happen in a phased and safe way. The Government is passing the buck on this big decision to employers.'

And the UK's chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance today warned that Britain could need another national lockdown this winter just hours after Mr Johnson announced his plans to try and get the country back to normal by the end of the year.

In signs of a growing rift between the PM and his top advisers, both Sir Patrick and chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said the coronavirus challenges in the UK will be 'very much greater' in the winter because the season 'benefits' the virus.

The PM's plans also came under fire from scientists and medics who fear it is too soon for Number 10 to ease more restrictions because the virus is still 'rife' and people becoming complacent could risk a second wave.

Sir Patrick and Prof Whitty were both notably absent from today's Downing Street press conference, despite the fact they have flanked the PM at briefings throughout the pandemic, in a move which will ignite speculation of a worsening split between Mr Johnson and his experts.

Mr Johnson stopped short of ordering workers to return after Sir Patrick had warned yesterday there was 'absolutely no reason' to change the existing policy of people working from home where they are able to.

The PM also announced today that audiences will be able to return to indoor theatre, music and performance events from August 1 if venues put in place social distancing measures.

He said ministers will review all of the remaining 'outstanding restrictions' - including social distancing - in the coming months in order to allow a 'more significant return to normality from November at the earliest' and 'possibly in time for Christmas'.

But he insisted all of the proposed changes would only go ahead if the spread of coronavirus continues to fall and that 'we will not hesitate at any stage to put on the brakes' if there is an increase in infection.

He stressed the UK must be prepared for a potential second wave in the winter as he announced 3 billion of extra funding for the NHS, unveiled new 'lightning lockdown' powers to enable ministers and councils to pounce on local outbreaks and pledged to increase daily coronavirus testing capacity to 500,000 by the end of October.

Mr Johnson's timetable for the further easing of coronavirus restrictions came as:

Health Secretary Matt Hancock ordered Public Health England to review the way it counts deaths because of a 'statistical flaw' that means officials have 'over-exaggerating' the daily toll.

It emerged PHE has been counting people as victims of coronavirus even if they die of another cause at another time having previously tested positive for Covid-19.

A new study suggested Britain may already have developed herd immunity against coronavirus because many people have suffered from milder strains of similar types of infection in the past.

Security Minister James Brokenshire said the UK is at least 95 per cent certain the Kremlin gave the green light for Russian cyber attacks designed to steak coronavirus vaccine research.

But he insisted there was 'no evidence' that the raids had been successful as he said they are 'completely unacceptable'.

Official data showed the rate of spread of coronavirus across the UK is at minus five per cent to minus one per cent while the R rate of reproduction remains between 0.7 and 0.9.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson today set out the next stage in his plan to return life to normal in the UK as he delivered a press conference in 10 Downing Street

Sir Patrick Vallance yesterday told MPs he believed there was 'absolutely no reason' to chnge existing work from home guidance

Green light for fans to return to stadiums: Boris Johnson announces sports grounds could let spectators back in from October Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced crowds could return to sports stadiums in the United Kingdom from October subject to successful pilot events starting later this month. Sports events have taken place without crowds since they restarted in recent weeks because of the risk of spreading coronavirus. But laying out the next steps in lifting lockdown on Friday morning, Mr Johnson said: 'From 1 August, we will restart indoor performance to a live audience, subject to the success of pilots, and we will also pilot larger gatherings in venues like sports stadia, with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn. 'From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadia. Again, these changes must be done in a Covid-secure way, subject to the successful outcome of pilots.' It raises the possibility that only the first month of the 2020-21 football season will be played out behind closed doors, with supporters allowed back in the autumn. The pilot events - which would see a limited number of spectators admitted to stadiums with social distancing rules observed - could begin this month. It has been reported that pilot events will include the County Championship cricket match between Surrey and Middlesex at The Oval on July 26, the Glorious Goodwood race meet between July 28 and August 1, and the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible from July 31. Advertisement

Mr Johnson said any further changes to lockdown restrictions will rely 'on our continued success in controlling the virus'.

The Prime Minister spoke last week about his desire for more workers to return to their places of work amid growing fears that a lack of commuters will see urban centres struggle to recover.

But his announcement today was more nuanced than had been anticipated as he said businesses would be given 'discretion' to decide, following consultation with staff, when workers should return rather than being ordered by the Government.

He told today's press conference: 'We will not proceed if doing so risks a second peak that would overwhelm the NHS.

'Nonetheless it is important to give people hope and to give business confidence, so in England from today we are making clear that anybody may use public transport while of course encouraging people to consider alternative means of transport where they are available.

'From July 25 we have already committed to reopening indoor gyms, pools and other sports facilities.

'From August 1 we will update our advice on going to work. Instead of government telling people to work from home, we are going to give employers more discretion and ask them to make decisions about how their staff can work safely.

'That could mean, of course, continuing to work from home which is one way of working safely, and which has worked for many employers and employees.

'Or it could mean making work places safe by following Covid secure guidelines.

'Whatever employers decide, they should consult closely with their employees and only ask people to return to their place of work if it is safe.'

Mr Johnson's announcement on working from home appears to put him at odds with Sir Patrick.

The expert had told the Science and Technology Select Committee yesterday afternoon that the UK is 'still at a time when distancing measures are important' and that working remotely 'remains a perfectly good option'.

He then went even further as he said many companies had found working from home had not been 'detrimental to productivity' and as a result there is no need to move away from the policy.

He said: 'My view on this, and I think this is a view shared by SAGE, is that we are still at a time when distancing measures are important and of the various distancing measures working from home for many companies remains a perfectly good option because it is easy to do.

Sir Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty notably absent from PM's latest coronavirus address Signs of a rift between Boris Johnson and his top scientific advisers deepened today after they were sidelined from his Downing Street address. Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty were notable absentees from this morning's press conference. The experts have become familiar faces at the Number 10 podium during the crisis, regularly flanking the PM for big announcements. Instead, Mr Johnson was joined by NHS Test and Trace chief Dido Harding during his clarion call for workers to go back to offices to rescue the ailing high street. He also gave the green light for casinos, bowling alleys and ice rinks to reopen next month. But much of the attention was focused on the break-up of the so-called 'three amigos' which came after Sir Patrick yesterday hinted disapproval of the Government's haste to unlock the economy. Advertisement

'I think a number of companies think it is actually not detrimental to productivity and in that situation absolutely no reason I can see to change it.'

Mr Johnson today sought to down play splits with Sir Patrick as he said it was not for the Government to tell employers if staff should return to their workplaces.

'I totally agree with Patrick Vallance on what he is saying,' Mr Johnson said.

'It is not for Government to decide how employers should run their companies and whether they want their work forces in the office or not - that is for companies.'

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said after the press conference that both Sir Patrick and Prof Whitty were 'involved in all the discussions about the next chapter in the road map'.

Pushed on whether the pair had given their approval for today's announcements, the spokesman added: 'That doesn't reflect how it works - as I've said many times, scientific and medical experts advise and ministers decide.'

Tory MPs had urged Mr Johnson to overrule Sir Patrick and order workers back to work as they warned a failure to act would risk the death of town and city centres.

The British Chambers of Commerce said firms will still need 'crystal clear official guidance' from the Government when they decide who should physically return and when.

'Companies, in discussion with their employees, will decide how and when to return to offices safely. To take those decisions, businesses need crystal-clear official guidance,' the organisation said.

'Firms will be weighing up how they want to work in future. Many have seen benefits to productivity and work-life balance over recent months, and will want to keep elements of their new normal.'

As well as the shift on working from home, Mr Johnson said that remaining leisure facilities like bowling alleys, skating rinks and casinos will be allowed to reopen from August 1 but night clubs will remain shut for the foreseeable future.

Public debt will soar as the UK reels from the coronavirus crisis, according to the Office For Budget Responsibility's central scenario. By 2023-4 the liabilities will be around 660billion higher than forecast in March before the chaos hit - and that does not include an extra 50billion from the mini-Budget

The OBR's downside scenario sees unemployment rising to more than four million next year - with a rate higher than seen in the 1980s

Sir Patrick Vallance warns coronavirus challenges 'will be very much greater' in winter - hours after PM set out hopes for normal life by Christmas The UK's chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance today warned that Britain could need another national lockdown this winter just hours after Boris Johnson announced plans to try and get the country back to normal by Christmas. In signs of a growing rift between the PM and his top advisers, both Sir Patrick and chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said the coronavirus challenges in the UK will be 'very much greater' in the winter because the season 'benefits' the virus. The PM's plans also came under fire from scientists who fear it is too soon for Number 10 to ease more restrictions because the virus is still circulating and people becoming complacent could risk of a second wave. The Prime Minister revealed today he is aiming for life in the UK to return to something close to normal by this Christmas as he said the country must 'plan for the worst but hope for the best'. In a Downing Street speech setting out his timetable for the further easing of lockdown measures, he said it was likely that the coronavirus will become more virulent - more harmful - in the winter and that it would add to the 'certain' pressures of flu season. But in the same breath, Mr Johnson unveiled plans to get the country back to 'normal life' by Christmas, giving the green-light to letting thousands of Britons back into stadiums to watch football matches and outdoor gigs this autumn. The PM said the Government is hoping to review all the 'outstanding restrictions' in the coming months in order to allow a 'more significant return to normality from November' and 'possibly in time for Christmas'. But scientists and medics fear the move out of lockdown is too 'rash' and could risk a second wave in the winter, given that the virus is still known to be circulating. Data today showed 1,700 people in England are still getting infected each day - a figure that has not changed in a week. Advertisement

Restrictions on weddings in England will also be eased to allow up to 30 people to attend receptions from next month while beauticians will also be allowed to reopen from August 1.

On the issue of reopening stadiums for sporting and music events, Mr Johnson said the timing would be dependent on the outcome of pilots but that ministers have earmarked October. It is thought cricket could be the first sport to welcome back spectators.

He said: 'We will restart indoor performances to a live audience, subject to the success of pilots and we will also pilot larger gatherings in venues like sports stadia with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn.'

He added: 'From October we intend to bring back audiences in stadia and to allow conferences and other business events to recommence.

'Again these changes must be done in a Covid secure way subject to the successful outcome of pilots.'

Mr Johnson said that it is his hope that the Government will be able to recommend in the coming months that families and friends can resume more close contact.

'Throughout this period we will look to allow more close contact between friends and family where we can,' he said.

'It is my strong and sincere hope that we will be able to review the outstanding restrictions and allow a more significant return to normality from November at the earliest, possibly in time for Christmas.'

Despite the PM's optimistic timetable, Mr Johnson also warned that the UK must be ready to deal with spikes in infection as he set out new powers for councils to impose 'lightning lockdowns'.

He said that as of tomorrow local authorities will be able to shut outdoor public spaces and cancel events at short notice, including weddings, if it is deemed necessary to stop an outbreak.

Meanwhile, new powers will also be brought forward to allow ministers to impose tougher local lockdown restrictions including 'stay-at-home' orders.

Mr Johnson said: 'From tomorrow, local authorities will have new powers in their areas. They will be able to close specific premises, shut public outdoor spaces and cancel events.

'These powers will enable local authorities to act more quickly in response to outbreaks where speed is paramount.

'Action by local councils will not always be sufficient, so next week we will publish draft regulations on how central government can intervene more effectively at a local level.

'Where justified by the evidence, ministers will be able to close whole sectors or types of premises in an area, introduce local stay-at-home orders, prevent people entering or leaving defined areas, reduce the size of gatherings beyond the national defined rules or restrict transport systems serving local areas.'

The number of deaths being announced each day is higher than the reality, scientists say, because not all of them actually died of Covid-19 - some tested positive weeks or months ago and died of other causes but are still included in the list

Scientists say if a vaccine was developed it would need 60-70 per cent coverage to work  but this threshold could be significantly lower for natural immunity because the most at-risk people will always be the first to get exposed to the virus and, if it can't infect them, it can't spread through them to the less at-risk groups

UK 'may already have herd immunity' against coronavirus Britain could already have herd immunity against Covid-19 because so many people have had similar illnesses in the past, a study claims. Experts have noticed the infection looks extremely similar to other, milder strains of coronaviruses which cause coughs and colds and circulate regularly. Brits who have had these in the past may have some level of 'cross-protection', they suggest, which means they aren't seriously harmed by Covid-19. While it remains unlikely that people will be totally protected from any infection at all, 'background' immunity could make their illness less severe and death less likely. Theories that even exposure to common colds may protect people from the coronavirus have been floating around for months and raise hopes for a milder second wave. Combined with the fact millions of people have been infected in the pandemic's first wave, it may mean the UK is already protected against another deadly surge. The concept of herd immunity - in which so many people are immune to a virus that it cannot spread - is controversial because there is no scientific proof that people who have had Covid-19 once can't get it again. Scientists have claimed, however, that if immunity does develop, the proportion of people who need to have had it could be as low as 20 or even 10 per cent. And Britain may already be reaching this level, the Oxford University paper said, adding: '[Immunity] measures of 10-20 per cent are entirely compatible with local levels of immunity having approached or even exceeded the [herd immunity threshold], in which case the risk and scale of resurgence is lower than currently perceived.' Advertisement

The Prime Minister today acknowledged the threat of a second wave of coronavirus this winter.

Sources had said he was determined to avoid the fate of several US states which are seeing cases of the virus soar after easing restrictions too fast.

The premier is hoping an extra 3 billion of funding will ensure the health service is ready for a potential spike in infections.

It comes after a report commissioned by Sir Patrick warned there could be 120,000 hospital deaths in a 'reasonable worst-case scenario' this winter.

Confirming the 3bn in extra funding, Mr Johnson said: 'Demand for testing is not the only challenge that winter will bring. It's possible that the virus will be more virulent in the winter months and it's certain that the NHS will face the usual annual winter pressures.'

He added: 'We're making sure we're ready for winter and planning for the worst. But even as we plan for the worst I strongly believe we should hope for the best.

'That means looking ahead with optimism, now extending our plan to lift the remaining national measures, which have restricted our lives since March, so we can get back to something closer to normal life.'

Mr Johnson today published an additional chapter to the Government's 'road map' for recovery from the crisis.

Earlier this week Mr Johnson was warned in the report by the Academy of Medical Sciences that action must be taken now to mitigate the potential for a second peak, including scaling up the Test and Trace system.

The research said capacity for 350,000 tests per day will be needed to test individuals as they show symptoms of either Covid-19 or flu.

The latest Government figures say capacity stood at nearly 338,000, but Mr Johnson today committed to increase this to half a million by the end of October to bolster Test and Trace.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticised Mr Johnson for failing to provide any new money for social care in today's series of announcements.

'What I didn't hear from the Prime Minister this morning was any extra funding for social care,' Sir Keir said.

'And what we can't afford to do again is leave social care out of the priorities as we move into the autumn and winter.

'So where was the money for social care?'

When asked if he thought the Government's road map out of lockdown was credible, Sir Keir said the Labour Party will be 'looking into the details' before commenting.

'This can't be done on a wing and a prayer, it requires a credible plan, and national leadership,' he said.

Matt Hancock launches urgent review into fiasco at Public Health England as it's revealed anyone who has ever died after testing positive for Covid-19 has been recorded as a 'coronavirus death' - even if they were hit by a bus

Health Secretary Matt Hancock today ordered Public Health England to review the way it counts deaths because of a 'statistical flaw' that means officials are 'over-exaggerating' the daily toll.

PHE counts people as victims if they die of any cause any time after testing positive for Covid-19  even if they were hit by a bus months after beating the life-threatening infection, top academics revealed last night.

The method is likely why the daily fatality tolls are not dropping quickly in England because survivors never truly recover from the disease as their deaths are blamed on the coronavirus  regardless of their real cause.

One of the leading experts who uncovered the flaw told MailOnline his 'best guess' was that more than 1,000 people have had their deaths wrongly recorded as caused by Covid-19.

Dr Yoon Loke, a pharmacologist at the University of East Anglia, warned that it is 'not a good way of collecting data', has had a significant impact in the past two months and is happening because PHE 'chose a quick and easy technique'.

And the daily death tolls may not hit zero 'for months to come' because of a long tail of elderly people who beat Covid-19 but will die of other causes, Dr Loke added. He uncovered the flaw alongside Oxford University's Professor Carl Heneghan.

Dr Loke said: 'By this PHE definition, no-one with Covid in England is allowed to ever recover from their illness.'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed in a press conference today that the Health Secretary has ordered PHE to review the way it is counting people's deaths.

It comes after a string of mistakes at PHE, including stopping testing and tracing at the peak of Britain's outbreak. Tory MP David Davis this month told MailOnline the organisation had 'made a complete mess' of Covid-19 testing.

Dr Loke's analysis shows that 'all settings' deaths (red bar) remain very high in England even as hospital deaths (blue bar) - which the Office for National Statistics says should make up two thirds of the total - have plummeted

COVID-19 WAS STILL THE THIRD MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DEATH IN JUNE Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales over June. Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death followed by heart disease. The leading causes of death are shown per 100,000 of the population Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales in June, even though the darkest days of crisis are over. One in 14 deaths were caused by the coronavirus in June - the same month Number 10 began to relax strict lockdown measures. The disease was written on 2,525 death certificates, meaning 50,335 confirmed or suspected Covid-19 deaths have been recorded over the course of the pandemic. But coronavirus deaths in June were significantly lower than they were in May, when the life-threatening infection accounted for a fifth of all fatalities. And it's the first time since March that the coronavirus was not the leading cause of death, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released today. Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death in June, accounting for 10 per cent of fatalities. Advertisement

A Department of Health spokesperson said today: 'The Health Secretary has asked Public Health England to conduct an urgent review into the reporting of deaths statistics, aimed at providing greater clarity on the number of fatalities related to Covid-19 as we move past the peak of the virus.'

The way PHE counts victims on a daily basis works by it combing through records of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past to see if they have died. If they have, their death is automatically added to the coronavirus count.

It means that if, for example, somebody tested positive in April but recovered and was then hit by a bus in July, they would still be counted as a Covid-19 victim.

Dr Loke pointed out that unless PHE changes its system, all 292,000 people who have tested positive so far will be added to the Covid-19 death toll when they eventually die.

The Department of Health, which uses PHE's data for its daily announcements, has so far counted 45,119 fatalities with 66 announced yesterday.

The 'statistical flaw' should not drastically affect the total number of deaths but means the ongoing death tolls appear worse than the reality.

The Office for National Statistics - which is not affected by the counting method - has confirmed at least 50,698 people have died in England and Wales up to July 3.

Public Health England admitted it is counting the deaths of anyone who tests positive for Covid-19, regardless of how long afterwards they died.

Dr Loke said: 'It seems that PHE regularly looks for people on the NHS database who have ever tested positive, and simply checks to see if they are still alive or not.

'PHE does not appear to consider how long ago the Covid-19 test result was, nor whether the person has been successfully treated in hospital and discharged to the community.

'Anyone who has tested Covid-19 positive but subsequently died at a later date of any cause will be included on the PHE Covid-19 death figures... even if they had a heart attack or were run over by a bus three months later.'

The pharmacologist, who published his findings in a blog post last night, said the bizarre way of recording deaths is why there are such wide variations in daily figures. On Monday July 6, for example, 16 deaths were recorded, while 152 were announced the next day on Tuesday the 7th.

The Department of Health has blamed low numbers on Sundays and Mondays on a 'weekend effect' which means paperwork doesn't get completed.

But academics are increasingly confused about why there are such wild variations, and why the number of deaths seems to remain so high.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has called for an urgent review into the way deaths are being counted by Public Health England

WHAT ELSE HAS PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND COME UNDER FIRE FOR? Public Health England has been in the firing line for a number of dubious decisions taken during the coronavirus pandemic. STOPPING TEST & TRACE When the first cases of coronavirus appeared in the UK, Government policy was to test everyone who had symptoms after returning from abroad and to trace people they had come into contact with. However, on March 12, testing and contact tracing stopped completely. PHE no longer had the capacity to test the amount of people who were coming into the country infected with the virus after trips to Italy and France in half-term. The decision has since been branded disastrous and a contributing factor to the UK's devastating outbreak. 'THEY WERE OVER-CONTROLLING' Conservative MP David Davis told MailOnline this month that Public Health England had been over-controlling and made a mess of coronavirus testing. The Tory MP said: 'They made a complete mess of the testing arrangements; they were over-centralised, over-controlling and massively reduced our ability to test.' He warned the decision  criticised heavily by top scientists at the time  then 'handicapped' later decisions and was 'precisely the wrong thing to do'. 'Before the winter crisis, the government has to reorganise this, whether that's abolition or taking some of the powers away from them and giving them to someone else,' he added. OVERLOOKING LOCAL AUTHORITIES Public Health England kept too much power over testing and contact tracing and should have delegated it to local authorities, one expert said. Professor John Ashton, a former public health director, said Britain should have followed the example of Cuba where local teams went from house to house screening people for coronavirus. He said: 'The local public health level has been neglected. I think we've missed an opportunity because we should have made more use of primary care, local government and volunteers... 'Instead what we did was a very top-down, London-centric approach.' Advertisement

And it appears to be simply that anyone who dies after being added to a register of people who have tested positive is classified as a victim.

It is currently impossible to know how many of the deaths announced by the Department of Health were not actually caused directly by Covid-19.

Dr Loke told MailOnline: 'This is a very serious issue for public confidence.

'When you go onto social media you will see hundreds of posts from rightly anxious people who are petrified at the seemingly relentless, unyielding daily death toll in England. The public are scared.

'The public are asking questions about why England is doing so badly, when actually the truth is that the healthcare professionals in NHS are doing a great job in ensuring thousands of Covid survivors. The statistics here are misleading the public.

'Because of this major flaw in the statistics, and the fact that tens of thousands of older people are being monitored, there is going to be a very very long tail of daily deaths.

'The death toll will go down exceedingly slowly. It's certainly not going to get to zero for months to come yet, because older people who have recovered from Covid-19 will unfortunately still succumb to other illnesses.'

Professor Carl Heneghan and Dr Jason Oke, Oxford University researchers who published Dr Loke's work on their website, said that officials also seem to be spreading out historical deaths and just adding them on to ones that are happening now.

The pair pointed out the death counts from NHS England, which are accurate around three days after the date in question, are too low to match counts from PHE.

According to the Office for National Statistics, hospital fatalities now make up around 60 per cent of all deaths that happen on any given day.

On June 30, NHS England recorded 27 fatalities. If this was 60 per cent of all deaths that happened on that day the total number would be 45.

But the Department of Health, using PHE's data, announced 115 more deaths on that day.

Dr Loke now suggests these massively inflated numbers are because PHE is counting people who died outside of hospital but didn't die of coronavirus at all.

He wrote: 'PHE data confirm that more than 125,000 patients have been admitted to NHS hospitals for Covid-19, the majority being successfully treated and discharged.

'There are now less than 1,900 patients in hospital. So, roughly 80,000 recovered patients in the community will continue being monitored by PHE for the daily death statistics.

'More and more people (who are mainly in the older age group) are being discharged to the community, but they clearly may die of other illnesses.'

Dr Loke said it would be a 'reasonable approach' to set a three-week limit on blaming someone's death on coronavirus unless they were in hospital.

Public Health England told MailOnline that the World Health Organization has not defined a time limit for counting a death as caused by Covid-19, and said it 'continues to keep this under review'.

It admitted that a coronavirus death is a death that happens to anyone who has previously tested positive, regardless of how long ago the test happened.

It said the 'vast majority' of Covid-19 deaths are correctly identified.

Dr Loke added: 'This statistical flaw arose because PHE chose a quick and easy technique.

'Their statistical method is reasonably accurate at the beginning of the pandemic, when there were not yet many people in the community who had survived Covid.

'However, PHE did not - and have not yet - realised that glaring inaccuracies arise when tens of thousands of frail older people are discharged from hospital, and these Covid survivors unfortunately die from other, non-Covid related causes.

'Like most things that are a quick fix, the monitoring system eventually churns out gibberish, and needs a thorough overhaul so that a lasting solution is implemented.'

Dr Susan Hopkins, Public Health England's incident director, said: 'Although it may seem straightforward, there is no WHO agreed method of counting deaths from Covid-19.

'In England, we count all those that have died who had a positive Covid-19 test at any point, to ensure our data is as complete as possible.

'We must remember that this is a new and emerging infection and there is increasing evidence of long term health problems for some of those affected. Whilst this knowledge is growing, now is the right time to review how deaths are calculated.'

Coronavirus R rate has crept above one again in London and is still above the dreaded number in the South West as SAGE claims outbreak is still shrinking by 5% a day in the UK

The coronavirus R rate has crept above one again in London and is still above the dreaded number in the South West  but SAGE has claimed Britain's outbreak is still shrinking by up to 5 per cent a day.

The Government's scientific advisory panel revealed the virus's 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 two months.

But SAGE admitted the R could be as high as 1.1 in the South West of England, where Britons have been flocking for stay-cations to enjoy the coastline of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, and in London, where pubs have been rammed with customers after reopening earlier this month. The rate is only definitely below one in the North East and Yorkshire.

For England as a whole, the R is slightly higher than the rest of the country, with the reproduction number hovering between 0.8 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.

Separate SAGE data today revealed the UK's current growth rate  how the number of new cases is changing day-by-day  is between minus five and minus one per cent.

It is more confirmation the crisis is still petering out and suggests the reopening of pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and beauty salons on July 4, dubbed 'Super Saturday', has not triggered a resurgence yet. But the figures show the UK's outbreak is now be shrinking at a slightly slower speed because the growth rate has crept up from last week's rate of minus 5 per cent to minus 2 per cent per day.

Scientists today said they were 'cautiously optimistic' about the data, which they say shows 'there is no indication the epidemic has gotten out of hand as a result of the easement' of lockdown. But they warned Brits 'must stay completely vigilant' because a lag in the statistics means it is at least two weeks behind and it could take until next week for any spike to become visible.

Other data released today from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the coronavirus outbreak in England isn't changing in size and 1,700 people are still catching the illness every day. And Britain today announced 114 more coronavirus deaths, taking the seven-day mean to 82.

It comes after Boris Johnson today urged all workers to return to offices in August as he set out his timetable for life in the UK to return to normal by Christmas. In a Downing Street press conference, he revealed restrictions on the use of public transport in England are being dropped immediately with trips on the train and bus to no longer be viewed as the option of last resort.

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 --- 0.8 - 1.0 0.8 - 1.1 0.7 - 1.0 0.7 - 0.9 0.7 - 1.0 0.8 - 1.0 0.7 - 1.1 LAST 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 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 0% -5% to -1% --- -5 to +1% -3 to +2% -5% to -1% -5% to -1% -6% to -1% -4% to 0% -6% to +2% LAST 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% Advertisement

BRITAIN ANNOUNCES 114 MORE CORONAVIRUS DEATHS Britain today recorded 114 more Covid-19 victims with the rolling average number of daily deaths now 10 per cent higher compared to last week. Department of Health figures show 82 Britons are now succumbing to the life-threatening infection each day - up from the seven-day mean of 74 last Friday. More than 1,000 people were dying each day during the darkest days of the crisis in April. Alarming statistics also reveal a similar jump in cases, with officials today confirming 687 more Britons had tested positive - taking the average to 609 infections. For comparison, the rate last Friday was 556. One fatality was recorded in all settings in Wales but none were registered in either Scotland or Northern Ireland, according to official updates. It comes as the Health Secretary today ordered Public Health England to review the way it counts deaths because of a 'statistical flaw' that means officials are 'over-exaggerating' the daily toll. Advertisement

Reacting to the findings, Dr Daniel Lawson, a statistician at the University of Bristol, said: 'These data allow us to be cautiously optimistic. There is no indication that the epidemic has gotten out of hand as a result of the easements.

'However we must stay completely vigilant because there is a delay of at least two weeks before an increase in the reproductive rate of the virus is visible in the data.'

The growth rate reflects how quickly the number of infections is changing day by day and, as the number of infections decreases, it is a way of keeping track of the virus.

If it 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.

However, there is some regional variation between the figures. In the South West of England, the growth rate changed from minus 6 per cent to plus 1 per cent, to minus 6 per cent to plus two. The R number is 0.7-1.1.

In London, the growth rate is between minus 3 per cent and plus 2 per cent, compared to between minus 5 per cent and plus 1 per cent last week. The capital has an R value of 0.8-1.1.

The Midlands has a growth rate of minus 5 per cent to minus 1 per cent per day, compared to minus 6 per cent to minus 2 per cent last week. Its R value is 0.7-1.0.

In the North East and Yorkshire, the growth rate is unchanged at minus 5 per cent to minus 1 per cent. Its R number is 0.7-0.9.

The North West has a growth rate of minus 6 per cent to minus 1 per cent, a change from minus 5 per cent to minus 1 per cent, and an R value of 0.7-1.0.

The growth rate in the South East is unchanged at minus 4 per cent to zero, with an R value of 0.8-1.0. In the South West, the growth rate changed from between minus 6 per cent and plus 1 per cent, to between minus 6 per cent and plus 2 per cent.

The region also sees the R value creeping above one, with a range of 0.7-1.1.

Across England, the growth rate is between minus 4 per cent and zero, compared with between minus 4 per cent to minus 1 per cent next week.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson today set out the next stage in his plan to return life to normal in the UK

Boris Johnson's timetable for getting life in the UK back to normal Today: Rules on using public transport will be relaxed so that 'anybody may use' buses, tubes and trains. Public transport no longer needs to be treated as a last resort. Tomorrow: New 'lightning lockdown' powers for councils will be introduced to allow them to shut public spaces and premises without consulting the Government to stop outbreaks. Next week: New local lockdown draft powers for ministers will be published to allow them to issue stay at home orders and travel restrictions. August: New rules on working from home to be introduced to encourage more workers to return to their offices. Remaining leisure facilities like bowling alleys, casinos and skating rinks will be able to reopen from August 1. October: Stadiums could reopen to audiences for sport and music events, depending on the success of a pilot programme. November: All outstanding restrictions to be reviewed and eased in November at the earliest and 'possibly in time for Christmas'. Advertisement

The R value across England is 0.8-1.0 and has been that way since jumping from 0.8 to 0.9 last week.

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.

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.

Two women walk through Clapham Common in London today, without wearing face masks. It comes as SAGE has warned the R rate could be above one in the South West of England and London

Dr Loke's analysis shows that 'all settings' deaths (red bar) remain very high in England even as hospital deaths (blue bar) - which the Office for National Statistics says should make up two thirds of the total - have plummeted

SAGE admitted the R could be as high as 1.1 in the South West of England, where Britons have been flocking for stay-cations to enjoy the coastline of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset (pictured, people head to the beach in Bournemouth, Dorset), and in London, where pubs have been rammed with customers after reopening earlier this month

Matt Hancock launches urgent review into death-counting fiasco at Public Health England Health Secretary Matt Hancock today ordered Public Health England to review the way it counts deaths because of a 'statistical flaw' that means officials are 'over-exaggerating' the daily toll. PHE counts people as victims if they die of any cause any time after testing positive for Covid-19  even if they were hit by a bus months after beating the life-threatening infection, top academics revealed last night. The method is likely why the daily fatality tolls are not dropping quickly in England because survivors never truly recover from the disease as their deaths are blamed on the coronavirus  regardless of their real cause. One of the leading experts who uncovered the flaw told MailOnline his 'best guess' was that more than 1,000 people have had their deaths wrongly recorded as caused by Covid-19. Dr Yoon Loke, a pharmacologist at the University of East Anglia, warned that it is 'not a good way of collecting data', has had a significant impact in the past two months and is happening because PHE 'chose a quick and easy technique'. And the daily death tolls may not hit zero 'for months to come' because of a long tail of elderly people who beat Covid-19 but will die of other causes, Dr Loke added. He uncovered the flaw alongside Oxford University's Professor Carl Heneghan. Dr Loke said: 'By this PHE definition, no-one with Covid in England is allowed to ever recover from their illness.' Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed in a press conference today that the Health Secretary has ordered PHE to review the way it is counting people's deaths. It comes after a string of mistakes at PHE, including stopping testing and tracing at the peak of Britain's outbreak. Tory MP David Davis this month told MailOnline the organisation had 'made a complete mess' of Covid-19 testing. Advertisement

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.

It comes as Boris Johnson today announced he is aiming for life in the UK to return to something close to normal by Christmas as he said workers will be encouraged to stop working from home from August.

The Prime Minister today used a Downing Street press conference to set out his timetable for the further easing of lockdown measures.

He said restrictions on the use of public transport in England are being dropped from today with trips on the train and bus to no longer be viewed as the option of last resort.

He said the Government will publish new guidance applying from August on the crunch issue of working from home in the hope that more employees will physically return to their desks to give the economy a much needed boost.

He made that pledge despite Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, warning yesterday that there was 'absolutely no reason' to change the policy.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said the Government is targeting the reopening of stadiums in the autumn with audiences potentially returning to football matches and outdoor gigs in October.

Crucially, the PM also said the Government is hoping to review all the remaining 'outstanding restrictions' in the coming months in order to allow a 'more significant return to normality from November' and 'possibly in time for Christmas'.

However, Mr Johnson insisted that all of the proposed changes would only go ahead if the spread of coronavirus continues to fall and that 'we will not hesitate at any stage to put on the brakes' if there is an increase in infections.

He stressed the UK must be prepared for a second wave in the winter as he announced 3 billion of extra funding for the NHS and vowed new powers to enable ministers and councils to impose strict local lockdowns.

He also pledged to increase the UK's daily coronavirus testing capacity to 500,000 a day by the end of October with the NHS Test and Trace programme tasked with playing a key role in stopping the spread of the disease.

COVID-19 WAS STILL THE THIRD MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DEATH IN JUNE Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales over June. Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death followed by heart disease. The leading causes of death are shown per 100,000 of the population Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales in June, even though the darkest days of crisis are over. One in 14 deaths were caused by the coronavirus in June - the same month Number 10 began to relax strict lockdown measures. The disease was written on 2,525 death certificates, meaning 50,335 confirmed or suspected Covid-19 deaths have been recorded over the course of the pandemic. But coronavirus deaths in June were significantly lower than they were in May, when the life-threatening infection accounted for a fifth of all fatalities. And it's the first time since March that the coronavirus was not the leading cause of death, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released today. Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death in June, accounting for 10 per cent of fatalities. Advertisement

It comes as figures from the Office for National Statistics today suggested the coronavirus outbreak in England isn't changing in size and 1,700 people are still catching the illness every day.

Estimates based on population testing suggest one in every 2,300 people is now carrying Covid-19 - a total of 24,000 people or 0.04 per cent of the population. This is a slight rise from the 0.03 per cent (14,000) estimated last week but both are within a possible range, showing any change is not significant.

The number of people catching the virus each day - 1,700 - has not changed in a week, however, and the ONS said the outbreak has 'levelled off'.

Separate estimates of cases by King's College London and Public Health England say between 2,100 and 3,300 people are getting infected in England every day - higher than that found by the ONS.

ONS data is considered to be some of the most accurate available - this week's update was based on the results of 112,776 swab tests taken over six weeks, of which 39 were positive.

The data suggests that lifting the rest of the lockdown rules on 'Super Saturday', July 4, does not yet seem to have triggered a rise in coronavirus cases in England - backdated data will only just be starting to take that effect into account, however, meaning the next few weeks will be critical.

Separate antibody testing by the ONS - looking at people's blood for signs of past infection - suggests that 2.8million people, or 6.3 per cent of people in England, have had Covid-19 already.

Separate ONS data today revealed Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales in June, even though the darkest days of crisis are over.

One in 14 deaths were caused by the coronavirus in June - the same month Number 10 began to relax strict lockdown measures.

The disease was written on 2,525 death certificates, meaning 50,335 confirmed or suspected Covid-19 deaths have been recorded over the course of the pandemic.

But coronavirus deaths in June were significantly lower than they were in May, when the life-threatening infection accounted for a fifth of all fatalities.

And it's the first time since March that the coronavirus was not the leading cause of death, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released today.

Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death in June, accounting for 10 per cent of fatalities.
South Africa: Didiza not on social media, denounces fake accounts

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

South Africa has recorded 13 172 new COVID-19 cases bringing a cumulative total to 324 221 on Thursday, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said. He also reported a further 216 COVID-19-related deaths. Of the additional fatalities, 86 were from Gauteng, 47 from Western Cape, 25 from Eastern Cape, 41 from KwaZulu-Natal, 10 from the Free S... See more
While the left identitarians went hard after many of the signers of the Harpers Letter on Justice and Open Debate a few days ago (especially Potter-purveyor J.K. Rowling), one prominent lefty name that escaped wrath was Noam Chomsky, though his presence on the list of signers did raise a lot of eyebrows. Maybe its because he hasnt said anything crossways about trans-identity dogma that denies anatomy, physiology, and genetics, though it is perhaps worth noting the surprising fact that Chomsky dissented sharply from one of the core postmodernist principles that there is no human nature, and famously debated Michel Foucault on this issue way back in 1971. (The whole cumbersome thing can be found on YouTube, but heres a short extract.)

Anyway, just to be sure, Chomsky decided to go full berzerker wacko a few days ago, as reported by Campus Reform:

Prof: Trump is the worst criminal in history, undeniably Noam Chomsky, Laureate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona, recently spoke during an interview on the Michael Brooks Show about the worst criminal in history President Donald Trump and the Republican partys deep hatred of democracy and fear of democracy. According to Chomsky, Trump is the worst criminal in history, undeniably. Chomsky described Trump as the gangster in the White House, who has killed tens of thousands of Americans. Trumps crimes go far beyond this and the worst of it is coming, Chomsky claimed, for he is to be blamed for the heating of the globe. Chomsky claimed that Trumps response to combating global warming is deadly to the human race, and there is no crime like this in human history. If he can pour more profits into his pockets and the pockets of his rich constituency tomorrow, Chomsky said, who cares if the world disappears in a couple of generations?

Okay, so Trump is not Hitler. Hes worse than Hitler! Except Chomsky starts to get confusing in the very next sentence:

Trump is not a fascist, Chomsky admitted, but his mentality is that of a tin-pot dictator of some small country where they have coups every couple of years. Chomsky stated that Trump is taking the worst aspects of capitalism and amplifying them.

Perhaps this is because Chomsky actually doesnt mind fascism. Anyway, theres more!

Chomsky claimed that Ronald Reagan initiated these problems by starting the neoliberal assault on the population, arguing that government is the problem, not the solution. Trump, he added, is the wrecker and has heightened these problems by dismantling and defunding every health-related aspect of the government. Chomsky said that all Trump has done is cause chaos. Neoliberalism, with the private ownership of nursing homes and other hospital models, leaves Trump with the responsibility of telling us how wonderful we are for destroying the nursing homes, killing all the elderly people. It goes deep into issues well before Trump, but he is a unique phenomenon  again, the worst criminal in human history, Chromsky said, so his minor crimes are to destroy American democracy and to amplify a pandemic killing over a hundred thousand people. But those are minor crimes by his standards.

Maybe with this demented drivel Chomsky is trying to position himself to serve in a Biden cabinet?

Back up, though, and notice that Chomsky is billed as a Laureate Professor at the University of Arizona. Somehow I missed the news that hes either left or is on leave from his longtime home at MIT. He is on tap to teach three classes (online one supposes) in the fall, though a check shows that it is actually one class (Meaning in Language and Society) with three sections, each with a graduate teaching assistant. But only 8 (eight) students have signed up for any of the sections so far.

Meanwhile, the University of Arizona today announced the layoff of 250 staff because of the financial hit the university has suffered from COVID-19 (a $280 million shortfall for the coming year). Sadly, Chomsky wasnt among them. The campus identitarians are complaining about the cuts in predictable ways:

Faculty and staff teaching first year English courses and leading research on student retention were among those cut, according to Coalition for Academic Justice at the University of Arizona (CAJUA). . . Celeste Gonzalez de Bustamante, an associate professor and member of CAJUA, said the cuts happened in areas that are critical to the universitys mission, especially in serving marginalized students. . . Its sending a message that our university is really only open to students with privilege, its only open to students who are wealthy and can afford luxury housing and have the financial support thats needed to be successful at the university, [Alex] Karaman [a student retention specialist] said. . . I think President Robbins would rather see his face on the next Space X rocket as it flies to the moon, than he would increase retention and graduation rates of students of color at the university, Karaman said.

I recommend that they go check in with Chomsky. Heyhes got plenty of room in his course! Im sure he can reassure everyone that it is all Trumps fault.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 21:51:22|Editor: huaxia

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SUVA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Fijian government announced Friday night a 2 billion Fijian dollars (about 926.6 million U.S. dollars) stimulus package to help the island nation battle the impact of COVID-19.

Announcing the package while delivering the 2020/2021 Budget in the parliament, Fiji's Minister of Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said that the Fijian government spend will stand at about 3.67 billion Fijian dollars (about 1.7 billion U.S. dollars) while the revenue is projected at about 1.6 billion Fijian dollars (about 741.3 million U.S. dollars).

The deficit will stand at 20.2 percent debt and pushing the debt to the country's GDP ratio to 83.4 percent. To deal with the deficit, the Fijian government will have to resort to borrowing.

This is the second stimulus package announced by the Fijian government. It announced earlier this year a 1 billion Fijian dollars (463 million U.S. dollars) stimulus package to fight the pandemic.

According to the minister, the Fijian economy might not fully recover in the coming years and the employment for the future generations could be affected by the impact of COVID-19.

This is the reason the Fijian government needs to look at measures to help and ensure a recovery process starting now, he said.

Fiji will see a major contraction of its economy this year, mainly caused by the fallout of COVID-19 on tourism. One-third of the island nation's workforce have already either lost their jobs or are on reduced hours.

Through the Fiji National Provident Fund assistance, 86,000 affected Fijians were assisted in phase one while another 26,000 were helped in phase two, he said.

Over 62 million Fijian dollars (about 28.7 million U.S. dollars) has been paid out with the government topping account with 12 million Fijian dollars (about 5.6 million U.S. dollars). Enditem
I think of Hagia Sophia, and I am very saddened, Pope Francis said at the end of the Angelus on Sunday, 12 July, referring to Turkeys decision to convert Istanbuls museum complex back into a mosque. Earlier, the Holy Father had commented on the days Gospel Reading on the Parable of the Sower. The following is a translation of his reflection which he shared in Italian.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Good morning!

In this Sunday's Gospel passage (cf. Mt 13:1-23), Jesus tells a great crowd the Parable  that we all know well  of the Sower, who casts seeds over four different types of terrain. The Word of God, symbolized by the seeds, is not an abstract Word, but rather Christ himself, the Word of the Father who became flesh in Mary's womb. Embracing the Word of God therefore, means embracing the personage of Christ; of Christ himself.

There are several different ways to receive the Word of God. We may do so like a path, where birds immediately come and eat the seeds. This would be distraction, a great danger of our time. Beset by lots of small talk, by many ideologies, by continuous opportunities for distraction inside and outside the home, we can lose our zest for silence, for reflection, for dialogue with the Lord, to the point that we risk losing our faith, not receiving the Word of God, as we are seeing everything, distracted by everything, by worldly things.

Another possibility: we may receive the Word of God like rocky ground, with little soil. There the seeds spring up quickly, but they also soon wither away, because they are unable to sink roots to any depth. This is the image of those who receive the Word of God with momentary enthusiasm, which however, remains superficial; it does not assimilate the Word of God. In this way, at the first difficulty, such as a discomfort or disturbance in life, that still-feeble faith dissolves, as the seed that falls among the rocks withers.

We can also  a third possibility that Jesus mentions in the parable  receive the Word of God like ground where thorny bushes grow. And the thorns are the deceit of wealth, of success, of worldly concerns.... There, the Word grows a little, but becomes choked, it is not strong, and it dies or does not bear fruit.

Lastly  the fourth possibility  we may receive it like good soil. Here, and here alone does the seed take root and bear fruit. The seed fallen upon this fertile soil represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, safeguard it in their heart and put it into practice in everyday life.

This Parable of the Sower is somewhat the mother of all parables, because it speaks about listening to the Word. It reminds us that the Word of God is a seed which in itself is fruitful and effective; and God scatters it everywhere, paying no mind to waste. Such is the heart of God! Each one of us is ground on which the seed of the Word falls; no one is excluded! The Word is given to each one of us. We can ask ourselves: what type of terrain am I? Do I resemble the path, the rocky ground, the bramble bush? If we want, with the grace of God, we can become good soil, ploughed and carefully cultivated, to help ripen the seed of the Word. It is already present in our heart, but making it fruitful depends on us; it depends on the embrace that we reserve for this seed.

Often one is distracted by too many interests, by too many enticements, and it is difficult to distinguish, among the many voices and many words, that of the Lord, the only one that makes us free. This is why it is important to accustom oneself to listening to the Word of God, to reading it. And I return once more to that advice: always keep a handy copy of the Gospel with you, a pocket edition of the Gospel, in your pocket, in your purse  and then, read a short passage every day, so that you become used to reading the Word of God, understanding well the seed that God offers you, and thinking with what soil do I receive it.

May the Virgin Mary, perfect model of good and fertile soil, help us, with her prayer, to become willing soil without thorns or rocks, so that we may bear good fruit for ourselves and for our brothers and sisters.

After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters, the International Day of the Sea falls on this second Sunday in July. I extend warm greetings to all those who work at sea, especially those who are far from their loved ones and their country. I greet all those who gathered this morning at the port of Civitavecchia-Tarquinia for the Eucharistic Celebration.

And the sea carries me a little farther away in my thoughts: to Istanbul. I think of Hagia Sophia, and I am very saddened.

I greet all of you, the faithful from Rome and pilgrims from various countries, in particular, the families from the Focolari Movement. I greet with gratitude the representatives of the Pastoral Ministry for Health from the Diocese of Rome, thinking of the many priests, women and men religious and lay people who have been, and remain, beside the sick, in this time of pandemic. Thank you! Thank you for what you have done, and for what you are doing. Thank you!

I wish everyone a happy Sunday, Please do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Arrivederci!
By Marc Jones and Karin Strohecker

LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) - The European Commissions proposed 750 billion euro ($853.35 billion) coronavirus recovery fund for EU member states implies an unexpectedly generous package for countries in central and eastern Europe that could significantly benefit their economies.

The CEE region accounts for around 11% of the 27-member European Union's gross domestic product but has been provisionally allocated 187 billion euros, or 25%, of the 'Next Generation EU' plan's money.

In gross terms, Poland and Romania would receive the largest sums in CEE at 65 billion euros 33 billion euros respectively. Scaled as share of GDP, Croatia and Bulgaria would get the biggest boost.

"The extent to which CEE countries, many outside of the Euro area, are supported by the ECs recovery package came as a positive surprise to the market," analysts at JP Morgan said.

The recovery fund proposal is currently split between 500 billion euros of loans and 250 billion of 'grants'. The money is intended for projects spanning 2021-2024, though absorption could be allowed to leak into 2025-2026 as well.

It comes alongside the proposed 1.1 trillion euros EUs regular seven-year budget for 2021-2027, meaning the CEE bloc could draw in a lot of money over that period.

The recovery fund will likely come with substantial strings attached. The 'grants' portion will be distributed to finance specific projects in line with the Commissions agenda and subject to its authorisation.

That has rankled with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose criticisms of Brussels and clampdowns on academics, media freedom and civil society have long been a thorn in the EU's side.

What Poland gets will be also be closely watched. The EU has been voicing concerns about an erosion of democracy there too https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200109IPR69907/rule-of-law-in-poland-and-hungary-has-worsened and Poland's freshly re-elected President Andrzej Duda ran an acrimonious campaign laced with homophobic language and attacks on private and foreign-owned media.

Central and eastern European economies outperformed after the global financial crisis a decade ago. Taking into account the increased funding, they should be able to consistently outgrow their Western European neighbours.

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However, given the lags in absorbing EU money, the degree to which this can materialise is unclear.

Looking only at investment-related disbursements, analysts calculate annual investment funding for CEE countries could range from 2.4% of GDP in the Czech Republic to 8.5% in Croatia. In some countries, such as Bulgaria and Croatia, available funds could exceed public sector investment.

Disbursements of EU funds could also significantly reduce borrowing needs for many countries, though the loan portion would have to be repaid.

Due to the Czech Republic's high income and low debt levels, it could find itself a net contributor to the pot for the first time under NGEU, even if only by a symbolic net 0.3% of GDP.

In the short term, German stimulus could prove even more important, Societe Generale's Marek Drimal added, given how much CEE firms sell to Germany and its manufacturers. ($1 = 0.8789 euros)

(Editing by Louise Heavens)
A West New York woman has been charged with the hit-and-run crash in December that seriously injured a New York man, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.

Temilayo Okeowo, 44, turned herself in to the prosecutors office Friday on the charge of knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury, a third-degree crime.

Authorities say Okeowo struck the man in the area of 66th Street and Boulevard East just before 4:40 p.m. on Dec. 1. When West New York police responded, they found a man unconscious man on the ground and determined he was the victim of a hit-and-run.

The 56-year-old New York man was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center, where he was treated for life-threatening injuries. The victim is still recovering from injuries sustained during the incident.

The initial investigation by the Hudson County Regional Collision Investigation Unit and the West New York Police Department determined the victim was struck while crossing 66th Street at Boulevard East.
- Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque revealed that he is a huge supporter of the ABS-CBN Network

- He said that it was painful for him that the franchise renewal of the Kapamilya network was denied by the Congress

- Roque also shared that he is indebted to ABS-CBN who made him known to many Filipinos

- He also insisted that he is the strongest ABS-CBN supporter in the Duterte administration

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Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made a big revelation that he is an ABS-CBN supporter.

KAMI learned that Roque has spoken after receiving backlash after the denied franchise renewal of the Kapamilya network.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Source: UGC

In a Facebook post by CNN Philippines, Roque admitted that he is hurt after noticing that ABS-CBN has something against him.

It hurts me when I noticed that the ABS-CBN itself is distributing social cards against me now, he said.

According to the Presidential Spokesperson, he is the strongest ABS-CBN supporter in the Duterte administration.

Paulit-ulit ko sinasabing may utang na loob ako. I dont think they can find a stronger supporter within the administration for ABS-CBN other than me, he shared.

In a YouTube video by Philstar News, Roque said that it was painful for him that the Congress denied the franchise renewal of the network.

Masakit din po sa akin ang nagyari sa ABS-CBN. Hindi naman po sikreto na Kapamilya rin ako. Nakilala po ako dahil sa ABS-CBN, panahon pa ni Jing Magsaysay ng ANC, he said.

So malaki po ang utang na loob ko sa ABS-CBN at noong ako poy naging tagapagsalita, malaki rin po ang naging utang na loob ko dahil number 1 naman po talaga sa reach ang ABS-CBN.

Nalulungkot po ako na dumating po sa punto na hindi po na-renew ang prangkisa, he continued.

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ABS-CBN Network is one of the biggest broadcasting companies in the Philippines. It produced many award-winning shows and artists throughout the years.

However, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN. Roque said that President Rodrigo Duterte is neutral regarding this issue.

About a week ago, the House officially rejected the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN. 70 lawmakers voted yes to deny the franchise.

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!

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Every investor in Macquarie Telecom Group Limited (ASX:MAQ) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. Institutions will often hold stock in bigger companies, and we expect to see insiders owning a noticeable percentage of the smaller ones. 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.

Macquarie Telecom Group is not a large company by global standards. It has a market capitalization of AU$985m, which means it wouldn't have the attention of many institutional investors. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it's seems that institutional investors have bought into the company. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholder can tell us about Macquarie Telecom Group.

See our latest analysis for Macquarie Telecom Group

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Macquarie Telecom 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.

Macquarie Telecom Group already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone, since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. 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 Macquarie Telecom Group's earnings history, below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

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Hedge funds don't have many shares in Macquarie Telecom Group. With a 56% stake, CEO David Tudehope is the largest shareholder. This implies that they possess majority interests and have significant control over the company. Investors usually consider it a good sign when the company leadership has such a significant stake, as this is widely perceived to increase the chance that the management will act in the best interests of the company. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 9.8% and 7.2% of the stock.

While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of Macquarie Telecom 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 own more than half of Macquarie Telecom Group Limited. This gives them effective control of the company. That means they own AU$606m worth of shares in the AU$985m company. That's quite meaningful. Most would be pleased to see the board is investing alongside them. You may wish todiscover (for free) if they have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public holds a 18% stake in MAQ. 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 Equity Ownership

Private equity firms hold a 9.8% stake in MAQ. This suggests they can be influential in key policy decisions. Some investors might be encouraged by this, since private equity are sometimes able to encourage strategies that help the market see the value in the company. Alternatively, those holders might be exiting the investment after taking it public.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Macquarie Telecom Group (of which 1 doesn't sit too well with us!) 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.
(Reuters) - The World Health Organization reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases on Friday, with the total rising by 237,743 in 24 hours. The biggest increases were from the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to a daily report

(Reuters) - The World Health Organization reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases on Friday, with the total rising by 237,743 in 24 hours.

The biggest increases were from the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to a daily report. The previous WHO record for new cases was 230,370 on July 12. Deaths have held steady and averaged less than 5,000 a day in July.

Total global coronavirus cases were approaching 14 million on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, marking another milestone in the spread of the disease that has killed more than 590,000 people in seven months.

(Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Chris Reese)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Kmart Australia is set to run a four-part virtual masterclasses offering shoppers interior styling tips, cooking secrets and Marie Kondo-inspired storage solutions.

In a brand-first, the budget retailer will host the series with a line-up of experts, including MasterChef Australia: Back to Win contestant Khanh Ong.

The live masterclasses kicks off between Wednesday, July 29 to Thursday, July 30.

MasterChef Australia: Back to Win contestant Khanh Ong (pictured) will host a live cooking series, one of four virtual masterclasses held by Kmart Australia over two days

Kmart's four-part masterclasses WEDNESDAY, JULY 29 6.30pm - Masterclass 01 - Room Refresh: Interior stylist Aimee Tarulli will provide tips to achieve bedroom bliss, and ideas to create the ideal lounge room 7.30pm - Masterclass 02 - Dining: Aimee Tarulli again, who will deliver Masterclass 02 - Dining: presenting ways to achieve the ultimate at-home dining experience and family entertaining space THURSDAY, JULY 30 6.30pm - Masterclass 03 - Cooking: MasterChef contestant Khanh Ong will showcase two of his favourite recipes using Kmart's latest kitchen appliances and cookware 7.30pm - Masterclass 04 - Storage Solutions: Australia's first-ever certified KonMari Consultant, Sally Flower, will share her top secrets to achieving Instagram-worthy at-home storage solutions Advertisement

Interior stylist Aimee Tarulli, from Melbourne, will deliver a 'room refresh' workshop where she will provide tips to achieve 'bedroom bliss', and ideas to create the ideal lounge room.

Aimee will offer her recommendations on how to achieve the finest at-home dining experience and family entertaining space.

In the kitchen aisle, celebrity chef Khanh Ong will share his practical cooking tips on creating delicious savoury and sweet meals.

Interior stylist Aimee Tarulli (left) will deliver a 'room refresh' workshop, while Australia's first certified KonMari consultant Sally Flower (right) will dive into her top secrets in getting the best at-home storage solutions

Sally will inspire viewers to declutter, re-organise and create Instagram-worthy spaces with the discount store's latest homewares range

Aimee will offer her recommendations on how to achieve the finest at-home dining experience and family entertaining space

During his cooking masterclass, the TV personality will use Kmart's latest kitchen appliances to whip up mouth-watering dishes.

And to conclude the series, Australia's first certified KonMari consultant Sally Flower will dive into her top secrets in getting the ultimate at-home storage solutions.

She will inspire viewers to declutter, re-organise and create Instagram-worthy spaces with the discount store's latest homewares range.

The audience can tune in throughout the broadcast to participate in a live Q&A with the masterclass expert panel.

Fans can register online for one or all of the free masterclasses on the website.
A suspect in the murder of Gokadas founder, Fahim Saleh, has been arrested, American law enforcement officials have said.

The victim was found decapitated and dismembered in his Manhattan apartment on Tuesday.

Officials of the New York Police Department (NYPD) apprehended the personal assistant of the young tech entrepreneur early Friday and he now faces charges in the grisly killing, the New York Times reported.

Mr Saleh, 33, was discovered dead on Tuesday afternoon by his sister inside his $2.25 million condo in a luxury building on the Lower East Side, the police said.

She had gone to check in on him after not hearing from him for about a day.

She found a gruesome scene. Mr Salehs head and limbs had been removed, and parts of his body had been placed in large plastic bags. An electric saw was still plugged in nearby.

The personal assistant, Tyrese Devon Haspil, 21, is expected to be charged in a criminal complaint with second-degree murder and other crimes.

The police who had earlier suspected that the killing might have been financially motivated confirmed on Friday that it indeed was.

According to the police, the motive for the gruesome killing stemmed from Mr Saleh having discovered that the assistant had stolen tens of thousands of dollars from him.

Mr Saleh had not reported the man and had set up what amounted to a repayment plan for him to return the money.

Their findings concluded that Mr Saleh was killed on Monday, the day before his body was found. The killer used his employers credit card to pay for a car to a home depot, on West 23rd Street in Manhattan, to buy cleaning supplies to sanitise the crime scene, the official said.

The killer reportedly returned to Mr Salehs apartment the next day to dismember the body and clean up the crime scene.

The killer who dressed in a black three-piece suit, wearing a black mask and carrying a duffel bag, was captured in a surveillance camera, following Mr Saleh off an elevator in his building and into his apartment.

He was said to have used a taser to immobilise Mr Saleh and then stabbed him to death.

The security video taken from inside the elevator shows the killer later using a battery-operated portable vacuum cleaner in an apparent effort to remove any traces of his presence, the officials told the newspaper.

Autopsy

Meanwhile, an autopsy conducted by a New York medical examiner on Thursday showed that Mr Saleh had died from multiple stab wounds to his neck and torso.

Initially, a law enforcement official had described the killing as a hit that looked like a professional job because the killer had put the dismembered body inside contractor bags as if to hide the evidence of the crime.

READ ALSO:

According to the police detective, the killers work of dismembering the body was interrupted when Mr Salehs sister buzzed from the buildings lobby, prompting him to flee through the apartments back door and into a stairwell before the sister arrived.

Mr Saleh, who was born in Saudi Arabia to Bangladeshi immigrant parents, was described as a nice and loving person who loved gadgets and video games.

Distraught family

Reacting to his sudden death, his family said in a statement on Wednesday that the gruesome killing was so shocking it was unfathomable.

Fahim is more than what you are reading, the family reportedly said. He is so much more. His brilliant and innovative mind took everyone who was a part of his world on a journey and he made sure never to leave anyone behind.

He has been described by friends as a self-made millionaire who brought tech companies into nations like Nigeria and Indonesia.

They called him the Elon Musk of the developing world for his efforts to bring an Uber-like start-up to Nigeria.

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He had an early start in the technology space, building apps and games.

In 2009, he built an app called PrankDial that allowed users to send prerecorded prank calls, after graduating from Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Mr Saleh went on to establish Pathao, a motorcycle ride-sharing start-up in Bangladesh, which he left to start another company in 2018 as a similar venture in Nigeria, an app known as Gokada.

Gokada raised $5.3 million in funding in May 2019 but, following the Lagos State governments ban on commercial motorbike operation on major routes in the state in January, his company laid off 75 per cent of its workforce.

Following the ban, Mr Saleh, allaying fears that the company might have run into bankruptcy, said in a Twitter post we still have money in the bank and are pivoting towards deliveries while this transport ban gets sorted. We were due to make a profit in January before the ban was announced.

After his death, the company on Wednesday tweeted a statement about the incident, saying they were saddened by the tragic loss of our founder and CEO, Fahim Saleh. Fahim was a great leader, inspiration and positive light for all of us.

Fahims passion for Nigeria and its youth was immeasurable, Gokada said in a statement.
Police officials on Friday harshly criticized a section of pending reform legislation that would eliminate their longtime protections from civil lawsuits for abusing their powers.

Andrew Matthews, a former State Police sergeant who heads the Connecticut State Police Union, told the General Assemblys Judiciary Committee that many troopers will retire or resign if lawmakers remove so-called qualified immunity in cases of the death or serious injury of detained suspects.

No one ever intentionally goes into a situation and uses excessive force, Matthews said during the first hour of a daylong, online Zoom hearing aired on CT-N because of the closure of the state Capitol complex in the coronavirus pandemic.

Most departments are struggling to hire officers, said Stonington Police Chief Darren Stewart, the new president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association. We all strive to require quality officers. Not every potential recruit makes it. We do not want problem people to be hired or retained as police officers.

He agreed with Matthews that the removal of immunity protections will make it much harder to recruit and retain officers.

The idea of stripping immunity is another lesson in lawmakers and uninformed or deliberately obtuse interest groups attempting to further an ideology and not actually working to make policing more effective and safer for both officers and the community, Lt. George Bryce, representing the Bethel Police Union.

But state Rep. Brandon McGee, D-Hartford, chairman of the legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, said there must be a way to challenge law enforcement officials who cannot adhere to standards.

Emilie Munson /

In the end, if police are doing nothing wrong, they have nothing to be afraid of, right? McGee said during the morning portion of the hearing, during which speakers were limited to three-minute statements.

Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour said he is generally supportive of the legislation, particularly the valuable tool that police obtain mental health assessments every few years, because such personal issues can often be seen as signs of weakness among cops.

In a first-of-its-kind event in state governments new normal, the historic police-reform legislation won praise from proponents of the legislation.

The bill would open up disciplinary records for public scrutiny, utilize more social workers to defuse some incidents, require cops to intervene during unacceptable instances of brutality, and establish local civilian review boards with subpoena powers.

We need to hear from the public, especially in the moment, said Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, co-chairman of the committee, who drafted the bill with his co-chairman, Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

Im looking for real transformational change in the way were policing, said Barbara Fair, a social worker and longtime West Haven activist. This is about 401 years of terrorism against Black people in this country.

Oladotun Oretade, a Black Lives Matter organizer, said the bill falls short in offering mental health evaluations for officers every five years, stressing it should be more often. I think it should be readily available and encouraged, he said. A lot of officers probably have this complex. They dont want to do a lot of these weak things.

At least 151 people registered for the event by early Friday morning, in preparation to air the bill in time for debate and action in the state House of Representatives next week and the Senate later in July. Late Friday, Gov. Ned Lamont issued a proclamation calling the General Assembly into special session this coming Tuesday morning  but the debate is expected to begin Thursday.

The hearing comes as Black Lives Matters protests of June and early July have tapered off, but its a moment that progressive, mostly Democratic lawmakers believe is crucial to act. State Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, longtime ranking member of the committee, called the bill a moving target, which will be the subject of further negotiations early next week.

Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelo, who was recently promoted to the statewide post, recommended that instead of an inspector general, as written in the draft legislation, another states attorney team, including detectives and a crime-scene analyst with the power to issue subpoenas, be created to investigate police misconduct. He said the cost would be about $1.9 million a year for staffing the team.

Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media

Kristan Peters-Hamlin, a former federal prosecutor who serves on the Westport Representative Town Meeting, said the legislation should enable the creation of elected, not appointed, local civilian review boards, to assure their independence. She suggested penalties for officers who fail to properly use their body cameras, which in her experience have been abused.

Shortly after noon, Janice Colandrea, of Meriden, said she supports current protections for police. I feel like this is a knee-jerk reaction to whats going around this country, she said, charging that cops will be hindered in their work by the legislation. Who in their right mind would go into this career with this going on?

This precipitated a back-and-forth between Colandrea and state Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven, who detailed occasions of racial profiling.

We all do have our different views and experiences and this is why were here listening, said Rep. Rosa Rebimbas, R-Naugatuck, ranking member of the committee. I think everyone on this panel has very good intentions.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
Asteroids, Comets, Black Holes, Stars and all other celestial objects often inspire awe, bewilderment and even fear amongst people. Moreover, they have always been a subject of interest, inspiration and curiosity for the space agency NASA. According to the reports on NASAs website Asteroid 2020ND, will be passing close to Earth and this celestial event is set to occur on July 24, 2020, as confirmed by NASAs website.

Source: Pixabay

Read | New Star sign introduced by NASA sends people into a frenzy, know what it means for you

Asteroid Bigger than London Eye to pass close to Earth

The size of Asteroid 2020ND has been compared to the size of the London Eye, by several media portals. The famous United Kingdom landmark is 443 feet high. Reports on several media portals have claimed that Asteroid 2020ND is larger than the London Eye by as much as 50 per cent.

Read | NASA shows off its first-ever Mars helicopter, netizens excited

NASA News: Is Asteroid 2020ND potentially hazardous?

According to the reports on NASA Official website, the space rock will come within just 0.037 astronomical units (AU) of our planet. NASA official website has to define Potentially Hazardous Asteroids also known as PHAs are currently defined based on parameters which measure the asteroids potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth. More specifically, all asteroids with a minimum orbit intersection distance also known as MOID of 0.05 AU or less and an absolute magnitude (H) of 22.0 or less are considered PHAs.

Read | NASA Spacewalk: Watch Astronauts conduct a spacewalk in NASA livestream

Hence, Asteroid 2020ND fits the definition of a Potentially Hazardous Object. An astronomical unit is equal to about 150 million kilometres or roughly the distance from the Earth to the Sun. To get more context on this one needs to know that, one AU is approximately 93 million miles which are 150 million km, or to be precise it is 149,598,000 km.

If this is put in light minutes, it will be 8 light-minutes, which is the distance between Earth and the Sun. The gigantic Asteroid2020ND is travelling at an astounding speed of 13.5 kilometres per second or 48,000 kilometres per hour. It will soon be only 5,086,327 kilometres away from Earth which in astronomical terms is - a hair's width.

Read | Volcanic Island in Japan captured by NASA space satellites as it continues to spew lava

Has NASA issued warning for Asteroid 2020ND?

So far the space agency has not issued any warning about the asteroid on either its social media handles or the space agencys website. On NASA: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) website: Space objects like Asteroid 2020ND, are called Near-Earth Objects when they come close to the planet. NEOs can be comets or asteroids that have been nudged by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into orbits. Hence they enter Earths neighbourhood.
(JNS)  In the view of those cheering on the efforts of the Black Lives Matter movement, this July 4 was one less of celebration than of soul-searching and reassessment. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the normal festivities were always going to be muted. But the brutal death of George Floyd on May 25 sent angry crowds of sometimes peaceful protesters into the streets seeking to topple monuments of not just Confederates, but also the nations Founding Fathers and a host of other historical figures who dont measure up to the woke standards of the demonstrators.

As such, it is a de...
A Victorian police officer based in Melbourne's CBD has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing almost 30 others into isolation.

The sworn member based at Crime Command in the Spencer Street complex received the positive test result on Thursday, the force confirmed on Friday.

The office area was deep-cleaned on Thursday afternoon, with other police staff told not to come into the office during this period.

The sworn member based at Crime Command in the Spencer Street complex (pictured) received the positive test result on Thursday, the force confirmed on Friday

A dozen police members who work in this area were told to immediately self-isolate and be tested, Victoria Police said.

The member had been in Shepparton last week, prompting 16 police from that station to also be put into isolation and undergo testing.

The area occupied by the officer at Shepparton station was blocked off and was also professionally deep cleaned.

'Victoria Police's priority first and foremost is to ensure the safety of its people and the community,' a police statement said.

'A thorough assessment of the impact on other police personnel and the community is being undertaken to identify any further close contacts.'

The case emerged after the latest figures showed Victoria has recorded 428 new coronavirus cases and three more deaths.
In this article NFLX

Is Netflix losing its streaming crown? The company's stock slid about 7% in Friday's premarket trading session following its second-quarter earnings report. Netflix missed analysts' expectations on earnings per share but topped their estimates for revenue and global net subscriber additions. It also announced a disappointing subscriber growth forecast. Market analysts were largely still bullish on the company, but said the results may mark the start of a new era for Netflix. Here's what four of them said after the report:

Spotlight on subscribers

Bernie McTernan, senior research analyst at Rosenblatt Securities, said the most important piece of Netflix's report was its guidance that it would see 2.5 million net subscriber additions in the third quarter versus the 5.27 million analysts are expecting: "That's why the stock's selling off despite the beat on 1Q. What's interesting as well is [the] operating margin guide, 16% for '20. They have a new guide now for '21, which they didn't have before, of 19%. That's roughly in line with consensus. And then also, on free cash flow, they expect this year to be break-even to slightly positive versus a billion burned before. So, almost a flip here. Normally, you have bulls focused on subscriber growth. Well, the good part about this earnings period is actually probably the free cash flow, and the bears who normally focus on the lack of free cash flow probably have something to dig into on the subscribers here."

Big Tech in trouble?

Stephanie Link, chief investment strategist and portfolio manager at Hightower, said Netflix's miss could be the start of a trend for Big Tech: "I think the sub numbers for the quarter were very good, very solid, but those numbers had been inching higher  all throughout the quarter. As I mentioned, Netflix app was downloaded 75 million times in the quarter. I mean, that is a huge, huge number. I also think the fact that production is going to restart  means your cash-burn rate goes up. And then on top of that, [the company is] talking about competition. So, to me, down 10% [is] not enough for me to buy it. I really would want to see this thing pull back materially more. But it also makes me worry about some of these other technology stocks that have rallied so much on the work-from-home theme. I think that that is something that we all have to keep in mind and, perhaps, maybe that is what the market is starting to sniff out and which is why tech has underperformed the overall market in the last week."

Surveying the landscape

Sylvia Jablonski, managing director for capital markets and an institutional ETF strategist at Direxion, said Netflix's potential hinged on its ability to keep producing quality content: "Once production gets up and running, if they have some stellar new adds to the platform, I do think that  whether it's that work-from-home or study-from-home, people will have some hybrid situation that leaves them inside of the house looking for content. So, if they really have stellar content and crush Apple TV, Amazon Prime, all of the different  Peacock  applications out there and programming out there, then I think they have a shot to really pick up in price again. But I would probably wait and see a little bit. And the subscriber number could also change depending on how long the pandemic goes on and people are at home with very little to do. So, I think  keep an eye on it. Wait and see."

The company vs. the stock
The Philippines will allow the entry of foreign nationals with long-term visas into the country from August 1, the presidential spokesman said on Friday, as the country gradually relaxes some coronavirus restrictions in a bid to support the economy.

Foreigners with valid and existing visas would need to undergo quarantine upon arrival, said Harry Roque, spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte.

Long-term visa holders refer to foreigners living and working in the country, Roque told Reuters.

Applications for new entry visas will not be accepted and returning Filipinos will have priority on inbound flights given existing caps on airport capacity, the task force said.

The Bureau of Immigration banned the entry of foreigners into the country in March to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. Only Filipinos as well as foreign diplomats were allowed to enter.

The Philippines has reported 61,266 cases of the virus and 1,643 related deaths. It ranks second in Southeast Asia behind Indonesia in terms of the number of infections and deaths.
Anil Deshmukh and Sushant Singh Rajput

New Delhi: There was no need for a CBI probe into the death case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput as the Mumbai police were capable of handling the matter, said Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday.

Anil DeshmukhRajput, 34, was found dead in his Bandra apartment in Mumbai on June 14 and what the police claimed was a case of suicide. In the initial investigation, the Mumbai police had found that the actor was under medication for depression.

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On Thursday, Rhea Chakraborty, in a tweet, demanded a CBI inquiry to understand what "pressures" prompted Rajput to take the extreme step of suicide.

Chakraborty said though she has "complete faith" in the government, a CBI inquiry would help bring justice to the case.

Sushant Singh Rajput

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"There was no need to give the case to the CBI. Our police officials are capable and doing the inquiry in right way. We are also examining the angle of business rivalry," said Deshmukh.
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The Report Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Share, Size & Trend Analysis Report By Source (Refinery, Associated Gas, Non Associated Gas), By Application, And Segment Forecasts, To 2024

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is also known as Auto Gas, BBQ Gas, LP Gas, Propane, or Camping gas. It is a mixture of flammable hydrocarbon gases, such as butane or propane. Interestingly, there are countries where it is only made of either butane or propane. In many cases, it could also be a combination of the two. In some cases, the fuel may also consist of isobutane, a slight variation of butane. Gases that fall under the LPG label include butane, butylene, isobutene, isobutylene, propane, propylene, and a mixture of these gases.

Typically, the fuel contains a mixture of both butane and propane, with a number of other gases present in tiny quantities. Propane is more efficacious in cold climatic conditions, whereas, butane isnt as effective. Pure butane is more often used in portable supplies, while large households tend to contain propane in majority in their tanks (in North America, propane proportion is generally 90%) Propane also produces more heat and is efficient in combustion, while butane liquefies readily, making its containment easy. As the fuel is odorless, tiny amounts of pungent gas are also added to it (such as ethanethiol) so that gas leaks are easily detected.

The gas canisters are also color-coded in some regions, such as the UK, where suppliers sell propane in red or green cans, and butane in blue ones.

How is It Made?

The gas is produced either by oil refining or by natural gas processing. Distillation towers are used to extract LPG from heated crude oil. It is then stored in tanks or cylinders in the form of pressurized liquid. The compression is such that propane and butane take up around 274 times less space than normal. Around 60% of the gas that is used by people is extracted from the Earth, while the rest is indirectly manufactured from crude oil (petroleum).

The gas is stored in its liquid form in tanks and cylinders. Liquid turns to vapor (vaporization) when pressure is released from the container filled with LPG. Vaporization happens when the gas appliance is turned on.

Access Blog of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/blog/liquefied-petroleum-gas-lpg

Some of the major market players are Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), ExxonMobil Corporation, Philips 66, Dutch Shell, Chevron Corp., CNPC, Sinopec, BP, Petroleos de Venezuela, and Valero Energy, and others. The market is highly fragmented and is likely to attract regional participants in the future. Some of the recent events in the industry include:

In July 2019, Enterprise Products Partners partnered with Chevron U.S.A. , supporting the development of Enterprises Sea Port Oil Terminal (SPOT) located in the Gulf of Mexico . The development would allow Chevron to expand its export capacity, while Enterprise would be able to create added capacity for growing volume of LPG through optimization of its Houston Ship Channel facilities.

partnered with , supporting the development of Enterprises (SPOT) located in the . The development would allow Chevron to expand its export capacity, while Enterprise would be able to create added capacity for growing volume of LPG through optimization of its Houston Ship Channel facilities. In August 2019, Reliance Industries announced that it would be only producing jet fuel and petrochemicals at its Jamnagar refinery , addressing the customer shift towards electric vechicles as a major cause. To achieve this, they have laid out an oil-to-chemical strategy, which would enable them to transform to a leading producer of fuels to chemicals.

announced that it would be only producing jet fuel and petrochemicals at its , addressing the customer shift towards electric vechicles as a major cause. To achieve this, they have laid out an oil-to-chemical strategy, which would enable them to transform to a leading producer of fuels to chemicals. In October 2019, Ecopetrol , the largest and main petroleum company in Colombia, inaugurated a new plant of the Cupiagua field , located in Aguazul, Casanare . The plant has the capacity to produce 7000-8000 barrels of LPG per day. Along with this, the plant produces other products such as NGL (natural gas liquids) and C5 (Pentane).

, the largest and main petroleum company in Colombia, inaugurated a new plant of the , located in . The plant has the capacity to produce 7000-8000 barrels of LPG per day. Along with this, the plant produces other products such as NGL (natural gas liquids) and C5 (Pentane). In September 2019, Kunlun Energy Co Ltd, a unit of PetroChina(an arm of CNPC), brought its first LPG weighing 1,150 tons from a Russian oilfield to the city of Manzhouli in Northeast China, which is a part of the plan of transporting around 100 thousand tons of the Russian fuel by early 2020. Manzhouli has a handling capacity of more than a million tons of the fuel on an annual basis.

Access Press Release of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-lpg-market
A protest is scheduled to take place Friday outside a Whole Foods store in Berkeley, following a longtime employees claim of being told by a co-worker that she could not wear a face mask that had "Black Lives Matter" inscribed on it while working.

"I work in Berkeley, CA at Whole Foods Market on Gilman St. and Ill probably lose my job over this," wrote Jordan Baker in a social media post Wednesday, "but I honestly dont want to work for a company who only 'supports' a movement when it makes them look good, or makes them money."

Baker goes on to describe the encounter, saying that within five minutes of walking into the store, she was called into her workplaces office on July 14 about her mask. In her post, she said she was told by management that she could not wear her Black Lives Matter mask because it was "controversial." She also says that someone in this conversation told her the company wants to remain "neutral."

RELATED: BLM movement comes to quiet corner of Berkeley Hills

Baker says the conversation ended when she was told she had to change her mask in order to stay and work. She did not. So, she left for the day.

"In order to operate in a customer-focused environment, all Team Members must comply with our longstanding company dress code, which prohibits clothing with visible slogans, messages, logos or advertising that are not company-related," reads a statement given to SFGATE by a Whole Foods Market spokesperson. "Team Members with face masks that do not comply with dress code are always offered new face masks. Team Members are unable to work until they comply with the dress code."

The protest is planned to take place Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Whole Foods Market at 1025 Gilman St. in Berkeley, according to another social media post shared by Baker. It is unclear whether she is still employed by Whole Foods as of Friday.

SFGATE reached out to Baker for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication.

Fernando Martinez is an editorial assistant for SFGATE. Email: fernando.martinez@sfgate.com | Twitter: @fernan_dough
Iran ready to help Afghan govt. advance national peace process: Deputy FM

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 8:19 AM

A senior Iranian diplomat has expressed the country's readiness to help the Afghan government advance the peace process in the conflict-ridden country.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi made the remarks in a meeting with Afghanistan's Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Hanif Atmar in Kabul late on Wednesday.

Araqchi reiterated Iran's support for the peace process in Afghanistan, led by its government, and expressed hope that the intra-Afghan talks would soon kick off with the participation of all political factions.

He also stressed that the Islamic Republic stands ready to assist the Afghan government with advancing the peace process given the mutual concerns and interests of the two neighboring countries.

He further said Iran attaches importance to preserving the achievements made by the Afghan people regarding the constitution and democratic structures of their country after four decades of war.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral ties, peace process in Afghanistan, regional and international issues, problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and economic cooperation.

They also agreed on a roadmap and the time schedule to finalize a comprehensive strategic cooperation deal.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, Araqchi travelled to Kabul on Wednesday to follow up the agreements reached during Atmar's visit to Tehran last month.

At the conclusion of his visit to Iran on June 21-22, Atamar and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif issued a joint statement, defining the road for bilateral cooperation in various fields, including common border security.

Iran, Afghanistan underline need for regional convergence

Later on Thursday, Araqchi met and conferred with Abdullah Abdullah, the head of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR), in Kabul.

During the meeting, the Iranian side emphasized the need for the promotion of convergence and economic growth in the region.

Araqchi added that the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to support efforts aimed at establishing peace in Afghanistan.

Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs, Abbas Araqchi (L), meets with head of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR), Abdullah Abdullah, in Kabul, Thursday, July 16, 2020. (Photo by IRNA)

Abdullah, for his part, thanked Iran for its incessant support for Afghanistan and gave a report on the latest measures taken to realize peace in the country.

The two sides also noted that establishment of peace in Afghanistan would benefit peace and stability in the entire region and elsewhere in the world.

They also described establishment of peace in Afghanistan as a stride toward further regional convergence and economic development, saying that it also strengthens the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking.

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Texas reported 10,000 new cases and 129 additional deaths and California reported nearly 20,000 and 258 respectively.

Teams of military medics were deployed in Texas and California to help hospitals deluged by coronavirus patients, as Miami area authorities on Friday began stepping up enforcement of a mask requirement  echoing efforts in many parts of the world to contain surging infections.

In California, military doctors, nurses and other healthcare specialists were being deployed to eight hospitals facing staffing shortages amid record-breaking case numbers. In Houston, an 86-person army medical team worked to take over a wing of United Memorial Medical Center.

Texas reported 10,000 new cases for the third straight day on Thursday and 129 additional deaths. California, meanwhile, reported its largest two-day total of confirmed cases, nearly 20,000, along with 258 deaths over 48 hours. There are more than 8,000 people in hospitals who have either tested positive for the coronavirus or are suspected of having it.

There were signs elsewhere in the countrys Sunbelt that the virus was stretching states capacity to respond. The medical examiners office in metro Phoenix has gotten portable storage coolers and ordered more to handle an influx of bodies  reminiscent of New York City at the height of the pandemic there earlier this year.

In Floridas Miami-Dade County, the county commission unanimously approved an emergency order giving all code and fire inspectors authority to issue tickets of up to $100 for individuals and $500 for businesses not complying with guidelines to wear masks and practice social distancing. Police officers already had this enforcement power.

Were going to put a heck of a lot of people out there, said Mayor Carlos Gimenez. Our people are going to go everywhere.

A medical worker carrying a nasal swab sample using a grabber at a COVID-19 drive-through testing site set up at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California [AP Photo/Jae C. Hong]

In Miami-Dade, which is Floridas most populous county and the current epicentre of the outbreak, more than 3,100 new coronavirus cases were reported on Thursday. The state, meanwhile, reached another ominous record, with 156 virus-related deaths, and a staggering 13,965 new cases.

At least half of the 50 states have adopted requirements for wearing masks or other facial coverings.

But in Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp has banned cities and counties from requiring face coverings. He sued Atlanta late on Thursday to prevent it from defying his order, but Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she was prepared to go to court to maintain the local mask requirement.
Experiences of discrimination over a lifetime is associated with high blood pressure in African American adults, according to findings published this month in the journal Hypertension from researchers at the Urban Health Collaborative at Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health.

High blood pressure is linked with many life-threatening conditions, including stroke, heart disease and dementia, and is also associated with higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. This connection between poor heart health and higher risk of severe symptoms suggests the findings may also provide insights into current racial disparities in patient outcomes during the pandemic.

The authors used survey responses from 1,845 African American adults living in Mississippi who participated in the Jackson Heart study (and did not have high blood pressure at the start of the study). Those who had a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher or a diastolic blood pressure higher than 90 mm Hg and/or were taking medicine to manage their blood pressure at any follow up examination were considered to have developed hypertension.

Participants had a baseline visit between 2000 and 2004 and had two follow-up visits - one in 2005-2008 and the other in 2009-2013. At the time of study baseline patients reported previous experiences of discrimination via survey. The researchers counted instances of lifetime discrimination by counting any of nine domains -- such as in school/training, getting a job or housing, at work, etc. -- in which unfair treatment was reported.

After adjusting for gender, age, socioeconomic status and other high blood pressure risk factors, the team found that individuals reporting medium levels (in one to two domains) and high levels of lifetime discrimination (in three to nine domains) had a 49 percent and 34 percent increased risk for hypertension compared to those who reported low levels of lifetime discrimination (zero domains), respectively.

"Our findings in a large population show that the stress resulting from discrimination may have a major impact on the health of African Americans," said lead author Allana T. Forde, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Urban Health Collaborative.

The authors said the study could have implications for treating African American patients, but also renews attention towards the conditions in which people live and the significant influence of environment on health.

"Structural racism affects health in many ways. The experiences of discrimination investigated in this study represent only one of the many ways in which racism has measurable health consequences," said senior author and Urban Health Collaborative Director Ana Diez Roux, MD, PhD, dean and distinguished professor of Epidemiology at Dornsife School of Public Health. "Addressing racism is critical to promoting health and achieving health equity."

High blood pressure -- that is 130/80 or above according to current guidelines -- plagues 103 million adult Americans, nearly half of all adults. More than 40 percent of African American adults suffer from high blood pressure.

###

Forde was awarded an American Heart Association grant to support this research. The Jackson Heart Study used in this paper is funded by the National Institutes of Health and implemented by the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson State University; and Tougaloo College.

In addition to Forde and Diez Roux, study authors include Mario Sims, PhD, of University of Mississippi Medical Center; Paul Muntner, PhD of University of Alabama at Birmingham; Tene Lewis, PhD, of Emory University Rollins School of Public Health; Amanda Onwuka, PhD, of Nationwide Children's Hospital; and Kari Moore, from Drexel's Dornsife School of Public Health.

Read the full paper, "Discrimination and Hypertension Risk among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study," at this link.
Alabama

Montgomery: The state will begin requiring face masks in public as health officials try to quell a surge of new coronavirus cases that is filling up hospitals, Gov. Kay Ivey said Wednesday. In an announcement made a day after the state reported a high of 40 deaths in a single day from the pandemic, officials said masks would be required starting Thursday afternoon for anyone older than 6 whos in public and within 6 feet of someone whos not a relative. The rule, which makes exceptions for people who have certain medical conditions, are exercising or are performing certain types of jobs, will last through July 31, meaning it is set to expire before most public schools reopen. But other health orders have been extended to fight COVID-19. Ivey said statistics showing a precipitous rise in confirmed coronavirus cases in Alabama over the past two weeks just do not lie. Were almost to the point where our hospital ICUs are overwhelmed, she said.

Alaska

Anchorage: Alaska Health Department officials are partnering with the UAA Center for Rural Health and Workforce to quickly train 500 contact tracers needed to help limit coronavirus outbreaks. Alaska officials initially hoped to train 500 contact tracers by June 30, but only 177 people had completed the training through July 10, the Anchorage Daily News reports. Another 480 were registered, and 990 people had expressed interest in becoming a contact tracer. When Alaska began seeing its first cases of coronavirus in March, most individuals had only been in contact with a handful of other people, which meant the potential contacts could be traced fairly quickly, Rural Health and Workforce Director Gloria Burnett said. Now, however, some people who have tested positive for coronavirus have been in contact with 50 to 100 people, which makes the tracing immensely more time-consuming and challenging, she said.

Arizona

Phoenix: Housing advocacy groups have joined lawmakers in lobbying Gov. Doug Ducey to extend his coronavirus-related moratorium on evictions, which will expire next week and allow authorities to start removing hundreds of renters in a state thats a national hot spot for infections and scorching summer weather alike. Its so hot in Arizona, you cannot live outside if you lose your home, said Meghan Heddings, executive director of Family Housing Resources in Tucson, which is among the groups advocating for an extension. And, of course, were still in the middle of a pandemic. Arizonas 120-day order ending July 22 was supposed to ensure people wouldnt lose their homes if they got COVID-19 or lost their jobs during pandemic restrictions. But advocates say its too early to end the ban because most of the government money set aside to help pay rents and mortgages still hasnt been doled out.

Story continues

Arkansas

Little Rock: Gov. Asa Hutchinson left open the possibility of a statewide mask mandate to prevent coronavirus but said the state is making progress encouraging their use as the number of virus cases surpassed 30,000 on Wednesday. Hutchinson, a Republican who has resisted mandating masks, applauded Bentonville-based Walmarts decision to require customers to wear them. Hutchinson said such a requirement remains a tool we can implement as we need it. The governor has allowed cities to enact their own mask restrictions, but under an ordinance that doesnt spell out penalties for not complying. Hutchinson said he hears both from people who want a mask mandate and from those who call it an infringement that wouldnt be enforceable. Were moving in the right direction. As to whether we need a statewide mandate, that will continue to be evaluated, and if we do it, youll know about it, Hutchinson told reporters.

California

Pasadena: The 2021 Rose Parade has been canceled because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on planning for the New Years Day tradition and the risk of spreading infections among its huge audience and participants, organizers said Wednesday. The Pasadena, California, Tournament of Roses Association said the decision was put off until organizers were certain that safety restrictions would prevent staging of the 132nd parade. Planning for the Rose Bowl college football game that traditionally follows the parade is continuing, the association said. The parade is held every Jan. 1 except when New Years Day falls on a Sunday, in which case the event is pushed to Jan. 2. Since its inception in 1891, the parade has only not occurred during the wartime years of 1942, 1943 and 1945, the association said.

Colorado

Colorado Springs: Health officials have warned that tougher restrictions on restaurants, gyms and other businesses could be coming to El Paso County, citing an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations. El Paso County Public Health has said residents must wear masks and take other preventive measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in order to maintain the state variances allowing greater activity and operations, The Gazette reports. Even though its difficult to accept for some of us, it doesnt make it any less real, Deputy Medical Director Leon Kelly said. As of Tuesday, El Paso County has had 115 new confirmed cases for every 100,000 residents over the past two weeks, up from about 25 confirmed cases for every 100,000 residents over two weeks in mid-June, according to Public Health data.

Connecticut

Hartford: The states two tribal casinos on Wednesday reported strong slot revenues for June, the first month theyve been partly open since closing for nearly three months because of the coronavirus pandemic. Its unclear, however, whether it will be the start of a trend, considering competitors to Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun have begun to reopen, and cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in other parts of the country. Both casinos, located about 7 miles apart in southeastern Connecticut on sovereign tribal land, opened June 1 despite opposition from Gov. Ned Lamont, who had the states Department of Transportation erect electronic signs near the entrances on state highways, warning visitors of the potential dangers of COVID-19 in large group settings. Neither casino has yet to report any infections.

Delaware

Dover: The state Department of Education released its long-awaited guidance Wednesday afternoon offering requirements and steps schools should take to safely return to buildings in the fall. Requirements schools must meet if they are to hold in-person classes in the fall include mandating masks for students in fourth grade and up, holding outdoor classes when possible and social distancing on buses. It is still not clear if school buildings will open. While the state hopes to resume in-person teaching at the start of the school year, what the semester will actually look like still hangs in limbo. The state plans to announce whether students may return to buildings in early August. The departments guidance offers recommendations for three different COVID-19 scenarios: minimal community spread, minimal-to-moderate community spread and significant community spread.

District of Columbia

Washington: Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Thursday that there will be no decision on the reopening plan for schools until July 31, WUSA-TV reports. While the start date for the school year is Aug. 31, the plan on what exactly reopening D.C. Public Schools will look like is not yet final. City officials said the decision on how schools will operate in the fall depends on health indicators. Recent data shows it is not ideal for making plans for the upcoming school year. We need more time to observe what is happening with the virus, Bowser said. D.C. Health officials are monitoring three metrics of concern before they can determine which scenario will work best to safely have students return to school: rate of transmission, ability to see declines in community spread and how connected new COVID-19 cases are.

Florida

St. Petersburg: The state reached another ominous mark Thursday with a record 156 deaths from the coronavirus reported in a single day as Florida continues to experience a swift rise in cases. The state Department of Health reported 13,965 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total throughout the pandemic in Florida to nearly 316,000. In Miami-Dade County, the states most populous and the current epicenter of the outbreak, there were more than 3,100 new coronavirus cases reported. The 156 deaths statewide eclipsed the previous record set Tuesday of 132 reported deaths. On a seven-day average, Florida is now at more than 100 deaths per day  well above previous months. Hospitalizations also have been surging, filling up ICU units at several hospitals. Statewide, the number of patients being treated in hospitals for the coronavirus was at 8,809 Thursday morning, up from 8,276 at the same time the day before.

Georgia

Atlanta: Mayors in Atlanta and other Georgia cities deepened their defiance of Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday, saying they want their requirements for people to wear masks in public to remain in place, even after the Republican governor explicitly forbade cities and counties from mandating face coverings. Officials in at least 15 Georgia cities and counties, including Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, had ordered masks during the coronavirus pandemic, and many are venting outrage at Kemp swatting down their efforts. The mayors order remains in effect, as science and data will continue to drive the citys decisions, Michael Smith, a spokesperson for Bottoms, wrote in a text. Masks save lives. Kemp doesnt disagree, saying he strongly supports mask-wearing to combat the spread of COVID-19 infections. But he has maintained for weeks that cities and counties dont have the power to require masks in public places.

Hawaii

Honolulu: Scientists planning to build one of the worlds largest telescopes on a mountain in the state said Wednesday that construction wont begin until at least next year. TMT International Observatory Vice President Gordon Squires told Hawaii News Now that the coronavirus pandemic presents a complicated and unsafe situation for moving ahead. With the pandemic and other factors that have come in, winter seems like a long ways away, but its not that far away, and for us to resume construction activities on site, winter on Mauna Kea just isnt feasible, Squires told the TV station. He told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that it takes a minimum of three months to gear up for the start of construction during optimal times. But bringing equipment and personnel from the U.S. mainland could now require double the preparation time, he said.

Idaho

Boise: A lawsuit filed by a county against Republican Gov. Brad Little and other state officials could upend plans for distributing $1.25 billion in coronavirus rescue money the state received from the U.S. government. Bonner County in the lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court contends that Treasury Department guidelines require the state to simply distribute the rescue money to cities and counties based on population. State officials instead have tied allocations to payroll expenses for first responders as a way to reduce property taxes. In addition, to receive the rescue money, cities and counties cannot increase their property tax budgets by the allowed 3% next year or use any balance from previous years. Local governments face a Friday deadline to sign up to receive the money.

Illinois

Lake Zurich: At least three dozen high school students in northern Illinois have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus after some attending summer sports camps showed symptoms of the disease. Investigations and contact tracing of the infections are tied to the camps held last week at Lake Zurich High School and multiple prior social gatherings, according to Lake County health officials. Health officials said health screenings were conducted at the start of the camps July 6, and some students who showed symptoms were turned away. But other students experienced symptoms during the camps and were sent home. Health and school district officials met the next day and decided to close the camps. All camp participants have been told to self-quarantine for 14 days from their last possible exposure to the virus.

Indiana

Indianapolis: The states current limits on crowd sizes for restaurants, bars and public events will remain in place until at least the end of July as the state faces a growing number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, Gov. Eric Holcomb said Wednesday. Holcomb lifted Indianas stay-at-home order and started easing coronavirus restrictions in early May but halted those steps two weeks ago as the state started seeing infections grow again in a reversal of steady declines seen since April. The governor, however, said he would not issue a statewide mask-wearing mandate or direct school districts on whether they should have children return to classrooms. Holcombs decision means restaurants will continue to be allowed 75% capacity in their dining rooms, while bars, nightclubs, bowling alleys, museums and movie theaters can be open at half-capacity.

Iowa

Polly Carver-Kimm, whod been the Iowa Department of Public Health lead spokesperson for 12 years, said Department Director Gerd Clabaugh called her Wednesday morning to tell her she could either resign or be fired.

Des Moines: A longtime spokeswoman for the Iowa Department of Public Health has been ousted from her job, and she thinks it was because she aggressively shared information on the coronavirus outbreak and other issues with news organizations. Polly Carver-Kimm had been the departments lead media relations liaison for 12 years, until she was called in Wednesday and told to resign or be fired. Health Department director Gerd Clabaugh told her the position was being eliminated as part of a restructuring, Carver-Kimm said, but she believes her dismissal was the culmination of a pattern to diminish her role, starting in March when she was told she would no longer handle any media inquiries about the coronavirus. Carver-Kimm said Gov. Kim Reynolds office has recently required most media requests to the department  including routine open-records requests  to be routed to the governors office.

Kansas

Lawrence: The University of Kansas said Wednesday that it will test for COVID-19 all students, faculty and staff who return to campus for the fall semester. Chancellor Douglas Girod said in a video message that some logistics still have to be worked out, but the university has made arrangements with the Clinical Reference Laboratory in nearby Lenexa to conduct the saliva testing, the Lawrence Journal-World reports. This is the safest way to get our campus open, Girod said. We want to make sure we start the year out with as healthy of a campus as we can in the fall. On-campus housing at the university will be setting aside rooms to quarantine students who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms or test positive for it, he said. Girod also confirmed masks will be required on campus in the fall.

Kentucky

Frankfort: Attorney General Daniel Cameron filed a motion Wednesday to block all of Gov. Andy Beshears past and future executive orders under the current COVID-19 state of emergency, alleging the governors actions are arbitrary and violate Kentuckians constitutional rights. The motion was filed in Boone County Circuit Court, where a judge recently issued a restraining order against Beshears public health orders related to auto racetracks and day care centers. The governor on Wednesday asked the Kentucky Supreme Court to uphold his emergency public health orders in this case and a related one involving agritourism businesses. Beshear fired back at Cameron on Twitter on Thursday. With no rules, there is no chance of getting kids back to school, we will lose over $10 billion in our economy, and many Kentuckians will die, he tweeted. I hope everyone understands how scary and reckless this is. Cameron responded by criticizing Beshear for not collaborating with his office and Republican legislators on his public health orders.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: State Attorney General Jeff Landry, who is quarantining after testing positive for the coronavirus, issued a legal opinion Wednesday saying the governors statewide mask mandate and bar restrictions to combat the outbreak appear to violate Louisianas constitution. The Republican attorney generals office said Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards order requiring most people to wear face coverings, limiting bars to takeout and delivery, and banning indoor gatherings of more than 50 people is likely unconstitutional and unenforceable. Landrys assessment doesnt carry the force of law, but the opinion could be used as the basis for a lawsuit. A group of eight Republican lawmakers asked for Landrys assessment. Edwards defended the order, in effect since Monday, noting the opinion comes a day after Vice President Mike Pence, in a visit to Louisiana, complimented Edwards response to the pandemic and suggested residents should comply with the mask mandate.

Maine

Portland: The number of state residents filing new unemployment claims went up last week after it had been trending downward. About 8,000 initial claims, including claims for both state and federal benefits, were filed last week, up from 5,100 claims the previous week, the Portland Press Herald reports. The Maine Department of Labor said Thursday that an uptick in unemployment claims in July is expected because of temporary mill closures. However, the department said its analyzing the increase in claims because of concerns about fraud attacks on unemployment insurance around the country. The department said it has also extended the date when unemployed Maine residents who are permanently separated from their employer must start searching for work to Aug. 9.

Maryland

Annapolis: Maryland uncovered a massive criminal enterprise involving identity theft and more than 47,500 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in the state adding up to more than $501 million, Gov. Larry Hogan said Wednesday, saying the case relates to activity in at least a dozen other states. The governor announced that employees at the states unemployment insurance website detected an unusual increase in out-of-state federal pandemic unemployment assistance claims and reported it to federal authorities. It is obviously a coordinated criminal enterprise because this is not just random people in their basement, Hogan said. Maryland Labor Department Secretary Tiffany Robinson said the activity was found over the Fourth of July weekend. We will continue to work with our state and federal partners to prevent fraudsters from capitalizing upon the hardships caused by the coronavirus during these already difficult and uncertain times, Robinson said.

Massachusetts

Boston: Trustees of the Soldiers Home in Holyoke have endorsed multiple recommendations made in a highly critical state investigation into dozens of coronavirus-related deaths at the facility for aging veterans. The board of trustees met by teleconference Tuesday for the first time since the reports release June 24, Masslive.com reports. Members passed 13 resolutions to make widespread improvements to the homes operations and management. They also passed a second package of reform plans calling on state officials to update the building to meet infection control standards, fill the now-vacant state director of Veterans Services position quickly with an experienced health care leader, and fund a new electronic record-keeping system. The leadership of the home made several utterly baffling decisions that allowed the disease to run rampant, investigators said in the report. In all, 76 veterans who contracted COVID-19 at the home have died.

Michigan

Detroit: Police on Thursday arrested at least 11 protesters who tried to block buses from picking up students, on the fourth day of demonstrations against voluntary summer classes during the coronavirus outbreak. The Detroit school district this week began offering online or in-person instruction to students. Students and teachers must wear masks, and class sizes are smaller to reduce virus risk. But a group of people has appeared each day to protest the program, saying officials are putting people at risk. A lawsuit has also been filed. We are out here to prevent the spread of a deadly disease in our schools, to prevent that from spreading from the schools back into the community, said teacher and protester Benjamin Royal. Eleven people were repeatedly warned before they were arrested for blocking operations at the bus company, police Commander Arnold Williams said.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: The number of coronavirus patients in intensive care units dipped to a three-month low Thursday as the state continues its downward trend in hospitalizations for COVID-19. The Minnesota Department of Health reported 103 patients in intensive care, a total last seen April 16 in the early weeks of the pandemic. It also reported 249 total hospitalizations, continuing a downward trend from a peak in late May. The state reported eight new deaths. Minnesotas daily death toll has been mostly in the single digits for more than three weeks as part of another slow decline. But there are also concerning signs as Minnesota leaders debate next steps. According to the COVID-19 Tracking Project, the states positivity rate  an important measure of whether the spread is accelerating  has inched up from 3.4% two weeks ago to 4.3%. And the trend in new cases has been rising, from 422 on a seven-day rolling average two weeks ago to 523, with 611 cases reported Thursday.

Mississippi

Jackson: The state on Thursday had a record single-day increase in new coronavirus cases reported by the Health Department, with numbers jumping by more than 1,200 from the day before. It was the fourth time the state has recorded a day-to-day increase of more than 1,000 cases and the first time the number had topped 1,200. The state health officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, said this week that several hospitals have no beds or very few beds available in their intensive care units. He and other health officials are imploring people to take precautions such as wearing masks in public, avoiding large crowds and keeping distance from others. The head of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Dr. LouAnn Woodward, posted Wednesday on Twitter: No vacancy. Help us, Mississippi! Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday that he might put restrictions on bars, but he didnt say when that might happen.

Missouri

St. Louis: City officials are considering whether to restore some of the restrictions that were imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus after the state reported its second-largest single-day increase in new cases. Mayor Lyda Krewson said that COVID numbers continue to not look very good in announcing Wednesday that meetings were taking place to discuss possible changes, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The state reported 888 new confirmed COVID-19 cases Wednesday, bringing the overall number to 29,714. The only other day with a bigger jump was Tuesday, when 936 new cases were reported. Dr. Alex Garza, director of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, which includes the areas four major hospital systems, said that there are very few levers to pull, outside of then pulling back on those societal restrictions. A primary driver of new COVID-19 cases is infections among teens and young adults.

Montana

Helena: Gov. Steve Bullock issued a directive Wednesday requiring face coverings at indoor public spaces and at larger outdoor gatherings in counties where four or more people are known to be infected with COVID-19. In the past month, the number of residents known to be actively infected with the respiratory virus has risen from 55 to more than 1,000, the governors office said. Too many people continue to meet in large gatherings, and too few are wearing masks, Bullock said in announcing the directive, which took effect immediately. Weve been working over the last few weeks to get community acceptance of masks, Bullock said, pointing to collaborations with football coaches and business associations to increase acceptance of masks. But it isnt enough. The directive currently applies in about two dozen counties, but it can change on a daily basis. Masks will be required at public gatherings of more than 50 people if social distancing isnt possible.

Nebraska

Omaha: About 90 people staying at a homeless shelter have been put in isolation after another guest there tested positive for the coronavirus, according to officials with the Siena Francis House. The shelter north of downtown Omaha made the move after becoming aware of the positive case Tuesday, the Omaha World-Herald reports. The unit where the infected man was staying has been deep-cleaned, and other common areas of the shelter have been sanitized, said Siena Francis chief development officer, Chris Knauf. Shelter guests are now also required to wear masks and have their temperatures taken daily. We take the health and safety of our clients very, very seriously, Knauf said. The states online virus tracker showed 262 cases were confirmed Wednesday, bringing the states total to nearly 22,000. On Tuesday, Nebraska recorded 318 confirmed cases of the virus  the highest daily total since May 29. Officials say 291 Nebraskans have died from the virus.

Nevada

Las Vegas: Several casinos are limiting smoking as a way to keep patrons from removing the protective face masks they are required to wear. Las Vegas Sands Corp. in mid-June updated its policy to ask that table game players and spectators do not smoke or vape. Sands spokesman Keith Salwoski told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the change was made when the state required face coverings at table games, but he declined to offer more detail about the reason for the change at the Venetian and Palazzo resorts. Wynn Resorts Ltd., which owns the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, has designated any table games without a Plexiglas barrier as nonsmoking areas. For table games with the barriers, gamblers are required to wear a mask unless they are smoking. Some groups had urged gambling regulators to ban smoking outright in casinos.

New Hampshire

Concord: Laconia Motorcycle Week, one of a few big events in the state that hasnt been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, is taking on a different look this year. The event, traditionally held in June, was postponed until Aug. 22-30. The City Council this week voted to ban vendor booths, with the exception of ones for the Motorcycle Week Association and some nonprofits, the Laconia Daily Sun reports. Were moving ahead, Charlie St. Clair, executive director of the Motorcycle Week Association, said after the vote. Things will look different, he conceded. But people (who rely on the event) will be thrilled they will be able to move on.

New Jersey

Trenton: Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday that parents and guardians of residents at pediatric long-term care facilities can now begin indoor visitations under specific conditions. Murphy, a Democrat, said facilities with zero new positive COVID-19 cases over a 28-day period can begin allowing indoor meetings by appointment only. Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said officials realize its been difficult for parents and loved ones to be away from their children for more than three months. Reuniting families  is a critical step for the mental, physical, social and emotional well-being of these children, but we need to be vigilant, she said. Visitors must be screened for symptoms and exposure to the virus, and a designated area in the facility must be designed, she said. Anyone with symptoms wont be allowed to visit, she said.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: The largest school district in the state has proposed a hybrid learning plan for the upcoming school year to provide flexibility as schools attempt to safely reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. The Albuquerque Public Schools board announced the school year is scheduled to begin online Aug. 12 and then switch to in-person learning Sept. 8 under the plan. Teachers and staff are expected to return Aug. 5. The district plans to provide electronic devices for all K-12 students who need them and allow students to opt for an online-only learning model, officials said. Masks, cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer will also be provided. Students will be divided into two rotating groups to meet the 50% capacity rule, where one group will work from home while the other is in the classroom, district officials said, adding that Mondays will be designated online learning days so schools and classrooms can be deep-cleaned.

New York

New York: The city wont open malls and museums Monday even if its allowed to move into the next phase of reopening, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo promises more crackdowns on bars and restaurants. Cuomo said New York City is on track to move to the fourth phase of his gradual reopening plan, but his administration will review the latest infection data and decide by 4 p.m. Friday. The rest of the state is in Phase 4, which typically permits opening malls and certain arts and entertainment centers and restarting professional sports games without fans. But Cuomo said no additional indoor activity will open in New York in the fourth phase because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus indoors. Cuomo hasnt allowed New York City to open up indoor dining, unlike the rest of the state. You see the inside, interior spaces, air conditioned spaces, where the virus is tending to spread, Cuomo said Thursday.

North Carolina

Buxton: Nearly 400,000 people visited Cape Hatteras National Seashore in June, the second-highest total for the month in the history of the park and coming despite the COVID-19 pandemic, park officials said Wednesday. A news release from the seashore said 399,364 people visited the park last month, which was an increase of almost 4% over June 2019. In June 2002, the park recorded 410,366 visitors. The Virginian-Pilot reports the record comes despite months of closures and isolation brought on by the coronavirus. Many shops and restaurants offer limited services. State museums on Hatteras Island are closed, and visitors cannot climb either the Cape Hatteras or Bodie Island lighthouses. However, park officials note that the 70 miles of beaches allow people to spread out, and the fishing and sunbathing are still an attraction.

North Dakota

Bismarck: State health officials said Wednesday that another 72 people have tested positive for the coronavirus. The new cases were confirmed in 15 counties and raised the states total since the pandemic began to 4,565. But the number of active cases in North Dakota declined by three, to 717, The Bismarck Tribune reports. No new deaths were reported, leaving North Dakotas death toll at 88. Cass County reported 19 new confirmed cases, while Mountrail County had 15 and Burleigh County nine. The number of patients currently hospitalized in North Dakota remained at 42 on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day.

Ohio

Cincinnati: The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is trying to offset some of the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic by offering employees separation packages. Thirty-eight employees, some from every zoo department, took separation packages, spokeswoman Michelle Curley said Wednesday evening. The separations cut about 1 in 8 employees from the zoos workforce, reducing it by 14.6% to 222. The employee reduction came from a combination of early retirements, role eliminations and voluntary departures, Curley said, adding that all received packages. The zoo reopened June 10 after being closed nearly three months because of state-ordered shutdowns of certain types of businesses. During the time the zoo couldnt have guests, which started March 15, the Avondale facility lost almost $6.8 million in revenue, officials said.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Tulsa city leaders have adopted an ordinance requiring face masks be worn in most public places, while Oklahoma City councilors are to vote on a similar plan Friday. The Tulsa City Council voted 7-2 Wednesday night to require people 18 and older to wear face coverings in places such as grocery and retail stores, churches, restaurants, bars and public places. The vote came hours after Gov. Kevin Stitt announced he tested positive for the coronavirus and is isolating at home but is still not considering a statewide mask mandate. Exceptions in Tulsa include people with medical conditions as defined by the Centers for Disease Control, personal offices or vehicles, and outdoor activities with social distancing. The ordinance provides no penalty for refusing to wear a mask, but those who do not wear a face covering could face charges such as criminal trespass, disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace, according to a city news release.

Oregon

Bend: More than 20 people have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Mt. Bachelor Memory Care center in Bend, health officials said. After four days of testing staff and residents, contact tracers are working to determine the origin of the infection, according to Deschutes County Health Services director Dr. George Conway. One person tested positive Saturday, The Bulletin reports. Over the weekend, county health officials started testing residents and staff as they came to work. Conway said not all the test results are in, but most who have tested positive are residents, along with some workers. None of the people who have tested positive are clinically ill or needing hospitalization, Conway said. Now that a positive case has been identified there, new residents will not be accepted, and additional limits will be placed on visitors, according to the human services website.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: The state reported 781 new coronavirus cases Thursday, bringing Pennsylvanias total to more than 98,000, as new, statewide pandemic restrictions took effect. The state Department of Health said there were 16 additional deaths for a new statewide toll of 6,973. Gov. Tom Wolf reimposed restrictions Thursday on bars, restaurants and larger indoor gatherings  now limited to 25 people, down from 250  in response to what he called an unsettling climb in infections. Critics questioned the need for statewide restrictions when only a few areas of the state have been seeing rising case numbers. Wolf warned that a new surge is in the offing that could eclipse what happened in the spring, when the virus killed thousands and sickened tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians. Disease modeling from PolicyLab at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia shows infections rising sharply in Philadelphia and the suburbs in coming weeks.

Rhode Island

Providence: State health officials are coordinating a second round of coronavirus antibody testing to better understand the prevalence of the disease in people in high-contact professions. First responders, National Guard members, state Department of Health staff, prison workers, and hospital and nursing home staff will be able to schedule a test online starting Friday, the health department said in a statement Wednesday. The program is voluntary, and results will be made available in about four days. The testing, called serology testing, looks for proteins in the blood called antibodies, which are produced in response to the presence of a virus. Antibody testing does not tell whether someone is currently infected with the virus but rather whether they were infected in the past. By testing broad populations for antibodies, researchers hope to learn how widely the virus spread and how deadly it really is.

South Carolina

Charleston: The mayor is asking for spiritual help for people who died in the COVID-19 pandemic, people fighting the virus and their families. Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg declared Thursday a day of prayer and remembrance in what for centuries has been nicknamed the Holy City for the number of church steeples that dotted its Colonial skyline from many different faiths. The COVID-19 pandemic is the latest test of that faith. In a state that is among the worst in the nation for the rate of new cases, Charleston is one of the biggest hot spots. In the ZIP codes that make up downtown Charleston, more than 3% of residents have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, which estimates the total number of cases could be eight or nine times more. By nearly every measure, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage in South Carolina. Nearly 39% of its more than 62,000 known cases have been diagnosed in the past two weeks. The state has set records for the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 nearly every day in July.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: New unemployment claims in the state increased during the most recent reporting period as the U.S. economy struggles to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, but the number of continued state claims has decreased from its highest mark in May. The Department of Labor and Regulation reported Thursday that 1,160 people made new claims for unemployment benefits during the week ending July 11. Thats 325 more than the previous week, an increase of 40%. A total of 18,687 people were receiving unemployment benefits statewide July 4, according to the U.S. Employment and Training Administration. The number of continued claims has decreased by 6,500 from a historic high in May as the coronavirus pandemic caused mass layoffs. About 4.5% of all eligible employees in the state are still unemployed, according to the latest report.

Tennessee

Nashville: Vanderbilt University Medical Center is looking for up to 1,000 volunteers to participate in the late-stage trial of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine. The hospital says it will begin recruiting people at the end of the month. The vaccine is being developed by Moderna Inc. with the Vaccine Research Center of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. The randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial will be open to people 18 or older. They will receive two shots of either the vaccine or an inactive placebo and will be followed for two years. The trial aims to determine how effective the vaccine is in protecting against COVID-19 and how long the protection lasts. Officials say several U.S. centers are participating in the nationwide phase 3 trial. Those interested can contact Vanderbilt University Medical Center at covidvaccine@vumc.org or vaccineresearch@vumc.org.

Texas

Austin: Signs in the Texas Panhandle urged voters to wear masks. Polling precincts were already staffed thin because some election workers backed out of the states primary runoffs, cautious about the coronavirus that socked the rural meatpacking region in May. By and large, most voters covered their faces, even though Texas mask mandate exempts polling locations. Others adamantly made clear they wouldnt. Two weeks after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered most of the states 30 million residents to wear masks, Texas is still scrambling to contain one of the biggest coronavirus surges in the U.S., and Abbott is stressing that the widespread use of face coverings could avoid another lockdown  one he hasnt ruled out. On Wednesday, Texas again set a new high with nearly 10,800 new cases, along with a record 110 deaths.

Utah

Provo: County commissioners postponed a meeting Wednesday at which they were expected to discuss mask mandates after people packed the room and ignored social distancing guidelines. The Utah County commissioners cited public safety concerns as the reason for abruptly canceling the meeting, Fox-13 reports. The commission had to postpone a vote on whether to ask for a partial exemption from the statewide mask mandate for schools. Utah County Commissioner Bill Lee had proposed writing a letter to the countys health director, directing him to ask state officials for a compassionate exemption from the mandate Gov. Gary Herbert issued last week. Attendees booed after the commissioners opted to push the vote to a later date because of health concerns. Video footage shows the meeting was packed with people who opposed the mandate, very few of whom were wearing masks.

Vermont

Burlington: The suicide rate in the state has remained relatively consistent with the five-year average amid the coronavirus pandemic. But mental health professionals say people are suffering. According to a report by the Vermont Department of Health, its unclear if there has been a statistical change in suicide deaths this year or in the past few weeks. The number of patients being admitted to Brattleboro Retreat and other psychiatric units in Vermont is about the same as it was before the coronavirus pandemic, Brattleboro Retreat President Louis Josephson said, but I worry that people are suffering silently and that we will see an uptick. What also worries Josephson are the patients who are coming in. The symptoms new patients exhibit seem to be worse than before, he said. I worry about what they call the pent-up demand for all health care services during the pandemic and particularly in psychiatric care, Josephson said.

Virginia

Richmond: The citys school board has decided to hold only virtual classes during the fall for all grade levels because of coronavirus concerns. The Richmond School Board decided in an 8-1 vote Tuesday to have virtual lessons this fall as COVID-19 cases rise in the state, news outlets report. Superintendent Jason Kamras gave the board five plans to choose from that included hybrid lessons or allowing certain students and grades to go back to in-class learning. Kamras said the virtual instruction will be broken down into live-teaching and playlist-teaching, where students could watch and respond to video lessons. Teachers and staff will get additional training on how to work in a virtual environment. The district also plans to buy an additional 5,000-8,000 Chromebooks, WiFi hot spots and 250 laptops.

Washington

Seattle: Officials at the states largest psychiatric hospital are trying to get control of the latest coronavirus outbreak after four workers and one patient tested positive. To date, 38 employees at Western State Hospital have tested positive for COVID-19, while nine patients got the disease. One patient died. The 800-bed facility also recently had a bacteria outbreak in its water system, which meant no staff or patients could shower or wash their hands. The health department has since cleared that notification. Last week, a hospital security guard became symptomatic and tested positive, CEO Dave Holt told staff in an email. That guard was the first employee to test positive since May 27. On Friday, a patient on the criminal ward also tested positive. The patient is being held after pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, Holt said. He was the first patient to test positive since April 30.

West Virginia

Boy Scouts sing and dance to music at the 2017 National Boy Scout Jamboree at the Summit in Glen Jean, W.Va, on July 24, 2017.

Glen Jean: The Boy Scouts of America have postponed next years National Jamboree in West Virginia, citing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The increasing number of cases and the pandemics persistence and unpredictability made it impossible for the Boy Scouts to comply with its Be Prepared motto, according to an announcement on the organizations website. The quadrennial Jamboree had been scheduled for July 21-30, 2021, at the Scouts Summit Bechtel site. Nearly 40,000 Scouts attended the 2017 event, and President Donald Trump gave a controversial speech there. Planning, preparations and decisions regarding National Jamborees take place months, and even years, in advance, the Scouts said. Given the current situation and the uncertain nature of future conditions, we determined we could not prepare in a manner that would provide the safest possible environment for all those involved.

Wisconsin

Madison: The states unemployment rate dropped to 8.5% in June  a bit of good news that came Thursday as Democratic lawmakers released proposals to remove obstacles and broaden access to unemployment benefits. The jobless numbers also came as Gov. Tony Evers administration temporarily reassigned 100 state workers to help address a backlog in claims. Wisconsins unemployment rate last month was far below the national rate of 11.1% and was down from the states high of 13.6% in April. That figure reflected the height of businesses closing across the state in response to a safer at home order issued by Evers to slow the spread of the virus. Wisconsins unemployment rate was 12.1% in May. While Aprils unemployment rate had not been that high since the Great Depression, Junes 8.5% was last seen 10 years ago as Wisconsin was climbing out of the Great Recession. Unemployment then topped out just shy of 10%.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: The governor and the states top public health officer spoke firmly in support of wearing face masks in public amid accelerating spread of the coronavirus and doubt among some that masks are necessary. We need to behave in a way that is conscientious to one another. There is no constitutional right to go infect somebody else, Gov. Mark Gordon said at a news conference Wednesday. With a face mask hanging around his neck, Gordon blamed a casual attitude about mask-wearing and social distancing for Wyomings growing number of cases and his recent decisions to extend health orders affecting public gatherings through at least the end of July. We were well on our way  well on our way  to relieving all of our orders, Gordon said. On Saturday, President Donald Trump was seen wearing a face mask in public for the first time  a possible shift in what has become a political issue nationwide and in heavily Republican Wyoming.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eviction fears, no Rose Parade: News from around our 50 states
The Delhi Police on Friday said they had arrested a 27-year-old man from Madhya Pradeshs Indore for allegedly impersonating the private secretary (PS) of Union home minister Amit Shah, and calling a personal staff of Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, seeking cancellation of the transfer of a transport department official in Gwalior.

The alleged impersonator, identified as Abhishek Dwivedi, was arrested on Thursday by a crime branch team, which had been trailing him and camping in Mumbai, Bangalore, Rewa and Indore for his arrest after case of impersonation and cheating was registered on July 5.

A statement issued by Delhi Police said a complaint was received on July 3 from the Union Home Ministers office, alleging that someone misused the ministers personal secretarys name and position to seek favour from the personal staff of the Union transport minister regarding cancellation of the transfer of a motor licensing officer. A case was registered and investigation was taken up by the crime branch, the statement read.

The MLO had been transferred, an officer related to the case said, requesting anonymity. Gadkaris office received three calls on July 3. The officials became doubtful because the job was not so important that it required the intervention of a senior bureaucrat in the home ministers office. The matter was communicated to the HMs PS, who denied making such calls and filed a police complaint, said the officer.

The ministries of home affairs as well as transport and highways did not comment despite separate queries sent regarding the incident, case and arrest of the impersonator.

During the probe, the police statement read, it was learnt that the suspect, Abhishek Dwivedi, is a resident of Madhya Pradeshs Rewa, and is involved in criminal activities. Through technical investigation, the investigating team tracked the suspects location to Navi Mumbai and raided the rented flat, where he had been living with his wife. However, Dwivedi managed to give the police a slip by the time they reached his flat, said another crime branch officer, who asked not to be named.

Dwivedis next location was traced to Bangalore but he fled from there as well before the raiding team could reach. He later moved to Indore and was caught from a hotel with the help of the local police. The mobile phone and SIM card used in making calls has been recovered. Dwivedi is found to be previously involved in 13 cases of cheating, robbery and dacoity. He was also wanted by the Rewa police, the officer added.

The investigating team produced Dwivedi before a court in Indore and secured his transit remand custody. He is being brought to Delhi via road and is expected to reach the city by Saturday morning. Dwivedis father is employed in the electricity department in Rewa..

His wife told us that he holds a Bachelor in Civil Engineering degree . We are verifying it. Dwivedis association with Gwaliors transport department officials will be probed. If needed, the official will be asked to join the investigation. So far, we have learnt that he committed the crime on the directions of his friend Vinay Singh Baghel, who is yet to be caught, said the officer.
Two mothers have accused Victoria Police of 'harassing' them by trying to enforce lockdown rules they claim they weren't even breaking.

Mum Jodee and her friend were confronted by two police officers, one male and one female, at Lilydale Lakes Park in northeast Melbourne at 2:17pm on Tuesday.

The friend, who wished to remain anonymous, was approached by the officers after she let her two children, both aged under five, play in a playground, which she said had no signage to indicate it was closed.

It is currently illegal to use playgrounds and skate parks in Melbourne, and people can be fined up to $1,652 if they fail to comply.

In an argument filmed by the angry mums, they even present a laminated copy of Victoria's Human Rights Act to the unimpressed officers.

Jodee and her friend (pictured left with her daughter) were confronted by two police officers (pictured right), one male and one female, at Lilydale Lakes Park in northeast Melbourne at 2:17pm on Tuesday

The row began when the officers asked for the mother's details, but Jodee's friend refused, prompting the male officer to reportedly say: 'If you don't give me your details, how about I arrest you in front of your children?'

Terrified, the mother texted Jodee, who had just left to go to her car, to come back to the park.

Jodee came back with a copy of Victoria's Charter of Human Rights Act 2006 and challenged the officers, arguing they were practicing their human rights.

It's at this point that Jodee started filming her conversation with the officers, a video that was later uploaded to Facebook on Tuesday.

The video begins with the female officer explaining to Jodee that she is speaking to her friend because her children were playing on equipment.

'What law is she (the other mother) breaking?' Jodee asked.

'She's breaking the Chief Health Officer's public health directions,' the officer replied.

The officers asked for the mother's details but Jodee's friend refused, prompting the male officer (pictured, left) to reportedly say: 'If you don't give me your details, how about I arrest you in front of your children?'

'No, they're directives, they're not actual laws,' the Jodee replied, prompting the police officer to point out there is legislation.

'That's legislation, that's not a law,' Jodee argued, prompting the officer to say 'legislation are laws to us'.

Legislation is a law or collection of laws, which are set by parliament.

She then said the children are allowed to play in the playground under Victoria's Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 and handed the officer a laminated document.

'I understand the Charter of Human Rights,' the officer replied, before the mother said: 'Well, you understand no one is breaking the law right now.'

Melbourne and Mitchell Shire were taken back to stage three restrictions last week (pictured, a couple in the city on Friday)

The Charter of Human Rights Act reads: 'Every person lawfully within Victoria has the right to move freely within Victoria and to enter and leave it and has the freedom to choose where to live.'

The new COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Act 2020 limited a number of human rights during the state of emergency.

The Victorian government has deemed these limitations as 'necessary, justified and proportionate' in its statement of compatibility with the Human Rights Charter.

Australia does not have a Bill of Rights like the US, which means the government can limit human rights in times of emergency.

The video ends with the mothers going back to their cars and the police officers going their separate ways.

Jodee's friend said the children are allowed to play in the playground under Victoria's Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 and handed it to the female officer (pictured)

The officers could have potentially issued the mother with an on-the-spot fine of $1,652 for non-compliance.

The legal team from the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) said the Chief Medical Officer's directions are enforceable by law.

The directions are made in accordance with emergency powers under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic), according to the lawyers.

But the legal team stressed that Victoria Police must still consider human rights and act compatibly with human rights when enforcing the directives.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Jodee's friend said she felt 'intimidated' by the male officer who boldly threatened to arrest her in front of her children.

'I thought "Oh, God". I know Jodee had a copy of the human rights act in her car. I said to the gentlemen, "Can I call my solicitor?"' she said.

'Once I said that, it's almost like they took it as an escalation pass and started talking to whoever they had on their end.'

The video ends with the mothers (pictured) going back to their cars and the police officers going their seperate ways. No one was fined or arrested

Jodee said she was 'terrified' when she heard police threatened to arrest her friend and ran back with a copy of the Charter of Human Rights Act.

'What disturbed me is the male officer had threatened her to try and get information out of her and arrest her,' Jodee told Daily Mail Australia.

'One hundred per cent he was trying to entrap her by getting her details. When I hear police are harassing innocent people to get a fine out of them, that's just disgusting. Go and do your real job, go conserve and protect.

'Police are always patrolling Lilydale Lake and handing out fines. Mums are just trying to get out of the house and exercise and they're being harassed.

'We've got enough stress on us right now with everything that's happening without them adding more unnecessary stress.'

Victoria Police declined to comment on the incident.

'Were not providing comment on specific incidents in relation to breaches of the CHOs directives,' a police spokeswoman said.
Refugee advocates have won a court bid allowing them to blockade two Kangaroo Point streets on Sunday afternoon as part of their long-running protest against the detention of about 100 men at a motel in the suburb.

Activists have repeatedly shut down Main Street in recent weeks to bring to light the plight of refugees held at the motel under medevac laws, calling for them to be released after years of detention.

Refugee advocates blockade the Kangaroo Point motel where refugees are being held.

This weekend is the seventh anniversary of the introduction of Australian policy ruling that refugees who arrive by boat are put in offshore detention.

Greens councillor Jonathan Sri and Father Terry Fitzpatrick of St Mary's in Exile lodged the notice of intention to hold a peaceful assembly  which the Queensland Police Service opposed  in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday morning.
Air conditioners in the US alone releases some 100 tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year and experts warn we are essentially cooking ourselves.'

The United Nation (UN) proposes switching to energy-efficient and climate-friendly devices in a bid to curb the effects of global warming.

The move would cut 460 billion tons of greenhouse gases worldwide over the course of 40 years, which is eight years of emissions based on 2018 levels.

International governments have agreed to start phasing out such chemicals that release the toxic gas, however, the largest emitters have yet to sign the agreement - the US, India and China.

Air conditioners in the US alone releases some 100 tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year and experts warn we are essentially cooking ourselves.' The United Nation (UN) proposes switching to energy-efficient and climate-friendly devices in a bid to curb the effects of global warming (stock image)

Not only will energy-efficient cooling systems reduce harmful gas in the atmosphere, the UN suggests they would save $2.9 trillion by 2050, as the technology would reduce electricity costs.

Gabrielle Dreyfus, the cool efficiency program manager at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, said on a press call: If we deal with cooling wrong, we essentially cook ourselves.

Parts of the world are experiencing record high temperatures.

Last year was the second hottest on record and 2020 is poised to be up there as well  the arctic has be the hottest it has been in at least 12,000 years.

Not only will energy-efficient cooling systems reduce harmful gas in the atmosphere, the UN suggests they would save $2.9 trillion by 2050, as the technology would reduce electricity costs (stock)

And with the increased heat will come the need for more cooling systems.

However, because these technologies release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, we are in turn warming the world even more.

Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency told CNBC: Higher efficiency standards are one of the most effective tools governments have to meet energy and environmental objectives.

By improving cooling efficiency, they can reduce the need for new power plants, cut emissions and save consumers money.

The report notes that the number of air conditioners around the world will increase from 3.6 billion to 14 billion by mid-century and will account for 80 percent of renewables by 2050.

This is not the first time experts have called for a cooling system redesign.

In the 1980s, scientists discovered chlorofluorocarbons, chemicals also used in refrigerators and aerosol sprays, where depleting the ozone layer.

In turn, world governments came together to pass the treaty called Montreal Protocol, which banned the use of the toxic chemicals.

Parts of the world are experiencing record high temperatures. Last year was the second hottest on record and 2020 is poised to be up there as well  the arctic has be the hottest it has been in at least 12,000 years

New chemicals to the place of chlorofluorocarbons, known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), but were later found to release powerful greenhouse gases.

In 2019, governments rolled out the Kigali Amendment to the initial treaty that would start the phasing out of HFCs.

By moving forward, the act would stop as much as 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit of globally warming  but it would need to be a global adoption.

As of this week, 100 countries have ratified the amendment.

However, 95 have yet to sign it including the leaders of emissions  the US, India and China.
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A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Thursday said the United States is the "biggest human rights violator" in the world and its accusations about Xinjiang-related human rights issues are "the biggest lies of the century."

The comments were made to refute remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said on Wednesday that the U.S. is going to impose visa restrictions on certain employees of Chinese tech firms that provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights violations and abuses globally. He called China "the stain of the century" in the area of human rights.

"In fact, the United States is the biggest human rights violator in the world, though it refers to the issue of human rights constantly, and its accusations about Xinjiang-related human rights issues are the biggest lies of the century," spokesperson Hua Chunying told a daily press briefing when asked to make comments.

"The relevant U.S. officials should feel ashamed of themselves, and the U.S. media and people should feel sorry for having such officials full of lies."

It is up to the Chinese people, rather than U.S. politicians, to judge China's performance in human rights, Hua said.

The spokesperson said since the founding of the People's Republic of China more than 70 years ago, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Chinese people have scored remarkable achievements by seeking a development path suited to their own national conditions.

Hua said over the past four decades and more, China has experienced a 25-fold plus increase in its per capita income, lifted 850 million people out of poverty, and contributed more than 70 percent to the global poverty alleviation effort.

At the same time, Hua said China has become the second-largest economy in the world without resorting to wars, colonialism or slavery, the only one among all major countries to do so. For more than a decade in a row, China has contributed more than 30 percent to global GDP growth.

"These are the biggest human rights projects, the best human rights practices, and the biggest contributions to the world human rights endeavor," Hua said, adding these achievements are there for all to see as long as it is viewed without bias.

Pertaining to the human rights situation in the United States, Hua said the U.S. uprooted and killed Indians in the Westward Movement for nearly a century after its founding, noting their population plunged from 5 million to 250,000, only one-twentieth of the original number.

Hua said during more than 240 years of American history since its founding, it has been war-free for only 16 years, adding the wars and military actions waged since 2001 in countries like Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Afghanistan caused more than 800,000 deaths, and tens of millions of civilians were displaced as a result.

In the U.S., ethnic minorities including African Americans find themselves in a tough situation, Hua said. "George Floyd was not the only person suffocated to death because he 'couldn't breathe', as racial discrimination is pervasive in the United States."

In all Western countries, the U.S. suffers from the most serious polarization between the rich and poor, Hua said, adding the bottom 50 percent saw essentially zero net gains in wealth from 1989 to 2018, and the wealth gap has hit a 50-year high.

"I wonder how Pompeo, in the face of these hard facts, has the confidence to talk to China about human rights," said the spokesperson.

"I'd rather suggest he first asks George Floyd and other ethnic minorities about how they see human rights conditions in the United States, and ask those innocent lives tragically lost in Iraq, Libya, and other countries about how they see the U.S. performance on human rights," Hua added.
The CRS in a report Tuesday warned that the North's development of SLBMs aims to "degrade the effectiveness of missile defenses deployed in the region: Patriot, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), and Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)."

North Korea has improved its intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles over the past two years, the U.S. Congressional Research Service warns.

This is the first time the U.S. has admitted that the THAAD anti-missile battery here could be incapacitated by missiles from the North, suggesting the need to beef up its defenses.

"North Korea's progress with submarine-launched ballistic missiles suggests an effort to counter land-based THAAD missile defenses by launching attacks from positions at sea outside the THAAD's radar field of view," the report adds.

The North succeeded in the test of a new SLBM last October. It seems to have a range of more than 2,000 km and will likely be carried by a new 3,000 ton-class sub, according to military observers here.

Japan believes that the North already has the capability to attack it with nuclear weapons and missiles.

In a white paper published on Tuesday, the Japanese Defense Ministry warns that the North seems to have already "miniaturized nuclear weapons to fit ballistic missile warheads" and to possess the "capability to attack Japan."


Love Island's Sophie Piper and Connor Durman have reportedly split just six months after leaving the villa.

The admin assistant, 21, and the coffee bean salesman, 25, met and fell for each over during the winter version of the ITV2 series in January this year, with the duo said to have taken things slowly once they got home.

However, amid the coronavirus pandemic, it's reported that the pair haven't seen each other since lockdown began and that they never even made their romance 'official'.

All over: Love Island's Sophie Piper and Connor Durman have reportedly split just six months after leaving the villa (pictured in February)

A source told The Sun: 'Things just fizzled out. They never even went official.'

They continued: 'It just didnt have a chance to get started because of lockdown and they both agreed it was better to just stay friends.'

When Connor was dumped from the South African villa, the pair vowed to continue their relationship once they got both got back to the UK.

However, things were not meant to be as they never got around to officially becoming boyfriend and girlfriend.

Split: The admin assistant, 21, and the coffee bean salesman, 25, met and fell for each over during the winter version of the ITV2 series in January this year, with the duo said to have taken things slowly once they got home

MailOnline have contacted Sophie's representatives for comment.

In February, Sophie insisted that she was not in a relationship with her reality co-star beau during a radio interview on Will Njobvus radio show on Capital XTRA alongside fellow evictee Leanne Amaning.

'No we are not together at all!' she declared. 'We are just seeing each other! It's a situation-ship. I will get to know him, go on dates with him.'

Sophie, whose sister is Rochelle Humes, added: 'He's met both of my sisters at Aftersun the other day. I've met his sister. They think he's lovely. They approve.'

Never got started: amid the coronavirus pandemic, it's reported that the pair haven't seen each other since lockdown began and that they never even made their romance 'official'

Meanwhile, Connor was said to have denied the pair were on the rocks back in March, hinting that they were set to move in together.

Elsewhere, it was recently announced that the TV series won't be airing another winter edition in 2021.

The summer 2020 series was cancelled in May due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and bosses at the channel recently announced that the next series of the ITV2 dating show won't be for another year.

'Love Island UK will return bigger and better than ever with an extended run in summer 2021,' ITV announced in a statement to MailOnline.

Still friends? A source told The Sun : 'Things just fizzled out. They never even went official' (pictured in February)

The axing of both the summer 2020 series and a winter series in early 2021 is in large part down to the coronavirus pandemic, with restrictions on travel and filming causing huge issues for the show.

Pre-production on the winter 2021 series was scheduled to take place in the coming weeks, but with so many quarantine and social distancing measures still in place, it's thought it wouldn't be possible to fly cast and crew to location and work safely.

Instead producers are keen to focus on one bumper season of the show next summer, which will likely return to Mallorca, after the winter 2020 series took place in South Africa.
Armenia will surely pay for its attacks at Azerbaijani border area, the Turkish defense minister said on Thursday in a meeting with top Azerbaijani military delegation in the capital Ankara, Anadolu agency reports.

"[Armenia] will be drowned under the plot they've initiated and will definitely pay for what they've done," Hulusi Akar told Ramiz Tahirov, the Azerbaijani deputy defense minister and the commander of the Military Air Forces.

Earlier on Sunday, the Armenian army attempted to attack Azerbaijani positions with artillery fire in the northwestern Tovuz border region and withdrew after suffering losses following retaliation from the Azerbaijani military.

Recent border clashes with Armenia have resulted in the martyrdom of 11 Azerbaijani soldiers -- including a major general and a colonel -- and injured four.

Akar recalled that Turkey closely follows the border clash developments.

"We strongly condemn the treacherous attack on the Tovuz region of Azerbaijan. The pain of Azerbaijani Turks is our pain. I want all of you to know that any troubles you live there are felt very deeply here."

He also wished "Allah's mercy upon martyrs, and fast recovery to the wounded".

"I would also like to express that we are sure their blood will not be left on the ground," he added.
Hyderabad: Doctors at Hyderabad's Osmania General Hospital (OGH) have confirmed to Deccan Chronicle that the Telangana state government is indeed under-reporting COVID-19 deaths in the state, aided by a small lag in the testing process.

One senior doctor working at the premier state-run hospital, speaking to Deccan Chronicle on the condition of anonymity, said there were over 20 deaths in the isolation wards of the hospital, housing 100120 patients, during the the 24-hour period straddling Monday and Tuesday. This, according to the doctor, has been the fatality rate among COVID-19 suspects over the past few days.

The Osmania hospital has about 10 wards where patients suspected of being COVID-19 positive are isolated until their test results are received. The word 'suspect' is key in understanding how the numbers are kept low. OGH admits patients who present moderate-to-severe symptoms but have not yet had a COVID-19 test done. If a patient tests positive for COVID-19, he is sent to Gandhi Hospital, a designated COVID-19 facility. Until the test result comes in, suspect patients stay in isolation. The process can take more than two days.

The doctor who spoke to Deccan Chronicle said several of the deaths happened before their test results were received. Of the over 20 deaths earlier this week, only a few of them had received their COVID-19 test result and it was too late to transport them to Gandhi Hospital, he said. I am sure the rest of them were also infected; they had all the symptoms. But then we cannot send them to Gandhi Hospital without a test result.

Shifting the infected patients to Gandhi Hospital is a time-consuming process and can take hours. Also, shifting deceased patients to the mortuary also gets delayed in most cases. A few days ago, a patient referred to OGH by a senior police officer died in the morning but the body was not moved until afternoon. This is how a VIP case was handled. If it were an ordinary citizen, the body would not have been moved for 910 hours, said the doctor.

OGH currently has a shortage of doctors because several of them have tested positive and had to be isolated. To manage the shortage, doctors are divided into 'units', each of which is given isolation duty about once a week. On a typical day, there are two junior doctors monitoring the patients, assisted by a handful of interns and nurses. At night, there is usually just one junior doctor, three or four interns and nurses to look after as many as 100 patients. Doctors in several of these units have tested positive, forcing them to remain off duty.

Some of the patients in the isolation wards disregard the doctors' instructions and and move in and out of the rooms. We keep telling them to stay in the same room or ward. Ideally, there should be a security guard posted outside the wards to ensure compliance. As doctors, we cannot force someone to stay in their bed. We are too few in number to intimidate them, said the doctor.

One junior doctor who tested positive and then recovered said OGH is unable to help many of the 'suspect' patients it gets every day. The Fever Hospital at Nallakunta, which takes in suspects with only mild symptoms, often diverts patients to OGH if their blood oxygen saturation levels are even a bit lower than 95 per cent.

The number of deaths among COVID-19 suspects admitted to OGH can be attributed to the fact that unless the condition of a person gets worse and symptoms get stronger, he or she cannot be admitted. And once admitted, the patient has to wait for a test, and then the results. This consumes precious time that could otherwise be used to save their lives. In theory, if a suspected case hasnt tested positive yet, he has to wait until his condition gets worse for OGH to give him a bed, said the doctor.

Doctors say it is a Catch-22 situation at OGH. If you have a positive test result, you can get admitted straight to Gandhi Hospital or the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) at Gachi Bowli. In case you show all the symptoms, you have to get admitted into an isolation ward and stay there until you get a positive result.

However, the stay of suspected patients in isolation is very unsafe. Even if the patient does not have COVID-19 but exhibits symptoms mimicking the disease, he might contract the virus while in isolation. Ironically, you are lucky if you have tested for COVID-19 early with mild symptoms. You can them directly go to TIMS or Gandhi. You will not have to wait for many days in isolation wards at OGH, a doctor remarked.
(Alliance News) - Reabold Resources PLC said Friday it "strongly" believes in the merits of its all-share offer for Deltic Energy PLC.

On Thursday, Deltic - formerly known as Cluff Natural Resources - "unequivocally rejected" the offer, saying it "places no value at all on its significant non cash assets, not least its share of two potential high impact exploration wells".

Reabold has offered 1.5 Reabold shares be exchanged for each Deltic share. The exchange ratio would give an implied value for the entire existing issued share capital of Deltic of about GBP12.3 million - which is based on a closing price of 0.585 pence per Reabold share on Tuesday. Shares in Reabold Resources closed 3.3% higher in London on Friday at 0.59p each. Deltic Energy added 5.9% to 0.90p.

Deltic added that it does not believe there to be a "strong rationale, commercial logic or sufficient operational synergies that would justify a combination of the two businesses". Deltic noted it is fully funded to deliver on its existing strategy through to mid-2022.

Reabold responded Friday, by saying it is "optimistic" about the medium term prospects of Deltic's exploration wells in the North Sea, it does not believe there will be any significant activity or news flow until Shell UK Ltd starts drilling of Pensacola, which is expected to start in the second half of 2021.

"The possible offer provides Deltic shareholders with near term news flow from Reabold's exposure to two fully funded wells at West Newton, planned for the second half of 2020 which, being appraisal wells rather than exploration wells, Reabold believes exhibit a lower risk profile," Reabold added.

The company continued: "In-line with previous guidance, drilling at the West Newton B-1 well is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2020. The combined group would have a diverse and highly active portfolio of assets, including producing assets in California and near-term potential production from Reabold's assets in Romania."

Deltic, citing why it was against the deal, said it has "serious concerns" over Reabold's West Newton project.

Reabold retaliated by saying it is "disappointed" in Deltic's view, saying its understanding of the project is based on data from 2017.

"Reabold is surprised that the Deltic Board has noted 'serious concerns in relation to the technical viability, materiality and limited potential upside' in relation to West Newton, particularly given the fact that Deltic uses West Newton as an example of a potential analogue of Pensacola in its recent presentation materials and references the significant discovery at West Newton in its own regulatory announcements when referring to Pensacola," Reabold added.

Reabold believes the combined group would benefit from a "further strengthened" and "diversified" institutional shareholder base, which Reabold believes will "ultimately lead to increased liquidity for shareholders".

Reabold, however, has yet to make a firm offer for Deltic, but noted it would like to discuss the deal, and the West Newton project, in further detail with Deltic's board.

By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Police are investigating a bomb threat made against a Ryanair flight that landed in Oslo, authorities have said.

"The plane has landed safely on the runway," Norwegian police said in a statement on Friday.

They added that the situation was under control and officers have arrested a 51-year-old British man on suspicion of being behind the threat.

It is understood that the man will be questioned as soon as possible.

Police said all passengers on the plane had now been evacuated and the aircraft would be examined by emergency authorities.

Recommended Two held after bomb threat forces Ryanair flight to divert to Stansted

The plane flew to Oslo Gardermoen Airport, the main international airport in Norway, from Londons Stansted Airport, according to the Danish Defence Command.

Danish F-16 military aircraft scrambled to escort the plane to Norway, the organisation wrote on its Twitter account.

Crew on a Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Oslo today discovered a note that claimed there was a potential security threat on board, a Ryanair spokesperson told Reuters.

The captain followed procedures and continued to Oslo airport where the plane landed safely. Customers remained on board while authorities carried out a security search.

It is the second bomb threat against a Ryanair plane this week after a flight from Krakow to Dublin was forced to land when a note was discovered claiming there were explosives on board.

Police said nothing suspicious was found when officers carried out checks on the plane and two men were arrested on suspicion of making threats to endanger an aircraft.

The two men, a 26-year-old and 47-year-old, were in custody as of Tuesday afternoon.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Riding helmet maker Charles Owen announce 40 proposed job losses

This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 17th, 2020

Wrexham based riding helmets manufacturer Charles Owen have said they are set to make redundancies.

The company, which employed 142 people, consulted with employee representatives regarding a proposal that 42 staff members be made redundant to enable it to continue to operate in increasingly challenging conditions due to the coronavirus crisis.

The outcome of the collective consultation was a modified proposal that there be 40 compulsory redundancies, and individual consultation with affected employees is on-going.

CEO of Charles Owen, Matt Bullock, said redundancies were regrettable but, sadly, unavoidable.

He said: The coronavirus outbreak has obviously impacted hugely on the economy, businesses and individuals.

For our part, we must not only adjust to accommodate working practices in accordance with distancing and other safety measures, but to operate as efficiently as possible in a challenging economic environment.

A big positive is that we have been bringing workers off furlough and building up our operations again, and, unlike many companies, we do remain very optimistic about the future of our business.

But at the same time, we see a need to make efficiencies in our staff structure, and need to re-scale the business to meet the current economic realities in the marketplace.

Unfortunately, this means that we are proposing a significant reduction in headcount  40 job losses  with the notices of dismissal to be issued before the end of July.

We have been consulting with employee representatives and individual employees in respect of our proposals and are ensuring that all necessary legal procedures are followed.

Charles Owen are based on Croesfoel Industrial Park and have history of manufacturing military helmets for the British Army before transitioning into the equestrian market.
Srinagar:

Police claimed to have killed three terrorists in south Kashmirs Kulgam district, including a Jaish commander who is believed to be an IED expert.

Police said in the early hours of Friday, Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) units, army and the police killed three terrorists, including Waleed, a Pakistani national, in village Nagnad Chimmer in Kulgam district after a five-hour encounter .

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said Waleed had been active in J&K for the past year and a half and was one of the most wanted terrorist in the Valley.

Waleed was also an IED expert and the terrorists were affiliated with Jaish.

Three soldiers, who were injured in the encounter, are being treated at the Armys Base hospital. Police spokesman said the terrorists were hiding in a house and opened fire on the search party.

He said that Waleed alias Abu Bakar alias Abu Mavia of Pakistan was category A+ militant. The identities of the other two deceased is being ascertained. Incriminating material including arms and ammunition has been recovered from the site of encounter.
The inaugural episode of Conversations had to include Angela Peoples.

Unlike so many of us, Peoples has range. Shes a seasoned organizer who has a keen sense of Black activisms past, present and future. Currently, shes the director of Black Womxn For and co-founder of The South. And shes a personable, hilarious interviewee who can easily translate complex thought processes to those who may not be as well-versed in the scholarly side of Black activism.

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Thats why I keep coming back to her guidance for envisioning a world without police: Actually imagine the world that you want to live in. What is the outcome that you actually want when youre in a car accident, when theres someone whos without a home and you see them and they need care? Or there seems to be drug sales that are happening in your neighborhood to children that youre concerned about, what do you actually want to happen? And then, think about what actually happens when you call the police.

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An America lacking carceral consequence and no police to enforce said outcomes can be difficult to conceptualize. But Peoples, whose love for her people is so evident, gingerly walked us through this and more during our conversation. Above you can watch our chatproduced by Britt Pullie and Faith Smithand below is a transcript of the discussion.

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to Q-Tip Mondays. Im Julia Craven. With me, I have Angela Peoples. Shes the Director for Black Womxn For and co-founder of The South. Im really happy that you were able to join me for this. Im so happy.

Thank you for inviting me, Julia. Im really happy to be here, especially today, especially right now. This is a really, really good time for this conversation.

I agree. Yeah, lets just hop into it. So Im super interested to hear what you think about the current wave of protests versus the protest against police violence that we saw between 2014 and 2016, because this moment feels a little bit different.

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Yeah. I mean, it feels a lot different to me. I think that this moment, it builds and sits on top of the moments, and the work, and the mobilizing that happened, that was sparked by Mike Browns death and the uprisings in Ferguson. And even before that, with the murder of Trayvon Martin and the mobilizing that happened in Florida. What were seeing today, and what weve seen over the last few weeks is not even a rebirth, but a leveling up of the work that has been And also even just an exposing of the work that has been done.

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One of the things that I always laughed a little bit about, in those years between the moments where it seemed like Black Lives Matter was on the news every single day, and now its folks would say, What happened to Black Lives Matter? Wheres the Movement for Black Lives? And the reality is that folks were working. Folks have been in cities like Minneapolis, in cities like Washington DC, in places like Atlanta. In places all over the country, people have been building, theyve been working to create demands of their local politicians, and to build a community that could withstand and respond to an uprising like this.

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And so, what were seeing now, whats different now is I think that folks have learned a lot of lessons, a lot of hard lessons, a lot of pain, a lot of challenge, a lot of principled struggle, honestly, of organizers trying to figure out, what does it mean to be in a movement? What does it mean to take on white supremacy, to call in our allies or call them out when we need to? How do we do that in a way that actually moves us forward and doesnt just sort of keep having those same conversations over and over again?

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The other thing I think that were seeing is the results of when you hear people say, Defund the police, thats a demand that is coming from the reality that we dont just want police to be arrested and charged and convicted of murdering Black women and children and men. Its not actually safety or justice if an officer is arrested or fired. We need systematic transformation. And so when you hear people say, Defund the police, thats because we recognize that simply arresting an officer, simply charging them, wasnt going to be enough for us to actually live the lives that we want to.

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Right. And thats what feels different to me, is it feels like the prior bulk of protests that we saw between Ferguson and 2016 around the time of the election, it seemed like those were a bit more focused on reform, and now abolition and defunding the police has become a mainstream conversation. And, of course, that narrative has always been around, but that was not something that me and you would have been having a conversation about on Facebook Live a couple of years ago.

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Absolutely. I think that part of what were also seeing, frankly, is that some of those reforms were tried. You know what I mean? A lot of police forces adopted body cameras. That was a call that came out of the initial protest in 2014 and 2016. Some was like, Okay, we got body cameras. Body cameras didnt work. Increased training didnt work. Some of these community accountability forces havent been working, right?

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So all have been these reforms that have been tried. And organizers and abolitionists have been saying for a long time, We cannot reform police. We cannot reform the system. We need to dismantle it, defund it, and reimagine safety. As these reforms have been tried, and we still see video after video after video of the police harassing, killing, murdering, lying about all of these things, its become clear to more people that we simply cant reform, that these adjustments cant be made in a way thats actually going to be sustainable.

And there were frustrations at the time. I remember many organizers saying, Reform isnt the move. But part of what is required also is a level of community education, and public education, and increasing awareness.

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Thats why organizing matters so much. Thats why being connected to different formations and different organizations that are trying to really change the awareness, change the analysis, change the way that we all are thinking about and imagining safety, that is what has brought us to this moment of saying, Actually, when you bring up a reform agenda, we know what that means and we know that its not going to work. Its not going to bring the systematic change that we need.

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So what do you say to people who get antsy when you talk about abolishing the police, people who dont have the framework and cant really imagine what a world post-police, as it exists currently, looks like?

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I will say a few things. The first thing I would say is to actually imagine the world that you want to live in. What is the outcome that you actually want when youre in a car accident, when theres someone whos without a home and you see them and they need care? Or there seems to be drug sales that are happening in your neighborhood to children that youre concerned about, what do you actually want to happen? And then, think about what actually happens when you call the police.

For many people, when they talk about what they want, they will name some version of a community intervention, right? Because we have this awareness, especially for Black folks and people who live in the areas that are overpoliced, that have a lot of really heavy police presence. We see on a day-to-day the response and what happens when the cops show up, and its almost never the outcome that you want.

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Then I also would tell people to think about, does the current policing system actually solve crime? Does it prevent crime? Does it prevent? And again, thinking about what do we consider as crimes? I think one thing that we cant take for granted about whats happening right now is this moment where were seeing police use excessive force against protesters, simply for demanding dignity for Black lives. Seeing them use really aggressive force juxtaposed to seeing Donald Trump and all of his cronies on TV every day doing a lot of things that seem really clearly to be against the law to many of us, without any consequence.

So a lot of folks I find are asking, What is criminal? Or what should we be considering crime? And what harms are we putting resources in to actually address, versus what harms are having the most impact on people? So thats a conversation that I see more and more people having of, we want to talk about, we need the police to prevent crime and to keep us safe. But then we see a lot of things happening in our lives on a day-to-day that are not making us safe, and that are caused because of a lack of resources. Then we see the police getting all of this money, but not being able to address any of those harms.

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So I think that when people are sitting and wondering, What do we do if we abolish the police? Think about what you actually want to happen and how close or far away that is from the reality based on our policing system right now.

Right. No, I think its great that you said all of that because I personally have not seen a well articulated argument that really explains how the police operate as a functional institution, especially when so much data and evidence shows us that there are a lot of issues with policing. I mean, just a myriad of problems.

So the Minneapolis school district broke their contract with the police department, and I would love to get your thoughts on that because policing in schools is just super problematic.

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Yeah. Seeing that headline last week really gave me chills. I have a young daughter, and thinking about the chance for her to go to school without having police there, just really I was so inspired and hopeful for that. There has been a long campaign and a long effort led by many organizations talking about, Monique Morris in her book about the pushout of Black girls and being criminalized in school, or the Advancement Project and their campaign to get police out of schools.

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Theres been a long ongoing effort, and I think that what were seeing in the case of police in schools and school boards like in Minneapolis, the L.A. teachers, folks in Portland, all making moves now, its a result of many years of pushing and making the case that we dont need police in schools. And I think policing in schools, or the idea of ending a police contract is a really great example of thinking about, what are the alternatives? Because right now there are much more what they call resource officers or police in school than there are nurses, counselors, social workers, even adequate food and space and teachers.

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Last summer we saw all of these teachers taking to the streets saying, We need more resources for our students. We need more support. And you hear governors and state legislators saying, We dont have the money. We dont have the money. We dont have the money. But yet there are tons of policing in these schools, and these contracts are very expensive and the equipment, all the things that go into that.

And so, I think that schools are a really great example and a really great place to start right now. Get the police out of schools and then move those resources around to get the care that kids need in school right now, so that there isnt that higher rate And thats also about preventing crime.Its about preventing crime. Having more resources into schools means that you can prevent and change or adjust some of the outlying issues that come up and that might move someone to have to interact with the police department.

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And just having police in school, it really speaks to how we criminalize kids and just the way the kids act and the issues that children have, particularly when those kids are Black. So yeah, I never really understood the idea of criminalizing a child who is acting out, criminalizing a kid who has ADD or ADHD. Maybe they just need somebody to talk to, right? They dont need to be arrested.

Right. When you put law enforcement in the calculation of school and of education, it forces any institution to judge a child based on these adult standards, the standards that we set by adults, not the standards that we set for children, you know what I mean? Its not as if these resource officers are specially trained to deal with children or to address adolescent issues. Theyre just police officers.

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Part of it is, again, because school districts and states, they dont have the resources that they need, the money that they need to have those counselors and those social workers and those alternative institutions in schools, so they just shortcut it and say, Well, well have a resource officer and they can deal with all of the things. But those resources officers, theyre not equipped totheyre equipped to police and to patrol and to enforce, theyre not equipped to teach and to learn and to support.

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Again, it really goes back to asking people when theyre raising questions about, What will we do without the police, or how could we abolish the police? What do you actually want to happen when your child acts up in school? Think about that, and then imagine whats happening now because the police are there.

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And as we know, being tough on someone who needs help is not You cant bully people into being better.

Another thing that I really want to get your take on is, there have been so many protests for Black lives globally. I really just want to ask you what you think the movement looks like going forward.

Yeah. This is a really exciting question. I mean, I would just say hold onto your seats, guys. Its going to be a really powerful, a really intense summer, for sure. What were seeing right now, what we saw in Minneapolis, the community holding their elected leaders accountable in real time, thats where this movement is headed. Thats what were going to be seeing. Folks are mobilizing across the country, putting forward similar demands to defund the police.

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Folks have already been running these campaigns, have these demands, shout out to the group here in D.C. where Im living that has been trying to hold our mayor accountable, who has not been prioritizing Black lives despite what it says on 16th and Pennsylvania Avenue. This is a movement of folks that are going to be putting pressure on candidates especially, you know this is an election year.

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Theres going to be a lot more elected officials who are going to have to answer the question, why are we giving hundreds of millions of dollars to this police force that is literally killing us, in real time, and were watching it happen on our televisions, why? And what are you going to do to address that? What are you going to do to address this systematic impact of racism and white supremacy across our government?

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And something that we did with Black Womxn For is really modeling what it means to be accountable to candidates. Its not just about election day. Its not just about election year. If you want our support, you want us to register voters for you, you want us to get people out for you, you want us to flank you when youre pushing some policy position? Cool. We have some asks too, and those asks need to be met. And if you dont meet them, were going to come and hold you accountable.

For elected leaders that want to be in that right relationship and want to be in that accountable relationship, I think youre going to see theyre going to feel what it looks like to be flanked and supported by a community that isnt just simply about donations or kickbacks, but is actually about a collective effort towards progress and accountability, not just for this group or that group.

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The other thing I would just say is that Im a part of a group of folks that has been thinking about, what does it mean to really get at the root of, what is the foundation of the challenges that are coming up day after day after day? We see that especially when you talk about policing, but this is a stance across issues of disparity, the foundation of policing just like the foundation of the U.S. economy is built through chattel slavery and maintaining white supremacy, white male dominance.

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And so, if we actually want to have a conversation about moving forward to an America that gets to realize and be who she actually says shes going to be, then we need to have a movement towards telling the truth, reconciling that and building towards reparations. Im working with a group thats trying to build that movement right now. Were really excited about helping to support the folks that are acting right now to hold police accountable in building momentum across institutions to really break and shake that foundation so that we can rebuild to be who we need to be as a country.

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Right, because a lot of people dont even realize that modern day policing is a derivative of slave patrols.

Absolutely. Absolutely. And if you imagine why they would have a slave patrol, and then you put that idea or that notion on top of what you experience today, it makes so much sense. The way that the police sort of hunt Black and brown men, capture them in ways that dont seem to have a lot of rhyme or reason, and they take them away and families cant get ahold of them, are not able to track them down, and really just use force as a way to move and control people around.

The connections are very, very clear. What we need to do is to build a movement to tell those truths, to get the US government to recognize that, to apologize, and to make it right through reparations.

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The last thing I want to run by you before we Because we have a few questions from people who are watching. So, were still in the middle of a pandemic.

Talk about it.

Coronavirus is still a thing. As much as it seems like some people would like to forget, its still a very real threat. And so, weve seen these mass protests against state violence during a crisis. What does that say about the urgency of addressing racism, which is the reason why more Black people are dying from coronavirus, the reason why more Black people have lost their jobs, et cetera.

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Totally. I mean, Ill say a couple of things. One, we are still in the pandemic. So please, if youre out on the streets, thank you for being in the streets. Thank you for protesting. Please wear your face masks. Shout out to the movement for Black lives that is equipping people with beautiful face masks. Please stay six feet, wash your hands, all of that because were going to need each other. Three months from now, six months from now, we really are going to need people so please take care.

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I would just say that in terms of the urgency question, I think it really speaks to Oh, and Ive been talking about this to a lot of folks that people are making the connection, maybe not verbally, but certainly cognitively between seeing report after report after report of disproportionately Black whole families being killed by the coronavirus because of a lack of access to healthcare and because of being at higher risk, because of our work and all of these things. Right?

So people are seeing these stories about Black folks and brown folks dying at disproportionate rates, and thats moving them and agitating them in a particular way. Then theyre also seeing this video really, really violent images, not just of George Floyd, but the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, the killing of Breonna Taylor. All of these things on top of each other, I think really have blown up frankly, the imagination and the apathy that some folks might have felt towards showing up and going to the streets for Black lives.

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So I think that there is a lot of urgency. I think frankly white folks feel like they need to be Folks are almost wanting to be held accountable for this, which is also again, why we need to have this truth and reparations process, because people are wanting to be able to find a way to make it right. People are seeing that at our core, its just not working.

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And so, I think that the amount of folks that were seeing in the streets, especially white folks and non-Black people of color, is indicative of even in this pandemic, the fact that people are connecting the dots between racial and economic and health disparities, and are also willing and ready to make whatever sacrifice might need to be to make it right, which is inspiring and exciting.

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So its up to us, for those folks that are wanting to be in that community, to then get connected to organizations whether organizations that are working with other white folks or other people in their community, whether its teachers or health professionals or retail workers, any folks that are in your community. Find that core of folks and figure out how you can get organized, how you can be pushing back. Black folks in workplaces across the country are figuring out how they can band together to hold their employers accountable.

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All of that matters and its important that we get together and stay connected and stay in community, and dont just wait for whatever the politicians are going to do or whatevers going to happen on election day, or whatever any other entity or individual might be doing. Its on all of us to stay connected to move this movement forward to the next stage.

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All right. We have quite a few questions. Lets see where we should start. Katherine asked, Why do yall feel like the Black Lives Matter movement was controversial up until now? What was the factor that made the world care this time around?

I cant say one factor but I do think that its a couple of I would observe and name a couple of things. One is there has been a lot of work in the last six years and even before that but I think particularly in the last six years, to change the conversation about race, whether it was in newsrooms, right?

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Yeah.

Whether it was in our schools, whether it was folks showing up in sports, the issue with Colin Kaepernick. Theres been a lot of conversations and a lot of repetition of this messaging of Black lives. Its not as if police werent killing Black folks between 2017 and 2020. They definitely were. And folks were definitely mobilizing and organizing for that. But its that repetition that were hearing over and over again in the media, in movies.

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Its this idea, this notion of Black lives mattering. Also the lifting up of how racism and white supremacy shows up in all of these institutions, has created a drum beat that folks cant deny and now has given people the rhythm to march to, do you know what I mean?

So we were beating that drum for a long time and now folks have heard it so much that even the most off-beat person can vibe. And I think that thats a part of what were seeing. Thats how we know that movements and organizing work is that we were beating the drum, were going to continue to march and youre going to hear it so much that you get to join us. Youll feel the rhythm and youll join us. Youll be able to come in.

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Right. Even if you on one and three, youll feel it. Youll feel it. I would just add to that. From the news side, I do think that the shift in how news organizations cover racism has played a really big role in it because so many people And also Twitter. Just the thing that struck me as so different about Ferguson and everything after it was that people were able to tell their own stories and share what was happening themselves. And they didnt have to defer to reporters who at the time were still very much taking the word of the police officers. And as we know, that narrative if its half true, thats a good story. And thats just what the evidence suggests. So I definitely think that Ferguson and social media just pushed newsrooms to do a better job, which in turn got more information out to more people.

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Yeah. And also it helps that theres a blatant white supremacist, unapologetic white supremacist in the White House that says something racist every two weeks and folks are at home like, What? Thats the stuff that we whisper to each other. We dont say that on live TV. I think that theres a little awakening that folks are having of feeling a little bit uncomfortable of seeing who the United States of America has lifted up to be their leader, our leader and are wondering now, feeling that that being a very controversial perspective and wanting to align themselves at something different.

Even if they dont completely understand what the Black Lives Matter, or the movement for Black lives is meaning, folks are clear that they dont want to align themselves with this blatantly racist man in the White House.

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Right. Another question we got is, would you share your thoughts on 8 Cant Wait? Do you think the changes proposed are enough?

I dont think the changes that are proposed are enough. I think that both from what the call from the communities have been, and what research and our knowledge over the last few years has shown us, is that reforming policing does not work. What needs to be done is a complete re-imagining of how we keep our community safe and where were putting those resources. And so, the 8 Cant Wait campaign initiative, therere a couple of things that I think are particularly challenging.

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One is that it offers reforms in a way that requires more resources to policing, like more training, different review boards and things like that. Thats more money into policing, which is a part of the big problem, right? There have been different charts and graphs that Ive seen on social media the last few days, showing just how significant the citys police budget is versus its education budget. And so, defunding the police is just a call to defund police and take resources out of policing because its violent and harmful to our communities, but its also a call to invest in education, invest in healthcare, invest in alternatives to punishment, alternatives to incarceration.

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The idea of an 8 Cant Wait kind of plan says, Lets continue to tinker around these edges while were ignoring the systematic and the foundational problems. And I would just lift up if folks are looking for more information about some alternatives, the 8 to Abolition campaign was just put out by my good friend K, who is @sheabutterfemme on Twitter, and a bunch of Ks homies. But it gives you eight points for how you can get from where we are now to abolition, and defunding the police is one of those eight points. But its just a part of it, right?

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And so if youre thinking about, we need a plan towards actually addressing the harms that were facing and not maintaining the system as it is, then you really have to ask yourself, what would it mean to reform a system that was at its core rooted to hunt down and capture Black folks who were running away from chattel slavery. If youre thinking about trying to reform that policy, that institution, its going to be really, really hard and damn near impossible.

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So if we want to build a world where all of us are safe in our communities, then we actually need to completely remove that form and that way of policing and of law enforcement, and really reimagine what were trying to keep safe, who were trying to keep safe and what does that even really look like? And I just dont think the 8 Cant Wait campaign does that. I think it also gives frankly politicians an out. We have people in these streets that are literally talking to their mayor, talking to their city council, Tell me to my face that youre not going to defund the police and invest in the education system. Tell me to my face.

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An 8 Cant Wait campaign, it lets those elected officials off the hook to say, Well, this is another thing that a lot of other activists and a lot of other people are trying, which just isnt true and it does harm to the work that folks have been doing for the last few years, decades even. You can say a few years.

We have a question from Laura. She says, I am the wife of a police officer, and I would like to know how to have conversations about reform. I am 100 percent behind you, but how do I have the conversation with him? I dont know because I like to argue, so I cant answer you. I will let Angela answer that one.

Yeah. Thats a tough question. I have some friends and family in my life whose family are also in law enforcement, and were all having that conversation right now. I think that the place to start is really sharing your story and sharing your perspective. This has happened with a lot of issues in politics and in general. When were trying to persuade someone or change someones mind, we immediately go to like, These are the talking points. X percentage of these million dollars, X,Y, and Z.

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What I find is most useful for me, particularly talking about policing and abolition, is to start from your own personal journey. I wasnt always someone who believed in abolishing the police or abolishing prisons. It took me some time to get there. And I think being clear and being open and honest about that, and also being clear that we dont have all of the answers. I may not have all the answers, but what we need to do and what we can commit to do, and I think that one thing to ask your husband to do is to commit to do something different.

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We may not have all the answers. And a lot of people like to say, Well, how are you going to deal with this situation, and that situation, and this situation, and that situation? Some of those we have answers to, some of them we dont. But we do get to commit to figuring them out together in a way that recognizes that what were doing now just does not work and is not going to work.

Then the other thing I would just say is a lot of people try to bring up this question about jobs. A lot of Black folks work in the carceral system. A lot of Black people, a lot of working class Black folks are in police. And so the question comes, Well, what would I do? What will my job be? And again, this is about opening it up to the alternatives. Its not as if we say defund the police and then everybodys fired tomorrow.

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Its about making some changes to the systems and the way that we imagine policing and safety, that can create other jobs and other opportunities, other openings and other ways to use our resources than simply grabbing someone up or putting a gun in someones hand and saying, Tell these people to get in order. Do you know what I mean?

Its a process, but right now were seeing that decisions can be made very quickly and in real time, that can have transformative outcomes. I think the best example is in a matter of two weeks, weve seen the Minneapolis City Council go from, Were going to fire these officers and we need to move to reform, to, Were going to dismantle the police department, and these are the ways that were going to do it.

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Right. Which really speaks to, I think, how rioting works. It does compel people to be like, Oh wow, folks are really upset about this and maybe we should take them seriously. And so, that actually we have a question about Black police officers. Its from PJ. It said, How about more Black police officers in black communities?

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I have written about this before. Black police officers dont really change the ways in which police interact with communities just because everyone is Black. Its really more about the system. It really is systemic because Black police officers can be just as forceful if not more forceful in Black communities, because the system is pushing them to prove themselves. So I just dont think more Black police officers or diversifying the force is necessarily the answer here. I mean, history just shows us that that also has not worked.

Totally. I completely agree with you. Its not about the individual, which is again why you see kind of an evolution of where the movement was. It went from calling for indictment, calling for arrest, calling for guilty verdicts on these individual actors. Weve moved and evolved from those individual asks to a systematic ask, an institutional ask, which is to defund the police. Because these one actor, two actors, individual people, thats actually not a solution thats going to stop police from killing black folks or frankly stop the police from beating protesters when theyre out in the streets demonstrating.

Right. Exactly. And lets see what those three got. Okay, let me rewind that because I jumped a question, because we were on Black police officers. So Christina asked, As people and institutions as diverse as Mitt Romney, Gushers , Muriel Bowser and Garfield shaped pizzauh, okaypublicly acclaimed that Black Lives Matter, do you worry that the messaging of the campaign may become diluted and less meaningful?

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Ive been thinking quite a bit about this, because I live in DC and I saw the Black Lives Matter mural that Mayor Bowser put up. And I was shocked. I was shocked in a way of like, How dare you, Mayor Bowser? There have been a number of Black folks that have been killed by the police, even just in the last two years, Mayor Bowser has said nothing of remorse or challenge or adjustment. We love our police, we have to work with them. That just doesnt track with the experience of Black people in D.C. that I know.

Shes increased their funding and she continues just to sort of cape for them no matter what the harm is that they do. And so I really loved and appreciated the organizers of Black Lives Matter D.C. and BYP100 D.C., that added to that mural made to say, Black Lives Matter equals to defund the police, just so that were all clear on that.

But I think that to the question of the message being diluted, I think its two things to think about. One is, if you study social movements in moments of mass change, it does sort of require a bit of critical mass. You need your message, you need this issue and this story to reach a level of saturation across the country or just with the general public in order for the big transformative change that were seeing.

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Think about the Civil Rights Movement. When that movement first started there was very little support, even among Black folks, right? But as you kind of grow and grow, it does become a bit of a mantra and becomes saturated, like I said in the media or in the discourse. And thats a good thing. The reason Im not so worried about the message being diluted is because I know that there are organizations, there are formations, there are leaders that have been around for many years and ones that are growing, that are emerging, that are popping up right now as we speak. That are going to be pushing the message further, that are going to be building

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Its not just Black Lives Matter now, its Black Lives Matter and defund the police. Its defund the police and abolish prisons. Its abolish prisons and give us reparations. Do you know what I mean? I feel so confident in folks ability to hold the line of wanting to have as many people as possible aligning with the vision and showing up for Black lives, with also holding a strong firm line on what our demands actually are.

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And thats why its important to be leery of campaigns like 8 Cant Wait, because thats one of those ways that the message can get diluted. Yeah, you might have these mainstream leaders or even people Kim Kardashian talking about our issues and thats fine. But if theres also then that counter voice, that can be seen as a representation of the community or what the movement demands are, that are also saying that more watered down version of the demands, thats where it can get dangerous.

But I just feel really confident in what Ive seen in the community of organizers that Ive been able to work with for the last few years, that weve got this, and were going to be welcoming more folks into our movement and into our organizations. Helping people to hold that line and that message, to get what we need and not just what the elected officials have decided is palatable for them.

Also just to add to that, I feel like companies and corporations and politicians saying, Black Lives Matter. I mean, theyre really just generating a statement of fact, like its true Black lives should matter, anyway. And I see it as just pushing a more truthful narrative, Black lives do matter. We should do something to address the system of policing in this country, we should address economic inequality, et cetera.

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It looks like we have two more questions left.

Okay.

Because Im keeping you over time.

No, Im loving it. Lets do it.

Were just going to take over the live stream, like this is going on forever, its never ending. Recently de Blasio, Mayor de Blasio in New York, for watchers who may not know who that is, has mentioned cutting six billion from the NYPD budget of 90 billion dollars.

Really? I mean, who knows?

I would have to fact check that, but he wants to cut a sizable portion of money from a sizable budget. So the question is, do we as a community have a say in where that money will be reallocated? If so, how do we exercise that right?

Yes, absolutely.

Let me fact check that.

Yeah. We do and we should and we can. Thats why its really important to get connected to different efforts in your communities that are trying to figure out where that resource allocation goes. There might be a way for the Mayor to put in his budget but there is a review board of community groups, representative of folks from different bureaus or other kind of Is it 90 billion?

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I really just want to fact check that now.

But yeah, I would just say that there are definitely ways to have a say in that. Also, part of what is really great and whats happening around the country is for example, we have groups like the Movement for Black Lives that are saying, Defund the police and invest in these things, in education, in health care and mental health, and housing. And being able to talk about that and be connected to other communities and other advocacy efforts towards increasing budgets for education.

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I mean, I used to do education advocacy for about six years and I cant tell you how many conversations we had about what part of the education budget we were going to cut so that we could fund this other really important part of the education budget. Its like, No, stop that. There is this whole other thing that isnt actually adding value to our communities. Its actually costing us quite a bit. We havent even touched on the lawsuits and the money that cities and states have to borrow in order to pay wrongful death suits and harassing lawsuits because of the polices behavior.

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So this is an institution that is not only harming us but is sucking resources out of our communities in a way that we really need to be rethinking about, and the way to offer your input is to stay connected to those different organizations. Maybe you cant show up to every city council meeting, maybe you cant even show up to every organizing meeting, but if you sign up for a text thread, if you sign up for an email, if you make a donation, that is all a way to stay connected and to help inform the ways that those resources are reallocated.

Right. And so just to contextualize the question we got, the total budget for New York City is 90 billion and de Blasio has proposed cutting some of the six billion dollars of that budget that goes to the NYPD. And six billion dollars is a lot of money.

Its a lot of money.

Thats a lot of Virgils. So the last question is from Laughin Lorber. I hope Im saying that correctly. And its a really good one. How do I explain to boomers that defunding the police doesnt result in anarchy?

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Well. I would start with saying we havent always had police. Not in this way, and there wasnt anarchy before that. And two, when we did have police it was intended as mostly a way to maintain protecting property and in one case, slaves, or protecting wealth in later iterations. Again, it just kind of goes back to the question that I asked.

Of course anarchy may not be your goal, its some peoples goal. Anarchy may not be your goal or it may not be your ideal outcome but the question to ask is, what is your idea of it, and are the police actually offering it? Do the police actually create the order that they claim that they do? Or in the case that we see in protest after protest, riot after riot in the cities, are they actually seeding chaos? Are they actually creating violence? Are they actually adding to the disorder, into the mal-intent of our society and of our country?

Again, not individual police officers. Im not trying to say this one person is bad, this one person is evil. The institution in and of itself is not adding value to us, right? In some ways it is facilitating the anarchy that we see in some of our communities. So to me the question to really start off with is, what do you want to see? What does your ideal outcome look like, and is that what youre experiencing with the police? And is there a way if we had just a little bit more resources or a lot more resources in the case of six billion dollars in New York, if we have a lot more resources, what might we do? What could we do? What could be possible?

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That certainly isnt anarchy, and actually isnt the harm in the violence and the fear that so many of us live in because of the police.

Right. I think that anarchy is scary and its very easy for people to latch on to scary things, and I think that when you latch onto something like anarchy, youre just really playing into this bigger racist psychodrama about what will happen if we dont have police around or if we dont have some sort of hierarchy in our society to keep certain people behaving a certain way. So Im not worried about anarchy either, I dont think that will happen.

No. And I also think that what youre seeing with these different brands that are coming out for Black lives is because they see the economic writing on the wall. They see that actually, the people arent going to stop fighting for Black lives and for our dignity. And the unrest, the distress, the sort of scuttlebutt that this is creating, is impacting peoples bottom line. And so people are also recognizing that racism isnt profitable, not for them, not in this moment.

When it was profitable, Im sure these companies were like, Meh, I dont know. Mmh, not our problem. Now that its not so profitable, theyre making a shift in their mindset  Right? So both companies see the value in making the adjustments and changing the way that we think about policing or responding to movements, kind of trying to change the way that we think about policing and so, theyre also investing

I think you can see the signal of these companies being down as a signal that were not going to be moving towards anarchy.

Right. Okay. Well, thats it. Thank you so much.

I wanted just to say, if youre looking to follow me, you can follow me on Instagram @mspeoples or on Im sorry, Instagram is @ms_peoples. I also just launched a website for my group called, The South. Its thisthesouth.com. We have political streetwear and we create content that helps folks express their politics and live their politics. So check us out. And Julia, thank you so much for having me. This was so much fun.

No, thank you. I was so happy when you said that you would do it. I feel like you are just brilliant and you always just have your finger on the pulse of things. So I was very, very grateful that you said yes.

Thank you. Yeah, absolutely. We should do it again.

I agree. All right. Well, thank you, everyone for watching.

Bye.

Bye, yall.
Home Search ICH The US is militarily & economically impotent By Scott Ritter July 16, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Mike Pompeos statement that Beijings claims in the South China Sea are unlawful was seen by some as a dramatic step toward war. But its little more than bluster as the US knows it is not yet capable of taking military action. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement this week which rejected  as official US policy  Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea, saying that there was no legal basis for Chinas claims and accusing China of using intimidatory tactics against littoral states with competing claims. We are making clear, the statement read, Beijings claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them. The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire. Under its self-proclaimed nine-dash line policy, China claims about nine-tenths of the 3.5-million square kilometer South China Sea. In addition to asserting territorial claims over existing shoals and islands, China has constructed a series of fortified man-made islands which it has used to assert its presence in the region. Five other nations  the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan  dispute Chinas claims, and have filed various legal challenges over the years, some of which have been recognized as valid under UN arbitration. Until Pompeos statement was issued, the official US policy was one of neutrality regarding Chinas territorial claims. Now the US has lined up against China in a dramatic manner. The timing of Pompeos statement did not take place in a vacuum. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Newsletter Less than two weeks ago, the United States Navy undertook a fresh round of freedom of navigation exercises aimed at putting China on notice that its territorial aspirations in the South China Sea would not go unchallenged. The deployment of two carrier battle groups was an unprecedented display of military muscle flexing, remarkable not simply for the size and scope of the drill, but rather the context in which it was conducted. Yesterday, the UK, Americas closest ally, said it was intending to station one of its new aircraft carriers in the region, apparently as a measure to counter an increasingly assertive China. China has, in recent months, publicly displayed its own military arsenal, in particular two classes of missiles, known as the DF-21 and DF-26, which have been given the moniker carrier killers for obvious reasons. The Global Times, an English-language paper published under the auspices of the Chinese Communist Party, made reference to these missiles in a tweet published in response to the deployment of the US carriers, noting that China has a wide selection of anti-aircraft carrier weapons like DF-21D and DF-26 aircraft carrier killer #missiles. South China Sea is fully within grasp of the #PLA; any US #aircraftcarrier movement in the region is at the pleasure of PLA. The US Navys Chief of Information, Rear Admiral Charlie Brown, sent out a tweet in response, declaring And yet, there they are. Two @USNavy aircraft carriers operating in the international waters of the South China Sea. #USSNimitz & #USSRonaldReagan are not intimidated #AtOurDiscretion. Admiral Browns bluster disguises the reality that missiles such as the DF-21 and DF-26, which are referred to as anti-access/area denial weapons (AA/AD), represent a new face of maritime warfare that makes the US carrier battle group obsolete. This is reflected in new guidance issued by the Commandant of the Marine Corps for the marines to restructure its amphibious strike capability to reflect this new reality. Visions of a massed naval armada nine nautical miles off-shore in the South China Sea preparing to launch the landing forceare impractical and unreasonable,General David Berger noted. We must accept the realities created by the proliferation of precision long-range fires, mines, and other smart-weapons, and seek innovative ways to overcome those threat capabilities. The importance of the Commandants guidance is that it is based in reality, not theory  the Marine Corps is currently undergoing a radical restructuring of its combat organization and capability, shedding so-called legacy capabilities such as heavy armor and military police in favor of a new expeditionary structure which will operate from advance bases in the Pacific and make use of its own long-range strike capabilities to disrupt a potential adversary  in this case, China. While some feverish commentators took Pompeos words as setting the legal foundation for the use of military force against Beijing, the truth is that neither the Marine Corps nor the US Navy are able to successfully execute a China-beating military campaign in the South China Sea today  and any such capability is years away. This is the fallacy of Secretary Pompeos statement  words that cannot be backed up with might are, to be blunt, meaningless. Pompeos statement did not specify what consequences the US is prepared to impose in the event China continues its aggressive assertion of its nine-dash line claims, for the simple fact that there are no meaningful consequences that can be imposed. Pompeos bluster seemed more intent in driving a wedge between China and its Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) trading partners, many of whom have territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea, than starting a war. China has been for years now seeking to strengthen its economic and security ties with the ASEAN bloc, much to the consternation of the US. Indeed, one of the major obstacles faced by the US in confronting China in the South China Sea is the reticence among the very nations Pompeo sought to court in his statement to alienate relations with China, whose status as the regions most economically powerful trading partner most ASEAN nations cannot ignore. Here, President Trumps precipitous decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in 2018 has come back to haunt US policy makers  void of any viable US-led economic alternative, the ASEAN nations have no choice but to gravitate toward China. By putting down a marker that it views the totality of Chinas South China Sea claims as legally impermissible, the Trump administration is seeking to influence the diplomatic arena where the various disputes China has with the South China littoral states will be handled for the foreseeable future. Other than words, however, the US has limited leverage that it can apply  freedom of navigation exercises are an irritant to China, but have done nothing to halt its expansion in the region, and in the aftermath of the collapse of the TPP, the US has failed to put forward any coherent regional economic development strategy to counter that of China. The critical question is to what extent the South China Sea littoral nations are willing to rally around the new US declaratory policy regarding Chinas ambitions in the South China Sea. Lacking either the military muscle to compel Chinese change or the economic wherewithal to offer a meaningful alternative to Chinas economic influence, Pompeos statement is little more than empty words masking growing US impotence. The fact that the sole meaningful response to Chinas stance in the South China Sea being pursued by the US is a radical restructuring of the Marine Corps solely designed to engage China militarily in the region should be worrisome to all; by failing to back up strong rhetoric with meaningful policy options, the US is in danger of backing itself into a corner for which the only solution will be the military tool offered by the marines. The entire world should hope and pray that it does not come to that. Scott Ritter is a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer. He served in the Soviet Union as an inspector implementing the INF Treaty, in General Schwarzkopfs staff during the Gulf War, and from 1991-1998 as a UN weapons inspector. Follow him on Twitter @RealScottRitter. - " Source " - Post your comment below See also The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Search Information Clearing House === The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load.
In an online campaign appearance, Jill Biden and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer praised presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Bidens plan to rebuild the economy through investments in clean energy and infrastructure.

Biden and Whitmer joined supporters Friday on a virtual tour of a Warren training center managed by the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers. The event was focused on promoting Joe Bidens recently-released $2 trillion clean economy plan, which seeks to generate new jobs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic by supporting sustainable building practices, transitioning to renewable energy sources and cleaning up pollution across the country.

Bidens plan commits to putting the United States on a path to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. It seeks to create 1 million new jobs in the American auto industry to build electric vehicles and charging stations and another 1 million trades jobs focused on upgrading sustainable buildings and homes.

The former vice president aims to upgrade 2 million homes and 4 million businesses to be more sustainable during the next four years. His plan proposes a task force on coal focused on directing investments to communities that rely on jobs in the coal industry.

Whitmer said Bidens plan includes critical investments in blue-collar jobs.

Thats how you rebuild our country; thats how you rebuild the middle class and give people paths to prosperity, the governor said.

Simply put, Joe Bidens plan is going to help Michigan working families get ahead, Whitmer continued. Its so great to have that kind of focus because its been such a long time in this country since weve had a president with that kind of leadership.

Tom Ward, apprentice coordinator for the Warren training facility, said connecting recent high school graduates with good-paying trade jobs is critical to Michigans manufacturing and construction industries. Students at the facility demonstrated some of the skills theyve learned while pursuing free apprenticeship training during the online event.

Heck I think Im going to quit my teaching job, I think everybody I see is making more money than me, Jill Biden said.

Biden said apprenticeship programs are an important option for high school graduates who dont want to take on student loan debt while pursuing a college degree.

College isnt for everybody, she said. Everybody takes a different path to success.

Chuck Kukawka, president of BAC Local 2, said Whitmer and Biden are welcome to visit the training center when the coronavirus pandemic subsides. Students at the facility wore face coverings in observance of Whitmers executive orders and were separated to ensure social distancing.

Even though we are in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic, we still have a great demand for more apprentices and we continue to train our members, Kukawka said. Our union looks forward to a Biden administration bringing forward a $1 trillion infrastructure program.

Jill Biden said providing training resources for skilled trades jobs is a critical part of her husbands plan to rebuild the U.S. economy, which has begun a slow path to recovery after being racked by the pandemic. New jobs figures released Thursday show Michigan employment grew by 8% in June, though the states 14.8% unemployment rate remains among the highest in the country.

Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows 732,038 Michiganders were out of work at the end of June, including 363,462 people in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area.

Weve got to get America back to work, Biden said.

Biden said her husband will invest in apprenticeship programs and infrastructure projects and support union workers in Michigan.

This hasnt been easy, but we are finding our strength, and we need leaders who will help us along (instead) of holding us back, Biden said. Thats why Joes approach to high-quality education and training will be bold.

The Trump campaign criticized Bidens economic agenda during a call with reporters Wednesday. Vice President Mike Pence warned that Bidens support for a radical climate change agenda would hurt workers in states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin -- battleground states that are crucial to Trumps reelection hopes.

As a son of the Midwest, I know Joe Bidens policies would devastate the economy of Midwest America, Pence said Wednesday. Its not the Rust Belt anymore, we knocked the rust off the Rust Belt. With Joe Biden in the White House, you would devastate economic comeback in the heartland.

Chris Gustafson, spokesperson for the Trump Victory campaign in Michigan, said Bidens plan will kill jobs and result in higher taxes.

President Trump will continue to put the American worker first and deliver results that built the strongest economy ever, Gustafson said in a statement. Michiganders look forward to four more years of promises made, promises kept.

Polls show Biden with a sizable lead among Michigan voters. However Democrats including U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, and Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, have voiced skepticism since pollsters failed to predict Trumps 2016 victory in Michigan.

We have to ensure that no one believes these polls and (believes) that their vote doesnt matter, Dingell said in an interview Wednesday. Nobody can think that their vote doesnt matter. We cant afford to suppress votes and have voters stay home.

Over the last few months, our nation has suffered incredible losses, Biden said. Some of it can be measured -- the 135,000 lives lost, the tens of millions of workers who are now jobless, but in other ways, the devastation cant be measured.

Biden thanked Whitmer for her leadership throughout the pandemic, and committing to fixing the damn roads.

Whitmer has been a frequent participant in online events organized by the Biden campaign and serves as a national co-chair for his presidential bid. The first-term governor led a virtual event launching the campaigns Michigan Women for Biden coalition in June.

Whitmer told Ward to make sure his students are registered to vote in the upcoming election.

Oh, believe me, were going to talk about it, Ward said. I need some Go Joe yard signs.

Read more:

Attorney General William Barr warns of growing Chinese influence during Grand Rapids visit

Trump, Biden take different approaches to campaigning, amid coronavirus concerns in Michigan

Political groups spend millions on ads to turn Michigan Republicans against Trump over coronavirus response

Pence says sacrifices by Michigan residents saved lives and paved the way for economic recovery
KYODO NEWS - Jul 18, 2020 - 00:19 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Tokyo reported a single-day record of 293 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday amid growing concern about a second wave of infections that has cast a shadow on an initiative aimed at spurring domestic travel.

The figure surpassed the previous record of 286 set Thursday. Since a nationwide state of emergency was completely lifted on May 25, Tokyo and some other urban areas in Japan have seen sharp increases in confirmed cases of the virus that causes the respiratory illness COVID-19.

"People might be astonished. But (the growing numbers) will serve as a warning," Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike told reporters, again stressing that the rise in confirmed cases reflected an increase in virus tests being conducted in the capital.

Across Japan, 596 new infections were confirmed Friday, according to a Kyodo News tally, bringing the nationwide total to 24,200, excluding 712 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo in February.

The numbers of new cases in prefectures surrounding the capital have also been rising, with Saitama reporting 51, a record daily increase since the lifting of the state of emergency.

With the resurgence of the virus becoming clearer, particularly in Tokyo, the central government made an abrupt decision Thursday to remove trips to and from the capital from its travel subsidy campaign starting next week, amid growing concern it could further the spread of the virus to other parts of Japan.

Confusion over eligibility for the Go To Travel Campaign grew further Friday as tourism minister Kazuyoshi Akaba urged young people and seniors in large tour groups not to use it, citing the risk of them spreading the coronavirus and, in the case of the elderly, developing severe symptoms.

But Akaba corrected his remarks later in the day, saying the government will leave it to travel companies to decide whether to organize tours for such groups.

The massive campaign, aimed at helping the country's tourism industry hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic since spring, will subsidize up to half a user's travel expenses, including accommodation and transport fees, with the government initially providing discounts worth 35 percent of total costs.

The remaining 15 percent will be covered by coupons to be issued after September for food, shopping and other travel activities offered at destinations, according to the tourism ministry.

The campaign will offer discounts for those who have already booked trips planned from Wednesday onward if they apply to the campaign operators after returning.

Under the program, accommodation facilities will be required to take anti-virus measures such as checking the temperature of guests and confirming their identities for them to be eligible for the campaign.

The subsidy scheme was initially slated to begin in August before Japan's Bon holidays around the middle of the month, when many people living in major cities return to their hometowns. But it was moved forward in time for the four-day weekend from Thursday.

Related coverage:

Okinawa cab driver infected amid virus outbreaks at U.S. bases

Japan to launch travel campaign without Tokyo amid virus resurgence

Japan reports over 600 new virus cases, highest in 3 months
A New Jersey woman has been charged with assaulting two police officers after allegedly beating them with a cane during a brawl on Brooklyn Bridge Wednesday.

Chanice Reyes, 24, was arrested during an early morning raid near City Hall on Thursday, a day after footage released by the NYPD showed a suspect clubbing cops.

Several NYPD officers were attacked and injured Wednesday as pro-police and anti-police protesters clashed on the bridge. At least four officers - including the citys highest ranking uniformed cop, Chief of Department Terence Monahan - were hurt and 37 demonstrators were arrested, police said.

In a video from the scene a protester - believed to be Reyes - is first seen climbing over the barrier on the bridge holding a cane to club officers. It is not clear which officers she has been charged with assaulting.

The NYPD later released a video of the suspect in the attack who is seen fleeing the scene

Following the assault on officers, police tweeted: 'The New York City Police Department is seeking the publics assistance identifying the following individual in the attached photos and video wanted for questioning in regard to an assault on police officers in the confines of the 5th Precinct.

'On July 15 at approximately 10:10 AM, on the Brooklyn Bridge while attempting to make an arrest an unidentified individual struck multiple police offices with a cane.'

Footage taken by The New York Post shows as Reyes was arrested Thursday morning. Sources told the paper there was 'a strong smell of marijuana coming from a car' where police then recognized Reyes as the person wanted over the attack.

Wearing one sock, a 'Wanted' t-shirt, and flipping the bird at reporters she said: 'I didnt attack nobody.' She is said to have been taken to hospital for a preliminary psychiatric exam.

Protesters have been camped outside City Hall calling for the NYPD to be defunded. Reyes is said to have resisted arrest there Thursday, allegedly hitting a sergeant and biting another officer on the head.

A bicycle officer helping a fellow officer dress a head wound after the clash on the bridge

Other police photos of the aftermath showed a lieutenant with a bloodied face, a detective holding a bandage to his head

In footage of the incident tweeted by the NYPD Wednesday, the protester is seen swinging a long object down at the heads of a group of officers from a pedestrian walkway as they attempt to arrest someone at 10am.

Police photos of the aftermath showed a lieutenant with a bloodied face, a detective holding a bandage to his head, and a bicycle officer helping other officer dress a head wound. Their injuries are all said to be serious.

Chief of Department Monahan meanwhile, who is seen the video dressed in a white shirt, suffered a fractured finger in the scuffle and other minor injuries, officials said.

Monahan told Fox Thursday morale among officers is 'as low as it's been in a long time'. He added: 'I'm feeling fine. You know, I've got a few bruises here and there. Luckily, the fingers weren't broken, just jammed a bit. So I'm doing OK.

'I'm doing a lot better than my sergeant and the lieutenant that was attacked.

'On the street corners, there is a feeling that they don't have to listen to the police and that they're willing to fight the police officers.'

Shaborn Banks and Koran Campbell, both 25. were also charged with assault on a police officer in connection to the incident, The Washington Post reports.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, who earlier this month slashed NYPD funding by $1 billion, said Thursday: 'Peaceful protest is honored in New York City  always has been. There is no acceptable violent protest. Any violent protest will be stopped, and therell be consequences for anyone involved.

'And anyone, anywhere, whether in protest or anything else, who assaults a police officer, its unacceptable, and they will suffer the consequences.'

Several NYPD officers were attacked an injured Wednesday as pro-police and anti-police protesters clashed on the Brooklyn Bridge (Chief of Department Terence Monahan shown in white)

In footage of the incident tweeted by the NYPD Wednesday, a protester is seen swinging a long object down at the heads of a group of officers from a pedestrian walkway

Monahan meanwhile, who is seen the video dressed in a white shirt, suffered a fractured his finger in the scuffle and other minor injuries, officials said

The mayor on Wednesday signed into law a series of police accountability measures inspired by the killings of George Floyd, Eric Garner and other black people.

De Blasio had helped paint a Black Lives Matter mural on a Bronx street before signing police reform measures. They include a ban on chokeholds and other restraints that could restrict a persons breathing.

The NYPD has long barred chokeholds, but that hasnt stopped some officers from using them in recent years  most notably in Garners death on Staten Island just shy of six years ago.

Other reforms include requirements for officers to have their shield numbers visible  and not obscured by things like black mourning bands; for the NYPD to create and publish to its website a schedule of officer disciplinary violations and penalties, and for the department to disclose information about its secret surveillance technology.

Another makes clear that the public has a right to record police activity.

Monahan and the other injured officers were marching with a pro-police group led by local clergy when they were met on the bridge by anti-police activists, some of whom have been camping outside City Hall in recent weeks to demand severe cuts to police funding.

The injured Chief of Department Monahan was one of several NYPD officials lauded last month for taking a knee with demonstrators in the city on June 1.

In a longer clip of the clash obtained by DailyMail.com, an all-out brawl is seen erupting between a dozen protesters and a group of NYPD bike patrol officers.

One protester is seen charging towards an officer, knocking him to the ground and striking him several times as he lay on top of the flattened cop.

A number of other scuffles break out between the demonstrators and cops around them.

As Monahan, who is seen perched on the other side of the fence, attempts to grab one of the protesters, another activist moves in the strike him several times in the face.

The action prompts a cycle unit cop to rush in to his superior's aid, striking the culprit a number of times before attempting to hoist him over a fence into the custody of Monahan and another officer.

As Monahan, who is seen perched on the other side of the fence, attempts to grab one of the protesters, another activist moves in the strike him several times in the face

The action prompts a cycle unit cop to rush in to his superior's aid, striking the culprit several times before attempting to hoist him over a fence into the custody of Monahan and another officer

Chief of Department Monahan was one of several NYPD officials lauded last month for taking a knee with demonstrators in the city on June 1

If the mayor were doing his job properly, we wouldnt have this issue. If the DAs were prosecuting the laws, we wouldnt have these issues. What we are seeing right now is chaos in the city of New York and the victims are minorities, Ed Mullins, the president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, told CBSNY.

Some people in the pro-police group marched with a banner that said, We Support the NYPD.

The leader of that group said they were calling for an end to a recent spate of violence, including the shooting death of a one-year-old boy in Brooklyn.

The protesters near to where the incident took place scattered as more police swarmed in and several people were taken to the ground and arrested.

At one stage, several officers and bicycles gave chase to one fleeing protester and surrounded him. The protester charged into a number of the bicycles, knocking officers to the ground, PIX11 reported.

The demonstrator was then taken into custody, according to the network. The NYPD were seen loading between 15 to 20 protesters into an NYPD van at 10:05am.

An officer is seen pulling the hair of a Black Lives Matter Protester as he pulls her toward the ground on the Brooklyn Bridge

In total 37 people were arrested following the clash on Wednesday morning, police confirmed

A New York City police officer grabs a Black Lives Matter protester during a confrontation near a pro-police rally and prayer vigil near City Hall

One protester is seen being taken into custody on the Brooklyn Bridge Wednesday morning

'They literally arrested about 20 of our folks, as this protest, stop, we're going to arrest Black Lives Matter protesters and then allow this protest to peacefully come by,' said Jonathan Lykes, Black Youth Project 100 to ABC of the arrests.

'They didn't want a counter protest, they didn't want democracy, they didn't want freedom in this moment,' he continued.

Wednesday's demonstrations were the latest in a wave of protest activity across the country since George Floyd was killed May 25 by Minneapolis police.

Those gathered participated in singing after speeches encouraging people to stop the violence.

We've come to turn down the walls of injustice and social inequality. We are here to build walls and build bridges that unite people, one protester told Fox 5.

The first few nights of protests in New York City were marred by looting, unrest and violence inflicted both by and on police officers. Since then, protests have largely been peaceful.
The US market will be a big test for Vietnams automobile industry in its path to become Asias Detroit.

As COVID-19 has been contained in Vietnam, automobile manufacturers have begun implementing new development strategies with a focus on export, investment in high technologies, and clean energy to improve their competitiveness.





Thaco, an automobile company, for example, has announced a comprehensive renovation strategy under which it will turn into a multi-field group, while automobile and mechanical engineering will still be its core business field.



VinFast, another 100 percent Vietnamese-owned automobile manufacturer, decided to penetrate the US market with its electric cars.

The SUV is scheduled to be on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this year and put into a test earlier the next year. The battery used for the model will be made by the joint venture between LG Chem and VinFast in Hai Phong City.

As COVID-19 has been contained in Vietnam, automobile manufacturers have begun implementing new development strategies with a focus on export, investment in high technologies, and clean energy to improve their competitiveness.

According to experts, it will take VinFast three years to obtain US certificates.

However, in return, the successful penetration into the choosiest market in the world will help VinFast improve their position in the world map. It will also serve as the springboard for VinFast to enter other markets, including China.

This is just like a test. When we can enter the choosiest market, we will also be able to penetrate other markets, said Pham Nhat Vuong, president of Vingroup.



VinFast has opened its office in Melbourne, Australia and recruited hundreds of engineers to expand the R&D center in the country, which will develop the next car and electric vehicle models.



VinFast has reportedly also recently wrapped up the takeover of Holden, an automobile manufacturer in Australia.



The US is also the aiming point for Thaco, which it plans to enter after ASEAN. In late May, Thaco exported 36 trailers to the US out of the total 69 trailers to be exported under the distribution contract with Pitts Enterprises.



In 2020, Thaco plans to export more than 1,600 vehicle products of different kinds, worth over $50 million, and accessories.



An analyst said that by mastering high technology, developing electrical vehicles and boosting export, VinFast is in line with the trends of the worlds automobile industry.



China continues to give financial support to car models using new energy, while Europeans are increasingly fond of electrical motors. The Covid-19 pandemic has also changed consumers behavior and prompted them to use environmentally friendly products.



According to Foreign Policy, Vietnams automobile industry has been relying on imported car parts and the biggest problem of the industry lies in technology renovation.

In order to encourage manufacturers to increase the technological content in products, the government has decided to reduce the vehicle registration tax by 50 percent.

Le Ha

Vietnam's automobile market sees 62 percent surge after social distancing The sales of automobile surged 62 percent month-on-month in May following the end of social distancing measures, according to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA).
Rating Action: Moody's assigns Aa3 to Berkeley Cty, WV Lease Revenue Bonds; affirms Aa2 issuer rating

Global Credit Research - 17 Jul 2020

New York, July 17, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned a Aa3 rating to Berkeley County Building Commission, WV's $3.6 million Lease Revenue Bonds (Berkeley County Day Report Center Project) Series 2020 A. Concurrently, Moody's has affirmed Berkeley County's outstanding Aa2 issuer rating and the Aa3 rating on the building commission's lease revenue bonds outstanding in the amount of $30.4 million.

The issuer rating is equivalent to the county's hypothetical general obligation unlimited tax (GOULT) pledge, however, there is no debt associated with the security.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The Aa2 issuer rating reflects the county's large and growing tax base with average resident wealth and incomes, healthy financial position with growing reserve levels, average debt burden and manageable pension liability.

The Aa3 lease revenue rating has the standard one-notch distinction from the issuer rating, which incorporates the essential nature of the leased asset and the risk of non-appropriation in light of the lack of a legal requirement for the county to appropriate lease payments.

We regard the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under our ESG framework given the substantial implications for public health and safety. We do not see any immediate material credit risks for Berkeley County, 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 county changes, we will update our rating and/or outlook at that time.

RATING OUTLOOK

Moody's generally does not assign outlooks to local government issuers with this amount of debt outstanding.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OF THE RATINGS

- Large and sustained increases in reserves

Story continues

- Significant and prolonged tax base growth and improved resident wealth and incomes

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

- Consistent, material draws on reserves and weakened liquidity position

- Sustained contraction of the tax base and deterioration of resident wealth and incomes

LEGAL SECURITY

The bonds are special limited obligations of the building commission, but are ultimately secured by a lease with Berkeley County, subject to annual appropriation. The bonds are further secured by a deed of trust granting the trustee first lien on the pledged property.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Proceeds from the lease revenue bonds will be used to finance renovations at an existing county facility in order to create a new space for the county's day report center.

PROFILE

Berkeley County is located in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia (Aa2 stable) and is the second most populous county in the state. The county has a population of approximately 113,000 and is located adjacent to Winchester, VA (Aa2) and 79 miles from Washington, DC (District of Columbia, Aaa stable).

METHODOLOGY

The principal methodology used in the issuer rating was US Local Government General Obligation Debt published in September 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBM_1191097. The principal methodology used in the lease ratings was Lease, Appropriation, Moral Obligation and Comparable Debt of US State and Local Governments published in July 2018 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBM_1102364. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.

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.

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Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.

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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.

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Matthew Jaffe Lead Analyst Regional PFG Northeast 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 Douglas Goldmacher Additional Contact Regional PFG Northeast 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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The Ukrainian side commends the beginning of criminal proceedings that will inevitably bring to justice those responsible for the downing of MH17.

Ukraine has called on the Russian Federation to accept its responsibility for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over occupied Donbas on July 17, 2014.

"Ukraine calls on Russia to accept its responsibility and adhere to its international obligations, namely under the UN SC Resolution 2166, to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and criminal proceedings," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on July 17.

Read alsoEU calls on Russia to accept responsibility for MH17

"On this day, when we commemorate the sixth anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and the death of 298 people of 17 nationalities, our thoughts and condolences are with all those who lost their loved ones. Ukraine remains fully committed to joint efforts with the JIT partners to bring to justice those responsible for the MH17 downing," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian side commends the beginning of criminal proceedings that will inevitably bring to justice those responsible for the downing of MH17, and reiterate its full support to the proceedings led by the Dutch prosecutors.

"We are moreover taking steps within the proceedings in the ICJ to hold Russia accountable for the breach of its obligations under the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, which led to the downing of MH17," the ministry said.

Another important step is the decision of the Netherlands to bring the case against Russia in the ECHR in order to hold Russia liable in view of its role in the downing of MH17, it added.

UNIAN memo. Malaysia Airlines' MH17 Boeing 777 heading from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, over Russia-occupied territory in Donetsk region. All 298 people on board who were citizens of 10 countries were killed in the crash. The majority of the victims, 196, were citizens of the Netherlands. The Dutch Safety Board October 13, 2015, issued a report on the causes of the accident. It was revealed that the plane had been shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft missile system.

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in its report published on September 28, 2016, confirmed that the plane had been downed by a Russian-made Buk brought to Ukraine from Russia.

On June 19, 2019, JIT investigators accused four Russia-controlled military intelligence officers of involvement in a missile attack that shot down MH17. The first four suspects in the MH17 case are Russian terrorist Igor Girkin (AKA "Strelkov"), who in the summer of 2014 was the so-called "Minister of Defense of the Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR"); Russian General Sergei Dubinsky (nom de guerre "Khmuryi"), who led the "DPR intelligence;" Oleg Pulatov (nom de guerre "Gyurza"), who in 2014 headed of "the 2nd division of the GRU of the DPR;" as well as Leonid Kharchenko (nom de guerre "Krot"), who was a leader of the "reconnaissance battalion" of Russia-led forces.

The MH17 trial process began on March 9, 2020.
President Donald Trump is greeted by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp as he arrives at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Ga., on July 15, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Georgia Governor: Mask Mandates Could Cause Unemployment to Rise

Georgias governor on Friday linked mask mandates to unemployment, arguing his job requires balancing lives and jobs.

This is not about masks. We all agree its good to wear a mask, in the right situation. This is about protecting the livelihoods of our citizens, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told reporters at the State Capitol Building after meeting with officials.

Kemp said business owners are calling his office saying they have food in their freezers. If the state shuts down again, they lose the money they would get from selling the food.

Kemp this week overrode local orders that required people to wear masks in public.

The governor pointed to Californias unemployment rate of 16.7 percent and compared it to Georgias 7.6 percent rate. He highlighted the town of Albany, saying the citizens there embraced recommendations without being forced to do so and flattened the curve, a phrase referring to slowing the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

A man wearing a mask runs in front of a burning police car during a riot in Atlanta, Ga., on May 29, 2020. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

They did what I am asking people to do now. And thats to encourage people to wear a mask, he said.

Some municipalities havent even enforced state mandates issued during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kemp said, explaining more of his reasoning for not issuing a state-wide mask mandate.

To add another mandate, thats not going to be enforced in communities that havent enforced other orders, in my opinion is a failed policy, Kemp told reporters.

At least one city, Atlanta, is refusing to comply with Kemps new order.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said in a virtual press conference on Thursday that Atlanta would keep its mask mandate in place.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms speaks in Washington in 2019. (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo)

Its my belief that the city of Atlanta still has the appropriate standing to mandate masks, especially as it relates to buildings that we own and operate, she said.

Bottoms accused Kemp of having political motivation, pointing to Athens requiring masks on July 8 and Savannah doing so on July 1.

It wasnt until after Atlanta issued the order and President Donald Trump, a Republican, landed at an airport in the city without a mask that Kemp suddenly took a formal position on masks, Bottoms, a potential vice presidential nominee for the Democratic party, said.

Whatever the motivation is, I think at the end of the day we all have to do the right thing because its the right thing to do. And what the scientists are telling us is that the right thing to do is to wear a mask, she said.

Trump, who is tested daily for the CCP virus, has only worn a mask once in public.

Bottoms said she wasnt afraid of being sued by the state.

A man wears a mask in Atlanta, Ga., on April 23, 2020. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

Later Thursday, the state sued Atlanta officials over the citys mask order and its attempt to roll back reopening to phase one.

The lawsuit says the governor has the power to suspend any municipal orders that contradict state law or his executive orders.

As the Mayor of the City of Atlanta, Mayor Bottoms does not have the legal authority to modify, change, or ignore Governor Kemps executive orders, the document stated.

Bottoms said in a statement that a better use of taxpayer money would be expanding testing and contact tracing, or efforts to find people who were in contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the CCP virus.

Katabella Roberts contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 11:36:36|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines will allow the entry of foreign nationals with long-term visas into the country from Aug. 1, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Friday.

In a statement, Roque said the inter-agency coronavirus task force on Thursday approved the decision, while foreign nationals must comply with the conditions set by the task force before they can enter the country.

"They must first have valid and existing visas at the time of the entry. This means no new entry visa shall be accepted," Roque said.

He added that foreign nationals are "subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry, as returning overseas Filipinos will be given priority."

Moreover, he said they "must also secure a pre-booked accredited quarantine facility and a pre-booked coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing provider."

Foreigners, except accredited foreign government and international organization officials and their dependents, had not been allowed entry into the country since March 22.

The Philippines imposed a strict lockdown in mid-March to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

The declaration of lockdown restricted land, air, and sea travel and suspended mass transportation. Airport closures have led to the suspension of all incoming and outgoing flights, except for international and domestic sweeper flights to repatriate foreigners out of the Philippines and to bring in Filipino workers stranded abroad.

The country is still under varying levels of lockdown as it grapples with a steady increase of COVID-19 cases.

The Philippines now has 61,266 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 1,643 deaths and 21,440 recoveries. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 21:06:54|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of job adverts postings across Britain has risen as lockdown measures were eased in early July, according to a report released Friday by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC).

REC's Jobs Recovery Tracker showed that the total number of active job adverts was 1.05 million in the week from July 6 to July 12, up from 990,000 in the final week of June (from June 22 to 28).

Notably, there was a significant climb of job adverts for IT professionals, the figures revealed. Compared with the last week of June, postings for web designers and developers in the week of 6-12 July surged by 15.5 percent, with a rise of 6.6 percent for programmers and software developers.

The jump in postings for IT designers and developers reflected "the strong growth in digital commerce" during the lockdown, said the REC.

In addition, the survey showed growing demand for other jobs, including graphic designers, surging by 11.3 percent, sales administrators 9.9 percent, LGV drivers 9.7 percent and carpenters and joiners 8.5 percent.

"Business confidence has slowly been rising as lockdown measures have eased - though the recovery has a long way to go," said Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC.

"However, we are not out of the woods. The economy will not return to normal levels for some time," Carberry added.

According to data released Thursday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of workers on the country's company payrolls plunged by 649,000 between March and June.

"The next 2-3 months are going to be critical to understand the true impact of the furlough scheme and wider government support programs,"said Matthew Mee, director of workforce intelligence at Emsi, a British labor market analytics firm.

Under the government's plan, the furlough scheme designed to support businesses to retain employees is due to terminate at the end of October this year. Enditem
Will Kenosha County mandate mask use?

The county issued the following statement Thursday from the Kenosha County Office of the Corporation Counsel:

In the wake of similar actions in Dane County and the City of Milwaukee, some individuals have asked whether Kenosha County would consider adopting an order requiring people to wear face coverings while in public as a safeguard against the spread of COVID-19.

At this time, Kenosha County does not have the authority to enforce such an order, and, as such, there is not presently an active effort to do so.

Whats different about the situations in Dane County and the City of Milwaukee?

Kenosha County, like many other counties had its authority to mandate and enforce such actions significantly called into question by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in its May 13 decision striking down the states Safer-At-Home Order.

The Dane County Board subsequently adopted an ordinance, providing a mechanism for enforcement of such public health orders, enabling the enactment of that countys recent mask order.

In the City of Milwaukee, the Common Council earlier this week approved an ordinance requiring the wearing of masks in public spaces as long as the citys COVID-19 health order remains in place.

Where does this sort of action stand in Kenosha County?

Barring legislative action on the county or municipal levels, there will remain no mechanism in place to enforce a mask order.

The Wisconsin Counties Association, which advises Kenosha County and other local municipalities, has a work group that is currently trying to develop ordinance language that would be enforceable and in accordance with state law.

Without a consensus on a path forward and absent state legislative action, a mask mandate in Kenosha County would likely be unenforceable.

Positive cases of COVID-19 stood at 1,878 Thursday in Kenosha County, up 24 from the previous day. Total deaths are 48.

County Executive Jim Kreuser said, While Kenosha County does not have a mask order in effect, I strongly encourage people to wear one when in public places where social distancing is difficult to maintain. Its a small price to pay to help slow the spread of this virus in our community.
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Fashion, retail and consumer goods companies trust Centric PLM to enable remote collaboration, decrease costs and drive efficiency

CAMPBELL, Calif., July 16, 2020  Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Centric Softwares market-leading Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions have been selected by 30 brands, retailers and manufacturers to boost efficiency, reduce costs and drive remote collaboration. Centric Software provides the most innovative enterprise solutions to fashion, retail, footwear, outdoor, luxury, consumer goods and home decor companies to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals.

Brands, retailers and manufacturers  ranging from large retailers to digital natives to upcoming brands to traditional manufacturers - from 10 countries have

Our customers realize that it is more important than ever to invest in digital solutions to streamline remote collaboration, cut costs and maximize efficiency, explains Fabrice Canonge, Executive Vice-President Global Sales & Marketing at Centric Software. For some companies, remote working has exposed weaknesses and forced people to rethink how they work. Remote collaboration, and working in person, are both far more efficient with the right tools in place. Businesses are now prioritizing the projects that will deliver lasting benefits and improve their chances of survival.

We recently launched new Quick Start Collaboration packages to enable companies to swiftly implement core PLM functions and transition to remote working. Centric has proven its ability to produce a concrete return on investment with the fastest time to value and lowest total cost of ownership, and the market is responding to that.

Many innovative companies agree. A handful are cited:

- From France, apparel manufacturer for retailers like E.Leclerc, Carrefour and Galeries Lafayette, Gil Claude, CEO, Eric Ammar says,

Demanding consumers necessitate a faster product development and production process that includes traceability. Trends that were developing prior to the pandemic are now becoming a must have, not a nice to have. With Centric, well see significant operational improvements and be able to collaborate better with our factories and our clients.

- From the US, apparel and footwear manufacturer Otabo, Chris Finlay, Chief Growth Officer explains,

Since our clients and supply chain are international, weve always been digital first and weve always focused on how to improve communication 24/7. PLM was an organizational need for us.

- From China, home textile maker for companies like Nordstorm, Pottery Barn, John Lewis and more, Sunwin, Chairman, Wang Yaomin, says,

Companies with long-term strategic plans will not cease to move forward because of short-term difficulties. Competitiveness must come from the product itself, and Centric PLM can help us to strengthen the power of our products.

- From Spain, fashion manufacturer T2T for brands like Zara, Mango, Desigual and others, CEO, Jordi Blasco explains,

Centric will support our fashion design team with a centralized, digital platform, enabling streamlined remote collaboration with our suppliers and relieving market disruptions like those brought on by the recent pandemic.

We are proud to forge new partnerships amid global uncertainty, says Chris Groves, President and CEO of Centric Software. As the world adjusts to a new reality, businesses are placing their trust in Centric PLM to make them more strategic, reactive and profitable.

Learn more about Centric PLM

Request a Demo

Centric Software (www.centricsoftware.com)

From its headquarters in Silicon Valley, Centric Software provides a Digital Transformation Platform for the most prestigious names in fashion, retail, footwear, luxury, outdoor, consumer goods and home decor. Centrics flagship Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platform, Centric 8, delivers enterprise-class merchandise planning, product development, sourcing, quality and collection management functionality tailored for fast-moving consumer industries. Centric SMB provides innovative PLM technology and key industry learnings for emerging brands. Centric Visual Innovation Platform (VIP) offers a new fully visual and digital experience for collaboration and decision-making and includes the Centric Buying Board to transform internal buying sessions and maximize retail value and the Centric Concept Board for driving creativity and evolving product concepts. All Centric innovations shorten time to market, boost product innovation and reduce costs.

Centric Software is majority-owned by Dassault Systemes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and PLM solutions.

Centric Software has received multiple industry awards and recognition, including being named by Red Herring to its Top 100 Global list in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Centric also received various excellence awards from Frost & Sullivan in 2012, 2016 and 2018.

Centric Software is a registered trademark of Centric Software Inc. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Media Contacts:

Centric Software



Americas: Jennifer Forsythe, jforsythe@centricsoftware.com

EMEA: Kristen Salaun-Batby, ksalaun-batby@centricsoftware.com

APAC: Lily Dong, lily.dong@centricsoftware.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When the Ohio Power Siting Board unanimously approved the Icebreaker Wind project recently, initial reactions were quickly tempered: A condition was included that required turning turbines off, or feathering, at night during eight months of the year to protect bats and migratory birds. The decision allowed the OPSB to remove or adjust this condition if post-construction studies deemed it no longer necessary.

Project supporters have railed at this condition, calling it a poison pill, politically motivated, and more, and there has been strong pressure on decision-makers to force the OPSB to reconsider. What has been missing is recognition of why the feathering condition was necessary.

The fact is, the Great Lakes are enormously important to birds. Millions of ducks and other waterfowl use the lakes during migration and in the winter months. Songbirds congregate along their shorelines during migration and make spectacular nocturnal flights over them. The high volume of bird traffic in this area is well-documented. Its why the National Audubon Society designated the area off the coast of Cleveland a Global Important Bird Area.

Joel Merriman is the Bird-Smart Wind Energy Campaign director at American Bird Conservancy.

The well-documented importance of the Great Lakes (and Lake Erie, specifically) to birds sets a high bar for any offshore wind facility to prove that it can be installed without unacceptable impacts. Reaching this bar starts with selecting an appropriate location. The Icebreaker facility, which would set the standard for wind energy development in the Great Lakes, was instead proposed in the heart of a critically important area for birds, setting high stakes from the start. It was clear that hundreds of additional turbines were to follow.

In the face of existing data on birds use of the project area, the developer commissioned studies in the vicinity of the project site. However, these studies were inadequate for a precedent-setting project, and the methods used were debunked by independent experts from my organization and Black Swamp Bird Observatory. Today, there remains every reason to believe that the project and those expected to follow pose a high risk to birds.

Complicating this scenario further, no proven way is yet available to document bird collisions with offshore turbines. Consider that offshore wind energy is a mature industry in Europe, and that more than 25,000 megawatts of offshore projects are being planned on the U.S. coasts, yet no such monitoring technology is fully validated. It seems highly unlikely that this will soon materialize for Icebreaker.

These factors left the OPSB in a position to decide whether or not to approve a project that will jeopardize native wildlife, without any way to confirm the actual impacts post-construction. Hence, the requirement for feathering at night eight months of the year until proven unnecessary. This was a well-reasoned and prudent decision to protect a public resource in the face of great uncertainty.

Project supporters are quick to point out that some environmental groups are vocal advocates of this precedent-setting development. They ignore the fact that among national and regional bird-focused organizations, none formally supported the project as it was finally proposed.

If wind energy facilities are to be placed anywhere in the Great Lakes, they should be sited based on sound data showing that the location is low-risk for birds and bats. Choosing a high-risk location instead requires high standards to minimize impacts.

We need to do more to protect birds. A recent study shows that the United States and Canada lost nearly 3 billion birds  almost 30 percent of the total population  since 1970. This is not the time to take chances with bird populations. Wind energy facilities are a rapidly expanding additional source of bird mortality and must be addressed accordingly.

The feathering condition is absolutely the right decision. We thank the OPSB and state of Ohio for standing firmly to protect a valuable and diminishing public resource  our birds.

Joel Merriman is the Bird-Smart Wind Energy Campaign director for the American Bird Conservancy, where he works to promote wind energy development practices that minimize impacts to declining bird populations.

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* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com
The "Black Death" has returned to Colorado after an infected squirrel passed the bubonic plague onto a human in the state for the first time in five years.

It comes as health authorities continue to monitor an outbreak of bubonic plague after a 15-year-old boy died in Mongolia from eating an infected marmot, a type of ground squirrel.

The World Health Organisation, meanwhile, is "carefully" watching China after local authorities ordered a herdsman near the border of Mongolia to quarantine in an effort to prevent the spread of the deadly infection.

The Black Death has made somewhat of a comeback in recent years after ravaging Europe in the middle ages. It has been classified as a re-emerging disease, with the WHO estimating between 1,000 to 2,000 infections annually.

Between one to 17 cases of human plague are reported in the US each year, with four people killed by the Black Death in the country in 2015, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The most recent case was spread from an infected squirrel that tested positive in Jefferson County last week, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.

"Plague has been present in Colorado since at least the 1940s, and cases in wild rodents in Colorado are reported most years," said Dr Jennifer House, state public health veterinarian.

"While we see most plague activity during the summer, the disease can be found in rodents year-round and sometimes spills over into other wildlife species as well as domestic cats and dogs."

While no other cases were identified, health experts warned residents to take precautions to lower the risk of transmission during this time of year when the plague is more present in the state. There is no vaccine to prevent the spread of the plague, but if caught early it can be treated with antibiotics in both people and pets. Symptoms include fever, headache, chills, weakness, and tender, and painful lymph nodes.

The health department confirmed that the Colorado patient recovered, and that the version of the disease was septicemic plague, which is in the blood and cannot be spread to other people.

"The disease is most commonly spread by the bite of an infected flea but also may be transmitted by infected animal tissues, fluids, or respiratory droplets," the health department said in a statement.

A version of the plague was spread in western Mongolia after a teenager caught and ate an infected marmot, according to the country's Ministry of Health.

He died on Sunday.

Health imposed a week-long quarantine of 15 people that came into contact with the boy in the Turgug district of Gobi-Altai province.

The World Health Authority spokeswoman Margaret Harris said last week they were monitoring case numbers in China after

"It is being well managed," she said during a virtual press conference.

"At the moment, we are not considering it high-risk but we're watching it, monitoring it carefully."
Professor Ransford Gyampo is seeking clarification on the validity of the Ghana Cards and Passports that were procured, using birth certificates as a means of citizenry identification.



According to him, anyone can procure a birth certificate, and the fact that it lacks biometric features makes the document less authentic in serving as a means of identification.



This follows the Supreme Courts ruling declaring that a birth certificate cannot be used as a form of identification to establish the identity of the bearer.



The court believed that a birth certificate does not link the holder of the information on the certificate hence it cannot be used as a form of identification which qualifies a person to be registered on to Ghanas Voters Register.



However, Prof. Gyampo on his Facebook page stated that: "Anyone can procure a birth certificate and the fact that it lacks biometric features, makes the document less authentic in serving as a means of identification.

Also, the information it contains may not necessarily be traceable to the holder of the certificate. Again, the fact that the Births and Death Registry isnt an autonomous agency, but operate in the shadows of the district assemblies, makes its processes quite politicized and manipulable," portion of his statement read.



Read the full post below:











The SC ruling was largely as a result of the flaws of birth certificate as a form of identification.



Anyone can...

Posted by Yaw Gyampo on Thursday, July 16, 2020



Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected]









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By Ayya Lmahamad

Members of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Consortium, Azerbaijans ADY Container, Kazakhstans KTZ Express, Georgias GR Logistics and Turkeys Pacific Eurasia Logistics, have set a new freight transportation record, companys press service reported on July 15.

It was possible to deliver another shuttle train consisting of 47 containers from Xian to Istanbul in 16 days, which is 3 days ahead of schedule. It should be noted that previously, the train completed the Xian-Istanbul route in 19 days.

The 40- foot containers with various cargoes were delivered from Aktau port in Kazakhstan to Baku port by feeder ship Beket- Ata, operated by ADY Container. Then, the containers were loaded into platforms and shipped to Turkey by Baku- Tbilisi- Kars railway.

Moreover, the train covered the distance from Baku port to Beyuk Kesik station in 18 hours (standard 24 hours), then containers were transported to Akhalkalaki within 11 hours (standard 24 hours) and to Kars within 4 hours (standard 24 hours).

Thus, the container train was delivered from Kars to Istanbul in 53 hours, which is 43 hours ahead of standard time.

ADY Container LLC is a full-fledged subsidiary of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, with a mandate to provide high-quality, reliable freight transport in the country.

Exclusively operating all container transportation within Azerbaijan, ADY Container LLC offers an extensive range of services, from multimodal transport to custom brokerage and storage facilities, which can be conveniently managed through our online customer portal.

ADY Container LLC has begun expanding cooperation, mainly with countries in the Far East region - China, Japan and South Korea, as well as with Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Iran and India, in order to increase the volume of cargo transportation along the international East-West Transport Corridor, North-South Transport Corridor and Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.

---

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SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Urumqi, the capital of China's far western region of Xinjiang, cancelled hundreds of flights on Friday, after the report of its first coronavirus case in about five months fuelled concerns of a potential new outbreak.

Epidemic control measures led to the cancellation of more than 600 scheduled flights at Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, or more than 80% of the day's total, figures from aviation data firm Variflight showed.

Urumqi also suspended subway services from late Thursday.

The National Health Commission reported 10 new confirmed virus infections for the mainland, one a locally transmitted case in Xinjiang and nine involving international travellers from abroad.

On Thursday, health authorities in Urumqi said a 24-year-old woman with symptoms such as a sore throat, fever and headaches, tested positive for the virus. Three people with whom she had close contact tested positive but did not show symptoms.

Also on Thursday, the eastern province of Zhejiang reported an asymptomatic case involving a traveller from Xinjiang.

The tally of mainland China's confirmed infections is 83,622 by the end of Thursday, with deaths unchanged at 4,634. Another 104 asymptomatic patients are under observation.

Beijing, which suffered a fresh outbreak last month, reported no new cases for an 11th consecutive day.

(Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus: open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser.)

(Reporting by Stella Qiu, Lusha Zhang and Brenda Goh; Additional reporting by Samuel Shen and Jing Wang; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Iran's president urges end to US unilateralism in talks with Russian counterpart

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 1:20 PM

Iran's president says measures must be taken to oppose US unilateralism, while emphasizing the necessity for preserving the landmark nuclear deal clinched by the Islamic Republic and world powers in 2015.

Hassan Rouhani made the remarks in a phone call to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Thursday, during which the two sides discussed international developments as well as issues of mutual interest.

Stressing the need to maintain Iran's nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and ensure its full implementation as an international commitment by all signatories, Rouhani highlighted the urgency of countering US unilateralism in international relations.

Iran's president also called for efforts to counteract recent measures taken by the United States to extend an arms embargo on the Islamic Republic, which will be lifted this October as per the JCPOA.

The nuclear agreement was reached between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group -- the US, Britain, France, Russia, and China plus Germany -- in 2015 in Austrian capital, Vienna.

In May 2018, US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled his country out of the deal and later re-imposed the sanctions that had been lifted against Tehran, because of it. The US' intransigence flew in the face of the fact that the accord has been ratified by the United Nations Security Council in the form of its Resolution 2231.

Although it is no longer a party to the deal, Washington has recently launched a campaign to renew the embargo that concerns the sales of conventional weapons to the Islamic Republic.

To try and rationalize its bid, the US says it is still "named" as a JCPOA partner in Resolution 223. 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.

Washington has threatened to force a "snapback" of all sanctions against Iran if its drive to renew the arms embargo failed.

Putin: JCPOA must be implemented, preserved

Putin, for his part, reemphasized Russia's position on the JCPOA, saying, "As has been the case during the past five years, we continue to support this international agreement, and insist on its implementation and preservation."

Russia has also warned the US that -- along with Beijing -- it would veto the Washington-drafted resolution that aims to extend the anti-Iran embargo.

During the phone conversation, Rouhani also recalled his joining a virtual meeting focusing on Syria alongside Putin and their Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 1.

The three countries have been working together since early 2017 to help enforce an all-out ceasefire in the Arab country, with hopes of ending years of foreign-backed terrorism. Relevant talks between the three sides have mostly been taking place in the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan, previously known as Astana.

Rouhani laid emphasis on continuation of trilateral cooperation within the Astana format towards realization of the joint goal, especially betterment of the humanitarian situation in Syria.

The Iranian chief executive finally underlined the importance of Russo-Iranian cooperation and exchange of relevant experiences between the two sides as means of confronting the new coronavirus in light of resurgence of the outbreak over the past months.

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Shanghai (Gasgoo)- China's auto sales have showed year-on-year growth for three consecutive months as of June mainly by virtue of the driving force from the CV arm.



Benefitting from the resilient demands coming after the COVID-19 pandemic abating in the country, such mainstream auto groups as Dongfeng Motor Group, Changan, Geely Auto and JAC Motors have also gained their third-month-in-a-row sales growth in June. SAIC Motor, the biggest automaker of China, attained its first-time increase so far this year.

It is noteworthy that for most of the companies hereby listed, the CV unit substantially outpaced their PV unit. One of the major factors was that government's encouragement of infrastructure construction directly spurred the CV sales.

SAIC Motor records 2020's first-time YoY sales growth

SAIC Motor sold 479,464 new vehicles in June, achieving a 2.77% year-on-year growth. This is also the first-time increase the Chinese biggest automaker gained in 2020.

Six of eleven subsidiaries recorded year-over-year sales growth last month, while the biggest two sales contributorsSAIC Volkswagen and SAIC-GMwere still mired in downturn. The two joint ventures saw their sales slide 6.97% and 6.79% over a year ago respectively.

(All New Polo Plus, photo source: SAIC Volkswagen)



Despite the continuous decline in monthly sales, the decrease in year-to-date sales further narrowed for both SAIC Volkswagen and SAIC-GM.

The growth in SAIC's overall sales mainly stemmed from the rising performances made by SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) and SAIC Maxus. SGMW boasted an impressive 24% year-on-year growth in June with 124,000 vehicles sold, while SAIC Maxus' sales surged 54.23%.

SAIC Motor's self-owned PV subsidiary logged a 3.48% decrease in June. The automaker is ready to put the MG 6's fuel-burning version onto the market on July 10 and kick off the presale of its PHEV version at the same time.

FAW Group boasts 2.3% YoY growth in first-half sales

FAW Group said its cumulative sales for the first half of 2020 climbed 2.3% from a year earlier to 1,630,923 units, defying against the overall downward trend mainly led by the impact of COVID-19 spread.

Hongqi continued to see a sales hike in June. Last month, the premium brand sold 15,422 new vehicles, which represented a 92.5% surge over a year ago. Thanks to the six straight months of increase, Hongqi's first-half sales were more than doubled over the prior-year period to 70,045 units.

(Hongqi HS5, photo source: Hongqi)

According to FAW Group, the sales volume of the Hongqi HS5 SUV has exceeded 9,000 units for two consecutive months, which greatly contributed to the brand's overall sales growth.

Another two indigenous brandsJiefang and Besturnsold 278,235 (+35.6%) and 48,650 vehicles respectively from Jan. to Jun. During the past June, Jiefang saw its sales soar 94.5% to 48,672 units, and Besturn had a sales volume of 12,357 units.

As for joint ventures, both FAW-Volkswagen and FAW-Toyota boasted double-digit increase in June.

FAW-Mazda sold 34,051 new cars so far this year. Notably, its sales in June remarkably grew 17.5% to 100,15 units.

Dongfeng Motor Group's sales rise for three consecutive months

Dongfeng Motor Group Company Limited (Dongfeng) saw its auto sales in June climb 10.16% year on year, the third-month-in-a-row increase it achieved this year.

Thanks to the consecutive rises, the Wuhan-headquartered automaker witnessed the decrease in its year-to-date sales contracted to 16.73%, versus the 46.36% plunge in the Q1 volume.

It is evident that the CV unit played a more important role in pushing the overall sales up. The automaker sold a total of 60,403 CVs in June, soaring 59.97% over a year ago. Regarding the PV unit, MPV sales rose 10.19%, while it was significantly offset by the decline in car and SUV sales.

(Sylphy, photo source: Dongfeng Nissan)



Dongfeng Motor Company Limited posted a 9.83% year-on-year growth which largely resulted from the sales increase achieved by Dongfeng Nissan and Dongfeng Automobile Co.,Ltd. Dongfeng Honda's sales in June jumped 16.86% from a year ago. The joint venture is going to put the hatchback version of the Civic in July.

Dongfeng Renault still logged zero sales last month. Its Wuhan plant is said to be inherited by Dongfeng's yet-to-be-launched h brand that targets premium new energy PVs.

Changan Auto's first-half sales edge up 1.33% year on year

Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. (called Changan for short) saw its sales surged 38.11% from a year ago to 194,406 units in June, which made its year-to-date sales represent growth for the first time so far this year.

The company gained the blooming growth on account of the upward movement accomplished by all of its subsidiaries. Notably, most of them obtained year-on-year growth of over 30%.

Hefei Changan was still the fastest-growing one. Thanks to its four-consecutive-month year-on-year growth, the Hefei-based subsidiary boasted an impressive leap of 181.16% from a year earlier.

(Escape, photo source: Changan Ford)



Changan Ford continued to see a sales hike in June. Owing to the frequent roll-out of new models and small year-ago base number, the joint venture boasted a 29.65% increase in the first-half sales with the Escape serving as the biggest sales contributor.

The decrease in Changan Mazda's year-to-date sales narrowed to 8.37% as of June. The joint venture put the all-new compact SUV CX-30 onto the market at the end of May, and received orders of 5,000 units by the mid-June.

GAC's two major Sino-Japanese joint ventures boasts two-digit growth in June wholesales

GAC Group said its sales in June only edged down 1.26% from a year earlier to 186,587 units, while jumped 12.66% compared to May.

CV sales remarkably grew 80.3% year on year to 366 units last month, but it scarcely produced evident effect due to the small volume. PV sales showed a 1.35% slight drop, which was wholly caused by the 17.96% decline in sedan sales. Nevertheless, both MPV and SUV units gained double-digit growth.

(Avancier, photo source: GAC Honda)



In June, GAC Honda achieved all-time highs in both outputs and sales, said GAC Group. The joint venture saw its June wholesales leap 14.26% year over year to 83,293 units with four models recording sales of over 10,000 units. To be specific, there were 21,100 Accords, 20,003 Breezes, 18,265 Vezels and 12,021 Criders sold respectively last month.

The year-on-year growth in GAC Toyota's year-to-date wholesales returned to positive for the first time this year. Last month, the company boasted a 21.05% jump in June, attaining double-digit growth for the third month in a row. The Sino-Japanese joint venture sold 16,700 Camrys, 15,096 Levins and 11,625 YARiS L cars during the same period.

Geely Auto completes 38% of annual sales target in first half of 2020

Geely Automobile Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as the "Group") sold 110,129 new vehicles in June, a year-on-year jump of roughly 21% and a month-on-month increase of 1%, the automaker announced on July 6.

During the same month, the Group's export volume dwindled 34% over a year ago to 4,109 units, while its domestic sales leapt around 25% to 106,020 units.

(ICON, photo source: Geely Auto)



The automaker was still hit by a 19% year-over-year decrease in the first-half sales, versus 25% decline in Jan.-May sales. With 530,446 units sold as of June, the Group has completed 38% of its 1.41 million-unit annual sales target.

Among the vehicles sold last month, 8,750 units were the so-called new energy and electrified vehicles (NEEVs), including the Geometry A, the Emgrand EV and the Emgrand GSe, which soared 43% compared to May.

In the meantime, the automaker sold 37,154 sedans, 70,167 SUVs and 2,808 MPVs respectively. Lynk & Co brand saw its June sales soar around roughly 53% to 13,214 units, hitting a new-high level for the past seven months.

Great Wall Motor's sales in June surge 29.6% YoY

Great Wall Motor (GWM) gained a 29.6% year-on-year surge in June by selling 82,036 new vehicles, the automaker announced on July 8. For the first half of the year, GWM saw its sales dip 19.95% over a year ago to 395,097 units.

In June, the mainstay SUV brand Haval's sales climbed 3.85% year on year to 46,998 units, maintaining a rising momentum from May. Thanks to the growth achieved in May and June, the decrease in Haval's year-to-date sales has narrowed to 25.69%.

WEY, GWM's SUV brand targeting the premium sector, sold 26,639 units during the first six months. Its June sales dwindled 16.31% from the year-ago period, while vigorously climbed 12.7% compared to May.

(ORA iQ, photo source: ORA)



In the new energy vehicle sector, ORA sold 2,635 new cars in June, versus 2,333 units sold in May.

With 95,854 units sold from January to June, GWM's pickup unit recorded a blooming year-on-year leap of 47.7%, grabbing nearly 50% share in China's pickup market. In June, the respective sales of the Wingle and the P series Pickup all surpassed 10,000 units.

Chery Holding posts MoM sales growth for 4th month in a row

Chery Holding sold 46,189 new vehicles in June, a growth of 10.9% over a month ago. The company said it has gained month-on-month increase for the fourth month in a row.

Compared to May, the volume of vehicles exported in June surged 27.3%, and the NEV sales also climbed 3.1%, according to the group's WeChat post.

(Tiggo 7, photo source: Chery Automobile)



For the first half of the year, Chery Holding sold 235,248 vehicles, including 41,799 PVs, which were 42% more than the year-ago level.

During the first two quarters, Chery Holding successively rolled out such new models as the new Tiggo 7, the new Tiggo 8, the Jetour X70M, the Jetour X70 Coupe and the Cowin Xuanjie, which are expected to further drive the groups' sales with the pandemic ebbing in China.

Chery Holding also noted it took Jetour only 18 months to see its 200,000th vehicle roll off the production line.

JAC Motors gains 30.37% surge in June sales

JAC Motors scored an impressive 30.37% surge in June sales, helping the drop in year-to-date sales shrink to 10.96%.

The contributing factor to the sales hike was that the automaker's CV sales skyrocketed 94.37% over the previous year to 28,230 units. Apart from the bus chassis, the other businesses within the CV unit all achieved sales growth.



Nevertheless, PV sales still dipped 23.57% on account of the sinking performances made by the car and SUV businesses.



(iC5, photo source: JAC Motors)



Among the vehicles sold in June, 4,394 units were all-electric PVs, which were more than halved over a year ago.

The Hefei-based automaker recently drew a lot of public attention due to the transaction with Volkswagen Group. The German auto giant agreed to purchase 50% in JAC Motors' parent company, Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Holdings Limited, and raise its equity stake in the joint venture JAC Volkswagen to 75% from 25%.

BYD's NEV sales plunge 58.34% in first half of 2020

BYD Company Limited announced a sales volume in June of 33,725 units, which were 12.93% less than that of the year-ago period, while represented a month-on-month growth of 5.98%.

To be specific, BYD's NEV sales amounted to 14,165 units last month, plummeting 46.69% from the previous year, but surging 25.08% compared to May. With 60,677 units sold in total, its NEV sector was hit by a year-over-year decrease of up to 58.34% for the first six months.

(BYD Han EV, photo source: BYD)



Part of the explanations for the NEV sales downturn is that consumers' purchasing power was somewhat whittled down due to their wait-and-see attitude towards the forthcoming BYD Han, an all-new flagship NEV sedan model that is set to hit the market in July, according to a senior analyst from Gasgoo Auto Research Institute (GARI). On the other hand, consumers have been distracted by other new products as automakers are scrambling to deploy NEV businesses and put NEV products onto the market, he added.

There were 19,560 oil-fueled vehicles sold by BYD last month, showing an impressive leap of 60.8% from a year earlier. The year-to-date sales of fuel-burning vehicles also vigorously grew 18.85% to 97,951 units, which was entirely attributable to the 187.35% surge achieved by the SUV unit.
VICTORIA - British Columbia Premier John Horgan says he's proud that a national sick leave program has been announced as part of $19 billion in federal funding to support the provinces and territories during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/7/2020 (551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VICTORIA - British Columbia Premier John Horgan says he's proud that a national sick leave program has been announced as part of $19 billion in federal funding to support the provinces and territories during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Horgan has been pushing for a federal program to provide sick pay for people who wouldn't otherwise be covered along with his two of his counterparts, Yukon Premier Sandy Silver and Manitoba's Brian Pallister.

Allowing people the security to take up to 10 days off work if they are unwell helps meet the guidelines set by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, he said.

"Dr. Henry made it pretty clear to me early on that the biggest challenge we had in the restart was making sure people didn't go to work if they had potential symptoms," Horgan said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the Safe Restart Agreement on Thursday to help the provincial and territorial governments pay for a variety of needs, including paying for childcare, bailing out financially strapped cities, and increasing contract tracing.

Trudeau promised $14 billion in early June, but several premiers resisted over conditions Ottawa wanted to impose and said the money wasn't enough.

The prime minister announced plans to create a sick leave program in May but the funding formula had not been determined. Horgan said the $1.1 billion program will be fully funded and co-ordinated by the federal government.

"I'm grateful that a Canada-wide approach to a Canadian challenge has been met with not just enthusiasm but a commitment to go further, if required, from the federal government," Horgan said.

A total of about $2.2 billion in federal transfers to B.C. will be critical to keeping people afloat as the economy reopens and will bolster provincial support programs.

The province is projecting a staggering $12.5 billion deficit for 2020-21 after forecasting a surplus in the budget released before the pandemic took hold.

Transit spending was a "sticking point" in the negotiations with Ottawa, but they reached a 50-50 sharing agreement, Horgan said.

Initially, the federal government proposed a cap on transit funding but provinces with major cities, including Ontario, Quebec and B.C., argued that would have eaten up all the money without making a significant impact, Horgan said.

A drastic decline in ridership has devastated public transit, which will need about $600 million in aid this year, he said.

"Fare boxes have been hit hard and revenues for BC Transit, revenues for TransLink, have fallen off a cliff," he said.

Under the agreement, Horgan said the province will match every dollar the federal government spends on transit, in partnership with municipalities.

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.

The agreement is not all encompassing and excludes funding for rent supports and other housing programs, Horgan said.

All of the regions have different needs and Horgan said the premiers came together while learning about challenges from P.E.I. to Nunavut.

"I think this is unprecedented quite frankly," he said.

"Are there areas where we could have used some more money? Absolutely. But what excited me about it all is that we all came with a common purpose and that was to make an agreement that met the needs of the greatest number of people and I believe we were successful in that."

 By Amy Smart in Vancouver.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2020.
Srinagar, July 17 : Two terrorists were killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in South Kashmir's Kulgam district on Friday.

"Two unidentified terrorists have been killed in the Kulgam encounter, operation is going on," police said The encounter broke out in the Chimmer village of Kulgam after a joint team of police and other security forces cordoned off the area on the basis of a specific intelligence input about the presence of terrorists in the area.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists were hiding, they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the gunfight.
Joey Lawrence is divorcing wife Chandie Yawn-Nelson after nearly 15-years of marriage.

Lawrence filed paperwork with the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, according to TMZ.

Joey, 44, and Chandie first met at Disney World all the way back in 1993 when the TV actor was only 16-years-old, but didn't get together until after his first divorce.

End of the road: Joey Lawrence has filed for divorce from his wife of nearly 15 years, Chandie Yawn-Nelson. They're seen in 2013 above

The pair share daughters Charleston, 14, and Liberty, 10.

Prior to his marriage to Chandie, Joey was wed to Michelle Vella from 2002 to 2005.

But after that union fizzled out, he quickly connected with Chandie once more.

During their 90s meet-cute at Disney World, Joey said they joked about getting married at the theme park.

Girls: The pair (seen in 2010 above) share daughters Charleston, 14, and Liberty, 10

Ex: Prior to his marriage to Chandie, Joey was wed to Michelle Vella from 2002 to 2005. They're seen in 2003 above

That fantasy came to life when they got hitched in 2005 at the Magic Kingdom.

It is unclear what the cause of the split is. Nonetheless, they will have to come to an agreement regarding spousal support and child custody.

Joey and Chandie endured financial hardship together, filing for bankruptcy in 2017.

The former child star and his wife took the move in July 2018, after falling behind on their $13,500 monthly rent payments and having three cars repossessed - including a Bentley and a BMW.

Hard times: Joey and Chandie endured financial hardship together, filing for bankruptcy in 2017. They're seen in 2007 above

In court documents obtained by The Blast the parents of two detailed the moves they made to free up cash - including selling furniture to a consignment store for $1,836.70, clothes to a second hand store for $4,325.10 and even listing items on eBay.

However this did little to help, with Lawrence bringing home just $6,966 a month in earnings and residuals, but facing a whopping $25,505.35 in expenses.

While Lawrence's assets totaled $43,907.32, he owed $355,517.27. Debts included $88,000 in back taxes, $132,000 of credit card bills, $32,000 for an unpaid loan, outstanding car loans of $100,000 and $54,000 in unpaid rent.

Paycheck: While starring on Melissa And Joey alongside Melissa Joan Hart, Lawrence made $534,000 in 2015 - but when the show was cancelled that was not enough to help his money problems

While starring on Melissa And Joey alongside Melissa Joan Hart, Lawrence made $534,000 in 2015. This dropped to $58,000 the following year after the show's cancellation.

In January of this year court documents were filed stating that Lawrences company, Veritas Inc had sold at auction for $56,000, giving the buyer the rights to all royalties and residuals for his work prior to the bankruptcy filing.

The debt was discharged by the court, although the bankruptcy remains pending.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 17:29:45|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China will take anti-dumping measures against n-Propanol (NPA) imported from the United States, the Ministry of Commerce said Friday.

The domestic industry has suffered substantial damage due to the dumping of such products by the United States, the ministry said in a preliminary ruling based on an anti-dumping investigation that started in July last year.

From Saturday, importers of such products into China will be required to pay deposits at rates of between 254.4 percent and 267.4 percent at Chinese customs.

NPA, which is formed naturally in small amounts during many fermentation processes, is used as a solvent in the pharmaceutical industry, mainly for resins and cellulose esters. Enditem
Kim Kardashian, who has an Armenian and Scottish ancestry, has appealed to her followers on Twitter to pray for Armenia in its recent skirmish with neighboring country Azerbaijan. The celebrated TV personality has shared a note on social media along with a flag of Armenia highlighting the need for diplomatic measures as an intervention in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. She presented facts as she urged her followers to call on their Senators and Representatives to 'Support Armenia'.

Read the note here:

"Despite an ongoing global pandemic, Azerbaijan has violated the UN's appeal for a global ceasefire by unprovoked attacks against the Republic of Armenia. Civilian structures in Armenia have been targeted, and Azerbaijan has now threatened to bomb the nuclear power plant in Armenia. In the meantime, congressional amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act will be voted on next week to ensure that the US does not enable Azerbaijan with military aid that would be used against Armenia and Artsakh. The international community needs to pay attention and intervene now with such political and diplomatic measures to prevent unnecessary escalation and the loss of human life. I stand with my fellow Armenians and pray for those that are involved in recent tensions on the border of the country. I urge for a peaceful resolution for these unprovoked attacks during this already very difficult pandemic."

Read | Kim Kardashian's Twitter gets hacked, Twitter blocks verified accounts from tweeting

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have frequently engaged in clashes. The two neighbours in the South Caucasus have been locked in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of Azerbaijan that has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war there ended in 1994. International efforts to settle the conflict have stalled.

Read | Kim Kardashian shares stunning throwback pics from her 'old fittings'; see here

Kim Kardashian has been vocal about matters of national and international politics of late given that her husband, American rap mogul Kanye West, has announced his candidature for the position of America's President in the upcoming elections. Even though she has been supporting West in his endeavour through her social media game, there are reports that she and the whole family is concerned about Kanye's mental health.

Read | Kim Kardashian is a disciplinarian mom with fixed time for cuddles; Read details here

Kim Kardashian was recently pictured looking tense as she shot for Keeping Up With The Kardashians which sparked international media reports which revealed that Kanye West suffers from a serious bipolar disorder episode every year resulting in his decision-making being impacted. The reports added that Kanye West has been doing well mentally for a long time now. However, he has suffered from manic and depressive episodes related to his bipolar disorder in the past.

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

Read | Kim Kardashian shows support for Kanye West's presidential bid; retweets his video

(with agency inputs)
South Africa: Adopt a river in honour of Madiba's legacy

As the country observes Mandela Month, the Department of Water and Sanitation has reiterated a call upon South Africans to take part in the Clear Rivers Campaign, to protect water resources and keep them pollution-free at all times.

The Clear Rivers Campaign takes place in the month of July as part of promoting volunteerism in the celebration of Mandela Day on 18 July and Mandela Month.

The department said active and responsible citizenry is encouraged across the spectrum, where people from all walks of life become participants in promoting healthy rivers.

The need for water security, particularly in the face of global climate change, and a multitude of anthropogenic impacts affecting our rivers, calls for a unified national approach to protect our rivers, wetlands and broader catchments.

The active and responsible citizenry is more than necessary to promote healthy rivers as the relationship between communities and healthy rivers can never be overstated, as it is community members who must take care and ensure our rivers are not filtered with litter, the department said in a statement.

The department also highlighted the importance of protecting the entire environment to live in a safe and healthy world.

Rivers and streams provide many socio-economic benefits for society. In some parts of the country, some rural communities still depend on rivers for their livelihoods. Clean and healthy rivers and streams provide communities with water for human consumption, cooking and washing.

The watercourses also provide fish for food and water for agricultural products and livestock. The rivers and streams also provide recreational areas for communities. It is therefore critical to keep them clean and healthy at all times for our own sake and the sake of the environment, the department said.

Former President and late Nelson Mandela once said: We cannot afford to wait for others to stand up for our environment  as nobody stands to lose more than we do. It is our duty to be proactive in the battle to protect Africas natural. The right to a healthy environment is a crucial human right because it directly impacts our quality of life.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By Online Desk

"Empty words don't suffice in the world of geopolitics," Rahul Gandhi said on Friday, referring to how the situation on the China border was handled by the Modi government.

In a scathing attack, the Congress leader attributed the Chinese agression on Indian troops to the 'vulnerable' situation of India caused by the 'constant blunders' of Prime Minister Modi since 2014.

"What is it about India's situation that has made China act in such an aggressive way....that gave them the confidence, that they can move against a country like India," Gandhi asked in a 3 minute 38 second video shared on Twitter.

He added that "Our strengths have suddenly become our weaknesses. We told the government that we are becoming vulnerable."

A troubled economy and foreign policy and disrupted relationships with neighbouring countries are the reasons why the Chinese decided this was possibly the best time to attack us, according to the Wayanad MP.

ALSO READ | Not one inch of our land can be taken by any power: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at eastern Ladakh

"A country is protected by its foreign relationships, it is protected by its neighbourhood, it is protected by its economy, it is protected by the feeling that it's people have and vision its people have. And what has happened over the last six years, that in all those areas India has been disturbed and disrupted," Mr Gandhi said.

Since 2014, the PM's constant blunders and indiscretions have fundamentally weakened India and left us vulnerable.



Empty words don't suffice in the world of geopolitics. pic.twitter.com/XM6PXcRuFh  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 17, 2020

With regard to foreign policy, as Gandhi puts it, "our relationship with the outside world used to be with multiple countries, we had a relationship with America, strategic partnership with America, we had a relationship with Russia, with Europe. Today, our relationship has become transactional."

"We have a transactional relationship with the United States, We have disturbed our relationship with the Russians. We have a transactional relationship with Europe," he said.

While talking about India's relationships with neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bhutan, he added, "Nepal was a friend, Bhutan was a friend, Sri Lanka was a friend. Our neighbourhood other than Pakistan, was working with India and so itself being partner with india."

But, he said, "Today, Nepal is angry with us. The people there are furious with what has happened. Sri Lankans have given a port to the Chinese, Maldives is disturbed, Bhutan too. We have disrupted our foreign partners... and our neighborhood."

He also highlighted that unemployment was the highest in 40-50 years, an indicator of the state of the economy.

In recent times, Gandhi has taken multiple potshots at the government over the Ladakh standoff.
In the COVID-19 era, while remote working has become the new norm, security breaches have also dominated the headlines. This has made organizations look beyond traditional network security like the firewall to protect their web applications. No longer can security for web applications be ignored and to overcome the challenges posed by the new waves of security threats organizations need to focus on bettering their web application security. A WAF protects web applications from a variety of application layer attacks such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection (SQLi), brute-force attacks, distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS) and cookie poisoning among others. These attacks result in breaches leading to direct access of users valuable data. With the right WAF in place, users can block an array of attacks that aim to exfiltrate that data by compromising their systems. This is one reason why analysts believe that the WAF market will show a high growth rate of more than 18.50% for a forecast period of 2018-2025.

Shibu Paul, Vice President  International Sales at Array Networks., said, Most vulnerabilities in web applications are a result of developer errors. Traditional scanners, intrusion detection or prevention systems (IDS/IPS) and firewalls cant always detect these advance web application attacks. This is where Arrays WAF supports organizations in providing 360-degree protection with no excuse for web attacks and also ensuring continuity and high availability of web applications while reducing security risks. This form of security branches out to provide robust protection for users, especially helping those with remote access.

The WAF protects web applications by filtering, monitoring and blocking any malicious HTTP/S traffic travelling to the web application and prevents any unauthorized data from leaving the application. It does this by adhering to a set of policies that help determine what traffic is malicious and what traffic is safe. This is where Arrays AVX Series helps organizations in decreasing the opportunity of facing undesirable web security issues. It uses a multilayer defence scheme with many specialized modules to provide precise and impenetrable protection of web, mobile and ERP applications. It not only detects the complex web application attacks but also blocks the attack traffic in real-time without affecting the normal flow of business data traffic.

But, why is Arrays WAF unique?

Arrays WAF can be deployed a cloud as well as virtual function on a dedicated hardware appliance of Arrays AVX Series which ensures guaranteed performance.

It provides Advanced L7 DDoS Protection.

It handles grey traffic with unsupervised Machine Learning.

It can be deployed via in-line mode where the traffic is routed through the Arrays WAF.

Mirror mode can be used where a router mirrors traffic to Arrays WAF, which then detects potential threats and alerts your existing security systems.

Offline mode is another option where the WAF examines logs for evidence of previous attacks for forensic analysis.

In short, Arrays WAF is custom-built to adapt across the data centers or the cloud. By using WAF, organizations can protect businesses intellectual property, protect client details, which in turn, protect the organizations reputation, revenue and help in avoiding legal action.

To sum it up, while inducting a WAF, organizations need to make sure that they are protecting their entire application ecosystem. Organizations have many times ignored the frontend and only concentrated on protecting the backend of web applications and without proper protection, attackers will target server assets through the exposed web applications.
For example, all societies need protein, but whereas people in the United States often get much of their protein requirements from beef, others rely more on fish.

To help facilitate cross-cultural sharing, OCM has been working with partners like Lutheran Family Services and the Tri-Faith Initiative.

The American Muslim Institute also has played a key role in bringing the show to Omaha.

We thought this would be fantastic for Omaha, said AMI board member Farhan Khan. For me it was important because I spent a lot of time at the Childrens Museum with both my children. I thought, How would they feel if they saw something talking about them and their parents culture? Its exciting, and its a way to educate youngsters in the community in a super-cool, fun way.

For example, Kahn, who came to the United States 30 years ago from Zimbabwe, likes that the exhibition has such a global focus. The majority of Muslims are not from the Middle East. That will be eye-opening for a lot of visitors. It puts a human face to the culture.
A civic worker sanitizes a deserted road during a fresh lockdown imposed in Gauhati, Assam state, India, Sunday, July 12, 2020. India is the worlds third worst-affected country by the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

S Irudaya Rajan and Anand P Cherian

The COVID-19 crisis, globally, began largely as an urban affair; New York City being one of the worst affected regions in the world with very high rates of infections and fatality. True to this trend, Indian cities also have been reeking pots of infections owing to its high population density and mobility.

The unprecedented pace of the virus made detection, prevention and cure extremely direful. Delhi, the national capital, is a major hotspot in India with over 118,000 confirmed cases, closely followed by Mumbai with over 97,500 cases as of July 15. With the fight against Coronavirus projected to be a long shot, a closer evaluation at the preparedness of our cities becomes very pertinent.

Even though the initial cases in India were carried by foreign tourists and migrant workers from abroad belonging largely to the middle-class, the urban poor has been at the receiving end of the high virulence and fatality of the virus, in addition to one of the strictest lockdown that followed, leaving them in a pernicious and precarious state. Worst affected were the migrant labour population employed in metropolitan areas belonging to destination states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal. Left stranded and insecure with very meagre savings, many were forced to trek their entire journey home.

Though the biological phenomenon of the transmission of the virus from human body to another can be viewed as objective and non-discriminatory, the impact of the actual and possible infection and the measures taken in order to prevent, cure and treat COVID-19 has had a discriminatory impact based on ones position in the social ladder. Systematic marginalisation and camouflaging, carried on with the intention to make cities smarter and sustainable, is the result of a deep socio-economic divide along with decades of ill-conceived development projects.

The lives of those at the peripheries of society were ironically under the spotlight when the veil was removed from the stark socio-economic inequalities, with the unprecedented incursion of a virus. Despite the staggering number of infections, it is observed that fatality is not high among the elite but, on the other hand, the poorest of the poor are in a fragile situation. Dense and cramped neighbourhoods, inaccessibility of freshwater, social discrimination, underpaid or unpaid work, lack of civic amenities, shared kitchens and toilets, and a poor public healthcare system structurally uphold the status quo and the stereotypical representation of the slum-dweller as unhygienic and, therefore, a potential carrier of infections.

Though recent data from states report a widening of infections in districts other than the metropolitan cities, urban areas are still the epicentres of the crisis. As of July 16, Mumbai, Thane and Pune contribute 75 percent of confirmed cases in the whole of Maharashtra. Similarly, the city to state ratio of confirmed cases is presently 73.2 percent in Ahmedabad and Surat, 53 percent in Bengaluru and Dakshina Kannada, 55.02 percent in Chennai, 75.9 percent in Hyderabad. Unsustainable patterns of migration along with inadequate public health systems have made urban centres susceptible to various health hazards.

The World Cities in 2018 report, published by the UN, projects that by 2030, 60 percent of the global population would be housed in urban areas. Along with population density, recognising the pattern of migration and occupancy is important in efficiently addressing the lacuna of data and policy measures in addressing the internal migration in India.

The Safe Cities Index 2019 report published by The Economist Intelligence Unit, ranks Mumbai and Delhi at 45th and 52th respectively, indicating unsatisfactory standards of infrastructure, health, personal and digital security. The present crisis points out the need for departure from the exclusionary top-down approach in providing sustainable civic services to the urban population.

Further, the health sector in India has been one of the most neglected in budget allocations for decades with just 1.28 percent of the GDP. The World Bank data suggests 65 percent of the countrys population spend out of their pockets for their medical needs.

The COVID-19 crisis has been multifaceted in terms of its impact, throwing light on the grossly inadequate basic amenities, social infrastructure and the unsustainability of our Indian cities. Social security measures must be strengthened in order to address the deep socio-economic disparities to achieve potential redistribution of wealth and growth. The perplexed and unsettled populations in our cities are the faceless hordes. A virus does not discriminate, but what we do and what we are doing does.
The Convener, Midwest Movement, Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki, has insisted that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the September 19 gubernatorial election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is running with a stolen campaign manifesto, the SIMPLE Agenda.

Obaseki, in a statement, said he first publicly unveiled the SIMPLE Agenda in August 2015 during a live programme on BENTV UK, where he presented his 6-pronged campaign manifesto as an aspirant for the 2016 governorship election in Edo State.

According to him, It has come to my attention that people have been advertising their campaign manifesto to be the SIMPLE Agenda, which is a direct lifting of my ideas I shared publicly in 2015.

Obaseki revealed that the SIMPLE idea is an acronym for Security and Social Welfare; Infrastructure Development and Urban Renewal; Manpower Development and Training; Public-Private Partnership; Leadership by Example and Employment for Edo Youths. According to him, this is the same as what the Pastor and his followers are parading online today.

Pedro Obaseki has threatened legal action against Ize-Iyamu, saying:

I state categorically that I would be commencing processes for retrieving my Intellectual Property, as it is obvious that the idea did not originate from those who are pushing on with it today.

He further expressed his pains over the alleged purloining of his intellectual property, as he insisted:

Every well-meaning, educated person should know what it takes to come up with an idea and articulate such in a manner that would make sense to people. I did that and today some people have plagiarized it and trying to swindle Edo people with it.
Fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces flared up again Thursday on the South Caucasus nations' shared border, with both sides blaming the other for the attacks that extended the worst outbreak of hostilities between the two countries in years.

In a statement that reflected the potential for the conflict's escalation, Azerbaijan warned it could strike Armenia's nuclear power plant if the Armenian forces launched an attack on a strategic water reservoir in Azerbaijan.

Armenia's Foreign Ministry denounced the Azerbaijani threat as 'genocidal.'

The threat came in a statement from Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman Vagif Dargyakhly, who said:'The Armenian side mustn't forget that the state-of-the-art missile systems our army has are capable of launching a precision strike on the Metsamor nuclear power plant, and that would be a huge tragedy for Armenia.'

Attacking the nuclear power plant, which is close to Armenia's capital Yerevan, 'will lead to a great catastrophe,' the spokesman warned.

There have been casualties on both sides of the border since the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan flared up again on Sunday. Above, Relatives and friends mourn at the coffin with the body of Armenian Major Garush Hambardzumyan, who was killed during a fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia Yerevan, Armenia, July 16, 2020.

Pictured: People grieve at the grave of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Colonel Ilgar Mirzoyev in Baku, Azerbaijan July 15, 2020. Mirzoyev was killed in armed clashes on the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia earlier this week

The Soviet-built nuclear power plant is located close to Armenia's border with Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan.

Armenian military spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan said Armenia had brought the Azerbaijani statement to the attention of its international partners and expects them to strongly condemn it. He noted that Armenian officials have never made threats to strike civilian facilities in Azerbaijan.

The two neighbors have been locked in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of Azerbaijan that has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war there ended in 1994. International efforts to settle the conflict have stalled, and clashes have been frequent.

The Soviet-built Metsamor nuclear power plant that Azerbaijan has threatened to attack, pictured above, is located close to Armenia's border with Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan

The latest outbreak of fighting in the northern section of the border began Sunday and so far has left at least 17 people dead. Azerbaijan said it lost 12 service members and one civilian, and Armenia said four of its troops were killed and 20 others were wounded.

Both sides also reported that dozens of enemy troops were killed, but the competing claims couldn't be independently verified.

Armenia's eastern border is shared with Azerbaijan, and tension between the two nations has been a fixture in the region since 1994. To the west of Armenia lies Turkey, which has vowed to back Azerbaijan should a conflict escalate to war

The current outburst of fighting appears to be the most serious spike in hostilities since 2016 when scores were killed in four days of fighting.

After a lull in fighting on Wednesday, the conflict resumed with new vigor on Thursday. Armenia's Defense Ministry said Azerbaijani forces launched a cross-border attack targeting its military positions early Thursday and were rebuffed.

Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan said the Armenian military allowed Azerbaijan to collect the bodies of its soldiers killed during the raid, adding that Azerbaijani troops already had evacuated more than 10 bodies.

Stepanyan also asserted that the Azerbaijani military shelled several villages in Tavush province with heavy artillery.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry dismissed the Armenian statement as a 'disinformation.'

It said the Armenian military attacked Azerbaijani forces on Thursday morning, shelling several settlements with large-caliber weapons.

Pictured: A destroyed house after attacks carried out by the Armenian army with heavy weapons in Dondar Kuscu village of Tovuz, one of the regions where Armenians opened fire during the clashes, Azerbaijan on July 16, 2020

The latest outbreak of fighting in the northern section of the border began Sunday and so far has left at least 17 people dead. Above, priest Ter Abel prays for peace outside the village of Movses on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on July 15, 2020

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev fired his foreign minister Thursday, accusing him of failing to duly defend the nation's interests amid the conflict.

Aliyev also lashed out at nationalist demonstrators who tried to break into the parliament building in the Azerbaijani capital earlier this week while demanding tougher action against Armenia. Seven police officers were injured during the incident.

He accused the leaders of the opposition Popular Front of Azerbaijan of inciting riots to destabilize Azerbaijani during the renewed fighting with Armenia and warned they could face criminal charges.

The United States and Russia, which co-chair the Minsk group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that has tried to negotiate a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, condemned the violence and called for restraint.

Peace talks have been on-going between the two nations since 1994 but have failed to find any long-lasting resolution. Above, Azerbaijan President Ilham Heydar Oglu Aliyev (second left) arrives with then Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan (second right) at the opening of talks in Geneva, Switzerland October 16, 2017.

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (L) and Belarus' Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko shake hands ahead of a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, July 17 2020

Turkey, which has close ethnic and cultural ties with Azerbaijan, has voiced strong support to Baku in the conflict.

On Thursday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar met with Azerbaijan's deputy defense minister and air force commander, Ramiz Tahirov, in Ankara and condemned 'the vile attack' on Azerbaijan's Tovuz district.

'They (Armenians) will be crushed and drown in this plot they have created and they will definitively pay for what they did,' Akar said after the meeting. 'We will continue to stand with our Azerbaijani brothers in the face of such attacks, as we have always done.'

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that it would not hesitate to 'stand against any attack' on Azerbaijan and that Armenia was 'out of its depth' in the conflict.

On Friday, Defence Industry Director Ismail Demir tweeted that 'Our defence industry, with all its experience, technology and capabilities, from our armed drones to our ammunition and missiles and our electronic warfare systems, is always at the disposal of Azerbaijan!'.

Pictured: A law enforcement officer stands by the gate of a cordoned off house due to an unexploded shell threat in the village of Agdam in Tovuz district close to the Azerbaijani-Armenian border on July 15, 2020

International concern is high because of the threat to stability in a region that hosts pipelines taking oil and gas from the Caspian Sea to global markets.

Demir, who met Azerbaijan's deputy defence minister and air force commander Ramiz Tahirov in Ankara, said Turkey would help to modernise Azerbaijan's army.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Armenia had started the border clashes, and that it would be 'drowned under the plot that they initiated'.

Russia said on Friday it is prepared to mediate peace talks between ex-Soviet rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan after the escalation.

President Vladimir Putin and members of Russia's Security Council expressed 'extreme concern' over the flare-up in fighting between the South Caucasus countries that erupted last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Putin alongside senior Russian government officials 'emphasised an urgent need for the parties to adhere to a ceasefire, and voiced a readiness to mediate efforts', Peskov said, quoted by the Interfax news agency.

Negotiations mediated by Russia, the United States, and France since 1994 have failed to bring about a lasting resolution to the stalemate.
Protesters in Seattle yesterday gathered outside Starbuck's original store to demand the coffee giant drops funding for the city's police federation.

In footage from the march, which took place yesterday at Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington, protesters can be heard chanting 'we aint shopping at Starbucks no more.'

The clip shows a group marching with a banner reading 'Abolish the Police', as they demand Starbucks cut all ties with the Seattle Police Department.

The march began at the original Starbucks location in Pike Place Market, stopping at several locations in the city before finishing at the upscale Starbucks Reserve Roastery in the Capitol Hill neighborhood

Starbucks first opened in Seattle's Pike Place Market in 1971, before growing to become the most prominent coffee-shop in the world.

DailyMail.com spoke to a Starbucks representative who clarified their connection to the Seattle Police Department.

Protesters march outside a Starbucks location downtown calling for the baraista's divestment from the Seattle Police Foundation yesterday in Seattle, Washington

Protesters march through Pike Place Market calling for Starbucks to divest from the Seattle Police Foundation yesterday in Seattle, Washington

'In 2019 we provided funding to support the SPD with Implicit Bias training and their 2019 Banquet gala,' Starbucks said.

'We previously had a partner [employee] on the [SPD] board who is no longer with Starbucks and as of today we have no one representing Starbucks on the Seattle Police Foundation Board.'

The coffee giant is facing bad press over a string of racially charged incidents, including one from May 2018 this year where two black men - who hadn't ordered anything in the store and were waiting for a friend - were arrested after a store manager contacted the police.

Earlier this month, a Muslim teenager voiced her outrage after a Target Starbucks barista allegedly wrote 'ISIS' on her coffee cup.

Aishah, who only released her first name for safety reasons, said she ordered a drink at a Starbucks inside a Target in St. Paul, Minnesota, on July 1 when she received the shocking phrase on her order.

The 19-year-old said she was wearing a hijab when she made her order and repeated her name multiple times.

Protesters march through Pike Place Market calling for Starbucks to divest from the Seattle Police Foundation yesterday in Seattle, Washington

But she was appalled when she received her beverage and saw 'ISIS' on it.

'When I first received the drink I was in shock that in this day and age something like this could be written,' the shaken college student said during a press conference on Monday with a civil rights attorney, slamming the incident as Islamaphobic.

Starbucks told DailyMail.com they aren't involved in the employment process for employees at the Target Starbucks in St. Paul, Minnesota, and that that responsibility falls to Target.

However, the chain has been publicly trying to make moves to eliminate hate speech.

Starbucks suspended all of its advertising on social media platforms to join a boycott of Facebook in a bid to crackdown on hate speech online.

The company will 'have discussions internally and with media partners and civil rights organizations to stop the spread of hate speech,' the statement said.
Self-portrait of Adrian Tomine for "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist." (Adrian Tomine / Drawn & Quarterly)

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Havent we seen a little too much of the hip, muted, fragmented, overly-short short stories that this moron is trying to pass off as fresh and original? The question appears in a 1995 review of Adrian Tomines mini-comic Optic Nerve. I dont mention it to be snarky but to quote Tomine himself, who recites the review at length in The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist, a new graphic memoir that, in loose chronological vignettes, returns to the self-lacerating sensibility of his early work.

If Tomines last book, Killing and Dying, represented an attempt to push beyond the personal, inventing an array of divergent characters  I was sick of one way of working, he told me in an interview  the material here brings us directly in touch with the cartoonists obsessive point of view. Who am I kidding? I choked! he laments in this new work after an interview with Terry Gross. Thats it. My one chance and I blew it. I cant face anyone. Im so mortified, I just want to disappear forever. Its telling that we dont actually get to hear the conversation, just the monologue in Tomines head.

This is not to say Tomine is regressing, although his self-analysis can make us squirm. But thats what memoir does, in its messy revelations, the way it spirals back to reckon with the past. In Tomines case, this means his early career, his ambitions, but also his interior life. Sure, he thinks, I spent my entire childhood and teenage years in grim isolation perfecting my craft, but it was worth it! That he is pumping himself up out of insecurity is entirely the point.

Tomine is working here in a couple of close traditions: first, the autobiographical comic as defined by Alison Bechdel or Joe Matt or Chester Brown; and second, memoir itself. What both require, or maybe where they overlap, is the necessity of a double vision, that of the writer (or the artist) looking back from the present and also of the character moving through the past. There is, too, more than a little autofiction in his telling, especially in the constructedness of his frames.

Story continues

Interior page of "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist." (Adrian Tomine / Drawn & Quarterly)

Comics, after all, are inherently fictionalized, if only in the sense that they are drawn. Think of Joe Sacco, reporting from Sarajevo or Gaza, scaling his panels toward intimacy or distance, choosing what goes into and stays out of the frame. Its a subjectivity similar to that of, say, Ben Lerner or Karl Ove Knausgaard, in which the artist both is and is not the character. A similar intention motivates The Loneliness , beginning with the way Tomine portrays himself  as befuddled, overmatched by circumstance  and extending to the failings he reveals. Its a complex weave, made more pronounced by the artifice of the form.

Tomine makes this explicit throughout the book  most vividly in a sequence recounting a visit to Angouleme, France. He is asked to walk so a television crew can shoot B-roll, but he cant stop imagining how he appears. God, he conjectures, this is awkward. People are looking at me like, Who the hell is that? Why is there a camera crew following him? His panels, meanwhile, reveal that no one is paying attention, especially after he comes upon a protest in the streets.

What Tomine is exploring is the dichotomy between how we see ourselves and how we are (or are not) seen. The irony is that, as an artist, he is doing the same thing, scrutinizing himself just like that camera crew, which makes the Angouleme scene a master metaphor.

Its tempting to critique Tomines perspective as a little close, a little small, especially at a moment beset by crises. Who has time for self-doubt when the world is coming to an end? But I want to make a counterargument. What better time to look in the mirror than when every one of us is at risk? We exist now in an extended state of suspension, watching our own quasi-public faces stare back at us through Zoom squares. Double vision is no longer an aesthetic strategy; it is a fact of life.

All the same, and not unlike Tomine, we are starved for intimacy. Thats where the loneliness of his title (a riff on Alan Sillitoes 1959 story The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner) comes in. Equally important, though, is the long-distance, because Tomine is not a quitter; his book is a testament to sticking it out. He makes this explicit from the outset  a brief prologue, dated 1982, in which, as a young boy, he curses out his classmates at a new school for laughing at his fixation on comic books. That sets up a back-and-forth undergirding nearly every interaction: isolation cut with self-regard.

Interior page of Adrian Tomine's "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist." (Adrian Tomine / Drawn & Quarterly)

Again and again, Tomines inflated sense of his importance mingles with embarrassment or despair. At a sushi joint in Brooklyn, he and his girlfriend, Sarah, overhear a man bad-mouth his book Summer Blonde. Tomine, as usual, is mortified, but Sarah has to be held back from calling out the bad-mouther. Are you insane? he begs. I will literally die if you do that! The chapter ends as they retreat to a pizzeria while the cartoonist thinks, Im gonna ask her to marry me.

Its another moment of double vision  a view to his past obsessions and window onto what will come. Tomine and Sarah have long since married; he re-created their preparations in his 2011 prenuptial memoir, Scenes From an Impending Marriage.

Such a balance  or tension comes to a head in the long final chapter, which tracks a health scare: chest pains and a racing pulse. It is not mortality so much that terrifies Tomine; it is the specter of all he will miss. Again playing with the artifice of comics, he re-creates a letter to his two daughters that his character then crumples up.

Have I lost my  mind?! No one wants to hear some creepy, sentimental voice from beyond the grave, he says, one panel after sharing the contents with us  his readers. Later, at home after a long night in the ER, he follows up in a monologue delivered to his sleeping wife. I know I tend to be kind of closed-off and distant, he acknowledges, and Im sure thats been hard for you. The moment is a tour de force: A character speaking out of his fear and isolation to the person he most loves, only to realize that she hasnt heard.

Does it seem a stretch to suggest the same is true for all of us? We are each alone in our heads. Yet the faith of memoir, or autofiction, is that this is what connects us: the expression of our humanity. For Tomine, that means showing us his process; the book ends as he sits down to write it, in a graphpaper sketchbook the design of the book youre holding re-creates. Its a full-circle move in the broadest sense, and it leaves us in the middle, where Tomine is, looking backward in order to look ahead.

Ulin is the former book editor and book critic of The Times.

The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist



Adrian Tomine



Drawn & Quarterly: 168 pages, $29.95




SWANTON  Maquam Bay in Swanton has been plagued by a horrendous odor this summer that has kept visitors away from the Swanton Village beach a
Responding to the US Trade Representative (USTR) probe against India's newly introduced 2 per cent equalisation levy on e-commerce supply and services, the government of India has said that the tax is neither discriminatory nor extra-territorial. The Indian government has also said that levy is prospective in nature and not retrospective.

The government in its response has expressed regret at the initiation of probe. In its response, the government says that India reassures the United States that the equalisation levy is entirely consistent with India's commitments under the WTO and international taxation agreements. It says that far from targeting any US company or companies, the purpose of the equalisation levy is to ensure greater competitiveness, fairness, reasonableness and exercise the ability of governments to tax businesses that have a close nexus with the Indian market through their digital operations.

The Indian government has further said that it would be happy to provide any clarifications as may be required by the USTR in these proceedings or in bilateral discussions under Section 303(a) of the United States Trade Act, 1974.

The US Trade Representative last month initiated investigation against 10 countries (including India), which have introduced digital tax, also popularly called Google Tax, in some or the other form. The US concern is that these countries are targeting US tech giants like the Google and Amazon with these taxes. The US also pulled out of the negotiations with European countries recently on the issue of digital tax .

Explaining that India's equalisation levy does not discriminate against non-resident e-commerce operators, the Indian government's response to the US says that the underlying policy objective and application of India's equalisation levy is to ensure that neutral and equitable taxation is applicable to e-commerce operators that are resident in India or have a physical presence in India and those that are not resident in India.

"The purpose is to ensure a level-playing field with regard to e-commerce activities undertaken in India. This, in fact, is the very antithesis of the underlying apprehensions listed out in the USTR's Section 301 DST Initiation," says the government in its reply.

In its response to the USTR probe, the government also seeks to alleviate the fear of the US government that the equalisation levy is extra-territorial in nature. It says that the OECD's BEPS Report on Action 1 has clearly brought out tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy, and that the physical presence nexus in existing international taxation rules, which were developed in the last century keeping in view the business models of that time, is no longer the only justifiable indication of nexus. India's equalisation levy, says the government, is a consequence of that understanding.

It further argued that the Supreme Court of the United States in a recent ruling in a case relating to taxation has held that physical presence is not required for the levy of sales tax by a state where the online seller has no physical presence but makes online sales to buyers of the state. The principle under the United States' legal framework is clearly along the same lines as that of India, which is that, in a digitalised world, a seller can engage in business transactions without any physical presence.

The Indian government also assured the US government that there is no retroactive element in the equalisation levy. The levy was enacted before April 1, 2020, which is the date when it was made effective.

Also read: India, US inch closer to signing limited trade deal; bilateral free trade agreement a possibility
The set of "Songbird," a thriller about the pandemic, shot in Los Angeles this month. (Jason Clark)

"The Bold and the Beautiful" had been on the air 33 years without a break until the COVID-19 pandemic forced a shutdown across Hollywood in March. After local health officials and unions permitted filming to restart June 17, the show hit another roadblock.

Producers of the soap opera took multiple precautions: They used dolls and actors' real-life partners as "stunt kissers," cut the crew by about 20% and separated directors with Plexiglas at Television City studios in Los Angeles. But conducting 200 coronavirus tests weekly proved daunting. The first round yielded too many inconclusive results, making producers nervous about an outbreak.

So they shut down again while testing moved to a new lab, which was able to deliver more reliable results, and production resumed two days later.

"It's been a financial strain," said the show's executive producer and head writer, Bradley Bell. "We are doing everything we can and sparing no expense to make sure we are working in a safe environment."

Four months since the COVID-19 pandemic halted film and TV shoots, Hollywood has struggled to get back to business. Film sets, known for being crowded and often unclean, have faced a raft of challenges, including complying with testing and other rigorous health-and-safety rules intended to curb new outbreaks, dealing with unwelcoming neighborhoods and extra scrutiny by unions.

So far, most of the filming activity has been confined to small commercials and music videos. But the problems are expected to intensify as 100-plus teams for major movies and TV series resume filming on the streets of L.A.

Bradley Bell, executive producer and head writer of "The Bold and the Beautiful." (Gilles Toucas Photography)

"A lot of people imagined that this was going to be like flipping a light switch and everything was just going to turn back on, and it's proving not to be quite like that," said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA chief operating officer and general counsel. "But we are seeing the pace getting quicker, especially for shorter duration productions like commercials, music videos and other productions that need just a few days."

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In recent months, unions and an alliance of major Hollywood studios have collaborated with L.A. County health officials to create safety guidelines that would avoid outbreaks on film sets.

"So far we have been able to get cooperation from almost all producers on the safety standards we are looking for," Crabtree-Ireland said. "We are talking various groups of employers in the industry to establish mutually agreed, detailed protocols that we believe will become the automatic default for all those production environments."

Among other measures, the new rules require on-set COVID-19 safety officers to enforce safety protocols; frequent cleaning of areas and equipment; limited filming hours; and the creation of zones separating crew who cannot socially distance or wear masks as part of their jobs. They will have to be tested every three days while others, who can maintain distance and wear protective equipment, would be tested once a week.

SAG-AFTRA's Duncan Crabtree-Ireland (SAG-AFTRA)

Some productions, however, have struggled to comply with the rules.

"Songbird," a thriller set in 2022 and coproduced by Michael Bay , was hit with a rare Do Not Work notice from SAG-AFTRA on July 2. The producers had "not been transparent about their safety protocols," SAG-AFTRA spokeswoman Pamela Greenwalt said.

The notice meant none of the union's members, including the movie's star, Demi Moore, would be able to participate in the shoots planned around Los Angeles. Within 24 hours, the union rescinded the notice after the production finalized and signed an appropriate safety protocol, a person with knowledge of the production said.

The troubles didn't stop there. The filmmakers planned to film over several days and at night in Boyle Heights. Some residents, however, balked at the prospect of having a large production in their neighborhood.

"We were just worried about COVID-19 risk and the parking situation. Everything right now is tough and having any disruption to your routine is a big issue," said Sam Cornwall, a 34-year-old photographer who lodged a complaint with FilmLA, the nonprofit group that handles film permits. "No one needs to die for a Michael Bay movie. We have a lot of neighbors at risk."

The complaint became moot when the company moved the shoot to another location to accommodate a script change.

"Throughout the preproduction process we have remained in close discussions with the guilds and various Hollywood film groups, and our new production model meets and exceeds all safety guidelines outlined by not only SAG but also L.A. County Public Health's white paper, 'The Safe Way Forward,' and FilmLA," the company said.

Photographer Sam Cornwall at home in Boyle Heights (Sam Cornwall)

FilmLA has issued about 350 permits since mid-June and received roughly three dozen complaint calls. Of the total 54 issues raised, 17 had to do with illegal productions that were later shut down by police.

"That is one of the greatest concerns we have because that nonpermitted film activity is probably not either aware of, or following, those guidelines, FilmLA President Paul Audley said.

Seven complaints were related to COVID-19, mainly from residents worried about interacting with crews and about the safety requirements on set.

The biggest impediment to returning to business is testing, Audley said.

"Everyone, not just the film industry, everyone is having a problem right now getting tests and getting those test results back quickly," he said. That can lead to delays in or cancellations of film shoots.

"Courting Mom & Dad," a family movie featuring actor Scott Baio, also was called out by SAG-AFTRA.

The union on June 13 issued a Do Not Work order for the movie, which was filming throughout L.A., because it had not complied with the new COVID-19 safety rules, including mask wearing and social distancing. The union said it is working with the production to resolve the matter. Pure Flix, the film's producer and distributor, did not respond to requests for comment.

"There are people in the industry with all different viewpoints, including people who question the science behind the protocols or the validity of the pandemic itself," Crabtree-Ireland said. But the lengthy rules set out by health officials are designed to avoid outbreaks, even if cast or crew members aren't sheltering at home or taking precautions, he said.

Despite the measures, some performers and crew members are worried about the risk of infection. Bell said that not everyone from the original cast and crew of "The Bold and the Beautiful" returned to filming because of concerns about the health risks.

Some productions, however, have been using the new guidelines without issue.

The cast and crew of the Focus Features thriller "The Card Counter," starring Oscar Isaac, returned to Biloxi, Miss., this month to complete shooting that had been halted in March after a supporting cast member tested positive for the virus.

This time, all the cast and crew were tested before they could even attend production meetings, said Ryan McCormick, the film's makeup department head.

A production meeting using COVID-19 social distancing safety measures on the set of "The Card Counter" in Biloxi, Miss. (Ryan McCormick)





The entire crew had their temperatures taken daily, and McCormick was tested for COVID-19 again three days into the shoot.

She wore a mask, like everyone else on set, and a face shield to do the makeup of the leading actors. Contact was minimized, with only one person at a time allowed to touch the actors. Hand sanitizer was handed out, and there were frequent reminders to clean up, she said.

"I was very trepidatious at first, but I felt like they really knew what they were doing and spared no expense to make sure crew and cast were safe," said McCormick, a veteran makeup artist who is based in Salt Lake City. "They were taking it very seriously. I felt as safe as you possibly can."

Still, a growing concern for producers is the rising number of COVID-19 cases. L.A. officials have warned of a new stay-at-home order, which would imperil what little filming has started in the county.

"Everyone is reluctant to start a shoot that could be shut down, said Sam Nicholson, chief executive of Pasadena visual effects company Stargate Studios. "I do believe that until we get our new COVID-19 infection rate under control, that everyone in the production chain from the studios, to producers and directors, to actors and crew, lack the confidence to make any substantial local production commitments."
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Linkedin A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 10:28 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066702233 1 National #Peatland,peatland,peatland-restoration,BRG,environment,#environment,forest-fires,#ForestFire Free

Despite persistent peatland degradation and forest fires, the government is considering dissolving the Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG), among other agencies in the crosshairs.

Established in January 2016 by presidential regulation, the BRG will have its tenure expired on Dec. 31, if the government does not renew the mandate.

Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko said on Tuesday that the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry was reviewing 18 institutions established under government and presidential regulations with tasks and responsibilities that could be taken over by other ministries. The move follows President Joko Jokowi Widodos recent instruction to simplify the bureaucracy.

Moeldoko said merging the institutions to be dissolved with existing agencies or ministries was an option.

"The BRG's performance in restoring peatland has been good enough, but we are still reviewing whether [the tasks] of the BRG could not be handled by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency for fire mitigation and the Agriculture Ministry for the optimization of peatland for agriculture, he said.

Read also: Jokowi plans to disband 18 state institutions, including Peat Restoration Agency

BRGs undersecretary for campaigns, participation and partnership, Myrna Syafitri, said on Wednesday that it was the prerogative of the President to extend BRGs tenure or not.

Regardless of what will happen, we set up our tasks with a five-year [timeframe, in line with the tenure stated in the presidential regulation], she told The Jakarta Post, adding that the agency had designed its restoration projects with a flexibility that allowed for them to be carried over to ministries and village administrations.

Established in response to the countrys worst-ever forest fires in 2015, the BRG is tasked with restoring up to 2.67 million hectares of peatland across seven provinces.

About 1.7 million ha are in concession areas -- 1.2 million ha in forestry concession areas and 550,000 ha in plantation concession areas  where the BRG can only provide technical assistance to restoration attempts by the respective concession holder.

About 890,000 ha of peatland to be restored are located on non-concession lands, which give the BRG more flexibility to directly coordinate and facilitate restoration projects with regional administrations, civil society organizations and residents.

We realize that we are a nonstructural government agency tasked with assisting the government, Myrna said.

Teguh Surya, the chairman of environmental NGO the Madani Foundation, said Indonesia still had a long way to go to restore peatland across the country.

[The government] must clarify its plans and how they will commit to peatland restoration, he said, citing the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) that showed that the BRGs performance was suboptimal.

The BRG restored only 143,448 ha of about 1.7 million ha of peatland on concession lands in 2018, but, according to Myrna, it had restored about 780,000 ha of peatland in non-concession areas by the end of 2019.

According to Madani, peatland ecosystems account for 44 percent of the total land burned last year, or 727,972 ha; and within that ecosystem, 54.71 percent of are protected peatland areas (FLEGs). Government data show that more than 1.6 million ha of land and forest were affected by fires last year.

We interpret that as a sign that a stronger agency [handling peat restoration] is needed. If [the BRG] is merged into an existing agency or ministry, will it create stronger efforts? Teguh asked.

Teguh also warned that, since the emissions associated with peatland degradation remain high, disbanding the BRG without a follow-up plan would tarnish Indonesia's reputation in the global emissions reduction effort.

However, the BRG has also been credited as one of the factors contributing to slowdown of deforestation in Indonesia, which, according to the latest Global Forest Watch report, has recorded historically low deforestation rates for three consecutive years since 2017. It found that Indonesia lost 324,000 ha of primary forest last year, or 5 percent less than in the previous year.

Read also: RI reduces deforestation rate, but researchers urge caution

Last month, Indonesia received a US$56 million grant from Norway, as the first payment for Indonesias successful reduction in deforestation and carbon emissions, including from peatland, under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) cooperation scheme.

The current agreement does not include peatland restoration, but Indonesias Environment and Forestry Ministry has suggested that this be included in an updated agreement currently being discussed by Indonesia and Norway.

The peatland regulation of 2016 -- which also established the BRG -- effectively prohibits clearing, draining and conversion of peatlands, the Norwegian Embassys charge daffaires Bjrnar Dahl Hotvedt told the Post on Wednesday. This reform has led to drastic reductions in peatland destruction, and the BRG as well as the environment ministry have played an important role in that.

Restoring already converted peatland is also essential, and we welcome the governments dedication in stepping up efforts. The functions filled by the BRG are critical in this regard, he added.

When asked about the possibility of the BRG being disbanded, the embassy only said that Norway supports the reform agenda of the Jokowi administration.
We love a good cameo and TODAYs own Hoda Kotb and Al Roker pulled off a fun one on Thursday.

The two TODAY talents popped into a few (fake) video conferences with all kinds of celebrities as part of the "30 Rock" reunion special that aired Thursday night. Hoda got to play Zoom charades with the likes of Andy Samberg, Mario Lopez, Andy Cohen, Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, among others.

Hoda correctly guesses

Mr. Alfredo Roker  not his real name, by the way  joined a different video call as part of a Kenneth Parcell plot with Dwayne The Rock Johnson. Parcell, played by Jack McBrayer, pops Johnson and Al onto a call and hilarity ensues.

Dwayne

Were all happy to have this excuse to (remotely) work together again for NBC, said 30 Rock executive producers Fey and Robert Carlock in a statement. To quote Kenneth the Page, there are only two things we love in this world, television and everyone.

30 Rock: A One-Time Special - Season 2020 (NBC / NBC)

The reunion of the show, which ended in 2013, doubled as an upfront special for NBCUniversal. At one point, Parcell unveils the upcoming slate of shows, including Kenan Thompsons The Kenan Show, a show based on Johnsons life called Young Rock, and the much anticipated Law & Order: Organized Crime spinoff starring Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler.

The 30 Rock special also touted the networks new streaming platform, Peacock.

Peacock is owned by TODAYs parent company, NBCUniversal.

If you didn't get a chance to watch, it's available to watch on NBC.com, Peacock and other cable video-on-demand platforms on Friday morning. The special is also slated to re-air on USA, SyFy, Bravo, Oxygen, E! and CNBC on Friday.
The Congress on Friday upped the ante against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the ruling party of hatching a conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan.

It also demanded an FIR to be registered against Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat, who the party said was involved in horse trading of Rajasthan MLAs.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala held a press conference on Friday in which he said that two audio recordings have surfaced in which Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, Union minister Shekhawat and a BJP leader Sanjay Jain are purportedly talking about the conspiracy to topple the government.

Surjewala also read out a transcript of the purported conversation, alleging money was offered to party leaders to switch sides.

He demanded an FIR against the three and their arrest. Surjewala also said that chief whip Mahesh Joshi has given a complaint to the Special Operation Group for registration of FIR in the matter. He also accused Sharma of being in touch with Sachin Pilot.

Sharma, meanwhile, denied the allegations. He called the audio tapes as fabricated, and accused chief minister Ashok Gehlot of doing this.

However, Surjewala said that Sharma has been suspended from the primary membership of Congress pending inquiry on these tapes.

He also said that another Congress MLA and former minister Vishvendra Singh has also been suspended from the primary membership of the party.

Surjewala then pointed fingers at the BJPs central leadership and claimed that the conspiracy was planned at the behest of the big leaders.

Rajasthan has been witnessing a political turmoil since Gehlot claimed at a press conference last week that attempts were made to topple his government, and pointed fingers at Pilot. Miffed, the former deputy chief minister left the state with his supporters who later claimed that the Gehlot government is in minority.

But the Congress stood with Gehlot and removed Pilot from the post of Rajasthan Congress chief. The chief minister also dropped him from the state cabinet.

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Detectives have ramped up their search for a hit-and-run cyclist who bolted from a fatal crash with a pensioner.

Scotland Yard this morning released CCTV images of the biker who struck 72-year-old Peter McCombies in Tower Hamlets, east London, on July 3.

Mr McCombies was taken to hospital in critical condition and died eight days later with serious head injuries.

The Met Police, which has made no arrests, are still hunting the cyclist who ditched his bike and fled on foot and have now issued a public plea for witnesses.

Grainy photographs show a man with short dark hair wearing a black shirt, black shirt and white trainers.

The first picture shows him on the saddle of his bike, but the second shows him running away.

Scotland Yard this morning released CCTV images of the biker who struck 72-year-old Peter McCombies in Tower Hamlets, east London on July 3

Grainy photographs show a man with short dark hair wearing a black shirt, black shirt and white trainers

Detective Inspector Julie Trodden appealed directly to the cyclist to turn himself in to 'provide answers to the victim's family, who are grieving the tragic loss of a loved one'.

She also stressed the importance of finding the abandoned bike - a critical clue which could lead them to its owner.

DI Trodden said: 'I am appealing to anyone who recognises this man or saw him leaving the scene to call police.

'This man cycled off from the scene, but from photos we can see he abandoned his cycle and then ran off.

'If anyone knows the location of this bike please tell us, it is vital evidence. Any information you can give, even if it is just the street where you saw him, could be crucial.'

Mr McCombie was struck in Bow Road, close to Thames Magistrates' Court, at about 5.05pm on Friday July 3

Mr McCombie was struck in Bow Road, close to Thames Magistrates' Court, at about 5.05pm on Friday July 3.

DI Trodden added: 'Peter was an active man who had continued to work beyond retirement age. As a result of this collision, his family, friends and colleagues are now mourning his loss.

'I am also asking anyone who in the area at around 5pm on Friday July 3 and who witnessed this collision, or the events immediately prior to and after the collision, to contact the police.

'Finally, I continue to appeal directly to the cyclist involved - please come forward to assist this investigation but, more importantly, to provide answers to the victim's family, who are grieving the tragic loss of a loved one.'
Relatives of a deceased man found recently in the Baleine Mountains, "with what appeared to be bullet wounds, have been appealing for proper recognition of his heritage.





A bulletin, issued by the Royal SVG Police Force, identified the deceased as "a Grenadian national Dwayne Seaton who is believed to be in his forties.





Dwayne and a sister were born to a Vincentian mother and Grenadian father, according to an adopted sister Lorraine.





He and his sister migrated from Grenada when they were mere toddlers, and although they were not legally adopted, her parents took both children and raised them as their own, as was the custom of the times, Lorraine said.





According to Lorraine, "He grew up in St. Vincent. He did all his schooling here - primary and secondary, adding that they spent much of their growing years in Edinboro, a fact that the RSVGF Public Relations Department acknowledged but was omitted from the only media update issued to date.





As it happens, this oversight is causing some problems for overseas-based relatives who are trying to make travel arrangements to come home. "My siblings and other aunts who are coming from overseas.. their workplace is saying that the article said he is from Grenada so that is hindering them.





"Because they are asking for death certificate and all things to prove because in the article that went out he is a Grenadian, they doubt that theyre actually coming here for that, Lorraine said.





Dwayne was not an itinerant; he was living and farming in Owia for some time now, relatives said. In fact, "he was in a relationship with a young lady in Owia for the past 4 years, according to his adopted sister.

Since his arrival here, he is said to have left "for a small stint when he was in his twenties, in a quest to connect with his fathers side of his family.





He never left since his return from that trip a few months later.





Local police eventually released the deceased following an autopsy which confirmed that the 40-year-old Vincentian-Grenadian died from multiple gunshot injuries. The death certificate was released on Monday July 13 and listed Seaton as being "from Grenada/Owia though there was some "issue with the date he was pronounced dead which had to be corrected.





To date the family is still unsure as to who would want to hurt the farmer. "The police said theyre investigating so were just waiting to hear if they come up with anything, because we live Edinboro and he was living in Owia, one relative said.





Equally unclear is who gave the police the information relating to his Grenadian heritage as his relatives here are all adamant that neither of them who spoke with the investigating officer shared such.





"They aint question nobody here is just like who they meet up there when them carrying out them investigations but they did not confirm the information with the family before they released it, Dawynes sister told us.





A candle light vigil to mark his 9 nights passing was set for Thursday evening "out Owia. Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.





Meanwhile, a police communication disclosed that two males  Lebert King of Choppins and Rocaldo Mc Master of Harmony Hall  were charged with causing the death of Dwayne Seaton.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 09:42:55|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese health authority said Friday that it received reports of 10 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Thursday, of which one was domestically transmitted.

The domestically transmitted case was reported in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the National Health Commission said in its daily report.

No deaths related to the disease were reported Thursday, according to the commission.

On Thursday, 18 people were discharged from hospitals after recovery, and one new suspected case was reported in Shanghai.

As of Thursday, the overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 83,622, including 251 patients who were still being treated, with three in severe condition.

Altogether 78,737 people had been discharged after recovery, and 4,634 had died of the disease, the commission said.

Nine new imported cases -- four in Guangdong Province and one in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Shandong, Guangxi and Shaanxi each -- were reported Thursday, bringing the total number of imported cases to 1,998. Of the cases, 1,912 had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, and 86 remained hospitalized with three in severe condition. No deaths from the imported cases had been reported.

The commission said three people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

According to the commission, 3,651 close contacts were still under medical observation after 46 people were discharged from medical observation Thursday.

Also on Thursday, five new asymptomatic cases, including two from overseas, were reported on the mainland and no asymptomatic cases were re-categorized as confirmed ones.

The commission said 104 asymptomatic cases, including 79 from overseas, were still under medical observation.

By Thursday, 1,655 confirmed cases including 10 deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 46 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 452 in Taiwan including seven deaths.

A total of 1,254 patients in the Hong Kong SAR, 45 in the Macao SAR, and 440 in Taiwan had been discharged from hospitals after recovery. Enditem
US Considering Ban on Millions of China's Communist Party Members, Report Claims

Sputnik News

06:49 GMT 16.07.2020(updated 06:50 GMT 16.07.2020)

The United States has already imposed several rounds of travel restrictions on various groups of Chinese nationals in the past year, though the current proposal, if implemented, could affect an unprecedented number of people.

The Trump administration is considering its strongest restrictions yet on travel to the United States by Chinese citizens, a move that is very likely to trigger retaliation from Beijing amid deteriorating relations, The New York Times reports.

Officials with knowledge of the proposal, which has yet to be finalised and get President Trump's approval, told the newspaper that the travel ban could apply to members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and their families.

The proposed presidential order may also empower the US government to revoke the visas of CCP members and their families who are already in the United States, which means they would be expelled.

It could also ban entry to the United States of members of China's armed forces (People's Liberation Army) and executives at state-owned businesses.

According to the report, the legal reasoning for the proposed ban is a provision in the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act that authorises the US president to ban groups of immigrants who are considered "detrimental to the interests of the United States".

Trump cited the same statue in a series of proclamations that limited travel to the US by nationals of North Korea, Venezuela, Iran, and ten other Muslim-majority countries in certain cases.

The NYT notes that there are practical issues if it comes to implementing restrictions on the CCP, which had almost 92 million members last year. This means that the ban could technically apply to as many as 270 million people, according to government estimates.

Meanwhile, the number of Chinese travellers visiting the US is hovering around 3 million every year, so the government might struggle to determine their party status to prevent their entry.

Officials at government agencies are said to be discussing softer language for the order, which could target only the 25 members of the Politburo and their families. The body oversees the CCP and includes the country's most influential officials like President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang.

Relations between the United States and China have deteriorated dramatically under President Trump, with the two superpowers clashing on almost every issue, from technology to trade to arms control.

The Trump administration has placed several travel restrictions on China over the past year. The latest round of sanctions came on Wednesday, when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a ban on some employees of Chinese tech companies, including Huawei, which "provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights violations and abuses globally", without elaborating on which and how many people would be affected.

Last month, the State Department also imposed a travel ban on CCP officials accused of "undermining" Hong Kong's autonomy, in addition to last year's ban on politicians who allegedly violated human rights in Xinjiang.

In May, American officials limited visas for Chinese journalists working in the US to 90 days and suspended the entry of some Chinese students and researchers over suspicions of intellectual property theft.

On 31 January, the day after the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a public health emergency, the US government temporarily suspended travel for all aliens who were physically present in mainland China within the 14 days before trying to enter the country.

A Sputnik

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Maynooth University (MU) and the University of Limerick are sticking with their re-opening plans despite the three week delay in the release of the Leaving Cert results and CAO offers.

However some colleges are revising their dates, including the countrys largest university, UCD.

UCD said it will affect its plans to have first year orientation in the week beginning September 14.

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We anticipate it will impact on these students and are seeking to minimise this for them, a UCD spokesperson said.

Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) is also amending its plans and is delaying orientation week to September 28, with lectures for first years starting on October 5 . Returning students will start On September 21.

Dublin City University (DCU), which had planned a two week orientation programme for first years starting on September 21, said it will have to curtail that. Teaching will start for all students on the previously announced date of October 5.

The disruption to the Leaving Cert this year had prompted all third-level colleges to pencil in provisional, later starting dates for the first semester .

Now all colleges are reviewing their arrangements in light of the published timelines for the results and offers.

Maynooth had previously announced that its orientation week for first years would start on September 21, with lectures for first years and continuing students beginning the following week.

A university spokesperson confirmed that they were pressing ahead with those dates.

Meanwhile, the University of Limerick (UL) is also going ahead with its existing plans to bring first years on to campus on September 28.

The results will issue on September 7, three weeks later than usual, and CAO Round 1 offers will come four days later on September 11.

Students will have until Wednesday September 16 to accept a CAO Round 1 offer and generally more than 90pc of college places are filled then.

CAO Round 2 offers will issue on September 23, and depending on the college, acceptance of a place in that round may mean a slightly later start for those students.

The Irish Universities Association (IUA) said while its seven universities had hoped to bring in first years for induction and orientation in advance of the main body of students, that may not now be possible."

An IUA statement added that the universities were  working to provide clarity in that regard as soon as possible, with start dates as close as possible to those originally communicated to our students.

The IUA also expressed surprise and disappointment with the timing of finalising grades, noting in particular the challenges faced by students and their families although it did acknowledge the unique challenges facing the Department of Education.

IUA Director General Jim Miley, said the focus of the universities now was  to give clarity to students as early as possible. Each university will quickly finalise their revised plans based on the delayed date for grades release. Our priority is to ensure that first year students are given the necessary welcome and induction and to ensure the safe return of all students to campus."

The Technological Higher Education Association (THEA), the umbrella body for institutes of technology and TU Dublin, said its colleges were committed to affording incoming students the necessary time to make arrangements.

THEA CEO Dr Joseph Ryan said colleges would continue to show the flexibility and offer the full range of student supports that will assist new entrants in transitioning securely and safely to third level study."

Acknowledging student concerns, he said the institutes were there to support you and to ensure that you are facilitated to settle confidently into the coming academic year where our commitment is to protect the student experience that is so valued and characteristic of this sector. The association welcomed the clarity in relation to the key dates for receipt of calculated grades college offers.

The Union of Students in Ireland is calling for immediate clarity on when the new academic year will start for colleges and universities.

USI President Lorna Fitzpatrick said the delay of the Leaving Certificate results announced last night is unfair on students hoping to start third-level in the autumn who have already faced so much change and uncertainty this year.

There have been so many U-turns, delays and changes to what was happening around the Leaving Certificate that this further delay is very disappointing for students planning to start college or university this year. The turn-around time between the results coming out, CAO and UCAS offers being made and college starting is now extremely short, which heaps yet more pressure on students, she said.

There can be no more changes and delays now and institutions need to set out for students when the new academic year will start and what it will look like. This has an impact on every year group  students just dont know what is happening. We need to know when the new year will start. How much remote learning will there be? How often will students be on campus? This just cant drag on any more at this stage, she added

USI is also calling on the grants agency, SUSI, to extend its priority deadline, so that students who apply now can still get priority status in light of all that has happened.

Ms Fitzpatrick added: It would take a little bit of pressure off students who have been repeatedly been told one thing would happen, and then another. They need some support and certainty now.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is facing criticism after saying emptying jails had made the city 'safer' even as violent crime surges.

De Blasio made the remarks on Wednesday while signing a new 'police accountability' law that included a slew of measures that have come under fire from police unions and officials.

At the bill signing, de Blasio bragged about policies that have seen suspects and offenders released by the hundreds from Rikers Island, including the elimination of bail for many categories of crime.

'We now have fewer people in our jails than any time since World War II, and we are safer for it and better for it,' the mayor said.

'We now have fewer people in our jails than any time since World War II, and we are safer for it and better for it,' de Blasio said as he signed new local laws on Wednesday

The mayor's critics slammed the comment, with Fox News host Sean Hannity calling de Blasio 'delusional' in a tweet.

'He is either completely delusional or believes that New Yorkers are idiots,' tweeted former NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik. 'He needs to be recalled, or whatever it takes to remove him from power and stop his intentional destruction of New York City.'

'De Blasio must think New Yorkers are complete morons. Last week saw a 600% increase in shootings,' wrote former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Violent crime in New York has surged alarmingly in recent months, with NYPD data showing shooting incidents rising 130 percent in June from the same month last year, reaching the highest level for that month since 1996.

Burglary increased 118 percent in June and is up 46 percent year-to-date through June 30.

Murders rose 30 percent in June and were up 23 percent for the first six months of the year, the department said.

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea has blamed the rise in crime on policies that released inmates from Rikers Island during the coronavirus pandemic.

It follows a recent measure cutting the $1 billion from the NYPD's $6 billion annual budget.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, center, white shirt, helps paint the new Black Lives Matter mural in the Bronx borough of New York on Wednesday. Later de Blasio signed a police accountability bill while sitting at a desk set up on the street near the mural

For the week ending July 12, shooting incidents in NYC were at the highest level since 1996

Standing at a podium emblazoned 'Black Lives Matter,' de Blasio on Wednesday touted the package of new laws that include the criminalization of police kneeling on a suspect's torso while handcuffing them.

'The Black Lives Matter movement has been at the forefront of change in New York City and across our nation. I'm proud to sign these sweeping reforms into law and honor the work they've done,' said de Blasio.

However, the new laws came under fire from police unions and officials in New York and neighboring departments.

The general counsel's office of the union representing most NYPD cops called the new laws 'more pro-criminal legislation that demonizes police & makes the job of enforcing the law more difficult... the people of NYC continue to suffer the consequences.'

The neighboring Westchester Police Department issued an order on Thursday banning its officers from enforcement actions in New York City.

The order says that the provision that criminalizes kneeling on a suspect's torso while handcuffing them makes it too dangerous to effect an arrest, and bans Westchester officers from pursuing a suspect into the city.

The union that represents New York State troopers has also called for its officers to be pulled out of New York City for the same reason.

The new law 'puts an undue burden upon our Troopers,' said PBA President Thomas Mungeer in a statement.

'It opens them up to criminal and civil liability for restraining a person during a lawful arrest in a manner that is consistent with their training and is legal throughout the rest of the state. Furthermore, this legislation will prevent Troopers from safely and effectively arresting resistant subjects,' he continued.

'I am demanding that New York State Police Superintendent Keith Corlett immediately remove all uniformed State Troopers currently stationed within New York City and cease any law enforcement activities within that jurisdiction,' Mungeer said.

Roughly 200 state troopers are currently assigned to roles in New York City.

NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan, who was injured in an attack on cops on the Brooklyn Bridge this week, has also taken issue with the law banning pressure on an individual's chest or back.

'Anyone who has ever arrested anybody who has fought and struggled knows that there is a good chance that your knee may end up on someone's back,' Monahan said earlier this month, according to NY1. 'It's a big issue to our cops.'

Monahan called the new law 'insane' and predicted that crime would continue to rise if police were barred from using force on suspects who resist arrest.
This year, Mr. Saleh shifted Gokadas focus to food and package delivery.

What do we know about the suspect?

The personal assistant, Tyrese Devon Haspil, 21, was expected to be charged in a criminal complaint with second degree murder and other crimes.

Detectives believe that the motive for the killing stemmed from Mr. Saleh having discovered that the assistant had stolen tens of thousands of dollars from him, despite the fact that Mr. Saleh had not reported the man and had set up what amounted to a repayment plan for him to return the money, an official said.

Police were expected to announce the arrest at news conference on Friday.

How was Mr. Saleh killed?

The killer, dressed in black and wearing a black mask, followed Mr. Saleh off an elevator and into his $2.25 million apartment, a police official said. Detectives believe that the person used a Taser to immobilize Mr. Saleh before killing him.

Investigators have also concluded that Mr. Saleh was killed on Monday, the day before his body was found, and that the killer used his employers credit card to pay for a car to a Home Depot, on West 23rd Street in Manhattan, to buy cleaning supplies to sanitize the crime scene, the official said. The killer returned to Mr. Salehs apartment the next day to dismember the body and clean up the crime scene.

Mr. Saleh was found dead by his sister, who had gone to check on him. Parts of his body had been placed in plastic bags. A law enforcement official said that the saw was still plugged into an outlet when the police arrived.

New York Citys medical examiner determined that Mr. Saleh had died from multiple stab wounds to his neck and torso.

A police official said the killing looked like a professional job.

What else do we know about Mr. Saleh?

Those who knew Mr. Saleh described him as an innovative man  some compared him to entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates  who cared deeply for his colleagues and family.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 21:31:42|Editor: huaxia

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HELSINKI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Helsinki-based Nordea Bank said on Friday that its profit had declined significantly due to loan losses. In its Q2 report this year, the bank registered an operating profit of 306 million euros, compared with 900 million euros in Q2 one year ago.

The amount of net loan losses reached 698 million euros, which was only 61 million euros a year ago, the bank report showed. Nordea said the losses were especially because of the customers in the oil and gas sector that had already suffered from the decline in oil price.

Frank Vang-Jensen, CEO of Nordea Bank, said that among the loan losses, 388 million euros were a management judgement and 310 million euros were already realized. He underlined that to tackle with the loan risk, "a proactive approach would be appropriate in the current economic uncertainty."

However, Vang-Jenssen said Nordea now has a 650-million-euro buffer to cover future loan losses.

Economic analyst Antti Saari of the Finnish OP Financial Group told Finnish business daily Kauppalehti on Friday that "on the whole" the Nordea result is not "so bad" as the figures show. (1 euro = 1.14 U.S. dollars) Enditem
As districts across the county mull back-to-school plans, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a Thursday press briefing that "science should not stand in the way" of reopening schools.

"The president has said unmistakably that he wants schools to open," McEnany said. "When he says open, he means open and full, kids being able to attend each and every day at their school. The science should not stand in the way of this."
And then I look at the state of Illinois, and although weve had a mild uptick, its one that I watch every day because anybody that knows anything about epidemics knows that when you have a mild uptick, theres an indicator youre heading in the wrong direction and it may multiply. So we want to make sure we get a handle on that, he said.
A top member of the Tirumala Tirupati temple's board said that people can continue to visit the temple for the darshan. The statement comes after 140 staffers tested Covid-19 positive.

A top member of the Tirumala Tirupati temples board said that people can continue to visit the temple for the darshan. The statement comes after 140 staffers tested Covid-19 positive.

Following the centers Unlock plans to handhold the country out of the pandemic in phases, the shrines board decided to re-open the temple on June 11.

A.V. Ramana Dikshitulu, Tirumala temples honorary chief priest yesterday raised concern over the increase of coronavirus cases among the priest. He also warned of a disaster if the temple remains open.

Also read: Rajasthan Political Crisis: Cong accuses BJP of larger conspiracy, suspends 2 rebel MLAs

Also read: Rajnath Singh in Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken

15 out of 50 priests got infected with coronavirus while results of 25 others are awaited, he tweeted. He alleged that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Executive Officer and Additional Executive Officer are following anti hereditary archaka and anti-Brahmin policy of Telugu Desam Party and its chief Chandrababu Naidu. He also wrote that they refused to stop darshan. He tagged Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in his tweet.

Chairperson of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Board, YV Subba Reddy said that there is no evidence of pilgrims testing positive for COVID-19.

Most of those who got tested positive of Covid-19 are from the Andhra Pradesh Police who have been working with the temple, Mr reddy said, adding seventy have recovered. The TTD chairperson said that only one of them is having severe symptoms.

According to the authorities, there is a need for social distancing as Covid-19 spread faster in crowded places. Fourteen priests were among 140 temple employees who tested positive for coronavirus.

Also read: My gratitude has no bounds: Big B thanks fans praying for his recovery

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
The Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has ordered the return of two houses belonging to Bukola Saraki, a former Senate President, which were previously forfeited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Giving the order on Thursday, the Federal Court judge, Rilwan Aikawa, said there is no sufficient basis in the EFCC application for the permanent forfeiture of Mr Sarakis houses.

The judge, in December 2019, granted an interim forfeiture of Mr Sarakis houses located at Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State, through an ex parte motion filed by the EFCC.

The EFCC told the court that Mr Saraki acquired the properties through proceeds of unlawful activities during his administration as the governor of Kwara State.

The agency, in its application, said there is a damning intelligence report, showing monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011.

Justice Aikawa, while delivering a judgement on EFCCs application for permanent forfeiture, upheld the earlier judgement and ordered the release of the properties on grounds that the motion lacked basis.

Mr Saraki had resisted the forfeiture of his Ilorin houses on several occasions, saying the act was a witch hunt by the EFCC.

===========================================

===========================================

The EFCCs claim that the Ilorin property was built by any proceeds of fraud is outrightly false. One can only see that EFCC is playing politics and spreading falsehood in its cheap attempt to witch-hunt and intimidate a perceived enemy,  Mr Saraki said.

Mr Saraki said the Ilorin property was built partly by the Kwara State Government pursuant to the Third Schedule of the Governor and Deputy Governor (Payment of Pension) Law 2010 while he funded the remaining cost of the building with his personal funds.

During the Thursday Judgement, Justice Aikawa said he could not find his way through to grant the permanent forfeiture order. He ordered the release of Mr Sarakis Ilorin houses.
Regulatory News:

TOTAL S.A. (Paris:FP) (LSE:TTA) (NYSE:TOT) announces that it has become TOTAL SE following its registration with the Trade and Companies Register of Nanterre as a European Company, which occurred on July 16, 2020. This registration was approved at the Shareholders' Meeting, held on of May 29, 2020, and follows negotiations with employees' representatives in 25 countries of the European Economic Area. On April 15, 2020, the members of the Special Negotiating Body approved and signed an agreement relating to the procedures for the involvement of employees in the European Company.

The Company will now be listed as TOTAL SE on stock markets trading its shares and American Depositary Shares. Its ISIN codes and mnemonics remain unchanged.

About Total

Total is a broad energy company that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is more affordable, more reliable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, our ambition is to become the responsible energy major.

Cautionary Note

This press release, from which no legal consequences may be drawn, is for information purposes only. The entities in which TOTAL SE directly or indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. TOTAL SE has no liability for their acts or omissions. In this document, the terms "Total", "Total Group" and Group are sometimes used for convenience. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them.

This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TOTAL SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200717005494/en/

Contacts:

Media Relations: +33 1 47 44 46 99 l presse@total.com l @TotalPress

Investor Relations: +44 (0)207 719 7962 l ir@total.com
Two soldiers killed in chopper crash during military exercise

ROC Central News Agency

07/16/2020 05:03 PM

Taipei, July 16 (CNA) Two soldiers died when a military OH-58D helicopter crashed at an air base in Hsinchu on Thursday, during the annual Han Kuang exercises, according to the Army.

The two soldiers were identified as pilot and co-pilot on the helicopter, Army Major Chien Jen-chuan () and Captain Kao Chia-lung (), respectively, the Army Command Headquarters said.

They were rushed to a nearby hospital, but they both died, the Army said.

Meanwhile, firetrucks were dispatched from the Hsinchu City Fire Department to put out a blaze that occurred when the chopper crashed at the air base at 3:30 p.m., the department said.

(By Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/pc

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She was named The Bachelorette right before the world shut down.

But Clare Crawley's wait for true love is over.

The reality star, 39, was spotted filming The Bachelorette in La Quinta, California on Friday.

Looking for love in lockdown! Clare Crawley was spotted filming The Bachelorette in La Quinta, California on Friday

This upcoming season of The Bachelorette will be unlike any other, with the entire cast and crew quarantining together throughout production in order to prevent any coronavirus infections.

Safety did seem to be a priority for Clare and the filming crew, who all wore face masks during the shoot.

Clare showed off her gorgeous face as she pulled the mask off, allowing it to dangle from a single ear.

The reality star looked stunning with her blonde hair styled into loose waves, and a bit of makeup to bring out her natural beauty.

The low-down: Hands on her hips, the star listened intently as the cameraman shared a few thoughts with her

Rather than a gown and heels, Clare opted to keep it casual with her red yoga pants, black tank top and sandals.

Hands on her hips, the star listened intently as the cameraman shared a few thoughts with her.

It has been quite the journey for this year's newest Bachelorette.

Clare was supposed to begin filming The Bachelorette back in March, but production was put on hold in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Casual Friday! Rather than a gown and heels, Crawley opted to keep it casual with her red yoga pants, black tank top and sandals

Now, new safety guidelines are in place to help keep the cast and crew safe.

Production was reportedly booked for a remote location where the cast and crew will all live under quarantine throughout the shoot.

'The cast will start traveling very soon because there has to be a quarantine period,' a source told Variety in a June 26 report.

Love can wait: Crawley's season of The Bachelorette was supposed to begin filming back in March, but was delayed due to the pandemic

All those involved with production will needed to be tested for COVID-19 before arriving onto the set.

Testing for coronavirus will continue throughout production, as will fever checks.

'We obviously can't shoot a dating show with people in close quarters where people aren't cleared and we know everything is safe. It will be a super safe paradise for everyone to shoot the show,' said a Variety insider.

Not only that, but visitors and media will not be allowed on the set.

Many of the men vying for Clare's heart were recast after the shutdown, and the new crop of suitors were unveiled earlier this week.
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17 2020

July 9 was a day highly anticipated by the fans of K-pop group BTS who call themselves the BTS ARMY. First, because July 9 is the BTS fandoms anniversary, referring to the first time the K-pop group announced the official name of its fan base in 2013.

Second, this years anniversary might even be more special for the ARMY, especially for the ones who had preordered a Samsung Galaxy S20+ smartphone or the Buds+ BTS edition, because it was the day when the ARMY could finally get their hands on the preordered gadgets.

The current situation, in which most people limit their spending, apparently has not stopped Samsung from rolling out the product, as the tech giant seemingly believes that BTS popularity is the key to winning the targeted market.

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COVID-19 infected more than 5,600 Oklahomans in the last week, a number the state did not reach for several weeks early in the pandemic.

Dr. Dale Bratzler, chief COVID officer at the University of Oklahoma, said during a virtual news conference that the state is seeing real rapid growth in COVID-19 cases.

(W)e have seen 5,000 newly confirmed cases in one week, Bratzler said. Compare that to when we first started this pandemic, it took us more than two months to get to 5,000 confirmed cases.

To be precise: There were 5,644 new, confirmed cases between July 10 and Friday, according to Oklahoma State Department of Health data updated Friday.

For comparison, health officials confirmed the first case on March 6 and the 5,000th case about May 15, according to OSDH data collected by the Tulsa World.

Since the start in early March, there have been 24,140 cumulative cases and 445 deaths. On Friday, state health officials reported seven Oklahomans died recently from COVID-19 and 699 more are infected by the disease.

OSDH officials reported the new deaths Friday. Two of those were Tulsa County residents: a man and a woman who were older than 65.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The House of Representatives is currently on the lookout for the Senate's approval of the Bayanihan to Recover as One or Bayanihan 2 Act, a lawmaker said.

"Actually, the House of Representatives is just waiting for the action of the Senate, because the Senate has to approve it on third reading," House Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Joey Salceda told CNN Philippines' The Exchange.

The Bayanihan 2 is modeled after the original Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which granted President Rodrigo Duterte special powers to re-allocate funds under the 2019 and 2020 budgets for the country's COVID-19 response until June 24. Should the proposed legislation get passed, it will grant Duterte additional powers until end-September.

Last month, the Senate approved Bayanihan 2 on second reading. However, it failed to get the final nod of the Upper House as it adjourned without passing the bill.

The measure also sets aside 140 billion for various socioeconomic and health programs which will help Filipinos deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these are subsidies for sectors heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

"If you compare that to the original ARISE, which is worth P680 billion, what will happen is that one, we will approve the ()140 (billion), which actually is the official position of the DOF or the economic managers," Salceda noted.

To recall, the House of Representatives Committee of the Whole approved a substitute bill extending the validity of the Bayanihan law.

Despite the legislation failing to hurdle the Upper House, Salceda expressed his support for the Bayanihan 2's Senate version.

"[S]ince I am the chair of the economic stimulus cluster of the House, I have already written to the Speaker as well as the Majority Leader to just essentially adopt the third reading of the Senate. And then we can move to the next stimulus, which is CREATE," he explained.

Among the "built-in" stimulus measures of CREATE, or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act, is the reduction of the corporate income tax rate from the current 30 percent to 25 percent this year should it be passed, he added.

RELATED: Finance department seeks immediate passage of CREATE bill

To recall, the Palace previously said Duterte did not certify the second Bayanihan bill as urgent.
Northrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/16/2020 -- The report "Thermoplastic Polyurethane Market by Type (Polyester, Polyether, and Polycaprolactone), End-Use Industry (Automotive, Footwear, Engineering, Building & Construction, Wires & Cables, Hose & Tubing, and Medical), and Region  Global Forecast to 2027", is projected to reach USD 3.9 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 6.8%



View detailed Table of Content here - https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/thermoplastic-polyurethanes-market-1091.html



The growth of the market is driven by replacement of conventional materials by thermoplastic polyurethane in applications demanding high dimensional stability and increased abrasion resistance.

"The Asia-Pacific region is the largest market for TPU."

The Asia-Pacific region is currently the largest market for TPU due to increasing demand for TPU from emerging economies, such as India and China. China is the largest market for thermoplastic polyurethanes in the Asia-Pacific region.



Forces driving the market for TPU in the Asia-Pacific region are:

Presence of major manufacturers of TPU in the region

Growing end-use industries, such as footwear, engineering, automotive, and building & construction in major countries, such as China, India, and Japan of the region.

"Among end-use industries, the footwear segment led the TPU market, in terms of volume."

TPU is used in various end-use industries, such as footwear, engineering, building & construction, automotive, hose & tubing, wires & cables, and medical. These are the main end-use industries that have been considered in this report on the TPU market. In terms of volume, the footwear end-use industry segment led the TPU market. It was followed by the engineering, wires & cables, automotive, building & construction, hose & tubing, and medical segments. The footwear end-use industry is largely influenced by consumer trends and fashions. Rising demand for fancy and trendy comfortable footwear among all age groups is a key factor driving the growth of the footwear industry across the globe, which, in turn, is driving the TPU market. The medical end-use industry segment of the TPU market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR between during forecast period, in terms of both, value as well as volume.



Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=1091



"Among types, the polyester segment led the TPU market"

On the basis of type, the TPU market has been classified into polyester, polyether, and polycaprolactone. The polyester type segment led the TPU market, in terms of value as well as volume. It was followed by the polyether and polycaprolactone type segments. Polyester-based TPU possesses stronger cut and tear resistance combined with better oil and heat resistance properties than polyether-based TPU. In addition, cost of polyester-based TPU is lower in comparison to polyether-based TPU. All these factors are expected to drive the growth of the polyester type segment of the TPU market during forecast period.



The key players in the TPU market are BASF Polyurethanes (Germany), The Lubrizol Corporation (U.S.), Covestro AG (Germany), Huntsman Corporation (U.S.), and Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd. (China), among others.



Speak to Analyst @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=1091



BASF SE (Germany) is among the key players in the TPU market. The company adopted the strategies of new product launch, expansion, and acquisition to strengthen its competitiveness in the global TPU market. For instance, in May 2019, BASF has planned to expand the production capacity of TPU and engineering plastics in the Verbund site in Zhanjiang, China, by 2022. This expansion of production capacity will bring the total capacity of these products in APAC to 290,000 MTPA. This expansion will help the company to meet the immediate need of the customers in APAC.



Covestro (Germany) is one of the leading manufacturers of TPU. The company adopted new product launch as one of its key business strategies. In October 2018, Covestro developed a new series of TPU-containing polyether carbonate polyols based on the carbon dioxide technology as Desmopan 37385A. The new series of TPU lowers carbon footprint and also conserves fossil resources. The company also plans to expand the TPU series with variants of different hardness. This new product launch has expanded the TPU portfolio of the company.



Critical questions the report answers:

- Are there any upcoming hot bets for the TPU market?

- How are the market dynamics in the different end-use industries of TPU?

- What are the upcoming opportunities for the different types of TPU in emerging economies?

- What are the significant trends in end-use industries that are influencing the TPU market?

- Who are the major manufacturers of TPU?

- What are the factors governing the TPU market in each of the regions?



Request 10% Customization on this Report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=1091



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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.



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Hollywood star Brad Pitt reportedly doesn't have a relationship with his eldest son, Maddox, as of now.

"That relationship continues to be non-existent," a source told Us Weekly.

The source added that the actor neither sees the 18-year-old Maddox nor does he speak with his 16-year-old son, Pax.

In October 2019, a source had said that the actor considers his falling out with Maddox, who studies at Yonsei University Seoul, a "tremendous loss". The source added that Maddox "hasn't been receptive".

During that time, Pitt was optimistic about his chances to fix his relationship with his and actress Angelina Jolie's son Pax.

"With Maddox overseas (for college), Brad is also hopeful that Pax will also be interested in reconnecting without the influence of his older brother," the source said.

Pitt and Maddox have had a strained relationship since an alleged altercation during a private jet flight to Los Angeles in 2016. Pitt was cleared of wrongdoing.

Former couple Jolie and Pitt also share Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and Knox and Vivienne, 12.
Doug Mills-Pool/Getty ImagesBY: LIBBY CATHEY, ABC NEWS

(WASHINGTON)  Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday became the latest Republican governor to issue an executive order mandating residents wear face coverings in public, following the lead of GOP governors in Alabama and West Virginia, desperate to contain a record-breaking surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

More and more, Republican politicians are mandating masks statewide, breaking from President Donald Trump who still resists the idea even though he finally wore one in public, once, last weekend.

CVS and Target on Thursday joined a growing list of nationwide retailers, including Walmart, requiring masks in their stores, and this week a top health official said if everyone wore a mask, the virus could be "brought to its knees" by this fall.

Despite the earlier arguments over personal choice and freedom, political pressure appeared to be building for a nationwide mask mandate other countries like South Korea implemented early on with significant results.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans -- and an increasing number of Republicans -- now say they're wearing face masks when they leave the house, according to an Axios-Ipsos poll.

The increasingly urgent health situation could be making the political debate moot.

Hutchinson gave in after long resisting a statewide stay-at-home order, as Arkansas sees record-breaking number of new infections.

"The number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are numbers that speak for themselves and indicate that we need to do more," Hutchinson said in a press conference in Little Rock. "I want everybody to understand that this is a mandate. It does carry consequences," he said about violating the order, punishable by a fine of up to $500.

At the same time, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, on Thursday sued the city of Atlanta over its requirement to wear masks in public after voiding at least 15 local mask mandates late Wednesday, calling them legally unenforceable."

Wearing masks or facial coverings in public has become a polarizing issue at all levels of American government.

Health experts say it shouldn't be.

CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield twice this week said COVID-19 could be controlled in one to two months in America if roughly 90% of people wore masks.

"If everyone in this nation would just take on a face covering, practice excellent hand hygiene and be smart about their distancing in crowds, we can bring this outbreak to its knees in two, four, six, eight weeks," Redfield said on a call with reporters Wednesday.

With the additions of Arkansas on Thursday, and Alabama and Montana on Wednesday, roughly half of all states now require face masks in public.

But some of the hardest-hit states won't go all the way.

Ohio and Texas, for example, require masks only in counties where coronavirus infection rates have hit a high level, though cases are surging statewide.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, in an address Wednesday night said, "our state's life is now in danger" but stopped short of implementing a statewide mask mandate.

"That discussion is for another time," he said, amid a four-figure daily increase in cases.

David Pepper, chair of the Ohio's Democratic Party, commended some of DeWine's efforts early in the pandemic but said he was "cowardly" for not making a mask mandate, calling it "a common sense step."

"This shouldn't be a partisan issue. It's bipartisan, in support. But a few voices on the far right, are somehow intimidating, some leaders like Mike DeWine from doing the right thing," said Pepper, pointing to other states with Republicans governors making the call.

"Shutting down businesses and schools, those are not easy choices. The mask is easy," he added. "Among difficult decisions that will have to be made, the only reason it's difficult here versus almost any other modernized country is because of right wing politics that's fueled by Trump, making some people act just absolutely irrationally."

"That Kemp is gonna do what Abbott did and forbid local government from doing the right thing is appalling. And he'll certainly cost lives for that step as well," Pepper said.

In Texas, where cases are surging, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in April similarly blocked municipalities from imposing fines for breaking masks mandates. In a reversal, he's urging more Texans to wear masks but has also stopped short of imposing a statewide mandate.

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of the hard-hit state of Florida -- where Gov. Ron DeSantis has come under fire for recent comments downplaying the virus -- has also weighed in on Twitter, where he dons a mask in his profile picture, saying, "why not do it?

President Trump's resistance trickles down to his supporters, Pepper says, and makes it harder for businesses to enforce mask rules.

"If it isn't yet law, they have to fight with all their customers," he added. "By not having a requirement, you're making it harder for people to do the right thing here, including businesses who risk backlash if they put up a no mask, no entry sign.

The IHME University of Washington model, often cited by the White House, now predicts more than 40,000 lives could be spared if Americans universally wore masks.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Thursday rejected the idea of national mask mandate, saying, "We leave it to localities to make the decisions with regards to face coverings, and CDC guidelines remain the same today, recommended but not required."

According to the American Bar Association, the U.S. government does have the authority in a pandemic to mandate practices like masks for public safety, though the responsibility heavily falls on states.

Dr. Sara Tariq, a professor of medicine and associate dean at the University of Arkansas Medical School, acknowledged that existing data proving masks prevent the spread of the novel virus is "not yet comprehensive, but it is compelling."

"There are more and more facts coming out supporting that in addition to physical distancing, we need to have 100% mask use," said Tariq. "Our leadership should be compelled to be thinking really hard about mandating mask use when the level of harm without it, in most people's opinion, is it's morally unacceptable.

"Our sense of self-liberty is very strong, but I worry that it's those same things that make us amazing -- our liberty, our individualism, our freedom -- in this situation, is really harming us," Tariq said. "Our country is going to have to atone and reconcile how poorly we have responded to this pandemic."

She also said because the pandemic came to the U.S. later than in Asia and Europe, the country had greater opportunities to slow the spread from the start -- but those opportunities were missed.

"We had an opportunity of this disease coming to us a little bit later, so we had an opportunity to take a look at the data from other countries which, recognizably was limited at the time, but we had an opportunity to implement things like social distancing and masking," she said. "We've lost that opportunity because of lack of data, poor understanding of the disease, a slow response, and because we culturally are a different nation."

"I do believe though, we should be able to change ourselves," Tariq said. "We have no choice but to change ourselves when we see data."

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has withdrawn a demand of over Rs 2.3 lakh crore it had made on state-owned gas utility GAIL India Ltd and explorer Oil India Ltd (OIL) in past telecom dues, the company informed stock exchanges.

Following the October 24, 2019 order of the Supreme Court asking inclusion of non-telecom revenues for calculating statutory dues such as license fee and spectrum charges of telecom firms, the DoT had sought Rs 1.83 lakh crore from GAIL and another Rs 48,489 crore from OIL in past dues.

The withdrawal follows the Supreme Court ruling last month, terming the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues raised on non-telecom PSUs "wholly and totally impermissible".

It asked DoT to reconsider such demand, and the department has now formally withdrawn them.

GAIL said it has received a letter dated July 14 from DoT "towards the withdrawal of all provisional demand notices issued" to the company.

"Consequent upon the withdrawal of claims, nothing remains due to DoT by GAIL in the matter of AGR," it said.

OIL, in a separate filing, said it has received a letter dated July 13 from DoT "communicating the withdrawal of demand notices amounting to Rs 48,489.26 crore issued against the company for the financial year 2007-08 to 2018-19."

On Wednesday, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PowerGrid) had in a regulatory filing stated that DoT has withdrawn "provisional demand notices towards license fee including interest, penalty, and interest on penalty in respect of NLD and ISP licenses pertaining to FY 2006-18 to FY 2018-19." DoT had sought Rs 13,613.66 crore from PowerGrid for the past years in NLD license fee.

OIL, the nation's second-biggest state-owned oil producer, holds a National Long Distance Service Licence (NLD) with the primary objective of monitoring and operation of its pipeline network.

The surplus bandwidth capacity available with the company was leased out to telecom operators/other users, on which the company regularly paid the applicable license fee to the DoT.

But following the October 24 ruling, the DoT included all revenues from oil and gas to seek Rs 48,489 crore from the company for the period from 2007-08 to 2018-19.

In case of GAIL, which held an IP-II license, the DoT assessed Rs 1,83,076 crore as outstanding after including interest and penalty computed on the entire revenue of the company. PowerGrid holds NLD and Internet Service Provider (ISP) licenses.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / Group Ten Metals Inc. ("Group Ten" or the "Company") (TSXV:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:5D32) is pleased to announce it has closed its previously announced $4,500,000 financing, subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

A total of 22,500,000 units were issued at a price of $0.20 per unit (a "Unit"), with each Unit consisting of one common share of the Company (a "Share") and one share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.30 per share until July 17, 2023. Finder's fees of $78,000 cash, 551,550 finder's units and 390,000 compensation option were paid/issued in connection with the financing. Each finder's unit consists of one Share and one Warrant. Each compensation option entitles the holder to acquire one Unit at an exercise price equal to the Unit price for a period of 36 months.

All securities issued are subject to a hold period expiring November 18, 2020 in accordance with applicable securities laws as well as the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Proceeds from the offering will be used for exploration at the Company's Stillwater West platinum group element ("PGE")-Ni-Cu-Co project in Montana, USA, and for general working capital purposes.

President and CEO Michael Rowley stated, "We are pleased to welcome a number of experienced mining investors to Group Ten through this placement including a lead order from Palisades Goldcorp Ltd alongside other new institutional investors. The financing also received strong support from existing shareholders, including insiders. The additional funding will enable an expanded program at our flagship Stillwater West project where we own the second largest land position in the Western hemisphere's most productive PGE district, adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's three world-class palladium-platinum mines.

Our work at Stillwater West has demonstrated the potential for multiple "Platreef-style" deposits - bulk tonnage nickel and copper sulphide mineralization enriched in palladium, platinum, gold, rhodium and cobalt - in the lower Stillwater Complex stratigraphy, based on known parallels with South Africa's Bushveld complex. Our world-class team quickly advanced that geologic model through drill confirmation in 2019, and this year's program is expected to continue that pace as we advance drill-defined mineralized zones towards maiden resources at the three most advanced target areas."

"We are now launching phase two of our 2020 campaign, focused on Induced Polarization geophysical surveys over the most advanced target areas, with extensions into untested adjacent targets. Phase three is scheduled to commence in early August with step out expansion drilling planned at the most advanced target areas. In addition, we are now active at our high-grade gold targets, as announced in May 2020. We look forward to providing additional updates in the coming weeks."

2020 Field Exploration Webinar

To provide a more fulsome discussion and overview of the Stillwater West project and our 2020 exploration program, Group Ten will be hosting a webinar on July 22nd, 2020, at 8:30am PST. To register, click here.

About Palisades Goldcorp Ltd.

Palisades Goldcorp is Canada's newest resource focused merchant bank. Palisades' management team has a demonstrated track record of making money and is backed by many of the industry's most notable financiers. With junior resource equities valued at generational lows, management believes the sector is on the cusp of a major bull market move. Palisades is positioning itself with significant stakes in undervalued companies and assets with the goal of generating superior returns.

About Group Ten Metals Inc.

Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of its flagship Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu project adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. The Company holds additional high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions, including the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project in the Rainy River district of northwest Ontario and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum's Wellgreen deposit in Canada's Yukon Territory.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director

Email: info@grouptenmetals.com Phone: (604) 357 4790

Web: http://grouptenmetals.com Toll Free: (888) 432 0075

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.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 release.

SOURCE: Group Ten Metals Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597918/Group-Ten-Metals-Closes-45-Million-Private-Placement-Financing-and-Launches-Phase-Two-Exploration-Program-at-the-Stillwater-West-PGE-Ni-Cu-Co-Project-in-Montana-USA
By Yimou Lee

TAIPEI, July 17 (Reuters) - Taiwan officials in Hong Kong have been told their visas will not be renewed if they don't sign a document supporting Beijing's claim to Taiwan under its "one China" policy, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The move comes after Taipei strongly criticised a new security law imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing, and opened an office in Taipei this month to help people who may want to leave the Asian financial hub.

Several Taiwanese officials at its de facto Hong Kong consulate who were due to renew their visas have been asked by the city's government to sign the document, a senior Taiwan official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The official said the move was unprecedented and presented an "unnecessary political obstacle" for Taipei-Hong Kong ties.

"They won't issue the visa if we don't sign the document," the official said, declining to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. "It's entirely a problem created by them."

"We will try our best to defend our stance. Our representatives in Hong Kong will hold fast to their position."

The Hong Kong Immigration Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Taiwan's China policy-making Mainland Affairs Council urged Hong Kong to return to "existing consensus" to maintain normal exchanges between Taiwan and Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong should follow mutual agreements to ensure the office is free from political interference, and should not establish unnecessary obstacles beyond those agreements," it said in a statement to Reuters.

Taiwan has 15 Taiwanese staff at its de facto consulate in the city, another person with knowledge of the matter said.

China sees Taiwan as part of "one China" and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

China has proposed that Taiwan be brought under Chinese rule under a similar "one country two systems" arrangement it offered to Hong Kong. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen rejects the proposal, which she calls a "failure".

The source declined to say exactly how many Taiwan officials were asked to sign the paper but said its acting chief, Kao Ming-tsun, had returned to the island late on Thursday after he refused to sign the document upon his visa renewal.

Story continues

Reuters was not immediately able to reach Kao for comment.

Kao's return to Taiwan due to the political spat was first reported by Taiwan online publication Up Media.

Taiwan announced this week it will enhance scrutiny over investment from Hong Kong to prevent illicit money from mainland China, days after Reuters reported the move.

Hong Kong has long served as an important trade and investment conduit between Taiwan and China, which have no diplomatic relations.

Hong Kong's new security law punishes what China broadly defines as subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

Critics of the law fear it will crush the wide-ranging freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997, while supporters say it will bring stability to the city after a year of sometimes violent anti-government protests. (Reporting By Yimou Lee; additional reporting by Clare Jim in Hong Kong; Editing by Michael Perry)
Donald Trump Jr has boasted on Instagram about his dinner cooked with Goya ingredients, as the row about a boycott of the company rumbles on and his sister Ivanka is accused of violating White House ethics for promoting the products.

On Thursday he said that he had enjoyed a meal made with the produce, which has been subject for the past week to a boycott ever since the company CEO said the country was 'blessed' to have Donald Trump as its leader.

'Just had a great dinner Kimberly prepared,' he said, referring to his girlfriend, former Fox News presenter Kimberly Guilfoyle.

'Lot of Goya products, which was pretty awesome. Just had a great pork roast. It was very good.'

His video came as his sister Ivanka was accused of breaking White House ethics rules by tweeting her support for the company.

'If it's Goya, it has to be good,' she tweeted, echoing the company slogan.

Scroll down for video

Donald Trump Jr Thursday posted a video discussing his 'awesome' meal with Goya produce

Ivanka Trump on Tuesday evening tweeted her support for the embattled company

Under the rules government officials are barred from using their public office to endorse specific products or groups.

The White House defended her tweet.

'Only the media and the cancel culture movement would criticize Ivanka for showing her personal support for a company that has been unfairly mocked, boycotted and ridiculed for supporting this administration  one that has consistently fought for and delivered for the Hispanic community,' said Carolina Hurley, White House spokesperson.

'Ivanka is proud of this strong, Hispanic-owned business with deep roots in the US and has every right to express her personal support.'

Her father also tweeted his support for Goya, but as president, he is exempt from many of the rules that federal workers must follow.

Donald Trump followed his daughter's lead and tweeted his support for Goya

Walter Shaub, former director of the Office of Government Ethics, said the tweet and photo amounted to 'an official campaign by the Trump administration to support Goya, making it all the more clear that Ivanka's tweet was a violation of the misuse of position regulations'.

Shaub left government in 2017 after clashing with the Trump administration over ethics rules.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) said the rules were clear.

'The ethics rules for executive branch employees say that you can't use your official position to promote a private business,' said Noah Bookbinder, executive director of Crew.

'It's pretty clear that the context in which this came out is that Goya had been supportive of the Trump administration and the Trump administration was being supportive of Goya.'

The row began after the president hosted a group of Hispanic supporters including politicians and business magnates at the White House on July 9.

Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue attended the event and used the occasion to announce a donation of a million cans of chickpeas and a million pounds of other food to food banks.

'We're all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder,' said Unanue, speaking at the White House.

Robert Unanue, Goya CEO, on July 6 said the US was 'truly blessed' to have Trump as president

The remark set off a wave of criticism of New Jersey-based Goya, founded in 1936 by European immigrants.

Some called for consumers to consider other brands in the canned food aisle.

Julian Castro, the former Democrat contender for the presidency, tweeted: '@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.'

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, representative for New York, suggested working around Goya products when creating dishes with traditional Puerto Rican seasoning.

'Oh look, it's the sound of me Googling 'how to make your own Adobo,' she said.

Unanue doubled down on his remarks several days later, telling Fox News on July 10 he stood by his decision to praise Trump.

Asked by Laura Ingraham whether he was going to apologize for that, he replied: 'Hell no.'

He continued: 'We can either take a path of building and loving and producing, being prosperous. That is what my grandfather came, 18 years old from Spain, to the land of opportunity to live the American dream and to prosper.

'Hispanic businesses are growing at three times the rates of any other business.

'And so the future is in our hands, and we have the opportunity to either do well or to destroy. And let's do well.'

Robert Unanue appeared on Fox News to defend his remarks praising Donald Trump

Data about the impact of the boycott is not yet available, but Trump supporters have taken to filming empty shelves, cleared of all Goya products, as a so-called 'Buy-cott' is announced to back the company.

Several Go Fund Mes have sprung up in support of Goya.

One, started by Casey Harper in Arlington, Virginia, has raised almost $300,000 to buy Goya products, which will then be sent to food banks.

'We have identified the first of multiple food pantries to receive a donation. Turns out buying and distributing hundreds of thousands of pounds of food is not easy, but it's a great problem to have!' he wrote on the page.
Julia Stone, the sister half of the Angus & Julia Stone folk and indie pop group, has marked her return to the solo music scene.

The 36-year-old released Break on Thursday, her first solo material in eight years.

In the accompanying music video, the Sydney-born artist leads a dance group through various locations in Mexico City.

New music: Folk and indie pop star Julia Stone, 36, (pictured) has returned to the music scene with Break - her first solo material in eight years. Pictured in September 2019

The single, produced by St. Vincent (Annie Clark) and Doveman's Thomas Bartlett, features Julia's signature ethereal pop vocals.

She has also enlisted Warpaint's Stella Mozgawa for drums on the highly-awaited track.

In an official statement, Julia revealed that the lyrics deal with the initial stages of falling in love.

'[It's about] being alive with the head rush of new love,' she said. 'It's when you first meet somebody, and you have that connection, and your chemicals go crazy.'

Signature sound: The single, produced by St. Vincent (Annie Clark) and Doveman's Thomas Bartlett, features Julia's signature ethereal pop vocals. Pictured: Julia

'It's about enjoying that first moment without considering what comes next.'

Julia's last solo album, By the Horns, was released in 2012.

The songstress became a household name in 2007 when she and her brother Angus released their debut album, A Book Like This.

They went on to release their second album Down the Way in 2010, before going their separate ways until 2014.

Visuals: In the accompanying music video, the Sydney-born artist leads a dance group through various locations in Mexico City

Julia told Interview Magazine in July 2014, that it was a 'big decision' for them to reunite on their third self-titled album.

'To the public and our fans, we were so good,' she said. 'But we always felt unsettled, like we needed to be apart.

'There was something unspoken between us  I knew in myself I didn't really want to be working with Angus, and I think he felt the same.'

Their most recent album together is 2015's Snow.
Its not whos on the ballot that sparked a fresh wave of protests as an August 9 presidential election draws closer in Belarus  its who is not.

Citizens hungry for change took to the streets shortly after the Central Election Commission (CEC) announced on July 14 that a total of five candidates had qualified -- including incumbent Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has been president since 1994 and is seeking a sixth term.

Left off were Viktar Babaryka, a former bank manager now in jail on embezzlement charges, and Valer Tsapkala, a former ambassador to the United States and a founder of a successful high-tech park in Minsk.

The elections come as Lukashenka faces growing public discontent, in part due to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. With just 9.5 million people, Belarus has registered more than 65,000 cases  while neighboring Ukraine, for example, has fewer cases in a population more than four times larger. Lukashenka ignored calls for lockdowns and dismissed the virus in March as a mass psychosis, earning him ridicule and ire at home and abroad.

As ill-equipped doctors scrambled to contain the virus, the economy, already struggling largely without subsidized Russian energy amid a standoff with the Kremlin over closer integration, began to sink even further.

A popular vlogger, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, tapped into public discontent, traveling the country to urge receptive audiences to take up their bedtime slippers to squash "the cockroach," the epithet the straight-talking 41-year-old tagged Lukashenka with.

The unenviable nickname Sasha 3 Percent, a reference to Lukashenkas alleged approval rating in informal polling by independent media, began to pop up on walls, T-shirts, and elsewhere across Belarus  an unusually open expression of mockery in the tightly controlled country.

The barring of Babaryka and Tsapkala is the clearest proof yet that Lukashenka knows hes in trouble, according to Ryhor Astapenia, a fellow in the Russia and Eurasia program at the London-based think tank Chatham House.

In a way, by not registering Babaryka and Tsapkala, he showed that actually his rating is indeed low, so he doesnt want to compete with them, Astapenia told a virtual roundtable about Belarus on July 15.

Lukashenka appears far from ready to back down or give in to the demands of protesters. Police cracked down hard on protesters angered by the election commissions moves, detaining more than 300 people on the streets of Minsk and other cities on July 14, including two RFE/RL reporters and at least 12 other journalists.

Before the July 14 protests, the Belarusian rights NGO Vyasna (Spring) had reported that more than 700 people had been detained by police in Belarus since the presidential election process began in May.



Activists on social media seem to have been singled out -- most notably Tsikhanouski, who was jailed on charges of disobeying the police after his attempt to challenge Lukashenka in the election was rejected by the authorities. His wife, Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, is one of the five candidates registered for the ballot, however.

Amid the crackdown, Lukashenka can hope for little help from Russia but may avoid tougher action by the West, according to Astapenia.

On the one hand, the Kremlin has ended its support for Belarus because Belarus rejected the Kremlins proposals to integrate deeper," the analyst said. "On the other hand, the West is reluctant to sanction Belarus for violations of human rights.

But for Belaruss hounded opposition, the feeling is that Lukashenka has never been as vulnerable as he is now. Since 1994, it has been absolutely clear that the electoral majority was on the side of the current government. This year the situation has changed dramatically. Now it is absolutely clear that there is no longer any majority for those in power, Maria Kalesnikava, the head of Babarykas thwarted campaign, told Current Time on July 15.

Kalesnikava said her team, which is still operating, would urge Belarusians to turn out in the election and vote against Lukashenka. The aim is to force Lukashenka into a runoff, which must be held if no candidate wins more than half the votes cast, and to decrease the chances for manipulation of the results.

The only way to show that the majority is on the other side is to come to the polls [and ensure] a high turnout, which makes falsifications impossible," Kalesnikava told Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA.

Hanna Kanapatskaya, the candidate from the opposition United Civil Party, was one of two opposition members to win parliament seats in 2016. She was barred from subsequent elections in 2019 but cleared all the hurdles to get on the presidential ballot.

Although not targeted so far in the current crackdown, Kanapatskaya told Current Time she has been in opposition for more than 25 years and been jailed and subjected to pressure and repression as a result.

Some observers say that Kanapatskaya and the other three challengers were registered in a bid by Lukashenkas government to lend a veneer of plurality to the election while minimizing the threat.

Kanapatskaya contended that she is the only opposition pro-European candidate and the only one who is not associated with Russian puppeteers.

Andrey Dzmitryyeu, another approved candidate and leader of the civic campaign Speak The Truth, said that no single candidate could be designated the most serious challenger to Lukashenka. He suggested that voters have a chance to unseat the incumbent despite his advantages and despite the rejection of the two top rivals.

"In fact, the main competitor for Lukashenka today is the majority of Belarusians, who want to elect a new president," said Dzmitryyeu.

The campaigns of registered candidate Tsikhanouskaya and the barred hopefuls Babaryka and Tsapkala issued a joint statement and five-point plan on July 16, urging Belarusians to vote and vowing to cooperate on fighting electoral fraud.

They also called for an "honest repeat election" to be held after August 9.

More than any campaign in the past, the current election has witnessed Belarusians getting involved, said Astapenia, including many younger people.

People are more involved in the campaign. Theyve joined the initiative groups [to get would-be candidates on the ballot]. They crowd fund to support the victims of political repression, he said.

At the same time, Astapenia said, Lukashenkas lack of a positive agenda has left Belarusians looking for alternatives.

These new people resonate better with Belarusian society, he said. At the end of the day, Viktar Babaryka collected nearly half a million signatures without significant financial resources or actually without any real preparations. It would be a massive political success in any European country.

That is due in part to changes in the media landscape. Opponents are able to get around a state-media blackout and get their messages out on social media and other channels, while Lukashenka has few tools other than repression to get the result he wants.

And the discontent that has been evident in the weeks ahead of the vote will not disappear in the months and years after it, analysts say.

Political repression remains and will remain the main mechanism for suppressing the popular vote, Astapenia said. This suppression will secure Lukashenkas so-called election victory, but these factors are not going away after August 9.
The repatriation ceremony of remains of US servicemen in Hanoi on July 16 (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Hanoi - A repatriation ceremony of remains of US servicemen who died during the war in Vietnam was held at the US MIA Office in Hanoi on July 16.

Attending the ceremony, for the Vietnamese side, were representatives from the Board of Directors of Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Personnel (VNOSMP), the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and, for the US side, were US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink and representatives from the US MIA Office in Hanoi.

The Vietnamese sides representatives handed over to the US side a set of remains which was recovered during the 139st Joint Field Activities from May 5 to June 23, 2020.

The set of remains had been unilaterally reviewed and concluded by Vietnamese forensic specialists that it might be associated with the US servicemen missing during the war in Vietnam and was recommended to bring to Hawaii, the US, for further review.

Addressing at the repatriation ceremony, US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink expressed deep gratitude and high appreciation for the full and effective cooperation of the Vietnamese Government and people.

He vowed to continue supporting Vietnam in searching and gathering the remains of Vietnamese soldiers missing during the war as well as in addressing war consequences.

The seeking of the remains of US servicemen missing during the war in Vietnam is humanitarian cooperation between the Vietnamese and US Governments. This is the 153rd hand-over of American missing servicemens remains since 1973.
A public health professor has said scrapping social-distancing measures in time for Christmas is an enthusiastic approach that is premature as the infection rate is still too high.

The Prime Minister said on Friday he hoped to ease the one-metre social distancing rule by November at the earliest.

Speaking at a press briefing at Downing Street, Boris Johnson said: What were saying is that we hope that by November at the earliest, if we can continue to make progress in our struggle against the virus, then it may conceivably be possible to move away from the social-distancing measures, from the one-metre rule and other things by that time.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a media briefing in Downing Street (Andrew Parsons/10 Downing Street/Crown Copyright/PA)

That is entirely conditional, as I say, on our ability to continue to keep the virus under control.

He said he hoped to review outstanding restrictions and allow a more significant return to normality possibly in time for Christmas.

Linda Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh, said the infection rate in the community is currently too high for this to happen.

Professor Linda Bauld (Cancer Research UK/PA)

She pointed to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) infection survey published on Friday, which shows there are around 1,700 new cases per day in England, the same amount as last week.

She said most countries around the world still had the one-metre rule as a minimum, with the exception of New Zealand and Vietnam.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Prof Bauld said: The only way it would be possible to get rid of the one-metre rule is if, over several months, we dont have any Covid cases around the country.

It does seem strange to suggest we can remove all social distancing if the virus is still in the community even in small levels, and when people are flying in and out of the country.

This is an enthusiastic approach thats premature.

Mr Johnson also pledged an extra 3 billion of funding for the NHS and to increase testing capacity to 500,000 tests per day by the end of October to prepare for a potential second spike in Covid-19 cases in the winter.

Story continues

Prof Bauld said any suggestion by the Government to scrap social distancing by November contradicted its statements about planning for a potential second wave.

She said: We might be in a better place in November but I am not optimistic.

Those of us in the scientific community are worried about winter so why would they say this could happen at such a crucial period?

Seems to me this is about trying to have a normal Christmas, she added.

I hope we have zero cases but we are not there yet.

Chief medical officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, has previously warned that social-distancing measures will need to stay in place until the discovery of a vaccine or highly-effective drugs to reduce the viruss severity.

Current guidance says people should try to keep two metres apart or one metre if they can take extra precautionary measures such as wearing face coverings, sitting side-by-side as opposed to face on, and washing hands frequently.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced visa sanctions on employees of Chinese tech companies for supporting regimes notorious for conducting human rights violations globally after warning on security threats posed by Huawei and lauding the UK for banning the tech giant.

The United States has imposed visa sanctions on certain employees of Chinese technology companies including Huawei that provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights abuses globally.

The US secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the restrictions and said: Telecommunications companies around the world should consider themselves on notice: If they are doing business with Huawei, they are doing business with human rights abusers.

In a statement on Wednesday, Pompeo said that the companies impacted by the action include Huawei, an arm of the CCPs surveillance state that censors political dissidents and enables mass internment camps in Xinjiang and the indentured servitude of its population shipped all over China.

Also read: Following Indias lead, US Congressmen ask Trump to ban TikTok

Also read: China forcefully relocated almost 60 Tibetans: Report

Today, the State Department is imposing visa restrictions on certain employees of Chinese technology companies that provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights abuses globally, the statement read.

Under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, an alien is inadmissible to the United States if the Secretary of State has reason to believe the aliens entry would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States, it added.

The US action comes a day after the UK announced its decision to ban British companies from buying Huawei-produced equipment for 5G networks from the end of the year.

US President Donald Trump has called Chinese technology untrustworthy.

We confronted untrustworthy Chinese technology and telecom providers. We convinced many countries not to use Huawei because its a big security risk. Just today, the UK announced that they are not going to be using it, Trump said on Wednesday.

The United States had designated Chinese telecom companies Huawei and ZTE Corp as national security threats, saying they have close ties with the Chinese Communist Party and Chinas military apparatus.

Also read: Uyghur Muslims need international support to defeat Chinese-regime

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Iran has begun construction on mills that will be used to produce hundreds of tons of flour for Syria, which will supply the country with bread writes Sowt Al-Asima.

On Wednesday, the Syrian Grain Foundation announced the start of contracts with Iran to build a number of mills in Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Hassakeh.

The Director General of the Syrian Grain Foundation, Youssef Qassem, said that the Iranian company has started the construction on three mills in the aforementioned governorates, which will take two years to complete, in addition to building a mill in Umm al-Zaytun, which is currently being tested. A second mill is in the city of Salhab in the Hama countryside, is nearly completed.

Qassem indicated that the production capacity of each of these mills amounts to 300 tons per day, meaning that the total capacity of the five mills, once they are all operational, will be 1,500 tons of flour per day.

He noted that the last stage in the construction of the Talkalakh mill in rural Homs  which is being built by a Russian company and whose capacity will be approximately 600 tons per day  is facing delays because of the confinement measures due to the novel coronavirus.

Qassem stated that when the six mills become operational, the foundations production capacity will increase to 2,100 tons per day, in addition to the mills currently operating. Furthermore, according to Qassem, the reconstruction of two mills that were sabotaged by terrorist groups is scheduled.

He noted that, receiving and buying wheat from farmers is ongoing at the foundations 49 centers in the various provinces, and farmers will be paid within 48 hours of receipt, through the branches of the Agricultural Bank in the provinces.

The General Establishment for Grain Trading, Storing and Manufacturing announced a tender for the purchase of 200,000 tons of soft Russian wheat needed for the production of bread, and set Jul. 28, 2020, as the deadline for receiving offers, which are required to be in dollars.

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.
HALIFAXNova Scotia is easing its COVID-19 restrictions to allow visitors back inside nursing homes.

Premier Stephen McNeil said Friday the restrictions were put in place to protect some of the most vulnerable people in the province, but its time to bring back some normalcy to the lives of those in long-term care.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang said residents in long-term care will be able to have more visitors starting July 22.

We are moving from two up to five visitors per resident for outdoor visits, he said at a news conference in Halifax.

Visitors will need to keep physical distance or wear a mask. So if they want to go in and have a hug or put a hand on a shoulder, they can do that, but they need to wear a mask, otherwise they need to stay back that six-foot distance.

Strang said up to three people can be designated as indoor visitors, but they can only visit one at a time and must book in advance.

Strang used much of the news conference to stress the importance of wearing a mask in controlling the spread of COVID-19.

He announced the province is making masks mandatory for drivers and passengers on public transit as of July 24.

The reality is there are very few valid reasons not to wear a non-medical mask. They are mainly related to anxiety, Strang said.

While masks will be mandatory on buses, Strang said the province wont be taking a policing approach to enforce their use.

He did say the province is looking at examples from other locations and could extend the mandatory mask order to other locations and situations.

Nova Scotia reported no new cases of COVID-19 Friday. There are still two active cases in the province.

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British Columbia Premier John Horgan took credit Thursday for pushing the rest of the country to endorse a new $1.1-billion federally funded paid sick leave program to help Canadians avoid spreading COVID-19 at their jobs.

A $19-billion safe restart agreement has been reached with the provinces and territories, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced earlier in the day, meant to fund efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic for the next six to eight months.

As part of this package, the federal government is offering a temporary income support program that will provide workers 10 days of paid sick leave related to COVID-19, if they dont already have access to this benefit.

Horgan, Yukon Premier Sandy Silver and Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister have been advocating for such a national program to help Canadians avoid having to choose between working while sick and losing income during a pandemic.

More than half of workers in B.C. between 25 and 65 years old do not have any paid sick days, according to a survey by the BC office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Workers with low incomes are also much less likely to have any, they found, including 89 per cent of those earning less than $30,000 a year.

Im particularly proud of our ability here in British Columbia to push the rest of the country to embrace the idea of a paid sick leave program, nationally funded and nationally co-ordinated, Horgan said during a press conference Thursday.

The government said the program, which it estimated to cost $1.1 billion, will encourage workers to remain at home and seek public health advice if they are showing symptoms.

To safely restart the economy, Canada must ensure that workers do not return to work if they have COVID-19 or are showing symptoms, reads a backgrounder from Trudeaus office.

Provinces and territories will need to pass legislation or regulations that will protect the jobs of workers who are taking advantage of the 10 days being offered, the government said.

B.C. plans to roll out its own $1.5-billion recovery package in the coming days. Horgan said those details are being finalized now and had originally included paid sick leave until Ottawa said it would pick up the bill.

The province recently forecasted a deficit of $12.5 billion for 2020-21 and has seen job losses of 235,000 since February. After distributing more than $5 billion in financial aid, B.C. is bracing for over a billion dollars in losses in income tax and sales tax.

In addition to paid sick leave, the prime minister said other funding in the $19-billion agreement would go toward: more testing, contact tracing and health information sharing; long-term care facilities, home care and palliative care; personal protective equipment; child-care spaces; and Canadians experiencing substance use, mental health, or homelessness challenges.

The government will also be providing two streams of joint funding with the provinces and territories, one for public transit and another for municipalities.

Public transit funding has been a major issue for B.C., Ontario and Quebec. TransLink in Metro Vancouver was expected to lose almost a half-billion dollars in revenue in 2020 as ridership plummeted, according to the Mayors Council on Regional Transportation.

One of the sticking points over the restart plan was that Ottawa had initially capped transit funding, said Horgan, such that he said it would have been entirely absorbed by Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

We anticipate were going to be needing in the neighbourhood of $600 million to get back on track ... just for this year, he said.

Toronto Mayor John Tory said Thursday he expects the TTC to benefit significantly from the federal funding.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, speaking from a farm in the provinces southern region as he embarked on a provincial tour, described the overall federal funding as desperately needed.

Ontarios share of the cash is roughly $7 billion, he said. Ford thanked Freeland and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe for their leadership on the deal, along with mayors of Ontario cities who he said gave unwavering support during negotiations.

With files from Emma McIntosh

This reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.

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By Ayya Lmahamad

Some 1,146 citizens were fined during the past 24 hours across the country for violating the strict quarantine regime, the main traffic police department under the Ministry of Interior reported on July 17.

All 1,146 were fined according to Article 211.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences. Of them 1,013 were drivers who failed to follow the quarantine regime requirements and 133 were citizens not using facial masks in the public transport.

In the meantime, 335 cars, which had sought to leave these territories were stopped, and returned back during the reporting period.

Earlier, it was reported that 34,867 citizens were fined in the period of June 21 and July 15 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
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 19:32:38|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran's confirmed novel coronavirus cases rose to 269,440 on Friday after an overnight registration of 2,379 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, 1,852 were hospitalized.

The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 13,791 Iranians, up by 183 in the past 24 hours, she said.

So far, 232,873 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals and 3,509 remain in critical condition.

According to Lari, 2,098,985 lab tests for COVID-19 have been carried out in Iran as of Friday.

Iran's health official said that 10 provinces are still in high-risk condition.

She urged people to avoid unnecessary public appearance and refrain from ceremonial and family gatherings.

Lari on Friday asked people to observe sanitary instructions, 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
By Chayut Setboonsarng

BANGKOK, July 9 (Reuters) - Alibaba-backed tech hiring platform GetLinks is seeing a boost in revenue after a series of layoffs at technology-related companies like Grab and Agoda enabled other firms expanding digital and online operations to snap up workers.

GetLinks saw its revenue double in the first half of 2020 from the corresponding period a year earlier, chief strategy officer and co-founder Djoann Fal told Reuters.

Companies ramped up recruiting to enhance digital services and e-commerce capabilities, reflecting how the coronavirus is accelerating digital trends like online shopping and remote work.

GetLinks has placed workers at Uniqlo, LOreal and top retailer Central Group this year, he said, and that full stack engineers, e-commerce and product managers were among the top roles recruited.

A Thai bank in June bought our pre-paid subscription for $20,000 to hire dozens of people for the next three months, Fal said.

Prior to the pandemic, the bank would pay $1,000 per hire or 15% of salary.

GetLinks does not charge candidates.

In May, the company listed 4,700 jobs versus an average of 2,000 in a month.

The demand coincided with a flood of new candidates as startups and other companies shed workers.

Bookings Holdings Inc's Thailand-based Agoda slashed 1,500 jobs.

Singaporean ride-hailing startup, Grab, laid off about 360 employees and rival operator, Indonesia-based Go-Jek, also cut 430 jobs.

"The influx was so high that we had to make a special CSR (corporate social responsibility) campaign to support the talents who got fired by providing them work from home opportunities," Fal said, adding hundreds of new candidates from Agoda and Grab came onto the platform.

Last month, GetLinks entered into a partnership with Manila-based Kalibrr, bringing the number of candidates on GetLinks to 5 million from one million with more white-collar professionals.

The tie-up also expands its customer base from 10,000 to 25,000 companies and gives it reach in Indonesia and the Philippines. (Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Strikingly, the poll found that Dr. Fauci had the trust of a majority even in some of Mr. Trumps core demographics: white Americans without college degrees (59 percent), people living in rural areas (55 percent) and white men (61 percent).

The president, meanwhile, was in bad shape here: In each of those groups, fewer than half of respondents said they trusted him to provide information about the virus. It is more evidence that even while Mr. Trump continues to exert command over the Republican Party faithful, his handling of the virus may be driving down support for him  and possibly for the party  among certain must-win demographics.

This has also put down-ballot Republicans in a bind. Caught between Mr. Trumps calls to reopen and the publics overwhelming desire to exercise caution, relatively few congressional Republicans who are looking at competitive elections in November have placed the virus at the center of their campaigns. Yet most voters call the pandemic an issue of critical importance to their candidate choice.

Trumps numbers are down even with core groups.

Even for self-identified Republicans  who continue to express overwhelming approval of Mr. Trumps performance  confidence in his handling of the pandemic has been shaken. His approval rating specifically on the virus dipped below 80 percent among Republicans in both the Quinnipiac poll and an ABC News/Ipsos poll last week.

Just 51 percent of white voters without a college degree told Quinnipiac interviewers that they approved of his job performance over all, down from 60 percent a month ago. Among white evangelicals, approval of Mr. Trumps job performance had dropped to 70 percent, a 10-percentage-point drop from a May Quinnipiac poll.

By a 14-point margin, voters said in a CNBC poll last month that they thought Joseph R. Biden Jr., the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, would do a better job handling the pandemic than Mr. Trump.

Americans are hesitant to reopen schools  and supportive of masks.

With coronavirus cases climbing in most states, Mr. Trump has not articulated a clear national framework for confronting the disease. Virus and antibody tests  which he often calls central to the administrations strategy  have recently begun to take weeks to produce results in many cases. Even as he presses for schools to reopen, he has declined to issue a national plan for how to do so safely.
Idaho congressman Russ Fulcher is targeting a racist with more African-American blood on her hands than the entire Confederate Army: Margaret Sanger. She expressed a desire to limit African-American births in order to "improve" the American population and founded Planned Parenthood to accomplish that goal:

In a letter to Clarence Gable in 1939, Sanger wrote: "We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members" (Margaret Sanger commenting on the 'Negro Project' in a letter to Gamble, Dec. 10, 1939).

Despite this despicable racism (Sanger once addressed a KKK rally, too), a bust of her resides in the National Portrait Gallery, a part of the taxpayer-funded Smithsonian Institution.



Photo credit: National Portrait Galley.

(The Smithsonian just removed an explicitly racist graphic from the website of The National Museum of African-American History & Culture, so know that they do respond to such pressures.)

Disrn.com reports:

Republican Idaho Rep. Russ Fulcher has written a letter to the secretary of the Smithsonian urging the removal of a bust honoring Margaret Sanger. Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, has long been criticized for her eugenicist and racist beliefs. She pushed for the abortion of unborn children "when either mother or father suffers from such diseases as tuberculosis, gonorrhea, syphilis, cancer, epilepsy, insanity, drunkenness, and mental disorders," as well as the abortion of unborn children who are physically or mentally disabled. In his letter, Fulcer said it was "troubling" that the National Portrait Gallery still featured a bust of Sanger. "As our nation struggles to address racial injustice, it is unconscionable that an avowed racist and eugenicist is featured so prominently," Fulcher said. Read Fulcher's full letter to the secretary of the Smithsonian here.

Curiously, Black Lives Matter has never, to my knowledge, demonstrated in front of a Planned Parenthood office located in a black neighborhood, put there to eliminate more African-American lives.
An old sign advertising the time for mass is seen on the facade of the closed St. Gerard Majella Catholic Church in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 23, 2020. (Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images)

California Churches Sue Newsom Over Singing Ban

Several Christian churches filed a lawsuit against Gov. Gavin Newsom on July 15, saying the California governors new guidelines that ban singing during indoor services violate their constitutional rights.

The California Department of Public Health announced guidelines on July 1 for places of worship and cultural ceremonies that mandate they must discontinue indoor singing and chanting activities and limit indoor attendance to 25 percent of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower, to slow the spread of COVID-19.

River of Life Church in Oroville, Calvary Chapel Fort Bragg, and Calvary Chapel of Ukiah are listed as plaintiffs in the suit, while Newsom and California Public Health Officer Dr. Sonia Angell are among the defendants. The three churches are all located in Northern California.

Banning singing in California churches is an unconstitutional abuse of power. And to do it in the name of a pandemic is despicable, plaintiff attorney Jordan Sekulow said in a statement. This ban is clearly targeted at religion. It is clearly a violation of the First Amendment and a direct violation of religious liberty.

The suit says that Newsom was in full support of massive protests across the state, citing a June 5 tweet in which he wrote that protesters have the right to protest peacefully, but is not relaying the same enthusiasm for evangelical Christians who wish to exercise their freedom of religion.

Each church holds weekly worship services that include singing, recitation of scripture, and prayer. Singing and praying aloud as a body of Christ is an essential part of worship, the lawsuit states, and placing restrictions on such practices is a direct violation of their First Amendment rights to free exercise of religion.

Newsom is also breaching the churches 14th Amendment rights of equal protection under the law by making arbitrary distinctions between individuals based solely on differences that are irrelevant to a legitimate governmental objection, according to the lawsuit.

Newsom and the governors office did not respond with comment prior to publication.

Let me be clear, the State does not have the jurisdiction to ban houses of worship from singing praises to God, attorney Robert Tyler said in a statement.

The governors guidelines prohibit singing and chanting during religious services and rehearsals, even if the congregations follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations that encourage mask wearing and social distancing.

The state guidelines cite an increased likelihood for transmission of COVID-19 from contaminated exhaled droplets that are released through singing or chanting. The guidelines recommend alternative methods of worship, including internet streaming.

Failure to comply with the order is punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both, the lawsuit states.
A late flourish added colour to an otherwise dull day for the Australian sharemarket, with Friday's gains helping the index finish the week 1.9 per cent higher.

The ASX finished the week up 1.9%. Credit:Peter Rae

The benchmark ASX 200 was subdued for most of Friday's session before a sharp rise in the final 10 minutes helped it close 22.7 points, or 0.4 per cent, higher at 6033.6.

Sobering coronavirus updates from Victoria and NSW knocked the wind out of an early rise but the iron ore giants proved a pillar of strength, as they have for much of the week. BHP and Rio Tinto both finished higher again while Fortescue Metals closed at another record high $16.39.

Incidentally, it was Fortescue's best week since June 2019, with gains coming to 10.4 per cent and pushing it closer to a market cap of $50 billion.

Total trading volumes were again low on Friday at 580 million shares traded, continuing a theme that has played out over the past two weeks.

Tribeca portfolio manager Jun Bei Liu said the Australian school holidays - coupled with the northern hemisphere summer vacation period - has played a role in subdued trade, but investors were also in wait-and-watch-mode ahead of earnings season.

"The market feels like it is waiting for the (company) results," Tribeca portfolio manager Jun Bei Liu said. "Its waiting for more news to validate whether things will do better, or take longer to recover."

"Headlines are driving the market up and down as the confidence in the underlying earnings is not very high."

"We need to hear to from the companies about what they are seeing"

Only the tech sector closed in the red on Friday as the wider index recovered from two dour coronavirus updates.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a further tightening of restrictions on restaurants, cafes and bars, which from next Friday will be required to limit group bookings to 10 people.

Victoria, meanwhile, announced a new record for daily coronavirus cases - 428 - with another three deaths.

The ASX200 appeared to be meandering towards a tepid close before rising sharply at the end of trade.

Materials were the strongest performer, up 0.8 per cent for the session, and closing up 4.2 per cent for the week. Strong iron ore prices have fuelled this rise, while gold also remains elevated at near $US1800 levels.

The health sector rose 0.5 per cent for the week as blood giant CSL recovered from an early slump to finish 0.7 per cent higher at $283.42.

Commonwealth Bank and ANZ both edged 0.1 per cent lower while Westpac rose 0.5 per cent to $17.89 and NAB added 0.2 per cent to $18.10. Macquarie Group finished 0.4 per cent higher at $125.18.

Other blue-chip gainers on Friday included Transurban, up 1.7 per cent to $13.94.

Asian markets were mostly higher, while US futures point to modest gains on Wall Street tonight.
Will Turkish cement exports come under pressure?

17 July 2020

As the second-largest cement exporter after Vietnam, Turkey's cement industry has for many years exported its surplus around the world. However, analysts anticipate Turkish trade to contract due to COVID-19 as the pandemic affects trans-Atlantic exports to the US, as well as other countries where anti-dumping measures increase in response to local surpluses - most recently Georgia. However, this week's news indicates that Turkish cement exporters have found ways to boost their sales, at least to France.



The rise in cement exports from Turkey to France registered an 8.9 per cent increase to US$61.6m in the 1H20, according to the Turkish Ministry of Trade. This is perhaps surprising considering that France a cement consumption of around 19Mt and an installed capacity of 29.5Mt. French capacity is also increasing with new grinding plants such as Rhone Ciments' Portes-les-Valance plant coming on-stream in May. However, like many countries, France has major infrastructure projects that it wants to get up and running again quickly to help its economy begin to recover. This could well be attracting demand for higher imports of cement and clinker.



Will Turkish cement exports continue to pick-up?

Total cement exports from Turkey in June reached US$343.1m, up 37.4 per cent on June 2019  not restricted by COVID-19 as initially feared.



This is supported by data from the Turkish cement Manufacturers Association (TCMB) announced in June, which showed that cement and clinker exports from Turkey had surged by 37 per cent to 9.8Mt in the 5M20. Cement exports reached 4.8Mt and clinker exports 5Mt in 5M20.



Earlier in February 2020, Dr Tamer Saka, chairman of the TCMB, stated that "Our forecast is that the Turkish cement sector will grow approximately two per cent in domestic sales and 15 per cent in exports this year."



Strong export sales in May and June followed a robust start to 2020, compared to the 1H19. "While the total cement and clinker exports of the sector increased by 54 per cent in the first quarter of the year, export revenue increased by 37 per cent to US$276m. In the same period, cement exports increased by 57.1 per cent and reached 3.8Mt, while clinker exports increased by 51 per cent to 4.2Mt," added Dr Saka.



USA imports not contracting yet

Figures from the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that imports of clinker and cement to the USA were up seven per cent to 1.4Mt in March 2020 and 3.5Mt for the 1Q20 period. Turkey was the largest source of imports, which amounted to 1Mt over the first quarter, ahead of Canada (0.8Mt) and Greece (0.5Mt).



Speaking during the recent Cemtech Live Webinar on Global Trade in May 2020, Ad Ligthart of Cement Distribution Consultants suggested cement trade from Turkey was likely to fall in the 2H20 as the impact of the pandemic was felt on demand. As a result, he argued, terminals in the USA could be mothballed along with coastal grinding plants.

COVID-19 is certainly at its most potent in Texas and Florida, both key destinations for Turkish exports, which will be hit if the state cannot contain the virus better than it has to date.



Outlook

It is a little early to make long-term assumptions on Turkish cement and clinker trade with the pandemic still raging in many parts of the world. However, as countries are looking to kickstart their economies, the construction sector is paramount in many governments' thinking, which will drive cement sales. There are opportunities to take up the slack in some markets and the ready availability of excess Turkish cement on Europe's borders is not being overlooked by some countries. The Turkish export scene may turn out to be more resilient than anticipated at the start of the year when the first reports of the spread of COVID-19 emerged.

Published under
What goes round comes around and this phrase has come true for the Kerala woman whose video of helping an elderly visually impaired man board a bus went viral last week. Her gesture not only won praise online, it also helped her get a house.

Her kindness has helped her get a house, a dream which was hindered by poverty, the Hindustan Times reported. Supriya works as a saleswoman with the Alukkas group and the chairman of the company had visited her rented house to congratulate her after she became the talk of the social media. Chairman Joy Alukkas then told her to visit the the head office in Thrissur for a surprise.

The surprise was a home of her own and she was moved to tears as hundreds of workers cheered for her. "It was a spontaneous act and I never thought this will fetch me so much of praise and love, she was quoted as saying. Supriya has been working in the company for three years and lived in a rented house with her children and husband.

Last week, Supriya's video of chasing a bus and helping the old man board it surfaced on social media. She was hailed as a hero for her act of kindness and generosity. She ran after the bus, stopped it and urged the conductor to wait for the old man who was walking with the help of a cane. The video then showed her walking back to the frail man and helping him get on the bus before she left.
(Photo : Gonzalo Fuentes / Reuters) There are Apple stores re-locating, as with this breaking news story.

Tech company Apple, Inc. is taking silent strides as it decided to transfer to a new location today, particularly its retail shop in Virginia's Reston. This paves the way for more of its stores to re-open since March, in light of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The store in Reston, an area in Fairfax County, is getting a redesigned architecture and interior after around a year of planning and construction, and that is said to be more than the size of the Apple store's previous vicinity, exclusive news from 9to5Mac shared.

Whenever a branch of an Apple store opens, it will be an event with loud cheers and long queues from visitors hoping to take a look at the new store. The pandemic continues to cripple the state, and so, opening a store in Reston appeared as if a short notice, since they only posted a small note on their windows and never made an announcement on their website, Michael Steeber wrote in the story.

For instance, the Apple store in China closed last March, and consequently, the customers were surprised to see this store opening.

"Finding the store isn't tough -- its right next door," Steeber indicated.

Store's design

The store is said to be framed in white-colored quartz in revolving entry door, and glass facade wall-to-wall, a venture different from the stainless steel appearance from where it was in the past. If you have been to the stores in Pentagon City and Clarendon, this one in Reston is quite familiar.

Also Read: Huawei Trolls Apple By Giving Away Powerbanks To iPhone XS Launch Queue

CNET also reported previously that this particular store is doubling the perimeters of its interiors. While it has been closed, the Apple store which opened over a decade ago, will seek to expand its market.

Located at 11949 Market Street, the store will expand its former 5,000 square-foot location by transforming into a 10,000-square-foot area next door, and the land was previously owned by Pottery Barn.

During this time, Apple refused to issue statements on the opening and re-opening. However, they did today but in low-key.

COVID-19 continues

The COVID-19 pandemic is not sparing the Apple stores. In Virginia state, the pandemic infections are at more than 70,000, the state health department data said.

Thus, it can be different experience and never simply walking past the entrance door and checking out the products. The company is still encouraging customers to take their shopping and repair needs online.

Face masks are required, and there will be temperature checks right when you walk in, and customers will have to fall in line before entering. They also have to schedule an appointment with a specialist.

Tech Times provides these tech updates and news stories. Follow our social media pages for more breaking news and the latest updates on Apple, Google, Tesla, and more.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Parvez Sultan By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: As conducting funerals of loved ones who died of coronavirus became a difficult task for families, former MLA from Shahdara, Jitender Singh Shunty has taken it upon himself to perform their last rites with dignity.

His independent organisation, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal (SBSSD), has conducted 45 cremations including seven of unclaimed or unidentified coronavirus victims in the last three months.

Shunty (58), the founder of the SBSSD, which has 22 volunteers and 18 hearse vans and ambulances, arranged transportation for 261 bodies of those who succumbed to the virus and also ferried over 250 patients to hospitals or Covid Care facilities.

Being personally involved in the service, Shunty earlier in the month contracted the virus himself.

Later, his wife (56) and two sons aged 26 and 34 years also contracted the deadly virus. However, this failed to deter the family dedication to serve others.

Shunty and his sons continued monitoring the arrangements online and also over the phone.

We have helped aroud 35 families, which werent able to carry out the last rites of their relatives because either they were in quarantine or were reluctant to participate due to fear. Some even refused to claim the body. We performed last rites according to their faith, said Shunty, who is recuperating at home.

His organisation is primarily active in three districts in the trans-Yamuna area  east, northeast, and Shahdara and is working closely with district officials.Shunty has also been receiving appreciation from the government officials for his noble act.

Whenever the district administration faces any issue regarding cremation and transportation of the body of a Covid positive person, he volunteers. On occasions, he came forward to conduct last rites when even families refused, Arun Kumar Mishra, district magistrate (east).

Shunty was admitted to the hospital when he was found positive on July 1 but was later shifted to home-isolation.

We all are fine and the fever has subsided. We will go for testing again in a day or two, but am feeling extreme weakness. As soon as I recover, I will be on the field once again, said Shunty.

Rajesh Choudhary, sub-divisional magistrate (Vivek Vihar) said besides ferrying hearse vans and ambulances, SBSSD adopted families of Covid 19 infected persons and provided them food, sanitisers, masks, and free ration.
Arizona and Texas counties hit hard by COVID-19 are ordering coolers and refrigerated trailers to store bodies as their morgues fill up, authorities said on Thursday.

Arizona's Maricopa County, home to the state's largest city, Phoenix, is bringing in 14 coolers to hold up to 280 bodies and more than double morgue capacity ahead of an expected surge in coronavirus fatalities, officials said on Thursday.

In Texas, the city of San Antonio and Bexar County have acquired five refrigerated trailers to store up to 180 bodies as some morgues at hospitals and funeral homes reach capacity, Mario Martinez, San Antonio Metro Health assistant director, said in a video.

Dozens of coolers and refrigerator trucks are headed to Arizona and Texas as the two states see coronavirus cases continue to skyrocket

Fourteen refrigerated trucks are headed to Texas in the next week to serve as temporary mortuaries, CNBC reports. The trucks are being sent by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

'The directors I've talked to in the last week are at capacity or over capacity, thus the reason they had to bring in the trailers,' said Gene Allen, president of the Texas Funeral Directors Association.

As of Friday morning, Texas has more than 305,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus while 3,657 people have died.

In Arizona, more than 134,600 have tested positive for COVID-19 while some 2,492 people have died.

New York used dozens of refrigerated trailers in April as its daily COVID-19 deaths exceeded 700. The appearance of mobile morgues in Arizona and Texas reflects that the pandemic appears to now be spinning out of control in southern U.S. states.

Arizona's Maricopa County, home to the state's largest city, Phoenix, is bringing in 14 coolers to hold up to 280 bodies

14 refrigerated trucks are headed to Texas in the next week to serve as temporary mortuaries as cases in the state pass 305,000 positive COVID-19 cases

'We are likely to see the trends of deaths rise over the next two to three weeks,' Maricopa County health director Marcy Flanagan told a news briefing.

Maricopa's daily COVID-19 cases peaked in late June at over 3,000. Patients typically spend a few weeks in hospital before dying, Flanagan said.

Texas on Thursday reported 10,457 new COVID-19 cases and a single-day record of 129 deaths. The state's Cameron and Hidalgo counties are also sharing a refrigerated trailer to store bodies of coronavirus patients, local press reported.

Coolers in Maricopa will be located at the medical examiner's office, which stores around 20% of bodies in the county. Many hospitals and funeral homes that hold the rest are at or near capacity, said Flanagan and county spokesman Fields Moseley.

Phoenix-based Abrazo Health Network has morgue space but has ordered refrigerated storage to have additional capacity if needed, a spokesman said on Thursday. (Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico Editing by Bill Tarrant and Matthew Lewis)
Malik Faisal Akram, from Blackburn (top-right, being arrested in 2018), was shot dead by US law enforcement on Saturday night after taking four people and a Rabbi hostage in a 10-hour siege (bottom-right). Tonight, it was revealed that the 44-year-old was the subject of a 'short lead investigation' - effectively chasing a tip-off - by MI5 for a least four weeks at the end of 2020. While there were concerns about Akram's activities, spooks deemed there was no sign he presented an imminent threat and he case was closed before tactics such as eavesdropping were deployed, according to the Times. It comes as a new image (left) emerged of Akram tonight, taken at an outreach centre in Dallas - around three miles from the site of the attack in Colleyville - just days before he took hostages. Wayne Walker, chief executive at the shelter, Our Calling, said Akram was hugged by a man who dropped him off there on January 2. Meanwhile, police in the UK have released two teenagers who they arrested as part of their inquiry into the attack without charge. The youngsters, who are believed to be under the age of 18, and cannot be identified for legal reasons, were detained in South Manchester on Sunday.
Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of South Africa's first black president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, was buried at a private funeral on Friday following her death aged 59 earlier this week. The daughter of Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, she was South Africa's ambassador to Denmark at the time of her death, which coincided with the anniversary of a car crash that claimed the life of his first son, 51 years earlier. His family said she had tested positive for coronavirus on the day she died on Monday, but they were still awaiting post-mortem results. In a eulogy at a virtual memorial Thursday night President Cyril Ramaphosa thanked the Mandela family for "the very important gesture of sharing this information with the nation". "In doing so you are helping to encourage social acceptance for sufferers." "This is a virus that affects us all, and there should never be any stigma around people who become infected," said Ramaphosa. South Africa is now the world's sixth most affected country with 324,221 cases, including 4,669 deaths. When Zindzi's half-brother, Makgatho Mandela, died of an AIDS-related illness in 2005 at the age of 54, the father spoke openly about the cause of the death. Mandela became one of the first public figures to break the taboo around the AIDS epidemic that had engulfed South Africa. Zindzi was buried next to her mother -- who died two years ago -- at a cemetery in Fourways, a northern suburb of Johannesburg. Radical leftist opposition leader Julius Malema paid tribute to Zindzi for her role in the liberation of South Africa from the shackles of apartheid. - 'Shattered' - "She survived the most brutal regime at an early age and we thought that this crisis and invisible enemy (coronavirus) we are confronted with today, she is going to survive it because she has seen worse," said Malema. "And when people like mama Zindzi succumb to this invisible enemy we all remain hopeless and we are shattered," Malema told public broadcaster SABC at the cemetery. Zindzi grew up while her father was incarcerated by the apartheid regime for 27 years. She was an active member of the African National Congress (ANC) youth movement. One of her most prominent moments was in 1985 when she read out -- in front of a huge crowd of ANC supporters at a Soweto stadium -- a letter in which her father rejected an offer of release from the then apartheid president P.W. Botha. At the time Botha had offered to free Mandela from prison on condition he renounced the anti-apartheid violence and protests. Only two of Mandela's six children survive. Zenani, 61, is South Africa's ambassador to Argentina while Makaziwe, 66, who was born from Mandela's first marriage with Evelyn Mase, is a businesswoman in South Africa. His eldest child Thembekile was killed at the age of 24 in a car crash on July 13, 1969 while his father was imprisoned on Robben Island. A daughter from Mandela's first marriage died in 1948, nine months after birth. Zindzi Mandela, left, and her sister Zenani Mandela-Dlamini, at the funeral of their mother, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in April 2018 Zindzi Mandela, pictured at the premiere of 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom,' the biopic of her legendary father, in November 2013
Environmental issues are some of the largest and most significant problems facing our world today. All over the Earth, we are seeing the effects of climate change, and our systemic disregard for the environment. From increased global temperatures, melting icecaps, changes in weather patterns, and the continued use of greenhouse gases, the world is feeling the impacts of mass human consumption on limited global resources. As the second largest country in the world (from a geographical standpoint) Canada is becoming increasingly aware of the effects of climate change within the country. Here are some of the top environmental issues affecting Canada today.

8. Climate Change

Image credit: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

When talking about environmental issues, the top issue is almost inevitably climate change. Though there are some that may argue otherwise, scientific data is clear that the average global temperatures are rising, and there have been significant shifts in the overall climate both within Canada and on a global scale. In Canada, steps are being taken to curb climate change, and the negative effects humans have had on the environment as much as possible. Environment Canada is the exclusive group which studies climate change at a national level. It both collects data and imparts this knowledge in relation to policy and national mitigation efforts. This group targets a variety of areas for research and prevention, from weather patterns; to water and ice analysis; changes in localized temperatures; air quality; and overall risks factors. Everything that falls under the category of climate analysis is studied at the highest level in order to better understand humans impact on the environment, and thus begin to mitigate the damage. Some of the issues described below like rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patters, melting of ice caps and permafrost, and increased hazardous weather are all triggered by climate change as one of the primary factors.

7. Rising Temperatures

Image credit: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock.com

One of the most obvious environmental issues that has become apparent over the last decade or two, is that of increased temperatures. In fact, what is now being more broadly referred to as climate change was once simply called global warming. While global warming was a somewhat limited term, an overall increase in the global temperature is one of the most alarming environmental issues facing Canada, and the world at large. These increases in temperature are primarily due to greenhouse gases, thus named because they create a barrier of sorts in the atmosphere, trapping heat in. Between 1948 and 2014, the average temperature within Canadas land mass has increased 1.6 degrees celsius. This is twice the global average, meaning Canadian temperatures are increasing at a far more rapid rate than any other country on record. It has been projected that average temperatures in Canada will rise anywhere from 2.0 degrees celsius to 9.5 degrees celsius within the current century, if the level of emissions is not reduced. This is in contrast to the global average, which is projected to rise by 5.6.

6. Shifts in Precipitation Patterns

A group of people take cover during heavy rains under a building. Image credit: Andriy Blokhin/Shutterstock.com

Generally, levels of precipitation have increased in the last seventy or so years. There has been a general increase across all provinces and climates. Canada also sees a great deal of snow in many regions. In some areas, snow will be consistent through the winter months, resulting in a significant spring melting period. It has been noted that the areas that historically would have been covered by snow come spring time, have been steadily decreasing. This decrease has also been happening at a faster and faster rate across North America. This snow cover, and its resulting spring melt, directly effects water supplies in spring. As there is less snow to melt, the result is a lower volume of water in rivers, lakes, streams and even the water table in warmer months.

5. The Melting of Ice Caps and Permafrost

Melting ice forms waterfall falling into sea over edge of glacier wall due to global warming in Northern Arctic. Image credit: Tony Skerl/Shutterstock.com

Environment Canadas Ice Service closely monitors Arctic sea ice via satellite and remote research stations. The last ten years have shown record losses in the amount of sea ice present, as well as increased changes in the composition of said ice. What has sometimes been called the Big Thaw has seen glacier numbers drop from over one hundred and fifty, to less than thirty in the past hundred years. Furthermore, the remaining glaciers are rapidly shrinking as surrounding water temperatures rise. Similarly, the permafrost, which for Canada is much of its northern territories, has been thawing. This melting of the ice within northern Canada and the Arctic means that the water levels in the ocean both rise dramatically, and increase in overall temperature. For this reason, the melting of the ice caps and the thawing of the permafrost is seen as one of the most alarming environmental issues at hand for Canada and the world at large. It is resulting not only in a loss of habitat for arctic animals, but impacts all oceanic life.

4. Increased Hazardous Weather

A snowstorm in Quebec, Canada. Image credit: Maridav/Shutterstock.com

Along with changes in the overall global temperature, climate change and environmental issues can have an impact on weather patterns. As the human impact on the environment increases, so to have the incidences of extreme weather within Canada and around the world. Usually caused by the increase in greenhouse gases, rising temperatures can mean more moisture in the atmosphere, often resulting in stormy weather. For Canada, this usually means more rain and flooding, which have been a growing problem throughout summer months in the last decade. In winter, higher levels of moisture in the atmosphere bring heavy snow fall or blizzard like conditions. Western Canada has also experienced an increase in dry hot weather that results in crop draught, as well as forest fires, with growing frequency. Most notably, 2016 saw a devastating forest fire which blazed through Fort McMurray, Alberta, an area which continues to see more forest fires in recent years.

3. Air Pollution

Air emisions from an oil refinery in the "heartland" of Alberta, Canada. Image credit: Bruce Raynor/Shutterstock.com

Environment Canada, tracks environmental issues and changes, but is responsible for curating reports regarding environmental hazards and projections. Canadas Emissions Trends tracks emissions data as well as forecasts potential areas of concern. One of the areas in which Canada has been taking specific action is air pollution. Short lived climate pollutants have been of specific interest, as reducing these pollutants can result in more immediate positive change. These pollutants, which include methane, ozone, and black carbon, contribute to many of the major environmental issues for Canada and the world. Unfortunately, Canada had some of the highest levels of emissions prior to 2010. Since, then, Canada has taken a keen interest in this issue, and is a founding member of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, in the hopes of mitigating some of the damage already done, and preventing further large impacts to global and national air quality.

2. Road Salt Pollution

Road salt being added on a highway by a truck. Image credit: Krasula/Shutterstock.com

The environmental issue of road salt, is one that although not uniquely Canadian, is certainly far more prominent there than in many other countries. Due to harsh winter conditions, road salt, or sodium chloride, is largely utilized to melt ice on roadways and prevent snow build up for drivers. Much of Canada sees long and arduous winters, where snowfall and freezing conditions are common. Because of this, there is a large period of the year where road salt is employed. While salt does a wonderful job of melting through ice to reduce driving hazards and improve road traction, it is inherently harsh on the environment. Runoff from highways and streets causes this salt to be washed into the soil, increasing chloride levels between 100 and 4,000 times that of the normal local levels. Salt kills most living things, and can prevent plant growth in many soil cultures. This change in soil structure also effects various microorganisms and in turn, wildlife in the area. While some regions have switched away from sodium chloride based products to a more sand like grit, salt continues to be an ongoing environmental issue in Canadian winters.

1. Oil Sands and Pipelines

Oilsands tailings pond north of Fort McMurray, Alberta. Image credit: Donny Ash/Shutterstock.com

Albertas oil sands operation is the worlds largest industrial project. Pipelines, and specifically the building of new pipelines within both Canada and the U.S.A., has been a controversial topic in recent times. Many have raised concerns surrounding potential pipeline leaks, or large scale oil spills, which can have devastating effects on the environment. While Canada is striving to reduce its environmental impact, the oil sands industry remains a point of contention, and one of the most lucrative national industries. The oil industry is a large producer of carbon emissions. For this reason, carbon taxes and carbon capturing technologies have been put in place within the oil sands to help reduce high emission rates. Percentages of pollutants have dropped as much as 30% in the last fifteen to twenty years, but remain a point of concern. As the countrys biggest export earner, liberties have been taken to ensure the oil sands industry remains strong, despite its impact on the environment. Huge waste ponds of staggering toxicity lie to the north, which not only impact the immediate area and cause a threat to any nearby wildlife, but also contribute to acid rain. Because of this, the oil industry is by far the most negatively impactful for the Canadian environment. It is hopeful that policies such as carbon taxes, and technologies for cleaner living are being used, however the rate of impact is still surpassing the national and global ability to mitigate negative environmental impacts.
In early October 2016, Donald Trump came to downtown San Antonio for a private fundraiser at the Grand Hyatt. During his brief stop, Trump made sure to drop by a local office and thank the staffers for all their hard work on behalf of his presidential campaign.

Trump didnt visit the headquarters of the Bexar County Republican Party. He went to the office of Giles-Parscale, the web-design firm co-owned by Brad Parscale, the bearded man-mountain director of his campaigns digital operations.

Trump saw something of himself in Parscale, a brash, ultra-competitive alpha dog with a gift for salesmanship.

RELATED: After Trump campaign swap, questions  and Kushner  remain

That bond only deepened a month later when Trump, in no small part because of the way Parscale employed Facebook to build a voter database, micro-target supporters and get them to the polls, pulled off a huge upset over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

In the final week of that campaign, Parscale made a $25 million ad buy in 13 states, including Pennsylvania and Michigan, neither of which had gone Republican since the 1980s. Trump narrowly carried both states and they helped put him over the top.

Trump rewarded Parscale by picking him to serve as his 2020 campaign manager.

Over the past four months, however, the Trump-Parscale bond has been battered by Category 5 political headwinds: a COVID-19 pandemic which has taken the lives of 138,000 Americans; a resulting economic shutdown; and nationwide Black Lives Matter protests in response to the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

Trump has failed to get a handle on any of these crises and now finds himself trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden by double digits in almost every major national poll.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: Stones case worst kind of corruption

Trumps nature is to blame others for his own inadequacies. He went through three campaign managers during the 2016 race and has had four chiefs of staff and four press secretaries during his first three-and-a-half years in the White House.

Parscale was an easy target for the presidents existential wrath. So it surprised no one when Trump announced on Wednesday that Parscale had been demoted to his old job as digital director, with veteran GOP consultant Bill Stepien taking over the 2020 re-election campaign.

Truth be told, Parscale was always a strange choice to run the national campaign of an incumbent president of the United States.

The Trinity University grad was a profoundly apolitical person until Trump plucked him out of obscurity in 2015 to develop a website for his exploratory campaign.

Parscales loyalty to Trump had nothing to do with ideology and everything to do with the fact that the Trump family had given Parscale plenty of web-design business over the years.

Prior to 2015, Parscales political consciousness was a hunk of Play-Doh that could easily be shaped by anyone who put money into his pocket.

He had been a voting-age resident of San Antonio for nearly two decades but never voted in a primary election in Bexar County until 2016.

The closest he ever got to political activism came in 2015, when he pushed then-Mayor Ivy Taylor to reach a deal with Uber and Lyft on regulations for ride-sharing companies.

On ExpressNews.com: Its a democratic tragedy: Coronavirus threatens Texas voter registration efforts

Coordinating digital ad buys is not the same thing as running a presidential campaign. Waging an attack-based campaign against the establishment is not the same thing as defending the record of an incumbent. Campaigning during a public-health crisis that limits the opportunity for public gatherings is different than anything weve experienced before.

Parscale didnt have the political finesse to adapt to a radically different set of circumstances this time around.

But if the former San Antonian was exposed as a one-trick pony, the same goes double for Trump, who continues to revert to a medley of his 2016 greatest hits: nationalism, law and order, media bashing and fear of immigrants.

The politics of grievance doesnt cut it for an incumbent, who is judged on achievement. George H.W. Bush could win once on school prayer and flag burning, but in 1992, as an incumbent, his attempt to secure another term by branding Bill Clinton an unpatriotic draft dodger fell flat.

In mid-July of 1992, a survey by GOP pollster Richard Wirthlin found that only 15 percent of U.S. voters thought the country was on the right track, with 79 percent saying we were on the wrong track. Bushs candidacy was essentially finished.

This week, a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll revealed that only 19 percent of Americans think were on the right track, with 72 percent believing that were going in the wrong direction.

Based on a formula developed by Wirthlin, that would translate to about 42 percent of the national vote for Trump. Thats deep trouble for any incumbent with three-and-a-half months to election day.

Someone had to be sacrificed for Trumps policy failures and political sins. This week, it was Parscale.

Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Gilbert, become a subscriber. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Summer travel trade-offs

Like most routines and rituals during the pandemic, vacations are anything but normal this summer. But for a few writers itching to get away, the extra steps to ensure their health and safety were worth it.

For Eric Lipton, a Times investigative reporter in Washington, that meant heading to the wilds of Maine with his wife and their three young children  an adventure requiring an 11-hour car ride and two weeks of self-quarantine.

When we arrived at our house rental in Maine late that afternoon, we knew immediately we had made the right choice, even if this trip was going to be very unusual, Eric wrote. Though they couldnt interact with other people, his family took carefully organized day trips and found a lifeline in curbside pickup.

But not everyone is retreating to the woods. For the workers who make many vacations possible  at hotels, restaurants, bars, airlines and tour companies  returning to the job has elicited a range of emotions.

Several employees told the The Times how theyre navigating the new tourism industry. One room attendant at a luxury hotel in Miami said: Everything has changed. We walk in fear, we work in fear, we dont have the same compassion with each other because its just scary to be in there.

A few tips. If you decide to travel, first research the restrictions for your desired destination. You may also want to look up the transmission rate and how easy it is to isolate yourself, if necessary. Finally, consider whether you will need to quarantine when you return home.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Mitchell Kukulka.

Monday, July 13

11:30 p.m.  Deputies were sent to an Ingersoll Towship home for a report of a verbal argument between a father and son. The father claimed the son was refusing to take his medication and needed an ambulance. Upon arrival, it was learned the son cut his arm and needed staples. Suicidal comments were also made, and the boy was taken to the ER.

11:14 p.m.  A deputy responded to a Warren Township residence for a well-being check. After speaking with the family and neighbors, the deputy entered the home and located the deceased 67-year-old woman. A deputy conducted an investigation and no signs of foul play were observed. The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to be completed at a later date, because of the lack of medical history.

10:32 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to Ingersoll Township in reference to a woman wanting to report her 16-year-old daughter as a runaway. The deputy contacted the daughter, who said she was fine and was staying with her father to let things calm down between herself and her mother. The deputy contacted the mother and informed her of the arrangements and referred her to Friend of the Court if she had parenting-time issues.

8:54 p.m.  A deputy and a Coleman police officer responded to a domestic assault at a Greendale Township residence. The 31-year-old female victim said her 32-year-old husband assaulted and suffocated her. The woman had minor injuries and refused medical treatment. The man was gone when law enforcement arrived.

8:14 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to check the area of a Ingersoll Township residence in reference to a report of a loud bang, possibly a gunshot. The deputy checked the area and did not locate anyone shooting or anything out of the ordinary.

5:31 p.m.  Officers responded to a report of animal bites in the 3800 block of Concord Street.

3:40 p.m.  Officers responded to a vehicle crash in the 2400 block of North Saginaw Road.

9:13 a.m.  Deputies responded to a two-vehicle crash in Warren Township.

8:14 a.m.  Officers responded to a report of malicious destruction of property in the 700 block of Fitzhugh Street.

3:09 a.m.  A deputy was dispatched to a suspicious situation in Mount Haley Township. The deputy spoke with a 60-year-old Chesaning man over telephone, who said he was a health care worker at a residence in Mount Haley Township. He said the 31-year-old male resident he watches over made statements earlier in the day about seeing a man with a gun outside his residence. The caller said the 31-year-old man has mental health issues and is known to make up stories, but wanted the sheriff's office to be aware of the situation and requested extra patrol in the area.

12:36 a.m.  Officers responded to a domestic assault in the 3700 block of Sharon Road.

12:14 a.m.  A deputy was sent to a Lincoln Township residence in reference to a man wishing to report an incident where he was threatened by a neighbor. The deputy spoke with the man and learned no crime had been committed. The deputy provided solutions to the complainant and his girlfriend. Contact was also made with the other man who had made the threats, and it was learned he was highly intoxicated. He agreed to go to the ER for treatment due to his alcohol consumption.
Online disinformation has made what was already a hard year that much harder for state and local governments, frequently interfering with effective communication and compliance efforts amidst the ongoing public health crisis of COVID-19.Then, when civil unrest over the police killings of unarmed Black people began across the country, disinformation became an even more dangerous problem.George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police spurred protests nationwide, with thousands of people flooding the streets to demand change. Concerns quickly emerged, however, about the ways in which otherwise peaceful demonstrations seemed to be hijacked and, in some cases, pushed towards destructive ends.New research seems to suggest that disinformation campaigns helped to spawn some of this chaos, inflaming anti-government sentiment in many communities, sometimes to the point of inspiring violent criminal behavior.During this time, a torrent of memes and hashtags pushed various wild, divisive, and plainly inaccurate pieces of information into online ecosystems. For example, an organized disinformation campaign encouraged thousands to believe that there had been a blackout in Washington, D.C. , perhaps encouraging more criminal activity and looting; local Facebook groups throughout the country saw unsubstantiated rumors that Antifa activists were being bussed into their communities , inspiring fear; networks of right-wing groups were found to be operating left-wing accounts in an apparent bid to encourage violence and mayhem.Researchers have linked some of this activity to right-wing extremist groups, who may have seen the protests as an opportunity to push their own anti-government agendas.In June, members of a shadowy network calling themselves the "Boogaloo Bois" began showing up at protests across the country. A bizarre militia-like gang whose adherents are known for sporting "Aloha" shirts and spouting rhetoric about an imminent civil war, the "Boogaloos" may sound like something contrived from a bad Stephen King novel but alleged members have recently been tied to real crimes all across the country."Their whole thing was, 'How do we revolt against authority?' Because they're about civil war and [messaging that says] 'Take our country back,'" said Wasim Khaled, CEO of Blackbird AI, whose company aggregates and analyzes bulk social media data to understand online trends and conversations.Groups like "Boogaloo" seem to be birthed in online chat rooms, with sites like 4Chan acting as breeding grounds for political radicalization. From there, adherents go out onto more mainstream platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, where they can spread their ideas and build wider communities and influence.Indeed, attempts to recruit people to this movement using social media channels were rampant in the weeks prior to the protests. Large-scale "inauthentic" online activity took place during this period, much of which was aimed at promoting "Boogaloo"-type behavior and beliefs, the report reads.Khaled explained that countless bot networks and automated accounts helped to spread these messages and narratives. A recent report from Blackbird.AI , which analyzed more than 11 million social media posts between May 2-20, showed that nearly half of the 2 million tweets analyzed in the report came back as manipulated.These campaigns are basically designed to have a lemming effect on Web communities: frequently, the artificially amplified conversation will catch on with real people, who perpetuate the conversation by themselves. This makes sustained manipulation unnecessary.Boogaloo elements were also deeply involved with the Reopen movement, which was also pushed to prominence by a swell of disinformation and astroturfing . Boogaloos mingled online with libertarian and militia types who advocated for openly defying government orders surrounding COVID-19 and government orders, more generally."The Boogaloo movement in particular speaks regularly of violence to law enforcement and government authority," the Blackbird report states. In some cases, this messaging appears to have compelled real people toward violence: several men allegedly tied to the movement were arrested in Nevada after they planned to firebomb a park ranger station. In another case, a California man who allegedly expressed Boogaloo ideology shot and killed multiple law enforcement officials over the course of several days.Radical right-wing groups have not had a monopoly on disinformation, however. If anything, the broad diversity of online activity over the last several weeks shows that disinformation is anyone's game, said Sean McNee, director of research with DomainTools, a vendor that aggregates data about online activity and website registration."You've got people doing it for fun, or they're doing it for profit. They're doing it because they have some strong belief. Then you have nation-state actors who are doing it because that's what they do," he said.Even organized crime syndicates appear to have found a certain incentive for this kind of social engagement, according to some accounts. Some believe criminals may have tried to inflame the protests in an effort to hide their illicit activities, and recent law enforcement leaks showed biker gangs apparently disguised themselves as Antifa activists , using the protests as a cover to "move large amounts of heroin into the Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, area." Rumors also circulated that cartel elements had infiltrated the protest movements for their own nefarious purposes, though government officials have been mum on just what those criminal groups were doing. The hypothetical ways that criminal gangs could get involved are diverse if not confirmed, said McNee.Above all, disinformation is about manipulation of individuals, groups and politics, and when executed correctly it can quickly have people behaving in absurd, incoherent or even dangerous ways, said Khaled."It's brainwashing, just like a cult would do," he said. "You take them little by little down a certain path and soon you have them doing ridiculous things."Government TechnologyGoverning.
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A leaked White House document shows that 18 states - including Texas, Florida and Arizona - are in the 'red zone' for high numbers of COVID-19 cases and rates of positive tests, driving experts to advise they roll back reopenings, close bars and mandate mask-wearing as the US shatter its previous single-day record with more than 77,000 new cases.

But the Trump administration as well as governors in many of those states have remained adamant that reopening continue.

The recommendations made in the report, obtained by the Center for Public Integrity, are in line with what experts like Dr Anthony Fauci have advised - but the document has been kept secret rather than shared publicly by the White House.

It comes just a day after the Trump administration was hit with accusations of covering up the enormity of the coronavirus pandemic in the US by ordering hospitals to bypass the CDC, sharing information on hospitalized COVID-19 patients only with a secretive HHS database not available to the public.

The secretive document deemed 18 states - Arizona, California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Utah, Iowa, Kansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nevada and Alabama - to be in the 'red zone' because they had more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people in their population last week.

An unpublicized, leaked White House report shows that 18 states are in the 'red zone' for surging numbers of coronavirus cases and should issue mask orders and roll back reopenings

Another 11 qualified for the 'red zone' because more than 10 percent of all coronavirus tests run in the states were positive last week. These included: Washington state, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.

For each of these red zone states, the report recommended that local governments issue mask orders, requiring everyone to cover their faces outside their homes, limit gym and restaurant occupancy to 50 percent and to close down these business altogether in counties where the positive test rate is higher than 10 percent on a seven-day average.

The report also recommended that visitations to nursing homes be limited in these states and all staff at the facilities be required to wear masks at all times and get tested for COVID-19 daily.

A map from the leaked report shows that 10% or more coronavirus tests administered in many Southern counties are coming back positive, suggesting bars and gyms should close

Mask mandates are finally starting to catch on, with governors in Texas, Alabama, Louisiana and North Carolina ordering all residents to wear masks while in public.

More than half of US states now have similar requirements.

But several states in the 'red zones' specified in the report, do not.

Florida's governor Rick DeSantis has stalwartly refused to issue a mask mandate, even as his state becomes the new epicenter of coronavirus in the US.

On Friday, the Florida Department of Health reported 13,837 new coronavirus cases and 156 new deaths.

More than 654,482 people in the state have coronavirus and 9,610 have died.

US SHATTERS ITS DAILY RECORD WITH OVER 77,000 NEW COVID-19 CASES AND 934 DEATHS

The United States has shattered its daily record for coronavirus cases after more than 77,000 new infections were reported on Thursday.

America's total infection count has now surged past 3.5million after the massive new spike of 77,255 cases, surpassing the previous high of 67,417 patients registered on Tuesday.

It takes the US another step closer to the alarming benchmark of 100,000 cases per day, which Dr Anthony Fauci has warned the country could reach if it fails to bring the crisis under control.

Another 943 deaths reported on Thursday brought the death toll to 138,358.

Experts are predicting a further surge after a spike in hospitalizations in many states.

Florida and Texas both suffered record death tolls yesterday with 156 and 129 respectively. Both posted more than 10,000 new infections each.

US CASES: America shattered its daily record for coronavirus cases after an alarming 77,255 new infections were reported on Thursday

US DEATHS: The death toll rose by 943 on Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University figures, taking the country's tally from 137,415 to 138,358

The US totals of 3,576,157 cases and 138,358 deaths are both by far the highest in the world, with Brazil second in both tables. India today became the third country to reach a million confirmed infections.

Florida is becoming the new epicenter of the US outbreak, with a record 156 deaths announced yesterday alongside 13,965 new positive test results.

The state's health department said 315,775 people had tested positive in Florida since the pandemic began with a death toll of 4,677.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis moved quickly to re-open the state and has not followed the lead of California and Texas by making masks mandatory in indoor spaces.

In late June, in a partial reversal, DeSantis ordered bars to again be closed in an effort to curb the spread of the disease, but the numbers have continued to rise.

In an unusually direct piece of criticism, Fauci said last week that Florida had moved out of its lockdown before public health indicators justified such a move.

Texas saw 10,291 new cases on Thursday, a slight drop from Wednesday's record of 10,791 but the third consecutive day that the figure has been above 10,000.

The state also saw a new high of 129 deaths in a day, breaking the record for the second day running after Wednesday's previous peak of 110.

It brings the total in the state to 292,656 cases and 3,561 deaths, with more than 130,000 of those cases estimated to be currently 'active'.

The hardest-hit areas in Texas and Arizona are running out of places to store bodies as their morgues fill up and are bringing in coolers and refrigerated trailers.

TEXAS CASES: Texas saw 10,291 new cases on Thursday, a slight drop from Wednesday's record of 10,791 but the third consecutive day that the figure has been above 10,000

TEXAS DEATHS: The state also saw a new high of 129 deaths in a day, breaking the record for the second day running after Wednesday's previous peak of 110

FLORIDA CASES: Florida announced 13,965 new coronavirus cases in its latest update yesterday, with the outbreak growing faster there than in any other state

CALIFORNIA CASES: California saw 8,544 new cases yesterday to bring the total to 356,178, while another 118 fatalities took the death toll in America's most populous state to 7,345

California saw 8,544 new cases on Thursday to bring the total to 356,178, while another 118 fatalities took the death toll in America's most populous state to 7,345.

Los Angeles County accounts for more than 140,000 of California's cases, with 2,711 recorded there yesterday, while LA has also seen 3,932 deaths.

The state saw its deadliest day on July 8, when 149 new fatalities were recorded, while the infection record was set the previous day with 11,694.

In New York, which suffered the brunt of the first wave of cases in the spring, experts warn that a second spike is likely because of the rampant infections elsewhere.

New York City reported only 82 new cases and four deaths on Tuesday, with fewer than 50 people being admitted to hospital every day.

However, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city would build its own reserve of ventilators, protective equipment and coronavirus test kits to prepare for a second wave.

'We've learned a tough lesson that we have to create, and we have to protect ourselves,' de Blasio, who is a Democrat, said.

New York state's Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo has urged New Yorkers not to let up on wearing masks and social distancing.

Cuomo has offered advice, ventilators, masks, gowns and medicine to the states dealing with spikes in cases and hospitalizations.

Some healthcare workers are heading to other states to help fight the virus, reciprocating the influx that gave New York hospitals some much-needed relief just months ago.

CDC figures show that more than 100,000 healthcare personnel have been infected with the virus and at least 538 have died.

The death toll in the healthcare profession could be higher because figures are only available for 67,000 of those infected.

The latest modeling projects the number of COVID-19 deaths should hit 151,000 by August 1 and 157,000 by August 8, according to an average of models of 23 US and international research groups

A newly revised model from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projects the death toll will climb to just above 224,000 by November 1 - up 16,000 from a prior forecast. The model predicts the death toll could be reduced by 40,000 if nearly all Americans wore masks in public

America's total death toll could hit 151,000 by August 1 and 157,000 by August 8, according to an average of models of 23 research groups in the United States and elsewhere.

The figures were published by the University of Massachusetts Amherst's Reich lab on Tuesday on behalf of the CDC.

A week ago, this average predicted 147,000 deaths on August 1, suggesting that the picture is worsening.

California, Florida and Texas are expected to see a thousand more deaths over the next four weeks compared to the previous four, said Professor Nicholas Reich.

The latest spike takes the US another step closer to the alarming benchmark of 100,000 cases per day which Dr Anthony Fauci (pictured) has warned that the US could reach if it fails to bring the crisis under control

The University of Washington's IHME model goes further and predicted a staggering total of 224,000 deaths by November 1.

Another, by independent modeler Youyang Gu in New York, predicts 227,000 deaths by November 1, days before the presidential election.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that the infection tally is only so high because of widespread testing, but Fauci has said that 'I don't think you can say we're doing great'.

The CDC says more than 46.5million tests have been carried out in total, including people who were tested more than once.

The agency this week urged people to continue wearing masks to stop the spread of the disease, citing studies which showed they are a 'critical tool' in the pandemic.

'We are not defenseless against Covid -19,' said CDC director Robert Redfield in an announcement on Tuesday.

'Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus - particularly when used universally within a community setting.

'All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.'

According to the IHME group, more Americans are wearing masks, and fewer are leaving their homes.

The model has access to GPS data through commercial partners.

'If 95 percent of Americans wore masks when leaving their homes, that number (of deaths) would drop by more than 40,000,' the research center said.
Today is World Emoji Day and Google is joining in on the celebrations - the companys own keyboard app Gboard is getting an emoji shortcut bar. According to a gif that Engadget provided, the bar will appear right over the autocorrect/features bar, which is on top of the numbers bar, if the user enables it.

Currently, emojis in Gboard are opened rather primitively - the user has to long-press the comma key right between the symbols and language button, where the emoji panel is opened. Then there is the option to browse for the desired emoji, or simply use the search engine which works better than one would expect.

In order to improve even more the amazingly advanced form of communication, Google is planning to introduce 117 new emojis, including a person bottle-feeding a baby, a person in a veil, a person in a tuxedo, and a smiling with happy tears face.

There are also some hand emojis, including the pinched fingers which is commonly known as the Italian hand, also hitting iOS 14 on Apple devices.

Via
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The big shareholder groups in Enzo Biochem, Inc. (NYSE:ENZ) have power over the company. Institutions will often hold stock in bigger companies, and we expect to see insiders owning a noticeable percentage of the smaller ones. I quite like to see at least a little bit of insider ownership. As Charlie Munger said 'Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome.

Enzo Biochem is a smaller company with a market capitalization of US$118m, so it may still be flying under the radar of many institutional investors. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions own shares in the company. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner, to discover more about Enzo Biochem.

Check out our latest analysis for Enzo Biochem

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Enzo Biochem?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Enzo Biochem. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone, since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Enzo Biochem's historic earnings and revenue, below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Our data indicates that hedge funds own 19% of Enzo Biochem. That catches my attention because hedge funds sometimes try to influence management, or bring about changes that will create near term value for shareholders. Our data shows that Harbert Fund Advisors Inc. is the largest shareholder with 12% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 8.4% and 7.6%, of the shares outstanding, respectively. Additionally, the company's CEO Elazar Rabbani directly holds 0.0347679 of the total shares outstanding.

Story continues

On further inspection, we found that more than half the company's shares are owned by the top 8 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. Our information suggests that there isn't any analyst coverage of the stock, so it is probably little known.

Insider Ownership Of Enzo Biochem

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. The company management answer to the board; and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board, themselves.

I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own some shares in Enzo Biochem, Inc.. It has a market capitalization of just US$118m, and insiders have US$8.5m worth of shares, in their own names. It is good to see some investment by insiders, but I usually like to see higher insider holdings. It might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

General Public Ownership

The general public holds a 32% stake in ENZ. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.

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. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Enzo Biochem (of which 1 is potentially serious!) you should know about.

If you would prefer check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, backed by strong financial data.

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.
A male model allegedly caught at Belfast airport with 180,000 in his hand luggage is set to be extradited from the Republic to Northern Ireland, where he is wanted over the laundering of crime cash.

Mark Adams (40), with an address at Castleheath, Malahide, Co Dublin, made almost 500 foreign trips before he was stopped at Belfast International Airport.

He is alleged to have been in possession of 180,000 (163,000) in two brown envelopes while attempting to get a flight to Alicante in Spain on May 9, 2018.

The authorities in Northern Ireland are seeking his extradition on charges that he concealed the money in his hand luggage, and attempted to remove it from the country, knowing or suspecting the money to be proceeds of crime.

He is also accused of the attempted removal of criminal property from Northern Ireland knowing that it would benefit "persons unknown" between May 13, 2013 and May 10, 2018.

The offences each carry a maximum penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment.

The respondent had booked 497 international flights into or out of the UK between May 14, 2014 and May 9, 2018.

On 64 occasions, the outward and return flights were within a matter of hours.

The European Arrest Warrant (EAW) stated that Mr Adams was stopped at Belfast International by Border Force officers on May 9, 2018 travelling with only hand luggage.

The warrant said Mr Adams confirmed to Border Force officers that he had packed the bag himself.

When asked whether anyone had given him anything to take out of the country, he replied: "Yes, 180,000".

The warrant stated that Mr Adams was interviewed under caution on May 10, 2018 and made no comment to questions asked in relation to the cash, his personal background, his employment status and financial position.

Counsel for the State, Aoife Carroll BL, previously made an application to the court for Mr Adams' surrender and asked the court to "let the chips fall where they may".

She submitted that the respondent's objections to surrender were speculative, vague, unsupported by evidence and were subject to innumerable variables so that the court could not refuse surrender on foot of same.

Ms Carroll said she was satisfied surrender to the UK would not give rise to an unfair trial.

She said nothing in the warrant was defective, nothing arose in relation to Brexit as the status quo remains in place, so surrender was not prohibited.

Furthermore, Ms Carroll said that if an order for surrender was made against Mr Adams, she would be asking the court to postpone handing him over to the authorities in Northern Ireland until domestic proceedings had been determined.

The court has heard that the respondent's position was complicated by the fact that he has been returned for trial before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on separate money laundering charges, and his trial is due to take place in Dublin in June 2021.

Mr Adams had contested his surrender at the High Court, with his lawyers saying that he should not be extradited to Northern Ireland due to Brexit.

Counsel for Mr Adams, Paul Comiskey O'Keeffe BL, had argued that if his client was convicted and sentenced in the Republic first, there would be an infringement of his rights to a fair trial in Northern Ireland in the future.

He claimed this is because the UK would no longer be in the transitional period provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and the European Union.

He further submitted that there was a real risk that the fundamental rights of the respondent would not be respected.

Ordering his surrender to the UK yesterday, Mr Justice Paul Burns said he was satisfied that the extradition of Mr Adams was not prohibited by part three of the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003.

In light of the domestic offences brought against Mr Adams, the judge postponed his surrender to the UK until a later date.

He remanded him in custody until July 19, 2021.
New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Tuesday decided to hear next month that is, December the petitions filed by NDTV challenging the government's direction to its Hindi news channel NDTV India to go off air for a day. The decision has now been put on hold.

The apex court decided to post the matter on December 5 after NDTV's counsel and senior advocate Fali S Nariman and Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said there was no real urgency as the decision to ban the transmission on November 9 has been put on hold by the government.

A bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and N V Ramana was told by the Attorney General that NDTV will be given a hearing by the inter-ministerial committee before whom it has made a representation for a review of the decision directing NDTV India to go off the air for allegedly violating the telecast norms during the Pathakot terror incident.

NDTV has challenged the constitutional validity of the provision of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Actwhich was attracted against it.

The government had on Monday decided to put on hold its decision after the top brass of the NDTV had met Information and Broadcasting (I&B) minister M Venkaiah Naidu.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Islamabad, July 17 : The issue of Pakistani pilots having fake or dubious pilot licenses, as admitted by Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar, has taken an absolute U-turn after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) declared that all licenses issued by it to the pilots are "genuine".

The statement issued by the CAA is a direct contradiction to the Minister's allegations, who said that at least 40 per cent of Pakistani pilots possessed fake licenses.

"It is important to clarify that all CPL/ATPL pilot licenses issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are genuine and validly issued. None of the pilots licenses are fake, rather the matter has been misconstrued and incorrectly highlighted in the media/social media", maintained a letter written by CAA Director General Hassan Nisar Jamy in a latter to high-ranking aviation officials of Oman.

"CAA had already verified/cleared 96 Pakistani pilots out of 104 names received from various civil aviation authorities/foreign airlines (UAE/GACA, Vietnam Airlines, Bahrain Air, Civil Aviation Malaysia, Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department and Turkish Airlines)," read the letter.

The revelation made by the CAA has put the Aviation Minister in hot water as opposition parties have demanded immediate resignation, along with accountability of the minister.

The opposition parties in the National Assembly and the Senate standing committee faced the Minister with serious uproar.

"The Minister, through his false statement had caused a daily loss of Rs.500 million to the Pakistani International Airline (PIA) and removal of about 200 pilots from various airlines and damaged the national prestige at the international level," said Nafisa Shah, Member National Assembly (MNA) of the opposition the Pakistan People Party (PPP).

"Various aviation agencies of the world have already sent letters to us. Tomorrow, our air space can be handed over to some other country. This is treason," she said, while demanding an immediate resignation of the Minister.

The issue was also brought up at the Senate standing committee where oppoisiton party leaders raised the issue, stating that "it was a wrong move by the aviation minister which had damaged Pakistan's reputation".

However, the Aviation Minister came out in defensce of his remarks, stating that he had declared the licenses of the pilots as "dubious" and not "fake".

"It might be damaging for the country in short term but for the future it was important to show the world through actions that we are improving our systems," he said.

The issue of fake licenses of Pakistani pilots attracted global attention as global destinations, airlines and air safety agencies had suspended authorization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

The issue brought global embarrassment to Pakistan and was declared as the biggest aviation scam in the global aviation industry.

The Aviation Minister's remarks the prompted European Union Air Safety Agency to suspend PIA authorization to operate to the EU member states for six months, while the International Air Transport Association (IATA) also shared its concern over the serious lapse in the licensing and safety oversight by the aviation regulator.

The US Department of Transportation had also revoked permission for the PIA to conduct charter flights to America and downgraded Pakistan's air safety rating after the agency raised concerns about pilot certifications.
Travel + Leisure has announced the results of its annual Worlds Best awards, honoring Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and nine properties within its distinguished portfolio. 2020 marks the sixth consecutive year that Rosewood has received recognition as part of the awards Best Hotel Brands category, demonstrating its strong positioning within the ultra-luxury hospitality industry. In addition to the brand-level honor, nine individual properties in the collection have been recognized as Top Hotels in their respective destinations including Rosewood Beijing (Beijing, China); The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (New York, New York); Rosewood Hotel Georgia (Vancouver, British Columbia); Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort (Los Cabos, Mexico); Rosewood London (London, England); Rosewood Mayakoba (Riviera Maya, Mexico); Rosewood Miramar Beach (Montecito, California); Rosewood Sand Hill (Menlo Park, California) and Rosewood San Miguel de Allende (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico). The full list of 2020 Worlds Best can be found here.

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts continued presence as part of Travel + Leisures prestigious awards program is a testament to the brands promise to provide todays travelers with extraordinary experiences and services that speak to their personal preferences and priorities. Rooted in a guiding philosophy of A Sense of Place, wherein the local sensibilities of a destination are woven into the identity of its respective hotel, as well as a notion of Relationship Hospitality, which maintains that true hospitality springs from the building and nurturing of genuine connections with the cultures and communities of the world, Rosewood is renowned for its deliverance of authentic and transformative travel experiences that leave a lasting impression on guests, associates and locals alike.

Travel + Leisures annual Worlds Best list is one of the most trusted resources in the industry, and it is a great honor to have Rosewood Hotels & Resorts recognized at both the brand and property level by the magazine and its sophisticated readers, said Radha Arora, president of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. These incredible achievements are a testament to the commitment of our associates around the world to positively impact each and every one of our guests, and we thank them for their dedication to the brand as well as to the travel and hospitality industry at large.

This year, Rosewood Mayakoba and Rosewood Beijing both earned spots on the awards programs coveted Top 100 Best Hotels in the World list, garnering rankings of 56 and 82, respectively. Both properties also achieved additional accolades in their respective regions, with Rosewood Beijing receiving the highest honor in the Top Hotels in Beijing category, as well as a number nine ranking within the Top 15 Asia City Hotels list, and Rosewood Mayakoba placing second in the Top 25 Resort Hotels in Mexico segment.

2020 marks the inaugural year that Rosewood Miramar Beach has been recognized as part of the program, placing among the Top 15 Resort Hotels in California and the Top 25 Resorts in the U.S. That Are Perfect for Families. It is also the fifth year that Rosewood San Miguel de Allende and Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort have been included on the lists of the Top 5 City Hotels in Mexico and the Top 25 Resort Hotels in Mexico, respectively. Rosewood Hotel Georgias position as number two on this years list of the Top 10 Canada City Hotels, marks the hotels seventh consecutive year honored in the awards.

Additional honors of note include The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotels seventh place ranking in the category of the Top 15 Hotels in New York City; Rosewood Londons tenth place spot on the Top 10 City Hotels in London list; and Rosewood Sand Hills recognition as number eleven in the Top 15 Resort Hotels in California category. On a brand-level, beyond Rosewood Hotels & Resorts placement within the Best Hotel Brands category, the company also achieved recognition among Hotel Brands that Offer the Most Bang for Your Buck.

The Worlds Best awards are determined by a survey developed by the editors of Travel + Leisure, in association in association with research firm M&RR, that compiles the top travel experiences across the world for readers to rate. For four months, readers were invited to participate through Travel + Leisures print magazine, tablet edition, newsletters, social media and website. Respondents were asked to rate a wide range of hospitality brands and offerings on several characteristics, selecting a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor across each category, which were then accumulated and averaged to determine the final scores.

About Rosewood Hotels & Resorts

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts manages 28 one-of-a-kind luxury hotels, resorts and residences in 16 countries, with 19 new properties under development. Each Rosewood property embraces the brands A Sense of Place philosophy to reflect the individual locations history, culture and sensibilities. The Rosewood collection includes some of the worlds most legendary hotels and resorts, including The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas and Hotel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in Paris, as well as new classics such as Rosewood Hong Kong, Rosewood Mayakoba and Rosewood Beijing. For those who wish to stay a little longer, Rosewood Residences offer a distinct opportunity for ownership or rent in extraordinary destinations within the brands wide-ranging portfolio.

For more information: rosewoodhotels.com

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Linkedin Michelle Fitzpatrick (Agence France-Presse) Frankfurt, Germany  Fri, July 17, 2020 07:00 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666eb2d5 2 World Germany,coronavirus,coronavirus-restrictions,COVID-19,COVID-19-lockdown,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

Germany's federal and regional governments on Thursday agreed on tougher, more targeted lockdown measures to contain local outbreaks and ward off the threat of a second coronavirus wave.

The new rules allow for a ban on travel "in and out of the affected areas" to limit the spread of the virus, according to an agreement adopted by federal and local authorities.

It comes as countries across the world are reimposing curbs on public life in response to a surge in new infections.

Germany, which has been less affected by the pandemic than many of its neighbors, aims to respond to new clusters with hyper-local lockdowns and rapid contact tracing and testing, rather than blanket lockdowns of whole towns or districts.

The need for clear rules was highlighted last month when a COVID-19 outbreak at a slaughterhouse in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia led to Germany's first renewed lockdowns, covering two neighboring districts.

However a local court later ruled that the lockdown was too broad, and locals from the districts on holiday elsewhere in Germany complained about being turned away from their accommodation.

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday voiced support for travel bans in and out of coronavirus hotspots.

She said that it was "better for citizens" to have certainty rather than being denied entry to a hotel upon arrival.

Calling in the army

The text agreed on Thursday states that a travel ban should be imposed "if the numbers continue to rise and there's no certainty that the chain of infection has been broken" in the affected area.

Anyone wanting to leave a localized lockdown for another state must be able to show a negative coronavirus test that is less than 48 hours old, the agreement said.

Merkel's chief of staff Helge Braun told the ZDF broadcaster that the goal was to fight the virus with "faster, smaller and more precise" curbs rather than the larger lockdowns that have caused such economic devastation.

He said the military could even be called in to help ensure locals in an affected area get tested as quickly as possible.

Germany's Association of Towns and Municipalities (DStGB) welcomed the agreement, with CEO Gerd Landsberg calling local lockdowns "the right way forward".

"This also means that lockdowns are not drawn out over months or weeks, but ideally last only a few days," he told the Funke media group.

The new rules also come as Germany is anxiously eyeing the return of holidaymakers from abroad this summer, fearing they could be bringing the virus back with them.

Video footage of German tourists partying in Spain's Mallorca -- without face masks or keeping the recommended 1.5 meters apart -- has caused particular alarm.

'Reckless behavior'

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned Germans not to undo the progress made in combatting the virus.

"Such behavior is not just dangerous, but inconsiderate towards all those who would like to enjoy their holiday safely," he told the Funke group.

"We've only just managed to open borders in Europe again. We must not jeopardize this with reckless behavior."

The Toennies slaughterhouse that was the source of the local outbreak in North Rhine-Westphalia reopened on Thursday after four weeks, prompting a protest from Greenpeace activists against mass meat production.

Germany has recorded just over 200,000 coronavirus cases to date, and 9,078 deaths, according to the Robert Koch Institute for disease control.

The country has credited early, widespread testing and its world-class healthcare system for keeping the fatality rate relatively low.

Germans have also generally complied with rules on social distancing and wearing face masks.

More than 15 million people have also downloaded Germany's coronavirus warning app aimed at alerting people who've been in close proximity to an infected person.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The developer of the Clark and Mactan-Cebu airports has been named as the newcontractor poised to upgrade the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, it announced Friday.

The tandem of Megawide Construction Corporation and India-based GMR Infrastructure Limited (Megawide-GMR) said they have been officially given original proponent status for the NAIA rehabilitation plan, the company said in a disclosure.

Megawide GMR also designed and built the passenger terminals of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport which opened in June 2018. Meanwhile, the new terminal of the Clark International Airport is nearly complete and is expected to boost capacity to up to 12 million travelers per year when it opens in the next six months.

RELATED: Mactan-Cebu International Airport bags award at World Architecture Festival

Just days ago, the so-called NAIA Consortium, which has been in talks with the government for two years now about the project, was stripped of the right to develop the country's biggest gateway after they again revised their pitch to the Department of Transportation. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III then said that two other groups have submitted proposals to upgrade NAIA, which has been heavily congested prior to lockdowns due to the pandemic.

The NAIA Consortium is composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc.; AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.; Alliance Global Group, Inc.; Asias Emerging Dragon Corp.; Filinvest Development Corp.; and JG Summit Holdings, Inc. Tycoon Manny Pangilinan's Metro Pacific Investments Corporation said in March that it will leave the NAIA Consortium, citing issues with real property taxes.

The original contract price for the NAIA rehab plan was set at 350 billion for a 35-year concession period, but was scaled down to 102 billion for a 15-year deal.

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier said that they are modeling the rehabilitation plan for the countrys main gateway after the Clark International Airport which Megawide-GMR built, as the two gateways need to maintain daily operations while repair works are underway. He once threatened to cancel the project as the consortium seemed to be taking too long with its final pitch.

The global coronavirus crisis has paralyzed air travel and tourism for months now, with major airlines abroad going bottom up. Local operators Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and AirAsia have resorted to layoffs to keep their businesses afloat.

Megawide's takeover is still subject to regulatory approvals and a Swiss challenge  or a call to other contractors if they are interested to build the same project at a cheaper or more favorable terms  before they can officially bag the project and break ground.
Ankara reiterates its support for Azerbaijan's aggression against Armenia.

This time, Ismail Demir, President of Defence Industries, promised Azerbaijan to help both with its experience and weapons.

The Turkish defense industry is always at the disposal of Azerbaijan with all its experience, technologies, and capabilities, from UAVs to ammunition and missiles, as well as electronic warfare systems, he tweeted.

A delegation from the Azerbaijani defense ministry arrived in Turkey yesterday to meet with the country's defense minister, who also announced his support for Baku.
Hello!

If you're wondering how to make your lifestyle more sustainable, making simple, eco-friendly swaps in your home is a great place to start. READ: 12 unbelievably easy ways to save 1k on energy bills Though we may think we're doing our bit for the planet, the reality is that less than 10% of household plastic waste gets recycled in the UK - a statistic easily improved with simple sustainable swaps to zero waste, refillable and planet-friendly products in your home. From laundry detergent to toile
A Tory whip informed Scotland Yard about allegations of sexual assault by Conservative politician Charlie Elphicke after her local police station did not respond to the claims.

Mr Elphicke, 49, has been accused of three accounts of sexual assault, including an incident where he asked a woman about bondage and whips before groping and chasing her shouting Im a naughty Tory in 2007.

The former MP for Dover has also been accused of sexually assaulting a Parliamentary worker twice in 2016 inside the Palace of Westminster.

Mr Elphicke, a father-of-two, has denied all three counts of sexual assault.

Former Tory MP for Dover Charlie Elphicke (pictured left), accused of three counts of sexual assault between 2007 and 2016, was investigated by Tory whips over the allegations made against him

Tory deputy chief whip Anne Milton (pictured) called in Scotland Yard when the local police force of a potential victim in 2016 did not take action when the allegations were made

Deputy chief whip Anne Milton, who held an investigation into Mr Elphicke's actions alongside chief whip Julian Smith, called in Scotland Yard to tackle the allegations.

Southwark Crown Court also heard that the victim in question's local police station, South Wales police force, did not take any action when the allegations were brought to their attention.

Eloise Marshall questioned DCI Mick McInerney about an interview between Metropolitan Police and Mr Elphicke in 2018.

The court heard Ms Marshall ask: Is it right she called [her local police station]?

DCI McInerney responded: Yes.

Ms Marshall: And is it right they didnt get back to her?

DCI McInerney: Thats correct.

Ms Marshall: Which is when the Metropolitan Police got contacted?

DCI McInerney: Yes.

Ms Marshall: The whips informed you of the investigation?

DCI McInerney: I was informed of the allegation by Anne Milton, yes.

Ms Marshall: And as a result of that you contacted [the alleged victim]?

DCI McInerney: I did. We had contact details and contacted her to ask if we should speak to her.

Mr Elphicke admitted he was shocked at the allegations made against him and the interview he had with Ms Milton and Mr Smith.

Excerpts from Elphicke's interview with the Metropolitan Police in March 2018 have been played over the past two days during his trial at Southwark Crown Court

He told the court: I was having accusations made against me. I did not have any legal representative and I did not think it was an appropriate interview.

I spent most of the interview in complete shock about the allegations being made against me.

Mr Elphicke was the MP for Dover from 2010 to November 2019 but did not stand in last year's general election due to the allegations of sexual assault.

He was replaced as the Tory candidate by his wife, Natalie, who won by a majority of over 12,000 votes.

Mr Elphicke (pictured left) was the MP for Dover for nine years between 2010 and late 2019 before being replaced as the Tory candidate for the seat by his wife, Natalie, who won in the 2019 general election. He stepped down following the allegations made against him

The court had previously heard that Mr Elphicke agreed to pay the 2007 victim 5,000 in 'compensation', withdrawing the money in small amounts to prevent his wife from finding out.

She alleged Elphicke tried to kiss her, groped her breast, then chased her around his home while trying to grab her bottom.

The trial is currently ongoing.
Former FBI agent Peter Strzok debunked a February 14, 2017, article in The New York Times on possible contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian intelligence, noting that the agency had seen no evidence of connections between campaign officials and Russian officers.

Strzoks type-written comments on the Times article were declassified by the FBI on Thursday, along with several other documents that are currently available on the website of the Senate Judiciary Committee. It is not clear exactly when Strzok typed those comments.

The comments of Peter Strzok regarding the February 14 New York Times article are devastating in that they are an admission that there was no reliable evidence that anyone from the Trump Campaign was working with Russian Intelligence Agencies in any form, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) said in a statement.

The Times article asserts that phone records and intercepted calls showed that Trump campaign officials had contact with members of the Russian intelligence services.

This statement is misleading and inaccurate as written, Strzok wrote of the passage. We have not seen evidence of any individuals affiliated with the Trump team in contact with [intelligence officers].

Strzok clarified that an associate of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort had been in contact with Russian intelligence and that former campaign official Carter Page had been in contact with Russian intelligence before he joined the campaign. However, Strzok writes, we are unaware of any calls with any Russian government official in which Manafort was a party.

Strzok wrote three times in his notes that the FBI was not aware of any contact between the Trump campaign and Russian intelligence. Contact between the campaign and other Russian officials was almost entirely with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak and the Russian Embassys congressional liaison.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is currently conducting an investigation into the procurement of FISA warrants against Page. The Justice Department Inspector General report on those warrants stated that the FBI made numerous errors and omissions in its applications for FISA warrants against Page.

Story continues

Declassified transcripts of conversations from late 2016 through early 2017 between Kislyak and former national-security adviser Michael Flynn revealed that the two had discussed deescalating tensions after outgoing President Obama imposed sanctions on Russia. Former FBI director James Comey told Obama that the conversations between Kislyak and Flynn appear legit, according to separate notes taken by Strzok.

The FBI fired Strzok after the agents anti-Trump texts were leaked.

More from National Review
OTTAWA - The House of Commons ethics committee has put off to next week a decision on whether to demand records of the Trudeau family's speaking engagements as part of a probe of how WE Charity was given responsibility for a vast federal volunteer program.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/7/2020 (550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at We Day on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa on Sunday, July 2, 2017. A second House of Commons committee is to begin probing the aborted deal between the federal government and WE Charity to run a massive student-volunteering program. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA - The House of Commons ethics committee has put off to next week a decision on whether to demand records of the Trudeau family's speaking engagements as part of a probe of how WE Charity was given responsibility for a vast federal volunteer program.

Conservatives on the committee want the documents; Liberals said the committee has no business inserting itself into an investigation the federal ethics commissioner is already conducting.

WE gave up running the $912-million volunteer program amid controversy over hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees the WE organization paid to members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's family for appearances at WE events.

Trudeau has said he should have recused himself from the decision but didn't.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau, one of whose daughters works for an arm of the WE organization, has said the same.

The Tories say the committee needs to understand how well the government's conflict-of-interest regime works and the WE Charity deal presents a case study.

"Let's put some sunlight on this," said Ontario Conservative MP Michael Barrett, his party's ethics critic, as the meeting began.

According to WE, most of the fees went to Trudeau's mother Margaret, a mental-health advocate, for events between 2016 and 2020, and Justin Trudeau has never been paid anything.

Quebec Liberal MP Brenda Shanahan argued the ethics committee is not an investigative body. It broadly oversees the work of people such as federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion, she said, but doesn't do probes itself.

Dion is investigating Trudeau and Morneau in the affair, to determine whether they violated the Conflict of Interest Act.

Shanahan said that's the way the probe should be carried out, rather than have a Commons committee nosing through the finances of Trudeau's relatives.

"Is that really the way we want to go? Investigate everyone publicly? When there are other tools available?" she asked.

Other Liberals on the committee such as Greg Fergus and Elisabeth Briere echoed her, insisting the committee only has a role to play if the ethics commissioner somehow can't act.

Both padded their ideas out with long disquisitions on the history of democracy, back to Greek city-states, and how members of the executive branch are properly held to account.

New Democrat MP Charlie Angus accused them of filibustering, running out the clock on the meeting, and not even doing it particularly well under the rules.

"I mean, I love the stuff about ancient Athens, he can talk about ancient Sparta ... but he needs to be introducing new material," Angus said of Fergus.

In the end, Angus proposed a compromise that would see the committee seek the speaking records only so they can be handed over to Dion, and also directly call the prime minister to testify before the group.

He voted with the Liberals to break until next week to consider the idea, a move Fergus promised is not just a delaying tactic to defend Trudeau.

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The Conservatives accused the Liberals of seeking to shut the committee down in a coverup.

Thursday, the Commons finance committee heard from Youth Minister Bardish Chagger and senior public servants about how the arrangement with WE came together after Trudeau announced plans in April for a volunteering program for students who couldn't find work this summer because of COVID-19.

That committee heard WE pitched the government on a different but related project days before the announcement, and officials saw the group's connections with young people as vital to making the government's program work.

The Conservatives wrote to the lobbying commissioner Friday, seeking an investigation of whether WE's contacts with the government should have been recorded on the federal lobbying registry.

The Conservatives have also called on the RCMP to investigate whether anything in the affair was criminal. The Mounties said Friday that they're "examining the matter carefully with all available information and will take appropriate actions as required."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2020.
New Delhi, July 17 : Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has closed its Haridwar factory for sanitisation after some of the employees tested positive for Covid 19.

A company spokesperson said that HUL gives utmost priority to the safety and health of its staff, and has implemented world-class hygiene, social distancing and sanitization measures, fulfilling the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government of India, and the local administration.

Responding to an IANS query, an HUL spokesperson said, "We can confirm that some of our employees at the Haridwar factory have been diagnosed with Covid-19. This came out of an employee Covid testing programme we have activated. We are supporting them and their family in every way we can," the statement said.

HUL has closed the site for sanitisation before restarting its operations. It is also carrying out contact tracing among the employees to curtail further spread of the virus.

"To curtail further spread, we are carrying out contact tracing amon other employees and workers, and accordingly, advising them to self-isolate and monitor their health conditions," the company spokesperson told IANS.

"As an added precaution, we have decided to close the site to ensure deep cleaning and sanitisation before restarting operations," the spokesman said.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be contacted at sanjeev.s@ians.in)
A refrigerated trailer that the San Antonio health authorities acquired to store bodies, as morgues at hospitals and funeral homes reach their capacity with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) fatalities. Bexar County, Texas, July 15, 2020. City of San Antonio | Reuters

Texas officials and funeral home directors are ordering extra body bags and refrigerated trucks as they prepare for an increase in deaths from Covid-19, which has already killed 3,657 in the state. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is sending 14 refrigerated trucks to the state next week  on top of the eight already sent  to serve as temporary mortuaries, while some funeral homes are reserving their own trucks from private companies. "The directors I've talked to in the last week are at capacity or over capacity, thus the reason they had to bring in the trailers," said Gene Allen, president of the Texas Funeral Directors Association. Travis County, where Austin is located, is in the process of procuring three extra mortuary trucks "out of an abundance of caution," public information officer Hector Nieto said in an interview. The state doesn't yet need the additional mortuary trucks, said Seth Christensen, a spokesman for the Texas Division of Emergency Management. They are on standby in case local municipalities get overrun with Covid-19 deaths. "We want to be on top of this and prepared in case we have the need," Christensen said. For the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, see this. FEMA sent eight mortuary trucks to Texas in early April when the state was reporting fewer than 1,000 new cases a day, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The case count has climbed dramatically since then to a record 10,791 new cases on Wednesday, according to the state. On Thursday, 10,291 new infections were confirmed.

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Deaths and hospitalizations haven't risen as quickly in recent weeks, but epidemiologists say that's because it can take a while after someone is diagnosed before they are hospitalized and die. Some patients wage particularly lengthy battles before succumbing to Covid-19, like Broadway actor Nick Cordero who died earlier this month after spending more than three months in the hospital. With cases surging in Texas, the rise in hospitalizations isn't far behind. Covid-19 hospitalizations stood at 10,457 on Thursday, up more than fourfold from 2,518 a month ago, according to data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project, a volunteer project started by journalists at The Atlantic. And deaths in Texas have already started to climb, averaging 93 per day on Thursday, based on a seven-day average, up from around 20 deaths per day a month ago, according to Hopkins.

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The outbreak has local officials scrambling to set up testing facilities and ramp up their hospital capacity. Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city, is "facing a situation where our numbers have surged. More people are testing positive, showing up in our hospitals and our ICUs," Mayor Sylvester Turner said on a conference call with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday. Cuomo said New York has sent teams to Houston to help set up testing sites and partner with churches, delivering hand sanitizer, personal protective equipment and testing kits. The coronavirus is hitting particularly hard in the southern part of the state, which has a higher Hispanic population and lower incomes on average compared with the rest of Texas. That has local officials concerned. Epidemiologists have found that Black and Hispanic people have been dying at a disproportionately higher rate from Covid-19 than White people. Officials in Hidalgo and Starr counties, near the Mexican border, have previously warned that their hospitals were already at full capacity and urged residents to shelter in place and avoid large gatherings. Hidalgo County reported 150 Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday, more than triple the number since July 1, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Medical staffers wear full PPE as they wrap a deceased patient with bed sheets in the Covid-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center on June 30, 2020 in Houston, Texas. Go Nakamura | Getty Images
By Ayya Lmahamad

U.S. Permanent Representative to the OSCE James Gilmore has reiterated his countrys commitment to help Azerbaijan and Armenia reach a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"We will continue to be actively engaged in efforts to achieve this goal. The challenges related to the Armenian-Azerbaijani problem are in the spotlight," Gilmore said on July 16.

Gilmore said that is important for the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to be transparent and active, to be able to assist with mediation and response in line with the Minsk process.

"Yesterday, the co-chairs issued a press statement welcoming the reduction in hostilities at that time and calling on both sides to make every effort to continue de-escalation. The co-chairs also urged the sides to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and any attempt to change the situation," the U.S. diplomat said.

U.S. is a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group that has been mediating the peaceful resolution of the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict over Azerbaijans occupied Nagorno-Karbabakh region.

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. Despite the OSCE Minsk Groups efforts peace negotiations with Armenia has resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev recently said that Azerbaijani people were tired of meaningless negotiations that do not yield any results in the resolution of the conflict.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Since 1994, hostilities between the two countries have persisted despite the temporary cease-fire agreement. Usually, Armenian forces violate cease-fire regime on the line of contact. But recently Armenia has increased military aggression on the border.

The cross-border fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan started on July 12 with Armenia's firing artillery at Azerbaijan's positions in the direction of Tovuz region.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Mumbai, July 17 : Scriptwriters-lyricists Siddharth Singh and Garima Wahal, who have worked on films like "Bajirao Mastani", "Raabta" and Toilet: Ek Prem Katha", will now motivate budding talents.

They will do it with their segment FasterClass on their newly launched YouTube channel.

Talking about how motivation is necessary while pursuing dreams, Garima shared: "It's not easy to pursue a career which is 'hatke' than the usual path. One needs a lot of encouragement from their loved ones and peers to choose a profession which is known to come with a lot of hardships. You always need an extra pinch of motivation when pursuing your dreams. And that is exactly what Siddharth and I want to do for all our budding writers." Siddharth opened up about the idea behind FasterClass saying: "There are a lot of courses available out there which provide the right amount of lectures on how to become a writer. While those classes are beneficial for many, some writers are unable to attend those classes due to monetary issues." "Garima and I came up with this idea to help such writers so that they can pursue their dreams and work in an environment which they will cherish for their entire life. We want to help them hone their raw talent because with the audience demanding great stories now rather than actors, it is our job to make sure that they get what they are looking for," he added.
He's well-known for his love of kooky fashion.

And Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, 35, was certainly no wallflower when he appeared at the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest on Friday.

The Mercedes driver and reigning world champion, wore a bold jumper which had an image of a robot's hand reaching out for a human hand amid a backdrop of flames.

Reigning world champion: Lewis Hamilton wore a kooky jumper and patterned jeans as he stepped out at the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest on Friday

Incredible achievement: Lewis has won seven out of 12 races in Hungary and is expected to achieve further success in the third round of the new season

He teamed it with pattened jeans and trainers and added a further pop of colour to his look with an orange beanie hat.

The sportsman wore gold-rimmed glasses and a black face mask after arriving on site, with the Grand Prix lasting from Friday until Sunday.

Lewis has won seven out of 12 races in Hungary and is expected to achieve further success in the third round of the new season.

Mercedes magic: Lewis was seen in action during practise at the Hungaroring earlier on in the day

His appearance comes after Lewis called for greater diversity in Formula One.

Last month, the Mercedes driver announced the creation of the Hamilton Commission to help achieve this aim.

'Despite my success in the sport, the institutional barriers that have kept F1 highly exclusive persist,' Hamilton said back in June.

Important: His appearance comes after Lewis called for greater diversity in Formula One

Words: 'Despite my success in the sport, the institutional barriers that have kept F1 highly exclusive persist,' Hamilton said back in June

'It is not enough to point to me, or to a single new black hire, as a meaningful example of progress. Thousands of people are employed across this industry and that group needs to be more representative of society.

'For this reason, I have been working with the Royal Academy of Engineering to create The Hamilton Commission.

'A research partnership dedicated to exploring how motorsport can be used as a vehicle to engage more young people from black backgrounds with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects and, ultimately, employ them on our teams or in other engineering sectors.'

He has said: 'It is not enough to point to me, or to a single new black hire, as a meaningful example of progress. Thousands of people are employed across this industry and that group needs to be more representative of society'
Israel compiles list of officials who could face arrest over ICC probe

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 4:29 PM

Israeli authorities have compiled a top secret list of hundreds of military and intelligence officials, who could be arrested abroad if the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague opens an investigation into their war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The list thus far consists of between 200 to 300 people, some of whom are not aware of their inclusion, for abuses and war crimes committed in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem al-Quds, Haaretz newspaper reported on Thursday.

The list is secret as the Tel Aviv regime fears that the ICC could perceive the list of names as an official Israeli admission of the officials' involvement in the incidents under investigation.

The roster includes some of Israel's top officials, especially those involved in the 2014 military onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip.

Among them would be Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, minister of military affairs Benny Gantz, former minister of military affairs and current opposition MK Moshe Ya'alon, and the chief of the general staff of the Israeli army, Aviv Kohavi.

Former ministers of military affairs Avigdor Liberman and Naftali Bennett, along with former and current heads of the Shin Bet security service, Yoram Cohen and Nadav Argaman respectively, and some lower-ranking officers are also on the list.

A three-judge panel at the ICC is set to rule in the coming days or weeks on whether to approve a request by the court's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, to launch an investigation into war crimes perpetrated in the occupied Palestinian land.

In early July 2014, Israel waged a war on the Gaza Strip. The 50-day military aggression, which ended on August 26, 2014, killed nearly 2,200 Palestinians, including 577 children. Over 11,100 others  including 3,374 children, 2,088 women and 410 elderly people  were also wounded in the war.

Israel has long argued that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the case.

In recent months, Israel has also encouraged the administration of US President Donald Trump to sanction the ICC in the hope that this would deter the court from the war crimes investigation.

Last month, Trump announced sanctions against ICC officials investigating abuses by Americans and Israeli officials, stressing that court had no "jurisdiction over personnel of the United States and certain of its allies."

"The ICC is already threatening Israel with an investigation of so-called war crimes committed by its forces and personnel in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a brief statement on June 11.

"It's clear the ICC is only putting Israel in its crosshairs for nakedly political purposes," he added.

Israeli officials have long feared arrest for abuses while traveling to countries that have a legal remit to prosecute foreign war criminals.

Back in 2016, British police summoned former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni for questioning during a visit to the United Kingdom over the Tel Aviv regime's war crimes during Israel's 2008-2009 war in Gaza.

Livni, however, managed to obtain emergency diplomatic immunity and avoided summons to be questioned.

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC) announced Friday that it has established leadership and recruitment goals to increase the representation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) across its North American businesses as the company advances its five-year Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) plan. These include John Hancock in the US, and Manulife Investment Management across the region. Manulife is committed to increase BIPOC representation in leadership roles by 30% by 2025 and annually hiring at least 25% BIPOC talent in its graduate program. Manulife has also signed on to the BlackNorth Initiative Pledge in Canada, as well as the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge in the US, as both efforts align with our company's objective of advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Last month, Manulife announced investments of more than $3.5 million over the next two years to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and the communities. 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.
Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia Group Bhd on Thursday said it was in talks to raise more than 1 billion ringgit ($234.52 million) in funds, a day after its auditor cast doubt on its ability to continue as a going concern.

AirAsia, like other airlines, has been slammed by the coronavirus pandemic that has hammered demand for air travel. Its auditors have said its 2019 earnings were prepared on a going concern basis, which is dependent upon recovery from the crisis and the success of fundraising efforts.

AirAsia said it was considering various fundraising options, including debt and equity, and looking to at least halve cash expenses this year.

"We have been presented with proposals in various forms of capital raising, be it debt or equity, and are in ongoing discussions with numerous parties, including investment banks, lenders, as well as interested investors in seeking a favourable outcome for the group," the airline said in a statement.

Some financial institutions have indicated they would support a funding request of over 1 billion ringgit, it said.

A part of the funding would come from a Malaysian government guarantee loan programme, AirAsia said, adding its subsidiaries in the Philippines and Indonesia have also applied for loans.

The airline has begun to cut jobs and salaries to save costs, and is working on extensions with lessors, it said.

Earlier this week, the airline posted a first-quarter loss of nearly $200 million, its biggest quarterly loss since its 2004 listing.

AirAsia has also sought payment deferrals from suppliers and lenders and halted all deliveries of Airbus SE jets this year.

Equities research firm CGS-CIMB said AirAsia would need 3 billion ringgit in new funding to maintain a healthy cash position, adding capital-raising efforts could result in shareholder dilution.

AirAsia's shares rose 5 per cent, after dropping as much as 17 per cent in the previous session.
Twenty-four hours after a group of 28 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers detained for trying to enforce a bandh enjoyed mutton curry and rice in police custody, the inspector-in-charge of the Kotwali police station at Jalpaiguri town in north Bengal got transferred to Contai town in East Midnapore district as inspector at a local court.

The two towns are located around 714 kilometres from each other and it is an almost 17-hour road trip from the hill region to East Midnapore located by the Bay of Bengal. It takes around three and a half hours to travel from Jalpaiguri town to Darjeeling.

The BJP workers were detained on Tuesday, a day after the body of Debendranath Roy, the legislator from Hemtabad in the regions north Dinajpur district, was found hanging from a shed outside a roadside shop.

Roy won the Hemtabad seat on a CPI(M) ticket but joined the BJP in 2019. The states main opposition party said he was murdered and called a 12-hour bandh in north Bengal districts.

The Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha seat is among the 18 that the BJP won in Bengal in 2019. The party has grown exponentially in the region. In north Bengal, BJP won seven of the regions eight Lok Sabha seats while the Congress, despite its limited presence, bagged one.

The 28 BJP workers and leaders were detained by the Jalpaiguri Kotwali police station for trying to enforce the bandh. The hospitality they enjoyed however caught the attention of the administration after photos of the BJP workers enjoying the lunch surfaced on social media.

Biswasroy Sarkar, the inspector-in-charge, received the transfer order on Wednesday. He was not available for comment.

Abhishek Modi, superintendent of police, Jalpaiguri, said the transfer was a departmental matter and did not elaborate.

Some police officers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said top officers took exception and ordered an inquiry. In West Bengal Police, officers are usually transferred to locations within a district or to adjoining districts. This transfer order is a rare one, said of these officers.

The Kotwali police reportedly told the BJP workers that they would be released against personal bond in the afternoon and asked what they would like to have for lunch.

Manash Mustafi, president of BJPs Mazdoor Morcha in Jalpaiguri district, who was also detained, said, Some of us wanted to have mutton and rice. The food, he said, arrived from a local eatery.

Gautam Dey, the BJP spokesperson in north Bengal, said, The police usually offers food to people who are kept in custody for long hours. In this case they were asked to express their choice.

The transfer order shows how the growing popularity of the BJP prior to the 2021 assembly elections has panicked TMC leaders, Dey added.

BJPs Jalpaiguri district unit president Bapi Goswami said, BJP workers were offered food of their choice in many police stations, not just the Kotwali.

The district TMC leadership tried to distance itself from the incident.

Saurav Chakraborty, TMC legislator from Alipurduar, said We do not have details of the incident yet.

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Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 17:32 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406672811b 1 Politics domestic-workers-protection-bill,house-of-representatives,Lawmakers Free

After receiving praise for including the domestic workers protection bill in this years National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) list, the House of Representatives had decided to put the brakes in deliberating the decade-old proposed legislation, much to the dismay of activists.

The House left the bill out of its list of initiatives during the plenary session on Thursday.

The House Legislation Body (Baleg) previously agreed to endorse the bill in Thursdays plenary after gaining support from the majority of House factions on July 1. However, at the House's Steering Committee (Bamus) forum on Wednesday, the House speakers did not approve the endorsement over administrative reasons.

The chairman of the bill's working committee, Willy Aditya, expressed his disappointment, saying he failed to understand the leaders' reasons to refuse the bill, especially because of technicalities regarding supporting documents.

"I've done my best to convince the House leaders, but they want to delay the bill. Hopefully, we will still have a way to resolve it," the NasDem Party politician said on Thursday, adding that he had found nothing wrong in the administrative aspects of the bill.

Read also: Stalled domestic worker bill gains momentum, gives hope

The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Golkar Party, the two biggest factions in the House, have opposed the bill since it was being discussed at the Baleg, with the PDI-P specifically requesting to delay its deliberation. Seven other factions agreed.

Willy, who also serves as one of the Baleg deputy chairs, said the domestic workers' protection bill was one of the few populist bills at the House, regretting the leaders decision to delay it.

Amid so much public criticism against the House for the bills weve worked on, amid the less aspirational image of the lawmakers, this is one of the few populist bills," he said.

Willy suspected there was fear among his fellow lawmakers that the bill would formalize the domestic sector, which was actually not the main objective of the regulation.

"If they read the draft bill, it stipulates that the recruitment of domestic workers could be done through placement agencies or directly by households. The main principle of this bill is kinship.

The bill, he further explained, regulated work relations between employers and workers in a socio-structural manner that should be based on a working contract to ensure decent working hours and fulfillment of domestic workers rights.

Willy said the NasDem faction would seek support from the PDI-P and Golkar so that the House could move forward with the bills deliberation this year, as it had been included in the 2020 Prolegnas.

Read also: House Legislation Body initiates domestic workers protection bill

The bill, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post, contains several key matters, including provisions on the direct and indirect recruitment of domestic workers as well as their rights.

The rights arranged in the bill included the right to education provided by their placement agencies and administered by the government and the right to health and work accident insurance.

Placement agencies that do not provide education for workers could face administrative sanctions, ranging from a warning to the revocation of their permit.

It also regulates criminal provisions to protect domestic workers from discrimination, exploitation, harassment and violence by employers and placement agencies, both of whom could face up to eight years imprisonment or a fine of up Rp 125 million (US$ 8,562) if found guilty of the aforementioned abuse.

Lita Anggraini, an activist from the National Network on Domestic Workers Advocacy (Jala PRT), regretted the delay in the bills deliberation, saying it showed that House leaders were neglecting about 5 million domestic workers and their families who were living in poverty.

"They are the invisible hands that have been contributing to the countrys families social, economic and psychological matters, including the careers, professionalism and welfare of their employers, which also include the policymakers and lawmakers," she said.

The bill, she added, was urgently needed to help strengthen the government's bargaining position in protecting Indonesias migrant workers, noting that the government would be seen as weak and inconsistent in the absence of a law on workers' protection in their own country.

A coalition of labor groups also urged House speakers to endorse the bill as its initiative, noting domestic workers still faced mistreatment and poor working conditions, ranging from unlimited workloads, exploitative working hours and a lack of weekly holidays, annual leave and social security to physical and psychological violence.

Among the coalition members are the National Federation of Trade Unions (KSPN), the Indonesia Welfare Labor Confederation (KSBSI), the Inter Factory Laborers Federation (FBLP), the National Workers Union (SPN), the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) and All-Indonesia United Workers Confederation (KPBI).

"The big factions rejection of the bill illustrates the feudal discrimination against domestic workers," the coalition said in a written statement on Thursday.
The New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP) announced that they have started the second round of development tests assessing the effectiveness of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) systems in test cars.

The announcement was made recently, in line with the group's plans when it launched its new assessment protocol for 2021-2025 in Bali, Indonesia in November last year.

The AEB test was done under the Safety Assist (SA) pillar, one of the four pillars under the third assessment protocol (2021-2025). The rest of the pillars are Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), Child Occupant Protection (COP), and Motorcyclist Safety (MS).

ASEAN NCAP said that they "will also be assessing two types of AEB system in the upcoming protocol," which is the AEB City and AEB Inter-Urban.

In its statement, the group said that it is preparing to strengthen its capacity and capability in the area of testing the effectiveness of AEB systems, with the new protocol set to commence January next year.

This is a significant milestone in ASEAN NCAP assessment as currently (under the 2017-2020 protocol), the assessed vehicle only received points based on the availability of the system inside the vehicle, it claimed.

According to them, ASEAN NCAP is moving a step further by including the actual assessment of AEB in order to ensure that it is effective in stopping the moving vehicle based on the following criteria:

Assessment on the effectiveness of AEB City system in a car-to-car rear stationary by driving the assessed vehicle forward at a speed of 1060 km/h towards another stationary vehicle. Assessment on the effectiveness of AEB Inter-Urban system in a car-to-car rear moving by driving the assessed vehicle forward at a speed of 3060 km/h towards another vehicle that is travelling at constant speed.

Edsa traffic

ASEAN NCAP conducted the AEB development test for two consecutive days, (July 15-16) in Kuala Lumpur. The first development test was done in 2018 where ASEAN NCAP tested the effectiveness of blind spot technology fitted inside vehicles in order to detect the presence of motorcyclists riding at the blind spot zone of the moving vehicle.

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MIROS Director-General Adjunct Prof. Ir. Dr. Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim, who is also ASEAN NCAP Secretary-General and acting chairman, expressed pride over the recent testing made.

I am proud that ASEAN NCAP with the support from MIROS has successfully organized this development test in our effort to enhance our capacity and capability in AEB testing. This is part of our preparation to conduct such assessment for the new 2021-2025 protocol, he said.

As other technologies such as AEB becomes more mature, it is timely that we perform the actual physical assessment of the system and elevate our current assessment from just rewarding points on its availability inside the vehicle, Kassim added.

Photo from ASEAN NCAP Facebook page

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The Trump era brings renewed interest in Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, whose Red Scare playbook the current president seems to be tapping every time he smears an enemy or contrives a grand conspiracy. McCarthy - dismissed by President Harry Truman as a "ballyhoo" artist and by President Dwight Eisenhower as a "monster" - is often remembered as a kind of caricature. But newly unveiled records help us understand how the junior senator from Wisconsin became powerful enough to intimidate both Truman and Eisenhower; they also help rebut the myths that have arisen around the senator and his "ism."

Myth No. 1: 'Tail Gunner Joe' was not the war hero he claimed to be.

McCarthy anointed himself "Tail Gunner Joe" during his 1944 run for the U.S. Senate from Wisconsin - casting himself as a World War II warrior who had fended off Japanese Zeros as his crew of Leathernecks navigated the perilous skies near the Solomon Islands. But over time, journalists stopped buying it. As early as 1952, Madison's Capital Times newspaper indicted McCarthy for "phony war heroism." And an article published this year on HistoryNet.com asserts that "the war record that got him elected was more fiction than fact."

Yet in this case, McCarthy was telling the truth. We know that partly from his personal diaries, compiled while he was in the service, which were donated by his wife to his alma mater, Marquette University, and made available exclusively to me. They confirm that while his official assignment was as a land-bound intelligence officer, he repeatedly volunteered for combat. At sea, that meant going on submarine patrols. When he got to the Solomons, he took to the air on combat missions anytime he could.

Convincing backup for the diary accounts comes in the form of 13 letters to McCarthy from Marines who served with him. Several testify that on many missions he was precisely the tail gunner he claimed to be. "Captain McCarthy participated in several combat dive bombing strikes against enemy held airstrips, towns, and supply and ammunition dumps, as rear seat aerial gunner for me and for other pilots," wrote Maj E.C. Willard.

Myth No. 2: McCarthyism began with its namesake.

That seems axiomatic and is accepted as such by the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which defines McCarthyism as the "name given to the period of time in American history that saw U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin produce a series of investigations and hearings during the 1950s." The First Amendment Encyclopedia agrees: "McCarthyism was a term coined to describe activities associated with Republican senator Joseph R. McCarthy of Wisconsin."

Taken less literally, McCarthyism has a far longer history. While it's true that the senator's reckless accusations and guilt-by-association made him an extraordinary case, he was hardly an original. He owed much to an array of zealots and dodgers who preceded him, from Louisiana's populist governor and senator Huey Long to Michigan's Jew-bullying radio priest Charles Coughlin.

He wasn't even the originator of the narrower brand of Red-baiting that he rode to fame. Texas Democrat Martin Dies, the first chairman of the House Un-American Activities Committee, pioneered in the 1930s and '40s nearly all the techniques McCarthy would use a decade later. Dies helped develop the parlance of the movement by accusing New Dealers and others of being "soft" on Russia and "coddling" communists. He also loudly named names, including those of Franklin Roosevelt's top aides.

Then there was Truman, arguably a McCarthyite before McCarthy himself. He told himself that his 1947 Loyalty Order (which mandated background checks on 5 million federal employees and applicants, with FBI follow-ups on suspected subversives) would head off more draconian measures advanced by Republicans. Journalist Garry Wills saw it differently, as he explained in 1976: "It is unfortunate that McCarthyism was named teleologically, from its most perfect product, rather than genetically - which would give us Trumanism."

Myth No. 3: McCarthy helped purge the government of Soviet spies.

McCarthy's record in sniffing out communists was "not only much better than his critics allege but, given his metier, extremely good," authors L. Brent Bozell and William F. Buckley wrote in 1954. The view persists: "You are free to describe McCarthyism as a witchhunt," Jonah Goldberg of the National Review argued in 2003, "if and only if you are willing to concede that actual witches existed in our midst."

Soviet spying was real, of course, but McCarthy's bid to root it out was largely a fraud and a hoax. The best measure of how many actual spies McCarthy turned up lay buried in the 5,000 pages of decoded Soviet intelligence cables that were intercepted by the Venona Project, a supersecret U.S. counterintelligence project launched in 1943. Parsing those messages, officials uncovered evidence that hundreds of Americans were helping the Russians steal information, from atomic secrets to diplomatic strategies. Historian John Haynes carefully cross-checked the 159 people McCarthy named between 1950 and 1952 as communists, spies or other actors in the grand conspiracy. Venona files confirmed seven as having been involved in espionage. Another two, Haynes found, were named as spies in the KGB archives, and a 10th was what he called an "ambiguous case."

And even in those instances, many already were well-known to security officials; few got special grilling or follow-up from the senator. "When McCarthy was right, he was not original and was only repeating charges made years earlier by others," Haynes wrote, in an email to another scholar. "When he was original, he was wrong."

Myth No. 4: Edward R. Murrow ended McCarthy's reign of terror.

"60 Years Ago, Edward R. Murrow Took Down Joseph McCarthy,"proclaimed a 2014 HuffPost headline, echoing the narrative immortalized in the 2005 film "Good Night, and Good Luck." The Pulitzer Center took the same line in a review of journalist Marvin Kalb's 2018 book, "Enemy of the People,"writing that Murrow's "television broadcasts turned the tide of Senator Joseph McCarthy's 'Red Scare' in the 1950s."

The truth is that while his anti-McCarthy broadcasts on CBS were damaging, Murrow himself admitted to a New York Times reporter that he was late to the battle: "My God. I didn't do anything." The real McCarthy slayers were little-remembered reporters at papers like the Capital Times, along with America's most-read journalist of the period, Andrew Russell "Drew" Pearson. Pearson saw in McCarthy a witch hunter who couldn't snare a witch - precisely the sort of faker he'd spent his career exposing. Pearson penned dozens of columns on McCarthy, all scathing, in the months after the senator charged that the State Department was riddled with subversives. His muckraking encouraged Murrow and other journalists to take on McCarthy, and it anticipated arguments that would be raised at the 1954 Army-McCarthy hearings, which were the senator's undoing.

Myth No. 5: The cause bearing McCarthy's name ended with his censure.

After the Senate condemned McCarthy in December 1954, he "was ruined - and within three years he was dead from alcohol abuse," according to an online exhibition at the University of Virginia's Miller Center. "The era of McCarthyism was over." The Encyclopaedia Britannica sounds the death knell this way: "McCarthyism proper ended with the senator's downfall."

Like many messianic campaigns in American history, however, McCarthyism the movement outlived McCarthy the man. Leading conservatives saw the censure as an assault on them and the anti-communist movement. William F. Buckley Jr. made clear that McCarthy was an inspiration for him when, in 1955, he launched National Review, which quickly became the bible for conservative Republicans. Democrats, meanwhile, felt the need to demonstrate that they weren't as soft on communism as McCarthy had claimed, which helped draw John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson into a calamitous war in Vietnam. George Wallace aped McCarthy's divisive demagoguery in mounting his racial-backlash campaigns for the White House in the 1960s and '70s, while David Duke and Patrick Buchanan did the same a generation later.

Joe McCarthy's most apt student, however, was Donald Trump (and if we named the phenomenon teleologically, it might be called Trumpism). Roy Cohn, McCarthy's protege and Trump's tutor, was the flesh-and-blood through line. An aging Cohn taught the fledgling Trump the transcendent lessons he had learned from McCarthy: how to point fingers, in lieu of devising solutions, and aim a wrecking ball at his assailants.

- - -

Tye, who runs the Boston-based Health Coverage Fellowship, is the author of "Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy."
Derrick Black wants a stable, permanent place in downtown Toronto to live with his long-time partner, Michelle Plourd.

Tired of being bounced around the citys shelter system, Black, who has lived with his girlfriend in a large tent in Moss Park for about five months, recently rejected the citys offers of a temporary hotel room.

I want a housea key to my own place, said Black, who considers himself a leader in the encampment, someone who takes care of others there.

I want something stable. I have family and I have kids. I want my own space.

Homeless for about a decade, Black, who said hes been on the waiting list for affordable housing for several years, said he doesnt feel comfortable staying in a hotel. He said there are too many rules and too many people coming and going, not to mention the fear they could contract COVID-19.

Black said he isnt going anywhere until hes offered a permanent home in the downtown area.

If I have to go to jail for this, Im going, he vowed.

This (tent) is my home until I get a home.

In an email to toronto.com, city of Toronto spokesperson Brad Ross said the Streets to Homes outreach team and its partners have found temporary indoor spaces for 156 people who were living rough in the downtown east park, and are working to secure permanent housing for them.

A more focused effort to engage with those sleeping outside at Moss Park encampment has taken place in the last week, and each day those bedding down at this site have been offered inside space and told that the encampment will be posted for clearing, said Ross, noting the time frame for clearing this illegal encampment is being discussed.

He said as of 1 p.m. Thursday, Street to Homes is continuing to engage with those living at Moss Park, noting nine more residents have now agreed to move to safe inside spaces.

Just over 24 hours ago, Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation issued a Notice of Advice to the 20 or so remaining Moss Park residents. This notice indicated workers noted a number of activities happening at Moss Park that are contrary to its intended use, including debris/personal goods left there, an obstruction/encumbrance, structure, fence, posts or wires, digging or tunnelling without authority, and illegal camping. These actions are contrary to the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 608.

Those staying in the park were ordered to remove their possessions by Thursday, July 16 at 1 p.m. or they would be moved/stored at a nearby facility. The notice also indicated these items, except for identification, photographs, legal/medical documents, and medications, would be disposed of if not claimed by Aug. 15.

The city did not show up at 1 p.m. Thursday to enforce the notice.

Lawyer Brendan Jowett of Neighbourhood Legal Services (NLS) quickly stepped in to assist those living at Moss Park when the city issued the notice.

In a July 15 letter sent to Mayor John Tory; Janie Romoff, general manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation; Diana Dimmer, the citys director of litigation; and city manager Chris Murray, Jowett charged the notice is both invalid and unlawful as it does not provide people with the required minimum 72 hours notice to remove their property from a park. He called on the city to not proceed with the planned clearance of the Moss Park encampment.

My clients (Derrick Black and Michelle Plourd), and the other homeless, vulnerable residents of the Moss Park encampment, would suffer serious and irreparable harm if their belongings, including tents and shelters they rely upon for protection from the elements, as well as essential belongings like food, water, clothing, bedding, sentimental belongings, personal hygiene supplies, medication and medical supplies, were removed from the park and disposed of, wrote Jowett, who also said NLS continue to be deeply concerned about the citys ongoing threats to dismantle homeless encampments and would seek to have these concerns addresses in another forum.

My clients have not had adequate, or even minimal legally required notice, of the citys intention to take such drastic steps. It would violate my clients psychological and bodily integrity, as well as their rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to be free from violations of life, liberty and security of the person, as well as inflicting cruel and unusual punishment.

In a response issued early Thursday afternoon, Dimmer disagreed with Jowetts interpretation of the bylaw and the requirement that a trespass notice must provide 72-hours notice.

The section you refer to is not applicable to the situation in Moss Park, she wrote.

It is the citys position that the notice is valid.

Nonetheless, Dimmer said the city would continue to engage with those in the park that express a need for more secure shelter/housing. All others will be required to comply with the parks bylaw, any other applicable laws, and any trespass notices delivered.

In a show of support, roughly two dozen advocates, friends along with outreach and frontline workers made their way to Moss Park around 1 p.m. Thursday.

The folks here in the park want permanent housing. They dont want to be shuffled around the system, said Tommy Taylor, who works at the Fred Victor and St. Felix centres.

A member of the Shelter and Housing Justice Network, Taylor said theres simply nowhere to evict these people to as the shelter system is already at capacity, pointing to a court injunction currently against the city for this exact issue.

Ross said since mid-March the city has opened at least 30 new, temporary sites in hotels, community centres, and expanded facilities, and is working to secure both interim and permanent housing, and additional inside spaces. He said in the last four months, the city and its partner agencies have successfully permanently housed more than 1,300 people who were in shelters, hotels, interim housing and encampments.
Can we finally nix the myth that what this nation needs is a businessman who will run America like a business?

If mining magnate Herbert Hoover wasnt sufficient evidence, bankrupt casino king Donald Trump should be the clincher.

In Florida the other day, a retired banker named John Dudley told CNN why he will not vote for Trump a second time. In his words, Trump blew it. We were so excited in the beginning. A businessman to run our country like a business, and it hasnt happened.

Enough, already with the nonsensical business-porn. Hoover was the only previous president whod made his entire living by meeting a business payroll, but he had no leadership instincts and his one-term tenure during the Great Depression was so disastrous that the Republicans got exiled from the White House for the ensuing 20 years.

Heres a modest insight that should be self-evident: Running a business is different from running a country.

A lot of people have a knee-jerk antipathy toward politicians. In truth, politicians cajole and persuade and make the sausage that grinds governance. The smart ones intuit the national mood and move accordingly. The smart ones know that government, at its best, acts in the public interest, and that people pine for it in times of crisis.

There was scads of evidence in 2016 that if Trump were to run America the way hed been running his business, hed run us into the ground. But people didnt bother to pay attention.

How could Trump run America like a business if he couldnt even make money running casinos? It was a matter of public record that hed filed for bankruptcy six times  in 1991, 1992, 2004, and 2009  a fact that was well-aired during the 2016 presidential debates. The Wall Street Journal had reported in detail that none of the U.S. banks would loan him a dime. And it was also well known that, in Atlantic City, Trump had fled his serial failures by stiffing contractors, creditors and his partners.

But, alas, too many voters paid no attention, bedazzled as they were by smoke and mirrors. Granted, there was no pandemic on the horizon (although the Obama administration, mindful of the possibility, had assembled a team that Trump subsequently fired). But there was not a scintilla of evidence prior to the election that Trump, having spent zero minutes in public service, knew or cared about government rules, norms, or constitutional restraints  or understood anything about the difficult but imperative art of governance.

And now were sowing the whirlwind.

A few points of contrast: Franklin D. Roosevelt pulled us out of the Great Depression and won a world war  and he was never a businessman. Twenty-three million new jobs were created during Bill Clintons tenure  and he was never a businessman. Barack Obama pulled us out of the Great Recession, with a jobless rate as low as 4.7%  and he was never a businessman.

If you catch my drift.

So lets bid goodbye, once and for all, to the deified businessman model. Indeed, the warning signs about Trump were evident 33 years ago, in this burst of prose: You cant con people, at least not for long. You can create excitement, you can do wonderful promotion and get all kinds of press, and you can throw in a little hyperbole. But if you dont deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on.

So said Trump, in The Art of the Deal.

Dick Polman, a veteran national political columnist and a writer in residence at the University of Pennsylvania, writes at DickPolman.net. Email him at dickpolman7@gmail.com.
An ICMR team conducts surveillance in the view of COVID-19 outbreak at Balapur in Hyderabad. (Photo- PTI)

Hyderabad: Telangana is about a week away from hitting the 50,000 mark in Covid-19 cases with the state reporting around 1,500 new coronavirus cases a day.

On Thursday, the state registered 1,676 cases taking the total number of Covid-19 cases to 41,018 at 5 pm.

Ten more people were killed by Covid-19 on the day taking the number of dead so far to 396.

The number of active cases as on Thursday were 13,328 while the number of discharged/recovered so far has reached 27,295, the daily Covid-19 bulletin issued by the health department said.

Thursday was the first time that the state government indicated that not everyone being sent home has recovered from the disease but many are discharged after not showing Covid-19 symptoms for a given number of days.

Only when a patient enters the very serious infection stage and manages to pull back to recovery, is he or she tested for a negative Rt-PCR test before discharge. For others who are discharged, absence of symptoms means an assumption that the disease is harmless in them but they are let go without the final relief that comes from a negative test.

The state said that so far it has conducted 2,08,666 tests of which 14,027 were conducted on Thursday. No details were provided as to how many of these were the gold standard Rt-PCR test and how many were Rapid Antigen Tests that are not considered a fool proof Covid-19 testing method.

The health department said of the total 17,081 beds it has set aside in its hospitals across the state, a whopping 15,389 were available. It also said that from the high of 495 patients in the ICU ward of Gandhi Hospital on Wednesday, the occupancy of beds in this critical care ward on Thursday dropped steeply to 113.

The GHMC area as usual had the single highest chunk of the days cases at 788 with Thursdays tally for the rest of Telangana standing at 888 cases.

Karimangar, repeatedly touted by health minister, Etala Rajendar, as a model with respect to Covid-19 control, on Thursday recorded 92 cases, more than doubling its tally of 41 for Wednesday.

The increasing cases across the state in all the districts indicate that the Telangana governments Covid-19 fighting resources can be expected to be stretched to their limits in the coming days.
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To fill the massive gaps in our understanding of the Sun, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the Solar Orbiter mission on 9 February 2020.

The spacecraft completed its first close pass of the Sun in mid-June and the first images from it have now been released, including the closest pictures ever taken of the Sun.

"These amazing images will help scientists piece together the Suns atmospheric layers, which is important for understanding how it drives space weather near the Earth and throughout the solar system," said Holly Gilbert, NASA project scientist for the mission at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

At the time the images were captured, the spacecraft was just 77 million km away from the Sun, Science Daily reported.

An instrument called the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on the Solar Orbiter captured this first image, showing "campfires" during its first perihelion  the position of the spacecraft in its elliptical orbit where it makes its closest approach to the Sun.

"The campfires are little relatives of solar flares that we can observe from Earth, million or billion times smaller," Science Daily quoted David Berghmans of the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB), Principal Investigator of the EUI instrument, as saying.

Berghmans also said that the Sun might look quiet at first glance, but those miniature flares can be observed everywhere when we look in detail.

Scientists are unsure if these campfires are just tiny versions of big flares or they are generated due to an entirely different mechanism that isn't yet known.

ESAs Solar Orbiter project scientist Daniel Muller said that they did not expect these results so early, adding that the photos show the spacecraft is "off to an excellent start."

According to EurekAlert, the coronavirus pandemic threw multiple challenges to the mission. It led to the shut down of mission control at the European Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany, for over a week. Owing to the COVID-19 situation, teams involved in the mission also had to perform some critical operations remotely.
The United States has shattered its daily record for coronavirus cases after more than 77,000 new infections were reported on Thursday.

America's total infection count has now surged past 3.5million after the massive new spike of 77,255 cases, surpassing the previous high of 67,417 patients registered on Tuesday.

It takes the US another step closer to the alarming benchmark of 100,000 cases per day, which Dr Anthony Fauci has warned the country could reach if it fails to bring the crisis under control.

Another 943 deaths reported on Thursday brought the death toll to 138,358.

Experts are predicting a further surge after a spike in hospitalizations in many states.

Florida and Texas both suffered record death tolls yesterday with 156 and 129 respectively. Both posted more than 10,000 new infections each.

US CASES: America shattered its daily record for coronavirus cases after an alarming 77,255 new infections were reported on Thursday

US DEATHS: The death toll rose by 943 on Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University figures, taking the country's tally from 137,415 to 138,358

The US totals of 3,576,157 cases and 138,358 deaths are both by far the highest in the world, with Brazil second in both tables. India today became the third country to reach a million confirmed infections.

Florida is becoming the new epicenter of the US outbreak, with a record 156 deaths announced yesterday alongside 13,965 new positive test results.

The state's health department said 315,775 people had tested positive in Florida since the pandemic began with a death toll of 4,677.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis moved quickly to re-open the state and has not followed the lead of California and Texas by making masks mandatory in indoor spaces.

In late June, in a partial reversal, DeSantis ordered bars to again be closed in an effort to curb the spread of the disease, but the numbers have continued to rise.

In an unusually direct piece of criticism, Fauci said last week that Florida had moved out of its lockdown before public health indicators justified such a move.

Texas saw 10,291 new cases on Thursday, a slight drop from Wednesday's record of 10,791 but the third consecutive day that the figure has been above 10,000.

The state also saw a new high of 129 deaths in a day, breaking the record for the second day running after Wednesday's previous peak of 110.

It brings the total in the state to 292,656 cases and 3,561 deaths, with more than 130,000 of those cases estimated to be currently 'active'.

The hardest-hit areas in Texas and Arizona are running out of places to store bodies as their morgues fill up and are bringing in coolers and refrigerated trailers.

TEXAS CASES: Texas saw 10,291 new cases on Thursday, a slight drop from Wednesday's record of 10,791 but the third consecutive day that the figure has been above 10,000

TEXAS DEATHS: The state also saw a new high of 129 deaths in a day, breaking the record for the second day running after Wednesday's previous peak of 110

FLORIDA CASES: Florida announced 13,965 new coronavirus cases in its latest update yesterday, with the outbreak growing faster there than in any other state

CALIFORNIA CASES: California saw 8,544 new cases yesterday to bring the total to 356,178, while another 118 fatalities took the death toll in America's most populous state to 7,345

California saw 8,544 new cases on Thursday to bring the total to 356,178, while another 118 fatalities took the death toll in America's most populous state to 7,345.

Los Angeles County accounts for more than 140,000 of California's cases, with 2,711 recorded there yesterday, while LA has also seen 3,932 deaths.

The state saw its deadliest day on July 8, when 149 new fatalities were recorded, while the infection record was set the previous day with 11,694.

In New York, which suffered the brunt of the first wave of cases in the spring, experts warn that a second spike is likely because of the rampant infections elsewhere.

New York City reported only 82 new cases and four deaths on Tuesday, with fewer than 50 people being admitted to hospital every day.

However, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city would build its own reserve of ventilators, protective equipment and coronavirus test kits to prepare for a second wave.

'We've learned a tough lesson that we have to create, and we have to protect ourselves,' de Blasio, who is a Democrat, said.

New York state's Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo has urged New Yorkers not to let up on wearing masks and social distancing.

Cuomo has offered advice, ventilators, masks, gowns and medicine to the states dealing with spikes in cases and hospitalizations.

Some healthcare workers are heading to other states to help fight the virus, reciprocating the influx that gave New York hospitals some much-needed relief just months ago.

CDC figures show that more than 100,000 healthcare personnel have been infected with the virus and at least 538 have died.

The death toll in the healthcare profession could be higher because figures are only available for 67,000 of those infected.

The latest modeling projects the number of COVID-19 deaths should hit 151,000 by August 1 and 157,000 by August 8, according to an average of models of 23 US and international research groups

A newly revised model from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projects the death toll will climb to just above 224,000 by November 1 - up 16,000 from a prior forecast. The model predicts the death toll could be reduced by 40,000 if nearly all Americans wore masks in public

America's total death toll could hit 151,000 by August 1 and 157,000 by August 8, according to an average of models of 23 research groups in the United States and elsewhere.

The figures were published by the University of Massachusetts Amherst's Reich lab on Tuesday on behalf of the CDC.

A week ago, this average predicted 147,000 deaths on August 1, suggesting that the picture is worsening.

California, Florida and Texas are expected to see a thousand more deaths over the next four weeks compared to the previous four, said Professor Nicholas Reich.

The latest spike takes the US another step closer to the alarming benchmark of 100,000 cases per day which Dr Anthony Fauci (pictured) has warned that the US could reach if it fails to bring the crisis under control

The University of Washington's IHME model goes further and predicted a staggering total of 224,000 deaths by November 1.

Another, by independent modeler Youyang Gu in New York, predicts 227,000 deaths by November 1, days before the presidential election.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that the infection tally is only so high because of widespread testing, but Fauci has said that 'I don't think you can say we're doing great'.

The CDC says more than 46.5million tests have been carried out in total, including people who were tested more than once.

The agency this week urged people to continue wearing masks to stop the spread of the disease, citing studies which showed they are a 'critical tool' in the pandemic.

'We are not defenseless against Covid -19,' said CDC director Robert Redfield in an announcement on Tuesday.

'Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus - particularly when used universally within a community setting.

'All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.'

According to the IHME group, more Americans are wearing masks, and fewer are leaving their homes.

The model has access to GPS data through commercial partners.

'If 95 percent of Americans wore masks when leaving their homes, that number (of deaths) would drop by more than 40,000,' the research center said.
Vinoy Kumar Choubey, the additional director-general of police (ADG) (law and order), Mumbai Police, has tested coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive.

Besides Choubey, four of his aides, including his reader, or personal assistant, have also contracted SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease, an official said.

Choubey, who tested Covid-19 positive on Thursday, after one of his aides was found to be infected, is under home quarantine like his other staff members, who have contracted the virus.

Joint commissioner of police (administration) Naval Bajaj has been given the additional charge of joint CP (law and order).

At present, Mumbai Police is left with only three Jt. CPs, who are unscathed by the viral scourge, including Sinha, Naval Bajaj (administration), and Madhukar Pandey (traffic).

Choubey was also holding the additional charge of crime branch after Jt CP Santosh Rastogi left for Delhi in May following a Central governments deputation.

Choubey, a 1995-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has been at the centre of the Covid-19 management in Mumbai along with CP Parambir Singh.

They have been coordinating with the officials of civic bodies of Greater Mumbai and senior bureaucrats at Mantralaya, the administrative headquarters of the Maharashtra government in Mumbai.

The Jt. CP (law and order), Mumbai Police, has a cross-functional role such as meeting with officials both within and outside the police department and also the members of various communities and public groups.

It is yet to be ascertained how Choubey contracted the virus.

Choubey had visited several containment zones in Mumbai, which until recently was the epicentre of Covid-19 positive cases in Maharashtra and pan-India as well, in a bid to enforce lockdown restrictions.

He also made frequent visits to north Mumbai, which has been reporting a surge in the viral outbreak of late.

Though Choubey was promoted to additional director-general (ADG) rank in April, the Maharashtra government did not relieve him from Mumbai Police as he was a key member in Covid-19 management in the city.

Choubey, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) (Kanpur), has held several key posts in Mumbai Police, including the chief of EOW, DCP zone 9, and also the chief of regional passport office (RPO), Mumbai.

Earlier, a few junior IPS officers from the Mumbai Police had also tested Covid-19 positive, but they have all recovered from their viral infection and have resumed work.
Description

"Two-time Grammy nominee Hector Martignon will return to the Parrish with a stellar lineup from the Foreign Affair Quartet including Christos Rafalides (vibes), Gabriel Vivas (bass) and Samuel Torres (percussion). The quartet has performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Musics annual The Next Wave festival and at leading jazz venues in New York including Joes Pub/The Public Theater, nationally, and worldwide. A master in fusing traditional Latin American tunes, European classical music, and Afro-Cuban jazz, Colombian-born and New York-based Martignon has composed, orchestrated, produced, performed, and recorded music in a wide spectrum of genres, from classical and crossover, to jazz and world music, to rock and pop."



Parrish Art Museum
CHICAGO, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 10th Magnitude, a Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Services Provider (MSP) and Microsoft partner since 2010, announced today the company was awarded the 2020 Microsoft US Application Innovation Partner Award, the 2020 Microsoft US Solution Assessment Partner Award, and the Finalist Award for 2020 Microsoft Global Solution Assessment Partner of the Year.

At the beginning of each new fiscal year, Microsoft honors elite partners with awards recognizing excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technologies.

"Achieving these awards means a lot more to our team than a badge or trophy  it represents our deep commitment to continuously bringing new, transformational solutions to market and strengthening our partnership with Microsoft to provide clients with unparalleled cloud capabilities," says Lori Borg, Chief Growth Officer at 10th Magnitude. "To say we are excited is an understatement, but we won't stop here, and we're excited to continue our track record of excellence into the new fiscal year and beyond."

About the Awards

The Microsoft US Application Innovation Partner Award recognizes a US-based partner that has a strong track record of modernizing customer applications for the cloud, a deep understanding of customer business challenges, and has helped motivate the adoption of new cloud technologies and practices.

The Microsoft US Solution Assessment Partner Award recognizes a US-based partner that consistently demonstrates the ability to drive Microsoft solution assessments that result in outstanding customer outcomes. The Global Solution Assessment Partner of the Year Award  for which 10th Magnitude was the finalist  is the award's worldwide counterpart.

In addition to winning these 2020 Microsoft Partner Awards, 10th Magnitude has been the recipient of many Partner of the Year Awards in prior years, including 2019 Global Migration Partner of the Year, 2019 Global DevOps Partner of the Year, 2018 Open Source Applications and Infrastructure on Azure Partner of the Year, and more. Click here to view a list of 10th Magnitude's prior awards.

10th Magnitude is honored to be recognized for their hard work and dedication, and the company is looking forward to helping even more organizations embrace the benefits of Azure-powered environments and applications in the years to come.

Read more: https://www.10thmagnitude.com/10th-magnitude-wins-microsoft-awards

About 10th Magnitude

10th Magnitude is a Managed and Professional services provider specializing in Microsoft Azure.

10th Magnitude is headquartered in Chicago with offices around the US and clients worldwide.



For additional information:

Lori Borg

Chief Marketing and Experience Officer

10th Magnitude

[email protected]

425-455-1155

SOURCE 10th Magnitude

Related Links

http://www.10thmagnitude.com


By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 16, 2020 | 08:16 PM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY

Based on recommendations from public health officials, the Kentucky Department of Education and the governor's office, the plan will include an amended calendar, with school set to begin August 24 and ending on May 21, for a total of 167 instructional days (see attached photo.)



Changes to the school's start and end times will give each school 385 instructional minutes per day, which allows the district to meet the required 1,062 hour per year requirement.





The plan allows for parents to choose between traditional or virtual instruction. If state guidance changes, or social distancing begins to create capacity issues, the district has created a separate plan that allows students to attend school in person on an alternating schedule, receiving virtual instruction when not physically in school.





The district has also created an entirely virtual model to use in the event that schools statewide are ordered to stop in-person classes.





All students, staff, and any visitors will be required to wear masks when in motion, or when social distancing isn't possible.





Parents can expect to hear from their child's school by the end of July regarding their choice in teaching method.







Additional information can be found at the link below.





On Thursday the McCracken County Board of Education has approved its plans for reopening school.

On the Net:
THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP)  A man wielding an ax and shouting this is what you deserve attacked employees at a tax office in northern Greece on Thursday, leaving three people seriously injured.

Authorities said the attack occurred during business hours in the northern town of Kozani, about 450 kilometers (280 miles) northwest of Athens. All of the injured were tax office employees, three of whom were hospitalized in serious condition.

A fourth person suffered light injuries while trying to flee the scene and was not kept in hospital.

A 45-year-old unemployed Greek man was arrested, police said, after being restrained and disarmed by people inside the building.

Witnesses and tax office employees said the attacker was scanned for a fever at the entrance of the tax office, as part of pandemic precautions, and pulled a short ax out of a backpack after reaching the revenue department.

As he struck at members of staff the man was heard shouting Did you enjoy that? and This is what you deserve, according to witnesses, who added that at least three tax office employees were involved in restraining the attacker.

The alleged attacker, who was not named by police in accordance with Greek law, was wearing jeans and a plain black T-shirt as he was led away in handcuffs for questioning by two police officers.

We dont know what the motive was for this attack, said Ilias Zoumboulis, head of the regions tax officers association. But we have been asking for better protection of our staff and been raising this issue for the past two or three years. All three injured staff members were being transferred to the northern city of Thessaloniki to receive more specialized treatment.

Two are in critical condition with multiple head wounds and very deep cuts, the third patient is in serious condition, Stergios Ganatsios, director of the state-run General Hospital of Kozani, told the AP.

In a statement, the Finance Ministry said it unequivocally condemns the heinous and violent attack against employees of the tax office.

The ministry promised to take all necessary measures to ensure similar incidents do not happen again.

___ Follow Kantouris at http://www.twitter.com/CostasKantouris
(En francais)

KINSHASA (July 17, 2020)  The controversial 2018 elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo underscored the urgency of enacting electoral reforms, developed with broad-based consensus, to ensure that the Independent National Election Commission  known by its French acronym, CENI  operates as a transparent, inclusive, and credible organization that instills public confidence in the electoral process. Unfortunately, these goals have been undermined by the political divisions surrounding the National Assemblys recent confirmation of a new CENI chair.

The Carter Center urges President Felix Tshisekedi and other key stakeholders to quickly engage in dialogue to ensure that there is broad consensus on the selection of a CENI chair and on other key electoral reforms.

In its report on the 2018 elections, The Carter Center recommended a series of substantive institutional, legal, and policy reforms for Congolese stakeholders to consider in advance of the 2023 elections. The Center recommends that electoral reform deliberations move forward expeditiously  with input from a wide range of actors, including political leaders, legislators, civil society groups, security forces, electoral partners, and others. Key laws and reforms guaranteeing freedom of expression, freedom of the media, the right to peaceful assembly and association, gender parity, and transparency of the electoral process should be implemented well in advance of 2023.

The Carter Center has been privileged to work alongside the citizens of the DRC for more than a decade as they strive to advance democracy, human rights, peace, and development in their country. It remains committed to supporting Congolese efforts for successful democratic elections in 2023.

Translations

Declaration du Centre Carter sur la necessite d'un dialogue sur les reformes electorales en RDC (PDF)

###

Contact: Soyia Ellison, soyia.ellison@cartercenter.org

Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.

A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
Long-time Ontario trainer Victor Puddy is stepping up in the need of horseman Dave Jackson, who was recently injured during an on-track accident on June 28 at Clinton Raceway

Jackson, 50, remains hospitalized in critical condition. After the accident, Jackson was transported to Clinton Hospital, and was later transferred to London Health Sciences Centre.

Jackson has been diagnosed with severe head trauma along with a neck injury. He has been moved out of ICU and is now on the regular trauma floor at LHSC. The London native has a long road to recovery.

Puddy, a winner of more than 2,000 races in his career, will be donating his five percent (5%) training commission from each of his four starters this Saturday at Hanover Raceway.

His horses will line up as follows:

Race 2  Century Gala

Race 5  Thats Mia Bad

Race 6  Levis Day

Race 8  Shadow Margeaux

A GoFundMe campaign began yesterday and has already accumulated more than $9,000 which truly shows the generosity of the harness racing community.

All proceeds from the GoFundMe campaign will be sent to Dave Jackson.

(With files from The Raceway at Western Fair District)
A day after India termed the second consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav as "neither meaningful nor credible," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Islamabad is willing to provide a third meeting with the Indian death row prisoner, according to the Pakistani media.

Pakistan on Thursday provided a second consular access to Jadhav, a 50-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.

The Indian government said the second access was "neither meaningful nor credible," and Jadhav appeared visibly under stress.

"The Consular Officers were not given unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional access" to Jadhav, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in New Delhi on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Qureshi, however, said the Indian consular officers were provided access to Jadhav as desired by New Delhi.

Qureshi said Pakistan was willing to provide yet another consular access to India, The Express Tribune reported.

"They had objected over the presence of security officials during the meeting, we are willing even to remove those officials. If India wants another access then our offer is open. If they (India) want to meet him tonight or tomorrow, we are ready," the paper quoted Qureshi as telling a news channel.

However, there was no official confirmation neither from India nor from Pakistan whether the decision was conveyed to New Delhi.

India approached the International Court of Justice against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence.

The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July last year that Pakistan must undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay.

The first consular access under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 was earlier provided by Pakistan on September 2 last year.

Though Pakistan Foreign ministry had assured India that the consular access on Thursday would be unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional, it turned out that the arrangements of the meeting were not in accordance with the assurances made by Islamabad, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Srivastava said.

Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran.

India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy.
Click here to read the full article.

Could Ermenegildo Zegnas spring runway be the longest ever in the history of mens wear? Artistic director Alessandro Sartori for the brands spring 2021 collection was inspired by the Oasi Zegna, and filmed his first phy-gital show at the location.

This is a haven of peace, where the headquarters of the mens wear giant is surrounded by hydrangeas, rhododendrons, half a million pine trees planted by the namesake founder starting in the Thirties, and stunning views of the Alps. The models walked for about 3.3 kilometers (two miles) around the Oasi and at the Zegna factory, filmed by seven cameras. WWD had the opportunity to take a backstage peek and Sartori left nothing to improvisation, carefully mapping out every shot with a storyboard.

The show, to be livestreamed today, takes place at a special moment for the company, which marks its 110th anniversary this year. Sartoris long relationship with Zegna, to which he returned in June 2016 after five years at Berluti and eight years at the creative helm of Z Zegna, allows him to fully understand the companys history while experimenting with its high-end natural fibers, elaborating the soft and modern tailoring look that he has been perfecting.

As he showed in an exclusive preview, Sartori played with relaxed silhouettes to develop sophisticated suits with a languid feel, matched with collarless zipped tops.

The designer also created exciting hybrids by combining, for example, a fishermans vest and a utility shirt for a top tucked into wide-leg pleated pants.

Influenced by the lush greenery and natural landscape surrounding the Zegna factory, the designer played with a palette of earthy tones and delicate shades exuding a timeless romanticism.

Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. Ernesto S. Ruscio | Getty Images

There used to be a debate about Netflix: Is it a technology or media company? That debate has fizzled in recent years and clearly ended on Thursday, with Netflix's announcement that Ted Sarandos would join Reed Hastings as co-CEO. Sarandos, who lives in Los Angeles, has spent two decades at Netflix, leading the company's mammoth move into original content. "It's a unique company in that they really have almost two headquarters," said Gil Simon, chief investment officer at San Francisco-based SoMa Equity Partners, which has nearly 10% of its almost $3 billion in assets in Netflix shares. "Clearly the core competency of the company is acquiring and producing content." Netflix said Thursday that it added over 10 million global subscribers in the second quarter, bringing its total to 192 million. BMO Capital Markets estimated Netflix would spend more than $17 billion on content this year and more than $26 billion by 2028. Only Disney's film and TV budget significantly outpaces Netflix. Sarandos is the person responsible for putting Netflix's money to work. From last year's Martin Scorsese hit "The Irishman" to Netflix's new action film, "Extraction," Sarandos has been doing the deals, even with Hastings as CEO, operating out of the company's official headquarters in Silicon Valley. "While Reed was the visionary, Ted is the future," Simon said. "He's networked within the creative community and his ability to bring on A-list showrunners and film producers is the secret sauce."

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings speaks during Netflix Slate Event 2018 at JW Marriot on October 9, 2018 in Bogota, Colombia. Gabriel Aponte | Getty Images

Over the past few years, all the other big content companies have started to look more like Netflix, creating their own streaming services and platforms to capture eyeballs. Now Netflix's digital service, once an island in the cable TV universe, is the leader in a very crowded space. The result is Netflix increasingly looks more similar to every large media company. Sarandos told GQ seven years ago that Netflix's goal was "to become HBO faster than HBO can become us." He succeeded. AT&T, which acquired HBO in its Time Warner deal two years ago, is now trying to turn HBO into something that resembles Netflix, broadening out HBO to HBO Max, a service that includes family shows and mainstream sitcoms.

Trades like an internet company

Where Netflix wants to avoid the media comparisons is on Wall Street. Netflix trades much more like a high-growth tech company than a content behemoth. With a market cap of over $230 billion as of Thursday's close, it's now among the 20 most-valuable U.S. companies. Netflix has a comparable market value to AT&T, even with one-ninth the revenue, and it carries a price-to-earnings ratio of 106, compared with 41 for Disney, which has streaming growth opportunities of its own with Disney+ and ESPN+. But Netflix continues to show that its hefty content investments are paying off. Operating income surged 92% in the second quarter from a year earlier, and net earnings per share jumped to $1.59 from 60 cents. Sarandos doesn't talk much about the stock price, but he can spend hours discussing Netflix's ability to invest so much more than anyone else on a film while still making it profitable. At an investor event with UBS in December, Sarandos described his work with Scorsese and "The Irishman," a 3 hour mobster film that was viewed by more than 26 million people in its first week. It was a movie that even Scorsese acknowledged couldn't make it into the theater. "We're basically making the movies that would otherwise be difficult to make," Sarandos said. "They're premiering on Netflix and being produced the way that the filmmaker wanted to make it and we could make it."

Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Ray Romano star in Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman." Netflix




Haiti - Health : The Cuban Medical Brigade fights against the epidemic in Haiti





The members of the Cuban Medical Brigade continue their actions in Haiti with patients in the 10 departments, in particular cases of Covid-19, while the number of people infected since March 19, 2020 approaches the bar of 7,000 cases https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31299-haiti-flash-the-number-of-suspect-cases-doubles-in-24-hours.html



As a reminder, last April, around twenty Cuban professionals joined the fight against the pandemic in Haiti in one of the main treatment centers, while hundreds of other specialists from the Cuban brigades continued their regular work in the communes, across the national territory. A Cuba-Haiti cooperation that has lasted for over 20 years https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25965-haiti-cuba-20-years-of-cuban-medical-aid-in-haiti.html



"We maintain our levels of patient care in the same way, with the only difference that today we protect ourselves with the means defined for this pandemic," said Yadira Diego Pupo, Departmental Coordinator in Artibonite, the second region hardest hit by Covid-19 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31297-haiti-covid-19-daily-report-july-16-2020.html



Artibonite records 375 confirmed cases, and nearly 20% of deaths. Diego explained that the brigade is working in particular to identify potential patients infected with Covid-19, and then to integrate them into the national health system. Pointing out that Cuban professionals offer information on the use of masks, the isolation of people with symptoms, frequent hand washing and others that can limit the spread of the virus.



At the same time, Cuban brigade personnel continue their field consultations, surgical operations and rehabilitation in all the hospitals where they provide services. "We were able to work for the emergency as is the case for Covid-19, but without ceasing to work on what is important because of our commitment to provide assistance to all people," added Luis Orlando Olivero, chief of the Cuban Medical Brigade.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31299-haiti-flash-the-number-of-suspect-cases-doubles-in-24-hours.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31297-haiti-covid-19-daily-report-july-16-2020.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25965-haiti-cuba-20-years-of-cuban-medical-aid-in-haiti.html



S/ HaitiLibre


















Shutterstock

The Greater Houston Womens Chamber of Commerce (GHWCC) is hosting Houstons premier womens conference, the Greater Houston No Limits Conference for Women on Oct. 8, 2020. It is an incredible opportunity for business leaders to enhance their personal and professional leadership skills and hear first-hand from some of the nations top women in business sharing their challenges and successes in their road to success.



With everything going on today, this is a great time to host our conference virtually, as it will allow so many more people to attend, said Loretta Cross, conference chair and senior advisor of disputes, compliance, and investigations at Stout Risius Ross LLC.



The event will showcase some of the nations leading executive and entrepreneurial women and men, recognize the dynamic 2020 Breakthrough Women and Kathryn Stream Award finalists, as well as provide the opportunity to build valuable business relationships and educational break-outs. Speakers include Carla Harris, author and Vice Chairman, Managing Director and Senior Client Adviser at Morgan Stanley; Tiffany Masterson, founder of Drunk Elephant; Sean Adigun, former US Olympian; Rita R. Colwell, Ph.D., author; and Lee Woodruff, author.



As we navigate our new normal and evaluate the restructuring of our careers, businesses and lives, this conference offers the opportunity to learn from others and work on solutions together, said conference co-chair Paula Harris, who recently retired from Schlumberger and who will be recognized as a Breakthrough Woman ICON, the first time the award will be given.



The conference will focus on important experiences that women have in their careers and provide ways to enhance their leadership, career, and personal development skills, said Chantell Preston, lead partner of Active Aging and Longevity Fund, Portfolia, and breakfast co-chair of the conference.



Inspiring the next generation of leaders

In addition, a key element of the conference will be providing young women resources and tools for their future careers and understand the potential and power of surrounding themselves with smart, hardworking women to help them achieve success.



It is important for young girls to see women in high positions to help them create a vision for their future and know that there are no limits to their success. Experienced leaders want to give back to a younger generation of future leaders and often find value in the mentoring opportunities that arise from networking at the event, said breakfast co-chair Stephanie Madrid, who is vice president of regional operations, Kindred Hospitals of Houston. The GHWCC will also be awarding several scholarships to deserving high school graduates.



Additionally, the Kathryn S. Stream, Ph.D. Award for Excellence in Womens Health will be awarded to a community health care leader. And, during the breakfast attendees will hear from some of Houstons finest health care leaders.



Im excited to co-chair and attend the conference to learn, share ideas, and connect with women across many industries. Women supporting each other in the business world is crucial, and equally important is education. Young women are the future and it is so important to provide them with a mentorship and assistance to achieve their personal and professional goals, Preston said.

For more information and registration, visit https://ghwcc.org/.
This week marked a major escalation in the US war drive against China. Confronted with a deep economic and social crisis at home and his own worsening election prospects, President Trump is aggressively confronting China across a whole range of potentially explosive issues.

In an ominous sign, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week formally branded virtually all of Chinas claims in the South China Sea as illegal, denouncing its alleged bullying of smaller powers and flouting of the international rules-based system. This marked the first time the United States officially sided with the claims of regional countries that contest China's claims in the South China Sea.

The hypocrisy involved is staggering. The US has refused to ratify the very lawthe UN Convention on the Law of the Seathat Pompeo has seized upon to condemn China. The so-called rules-based system is one in which Washington sets the rulesfor otherswhile flouting international law at will. The record of US imperialist thuggery, including illegal invasions, military interventions and coups, stretches back for more than a century.

Pompeos statement sets the stage for a dramatic escalation of US military might in the South China Sea, which Beijing has declared is a core interestthat is, one in which there is no room for compromise. Earlier this month, the US Navy staged high end war games involving two aircraft carrier strike groups in these strategic waters provocatively near key Chinese military bases in southern China. This week, to underline Pompeos statement, a US destroyer conducted another so-called freedom of navigation operation close to Chinese-controlled islets in the South China Sea.

In a press conference Tuesday, Trump reinforced his administrations bellicose stance towards China by announcing a series of punitive measures towards Hong Kong, including ending preferential trade treatment for the Chinese territory and a ban on the export of sensitive technologies. He has also signed off on the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which paves the way for sanctions on Chinese officials involved in imposing a new national security law on Hong Kong.

The Trump administration has also recently imposed sanctions on Chinese officials involved in alleged human rights abuses of Muslim Uyghurs in the western province of Xinjiang and inside Tibet. While the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses police state measures widely, particularly against the working class, the US has not the slightest concern for the democratic rights of people in Hong Kong, Xinjiang or Tibet. Rather, in what is a well-established modus operandi, Washington is exploiting the issue of human rights to further its own predatory interestsin this case, the undermining and fragmentation of the rival that it regards as the chief threat to its global hegemony.

At the press conference, Trump launched into a savage attack on China, reiterating the litany of unsubstantiated allegations and outright lies that are now his stock in trade. He accused China of stealing American technologies, pillaging our factories and ripping off the American economy. To deflect from his own criminal negligence in his administration's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has cost the lives of nearly 140,000 Americans, Trump once again accused China of concealing the virus and unleashing it upon the worldwithout providing a shred of evidence.

Trumps rambling and at times incoherent comments were nominally directed against his presumptive Democratic rival for the presidency, Joe Biden. However, the fact that Trump and Biden are both accusing each other of being weak on China only underscores the bipartisan character of the aggressive US targeting of Beijing.

Trump has continued and accelerated the Obama administrations pivot to Asia, which was aimed at subordinating China to American interests. A Financial Times commentator noted this week: To be in Washington is to sense a nation sliding into open-ended conflict against China with eerily little debate.

Trump is upping the ante against China virtually on a daily basis. The New York Times reported this week that the White House is considering an unprecedented travel ban against all 90 million members of the Chinese Communist Party, as well as their families. This extraordinary measure would in effect sanction the entire administrative and political apparatus of the worlds second largest economy. Legislation previously used on a racialist basis to ban travel to the US from Muslim countries would be exploited to impose a blatantly political move against China.

The resort to such extreme measures, calculated to provoke retaliation by China, is a measure of the depth of the crisis in Washington and the desperation not only of the Trump administration but the whole political establishment. Having failed to reassert its domination through a quarter-century of brutal military occupations in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, US imperialism is careering blindly towards a war with a nuclear-armed power that would engulf the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated all of the underlying contradictions of capitalism. Amid a resurgence of the class struggle globally, the Trump administration is not the only government being driven to recklessly project mounting social tensions at home outwards against an external enemy.

While worried commentators are warning of a new Cold War, the confrontation between Washington and Beijing will not be a re-run of the rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union. Confronted with its historic decline, American imperialism cannot tolerate peaceful co-existence with a rising economic power that, by its very existence, threatens its global dominance.

For its part, Beijing has no progressive answer as the US aggressively seeks to challenge and undermine it on every frontdiplomatically, economically and militarily. The fragile Chinese Communist Party regime represents the countrys ultra-wealthy capitalist elite and sits on top of its own social time bomb, making futile attempts to appease Washington while engaging in a dangerous arms race that can only end in disaster for humanity. It is utterly incapable of making any appeal to the one social force capable of halting the drive to warthe international working class.

The accelerating slide towards world war will undoubtedly provoke opposition from workers and young people around the world. That opposition, however, has to be welded into a unified international anti-war movement of the working class based on a socialist program and directed at overturning the capitalist system and abolishing its outmoded division of the world into rival nation states. That is the perspective for which the International Committee of the Fourth International fights.
Read your overview of news from Slovakia on Friday, July 17.

PM Igor Matovic met with EC President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Thursday. Meanwhile at home, he faces a plagiarism scandal. (Source: AP/ TASR )

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This is your overview of news from Slovakia on Friday, July 17, 2020. Scroll down for a selection of good reads for the weekend. If you appreciate our service and would like to support us, the best way to do so is to buy our online subscription. Thank you!

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Politicians on Matovic plagiarism: Disappointment and shame

In her official reaction to the plagiarised final thesis of PM Matovic, President Zuzana Caputova admitted she was left "disappointed and sad".

"The expectations of the public, including my own, of high standards in applying political power and drawing political responsibility, that the arrival of the Igor Matovic government has been linked with, remain unfulfilled for now," Caputova wrote.

Some coalition partners say they are disappointed but do not expect the government to fall over the plagiarised thesis. The opposition leaders, on the other hand, say they are ready to initiate a no confidence vote in the prime minister.

Read more reactions of Slovak politicians here.

Travellers from UK will no longer be required to isolate

Slovakia has made one change to its list of low risk countries. The United Kingdom has been added to the "green list". As of Monday, July 20, 2020, travellers arriving from the United Kingdom will no longer be required to go into home isolation upon entering Slovakia. They will also not need to report to their respective regional health authority.

Related article

Related article How to travel to and from Slovakia post-coronavirus Read more

In other news:

Testing confirmed 14 new coronavirus cases in Slovakia on Thursday. See detailed stats about coronavirus in Slovakia here.

German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer visited Slovakia on July 16 to meet with her Slovak counterpart Jaroslav Nad.

Defence ministers Jaroslav Nad of Slovakia and Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer of Germany met in Bratislava. (Source: TASR)

July 17 is a national memorial day in Slovakia, commemorating the Declaration of Independence that was signed in 1992 and led to the emergence of the Slovak Republic after the break-up of Czechoslovakia on January 1, 1993.

The term of General Prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar officially ends today. He will meet with President Zuzana Caputova on Monday to discuss his next steps. His successor has yet to be chosen. Parliament has recently passed a new law governing how the election should take place.

Do not miss on Spectator.sk this weekend:

Having survived countless lightning strikes, Slavin gets a makeover Read more

One of Bratislava's major landmarks will change. Take a look at the new Istropolis Read more

The oldest witnesses of history: Vote for Slovakia's prettiest tree Read more

Pandemic has shown us how important it is to keep borders open in the long run Read more
The government examined the first draft of a law  which legislates that specific items known to have been looted must be returned permanently to their places of origin within one year.  The objects the law would see deaccessioned from French collections include 26 objects taken from the royal palace of Abomey in 1892, which are currently held at the Musee du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac. (There is also a historically important sword that would be returned to Senegal.)  Artnet
LOS ANGELESJust nine months after the United Kingdom dropped its two-year attempt at banning online porn for anyone under age 18, across the English Channel France now wants to give the same thing a try.

The French parliament this week agreed on a new law requiring porn sites to implement an age-verification system, to supposedly guarantee that no one in the country under age 18 is able to view adult content, according to a report by the European edition of Politico.

Frances Superior Council of the Audiovisual, or CSA, the countrys media regulatory body, will be granted new powers to take action against porn sites that fail to comply with the age-verification requirement, including the possibility that they could suffer a total ban from the internet within France.

Though France is only the 22nd-most populated country in the world, it is the fifth-most frequent visitor to PornHub, according to the mega-sites stats.

According to the tech site Gizmodo, however, the French plan is likely to run into the same difficulties that ultimately led the U.K. to ditch its own porn-blocking law.

Among those are the considerable privacy and security issues that would result when users are forced to upload personal data identifying them with porn viewing onto servers held by the private age verification companies operating the required systems.

But even with those issues, as well as technical problems implementing an effective system that led the U.K. to kill its own law, that law may now get a second life. A court in Britain this week ruled that Baroness Nicky Morgan, the U.K. government culture secretary, exceeded her authority when she decided to give up on implementing the law last October, according to a report by The Telegraph newspaper.

The ruling came in a lawsuit by four tech companies who argued that they invested millions in developing age verification software, only to have the government suddenly render their investments worthless.

The court ruling this week clears the way for a full judicial review of Morgans decision. If that review also finds that she exceeded her authority, the U.K. could move ahead with putting the age verification system in place after all.

The final details of the French version of the porn-blocking law are still being worked out between the countrys National Assembly and Senate, the two houses of parliament. But the Senate has already voted to approve a version of the proposal, and its final passage is seen as inevitable, according to Politico.

Photo By Free-Photos / Pixabay
Mrs Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) has given the assurance of the Commissions commitment to fairness, transparency and integrity ahead of the December general election.



She said that commitment informed the Commissions regular engagement with the media and other stakeholders and called for support of all.



Mrs Mensa said this at the Commissions fourth, Let the Citizen Know encounter in Accra.

She said the voters registration exercise was progressing steadily, but the Commission needed the support of the media and other stakeholders for a successful exercise.



Mrs Mensa reminded the media that as one of the Commissions key stakeholders, its role was crucial for the compilation of a credible voters register and the conduct of a free and fair elections and tasked practitioners to report the truth and be factual in the spirit of transparency and justice.



She appealed to the citizenry to disregard reports that figures put out by the Commission were bloated, saying it cannot be so.



Mrs Mensa said bloated figures could be human errors and that the process made room for due diligence, adding, when the Commissions attention was drawn to the mistakes, We admit and correct them.

Source: GNA









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

Featured Video
New York State Forest Rangers came to the rescue of lost and injured hikers on trails recently in areas ranging from the High Peaks to Kaaterskill Falls.

The following incidents took place from June 30 to July 12.. All information below was supplied by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Town of Keene, Essex County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 12 at 10:50 a.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call reporting an injured hiker on Upper Wolfjaw in the Eastern High Peaks. The caller stated he saw a 25-year-old man from Queensbury hiking solo with a knee injury from a fall on wet tree roots. Forest Rangers Kevin Burns, Tom Gliddi, Robbi Mecus, and Scott van Laer and two Assistant Forest Rangers responded. At 3:10 p.m., Ranger Mecus located the injured man just below the summit of Upper Wolfjaw, assessed the injury, and determined a hoist mission was necessary. NYSP Aviation found a break in the cloud cover at 3:50 p.m., and responded to their location for assistance. The hiker was hoisted into the helicopter at 4:10 p.m. by Ranger Burns and transported to a local hospital for further medical treatment.

Town of Dresden, Washington County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 12 at 10:34 a.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Essex County 911 reporting an injured hiker with a foot laceration on the summit of Black Mountain. Forest Rangers Callee Baker, Evan Donegan, Joe Hess, and Brandon Poulton responded to assist. Rangers located the 29-year-old injured hiker from Castleton-on-Hudson just below the summit. Prior to the Rangers arrival, a member of the hiking party with backcountry medical training bandaged the injury. Rangers slowly walked the hiker down the mountain before reaching an ATV staged partway up the trail to transport him out of the woods.

Town of Lyonsdale, Lewis County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 11 at 9:45 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Lewis County 911 reporting six lost hikers. The hikers left a nearby camp to walk along the Moose River, became disoriented, and were stranded due to darkness. Forest Ranger Luke Evans responded to assist and followed coordinates that placed the group along the river, not far from a nearby road. At 11:28 p.m., Ranger Evans located the individuals and started walking them out. At 12:06 a.m., the hikers and Ranger Evans were back at the road.

Town of Collins, Erie County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 11 at 4 p.m., Forest Ranger Wayne Krulish and Assistant Forest Ranger (AFR) Korah Witherell patrolled the Zoar Valley Unique Area ensuring all visitors were accounted for following a heavy rainfall. Two vehicles remained in the Valentine Flats parking area and Ranger Krulish and AFR Witherell hiked in and located the individuals at the north side of the Cattaraugus Creek main branch where the two had been fishing. Heavy thunderstorms caused the creek to rise quickly, preventing the visiting anglers from crossing to return to their vehicles. They were advised to remain in their location until Rangers could assist and help the pair hike out of the gorge. While Rangers were en route, Erie County 911 dispatched a helicopter to pick up the hikers. The helicopter returned the pair to the Valentine Flats parking area at about 7:30 p.m. Ranger Krulish interviewed the two hikers and issued tickets for unlawful use of the area.

Towns of Harrietstown and Keene - High Peaks Wilderness Area, Franklin and Essex Counties

Wilderness Fire Suppression and Rescue: On July 10 at 9:50 a.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker reporting a fire on the summit of Mount Emmons in the High Peaks Wilderness Area, town of Harrietstown, Franklin County. Due to the long approach over difficult terrain, New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation assisted by inserting two Forest Rangers via a hoist. Forest Rangers Kevin Burns and Scott van Laer conducted a size-up of the small ground fire, extinguished it, and placed it in patrol status. While preparing for the mission, Dispatch received a call at 10:50 a.m. from ADKs Johns Brook Lodge reporting a hiker suffering from a heat-related illness in the High Peaks Wilderness Area, town of Keene, Essex County. The 27-year-old male hiker from Phelps was dehydrated and unable to adequately rehydrate. Forest Ranger Benjamin Baldwin responded with NYSP Aviation to pick up the hiker at the Johns Brook outpost landing zone and airlift him to a local hospital. At 12:46 p.m., after the hiker was dropped off for additional medical attention, the helicopter and Ranger/Crew Chief returned to the fire on Mount Emmons to assist with suppression efforts.

Town of North Elba, Essex County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 9 at 9:30 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from the brother of an 18-year-old female hiker from Saranac Lake who was stranded without a headlamp on McKenzie Mountain in the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness Area. Coordinates placed the hiker on an abandoned trail. Forest Ranger Rob Praczkajlo responded and at 12:03 a.m., advised that he was with the hiker. The Ranger provided the hiker with a headlamp and escorted her back to the trailhead. They were met on the trail by Forest Ranger Kevin Burns, who assisted the hiker safely the rest of the way.

Hudson River, Indian Lake, Hamilton County

On Sunday, July 5, two Forest Rangers from Region 5 Zone D, Hamilton County, conducted outreach and education for New York State-licensed rafting guides on the Indian/Hudson River. On this day, 182 customers hired licensed guides to raft them down the Indian and Hudson River Gorge. Rangers inspected 40 licensed guides, educating and assisting them with any violations observed.

Town of Keene, Essex County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 5 at 8:02 a.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call requesting assistance with an ill hiker between Basin and Saddleback Mountains. The hikers had set out on a multi-day trip on July 2, which included summitting Lower Wolfjaw and camping at Wolfjaw lean-to, Mount Marcy/camping at Panther Gorge, and Haystack and Basin, camping on the col between Basin and Saddleback. The 21-year-old hiker from Porter Corners experienced severe abdominal cramping and signs of dehydration. His hiking partner tried to rehydrate him, but they ran out of water. Dispatch established contact with the hikers and Forest Ranger Scott vanLaer, who was assigned to the Johns Brook interior outpost, responded to assist. Ranger vanLaer had to summit Saddleback via the Orebed Brook trail to reach the hikers. The hiker was given fluids and the group started out on foot to Johns Brook Valley. At 5:27 p.m., Forest Rangers Megan LaPierre and Robbi Mecus transported the hikers via ATV from Johns Brook back to their vehicle. The hikers were issued tickets for camping over 4,000 feet in elevation, having a campfire in Panther Gorge, and not carrying a bear canister.

Town of Hunter/ Kaaterskill Wild Forest, Greene County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 4 at 3 p.m., Forest Ranger John Gullen and Assistant Forest Ranger Jonathan Lasselle came across a 22-year-old man from Brooklyn who became ill not far from the middle pool of Kaaterskill Falls. The man was unable to keep any fluids down and had a fever. Rangers helped the man walk out of the woods to a waiting ambulance at the Laurel House parking lot, where he was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

Town of North Elba, Essex County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 3 at 8:45 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiking group reporting that they took a wrong turn coming off Mount Colden in the High Peaks Wilderness Area. Coordinates placed them on the trail to Lake Arnold rather than Marcy Dam. Assistant Forest Ranger Ethan Engel and the Marcy Dam caretaker responded to assist, locating the lost hikers from New York City not far from their last known point. At 11:05 p.m., the group arrived back at Marcy Dam as Forest Ranger Peter Evans started in to escort the hikers out of the woods since they did not have any flashlights with them. At 12:32 a.m. on July 4, the hikers and Forest Ranger Evans were back to the trailhead.

Town of Keene, Essex County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 3 at 12:13 p.m., Forest Ranger Lt. Chris Kostoss notified DECs Ray Brook Dispatch that a woman on the summit of Saddleback Mountain had suffered an unstable knee injury and was requesting assistance. Lieutenant Kostoss determined the best course of action was to insert a Ranger at the summit to assess the extent of the injury. Forest Rangers Kevin Burns and Benjamin Baldwin responded to the New York State Police Aviation Hangar in Lake Clear to prepare for a possible hoist mission. A helicopter lowered Ranger Burns to the 18-year-old hiker from Scott Plains, New Jersey, and he determined the hiker could bear weight on her leg. Ranger Burns advised they would slowly hike down to the Johns Brook Outpost and meet up with Forest Rangers Scott vanLaer and Scott Sabo to transport the hiker out of the woods. At 5:54 p.m., the hiker and Rangers were back to the trailhead, and she declined additional medical attention.

Town of Newcomb, Essex County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 2 at 1:08 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker near the summit of Goodnow Mountain reporting a 16-year-old female hiker from Ogdensburg had suffered a lower leg injury while on a steep section of terrain. Forest Rangers Andrew Lewis and Chuck Kabrehl responded, located the injured hiker, and splinted her injured ankle. Forest Ranger Jamison Martin and Assistant Forest Ranger Brendan Jackson also responded along with members of the Newcomb Fire Department and volunteers to help carry the hiker back to the trailhead. Back at the trailhead, Newcomb EMS evaluated the woman.

Town of Keene, Essex County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 2 at 4:03 p.m., Adirondack Mountain Reserve (AMR) security contacted DECs Ray Brook Dispatch reporting an injured hiker on Gothics Mountain. A group had driven to the AMR lake road gate and notified staff at the gate that the hikers received a call from friends on the mountain at 3:15 p.m., stating that one of their group had an injured knee. The 20-year-old woman from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, was still able to walk on the injured knee and was hiking down with her father. The father and daughter planned to hike from Beaver Meadow Falls to the lake road. Forest Ranger James Giglinto responded to the lake road and proceeded down to the access point for the Beaver Meadow Falls Trail. About 1.5 miles in, Ranger Giglinto made contact with the hikers, who were still mobile. Once located, Ranger Giglinto wrapped the injured hikers knee for added support, escorted the pair back out to the lake road, and gave them a courtesy ride back to their vehicle. The hikers advised they would seek further medical treatment on their own.

Town of Webb, Herkimer County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 2 at 5:22 p.m., Herkimer County 911 contacted DECs Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a woman hiking near Woodhull Mountain requesting assistance. The woman called 911 earlier advising that she had lost the trail but called back later stating she had found it again. The 34-year-old hiker from Oswego reported feeling dizzy and nauseous. Forest Rangers Dylan McCartney and Greg Hoag responded to assist and located the hiker at 6:17 p.m., just past Remsen Falls. Because the hiker was struggling to walk, Rangers drove her out to a nearby administration road and turned her over to Old Forge EMS for further medical attention.

Town of Keene, Essex County

Wilderness Rescue: On June 30 at 7:48 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker reporting that her hiking partner was overdue coming off Lower Wolfjaw Mountain. The hiker had last seen her friend at a junction labeled for Lower Wolfjaw on their descent at approximately 4:45 p.m., when the caller took both of their gear and proceeded ahead to make things easier for her slower companion. Forest Ranger Rob Praczkajlo headed to the security house at the Ausable Club and proceeded to drive down the lake road to the start of the Wedge Brook trail for Upper and Lower Wolfjaw. At 10:05 p.m., Ranger Praczkajlo advised that he was with the 45-year-old hiker from Gloversville. The woman had hiked down the trail and followed Wedge Brook, off trail, down to the Ausable River. A group of hikers found her at the river and assisted her back to the trail where they were met by Ranger Praczkajlo who then escorted her down to the lake road and gave her a courtesy ride to join her friend at the gate house.

Town of Thompson, Sullivan County

Wilderness Search: On June 30 at 8:45 p.m., Sullivan County 911 contacted DECs Central Dispatch requesting Forest Ranger assistance on behalf of the Rock Hill Fire Department to search for three lost hikers at the Neversink Unique Area. The hikers from Morristown, New Jersey, reported they were hiking on the blue trail, had crossed two bridges, and bushwhacked up a steep mountain. The hikers father provided coordinates that placed the missing 21- and 18-year-old males and 15-year-old female approximately 2,300 feet east of the blue trail on top of a steep ravine, 4.3 miles from the trailhead. Forest Rangers Anastasia Allwine and Robert Stratton, along with Assistant Forest Ranger Bailey Mitchell and members of the Rockhill and Westbrookville fire departments, responded to the hikers last known location to begin the search. Rangers and two members of the Rockhill Fire Department located the trio at 1:28 a.m., escorted them out of the woods, and brought the group back to the trailhead by 5:30 a.m.

MORE NYUP

High Peaks elopement: Hiking couple get married on Adirondack mountain summit

Coronavirus: U.S., Canadian border to remain closed through July 21 to non-essential travel

DEC to catch and release trout anglers: Give the fishing a rest in hot weather on inland streams
AutoTux is a fully automated Linux distribution that is literally a hands-off event from start to finish. It goes a long way to adopting Linux a no-brainer for Windows and macOS converts.

AutoTuxs self-installing approach is also the kind of Linux operating system that makes you wonder why more distribution developers do not use similar strategies to make their Linux offerings such a foolproof proposition.

After all, installing an operating system as a newcomer is scary and fraught with missteps and frustration. Some other Linux distro families have scripted installation routines that somewhat semi-automate the installation process. This is one of the hallmarks found with Arch Linux distro varieties.

But Arch and other Linux families are not intended for Linux newcomers. Plus, the scripted installations are more like a patchwork of segmented batch commands initiated with command line interactions in a terminal window.

This is not very user friendly. AutoTux, on the other hand, fully automates an installation of the Debian 10 Linux system. What else could any newcomer to the Linux operating system want or need?

How about out-of-the-box performance and a fully-stocked software inventory? Well, AutoTux has that covered too!

Ingenious Solution

One of the recurring laments of people new to Linux is that the operating system is a dog to install, needs lots of post-installation configuration, and is difficult to use. A companion complaint is that you have to constantly use the command line interface (CLI) to maintain the system, add and remove applications and do just about everything else manually.

Yes, that is true for some older Linux distros, Linux servers, and a few hard-core enterprise flavors of desktop Linux. But those complaints do not hold much water for more mainstream, popular Linux offerings. But still, newcomers to Linux can use all the help they can get when installing what to them is a strange, new operating system.

Installing even the most refined Linux distributions can trip up even experienced users in the installation phase. I face that situation regularly in testing unfamiliar Linux distros. Inevitably, some part of the installation process just does not work as it does elsewhere. Mostly, that is the fault of having to partition the hard drive manually or set up dual boot configurations. Lets face it: glitches happen.

AutoTux, however, makes all of those problems disappear or never happen. It does this without trickery  and it does not leave you with a Linux installation that is less than fully functional.

AutoTux is not a lightweight operating system. It installs an unadulterated Debian 10 Linux with an Xfce desktop environment. The distro has a macOS-like theme. You see the traditional panel bar at the top of the screen and a dock bar at the bottom.

For those not familiar enough with Linux to know, many modern Linux distributions are based on Debian Linux. So think of AutoTux Linux as a wrapper for installing Debian 10 Linux.

AutoTux uses the Xfce desktop environment with the panel bar at the top of the screen and a Docky panel at the bottom.

Tux is the iconic symbol of the Linux operating system. So the distros name reflects the purpose this distro exists.

Wanted: A Better Identity

One of my big disappointments with AutoTux is a lack of personality or enthusiastic branding. The developer, Robert Spiteri, is mentioned in small print in a footnote credit at the bottom of the websites About AutoTux page. No company affiliation or community supporters seems to exist.

AutoTux also lacks much in the way of tweaking or modifications. Nothing about this distro has branding to the desktop environment or shows anything unique to distinguish AutoTux from other Xfce desktops or Debian Linux distros.

Some Linux distros are like that. Hundreds of single-developer distros abound. Not having a brand or supporter affiliation does not make them bad operating systems. AutoTuxs developer shies away from notoriety and is not driven by any desire to expand or grow the user base.

That is likely the background to why AutoTux exists. The aim of AutoTux is to provide students with a ready-made operating system and software packages which are not time-consuming to install and configure, according to the website.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

That stated purpose, however, is not limited solely to students, although students are the intended target users. The distro gives any user a no-hassle installation of a pure Debian Buster computing platform.

A Unique Offering

AutoTux is a little more than a generic operating system. Plus, it provides a foolproof hands-off installation to get new users started.

In addition, this distro provides an interesting and very useful collection of software that expands upon the vast default software packages that come pre-installed with the system. For example, it comes with a selection of software handy to students involved with vocational IT, computing, robotics and ICT C3 courses in Malta, according to the website.

Besides that, you also get nearly three dozen applications. These provide some of the best Linux options for Internet, graphics, productivity, desktop publishing, and programming. They all are included, so you dont have to discover and download them separately.

AutoTux comes with DOSBOX, a DOS emulator that runs DOS-style games that you download from DOSBOXs website.

AutoTuxs chief function is to get new users up and running efficiently with no prior knowledge needed beyond how to convert the free ISO download to DVD or a bootable USB drive. Of course, an organization or family member can easily provide targeted users with an already-prepared installation disk to remove that potential barrier.

Either way, AutoTux introduces new users  students or otherwise  to the world of open source computing. This distro can be a win-win proposition all around.

WARNING! Read This Before Trying at Home

The installation DVD or USB is potentially dangerous to an existing computers contents. Seriously, this installation process is not like a typical Linux live session.

Live session environments let you boot a computer into a fully functional demonstration mode that runs in the computers memory and/or from the DVD or USB device. Live sessions usually give you the option to install the Linux distro to the host computers hard drive for permanent use.

Otherwise, when you shut down the live session and remove the storage medium, the existing operating system remains intact. Not so with AutoTux.

AutoTux does NOT have a live session environment. When you turn on the computer with the DVD or USB inserted, AutoTux will take a minute or two to boot the system and will then immediately begin to install Debian 10 Linux. This process is irreversible. No warning message or pause will wait for your confirmation to go ahead with the automatic installation.

That leads to a precautionary step. Do not leave the storage medium laying around for someone to unknowingly use. Doing so will wipe out the existing contents, both operating system and personal data. It cannot be undone.

Killer Installation

As noted above, you cannot preview how AutoTux Linux works on your computer. So be very sure you have the existing operating systems backup disks handy in case you want to reinstall it.

Installation is simple. You have nothing to do once you insert the installation medium and turn on your computer. The installation process takes about 30 minutes, depending on the speed of your computer. No network connection is needed to get online, since all packages are on the installation media.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Absolutely no interaction occurs between you and the computer from the time you put the ISO in the optical drive or plug in a USB drive with the installation files copied to it and you remove the disk, press Enter and reboot the computer.

One gotcha moment happens when the installation process completes. You will know it is finished because the display no longer flashes code and gibberish-like comments rapidly across the screen.

The last printed message tells you to NOT REMOVE THE INSTALLATION MEDIUM YET BUT PRESS THE ENTER KEY.

Ignore that direction.

Instead, do remove the installation medium and press the Enter key. Otherwise, the installation process will start all over again, and again, and againYou get the idea!

It is strange that the developer never fixed this glitch.

Bottom Line

When you reboot the computer, the opening screen will ask you for the username and then the password. Enter: tux for both.

When you get to the desktop, you should go into system settings in the main menu and change the username and password to something more secure.

The login screen is the first thing you see when the installed AutoTux loads. Use tux (with no quote marks) for both the username and the password. Be sure to create a new username and password from the system menu.

The current version of AutoTux is 2.0  autotux_2.0-190903_amd64, released on September 3, 2019. So the next thing you should do is go to the package manager and update. Version 1  autotux_1.0-190820_amd64 was released one month earlier.

Keep in mind that AutoTux is a very young distro. However, Debian 10 is very up-to-date and stable.

Since there is no live session environment for AutoTux, be sure your computer meets these minimum system requirements:

3GB RAM

2GHz dual core processor

20GB free disk space (20GB+ recommended for a smooth running experience of the operating system)

Graphics card and monitor capable of 800 x 600 resolution

Want to Suggest a Review?

Is there a Linux software application or distro youd like to suggest for review? Something you love or would like to get to know?

Pleaseemail your ideas to me, and Ill consider them for a future Linux Picks and Pans column.

And use the Reader Comments feature below to provide your input!
Radio amateurs help air-ambulance Peru's Radio Club Peruano (RCP) reports that Guillermo OA4DTU and the Peruvian Relief Chain on 7.100 MHz assisted an aircraft enroute to Easter Island after its satellite communication equipment failed



A translation reads:



On Thursday, July 9 an aircraft departing Santiago de Chile carrying out an air ambulance service to pick up a patient on Easter Island, lost communication more than 1,000 nautical miles from the continent with its control tower, so the pilot turned to the frequency of the Peruvian Relief Chain on 7100 kHz.



While the exercise of the Peruvian Relief Chain had ended a few minutes before, colleagues Guillermo OA4DTU, who was operating the Chain, and Giancarlo OA4DSN, were left in wheel, so the aircraft pilot was able to contact Guillermo.



In this way communication was established with the aircraft, who detailed its delicate situation, given an apparent failure in its satellite communication equipment, so requested support to communicate via telephone with Ocean Air Control, service of the Directorate General of Aeronautics of Chile that watches over that 32 million square kilometres airspace in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile.



This is how Oceanic Control takes the call of Guillermo, pointing out his surprise and relief for communication, since they were indeed in an alert situation due to the loss of contact with the aircraft and that the remote team HF of the Island Tower Easter was inoperative at the time, so communication was not possible for them.



About 10 phone calls were made with this service, pointing out the different positions and schedules of its route, plus some indications for pilots and air control respectively.



Other OA colleagues were attentive and ready to take action if necessary, accompanying Guillermo in contact and the aircraft until he knew it would reach its destination.



At approximately 23:30 (04:30 GMT), the aircraft reports that it has managed to make contact via VHF with the Easter Island control tower, confirming the descent and landing instructions on the island!!!



The joy and satisfaction of all who were in frequency was absolute even more since minutes after losing contact by HF the pilot communicated with Guillermo sending his greetings, thanks and a photograph of the aircraft perched on the Mataveri track, in where the minute it was raining and waiting for a patient to be moved to Santiago de Chile.



Finally, the accompaniment to the aircraft lasted nearly 3 hours, which was permanent from the first contact until its arrival at destination, with the thanks also from the Ocean Air Control Service to Guillermo and the Peruvian Socorro Chain.



This action reaffirms the role played by Radio amateurs in risk or emergency situations.



Congratulations Guillermo!

OA4O - RADIO CLUB PERUANO



Source RCP Facebook post at

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=

4314923508548316&id=

108632835844092



Cadena Peruana de Socorro (Peruvian Relief Chain)

https://www.facebook.com/AsocCPS



Radio Club Peruano

https://tinyurl.com/Peru-RCP
Law education base for HK, Macao youths set up

Global Times

By Wang Qi Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/16 20:18:40

China is gearing up to carry out national security education for Hong Kong and Macao youths, as China's first juvenile education base for the Constitution and Basic Law of the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs) was set up in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province on Wednesday.

Jointly established by Shenzhen University's Center for the Basic Law of Hong Kong and Macao SARs and the Shenzhen Overseas Friendship Association (SOFA), the base aims to help Hong Kong and Macao young people enhance their constitutional and national awareness through education, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

All the courses will be taught by teachers from the center, and they will develop a unique curriculum that is in line with the characteristics of young people in Hong Kong and Macao, Zou Pingxue, director of the center, told the Global Times on Thursday.

The center will also supplement teaching content by holding visits to giant enterprises like Tencent, DJI and Huawei in Shenzhen, Zou disclosed.

"The exact curriculum has not been announced However, our courses involve the Constitution, the Basic Law, the national security law for the HKSAR, as well as instruction in cultural and national conditions, "an employee with the center told the Global Times on condition of anonymity.

The employee said that as it is the first base in this field, it is still in the exploratory stage. But if the project works well, more educational bases could be set up.

A person close to the project from SOFA, surnamed Deng, told the Global Times on Thursday that the exact starting date was uncertain due to the recent COVID-19 resurgence in Hong Kong. However, quite a few schools and youth organizations in Hong Kong have expressed a desire to participate.

The courses will mostly be held on holidays and weekends, when students from Hong Kong and Macao visit Shenzhen, Deng said, noting that this is not a long-term, classroom-based course, but one that will consist of one or two classes during their visits.

Du Ling, one of the main Party leaders of Shenzhen, said on Wednesday that she hopes the base will become a first-class research and educational facility with great influence and a good reputation among young people in Hong Kong and Macao.

SOFA has been in constant contact with schools and youth organizations in Hong Kong and Macao, and it frequently organizes exchange activities for young people in these cities. Founded in 1987, SOFA is a non-profit organization composed of volunteers from all walks of life in Shenzhen and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas Chinese groups.

Fifteen minutes from Hong Kong by high-speed train, Shenzhen is a window to learning more about the Chinese mainland for many Hong Kong youths, who visit the city to see the great development and achievements made by the motherland. The new curriculum combines theory with practice to better help students understand "one country, two systems" and the importance of national security, said Deng.

On Wednesday, Hong Kong Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung told media that about 100 staff members from primary schools and kindergartens had been arrested since social unrest started in June last year. According to chinanews.com, students accounted for more than 40 percent of those arrested amid the riots in Hong Kong, with the youngest being only 12 years old.

Observers said the social unrest shone a light on the way that separatists have long used political issues to disrupt Hong Kong's education system, causing chaos on and off campus and harming students.

Earlier this month, the Hong Kong education bureau vowed to remove textbooks and materials in schools that incited subversion and separatism, after Yeung noted that the national security law for the HKSAR would be introduced to local students through courses.

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James Jordan entering the Celebrity Big Brother house (PA)

James Jordan has said he has a totally broken heart after his dad was diagnosed with a terminal cancerous tumour.

The former Strictly star posted an emotional message on Instagram saying the family had been told they might get a year with his father if they were lucky.

Saying tears were streaming down his face as he wrote the message, Jordan appealed to his followers for any information on top doctors so that he could try and get a second opinion.

Read more: James Jordan's baby rushed to hospital in ambulance

Sharing a sweet video of his dad with Ella, his baby daughter with wife Ola, Jordan wrote: This video is the most precious & personal thing I have in my life right now & Im going to share it with you but with a totally broken heart.

Over the last 4 months my hero and best mate in the whole world has been in and out of hospital with very ill health.

We were told several times that 100% he had had a stroke and thats why they were struggling to control his seizures... but after the 3rd time of being admitted to hospital I knew something was not quite right.

So after pushing for more tests and the results being sent to Kings College Hospital for other surgeons to look at unfortunately the results came back that it wasnt a stroke after all.

He went on: It was what I had dreaded, my dad has a tumour and after having a biopsy its come back that its an aggressive cancerous one.

The worst kind unfortunately.

We have been told that its not advisable to operate because of where the tumour is and wouldnt actually make that much difference even if they could. The end result is, its terminal.

Read more: Jordans announce pregnancy joy

The dancer, 42, said they had been told that with chemotherapy and radiotherapy we might be lucky and get a year with him.

Story continues

As I write this tears are streaming down my face as Im sure many of you have the same love for your parents, added the star.

This is honestly the worst time of my life.

Ola Jordan andJames Jordan performing at BBC Children in Need - An Evening With the Stars at Battersea Evolution in 2012 (Jon Furniss/Invision)

Jordan said he was reaching out to his followers as I want to get a second opinion on my father, especially because they misdiagnosed him for the first 4 months which doesnt fill us with confidence.

So now myself and my family are actually hoping they are wrong this time, he said.

Im looking to find the best surgeon to see my father as I want to know Ive done everything possible before I can accept it.

If anyone that reads this can advise me and my family on who is supposedly the best in this field, I would be eternally grateful.

My heart is broken, he said.

Jordan made his name a as a professional dancer on Strictly and has also appeared on reality shows such as Celebrity Big Brother and Dancing On Ice, which he won in 2019.

He and fellow Strictly star Ola welcomed their first child, Ella, earlier this year.
NEW YORK  Arthur Stark, chairman; William Daroff, CEO; and Malcolm Hoenlein, vice chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, issued the following statement:

We are outraged by recent instances of blatant anti-Semitism in America, many of which manifest in actions by anti-Israel individuals and organizations seeking to co-opt the national reckoning with racial inequity. By taking advantage of the increased media spotlight on social justice they seek to spread their bigoted messages of hatred toward the Jewish people. To make matters worse, this come...
Coronavirus is no longer the leading cause of death in England and Wales, official figures today revealed.

But data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed it was still the third most common way to die in June - even though the darkest days of crisis are over.

And coronavirus deaths in June were significantly lower than they were in May, when the life-threatening infection accounted for a fifth of all fatalities.

One in 14 deaths were caused by the coronavirus in June - the same month Number 10 began to relax strict lockdown measures.

Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death in June, accounting for 10 per cent of fatalities, followed by heart disease.

Covid-19 was still the third most common cause of death in England and Wales over June. Dementia and Alzheimer's took the lead for the most frequent underlying cause of death followed by heart disease. The leading causes of death are shown per 100,000 of the population

Covid-19 deaths have drastically declined in numbers since the peak of the pandemic. Pictured left are trends from March to June in England, and right, in Wales

The ONS reports that over the course of the pandemic - between 1 March and 30 June - Covid-19 has been the cause of 23 per cent of all deaths.

Of the 218,837 deaths that occurred in England and Wales between this period, the virus was written on 50,335 death certificates.

In the majority of instances (92 per cent), it was the primary reason and not just a contributing factor.

The figure is significantly higher than the government's figure (45,100) because it accounts for people who were suspected to have died of Covid-19, and not just those who had a lab confirmed test.

Covid-19 still accounted for 7.1 per cent of the roughly 35,000 deaths in June - more than that caused by cancerous lung, colon or rectum tumours, or strokes.

Covid-19 deaths continued to be the most common in those aged over 85 years compared with any other age group, and in men compared with women.

Many parts of the lockdown imposed in March were unravelled by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in June as new daily deaths and cases declined.

Schools opened on June 1, the same day up to six people from different households were allowed to meet for the first time in months.

Non-essential retail opened up to shoppers once again on June 15, causing huge queues and crowds in some places, and social distancing was relaxed from two metres to one.

England's beaches continued to be flooded with Britons throughout June, often in crowds with little social distancing at all.

But for the first time since March, the coronavirus was not the leading cause of death in England and Wales in June.

Dementia and Alzheimer disease came on top, causing 3,715 deaths - 10.2 per cent of the total deaths recorded in June. This was followed by ischaemic heart diseases, for which a breakdown was not provided.

WHAT WERE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF DEATH PER 100,000 PEOPLE? Leading cause Jun-20 5-year average Dementia and Alzheimer disease 77 95.5 Ischaemic heart diseases 64.6 94.5 COVID-19 53 0 Cancerous lung tumour 40.8 52.8 Cerebrovascular diseases, including stroke and aneurysms 37.4 50.9 Chronic lower respiratory diseases 29.3 46.1 Cancerous tumour of rectum/colon/anus 22.7 26.4 Symptoms signs and ill-defined conditions 20.7 21.4 Flu and pneumonia 18.3 37.4 Cancerous tumour stated or

presumed to be primary of

lymphoid, haematopoietic and related tissue 16.4 20.6

Deaths continued to be the most common in those aged over 85 years compared with any other age group, and in men compared with women

Is Britain's coronavirus outbreak GROWING? Britain's coronavirus outbreak may be growing following a spike in the number of people with symptoms over the past week, data suggests. King's College London's COVID Symptom Tracker app estimates 2,100 people are catching the virus in the community every day  up from 1,400 last week. The increase is too small to say definitively that the outbreak is growing once again because other, more official estimates put the daily new cases between 1,700 and 3,300 with downward trends. But the scientists confirmed the epidemic had 'definitely levelled off' and claimed cases are only dropping in the Midlands, which contains Leicester - the city still in the UK's first local lockdown. KCL experts, working with health tech company ZOE, collected data on symptoms and test results from four million UK citizens between June 28 and July 11. It is one of several surveillance projects tracking the spread of the disease in Britain. The vast majority of the new cases  1,843  are appearing in England, along with 185 per day in Wales and 75 in Scotland. No estimates were made for Northern Ireland. Data shows the virus is spreading most widely in the North East of England and Yorkshire, which is still experiencing 401 daily cases. The second worst-hit region is the Midlands, where there are still 363 new daily cases, many of which would have been in Leicester, which has had to roll back its easing of lockdown because of rising infections. In the North West, 321 people are catching the virus every day. Some extra restrictions came into force in the Lancashire authorities of Blackburn with Darwen and Pendle yesterday because cases are creeping up again. Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist at KCL and lead researcher behind the app, said it was clear 'the virus is not going away any time soon' and that his team were monitoring he situation closely. Advertisement

Deaths from these diseases have decreased below what would be expected when comparing to a five year average, and are lower than levels seen in March.

The ONS did not offer an explanation for why this may be.

It follows data earlier this week that showed the number of people dying of all causes has now been below average for three weeks in England and Wales.

It could be speculated that a large proportion of people who have been recorded as a Covid-19 death have had dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Of the deaths that have involved the coronavirus during the pandemic, nine in ten victims had at least one pre-existing condition.

The most common are dementia and Alzheimer's disease (a quarter), and heart disease (nine per cent).

Covid-19 deaths have drastically declined in numbers since the peak of the pandemic.

Across the bleak months of March and April, when lockdown was in full force, 26.7 per cent of deaths involved Covid-19, according to the ONS.

On April 8, data shows 1,292 people died of Covid-19, account for 40 per cent of the total 3,204 deaths from any cause.

Things improved in May, the same month the PM first announced changes to the lockdown, including to allow unlimited exercise. Covid-19 accounted for 21.6 per cent of all deaths.

Data from ONS shows the number of confirmed or suspected coronavirus deaths has continued to fall in every region of England over the past 11 weeks, suggesting the outbreak is still be slowing down.

However, it is not clear yet what the effect of the most drastic lifting of lockdown measures - on 'Super Saturday', July 4 - will be because it can take weeks for patients to die.

Millions flocked to pubs to celebrate 'Super Saturday' last weekend to celebrate the easing of the draconian measures  despite warnings from top scientists that it would cause another spike in cases.

And since, figures have suggested that Britain's coronavirus outbreak may be getting worse.

Department of Health figures show the average number of new cases jumped six per cent this week in the first week-on-week rise since early May.

Data collected by King's College London also suggests the outbreak is growing, estimating that 2,100 people are catching the virus in the community every day  up from 1,400 last week.

The increase is too small to say definitively that the outbreak is growing once again because other, more official estimates from Public Health England, put the daily new cases between 1,700 and 3,300 with downward trends.

King's College London 's COVID Symptom Tracker app estimates that 2,100 people are catching the virus in the community every day, up from 1,200 last week. For comparison, daily infections were above 11,000 last month

Matt Hancock launches urgent review into fiasco at Public Health England as it's revealed anyone who has ever died after testing positive for Covid-19 has been recorded as a 'coronavirus death' - even if they were hit by a bus

BySam Blanchard Senior Health Reporter For Mailonline

Health Secretary Matt Hancock today ordered Public Health England to review the way it counts deaths because of a 'statistical flaw' that means officials are 'over-exaggerating' the daily toll.

PHE counts people as victims if they die of any cause any time after testing positive for Covid-19  even if they were hit by a bus months after beating the life-threatening infection, top academics revealed last night.

The method is likely why the daily fatality tolls are not dropping quickly in England because survivors never truly recover from the disease as their deaths are blamed on the coronavirus  regardless of their real cause.

One of the leading experts who uncovered the flaw told MailOnline his 'best guess' was that more than 1,000 people have had their deaths wrongly recorded as caused by Covid-19.

Dr Yoon Loke, a pharmacologist at the University of East Anglia, warned that it is 'not a good way of collecting data', has had a significant impact in the past two months and is happening because PHE 'chose a quick and easy technique'.

And the daily death tolls may not hit zero 'for months to come' because of a long tail of elderly people who beat Covid-19 but will die of other causes, Dr Loke added. He uncovered the flaw alongside Oxford University's Professor Carl Heneghan.

He said: 'By this PHE definition, no one with Covid in England is allowed to ever recover from their illness.'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed in a press conference today that the Health Secretary has ordered PHE to review the way it is counting people's deaths.

The call for a review comes after a string of mistakes at PHE, including stopping testing and tracing at the peak of Britain's outbreak. Tory MP David Davis this month told this website the organisation had 'made a complete mess' of Covid-19 testing.

Dr Loke's analysis shows that 'all settings' deaths (red bar) remain very high in England even as hospital deaths (blue bar) - which the Office for National Statistics says should make up two thirds of the total - have plummeted

A Department of Health spokesperson said today: 'The Health Secretary has asked Public Health England to conduct an urgent review into the reporting of deaths statistics, aimed at providing greater clarity on the number of fatalities related to Covid-19 as we move past the peak of the virus.'

The way PHE counts victims on a daily basis works by it combing through records of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past to see if they have died. If they have, their death is automatically added to the coronavirus count.

It means that if, for example, somebody tested positive in April but recovered and was then hit by a bus in July, they would still be counted as a Covid-19 victim.

Dr Loke pointed out that unless PHE changes its system, all 292,000 people who have tested positive so far will be added to the Covid-19 death toll when they eventually die.

The Department of Health, which uses PHE's data for its daily announcements, has so far counted 45,119 fatalities with 66 announced yesterday.

The 'statistical flaw' should not drastically affect the total number of deaths but means the ongoing death tolls appear worse than the reality. The Office for National Statistics - which is not affected by the counting method - has confirmed at least 50,698 people have died in England and Wales up to July 3.

Public Health England admitted it is counting the deaths of anyone who tests positive for Covid-19, regardless of how long afterwards they died.

The number of deaths being announced each day is higher than the reality, scientists say, because not all of them actually died of Covid-19 - some tested positive weeks or months ago and died of other causes but are still included in the list

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has called for an urgent review into the way deaths are being counted by Public Health England

Dr Loke explained: 'It seems that PHE regularly looks for people on the NHS database who have ever tested positive, and simply checks to see if they are still alive or not.

'PHE does not appear to consider how long ago the Covid test result was, nor whether the person has been successfully treated in hospital and discharged to the community.

'Anyone who has tested Covid positive but subsequently died at a later date of any cause will be included on the PHE Covid death figures... even if they had a heart attack or were run over by a bus three months later.'

The pharmacologist, who published his findings in a blog post last night, said the bizarre way of recording deaths is why there are such wide variations in daily figures.

On Monday July 6, for example, 16 deaths were recorded, while 152 were announced the next day on Tuesday the 7th.

FOR WHAT ELSE HAS PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND COME UNDER FIRE? Public Health England has been in the firing line for a number of dubious decisions taken during the coronavirus pandemic. STOPPING TEST & TRACE When the first cases of coronavirus appeared in the UK, Government policy was to test everyone who had symptoms after returning from abroad and to trace people they had come into contact with. However, on March 12, testing and contact tracing stopped completely. PHE no longer had the capacity to test the amount of people who were coming into the country infected with the virus after trips to Italy and France in half-term. The decision has since been branded disastrous and a contributing factor to the UK's devastating outbreak. 'THEY WERE OVER-CONTROLLING' Conservative MP David Davis told MailOnline this month that Public Health England had been over-controlling and made a mess of coronavirus testing. The Tory MP said: 'They made a complete mess of the testing arrangements; they were over-centralised, over-controlling and massively reduced our ability to test.' He warned the decision  criticised heavily by top scientists at the time  then 'handicapped' later decisions and was 'precisely the wrong thing to do'. 'Before the winter crisis, the government has to reorganise this, whether that's abolition or taking some of the powers away from them and giving them to someone else,' he added. OVERLOOKING LOCAL AUTHORITIES Public Health England kept too much power over testing and contact tracing and should have delegated it to local authorities, one expert said. Professor John Ashton, a former public health director, said Britain should have followed the example of Cuba where local teams went from house to house screening people for coronavirus. He said: 'The local public health level has been neglected. I think weve missed an opportunity because we should have made more use of primary care, local government and volunteers... 'Instead what we did was a very top-down, London-centric approach.' Advertisement

The Department of Health has blamed low numbers on Sundays and Mondays on a 'weekend effect' which means paperwork doesn't get completed.

But academics are increasingly confused about why there are such wild variations, and why the number of deaths seems to remain so high.

And it appears to be simply that anyone who dies after being added to a register of people who have tested positive is classified as a victim.

It is currently impossible to know how many of the deaths announced by the Department of Health were not actually caused directly by Covid-19.

Dr Yoon Loke said the error has emerged because Public Health England chose a 'quick and easy technique'

Dr Loke told MailOnline: 'This is a very serious issue for public confidence.

'When you go onto social media you will see hundreds of posts from rightly anxious people who are petrified at the seemingly relentless, unyielding daily death toll in England. The public are scared.

'The public are asking questions about why England is doing so badly, when actually the truth is that the healthcare professionals in NHS are doing a great job in ensuring thousands of Covid survivors. The statistics here are misleading the public.

'Because of this major flaw in the statistics, and the fact that tens of thousands of older people are being monitored, there is going to be a very very long tail of daily deaths.

'The death toll will go down exceedingly slowly. Its certainly not going to get to zero for months to come yet, because older people who have recovered from Covid will unfortunately still succumb to other illnesses.'

Professor Carl Heneghan and Dr Jason Oke, Oxford University researchers who published Dr Loke's work on their website, said that officials also seem to be spreading out historical deaths and just adding them on to ones that are happening now.

The pair pointed out the death counts from NHS England, which are accurate around three days after the date in question, are too low to match counts from PHE.

According to the Office for National Statistics, hospital fatalities now make up around 60 per cent of all deaths that happen on any given day.

On June 30, NHS England recorded 27 fatalities. If this was 60 per cent of all deaths that happened on that day the total number would be 45.

But the Department of Health, using PHE's data, announced 115 more deaths on that day.

Dr Loke now suggests these massively inflated numbers are because PHE is counting people who died outside of hospital but didn't die of coronavirus at all.

He wrote: 'PHE data confirm that more than 125,000 patients have been admitted to NHS hospitals for Covid, the majority being successfully treated and discharged.

'There are now less than 1,900 patients in hospital. So, roughly 80,000 recovered patients in the community will continue being monitored by PHE for the daily death statistics.

'More and more people (who are mainly in the older age group) are being discharged to the community, but they clearly may die of other illnesses.'

Dr Loke said it would be a 'reasonable approach' to set a three-week limit on blaming someone's death on coronavirus unless they were in hospital.

Public Health England told MailOnline that the World Health Organization has not defined a time limit for counting a death as caused by Covid-19, and said it 'continues to keep this under review'.

It admitted that a coronavirus death is a death that happens to anyone who has previously tested positive, regardless of how long ago the test happened.

It said the 'vast majority' of Covid-19 deaths are correctly identified.

Dr Loke added: 'This statistical flaw arose because PHE chose a quick and easy technique.

'Their statistical method is reasonably accurate at the beginning of the pandemic, when there were not yet many people in the community who had survived Covid.

'However, PHE did not - and have not yet - realised that glaring inaccuracies arise when tens of thousands of frail older people are discharged from hospital, and these Covid survivors unfortunately die from other, non-Covid related causes.

'Like most things that are a quick fix, the monitoring system eventually churns out gibberish, and needs a thorough overhaul so that a lasting solution is implemented.'

Dr Susan Hopkins, Public Health England's incident director, said: 'Although it may seem straightforward, there is no WHO agreed method of counting deaths from Covid-19.

'In England, we count all those that have died who had a positive Covid-19 test at any point, to ensure our data is as complete as possible.

'We must remember that this is a new and emerging infection and there is increasing evidence of long term health problems for some of those affected. Whilst this knowledge is growing, now is the right time to review how deaths are calculated.'
When Dr. Ray Baule, a neurosurgeon, sees fellow residents of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, not wearing masks or practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, he grows frustrated and worried.

That's because Baule knows exactly what it could all lead to  he saw it firsthand during the three weeks he volunteered at New York City's Elmhurst Hospital in April, when it was overwhelmed with coronavirus patients while the city was the center of the global pandemic.

"I've seen a lot of stuff in my life, but when I went into the ICU, I was shocked. It was just the most incredible thing I had ever seen," said Baule, who completed a general surgical internship at Elmhurst in 1992. "These patients were very, very sick."

Medical professionals from across the country rushed to New York City when it became the center of the pandemic in the U.S. in March and April, but now they are alarmed by what they're seeing in their own backyards as their home states report record numbers of cases.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Almost 1 in 5 new cases of the coronavirus reported around the world one day this week came from just three U.S. states  Texas, Florida and California  an NBC News tally revealed Tuesday. The 27,574 cases recorded in those states Monday accounted for 18.9 percent of the global total and represented more than a third of the 61,751 new cases reported in the U.S.

Baule remembers well the chaos of those days at Elmhurst, when medical staffers were doing anything and everything just to keep up. Pediatricians were transporting patients, plastic surgeons were doing ventilator inventory, and he was working in the intensive care unit managing critical care patients, he said.

Now, back home in Rocky Mount, a town of about 55,000 less than 60 miles northeast of Raleigh, it seems like a completely different world, even as cases peak in the state.

"Recently I go into the store and I feel I'm the only one there wearing a mask. Even the people working there aren't wearing masks, which just blows my mind," said Baule, who said he wears a mask whenever he leaves the house. "People just don't realize. You don't realize it until you see how bad it is."

Story continues

Download the NBC News app for full coverage and alerts about the coronavirus outbreak

Ivette Palomeque, a nurse in Houston, also volunteered at Elmhurst Hospital during the peak in New York.

"It was definitely overwhelming, nothing like any health care provider has seen in their lifetime," she said. "I've seen death constantly, I've seen death frequently, but to this magnitude? Never."

Palomeque arrived March 27 and didn't return home until June 29. She is back to treating patients at Memorial Hermann at Texas Medical Center, where she has worked for seven years.

"Let's say New York is full-blown chaos. This is controlled chaos," Palomeque said of what she's seeing in Houston. In Texas, the two-week death total was up by 99 percent over the previous two weeks.

"The patients are presenting the same in ... that they're getting very sick, requiring enormous amounts of oxygen and ventilation and things that clearly only an ICU would manage," she said. "So that's the dangerous part of this. If enough people get sick, it can definitely create a situation like a bed crunch."

She said that while the number of coronavirus patients isn't what she saw in New York, "that doesn't mean that it may not get there."

Palomeque said of Texans who weren't practicing social distancing or wearing masks: "I really wish they would've had a chance to see what I saw and experience what I experienced trying to take care of these people.

"For some of the general public, this will never be real unless they witness it with their own eyes or it hits them close to home, unfortunately," she said. "It's really disheartening to see so many people just not wearing a mask, not even caring, and it's just, like, I don't understand."

Her message: "Please wear your mask. People are dying. This is real."

Counties in Texas and Arizona have requested refrigerated trucks to use as makeshift morgues as the numbers of deaths have continued to rise, replicating disturbing images seen in New York City during its coronavirus peak.

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego told MSNBC last week that Maricopa County, Arizona, announced that it was going to be getting refrigerated trucks because the Abrazo Health system had run out of morgue space.

"It is very scary out here," she said.

In response to the comment, Melissa DeRosa, secretary to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, asked on Twitter: "How could the rest of America have watched what happened in New York in March and let this happen in July?"

Jess Esperti, a nurse from Arizona who also treated patients at Elmhurst Hospital in April, said the hardest part was that so many patients were dying that there wasn't always enough time to inform family members or let them grieve.

"New York was such a whirlwind, because we didn't have time to do that with our patients," said Esperti, who works for several Phoenix-area hospitals. "People would call and ask for an update and find out that their loved one had passed.

IMAGE: Jess Esperti (Courtesy Jess Esperti)

"That's not any way that I would want anyone to go, not being able to talk to their family," she said.

Esperti said that while cases are rising in Arizona, she still has time to do what she wasn't always able to do in New York.

"Maybe it's going to get worse, but we at least have some time to be able to do those things for people that we weren't able to do at the very beginning," she said.

She said she recently treated a 74-year-old woman who wasn't going to be able to come off a BiPap machine, which helps push air into a patient's lungs.

"As soon as we got her in touch with all of her kids from around the country, all at once she felt better, like, 'Yeah, I can go now,'" Esperti said. "We got her family in a group video chat, and all of her kids watched as we took the BiPap off and she passed away."

Esperti said it was a sharp contrast from not always having time to give every family such intimate final moments during New York's coronavirus peak.

"It's something that I will forever, you know, try to be better at," she said. "I know what 'I don't have time' means because of New York."

Esperti said she was humbled by her volunteering experience and the teamwork of the medical staff in pushing through the crisis.

"You know, all of us nurses that were in New York, you can't really explain this to anybody," she said. "I mean, the only people that are going to understand is the people that actually worked there, because it's just impossible to explain fully what it was like."
Several high-ranking representatives of Kiev at once made statements on the situation in Donbass and the negotiation format of the settlement. The statements run counter to the agreements reached during the talks in early July in Berlin, in which the advisers to the heads of state of the Normandy Four took part. As a result, Russia suspected Ukraine of wanting to change the negotiation format and again wasting time.

Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, who participated in the Berlin negotiations, said that if in the coming days the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky does not clarify the position of Kiev, then Moscow has the right to consider that the Ukrainian side is withdrawing from the Minsk Agreements, and, as a result, from the Normandy format of negotiations on a settlement conflict in Donbass.

The assessment of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sounded in a similar spirit. In his opinion, Kiev essentially abandoned the Berlin agreements. The minister explained that important agreements were reached in the German capital regarding the exchange of prisoners, security, and the coordination of the texts of orders by the conflicting parties - Kiev, DPR and LPR. And perhaps most importantly, Ukraine has pledged to submit its own version of legislative amendments to give the LPR and DPR a special status in accordance with the Minsk agreements. However, Lavrov said, subsequent statements by the Ukrainian side indicate that it does not want to fulfill the agreements reached in Berlin.

The cheese-boron has flared up because of the article by the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov, published by the Atlantic Council Research Center (USA). In fact, it was said about the need to change the current Minsk process as ineffective. Some Ukrainian media added fuel to the fire, announcing that in Berlin Russia demanded constitutional changes from Ukraine regarding the special status of the Donbas self-proclaimed republics. It seems that the case was not without a banal drain. But this doesn't make it any easier, especially since Aleksey Reznikov in his article questioned everything that is possible, having "agreed" to the point that Kiev was forced to sign the Minsk agreements at gunpoint, and these agreements do not reflect the situation in eastern Ukraine, and therefore are not feasible in terms of conflict resolution. In addition, Reznikov made another sharp statement, noting that Ukraine's goal is to return the territories that are now temporarily occupied.

Between the lines, of course, it reads - since Kiev sets such a goal, and calls the uncontrolled territories "occupied", then it is reasonable to assume that it is not inclined to constructively consider the issues of the special status of the self-proclaimed Donbass republics. In general, Reznikov's article itself contains a direct call to Western partners to reconsider the format of negotiations and adapt it to new geopolitical realities, and not cling dogmatically to what was written several years ago and which did nothing in promoting a settlement in practical terms. plane. And although the text contains a reservation that in spite of everything Kiev is ready to continue working in the Minsk process, the Russian side has ample reason to doubt the sincerity of this approach and to demand specific clarifications from the top political leadership of Ukraine. Which was done.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied this. But from a slightly different angle. In particular, he said that Ukraine is an independent state, and therefore no one has the right to demand domestic political decisions. Zelenskiy may, of course, think so, but history is full of reverse examples. The statement of the head of the presidential office, Andrei Yermak, who participated in the negotiations in Berlin, also turned out to be unconvincing. Ermak, in particular, said that no one demanded anything from Ukraine, but at the same time admitted that the negotiations were very difficult. Without going into the nuances of the difficulties, Andriy Yermak summed up: Germany and France supported Ukraine. However, what exactly is the support, he also did not specify.

And yet, from the further explanations and half-words of Ukrainian officials, it became clear that in Berlin the status of the DPR and LPR was still discussed. But not in a constitutional way, but on a bill on a special order of local self-government in areas not controlled by Kiev. Actually, there is such a law. Since 2014. But the DPR and LPR do not even consider it, offended by the fact that it was received by the Verkhovna Rada without agreement with the leadership of the republics. Moreover, in one way or another, it envisages ultimately liquidating the DPR and LPR in their current form, albeit with the granting of the broadest powers to local authorities in the future.

Today in Kiev there is talk of a willingness to take into account the interests of the self-proclaimed republics more than ever before. In particular, the same Andriy Yermak noted that the new bill could include the "Steinmeier formula", or package issues of holding elections to local authorities, expanding their powers, ceasefire, withdrawal of troops, transfer of control of the border with the Russian Federation to Ukraine. However, it is very difficult to imagine the implementation of such a package, and even in a short time. Moreover, with different approaches to the problem: Kiev believes that it can and should be resolved through direct dialogue with Moscow, while Moscow recommends Kiev to negotiate with Donetsk and Lugansk and continues to insist on the gradual implementation of the Minsk agreements.
Ballarat, Australia, July 17, 2020 - (ABN Newswire) - White Rock Minerals (ASX:WRM) wishes to advise that its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Matt Gill is presenting today at the Noosa Mining Conference.



In this presentation, Matt Gill discusses the current exploration program at the Company's Last Chance Gold Prospect, located within its 100% owned Red Mountain Project in central Alaska.



Matt also discusses the high-grade zinc and precious metals VMS at Red Mountain, as well as the Company's advanced gold and silver project in northern NSW, Australia.



To view the presentation, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/9LN58V9W





About White Rock Minerals Ltd:



White Rock Minerals Ltd (ASX:WRM) is a diversified explorer and near-stage producer, headquartered in Ballarat, Victoria. The Company's flagship exploration project is Red Mountain in central Alaska, where it has an earn-in joint venture arrangement with Sandfire Resources NL. At Red Mountain, there are already two high grade deposits, with an Inferred Mineral Resource of 9.1 million tonnes @ 12.9% ZnEq for 1.1 million tonnes of contained zinc equivalent. The Mt Carrington project, located near Drake, in Northern NSW, is a near-production precious metals asset with a resource of 341,000 ounces of gold and 23.2 million ounces of silver. White Rock Minerals is listed on the ASX:WRM.



Contact:



For further information, contact:

Matthew Gill or Shane Turner

Phone: +61-3-5331-4644

Email: info@whiterockminerals.com.au

www.whiterockminerals.com.au



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Phone: +61-455-081-008

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Authorities in the central Chinese province of Hunan have secretly indicted the "Changsha Three" non-governmental organization (NGO) workers, family members and rights groups said.



Cheng Yuan, Liu Dazhi, and Wuge Jianxiong were indicted in secret for "subversion of state power" by prosecutors in Hunan's provincial capital, Changsha, on June 24.



The three were detained last year, as they worked for a non-government group called Changsha Funeng.



Cheng Yuan's wife Shi Minglei learned of the charges only after calling the Changsha Procuratorate for an update on July 10, the overseas-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network said in an e-mail.



Shi was informed that the indictments had been issued and the case transferred to the Changsha Intermediate People's Court to await trial, it said.



The move came after the firing of six defense attorneys and the three Changsha Funeng staff in March.



"[Cheng, Liu and Wuge] have not received a single visit from their family-hired attorneys since being taken into custody on July 22, 2019 nor allowed any communication with their families," CHRD said.



They are being currently being held at the Kaifu District Detention Center in Changsha, it said.



Shi told RFA on Friday that the case against her husband and his co-defendants had been marked by procedural violations, and was akin to an extrajudicial procedure.



"This case hasn't gone through the system in the usual way at all," she said. "It is dithering about outside of the system."



"We have tried to get in touch with the judge, Zhao Zhe, and we have called his office number, but nobody ever picks up," Shi said. "When we went to the detention center, we unexpectedly ran into a government-appointed defense attorney."



Pressure to 'confess'



Authorities in China have repeatedly put pressure on political prisoners to accept government-appointed lawyers, and to achieve a more lenient sentence by "confessing" to the charges against them.



In some cases, they have issued letters "firing" the defense attorneys hired by their families.



"So I called the government-appointed lawyer, and they said that the pretrial meeting had already happened," Shi said. "I think this means that they're going to go ahead with a secret trial very soon, maybe next week."



"The so-called government lawyer had no independence to speak of," she said, adding that non-government lawyers had been reluctant to take on the case. "So I really don't expect a proper defense."



Human rights and political cases can lead to trouble for law firms and the suspension of lawyers' licenses to practice.



Changsha Funeng founder Yang Zhanqing, who is now in the U.S., said the Changsha Three were detained as part of a general crackdown on the organization.



"Cheng, Liu, and Wuge had been very low profile, and very rarely made any kind of public comment on their work," Yang said. "They even tried to minimize police harassment by doing all of their legal advocacy work in an individual capacity."



"They never spoke on behalf of Changsha Funeng."



Yang said the main reason the authorities had targeted the three men was the fact that their rights work had received overseas funding, which the ruling Chinese Communist Party regards as "collusion with hostile foreign forces," and a threat to its national security.



Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials on Friday voiced serious concerns over deadly hostilities on Armenias border with Azerbaijan and offered to help ease tensions between the two South Caucasus states.

They discussed the latest flare-up in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone during a session of Russias Security Council headed by Putin.

A statement by the Kremlin said participants of the meeting engaged in a detailed exchange of views regarding the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and expressed deep concern over heavy fighting that broke out there on July 12.

They stressed the urgent need for Armenia and Azerbaijan to respect the ceasefire and expressed Moscows readiness for mediation activities, added the statement. It did not give further details.

Putins press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, made identical comments to the Russian press after the meeting attended by the speakers of both houses of Russias parliament, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Federal Security Service Director Aleksandr Bortnikov, Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergey Naryshkin and other officials.

Lavrov already telephoned his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts on Monday to call for an immediate end to the skirmishes involving artillery fire and drone attacks. The fighting continued in the following days, however, with the conflicting parties putting the blame on each other.

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Thursday that Moscow is working with the parties to prevent a further escalation. Neither side has reported serious ceasefire violations since then. According to the Armenian Defense Ministry, the situation at a border section where at least 16 soldiers from both sides have been killed since July 12 was relatively calm on Friday.

The United States, the European Union as well as Iran have also urged Baku and Yerevan to show restraint without holding either side responsible for the escalation.

By contrast, Turkey, Azerbaijans closest ally, has blamed the Armenian side and promised military aid to Baku, raising the prospect of a more direct Turkish involvement in the Karabakh conflict.

Our armed unmanned aerial vehicles, ammunition and missiles are at Azerbaijans service along with our experience, technology and capabilities, Ismail Demir, the head of a state body overseeing the Turkish defense industry, tweeted after meeting with a high-ranking military delegation from Azerbaijan in Ankara on Friday.

For his part, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday that Armenia will be brought to account for its attack on Azerbaijan.

Armenia has close military ties with Russia and hosts Russian troops on its soil mainly because of a perceived security threat from Turkey. The latter refuses to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia and keeps the Turkish-Armenian border closed out of solidarity with Azerbaijan.

In a possible reference to Ankara, Lavrov said on Monday that all countries making up the OSCE Minsk Group should avoid statements and actions that could provoke a further rise in tensions in the Karabakh conflict zone.

Russian, U.S. and French diplomats co-heading the group have long been spearheading international efforts to broker a solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute.
New Delhi, July 17 : Amid a spike in the number of novel coronavirus cases in Bihar, a delegation of opposition parties on Friday approached the ECI and urged for "proactive approach" to priorities the health and well-being of Bihar's people as well as of the spirit of democracy.

The parties urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to evolve a mechanism that "protects both the health of the democracy as well as of the people", as they sought to know how the panel planned to ensure a majority of voters exercised their franchise amid social distancing norms.

These parties also urged the poll panel to review and reassess the situation in consultation with public health experts and other stakeholders.

The elections for the 243-member Assembly will be due in October-November.

The opposition party leaders, including Congress' Shaktisinh Gohil, Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) Manoj Kumar Jha, D. Raja of CPI, Dipankar Bhattacharya of CPI-M, Upendra Kushwaha of Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), Dipak Jyoti of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), Arjun Raj of Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) and Rajiv Mishra of Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP), met with Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and submitted a memorandum on the issue.

In a memorandum to the poll panel, the parties said: "The people of Bihar are eagerly waiting for the elections to get rid of a government formed against the mandate as well as for the dismal failure on all fronts...." It said that there were questions on people's mind since out of a population of over 13 crore, 7.5 crore are voters.

"How does the Election Commission plan to ensure physical distancing of at least two feet recommended by the WHO and the ICMR and advocated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi?" it said.

The memorandum also pointed out that people need clarity so that a wholesome participation of a majority of voters is not adversely impacted.

"People also expect the commission to ensure and satisfy the people that the entire poll exercise does not become a super spreader (of coronavirus)," it said.

Pointing out at the all-party meeting convened the Election Commission and the ruling parties pushing forth their proposal for election campaigns through digital media and prohibiting traditional campaigning methods, it cited data of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), saying only a little over half the population had mobile phones and only 34 per cent smartphones.

"It will be a travesty of unpardonable proportion to officially legitimise a mode of election campaign which is not only severely limited by its reach but exclusionary by its design. Almost two third of the electorate will be left out of the election process," it said.

The opposition parties said that the ruling parties (BJP and Janata Dal-United) have already started their digital campaigns while the poll panel is yet to "fix the limit of expenditure of virtual political campaign".

It said that the poll panel will have to deal with issues of whether the elections held in such a manner that fail to ensure free and equal participation of the voters under the pandemic circumstances can be considered free and fair.

Stressing on a level playing field to all political parties and candidates, it said: "To ignore these mechanisms and conduct the elections as a mere formality to be finished and how would be antithetical to the very purpose of the elections and a travesty of the democratic process." The number of coronavirus cases in Bihar rose to 21,764 with 197 fatalities and 6,818 active cases.

Earlier this week, Crisis Management Group (CMG) in Bihar headed by Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar had decided to reimpose lockdown restrictions from July 16 until July 31 in 16 districts due to spike in Covid-19 cases.
Gold & Silver Measured Moves

The next few weeks are certain to attract much attention to precious metals. Hardly anyone can argue that Gold has not experienced an incredible upside price rally over the last 12+ months. Recently, Gold closed above $1800 for the first time since 2011. Our researchers believe the next target is $1935. Keep reading to learn why we believe this is the next major price target for Gold.

Gold Weekly Price Analysis

Over the past 18+ months, Gold continues to develop price patterns that seem to be replicating going forward. This pattern consists of an advance in price followed by consolidation/rotation in price to set up a new momentum base. The example of this price advance from May 2019 to August 2019 consisted of a $267 upside price advance (just over 20%). Subsequent advances were similar in size. November 2019 to March 2020 advance rose $248. March 2020 to April 2020 advance rose $325.

Our research team believes the current momentum base, near $1725, will prompt a rally in Gold that will target $1935 in a similar type of price advance. After that level is reached, a new momentum bottom will likely setup near $1900 which will be followed by another upside price advance. This time targeting $2150 to $2190. We believe once Gold clears the $2100 level, global investors will identify the rally more efficiently and the upside parabolic price move may extend very rapidly.

Silver Weekly Price Analysis

With Silver, the measured moves are averaging about $5.25 to $5.40 with each advance. If this continues from the current momentum base level near $17.50, then the next upside price target level should be near $23.00 in Silver. Beyond that, the subsequent target level should be near $28.00.

Before you continue, be sure to opt-in to our free-market trend signals before closing this page, so you dont miss our next special report!

This would represent a massive upside price advance in Silver of nearly 59%. Ultimately, the upside move in metals illustrates a strong level of fear in the markets related to global market stability and solvency. Silver has recently begun a move above the $19.00 price level and once it clears the $21 level, the next upside price advance should be fairly quick.

We believe the early Q2 2020 earnings data may shock the markets and cause the metals markets to rally. Initially, though, the metals may move a bit lower as the markets contract from the shock. This should be short-lived as metals have already rallied to a point where investors know the fear of the shock should act to propel metals above recent momentum base levels.

Watch how Silver moves compared to Gold. Silver has already started to move more aggressively higher than Gold. Once the real parabolic move begins, Silver will begin to skyrocket much higher than Gold on a percentage basis. We should know how the metals will react to the economic data fairly quickly. If you have not already hedged your portfolio into precious metals or miners, we suggest establishing a 15% to 25% protective hedge at this time.

Get our Active ETF Swing Trade Signals or if you have any type of retirement account and are looking for signals when to own equities, bonds, or cash, be sure to become a member of my Passive Long-Term ETF Investing Signals which we are about to issue a new signal for subscribers.

Chris Vermeulen

www.TheTechnicalTraders.com

Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic



Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better.



His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility.



He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk

Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect.

Chris Vermeulen Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group's leader Noor Wali Mehsud has been designated as a global terrorist by the UN for participating in the financing, planning and perpetrating acts on behalf of and in support of entities associated with al-Qaida.

The UN Security Council's 1267 ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee added Mehsud, 42, to the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List on Thursday, subjecting the Pakistani national to an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

The Sanctions Committee said that Mehsud was listed for participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of entities associated with al-Qaida.

In June 2018, Mehsud was named the leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, following the death of former TTP leader Maulana Fazlullah.

The TTP was blacklisted by the UN on July 29, 2011 for its association with al-Qaida.

Under Noor Wali's leadership, TTP has claimed responsibility for numerous deadly terrorist attacks across Pakistan, including an attack targeting Pakistani security forces in North Waziristan in July 2019 and a bomb attack against Pakistani soldiers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in August 2019, the Sanctions Committee said.

The group had claimed responsibility for an attempted bombing in Times Square on May 1, 2010, and in April 2010 it had launched a multi-pronged assault against the United States Consulate in Peshawar, killing at least six Pakistanis and wounding 20 others, the Committee added.

The US State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) said in a tweet that it welcomes the addition of Mehsud by the UN to the ISIL and Al Qaida sanctions list.

TTP is responsible for many deadly terrorist attacks in Pakistan. The United States domestically designated Noor Wali as a terrorist in September 2019, it said in the tweet.

Blacklisting by the Security Council entails that all states are required to freeze without delay the funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities.

They are also required to prevent the entry into or transit through their territories by the designated individuals and prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals outside their territories, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, spare parts, and technical advice, assistance, or training related to military activities, to designated individuals and entities.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is looking to lease two plots at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), after successfully signing a similar deal at the commercial hub worth 2,238 crore with a Japanese company in 2019.

BKC is one of the most popular business districts in the state.

The two plots with an area of 6,018 square metres (sqm) have a reserve price of around 3.44 lakh per sqm in the G block of BKC. The plots were previously up for lease in 2019, but had found no takers owing to the stagnant property market.

Last time, we had invited bids separately for all three plots. This time, we have issued tenders for the amalgamated plot of C-44 and C-48, which might interest companies, said a senior MMRDA official. MMRDA is expecting to earn 2,000 crore from the sale of the plots.
A Laois woman has received the lifesaving gift of a new heart, after waiting in hope in her hospital bed for the past seven months.

Mother of three Denise Geoghegan, 39, from Portarlington received her heart transplant in July.

She had been waiting in isolation, missing her three sons desperately all through the Covid-19 pandemic in the Mater Cardiac Unit in Dublin. Her ordeal began last Christmas when she became unwell and was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy

Her husband is Emmett Geoghegan and her children are Curtis, 20, Corey, 15, and Caeden, 7.

The town of Port got behind Denise in many fundraisers (see gofundme page here) and now more than ever the support is flooding in for her recovery.

The Love Port Facebook group gave the good news that week.

"Great news for Denise Geoghegan this morning, she got a heart and had her operation last night. Fingers crossed she will be home very soon. Good luck Denise from all at the Love Port office," they said.
Related video: Trump makes up story about voter fraud and lies about border wall during Oval Office press conference (AFP via Getty Images)

Vote by mail has been gaining popularity across the US in recent years, and calls for its nationwide adoption ahead of the 2020 US election have increased due to the dangers posed by coronavirus.

Some states have allowed general mail-in voting for years. Washington has allowed it since 2005. Most allow a form of mail-in voting called absentee voting, which was implemented in the 19th century to allow soldiers fighting in the US Civil War to cast a vote from wherever the conflict took them.

Today, every state allows some form of mail-in voting. Some place restrictions on absentee voting, like requiring an excuse or medical reason for why an individual cannot physically go to the polls.

How does it work?

Itas important to know that states are continually making adjustments to their voting procedures as election day gets closer due to the pandemic. As a result, one of the most important things voters can do is keep informed of their stateas elections rules by reading their local newspapers or watching their local news broadcasts.

In addition, voters can always reach out to their countyas board of elections or equivalent agency to request the latest information regarding voting in their state.

In most states, voting by mail requires a citizen to first ensure they are registered to vote. Learn how to do so here.

Once you have registered, then you can request an absentee ballot.

The specific rules for your stateas absentee voting is available through your stateas election office.

Some states send out absentee ballots automatically, and voters can choose whether or not to use them. Other states require voters to go onto their state election officeas website and request a ballot. The US government recommends the US Vote Foundation for voters looking for assistance in filling out their absentee ballot.

It is important to remember that every state has its own deadline for when you can request an absentee ballot, which will be listed on its elections office website. Deadlines differ, but many states require that absentee ballots are received at least five days prior to the election, though some are earlier.

Story continues

Generally when requesting an absentee ballot, voters request which party they would like a ballot for. Once they have received the ballot, they can make their selections and mail the ballot back to the state. Every voter a especially those voting by mail for the first time a should read the instructions carefully and double check their ballot before sending it back. Make sure you have the correct postage on your envelope. The USPS will actually still deliver your ballot if the postage is incorrect, but the agency urges voters not to abuse that kindness.

Is voting by mail safe?

In terms of physical safety for yourself and others, voting by mail is probably the best way to limit spreading or exposing others to coronavirus come election day.

Donald Trump has made it clear he opposes mail in voting, claiming it will lead to increased voter fraud. However, while it may provide an opportunity for fraud, experts say the incidence of stolen ballots is so low as to be statistically insignificant. Voter fraud is rare in the US, they say.

Mr Trump believes that voters should have to provide an excuse for why they need mail-in ballots. He has not provided any evidence to suggest that implementing the requirements would decrease potential fraud.

Amber Reynolds, the chief executive of the National Vote at Home Institute and a former Colorado election official, and Charles Stewart, director of the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, spoke with NPR about the risks of mail in voting as compared to in-person voting.

aExpanding voting by mail will be a challenge in most states in 2020. But we reiterate: there is no evidence that mail-balloting results in rampant voter fraud, nor that election officials lack the knowledge about how to protect against abuse,a they said.

Read more

Trump rejects bailout for devastated US postal service

Barr claims without evidence that voting by mail will lead to fraud
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night. But maybe a truck fire.

The solemn commitment of U.S. Postal Service carriers to deliver the mail is enshrined in the agencys informal motto. But hundreds of U.S. letter carriers have been forced to quit their rounds in recent years by fires that broke out in the engine compartments or dashboards of their outdated delivery trucks.
After working non-stop through an excruciating five months of the coronavirus pandemic, Houston healthcare workers are at the tipping point for exhaustion, according to Houston Methodist ICU director, Dr. Faisal Masud.

"My teams are tired. It's five months--five months they've been working non-stop," Masud said. "We are stretched but we are managing."

Texas set a new record on Wednesday, marking the seventh day in a row that hospitals had fewer than 1,000 beds available, according to Houston Chronicle data analysis. According to Texas Health and Human Services, there were 10,471 COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide on Wednesday.

'WE'RE SEEING THE WORST OF THE WORST: Houston nurse describes situation in ICU surge

Masud is warning Texans about a dangerous misconception that if you are young, you will quickly recover from coronavirus. The serious issue at hand is the long-term effects on your lungs and heart.

"If you get admitted to hospital and you get oxygen, the data that there is some long-lasting damage," Masud said. "If youre admitted to the ICU, almost half of those patients are showing some abnormality on the heart scan. If youre young, you may think you can recover, but you are looking at a lifelong impact on the heart and lungs."

According to a report from UC Berkeley, the long-lasting effects of COVID-19 could inflict serious damage to the lungs, heart and gastrointestinal tract.

"One thing we didnt anticipate was that the virus seems to accelerate a great deal of scarring in the lungs," Dr. John Swartzberg told Berkeley News. "What we really fear is long-term shortness of breath that could extend anywhere from being very mild to severely limiting. There is also a disturbing report looking at computerized tomography (CT) scans of asymptomatic people that found they were left with some scar tissue."

Swartzberg also added that COVID-19 could directly attack the heart.

"There is evidence now that the virus can directly attack heart muscle cells," Swartzberg continued "And, theres also evidence that the cytokine storm that the virus triggers in the body not only damages the lungs, but can damage the heart."

With the relentless uptick in patients at Houston Methodist, Masud said that it is concerning that Texas is becoming the new epicenter for this coronavirus spread.

"We as Texans pride ourselves to be best, No. 1 at things, but I dont want to be No. 1 in this," he said. "Our community has the power to stop this and change the trajectory."

COVID-19 STRAIN: What does a more contagious COVID-19 strain mean for Houston? A top doctor weighs in

Masud said that although his staff is managing, the hospital has had to add Intermediate Care Units due to the surge.

"We're managing quite a few of these patients in our intermediate care units," Masud said. "These are for patients who are not sick enough for ICU, but not well enough to be in another ward. We've been successful so far to provide patient-centered care. We've done a good job stabilizing patients and getting them better."

He's urging all Texans to take this pandemic seriously--"wear your masks, practice social distancing," for the sake of their health and the health of caregivers who must tirelessly to help the community.

"If the Texas Medical Center which is the largest medical complex in the world is telling people to stop and listen, take precautions, I would listen," Masud said.

Masud added that July 4th was a critical time for more infections to occur, but that time will tell.

"We'll find out this week how that plays out," Masud said.

alison.medley@chron.com
<Bloomberg> Next China: Tit for tat

July 16, 2020

It was a dizzying week for the U.S.-China relationship.

On Monday, Beijing imposed sanctions on four American lawmakers, including Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. That was in retaliation for sanctions Washington levied the week before against Chinese officials linked to the detention of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.

The tit-for-tat accelerated from there. The U.S. denounced Chinas claims in the South China Sea. China sanctioned Lockheed Martin for arms sales to Taiwan. President Donald Trump ended special U.S. treatment of Hong Kong and signed legislation that would sanction Chinese officials for suppressing political dissent in the city.

As Eurasia Group President Ian Bremmer aptly put it, almost every aspect of the relationship looks like its heading into the toilet.

What remains, albeit precariously, is the phase-one trade deal. And on that front, there was some optimistic news this week.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that China had made its biggest ever purchase of American corn, buying 1.762 million metric tons of the grain. That was after Chinese buyers purchased 1.365 million tons of corn on July 10.

As shaky as the trade deal has looked at times, purchases like these underline its significance. The more American farm goods China buys, the stronger President Trump's argument is that his policies for dealing with Beijing work. And the more important the deal is to the administration, the more of a floor it puts under the relationship.

Indeed, it was revealed this week that for all of the combative public rhetoric, President Trump has privately sought to moderate tensions. He has so far ruled out additional sanctions against top Chinese officials as part of the Hong Kong legislation signed this week, indicating to aides that he doesn't want to further exacerbate strains in the relationship.

For all the bluster in Beijing and Washington these days, it could well be cargo traffic across the Pacific Ocean that tells us the most about the state of U.S.-China ties.

Uneven Recovery

Data released this week on Chinas economy offered a mixed bag of signals. Reassuringly for policymakers in Beijing, the rebound back into growth was stronger than expected, with GDP expanding by 3.2% in the second quarter after having contracted by 6.8% in the first three months of the year. The uneven nature of the recovery, however, is reason for concern. While infrastructure and property investment have gained, retail sales and private investment continue to be weak. That suggests much of the rebound was fueled by a booster shot of credit engineered by the government. Without a pickup in consumption and private sector spending, worries will persist that Chinas recovery could lose its momentum.

5G Fight

Washington scored a notable victory in the tech war this week. The U.K., having just said in January it would allow some Huawei gear in its 5G mobile networks, announced it is now completely banning the Chinese technology giant. Moreover, carriers have been ordered to remove all existing Huawei equipment from their networks by 2027. This reversal came after the U.S. in May took action to further restrict Huaweis access to semiconductors, which led the U.K. to conclude the company might have to use potentially insecure technology to offset the American sanctions. President Trump told reporters in Washington he personally intervened in the decision. Beijing, of course, lambasted the ban, with Chinas ambassador to Britain saying trust between the countries had been undermined. Attention will now shift to what countries might be influenced by the U.K.s decision and issue similar bans.

The Taxman

Despite their differences, there are some ways in which the U.S. and China are actually becoming more alike. Beijing, for example, has begun taking steps to tax income earned by its citizens overseas, a practice Americans will be well familiar with. For some Chinese expats though, its come as a shock. Thats understandable given rates on the mainland can be as high as 45%, as compared with 15% in Hong Kong, which is home to one of the largest populations of Chinese citizens living overseas. The only concrete steps so far though have been at state-owned companies, which have told employees who transferred from the mainland to pay their taxes. What remains unclear is how quickly Beijing might expand the policy to those working outside the state-owned sector.

Extreme Weather

China has been devastated by periods of severe flooding throughout its history. The most-tragic recent example was in 1998 when more than 4,000 people lost their lives as a swollen Yangtze River broke its banks, destroying homes and farmland. While the flooding this summer hasnt been nearly as dramatic, the damage has been severe nonetheless. More than 140 have died, millions have been forced from their homes and the mounting economic losses are nearing $10 billion. Whats more concerning is frequency. A report by the China Meteorological Administration published last year found that the prevalence of extreme precipitation and high temperature events has increased steadily over the past six decades. The culprit the agency cited was climate change.

Floodwaters along the Yangtze River on July 8, 2020.
Keya Brame, 42 of Mt. Airy has her hair done by Sherri Latae at Sherri Latae's Salon Couture 5899 Lancaster Ave. Latae has reopened her salon after the corona shutdown. Tuesday, July 14, 2020 Read more

When she opened her salon business in 2008, Sherri Latae Walker wasnt worried about the recession raging at the time. But this years coronavirus pandemic?

Now that ... thats been surreal, said Walker, whose West Philly shop aims to be about Lavishing Queens in All Things Couture. For 12 years, Ive had a lot of success and some form of control. Never this. Its a business owners worst nightmare.

Walker was among the first recipients of a grant from internet payments giant PayPal to fund the reopening of her salon. Shes also among a vast group of struggling minority business owners turning to nonprofits and corporate America for grant support in part because government programs require long waits or red tape.

Comcast in June said it was developing a multiyear plan to allocate $100 million to fight injustice and inequality.  That included $75 million in cash and $25 million in advertising distributed over the next three years. Walmart, Google and Apple each committed $100 million in June to increasing spending with Black-owned suppliers and professional partners. Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company will take significant new steps on diversity and inclusion in hiring.

PayPal pledged far more  $530 million nationally for minority business owners  starting with $10 million for grants to Black-owned businesses and $5 million for nonprofit community partners to distribute. The $530 million includes investing directly into Black and minority-led businesses and investment funds. PayPal doesnt have a timeline for when it will disburse the full amount.

As of July 13, PayPal had awarded more than 360 grants totaling about $3.1 million. PayPal received about 60,000 applications nationwide, and has closed applications for now.

Were hoping to disburse $10 million by the end of the month, said company spokeswoman Janine Kamwene. We recognize the critical challenge of access to capital that Black-owned businesses face and, as part of our larger commitment, are working with nonprofit partners including Womens Opportunity Resource Center in Center City.

As for Walker, I heard from one of my salon clients in corporate America about the PayPal grants for Black-owned businesses, she said.

 READ MORE: Were scapegoats,' say suburban Philly restaurant and bar owners fighting back at tighter coronavirus restrictions

She had applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan through PNC and it was taking weeks. I was discouraged. The PPP loans are administered through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Her PayPal grant for $7,500 might seem like a drop in the bucket, but its a big drop. I lost over $50,000, so its helped me to make three months payment on commercial rent immediately.

She finally did receive a PPP loan this past week, and was able to bring back two of her five employees. She reopened Sherri Lataes Salon Couture on July 1, and now accepts only four to five clients a day. Scheduling demanding clients is overwhelming. Women dont like to hear no, and Im a people-pleaser. Its hard not to give them what they want.

But as fast as the moneys coming in, its going to bills, insurance, tax payments, said the owner of the salon, set across from Overbrook High School at 5899 Lancaster Ave.

PayPal said the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) in Washington is overseeing the $10 million and administering $10,000 grants to 1,000 Black-owned businesses across the country. Although grant applications are closed, were encouraging people to join the AEO email list to stay connected about future funding opportunities, PayPals spokeswoman said.

Paypal set aside $5 million in grants to strengthen business owners with microloans, technical assistance, mentoring, and access to digital solutions to speed recovery from the pandemic. The Womens Opportunities Resource Center, at 20th and Chestnut Streets, got a $50,000 grant connected to this project. The group was one of 10 community-oriented nonprofit lenders to get those grants, including Baltimore Business Lending, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives microfinance group, and the Nebraska Enterprise Fund.

 READ MORE: Thank you, Jeff Brown of ShopRite and the Pa. 30 Day Fund, for helping looted businesses | Jenice Armstrong

Why are major corporations setting up these grant programs nationally? In part, companies may be listening to their diverse customers while at the same time virtue-signalling, experts said.

This is so unprecedented in my career. Ive never quite seen anything like this, except during disasters, but never around social justice, said Eileen Heisman, head of National Philanthropic Trust in Jenkintown. It was a harder area to raise money for, and until now didnt trigger interest in the same way.

Will this corporate giving do any good? Yes, she added. Will it be measurable? Hard to say. How do you know what works unless you try it? The jurys out until a year or two passes.

Day care reopening

Laverne Cheeseboro runs a group child-care program in Southwest Philadelphia and applied for a grant because she didnt want to take on a loan through the SBAs PPP initiative.

Im not a believer in debt. Ive been licensed since 2013 and I want to stay debt free, she said. Cheeseboro also didnt apply for unemployment. She turned to a Facebook group called Buy It Back Black! and her Community College of Philadelphia alumnae network to research business grants for her company, Heavenly Made Creations Childcare.

Child care isnt considered essential. But it should be, she said. She received one grant from the City of Philadelphia for $2,500 but it wasnt enough to reopen.

 READ MORE: Phillys day-care system is on the verge of a coronavirus collapse. Emergency cash is coming. Will it be enough?

Through CCPs PowerUp program, she heard about the PayPal grant program, and used her $10,000 grant to reopen July 6.

I installed a filtration system, diffusers, changed the way we container things. We have tops on toy boxes, and at my door we take temperatures, have the kids wash at a portable sink and take off their shoes. Only then can they come in and play freely.

I did an assessment with parents and to do it right it was too expensive to open in June. We werent getting the financial support for supplies. I made a decision to push back the date. Now, Im excited and glad to see my babies.

Shes also disinfecting the toys each night and deep cleaning every week, which requires extra help and expense.

With the $10,000, Im able to pay people at a reasonable pay scale.

Other grant programs

PA30 Day Fund. Designed to be quick, easy, and free of red tape. Small-business owners work to keep employees on board in the near term. Learn more at pa30dayfund.com.

COVID-19 Relief Pa. Statewide Business Assistance Round 1

Applications for Round 1 are closed, but Round 2 will open in early August. Eligible businesses must have gross annual revenue of $1 million or less and have 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees. The business must be based in Pennsylvania. Applications are submitted through the online lender Lendistry.com. For information: https://pabusinessgrants.com

Pennsylvania $50 million grants for front-line workers

Employers offering hazard pay to employees in life-sustaining occupations can apply for state grant funding to help cover the cost, Gov. Tom Wolf said Thursday. The state will provide $50 million in total; employers can apply for up to $3 million in grant money and up to $1,200 per full-time equivalent employee.

Applications can be submitted at www.esa.dced.state.pa.us through July 31. The Department of Community and Economic Development can be reached with questions at (717) 787-6245 or by email: ra-dcedcbf@pa.gov.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP ) loan

The deadline to apply to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been extended until Aug. 8. The loans can be mostly forgiven, according to updated rules. To apply, submit your application through a lender (www.sba.gov).

Food/grocery/market grants

The Fresh Food Financing Initiative COVID-19 Relief Fund  funded through the federal CARES Act  is available to for-profit, nonprofit, and cooperative entities affected by COVID-19, including groceries, corner stores, convenience stores, neighborhood markets, bodegas and farmers markets.

To be eligible, more than half of sales must be from staples and perishables, and the business must serve customers in low- to moderate-income areas. Applicants must also accept SNAP and WIC. For eligibility, visit the website: agriculture.pa.gov/foodsecurity.
Michael Braun, 37, is a national advance lead for the presidential campaign of Joseph R. Biden Jr., the former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee. In political parlance, he is known as an advance man, working with other members of Mr. Bidens staff as well as Secret Service agents to scout locations and prepare campaign events around the country.

Mr. Brauns longtime partner, Corey Gingue, 39, has seen him in action on many occasions, including one magical day in July 2017, in a faraway castle in Aix-en-Provence in southern France, where Mr. Braun proposed to Mr. Gingue before 11 of their best friends.

Mr. Braun (left), who is also the head of global communications for Il Makiage, a cosmetics brand in New York, decorated their terrace with more than 400 red roses purchased from florists in three surrounding towns, leaving each without a rose for sale.

Months before I stepped foot in that beautiful castle, Michael not only managed to find it and rent it, he also managed to turn it into the most wonderful engagement party without me knowing anything about it, said Mr. Gingue, who works as a sommelier for Momofuku in New York.
(Natural News) Antifa and their Black Lives Matter allies in Portland, Oregon have attempted to create an autonomous zone in the city. The zone  which the rioters attempted to call the Chinook Land Autonomous Territory (CLAT)  mirrors that which was established in Seattle in June.

Rioters began erecting tents and setting up barricades in Lownsdale Square in the downtown Portland neighborhood on Tuesday, July 14. The park is right next to several courthouses, including the Multnomah County Justice Center, where a majority of Antifa and BLMs nightly clashes with the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) occur, and the Pioneer Courthouse, a federal courthouse that officers from Homeland Security are trying to protect. The square was also home to the Occupy Portland encampments that were erected in 2011. (Related: Antifa rioters in Portland attempt to create another autonomous zone  they instead turn the city into a WAR ZONE.)

Chinook Land Autonomous Territory established after Portland police left the area

The PPB said that the demonstrators began their assembly at Revolution Hall in Southeast Portland on Tuesday before they marched downtown and gathered in front of the Pioneer Courthouse Square, several blocks north from Lownsdale Square. This event was regarded as generally peaceful, with several speakers talking about racial equality and reforming law enforcement. After the demonstrators listened to the speakers, the crowd either dispersed or reconvened in front of the Justice Center, where the peaceful assembly quickly transformed into a violent riot.

At around 9:15 p.m., the PPB said that the mob at the Justice Center began attempting to illegally occupy the area by standing in the middle of the road to block traffic through several streets. They then set up a series of barricades there to cordon off the area using industrial kitchen appliances, road blockades and flashing traffic signs.

The rioters also started a fire near where a famous 120-year-old statue of an elk once stood. Several other fires were also lit. Fortunately, none of these spread to private property.

At around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15, the rioters left their barricades in an organized effort and walked to the Central Precinct Building of the PPB, where they began harassing officers who were at the end of their shifts.

Around the same time, other elements of the PPB removed some of the barricades of the rioters. However, these were simply rebuilt after the officers disengaged and the rioters returned to the area.

Reports show that the rioters also attacked the officers by shining lasers into their eyes and throwing projectiles such as glass bottles. The PPB reported that they did not use tear gas and crowd control munitions such as rubber bullets. They also did not attempt to forcibly disperse the demonstrators.

Furthermore, after the PPB left the area, the rioters immediately started fighting with each other. One person reportedly tried to burn down one of the barricades, which caused an altercation with another person tried to put out the fire while several other people began rebuilding parts of the barricade.

The crowd dissipated over several hours, and by 5 a.m. only around a dozen demonstrators were still on the newly-erected barricades.

Portland mayor tells federal officers to leave

To assist Portland police in controlling the riots that have broken out in the city, the federal government has sent in agents to the city. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, however, is actually telling these officers to leave. This is despite the fact that the PPB has its hands full dealing with violent rioters every night, the establishment of a new autonomous zone and needing to investigate the sudden rise in shootings and homicides that come with illegal occupations.

Wheeler has been critical of the presence of federal agents in Portland for a while now. On Tuesday, he amped up his criticism online by tweeting that the officers were escalating the violence in the citys streets.

The best thing they can do is stay inside [federal buildings], or leave Portland altogether, Wheeler wrote. Our goal is to end these violent demonstrations quickly and safely.

Wheeler does not have the authority to oust the federal officers. He can, however, ask them to leave.

The mayor also took time out of his busy schedule to attack President Donald Trumps proclamation that he has done a great job in quelling the protests with the help of federal officers. Wheeler wrote that Trumps heavy-handed approach to dealing with the violent mobs has led to reports of serious injuries among the demonstrators.

Wheeler said that he had spoken with Chad Wolf, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, who asked the mayor about how the agency can further help their efforts to subdue the civil unrest.

I told the Acting Secretary that my biggest immediate concern is the violence federal officers brought to our streets in recent days, and the life-threatening tactics his agents use. We do not need or want their help.

The mayor added that, instead of supplementing the overworked members of the PPB with federal agents, they should instead devote their resources to cleaning up the federal buildings in Portland, which have been routinely vandalized every night since the riots began in late May.

It seems that the PPB stands alone in protecting the city, as even state officials have turned their backs on Portland. Wheelers remarks come as several Democratic representatives sent a letter to Acting Secretary Wolf and Attorney General William Barr condemning the federal response to the riots, saying that the disproportionate use of force is intolerable.

The letter was signed by Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Earl Blumenauer, who are demanding that Wolf and Barr answer nine questions concerning the presence of federal troops in their state.

Stay updated on Antifa and the Black Lives Matter movements running skirmishes with law enforcement in Portland and in other parts of the country by subscribing to AntifaWatch.news.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

FoxNews.com

KATU.com

KGW.com

OPB.org 1

OPB.org 2

WWeek.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 20:25:40|Editor: huaxia

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HELSINKI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Finland's KONE Corporation, a leader in elevator and escalator industry, reported on Friday improved results in the second quarter (Q2) of 2020, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) for the company in Q2 reached 324.6 million euros, 1.6 percent higher than the 319.6 million euros it had in Q2 2019, the corporation said in a media release.

The company also saw a net income of 244.4 million euros in Q2 this year, up 2.3 percent from the same period a year ago. Its sales, however, went down 0.3 percent from 2.54 billion euros in Q2 2019 to 2.532 billion euros in Q2 this year, noted the release.

"In the second quarter, we had a strong performance in a very challenging environment," KONE President and CEO Henrik Ehrnrooth was quoted in the press release as saying.

According to him, orders received by the company declined 9.4 percent in Q2 in comparable currencies. But "orders received continued to develop very positively in China and in some European countries, while orders received in the rest of the world declined significantly," he added.

Looking ahead, the company expected its new equipment market to be relatively stable in China and to decline in other regions as a result of the increased uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic. (1 euro = 1.14 U.S. dollars) Enditem
Brian Cu, president of the local arm of transport mobile app Grab, will soon be leaving the company to start his own business.

Russel Cohen, Group Managing Director-Operations for Grab, said that Cu, who has been on-board for seven years, will only be with the company until next monthAugust 14.

We send our heartfelt thanks to Brian for managing the Grab Philippines business for the past few years, where hes grown the business from a fledgling startup to where it is today. He has decided to move on to focus on other business interests as an entrepreneur in the startup scene, and we wish him the very best, Cohen was quoted in a statement.

During the remainder of his stint with the company, the outgoing president, together with the leadership of Grab Philippines, will be focusing on a thorough and seamless transition to ensure consistency and continuity of Grabs goals and operations in the country.

Grab Manila

Grab Philippines Head of Transport and Shared Services Ronald Roda will continue to be the Head of Country Operations, while Nicka Hosaka will remain as the Official Spokesperson for Grab Philippines.

Again, we thank Brian for his invaluable contributions to Grab Philippines growth, and we are excited for him and his next endeavors, Cohen ended.

One of Grab's final initiatives under Cu was the introduction of GrabProtecta robust set of safety and precautionary initiatives and features against COVID-19.

Launched last month, GrabProtect includes an online health and hygiene checklist, a mask selfie verification tool, safety and hygiene certification, hygiene kits, and mandatory deep disinfection of vehiclesaimed toward the enforcement of higher safety and hygiene standards for public transport in the country.

Aside from that, it was under Cus term that Grab ramped up transactions using GrabPay service, allowing seamless and real-time tracking of cash-in and cash out transactions to and from the GrabPay wallet, powered by InstaPay.

Story continues

Photos from Brian Cu Facebook page, Grab Philippines

Also read:

Grab PH Reactivates GrabBayanihan Amid ECQ

Grab to initially deploy 20K drivers as gov't eases NCR lockdown

Grab Can Now Shop for You this ECQ
HOUSTON, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of CITGO Petroleum Corporation has appointed Edgar Rincon as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Executive Vice President, reporting to CITGO President and CEO Carlos Jorda effective August 10, 2020. "Edgar's appointment comes after a series of appointments by the CITGO Board of Directors over the last 12 months that strengthen the Company's impressive operational and financial expertise, a process that began with the appointment of Mr. Jorda one year ago," said Luisa Palacios, Chairwoman of the CITGO Board.

Edgar Rincon previously served as Senior Vice President of Operations for the Western Hemisphere for Nabors Industries, overseeing the company's business in seven different countries. Edgar also held the roles of Senior Vice President of Operations for the United States, Chief Procurement Officer and Vice President of Supply Chain at Nabors.

Prior to joining Nabors, Edgar spent six years at Pacific Drilling in various leadership positions, including Vice President of Procurement and Supply Chain, Vice President of Commercial, Vice President Operations Support and Senior Vice President Corporate Services.

Edgar also spent nearly 10 years at McKinsey & Company, where he worked as a strategic, operational and management advisor to multinational energy companies that operated in all facets of the energy industry  downstream, upstream and services.

"In addition to bringing extensive operational and management expertise, Mr. Rincon has been a critical leader of the Board's efforts to enhance corporate governance," said Ms. Palacios, pointing to Edgar's service as a member of the Board of Directors since February 2019, where he has guided a number of the Board's corporate governance initiatives.

CEO Jorda added, "I have worked closely with Edgar as a member of the Board, and I look forward to having the benefit of his knowledge and expertise on a full-time basis as CITGO's COO."

Rincon holds an MBA with distinction from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Universidad Simon Bolivar.

About CITGO:

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry with a well-known brand. CITGO operates three refineries located in Corpus Christi, Texas; Lake Charles, La.; and Lemont, Ill., and wholly and/or jointly owns 48 terminals, nine pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,400 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 769,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO is ranked as the fifth-largest, and one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products and supplies a network of approximately 4,700 locally owned and operated branded retail outlets in 30 states and the District of Columbia. CITGO Petroleum Corporation is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com .

SOURCE CITGO Corporation

Related Links

https://www.citgo.com/


Booker said the group of five men accused him of trespassing on private property. After he tried to apologize, the situation got physical. Booker said the men threatened to break his arms and said, get a noose, while telling his friends to leave the area. Booker also said one of the men had a hat with a Confederate flag on it and that the men made statements about white power.
East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome declared Friday "Fallen Heroes Day," marking the fourth anniversary of an attack on local law enforcement that killed three officers and wounded three others on Airline Highway.

Baton Rouge police officers Montrell Jackson and Matthew Gerald and East Baton Rouge sheriff's deputy Brad Garafola lost their lives on the morning of July 17, 2016, when Gavin Long opened fire on law enforcement. The gunman had traveled to Baton Rouge after the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling a few weeks earlier, which ignited nationwide protests about police brutality.

"These public servants represented the best of our community," Broome said in a statement Friday morning. "We will forever remember the words of Officer Montrell Jackson: 'Don't let hate infect your heart.'"

Jackson wrote those words in a Facebook post that went viral shortly before his death. He was referencing the vitriol he saw in Baton Rouge following the Sterling shooting.

"I'm tired physically and emotionally," he wrote. "I swear to God I love this city but I wonder if this city loves me. In uniform I get nasty hateful looks and out of uniform some consider me a threat."

The Baton Rouge Police Department said in a tweet Friday morning that Jackson's words still "hold true today during these trying times"  a moment of nationwide reckoning as cities across the country are forced to confront questions of race and policing following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis law enforcement.

Broome said she wished to honor the memories of the fallen officers and "pray for those injured and forever changed by the tragedy."

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Officers in the area were responding to reports of a man carrying a rifle along Airline Highway. Long opened fire on responding officers and was killed in the ensuing shootout.

Timeline of Baton Rouge officer shooting events From the moment the first reports came out until we began to learn more about the shooter and the three slain officers, a timeline of The Advo

Sheriff's deputy Nick Tullier received critical injuries that almost took his life. He remains paralyzed and receives regular medical treatment at a hospital in Houston, where his family has relocated.

"Nick lived but lost his life that day," his father posted on Facebook early Friday morning, describing in detail how Tullier survived against all odds but gave up so much in the process: simple things like engaging in small talk, giving advice to his sons and enjoying a crawfish boil.

Bruce Simmons, another sheriff's deputy, and BRPD officer Chad Montgomery were also injured in the attack. Simmons received extensive injuries to his left arm and hand. Montgomery was grazed by a bullet but his injuries were relatively minor.

"Today, let's remember not just the sacrifice, but also the love that these men had for our community," East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux posted on Facebook. "Remember the love they had for one another.  East Baton Rouge Parish, we love you and it is our honor to protect and serve you."
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets team of analysts are ready to view.

Prices hold, pipe buying stalls

Seamless prices remained broadly stable in much of the world this month - with the notable exception of falling Japan fob prices, because oil and gas producers have been less inclined to fight for premium products as they cut their capital expenditure - but this was not the result of a balanced market. Demand remains weak and it is the dearth of trading activity that has been preventing prices from falling further.



Middle Eastern purchasing activity typically dries up at the start of the third quarter before picking up in September, and the lack of big tenders in sight as projects slow or are postponed or canceled further exacerbates the problem.



US drilling activity has also continued to slow in recent weeks, leaving little options to export pipes there for countries that can under Section 232.



US OCTG close to the bottom

The US rig count is now approaching our expected low point of 250 rigs, and we expect demand to then stabilize, but at an extremely low level with oil country tubular goods (OCTG) sales maintained only to fill orders as needed. We have little hope that drilling activity and pipe buying will resume in earnest until well into 2021.



Scrap to soften, but China may provide floor

Scrap prices are expected to edge lower in the coming months, which would leave room for some seamless price cuts, but a tightening of the Chinese market could provide a floor to the decline as margins there are to the bone.



A modest support to global pipe demand may also be provided by Norwegian and Russian measures to support the drilling industry.



Click here to view the Seamless OCTG and Linepipe Market Tracker in full. If you are not a subscriber but would like see a free sample report, please click here.
Police are calling on people walking their dogs in rural North Yorkshire to take responsibility for their pets, after more attacks on livestock.

Officers are concerned that as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, more people are travelling to the countryside, and walking their dogs around sheep without enough care.

The warning follows incidents in the Harrogate and Richmondshire areas in the last week.

On Saturday 11 July, a member of the public called police to report a dog running loose in fields in Arkengarthdale.

An officer from North Yorkshire Polices Roads Policing Group was on patrol on a police motorcycle nearby and attended the scene.

The dog, a German pointer, was seen to chase and attack sheep, including a ewe and a lamb  although they are not believed to have suffered serious injuries.

Police spoke to the dog's owners, and their details taken. Enquiries are ongoing to identify the sheeps owner.

The following day, police were called by a farmer reporting a dog had attacked a lamb on his land near Thruscross Reservoir, near Harrogate.

The farmer was able to secure the dog, and the lamb was taken away to recover.

The husky dog had managed to get away from its owner before running through a fence, and chasing sheep.

A police officer arrived and spoke to the farmer, and the dog owner. In the circumstances, the farmer was content with an apology and for the dog owner to be educated about the risks of a loose dog among sheep

Police therefore dealt with the incident by issuing a community resolution.

In a separate incident last month, a lamb was attacked and killed in Marton Cum Grafton.

North Yorkshires specialist rural policing officers are keen to highlighting the financial and emotional impact on farmers of having their livestock attacked.

Inspector Matt Hagen, of North Yorkshire Police's Rural Taskforce, said: We need dog owners to take responsibility for their animals  its very important that dogs are kept securely when at home, and on leads and under control when walking near sheep fields.

Estimates by NFU Mutual suggest livestock attacks nationally cost farmers 1.2m in 2019.
Indonesian Minhati Madrais, widow of militant leader Omarkhayam Maute, who was killed during the battle of Marawi in October 2017, undergoes a physical examination at a government hospital after her arrest in nearby Iligan City, Philippines, Nov. 5, 2017.

The Indonesian widow of a militant leader of Islamic States 2017 siege of Marawi city in the southern Philippines has been released from prison there, an Indonesian official said Friday.

Minhati Madrais, 39, was released in late June when a court in nearby Iligan City dismissed charges against her of possessing explosive materials, said Joedha Nugraha, director of Protection of Citizens and Legal Entities Overseas at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At present the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, relevant ministries and institutions under the Coordinating Ministry for Politics and Security are discussing what action to take related to her release, he told a news conference in Jakarta.

The Indonesian embassy in Manila and consulate-general in southern Davao City were communicating with Philippine authorities about Minhatis release, Joedha said. BenarNews reporters in the Philippines, however, could not immediately confirm this information with local officials.

Minhati is the widow of the late Omarkhayam Maute, a Filipino who co-led the pro-IS Maute group. It helped Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf Group militant who commanded the Philippine branch of Islamic State, lead hundreds of militants, including foreign fighters, in taking over Marawi city for five months.

Both Maute and Hapilon were killed in October 2017 toward the end of the five-month battle with government forces that left the once scenic lakeshore city in ruins. Abdullah Maute, who with Omarkhayam led the Maute group, was killed earlier during the fighting.

Minhati was arrested on Nov. 5, 2017, at her home in Iligan City, where police alleged that they found bomb-making materials and an expired Indonesian passport.

Joedha said Minhatis trial began on March 20, 2018.

On June 26, 2020, the judge ruled to acquit Minhati Madrais due to insufficient evidence, he said.

Minhati, a daughter of an Islamic cleric in Bekasi, a Jakarta suburb, met Maute when they were studying in Egypt, according to reports. The couple have six children, who were placed in the custody of Philippine authorities after her arrest.

In Jakarta, officials at the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) declined to comment on Minhatis possible homecoming.

Any repatriation will be arranged by the Indonesian embassy in Manila, Commissioner Awi Setiono, spokesman for the national police, told BenarNews.

Although women were involved in the Marawi siege, Manhati stayed away during the fighting three years ago, according to Darojatul Aliah, executive director of the Society Against Radicalism and Violent Extremism, an Indonesian NGO that works with ex-radicals and tries to help rehabilitate members of extremist groups.

Many [women] treated wounded combatants or just provided food, but not Minhati, who was evacuated by Omar Maute out of Marawi, and temporarily stayed in the city of Iligan, she said.

Aliah said Minhati was staying in Iligan, about 30 km (18.6 miles) north of Marawi.

Meanwhile, the director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC), a Jakarta think-tank, said she expected Minhati to come back to Indonesia.

Minhati Madrais will go home because all her children except those who are toddlers are already in Indonesia. They were sent here first, Sidney Jones told BenarNews, adding that Minhati probably would stay at an Islamic boarding school run by her family.

Jones said the widow did not have ties to any pro-IS group in Indonesia.

She is not a threat whatsoever because even though her husband was a prominent figure in the battle of Marawi, she herself was in the city of Iligan during the Marawi uprising, Jones said.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp urged residents Friday to wear a face mask when in public, two days after he blocked local officials from enforcing their own rules to further prevent the spread of Covid-19.

"It's the community that defeats this virus, not the government," Kemp said at a press conference. "We need all younger Georgians to recognize the importance of following public health guidance. To realize their exposure can have serious consequences on their loved ones."

Kemp on Wednesday barred local authorities through an executive order from implementing and enforcing their own mask mandates while continuing to urge residents to wear face coverings in public.

On Friday, he called on local leaders to use "your connections with the local media" to build support for wearing a mask and to ramp up enforcement of policies the governor's office has already adopted, like protecting the medically fragile and ensuring people remain 6-feet apart.

"I know that many well-intentioned and well-informed Georgians want a mask mandate and while we all agree that wearing a mask is effective, I'm confident that Georgians don't need a mandate to do the right thing," Kemp said Friday.

Kemp reprimanded some local leaders for using the pandemic for "political gain." On Thursday, the Republican governor of Georgia sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, and members of Atlanta's City Council for ordering people to wear masks.

"What kind of message does it send when you have mandates already that people aren't enforcing?" Kemp said. "I have grave concern about our young people and other people getting so reliant on the government that we lose the basis of what this country was founded on, and that's freedom and liberty and opportunity for any one, any one."

The coronavirus pandemic has threatened "the health and well being of our friends and neighbors" while creating "economic hardship we haven't seen" in a long time, Kemp said, warning that businesses are on the brink of bankruptcy and thousands have filed for unemployment.

A slew of businesses recently announced they would begin implementing their own mask requirements in the absence of local and state orders  policies their workers are left to enforce. Walmart, Target, Kroger, Best Buy and Apple now require customers to wear a face covering before entering.
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are set to return to Earth on Aug. 2, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Friday.

The astronauts have been in space for nearly seven weeks as part of the SpaceX Demo-2 test flight, which marked the first time SpaceX launched people into space and the first time a privately owned vehicle carried NASA astronauts to the International Space Station.

On HoustonChronicle.com: NASA, SpaceX pull off first astronaut liftoff from U.S. soil since 2011

The Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft launched from NASAs Kennedy Space Center on May 30, and the astronauts reached the space station on May 31. NASA extended their stay in space to assist with research and space station maintenance.

On Thursday, for instance, Behnken and fellow astronaut Chris Cassidy, who was already on the space station, completed their third spacewalk to replace aging nickel-hydrogen batteries with new lithium-ion batteries. They have one more spacewalk scheduled for next week where their tasks include preparations for a commercial airlock developed by Webster-based Nanoracks.

Dependent on weather, Bridenstine said on Twitter that Behnken and Hurley would depart the International Space Station on Aug. 1 then splashdown on Aug. 2.

Their safe return will conclude the Demo-2 mission, the last major test before SpaceX can receive NASA certification to begin more routine trips to the International Space Station. The next SpaceX flight will have Houston-born astronaut Shannon Walker among its crew members.

NASAs Commercial Crew Program has spent years working with SpaceX and Boeing to develop systems that could carry astronauts to the International Space Station. Boeing, which experienced software issues during its first uncrewed test flight, does not yet have a date for launching people.

andrea.leinfelder@chron.com

twitter.com/a_leinfelder
Organised by the US-India Business Council, the India Ideas Summit has brought together key leaders from business, government and society in India and the US; theme to focus on India-US partnership in combating economic adversities brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the India Ideas Summit on July 22, organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), on the United States and India as key partners and leaders in a post-COVID world.

The India Ideas Summit, is scheduled to be held on July 21-22, has assembled a high-powered line-up of US-India corridor leaders from across the business, government and society.

We are honored to have the Prime Minister during the 45th anniversary of the US-India Business Council, said Vijay Advani, USIBC Global Board Chair and Executive Chairman of Nuveen.

This years focus is on Building a Better Future. As Prime Minister Modi navigates the twin challenges of managing the health impact of COVID-19 and the associated global economic disruption, he has articulated the importance of the US-India partnership in ushering an era of economic renewal and inclusive opportunity, Advani added.

Also read: India capable of producing Covid-19 vaccines for entire world: Bill Gates

Also read: India to resume International travel through air bubbles

USIBC President Nisha Biswal said, Prime Minister Modi has steered the US-India relationship to new heights through engagement with successive US administrations. He has been a sure-footed leader on the global stage and has created a vision for the future that is not only important for India, but will influence global perspectives on issues like trade, inclusive economic growth, digital commerce and climate policy. We are honored to host him at the India Ideas Summit.

The summit will bring together senior officials from the Government of India and the United States who are setting the post-pandemic recovery agenda.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, External Affairs S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, Deputy Secretary of US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Eric Hargan, Senator Mark Warner, Representative (Cal.) Ami Bera, India ambassador to the US Taranjit Sandhu, US ambassador to India Kenneth Juster and many more diplomats as well as dignitaries are expected to participate in the summit.

The summit will also feature senior executives from top US and Indian companies, including USIBCs 2020 Global Leadership Award Recipients Jim Taiclet, CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation and N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons.

Also read: India, EU affirm commitment to combat terrorism

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Promote Iceland has come up with a unique strategy to de-stress during the Covid-19 pandemic

As people have been cooped indoors for weeks, even months, in the face of the pandemic, stress and frustration has begun to pile up.

Iceland has come up with an innovative strategy to not only help people channel their frustration but also promote tourism. The idea is simple - allow people to scream their hearts out into the vast and empty wilderness of the Nordic island nation. A website, set-up to promote the campaign, is built with an uncomplicated interface and a large tap to scream button.

Large, yellow loudspeakers project peoples screams in seven locations across the country - Viey in Reykjavik, Festarfjall by Grindavik, Skogarfoss, close to Djupivogur, at the foot of Snfellsjokull, by Kalfshamarsvik and by Rauasandur in the Westfjords.

Prolonged indoor living, loneliness, endless teleconferencing and disruption of daily life, as well as restrictions on travel between countries, have increased people's stress, according to the representatives of Promote Iceland.

The website has a small corner dedicated to detailing where the current scream is being streamed from. The website offers a curious insight into how people across the world are finding solace in a slightly comical channel that allows them to vent.

The programme is aimed not only at giving people space to let it out but to also promote the tourism of the country and to highlight the advantages of Iceland as a destination.
Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

When asked in a recent CBS News interview why African Americans are still dying at the hand of law enforcement, Donald Trump replied: So are white people. Barely unable to contain his disdain  punctuated by telling interviewer Catherine Herridge, What a terrible question to ask  he added that even more white people are killed by police.

Related: Yes, social media can be asinine  but cancelled pundits like Bari Weiss arent the victims | Moira Donegan

The obvious distinction is that police kill Black men and women at disproportionate rates, ranging from 2.5-3 times more often than white Americans, according to numerous reports. More importantly, Trumps assertion doesnt undermine Black Lives Matter and arguments for police abolition the way he and his rightwing allies believe. If anything, he made the case for them.

The primary argument of prominent Black Lives Matter protesters is that Black people should be the center of conversations about policing because they are killed at higher rates due to systemic injustices, white supremacy inherent to the police state, and implicit anti-Black bias among officers. The rate of these killings, and the delayed consequences, if there are any, reveals that Black lives are not treated as equally as white lives in this country.

The abolitionist argument goes a step further, arguing that we should abolish the police altogether, because the police cannot be reformed. Their fundamental purpose is controlling people and communities through violent means, and policing funds can be better allocated to social services and proven interventions that prevent crime.

Trump, naturally, did not raise any of these arguments and counter them. He did not actually dispute that police kill Black people. He essentially said: Even more people are killed than we talk about! Gotcha! Thanks, Trump, thats the point! Perhaps it would be more likely that we could create more peaceful, thriving communities  where race and postal code dont determine our life chances  if even more white people grasped how police repression and incarceration harm all of us.

Story continues

As Ryan Cooper at the Week noted: [T]he white American rate of 20.4 killings per 10 million population is more than twice as high as the overall Canadian rate, more than 10 times the New Zealand rate, more that 15 times the German rate, and more than 100 times the Japanese rate.

Whatever our class position, overzealous policing tends to hit home

Americas incarceration rate is just as abominable. A Prison Policy Initiative study on mass incarceration found that most US states have higher incarceration rates than every country in the world.

I would love if Trump and the right continued their Well, actually line argument from police violence to incarceration. Well, actually, cops kill even more people! Please, shout it from the rooftops.

Of course, this wont happen. Trump and his allies dont genuinely care about police repression. Slogans like All Lives Matter and its pro-police twin, Blue Lives Matter, like Trumps comments, are counter-protests meant to silence and dismiss, not raise awareness of the inherent injustice of policing.

White conservatives like Trump can make the claim that, in absolute numbers, more white people experience police violence than black people. But what matters is the disproportionate representation of black people in police killings. Its what makes it more likely, if you are a black person, to know someone who has experienced police violence or have experienced it yourself. .

Ive been in the drivers seat and a passenger of these encounters. In one, a police officer stopped a friends car, forcing us to sit in the dark in nervous silence, each of us quietly contemplating if we might die. Though his only crime was being a dark-skinned Black man driving a nice car  the cop gave us absolutely no justification for the stop  any movement he or I made could be seen as a threat.

I also will never forget the time I lived in a predominantly Black, working-class neighborhood in which police officers regularly set up random checkpoints at all hours of the night. Each time I was stopped, I compliantly handed over my license, seething over the flashing lights and regularly occupied streets, thinking about my fellow Black and Latino neighbors also subjected to wasted minutes and hours that could have been spent getting on with our lives. Cops were always fishing for a problem. And there was constant worry that theyd accidentally create one. Our blackness, alone, was treated as grounds for suspicion.

These encounters add up. Nothing serious will probably happen in any of them. But there is always a threat that it will  and a concern that it could happen to our cousins, friends, uncles, fathers and other Black men. It means a perpetual sense of unease for entire communities.

Related: Healthcare is Trump's Achilles heel. Republicans don't get it | Lloyd Green

Black Lives Matter and abolitionists dont think anyone  black or white  deserves this constant threat of violence. Because we experience this violence at higher rates, and because controlling Black people is at the root of policing, helping us helps everyone. But thats not what Trump wants to do. Trump and All Lives Matter counterprotestors should drop the pretense and just say what theyre actually arguing: No Lives Matter.
Ghana's current energy over-capacity and price commitment are limiting government from utilizing power generated from wind source.

Jasmine Kappiah, an officer from the project management wing of the Swiss-based engineering company, NEK Umwelttechnik AG, made this known to DGN Online during a media tour to some wind power generation stations in Prampram on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.

According to her, NEK has since 2003 been developing some wind farms in Ghana with the hope of supplying the national grid.

One of the wind farm projects, she said, is the 225 megawatt Avitepa wind farm.

Ms. Kappiah indicated that the development of the Avitepa project started in 2012.

The said project was located 40km from Accra, south of the Aflao road around Dawa.

Avitepa project consisted of up to 75 wind turbines with heights up to 140m on about 1,000 acres of land, which was secured by NEK under a 30-year land lease agreement with the legal owners of the land, she said, adding that the investment volume is around US$450 million and is backed by World Bank.

She stated that the project was two-phased, with a first constructed 150 megawatt and 75 megawatt in the second phase.

She explained that by the end of 2017, the project received all required permits to start construction, including a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

A UK-based company called Lekela Power had a build and operate agreement with NEK, she said.

Since 2017, she noted that the Avitepa project had been awaiting green-light from Cabinet and Parliament for construction.

However, she said, the government had not provided the opportunity for that to happen.

Executive Director of the Institute of Energy Security (IES), Paa Kwasi Anamua Sakyi, recounted that the Finance Ministry indicated in the 2017 Budget that government would facilitate the implementation of the project at least by 2018.

More than three years since then, he said, that had not been done.

He bemoaned a seeming lack of commitment on the part of governments over the years to the development and use of renewal energy in Ghana.

Ms. Kappiah says the delay can be the overcapacity in the electricity sector of Ghana and commitments which the Ghanaian Government has with different Independent Power Producers (IPPs) such as Karpowership, Aska, Amandi, Ameri, Cenpower and others.

She claimed that while the other IPPs were producing their electricity using oil and gas and at high cost to consumers, NEKs wind farms, however, would produce electricity on a much cheaper level in a sustainable, environmentally friendly, CO2-neutral and homemade manner.

According to her, the Avitepa Wind Farm offered to ECG a selling price of 8.9 US cents per kilowatt hour, which she claimed was much less than any electricity producer in Ghana could offer.

Other Projects

She revealed that NEK had also initiated other wind farm projects including a 200 megawatt Konikablo Wind Farm which had an investment volume of around US$400 million.

She indicated that the project which was initiated in 2014, once operational, would deliver more than 550,000 megawatt hours of clean, reliable, cheap and homemade electricity.

Export To ECOWAS Nations

According to her, NEK has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ECOWAS for the export of cheap power from the Konikablo Wind Farm to other states such as Togo and Burkina Faso.

However, she said the Konikablo Wind Farm still expected a few authorizations in order to be fully permitted.

She said NEK was in the process of acquiring the authorizations and that the construction for the power export would take off in 2022.

Meanwhile, Mr Sakyi urged the Ghanaian Government to prioritize the use of renewable energy.

He argued that the use of renewal energy was the best, efficient and sustainable way to go and thus government must be committed to that.

---Daily Guide
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday called for the establishment of a joint European Union-Africa COVID-19 response strategy.

The Head of State who spoke in Nairobi during a virtual conference of European and African leaders on the proposed establishment of the Africa-Mediterranean-Europe (AME) Foundation said the EU-Africa COVID-19 strategy should among other interventions pursue the cancelation of debts owed by African countries.

The setting up of AME Foundation as a platform to enhance development discourse and interactions between Africa, the Mediterranean and Europe is being championed by the Former President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker.

President Kenyatta supported the proposal to establish the Foundation saying the initiative will help inject new ideas needed to scale up collaboration between the three regions.

I, therefore, welcome with enthusiasm the proposal to establish the Africa-Med-Europe (AME) Foundation. The Foundation will complement the existing Africa-European continental cooperation in addressing the emerging global challenges, President Kenyatta said.

He said the foundation should be structured to be a robust platform for the promotion multilateralism and inclusivity.

It will also be imperative for the Africa-Med-Europe Foundation to be a voice against unilateralism and be a champion in the promotion of inclusive and consultative decision making by our continents

In this context of inclusivity, the Foundation should also recognize the critical role of the private sector, the academia and civil society, the President said.

President Kenyatta endorsed the proposal to include the setting up of the EMA Foundation as an agenda during the next AU-EU summit scheduled for October this year.

I also agree and concur with the idea that the next Africa Union-European Union Summit can present an excellent opportunity and platform to call for the establishment and support for the Africa-Med-Europe Foundation, he said.

The virtual meeting was addressed by Presidents Macky Sall (Senegal), Issoufou Mahamadou (Niger), Mohamed Ould Ghazouni (Mauritania) and Roch Mach Kabore (Burkina Faso).

President Macky Sall supported the establishment of the EMA Foundation saying the institution will help address the changes happening on the African continent.

President Kabore reiterated President Kenyattas sentiments that EMA will assist in advancing multilateralism and global solidarity especially in post-Covid-19 recovery.
In a rare delivery, twin red-ruffed lemurs are reported to have been born at a Singapore zoo. The rare double delivery is expected to give a much-needed boost for the endangered species. On top of this recent birth being a rare double delivery, the event was all the more special since the twins were also the first lemurs born in the Singapore zoo in over a decade.

Read: Madagascar's Native Lemurs Are Facing The Threat Of Extinction: Report

Rare double birth at Singapore Zoo

According to reports, the twin lemurs have still not been named. The fluffy lemurs that are native to Madagascar are red in colour and have blacks faces, hands, feet and tails as well as have a distinctive white patch on their heads.

Reportedly, the last lemur to be born at the Singapore zoo was actually the father of the twins. Bosco the lemur was born 11 years ago while the mother, eight-year-old Minnie was brought to Singapore in 2016 from a zoo in Japan.

Read: Good News: From Dog Playing With Toy Car To Lemurs Showering Kisses, Read 5 Best Stories

Lemurs facing extinction

Recently, an international conservation body revealed that Madagascar lemurs are facing extinction. As per a report published by the body, out of the 107 surviving lemur species in Madagascar, about 103 are threatened, including 33 critically endangered species.

Lemurs are considered to be the Treasure of Madagascar but are severely threatened by deforestation, poaching, and the illegal pet trade.

IPBES, a United Nations' biodiversity panel warned in 2019 that almost one million species in the world faced the threat of extinction due to human activities.

Read: Video Of Lemurs Showering Kisses On One Another Leaves Netizens In Awe; Watch

Read: Conservation Study Shows Lemurs, Whales Nearing Extinction

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We are in the early stages of planning and will need to determine the number of students who will be utilizing this option in order to secure appropriate staffing, Siegfried said. We are working on a survey for families to request full remote learning, which we intend to send out no later than July 20. This will help us learn who will not be returning to school in the hybrid model, which will help our principals as they are developing their group assignments.
A person was taken into custody in the killing of a 33-year tech entrepreneur who was found dismembered inside his luxury Manhattan condo, a law enforcement official said Friday.

The person in custody had worked as Fahim Saleh's personal assistant, the official told The Associated Press. The official wasn't authorized to discuss the case and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Saleh was found at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday inside his luxury seventh floor apartment on the Lower East Side.

A relative called police after going to check on Saleh and making the gruesome discovery. Responding officers discovered a clothed torso, bags containing a head and arms and an electric saw in the living room, police had said.

Investigators had recovered security video showing Saleh exiting an elevator that leads directly into the full-floor, two-bedroom apartment earlier Tuesday afternoon, closely followed by a masked person dressed entirely in black according to another law enforcement official who was briefed on the case.

It also shows a struggle between the two that ensued at the entrance to the apartment, said the official, who wasn't authorised to discuss the investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Police believe that the relative may have interrupted the intruder before that person fled out a back exit.

The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide after an autopsy found the cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the body.

Saleh was the chief executive officer of a ride-hailing motorcycle startup called Gokada that began operating in Nigeria in 2018.

Saleh's LinkedIn biography described him as a self-taught businessman who founded Gokada, building on his experience of first 'seeing an opportunity in his parent's native country of Bangladesh' and starting that country's largest ride-sharing company. It said he also invested in a similar venture in Colombia.

Investigators had been exploring whether the killing could have been related to Saleh's business dealings.

Apartments in the 10-story building where Saleh's remains were found sell for more than USD 2 million. The building was completed in 2017 as part of a wave of gentrification in the neighbourhood.
WASHINGTON  Data on the federal governments $521 billion coronavirus bailout program for businesses contains numerous inaccuracies, including critical data on job retention, loan values and loans returned or canceled, according to media reports and federal officials.

Im very nervous about [the SBA data], said Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn. First of all, it was a huge struggle to get the information on the PPP loans. And then when we got it ... theres questions now about the reliability of the data.

Undercutting a Trump administration claim that the Paycheck Protection Program rescued 51 million jobs, multiple news outlets have found that many companies reported in the database to have retained far more workers than they employ. In some cases, the Small Business Administrations job claims for entire industries surpasses the total number of workers in those sectors, the Washington Post found.

In Connecticut, where the SBA has approved 60,948 loans, 5,624 companies reported they would retain zero jobs through the program and 3,853 left that information blank, according to the SBA database. Some loans in other places list negative job numbers. The database also did not include information on loans that were canceled or returned to the SBA before July, the SBA said. That means that companies like Shake Shack, which took out a $10 million PPP loan and then returned it after public outcry, were not included in the database.

The SBA said The public PPP data includes only active loans. But some businesses contend thats not true. Choate Rosemary Hall, an elite boarding school in Wallingford, is listed in the SBA database as receiving a loan between $5 million and $10 million (the database also provides ranges for loan amounts, not exact numbers).

Choate Rosemary Hall has not accepted any PPP loans, said Alison Cady, director of Strategic Planning and Communications for Choate. Like many schools, Choate Rosemary Hall initiated the application while we investigated the terms of the program. When we determined that we did not fit the organizations and businesses the program was designed to support, the school withdrew its application. The application was approved despite our withdrawal but no funds were disbursed.

File photo

Although the SBA regularly publishes detailed information on recipients in its other loan programs, the agency was reluctant the release public information on Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Many loans went to needy companies, but in an effort to get money out the door as fast as possible, the SBA also waived some underwriting requirements from lenders leaving the program more susceptible to fraudulent applications, the U.S. Government Accountability Office found.

SBA released partial data on the program last week, but chose to conceal the names of about 85 percent of the 4.9 million loan recipients because they received loans of less than $150,000.

Danielle Brian, executive director on the Project on Government Oversight, said the inaccurate jobs retention information is either bad data or a problem with the loan application  what information the government asked for or what companies chose to disclose.

Bloomberg News found the issue was the PPP application didnt asked about jobs retained by the loan, but did have a box for number of employees and some companies left that information blank.

Thus, who did and didnt receive PPP money is murky. The SBA said it did not disclose the names of small PPP loan recipients to protect their proprietary business information. The SBAs decision makes it harder to know if the loans reached the desperate Main Street companies it was intended to rescue, outside of anecdotes. It also could conceal how many well-connected companies secured the smaller loans.

Previous reporting revealed publicly traded companies ranging from very large hotel chains and luxury cruise companies to a local fuel business got PPP loans. The New York Times found that banks and big lenders served their wealthy clients first with concierge treatment, handing them loans before smaller firms or businesses new to them and contributing to the quick evaporation of the first round of billions of PPP dollars.

The SBA said it would review loans of $2 million or more (thats over 30,000 loans) to ensure they were made to companies who needed them, but the Government Accountability Office found as of June 15, the SBA had not definitive plans to complete the review.

A lack of clarity on exactly who got the money and how much makes assessing the effectiveness and fairness of the program tougher  particularly relevant at a time when Congress is considering passing a new round of coronavirus relief this month that is intended to be more targeted to the needy than the past programs.

Of course there were and will be problems and we need to fix those problems, Himes said. If there was fraud, we need to go after that fraud. But I can tell you anecdotally, the PPP did a lot of good for a lot of employees in my district.

Several news organizations are suing the SBA under the Freedom of Information Action to force the agency to release more data on the PPP program.

It also remains unclear whether the agency will release information later on loan forgiveness for these companies  key for determining whether the money becomes a grant for companies and how much of the funds are returned to government coffers.

emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 15:23:53|Editor: huaxia

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SEOUL, July 17 (Xinhua) -- South Korea decided Friday to revoke the operating permits for two civic groups having sent leaflets criticizing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said in a statement that the government cancelled operation licenses for two local civic groups after comprehensively reviewing their explanation and relevant materials.

The ministry noted that the groups' scattering of anti-DPRK leaflets did not meet the purpose of their establishment and violated the license terms as the leafleting severely hampered the government's inter-Korean policy.

It said the leafleting endangered the lives and safety of people residing near the inter-Korean border and escalated tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The civic groups delivered anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets across the inter-Korean border by flying balloons or setting the sealed plastic bottles into the ocean near the border areas.

About a month earlier, the unification ministry filed a legal complaint against the two civic groups for violating the inter-Korean exchange and cooperation act.

Tensions mounted 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 the anti-Pyongyang leaflets. The DPRK has also cut all communication lines with South Korea.
Sixty-One communities have planted 210, 878 assorted trees covering 250 hectares in the Northern Region.



The trees include; Kapok, Cashew, Mango, neem, mabogany and acasia.



The project which is carried out by Tree Aid and funded by Ecosia company-search engine of Germany started from 2018-2019 in Kulkpindul, Mafudo, Talani, Kamborido, yiwunido, Bichado, Banchini, Bandini communities in the Yendi Municipality.



Other recipients are; Gushegu Municipality and Mion District.



Tree Aid Also operates in Navrongo, Demango, Zabzugu, Tatale and Nanumba North.

Mr Jonathan Naaaba Anecham, Country Manager of Tree Aid announced this at a stakeholder meeting on DAKA river trees restoration project at Yendi in the Northern Region.



Mr. Jonathan Naaba said the trees were planted in 61 communities with nursery sites identified with key stake holders support with nurseries waiting to be fenced.



He said some communities started raising seedlings themselves by raising 122,000 assorted trees with planting sites in 25 villages in progress.



He said a Project Coordinator was engaged to supervise the project with, six Field Assistants and 12 Field Technicians recruited with the 61 communities engaged and sensitized on the project.



Touching on Riparian Buffer Zonation, the Country Manager said usually 60-90m from the water body is where farming could take place.



He said this is the zone where Tree Aid sustainable land management practices such as agroforestry can take place.



He said the project would also include a sustainable fire wood management scheme when implemented to increase food nutrition and income security and reduce fuel wood use through informed energy savers strategies to reduce carbon emission, tree felling and fuel wood use supported by SMa research work and 61,000 trees through the energy saving stoves and energy stones will be used to safe felling of trees.



Mr Jonathan Naaba announced their challenges as delays in completion of planting and data collection, bush fires, dry season tree irrigation, grazing animals, and cutting of ANR tree, as they grow.



He said 2,330,000 trees planted in riparian buffers zones and open parklands included; farmlands in 61 selected villages including; 800,000 ANR trees around Dakah river catchment for land and water bodies restoration and protection through enrichment tree planting ecologically adapted native tree species.



Mr Prosper Mensah an Agricultural Officer in Yendi in-charge of Extension advised the beneficiary communities of the project to take note of flooding insects and diseases that kill trees and group hunting call for setting of fire to the bush to destroy trees.



He said there were some of the risks that could fight against their success and advised them to create farm belts along the water bodies to protect the trees against bush fires during dry season.



Mr.Aaron Bundi Adwina, Chief Basin Officer of Water Resource Commission said with the decline of many aquatic ecosystems due to agricultural production, Riparian buffers had become common conservation practice aimed at increasing water quality and reducing pollution.



He said a riparian buffer is a vegetated area near a stream usually forested that helps provide shade and partially protect a stream from the impact of adjacent land uses.

He said it played key roles in increasing water quality in associated streams, rivers and provided environmental benefits.



Mr Robert Tumjagewor Atawura Project Coordinator of Tree Aid appealed to the Chiefs of the beneficiary communities to take action against people who destroy the trees along the water bodies and reminded them that the trees were their own property that should be protected to get water all years round.

Source: GNA









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YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. The Yerevan Office of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) is in touch with the representatives of respective authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan over the issue of Armenian citizen Narek Sardaryan who is currently in the Azerbaijani captivity.

Yes, we managed to contact the representatives of the two respective authorities over the matter. We are also in touch with the family of that person, ICRC Armenia Offices Communications Manager Zara Amatuni told Armenpress.

She said at the moment its still early to talk about visiting Narek Sardaryan, the future developments will show.

Farmer Narek Sardayan, born in 1990, a resident of Nerkin Khndzoresk village of Armenias Syunik province, was working in the fields and caring for his livestock on July 8. He went to retrieve his farm animals but lost orientation, getting lost and accidentally crossing into the territory of Nakhijevan where he was captured.

Armenias National Security Service earlier said that measures are being taken to return the Armenian citizen from the Azerbaijani captivity.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
I can see a lot of reasons for the Taliban to be pushing the envelope  perhaps as a negotiation tactic, but equally likely as a means to test U.S limits, said Daniel Markey, a senior research professor at Johns Hopkins Universitys School of Advanced International Studies. So far, the Trump administration looks like it is heading for the exit, no matter what. Why not ratchet up the violence to see what greater victories can be won? "
The white men were charged with malice and murder in the slaying of Ahmaud Arbery after video of the incident emerged.

The three white men charged with the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in south Georgia pleaded not guilty on Friday morning in Chatham County Superior Court, in a case that spurred a national outcry after cellphone video footage of the shooting appeared on the internet.

Arbery, 25, who was killed on February 23 while jogging just outside the coastal town of Brunswick, became a touchstone in cross-country protests over racial and social injustice in the United States.

A former law enforcement officer, Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis, 34, are charged with murder and aggravated assault.

They were charged in May after cellphone video footage of the shooting was leaked on social media and sparked nationwide protests.

Police have claimed that Travis uttered a racial slur following Arberys alleged murder.

Their neighbour who took the cellphone video, 50-year-old William Roddie Bryan Jr, was charged with murder and attempt to illegally detain and confine.





The three defendants chased Arbery in pick-up trucks and sought to box him in.

A grand jury indicted the three men in June on charges of malice and murder. They remain in detention without bond.

Police say Gregory McMichael saw Arbery jogging through his neighbourhood outside of Brunswick and believed he looked like a burglary suspect.

The elder McMichael called his son and the two armed themselves and drove after Arbery.

Bryan joined the chase in his own vehicle, police say, and took a video recording of the incident on his phone, which appears to show the McMichaels confronting Arbery before he was shot with a shotgun.

Judge Timothy Walmsley accepted the not guilty pleas and waived arraignment at the request of the defendants lawyers.

No court date was immediately set, but there were several motions pending for later on Friday morning on behalf of Bryan, including a request for bond.

Keeping him in jail isnt going to accomplish anything, Bryans attorney, Kevin Gough, told reporters on Thursday.
Further light has been shed this week on the constitutional coup involving the dismissal of the Labor government of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam on November 11, 1975 and the acute political crisis leading up to it.

Tuesday saw the long-blocked release of the intensive correspondence between the British Queens Palace and the man who executed the coup, Governor-General Sir John Kerr. The letters revealed how closely Kerr conspired with the monarch and her top-level advisers in the British ruling establishment in implementing Whitlams removal.

Gough Whitlam

Kerr was a US-connected ex-intelligence officer and judge, whom Whitlam himself had appointed as governor-general in July 1974. Kerr served as the instrument for the governments removal precisely because the 1901 Australian Constitution preserves the reserve powers of the British monarchy, via the governor-general, to dismiss a government.

But Whitlams removal did not originate with Kerr, nor with the Palace. To understand the significance of their letters the events must be placed in their historic context.

The Canberra Coup was part of the response in the ruling class internationally to the global upsurge of the working class and potentially revolutionary struggles that erupted with MayJune 1968 general strike in France. That was followed by the Hot Autumn in Italy in 1969, a general strike in Australia in May 1969, a wave of struggles in Britain, culminating in the bringing down of the Heath government in 1974, the downfall of the Nixon administration in the US in 1974 and the final defeat of the American military in Vietnam in 1975, and the ousting of dictatorships in Portugal, Greece and Spain in the period 197476.

Whitlams government was ousted because it had failed to stem the powerful movement of the working class that had brought the Labor Party to office in 1972, after 23 years of conservative party government, and because of related concerns in Washington over Labors ability to stem the popular opposition to the US military alliance, triggered by the horrors of the Vietnam War, and the presence of the key US satellite spy base at Pine Gap in central Australia.

Whitlam had led the Labor Party to electoral victory in 1972 on a program of limited social and economic reform. However, the formation of a Labor government sparked working-class demands for higher wages and better conditions. Whitlam called a referendum to hand the federal government the power to control prices and incomes, only to suffer a resounding defeat. The following year, 1974, saw the greatest levels of strikes since 1919, resulting in the largest wage rises in Australian history.

In the midst of this turmoil, and facing a disastrous defeat in Vietnam, the Nixon administration dispatched Marshall Green as the US ambassador to Australia. Green had a record with US-backed coups, including while he was the US ambassador to Indonesia during the CIA-backed coup of 1965-66.

There is no doubt that Green, the White House and the CIA had a hand in the destabilisation of the Whitlam government that preceded its dismissal. That included businessmen with various intelligence connections embroiling the government in a scandal involving overseas loans. This loans affair provided the pretext for the Liberal Party opposition to block the governments 1975 budget in the Senate, depriving it of funds, which in turn became the justification for Kerr to sack Whitlam.

What the letters show

Between 15 August 1974 and 5 December 1977, Kerr exchanged no less than 212 letters with the Queen through her official private secretary, Sir Martin Charteris, a former high-ranking military officer. From Kerrs side, they read like detailed intelligence briefings on the political turmoil wracking the Labor government, including the loans affair, complete with attachments such as newspaper clippings and press releases.

John Kerr

So sensitive is the correspondence that its contents were to be kept secret, on the instructions of Kerr and Buckingham Palace, backed by successive Australian governments, for many more years at least. To secure the letters release took a four-year legal battle by historian Jenny Hocking, all the way to the High Court, Australias supreme court, which finally overturned two previous spurious rulings that the papers were private or personal records.

Letter by letter, Kerr consulted with the Queen and her advisers on the use of the monarchys reserve powers to oust Whitlam. As early as September 20three weeks before the opposition blocked supplyKerr told Charteris that if Whitlam refused to advise an election in any future deadlock, I may have to find someone who will.

Charteris assured Kerr of the Queens support if Whitlam tried to head off his removal by asking her to dismiss the governor-general instead. Kerr had discussed this danger with the Queens son Prince Charles in September 1975. If Whitlam made such an approach, you may be sure that The Queen would take most unkindly to it, Charteris wrote.

A week before the coup, Buckingham Palace effectively gave Kerr a green light to proceed. In a November 4 letter, Charteris advised Kerr that the reserve powers or the prerogative of the Crown to dissolve parliament still existed. I think you are playing the Vice-Regal hand with skill and wisdom, Charteris wrote.

Fear of the working class response

In the November 4 letter, Charteris warned Kerr that he should exercise those powers only once the political crisis had reached the point when there is demonstrably no other course. That caution was driven by two inter-connected concerns: the rising danger of a general strike, and the need to protect the institution of the monarchy from being publicly discredited.

A mass political movement of workers, students, youth and professional people had erupted against the Liberals blocking of supply, although the entire Labor and union leadership worked to stifle it.

Throughout his letters, Kerr referred to the threat posed by the working class, while reporting that Whitlam was doing his best to prevent a revolt. On October 17, for example, he nervously informed Charteris: The prime minister [Whitlam] appealed to the trade union movement not to stage a general strike.

The dismissal itself sparked days of mass strikes and huge protests. Once again, Whitlam and the unions, under the leadership of then Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) president Bob Hawke, worked to block demands for a general strike.

Kerr told the Palace on November 17: The leaders of the Labor Party appear to want to cool things. On November 20, he reported: I believe the Labor Party is trying to keep street violence and other forms of unsavoury demonstrations at low ebb.

Mass protest against dismissal of Whitlam government, Sydney November 24, 1975

Amid this upheaval, the Palace was anxious not to be seen as directly involved in the dismissal. I was of the opinion that it was better for Her Majesty not to know in advance, Kerr wrote on November 11.

After the coup, the letters from the Palace contain constant reassurances to Kerr that he had made the right decision. On November 17, Charteris wrote that in NOT informing The Queen, Kerr had acted with admirable consideration for Her Majestys position.

Charteris told Kerr that Whitlam had phoned Buckingham Palace soon after his dismissal to politely suggest that he be re-commissioned as prime minister now that the Senate had passed the budget.

Whitlams plea was promptly rejected. But it demonstrated his own loyalty to the ruling class, and his preoccupation with trying to head off the explosive strikes that erupted throughout the working class.

Whitlams acceptance of the coup was underscored in June 1976, when he and wife dined with Charteris and had an audience with the Queen. Charteris told Kerr that Whitlam was in excellent form at dinner and remained sweet and reasonable, spoke warmly of the Queen, and at least conceded that it could be argued that you had acted in accordance with the constitution!

Media whitewash

Throughout the corporate media worried efforts are being made to whitewash the contents of the correspondence, echoing Buckingham Palace, which issued a statement claiming that the letters proved that neither Her Majesty nor the Royal Household had any part to play in Kerrs decision to dismiss Whitlam.

Most vociferous are the Australians editor-at-large Paul Kelly, who claimed the letters explode the notion of the Queen authorising Whitlams dismissal, and the Australian  s editorial on Wednesday, which declared that the correspondence put to rest all the wild ghosts and myths of the Dismissal, including that it was a conspiracy driven from the US by the CIA.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The Royal Householda euphemism for the British political-military-intelligence establishmentwas clearly up to its neck in Kerrs plotting. And it is inconceivable that these agencies would proceed without the closest consultation with their US counterparts.

Kerr himself retained intimate links with the Australian, British and US spy agencies, as well as with the US-linked Australian military forces, which he placed on alert during the coup. US intelligence whistleblower Christopher Boyce reported that senior CIA officials referred to the governor-general as our man Kerr.

Documents published in 2012 showed that in August 1974, US President Nixon ordered a secret study of American relations with Australia. Nixon asked officials to explore options for relocating US intelligence facilities elsewhere.

Whitlam was actually a loyal supporter of the US alliance, as well as the British crown, the parliamentary elite and the capitalist profit system itself. But the fear in the ruling class, both in Washington and Canberra, was that his government would lose control over the working class and the growing anti-US alliance sentiment.

Together with the military coup in Chile in September 1973, the Labor governments dismissal was one of the first acts in what became an international counter-offensive against the working class, spearheaded by figures such as Reagan in the US and Thatcher in Britain. The craven acquiescence of Whitlam and the unions, like their counterparts internationally, encouraged the capitalist class worldwide to go on the attack.

Today, the situation is even more unstable than it was 45 years ago. The worsening COVID-19 disaster, ever-widening social inequality and mounting global economic and military tensions, are propelling youth and working people worldwide into battle against the deteriorating living conditions, the shredding of basic democratic rights and threat of war.

There is also intensifying pressure on the Australian corporate, political and military-intelligence establishment to align ever-more closely with the US as it steps up its trade war and conflict against China.

In these conditions, the tearing aside of the facade of parliamentary democracy in 1975 must serve as a warning of the readiness of the capitalist class to again resort to the reserve powers of the monarchy or other openly authoritarian measures to suppress the rising struggles of the working class.
The EASA alert comes days after Iran said it mistakenly shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shortly after take-off in January, killing all 176 aboard.

The European Aviation Safety Agency warned that passenger jets flying through Iranian airspace risk being accidentally targeted by the country's air-defense systems.

"Due to the hazardous security situation, and poor coordination between civil aviation and military operations, there is a risk of misidentification of civil aircraft," EASA announced on Thursday, according to Bloomberg.

Read alsoFM Kuleba: Ukraine cannot agree with Iranian theory on UIA jet crash

"Due to the presence of various advanced air-defense systems, it is advised to be cautious."

The Cologne, Germany-based European Union agency added: "The risk to operations is assessed to be HIGH for flight levels below 250," or 25,000 feet (7,600 meters). The recommendation  or Conflict Zone Information Bulletin  is valid until Jan. 16, 2021.

The EASA alert comes days after Iran said it mistakenly shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shortly after take-off in January, killing all 176 aboard.

An Iranian air-defense unit that "forgot" to adjust its radar system triggered a chain of communication and human errors that led to the deadly downing of the plane, according to a report from Iran's Civil Aviation Organization.
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Linkedin Yunindita Prasidya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 27, 2020 16:37 541 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066712ef6 1 Business omnibus-bill-on-job-creation,omnibus-law,World-Bank,red-tape,labor-rights,environmental-issues,investment Free

The World Bank has expressed strong criticism toward the omnibus bill on job creation, arguing that the proposed reform currently under deliberation at the House of Representatives could adversely affect the environment and labor rights.

World Bank Indonesia and Timor Leste country director Satu Kahkonen said the bill was very much needed so Indonesia could attract foreign investors. However, she expressed concerns about the environmental and labor aspects of the bill.

Its going to move Indonesias environmental legislation further away from the implementation of best practices, Kahkonen said during a virtual launch of the Indonesia Economic Prospect report on Thursday.

She said the bill is basically not helping Indonesia, as it proposed loosening environmental protection requirements, which could negatively affect the livelihoods of those that depended on the countrys natural assets.

Read also: Businesses push for acceleration of omnibus bill deliberations despite concerns

The omnibus bill seeks to revise 79 prevailing laws and more than 1,200 articles, from labor and mining regulations to business license and environmental laws, to cut red tape and attract investment to the country.

However, observers have criticized the stronger role of the central government in the bill while environmentalists have warned that less stringent environmental impact analyses and building permit requirements will result in unsustainable growth. Labor unions also oppose the draft as they fear it will jeopardize labor rights.

The proposed reform was aimed at reducing delays in obtaining environmental permits, yet the World Bank report noted that these delays were caused by cumbersome processing and arbitrary and corrupt implementation, rather than the protection enshrined in the environmental law.

The omnibus bill has the potential to turbocharge economic recovery, but some reforms could be detrimental to the economy and some pitfalls should be avoided, World Bank lead economist for Indonesia Frederico Gil Sander said during the same event.

The bill also includes reforms that could be detrimental to the environment, health and safety and incomes of Indonesians  dropping them or modifying them will ensure the bill brings maximum benefits to everyone.

Read also: Govt expects deliberations on job creation omnibus bill to finish in August

The World Bank report noted that the bill had the potential to support post-COVID-19 recovery in the near term, while setting the foundations for faster long-term growth.

The government is struggling to attract investment to help spur recovery of the virus-hit economy. Indonesias GDP is expected to shrink 0.4 percent this year in the worst-case scenario, or grow only 1 percent in the baseline scenario as the coronavirus outbreak paralyzes business activity.

The World Bank, based in Washington, DC, projects the Indonesian economy to book zero percent growth this year or even contract 2 percent if mobility restrictions are imposed again in the future as COVID-19 cases soar.

Kahkonen said the bank would like to see a clear plan for unemployment, the benefits system and the adjustment of severance pay.

The bills proposed revisions to the Manpower Law could reduce protections for workers, a particularly problematic proposition at a time when unemployment is soaring, the report reads.

Read also: Most Indonesians who are aware of job creation bill support it: Survey

Right now the omnibus bill is somewhat vague, she noted. This [modification] is something that can be done and we hope it can be done before the omnibus bill is passed by the House, she said.

Businesspeople, however, are pushing the government and the House to accelerate the deliberation, saying the regulation would help them stay afloat amid the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the bill even more relevant and essential to support economic recovery, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) deputy chairwoman Shinta Kamdani said on Wednesday.

We need structural reform and a greater amount of investment to offset the job losses caused by the pandemic.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India has crossed one million, the country's health ministry said early on Friday, after states reported large daily increases.

Government data showed another 34,956 cases were added in the last 24 hours, as well as a new record daily death toll of 687.

India is now the third-worst affected country in the world in terms of coronavirus cases, having overtaken Russia 10 days ago. Some forecasts suggest that with its huge population and fragile health system, India could end up with the world's worst outbreak by the end of 2021.

The outbreak in India was significantly delayed after prime minister Narendra Modi ordered one of the world's strictest nationwide lockdowns. But cases have soared since the measures were lifted to save the country's floundering economy, and a number of states and cities are now reimposing their own local lockdowns to try and bring the situation back under control.

The country's total tally ticked above one million to 1,003,832 overnight as states declared their tallies for Thursday - but the landmark was conspicuously absent from the Ministry of Health's updates on social media.

The ministry instead highlighted the number of active Covid-19 cases in the country, which it said was falling as a percentage of total cases at just over 331,000. It called this the country's "actual Covid caseload today".

And in another Twitter post on Friday morning, officials observed that on a per capita basis, India's 658 cases per million people was 16 times lower than the US, and ranks the country 106th in the world.

Mr Modi and his administration have repeatedly touted their success in locking down the country early, even as surges in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai have threatened to overwhelm hospitals.

The government was strongly criticised for a lack of testing in the early stages of the outbreak, but has since loosened its strict testing criteria and is now second in the world on number of people checked for Covid-19, behind only the US.

Experts warn that while the outbreaks in some major cities appear to have peaked, other states are yet to see the worst of the outbreak. Dr Anant Bhan, a global health researcher, told the Associated Press that India was likely to see "a series of peaks," as the infection spread in rural areas.

Bihar, an eastern state with a population of 128 million people that is one of India's poorest and least developed, announced a new two-week lockdown to contain the virus on Thursday.

A number of states, including most populous Uttar Pradesh and the wealthy coastal tourist destination Goa, have ordered weekend curfews in a bid to reduce social mixing while keeping up economic activity.

The city of Chennai is only just emerging from a second strict lockdown, imposed after a spike in cases in Tamil Nadu saw it become the worst-affected southern state.

And the city of Bangalore, the tech hub of India, ordered another week-long local lockdown from Tuesday after cases continued to jump.

How did India get to one million cases?

India confirmed its first case on 30 January, at a time when there were already large numbers of suspected infections under observation in several travel hubs including Delhi.

The first confirmed patient was a female student returning to Kerala state from university in Wuhan, China, where Covid-19 is believed to have originated.

Kerala would go on to have some of the earliest clusters of cases in India, including in an Indian family visiting from the Middle East, but the states strong health system helped it keep a tight control of the situation. Today Kerala has had just over 10,000 cases and only 37 deaths.

Confirmed cases rose very slowly, in part because of a lack of testing. At the end of January there was still just a single lab in the country able to test for Covid-19, and even as capacity increased the government stuck by strict protocols making it very difficult for suspected cases to qualify for a test.

India banned international travellers from entering the country on 12 March, at a time when there were still only 72 confirmed cases. The move was considered at the time to be one of the most cautious responses by a national government, and suggested the Modi administration had a good idea that the reality was considerably worse than the official figures would suggest.

On 13 March, the country reported its first death of a Covid-19 patient, in a case which highlighted the vulnerabilities of the Indian public health response. It involved a 76-year-old man who travelled back to Karnataka state from Saudi Arabia, and whose family was able to transfer him around several hospitals after he started displaying clear symptoms.

By 20 March, experts were already warning that India likely had a huge number of undetected cases, criticising the lack of testing for leaving the country to fight the crisis blind. One expert said modelling suggested there would be as many as 300 million cases by the end of July.

Prime minister Modi announced what was initially a three-week national lockdown on the evening of 23 March, just four hours before it was to be enforced.

The lockdown was, compared to similar measures around the world, exceptionally strict. From 24 March, all of the countrys 1.4 billion people were told they could only leave their homes to buy essential food and medicine, with exemptions only for key workers like healthcare personnel. There was no concept of daily exercise, and a mandatory order for masks to be worn at all times outside the home would follow.

The lockdown slowed down the virus spread - but had a devastating economic and humanitarian cost. Thrust out of work with hours notice and no clear reassurances of support from government, millions of migrant labourers started flooding out of cities to return to their home states and villages. Scores of people died making dangerous journeys, often covering hundreds of miles on foot due to the suspension of public transport.

The measures were extended for another five weeks once the initial period expired, as India looked on with horror at the speed of the viruss spread elsewhere in the world.

But by May the government decided it had no choice but to reopen the country, even with cases rapidly rising. Restrictions were loosened gradually week by week, until the reopening of malls, restaurants and religious gatherings on 8 June suggested the lockdown was over in all but name. At this point the country had already jumped above Italy and Spain into fifth in the world with 258,000 cases.

India hit the half a million cases mark on Saturday 27 June, almost five months after its first confirmed case. It took less than three weeks for cases to then double to one million.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) predicted in a paper last week that India will have the highest daily new coronavirus cases in the world by February 2021, and that it will overtake the US and Brazil in terms of absolute cases by the end of that year.
In India, Kerala becomes the first state to confirm community transmission of Covid-19. On Friday, Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala CM, confirmed community spread occurring in two coastal villages in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala.

In India, Kerala becomes the first state to confirm community transmission of Covid-19.

On Friday, Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala CM, confirmed community spread occurring in two coastal villages in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. It was based on test results from today.

Random samples were tested in four coastal areas of the Thiruvananthpuram.

Also read: Hardik Pandya, Natasa Stankovic pose for dreamy family photo

Also read: Eat More Ji: Amul India on World Emoji Day

For the last few days, the villages, Pulluvila and Poonthura, have been acting like clusters of super spread.

In Poomthura, 26 positive cases were detected among 50 people tested in Ayush Kendra while Karinkulam Panchayat showed 51 positive cases out of 97 tested in Pullivila. 20 out of 72 samples tested positive for Coronavirus in Puthukurissi.

In Kerala, currently, all districts are coronavirus infected.

Thiruvananthpuram is the most infected, followed by Ernakulam, the commercial hub of Kerala.

Pinarayi Vijayan said that parts of Thiruvananthpuram district are facing an extremely dangerous situation. He also said that the coastal areas are seeing very rapid disease transmission.

On Friday, Keralas total confirmed cases reached 11,066. Active cases are 6,029. There are 791 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily hike so far. 532 of 791 cases are through the local transmission. In 42 cases, the source of infection is still unknown.

It is believed that when the fishermen visited Tamil Nadu as part of their fishing activities, he caught the virus there.

In Kerala, new coronavirus cases surged to another daily record on the day. Among other measures, the government moved to tougher restrictions and also to set up more first-line treatment centers.

Also read: UP Police to SC: Vikas Dubey encounter was genuine, shot in defence

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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jul. 16, 2020 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 16, 2020 | 09:23 PM | PADUCAH

Thursday evening Gerry Biggs Montgomery was honored for a long list of contributions to Paducah. Surrounded by her family and Paducah Ambassadors, socially distancing and wearing masks Ambassador Charlotte had made, Gerry was surprised when the sign for Lake Montgomery was unveiled at Noble Park.



Janice Connor, President of Paducah Ambassadors, spoke to former Mayor Montgomery's family and fellow Ambassadors as Parks Director Mark Thompson helped unveil the new sign.



Roy Hensel shared some interesting history of the lake and Noble Park recalling its original condition as a swamp and the big changes that have been made to create a welcoming family-friendly environment.



Jennie Boyarski thanked Montgomery for her dedication to Paducah and having the vision and enthusiasm to move Paducah forward through the decades; specifically creation of the Paducah Ambassadors, obtaining grants and initiating downtown riverfront revitalization and leading by example with the gift of herself to the community she loves and has always been committed to serving.



Boyarski gave Paducah's former Mayor a calling card she had kept since Montgomery's Mayoral campaign in the 80s. The card referred to Montgomery as an "enthusiastic leader" and so she has proven to be before, during and after her years as Mayor of Paducah.




Historically valuable paintings of the West, 1960s gig posters, Montana ceramics, death clocks and seance paintings.

The Relic Gallery is deliberate and genuine in its attempt to be a cabinet of curiosities, where pieces of fine art conjure strange and inviting, dream-like juxtapositions with oddities that bear a deliberate edge.

Perhaps "cabinet" isn't the right word. It's more like a salon where "oh, wow," would be a typical response. This new business, from Timothy Gordon Appraisals and Bryan Sippy, is located on the second floor of the Radius Gallery, tucked toward the back where the contemporary art gives way to the strange and beautiful past.

Two couches are arranged in the middle of the room. One is an unshowy, early 20th century gray; the other an unpredictable combination of Holstein-Friesian black-and-white cowhide and other sections in red, blue and golden yellow. One can imagine sitting in it like a proper European salon, Sippy hopes, and discussing ideas and art, like a small Rembrandt etching. Or an 1846 painting from the West, once shown at the Smithsonian.

Or chatting about the lobster in the room  serving as a coffee table is a glass case with a mounted and preserved crustacean, estimated to be 100 years old at the age of its death in 1940 based on its length of more than 3 feet.

***

The gallery aims to include "a little bit of an edge, all the way from the masters to pop culture," Sippy said. All are older, emphasizing their background, with cards explaining just what it is you're looking at.

"There's a level of a story behind a story," Gordon said.

It's a collaboration between Gordon, a Missoula art appraiser featured on "Antiques Roadshow," and Sippy, the owner of the new Radius Gallery building at 120 N. Higgins Ave.

Gordon, a Missoula native, began buying and selling antiques at age 11. His company, Timothy Gordon Appraisals, has worked all over the world on projects such as Princess Diana's gown collection, the historical contents of Yellowstone National Park, the collections at Ronald Reagan's ranch, and museums around the United States.

Sippy, an eye surgeon, met Gordon not long after moving to Missoula 16 years ago. Outside of his medical work, he spent 10 years on the board of the Missoula Art Museum and saw various niches in the arts economy. After retiring, Sippy and his wife Karen built a modern two-story building at 120 N. Higgins to house the Radius and surround it with other art-related projects. Outside in the alley between the gallery and the Merc hotel, you can see rotating outdoor murals through their Allez! venture. Downstairs, he's opening Art Vault, an insured and state-of-the-art storage space where collectors can safely keep their items. That, too, is fulfilling a gap. They said other vaults in Montana are filled, leaving the nearest options in Seattle and Chicago.

The two began discussing Relic years ago, and the pandemic's pause on "Roadshow" and Sippy's new building made the timing right. About half are consignments, and the other half they purchased themselves. They're interested in seeing what emerges from private homes of Montanans  from this main business, Gordon gets emails every day and knows from experience that valuable items are often squirreled away.

Described in writing, it can seem somewhat random, but they said it's highly curated  if Gordon looks through a collection of 100 items, they'll talk it out and perhaps only pick one for Relic.

Some objects are rooted in faraway places. Others are regional, with the intention of providing buyers authentic antiques for their homes.

"That balance is a little bit of a juggle, but we definitely make it authentic and fun," Sippy said.

They also hope that they can help bring regional objects back to the area, or the opposite. They've reached out to museums about purchasing items that fit with their collections.

Radius Gallery regularly features ceramics, a popular and important contemporary art form in Montana, and Relic tries to complement that. There are pieces by historically important Montana modernist ceramicists, such as Rudy Autio, Frances Senska and David Shaner. Senska taught Autio. A lesser-known figure is represented: Pop Weaver, Autio's art teacher during his youth in Butte. They've tried to price things to include some items for entry-level collectors, much like Radius' does.

Then the quirkier items. An early 19th century ormolu clock, with a figure mounted on horseback, enclosed in a bell jar. Known as a "death clock," It was made using a technique to gild gold dependent on mercury that killed the craftspeople who made it, all explained on an information card. "I'm not going to hide it," Sippy said. "I'm going to say it: That's the coolest thing about it."

Some items are more recent pop culture items of the sort that you hope to find at garage sales but rarely do, if ever. In a nod to the local concert industry and the tourists it attracts, Gordon picked a selection of original 1960s concert posters, such as one for Big Brother and the Holding Company that predates the need to include Janis Joplin's name as the star attraction. Or a poster for a Lenny Bruce set at the Fillmore West that just happened to be his last performance.

"I can find a poster, but he can find the poster that's important to us and to other people," Sippy said. He proudly pointed out that the framed posters don't even bear tack marks.

Nearby, a woodcut print by the late Missoula artist Jay Rummel in his signature swirl of homegrown Montana psychedelia, is handsomely framed but doesn't hide small stains in the lower left corner, which, if you know that Rummel frequented bars and often bartered his work, are more of a character-adding feature than a flaw.

"It's all part of it. We're not hiding from any of that. In fact, we're owning it," Sippy said.

They're showing a range of photographs by Stan Healy, a former Missoulian staffer and city councilor who documented Missoula for decades. They've picked pieces that show his arranged, studio work and his boundary-pushing side, such as a figure pointing a pistol at the viewer.

A poster from the 1920s also gives a view into the weirder side of Montana. It advertises an appearance by a magician, Joseph Wesley Crowell, dressed up with a villainous goatee and pointy eyebrows that match his horns. "The devil his Satantic majesty is coming to town," the text reads.

The two found his obituary from the 1960s to supplement the interest level. "If you were to buy it, you would have a little bit of a story behind it," Sippy said.

Other historical and regional items are less confrontational. John Mix Stanley's oil painting on board, "Passing an Obstruction at Night Creek," from 1846, is an important piece of history.

Stanley was one of the painters sent westward to document what he saw, in this case, an expedition from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to San Diego, California. Much of his work was lost in two separate fires, lending this piece more value. Other pieces include an original-era photogravure of Dorothea Lange's iconic "Migrant Mother" portrait, shot during the Great Depression.

Back to the seance painting.

"Queen Zenobia," an 1883 portrait of a royal who ruled in what's now Syria, was allegedly painted during a seance by an incorporeal artist. (At Relic, it's credited to "An Unknown Spirit." It's accompanied by a typewriter account of the ceremony, performed at Lily Dale, a spiritualist camp in upstate New York that counted Arthur Conan Doyle among its visitors.

"The transcript of the seance is that a cloud descended in the room, and everybody was amongst the cloud, and when the cloud dissipated, the spirit had painted the painting," Gordon said.

He found one of Doyle's business cards to sell as well.

"We're offering things like that to the public, unique things you can't find anywhere else," he said, adding that "I love having the haunted painting in here."

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ANN ARBOR, MI - Jeff Gaynors use of social media to inform residents of upcoming Ann Arbor School Board business has resulted in his removal as the boards secretary.

Gaynor was removed from the role by a 5-1 vote Wednesday, July 15, with his vote being the only one dissenting. The board appointed trustee Susan Baskett as its new secretary.
By Deena Beasley

July 17 (Reuters) - U.S. infectious disease specialists this week asked the federal government to "use every authority it has" to ensure adequate supplies of the antiviral drug remdesivir as the number of people infected with the novel coronavirus continues to rise.

In a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) expressed concern that developed countries are relying on a single manufacturer for the only antiviral so far shown to be effective against COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Remdesivir is made by Gilead Sciences Inc, which has committed to supplying 500,000 treatment courses of the drug to HHS for distribution to U.S. hospitals in July, August and September. The company has also licensed remdesivir to several generic drugmakers for sales in 127 low-income countries.

"We urge the administration to fully leverage all authorities including the Defense Production Act and other tools to ensure adequate supplies of remdesivir," the IDSA said.

Gilead, which last month priced a five-day course of its drug at $3,120 for U.S. insurers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The IDSA said remdesivir, available since May under an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, has been a critical tool for reducing the strain on hospitals.

Several hard-hit Southern and Western states have reported running low on the drug, prompting HHS earlier this month to ship emergency supplies to Florida, Texas, California and Arizona.

"We are concerned that the current supply of remdesivir is insufficient, particularly given dramatically escalating caseloads in many states and the likelihood of a continuing surge into the fall and winter," the IDSA said in its letter. (Reporting by Deena Beasley; Editing by Leslie Adler)
TikTok could separate itself from Chinese company ByteDance to operate as an independent American firm to avoid being banned by the US government.

TikTok has 40 million users in the US and after recently being banned in another large market, India, after border clashes between troops of Delhi and Beijing, the short-video sharing social media company has a hard choice to make.

White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said severing the umbilical cord with its parent company would be the better option for TikTok than a ban on the app threatened by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Reuters reported.

We havent made final decisions but...I think TikTok is going to pull out of the holding company which is China-run and operate as an independent American company, Kudlow was quoted as saying by Reuters.

It is unclear how this change would be made, how the ownership would change and whether US companies had proposed to buy out the US operations of the app.

Security concerns are the reason ascribed to the ban by India and the proposed ban in the US, as Chinese companies have been accused of sharing user data with the Chinese Communist Party which runs the government in Beijing. By Chinese law, any digital company that has its server in China are to allow scrutiny of its contents by authorities there. This makes the data of users in other countries accessible to China, which constitutes a national security risk, the US argues.

The US has been relentlessly pressing its allies to beware of Chinese telecommunications and technology companies and recently got Britain to ban Huawei from all its networks. The US had already restricted Huawei from major American telecom networks and is even set to impose sanctions on Huawei staff.

In this context, and with the United States pointing towards human rights abuses by the Chinese government allegedly using technology and social media companies to spy on dissidents, TikTok had pulled out of Hong Kong recently after China introduced its national security law on the island to tighten its hold on the former British colony. The move was made to distance TikTok from the Chinese administration.

Similarly, a breaking of ties with ByteDance would be a strategic move to continue TikToks business in the US. However, TikTok has not confirmed any such move yet. When asked about Kudlows remarks, a TikTok spokesman was quoted as saying by Reuters that the company would not engage with speculation in the market, and referred to a statement last week noting that ByteDance was evaluating changes to the corporate structure of its TikTok business and was fully committed to protecting users privacy and security.

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A surge in COVID-19 cases is forcing InsureTech Connect  one of the worlds largest insurance technology conferences  to go fully digital for its annual fall gathering.

ITC has scheduled ITC World Tour, a virtual world tour with various events, from Sept. 1 to Sept. 18. A main virtual conference event dubbed ITC Global will run from Sept. 21 to Sept. 23, designed to be a 24 Hours a Day Immersive Experience, according to the groups website. It will replace the annual in-person gathering in Las Vegas.

If the world cannot come to Las Vegas, we will bring ITC to the world, ITC CEO and co-founder Jay Weintraub told Carrier Management via email.

The annual event attracted 7,000 people from around the world at its 2019 annual conference in Las Vegas. But plans for a follow-up in-person event in fall 2020 quickly became in question when the coronavirus pandemic began to spread earlier this spring. In response, Weintraub and his team began to plan contingencies, including some sort of digital/in-person hybrid gathering that would still include some sort of in-person event in Las Vegas.

COVID-19 threw a wrench into that planning process, however, when cases began to surge in Las Vegas and in other locations around the country over the last month. COVID-19 cases in Clark County, Nevada, which includes metro Las Vegas, had flattened out before the region began reopening more than a month ago. They are now surging again in Nevada and other locations around the country, making travel difficult. Clark County reported 26,926 COVID-19 cases as of July 16, of which 6,077 were reported within the last 7 days. There have now been 2,383 hospitalizations and 507 deaths, according to state health information.

Weintraub said safety concerns drove the decision to go fully digital.

The recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in the United States, as well as global and local government travel restrictions, has meant the conditions by which we would feel comfortable proceeding with an in-person event simply cannot be met, Weintraub said. And yet, innovation has not slowed during COVID-19 nor has the need to discover, learn and connect.

With that in mind, ITC is now devoting its energies to producing virtual events in September that can match the impact its in-person annual conference has had.

Weintraub described the combined events as September to Remember  a month long, all-digital celebration of insurance innovation.

Weintraub said the ITC World Tour will include more than 30 virtual stops in three weeks in September, giving participants the opportunity to learn about new InsurTechs, hear from local experts and discover various local InsurTech clusters around the world. He said points of focus will include locations in Australia, Africa, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Israel, Indonesia, Japan and the United States.

ITC Global will cover the time frame that would have included the Las Vegas gathering, Weintraub said.

With an eye on attracting 8,000 people this year, ITC Global will last two and a half days for virtual networking and presentations/panels from over 200 of the best and brightest thought leaders, Weintraub said. He added the virtual event will include some global insurance industry leaders as well, with speakers such as Christian Mumenthaler, Group CEO of Swiss Re, Charles Lowrey, Chairman & CEO of Prudential, and Jessica Tan, Co-CEO of Ping An Group.
Danish fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Ryanair flight from London to Oslo on Friday after a bomb threat note was found on board.

The plane, which had come from Stansted, was met on the ground by Norwegian police who arrested a 51-year-old British man on suspicion of making the threat.

The remaining 141 passengers and six crew were evacuated and a bomb squad is now searching the plane.

It comes just three days after another Ryanair flight from Krakow to Dublin was escorted to Stansted by fighter jets after a similar note was found in the toilets.

A 51-year-old British man has been arrested at Oslo Airport in Norway after Ryanair crew found a bomb note on board, with a bomb squad now searching the aircraft (pictured)

Danish F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from a nearby base to escort the passenger jet after crew found a threatening note on board (file image)

'Police have the situation under control and have arrested a 51-year-old man suspected of being behind the bomb threat,' police said.

The man has been taken for interrogation, Norwegian site VG reported, as police say they know 'very little about him' or his motives.

The Danish air force confirmed that two of its jets were scrambled from a base in North Jutland, the northernmost region of the country, to escort the plane.

After breaking the sound barrier, the F-16 jets caught up with the plane over the Skagerrak strait - which runs between the two countries - and escorted it to Oslo.

The flight had left Stansted at 9.40am and was due to arrive in Oslo at 12.40.

It comes after two RAF fighter jets were scrambled to escort another Ryanair plane, this time flying from Krakow to Dublin, after a similar note was found on board.

Scare comes just days after another Ryanair flight from Krakow to Dublin was diverted to Stansted (pictured) after a similar note was found in the toilet

The plane was diverted to Stansted where police arrested two men - aged 26 and 47 - on suspicion of making the threat.

A bomb squad searched the plane and found there wasn't any device on board.

The pair have since been released on bail but neither has been charged with a crime.

Passengers were also evacuated from that plane before being put on a separate aircraft which continued to Dublin.
Gurugram, July 17 : The Rajasthan rebel saga took a new turn after a team of Rajasthan police was manhandled by Haryana police at the ITC Grand Bharat hotel in Manesar on Friday evening.

The Rajasthan police headed by SP Vikas Sharma had reached the hotel at Manesar to record the statements of rebel Congress leaders of the Sachin Pilot camp, staying here since last Friday.

The incident took place around 4 p.m. when the team arrived at the gate of ITC Grand Bharat hotel.

Sources said that they tried to enter the hotel but were prevented by private security personnel. Soon 15 to 20 hotel bouncers in white dress jumped into the fray apart from Haryana police personnel.

The SHO of Tauru was also on the spot when the incident happened. Reporters made repeated attempts to contact him but were unsuccessful.

The Rajasthan police team came here after 3 FIRs were registered at a Jaipur police station.

Sources said that around 12 rebel MLAs of the Sachin Pilot camp are still staying in this hotel and they were being protected by Haryana police.

Security was enhanced in and around this hotel soon after 24 rebel MLAs came here a week ago (Friday night). However, around 12 MLAs returned to Rajasthan after differences emerged between them and Sachin Pilot.

The situation is tense here and none of the police officers of Nuh are commenting on this incident.
Kendall Jenner put on a very leggy display in a barely-there black miniskirt, as she grabbed lunch with a female friend at Taverna Tony, on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old supermodel looked effortlessly chic in a low-cut lime green Princess Polly top, which she left unbuttoned to show off her incredibly toned midriff.

As the duo ate on the Malibu eatery's plant-lined patio, the reality star slid off her black CDC-recommended face mask to enjoy a few french fries.

Effortlessly chic: Kendall Jenner put on a very leggy display in a barely-there black miniskirt, as she grabbed lunch with a female friend at Taverna Tony, on Wednesday

The Vogue cover girl accessorized her latest trendy look with a matching shoulder bag, which had a large dragonfly charm attached to its chain.

While flaunting her sartorial flair, Kylie Jenner's older sister flashed a glimpse of her perfectly manicured pink nails and took a seat.

She looked eager to catch up with her raven-haired pal, who wore a light grey sweatshirt, over two bottles of sparkling water.

All legs: The 24-year-old supermodel looked effortlessly chic in Missoma earrings and a low-cut lime green Princess Polly top, which she left unbuttoned to show off her ample cleavage

Earlier this week, she and her half-sister Kourtney Kardashian were spotted filming their long-running reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Although Kourtney was with Kendall while filming, it's unclear if she has changed her mind about filming the series or if she didn't mind making a guest appearance.

In April, the 41-year-old Poosh founder announced her plans to retire from the E! series, after an intense physical alternation with Kim Kardashian.

Indulging: As the duo ate on the Malibu eatery's plant-lined patio, the reality star slid off her black CDC-recommended face mask to enjoy a few french fries

In an interview with Vogue Arabia that was published July 7, she opened up about her desire to leave the series, which has aired since 2007.

'I have been filming the show non-stop for 14 years I was feeling unfulfilled and it became a toxic environment for me to continue to have it occupy as much of my life as it was,' she explained.

'Privacy is something I have come to value and finding that balance of private moments with being on a reality show is hard. People have this misconception that I dont want to work, which isnt true. I am following my happiness and putting my energy into that which makes me happy.'

Back on-screen: Earlier this week, she and her half-sister Kourtney Kardashian were spotted filming their long-running reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians

Kourtney's return to filming KUWTK came the same day that Us Weekly reported that her ex Scott Disick had reunited with his girlfriend Sofia Richie.

'They werent getting along before  hence the split,' a source said, adding that the two have 'worked on having a life separate from each other,' but didn't want to totally give up on the relationship.'

The Talentless founder and Kourtney, who dated from 20062015, share three children, boys Mason, 10, and Reign, five, and their daughter Penelope, eight.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 06:36:20|Editor: huaxia

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Advertisement of wearing face masks is seen near the Times Square in New York, the United States, July 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in United States, a growing number of states and businesses are mandating mask-wearing but the simple public health option to prevent infections remains divisive in the country.

WASHINGTON, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Confirmed COVID-19 cases topped 3.5 million on Thursday in the United States, with deaths over 137,000, while debate over mask-wearing, one of the most effective means of curbing the virus spread, persists around the country.

New York state remains the hardest-hit with 404,775 cases. California, Florida and Texas have become the country's new COVID-19 hotspots with rapid increases in daily new cases, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

California has reported 355,046 cases, Florida 315,775 cases and Texas 292,336 cases, the data showed. States with over 100,000 cases also include New Jersey, Illinois, Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

Florida's health department reported 156 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, surpassing a record the state set just days before.

A man with face mask performs a bubble show in New York, the United States, July 14, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

The new deaths brought the state's total to 4,677 deaths related to COVID-19, based on state data.

Thirty-nine states reported an increase in the number of new cases from the week before, said a CNN report on Thursday. Hard-hit counties in Arizona and Texas are preparing for the worst by bringing in refrigerated trucks as morgues fill up.

As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the country, a growing number of states and businesses are mandating mask-wearing but the simple public health option to prevent infections remains divisive in the country.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued orders on Thursday requiring people statewide to wear masks in public.

A man wearing a face mask rides a scooter near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington D.C., the United States, July 2, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Thirty states, in addition to the District of Columbia, have issued some form of mask mandate as new infections surge across the country, said a report by news website Axios.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced a similar mask order on Wednesday, citing a 50 percent increase in new COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks.

Major retailers, including Walmart, Best Buy, Apple and grocery store chain Publix, are requiring shoppers to wear face coverings.

However, Georgia's Governor Brian Kemp voided orders on Wednesday that at least 15 local governments across the state had adopted even though Kemp had earlier said cities and counties had no power to order masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

A sign reminding people to wear face masks is seen in front of a library on Georgetown University's main campus in Washington, D.C., the United States, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

The mayor of Savannah, Van Johnson, who signed a mask mandate for the city, lashed out at Kemp's decision.

"Governor Kemp is overstepping his authority," Johnson said Thursday, while calling his actions "reckless and irresponsible."

Savannah residents, beginning July 1, were required to wear a face covering in public or face a fine of up to 500 U.S. dollars.

Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, a Republican, announced Wednesday that he is the first governor to test positive for the coronavirus. Yet the governor said he is not considering a statewide mask mandate as of now.

So far, more than 20 states have rolled back or paused reopening efforts as COVID-19 cases continue to emerge.

A model from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington is projecting 224,000 people will die of the virus by Nov. 1, an increase of almost 16,000 from a forecast the week before, according to a report by CNN on Wednesday. 
FLINT, MI  A candidate for Genesee County sheriff publicly alleged crime has risen in Flint since he left his job as the citys police chief.

In a press conference held Friday, July 17, in front of Genesee County Circuit Court, former Flint Police Department Chief Timothy Johnson said the public was being lied to, misled, and not counted. He went on to say current Flint Police Chief Phil Hart dont know how to police this city, dont know how to police an inner city.

Johnson alleged crime in Flint had increased 165 percent in 2020.

When I stepped into my role as police chief of the city of Flint, Flint was in the top five of most dangerous places to live, Johnson said. By the end of my tenure, Flint was not on the list at all.

Johnson was Flint police chief from 2016 through November 2019, when he resigned to run for Genesee County sheriff. Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley then appointed Hart as chief.

3 Genesee County Sheriff candidate says crime is on the rise in Flint

Hart is also running for Genesee County sheriff. He said he disputes Johnsons claims.

The citizens in this city deserve better, Johnson said. They need to open up their eyes. They need to research what (the media) are putting out.

Johnson said when he was chief, he had to work with a deficit budget, yet still managed to bring crime rates down.

In 2017, Flint had 37 incidents of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, 104 rapes, 272 robberies, and 1,466 aggravated assaults, according to FBI statistics. The next year, Flint had 32 homicides, 130 rapes, 189 robberies, and 1,388 aggravated assaults, also according to the FBI.

Flint Police Department records show there were 39 homicides, 97 rapes, 148 robberies, and 1,135 aggravated assaults in 2019.

As of July 12, 2020, Flint has had 25 homicides, 42 rapes, 104 robberies, and 767 aggravated assaults, according to the departments own stats.

I left that police department on a solid foundation; look at it now, Johnson said. Its nonfunctioning. People complain about response times. People complain about not seeing the police for two or three days later. People are getting shot out in the streets. Nobody is protesting about whats happening here in our own city. I find that criminal. I find that insulting.

Hart disputed Johnsons account. He said that while the homicide rate is up 12.5 percent and violent crime overall is up 17 percent, property crime is down 21 percent and overall crime is down about 5 percent.

I understand what hes saying, but the reason crime rates are little higher is because of COVID, Hart said. The jail has been letting inmates out because of a Michigan Department of Corrections order that they dont want anyone unduly subjected to COVID. For the 30 past years, the jail has been in a constant state of overcrowding. That has changed recently.

He said officers have been doing a good job of making arrests on crimes theyve been called to.

If hes making it out to be this big, huge thing, it really isnt, Hart said.

Johnson went on to express dismay at the publics lack of activism over the citys death, in contrast to anti-police brutality protests that sprung up around the country in the wake of Minneapolis man George Floyds death on May 25 while in police custody.

Nobody is protesting about whats happening here in our own city, Johnson said. I find that criminal. I find that insulting.

Related:

Voters to elect new Genesee County sheriff for first time in 20 years

Flint police chief in place until August, remains in sheriffs race

Phil Hart appointed interim Flint police chief

Flint secures $411,348 federal grant to help in coronavirus response
'When the Congress attacked Modiji, Vasundharaji kept mum.'

'Why was she so tongue-tied?'

'Everybody knows why she kept quiet then.'

IMAGE: Narendra Damodardas Modi, the prime minister of India, with Vasundhara Raje, then the Rajasthan chief minister. Photograph: PTI Photo

Just as Congress leaders in Rajasthan -- aligned with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot -- releases recording after recording to prove their allegations of horse-trading and their claims that Sachin Pilot and his band of rebel MLAs were planning to topple the Gehlot government with the Bharatiya Janata Party's help, Hanuman Beniwal, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party MP from Nagaur, who is a BJP ally, tweeted allegations against former BJP chief minister Vasundhara Raje.

"The whole world knows how she benefits. And you want to know it only from me," the maverick MP tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com.

Your charges against Vasundhara Raje are serious. Do you have any evidence to prove your claims?

I have been consistent with my charges against Vasundhara. There is nothing new in these allegations.

I have been saying that she is hand in glove with Gehlot and working against her own party.

Do you have evidence to prove your charges?

Do you think I would be leveling such serious charges against her without any basis? Without any proof?

What proof do you have?

I have already named two lawmakers. One of them is Congress MLA Deepender Singh Shekhawat and the other is this Jat MLA from Sikar (Rajendra Pareek). They are my proof.

I have my sources and I will be revealing more in the days ahead.

Just wait for the BJP to come back to power.

When the Congress attacked (Prime Minister) Modiji, Vasundharaji kept mum.

Why was she so tongue-tied?

Everybody knows why she kept quiet then. Everybody knows why she is mum today.

And now when the Congress government in Rajasthan is on the verge of falling, she is not helping the BJP do it.

Even Sachin Pilot had said the same thing earlier -- that Gehlot and Vasundharaji are helping each other. So, I have again tweeted that there is a nexus between the two.

You are an ally of the BJP and supporting the Modi government at the Centre and yet you are leveling serious charges against a senior BJP leader who has also been the chief minister of Rajasthan.

I am with Narendra Modiji and have been actively helping the BJP win in Rajasthan. The three MLAs belonging to the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party are still against the Ashok Gehlot government.

What benefit would Vasundhara Raje derive by helping Ashok Gehlot? What's the quid pro quo here?

The whole world knows how she benefits. And you want to know it only from me.

We are asking you because you are the one who has raised these charges against her.

The whole world knows that Gehlot ka Vasundhara ka mila-juli ka khel hai (that Gehlot and Vasundhara are hand-in-glove with each other).

That still begs the question: what's the quid pro quo here?

I will tell you about their nexus some other day. That time too will come.

Saare pol khol dunga (I will reveal all the secrets).

Right now, our target is to say goodbye to Ashok Gehlot's minority government from Rajasthan.

People are roaming without jobs in the streets, farmers are killing themselves faced with debt burdens and the Gehlot government has failed to help these people.

My three MLAs and I have been supporting Sachin Pilot since 2018 when this government came into existence.

If Pilot is going against Gehlot, then we will stand behind Pilot.
Phorn Tem said he never thought he'd come back to the United States after he was deported to Cambodia in April 2018.

Seven months later, he became the first Cambodian deportee to return to the country. And on June 24, he became the first Cambodian returnee to become a U.S. citizen, emerging as a symbol of hope to his community.

When Phorn got his citizenship, it was really exciting for us, Nate Tan, co-director of the Asian Prisoner Support Committee, an organization involved in a campaign to allow Cambodian deportees to reunite with their families, told NBC News. Theres this belief that once you get deported, thats the final sentence of your life and theres no chance of returning to a life back here, let alone a life with citizenship.

More than 700 Cambodians have been deported from the United States since it signed a repatriation agreement with Cambodia in 2002. Four have returned since then. But it's an occurrence advocates hope will become more common and one they expect to see more in the future, made possible by changing immigration laws.

It's what allowed Tem to return.

Tem, 35, received a removal order due to a 2009 conviction of possession for sale of marijuana. A 2017 California law allowed him to vacate his order in criminal court. That law allows individuals no longer in criminal custody to file a motion to vacate a conviction or sentence based on two reasons. One is if a conviction or sentence is legally invalid due to prejudicial error (which could include a court-related error), preventing the individual from understanding the immigration consequences of pleading guilty or no contest. The other is if new evidence of an individual's innocence is discovered.

Melanie Kim, a staff attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice  Asian Law Caucus who worked on Tem's case, previously said that before this law, it would have been impossible for Tem to reverse the immigration consequences of his drug conviction.

Story continues

Tem in an email said he felt honored to become a U.S. citizen and that becoming one has lifted several burdens he had previously carried, including the cost of renewing his work authorization card and not being able to travel freely.

Im just relieved, and looking forward to exercising my rights as a citizen and voting, he said.

Citizenship is a possibility not only for Cambodian returnees, but also those facing deportation who are able to get their removal order terminated.

Kim noted that many Cambodian refugees were lawful permanent residents prior to getting caught up in the criminal legal system and receiving orders of removal. If an individual's order is terminated, their status will be reinstated. Afterward, they can fulfill the normal requirements for citizenship and apply.

Every time someone returns or someone's citizenship gets reinstated, theres this buzz of excitement, Tan said. Theres this buzz of possibility, theres this buzz of glimmering hope that maybe they, too, can.

The campaign the Asian Prisoner Support Committee is involved in, the Right to Reunite, is advocating for the return of four Cambodian deportees, one of whom has been out of the United States since 2004.

So much has changed in the last five years alone in regards to whats a deportable offense and what isnt anymore, Tan said. Some people have been deported on deportable offenses at the time. But because laws change, their offense is no longer deportable.

Tem's sister, Sarim, said she hopes her brother's story inspires other deportees to remain hopeful no matter what situation they find themselves in. Like her brother, she didn't think he would return, she said. But she didn't allow that to stop herself from working with Kim to find a way to get him home.

Never give up the fight. Keep trying. And if it takes some time, it might take some time, she said. Just do something better with yourself. Become better out there. Do different.

Tem recalled how, when he was deported, everyone around him told him not to waste any time trying to return because nobody had done it before.

But for individuals facing deportation and those who have been deported, including those who may have already established new lives in Cambodia, he encourages them to consult with an attorney to explore their options and to monitor immigration laws.

Seek some help even though you have a career and family already out there, he said. I believe everyone should have the right to return, even for a visit.
Nairobi County has revealed plans to launch an App for the Kazi Mtaani Initiative that will enable workers to clock in and out during working hours for accountability.

Nairobi Regional Commissioner Wilson Njenga noted that the App will help in payment purposes as each worker will be required to work for a stipulated time.

This App will solve mischief by individuals who clock in and out in the morning and then disappear without working and expect to be paid for work not done. This system will be safeguarded from abuse, said the RC during the National Hygiene Programme meeting at his Boardroom.

Mr Njenga said the recruitment of the workers and supervisors for the Kazi Mtaani programme will be done as per the laid down structures through the relevant government ministries.

He said those recruited will be required to have working tools such as gumboots, face masks and gloves as per the agreed terms and will work in shifts, KNA reports.

The RC also acknowledged complaints from a section of youths in Imara Daima who are opposed to the shift system and the reduction of payment from Sh. 650 in the First phase to Sh. 455 in the second.

He stated that the payment rates and the shift system will not change and those who are not ready to accept the terms are free to leave.

The RC explained that the pay was reduced to accommodate more jobless youths into the programme.

We will not condone people who incite others, we will be very firm on the matter, however, we are ready to listen to genuine grievances, he added.

Njenga said Phase II will be different from Phase I in that the projects to be undertaken are those that will leave a mark and legacy amongst the beneficiaries.

We will engage the workers in painting government offices, constructing access roads, beautification and cleaning of Ngong, Mathare and Nairobi rivers among others, he said.
Because of the global pandemic, a lot of the films that we were expecting this year got pushed around, as production for most of these films were still in process. A lot of questions have come up about how films will be shot now, and if ever, things will go back to normal.

 Reuters

A number of movie projects, now are resuming their shooting schedules amid the pandemic. The next Matrix instalment and Jurassic World 3 are a few of them.

 Twitter/JurassicWorld

Jeff Goldblum, the veteran actor who plays the role of the eccentric scientist, Dr Ian Malcolm in the Jurassic World franchise, has recently revealed a few details about how the film is being shot, including the fact, that everyone involved in the production has been given a 109-page safety manual.

 Twitter/JurassicWorld

If you come to think of it, these practices may become the norm, and the new standard practises of making movies from now on.



Location-Based Shooting

 Twitter/JurassicWorld

Given that most of the sequences for Jurassic World: Dominion will be shot on CGI and will heavily rely on computer-generated graphics, the decision to shoot the remaining of the film in England, as opposed to Hollywood in the USA, is a bit odd. Furthermore, there are several speculations also doing the rounds, that since the UK has controlled the spread of the disease as opposed to USA, it makes more sense to shoot there, since the safety of the people involved, is the priority.



Reimagining Of Studio Properties?

 iStock

If that is indeed the case, then studio properties around the world, and particularly in Hollywood, will have to be reimagined. Slowly, but steadily, major production houses will shift their bases into a setting that would allow them to be more agile. Only the post-production work, such as editing, CGI, and colouring will take place in studios. The concept of studio sets, as we know it, might change.



Isolation Bubbles For The Crew

 Twitter/JurassicWorld

One thing that Goldblum and the 109 age dossier that the crew were given was clear about, is the fact that the entire crew will be in an isolated bubble from the rest of the world for a major chunk of the production. This makes both, medical, as well as fiscal sense. As much as it helps, social distancing as a concept is not a long term solution. Instead, social bubbles are something that many scientists have also advocated on behalf of. The 109-page safety manual that has been drawn up also has a provision for isolations and a number of precautionary manners.



Safety Manuals For Films

Speaking of safety manuals, it might become a norm that studios or individual projects might have covid-specific manuals. The manual that Jeff Goldblum speaks of, the one that has been drawn up for Jurassic World: Dominion specifies the frequency with which crew members will be tested, at what times, will their temperatures be taken and other tiny details that will help monitor against the infection.

AI-Based Actors





Caption: Erica, The Robot, that was cast as an actor

Although this was not a part of the safety manual or anything that Jeff Goldblum said, we thought we should point out, that certain studios are indeed experimenting with AI and robotics to generate robot actors. Last month, a group of production houses based out of Belgium, and the USA cast a humanoid robot as the lead in their film. The robot is called Erica and has piqued the interest of a number of directors around the world.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 05:52:46|Editor: huaxia

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by Saud Abu Ramadan, Emad Drimly

HEBRON, West Bank, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The authorities in the southern West Bank district of Hebron have developed a smartphone application to track Palestinians infected with COVID-19.

After the recorded patients download the app on their smartphones, the cyber team members can follow their movement within a specific area around the clock.

"We follow the patients depending on a comprehensive database. If anyone violates the home quarantine, the app will issue a warning and send a written message," said Ibrahim Ahmarou, security officer of the cyber team.

"If the patients repeat the violation of the quarantine, the cyber team members will contact the working teams in the field who will find the patients and implement the law," added Ahmarou.

"We started to implement the system according to the international criteria and in coordination with legal advisors specialized in cyber work," said Abu Tareq, another senior security officer and director of the cyber team.

Mohammed al-Sweiti, director of operations in the preventive security service in Hebron, said experts also put into consideration the privacy under the supervision of legal advisors when developing the application.

During the past three weeks, the Palestinian health ministry has recorded hundreds of new COVID-19 cases every day in Hebron which is home to half a million Palestinians.

Palestinian Minister of Health Mai al-Keileh warned several days ago that if the population fail to abide by the precautionary measures, the health ministry will lose control of the spread of the deadly virus in Hebron.

"The situation of the pandemic is not under control at all because it is spreading in more than one spot and people don't follow up social distancing," she said.

The Palestinian health ministry recorded on Friday 439 new COVID-19 cases in the West Bank, raising the total number of cases in its territories to 9,056, including 55 deaths and 1,666 recoveries.

The new cases were found in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including 319 in the southern West Bank district of Hebron. Enditem
Despite having cancer, Olena Miryasheva was denied access to health care: she could not be registered at the outpatient clinic, could not obtain a prescription, and could not even undergo a medical examination which would have been free for a Ukrainian citizen.

In May 2019, her condition worsened, and in October she died. But even then the problems faced by her family did not stop. Her daughter, Anna, was barely able to obtain a death certificate and perform cremation  her mothers last wish.

My mother struggled to receive documents for 25 years, says Anna. If she had access to the public health system earlier, perhaps the cancer could be diagnosed and treated at the early stages.

Olena was born in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. But when the former Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991, she was among hundreds of thousands of people left with invalid passports across Central Asia, who became stateless.

While she subsequently lived in the Russian Federation and then in Ukraine, where she gave birth to her daughter, none of the states recognized her as a national. Neither she nor Anna, who was born in Kyiv, were able to obtain a residence permit to be able to remain in Ukraine legally.

That impasse was removed this week with a law signed by the president of Ukraine. Adopted by parliament on 16 June 2020, it formally establishes a statelessness determination procedure (SDP) to help an estimated 35,000 people who are either stateless or at risk of statelessness to emerge from legal limbo.

This law will transform the lives of thousands of people who have been living in the shadows.

Drafted by the parliaments Human Rights Committee, with inputs from experts in the presidents office, civil society and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the law will allow people without a nationality, like Olena and Anna, to apply to be recognized as stateless and to obtain a temporary residence permit, valid for one year.

Anna Miryasheva holds a photo of her late mother, Olena  shown on the left, with a friend. Olena fought for a residence permit in Ukraine for more than 21 years before she died of cancer in 2019.  UNHCR/Anton Fedorov

The temporary residence permit establishes the holders' legal residency. After two years of continuous residence  during which they will enjoy basic rights, such as freedom of movement, access to work, education and health care  they will be able to apply for permanent residence. After five years of permanent residence in Ukraine, stateless people are eligible to apply for naturalization.

See also: UNHCR welcomes new Ukrainian statelessness law set to end legal limbo for thousands

This law will transform the lives of thousands of people who have been living in the shadows, said Pablo Mateu, UNHCRs representative in Ukraine. We stand ready to provide support during the implementation which shall be concluded within three months after its entry into force, he added.

The adoption of the law came under a commitment Ukraine made while accessing two UN Conventions on Statelessness in January 2013: the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

As the law is implemented in coming months, UNHCR will offer its assistance to Ukraines State Migration Service, providing training to key staff in Ukraines 25 provinces and access to free legal aid. In addition, while the government will provide free legal aid, as foreseen in the law, UNHCR stands ready to support applicants in the initial stages of the implementation of the statelessness determination procedures. It will also seek to raise awareness among stateless people and those at risk of statelessness of the possibility to apply for recognition of their status.

"With this law, I will finally get a sense of how it is to be someone who exists."

Worldwide, statelessness blights the lives of millions of people. By adopting this law, Ukraine becomes the 21st country in the world to establish dedicated statelessness determination procedures.

While it is tragically too late to help her mother, Anna hopes that the law will allow her to move forward after a lifetime spent living on the margins.

Without a passport I have never been able to enter university. I cant get proper employment, even though I have been working in online marketing for a few years now. I cant use state public services, nobody really cares about me, she says.

But with this law, I will have a chance to become a normal person. I will travel, get proper employment, grow professionally. But first and foremost, I will finally get a sense of how it is to be someone who exists."

Find out how you can support UNHCR's #IBelong campaign to end statelessness by 2024.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 06:34:58|Editor: huaxia

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BRUSSELS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A meeting in person between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the head of government of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti concluded here late on Thursday and the two sides agreed to continue the dialogue, said European Union (EU) Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak.

It was the second high-level meeting between the two sides since the EU-facilitated peace process resumed on Sunday. The meeting focused on two elements -- missing persons and displaced persons, and economic cooperation.

After the initial exchange of positions, both parties agreed to continue to work intensively at expert level, starting next week in Brussels, said Lajcak after the meeting.

It was also agreed that the next high-level meeting would take place in Brussels in early September, added Lajcak.

Earlier on Thursday, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said he encouraged both sides to approach the talks in the spirit of compromise and pragmatism.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia rejects it and considers Kosovo its own province. Enditem
Terrorist attack on coronavirus aid convoy leaves 2 dead in western Iran

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 10:03 AM

A terrorist attack on a coronavirus aid convoy in Iran's western province of Kordestan has left two people dead and one injured.

The aid convoy came under attack by the terrorists affiliated with the "global arrogance" in Bolbar village in the district of Uraman of Sarvabad County late on Wednesday, according to a statement by the Public Relations Office of Hamzeh Seyed al-Shohada Base of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force.

The victims were a resident, an official with the prefect's office and a member of the country's Basij volunteer force, it added,

The IRGC expressed condolences over the losses and assured the people in the area that the distribution of the coronvirus aid would continue unabatedly.

It also vowed to bring the perpetrators of this cowardly crime to justice.

In July 2018, counter-revolutionary terrorists attacked a border post of the Hamzeh Seyed al-Shohada Base in the province, killing 11 security forces.

Over the past years, Iranian security forces and border guards have engaged in clashes with terror groups, many of whom cross the country's borders with Pakistan and Iraq to carry out attacks inside Iran.

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A spot in the prestigious Tennessee Governors One-Shot Turkey Hunt in 2021 is among the prizes in the turkey hunting package for a lucky winner in the 2020 Tennessee Conservation Raffle sponsored by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation.

The turkey hunting package is one of the seven, priceless outdoor experiences available to win this year.

The winner of this package will have the opportunity to hunt in the annual Governors One-Shot at a private farm in Middle Tennessee and will be competing with about 100 other hunters and guides. The lucky winners guide will be Preston Pittman, a five-time World Champion Turkey Caller and a member of the National Outdoor Hall of Fame. After the hunt, the winner and guest are invited to attend the banquet at The Factory in Franklin for a dinner, silent auctions, and door prizes.

Two nights lodging are also included.

In addition to participation in the Governors One-Shot, the winner will receive a Retay Masai Mara Turkey XT 12-gauge shotgun. There is also a Pack Rabbit Elite Turkey Game Carrier and Chest Vest, full collection of Preston Pittman Game Calls, choice of LaCrosse hunting boots, and hunting clothing from Longleaf Camo. Tickets are available online at https://raffle.twrf.net/.

Formerly known as the Elk Tag Raffle, this years Conservation Raffle has opportunities for everyone whether a hunter, fisherman, camper, or lover of the outdoors. One hundred percent of the funds from the raffle goes to support wildlife habitat restoration.

In addition to the turkey hunting package, other packages available this year include an elk hunting package including a tag to participate in the 2020 Tennessee elk hunt; a fishing package which includes a day of fishing with the legendary Bill Dance; deer hunting package including a deer hunt on Presidents Island with crossbow and gear; off-road package with a 2020 Honda Pioneer UTV; waterfowl hunting package; and a camping package. All the packages feature additional items and a complete list of the prizes can be found at https://raffle.twrf.net/.

A single ticket is $20, three tickets for $50, and 10 for $100 and are on sale now until Aug. 16.

There is no limit to the number of raffle tickets that can be purchased and the more tickets you buy, the better opportunity you have of grabbing one of the packages. Raffle tickets may be purchased online directly at https://raffle.twrf.net/.

The winning tickets will be drawn live this year at the August meeting of the Commission which will be held in Kingsport. The seven winners will be drawn for the seven great packages. The first person drawn will get to select the prize package they prefer. The next person drawn will select their package and the process will continue until all seven packages are selected.

TWRF is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting habitat conservation, responsible land stewardship, and Tennessee's hunting and fishing heritage for the benefit of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Tennessee's outdoor enthusiasts.
WASHINGTON  Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said Friday she is receiving chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer, but has no plans to retire from the Supreme Court.

The 87-year-old Ginsburg, who has had four earlier bouts with cancer including pancreatic cancer last year, said her treatment so far has succeeded in reducing lesions on her liver and she will continue chemotherapy sessions every two weeks to keep my cancer at bay.

I have often said I would remain a member of the Court as long as I can do the job full steam. I remain fully able to do that, Ginsburg said in a statement issued by the court.

Ginsburg, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, is the senior liberal justice on a court that leans conservative by a 5-4 margin. Her departure before the election could give President Donald Trump the chance to shift the court further to the right.

Ginsburgs history with cancer goes back more than 20 years. In addition to being treated without surgery for a tumor on her pancreas last year, she also underwent surgery for colorectal cancer in 1999, pancreatic cancer in 2009 and lung cancer in December 2018.

Dr. Alan Venook, a pancreatic cancer specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, who is not involved in Ginsburgs care, said that clearly, shes got incurable disease now because of the spread to her liver.

On average, patients with advanced pancreatic cancer live about a year, but the fact that her disease took so long to recur from her initial pancreatic cancer surgery in 2009 and previous treatments suggests that its not been growing rapidly, he said.

Shes above average in many ways. and has done remarkably well with all her treatments so far, Venook said. Theres no reason to think she would die imminently.

Asked earlier this week about a possible opening on the court before the election, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said the president would act quickly if any opening were to arise. Meadows commented after news that Ginsburg had left the hospital after receiving treatment for an infection, which she said Friday was unrelated to the cancer.

I cant imagine if he had a vacancy on the Supreme Court that he would not very quickly make the appointment and look for the Senate to take quick action, Meadows said, adding that he didnt want any comment to be seen as wishing Ginsburg anything but the very best.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said that if there were to be a vacancy on the court during this years election cycle, the Republican-controlled Senate would likely confirm a nominee selected by Trump.

Ginsburg said she was disclosing her cancer treatment now because she is satisfied that my treatment course is now clear.

Venook said the chemotherapy drug Ginsburg said she is getting, gemcitabine, is one thats often used. Immunotherapy, which Ginsburgs statement said she tried unsuccessfully, has not worked well for pancreatic cancer, Venook said.

Ginsburg said a medical scan in February revealed growths on her liver and she began chemotherapy in May.

My most recent scan on July 7 indicated significant reduction of the liver lesions and no new disease, she said. I am tolerating chemotherapy well and am encouraged by the success of my current treatment.

Ginsburg noted that she is able to maintain an active daily routine and that throughout her treatment she has kept up with opinion writing and all other Court work.

When the justices heard arguments via telephone in May because of the coronavirus pandemic, Ginsburg participated one day from a hospital room in Baltimore. She was being treated for gall stones, and said Friday that hospitalization also had nothing to do with the cancer.

___

Associated Press Chief Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione contributed to this report.
The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton sail in the Balabac Strait connecting the South China Sea with the Sulu Sea, July 15, 2020.

Eight Chinese fighter jets were visible Friday at its key military base in the disputed Paracel Islands as two U.S. aircraft carriers performed their second exercise in the South China Sea in two weeks amid mounting tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Satellite imagery reviewed by BenarNews showed the Chinese planes on the runway at Woody Island. At least four of them appeared to J-11Bs, which are fighter jets in service with the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and Naval Aviation Force (PLANAF). The other four appear to be a slightly different model of fighter aircraft.

Analysts said it was the most fighter aircraft that have been spotted at one time at Woody Island, which is Chinas largest military base and settlement in the Paracels, a grouping of features in the north of the South China Sea that is claimed by China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Military aircraft have shown up at Woody Island before, as have Chinese warships, most notably during Chinas military exercises in the area from July 1 to 5.

Forbes reported the presence of four J-11Bs at Woody Island on Wednesday, but they were not in the same place on Thursday. They reappeared with four other fighter aircraft on Friday.

Their presence points to growing militarization of Chinese-occupied features in the South China Sea, and increased displays of military power by both China and the U.S.

It also coincides with another round of naval exercises Thursday involving two U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups  the USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan. The first maneuvers began on July 4 and lasted six days, the first such dual carrier drill by the U.S. in the South China Sea in at least four years.

Alongside like-minded regional partners, these efforts are in direct support of U.S. resolve to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, said Vice Adm. William R. Merz, commander of the U.S. Navys 7th Fleet, in a statement.

The capability and flexibility of our Navy is on full display as we support Indo-Pacific security and stability. There is no better example of our regional commitment, and periodically we will bring multiple teams together in 7th Fleet to practice large-scale coordinated operations.

The maneuvers also come after the U.S. performed a freedom of navigation exercise on Wednesday through the Spratly Islands, which China considers part of its territory on the basis of historic rights.

Eight fighter aircraft are visible on the Woody Island airstrip, Chinas largest settlement in the Paracels in the South China Sea, July 17, 2020. [Planet Labs Inc.]

Chinas position challenged

That followed U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeos announcement this week of a new U.S. position on Chinas expansive claims in the South China Sea, calling Chinas claims to low-tide elevations in the Spratlys and to the waters around land features in the area illegal under international law.

David Stilwell, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, then signaled that the U.S. was considering sanctions against Chinese companies responsible for building Chinas bases such as Woody Island in disputed waters.

Chinas Foreign Ministry issued a stern response to that threat on Wednesday, and said it will continue firmly upholding our sovereignty, security and legitimate rights and interests.

We hope the U.S. will not go further down the erroneous path, ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a press conference in Beijing. It should behave like a major country and play a constructive role for regional peace and stability.

Zack Cooper, a research fellow at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, said China could be using the U.S. military maneuvers and policy shift as a pretext for what they planned to do anyway  deploying a more permanent fighter aircraft presence to Woody Island.

I think the Chinese are probably using this [U.S. approach to the South China Sea this week] as an excuse to put the fighter jets on these island, as they always intended to, and they think this is a good time to do it where they can try and argue that the United States is to blame, Cooper said in an interview. He cited the presence of hangers on Woody Island, which were constructed years ago seemingly for the purpose of housing fighter aircraft.

Regional countries are concerned about the heightened tension in the South China Sea. Malaysias Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein expressed concern over the military posturing of both the U.S. and China in a press conference Wednesday, and the head of Indonesias coastguard mentioned the growing rivalry between the U.S. and China in a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs this week.

I dont think that this is likely to lead to some sort of direct conflict, Cooper said. I do think its a clear sign that Beijing is going to use this as an opportunity to bolster its presence in the region.
(Alliance News) - Fast-fashion retailer Boohoo Group PLC has urged the government to take action to protect workers being exploited in UK garment factories as it investigates allegations of malpractice at a supplier in Leicester.

The company had more than GBP1 billion wiped from its share value in two days after an article alleged that workers in a factory making clothes destined for Boohoo were being paid as little as GBP3.50 an hour.

As other retailers such as Next and Asos dropped Boohoo clothing from their websites, the company hired top lawyer Alison Levitt QC to look into the allegations which its board said left them "shocked and appalled".

On Friday, Boohoo Chief Executive John Lyttle sent a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel headed "protecting people being exploited in UK garment factories".

He wrote that around 40% of Boohoo's products were manufactured in the UK, "supporting thousands of jobs in this country that may otherwise be lost to overseas markets".

Lyttle added: "We firmly believe that 'Made in Britain' should be a label of pride for those wearing our clothes and badge of honour for those who make them.

"We're taking action to investigate allegations of malpractice in our supply chain and we ask government to take action too.

He wrote that Boohoo backed calls from the British Retail Consortium and the All-Party Parliamentary Groups for Fashion and Textiles and Ethics and Sustainability for the government to implement a "Fit to Trade" licensing scheme to ensure all garment factories met their legal obligations to employees.

Lyttle added: "The UK has a proud history in fashion and textiles.

"A joint effort between industry and government will ensure that the renaissance of which boohoo group has been a proud part is a key contributor to our country's trading future."

He argued that statutory licensing of garment factory owners and managers would protect workers and "provide an incentive for retailers and brands to invest in the UK".

Lyttle said that "as a minimum" such a scheme should cover the protection of workers from forced labour, debt bondage and mistreatment, ensure the payment of the National Minimum Wage, VAT, PAYE, National Insurance and holiday pay, and the health and safety of employees.

"These measures will also raise tax revenues for the Treasury and create a barrier that prevents rogue businesses from accessing the market and undercutting legitimate fashion manufacturing companies, creating a level playing field for businesses to compete fairly," Lyttle wrote.

Clothing firm Quiz said on Monday it believes that one of its suppliers, based in Leicester, has used a subcontractor at the centre of allegations over breaches to the national living wage a something the company is investigating.

The National Crime Agency said on July 8 that it was assessing allegations of modern slavery and exploitation in the textile industry in Leicester.

source: PA

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, gradually affect your cognitive function by harming your memory and your ability to think and make decisions. By 2050, experts project that 13.8 million older adults in the United States will develop Alzheimer's disease and related Dementias (ADRD). Although Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, other forms include Lewy Body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia--all of which have upsetting consequences for people with dementia and their families.

Since no cure or treatment yet exists for ADRD, healthcare providers currently focus on preventing the treatable risk factors that can lead to dementia. This strategy could potentially slow the onset and progression of ADRD.

Hospitalization poses risks to people with ADRD and can have life-threatening consequences, including predisposing us to delirium (the medical term for a rapid change in mental state, often marked by confusion), a decline in mental or physical function, being admitted to long-term care facilities, and even death.

In particular, delirium can worsen the course of an illness, quicken physical and mental decline, lengthen hospital stays, and cause higher rates of hospital re-admission and death. One in 8 hospitalized people with ADRD who develops delirium will have at least one serious problem, including cognitive decline, possibly leading to admission to long-term care or death.

Here's the good news: Experts say 30 to 40 percent of delirium cases are preventable. But until now, we have not studied how delirium and its severity affect hospitalized older adults with and without ADRD.

Recently, researchers published findings from a related study, the Better Assessment of Illness (BASIL) study, in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. They created the study to examine delirium, severe delirium, and its aftermath.

The researchers enrolled 352 patients between 2015 and 2017. Patients were 70 years old or older and admitted or transferred to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston as either emergency or elective (arranged in advance) admissions. The average age of participants was 80 and the majority of participants had at least one chronic health condition.

Eighty-five participants (24 percent) were diagnosed with likely ADRD when they entered the study. Participants with ADRD were slightly older than those without ADRD. The study continued for 12 months.

The researchers reported that 25 percent (88 out of 352) participants experienced delirium. Among the 85 participants with ADRD, 45 percent experienced delirium, compared to 19 percent of participants without ADRD who did not experience delirium. For all patients, severe delirium increased the risk of being placed in a nursing home. Patients with ADRD had more severe delirium.

The researchers concluded that their study strongly suggests the need to prevent delirium, particularly severe delirium, in patients both with and without ADRD. Targeted strategies such as the AGS CoCare: HELP (formerly the Hospital Elder Life Program), have shown that certain approaches can help prevent delirium or make it less severe.

Called "low-tech, high-touch" interventions, these techniques include helping to orient people to where they are and what time it is, preserving the sleep-wake cycle, helping people be mobile as soon as possible, making sure they're well hydrated, and correcting any vision or hearing problems. All these strategies have been shown to prevent delirium and mental and physical decline in older patients both with and without ADRD.

###

The AGS CoCare: HELP protocols include ways to adapt strategies for patients with ADRD. The researchers say their study suggests that using techniques to prevent delirium will help to prevent death related to hospitalizations in those with ADRD.

They also suggest that future studies focusing on preventing delirium, specifically in older adults with ADRD, are needed.

This summary is from "Does Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Modify Delirium Severity and Hospital Outcomes?". It appears online ahead of print in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Tammy T. Hshieh, MD, MPH; Tamara G. Fong, MD, PhD; Eva M. Schmitt, PhD; Edward R. Marcantonio, MD, SM; Guoquan Xu, MD, PhD; Yun R. Gou, MA; Thomas G. Travison, PhD; Eran D. Metzger, MD; Richard N. Jones, ScD; and Sharon K. Inouye, MD, MPH, for the BASIL Study Group.

About the Health in Aging Foundation

This research summary was developed as a public education tool by the Health in Aging Foundation. The Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation's work, visit http://www.HealthinAgingFoundation.org.

About the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Included in more than 9,000 library collections around the world, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) highlights emerging insights on principles of aging, approaches to older patients, geriatric syndromes, geriatric psychiatry, and geriatric diseases and disorders. First published in 1953, JAGS is now one of the oldest and most impactful publications on gerontology and geriatrics, according to ISI Journal Citation Reports. Visit wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/JGS for more details.

About the American Geriatrics Society

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that has--for 75 years--worked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Its nearly 6,000 members include geriatricians, geriatric nurses, social workers, family practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and internists. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy. For more information, visit AmericanGeriatrics.org.
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Linkedin Matthew Green and Matthew Stock (Reuters) London, United Kingdom  Fri, July 17, 2020 10:42 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066702657 2 World Greta-Thunberg,environmentalist,environmental-evangelist,environmental-issues,environment,environmental-pledges,climate-activists Free

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg said on Thursday the world needed an economic overhaul to have a chance of beating climate change and that countries should be prepared to tear up old deals and contracts to meet green targets.

The 17-year-old spoke to Reuters TV after she and other activists sent an open letter to European leaders urging them to take emergency action and saying people in power had practically "given up" on searching for a real solution.

"We need to see it as, above all, an existential crisis. And as long as it's not being treated as a crisis, we can have as many of these climate change negotiations and talks, conferences as possible. It won't change a thing," Thunberg said, speaking via video from her home in Stockholm.

Thunberg, who lambasted world leaders at a U.N. climate summit last year for believing in "fairytales" of eternal economic growth, said that only fundamental change to the existing system would bring climate change under control.

She cited a U.N. study published in November that suggested planned investments to boost fossil fuel production are likely to push temperature goals enshrined in the 2015 Paris Agreement out of reach.

"So that means that if we are to stay below these targets, we have to make it possible to tear up and abandon valid contracts and deals. And that is not possible within today's system," Thunberg said.

"So, yes, then obviously we need to think differently. And, yes, we need to think outside the box."

Ecocide

Demands in the letter, released before Friday's European Council summit, included an immediate halt to all investments in fossil fuel exploration and extraction, in parallel with a rapid ending of fossil fuel subsidies.

The letter also called for binding annual "carbon budgets" to limit how much greenhouse gas countries can emit to maximize the chances of capping the rise in average global temperatures at 1.5C, a goal enshrined in the 2015 Paris climate accord.

It urged European governments to back calls for the Hague-based International Criminal Court to adopt a new crime of "ecocide" to prosecute people responsible for large-scale destruction of the natural world.

Thunberg emerged as the face of a growing, youth-led climate movement after a solitary vigil she began holding outside the Swedish parliament in 2018 inspired children and teenagers around the world to stage school strikes on Friday afternoons.

"In the beginning, I was very worried," Thunberg said, describing the fears over climate change that motivated her to embrace activism. "But when I started doing something, then there came hope from that. Because hope comes from action."

With climate protests largely driven online by the coronavirus pandemic, Thunberg joined climate scientists, activists and celebrities including actor Leonardo DiCaprio and author Margaret Atwood in signing the letter that was posted on https://climateemergencyeu.org/.

"The longer we keep pretending that we are on a reliable path to lower emissions and that the actions required to avoid a climate disaster are available within today's system ... the more precious time we will lose," the letter read.

It called for climate policies to be designed to protect workers and the most vulnerable and reduce economic, racial and gender inequalities, as well as moves to "safeguard and protect" democracy.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: A day after India termed the second consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav as "neither meaningful nor credible," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Islamabad is willing to provide a third meeting with the Indian death row prisoner, according to the Pakistani media.

Pakistan on Thursday provided a second consular access to Jadhav, a 50-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.

The Indian government said the second access was "neither meaningful nor credible," and Jadhav appeared visibly under stress.

"The Consular Officers were not given unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional access" to Jadhav, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in New Delhi on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Qureshi, however, said the Indian consular officers were provided access to Jadhav as desired by New Delhi.

Pak media report: Foreign minister SM Qureshi agrees to Indian demand for consular access to Jadhav without security officials. says ready to address lame excuses made by India. @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard #Jadhav #KulbhushanJadhav  Pushkar Banakar (@PushkarBanakar) July 17, 2020

Qureshi said Pakistan was willing to provide yet another consular access to India, The Express Tribune reported.

"They had objected over the presence of security officials during the meeting, we are willing even to remove those officials. If India wants another access then our offer is open. If they (India) want to meet him tonight or tomorrow, we are ready," the paper quoted Qureshi as telling a news channel.

However, there was no official confirmation neither from India nor from Pakistan whether the decision was conveyed to New Delhi.

India approached the International Court of Justice against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence.

The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July last year that Pakistan must undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay.

The first consular access under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 was earlier provided by Pakistan on September 2 last year.

Though Pakistan Foreign ministry had assured India that the consular access on Thursday would be unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional, it turned out that the arrangements of the meeting were not in accordance with the assurances made by Islamabad, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Srivastava said.

Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran.

India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy.
New representation for Marra Forni. We couldnt have found two more ideal groups to partner with in the country. Both of these firms are professional, operator driven, and culinary-focused. - Francesco Marra

Marra Forni, a Beltsville, Maryland based manufacturer of Brick Oven Cooking Solutions serving the global commercial foodservice industry, is excited to announce the appointment of two new sales representation partnerships in Canada. With locations and state-of-the-art culinary centers in Concord and Woodbridge, Ontario; Laval, Quebec, and Halifax, Nova Scotia; The Solution Foodservice Group has been appointed as Marra Fornis new Rep Group serving Eastern Canada. In their new role, the Solution Foodservice Group will be responsible for the sales and support of Marra Forni products in Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada.

And in the West, Marra Forni announced that West Coast Foodservice Agencies, based in Vancouver, B.C., will serve as the companys rep partner supporting Canadas Western Provinces. Located close to the Vancouver International airport, West Coast has a product showroom and fully functional ventless demonstration center allowing customers the opportunity of working with equipment in order to better understand its value and application in a real kitchen setting.

Francesco Marra, President & CEO of Sales & Marketing with Marra Forni stated that, we couldnt have found two more ideal groups to partner with in the country. Both of these firms are professional, operator driven, and culinary-focused. Their relationships within the respective regions are strong and our core philosophys and strategies are well aligned to succeed together!

We are proud and excited to have been given the opportunity to represent this quality product line, notes Craig Muzylo, Principal of The Solution Foodservice Group and Simon Manvell, Principal of West Coast Foodservice Agencies.

Marra Forni also provides complete custom direct venting packages for its brick oven cooking solutions, in addition to a wide range of refrigerated pizza prep tables, slicers, and mixers, rounding out a comprehensive package for operators.

We Create. We Innovate.

Marra Forni manufactures a full line of brick oven cooking products and solutions to the commercial foodservice industry, with operations in Beltsville and Elkridge, MD. Pizza University and Culinary Center is an owned division of Marra Forni, based and operated in Beltsville, MD.
Rescuers pulled bodies from under mud and debris Friday as they raced to find dozens still missing after flash floods killed at least 36 people on Indonesia's Sulawesi island. More than 14,000 people left homeless by the disaster have taken refuge at temporary shelters in hard-hit North Luwu regency, with the country's search and rescue agency hunting for 66 people still unaccounted for. Several rivers burst their banks after torrential rains pounded the region Monday, sparking the deadly flash floods. On Friday, officials said at least 36 people had died in the disaster, following the retrieval of more bodies. They also raised previous missing victim figures from a dozen to more than 60, citing new reports from concerned relatives. "The chances of finding them alive are slim as we've been searching for four days now and it's a difficult situation in the field," Andi Mukti, coordinator of North Luwu's search-and-rescue team, told AFP. "There's thick mud up two metres (six feet) high." The search would still continue through the weekend, he added. Several thousand houses as well as government offices and public facilities were engulfed by mud from the floods. This week, desperate residents searched through their homes for pots and pans and other belongings to take to the temporary shelters in flood-prone North Luwu. In January, record rains triggered flooding and landslides that killed nearly 70 people in and around Indonesia's capital Jakarta, which is on neighbouring Java island. The Southeast Asian archipelago is regularly hit by floods during the rainy season. Dozens of people are still missing after flash floods hit Indonesia's Sulawesi island More than 14,000 people on the island of Sulawesi have been left homeless after flash floods engulfed thousands of houses in mud
Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could rise 79 points at the opening bell.

As per the data released by the Reserve Bank of India, India's services exports declined 10.2% to US$ 16.77 billion in May 2020 over May 2019. Meanwhile, India's services imports dipped -20.4% to US$ 9.94 billion in May 2020. India's services trade surplus improved 10.4% to US$ 6.83 billion in May 2020 from US$ 6.19 billion in May 2019.

Oil prices fell on Thursday after OPEC+ agreed to ease record supply curbs and as new infections of the novel coronavirus continue to surge in the United States.

Overseas, Asian stocks are trading higher on Friday, shrugging off an overnight fall in US stocks as the United States prepares to debate fresh economic stimulus to see the country through its coronavirus outbreak.

In US, stocks dropped on Thursday, as elevated levels of unemployment claims heightened concerns about the economic toll from rising coronavirus cases.

Congress is reportedly set to begin debating such a package next week, as several states in the South and West implement fresh lockdown measures to curb cases. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is reportedly considering banning travel to the United States by all members of the Chinese Communist Party.

New data from the U.S. Labor Department found 1.3 million people filed for jobless benefits, largely unchanged from the prior week. U.S. retail sales jumped 7.5%.

Back home, amid bouts of volatility, the main equity benchmarks ended near the day's high on Thursday. The barometer S&P BSE Sensex surged 419.87 points or 1.16% at 36,471.68. The Nifty 50 index jumped 121.75 points or 1.15% at 10,739.95.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 1,091.08 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net buyers to the tune of Rs 1,659.91 crore in the Indian equity market on 16 July, provisional data showed.

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La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly (LADMA) in the Greater Accra region has allocated GH1,394,424,74 for the renovation and facelift of some dilapidated school structures within Assembly. The beneficiary schools include La Estate Two Primary and Kindergarten, Maale Dada Basic School, and Chiringa Complex KG.

According to Mr. Solomon Kotei-Nikoi, the Municipal Chief Executive of LADMA, out of the total amount, GHC 580,000 will be used on South LA Estate 2 Primary and KG, and GHC349.023,05 on Chiringa Complex KG.

He explained that most of the affected schools had their roofs ripped off and ended up in a dilapidated condition due to bad weather and poor maintenance.

He lamented that the situation had an adverse effect on teaching and learning in schools within the municipality.

Mr. Solomon Kotei-Nikoi, said this when on a tour with some of the officials from the Assembly to the affected schools and handed over documents to contractors to commence the project.

Mr. Kotei-Nokoi noted that the government attached much importance to education as the key element for the nation's development, adding that it was the reason for the government's continuous commitment of more resources to the education sector.

He claimed, "The best legacy any leader can leave to its future leaders is education since is the hemp of development, contractors are awarded the contract to complete rehabilitation work on the affected school buildings within three months and my officials will devise a mechanism for monitoring and keeping a check on ongoing repair works which should be up to standards".

Mr. Fiifi Boison, Managing Director of Maksams Company Limited, speaking on behalf of the contractors, expressed gratitude to the Assembly for the trust they had reposed in them and assured of working efficiently and effectively to accomplish the task on time.
Police were tonight accused of turning their backs on crime victims after the proportion of suspects hauled before the courts tumbled.

In a damning indictment of Wild West Britain, fewer than one in 14 crimes end up with a charge or summons, according to Home Office figures.

It means hundreds of thousands of criminals  including killers, rapists, violent thugs, burglars and drug dealers  are avoiding justice.

In the year to March, only 7 per cent of suspects were ordered before a judge  down from 17.2 per cent six years ago.

Figures for the proportion of crimes in England and Wales resulting in a charge or summons have declined to seven per cent in the 12 months to March this year (file photo of Old Bailey)

The figures were condemned as shocking by campaigners, and they will fuel concerns about rising lawlessness, with criminals emboldened to commit offences without fear of punishment.

Of five million crimes processed in England and Wales, only 350,800 suspects were instructed to attend court.

It came as separate grim statistics revealed that overall crime reported to the police rose to a 16-year high of 5.8 million  an average of one offence every five seconds.

It meant there were an extra 150,519 offences compared with the same period last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Amid mounting public disquiet, knife crime soared 6 per cent to a record 46,265 offences. That excluded Greater Manchester, so the true figure is even higher.

And there was a 7 per cent surge in violence against the person, to almost 1.7 million offences, the highest since the National Crime Recording Standard was introduced in April 2002.

However, overall crime fell in March as ministers imposed restrictions to tackle the coronavirus crisis. In the first official insight into the effect of the pandemic on offending, the ONS said police recorded 379,000 crimes in the month  down 5 per cent on February and 11 per cent on March 2019.

The revelation that only 7 per cent of suspects are charged will further harm faith in the police at a time when officers are under fire for failing to attend many crime scenes.

Just 1.4 per cent of rape offences recorded by police leading to prosecution with the crime being the lowest charging rate, according to the Home Office figures (file photo)

Officials say the rise in crime is partly because victims were more willing to report attacks, while police recording practices have improved.

But criminologists suggest it could be due to factors, such as gang culture and police focusing on other investigations such as historic sex crimes.

David Spencer, of the Centre for Crime Prevention think-tank, said: These statistics are truly shocking and will scare a great many law-abiding citizens up and down the country.

Right now, the odds of you even getting arrested, never mind appearing in court and ending up in prison, are so remote as to send a clear message that crime usually does pay.

'This has to change. Priti Patel has made much of her determination to be tough on crime. It is vital that she now follows up her words with actions.

Former soldier, 25, injured in road-rage attack tracked down CCTV video of his assailants  but police refused to interview him because it 'wasn't a high-priority' Lewis Eames (pictured) was reversing out of a driveway after thinking that an oncoming car was letting him out A FORMER soldier injured in a road-rage attack tracked down CCTV footage of his assailants  only for police to refuse to interview him because it wasnt a high-priority case. Lewis Eames was left with a black eye after being punched by two men in Stockport last July. He said he called police but was told they could do nothing without the suspects vehicle registration number. So Mr Eames tracked down CCTV footage from three separate sources  two pubs and an undertakers  of the men and their VW Tiguan. He also spoke to three witnesses and informed police of his detective work  even driving to a forensics centre so his car could be checked for fingerprints. But Greater Manchester Police told the 25-year-old the incident was not being investigated as a priority. Advertisement

Labours Yvette Cooper, chairman of the home affairs committee, said: How can public confidence in the criminal justice system be sustained if fewer crimes are being dealt with and solved each year?

Figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, which looks at peoples experiences of crime and includes incidents not reported to police, found offending fell 9 per cent to 10.2 million.

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners said: While we know that an increase in recorded crime is influenced by improvements in reporting practices, we know that we need to work tirelessly to reduce all types of crime.

Home Secretary Mrs Patel said the Government was injecting an extra 1.1 billion in policing in 2020-21 and recruiting 20,000 additional officers.

She said: Protecting the public is my No 1 priority, so it is extremely encouraging to see a further fall in crime [in the Crime Survey].

She added: This is a step in the right direction, but there will be no let-up in our relentless pursuit of criminals so that we can deliver justice for victims.
According to software company Mavernir, the new virtualised networks would lead to a saving of 40 per cent in capex and 34 per cent in terms of lower operations cost for operators.

Three Indian giants - Anil Agarwal-run Sterlite Technologies, Reliance Industries-controlled Radisys, and Tech Mahindra - are developing software, manufacturing, and systems integration capabilities to power the building of the next-generation of virtualised 5G telecom networks.

The move entails moving from the current hardware-dependent networks to ones that will be software-centric with hardly any dependency on the underlying hardware.

It is a significant development as it provides operators with a greater choice of vendors.

This in turn brings down their costs substantially.

According to software company Mavernir, the new virtualised networks would lead to a saving of 40 per cent in capex and 34 per cent in terms of lower operations cost for operators.

It also provides them more network flexibility which allows them, for example, to customise the amount of bandwidth based on service requirements.

The first live example of this new virtualised network has been built by e-commerce player Rakuten in Japan.

In simple terms, telcos currently have a limited choice of buying their networks.

The options include only a few OEMs such as Huawei, ZTE, Ericsson, or Nokia.

In such wireless networks, the interfaces that connect the various network elements which make the radio access network (RAN) are proprietary.

Operators have no choice but to buy the entire solution, which includes the software and the hardware.

They have to maintain the system and for decades have spent a lot on R&D to improve their offerings.

However, with increased usage of data and therefore investment - and with average revenue per user (ARPUs) failing to rise commensurately - operators are seeking a new approach on how to reduce network capital investment.

Whats more, they are also looking for greater flexibility in the working of the networks.

The new networks being developed will be built on open platforms, with operators having the choice of buying hardware or software separately from different vendors or even building the latter on their own on an open platform.

That apart, they can also ally with IT companies that would integrate the hardware and software and run the networks.

Sterlite Technologies is working on a plan to design and manufacture 4G and 5G radios for the global market.

We have a design, make and integrate in India approach, and also offer systems integration services.

"To this end, we have investments and strategic partnerships with an ecosystem of partners in India, leveraging their Indian IP and know-how, said Sterlite Technologies Group CTO Dr Badri Gomatam.

The firm already has R&D centres for high-end telecom software and platform development.

US-based Radisys has tied up with Qualcomm to combine the latters 5G platform with Radisys new radio software to power the national radio 5G small cells which are a key element of the network.

Jio has sought permission from the centre for 5G trials based on its own tech. An e-mail to Reliance did not elicit any response.

Tech Mahindra, which has already publicly stated its entry into the mobile network space by planning to bid for the BSNL 4G network, has also had discussions with the government on its 5G play.

The firm is an investor in US-based Altiostar, which has built cloud native 5G radio access network software in collaboration with Intel which is being deployed on Rakuten Mobile.

Altiostar also has Qualcomm, Rakuten and Cisco Systems as investors.

It has also collaborated with Rakuten to build a 5G lab in Tokyo and Bangalore. Tech Mahindra did not respond to queries.

Besides this, Tech Mahindra has tied up with state-owned ITI to build new 4G and 5G radio products leveraging the software the former has built.

And in its discussions with NITI Aayog on BSNL, the firm has said it believes in a consortium of partners within the country to build a futuristic, competitive, open standard-based India stack which can be sold even to global network operators.

Incumbent equipment makers, however, say that there could be many a stumbling block.

While the capex might be low, the fact that operators will have to pay for a system integrator now will increase their operating costs.

"For capex, you might get discounted credit lines from vendor supported banks. But you wont get that for opex, said a senior executive of a leading telecom gear manufacturer.

Many companies, such as Nokia, have also joined the Open RAN Policy Coalition backed by over 30 companies in support of the open platform.

Photograph: Fabian Bimmer/Reuters
Northampton County Council passed a resolution on Thursday evening that will provide broadband access to areas that need it most, from regionally underserved parts of the county to institutions like schools and nursing homes.

The resolution approves the financial contributions to county school districts, seniors and veterans to assist with WiFi and electronic equipment needs via the COVID-19 county relief block grant. A Northampton County representative confirmed that the proposal was passed with a unanimous 9-0 vote at Thursdays meeting at the Northampton County Courthouse after the proposal, from County Executive Lamont McClure, was moved forward at Wednesdays Finance Committee meeting.

The county received more than $27 million of CARES Act funding by the state. Of that, $825,000 will be devoted to this proposal to expand broadband access.

According to the administration, Bangor Area, Bethlehem Area, Easton Area, Nazareth Area and Northampton Area school districts will each receive $100,000 of the allotment to secure WiFi and electronic equipment for students in underserved areas. Pen Argyl Area, Saucon Valley and Wilson Area school districts will each receive $50,000 for the same purpose.

At the Finance Committee meeting, North Catasauqua was brought up, as it falls into Northampton County, but is served by Catasauqua schools in Lehigh County. Families in North Catasauqua may also have a need for WiFi and equipment. If there are Northampton County residents that attend the Catasauqua School District, well take care of it, McClure said in the meeting.

The county will give the remaining $175,000 to its department of human services to purchase WiFi and the same equipment for underserved senior citizens and veterans. Those in need will be identified by the department.

The need for expanded access to the internet and necessary devices has become a prominent need during the pandemic. With schools having shifted towards online learning at the end of the 2019-2020 school year and the possibility of online learning for at least the beginning of the upcoming school year, students and their families need constant access to the internet. And in nursing homes, where the pandemic has taken a serious toll, visitors are mostly prohibited, so the ability to see family members through program like Skype, FaceTime and Zoom has become essentially the only consistent way for seniors to engage with their families.

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

Connor Lagore may be reached at clagore@njadvancemedia.com.
India accuses Pakistan of blocking two-way trade transit to Afghanistan via Wagah border; restoration of bilateral trade only a mirage of goodwill created on paper, says Ministry of External Affairs.

India said on Thursday that Pakistan is creating a mirage of goodwill by allowing Afghan goods to be exported via Wagah border and was seeking monopolistic transport practices and not allowing Afghanistan two-way transit rights.

This is another example of Pakistans creation of mirage of goodwill. Pakistan is seeking monopolistic transport practices. It is not allowing Afghans two-way transit rights, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, said replying to a question on Pakistan allowing the Afghan goods to be exported via Wagah border.

Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on July 13 that Islamabad has decided to resume Afghan exports through Wagah border crossing from July 15 after implementing COVID-19 related protocols at the special request of Afghanistan government and with a view to facilitating Afghanistans transit trade.

Also read: India China standoff: Rajnath Singh reviews military preparedness in Ladakh

Also read: India Ideas Summit: PM Modi to address line-up of US-India leaders on July 22

Pakistan claimed that with this step it has fulfilled its commitments under Pakistan-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA). Pakistan has restored bilateral trade at all border crossing terminals to pre-COVID-19 status.

In May, Indian Embassy in Afghanistan said that the second consignment of wheat out of the total 75,000 MT from India to Afghanistan has set sail from Kandla Port.

This humanitarian gesture of the people of India to our Afghan brethren will ensure food security during these difficult times of COVID-19 pandemic. The remaining consignments will follow in the weeks ahead, it said.

Also read: Consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan neither meaningful nor credible: MEA

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New Mexicos $19 billion Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF) is a sacred cow thats been used by some politicians as insurance against the wealthy having to pay their fair share in taxes. While working people bear the brunt of keeping our economy afloat, New Mexicos top earners enjoy the fruits of a broken tax system. As long as the LGPF continues to swell to historic amounts, the less pressure on those same politicians to fix the tax system.

Meanwhile, children of color continue to experience some of the worst child well-being outcomes in the country. Many of these children will never get a chance to succeed because our system has failed them. Too many will end up as another statistic of children who perform poorly in school, are forced into the criminal justice system and develop drug-use disorders. These children go on to have children of their own, and the cycle starts all over again. In New Mexico, were several generations into these cycles of poverty and desperation. This is an example of institutional racism.

The LGPF was created at statehood, with the federal government taking choice land that belonged to Native Americans and Hispanic land grants. Keep in mind New Mexicos long and arduous road to statehood. The federal government rejected our requests for statehood several times, using overtly racist arguments on the floor of Congress. New Mexico was too Mexican, incapable of self-government and not to be trusted with the land and resources. This is an old refrain. The federal government didnt want us, and when it finally accepted us into the Union, it imposed an archaic finance and land management system that continues to this day.

To truly begin to dismantle racist systems of oppression, we should start by permanently and substantially funding early childhood education from a sustainable source like the LGPF and ensure children of color are afforded every opportunity to get a healthy start in life. The opportunity gap begins at birth, yet our Legislature has been content throwing pennies at programs widely accepted as transformative for children and their communities.

Im not calling any individual racist. Im not concerned with any one individuals views on race. But the policy decisions made by politicians who are oblivious to race, racism and racial power can inadventantly result in the upholding of racist systems of oppression. Past policy decisions to protect the LGPF from New Mexicos most vulnerable children are gross and obvious examples of institutional racism.

Those same politicians claim we need to protect the fund for future generations, but that claim is preposterous. The fact is the future never arrives, and well always be sacrificing todays real children for the fictional kids of tomorrow. Well then congratulate ourselves for having one of the largest permanent funds in the world and remain blind to the tragic conditions facing our children.

Nearly 80% of N.M. children are children of color. The reading proficiency levels for these students should disturb us all with 7 out of 10 testing below proficient. If the same prison complex that will eventually imprison our children is worthy of investments from the LGPF, the youngest and most vulnerable children should certainly be worthy as well.

We can choose to dismantle archaic systems of oppression, or we can choose to uphold them. I choose to dismantle. I choose to rebuild.

Lets invest the LGPF in New Mexicos children.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia and the BC Center for Disease Control in Vancouver have reported the first estimates of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence for Canada before and after mitigation measures were relaxed in May.

Danuta Skowronski and colleagues say the findings support other data indicating that community transmission was successfully suppressed throughout the winter-spring period in British Columbia.

Less than 1% of British Columbians had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 when first-wave mitigation measures were relaxed in May 2020, writes the team.

However, this success constitutes a double-edged sword, say the authors since the seroprevalence monitoring also showed significant residual susceptibility to the virus.

The researchers say their monitoring protocol represents a reliable, convenient, and efficient approach to estimating population seroprevalence and can be easily applied for further monitoring as the pandemic continues to unfold.

A pre-print version of the paper is available in the server medRxiv*, while the article undergoes peer review.

June 17,2020 Vancouver British Columbia Canada Yellow umbrellas in Yaletown will cover the square as a commitment to flattening the curve the fight against COVID-19. Image Credit: FPfotografy / Shutterstock

British Columbia has been recognized for its control of SARS-CoV-2

In Canada, the first reported cases of COVID-19 imported from China were in Vancouver on January 15th and in Ontario on January 25th.

British Columbia (BC) also reported a super-spreading event on March 6th and an outbreak in a care facility on March 9th.

Since then, BC has been recognized for its control of SARS-CoV-2 during the winter/spring period this year, with surveillance data demonstrating that incidence and death rates in the province were amongst the lowest in Canada. This success had been attributed to the timely warning, rapid deployment of testing, and limitations on staff movement between care facilities.

As in other Canadian provinces, BC advised against non-essential travel on March 12th and introduced various intervention measures, including bans on public gatherings and closure of personal service establishments. These restrictions lasted approximately two months, with the relaxation of the measures beginning by May 19th.

Despite other provinces having implemented similar interventions, COVID-19 incidence and death rates in BC consistently remained amongst the lowest in Canada. They also remained amongst the lowest compared with adjacent west coast U.S. states and the rest of the world.

Statistics led to speculation

However, up to early April, testing in BC was restricted to high-risk or exposed individuals, giving a per capita testing rate that was lower than in other provinces. Furthermore, BC did not differ to anywhere else in terms of its all-cause death rate between March 15th and April 25th, exceeding that of the previous 5 years.

Taken together, these statistics have led to speculation that BC may have experienced more undocumented SARS-CoV-2 infections that, in conjunction with asymptomatic cases, contributed to unrecognized community transmission, write the authors.

Monitoring seroprevalence at the beginning and end of the first wave

Sofronski and team performed serial cross-sectional sampling at the beginning (March 5th - 13th) and end (May 15th - 27th) of the first pandemic wave using anonymized residual sera obtained from labs in areas of BC where community attack rates were expected to be highest.

Two high-throughput, chemiluminescent immuno-assays were performed, one targeting the S1 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (that the virus uses bind host cells) and one targeting the viral nucleocapsid.

Samples that were seropositive on either of the first two assays were screened by a third assay for the S1 receptor-binding domain (RBD) and assessed for neutralizing antibodies.

Analysis of the March and May snapshots generated an estimated community-wide SARS-CoV-2 infection rate of less than 1% throughout the winter-spring period.

The results for March

Basing seroprevalence on dual-assay positivity, the team estimated a cumulative incidence of 0.28% by the start of the first wave in March.

However, only two of 869 samples collected were seropositive against both S1 and S1-RBD, and none were seropositive against both S1 and nucleocapsid. Furthermore, none had detectable neutralizing antibodies.

In that regard, the only two dually-positive specimens in March may have been false-positives, and community-level attack rates could be even lower than we estimate by that snapshot, writes the team.

On the other hand, people with asymptomatic or mild infections may not have mounted an antibody response or had sustained titers of neutralizing antibodies, they add.

The results for May

By time restrictions were eased in May, the estimated seroprevalence and cumulative incidence were still low, at 0.55%.

Unlike the March snapshot, four of 885 samples showed S1 and nucleocapsid positivity, as well as being seropositive against S1-RBD and having detectable neutralizing antibodies.

However, the team says that if they had applied this 0.55% estimate to the Lower Mainland source population, which is approximately 3 million, the number of infections would have been around 16,500, which is about eight times higher than the number recorded.

A double-edged sword

Skowronski and colleagues say their seroprevalence findings reinforce other surveillance data indicating SARS-CoV-2 transmission was successfully suppressed throughout the winter-spring period in BC.

This success, however, constitutes a double-edged sword, further highlighting substantial residual susceptibility, they add. Our seroprevalence protocol is readily amenable to comparison across serial snapshots, and these are planned at relevant intervals as the pandemic unfolds.

*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.
Employees at many stores have been required to wear masks since early in the pandemic, but retailers were reluctant to confront customers who didnt wear face coverings,especially in areas without a mask mandate. While 80% of Targets stores are in areas that already require masks in stores, only about 65% of Walmarts stores are.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 02:48:52|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi vowed on Thursday that Egypt will not stand idle in the face of any direct threats to the security of Egypt and Libya.

Sisi's made the remarks during his meeting with Libyan tribal leaders who arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the security situation in the war-torn country, the Egyptian Presidency said in a statement.

"As soon as Egypt interferes in Libya, the military scene will be changed quickly and decisively," Sisi was quoted as saying.

He added that the main objective of the Egyptian efforts at all levels for Libya is to support the free will of the Libyan people to achieve a better future for the country and future generations.

The tribesmen, who are allied to the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) led by commander Khalifa Hafter, "have authorized the president and Egyptian army to intervene in Libya to protect its sovereignty," the statement added.

This mandate came in line with the eastern-based Libya parliament's request for Egypt to intervene in the Libyan conflict to counter what it called "a Turkish occupation." Turkey has sided with the UN-backed Libyan government based in the capital Tripoli.

Earlier in June, Sisi called for a ceasefire in Libya, citing that Egypt had received "direct threats from terrorist militias and mercenaries supported by foreign countries."

Tensions have been recently escalating between the two warring parties in Libya, the LNA and the Government of National Accord in Tripoli led by Fayez al-Serraj, and between the countries backing each side. Enditem
North Korean Hackers Have Stolen $2billion

North Korea has stolen $2 billion by launching cyber attacks on financial organisations and crypto-currency exchanges and the money has been used to buy military equipment.

United Nations experts say North Korea used cyberspace to launch increasingly sophisticated attacks to steal funds from financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges to generate income. They also used cyber-space to launder the stolen money. According to a report submitted to the UN Security Council committee, the widespread and increasingly sophisticated attacks saw North Korean hackers stealing funds and attempting to launder the stolen money.

The leaked UN Report, said the DPRK hackers target the financial institutions and crypto exchanges across 17 countries.

The report also cites two 2018 bank attacks that, like the Bangladesh Bank incident, tapped into the Swift messaging system: a $10 million theft from Banco de Chile and a $13.5 million ATM cash-out hit on Cosmos Bank in India. "Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) cyber actors, many operating under the direction of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, raise money for its WMD (weapons of mass destruction) programs, with total proceeds to date estimated at up to $2 billion," the report said.

Crypto-currencies were targeted by hackers because they are less easy to trace. According to the leaked UN report, the attacks on crypto-currency exchanges allowed North Korea to generate income in ways that are harder to trace and subject to less government oversight and regulation than the traditional banking sector.

The news North Korea is using cyberspace to steal cryptocurrencies and mine bitcoin isnt new. In March, a UK report said North Korean hackers had stolen around $571 million across at least five cryptocurrency exchanges in Asia between January 2017 and September 2018.

The leaked UN report shows just how developed the nations capabilities are becoming, says Philip Ingram, a former colonel in British military intelligence. The worrying thing is: If they can do this, they are just as capable of stealing intellectual property (IP), enabling them to maintain their scientific and engineering development.

Additionally, Ingram says, it raisesquestions about who the country is buying its weapons from. Who are the countries ignoring international sanctions and supplying advance engineering capability and weapons or weapons parts to North Korea? They don't need the money for internal use.

A spokesman for international insurance firm AMTrust Europe says the move shows the regime looking at cyber to level the playing field. However, they don't see North Korea as a big threat when compared with the combined power and funding of the big 5Eyes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US.

North Korea's state-sponsored hacking crews are breaking into online stores to insert malicious code that can steal buyers' payment card details as they visit the checkout page and fill in payment forms.Attacks on online stores have been going on since May 2019, according to the Dutch cybersecurity firm SanSec.

The fact that North Korean hackers have been involved in web skimming incidents is not a surprise to industry experts, as they have consistently gravitated towards any type of cybercrime that can generate a profit.



The US government also has said it wants to seize 113 crypto-currency accounts associated with North Korean money laundering, a high-tech cat-and-mouse-style conflict in which money launderers have turned to elaborate automated schemes to conceal their cryptocurrency transactions and frustrate law enforcement.

Forbes: FinExtra: ZDNet: MITechnolgy Review:

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N.Korean Hackers Are Working With European Criminals:
- The Ghana Commodity Exchange has expressed worry over the volume of commodities traded on its platform

- It revealed that the outbreak of the coronavirus has negatively affected its operations

- Its traditional products such as maize, sorghum, soybean, sesame, and rice are not performing as they used to

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The Ghana Commodity Exchange has raised concerns about a fall in farm produce channeled through its platform.

According to the exchange, the outbreak of the coronavirus has negatively affected its activities, as farmers are not able to produce crops as before.

The exchange, which is a private-public partnership initiative that provides a regulated market linking buyers and sellers of commodities to trade, added that the drop is estimated to be 45%

Source: Ministry of Agriculture

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Women farmers to enjoy GHc2.5 million support from Agric ministry

Per a report by citibusinessnews.com, the farmers, who produce five approved commodities for the exchange, make up about 90% of the exchanges total trade.

The products traditionally traded on the exchange are maize, sorghum, soybean, sesame, and rice.

Information available shows new products that have been introduced are not doing well either.

In other news, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has hinted at the possibility of making Ghana self-proficient in rice production from 2023.

According to him, the government has invested in a number of farming implements such as harvesters to achieve the objective.

He added that the government has also purchased four different types of solar-powered milling machines from China to improve the production chain of rice.

READ ALSO: Inflation falls for the first time in months; current rate is 11.2%

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Source: YEN.com.gh
Colleen Michaels/iStockBy DR. SABINA BERA and MEREDITH DELISO, ABC News



(NEW YORK) -- The largest school systems in the country will likely have very different starts to the upcoming school year.



Earlier this week, Los Angeles announced that when classes resume Aug. 18, students will be fully remote indefinitely.



Come September, New York City plans to begin the year with a hybrid model, with students attending school both in-person and online, the city announced last week.



The updates come amid a nationwide debate over the reopening of schools during the coronavirus pandemic. Teacher unions have pushed back against reopening, particularly in states where COVID-19 cases are on the rise.



The American Academy of Pediatrics has advised that this year's goal should be for students to be "physically present in school" if it is safe for students and staff -- with proper precautions in place and a remote learning backup plan should an outbreak spring up.



Much of the decision-making about whether to reopen schools is likely to come down to the daily positivity rate, or infection rate -- a measure of how prevalent the virus is in a given neighborhood or city. Cities with a low daily positivity rate may be able to reopen schools, with caveats, while those with a high rate of new infections may not be able to resume in-person learning.



New York City and Los Angeles demonstrate how two cities in very different stages of the pandemic are approaching reopening schools.



After peaking in early April, COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations have been on a steady decline in New York City, which could enter phase 4 of the state's reopening plan as early as next week. Los Angeles County, meanwhile, has reported record cases and deaths in recent days, and has been rolling back some of its reopening plans.



"You can't reopen schools where there is broad community transmission, just because it will only add fuel to the fire," said ABC News contributor Dr. John Brownstein, an infectious disease expert at Boston Children's Hospital and professor at Harvard Medical School. "If you kept case numbers down and the percent positive down, then there are strategies you can put into place to open schools in a safe way."



Dr. Taison Bell, a critical care and infectious disease physician at the University of Virginia, told ABC News he would not feel comfortable with schools opening in communities with high rates of transmission.



"The most important thing is the level of viral activity in the community," he said. "We don't know as much about kids, but we know that there is high transmissibility between adults.



An in-person approach



In announcing the plan for New York City's public school system and its 1.1 million students, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the approach "maximizes in-person instruction while protecting health and safety of our students and educators."



The preliminary plans have schools forming cohorts of students that will come in-person on set days at a reduced capacity that takes social distancing recommendations from the city's health department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention into account. That could look like at least half the student population in the classroom five days every two weeks, or one-third of students in person five days every three weeks. The optimum classroom size is between nine and 12 students, Chancellor Richard Carranza said. In 2019-20, the average class size was 26.1 students, according to the city's Department of Education.



Families can opt for all-remote learning -- but most likely will not. According to a city survey of 300,000 parents, 72% prefer sending their children back to school if safety measures are in place. Faculty with underlying medical conditions that might make in-person learning risky can also apply for accommodations, Carranza said.



When schools do reopen, students and staff will be screened upon arrival for symptoms. The city has not elaborated on what that will look like in its reopening plan, only that it will be based on the "latest health guidance." School spaces themselves will be reconfigured to allow for physical distancing and there will be a designated "isolation room" should someone become ill. HVACS and air conditioners will have improved ventilation, everyone will be required to wear face coverings and all rooms will have hand sanitizer. Each night, the buildings will be sprayed with a disinfectant. More information is expected in the coming weeks on diagnostic testing and contact tracing protocols, as well as extracurriculars.



All this is based on whether the city continues to limit community spread of COVID-19. This week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that schools in the state can reopen if the daily coronavirus infection rate in phase 4 regions is under 5% and must close if the rate surpasses 9%. Those percentages are based on World Health Organization recommendations for community transmission, a spokesperson for the governor's office told ABC News.



The positivity rate in the city has held steady recently at around 2%.



"New York can create a more nuanced opening approach based on what happens in a community," Brownstein said. "All the components of that strategy" -- from monitoring for illness, social distancing and mask-wearing to ventilation and the hybrid learning model -- "are core public health activities that we have been thinking about all along."



Clustering -- keeping the same group of students with the same staff and limiting mixing -- is also key, the doctor said, since screening measures may not catch pre-symptomatic transmission.



Social distancing and mask-wearing will pose challenges, especially for younger children, Brownstein noted.



"It is not going to be 100% enforceable, but every little bit that is done can reduce transmission," he said. "The more that we can do, the more that transmissions will be reduced, the more cases will come down, hospitalizations will come down and ultimately deaths."



Hybrid models can provide flexibility, Bell said, but there is a level of uncertainty. For example, if too many parents choose to send their children to school, it could complicate the models.



Since New York City announced its plans, Philadelphia has also said it will start the year with a hybrid approach. Its test positivity rate is around 2%.



Remote, for now



The positivity rate in the Los Angeles area was approaching 10% when superintendent Austin Beutner announced that the Los Angeles Unified School District would be starting the school year remotely.



"The health and safety of all in the school community is not something we can compromise," he said. "The news about the spread of the virus continues to be of great concern."



That decision can be at odds with the needs of the district's nearly 700,000 students and their families, Beutner acknowledged. Through surveys, parents have said their children had struggled to learn online after schools closed in March.



Weighing the risks of no in-person instruction, a new report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine advised that schools prioritize reopening in the fall, especially for students in kindergarten through fifth grade -- for whom distance learning can be a struggle -- and for those with special needs. The study noted that children risk falling behind academically through remote learning, which could "exacerbate" inequities.



At a briefing Wednesday on reopening schools, Dr. Annette Anderson, deputy director of the Center for Safe and Healthy Schools, said the organization knows of more than a dozen states that have not addressed equity within their plans.



Closing schools might mean missed meals and unreliable broadband internet at home could limit academic access. But there are risks to opening too soon as well, experts say.



"By not controlling this pandemic at a high level, you are putting the risk of not even opening altogether," Brownstein said. "And that [will] lead to a bigger impact on low-income populations."



One approach may be to prioritize children who need to attend in-person classes the most, Bell said. In New York City's plan, where in-person learning could be just one day a week, there are additional models that could allow for in-person attendance five days a week, and other models for schools serving students with disabilities, the mayor said.



Schools may also look to make up for lost time. Where possible, the Los Angeles school district is looking to add one-on-one tutoring after school and on Saturdays to help students "accelerate their progress," Beutner said.



The Los Angeles school district plans to have final plans on at-school programs by the first week in August. When it does eventually bring students back to the classroom, the district has said it plans to test students and staff regularly and conduct contact tracing, along with other practices such as wearing masks and social distancing, Beutner said, noting that places that have "done the best in responding to the virus" -- such as South Korea, Denmark, Germany and Vietnam -- have followed all of those measures. Beutner estimates it will cost about $300 a year, per student, to test students and staff weekly, as well as family members of those who test positive for the virus.



"Ideally, doing testing on all children and staff before starting school would be best," Bell said, adding that, unfortunately, there may not be the infrastructure to do that.



In addition to Los Angeles, other cities where COVID-19 cases have been increasing have recently announced that the school year will be completely remote to start. These include Houston, Atlanta, San Diego, San Francisco and Nashville.



Going forward



During this time of crisis, "parents will be less anxious if there is a plan," Bell said.



Still, deciding whether to send your child to school, if you have the option, is also "tough," said Brownstein, who lives in the Boston area and said he plans to send his two children back.



"There is low community transmission in Massachusetts right now. It makes sense to let our kids get the education that is so valuable," he said. "My logic changes dramatically when test positivity is high, hospitalizations are high and mortality data is increasing. It depends what state that parent lives in right now."



Schools could be involving parents in the process, such as bringing them in to see the classroom environment, Anderson said. "Right now, schools must convince parents and teachers that returning to schools is safe," she added.



For now, all eyes will be on the data, especially for cities that plan to follow a hybrid approach.



"Only the future will show us which plans are the most effective," Bell said.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
A local Walden pup taking a pause in the shade after running the course. We came together to bring something new and exciting to our residents. A place to meet other members of the community and to provide socialization and exercise for our dogs. Mayor William Trohanis, The Town of Walden

What started out as a dream of an Eagle Scout spurred community action, a grant application, and ultimately the first dog park opening in the picturesque town of Walden, on top of Signal Mountain, TN.

When an Eagle Scout posted on the towns Facebook page asking if they had ever considered a dog park, community and city officials took notice. While the timing did not work for the Eagle Scout project, it did bring attention to the need for a space where the community could come together with their four-legged friends for socialization and exercise. With dog parks on the mind, the city ironically received an email from The Boyd Foundation announcing their Dog Park Dash Grant program. The Foundations mission is to build and enhance dog parks across the state of Tennessee and to make Tennessee the most pet-friendly state in America. To apply, the town had to follow a strict application process showing an executive summary of the planned project, as well as display how the community will support the dog park.

Walden worked with Signal Mountain on the grant application process and looked at three potential sites. The eventual choice was the central, shady location at McCoy Farm. McCoy Farm, which has been in the Bachman/McCoy family since 1912, spans 34 acres and was sold to the town upon Martha Bachman McCoys death in 2004. Mrs. McCoy provided instruction that the property should be used for various forms of recreation and a dog park fit that description.

We selected the site because of its proximity to the McCoy Farms walking trails and the availability of electricity and water.  Alderwoman Sarah Mckenzie

Knowing the voices and support of the community would be critical, the town did a survey in 2019 to gauge the interest of a dog park on the mountain. A whopping 92% of responders stated they approved of this addition to the community.

In September of 2019, Walden was awarded with a Dog Park Dash Grant totaling $25,000 to make their dog park dreams a reality! Not only did the town win the grant, excited community members also raised close to $13,000 to support the park. The town sprang into action, working with Chattanooga based PlayCore, whose company, UltraSite, manufactures a line of commercial grade outdoor dog park products lovingly called BarkPark. The dog park follows best practices by having two separate areas, one for large dogs and one for small dogs, both with posted rules and a double gate system to ensure no pup escapes. The park also provides a water hose and water bowl to keep dogs hydrated and to wash off any muddy paws. The site also boasts agility equipment such as a playful red fire hydrant, hoop jumps, an A-frame dog walk, crawl tunnels, a jump over, and pet waste pick up stations and bags.

One big question remained  the park needed a name. The dog parks Facebook page ran a naming contest where members of the Walden and Signal Mountain community could submit their ideas. The winner, of course, was perfect: The Puppy Patch of Walden.

The result? On a beautiful Saturday morning, on the 11th of July, Mayor William Trohanis cut the ribbon to officially open The Puppy Patch of Walden. While the Grand Opening wasnt actively promoted to ensure safe physical distancing protocol, over 20 members of the community came out with their furry best friends to join in the celebration. A refreshing story during these ever-changing times allows for a pause to remember the importance of community, friendship and bringing people together over a common love for animals and the outdoors.

We came together to bring something new and exciting to our residents. A place to meet other members of the community and to provide socialization and exercise for our dogs. Mayor William Trohanis, The Town of Walden

To learn more about The Puppy Patch of Walden, please visit their Facebook page.

About UltraSite

UltraSite a PlayCore company, has been manufacturing high-quality commercial grade outdoor recreation products including a variety of Site Furnishings, Park Amenities, Picnic Tables, Park Benches, Dog Park Agility Equipment and Outdoor Fitness Equipment for over 15 years.

About PlayCore

PlayCore is a purpose driven Company committed to building healthy communities around the world by advancing play and recreation. The company infuses scholarly learning, through its Center for Outreach, Research, and Education, into its comprehensive family of brands. PlayCore combines best-in-class educational programming with the most comprehensive portfolio of play and recreation products and services to create tailored environments that match the unique needs of each community served.
A Philippine Coast Guard member monitors to make sure social distancing is maintained and people wear masks at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila to slow the spread of COVID-19, May 13, 2020.

Foreigners who have long-term visas will be allowed to enter the Philippines beginning Aug. 1, the government announced Friday, the same day the health department reported that COVID-19 cases nationwide had topped 63,000.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the countrys COVID-19 task force, approved the policy on Thursday, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. Foreigners will be subject to conditions including having valid and existing visas at the time of their entry.

This means, no new entry visa shall be accepted, Roque said in a statement. They are likewise subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry, as returning overseas Filipinos will be given priority.

Those allowed entry must secure a pre-booked accredited quarantine facility where they would undergo testing and be monitored, he said.

Earlier this month, the government issued a resolution allowing citizens to take non-essential trips outside of the country, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency. It said travelers must meet conditions including submitted confirmed round-trip tickets for those traveling on tourist visas and travel and health insurance to cover rebooking and other expenses if necessary, including for hospitalization.

In March, the immigration bureau banned entry of foreigners because of the pandemic, allowing only Filipinos and foreign diplomats into the country.

The announcement allowing foreigners to enter came on the same day that the health department reported 1,841 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 63,001. In addition, 17 people died, bringing the death toll to 1,660.

Across Southeast Asia, Indonesia tops the list of countries with the most cases  it logged 83,130 along with 3,957 deaths as of Friday, according to disease experts at U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. Globally, more than 13.8 million have been infected and more than 590,000 have died.

Filipino Muslims gather for Friday prayers inside a mosque in Pangasinan province where health protocols including social distancing and the wearing of face masks are in effect, July 17, 2020. (Jojo Rinoza/BenarNews)

Lockdown threat

On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte met with his cabinet and threatened to place Metro Manila under lockdown again as the number of infections surge, even as local officials had appealed on the government during the previous two weeks to address the rising COVID-19 numbers.

The national task force and the DILG (Interior Department) would make sure that there would be a strict lockdown or granular lockdown, Roque said. A granular lockdown refers to closing borders or other entrances to communities that have high concentrations of infection.

They would also make sure that minimum health standards, masks, washing of hands, social distancing, intensified tracing and quarantine along with isolation of confirmed cases be met, he said.

Roque said all efforts were necessary as the government sought to strengthen the economy and assist the business sector, which has been battered by the pandemic.

The Metro Manila region has been under a general quarantine while the government allowed certain public functions to resume. The central city of Cebu, meanwhile, remains under a modified enhanced community quarantine.
I asked him to describe the big forces that have flattened working-class wages over the past decades. Other people would have spun grand theories about broken capitalism or the rise of the corporate oligarchy. But Biden pointed to two institutional failures  the way Republicans have decentralized power and broken Washington and the way Wall Street forces business leaders to focus obsessively on the short term.

Bidens worldview seems to come mainly from lived experience, not a manifesto somewhere. He has lived experience of a time when there were good manufacturing jobs, when unions protected workers, when the less affluent had a ladder to climb.

His economic agenda, promoted under the slogan Build Back Better, is about that, not some vast effort to remake capitalism or build a Nordic-style welfare system. The agenda is more New Deal than New Left.

In the two speeches he has delivered so far there are constant references to our manufacturing base  infrastructure, steelworkers, engineers, ironworkers, welders, 500,000 charging stations for electric cars. When I think of climate change, the word I think of is jobs, he declared.

The agenda pushes enormous resources toward two groups: first, African-Americans, who have been pummeled by deindustrialization for decades; and second, white working-class Trump voters. This looks like an attempt to rebuild the New Deal coalition and win back the white working class who should be a core of the Democratic base. Bidens populist Buy American messaging is just icing on that cake.

Can he pull off this manufacturing revival and this political realignment?

Ill be curious to see if its possible to create millions of manufacturing jobs  or if technology means theres only a need for relatively few workers. Ill be curious to see if he can tamp down the Democratic media and activist wings, with their penchant for wildly unpopular moral gestures like defund the police and decriminalize the border.

I wonder if the economic crisis will obviate all this. With mass unemployment the need will be to get money out the door immediately on Day 1. Launching infrastructure projects and clean energy industries takes a lot of time.
COVID-19 is associated with life-threatening blood clots in the arteries of the legs, according to a study published in Radiology. Researchers said COVID-19 patients with symptoms of inadequate blood supply to the lower extremities tend to have larger clots and a significantly higher rate of amputation and death than uninfected people with the same condition.

COVID-19's association with blood clots in the pulmonary arteries is well-established. Less is known about the virus' connection to lower extremity arterial thrombosis, a condition characterized by blood clots in the arteries that impede the flow of oxygenated blood to the lower extremities.

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, radiologists at the city's Montefiore Medical Center observed an increase in patients testing positive for lower extremity arterial thrombosis on CT angiography exams. The patients had arrived at hospitals with coldness, pain or discoloration of their legs. Frequently these symptoms of leg ischemia, a condition in which blood flow to the lower extremities is restricted, were accompanied by respiratory distress, cough, fever and altered mental status.

The alarming trend prompted the researchers to look more closely at a possible connection between COVID-19 and lower extremity arterial thrombosis and whether people with the virus had a worse prognosis.

In March and April 2020, they identified 16 COVID-19-positive patients, average age 70, who underwent CT angiography of the lower extremities for symptoms of leg ischemia. These patients were compared with 32 COVID-19-negative patients, average age 71, who underwent CT angiography with similar symptoms in previous years and who were well matched with COVID-19 cohort for demographic and clinical characteristics.

All patients with COVID-19 infection undergoing lower extremity CT angiography had at least one clot in the leg, compared with only 69% of controls. The clots in the COVID-19 patients were significantly larger and affected arteries higher up in the leg with greater frequency than those in controls. Death or limb amputation was more common in the COVID-19 patients.

We found that arterial thrombosis associated with COVID-19 infection was characterized by dire outcomes, namely strikingly increased rates of amputation and death, which in our series were 25% and 38%, respectively. For comparison, the rate of both amputation and death was only 3% among controls. It is unclear whether the patients' concurrent COVID-19-related pneumonia, the virulence of the COVID-19-related clotting disorder or delayed initial arrival to the hospital contributed to these outcomes." Inessa A. Goldman, M.D., Study Lead Author, Radiologist at Montefiore and Assistant Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City

COVID-19 patients presenting with symptoms of leg ischemia only were more likely to avoid amputation or death than patients who had symptoms of ischemia and systemic symptoms including cough, respiratory distress or failure, hypoxia, fever, or altered mental status.

"In our cohort none of the five patients presenting with complaints pertaining to leg symptoms only, such as pain or discoloration, without systemic symptoms sustained amputation or died," Dr. Goldman said.

Dr. Goldman noted that with infection rates rising in many parts of the country, it is important that physicians be mindful of the connection between COVID-19 and lower extremity arterial thrombosis.

"Awareness of lower extremity arterial thrombosis as a possible complication of COVID-19 infection is important for all providers who take care of these patients, because early diagnosis is usually crucial for limb preservation in lower extremity ischemia," she said.

COVID-19's association with lower extremity arterial thrombosis is likely related to a combination of factors, Dr. Goldman said, including an increased tendency of the blood to clot, damage to the lining of the arteries, and immune reactions tied to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 infection.

"This continues to be an area of intense study around the world," she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:30:02|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A three-storey wedding hall building collapsed during renovation in Mirpur district of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir on Friday, injuring at least 15 laborers and leaving dozens of others trapped, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner of Mirpur Raja Tahir Mumtaz told Xinhua that the laborers were renovating the marriage hall when it came crashing down, pinning them beneath falling slabs of concrete.

At least 15 workers with injury have been rescued from the rubble and shifted to a nearby hospital, whereas more than 40 people mostly laborers are feared to still be trapped inside the collapsed building including the owner and manager of the marriage hall, said the official, adding that "a search and rescue operation is currently underway."

There was not any wedding event at the building as it was closed for all kinds of ceremonies as part of the government's measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, Mumtaz added.

Following the incident, rescue teams along with local authorities reached the area and are working to rescue those who are stuck under the collapsed building. Local residents are also assisting authorities in the rescue operation.

Pakistani army troops and helicopters have also been sent to the area to help with the rescue activities.

Police told local media that the reason behind the collapse is not clear yet. However, either a poor construction of the building or sporadic earthquake tremors in the area could be the reason for the collapse. Enditem
Timothy Grose is a professor of China Studies with expertise in ethnic policy at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana. He recently wrote an article entitled, If you dont know how, just learn: Chinese housing and the transformation of Uyghur domestic space, in which he argues that policies implemented by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) are part of a bid to hollow-out a Uyghur identity that is animated by Islamic and Central Asian norms and fill it with practices common to Han [Chinese] people.

The article specifically examines a campaign begun last year, known as Sanxin Huodong, or Three News, which required Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities to modernize their homes by abandoning the rugs and pillows they traditionally use as furniture and replace them with sofas, beds, and desks. RFAs Uyghur Service reported in January that residents were often only given a weekand in some cases, only two or three daysto comply with the Three News campaign, while those who did not risked being labeled religious extremists and placed in the regions vast network of internment camps, where authorities are believed to have held some 1.8 million people since April 2017.

Grose recently spoke with RFA about different aspects of the campaign, which he said he highlighted in his article to show that while it is important to address Beijings policy of mass internment in the region, Uyghurs who are not being held in the camps or subjected to an associated forced labor scheme also face regular efforts by authorities to undermine their traditional lifestyle and culture.

RFA: The Chinese government is demolishing traditional Uyghur style houses and your article addresses this. Could you please explain it furtherwhy China is trying to erase these kinds of homes?

Grose: Its devastating whats happening because now the Chinese Communist Party has stretched its arms into all corners of Uyghur life. Its not just public spaces anymore. Its not just in schools, not just in mosques, but its stretched all the way into homes, which used to be the last safe space away from the governments eye. So, I think its important to know that so much attentionand rightly sohas been on the camps and forced labor, but that gives people the wrong impression that if youre not in the camps and youre not in forced labor and youre Uyghur, that your life is somehow OK and peaceful. And its not, because the state has other ways of trying to transform you that may not look as harsh on the outside, but when you actually uncover and expose things, you see how damaging and violent it is.

RFA: As you've mentioned, Chinese officials often stay in Uyghurs homes overnight [as part of the Pair Up and Become Family campaign, in which families are required to invite party cadres into their homes and provide them with information about their lives and political views] and you wrote that they have even forced Uyghurs to get rid of their traditional supa style [raised] beds. Why is that?

Grose: This adds another layer of invasiveness to the [home] visits because most of these civil servants are Han people, so you have them checking in and sometimes living with you, but then youre expected to change your way of living and these civil servants are the ones who make sure you are complying with the policies.

What I wanted to show in the article was that [there is] another layer in the process of assimilationthe violent process of assimilationthat the Chinese Communist Party has adopted and directed towards Uyghurs  If all the attention is placed on those Uyghurs [in camps and enduring forced labor], it gives people who arent familiar with the situation a false impression that Uyghurs who have somehow managed not to be placed in camps and managed not to be placed in forced labor somehow have a good and happy life, and they dont. And so, this article is meant to expose how state violence works in subtle ways on one hand but works on a very individual level and at the level of the home.

The supa is important because it is that space in the Uyghur home that blends secular and sacred spaces. The supa has very mundane or everyday uses. My Uyghur friends would use supa to relax after working in the fields, they would have tea on it, oftentimes they would set up a small table and they would share their meals on the supa, and then, depending on the time of year, the family would sleep together on the supa, so it had very practical purposes  but it was also the area where the family united  It also had a kind of sacred element to it [because rituals are performed there]  So, what I tried to explain in the paper is that the supa hinders Chinese concepts of space in which one area is designated for one particular activity. The supa tends to blend all of those activities. Getting rid of the supa gets rid of that space that blends the sacred and the everyday  Theyre definitely trying to sever the interpersonal bonds and then also the bonds that Uyghurs have with space, with the land itself.

RFA: The Chinese media always tries to portray Uyghurs as poor, uneducated, and living an outdated lifestyle, which they say is why they need to change their ways. As an anthropologist who visited with Uyghur families, do you see this portrayal as accurate?

Grose: That portrayal that youve discussed is basically a strategy that is used by all colonial regimes. Part of the colonial process is to depict the colonized people as impoverished, uneducated, and needing help. This is all part of the recipe for colonization. That you need to show that the colonized need the assistance of the civilized people and you need to portray them as being backwards  to justify or rationalize colonization.

Reported by Nuriman for RFAs Uyghur Service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Personnel from ferry sanitary inspection units often insulted by passengers who do not respect health protocols

Cozumel, Q.R.  The deputy director of traffic says city staff are often verbally and sometimes physically assaulted by ferry passengers who refuse to respect the health protocols put into place at the ferry terminals.

Gerardo Arzate Jimenez, the subdirector de Transito for Cozumel said that personnel of the Sanitary Inspection Unit at both the Playa del Carmen and Cozumel ferry docks are often insulted and verbally attacked by passengers who do not want to abide by the health protocols. He says some travelers refuse to respect the healthy distance, the use of the face mask and to be temperature-checked.

Cozumel has launched a campaign to ensure people respect health protocols

For this reason, he says they have requested the intervention of the Quintana Roo Police and even the National Guard at the Navega dock. He says passengers need to respect the sanitary measures, since with them in place, it can help reduce the spread of the virus.

The city of Cozumel has since launched a campaign so that both residents and visitors comply with the health protocols established by authorities to deal with COVID-19.
Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai and her daughter have been hospitalised after testing positive for coronavirus.

The actress, 46, had been isolating at home with her little girl Aaradhya, eight, but is said to have gone to a Mumbai hospital after they both 'developed breathlessness', reports the Times Of India.

Just last Saturday, Aishwarya's husband Abhishek Bachchan, 44, and her father-in-law Amitabh, 77, revealed they had Covid-19 and were in hospital.

Hospitalised: Aishwarya Rai, 46, has been admitted to a Mumbai hospital after she tested positive for coronavirus and isolated at home (pictured at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015)

Abhishek revealed his wife and daughter had tested positive in a tweet on Sunday, however he said they would be self-isolating at home.

Since then it is thought Aishwarya and Aaradhya stayed at the family's home which was sealed by the Brihanmumbai Corporation, who Abhishek called the BMC in his tweet.

As well as their home, three other properties owned by the Bachchan family are also thought to have been locked down, reports news agency ANI.

Actor Amitabh, who is widely considered the King of Indian cinema, revealed he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was awaiting test results on Twitter last week.

Family: The star's eight-year-old daughter Aaradhya also tested positive for the virus and is now in hospital alongside her mother (also pictured is husband and father Abhishek Bachchan)

Bollywood royalty: Aishwarya's father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, 77, (pictured) revealed he had Covid-19 and was in hospital last week

He wrote: '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 !'

Amitabh's followers flooded his social media with their well wishes, hoping for a speedy recovery after he announced the diagnosis.

Following the announcement it was also revealed his son Abhishek had tested positive for coronavirus.

Tested positive: The actor, 77, revealed the news to his fans via Twitter on Saturday, sharing that he was awaiting tests following his hospitalisation

Also tested positive: Following the announcement it was also revealed his son Abhishek had tested positive for coronavirus

Bollywood royalty: Amitabh pictured with actress wife Jaya (far right), actor son Abhishek and his film star wife Aishwarya Rai (centre), who has now also admitted to hospital, pictured in 2014

Abhishek wrote on Twitter: '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 followed in his mother and father's film footsteps, making his debut as an actor in 2000 with war film Refugee before going on to star in over a dozen more films.

He met his wife Aishwarya Rai on the set of Dhoom 2, three years after calling off his engagement with actress Karisma Kapoor, and the pair wed in 2007.

'Thank you for all your wishes': Abhishek told his followers about his wife Aishwarya and daughter's condition on Sunday

In the family: Abhishek (pictured with his father and wife Aishwarya Rai) followed in his mother and father's footsteps, making his debut as an actor in 2000 with war film Refugee

Aishwarya Rai, who shares a daughter with Abhishek, is also a prominent actress in India after she began acting following her win as Miss World 1994.

Her father-in-law Amitabh is married to actress, and current Member of Parliament, Jaya Bachchan (nee Bhaduri), the pair wed in 1973 and they share daughter Shweta and their son. Jaya has not tested positive for coronavirus.

He rose to fame in the 1970s with films like Zanjeer and Sholay, and has been lovingly called 'Big B' and the 'Star of the Millennium' by fans.

Icon: The Indian star rose to fame in the 1970s with films like Zanjeer and Sholay, and has been lovingly called the 'Star of the Millennium' by fans (pictured in 1976 film Kabhi Kabhie)

Widely seen as the King of Indian cinema, Amitabh has appeared in 200 films over the course of his career, which has spanned over five decades.

Amitabh's work has earned him a number of accolades over the years, including four National Film Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Bollywood cinema.

The Shahenshah star was honoured with a Padma Shri in 1984, a Padma Bhushan in 2001, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015, some of the highest civilian awards to be provided by the Government of India.

Amitabh's filmography doesn't stop in Bollywood, as the actor also made his Hollywood debut in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby.

Family: Amitabh is married to actress, and current Member of Parliament, Jaya Bachchan (nee Bhaduri), they wed in 1973 after appearing in Zanjeer (pictured in 2018 with Aishwarya Rai)

In 1982 Amitabh suffered a near-fatal injury while filming Coolie. The actor had been doing his own stunts and got a splenic rupture following a jump that went wrong.

He had to have an emergency splenectomy after the injury, and remained in a critical condition for several months before finally making a recovery.

Amitabh went into semi-retirement in 1992, becoming a producer during the five year break before his return to the silver screen in the late 1990s.

The actor rose to prominence once again in the 2000s with several commercially successful films, and he has also appeared on TV and done voice-acting work.
July 16 (Reuters) - The Kincade wildfire in California's wine country last October that forced some 2,000 people to flee homes was caused by PG&E Corp's electrical transmission lines, the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said on Thursday.

The news comes as a fresh blow to California's largest utility that emerged from bankruptcy earlier this month, marking an end to a long-drawn restructuring process that began after its equipment sparked some of the deadliest wildfires in the state.

PG&E did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tinder dry vegetation and strong winds combined with low humidity and warm temperatures contributed to extreme rates of fire spread, which burned a total of 77,758 acres and destroyed more than 370 structures, Cal Fire said in a statement https://bit.ly/2CHLoCB.

The fire investigation report has been forwarded to the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office, Cal Fire added.

The Kincade fire, the worst of several blazes raging throughout California last year, had erupted near the base of a damaged high-voltage transmission tower owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Co, the utility and fire officials had said.

(Reporting by Arundhati Sarkar in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni)
NEW HANOVER  The state attorney generals civil rights division has taken an interest in the townships investigation of racism in the police department.

Supervisors Chairman Charles D. Garner Jr. confirmed Thursday that the township has received a request from the AGs office for information about the investigation, the results of which were announced late last month.

The investigation into allegations of racist behavior and language by Police Chief Kevin McKeon and Sergeant William Moyer found little evidence to significantly substantiate most of the claims, Garner announced in a prepared statement at the June 22 meeting.

The investigation took 11 months and, as of May 27, has cost the township $31,156, according to Township Manager Jamie Gwynn.

The allegations were made by two former police officers, Keith Youse and Dennis Psota and were first made public in a series of news articles, including a Sept. 30, 2019 article in The Mercury.

Garner said the township received a request for information from the attorney generals office about 10 days ago and that the township has not yet responded.

He said the board of supervisors needs to discuss the townships response, which he said he hopes will occur at a closed-door executive session prior to the next public meeting on Aug. 6.

Also on the table for discussion in executive session is a response to a July 13 letter from the Pottstown chapter of the NAACP.

The NAACP got involved in the matter in October, 2019, about a month after the township announced it would investigate the incidents revealed in the news reports.

It offered to provide other witnesses NAACP members had identified who had more information to provide about inappropriate police department behavior.

The townships announcement that the 11-month-long investigation had been completed came 12 days after a letter from the NAACP demanding an update on the probe.

The most recent July 13 letter, among other things, asked to see the list of witnesses interviewed by attorney John Gonzales, the investigator the township hired.

Your statement indicates that the interviews he conducted were solely with current and former township employees. Racial remarks made within the hearing of township employees might well constitute a hostile workplace environment, according to the letter. But why was no one from the community interviewed?

The letter also asked for a response on the observation that Gonzales was already working on behalf of the township when he was hired to investigate the police department and, as a result, might be biased in favor of protecting the township.

Garner confirmed that Gonzales was hired by the townships insurance carrier for litigation pertaining to a dispute about ownership of Grandview Avenue prior to being hired by the supervisors to conduct the investigation.

Emphasizing that he is speaking for himself and not the board, Garner said he does not believe the boards subsequent decision to hire Gonzales from among several attorneys who responded to a request to conduct the police department investigation comprised any kind of conflict.

Its not a factor at all, he said, adding although I guess I could see how some people could take that view and say he was the townships attorney.'

The NAACP letter raised several other requests, including that the township make efforts to assure racial and gender diversity within its currently all-white male police force and follow the lead of other Montgomery County municipalities in removing Article 120 requirements that make it more difficult to bring minorities onto the police force.

The letter asks the township to follow through on its announced commitment to a review of its existing policies and procedures which prohibit discrimination and harassment to make sure they are up to date' and make available publicly an updated police code of conduct, crafted with community input.

The letter also requests that township police wear body cameras and that the township institute and expand community policing to help build trust between the police and the community.

Garner declined to comment specifically on any of those requests until the board has had a chance to meet and discuss them, but he did say some of those things are things the supervisors have already discussed in the context of the investigation.

In my view, from reading this letter, I would say we have a lot of room for building common ground and to help bring the community together on this, Garner said.
Ten out of fifteen airlines have resumed flights from Findel.

Passengers arriving at Luxembourg airport are given a voucher, which they can exchange for a test on site, or in one of the country's three laboratories. The tests are not mandatory.

Around 15% of passengers opt for testing at Findel, with 4,000 tests carried out to date. Of these, only 31 were positive, according to Dr. Thomas Dentzer, virologist with the Department of Health.

In the Grand Duchy, passengers do not have their temperature measured at the airport. Countries like Italy, however, require that passengers be screened before and after the flight.

According to Lux Airport CEO Rene Steinhaus, the responsibility lies with individual airlines. However, if a passenger is found to have a fever, they can be denied boarding.

People arriving from risk areas are not subjected to special tests again at Findel. Temperature control is not necessarily thought to be the most reliable measure, as many patients are asymptomatic and a fever is only a potential symptom of the virus rather than any real indicator.

According to Dr. Dentzer, the WHO advises against measuring temperatures, and this would only create extended queues at airports.

The Findel testing station is open all day. An information stand for passengers will be set up in the coming days.

Video in Luxembourgish:
The number of cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases was lowered by one Friday afternoon by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit after a prior Northumberland County case was removed because the person was not a resident of the health units jurisdiction.

There remains three active cases in Northumberland County and two active cases in the City of Kawartha Lakes, the health unit reported.

The unresolved cases include a woman in her 50s, a woman in her 60s, two men in their 50s and a male whose age was not listed

The jurisdiction has now had 206 cumulative confirmed cases, 172 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 24 in Northumberland County and 10 in Haliburton County (all 10 in Haliburton have recovered).

There were no institutional outbreaks as of Friday afternoon.

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit issued an order requiring non-medical masks or face coverings to be used at all commercial establishments in Haliburton County, as well as the City of Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland County, as of Monday.

On Thursday, the health unit expanded the directive to other indoor public places including places of worship, libraries, real estate open houses, personal care services, food courts, fitting rooms, driving instruction, recreation facilities, childrens camps, theatres, bingo halls and other gaming establishments, museums, cultural centres and racing venues.

Exempted from the expanded order are schools, child care centres, business and professional offices not open to the public, hospitals, health offices and health facilities.

Personal exemptions to the order include children under two, children under five who cannot be persuaded to wear a mask by a caregiver, people who cant remove a mask without assistance, people who cannot safely wear a mask due to medical conditions or people who cannot wear a medical mask for any religious reason.

At the Warkworth Institution medium-security federal prison 60 kilometres east of Peterborough, 35 inmates were earlier tested for COVID-19 and all 35 tested negative, Correctional Service Canada reported Friday.

Correctional Service Canada also announced Thursday that inmate visits at federal prisons have been gradually reopening across Canada since last week, but no specific timeline for Warkworth Institution was announced.

Visits must be booked 48 hours in advance. Visitors will be screened with a temperature check. Visitors must wash their hands before entry, wear a mask and maintain two-metre physical distancing at all times, Correctional Service Canada announced.

At the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, two inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 and both have recovered, according to Kristy Denette, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor General.
Sen. Josh Hawley has asked the Justice Department to investigate Kim Gardner, the St. Louis prosecutor. Gardner is persecuting the McCloskeys, the St. Louis couple who brandished guns when a mob invaded their property and two of its members, both white, threatened them. According to reports, she issued warrants, confiscated their guns, and is considering whether to bring criminal charges against them.

Im not persuaded that the low level of persecution to date warrants federal intervention. If Gardner decides to prosecute the McCloskeys for exercising their civil rights, that might be a different matter.

Meanwhile, Gardner is playing the race card to the hilt. She told the Washington Post, this is a dog whistle of racist rhetoric and cronyism. As far as I can tell from the Posts article, Gardner did not identify any rhetoric from Hawley that has anything to do with race or could plausibly viewed as such. Nor did she identify any cronies.

Gardner is just stringing buzz words together. One would hope for better from a prosecutor.

Gardner did attempt an argument when she claimed that Hawley is usurping the will of the voters. But this argument makes no sense.

Elected officials arent exempt from federal investigation into possible civil rights violations or any other violations of the law. Public officials arent above federal law just because they are elected. Thats true of the U.S. president, as Democrats constantly intone, and its true of local prosecutors.

The Washington Post turns its report on Hawleys request into a pro-Gardner puff piece. The Posts Tom Jackman writes glowingly about her alleged accomplishments as a prosecutor.

Jackman neglects to mention that Gardners office has experienced a more than 100 percent turnover in staff since she took office in 2017. More than 65 attorneys with a combined experience of over 460 years in prosecutorial experience have departed during this three-and-half year period. Even some of the attorneys she hired have since quit.

In addition, Jackman has nothing to say about Garnders poor record in court  a likely consequence, at least in part, of all the turnover. Im told that her conviction rate is only around 20 percent in cases tried to verdict. Thats a terrible record given all of the advantages prosecutors have.

Incompetence isnt grounds for a federal investigation. However, the denial of civil rights is. If Gardner prosecutes the McCloskeys on the facts as I understand them to be, she will have no legitimate complaint should the Justice Department investigate.

In the meantime, you can help defeat Gardner by contributing to her solid, well-qualified opponent here.
New Delhi: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi stepped up his attack on the government over Chinese transgressions in Ladakh, claiming that troubled economy, foreign policy and neighbourhood prompted Beijing to take an aggressive stand against India.

On Friday, Gandhi released a video on the India-China border stand-off in Ladakh as part of his move to share his thoughts on national issues through a series of short and incisive videos.

The question is why have Chinese chosen this particular time to move? Why have Chinese chosen to violate the LAC (Line of Actual Control) with India at this point in time? What is it about India situation that has led China to act in such an aggressive way? What is it about this moment in time that has allowed the Chinese to have the confidence they can move against a country like India? he asked a flurry of questions to the Narendra Modi-led Central government.

To understand that you have to go into multiple spaces. Countries are protected not by one particular thing but by a confluence of forces, by a confluence of systems. A country is protected by its foreign relationships, it is protected by its neighbourhood, it is protected by its economy, it is protected by the feeling that its people have, the vision that its people have, he added.

Gandhi has been critical of the government on its handling of the border stand-off with China and has repeatedly asked it to come clean on the alleged intrusion by Chinese forces in Ladakh and also on the disengagement process.

And what has happened over the last six years is that in all those areas India has been disturbed and disrupted. And Ill cover each one of them, he said.

Gandhi attacked the government over its foreign policy and the soured relationship with neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, claiming the ties have become transactional.

Lets start with foreign policy. Our relationship with the outside world used to be with multiple countries. We had a relationship with America, strategic partnership with America I would say. That is very important. We had a relationship with Russia. We had a relationship with Europe. And these countries used to help us manoeuvre in the world, he said.

Today, our relationship has become transactional. We have a transactional relationship with the United States. We have disturbed our relationship with the Russians. We have a transactional relationship with Europe, added Gandhi.

Talking about the neighbourhood, he said earlier Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka were Indias friends and except Pakistan, the entire neighbourhood was working and partnered with New Delhi.

Today, Nepal is angry with us. If you go to Nepal and you speak to the Nepalese people they are furious with what has happened. Sri Lankans have given a port to the Chinese. The Maldives is disturbed. Bhutan is disturbed. So, we have disrupted our foreign partners, weve disrupted our neighbourhood, the Congress leader claimed.

He also took on the government over economy and unemployment amid the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Now lets come to the economy. Our pride, something that India used to go to the rest of the world and talk about and boast about. We have the worst economic growth in 50 years no end in sight, absolute disaster. Unemployment is the highest in 40-50 years. So, our strengths have suddenly become our weaknesses, he said.

Gandhi said his party had repeatedly urged the government to inject money into the economy and announce a financial package for the small and medium businesses, but no action was taken.

We told the government that look, please realise that we are becoming vulnerable. All these things are connected. Theyre not separate. When you look at a nation you have to look at all these factors and you have to act, taking into account all these factors, he said.

We told them to listen; for Gods sake inject money into the economy. Fire the economy and do it immediately; protect the small and medium businesses. They refused to do it, claimed Gandhi.

He claimed that a weak economy, troubled foreign policy and disturbed neighbourhood prompted China to take an aggressive stand against India over the past few months.

So, today you have a country which is economically in trouble; in trouble as far as foreign policy is concerned; in trouble with its neighbours; and thats why the Chinese have decided that this is possibly the best time to act and that is why they have acted, he said.

Later, Gandhi tweeted: Since 2014, the PMs constant blunders and indiscretions have fundamentally weakened India and left us vulnerable. Empty words dont suffice in the world of geopolitics.

Earlier, while announcing that he would release videos on different issues, Gandhi had said: Today a large part of the Indian news media has been captured by fascist interests. A hate-filled narrative is being spread by television channels, WhatsApp forwards and false news. This narrative of lies is tearing India apart. I want to make our current affairs, history and crisis clear and accessible for those interested in the truth.

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The Defence Headquarters says the troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE has rescued about 34 kidnapped victims, apprehended suspected kidnappers and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition in Benue.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Mr Enenche, a major-general, said the success was recorded following a credible intelligence on the activities of a notorious kidnap syndicate operating in Igbom village in Nenzev council ward of Logo Local Government Area.

He said the troops of Sector 2 and 4 carried out a raid operation on a suspected kidnappers den at Tomayin village in Logo on July 16, killing their ring leaders.

According to him, the troops engaged the criminal elements in hot pursuit leading to the killing of one Zwa Ikyegh identified as the ring leader and others escaped with various degrees of gunshots wounds.

The successful encounter led to the rescue of 32 kidnapped victims some of whom have been in captivity for over a month.

All the rescued kidnapped victims have been reunited with their families in different communities in Logo Local Government Area.

Troops also recovered one AK 47 rifle, one AK 47 magazine, 6 locally made rifle, one locally-made pistol and a magazine.

Others include 22 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, 2 cartridges, 2 motorcycles and some Charms and the hideout has been equally destroyed, he said.

Mr Enenche said the troops also responded to a distress call on another kidnapping incident at Austoma in Mbanema Council ward of Ukum Local Government Area.

He said the troops promptly mobilised to the scene leading to the arrest of two suspects.

The suspects were identified as Sealemun and Orduem both of whom are linked to late Terugwa Igbagwa Aka Orjondu.

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He added that the troops recovered one motorcycle which the kidnappers were using for their heinous crimes.

Kidnapped victims rescued by troops of Operation Whirl Stroke in Benue

According to him, the suspects are currently undergoing investigation after which they will be handed over to the Nigeria Police for further necessary action.

Troops have continued to dominate the area with patrols and ambushes while normalcy has since been restored in the general area, he said. (NAN)
WOODBRIDGE, SUFFOLK / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / A newly launched real time occupancy monitoring and alerts solution will let members of the UK public know if a building is safe to enter, or not.

countIT LIVE, recently launched by technology provider D-Tech International, uses real time data of how many people are in the building to deliver a simple alert to those outside. Safe or Not Safe.

From 4 July, all UK pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, cinemas, theme parks, and libraries have been allowed to reopen under strict social distancing rules. The Chancellor Rishi Sunak welcomed the "good news" despite many facilities providing services which look unrecognisable to their patrons. Rachel Braithwaite, of south London's Archibald Corbett Library, told the Guardian. "We have the capacity for 20 people at a time. There will be a space marshall and hand sanitiser at the door. Everyone feels differently. People who would be worried won't come. But personally I'm looking forward to it."

But, even with facilities and businesses adhering to new guidelines put in place to protect patrons, how confident will returning customers be that they will be able safely social distance upon entering a building?

James Breakell, Managing Director of D-Tech International, believes their new solution can help. He said: "In such uncertain times, the public may well ask, is this building is open? And is it safe to enter?

"countIT LIVE is a real time occupancy monitoring and alerting solution which gives your customers or users confidence that they can safely enter your facility. Whether it's a shop, supermarket, pharmacy, or even a public facility, countIT LIVE uses live information of how many people are in your building right now to give people waiting to enter a simple answer of 'Yes, this building is Safe to Enter' or 'No, it is not'.

"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced many of us to live under unfamiliar restrictions. The enforcement of measures such as social distancing is crucial for allowing people to continue to perform key functions and responsibilities of daily life while protecting their health and that of the wider general public. We believe countIT LIVE can help with that."

countIT LIVE is a simple, self-install solution that is fully operational within 30 minutes and delivers straightforward, colour indicated entry alerts via any WiFi enabled device.

To find out more about countIT LIVE, or any of D-Tech's range of high-powered technology solutions, visit www.d-techinternational.com or call 01394 420077.

About Us

D-Tech International designs, develops and manufactures high-performance RFID products and library security systems. The Company provides installation and customer service for its full range of products. Its technologies include EM, RF, RFIQ and RFID used for self-service, stock control and management, library security, people counting and 24-hour vending. D-Tech International's Head Office is in Woodbridge, Suffolk and the company's international presence includes its U.S. branch in New Jersey.

Contacts

James Breakell

Managing Director

info@d-techinternational.com

Work: 01394 420077

D-Tech International Ltd Building 136 Bentwaters Parks Rendlesham Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 2TW

d-techinternational.com

Links

https://d-techinternational.com/products/people-counting-2/is-your-library-safe-to-enter-countit-live/

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/01/uk-libraries-reopen-not-as-we-know-them

www.d-techinternational.com



SOURCE: D-Tech International

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597746/New-Solution-Alerts-Public-when-Not-Safe-to-Enter
An agreement that China and Iran are reported to be on the verge of signing has the potential to dramatically reshape regional and global geopolitics. The deal, which provides for a comprehensive military and trade partnership, is expected to draw about $400 billion in Chinese investment in key Iranian sectors, including energy and infrastructure, over the next 25 years. Stronger military ties will see the two sides engage in joint training, shared weapons development and intelligence-sharing. Both sides are poised to benefit. For Iran, the agreement is a veritable lifeline. Struggling under the weight of US-led sanctions, Iran has been starved of foreign investment; its infrastructure, especially in the oil and gas sector, is badly in need of upgradation. Chinese investment will radically transform the health of its economy. Of course, it could push Iran into a debt trap. As for China, it will receive heavily discounted Iranian oil for the next 25 years. This would stabilise its economic growth and boost energy security. American officials say that the deal could even pave the way for Chinese military bases in Iran.

The Sino-Iranian agreement has significant implications for the world. Not only will it reduce Irans vulnerability to American bullying but also, it has the potential to change the current regional strategic balance to favour Iran. Importantly, it could set in motion the decline of American military domination of the Persian Gulf. Already, China has a military base in Djibouti and is operating Gwadar port on Pakistans Makran coast. The agreement with Iran envisages a Chinese role in the Chabahar port and duty-free zone. It will also build a port at Jask at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Heightened Chinese presence at the mouth of a waterway through which a significant proportion of the worlds ship-borne oil is carried will alter global geopolitics significantly.

The proposed Sino-Iranian agreement, recently announced by the Iranian foreign minister in parliament, has implications for India. For one, increasing Chinese presence in and around Chabahar port, built and operated by India, could hurt Indias economic, energy and strategic interests in Iran and the region beyond. For another, it will draw Iran, along with Russia and Pakistan  with Afghanistan squeezed in between -- ever deeper into Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. Fearing American sanctions and struggling with self-doubt, India has for years been reluctant to give a greater push to its economic ties with Iran. It thus failed to act on an opportunity that had for long existed in Iran. China, confident that it is able to defy Washington, may well have grabbed that opportunity now.
The Supreme Court has declared that a birth certificate cannot be used as any form of identification to establish the identity of the bearer.

The court, in a unanimous decision, held that a birth certificate does not link the holder of the information on the certificate hence it cannot be used as a form of identification which qualifies a person to be registered on to Ghana's Voters' Register.

It was the opinion of the court that a birth certificate does not provide evidence of a person's citizenship and, therefore, does not satisfy Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution which lays down the qualification for a person to be registered as a voter in Ghana.

The court gave the decision in a consolidated suit filed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and one Mark Takyi-Banson, challenging the decision of the Electoral Commission (EC) to compile a new register of voters.

Suits

In late March, this year, the NDC sued the Attorney General (AG) and attached the EC over the decision of the commission to compile a new voters' register for the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

The party wanted the Supreme Court to declare that the EC, per the 1992 Constitution, can only compile a voters' register once and subsequently review it over time and not compile a new one instead.

The NDC was also challenging the decision of the EC to exclude the existing voter ID cards as a document for verification of citizenship.

The party later abandoned its first relief that the EC cannot compile a voters' register on multiple occasions and was rather pushing for the inclusion of the current voter ID cards as basis for proof of citizenship.

Besides, Mr. Takyi-Banson filed another suit seeking a similar suit except that he wanted birth certificates to be used as a document for proof of nationality.

The AG, which is a respondent in the case, opposed the suits through the Deputy AG, Godfred Yeboah Dame, stating that the NDC's position was patently absurd, far-fetched, outrageous and grossly erroneous.

The EC in its opposition filed by its counsel, Justin Amenuvor, also contended that the NDC interpreted the Constitutional Article to suit its parochial interest.

It was the case of the EC that the current register of voters was over bloated and a new credible one was needed for the future.

The court later consolidated the two cases after it granted an application for consolidation which was filed by Godfred Yeboah Dame.

Full Judgement

The Supreme Court on June 25, 2020 affirmed that old voters' identity cards as well as birth certificates cannot be used as proof of eligibility of an applicant for the compilation of a new voters' register.

A seven-member panel of the court, presided over by the Chief Justice, Justice Anin-Yeboah, with Justices Jones Dotse, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Sule Gbadegbe, Samuel Marful-Sau, Nene Amegatcher and Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey assisting, in a unanimous decision, also ordered the EC to compile a new register pursuant to Constitutional Instrument 126 (C.I. 126) which was passed by Parliament recently.

C.I. 126 makes provision for the use of passport and the Ghana Card as basis for eligibility and in the absence of any of this two cards, a person who has already registered as a voter can guarantee for up to 10 applicants .

The court decision shattered the hopes of the NDC which was pushing for the inclusion of the old voter ID cards as cardinal document for proof of eligibility.

Detailed Judgement

In a detailed judgement, the Supreme Court said the birth certificate does not establish the bearer's citizenship and, therefore, cannot be used as a document of identification.

The judgement which was written by Justice Nii Ashie Kotey held that the birth certificate is even worse than the National Health Insurance (NHI) cards which were held to be unconstitutional as evidence of identification of a person who applies for registration as a voter in the Abu Ramadan (NO.1) Abu Ramadan (N0.2) cases which were decided on by the court long time ago.

It said there is no merit or whatsoever in the applicant's claim for the inclusion of a birth certificate as it flies in the face of Article 42 of the Constitution and the decision of this court in the Abu Ramadan (NO.1) Abu Ramadan (N0.2).

It is little wonder that a birth certificate has never been included as one of the documents to be used as evidence of identification by a person who applies to be registered as a voter  we, therefore, hold that the non-inclusion of birth certificate as a document for the identification of a person who applies for registration as a voter by C.I. 126 is not inconsistent with or in contravention of the Constitution or any other law, it added.

Old Cards

The court in justifying its decision to exclude the old voter ID cards stated that it has held in the two Abu Ramadan cases that in actualizing and giving effect to Article 42, the EC is of necessity called upon to make certain vital decisions and choices on how to guarantee the right of all Ghanaian citizens of 18 years and above to vote whilst keeping out those not qualified to vote.

The court held that in choosing the three modes of identification, this court believes that C.I. 126 is seeking the most effective way of actualizing Article 42, ensuring that those with the right to vote are able to register whilst keeping out those without the right to vote and who are not entitled to register.

Additionally, there is evidence before us that there are serious questions about the legitimacy of the processes which led to the issuing of the current voter identification cards  In recognition of this fact, we are satisfied that the 2nd defendant (EC) in deciding not to include the current voter identification card as a document to be used in identifying applicants for voter registration was guided by the need to establish a credible and reliable voters register that would guard, protect and preserve the sanctity and credibility of the right to vote, the court said.

New Register

The court delved into its decision in allowing the EC to compile a new register of voters as against the claims by Mr. Takyi-Banson that the EC can compile the register only once and subsequently update it from time to time as per the letters of Article 45(a), which is not accurate.

The court held that Article 45(a) when read together with Article 297 confers power on the EC to compile a register of voters which may be exercised from time to time, and not only once.

The court said it had noted that as a matter of fact, this is not the first time that a new register of voters would be compiled since coming into force of the 1992 Constitution as a new register was compiled by the EC in 2012 under C.I. 72.

----Daily Guide
Hong Kong police today arrested a pro-democracy politician, who is expected to run for a seat in the legislature in September's election, on charges including inciting others to take part in an unlawful assembly and seditious intention.

Tam Tak-chi, 47, the vice-president of the People Power party and a former radio host, is also charged with disorderly conduct in public places.

Tam won an unofficial primary poll organised by the opposition to select candidates for the Legislative Council vote.

The file photo taken on April 25, 2015, shows Tam Tak-chi being escorted away by police after confronting government supporters as Chief Secretary Carrie Lam is pictured on a giant television screen during a promotional event she led on electoral reform in Hong Kong

The arrest comes days after Beijing officials and Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the primaries were illegal and might violate a new national security law.

After hearing the charges, Tam told reporters they were unrelated to the new law.

Police said the incitement to take part in an unlawful assembly charge was related to a January protest. It did not say what the charges for seditious intention and disorder in public places were related to.

Tam said they were for swearing at the police and shouting 'Liberate Hong Kong! Revolution of our times' in January, a slogan the government declared illegal earlier this month under the new law, which is not retroactive. Sedition is covered by British colonial era legislation.

When addressing reporters, Tam shouted the slogan again.

Tam said his charges were for swearing at the police and shouting 'Liberate Hong Kong! Revolution of our times' in January, a slogan the government declared illegal earlier this month under Beijing's new security law. Pictured, protests hold the slogan during a rally on July 1

The Beijing-drafted law introduced last month punishes what China broadly defines as subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

Critics of the law fear it will crush the wide-ranging freedoms promised to the territory when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Supporters say it will bring stability after last year's often-violent anti-government and anti-China unrest.

Soon after Beijing said the weekend primaries vote was illegal, former Hong Kong lawmaker Au Nok-hin said he was pulling out as an organiser of the poll due to the accusations.

Beijing's representatives in Hong Kong have branded polls held by Hong Kong's pro-democratic parties 'a naked violation of the law'. More than 600,000 Hong Kongers turned out over the weekend to choose candidates for upcoming legislative elections despite warnings

On Thursday, another organiser, Andrew Chiu of the Democratic Party, said his work was done and he would no longer help coordinate the Legislative Council election campaign.

Veteran democrat Benny Tai, who was singled out in Beijing statements about the vote, also posted on Facebook there was 'not much left to do' and he would now focus on academic work.

A younger, more defiant generation, including prominent activist Joshua Wong, overshadowed the old-school Hong Kong democrats in the primaries.

The registration for candidates in the September elections begins on Saturday.

Wong was disqualified from running in lower-level district council elections last year, where the democrats nevertheless won more than 80% of the seats.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the petition filed by Congress MLC T Jeevan Reddy against demolition of old Secretariat buildings of Telangana.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said apex court's decision is a slap on the face of those obstructing the construction of new Secretariat building complex. However, another case will come up for hearing in the High Court today.

The Telangana High Court yesterday had once again extended its stay on the demolition of the old Secretariat buildings till Friday.

On July 10, it had directed the state to stop the demolition and later extended it twice, in its interim orders.

The court directed the Centre to inform it on Friday if the state government requires permission from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to demolish the buildings. It also sought clarification from the Ministry regarding the interpretation of "preparation of land".

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, passed this order in a PIL filed by Prof PL Vishweshwar Rao, vice-president of the Telangana Jana Samithi, and Cheruku Sudhakar of the Telangana Inti Party.

Pursuant to the courts earlier direction, Advocate General (AG) BS Prasad and the petitioners' counsel, Chikkudu Prabhakar, submitted certain documents and case laws.

The AG submitted that the words "construction activity" and "preparation of land" have to be read co-jointly.

Preparation of land does not mean demolishing the standing structure or clearing the land for new construction, he argued.

Prabhakar contended that "preparation of land" would include demolition of the standing structure as no future construction can be raised until and unless the standing structures are demolished and levelled.

When the bench sought a reply from Assistant Solicitor General of India N Rajeshwar Rao, he submitted that he has not received any clarification from the MoEF with regard to the interpretation of the words.

It posted the matter to Friday. Meanwhile, Congress MP A Revanth Reddy moved the NGT, Southern Zone, challenging the demolition. The governments counsel informed about the interim stay. The NGT adjourned the case to Monday.
Under the direction of the Prime Minister, ministries and agencies are actively working with foreign counterparts on the restoration of air transport links between Vietnam and a number of countries and territories,

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang has said.

Planes of some airlines at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi







She made the statement at the ministrys regular press conference on July 16 in answering questions regarding the resumption of overseas flights in the context of COVID-19 being largely controlled in Vietnam.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she said, has informed a number of foreign agencies in Vietnam about plans to resume flights to Seoul (Republic of Korea), Tokyo (Japan), Taiwan (China), Guangzhou (China), Vientiane (Laos), and Phnom Penh (Cambodia) from mid-July, on the basis of ensuring compliance with prevention measures to ensure the coronavirus does not spread in the community.

The Ministry of Transport is also holding discussions with relevant agencies in these countries and territories to reach consensus on flight and route specifics, Hang added.

In the immediate future, Vietnam will prioritise people currently allowed to enter the country, including Vietnamese citizens, foreign experts, investors, business managers, and skilled workers, those entering for diplomatic and official purposes, and a number of other special cases, she said.

People who enter Vietnam must comply with medical quarantine rules and undergo appropriate quarantine measures in line with regulations./.VNA

VN Transport Ministry proposes reopening international flights in August The Ministry of Transport has proposed the Prime Minister allow the resumption of commercial flights between Vietnam and certain other countries in August.
ARCHIVED - Regional governments of Spain and Health Ministry agree plan of action against Covid outbreaks



The recent increase in cases and increased probability of a second wave of the virus has increased the need for better co-ordination and organisation

The Covid-19 pandemic has been seismic to say the least, catching governments worldwide off their guard and creating an unparalleled demand for equipment, medical supplies and resources never before witnessed in our own lifetimes, and continues to grow worldwide, breaking records on a daily basis.

Yesterday broke another record; 230,00 new cases in a single day, more than 13 million cases worldwide and the medical world is unanimous in its opinion that the worst is yet to come.

The virus struck early in Europe and has abated sufficiently for Europeans to be booking holidays and resuming life under a new normality, but the warning signs are flashing with increasing urgency in Spain as new case numbers increase, the level on Thursday of 580 the highest in nearly two months.

On Thursday the regional health authorities and national Ministry of Health held a videoconference meeting of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System, approving a document that will serve as a guide to prevent and stop possible increases in the transmission of Covid-19, learning from the experiences gained during the pandemic so far, and with a little space for planning before the autumn.

The "Early response plan in a scenario of control of the pandemic by Covid-19",( Plan de respuesta temprana en un escenario de control de la pandemia por Covid-19) incorporates measures suggested by the regional governments and other Ministries, dealing with topics such as prisons and immigration, both of which have proven problematic in the first wave of the virus.

This document hopes to provide the National Health System with greater capacity to prevent and tackle possible increases in transmission, and co-ordinate a response.

Many of the measures already in place will be maintained; the CCAES Coordination Center for Alerts and Emergencies of the Ministry of Health will continue to co-ordinate information and act as a central filter, assessing the risk of localized outbreaks or increases in transmission, leading to the activation of a rapid response.

The Plan establishes specific measures for groups of special vulnerability to Covid, such as irregular migrants. The arrival of migrants in small boats (pateras), some of whom have been Covid positive, has caused outbreaks in some areas of the country and provisions have been agreed for the management of these situations in the future.

Penitentiary centres are another specific area covered by the Plan, which recommends establishing reinforced surveillance systems and contingency plans adapted to the specific characteristics of each centre. The detection of a case in a penitentiary centre must be notified to the health authorities immediately to ensure appropriate measures are taken, such as the isolation of the case and its contacts, as well as immediate quarantining.

The Plan also takes into consideration measures which enable the regional authorities to take rapid action and adopts the proposal of the Government of Castilla y Leon to create "a common legal instrument" for all the regions that "allows agile confinement" by cities or neighbourhoods and " very fast decision making " should there be a localised outbreak of cases.

The autonomous regions have the powers to act in the event of outbreaks, but to impose a deprivation or restriction of liberty or another fundamental right, they must seek ratification from the Administrative Litigation Courts.

The document establishes an agreement of co-ordination between the autonomous regions, an example being events such as the Noche de San Juan; should an event such as this be something that takes place in more than one region, or crosses into another region, the governments can agree to either unanimously suspend the event or agree on a set of rules which will apply to all to ensure a co-ordinated response nationwide (and stop revellers crossing borders).

The text also establishes that each region must be able to guarantee sufficient resources, human as well as material, guarantee the efficient management of information reporting and gathering, maintain laboratory capacity to cope with early testing in the eventuality that demand rise quickly, prepare the resources to track and trace potential cases in the eventuality of an outbreak, acquire sufficient materials to support an outbreak, maintain a capacity for intensive care beds, prepare emergency staffing plans, and logistical plans for all aspects of managing a significant rise in the number of cases and other similar measures.

All regions must be able to guarantee 8 weeks reserve of critical products associated with Covid and the national reserve will also be increased to give additional back-up for critical materials.

It is also deemed important this year to bring forward the annual flu campaign and ensure a wide coverage of vulnerable groups earlier than normal, particularly amongst the elderly and health personnel.

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Bowling Green State University is designing flexible course delivery and upgrading classroom technology, building layers of protection in office spaces and classrooms, adjusting HVAC and building airflows, working with the Wood County Health Department to implement real-time contact tracing on campus, and enhancing diversity and belonging efforts to support the health and well-being of the campus community.

In a two-part virtual town hall series for faculty and staff, BGSU leadership shared additional details about the Universitys plans and response to the COVID-19 global pandemic , including academics, research and creative activities, class and instructional delivery modes, health and safety protocols, facilities, and diversity and belonging efforts in a COVID-19 world and similar areas.

There is a great deal of work being done by our colleagues in a variety of ways addressing initiatives and challenges at BGSU, BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers said. We are applying best practices from not only here in Ohio, but across the country and the world. It is so important that we continue to be adaptive, flexible, creative and innovative.

Class and instructional delivery modes

As the University plans to repopulate its campuses, Dr. Joe Whitehead, provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs, and Dr. Glenn Davis, vice provost for academic affairs, addressed what classes will look like this fall.

With an emphasis on flexibility, Whitehead said curriculum will be delivered in a combination of face-to-face, online and hybrid formats, with hybrid course delivery allowing the maximum amount of flexibility to serve students unable to attend class in-person and serve students enrolled in a single class in a space not large enough to serve all students at once.

Design flexibility will allow faculty and staff to provide solutions in how we deliver curriculum, Whitehead said. We want to encourage engagement with students while providing starting-point guidelines and support for how courses will be delivered.

John Ellinger, chief information officer, shared ongoing technology upgrades in classrooms that will allow for better quality audio and video, with live-streaming and recorded options. Additional student employees have also been hired for technical assistance to support faculty during class instruction.

Research and creative activities

Dr. Michael Ogawa, vice president for research and economic engagement, led the discussion on the guiding principles to restart research activities.

The restart of on-campus research and creative activities was being phased-in over a two-week period, which started July 1 with a priority on laboratories and studios under the direction of a probationary faculty member, or grant-funded faculty members who required access to these facilities in order pursue their grant-funded work.

Starting July 15, remaining laboratories, studios and other facilities began reopening and off-campus field research will be permitted on a case-by-case basis. On-campus undergraduate research and off-campus face-to-face human subjects research will not resume until the fall.

Campus health protocols and facilities

As BGSU prepares office and classroom spaces for the repopulation of campuses, there will be layers of protection including face coverings, face shields and physical distancing requirements.

Students, employees and visitors will be required to wear a face covering in all indoor public and shared environments. Face coverings will also be required in outdoor spaces if physical distancing is not possible.

We are doing our very best to plan and prepare a safe environment, said Sheri Stoll, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer. This is going to require the active participation of each of us and a commitment that we work together.

Plexiglass shields will be installed between faculty instruction spaces and the classroom, information or checkout stands, and at reception desks. In addition, queuing lines will reflect physical distancing guidelines.

Campus Operations staff will provide regular cleaning and sanitizing of common areas and each office will be able to request personal protective equipment including face coverings, plastic shields, gloves, hand sanitizer, wipes and additional paper towels.

The University has already begun using electrostatic sprayers in offices and will expand their use to classrooms and other common spaces. Additionally, HVAC and building air systems are being adjusted to increase the total air flow supply to increase the outside air exchange and reduce or eliminate any inside recirculation.

Diversity and belonging

BGSU continues its commitment to building a campus climate that fosters an inclusive environment that promotes and nurtures diversity, empowers and supports people, and builds a community where all are welcomed, valued and affirmed.

Jennifer McCary, chief diversity and belonging officer, said this mission is critically important, particularly in a COVID-19 world.

Diversity and belonging are very much at the forefront and contribute to the conversation around COVID-19 because people of color are experiencing this at a disproportionate rate to others, said McCary. It is all interconnected and we all have a part to play in what happens on our campuses.

McCary shared the Diversity and Belonging Comprehensive Strategic Plan, which was released to the community June 19, and encouraged faculty and staff to review the plan ahead of the repopulation of campuses.

We recognize this fall is going to be a unique one, McCary said. When we return, everyone is going to be doing everything they can to keep us physically as safe as possible. I also want to focus on our mental health and safety.

Several teams are working on fall engagement opportunities to build on the summer programming and workshop series.

We cant talk about things in isolation, McCary said. We have to be able to address all of the topics, all of the time and understand our part in what it means to be living in a global pandemic, while still addressing the epidemic, or pandemic, of racism.

A collaborative effort

BGSU will work directly with the Wood County Health Department on real-time contact tracing and quarantines, said incoming Chief Health Officer Ben Batey.

Batey, who is currently serving as the Wood County health director and will begin his role at BGSU on July 27, said the University is building a system through the Falcon Health Center to assist and share the responsibility for contact tracing on the Bowling Green campus with the Wood County Health Department.

He emphasized the importance of wearing face coverings and following health guidelines.

It is possible to navigate this, Batey said. We will need to be flexible at all times. We are learning new things about this virus every day and we have to adapt.

As BGSU further develops health protocols, Dr. Sue Houston, vice president for partnerships and chief of staff, said the University will continue to follow CDC guidelines and work closely with the Ohio Department of Health, the Governors Office and local health departments.

BGSU participates in weekly calls with other Ohio universities to share best practices and will continue to seek feedback from BGSU task forces focused on operations, safety and health protocols and academic and student life.

At the heart of this, we need to support the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and community while providing an education and supporting our outreach and research agendas that are driving the public good, Rogers said. That is why Bowling Green State University exists and we must continue to focus on the power of what a university like Bowling Green State University can do for our communities and the world.
If youre struggling to know what to watch next, we offer you our take on 10 intricate crime dramas from different OTT platforms that are certain to elevate your viewing experience.

MindHunter

This series focuses on the development by two agents, of a new criminal field and does so through story lines of visiting the sociopathic mind. Mindhunter is based on the 1996 book Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit, by former special agent John Douglas and Mark Olshaker.

Streaming platform: Netflix

Perry Mason

Set in 1932 Los Angeles, this HBO miniseries focuses on the origin story of famed defense lawyer Perry Mason, based on characters from Erle Stanley Gardner's novels. Living check-to-check as a low-rent private investigator, Mason is haunted by his wartime experiences in France and suffering the effects of a broken marriage. L.A. is booming while the rest of the country recovers from the Great Depression.

Streaming Platform: Disney+Hotstar

Why Women Kill

An anthology series that follows three women in different decades all living in the same house, as they deal with infidelity and betrayals in their marriages. the series depicts the events leading to a death that occurs after the respective husbands of three married women commit adultery.

Streaming Platform: Voot Select

4 Blocks

Set in the Berlin borough of Neukolln, this German-language crime drama follows the leader of a Lebanese drug cartel who wants to leave behind the violent way of life for a peaceful existence with his wife and their daughter, but is reluctantly pulled in after a police operation threatens everything.

Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Asur

Set in the backdrop of the mystical city of Varanasi, Asur follows Nikhil Nair, a forensic-expert-turned-teacher, who returns to his roots at the Central Bureau of Investigation, and along with his former mentor Dhananjay Rajpoot, finds himself caught in a cat-and-mouse game with a brutal serial killer. What follows is a blend of suspense, mythology, and the murders of some people totally unrelated.

Streaming Platform: Voot Select

Aarya

After her pharma baron husband Tej Sareen is murdered by a masked man, Aarya takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of the truth and bring the culprit to justice. But Tej  and the rest of the clan  had secrets of his own.

Streaming Platform: Disney+Hotstar

Elementary

Following his fall from grace in London and a stint in rehab, eccentric Sherlock escapes to Manhattan where his wealthy father forces him to live with his worst nightmare - a sober companion, Dr. Watson. A successful surgeon until she lost a patient and her license three years ago, Watson views her current job as another opportunity to help people, as well as paying a penance.

Streaming Platform: Voot Select

Ozark

After a money laundering scheme for a Mexican drug cartel goes wrong, financial advisor Martin "Marty" Byrde proposes to make amends by offering to set up a bigger laundering operation in the Lake of the Ozarks region of central Missouri.

Streaming Platform: Netflix

Mirzapur

Mirzapur recounts to the narrative of two siblings Guddu and Bablu who become involved with a universe of drugs, firearms, and viciousness after they get to know Munna the child of Mafia supervisor Akhandanand Tripathi.

Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video

The Raikar Case

The series tells the story of an influential Naik Raikar who lives in Goa. When the youngest son of the family -- Tarun Naik Raikar dies, and the reported suicide turns out to be a murder, family secrets suppressed for years start tumbling out.

Streaming Platform: Voot Select
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Linkedin Allan Policarpio (Inquirer.net/Asia News Network)  Fri, July 17, 2020 14:04 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066717e6d 2 Entertainment Naya-Rivera,Glee,actor,united-states,television,Harry-Shum-Jr,Chris-Colfer,Amber-Riley Free

Powerful and fearless. Radiant and talented. Quick-witted and wickedly funny. A true friend, a devoted mother, an incredible woman.

This is how the cast of the hit musical drama series Glee will remember their costar Naya Rivera, who reportedly drowned after saving her 4-year-old son, Josey, in a boating accident in Lake Piru, California.

Her body was found by search teams on July 13, a week after she was reported missing and presumed dead. She was 33.

For Chris Colfer, expressing his love and respect for Naya, and summarizing their decade-worth of friendship in one Instagram post simply isnt enough.

Her brilliance and humor were unmatched; her beauty and talent were otherworldly. She spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness, he said of Naya, who started out as a child actress before gaining worldwide recognition for playing cheerleader Santana in Glee.

She could turn a bad day into a great day with a single remark. She inspired and uplifted people without even trying, added Chris, who played Kurt Hummel. Being close to her was both a badge of honor and a suit of armor. She was truly one of a kind and she always will be.

Amber Riley (Mercedes) still couldnt process her emotions. My favorite duet partner. I love you. I dont have the words right now  just a lot of feelings, she said on Instagram. Rest in peace, Angel, and know that your family will never have to worry about everything.

Kevin McHale (Artie) has always known Naya as a strong and independent woman. That shes no longer with them in this world is unimaginable for him.

For having such a tiny body, Naya had such a gigantic presence. A void will now be felt by all of usthose of us who knew her personally and the millions of you who loved her through your TVs, he wrote on Instagram.

Kevin will always be in awe of Nayas talent and uncanny ability to memorize crazy monologues, which she never messed up during her scenes.

She was the single most quick-witted person I have ever met, with a steel-trap memory  I mean, she was clearly more talented than the rest of us. She was the most talented person I have ever known, he said. There was nothing she couldnt do, and Im furious we wont get to see more.

But perhaps more importantly, Naya was as brilliant a performer as she was as a mother.

The way she loved her boy  it was truly Naya at her most peaceful. Im thankful that she got that beautiful little boy back on the boat. Im thankful that he will have a strong family around him to protect him and tell him about his incredible mom, he said.

Amber, Chris and Kevin were among the Glee stars who trooped to the lake in solidarity with Nayas family. They were then spotted on the shore, standing side by side and holding hands, as they mourned and bid farewell to Naya.

This is the third time tragedy befell the cast of the popular series: Cory Monteith (Finn) died of drug intoxication in 2013; Mark Salling (Puck) died in 2018 in an apparent suicide, after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.

Other Glee alums who publicly grieved and paid tribute to Naya were Harry Shum Jr. (Mike), Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina), and Darren Criss (Blaine), who was gutted beyond description and struggling to comprehend Nayas death.

Naya made me laugh like no one else on that set. I always said it while we were working together and I have maintained it ever since. Her playful, wicked sense of humor never ceased to bring a smile to my face, he wrote on Instagram. She played by her own rules and was in a class of her own. She had a brashness about her that I couldnt help but be enchanted by.

He also admired the way she took care and looked after her family and friends. She showed up for me on numerous occasions where she didnt have to, and I was always so grateful for her friendship then, as I certainly am now, Darren said.

Jenna described Naya as a lightning force. Everyone who got to be around you knew it and felt the light and joy you exuded when you walked into a room. You shone onstage and onscreen and radiated with love behind closed doors, she wrote on Instagram.

I cant believe I took for granted that you would always be here. Our friendship went in waves as life happened and we grew, so I will not look back and regret, she added. But know that I love you and promise to help the legacy of your talent, humor, light and loyalty live on. Youre so loved.

Like Kevin, Harry will never forget the exceptional acting and vocal skill Naya displayed on set.

You were a beast on the show. I admired you as I watched you nail multi-page monologues you learned moments before, and pour your heart into every performance with an energy that had that snicks special written all over it, he wrote on Instagram.

Harry also vowed to cherish the moments he spent with Naya talking about each others hopes, dreams and futures.

Im sorry, but you deserved more. You gave life your all and I hope all the good you have given to the world will be returned in abundance, he added. Im so grateful for our memories. We will make sure to keep your legacy and spirit alive, so Josey will grow up to know the incredible woman you were.

Topics :

This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
Ahead of the September 19, 2020 governorship election in Edo State, the Labour Party has said that voters in the state are interested in only candidates with the pedigree, character and antecedent that can sustain and improve on the present level of development in Edo State, noting that the people will resist the antics of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in the forthcoming poll.

In a statement, the party said it is paradoxical that the APC can present to Edo voters, Ize-Iyamu, a man being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for N700 million fraud, adding that politics ought to be a game for decent men and women as well as people of integrity and honour.

The statement was jointly signed by the state party chairman, Comrade Oghalol K.S.E; National Secretary, Barrister Abure Julius and the partys governorship candidate, Dr. Isaiah Osifo, Ph.D, JP.

The party noted: In our previous engagement with the public through a press conference, we insisted that the APC was taking Edo State voters for granted by blowing hot and cold at the same time. The man you are prosecuting for stealing public funds is the same person you are presenting to Edo people to be voted as governor.

In the upcoming campaign for the number one seat in Edo State, Edo people will watch out for the messenger and the message itself. In other words, the credibility, dignity, legacies of the campaigners are as important as the campaign promises.

Describing the appointment of Abdullahi Ganduje, the Governor of Kano State as the Chairman of APC Campaign Committee for Edo State as a minus and disservice to the APC, the Labour Party said: It is already evident that the APC is not interested in good governance, the rule of law, equity, good conscience and development of our state but to capture power for the benefit of the few.

Edo People are conscious and recall the video where Abdullahi Ganduje was captured receiving bribe from a contractor in Kano State. We have not forgotten how he dethroned and removed the immediate past Emir of Kano Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, for standing by the people to criticise his unpopular policies and underdevelopment of that state.

Edo State, unfortunately for the APC, has the history of fighting corrupt leadership and politicians. Edo people have high regards for their traditional institutions and revere their Obas and Kings. Edo people have fought political battles and will resist the antics of the APC in Edo State in the 2020 poll.

The statement further reads: The insults and empty rhethorics of Osagie Ize-lyamu and his campaign workers against the candidate of the Labour Party have not addressed the mess of the APC and did not solve the obvious disability of the candidacy of Osagie Ize-Iyamu. APC has no facts, no logic and is unwilling to present the character and antecedents of its governorship candidate for public scrutiny.

Edo State is a decent society and we are a decent people and we should in entirety reject APC and its governorship candidate. We call on Edo people to remain resolute and firm in their resolve to do away with the APC and its candidate on the 19th of September 2020. Edo people must vote for a candidate with the pedigree and capacity to reposition the state for service delivery.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Euro Manganese Inc. (TSX-V / ASX: EMN) (the "Company" or "EMN") is pleased to announce it has increased its previously announced private placement (the "Offering") to 66,202,210 common shares (each a "Share") for aggregate gross proceeds of C$4.04 million (A$4.27 million). As previously announced, net proceeds of the Offering will be used by the Company to further progress its Chvaletice Manganese Project in the Czech Republic (the "Project"), including advancing the feasibility study and Environmental Impact Assessment, and for other general corporate purposes.



Pursuant to the Offering, the Company now intends to issue 11,979,682 Shares and 54,222,528 CHESS Depositary Interests ("CDIs", with each CDI representing one Share), at a price of C$0.061 per Share or A$0.065 per CDI. The Offering will close in two tranches. The first tranche, which closed on July 9, 2020, comprised 5,155,738 Shares and 16,344,262 CDIs. The second tranche will now consist of the issuance of 6,823,944 Shares and 37,878,266 CDIs for aggregate gross proceeds of C$2.73 million, such tranche being subject to shareholder approval under the rules of the Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX") to be sought at a meeting of shareholders to be held by the Company in August 2020.

Fees payable in connection with the Offering remain the same as previously announced. While CDIs issued pursuant to the Offering will be free-trading, the Shares issued will be subject to a four month and one day statutory hold period. The Offering remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV").

Securities to be issued under the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. Persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States, nor will there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Euro Manganese:

Euro Manganese Inc. is a Canadian mineral resource company focused on the development of the Chvaletice Manganese Project in the Czech Republic. The Project will recycle historic mine tailings that host Europe's largest manganese deposit and result in an environmental remediation of this site. The European Union is emerging as a major electric vehicle manufacturing hub. EMN's goal is to become the preferred supplier of sustainably-produced ultra-high-purity manganese products for the lithium-ion battery industry and for producers of specialty steel, high-technology chemicals and aluminum alloys.

Authorized for release by the CEO of Euro Manganese Inc.

Contact: Euro Manganese Inc. Marco A. Romero Fausto Taddei President & CEO VP Corporate Development & Corporate Secretary +604-681-1010 ext. 101 +604-681-1010 ext. 105

E-mail: info@mn25.ca

Website: www.mn25.ca

Company address:

1500  1040 West Georgia Street,

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6E 4H8

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, the Project, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

Such forward-looking information or statements relate to future events or future performance about the Company and its business and operations, which include, among other things, statements with respect to the continued development of the Project, statements with respect to the partner selection process, its corporate strategy moving forward, any transactions arising from the process, the completion of the second tranche of Offering, the anticipated closing date of the second tranche of the Offering, receipt of TSXV, ASX and shareholder approvals for the Offering, the holding of the shareholders meeting and the use of proceeds of the Offering.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking statements and information involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed under "Risks Notice" and elsewhere in the Company's MD&A for the year ended September 30, 2019 and its most recent Annual Information Form.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange), or the ASX accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Dilday, a member of a longtime Long Beach family, died unexpectedly of a heart attack in his sleep at his home Jan. 10, according to his wife, Diane.
Scottish and UK Governments Clash Over Post-Brexit Powers

Sputnik News

20:20 GMT 16.07.2020

The UK government has published plans for an internal national market to ensure goods move freely between all four UK nations following the Brexit transition period. To ensure a level playing field in the market, however, each UK nation must agree to accept goods from every part of the country, even if they have different local standards.

Downing Street's plans for distributing new post-Brexit powers among the UK nations has sparked a fresh row between the Scottish and UK governments.

This comes after London published a white paper on Thursday with proposals for how the internal UK market will operate after the Brexit transition period ends.

What does the White Paper say?

The UK government's white paper unveiled plans that would see Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments handed powers in areas such as air quality and animal welfare, that were previously regulated by the EU, after the Brexit transition period ends.

These are part of measures to legislate an internal market that would see goods move freely within the country followingf the termination of the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December.

In particular, Downing Street proposed that food labelling, energy efficiency and support for farmers be controlled by Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each member of the commonwealth will also have to agree to accept goods from other parts of the UK, even if they have different local standards. This is to ensure a "level playing field" in the UK internal market, according to London.

Scotland seems to be against

Cabinet Officer Michael Gove insisted that "a score of new powers" would be transferred to the Scottish government.

But Scottish Constitution Secretary Mike Russell described this as a "lie", saying that powers would really be taken away.

"The list of powers that's been issued by the UK government is simply dishonest. It's one of the most shocking pieces of dishonesty I've seen from a government", Russell said. "It's a mishmash of things the Scottish Parliament already has, things they've already decided we won't have because of the frameworks, and things that could be automatically overridden by a decision by the UK government to take a power away."

The SNP's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, described the plans as "the greatest assault on devolution" since Holyrood reconvened in 1999.

Blackford worries that "a reduction of standards in one part of the UK" will drive down standards in other regions, and accused the Conservative government of "selling out UK food standards" in return for a US trade deal.

His comments refer to the UK government's proposed dual tariff regime that could see products such as chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef imported from the US as part of a proposed trade deal.

A Sputnik

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 18:12:09|Editor: huaxia

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KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, if signed, could contribute to the post-pandemic recovery in the region, with China's economic growth in the recent quarter being a "convincing reassurance" for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an expert has told Xinhua.

Ong Tee Keat, founding chairman of the Center for New Inclusive Asia Studies, a think tank based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, said that the recently concluded 36th ASEAN Summit further reaffirmed the commitment of ASEAN and its partners to upholding an open, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system through the RCEP.

"This is particularly timely and crucial to ASEAN against the backdrop of a gloomy global economy in the post-COVID-19 era on one hand; and in the wake of rising de-globalization on the other," he noted.

Ong said he believes that this mammoth economic partnership will further transform the region into a global ASEAN, enhancing its significance in creating resilient supply chains worldwide.

"Optimistically, this may contribute to the challenging post-pandemic recovery," said the expert.

Once it takes effect, the RCEP could also bring benefits to ordinary people in ASEAN, Ong said, stressing that free trade market access with lower tariffs for the entire ASEAN is "all set to grow by leaps and bounds."

"This would hopefully translate into more job creation, higher GDP growth, and speedier poverty reduction to the ASEAN of 650 million people," he added.

The economic ties between ASEAN and China will also be further strengthened, as countries across the region are seeking recovery from the COVID-19 shock, the expert said.

According to data from China's General Administration of Customs, China's trade with ASEAN stood at 2.09 trillion yuan (299 billion U.S. dollars) in the first six months, up 5.6 percent year-on-year, making ASEAN China's biggest trading partner in this period.

China had posted a positive growth of 3.2 percent in the second quarter this year, which "clearly signifies that China is now on the threshold of economic recovery," while the rest of the world, including the United States and the developed West, still remains in the economic doldrums with negative growth, Ong said.

Noting that the region is now endeavoring to usher in a strong and resilient economic recovery in the post-COVID-19 period, Ong said "this could only be facilitated through enhanced cooperation and coordination as well as sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth following the crisis."

"Undeniably, China is the only partnering nation which is now ready with economic prowess to meet ASEAN's aspirations," the expert added. Enditem
A Ryanair aircraft flying from London to Norway has landed safely at Oslo's main airport after receiving a bomb threat while in the air and a suspect has been arrested, Norwegian police said on Friday.

Danish F-16 military aircraft scrambled to escort the plane to Norway, The Danish Defence Command said on its Twitter account.

The situation is under control and police have arrested a 51-year-old British man on suspicion of being behind the threat, the police said in a statement.

The aircraft will now be examined by the emergency squad and bomb group, the police said, adding all passengers were safely evacuated.

There were 142 passengers on board, plus an undisclosed number of crew members, a senior police official told Norwegian media.

"Crew on a Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Oslo today discovered a note that claimed there was a potential security threat on board," a Ryanair spokeswoman said in an email to Reuters.

"The captain followed procedures and continued to Oslo airport where the plane landed safely. Customers remained on board while authorities carried out a security search," she added. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Students will need to wear masks, schools should stagger class times as much as possible, and parents will be asked to screen their kids for coronavirus symptoms before sending them to school.

These are some of the recommendations for schools issued by the Wolf administration Thursday. Schools are facing the challenge of planning for the new school year amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

With the arrival of COVID-19, Gov. Tom Wolf closed schools in mid-March, forcing the states 1.8 million students to learn remotely for the remainder of the year. Many schools plan to re-open in August and are planning for in-person classes, or a mix of face-to-face instruction and remote learning.

State Education Secretary Pedro Rivera and State Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine hosted a joint media call Thursday to outline guidance to schools for the coming school year. They stressed the goal and importance of opening schools for face-to-face instruction, although they also encouraged schools to plan options for remote learning and a hybrid of in-person classes and online courses.

Levine stressed the actions Pennsylvanians take now will have a big impact on whether students can return to school in the fall or will have to engage in remote instruction, as they did in the spring. Levine urged residents to wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid people and places that arent requiring masks or social distancing.

There are things people can do right now to help our kids get back to the classroom, Levine said.

The guidelines calls for social distancing and using larger rooms and gyms for classes where possible. They also encourage virtual events for extracurricular activities.

Here are the guidelines for schools from the Wolf administration.

Masks must be worn by students and staff at school and on the bus as required by the expanded mask order signed by Levine on July 1, with some exceptions. Masks can be removed to eat or drink. Students with disabilities who cant wear masks wont be required to do so, Levine said.

Parents or caregivers should do a daily symptom screening of their children before sending them to school.

Students, teachers and other staff are urged to follow social distancing throughout the day with 6 feet of separation between desks and other seating.

Where possible, schools should hold classes in gyms, auditoriums, other large spaces or outdoors, where physical distancing can be maintained.

Student seating should be facing in the same direction.

Limit student interactions by staggering class times, creating one-way walking patterns in hallways, and, when feasible, keeping students in a classroom and rotating teachers instead.

For breakfast and lunch, consider serving individually packaged meals in classrooms and avoid across-the-table seating. If meals are served in a cafeteria, sit students at least 6 feet apart.

Limit the number of students on playgrounds at one time and encourage social distancing.

Encourage the use of virtual gatherings, events, and extracurricular activities.

Ultimately, Rivera said school districts must make the best choices for their communities. He said a one-size-fits-all approach wont work.

What school leaders have to do is take all of the data .. and make decisions that best represent the needs of their communities, Rivera said.

While schools need to plan for different scenarios based on the realities of the pandemic, Levine stressed the value of in-person instruction.

Being back in school is the best outcome for children. They gain so much in terms of education, Levine said.

The guidance comes as Wolf just imposed new restrictions on restaurants and bars due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. In a news conference Wednesday, Wolf said hed consider moving to remote learning if cases continue rising but he said parents and teachers could force the issue if they dont feel safe going to school.

On Wednesday, the Philadelphia School District announced that city students will attend classes in person twice a week, while getting remote instruction three days a week.

School districts, charter schools, cyber charter schools, career and technical centers and intermediate units have been directed to develop a health and safety plan. School boards or local governing bodies must review the plans and make them available online before bringing students and staff back to campus.

Dr. David Rubin, a pediatrician at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, said the state needs to ensure cases dont surge if schools are to open in the fall.

If we do not get community disease transmission rates down, were really threatening the most important re-openings that you have coming around Labor Day, Rubin said Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Wolf said hes issuing an order limiting bars and restaurants to 25 percent of their occupancy limits, down from 50 percent. Hes also requiring consumers at bars and restaurants to order food if theyre buying alcoholic drinks; bar service is prohibited and restaurants must order sit-down meals. Bars that dont serve food will have to close, he said.

Levine and health officials say theyre troubled by the rise in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. Over the last week, the state has reported, on average, about 800 cases a day. For much of June, the state reported less than 500 cases per day. State officials said theyre particularly concerned to see the uptick in cases involving younger adults.

Since the pandemic emerged in mid-March, more than 98,000 people have contracted the coronavirus and nearly 7,000 deaths have been tied to COVID-19, according to the health department.

More from PennLive

Wolf willing to pull the plug on school reopening if new COVID surge cant be stopped

Pa. State System of Higher Education exploring costs of combining some universities

Coronavirus in Pa.: 781 new cases reported, statewide total rises to 98,446
A Cabot Oil Gas Corp. wellhead in Dimock, Pa., on Feb. 13, 2012. Cabot Oil Gas Corp. was charged June 15, 2020, following a grand jury investigation, and had previously been fined by Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection in 2010. Read more

As former secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection from January 2011 to April 2013, I issued a response to the recent grand jury report on fracking. The report from the Attorney Generals Office paints a deeply negative picture of the DEPs work in this area. My response outlined the departments record in strongly enforcing existing law, making new rules, and fining violators. I sought to defend the professionalism and integrity of DEP personnel, past and present. It was also to set the record straight  with facts  on what I see as falsehoods and exaggerations in the grand jury report.

The report unfairly besmirches all DEP personnel who have made environmental protection their lifes work and lifes passion. It would be no different than personally lambasting and questioning the integrity of the whole Attorney Generals Office because crime still exists. The people I knew and worked with at DEP never wavered from the law, never turned a blind eye to wrongdoing, and always kept the safety of Pennsylvanias citizens paramount.

 READ MORE: Damning report on Pa.s failure to protect residents from fracking unlikely to result in major reform

DEPs oversight of the industry was diligent, vigilant, and innovative. While I was secretary, our oil and gas program was reviewed and received high marks for all aspects of its oil and gas regulatory program from an independent reviewing organization. We innovated by, for example, issuing a call to drillers to stop taking drilling wastewater to older treatment plants that could not adequately treat the water to render it clean. They complied, and we accomplished in weeks what would have taken years to do through DEP enforcement litigation or new regulation.

Where the data collected from our inspections warranted, we were vigorous in our enforcement. During my tenure, for example, we issued a $1.088 million fine against Chesapeake Energy Corp. for a well pad fire in Washington County, the largest permissible under the Oil and Gas Act. The CEO of PennFuture at the time said, The amount is large enough to get the attention of other drilling companies and should restore public confidence in DEPs commitment to strong enforcement.

It is ironic that two additional matters the grand jury addressed were dealt with by DEP years ago. In 2010, DEP required Cabot Oil & Gas to pay affected residents in Dimock, Pa., over $4 million; the AG announced 15 criminal counts against Cabot in the recent report. In 2014, in a case that began under my tenure, DEP issued a $4.15 million fine against Range Resources for the same surface impoundments that Range now has to pay a settlement of $150,000 to resolve the grand jury charges.

 READ MORE: Pa. grand jury indicts fracking. Now what? | Will Bunch Newsletter

The grand jury report also fails to note that during my tenure, we implemented one of the first air permits for drilling that controlled methane emissions, wrote a new general waste management permit for drilling, created a new deputy secretary for oil and gas, which gave gas regulation a more prominent place within DEP, and started the process for a new comprehensive set of regulations for surface activities, which became law in 2016 as Chapter 78a. The report also missed that the state legislature passed, and the governor signed into law, Act 13 in 2012, significantly strengthening protections in multiple respects. DEPs own current website praises Act 13 as enacting stronger environmental standards.

The Wolf administration minced no words in lambasting the report. DEPs 56-page response is blistering, stating, among other things, that the grand jury was not provided accurate information, and the report itself is unreliable, crowded with factual inaccuracies, confusingly articulates the relevant law, is not at all informed by applicable law or facts, paints a false picture of DEP, is based upon untested anecdotal accounts from a limited group of witnesses, and is a disservice to the public.

It is noteworthy that most of the grand jurys recommendations are legislative measures, not steps that DEP independently can take. While disservice to the public are strong words, I do agree with the Wolf administrations evaluation that the grand jury report misses the opportunity to provide helpful and constructive input to improve DEPs regulation of oil and gas activities. The grand jury report system can do good work to improve government, but here, Pennsylvanians deserved better.

Mike Krancer was the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection from January 2011 to April 2013.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran on Thursday denied that U.S. forces had seized a boat carrying Iranian weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen, saying the charge was aimed at extending a U.N. arms embargo on Tehran.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in Washington on Wednesday that U.S. and unidentified allied forces had interdicted a vessel off Yemen's coast on June 28 that was carrying Iranian arms to the Houthis.

"Lying, accusations and spreading hatred are key elements of America's foreign policy, especially in the current regime," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said, quoted by state television. "Pompeo's remarks stem from this approach."

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has taken a hardline with the United Nations to push it to strengthen the embargo on Iran, saying that lifting it would allow Tehran to acquire weapons that could fuel conflicts in the Middle East.

"Americans are trying to provide excuses to continue their maximum pressure on Iran, advance their malicious goals and to extend the arms embargo on Iran," Mousavi said.

Relations between the longtime foes have worsened since 2018 when Trump abandoned an international accord under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear work in return for the lifting of sanctions.

The United States has reimposed sanctions to throttle Iran's oil trade and pressure Tehran to renegotiate the deal, give up its ballistic missiles, and cease its involvement in regional wars.

Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have been fighting the Yemeni government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, since 2015. It denies charges by Saudi Arabia and the United States that it gives financial and military support to the Houthis.

"The United States and Saudi Arabia have imposed a siege on the Yemeni people," Mousavi said. "With such baseless accusations, they are trying to evade accountability and responsibility for their crimes in Yemen."

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Angus MacSwan)




State prosecutors questioned the founder of a minor religious sect Friday over alleged obstruction of the government's efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.







Lee Man-hee, the leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, is being questioned at the Suwon District Prosecutors Office in Suwon, south of Seoul, on charges of breaking the country's infectious disease control and prevention laws.







Lee, 89, is suspected of submitting false documents to health authorities on the number of participants at the sect's gatherings and where the gatherings took place. He is also suspected of destroying evidence to prepare for a possible probe.







A Shincheonji official confirmed that Lee is attending the questioning, adding that this was the first questioning by prosecutors.







The fringe religious sect was at the center of the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea in February-March. Some 4,000 followers, most of whom were from its branch in the southeastern city of Daegu, were infected with the coronavirus.







South Korea has reported more than 13,600 cases of the coronavirus as of Friday. More than 5,000 of them are infections associated with Shincheonji. (Yonhap)


BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry firmly condemns the fact that President of Frances Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region Laurent Wauquiez made an absolutely false and biased statement distorting the essence of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as pf the military provocation launched by the Armenian armed forces on the border between the two countries on July 12, the ministry told Trend on July 17.

"The fact that the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, predominantly populated by the Armenians, in which Wauquiez is the president known for his pro-Armenian position, has signed 10 charters on cooperation with the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, clearly demonstrates the biased position of the head of the region, the ministry said.

This statement that justifies Armenias aggressive policy, which occupied the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, and grossly violates the norms and principles of international law, is ninconsistent with the spirit of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and France, and it is also a big blow to the position of France as co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, added the ministry.

This one-sided and far from reality position of the president of the second biggest region of France undermines the confidence of the Azerbaijani public in France as an impartial co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the ministry said. The statement contradicts the obligations of France at the international, European, bilateral and national levels.

The Azerbaijani side expects France, as co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, to take real steps towards the conflict settlement, as well as take all necessary measures to suppress any activity of some representatives of certain French structures that encourage the so-called 'structure' in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, the ministry said.
At first glance, a pair of conservative-leaning entrepreneurs might seem like unlikely guardians of the progressive values of the Toronto Star.

But thats just what Jordan Bitove and Paul Rivett say they are, after being anointed the preferred bidders for Torstar, the newspapers publisher, last weekend.

Barring an unforeseen twist, the company will be theirs, thanks to lock-in provisions in their latest 74-cent-a-share bid, submitted last Saturday through NordStar Capital, that prevent rival bids from being considered by the two main shareholders.

But questions are now arising about a second proposal to buy Torstar that became public late last week, from surprise bidder Canadian Modern Media Holdings (CMMH).

The second group of suitors say they were prepared to offer much more for Torstar, with investment banker Neil Selfe, a member of the bidding team, claiming they were ready to go as high as 80 cents per share  higher than NordStars 74 cents. He has publicly asked why Torstars owners would lock into a lower bid if (they) were focused on maximizing shareholder value.

Selfes claim has set off a public debate over who submitted what bid when: Both Torstars chair and NordStar say no firm bid was ever tabled for 80 cents.

Meanwhile, some industry observers say there might be another reason the NordStar bid was locked in 48 hours before this past Mondays deadline: Sometimes, its not all about the money.

Torstar chairman John Honderich flatly disputes Selfes claim that CMMH made a firm superior offer. He says that Selfes group began with a proposal for 72 cents a share, plus contingent value rights (CVRs) that could be worth as much as 50 cents a share, and that they hadnt improved the cash portion of the offer before the revamped NordStar bid came in, despite being given the opportunity.

There was no 80-cent offer on the table when we made our decision. All we had was an offer for 72 cents and CVRs. We went back to Selfe twice on Saturday to urge him to increase the cash component of his bid. He didnt. Only after the improved offer from NordStar became public did he then take a pen, scratch out 72 and put in 80, and then send it to us, Honderich said.

By that point, the voting trust and Fairfax had already signed hard lock-ups guaranteeing their support for the improved NordStar bid, Honderich said.

Former Ontario premier David Peterson, whos part of the NordStar bid, said in an emailed statement that the CMMH bid couldnt have been better because it was never made official.

There was no other binding offer on the table. A non-binding proposal is not a superior offer. A binding offer includes a legal commitment with financing. Unlike NordStar, CMMH group never made a binding offer and never publicly disclosed a source of financing, said Peterson.

A source, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said CMMH asked Torstar for an assessment of the value of the contingent value rights  which can mean extra money for shareholders if a specified milestone is met in the future  before considering a raised bid, but the group did not receive one. The source added that the only thing missing to make the CMMH bid legally binding was a signature page which was being held in escrow pending the value rights assessment.

Multiple sources have confirmed to the Star that CMMHs bid was being financed by Canadian Western Bank, an Alberta-based business bank. Selfe declined to comment for this story, citing nondisclosure agreements.

Whether or not the owners of Torstar could have gotten a higher bid from CMMH  and whether that bid would actually be successfully financed  may never be known. But observers note that, as with any sale, money isnt the only consideration.

Sources say the five families who have long controlled Torstars A-class shares were concerned that the new owners maintain the Stars progressive values, in particular the Atkinson Principles which have guided the Stars journalism for decades.

Torstar is more than a corporate entity, it is also one of the largest publishers in the country. If the decision to sell considered both principles and cold, hard cash, thats fine with journalism industry watchers like Tim Currie, head of the journalism program at the University of Kings College in Halifax.

Its pretty clear that the legacy of the Atkinson Principles are very important to the families, and it certainly seems from the outside as though thats a reason why they may have left some money on the table, said Currie.

Not that the bottom line isnt a factor, acknowledged James Compton, an associate professor at Western Universitys Faculty of Information and Media Studies.

Has Torstar been concerned with making money? Of course. But theyve invested money in journalism, and like any good news organization, had a core set of values.  In their case, thats the Atkinson Principles, said Compton, a former journalist who specializes in studying the Canadian media industry.

Keeping up those progressive values and journalism also make solid business sense, argues Allan Thompson, director of Carleton Universitys journalism program.

I think the Star has enormous value as a brand  and that brand is as a progressive voice which invests in journalism, said Thompson, a former Star reporter. Its not just the political perspective, its the fact theyve been willing to invest in good journalism.

That has meant, Compton said, that the Star has partly avoided the fate of many American media organizations which have cut staff to the bone after getting taken over by hedge funds and private equity firms. That trend is something Compton said has also loomed as a danger in Canada, where the majority of Postmedia shares are controlled by U.S.-based hedge fund Chatham Asset Management. (Last week, Chatham also won a bankruptcy court auction for the McClatchy newspaper chain in the U.S.).

The prospect of the Star falling into similar hands is something Compton worries about. In many cases, the debt loads assumed by new owners after takeovers have been crippling to newsrooms.

This is a problem across North America. Value is being extracted and not put back into the newsrooms. Value is being extracted to make the debt payments. The business model is stripping assets, cutting costs and making debt payments, said Compton.

The fact that NordStars bid financing comes from Canso Investment Counsel  also Postmedias largest debt holder  has stoked fears that NordStar plans to eventually sell the Star to Postmedia. That fear has been articulated by, among others, former Ontario finance minister Greg Sorbara, whos part of the CMMH bid team.

NordStar has previously said through a spokesperson that it intends to pay back a significant amount of its Canso loan when the deal closes, and that the financing doesnt mean theres a merger coming.

Let us be absolutely clear: The financing arrangements for the NordStar bid are not, in anyway whatsoever, connected directly or indirectly with any other media company, a NordStar spokesperson said in late May, after Cansos involvement became public.

Private equity executive Stuart Browne doesnt think NordStar bought Torstar to merge the Star with Postmedia.

I dont see any evidence that theres a consolidation play here. As long as they keep making their debt payments, theres nothing that Canso could do, said Browne, CEO of Pycap Venture Partners and a lecturer at York Universitys Schulich School of Business.

Instead, said Browne, NordStar likely intends to boost the Stars efforts to attract more digital subscribers, while selling some non-core assets, such as its stake in digital community discussion board VerticalScope.

Its also not a coincidence, Browne argued, that the deal is happening during a global pandemic.

The industry has been in distress anyway, and then COVID hit, so I think they saw value at these prices, said Browne, adding that there could be some cost-cutting to reduce the companys losses.

The NordStar team did not comment on their long-term plans for Torstar when approached for this story, but after news of their then-63-cent bid became public in late May, Bitove and Rivett said they planned to boost the Stars digital offerings and said they werent planning big cuts.

Our focus is on the Stars journalism and digital transformation. And you need capital to support that, said Bitove at the time. A report published in the Globe and Mail said Bitove and Rivett were seeking up to $100 million from the sale of non-core assets, but Bitove said theres no exact number.

You cant grow revenue on the back of cuts. We dont subscribe to cutting. But that said, we support management and we support (Torstar CEO) John Boynton and the team. So theres no current focus on that. Our current focus is that were excited to bring new potential revenue sources and partners to the business and find ways to grow, not cut, added Rivett.

While the Star doesnt have the digital subscription base of U.S. outlets such as The New York Times or The Washington Post, theres still hope for subscription growth, which could stem the losses Torstar has suffered over the last few years, University of Kings Colleges Currie argued. Just because people have been used to getting news online for free doesnt mean they wont ever pay for it.

As an industry, we made a huge mistake three decades ago in not monetizing online readership. But people used to get their music online for free. Now, theyre paying. Not as much as they should be, if you ask a lot of artists, but theyre paying, said Currie.
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T HE pressure rose on Barclays over its 1.5 billion court battle with Amanda Staveley today after one of the banks star witnesses changed his evidence the night before taking the stand.

David Forbes, formerly of Abu Dhabi government fund the International Petroleum Investment Company, had launched a scathing attack on Staveley over her role in a bailout of Barclays in 2008.

The essence of the case is that Staveley claims she is owed as an investor and a principal in the deal, while Barclays insists she was a mere introducer and, at times, an irritant.

Forbes branded Staveley a publicity seeker who would confidently make assertions which proved to lack any real foundation or which she would later contradict without realising.

Last night Staveleys lawyers moved to have his entire testimony struck from the record, noting that his written testimony about when and where he spoke to Staveley changed at the last minute.

While that is not unusual in high profile court cases, it poses a problem for the Barclays defence ahead of a key period in the trial.

Next week sees former UK Finance chief Stephen Jones give testimony. Jones, a former Barclays executive, stepped down from UK Finance after it emerged he had allegedly referred to Staveleys firm PCP Capital Partners as a bunch of scumbags.

The pushback on the evidence from Forbes was led by PCP lawyer Joe Smouha, QC.

He told: Mr Justice Waksman yesterday: We will, of course, be submitting that Mr Forbes evidence is wholly unreliable and that he has made untrue and serious allegations of dishonesty, which should never have been adopted by Barclays and that, both in his witness statement and in his evidence to his Lordship, your Lordship cannot accept a word of what he has said as honest or reliable.
Marceau personally smuggled at least 70 youngsters out of France and across the Alps to Switzerland, rescuing them from almost certain slaughter in the concentration camps

With a scarlet carnation sprouting from his battered top hat, Bip was once the most famous clown in the world.

Marcel Marceau, the actor who played Bip, didnt wear a red nose or drive a car that fell apart.

Instead, he created a silent and invisible world through mime  climbing stairs that were not there, fighting against a hurricane that only he could feel.

He moved with the grace of ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev and made audiences laugh with the ease of film star Charlie Chaplin.

But there was a sadness about Bips teardrop eyes and stark white face. Many guessed that Marceau, a Jew who was 16 when World War II broke out, never fully recovered from the horror of the Holocaust. His father, Charles Mangel, was murdered in Auschwitz.

What few knew was that the man beloved to millions as a clown was an unsung hero of the French Resistance who risked his life for years to fight the Nazis  and used his unique skills as an actor and comedian to help save the lives of hundreds of Jewish children.

Marceau personally smuggled at least 70 youngsters out of France and across the Alps to Switzerland, rescuing them from almost certain slaughter in the concentration camps. After the war, he rarely discussed his role in the Resistance.

Bip was a symbol of peace, he said, not a soldier. I dont like to speak about myself, he added modestly, because what I did humbly during the war was only a small part.

Now, 13 years after the actors death, the extraordinary untold story of how he used mime to defy Hitlers stormtroopers has been turned into a Hollywood film, starring Jesse Eisenberg as Marceau.

He was born in 1923, the son of a kosher butcher from Poland and his Ukrainian wife Anne, who fled West to escape anti-Semitism before World War I and settled in Strasbourg, on the French-German border.

What few knew was that the man beloved to millions as a clown was an unsung hero of the French Resistance who risked his life for years to fight the Nazis  and used his unique skills as an actor and comedian to help save the lives of hundreds of Jewish children. French Resistance members are pictured above

In May 1940, as the Germans rushed West to occupy the Netherlands and Belgium in a matter of days, the family fled to Limoges in central France, hoping Hitlers forces would not reach them. They had just two hours to pack their bags.

Marcels older cousin, Georges Loinger, a soldier with the French army, was captured and sent to a German prisoner-of-war camp.

A fanatical anti-Nazi, he escaped and made his way back to France, where he tracked down the Mangel family.

Marcel had to join the Resistance, he said  but the teenager was too young to join a guerrilla brigade. Instead, he had different skills that made him invaluable to the Free French Forces.

Since his mother first took him to the cinema aged five, Marcel was fascinated by Charlie Chaplin. The British silent comedian, beloved around the world as the Little Tramp in a shabby bowler hat and tail coat, made the boy cry with laughter.

After Adolf Hitler rose to power, Marcel would entertain his friends with a routine, imitating Chaplin as the Fuhrer . . . complete with stick-on moustache and penguin walk.

His hero worship grew into an obsession with the theatre and, by his teens, he was determined to be an actor  though his father wanted him to take over the butchers shop.

Marcel practised silent comedy every moment he got. He perfected Chaplins famous tap dance with two bread rolls impaled on forks. Children especially loved to watch him.

And so Loinger, a commander in a secret Jewish resistance unit called the Oeuvre de Secours aux Enfants (OSE, or Society for Rescuing Children), knew how Marcel could help him. At an orphanage in the Parisian suburb of Sevres, 90 Jewish children were being cared for in secret.

They could not go out, or even play noisily, for fear of being discovered. The OSE hoped to spirit them out of France to safety, but until then Marcel could entertain them.

The budding actor did more than that. Using his gift for communication without words, he began training the orphans in the art of staying silent  moving without noise, speaking in sign language.

His lessons quickly formed part of the OSE curriculum of physical education and survival skills, all aimed at helping the children stay alive during an escape.

Thanks to art lessons in Limoges, Marcel had another useful talent  as a forger. He began by altering his passport, giving himself a less obviously Jewish name.

His initials did not change, but Mangel became Marceau (chosen as a patriotic gesture, because one of Napoleons most celebrated generals was a Marceau).

With just ink and crayons, he began doctoring identification papers for dozens of young French people.

As German youths were drafted into Hitlers armies in their hundreds of thousands, German factories were short of labour, and the Reichstag issued orders to commandeer men and women in their late teens from the occupied countries.

Marceau altered the birth dates on official documents to make teenagers seem even younger than they were. Instead of being shipped off to be slave labourers on armaments production lines in Germany, the youngsters could remain in France  often to join the Resistance.

But by 1943, as the tide turned against the Germans and Hitler intensified his plans for mass murder of Jews across Europe, it became too dangerous for the OSEs orphaned children to remain in France. Jewish families were being rounded up and thrown into detention camps.

More than 75,000, about a quarter of the total Jewish population in France, were deported to concentration camps in the East  including more than 10,000 children. Barely three per cent survived to the end of the war.

One of the most active groups in the Jewish Resistance were the Scouts, under the banner of the Eclaireurs Israelites de France.

Georges Loinger was one of the secret armys senior officers, and now he urged Marcel, who had just turned 20, to take a party of 24 children on a hiking holiday in the Alps  then help them over the border to neutral Switzerland.

Since his mother first took him to the cinema aged five, Marcel was fascinated by Charlie Chaplin. The British silent comedian, above, beloved around the world as the Little Tramp in a shabby bowler hat and tail coat, made the boy cry with laughter

To the Nazis checking the youngsters forged documents, they were French Christian children setting off on a healthy, educational camping trip organised by the Scouts.

In the movie, Marceau and his friends have schooled the orphans in a repertoire of traditional French tunes. When suspicious Gestapo officers board the train, as they are about to set off for the mountains, the children burst into a boisterous rendition of the jamboree song Ging Gang Goolie.

What the movie doesnt show is the trick Marceau developed with his fellow Resistance fighter Georges Mora. Any genuine papers that the children needed for their new life in Switzerland were hidden inside sandwiches oozing with mayonnaise and wrapped in grease-proof paper  with a liberal smearing of mayonnaise on the outside, too.

German soldiers, who were expected to keep their uniforms immaculate at all times, hated to handle them.

They didnt want greasy smears on their starched tunics. Mora used the trick so often that his nickname was Mr Mayonnaise.

Decades later, Loinger remembered: The kids loved Marcel and felt safe with him. The kids had to appear like they were simply going on vacation to a home near the Swiss border, and Marcel really put them at ease.

He used silent communication to keep children quiet as they were escaping, added Philippe Mora, the son of Mr Mayonnaise, who grew up listening to his fathers war stories.

It had nothing to do with show business. He was miming for his life.

The Alps crossing went without a hitch, and Marceau undertook it twice more, enabling a total of 70 Jewish children to escape.

Beyond question, he saved their lives  and by teaching survival skills and supplying forged papers, he helped hundreds more to live through the Holocaust. The next year, his skills proved equally useful after he joined the Free French Forces led by Charles de Gaulle.

On one occasion, the Resistance fighters were dangerously outnumbered but were saved by Marceaus brilliance as a mime.

On the German border, with just a handful of young fighters, his Free French unit surprised a heavily armed platoon of Nazi troops. Instead of turning to run, Marceau took up an aggressive stance, shouting and beckoning as though he was about to lead a fearsome bayonet charge.

Now, 13 years after the actors death, the extraordinary untold story of how he used mime to defy Hitlers stormtroopers has been turned into a Hollywood film, starring Jesse Eisenberg as Marceau

Convinced they were outgunned, the Germans fled. After D-Day, Marceau was assigned as a liaison officer to General George Pattons Third Army.

Reports of his miming skills soon spread and he was rewarded with his first professional engagement  a panto performance before 3,000 American infantrymen.

My first review was in the U.S. Army paper Stars And Stripes, he liked to say.

After the war, he returned to Strasbourg. The house was still standing, but it had been stripped of all its furniture.

He learned of his fathers death, and the spectre of Auschwitz never left him.

The people who came back from the camps were never able to talk about it, he said. Perhaps that, unconsciously, contributed towards my choice of silence. Destiny permitted me to live. That is why I have to bring hope to people who struggle in the world.

Over the next 60 years, wearing Bips ridiculous outfit, Marceau developed dozens of mime routines  each one as choreographed and complex as a dance.

One of the most celebrated was called Bip Remembers. It began with the clown as a little boy, riding on a carousel and waving to his father.

Then war comes, and soldiers advance in waves, to be mowed down by machine-gun fire. Its a long way from the slapstick of the circus ring.

But because he needed no translation, Bip became an international star.

Marceau was eventually able to start his own theatre company, financed by solo tours and lucrative cabaret engagements.

In the late Fifties, he toured Japan to rapturous reviews, and ten years later was the darling of Hollywood  feted by Marlon Brando and Gary Cooper. Harpo Marx, another silent artiste, became a good friend.

Jane Fonda, then the biggest female name in movies, invited him to co-star in her bizarre sci-fi feature Barbarella.

Comedian Mel Brooks pleaded with him to appear in the 1976 feature Silent Movie: Marcel had a cameo, uttering the word No!  the only time he spoke on film.

He married (and divorced) three times, had four children and in later life was fond of comparing himself to Picasso, who also remained a genius into old age.

Modesty about his art never seemed necessary  but he never boasted about his wartime heroics.

In one of the last interviews before he died, Marcel made the border crossings sound humdrum. I went disguised as a Boy Scout leader, he said, and took Jewish kids, also in Scout uniforms, through the forests to the border, where someone else would take them into Switzerland.

Only once did he let slip a hint of how much his role meant to him. In 2001, aged 78, accepting the Raoul Wallenberg medal for his work with the Resistance, he said: There is a saying I would cite: Whoever saves a child, a woman, a man, saves humanity. 

Resistance, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Clemence Poesy, written and directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz, is available to stream online via YouTube Movies from 3.49.
Florida officials have shut down the state's emergency center after 12 staffers tested positive for coronavirus after passing screening protocols, as the state continues to see surges in cases and deaths.

The Tallahassee building is closed until Monday and will undergo a deep cleaning, according to the Division of Emergency Management, which operates the facility.

Employees for the state have been getting tested for COVID-19 twice a week since June, the Tampa Bay Times reports. The positive cases were found during these testings.

The Tallahassee building, currently operated by the Division of Emergency Management, will be closed until Monday

The dozen employees are said to have not shown symptoms, having also passed the building's screening protocols. Those protocols included a questionnaire and temperature checks, according to division director Jared Moscowitz.

All of the staff who tested positive are isolating at home and did not catch the virus from being in the building, Moscowitz added.

The closure comes as Florida has seen drastic surge in coronavirus cases, with the Florida Health Department reporting 322,994 positive cases and more than 4,912 deaths.

The numbers earlier in the day suggested that more than 650,000 people had tested positive with the virus, but a spokesperson for the health department told the Dailymail.com that that was a result of a 'technical issue'.

The dozen employees did not show any symptoms, having also passed the building's screening protocols. Those protocols included a questionnaire and temperature checks, according to division director Jared Moscowitz (pictured)

'There was a technical issue on the Florida Department of Health dashboard this morning causing incorrect data to be displayed,' the spokesperson said in an email.

'The Department has diagnosed and fixed the issue. The numbers on the dashboard are now correct.'

Florida's handling of the data has been drawn into question, especially after it was reported that a Florida scientist was fired for not manipulating the data.

The center, which typically is activated during hurricanes, was activated in March after the state had its first reported cases of the virus.

Staffers have been working around the clock at the facility and were brought in from multiple state agencies from various counties.

The center has been at its highest level - Level 1 - for longer than any other disaster in the state's history.

Workers have been allowed to bring their dogs to work and were allowed to find suitable adjustments to accommodate the stringent hours.

'There's no light at the end of the tunnel for them,' Moskowitz said.

Employees are working from home while the center undergoes its deep cleaning.

'The safety of my employees and their families is paramount,' Moskowitz said on Twitter. 'It is why we have had aggressive screening, temperature checks, since February, Mandatory masks and testing. We will continue to operate and respond throughout this period. We are all in this together.'
A 10-year-old boy has died after suffering injuries on a building site in Glasgow.

The victim, named in reports as Shea Ryan, was rushed to hospital after police and paramedics were called to Glenkirk Drive, Drumchapel, at about 9.55pm on Thursday.

He died a short time later. The death is not being treated as suspicious and the Health and Safety executive has been informed.

Shea's grandparents, Janis Meechan and William Brown, told BBC Scotland that he was a "good boy".

Police are investigating the incident / BBC News

Paying tribute on social media, one user wrote that Shea was the "brother I never had".

"Can't believe it, absolutely devastated, never in my life did I think that my beautiful, kind, caring wee cousin would be sent to heaven at this time of year and age," she wrote.

The boy was injured on a building site (BBC NEWS) / BBC news

I'll love you forever wee guy, forever 10, you were the wee brother I never had."

Another person said: "Sad news this morning in Drumchapel, thoughts go out the family. So young and so much ahead of the wee guy, fly high."

A different user added: "Terrible tragedy. God love you wee man".

Police Scotland said officers are establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident and enquiries are ongoing.
Oakland City Council agreed Thursday to pay $32.7 million to settle lawsuits filed on behalf of 32 of the 36 people killed in the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in 2016, city officials announced.

The settlement  with $23.5 million going to families of relatives who died in the blaze and $9.2 million going to Sam Maxwell, a survivor who the city says suffers from severe, lifelong injuries  comes almost four years after a fire engulfed the Fruitvale neighborhood warehouse during an electronic music event on Dec. 2, 2016.

Roughly 100 people attended the party when the fire broke out in the crowded warehouse.

The city continues to assert, as the agreement provides, that it is not liable for these tragic losses, Oakland city officials said in a statement. The city decided to settle this case because of the cost-benefit analysis.

Noah Berger / Special to The Chronicle

City officials said its total insurance coverage is $22 million. David Pereda, special counsel for the Oakland city attorneys office, told The Chronicle that funding for the settlements will come from the citys general fund.

Officials called the deadly fire a horrific tragedy that deeply impacted every corner of our community.

Mayor (Libby) Schaaf, the City Council, city attorney and city administrator express their deepest sympathies to Mr. Maxwell and the families, whose losses are unimaginable, they said in a statement.

Mary Alexander, a San Francisco attorney who represents the families of 13 people killed in the fire, told The Chronicle Thursday that loved ones were pleased, that to them, the city has done the right thing and has stepped up to compensate them for this terrible loss in their lives.

Alexander said the settlement also appears to mark a crucial moment of recognition by city officials, who family members view as key players in this tragedy, she 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.

During the five-month trial in 2019 in which Derick Almena and Max Harris were facing charges of involuntary manslaughter for each person who died in the blaze, defense attorneys said police, fire personnel and other city officials visited the warehouse multiple times before the deadly fire, but never formally flagged the location as being hazardous.

The parents can never be compensated entirely for the loss, Alexander said. There is no amount of money, but this is a sense of justice for them, and accountability on the part of the city.

Almena, the Ghost Ships master leaseholder and tenant who is charged in the deaths of those killed in the warehouse fire, was released from Santa Rita Jail in early May and is awaiting a second trial. In the first September 2019 trial, a jury deadlocked over the charges lodged against Almena.

City officials said Thursday that the retrial has been scheduled to begin in October. It was rescheduled because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has swept through jails and prisons in the Bay Area.

Almenas co-defendant Harris was acquitted of 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter in the first trial in September 2019. Harris was the Ghost Ships creative director and lived in the warehouse.

Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Friday, launched a scathing attack on the Modi government over its rule of the past six years in the country. He added that constant blunders since 2014 have left India vulnerable to such an attack. Gandhi, in a video posted on his official Twitter handle, mulled over the reasons that prompted China to take an aggressive stance against India over the past few months.

Beginning the video with a couple of questions around the Chinese offensive in the Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh, the Congress leader queried, "Why have the Chinese chosen to violate the LAC with India at this point in time? Why have the Chinese chosen this particular time to move against India? What is about India's situation that has made China act in such an aggressive way? What is it about this moment in time that has allowed them to have the confidence to make a move against a country like India?"

In order to understand the situation, Gandhi said, one has to look into multiple spaces. Touching upon several aspects, such as India's foreign policy, economy and relations with its neighbours, he enunciated that all have been destroyed by the Modi government over the past six years. This, Gandhi, added, led to the Chinese offensive along the line of actual control (LAC) in Ladakh.

Also Read: India-China standoff: Patriotic Ladakhis raising voice against Chinese encroachment, says Rahul Gandhi

Since 2014, the PM's constant blunders and indiscretions have fundamentally weakened India and left us vulnerable.



Empty words don't suffice in the world of geopolitics. pic.twitter.com/XM6PXcRuFh a Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 17, 2020

"Since 2014, the PM's constant blunders and indiscretions have fundamentally weakened India and left us vulnerable. Empty words don't suffice in the world of geopolitics," the Congress leader said in his tweet.

Foreign policy

Rahul Gandhi said, "A country is protected by its foreign relationships, its economy, neighbourhood and the feeling people have. Over the past 6 years, India has been disturbed and disrupted in each of these sectors."

Commenting on the Centre's foreign policies, Gandhi elucidated that earlier India had strategic partnerships with Russia, and the US, that have now become transactional relations. "Earlier, India could manoeuvre in geopolitics with the help of these relations but now India doesn't enjoy these partnerships anymore," he interpreted.

Relations with neighbours

The Congress leader went on to remark on India's present relations with its neighbours adding that the Modi government has managed to enrage Bhutan, Nepal, and even Sri Lanka. He added that these countries used to be friends with the country earlier.

Also Read: India-China standoff: 'Someone is lying,' says Rahul Gandhi; questions government

Gandhi further rued that the Indian economy that "we could boast about to the world" has seen its worst growth in 50 years. He added that "unemployment is highest in 40 years" and the economy "is an absolute disaster".Urging the government to take steps to boost the economy, the Congress leader underscored that the need of the hour is to "fire the economy" and "protect small businesses".The above three reasons (foreign policy, relations with neighbours, economy), Gandhi said, convinced China that this is the "best time to act".
A masked robber slipped a note to a Texas bank teller explaining he never received his coronavirus stimulus check and lost his business before threatening to open fire if she didn't hand over money.

The man is wanted for the robbery of the Woodforest National Bank at 9700 Hillcroft Avenue in Houston on July 8, said local police, who've asked for the public's help in finding the suspect.

He entered the bank that morning wearing a black bandana across his face and said he was looking to make a withdrawal when he slipped a note to one of the bank tellers.

Cops in Houston, Texas, released images of a masked man who is wanted for the robbery of the Woodforest National Bank at 9700 Hillcroft Avenue in Houston on July 8, said local police. The suspect is pictured in one of several images released by cops

In another image released by authorities, the suspect is pictured wearing a black bandana across his face and and slipping a note announcing the robbery to one of the bank tellers

The note slipped to the bank teller is pictured among the images released by cops

'I didn't get a stimulus or that 10k loan,' read the note, according to one of several images tweeted by police Thursday of the robbery which happened just around 9am.

'I lost my business to Covid so please make this easy and comply. I don't wanna hurt nobody but will if I have to,' the robber said in the note.

He warned, 'any suspicious moves and I will start shooting so please go get my money. Don't make anything noticeable.'

The suspect then turned and left with an undisclosed amount of cash, according to investigators from the Houston robbery unit.

No weapons were shown and the suspect was believed to have gotten away on foot, robbery investigators said.

The suspect was described as a being in his 30s and standing about 6 feet tall.

A look at the suspect from behind shows the the back of his True Religion brand jacket

In the images released by cops he was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt underneath a True Religion varsity letter jacket.

The jacket, similar to ones worn by high school and college students had the number 02 and letters TR in red sewn on the front and back. A large wild cat patch is also sewn on the jacket's back.

Houston cops had no additional information to release about the bank heist when DailyMail.com reached out. The FBI is also investigating.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Houston police at their Crime Stoppers hotline, 713-222-8477. Callers may be eligible for a $5,000 reward if the information helps locate and convict the suspect.
The provinces Special Investigations Unit has nearly wrapped up their investigation into the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, the 29-year-old woman who fell to her death in May while in the presence of Toronto police, but is waiting on further evidence  and the results of the familys own post-mortem  before they conclude anything, according to an update from the police watchdog Friday.

In the update, the SIU said that, out of an abundance of caution, theyve decided to wait for the results of the familys out-of-province post-mortem before concluding their probe and arriving at a decision.

The SIU said in the release that the results from that post-mortem are not expected until August.

The police watchdog also appealed to the counsel for the family to provide all evidence in their possession and identify any further witnesses relevant to the investigation as soon as possible.

Korchinski-Paquet, an Afro-Indigenous woman, died on May 27 after falling 24 storeys to her death from a High Park highrise.

In a statement shortly after Korchinski-Paquets death, the SIU said officers were inside an apartment unit on the 24th floor when they observed a woman on the balcony and a short time later, the woman fell from the balcony to the ground below.

Korchinski-Paquets mother said she contacted police on the night of the incident because her daughter was in distress over a family conflict and needed to be taken to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. The family, who were not present immediately before Korchinski-Paquets death, have questioned how she ended up dead following a call for help.

There will be a public memorial for Korchinski-Paquet on July 25, followed by the Regis Korchinski-Paquet Walk for Justice, organized alongside Black Lives Matter Toronto.

The memorial will celebrate her life, with community advocates speaking about police accountability, the familys counsel said in a statement earlier this week.

With files from Wendy Gillis

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OTTAWA, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadas unions are welcoming the inclusion of job-protected sick leave in the Safe restart agreement reached between the federal, provincial and territorial governments.



We were very glad to see sick leave specifically mentioned in this agreement, said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. Canadas unions have been fighting for paid sick leave for all workers. This ensures that every worker can take time off when they are sick and need to self-isolate. Workers should not be penalized for taking care of themselves and safeguarding public health.

It should be noted that BC Premier John Horgan acted as the champion of sick leave during these negotiations.

Unions are also welcoming other important measures in the new agreement including funding directed at municipalities and investments in child care and long-term care.

Communities across the country are in financial crisis after months of unanticipated costs and collapsing revenues, said Yussuff. Municipalities are not only major employers, they are major economic drivers. This deal will have a significant impact, though we still have a long way ahead towards full recovery.

The CLC is calling for reforms to the Employment Insurance system to support workers who will no longer be covered by the Canada Emergency Response Benefit in September.

There is no quick way out of this crisis; funding must be directed towards social supports that will help workers get back on their feet, said Yussuff. Millions of Canadians are still facing uncertainty and governments will need to continue to step up.

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Burma Myanmar Military Claims its Investigators Attacked in Shan State

Military parade to mark Shan National Day in Loi Tai Leng, RCSS headquarters. / Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy

Yangon  Myanmars military says Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) troops opened fire five times on military investigators studying the death of a civilian in Kyaukme Township in northern Shan State.

The investigation team came to Kyaukme in response to allegations by residents that Myanmars military killed a civilian and injured two others in Pan Kin Village during fighting with the RCSS on June 29. On July 10, Kyaukme residents staged a protest against the shooting, calling for justice to be served.

There was a protest. And there were allegations of a killing. But why did [the RCSS] carry out surprise attacks on the investigation team which went to the scene to find the truth? They attacked because they are dishonest, said Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun of the military-run Tatmadaw True News Information Team.

The Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services said the investigation team consisted of police and was led by a senior military officer. The RCSS opened fire two times on Tuesday and three times on Wednesday to disrupt the investigation.

On Monday, 36 Shan civil society organizations released a joint statement calling on Myanmars military to hold the perpetrators accountable.

Four parliamentarians representing Kyaukme Township in the Shan State and Union parliaments filed complaints with the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, the Presidents Office and the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, asking them to investigate the killing.

More than 10,000 residents also took part in a protest march against the alleged military killing.

The Irrawaddy was unable to contact the RCSS. Tai Freedom, a media outlet run by the RCSS, said the military and the RCSS engaged in fighting near Kone Nyaung Village in Kyaukme Township on Tuesday. It did not respond to military allegations that RCSS troops opened fire on the investigation team.

The team arrived in Kyaukme on Monday, said Shan State lawmaker U Sai Tun Win of Kyaukme Township. Villagers along the road claimed that troops fired warning shots along the road to Pan Kin while escorting the investigators.

We dont know which side shot first as we did not witness it. Most villagers have fled. The investigation team is now in Pan Kin Village, said U Sai Tun Win.

Since renewed clashes broke out with the RCSS on June 27, over 700 civilians from more than 10 villages in Kyaukme Township have fled their homes for monasteries and camps.

The Tatmadaw (military) refused the parliamentarians request that the investigation be carried out in the presence of lawmakers and the media, said U Sai Tun Win.

We went [to meet the investigation team]. We said we would listen to their investigation as the representatives of the people. But if we are not allowed to do so, then we have no responsibility. It is up to them and we have nothing to do with it, he said.

There have been sporadic clashes with the RCSS although it signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) under the previous government in October 2015.

The NCA requires the signatories and military to resolve armed conflict through negotiations at the ceasefire joint monitoring committees (JMC). The military and RCSS, however, have not yet been able to resolve Junes clashes at the JMC.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko

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As early voting begins across Tennessee today for the Aug. 6 primary election, a determined orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. Manny Sethi is surging in the polls in his role as an outsider. Bill Hagerty, whose roots run deep in the Washington swamp and is the hand-picked choice of the Republican Party and most especially President Donald Trump, had a double digit lead in the polls several months ago but according to a new poll by the Trafalgar Group, Sethi has steadily closed the gap to a narrow 3.5-point margin. The reason is two-fold, as Tennesseans have gotten to know Sethi and learn his values, they like him. And as they realize Hagerty is much more about Washington politics than he is about what is best for Tennessee, more and more within the state are realizing Tennessee needs strong Senate presence much more than Trump needs a lap dog.

In Hagertys latest television ad, the former Ambassador to Japan claims Massachusetts Manny is a liberal elitist who doesnt share Tennessee values. That is a preposterous lie. Because Sethi once served on the Massachusetts Medical Societys board, Hagerty tries to insinuate Sethis position nurtured the Societys support of the Affordable Care Act which youll find is no more than sleazy desperation when you read Seven Good Reasons To Vote For Dr. Manny Sethi at the close of this story.

More to the fact, some years ago Sethi founded a non-profit foundation called Healthy Tennessee, designed to promote preventative health care across the state. This organization has cared for thousands of patients in literally every county in Tennessee while Hagerty was actively working in Mitt Romneys failed presidential campaign. Hagerty, long established as a Washingtonian, has served on the selection committee of the Presidents Commission on White House Fellowships under Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and now Trump.

Hagerty is losing and retorting to misleading attacks, explained Chris Devaney, a Lookout Mountain native and Sethis campaign manager. Dr. Manny has always opposed socialized medicine, and his time as a Harvard medical student, as part of a medical society, doesnt change that. Manny applied for a non-partisan position with The White House and, unlike Bill Hagerty, who actually worked for President Bill Clinton and former President Obama.

Please allow me to share seven reasons why I believe Manny Sethis influence will be of great importance to Tennessee in the six years yet to come 

* * *

SEVEN GOOD REASONS TO VOTE FOR DR. MANNY SETHI

ON FAITH: JESUS CHRIST IS WHY I BECAME A DOCTOR. -- Matthew 9:13 tells us, The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few. My faith is everything to me. Its what guides me; its who I am. Its why I became a doctor. Its why I do what I do. After my father passed away, it led me to a closer relationship with Christ. My faith is what shapes my views, and will guide every decision I make in Washington, as I work to fight for our Christian values.

- - -

ON PRO-LIFE: I KNOW LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION -- I am pro-life. Period. As a doctor, I know that life begins at conception, and for too long politicians have failed to stand up for the sanctity of life. That is why I am a such a strong supporter of the heartbeat bill here in Tennessee and will do the same when Im in D.C. We need to confirm judges who will protect life, and the most vulnerable - the unborn.

- - -

ON OPIOID CRISIS: OUR MAYORS AND SHERIFFS KNOW MORE  THAN D.C. BUREAUCRATS  Ive seen the opioid epidemic firsthand; it is the public health crisis of our generation. Ive been part of roundtables all across our state, and its clear that we need to put more power into local officials, because they know what is best for the people in their community. I also believe we need to punish pill-pushers who are pushing fentanyl. These drug dealers are directly responsible for this crisis and must be punished. We need the federal government to give more decision-making authority to local communities. Our local mayors and sheriffs know more in their little fingers than D.C. bureaucrats do in their whole bodies. There is no one size fits all solution here and we need to empower the leaders who know their communities the best.

- - -

ON IMMIGRATION: BENEFITS FOR ILLEGALS ISNT PROTECTING THE RULE OF LAW -- Im the son of two LEGAL immigrants. They stood in line, waited their turn, and came here the right way, becoming doctors in rural Tennessee. I support President Trumps effort to build the wall, and support ICE. It simply isnt right for people to illegally cross our borders unchecked or overstay their visas with no consequences. Giving benefits to those who come here illegally isnt protecting the rule of law. Were giving away our nation.

- - -

ON HEALTHCARE: WE NEED LESS GOVERNMENT IN OUR HEALTHCARE -- As a doctor, I know firsthand the huge problems with Obamacare. Im the only candidate in this race who has read the entire bill and understands it. We need less government involvement in our healthcare, not more. Working with President Trump, Ill fight to repeal and replace it, without backing down. I oppose government in our healthcare, I oppose single-payer, and I oppose universal healthcare. Period. The fundamentals of a health-care system must be based on a free-market solution that allows competition across state lines. We must focus on access, quality, and transparency.

- - -

ON GUNS: OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ARE NOT UP FOR DEBATE -- I am a staunch supporter of our 2nd Amendment Rights. As a concealed carry permit holder, I know that our Constitutional Rights are not up for debate. These days you are hearing career politicians on both sides of the aisle talking about red flag laws. These are unconstitutional and will lead to many problems and bad faith actors. I will fight to ensure our right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

- - -

ON VETERANS: OUR HEROES  SHOULD CHOOSE THE DOCTOR THEY WANT -- We can never neglect the brave men and women who have served our country. Our veterans are heroes, and we must do more to take care of these incredible people who have given so much for us. Our VA hospitals must improve, and I will commit to making that happen, but we have to allow our veterans the option to choose the doctor they want to go to. For too long we have neglected the mental health needs of our veterans. We must work to make sure that there is access to quality mental health care for every veteran who has served our country.

* * *

Vote wisely. Do you want a Senator who embraces Tennessee, or a Washington swamp rat? Starting today we make our voices heard. Lets make this vote count.

royexum@aol.com
An arrest has been made in the death of a Catoosa man who was found dead in his home last month.

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Bradley Bales, 33, on a complaint of first-degree murder.

Bales, who was booked into the Rogers County jail on Wednesday, is accused of killing 55-year-old Bart Kutt.

Kutt was found dead about 7 p.m. June 8 in his home in the 18000 block of East Archer Street by Catoosa police officers conducting a welfare check. He reportedly hadnt been seen or heard from in several days.

Bales first court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday in Rogers County District Court, according to jail records.

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A long list of international offshore drilling operators are reporting negative figures, or are even going out of business. The hey-days of the GOM, North Sea or West Africa are already long over, but even new emerging plays in Brazil, Arctic, Middle East or East Africa are showing worrying developments.

Investors and oil companies are looking at their portfolio investments and offshore drilling is not a favorite right now. This week several reports were published by leading offshore rig data experts, such as Rystad Energy and Westwood, indicating a major crisis emerging, while the light at the end of the tunnel is not yet seen.

Globally, offshore drilling activity continued to slip in week 29 of 2020, with the number of jackup rigs dropping by one to 322 and floaters by one to 105, according to energy analyst Westwood Global Energy Group.

Rystad in its update of the oil and gas drilling market stated that the sector will be hitting a 20-year low. Based on its own research, the consultants stated that global drilling will drop 23% from 71,946 wells onshore and offshore in 2019 to 55,350 this year.

The latter decline is based on current economic figures, but already the lowest since at least the beginning of the century. For 2021 a more optimistic figures of 61,000 wells is expected, but this will depend on COVID-related recovery scenarios worldwide. By 2025, activity levels are expected to increase to more than 68,000 but still well below 2019 levels.

Onshore figures

Onshore figures are dramatic, but some green spots are available if you look deeply. Rystad is still optimistic about Brazil, China and Australia, which will continue to offer exciting opportunities, with 20%-40% growth prospects for drilling. Looking however at messages coming out of these countries, optimism could be build on shaky fundamentals. Rystad also indicated that offshore markets will see highs and lows and maintain a flattish level over the next five years.

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Fitch Ratings

International rating agency Fitch Ratings is very pessimistic about exploration-focused oilfield service (OFS) companies. The rating agency stated that the sector will face the largest demand decline as a result of oil and gas producers cutting their capex and operating expenditure. These developments will be the same for drillers. Both sectors are going to feel the negative impact of cuts in oil and gas producers capital programs, where exploration investment cuts are expected to be a reduction of 20%-30% in 2020 yoy.

Fitch reported also OFS companies serving projects with high full-cycle costs, such as deep-water offshore assets or shale basins, will also be affected. North America-focused Nabors (B-/Rating Watch Negative) and Precision Drilling (B+/Negative) are exposed to the volatile spending patterns of US shale producers.

OFS diversified companies, exposed to the entire life-cycle of a well, are more resilient. Fitch is reasonably positive about ADES International (B+/Stable), currently servicing customers in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, while Eurasia Drilling (BB+/Stable) is focused on Russia. Even that they both will be effected by OPEC+ production cuts, their overall performance will continue as their producing areas are lower-cost geographies.

The current overall global downturn will be for an extended period of time, as the OFS market will experience a recovery lag of four to six quarters. Even if oil and gas prices will recover slowly, oil and gas producers, the main clients, will be very cautious about increasing exploration and drilling activity. Even if utilization rates for rigs and vessels will improve to 2019 levels in 2021, day rates and need for new builds will be lagging behind 1-1.5 years at the least.

At the same time, most offshore drillers will be faced very soon by a combination of threats. Most OFS and drilling companies have been stacking an increased amount of assets. The latter is seen as cost saving measure. Still they are facing lower revenues and cash flows the next coming years. This combination is maybe for some even very toxic.

Fitch warns that OFS companies with significant debt maturities up to 2022 will face refinancing challenges. A combination of low operation cash flow generation and lacking access to capital markets could lead to a potential shake out. Ongoing crisis measures in the sector is also not promising, as shedding workforce or closing production facilities by shipyards worldwide decreases flexibility to react to changing markets, and puts several blockades already in place in time of recovery. Sembcorp Marine or Noble Drilling are prime examples of the current crisis situation.

Offshore drilling market

The offshore drilling market could even be facing another major threat, if the news coming out of India is right. In light of the India-China military and geopolitical rivalry, offshore drilling companies and shipyards are now in the crosshairs of the Indian officials.

Potential direct links between international drillers and the Chinese government could be a future threat to the sector. At least in India after that the Indian government has started an assessment of the position of Chinese government-linked investors in Dubai-based Shelf Drilling. The latter offshore driller holds almost 30 per cent market share in Indias shallow water oil drilling market, in terms of drilling rigs on charter.

The issue has come on the table due to the fact that the Indian government and its agencies have restricted, or even banned, the use of Chinese products and services in the country, following the recent flare-up along the border. Shell Drilling, listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, and a major largest pure-play jack-up oil drilling rig contractor, works in India mostly for state-owned ONGC Ltd, Indias biggest explorer of oil and gas.

News that China Merchants and Great Wall Ocean Strategy & Technology Fund (China Merchants), a $1-billion marine industry-focused fund sponsored by China Merchants Group (CMG), is the largest shareholder of Shelf Drilling with a 19.7 per cent stake, is a possible major security issue.

China Merchants is a $1 trillion diversified group fully owned by the Chinese state. The jack-up rigs were constructed at China Merchants Heavy Industries (CMHI), the worlds largest CJ jack-up drilling rig manufacturer. Shelf Drilling operates eight rigs in India of which seven are currently on contract with ONGC out of the 25 jack-up rigs chartered by ONGC. All seven are deployed in the hyper-sensitive Arabian Sea region. Several of these are located near Mumbai, the financial capital of India.

According to Indian government officials, the presence of the Chinese government in the strategic and sensitive offshore oil drilling sector has become a matter of concern. Since years, Chinese companies linked to the Beijing government are barred from bidding for Indian port construction and operation contracts mainly due to the sour political relations between the two sides. India is also discussing to classify exploration and drilling of oil and gas as a strategically sensitive sector (both economically and for national security), and accordingly provide protection and oversight by restricting participation in the sector to entities.

Taking the Indian developments to a more global power play, the Indian views could be taken over soon by others too. An emerging anti-China position in the EU and USA could result the coming months in a focus on Chinese maritime sector investments and the stranglehold some of these Chinese parties have. Offshore oil and gas projects are until now not regarded very sensitive, but looking at the current production regions and maritime position, an opposite position could be supported very soon.

If these issues are going to play a role, the OFS, and especially offshore rig markets, will be heading for a major restructuring. Blocking or restraining Chinese government interference and power play in oil and gas developments are likely to see some support in Washington, Brussels and India. Domestic support for the struggling maritime sectors in these regions is already available. For offshore vessel or jackup companies it looks to be time of reassessing their options. Better to be prepared than to be confronted by political and security facts without a warning.

For all non-Chinese parties in offshore drilling it will be a necessity to keep an eye on the Indian developments, while addressing other options. COVID already is a Black Swan of unknown importance. Threats from Chinese interference could be having major impact on the valuations of them all.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

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If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to keep an eye out for. Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's amount of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think American Shared Hospital Services (NYSEMKT:AMS) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for American Shared Hospital Services, this is the formula:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.048 = US$2.2m  (US$53m - US$7.8m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2020).

So, American Shared Hospital Services has an ROCE of 4.8%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Healthcare industry average of 9.3%.

See our latest analysis for American Shared Hospital Services

roce

Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for American Shared Hospital Services' ROCE against it's prior returns. If you're interested in investigating American Shared Hospital Services' past further, check out this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What Does the ROCE Trend For American Shared Hospital Services Tell Us?

Over the past five years, American Shared Hospital Services' ROCE and capital employed have both remained mostly flat. It's not uncommon to see this when looking at a mature and stable business that isn't re-investing its earnings because it has likely passed that phase of the business cycle. So don't be surprised if American Shared Hospital Services doesn't end up being a multi-bagger in a few years time.

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Our Take On American Shared Hospital Services' ROCE

In summary, American Shared Hospital Services isn't compounding its earnings but is generating stable returns on the same amount of capital employed. And investors appear hesitant that the trends will pick up because the stock has fallen 23% in the last five years. Therefore based on the analysis done in this article, we don't think American Shared Hospital Services has the makings of a multi-bagger.

On a final note, we've found 3 warning signs for American Shared Hospital Services that we think you should be aware of.

While American Shared Hospital Services may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list 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.
According to video, Joshua Wilson was pushed off his wheelchair and arrested Tuesday afternoon after a peaceful protest turned violent. Wilson had been protesting racism and police brutality for several days in downtown Los Angeles. (Anthony Carrillo)

A group of protesters was marching on South Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon when they came across a couple of women who were being taken into custody by two officers.

The group stopped to keep watch and chanted, "Let them go, let them go!" Suddenly, a man  whom the protesters say they did not know and was not in their group  sprayed water from a bottle onto the Los Angeles Police Department officers.

"That's when things escalated. The batons came out right away," said Charli Morachnick, a 22-year-old protester.

After a chaotic scene unfolded, police arrested three people: 30-year-old Mario Chacon of Glendora was arrested on suspicion of battery on a police officer; 33-year-old Joshua Wilson of Los Angeles was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm; and 53-year-old David Dixon, also of Los Angeles, was arrested on a felony warrant.

LAPD spokesman Mike Lopez had reported that four people were arrested Tuesday, but the official count was later corrected.

According to the LAPD, the incident was sparked by protesters who were aggressive toward officers from the beginning. Four officers were treated for minor injuries.

But protesters say that after 44 straight days of demonstrating against police brutality in downtown L.A., it was the LAPD officers who used excessive force that left one disabled man out of his wheelchair and an asthmatic teenager convulsing on the street.

"The fact that the violence is still happening is barbaric," said Tyson Suzuki, the head of the organization Active Advocate, which has been leading daily protests starting outside City Hall.

Asked about the force used against the disabled man and the teenager, LAPD spokesman Joshua Rubenstein said Thursday that the details of those encounters are under investigation.

Cailin O'Brien, a 25-year-old protester, said police in riot gear and SWAT vehicles appeared seemingly out of nowhere to surround the group of about 15 protesters, far outnumbering them, after the man with the water bottle sprayed officers. Morachnick described the group of protesters as "fiercely nonviolent," and she did not understand why they had been targeted by officers.

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"We were unarmed. We were holding signs. We were saying chants. And we were met with riot gear, batons and forceful shoving" from police officers, Morachnick said.

Video shows Wilson in a wheelchair pushing officers away. He fell to the ground and slid himself off his wheelchair, still pushing the officers away.

In the video, officers shoved protesters with batons as the protesters attempted to help the man in the wheelchair. The officers pushed him to the ground and handcuffed him. One officer grabbed the man's wheelchair and tossed it, causing a wheel to fall off, video shows.

Wilson had been out on the streets protesting for several days, fellow protesters said. The video never showed Wilson reaching for a firearm or his bag.

The officers "showed no remorse after tossing a man in a wheelchair onto the ground and after slamming this young man with a baton, sending him onto the floor with a seizure," O'Brien said.

In another part of the street, video shows 17-year-old Elliot Sanchez on the ground, convulsing and crying.

In an interview, Sanchez said an officer was asking protesters to clear the streets and was walking toward him as Sanchez stepped backward. Sanchez asked the officer for his badge number, and said he was hit with a baton in the chest and neck, causing him to fall to the ground and suffer an asthma attack and a seizure.

The crowd pleaded for an ambulance as more officers arrived on the scene, protesters said.

"Why did you bring so much military but you can't even bring a ... medic?" a man can be heard saying through a megaphone. "We just need a medic."

Sanchez said he was taken into custody after being treated at the hospital and given a citation for resisting arrest.

"I don't understand how they were considering me resisting arrest if I was having a seizure," he said Wednesday as he went out to protest again downtown.

Rubenstein contradicted the teenager's account. He said that although Sanchez was pushed, he was not struck with a baton, nor was he arrested. He could not confirm whether Sanchez was given a citation because he is a minor, Rubenstein said.

"There was a use of force, and I believe he was pushed back, but I don't know the details behind it," he said. "That's under investigation. The investigators say it was not a swinging baton strike."

Suzuki described the police activity Tuesday afternoon as militarized and inhumane.

"They were ready to go," he said. "They looked like they were in some sort of game mode, like this is them playing ... 'Call of Duty.' To them it just seemed like a drop in the bucket."

On Thursday, the LAPD gave its version of what had unfolded. According to the police statement, officers were conducting an investigation involving two women who appeared to be "in the midst of a mental health crisis." The officers planned to take the women to a hospital for evaluation.

During that investigation, they saw Dixon yelling at and pushing another man. While officers were "preparing to leave the area" with Dixon and the two women, a group of about 50 protesters surrounded the officers and began chanting, the police statement said.

LAPD Chief Michel Moore said that "there was some dispute" between the officers and the protesters, and that the protesters began "forcefully attacking the officers."

According to the LAPD's statement, Wilson "punched an officer in the face and a use of force occurred between the officers and Wilson." Investigators found a loaded gun in Wilson's backpack, which had been hanging on his wheelchair, according to the police statement.

"He battered the officers, punched an officer, tried to take the baton away from the officer," Moore said. "And so that is what happened with that protest. It was largely peaceful, but not in that episode of violence."

Meanwhile, according to the LAPD, Chacon tried to grab one of the officers' "equipment" and another "use of force occurred." Police said Chacon tried to take a baton from one officer and pushed another.

Rubenstein said the incident is still under investigation and detectives will review body camera and surveillance footage from the area.

Times staff writer Cindy Chang contributed to this report.
Waves Enterprise has announced a partnership with Microsoft that will see the blockchain platform be added to the Microsoft Azure Marketplace.

According to a press release, Waves Enterprise will be able to actively use and integrate with Microsoft Azure cloud technologies for joint initiatives aimed at the adoption of corporate blockchain solutions.

As a result, a new application model for blockchain and solutions based on this integration will be available, with it being named Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS). The main application scenarios for BaaS include supply chain optimisation, data notary and tokenisation of industrial assets.

Christina Tikhonova, president of Microsoft Russia, said: Waves Enterprise is one of the leading international blockchain platforms, which substantially contributes to the development of an ecosystem for decentralised solutions globally. For Microsoft, it is vital to support developers of innovative solutions and foster wide availability of contemporary tech tools for the development of Russian business.

Over the last few weeks that #WavesEnterprises voting service has been in the beta testing phase, we have received useful feedback and comments from potential customers. All that has been reflected in the services updated version 0.9.3. https://t.co/hVJRyNZvfw  Waves Enterprise (@wvsenterprise) July 15, 2020

She added: We are confident that our partnership will facilitate the full realisation of blockchain technology in the corporate sector in Russia and also, globally.

Waves Enterprise and Microsoft plan to jointly develop a cloud service based on Azure analytical tools, which will be integrated with Waves Enterprises blockchain infrastructure.

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This service will facilitate collecting structured data, including analytical reports and data graphs related to business processes from the blockchain and blockchain apps, regardless of whether nodes are located in the cloud or stored locally.

Wave Enterprise CEO, Sasha Ivanov, said: We believe, that exchange of experience with world IT leader and one of the most technologically advanced cloud company will provide implementation best world practices. We plan to develop innovative service models of corporate blockchain solutions.



Under the five-year agreement, the companies will also jointly develop scenarios allowing businesses to use the blockchain technology for optimising corporate processes.

For more news, guides and cryptocurrency analysis, click here.
Actor and activist Angelina Jolie urged the U.N. Security Council on Friday to fulfill its promise to hold to account perpetrators of sexual violence against children in conflict settings.

I have met child survivors of sexual violence  and domestic violence and trauma and abuse  everywhere, Jolie said of her 20 years working with the U.N. refugee agency. There is no continent untouched by these crimes.

She addressed a council session reflecting on the issue, one year after adoption of Resolution 2467, which strengthened prevention through justice and accountability mechanisms, empowered the council to impose sanctions on perpetrators, and opened the way for victims to seek reparations.

Jolie gave the example of Yazidi children she had met in northern Iraq. Thousands of their mothers and female relatives have been abducted, enslaved and abused since 2014 by fighters with the Islamic State group. Many are still in captivity.

Many of the children witnessed the murder of their relatives, and the rape of their mothers, she told the council in a virtual meeting. One doctor who has provided medical care for hundreds of Yazidi women and girls said that almost every girl she had treated between the ages of 9 and 17 had been raped or subjected to other sexual violence. In some cases, victims were girls under the age of 9.

Specialized care needed

She said the children experience post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, flashbacks and nightmares, yet these invisible victims are particularly overlooked when it comes to support services.

What few services there are have been largely focused on women survivors  who have immense trauma and unmet needs of their own, Jolie said. The reality is that no one is getting the care they need. But there is a specific lack of dedicated care for children.

Jolie said she has seen these problems in every conflict setting she has visited and urged the international community to step up its funding to address the needs of all survivors.

Khin Ohmar, a peace activist from Myanmar, spoke on behalf of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security. She said in her country, the military has long used rape as a weapon against ethnic communities.

The horrific accounts of Rohingya women during the 2016 and 2017 so-called clearance operations remain urgent, shocking and unique in their ferocity, she said. They are also representative of the militarys pattern of using gender-based violence in their campaigns against other ethnic communities, including the Kachin, Shan, Taang and Rakhine.

She said grave international crimes continue to be committed in Myanmar, and she urged the council to refer the file to the International Criminal Court, as domestic accountability is not possible.

Sexual violence a tactic of war

The U.N. secretary-generals envoy on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, said sexual violence is a tactic of war and a tool of political repression, used to dehumanize, destabilize and forcibly displace populations. It includes rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization and forced marriage.

This is a crime that shreds the very fabric that binds communities together, leaving social cohesion and safety nets threadbare, Patten told the council.

She said the U.N. documented nearly 3,000 cases last year of conflict-related sexual violence but noted it is a crime that is underreported because of fear of reprisals and stigmatization. Nearly 90% of attacks targeted women and girls; 848 were on children. Hundreds of cases also targeted men, boys and LGBTQI persons.

She noted that many victims are still seeking justice and support years later.

In post-conflict contexts, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, survivors of sexual violence are still fighting to realize their rights and status as legitimate victims of war, in order to access reparations and redress, Patten said.

She urged the council to enforce its resolution and show perpetrators that there are consequences for violating it.
Business tycoon Shiv Nadar has stepped down as HCL Technologies Chairman, handing over the reins to his daughter Roshni Nadar Malhotra. Shiv Nadar, will, however, continue as managing director and chief strategy officer of the company.

"Mr Nadar would continue to be MD of Company with designation as Chief Strategy Officer," the company said in a regulatory filing, adding that Roshni will succeed him with immediate effect.

Roshni Malhotra, 38, was the CEO and non-executive director of the company untill recently. One of the richest woman in the country, Roshni's total wealth is estimated at Rs 36,800 crore, as per the IIFL Wealth Hurun rankings, 2019.

Meanwhile, HCL posted 31.7 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 2,925 crore for the June 2020 quarter. The company registered a net profit of Rs 2,220 crore in the April-June 2019 quarter (as per US GAAP), HCL Technologies said in a regulatory filing.

The company's revenue grew 8.6 per cent to Rs 17,841 crore in the quarter under review, from Rs 16,425 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. On a sequential basis, the topline was lower by 4 per cent from Rs 18,590 crore in the March quarter.

"The adverse conditions during this quarter had an anticipated negative impact on our revenue. I am happy to report that the resilience of our operating model helped us deliver stellar operating margins and cashflows," HCL Technologies President and CEO C Vijayakumar said.

He added that the company had renewed several large deals during the quarter. "We are seeing a robust demand environment and a strong pipeline which gives us confidence in our growth trajectory going forward," he said.

With the coronavirus pandemic dealing a major blow to companies across the world, HCL Technologies had recently assured 1.5 lakh employees that it would not cut salaries and honour the promised bonuses for the previous year. The company has assured employees that it would take a call on appraisals later in the year.

HCL Technologies Ltd share was trading at Rs 635.35, 1.30 per cent or Rs 8.15 up on Friday, as compared to the previous day close of Rs 627.75 on the National Stock Exchange.

ALSO READ: RBI approves reappointment of Shyam Srinivasan as Federal Bank MD, CEO
New Delhi, July 17 : National carrier Air India on Friday said that it is in a "very challenging financial" situation and is taking recourse to several initiatives, with a view to ensuring the continuance of its operations.

The airline, in a statement, noted that it has introduced the partially voluntary 'Leave Without Pay' (LWP) scheme on July 14.

"The scheme primarily enables employees to avail the benefits of proceeding on leave without pay on a voluntary basis. The LWP scheme has been introduced for grant of leave without pay and allowances for permanent employees for a period of six months or two years, which is extendable upto 5 years," the statement said.

"Air India had brought out similar scheme earlier... Several hundred employees have, in the past, availed of the LWP Scheme." As per the statement, in the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there may be employees who are unable to attend their office duties in person on account of personal reasons.

"The LWP scheme enables employees to take a break from their office responsibility for a defined period of time with the approval of the management, while retaining their employment with the company," the statement said.

"They will continue to avail facilities such as passage, medical and housing at specified rates." Accordingly, the LWP scheme provides the opportunity to employees to take up alternative employment with the approval of the management during the period of the said leave, the airline said.

"The LWP scheme is a win-win situation for both the management as well as employees as it provides flexibility to employees and simultaneously reduces the wage bill for the company," the statement said.

"It is important to note here that the Covid-19 outbreak has very seriously impacted the airline sector and currently, the airline operations of the company are a small fraction of the prior Covid level operations." The airline said that employees are encouraged to apply for availing the benefit of the scheme, in the prescribed format, by August 15.

"The only addition in this scheme as compared to the earlier LWP scheme is that the management can pass an order requiring the employees to go on leave for a period of six months or two years (extendable upto 5 years) compulsorily taking into consideration 'Suitability, Efficiency, Competence, Quality of performance, Health, Non-availability of employee and Redundancy'," the statement said.

Furthermore, the airline said that this provision has been introduced for use, "very sparingly", with a view to ensuring that the overall efficiency of the organisation, improves and the management will ensure that this will be implemented with complete fairness and transparency as per prescribed procedure.

Consequent to the announcement of the scheme, Air India unions are discussing their strategy against the move which might involve legal recourse.

An Air India union leader on Friday told IANS: "This is going to affect the livelihood of many. Why not every employee of AI take LWP a few days every month. This way the burden can be shared." "The motive of the top management is to save their money by snatching money from lower employees." According to Air India PIM document, as on November 1, 2019, the airline, on a standalone basis (without subsidiaries), had around 14,000 employees, including fixed term contract staff.

The development comes as the Centre has re-initiated the airline's divestment plan with new norms.

Interestingly, this time, it has sweetened the deal by substantially reducing the debt on the airline's account books and offered a 100 per cent stake in the loss-making airline.

The last date for bid submission to acquire Air India has also been extended to August 31.
Ukrainian rebels on Friday commemorated the victims killed in Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crash six years ago in Eastern Ukraine.

At the site of the crash, in the village of Hrabove, people held candles and flags of the countries whose citizens were on board the plane on 17 July 2014.

Nearly 200 of the victims were Dutch; the others came from a variety of countries including Malaysia, Australia, Canada, Britain and Belgium.

In the six years since the plane was shot down, a Dutch crash investigation ruled that a Buk surface-to-air missile brought down the Boeing 777.

Speaking during the ceremony at the site, leader of self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushulin, called the investigation "politically biased".

He accused Ukrainian authorities of shifting the blame for the crash onto rebels and Russia.

An international team of prosecutors investigating the case has charged three Russians and a Ukrainian with involvement in bringing down the plane and the murder of all on board.

Last week, the Dutch government took Russia to the European Court of Human Rights for its alleged role in downing the plane.

Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in shooting down Flight MH17.
Cassandra Mamone has been branded the 'villain' by Bachelor In Paradise fans.

During Thursday night's episode, viewers flew into a rage on Twitter when the 34-year-old appeared to body-shame Jessica Brody shortly after her arrival.

'You've lost so much weight!' Cassandra told the 31-year-old tattooed bombshell, as she greeted her from the pool.

Fury: Bachelor In Paradise fans called out Cassandra Mamone (left), 34, for body-shaming as she made a VERY snide comment about Jessica Brody's weight. Jessica, 31, is pictured right

Jessica was taken back by Cassandra's backhanded compliment, later saying 'what the f**k' in a piece to camera.

Viewers at home were outraged by the jewellery designer's insensitivity, with many sharing their thoughts on Twitter.

'Can't stop thinking about the fact it's 2020 and Cass still thinks "Wow, you've lost so much weight!" is an appropriate way to greet women,' one posted.

Not holding back: 'You've lost so much weight!' Cassandra told the tattooed bombshell, as she greeted her from the pool

Lost for words: Jessica was taken back by Cassandra's backhanded compliment

Another said: "You've lost so much weight!" Cass activated my fight or flight response.'

'Commenting on another woman's weight? Oh no Cass. No No,' one also wrote.

Cassandra also ruffled feathers on Thursday when she dismissed Jessica as a 'stripper'.

Not impressed: Reflecting on the encounter, Jessica later said 'what the f**k' in a piece to camera

As Jessica entered the Fijian resort in a revealing dress, Cassandra gave her co-star Janey Birks a quick briefing in the pool.

'Is she from your season? Tell me everything,' asked Janey, to which Cassandra replied: 'She's the tattooed girl who's a stripper.'

Jessica previously worked as a barmaid at Melbourne's Centrefold Lounge, which is described as 'Australia's number one strip club'.

Online: Viewers were in a rage, accusing the jewellery designer of body-shaming Jessica on Twitter

Many viewers blasted Cassandra for shaming Jessica, and also accused her of hypocrisy and double standards.

They pointed out that she was trying to romance Ciarran Stott, who himself is heavily tattooed and once worked as a stripper in Darwin.

Bachelor In Paradise continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program is Canadas leading and most popular immigration program. It has come a long way since launching in 1967.

Canadas Federal Skilled Worker Program at a glance The Federal Skilled Worker Program is Canadas leading and most popular immigration program. It has come a long way since launching in 1967.

Canadas Federal Skilled Worker Program at a glance The Federal Skilled Worker Program is Canadas leading and most popular immigration program. It has come a long way since launching in 1967.

Canadas Federal Skilled Worker Program at a glance The Federal Skilled Worker Program is Canadas leading and most popular immigration program. It has come a long way since launching in 1967. Alexandra Miekus Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Many prospective Canadian immigration candidates around the world were excited to learn that, following a four-month hiatus, as of last week Express Entry invitations are once again being issued under the very popular Federal Skilled Worker Program.

In recent months, marked by a global pandemic, the federal government had implemented restrictive policies in several areas of its operations, with immigration being one of the most affected.

One of the consequences of this situation has been that the federal government has slowed down, and in some cases halted, immigration and admission processes for a number of immigration programs.

Between March and last week, for instance, only Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants were invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada through the Express Entry system.

Now that measures are being lifted across Canada, the federal government has once again begun to invite candidates in all the programs managed through its flagship application management system, including the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).

The FSWP is one of four programs managed under Express Entry and the one that accounts for nearly half of the total invitations that are issued through the system annually.

In fact, according to Express Entrys 2019 year-end report, FSWP candidates accounted for the largest proportion of all those granted permanent residence (both principal applicants and accompanying spouses and dependants) with 58,173 admissions out of a total of 109,595.

Click here to see if youre eligible for Canadian immigration

The Significance of the FSWP in the Context of Canadian Immigration Policy

When it was first established in the late nineteenth century, the Canadian immigration system was largely limited to the admission of white Americans and Europeans.

The first regulatory changes to address this issue and to reverse the most overtly discriminatory aspects of Canadian immigration policy were introduced in Canada in 1962.

Another important change in Canadian immigration was made in 1967, when the worlds first points system was introduced to rank potential immigrants taking into account factors such as professional skills, education level, language ability. At the time, priority was given to educated Anglophones and Francophones of working age who had family connections to Canada.

The point system made it possible to target potential immigrants whose characteristics coincided with new national economic needs and interests.

However, it was not until a decade later, with the introduction of the 1976 Immigration Act, that Canada officially became a destination for migrants from all over the world. This is because the new law focused on three main admission criteria: an assessment of applicants based on points for professional qualifications, education and language ability rather than based on ethnic origin or nationality. The 1976 Act was also designed in such a way that it placed more emphasis on family reunification and humanitarian considerations, cultural goals and diversity rather than on Canadas economic interests.

Beginning in the mid-1990s, skilled workers started to account for the majority of Canadas immigrants. Canada now welcomes some 60 per cent of its immigrants each year under the economic class. This is due to Canada needing more skilled workers to support its economy in light of its aging population and low birth rate.

Today, the FSWP continues to be seen as one of the most effective vehicles and transparent approaches for selecting immigrants who will be economically successful in Canada.

Applying Under the Federal Skilled Worker Program Today

To be eligible under the FSWP, prospective immigrants must meet the following minimum requirements:

have at least one year of work experience in a skilled occupation classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A or B .

. have a validated language ability equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French across all abilities (reading, writing, listening, and speaking); and

equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French across all abilities (reading, writing, listening, and speaking); and have a Canadian educational credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) or foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.

Candidates are assessed on the basis of a unique point grid that takes into account factors such as age, education, work experience, arranged employment, language skills and adaptability.

The highest-ranked candidates in the Express Entry pool are issued invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

Thankfully, as of last week, FSWP candidates are once again the lucky recipients of such invitations. Do not hesitate to go ahead and submit an Express Entry profile if you meet the requirements of the FSWP.

Click here to see if youre eligible for Canadian immigration

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
Loretta Ross. (Courtesy of speakoutnow.org)

WASHINGTON  A once obscure internet debate over the limits of free speech and the rise of what critics call cancel culture has, somewhat improbably, become a significant 2020 campaign issue.

President Trump tapped into conservative worries about cancel culture  the notion that everyone from intellectuals to everyday citizens can be canceled and see their lives upended if they become the target of an online mob  in a July 3 speech at Mount Rushmore. Cancel culture, the president insisted, is the very definition of totalitarianism.

Whether the president has hit on a winning issue is unclear. According to a Yahoo News/YouGov poll released Wednesday, 58 percent of Americans said they were unsure about what cancel culture refers to, and once it was explained to them, only 28 percent called it a very big problem. But beyond the 2020 campaign, a very real argument about whether such a cancel culture truly exists  and, more broadly, whether left-wing writers and activists have limited the number of opinions that can safely be voiced in public  has taken on new resonance in recent weeks.

At the heart of this debate is an open letter published in Harpers Magazine earlier this month warning that free speech is under attack from the left.

The letter was signed and endorsed by dozens of academics, journalists and writers. Critics of the letter, meanwhile, have argued that the people who signed onto it are overwhelmingly white, well off, privileged and generally out of touch. In the days after the letters publication, several signatories announced they were withdrawing their support because they objected to some of the other people who had signed it.

But one of the signers is a pioneer activist for Black women and abortion rights who, while no fan of some of the other figures who signed the letter, said the ideas in it are more important than the names attached. And she says she signed it, in part, because of her deep and hard-earned belief in the power of restorative justice.

Story continues

Loretta J. Ross, a visiting professor at Smith College, has a half century of groundbreaking social justice activism under her belt. She makes no apologies for signing the letter, although she did single out two well-known New York Times opinion writers who also signed as the kind of people she doesnt agree with.

Bari Weiss  I barely can read. Hell, I can barely read David Brooks and hes much better than Bari. Theres a lot of people whose ideas come from a very predictable place, Ross told Yahoo News in a wide-ranging interview last week.

I think that some people signed the letter because they want consequence-free free speech. But Im not one of those, she said. At the same time, Ross rejected the idea that she might not have signed the letter if she knew who else was lending their names to it  signatories, in other words, like Weiss.

Weiss made headlines Tuesday when she announced she was leaving the paper, citing constant bullying by colleagues and arguing that elite conventional wisdom on Twitter is forcing the Times to appeal only to a far-left fringe.

Weiss, a self-described centrist who is a frequent target of criticism from left-wing writers, announced her resignation only weeks after Times opinion editor James Bennet was ousted following a staff revolt. The revolt was triggered by the Timess decision to publish an opinion piece by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., which argued that the military should be used to quell violent protests.

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 organizations are ousted for what are sometimes just clumsy mistakes, the Harpers letter alleges.

The letter voiced support for racial and social justice but opposition to a new set of moral attitudes and political commitments that tend to weaken our norms of open debate and toleration of differences in favor of ideological conformity. It was signed by writers from across much of the political spectrum, including former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum, feminist icon Gloria Steinem and leading leftist intellectual Noam Chomsky.

Different people signed the letter for different reasons, but it would take an adult view to recognize that rather than to lump us all together, Ross said.

Backlash to the Harpers letter on the left has been fierce, for a few reasons. Some have said the signees were complaining simply because they were being criticized. Others mocked the signees as clueless elites who wax poetic about free speech from safely behind a MacBook Air somewhere on the Upper West Side.

Some critics of the letter have likewise argued that even if some people have lost work and income for retweeting a study about nonviolent protests or have been reported to their bosses for signing the Harpers letter, the fight for racial justice is far more pressing at this moment.

It is not a coincidence that powerful white people are painting themselves as the victims at the same time Black Americans are on the streets demanding to be treated with some semblance of humanity. For the first time perhaps ever, the national conversation is solely focused on racism and anti-Black police violence. For those who are accustomed to holding all the power and attention, that shift in focus feels oppressive, wrote Jessica Valenti, a feminist author.

Ross, however, has devoted her life to civil rights activism. And she rejected the notion that any issue is more important than the free exchange of ideas advocated by the Harpers letter.

I dont know if theres any bigger issue than the painful working together of how do you solve common problems, Ross said. I dont know if I accept the premise that there are bigger issues of how humanity learns to talk to one another. I dont think anything is solvable if we dont learn to talk to each other.

Ross said she did sign the letter with reservation because I do believe in deplatforming, but a very narrow set of people  fascists, Holocaust deniers, people who say Black people are inferior.

But Im not going to deplatform someone simply because I disagree with them, she said. Deplatforming can mean depriving someone of a prominent position of influence, removing someone entirely from a social media network or simply preventing someone from giving a public lecture or speech.

In a phone call Tuesday, Ross said she wouldnt have called for [Bari] Weiss to be deplatformed but predicted Weiss would land a new job easily at another publication. As for Weisss critique that the Times is becoming too ideologically narrow, Ross said she wished the newspaper was more left-wing.

Ross said she received the text of the Harpers letter from Katha Pollitt, a feminist poet and critic, who is a friend. Pollitt also signed it.

During the course of two conversations with Ross, it became clear that she signed the letter less out of concern over events of the past several weeks  such as Bennets ouster at the Times  than because she has spent the past few years working on a book about the issue of free speech and social justice work.

I wonder if contemporary social movements have absorbed the most useful lessons from the past about how to hold each other accountable while doing extremely difficult and risky social justice work, she wrote in a New York Times op-ed last year.

Rosss philosophy is summed up by the phrase calling in the call-out culture. She wrote in her op-ed last year: Calling-in is simply a call-out done with love. Some corrections can be made privately. Others will necessarily be public, but done with respect. It is not tone policing, protecting white fragility or covering up abuse. It helps avoid the weaponization of suffering that prevents constructive healing.

Ross knows suffering. Her own personal story of 66 years began with trauma and heartbreak. She was the victim of rape at age 11 and was raped again by a distant cousin at 15, she said, and then bore a child from that second rape. That suffering propelled her into advocacy for rape victims.

Thats one reason that I make my story so public, because I want to model for other people how to attach words to those unbearable life experiences so you dont lose your joy in living, so that you heal, Ross told Yahoo News.

As a Howard University undergraduate, Ross became involved in Black nationalist and left-wing politics.

After becoming sterile from a defective IUD at age 23, Ross was one of the first Black women to sue the manufacturer, which led to a raft of class action cases. That experience led her to a career in working to expand access to abortion, but with an eye toward the disparities facing Black women in particular.

Loretta Ross speaks at the DC Rape Crisis Center in 1979. (Courtesy of Loretta Ross)

Ross, who held a senior position at the National Organization for Women, was one of the originators of the term reproductive justice.

During the 1990s, she worked for a group that raised awareness about white supremacist groups, the Center for Democratic Renewal.

She was writing long essays on combating white supremacy 25 years ago. But even then, Ross stressed the importance of maintaining unity inside broad and diverse coalitions.

Coalition work is not easy or comfortable; it is hard to be confronted constantly with our own and each others bigotry, which forces us to reevaluate our cherished assumptions. Despite the difficulties, coalitions provide us with a much greater potential to bring about fundamental opposition to white supremacy and advancement of our movements for human rights, she wrote in 1995.

In her work, Ross has conversed face-to-face with both convicted rapists and members of white racist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and their family members.

I used to deprogram Nazis and Klansmen. It didnt kill me. It didnt cause me irreparable harm. I knew what I stood for so I could entertain what they stood for as a part of their humanity, even though I totally disagree with it, Ross said.

A lot of people who think human rights work should be done a certain way are amateurs who have not thought about how to get power to change things in a nonviolent way, she said.

Ross said she faced a turning point in her career as an activist in 1980 when a young woman named Yulanda Ward, who was working in anti-gentrification activism in Washington, D.C., was shot and killed. Police said it was a robbery. Ross and her fellow activists thought it was a political assassination by those who resented their work.

I had to decide whether I was going to stay in activism. Most people melted back into their regular lives because we didnt think that what we were doing was going to be that dangerous. We were writing letters to city hall and holding teach-ins, Ross said. I had to decide, Am I going to do this or am I going to go back into a career in chemistry?

Ross said her devotion to restorative justice comes from being raised in a loving family and not from religious faith. But there is also a pragmatic element to her outreach: Shes seen this approach work over the decades shes spent in the trenches.

Its not about not holding them accountable for saying something racist, sexist, homophobic or whatever. But its because you keep in the lens their humanity as well. The way I see it, offer criticism as if youre holding their heart in your hands. And that may make you temper how you say it, she said.

Ross, who talks often about how many social justice activists are motivated by their own trauma, as she has been, said this is part of the reason why a call-in culture is needed, because it demands self-examination as well.

Before you make the decision to call somebody in or out you need to check your own emotional temperature and your own motivations for doing it. If youre doing it because you want someone else to learn and grow, thats one thing, she said.

If youre doing it for punishment and revenge, then you need to figure out why you feel motivated to offer that to another human being. What unhealed trauma is going on inside of you?

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
The Investigative Committee of Armenia launched more than 30 criminal cases amid the aggravation of the situation at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, including on the fact of violation of the ceasefire by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, a gross violation of international humanitarian law, and the requirements of the Geneva Convention.

According to preliminary data, as a result of attacks on Armenian strongholds, 36 servicemen were injured, 4 were killed, 4 cars were damaged.

The necessary investigative measures are underway.
The head of Inclusion Ireland has warned of another pandemic as families caring for people with a disability are emotionally, mentally and physically at the end of their capacity to cope.

Enda Egan told the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 Response that the ongoing closure of services for people with disabilities will lead to a revolving door of emergency cases of carer burn-out.

Inclusion Irelands chief executive said that services and support for people with a disability were already poor before the coronavirus pandemic.

He told the committee: Unfortunately, and quite sadly, for people with an intellectual disability, 56% felt that loneliness had become quite a significant issue for them.

People are emotionally, mentally and physically at the end of their capacity to cope and I feel that there is another pandemic about to hit us and it is family carer burn-out.

That will lead to a scenario where you will have a revolving door of emergency cases taking place and from speaking to some people there is evidence of this happening as we speak.

Last week guidelines issued by the HSE, on respect the reopening of services, we would have some concerns in relation to some of those.

The key point is that service providers must move quickly to reopen and do their utmost and not use the guidelines as a stumbling block for the reopening.

Dr Frank Conaty, acting chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), said Covid-19 has exposed inadequacies of Irelands public policy.

Inclusion Ireland are currently speaking along with @_IHREC and @DisabilityFed at the Oireachtas Committee on Covid Response. We will be speaking about the impact of day services closures on people & of those still living in institutional settings. https://t.co/Hz0xTQquv4  Inclusion Ireland (@InclusionIre) July 17, 2020

He told the committee: It is clear that Covid-19 has given rise to significant risks of discrimination and the undermining of rights for persons with disabilities, including the rights of older persons, many of whom have disabilities.

While Covid-19 is a once-in-a-generation public health crisis, its impact should be seen in the continuum of how people with disabilities have been, and continue to be, treated in the design and delivery of public policy.

The Covid response has exposed inadequacies of Irelands public policy in relation to the situation of people in congregated settings, including nursing homes; the disruption of supports and services for both people with disabilities and for family carers; the accessibility of information for people with disabilities and the lack of appropriate data that would allow for more responsive decision-making.

Mark OConnor, a community engagement manager at Inclusion Ireland, told the committee that some services may not reopen until September.

In this HSEs document, it clearly states that there will be reduced supports for people. That has a knock-on effect on families who may be trying to get back to work, he added.

Sinn Feins Pauline Tully said it was disturbing, adding they deserve better.

People are emotionally, mentally and physically at the end of their capacity to cope Enda Egan, Inclusion Ireland

Dr Joanne McCarthy, head of policy and research at the Disability Federation of Ireland, said there are 400 families, including parents over the age of 80, caring for ageing people with intellectual disabilities.

John Dolan, chief executive of Disability Federation of Ireland, said that disability services are facing deficits of more than 40 million euro.

Services and supports to people with disabilities were in a bad place before Covid-19 struck, he added.

The capacity to provide services and supports, in spite of the economy being fully recovered, was going in the wrong direction.

While poverty was decreasing generally it remains high for people with disabilities. Services were already facing deficits of over 40 million euro.

This years HSE Service Plan, pre-Covid-19, reduced disability funding to organisations by 1% as an efficiency measure.
Iranian armed forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi said July 16 that the Israeli media is exaggerating attacks on Iranians inside Syria, adding that Iran will not remain silent on reported Israeli attacks.

Shekarchi said, We warn the lying Zionists that with continued mischief you will see the upper hand of the resistance and the Islamic Republic of Iran in action.

Israel has not publicly taken credit for any of the bombings inside Syria, though many analysts and experts believe Israel is responsible.

Israel has instead been silent about the attacks in what some see as a suggestion it is conducting the attacks. Shekarchi said claims that hundreds or thousands of Iranians died in the attacks are untrue and baseless claims by Western Zionist media empire saber-rattling.

Shekarchi said Iranian advisers have been in Syria for nine years completely legally and at the request of the Syrian government. He said despite what Western media claims, in total eight Iranians have been martyred in these alleged Israeli attacks. He also listed the names of the individuals who have been killed. Shekarchi said Iran had responded with a missile strike on an Israeli base in the Golan Heights. This attack was reported to have occurred in May 2018.

It is not clear what prompted these comments by Shekarchi. It could be related to recent fires and explosions happening across Iran.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi spoke July 16 about an attack that reportedly had Israeli involvement. Mousavi said claims that Israel was behind the recent explosion at Natanz nuclear facility were a propaganda war by foreign media and especially Zionist media. Mousavi added that if Israel is indeed behind the attack, then Iran would respond, and that as Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei once said, The era of hit and run is over.

Regardless of who is responsible, Iran has experienced a high number of explosions and fires across the country, including a medical facility, an explosion near a base in east Tehran and fires on seven ships. It is also possible that the United States is behind such attacks. According to former US officials, the CIA was given permission by the Trump administration to conduct secret attacks inside Iran.

Iran also is still dealing with the coronavirus. According to Health Ministry spokesperson Sima Sadat Lari, Iran had 198 deaths due to the coronavirus in the previous 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to over 13,000. Lari said 11 provinces are labeled red zones, meaning the provinces must take extra measures in following health guidelines. There are also 13 provinces at a warning level, meaning they would be soon labeled red zones, including the capital city of Tehran.
The Coronil kit released by Baba Ramdev's (centre) company Patanjali Ayurved is selling for three times its price in the black market.

Hyderabad: Baba Ramdev's Coronil may or may not boost one's immunity but the mysterious product from Patanjali Ayurved has bolstered the financial health of many individuals. Many are willing to blindly gulp down any concoction to keep COVID-19 at bay.

As COVID-19 cases rise sharply across Telangana, people are shelling out three to four times the original cost of Coronil, including up to Rs 1,800 for a kit that is originally priced at Rs 545.

On Tuesday, the Hyderabad police busted a gang that was selling COVID-19 medicines at exorbitant prices.

Sales have peaked in the past few days among members of a particular business community many of whom are followers of Baba Ramdev.

Deccan Chronicle spoke to buyers and Patanjali product in Hyderabad. A startling revelation was that apart from individuals and families, many prominent local business houses bought Coronil in bulk the day it was released in the market.

This includes a leading pearl dealer, a resort on the outskirts of Hyderabad and some garment dealers. All of them are selling the Patanjali product in the black market, albeit clandestinely, and door delivering them and making a killing in the process.

Ironically, during a random check, it was found that, due to bulk buying, several Patanjali dealers in the twin cities had no stock of Coronil.

''I bought five Coronil kits for Rs 1,500 each. The demand is high as hundreds of families from our community have been affected,'' one businessman disclosed.

Another businessman, who purchased the kit for Rs 1,200, said before being hospitalised, many of his relatives tried the product.

''Our people are dying and the panic is such that people are willing to try anything to boost immunity. The price does not matter,'' he said.
A visibly angry Gov. Mark Gordon urged Wyomingites on Wednesday to wear face masks and to not minimize the deaths and dangers facing the states most vulnerable residents from the coronavirus.

When somebody sends me a note that says, Well these people are gonna die anyway, theyre just dying sooner, I gotta say, Im offended, he said at a news conference. And as an American, I think most people are going to be offended by the notion that people should just get this COVID-19 and get out of the way. Im sick and tired of that.

Gordon then urged people to be conscientious and to be mindful of our neighbors. His emotional speech came a week after a member of the Natrona County school board uttered a comment nearly identical to the email Gordon quoted: Most of (Wyomings coronavirus fatalities) were people with preexisting conditions or in old folks homes. They were going to die. They just died sooner.

Gordon said later that he was referencing emails hed received, not board member Kevin Christophersons comments. (Christopherson apologized in an interview Monday.) But the governor repeatedly became more animated and frustrated as he talked about Wyomingites dismissing as trivial the deaths of older Wyomingites. It was his most emotional press conference  briefings that hes held almost weekly for months  in weeks; in early April, he chastised the media for covering the medical communitys desire for a shelter-in-place order. A week later, after a Johnson County man became the first coronavirus fatality in the state, Gordon grew emotional and said the deceased was a friend.

On Wednesday, his voice rose as he talked about people risking the lives of their neighbors and residents arguing with businesses that require all customers wear masks.

Its just amazing to me, if somebody has diabetes, does another individual have the constitutional right to make sure they die prematurely? I dont see that, Gordon said.

He referenced another email, in which the writer told him that people needed to be ready to meet the Lord.

Im not sure you need to assist me meeting the Lord, the governor said.

Our Constitution was designed to make sure that we ensure the common good, and thats been tested time and time again, he said as he began to hit his hand on the podium to emphasize his words. Rights do not mean that I dont have any responsibilities. Rights  you can see this in the Federalist Papers, you can see that in the writings of the founders  rights imply responsibilities, and people need to take responsibility.

Christophersons comments, which drew significant heat from within the county and on social media, were made during a school board meeting in which board members and health officials were discussing the reopening plan for Natrona County schools. The majority of that meeting was focused on the reopening plans call for students and staff to wear masks when they couldnt maintain a 6-foot distance. Christopherson and others expressed opposition to the masks.

But at his news conference Wednesday, Gordon said masks would be an important part in keeping schools open. He noted that the virus would not disappear by the fall and that the situation had changed so rapidly in other states that predicting the situation even six weeks from now is impossible.

I will say that masks probably have a place in schools reopening, he said. I just want to make that clear. Masks will help those schools stay open. Masks will help our kids get back to those classrooms where they need to be. And masks will help them get back to education.

Gordon said he wasnt considering a statewide face coverings order, as other states  including Colorado  have instituted. As he has said since the beginning of the pandemic four months ago, the governor repeatedly called on Wyomingites to take responsibility for themselves and don masks without being ordered to.

Last week I got a question that said, Well, weve seen pictures of you not wearing a mask, Gordon said. And I have occasionally not worn a mask. And I have occasionally worn a mask. I am wearing a mask much more conscientiously now, especially as I see these cases tick up.

He defended the businesses who have mask requirements and the businesses constitutional rights in enforcing them.

There is no constitutional right to go infect somebody else, he said. There is no constitutional right that says you can put others in harms way. Lets behave and lets be mindful of our neighbors. Thats the country I grew up in. Thats the neighborhood I grew up in.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases has climbed steadily throughout July; 700 new cases have been identified in the past month alone, Gordon said. Dr. Alexia Harrist, the states health officer, noted that one night at a Uinta County bar where social distancing guidelines werent followed led to scores of cases, businesses and health care centers closing, and those infected becoming ill.

As of Wednesday afternoon, there have been 1,605 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Wyoming, alongside 380 probable cases. Of the confirmed patients, 1,211 have recovered; of probable patients, 295 have recovered.

Twenty-two Wyomingites have died from the virus, including two in recent days.
A global binge on comfort food during covid-19 pandemic lockdowns is boosting the prospects for a type of Canadian wheat already in heavy demand from pasta lovers.

Canada's durum exports in the 10 months ended May 31 surged 17% from a year earlier amid lackluster crops in Europe and North Africa. The grain is used in everything from pasta and flatbreads to couscous. Just as output sank in major markets, the coronavirus sparked a wave of panic buying as shoppers filled their carts with staples such as pasta, flour, cereal and crackers.

Exports are likely to continue to rise in the coming months, Neil Townsend, chief market analyst at FarmLink in Winnipeg, Manitoba, said in a telephone interview. Canada is the world's top exporter of durum, which is milled into semolina flour for spaghetti.

"Ultimately, it would've been a good year anyway, but that extra pasta being sold at the supermarkets is helping," Townsend said. "People are buying a bit more flour and they are buying a bit more pasta."

Adverse weather is expected to curb output of durum in Italy, the world's biggest pasta consumer, while drought in countries such as Morocco have cut yield forecasts. While Canada usually exports some durum for livestock feed, the majority of recent shipments were aimed for human consumption, suggesting that "pantry preparedness" is boosting demand and prices, Townsend said.

U.S. pasta sales rose 54% in the 16 weeks ended June 20, Nielsen data show.

Canadian durum exports in April surged to the highest in a year, Canadian Grain Commission data show. From August to May, shipments tripled to Turkey and Nigeria and almost doubled to Italy. Durum prices in Saskatchewan are trading close to a three-year high, according to data from Farmers Advanced Risk Management Co. in Winnipeg.

Global demand for pasta is rising, and countries in Europe facing reduced harvests are buying to meet greater consumption, said Jim Meyer, treasurer of the National Pasta Association in Washington and president of St. Louis-based Italgrani USA, the largest semolina and durum flour miller in the North America.

Durum acres in 2020 are poised to expand in North America, and if the crop continues to progress, that "would certainly help in the current situation in that more pasta is being consumed by the general public," Meyer said.

Farmers in Canada sowed 5.69 million acres of durum in 2020, up 16% from a year earlier, according to government data. Output in the U.S. is forecast to rise 3.7% to 56 million bushels, according to the Department of Agriculture.

"We're seeing people eat more at home, so they are eating more pastas," said Michael O'Dea, a risk management consultant at StoneX in Kansas City, Missouri.

Canada is sending large volumes to Italy that are approaching levels before country-of-origin labeling rules effectively hampered trade, said Cam Dahl, president of Winnipeg-based industry group Cereals Canada. As supplies dwindle in other countries, exports from North America will probably continue to climb, he said.

"There are no other suppliers," Dahl said in a phone interview. "If you eat couscous in Casablanca, you're probably eating Saskatchewan durum wheat."
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas on an armed patrol in the countryside of Makhmur. Makhmur, Erbil Governorate, Iraq, March 3, 2015. Image courtesy: www.jacobinmag.com

The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was founded in 1978 under the leadership of Abdullah Ocalan. An armed uprising was launched in 1984 and continued till 2013 with the PKK declaring a ceasefire. The human and economic cost of the uprising was colossal.





by Lionel Bopage and Michael Colin Cooke





A comment one of my LinkedIn friends had made on one of my posts led to the following write up, which would be useful for wider reference.





The Kurds are the largest ethnic group without their own state. Since becoming a republic in 1923 to this day, Turkey has supressed the cultural, linguistics and economic rights of the Kurds. Instead of meeting their just demands it has imposed a military solution.The Turkish government regardless of their political hue continue to conduct ground and air operations against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that is outlawed by the state. Turkish drones hit ordinary Kurdish civilians including internally displaced people living in camps across the region. Turkey justifies such acts and other military incursions under the pretext of fighting the PKK, which it deems as a terrorist organisation.





This situation is analogous to Sri Lanka since independence in 1948, where there has been a push through constitutional and military means to ensure the country was a unitary state, ignoring its history and rich multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural heritage.





The post-independence Sri Lanka saw the disenfranchisement of Malaiyaha (Plantation) Tamils, the Official Language Act of 1956 making Sinhala the official language of the state, communal riots, a pogrom, and constitutional provisions giving prominence to Sinhala language and Buddhism. All these climaxed in a twenty-five-year civil war.





Background for emergence of fundamentalism





Fundamentalism is "a religion of rage." As Pope Francis declared, fundamentalism is a sickness that is prevalent in all religions and is always a tragedy. It strikes at the heart of the common good, because it prevents people from growing as individuals contributing to the welfare of others. However, fundamentalism is not limited to religion as evidenced by what is happening in Sri Lanka in Asia and the Kurdish regions in the Middle East.





Nationalist protagonists advocating fundamentalism destroy each other with no room for compromise or co-existence. Nationalistic tendencies become predominant during the periods of radical socio-cultural and economic change. Such change subjects a society as a whole and its constituent communities to traumatic stress. They will look for quick explanations for their trauma and easy ways to wriggle out of their desperate situations. Such change is perceived as destroying personal values and cultural identities that are historically treasured and respected, and cause mass anxiety, feelings of panic and exasperation in the affected communities.





This provides a fertile environment for putting forward what appears to be straightforward and naive solutions, most often proffered by certain populist, fundamentalist and demagogic leaders. Desperation drive communities who feel their ethnic, linguistic, religious or cultural identities being tampered with to become outraged. In the fear of losing their identity they resort to simplistic to dangerous risk taking, moving away from using ballots to using bullets and bombs. Those who dare to question them become renegades, traitors, and enemies of the State that need to be eliminated, as they become opponents of the absolute truth those fundamentalists advocate.In the process, some get annihilated.





Kurdish history





Historians generally agree that Kurds were a part and parcel of the Iranian segment of the large family of Indo-European races. Sometime in the B.C. era, Medes, who were the equivalent of Kurds, had an empire whose reign extended over Assyria, Iran and part of Anatolia, but ended towards the end of 6th century B.C. For some time after, the fate of Kurds remained associated with other communities of the Iranian empire. Ultimately the Kurds became integrated with Islam, yet resisted Arabisation, as they were culturally and linguistically different.Later on, a Kurdish lord built an independent principality of Kurdistan that extended to four Kurdish principalities.





However, when the Ottomans conquered Iran and part of Iraq, they annexed the Kurdish principalities and created a Turkish province. Later, recognising the distinctiveness of the Kurdish cultureand languages, they named it Kurdistan. With the disappearance of the Kurdish dynasty, the most famous Kurd in history Saladin (Salah al-Din), and his descendants took over the leadership of the Muslim world for about a century. Saladin was a prominent figure in Muslim, Arab, Turkish and Kurdish culture.





Saladins empire incorporated Syria, Egypt and Yemen, and almost the whole of Kurdistan. The Nestorian church with metropolitan centre in Kurdistan, spread across Tibet, Sinkiang, Mongolia and Sumatra.In the latter part of the 15th century, Kurdish land took the form of an autonomous entity, united by its language, culture and civilization, but administratively existed as a series of separate principalities. Yet the aspiration for a single Kurdistan remained. In the 16th century the Kurdish land was contested by boththe Ottoman and Persian empires, and the Shah of Persia wanted to impose Sufism as the state religion. The Ottomans resisted, but they still wanted to conquer the Arab land. So, the Kurds could not remain an independent entity.





When the Ottomans defeated the Persians, the Kurdish leaders committed to guard the border to prevent Persian invasions on condition that Ottomans would recognise the previous Kurdish rights. This allowed Kurdistans peaceful existence for nearly three centuries. The Ottomans controlled some strategic strongholds on the Kurdish territory, and Kurdish lords and princes governed the rest. At the turn of the 19th century, Kurds were virtually independent, but split into a series of principalities. This period was the golden age of Kurdish literary, musical, historical and philosophical creation.





Capitalism, the promise, and the betrayal





With the onslaught of capitalism and its nation-state concept, there were calls for the Kurdish principalities to unite to create their own unifiedKurdistan state. Interfering in their affairs, the Ottoman Empire tried to bring an end to Kurdish autonomy. Wars for the unification and independence of Kurdistan marked the first part of the 19th century. The European powers helped the Ottoman Empire in its fight against the Kurds. All sporadic and regional revolts were harshly quelled andthe last independent Kurdish principality collapsed. The Turkish elite became pan-Turkish and were in favour of creating a Turkish empire extending from the Balkans to Central Asia.





The First World War fragmented the Kurdish society without a collective plan for the future. In 1915, France and Britain wanted to dismember Kurdish land and the Kurds were against it. Some demanded cultural and administrative autonomy within the framework of the Ottoman Empire. Others, inspired by the French Revolution and, President Woodrow Wilson of the United States, fought for the total independence of Kurdistan. When the Allied Powers of WW1 defeated the Ottoman Empire, a Kurdish nation was advocated for and the international community became more aware of the Kurdish national question. An International Treatysigned on August 10, 1920 recommended the creation of a Kurdish state.





However, the Kurdish internal political dynamics  with some against the spread of Christianity and others for a state of Turks and Kurds  prevented this from happening. An alliance of Turkish nationalists and Kurdish leaders wanted to liberate occupied Anatolia and the sultan-caliph from the occupying imperial powers. With the open support of the Soviet Union, and the discreet support of France and Italy, Turkish leader Mustafa Kamal Ataturk promised a Muslim state of Turks and Kurds. Even after the victory over the Greeks in 1922, Turkish nationalists advocated a Muslim state of Turks and Kurds. But what they really wanted was to establish a Sunni Muslim state with other communities playing a secondary role. And so, Kurds were tobe assimilated. In 1923, a new treaty was signed which did not respect Kurdish rights. A major part of Kurdistan was forcibly incorporated into the new Turkish state.









Earlier in 1921, France had already annexed some Kurdish provinces incorporating them into Syria. IranianKurdistan was in conflict with the Persian regime. The Turks and the British both claimed the Kurdish province of Mosul, despite the inhabitant Kurdsbeing in favour of an independent Kurdish state. The Iraqis, on the other hand, claimed they would not survive without the agricultural and petroleum wealth of that province. In 1924, all Kurdish schools, associations and publications were banned and speaking Kurdish was made a criminal offence. The following year, Britain annexed the Kurdish territories and incorporated them into Iraq, despite promising to set up an autonomous Kurdish government. Neither the British, nor the Iraqis kept that promise. That is how at the end of 1925, the land of the Kurdish people that was known as Kurdistan since the 12th century, became divided between Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.





Kurdish and Turkish nationalisms





What Jawaharlal Nehru wrote while he was held in prison (as quoted in Chaliand D 1993, A People Without a Country: The Kurds and Kurdistan, p.54, Zed Books Ltd, London) is relevant here: the Turks, who had only recently had to fight for their own independence, crushed the Kurds, who were seeking theirs. How strange, that a defensive nationalism should turn into an aggressive one, and a fight for freedom becomes one for dominion over others.





This was the situation in the Middle East with the Turkish leader Kamal and the Kurdish leader Sheikh Said leading their own nationalist struggles. Despite the Turkish allegations that the Kurds were agents of colonialism, the core of the whole conflict was nationalism that was emanating under capitalist path of development. The primary goal of both their movements was national independence. Both sides had Muslims and used religious slogans in the conflict, and they were not fighting for an Islamic caliphate, but for theliberation aspirations of the Turkish and Kurdish peoples.





When the Kurdish land was annexed or conquered previously by warlords and empires, they kept to themselves certain economic, political and military advantages and privileges.The conquerors did not prevent the Kurdish people from enjoying their cultural identity or deter practicing their faith. They did not attempt to destroy the Kurdish personality or to cut an entire race off their ancient cultural roots. But the division of the land of the Kurdish people between Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria, deprived them of even the cultural autonomy that they had previously enjoyed.





The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was founded in 1978 under the leadership of Abdullah Ocalan. An armed uprising was launched in 1984 and continued till 2013 with the PKK declaring a ceasefire. The human and economic cost of the uprising was colossal. The PKK is still active and controls parts of the mountainous region of northern Iraq bordering Turkey and Iran. Ocalan was forced to leave Syria in 1998 and American agents captured him while in Kenya and handed him over to Turkey. Though he was sentenced to death, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.





Map and Flag of Kurdistan



But the current emphasis of the PKK on grassroots democracy, ecology, and a harmonious multi-ethnic and multi-religious society with women extraordinarily empowered needs the attention of all progressive thinking people of the world.





There are some striking similarities in the Tamil  Sinhala conflict that are hard to ignore. In Sri Lanka, the democratic formations of the Tamil people were seeking a peaceful solution to their issues within the parliamentary setup. But they were met with legislative and constitutional changes that further reduced their rights that reinforced their secondary status in the land of their birth. The result has been a long-drawn-out ethnic conflict, human rights abuses, war and wartime excess, lack of accountability and the hollowing out of democratic institutions which continue to the present day.





Conclusion





As elsewhere in the globe, capitalism brought nationalism and nation-state to the fore. Yet capitalism is encountering new barriers to the path of development due to its intrinsic characteristics. In response, ruling elites have resorted to creating more and more fundamentalist currents of nationalism based on ethnicity, religion, language and culture. This is evident in Africa, China,Europe,Middle East, Russia,South Asia, UK and the USA, including Sri Lanka. Fundamentalist movements in Sri Lanka and Turkey are the unsophisticated responses to the cultural disarray in their respective countries. Infuriated, they attempt to evade the chaos by sentimentally seeking an unreal utopian future. Regrettably, they and their institutions become out of touch with the realities of a changing world and narrow-mindedly disparage those who reject to follow them.





The Turkish regime has committed many atrocity crimes by invading Kurdistan and killing the Kurds. Previously the Turkish state could get away with their military incursions under the pretext of fighting terrorism. However, such Turkish invasions of the Kurdish region in Afrin and Serekaniye in Western Kurdistan, and the mass displacement of thousands of people are increasingly condemned by the international community, the Kurdish diaspora and non-Kurds. Turkey needs to be held accountable for its past and current criminal actions against Kurds. Otherwise, Turkey will continue to commit international crimes against Kurdsunhindered by guilt or remorse.





Portrait of the Kurdish Struggle





Silence emboldens tyranny. We have a moral imperative to act when we see, read and hear a wrong, unjust or barbaric act has been committed. Social media abounds with video footages of Turkish state atrocities against Kurdish fighters and civilians. These videos show the brutality of the state and its defenders carrying out extrajudicial killings, torture of civilians, and desecration of graves. This tragedy goes back to the formation of the modern Turkish state. Only the terminology being used has now changed from killing mountain Turks (an old reference to Kurds) to fighting PKK terrorists.





With the colonisation of the Middle East, Turkish nationalists initially wanted to build a multicultural, multiracial and multinational society in Turkey. Now they have gone to the extreme of wanting to build a uniform nation, not a unified nation. We need to do our best to raise awareness of the injustices committed to many thousands of Kurds in pursuit of this goal.





In Sri Lanka there is a long-term goal to build a uniform homogenised nation on the basis of Sinhala Buddhism. One could draw a comparison with the Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus first leading a unified face in their appeals for national liberation from British colonial yoke. When the British colonialists bequeathed independence on a platter to their pro-British ruling elite in Ceylon, the pro-colonial Sinhala elites driven by their own separatist and conniving nationalist ego pushed the pro-colonial Tamil elites aside, bringing Sri Lanka to the devastated situation it is in today.





The ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant contraction of our fragile economy have highlighted the need to change our past economic and political trajectory to create a new political and economic climate that is more inclusive and fairer. We must build a society whose bedrock should be based on social justice and harmony!
LISBON (dpa-AFX) - Portugal's producer prices continued to decline in June, though at a softer pace, figures from Statistics Portugal showed on Friday. The producer price index decreased 5.7 percent year-on-year in June, following a 6.6 percent decline in May. Excluding the energy group, producer prices rose 1.8 percent in June, following a 1.7 percent increase in the previous month. Prices for energy declined 20.7 percent annually in June. Prices of intermediate goods decreased 3.9 percent and those of investment goods fell by 0.1 percent. On a month-on-month basis, producer prices increased 0.5 percent in June, following a 0.9 percent fall in the prior 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.
WASHINGTON  A 52-year-old man was put to death on Friday for the 1993 murders of five people, the third federal execution this week after a 17-year hiatus of federal capital punishment.

The execution of Dustin Lee Honken proceeded without any last-minute delays, unlike those of the two other federal inmates who had been put to death in previous days. The Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to the Justice Departments execution protocol early Thursday, clearing the way for his lethal injection on Friday afternoon. Mr. Honken was pronounced dead at 4:36 p.m. at the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind.

He spoke only briefly in his final moments, according to a journalist who observed the execution.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for me, Mr. Honken said.

The Justice Department announced its intention last summer to revive federal capital punishment. But questions over the constitutionality of the lethal injection protocol  using a single drug, pentobarbital  delayed its resumption.
A Boeing Co. 747 passenger aircraft, operated by British Airways, takes off at Heathrow airport in London, U.K.

British Airways, currently the largest operator of the Boeing 747, said it would retire its entire fleet of the iconic aircraft earlier than expected due to the coronavirus downturn.

The airline, owned by International Consolidated Airlines Group, had originally planned to phase out the jumbo jet by 2024. But travel restrictions due to Covid-19 led the company to take action now.

"It is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747 fleet with immediate effect," the airline said in an emailed statement to CNBC.

"It is unlikely our magnificent 'queen of the skies' will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic."

British Airways said it would instead operate more flights on "modern, fuel-efficient aircraft" including the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787.

BA started flying the jet in the early 1970s, and took delivery of its current fleet of 747-400s between 1989 and 1999. At its height, the airline had 57 of the 747s, only surpassed by Japan Airlines, and the planes now reportedly represent approximately 10% of its total fleet. It currently owns 31 of the four-engine aircraft, with an average age of 23 years.

The news comes after Qantas Airways announced in June that it was retiring its six Boeing 747 planes immediately, six months before initially planned.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

The Navajo Nation reported 80 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday night, the highest single-day increase for the reservation in more than two weeks.

There are 8,370 cases on the Navajo Nation and 405 deaths from the disease, according to the Navajo Department of Health, Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service. More than 69,000 people have been tested  about 33% of the population  and 6,184 have been reported as recovered.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said the bump in Navajo case numbers is concerning, as are rising virus cases and hospitalizations in neighboring states like Arizona.

I know that we want to try to get back to some normalcy, Nez said during a video update Thursday. I get it. I understand that. But if you were to ask folks that are in the hospitals now, its not worth it. Its best to stay home.

In April and May when a virus surge strained the capacity of Navajo hospitals, the most critical COVID-19 patients were transported to bigger facilities in New Mexico and Arizona.

Nez said he worries that the reservation could not handle another COVID-19 surge if conditions continue to worsen in those states.

Masks are mandatory on the Navajo Nation, which has a nightly curfew and a shelter-in-place order. Nonessential businesses, including Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise casinos, remain closed.
The Tahoe region has so far avoided a severe COVID-19 outbreak, but like many places across the country, cases are rising and local officials are asking the community and visitors to follow safety protocols with vigilance.

"If youre going to come to Tahoe, please do your part to keep Tahoe safe so we can stay open," said Chris Fiore, communications manager for South Lake Tahoe.

Officials can't point to one cause of the increased transmission, but rather say a combination of factors are to blame, from workplace outbreaks to gatherings with family and friends where safety precautions aren't taken.

Fourth of July festivities are also a likely cause. While the lake wasn't as crowded this holiday as in past years, tourists still flooded the region.

"We have very low numbers of hospitalizations and still zero deaths, but were 12 days out from 4th of July when we know there was transmission due to the increased visitors," said South Lake Mayor Jason Collin. "Some of those numbers should be accounted for, and likely there will be more cases that pop up."

Caleb Cage, the pandemic response chief for the state of Nevada, told the Tahoe Daily Tribune the state has seen a "surge," and believes "that many of the new cases in this recent surge are coming from the Fourth of July weekend.

Mike Rogge / SFGATE

Of the three California counties rimming the lake, only Placer County is on the state's watch list for concerning rates of transmission, but El Dorado and Nevada counties could follow.

"Were going to be put on the watch list any day now," said Fiore of El Dorado. "Our health director said yesterday it was inevitable."

El Dorado communications Director Carla Hass doesn't know when or if the county will be put under the state's close monitoring, but she agrees that it's inevitable. Hass said the most concerning data point is the rate of infection that's currently at 100 cases per 100,000 residents.

"Our hospital numbers are good," she said. "All the rest of the data looks good."

El Dorado County, which includes South Lake Tahoe, has three hospitalized COVID-19 patients and three in the ICU with 50% capacity available in the ICU, as of Thursday.

Hass asks that visitors only come to Tahoe if necessary and when they do travel there, they follow safety protocols. "There is still a nonessential travel ban in effect in the state," said Hass, referring to language in the state order asking residents to "avoid travelling long distances for vacations or pleasure as much as possible."

She added, "Thats the first thing for everyone to remember, but also recognizing that people are going to do what theyre going to do. If you are going to violate the travel order, when you are in El Dorado County, please dont do it if youre sick. Stay home. And when youre in El Dorado County, act like a local. This is not a playground for you to bring your trash or your germs and leave them here."

Placer County is struggling with the worst outbreak of the California Tahoe counties. Placer County has seen an increase of 36 hospitalized patients in the past 14 days with a total of 69 patients hospitalized as of Thursday. There are 11 patients in the ICU and 12% of ICU beds are available, as of Thursday.

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. Nevada County, which includes Truckee, has a rate of 2%, the lowest of the three California counties in the Tahoe Basin. Placer stood at 4.9% as of Thursday and El Dorado at 3.8%. Gov. Gavin Newsom has said the goal is to keep the positivity rate under 5%.

Mike Rogge / SFGATE

To help suppress a surge, South Lake Tahoe's City Council decided Tuesday to cancel all events through Sept. 22.

"We know Tahoe is a popular tourist destination and we pride ourselves on the events we have, but we realize now is not the time," said Fiore. "At the end of the day, this is about safety. We swell in population size from visitors during the summer months and we love our visitors. We want to make sure were keeping our residents and our visitors safe. Right now we just cant have large gatherings. Were asking people to socially distance, wash your hands, dont gather."

The city is also working with businesses to make sure employees and customers are adhering to mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines.

"We really need to stay open," said Collin, of the effort in South Lake. "We have done a good job so far but we need everyone's help. We're asking the business community to really push compliance. Most of the visitors are pretty compliant."

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

 San Francisco's health director discourages 'hard-to-resist' gatherings

 Gauging the early impact of Fourth of July gatherings on Bay Area coronavirus spread

 San Francisco Unified to begin fall semester in August with distance learning only

 Latinos make up half of SF's COVID-19 cases, despite community making up 15% of population

Alameda County allowed to reopen outdoor dining, Oakland Zoo after state approves variance

Amy Graff is the news editor for SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.
As soldiers are once again called on to respond to the coronavirus crisis, the Army's top civilian leader said the pandemic proves the need for a bigger force.

The Army has dispatched more than 50,000 soldiers to states across the country during the coronavirus pandemic, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said Thursday. That's at the same time 178,000 more soldiers have been deployed to the Middle East, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and elsewhere across the globe.

"Quite frankly, all [the pandemic] does is justify a large end strength," McCarthy said during a FedInsider event on how the novel coronavirus is affecting the military.

Read next: Space Force Selects More Than 2,400 Airmen to Join the New Service

Soldiers have built hospitals, supported hospital staff, helped deliver food and managed nursing homes since the president declared a national emergency in March as COVID-19 cases began sweeping across the country, now killing more than 137,000 Americans.

"We have been on every front of the COVID pandemic, along with deterring near peers, combat operations in the Middle East, and we're the ones central to the vaccine development effort for the president on Operation Warp Speed," the Army secretary said.

McCarthy did not specify Thursday how many more soldiers he thinks the Army needs.

When now-Defense Secretary Mark Esper was serving in McCarthy's position in 2018, the Army announced a plan to boost the size of the active-duty force to 500,000 over the next decade.

The service's end-strength goal for 2021 is 486,000.

Maj. Gen. Paul Chamberlain, who heads up the Army budget, told reporters in February, when next year's budget was unveiled, that the service planned to increase the size of the force modestly over the next four to five years, adding about 1,000 soldiers annually.

The Army took on new coronavirus-related missions earlier this month. U.S. Army North announced it dispatched medical and support troops to Texas and California, two states that have seen summer spikes in COVID-19 cases.

The request to send military personnel to the two locations came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the states.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Related: Troops Who Responded to COVID-19 Crisis Are Now Eligible for These Medals
Seamless coordination ensured that there are just 38 local terrorists active in Kashmir

Terrorists killed in Kulgam encounter had fabricated IED used in Pulwama attack

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 17: One of the three terrorists killed in the Kulgam encounter today had fabricated the improvised explosive device used in the Pulwama attack last year in which 40 CRPF jawans were martyred.

The slain terrorist has been identified as Walid. Sources tell OneIndia that Walid who was killed along with another terrorist, Salim had fabricated the IED for the February 2019 Pulwama attack.

Pulwama attack: Sawmill owner and logistic provider arrested

In the encounter that took place today, three terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad were gunned down by the security forces. The encounter took place at Kulgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

Rajnath Singh speech at Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken | Oneindia News

A search operation was launched by the security forces early this morning after receiving inputs about the presence of terrorists in Nangad area of Kulgam. The search operation turned into an encounter when the terrorists opened fire on the security forces.

A rifle has been recovered from one of the slain terrorists.
Being the longest-reigning Queen in the history of the British monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II has surpassed tons of scandals, problems and controversy thrown at the royal family.

Now that Her Majesty is at the peak of her duty with left and right controversies brought by Prince Andrew's connection with Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal exit, and the coronavirus pandemic that hit the United Kingdom, could the 94-year-old monarch be willing to step down and abdicate from her duties?

Abdicating as Britain's Queen would mean passing the crown to her eldest son, Prince Charles, and spending her remaining years in Windsor Castle with Prince Philip.

While abdicating sounds convenient for Queen Elizabeth II, royal experts believe that Her Majesty will hold on to the crown until her very last breath. This is because of a pledge she made to the U.K. during a major crisis that threatened the existence of the royal family.

Worst Abdication Crisis in History

When Queen Elizabeth II's uncle, Edward VII, abdicated as King 84 years ago, the royal family almost reached rocked bottom. The abdication has truly shaken the monarchy to its core.

King Edward VII decided to abdicate from his duties as king to follow his heart and marry his lover, Wallis Simpson. This decision turned Queen Elizabeth II's life in full 360 degrees, as she suddenly became the next heir to the throne after the kingship was passed to her father, King George VI.

Why Queen Elizabeth Will Never Abdicate

The abdication resulted in a major constitutional crisis, which has sparked Queen Elizabeth II's promise to herself not to leave the throne as long as she is alive.

Speaking to Channel 5's documentary "The Queen: Duty Before Family," royal expert Stephen Grief said that Her Majesty's life has been a "long rebuttal to the abdication crisis."

"Again and again, she's sacrificed those closest to her for what she feels is in the best interests of the monarchy," Grief said.

"The story of Elizabeth II is a story of great sacrifice. A woman who dedicated herself from a very young age to duty regardless of the consequences to her family and those around her."

Royal historian Hugo Vickers also suggested that the Queen is unlikely to leave her position, as she got the full support of the entire royal family and the people of the U.K.

"As we know, the nation adores the Queen, but so does her family. They are very devoted to her, and so what more can be said. I think it's a success story," Vickers said.

Meanwhile, fellow historian Dr. Anna Whitelock said that the Queen would never abdicate for the sake of Prine Charles and to be able to spend her retirement years with the Duke of Edinburgh.

"I think there is no chance of the Queen abdicating," Whitelock said.

"As she said at 21, whether her life short of long, she remains committed to serving her people. She simply has a sense of duty and needs to ultimately trump personal difficulty and personal emotion."

Several royal commentators said that Queen Elizabeth II could have the option to appoint her eldest son as King regent instead of abdicating from her duties. However, this option seems unlikely too as long as Her Majesty is healthy.

READ MORE: Jeffrey Epstein Plot Twist: Prince Andrew Could Act As Witness Against Ghislaine Maxwell
Handing over by outgoing PSC Chairman Willie Vira (right) to new chairman Rafe Tawia (left)
The incident came to light on Thursday evening after the woman lodged a complaint with Panvel Rural police station.

Mumbai: A 40-year-old woman was sexually assaulted at a quarantine centre in Panvel in Navi Mumbai by another inmate, a senior police official said on Friday.

The incident came to light on Thursday evening after the woman lodged a complaint with Panvel Rural police station, he added.

"The woman was sent to the quarantine centre three days after showing COVID-19 symptoms. The 25-year-old accused, who is known to the victim, entered her room on Thursday afternoon and on the pretext of a massage sexually assaulted her," said Ashok Dudhe, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone- II).

"We have registered a case of rape under sections 376 and 354. The accused has not been arrested as yet since he has been quarantined and his coronavirus test report is awaited," he added.
Russian spies are targeting organisations trying to develop a coronavirus vaccine in the UK, US and Canada, security services have warned.

The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said the hackers "almost certainly" operated as "part of Russian intelligence services".

It did not specify which organisations had been targeted, or whether any information had been stolen.

But it said vaccine research had not been hindered by the hackers.

Russia has denied responsibility.

"We do not have information about who may have hacked into pharmaceutical companies and research centres in Great Britain. We can say one thing - Russia has nothing at all to do with these attempts," said Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Putin, according to the Tass news agency.

The warning was published by an international group of security services:

the UK's NCSC

the Canadian Communication Security Establishment (CSE)

the United States Department for Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber-security Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

the US National Security Agency (NSA)

One expert said it was "plausible" that, despite the Kremlin's denials, Russian spies were involved.

"The received wisdom is that in cyber-space, attribution is difficult but not impossible," commented Emily Taylor from the Chatham House think tank.

"Usually the security services are much more hedgy in their language if they think there is any doubt.

"Cozy Bear [the named group] has been implicated in past cyber-attacks and has left quite a trail, and there are fairly good links to the Russian state itself."

In recent years, Western security agencies have become more willing to call out hackers targeting companies and organisations in their countries in the hope it will deter them.

But the latest accusations are more unusual since officials are directly pointing the finger at Russian spies rather than talking generally about "state-backed hackers" or using other more cautious references.

And they are also challenging them over targeting something that the general public recognises as being highly sensitive - coronavirus vaccine research - rather than simply some company or government department's information.

However, on another level we should not be too surprised by the claim.

Understanding vaccine research and other details about the pandemic has become a top target for intelligence agencies around the world and many others, including Western spies, are likely to be active in this space.

The UK, US and Canadian agencies said the hackers had exploited software flaws to get access to vulnerable computer systems, and had used malware called WellMess and WellMail to upload and download files from infected machines.

They are also said to have tricked individuals into handing over login credentials with spear-phishing attacks.

Phishing - emails are designed to trick the recipient into handing over their personal information

Spear phishing - is a targeted and personalised form of the attack, designed to trick a specific individual. Often the email appears to come from a trusted contact, and may include some personal information to make the message seem more convincing

But one cyber-security expert said the Russians were unlikely to be the only ones involved in such a campaign.

"They have lots of people, we have lots of people, the Americans have even more people, as do the Chinese," commented Prof Ross Anderson from the University of Cambridge's Computer Laboratory.

"They are all trying to steal this kind of stuff all the time."

Who is accused of being responsible?

The NCSC calls out a hacking group called APT29, also known as The Dukes or Cozy Bear.

It says it is more than 95% certain that the group is part of the Russian intelligence services.

Cozy Bear was first identified as being a significant "threat actor" in 2014, according to the American cyber-security firm Crowdstrike.

It describes the group as being "aggressive" in its tactics and "nothing if not flexible, changing tool sets frequently".

The unit has previously been implicated in hacking the US Democratic National Committee (DNC) during the US Presidential election in 2016.

In 2017, it attacked Norway's Labour Party, defence and foreign ministries, as well as the country's national security service.

The report includes recommendations that can help protect organisations from cyber-attacks.

"Throughout 2020, APT29 has targeted various organisations involved in Covid-19 vaccine development in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, highly likely with the intention of stealing information and intellectual property relating to the development and testing of Covid-19 vaccines," it said.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: "It is completely unacceptable that the Russian intelligence services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

"While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour, the UK and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health."

On Thursday, the UK government also said Russians had "almost certainly" sought to interfere in the 2019 UK general election through illicitly-acquired documents.

"We worked very closely with our allies to ensure we would take measures to keep that information safe," said White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany, "and we continue to do so and we are aware of those activities."

What else has the US said?

by Tara McKelvey in Washington DC

"The National Security Agency, along with our partners, remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting national security by collectively issuing this critical cyber-security advisory as foreign actors continue to take advantage of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic," said NSA cyber-security director Anne Neuberger.

Earlier in 2020, John Demers, an assistant attorney general for US national security, warned that hackers working for foreign governments were trying to steal vaccine research.

He said that the first nation to find a vaccine first will gain clout on the world stage with a "significant geopolitical success story".

For that reason, hackers have been pursuing vaccine research in several countries. Demers and others who work in US intelligence have been watching their activities closely.

Now, intelligence experts know more about the goals of the hackers and how they using spear-phishing and malware to get what they want. BBC
A Costco worker in the north-west of Melbourne has tested positive for COVID-19 as Victoria battles a second wave of the pandemic.

The retailer has confirmed that the staff member had last attended work on Saturday July 11 at the store's Epping warehouse.

The building is currently undergoing deep cleaning and sanitisation with the store's management saying they are tacking down other staff in contact with the employee.

A Costco worker has tested positive for COVID-19 at a Melbourne warehouse

Australian Defence Force members (pictured) are deployed to a COVID-19 testing facility at Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne on Friday July 17, 2020 as the city battles a second wave

The company wrote in a letter to workers that it would directly reach out to those people who were in close contact with the infected staff member.

'We are committed to informing you as soon as we become aware of these cases,' the letter read.

Costco told Daily Mail Australia in a statement that they were taking 'necessary precautions' as a result of the diagnosis.

The confirmed case was identified at Costco's Epping warehouse north of Melbourne (pictured) with the worker there on Saturday

'We have been advised by an employee that they have tested positive to COVID-19. This employee has yet to be contacted by the Department of Health,' country manager Patrick Noone said.

'They last worked at our Epping Warehouse on 11 July 2020 and we are taking all the necessary precautions to ensure our employees and members are safe.'

'Costco takes seriously our responsibility to maintain the health and safety of our employees and members. We continue to institute social spacing controls, strict cleaning and santisation protocols and provide PPE for employees to use.'

Melbourne reported a record rise of more than 400 new coronavirus cases on Friday despite a week-old lockdown of more than 5 million residents.

Victorian authorities said there were 423 new infections in the metropolitan area and five more in rural parts of the state.

The total was higher than any single daily increase in COVID-19 cases for the entire country since late March.

'We have not turned the corner here, worse than that,' said Victoria's chief health officer, Brett Sutton.

People are seen wearing face masks while shopping at the Queen Victoria Market (pictured) on July 11, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. Metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell shire are in lockdown following the rise in COVID-19 cases

A graph showing the surge in coronavirus cases in Victoria in July 2020

Melbourne has been experiencing a surge in coronavirus infections since mid-June, after the rest of the country had successfully contained the epidemic.

The Melbourne outbreak was initially blamed on health and security breaches at hotels where returning international travellers were under quarantine.

Residents in and around greater Melbourne were ordered into a six-week stay-at-home lockdown a week ago in a bid to contain the virus, and officials said they would give those restrictions more time to counter the outbreak before considering tougher measures.

'There is a hope that the numbers stabilise over the coming days,' Sutton said.

But he added: 'No one is being complacent here, and we are all thinking about the additional measures that may be required if it does not turn around.'

Australia's other states and territories have all closed their borders to people from Victoria in a bid to stop that outbreak from spreading.

However, the contagion has already reached Sydney with 42 cases connected to a cluster at the Crossroads Hotel in the city's southwest, sparking a tightening of restrictions by the New South Wales Premier on Friday.

A drive-thru COVID-19 testing clinic in the Melbourne suburb of Fawkner in July (pictured) is one of multiple testing facilities establish as the number of cases in Victoria surges

Police officers stop a car at a checkpoint in the Melbourne suburb of Ascot Vale (pictured) after lockdowns were enforced in July on the Melbourne and Mitchell Shire areas
The Chancellor has ordered an urgent capital gains tax review which could hit many homeowners and investors, depending on the outcome.

With Rishi Sunak and the Government looking at ways to foot the coronavirus bill, will CGT be changed and will they keep their manifesto pledge to not raise income tax, national insurance or VAT?

On this week's podcast, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce, and Georgie Frost look at what could happen to CGT and why.

We discuss the problem facing 'cladding prisoners'  people who are trapped in flats wrapped in dangerous materials that are unable to sell, or take advantage of the stamp duty cut, with banks nervy to lend to would-be buyers.

A reader contacts us about an unusual letter from their bank seemingly randomly asking if they are a tax resident of Egypt, with no connection to the country whatsoever.

Are you an aspirational recycler? We talk you through our guide on how to recycle, properly (the full story is here  it is difficult to describe the Mobius Loop on a podcast).

Travel is still on our lips, with Georgie booking a trip to Spain: What do you need to consider if you're tempted to do the same?

And finally, we look at the cheapest cars to insure, with a surprising choice at number one: a sporty, two-seater convertible.
A Research article by the Institute for Energy Security (IES) has made a case for the strong consideration of Solar and Wind energy sources in Ghana and Africas post-COVID recovery plan.



In an article authored by IES Research and policy Analyst Raymond Nuworkpor citing multiple authorities, The IES said not only does the adoption reduce pressure on the national grid because of its unreliability in terms of power supply, but provides cheaper sources of energy at more stable generation and use levels, that enable businesses to adequately plan and grow.



The institute added further: The green energy sources are rapidly becoming cheaper than fossil fuel powered plants. 56 percent of capacity additions for utility-scale renewable power in 2019 achieved lower electricity costs than cheapest coal plants. There will also be 23 billion annual potential savings if the costliest 500 GW of existing coal were replaced by solar and wind. Also, 1.8 gigatons of carbon dioxide reduction annually possible, equalling to 5 percent of the total global carbon dioxide emissions last year. And lastly, a cumulative global GDP will grow by US$98 trillion, according to IRENA.



Find the full article below:



During the first quarter of 2020, the world recorded slumps in prices of crude oil, exposing its vulnerability and volatility. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), crude oil prices plunged by 54.18 percent on average terms, starting the year on a high of US$66.74 to close the first quarter of 2020 at US$30.58 per barrel. The price plummet was so precipitous that at a point, a barrel of crude cost less than a meal at any fast food restaurant. The suspension of exploratory works, slashing of projected crude oil receipts, job losses, diversification of investment from fossil fuel, withholding of shareholders returns, filing of bankruptcy et cetera were the dominant features of the crude market in the first and second quarter of year 2020.



COVID-19 has changed the world as we know it. The pandemic has changed among others, the way we eat, the way we work, the way we communicate. In International Energy Agencys report, World Energy Investment published in May 2020, the agency describes drastic changes in the energy markets in the wake of the pandemic. The report reveals the largest fall in energy sector investment ever and uncovers historic shift along the way. It shows that for the first time ever, there will be more spending on electricity than on oil. Most importantly, the report asserts that it is in the power sector where the possibilities of transition to a low-carbon energy sector are most apparent.



Although a separate report from the IEA noted that, newly installed renewable power capacity was expected to decline by 13 percent this year, the renewable (green) energy sector was proven to be disproportionately resilient to the impacts of the pandemic.



Damilola Ogunbiyi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Special Representative of the United Nation (UN) Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) and Co-Chair of UN-Energy, has noted that, as countries rebuild economies from the impacts of the pandemic, they are faced with a unique once-in-a-generation opportunity to recover better with sustainable energy.



It will therefore not be shocking that the post-COVID-19 era will be jam-packed with sustainable energy related programmes, and laggard governments that are slow to adopt and advance their renewable energy resources, risk being left behind  or worse, will completely be shut out. They will suffer consequences such as slow social and economic development, augmented environmental problems resulting from continued reliance on fossil fuel energy resources.



The Renewable Agenda



Energy related matters, particularly the production of electricity from renewable sources, are critical on the agendas of most governments around the world today. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 7- Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030) and the Paris Agreement, emphasize the importance of energy sustainability, healthy ecosystem and decarbonisation.



The UN Secretary-Generals SE4ALL initiative, clearly shows how clean, affordable and safe energy can enable countries recuperate better and leverage renewable energy to not only close the energy gap but also reset their economies. The SE4ALL guide shows that African countries, through a widespread, ambitious and genuine commitment to advancing comprehensive renewable energy can achieve resilient economies with long-term growth, new jobs, cleaner and healthier environments, increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP), improved agriculture yields, and affordable and sustainable energy for all in the long term.



It is an important fact that developing renewable energy is a must-have, a make-or-break commodity. Hence, most governments have already planned and are deploying strategies to achieve sustainable energy supply. Many countries around the world have instituted objectives to adopt and utilize renewable energy resources to shore up their power generation and consumption. By the adoption of policies and pursuance of targets, countries like China, United States (USA), Germany, United Kingdom (UK), Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have become world leaders in renewable energy, and are investing heavily into renewable energy technologies (RETs).



Germany for instance, continue to play a key role in the energy transition conversation, investing heavily in technology, education and research.

Germany has set for itself a 65 percent target by 2030, requiring an increase in wind and solar generation capacity to between 215 and 237 gigawatts (GW) from 120 GW presently. Wind, solar and other clean energy sources currently account for more about 40 percent of the countrys energy production, having more than doubled over the past 8 years, according to Reuters. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) figures for 2018 show around 284,000 people working in Germanys renewable energy sector, the vast majority in wind energy.



The African Story



The story in Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa looks different, yet promising. A crucial source of concern is the worrying trend of lack of access to affordable electricity and the unsteady nature of electricity supply; factors which have been impediments to continental development and energy security.



Isnt it mind boggling that till date Africa, a continent with the richest solar resources in the world, has installed only 5 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV), which is less than 1 percent of the global total, as noted by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Meanwhile, the agency projects that Sub-Saharan African countries are to witness the fastest growth from 2020 to 2040, with demand for electricity doubling to over 1,600 terawatts-hour (TWh).



Morocco remains the leading country playing an important role in Africas energy transition with the Noor Ouarzazate solar complex, according to a June report by the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group. The country is making strides to address Africas energy infrastructure deficit challenge. The June 2020 Climate Action Tracker statistics, founds Morocco and the Gambia as the only countries in the world on track to curb emissions to the 1.5C limit urged by Paris Agreement and the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).



In Ghana, businesses production and outputs over the years have been affected in one way or the other, due to inadequate power supply or power fluctuations. It is reported by the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana that Ghanas power crisis of 2012-2015 had a huge negative effect on manufacturing firms, which includes the fold up of businesses and job loss. It is for such reasons that a push for the utilization of renewable sources of energy is in the right direction. Not only does this take pressure off the national grid with its unreliable power supply, but also provides cheaper sources of energy at more stable generation and use levels, that enable businesses to adequately plan and grow. Africa and for that matter Ghana, stands to potentially benefit immensely with its small and medium scale enterprises, households et cetera, as they explore and utilize available sources of renewable energy to cut down on their energy expenditure.



Adoption and Benefits



According to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), jobs in renewables would reach 42 million globally by 2050; additional 21 million jobs through energy efficiency measures and 15 million jobs through system flexibility. The green energy sources are rapidly becoming cheaper than fossil fuel powered plants. 56 percent of capacity additions for utility-scale renewable power in 2019 achieved lower electricity costs than cheapest coal plants. There will also be 23 billion annual potential savings if the costliest 500 GW of existing coal were replaced by solar and wind. Also, 1.8 gigatons of carbon dioxide reduction annually possible, equalling to 5 percent of the total global carbon dioxide emissions last year. And lastly, a cumulative global GDP will grow by US$98 trillion, according to IRENA.



Power generation cost by wind energy for instance continue to rapidly plummet over the last decade per data gathered by IRENA. Onshore and offshore wind declined by 39 percent and 29 percent respectively. The declining cost of wind energy makes it cost effective and prudent investment, with the same amount of money, investment value increases i.e. US$1 million invested 2010 yields 514 kilowatts (Kw), the value however increases to 679 kW in 2019 for onshore wind.



With the lowering cost of renewable energy sources, renewable has demonstrated its robustness, stability, sustainability, and cost effectiveness over this malignant Covid-19 period unlike the crude oil market. The shift from a hydrocarbon based energy production to renewable energy sources is pushing lot of investors, fund managers, and oil majors to diversifying capital into renewable energy sources.



The sustainable recovery strategy by countries around the world especially Africa must be to protect existing renewables project while erecting the needed enablers to upscale infrastructure related to energy transition.

Securing strategic funding for local industries and institutions for a smooth transition from hydrocarbon based sources to renewables for an inclusive growth and development, is something that cannot be overlooked.



The energy transition conversation must be a global dialogue, with Africa as an active participant because of the enormous job opportunities associated with renewable energy production, i.e. drastic reduction in electricity tariffs, decarbonisation and minimization of climate change related disasters. The renewable energy conversation does not mean pulling the plug on fossil fuel overnight but rather providing the needed catalyst to ensure adequate energy mix especially in Africa with it attended electricity challenges.



It is the resilience of renewable to the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the falling cost of power generation from renewable energy resources that has led many to forecast a significant increase in green investment post-COVID-19, and Africa cannot miss out of this opportunity. There is a strong consensus that renewable energy is the future emerging segment for the energy industry, an opportunity for also green investors to acquire shares at cheaper prices.

Source: Institute for Energy Security









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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This is our first meeting after a long pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, and on this occasion, with satisfaction, I would like to state that the Eurasian Economic Union has resisted this trial with honor. This is what Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan stated in his speech during the regular session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council today.

Pashinyan particularly stated the following: The Eurasian Economic Commission didnt interrupt its activities for a second, and the sessions of the Board, the Intergovernmental Council and the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, which were held via video calls, not only provided us with the opportunity to exchange information about the coronavirus situation in our respective countries, but also allowed us to continue to discuss issues and make decisions that will be of fundamental significance for the future of the Union.

Our cooperation wouldnt be this effective, if it wasnt for the strong friendship between our countries and peoples. I would especially like to thank Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin and Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk for promptly responding to all the problems, particularly in regard to uninterrupted transportation between Russia and Armenia. In this context, I would like to mention the work of Belavia Airlines.

Dear friends,

The epidemiological situation in Armenia remains grave, despite the recent reassuring figures. The pandemic truly had a negative impact on all the aspects of our lives. It dealt a blow to the economy and social sector. The people are moving less, and circulation of goods and services has become difficult. There is an unprecedented workload in the healthcare system.

All countries are faced with these hardships to a certain extent. It is more than obvious that maintenance of peace and discontinuation of armed conflicts are a major precondition for a successful fight against the pandemic and against the economic crisis due to the pandemic.
Popular Broadcaster, Ifedayo Olarinde aka Daddy Freeze, on Friday, described Bishop Oyedepos comment on tithing as utter nonsense....





Bishop Oyedepos comment on tithing as utter nonsense. Popular Broadcaster, Ifedayo Olarinde aka Daddy Freeze, on Friday, describedBishop Oyedepos comment on tithing as utter nonsense.









However, Daddy Freeze, the leader of an online ministry called Free The Sheeple, said that Oyedepos message was wrong.





He wrote on Instagram, Utter nonsense! Are you one percent as prosperous or as wealthy as Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet who dont tithe? I personally find this unscriptural statement manipulative and cruel.

Christ didnt collect tithe neither did the disciples, yet no one was cursed! Tithing is the old law, obeying the old law partially, without obeying all the 613 laws of Moses is what carries a curse. Thats why to us Christians, its referred to as the law of sin and death!





While quoting from Hebrews 7:5, Daddy Freeze added that the law of Moses required that the priests, who are descendants of Levi, must collect a tithe from the rest of the people of Israel, who are also descendants of Abraham.





Nigerian comedian known as Basketmouth also aired his opinion on the matter.





He stated that the church is now threatening people with a financial curse over tithe in a bad economy.





He wrote;

THIS LIFE NO BALANCE AT ALL!!

The Govt will threaten us with prosecution if we dont pay our TAX & VAT.

The CHURCH will now threaten us with a FINANCIAL CURSE if you dont pay your TITHE!

Inside the TERRIBLE ECONOMY?

With the LEVEL OF UNEMPLOYMENT?

ABEGIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!





A tweep, @kingmichaelthe2 tweeted, But Jesus Christ, our Lord, the owner of the church never threatened nor forced anyone to tithe he who comes to me shall by no means be cast away. How will he now curse those who believe in him because of 10 per cent of their salaries? God is a merciful and loving God. God is love.





Journalist and writer, Isaac Obasi, who also contributed to the debate, said tithing was based on the Judaic laws and not Christianity.





Tweeting with his handle, @Obasifoundation, he wrote, Whom did God command to pay tithes and to whom? God told all the nations of Israel to pay tithes from the land he gave the new covenant is superior and better than the old covenant with better promises. The Bible says if the old covenant was perfect enough there wouldnt have been need for the New Covenant.





Again in Matt. 23:23 Jesus rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees and he said woe unto them and called them hypocrites for over-emphasizing the payment of tithes.





@istifler_ tweeted, You spend more time posting teachings on tithing than any other message. Two days ago, same message. Four days ago, same message. Please, preach more on the gospel. People need God now more than ever in these last days. Gods love surpasses material things or money.





However, many of Oyedepos followers defended him and asked his critics not to discourage others from paying tithe.





They also warned his critics to remember that he is an anointed man of God and ought to be respected.





@iam_theMK tweeted, We pay and God is blessing us, if you wont then seal your lips. You can be cursed for sounding rude at the blessed man of God.




Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media

BRIDGEPORT  A motorcyclist suffered life-threatening injuries after he was ejected from his bike during a crash in the city Thursday afternoon, police said.

Patrol officers and fire units responded to a serious crash at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Center Street around 3:30 p.m. involving a car and a motorcycle, according to Capt. Kevin Gilleran.
if youre seeing strange bugs with colorful red and white wings with black dots, theres a good reason why.

The spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that can suck the life out of some trees and continues to destroy crops like vines used for wine grapes, has increased significantly in New Jersey since last year, a Rutgers University entomologist said.

Our citizen science reporting from the slanternfly@njaes.rutgers.edu site has a 1,300% increase in reports this year over last year, said Anne Nielsen, an entomologist with the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Bridgeton. We have seen a drop-off in counties that have a longer experience with [Spotted Lanternflies] such as Hunterdon County, but this shows that the populations in the homeowner landscape are becoming much more apparent. We are still within the exponential growth curve for this invasive species as its populations spread and increase in New Jersey.

Lanternflies have been sighted in other locations in New Jersey but have not multiplied enough for the county to be put in quarantine. They were first spotted in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2014 and appeared in New Jersey by 2018. To help stop the spread, a quarantine was placed on Mercer, Hunterdon and Warren counties in 2018. Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Somerset were added in 2019.

This meant stepped up measures to capture and kill the bugs and added warnings for travelers, especially with plants and items like firewood or packing material, to check to make sure the insects havent hitched a ride. Businesses and municipalities were required to obtain permits if they needed to move certain items in and out of those counties, too.

Neilsen said Rutgers and the state Department of Agriculture are relying on citizen tipster to report sightings to a special hotline number  833-BADBUG-0 (833-223-2840)  or send an email with a photo to SLF-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov.

Given what I have seen in vineyards, we are also seeing significantly higher populations of nymphs than last year and this is very concerning for our grape industry, Nielsen said. At one location I saw a maximum number of 90 1st instar nymphs on a single vine in one day. The average is closer to 10-15 nymphs per vine.

State and federal wildlife officials say killing the insect is the best plan of action if spotted, even though that advice is not often given for problem bugs outside. Wrapping tape, with the adhesive side out, is also recommended as a way to catch the bug.

Aside from killing individual lanternflies, residents are also advised to remove and destroy any egg masses of the spotted lanternfly. Those look like small grayish blobs of putty and are usually attached to trees.

The lanternflies only attack vegetation and are no immediate threat to people or pets.

Another important factor in predicting the possible range is the presence of the tree of heaven  an invasive plant that, like the lanternfly, originated from China, according to the researchers. Although not the plant-hoppers only host plant, it is highly important to the insect. Studies are underway to identify additional host plants and to find the right biocontrol system, the USDA researchers say.

Within the United States, the spotted lanternfly could eventually become established in most of New England and the Mid-Atlantic states, the central United States and Pacific coastal states, officials said.

Staff writers Len Melisurgo and Kurt Bresswein contributed to this report

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
Corporation officials, along with the police, were looking for the 275 Covid-19 positive persons who had gone missing from quarantine camps. (PTI Photo)

Chennai: Corporation officials, along with the police, were looking for the 275 Covid-19 positive persons who had gone missing from quarantine camps, Commissioner G Prakash said on Thursday when the new Coronavirus infections in the city stood at 1157 against a State total of 4,549.

The Commissioner said that 80,000 cases were detected to be positive in Chennai through the intensive efforts of the Corporation and if they had not been isolated and given treatment, they would have infected on an average of 20 persons each, totally 16 lakh people.

Chennai topped among the Indian cities in the number of tests conducted, he said, adding that the Corporation would not let up on its present efforts at tracking, testing, treating and isolation. As of now 11,000 tests were being done every day and that would soon be increased to 13,000, he said.

Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, who inspected the Egmore Maternity Hospital, said that there had been no deaths among the Coronavirus positive pregnant women admitted to the hospital since the outbreak of the pandemic in the State.

He said that 400 women were admitted and 374 of them had been discharged after delivery with no complications. The rest who had some other health issues had been admitted to other departments, he said, adding that isolation and observation enabled the doctors achieve such good results.

At the state level 1,606 pregnant women were found to be Covid-19 positive and given treatment, he said, adding that 1,104 of them had been discharged without any complications. The chances of the newly born child contracting the virus from mother was 10 to 12 per cent, he said.

Vijaybaskar said that the State was doing well in plasma therapy and the governments various efforts at combating the pandemic was yielding good results.

Meanwhile, some of the districts reported very high rates of infections. They were Thiruvallur 526, Madurai 267, Vellore 253, Thiruvannamalai 212, Thoothukudi 171, Kanyakumari 146, Ranipet 145, Virudhunagar 145 and Tirunelveli 130.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

When India instituted the lockdown of more than one billion people in late March, its COVID-19 infection rate was significantly lower than in the U.S. and China. But by early May, as a lockdown-weary nation prepared to ease some of its rules, its infection rates began to steadily rise. In the city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, Udit Bhatia saw this comingin fact, his own modeling predicted it.

Udit Bhatia, a graduate of Northeastern who now teaches at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, has led the development of a new interactive dashboard to help Indian authorities understand the spread of COVID-19 in real-time and forecast infection rates based on multiple variables and scenarios. Bhatia says the model developed by his team of public health officials, including doctors and epidemiologists, and students was "always saying that if you lift the lockdown before the 30th of May, the cases are going to rise exponentially in the city of Ahmedabad."

That is precisely what happened, and the city is listed as one of India's COVID-19 hotspots; Along with the city of Surat, it accounted for 75% of the state of Gujarat's COVID-19 cases in June. Other large and congested cities, such as Delhi and Mumbai, have faced a similar sharp increase in numbers, leading to the return of more stringent physical distancing policies. Delhi has reinstated lockdown rules after easing them, and entire states, including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, have announced extended lockdowns until July 31.

Despite these measures, the atmosphere is markedly different from when the lockdown was first imposed. Mumbai's streets, eerily silent in March and April, are now bustling and filled with the familiar sounds of honking. Many storefronts have reopened in Mumbai, and people who went three months without haircuts are booking appointments or indulging in walks before the 9 p.m. curfew. Hotels and restaurants are also in the process of reopening, and people are now venturing outside with face masks for religious services.

Across the country thousands of Hindus visited temples on July 6 to honor one of their deities, Lord Shiva and his wife, Goddess Parvati, on a day considered especially auspicious. In Delhi, some temples were checking the temperature of each person before allowing them to enter. In others, priests were wiping down the idols with hand sanitizer.

India has the third-highest number of cases in the world, and like other nations, is grappling with how to contain the coronavirus outbreak without decimating its own economy. Liquor sales have been one avenue for regaining lost revenue, but once sales began again after the first lockdown, thousands of people waited in hours-long lines outside of storefronts. News sites featured stories and TV channels ran extended footage of the lines of people (almost entirely men), which circled blocks. In an effort to drive the crowds away, local governments started adding a "corona tax" to their sales; in Delhi, it was 70%, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, it was 75%.

In this complex landscape, predictive tools such as Bhatia's dashboard have become even more important, both for officials trying to distribute limited resources, and citizens making daily decisionssuch as which route to take to work.

Bhatia and his team chose Ahmedabad as the test case for the dashboard, because the city is both close to their campus and densely populated. The dashboard gives the public, stakeholders, and local officials in the city real-time data as well as granular predictions for a variety of scenarios based on inputs including current COVID-19 data, epidemiological models, transportation patterns, population density, education levels, and rates of testing and quarantining.

The success of the model in Ahmedabad has prompted other regions both within Gujarat and nationwide to reach out for support as well. Researchers in the state of Chhattisgarh contacted Bhatia to collaborate on a similar type of dashboard for their cities, and Bhatia hopes to work with cities such as Delhi after more reliable data becomes available.

The dashboard, which is backed by a U.S. patent, already provides options for navigating in Ahmedabad that popular apps such as Google Maps do not. To contain COVID-19, the city government created "micro-containment zones," which are regions that cannot be entered or exited except under strict parameters and are designated when residential housing societies report three or more cases; Bhatia says these nearly 100 zones "can be a few square meters to a few square kilometers." With the dashboard "people can see, if they want to go from A to B, which areas to avoid altogether," he says. This has real potential for other citiesMumbai, for example, which has 750 containment zones across the cityand wherein intracity travel can be challenging and complex.

The transportation models provided by the dashboard have also led to important insights on containing the spread of the virus.

"Initially it was thought that population density would be one of the biggest factors in how this disease would spread," Bhatia says. "However, the model indicated it's not just population density, it's also how well people are connected. The strength of the road network."

When people are better connected through high-quality roads and bridges, and have access to popular and centralized meeting points, like malls and movie theaters, he says, they can more easily become vectors for disease. He calls this the "curse of connectivity."

Local officials in Mumbai tried to limit movement for precisely this reason; for a brief period starting in late June, they instituted a ban against traveling more than 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) from one's home and seized more than 7,000 vehicles from rulebreakers. This regulation has since been modifiednow, people may travel "closer to home," to shop for essential items.

One function of the dashboard is to predict these heavily congested zones and the most popular traffic intersections as people begin to resume their daily routines. As part of a series of recommendations submitted to state government officials, Bhatia and his team proposed establishing drive-through testing sites at popular intersections. "It was inspired by the South Korea model," he says. "I hope [officials] realize this is the way to go, and we can get deeper inroads into managing the COVID-19 situation."

As the Indian government continues to contend with the question of how best to balance public health and the economy, the dashboard has the potential to enable individuals to make smart decisions about their own safety. The dashboard can provide maps of where to seek treatment for COVID-19, as well as which areas pose the greatest risks. Raviraj Dave, a doctoral student who worked with Bhatia on the dashboard, says the data convinced him not to mingle with friends anytime soon. According to the model, he lives in a red zone with high infection rates, as opposed to a safe green zone or moderate orange zone.

"I'm not going anywhere," he says, except to get groceries once a week.

Bhatia, who teaches courses at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar on the resilience of natural and manmade network systems, says that much of the high-profile work he is doing springs from his studies at Northeastern, where he received his doctorate in interdisciplinary engineering.

"We applied similar kinds of thoughts there and started thinking about what would help cities to manage the evolution of a pandemic better, at the city scale," he says. "That's how the entire idea of the dashboard originated."

Explore further Watcher' tracks coronavirus in Cincinnati and beyond
Photos of a young and smiling couple are almost everywhere in the house of Silene Fredriksz and her husband Rob. Pictured are their 23-year-old son Bryce and his girlfriend Daisy. They died on July 17, 2014, when the Russian Buk missile shot down a passenger plane performing flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in the sky over Donbas. The tragedy killed 283 passengers (including 196 Dutch citizens) and 15 crewmembers. An international investigation concluded that MH17 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. Russia denies its involvement in the downing of the plane.

On March 9, 2020, the District Court of The Hague began hearing a criminal case against three Russians and a Ukrainian. Two Dutch lawyers represent the interests of one of the four defendants, Lieutenant Colonel of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Oleg Pulatov, who expressed a desire to join the proceedings. The Schiphol Judicial Complex, located 50 km from The Hague, has been reserved for one year for the MH17 trial.

One week before the sixth anniversary of the tragedy, the Netherlands filed a lawsuit against Russia with the European Court of Human Rights.

Silene Fredriksz and her husband Rob hoped all these years that one day they will hear the truth: "Who killed their children, and why?" Their son Bryce and his girlfriend Daisy lived with them for the last two years of their lives. The young couple's room looks the same as on the day of the tragedy. An unfinished drink, an uneaten pack of chips Life here seems to have stopped. They are still waiting for their children back home

On the eve of the sixth anniversary of the tragedy, in an interview with Ukrinform, the couple shared their expectations from the lawsuits and talked about their lives after the disaster. Silene also showed a tattoo she made in memory of the dead children.

PHOTO FROM THE PLANE AND A TATTOO ON THE LEFT ARM

- Silene, you have two chains with the letters B and D on your neck

Silene: Yes, Bryce and Daisy.

- Did your son Bryce and his girlfriend Daisy live in this house with you?

Silene: Yes, they did. They had been together for three years, and Daisy had lived with us for the past two years. After the holidays, the children wanted to look for separate housing.

- How did you find out that you lost them?

Silene: They called my husband and told him what had happened. I was at a barbecue, and my phone was on silent mode when everyone was calling me. I was the last in the family to learn about the tragedy.

- What was your reaction? Did you realize what happened? Was there any hope that they could be late for the plane?

Silene: I asked my colleagues to check whether there was a disaster. They said yes, Malaysia Airlines... Then I realized: it's all over. I had no hope. There was no hope. I don't know how my husband felt... Rob?

Rob: No, there was no hope. I felt the same. I realized what had happened.

Silene: Rob took them to the airport.

Rob: Daisy told me, 'I'm afraid to fly.' I said, 'Oh, I've flown a lot of times, you don't have to be afraid.'

Silene: Daisy also sent her friends a photo from the cabin. So we knew they were there, and I understood that no one could survive such a catastrophe. However, our relatives persistently tried to call them, cultivating hope, but it was in vain.

Rob: I saw footage of what happened on television, and I was sure that it was impossible to survive after that.

- Did you manage to get Bryce and Daisy's things from the scene?

Silene: Yes, we have some clothes, Daisy's bag, purse, and the bracelet that I gave her, but it was mutilated, burnt.

- What was your life like after the tragedy?

Silene: It has completely changed.

Rob: This is a new life. There is simply no future for us. It was destroyed when MH17 was destroyed.

Silene: It's a part of your heart, which just disappeared. Of course, we still have children, we have a good time together, but you always feel some emptiness, someone is missing, someone is lost.

Rob: You feel as if someone has taken a piece of your heart, and nothing can change it - it's forever.

- Silene, you have a tattoo on your left arm. When did you get it?

Silene: It says 'Bryce and Daisy.' This tattoo means a lot to me. Sometimes, when I'm very sad, I do like this. I put my arm with their names close to my heart and feel like I'm next to them.

- When did you get a tattoo?

Silene: Three years after the tragedy.

TOUCHING THE REMAINS OF CHILDREN

- Six years have passed since then. What does the children's room look like now?

Silene: You can see. Here everything is the same as it was then almost everything: clothes, the bed where they slept. This is Daisy's bag that was returned from the scene of the tragedy. The children burned to death, but it looks like a new one

- Did you see the remains when they returned them to you?

Silene: It was a small heart-shaped coffin. Coffins of this kind are usually built when young children are buried. All the remains of Bryce and Daisy were there. Very little was left of them. We saw parts of their bodies... It was very important to us. I am the mother and I wanted to touch the remains of my children. That's the last thing I could do. It was very difficult, but I did it.

- Time seems to have stopped in this room

Silene: It looks like it was the day they left. That day froze here, time stopped... Even the garbage has not been removed yet. I just can't throw it away. Everything here reminds me of Bryce and Daisy. This is still their room, and sometimes it seems that they are about to return. And I say, 'If you want to come back, come back. It's like the day you left this room... It's still your room.'

KNOWING THE TRUTH

- Hearings in the MH17 case started at the Schiphol Judicial Complex on March 9, 2020. None of the four defendants appeared in court in the Netherlands. Dutch lawyers represent the interests of Lieutenant Colonel of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Oleg Pulatov, who expressed a desire to join the proceedings. What do you think about the documents, photos, and videos presented by prosecutors and about the position of Pulatov's defense team?

Silene: We fully and completely trust the Joint Investigation Team. Everything that comes from them is true. I am sure of that and I have no doubt. Alternative theories behind the tragedy were also considered But we are sure that they not possible, even if Russia denies its involvement in the tragedy and points to Ukraine. We know this is not true. As for Pulatov's lawyers, it was not Pulatov who chose lawyers, it comes from Russia. I am convinced of that. Russia wants to have information and to be able to influence the process.

- Who do you think is to blame for this tragedy?

Silene: Oh, a lot of people, but most of all Putin.

Rob: Putin. He knew everything. People with weapons carry out his orders.

Silene: He created this situation.

Rob: I think that Russia cannot admit it, say 'We did it.' Because if they say 'sorry,' the whole world will know that they were in Ukraine. In particular, I mean the situation with Crimea. And this is a problem

- In your opinion, what is Ukraine's role in this tragedy?

Rob: Ukraine did not close the airspace, but it is not to blame for other people shooting down MH17. These are two different things

Silene: Ukraine had to close the airspace, but, on the other hand, the Russian side knew that the sky was not closed and passenger planes were flying. So they had to be very careful when using weapons.

Rob: And they should have known that it was a passenger plane. What is the current situation in Ukraine? Is the war still ongoing?

Drabok: Yes, its.

Silene: It's just awful...

- What do you think about another case? 'Netherlands v. Russia' in the European Court of Human Rights?

Silene: I think it is very good that our state has sued Russia. This is support for us, for families. It makes us stronger. It is important for us to know the truth about why it could have happened, who did it, and how they decided to shoot. We just want the truth. We want perpetrators to be brought to justice. That's all we want.

- During the second block of hearings at the Schiphol Judicial Complex, it was difficult for relatives to hear a lot of information and details of the tragedy. What impressed or excited you the most about what was made public?

Silene: What impressed us is when we saw how the Buk works and realized what happened... I think our children didn't feel anything, it was fast. There was such a powerful explosion that everything had to happen instantly I hope they didn't suffer. It was as if I saw with my own eyes how it all happened.

- A hearing is currently underway on four suspects

Rob: Yes, but there will be more of them, and they will reach the top leadership of the Russian Federation.

- What would you like to say to the leadership of Ukraine?

Silene: Please help us find out the truth. Do your best to let us know how it happened...

- What if Putin appeared in front of you?

Silene: The only thing I can ask Putin is to be honest. Everyone already knows who the culprit is, so take responsibility! Be a man!

- Would you like to visit Ukraine?

Silene: Yes, as soon as possible... When we had a meeting with Ukraine's ambassador to the Netherlands, he promised to help us get to the scene of the tragedy. It is very important for us to visit the place where our children died.

Iryna Drabok, The Hague

Photo credit: Sofia Shovikova
As much of the country remains engulfed in the biggest public health crisis in a century, President Donald Trump has held only three public coronavirus-related events in the last month.

This week alone, the president has maintained a busy public schedule, but it has been devoid of any events focused on the crisis.

Instead, he held an event celebrating law enforcement, a press conference to trumpet actions to punish China for its crackdown on Hong Kong, traveled to Atlanta to talk about infrastructure, touted efforts to crackdown on MS-13, and held a flashy event on the South Lawn complete with pickup trucks and massive weights to showcase efforts to rein in government regulation.

MORE: 64% distrust Trump on coronavirus pandemic; approval declines as cases grow: POLL

PHOTO: President Donald Trump is flanked by pickup trucks as he speaks about administration efforts to curb federal regulations during an event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, July 16, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

His most direct comments have been to claim he does, too, get along with Dr. Anthony Fauci amid a messy effort by some White House officials to discredit him. A new ABC News/Washington Post poll shows 64% of Americans distrust what he says about the pandemic.

He has yet to respond to his Democratic nemesis, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, when she took a shot at him Thursday, saying, "I have concluded that he is like the man who refuses to ask for directions. All of the answers are there ... and yet the president continues to go town the wrong path and refuses to ask for directions from scientists who know better than us."

"Mister President, admit it. You've gone down the wrong path. Ask for directions," she said.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump touts administration efforts to curb federal regulations during an event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, July 16, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Trump's most recent event even somewhat related to the health emergency was a Saturday trip to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, during which he visited with health care staff who have been treating COVID-19 patients and also met with wounded service members.

In July, Trump held a roundtable with governors on the reopening of Americas small businesses and held a national dialogue on safely reopening Americas schools. Prior to that, the presidents most recent event focused on the virus was on June 5 when Trump toured Puritan Medical Products in Maine.

Story continues

While the president has mentioned the coronavirus at some of his unrelated events and has tweeted about the pandemic with some regularity, his comments are usually focused on touting his administrations effort, blaming China and falsely claiming that more testing explains the alarming rise in cases. And his defensive tweets often include attacks on his political opponents.

He teased on Thursday that he has a busy public calendar ahead, saying that we have many exciting things that we'll be announcing over the next eight weeks. He then went on to tick off a list of issues he will be discussing in the coming weeks.

The pandemic was not among them.

We can honestly say nobody has ever going to see eight weeks like we're going to have, Trump said, promising levels of thought that a lot of people believed very strongly we didnt have in this country on issues ranging from suburbia to immigration, education, and healthcare.

PHOTO: White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany speaks during a press briefing at the White House, July 16, 2020, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended the presidents lack of coronavirus-focused events in Thursdays briefing, insisting he is still focused on the pandemic but that he's doing a lot of things at once.

MORE: President Donald Trump meets his match in Anthony Fauci: ANALYSIS

The president is focusing on a lot. Look, the president, just yesterday, held a big press conference, if you will, or an avail in the Oval Office about MS-13. COVID is something that we're focused on. It is a top priority of this administration, McEnany said. But there are other things the president has to focus on.

PHOTO: White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany flips through the topic headings in her binder during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, July 16, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

While McEnany would not say when was the last time the president actually attended a coronavirus task force briefing, she noted that Vice President Mike Pence remains heavily engaged with the group. Pence continues to lead regular meetings with the task force, talks with governors on a weekly call, and also occasionally holds briefings for the media.

Pence led the last coronavirus task force briefing at the Department of Education in July. Trump did not attend the briefing.

But while the presidents press secretary defended the presidents current approach, not all of his advisers agree.

PHOTO: Senior Counselor Kellyanne Conway speaks to members of the media outside the White House in Washington D.C., July 17, 2020. (Stefani Reynolds/POOL/EPA via Shutterstock)

One of the presidents top advisers, counselor Kellyanne Conway, publicly made the case for the president to change course in remarks to reporters Friday.

With the presidents poll numbers suffering, Conway argued the president should return to holding regular briefings focused on the issue that is most on Americans minds.

His approval in the pandemic was higher when he was speaking, I dont think anybody needs to be up there for two hours, it can be 20 minutes, it can be 30 minutes, it can be two questions, it can be no questions respectfully, as long as the information is being delivered, Conway told reporters.

Conway made little effort to disguise the dissension among the presidents advisers when asked on Fox News why the president stopped holding coronavirus briefings in the first place.

Some people are encouraging him to stop, she said.

The president's numbers were much higher when he was out there briefing everybody on his day-by-day basis about the coronavirus. Just giving people the information, Conway said, buttressing her case for the president to put greater public focus on the ongoing pandemic.

Conway said she thinks its important for the country to hear from President Trump on the issue thats most affecting Americans' lives right now.

But theres no indication yet that the president is taking Conways advice. Asked Friday afternoon if the president has any upcoming coronavirus focused events on his calendar, the White House declined to comment.

ABC News' Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report.

As pandemic rages, Trump puts public focus elsewhere originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
One school year ends, another begins...kinda

After many weeks and months of consideration and communication, Humble ISD graduation is scheduled for next week at Turner Stadium.

During the regular July school board meeting, the ceremony was highlighted and details explained.

According to the district, a color-coded system is in place to assist with the flow and a positive experience for all graduates. Graduates should arrive one hour and 15 minutes prior, while family and guests can begin arriving one-hour prior. Family members and guest are required to have a parking pass for vehicles and all ages must have a color-coded ticket to enter.

As the meeting continued, discussion shifted gears from ending the current school year, to how the upcoming school year will begin considering the implications of the pandemic. During the public comments section, Steven Spencer inquired about the mask mandates and recommendations listed on the districts website. Jennifer Carpenter, an Humble Middle School teacher, asked the board to advocate for distance learning, saying the method is the safest way to educate at the moment.

Atascocita High School teacher Catherine Soberon requested that the district give teachers the same choice as is given to parents of choosing in person or online instruction. Fifth grade teacher at Timber Elementary, Allyson Davis, mentioned communications with the board of trustees and the superintendent about her concerns surrounding COVID-19, saying she did not feel heard or listened to by the administration of the district.

Christina Young, the biology level team lead at Kingwood High School, had a chance to speak. She used her five minutes of commenting time to ask the board to consider ramifications and options for educators who become positive for coronavirus 2019, and how substitutes will be made available in the event that the substitute has to come in.

The other mention from Young was the opportunity for teachers to choose to be online instructors if vaccination and fear of contracting COVID-19 are concerns for their demographic. Davis said she has knowledge of some staff members who are afraid to enter the building on Aug. 3. For more information about how the district is addressing these issues and the plans going forward, see the article in todays online edition.

Action item of endorsing a candidate for the TASB board of directors was opened and discussed. A TASB director represents his or her region on the TASB Board of Directors, guiding the organization to ensure that the association fulfills its mission to provide advocacy, leadership, and high-quality services to the members of TASB. Between July 3 and Aug. 31, 2020, the board may endorse candidates to the TASB board for the open positions in Region IV. Candidates who receive a majority of the endorsements in their region will be elected to the TASB board. Candidates who receive at least 25%, but not a majority, will be included on the official ballot at the TASB delegate assembly. Two candidates have approached the district seeking endorsement for Position 4B.

Darlene Breaux has served on the Alief ISD Board of Trustees since November 2017. Breaux is the director of research and evaluation for the Harris County Department of Education. She has also served as the director of special populations for HCDE. She has over 20 years of service in education as a teacher, reading specialist, campus principal, and district intervention coordinator. She is a 2017 Texas Education Policy Institute (TEPI) Fellow and a Cohort 2 Leadership ISD Fellow.

Page Rander was appointed by the board to fill a vacancy in September 2010. Rander has spent most of her 31-year professional career in public service. She has served as a TASB director and she is one of four statewide representatives to the TASB board of directors' legislative committee.

The Humble ISD board opted to not officially endorse either of the candidates because both are deemed to be quality candidates according to multiple trustees. Board member Martina Lemond Dixon will have the final voting decision of the district when votes are casts by the TASB board of directors.

During the meeting, the board approved all consent agenda items.
Lewis Hamilton was a lot happier than Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon after the Friday at the Hungaroring in Budapest. The 35-year old driver reports that Mercedes was able to finish the programme they had in mind.

"It was a great first session," Hamilton told Sky Sports.

According to Hamilton, there is no need to look at the results of FP1. "Everyone is doing something different, doing a different program in terms of wings, fuel and engine and all these kinds of things but we got through what we wanted to get through it was feeling okay I think it's going to be a lot closer in FP3 and qualifying."

Hamilton hopes it stays dry

"It may be raining all day tomorrow, I hope it stays dry personally.

"I'd like a dry race and dry qualifying. This is such a great track when it's dry. It's a very tricky circuit to drive in the wet."
(Natural News) For the past few months, we have witnessed the raw and unmasked Democrat Party, live and in living color. Their constituents are rioting, looting, and murdering because they have finally realized that there are only three areas where the government is supremely prolific and highly efficient: theft, incarceration, and killing.

(Article by Vince Everett Ellison republished from PJMedia.com)

Outside this Iron Triangle government fails horribly at education, protection, health care, economic development, border security, drug enforcement and infrastructure. Yet after months of economic collapse, pandemic hysteria and racial anarchy, where 60 years of Democrat Party abuse of Black America was revealed, black leadership still chooses the government as its vehicle to solve these indignities. Why? Because this is what the Democrats desire.

Except for a brief time during Reconstruction, there has never been a time since its inception in 1800 that the Democrats have not had absolute control over most of the black population in America. They have used race in one way or another to maintain power ever since.

The fact that one-hundred fifty years since the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments were ratified and fifty-six years since the 1964 Civil Rights Act, blacks are still rioting over racism and still begging government to eradicate it, should tell us something: The Democrat Party uses racism to subdue and control black Americans, not eradicate racism to institute justice. Ending racism would end the Democrats stranglehold on Black America.

The proof of this charge is evidenced in a June 4, 2020, Washington Post story, in which a devastating critique highlights the Democrat Partys dismal failure, in its fake effort, to narrow the wealth gap between black and white Americans. Heather Long and Andrew Van Dam write, In many ways, the gap between the finances of black and whites is still as wide as it was in 1968. The story illustrates the fact that in 1968 the average black household had $6,674 in wealth compared to $70,786 for a white household. In 2016 the typical black household had $13,024 in wealth vs $149,703 for a white household.

According to economist Moritz Kuhn, No progress has been made in reducing inequalities between black and white households over the past 70 years. But all black Democrats are running for reelection and Joe Biden is proud of his record in the black community. I submit to you, that this is not a mistake. Its the Democrats plan.

To keep black Americans on the Democrat plantation and cement their victimization, the study quoted the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, saying, There are no actions that Black Americans can take unilaterally that will have much of an effect on reducing the racial wealth gap.

But thats not true. According to the Brookings Institution if people do these three things, they have a 98 percent chance to stay out of poverty: Get a high school diploma, work full time, and wait until age 21 and get married before having a baby. The Democrats know this. So they have intentionally destroyed the educational system in the inner cities, introduced sex to our children at an early age, and set up and maintained a welfare state that continues to destroy the traditional family.

Democrats have forbidden the black community even the foundational elements of survival by violating their inalienable right to self-defense and religious expression. They have told them they are victims, oppressed and discriminated against. Every black man murdered by a white man and highlighted by the press had one thing in common: They were all unarmed.

Read more at: PJMedia.com
T here was good news this week from the laboratories of Oxford with reports about the possible success of a vaccine that might at last start to bring the world back to normal. It seemed propitious timing, coming days after the Government launched a campaign to prepare the country for life after Brexit: UKs new start  lets get going runs the slogan.

We got a glimpse of what the brave new world looks like this week too  one that is best considered with a stiff drink in hand. First, the National Cyber Security Centre announced that hackers almost certainly working from the Kremlin have been targeting bodies working on Covid vaccines. Then the Government announced it was almost certain that Russian actors sought to intervene in the 2019 general election.

And then there is China, smarting at the announcement that Huawei will be completely removed from the UKs 5G network by the end of 2027. Chinas ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, said the decision severely undermines trust. Others were more robust. The Global Times, a mouthpiece for the ruling Communist Party, said it was necessary for China to retaliate for fear of being seen to be bullied.

In fact, the Governments decision was carefully worded, precisely to avert raising geopolitical temperatures that were already warm before Covid struck and have heated significantly since. Huawei is to be removed, said the official statement, because of actions taken by the US. The removal of Huawei was not because of security concerns but because of the assessment of the difficulties the company will face due to sanctions from Washington, specifically with regards to accessing US semiconductor technology. This nuance was not lost on Ambassador Liu. Britain would be seen in China and the rest of the world, he warned, as nothing more than a junior partner to the US.

Huawei is the tip of a much bigger iceberg when it comes to China  and for that matter with Britains role in the wider world. The UK is facing what analysts have long been calling a whole of system challenge from states that are configured, behave and react differently to liberal democracies. One of the themes of 2020 is talk of collapsing supply chains, the end of globalisations and the emergence of a new Cold War not only between China and the US but between systems of government, thought and global visions around the world.

Huawei is the tip of a much bigger iceberg when it comes to China  and Britains role in the wider world

As a member of the UN Security Council and G7 and a nuclear power, the UK needs to respond appropriately to navigate the dangers and to take advantage of the opportunities that can also lie ahead. The importance therefore of the Integrated Review that was announced by the Government in February and aims to treat security, defence, foreign policy and international development together cannot be overstated. Nor can the need to invest in education at school and university level.

The UK needs to re-engage too with a return to multilateralism at a time when the Trump era has damaged not only the perceptions of the West as a stabilising force but the realities too. And what is more, it has left space for others to exploit. It is no coincidence that Chinese now head four of the 15 UN specialised agencies, nor that China has developed a well-honed narrative around win-win relations with other states, notably expressed in its Belt and Road Initiative which talks of co-operation, joint projects and mutual benefits  even if the realities are sometimes more complicated. The UK needs to build stronger and better partnerships and alliances with states in all corners of the world and work with those who have overlapping interests with our own  something that requires legwork, investment and also the ability to deliver on promises.

So these are testing times, made more complicated by the pandemic, by the economic storm clouds gathering, by Brexit and by a global situation that Save the Children estimate saw 1.6 billion children out of school around the world in April  the first time in human history an entire generation has their education disrupted. But the UK does not just need to get going; it also needs to work out where it wants to go. That requires some careful  and urgent  thought.

Peter Frankopan is Professor of Global History at the University of Oxford.
<! Senator Bukola Saraki >

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to return the two houses forfeited temporarily to the Federal Government to former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The court on Thursday reversed its order of interim forfeiture of the Ilorin properties to the Federal Government.

Justice Rilwan Aikawa ordered the release of the houses back to Saraki while, while delivering judgment on an application by the EFCC seeking to permanently forfeit the houses to the Federal Government.

In December, 2019 the EFCC secured interim of the houses  Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State  to the FGafter telling the court that they were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011.

The Punch reports that attempts by the EFCC to convert the temporary forfeiture order to a permanent forfeiture order was vehemently resisted by Saraki, leading eventually to the discharge of the temporary forfeiture order on Thursday by Justice Aikawa.

The judge said he found no sufficient basis in the EFCC application and he that could not find my way through to grant the permanent forfeiture order.

In its application, the EFCC had told the court how it received and investigated a damning intelligence report, showing monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011, when Saraki was the governor of the state.

Related
photo: Kate Warren

Annie Finch is a feminist poet, nonfiction writer, translator, editor and critic who lives in Washington, D.C. Her books include The Poetry Witch Little Book of Spells, Spells: New and Selected Poems, A Poet's Craft, Calendars (shortlisted for the Foreword Poetry Book of the Year Award) and Among the Goddesses, which received the Sarasvati Award for Poetry. She is the editor of Choice Words: Writers on Abortion, out now from Haymarket Books.

On your nightstand now:

The Goddess Companion by Patricia Monaghan, which is always near my bed. Collections by two poets I met on a recent trip to India: Scripted in the Streams by Rati Saxena and Love Without a Story by Arundhathi Subramaniam. Two books that are inspiring a memoir I'm writing: Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo and Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal by Jeanette Winterson.

Favorite book when you were a child:

The Middle Moffat by Eleanor Estes. Much later, I realized that the heroine, Jane, is a future writer. Recently, I realized she's also a future feminist.

Your top five authors:

Audre Lorde. A model of poetic genius, feminist activism and the courage to transform personal experience into a force for the greater good.

Patricia Monaghan. A brilliant poet and author, landscape-altering editor, visionary feminist writer and life-revolutionary.

William Butler Yeats. His expression of a multifaceted yet unified vision through lyrical, narrative and dramatic poetry, theater, editing, literary criticism and political activism inspires me to honor all the parts of my own work.

Langston Hughes. A magnificent poet who embraced the poet's capacity to shape culture, sharing without stint his exuberant gifts as playwright, music collaborator, novelist, short story writer, essayist and librettist.

Emily Dickinson. The poet whose words function for me most reliably as an oracle or koan; they are so purely themselves.

Book you've faked reading:

Moby-Dick, faked twice: first in high school and then when it was on my Ph.D. reading list at Stanford. I've loved other works by Melville, but I literally could not stomach this one; my body forced me to stop reading it. When I was going on the academic job market, it became a household joke that I couldn't accept a professorship where I'd be expected to teach it.

Book you're an evangelist for:

The Untouched Key by Alice Miller. I'm quite sure that if everyone could absorb this magnificent little book, the world's problems would be solved. Runner up: The Serpent and the Goddess by Mary Condren, a herstorical case study of the systematic destruction of a matricultural society--with dismantling of women's reproductive freedom as the central weapon.

Book you've bought for the cover:

A pocket paperback edition of Longfellow's Evangeline printed in the late 1950s, with a luridly bright cover of a hunky Gabriel and passionate Evangeline.

Book you hid from your parents:

I didn't have to hide anything, because my family gifted me with invisibility. But the books that felt so private I would have hidden them if needed were Edward Eager's books about children entering the world of magic and discovering its rules.

Book that changed your life:

When God Was a Woman by Merlin Stone. I was already a feminist--thanks to Anne Wilson Schaef's Women's Reality and Gilbert and Gubar's The Madwoman in the Attic--but this book gave me permission to turn things around exactly the way I needed to do to become happy.

Five books you'll never part with:

Matriarchal Societies by Heide Goettner-Abendroth, Audre Lorde's The Black Unicorn, Edna St. Vincent Millay's Selected Poems (the new Yale University Press edition), The Timeless Way of Building by Christopher Alexander, Wickedary by Mary Daly.

Which character you most relate to:

A composite of layers, added between the ages of nine and 20: Harriet the Spy, Anthea from The Phoenix and the Carpet, Jo from Little Women, Franny from Franny and Zooey--and the speaker of Hart Crane's The Bridge.

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

The Red-Haired Girl from the Bog by Patricia Monaghan.

Book that inspired you to edit Choice Words: Writers on Abortion:

Good Woman by Lucille Clifton, which contains "the lost baby poem." After I had an abortion in 1999, this poem, along with Gwendolyn Brooks's "the mother," gave me a taste of how vital it was to read great literature about abortion--and inspired a 20-year hunt for more!
GRAND HAVEN, MI - Two groups of protesters met on the banks of Grand River on Thursday, after the owner of a longtime business posted a rant on social media that was shared widely and received both condemnation and support.

A group of protesters stood on a grassy hill outside Pronto Pup, 313 S. Harbor Dr., to condemn the Facebook post authored by Carl Nelson that decried anti-racist activism, efforts against coronavirus, journalism, and some police activity.

RELATED: Pronto Pups owner issues social media rant against coronavirus masks and Black Lives Matter

Across the sidewalk, counter-protesters expressed support for Nelson, and criticized what some described as an overreaction to a business owners speech.

Heather Wagenvelt, 22, a 2016 graduate of Grand Haven High School, organized Thursdays protest because something needed to be done, she said. He insulted front line workers, he insulted Native Americansits unprofessional.

The group was there to call for a boycott of the business, Wagenvelt said, not to engage with counter-protesters.

On Monday evening, Nelson posted about 1,200 words on his business Facebook page that primarily addressed the Black Lives Matter movement, saying he would like to instead paint White lives matter down a nearby street, as well as efforts against the spread of COVID-19, which he dismissed as nothing more than a cold.

He also expressed support for the Michigan Militia, wondering if armed insurrection would help end statewide shutdown orders against the pandemic, compared journalists to Adolf Hitler, and claimed to have interacted with a presumed-murdered Muskegon woman.

The protesters held signs that read Black Lives Matter, Covid is real, and portions of Nelsons own words. They called for a boycott of the business, and chanted things like No profit for hate.

Nelsons supporters outnumbered them. Some were holding flags: the stars-and-stripes, Dont Tread on Me, and a pro-Trump banner among them.

Nancy, a woman who declined to share her last name, said shes lived in Grand Haven her entire life, and grew up walking to Pronto Pups as a kid.

Im for him, and his right to say things, she said. I feel very strongly that he has the right to his opinion.

Some counter-protesters also said they were there to support Nelsons right to express any opinion, regardless of its content, while others said they agreed with the statements overall.

The line for the popular snacks stretched to the corner throughout the bright afternoon, well before the protests official 4 p.m. start.

Nelson stood in the grass throughout the afternoon, speaking with protesters and granting interviews to local media.

The follow-up to the Facebook post Nelson issued the evening of July 13 said that he intended the post for his personal page. The business entire Facebook page then briefly disappeared, before reappearing with an apology post in which he wrote that he snapped.

Screenshots of the initial rant have been shared widely, and the business social media has received thousands of comments, many condemning the message and some expressing support.

Nevertheless, in the days since, business has seemingly continued as usual at the popular summer spot. Speaking to MLive, Nelson would not share whether his business has improved, but said he was glad for the incident, because it sparked conversation.

Its bringing people out, he said.

Nelson said that, in his youth, he might have responded more aggressively towards the protesters, but that he now believes in measured dialogue.

When asked if he had written the initial post from that same position, he said he had been feeling angry on Monday evening, but re-read the rant four times before posting.

The mistake, he said, was in sharing it not simply with his friends, but on the business broader page.

In recent days, he said, he has heard from one regular customer who is upset.

Im sorry she lost respect for me, he said.

He said statewide officials have also expressed support, but did not name them.

Wagenvelt was unmoved by Nelsons follow-up apology post.

He was not sorry for posting it, he was sorry it was heard, she said.

Wagenvelts group was told by Grand Haven Public Safety in advance that, as long as the group stayed off the sidewalk, didnt use megaphones, and didnt engage with counter-protest, their assembly would be lawful.

For the most part, the groups did remain civil towards one another, although chants were traded back and forth - including, at one point, Pronto Pups Matter - and exchanges between the two groups at times became heated.

Passersby largely seemed to support the counter-protesters with honks and encouraging shouts from passing cars.

Police were present, and cleared the sidewalk of non-customers several times, but mainly stood at a distance.

Michael Jenkins, a Muskegon resident, said that he was there representing a militia called American Guardians, along with about 15 others, he said. He said their presence was not to promote one side or the other, but to make sure this community isnt under attack.

Im pro-freedom, he said.

For a time, Cory Hager, 26, spoke with Nelson, while holding a sign that read, Will you let Grand Haven be known for hate?

Hager, a lifelong Grand Haven resident, told MLive that racism, and a bit of fascistic behavior, had brought him out to his first protest on Thursday.

He wanted to speak with Nelson because he thought dialogue could help make change, he said, but did not feel that their conversation was productive.

He appealed to his past a lot to justify his actions, Hager said.

RELATED: Business as usual at Pronto Pups, after owners controversial social media post

Some counter-protesters cited that same long history in the community as a reason for supporting the business.

This man, all he did was freedom of speech, said Mary, of Holland, who also declined to give her last name because she said she feared her business would be protested like Nelsons. Everyone should be free to say what they want.

Im not sure how Black Lives Matter comes out of corn dogs, she added.

A friend, Vicki Leverenz, added that she believes that movement, which Nelson had criticized, promotes segregation.

American lives matter, Leverenz said.

Protesters argued that Nelsons statements were not above rebuke.

I dont think racism is an opinion, said Kameron Sibert, 28.

Next to Sibert, Brandon Marino, 26, said he was upset that the city of Grand Haven continues to promote the business as a tourist attraction.

The community should stand up, he said.

Natalie Carmolli, 57, of Grand Haven, said she had not been to a protest since the 1990s, but felt compelled to come out on Thursday because this kind of hate and racism has no place in our community.

Holding a sign that read, No room for racism  Shut Pronto Pups down, Carmolli said that businesses can say what they want on private property, but because the white-and-yellow stand is on property leased from the city, she objects to Nelsons words as a taxpayer.

I dont want to pay for a business where he can say the things he said, Carmolli said.

As the day wore on, Leah James-Lee, 35, who is mixed-race, approached Nelson to chat. She told him that she had been visiting his business since she was six-years-old and had never had a problem with him.

I cant get upset if thats how he feels in his heart, she later told MLive.

James-Lee said that she identifies with both sides of herself  white and Black  and became emotional while watching the days commotion.

Its heartbreaking, because everyone bleeds red, she said, tearing up.

James-Lee said, growing up in the area, she had experienced racism  including, when she was a child, when a cross was burned in her front yard.

So, she and a friend are planning to start a local chapter of Justice for Black Lives to offer resources and support to the younger generation of protesters, she said, many of whom were on the grass that day.

I dont think this is going to stop, she said. I think these kids are enraged about (this happening in) the town they love.

Read more on MLive:

Pronto Pups owner issues social media rant against coronavirus masks and Black Lives Matter

Business as usual at Pronto Pups, after owners controversial social media post

Legal dispute continues between cannabis company and Muskegon Township
The Chief of Agric Nzema in Kumasi, Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo, has appealed to Government and the Ministry of Transport to take a second look at the operations of commercial Okada and Pragya riders, particularly in the major cities of the country.



According to the Chief, their operation is causing serious havoc to the lives of many residents and the riders themselves - stressing that government ought to take immediate steps to review their activities.



Speaking to the media, Nana Ayeboafo noted that people continue to lose their lives on a daily basis as a result of the reckless behaviour of these motor riders.



He opined that the proliferation of their activities in the cities, without recourse to road traffic regulations should not be countenance for political expediency, stressing that government must put the lives of human being ahead of politics.



Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo observed that government must not watch unconcerned whilst people flout road traffic regulations and put the lives of innocent citizens in Ghana just because of fear of losing elections.



"Very often you hear the argument that Government cannot touch these riders (Okada and Pragya) because it will cost them political power but every day they are killing and injuring people; now can we allow such reckless behaviour to go on"- Nana Ayeboafo wondered.



He, therefore, suggested to authorities to limit commercial motor riders to farming communities and smaller towns where they can better serve the purpose of carting food produce to the cities.



"I am not implying that they are not useful but they must not be allowed to operate in the cities where they continue to kill and put the lives of many in danger; I think government must take a bold step and not allow itself to be intimidated by-elections." He noted

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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

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The New York Times report "US Weighs Sweeping Travel Ban on Chinese Communist Party Members" published on Wednesday has set public opinion ablaze in no time. The idea is incredibly absurd. Who in Washington were the first to propose it? Do they understand the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese society? Or were they merely using the proposal to sensationalize the situation? I have decided the time is right to formally introduce the CPC to Americans.

Students in Hunan University celebrate the 98th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China on June 29, 2019. (Photo/Jiang Dingbang)

To begin, let's talk about what 93 million Party members means. The scale of the Party is unimaginable to Westerners. 93 million is not just a number. That figure is more than the total population of Germany. According to reports, not only Party members but also their families are likely to face the sanction. If we count only their spouses, children and parents, there would be at least 300 million people - equivalent to the total population of the US. If their parents-in-law, siblings, cousins and families are counted, about half of the Chinese people will be affected. Half of Chinese society has connections to the CPC. Very few Chinese people have neither relatives nor friends who are CPC members.

Let's take a look at who these CPC members are. The CPC has been the ruling party for a long time. Most officials in local authorities across the country are Party members. But senior and middle-to-high level officials are only a tiny part of the CPC. Most CPC members live and work among ordinary Chinese people. They themselves are ordinary Chinese people. They are usually active forces in all walks of life. If the CPC is a big tree, these people are the roots which deeply penetrate the soil of Chinese society.

The CPC is not a political party that has emerged under a Western political ecology. It is substantially different to Western-style parties in scale, goals, operating mechanism and the role it plays in society. The CPC is not a typical "party" in the English vocabulary. No English word can really describe it.

The CPC can be described from different perspectives. For instance, the CPC is the skeleton of China's vast society, the backbone of the mobilization and operation systems of the whole country. The CPC creates the selection and training mechanisms for advanced figures in Chinese society.

The CPC is the product of Marxism applied to China's distinct national conditions. Relying solely on the historical, social and political experiences of the West, one cannot truly understand the CPC which has, together with the people, brought China to its status of the world's second-largest economy.

Most CPC members join the Party when they are young, with dreams, enthusiasm, collective spirits, higher working competence and other qualities praised by others. They often volunteer for more difficult work and devote themselves more than others because that is an obligation of Party members.

In the face of emergency situations, CPC members should rush to the front. That is the common expectation and requirement of all Party members and Chinese society. "CPC members shall be the vanguard" has once again become not only a widely used slogan but also a common reality on the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus. Many medical personnel - including doctor Li Wenliang who was infected and sacrificed his life in the fight against the virus - are members of the Party.

The large-scale CPC has its own complexities. A small number of members have been found guilty of corruption, which has triggered the Party's anti-corruption campaign. It is due to the effective anti-corruption campaign - active since the 18th National Congress of the CPC - that the Party has further won the support and trust of Chinese people. It is also the reason that anti-China forces have been disappointed. The CPC, together with the Chinese people, is striving to change the destiny of the Chinese nation for the better. The Party is leading the Chinese people while integrating completely into the country. Its fundamental nature will never change. The hard work and responsibilities of the CPC have greatly boosted China's strength and its people's living standards. The Chinese people are aware of that.

Advocating for the separation of the CPC from the Chinese people for targeted attacks is the fantasy and delusion of a few US elites. It is as hypocritical and arrogant as attacking a man's heart and nervous system yet claiming to be beneficial to his whole body. Opposing all CPC members is undoubtedly opposing all Chinese people. It is an attempt to hit the weight-bearing part of Chinese society's development and progress. Political parties under the Western system are political tools seeking interests for certain groups. The CPC's responsibility, however, is to seek interests for all Chinese people. That is also a strong source of the CPC's strength.

The current US administration openly antagonizes the CPC. It is sowing hatred between the two countries and the two peoples, trying to make the struggle between the two sides a fundamental confrontation rather than a fight for interests. What does such confrontation mean for the 21st Century and for people who want peace? China and the US are the two largest comprehensive powers worldwide. The two are both nuclear powers and have great strategic mobilization powers. By repeatedly creating tension, is the current US administration trying to force the two countries toward an all-out strategic confrontation? Is it going to bury global peace and tranquility?

The US is deeply mired in the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is already the most seriously impacted country worldwide. Its situation may not improve for a long time to come. For the next one or two years at least, few Chinese people are likely to be willing to travel to the US except for in special circumstances. The US' planned sanctions on CPC members would be meaningless for a long period of time. What's irritating is that the US has been unscrupulously and publicly declaring policies attacking the CPC, which has crossed the bottom line of diplomacy and upset the basic civility of international relations in the 21st Century. The US is openly pushing the world toward a new Cold War, and that is a crime against humanity. History is not blind. The US is poisoning the 21st Century and it is bound to face retribution.

The author is editor-in-chief of the Global Times. [email protected]
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The shocking condition of the Amazon has been caught on camera by conservationists as illegal wildfires ravage the rainforest.

Images from Greenpeace taken between July 7 and 10 show the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso ablaze despite it being illegal to start fires in the state since July 1st.

As of yesterday, the Brazilian authorities extended this ban to include the country's entire rainforest for 120 days.

Hotspots in an area with degraded forest, in Mato Grosso state. Every year, Greenpeace Brazil flies over the Amazon to monitor deforestation build up and forest fires

Images from Greenpeace taken between July 7 and 10 show the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso ablaze despite it being illegal to start fires in the state since July 1st (pictured)

Images taken by the conservation charity also document vast swathes of land that have already been razed. Areas being actively prepared for burning have also been captured on film

Images taken by the conservation charity also document vast swathes of land that have already been razed. Areas being actively prepared for burning have also been captured on film.

Land is deliberately burned to allow illegal commercial activities such as livestock farming and mining to take place.

The charity is putting the blame squarely in the lap of the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a notorious climate change sceptic.

He also repeatedly flouted lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic despite his country being ravaged by the disease. He has since tested positive for COVID-19, twice.

He is under enormous pressure to listen to conservationists who say his pro-mining and reckless deforestation policies for agriculture will devastate the rainforest.

As a result of increased wildfires and record-breaking levels of deforestation, Bolsonaro issued a three-month ban on all fires and continues to deploy the army to tackle the issue.

However, campaigners say this is nothing more than bluster and smokescreens.

Romulo Batista, Greenpeace Brazil Amazon campaigner, said: 'Banning fires alone does not work.

'Those calling on the Brazilian government to act cannot fool themselves and think that President Bolsonaro's sloppy PR moves will have meaningful impacts.

Greenpeace is putting the blame squarely in the lap of the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a notorious climate change sceptic. He also repeatedly flouted lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic despite his country being ravaged by the disease. He has since tested positive for COVID-19, twice

Bolsonaro is under enormous pressure to listen to conservationists who say his pro-mining and reckless deforestation policies for agriculture will devastate the rainforest

Preliminary data from the country's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) published last week revealed June 2020 was the 14th consecutive month where deforestation has increased in the Brazilian amazon

Amazon deforestation surges by 25 per cent in a YEAR 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. 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. Advertisement

'These images, along with the record deforestation rates this year, are the intended outcome of Bolsonaro's long term strategy for the Amazon.

'His government has been dismantling environmental protection laws and kneecapping the power of the environmental protection agencies since he took office.

'They have even used the COVID-19 pandemic as a smokescreen to further enable deforestation, logging and mining.

'This administration is doing nothing but putting the climate and more lives at risk, especially those of Indigenous Peoples.

'Protecting the capacity to monitor and stop environmental destruction and to enforce the law is essential.'

Preliminary data from the country's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) published last week revealed June 2020 was the 14th consecutive month where deforestation has increased in the Brazilian amazon.

It found that deforestation in Brazil's Amazon has risen by a quarter since last year and the rainforest is also on course for its worse year on record.

In the first half of 2020, 1,184 square miles (3,069 square kilometres)  an area ten times the size of Paris  was destroyed.

A report issued recently from RSPB and the WWF found Britain's obsession with timber, leather and beef 'is having a heavy impact' on the Amazon rainforest and contributing to wildfires.

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.

For the first 14 days of July, there were a further 1,057 fires recorded in the biome.

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.

Research from Brazil's space agency found that deforestation in Brazil's Amazon has risen by a quarter since last year and the rainforest is also on course for its worse year on record

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. For the first 14 days of July, there were a further 1,057 fires recorded in the biome

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
The time has come for the world to push back against the challenge posed by the Chinese Communist Party, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said as he contended that the US slept on this threat for too long. Pompeo also said the Chinese government was aware of human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus before they shared this information with the world.

Countries not only in Southeast Asia but in Asia more broadly, in Europe, have come to understand the threat that the Chinese Communist Party presents. The United States slept on this for too long, Pompeo told Bill Hemmer of Fox News in an interview on Thursday.

I think they all did too, and I think theyre coming to a joint conclusion that its time for the world to make sure that we get this right.

For democracies and freedom-loving people around the world, it is an imperative that we push back against the challenge that the Chinese Communist Party presents to us all, Pompeo said.

He said that for 40 years, successive US administrations just looked the other way and allowed China to trample on America.

President Donald Trump said no more, he said.

The US is going to have fair, reciprocal trade relationships; and it is going to demand that the Chinese Communist Party treat Americans the same way that the US treats people who go there, he said.

Hemmer asked Pompeo to comment on claims by Hong Kong-based virologist Dr Yan Li-Meng, who recently fled to the United States, that Beijing knew that the virus could spread between humans three weeks before that knowledge was made public.

Pompeo said that the World Health Organisation itself was co-opted into the same effort to deny the world the knowledge it needed to respond to this threat, to this threat from the virus that emanated from Wuhan, China. This is a simple understanding, and President Trump is going to demand that it happens, he said.

And of course, now too, weve seen the virus that started in Wuhan, China cost the globe hundreds of thousands of people and trillions and trillions of dollars, and I believe the world is going to unite to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for having covered this up when they could have prevented so much of this tragedy, said the top American diplomat. The United States has been the worst-hit country with over 3.5 million coronavirus cases. The country has reported more than 137,000 deaths so far.

Pompeo refrained from responding to news reports that there could be a ban on US travel for Chinese party members and their families.

Were working our way through, under the presidents guidance, about how to think about pushing back against the Chinese Communist Party. You see it in trade, you see it in other economic activity, you see it in diplomatic engagement, he added.

The rights that we have that the Declaration of Independence set forth, that are in our Constitution, are central to American foreign policy. We have to get that right. We have this deep tradition. Its under attack, he said in response to a question.
A traveller wearing protective mask check-in at Changi Airport in Singapore. (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images)

SINGAPORE  Travellers entering Singapore after 11.59pm on Sunday (19 July) and who have recent travel history, including transit, to Australias Victoria state, Japan and Hong Kong within the last 14 days will be required to serve their Stay-Home Notice (SHN) at dedicated SHN facilities instead of their own place of residence.

In a virtual media conference on Friday evening, COVID-19 taskforce co-chair Lawrence Wong said that this action was taken given the resurgence of cases in these regions.

Our border measures are not static. They are not cast in stone. We are constantly reviewing and updating them based on our assessment of the viral situation in different countries, he said.

And you can see around the world now, the number of cases globally continues to rise. Its not plateauing. It is rising. In some countries, youre seeing resurgence. In some countries, it has not even been controlled at all, and the cases are still accelerating. So, we really need to remain vigilant both at our borders in terms of the measures we have in place... as well as within our community.

Within the local community, there was an average of around 12 new community cases a day over the past week, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said.

Around half of the community cases over the past two weeks are linked, it added. We continue to actively test close contacts of confirmed cases to ring-fence possible onward transmissions, and regularly test targeted groups to help us detect unlinked cases in the community. Of the unlinked cases, about seven in 10 were asymptomatic, and almost half are likely to be past infections as they tested positive under serology tests.

At the media conference, MOHs director of medical services Kenneth Mak said, We have also noticed that there were a number of transmissions occurring from the workplace. And clusters have arisen from some cases infected through the course of work and in turn infected household members. We continue to be aggressive or chasing these active clusters. We take aggressive public health measures to ring-fence and isolate all close contacts in order to disrupt any potential onward transmission.

Story continues

The ministry is focusing its attention on the number of unlinked community cases, said Prof Mak. Many of the unlinked cases are picked up from routine regular testing of frontline workers and those in the construction, marine and process sectors.

The MOH has also significantly scaled up testing of those with ARI symptoms at first presentation, and are now testing around 2,400 ARI cases a day on average, it said.

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The word cosmopolitan may be associated with the famous cosmo cocktail, but its true meaning goes much deeper. It is an adjective, and according to Merriam-Webster it is defined as having wide international sophistication. Another term that means pretty much the same thing is worldly, and both can refer to cities or people.

The roots of cosmopolitan come from the Ancient Greek word kosmos. This translates into English as the universe or the world, and Kosmospolites are citizens of the world. Over time, the word evolved into cosmopolitan, which is a catch-all phrase for urbane, sophisticated individuals who have lived and traveled in different countries. By doing so, they might have shed national prejudices that may be found in those who have not encountered many different cultures.

Melting Pots

Cosmopolitan cities are where people from different backgrounds live. Rather than meeting lots of people who say, I grew up here! or, my entire family is from this area, you are much more likely to encounter individuals from different parts of the world. The lifestyles are blends of various customs, cultures, and languages. These global cities are built on the basis of different beliefs and ethnicities living together, side-by-side.

Metropolitan vs. Cosmopolitan

When it comes to cities, metropolitan and cosmopolitan have different meanings. The word metropolitan also has Greek roots, and originally meant a citizen from a mother state. Today, it indicates a region that has a highly-populated urban center plus its less densely-populated surrounding territories. A metropolitan (metro) area has housing, industry, and infrastructure within its boundaries. Metropolitan areas often have multiple municipalities and jurisdictions, too.

People of different cultural backgrounds are waiting in a public transport station in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Image credit: Birute Vijeikiene/Shutterstock

Some examples of metropolitan areas:

New York Metro Area:

City and suburbs of New York City

Long Island

New Yorks Mid- and Lower Hudson Valley

North and Central New Jersey

Three counties in western Connecticut

Five counties in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Tokyo

Mainland Tokyo

Izu Islands

Ogasawara Islands

26 additional cities

Five additional towns

Most Cosmopolitan Cities Ever

Of course, cities, like New York, can be metropolitan and cosmopolitan. Here are some more that make the list for being the most cosmopolitan.

Paris, France

This culturally diverse city attracts tourists and has residents from around the globe, and has a population of around 2.148 million (and a metropolitan area). Aside from its incredible history, landmarks, fashion, and food, another thing that makes it interesting is its language. It is one of a small number of international cities where English is not the main language used between people from different nationalities.

View of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Image credit: S.Borisov/Shutterstock

Sydney, Australia

As the biggest city in Australia and Oceania, Sydneys population comes in at around 5.2 million. Some call it the Australian New York, but it has a more relaxed pace of life.

London, UK

Called the most international city in Europe, London is home to immigrants from around the world plus descendants from the former English colonies. The British Empire was once the worlds largest empire, encompassing 13.01 million square miles of land. In 1922, the British Empires population topped 458 million and made up 20 percent of the entire worlds population. No wonder London remains a cosmopolitan city to this day.

Toronto, Canada

Toronto is the most multicultural city in all of Canada, ranking second in North America behind New York City. Considered as a very open-minded and tolerant city, it is known for being tolerant of immigrants, has top universities, and excellent business opportunities.

The San Francisco Skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge. Image credit: IM_photo/Shutterstock

San Francisco, US

San Francisco is a colorful, exciting cosmopolitan city that attracts people from all over who are looking to express themselves. It is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California, but at just 46.87 square miles, it is smaller than you might think. San Fran also has a reputation for extremes and contradictions. You can find multi-million-dollar homes with tents set up next to them; budget-friendly sandwich shops and five-star restaurants; and chilly, foggy weather in the summertime.
A log truck driver died after crashing his truck over an embankment and into a creek Thursday near Reedsport, deputies say.

Rhett Michael Curran went over an embankment on a rural road about 13 miles southeast of Reedsport and crashed into Mill Creek, according to the Douglas County Sheriffs Office.

Curran, a 54-year-old Lakeside resident, died at the scene. The truck was recovered from the creek.

An investigation indicates speed contributed to the crash.

-- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
(Newser)  Federal health officials are extending the US ban on cruise ships through the end of September as coronavirus infections rise in most US states, including Florida. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday that it was extending a no-sail order that had been scheduled to expire July 24, the AP reports. In the order signed by CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield, the agency said the cruise industry hasn't controlled transmission of the virus on its ships. The CDC said it was concerned whether cruise ships operating now with reduced crews were complying with practices designed to prevent transmitting the virus. The CDC said its concerns "highlight the need for further action prior to resuming passenger operations."

story continues below

The order covers ships that can carry 250 or more passengers. The CDC said cruise ships are more crowded than most urban settings, and even when only essential crew remains on board, the virus continues to spread. Companies that belong to an industry trade group, the Cruise Lines International Association, had already canceled cruises until Sept. 15 because of ongoing discussions with federal officials over how to restart operations safely. Members of the group include Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. From March 1 through July 10, there have been nearly 3,000 cases of COVID-19 or similar illnesses and 34 deaths on cruise ships, according to the CDC. There have been 99 outbreaks covering 80% of the ships in US waters, the CDC said. Nine ships are still dealing with outbreaks, the agency said.

(Read more cruise ships stories.)
Singled out: Con Dennehy and Kate Tierney run The Venue bar in Cork. They were totally shocked at the decision not to let pubs reopen on July 20. Photo: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

Only a generous Government support package for the pub industry will prevent hundreds of outlets from failing to reopen after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The warning came as rural publicans and rural TDs slated the Government decision to postpone the reopening of pubs until August 10 - as Tanaiste Leo Varadkar bluntly warned that it could be further delayed beyond that date.

Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath said publicans, their families and customers had been "let down" and he asked: "Why weren't they told sooner?"

Michael Collins, a TD from Cork South-West, said it was a "disastrous decision" for rural pubs to be placed in the same reopening phase as nightclubs, adding that they are "totally different businesses".

TD Danny Healy-Rae said: "Tis fairly foolish to think that the virus can know whether you're eating with your pint or not."

Fellow TD Michael Healy-Rae said pubs were being treated "very unfairly" as they had restocked ahead of next Monday and organised worker rosters before the Government had "pulled the rug out from underneath them".

He said rural pubs were unique and catered for very small groups of people.

A number of TDs said some pubs may see as few as four or five customers a night.

One said there was "an awful difference between Dame Lane and Ballinskelligs" - a reference to the much-criticised crowding seen outside some pubs in Dublin's Dame Lane on a recent weekend, suggesting there wouldn't be an increase in coronavirus cases if pubs were reopened.

Mr Varadkar said he could understand what a "hammer blow" the news had been for publicans, adding: "I don't think I'm the only person in this House who was looking forward to freedom pints next week."

Publicans expressed fury at the Government's treatment of their industry and warned that without VAT cuts and generous support packages, Ireland could witness the death knell for many rural and small urban pubs.

Cork publicans Kate Tierney and Con Dennehy said they were "totally shocked" by the Government decision - and livid it was done while flights from virus-hit parts of the US were arriving "effectively unchecked" at Dublin Airport.

The couple run The Venue Bar in Ballintemple in Cork - and admitted they were angry at the plight now facing hundreds of their fellow publicans.

"I was livid," Ms Tierney said.

"I was so angry when I heard the news about the reopening being postponed and yet that 14 flights had arrived from the US. What is the purpose of keeping pubs closed if we are allowing tourists into Ireland effectively unchecked from the US where some states have soaring cases of Covid-19?

"They have kept the pubs from reopening but yet this has been ignored?

"It really does feel as if the pubs and publicans are being singled out."

Mr Dennehy stressed that hundreds of vulnerable smaller pubs in Irish cities, towns and villages now need help just to survive into 2021.

"I think cutting the VAT rate from 23pc to 9pc would be a good start," he said.

"But the Government has to offer support packages for publicans who are now being told that their peak season is going to be only a fortnight, from August 10 until the finish of the so-called builders holidays at the end of August."

Michael O'Donovan, of Cork Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI), said the postponed reopening was "a financial disaster" for the sector.

"There are publicans around Ireland now looking long and hard at this and wondering if there is any point in them reopening at all," he said.

Mr Dennehy and Ms Tierney had intended keeping The Venue closed until all Irish pubs were cleared for opening.

However, they have now decided to reopen from Monday thanks to their pizza oven.

"We used to serve pizzas from Thursday to Sunday but we will now be serving pizzas each day," she said. "It was never our plan. We had intended to stay closed but we feel we have to open now."

She said that for most Irish holidaymakers, a true 'staycation' is all about the conviviality of an Irish pub visit.

"I am just so angry at the Government," she said.
Over the past several days, more than 1,000 people have been tested for coronavirus at public testing stations in Jasper and Newton counties.

Top officials from the largely rural counties are working with the state to open even more clinics - a cornerstone in the local health districts strategy as the pandemic surges beyond metropolitan and suburban areas.

Its been crazy. Were still seeing a large demand for testing and were getting calls about it every day, Jasper County Judge Mark Allen said. Were going to continue actively testing until we can contact trace all of them and the numbers (of new cases being confirmed) decline.

As of Wednesday evening, Jasper had confirmed 172 cases of COVID-19, up from 125 just over a week ago. Newton County had confirmed 52, compared to 39 about a week ago.

Related: Newton suspends summer workouts

Newton County Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Olen Bean said the health district for the two counties still had not found any specific hot spots that have led to the increases.

However, he said there have been multiple instances where several individuals from a single household have tested positive.

Allen said his county has seen a pretty big increase across the ZIP code that includes the city of Jasper. He attributed much of that to Lake Sam Rayburn and people who chose to celebrate Memorial Day and Fourth of July there.

More Information Coronavirus testing sites When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday Where: John Davis Community Center, 3580 E. Lucas, Beaumont When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday Where: Forest Park United Methodist Church, 255 S. Major Drive, Beaumont When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 20 Where: Stonehurst Apartments, 1615 E. Lucas, Beaumont When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 21 Where: Alice Keith Community Center, 4050 Reed, Beaumont When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 22 Where: Sterling Pruitt Community Center, 2930 Gulf, Beaumont When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 23 Where: Rogers Park Community Center, 1455 Dowlen Road, Beaumont When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 24 Where: Central Park Community Center, intersection of Fourth Street and Fannin, Beaumont When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 27 Where: Pointe North, 3710 Magnolia, Beaumont See More Collapse

At this point, both officials said all they can do is encourage residents to keep wearing face masks and continue social distancing until the daily number of cases confirmed comes down.

They just have to keep remembering its not just about protecting them, Allen said. Its about protecting everyone around you.

Related: Plasma trials show promising results with coronavirus patients

The message across Jefferson County, which has logged the largest number of coronavirus cases in Southeast Texas, is similar.

Most recently, Jefferson County Public Health Authority Dr. Cecil Walkes reminded residents that people who receive a positive test for COVID-19 should quarantine for 14 days from the date the test was administered. This memo came as a result of increased exposure and incidents of positive tests.

With 78 new cases reported on Thursday in the northern part of Jefferson County, including Beaumont, the total number of cases confirmed across the county rose to at least 2,808 since the pandemic began.

The Port Arthur Public Health Department did not report updated case numbers before print deadline Thursday.

The deaths of two women in their 70s, reported by the Beaumont Public Health Department on Thursday, brought the county to a total of 44 deaths attributed to the virus.

Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox

The news comes the same day the state of Texas recorded 129 deaths - a new record for the number of virus-related deaths logged in the state in a single day. It also was the third day the state has recorded more than 100 deaths in a single day.

The previous record was July 8, when 112 deaths were logged, a data analysis by Hearst Newspapers shows.

Over the seven-day period that ended Thursday, Jefferson County averaged one virus-related death each day, a rate the county hasnt seen since late April. Over the countys most deadly seven-day period, it recorded a total of 10 virus-related deaths.

Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames continues to implore area residents who have tested positive for and recovered from the virus to donate plasma. The plasma is being used as a part of a study taking place at Baptist Hospital and others across the country.

That research has shown promising results when using the plasma of recovered individuals to help treat those who are still infected.

Kaitlin Bain is the Government Reporter for the Beaumont Enterprise. Contact her at Kaitlin.Bain@BeaumontEnterprise.com or on Twitter by clicking here.

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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

As Twitter Inc. grapples with the worst security breach in its 14-year history, it must now uncover whether its employees were victims of sophisticated phishing schemes or if they deliberately allowed hackers to access high-profile accounts.

On Wednesday, some of the world's most prominent names, including former president Barack Obama and Democratic candidate and his former vice president Joe Biden, along with Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Warren Buffett, had their Twitter accounts post invitations for an apparent Bitcoin scam. Twitter reacted by blocking further posts from all verified accounts on the service and said it had detected "a coordinated social engineering attack by people who successfully targeted some of our employees with access to internal systems and tools."

The company's explanation has ignited speculation over the identity of the perpetrators and what they were actually targeting in the attack. The scale of the endeavor and its timingmonths before the November U.S. electionshave given rise among cybersecurity experts to theories that the attack masked a more nefarious campaign to seize sensitive data.

In its investigation of the incident, Twitter will now likely focus on employee logs, email and phone records. At question will be any failures in authentication processes that might have allowed hackers to hijack verified accounts, and also what other information, such as direct messages, might have been compromised in the breach. The Bitcoin wallets promoted in the tweets collected around $120,000 in cryptocurrency.

Twitter shares were down about 6% in pre-market trading on Thursday.

A social engineering attack means "leveraging the human element of security" and there are many different ways to do that, said Rachel Tobac, Chief Executive Officer of San Francisco-based SocialProof Security.

"I can phish someone who has administrative access and try and gain access to their credentials and log into their account," she said, or the less technical method would be to develop "a relationship with someone who works on those panels and convincing them to do your bidding for you."

Security awareness at companies like Twitter would be mandatory, but ultimately it's hard to track insider attacks when it's the employees rather than the technology who fall under the microscope, Tobac said.

"It used to be the Nigerian prince letter with a bunch of spelling mistakes, and now it's something that almost looks legitimate, but it always starts with a person," said Frances Dewing, the CEO of cybersecurity firm Rubica Inc., based in Seattle.

"There's a playbook for doing this, there are cybercriminal organizations that make millions of dollars. It's the fastest growing business in the world," she said.

And there is no accounting for disaffected workers, as Twitter learned in 2017 when an employee deactivated President Donald Trump's account before it was quickly restored.

Identifying potential Twitter employees to target wouldn't be difficult for the hackers, given the way most smartphone apps hungrily vacuum up location and other contextual data from usersdata which is often then sold on to marketing companies. Anyone frequenting the same coffee shops and businesses or entering and leaving a workplace at particular hours can give away clues about themselves.

Cybersecurity experts can only speculate until Twitter itself reveals what happened and where the failures occurred, but even this kind of show of forcea demonstration by hackers to earn credibility or gain infamyisn't convincing them that a Bitcoin scam was all there was to the operation.

With U.S. elections looming, the cyber landscape is ripe for a major attack. Stas Protassov, co-founder and president of global technology firm Acronis said the attack was "too prepared to be just a cryptocurrency scam."

"We don't believe that's all the hackers went into once they got access," he said in an email. "The attack is too big and too noisy and likely covering a bigger play. We've yet to see the full impact of what this was about."

Tobac also raised the possibility that the attack could have been a distraction while hackers harvested private direct messages and any other confidential data to be able to deploy at a more critical time. So while the initial disruption to Twitter's service appears to have been patched over and the company is gradually restoring normal operation, the lingering effects of this breach might have much wider effects than Wednesday's spectacle.

"Maybe they were doing something insidious and this was just a cover up," she said. "There's no way for us to know, we can just speculate."

Whatever happened, Twitter must be completely candid about the cause of attack once it's established, Tobac said. "This was such a public meltdown that if they're not completely transparent it would damage their brand further."

Explore further Twitter hit by major hack targeting high-profile users

2020 Bloomberg News

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday explained in details the foreign policy of India to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after his comments on nation's geopolitics. Stepping up his attack on the government over the LAC standoff, Gandhi earlier issued a video message alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "indiscretions" have weakened the country and left it vulnerable.

In the video message posted on Twitter, he hit out at the government saying that over the last six years, India has been "disturbed and disrupted" with regard to its foreign policy and economy. "Since 2014, the PM's constant blunders and indiscretions have fundamentally weakened India and left us vulnerable. Empty words don't suffice in the world of geopolitics," the Congress leader had tweeted.

Speaking on India's ties with China, Jaishankar asserted that India engages with China on more equal terms politically and told Gandhi to ask the analysts. "Our major partnerships are stronger and international standing higher. Witness regular summits and informal meetings with the US, Russia, Europe and Japan. India engages China on more equal terms politically. Ask the analysts. We speak our mind more openly now. On CPEC, on BRI, on the South China Sea, on UN-sanctioned terrorists, etc. Ask the media."

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the EAM said, "Rahul Gandhi has questions on Foreign Policy. Here are some answers" and gave a point by point explanation on India's ties with other countries.

"And address the border infrastructure imbalance legacy. Compare 2014-20 with 2008-14. Budget up by 280%, road building by 32%, bridges by 99% and tunnels by 6 times. Ask our Jawans," he tweeted.

"And some facts on our neighbourhood: The Hambantota Port agreement between Sri Lanka and China was concluded in 2008. Ask those who dealt with it. Difficult ties with #Maldives, after India watched President Nasheed being toppled in 2012, now stand transformed. Ask our businesses," he also tweeted.

"A settled land boundary (2015) with Bangladesh; opens a path to more development and transit. And terrorists no longer find safe haven there. Ask our security. Nepal after 17 years is getting Prime Ministerial visits. And a swathe of developmental projects: power, fuel, housing, hospital, roads, etc. Ask their citizens," he further tweeted.

"Bhutan finds a stronger security and development partner. And unlike 2013, they dont worry about their cooking gas. Ask their households. Afghanistan sees completed projects (Salma Dam, Parliament), expanded training and serious connectivity. Ask the Afghan street," he said.

"And Pakistan (that you skipped) surely notes the difference between Balakot & Uri on the one hand and Sharm-el-Sheikh, Havana & 26/11 on the other. Ask yourself," he concluded.
The novel coronavirus was just starting to threaten the economy as the legislature took its final votes on the plan, with Northam declaring a state of emergency as the House and Senate gaveled out of its regular session March 12. Democrats resisted calls by Republicans to hold off on the vote, but Northam eventually froze all new spending  amounting to about $1 billion a year in the budget, which took effect July 1.
The federal government has given school proprietors across the country up to July 29 to meet specific guidelines set towards the reopening of schools.

The date for the reopening is to be announced in due course.

The minister of state for education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said this in Abuja on Friday.

The minister said the announcement is coming just as Nigeria settles with four countries on a new date for the suspended West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

The minister did not mention the four countries.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the federal government released guidelines ahead of the resumption of schools at every level in the country.

The guidelines were for the safe reopening of schools and learning facilities after the COVID-19 pandemic and these outlined actions, measures, and requirements needed for resumption.

The 52-page document containing the guidelines called for a two-meter rule separating each pupil. It stated that where the two-meter rule cannot be reasonably applied, other risk mitigation strategies may be adopted.

New charge

On Friday, Mr Nwajuiba asked school owners to prepare and comply with the guidelines, adding that schools are to undertake self-assessment and send feedback to state ministries of education, not later than July 29, 2020.

He said consultations with relevant stakeholders would be held to review the situation and decide on a specific date for reopening or otherwise.

Having taken the painful but necessary decision not to reopen schools without necessary preparations to ensure the safety of students and teachers, the federal ministry of education has continued consultations with stakeholders, and a mechanism to assess and monitor compliance shall be put in place, he said.

READ ALSO:

We have consulted widely with stakeholders in the sector, including commissioners of education in all the states of the federation, the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria, (APSON), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools,(NAPPS), Provosts of Colleges of Education, Rectors of Polytechnics, vice-chancellors of universities, some state governors, and development partners, he said.

WASSCE

Speaking on WASSCE, Mr Nwajuiba said, the government met with WAEC on Monday and (we) have agreed to further consult with four other countries on a new examination date.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the government reversed its earlier announcement on the resumption of schools.

It also said no Nigerian school will participate in the WASSCE 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.

It was postponed after schools were shut down across the country in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19.
SACRAMENTO  Millions of public and private school students across California will be barred from going back to class until their counties can slow the spread of the coronavirus, under an order Gov. Gavin Newsom issued Friday.

The order all but ensures the vast majority of districts across the state will start the academic year virtually and remain that way until their counties meet specific requirements in case counts, hospitalizations and other criteria.

When schools do reopen, staff as well as students in grades 3-12 must wear masks, and younger students will be encouraged to do so. Older students who refuse to wear masks will be required to participate in distance learning.

California is the first state in the U.S. to explicitly prohibit students who dont comply with a mask mandate from attending school in person, according to the Newsom administration.

The governors order also requires districts that reopen to test every staff member for COVID-19 every other month, including the states 300,000 teachers, a costly and burdensome condition that could overload the states already stressed testing system. The governor said an overhauled state testing plan that officials unveiled this week will prioritize getting quick results for school staffers and require health plans to pick up the costs.

Still, the testing requirement and other conditions outlined in the order could prevent schools from reopening for months, officials said.

Learning remains nonnegotiable, but neither is safety, Newsom said at a news conference at the California Office of Emergency Services in Sacramento County. Students, teachers, staff and parents prefer in-classroom instruction ... but only if we can do it safely.

The order against reopening classrooms applies to schools in counties that are on Californias monitoring list because of surging coronavirus infections and hospitalizations. As of Friday, more than 30 of the states 58 counties were on the list, including every county in the Bay Area except San Mateo. Statewide, more than 80% of the population lives in watch-list counties.

Under the rules Newsom announced Friday, schools in such counties cannot hold in-person classes unless the counties have been off the monitoring list for 14 days.

The state mandate means millions of public and private school students will start the academic year in distance learning, reversing local decisions to bring students and teachers back to classrooms full- or part-time.

In Marin County, several districts were planning to provide in-person instruction at the urging of county education and health officials. Newsoms announcement largely takes that off the table, given Marins recent case spikes.

While the new state order means every school in Marin will probably be online when they open, it also provides much-needed clarity, said Mary Jane Burke, the county superintendent of schools.

Someone is saying, This is what safe looks like, she said. I feel like it would have been great if this information had been issued earlier.

Schools in counties that get off the states watch list for two weeks will not automatically reopen in-person classes. Those decisions will be left up to individual districts and public health officers.

Under the new rules, local health officers will be allowed to grant a waiver for in-person classes for elementary schools if a district superintendent asks for one, in consultation with labor, parents and unspecified community-based organizations.

Many school districts across the state, including large districts in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, have already signaled theyll start the school year mostly with remote learning. District officials have said they dont have the resources to meet state guidelines for reopening in-person classes.

Newsom also stressed that districts must provide high-quality distance learning, including daily live interaction between teachers and students.

That worried Berkeley parent Caroline Francis, whose son struggled in large kindergarten Zoom classes in the spring. Newsoms announcement was better late than never, she said, but it was definitely late.

It would have been nice if this had been worked out earlier in the summer, Francis said.

In Alameda, incoming high school junior Henry Mills had been holding out hope that he would be able to go back to school at least part time. The governors announcement eliminated that possibility, given the countys status on the monitoring list.

Of course Im pretty disappointed, he said. I cant help but blame others, people who just wont wear a mask.

Newsom said the guidelines are necessary as the state confronts soaring infection rates, though the growth of new cases has slowed in recent days. The state reported 9,986 new cases Friday, and hospitalizations have increased 22% over the past two weeks.

The mandate for students in third grade and above to wear masks is an addition to guidelines that Newsom set in May for schools to reopen. His administration said students should have their temperature taken every morning, that school meals should be served in classrooms, and that classes should be confined to separate areas of the schoolyard for recess.

The state also suggested that desks be spaced 6 feet apart, separated by partitions or staggered to avoid face-to-face contact.

The rules put in place Friday require that teachers and staff stay 6 feet away from one another and any students. They also suggest that students keep 6 feet apart as much as practicable.

The state also released rules for when reopened schools must close following an outbreak. Any school where 5% of the students and staff test positive for the coronavirus must close, and any district where a quarter of the schools have closed must shutter entirely.

Newsoms order comes as President Trump has pushed to reopen schools nationwide more rapidly, arguing that children are at low risk of catching the virus or suffering severe consequences if they do. He has threatened to cut federal funding to schools that dont open classrooms.

The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families, Trump tweeted last week. May cut off funding if not open!

Asked about Trumps stance at Fridays news conference, Newsom said he has to take into account the health of school staffers as well as students.

I recognize the presidents insistence from an economic paradigm. I get that, Newsom said. Im not looking to score cheap political points with people that have different points of view.

A caption in an earlier version of this story misstated the title of Stephanie Ortega-Kennison. She is a transitional-kindergarten teacher.

Dustin Gardiner and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com, jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner, @jilltucker
Security firms guard jailed for 2.5 years over boys murder in Russian kindergarten

 flickr.com/ Denis Nosov

10:40 17/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI)  A court in the Nenets Autonomous Area sentenced a guard of the private security firm Svyatogor, who had let a kid murder enter a kindergarten in the town of Naryan-Mar, to 2.5 years in penal colony, the press service of Russias Investigative Committee reports.

The court also ordered payment of 600,000 rubles ($8,300) in compensation to each victim in the case, the statement reads.

The defendant was found guilty of providing substandard services that negligently led to the death of a minor.

On October 31, a resident of Naryan-Mar in the Nenets Autonomous Area entered the local kindergarten in a drunken state and stabbed a child of 6 years with a knife. The boy died on the scene.

Initially, the man refused to give testimony, but later he pleaded guilty to the murder and told an investigator that he heard voices in his head. The defendant was put in detention.

During the trial a local court held that the man had committed the murder of a minor. However, a mental examination found him insane. According to the results of a psychiatric examination, the man suffers from a mental illness and was of unsound mind when committing the crime, the statement reads.

In March, the court found the defendant guilty of killing a 6-year boy in a local kindergarten and sentenced him to the compulsory mental treatment.
China's flags are seen near a TikTok logo in this illustration picture taken July 16, 2020. Reuters





TWICE, Rain and HyunA are among the K-pop stars, whoses accounts have been blocked from view. Korea Times file



Some K-pop stars' accounts have been blocked from view on TikTok's China version Douyin, Reuters' checks showed on Friday, days after South Korea's media regulator slapped fines on the short-video app for data privacy noncompliance.



The reasons for the blocks were unknown, but the move also comes after remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the United States is "certainly looking at" banning Chinese social media apps, including TikTok.



South Korea's communications regulator on Wednesday fined TikTok Pte Ltd, the publisher of the app, 186 million won ($154,320) for collecting personal information of children under 14 years of age without consent from guardians and failing to disclose or notify when sending personal information overseas.






Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 10:38:03|Editor: huaxia

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Lao trainees attend the Chinese language class at Confucius Institute of National University of Laos in Vientiane, Laos, July 15, 2020. The first group of trainees for China-Laos railway's operation are studying hard in the intensive Chinese language and professional railway theory training in Lao capital Vientiane, with hopes for a bright future of their career and life. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)

by Chanthaphaphone Mixayboua, Zhang Jianhua

VIENTIANE, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The first group of trainees for China-Laos railway's operation are studying hard in the intensive Chinese language and professional railway theory training in Lao capital Vientiane, with hopes for a bright future of their career and life.

Twenty-three-year-old Somphone Inleuangsy from northern Laos' hilly Luang Namtha province told Xinhua on Wednesday that she wanted to be the first female train driver in the country's first modernized railway.

"I'm always interested in railway and I think women can work in this field too, so I decided to apply for this job," said Somphone.

Somphone said she had learned Chinese before, but this time she has to learn the language involving railway terminologies, which is completely new for her.

"There are so many technical words and not easy to understand. This training is very important to me," she added.

Somphone said the railway is an exciting place to work, which provides real benefits and great opportunity. "I wish I could work here as long as I can," she said.

A total of 233 trainees are receiving the training at Confucius Institute of National University of Laos (NUOL). They are learning to be train drivers, engine mechanics, train operators, and supervisors of railway maintenance.

All of the trainees were selected by the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd (LCRC), a joint venture based in Lao capital Vientiane.

Somphone said the job with the LCRC is important to her, through which she can fulfil her dream and take care of her family.

"I feel grateful that I was selected in the first group, and I'm glad to be a part to help improving the country," she added.

Since the LCRC launched the recruitment of the Lao trainees for the railway operation on Feb. 27, the company has selected the first batch of trainees for the four-phase training, including Chinese language, professional railway theory, on-site practical training in China's Kunming and specific pre-job skill training.

Another 24-year-old Lao youth from Xieng Khuang province on central Laos' plateau, Somboun Tualavong, told Xinhua that he wanted to work in the railway for life since it is a great opportunity.

"I'm so proud of myself that I can get this opportunity. It's exciting to be a part of China-Laos railway," he said.

Somboun added that working in the railway isn't just a job but a chance to have a bright future.

"I am working hard to become the qualified staff of the China-Laos railway, which will have a satisfactory salary and welfare then I can improve my livelihood and meet my family needs," said Somboun.

"Another reason that I want to work here is the company offers the necessary support and training, so I can always improve my skills," he said.

Somboun felt thankful to have this training since he does not have any experience in the railway sector.

The ongoing intensive Chinese language class will last for 10 weeks at the Confucius Institute, and the follow-up selection of the second and third groups of 600 trainees has started, which is expected to be completed in July.

"We are leaning new words, mostly technical words and railway theory. It's hard to understand but I am willing to learn new things," said Somboun.

The professional railway training is very useful and it is even better when the trainees can learn from Chinese teachers, Somboun added.

Qin Yanhong, a Chinese teacher with the NUOL Confucius Institute, told Xinhua that she and her colleagues not only try to improve the trainees' language level, but also try to equip them with professional railway knowledge.

"It is also a challenge for us to learn (railway knowledge) before (teaching) the trainees, but we are trying to make the start a success," said Qin, adding that the railway is a link between the two countries and a good start is important.

Director of Confucius Institute in the NUOL Yonvilay Xayyalerd encouraged all trainees to study hard, hoping them to seize this opportunity to gain railway expertise.

The China-Laos Railway is a strategic docking project between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Laos' strategy to convert from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub.

The 422-km railway, with 198-km tunnels and 62-km bridges, will run from Boten border gate in northern Laos, bordering China, to Lao capital Vientiane with an operating speed of 160 km per hour.

The electrified passenger and cargo railway is built with the full application of Chinese management and technical standards, with its construction starting in December 2016 and scheduled to be completed and operational in December 2021. Enditem
ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Central America Bottling Corporation ("CBC" or the "Company") today announced that it has commenced a solicitation of consents (the "USD Consent Solicitation") from the holders of its 5.750% Senior Guaranteed Notes due 2027 (the "Existing USD Notes") to certain Proposed Amendments (as defined below) to the indenture governing the Existing USD Notes (the "USD Indenture"), as further described below.

CBC also announced today that, concurrently with the USD Consent Solicitation, CBC Peruana S.A.C. ("CBC Peruana"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBC, is seeking the consent of holders of its 8.000% Senior Guaranteed Notes due 2029 (the "PEN Notes"), pursuant to a separate consent solicitation (the "PEN Consent Solicitation" and, together with the USD Consent Solicitation, the "Consent Solicitations"), to effect substantially similar amendments to the Proposed Amendments to the indenture governing the PEN Notes (the "PEN Indenture").

USD Consent Solicitation

In accordance with the terms and conditions of the USD Consent Solicitation, the Company is seeking consents from holders representing at least a majority (the "USD Requisite Consents") in aggregate principal amount of the Existing USD Notes to, among other things, amend the following provisions of the USD Indenture, as described below and in the Consent Solicitation Statement, dated as of the date hereof (the "USD Statement"):

eliminate the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio from Section 3.07(a)(i) ( Limitation on Incurrence of Additional Indebtedness ) of the USD Indenture and make corresponding changes throughout the USD Indenture;

) of the USD Indenture and make corresponding changes throughout the USD Indenture; modify the Consolidated Total Indebtedness to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio and corresponding Time Periods in Section 3.07(a)(ii) ( Limitation on Incurrence of Additional Indebtedness ) of the USD Indenture;

) of the USD Indenture; increase the percentage of cumulative Consolidated Net Income from 50% to 75% in Section 3.09(a)(III)(i) ( Limitation on Restricted Payments ) of the USD Indenture, subject to certain Unrestricted Cash and Cash Equivalents requirements;

) of the USD Indenture, subject to certain Unrestricted Cash and Cash Equivalents requirements; add a new carve-out to Section 3.09(b) ( Limitation on Restricted Payments ) of the USD Indenture for the payment of up to U.S. $55 million during 2020 or 2021, subject to certain requirements;

) of the USD Indenture for the payment of up to U.S. during 2020 or 2021, subject to certain requirements; add a new carve-out to Section 3.09(b) ( Limitation on Restricted Payments ) of the USD Indenture for the payment of up to U.S. $25 million per year from January 1, 2020 , subject to no Default or Event of Default; and

) of the USD Indenture for the payment of up to U.S. per year from , subject to no Default or Event of Default; and make certain other technical amendments as further described in the USD Statement,

(collectively, the "Proposed Amendments").

The USD Consent Solicitation will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 24, 2020, unless extended or earlier terminated (such time on such date, as the same may be extended or earlier terminated, the "Expiration Time"). The USD Consent Solicitation is subject to certain conditions, including, among others, the receipt of the USD Requisite Consents at or prior to the Expiration Time and the satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions set forth in the USD Statement.

In the event that each of the conditions to the USD Consent Solicitation described in the USD Statement is satisfied or waived, the Company will pay to each holder that validly delivers (and does not validly revoke) a consent in respect of the Proposed Amendments at or prior to the Expiration Time U.S.$10 per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Existing USD Notes (the "USD Consent Payment").

If the USD Requisite Consents are received at or prior to the Expiration Time, the Company intends to promptly execute a third supplemental indenture to the USD Indenture to effect the Proposed Amendments (such time, the "Effective Time"). The Proposed Amendments will not become operative unless and until all conditions to the USD Consent Solicitation have been satisfied or waived and the USD Consent Payment has been made. Consents may be revoked at any time prior to the earlier to occur of the Effective Time and the Expiration Time, but not thereafter, by following the procedures set forth in the USD Statement.

The USD Consent Payment will be made on the Settlement Date, which is expected to occur as soon as practicable following the Expiration Time. Subject to applicable law, the USD Consent Solicitation may be abandoned or terminated for any reason at any time, including after the Expiration Time and prior to the Proposed Amendments becoming operative, in which case any consents received will be voided and no USD Consent Payment will be paid.

The terms and conditions of the USD Consent Solicitation are set forth in the USD Statement. Copies of the USD Statement may be obtained from D. F. King & Co., Inc., the Information and Tabulation Agent for the USD Consent Solicitation, at (800) 848-3410 (toll free), (212) 269-5550 (collect) or by email at [email protected].

PEN Consent Solicitation

In accordance with Section 6.06 of the PEN Indenture, (i) CBC Peruana has formally requested that Banco de Credito del Peru S.A., as Peruvian Noteholder Agent (the "Peruvian Noteholder Agent"), convene a virtual meeting of holders of the PEN Notes on July 27, 2020 (the "Meeting") and (ii) the Peruvian Noteholder Agent has provided notice (the "Notice") of such Meeting to the holders of the PEN Notes.

At the Meeting, (i) each registered holder of one or more PEN Notes in the CAVALI Registry as of the relevant record date determined pursuant to Section 6.06(f) of the PEN Indenture or (ii) a person appointed by a power of attorney (each, a "Power of Attorney") as proxy by a registered holder of one or more PEN Notes will be entitled to vote to approve certain amendments to the PEN Indenture, which amendments will be substantially the same as the Proposed Amendments (the "PEN Proposed Amendments"). In accordance with Section 7.02 of the PEN Indenture, approval of the PEN Proposed Amendments requires consent from holders of the PEN Notes representing at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding PEN Notes (the "PEN Requisite Consents").

Holders who validly deliver their consent to the PEN Proposed Amendments, either by proxy or in person at the Meeting, in each case in accordance with the requirements described in the Notice, will be eligible to receive a consent payment equal to 1.00% of the principal amount of PEN Notes for which a valid consent has been delivered (the "PEN Consent Payment"), to be paid in cash. Each holder must specify in its Power of Attorney the bank account of the holder in Peru into which the PEN Consent Payment should be paid. The PEN Consent Payment will be made in U.S. Dollars or Soles as instructed by each holder in its Power of Attorney. In the event that a holder elects to receive the PEN Consent Payment in U.S. Dollars, the Soles amount of the PEN Consent Payment will be converted to U.S. Dollars using the following exchange rate as of July 23, 2020: (a) as set by the Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP at http://www.sbs.gob.pe/app/stats/tc-cv.asp and (b) confirmed via Bloomberg screen (PEN SBSP Curncy )).

If the PEN Requisite Consents are received at the Meeting, CBC Peruana intends to promptly execute a first supplemental indenture to the PEN Indenture to effect the PEN Proposed Amendments and to make certain other changes that do not require the consent of holders of the PEN Notes, which will immediately become operative upon execution thereof.

The Company and CBC Peruana have retained Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC to serve as the Solicitation Agents for the Consent Solicitations.

Questions regarding the Consent Solicitations may be directed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at (800) 558-3745 (toll-free) or (212) 723-6106 (collect), and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at Attn: Latin America Debt Capital Markets, (866) 846-2874 (toll-free), (212) 834-7279 (collect).

None of the Company, CBC Peruana, the Peruvian Noteholder Agent, the Solicitation Agents or the Information and Tabulation Agent makes any recommendation as to whether holders should deliver their consents pursuant to the Consent Solicitations, and no one has been authorized by any of them to make such recommendation. Holders must make their own decisions as to whether to participate in the Consent Solicitations.

This press release is for informational purposes only and is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities whether pursuant to this press release or otherwise.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including with respect to the Consent Solicitations. Actual results may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

About The Central America Bottling Corporation

The Central America Bottling Corporation produces, distributes and markets beverage products that include brands owned by PepsiCo and Ambev, and its proprietary brands, including its wellness brand Beliv.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE The Central America Bottling Corporation
The voter registration exercise at the AME Zion Primary School centre in Ho-Dome is proceeding at a snail pace as the Biometric Voter Registration machine there frequently shuts down in a 'dum sor' manner making prospective registrants apprehensive.



Mr John Wilson Adjei, the Registration Officer at the centre told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the machines went off frequently thereby delaying the process.



He said the shutting down also developed into freezing machine compelling the process to terminate and affected the smooth running of the exercise.



Mr Adjei said the registrants resorted to threatening them of deliberately causing the delay.



Some registrants who spoke to the GNA said the situation was delaying their time at the centre and appealed to the authorities to take the necessary step to address it.



Nana Oduro Numapau, Ho Municipal Director of Electoral Commission said although he was unaware of the challenge he would dispatch the technician to check on the veracity or otherwise of the claim.



He disclosed that standby BVRs were available to replace problematic ones.



Meanwhile as at 1014 hours, when the GNA visited the centre, a total of 30 applicants were issued with the new voters card, with others also in the queue waiting patiently to have their turn.



The situation was, however, different at other centres visited by the GNA including; Dora Memorial School Complex Ho Heve 1, Deeper Life Church Ho Bankoe 2 and Ola Senior High School Ho Bankoe 2, as their BVR machines were functioning properly and effectively, thereby making the exercise to progress smoothly.



There were Veronica buckets, liquid soap, tissue papers, and hand sanitizer was available at all the centres to enable the applicants and the officers to observe the health protocols.

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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Sydney Writers' Festival artistic director Michaela McGuire is swapping cities to take on the same title at the Melbourne Writers Festival. McGuire, who has been artistic director at SWF for four years, said it had been hard to walk away from the position.

"This dream job I have right now just happens to be in the wrong city. I'm really excited to be doing this job that I love back in the same city as my friends and family."

Michaela McGuire is giving up a dream job for another dream job. Credit:James Brickwood

McGuire replaces previous director Marieke Hardy, who resigned late last year and with whom she founded the popular Women of Letters series of literary events.

She said she envisaged the festivals she would program to be similar to those she put on in Sydney, but confirmed she would wind back the performative element of Hardy's two festivals. Hardy had labelled these as "literary arts" festivals, but McGuire said Melbourne would be a "writers' festival".
Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE:PM) today launched Our World Is Not an Ashtray, a new global initiative to raise awareness and drive a long-term change in behavior and attitudes around cigarette butt littering. The initiative supports PMIs litter reduction targetdescribed in its Integrated Report 2019to achieve a 50 percent reduction of the plastic litter from its products by 2025 (vs. 2021 baseline). The initiative, launched on WorldNoAshtray.com, aims to educate the public about the environmental impact of cigarette butt littering and inspire adult smokers to change littering habits.

We seek to make cigarette butt littering socially unacceptable, said Huub Savelkouls, Chief Sustainability Officer at PMI. Our World Is Not an Ashtray is an important initiative in our multipronged approach to addressing this important issue.

To track progress against its goal, PMI is working with three organizationsLitterati, Cortexia, and CARTOto implement a data-driven approach and assess the prevalence of cigarette butt litter across the globe; identify litter hotspots; and, monitor the impact of anti-littering activities. A pilot assessment will take place this summer in a pilot city before being rolled out in representative countries across the world in 2021 as part of a five year assessment.

Waste littering is a major environmental concern and was identified as an issue of growing importance for PMI following external assessments, and raised to priority status in its Sustainability Materiality Report at the end of 2019. In a new international study conducted by global research data and insights company Kantar this spring on behalf of PMI, 25 percent of adult smokers reported that they throw cigarette butts on the ground because they think it is a normal way to dispose of a cigarette.

The survey also revealed that 75 percent of respondents thought that cigarette filters are made of cotton or paper, and only 13 percent knew that filters are made of plastic. These findings highlight the need for awareness campaigns such as Our World Is Not an Ashtray to help change smokers behaviors.

Jeff Kirschner, Founder and CEO of Litterati, said: Theres a widespread view that theres nothing wrong with stubbing out cigarettes on streets or beaches, yet very few people realize that plastic is the main component in cigarette butts. Litterati began with just one person picking up a cigarette butt, and it has transformed into a global movement thats empowering people to crowdsource-clean the planet. Together with PMI, we will use our technology to gather behavioral insight on cigarette butt littering, map problem areas, and mitigate future risk. Were proud to be part of Our World Is Not an Ashtray to help address cigarette butt litter worldwide.

PMI is increasing the scale and reach of its participation in clean-up activities, to raise awareness of the issues of litteringand cigarette butt littering particularlyin local communities. Working with Litterati, PMI will encourage volunteers in every corner of the world to use the organizations app to geotag litter and join cleanup challenges ranging from local neighborhoods to global initiatives. PMIs affiliates will also work with local anti-littering organizations, following the participation of over 3,900 PMI volunteers from 31 countries in litter collections on World Cleanup Day 2019 where they collected 83 tons of litter.

Jens Rupp, PMIs Head of Environmental Sustainability, said: Cigarette butt litter is a problem that we need to solve; too many cigarette butts are littered, ending up in the natural environment. By working with experts to better understand how to nudge smokers to more responsible disposal habits, launching general population education programs, and cooperating with governments and local authorities to ensure there is an adequate waste disposal infrastructure, we can reduce the plastic litter associated with our products.

For more on the Our World Is Not an Ashtray initiative, visit www.worldnoashtray.com.

For additional information about PMIs efforts to reduce waste littering and the CBL study, visit www.pmi.com/littering.

Survey Methodology

The global survey was conducted by Kantar, between the third week of March and the first week of May 2020; 12,800 people across 10 countries were questioned, with a 54 percent completion rate. The completion rate reflects the respondents who finished the survey, matched the eligible criteria, provided quality data, and filled quotas considered nationally representative by Kantar (gender and age).

Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company and its shareholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, smoke-free products and associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

###

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200716005657/en/
An Iowa meth kingpin who murdered five people - including two children and government informants - will be put to death today in the third federal execution in a week after a 17-year pause.

Dustin Honken, 52, will be executed by lethal injection at Terre Haute penitentiary in Indiana at 4p.m. EDT Friday, after a judge denied his request for a delay to his execution because of the coronavirus pandemic earlier this week.

Honken, dubbed 'Iowa's Walter White' after he went from being a nerdy chemistry student to a methamphetamine kingpin and murderer, was sentenced to death in 2004 for the brutal 1993 slayings of five people including two little girls aged 10 and six.

His execution will mark the third this week after the government carried out its first federal execution in 17 years of white supremacist Daniel Lewis Lee Tuesday followed by the second of 'claw hammer' killer Wesley Purkey Thursday, as Attorney General William Barr pushes ahead with executions ahead of the 2020 presidential race.

Dustin Honken is led by federal marshals to a waiting car after the second day of jury selection in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, in 2004. The Iowa meth kingpin will be put to death today in the third federal execution in a week after 17-year pause

Honken is set to die by a lethal injection of the powerful sedative pentobarbital at the federal prison in Terre Haute where he's been on death row since 2005 convicted of the murders of Greg Nicholson, Terry DeGeus, Lori Duncan and her daughters Kandi, 10, and Amber, 6, in Mason City in 1993.

He is the first Iowan since 1963 to be sentenced to death.

The state abolished the death penalty back in 1965, but federal prosecutors sought to execute Honken because of the nature of his heinous crimes killing government informants and children.

Susan Torres, 54, Duncan's sister-in-law and aunt to Kandi and Amber, has said she plans to attend her family's killer's execution along with the relatives of other victims.

'He does deserve what he's getting. I can tell you that. He deserved it a long time ago,' she said this week.

Mark Bennett, the federal judge who oversaw Honken's trial, said he generally opposes the death penalty but if anyone deserves to be executed, it is Honken.

He said Honken's crimes were reprehensible and he had a fair legal process, including talented lawyers who 'did an outstanding job with virtually nothing to work with'.

'I am not going to lose any sleep if he is executed,' said Bennett, who has since retired from the bench.

Honken is led by US Marshals into the Federal Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, prior to his sentencing in 2005. Honken, 52, was sentenced to death for killing government informants and children in his effort to thwart his drug trafficking prosecution in 1993

Lori Duncan (left), a single, mother raising her two girls, 10-year-old Kandi (center) and six-year-old Amber (right) were all slain by Honken

Honken was also convicted of murdering his meth distributors, Gregory Nicholson (left) and Terry DeGeus (right), who were scheduled to testify against him

DUSTIN HONKEN'S MURDEROUS RAMPAGE: Honken, 52, shot and killed five peopletwo men who planned to testify against him and a single, working mother and her ten-year-old and six-year-old daughters. In 1993, Honken was operating a methamphetamine lab in Arizona when one of the two dealers he used for distribution, Greg Nicholson, was pinched by police and turned informant, according to court documents. Honken was arrested on state drug charges, but made bond. Once free, he began a desperate hunt for Nicholson, who went into hiding by staying with Lori Duncan, a single mother raising her two girls, 10-year-old Kandi and six-year-old Amber. On July 25, 1993, Nicholson, Duncan, Kandi, and Amber suddenly disappeared. Five days later, Honken appeared for his plea hearing, but declined to plead guilty. Honken told his attorney he heard a rumor Nicholson had skipped town. Honken also provided his attorney with a VHS tape of Nicholson saying Honken was not guilty of the charges against him. The government turned its attention to the other possible witness against him: his other dealer, Terry DeGeus. DeGeus disappeared on November 5. After another informant wore a wire and caught Honken referencing eliminating the witnesses against him, Honken's bail was revoked. While incarcerated, Honken admitted to other inmates he killed witnesses to avoid earlier charges. Honken went into great detail about the murders. Using prison informants, investigators discovered the bodies of Nicholson and the Duncan family, buried in a single hole located in a wooded area outside Mason City. Kandi and Amber each had a single bullet hole in the back of their heads. Nicholson and Duncan were bound, gagged, and shot multiple times, including once in the head. DeGeus's body was found in a field a few miles away, face down in a shallow hole with a severely fragmented skull having been shot one or more times. On October 14, 2004, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa found Honken guilty of numerous offenses, including five counts of murder during the course of a continuing criminal enterprise, and he was sentenced to death. Advertisement

'Normally I would but the evidence was so overwhelming.'

Honken's lawyers are making last-minute pleas for a reprieve, but their chances of success seem remote after a judge denied Honken's requests earlier this week and the Supreme Court reversed lower-court orders that sought to block the executions of Lee and Purkey.

US District Judge Leonard Strand wrote Tuesday that he would not intervene to delay Honken's execution date due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Strand said the Bureau of Prisons was in the best position to weigh the health risks against the benefits of carrying out the execution.

Strand also denied Honken's motion to declare his execution void due to an alleged procedural error by the government and affirmed the executive branch's power to set the date for executions.

A federal judge also turned down on Tuesday a request by Honken's spiritual adviser - a Catholic priest - to put the execution on hold until after the pandemic.

Honken was convicted in 2004 of the brutal 1993 slayings of his two drug dealers turned informants Nicholson and DeGeus, as well as single working mom Duncan and her daughters Kandi and Amber.

Nicholson, Duncan, Kandi, and Amber vanished on July 25 and DeGeus disappeared on November 5.

The bodies of Nicholson and the Duncan family were found buried in a single hole located in a wooded area outside Mason City in 2000 after an informant provided authorities with maps of where Honken's accomplice girlfriend Angela Johnson told him the bodies were buried.

Kandi and Amber each had a single bullet hole in the back of their heads.

Nicholson and Duncan were bound, gagged, and shot multiple times, including once in the head.

DeGeus's body was found in a field a few miles away, face down in a shallow hole with a severely fragmented skull having been shot one or more times.

Honken shot and killed the two men because they planned to testify against him on drug charges.

The single mom and two kids were murdered after Nicholson hid out with them.

Honken's murderous spree all started when he moved from Iowa to Arizona to try to get rich by cooking meth, which he learned to do after studying chemistry in college.

He and a friend began operating a meth lab and distributing their product through two dealers - Nicholson and DeGeus - based in Iowa.

In 1993, Nicholson was pinched by police and turned informant.

Honken was arrested and indicted for conspiring to manufacture meth after Nicholson secretly recorded Honken and testified before a grand jury.

Honken informed the court that he would plead guilty.

But when he was released, he began a desperate hunt for Nicholson with Johnson.

They found him hiding out at the home where he lived with his girlfriend Duncan, Kandi and Amber.

All four victims were kidnapped, shot to death and buried.

Their bodies weren't found until 2000 - seven years after they disappeared.

Five days after the four victims vanished, Honken appeared for his plea hearing, but declined to plead guilty.

He told his attorney he heard a rumor Nicholson had skipped town.

Honken also provided his attorney with a VHS tape of Nicholson saying Honken was not guilty of the charges against him.

The government turned its attention to the other possible witness against Honken, his other dealer DeGeus.

DeGeus then disappeared as well when Honken murdered him and buried his body around a mile from his other victims.

Charges against Honken were dropped because the witnesses could not be found but the following year, authorities discovered his meth lab and arrested him for meth trafficking.

He was sentenced to 27 years in prison in 1998 for drug charges.

In 2000, an informant provided investigators with two maps Johnson gave him showing where the bodies were buried.

A judge denied Honken's (pictured) request to delay his federal execution earlier this week

When behind bars, Honken also admitted to other inmates he killed witnesses to avoid earlier charges. Honken went into great detail about the murders.

On October 14, 2004, a jury in the US District Court for the Northern District of Iowa found Honken guilty of numerous offenses, including five counts of murder during the course of a continuing criminal enterprise, and he was sentenced to death.

His trial featured extraordinary security measures, including an anonymous jury and Honken was bolted to the floor of the courtroom and wore a stun belt under his clothing to prevent escape attempts.

His execution will be the third this week and comes just one day after 'claw-hammer' killer Wesley Purkey, 68, was put to death in the same federal prison Thursday.

Purkey was convicted and sentenced to death for kidnapping, raping and killing 16-year-old Jennifer Long before dismembering, burning and then dumping her body in a septic pond in 1998.

He was also convicted in a state court in Kansas after using a claw hammer to batter 80-year-old polio sufferer Mary Bales to death when he was called out to her home for a plumbing job.

The double murderer expressed remorse for Jennifer's slaying in his final words right before his death, saying he was 'deeply sorry'.

However, the killer showed no remorse for bludgeoning to death his second victim, making no reference at all to Bales, and instead slamming his death sentence as 'sanitized murder'.

The father of his 16-year-old victim attended the execution and said 'I hope he rots in hell'.

'Claw-hammer' killer Wesley Purkey, 68, (pictured) was put to death in the same federal prison Thursday. Purkey was convicted and sentenced to death for kidnapping, raping and killing 16-year-old Jennifer Long before dismembering, burning and then dumping her body in a septic pond in 1998

Purkey's victims: Jennifer Long, 16, (pictured) was last seen at East High School in Kansas City, Missouri on January 22, when she skipped lessons. Purkey confessed to her murder, saying he abducted the teenager, drove her to his home where he raped her and stabbed her to death

Purkey's victims: 80-year-old Mary Bales (pictured) was beaten to death by the killer when he came to her home to fix a kitchen faucet

Purkey's lucidity and show of apparent remorse also cast doubt on his lawyer's claims that his dementia had left him unable to understand why he was being executed.

His defense had tried to halt the execution arguing he suffered severe dementia, did not understand why he was on death row anymore and thought his execution was part of a government conspiracy against him because he had complained about prison conditions.

The killer was granted a delay by a judge Wednesday hours before the execution was scheduled to go ahead, on the basis of looking into these claims.

But the Supreme Court then voted 5-4 early Thursday for his execution to go ahead, paving the way for it to take place that morning.

This came after Daniel Lewis Lee was the first to be put to death by the federal government in almost two decades earlier this week.

Lee, 47, of Yukon, Oklahoma, was executed Tuesday morning at the same Indiana facility, when he died by lethal injection after the Supreme Court cleared the way overnight with a 5-4 vote.

The self-confessed white supremacist was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell.

Daniel Lewis Lee, 47, of Yukon, Oklahoma, became the first to be executed by the federal government in almost two decades Tuesday. He is pictured above waiting for his arraignment in Arkansas in October 1997

Lee, a self-confessed white supremacist, was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife Nancy, (pictured above) and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell

Eight-year-old Sarah (pictured) who Lee suffocated, before taping rocks to her body and dumping her in a nearby bayou

Lee continued to maintain his innocence up until his death, saying 'I didn't do it' and 'you're killing an innocent man' just moments before he was executed.

His execution, which came over the objection of the victims' family, was carried out after a series of legal volleys that ended when the Supreme Court stepped in early Tuesday in a 5-4 ruling and allowed it to move forward.

It had been scheduled for Monday afternoon but was put on hold just hours earlier by a US District Court judge over concerns from death row inmates on how executions were to be carried out.

The Supreme Court removed those obstacles, noting Tuesday that Texas and other states have used pentobarbital 'without incident' in more than 100 executions.

The decision to move forward with federal executions has drawn scrutiny from civil rights groups.

Critics have argued that the Trump administration, which has been pushing for the executions, was creating an unnecessary and manufactured urgency for political gain ahead of the 2020 elections.

Attorney General William Barr has said the Justice Department has a duty to carry out the sentences imposed by the courts, including the death penalty, and to bring a sense of closure to the victims and those in the communities where the killings happened.

Honken's execution will be only the third federal execution but the 10th execution overall carried out in the US in 2020, including three in Texas, which executes more inmates than any other state.

Last year, 22 prisoners were executed, the fifth straight year that fewer than 30 people were put to death in the US - far lower than the 65 executions that were carried out in 2003, the last time a federal inmate was executed.

Child killer Keith Nelson has his federal execution date set for August 28 for the kidnapping, rape and strangulation of a 10-year-old girl.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Azerbaijans Deputy Defense Minister, Commander of Detached Combined Arms Army, Colonel General Karam Mustafayev and Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Defense, Air Force Commander, Lieutenant General Ramiz Tahirov met with Turkish Defense Industries President Ismail Demir during their visit to Turkey.

Demir wrote about the meeting on his Tweeter page, Trend reports on July 17.

According to Demir, during the period when the whole world needs to see that two fraternal countries support each other, the representatives continue to discuss issues of cooperation in the defense industry.

"All experience, technology and capabilities of our defense industry including UAVs, weaponry, rockets and electronic systems, are available to Azerbaijan," he twitted. "Along with supplying new systems to the Azerbaijan Army, we will also cooperate in the areas of modernization of existing systems, maintenance and trainings. We are one nation, two states!"
A wave of new investors have thronged the Indian stock markets in recent months during the coronavirus lockdown, triggering a boom in retail and significant rise in trading activity.

People stuck at home are glomming onto share trading like never before. Several are bored and have money to spend. Lack of alternatives to make a quick buck betting is still not legal in Indiaand incentives and discounts from brokerages have attracted hordes of new investors.

To be sure, this is not the first time the markets are seeing a flurry of new investors. But the lockdown has made stock market investing and the kind of new investors different from previous years.

Most brokerages have reported a rise in demat accounts. Most of the new investors are from tier-2 & 3 cities.

On July 8, Upstox, a fast-growing brokerage, said it has acquired over 1 million customers.

Over 80 percent of the total customer base acquired by the company are from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities like Nashik, Jaipur, Guntur, Patna, Kannur, Tiruvallur and Nainital, among others, the brokerage said.

The market action in June confirms this trend. When Nifty rallied more than 7 percent, the market turnover rose by over 37 percent to Rs 14.6 lakh crore on a month-on-month basis.

Also read: Brokerages lure record number of first-time investors to stock markets with dazzling incentives

In other words, the share of retail and high net worth investors in the markets is showing a big uptick.

Compare that to institutional participation. Institutional turnover rose by just over 9 percent to Rs 5 lakh crore in June, National Stock Exchange (NSE) showed. Overall, activity from this class of investors has been tepid so far in 2020.

Globally, there is a trend of increasing contribution by retail investors in the cash segment of the equity markets. The experience has been the same in India too. Over the past two years, the share of retail participation has inched gradually to over 50-52% in the cash segment, Jaideep Arora, CEO, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas told Moneycontrol.

The coronavirus lockdown has accelerated the trend, according to him because retail investors used the opportunity to invest in corrections. Equities also attracted investor attention due to the comparatively weaker return profile of other asset classes like real estate and fixed income, he said.

Brokerages like Upstox said the majority of the new customers are below the age of 35, mirroring a trend in overseas like the US. But unlike in those markets, these investors are not attracted to shares like a moth to a flame. Working from home in recent months have given retail investors sufficient time to understand the nuances of share trading.

"Work from home has been definitively the opportunity for Retail and HNI Investors to study, learn about Equity, FO, Trading etc, and start investing! In addition, the falling FD rates pushed many to look at other options to make their money grow," said Arora.

Prakarsh Gagdani, CEO, 5paisa.com, a brokerage, told Moneycontrol that the retail investor has more time to read, evaluate, and understand the markets. Besides, the massive slide during late March offered attractive valuations which created an investment frenzy. Also, most brokers offer end-to-end digital investment options and benefitted in a work-from-home scenario significantly, he said.

The fall in markets helped. Rookie investors have been able to invest in good companies at discounted prices.

"Overall, to start investing after a market crash is a strong proof of maturity in an investor," said Arora.

This affinity for stocks is in striking contrast to what happened in 2008 when the global financial crisis hit equity markets across the globe including India.

Retail investors were the first to take a hit with equity and mutual fund portfolios depleting in double digits. Individual investors then abandoned the stock markets in hordes and it took them a couple of years to believe in share trading.

In 2020, benchmark indices fell by about 40 percent from the highs, but that did not push retail investors out of D-Street. A sign of maturity perhaps.

Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha, Indias biggest brokerage, said it is heartening to see investors invest in blue-chip large-cap stocks and mutual funds. On Coin, our direct mutual fund platform, flows and transactions have grown 2-3X pre-COVID19 both in terms of flows and transactions.

Maturity or not, retail participation as a percentage of total cash turnover (retail and HNI) shot up to over 80 percent in July from 76 percent in January. Institutional participation as a share of total cash turnover fell to a little over 14 percent in July from 23 percent in January 20.

Where is the money going?

Where are these new crop of investors putting their money? The answer is options, which offer high returns but are riskier. But analysts attribute their affinity due to low margin requirements and ease of executing the trade.

One of the major reasons for the popularity of options trading is the reduction of margin on hedge positions by exchanges. Today it is as low as Rs 25,000 which was at least Rs 1 lakh earlier, said Gagdani.

Kunal Saraogi, CEO, Equityrush, which offers structured short-term courses in technical analysis, derivatives, and trading, said a large number of new investors sign up for learning options trading. We have seen a huge surge in interest in trading options over the last few months. Options, considered very complex, were up until recently a preserve of professional traders have become more accessible to a wider segment of traders in recent months.

Saraogi said what has contributed to this change is a hike in lot sizes that have rendered futures beyond reach of a lot of traders and the advent of a new crop of young traders who are more inclined to take calculated strategic bets using options.

This is visible in the huge jump in options volume on the bourses. I would call this democratisation of option trading as even newer smaller traders have entered a space previously out of bound for them, he said.

Getting the right knowledge is important

That said, making money in a stock market is not as easy as it looks or even sounds. One mistake could create a big hole in savings that would set back people many years.

A deep understanding of the markets and training are essential for investors. Brokerages Moneycontrol spoke to said they have built systems to caution customers about the risks.

Gagdani of 5paisa.com said his company offers regular digital education on equity investing and risks associated so that investors can take informed decisions. We suggest them investing through ETFs, create diversified portfolios with good quality stocks and provide high-quality research services at low-cost subscription, he said.

Markets could reach historic highs. But investors would be wise to remember the world is being ravaged by a deadly pandemic.

: 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.
New Delhi, July 17 : Former Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday once again slammed the Narendra Modi government over the face-off with China in Ladakh. He said China chose this time to intrude in our land as India's foreign policy, economy and relationship with neighbouring countries are disrupted.

In the first video of his series, Rahul Gandhi explained the reasons of China 'selecting this time to intrude in our land'.

He has been critical of the government over the handling of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) situation with the China after the killing of 20 Indian soldiers, including an officer on June 15 in Ladakh's Galwan area by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). He has questioned the government over its claim that China did not occupy or intrude into India.

Firing salvos at the government over China's intrusion in India, Rahul Gandhi said, "The question is why the Chinese choose this particular time to move. What is it about the India's situation that has made China act in such an aggressive way. What is about this moment of time to have the confidence that they can move against country like India?" The Congress MP from Kerala's Wayanad said that to understand this, one has to go to multiple spaces. He said that the countries are protected not by a particular way, but by a confluence of systems of foreign relationships, neighbourhood, economy and the feeling and vision people have.

"And what has happened over the last six years that all those areas that India has been disturbed and disrupted," he said, adding, "And I will cover all those." Talking about India's foreign policy, the Congress leader said, "Our relationship with outside world used to be with multiple countries. We had a relationship with the US, strategic partnership with the US, I will say and that is very important. We had relationship with Russia and Europe and these countries used to manoeuvre in the world.

"Today our relationship has become a transactional. We have transactional relationship with the US, we have disturbed relation with the Russians. We have a transactional relationship with Europe," he said. Coming to the India's relations with neighbouring countries, Rahul Gandhi said that earlier Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka were friends.

"Our neighbourhood other than Pakistan was working with India and saw itself as being partnered with India. Today Nepal is angry with India, go to Nepal and speak to the Nepalese people they are furious with what has happened. He said that Sri Lanka has given its port to China, Maldives is disturbed, Bhutan is disturbed. "We have disrupted our foreign partners and neighbourhood," he said.

Speaking about the Indian economy, Rahul Gandhi said, "Our pride, something that India used to go to the rest of the world and talk about and boost about. Worst economic growth in 50 years, no end in sight, absolute disaster, unemployment highest in 40-50 years." He pointed out that "our strengths suddenly became our weaknesses.

"We told the government please look, realise that we are becoming vulnerable. All these things are connected and they are not separate. When you look at the nation, then you have to look at all these factors and you have to act and take into account all these factors," he noted.

He further said, "We told the government to listen for God's sake and inject the money into the economy, fire the economy and do it immediately, protect the SMEs.

"But they refused to do it. So, today, you have a country which is economically in trouble, in trouble as far as foreign policy is concerned, troubled as far as the neighbours are concerned and that's why the Chinese have decided that it is possibly the best time to act and that is why they have acted," Rahul Gandhi added.

The former Congress chief has also been critical of the government over the Rs 20 lakh crore financial package to boost the Indian economy.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The united campaigns of three opposition figures involved in Belaruss presidential election next month have called on Belarusians to vote for registered opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

At a press conference in Minsk on July 17, Tsikhanouskaya and representatives of two opposition candidates who were denied registration as presidential candidates, former Belgazprombank head Viktar Babaryka and prominent businessman Valer Tsapkala, said that their campaigns had united to "defeat" the "long-time dictatorial regime."

"We all have one goal, we all want a change of power on August 9, we want Belarus to wake up. For this goal, we are uniting our efforts and call on all Belarusians to unite in their efforts too," Maryya Kalesnikava, a coordinator of Babaryka's campaign, told the news conference.

She said that from the very beginning, Babaryka's campaign strategy was to unite around an opposition candidate who manages to get official registration.

The upcoming election comes as President Alyaksandr Lukashenka faces mounting public opposition to his rule. The country has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic with more than 65,000 confirmed cases as of July 16, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Lukashenka ignored calls to institute any lockdown measures, dismissing the virus as nothing more than a "psychosis." Hundreds of people, including activists and bloggers, have been arrested as the government has cracked down hard on rallies and demonstrations despite calls for restraint from Western governments and institutions, including the United Nations.

Tsikhanouskaya said that she became a presidential candidate because of her jailed husband, well-known vlogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski, who was incarcerated after he openly expressed his intention to run for president.

"We are ready to call people to protect their rights by any means that Belarusian citizens choose as right," Tsikhanouskaya said, adding that in case the election results are rigged as has happened in the past, street protests could be possible as well.

Veranika Tsapkala, who represented the campaign of her husband Valer Tsapkala, told the press conference that the campaigns decided to unite in response to the "shameless way" authorities blocked the three "most powerful candidates" from the election, referring to Babaryka, her husband, and Tsikhanouskaya's spouse.

The press conference was held a day after the three campaigns announced they would unite to present a joint program.

Five Candidates Registered

Tsikhanouskaya, Tsapkala, and Kalesnikava reiterated at the press conference that their program included urging Belarusians to vote in the upcoming election, calling for the release of all political and economic prisoners and new trials for each of them, a pledge to hold an honest repeat election after August 9, and a pledge to cooperate on creating a program to combat electoral fraud and to monitor the presidential poll.

The three women said that a more detailed program will be issued later.

On July 14, the Central Election Commission registered five candidates for the presidential poll, including Tsikhanouskaya and incumbent President Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

Babaryka, who was viewed as a potentially potent rival to Lukashenka, was denied registration. He was jailed in June on suspicion of money laundering, bribery, and tax evasion. He denies the charges and says they are politically motivated. The government took over Belgazprombank on June 15.

Amnesty International has proclaimed Babaryka and his son, Eduard, who was arrested with his father on June 18, to be prisoners of conscience.

Tsapkalas attempt to register was foiled after election officials disqualified at least 38,000 of the signatures he had submitted in support of his candidacy.

After the registrations were announced, a wave of protests rocked the country and hundreds of people have been detained, including at least 17 members of the press covering the demonstrations.

Events in Belarus have drawn criticism from the United States, the European Union, and international rights groups.

On July 17, Amnesty International urged the Belarusian authorities to halt their crackdown on all dissent ahead of the presidential election, and immediately end their vicious campaign of targeting women activists and family members of political opposition representatives using tactics fueled by misogyny.

In a new report, the London-based human rights watchdog exposes the authorities playbook of targeting women with gender-specific reprisals, which include threats to take their children into state custody and threats of sexual violence.

With the election just a month away, women activists not only pose a formidable challenge to the incumbent but also face Lukashenkas openly misogynistic remarks broadcast on prime-time national television. Women also face disproportionate and politically motivated persecution, intimidation, harassment and reprisals in Belarus today, said Amnesty Internationals Eastern Europe and Central Asia director, Marie Struthers.

Lukashenka has rejected Western criticism of the government's violent dispersal of the demonstrations and the disqualification of candidates.

The 65-year-old Belarusian leader, who has ruled the country since 1994, is currently serving his fifth term as president. Belarus abolished presidential term limits in 2004.
"The Dragons, the Giant, the Women"

Wayetu Moore's artfully constructed memoir is one of the year's most beautifully written and moving books. Beginning in 1990 in Monrovia, Liberia, we find 5-year old Wayetu seeing events through a lens of longing and myth. As the country shatters into civil war, she pines for her mother, absent in New York on a scholarship. Suddenly, rebel troops appear on the family's street and Wayetu, her two sisters, her grandparents and her father flee on foot, leaving practically everything behind. So begins a punishing trek alongside other refugees on roads lined with the bodies of murdered people. Moore builds terrific suspense, alternating this story with that of her later life in America, of culture shock and the effects of war trauma. In a superb change of approach, she switches toward the end to her mother's point of view in New York - her fear for her family and resourcefulness and courage in getting them to America. Tovah Ott brings a fine, versatile voice to the narration, capturing character and mood, especially in Wayetu's voice as a child, her unfolding sense of bafflement, sorrow, terror and eventual joy. (Brilliance Audio, Unabridged, 7 hours)

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"The Mirror & the Light"

Hilary Mantel's final volume of her trilogy based on the life of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's right-hand man, begins with Anne Boleyn's decapitated body and a courtier slipping away to tell the impatient king he is now free to marry Jane Seymour. Cromwell, who managed the entire business, is at the zenith of his power, but, history, ever the spoiler, tells us that only four years remain before he, himself, loses his nimble noggin. Our sense of doom mounts as, after Jane's death, Cromwell arranges Henry's disastrous marriage to Anne of Cleves, thus galvanizing the unfortunate fixer's enemies to arrange his downfall. Although the previous two volumes have already been handled by different narrators, Ben Miles - Group Captain Peter Townsend in "The Crown" - has, in addition to narrating this final volume, taken on the massive task of delivering "Wolf Hall" and "Bring up the Bodies," as well. He also played Cromwell in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of "Wolf Hall Parts One & Two," and captures again the man's voice, its taint of baseness, its ups and downs and quiet ruthlessness. (Macmillan, Unabridged, 38 hours)

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"The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World"

Translated from the Swedish by Agnes Broome, Patrik Svensson's first book combines scientific and cultural history with a memoir of his father, a road paver, who died at 60 from cancer caused by decades of exposure to the fumes of hot asphalt. Svensson has, quite stunningly, discovered in the natural and human history of the European eel a metaphor for his father's life and a way to explore questions of knowledge, belief and faith. A most peculiar character, the eel goes through four distinct phases of being, the last of which involves replacing its digestive system with reproductive organs. Thus equipped, it heads off for the Sargasso Sea whence it came and where it will breed - or is thought to breed, as no mating eels have ever been discovered. Alas, like so many creatures, the eel is endangered, most likely because of environmental mayhem. Alex Wyndham narrates this revelatory, amusing, often poignant amalgam of science and family history in a dark, undulant baritone, a voice that could be that of a big, kindly eel. (HarperAudio, Unabridged, 6 hours)

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Powers reviews audiobooks every month for The Washington Post.
Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory used neutron scattering and supercomputing to better understand how an organic solvent and water work together to break down plant biomass, creating a pathway to significantly improve the production of renewable biofuels and bioproducts.

The discovery, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, sheds light on a previously unknown nanoscale mechanism that occurs during biomass deconstruction and identifies optimal temperatures for the process.

"Understanding this fundamental mechanism can aid in the rational design of even more efficient technologies for processing biomass," said Brian Davison, ORNL chief scientist for systems biology and biotechnology.

Producing biofuels from plant material requires breaking its polymeric cellulose and hemicellulose components into fermentable sugars while removing the intact lignin -- a structural polymer also found in plant cell walls -- for use in value-added bioproducts such as plastics. Liquid chemicals known as solvents are often employed in this process to dissolve the biomass into its molecular components.

Paired with water, a solvent called tetrahydrofuran, or THF, is particularly effective at breaking down biomass. Discovered by Charles Wyman and Charles Cai of the University of California, Riverside, during a study supported by DOE's BioEnergy Science Center at ORNL, the THF-water mixture produces high yields of sugars while preserving the structural integrity of lignin for use in bioproducts. The success of these cosolvents intrigued ORNL scientists.

"Using THF and water to pretreat biomass was a very important technological advance," said ORNL's Loukas Petridis of the University of Tennessee/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics. "But the science behind it was not known."

Petridis and his colleagues first ran a series of molecular dynamics simulations on the Titan and Summit supercomputers at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, a DOE Office of Science user facility at ORNL. Their simulations showed that THF and water, which stay mixed in bulk, separate at the nanoscale to form clusters on biomass.

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THF selectively forms nanoclusters around the hydrophobic, or water-repelling, portions of lignin and cellulose while complementary water-rich nanoclusters form on the hydrophilic, or water-loving, portions. This dual action drives the deconstruction of biomass as each of the solvents dissolves portions of the cellulose while preventing lignin from forming clumps that would limit access to the cellulosic sugars -- a common occurrence when biomass is mixed in water alone.

"This was an interesting finding," Petridis said. "But it is always important to validate simulations with experiments to make sure that what the simulations report corresponds to reality."

This phenomenon occurs at the tiny scale of three to four nanometers. For comparison, a human hair is typically 80,000 to 100,000 nanometers wide. These reactions presented a significant challenge to demonstrate in a physical experiment.

Scientists at the High Flux Isotope Reactor, a DOE Office of Science user facility at ORNL, overcame this challenge using neutron scattering and a technique called contrast matching. This technique selectively replaces hydrogen atoms with deuterium, a form of hydrogen with an added neutron, to make certain components of the complex mixture in the experiment more visible to neutrons than others.

"Neutrons see a hydrogen atom and a deuterium atom very differently," said ORNL's Sai Venkatesh Pingali, a Bio-SANS instrument scientist who performed the neutron scattering experiments. "We use this approach to selectively highlight parts of the whole system, which otherwise would not be visible, especially when they're really small."

The use of deuterium rendered the cellulose invisible to neutrons and made the THF nanoclusters visually pop out against the cellulose like the proverbial needle in a haystack.

To mimic biorefinery processing, researchers developed an experimental setup to heat the mixture of biomass and solvents and observe the changes in real time. The team found the action of the THF-water mix on biomass effectively kept lignin from clumping at all temperatures, enabling easier deconstruction of the cellulose. Increasing the temperature to 150 degrees Celsius triggered cellulose microfibril breakdown. These data provide new insights into the ideal processing temperature for these cosolvents to deconstruct biomass.

"This was a collaborative effort with biologists, computational experts and neutron scientists working in tandem to answer the scientific challenge and provide industry-relevant knowledge," Davison said. "The method could fuel further discoveries about other solvents and help grow the bioeconomy."
New Delhi, July 17 : Amid the call for 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India , kitchen appliances brand TTK Prestige on Friday announced that it will not source finished products from China after September 2020.

In a statement, the company said that it has been working on a 'Make in India' programme for more than three years now and has moved the sourcing of most of its China-based finished products to India.

"Currently, only 10 per cent is being sourced from China, which has led the company to take a tough stance on its sourcing policy from China, following the recent border skirmish with the Chinese army in eastern Ladakh last month," it said.

TTK Prestige's overall strategy is to provide India-made products in line with the vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', it said, adding that the brand will now ensure that products are sourced out of India and products that can't be sourced out of India will be sourced from countries other than China.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Karnataka Minister for Medical Education Dr K Sudhakar on his surprise inspection to C.V.Raman Public hospital in Indiranagar instructed the Chief Secretary to suspend two officials for flouting guidelines.

During the inspection, it was found that despite having 15 High flow oxygen beds vacant only 2 patients were provided with those beds. Sudhakar asked the hospital management to send asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients to COVID care centres so that beds can be made available to those who need it.

Sudhakar also instructed hospitals to collect a minimum of 500 swabs per day. Pointing out the underutilised beds, the Minister said that because of such negligence and lethargy by officials, the government is being blamed despite working day and night for the last 4-5 months.

Despite the Anesthesia department having 6 technicians, there was no ventilator facility. Minister questioned the hospital why technicians were not sent to other hospitals that require staff. Medical president Radhakrishna and other officials were also present during the inspection.

Sudhakar took stock of the preparedness and warned them to rectify flaws.
Iraq: ISIL's acts of terror 'divorced from the values of all faiths'

16 July 2020 - Religious leaders from communities across Iraq called for greater "healing and reconciliation" during a UN-organized event on Thursday, reaffirming their commitment to support survivors of crimes perpetrated by ISIL terrorist fighters.

Key signatories of a landmark Interfaith Statement on the Victims and Survivors of ISIL  representing Islam, the Christian church and other faiths  joined the discussion online, held under the auspices of the UN Special Adviser who also heads up the Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh / ISIL (UNITAD) and co-hosted by the international coalition, Religions for Peace, which consists of 90 national and six regional Interreligious Councils.

The event was made possible by the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, headed up by Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser, Adama Dieng.

Mr Dieng said it was and honour to be accompanied by religious representatives "whose tireless work, days after day, is making a difference in the lives of all Iraqis. Their leading efforts for justice, peace and reconciliation constitutes an example for all society to follow."

Many still vulnerable: Dieng

He noted that many of the challenges for peace in Iraq did not start with the emergence of ISIL nor have they ended with its military defeat: "Many communities still feel vulnerable and consider that not enough is being done to protect not only their linguistic, religious or cultural heritage, but their very physical integrity. Addressing long-term grievances is one the most effective ways of prioritizing prevention of human rights violations, including atrocity crimes."

He noted that Iraqi society has experienced "the tremendous cost of not addressing long-term grievances. It must therefore work to build and strengthen an inclusive society, where diversity is not perceived as a flaw but as an asset.

The prevention of genocide chief said he was convinced that Thursday's Interfaith Statement on Victims and Survivors of ISIL constitutes "an essential step in this direction, in line with the Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes. I am proud to support it and commit my Office's assistance in ensuring its full implementation."

The participants condemned ISIL's ideologically-driven acts of terror as being "contrary to the core principles of our religious faiths as well as the fundamental values of humanity".

"What can religion be if not for peace?", UNITAD Head, Karim Asad Ahmad Khan QC said to the meeting.

Attacks 'far from over'

The UNITAD chief, expressed gratitude to Iraq religious leaders for their courage "in these difficult times" as they together support survivors and victims of ISIL.

Stressing that as ISIL attacks are "far from over" across the world, he exhorted representatives of all religions to denounce the group's ideology as alien to religious values and those of all humanity.

According to Mr. Khan, the only way to respond to groups like ISIL, is for religious leaders to support each other and each other's communities.

"Whenever people seek to weigh the worth of humans by their own belief, there should be alarm", flagged the Special Advisor, adding that everyone must "start to implement a zero tolerance to intolerance."

No religion spared

All religions across Iraq have been impacted by ISIL atrocities, the signatories said, as they underlined the importance of supporting survivors within their own communities.

"In showing ISIL crimes are divorced from the values of all faiths, Iraqi religious leaders have exposed crimes of ISIL", upheld the UNITAD chief.



At the same time, the participants also noted that their brutality had prompted "acts of heroism" in which religious communities rose up in defence of those from different religious and ethnic backgrounds.

The most vulnerable

In recognizing the "tremendous suffering" endured by victims of sexual and gender-based violence, the signatories underscored their commitment to ensuring that those individuals are "fully supported" and do not suffer from stigmatization.

And for the "innocent children of God" impacted by ISIL, they stressed that "whatever pain these children have suffered, they are blameless" and called on the terrorists to return every child they have abducted to their rightful families.

Delivering justice

Justice will only be delivered for ISIL victims by ensuring that those who fought in its name, are held responsible for their actions, and that people forced to flee the violence, can return home safely.

To this end, they underscored their "strong collective support" for UNITAD's work while stressed the importance of exposing ISIL's offenses in a court of law.

"Investigating the cases of disappeared persons and those abducted" not only delivers justice for victims but also promotes "understanding of the severity and scale" of the violence and prevents "future revisionism", maintained the signatories.

In closing, they highlighted their "common commitment" and "collective stamina" to promote "justice, tolerance, reconciliation and forgiveness" as the most effective way to combat ISIL's crimes in Iraq.

This also serves as "a key step in preventing the re-emergence" of any similar terrorist ideology or groups, said the religious leaders.

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Just hours before her 30 Rock: A One-Time Special airs on NBC, Jane Krakowski was catching some waves in The Hamptons.

The 51-year-old actress was spotted carrying a surfboard to on Thursday afternoon, just before the special aired.

She was seen getting into her vintage red BMW convertible and driving away from the beach.

Surf's up: Just hours before her 30 Rock: A One-Time Special airs on NBC, Jane Krakowski was catching some waves in The Hamptons

The actress was seen wearing a white dress with maroon stripes that fell to her thighs as she walked along the beach.

She also wore brown buckle sandals and black sunglasses with gold trim for her outing.

Krakowski completed her look with gold dangling earrings and a necklace around her neck as she completed her day in the surf.

Stripes: The actress was seen wearing a white dress with maroon stripes that fell to her thighs as she walked along the beach.

Krakowski returned as Jenna Maroney on NBC's 30 Rock: A One-Time Special, which aired on the network and streamed on their new streaming service Peacock.

She was joined by star/creator Tina Fey (Liz Lemon), Tracy Morgan (Tracy Jordan), Alec Baldwin (Jack Donaghy) and Jack McBrayer (Kenneth Purcell).

The special was filmed by the stars themselves, from their own homes, or outside their own homes in some cases.

Return: Krakowski returned as Jenna Maroney on NBC's 30 Rock: A One-Time Special, which aired on the network and streamed on their new streaming service Peacock

Krakowski joined Fey, Scott Adsit, Keith Powell, composer Jeff Richmond (who is also Fey's husband) and Maulik Pancholy on Stars In the House on Wednesday, to discuss how the show came to be.

Fey revealed that NBC asked Fey and Robert Carlock, who she co-created the show with, to come up with something for the network's upfront presentation.

'NBC thought it might be nice to broadcast their presentation, and they asked us to write a 30 Rock around that, which I guess makes sense because the show was about NBC and about television itself,' she said.

Special: Krakowski joined Fey, Scott Adsit, Keith Powell, composer Jeff Richmond (who is also Fey's husband) and Maulik Pancholy on Stars In the House on Wednesday, to discuss how the show came to be

Krakowski most recently returned as Jacqueline White in the Netflix interactive movie Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy Vs. the Reverend.

She played Jacqueline, Kimmy's (Ellie Kemper) employer in the show's four-season run on Netflix.

The actress also voices Mother in the animated comedy The Willoughbys, alongside Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews and Ricky Gervais.
A portion of WIllow Street between Buchanan and Laguna will be renamed after firefighter Earl Gage, Jr.

Plus, Berkeley votes to cut its police budget in half; SF piano bar Martuni's makes Esquire's list of Best Bars in America; and more local headlines to send you into the weekend on a high note.

'Town Fridge', Oakland's free-food refrigerator, sees overwhelming support, KTVU



The new grassroots community group Town Fridge is placing refrigerators around Oakland and asking for donations of fresh produce and food to help feed BIPOC and homeless community members. Read more.





San Francisco's First Black Firefighter, Earl Gage, to Have Street Named for Him, KQED



After a three-year effort by the Black Firefighters Association, a portion of the Fillmore District's Willow Street will officially be named after the firefighter who fought to improve the department's racial diversity during his 28 year career. Read more.

One of America's best bars is an unexpected 24-year-old San Francisco classic, SF Gate



Despite bars around the country being shuttered, Esquire Magazine released their 2020 "Best Bars in America" listand old school piano bar Martuni's made the cut. Read more.





Berkeley approves goals to cut police budget by 50%, reduce cops' role in traffic enforcement, SF Chronicle

In hopes of reducing the police budget to $36 million, Berkeley's new bill, passed after a nine-hour city council meeting and weeks of protests against police brutality, includes a plan to create a new Department of Transportation, analyze police call data, and reduce the use of police in homeless and mental health crisis responses. Read more.

6 U.S. Cities That Are Full of European Charm, Conde Nast Traveler



While an international vacation may not be in the cards this year, you could venture just a few hours south to Carmel-by-the-Sea for a beach- and wine-filled getaway reminiscent of a trip to Italy's Cinque Terre. Read more.





The cost to adopt a wild horse? $1, SF Chronicle

If you've always dreamed of having a horse, help Moduc County's thousands of wild horses avoid winter starvation by safely rehoming one for just $1. Read more.
The three-year-old trotting colts returned to Grassroots action Thursday, July 16 and all five winners matched or bettered their personal best efforts, in spite of competing over a rain soaked Woodbine Mohawk Park oval.

Ripped And Ready led off in the first $23,150 division and delivered an impressive effort from Post 9 to score his second straight Grassroots victory. In rein to Jody Jamieson the fan favourite eased away from the starting gate into sixth heading for the :27 quarter, then circled out to close the gap on the early leaders, dropping briefly into fifth heading by the :56.4 half.

Confident in his mount, Jamieson soon had Ripped And Ready on the move and the colt had a clear path to the front by the 1:26.1 three-quarters. Halfway down the stretch Jamieson took a look over both shoulders and sat back to enjoy the rest of the ride. Ripped And Ready trotted under the wire two and one-half lengths the best in a personal best 1:56.2. Pacesetter Archies Star finished second and Dart Guy was third.

It worked out that a couple made breaks, but he really looked on paper that he was as good as any in the program, so I wasnt surprised that he won, just the ease with which he did it, said Jamieson, who engineered the trip for trainer Thierry Vandenplas and owner-breeder Dr. Ruth Irving of Russell, ON.

The win gives Kadabra son Ripped And Ready a sophomore record of three wins and one second in four starts and a share of top spot in the three-year-old trotting colt Grassroots point standings with a perfect 100 through two legs.

Among the colts sharing top spot in the standings with Ripped And Ready is Remember Titans, who battled to a 1:56.1 personal best in the second $23,500 division. After leading the field for most of the mile, Remember Titans held off a charging Aussie Lover and Kenogami Coco in the stretch to score his second Grassroots victory.

Hes a nice big horse. Flawless gaited and he is finally starting to figure it all out, said driver James MacDonald of the E L Titan colt. When he heard the other horse coming he dug in and was able to finish it off.

Remember Titans now has a record of two wins and two seconds in four starts for trainer Shawn Steacy and owners Landmark 12 Racing Stable of Lansdowne, A K Malik Stable of Ottawa, ON and Dale Larson of Kent City, MI.

The third division saw Freedom Express travel up the outside lane behind the fans second choice Angel Nation, and then sprint down the stretch to score his first lifetime victory in 1:57. Favourite Mikey Mass finished two and three-quarter lengths back in second and Massman completed the top three.

Thursdays outing was just the seventh lifetime for Freedom Express and only the third in which he has stayed on task, one of the others coming in his four race two-year-old campaign and the other in the July 1 Grassroots season opener at Grand River Raceway where he finished fourth.

I thought he had it in him, but it took some time to get him to put it together, said driver Chris Christoforou, who drives the Wheeling N Dealin gelding for his father, owner-trainer Charalambos Christoforou of Campbellville, ON. He got a nice trip and it worked out great.

Christoforou was back in the winners circle after the fourth $23,150 division, guiding Awesomedabra to a 1:57.3 score for owner-trainer Gary Lance of Port Perry, ON. Pacesetter Crossfit Mouse finished one length behind the fan favourite and Mr Arch was well back in third.

The mile equalled the personal best set by the Kadabra gelding winning his Grassroots Semi-final last fall and moved him into a tie for top spot in the sophomore point race through two regular season events.

The final $23,150 division saw Jody Jamieson back in the winners circle with Royaltys Odyssey, who followed Charmbo Prince up the outer lane and then powered down the stretch to catch pacesetter Ongoing Royalty with a 1:58.1 effort. Charmbo Prince finished three-quarters of a length back in second and favourite Ongoing Royalty settled for third. All three trotters are by sire Royalty For Life.

The win was Royaltys Odysseys first since August of his two-year-old season and came as a distinct relief to the driver and his wife Stephanie Jamieson, who trains the gelding for his father Carl Jamieson of Puslinch and breeder Joanne Morrison of Beeton, ON.

Hes been a headache his entire career, said Jamieson. Hes always had go, just hasnt put it together since early last year. Were very happy with his effort.

Royaltys Odyssey and his peers will have an opportunity to build on Thursdays success in the third Grassroots Leg on August 15 at Kawartha Downs.

The focus at Woodbine Mohawk Park shifts back to the Gold Series this weekend with the three-year-old pacing fillies arriving at the Milton oval on Friday for two $106,000 divisions, Races 6 and 8, and the two-year-old pacing colts taking their turn on Saturday in a pair of $107,200 divisions, Races 4 and 6. Post time for both Friday and Saturdays program is 7 p.m.

(OSS)

To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results  Woodbine Mohawk Park.
National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug delivers a speech at the Assembly in Seoul, Friday, celebrating the 72nd anniversary of Korea's Constitution promulgated in 1948. / Yonhap



By Kang Seung-woo



The ruling camp has reignited a long-running discussion over rewriting the Constitution for the first time in 33 years, with former and current National Assembly speakers stressing that now is the most opportune time.



The last constitutional revision was in 1987 when the nation started moving from a military-led government to democracy.



"Considering the political calendar, the time is ripe to start discussing the constitutional amendment before next year," National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug said in a congratulatory speech marking the 72nd Constitution Day, Friday. "After the country overcomes the COVID-19 crisis, I hope that relevant talks will begin in earnest.



"The current system, revised in 1987 with the spirit of democratization, is focused mainly on putting an end to authoritarianism and expanding fundamental rights. However, there is a consensus that the outdated Constitution cannot reflect the value of current times."



Park also said that despite the desperate need to change the system, the revision drive has been held back by partisan strife, based on each party's political interests. He urged political parties to follow the people's wishes, not their own.



Ahead of Park's speech, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, another former Assembly speaker, called for beginning discussion of a constitutional revision. Chung, who served six terms in the Assembly, is a long-time advocate of amending the Constitution.



"It is time we undertook a revision of the Constitution to develop the nation's democracy further and reflect the social and political changes that have transpired over the years," Chung wrote on Facebook.



The unexpected push comes because the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has enough seats to propose a constitutional amendment. In April's general election, it won 176 seats in the 300-strong Assembly. According to the Constitution, a constitutional revision has to be proposed by more than half of serving lawmakers or by the President.



Cheong Wa Dae made no comment on the proposals, saying it already acted on the issue with the previous Assembly  although the bill was scrapped.



In March 2018, President Moon Jae-in proposed a bill on revising the Constitution, hoping that the nation would hold a referendum on the amendment concurrently with local elections in June of the same year.



However, the Assembly failed to reach an agreement, with the bill being scrapped automatically, and since then, the presidential office has stayed away from the issue.



In his New Year press conference in January, Moon said he had no plan to push for a constitutional amendment himself, adding that it's up to the Assembly.



Although neither Park nor Chung elaborated on how to change the Constitution, the key part of the amendment may be about changing the power structure from the current five-year, single-term presidency to a four-year, two-term one, and sharing presidential power with the prime minister.



Moon's earlier bill also sought to do this, amid calls for revising the presidential system which has long been blamed for giving too much power to the President and contributing to corruption and endless political and social conflict.



Supporters of the constitutional revision also say the two-term system will allow the government to pursue consistent and sustainable policy goals.



Regarding the move, main opposition United Future Party interim chief Kim Chong-in said the party would decide whether to join the discussion on a constitutional revision once the DPK presents more details.


Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific has warned that the plummeting demand for passenger travel will cause a HK$9.9billion ($1.3billion) loss for them in the first half of the year.

The company also announced it had carried over 75 per cent fewer passengers from January to June compared to the same period in 2019 as the coronavirus caused countries to impose stringent travel restrictions and airlines to limit flights.

Cathay said only 27,100 passengers flew with them last month, down 99.1 per cent from June the previous year, and that it operated at only four per cent of its usual passenger capacity.

Cathay Pacific has been particularly vulnerable to the pandemic, as it relies entirely on international travel for its business and has been heavily impacted by the anti-government protests that have rocked Hong Kong for over a year

The firm has now issued a profit warning following the massive drop in customer numbers, which comes a few days after shareholders agreed to support its HK$39billion ($5billion) bailout package.

As part of the 'recapitalisation plan,' the Hong Kong government will take a small stake in the airline in return for offering Cathay Pacific HK$27.3billion through a mix of preference shares, warrants and a bridge loan. Two government-appointed 'observers' will also sit on the firm's board.

Cathay Pacific has been particularly vulnerable to the pandemic, as it relies entirely on international travel for its business and has been heavily impacted by the anti-government protests that have rocked Hong Kong for over a year.

Despite the resumption of services to major international cities like Melbourne and New York, Cathay's chief customer and commercial officer Ronald Lam remarked that the airline had not witnessed any 'significant signs of improvement.'

Cathay Pacific expects a HK$2.4billion impairment charge covering 16 aircraft that it said were 'unlikely to re-enter meaningful economic service again' before summer next year

Revenue passenger kilometres were also down 99 per cent year-on-year in June while passenger load factor plunged by nearly 60 percentage points to 27.3 per cent. Mr Lam stated that Cathay carried only 900 passengers per day on average.

He added: 'The landscape of international aviation remains incredibly uncertain with border restrictions and quarantine measures still in place across the globe.'

The expected loss includes a HK$2.4billion impairment charge covering 16 aircraft that Cathay said were 'unlikely to re-enter meaningful economic service again' before summer next year.

In comparison, the airline made a profit of HK$1.3billion in the first six months of last year, prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, but before demonstrations over a controversial extradition bill and national security law began to severely affect the firm's finances.

Since that time, over 25,000 Cathay Pacific staff have taken unpaid leave to help cut costs, and carried far less cargo than normal.

Cathay Pacific's finances have been severely affected by both the Covid-19 pandemic and mass protests in Hong Kong over laws on extradition and national security

In June, it transported 43.1 per cent less freight than the same month last year, and over the first six months of the calendar year, it ferried almost a third less cargo than it did from January to June 2020.

Looking ahead, Ronald Lam said the business is being 'cautious and agile' in restarting passenger services. It is anticipating that flights will be operating at no more than 10 per cent their usual schedule in August.

He declared: 'The one certainty facing the global aviation industry is that the landscape will be significantly changed when international air travel recovers.

'The Group is moving decisively to best position the business to be competitive and to secure its financial health over the long term in a new normal...We remain absolutely confident in the long-term prospects of both the Cathay Pacific Group and our home hub.'

Earlier this week, Akbar Al Baker, the chief executive officer of Qatar Airways, one of Cathay's biggest shareholders, told Bloomberg Television he was confident the airline would overcome the crisis.
(CNN)  The United States just recorded more than 75,000 new cases of COVID-19, the most ever in a single day. But President Donald Trump wants to talk about dishwasher reform.

Trump's refusal to use his full powers of his office and the government to confront the worst domestic threat since World War II is looking more negligent, callous and politically self-defeating with each virus ravaged day that passes.

Not only is Trump refusing to act in a manner appropriate to the magnitude of the emergency, he is using the country's loudest megaphone in a way almost guaranteed to make it worse, from presiding over a White House campaign to discredit the lifelong work of Dr. Anthony Fauci -- a new front in his war on science and truth -- to undermining efforts by local officials to convince people to wear masks to slow the spread of the disease.

Trump's intransigence is more notable since he's happy to use presidential power -- often in an anti-constitutional way -- in pursuit of personal and political gain. For instance, in coercing Ukraine to interfere in the election and in commuting the jail term of his political dirty trickster Roger Stone.

This week, as states such as Florida, Texas and Arizona have set records for coronavirus infections and intensive care units and morgues have filled up, has exposed the willful blindness of a White House that seems bio-sealed from the reality of the pandemic.

"We believe this President has great approval in this country. His historic Covid response speaks for itself," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Thursday, encapsulating the bizarre parallel universe of an administration that thinks one of the most disastrous government failures of the modern age is a roaring political success.

McEnany on Thursday praised US testing and the push for vaccines and therapeutics -- which have as much to do with the innovation of the US pharmaceutical industry as anything Trump has done. The US still lacks a functioning national test and trace program, still cannot properly equip all medical workers with protective gear and is losing badly to the virus five months into the fight.

His aides celebrate his decision to halt travel to some travelers from China and for prioritizing the manufacture of ventilators months ago. Such steps were important, but with hindsight have proven less significant than they appeared at the time. More importantly they are doing little to quell the vicious resurgence of the virus across most of the country. And boasting about ventilators seems perverse when thousands of Americans are dying anyway.

"The President has made so many bad executive decisions," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said Thursday.

"Observing his behavior, I have concluded that he is like the man who refuses to ask for directions. All of the answers are there. The scientists have the answers. We know that testing, tracing, treating, distancing, masking, sanitation can stop the spread of this virus. And yet the President continues to go down the wrong path and refuses to ask for directions from scientists who know better than any of us.

US trails its peers in fighting the virus

The disaster in the US is perhaps best expressed in comparison to other industrialized nations. States such as South Korea suffocated the virus with aggressive measures while Trump was still denying its threat. France and Italy suffered terribly, but science-based lockdowns kept in place until the pathogen was suppressed -- unlike the premature state openings demanded by Trump -- worked. Aggressive foreign governments from Australia to Hong Kong to Germany now pounce on outbreaks in a bid to forestall a major resurgence.

France, with a population of 67 million, reported 534 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday and 18 new deaths. Florida, where 21 million live, put up 13,965 new cases and a new record of 156 deaths on a day its pro-Trump Gov. Ron DeSantis blamed the media for the virus running out of control.

Another Trump acolyte, Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, issued an executive order late Wednesday blocking the Peach State's cities from issuing orders requiring masks to be worn in public places -- a measure proven to decrease virus transmission -- and on Thursday sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for sticking by her city's mask order.

"How can you not shake your head, right? Over 3 million cases, over 135,000 deaths, preventable deaths here in the United States," said Dr. Ali Khan, dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center on CNN's "New Day" Thursday. "And we are the one outlier amongst all of our peer countries. All of Europe has contained their disease. And many parts of the world, not only have they contained, they've eliminated disease."

The President, however, turned his gaze away from this worsening calamity and international embarrassment. He rarely mentions the virus in public, unless it is to deny its awful reality. The President never appears with his public health officials and gives every impression that he has moved on. On Thursday, he gathered Cabinet members and Republican lawmakers in the White House to celebrate the eradication of more "job killing regulations."

"We made it so dishwashers now have a lot more water and in many places -- in most places of the country, water's not a problem, they don't know what to do with it. It's called rain. They don't have a problem," Trump said, at an event in which various guests were called to the microphone by a genuflecting Vice President Mike Pence to pay tribute to his "leadership."

Trump's event came a day after he flew to Atlanta, one of the spiking coronavirus hotspots, not for emergency brainstorming sessions at the conveniently situated US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but for an event on transportation projects.

With the country on its knees because of the virus, which is now rising in 39 states, the White House is filling Trump's day with the kind of low wattage, incremental events meant to highlight an agenda typical of times when Presidents run out of political clout.

"He's doing a lot of things at once," she said. "That's the great thing about the Trump administration," McEnany said.

While ignoring the worsening national crisis, Trump has also found time to shake-up his reelection campaign, as the former chief, Brad Parscale, paid the price for the debacle and low crowd at what was supposed to be the President's triumphant return to the campaign trail in Oklahoma.

Despite the frantic remodeling less than four months before election day, Trump claimed that opinion polls showing him trailing Democratic presumptive nominee Joe Biden by double digits were all fiction. While refusing to take the pandemic seriously, Trump turned the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office into a market stall for Goya products, after the firm's CEO faced a backlash for praising him. His daughter Ivanka showed her political tin ear by launching a program that urges millions of people who lost jobs in the pandemic their father ignored to "find something new."

'We expected more'

The staggering negligence of the White House and apparent obliviousness to the tragedy unfolding on Trump's watch are remarkable in that there appears now to be little expectation from governors or public health experts that leadership to protect Americans -- the fundamental duty of a President during a national crisis -- will ever be forthcoming.

"We expected something more than constant heckling from the man who was supposed to be our leader," Maryland's Republican Gov. Larry Hogan wrote in a devastating opinion piece in The Washington Post on Thursday.

"Trump soon disabused us of that expectation."

The administration's push to open schools fully and full time has emerged this week as an emblem of its myopia and of the way that local and state officials are making decisions -- in this case preparing for online classes only -- that ignore demands by Trump that are clearly more motivated by his own political requirements than concern for safety.

McEnany claimed that scientific research proved that children were far less likely to become infected by the coronavirus and to have serious complications, so therefore schools must reopen. But her point ignores the serious concerns that teachers, administrative staff and ancillary workers like janitors and security guards in close contact with children could be at a high risk of illness in confined spaces. And while kids may not get sick, they can infect older and more vulnerable relatives at home.

"Everyone else in the Western world, our peer nations, are doing it. We are the outlier here," McEnany said, ignoring the obvious point that the rest of the Western world benefits from leaders who brought the pandemic under control.

"The science should not stand in the way of this," she said, in a comment that encapsulates Trump's entire, failed approach to the crisis.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Trump's outrageous refusal to lead is making the pandemic worse."
Russia may use Saudi Arabia as a trial site for its experimental coronavirus vaccine, the head of Moscows sovereign wealth fund said this week.

A 100-person trial of a Russian-manufactured vaccine is currently underway in Russia, with a previous month-long trial involving 38 people having wrapped up this week. CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev said Saudi Arabia could be part of the next phase of testing in August, reports Arab News.

In addition to the trial, Dmitriev said the two countries are also discussing having Saudi Arabia manufacture the drug.

We consider that we have very good cooperation regarding the vaccine, and these clinical trials and drugs can be made in Saudi Arabia, Dmitriev told the outlet.

Russian health officials, who have characterized the development of a vaccine as "a question of national prestige, plan to produce 30 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine for use in Russia. An additional 170 million could be manufactured abroad, Dmitriev told Reuters.

In mid-June, Saudi Arabia approved dexamethasone, a low-dose steroid used to treat inflammation, for use on critically ill coronavirus patients after a promising trial at the University of Oxford. The kingdom also purchased COVID-19 testing kits from Russia and the anti-influenza drug Avifavir, which reportedly led to shortened recovery times for COVID-19 trial patients.

Saudi Arabia, a country of some 34 million people, has registered the highest number of coronavirus cases in the Gulf region. As of Friday, health officials had confirmed more than 243,000 COVID-19 infections, of which 2,407 people have died.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia announced steep fines for those who violate travel restrictions on the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, which is expected to begin later this month. The Ministry of Interior said fines of 10,000 riyals ($2,700) will be issued to those who trespass onto the hajj sites of Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafa.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: The time has come for the world to push back against the challenge posed by the Chinese Communist Party, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said as he contended that the US "slept on this threat for too long."

Pompeo also said the Chinese government was aware of human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus before they shared this information with the world.

"Countries not only in Southeast Asia but in Asia more broadly, in Europe, have come to understand the threat that the Chinese Communist Party presents. The United States slept on this for too long," Pompeo told Bill Hemmer of Fox News in an interview on Thursday.

"I think they all did too, and I think they're coming to a joint conclusion that it's time for the world to make sure that we get this right."

"For democracies and freedom-loving people around the world, it is an imperative that we push back against the challenge that the Chinese Communist Party presents to us all," Pompeo said.

He said that for 40 years, successive US administrations just looked the other way and allowed China to trample on America.

President Donald Trump said "no more," he said.

The US is going to have fair, reciprocal trade relationships; and it is going to demand that the Chinese Communist Party treat Americans the same way that the US treats people who go there, he said.

Hemmer asked Pompeo to comment on claims by Hong Kong-based virologist Dr Yan Li-Meng, who recently fled to the United States, that Beijing knew that the virus could spread between humans three weeks before that knowledge was made public.

Pompeo said that "the World Health Organisation itself was co-opted into the same effort to deny the world the knowledge it needed to respond to this threat, to this threat from the virus that emanated from Wuhan, China."

"This is a simple understanding, and President Trump is going to demand that it happens," he said.

"And of course, now too, we've seen the virus that started in Wuhan, China cost the globe hundreds of thousands of people and trillions and trillions of dollars, and I believe the world is going to unite to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for having covered this up when they could have prevented so much of this tragedy," said the top American diplomat.

The United States has been the worst-hit country with over 3.5 million coronavirus cases.

The country has reported more than 137,000 deaths so far.

Pompeo refrained from responding to news reports that there could be a ban on US travel for Chinese party members and their families.

"We're working our way through, under the president's guidance, about how to think about pushing back against the Chinese Communist Party. You see it in trade, you see it in other economic activity, you see it in diplomatic engagement," he added.

"The rights that we have that the Declaration of Independence set forth, that are in our Constitution, are central to American foreign policy. We have to get that right. We have this deep tradition. It's under attack," he said in response to a question.
A spot fine of around 100 should be imposed on shoppers who refuse to wear a face mask in stores.

The suggestion was made by Tara Buckley, director general of retail lobby group RGDATA, after Taoiseach Micheal Martin announced regulations are being drawn up to make face coverings in shops and shopping centres mandatory to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Concerns are now growing about how the measure will be enforced and who will be responsible for ensuring the law is obeyed amid fears it could lead to potential violence and confrontation.

Ms Buckley said: "We expect the vast majority of people will wear a mask when shopping in line with the expert advice.

"If a person refuses to wear a mask and has no certified reason for not doing so, then we think there should be a penalty - something along the lines of the UK model may work with on-the-spot fines of 100."

However, she stressed that "this will have to be enforced by gardai or some other representatives of the State".

RGDATA represents more than 4,000 independent grocers and other retailers.

Vincent Jennings, head of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA), said it was essential that representatives of retailers were consulted before the regulations were finalised.

"The last thing people who are working themselves to the bone is to be dealing with a situation of confrontation or otherwise," he said.

"If one customer brings it to attention of a member of staff that another customer is not wearing a mask, that has the potential for confrontation. There must be discussion on the regulations."

This was also echoed by John Douglas of Mandate trade union, which represents store workers.

He insisted: "Enforcement cannot be left to shop assistants."

Arnold Dillon, director of the Retail Ireland lobby group, said: "When it comes to enforcement, it is crucial that it does not fall to retail staff to ensure compliance.

"With incidents of violence and abuse directed at retail staff unfortunately a regular occurrence, it is important that enforcement is left to the authorities.

"Retail staff should not be exposed to the potential disputes and discord that might arise."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health, which is drawing up the regulations rather than the Department of Enterprise, said it was "strongly recommended that people wear face coverings in shops but this is not a legal requirement at present".

"Enforcement issues for wearing of face covering in shops are being considered. It's important to acknowledge the huge numbers of people who are already wearing face coverings on public transport to protect themselves and others," she said.

"This new recommendation is also being put in place to protect everyone, including the most vulnerable people in our society, and enforcement is always a last resort."

An Garda Siochana said the Department of Health was the lead agency for Covid-19 related regulations and public health guidelines.

A spokesman said: "In supporting the Covid-19 public health guidelines and regulations, An Garda Siochana has and will continue to adopt a graduated policing response based on its tradition of policing by consent.

"This has seen Garda members engage, educate, encourage and, as a last resort, enforce."

Referring to the law on mandatory wearing of masks on public transport, the spokesperson said "where potential breaches of the public health regulations are identified, and where a person does not come into compliance with the regulations, a file is submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a direction as to how to proceed".

The Covid-19 pandemic remains a public health crisis.
A member of the legal team of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Abraham Amaliba has described as ridiculous and a hoax, the red alert issued for the arrest of Samuel Adam Mahama in connection with the Airbus Bribery Scandal.

Samuel Adam Fosters also known as Samuel Adam Mahama is being charged with accepting a bribe to influence a public officer and acting in collaboration with a public officer for the public officers private profit.

According to Interpol, if successfully prosecuted he is liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 25 years.

But speaking on the Morning Starr on Friday, Amaliba said Interpol only issues red alerts for people who are running away from criminal proceeding in a particular jurisdiction adding that the whole process in issuing the alert is wrong and unlawful.

It is issued for people who run away from the criminal justice system from a country and I am asking a simple question has Adam run away from the system?. So I am attacking the procedure and I am saying that it is wrong in law, it is not done that way.

Checks have revealed that this alert is not on the website, all red alerts are on the websiteand so I am telling you that it is improper, it is wrong, it is a hoax and it is meant to please the government of the day to look as if president Mahama benefited from whatever is alleged that Adam Mahama engaged in.

---starrfmonline
TUNIS  As Tunisia battled the coronavirus pandemic in May, and millions in the North African country found themselves confined to their homes, a lighthearted Facebook post about the virus caught Emna Charguis eye and brought a brief moment of laughter in a period of uncertainty.

The Sourate Corona, a design that appears to have been created in France, delivered a simple wash your hands message framed in recognizable green contours and adorned with virus symbols, mimicking the style of Quranic verse. Ms. Chargui, 27, shared the post.

But what was meant as a simple quip about the outbreak has become a fight for Ms. Charguis freedom of expression that could result in a prison sentence.

This week, Ms. Chargui was found guilty of inciting hatred between religions, and sentenced to six months in jail and a $700 fine for the post, in a case that has raised questions about the extent to which freedom of speech is protected in the country. Hundreds have now shared the same image along with the hashtag #FreeEmnaChargui in solidarity with the young woman.
Barbara and Larry Piquet on one of their many excursions. Read more

People Weve Lost Larry Piquet

85 years old

Lived in Pitman, Gloucester County

Driven, he left finance to become a social worker More Memorials

Barbara Ceravolo recognized a catch when she saw one. So she knew what to do when Larry Piquet showed up as her blind date on that February night in 1959.

He was handsome, polite, older, gentlemanly, Barbara said. So we got married in October.

And what a ride. Barbara and Larry had two sons and two grandchildren, lived happily much of their lives in South Jersey, and traveled to more exotic places than she can remember. They were sustained largely, she said, by Larrys kindness and quirky personality that kept things interesting.

Mr. Piquet, 85, died Thursday, April 16, a month before his birthday, at Inspira Health Center Mullica Hill of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the coronavirus.

Born in Camden, Mr. Piquet graduated from Moorestown High School and Temple University and worked first in finance for several companies. Then he became a social worker for the Cumberland County Division of Social Services. He made the move into social work, Barbara said, because he had a driving passion to help others.

He was the most thoughtful and considerate friend I have ever had, she wrote in a tribute.

Although he was generally quiet, Mr. Piquet had a distinctive sense of humor. He liked to cut out newspaper cartoons and present them to friends and family at gatherings. His friends described his humor as different, Barbara said with a laugh.

Indeed, he liked to buy oddball used cars and especially enjoyed his bright orange Fiat with the orange dashboard. He bought the cars on the lot that nobody else would buy, Barbara said. Mr. Piquet and his wife did much of the grunt work together when they restored a 1765 home in Cumberland County.

An intellectual, Mr. Piquet enjoyed research but balked at using computers. So he would ask Barbara to look things up for him. One day, exasperated, she forced him to use her laptop, and he never gave it back. He loved it, she said.

After he retired in the early 1990s, the couple traveled throughout Europe, the Caribbean, and South America. Barbara didnt like airplanes much, but Mr. Piquet loved to fly. He often returned with local art and displayed it in their home. Haitian and outsider art (by untrained artists) were among his favorite pieces.

Hungary was one of their favorite destinations and the scene of one of their most memorable mishaps. Upon landing in Budapest, they unloaded their suitcases from the overhead bin and headed outside. As they waited at the curb, Mr. Piquet handed Barbara her suitcase. Thats not mine, she said.

Everyone said it. He was a good person, Barbara said.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Piquet is survived by sons Vincent and Jan, two grandchildren, and a sister.

 Gary Miles, gmiles@inquirer.com
By PTI

MUMBAI: The death toll in the building collapse in the Fort area of Mumbai has gone up to six with four more persons succumbing to injuries, while a search operation was still underway at the site, civic authorities said on Friday morning.

Two persons were killed after a corner portion of six-storey 'Bhanushali' building collapsed in the Fort area around 4.45 pm on Thursday.

Three more persons, who were rescued from the site, were declared dead at the hospital around midnight on Thursday, while a 62-year-old woman died on Friday morning, an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said.

The woman was taken out from the debris and rushed to the state-run J J Hospital, where she was declared brought dead, he said.

Three people are still injured of which condition of a 17-year-boy is critical, he added.
This weeks Middlesex United Way guest column is taking the opportunity to use our platform to help elevate the voices of those in the Black community. This week features a guest column written by Kwamena Blankson, a mental health advocate and legal consultant. We want to do our part to create an environment where everyone is heard and seen.  President and CEO Kevin Wilhelm.

It is almost 4 a.m. Before midnight, my 13-year-old crawled into bed beside me, crying. When I asked what was wrong, she said, I just need to know youre safe.

I reassured her with sentiments about love, God and justice. Once her smile returned, I sent her back to bed.

I have not been able to fall back asleep. I can still hear her breaking voice and my hollow words.

The things I told her were true, but I did not tell her the whole truth. I have always been silent about the whole truth, at least as far as it pertains to me. One day, I will be ashamed to tell her just how silent I have been.

In New York City, I was silent in kindergarten when we first arrived in the United States from Ghana. Kids made fun of my broken English, so I became ashamed of both my English and my native language. I eventually mastered one and buried the other.

In Minneapolis, I was silent in elementary school when older kids repeatedly asked me what it was like to live in the jungle  not what life in Ghana had been like. They just needed me to affirm their preconceived notions about Africa. I laughed, thinking they were joking. But they were not.

In Birmingham, I was silent on the first day of middle school when a group of boys approached me, the only black student in the class, and asked how I felt about the n-word. I was nervous, so I just laughed and shrugged off their question.

I was silent when kids at an all-Black summer camp called me Kunta Kente because I was not black like them. I laughed  the joke was on them, since I had passed the entrance exam for a private school on the other side of town. I just had to survive the summer.

I was silent when, as the only Black male at my new school, I was called the n-word by some boys during gym in junior high. I finally broke my silence, but only to my parents. They reported the incident to a school administrator, and the bullying got worse. Just without the n-word.

I was silent all through high school, believing my actions spoke louder than any words I could muster in my defense. After all, if my academic performance proved I belonged there, I would eventually be accepted as one of them  an equal.

Occasionally, I was reminded that grades and good behavior were irrelevant. One summer day, I drove to the wealthiest suburb to pick up a friend who had just returned from boarding school. We drove through those better neighborhoods, reminiscing about the fun we had together when he had attended my high school.

We noticed that a police car was tailing us, matching every turn I took, then stopped following us once we crossed the invisible line separating that suburb from the rest of the city. I was disturbed, but my friend laughed. He said that was the first time the police had ever followed him anywhere.

Shortly before graduation, seniors had to announce what college acceptance letters they had received. In my mind, this was the day of vindication, the day there would be no question whether and/or where I belonged.

I remember sitting at the back of our English class as each student listed their colleges with pride. My turn came, and for a moment I was whole, at least by the worlds standards. Then someone asked the headmaster (our English teacher) whether I had been accepted to those three Ivy League schools because I was Black.

After that, I held on to hope just a little longer. But I could not walk around with my SAT and ACT scores printed on the front and back of my shirt. Achievements were irrelevant compared to two facts: I was neither white  nor Black enough.

Although I hid it fairly well, I was a mess in college and law school, but those years made me who I am today. Taking my eyes off of myself let me notice a world full of people carrying burdens much greater than any I carried. I am pleased to say my first 30 years made me who I was meant to be instead of who I wanted to be.

And that is what I hope my daughters learn from these and other stories I will start telling them tomorrow. Because I dont want them to fear the world and what it might do to us.

Yes, I will be ashamed to admit how silent I was when faced with painful realities. I who challenge them to dare to be the difference. I myself failed to be anti-racist on occasions when I could have and should have taken a stand, not just for myself but for anyone living unheard and unseen in the margins.

But the shame of sharing those memories and showing the scars left by cowardice, all of that will be worth it if my children learn the following life lessons much sooner than I did:

Sometimes courage means: believing you are lovable and loved by the people who know the real you, and believing your voice matters, even if no one seems to be listening  believing your life matters, even if the world seems to disagree.

Kwamena Blankson served as a legal advocate for patients in the general psychiatry division of Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown for 13 years.
NEW HAVEN  St. Josephs Church on Edwards Street was vandalized this week, as an unknown individual or individuals painted satanic and anarchist symbols on its doors, according to the Archdiocese of Hartford.

The Rev. John Paul Walker, pastor of St. Josephs said Friday that the symbols, in pink paint, included gibberish language, the satanic pentagram and the anarchy symbol.

It was certainly shocking and disturbing, said Walker.

He said the congregation had received messages of support from the community and across the nation since the incident and offered his gratitude, describing the response from the public as amazing and incredible.

The church reopened Friday, he said, after an exorcism prayer was said.

Officials with the Archdiocese of Hartford vowed to be undeterred in their faith in announcing the incident on Facebook, saying that it came as part of an apparent trend of desecrating Catholic spaces throughout the nation.

The underlying motive of these sacrilegious attacks is clear: to intimidate and instill fear in the hearts of those who worship Christ, church officials said on Facebook.

However, our cherished Catholic faith has survived for 2,000 years in the faces of many different oppressors, and it is not about to yield now. Therefore, we remain unafraid and resolute in our faith, and we will pray for a conversion of the hearts of those who wish to terrorize us, officials said on Facebook.

Today, even in the midst of anti-Christian sentiment and actions, however, we do not answer hate with hate. To the contrary, these attacks make our love and unity stronger, and our prayers ever more steadfast. For as we learn in Johns Gospel, we cannot truly love God if we do not love our brother, the post said.

Police Capt. Anthony Duff said the act of vandalism had not been reported to police as of Friday morning.

Walker said a disruptive individual had attended services in the days leading up to the incident, prompting calls to police. He said he was unsure whether the two matters were connected. Duff confirmed the report of the disruptive individual was made.

Walker said whoever painted the symbols was in need of prayer, and he hoped they could heal from whatever anger or illness afflicted them.

Vanessa Avery, executive director of Sharing Sacred Spaces Inc., expressed sadness and solidarity in a letter to the Register about the incident, noting the church had welcomed her openly and served as a partner in peacemaking and interreligious dialogue with my organization.

The group features eight religious congregations from across the city, Avery noted, which pledged to act in solidarity with one another and to offer compassion and support to those who have experienced bias and hate because of their religion.

St. Joseph, she said, is a church of beauty inside and out; open and welcoming; and it is authentic and courageous in its stand for truth.

Earlier this year, at one of our interfaith events that included a Mass, I was welcomed to join the (Eucharist) line. In one of the most personally moving interreligious encounters, the Father blessed me for exactly who I am, a Jew, at the altar, said Avery. Our different religious paths give us a spiritual wealth beyond belief; let us be united. I am deeply saddened by the hate that has been enacted upon this community that models peace, acceptance, and love.

St. Josephs Church is part of St. Mary Parish, which also includes St. Marys Church on Hillhouse Avenue.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
Antarctica is considered one of the Earth's largest, most pristine remaining wildernesses. Yet since its formal discovery 200 years ago, the continent has seen accelerating and potentially impactful human activity.

How widespread this activity is across the continent has never been quantified. We know Antarctica has no cities, agriculture or industry. But we have never had a good idea of where humans have been, how much of the continent remains untouched or largely unimpacted, and to what extent these largely unimpacted areas serve to protect biodiversity.

A team of researchers led by Monash University, including Dr Bernard Coetzee from the Global Change Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits University), has changed all of that. Using a data set of 2.7 million human activity records, the team showed just how extensive human use of Antarctica has been over the last 200 years. The research was published in the journal Nature.

With the exception of some large areas mostly in the central parts of the continent, humans have set foot almost everywhere.

Although many of these visited areas have only been negligibly affected by people, biodiversity is not as well represented within them as it should be.

"We mapped 2.7 million human activity records from 1819 to 2018 across the Antarctic continent to assess the extent of wilderness areas remaining and its overlap with the continent's biodiversity," says Coetzee, a conservation scientist at Wits University. Based in Skukuza in the Kruger National Park in South Africa, Coetzee helped conceptualise the study and collated a spatial database from multiple sources to map the extent of human activity in Antarctica.

"In a region often thought of as remote, we showed that in fact human activity has been extensive, especially in ice-free and coastal areas where most of its biodiversity is found. This means that "wilderness" areas do not capture many of the continent's important biodiversity sites, but that an opportunity exists to conserve the last of the wild."

The study found that only 16% of the continent's Important Bird Areas, areas identified internationally as critical for bird conservation, are located within negligibly impacted areas, and little of the total negligibly impacted area is represented in Antarctica's Specially Protected Area network.

High human impact areas, for example some areas where people build research stations or visit for tourism, often overlap with areas important for biodiversity.

Lead author, Rachel Leihy, a PhD student in the Monash School of Biological Sciences, points out that "While the situation does not look promising initially, the outcomes show that much opportunity exists to take swift action to declare new protected areas for the conservation of both wilderness and biodiversity."

"Informatics approaches using large data sets are providing new quantitative insights into questions that have long proven thorny for environmental policymakers," says Steven Chown, the corresponding author based at Monash University.

"This work offers innovative ways to help the Antarctic Treaty Parties take forward measures to secure Antarctica's Wilderness."

The transdisciplinary team delivering this work includes researchers from Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and South Africa.

###
Sham lawyer charged with swindling client out of $4,200 to stand trial in Moscow

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

17:31 17/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI)  Russias Prosecutor Generals Office has approved an indictment in a criminal case against a man, who used a forged lawyer certificate to defraud his client out 300,000 rubles (about $4,200), the bodys press service informs on Friday.

The case is to be heard on the merits by the Dorogomilovsky District Court of Moscow, the statement reads.

The sham lawyer has been charged with grave fraud, use of knowingly false documents, and forgery of an official document.

Investigators believe that using forged documents the accused could persuade a person, who was a suspect in a case, of his legitimate lawyer status; for his services the man demanded and was paid a fee in the amount of 300,000 rubles.
Three months ago, Colin Johnstone was living on the streets. He was among the 4500 homeless Victorians offered emergency accommodation in motels in March amid fears of a COVID-19 outbreak in the vulnerable rough-sleeping population.

Just before stage three restrictions were again imposed on Melbourne, Mr Johnstone signed a 12-month rental agreement for a bedsit in Flinders Street.

Colin Johnstone, who was formerly homeless, has found permanent accommodation just in time for lockdown 2.0 Credit:Eddie Jim

Homelessness organisation Launch Housing, which found Mr Johnstone searching for a place to sleep behind Federation Square in March, paid the bond and the first two months of his rent.

"Its definitely a relief  this gives me a chance to get back on my feet, Mr Johnstone said.
As forensic investigators at Twitter hurried on Thursday to discover the origin of one of the worst hacks in the company's history, the team came to a startling conclusion: the hack was coming from an account inside the house.

But even by Friday morning AEST, 24 hours after hackers pushed a Bitcoin scam from the accounts of US political leaders like former vice-president Joe Biden and industry titans like Elon Musk, the company's researchers were still struggling to nail down many other basic aspects of the breach, including whether an employee had been complicit. The company was also still sorting out how many accounts were affected and whether the attackers had gained access to details within the accounts, such as private messages.

A few things were certain. Investigators know that at least one employee's account and credentials were taken over and used to gain access to an internal dashboard, allowing the infiltrator to control most Twitter accounts, according to two people briefed on the company's investigation. They would speak only anonymously because the investigation was still under way.

Yet many of the details remained unclear, the people said. Investigators were still trying to determine if the hackers tricked the employee into handing over login information. Twitter suggested that the hackers had used "social engineering", a strategy to gain passwords or other personal information by posing as a trusted person like a company representative. But another line of inquiry includes whether a Twitter employee was bribed for their credentials, something one person who claimed responsibility for the hack told the technology site Motherboard.
Miami:

Keeping up with a long tradition of voting while floating above the Earth, the lone American astronaut in outer space has casted his vote, NASA has said.

Shane Kimbrough, casted his vote inside the orbiting International Space Station, it said on Monday. Kimbrough rode a Russian Soyuz rocket to the ISS on October 19 to start a four-month mission at the research outpost, along with two Russian cosmonauts.

US astronauts have been able to vote from space since 1997, under Texas law. Most astronauts live in the Houston area, home to NASA's mission control and Johnson Space Center. The first American to vote from space was David Wolf, who cast his ballot from the Russian space station Mir.

"Current space station resident astronaut Shane Kimbrough is the most recent astronaut to take advantage of the opportunity," NASA said in a statement. The agency did not give details on how the vote was transmitted.

There was no word from NASA or Kimbrough on which candidate he picked for president.

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The Management of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has rejected claims in the media that one Emmanuel Awuah, the alleged killer of an Uber driver at Nyinahin, is a student of the University.



It said Awuah ceased to be a student of the University after failing to register for two consecutive academic years and could, therefore, not be described as a student of the University



Master Awuah did not register for the first and second semesters of the 2018/2019 academic year. He again did not register for the first and second semesters of the 2019/2020 academic year, a statement issued by the University and copied to that Ghana News Agency (GNA), read.



The statement signed by Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, the Universitys Relations Officer, further explained that per the Universitys regulations, a student who abandons his course for one full academic year without any cause ceases to be a student of the University.



According to the statement, the said student did not defer his programme nor did he indicate any reason(s) for abandoning his programme of study at the University.



The statement indicated that in this case, the said student abandoned his course for two academic years and can therefore not be referred to as a KNUST final year student.



Management of the University, however, said it was deeply saddened by the action of Master Awuah who was once a student of the University, but condemned his actions and urged the police to step up efforts at apprehending his accomplice.



The statement advised the media to cross-check facts properly with the Universitys Relations Office before tarnishing the hard-won reputation or risk legal actions.

Source: GNA









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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the United Nations on Friday at the high-level segment of its Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), his first since India was elected as a non-permanent member of the powerful Security Council in June.

The Prime Minister will be joined by his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg during the address. UN secretary general Antonio Guterres will also address the segment.

This will be the first time the Prime Minister will address the broader UN membership after India overwhelmingly won the Security Council election on June 17 for a two-year term.

Before this, PM Modi had delivered the keynote address virtually on ECOSOCs 70th anniversary in January 2016.

The theme of this years high-level segment is Multilateralism after Covid19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary.

The segment, which is held annually, represents the end of ECOSOCs annual cycle of work and convenes a diverse group of high-level representatives from governments, the private sector, civil society and academia.

Against the backdrop of a changing international environment and the unfolding Covid-19 pandemic, the session will focus on critical forces shaping the course of multilateralism and explore ways to bolster the multilateral agenda through strong multilateral leadership, effective international institutions, a broadening of participation and an enhanced focus on global public goods, Indias Permanent Mission to the UN said in a statement.

The UN Charter established ECOSOC in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the wold body. It is mandated to offer direction to and undertake the coordination of the economic, social, and cultural activities of the UN with responsibility for advancing international economic and social cooperation and development.

ECOSOCs inaugural presidency in 1946 was held by Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar of India.
NEW HAVEN  Managing a return to school for the citys littlest learners will not be small potatoes.

As school districts across the state prepare to return to school in the fall amid a pandemic, officials with New Havens federal Head Start early childhood education program are thinking through the risks.

Our enrollment will be 10 kids per classroom to start, said Elizabeth Gaffney, the citys director of Head Start. Its probably more advantageous when you talk about little kids and social distancing. Theyre not going to want to social distance; theyre going to be on each other.

Gaffney said Head Start in New Haven is preparing a return much like the rest of the school district. The department is going to focus on keeping students and staff in a cohort, with one lead teacher, a full time assistant teacher and a part-time worker remaining with one classroom throughout the year.

Board of Education member Matt Wilcox, who serves as chairman for the Head Start subcommittee, said myriad plans around the reopening of schools makes it impossible to know just what the first day of school will be like.

Unfortunately we cant provide the one answer everybody in the city wants, which is exactly whats going to happen, he said.

School districts have been asked by the state Department of Education to prepare three plans for three scenarios based on public health data  one scenario that supports a full return to school, one that supports a completely virtual or at-home experience and one that uses both.

Only time will tell that, Gaffney said.

Although the district recently has under-enrolled its program, Gaffney said its not an issue this year as the programs funders are fully funding the program so long as Head Start officials commit to providing a safe learning experience for the low-income students they enroll.

Gaffney said 262 students are prepared to enroll in the fall, although the program is aiming for 441 students.

We have lots of space, she said.

Monique Brunson, principal of the Dr. Reginald Mayo Early Childhood School, said the school will limit those who are allowed into the building. She said they will use cameras outside the school to identify parents who are late in dropping off their students so a staff member can meet them outside..

Were going to need lots of masks, she said, adding that young learners cannot be expected to wear masks for long.

Gaffney said the department has 5,000 masks on order.

Were looking at electronic sign-in, possibly different access points or to have people out in front signing people in and walking them into the space where they will meet their teachers, Brunson said. But we have to limit access to the building.

District officials are expected to outline their plans at large at a special meeting of the Board of Education Tuesday.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
A man walks on a pier in Victoria Harbour past a view of commercial buildings in Hong Kong on July 16, 2020. Beijing's tough new security law and President Donald Trump's order to rescind special trading privileges have blunted Hong Kong's competitive edge and risk turning the finance hub into just another Chinese city, analysts warn. AFP




Today

Cloudy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High 42F. Winds light and variable.

Tonight

Cloudy skies early with showers later at night. Low around 35F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

Tomorrow

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 46F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
S ocial distancing may be necessary for "a long period of time", Englands top doctor has said.

Professor Chris Whitty warned on Friday that eliminating coronavirus Covid-19 from the UK was quite optimistic.

He told the Lords Science and Technology Committee that, while certain hygiene measures will be around for the foreseeable future, keeping a safe distance from others will also need to be maintained.

Prof Whitty said: There are some things which we started right at the beginning, which absolutely have to continue for a prolonged period of time, washing hands, isolation, household isolation.

And then weve added to that things like contact tracing, most recently face coverings.

And these are issues of, and issues around distancing, which have been varied but the reality is distancing remains an important part of this mix and how its interpreted in different governments has evolved.

England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty / REUTERS

But it has not gone away. So, all of those need to continue for a long period of time.

The comments come after Prime Minister Boris Johson told a Downing Street press conference it may conceivably be possible to depart from social distancing measures by November at the earliest.

Englands chief medical officer said that eliminating Covid-19 in a highly connected country like the UK would be very difficult.

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

Prof Whitty explained: Elimination means zero cases onward transmitted and for this disease this is going to be very difficult.

He added: Weve tried to eliminate or eradicate a very large number of diseases over the years.

We have so far in humans eradicated one, smallpox, and weve tried on a lot of other occasions, this is not an easy thing to do.

The committee also heard that it would be incredibly important to keep Covid-19 cases low in the winter.

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Sir Patrick Vallance, the Governments chief scientific adviser, said winter was going to be a very complex time, where the vast majority of people of course who end up with the symptoms may not have Covid, they may have something else.

And so there are going to be people potentially being isolated for reasons that are non-Covid.

Prof Whitty said a coronavirus contact tracing app could be an important tool during the winter or if there is a surge of cases.

But added: But of course there are operational issues and there are privacy issues that need to be completely sorted out before we could be confident we could use that.

Agreeing with him, Sir Patrick warned: I think its important to recognise it would have to be very widely applied, because unless everybody or a vast majority of people are using it, its really not going to add that much.

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So optimistic modelling of this says if 30% of people had the app it would give you 9% more contact identification.

Sir Patrick also hailed the British publics extraordinary altruism and spirit to want to do things that help other people during the coronavirus pandemic.

In response to a question about face coverings he told the peers communication needs to be clear about what benefit this brings and face covering wearing is a classic one where there may be some protection to the wearer but theres more protection to others.

Prof Whitty added that public health guidance needs people buying into it so they understand what actions to take.

He acknowledged there were technical variations in terms of surgical face masks or face coverings available to the public.

But added: The variation in those is much less important than getting people to do the basics.

And the basics are, if youre going to wear one in a high risk area it must cover your nose and mouth.

Wearing a brilliant mask covering half your mouth, only your mouth or only your nose, clearly is only going to have very limited effect.
Public health inspectors in Sri Lanka on Friday announced that they will refrain from Covid-19 related duties to protest Health Minister Pavitra Wanniarachchi's recent remarks against them.

Minister Wanniarachchi recently said that PHI officers engaged in Covid-19 duties were causing inconvenience by revealing details of the latest detections of coronavirus patients to the media.

Public Health Inspectors Union (PHIU) in a statement said they are protesting Wanniarachchis remarks that PHIs had caused problems in Covid-19 prevention and therefore they would not be provided legal cover for their work.

They said they were withdrawing from all Covid-19 combat work from mid-day Friday.

Health Minister Wanniarachchis comments came as she took action to gazette the health guidelines after a long delay on holding the August 5 parliamentary elections.

The Election Commission had complained that guidelines that were forwarded to the authorities early June had not been given legal effect by way of a gazette publication even by Thursday.

Election Commission chief Mahinda Deshapriya said it would be extremely difficult to conduct the election on August 5 without the gazette on health guidelines.

The PHIs told the Election Commission that the legal cover for their work was a must as people tend to object to and ignore their work to comply with health guidelines without the legal cover.

It was announced Saturday morning that Covid-19 (Elections) regulations 2020 are to deal only with issues concerning election rallies, canvassing by political parties and maintenance of elections offices by political parties. This excludes the PHI functions in respective areas to enforce health guidelines.

The election which had been twice postponed is due to be held on August 5.

The need for legality to the health guidelines became even more important in the face of what seemed a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

A sudden spike of over 500 cases from the north central region forced the cancellation of election campaigning and closure of schools.
Archived Results for Friday, July 17th, 2020

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 02:48:52|Editor: huaxia

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Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with President of Iran Hassan Rouhani during a meeting in Sochi, Russia, Feb. 14, 2019. (Xinhua photo)

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held on Thursday a phone conversation on U.S. "unilateral" policies and bilateral ties.



TEHRAN, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday discussed the U.S. "unilateral" policies and the ways to boost bilateral ties.

In a telephone conversation, Rouhani called for enhancing the Tehran-Moscow comprehensive ties, particularly in their battle against COVID-19.

Rouhani also underlined the importance of protecting measures to be taken by the signatories of 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, internationally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The Iranian leader appreciated Russia's support for the JCPOA as well as its opposition to the U.S. "unilateral" policies toward it.

He urged the remaining parties to the nuclear deal to confront Washington's pressures to extend a UN arms ban against Iran.

Rouhani slammed what he called U.S. "unilateralism" in its global and international policies.

He also underscored the need for Iran to continue cooperation with Russia and Turkey within the framework of the Astana process to restore peace and stability to Syria.

For his part, Putin called for preserving the Iranian nuclear deal, while pledging that "as in the past five years, we will support the international document and insist on implementing and preserving it."

He also urged the expansion of the Russia-Iran ties in all areas, adding that he welcomed Iran's offer to share experiences in fighting the novel coronavirus.
Hospital workers in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Campbellford staged outdoor rallies on Friday to urge the provincial government to restore workplace rights that have been suspended for months by emergency orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under Bill 195, the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, which was introduced by the Progressive Conservative government in the Ontario legislature last week, those rights could be suspended for up to three years, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

The provinces emergency powers override worker rights on vacation, hours of work and the possibility of contracting out their jobs, the union says.

Workers represented by CUPE Local 1943 staged a rally outside Peterborough Regional Health Centre on Friday morning. Similar protests were held Friday at hospitals in Lindsay, Cobourg and Campbellford.

The union fears workers could be laid off or have shift changes with no notice even though they dont have child care.

We know that Ontarians have been very supportive of health care workers throughout the pandemic, stated Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, the hospital division of CUPE.

We believe they will join with us in pressuring the government to have our rights restored now that coronavirus is in remission. The ongoing suspension of these rights is an attack on the constitutional rights and the quality of life of these workers.

Ontario has had 6,200 health-care workers catch the COVID-19 virus at work and 14 have died, according to the union.

*****

Health-care workers plan political, legal action in response to emergency orders

John Chidley-Hill

The Canadian Press

HAMILTON  A union representing Ontario health-care workers said Tuesday its planning a series of escalating political and legal actions, including brief work interruptions, in response to the province potentially extending its emergency powers.

The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, a division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, said it does not want the provinces emergency order extended in its current form because it suspends collective bargaining.

Union president Michael Hurley said his members will start their protest this week by sending their MPPs emails explaining how the order damages their workplace rights, and will escalate from there.

People are angry, they cant believe it and theyre strongly prepared to push back, said Hurley, who confirmed 98 per cent of the unions membership voted in favour of action. Theyre a little bit resentful, frankly, that they have to turn their attention away from caring for people in hospital and caring for people in long-term homes.

The union held a news conference outside of Hamilton General Hospital on Tuesday morning. Similar events were planned for Sudbury, Ottawa and Toronto over the rest of the week.

Hurley said the union is also planning to hold rallies outside of its workplaces on Friday, and members will vote next Monday night on whether to hold a brief work stoppage the following day.

Hurley said that while the orders were acceptable to health-care workers in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the measures have become less palatable as the situation improves in much of the province.

Theyre just exasperated that the government is continuing to use these extraordinary emergency powers which were given to it in order to deal with the COVID-19 crisis but theyre using them to override the basic rights that health-care workers have, he said.

Hurley said the suspended agreement means hospital staff have been moved from site to site, had their shifts changed, and vacation requests denied. He said these workplace rights are being ignored even in hospitals and long-term care facilities that do not have any active cases of the coronavirus.

According to the Ontario government there are currently 137 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the province. There were 111 new cases in Ontario reported on Tuesday and 122 were declared resolved.

Health Minister Christine Elliott said Tuesday that 28 of the provinces 34 public health units were reporting five or fewer cases.

The Progressive Conservative government introduced a bill last week that would allow it to keep some emergency measures in place in the months ahead.

This proposed legislation is part of the governments plan to cautiously reopen Ontario in a way that recognizes the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 even after the provincial declaration of emergency has ended, said a statement from the Ministry of Health.

The bill, if passed, would allow Ontario to continue its path to recovery by easing restrictions where appropriate, while maintaining important select tools to address the ongoing threat of this deadly virus and protect Ontarians.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said Tuesday she understands why health-care workers are upset, and that shes concerned about the draconian nature of the ongoing orders.

There are different pieces to the emergency orders and so there may be some parts of the emergency orders that need to stay in place while there are others that the government should probably consider doing away with, said Horwath. Its extremely important that people are able to exert their rights at work.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. High 46F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Snow may mix in late. Low 33F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Harford County Public Schools students will be taught virtually for the first half of the 2020-21 school year. However, the school system will offer Learning Support Centers at schools where a limited number of students will have internet access and supervision by an HCPS employee.

A town hall meeting on plans for the next school year was scheduled for Thursday tonight.

There is general agreement that safe, in-person learning would be the first preference, but the current conditions make it impossible for large groups of students to be in school at one time, according to a letter from Superintendent Sean Bulson issued Thursday morning.

The county is located in northern Maryland, and is adjacent to both York and Lancaster counties.

Harfords draft recovery plan released last week outlined three options for a return to school in the fall, all coinciding with the stages of Gov. Larry Hogans Roadmap to Recovery.

The options included all-virtual learning, which was the operating method for the spring; schools being open with the option of taking classes virtually; or a hybrid of virtual and in-person classes, with students in school part of the week and learning virtually the rest of the week.

The state and county have been in Stage 2 of recovery since mid-June. Under the school systems original plan, that meant Harford schools wouldve employed a hybrid operating method.

Bulson said in an interview that the new plan is an attempt to walk a line between the safety concerns of having too many students in one place at one time while also knowing we need a safe place where students can be during the day that has reliable internet and adult supervision.

Were trying to walk the line between those two really important beats.

Bulson and the Harford County Board of Education had received feedback on the draft plan Monday at the regular school board meeting.

The new plan, Bulson said Thursday, is an evolution of what we were doing Monday. Its a response to some really overwhelming feedback, and an attempt to address some of the harder-to-address feedback we received Monday.

Much of the feedback to the school system fell along the lines of one group of people who want schools open for in-person classes and another who prefer distance learning as the safer option, according to Bulsons letter.

School system leaders determined that the Stage 2 hybrid model initially proposed does not allow our students and staff to adequately practice social distancing, and it creates an insurmountable logistical challenge for parents in many cases, Bulson stated.

Additionally, due to several health and safety concerns, many of our educators may not be able to be present for an in-person model which would have impacted our ability to provide adequate supervision and instruction, he continued.

Learning Support Centers

The revised plan released Thursday relies exclusively on virtual learning while providing opportunities for students who need a safe, supervised place during the school day, according to Bulsons letter.

Officials will offer a limited number of spaces in each school, called HCPS Learning Support Centers, where students who need access to a safe location to learn can go and have supervision from a school system employee as well as internet access.

The hope, Bulson said in an interview, is to offer learning support centers at every school, so that students can stay in a setting that is familiar to them. But that will depend on demand and capacity.

Staff at the learning center will most likely not be teachers, who will be delivering virtual instruction daily, Bulson said. Instead, staff will serve as more of a proctor. Those employees may be HCPS administrators or the school system might hire the equivalent of long-term substitutes for those roles, he said.

Group sizes in the learning centers will likely be less than 10, including the instructor.

Keeping the group sizes small is the goal, Bulson said. Well likely open multiple rooms in the building, but this helps us stay more consistent with CDC guidance with small groups that stay together and dont mix with other groups.

Were hoping we can keep those numbers under 10, he said, then that group of 10 wont be mixing with other groups of students during the day. We couldnt deliver that in the hybrid model at all levels.

Bus transportation and meals will be available through the learning centers, where students will be taught by an instructor who is working remotely.

School officials will send a survey to HCPS families next week to determine the level of interest in attending the support centers.

Prior to finalizing this plan, HCPS will have to weigh demand for attending the HCPS Learning Support Centers against our capacity to staff them safely, Bulson noted.

He said there were a number of variables that could contribute to why people might decide to send their children to the learning centers.

Some parents have the flexibility to stay home and work, others do not, Bulson said. We dont want to put parents in a position where they have to choose between going to work or leaving their child unsupervised.

Whether students will be able to drop-in a few days a week or will have to be there the entire week isnt something school officials have worked out just yet, Bulson said.

Upgrades to curriculum, technology access

The school system will provide, to students learning from home, Chromebook computers to kindergartners through eighth graders and Windows laptops to ninth through 12th graders. Windows laptops also will be provided to teachers, according to the letter.

The school system is currently undertaking trials of cellular hotspots throughout the county, to provide Internet access to all students, Bulson stated.

In the letter, he said dramatic upgrades were being made to the curriculum and professional development to ensure virtual instruction is more interactive and engaging than during the spring.

We have a lot of teachers helping to write curriculum this summer so that we have a better detailed, more comprehensive lessons in place, Bulson said.

Virtual learning will continue through at least the end of the first semester on Jan. 22.

The school system will review conditions and guidance from state and local health departments in November, and consider extending virtual learning into the second half of the school year.

Public feedback

HCPS must submit its finalized plan to the state by Aug. 14. The superintendent indicated at Mondays school board meeting that an update to the draft plan would come out sometime next week.

This particular evolution has come on pretty quickly, so not sure when well release the next one, he said Thursday.

He chose to send a letter and graphic detailing the changes Thursday because one of the findings from the school systems digital learning survey issued in the spring was that the community wanted more communication sooner, even if it wasnt finalized.

Its unusual for us to release something in such a draft form, he said. Summer is moving by very quickly, and as weve demonstrated, were very much open to feedback and willing to make adjustments to improve this.

Thursday nights town hall had been scheduled for Wednesday, but was postponed shortly after 1 p.m. that day because of the overhaul of the recovery plan. The new plan was supposed to be released at 10 a.m., but was not posted until 11:30 a.m. Thursday  six hours before the town hall.

Recognizing the short window to review the changes, Bulson said there would be more opportunities for feedback prior to the Aug. 10 school board meeting, but he didnt have particulars yet. That meeting is when a final version of the plan is set to be approved by the Board of Education to be sent to the state.

Chrystie Crawford-Smick, president of the Harford County Education Association, said Thursday that the local teachers union supports the modified plan, noting it addresses many of the public concerns expressed previously.

The all-virtual format does bring up a different set of concerns, however, in terms of inequities among HCPS more than 38,000 students, such as access to the internet, according to Crawford-Smick.

We are pleased that HCPS is working toward a plan to mitigate some of those inequities, she said.

Crawford-Smick praised the learning center concept, since it gives children a place to be, and to be able to do their work safely.

With the three-phased approach, we felt that that was problematic because the district was using all their resources to triage three vastly different possibilities for the 2020-21 school year, she said of the initial draft plan.

The updated plan allows HCPS leaders to focus their energy on doing one thing well  providing a robust, interactive digital learning experience for our students while also providing a safe place for students who need it, Crawford-Smick said.

The school system also has put forth professional development options this summer so teachers can get additional training on providing online instruction. The five days in late August for teacher orientation and training prior to the start of classes also will be dedicated to professional development for online teaching so classroom teachers are prepared for a digital learning experience, she said.

Many HCPS curriculum development teams have been working through the summer to create sample lesson plans and a library of materials for teachers, too, according to Crawford-Smick.

The superintendent encouraged parents, teachers and anyone else to weigh in by sending feedback to HCPSTogether@hcps.org.

Other school district plans

Harfords new plan is more in line with what other school districts around the state have been proposing, although thus far is the only one to include the idea of learning centers.

Bulson said he hadnt heard of any other districts in the state using a similar plan.

On Wednesday, Prince Georges Countys Public Schools CEO said students will learn from home through at least February.

Monica Goldson said her administration will reevaluate conditions in December. If safe to do so, students will have the option of returning part-time in February with a staggered schedule where students learn in-person twice a week and virtually the other three days.

Baltimore County Schools Superintendent Darryl L. Williams said Tuesday he is leaning toward remote learning with a phased-in return as the school board considers how to reopen schools for the 2020-21 academic year.

Hogan on Wednesday said state schools Superintendent Karen Salmon would hold a news conference next week to further discuss the schools situation for the fall.

We all want our children to get back to school as soon as possible, but only if and when we can do it in a way that keeps our students and teachers safe, he said. Hogan added that we cannot and should not rush the decision on schools.



David Anderson and S. Wayne Carter Jr. of The Aegis, Bel Air, Md., wrote this story.

2020 The Aegis (Bel Air, Md.)

Visit The Aegis (Bel Air, Md.) at www.baltimoresun.com/explore/harford/publications/the-aegis

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern and (R) Australian Prime Minster, Scott Morrison speak to media at a press conference held at Admiralty House in Sydney, Australia on Feb. 28, 2020. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images)

Victoria Excluded From Trans-Tasman Travel Bubble

Victoria state will likely be excluded from a trans-Tasman travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison discussed the travel arrangements with his counterpart Jacinda Ardern last week following Australias national cabinet, where the Victorian COVID-19 outbreak was canvassed at length.

I spoke to Prime Minister Ardern on Friday evening and she raised that very issue with me and were progressing those discussions, he told 3AW radio.

Obviously its got to be a little bit moderated for whats happening in Victoria, but we discussed it at national cabinet last Friday, so were working with the states and territories about how they can participate in that.

The two countries have for months been plotting easing border restrictions for travel across the ditch, but the plans were dealt a blow after Victoria was overwhelmed by a second wave of coronavirus infections.

Daniel McCulloch in Canberra
Young people are not exempted from the dangers brought by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

That is why Michelle Zymet pleaded for weeks with her stepson to avoid going out with friends and always wear a mask.

Zymet told her stepson to think about his dad, who is at a higher risk of COVID-19 due to being overweight and diabetic.

She said it is not the time. But the man went out and gathered with friends. He removed his mask while eating and drinking.

The young man felt cold symptoms days later, and a friend told him she had tested positive for COVID-19.

Florida man, John Place, is now at Florida hospital's intensive care unit fighting COVID-19. The place was likely to be exposed by his son.

Authorities feared the recent rise of cases on younger Floridians, who could spread it to older, more vulnerable people.

Zymet said these young people don't listen and could be due to peer pressure.

"Maybe they think, 'None of us are sick. We are fine.' They don't understand many of us are asymptomatic and are positive carriers of the virus," Zymet was quoted in a report.

Florida man Place's son did not want to talk to the media. The young man said he told his father and stepmother that he first thought he had a common cold and took over-the-counter medication.

Even when he heard his friend testing positive, he still did not think he had COVID-19.

But his members of his family started feeling ill one by one.

It started with his 14-year-old brother, who is also overweight. The 14-year-old was wheezing, coughing, and lethargic.

The 6-year-old sister had a runny nose. Zymet also fell ill and started feeling achy with fevers and chills.

The whole family was tested positive. But Florida man Place was the only one who was hospitalized after four days of fever and non-stop coughing.

The place has been in the hospital for around three weeks.

Place's photo booth business was not working at the moment. Zymet's friends are raising funds for Place's hospitalization.

Zymet said she has been called an "awful mother" and an "evil witch" for placing the blame on her stepson. But she believes it was important to share her family's story.

Young People Becoming Infected

South Florida mayors and Florida governor Ron DeSantis talked about the gathering of young people widely contributed to the rise in cases that started in June.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said younger people were gathering to celebrate the end of school or college. Some are joining street protests and just partying at houses, underground venues, and restaurants.

Gimenez said older members of the families becoming infected are possible with many multigenerational families in the community.

Gimenez said on Tuesday that many older people are getting hospitalized after younger kids are infecting each other.

"Exactly what we feared - that they were going to take it to their parents, that they were going to take it to their grandparents," Gimenez was quoted in a report.

Florida COVID-19

The state has a total of 316,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 4,676 deaths.

Miami-Dade County has ranked first with the most number of confirmed cases with 75, 424, with 1, 246 deaths.

Broward County followed this with 35, 566 positive cases, and 464 deaths.

Third is Palm Beach County with 23, 709 positive COVID-19 cases, and 638 deaths.

Check this out:

Florida's COVID-19 Cases: Was Reopening Too Early?



Domino Effect: Florida College Students Test Positive For COVID-19 After Spring Break



Florida Hits 15,000 of COVID-19 New Cases
Chapter One: The Spark

Like any great American love story, ours began at prom. OK, actually, it was the prom episode of Gossip Girl. In 2009, like all pop-culture obsessives, we were dedicated viewers of this trashy teen soap opera set in the world of wealthy Manhattan private schools. Our mutual friend Dayo decided to host a viewing party, and we were both invited to watch the melodramatic scenes unfold from a semicircle of ratty couches in the old D.C. row house where she lived with several roommates.

Aminatou recognized a few names on the email invitation but had never met any of the other guests. It felt a little intimidating to meet up with this already-established group, but she knew that if she was going to make new friends, she had to get out of the house and be proactive about showing up to things. And she had the perfect thing to wear: a T-shirt that said CHUCK+BLAIR, the brattiest teen couple on the show. Her college bestie, Brittany, had made it for her.

That night Ann noticed Aminatou's shirt right away and was impressed by her level of dedication to the party theme. As Ann sipped her manhattan  a nod to the show's setting and a deliberately chic cocktail chosen by Dayo to match the Gossip Girl aesthetic  she noted that the snappiest rejoinders to the on-screen action seemed to be coming from Aminatou. Ann was used to spending time with people who had jobs at the intersection of media and politics, so the commentary and banter always flowed easily in her friend group. But that night Ann hung on to Aminatou's every word and laughed extra hard at all of her jokes.

"How did you two meet? When we find ourselves at a party, our favorite icebreaker is asking a pair of friends how they know each other. Romantic couples are probably asked this question most often. But friendship origin stories are no less powerful. A look of excitement crosses friends faces when they're especially pleased with their own version of events. And even if they're reluctant to open up, with a little prodding people will usually confess what they thought of the other person before befriending them. We love the accounts jointly told by friends who finish each other's sentences or fill in the blanks, trading off as they tell their familiar story at a rapid-fire clip. And we love it almost as much when it's clear the friends have never been asked to reflect on this, and we get to hear their story as they're telling it for the first time.

We can learn so much about someone by the way they talk about their friends. And we can learn a lot about a friendship from a joint recounting of its beginning. Are they brand-new friends who are obsessed with each other right now? Have they known each other for decades? Did they used to be lovers? Is there some unevenness to their narratives, as if one person is more invested than the other? It's all revealed in the telling of their story.

We have told our own origin story dozens of times, and we often talk about our meet-cute like it was dumb luck. But the truth is, it may have been inevitable. Aminatou's apartment was a 15-minute walk away from Ann's. We worked a few blocks apart too. Although there is a three-year age gap between us, we were both in our mid-20s and moved in overlapping social circles. We were at the same party on the same night because we had a lot of people in common  including our friend Dayo.

Ann had been introduced to Dayo the previous year and quickly noticed her declarative opinions, easy laugh, and gorgeous handbag. It seems stupid to mention the handbag, but among her peers  all underpaid political journalists  there were only canvas tote bags and backpacks. No one had a nice leather bag. Wherever this woman was going, Ann wanted to tag along. She and Dayo soon saw each other regularly at group dinners and TV viewing nights, when they piled into the living room of a friend who had cable. Dayo was a small-talk queen with irrepressible energy who somehow managed to turn boring How's work going? questions into intense philosophical debates. Often, before what would invariably turn out to be a disappointing house party on a Saturday night, Ann would head to Dayo's early and arrange herself on top of a pile of rejected outfits, sipping a whiskey while Dayo finished getting dressed. There's no skirt too short if you're wearing tights, Dayo once trilled, slipping into a miniskirt in the depths of winter. With Dayo, Ann always felt like she should be taking notes, recording the hilarious aphorisms that dropped from her mouth.

Meanwhile, Aminatou knew Dayo from work. Or rather, she knew of Dayo. Aminatou was on staff at a think tank, often at the front desk greeting visitors, and Dayo had a fellowship there, which meant she dropped by the office only every so often. They hadn't crossed paths yet, but Aminatou had been called Dayo more than once. Aminatou was annoyed at the mistake, but she was dying to meet the mysterious other Black woman with the Nigerian name. When they finally got together, over bowls of ramen, they shared a knowing laugh about the doppelganger situation  they looked nothing alike. They debated African diaspora issues. They realized they were into the same foreign movies and music. Clearly, this was going somewhere.

Oh my god, you need to meet my friend Ann, Dayo thought. A few weeks later, she sent Ann a message about organizing a Gossip Girl viewing party.

DAYO: I really really like this girl aminatou

ANN: i'm excited to meet aminatou sow. That girl knows like everyone i know, yet i haven't met her

DAYO: oh she's excellent. what's the drills with gossip girl? she's a big fan

A plan was hatched: Dayo would host and invite Aminatou. I want to say that there is an element of Oh, how nice that everything worked out,  Dayo told us many years later. But thinking through this now, there was a lot more intention to it. She knew before we did that we needed to be in each other's lives.

It's hard to remember who we were that night at Dayo's house, before we were friends. Not only because it was a long time ago, but also because we have changed each other in countless ways, from the profound to the imperceptible. We didn't just meet each other that night. We began the process of making each other into the people we are today. Although we're self-confident enough to know that we would have been great if our paths had never converged, we cannot imagine what that alternate reality looks like. It's impossible to untangle us.

This feeling of being inextricable is a hallmark of Big Friendship. As humans, we are all thoroughly shaped by the people we know and love. Day to day, our friends influence our tastes and our moods. Long term, they can also affect how we feel about our bodies, how we spend our money, and the political views we hold. We grow in response to each other, in ways both intentional and subconscious.

Behind every meet-cute is an emotional origin story, one that answers a deeper question. Not How did you two meet? but Why did you become so deeply embedded in each other's lives?

"We met at a friend's house is the superficial narrative we tell to strangers. But our real origin story is that we met at a time in our lives when we were both a little bit lost. We were both figuring out how to set a course for where we were hoping to go. And in each other, we found someone who already understood who we wanted to be.

From BIG FRIENDSHIP by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman. Copyright  2020 by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

Available at Amazon.com, Bookshop.org (where your purchase supports independent bookstores), Barnes & Noble (bn.com) and wherever else books are sold.
The Masks for Moms initiative is spearheaded by Black Girls Break Bread, with Handler and other groups helping to coordinate. Masks go to many partner sites around the city, such as the Esperanza Health Centers and the Chicago Family Health Center. They have also supplied them to postpartum units in city hospitals for new moms bringing home infants.
JUST IN: Dr Disrespect had finally spoken up... it is sad news for his fans.

After a month of silence, and since the day he was removed from Twitch, one of the top gaming broadcasters, Herschel Guy "Dr. Disrespect" Beahm, had finally spoken up and responded on Twitch ban issue--sadly, he said he will return to the platform for good.

Beahm is also known as a mustachioed "face of Twitch." According to Twitchmetrics, He had gained popularity on the streaming community with 4 million followers, and had averaged about 180,000 views per post.

Although he had lots of followers, it did not matter, and he was not safe from being banned from Twitch. On June 26, he was reportedly kicked out from the platform.

Several weeks had passed, Beahm did not explain his absence, thus making many of his followers wonder. On July 16, The Wrap was able to get his side about his long absence through email.

Theories

Since there is no clear explanation of why Beahm, some online users can not help but make some theories about the issue, one of the theories suggests that Twitch owner Amazon was "cleaning house" by terminating contracts with potentially problematic streamers.

Previously, the famous streamer was reportedly planning to take the "Doc" character to a rival streaming service and start his own. Beahm had clarified such issues, admitting infidelity in a public stream in 2018. After such allegations, he also took a short break.

What does Twitch say?

Meanwhile, The Wrap also took Twitch's side regarding the issue.

Twitch did not entertain any request for comments from the publication. Since Beahm had been banned, the company did not give any comments.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan is confident trade turnover volume between Armenia and Russia will soon be restored, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan said during his meeting with Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin in Belarus.

Pashinyan noted that as a result of coronavirus, a number of potential meetings with the Russian PM had been cancelled.

Of course, there are many issues on the agenda of the two countries. I think our allied and strategic relations are consistently developing, Pashinyan said.

According to Pashinyan, 2019 was a very productive year, since for the 1st time trade turnover between the two countries had reached over 2 billion USD and a 14% increase was recorded in 2019. This pace was continuing in January-February, but unfortunately, it failed to continue as a result of coronavirus. But I am confident we will restore it very soon, Pashinyan said.

During the meeting PM Pashinyan also referred to the situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border. It happened so that our meeting coincided with the tensions on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. I hope you are informed that the Azerbaijani forces have decided to attack Armenia (the reason is not known yet). I will present you the current situation.

I want to emphasize that these developments are motivated by a 3-rd side and its still necessary to understand who has such interests and for what reason. Its also a very important issue.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
A day after the meeting of Indian officials with Kulbhushan Jadhav, Pakistan on Friday said it has decided to again give India consular access to the former naval officer sentenced to death in Pakistan for alleged involvement in espionage. This will be the third consular access to Jadhav.

Confirming the development, Pakistans foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that they have agreed to Indias demand to not have a security personnel during the meeting.

However, Qureshi said that the Indian officials who came to meet Jadhav on Thursday left without hearing him out. [Jhadav] kept asking the Indian diplomats to talk to him and they left, claimed Qureshi.

Also read | Its a farce: MEA on Pak claim that Kulbhushan Jadhav refused to file review petition

Calling the behaviour of the officials astonishing, Qureshi said that if the Indian diplomats didnt want to talk to Jadhav, why did they ask for consular access.

They had objected to the glass that had been placed in the middle so we removed it. They had also objected to audio and video recordings so that was also not done. We fulfilled all their requests, but still they left, said the Pakistan foreign minister.

New Delhi had accused Islamabad of breaching its assurance of providing unimpeded access to Jadhav during the consular access.

On Thursday, Pakistan provided consular access to Jadhav for the second time since he was detained in March 2016. But when two Indian consular officials went to meet him, they found Pakistani officials with an intimidating demeanour near Jadhav and a camera being used to record the conversation, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said.

Also read | Obstructive and insincere: India roasts Pak after meeting Kulbhushan Jadhav

The Indian officials met Jadhav to discuss filing a review petition in Islamabad high court against his death sentence by the deadline of July 20, and required privacy to talk about the matter.

The consular officers could not engage Jadhav on his legal rights and were prevented from obtaining his written consent for arranging his legal representation, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.

In the light of these circumstances, the Indian consular officers came to the conclusion that the consular access being offered by Pakistan was neither meaningful nor credible. After lodging a protest, they left the venue.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of Pakistans foreign office Aisha Farooqui reiterated the countrys offer to file an appeal in the Islamabad High Court against Jadhavs conviction and subsequent death sentence by a military court.

The statement added that Pakistan remained committed to fully implementing the International Court of Justices (ICJ) judgement of July 17, 2019. It is hoped that India will cooperate with the Pakistan court in giving full effect to the said judgement.

Consular access to Jadhav was first provided in September 2019, while his mother and wife had been allowed to meet him in December 2017.
Kolkata, July 17 : The Cyber Crime Department of Kolkata Police has arrested a Hoogly resident names Koushik Das for giving rape and acid attack threat to actress Swastika Mukherjee on social media. A journalist has also been arrested from Galsi, Bardhaman, for attributing a fake quote to the actress in a news story on his website.

"On June 26, days after my co-actor in the upcoming movie 'Dil Bechara' Sushant Singh Rajput's tragic death, there was a media report that falsely quoted me saying that suicides are now in fashion. Following this, there were fierce online attacks on me, including rape and death threats," said Swastika, on her verified Facebook account on Friday evening.

"I would like to inform you that the person behind the fake news posted on www.smritinews.in, Shuvam Chakraborty from Galsi, Bardhaman, Bengal has been arrested by the Kolkata Cyber Crime Department. He has accepted that he carried the false quote on the news portal and circulated it on social media," she added.

"Along with this, Koushik Das from Hooghly, who had sent me acid attack and rape threats based on this fake news, has also been arrested. Both of them have surrendered in court," said Swastika, adding: "Many of us, irrespective of our gender, face vicious cyber attacks which can sometimes snowball into real threats. At the least, this causes a great deal of mental agony and harm to the individuals and their families. I would urge people to muster courage and report such situations to law enforcement." "Cyber bullying is not acceptable. Rape threats, acid attack threats are heinous crime and it needs to be addressed. It's time people think before attacking someone because there will be repercussions. Thank you KOLKATA POLICE Kolkata cyber crime department for taking such prompt action," Swastika shared.

Recently, Sushant Singh Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and Alia Bhatt's sister Shaheen Bhatt have opened up on getting rape threats from strangers on Instagram.
The Ilisu Dam on the Tigris, part of a megaproject by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is at the heart of the dispute. The dam, which became operational in May after three years of delay, is to be one of 22 power dams in southeastern Turkey. Negotiations over water allocations resumed when Ankara began to make progress on plans to fill the Illisu reservoir last year but have since stalled.
17 July 2020

Acron Group's Commercial Output Up 3% in H1 2020

Group's consolidated output (including operating results for Acron, Dorogobuzh and North-Western Phosphorous Company)

Product, '000 t 6M 2020 6M 2019 YOY, % MINERAL FERTILISERS Ammonia 1,374 1,362 0.9 Incl. in-house consumption 1,306 1,189 Nitrogen fertilisers, including 2,442 2,561 -4.7 Incl. in-house consumption 403 577 AN 1,227 1,072 14.4 Incl. in-house consumption 135 219 Urea 568 631 -10.1 Incl. in-house consumption 269 358 UAN 648 858 -24.5 Complex fertilisers, including 1,140 1,056 8.0 Incl. in-house consumption 16 15 NPK 1,080 998 8.2 Incl. in-house consumption 16 15 Bulk blends 60 58 3.7 Total commercial output for Mineral Fertilisers 3,231 3,197 1.1 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS Organic compounds, including 187 242 -22.7 Incl. in-house consumption 94 125 Methanol 44 51 -13.6 Incl. in-house consumption 35 45 Formalin 67 87 -22.8 Incl. in-house consumption 58 79 Urea-formaldehyde resins 75 104 -27.2 Incl. in-house consumption 1 1 Non-organic compounds, including: 493 399 23.5 Low-density and technical-grade AN 156 93 67.2 Industrial urea 66 60 10.6 Calcium carbonate 243 217 11.8 Liquid carbon dioxide 24 25 -2.6 Argon 3 4 -4.5 Total commercial output for Industrial Products 585 516 13.4

PHOSPHATE INPUTS Apatite concentrate 538 482 11.5 Incl. in-house consumption 433 393 Total commercial output for Apatite Concentrate 105 90 17.2 TOTAL COMMERCIAL OUTPUT 3,921 3,803 3.1

Note: Commercial output is output less in-house consumption

Comments from Alexander Popov, Chairman of Acron's Board of Directors:

"In H1 2020, Acron Group beat its previous record for commercial output. In the reporting period, the Group produced 3,921,000 tonnes of commercial products up 3% year-on-year. Mineral fertiliser output was up 1% to 3,231,000 tonnes.

"Ammonia output increased 1% to 1,374,000 tonnes, and ammonia processed into finished products went up 10% to a record 1,306,000 tonnes. We plan to further increase our ammonia output by the end of 2020 by upgrading the Ammonia-4 unit, which will expand its capacity to 900,000 tonnes per annum. In the reporting period, agricultural-grade AN output was up 14% to 1,227,000 tonnes. Technical-grade AN output increased 67% to 156,000 tonnes, driven by the Group's efforts to promote this niche product.

"UAN output was down 25% to 648,000 tonnes, and this reflects the pricing environment, which varied by quarter. Prices were low in Q1 2020, so we dialled back UAN output to 265,000 tonnes. However, in Q2 2020, UAN prices went up due to strong demand and we reacted by increasing UAN output to 383,000 tonnes, which is close to our maximum.

"In May 2020, the Acron facility in Veliky Novgorod launched a new granulated urea unit, improving production chain flexibility and introducing a new product, granulated urea. Since the unit's commissioning, Acron has produced 34,000 tonnes of granulated urea.

"NPK output was up 8% to 1,140,000 tonnes in response to strong demand and stable supplies of phosphate feedstock - apatite concentrate - from the Group's Oleniy Ruchey mine. In the reporting period, apatite concentrate output was up 12% to 538,000 tonnes".

Market Trends

In Q2 2020, global urea prices dropped as expected for the low-demand season. Prices found support in early June 2020, however, and industry experts expect a smooth recovery in the coming months due to strong demand in India and Brazil. The market environment will further improve when demand heats up in Q4 2020 in the Northern Hemisphere.

Urea prices are a benchmark for other nitrogen fertilisers, and AN prices followed that benchmark down in Q2 2020. UAN prices, on the contrary, were up, supported by strong demand in the United States, a key market for this product.

In Q2 2020, NPK prices remained relatively stable, supported by a similar pricing trend for the basic product basket. The prices remained flat in the phosphate segment, and a decrease in the nitrogen segment was offset by a price recovery in the potash segment.

Average Indicative Prices, USD/t, FOB Baltic/Black Sea

Q2

2020 Q1

2020 Q2

2019 Q2 2020 /

Q1 2020

change Q2 2020 /

Q2 2019

change NPK 16-16-16 258 252 305 2.4% -15.3% AN 153 187 197 -18.6% -22.5% UAN 144 123 138 17.2% 4.8% Urea 207 217 250 -4.7% -17.3% Ammonia 197 222 223 -11.4% -11.9%







Media Contacts:

Sergey Dorofeev

Anastasia Gromova

Tatiana Smirnova

Public Relations

Phone: +7 (495) 777-08-65 (ext. 5196)

Investor Contacts:

Ilya Popov

Investor Relations

Phone: +7 (495) 745-77-45 (ext. 5252)

Background Information

Acron Group is a leading vertically integrated mineral fertiliser producer in Russia and globally, with chemical production facilities in Veliky Novgorod (Acron) and the Smolensk region (Dorogobuzh). The Group owns and operates a phosphate mine in Murmansk region (North-Western Phosphorous Company, NWPC) and is implementing a potash development project in Perm Krai (Verkhnekamsk Potash Company, VPC). It has a wholly owned transportation and logistics infrastructure, including three Baltic seaport terminals and distribution networks in Russia and China. Acron's subsidiary, North Atlantic Potash Inc. (NAP), holds mining leases and an exploration permit for ten parcels of the potassium salt deposit at Prairie Evaporite, Saskatchewan, Canada. Acron also holds a minority stake (19.8%) in Polish Grupa Azoty S.A., one of the largest chemical producers in Europe.

In 2019, the Group sold 7.6 million tonnes of main products to 78 countries, with Russia, Brazil, Europe and the United States as key markets.

In 2019, the Group posted consolidated IFRS revenue of RUB 114,835 million (USD 1,774 million) and net profit of RUB 24,786 million (USD 383 million). Acron's shares are on the Level 1 quotation list of the Moscow Exchange and its global depositary receipts are traded at the London Stock Exchange (ticker AKRN). Acron employs around 11,000 people.

For more information about Acron Group, please visit www.acron.ru/en.
The annual upriver migration of Pacific wild salmon--integral to B.C.'s coastal ecosystem--is an important sustenance source for numerous animal species and a vital economic and cultural lifeline for Indigenous and other communities.

But salmon populations are increasingly at risk due to climate change and growing toxicity in ocean and river waters, making it essential to find more effective ways to monitor their population.

Genome BC will fund new research at Simon Fraser University involving the use of Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology as a more efficient way of monitoring salmonids, as they return from the ocean to journey upriver to their natal streams to spawn.

The study is being led by SFU biology professor Vicki Marlatt, together with the Gitanyow Fisheries Authority's head fisheries biologist Mark Cleveland. The researchers will use eDNA samples to quantify upriver migration of the five species of Pacific salmon passing fish fences installed in the Kitwanga River.

Marlatt, who oversees the eDNA Lab at SFU will work with Cleveland's team to design the field sampling regime for water collections and flow. The data gathered from these samples will be used to compare eDNA salmon counts with the more labour-intensive human salmon fish counts to determine which method is more effective.

Counting salmon using eDNA

e-DNA--a low-cost and non-invasive option--is increasingly being used by researchers for sample collection and species monitoring.

Varying amounts of eDNA are found in the skin, scales, or waste shed by salmon into their surrounding environment. These samples have a relatively short life span, but can help detect the presence or absence of the salmon through the presence of species specific eDNA, says Marlatt.

Why it matters

Marlatt explains that the human count method for counting salmon works well, but requires labor-intensive human counters and less frequently, sonar, resulting in limited counting across streams in Canada.

"Additionally, to count spawning salmonids one must construct a fence that spans an entire river to prevent passage of salmon, except through single narrow gates, so that a human observer can count and identify the species," she says.

"This is costly to construct and operate, thus alternatives to these labour-intensive, high-cost methods would allow more rivers to be monitored for salmon abundance, and this is where testing eDNA for salmon enumeration comes in."

If successful, the use of eDNA can be expanded for wider commercial use across B.C.'s fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

###

The research is funded through Genome BC's Sector Innovation Program, which aims to support projects that will address the needs of each key sector and have the potential to generate social, environmental and economic benefits for British Columbia in the future.
The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has finally bowed to pressure from jobseeking Kenyan youth and waived the Ksh.1,000 compliance certificate fee for non-beneficiaries.

In a public notice issued on Thursday, HELB CEO Charles Ringera announced that the issuance of the document to non-beneficiaries is free effective July 15.

HELB has been issuing compliance certificates to non-beneficiaries of student loans at a fee of Ksh. 1,000 to defray the cost of the certificate and other administrative expenses, the notice read in part.

However, during various stakeholder engagements where HELB seeks feedback on citizen service delivery, it has repeatedly come to our attention that the charges for non-loanee compliance certificate are perceived to be punitive, especially to the many unemployed youth who did not benefit from the student loans.

Mr Ringera noted that Kenyan youth had complained of unemployment difficulties, slow economic growth and a rising cost of living amid retrenchments and downsizing affecting all sectors in the wake of the coronavirus.

He said the waiver is aimed at motivating Kenyan youth to seek jobs and opportunities to contribute towards nation-building as well as to create goodwill and promotion of HELB products among Kenyans.

The HELB Compliance Certificates will now be free of charge and can be accessed from the HELB website as well as the e-Citizen portal.
H-1B visa holders' spouses and dependents who are presently stranded in India will be given permission to travel back to the United States (US), the Trump administration said in an update.

They are exempted from the US government's June 22 decree that temporarily suspended employment-based visas because of the economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

What this essentially means is that if the principal beneficiary i.e., the H-1B visa holder is currently in the US, then his/her family who is outside the country can apply for H-1 visas and return to the country.

The executive order, signed by US President Donald Trump, suspended the entry of those holding H-1B, L-1, and other temporary work permit visas to the country until December 31, 2020. The move was part of the US government's efforts to curb immigration and help boost local employment in the country.

Also Read: H-1B visa ban: Nasscom unhappy with Trump's work visa freeze

But the Trump administration has tweaked the order allowing spouses and dependents of these visa holders to enter the US, The Economic Times reported.

However, as per the updated proclamation, anyone holding an H-1B, H4, J1, and H2A visa who did not have a valid visa as of June 24 would not be permitted to travel to the country until December 31.

Furthermore, those who want to apply for the said visas can do so only when the US Embassy and consulates open in India.

They have been closed since March following a government-imposed lockdown in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The US Embassy and consulates in India haven't reopened yet and are presently not processing any visa applications.

Also Read: Donald Trump suspends H1B, H4 visas for rest of 2020

As per the exemption list issued by the US government, only certain H and J visa applicants will be given exemption from the ban. The state will only allow those "traveling to work in support of a critical U.S. foreign policy objective (such as COVID-19 response) and/or traveling at the request of the U.S. government", according to the the news report.

The proclamation was amended soon after a US law firm, Wasden Banias, filed a lawsuit on behalf of 174 Indians challenging the travel ban order. Over 1,000 people are currently stuck in India due to the embassy closures in March and subsequent international travel ban to boot.
International students contribute $41 billion to the economy in the United States (US). They have also just forced the Donald Trump administration to rescind an order that would have led to the deportation of those among them enrolled in colleges offering online classes only for the upcoming fall semester.

It was a rare retreat for an administration that prides itself in its pertinacity. The students, a large percentage of whom are from India, did not fight back themselves. They couldnt. Their colleges did for them, led by Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

But they fought as much for their students as for themselves. Full tuition-paying foreign students are critical for their financial well-being. And, of course, they are super-talented  some of them have gone on to found iconic companies such as Tesla and Moderna, the pharmaceutical firm that leads the worldwide race for a vaccine to beat the coronavirus. Thats their clout, and, together with strategically opportune assistance from other quarters, it saw them through this most unexpected crisis.

But the July 6 directive by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency left students shaken as never before. It caught them at the most vulnerable point in their lives as foreign students. Thousands of miles from home, they were trying to deal with the deadliest pandemic the world had faced in 100 years, with all its insecurities and uncertainties.

After the original order, international students could think and talk of nothing else. Would they be impacted? How badly? Would they have to choose a course because it would help them academically or because it would help them stay in the country, in compliance with the directive? These were not choices they had prepared to make, and, mercifully, they wont have to now.

But there may be more coming. The administration has reportedly been planning to either substantially curtail or suspend a popular programme that allows international students to stay back on their student visa and work for one to three years, known as Optional Practical Training (OPT). This is considered to be a stepping stone to an H-1B and, eventually, a Green Card. More than 223,000 graduates remained under this programme in the 2018-19 academic year.

The administration plans to package the suspension with a more expansive executive order on immigration, which is due for an announcement any day now, as indicated by Trump several times recently.

It will be touted as a temporary measure, meant to ensure Americans have the first shot at any and all jobs that become available as the economy emerges from the crushing impact of Covid-19. It is the same underlying logic used for suspending Green Cards in April and all non-immigrant work visas in June, including H-1B and L-1, the two most popular types with Indians and Indian firms. And all of this may not be temporary.

The views expressed are personal
TeamViewer announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ubimax, the leader in Wearable Computing and Augmented Reality (AR) solutions for the frontline workforce. With this acquisition, TeamViewer will significantly expand its AR and Internet of Things (IoT) offering with industry-specific solutions for enterprise customers. These products provide substantial process improvements and productivity gains for all customers, including many international blue-chip companies. With Ubimax, the TAMs size will increase by EUR 10 billion to EUR 40 billion in 2023. The combination will also accelerate the TAMs annual growth rate (CAGR) from 24% to 27% driven by strong growth of the AR market.

Oliver Steil, CEO of TeamViewer, said, We are very excited by this strategically important acquisition  the first transaction in TeamViewers history. Together with Ubimax, we will create the global leader in connectivity solutions and industrial workplace technology. Our joint product portfolio will offer enterprise customers a unique one-stop shop for securely connecting devices, workers and processes in numerous industries. We warmly welcome the Ubimax founders and the whole team at TeamViewer, as we truly share a hands-on mentality and a culture of innovation.

Hendrik Witt, CEO and co-founder of Ubimax, said: We are very much looking forward to joining TeamViewers successful journey. Ubimaxs leading Augmented Reality platform and our proven experience in industrial workflow integration perfectly complement TeamViewers product portfolio. Together with my founding partners Jan Junker und Percy Stocker we are very pleased to become members of the TeamViewer family and to jointly drive use case expansion and global growth.

Ubimax serves more than 200 enterprise customers around the globe

Founded 2014 in Bremen, Ubimax provides an AR-based one-stop shop to its customers. Ubimaxs leading solutions allow industrial workers to wear IT at work which leads to significant efficiency gains and process improvements. Its portfolio includes the industrial AR software platform Frontline, wearable computing devices and consultancy services. The Frontline product suite is like a toolbox for non-office workers: It helps them in their actual tasks, such as order picking in a warehouse, by visualizing concrete instructions and information on the smart glass and thus improving productivity. At the same time, the solution enables enterprise customers to manage their workflows and communicate with their frontline workers. Ubimaxs more than 90 employees across offices in Germany, the US and Mexico sell these products to around 200 enterprise customers across different industries worldwide.

Building on success of TeamViewer Pilot

Together with Ubimax, TeamViewer will be able to further expand its offering to enterprise customers and support the digitalization of shop floors with wearable computing devices, tailor-made software and applications. The acquisition enables TeamViewer to accelerate the development of new industry-specific use cases, focusing on Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence. The new offering will build on the strong traction of TeamViewer Pilot, an AR solution with intuitive usability for mobile phones and tablets. Additionally, Ubimaxs broad customer base especially amongst international blue-chip companies, such as Deutsche Post DHL, BMW or Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, will provide TeamViewer with new business opportunities in its enterprise segment. Ubimax will continue its strategic partnerships, especially with Fielmann, enabling Ubimax to offer individual prescription lenses in smart glasses with Ubimax software.
Despite having symptoms of COVID-19, two Missouri hairstylists who continued to attend to clients tested positive for COVID-19, yet none of their 139 clients have caught the virus.

COVID-19 is known to be easily spread through respiratory droplets and fomites or inanimate objects where the virus thrives, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Thus, many people are wondering how the spread of infection was avoided in setting where the stylists who tested positive had physical contact with almost all their clients but has spread the disease to nobody.

How It Happened

To answer the questions, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a case report. It was stated in the report that the spread of the virus inside the shop where the stylists worked was avoided due to the fact that everyone inside the shop wore masks.

In addition, the CDC noted that both the stylists and the customers followed the imposed policy in the salon which asked everyone to wear masks. This is also in accordance with the ordinance by the local City of Springfield which recommended that during haircuts masks should be worn by both client and stylist.

According to The New York Times, the stylists continued to work for eight days from the onset of symptoms on the first stylists until they got their results back. Health officials called out the stylists for doing so saying that they should not have worked during those times in order to avoid spreading the disease.

Read also: Fact Check: Does Wearing Face Mask Causes Oxygen Deficiency?

After this, the officials traced all the customers that the two have served during that period. They were then closely monitored and tested. Thus, it came out as a pleasant surprise that none of the customers seemed to have contracted the virus.

In a statement by Toronto General Hospital's Dr. Isaac Bogoch who is a specialist on infectious diseases, the incident in Missouri proves what is already known and what the medical professionals have reiterated, which is " masks are very helpful in preventing the spread of COVID-19."

Dr. Bogoch also stated that he believes that the key element that protected the clients from catching the virus from the hairdressers is that both the stylists were wearing masks. He also emphasized that in order to help prevent the virus from being passed on to others it is recommended that people wear masks. However there has been little evidence that supports that wearing masks protects one from being infected, Global Times CA reported.

Despite this, with everyone in the salon wearing masks, it also helped prevent the spread of the disease from customers who were possibly infected to the others.

Health experts have recommended wearing masks since the pandemic erupted. However, many people have opposed doing so, not believing the claims that masks can protect them from the virus. This particular case proves that the recommendation of the experts has been right all along and that following the advice of professionals may be what will save everyone from the pandemic.

Related article: Cloth Face Masks Offer Zero Protection From Virus, Study Shows

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A pandemic, a lawsuit and an industry struggling for survival: It is a very different Houston Restaurant Weeks (HRW) this year.

The annual fundraiser launched its website Friday, featuring specially priced prix-fixe menus at around 200 participating Houston-area restaurants available from Aug. 1 through Sept. 7.

Each participating restaurant will donate $1 per meal, including dine-in selections and newly added takeout and delivery options, to the Houston Food Bank.

In 2019, more than 250 area restaurants were part of HRW, with each making a $3 to $7 donation per meal to the food bank.



But this year, the pandemic economy has taken a toll on the unemployment rate, causing an increase in the need for food donations from the food bank, and on the struggling restaurant industry, currently operating at 50 percent capacity.

Even so, Houston Food Bank president and CEO Brian Greene told the Houston Chronicle he proposed a zero-dollar donation from participating restaurants for 2020.

Greene said he wanted to ensure that as many restaurants as possible remain in business through the pandemic so that, in the future, they'll be in a better position to make donations for Houston Restaurant Weeks. The restaurant community, however, encouraged the $1 donation.



Since its inception in 2003, HRW has been overseen by its founder, Cleverley Stone, who died May 28 of uterine cancer. Her daughter Katie Stone has taken over the helm, HRW announced in June.



Shortly thereafter, Katie Stone filed a lawsuit at Harris County District Court against Houston web design and marketing firm Astoundz, which built the restaurant weeks website and has operated it free of charge for 14 years, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Court documents show that Katie Stone sought a restraining order against Astoundz from operating and altering the site. She also asked that the company turn over login and password information. While Astoundz acknowledged that Cleverley Stone owned the domain name for the website, the company said Katie Stone has no right to, ownership of, or interest in Astoundzs copyrighted code and databases.



The parties came to an agreement on Wednesday and the lawsuit has been dropped, representatives for Astoundz, HRW and the Houston Food Bank told the Houston Chronicle.



HRW has raised more than $16.6 million for the Houston Food Bank since its first year.
A bill the Massachusetts House passed on Thursday would establish criminal and civil penalties for the practice of female genital mutilation.

The bill (H 4606) would set a penalty of up to five years in state prison, or a fine of up to $10,000 and up to two and a half years in a county jail for anyone who knowingly commits female genital mutilation on someone under age 18.

Anyone who knowingly transports a person under the age of 18 within the commonwealth or knowingly sends such person out of the commonwealth for a female genital mutilation (FGM) procedure would be subject to the same penalty.

Victims would also be able to pursue civil actions. Bills have been filed for years on Beacon Hill to establish penalties for FGM, a practice the World Health Organization says is a violation of human rights and has been conducted on more than 200 million girls and women alive today, for a variety of sociocultural factors.

In June, the advocacy group End FGM Today said Massachusetts was one of 12 states that had not outlawed female genital mutilation, which it described as one of the most brutal gender-based acts of violence against little girls.

Fifty-eight countries have banned FGM, the group said. The bill the House passed also would task the commissioner of public health with developing and administering a program of education for the prevention of practice female genital mutilation, with information about health risks and emotional trauma inflicted by the practice of female genital mutilation, as well as the criminal penalties for committing female genital mutilation.
The Deer Park Chamber of Commerces annual Salute to Education, set for Aug. 6, offers a chance for the community to express appreciation for some people taking on a challenging job during tough times.

Its an opportunity for city businesses to promote their name while celebrating the arrival of the many new teachers who have been hired for the upcoming school year.

Here are some of the ways the Deer Park community can reach out and help those new arrivals through the event, which will not be held in person.

For $25 each, sponsorships are available to cover lunch for a new teacher.

For $100, a business can provide five new teacher lunches as a way to help sponsor the Salute to Education.

For $2,000 (one available), a business can become a major sponsor to new teacher bags.

For $250 (six available), a business can become a minor sponsor.

In addition, businesses are being asked to donate promotional items that will be put in those teacher bags. The sky is almost the limit on those kind of ideas. There will be a quantity of 125 bags.

Theres also the opportunity for businesses to donate a door prize for a new teacher to win. That too is limited by only ones creativity.

If one needs additional information, such as how this years event will be conducted since it wont be an in-person event, they are welcome to call the chamber at 281-479-1559. Again, that date is Aug. 6.

The Deer Park Chamber of Commerce has announced that Paula Moorhaj (pronounced Moor-hodge) has been selected as the chambers new president and CEO.

For the last 4 years, she had been the executive director of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, meeting such challenges as increasing membership and assuring that Dayton-area events became successful ventures.

Moorhaj holds an associate degree in business development from San Jacinto College and a bachelors degree in business management from LaSalle University.

I look forward to working alongside the talented staff and Board of Directors to continue to carry out the Chambers important mission of enhancing the economic vitality of its members and the quality of life in Deer Park, Moorhaj said in a statement on the chambers website.

According to the latest Deer Park police departments statistics, we have seven locations that are described as the most frequent spots for vehicle accidents.

On the list are the 3600 block of Center Street at Pasadena Boulevard, the 3700 block of Center at Hilshire, the 4900 block of East Boulevard and the 5600 block of Texas 225 near Center Street.

Additional sites on the list are the 6500 block of that highway near the East Boulevard overpass is on the list, the 4500 block of Center Street at Lambuth and the 100 block of Center near Railroad Ave.

Based on this list, be very careful as you drive along Center Street.

What a difference a year makes. Last July, the city was preparing to host its first international softball tournament at its revitalized Deer Park Softball Complex. In a couple of age divisions, we even had squads from Mexico in town, pursuing those titles.

It was a terrific time as action unfolded on multiple fields, including brand-new diamonds. The trees surrounding the concession stand acted as a terrific defense system against the July sun, and an Italian ice vendor drew many fans. And finally, no doubt the tournament gave the citys economic scene a shot in the arm. There was even discussion that the 2020 tournament was going to grow by adding another age bracket.

Courtesy of COVID-19, it all became a moot point.

I was out at the complex on the evening of July 13, watching a team prepare for an out-of-town tournament and I just couldnt help think of the contrast. As the setting sun dipped below those trees, it was so peaceful and quiet, two words that shouldnt have been used to describe the Deer Park Softball Complex in mid-July.

ravery@hcnonline.com
Summer Reading Challenge launched today aiming to get children reading six books over the holidays

This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 17th, 2020

The Summer Reading Challenge will be launched in Wales today by the Education Minister and the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism.

The annual Challenge aims to get children between the ages of 4 and 11 to read six books over the summer holidays.

This years Challenge sees a shift to a new bilingual digital platform, supported by library e-lending services, online events and links to existing digital resources. The challenge includes both English and Welsh-medium books.

The theme of the Challenge this year is Silly Squad and will celebrate funny books, happiness and laughter. Children taking part in the Challenge will join the Silly Squad, an adventurous team of animals who love to have a laugh and get stuck into all sorts of funny books!

Last year, more than 37,000 children from across Wales took part in the Challenge. Over 3,000 children joined libraries as new members, and 33,000 children took part in library events.

The Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, said: As a book lover myself, I know what a great pleasure it is to read over the holidays.

Each year, thousands of children join libraries because of the Summer Reading Challenge, which is a really good way to develop reading skills, discover new authors and gain a lifelong passion for books.

The Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Dafydd Elis-Thomas, said: Im really pleased the Welsh Government can support libraries with this years Challenge. The scheme has become an annual event for many children, who look forward to taking part every year.

Id like to thank all of the library staff involved in making the Summer Reading Challenge such a success in Wales.

Nicola Pitman Chair of the Society of Chief Librarians Wales, said: Libraries in Wales now have their biggest ever range of eBooks, comics and magazines to download, and this years Summer Reading Challenge is set to really help young readers and parents maximise opportunities to engage with fun topics and stories.

Click & Collect services are also coming into place across the country to help access library books safely during this time. With a new-look website offering lots of great resources, ideas and incentives, we love how easy it is to sign up online and get started. Were looking forward to everyone getting silly and joining the Summer Reading Challenge squad.

Karen Napier, Chief Executive Officer of The Reading Agency, said: Were thrilled to be developing a bilingual Welsh/ English Summer Reading Challenge digital platform, which will be ready for families to enjoy from mid-July.

The Reading Agency are committed to ensuring the proven power of reading is accessible for all. Im looking forward to public libraries and families in Wales taking part in the Challenge and having a seriously silly summer!

Chief Executive of the Books Council of Wales, Helgard Krause, said:

Nurturing and encouraging reading is more important at this time than ever before. Research clearly shows that picking up a book is not only good for our mental health and wellbeing  it also helps to strengthen and reinforce childrens language and educational skills. Good luck and enjoyment to everyone involved in this years Summer Reading Challenge.

Further information can be found on the Summer Reading Challenge website:

https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/
A drunk officer who sexually assaulted a future Sandhurst Military Academy cadet has been sacked from the Army and branded a 'predator'.

Captain Dominic Moore, 30, attacked the woman at a formal Army dinner being hosted by fellow officers from the Scotland-based Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

The court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, heard Cptn Moore pulled the woman into toilets, sexually assaulted her and tried to kiss her on the lips.

Captain Dominic Moore, 30, sexually assaulted a future Sandhurst Military Academy cadet and has been sacked from the Army and branded a 'predator'

She reported the incident to another officer and Capt Moore, of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, was charged with sexual assault.

He denied the offence but was convicted by a court martial board after a trial earlier this year.

At a sentencing hearing, the board heard the offence had affected the victim's personal relationships.

William Peters, prosecuting, said knowledge of the incident had circulated among other military personnel after she later joined the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

'She was humiliated by one of the directing staff and shunned by her colleagues and they operated on the basis she made a false complaint,' he told the court.

'This left her hurt, vulnerable and alone. She took time off for stress as a direct result of this incident.'

Capt Moore joined the Army six years ago and was predicted a promising military career as he spoke Arabic and had studied Farsi at university.

Assistant Judge Advocate General Alistair McGrigor said: 'In the context of a social situation you behaved opportunistically and had a complete lack of regard for sexual boundaries'. Pictured: Bulford Military Court Centre

He had also volunteered for UK special forces selection, which was on hold pending the outcome of these proceedings, the court heard.

Natasha Wong QC, defending, urged the board to impose a reduction in rank rather than dismissal.

'He has suffered the shame of being accused and convicted of a sexual offence,' she said.

'That for a man of 30 with a promising career and otherwise exceptional talent and background is deeply serious and akin to a sentence itself.'

Miss Wong said character references in support of Capt Moore had spoken of a 'man who is worthy of remaining within the service'.

The court martial board dismissed Capt Moore from the Army. Pictured: Bulford Military Court Centre

'It is something that he is going to have to face for the rest of his life - nothing can take away the shame,' she said.

'To take away his valuable role and take away his reason for living - to be in the armed forces - is in my submission wholly out of proportion to the circumstances of the conviction.'

Miss Wong said that if Capt Moore was dismissed from the Army it would be 'a terrible loss to this country'.

'Everybody knows of this case and the shame which is already stamped on his head is not going to go away,' she added.

Passing sentence, Assistant Judge Advocate General Alistair McGrigor said Capt Moore had initially flirted with the woman before 'monopolising' her.

'As the host, your behaviour towards a civilian was predatory. She was a guest and should be protected from such behaviour,' he said.

'You are clearly a good and useful officer when on regular duties. In the context of a social situation you behaved opportunistically and had a complete lack of regard for sexual boundaries.

'This matter is too serious for a reduction in rank. This behaviour is not compatible with service life.'

The court martial board dismissed Capt Moore from the Army.
Mumbai, July 17 : In a bizarre development, a smitten Maharashtra youth was apprehended by the Border Security Force from near the Pakistan border in Gujarat when he was trying to cross over into the neighbouring country to meet his sweetheart, an official said here on Friday.

Zishan M. Salimuddin Siddiqui, 20, hailing from Maharashtra's Osmanabad, had been reported missing by his parents sometime ago.

The Maharashtra Police routinely informed the police in Kutch region's Balasar, his native place in Gujarat, and they, in turn, alerted the BSF.

Using technological means, the police managed to zero in on Siddiqui's mobile location which was near Dholavira village in Kutch, and informed the BSF.

The BSF troopers also recovered a black motorcycle bearing a Maharashtra registration licence plate which he used to travel to his native place and later abandoned before the India-Pakistan border area.

Siddiqui was found by the BSF in the border area in a highly dehydrated state, along with different identification papers like PAN card, Aadhaar card, an ATM card and his mobile.

He told the BSF that he had fallen love with a Pakistani girl (Samra), living in Shah Faisal Town near Karachi with whom he had come in contact via Facebook.

He further claimed that he was going to meet her in Pakistan and took help of Google Maps for navigation, but had fallen unconscious for a couple of hours in the desert, before he was apprehended, barely 1.5 km away from the border in the Rann of Kutch.

"The youth has been handed over to the Gujarat Police for further investigations and verification of his story," said a Maharashtra Police official, but no further details were given.
TORONTO, July 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Claren Energy Corp. (Claren or the Company) (TSX-V: CEN) announces that it has entered into an Share Purchase Agreement (Agreement) with Lalea Energy B.V. (Lalea) to acquire its 100% participating interest in the Bobocu Production License, (Bobocu), onshore Romania



Under the terms of the Agreement, Lalea will assume the remaining contractual obligations with the Romanian government through the acquisition of 100% of Claren Operations Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Claren. In consideration of which, Lalea will grant Claren an Overriding Royalty of 5% on produced gas during the economic field life of Bobocu. Lalea is committed to producing first gas within two years after the signing of the Agreement.

We are pleased with Laleas commitment to develop the Bobocu gas field, stated Henry Aldorf, Clarens Chairman and CEO. Claren and its shareholders will be able to participate in the upside of any gas production via our overriding royalty.

Closing of the Transaction is subject to a number of customary conditions including, but not limited to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Claren Energy Corp.

Claren Energy Corp. is an oil and gas company that has a (100%) participating interest in the Bobocu Production License, onshore Romania. Its common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "CEN".

For more information please contact:

Claren Energy Corp.

Mark Lawson

T: +1 647 302 0393

Email: mark@lawson.net

This news release contains forward-looking information relating to Claren's intentions to conduct the drilling programs and other statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking information is subject to important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is currently expected, for example: risks related to oil and gas exploration, development, exploitation, production, marketing and transportation, loss of markets, volatility of commodity prices, currency fluctuations, competition from other producers, inability to retain drilling rigs and other services, reliance on key personnel, and insurance risks.. Findings by other oil and gas issuers does not necessarily indicate that Claren will be successful in making such findings in Australia and Romania. In making such forward-looking statements, Claren has relied upon certain assumptions relating to geological settings, commodity prices, the stability of markets and currencies and the availability of capital to Claren in order to continue with the seismic and drilling programs. You should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While Claren may elect to, Claren is under no obligation and does not undertake to update this information at any particular time, except as required by applicable securities law. 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.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the government's foreign policy, saying that under the Modi dispensation India's major partnerships are stronger, international standing higher and it engages China on more equal terms politically.

"Pakistan (that you skipped) surely notes the difference between Balakot and Uri on the one hand, and Sharm-el-Sheikh, Havana and 26/11 on the other. Ask yourself," Jaishankar said, attacking Gandhi over his comments.

Jaishankar's no-holds-barred attack on Gandhi came after the former Congress chief, in a video message posted on Twitter, hit out at the government saying that over the last six years, India has been "disturbed and disrupted" with regard to its foreign policy and economy.

Gandhi shared his thoughts on why did China chose to be aggressive now and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "indiscretions" have weakened the country and left it vulnerable.

"Rahul Gandhi has questions on Foreign Policy. Here are some answers: Our major partnerships are stronger and international standing higher. Witness regular summits and informal meetings with US, Russia, Europe and Japan. India engages China on more equal terms politically. Ask the analysts," Jaishankar said in a series of tweets in which he made a point-by-point rebuttal of Gandhi's criticism and tagged his video.



ALSO READ | PM Modi's constant blunders have weakened India and left us vulnerable: Rahul Gandhi

India speaks its mind more openly now on issues such as China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China's Belt and Road initiative, South China Sea and UN-sanctioned terrorists, he said, adding, "ask the media".

"And some facts on our neighbourhood: The Hambantota Port agreement between Sri Lanka and China was concluded in 2008. Ask those who dealt with it...Difficult ties with Maldives, after India watched President Nasheed being toppled in 2012, now stand transformed. Ask our business," he said.

On Bangladesh, Jaishankar said a settled land boundary in 2015 which opens path to more development and transit.

#Afghanistan sees completed projects (Salma Dam, Parliament), expanded training and serious connectivity.



Ask the Afghan street.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 17, 2020

"Terrorists no longer find safe haven there. Ask our security," he said.

"Nepal after 17 years is getting Prime Ministerial visits. And a swathe of developmental projects: power, fuel, housing, hospital, roads, etc. Ask their citizens," Jaishankar said, highlighting strengthening of India's ties with neighbours.

Bhutan finds a stronger security and development partner and unlike in 2013, they don't worry about their cooking gas, he asserted, referring to the row over cooking gas with that country under the UPA rule.

Ask the households in Bhutan, he added.

Afghanistan sees completed projects -- Salma Dam and Parliament, expanded training and serious connectivity, Jaishankar said, adding that ask the Afghan street.

On India's foreign policy, Gandhi said the country had relationships with multiple countries and it used to share a strategic partnership with the US.

India also had a relationship with Russia and Europe and they used to help it manoeuvre in the world, he said.

"Today...we have a transactional relationship with the United States. We have disturbed our relationship with the Russians. We have a transactional relationship with Europe," he alleged.

He claimed that in the neighbourhood all countries, other than Pakistan, had been working with India and partnered with it in the past.

Gandhi alleged that today Nepalese are angry, Sri Lankans have given a port to the Chinese, Maldives is disturbed and so is Bhutan.
Force Majeure and its importance during a pandemic explained by Justice Pratibha Singh

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 17: As the entire nation continues to battle this deadly pandemic called COVID-19, everything remains restricted. Businesses are facing losses, tenants are unable to pay rents owing to lockdowns and finances becoming scarce.

As per Section 37 of the Indian Contract Act of 1872, parties to a contract must either perform or offer to perform their respective promises, unless such performance is such performance is dispensed with or excused under the provisions of this Act or any other law.

In view of this situation, Justice Pratibha M Singh, judge, Delhi High Court spoke at a webinar organised by advocate J Ravindran on the subject, "Force Majeure in Commercial and Tenancy Disputes."

Force majeure a French term means superior force. Black's Law Dictionary defines it as an event or effect that can be neither anticipated nor controlled. The term includes both acts of nature such as floods and also acts of people such as war or strikes.

Justice Singh said that the legal profession has seen a lot of changes owing to this pandemic. Many have started thinking of drawing up a will even. We see people being more introspective and are even valuing the time spent with their families.

Let us only not think of the negatives of the pandemic. Let us think of the positives as well as it has given us an opportunity to sit and think about what we want from our lives, Justice Singh also said.

In these times, Force Majeure plays an important part. Questions about whether a tenant should be made to pay or not will arise. In these times, the tenant and the landlord should sit and talk and resolve the problem. There are also bigger issues in commercial contracts and in such times, the Force Majeure plays a big role, Justice Singh also said.

Why Force Majeure plays a big role in these times is because there are very many issues that are not in control of the parties.

In the malls there are many who have taken shops on lease. There are minimum gurantees these people have to pay. In such cases, the mall owners and the tenant should negotiate if there is no Force Majeure clause in the contract, the Delhi High Court judge also said.

If there is no Force Majeure clause, can the courts step in. If the tenancy is based on an oral contract, then he can go away. But as long as the tenant is in occupation, then the payment has to be done.

We also need to look at the contractual provision. Section 32 of the Indian Contract Act provides, if there is an impossibility or contingency, then that cannot be enforced until the event has happened. If, the event has happened, then the contract becomes void. If he cannot pay, then he cannot keep the contract, Justice Singh also explained. She further said that the tenant cannot continue to retain the premises and then evoke the Force Majeure clause.

In commercial establishments, if a tenant cannot use a property, he cannot enjoy the property and also seek suspension of the property. Justice Singh cited a Delhi High Court judgment, where the tenant moved the court stating that owing to the pandemic, he cannot pay rent as he was not using the property. The court observed that rent has to be paid as long as the property has not been given up.

However Justice Singh continued to emphasise that there would be several challenges during these times and both the owner and tenant must negotiate and sort out the issues.

In the Energy Watchdog vs CERC, the Supreme Court had held that the force majeure clause does not exhaust the possibility of unforeseen events occurring outside natural and/or non - natural events. But the thrust of their argument was really that so long as their performance is hindered by an unforeseen event, the clause applies.

In this case, the court stated the following:

-When the contract contains an express or implied term according to which the performance of the contract would stand discharged in certain circumstances (force majeure clause), the dissolution of the contract would take place under the terms of the contract itself and it shall be covered under Section 32 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872.

-When the contract does not contain a clause as referred to in point i) above, frustration of the contract shall take place de hors the contract and shall be governed by Section 56 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872.

-The word "impossible" has not been used in Section 56 in the sense of physical or literal impossibility. The performance of act may not be literally impossible but it may be impracticable and useless from the point of view of the object and purpose of the parties.

Justice Singh also spoke about the recent judgment of the Delhi High Court in the M/s Halliburton Offshore Services Inc. v. Vedanta Limited. The court said in this case, "the country wide lockdown, which came into place on 24th March 2020, was, in my opinion, prima facie in the nature of force majeure. Such a lockdown is unprecedented, and was incapable of having been predicted, either by the respondent or the petitioner."

The court said that the below factors are to be taken into consideration to determine, whether Force Majeure clause is attracted or not.

Whether a contract contains force majeure clause or not?

-If the contract contains Force Majeure clause, Section 32 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 is attracted. A party which successfully establishes the force majeure clause is relieved of its obligations to perform its obligations under the contract during the time the supervening Force Majeure event subsists, the performance of the obligations under the contract are suspended and is relieved of its liability to pay damages for breach of contract.

Invoking Force Majeure clause could result in the right to the other party to terminate a contract if the Force Majeure event lasts longer than a particular period as stipulated in the contract.

-If the contract does not contain Force Majeure clause, Section 56 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 is attracted.

During the webinar, Justice Singh was asked what a tenant would have to do if he or she is temporarily disposed owing to the lockdown, which was enforced by the authorities. Justice Singh said if there is no provision in the contract, he has to give up the shop. When a person is running a shop, he knows there are risks. In such a situation, it would be better for the party and owner to negotiate. Justice Pratibha Singh also said that in contractual law, the contract is supreme.
President Trump's niece has some harsh criticism of his erratic and "dangerous" behavior  and everyone else who helped him get there.

Mary Trump's memoir, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man, paints a damaging picture of Trump's upbringing and rise to power, and has become an immediate bestseller based on preorders alone. And when discussing the book with The Washington Post's Ashley Parker, Mary Trump was not afraid to name names and assign blame.

Mary Trump blames Fred Trump, her grandfather and the president's father, "almost 100 percent" for Trump's beliefs and ultimate election. A clinical psychologist, she describes Fred Trump as a "sociopath" who led a family full of "a knee-jerk anti-Semitism, a knee-jerk racism." "Growing up, it was sort of normal to hear them use the n-word or use anti-Semitic expressions, she added.

It was Fred Trump who raised the president to have "an unerring instinct for finding people who are weaker than he is," while also somehow being "eminently usable by people who are stronger and savvier than he is," Mary Trump continued. But while Fred Trump was the president's "chief enabler," Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner are largely to blame now that he's in the White House, the Post writes. They're just like Trump's "chiefs of staff who went along thinking that they could have some kind of influence, only to find that they didn't," Mary Trump said.

Read more from The Washington Post's interview with Mary Trump here.

More stories from theweek.com

Our time of dread

Unidentified federal agents in camo and rented minivans are grabbing people off Portland's streets

7 scathing cartoons about the push to reopen schools


The foreign ministry has urged overseas Vietnamese wishing to go home to be cautious and only rely on official channels to get tickets for repatriation flights.

Vietnamese citizens stranded in the UK helped with necessary procedures before the flight took off from Heathrow international airport, London, on July 12.

Spokesperson for Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang made the statement on Thursday during a press briefing held in Hanoi in response to questions over reports of many Vietnamese abroad falling victims to scams as they were desperate to get home as COVID-19 pandemic situation in many countries have worsened.

The foreign ministry has discussed the issue with the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, the main operator of the special repatriation flights, Hang said.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, when the Vietnamese Government started to organise repatriation flights to bring back stranded citizens, Vietnamese diplomatic missions overseas have announced on their websites detailed information and necessary registration procedures to secure seats on these limited flights, Hang said.

Vietnamese citizens wishing to go home must register with Vietnamese diplomatic missions in their host countries.

After consultation with Vietnamese domestic authorities, the missions will compile a list of eligible citizens for the flight and send emails to each successfully registered person with details on ticket purchase procedures, Hang added.

One piece of advice from us to all Vietnamese citizens abroad to safeguard their legitimate interests is that, should they wish to return to Vietnam, they should adhere to the guidance of the diplomatic missions in their host countries, and only purchase the tickets when they have received an email from the diplomatic missions saying that they could now purchase a flight ticket, Hang said.

She also urged Vietnamese citizens abroad to report scams so Vietnamese authorities can handle the issue.

Since March 22, Vietnam has sealed off its border to foreign arrivals as a result of the pandemic, with only a few exceptions applied, for example, returning Vietnamese and a limited number of highly-skilled foreign workers or foreign investors.

Also in a notice released the same day, Vietnam Airlines said all its genuine information is sent from emails ending with '@vietnamairlines.com' and citizens must not purchase the flights home from suspicious people or send money to personal banking accounts.

Flight details, ticket prices, payment manners and related information will be sent to eligible citizens from the diplomatic missions, the notice said.

Since April 10, 55 repatriation flights have been conducted, bringing home 13,323 Vietnamese citizens stranded overseas, the spokesperson said.

Vietnamese ministries and Vietnamese representatives overseas will continue to organise these flights, taking into account citizens requests and quarantine capacity in the country, Hang continued.

Under directives from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, priority will be given to the elderly, the sick, students without dormitories due to school closures or those who have completed their courses, labourers whose contracts have expired, or stranded tourists.

Vietnam's COVID-19 situation remains largely under control currently, with no new domestic community transmission cases for three months now and zero confirmed deaths so far. VNS
(Newser)  Archaeologists believe they've uncovered an ancient Egyptian propaganda campaign and in the process busted a millennia-old myth. It centers around the Hyksos, the first known people of foreign origin to rule ancient Egypt. They seized power from the pharaohs around 1638 BCE and ruled for a century. More than a millennia later, an Egyptian priest is said to have described the Hyksos as barbarous invaders, per Haaretz. From such claimsand depictions of the Hyksos wearing multicolored clothing as opposed to the white robes of a typical Egyptiansprung the legend of an invasion from the Near East. But a new study in PLOS ONE suggests nothing of the sort. An analysis of teeth from 75 people buried in the ancient Hyksos capital in the Nile Delta suggests the Hyksos weren't invaders but had been living in Egypt for generations before they rose to power.

story continues below

Some 24 of 36 individuals buried in the 350 years before the Hyksos seized power were foreign-born, per Science. Archaeologists say a similar ratio was seen in those buried after the Hyksos came to power. Based on these findings, Chris Stantis of Bournemouth University in the UK believes the Hyksos were Egyptian-born descendants of immigrants who took advantage of a period of unrest. "Rather than the old scholastic theories of invasion, we see more people, especially women, migrating to Egypt before Hyksos rule, suggesting economic and cultural changes leading to foreign rule rather than violence," Stantis says. More research is needed to determine the precise history of the Hyksos, a name that translates to "rulers of foreign lands." But experts say the idea makes sense as there's little evidence of fighting to signify an invasion of the capital of Tell el-Dab'a. (Read more ancient Egypt stories.)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Benin, Edo state, says it has arrested one Kenneth Gift, a student of the Un...





The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Benin, Edo state, says it has arrested one Kenneth Gift, a student of the University of Port Harcourt, for allegedly engaging in internet fraud.





In a statement on Thursday, Dele Oyewale, the commissions spokesperson, said the 22-year-old computer science undergraduate was arrested alongside Dandy Spice, his girlfriend, and Dorah Aninah, his mother, in Agbor, Delta state.





Oyewale said they were arrested following a petition received from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).





Kenneths girlfriend

Their arrest was sequel to a petition from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, and intelligence by operatives of the Commission, Oyewale said.





Items recovered from them at the point of arrest include a 5-bedroom duplex, Mercedes-Benz CA250, Mercedes-Benz C250, Mercedes Benz GLK 350, laptop computers and mobile phones.





The 5-bedroom duplex





The commission said the suspects have made their statements and they will be prosecuted.





The suspects have made useful statements and will be charged to court as soon as investigations are complete, the EFCC said.





One of the seized Mercedes-Benz cars
















A pet food manufacturer in Te Puke has been fined $132,000 after one of its workers suffered burns so serious she had to have the tips of three of her fingers amputated.

Addiction Food NZ Limited appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Wednesday after a WorkSafe investigation found the machine the company used to pack pet food with was not properly guarded.

In June 2018, a worker was attempting to change packing film stuck at the top of a machine when her fingers were crushed and burnt between large heat panels that were used to seal the film.

She suffered from third degree burns to her index finger, middle finger and thumb and they were eventually amputated above the middle joints.

WorkSafes Acting Chief Inspector Danielle Henry says the victim has sustained life changing injuries because the machine was not guarded to industry standards.

Prior to this incident, Addiction Food NZ Limited had received three improvement notices and one prohibition notice from WorkSafe relating to health and safety systems.

The issuing of four notices on other machinery in the workplace should have been a clear indication to Addiction Food NZ Limited that they needed to be completing full risk assessment of machinery before allowing workers to operate it.

Its highly disappointing that a company WorkSafe had seriously engaged with on multiple occasions still failed to take health and safety seriously, allowing its workers to operate dangerous machinery with no safe guarding.

Danielle says as well as failing to ensure the machine was adequately guarded, the WorkSafe investigation also found that the company had failed to ensure workers were properly trained and that health and safety documentation was clearly communicated to, and understood by workers.

WorkSafe had given this company a clear directive to get its health and safety in order. It did not take appropriate action and a worker has needlessly suffered for their laxness."
- NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, HONG KONG, JAPAN, SWITZERLAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA, OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS PRESS RELEASE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL, BE SUBJECT TO LEGAL RESTRICTIONS OR WOULD REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR OTHER MEASURES

STOCKHOLM, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eurobattery Minerals AB (NGM Nordic SME: "BAT"; "the Company") has completed the rights issue of units with subscription period from 29 June to 14 July 2020 (the "Rights issue"). The Rights issue has been oversubscribed and the Company will receive approximately SEK 47.3 million, before issue costs. The subscription price in the Rights issue was SEK 24.00 per unit, where a unit consists of two shares and one warrant. Approximately SEK 37.3 million, corresponding to approximately 78.9 per cent of the Rights issue, was subscribed for and allocated to investors that subscribed with unit rights. Approximately SEK 10.0 million, corresponding to approximately 21.1 per cent of the Rights issue, was subscribed for and allocated without unit rights. The outcome of the Rights issue means that no underwriting commitments will be claimed. The proceeds from the Rights issue has secured funding for continued mining operations in both the Corcel- and Hautalampi-projects and enables the Company to carry out feasibility studies for both projects.

Through the Rights issue the Company will receive approximately SEK 47.3 million of which approximately SEK 0.6 million is paid by setting off a claim against BAT by the Company's CEO. The number of shares will increase by 3,938,142 from 9,845,357 to 13,783,499 when the new shares are registered with the Swedish Companies Registration Office, while the share capital will increase by SEK 3,938,142 from SEK 9,845,357 to SEK 13,783,499. This corresponds to a dilution of approximately 28.6 per cent. When the registration has taken place, paid subscribed units (BTU) are converted into shares and warrants. A total of 1,969,071 warrants will be registered, which give the holder the right to subscribe for one new share in the Company per exercised warrant during the period 5-16 October 2020. If all warrants are exercised, this corresponds to a dilution of an additional 12.5 per cent.

Allocation of units subscribed for without unit rights has been carried out in accordance with the allocation principle stated in the prospectus, which was made in connection with the Rights issue and was published on 25 June 2020. Notice of allocation of units subscribed without unit rights will be sent to those allotted units today, 17 July 2020. The subscribed and allotted units must be paid for in cash and payment must be received by Aqurat Fondkommission AB no later than the settlement date, 22 July 2020, according to instructions on the settlement note. No message is sent to those that have not been allotted any units.

"We are committed to be the foundation of the battery value chain in Europe and it's great to see the big support we receive from current and new investors. With this capital raise we are able to accelerate our business strategy by shortening the time for us to become a producer of ethical and fully traceable battery minerals for the electric vehicle industry", says Roberto Garcia Martinez, CEO of Eurobattery Minerals.

Advisers

Augment Partners AB acted as financial adviser to the Company in the Rights issue. Bird & Bird Advokat KB acted as legal adviser to the Company.

This information is of the kind that the Company is required to disclose in accordance with the EU's Market Abuse Regulation. The information was issued for publication through the agency of the contact person set out above on 17 July, 2020 at 8:00 CEST.

Eurobattery Minerals in brief

Eurobattery Minerals is a mining and prospecting company focused on battery minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper and rare earth elements. Business activities and operations are conducted exclusively in Europe with a focus on Spain, Finland and northern Sweden. The company has two mining licenses and eight exploration licenses. The headquarters is located in Stockholm.

Augment Partners AB tel. +46-8-505-651-72, email: info@augment.se is Eurobattery Minerals' Mentor.

Important information

Publication or distribution of this press release may in some jurisdictions be subject to statutory and legal restrictions and persons in those jurisdictions where this press release has been published or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions. The information in this press release does not constitute an offer to acquire, subscribe or otherwise trade in shares or other securities in Eurobattery Minerals.

This press release does not constitute an offer to acquire securities in the United States. The securities mentioned herein may not be sold in the United States without registration in accordance with The Securities Act of 1933 or without the application of an exception to such registration. The information in this press release may not be released, published, reproduced or distributed in or to the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa, or any other country or jurisdiction where such action is not permitted or such action is subject to legal restrictions or would require further registration or other measures than required by Swedish law. Measures contrary to this instruction may constitute a breach of applicable securities laws.

For further information, please contact:

Roberto Garcia Martinez, CEO

Email: roberto@eurobatteryminerals.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/eurobattery-minerals-ab/r/eurobattery-minerals--rights-issue-subscribed-to-209-per-cent--the-company-will-receive-sek-47-3-mil,c3155613

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 01:08:58|Editor: huaxia

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OTTAWA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 26 flights have arrived in Canadian airports with confirmed COVID-19 cases onboard since June 29, the Canadian government said Friday.

The cases were reported among passengers on 10 domestic flights and 16 international flights.

The affected international flights came from Mexico City, Cancun, Zurich, Paris, Addis Ababa, Islamabad, Lahore, Qatar, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Detroit, and three flights from Charlotte in U.S. state of North Carolina.

Canadian police have been notified for follow-up in more than 21,000 cases where travelers arriving in Canada either could not be reached or showed "indication of non-compliance" with the mandatory 14-day quarantine rules, according to CTV.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed on Thursday that Canadian and U.S. officials had agreed to keep the border between the two countries closed to non-essential travel until Aug. 21.

As of Friday noon, Canada reported 109,516 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 8,835 deaths, according to CTV. Enditem
First spotted in the United States in 2014, bacterial leaf streak of corn is an emerging disease of corn that has now spread to ten states, including the top three corn-producing states of Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska.

"I can remember vividly walking into multiple corn fields in western Nebraska with an extension agent in the summer of 2016. Bacterial leaf streak could be seen in almost every field, and in several of these fields greater than 80% of plants were infected," said Kirk Broders, a plant pathologist at Colorado State University. "The scale and potential severity of this disease were evident, and it was clear to all involved that day we needed to respond quickly."

While bacterial leaf streak of corn has been a known threat in South Africa for over 70 years, it is very new to both North and South America.

"The only scientific information pertaining to this disease on maize came from work done in South Africa, which primarily investigated host range on other African crops, such as sugarcane and banana," Broders explained. "As a result, when the disease was first reported in the U.S. in 2014 and rapidly spread throughout corn-growing regions, the research community was left with very few answers regarding the basic biology of this disease."

As a result, Broders and his colleagues set out to synthesize all the current research on bacterial leaf streak of corn conducted on behalf of an international group of researchers over the last 5 years in response to the emergence of the disease in North and South America. Published in Phytopathology, their article summarizes the spread of the bacteria from South Africa, how it infects its host, what plant tissues it can infect, and where initial inoculum comes from at the beginning of each crop season.

"The most surprising discovery was finding that the bacteria was also present and widespread in Argentina," Broders said. "And that the strains of the bacteria in Argentina and the US are carrying a piece of DNA that was likely incorporated from another bacterial pathogen of sorghum through horizontal gene transfer."

The story of bacterial leaf streak of corn also emphasizes another important point: in an increasingly globalized world, novel plant pathogens can more easily spread and evolve, a fact that underscores the importance of a rapid collaborative response to limit crop loss. Broders hopes that this work will encourage this kind of collaboration and to demonstrate the growing importance of developing global surveillance of plant pathogens.

Read more in "Current Understanding of the History, Global Spread, Ecology, Evolution, and Management of the Corn Bacterial Leaf Streak Pathogen, Xanthomonas vasicola pv. Vasculorum," published in the June issue of Phytopathology, which features a Pathogen Spotlight series on bacterial leaf streak of corn containing seven articles.

###
Local residents from North Georgia and the Tennessee Valley will be gathering together to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the Fallen Five as well as showing support to law enforcement officers in the cities of East Ridge and Chattanooga, Hamilton County, and all the surrounding areas.

This event, United We Stand Stronger, Backing Our Blue, will be a positive and lawful gathering to show love and support for the men and women in uniform that protect and serve this community every day, said organizers.

The gathering will be held on Saturday at 6 p.m. at East Ridge Shopping Center in the parking lot at

6724 Ringgold Road.
The big picture: Apple has been looking to avoid the heated trade war between China and the US by diversifying its supply chain and manufacturing, and its main partners are mostly focused on India as the prime spot for that transition. In time, that could lead to market share gains, as high import fees have kept iPhone prices out of reach even for middle-class Indians.

Foxconn and Wistron already have several factories in India that are tasked with building older generation iPhones for the local market and the EU. According to a Bloomberg report, Pegatron -- who is the second-largest Apple contractor for iPhone manufacturing -- is now looking to set up its first plant in the country.

At this point, it's not clear where the new factory will be located, as company officials are currently exploring options with the Indian government. We only know that Pegatron recently registered a subsidiary in Chennai and intends to tackle production for the new iPhone SE, which is currently split 50-50 with Hon Hai (Foxconn).

Foxconn, too, is planning to invest $1 billion to expand its manufacturing capacity at its Sriperumbudur factory in southern India, 50 km from the factory that's making iPhone XR units for the European market. That move will add an estimated 6,000 jobs for Indians in the coming years.

India is pushing hard to become a full-fledged manufacturing hub on the same level as China. Last month, the Indian government approved a $6.6 billion plan to lure Big Tech into shifting a big chunk of their production capabilities into the country, where labor is relatively cheap. As the US-China trade war rages on, companies like Apple are now scrambling to reduce their reliance on the Chinese supply chain.

For Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in charge of the "Made in India" program, the ultimate goal is to gradually convince manufacturers to move their entire supply chain into the country. If all goes according to plan, India could be exporting $400 billion worth of consumer electronics per year by 2025.

In the meantime, the country has already seen a wave of investments from American tech giants. Most notably, Google and Facebook committed to investments of $4.5 billion and $5.7 billion, respectively, into India's largest telecom provider, Reliance Jio Platforms. Even retailers like Walmart see potential in the country, with a $1.2 billion investment into e-commerce giant Flipkart.
A fugitive nicknamed Rambo after he took weapons from police officers and went on the run has been arrested in Germanys Black Forest, authorities say.

Yves Rausch, 31, had disarmed four officers at gunpoint before fleeing into the 2,300 square mile woodland, police said, where he remained for five days before being caught.

Officers said four firearms were seized during the arrest.

An elite team of officers, helicopters, police with thermal detectors and sniffer dogs were deployed to find the man  who was reportedly discovered thanks to a tip-off from a postal worker, according to the German newspaper Bild.

On Sunday, police were alerted about a suspicious person carrying a bow and arrow. Officers located a suspect and conducted an ID check on the man at a hut, which he was found to be using illegally.

However, while officials in the town of Oppenau said the suspect initially cooperated, he went on to pull a gun on the officers, threatening them and forcing them to hand over their service weapons.

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

Nobody was injured during the incident.

The altercation triggered a large-scale manhunt in the dense woodland.

Prosecutors have described the suspect as a weapons enthusiast but said he was banned from possessing weapons and ammunition in 2010 and had never been in a shooting club.

Mr Rausch lost his apartment last fall and had no permanent address since then, according to authorities.

Officials have said they dont know what had prompted the incident.

Additional reporting by AP
AKRON, Ohio -- Akron City Council President Margo Sommerville announced Friday the formation of a special committee that includes all council members to explore ways to improve the citys police and other public safety forces.

The committee on Reimagining Public Safety is expected to release a report of its recommendations on Dec. 7, Sommerville said in a news release.

After Dec. 7, City Council will work toward implementing the changes with Mayor Dan Horrigan, Police Chief Ken Ball, the police department and the community, Sommerville said.

The continued trust between law enforcement and communities requires constantly improving our systems of recruitment, training, use of force, technology, and accountability, Sommerville said. This is a moment to think about what else makes our community safe  from strong neighborhood ties and block watches to mental health intervention specialists, to parks and recreation programs, and so much more.

Council members will work on one of four subcommittees: department personnel and culture, accountability and transparency, crisis prevention and technology and equipment.

Over the next several months, the groups will research, engage with the community and work with the Police Department, before offering a report of issues and potential reforms.

The personnel and culture group, which will address issues of policing hiring, training and equity, has Ward 5 Councilwoman Tara Samples as chair, Ward 6 Councilman Brad McKitrick as co-chair and At-Large Councilman Jeff Fusco as a member.

The accountability and transparency group will address police department policies and procedures, the role of the police auditor and accessibility to policing-related information. It will be chaired by At-Large Councilwoman Ginger Baylor, with Ward 8 Councilman Shammas Malik as co-chair and Ward 2 Councilman Phil Lombardo as a member.

The prevention subcommittee, which will look at community policing, collaborations with mental health services and new approaches to neighborhood safety, will have Ward 1 Councilman Rich Swirsky as chair, At-Large Councilwoman Linda Omobien as co-chair and Ward 9 Councilman Mike Freeman as a member.

The technology and equipment group will examine the departments use of data, body-worn cameras and military-style supplies. It will be chaired by Ward 7 Councilman Donnie Kammer, with Ward 10 Councilwoman Sharon Connor as co-chair and Ward 4 Councilman Russ Neal as a member.

See previous: Akron declares racism a public health crisis, launches task force to develop five-year equity plan
This is the latest in my occasional series of TrumPoems chronicling the presidency of Donald Trump, based, as always, on his own words and acts.
With more and more people getting infected with COVID-19 there is an unprecedented demand for medical oxygen in the country.

This is in both hospitals and in some cases those who are in home isolation.

The unprecedented demand means there is also a massive shortage of oxygen cylinders in the open market.

AFP/ REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE

But some see the health crisis as an opportunity to make some quick money.

One such man from Hyderabad was arrested for illegally hoarding oxygen cylinders.

The man identified as Shaker Hussain was selling oxygen cylinders in the black market during the COVID-19 crisis for patients at hiked prices.

The 62-year-old businessman was running a firm called Raas Agencies.

HYDERABAD POLICE

Despite him not having any license or permission from the drug control authorities, and the Controller of Explosives officials Hussain was able to purchase cylinders illegally and was selling them at a high price.

He was selling the oxygen cylinders to COVID-19 patients who were in home isolation and required oxygen support.

On Thursday, based on a tip-off police raided the agency and apprehended Hussain.

They seized 87 oxygen cylinders of 50 and 14 kgs from his possession.

BCCL

This is the fourth such arrest in the city in the past five days.

On July 14, sleuths of Commissioners Task Force, South Zone Team with the assistance of Chaderghat Police apprehended eight members gang for black marketing generic versions of Remdesivir, Actemra and Fabiflu Tablets which are being used as antiviral medicine for COVID-19 patients.

Police seized 51 Remdesivir 100 mg injections, nine Actemra 400 mg and four 80 mg injections and net cash Rs 55,000 total worth Rs 35,55,000 from the accused.

In April the Centre had asked the states and the union territories to invoke a stringent law to punish those indulging in hoarding and black marketing of essential commodities.
Amritsar: Navita Singh, a retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court, will probe the case of the missing 267 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib.

Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, announced this on Friday after a section of the community expressed doubts over the fairness of the panel constituted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to inquire into the case. The SGPC had also urged Akal Takht to hand over the probe to a retired judge or independent Sikh personality.

Acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh announced the name of the retired woman Sikh judge. He said Ishar Singh, a lawyer at the Telangana high court, will assist her in the probe.

On July 12, the SGPC executive committee passed a resolution, urging Akal Takht to get the matter probed at its own level. So, the probe has been assigned to Navita Singh. If the need arises, the services of account experts, former and incumbent employees and officials of the SGPC will be provided to investigators who have been asked to give their report within a month. Akal Takht will take action accordingly, the acting jathedar said.

MAY 2016 FIRE SPARKED OFF CASE

Fourteen saroops of Guru Granth Sahib were damaged in a fire at the SGPC publishing house at Gurdwara Ramsar Sahib in May 2016, according to the committee but the Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO) claimed after five years that the damage was done at a mass scale and that this fact was hidden to save the then SAD-BJP government from public wrath as the Bargari sacrilege incident was already a burning issue and the assembly elections were close.

On the basis of the statement of a retired employee of the SGPC, the PHRO said that 267 saroops went missing after the fire and a probe must be conducted to ascertain their whereabouts.

COMMON DIGITAL PLATFORM

FOR PANTHIC UNITY

Giani Harpreet Singh said a common digital platform will be introduced for Panthic unity in the light of the ideology of Guru Granth Sahib and to defeat divisive forces. The step has been taken in view that some elements are trying to divide the Panth. Announcement of this platform will be made after discussing the matter at a meeting of the Panj Singh Sahiban (five Sikh clergymen), he said.

Besides, the jathedar appealed to Sikh youngsters to adopt constructive thinking and focus on academics to achieve greater heights in economic, social and political fields.
President Donald Trumps appeal to religious conservatives is a cornerstone of his political identity. But Joe Biden is a different kind of foe than Trump has faced before: one who makes faith a central part of his persona  often literally wearing it on his sleeve.

In fact, Bidens practice of carrying a rosary that belonged to his late son Beau caught the attention of one of his Democratic presidential rivals when the two were awaiting a debate last year. Standing backstage next to Biden, Pete Buttigieg asked the lifelong Catholic about the prayer beads and fell into a conversation about loss, family and faith.

Biden often talks about the comfort and meaning that hes drawn from faith, said Buttigieg, Bidens primary rival-turned-endorser. Thats something that will resonate with Americans a lot more than usual.

Democrats are betting on Bidens evident comfort with faith as a powerful point of contrast with Trump. The faith-focused work underway within Bidens campaign suggests that, while he may not significantly undercut the presidents popularity among white evangelicals, he could chip away at Trumps base by appealing to pockets of conservative faithful.

Bidens identity as a very devout Catholic and person of deep faith, deputy political director John McCarthy said, is baked into the core messaging and core functions of the campaign.

Biden has framed his presidential bid as a fight for the soul of the nation, a subtle invocation of the Catholic beliefs that have guided his life. His campaign has released three digital ads focused on faith, including one crediting his religious practices with instilling a sense of solace.

Its a notable contrast with Hillary Clinton, who lost in 2016 after a campaign that largely sidelined her Methodist faith.

As Trump promises to be evangelicals champion on policy, Biden is making a less transactional play for religious support, betting that a beliefs-focused brand will be more persuasive than agreement on an agenda.

For faith and values voters, McCarthy said, Bidens spiritual authenticity is the quality theyre looking for. They might disagree on a particular issue, he added, but can connect with Biden through a shared worldview.

That often may depend on the issue in question. The presumptive nominees shift leftward on federal funding for abortions is a potential liability with evangelicals as well as many Catholics, for example.

But Biden has used moral language and quoted Pope Francis when discussing other issues that many Catholics do support, such as immigration reform, expanding health care access and tackling climate change.

My faith teaches me that we should be a nation that not only accepts the truth of the climate crisis, but leads the world in addressing it, Biden wrote in a Religion News Service editorial.

As the coronavirus pandemic and unrest over racial injustice roil Trumps presidency, Bidens team sees an opening to claim the moral high ground. Joshua DuBois, who led religious outreach for former President Barack Obama, described the political climate as the perfect storm for the president.

Biden could make small but meaningful gains among white evangelicals, whose support for Trump has fluctuated by as many as 15 points in recent polls, by contrasting himself as the type of person whos going to speak to our better angels, DuBois said.

The campaign has yet to match the denomination-level outreach that Obamas 2008 team deployed, beyond releasing a specific agenda aimed at fellow Catholics, but insiders say thats by design. McCarthy said the campaign bakes religious elements into other programs, holding faith-focused calls with LGBTQ, Asian American, African American, Latino, Jewish and Muslim communities, among other constituencies.

As for evangelicals, McCarthy said the campaign is targeting three subgroups that may be more on the fence: Latinos, white suburban women and youth, whom surveys have shown to lean less conservative.

The campaign signaled its seriousness Thursday with the hiring of Josh Dickson to oversee faith engagement. Dickson, a former Republican who declared in 2012 that Im a Democrat because of my evangelical faith, previously worked on religious outreach for the Democratic National Committee and Obamas 2012 campaign.

Faith-motivated voters  including those traditionally more moderate and conservative  are especially eager to see a President who both shares and leads with the values important to them, Dickson said in a statement. Vice President Biden has stood and fought for these values  loving our neighbor, caring for the poor and vulnerable, fighting against injustice and oppression  his entire career.

Its a strategy that aims for marginal gains with evangelicals.

We are going to go after every vote, but I do not think we will suddenly win the evangelical vote with 80 percent, McCarthy acknowledged.

Indeed, in a recent survey by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, 7 in 10 evangelicals approved of Trump's handling of the presidency.

Meanwhile the GOP is stepping up efforts to court evangelicals of color. Thousands of Hispanic faith leaders and congregants have participated in Trump Victory Committee events, with specific programming focused on evangelicals, Republican National Committee spokeswoman Mandi Merritt said.

Tony Perkins, a prominent conservative evangelical Trump backer, said evangelicals backed the GOP overwhelmingly in 2016 not because they embraced everything about the president (but) because they embraced what he was going to do.

Evangelicals are focusing on the policy, added Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

Bidens team has also worked with African American pastors in multiple states, building on a connection that helped vault him to the nomination. It hired a Muslim outreach director in March and a Jewish outreach director this week.

The campaign has already held dozens of faith-focused events  some under the banner of Believers for Biden  which have included Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.

A Yale Divinity School graduate and Biden confidante, Coons described Bidens ability to connect with those who share his experience of lost family as a ministry of presence.

The guy does pastoral care better than most of my (divinity) school classmates, he quipped.

___

Elana Schor reports for The Associated Press and Jack Jenkins reports for Religion News Service.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
By Alexander Lukin

July 16, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Sino-US relations have reached their worst point at least since 1972 as the Trump administration has taken an extremely hardline stance against China. There are several reasons for this. The fundamental general reason is geopolitical: competition between a rising power and an established power. Professor Graham Allison described it in his Thucydides Trap theory. However, this competition can be realized in various forms and historically has not inevitably led to a war. In the current situation when it can lead to a nuclear catastrophe and when the world is much more globalized than before, there are a lot of new factors that reduce the likelihood of the toughest scenarios. They, however, do not make a war absolutely impossible. A lot will depend on other factors, including personal leadership.



There are several theories about the current Sino-US confrontation. One maintains that the main reason of its intensity is the difference between the ideology and political systems. According to this view, after World War II, it was much easier for the UK to cede its dominate position in the world to the US because the two countries were allies and shared their values and general worldview.



They also had a common threat coming from the USSR and its camp. Another theory says that the conflict was inevitable anyway, and that the previous period of cooperation was just a preparation for confrontation when China was not strong enough to seriously challenge the US. According to a third point of view, the current period of confrontation is not normal and Sino-US relations eventually are going to become much more constructive when they both realize that cooperation in the globalizing world serves their basic interests much better.



I believe that all these theories should be considered, but the real situation will depend on the specific policies on both sides. A certain level of confrontation is inevitable. The disappointment in the US elites with the loss of their country's dominant status in the world has been growing for a long time. Of course, they could not blame this on their own policy mistakes or general historical trends because in their view, history was bound to end with a triumphant US. So China's growth was an obvious scapegoat. History could not go wrong, China had to have cheated it.



This is the reason for Washington's claims that China cheated the US; it used Washington's preferential policies to become stronger but failed to change according to Washington's wishes. In reality, the US policy of cooperation with China served American interests of the time. In the 1970s, Washington tried to use China against the Soviet Union. Later, US companies used China's cheap labor and got enormous profits. So both sides were interested in cooperation. The problem was that the US elites failed to understand certain major trends of history. They thought that China was going to change and become pro-US, but in fact the world was becoming more multipolar and the period of American domination was coming to an end. As American scholar Andrew Kuchins aptly put it, the (American style) end of history ended.

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Difference in ideology and political system is a very important factor which China tends to underestimate. The political systems of the two countries are so different and even opposing that it is very difficult for the US to accept any of China's influence in the world. If we take the comparison with the US-UK post World War II situation, a change of allegiance of a third country from the UK to the US was insignificant at that time, because the two powers were allies. Now any country which becomes friendly to China is seen in the US as an enemy or a potential threat. Economic interdependence surely limits the tendency toward confrontation, but it is not the only or even the most important factor. Before World War II Britain and the USSR were very important economic partners of Germany, but it did not stop it from attacking them.



So one should not underestimate Washington's resolve to contain China's growth. There is an acute feeling in the US elites that if China is not stopped now it would be able to overcome the US very soon and this should not be allowed under any circumstances. And the US is ready to sacrifice some of its economic interests to achieve this goal. Other questions such as human rights or the well-being of the people of other countries are subordinate to it.



This can clearly be seen by the US policy toward Hong Kong. Ending Hong Kong's preferential status, which was announced by Trump on July 15, will surely strike the well-being of the people of Hong Kong. But Trump could not care less. He used the security law adopted by the central government as a pretext to deliver another blow to China's economy, and he is going to continue doing it. If China wants to revive cooperation with the US it should not blame Washington or try to reason it. The only way is to interest the US economically while being more reserved politically.



I think that the main reason for the current high level of confrontation is that the US elites fail to accept the objective fact that their country is losing its dominant position in the world. From this point of view, changes in leadership are hardly going to improve the situation. If Joe Biden comes to power, it can be even worse since Democrats usually are more active in using human rights slogans. They may also be able to achieve more support from their European allies. Besides, even if Biden wants to be milder on China he may not be allowed to do so since Republicans would monitor and criticize his every step. They may be able to stop any progress in relations with China just like Democrats did not allow Trump to improve relations with Russia.



But the situation will also depend on China's policy, which is not very clear at the moment. There are still people in China who believe that things will somehow come back to normal by themselves without much effort. This is wishful thinking. At the same time, an excessively tough reaction which is not based on real economic and military capability may be counterproductive and even alienate some of China's allies and friends  whom China desperately needs in these serious times. Russia generally will support China since it has also become a scapegoat of the US' delusions of grandeur. Sino-Russian cooperation is growing in all fields, including security, foreign policy and economics. But this support will not be unlimited, and the two countries are unlikely to form a formal alliance with mutual defense obligations. The reason is that the two are just too big to share every specific interest. We should remember history: China and Russia (USSR) signed alliance agreements three times (in 1896, 1945, and 1950) and each time it did not work out very well. At the same time, they cooperated very closely in many spheres, including military during China's anti-Japanese war without forming an alliance, just on the basis of a non-aggression pact.



The author is head of the Department of International Relations at Higher School of Economics University, Moscow, Russia. - " Source " -

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Researchers have developed new inventions that can help fight the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) indoors. This came after the World Health Organization (WHO) updated its guidelines and included possible airborne transmission of the virus.

WHO recently acknowledged the possible airborne transmission of the coronavirus after over 200 scientists and researchers signed an open letter, asking the organization to acknowledge airborne transmission of the coronavirus.

There are three basic safety and health protocols that must be strictly followed, while pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and scientists are still developing the COVID-19 vaccine. These are wearing of a face mask, social distancing, and proper handwashing.

But are these interventions enough as millions are now going back to work and some countries are even planning to have in-person classes? Will there be new policies, wherein these basic safety and health protocols will be followed?

After more than 200 scientists wrote an open letter to WHO, researchers are now increasingly looking at the pandemic through the lens of engineering. They are now devising ways to make indoor activities safer.

Here are some of the new inventions that would help stop the spread of the virus in an indoor setting:

Heated Nickel Air Filters

Researchers have designed a heated nickel air filter after medical experts were alarmed that the virus spread during a choir practice in the state of Washington. The microdroplets carrying the virus reportedly remained suspended in the air. This means that airborne transmission was detected.

High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filters

This technology first came into the market during the 1950s. This is widely used in hospitals, biocontainment labs, and airplanes. This technology uses a fan that draws the air through felt-like filters to capture the microbes or the suspended aerosol.

However, the filters must eventually be incinerated or autoclaved because they become contaminated over time. Moreover, new research has now demonstrated the efficiency of the new type of filter that is based on an ultra-fine foam made of nickel.

According to the researchers from the Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston and Galveston National Laboratory, they were able to eliminate 99.9 percent of airborne COVID-19 by heating the foam to 200 degrees Celsius.

Gang Chen, an MIT professor who was not involved in the work, said the invention is very timely because it has a great potential of fighting COVID-19, most especially that there is growing evidence of airborne transmission.

New UV Technology

A team led by physicist David Brenner published a paper in the journal Scientific Reports showing that the ultraviolet spectrum known as UVC killed 99.9 percent of seasonal coronaviruses present in airborne droplets. The study was conducted last month.

However, direct exposure to UVC can cause skin cancer and eye problems. This means that this can only be used once. That is the reason why researchers from Columbia University have been working for years to make UVC safe, but still lethal to microbes.

Check this out!
A selection of refigerators are available for sale at a big box store in Cranberry Township, USA, April 11, 2018. A U.N.-backed report claims making air conditioners and fridges more energy efficient and using more climate-friendly refrigerants can significantly slow global warming. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Making air conditioners and fridges more energy efficient and using more climate-friendly refrigerants can significantly slow global warming, according to a U.N.-backed report released Friday.

The report published by the U.N. Environment Program and the International Energy Agency claims greater efficiency and the replacement of harmful refrigerants could prevent the equivalent of four to eight years of current global greenhouse gas emissions over the next four decades.

Demand for cooling appliances is predicted to almost quadruple by 2050 as the planet heats up and more people need air conditioners. But cheap devices often consume a lot of electricity that's generated from coal or gas-fired power plants, which in turn fuel global warming.

"Air conditioning is a two-edged sword," said Durwood Zaelke, a U.S.-based environmental lawyer who contributed to the report. "You need it because the world is warming, but it contributes to warming unless you make it super efficient."

Another problem with cooling devices is that many still use hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, a group of potent but short-lived greenhouse gas. Experts say banishing them is one of the fastest ways to curb global warmingup to 0.4 degrees Celsius (0.72 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century.

Plastic-bottled soft drinks are displayed in fridges at a store in Yokohama, near Tokyo, June 17, 2019. A U.N.-backed report claims making air conditioners and fridges more energy efficient and using more climate-friendly refrigerants can significantly slow global warming. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

In 2016, countries negotiated a binding treaty to phase out HFCs known as the Kigali Amendmenttacked onto the highly successful Montreal Protocol that helped repair the ozone hole. But major polluters such as the United States, China, India and Russia have yet to ratify it.

Even countries that have ratified the treaty struggle to crack down on illegal refrigerants smuggling. Earlier this month, the European Union's anti-fraud unit OLAF announced that the Netherlands had seized 14 metric tons of HFCswith a potential environmental impact equivalent to 38 return flights from Amsterdam to Sydney.

The authors of the new report call for "national cooling action plans" that include minimum energy performance standards and clear labeling of devices to help consumers choose the most efficient and climate-friendly refrigerants.

They also urge governments to promote ways of reducing the need for refrigerants, with energy-efficient buildings, tree-planting to cool cities and district-wide cooling systems.

A further upshot of more efficient air conditioners, according to the 48-page report's authors: trillions of dollars in electricity cost savings by mid-century.

Explore further Natural refrigerant replacements could reduce energy costs and conserve the environment

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post (TNS)

A southwest Colorado resident was infected with plague after exposure to sick squirrels earlier this summer, the first confirmed case of the disease in humans in the state since 2015. But health officials emphasized that the public only needs to take normal precautions.

Plague, a bacterial disease thats typically carried by fleas but also can spread through respiratory droplets, has been in Colorado since the 1940s, said Dr. Jennifer House, state public health veterinarian for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Infected wild animals have been found in Jefferson, Adams and Broomfield counties this year, though the disease can circulate in rodent communities around the state. A squirrel recently tested positive for bubonic plague in the Denver suburb of Morrison.

While we see most plague activity during the summer, the disease can be found in rodents year-round and sometimes spills over into other wildlife species as well as domestic cats and dogs, she said.

While the disease can be deadly if left untreated, most people recover with prompt antibiotic treatment.

There have been 21 human cases in Colorado since 2005. The person infected this summer contracted septicemic plague, a form of the disease that doesnt spread easily, and no other cases have been found. He or she has since recovered.

All Colorado residents should avoid handling wildlife, especially squirrels, prairie dogs, rabbits and other rodents. Domestic animals like cats and dogs also can catch plague from infected wildlife, so the health department advises not allowing pets to roam or to hunt rodents.

Other precautions include:

 Treating pets for fleas according to a veterinarians advice

 Not feeding wildlife, which brings them into closer contact with people and pets

 Keeping an eye on rodent populations around you. If you notice multiple dead animals, call your local health department. Dont touch or move dead wildlife

 Symptoms of plague include a sudden fever, headache, chills, weakness and pain or swelling in the lymph nodes. If you think you, another person or a pet could have been exposed, call a doctor immediately
Dear editor,

I am writing in response to Tyler Pletschs article, Hundreds demand removal of Edwardsville statue. While I was glad to read that Edwardsilles mayor agrees that Ninian was on the horrific side of history, I was quite concerned that he also stated relocating the statue (which has been there less than 12 years) would be tantamount to taking down history. Relocating the statue is about who and what our community wants to honor and revere. If our goal is to remember our history, there are many ways to do so, including creating a monument that commemorates our history and celebrates abolitionist and indigenous leaders, without including a statue that reveres a man who was instrumental in furthering slavery and in killing and destroying indigenous people and lands in Illinois. I support preserving, remembering and learning from our history. It is because of our history that I do not believe Ninian Edwards belongs on a pedestal in the heart of our downtown.
In fast-paced developments, Rajasthan Police on Friday registered an FIR against unknown persons for trying to topple the state government, prompting the Congress to suspend two MLAs, loyal to former deputy chief minister and rebel leader Sachin Pilot, from the party.

On the other hand, Pilot and his 18 supporting MLAs earned a four-day reprieve from the disqualification proceedings launched by Assembly Speaker C P Joshi as the Rajasthan High Court adjourned the hearing on a plea filed by the former deputy chief minister to Monday. The two-judge bench also asked the Speaker not to take any action on the disqualification proceedings till Tuesday.

The Pilot camp had moved the Court challenging the disqualification proceedings launched by the Speaker on a complaint by the Congress that they had violated whip by skipping the Legislature Party meetings convened by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

For latest updates on Rajasthan political crisis, click here

Though the Congress refrained from direct attacks on Pilot, at the behest of Rahul Gandhi, that the differences between them were irreconcilable was evident when Gehlot told the media that he had not spoken to his deputy for the past one year.

Also Read | Not my voice, ready to face probe: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

The Congress attack and the FIR came after the release of audio recordings of purported conversations between Pilot loyalist Bhanwarlal Sharma and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on engineering defections to topple the Gehlot government.

Also Read | Rajasthan Political Crisis: Congress accuses BJP of being involved in horse-trading

With sharp attacks on the BJP, the Congress tried to shift the focus of the political drama in Rajasthan from the feud between Gehlot and Pilot to the BJPs alleged role in the conspiracy.

Can Gajendra Singh Shekhawat do this alone? The links of this conspiracy reach right at the top in the BJP, Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters in Jaipur.

The Special Operations Group of the Rajasthan Police also moved in swiftly to investigate the audio recordings with a team of officials landing at the resort in Manesar in Haryana to take voice samples of Bhanwarlal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh  the two MLAs who were suspended by the Congress.

Dramatic scenes were witnessed at the resort where the MLAs were put up as Haryana Police refused to allow the SOG team to enter.

If BJP claims not to be involved in Congress' internal fight then why BJP led Haryana Government is extending their support and protection to MLAs inside the hotel, AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande said.

BJP dismissed the audio recordings as manufactured and an attempt by the Congress to target it out of frustration as it was not able to keep its house in order.

They (Congress) have taken their internal fight to a low level. And in that, they have tried to implicate Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, senior BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria told reporters in Jaipur.

Shekhawat rejected the allegations levelled by the Congress and declared that he was ready to face any investigation.

This is not my voice... Let there be an investigation. I am ready to face any probe, Shekhawat said.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that the ongoing negotiations with China should help resolve the border dispute but he couldnt guarantee to what extent the situation would be resolved, in another confirmation of the complex nature of the military and diplomatic negotiations between the two nuclear powers.

Addressing soldiers at Lukung near Pangong Tso during his visit to Ladakh, Singh assured the country that no power in the world could grab even an inch of Indian territory.

His comments come a day after India on Thursday said the complex disengagement process with China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is specifically aimed at preventing face-off situations, and any unilateral attempts to change the status quo on the disputed border wont be accepted.

In his speech, Singh said India had neither attacked any country nor grabbed anyones territory. He said India would not tolerate anyone hurting its self respect and would give a befitting reply. He said the country was led by a Prime Minister who was capable of taking strong decisions.

The minister is visiting Ladakh two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to the sector on July 3. The PM then declared that the era of expansionism is over, sending a strong signal to China about Indias determination to defend its borders.

Earlier in Leh, the minister witnessed an exercise by soldiers including some battle drills by troops of the Ladakh Scouts. He was also briefed on the situation including the actual position of the troops on both sides, people familiar with the developments said on Friday.

The exercise showcased application of integrated combined force in high altitude terrain with newer generation helicopters and special forces, said one of the officials cited above. A special assault drill by the Ladakh Scouts was also showcased. Chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat and army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane are accompanying the minister.

Two days after corps commanders from both sides met at Chushul to discuss the road map for easing tensions on the LAC, the Indian Army on Thursday said complete disengagement is an intricate process requiring constant verification.

People familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity the statements from the external affairs ministry and the army pointed to difficulties and suspicions involved in the disengagement process, and the need to draw a distinction between de-escalation and New Delhis stated aim of restoring status quo ante on the LAC.

Singh will also visit forward areas in Kashmir. The military is keeping a strict vigil on the western front to deter Pakistan from fishing in troubled waters and prevent what could turn out to be a two-front conflict, as reported by Hindustan Times on July 2.

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L.L. Bean is making history  at least the corporate kind  with its first wholesale partnerships with Nordstrom, Scheels and Staples in the U.S.

Wholesaling is a first for the 108-year-old company. With this setup, L.L. Bean apparel, footwear, backpacks and outdoor gear will be sold in 1,200 stores nationwide.

More from WWD

In a phone interview Friday, chief executive officer Steve Smith described the company as primarily an e-commerce one with two-thirds of its business stemming from online. As we look at our store base, we see multiple points of distribution being real key to sustaining the brand and making it more accessible to people, he said.

The decision to become wholesale partners with Nordstrom, Scheels and Staples required more than a year of planning and is part of L.L. Beans overall omnichannel retail vision. There was also testing of wholesale in Japan and Canada.

To launch this, we wanted to work with partners where we had a real true point of difference, and a really good connection. A lot of that connection was through customer service and customer experience, he said. It was well thought-out, well-planned, careful. Were definitely a careful business.

The company has already shipped products to Staples stores in the U.S. L.L. Bean apparel and gear will be available in select Nordstrom and Scheels stores this fall. More than 1,000 Staples stores have L.L. Bean products and 20 Nordstrom stores will have an assortment as well as six Scheels stores.

For us, its geographic reach. It expands our brands to regions of the country where we dont have existing physical presences, Smith said. We do have products that people like to touch and feel  flannel, fleece, gear and outerwear  so putting the products into the hands of people will expand sales for us. Hopefully, that will bring them into our other channels as well.

Footwear, flannel and fleece are expected to be leading categories with the three wholesale partners, as well as Primaloft and puffer jackets, Smith said. The Freeport, Me.-based L.L. Bean is a $1.6 billion operation.

Story continues

L.L. Bean has 54 freestanding stores including 10 outlet stores. L.L. Bean has not permanently closed any of its freestanding stores as a result of the pandemic. Earlier this year they had been temporarily closed due to safety reasons. On another front, the company plans to open three brick-and-mortar stores in Canada by the end of the year.

With 5,200 employees, L.L. Bean has about 3,500 year-round employees in its home state of Maine. Earlier this year L.L. Bean axed 200 jobs and closed a call center in Lewiston, Me. As part of that realignment, the online, catalogue and retail operation reorganized in certain areas.

L.L. Bean unveiled earlier this year a collaboration with Todd Snyder and the company aims to set up more along those lines. Snyders line will launch this fall. Were assuming it will be successful and we will want to do more. Weve got a couple of other conversations underway that well probably be able to talk about six months from now, Smith said.

Todd Snyder is the same general strategy as wholesaling. We really are looking at finding partners, expanding access to our brand, expanding relevance to our brand and trying new and different things, Smith said. The world is changing quickly and customer habits are changing quickly. We want to make sure weve got a whole bunch of plans and ideas planted in different places. Well learn from all of them. Some will succeed and some will fail. They will all give us good learning to keep us really flexible as the world changes around us.




Vietnam presents Laos 200,000 face masks (Source: moh.gov.vn)

Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long highlighted the special relationship between the two countries, saying the two governments have coordinated closely in the fight against the disease.



Vietnam appreciated the efforts of the Government and people of Laos in COVID-19 prevention and control, he said. Vietnam and Laos are exchanging and discussing to resume normal activities in all aspects.

The acting minister said it is necessary to establish a regular information channel between the two sides, with technical and equipment assistance, to cope with the pandemic as well as other diseases, adding that the two ministries should coordinate more closely in the time to come.

The overview of the ceremony (Source: moh.gov.vn)

Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang thanked the Ministry of Health for its meaningful gifts and spoke of the support provided by the Vietnamese Government and people to his country.

The Ambassador appreciated and acknowledged sentiment of the Government and the people of Vietnam as well as the Ministry of Health of Vietnam for the Government and people of Laos.

He congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in responding to the disease, saying that the Government and people of Laos are still carefully working towards controlling the outbreak./.
China has been acting in contradiction to its agreements with India to change the status quo and challenge Indian troops at the border, an influential bipartisan Congressional Caucus has said and hoped that Beijing will scale back on their excessive weaponry and infrastructure at the Line of Actual Control.

The Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans on Thursday also expressed their condolences for the lives lost in the Galwan Valley.

The troops of India and China are locked in an over eight-week standoff in several areas in eastern Ladakh including Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley and Gogra Hot Spring since May 5. The situation deteriorated last month following the Galwan Valley clashes that left 20 Indian Army personnel dead.

"As members of the Caucus on India and Indian Americans, we are extremely disappointed by the events that took place at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley area on June 15," congressmen George Holding and Brad Sherman, co-chairmen of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans said in a statement on Thursday.

The House of Representatives Caucus on India and Indian Americans, led by congressmen Holding and Sherman in a letter to India's Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, said that over the last few months, the Chinese authorities have been acting with impunity and have attempted to transgress on the LAC, which resulted in diplomatic discussions to implement a process for de-escalation along the LAC on June 6.

The letter was signed by seven other lawmakers. "Only nine days after the agreement, the Chinese attempted to build new infrastructure on the Indian side of the LAC," the letter said. "Dissatisfied with your government's response, the Chinese troops disregarded the recently implemented disengagement process and erupted in premeditated violence, which resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers," it said.

The bipartisan letter was signed by four members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, two members of the House Armed Services Committee and one each from the House intelligence, judiciary and agricultural committees.

"We offer our condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers, and we will keep them in our thoughts and prayers. We are disappointed that China has been acting in contradiction to their agreements with India, in their attempt to change the status quo and challenge Indian troops at the border," the letter said.

"It is my hope that they scale back on their excessive weaponry and infrastructure at the Line of Actual Control and uphold both their longstanding and new-founded agreements with India," said the letter.

The letter among others was signed by congressmen Ro Khanna, Joe Wilson, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Steve Chabot, Pramila Jayapal, Ted Yoho and T J Cox. Over the last few weeks, bipartisan support for India against China has been increasing.

A day earlier, Senator Bob Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said US-India partnership, based on their shared commitment to democracy, is vital to uphold international law, international norms and the institutions that can peacefully and diplomatically resolve disputes and aggression.

"As India and China work to disengage along the Line of Actual Control, I remain deeply concerned by China's aggressive behaviour in territorial disputes," Menendez said.

"From the 2017 Doklam standoff to the recent violence along the borders in Sikkim and Ladakh, to China's new claims to Bhutanese territory, Beijing has all too often sought to redraw the map of Asia without regard for its neighbours," he said.

Last month, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that for the sake of grabbing territory, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) appears to have instigated the most violent clash between China and India since those nations went to war in 1962.

"I am extremely concerned by the ongoing Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control on the India-China border," said congressman Eliot Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs last month.

"China is demonstrating once again that it is willing to bully its neighbours rather than resolve conflicts according to international law," Engel said.

Top Republican Senator Marco Rubio also called recently India's Ambassador to the US to express his solidarity with the people of India as they firmly confront unwarranted and lawless armed aggression by the Communist Party of China.

"India has made it clear, they will not be bullied by Beijing," he said. Senator Tom Cotton slammed China of its aggression against India.
The speaker has a lot that he needs to answer for  to authorities, to investigators and most importantly to the people of Illinois, Pritzker said at an unrelated event in Waukegan. If these allegations of wrongdoing by the speaker are true, there is no question that he will have betrayed the public trust and he must resign.
The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt

By David Randall

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Global equity benchmarks treaded water on Friday and government bond yields edged lower as investors waited on the European Union to iron out details of an expected 750 billion-euro recovery fund that could provide another round of stimulus as the world economy reels from the coronavirus pandemic.

European, U.S. <.SPX> and other equity markets <.MIWD00000PUS> notched their third weekly gain in a row, though the pace of the rally has slowed. The U.S. Congress is set to begin debating a new aid package next week, as several states in the country's South and West implement fresh lockdown measures to curb the virus.

While retail sales for June released on Thursday beat market expectations, real-time measures of retail foot traffic and employee working hours and shifts have flatlined after steady growth since April.

"We now see higher risk of a market correction, considering the improvement in hard economic data we have seen over the past couple of months is likely to halt," said Tomo Kinoshita, global market strategist at Invesco in Tokyo.

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe <.MIWD00000PUS> gained 0.35% following modest gains in Europe and slight declines in Asia.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average <.DJI> fell 62.35 points, or 0.23%, to 26,672.36, the S&P 500 <.SPX> gained 9.18 points, or 0.29%, to 3,224.75 and the Nasdaq Composite <.IXIC> added 29.36 points, or 0.28%, to 10,503.19.

European leaders will continue to meet through Saturday, trying to overcome opposition from the Netherlands and Hungary to issue joint euro debt that could provide another boost of stimulus [nL3N2EO1U9].

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, one of the main resisters to the recovery fund, which includes mass grants, said he was "not optimistic" an agreement would be reached on Friday.

The Netherlands wants countries receiving EU support from the fund to agree to reforms in their labor markets and pension systems, and is leading a group of several smaller EU nations calling for stricter conditions..

"Presumably, as is the way of Europe, they will agree to come back from more talks followed by a compromise and a watered-down deal," Societe Generale's Kit Juckes said of the EU discussions. "The positive, though, is that we are getting a recovery fund."

Story continues

The dollar index <=USD> fell 0.362%, with the euro <EUR=> up 0.48% to $1.1438. Benchmark 10-year notes <US10YT=RR> last fell 4/32 in price to yield 0.625%, from 0.612% late on Thursday.

The United States reported at least 75,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, a daily record. Spain and Australia reported their steepest daily jumps in more than two months, while cases continued to soar in India and Brazil.

U.S. crude <CLc1> recently fell 0.37% to $40.60 per barrel and Brent <LCOc1> was at $43.12, down 0.58% on the day.

(Reporting by David Randall; Editing by Dan Grebler, Steve Orlofsky and Jonathan Oatis)
Moscow Court Excludes From Safronov's Warrant Claims He Cooperated With Czech Intelligence

Sputnik News

12:42 GMT 16.07.2020(updated 12:44 GMT 16.07.2020)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Moscow City Court ruled on Thursday to exclude from high treason suspect Ivan Safronov's arrest warrant the claims that he cooperated with the Czech intelligence.

"To exclude information that the accused person maintained long-term cooperation with a Czech intelligence staffer," judge Natalia Konovalova read out the ruling.

Earlier in the day, the Moscow City Court upheld the decision of a district court to place Safronov in custody as a pre-trial restriction, rejecting the appeals of his legal defence.

Safronov, a former military journalist and now an aide to Russian space agency Roscosmos chief was detained on 7 July and placed in custody until 6 September on the same day. According to the Russian Federal Security Service, Safronov is suspected of handing classified information about Russia's defence sector to a special service of a NATO country. Safronov's legal defence said soon after his detention that he is suspected of passing information about Russia's arms deliveries to Africa to Czech special services, with the United States claimed to be the end recipient of the information.

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These include eight cases confirmed in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday. Several of those cases, including a woman who travelled from Melbourne to Ballina, were reported on Thursday. Between 8pm on Thursday and 9am on Friday, five more cases were recorded, including three linked to the Crossroads Hotel cluster. NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant provides and update on Friday. Credit:Renee Nowytarger The cluster has grown to 42 cases, including 27 people who are linked to the outbreak but did not attend the hotel, in Casula in Sydney's south-west. Some of those are cases of tertiary infection - contacts of people who were close contacts of Crossroads Hotel cases. "This highlights the rapidity and spread [with which] this virus can move through the community," NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said.

Two of the new cases, in a man in his 40s and a teenager from the same household, remain under investigation. The state conducted a record 24,467 tests on Thursday, up from 22,836 in the previous 24 hours. More than 3000 were in south-western Sydney, and Dr Chant asked people in that area to continue to come forward for testing. Dr Chant also hosed down other media reports that several pop-up testing clinincs in south-western Sydney would be closing. "The clinics will remain open," she said.

The only pop-up that is closing at this stage is the one located in the Crossroads Hotel car park, but alternative venues were being canvassed by NSW Health. Victoria on Friday announced 428 new cases - a record tally for the state, just a day after it recorded its previous daily high of 317 - and three deaths. The state has a total of 5165 cases. It is the biggest daily increase in infections since the pandemic began and the 12th day in a row of triple-digit increases in daily infections. Concerns about western Sydney mall Dr Chant has asked anyone who has spent time in Stockland Wetherill Park shopping centre in Sydney's west in the past two weeks to be "particularly vigilant for symptoms".

Loading "There are five recent cases that report spending some time in the Stockland mall at Wetherill Park while infectious," she said. Dr Chant said she was also concerned a "transmission event" occurred at the Thai Rock restaurant in the mall. A woman in her 30s who worked at the restaurant on July 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14 has been diagnosed with COVID-19, and Dr Chant said people who had been at that restaurant on those dates should "watch carefully" for symptoms. Dr Chant added it was important not to penalise businesses called out by NSW Health as potential places of transmission, saying that, once they undergo deep cleans, they were probably the safest places to visit.

New pub restrictions come into effect As of Friday, new restrictions on pubs apply in NSW. Bookings are capped at 10 people instead of the 20 previously allowed, all patrons must sign in and be seated and there is a maximum of 300 people or one person per four square metres inside. Pubs must also register their COVID safety plans with the NSW government and have a dedicated hygiene marshal to oversee social distancing, cleaning and hygiene at the venue. "The safe hygiene marshal must be dressed in distinctive clothing," NSW Health's website says. "Any business found in breach of the public health orders could face a penalty of up to $55,000 and a further $27,500 penalty may apply for each day an offence continues."

Loading Victoria outbreaks 'very serious': PM Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday branded the outbreaks in Victoria as "very serious", warning it would remain that way for some time. Mr Morrison told Nine's Today program the federal government would continue to assist Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' government. "More than 1000 Australian defence personnel are on their way," Mr Morrison said, noting he was in regular contact with the Victorian Premier.

The breaches of hotel quarantine the state has seen are a pertinent reminder of the need to continue with other safeguards, he said. "It's a reminder of the need to keep on with the social distancing, to keep on with those other protections, and keep the tracing capacity up to scratch. That's your effective defence against a breakout like what we've seen in Victoria." Asked if Australians should feel worried, the Prime Minister responded: "There is uncertainty. I know people are anxious. There is a reason to be anxious." "The coronavirus spreads very, very rapidly. For all those who want to seek to dismiss it and treat it lightly, you have to remember that, on the broad figures, the fatality rate on the coronavirus is more than five times what it is for the flu each year."
Netflix boosted its total number of global subscriptions by more than 10 million in the last quarter amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The streaming giant has now seen the number of paid memberships it receives grow by 26 million in the first half this year, according to a company letter to shareholders.

The figure is nearly on a par with the 28 million that were added throughout the whole of 2019 and the company has exceeded its targets.

However growth rate is slowing as consumers get through the initial shock of Covid and social restrictions, the letter added.

Netflix forecasts it will add just 2.5 million subscriptions in the third quarter, down from 6.8 million over the same period last year.

That outlook for new subscribers disappointed investors and contributed to the stock price tumbling by about 9% in after-hours trading.

Netflix also announced Ted Sarandos has been promoted to co-CEO of the company alongside co-founder Reed Hastings.

The 55-year-old will continue to serve as chief content officer while also being elected to the companys board of directors.

Sarandos joined the company in 2000 as a DVD buyer and has since overseen Netflixs rise to the top of the streaming industry.

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Whatsapp Spike Lees Da 5 Bloods proved popular on the streaming platform (Ian West/PA)

Elsewhere, Netflix revealed that comedy drama series Never Have I Ever reached 40 million households worldwide during the first four weeks it was available.

The same number also tuned into comedy Space Force, which stars Steve Carell and came out in May.

The second quarter of the year also saw 27 million households watch Spike Lees film Da 5 Bloods.

Earlier this year the Disney+ streaming platform launched in the UK and became the latest challenger to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.
Today marks the anniversary of the MH17 tragedy. Six years ago, a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane performing flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down by Russia-backed forces in the occupied Donbas.

According to an Ukrinform correspondent, a flower-laying ceremony, a minute of silence and the reading of the names of MH17 victims will be broadcast live on the Dutch TV channel NOS at 14:00 local time. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is expected to make an address.

The commemoration will take place near the memorial complex for the victims of the tragedy, near Schiphol Airport, from where flight MH17 took off on July 17, 2014.

A total of 298 trees symbolizing the victims on board the plane were planted on the territory of the memorial complex.

The Embassy of Ukraine in the Netherlands extended its condolences to the families of the victims. Flowers were laid at the national memorial complex in memory of the victims of the disaster.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the memory of those killed in the disaster will not be honored in the same way it was in previous years. Mass events have been canceled. So there will be a small-scale ceremony. Several relatives will read the names of all the victims.

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 (JIT) concluded 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.

On June 19, 2019, the JIT 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 People's Republic," and 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 People's Republic."

In March this year, the District Court of The Hague began its consideration of the case of the downing of flight MH17 in the sky over Donbas.

On July 10, 2020, the Netherlands filed a lawsuit against Russia with the European Court of Human Rights.

op
Mumbai: Debris is being cleared from a site in south Mumbai's Fort area where a portion of 80-year-old Bhanushali building collapsed on Thursday (July 16), the death toll in which reached eight on Friday.

On Friday afternoon, two more bodies were recovered from the site. The deceased have been identified as Rinky Chaurasiya (27) and Lalit Chaurasiya (30).

The other victims have been identified as:

Kusum P. Gupta (45)

Jyotsna P. Gupta (50)

Padmalal M. Gupta (51)

Anjum S. Shaikh (23)

Faizal W. Sayyed (18)

One victim remains unidentified.

Rescue operations continued as some people are still feared to be trapped in the rubble even as bouts of heavy rain continued to lash the city.

The first two major house-crashes of Mumbai in the current monsoon includes the five-storied Bhanushali Building in Fort, near the GPO and a three-storey tenement in Plot No. 8B of Collector Compound in Malvani, Malad West, which collapsed on an adjoining two-storey tenement.

In both incidents, a total of eight people have lost their lives so far, more than 30 have been injured, and over a dozen evacuated safely.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad, Mayor Kishori Pednekar, Municipal Commissioner I. S. Chahal, Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh and other senior officials rushed to the site and reviewed the relief and rescue operations in southern Mumbai.

Mumbai Suburban District Guardian Minister Aditya Thackeray, who visited the Malad crash site, said each of the victim's families would be given a compensation of Rs 400,000, while the families of the injured will get Rs 5,000 besides treatment.

Mayor Pednekar announced that a strict action would be taken against the builder if they are found violating the laws and will be booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Tripadvisor Is a Media Business So Why Did It Unload These 8 Brands?

To the uninitiated, it might be easy to miss the fact that Tripadvisor, with all its click-based advertising, is essentially a media company. Why then did it dispose this week of eight of its Smarter Travel Media brands?

The transaction took place without an official Tripadvisor press release, let alone a financial filing. There will be no countdown to await regulatory approval. Thats because the asset disposal, which involved no employees because they had already been transferred within the company or furloughed, was inconsequential to Tripadvisors financial results. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In the deal, Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Hopjump, a marketing company offering travel deals, acquired eight of Tripadvisors less-well-known travel-oriented media companies, including Smarter Travel, Airfarewatchdog, BookingBuddy, OneTime, Oyster.com, Family Vacation Critic, What To Pack, and Holiday Watchdog.

Tripadvisor CEO Steve Kaufer had announced to employees in April that its Smarter Travel Media umbrella would be eliminated in a bid to simplify the companys management structure.

Register now for Skifts Online Travel Summit on July 23

Hopjump, which offers wholesale rates to travelers and has a subscription service, will use the assets as the foundation for its next stage of growth, said its president, Jordan Staab. A spokeswoman said the startup could hire furloughed Tripadvisor employees, as needed.

Strategy Pivot

Whats behind Tripadvisors asset disposal?

With the exception of Oyster.com, which Tripadvisor acquired in 2013 when the startups existence was in jeopardy, most of these brands joined Tripadvisor in the 2007-2008 period when Tripadvisor was still an Expedia subsidiary.

The bulk of these were so-called tuck-in acquisitions, geared to build Tripadvisors media business or contribute content, which was the case with Oyster.coms image library. The standout in the group might have been BookingBuddy, which helped transform the way people booked flights in the early days of online travel.

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But by the end of 2019, Tripadvisors media business  excluding its core click-based hotel auction  was relatively small. For its quarterly financial results, Tripadvisor lumps its media business into a segment called Other, which also includes rentals, flights, cruises, cars and Tripadvisor China. In 2019, the entire Other category generated only 10.5 and 12.5 percent of revenue and adjusted earnings, respectively.

So Tripadvisor has started to retool its media business, which it considered under-monetized, over the last year or so. Instead of pursuing consumer-oriented advertising on non-Tripadvisor branded sites, the company is emphasizing business-to-business advertising such as hotel and restaurant sponsored placements. It is also pursuing non-endemic advertising opportunities, such as a running a recent sweepstakes for Stella Artois.

We are going out to target non-endemic clients, which weve never done in the past, Tripadvisor Chief Financial Officer Ernst Teunissen told a Morgan Stanley technology and media conference in early March. We signed up 200 new clients at the end of last year that we can now market to in brands like luxury goods or transportation that we havent targeted before.

In years past, Tripadvisor tried to diversify from click-based advertising toward turning itself into a hotel booking site, but abandoned that effort for the most part. Now, the company is intent on exploring opportunities in business-to-business and other advertising opportunities to supplement its core hotel business.

Its collection of Smarter Travelers Media brands, most of them anyway, had became largely superfluous.

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Parliament has approved a total of $2.068 million tax waiver on machinery, equipment and raw materials to be procured by three companies under the One District One Factory (1D1F) Programme of the Government.



The companies are Accum Energy Ghana Limited, Vester Oil Mills Limited and Ada Premium Diaper Care Limited.



The waiver covers Import Duty, Import NHIL, Import GETFund Levy, Import VAT and EXIM Levy.



Accum Energy Ghana Limited's benefit amounts to US$1, 208,404; Vester Oil Mills Limited - US$814,874; and Ada Premium Diaper Care Limited -US$44,990.



They will cover machinery, equipment and raw materials to be procured by the three companies respectively.



Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, Chairman of the Finance Committee, in presenting the Committees Report said Accum Energy was a Ukrainian company that dealt in the production of batteries for cars, trucks, motorcycles and tractors.



It produces more than 300,000 batteries per annum.



The company, which intends to access the African Market, therefore, established a local subsidiary known as Accum Energy Ghana Limited. The local company has the responsibility of producing batteries for the African market.



He said in order to achieve this objective, the parent company had provided Accum Energy with a credit facility of $5.8 million to enable it to procure the needed equipment and machinery to be used for the battery production.



The Company applied for a 1D1F status in order to benefit from the tax incentives and waivers approved for the programme.



Dr Assibey-Yeboah also explained that Vester Oil Mills Limited specialised in the processing of soya beans and peanuts into good quality meal for livestock and poultry using mechanical expellers.



It also manufactured soya oil for consumption, he said.



He said the Company currently supplied its products to the local market as well as some West African countries and Spain.



In order to meet the growing demand, the Company intended to establish a feed mill, which was estimated at US$3.12 million.



He said in order to undertake the project, the Ghana Exim Bank would provide the financing to procure the needed equipment and parts.



The request for the tax waiver was to enable the company to clear the equipment and parts for their operations, he explained.



Dr Assibey-Yeboah also explained that the Ada Premium Diaper Company specialised in the manufacture of diapers and sanitary pads for both domestic and other West African markets.



He said in order to meet its current demand, the Company was undertaking a project to expand its output.



This involved the acquisition of machinery, equipment and raw materials.



The cost of the project is estimated at GHC 9,143,506 - made up of GHC5,393,506 in equity and

GHC3,750,000 as loan.



He said in order to undertake this project, the Company intended to benefit from the incentives under the 1D1F programme to clear its goods at the port.



The implementation of the projects would increase employment, export earnings, the quality of poultry feed and livestock production, he said.



The importation of baby diapers, sanitation pads as well as car batteries would also reduce.



Mr Ras Mubarak, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu, seconding the motion, said despite the challenges of COVID-19, they provided unique opportunities for the nation to promote companies to do business that they would ultimately provide jobs for the young men and women of the country.



He said the pandemic, however, provided the country with the opportunity to stop capital flight by promoting more local businesses and thus increase export earnings.

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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Cadbury has announced it's shrinking the size of four of its chocolate bars including Wispa Gold and Double Deckers - and Twitter users are not happy.

The change, which also applies to Boost and Bournville Classic, will affect multipack bars.

The move is an attempt by the confectionary giant to tackle obesity, with the new size meaning the bars contain less than 200 calories - however the price will remain the same.

The 'shrinkflation' will spark concerns that it is a new attempt to raise prices by stealth, based on the company's record of shrinking products without offering a corresponding cut in the price.

Cadbury has announced it's shrinking the size of four of its chocolate bars including Wispa Gold (pictured) and Double Deckers

Cadbury's American parent company Mondelez International said multipacks account for the largest portion of its chocolate sales, so the reduction in bar sizes will eliminate 10 billion calories from the British market in one go, reports The Guardian.

The organisation added that is offering greater portion control options by committing to bringing all Cadbury multipack chocolate bars under 200 calories by the end of next year.

The bars will remain the same size when sold individually.

A Cadbury spokesperson said: 'The list price for these products will not be changing at this time. Retail pricing remains at the retailer's sole discretion.'

The change, which also applies to Boost and Bournville Classic, will affect multipack bars (pictured)

Cadbury's American parent company Mondelez International said multipacks account for the largest portion of its chocolate sales, so the reduction in bar sizes will eliminate 10 billion calories from the British market in one go

Many Twitter users reacted negatively to the news, claiming it is the latest catastrophe of 2020.

One tweeted: 'Well this is the year that keeps on giving. Cadbury to shrink size of Wispa Gold and Double Decker bars.'

Another commented: 'They're shrinking Wispa Gold and Double Decker: who's up for marching on the Houses of Parliament this weekend?'

HOW INDIVIDUAL CADBURY CHOCOLATE BARS COMPARE TO MULTIPACK BARS Chocolate bar Individual bar grams Individual bar calories Multipack bar grams Multipack bar calories Number of calories it will need to shrink by Boost 48.5g 250 40g 206 6 Wispa Gold 48g 244 41g 206 6 Double Decker 54.5g 250 40g 185 0 Bournville Classic 45g 240 45g 236 36

And another wrote: 'Both of which have already been shrunk down from the OG size, and if they carry on like this we'll just end up buying the wrappers with chocolate fragrance inside.'

Multipack bars are already smaller than individual ones. A Cadbury Classic Bournville Dark Chocolate bar sold in a three pack is 41g and contains 236 calories. A bar sold on its own is 45g and contains 240 calories.

The new shrinkflation tactic means the multipack bar will have to lose 36 calories to bring it under 200.

Many Twitter users reacted negatively to the news, claiming it is the latest catastrophe of 2020

Last year Cadbury announced it was shrinking its Curly Wurly, Fudge bar and Chomp among other products to bring them in under 100 calories.

The 2019 Curly Wurly weighed in at 26g and 118 calories, which meant it required a 22g cut to bring it in under 100 calories.

Other products due to be put under the Cadbury shrink ray before the end of this year include the Fudge bar (114 calories) which required a cut from 25.5g to 22g, and the Chomp (110 calories) which went from 23.5g to 21g.

Pictured: How the Cadbury's snacks are set to shrink, following on from the release of a lighter Dairy Milk (far right)

Mondelez's Oreo Mini snack pack and Freddo Face Cakes will be shrunk by the end of 2021.

Many companies have decided to reformulate their products, often taking out some of the sugar, in order to reduce the calorie count, however this was rejected by Mondelez for these products.

Cadbury recently launched a new Dairy Milk chocolate bar variant with 30 per cent less sugar in response to concerns about rising obesity. In this case, it changed the recipe to use corn fibre to replace some of the sugar.

The company claimed that the decision to shrink the products aimed at children, rather than introduce a healthier recipe, comes from its 'commitment to taste'.

A new version of the Cadbury Dairy Milk bar containing 30 per cent less sugar hit shelves last year. Pictured: the amount of sugar in the original bar (left) versus the latest bar (right)

UK Managing Director at Cadbury's parent firm Mondelez International, Louise Stigant, said: 'We want to play our part in tackling childhood obesity and are focusing on the areas where we can make the greatest impact.

'Our brands have been around for hundreds of years and play a special role in people's lives as treats to be enjoyed in moderation.

'We want to support parents when they choose to give their children a treat and introducing this calorie cap will make it simpler for them to find a treat under 100 calories that children will enjoy.'

It is not the first time a chocolate company has claimed the reason it is shrinking products is to help combat obesity. As long ago as 2009, Mars in Australia ran a massive marketing campaign based on this theme to justify cutting the size of the Mars bar.

At the time, politicians described the move, which saw no corresponding price cut, as underhand.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Spokesperson of the Armenian foreign ministry Anna Naghdalyan commented on the statements of the Azerbaijani leadership over the peaceful negotiation process.

Naghdalyan gave an interview to the Russian Interfax news agency.

Question: How would you comment on the recent statements made by the Azerbaijani leadership over the peaceful negotiation process?

Answer: There are three parties to the conflict which signed under the ceasefire agreement. In the past Azerbaijan was negotiating both with Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia.

Then Azerbaijan refused to negotiate with Nagorno Karabakh. If now Azerbaijan is refusing to negotiate with Armenia, its not clear with whom it will negotiate over the NK conflict. We dont know whether Azerbaijan intends to resume its negotiations with the Artsakh side or not.

Recently, Azerbaijan is trying to come up with war threats in different packaging. If its threat to withdraw from the negotiations is from that series, it neither surprises nor impresses us.

Armenia rejects the language of threat and is acting from the positions of peacefully settling the issue.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
The stricter policy came after Hong Kongs daily new Covid-19 caseload soared to a record high of 67 on Thursday, including 63 local infections, more than half of which were untraceable.

Travelers crossing the border from Hong Kong into South Chinas Guangdong province must now produce negative Covid-19 test results, as the city grapples with a third wave of coronavirus infections, local authorities said.

Two Chinese mainland cities on the border between the regions, Shenzhen and Zhuhai, each issued statements (link in Chinese) just before midnight Friday, requiring incoming visitors from Hong Kong to provide recognized negative Covid-19 nucleic acid test results that were taken within 72 hours before arrival. The visitors must also undergo a 14-day medical quarantine.

The stricter policy came after Hong Kongs daily new Covid-19 caseload soared to a record high of 67 on Thursday, including 63 local infections, more than half of which were untraceable. Hong Kong has so far seen 299 local infections in nursing homes and restaurants, as well as among taxi drivers, amid the latest flare-up that began earlier this month.

In its own statement, the Hong Kong government also warned its residents about the change, and expressed understanding about the heightened border restrictions since people crossing the border amid the Covid-19 flare-up have unduly overburdened the Mainland boundary control points and health quarantine facilities.





People entering Guangdong from Hong Kong must hold Covid-19 test certificates issued by one of the 15 testing institutions recognized by the Hong Kong government, the statement said. The results will only be considered valid for 72 hours from the time that samples are collected.

Previously, people traveling from Hong Kong to Guangdong only needed to be quarantined for 14 days, but did not have to prove they had tested negative for Covid-19.

According to a Hong Kong government spokesman, people refused entry into Guangdong will still need to be quarantined for 14 days in Hong Kong when they reenter the city. Members of the public should pay extra attention to avoid such a situation, he said.

The policy will exempt cross-boundary drivers and students, essential officials and business travelers who have received prior approval from Guangdong authorities, according to the Hong Kong government statement.

The governments of Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau had been moving forward on a system of mutual recognition for health codes and mutual exemption of quarantine since June, in a bid to facilitate cross-boundary flow of people between the three places amid the epidemic. However, the scheme was disrupted by this months flare-up in Hong Kong.

The city has been plagued by a new wave of coronavirus infections after it relaxed its social distancing rules earlier this month. The government on Wednesday reimposed the measures, closing down gyms and other venues for seven days, limiting public gatherings, banning dine-in services at restaurants at dinner time and requiring people to wear masks on public transportation.

Contact editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)
REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

The Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) says claims it invested $250,000 in federal home equity tax research are not accurate. A CMHC media relations representative told Yahoo Finance Canada in an e-mail that the funding will be used for the Solutions Lab initiative in an 18-month project to improve housing affordability in Canada, exploring an array of solutions.

The initiative, launched in 2018 under the National Housing Strategy, is working with the University of British Columbia organization, Generation Squeeze, to identify affordable housing solutions.

While the project includes a research component, it is primarily focused on confirming the issues, a CMHC spokeswoman explained. Once the issues have been further analyzed, the most promising solutions will be further developed with stakeholders, prototyped, tested and prioritized for possible implementation and scaling.

In other words, the CMHC has not outlined any plans to implement a concrete strategy from this initiative, let alone any tax-related policies. The organization has further clarified the purpose of the research initiative on Twitter:

This convo & headline are misleading. Funds to @GenSqueeze through our Solutions Lab, was to research solutions to #housing, wealth, and inequality. A home equity tax is an incorrect characterization of the upcoming research. Plus, research = tax policy decisions. pic.twitter.com/7RTuZeIPfe  CMHC (@CMHC_ca) July 17, 2020

Adam Vaughan, a Liberal party member of parliament in Ontario, said, We as a government have not asked for such a study and are not aware of any such study, nor has CMHC commissioned one to our knowledge, in a discussion with Mortgage Professionals Canada on Friday morning.

Story continues

UPDATE re Home Equity Tax



From @TOAdamVaughan, Parliamentary Secretary to Min of Families, Children & Social Development @HonAhmedHussen:

We as a government have not asked for such a study and are not aware of any such study, nor has CMHC commissioned one to our knowledge.  Mortgage Professionals Canada (MPC)  (@MortgageProsCan) July 17, 2020

A spokesperson for Generation Squeeze said in an e-mail to Yahoo Finance Canada, The 18-month project is currently in the design stage, with sessions expected to begin in September 2020. The specific solutions of focus will be determined by the stakeholders themselves once the process begins. More information about this project will become available once the sessions are underway. A final report outlining the Solutions Lab activities and participants will be published at the end of the project in early 2021.

The article by Blacklocks Reporter prompted swift criticism on Twitter with users arguing that this policy would be punitive for homeowners.

Over the weekend, Evan Siddall, the CEO of CMHC, addressed the report on Twitter, saying, "We are co-funding a Solution Lab on housing wealth and inequality. We do not control the agenda nor the research base, which is a minor component of the protocol. The objective of the open-ended Lab is to identify solutions that could improve the housing outcomes for renters and homeowners of all ages."

The suggestion that @CMHC_ca is funding a study on any tax measure is inaccurate and misleading reporting. We are co-funding a Solution Lab on housing wealth and inequality. We do not control the agenda nor the research base, which is a minor component of the protocol. https://t.co/ttCp6Aumfm  Evan Siddall (@ewsiddall) July 18, 2020

In response, the Blacklock's Reporter took to Twitter, providing more details on the invitation from the Solutions Lab initiative.

The CMHC provided Yahoo Finance Canada with a complete copy of the invitation from the Solutions Lab initiative, where it states that the initiative hopes to address the question "After-COVID, how can we treat housing as a place to call home, rather than an investment vehicle?"

There were confirmed policy directives or research plans outlined in the invitation. The first session, called "Making the problem visible" is scheduled for September 9, 2020.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has confirmed that the US will not be on the green list for safe travel to Ireland and the UK is also unlikely to be included.

Currently people travelling to Ireland from other countries, other than some exceptions like essential supply chain workers, are required to self-quarantine before joining the community.

They also have to fill in a passenger locator form, which says where the traveller has come from and where they are going to self-isolate.

Read More

A list is due to be published on Monday which denotes countries where travel from which is deemed safe enough that these restrictions will not be required - people arriving from Northern Ireland are already not bound by the requirements.

Mr Coveney said that the 'green list' of countries will not be long and that the US will definitely not be on the list, with the UK also unlikely.

"I think theres no question that the US will be on the green list, it wont be, he said on the Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk.

"And I think its very unlikely our closest neighbour either will be under that threshold that we set.

"And thats really unfortunate because the two countries that we would like to be opening up to, in terms of international travel, are the UK and the US, given the integration between our economy of those two countries and of course the number of visitors that would like to come here to spend money in hotels and have holidays here and so on.

So, I think its very unlikely that either the UK or the US will be on that green list. Its not going to be a particularly long list."

Tourists from the US and other countries not on the list will still be legally allowed to travel to Ireland but will be required to follow the preexisting requirements.
By Jonathan Allen (Reuters) - A week that marked the return of capital punishment by the U.S.

By Jonathan Allen

(Reuters) - A week that marked the return of capital punishment by the U.S. government after a 17-year hiatus ended on Friday with a third execution of a federal prisoner, according to a reporter serving as a media witness.

Dustin Lee Honken, a convicted murderer, was pronounced dead at 4:36 p.m. EDT (2036 GMT) after an executioner injected him with a powerful barbiturate at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, the media witness said in a report circulated to news outlets.

Efforts by President Donald Trump's administration to resume executions were underway soon after the Republican took office. His administration has now completed as many executions in a few days as happened in the preceding 57 years.

Lawyers for the condemned men amassed legal challenges, which include arguments that the U.S. Department of Justice's new one-drug lethal-injection protocol breaches a constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishments.

These arguments have been rejected twice this week in overnight rulings by a 5-4 majority in the Supreme Court.

Honken, 52, was a dealer in illegal methamphetamine when he and his girlfriend murdered five people in Iowa in 1993, including a government informant and two girls aged 10 and 6. He was convicted in 2004.

He was one of several inmates on federal death row in Terre Haute who have said the new one-drug protocol, which replaces a three-drug protocol the government last used in 2003, would cause an unnecessarily painful death in which their lungs drowned in bloody fluid before they lost consciousness.

The litigation will continue in the U.S. District Court in Washington with the surviving prisoners. Since last year, Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the cases, has ordered injunctions on three occasions delaying the scheduled executions to allow the legal challenges to play out. All three were overruled by the Supreme Court.

Two other men convicted of murdering children were executed in Terre Haute earlier this week: Daniel Lee, 47, on Tuesday, and Wesley Purkey, 68, on Thursday.

Families of the killers' victims have been divided, reflecting broader public disagreement over capital punishment, which has been abolished by most other countries. Relatives of Lee's victims pleaded for Trump to scrap Lee's execution. The father of the 16-year-old girl murdered by Purkey told reporters that Purkey's death brought some resolution to his grief.

Cassandra Stubbs, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Capital Punishment Project, called it "a truly dark period for our country." She joined the condemned men's lawyers in criticizing higher courts in what they called a rush to short-circuit their legal rights.

While the Supreme Court's conservative majority wrote that it had established that lethal injection was a constitutional method, some of the liberal justices complained new problems raised by the changed protocol were being dismissed too hastily.

"I remain convinced of the importance of reconsidering the constitutionality of the death penalty itself," Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in a dissenting opinion on Thursday.

(Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
After Ghislaine Maxwell's sensational arrest and denial to post bail, more victims are now shifting their focus towards proving that Britain's Prince Andrew has direct involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking scandal.

The Duke of York was first linked to the case when his friendship with the convicted sex offender was exposed, but things escalated quickly when one of Epstein's former victim, Virginia Roberts, claimed that she was trafficked and forced to have sex with the prince three times between the years 1999 to 2001.

During his controversial BBC interview in November 2019, Prince Andrew denied meeting and having non-consensual sex with Roberts. Moreover, he said he didn't regret his friendship with Epstein, who earlier committed suicide while inside a jail facility.

The 60-year-old royal repeatedly denied his relationship with Roberts, even after a photo of him with the younger Roberts emerged online.

As the pressure mounts on Prince Andrew, more victims are said to be coming out of light and pointing their fingers at Queen Elizabeth II's favorite son as their sexual abuser.

Victims Unite

A prominent lawyer representing Roberts said that there is more to come for Prince Andrew. Brad Edwards revealed that he had "more clients" claiming to have been around the Duke at the height of Epstein's sex trafficking scheme.

"It is not only Virginia  we have several other clients who were in [Andrew's] presence and Mr. Epstein's presence," Brad Edwards told the press.

Meanwhile, Gloria Allred, another lawyer representing 16 other Epstein victims, said she received calls from several British women claiming to be abused by the billionaire financier.

Damaging Claims

In an episode of "Pod Save the Queen" podcast, royal editor Russell Myers told host Ann Gripper that these latest updates against Prince Andrew could be disastrous to him and the royal family.

"The twist in this case over the last couple of days is that very prominent lawyers... have been making certain claims that more victims are yet to come out, and more victims have been contacting the lawyers involved," Myers said.

"Now, the issue here is, of course, Prince Andrew has denied any wrongdoing against these allegations that have been leveled against him."

The Daily Mail royal editor specifically pointed out that Gloria Allred's claims could be very damaging to the Duke of York.

"She was also quite bullish in his remarks about saying that he is waiting for an invitation to speak to the FBI which he 'wants to be delivered on a silver platter. Now, these are very damaging claims and allegations indeed," Myers added.

What's Next For Prince Andrew?

After Maxwell was denied to post bail, Lisa Bloom -- the lawyer representing six Epstein victims -- said that the authorities could summon Prince Andrew and turn him into a witness against the so-called "madam" of Epstein's scheme.

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly's namesake show in ITV, Bloom said that the Queen's son is not above the law and should adhere to authorities' call when needed. She emphasized that people from the United States can testify in a case in the United Kingdom, and vice versa.

READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth Abdication: Will Her Majesty Leave The Throne Soon?
The Virginia Career WorksFredericksburg Center has reopened to the public by appointment only.

Staff will be available in person at 10304 Spotsylvania Ave. as well as virtually to assist customers with searching and applying for jobs, finding training and navigating the workforce.

Virginia Career Works Centers are a statewide network of local offices that offer workforce development services to job seekers and employers. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Virginia Career Works system closed all offices and suspended public-facing services on March 31.

Local centers are beginning to reopen following the Phase Three guidelines, which include physical distancing, enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices, and the use of face coverings.

Workers and businesses across the Commonwealth continue to feel the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their employment and their livelihoods, said Gov. Ralph Northam in a news release. The comprehensive resources available through Virginias Career Works Centers are more important now than ever, and by safely reopening them, we will help ensure that Virginians have access to the support and services they need to move forward.

Anyone looking to improve their career options is eligible to receive services from a Virginia Career Works Center. To learn more or access workforce services online, visit virginiacareerworks.com. To schedule an appointment at the Fredericksburg Center, please call 540/322-5762.

Cathy Jett

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The offer to employees at the state-owned oil giant was compelling: Be among the first in China to take a coronavirus vaccine.

The employees at PetroChina could use one of two vaccines for emergency use to protect themselves when working overseas as part of Chinas ambitious infrastructure program, according to a copy of the notice, which was reviewed by The New York Times. They would effectively be guinea pigs for testing the unproven vaccines outside of the official clinical trials.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

The offer was backed by the government. It stressed that data from clinical trials showed that the products, both made by Sinopharm, were safe. It did not mention the possible side effects or warn against the false sense of security from taking a vaccine that regulators had not approved.

I dont think this is right, ethically, said Joan Shen, Shanghai-based chief executive officer of pharmaceutical firm I-Mab Biopharma.

The unorthodox move to test people separately from the normal regulatory approval process reflects the formidable challenge facing China as it races to develop the worlds first coronavirus vaccine.

Eager to find a long-term solution to the outbreak and burnish their scientific credentials, Chinese companies are rushing to get as much data as possible on their vaccines to prove they are safe and effective. In China, they are selectively testing their vaccines on small pools of people like the PetroChina employees  an approach that does not count toward the regulatory process but could bolster their own confidence in the vaccines. In Brazil and other countries, they are conducting clinical trials, going through the normal regulatory channels.

The dual strategy, though, is risking scientific setbacks and political backlash, potentially undercutting Chinas efforts.

Such emergency use is rare, and the taking of unapproved vaccines is typically reserved for health care professionals. Although the government has stressed that taking the vaccine is voluntary, the state-owned workers and soldiers could feel pressure to participate.

Follow: Coronavirus Worldometer | 15 countries with the highest number of cases, deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic

As Chinese companies also look beyond their borders to test the vaccine, they are running into mistrust and skepticism. Health experts have questioned why the Canadian government is allowing CanSino Biologics, which has teamed up with the Peoples Liberation Army, to run human trials in the country. Rumors have spread about the authenticity of a Chinese-made vaccine that is being tested in Brazil as supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro cast doubt.

The strategy is born out of necessity.

Chinese companies cannot find enough candidates at home to conclusively determine whether their vaccines would prevent infections, a problem faced by research institutes and pharmaceutical-makers in countries that have largely tamed the coronavirus. Phase three trials, the final stage before approval, require vaccines to be tested in roughly tens of thousands of volunteers in places with large, active outbreaks.

Along with the testing at the oil company, Sinopharm, which has completed phase two trials for two products, has injected the vaccine into its chairman and other senior officials, according to the state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), the government agency managing all employees at state-backed companies. The Chinese government has allowed the CanSino-military vaccine to be given to its armed forces, a first for the military of any country.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

Yang Zhanqiu, a virologist at Wuhan University, was skeptical about the decision to give vaccines to state-owned employees for business travel.

It does not make much sense at all because the length of time that the employees take to travel is not the same, the locations may be different, and it is not easy to do tracking and monitoring, Yang said. It may just be a psychological comfort for employees.

A PetroChina employee based overseas confirmed that his colleagues in China had been invited to take the vaccines. PetroChina, SASAC and Sinopharm did not respond to requests for comment.

Such testing does not help the companies clear any regulatory hurdles, since it is not part of the official clinical trials. Mainly, Chinese companies could use it to give themselves extra reassurance that the vaccines are safe, presuming they do not discover any problems.

If you are a regulatory body, if you play by the rules, if you are hard-nosed about it, you say this is very wrong, said Ray Yip, former head of the Gates Foundation in China.

Read: China firm uses workers to 'pre-test' Covid-19 vaccine in global race

Yip added that it would be useful for company executives to know that they had given the dose to a couple of thousand people, but no one has dropped dead, so thats pretty good.

Yip said the people taking the vaccines should read up on reports of the safety data and make an informed decision. He said he would be willing to take it.

If you offer that to me saying its safe and theres an 85% chance that it works, would I take it today? he said. You know what  I probably will. Because then I dont have to worry.

In a post on its official WeChat account, a government agency reported that the vaccine pretest on Sinopharm employees showed that antibody levels were high enough in subjects to combat the coronavirus, indicating that it was safe and effective. The agency did not make clear what vaccine the employees had taken. The Paper, a newspaper owned by the Shanghai government, separately said 180 employees had taken the vaccine.

Last month, the Beijing Institute of Biological Products, which is developing one of Sinopharms vaccines, published its preclinical data in a peer-reviewed journal, Cell, saying the vaccine induced high levels of antibodies in macaques and protected against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The Wuhan Institute, which Sinopharm owns, said its vaccine had caused no adverse reactions among volunteers, according to Xinhua, Chinas official news agency. Volunteers achieved full antibodies after two doses in a 28-day program.

While the early results in those small groups are promising, Chinese companies must strike deals in other countries to ultimately pass regulatory muster in China and the rest the world.

In June, Sinopharm began the third phase of clinical trials in Beijing; Wuhan, China; and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, becoming the first company to enter the final regulatory stage. Chinas Sinovac Biotech is teaming up with Instituto Butantan in Brazil, which has the worlds second-highest case count after the United States.

Also Read: Russia to mass-produce experimental Covid-19 vaccine

The process has been politically fraught in Brazil, where Bolsonaro has downplayed the threat, even as he later contracted Covid-19. His son blamed China for the pandemic.

Shortly after the vaccine deal, a fake meme started spreading that said the vaccine had been tested only on monkeys and never on humans. If this vaccine is so promising, then why not test it in China where this damned virus appeared instead of testing it on the citizens of Sao Paulo? it said.

Dimas Tadeu Covas, director of Butantan, said he was impressed with Sinovacs preliminary results and the vaccine has the greatest potential for success. He cited results from Sinovacs phase one trials that showed no adverse effects and phase two trials that showed 90% protection against SARS-Cov2.

I know vaccines, and I am betting a lot on this one, Covas said.

Despite the political backlash, about 600,000 people signed up for the trials just 24 hours after the recruiting process went live this week.

Joao Doria, the governor of Sao Paulo, the state where testing is being conducted, said his priority was to find tools which can help save lives.

In the middle of a pandemic, you cant prioritize ideology or political factors over life, he said in an interview.

Ralcyon Teixeira, an infectious disease specialist and director of the medical division at the hospital Emilio Ribas in Sao Paulo, said he was worried that the politicization of the Sinovac vaccine could hinder the introduction of what he believed could be an effective treatment.

Its been four months of just COVID, he said. We are tired of seeing so many deaths, so many bad and tragic situations, so I think that we are seeking out hope that this vaccine will work.
Rondy Luta McIntosh, the Crowd Motivator didnt have a crowd to perform to but certainly would have moved those viewing the telecast.

Vincy mas, the national carnival of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was prominently highlighted last Sunday, July 12, during the virtual showcase of Baltimore One Caribbean Carnival.





The production was a collaborative one involving Shortmus Productions, owned and managed by Vincentian, Baltimore-based Kenley "Shortmus John, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Carnival Development Committee (CDC) and VC3TV.





An entire hour was devoted to promoting Vincymas, dubbed "the hottest carnival in the Caribbean, on Baltimore One Caribbean Carnival Instagram and Facebook pages.





Vincymas 2020 was cancelled in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.





The recording of the Vincymas segment for Sundays presentation was done on Jul. 4, according to organizers.

It featured top Vincentian calypso, soca, ragga soca and road march artists, as well as renowned pannist Saeed Bowman.





Performers, who were backed up by the K-Netik Band, comprised Reigning Calypso Monarch Shaunelle Mc Kenzie; Reigning Soca Monarch Magikal; 2019 Soca Monarch Fya Empress; Ragga Soca Monarch Hance; Parang and Road March King Luta; L Pank; Sitad; and King Jace.





Ten Times Soca Monarch Fireman Hooper was scheduled to appear on the show, but was unable to do so because of his involvement in a vehicular accident on Jul. 3, organizers said.





Masqueraders from the Oxygen Mas Band performed on stage while the artists performed.





"Vincymas 2021, we ready, exclaimed McKenzie after her initial calypso rendition projected, "See you for Vincymas 2021.





Hance queried: "Vincymas 2021, are you ready?





Then, dancing with masqueraders, he belched out "It feels like ah been ya before, the title of his rendition, before invited "every Vincentian in Baltimore (to) take this date down  Jun. 25 to Jul. 6  book you ticket, book yo flight.





Luta enchanted the audience with "Busy Tone, "Tight Spot, "Famalay and "Jump on Charlie.





"Baltimore, this is St. Vincent and the Grenadines, he said afterwards. "If you want to experience the maddest carnival in the world, come to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, he said.





Described as the "Whiner Man by Master of Ceremonies Candy Man, L-Pank did not disappoint.

"It was a pleasure coming out here tonight, L-Prank said. "Come out to Vincymas Jun. 25 to Jul. 6.





Fya Empress appealed to viewers to "Own It, and King Jace urged to "Wet it Up.





Bowman put the icing on the cake, prompting Candy Man to remark that he is "the magician on pan.





The youthful Bowman beat out Kevin Lyttles "Turn Me On and "Coming Home for Carnival.





"Phenomenal talent! remarked Earl "Caba Bennett, president the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Calypso Association, on a Facebook post.





In an earlier statement, Dr. Elaine Simon, president of the Baltimore/ Maryland One Caribbean Carnival, thanked St. Vincent and the Grenadines for "partnering with us for this momentous experience to showcase our carnival virtually.





Esworth "Ezzie Roberts, CDCs Marketing and Development Officer, said his committee "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, "and thanked Kenley Shortmus John and the Baltimore/Washington One Caribbean Carnival, Committee "for giving us this opportunity to showcase Vincymas in this way.
Judges in The Hague will hold a delayed appeals hearing in August for Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic, sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide over the Srebrenica massacre, the UN said Friday.

The hearing was initially scheduled for March and then June but was repeatedly delayed after Mladic, 77, underwent an operation doctors said was to remove a benign polyp from his colon.

The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunal (IRMCT) said the hearing will now take place on August 25 and 26.

Mladic, once dubbed the Butcher of Bosnia, was sentenced to life behind bars in 2017 for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide for his role in the bloody civil war in the 1990s.

This included for genocide committed by his Bosnian Serb forces in the small eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica in mid-1995, Europes worst bloodshed since World War II, where some 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed.

About 100,000 people were killed and 2.2 million others displaced in the 1992-95 Bosnian war, which erupted as communal rivalries tore Yugoslavia apart after the fall of communism.

Judges at the court, which took over the duties of the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia after it wrapped up in 2017, said Mladic could be physically present in the courtroom or attend via videolink.

The defence will speak first on August 25 followed by the prosecution.

Mladic will himself be allowed to speak on August 26 for 10 minutes, the court said.

Mladic had to be dragged out of the court in 2017 after an outburst in which he accused the judges of lying, when they refused to adjourn his judgment hearing because of his high blood pressure.

Along with Mladic, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and ex-Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic also faced international justice over the Balkans wars.

Milosevic died in his cell in The Hague in March 2006, suffering a heart attack before his trial had finished.

Karadzic was convicted of genocide in 2016 for the Srebrenica massacre and other atrocities during the war and sentenced to 40 years.

After an appeal, judges increased his sentence to life, saying the initial term had underestimated the sheer scale and systematic cruelty of his crimes.
OWOSSO, MI -- The Owosso Public Schools Board of Education president announced his resignation Tuesday, July 14, following an outcry from residents over a Facebook post people found racially insensitive.

Board President Tim Jenc submitted his resignation letter after serving on the school board for 12 years.

In his letter, Jenc addressed his post on social media: I hope you know that I did not ever intend to give the district in which I have loved and supported my entire life this kind of negative publicity and am sincerely sorry for this to have ever happened.

The post has since been removed, however MLive/The Flint Journal obtained screenshots of the post.

Jenc shared a post that had been written by someone else. The writer of the post says they are upset because people who are white cant have white pride without being considered racist, while people in minority groups expressing pride are not called racists. It continues to claim minority groups are violent and white people should have white pride.

Kimberly Baltimore, a member of the Black Lives Matter movement in Owosso, said Jencs one-sentence apology did not address his wrongdoing.

Baltimore said the Jenc shared blatantly promoting white supremacy messagings and an incredibly inaccurate description of racism in the U.S.

The Black Lives Matter group called for Jencs resignation after recently learning of the Facebook post Jenc shared a month ago.

In the comment section of the shared post, people also asked Jenc to resign.

One person responded saying: This is racist and totally inappropriate for a public servant working to educate our children.

Another commenter said: Do you find this appropriate for a school board president to be posting????? This is completely unacceptable.

In a statement on Jencs resignation, Superintendent Andrea Tuttle said she is always willing to collaborate with others to find ways to better lead the district to make schools more accepting.

Owosso Public Schools and our community will continue working together to dissolve systemic racism, Tuttle wrote. The input of creative, innovative, passionate individuals is welcomed as we continue cultivating a community accepting of all people. I alone do not have the solution to eradicate civil inequalities for ALL people, regardless of race, sex, disability, age, national origin, sexual preference, or religious beliefs.

The BLM movement has been reaching out to the leaders of Owosso for support for change, and solidarity with the movement, Baltimore said. After holding its first peaceful assembly, the Owosso BLM movement decided to reach out to invite Owosso Public School leaders to participate in its next community conversation, she said.

In her message, OPS Superintendent Andrea Tuttle welcomed the opportunity to better educate herself on how to best lead the district moving forward, and wed like her to know that members of the community are coming together now to implement real changes and hold Owosso community and OPS leaders accountable, Baltimore said.

The next Black Lives Matter community conversation will be held at 1 p.m. July 25, in downtown Owosso, at the intersection of Main and Washington.

Baltimore asked leaders of the community to participate.

Its very important to see those who are educating our children, setting examples and representing our town, actively involved in the necessary steps to better our community, she said.
On Some US Lawmakers' Call to Repeal the PH Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020

More at: https://pinglacson.net/2020/07/17/on-some-us-lawmakers-call-to-repeal-the-ph-anti-terrorism-act-of-2020/

I wonder how many among those 50 or so members of the US Congress voted in favor of their own country's Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001.

Unlike their version, our Republic Act 11479 has no provision for a Guantanamo Bay-like detention facility where indefinite detention without trial of suspected terrorists, on top of torture and breach of human rights, suicides and suicide attempts have been reported by Amnesty International - all in violation of the Due Process Clause of the US Constitution.

And unlike their Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001, our law does not allow one-party consent in the conduct of electronic or technical surveillance.

While our Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 is replete with safeguards to ensure that human rights of suspected terrorists are observed and protected, what the US Congress passed as their version of an Anti-Terrorism law is much stronger, even cruel to some extent because their policy makers and citizenry give the highest premium to the security of their country and the protection of US citizens stationed anywhere in the world.

That said, these US Congress members should shut up unless they admit to being a bunch of hypocrites.
The "reincarnation" of the Armenian Defense Ministrys former spokesperson, who already on the second day of the clashes on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border outshadowed the current spokesperson, was aimed at creating hoaxes and misinformation, in which he is second to none, Azerbaijani Defense Ministrys spokesperson Vagif Dargahli told Trend on July 17.

Over the past days, the Armenian Ministry of Defense prepared dozens of fake news, Dargahli said, adding that Azerbaijan promptly refutes misinformation by the Armenian Defence Ministry.

"In particular, as you know, Armenian Defence Ministry, in order to somehow inspire the Armenian public, spread a hoax alleging that the Azerbaijani army lost 13 UAVs during the fightings.

But how to prove something which doesn't exist in reality? After all, the Armenian society also requires evidences. Thus, Armenian Defence Ministry posted a photo in the social network, allegedly depicting one of the downed Azerbaijani UAVs. However, it was not so hard to expose Armenian myth-makers. It was quickly proven that the photo depicted not Azerbaijani UAV, but an American one, shot down as early as in 2014 in Afghanistan, Dargahli said.

It is noteworthy that even foreign journalists started exposing the Armenian fake news. In particular, Julian Ropke, a military analyst of the German tabloid newspaper Bild, pointed to the inaccuracy of the Armenian Defense Ministrys video depicting the alleged destruction of an Azerbaijani drone. In fact, the video shot a civilian twin-engine light passenger plane, Dargahli said.

I reiterate that all UAVs of the Azerbaijani army are safe and sound. The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan promptly provides all the necessary information about the situation at the border without hiding losses," he concluded.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
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The global Millimeter Wave Technology Market Size is anticipated to reach $6,752 million by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2018, the mobile and telecom segment accounted for the highest market share in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global Millimeter Wave Technology market revenue in 2018.

The increase in demand for high speed data connectivity and growth in mobile traffic worldwide majorly drives the Millimeter Wave Technology market growth. Millimeter Wave Technology is increasingly being used owing to significant increase in the demand for the bandwidth intensive applications. The increasing applications in radar and security sectors, and increasing adoption of advanced networking technologies boost the market growth. The evolution of 5G technology, and growing demand for mobility accelerate the growth of the Millimeter Wave Technology market. New emerging markets, and increasing applications in defense, aerospace, and satellite communication would provide growth opportunities in the market in the coming years.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/millimeter-wave-technology-market/request-for-sample

5G networks will be based on higher frequencies based millimeter wave spectrum. These frequencies are capable of carrying massive amounts of data at very high speeds and with very little latency. Millimeter wave spectrum is capable of accommodating increase in data demands from mobile-first users, connected homes, AR/VR devices, cloud gaming systems, self-driving vehicles, IoT sensors and other cloud-connected devices.

North America generated the highest Millimeter Wave Technology market share in terms of revenue in 2018. The growing demand from the telecommunication sector, and development of 5G technology has accelerated the market growth in the region. The increasing trend of IOT, and growing demand for mobility supports the growth of the market in the region. The technological advancements, and growing demand from defense and aerospace sectors improves the Millimeter Wave Technology market growth rate. Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. This is owing to significant growth in the automotive industry in the region.

Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/millimeter-wave-technology-market

The well-known companies profiled in the Millimeter Wave Technology market report include NEC Corporation, Siklu Communication Ltd, Bridgewave Communications, Inc., E-Band Communications, LLC, Aviat Networks, Inc., Millitech, Inc., Millimeter Wave Products Inc., Farran Technology, Ltd, Keysight Technologies, Inc., and Ducommun Incorporated among others. These companies launch new products and collaborate with other market leaders to innovate and launch new products to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers.

Millimeter Wave Technology Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Product Scanner Systems Radar and Satellite Communications Systems Telecommunication Equipment

Millimeter Wave Technology Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Frequency Band 24 GHz and 57 GHz 57 GHz and 86 GHz 86 GHz and 300 GHz

Millimeter Wave Technology Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by End-User Mobile & Telecom Healthcare Commercial Industrial Consumer Automotive Defense Others

Millimeter Wave Technology Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Region North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe Germany UK France Italy Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific China India Japan Rest of Asia-Pacific Latin America Brazil Middle East & Africa



Avail discount on this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/millimeter-wave-technology-market/request-for-discount-pricing

About Polaris Market Research

Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide our customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high growth markets, emerging business environments and latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities.

Contact us-

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CultNews101.com: news, links, resources. Cults101.org: resources about cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations and related topics. CultMediation.com: offers resources designed to help thoughtful families and friends understand and respond to the complexity of a loved ones cult involvement. Intervention101.com: to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement. CultRecovery101.com: assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.
At first glance, the $19-billion COVID-19 relief fund Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday is promising, Winnipegs mayor says.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/7/2020 (550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

At first glance, the $19-billion COVID-19 relief fund Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday is promising, Winnipegs mayor says.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

However, Mayor Brian Bowman said its still not clear how much of that "significant" pledge to other levels of government will actually flow to Winnipeg, as the city is waiting for written confirmation on how funds will be paid out.

"Its definitely a start to see this kind of relief being discussed Were expecting that that will be new, incremental funds, not dollars that have been previously announced," Bowman said Friday.

On Thursday, Premier Brian Pallister said the federal fund will provide about $380 million for Manitoba, including about $72 million to be split between its municipalities. The premier said municipal funding would be divided on a per capita basis.

Bowman said hes seeking a commitment from the province on exactly what Winnipegs allotment will be, and when it will arrive.

As pandemic-related financial losses add up, the mayor said Winnipeg requires relief to sustain essential services, such as drinking water, quick 911 responses, and timely garbage collection.

"All of those essential services that keep the city moving and keep the city safe are ones that we know are being squeezed, in terms of the bottom line," he said.
A Sydney doctor who sent a young female patient a series of suggestive late-night messages has had his registration cancelled for at least three years.

Dr Robert Hampshire, 71, was on Thursday found guilty of five breaches including unsatisfactory professional conduct by the Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

The Health Care Complaints Commission succeeded in having the psychiatrist's registration cancelled after a patient accused him of a series of inappropriate messages in April 2017.

Robert and then wife Sally Hampshire at the 'Sydney Hot Property Guide' book launch at Elizabeth Bay House in Sydney in 2015

During the string of phone calls and text messages he asked the woman if she was naked and implored her to 'take it off'.

Dr Hampshire said he did not have any recollection of the incidents late on April 14 and in the early hours of April 15 after consuming a cocktail of alcohol and a sleeping pill.

He initially stated that the incidents could not have occurred because he was on a boat to celebrate Good Friday, however later admitted he spent the day at home with his former wife.

'He agreed he had told people in 2017 that he had been out on a boat all day with friends where he had been drinking alcohol,' the tribunal found.

'He found out he had not been on the boat later on when he spoke to the owner of the boat.'

The woman - who can only be referred to as patient A - was bombarded with a series of texts and phone messages just a week after seeing him for assessment after being attacked by a dog.

'Dr Hampshire's conduct risked the health and safety of the public,' the tribunal found in its judgement.

'Patient A said she considered his conduct disgusting and she felt violated. She described him as an opportunistic doctor who tried to take advantage of her.'

He was previously deregistered in 1994 after breaching conditions of his registration placed on him due to his addiction to painkillers.

During a phone conversation about 10.32pm Hamsphire told Patient A : 'I'm feeling very sexy (patient A). Are you naked?' He then asked her what she was wearing

It was found that he phoned and sent numerous text and voicemail messages to patient A after she accidentally dialled his number and immediately disconnected.

He phoned her back around 7pm during which he told her she was a 'beautiful girl' and that he was 'all alone' and 'single'.

During a phone conversation about 10.32pm he told her: 'I'm feeling very sexy (patient A). Are you naked?' He then asked her what she was wearing.

'Well take it off for me (patient ),' he told her before at one point repeating the phrase 'take it off'.

Dr Hampshire admitted to not remembering the incident, however was found to have at one point in the night phoned her seven times and left four voicemails over a seven-minute period.

Shortly after, he sent her a text message saying: 'Do. I know u feel now lying there. Me too. Call me x' before sending a final text at 2.42am.

He will not be allowed to apply for a review of his registration for three years.
The time has come for the world to push back against the challenge posed by the Chinese Communist Party, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said as he contended that the United States "slept on this threat for too long."

Pompeo also said the Chinese government was aware of human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus before they shared this information with the world.

Countries not only in Southeast Asia but in Asia more broadly, in Europe, have come to understand the threat that the Chinese Communist Party presents. The United States slept on this for too long, Pompeo told Bill Hemmer of Fox News in an interview on Thursday.

I think they all did too, and I think they're coming to a joint conclusion that it's time for the world to make sure that we get this right.

"For democracies and freedom-loving people around the world, it is an imperative that we push back against the challenge that the Chinese Communist Party presents to us all, Pompeo said.

He said that for 40 years, successive US administrations just looked the other way and allowed China to trample on America.

President Donald Trump said "no more," he said.

The US is going to have fair, reciprocal trade relationships; and it is going to demand that the Chinese Communist Party treat Americans the same way that the US treats people who go there, he said.

Hemmer asked Pompeo to comment on claims by Hong Kong-based virologist Dr Yan Li-Meng, who recently fled to the United States, that Beijing knew that the virus could spread between humans three weeks before that knowledge was made public.

Pompeo said that the World Health Organisation itself was co-opted into the same effort to deny the world the knowledge it needed to respond to this threat, to this threat from the virus that emanated from Wuhan, China.

This is a simple understanding, and President Trump is going to demand that it happens," he said.

"And of course, now too, we've seen the virus that started in Wuhan, China cost the globe hundreds of thousands of people and trillions and trillions of dollars, and I believe the world is going to unite to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for having covered this up when they could have prevented so much of this tragedy, said the top American diplomat.

The United States has been the worst-hit country with over 3.5 million coronavirus cases. The country has reported more than 137,000 deaths so far.

Pompeo refrained from responding to news reports that there could be a ban on US travel for Chinese party members and their families.

We're working our way through, under the president's guidance, about how to think about pushing back against the Chinese Communist Party. You see it in trade, you see it in other economic activity, you see it in diplomatic engagement, he added.

The rights that we have that the Declaration of Independence set forth, that are in our Constitution, are central to American foreign policy. We have to get that right. We have this deep tradition. It's under attack, he said in response to a question.
Internet of Economies software company providing blockchain secure platform solutions for Fin-tech, Media and other sectors

TORONTO, July 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Cactus Global, Inc. (OTCBB: BLGI) ("BLGI" or the "Company") announced today the appointment of a new leadership team and the acquisition of industry leading blockchain development software technology. The Company has also filed all required periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is now current.



BLGI's entire former Board of Directors and management, except for Jeremy Towning, has resigned. The new leadership team, led by Lawrence P. Cummins, CEO is now in place.

Lawrence P. Cummins is the President and CEO of Charteris, Mackie, Baillie & and Cummins Limited (CMBC) whose primary focus has been the development of commercial solutions for Asset Management for complex financial transactions. In addition, a new disruptive media publishing platform for music, video and books, which utilizes Data Science, Artificial Intelligence "machine learning algorithms ", Cloud Computing, Blockchain Integration for implementing smart contracts for Internet of economies with analytics and predictive modeling has been added to the Company's breakthrough offerings.

Lawrence C. Cummins has been appointed Vice President in charge of Special Projects. A graduate of the University of Illinois Chicago's School of Design, he was a research grant assistant on a joint project with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and a Project and Media Design Manager for products developed by CMBC.

BLGI has entered into a Software License Agreement with CMBC for the use of its IP that supports the blockchain based development platform that BLGI will commercialize by developing solutions for a broad range of industries. CMBC has also assigned all the rights and benefits to BLGI of the Software License it granted Benchmark Advisors (Bahamas) Limited, a Broker Dealer and Investment Advisor licensed by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas. In exchange for these two transactions BLGI has issued CMBC 294,109,944 shares of common stock.

BLGI's new website www.blgi.net , offers additional information. The Company will operate from Chicago, London and Melbourne Australia. The mailing address is 2027 W. Division Street, Suite 137, Chicago, IL.

About Black Cactus Global, Inc.

At the core of any data science company is the need to optimize a client's assets, whether the asset is financial trading data or sensitive health care information. As technology across all asset driven industries is moving toward blockchain and A.I infrastructures, many organizations are rushing to adapt to these new technologies. At BLGI we remove the guesswork from data driven asset optimization. We deliver high-impact strategies that extend our clients assets' life, reduce life-cycle costs and ensure the assets availability. Doing so aids our clients in embracing these new emerging technologies and empower them to compete in an ever-changing digital landscape.

For additional news and information please visit BLGI's website at www.blgi.net or by contacting BLGI as follows:

Contact Information

Lawrence P. Cummins

Tel: 1-773-683-1671

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations or forecasts of future events, can be affected by inaccurate assumptions, and are subject to various business risks and known and unknown uncertainties, a number of which are beyond the control of management. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These cautionary statements should not be construed as exhaustive or as any admission as to the adequacy of BLGI's disclosures. BLGI cannot predict or determine after the fact what factors would cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements or other statements. The reader should consider statements that include the words "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "plans," "projects," "should," or other expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends, to be uncertain and forward-looking. BLGI does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional information respecting factors that could materially affect BLGI and its operations are contained in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2019, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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The Chinese city of Wuhan has raised its flood response alert to the highest level of red after the Yangtze River continued to swell due to torrential downpours in the upper streams.

Shocking footage shows the mighty waterway seemingly hanging above the streets of the city of 11million as disaster-relief workers scrambled to build temporary dams with sandbags.

Officials in Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus was first detected late last year, warned residents to take precautions as water levels fast approached their maximum guaranteed safety level.

Wuhan has declared a red alert for flooding after the former coronavirus ground zero has been battered by torrential downpours. The picture taken on July 13 shows a swimmer wading through water in a local park due to heavy rains in Wuhan

Officials in Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus emerged late last year, warned residents to take precautions as water levels fast approached their maximum guaranteed safety level. The picture taken on July 12 shows a group of residents looking at an inundated pavilion in the swollen Yangtze River in Wuhan as China has been battered by continuous downpours since June

The central city of Wuhan and the provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi and Zhejiang declared red alerts as heavy rain swelled the city. This picture taken on July 11 shows a resident paddling near a flooded sculpture on the bank of the Yangtze River in Wuhan

The central city of Wuhan and the provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi and Zhejiang have all issued red alerts as heavy rain continue to swell rivers and lakes.

Large parts of China were reeling on Friday from the worst floods in decades, as disruption mounted for supply chains, including for personal protective equipment (PPE), vital in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

Social media footage uploaded by a Wuhan resident shows the city's riverbanks and streets being inundated by the surging Yangtze River on Tuesday.

The city's officials said today that the water level of the Yangtze would likely stay at around 28 metres (92 feet) 'for a long period'. This means the river would flow at around four metres (13 feet) higher than Wuhan's streets, which are 24 metres (78 feet) above the sea level on average.

Another clip released by People's Daily sees dozens of cars 'floating like boats' in Hubei's Enshi city after the streets are submerged by the raging floodwaters.

The central city of Wuhan and the provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi and Zhejiang declared red alerts as heavy rain swelled rivers and lakes. The picture shows road and trees being partly submerged in water on the banks of the Yangtze River on July 13

The pictures above are screenshots of the social media footage released by a Wuhan resident showing the city's riverbanks and streets being inundated by the surging Yangtze River on Tuesday. The former coronavirus ground zero issued a red alert

The summer rainy season brings floods to China almost every year but the impact of the disruption they cause is being felt further afield as Chinese goods become more important in global supply chains for various items, including PPE.

'It's just creating another major roadblock here in terms of PPE getting into the United States - it is the worst of times for it to happen but that's what we're dealing with right now,' said Michael Einhorn, president of Dealmed, a US medical supply distributor, which sources disposable lab coats and other products from Wuhan and nearby regions.

'We cannot get product out for over a week, which is a very long time in our business,' he said, adding that the delays could last up to three weeks.

Xiantao, just west of Wuhan, is China's biggest manufacturer of non-woven fabrics used in PPE production. A third of China's total exports of non-woven fabric products are from the city.

The pictures above are screenshots of another clip released by People's Daily on Chinese TikTok-like Douyin. The devestating video sees dozens of cars 'floating like boats' in Hubei's Enshi city after the streets are submerged by the raging floodwaters

'Extremely severe' situation: At a flood-fighting meeting on Sunday, Wuhan leaders warned of the city's rising river levels. Officials predicted that the Yangtze River's level could reach 95.8 feet, its third-highest levels in history, on Thursday

With the relentless rain, more misery seems inevitable.

The giant Three Gorges reservoir, which has been holding back more water to try to ease downstream flood risks, is more than 10 metres higher than its warning level, with inflows now at more than 50,000 cubic metres a second.

The Poyang lake in Jiangxi province, which is formed from the overspill of the Yangtze, is 2.5 metres higher than its warning level. It has expanded by more than 2,000 square kilometres during thus flood season, and parts of the surrounding town have been inundated.

Further east, the Tai lake near Shanghai has also declared a red alert after its water level rose to nearly a metre higher than its safe level.

Economic activity in other parts of China, especially construction and steel and cement demand, has also been hurt by the flooding, analysts say, suggesting some loss of momentum after a stronger than expected bounce in the second quarter from the coronavirus crisis.

The giant Three Gorges reservoir, which has been holding back more water to try to ease downstream flood risks, is more than 10 metres higher than its warning level, with inflows now at more than 50,000 cubic metres a second. The picture taken on July 13 show one of the roads and trees being partly submerged in water on the banks of the Yangtze River in Wuhan city

An aerial photo taken on July 11 shows people reinforcing temporary waterproof dyke to stop the flood at Jiangjialing Village in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province. Jiangxi has been one of the provinces worst-hit by floods in China this month

'We estimate recent floods in Yangtze River regions could lead to a gross drag of 0.4-0.8 percentage points on third-quarter GDP growth,' analysts at Morgan Stanley said in a note to clients on Friday.

Summer flooding has been an annual scourge in China since ancient times, often focused along the vast Yangtze basin that drains much of the central part of the country.

But multiple Chinese provinces have entered 'wartime mode' to fight what state media called a 'flood catastrophe' as torrential downpours batter the country.

The worst-hit provinces were Jiangxi, Hubei and Hunan in central China, Anhui, Zhejiang and Jiangsu in the country's east, and the southwestern mega-city of Chongqing, authorities said.
Yves here. As much as I am loath to say much about cancel culture, since by calling attention to divisive behavior, it tends to encourage it, it nevertheless bears repeating that this is just another variant of Jay Goulds oppression strategy: I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half. But the clever thing about stoking idpol divisions is that not that many people need to be paid to carry them forward.

This current push is an intensification of the world view that Adolph Reed has repeatedly called out, of depicting a highly unequal society as fair as long as historical out groups are adequately represented among the wealthy, politics, and the top levels of high profile institutions. Yet these fights over speech are occurring when the super rich are getting even richer (particularly that bastion of white men, private equity) and no more diverse. And as Tom points out, theres similarly lots of virtue signaling from companies but not much change regarding the composition of the executive ranks.

By Thomas Neuberger. Originally published at DownWithTyranny!

Nikes attempt to prove they care about the poor (screenshot from this ad). Nike will manufacture as many poor as it takes to manufacture shoes for less than 50 cents per hour.

A fake MacDonalds ad mocking fake corporate caring

The elites will discuss race. They will not discuss class.

Chris Hedges

Chris Hedges is latest to weigh in on the cancel culture wars, saying what any number of widely cancelled others have said before him (for example, Matt Taibbi in this public post; hes even more pointedly analytical in a later, subscriber-only piece).

But Hedges summarizes the situation so well, hes well worth quoting. From his new perch at Robert Sheers Sheerpost he writes:

The cancel culture  the phenomenon of removing or canceling people, brands or shows from the public domain because of offensive statements or ideologies  is not a threat to the ruling class. Hundreds of corporations, nearly all in the hands of white executives and white board members, enthusiastically pumped out messages on social media condemning racism and demanding justice after George Floyd was choked to death by police in Minneapolis. Police, which along with the prison system are one of the primary instruments of social control over the poor, have taken the knee, along with Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of the serially criminal JPMorgan Chase, where only 4 percent of the top executives are Black. Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world whose corporation, Amazon, paid no federal income taxes last year and who fires workers that attempt to unionize and tracks warehouse laborers as if they were prisoners, put a Black Lives Matter banner on Amazons home page. The rush by the ruling elites to profess solidarity with the protestors and denounce racist rhetoric and racist symbols, supporting the toppling of Confederate statues and banning the Confederate flag, are symbolic assaults on white supremacy. Alone, these gestures will do nothing to reverse the institutional racism that is baked into the DNA of American society. The elites will discuss race. They will not discuss class.

To repeat: Hundreds of corporations, nearly all in the hands of white executives and white board members, enthusiastically pumped out messages on social media condemning racism and demanding justice after George Floyd was choked to death by police in Minneapolis.

In addition, were drowning in corporate self-polishing-apple ads, like those from Nike and MacDonalds touting how much they care about the market that buys their products, even as they exploit that market for all they can get take it for.

Is it not more than obvious at this point, that corporate America and the purchased free-market liberals they keep in office are using this racially charged moment  a moment that should be racially charged  to distract from the other crisis facing America, the one where minimum wage workers cannot afford rent in any U.S. state, to cite just one of the hundred brutal tortures they inflict on us daily?

Make no mistake: The very very wealthy want even more of our money, want us to have even less control of our government than we have today, and theyre more than happy  eager, in fact  to see us fully distracted with worry over which left-sympathizing writer isnt sufficiently sympathetic to violence, based on a tweet.

But Isnt It Racist to Say Calling Out Racism Is Racist?

Along with the good and sincere, there are many bad actors here. Along with the principled freedom-of-speech advocates (many, but not all, of those who signed this letter, for example), there are also a great many racists and right-wing opportunists calling out cancel culture  and a few unhinged Zionists as well  whove done what they now decry. The Right has jumped all over the cancel-culture controversy to try to paint the Left as focused to a fault on the rights of minorities to the exclusion of needs of the majority.

First, if the Right says something is true, does that make it false, or worse, not worth examining? The liberal left (as opposed to the actual left) does tend to ignore class as an issue. The cancel-culture controversy is complicated; lets not pretend its not, or worse, cancel those who dont affirm its simplicity.

Moreover, at what time in modern America has the New York Times, who recently canceled its own editor for the crime of printing Tom Cotton, represented the actual Left, as opposed to that part of the Left that shovels free-market Democrats into office as fast as it can, then works like the devil to keep them there? The Times is owned by a corporation with close to two billion dollars in yearly revenue  advocates for the poor theyre not, unless the poor will content themselves only the smallest of marginal structural changes.

In the meantime, while were squabbling over the latest cancellation outrage  many are indeed that, outrageous, while many are not  America is being rebuilt as we speak into an even greater monopolythan before, with even more wealth going to the even more powerful.

As one wag put it, Jeff Bezos is having a very good crisis.

Companies large enough to survive this event are flush with cash and gobbling failed competitors hand over fist. Its been rightly said that when Covid has done its work, we wont recognize the country it left behind.

Watching a Knife Fight While the Town Burns Down

The cancel culture war is a distraction, important though it is we have that discussion. While we watch the knife fight in the corner, cheering one side or the other on, the main event, the torched and burning town we all inhabit, consumes itself behind us.
CAMPBELL, Calif., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As a well-respected personal injury firm serving clients in San Jose, Campbell, and throughout Santa Clara County, Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP has recovered millions for injury victims and received many awards and accolades from legal ranking organizations. The firm's founding partner Paul F. Caputo was also recently recognized on the 2020 Super Lawyers list, making this his 16th consecutive year to receive this prestigious award.

Super Lawyers is well known throughout the legal profession as one of the top legal media companies in the country, providing comprehensive annual lists of the attorneys it views as "outstanding" within their practice area and region. To be selected to the Super Lawyers list each year, an attorney must receive peer nominations and positive feedback from past clients, as well as pass a rigorous multi-phase evaluation on 12 different metrics of professional success.

Chosen for Super Lawyers every year since 2005, Paul F. Caputo has consistently shown what it means to advocate for the voiceless and get powerful results at trial. Recognized by Martindale-Hubbell, Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), and many other legal organizations, Attorney Caputo is honored to be recognized for his efforts on behalf of California consumers and injury victims.

For more information or press inquiries, contact Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP at https://www.vanderwalde.com/.

SOURCE Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP

Related Links

https://www.vanderwalde.com/




Decades ago, when Amitabh Bachchan met with an accident on the set of Coolie, the entire nation had prayed for him. Last week, when the legend tested positive for corona, the nation yet again joined its hands in prayer. There were prayers and havans organised for the speedy recovery of the actor and his family. Clearly, the love for this living legend is immeasurable.

While Big B and Abhishek Bachchan are in the hospital being treated for corona, Aishwarya and her daughter are home quarantined. Reports says Amitabh Bachchan is recovering well. The actor often gets on social media to thank his ardent fans for their prayers and wishes. Today too, he took to Twitter to thank everyone. He also said that following the hospital protocol, hes not spending too much time on social media, but just made some time to share his gratitude with his well wishers.





His tweet reads, I receive all your blessings and love and prayers for our well being .. on sms, on whatsapp, on insta on Blog .. and all possible social media .. my gratitude has no bounds .. Hospital protocol is restrictive, I cannot say more .. Love, followed by hands joined and red-heart emoji. Now thats really sweet of the legend to take time out to thank his well-wishers even awhen he's unwell.



T 3596 -

I receive all your blessings and love and prayers for our well being .. on sms, on whatsapp, on insta on Blog .. and all possible social media ..

my gratitude has no bounds ..

Hospital protocol is restrictive, i cannot say more .. Love AAAAAAAAAaAAAiAAA  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) July 16, 2020





The entire Bachchan family, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Aaradhya, testing positive had got everyone worried. However a little relief was felt when Jaya Bachchan and the staff members tested negatuve. Hope the Bachchan family recover soon. We pray for their speedy recovery.
By Aisha Jabbarova

Around 100 servicemen of the Armenian armed forces have been killed or injured during the cross-border fights in Tovuz region, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministrys presser reported on July 17.

"The armed forces of Armenia lost about 100 servicemen killed and wounded as a result of the fighting in the direction of the Tovuz district. As always, Armenia seeks to hide its military losses from the public. But after a while the truth will come out and they will be forced to admit their losses, the ministry said.

The ministry described as a lie the Armenian Investigation Committees report that four Armenian soldiers were killed and 36 were injured during the recent fighting in Tovuz that resumed on July 16.

Furthermore, the ministry urged the Azerbaijani media not to disseminate misinformation spread by Armenia.

The cross-border clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia started on July 12 noon after Armenian troops fired artillery at Azerbaijani military post in Tovuz region.

__

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNews
State Congress alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJPs) Maharashtra unit transferred 500 crore through hawala for horse trading in Rajasthan to topple the Ashok Gehlot government. While the Maharashtra BJP rubbished the allegations, the Congress requested state home minister Anil Deshmukh to get the alleged hawala transfer probed by the police.

Maharashtra Congress general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant said that the party received specific information on the transfer of the funds.

There are leaked tapes of conversation between a BJP leader and the suspended Rajasthan MLAs [Members of Legislative Assembly] over the exchange of money to topple the Gehlot government. This proves that a huge amount was amassed for horse trading in Rajasthan. We received specific information from our internal sources in Maharashtra that leaders from the state unit of the BJP transferred 500 crore crore through hawala, Sawant said.

He also said that he spoke to state home minister Anil Deshmukh over the illegal transaction of money and demanded action.

Deshmukhsaheb told me that even he has similar information received by his department. He has agreed to conduct a probe in the transfer of the funds. The BJP masterminds in Maharashtra involved in such an unethical act need to be exposed, said Sawant.

According to Sawant, the money for the alleged hawala transaction was collected from builders and traders in Maharashtra.

The Centre is misusing central agencies such as the CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] and the Enforcement Directorate along with money power to topple the non-BJP governments in several states. Likewise, the Maharashtra unit also contributed in bringing down the Janata Dal (S)-Congress government in Karnataka last year. Rebel legislators from Karnataka were put up at a Mumbai hotel and meetings were held at the residence of state unit chief Chandrakant Patil, Sawant alleged.

Hitting back at the Congress, Maharashtra BJP vice-president Madhav Bhandari said if the allegations were true, why did the state government fail to stop the alleged transaction when one of the parties in the government was in know of it.

Congress is a part of the government which taps phones and keeps information of such transactions. If the party had specific information on such a money transfer, the government should have stopped it. The question that arises here is if Maharashtra Congress itself was interested in toppling the Gehlot government and thus did not intervene. It is Maharashtra Congresss old habit to level allegations without any proof or substance, said Bhandari.

Party spokesperson Keshav Upadhye also termed the allegations as baseless and false. Sachin Sawant is known for such meaningless accusations and has no credibility even in his own party, said Upadhye.
Take a look at some of the biggest movers in the premarket:

Netflix (NFLX)  The video streaming service saw its bottom line fall 22 cents a share below Wall Street forecasts with quarterly profit of $1.59 per share. Revenue and subscriber additions were above estimates. Projected subscriber additions for the current quarter of 2.5 million are well below the consensus estimate of 5.27 million.

BlackRock (BLK)  The asset management firm reported quarterly profit of $7.85 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $6.99 a share. Revenue also topped forecasts. Profit was up 21% from a year ago, with the firm seeing a 7% increase in assets under management.

Regions Financial (RF)  The bank reported a quarterly loss of 25 cents per share, compared to analysts' forecasts of a 5 cents per share profit. Revenue was above estimates. The loss was prompted by a larger-than-expected increase in the company's reserve for credit losses.

Microsoft (MSFT)  The company said it had trimmed its workforce across multiple functions and locations, although it did not elaborate on how many or which jobs it had cut. Business Insider earlier reported that under 1,000 jobs were cut at Microsoft.

United Airlines (UAL)  The airline reached an agreement with its pilots union designed to reduce the number of involuntary furloughs. Pilots aged 62 and older will have the option of an early retirement deal, and all pilots will be able to voluntarily reduce hours or take a leave of absence without losing health benefits.

Twitter (TWTR)  Twitter said about 130 accounts were targeted during this week's security incident, including those of prominent individuals like former President Obama, Bill Gates, former Vice President Joe Biden, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Lyft (LYFT)  The ride-hailing service plans to distribute about 60,000 vehicle partition shields to its most active drivers, to protect against the possible spread of the coronavirus. It also plans to begin selling the custom-made barriers to other drivers later this summer.

JB Hunt Transport (JBHT)  The transportation company reported quarterly earnings of $1.14 per share, well above the consensus estimate of 80 cents a share. Revenue also exceeded expectations. Following the release of those results, Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock to "hold" from "sell."

Principia Biopharma (PRNB)  French drugmaker Sanofi (SNY) is said to be targeting biotech-related acquisitions in the U.S., according to a Bloomberg report. Principia, which already has a partnership with Sanofi, is said to be one of the possible targets.

PPG Industries (PPG)  The producer of paints and coatings reported quarterly earnings of 98 cents per share, well above the consensus estimate of 71 cents a share. Revenue also beat forecasts, helped by an increase in do-it-yourself painting projects by people remaining at home during shelter-in-place orders.

Carnival (CCL), Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH), Royal Caribbean (RCL)  The volatile cruise line stocks remain on watch today, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended a no-sail order for the industry through the end of September. The order was first put in place in March, and was due to expire on July 24.

Lending Tree (TREE)  The online lender raised its revenue outlook, with refinancing demand increasing sharply as mortgage rates hit record lows.
HYDERABAD, BENGALURU and MUMBAI, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SucSEED Ventures invests into Protinus Fashion Networking Pvt Ltd, to expand its horizon into Fashion Commerce & Retail Management Platform segment. SucSEED invests in 6Degrees through this Pre-Series A round, whereas Kieretsu Forum had invested seed capital earlier.

6Degree is India's largest fashion network with over 15,000 professionals and home to over 4,000 fashion designers. The company also has long standing partnerships with over 100 multi-brand stores and leading fashion platforms such as IMG Reliance, Lakme Fashion Week, Fashion Design Council of India and several esteemed names, playing host to leading names such as Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Arora and many others.

Nikhil Hegde, Co-Founder of 6Degree, said, "6Degree has constantly been working in the affordable luxury market for the emerging fashion designers. With large base of designers & fashion professionals on the 6Degree network, there has been a need to leverage this asset and enable growth to the local talent and engage with customer across the globe. 6Degree has strong existing partnerships and have been able to add business value to over 500 emerging fashion designer brands by giving them access to national and international markets. We have also launched www.6Degree.store to provide the fashion-conscious consuers access to limitless styles from homegrown designers and at affordable prices."

Talking about the company's plans to utilize the funds Nikhil Hegde said, "6Degree will now be able to move quicker and bring about a democracy in styles to consumers and support local designer talent in becoming strong national & global brands.

Speaking on why SucSEED has invested in 6Degree, Dr.Moti Vyas, an active Investor with SucSEED, said, "6Degree has the vision to transform fashion industry, as it provides an end to end platform for fashion industry participants with a digital technology infrastructure. It works to eliminate overheads, improves efficiency, provides transparency, fair marketplace for new players and above all world class customer experience at an affordable price point. "

Vikrant Varshney, Co-founder & Managing Partner, SucSEED , said, "The Indian fashion retail industry is about $100 Bn, with the global market in excess of $3Tn. There are over 700,000 homegrown designer brands in India who seek to retail in over 75,000 single brand & multi-brand store network. In addition, each year, there are over 25,000 fashion students who graduate and a large section of them go on to start their own homegrown brand. Our Investment into 6Degree would help them achieve a dominating position in that space and organise the market."

Speaking on this investment further, Dhiraj Sinha, Cofounder & Partner, SucSEED , said, "6Degree aims to democratize the fashion industry for India's middle class. The company is led by the passionate duo - Nikhil Hegde and Amit Bhardwaj with global fashion industry experience and a vision to 'make a difference'. We take pride in our association with 6Degree."

About 6Degree

6Degree (http://6degree.co) was started in 2015 by Nikhil Hegde and Amit Bhardwaj, with a vision to bring the unorganised fashion industry to one platform and through this, democratise style for consumers. Today, 6Degree provides every stakeholder in the fashion industry with a opportunity to grow their business - either through service opportunities or product sales. Designers now have access to newer markets, nationally and internationally through 6Degree Retail Platform (https://www.6degree.store) while fashion service providers can now be discovered by leading brands through India's largest fashion network - 6Degree.

Problem(s) that 6Degree is addressing:

Fashion is always perceived to be a consumption for the rich class, however, most people have an aspiration to be fashionable. Bringing customized and affordable luxury-wear to consumers from homegrown fashion brands. Stylish products at affordable prices always seek new markets and consumers from the growing middle class population of India .

. Homegrown fashion designer brands stuggle to establish themselves on a global scale.

Provide business and job opportunities for fashion professionals through India's largest fashion network - 6Degree Network. Fashion service provides can now have access to jobs and opportunities without a middleman and payment guarantees.

Solution:

6Degree has launched its propertiary retail management solution that provides designer brands with a single platform to grow and manage their business across all online and offline sales channels. 6Degree manages over 200 designer brands via its unique retail platform and provides access to new markets & consumers. 6Degree Retail Management now allows homegrown brands to go digital-first while still providing them with retail opportunities in physical stores through its large store-partner network.

One of the largest industries of India is built by local fashion designers & homegrown brands and 6Degree now enables the VocalforLocal campaign by scaling these homegrown brands to national and international markets.

is built by local fashion designers & homegrown brands and 6Degree now enables the VocalforLocal campaign by scaling these homegrown brands to national and international markets. 6Degree Network allows fashion and lifestyle brands to tap into the growing fashion talent community to be discovered and find fashion jobs. Leading corporate & lifestyle brands have leveraged the 6Degree Network to take their campaigns viral over the digital domains.

About the market Potential in that space

The Indian fashion retail industry is about $100 Bn, with the global market being in excess of $3Tn. Having one of the largest youth population in the world, global and homegrown brands see India as a greenfield opportunity in the fashion segment. There are over 700,000 homegrown fashion designer brands in India who seek to retail in over 75,000 single brand and multi-brand store network. In addition, each year, there are over 25,000 fashion students who graduate and a large section of them go on to start their own homegrown brand.

Details of Founders:

Nikhil Hegde | https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilrhegde/

| https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilrhegde/ Amit Bhardwaj | https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitbhj/

| https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitbhj/ 10 years in risk consulting and telecom industry, worked for companies like Subex, Airtel, Tata Teleservices and KPMG

MBA from University of Leeds | University topper for MBA

For further information on 6Degree, pls contact:

Nikhil Hegde , Co- Founder & CEO of 6Degree, [email protected]

About SucSEED Ventures

SucSEED Ventures, founded in 2016, is one of the fastest growing Angel Network, with a combination of CXO level Corporate Professionals, Technology Angels, Business Leaders and Serial Entrepreneurs, who have come together to fuel the growth of Indian Startup System at early stage, with provision of growth capital, organizing access to market and Business mentoring. SucSEED's Investment Strategy is primarily targeted at Growth stage in post revenue startups involved in "Innovation for Mass" or Use cases with real problem statements using emerging Technology.

SucSEED has been investing in diverse domains such as Fintech, Edtech, Real-estate Technology, HR Tech & Expert Network, Enterprise SAAS, Analytics space primarily, but also open to support in other areas. SucSEED facilitates & raise seed funding through Angel investments and provide support towards Venture Capital to such entities and teams.

SucSEED network comprises of professionals and entrepreneurs who extensively mentor the investee startups. The investors are senior industry leaders with extensive domain knowledge and peer networks, assist in creating a structure to support start-ups and further enhance the ecosystems. Startups will get to leverage the expertise of individual investors who are part of initiative and share their expertise in Sales & Marketing, Finance, Systems and Technology, Risk, Legal & Compliance, Human Resources & training.

For further information on SucSEED or on this Investment, please visit: LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook, website

For further information on SucSEED or on this Investment, please contact:

The Content Team of SucSEED Ventures, Hyderabad.

E-mail: [email protected]

LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook, website

SOURCE SucSEED Venture Partners LLP
Gardai are investigating after a male waste collection worker (30s) was attacked in Co Dublin on Friday morning.

Shocking video footage which is circulating social media shows a man from the City Bin Company being attacked after a motorist pulls over.

The footage, from Holywell Road in Donaghmede this morning at around 10.10am, shows a black car mounting a footpath when overtaking a bin truck.

The driver then can be seen exiting the car, walking over to the truck and opening the drivers door, where he can be seen attacking the bin truck driver.

The motorist then can be seen shouting at the driver, walking over to the boot of his car, taking out an object and attacking a different waste collection worker.

In tweets, the City Bin Co say that their colleague is shook but OK.

Thankfully our colleague is OK & an investigation is underway. . Shocking stuff.

Shook, but OK.

It later released a statement to "shed some light on the events".

"Earlier this evening, while providing an essential frontline service, two of our crew were subjected to an unprovoked attack by a member of the public, leading to serious assault on one of our helpers.

"Thankfully, our colleague has been discharged from the hospital this evening and, though shaken by the incident, will make a full recovery."

In a statement to Independent.ie, gardai say that a man was hospitalised with non-life threatening injuries.

Gardai are investigating an assault that occurred at Holywell Road, Donaghmede, this morning.

A male in his 30s was taken to Beaumont Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

No arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing, the spokesperson added.

Local Fianna Fail Councilor Daryl Barron said that the incident is extremely shocking.

Attacking someone who is just trying to do their job is extremely shocking and horrific, he said.

As a local public representative, I will not tolerate serious acts of violence within our community and have raised this serious concern this evening with An Garda Siochana, he added.
Charges against Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner are unlikely, his lawyer claimed yesterday.

Friedrich Fulscher said he has not been told what evidence German prosecutors have against his client but it was not up to him to prove his innocence.

Brueckner, 43, has denied any involvement in the three-year-olds disappearance.

Lawyer Friedrich Fulscher said charges against Christian Brueckner, who has denied any involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, are unlikely

Mr Fulscher said it was for detectives to prove he was guilty.

As things stand now I do not actually believe there will be any charges, he said. I do not anticipate a prosecution.

Thank God, in our legal system the prosecution has to prove the crime to an accused person and it is not the accused who must exonerate himself.

As long as my client does not know what he is accused of, and on what basis, there is no reason to think otherwise.

Mr Fulscher said he had not had access to prosecutors files but added: The question should be, what speaks for my clients guilt?

'And thats the job of the public prosecutors office in Braunschweig, to put the facts on the table that speak for my clients guilt.

After completing its investigation, the public prosecutors office must assess whether there are sufficient suspicions to warrant an indictment and if a conviction is more likely than an acquittal.

It comes after the lawyer went to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg on Thursday to demand Brueckner be freed from jail on a legal technicality.

Madeleine vanished on May 3, 2007, while on holiday in with her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, and her twin siblings Sean and Amelie

Mr Fulscher argued that the convicted paedophiles arrest for the brutal rape of a 72-year-old American was unlawful.

Brueckner was found guilty last year of the horrific attack on the woman in Portugal in 2005 after his DNA matched a hair found on her bed.

The former car mechanic is currently serving time in jail in the northern German city of Kiel for drugs offences.

He faces a further seven years in prison for raping the pensioner but Mr Fulscher said he should not serve that sentence as he was extradited from Portugal in 2017 on separate child abuse charges.

He claimed Germany needed Portugals explicit consent to extradite him for one crime and then try him for another.

A judgment on the case could take six months.

German prosecutors believe Brueckner killed Madeleine, who vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal in 2007, but do not yet have enough evidence to charge him.

They have issued appeals for witnesses and for information about a mystery person who called Brueckner on his mobile phone the night Madeleine, from Rothley, in Leicestershire, went missing.

German prosecutor Christian Wolters said the case was ongoing and he could not provide updates.

German prosecutor Christian Wolters said the case was ongoing and he could not provide updates

We will not draw a line under the case even if we cannot promise that at some point there will be an indictment in the Maddie case, Mr Wolters said.

I dont think our accused will be released anytime soon because hell probably be in jail for drug trafficking until 2021.

But we cannot influence the decision of the European Court of Justice anyway and we have to accept it as it will be.

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckners girlfriend accomplice is finally unmasked

By Nick Fagge in Wurzburg, Germany for MailOnline

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckners alleged ex-girlfriend was finally unmasked last night  sparking hope she could unravel the mystery of the three-year-olds disappearance.

Nicole Fehlinger was named by a Portuguese couple who linked her to Brueckner for the first time in a bombshell interview.

They claimed she acted as his accomplice to raid properties in the Algarve with chilling similarity to the break-in at the McCanns' holiday home in 2007.

Ms Fehlinger was accused of tipping off Brueckner so he could steal a family's life-savings from a house along the coast from Praia da Luz just six months after the youngster.

The identity of Nicole Fehlinger (pictured), a girlfriend of the latest prime suspect in the Madeline McCann case, Christian Brueckner, was revealed yesterday

A man bearing a striking resemblance to Brueckner was seen leaving the house in Albufeira carrying a rucksack and heavy tools that could be used in to break-in.

The family were left devastated when they returned home to discover that their 100,000 euros savings had been stolen, in November 2007.

The revelation comes as Bruckner's lawyer confirmed that charges against his client are unlikely to be made due to the evidence provided.

The pair accused Fehlinger of being involved in the burglary which was carried out in the same method as the break-in at the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz where the Madeleine was on holiday with her parents Kate and Gerry McCann, in an official complaint to the police.

She was also accused of using a disposable mobile phone to call Brueckner and alert him that the house was empty so he could steal the cash.

Nicole Fehlinger, 43, was born in Wuerzburg, the same Bavarian town as Christian Brueckner.

She lived in Portugal for many years and looked after troubled teenagers as part of a German fostering programme. She returned to Germany in 2017.

Fehlinger currently lives in Bavaria and is believed to work in the hospitality business. She has three children.

There were also reports last night she could have even been the woman Brueckner called on the day Madeleine vanished, but no evidence to confirm.

Portugal's Friday at Nine TV crime show reported: 'These two Portuguese women are sure that Christian Bruecker was the robber and that Nicole Fehlinger was his accomplice.

'They believe she as behind the cunning scheme in which a suitcase containing Euro 100,000 was stolen.

In an interview with the Portuguese broadcaster RTP the relatives claimed that Fehlinger  a former friend - learned that they had failed to deposit their life savings in a bank and hatched a plan with Brueckner to steal their money.

Fehlinger, who had been travelling with the home-owners in a car, asked them to stop so she could buy a disposable phone which she used later to call Brueckner, they claim.

One said: 'She saw us leave with a suitcase in hand, of course.

'And she was in the car the whole time we were in that office, she was in the car with my granddaughter.

Prime suspect Brueckner (pictured)is believed to used former friend Fehlinger in crimes around Madeline McCann's disappearance

'But she saw us go to the bank - it was BES bank, which was close to that office - and, I don't know how she could have realized that it was not possible to deposit the money.

'On the way to back she stopped at a mobile phone store.

'She even told me that she was going to buy a cell phone and she even wanted a disposable one, that she even told me.

'She received a call, it was spoken in German, we heard the word "naturlich", which means "for sure", "naturally."'

German Fehlinger acted as his accomplice to raid properties in the Algarve with chilling similarity to the break-in at the McCann's holiday home, where three-year-old Madeline was snatched in 2007

13 years of heartache: Timeline of the key events in the hunt for missing Madeleine McCann May 3, 2007 - Madeleine McCann disappears from her apartment in Praia da Luz. May 4 - Police do not set up effective searches or alert the Spanish border for 12 hours. A basic check of other guests is not done for 48 hours. May 30 - The McCanns meet the Pope in Rome during a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search. August - Sniffer dogs reportedly find blood traces in the McCanns' apartment. September 7 - The McCanns are made arguidos  official suspects. They were totally exonerated the following year. 2008 - Detective Goncalo Amaral falsely claims the McCanns hid Madeleine's body. 2011 - The Met Police launches Operation Grange and identify almost 200 new lines of inquiry. 2013 - The Met identifies 38 people 'of interest'. Portuguese detectives reopen the case. 2017 - A witness comes forward with the name of the German suspect, Christian Brueckner. The McCanns reveal they still buy gifts for Madeleine. June 3, 2020 - Police sensationally reveal that they are investigating a German sex offender. Brueckner's name emerges the following day. June 8 - German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters says he has evidence Madeleine is dead  but won't say what it is. June 15 - Mr Wolters says he has written to the McCanns telling them he has evidence their daughter is dead. Once again, he gives no details. Advertisement

Two days later the property, in Praia da Gale, in Albufeira, was broken into and the money the life-savings were stolen.

Friday at Nine reported: 'As in the Maddie case, the phone call took place just before the crime, signalling that the house was free.

'A man who neighbours have described as being Christian Brueckner made a phone call and left with a ruck sack from which hung a heavy tool.'

The family contacted the police and accused Fehlinger of being involved in the burglary but the case was never solved.

Ms Fehlinger has refused to discuss in detail about her relationship with Christian Brueckner but has denied that she was his lover.

She also declined to comment on the allegations made by RTP's Friday at Six show.

Ms Fehlinger met Brueckner in 2006 and he parked his motorhome outside her home in Foral several times.

However her father Dieter has told how Brueckner bragged that he was a drug smuggler and could hide children in his motorhome.

The 43-year-old sex offender is claimed to have chillingly added: 'Nobody can find them, nobody can catch you.'

The 65-year-old former ambulance driver father was visiting his daughter Nicole at the villa where she helped to rehabilitate troubled German teenagers in the early part of 2007 when Brueckner arrived in a large cream-coloured Winnebago campervan with Hanover licence plates.

Dieter explained: 'As I looked inside, I asked him: "Herr Brueckner, what do you do in Portugal? What is your job?"

'He told me: "I work, I get money, because I have a special business. I transport grass [cannabis] in my van." I was surprised, I did not believe it exactly.

'Brueckner told me again: "I have 50kg of grass, and I transport it around Europe."

'I thought he was joking at the time. He said: "In my van, I can take 50kg of grass, nobody can see it."

'He told me: "I can transport children, kids, in this space. Drugs and children, you can transport them in this van, it's a safe space in the van, nobody can find them. Nobody can catch you." '

Brueckner was named as the prime suspect in the kidnap and murder of Madeline McCann (pictured), with prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters telling the McCanns they have concrete evidence that Madeleine is dead

Last month German police named Brueckner as their prime suspect in the kidnap and murder of three-year-old Madeleine who vanished on May 3rd 2007 while on holiday in Praia da Luz with parents Kate and Gerry McCann.

Detectives in northern Germany have spent six weeks making desperate appeals for information to link Brueckner to the youngster's abduction but have not so far secured the vital evidence they need.

Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters, who is leading the investigation, has told the McCanns they have concrete evidence that Madeleine is dead, in the biggest break-through in the 13-year-old case.

He said he hoped to be able to charge Brueckner within the next two months  but has added that their investigation will not drag on forever.
New Delhi, Jul 17 (UNI) India on Friday expressed concern over the situation that threatens regional peace and security and urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to maintain restraint for maintenance of peace at the border.



It also said that any lasting resolution of the conflict can only be achieved peacefully through diplomatic negotiations.



Indias response came after Armenia and Azerbaijan forces fought on Tuesday with heavy artillery and drones, leaving more than 15 people killed on both sides, including an Azerbaijani general.



In a response to media queries, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, We have seen disturbing reports of exchange of fire on Armenia-Azerbaijan border which took place on July 12-13. India is concerned over this situation which threatens regional peace and security.



We urge both sides to maintain restraint and take all possible steps to maintain peace at the border. India believes that any lasting resolution of the conflict can only be achieved peacefully through diplomatic negotiations,he further added.



In this regard, we support OSCE Minsk Groups continued efforts for a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Mr Srivastava said.



The OSCE is an organisation which encourage a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.



It has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects.



It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities.



All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.



Skirmishes on the volatile border between the two South Caucasus nations began Sunday. Azerbaijan said it has lost 11 servicemen and one civilian in three days of fighting, and Armenia said four of its troops were killed Tuesday.



The two neighbors in the South Caucasus have been locked in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of Azerbaijan that has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war there ended in 1994. International efforts to settle the conflict have remained stalled.



Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have frequently engaged in clashes. The current skirmishes appear to mark the most serious spike in hostilities since 2016 when scores were killed in four days of fighting.



UNI ASH SHK1738
Registration for overseas travel opens at midday

Residents will able to register for a Manx Entry Permit to travel off the Island later.

The permit will be available through the Online Services section on the Manx Government website from 12pm.

Border restrictions on the Island will move to stage four from Monday. Manx citizens will be able to leave the Island and travel to the UK and other countries.

On return, residents will still have to self-isolate for 14 days.
A young teenage girl as admitted to assaulting three women in a series of racially motivated pack attacks.

The 14-year-old verbally and physically abused the women around Geelong, 75 kilometres south-west of Melbourne, between November 2019 and March 2020.

She kicked, punched and spat on her victims, while the group told one woman 'to go back home, you smell like an onion'.

The girl pleaded guilty to charges including assault, affray and armed robbery at a children's court on Wednesday, the Geelong Advertiser reported.

A 14-year-old girl has admitted to carrying out racist attacks around Geelong, south-west of Melbourne, between November 2019 and March 2020 (Marshall Railway Station pictured)

The teenager appeared in a children's court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to charges including assault, affray and armed robbery (Geelong Magistrate's Court pictured above)

Prosecutor Senior Constable Siobhan Daly said the women were attacked with a 'pack-like' mentality that showed 'significant' racial undertones.

The first assault involved a group of four people attacking a woman at Marshall Railway Station about 10.30pm on November 28.

The group, including the 14-year-old girl, verbally abused the woman and surrounded her on the station platform to try to steal her phone.

The woman was repeatedly punched and was left bruised and scared by the attack.

A woman of Indian background was also approached after boarding a train at Geelong Railway Station on November 30.

The 14-year-old girl and two males began banging on the door of a toilet cubicle while the woman was inside.

The court heard the woman opened the door and the 14-year-old told the men to attack her.

They proceeded to punch, kick and spit on the woman.

The court heard the teenager was part of a group of four who repeatedly punched a woman and threatened to steal her phone at Marshall Railway Station (pictured above)

The 14-year-old also ordered two males to kick and punch a woman of Indian background on a train (North Geelong Railway Station pictured) in an attack with 'significant' racial undertones

'What are you doing here? Go back home, you smell like an onion. Smelly, smelly,' the men shouted.

They also took the woman's purse and the group fled when the train arrived in North Geeleong.

A third attack involved the 14-year-old girl drawing a kitchen knife and demanding a woman's phone and wallet on Shannon Avenue around 6.30pm on March 15.

The woman refused to hand them over and was repeatedly kicked and punched by the teenager while lying defenceless on the ground.

'Some days I think 'Why did this happen to me? Why did they choose me?' the woman's victim impact statement said.

The court heard the woman was now afraid to leave her home and had moved away from Geelong.

Constable Daly argued the 14-year-old played a leading role in each of the attacks that were motivated by racial undertones.

The 14-year-old was sentenced to a 12-month youth supervision order and Magistrate Franz Holzer told her the women deserved to feel safe in the community.

'Australia is an inclusive and multicultural society. We need to show tolerance to others who are different to you,' he said.
Prince Philip looked happy and healthy today as he smiled alongside the Queen after the secret wedding of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

The Duke of Edinburgh, who celebrated his 99th birthday last month, attended the ceremony in Windsor in a rare public appearance since his official retirement in August 2017.

Sat in the backseat of a green Range Rover beside his wife of 73 years, the prince looked smart in a dark coloured suit, white shirt and striped tie.

The couple were pictured driving away from their granddaughter's wedding at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, in the grounds of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's home of Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park.

Prince Philip looked happy and healthy today as he smiled alongside the Queen after the secret wedding of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

Like her husband, the Queen appeared in excellent spirits as they left the service and looked resplendent in mint green for the occasion.

The Queen has now seen six of her eight grandchildren marry.

She and Prince Philip have been in isolation at their Windsor residence since the start of lockdown, allowing them to spend more time together than they have done in 'many years', one expert noted.

To mark the duke's milestone birthday last month, the Royal Family released a photo of released a new photograph of the couple standing side-by-side in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle.

Like her husband, the Queen appeared in excellent spirits as they left the service and looked resplendent in mint green for the occasion

The monarch and Prince Philip have been in isolation at their Windsor residence since the start of lockdown, allowing them to spend more time together than they have done in 'many years', one expert noted

Sat in the backseat of a green Range Rover beside his wife of 73 years, the prince looked smart in a dark coloured suit, white shirt and striped tie

In April Prince Philip came out of retirement to deliver a heartfelt thank you to key workers who are helping to make sure 'the infrastructure of our life continues' in the coronavirus pandemic.

The Duke of Edinburgh, 98, said he wanted to recognise the 'vital and urgent' medical and scientific work taking place to battle the deadly virus.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said the country will have been inspired by Philip's words.

In April Prince Philip came out of retirement to deliver a heartfelt thank you to key workers who are helping to make sure 'the infrastructure of our life continues' in the coronavirus pandemic. He said: 'On behalf of those of us who remain safe and at home, I also wanted to thank all key workers who ensure the infrastructure of our life continues; the staff and volunteers working in food production and distribution, those keeping postal and delivery services going, and those ensuring the rubbish continues to be collected'

The Duke of Edinburgh has spent much of his retirement at his cottage, Wood Farm, in the sanctuary of the Sandringham estate, more than 100 miles away from the Queen, who was usually at Buckingham Palace or at Windsor.

But they were reunited at the Berkshire castle four months ago for their safety after Philip was flown there by helicopter on March 19 ahead of lockdown.

Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said: 'This must be the longest they've been under the same roof for many years, I would say. But it's an opportunity for them in their later years to reconnect.'

The Queen, pictured today leaving her granddaughter Princess Beatrice's wedding with her husband, has now seen six of her eight grandchildren marry

He added: 'It is the perfect royal cocooning.'

Royal expert Camilla Tominey agreed it is 'arguably' the most amount of time the Queen has spent with her husband in recent years. Speaking on This Morning today she said: 'They're there for the foreseeable future. It's quite nice in a way that they are together when they wouldn't have normally been this time of year.'

She added that next year the Queen will send Prince Philip a telegram for his 100th birthday.

'They are planning tentatively the 100th birthday celebration, of course, she'll give him a telegram that's what she does when people turn 100,' Camilla said.

On the eve of Prince Philip's 99th birthday the royal family released a new photograph of the Queen, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, who have been married for 73 years, standing side-by-side in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle. The photo was taken at the castle a week previously

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are staying with a reduced household of around 20 staff, dubbed Operation HMS Bubble, and Mr Little said the monarch and Philip most likely have lunch or dinner together each day while spending other time on their separate interests.

Philip keeps himself busy reading, writing and painting, and even released a rare public statement in April - his first since his retirement - praising key workers and those making sure that essential services are kept running during the coronavirus pandemic.

As well as enjoying riding her fell ponies in Windsor Home Park, the Queen - the nation's longest reigning monarch - has her official duties to deal with, including her red boxes of papers and regular telephone audiences.

The Duke of Edinburgh leaves King Edward VII Hospital in London, after being admitted for observation and treatment in relation to a pre-existing condition on 24 December, 2019

The royal couple have been pictured at Windsor throughout the years including in the grounds of the castle more than 60 years ago in 1959, accompanied by Sugar, one of the many royal corgis.

The success of the Queen and Philip's long-lasting marriage has often been put down to their differing personalities.

In 2007, the couple celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary by travelling to Malta, where they had lived for a short time as a young couple.

In 2012, they marked their blue sapphire anniversary - 65 years - and in 2017 passed the rare, personal milestone of 70 years of marriage - their platinum wedding anniversary.
New Delhi [India], July 16 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a keynote address virtually at this year's High-Level Segment of United Nations Economic & Social Council (UN ECOSOC) session on 17th July at United Nations in New York, on the eve of 75th anniversary of the United Nations.



The Prime Minister will be joined by his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The High-Level Segment is held annually by ECOSOC and convenes a diverse group of high-level representatives from the Government, the private sector, civil society and academia. The theme of the High-level Segment is "Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary".

This comes as an important development as it will be Prime Minister's first speech at the UN after India's election to the Security Council. The event assumes special significance as this will be the first opportunity wherein Prime Minister Modi will be addressing the broader UN membership since India's overwhelming election as a non-permanent member of the Security Council on 17th June 2020 (for the term 2021-22).

Prime Minister Modi had also earlier delivered the keynote address virtually at the 70th anniversary of the ECOSOC on 22 January 2016.

Against the backdrop of a changing international environment and the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, the session is likely to focus on critical forces shaping the course of multilateralism and explore ways to bolster the multilateral agenda through strong multilateral leadership, effective international institutions, a broadening of participation and an enhanced focus on global public goods.

The ECOSOC was established as one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and is mandated to offer direction to, and undertake the coordination of, the economic, social, and cultural activities of the United Nations, with responsibility for advancing international economic and social cooperation and development.

The first meeting of the ECOSOC was convened on 23 January 1946, in London, United Kingdom. India was the first President of ECOSOC in 1946. It is worth mentioning that the inaugural Presidency of ECOSOC in 1946 was held by Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar of India. (ANI)
Given the steady and menacing rise in both cases and deaths due to COVID-19 worldwide, scientists are still searching for efficient tools to diagnose the infection. One essential method of testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is serology, but this requires the supply of high-quality recombinant viral antigens.

A recent study published in the preprint server medRxiv* in July 2020 shows that this is indeed possible. The development of this inexpensive but reliable and sensitive test could change the face of preventive measures for COVID-19 in low-resource settings.

The Spike Antigen

The SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen is among the most important of the viral antigens, with researchers focusing on it to produce vaccines, antivirals, and serological tests. Serological testing is essential for tracing cases, mapping contacts, undertaking epidemiological surveillance, and detecting asymptomatic patients, as well as teasing out the mechanism of antiviral immunity.

The spike protein comprises two subunits, S1 and S2, which mediate receptor binding and membrane fusion, respectively. This allows the virus to enter the cell. This protein is targeted by neutralizing antibodies, and the most common serological test for SARS-CoV-2 is the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) based on the S protein.

This test is deservedly popular for its minimal cross-reactivity against the spike proteins of other coronaviruses in current circulation. Moreover, its intensity corresponds to the level of neutralizing antibodies.

The Study: Characterizing Low-Cost ELISA

The current study was based on identifying the key features that would enable the development of an inexpensive ELISA test that is based on the immunological reaction of an antibody to the S protein. The aim was to produce a test that would enable large-scale screening for infection in low-income countries.

The researchers focused chiefly on cutting the cost of test production by devising an optimal means of antigen production and making necessary changes in the method of antigen collection and sample processing. As a result, they were able to produce a test that will cost less than 50 cents per sample.

Producing Recombinant S Antigen

The researchers cultured the SARS-CoV-2 S protein in a stabilized prefusion state in cell culture, using a technique that would allow the S protein to be expressed stably and as a constitutive feature. This was by integrating the transgene into the genome of the cells in culture.

This adaptation results in better scalability as well as low-cost recombinant protein production. They also used co-transfection techniques with the S gene as well as an open-source plasmid that has a selection marker, to avoid having to wait for a synthetic gene to be constructed and shipped through pandemic-disrupted supply chains. The resulting recombinant cell line expressing a higher level of the S protein was thus produced within 24 days of transfection and has so far shown stable expression at up to 100 days.

This achievement makes it possible to develop less costly, long-lasting batch-refeed or perfusion technologies for cell culture, according to the researchers. They also succeeded in finding inexpensive growth mediums to support the robust growth of the cells and high levels of S protein production. Thus, they developed an entire workflow using low-cost methods to achieve the goal of increased cell density in culture with high S protein secretion.

The purification affinity chromatography (AC) resin used was more expensive than the initially planned ultrafiltration/diafiltration (UF/DF) filter, but became necessary due to the failure of the latter to remove smaller protein contaminants. However, they established that it could be used for over 30 cycles, which brings down the cost of its use.

They then set up an ELISA to detect anti-S antibodies in serum, plasma, and eluted whole blood samples, called S-UFRJ ELISA. They established the amount of highly purified S protein (from AC) needed to provide discriminating results between negative and positive samples, at 150 ng.

Evaluating Test Sensitivity and Specificity

The S-UFRJ ELISA was then used to test 210 negative and positive serum samples, with 66 samples from 38 symptomatic COVID-19 patients, 124 samples from before the pandemic, and 20 from COVID-19 negative people. They obtained 122 negative samples out of 124, for a specificity of 98%. Also, 53/66 samples were positive for IgG, for a lower sensitivity of 80%.

In comparison, only 46% sensitivity was obtained with a commercial IgG rapid diagnostic test (RDT) approved by the Brazilian health regulatory organization ANVISA.

They then retested the IgG-negative samples from the S-UFRJ ELISA by the rapid IgM test. They found that most samples that were negative for IgG were also negative for IgM, and those which were IgG positive in the first test were IgM positive by the rapid test as well. They, therefore, concluded that the two false negatives from symptomatic patients might have been samples collected at the beginning of the disease.

Increasing Positives with Increasing Duration of Symptoms

When the S-UFRJ ELISA sample results were mapped against the duration since symptom onset, they were more likely to be positive as the duration increased, resulting in the seroconversion of some individuals who were PCR-positive, scored negative on ELISA the first time but positive for anti-S IgG the second time. The rate of seroconversion to anti-S IgG by this test increased from 42% to 100% in direct relation to the day since symptom onset, and from the tenth day onwards, it was consistently above 90%.

An important finding was that the present test detects seroconversion sooner than the rapid test, which had a peak detection rate of 71% even at 20 days from symptom onset.

They also tested the neutralizing ability of COVID-19 patients by the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Samples with a high anti-S IgG titer had high neutralization titers.

Simplifying Blood Collection and Storage

The researchers also sought to overcome the traditional bottleneck of sample collection and processing in a clinical laboratory with refrigerated storage. They set up a simple system of fingerprick blood collection in filter paper strips. The use of dried blood spots on filter paper showed comparable results to serum testing.

Dried blood samples (DBS) obtained by finger pricking with commercially available lancing devices. A 2.5 cm (W) x 7.5 cm (L) filter paper with three blood spots from the same volunteer and commercially available paper hole punching device was used to make DBS (arrowhead) from which blood was eluted for ELISA testing.

Implications

Thus, low-cost consumables, along with labor, transport, and equipment costs, should all fit within half a dollar per test, which is about 200 times less than the charge for tests now in use in the US. Another advantage is that blood spots in sealed plastic bags can be stored for 2 months at least but still return accurate serologic results.

Thus, the study sums up: The S-UFRJ ELISA, comprising the use of eluates from whole blood finger pricks as samples, allows broad serological surveillance in populations regardless of their geographical and socio-economic aspects. This will be invaluable to shape public health strategies and prevent new waves of the pandemic.

*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 Southern Nationals tour returned to action Thursday night at the Senoia (GA) Raceway for Round #5 of the 12 race mini series and one of the hottest Dirt Late Model racers in America.

Brandon Overton (# 76) of nearby Evans, didn't disappoint race fans, as he patiently waiting with less than five laps remaining to overtake leader Chris Madden for the $3,500 victory.

The Wells Motorsports "Overton Crossfit, AllStar Concrete. Dirt Mafia" sponsored racer got his second win of the series when leader Madden hopped the cushion in turn three and four on the 31st circuit around the 3/8's mile oval.

Friday the tour swings just North of Valdosta, Ga. to Needmore Speedway for a $10,053 to-Win / 53 lapper for Round #6. Saturday they travel back North to Screven, Ga., before wrapping up the Peachstate in Cochran on Sunday.

All the races are being broadcast live on the internet on dirtondirt.com to subscribers.

Up north in Banner, Il., Kent Robinson (# 7r) of Indiana charged from 9th to narrowly win over Brian Shirley on the Hell Tour Summer Nationals UMP series.

Friday the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model series picks back up in Illinois where Tennessean Jimmy Owens leads the National Points standings over Georgian Jonathan Davenport. Those races can be seen live on the internet on Lucas Oil Racing TV this weekend.
(Newser)  A man who claimed to be a business owner robbed a bank and blamed the pandemic, police in Houston say. In the July 8 robbery, the man, who was wearing a bandanna over his face, handed the teller a note saying he hadn't received a stimulus check, ABC 13 reports. "I didn't get a stimulus or that 10K loan. I lost my business to COVID so please make this easy and comply," it said. "I don't wanna hurt nobody but will if I have to. Any suspicious moves and I will start shooting so please go get my money." Police say the Woodforest National Bank teller, who feared for her life, gave the man an undisclosed amount of cash, KTRK. The suspect is described as a 6-foot-tall Black male in his 30s. (Read more bank robbery stories.)
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has praised the family of the country's first black President Nelson Mandela for revealing that his daughter, Zindzi, who died on Monday, had Covid-19.



The gesture will "encourage acceptance" of those infected, Mr Ramaphosa said.



The cause of death has not been disclosed.



Zindzi was buried on Friday morning alongside her mother, anti-apartheid activist Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.



South Africa is the African country worst hit by coronavirus, with more than 300,000 cases.



There have been more than 4,000 deaths, and government projections estimate this could rise to 50,000 by the end of the year.



However, stigma and misinformation about the virus is still rife.



What did President Ramaphosa say?



"I would like to thank the Mandela family for the very important gesture of sharing this information with the nation. This is a virus that affects us all, and there should never be any stigma around people who become infected," he tweeted ahead of Zindzi Mandela's funeral.



He added that revealing the cause of her death, was "a final act of solidarity in the life of a woman who devoted her life to the cause of her fellow South Africans."



Ms Mandela had "during our years of struggle brought home the inhumanity of the apartheid system and the unshakeable resolve of our fight for freedom," Mr Ramaphosa said in a statement after her death on Monday.

Source: BBC









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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-16 22:51:02|Editor: huaxia

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Croatian President Zoran Milanovic (L) and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic attend a press briefing after their meeting at the Presidential Office in Zagreb, Croatia, on July 16, 2020. Zoran Milanovic approved here on Thursday incumbent Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic another mandate to form a new government, after Plenkovic presented him with signatures of 76 newly-elected parliament members who supported him as the next prime minister. (Dalibor Urukalovic/Pixsell via Xinhua)

ZAGREB, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Croatian President Zoran Milanovic approved here on Thursday incumbent Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic another mandate to form a new government, after Plenkovic presented him with signatures of 76 newly-elected parliament members who supported him as the next prime minister.

In the parliamentary elections held on July 5, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) led by Plenkovic won 66 out of the total 151 seats in the new parliament. Plenkovic also had the support from eight representatives of ethnic minorities as well as from the Croatian People's Party deputy and the Reformists' deputy.

"The election results are clear and I wish the Prime Minister all the best," President Milanovic said on Thursday at a joint press conference after an agreement with Plenkovic that the constituent session of the Croatian Parliament will be on July 22.

Plenkovic informed Milanovic that he intends to reduce the number of ministries from 20 to 16, and that the future government should have four deputy prime ministers. "A government with fewer members is easier to manage," Plenkovic said.

One of the priorities of the new government and the Croatian Parliament will be the adoption of a law on the reconstruction of Zagreb, the capital city, after it was severely damaged by a magnitude-5.4 earthquake in March.

Plenkovic also announced that the new government will pay great attention to preserving public health and the health of citizens.
Uttar Pradesh Police have written a letter to the Madhya Pradesh Police department, seeking to know who should be given the reward of Rs 5 lakh announced for gangster Vikas Dubey. The reward was announced by UP Police to get information about the whereabouts of Dubey, who belonged to Kanpur.

He was killed in an encounter on July 10.

Since Dubey was detained in Madhya Pradeshs Ujjain, the UP Police have sought to know who should get the reward.

Also read| Vikas Dubey earned Rs 1 crore a month, ED probes how it was spent: Report

We have received a letter from Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kanpur, who has given the information about the reward announced on Vikas Dubey and wishes to know whose role among the police personnel was to detain Vikas Dubey in Ujjain, Ujjain SP Manoj Kumar Singh said on Thursday.

He said, I have constituted a team comprising of additional SPs Amrendra Singh, Rupesh Dwivedi and Akash Bhuria who will study the entire episode and submit a report for the reward to me. Based on the report I will send a proposal (to SSP, Kanpur).

Dubey, who was accused in more than 60 crime cases including murder, attempt to murder and other heinous crimes, fled his village Bikru near Kanpur after the killing of eight policemen on July 3 who had gone there to arrest him. He had planned the killing; more than a dozen men were on the rooftops of the houses in the area and started firing at the police team as soon as it reached there.

Also read: Vikas Dubey had 22-year-old feud with slain officer

Dubey was detained by Madhya Pradesh Police when he visited the famous Mahakal temple in Ujjain on July 9 and later handed over to Uttar Pradesh Police.

Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Vivek Johri had said after Dubeys detention that a shop owner who sells flower outside the temple first identified the gangster. He then informed a security agency guard at the temple who in turn informed his colleagues and later they conveyed the information to police personnel at the outpost on the temple premises.
 Flash

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Thursday rejected Washington's latest threat of sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, saying "European energy policy is made in Europe."



"By announcing measures that will also sanction European companies, the U.S. government is disregarding the right and sovereignty of Europe to decide where and how we source our energy," said Maas, according to a statement by the German Federal Foreign Office.

"European energy policy is made in Europe and not in Washington. We clearly reject extraterritorial sanctions," Maas added.

Mass said that the German government had held numerous talks with the United States in recent weeks as Washington was planning to tighten a sanctions law against Nord Stream 2. The law -- U.S. Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act (PEESA) -- was enacted in late December 2019.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent fresh warnings of possible sanctions to companies involved in Nord Stream 2 and the second line of the TurkStream pipeline stretching from Russia to Turkey.

Pompeo claimed that the projects are not commercial but serve as Moscow's tools to exploit European dependence on Russia's energy supplies.

Peter Beyer, the German government coordinator for transatlantic relations, tweeted Thursday that the United States should grant Europe comprehensive energy sovereignty.
Haftar had been vowing for years to take Tripoli, after a failed coup attempt in 2014 forced him to set up base in the east. The UN, U.S. and other powers had hoped to stave off a Tripoli offensive by negotiating a political agreement between the two factions. Haftars advisers said they didnt trust Sarraj to abide by a power-sharing deal that would lead to elections, and accused him of being beholden to militias and extremists. They complained that oil revenues were distributed unfairly, to the disadvantage of the historically marginalized east. Sarrajs government responds to the extremism charge by pointing to its cooperation against terrorism with the U.S. and other Western countries, and to the success of forces loyal to the government in driving Islamic State from the coastal city of Sirte in 2016. It accuses Haftar of seeking to restore military dictatorship.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

The "reincarnation" of the Armenian Defense Ministrys former spokesperson, who already on the second day of the clashes on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border had almost put the current spokesperson on the back burner, was aimed at creating hoaxes and misinformation, in which he is second to none, Head of the press office of Azerbaijans Defense Ministry, Colonel Vagif Dargahli told Trend reports on July 17.

According to him, over the past days, the Armenian Ministry of Defense prepared dozens of the fake news.

"We promptly refute this misinformation. In particular, as you know, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, in order to somehow inspire the Armenian public, spread a hoax that during the fighting, the Azerbaijani army lost 13 UAVs, he said. But how to prove something which doesn't exist in reality? After all, the Armenian society also requires evidences. So, the ministry posted a photo in the social network, allegedly depicting one of the shot down Azerbaijani UAVs. However, the Armenian myth-makers were easily exposed. It was quickly proved that the photo depicted not Azerbaijani UAV, but an American one, shot down as early as in 2014 in Afghanistan.

It is noteworthy that even foreign journalists started exposing the Armenian fake newss. In particular, Julian Ropke, a military analyst of the German tabloid newspaper Bild, pointed to the inaccuracy of the Armenian Defense Ministrys video depicting the alleged destruction of an Azerbaijani drone. In fact, the video shot a civilian twin-engine light passenger plane.

I reiterate that all UAVs of the Azerbaijani army are safe and sound. The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan promptly provides all the necessary information about the situation at the border without not hiding losses," Dargahli said.
In a bid to expedite the recovery process from the coronavirus crisis, airline companies American Airlines AAL and JetBlue Airways JBLU announced a strategic partnership. The deal also aims to boost connectivity options for travelers in the Northeast through an array of new routes. Notably, airlines are looking for ways and means to attract passengers amid the coronavirus-triggered travel-demand woes.

The alliance allows both the currently Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) carriers to sell seats on each other's flights and share frequent flyer benefits. The codeshare agreement under the partnership permits JetBlue passengers to access more than 60 routes operated by American Airlines. Similarly, passengers of the latter can fly on more than 130 routes operated by the former.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

As a result of the above pact, passengers of either carrier can purchase tickets of connecting flights using one reservation. The contract also provides extended and seamless connectivity between flights of the two carriers. Moreover, passengers of both airlines will enjoy benefits like easy ticketing and better baggage check-in facilities.

Further, a codeshare deal enables sharing of flights, by dint of which a passenger has the free will to avail any flight operated by either of the companies under the agreement, irrespective of the flight number.

The partnership also allows American Airlines to start offering international flights from New York to destinations like Tel Aviv and Athens. Meanwhile, JetBlue will gain access to more U.S. sites by teaming up with airline heavyweight American Airlines, which will help expand its services in the coastal markets from both New York and Boston.

American Airlines Warns of Potential Lay-Offs

The agreement apart, American Airlines was in news for its statement in a regulatory filing that suggests that it may furlough approximately 25,000 U.S.-based frontline employees. With a fresh spike in coronavirus cases in the United States and the resultant imposition of new quarantine rules on some places, the modest uptick in passenger demand (which the carrier was witnessing) is fading.

Story continues

With no visible acceleration in demand, the carrier is facing the problem of overstaffing, which resulted in sending out the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications. The furloughs effective Oct 1 or post that date, will be applicable to 2,500 pilots and 9,950 flight attendants among others. The job cuts may continue through the end of 2020.

With such a bleak-demand scenario gripping the entire airline industry, another Zacks #3 Ranked U.S. airline United Airlines UAL recently warned of potential job losses beginning Oct 1. #3 Ranked player Delta Air Lines DAL also dispatched similar notices to many of its pilots. Notably, US carriers including Delta, American Airlines and United Airlines are getting financial assistance under the CARES Act. As a condition for receiving this aid, they are prohibited from laying off employees until Sep 30.

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Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials offered reminders for residents impacted by the May flooding during a "Permitting Considerations for Recovery Projects after the Mid-Michigan Floods" webinar.

Information about permits took up most of the event, since President Donald J. Trump's major disaster declaration for Michigan last week allows those with flooded residences or businesses to apply for federal grants and loans.

Brian Rudolph, an EGLE district supervisor at the Bay City Office, defined "inland lake" and "stream" for the purposes of required permits under Part 301 of the Inland Lakes and Streams section of NREPA of 1994.

An inland lake is a natural or artificial lake, pond or impoundment that is five acres or greater in surface area. A stream is a river or a body of water that has definite banks, beds, and visible evidence of continued flow or occurrence of water.

Activities in this category that require an EGLE permit include the following:

 Dredging or filling bottomlands.

 Constructing, enlarging, extending, removing or placing any structure on a bottomland.

 Creating, enlarging or diminishing an inland lake or stream.

Permits for lake shoreline work

For shoreline work on Wixom or Sanford lakes, permits are required for the following:

 Dredging, filling, or grading on bottomlands in front of a seawall.

 Replacing a seawall or installing a new one.

 Installing new rock riprap.

Rudolph also explained that seawalls require toe stone to be installed in front of them. Seawalls over 100 feet long may require a wildlife access opening, and those over 300 feet long are subject to a public notification process.

Toe stone is to be installed immediately after the completion of a seawall and must be six inches above the Ordinary High Water Mark.

The Ordinary High Water Mark is defined as the line between an upland and a bottomland that persists through successive changes in water levels, below which the presence and action of the water is so common or recurrent that the character of the land is marked distinctly from the upland.

A permit is required for any excavation below the Ordinary High Water Mark of an inland lake or stream.

When it comes to docks, permits are required to build or rebuild the following:

 Permanent docks.

 Cantilevered docks.

Applications to build two docks or to build a deck are required to be processed for public notification.

Highly visible reflectors are recommended to be put on docks, to alert boats and snowmobiles.

Culverts and bridges

Rudolph said when planning culverts and bridges, one must review the Minor Project and General Permit requirements. Bankfull width is used to determine the size of culverts and the span of bridges for minor projects and general permits.

Activities not requiring a permit

Rudolph said the following activities do not require a permit:

 Filling or installing tiebacks behind an existing seawall;

 Repairing a seawall where repairs are less than 25% of the existing seawall with the same material and with the existing design;

 Resetting or reinstalling rock riprap that has been displaced by erosion;

 Private residential seasonal docks;

 Beach sanding to the water's edge;

 Debris removal if no extensive dredging is required;

 Interior repairs to existing structures;

 New or replacement septic systems below grade;

 Elevating an existing residence with no fill or grading or increase in the structure's footprint.

Floodplains

Joy Brooks, EGLE district floodplain engineer, explained the significance of a 100-year floodplain.

"That means you have a 1% chance every year of being flooded," Brooks said.

Regulated activities in the floodplain include the following:

 Filling

 Grading

 Construction

Floodways

Floodways are highly regulated areas where no new residential construction is allowed, Brooks said. Rebuilding in a floodway must be within the same footprint of an existing structure.

Applying for a permit

To apply for an EGLE permit, visit michigan.gov/miwaters, which Brooks describes as "one-stop shopping for permitting."

You will need to provide project measurements, project plans and photos.

Brooks can be reached at 989-280-1632 or brooksj@michigan.gov.

A link to other area contacts for permitting is here: https://bit.ly/3fDAs7F

Permits for home repairs

Another webinar speaker, Ray Hausbeck, assistant director of community development and building inspector for Saginaw Township, noted that permits are needed to repair electrical wires and to install water heaters and furnaces. Such permits are in a separate category from building permits, he said.

Steve Taglauer is Hausbeck's counterpart for the City of Midland and can be reached at staglaue@midland-mi.org.

Registering for FEMA assistance

Dan Shulman, FEMA Region 5 external affairs specialist, reminded anyone seeking flood recovery assistance from FEMA should visit disasterassistance.gov or call 800-621-3362.

You should have the following information ready when you register with FEMA:

 Your Social Security number, address and telephone number;

 A description of the flood damage to your property;

 Information about your insurance coverage;

 Your bank account and routing numbers to set up direct deposit for any FEMA grant funds.

After you apply for FEMA assistance, a FEMA inspector will call you, and you should have your FEMA registration number ready, which you will be given when you register.

Shulman explained that FEMA is operating differently than normal due to the coronavirus, but is still fully committed to helping people in need of recovery assistance.

When FEMA conducts inspections of damage, that will be done either strictly outdoors or virtually.

As of the end of the day Wednesday, total of $4.5 million in disaster assistance had already been approved for the five counties in the major disaster declaration, Shulman said. And a total of $18 million in flood insurance claims had been awarded by FEMA.

FEMA's goal is to make people "safe, sanitary and secure" in the wake of a disaster, Shulman noted.

Registration deadline

The deadline to register with FEMA for assistance related to the May floods is 60 days from the date of the president's declaration, which is Sept. 8, 2020.

"But we don't want people to wait anywhere near that long. There's no reason to wait that long," Shulman said. "Our staff are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time."

Substantial damage and increased cost of compliance

Hausbeck reminded the audience that under FEMA's "substantial improvement/substantial damage" (SD/SI) rule, if the cost to repair a structure to pre-damage condition equals 50% or more of the state equalized valuation, the entire structure must be brought up to floodplain standards. That requires ensuring the structure is one foot above base flood elevation.

FEMA flood insurance liaison James Sink added that if a structure meets or exceeds the 50% benchmark for SD/SI, homeowners may be eligible for an additional $30,000 benefit through their flood insurance policies.

This is called increased cost of compliance. In such a case, homeowners should consult their insurance agents.
Azerbaijan and Armenia accuse each other of shelling military positions and villages.

Azerbaijans foreign minister has been fired over what the president calls meaningless negotiations with neighbouring Armenia.

Fighting on the border over disputed territory has started again after a brief ceasefire.

At least 16 soldiers and one civilian have been killed.

Al Jazeeras Robin Forrestier-Walker reports.
A third of people living with arthritis in Northern Ireland have not received care to manage their crippling condition during Covid-19, research has found. (David Jones/PA)

A third of people living with arthritis in Northern Ireland have not received care to manage their crippling condition during Covid-19, research has found.

Almost half of patients have had their hospital appointments cancelled during the lockdown, while 56% of people with arthritis said they have been in so much pain they have been unable to complete basic tasks around their homes.

Many people with arthritis have been shielding during the pandemic as the medication they take is believed to put them at greater risk from the virus.

A survey by national charity Versus Arthritis has found that 51% of people with the debilitating condition have reported feeling lonely and isolated.

The statistics have been released as the charity warns of the urgent need to prioritise NHS recovery plans to support people with arthritis in Northern Ireland.

More than 487,000 people in Northern Ireland live with a musculoskeletal condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and back pain.

Even before Covid-19, Northern Ireland had by far the worst waiting times of any part of the UK, with people waiting years to access vital health services including physiotherapy, rheumatology and crucial joint replacement surgery.

Elizabeth McLucas (57) from Comber in Co Down has rheumatoid arthritis and was supposed to have a left hip replacement in July but is still waiting for a new date for the operation.

She said: "It's getting so bad that my doctor had to write to the hospital to warn them of my pain levels, although I've heard nothing from the hospital since.

"Last time I spoke to a doctor at the hospital he said they haven't resumed doing any surgery yet because of Covid-19, so all they can do is increase my painkillers.

"I'm like a zombie with them, though. I used to take Tramadol, but it caused me to have quite dark thoughts. I became very, very depressed, but it was all they could do to ease the pain.

"Now I'm just taking co-codamol, which barely takes the edge off. This has completely taken over my life. I can't sleep, I can't walk, and I can't work because of the pain. I can't control it anymore - it controls me. Thankfully I get a lot of support from my husband who is a carer for the NHS, but it means he never gets away from his work.

"My doctors and GPs have done their best, but the waiting lists in Northern Ireland are ridiculous. I need the surgery to get my life back."

Sara Graham, the Northern Ireland Director of Versus Arthritis, said the Assembly must take urgent steps to ensure people with arthritis are not left living in agony indefinitely.

"The health service has just about survived Covid-19 so far, but at the expense of services that many relied upon to sustain their quality of life," she said.

"It's imperative that recovery plans include arthritis treatments, including joint replacement surgery, so this crisis does not accelerate further. Governments must prioritise bringing down waiting lists, restarting planned joint replacement surgery and ensuring people are given clear information on what to expect as well as support to manage their pain."

Health bosses here are currently putting in place plans to rebuild NHS services following the first Covid-19 surge.

However, the resumption of services is being hindered by the ongoing threat posed by Covid-19, with the most urgent patients being seen first.
Lorna Jane has been fined $39,960 after allegedly claiming its activewear 'protected against viruses and germs'.

The company was forced to pull advertising for its 'exclusive' LJ Shield technology after being accused of trying to profiting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Therapeutic Goods Association issued the fine to the company on Friday following an investigation.

'This kind of advertising could have detrimental consequences for the Australian community, creating a false sense of security and leading people to be less vigilant about hygiene and social distancing,' Adj. Professor John Skerritt, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health, said.

Lorna Jane has been fined $39,960 after allegedly claiming its activewear 'protected against viruses and germs' (pictured: Model in Lorna Jane clothing)

A spokesperson for Lorna Jane denied they were trying to take advantage of the environment of fear (Pictured: Lorna Jane Clarkson)

Lorna Jane was forced to pull its advertising for its 'exclusive' LJ Shield technology (pictured)

The TGA alleges the company can be punished under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 as they labelled the product 'anti-virus activewear'.

The advertisement of the product, which allegedly didn't list side-effects as required, was considered of 'significant concern' due to the pandemic.

Currently any references to COVID-19 are restricted in any forms of promotion, and advertisements without permission from the TGA are considered unlawful.

Marketing materials online suggested Lorna Jane had developed a technology that could be sprayed on to clothing to stop the spread of bacteria.

The website allegedly claimed the L J Shield 'breaks through the membrane shell of any toxic diseases' including 'bacteria or germs that come into contact with it, not only killing that microbe but preventing it from multiplying into anymore'.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners President Dr Harry Nespolon slammed the company and accused it of intentionally misleading buyers.

'Activewear is great for the gym but it can't protect you against viruses or bacteria,' Dr Nespolon said.

The Therapeutic Goods Association issued the fine to the company on Friday following an investigation (pictured: Model in Lorna Jane clothing)

'I suspect Lorna Jane are cynically trying to exploit fears concerning the COVID-19 pandemic to sell clothes.'

He said it was irresponsible advice that could could lull people into a false sense of security.

'If you spray their product onto any fabric and expect that it will act as a "shield of protection" for you by breaking through the "membrane shell of any toxic diseases" I have some bad news for you  this will not happen,' he said.

'The only thing that will be ''terminated'' by the ''shield particles'' is the money in your bank account.'

The alleged branding has since been pulled from the website and changed to remove any mention of the word virus.

The new materials refer to the technology as 'anti-bacterial'.

Since complaints were aired over the active wear's new technology the branding has been pulled from the website and changed to remove any mention of the word virus

The new materials refer to the technology instead as 'anti-bacterial'

'We don't want to alarm you but we've been avoiding germs since way before COVID-19,' the website now reads.

A spokesperson for Lorna Jane denied they were trying to take advantage of the environment of fear.

'We started working on this technology at the start of the year when we named it... we didn't want to mislead anyone,' the spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.

The active wear brand was founded by Lorna Jane Clarkson (pictured)

'We are not trying to profiteer in any way on the fear around COVID-19 because we were developing this and working with our partners on this before the outbreak.

'Our testing shows that LJ Shield is an important part of stopping the spread of both bacteria and viral infections and should be used in combination with other precautionary measures such as face masks and thorough and frequent hand washing.'
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for its introduction of non-interest credit facilities.

A statement by the NSCIA, under the leadership of its President-General, Saad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, said the initiative covers the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), Agri-Business, Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS), Creative Industry Financing Initiative, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund, Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) and Credit Support for the Healthcare Sector.

The statement, signed by the Deputy Secretary-General of the NSCIA, Salisu Shehu, noted that the organization views the integration as a welcome development and a bold step toward engendering inclusive growth and a proactive mechanism for averting a looming recession threatening the global economy as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NSCIA said the CBN has released the guidelines for the non-interest version of its intervention programmes. While praying for the effective implementation of the guidelines, the NSCIA also praised the CBN and by extension the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) for achieving this remarkable milestone.

For decades, Nigerian Muslims have been grossly marginalized in the countrys financial sector and other growth triggering financial interventions of the CBN due largely to the interest element that is usually involved in the schemes, the statement reads in part.

For Muslims, who constitute well over half of the countrys population, the question of avoiding interest is non-negotiable, and the majority of Muslims would opt to live in poverty rather than devour interest and face the wrath of their Creator. In the absence of non-interest finance, the result has been a high rate of financial exclusion among Muslims, as high as over 60% in some Muslim majority communities.

This leads to worsening incidence of abject poverty. The implication is that without non-interest alternatives, the CBN can hardly attain its goal of 80% financial inclusion earlier targeted for 2020, nor can any meaningful poverty alleviation and economic empowerment programme be actualized in the foreseeable future.

The NSCIA added that, given the indispensability of financial literacy to achieving financial inclusion and economic recovery and growth, the CBN should use all relevant agencies and avenues, including the networks of the National Orientation Agency, radio and television programmes, among others, to educate the public on the importance of these interventions, and the procedures for accessing them.

The procedures should be made as accessible as possible to enable even the poorest of the poor to benefit from the schemes, it said.

Meanwhile, as a step towards assisting the FGN and the CBN in achieving the success of the post-pandemic economic recovery, His Eminence, the President-General of NSCIA, directs all State Councils of Islamic Affairs, as well as all other Islamic organisations to design and implement sensitization and mobilization programmes for farmers, businessmen, and other eligible citizens. Imams and the Ulama should use their sermons, lectures, lessons, radio and television programmes to educate the Muslim community on the imperative of utilizing the interventions.

To this end, His Eminence directs all State Councils to, after studying the details of the guidelines, organize trainings for Imams, Ulama, leaders of Islamic organizations, trade unions and farmers associations, as well as other key stakeholders, on the value and procedures of accessing these important interventions.

The NSCIA urged the Nigerian public to take the new initiative as a rare opportunity, and optimally utilize it for actualisation of productive purposes it is meant to serve, keeping in mind that it is not free money.

For a Muslim, a debt is an amanah. In addition to the worldly consequences of diverting the resources to consumption purposes, they should remember that they would account for how they handle and manage it on the Day of Judgement, the statement said.

BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT BY THE NSCIA

==============================

NSCIA/HQ/PRS/008/16/7/2020

Date: 24th Dhul-Qadah, 1441

16th July, 2020

NIGERIAN MUSLIMS AND THE INTERVENTIONS OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released the guidelines for the non-interest version of all its intervention programmes. The initiative covers the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), Agri-Business, Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS), Creative Industry Financing Initiative, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund, Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) and Credit Support for the Healthcare Sector.

For decades, Nigerian Muslims have been grossly marginalized in the countrys financial sector and other growth triggering financial interventions of the CBN due largely to the interest element that is usually involved in the schemes. For Muslims, who constitute well over half of the countrys population, the question of avoiding interest is non-negotiable, and the majority of Muslims would opt to live in poverty rather than devour interest and face the wrath of their Creator. In the absence of non-interest finance, the result has been a high rate of financial exclusion among Muslims, as high as over 60% in some Muslim majority communities. This leads to worsening incidence of abject poverty. The implication is that without non-interest alternatives, the CBN can hardly attain its goal of 80% financial inclusion earlier targeted for 2020, nor can any meaningful poverty alleviation and economic empowerment programme be actualized in the foreseeable future.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of its President-General, His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar, CFR, mni, views the integration as a welcome development, a bold step towards engendering inclusive growth and a proactive mechanism for averting a looming recession threatening the global economy as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. While praying for the effective implementation of the guidelines, the NSCIA wishes to congratulate the CBN and by extension the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) for achieving this remarkable milestone.

The NSCIA suggests that, given the indispensability of financial literacy to achieving financial inclusion and economic recovery and growth, the CBN should use all relevant agencies and avenues, including the networks of the National Orientation Agency, radio and television programmes, among others, to educate the public on the importance of these interventions, and the procedures for accessing them. The procedures should be made as accessible as possible to enable even the poorest of the poor to benefit from the schemes.

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Meanwhile, as a step towards assisting the FGN and the CBN in achieving the success of the post-pandemic economic recovery, His Eminence, the President-General of NSCIA, directs all State Councils of Islamic Affairs, as well as all other Islamic organisations to design and implement sensitization and mobilization programmes for farmers, businessmen, and other eligible citizens. Imams and the Ulama should use their sermons, lectures, lessons, radio and television programmes to educate the Muslim community on the imperative of utilizing the interventions. To this end, His Eminence directs all State Councils to, after studying the details of the guidelines, organize trainings for Imams, Ulama, leaders of Islamic organizations, trade unions and farmers associations, as well as other key stakeholders, on the value and procedures of accessing these important interventions.

The general public is hereby advised to take this new initiative as a rare opportunity, and optimally utilize it for actualisation of productive purposes it is meant to serve, keeping in mind that this is not a free money. For a Muslim, a debt is an amanah. In addition to the worldly consequences of diverting the resources to consumption purposes, they should remember that they would account for how they handle and manage it on the Day of Judgement.

Signed

Prof. Salisu Shehu

Deputy Secretary-General, NSCIA
The US, UK and Canada have accused Russia of trying to steal coronavirus vaccine research as the pandemic surges across the world, with Brazil announcing it has surpassed two million confirmed cases.

The virus has killed more than 585,000 people, infected more than 13.6 million and crippled the global economy since emerging late last year, and the world's hopes have turned to a vaccine to end the onslaught.

In the latest positive sign, British media reported on Thursday that an Oxford University trial had shown its prototype vaccine generated an immune response against the virus.

But hours later, the UK's National Cyber Security Centre said a hacking group called APT29 had targeted British labs conducting vaccine research to "steal valuable intellectual property".

The agency said it was "almost certain (95%+) that APT29 are part of the Russian Intelligence Services" and its targeting of researchers was "highly likely (80-90%)" to "collect information on COVID-19 vaccine research".

The US, UK and Canada all accused Russia in a joint security advisory.

Moscow denied any involvement, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying: "Russia has nothing to do with these attempts."

The dispute came as the need for a vaccine was underscored once more with Brazil, the second hardest hit country in the world, passing the bleak milepost of two million coronavirus cases.

The number of deaths recorded in the country are now over 76,000.

Horrible experience

Experts say the true case load in Latin America's largest economy, home to some 209 million people, could be understated by as much as a factor of ten and fatalities as much as twofold.

Like the US, which has the world's biggest epidemic by far, Brazil is led by a populist leader, Jair Bolsonaro who has downplayed the virus and railed against restrictions.

Bolsonaro was himself diagnosed positive a week ago.

The United States has recorded by far the most deaths and infections in the pandemic, setting a record on Wednesday with more than 67,000 new cases in 24 hours.

Florida is the country's new epicentre, and is shaping up as a key battleground in a partisan-tinged fight playing out nationally over reopening schools in the fall.

US President Donald Trump meanwhile has been escalating a conflict with Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease specialist, but has so far stopped short of firing the scientist from his coronavirus task force.

Fauci's warnings on the dangers of reopening states too fast are at odds with Trump, who has placed his re-election hopes on declaring victory over the virus and jumpstarting the economy.

South Asia new epicentre?

While the virus runs rampant across the US and Latin America, the Red Cross warned that South Asia is fast becoming the next epicentre.

India is on course to hit one million cases in the coming days and the 125 million people in the impoverished Bihar state, neighbouring Nepal, started a new 15-day lockdown on Thursday.

"We have not faced such a situation in my life before, it is really a horrible experience," housewife Radhika Singh said in Patna, the capital of Bihar, where all schools, clubs, temples and non-essential businesses were ordered closed.

Governments in many other countries have been forced to reimpose restrictions as COVID-19 refuses to fade, including Spain, which has locked down a northeastern area as it fights more than 120 active outbreaks.

Spain honoured its more than 28,000 virus dead at a solemn state ceremony joined by bereaved families and top EU and World Health Organization figures on Thursday.

Elsewhere in Europe, Germany's federal and regional governments agreed on tougher, more localised lockdowns to contain fresh outbreaks.

France meanwhile said it will make mask-wearing compulsory in indoor public spaces from next week after an uptick in infections.

In Italy, the first European country to lock down, the official death toll topped 35,000.

In north Africa, Algeria is planning a law to protect health workers after an increase in "physical and verbal attacks" since the country's outbreak began, as it registered another record number of daily cases.

On Monday, the director of a hospital around 125 kilometres (78 miles) southeast of the capital jumped out of a window to escape the angry family of a patient suspected of having died from the COVID-19 disease.

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Linkedin Akanksha Rana (Reuters)  Fri, July 17, 2020 11:00 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066704eec 2 World Vox-media,media-company,media-industry,coronavirus,coronavirus-effect,media-jobs,COVID-19,virus-corona,COVID-19-joblessness,pandemic,novel-coronavirus,SARS-CoV-2,job-cuts Free

Vox Media, the owner of New York magazine, is laying off 6% of its staff, as it does not expect a rebound in publishing business to pre-COVID forecasts in the second half of 2020, according to an internal email seen by Reuters.

Media companies are hard-pressed with cash flow concerns as they see a drop in advertising revenue since the coronavirus outbreak, forcing many to cut expenses.

Vox Media Chief Executive Officer Jim Bankoff said in the email a majority of those impacted by the layoff were employees furloughed in May and would receive health insurance and severance packages.

The publisher will bring back about 30% of the furloughed employees who chose not to take buyouts, Bankoff said, adding that it will reinstate full salaries of the remaining employees.

"The only exceptions are me and my executive team, who will continue our reductions," the CEO wrote in the letter.

Vox Media, which also owns technology news websites including the Verge and Recode, had in April said it would furlough 9% of its employees and the decision would impact about 100 of them from May through July.
He already created the star-studded #HesGotTheWholeWorldChallenge to raise COVID-19 awareness earlier this year, and it seems Tyler Perry is continuing to spend time in lockdown giving back.

On Thursday, it was reveled that the actor, director, and media mogul - who has reported worth of around $600 million - had given 1,000 Kroger gift cards to members of the community in Atlanta, Georgia, asking the Atlanta Police Department to help him in distributing them around neighborhoods.

'This is about the community that I love, that I live in and work in,' Perry, 50, said in a statement, reported by People Magazine. 'This is about good people who are in need of a hand up not a hand out.'

Giving back: Tyler Perry has given 1,000 Kroger gift cards to Atlanta residents... as cops hand them out to members of the community on Thursday in Georgia

The statement continued: 'This is about the good police officers who do their job well every day some of which are my personal friends. This is about trying to bridge unity in a city that adopted me and held me up high enough to reach my own branch on the tree of success,' adding: 'I love Atlanta and its people!'

It's just the latest act of generosity from the star, who earlier this month left a $500 tip for each of the 42 out-of-work servers employed at the West Paces location of Houston's while picking up a to-go order.

His $21K tip serves as a bit of a cushion for the struggling workers, who might have to wait up to 20 weeks for a $1,200 (and $500 for each child) stimulus check from the federal government.

Generous: The actor, director, and media mogul has reported worth of around $600 million

Tyler (born Emmitt Perry Jr.) is well known for his generous charitable acts and he employs 400 people at his 330-acre military base-turned-studio in Atlanta featuring 12 sound stages, which he acquired in 2015.

Fans can tune into one of the three shows the New Orleans-born, Atlanta-based showrunner created for BET - The Oval, Sistas, and Ruthless.

Tyler is also the mastermind behind OWN's The Haves and the Have Nots and Nickelodeon's Young Dylan.

The A Fall from Grace director is likely hunkering down in 'prayer and meditation' with his five-year-old son Aman and his partner since 2009, Ethiopian model Gelila Bekele.

He has also made headlines recently for being generous with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, letting them both stay at his mansion in Los Angeles.
Graham Weale, honorary professor at the Faculty of Economic Sciences and at the Centre for Environmental Management, Resources and Energy (Cure) at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum (RUB) has undertaken an independent study "EU 2030 Emissions Target - A Reality Check". "The results are very disturbing," said Weale, "and show how great is the challenge to achieve even the current goal."

A simple extrapolation of efforts since 2005 would only lead to a 37 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. "But to reach the current 40 percent target, the effort in building new renewables plants and for energy efficiency measures would have to increase by 20 percent. To reduce CO2 emissions by 55 percent, as in the planned Green Deal," says Weale,"today's effort would have to be exactly doubled."

Renewable energy building on a downward path

For the period from 2005 to 2018, the study shows that CO2 reduction in the EU was achieved primarily through the expansion of renewable energy (62 percent), fuel-switching to other cleaner energy sources (25 percent) and reduced energy demand (13 percent).

Of great concern is that, even before the corona crisis, the annual expansion rate and expenditure on renewable energy had been declining since 2012. "The data from the International Energy Agency show that annual expenditure on renewable energies has decreased by 50 percent since 2012," said Weale. Financial bottlenecks due to the corona crisis would only exacerbate this effect.

Decommissioned power plants must be compensated

To make matters worse, even if the expansion rate for renewable energy remained the same, the net benefits would decrease as compared to previous years, because by 2030 the decommissioning of nuclear power plants will increase by 50 percent in relation to the previous period, and this loss of clean energy must be compensated for by additional renewable capacity. In addition, the first generation of renewable energy plants must be replaced by 2030.

Big question mark over the EU hydrogen strategy

Weale also has doubts about the EU's hydrogen strategy, as it remains to be seen whether sufficient clean electricity will be available to produce green hydrogen.

Energy efficiency measures are insufficient

He is also critical of energy efficiency measures: "Although they reduce demand, they do not yet compensate for the demand increase driven by economic growth." A certain de-industrialization in Europe brings with it a lower energy requirement, but only transfers this demand and the corresponding emissions to trading partners in other regions.

Recommendations for the EU Presidency

"The path to achieving the 2030 goal should primarily be achieved through significantly stronger incentives," concludes Weale. In particular, he focuses on three recommendations for the new German Council Presidency:

The top priority must be to increase electricity production from renewable sources. Higher annual targets must be set and incentives to achieve them increased by maximising technical standardization, speeding up the planning process and minimising market risks. Electrification must be achieved with clean electricity and not from increased fossil fuel generation. The Emissions Trading System must keep a tight grip on emissions and may need further adjustment. Energy efficiency measures must be doubled to achieve the necessary decoupling of energy requirements from economic growth.

About the person

Graham Weale is an honorary professor of energy management and politics at RUB. From 2007 to 2016 he was Chief Economist at RWE AG, Germany's largest power generator. He was a senior advisor to the Energy Transitions Commission and a consultant at PWC for electricity market design. He has a science degree from Oxford University and a Mater of Science in Systems Engineering from City University London and a Master of Business Administration.

Center for Environmental Management, Resources and Energy (Cure)

The Faculty of Economics at the Ruhr-Universitat Bochum established Cure in 2019 to bring together teaching and research on the following topics:

Energy and climate economics Operational and economic sustainability economics in competition-based economic systems Corporate environmental management Decarbonization of operational production and performance processes Protection of species and resources (animals, plants, water, soil, air)

The interdisciplinary approach combines the business, economic and legal perspective with the perspective of other faculties such as engineering and social sciences. Cure under the direction of Professor Helmut Karl currently comprises six professorships and two postdocs in economics. There are also research assistants and doctoral students.

###

Press contact

Prof. Graham Weale

Center for environmental management, resources, and energy

Faculty of Economics

Ruhr-University Bochum

Germany

Phone: +49 234 32 27400

Mobile: +49 162 254 4846

Email: graham.weale@rub.de

Online press conference

Online press conference on Tuesday 21 July 2020 from 10.00 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. CET: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89534013114?pwd=T2FjNTNoVDFXRStWSGpJTnA3RHZ5dz09
Former New Mexico Officer Faces 2nd-Degree Murder Charge Over Chokehold Death

A former New Mexico police officer was charged with second-degree murder Thursday following an incident in which a detainee died after being placed in a chokehold.

On Feb. 29, then-Las Cruces Police Department Officer Christopher Smelser placed Antonio Valenzuela in what reports describe as a vascular neck restraint. Valenzuela, who died at the scene, fled during a traffic stop and was apprehended following a foot chase.

An autopsy report cited by KOB4 said Valenzuela died from asphyxial injuries, noting also that he had meth in his system, which significantly contributed to his death.

Following the chase, Smelser could be heard on police video obtained by the Associated Press as saying, Im going to [expletive] choke you out, bro.

Smelser held Mr. Valenzuela in a choke hold for two minutes, during which Mr. Valenzuela made gurgling noises commonly heard when someone is being choked to death as a result of a neck restraint being applied incorrectly, wrote Sam Bregman, the attorney representing Antonio Valenzuelas family, in a letter to Mark DAntonio, a District Attorney at the Dona Ana County District Attorneys Office, a copy of the letter obtained by CBS shows.

In the letter, Bregman called for charges against Smelser, who was fired and initially charged with involuntary manslaughter, to be upgraded to second-degree murder.

State Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a press release Thursday (pdf) that his office had taken over Smelsers prosecution from the Dona Ana County District Attorneys Office and that the former officer would now be facing charges of second-degree murder.

We are taking over prosecution and focusing on appropriate charges for violent and dangerous chokeholds, Balderas said in the statement.

Smelsers attorney, Amy L. Orlando, suggested to The Associated Press that the new charge was a political move meant to grab headlines.

Officer Smelser used a technique that was sanctioned by the department. He was trained in the technique. And all of a sudden its banned after and hes a criminal, Orlando told the publication.

A charging document (pdf) alleges that Smelser did kill Antonio Valenzuela without lawful justification or excuse, and without sufficient provocation, upon a sudden quarrel, or in the heat of passion, and the defendant knew that his acts created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm.

The revised charge comes amid a wave of protests calling for reform to police tactics, many specifically targeting chokeholds, sparked by the May 25 police-custody death of George Floyd.

To date, at least 20 U.S. cities and municipalities had either banned the tactic in policing, or started to impose chokehold bans, CNN reported.

Attorney General William Barr said in June that he supports a prohibition on the use of chokeholds by police unless officers are confronted with potentially lethal force.
NEW YORK, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Atento S.A. (NYSE: ATTO), the largest provider of customer relationship management and business process outsourcing solutions (CRM/BPO) in Latin America and among the top five providers worldwide, announced today that it will release its fiscal Second Quarter 2020 financial results after the market close of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, August 5, 2020. Atento's senior management team will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the financial and operating results on Thursday, August 6, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

You are invited to join the conference call by visiting Atento's Investor Relations website at http://investors.atento.com. A replay will also be available after the event in the Presentations and Webcast section of the website.

About Atento

Atento is the largest provider of customer relationship management and business process outsourcing (CRM BPO) services in Latin America, and among the top five providers globally, based on revenues. Atento is also a leading provider of nearshoring CRM/BPO services to companies that carry out their activities in the United States. Since 1999, Atento has developed its business model in 13 countries where it employs 150,000 people. Atento has over 400 clients to whom it offers a wide range of CRM/BPO services through multiple channels. Atento's clients are mostly leading multinational corporations in sectors such as telecommunications, banking and financial services, health, retail and public administrations, among others. Atentos shares trade under the symbol ATTO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In 2019, Atento has been named one of the Worlds 25 Best Multinational Workplaces and one of the Best Multinationals to Work for in Latin America by Great Place to Work. For more information visit www.atento.com

Investor Relations

Shay Chor

+55 11 3293 5926

[email protected]

Fernando Schneider

+55 11 3779 8119

[email protected]

Media Relations

Pablo Sanchez

+34 670 031347

[email protected]



SOURCE Atento S.A.

Related Links

http://www.atento.com


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - An Arkansas woman pleaded guilty to helping her boyfriend, the leader of a white supremacist gang that has been accused of a string of brutal tactics, and another inmate escape from a local jail.

Kennan Gililland, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting escape, admitting she helped Wesley Gullet, 31, and Christopher Sanderson, 34, escape on July 29, 2019, by picking them up and driving them 130 miles (160 kilometres) away from the Jefferson County jail in Pine Bluff, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Gililland also admitted she provided Gullet with some food and other supplies.

Both men put padding in their bunks to make it look like they were asleep, then climbed to the roof of the building and over a fence to escape. Jail staff didnt realize both inmates were missing until two days later. The two jail staff members on duty at the time of the escape were fired.

On Aug. 1, the chief of the Dover marshals office spotted Wesley Gullett while driving in the city and captured him without incident. Sanderson was found later that same day in the Ozark National Forest near Pelsor, a community about 30 miles (48 kilometres) from Dover. U.S. marshals and Arkansas State Police said he yelled out from the woods and surrendered. He was severely dehydrated and taken to a hospital for treatment.

Federal prosecutors said Gullet is president of the New Aryan Empire, a white-supremacist group accused of violence and drug trafficking. He was operating a methamphetamine ring until federal agents broke it up last year. The trial for the members of the gang has been delayed until August.

Gililland, Gullett and Sanderson are scheduled for a jury trial on the escape charges beginning Monday.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 17:15:44|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on July 16, 2020 shows a container dock in Tangshan City, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao)

Chinese economy has shifted from slowing down to rising against the backdrop of a global recession, strong evidence that the world's second-largest economy has a solid base for further expansion.



BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China has become the first major economy to grow since the start of COVID-19. The bounce-back smashes predictions by naysayers of China's economy and provides hope to other countries looking to recover from a crisis that has caused a global recession.

The 3.2 percent year-on-year growth in the second quarter of the year, versus a 6.8 percent contraction in the first quarter, demonstrated that the world's second-largest economy has a solid base for further expansion.

Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, China adopted comprehensive, strict and precise measures for prevention and control despite misunderstanding and smearing from some Western countries. The government has rolled out a raft of measures, including more fiscal spending, tax relief and supportive employment policies, to revive the economy.

Chinese economy has shifted from slowing down to rising, strong evidence that the adverse impact of the epidemic can be overcome with resolve, courage and correct actions.

The world's confidence in the prospects of China's development is well-founded. The country's economic recovery will continue in the second half of the year, powered by the rapidly growing new industries and business models, as well as the strong support from macro policies.

China, now in a better position to handle any contingencies in the future, remains an important engine for global growth. Its market is still huge, inclusive and open where wise foreign enterprises have every reason to stay rooted and seek further development.

Photo taken on June 4, 2020 shows a view of a night market in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

The dark moment is passing, but the full recovery could take time. China needs to deepen reforms, expand opening-up and improve its business environment to achieve high-quality development.

The government will make further efforts to expand domestic demand, as China is still facing constraints in consumption recovery, with retail sales of consumer goods declining 11.4 percent in the first half of the year. Policies and measures to ensure employment, people's livelihoods and development of market entities will be comprehensively implemented, which will provide new opportunities for Chinese and foreign enterprises.

In today's world, the interests of all countries are highly integrated. Win-win cooperation is the trend of the times. China will be unswervingly committed to pursuing the path of peaceful development, promoting the building of an open world economy and supporting international solidarity against the coronavirus until victory is won for all.

The year 2020 is a difficult time for the world facing waves of virus cases, rising protectionism and other uncertainties. During these trying times, no matter how the domestic and international economic situation evolves, China will always stand on the right side of history. 
JAC 12th Result 2020 Declared | Some of the third-party websites which are hosting the Jharkhand Academic Council Class 12 result on 17 July include examresults.net and indiaresults.com

JAC 12th Result 2020 Declared | Jharkhand Class 12 students will be able to check the results for arts, science and commerce streams on the board's official website jacresults.com.

However, as one can predict a heavy traffic on the official websites due to scores of students eager to check their Class 12 results, the site might act unresponsive.

In that case, students shouldn't worry and check their scores on third-party websites or via SMS service.

Some of the third-party websites which will be hosting the Jharkhand Academic Council Class 12 result on 17 July include examresults.net and indiaresults.com.

Follow LIVE Updates on JAC 12th Result 2020

Students will also be able to check their results at Firstpost by filling the details in the widget below:

Steps to check Jharkhand Class 10th result 2020 on examresults.net:

Step 1: Log on to examresults.net

Step 2: Click on Jharkhand in the list of the states or access the link directly here.

Step 3: Look for the link which says JAC 12th Result 2020.

Step 4: Click on the link and fill in all the details to get your JAC Class 12 result 2020.

Steps to check JAC 12th result on indiaresults.com:

Step 1: Visit the website indiaresults.com

Step 2: Click on Jharkhand in the list of the states or type the URL jharkhand.indiaresults.com on your browser and press Enter.

Step 3: Search for the link that says "Jharkhand Academic Council" with "Intermediate Class XII Examination Results 2020" written under it.

Step 4: Click on the link. It will take you to a new page. Fill in all the details to get your results.

Steps to check JAC Class 12th result via SMS

Students can also get their score delivered on their phones via SMS. According to Examresults.net, to get the JAC Intermediate result via SMS, students are required to send a message in the following format to 56263:

RESULT<space>JAC12<space>ROLL CODE + ROLL NO

According to reports, the Jharkhand Board Intermediate or Class 12 Examination Results 202o will be announced by state education minister Jagarnath Mahto. The minister will reportedly declare the result at 1 pm today in the presence of JAC chairman Arvind Prasad Singh at the board's head office in Ranchi.

Steps to check JAC Results 2020 on official website

Step 1: Visit the website of Jharkhand Board Result websites - jacresults.com, jac.jharkhand.gov.in, or jharresults.nic.in.

Step 2: Click on the link that mentions about JAC Intermediate Examination Results 2020.

Step 3: You will be directed to a new page where you will have to enter your Jharkhand JAC Class 12 exam 2020 roll number, date of birth and other credentials.

Step 4: Your Jharkhand Board Class 12 result 2020 will be displayed on the screen along with your score in individual subjects and your total marks.

The examinations for all the three streams - science, commerce and arts were held from 10 to 28 February.
A man who was asked to put on a face mask at a barbecue restaurant in Kansas City responded by showing the teenage employee his holstered gun as evidence of his exemption to the statewide mandate. An argument over a patrons refusal to wear a mask in a Michigan convenience store ended with the man stabbing a 77-year-old fellow customer and later being shot dead by police.

In Texas, GOP committees in eight different counties have voted to censure Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for his order requiring Texans to wear face coverings in the face of soaring COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

Really, people? This is like arguing over who gets the TV remote control while the house is on fire.

Health experts insist masks help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization now recommend cloth masks for the general public. Nearly 40 states have face-covering mandates. And if you dont trust them, Walmart recently joined a slew of major retail chains and businesses in requiring customers to wear masks while inside their facilities.

The argument is over. Just wear the damn mask.

All this wasted energy over masks threatens to distract all of us from the grim reality that more  more from us and more from our leaders  is needed. And urgently.

It has been nearly a week since Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, joined by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, asked the governor for authority to impose a two-week shutdown to relieve pressure on area hospitals that are pushing capacity on ICU beds along with strains on staffing and protective equipment.

After a brief dip in numbers last Monday, Texas has continued to set records for COVID-19 deaths, including three days in a row of more than 100 as of Friday.

Abbott, however, is not hearing those pleas. Or if he is, hes not listening.

It seems like I get this question a thousand times a day, and there seem to be rumors out there about a looming shutdown, Abbott told Houstons Fox 26 TV on Thursday. Let me tell you: There is no shutdown coming.

We wanted to ask him how he could so blithely disregard the urgent requests from the mayor and county judge of the states largest city and county, and home to its most alarming surge in COVID-19 concerns, but his office did not respond to requests from the editorial board for comment.

Abbott has said the answer is for everyone to faithfully follow his mask order, including the members of his own party, who call the mandate a violation of their constitutional rights.

Many regions are running out of ICU beds, Abbott told the state Republican Party convention during a virtual gathering last week. And deaths have almost quadrupled, reaching more than 100 in one day last week. If we dont slow this disease quickly our hospitals will get overrun and I fear it will even inflict some of the people that Im talking to right now.

Abbott has called the mask mandate the last best chance to avoid a statewide lockdown.

But, he is only half right. Yes, the fight over the masks is foolish, and compliance would greatly help Texas get a handle on the outbreak. Thats not enough, though  and even one of the governors top medical advisers seems to agree. He said last week that the surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Texas is already bad enough to warrant lockdowns in at least the hardest-hit regions of the state.

Its clear that the state has not been on a sustainable course and its worth considering a regional approach, Dr. Mark McClellan, a physician and economist at Duke University and a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said in a Tuesday interview with Hearst Newspapers.

McClellan agreed with Abbott that if Texans were in perfect compliance with the mask order and other existing restrictions, they could suffice to reverse the surge. But perfect compliance is a fantasy, as the revolts within his own party show.

Thats why Abbott must act. He neednt order the whole state to shut down. But he must grant Houston and Harris Countys request for a two-week closing. Better yet, he could follow his own experts advice for a regional shutdown in those areas in the danger zones.

Masks are great but they cant cover everything.
When I first started writing this column, I thought the best thing about it would be the freedom to write about things that mattered to me.

But life is funny, and writing is humbling.

What Im truly proud of are all of the columns I didnt write.

For example, I am really pleased with myself for never writing about a conversation I had with a cab or Uber driver. The conversation with my driver columns are a whole genre  embraced by prolific political commentators, celebrated business columnists and pretty much every travel writer.

There are so many reasons to fall into the trap! Every columnist is always staring down the barrel of a deadline. Every columnist knows, in the bottom of her heart, that she should be spending more time rubbing elbows with the man on the street. (In the before-coronavirus times, that is.)

But the truth is that columnists have to-do lists, responsibilities and habits, just like everyone else. Few of us have the time to listen to regular people who are experts in nothing more than getting by.

Thats how the driver conversation became such an embarrassing tool of the trade. In the cocoon of a private vehicle, a conversation with a driver feels intimate and important. It makes the writer feel like shes hearing the real news from a real, regular person. It would be so easy to report the conversation as if it were the truth.

Thats a dangerous temptation. People who drive vehicles for a living learn how to carry on conversations with anyone and everyone. Youd develop conversational skills, too, if you never knew whether you were picking up a generous tipper or a serial killer.

Alas, just because youre good at keeping a conversation going doesnt mean you have anything of substance to say. Sadly, readers tend to figure this out faster than columnists do. Thats why those columns are always embarrassing.

So if I wrote a little too often about my adventures riding the bus or walking down the street, my heart was in the right place. By right place, I mean that my heart was full of terror at falling victim to this kind of columnist laziness.

San Francisco also has a long tradition of columnists who wrote about it as if it were the worlds most perfect place.

I love this city. I love its hills, its Skittles-bright Victorians, its secret nooks and crannies, its renegade spirit. Like so many San Franciscans, I spent maybe too much time weeping about the citys ugly changes, wrought by its clueless new residents, and that vice thats old as its hills  plain old greed.

But Im also really proud that I never wrote about it like it was the best city in the world.

I love it enough to criticize its residents hypocritical politics, its officials penny-ante corruption, and its new arrivals dystopian yearnings. I love it enough to shake my fists at its staggering cost of living, its inhumanity toward unhoused people, and its long history of classism and racism.

I did this because if San Francisco cant overcome its problems, there wont be a new generation  of columnists or anyone else  who can live here long enough to fall in love with it.

Finally, I couldve spent the past few years writing about our president, whose name I dont feel like uttering and whose absolute incompetence has forced us all to write off 2020. We all know him, because hes taken years off our lives and well never forgive the 60 million Americans (can you really believe 60 million Americans voted for that guy? It shocks me anew every day) who decided to blow up our collective future.

I read every one of your emails. Judging by your white-hot hatred of the current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., I couldve written an outraged column about him every week.

But then we wouldnt have been able to focus on our own strengths and weaknesses right here at home.

So Im glad I didnt write those columns, either.

By now, you may have guessed that this is my last column for The Chronicle. This was a hard, bittersweet one to write.

While Im excited to embark on a new career adventure, you have been the best readers I could have imagined. Its been an enormous privilege to write for you every week, and I will miss you.

Caille Millner is a deputy opinion editor. Twitter: @caillemillner
B oris Johnsons one-time close friend Jennifer Arcuri is hoping to move to the UK, she tells The Londoner, on the publication of her first book.

Arcuri had wanted to move back from the US East Coast sooner but this has been halted by coronavirus. Every time Ive tried to come back somethings hit. I have the intention of coming home, she told us.

Last year it was alleged that Johnson had improperly favoured Arcuris tech businesses when he was London mayor, during which time it was alleged the pair may have been intimate. The Independent Office for Police Conduct chose not to investigate. Johnson denied any wrongdoing.

Arcuris book Hands-On Hacking, demystifying the world of complex computing, co-written with Matthew Hickey, is published this week. This is the first time these kind of skills are condensed in a book that allows you to learn while reading, she said.

"The book takes you step by step through technical concepts, and doesn't just give you the definitions, it teaches you how to do it. It breaks down complicated topics step by step."

Arcuri, who will appear on Channel 4 reality show Celebrity Hunted, plans to send a copy to Downing Street. Remembering sharing other books with the PM  they are both Shakespeare fans  Arcuri teased: There was once upon a time but thats a whole different story. Maybe for her next volume.

--

HARD times for the discreet London hotel concierge. With employers having to contribute to furlough payments from next month, some of the best hotels in the capital are cutting staff. Dave Turnbull, of union Unite, warned us of an avalanche of redundancies in customer-facing roles, possibly replaced by an app in some. Turnbull warned that visa changes for EU nationals at the end of the year meant they might not come back.

Henry Chango Lopez, president of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain said: "We're seeing a swarm of redundancies ... I've never seen anything like it. Just weeks ago, frontline workers were being applauded by the nation and now they're being fired in their hundreds." How sad.

--

Redferns

MICHAELA COEL is breaking the US with her BBC show I May Destroy You, but she doesnt want it to be about race. There wasnt a quota that I was trying to fill, she told the Obsessed With... podcast. Susy was Scottish [in earlier drafts] and then... I suddenly realised she was black, Coel said, before noting that black people can be Scottish too. We get her point.

--

SW1A

CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag

Donald Trump and family have been mocking Joe Biden for his history with Labours Neil Kinnock. Bidens 1987 run for Democratic presidential nominee was cut short when he plagiarised a Kinnock speech. Lord Kinnock says Biden now has his backing. I hope, for everybodys sake, that hell beat Trump, he tells us. The world will be a safer place.

He recalled Biden once jokingly introducing him to staff as my greatest speechwriter, but said he wasnt expecting to be hired this time: Thankfully, my speechwriting and making days are over. Millions might applaud. Surely not.

--

GC Images

KEIR STARMER, style icon. Since hairdressers returned to work, Labour staffers have noticed a trend spreading among male colleagues. A short back and sides, with Sonic the Hedgehog swoosh on top. Westminster barbers take note.

Dua leaps back into the studio after lockdown

Dua Lipa strikes a pose in a leotard in New York, where the singer has returned to the studio after spending lockdown in London with boyfriend Anwar Hadid. Rapper AJ Tracey had a fun day in Milan.

Meanwhile, Tilda Swinton posed in PPE with director Pedro Almodovar on the first day of their new film  as Natalie Portman also urged fans to follow her masked example.
Burma Artists Freed After Anti-Buddhist Claims Dropped Against COVID-19 Mural in Myanmar

The COVID-19 awareness mural that offended some Buddhists. / Naw Htun Aung

Yangon  Three artists in Myanmars Kachin State charged with offending Buddhism in a COVID-19 awareness street mural were freed by the township court in the state capital, Myitkyina, on July 17.

They painted murals in Myitkyinas streets to raise coronavirus awareness in late March.

One mural showed the Grim Reaper wearing red robes, spreading coronavirus while three medics try to save the planet.

In early April, pictures of the mural spread on social media, sparking criticism that the figure looked like a Buddhist monk.

Ko Naw Htun Aung, director of Kachinland Research Center, Cecilia Ja Seng and Ko Zayar Hnaung faced charges filed by the deputy director of the states Religious Office under Article 295(a) of the Penal Code on April 3.

The law states that deliberate and malicious attempts to spark outrage among any religious group through words, pictures or insults can result in up to two years in prison.

The three were freed after more than 12 court hearings over three months.

According to their lawyer, Daw Doi Bu, the charges were dropped after the three managed to prove the Grim Reaper carrying a pot was not supposed to be a Buddhist monk.

The judge made a fair decision in our case, said Daw Doi Bu.

Ko Naw Htun Aung, who organized the street art to raise COVID-19 awareness, told The Irrawaddy that they welcomed the decision.

The mural was painted over on April 3.

Artist Ko Zayar Hnaung explained that the skeleton wearing red robes and holding a pot filled with the virus was supposed to the personification of death.

You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Military Claims its Investigators Attacked in Shan State

Shwedagon Monks Say Buddha Statue Resembling Myanmar Dictator Doesnt Violate Scripture
South Africa: National Lotteries Commission ordered to submit list of beneficiaries

The Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry wants the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) to provide the list of beneficiaries that benefited from the R150 million COVID-19 relief fund.

Committee chairperson Duma Nkosi said the committee also wants a list of all beneficiaries that received money from the NLC during the 2018/19 financial year.

This should include the names, the amounts that were disbursed, as well as the categories it was paid out from. It should also include all beneficiary lists that have not be made public up to now.

"Furthermore, the committee requests that the NLC publish the names of beneficiaries in its 2019/20 Annual Report, as required by the Lotteries Act (Act No. 57 of 1997), Nkosi said.

The committee's decision follows an opinion from Parliaments Legal Services, which states the NLCs financial statements must disclose this information.

In addition, Nkosi said the information must be available to the Auditor-General, as the NLC is subject to the Public Finance Management Act.

Nkosi said the NLC has not disclosed beneficiaries for the past few years.

The NLC argued that while in the past such lists were published, on consideration of the laws governing private information and complaints from some beneficiaries, it reached the conclusion that the publication of such information was erroneous and not in the public interest, Nkosi said.

According to Parliaments legal advice: The constitutional right to privacy is not an absolute right, but may be limited in terms of laws of general application and must be balanced with other rights entrenched in the Constitution.

Also, purposeful interpretation of the Lotteries Act shows that a culture of openness and transparency is required.

Nkosi said the committee unanimously agreed that NLC must comply within seven days.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A 15-year-old schoolboy hoping to become the youngest person to sail solo around Britain ran into difficulty on the first night - and had to phone his mother to help him cook his dinner.

Timothy Long set off on his epic 10-week long voyage across 1600 miles on his 28ft-long yacht on Thursday.

He will have to battle giant waves, gale-force winds and sail for 24 hours straight, sleeping for just 20 minutes at a time.

Timothy is having to cook his own meals for the first time and is planning to survive on tinned food, pasta and 800-calorie dehydrated ration packets.

Timothy Long (left) had to call his mother Sue Elder (right) on the first night of his 10-week sailing voyage around Britain after realising he did not know how to cook pasta

But the teenager's first day did not go swimmingly as he realised he did not know how to cook pasta.

After leaving Hamble Point Marine, Hampshire, on Thursday afternoon and mooring three hours later at Haslar Marina near Portsmouth, he had to call his mother for assistance.

While he was on the phone, he even ended up spilling sauce on the deck during his eventful first day.

His mother Sue Elder, a management consultant, said: 'He cooked pasta - he phoned me to say "Mum, how do I cook pasta?".

'Then he got distracted on his phone and all the sauce went on the front of the oven.

'In the morning, he sat in the marina and had a free breakfast. He said he could have had a full English but he was so nervous he had a bacon butty.'

The schoolboy wants to become the youngest person to ever sail solo around Britain and beat the record of Tom Webb, who sailed around Britain aged 17 in 2011

After leaving Hamble Point Marine, Hampshire, on Thursday afternoon and mooring three hours later at Haslar Marina near Portsmouth, he had to call his mother as he has never cooked for himself before

Timothy, who lives 100 miles from the sea in landlocked Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, will typically sail 45 miles each day.

But he will also make some lengthier 100-mile passages on his Hunter Impala 28 boat called 'Alchemy'.

The brave 15-year-old has never sailed further than 40 miles on his own but has wanted to be a professional sailor since he stepped foot in a dinghy during a holiday to a Gloucestershire reservoir when he was just nine years old.

On Thursday, Timothy made the last minute decision to do the trip counter clockwise, heading east along the south coast, after getting advice from a meteorologist.

He will sail more than 40 miles east towards Brighton before a seven hour sail to Eastbourne, East Sussex.

Yesterday he made a last minute decision to do the trip counter clockwise, opting to head east along the south coast, following advice from a meteorologist.

Timothy will now head more than 40 miles east towards Brighton, East Sussex, before a seven hour sailing to Eastbourne, East Sussex.

He will then embark on a staggering 15-hour journey to Ramsgate in Kent.

Timothy has never sailed further than 40 miles on his own but has wanted to be a professional sailor since he stepped foot in a dinghy during a holiday to a Gloucestershire reservoir when he was just nine years old (above)

Timothy, who plans to become a professional offshore sailor after his A Levels, said: 'I wanted to do something that was going to push me and take me somewhere new that I had never been to before, completely on my own.

'So I thought "why not sail around Britain?".'

The schoolboy lives his mother Ms Elder and father Nick Long, a retired sales manager who he said inspired him to take up sailing.

He said: 'I still live at home. It will be the longest I have been away from home so that's going to be a bit of a challenge.

'I have not quite got my head around feeding myself.'

But the unpredictable British weather extend Timothy's time out on the water and put a damper on his sailing schedule.

The amateur sailor, who has been doing school work in advance, may be forced to cut the trip short to make it back in time for the start of his GCSE year in September.

He said: 'I know it's going to be a challenge and there will be bits where it's going to be really tough.

Timothy, who is raising cash for the The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, will have to battle giant waves, gale-force winds and sail for 24 hours straight, sleeping for just 20 minutes at a time

'The biggest factor with solo sailing is the fatigue - since you are on your own, you can't go to sleep for hours because you have to manage the boat.

'So I will sleep a maximum of 20 minutes at a time when I'm sailing.

'This is by far the hardest thing that I have ever done because when you are solo sailing there is no one there to help - no support boat, nothing.

'This means that you have to be able to do everything ranging from navigation to looking after yourself and knowing how to fix anything that goes wrong on the boat.

'The British coastline presents numerous hazards, from the busiest shipping lane in the world in the Dover Straits, to the extreme tides of the Bristol Channel, amongst many others.'

Timothy, who is raising cash for the The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, embarked on his first sea voyage was along the Tuscan Coast near Scarlino, Italy, when he was ten years old.

He plans to beat the record of Tom Webb, who sailed around Britain aged 17 in 2011, and become the youngest person ever to sail around Britain.

Timothy added: 'I first went sailing when I was nine on Bowmoor Reservoir in a little dinghy in hail and thunderstorms for a week in the absolutely freezing cold - and I loved it.'
In separate cases on July 15, the Supreme Court of Cambodia rejected the appeal from two former Radio Free Asia (RFA) reporters, Uon Chhin and Yeang Sothearin and ordered the retrial of RT fixer Rath Rott Mony. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges authorities to drop the charges against the journalists.

Rath Rott Mony speaks to the media from a prison truck after his trial at Phnom Penh Municipal Court in 2019. Credit: STR / AFP

The Supreme Court announced its decision to reject an appeal by former Washington-based RFA reporters, Uon Chhin and Yeang Sothearin who are accused of espionage and producing pornography. The Supreme Court upheld the Phnom Penh Municipal Court order to re-investigate the charges despite the lower courts finding that there was no evidence to support the allegations.

The two former RFA reporters were detained on November 17, 2017 and charged for illegally collecting information for a foreign source after the RFA bureau closed its operations in Phnom Penh in September 2017. In March 2018, authorities accused the two of illegally produced pornography. If found guilty they face between 7 to 15 years in prison.

In another case, the Supreme Court found the incitement conviction against RT fixer Rath Rott Mony was incorrect, ordering a retrial. Mony, who was the president of the Cambodian Construction Workers Trade Union Federation (CCTUF), was arrested in December 2018 and sentenced to two years in June 2019 following his assistance in a documentary by Russias RT news service about child sex trafficking titled My Mother SoldMe. The government claimed the documentary contained fake news about the country. Mony has paid $17,500 in damages to two of the mothers of girls in the documentary.

The IFJ has closely monitored press freedom in Cambodia for the last 17 years, recently launching a campaign in Cambodia on World Press Freedom Day to promote press freedom and the peoples right to know.

The IFJ said: For years the judicial system in Cambodia has targeted journalists and activists, leading to widespread self-censorship. The IFJ urges authorities to acknowledge the dangers of continuing the prosecution of journalists without evidence and drop the cases against Uon Chhin, Yeang Sothearin and Rath Rott Mony.
More than 370 Nigerians were ordered to leave the United States this year, after being found guilty of breaking immigration laws and other crimes, data from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shows.

Data obtained from the ICE and compiled in a June report by a global tracking website on government policy, TRAC, says 376 Nigerians, who mainly resided in Texas, New Jersey, California, New York and others, were served court orders to leave the U.S. between January and June, having been convicted of immigration and criminal charges.

TRAC is a U.S.-based tracking website that keeps databases of immigration, FBI cases and firearms data for public access.

The data referenced in this story was obtained by TRAC and sourced directly from the ICE through FOI requests.

This comes even as the scramble to flatten the spread of COVID-19 continues with the Trump administrations aggressive immigration policy on immigrants.

Trend

About 3,019 Nigerians were deported from the U.S for criminal convictions in 15 years, starting from ICEs establishment in 2003 and ending in 2018, a PREMIUM TIMES analysis revealed.

But within the first half of this year, 335 Nigerians violated immigration laws including unlawful entry into the country, overstayed visas, fake documents and many others.

About 41 other Nigerians have criminal records of aggravated felonies such as fraud, drug crimes, sex and firearms offences.

Over time, criminal aliens often top the list of priorities when it comes to deportation from the U.S.

This was laid bare more during the Trump administration as the American president vowed to chase people with criminal records away from our country.

Court proceedings

Once a foreign national is arrested for an offence by the Department of Homeland Security, they are tried before an immigration judge, which is often a lengthy legal process. The individual is most often flagged for deportation. Therefore, a deportation case is filed.

Deportation proceedings are conducted to determine whether the individual charged with violating immigration laws should be removed from the U.S. By removal, it means deportation.

During the proceedings, the individual could appeal the case and the term could be lessened to a voluntary departure but this does not provide for alternate erasure of criminal records.

The individual could be allowed to remain in the country if the judge finds the charges against him or her are not sustained or the government requests that the charges be dropped, as well as where the judge finds the other provisions in the immigration law entitles the individual relief from removal.

Between January and June this year, 2,700 deportation cases involving Nigerians were filed with immigration and criminal charges; the outcome of the court proceedings showed that 376 Nigerians were ordered deported.

Nigeria fell behind Cameroon which had the highest figure among the African countries  647  and was ahead of Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana which had 229 and 175 deportees respectively.

Concerns

But there are concerns by human rights activists that the U.S. may be brewing another crisis over the rights of the planned deportees who are reportedly kept in detention facilities across the country.

The 376 people are among the 901 Nigerians being held in detention facilities across the U.S., according to the 2019 report by ICE. No report of extradition of these deportees has been made yet.

However, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Human Rights Watch had urged the ICE to halt involuntary transfers of foreign nationals between facilities, and put in place policies at detention centres that would allow safe social distancing and effective hygiene for as long as detainees remain in custody.

The U.S. government should not force deportees to travel so long as it puts them and their communities at heightened risk of COVID-19, the Human Rights Watch said.

Despite outbreaks of COVID-19 in U.S., immigration detention centres and government travel restrictions the world over, the U.S. has continued deportations with little regard for the consequences, the US program director at Human Rights Watch, Nicole Austin-Hillery, said.

With these reckless deportations, the Trump administration is contributing to the spread of COVID-19 and endangering public health globally.

Repatriation, new threat?

Aside from the threat of importing COVID-19 into Nigeria, there are fears that the repatriation of the Nigerians could be detrimental to the West African country.

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This is because Nigeria has no well-grounded structure for the reintegration of such people into the society, a Nigerian diplomatic analyst said.

The truth is that the government, who is a major stakeholder in these deportation troubles, is unperturbed and unconcerned. Once deported and profiled, they are left to go on their own, Gbemisola Lawal said.

With the rate of unemployment expected to soar and a possible slip into recession after the pandemic, there is little hope for the returnees to start life afresh without having to take to criminal acts again because they may constantly feel dejected, she adds.

Nigerian government reacts

When asked about the governments plans as regards the deportation orders on the convicted Nigerians by the U.S. government, an official of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) said he had no comment since it has not taken place yet.

This is according to the commissions spokesperson, Abdul-Rahman Balogun, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES.

This 376 deportation proceedings outcome you claimed for this year alone, has not taken place. Until then, I cant say more, Mr Balogun said.

Attempts to get the reaction of the Nigerian Immigration Service were unsuccessful as calls and messages sent to the spokesperson, Sunday James, were not responded to.
DANBURY  The next court appearance of the retired physician assistant from Redding accused of killing his wife earlier this year has been pushed back seven days  from Aug. 12 to Aug. 19.

Richard Commaille, 70, was charged with murder last month following a police investigation into the untimely death of his 64-year-old wife three months ago.

Nanci Commaille was found dead from a gunshot wound at the couples Top Ledge Road home on April 6.

Her husband called 911 that night reporting that she had just shot herself with a gun, according to the warrant for Richard Commailles arrest.

Responding officers noted voluminous amounts of blood at the scene and obvious signs of a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

According to authorities, Commaille claimed his wife killed herself and called several other people  including his daughter, friends, neighbors and his wifes primary care physician  before calling 911.

He allegedly told police his wife had been drinking excessively for the past 10 years and that she would talk about fatally shooting herself when she was inebriated.

His wifes primary care physician told police she had been drinking excessively, but said he did not believe she had suicidal ideation.

Investigators noted inconsistencies between what Commaille told authorities and evidence found at the crime scene, according to police, and DNA test results showed a mixture of the victims blood and a male donor on the pistol, as well as gunshot residue particles on Commailles hands.

Nanci Commailles death was ruled a homicide and Richard Commaille was arrested June 9.

At Commailles arraignment, his attorney, Edward Gavin, has said his client maintains his innocence and turned over all of his weapons and ammunition when requested by state police.
Arjun Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore in the North 24 Parganas district, alleged on Friday afternoon that he might be killed in a police encounter at the behest of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders.

Singh made the statement hours after a police team went to his home at Bhatpara in search of one of his nephews but were denied entry by Central paramilitary force personnel in charge of Singhs security as the officers did not have a search warrant.

In a tweet in Hindi, BJP national general secretary Kaliash Vijayvargiya said police may try to kill Singh and his son and cautioned chief minister Mamata Banerjee that the fallout would be serious if that happened.

Police surrounded the home of Barrackpore BJP MP Arjun Singh. We fear that Singh and his son, legislator Pawan Singh, may be killed in an encounter. Mamata Ji the fallout will be serious if it happens, tweeted Vijayvargiya.

Senior officers of Barrackpore police district refused to comment on the visit of the police team but state food minister and district Trinamool Congress (TMC) president Jyotipriyo Mullick alleged that it was in connection with a bank scam.

The raid was in connection with a scam at a local cooperative bank. The culture of encounter is nurtured in Uttar Pradesh. West Bengal does not believe in encounter killings. Arjun Singh is saying all this for media coverage. He is looking for publicity, said Mullick.

I am ready to die to free West Bengal from the misrule of TMC, said the BJP leader.

Arjun Singh, a former four-time TMC legislator from Bhatpara and former chairman of the local civic body, joined the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and defeated TMCs two-time MP Dinesh Trivedi from Barrackpore. Singhs son is the legislator from Bhatpara.

There have been several political clashes in different parts of the constituency, including Bhatpara, during and after the Lok Sabha election. In the most recent incident, Dharmendra Singh, a local TMC leader in the Kankinara industrial area was shot in the head by two motorcycle-borne men on Wednesday morning. The incident triggered tension in the area. The TMC leader is admitted in a private hospital in Kolkata.

The region has a sizeable Hindi-speaking population comprising jute mill and factory workers hailing mostly from Bihar.
The Executive Director of Child Rights International, (CRI) Mr Bright Appiah, has noted that the decision to close down schools in the country as a result of COVID-19 must be based on science or medical evidence and not emotions



In a statement issued yesterday in Accra, he said since it had not been proven yet that the students contracted the disease on school campuses or their homes, the only reason that must determine the closure must be through scientific data.



Mr Appiah suggested to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to provide in its daily data updates, reports on the behaviour of COVID-19 among children.



This, according to the statement, would help understand the pattern behaviour of COVID-19 among children so as to inform policy direction and to also know how serious the consequences are for children.



In most advanced countries research has shown that the transmission of the COVID-19 among age cohort of 20 and below is slow as compared to the vulnerable groups,



In the Ghanaian context, there is the need for thorough medical research in order to design policies to address specific needs of children in this direction, it said.



The statement said further that immunologists must establish the rate of infections among children to come out with reproductive spread of the virus.



In other jurisdiction, the reproductive number took into consideration the rate of infections among children, the number of children admitted to the hospital and the number of deaths due to to corona virus, it said.



The statement, however, proposed to the Ghana Education Service and the GHS to provide maximum security and protection services to affected schools and also ensure that the protocols were observed.



It also called for quality medical services to be provided in all schools to provide the needed services.



According to the statement, GES and GHS should provide the general exit mechanism for integrating children who are in schools back into the community after they had written their examinations.



The fight against Covid-19 is a shared responsibility so let us come together and uproot this disease from our midst, it said.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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Lithium-ion batteries are recognized for their high energy density in everything from mobile phones to laptop computers and electric vehicles, but as the need for grid-scale energy storage and other applications becomes more pressing, researchers have sought less expensive and more readily available alternatives to lithium.

Batteries using more abundant multivalent metals could revolutionize energy storage. Researchers review the current state of multivalent metal-ion battery research and provide a roadmap for future work in Nature Energy, reporting that the top candidatesusing magnesium, calcium, zinc and aluminumall have great promise, but also steep challenges to meet practical demands.

"In this review, we clarify the key strengths as well as common misconceptions of multivalent metal-based batteries," said Yan Yao, Cullen College of Engineering associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Houston and co-corresponding author of the paper. "Multivalent metal-ion batteries are better viewed as alternative solutions for large-scale energy storage than as a direct competitor to lithium-based batteries in the race toward ever-rising energy density targets."

Researchers also examined the growth behavior of metal anodes. While magnesium is a promising material, Yao said it is important to note that it is not guaranteed to plate universally in dendrite-free morphology. "It only does so in selected electrolyte solutions where there are no side reactions, the active metal surface is free of passivation, and the coulombic efficiency of magnesium plating stripping is close to unity," he said.

Yao is also a principal investigator with the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH (TcSUH).

Yanliang "Leonard" Liang, a research assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UH and co-first author, said the paper's review of existing cathode materials also offers new insights. "We also discuss design strategies to enable genuine multivalent metal-ion-based energy storage materials with competitive performance," he said.

Researchers' key points include:

Concerns about the availability and cost of lithium have prompted interest in alternative battery technologies that use more abundant elements with the potential for higher energy density and enhanced safety. Prime candidates include magnesium, calcium, zinc and aluminum, all of which are known as multivalent metals, or metals with multiple valence electrons to give

These multivalent metal-ion batteries share many similarities in working principles with lithium-ion batteries, suggesting they could be swiftly adopted by industry

Previous assessments of the anticipated energy density of these batteries often considered only the multivalent metal anodemerely one of the two electrodes in a batterywhich tends to reach misleading conclusions. The researchers have provided a reassessment of the energy density based on both anode and cathode, aiming to better position these batteries in the energy storage landscape

Direct use of metals as anodes is an important aspect for the safety and energy density promises of these batteries, but there are uncertainties surrounding the viability of these anodes

Electrolyte solutions and understanding of the associated interfacial phenomena are improving but still far from established

And finding good cathode materials requires considerations that are uncommon in traditional battery studies. The ion storage mechanism of multivalent battery cathodes is much more complicated than its lithium-ion counterpart.

Misinterpretation of the cathode chemistry is surprisingly widespread in the literature as a result

The researchers also issued a list of recommendations to ensure future research is squarely directed at improving the batteries, including:

Gaining a better understanding of the growth behavior of the metal anodes, a critical step in realizing the purported safety promises over lithium-ion batteries

Practices to properly assess the compatibility of metal anodes with electrolyte solutions and the effectiveness of protection coatings

Procedures and techniques to correctly interpret the ion storage mechanism at the cathode

Approaches to design better cathode materials

A table comparing the state-of-the-art componentsmetal anode, electrolyte and cathode materialsfor batteries based on each of the multivalent metal elements that could potentially replace lithium found that although some are further along than others, none of the options are ready for commercialization.

Yao's research group has focused on materials chemistry and design of magnesium and other multivalent metal batteries; he has published widely in top journals.

Explore further Building a better battery, faster

More information: Yanliang Liang et al. Current status and future directions of multivalent metal-ion batteries, Nature Energy (2020). Journal information: Nature Energy Yanliang Liang et al. Current status and future directions of multivalent metal-ion batteries,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41560-020-0655-0
The Katsina State Command of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has received 42 Nigerians being deported for illegal entry into the Republic of Niger en route Europe.

The NIS spokesman, Sunday James, gave the number in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Mr James said they were deported to Nigeria through the Kongolam Control Post.

He said that the affected Nigerians, between 18 and 35 years, evaded immigration clearance and crossed the border to enter into the Republic of Niger.

The spokesman said that a Federal High Court in Katsina had sentenced 12 out of the 42 Nigerians for illegal entry into the Republic of Niger en route Europe.

Justice Hadiza Shagari, while ruling in the judgment, directed that the suspects should either pay N50, 000 fine or be remanded in the correctional centre for three months.

The remaining 30 offenders will soon be docked in court on completion of charges against them,  NIS Spokesman said.

READ ALSO:

The Comptroller-General, NIS, Muhammad Babandede, in a reaction to the development, directed that the rest 30 persons be tried without further delay.

Mr Babandede advised travellers to always present themselves to the immigration officials for examination whenever they were travelling out.

He also advised that those returning to the country should present themselves for checks in line with Section 15 Subsection (1) a and b of Immigration Act 2015.

(NAN)
Cariflex Board of Directors approved the approximate $50 million capital project in April 2020

The new plant is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2021

Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - July 16, 2020) - Cariflex PTE. Ltd. (Cariflex) today announced that it will be constructing a new large-scale polyisoprene latex plant at its Paulinia, Brazil, facility to meet the strong market demand from its medical and consumer product customers.

Figure 1

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7278/59991_3cc590d664251ada_001full.jpg

"Cariflex is excited to be making a sizeable investment in the growth of the polyisoprene latex business. Cariflex polyisoprene latex is a unique synthetic alternative to natural rubber latex for dipped goods and various specialty products. With the current strong demand for medical protective equipment such as surgical gloves, we recognize our customers' needs to have more material available," said Philippe Henderson, Cariflex Sales & Marketing leader.

With Cariflex's increased production capacity and unmatched global service network, its customers can be assured of secure supplies anywhere in the world. Following the addition of this polyisoprene latex unit, the new resulting capacity in Paulinia, Brazil, combined with the existing capacity in Himeji, Japan, will strengthen Cariflex's position as the global leader of polyisoprene latex with unmatched quality and supply diversity. Customers will benefit from Cariflex IR0401 latex volumes sourced from four distinct production lines.

The addition of this new production line is replicating the technology of the current fully utilized unit and will double the polyisoprene latex capacity of the site.

Daelim Industrial Co., Ltd named Prakash Kolluri as Chief Executive Officer of Cariflex Pte Ltd, for the global business. Sean Kim, Chief Executive Officer for Daelim Industrial Co., Ltd, said, "We are delighted to have appointed Mr. Prakash Kolluri who is a huge asset to the company. We are confident Prakash will move Cariflex Pte Ltd forward and bring a wealth of experience which will be extremely valuable in driving our future growth globally."

Story continues

"Our strategic decision of capacity expansion, in support of organic growth, separates us from competition. Our industry-leading polyisoprene latex capacity acts as a catalyst for our valued customer base to make inroads in new geographies. Cariflex is strategically positioned and has a bright future serving medical and other high-value markets," Prakash Kolluri, Chief Executive Officer mentioned.

ABOUT Cariflex

Cariflex is a global leader of isoprene rubber latex ("IR Latex") and isoprene rubber ("IR") for medical end markets and other high-value markets with strong growth drivers. Cariflex produces high value-added synthetic rubbers and latexes used for medical materials such as surgical gloves and rubber stoppers and seals for drug delivery devices. Cariflex is a wholly owned subsidiary of Daelim Industrial Co., Ltd.

For Press Inquiries

Sang-woo Ryu, Cariflex: sangwoo.ryu@cariflex.com

Eric Byun, KorCom Porter Novelli (Daelim Industrial's PR agency): eric@korcom.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/59991
The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) will release JAC 12th Result 2020 (Intermediate) for all streams on Friday (July 17) on its official website jac.jharkhand.gov.in. The Jharkhand Board 12th Result 2020 will be declared at 5 pm which was earlier scheduled at 1 pm on Friday (17 July).

Once declared, students can check the JAC 12th Result 2020 by entering their roll number, roll code on the official website. Results can also be seen via SMS.

Around 3 lakh students had appeared for JAC 12th exams 2020. It must be borne in mind that the online results are only provisional in nature, hence the students will have to approach their respective school for obtaining the original marksheets.

Here's how to check Jharkhand Board Class 12 results online:

Step 1: Go to the jac.jharkhand.gov.in website

Step 2: Click on the link and fill in the required details

Step 3: Click on Submit and get your result

Step 4: Take a printout of the scores for future reference

In 2019, the JAC declared class 12th Results in May. Usually, JAC announces the result by May, however, the 2020 Board Result result has been delayed due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the spread of deadly virus in the country. The pass percentage of Arts was at 79.97 percent, Commerce at 70.44 percent and Science at 57.01 percent in 2019.

The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) declared the Jharkhand Board Class 10 examination 2020 result on July 8.

According to JAC, a total of 75.01% students managed to clear the class 10th exam successfully. A total of 3.85 lakh (3,85,144) students appeared in Jharkhand Board Class 10 examination 2020, out of which 2.88 lakh students cleared the secondary exam successfully. The pass percentage in 2019 was 70.81 per cent, while it was only 59.56% in 2018.

Boys outshone girls with a pass percentage of 75.88% while the pass percentage of girls was 74.25%. Out of 1.8 lakh (1,80,532) boys who appeared in the exam, 1.37 lakh (1,37,003) cleared the exam successfully, while 1.51 lakh (1,51,925) girls managed to clear the exam out of 2.04 lakh (2,04,612) appeared.
China denounces US for clampdown on employees of Huawei, other Chinese firms

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 6:31 PM

China has lambasted as "dirty play" the US clampdown on Chinese telecom giant Huawei, a day after Washington announced fresh sanctions on the company and other firms of the Asian country.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Thursday retorted at a regular press conference that "what the US does has nothing to do with the word 'clean' What it does is... dirty play."

Her comments came just a day after the White House announced visa restrictions for Huawei employees and those working for other Chinese firms if they were involved in alleged human rights abuses.

China and the US are at odds over a growing number of issues, including the origin of the new coronavirus and Beijing's policies in Hong Kong.

The administration of American President Donald Trump is accusing Huawei of spying for the Chines government through its 5G network equipment. Both the company and Beijing have rejected the allegation.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson followed Trump's lead and announced on Wednesday the UK government's decision to ban Huawei from Britain's 5G network from the end of 2027.

Shortly afterward, the American president claimed he had been responsible for that decision.

When asked about the UK's decision to ban Huawei, Hua said, "All this shows that the British government has indeed lost its precious independence and autonomy on the issue of Huawei."

She touched on the basis of US restriction against Huawei and other Chinese firms, saying "racial discrimination is everywhere in America", in an apparent reference to the brutal killing of an unarmed black man by the American police on May 25 that triggered massive anti-racial protests across the US.

"If Mr. Pompeo is sincere, we can refrain from imposing visa restrictions on him," she added.

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The man was careful to wear a mask. He had more than 20 aliases and nearly as many birth dates listed by Interpol.

Rather than risk being identified via license plate, he sometimes rode a bike to the A.T.M.s and automated credit card readers he had gotten so good at skimming. He almost never stole more than $200 from any one persons account, a move prosecutors said was most likely intended to help him evade detection.

In the end, however, his undoing may have been a short temper. He lost his cool at a rental car counter, according to court papers, ending a skimming run that prosecutors said robbed tens of thousands of dollars from hundreds of California and Alaska residents.

The federal authorities said they had identified and charged the suspect, Marcus Catalin Rosu, a 39-year-old Southern California resident and Romanian citizen, on Monday with possession of counterfeit access device-making equipment, according to the complaint filed in a district court in Alaska.
Donald Trump has doubled down on his criticism of China in the face of jibes from Joe Biden, proving the sensitivity that exists around the China issue, writes Saeed Okasha

On 10 July, US President Donald Trump said that relations with China are severely damaged, in response to a question about whether it is still possible to sign a trade agreement with China to finalise a deal signed between the two in January. Many observers doubted the January agreement would be implemented, and they were correct since Beijing refused to keep its side of the bargain of buying US merchandise worth $200 billion. Thus, it was understandable to doubt a second agreement would be signed, especially after serious tensions in bilateral relations on several issues  most notably Beijings uproar over Trumps continued claims that China hid important information that resulted in the Covid-19 pandemic spreading and causing a gruelling economic crisis in the US and the world. There are also chronic disputes over Taiwan, Chinese military movements in the Pacific (most recently Hong Kong) and human rights violations in China.

Now, we can also add former National Security adviser John Bolton, who wrote in his recent book that Trump begged the president of China to help him win the next presidential elections. Trumps opponents zoomed in on this to sabotage his image in front of US public opinion, and portray him as someone who is willing to humiliate the USs national dignity in order to remain in office for a second term. Although Trumps supporters deny this version of events, the matter has made the president double down on his attack on China to prove the opposite.

Trumps failure to manage relations with China is not the only blunder in his foreign policy. While foreign policy issues have little influence over US voters, Trumps opponents are trying to connect his foreign policy failures to the USs weak influence over rivals and adversaries which could pose a threat to US interests and security, and undermine the economy.

Joe Biden focused his attack on Trumps foreign policy, accusing him of failing to eradicate the Islamic State group (IS) by prematurely withdrawing most US troops from Syria; abandoning the Kurds who fought and defeated IS in most areas under the terrorist groups control; and the peace plan Trump suggested for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which Biden promised to withdraw, sponsoring talks between the two sides if he wins the White House.

Trumps policy on Iran is also in the crosshairs. Biden accused Trump of jeopardising the USs national security when he decided to assassinate Qassem Suleimani, commander of Al-Quds Brigade of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in January. Biden is likely to continue thumping Trump on Iran and accusing him of failing to mobilise the USs allies in the Gulf against Iran. Trump attempted to reconcile Qatar with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, but failed. In December 2019, Senator Lindsey Graham, who is close to Trump, attended a conference in Doha and addressed the Iranian threat and urged Gulf countries to end their quarrel with Qatar and become a united front in the face of Iran. The US wants a united front of allies in the Gulf to confront growing Iranian threats, but these calls have failed and prevented the Trump administration from resolving a very complicated issue in its Middle East foreign policy before the presidential race, according to news reports in the US.

Rebecca Grant, a national security analyst and director of IRIS Independent Research in Washington DC, said: If President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo can end the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) rift, that will be a diplomatic victory  and one of the few within reach before the November election.

Another foreign policy issue that Trumps administration has fumbled is its failure to convince Ethiopia to sign a fair deal that Egypt had accepted and Addis Ababa avoided, until the matter reached the UN Security Council and African Union. Meanwhile, Turkeys intervention in Libya and Ankaras defiance of Washingtons European allies and NATO by buying defence systems from Russia are also issues that cannot be ignored or hidden.

The Trump administration has stumbled on many foreign policy issues that will overshadow the election campaigns of Trump and Biden. However, if Biden cannot link these failures with the direct interests of US voters  who are not usually interested in foreign policy  then their impact on Trumps re-election will be marginal. Especially if Trump and his team take advantage of some of Bidens positions, such as defending Asian Americans on 18 May and accusing Trump of inciting hate against them after the Covid-19 outbreak, at a time when many believe the loyalty of Asian Americans, especially Chinese Americans, is not certain and that Chinese students studying in the US are spying for their country, especially in the fields of technology, and medical and pharmaceutical research.

This negative image that equates China as a country with people of Chinese origin who are now US citizens, or Chinese students studying in the US, has not yet been gauged in studies or opinion polls in the US, but is expressed from time to time by public figures. For example, after Biden defended the Chinese community in the US, Trumps son tweeted: Joe Biden choosing to defend China on the day they are credibly accused of trying to hack the companies that are trying to come up with a cure for the coronavirus, that they started and enabled to spread, is a new low even for someone whos been bought and paid for by China!

The tweet ignored that fact that Biden has repeatedly said that if he is elected, he will hold China accountable and censure it for its role in spreading the pandemic.

The tweet also intended to portray Biden as defending China, while in fact he was talking about not punishing those of Asian origin because of China.

Since Trump understands the danger of Bidens accusation of inaction towards China, his counterpunch is to bring up Bidens relationship with China to prove the latter is the real friend of China, and that Beijing supports Biden in the upcoming elections. Trumps campaign has released advertisements about Bidens history as Barack Obamas vice president, including statements in which Biden said he met with Chinas current president on several occasions starting in 2011, when Xi Jinping was second-in-command. Since 2016, Biden also promoted his friendship with the Chinese leader, and in May 2019, said the worlds second largest economy [is] not competition for us, and [its leaders] are not bad folks.

While Trumps relationship with China is not the only foreign policy hurdle in his way, this relationship is more pivotal than others in judging the success of Trumps foreign policy as he approaches the battle of re-election.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 July, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Chennai, July 17 : Security was beefed up in Coimbatore on Friday after the statue of E.V. Ramasamy popularly known as Periyar was splashed with saffron colour paint in a locality, police said.

Periyar was the founder of Dravida Kazhagam (DK) a rationalist movement.

According to the police, the paint splash must have been done early in the morning by some miscreants.

Later the followers of Periyar cleaned the statue.

Members of DMK, MDMK, DK and other organisations held a demonstration in front of the statue demanding the arrest of the culprits.

The police are checking the CCTV footages near the spot to identify the miscreants.

The incident comes at the back of protest by Tamil Nadu BJP against YouTube channel Karuppar Koottam that had aired an obscene video denigrating Hindu God Lord Murugan and the prayer Kanda Shasti Kavacham sung seeking his blessings.

Lord Murugan is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi.

Police have arrested Sentil Vasan and Sundara Natarajan who were associated with the controversial YouTube channel in this connection on receipt of a complaint from the state BJP.
Amber Heard's former personal assistant Kate James gave testimony in favour of Johnny Depp during the hearing in his libel trial against a British tabloid newspaper, that accused the actor of abusing ex-wife Heard during their relationship. Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the paper's executive editor Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that called him a "wife-beater."

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor has strongly denied abusing Heard. In the previous hearing, Depp's security guard Malcolm Connolly claimed that Johnny Depp was bullied as opposed to The Sun's statement in the paper. On Wednesday, Heard's former assistant Kate James said that she was shocked to hear Amber twist her (James) own story of sexual abuse in court as hers.

James via a video link from Los Angeles told the court that she had shared the 26-year-old incident with Amber while working for her between 2012 and 2015. "She referred directly to a violent rape that occurred to me 26 years ago and she twisted it into her own story and she used it for her own use," James said.

"I am a sexual violence survivor and that's very, very serious to take that stance if you are not one," she added.

According to reports, Heard is due to give evidence in the case later this week. The actress and model has made 14 allegations of violence against Depp between 2013 and 2016. Depp and Heard first met on the set of the 2011 comedy The Rum Diary and later married in Los Angeles in February 2015.

Amber Heard filed for divorce the following year, and it was finalized in 2017.

Johnny Depp's Security Guard Claims Actor Was Being Bullied Not Amber Heard

Ex-Lovers Of Johnny Depp Come To His Defense In Libel Case
Bari Weiss brought keen intelligence and broadminded liberalism to the editorial pages of The New York Times. So, naturally, she had to go. The right will cackle that this proves how dangerous the left is. Theyre not totally wrong, but they need to look in the mirror.

Many Twitter denizens first became aware of former New York Times writer and editor Weiss, who resigned on July 14, when she was dragged for tweeting about an ice skater. It was during the Olympics, in February of 2018. An American skater named Mirai Nagasu became the first female American to land a triple axel at the Olympics. Weiss tweeted an image of her whirling body and jauntily retweeted an NBC Sports tweet: HOLY COW! You just witnessed a historic triple axel from Mirai Nagasu. #WinterOlympics. Weiss added a line from Hamilton, the musical, Immigrants: They get the job done.

Landmine. Her colleagues at the Times were outraged. It turns out that Nagasu is not an immigrant herself but is the daughter of two immigrants from Japan. When someone responded with she was born in California, Weiss tweeted Yes, yes, I realize. Felt the poetic license was kosher.

It wasnt. At least not according to the many indignant Times staffers who aired their dissatisfaction on the papers Slack channel. Weiss was labeled a racist for othering Nagasu. A leaked transcript of the Slack conversation featured complaints that Weiss was doubling down when she denied ill-intent. One wrote, i guess its too much to even expect a were sorry youre offended apology since asians dont matter. They nitpicked at her because, in a follow-up tweet, she had misquoted herself quoting Hamilton, rendering the line as Immigrants: We get the job done! instead of they get the job done as the original tweet was worded. Sheesh. The person who said asians dont matter continued, posting sorry, but I felt that tweet denied Mirai her full citizenship just as the internment did. and nothing will be done because no one was offended! (since we dont count)

To which the only proper response is: Get a grip! Weiss was obviously celebrating Nagasu, cheering her on and taking pride in immigrants contributions to America. The lyric from Hamilton, originally sung by the Hamilton and Lafayette characters in a scene about the Battle of Yorktown for Gods sake, was also made into a music video about immigrants.

Weiss might seem an unlikely target of wrath. She left The Wall Street Journal editorial page in protest of its gradual surrender to Trump. One of her early pieces for the Times traced the (limp) response of many conservative-leaning think tanks to the Trump phenomenon. Will the Trumpists capture the principled conservative intellectual establishment in 2017 as easily as they captured the Republican Party in 2016? she asked.

She also contributed a deeply researched piece on the Womens March that took aim at figures like Linda Sarsour and Tamika Mallory, citing their fondness for Fidel Castro and Louis Farrakhan.

In response to the #MeToo movement, Weiss demonstrated balance and perspective. Neither a traditional conservative like me, nor a woke activist like Alyssa Milano, she sounded a note of caution. Recognizing that the phrase believe all women was empowering, she nonetheless worried about it being abused:

The huntresses war cry  believe all women  has felt like a bracing corrective to a historic injustice. ... In less than two months weve moved from uncovering accusations of criminal behavior (Harvey Weinstein) to criminalizing behavior that we previously regarded as presumptuous and boorish (Glenn Thrush).

Three years later, when Tara Reade demanded uncritical trust, many feminists found new wisdom in Weiss hesitancy.

Weiss Twitter feed is characterized by concern for human rights; there are many references to the Uighurs, Hong Kong and other oppressed people.

The story of Weiss tense parting with the Times will doubtless provide several days worth of fodder for the right. Weiss will become, for a while, a right-wing pin-up  a symbol of the dangerous cancel culture that Democrats want to impose on the whole nation.

But the right has lost credibility on this. If the left is woke, the right is bespoke; it has become tailored around one person. Look at conservative publications and search for Trump critics. They are thin on the ground. National Review parted ways with David French and Jonah Goldberg. The Wall Street Journal lost Bret Stephens and Weiss. Fox News staffed up with fulsome Trump enthusiasts but dispensed with George Wills services.

This narrowing of the American mind is making everyone dumber and nastier. Bari Weiss stands for dispassionate analysis in a world that increasingly favors zealotry and intolerance. Thats why her fate matters.

Mona Charen is a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

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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)
Fluorescence micrographs during compression and the PL intensity and contribution of the trapped states emission as a function of pressure. Credit: Center for High Pressure Science & Technology Advanced Research

Two-dimensional (2-D) organic-inorganic halide perovskites are emerging materials for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications due to their unique physical properties and a high degree of tunability. Despite impressive advances, challenges remain, including unsatisfactory performance and a vague understanding of their structure-property relationships. Addressing these challenges requires more suitable material systems and advanced in situ characterization methods.

An international team led by Dr. Xujie Lu and Dr. Wenge Yang from the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR) and Prof. Song Jin from the University of Wisconsin-Madison discovered that lattice compression under a mild pressure considerably suppresses the carrier trapping of a 2-D perovskite (HA) 2 (GA)Pb 2 I 7 , leading to significantly enhanced emission. Intriguingly, a new phase obtained after pressure-treatment possesses a higher crystallographic symmetry, fewer trap states, and enhanced PL intensity. The findings were recently published in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.

Lattice compression through hydrostatic pressure is an effective way to tune the structural and optical properties of two-dimensional (2-D) halide perovskitesa new class of emerging materials for photovoltaic and light-emitting applications. However, few examples exhibit improved photoluminescence (PL) performance of 2-D perovskites upon compression, and the structure-property relationship remains unclear.

In this work, the team used pressure to modulate a recently developed 2-D perovskite (HA) 2 (GA)Pb 2 I 7 , whose structure features an enormous cage previously unattainable. This affords a rare opportunity to understand the structure-property relationship and explore emergent phenomena. Impressively, a remarkable 12-fold PL enhancement was achieved under a mild pressure within 1.6 GPa. The underlying mechanism was systematically investigated by in situ structural, spectroscopic, and theoretical analyses. The lattice contraction leads to phonon hardening that considerably reduces the exciton-phonon interaction and, thus, enlarges the potential barrier for carrier trapping. Therefore, the photogenerated carriers can barely form the trapped states, and the nonradiative recombination pathway is primarily blocked, resulting in an enhanced emission from the free excitons.

Interestingly, for the first time, they revealed an irreversible and anomalous process during decompression, obtaining a yellow, non-luminescent, amorphous phase of (HA) 2 (GA)Pb 2 I 7 with a higher bandgap. The emission can be triggered and dramatically increased under laser irradiation when the pressure was released to 1.5 GPa, accompanied by a color change from yellow to orange. Based on this observation, they used the laser beam to draw an 'HP' pattern on the yellow sample surface in the DAC chamber. When the pressure was released entirely, the amorphous yellow phase could spontaneously transform into a new orange phase with enhanced PL by over 100% compared with the pristine sample. Further structural characterization and spectra analysis reveals that the new phase possesses a higher crystallographic symmetry and less carrier trapping.

By using pressure to engineer the highly-distorted 2-D halide perovskite, this work provides fresh insights into the structure-property relationships of perovskites and also enables the discovery of new high-performance materials through pressure-induced phase transitions.

Explore further Cause of external pressure-induced performance deterioration in solar cells identified

More information: Songhao Guo et al, PressureSuppressed Carrier Trapping Leads to Enhanced Emission in TwoDimensional Perovskite (HA)2(GA)Pb2I7, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2020). Journal information: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Songhao Guo et al, PressureSuppressed Carrier Trapping Leads to Enhanced Emission in TwoDimensional Perovskite (HA)2(GA)Pb2I7,(2020). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202001635

Provided by Center for High Pressure Science & Technology Advanced Research
Minuteman Press International, the worlds leading design, marketing, and printing franchise, has continued to see high interest from independent print shop owners who are looking to sell a printing business. As a result, Minuteman Press is expanding its conversion program that helps independent printers sell their printing business and secure an exit strategy. Over the past 36 months, Minuteman Press has assisted over 150 independent print center owners sell their business.

Minuteman Press International Franchise Conversion Program Helps Independent Print Shop Owners Sell Their Printing Business - Learn more at http://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions

How the Minuteman Press Program Works

With over 45 years of experience in the printing industry, Minuteman Press International has the unique ability to sell independent print shops to a wider pool of qualified buyers. The Minuteman Press team will market independent print centers, qualify potential prospects by educating them on both the industry and the business, assist in obtaining financing, and provide training and continued onsite support to the new owner. Qualifying independent print shops will not be charged a fee or commission on the sale.

Minuteman Press International remains at the forefront of the modern printing industry and the franchisor offers the proper business model that successfully addresses the above key points. At Minuteman Press, our goal is to help our franchisees thrive as business owners by helping them leverage our knowledge (through comprehensive training and ongoing support) as well as our business model, branding, mass purchasing power, software, and research and development capabilities, says Bob Titus, Minuteman Press International CEO.

For more information on how the program works, visit http://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions.

Over the Past 36 Months, Minuteman Press International Has Assisted Over 150 Independent Printers Sell Their Business - Learn More About the Minuteman Press Franchise Conversion Program at http://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions

Win-Win Market for Business Buyers and Sellers

Domenic Tassielli was looking for help in selling his independent printing business Digital Print Services in Kent, Washington. Domenic took advantage of Minuteman Press Internationals conversion program and was able to sell his business to Dawn and Jeff Brown, who now own their full-service Minuteman Press design, marketing, and printing franchise in Kent.

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Domenic says, I met with Regional Vice President Chris Jutt after answering a letter Minuteman Press had sent me. Approximately 12 months later, they helped me successfully sell my store at a fair market price. I would recommend Minuteman Press to anyone who might be considering selling their printing business to meet with them to see what they might be able to do for you.

For the buyers Dawn and Jeff Brown, buying their Minuteman Press franchise in Kent simply made sense. Dawn says, We chose Minuteman Press International for a few reasons. The first was that their core values aligned with our own. Minuteman Press is still a family-owned franchise business and that appealed to us. It had that small-town feel, but with the resources of an international company. We also liked how as franchisees we had a full support system behind us as owners.

Chris Jutt is Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President for the Pacific Northwest. Chris and the team at Minuteman Press were instrumental in finding a qualified buyer for Domenic and then helping Dawn and Jeff transition to business ownership. This created a win-win situation for both the seller and buyer.

Chris says, At Minuteman Press, our focus is to help put aspiring entrepreneurs like Dawn and Jeff Brown into business and provide them with full training and ongoing support. With our conversion program, we are able to assist independent printers like Domenic who are looking to sell a printing business find qualified buyers like Dawn and Jeff.

Minuteman Press is a Viable Option for Print Shop Owners Who Want to Secure an Exit Strategy

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Jack Panzer, Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President in Arizona, is pleased to be part of a mutually beneficial transition that allows the independent print shop owner and the new Minuteman Press franchisee to meet their respective goals. Jack says, It is personally satisfying to have helped numerous independent printers sell a printing business over the years and convert those businesses to Minuteman Press franchises after the sale. This can be tremendously beneficial to the outgoing owner because we have seen that most independent printers dont have an exit strategy as they approach retirement age or are simply looking for the best way to sell and enter that next stage of their lives. They havent thought about how they will find a qualified buyer, what it will cost them to find the buyer, and how they will train the buyer. That is where we come in because Minuteman Press International can do all of this for the seller while also helping the buyer make a smooth transition to business ownership regardless of their level of experience.

For more information on Minuteman Press Internationals conversion program, visit http://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions

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Minuteman Press International is the number one rated business marketing and printing franchise that offers world class training and unparalleled ongoing local support. At Minuteman Press, We Are The Modern Printing Industry providing high quality products and services that meet the needs of today's business professionals and go way beyond ink on paper. Today, our centers offer innovative branding and printing solutions and produce custom graphic designs, promotional products, branded apparel, direct mail campaigns, large format printing including posters, signs and banners, and much more. Prior experience is not necessary to own and operate a successful Minuteman Press franchise. Learn more about Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

Contact Details

Chris Biscuiti

+1 631-249-1370

cbiscuiti@mpihq.com

Company Website

https://minutemanpressfranchise.com
Survey finds Israelis split on annexing West Bank territory

By Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA)  Israeli public opinion is split on whether the government should annex parts of the West Bank and which territory should be included, a survey found.

The Israeli Voice Index for June 2020, a monthly survey conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute, found that 24.5 percent of Israelis support applying sovereignty to all of the West Bank; 14 percent support applying sovereignty to the West Bank settlement blocs; 8 percent support applying sovereignty to just the Jordan Valley; and 25 percent oppos...
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has written to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to rework the alignment for its Phase 4s Rithala-Narela lineone of the two Metrolite projects in Delhito sync it with the development proposed under the ambitious land pooling policy. The land pooling policy, which was re-notified in 2018, is aimed at meeting the growing housing requirement by providing 17 lakh dwelling units through planned developed on the outskirts of the city.

A senior DDA official said that the current alignment either does not touch or just passes by the periphery of the existing crucial development areas and the ones that are yet to be developed under the land pooling policy.

A sizable portion of the population where large-scale development is proposed will not benefit from the 2,900 crore Metrolite project as per the current alignment, a senior DDA official said, requesting anonymity.

DDA vice-chairman Anurag Jain said, We have requested DMRC to rework the alignment for the Rithala-Narela line so that planned development can take place. It is crossing areas where the land pooling policy will be implemented. We have given our suggestions to DMRC regarding the alignment. Through a coordinated approach, the alignment can be reworked to optimise its benefits to citizens and the city.

Under the policy, individuals or groups of owners will pool their land for planned development. DDA will prepare a development plan under which, 60% of the pooled land in each sector will be returned to the land-owners for the development of residential, commercial and semi-public facilities while using the remaining to provide basic infrastructure roads, sewer, hospitals, schools, etc.

When contacted, Anuj Dayal, the executive director of corporate communications, DMRC, said, We decided the alignment for this section in consultation with all stakeholders concerned, including DDA. However, we have received this letter, and the same is being examined and reviewed.

The Rithala-Narela linethe other Metrolite project is between Kirti Nagar and Bamnoliis one of six corridors proposed as part of the Metros Phase-4 network expansion. The Metro network is currently spread over 389km in the Delhi-National Capital Region. The proposed 21.7km-long Metrolite line will have 19 stationsfive at grade and the rest elevatedand will pass through sectors 25, 26, 31, 32 and 36 in Rohini, Barwala, Poothkalan, Bawana industrial areas 1 and 2, Narela, etc.

These areas are part of DDAs N zone, which is the first of the five zones to be developed under the land pooling policy. Re-notified in 2018, the policyit was initially notified in 2013is aimed at meeting the growing housing requirement in the Capital by providing 17 lakh dwelling units on the outskirts of the city. The fresh development will come up on vacant land in 95 urbanised villages.

DMRC had sent the alignment proposal to DDA last year. Last month, DDA wrote to DMRC asking for the alignment to be reworked. According to a senior DDA official, the current proposed alignment will disturb the sector-wise planning in land pooling areas, as it cuts across sectors such as Sector 20 in the N zone.

The current Metro alignment is cutting across a sector. In each sector, we have to return 60% of the land to the original owners. The alignment will disturb the development planned under this policy. The line should pass between two sectors so that a large population can benefit from it, a senior DDA official said.

The DDA official said the alignment is passing through one end of the Bawana industrial area. If the alignment crosses the middle, then it will benefit many people because those working there can use the Metro. In Narela, the line crosses the green belt and does not touch the areas where residential and commercial development is planned, an official said.

Urban planning expert Sabyasachi Das, the former commissioner of planning at DDA, said that the lack of public transport has been one of the major reasons for the slow-paced development of Narela and the large number of housing units constructed by DDA lying vacant.

Das said, Transport infrastructure should be developed along with other infrastructure. This is greenfield developmentwhich is planned development on large parcels of vacant landtherefore there is scope for better planning. In Dwarka, for instance, development in commercial and residential areas picked up only after Metro started its operations. Even today, Narela is not well-connected to the rest of the city. There is no proper public transport system. This is one reason DDA is facing problems in selling its housing project in Narela.

A senior DDA official said, DDA and DMRC officials are to hold a meeting to discuss the issue, but it is yet to be planned. The DDA has not referred the issue to the Union housing and urban affairs ministry.

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Twitter revealed that hackers targeted just 130 accounts during the cyberattack this week that compromised some of the world's most recognizable people, though no passwords were stolen.

The U.S. company said the still-unknown perpetrators had gained control of a subset of those accounts and were able to send tweets. Twitter has blocked data downloads from affected accounts as its investigation continues, it said on its online support page.

"We're working with impacted account owners and will continue to do so over the next several days," the company said. "We are continuing to assess whether nonpublic data related to these accounts was compromised, and will provide updates if we determine that occurred."

Details are trickling out about the hack that affected global political and business leaders, including Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama and Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk. Those who gained access to the accounts used them to attempt a bitcoin scam, sending tweets asking for people to give them money in exchange for a bigger payment in return.

Twitter is grappling with the worst security breach in its 14-year history. It's said the hack was part of a "coordinated social engineering attack" that targeted its own employees. That granted hackers access to some of the company's internal systems, and then high-profile user accounts, it said. That forced Twitter to temporarily halt verified accounts from sending any tweets.

Twitter is still probing how the attack was carried out and has not disclosed if any other information from the accounts -- such as data like private messages -- was compromised. The company's explanation so far has ignited speculation over the identity of the perpetrators and what they were actually targeting in the attack. The scale of the endeavor and its timing -- months before the November U.S. elections -- have prompted some cybersecurity experts to theorize that the attack masked a more nefarious campaign to seize sensitive data.

Some people who changed their passwords in the past 30 days may still be blocked from accessing their accounts, the company said earlier, but that doesn't mean those accounts were compromised.

"We have no evidence that attackers accessed passwords," Twitter said in an update Thursday. "Currently, we don't believe resetting your password is necessary."

It will take "significant steps to limit access to internal systems and tools while our investigation is ongoing."

U.S. politicians quickly called on Twitter to share more information.

"The ability of bad actors to take over prominent accounts, even fleetingly, signals a worrisome vulnerability in this media environment," said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, and one of the tech industry's most vocal critics. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the hack.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 20:54:14|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Two civilians were killed and three Islamic State (IS) militants were captured on Friday in Iraq, security sources said.

A roadside bomb exploded on a civilian car near a village in south of the town of Shirqat, some 280 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killing a father and his daughter and wounding two family members in the car, Mohammed al-Bazi from Salahudin provincial police command told Xinhua.

Separately, a force from the Iraqi intelligence service arrested three IS militants in Hawijah area, in the southwestern part of Iraq's northern province of Kirkuk, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The troops also destroyed two IS hideouts and seized a cache of explosive devices and ammunition, the statement said.

The incidents came as the extremist IS militants have intensified their attacks on the security forces, including Hashd Shaabi forces, and civilians in the formerly IS-controlled Sunni provinces, resulting in the killing and wounding of dozens.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS militants across the country late in 2017.

However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Enditem
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology tabled the Public Service Broadcasting Bill that would empower the government to exercise greater control over Radio Nepal and Nepal Television (NTV) in the National Assembly. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliates the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) and the Nepal Press Union (NPU) urges the government to revise the bill in consultation with media stakeholders.

The bill tabled on July 10 in the Upper House of Nepals Federal government defies the governments commitment to the editorial independence of Nepal Television and Radio Nepal. If approved, the bill extends parliaments control allowing the Public Service Council; a body envisioned to be run by politicians to issue a direction to the broadcaster.

Stakeholders and experts have expressed dissatisfaction over the provision saying the present bill contradicts the National Mass Communication Policy 2016 that affirmed the governments commitment to a fair dignified, responsible and accountable media.

FNJ general secretary Ramesh Bista said: The present bill is against the spirit and principle of public service broadcast. FNJ strongly object the bill and asks the Government of Nepal to hold wider consultation and revise the bill accordingly.

NPU general secretary Ajaya Babu Shiwakoti said: With the tabling of the bill, Nepal government shows its interest to own and control the media, which is rarely seen in a democratic country.

The IFJ said: The Public Service Broadcasting Bill proposes to empower the government to exercise control over the content of Nepal Television and Radio Nepal. Not only does the bill undermine the democratic purpose of a public media broadcaster to inform the public without the interference of politics or capital, but the proposal will also allow politicians to have direct influence over the media narrative in Nepal through the two networks.
She's nursing a broken heart amid her explosive split from boyfriend James 'Arg' Argent.

But Gemma Collins bravely plastered on a smile as she promoted her fashion range in a new Instagram snap shared on Thursday.

The reality star, 39, showcased her slimmed down from in a black patterned top and white skinny jeans as she defiantly posed for the picture.

Keep smiling: Gemma Collins bravely plastered on a smile as she promoted her fashion range in a new Instagram snap shared on Thursday

Gemma looked pretty in the bardot-style top with a ruffled trim and the form-fitting jeans as she continued to display her three stone weight loss.

Upping the glam, the TOWIE favourite added a sleek palette of make-up while her blonde tresses were styled in beachy waves.

Captioning the snap, she wrote: 'Girls, the SUMMER COLLECTION has just LANDED. enjoy love GC x.'

However, amid her cheerful post, Gemma is suffering with relationship woes as on Tuesday, she announced her split by posting break up texts on her Instagram account in which James called her a 'hippo' and a 'fat f**k.'

All over: The reality star, 39, is nursing a broken heart amid her explosive split from boyfriend James 'Arg' Argent (pictured in 2018)

Gemma has since apologised for releasing explosive text messages he had sent her, while friends have urged James, 32, to 'sort his life out'.

In a screenshot obtained by MailOnline, the Diva On Lockdown star contacted her fellow reality star in the early hours of the morning.

She wrote: 'I am sorry about putting the messages up, I was just so hurt you suggested an open relationship, it didn't look like a joke when you typed it.

'I was so upset but I shouldn't have put the messages up, that was anger on my part which was wrong. I am so sorry about that x.' (sic)

Shocking: Gemma announced her split with James by posting break up texts on her Instagram account in which James called her a 'hippo' and a 'fat f**k'

The GC had originally posted the fierce row that led to her breaking up with her on-off beau on social media.

In the texts, the musician called his partner a 'hippo' and a 'fat f**k', after she suggested that he had bought another woman dinner and not her.

The series of texts began with Gemma saying: 'What man pays for another woman!!!', while Arg responded by saying: 'Insensitive.'

Clearly riled, the blonde said: 'And the woman that saved your life has to pay for herself!!!'

Drama: Gemma has since apologised for releasing explosive text messages he had sent her, while friends have urged James, 32, to 'sort his life out' (pictured in 2018)

Her next message was masked, but her now-ex responded: 'You are supposed to be treating me you hippo.'

Moments later, Gemma uploaded another series of messages, where he sent her a plane emoji in reply to a picture of flight details.

'I'll take a mate, I'm not booking it. You said you would be a gentleman!', she penned, before he shockingly said: 'YOU FAT F**K. IVE JUST LOST ANOTHER 2000' (sic). He didn't refer to what he had lost 2000 of.

Meanwhile, according to The Sun, a source close to Arg allegedly claimed he needs to 'grow up' after seeing his dispute with Gemma.

'I am sorry about that': In a screenshot obtained by MailOnline, the Diva On Lockdown star contacts her fellow reality star in the early hours of the morning

They told the publication: 'The way James is treating Gemma right now is totally out of order.

'Gemma stuck by James for months when he was in rehab. And when he got home she was the first one there welcoming him with open arms.

Gemma put her life on hold and now James has repaid her by behaving like this. He needs to grow up and realise he has a good thing with Gemma.'

The insider also said their highly-publicised argument could affect his comeback on TOWIE for the upcoming 10th anniversary show this autumn.

MailOnline has contacted Arg's representatives for further comment.

It was reported on Monday that Gemma had decided to split with Arg after he told her he wanted to move to Spain and have an open relationship.

Revealed: On Tuesday, the GC posted the fierce row that led to her breaking up with on-off beau James, in which he called her a 'fat f***' and a 'hippo'

Hurtful: Moments later, the heartbroken star shared another series of messages

An insider told The Sun: 'Arg went to Spain and he told Gemma that he wants to go back there forever and be in an open relationship.

'Gemma feels like she's done everything she possibly can to help Arg but enough is enough. He said that he wants to stay in Spain for good which is worrying as he is known to have suffered relapses there in the past.

'Gemma was devastated by the conversation and decided to end their relationship entirely - she feels like she had no choice but to walk away.

'It couldn't have ended any worse; she has been in floods of tears and has even blocked Arg on social media.'

The duo briefly dated in 2012, before embarking on a tumultuous love story from December 2017.
HONG KONG, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On July 13, as part of the donation agreement, BTour Chain donated a total of 10.000 reusable masks to twenty-four centers listed under Save the Children Korea. Considering the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, these masks will be of great help to kids in need and their families.



The ceremony to mark BTour Chains first successful donation campaign, took place on July 15, at the Save the Children Korea head office in Seoul. At the ceremony were present Save the Children Board Chair and Former President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Oh Joon, Save the Children Secretary-General Gabriel T. Jung, BTour Chain Founder and Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Dr. Han Seung-soo, BTour Chain Co-Founder and CEO Mr. Kim Young-kun, BTour Chain UAE and Middle East President, Choi Myung-ju, BTour Chain Europe President Ko Jin-suk, and BTour Chain China President Shin Jae-won.



The groundwork for this collaboration was laid in March, this year, when the BTour Chain team met the Save the Children representatives.

Additionally, BTour Chain donated masks to the Gangwon Tourism Association, a tourism association for Gangwon province of South Korea, and Beyond the English Divide, a non-profit organization based in Seoul, South Korea, that helps underprivileged children to learn English for free.



This act of charity comes from the BTour Chain's HAN (Human, Art, Nature) philosophy. BTour does not pursue business purposes only, it is part of the ecosystem seeking for global good. BTour Chain will continue to cooperate and support Save the Children Korea with future donation campaigns and hopes that its small contribution will keep children and their families in good health.



BTour Chain is a bigdata and donation-based project of GG56 Ltd. GG56 stands for Global Good 5 Oceans and 6 Continents and was founded by the former Prime Minister of South Korea, Dr. Han Seung-soo.



To find out more about BTour Chain, check the following links:

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YouTube: https://bit.ly/2Zns32e



MEDIA DETAILS

Company Name: GG56 Ltd.

Media Contact: Tabassum

Email: info@gg56.world

Website: http://btour.io/

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The Rev. C.T. Vivian, a civil rights veteran who worked alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and later led the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, has died.

Vivian died at home in Atlanta of natural causes Friday morning, his friend and business partner Don Rivers confirmed to The Associated Press. Vivian was 95.

His civil rights work stretched back more than six decades, to his first sit-in demonstrations in the 1940s in Peoria, Ill. He met King soon after the budding civil rights leader's victory in the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Vivian died at home in Atlanta of natural causes Friday morning. He is seen above in a 2007 photo

Vivian helped organize the Freedom Rides to integrate buses across the South and trained waves of activists in non-violent protest. It was Vivian's bold challenge of a segregationist sheriff while trying to register black voters in Selma, Alabama, that sparked hundreds, then thousands, to march across the Edmund Pettus bridge.

'He has always been one of the people who had the most insight, wisdom, integrity and dedication,' said Andrew Young, who also worked alongside King.

President Barack Obama honored Vivian the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.

The reverend had continued to advocate for justice and equality in recent years. Speaking with students in Tennessee 50 years after the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, he explained that the civil rights movement was effective because activists used strategies to make sure that their messages were amplified.

President Barack Obama honored Vivian the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 after more than five decades of service in fighting for civil rights

In 1965 in Selma, he was met on the Dallas County courthouse by Sheriff Jim Clark, who listened as Vivian argued for voting rights, and then punched him in the mouth

'This is what made the movement; our voice was really heard. But it didn't happen by accident; we made certain it was heard,' Vivian said.

Cordy Tindell Vivian was born July 28, 1924, in Howard County, Mo., but moved to Macomb, Ill., with his mother when he was still a young boy.

As a young theology student at the American Baptist College in Nashville, Tenn., Vivian helped organize that city's first sit-ins. Under King's leadership at SCLC, Vivian was national director of affiliates, traveling around the South to register voters.

In 1965 in Selma, he was met on the Dallas County courthouse by Sheriff Jim Clark, who listened as Vivian argued for voting rights, and then punched him in the mouth.

Vivian met MLK Jr soon after the budding civil rights leader's victory in the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott

Vivian continued to serve in the SCLC after King's assassination in 1968, and became its interim president in 2012. Seen above in a 2014 photo

Vivian stood back up and kept talking as the cameras rolled before he was stitched up and jailed. His mistreatment, seen on national television, eventually drew thousands of protesters, whose determination to march from Selma to Montgomery pressured Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act later that year.

Vivian continued to serve in the SCLC after King's assassination in 1968, and became its interim president in 2012, lending renewed credibility and a tangible link to the civil rights era after the SCLC stagnated for years due to financial mismanagement and infighting.

'There must always be the understanding of what Martin had in mind for this organization,' Vivian said in a 2012 interview. 'Nonviolent, direct action makes us successful. We learned how to solve social problems without violence. We cannot allow the nation or the world to ever forget that.'

He is survived by four daughters and two sons, along with several grandchildren. Vivian's wife died in 2011, AJC reports.

While an advocate for nonviolent protest, Vivian was still detained a number of times at demonstrations

Bernice King, one of MLK's children, took to her Twitter to pay her respects to the civil rights icon

Vivian had a stroke about two months ago but seemed to recover, Rivers said. Then, 'he just stopped eating,' he said.

Rivers, 67, said he was 21 when he met Vivian at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Back then, he worked as an audio director when Vivian was the dean of the university's divinity school. The two remained close over the years and Rivers said he handled the business side of Vivian's work.

'He's such a nice, gentle, courageous man,' Rivers said, adding that the reverend wasn't in it for the money but, 'he was always giving, giving, giving.'

Bernice King, one of MLK's children, took to her Twitter to pay her respects to the civil rights icon.

'Wow. You gave so much to make us better. I'm grateful and I will miss you,' she said in the post.
Absolutely, people lie to me and try to catfish me every day. Sometimes that becomes a story in itself. Like any beat, you have to do an enormous amount of due diligence throughout the reporting process.

Jessica: I want to know more about these managers!

Taylor: The people I work with most when covering teenagers are actually managers and agents. More often than not, when I DM a teenager looking to get in touch for a piece, it is a manager, agent or PR representative who will respond. Teenagers with as few as 10,000 followers on a platform have talent managers now.

A lot of these kids parents arent aware of how famous their children are, and dont always understand what their child is doing online that made them so famous. (That is often part of the story!) Some parents live quite far away, while their children live in Los Angeles with a guardian or manager. I wrote a feature for The Atlantic several years ago on what its like for the parents of kids who become influencers and social media stars.

Lindsey: Whats your goal  if you have one?

Taylor: I want to reveal the real work taking place in the online creator world. I want people to recognize that influencing and creating things online is a valid career and should be taken seriously.

A lot of young people, even the famous ones, are wary of the press. My beat is based on taking young people seriously  and that means not exploiting them, or being condescending, or mocking them. I want them to know they can trust me from what they see in my work  but I also never want any kid to mistake me as their peer. I dont try to speak like a teenager or act like Im in their world. Its important that they recognize that Im a professional reporter and an adult, just like their parents and teachers.
(Newser)  An arrest has been made in the gruesome Manhattan murder of 33-year-old tech entrepreneur Fahim Saleh. Two officials tell the New York Times that 21-year-old Tyrese Devon Haspil, Saleh's personal assistant, was taken into custody Friday morning and is expected to be charged with second-degree murder, as well as other crimes. The body of Saleh, CEO of the Gokada motorcycle ride-hailing company in Nigeria, was discovered Tuesday by his sister inside his $2.25 million luxury condo on the Lower East Side. His head and limbs had been severed, with parts placed in bags, and an electric saw was plugged in nearby. Investigators now believe Saleh was killed on Monday, and that the killer used Saleh's credit card to pay for a car to go to Home Depot for cleaning supplies.

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The next day, cops say, the killer went back to Saleh's apartment to dismember Saleh's body and use those cleaning supplies to remove all traces of the murder. They believe Saleh's sister scared off the killer when she arrived, causing him to flee out a back entrance. As for the motive, investigators think it came down to money. They say Saleh had discovered Haspil was responsible for swiping tens of thousands of dollars from him, though it's not immediately clear why a murder plot entered the picture: Saleh reportedly put a repayment plan of sorts in place and didn't call police on Haspil. Per 1010 WINS, the medical examiner is still trying to determine the cause of death for Saleh. The investigation into his killing continues. (Read more murder stories.)
A still from surveillance footage shows a man, who FBI agents have identified as Raphael Shaw, inside a Wells Fargo branch in the ParkWest Town Center on May 31, moments before he allegedly returned with accomplices and a forklift to steal the cash vault. Read more

As widespread looting hit West Philadelphias 52nd Street corridor on May 31, surveillance footage showed a person in a blond wig and surgical mask guiding a stolen forklift as it hauled away a vault from a Wells Fargo bank branch.

Seven weeks after that theft, the FBI has arrested two suspects it says were among a group of culprits.

Prosecutors, in court filings this week, named the wig-wearing bandit as Raphael Shaw, 20, and accused him of making off with $104,000. They alleged that Xavier Nolley-Hall was with him and had entered the ransacked bank intending to steal money.

Both are among a growing number of defendants whom federal prosecutors have charged in connection with the unrest that gripped Philadelphia after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Shaw and Nolley-Halls purported crime played out May 31 as looters ransacked the ParkWest Town Center and the business corridor long known as West Philadelphias Main Street. Nearly two months later, residents and businesses are still recovering from that devastation and the heavy-handed police response.

 READ MORE: Besieged, then betrayed: Inside the Philly neighborhood teargassed by police

But when Shaw allegedly donned a wig and mask and joined the crowd rushing in and out of the Wells Fargo branchs broken front windows, few police were on the scene.

Surveillance footage described in government court filings shows the wig-wearing thief, with a distinctive tattoo on his right forearm, surveying the bank alongside the crowd about 6 p.m., then leaving. A man with a shotgun appears outside, sending the crowd of looters scattering. Within moments, the wig-wearer returns, this time guiding an unidentified man driving a forklift, which had been stolen earlier from a Lowes store in the same shopping center, agents said.

Investigators identified Shaw after two Philadelphia police officers who had previous contact with him recognized the tattoos on the forearm of the suspect in the video, according to the complaint filed in his case. His license plate number also matched that of a dark-colored Pontiac seen being driven behind the forklift in the surveillance footage.

Agents also discovered photos on Shaws Instagram account last month showing him and others brandishing large amounts of cash.

At the time of the bank heist, Shaw was out on bail, awaiting trial for an assault charge in Chester County. He was arrested again for being in possession of a stolen car, three days after allegedly stealing the cash vault.

Agents arrested and charged Nolley-Hall on July 9, but documents detailing that case remain under court seal. Investigators said while he admitted to entering the bank branch that day to steal money, he denied knowing Shaw, even though the two men had been stopped by police together on previous occasions and were shown on the surveillance video together.

Shaws attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It was unclear Friday whether Nolley-Hall had retained an attorney. Both remain in custody charged with crimes including entering a bank with intent to commit a felony. Shaw is scheduled for a detention hearing Tuesday.

Since last month, federal prosecutors in Philadelphia have charged at least four other people with crimes that occurred during the unrest of the last weekend in May, including a man accused of attempting to blow up an ATM and a massage therapist charged with setting two police cars ablaze during May 30 protests outside of City Hall.

 READ MORE: The FBI used a Philly protesters Etsy profile, LinkedIn, and other internet history to charge her with setting police cars ablaze

In a statement Friday, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain drew a distinction between Shaws alleged activities and that of the thousands of peaceful protesters who amassed throughout the city.

Burglarizing a bank has nothing to do with peaceful protest or any legitimate message, he said. Mr. Shaw will now face the consequences of his alleged actions.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 07:38:52|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Sequences of most early SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens in New York City (NYC) resembled those circulating in Europe, suggesting probable introductions of the virus from Europe, other U.S. locations, and local introductions from within New York, according to a new report of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday.

To determine whether local transmission of SARS-CoV-2 could be detected, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) conducted deidentified sentinel surveillance at six hospital emergency departments during March 1 to 20.

DOHMH announced sustained COVID-19 community transmission on March 8, before the United States imposed travel ban from Europe on March 13, according to the report. At this time, 26 NYC residents had confirmed COVID-19.

The following week, on March 15, when only seven of the 56 patients with known exposure histories had exposure outside of NYC, the level of community SARS-CoV-2 transmission status was elevated from sustained community transmission to widespread community transmission, said the CDC.

"Although travel restrictions are an important mitigation strategy, by the time the European restrictions were implemented, importation and community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 had already occurred in NYC," said the report.

Through sentinel surveillance during March 1 to 20, DOHMH collected 544 specimens from patients with influenza-like symptoms, 36 tested positive.

"Using genetic sequencing, CDC determined that the sequences of most SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens resembled those circulating in Europe, suggesting probable introductions of SARS-CoV-2 from Europe, from other U.S. locations, and local introductions from within New York," said the report.

The sequence from March 2, the earliest positive sentinel specimen collected, clustered with early sequences from Europe and United States, which also cluster with sequences from China, said the CDC.

"No sentinel sequences were directly connected to sequences from Wuhan, China, where the outbreak originated," said the report. Enditem
By Associated Press

SEOUL: South Korean health officials were optimistic Friday that the country's COVID-19 outbreak is coming under control despite a spike in infections tied to international arrivals.

Senior Health Ministry official Yoon Tae-ho said during a briefing Friday that the spread of the coronavirus was clearly stabilizing in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area and other major cities, where transmissions had spiked since late May.

South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still reported 60 newly confirmed cases, including 39 linked to people arriving from abroad.

Yoon said imported cases were less threatening than local transmissions because the country is enforcing two-week quarantines on all people arriving from abroad and having them tested within three days.

The government plans to airlift more South Korean workers next week from Iraq where an outbreak has been growing.

Health authorities have confirmed 34 cases among some 100 construction workers who returned from a chartered flight earlier this week.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Cummings, UNLV research professor and a leading expert on Alzheimer's disease clinical trials, led a five-year review of all Alzheimer's drugs in the development pipeline. He says today there is more hope than ever that we'll one day solve Alzheimer's.

The paper, "Alzheimer's disease drug development pipeline: 2020," was published this week in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions.

The first time his team published an analysis of experimental drugs in 2014, they quantified a 99 percent failure rate of all therapies in the pipeline. It was the first analysis of its kind and has proven enormously popular with roughly 67,000 downloads and 260 citations.

Currently, there are 121 unique therapies in 136 clinical trials in the pipeline. We recently met with Cummings from the UNLV School of Integrated Health Sciences to understand what has changed in the world of Alzheimer's drug development over the last five years.

Tell us about this five-year review. What is its primary purpose?

We want to continue to analyze how the ecosystem and process of drug development is working over time to accelerate getting treatments to patients. I have been involved with clinical trials for the past 20 years and there have been very few studies showing how the process of drug development works. To get a treatment for patients, it's a complicated process involving many entities along the way including labs, biotech firms, pharmaceutical companies, the federal government, and the marketplace. Scientists, funders and, ultimately, patients want to understand what potential therapies are being developed.

What are the key takeaways over the past five years of the drug development pipeline?

We have yet to have a successful drug move across the finish line since our original publication in 2014. It is striking that there has been an increase in the number of repurposed agents compared to five years ago. Several drugs approved to treat other conditions are now being tested to see if they work for Alzheimer's disease. There are several benefits because the drug's properties and safety issues are already known.

Another thing we learned is that patient participation is critical and recruitment is too slow, challenging, and expensive. A typical drug trial lasts 18 months and the patient recruitment period may be two years longer than it takes to show efficacy. The company funding the trial has to pay expenses the entire duration, which can mean $30 million to $50 million or more per trial.

Does this mean there aren't any new drugs in the pipeline?

There are new drugs but not as many as we need to advance toward our goal of meaningful therapy for patients. The expense of developing new drugs is exorbitant. It can be $400 million for an entire development program. Currently, there are an estimated 100 million Americans suffering from at least one brain disorder, including Alzheimer's, costing the health care system nearly $790 billion annually. Investment in new and innovative approaches is needed from public and private funders to help us solve these problems for millions of people.

Thankfully, the Alzheimer's Association has stepped in to fill part of the gap. Many funding initiatives -; specifically their International Research Grants Program and Part the Cloud -; were created to fund much needed novel therapies.

How has the recent discovery of new biomarkers impacted the pipeline?

This is an exciting development that offers hope for successful Alzheimer's treatments. In the past two years, several new biomarkers [a measurement, like a blood test, that reveals what's happening in the body] for Alzheimer's have been developed and some have been approved for use by the FDA, which means we can offer a more precise clinical trial process. We can now use biomarkers to better define our patient populations. It is something new, precise and powerful.

Recently, you proposed a new scoring method for the pipeline to determine readiness to move from one phase to the next. What inspired you to do so and what are you hoping to achieve?

We know there is a 99 percent failure rate of drugs in the pipeline. Translational scoring addresses issues in the testing process with rigorous criteria that can consistently be applied to all the therapies in development. The result is a semi-quantitative rating that shows the flaws in a drug development program early on. This is especially critical information for a funding agency to compare treatments to each other and to understand which drug is least risky.

What is your team at UNLV focusing on?

The recently established Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience in the department of brain health is focusing on analyzing clinical trial methods to see which strategies, what targets, and what biomarkers are succeeding and how we can use these lessons to get better drugs to our patients faster. For me, this is enormously exciting.

How optimistic does this make you about conquering Alzheimer's?

We've never seen more promise in the pipeline than there is today. The very recent discovery of relevant biomarkers allows us to develop drugs with a precision we've never had before. We are going to solve this problem.

What can real people do to help advance the science of Alzheimer's treatments?

We are working with our patients and families to solve the brain disease they have. We can have success only if they participate in the clinical trials. There is a critical alliance between the scientists, a patient, and their family to accelerate drug development. We need our "citizen scientists" because they are contributing in such an important way to a future without Alzheimer's disease.

As a researcher yourself, where do you learn about other's work?

The upcoming Alzheimer's Association International Conference is the major information sharing opportunity among Alzheimer's disease researchers across the world each year. It's an enormously important conference where we share and learn about each other's work. I am presenting at four sessions -; virtually this year given the pandemic -; and am looking forward to hearing ideas from new researchers to senior ones like myself. Since it is virtual, it is offered at no cost and open to everyone.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore meets with community organizations and faith-based groups in 2018. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)

Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore wants to concentrate the power to fire officers in his own hands, saying the board that reviews his disciplinary decisions is overly lenient.

Bypassing the Board of Rights would require changing the city charter and would essentially undo a major reworking of police discipline that was approved by L.A. voters three years ago.

At a meeting Thursday with The Times editorial board that focused on police reforms in the wake of the George Floyd killing, Moore said the current system "always seems to default in favor of the officer."

When Moore recommends that an officer be fired, whether for a fatal shooting or for driving drunk off-duty or some other misconduct, the case goes to a three-member Board of Rights.

The police chief can downgrade the discipline recommended by the board but cannot increase it.

Moore pointed to other police agencies where the chief can quickly fire an officer and the decision is final unless overturned by a city manager or a court.

"I recently referred an officer who was out of policy in a shooting to a Board of Rights, and that officer is found not guilty," he said. "And that, you know, pre-empts me, and that was the only means in which I can remove that officer. And so that is, in my view, terrible."

Craig Lally, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents rank-and-file LAPD officers, said the Board of Rights system is working well and that checks on the chief's power are needed.

"Every chief wants the power to do whatever they want, but officers are afforded due process," Lally said. "Most people out there think due process is the fair thing to do. It's not that the chief gets to have an investigation, and then the officer is terminated."

Despite the Board of Rights, Moore has still been able to fire a number of officers, Lally said. Moore told the editorial board that he fired 18 officers last year.

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Prior to the passage of Charter Amendment C in May 2017, Board of Rights panels were made up of one civilian and two members of the LAPD command staff.

The amendment, which was supported by Mayor Eric Garcetti and the City Council, gave officers the option of an all-civilian panel. The LAPPL spent at least $839,000 to campaign for its passage.

Perhaps counterintuitively, civilians are generally considered more sympathetic to police officers than their commanders.

Some groups that favor greater police accountability, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles, opposed the amendment, saying it was deceptive and developed behind closed doors.

Melanie Ochoa, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU of Southern California, said Thursday that it is important to have checks on a chief's power to fire officers.

Police chiefs should not be able to abuse their power by firing whistleblowers or targeting racial minorities, Ochoa said. But she agrees with Moore that the Board of Rights is too lax on problem officers.

"The way the Board of Rights has operated is not just to protect against nefarious aims," Ochoa said. "It has operated to eliminate accountability altogether."

Moore said he has been speaking with Garcetti about his proposal and how to bring it about. A spokesman from Garcetti's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Moore said he also wants to seize a moment when policing is being reimagined to change the state law that prevents him from speaking about individual disciplinary cases.

"I think the public should have a clear view of when I call balls balls and when I call strikes strikes, the actions I take, and I should be able to speak freely about it, in defense of why I think that that decision was right," he told the editorial board.
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Linkedin Ella Ide (Agence France-Presse) Vatican City, Vatican  Fri, July 17, 2020 07:30 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666eee84 2 World Vatican,sexual-abuse-in-Catholic-Church,sexual-abuse,Child-sexual-abuse,minors Free

The Vatican released guidelines Thursday for bishops and other senior officials on dealing with clerical child sex abuse claims, clarifying rules on tackling a decades-old scandal plaguing the church.

The manual, which includes a form to be filled out detailing the alleged crime against minors, does not include any new laws but was drawn up after Pope Francis called for the procedures to be laid out step-by-step, it said.

It strengthened advice to officials on reporting claims to civil authorities, saying they "should" do so, even if not obliged to by law in the country in question, especially if necessary to protect the person involved or other minors.

Previous official guidelines have told clerics to follow local laws on whether claims should be reported to police.

Critics of the church have long insisted bishops and others should be ordered, not merely urged, to report crimes.

"While this language is incrementally stronger than the Vatican's usual rhetoric, the difference doesn't matter. This is merely a manual -- it carries no weight under church law," said Anne Doyle, co-director of the abuse tracking site Bishop Accountability.

"If Pope Francis is serious about waging an 'all-out battle' against child sexual abuse, he should order every church official to report allegations to civil authorities," she added.

'Practical handbook'

The Roman Catholic Church has admitted to abuses by predator priests from Australia to Chile, France, Germany, Ireland and the United States.

The Argentinian pope, who has made the fight against sexual abuse and its cover up one of the priorities of his pontificate, held a special summit on the thorny topic in February 2019.

He called for "a practical handbook indicating the steps to be taken by authorities at key moments when a case emerges".

The Vatican said this was "Version 1.0", which could be updated if and when necessary.

"The real novelty... is that for the first time the procedure is described in an organized way -- from the first report of a possible crime to the definitive conclusion," Archbishop Giacomo Morandi said in an interview with Vatican News.

'Cases still emerging'

Morandi, the deputy of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), which is responsible for processing clergy sex abuse complaints, said clerical assault of minors was "present on all continents".

"We are still witnessing reports emerge of old cases, sometimes many years later. Certainly, some crimes are also recent," he said.

The pope's efforts to combat silence surrounding pedophilia in the Church include the passing of a landmark measure last year to oblige those who know about sex abuse to report it to their superiors.

But a top expert in the Church's battle against sex abuse warned in June that the coronavirus pandemic had increased the risks to minors as the world's priorities shift.

Bishops all over the world had been "getting a bit lost" as they tried to keep abreast of updates to the law in disparate texts, Nicholas Seneze, the Vatican correspondent for French Catholic daily La Croix, told AFP.

The manual advises against simply "transferring the accused cleric" from one parish to another -- a solution repeatedly adopted in the past, enabling pedophile priests to prey on more than one congregation.

All reports of abuse, even anonymous ones, "should be appropriately assessed and... given all due attention".

It repeats the controversial rule that any crime discovered during confession is subject to "the strictest bond of the sacramental seal", and therefore secret, but says the confessor should try and convince the penitent to tell someone else.

And it warns against any attempt to try and silence those reporting a crime, but also urges officials to be careful not to sully the good name of those involved or create "a scandal" which could further damage the centuries-old institution.
Ranchi: The suspense on the results of the Science, Commerce and Arts streams of class 12 students continued on Friday (July 17). The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) which was all set to release JAC 12th Result 2020 on Friday (July 17) on its official website jac.jharkhand.gov.in at 1 pm, has now decided to release the results at 5 pm, citing some unavoidable circumstances.

The Jharkhand Board 12th Result 2020 will be released at 5 PM now for all the streams  Arts, Commerce and Science.

Once declared, students can check the JAC 12th Result 2020 by entering their roll number, roll code on the official website. Results can also be seen via SMS.

The JAC 12th Result 2020 will be available on Jharkhand board official website jac.jharkhand.gov.in.

Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto was expected to announce the result of Class 12 examination via a press conference at 1 pm in presence of board officials. However, the results will now be declared at 5 pm on Friday. Unlike other years, the results of all the streams will be announced on the same day.

Around 3 lakh students had appeared for JAC 12th exams 2020. It must be borne in mind that the online results are only provisional in nature, hence the students will have to approach their respective school to collect the original mark sheets.

Here's how to check Jharkhand Board Class 12 results online:

Step 1: Go to the official website of the board, which is jac.jharkhand.gov.in

Step 2: Click on the link and fill in the required details

Step 3: Click on Submit and get your result

Step 4: Take a printout of the scores for future reference

In 2019, the JAC declared class 12th Results in May. Usually, JAC announces the result by May, however, the 2020 Board Result result has been delayed due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the spread of deadly virus in the country. The pass percentage of Arts was at 79.97 per cent, Commerce at 70.44 per cent and Science at 57.01 per cent in 2019.

The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) declared the Jharkhand Board Class 10 examination 2020 result on July 8.
Mobile testing is finally coming to the northwest region of Toronto, an initiative that health leaders have advocated for to better support the communities hardest hit by the inequitable burden of COVID-19.

Saturdays pop-up site near Jane St. and Steeles Ave. W. will make low-barrier testing available in an area where some neighbourhoods have case rates more than 10 times higher than the least-affected parts of the city  a disproportionate infection risk linked to systemic disadvantages.

The fact that our community is being highlighted right now for so many reasons, Im hoping that it will result in more sustainable resources being brought here, says Michelle Westin, senior analyst for planning, quality and risk at Black Creek Community Health Centre.

We need to keep shining a light on this community. People are dying up here.

In Toronto, the neighbourhoods with the highest COVID-19 case rates all cluster in the northwest corner. A Star story showed that these neighbourhoods also have high proportions of inadequate housing, front-line low-wage workers, and poor access to health care. And yet mobile testing, an innovation made available weeks ago in less burdened neighbourhoods, had not yet materialized in the northwest  until now.

Last week, the chair of the Toronto Board of Health sent a letter to the province asking for more resources to support this area, including access to mobile testing and funding to provide alternative accommodations for people who cant safely self-isolate in overcrowded homes. Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott promised help with mobile testing the next day. The single-day pop-up is a partnership between the Black Creek Community Health Centre, Toronto Public Health and Ontario Health.

Weve been clear in our requests for proactive testing and Im glad to see it finally going in, said Coun. Joe Cressy, chair of the citys board of health.

Because the city is also collecting socio-demographic and race-based data on new COVID-19 cases, Cressy said this targeted testing would help Toronto Public Health shape its response.

Testing will help us identify whether there are certain workplaces that need enhanced protection, or certain multi-unit housing that require self-isolation alternatives.

Westin noted that some of the people most at risk of infection  workers whose jobs require them to be on site, and sometimes put them at risk  are also likelier to have a harder time accessing assessment centres with fixed hours. Flexible locations and times of day would help them. In other cases, stigma associated with testing and fear of hospitals keeps people away. The pop-up testing site is a familiar location in the neighbourhood, which she hopes will help alleviate some of those issues.

Westin and Cressy both said they hoped mobile testing will become a regular occurrence.

What were hoping is that this is not a one-time clinic, said Westin, who noted that the community health centre had been in discussions with the province and the city about mobile testing for quite a while.

In order to prevent a second wave, we really need mobile testing as an ongoing service for the community.

The pop-up community testing site will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Christian Centre Church at 4545 Jane St.; no appointment is necessary.
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Linkedin Blandine Henault and Matthieu Protard (Reuters) Paris, France  Fri, July 17, 2020 13:30 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066715962 2 World France,face-masks,mandatory-regulation,coronavirus,coronavirus-restrictions,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

France accelerated plans on Thursday to make it compulsory to wear face masks in enclosed public spaces because of concerns about renewed flare-ups of COVID-19.

President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that mask-wearing would be mandatory in places such as shops from Aug. 1, citing signs that the coronavirus was "coming back a bit".

But on Thursday Prime Minister Jean Castex said the order would take effect next week. Until now, it has been mandatory to wear face coverings only on public transport and in public spaces where social distancing is not possible.

"We were considering implementing (this measure) on August 1," Castex told the Senate. "I have heard and understood that this deadline appeared late or raised some questions, so the decree will come into force next week."

Health Minister Olivier Veran, speaking in the lower house of parliament, encouraged people to start wearing masks now, without waiting for the decree, calling wearing masks a matter of social responsibility.

Official figures show the number of COVID-19 infections and fatalities has slowed in France since late May. The disease has killed more than 30,000 people in France and is spreading again in some areas.

The Mayenne prefecture in the northwest said the wearing of face masks was now compulsory in its main city, Laval, and five other municipalities - Bonchamp-les-Laval, Change, LHuisserie, Louverne and Saint-Berthevin.

There has been a localized flare-up of COVID-19 cases in the region, and it has now been re-classified by the health ministry as a zone of heightened risk.

Macron also said on Tuesday that he wanted coronavirus testing available for everyone, without having to be referred by a doctor. He said the expected job losses because of the pandemic posed a major challenge.
Ireland's biggest music and arts festival, Electric Picnic, was one of the many staples of the summer season to fall foul of the global coronavirus pandemic - but there's some light on the horizon for revellers as the festival's organisers expect to be back in full force next summer.

Melvin Benn, MD of Festival Republic whose stable include Electric Picnic and other high-profile UK festivals such as Download and Wireless, has said he is "incredibly optimistic" about the 2021 European festival season going ahead even if a Covid-19 vaccine is not ready in time.

Festival Republic's "plan A" is that festival-goers would be immunised by a coronavirus vaccine prior to next year's festival season, while there's also the possibility that a test-and-trace system could be utilised should the vaccine not be ready in time.

I take great confidence in the fact that test and trace is a plan B for me, explained Mr Benn in an interview with IQ Magazine. I dont think we could have imagined the unity the scientific community has showed in working together to find a vaccine against this disease.

While it is expected that a vaccine will be available before next summer, Benn says the European festival market is in a really good position should they have to turn to a test-and-trace system.

Im already getting companies contacting me and offering tests that are incredibly reliable, and can be done in a short amount of time, he said.

At the moment [in July] theyre too expensive  but given that they didnt even exist in March, I assure you that by the time April or May comes around next year, therell be a testing company on every street corner and it will be relatively inexpensive.

Festival Republic has staged two virtual festivals this summer, Download TV and Wireless Connect, and while Benn hopes they can build on that in future, ultimately he said his definition of a successful year is having fans in a field.
Amazon workers at Amazon's Staten Island warehouse strike in demand that the facility be shut down and cleaned after one staffer tested positive for the coronavirus on March 30, 2020 in New York.

An Amazon warehouse employee in Minnesota has accused the company of retaliating against her and is now asking the state's attorney general to step in.

Hibaq Mohamed, who works out of Amazon's Shakopee, Minnesota facility, known as MSP1, said in a letter to Attorney General Keith Ellison that she was written up on July 10 for spending too much time away from her work station, or logging too many "time off tasks." If workers take a break from scanning packages for too long, Amazon's internal systems will log it as a TOT and generate a warning, which can later lead to firings.

Her account appears to contradict Amazon's filing in a separate court case, where the company says it "ceased providing productivity rate feedback to associates and imposing any discipline related to low productivity rates" in March, and extended the policy indefinitely in April.

Mohamed is asking Ellison for protection under an executive order he signed in May and extended this week, which orders employers not to discriminate or retaliate against employees who raise concerns about unsafe working conditions tied to the pandemic. Ellison declined to comment on Mohamed's letter.

Mohamed has long been an outspoken critic of Amazon's labor practices and has continued to pressure the company to respond to workers' safety concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mohamed was one of a dozen workers who previously told CNBC they lacked adequate safety gear at their facilities amid worsening outbreaks. Additionally, Mohamed recently participated in a press call, hosted by Athena, a nonprofit group that advocates for workers, in which she raised concerns about high coronavirus infection rates at MSP1.

"I worked at Amazon for nearly four years with a very clean record and just one or two warnings I know of in that entire time," Mohamed wrote in the letter. "Amazon managers have targeted me and openly harassed me before, but increasingly during the pandemic."

An Amazon spokesperson disputed that the company was retaliating against Mohamed.

"While we have not seen the formal complaint, the allegations described are not true. We do not tolerate any kind of discrimination in the workplace and we support every employee's right to criticize their employer, but that doesn't come with blanket immunity to ignore internal policies."

Amazon said warehouse workers can spend additional time out of their breaks to use the restroom, wash their hands, take a break, get water or speak to their manager, as needed. The company added that Amazon understands employees might want to take a break from work to sanitize their workstations.

Amazon has previously faced allegations that it retaliated against workers for speaking out, which it has repeatedly denied. The company has fired at least four workers who criticized its labor practices. Amazon says the workers were fired for violating internal policies.

The moves generated rebuke from lawmakers and spawned an investigation into the firings by New York Attorney General Letitia James, which is ongoing. Additionally, Tim Bray, a former vice president and distinguished engineer at Amazon, resigned in "dismay" over the firings.
Bengaluru, July 17 : A record number of 115 Covid patients succumbed to the virus in Karnataka, even as 3,693 new positive cases were reported, raising the state's tally to 55,115, a health official said on Friday.

"New Covid deaths, 115," said a health official as the death toll rose to 1,147.

Of the new deaths, 75 occurred in Bengaluru alone, swelling the city's total number of deaths to 582.

Like everyday, most of the deaths suffered from Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and had fever, cough and breathlessness as symptoms.

Meanwhile, 3,693 new Covid cases emerged in the state, majority of them in Bengaluru, 2,208, increasing the city tally to 27,496, out of which 20,623 are active.

Being the epicentre of the pandemic in the southern state, the number of active cases it hosts rose to 62 per cent.

Among the new cases, excluding Bengaluru, Dharwad accounted for 157, followed by Ballari (133), Vijayapura (118), Belagavi (95), Mysuru (93), Kalaburagi (89) and Udupi (80) among others.

On a positive note, in the past 24 hours, 1,028 patients have been discharged, 338 in Bengaluru alone, increasing the total discharges to 20,757.

Contrastingly, patients in the ICU rose to 568. Of the 55,115 cases, 33,205 are active.

Meanwhile, Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said Karnataka is among the states which are conducting more number of Covid tests per million population as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"WHO recommends140 tests per day per million population. Karnataka is conducting 297 tests per day per million and is among the top 10 states and union territories, conducting 140 tests or more,a said Sudhakar.

In total, the minister said more than 9.25 lakh tests have been conducted and all of them RT-PCR tests that provide accurate results. Eom/288 words

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
LAKE CHARLES, La. - Workers at a Dollar General store recognized a convicted sex offender accused of killing two teenagers and kidnapping a third  and locked him in after quietly escorting other customers out.

Thank you Sallye Salter and Tiffany Cook, you both exemplified great character in a high pressure situation, the Beauregard Parish Sheriffs Office said in a Facebook post after Neil Broussard was arrested Thursday.

Broussard, 51, of Lake Charles, surrendered to police in the Beauregard Parish community of Ragley, about 20 miles (32 kilometres) north of Lake Charles, after Salter and Cook alerted authorities, the American Press reported.

He was convicted in 2005 and 2011 of molesting juveniles, is awaiting trial on sex charges in Texas, and is wanted on charges of first-degree rape and molestation of a juvenile in Calcasieu Parish, authorities said.

A Calcasieu Parish judge set his bond at $4 million, news agencies reported.

Broussard, a registered sex offender, is accused of killing Kyla Hidalgo, 17, and Kaleb Charlton, 18; wounding the girls mother, Catherine Hidalgo, 40; and kidnapping the womans 14-year-old daughter early Wednesday morning in the Calcasieu Parish town of Westlake.

The 14-year-old was found shortly before 7 a.m. Wednesday in Ragley and her mothers stolen car was found the same day in woods in the Ragley area, KPLC-TV reported.

Scores of officers from three sheriffs offices, state police and the FBI swept the area, hunting for Broussard, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso said during a news conference Thursday with Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford.

Mancuso commended Salters and Cooks bravery, adding, we were so close we got there within seconds and were able to apprehend him without any incidents.

Mancuso said a second person was arrested but did not give details.
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), during a news conference in Mexico City, where Engel and four other congressmen visited with Mexican President Felipe Calderon. Maryland tax officials have revoked the Bronx Congressman's claim to thousands of dollars in tax breaks for a nearly $1 million home in a Washington suburb he's called his primary residence on tax documents for at least ten years. (Marco Ugarte/AP Photo)

House Committee Chair Eliot Engel Officially Loses to Challenger in Democratic Primary

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), a powerful House committee chair who served more than 30 years in Congress, was defeated in his Democratic primary.

Engel was ousted by Jamaal Bowman, a former principal and first-time candidate who was backed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), about three weeks after the primary election, according to an analysis from The Associated Press.

He defeated Engel in New Yorks 16th Congressional District, which encompasses parts of New York Citys Bronx borough.

After the AP made the call, Bowman wrote on Twitter that Im a Black man who was raised by a single mother in a housing project. That story doesnt usually end in Congress. But today, that 11-year old boy who was beaten by police is about to be your next Representative.

With his victory over Engel, based on the way the district has voted over the past several decades, its likely that Bowman will defeat his Republican challenger in November.

Engel, meanwhile, has a national profile as a Congressional leader and chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In the days before the election, Engel suffered a loss after he was captured on a live microphone suggesting that if I didnt have a primary, I wouldnt care when he was speaking following civil unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd.

New York Democratic House candidate Jamaal Bowman greets supporters in Yonkers, N.Y., on June 23, 2020. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

In the video, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. apparently tells Engel that he has a list of other people who have to speak following riots and violence in the Bronx that occurred alongside Black Lives Matter protests.

Diaz told Engel that he appreciates that hes at the event. Engel then replied with the I wouldnt care remark. Diaz then told the congressman: Dont do that to me. Were not gonna do this. Were not politicizing. Everybodys got a primary, you know. Im sorry.

Bowman highlighted the audio on Twitter, saying it is so incredibly painful to watch. He added: We need to be taking care of our communities right nowwhether its election season or not.

Engel then issued a statement to news outlets about his comment.

In the context of running for re-election, I thought it was important for people to know where I stand, thats why I asked to speak, he said. Of course I care deeply about whats happening in this country, thats what I wanted to convey. I love the Bronx, grew up in the Bronx and lived here all my life. I would not have tried to impose on the Borough President if I didnt think it was important.
Portland demonstrators reacted Thursday to a wave of national attention from President Donald Trump and his administration by once again amassing throughout the city to decry police violence against Black Americans.

Federal officers responded to one late-night demonstrations downtown by using gas, smoke and impact munitions to press protesters away from two federal buildings. The confrontation between federal officers and protesters came hours after interim Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf arrived in Portland to meet with federal law enforcement officials.

Wolf had issued a statement condemning the actions of some protesters during the seven weeks of demonstrations in Portland and referring to them as lawless anarchists. Wolf said local and state elected leaders are failing to address the protests, which have continued for 50 straight nights since late May.

Two large crowds gathered Thursday night, east and west of the Willamette River.

About 200 protesters marched to an East Burnside precinct where police and sheriffs deputies work, the latest of many protests during the day. Officers blockaded entrances to the building, and several officers in riot gear stood posted outside. People chanted, Who do you protect? Who do you serve?

Around 10 p.m., police announced that they had heard some people chanting that they wanted to burn the building down and told peaceful protesters to leave. You are subject to arrest and use of force including crowd control munitions if you enter the property, police said over a loudspeaker.

A crowd of about 250 people remained and chanted, Quit your job, as songs by Beyonce and Ice Cube played. Ice Cube had tweeted earlier Thursday about the federal police presence in Portland, labeling it the Invasion of the Body Snatchers, in response to an article about federal arrests by Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Protesters brought plastic lids lined with tin foil and held them up to shield themselves and reflect light back toward officers gathered at the building. Some people in the crowd also shined flashlights or lasers toward police.

A boisterous but nonviolent crowd continued to confront police past 11 p.m. The crowd had grown to 300 people and a pair of support vans, one supplying snacks and one providing medical care.

The east-side protest had diverted some police attention from downtown, where a sparse number of protesters had gathered as of 9 p.m. outside the federal courthouse and county jail. The two buildings have been at the center of nightly protests, and federal officers in recent weeks have used impact weapons and tear gas on protesters outside the courthouse.

The crowd downtown eventually started growing late Thursday, including outside a federal office building next to the jail. By 11:15 p.m., more than one dozen officers, wearing either blue or camouflage uniforms, were posted near the entrance the building on Southwest Third Avenue and Madison Street. Two dozen more officers soon streamed out of the building to join them.

Several dozen protesters stood on the sidewalk and street near officers. Officers shot some type of less-than-lethal projectiles to break up the crowd around 11:25 p.m. It was not clear what precipitated officers actions.

Officers then pressed toward the crowd, shooting impact munitions and setting off devices that emit gas and smoke to force people to keep walking north on Third Avenue past the jail and then past the courthouse. Other officers in camouflage assembled on nearby Madison Street. As they pressed the crowd away from the buildings, the officers in camouflage walked beyond federal property and on to city streets.

Officers eventually formed a line on Third Avenue at Salmon Street, near the north end of the courthouse. Crowds of people gathered nearby on the other side of Salmon. Protesters pressed toward officers, and officers again set off devices that made loud noises and released gas, smoke and flashes.

Around midnight, most federal officers wearing camouflage appeared to have retreated, and their efforts to quell the protests seemed to have ceased. Smoke wafted through the air. Some people called for volunteer medics to help injured people.

The crowd reconvened near Salmon and Fourth Avenue, where a section of chain-link fencing near a recently-closed city park sat open. Several protesters started to dismantle more of the fencing, then move the fence to block off parts of the street.

By 12:30 a.m., some protesters had made their way back near the buildings that they had been forced to leave an hour earlier. Many people eventually gathered near a bonfire inside a stone planter on Main Street. Officers stayed mostly away, at least until 1 a.m. A thinned out crowd of several dozen people remained in the area.

Across town, officers outside the Portland police and Multnomah County Sheriffs precinct on Burnside had dispersed protesters away from that building, livestream videos showed.

Authorities declared an unlawful assembly at 11:45 p.m. because several people in the crowd were throwing items and pointing lasers at officers, Portland police said.

Video footage appeared to show officers detain several people shortly before midnight. People remained near the building, then police pressed them away again.

Its not clear how many arrests were made throughout the night, by either Portland police or federal officers.

Among those arrested was Andrew Jankowski, a freelance journalist who was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center early Friday.

Jail records say Jankowski, whos accused of disorderly conduct and interfering with an officer, was arrested by Portland police East Precinct personnel.

The arrest came hours after journalists and legal observers who report about the demonstrations learned that a preliminary injunction would be extended to Oct. 30, barring police from arresting, threatening to arrest, or using physical force directed against them for not leaving when an unlawful assembly is declared.

The circumstances of Jankowskis arrest werent immediately clear.

Here is what I saw in Portland yesterday. pic.twitter.com/B0xvTTYvIj  Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 17, 2020

Thursdays demonstrations came as elected leaders, including Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler called on federal officers to leave Portland.

Both said they had no plans to meet with Wolf while he was in the city, and Wheeler said he would decline if asked.

Brown called the deployment of federal officers blatant abuse of power by the federal government.

This political theater from President Trump has nothing to do with public safety, she said. The President is failing to lead this nation.

Wolfs comments  and the accompanying national attention  landed at a time when tensions were already high. Portland Police cleared two downtown city parks across the street from the federal courthouse and county jail early Thursday morning. The parks had become a gathering spot for nightly protests.

Mark Ross, a spokesperson for Portland Parks and Recreation, said the parks are temporarily shuttered under a section of city code pertaining to emergency park closures to conduct necessary repairs and maintenance.

Portland police said nine people were arrested during the sweep and booked into jail ranging from trespassing to interfering with police. In one arrest captured on video by a KATU reporter, an officer forcefully knocked a person off a bicycle, taking the person to the ground.

Many protesters regrouped later and to prepare for future demonstrations. About two dozen people brought cardboard, trash can lids and sheets of wood to Kenilworth Park in Southeast Portland Thursday afternoon to craft shields to protect protesters when police use force, such as impact munitions. In a scene resembling a picnic, people gathered in a shady tree-covered corner and chatted while duct-taping their handmade shields together.

Several demonstrations occurred Thursday evening, including a march organized by the Black Youth Movement from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Northeast Portland. Organizers said they wanted to call for more Black representation in schools.

Black Youth Movement is one of two groups that split off from Rose City Justice, an activist group that had led massive nightly marches for much of June. The other group is Fridays 4 Freedom.

Paige Pierce said that she decided to attend the march after hearing about the rally from social media and her friends.

"I just want to support my culture," Pierce said.

Hillary Le and Rina Alazas, two others who were getting ready to march, said they also wanted to come support the Black Youth Movement.

"What we can do as community members is to show up, and for this group especially," said Le, a research assistant at Oregon Health & Science University.

Alazas said that people need to be cautious and more critical of the medias presentation of Black Lives Matter protests, which are sometimes portrayed as violent and damaging to society.

She said that people who want to support the movement need to do so in more ways than one.

Show up with your body, show up with your money and show up with your voice, Alazas said.

Beth Nakamura, Jim Ryan, Dave Killen, Alex Hardgrave, Noelle Crombie and Everton Bailey Jr. of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.

-- Piper McDaniel; @piperamcdaniel

-- Ryan Nguyen; rnguyen@oregonian.com; @ryanjjnguyen
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Russian television network RT is seen on a board at the SPIEF 2017 in St. Petersburg

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Russian broadcaster RT has said it has no ties to EU-sanctioned Russian media executive Dmitry Kiselyov after EU member states Latvia and Lithuania took RT off the air, citing the Russian channel's ties to him.

The Baltic nations' move also drew a rebuke from Moscow.

RT's editor-in-chief said in a statement that Kiselyov, named by President Vladmir Putin in 2013 to lead news organizations that promote Russia abroad, had nothing to do with RT.

"Dmitry Kiselyov has no connection," Margarita Simonyan said in a statement late on Thursday. "Dmitry Kiselyov heads the news agency MIA Rossiya Segodnya."

Simonyan is also editor-in-chief of the state-controlled holding company Rossiya Segodnya, which Kiselyov runs.

The broadcasting bans in Latvia and Lithuania were based on information that Kiselyov, who has been sanctioned by the EU over his central role in Russian government propaganda supporting its military action in Ukraine, de facto controls RT.

"I think they are worried that, after Latvia and Lithuania, other EU countries can determine the connection and more bans will follow," Mantas Martisius, head of Lithuanian media regulator, told Reuters.

Lithuania had acted on information from the country's Foreign Affairs Ministry that Rossiya Segodnya, led by Kiselyov, is in charge of RT, said Martisius.

"RT is free to challenge this in a Lithuanian court, or it can provide documents to the ministry proving the lack of connection between Kiselyov and RT," he added.

Lithuania's Foreign Affairs Ministry refused to comment.

A spokeswoman for Russian Foreign Ministry called the decision to withdraw RT from airways in the Baltic states a "cynical breach into international obligations on safeguarding of the freedom of media".

Latvia's media regulator in its decision said that RT had tried to portray Latvia as a failed country and that Latvia's security services saw RT as the most influential Russian propaganda channel in western Europe.

"We have made the decision based on the information at our disposal that these (TV) programmes are under de facto control of Dmitry Kiselyov," said the watchdog's chairman Ivars Abolins in a statement.

(Reporting By Andrius Sytas, additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Angus MacSwan)
The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police on Friday arrested Sanjay Jain whose name had surfaced in a viral audio recording about horse trading of legislators to topple the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan, an official said.

"Jain has been arrested following interrogation into the FIR lodged on the basis of audio recording that had gone viral on social media," Additional Director General (ATS and SOG) Ashok Rathore said.

Jain was interrogated Thursday and Friday following which the arrest has been made, officials said.

Congress Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi had lodged a complaint demanding a probe and registration of an FIR under sedition charges against three persons -- Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, Gajendra Singh and Sanjay Jain -- who were allegedly discussing a conspiracy to topple the state government in one of the three audio recordings that went viral on social media Thursday.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala had referred to Jain as a BJP leader, a charge denied by that party.

The SOG had earlier on Friday registered two FIRs under IPC sections 124-A (sedition) and 120-B (conspiracy) to probe into the complaint related to horse trading of MLAs and the alleged audio recordings.
PHILADELPHIA, July 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. is investigating securities claims on behalf of investors of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (Deutsche Bank or the Company) ( NYSE: DB ) to determine whether Deutsche Bank may have issued materially misleading business information to investors.



Deutsche Bank investors who purchased, or otherwise acquired, the Companys securities between November 7, 2017 and July 6, 2020, both dates inclusive (the Class Period) and suffered losses greater than $500,000 are encouraged to complete Kehoe Law Firms Securities Class Action Questionnaire or contact Kevin Cauley, Director, Business Development, (215) 792-6676, Ext. 802, securities@kehoelawfirm.com , to discuss the securities investigation or potential legal claims.

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Deutsche Bank and certain company officers seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' alleged violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.

According to the class action complaint, throughout the Class Period, Defendants, allegedly, made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business. Defendants, allegedly, made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Deutsche Bank had failed to remediate deficiencies related to AML, its disclosure controls, procedures, and internal control over financial reporting, and its U.S. operations troubled condition; (ii) as a result, Deutsche Bank failed to properly monitor customers that Deutsche Bank itself deemed to be high risk, including, among others, the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and two correspondent banks, Danske Estonia and FBME Bank, both of which were the subjects of prior scandals involving financial misconduct; (iii) the foregoing, once revealed, was foreseeably likely to have a material negative impact on Deutsche Banks financial results and reputation; and (iv) as a result, Deutsche Banks public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

Story continues

Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. , with offices in New York and Philadelphia, is a multidisciplinary, plaintiffside law firm dedicated to protecting investors from securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties, and corporate misconduct. Combined, the partners at Kehoe Law Firm have served as Lead Counsel or Co-Lead Counsel in cases that have recovered more than $10 billion on behalf of institutional and individual investors.

This press release may constitute attorney advertising.
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi. (Photo: VNA)



All countries hope for a stable and peaceful East Sea, Marsudi told a press conference held virtually on July 16.

She expressed her concern over the developments in the waters, saying respect for international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), is a key aspect that needs to be enforced by all parties.

The minister also affirmed Indonesia's firm and consistent position on its sovereign territory in the sea.

Indonesia underlines the importance of the contributions from all nations to maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, and calls on all countries to refrain from actions that could increase tension in the region, Marsudi reiterated.

Previously, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has insisted that Chinas unilateral claims over the East Sea have no legal basis and run counter to UNCLOS 1982./.
Students wearing a face mask have their temperature checked as a precaution against a new coronavirus as their university reopened following vacation, at Kim Chaek University of Technology in Pyongyang, Wednesday, April 22, 2020.

North Koreans who fail to wear masks face at least three months of disciplinary labor with harsher penalties for people caught sneaking into China under tough new COVID-19 prevention measures, officials in the country told RFA Thursday.

The punishments, to be enforced by students conscripted into facemask patrols, were rolled out this week in a renewed drive against the spread of the coronavirus that belies Pyongyangs official claim that the country has stayed virus free.

Beginning on the 16th, an inspection team is being organized here in Pyongyang and also in provincial cities with police officers, and college and high school students to conduct intensive crackdowns on people who dont wear masks, said an official familiar with policies launched after a top-level meeting this month.

Whoever doesnt wear a mask will be punished with more than three months of disciplinary labor, regardless of who they are, the source, who asked not to be named in order to speak freely, told RFAs Korean Service.

After reports of infections in Chinese provinces near North Korea last month, the government swung into action, sending students back on vacation on July 1, only a month after schools had reopened.

On July 2, at expanded meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers Party, with Kim Jong Un presiding, several senior health officials were fired for failing to contain the virus, RFA reported recently.

Chronic idleness in quarantine efforts

It was at that meeting that Kim instructed the committee to make emergency preparations because the spread of the virus was getting worse, said the Pyongyang source, who attended the July 2 meeting.

From the 12th to the 14th, intensive study sessions were conducted for workers and officials of factories, farms, and law enforcement agencies across the country including in Pyongyang, to strengthen our quarantine efforts, the official said.

This is because during the 14th meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers Party held on the 2nd, the Highest Dignity directly addressed the chronic idleness prevalent among workers on the national emergency quarantine project, and blatant violations of quarantine regulations, the official said, using an honorific term to refer to Kim Jong Un.

The study sessions were conducted to establish practical measures for improving our emergency quarantine measures against the matters that the Highest Dignity pointed out, the source said.

The source said that at one of the study sessions, authorities reminded attendees that several senior ruling party officials from Pyongyang were dismissed for not doing enough to support quarantine measures.

[Authorities] strongly urged workers in charge of factories in Pyongyang to take the lead in the prevention of the coronavirus, so the workers in attendance are on high alert, the source said.

Pyongyang officially asserts that there have been no confirmed COVID-19 cases within its borders, but it has taken extensive measures since late winter to stop the spread of the pandemic, including the lockdown of entire counties and cities and the closure of its economic lifeline  the border with China.

Additionally the government warned the public in health lectures earlier this year that COVID-19 was spreading in three specific areas of the country, including the capital Pyongyang, RFA reported previously.

Punishing border crossers

Similar study sessions on coronavirus prevention among factory and farm workers were held in several areas of North Hamgyong province, including in the cities of Chongjin and Hoeryong, an official from the province told RFA.

On the morning of the 15th in Hoeryong, local workers gathered residents in each neighborhood organization and delivered the ideas discussed at the study sessions, the second source said.

They told residents to be aware of how gravely serious coronavirus infection is and how it impacts society, and told them to make wearing masks part of their daily lives, the second source said.

The source also said the workers explained measures specific to Hoeryong, a city located just across from China on the countries Tumen River border.

Residents of the border area were threatened that they would face more than a year of hard labor if they are caught secretly visiting China or having contact with Chinese without permission, said the second source.

Though the Sino-Korean border has been officially closed since January, the border is quite porous and smugglers and traders, as well as people hoping to escape North Korea, can sneak across the Tumen and Yalu rivers with relative ease in some places.

RFA reported in March that a mask enforcement team had been organized in Kimjongsuk county, Ryanggang province, and was cracking down on maskless residents in marketplaces and streets there.

At that time, a resident said that the punishment for being caught without a mask was a three-day stint at a military labor center.

As of Thursday evening, the World Health Organization has not responded to emails from RFA regarding the COVID-19 situation there, including questions about their figure of zero confirmed cases.

Reported by Sewon Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
By Lambert Strether

Let me begin by listing the headlines, in order of increasing hysteria:

Headlines 3, 4, and 5 are wrong, in that they imply that the CDC is not part of the Trump Adminstration. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as a glance at its About Page shows, is part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and hence part of the Trump administration. The CDC is no sense an independent agency like the SEC or the FAA, and hence is politicized, or not, as any other portion of the executive branch; such independence as its scientific experts and other personnel may have is due solely to the Norms Fairy, and is in no way the result of statutes or regulations. (That may be a bad thing, but it is so.)

In institutional terms, for collecting and aggregating COVID data, the administration has phased out the CDC system (National Healthcare Safety Network, or NHSN) in favor of the HHS Protect[1] system (produced by TeleTracking Technologies Inc. of Pittburgh, PA). In this post I will first compare and contrast the two systems; despite the hysteria, I think theres a prima facie case for the administration doing what it did, because TeleTracking[2] has better tech. I have priors from past lives where I worked in and with companies like TeleTracking, especially on the data side  which is not at all easy  so I feel I know where I am; that said, its hard to dope out the contractual relation between HHS and TeleTracking from the news reports, so at times I will have to speculate.) In an Appendix, just for fun, Ill look at the CDC under Obama. It will be evident that the CDC has had problems  not necessarily of its own making  for some time, long before its COVID testing debacle in 2020.

So now let me run through the differences between centering COVID-19 data collection and aggregation via the CDCs NHSN, and the HHS Protect. (Ill leave aside that the Administration is replacing a government program with a public-private partnership, not because I thinik thats a good idea, but because its sadly ubiquitous.)

First, from the perspective of somebody in the trenches trying to move data, descriptions of the CDCs dataflow raise red flags. For example, under HHS Protect:

HHS said it will also no longer ask for one-time requests for data to aid in the distribution of remdesivir or any other treatments or supplies.

One time requests for data under NHSN, especially in a highly stressed environment like that of a hospital during a pandemic, are a recipe for error, evershifting priorities, and a stressed staff. Further, NHSN coverage is incomplete. In addition, its slow:

Michael Caputo, an HHS spokesman, said the CDC has been seeing a lag of a week or more in data coming from hospitals and that only 85% of hospitals have been participating. The change is meant to result in faster and more complete reporting, he said. A CDC official, who is familiar with the agencys system, disputed Caputos figures, saying only about 60% of the nations hospitals have been reporting to the CDC system, but most data is collected and reported out within two days.

Since a pandemic is multiplicative, neither a week nor two days are acceptible. Both these red flags provide good reasons for change.

Second, the TeleTracking System is better than NHSN at handling data. From Prepared Remarks from HHS Media Call with CDC Director Redfield and CIO Arrieta on COVID-19 Data Collection:

TeleTracking also provides rapid ways to update the type of data we are collectingsuch as adding, for instance, input fields on what kind of treatments are being used. In order to meet this need for flexible data gathering, CDC agreed that we needed to remove NHSN from the collection process, in order to streamline reporting.

From what I can tell, the NHSN provides fields for ICU bed occupancy, Healthcare worker staffing, and Personal protective equipment (PPE) supply status and availability. Thats not very much, particularly if we expect new drugs or vaccines to come online soon. Even better, the TeleTracking System provides a standard schema to structure and validate the fields. HHS, in COVID-19 Guidance for Hospital Reporting and FAQs For Hospitals, Hospital Laboratory, and Acute Care Facility Data Reporting provides a number of ways for hospitals to provide data, including:

Publish to the hospital or facilitys website in a standardized format, such as schema.org. Use one of the above alternate methods until your ASPR Regional Administrator or HHS Protect notifies you that this implementation is being received.

(The schema referenced is by Dan Brickley (!)). He writes, in COVID-19 schema for CDC hospital reporting:

The COVID-19 pandemic requires various medical and government authorities to aggregate data about available resources from a wide range of medical facilities. Clearly standard schemas for this structured data can be very useful. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the U.S. defined a set of data fields to facilitate exchange of this data. We are introducing a Schema.org representation of these data fields. The purpose of this schema definition is to provide a standards-based representation that can be used to encode and exchange records that correspond to the CDC format, with usage within the U.S. primarily in mind. While the existence of this schema may provide additional implementation options for those working with US hospital reporting data about COVID-19, please refer to the CDC and other appropriate bodies for authoritative guidance on the latest reporting workflows and data formats.

Im shocked that CDC had not already adopted a schema. If you want to interchange COVID-19 data electronically between many organizations running different systems, a formal and machine-readable definition of the data fields is the way to go (as opposed to human-readable documentation). Further, since Brickleys schema already expands on CDCs definitions, I would speculate that TeleTrackings use of schemas is the source of the rapid ways to update the type of data we are collecting referred to by Redfield.

So that is the approach to data. Let me now speculate why TeleTracking was selected, and how they might be useful to HHS in the future.

TeleTracking is in the business of patient flow. From Statement of TeleTracking Technologies, Inc. at the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health (PDF):

TeleTrackings mission is to optimize health system operations by enhancing patient flow with solutions and services that enable the highest quality of care delivery and coordination. What does it mean to enhance patient flow? It means helping hospitals care for more patients without building more physical space or purchasing more beds. It means making sure that patients dont languish in emergency rooms  or leave the hospital without receiving care  because of long waits for beds. It means harnessing technology to make the most of the resources already within the health care system to improve quality of care, minimize waste, and decrease health system costs. And, it means unburdening care providers so that they can focus their attention on the patients who need them This is not just about costs or financial performance. Forty-six minutes was just enough time to save the life of a new mother began a recent news story about how the process efficiencies gained at Baptist Memorial Health System are having lifesaving effects. After an emergency cesarean section, a new mother suffered cardiac arrest and needed to be transferred from one facilitys emergency department (ED) to an intensive care unit at Baptists flagship hospital. If Baptist had performed like an average US hospital, this young mother would never have had the chance to meet her new baby. Baptists streamlined patient flow processes, service standards and technologies supported caregivers in their efforts to save this young mothers life, and undoubtedly the lives of countless others. To this end, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) targeted patient flow as a viable improvement strategy in 2011. And, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) identified billions dollars of waste in the health system diverting resources away from patient care. It is apparent that an operational focus is needed to drive down costs, improve efficiency, and assure all patients receive timely access to care and sufficient time with caregivers.

Needless to say, I have other views on how best to drive down costs, but clearly an operational focus would be needed even under a single payer system. The focus on patient flow motivates the data structures on the one hand, but also motivates the creation of dashboards so that executives can make decisions about resources. From Beckers Hospital Review:

1. Recently, New Cross Hospital in the UK reported that it reached one million hand hygiene observations using TeleTrackings sensor technology. In that same period of time, only 600 visual observations were made. 2. TeleTrackings system allows real-time monitoring of patients and availability so rooms can be cleaned and turned over immediately. 3. TeleTrackings technology tracks the hours of care given to each patient along with the number of staff members that come in contact with each case. The data can be used to reduce waste and plan future staffing and costs.

If I were an HHS administrator, and I was faced with the immediate problem of distributing remdesivir (of which the United States bought the worlds stock) or, later  touch wood  faced the problem of distributing vaccines, the tech that TeleTracking has exactly what I would want. I would want very granular data, I would want to understand capacity, and I would want to dashboard to display all that to my crazy boss. Now, I dont know if TeleTracking has a contract for that. But I can see that some clever person has put them in a position to secure one, should that become necessary. By contrast, CDC is merely aggregating data. Not very interesting!

Conclusion

My guess is that a Biden administration would retain the HHS Protect system, much as Obama rationalized and consolidated Bushs programs for warrentless surveillance and assassination.[3]

NOTES

[1] HHS Protect seems to have a lot of other functions than collecting COVID-19 data, but those functions are beyond the scope of this post. Palantir is involved with those functions, and yes, I know the business of data can be quite seamy. I dont think TeleTracking is the prime on HHS Protect, which sounds like a topic for another post.

[2] TeleTracking looks as legitimate as any other health IT company; the field is littered with smallish firms, many smaller than TeleTracking. Employee reviews are good; its not a body shop. They have a good customer list, including the Mayo Clinic, and good reviews. Theyve been in business since 1991, so theyre not a fly-by-night shell company. A search of OpenSecrets shows no campaign contributions either by TeleTracking or by its CEO (adding, although Zamagias is a Republican donor).

[3] The current moral panic is that the Administration will use HHS Protect to jigger the data, as Florida seems to have done. For one thing, the use of a schema means more transparency, not less. For another, there are too many eyes on the dataflow. For a third, both Big Pharma and the hospitals would be very unhappy were revenue to be taken away from them via undercounts, and they would be very willing to share their unhappiness with others. And for a forth, CDC is a branch of HHS, hence part of the executive branch. If Trump wants to damage the dataflow, he doesnt have to set up a new system to do it; he can use the one he already controls.

APPENDIX: The Obama Administration, Pandemics, and the CDC

PPE shortages. Fortune, 2014:

This week, registered nurses will gather in cities across the countryfrom Bangor, Maine, to St. Louis to Sacramentoto call on the Obama administration and Congress to institute standards for protecting front-line healthcare workers from Ebola. The rallies, which have been organized by National Nurses United, the nations largest union for registered nurses, are the latest in a series of actions the group has taken to protect nurses from the virus sinceas NNU co-president Deborah Burger puts itour worst fears were realized.

Budget Cuts. Mike the Mad Biologist, 2010:

the Obama Administration has decided to massively cut the funding for the CDCs antimicrobial resistance and vaccination efforts. I thought this was the kind of anti-science bullshit that the Bush Administration did. Even the Bush Administration wasnt this bad. I am not feeling hopey or changey.

Weak Authority. Reuters, 2009:

Jeff Levi of the Trust for Americas Health, an advocacy and study group often critical of U.S. health policy argued that the agencys director is often a passive diplomat with fewer powers of direct persuasion than a state or city health officer and that the organization must wait to be invited by state authorities or governments to intervene.

And the CDC itself agrees, in its deservedly famous post on the zombie apocalypse, in 2011:

If zombies did start roaming the streets, CDC would conduct an investigation much like any other disease outbreak. CDC would provide technical assistance to cities, states, or international partners dealing with a zombie infestation. This assistance might include consultation, lab testing and analysis, patient management and care, tracking of contacts, and infection control (including isolation and quarantine). Its likely that an investigation of this scenario would seek to accomplish several goals: determine the cause of the illness, the source of the infection/virus/toxin, learn how it is transmitted and how readily it is spread, how to break the cycle of transmission and thus prevent further cases, and how patients can best be treated. Not only would scientists be working to identify the cause and cure of the zombie outbreak, but CDC and other federal agencies would send medical teams and first responders to help those in affected areas.

Note that the CDC failed at lab testing and analysis.

General Failed State Fecklessness. From Health Affairs, in 2014:

There is no question that public- and private-sector leaders involved in the Ebola response, including Frieden, made serious mistakes. Frieden, Texas authorities, the President himself and others were overconfident  at times cocky  that the U.S. health system could handle infection control, contact tracing, isolation, and containment responsibilities if faced with an Ebola case. That proved drastically wrong for Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, a 900 bed, highly respected institution that fumbled badly at several turns. Frieden and others in the administration were slow to reverse course and admit they had underestimated the need for intensive training of hospital staff, better protocols, faster dispatch of CDC swat teams, and far more stringent oversight of those who had been exposed and possibly infected. Politically, Frieden and other officials failed to appreciate just how swiftly a small number of Ebola cases in Dallas could ignite fear across the nation, raise the risk of panic, and begin to erode public trust. Sadly, that fear built upon Americans surprisingly high skepticism that their public health institutions are in fact capable of competently protecting them.

Sound familiar? Adding: The Obama adminstration didnt understand either a multiplying process or the Precautionary Principle. Not a recipe for success, as we have seen.
United States President Donald Trump has said that he wants to do everything possible to keep peace for the people of India and China, according to his spokesperson.

Over the past several weeks, the Trump administration has come out in support of India against China.

"He (Trump) said I love the people of India and I love the people of China and I want to do everything possible to keep the peace for the people," White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.

She was responding to a question on Trump's message to India, which recently had a standoff with China in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control.

Earlier in the day, White House Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow described India as a great ally, saying President Trump is a great friend of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that India has been a great partner of the US.

"India has been a great partner They are an important partner of ours. I have a great relationship with my foreign minister counterpart. We talked frequently about a broad range of issues. We talked about the conflict they had along the border with China. We've talked about the risk that emanates from the Chinese telecommunication infrastructure there," Pompeo told reporters in response to a question.

Travelling in Europe, US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien told reporters that China has been very aggressive with India.

O'Brien said that India is a democracy and is a great friend of the United States. Prime Minister Modi and President Trump have a super relationship, he said.

"In fact, it was the last foreign trip that I took with the president before the COVID-19 crisis hit, was to India, and we had a great reception of the Indian people there. We have a lot in common with them, we speak English, we're democracies. We've got a growing, very strong relationship with India," O'Brien said.

Welcoming the White House statement, Al Mason, co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian American Finance Committee, said that unlike his predecessor, President Trump has come out openly in support of India.

Most of the Indian-Americans have observed that every earlier president - be it a Democrat or Republican, like Clinton or Bush Senior or Bush Jr or Obama have been very scared to side with India openly, for fear of hurting China.

Only President Trump has had the courage to say that I love India, America respects India US stands with India - and that also, to over one billion Indians in India at the Namaste Trump rally held in India and that too near India's neighbour China, Mason said in a statement.

And he is consistent in his love for India and Indian-Americans, he added.
Pune, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global COVID-19 diagnostics market size is projected to reach USD 11.40 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.9% during the forecast period. Uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus worldwide will be the major factor propelling the growth of this market, shares Fortune Business Insights in its report, titled COVID-19 Diagnostics Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Product (Instruments and Reagents & Kits), By Technology (PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay), Point-of-care (POC), and Others), By Sample Type (Oropharyngeal and Nasopharyngeal Swabs, Blood, Urine, and Others), By End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Laboratories & Diagnostic Centers, and Research Institutes), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027.





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The report states that the value of the global market stood at USD 6.22 billion in 2019 and also provides the following:

Detailed analysis of the short-term and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the market;

Comprehensive insights into the upcoming opportunities in the market;

In-depth of the market, drivers, restraints, and segments; and

Careful examination of the regional developments, competitive landscape, and rising investment pockets for the market.

Market Driver

Concerted Efforts towards Developing COVID Detection Tests to Accelerate Growth

With the COVID-19 pandemic showing no signs of abatement, medical and regulatory bodies are collaborating to encourage innovation and speed up research in developing coronavirus detection tools. For instance, in April 2020, the National Institutes of Health in the US announced the launch of Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative with a funding of USD 1.5 billion to commercialize and widen the accessibility of COVID-19 testing.

Similarly, in June 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) joined the COVID-19 Diagnostics Evidence Accelerator created by the Friends of Cancer Research and Reagan-Udall Foundation with the aim to evaluate the performance of PCR and antibody tests for COVID. Together, these and similar initiatives are expected to augment the COVID-19 diagnostics market growth throughout 2020.

According to Johns Hopkins University, global COVID-19 infections reached 100,000 in just 60 days, growing to 200,000 in the next 12-14 days, and the recent addition of 100,000 cases has taken only 3 days. The calculation of the spread of this disease is based on the estimation of the reproduction number or R Naught (Ro). The UK Research and Innovation organization states that if the Ro goes above 1, exponential growth will be witnessed. As per a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine based on the virus transmission rate in Wuhan, the Ro was computed to be between 2.49 and 2.63. Such rapid transmission of the virus has surged the demand for coronavirus diagnostics tools and kits, which is boosting the growth of this market.





Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market.

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Regional Insights

High Number of COVID-19 Cases to Give North America Leading Market Position

The United States is one of the worst-hit countries in the world by the coronavirus pandemic, with the number of cases as of June 2020 standing at 2.68 million and 129,000 deaths. In response, the US government is injecting more funds into medical research facilities to accelerate development of COVID-19 diagnostics and widen the testing net in the country. The regions market size in 2019 stood at USD 2.17 billion.

In Europe, the virus is spreading at a furious pace, with the UK, Italy, Spain, France, and Germany having the highest number of cases. Quick adoption of advanced detection tools in the region will enable it to expand its footprint in the COVID-19 diagnostics market share in the immediate future. Heavy investments by governments in Asia Pacific in the healthcare sector are expected to favor market growth in the region.

Competitive Landscape

Regulatory Support to Novel Diagnostic Solutions to Encourage Innovation

The coronavirus is tightening its hold on the world and pharmaceuticals and governments are in a race against time to develop and launch quick and accurate diagnostic tests for this deadly virus. As a result, bodies such as the FDA are providing the necessary support to companies by removing unnecessary regulatory barriers, which is encouraging other players to innovate.





Quick Buy - COVID-19 Diagnostics Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/103291







Industry Developments:

May 2020: Sofia 2 SARS Antigen FIA test developed by Quidel was green lit by the FDA, making it the first antigen test approved in the US for the detection of COVID-19. These tests identify unique protein fragments found on the outer walls of the coronavirus and deliver quick results.





Sofia 2 SARS Antigen FIA test developed by Quidel was green lit by the FDA, making it the first antigen test approved in the US for the detection of COVID-19. These tests identify unique protein fragments found on the outer walls of the coronavirus and deliver quick results. March 2020: The US FDA cleared Abbotts molecular point-of-care test for detection of COVID in patients through its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). The test promises to deliver positive results in 5 minutes and negative results in 13 minutes.



List of the Key Players Covered in the COVID-19 Diagnostics Market Research Report are:



PerkinElmer Inc. (Massachusetts, U.S)

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (New Jersey, U.S)

Quidel Corporation (California, U.S)

Siemens Healthcare GmbH (Germany)

Abbott (Illinois, U.S)

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Massachusetts, U.S)

bioMerieux SA (France)

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Switzerland)

Danaher Corporation (Washington D.C, U.S)





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Detailed Table of Content:

Introduction Market Scope Market Segmentation Market Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Overview: Guidelines for COVID-19 Diagnosis New Product Launch Prevalence of COVID-19 Disease Key Industry Developments - Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships

Global COVID-19 Diagnostics Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2016-2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Product Instruments Reagents & Kits Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Technology Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Point-of-care (POC) Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Sample Type Oropharyngeal & Nasopharyngeal Swabs Blood Urine Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By End User Hospitals & Clinics Laboratories & Diagnostic Centers Research Institute Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Geography North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa



TOC Continued.!!!





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Have a Look at Related Reports:

Impact of COVID-19 on the Medical Devices Market Size, Share, Industry Analysis and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027



Impact Of Covid-19 On The Pharmaceuticals Market



In-vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Product Type (Instruments, Reagents & Consumables), By Technique (Immunodiagnostics, Clinical Chemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Point of Care, Hematology and Others), By Application (Infectious Diseases, Cardiology, Oncology, Gastroenterology, Others), By End User (Clinical Laboratories, Hospitals, Physicians Offices, Others) and Regional Forecast, 2019  2026

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Immunodiagnostics Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis By Product Instruments, Reagents & Consumables), By Application (Oncology & Endocrinology, Hepatitis & Retrovirus, Cardiac Markers, Infectious Diseases), By End user (Clinical Laboratories, Hospitals, Physicians Offices), By End-user(Hospitals, Dental Clinics, Academic & Research Institutes) and Regional Forecast, 2019 - 2026



(PCR) Polymerase Chain Reaction Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Standard PCR, Real-time PCR, and Digital PCR), By Product (Instruments and Reagents & Consumables), By Indication (Infectious Diseases, Oncology, Genetic Disorders, and Others), By End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Industries, Diagnostic Centers, and Academic & Research Organizations), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026





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CHICAGO, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Warehouse Management System Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis by Offering (Software, Services), Deployment (On-Premise, On-Cloud), Tier Type (Advanced, Intermediate, Basic), Industry (3PL, Automotive, E-Commerce), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market is likely to reach USD 5.1 billion by 2025 from USD 2.4 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 16.0% from 2020 to 2025. The growth of this market can be attributed to the increasing growth in e-commerce industry due to onset of COVID-19 pandemic, emergence of multi-channel distribution networks, globalization of supply chain networks, increasing adoption of on-cloud WMS solutions, and need for efficient forecasting models.

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"On-premise deployment to lead the WMS market from 2020 to 2025"

On-premise deployment is expected to hold the largest share of the WMS market in 2020. Benefits such as enhanced data security, better performance and control over data transmission, and easier customization provided by on-premise warehouse management systems are resulting in their high adoption. Further, the growth of this market is driven by the 3PL, automotive, food & beverages, and healthcare industries.

"Software to lead the WMS market during forecast period"

The software segment is expected to hold the largest market share from 2020 to 2025. Increasing awareness about WMS software among small and midsized enterprises (SMEs), globalization of supply chain networks, and growing share of cloud-based WMS software solutions are the key factors boosting the demand for WMS software. Further, the rising demand for highly sophisticated warehousing and logistics infrastructure is expected to drive the growth of the WMS market for software.

"Advanced (Tier 1) WMS to lead the market from 2020 to 2025"

Advanced (tier 1) warehouse management systems accounted for the largest size of the market during the forecast period. These warehouse management systems offer benefits such as efficient handling of complex warehouse and distribution network, high scalability, and quick processing of large volumes of data generated through warehousing and logistics operations. Further, advanced warehouse management systems aid warehouse operators in making better decisions about inventory stocking, movement, and employee efficiency with adequate and accessible information. These factors are driving the growth of the market for advanced (tier 1) warehouse management systems.

"3PL industry to lead WMS market from 2020 to 2025"

The 3PL industry is one of the major industries driving the growth of the WMS market. Factors such as the growing need for efficient order management, increased outsourcing of logistics and transportation operations, and globalization of supply chain networks have fueled the adoption of warehouse management systems in the 3PL industry. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, a complete 360 transformation in business operations and logistic processes can be observed. Processes have become more dynamic than before, while companies are focusing on the fulfillment of critical tasks. This has given a tremendous boost to 3PL services. As companies continue to make use of 3PL services, their warehousing needs are increasing. This has bolstered the demand for WMS in the 3PL sector.

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"North America to be largest market for warehouse management systems during forecast period"

North America is expected to hold the largest market size for warehouse management systems during the forecast period. Factors such as rising adoption of on-cloud WMS solutions, presence of large companies with global warehousing and distribution operations, growing e-commerce industry, and developed third-party logistics (3PL) networks are driving the growth of the WMS market in North America. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in the US, logistics and supply chain operations are affected severely, especially in the North American region. Retail, industrial and consumer goods are some of the major industries that are hugely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak in North America. Supply chain disruptions will have both long-term and short-term effects on businesses.

Major players operating in the WMS market include Manhattan Associates (US), Blue Yonder (JDA Software) (US), HighJump (Korber) (US), Oracle (US), SAP (Germany), IBM (US), Infor (US), PSI (Germany), PTC (US), Tecsys (Canada), Blujay Solutions (UK), Epicor Software (US).

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No Proud Boys members were arrested Saturday. Several people who saw the groups members at the rally asked The World-Herald why police and rally organizers allowed them to stay.

Conner compared the Proud Boys right to protest to that of the people protesting police mistreatment in other cities who have carried signs suggesting that the only good cop is a dead cop.

University of Nebraska College of Law professor Eric Berger said First Amendment protections prevent governments from cracking down on groups and messages they find distasteful, even if their messages are deeply offensive, racist or sexist.

The Williamses said they didnt know what the group was or that members of the group were at the rally until their son shared a picture the next day. Even if they had known, they said, they couldnt have tossed people out of a public space.

The only person ticketed at the rally was a white Black Lives Matter protester who police said yelled profanities at officers and didnt leave after being told to do so. The man argued in a Facebook post that he was not given time to leave.
Julian Assange's father calls oppression of WikiLeaks founder "the great crime of 21st century" Watch An extended interview with Julian Assange's father John Shipton, who condemns the US, UK, and Australian governments for their "11 years of ceaseless psychological torture" of the WikiLeaks publisher. Posted July 16, 2020 Interview by Denis Rogatyuk Find more reporting at https://thegrayzone.com Support our original journalism at Patreon: https://patreon.com/grayzone Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegrayzonenews Facebook: https://facebook.com/thegrayzone Minds: https://minds.com/thegrayzone Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@thegrayzone No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Newsletter Post your comment below See also The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
PARIS  Perhaps the root of the mutual fascination that binds France and the United States is that each sees itself as an idea, a model of some kind for the rest of the world. This is an immodest but tenacious notion, bound up with the founding articles and myths of both republics. No other countries make such claims for the universality of their virtue.

These are now unfashionable ideas, having their roots in the white patriarchal societies of the late 18th century.

Beware of fashion. It may overcorrect. I will try to explain.

In France, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted in 1789 as the expression of the ideals of the French Revolution, states in its first article: Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. The declaration defines these natural rights as liberty, property, security, and resistance against oppression, and says that liberty consists of doing anything which does not harm others.

Thirteen years earlier, in its Declaration of Independence, the United States set out certain self-evident truths: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The right to govern stemmed from the consent of the governed. Over the ensuing 15 years, these ideas were enshrined in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- On July 17, European Union leaders will convene to discuss a 750 billion-euro ($853 billion) coronavirus recovery plan. If properly designed, the initiative would bring the EUs member nations together in a form of temporary fiscal union. The plan carries potential risks  but the dangers of delay are far greater.

In May, the European Commission outlined plans for a stimulus program that includes both loans and grants to countries hit hardest by the coronavirus crisis. Germany, putting its customary fiscal caution aside, has voiced support for such a scheme. Governments of the so-called Frugal Four  Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden  arent convinced. They favor a smaller plan with offsetting cuts to the EU budget and fewer outright grants, fearing that the commissions proposal will put fiscally disciplined governments on the hook for the budget excesses of countries like Italy.

The skeptics have a point. Fiscal unions do involve this kind of moral hazard. Responsible governments manage their finances so that they have the fiscal space to stimulate their economies when the need arises. Chronic overborrowers find themselves without fiscal room for maneuver when they need it most. A fiscal union that provides net transfers to heavily indebted countries at times of stress does provide, in effect, a subsidy from the prudent to the profligate.

The problem is that in a monetary union such as the euro zone, countries are shackled to a single interest-rate policy and cannot depreciate their currencies with respect to their main trading partners. In difficult times, a one-size-fits-all monetary stimulus, courtesy of the European Central Bank, is unable to deliver sufficient extra demand to the worst-off countries. Leaving national governments to cope with Covid-19 on their own risks terrible consequences for some, despite the European Central Banks best efforts. The political fallout might then put the whole European project at risk. Some form of fiscal partnership is vital.

Story continues

Europes leaders should therefore adopt a fiscal plan that is both temporary  meaning tightly focused on the coronavirus emergency  and sufficiently generous to cope with the pandemics economic consequences.

In truth, the commissions proposal is at the low end of whats needed. Proponents should resist pressure to pare it back. And any plan adopted by EU leaders should deliver the bulk of support in the form of grants, rather than loans, because the countries most constrained in their national budgets are already financially stressed. Europe can readily afford to mobilize 2 trillion euros of emergency support, financed jointly according to shares of population and gross domestic product, with grants given by a formula that weighs unemployment rates and pandemic-driven declines in output.

In the longer term, Europe will need a permanent fiscal union to make the most of its monetary union. Building support for such a scheme might take years. The union cant wait for that bigger debate to be resolved. Right now, it has an economic emergency on its hands, and needs to meet it with solidarity and mutual support.

Editorials are written by the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 20:15:14|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Friday strongly condemned recent deadly airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition on Yemen's provinces.

In a statement on Friday, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi expressed sympathy with the families of victims in the airstrike.

"Sadly, the war crimes committed by the coalition's military forces in Yemen continue under the international community's silence and indifference," said Mousavi.

The Iranian spokesperson urged the international and human rights circles to oppose the continuation of such "crimes" by the Saudi-led coalition fighter jets against Yemen.

At least 25 people were killed on Wednesday when the Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes on three houses in Yemen's northern province of al-Jawf, and nine others were critically wounded in the airstrikes in al-Msaefah residential area east of al-Hazm, local medics said.

Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north, forcing the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbuh Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. Enditem
Its been over a month that Sushant Singh Rajput left us clueless about what really happened on the day of 14th June. While Mumbai Police has been investigating Sushants case, people on Twitter have been demanding a CBI probe in his case as they are not satisfied with how its being handled as they are many loose ends.

 MensXP

Yesterday, Sushants girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty requested Home Minister Amit Shah to initiate a CBI enquiry into the matter. On Twitter, she wrote, wrote, Respected @amitshahofficial sir, Im sushants Singh Rajputs girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, it is now over a month since his sudden demise. I have complete faith in the government, however, in the interest of justice, I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry into this matter. I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step. Yours sincerely Rhea Chakraborty #satyamevajayate.



Respected @AmitShah sir ,

Im sushants Singh Rajputs girlfriend Rhea chakraborty,it is now over a month since his sudden demise

I have complete faith in the government, however in the interest of justice , I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry..part 1 ..  Rhea Chakraborty (@Tweet2Rhea) July 16, 2020

Part 2.. I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry into this matter . I only want to understand what pressures , prompted Sushant to take this step.

Yours sincerely #satyamevajayate @AmitShah sir  Rhea Chakraborty (@Tweet2Rhea) July 16, 2020

Now, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has said no for the CBI probe in his case as he thinks its not required. Anil Deshmukh told Mid-Day, I have the tweets and the campaign. But I dont think that a CBI probe is required. The Mumbai Police is competent enough to handle such cases and they are investigating every aspect of the case including professional rivalry. As of now, we do not see any foul play. Details of the investigation will be shared once it is completed.

His decision of saying no to the CBI investigation has got him backlash on Twitter by people who have been continuously seeking answers and demanding justice. They are upset and angry with Anil Deshmukh on taking such a decision. People are actually thinking that theres something fishy in the entire case.

@AnilDeshmukhNCP How much did you take from Nepotism gang and criminal @BeingSalmanKhan to decide that No CBI. Who the hell you think you are to decide. As people of Maharashtra we want justice #NoCBINOVOTE #CBIIvestigationForSushant @OfficeofUT Wake up before its too late  Dog Salman Khan (@ShushantRajpu18) July 17, 2020

It is our Right to demand Justice, We citizens of India will not be shut, this happened in palghar case, it's happening in SSR case who is Maharashtra govt supporting? ,people or the Underworld ? @Swamy39

@ishkarnBHANDARI

@narendramodi

#ImmediateCBIForSSR https://t.co/xCc8WthkDN  Hope  (@hope_ssr) July 17, 2020

#AnilDeshmukh Aam janta k sbr ka imtihaan mat lo wrna tumari satta plat krne m janta ko bilkul bhi time nhi lgega.



It's not suicide it's pre-planned murder. CBI Enquiry must for SSR !!#SSRCaselsNotSuicide

We want Justice for Sushsnt Singh Rajput !! https://t.co/RuEJ9uZEbu  Priya Mahour (@PriyaMahour2) July 17, 2020

#AnilDeshmukh should understand he has no right to deny what the citizens of this country demand of the govt they chose with the belief their well being and interests will be taken care by fairly.

Citizens asking for a CBI probe are the tax payers can demand #ImmediateCBIForSSR  Shru | #DilBechara  (@shru2511) July 17, 2020

mumbai police is capable of solving any kind of case..but we want a team who is free from political pressure..#AnilDeshmukh #AmitShahDoJusticeForSSR .Dont listen maharashtra govt..they knew who is involved in this case.thats why they are quiet..#CBIEnquiryForSushantSinghRajput  Khushboo Srivastava (@Khushbo08644069) July 17, 2020

#AnilDeshmukh We have no clue why you are in support of the criminals. Do u know how many lives are going to get affected by the statement you have made in #SushanthSinghRajput case. I think the politicians have forgotten the real meaning of "We the People".. https://t.co/b6xyijZjaB pic.twitter.com/QIFm5VzWuX  Joyce Jacob (@JoyceJa00787768) July 17, 2020

Through the tweets, you can very well understand the wrath and why people are upset with Anil Deshmukhs statements. Do you think its fair to the people who have been asking for justice for more than a month now?
A 68-year-old man, accused of raping six minor girls in Bhopal in the past few years, was brought to the Madhya Pradesh capital on Thursday. He was arrested in Srinagar on Wednesday.

The accused will be produced before a court on Friday, the police said.

He had been on the run since Sunday after five of the six girls lodged an FIR against him. The man was arrested from a hotel in Srinagar with the help of Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Besides the crime related to rape we are also investigating if he was a part of a drug peddlers racket as we have gathered information in this regard, said a police officer, who is part of the investigation, on cindition of anonymity.

A resident of Shahpura locality in Bhopal, the man runs a small vernacular newspaper and was a state-level state government accredited journalist. He was also allotted a government bungalow which was later cancelled.

Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, Bhopal, Upendra Jain said, After the incident of rape came to light, he fled to Mumbai in a taxi and later reached Srinagar by a flight via Delhi. Police got the information on Tuesday that he was staying in a hotel in Srinagar.

Police are interrogating him to know why did he go to Srinagar and who are the other accomplices in his crime. Two years ago, the police had arrested the friends of his son in connection with drug peddling. Now, police have got information that the rape accused has a strong connection with drug peddlers. We are trying to verify the information, said Jain.

Police have also written to Income Tax department and Enforcement directorate as he has amassed huge wealth disproportionate to his source of income, he added.

Meanwhile, the advocate of the accused claimed that his client was a victim of political conspiracy.

He was not arrested from Srinagar but fact is he surrendered before the police, said the lawyer Wahid Khan.

The mans daughter said, My father is suffering from prostate cancer and he is being targeted by some politicians. After police had taken the girls to the police station my father had approached the police personnel to prove his innocence but he was not allowed to do so. Had he been an accused in any crime, the police should have arrested him immediately. But it was not done and the entire story was fabricated. Police demolished his legal properties as a part of a conspiracy.

A joint team of district administration, Bhopal municipal corporation (BMC) and police razed a marriage hall and a three-storey apartment owned by him in the city. The buildings were allegedly built by him illegally on government land, as per administrative authorities.

Notably, the five teenager girls were spotted in an intoxicated state by a police patrol team in Ratibad area in Bhopal in the wee hours on Sunday. During counselling by the Childline, the girls narrated their ordeal about repeated rape with them in the past few years by the accused. Later on Monday, one more minor girl came forward and registered a case of rape against him, said police.

He faces three FIRs lodged with Shahpura, Koh-e-fiza and Shyamla Hills police stations under sections 366 (a) (procuration of minor girls), 376 (2) (n) (repeated rape), 120 b (criminal conspiracy) and sections 5/6 and 14 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Wildlife Protection Act and under relevant sections of SC/ST (Prevention of atrocities) Act, said the DIG of police.

As of now, police have arrested four people including two women, who were working as his aide for luring the girls and shifting them from one place to another, according to police.
Roger Stone has a tattoo of Richard Nixon on his back. But its the current president, Donald Trump, who had Stones back when last Friday he granted a commutation of the 40-month sentence his friend was facing for lying during the Russian investigation.

In doing so, Trump turned his back on the justice system and, ultimately, the American people by shamelessly shielding Stone, a felon convicted of obstruction of a congressional investigation, five counts of making false statements to Congress, and for intimidating a witness.

Even Attorney General William Barr, who often wrongly acts more like Trumps personal attorney rather than the nations chief law enforcement officer, called Stones prosecution righteous and the final sentence fair (after working to reduce the length of it, that is).

Other, more principled Republicans were blunt about what can only be seen as a presidential protection racket. Unprecedented, historic corruption: An American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, tweeted on Saturday.

That description wasnt far from what Stone said himself. (Trump) knows I was under enormous pressure to turn on him, Stone told journalist Howard Fineman. It would have eased my situation considerably. But I didnt.

Another resolute Republican, Robert Mueller, who hearkens back to an era when law and order was a governing guidepost, not a Nixon or Trump campaign slogan, broke his long silence in a Washington Post commentary. The investigation, Mueller wrote, was of paramount importance because Russias actions were a threat to Americas democracy.

Regarding Stones prosecution in particular, Mueller wrote that, Stone became a central figure in our investigation for two key reasons: He communicated in 2016 with individuals known to us to be Russian intelligence officers, and he claimed advance knowledge of WikiLeaks release of (Clinton campaign) e-mails stolen by those Russian intelligence officers.

So Stones crimes  and in fact, they remain crimes of which he is not absolved  were a direct threat to the electoral process, the DNA of our democracy. Criminals like Stone endanger justice itself. It was critical, Mueller wrote, for Congress and the Justice Department to obtain accurate information. When a subject lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of governments efforts to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable.

Muellers patient, painstaking explanation contrasts starkly with Trumps claim that Stone was treated very unfairly. On the contrary, its Americans who were treated unfairly by Stone, and by a president buying his silence.

Every president has broad prerogative on clemency and pardons, and the congressional calls for reform must pass constitutional muster. Trump is not the first to make controversial calls on these matters.

But few, if any, uses of presidential powers have been as egregious as this.

 Star Tribune, Minneapolis
By Dan Williams

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's top coalition partner wants Israel to shelve planned West Bank annexations and instead focus on improving conditions for Jewish settlers and Palestinians in the occupied territory, two cabinet ministers said on Friday.

Centrist ex-general Benny Gantz and the conservative Netanyahu agreed to begin discussing annexations as of July 1, but the plan -- already dogged by diplomatic blowback -- has been sidelined by a resurgence of coronavirus.

Gantz says the health crisis should take precedence over any West Bank moves that may inflame conflict with the Palestinians. The Israeli-occupied West Bank is part of territory Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Netanyahu could go it alone in declaring Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank settlements and strategic Jordan Valley. But Gantz's misgivings have complicated Israeli efforts to present a united front on annexations and how they might fit with U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Middle East peace.

While Gantz -- whose popularity has plunged since he broke with an opposition alliance to join Netanyahu in March -- has limited political clout, his role as defence minister also puts him directly in charge of civilian activities in the West Bank.

Alon Schuster, Israel's agriculture minister and a member of Gantz's Blue and White party, said he was working to achieve "cultivation and not annexation, now" for West Bank farmers.

"We need to bring water to the Jordan Valley -- for both the Israelis and the Palestinians who live there, by the way -- and to improve electricity," Schuster told Tel Aviv radio station 102 FM. "Why quarrel and waste time? ... I hope we expend our national resources on this."

Another Blue and White minister said this was also Gantz's approach, and that the party leader believed working on West Bank infrastructure shared by settlers and Palestinians would "enable coexistence in accordance with the Trump plan".

Story continues

Asked to respond, Netanyahu's office declined comment.

The Palestinians have rejected the Trump plan, which envisages them gaining statehood in 70% of the West Bank, as a non-starter. European powers worry unilateral Israeli territorial moves could kill off long-moribund peacemaking.

Senior ministers from Netanyahu's Likud party have urged annexation now. Some privately worry that Trump's interest will wane as the U.S. election in November nears, and that should he lose, that would close a window of opportunity for annexation.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Catherine Evans)
SHANGHAI, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai Electric (SHA:601727/HK:02727) announced today that its SEunicloud platform has won the world's first industrial intelligence award at the 2020 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) Summit. The platform earned the "Zhan Lu" Award in the Best Service sector. WAIC 2020 was held at the Golden Hall of the Shanghai Expo Center on July 9. The Award was jointly established by Forbes China and the Global Industrial Intelligence Summit to recognize achievements in global-oriented industrial intelligence.

Huang Ou, the deputy secretary of the Party Committee and president of Shanghai Electric Group, noted, "In the future, Shanghai Electric will continue to develop the SEunicloud platform and improve the service model industrial Internet platform within the Yangtze River Delta regional radiation throughout the country and even the world."

This year's event was organized by the committee of the World Artificial Intelligence Congress and co-hosted by the China Institute of Information and Communication and the Industrial Internet Industry Alliance, among others. The Summit focused on "Innovation, Integration and Build the Future of Intelligent Industry." The program included sharing the technological frontiers of industrial blockchain, industrial big data and industrial Internet industry platform as well as exploring new models of industrial Internet industry chain finance.

A major topic of WAIC 2020 was the building of a new ecological structure for the industrial Internet. To this end, in the hope of accelerating the evolution of its work, Shanghai Electric upgraded the company's digital solution platform SEunicloud. The platform empowers intelligent wind power operation, remote thermal power operation, machine tool maintenance, energy storage and distribution. Using SEunicloud, Shanghai Electric has been providing efficient solutions, including troubleshooting, remote operations, maintenance, and energy planning to meet demands in various scenarios.

The SEunicloud platform is also equipped with an intelligent supply chain solution that is designed to match factory production with power plant demand directly. The DES-PSO energy planning solution of the platform features design and planning, investment analysis and risk assessment functions. These allow customers to evaluate the financial viability of large-scale energy production projects before commissioning their construction. The Shanghai Electric E-Commerce solution component of the platform is a one-stop platform equipped with spare parts, maintenance services, transformation optimization and more. This facilitates the online delivery of more than 22,000 spare parts products and 70 standard repair packages-all at near factory price.

The summit also announced the official launch of the Industry-Finance Integration of Industrial Internet Program. After the formation of the consortium, Shanghai Electric will jointly promote the construction of a public service platform for industrial Internet finance and build a credible, interoperable and coordinated industrial Internet financial system.

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PRAIRIE City Cinema, Portage la Prairies lone movie theatre, has been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic shut most everything down in mid-March.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/7/2020 (551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PRAIRIE City Cinema, Portage la Prairies lone movie theatre, has been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic shut most everything down in mid-March.

More than four months later, owner David Mulaire says his is the only business in town not allowed to be up and running  and hes getting fed up.

"Its ridiculous how movie theatres are being treated. We should be on the same tier as restaurants, we cater to the same clientele," Mulaire said Thursday.

"We can promote social distancing, we can follow the rules better than a restaurant  and here we are."

Mulaire said hes been fighting the provinces movie theatre closure rules since May, after the government started the first phase of its reopening plan, and drive-ins were allowed to start summer screenings.

The independent five-screen cinema has a maximum capacity of 160 in its largest theatre. Mulaire said he presented the province with plans to open as a "drive-in" (using the parking lot) or at reduced capacity to comply with social-distancing rules.

However, Mulaire said public health authorities have "stonewalled" him.

"Im prepared to follow all the guidelines that theyve set out," he said. "They move the goalpost on me all the time."

At first, Mulaire said the province took issue with his pop-up drive-in plan, citing concerns over use of washrooms. The province later told him Prairie City was not originally built as a drive-in theatre, so it could not operate as one under pandemic restrictions.

With the second stage of reopening in June, Mulaire began running outdoor movie nights on weekends  permitted under the provinces "outdoor events" category  as a way to drum up revenue.

"Its paying to keep the lights on, its paying the few staff that I have," he said, adding staff have had to look for other jobs to supplement their own incomes in the meantime.

Chuck Davidson, president of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, said he believes movie theatres have "fallen through the cracks" as the government phases-in its reopening plan.

"These are businesses that are prepared to take all the necessary precautions. Weve been working with them in terms of providing proper protocols... but for whatever reason, theres been this unwillingness to allow them to do that," Davidson said Thursday.

"I really cant understand what the hold up is, and I think thats part of the frustration from the industry. Theyre not able to get clarity in terms of what the problems are and what more they can potentially do to make sure that they are taking those necessary precautions."

Davidson noted there are only "a handful" of independent theatres in the province, many of which are located in rural centres.

"Theyre locally owned they dont have that same sort of cashflow that a Cineplex would have," Davidson said. "Not every industry is performing at full strength at this point in time, but weve got an industry thats not performing at all."

Adding to the frustration: movie theatres in other parts of the country have been allowed to open their doors and light up their screens, albeit with enhanced cleaning and safety measures in place.

Sarah Van Lange, a representative for Cineplex Inc., said the national chain has been able to open select cinemas in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and PEI.

"At this point, provincial restrictions still require our theatres in Manitoba to remain temporarily closed, but we are hopeful that there will be news to share on that front as well soon," Van Lange said in a statement.

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.

Cineplex theatres have rolled out reserved seating, as well as physical-distancing measures for lobbies, game floors and service areas. The cinemas have also enhanced cleaning protocols and provided staff personal protective equipment, the statement said.

Despite being willing to meet these concessions at his own theatre  including opening at reduced capacity, with staggered showtimes and one movie per auditorium per day  Mulaire said the government has gone silent in responding to requests for clarity.

At a news conference Thursday, chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin told media he anticipates movie theatres opening soon, and the government is "working on such a plan now."

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca
17.07.2020 LISTEN

A Tanzanian governor, infamous for creating a surveillance squad in 2018 to hunt down gay people, has resigned to seek a parliamentary seat in October's general elections.

Paul Makonda announced his resignation as the administrative head of the economic capital Dar es Salaam on Wednesday on Twitter and asked for prayers.

He will seek the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi's nomination for a parliamentary seat in the city's Kigamboni suburb.

During his five-year term as the city's commissioner, Mr Makonda attracted headlines both locally and abroad over his anti-gay campaign, leading to sanctions against him and his family by the US in February.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the sanctions were due to Mr. Makondas involvement in gross violations of human rights.

Homosexual acts are illegal in Tanzania.

In August 2019, Mr Makonda also hit the headlines over plans to create and publish a national database of married men to protect women from "heart break".

He said the idea came to him after receiving complaints from women abandoned by their lovers.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 05:43:57|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The China Cultural Center in Cairo held on Friday a video conference under the theme of trends in China-Arab literature exchange after the epidemic, highlighting the role of culture and literature in promoting the bilateral ties.

"Literary exchange that has been carrying on continuously at the official level between the Chinese Cultural Center and several Arab authorities contributes to developing and enriching the potentials of cultural ties," said Mohsen Fergani, an Egyptian researcher and translator of the Chinese literature.

Fergani, also a professor of Chinese language at Ain Shams University, noted that representatives of Chinese and Egyptian book publication houses and unions have gathered in many meetings and forums that aimed at spreading both countries' heritage and civilization.

"Translation competitions for young generations have also been jointly held by the Chinese Cultural Center in Cairo and Egypt's National Center for Translation," he said.

However, only 2,000 Arabic literature books have been translated into Chinese, still a "weak" number "compared with the long history of cultural cooperation between the Arab world and China," Fergani noted.

Xue Qingguo, head of the School of Arabic Studies of China's Beijing Foreign Studies University, said Arab literature has a good place in the heart of the Chinese readers over decades, but its translation still suffers difficulties like other old Arab heritage like poetry and plays.

Shi Yuewen, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Egypt and head of the Chinese Cultural Center in Cairo, highlighted the literary exchange as "an important tool to promote mutual understanding between the peoples of China and the Arab countries."

For his part, Li Jinqi, deputy director of the Outreach Department of the Chinese Writers Association (CWA), said the CWA "has long been committed to promoting friendly exchanges between Chinese and Arab writers and translators."

"The cooperation in the literature field has built a bridge between China and the Arab countries," Li added, noting the CWA will spare no effort to solve difficulties for both writers and translators. Enditem
DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th July, 2020) Syrian Justice Minister Hisham al-Shaar told Sputnik on Friday that Damascus and Moscow have set up a committee to document crimes committed by terrorists and US forces in Syria.

"The Syrian and Russian sides have a committee to document crimes committed by terrorists and to document crimes committed by the American coalition," al-Shaar told Sputnik in Damascus.

The minister went on to say that there is a new agreement between the two sides on information sharing between justice ministries.

"The most recent agreement is a cooperation protocol between the justice ministries of the two countries concerning combating terrorism and documenting crimes. A cooperation protocol was signed to exchange information about terrorism," Al-Shaar said.

He went on to add that there are several agreements, and more drafts pending signatures, on expatriation and transfer of suspects charged with specific crimes.
The Defense Department's Personnel and Readiness directorate is weighing whether to strip names and gender pronouns from promotion boards, according to Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

During a remote town hall-style forum from the Pentagon on Friday, Esper said he has directed his team to consider whether to strike identifying information such as names and gender from evaluations and promotion packets to prevent unconscious bias from tainting the decision-making process.

Read More: Pentagon Bans Confederate Flag on Bases Without Mentioning it by Name

"We are trying to root these practices out that might enable unconscious bias. ... I've asked [the] directorate to go out and come back within 45 to 60 days to present a plan by which we could strike references to names, references to gender that may trigger unconscious bias. It's to make sure it's a merit-based system and solely a merit-based system," Esper said.

The response was to a question from Army Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Fadeyi, the first sergeant of the 47th Combat Support Hospital at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, who was born in Nigeria and moved to the U.S. at age 5.

"With a name, the gender and possibly race of that soldier would be present for the board members," Fadeyi told Esper, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and his senior enlisted adviser, Chief Master Sgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez.

Esper issued a military-wide directive Wednesday barring the use of photos in promotion boards and ordering a review of hair and grooming standards to eliminate racial bias.

He also promised that the DoD would update its equal opportunity and diversity inclusion policies, conduct research on prejudice and bias across the department and services, and develop training that "enables commanders to have relevant, candid and effective discussion."

"These actions identified today will better ensure a diverse workforce at all levels, an inclusive environment, and equal opportunity for all who serve. But hard work remains as efforts to shift our culture require steadfast attention," Esper said.

The Army announced in June that it would stop using photos in promotion boards, and Navy officials said they planned to review the practice.

The Air Force required them only under some circumstances, but Marine Corps officials said they would continue requiring them for the boards, which review promotions for the enlisted ranks of staff sergeant and above and captain through major general.

The Coast Guard does not require photos and, last year, it dropped gender-specific pronouns and first names from evaluations and promotion packages to eliminate possible bias.

Leaders at the Pentagon and within the individual services began speaking up about racial equality and discussing policy changes to promote diversity in the ranks following the protest movement that evolved after the death May 25 of George Floyd, a Black man who died in Minneapolis police custody.

Esper promised more changes to ensure that the DoD is a workplace that promotes equal opportunity -- something he said would bolster effectiveness and morale.

He has established a DoD Board on Diversity and Inclusion, which is responsible for developing steps to address those issues, and is starting the process of establishing a Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion in the Armed Services, similar to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, to provide long-term guidance on diversity issues and equality.

"The actions I am directing are a necessary first step, but I have no illusion that these initial actions will fully address the concerns many of us know and which I have personally heard from many service members," Esper said.

During the town hall, Colon-Lopez said the department is committed to ensuring that everyone in the ranks, regardless of race, color or gender, has equal opportunity to excel in the armed services.

"We can do better when it comes to the boards, but we also want to make sure that we implement a system that is not going to hinder your opportunities for promotion," Colon-Lopez said.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: MIlitary Leaders to Troops: It's Time to Talk About Racism and Protests
A Covid-19 vaccine developed by researchers at Oxford University generated an immune response against the disease in Phase-1 trial, The Telegraph reported even as official publication of the results are awaited.

The Oxford vaccine candidate is believed to be leading the race among over 100 to find an effective protection against the disease.

Oxford scientists have found that the jab triggers a response that may offer a "double defence" against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, The Telegraph report said on Wednesday.

The vaccine was developed at the University of Oxford's Jenner Institute.

Oxford in April announced an agreement with the UK-based global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca for the further development, large-scale manufacture and potential distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine candidate.

While the Phase-1 trial of the vaccine candidate began in April itself, a start of the Phase2/Phase-3 UK trial of the Oxford vaccine, named AZD1222, in about 10,000 adult volunteers, was announced in May.

However, the results of the Phase-1 trial were still awaited.

In June, Astrazeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told Belgian radio station Bel RTL that the Oxford vaccine will likely provide protection against the disease for one year.

"We think it will protect for about a year," Soriot was quoted as saying.

According to a report in City A.M., AstraZeneca is aiming to deliver two billion doses of the drug by the end of the year.

The drugmaker had earlier said it had reached an agreement with Europe's Inclusive Vaccines Alliance (IVA), spearheaded by Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, to supply up to 400 million doses of the University of Oxford's Covid-19 vaccine, with deliveries starting by the end of 2020.

The company completed similar agreements with the UK, the US, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and Gavi the Vaccine Alliance for 700 million doses, and it agreed a licence with the Serum Institute of India for the supply of an additional one billion doses, principally for low- and middle-income countries.
The meeting was pushed to Sunday to give more time to Oli and the faction led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal to sort out their differences

Kathmandu: A crucial meeting of Nepal's ruling communist party was postponed for the fifth time until Sunday to give more time to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the rival faction led by former premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' to sort out their differences.

The Standing Committee meeting of the Communist Party of Nepal (NCP) was scheduled for Friday but it was postponed until 3 pm on Sunday at the request of Oli and Prachanda. Earlier in the day, the meeting was deferred for a few hours for parleys.

The meeting has been fixed for 3 pm Sunday, Surya Thapa, Oli's press advisor, tweeted. The last time the Standing Committee meeting was held on 2 July.

The party has also decided to hold a crucial meeting of its 441-member Central Working Committee (CWC), Ganesh Shah, a Standing Committee member, told PTI.

The Prime Minister's fate will now be decided in the CWC meeting that could be held next week, he said.

The CWC is authorised to take a formal decision on the 'one-man, one-post' to be implemented in the party as per the demand of the dissident group led by Prachanda, he said.

Sunday's Standing Committee meeting is expected to fix the date for the CWC meeting, which will ultimately decide the fate of Oli, Shah said.

The two leaders on Friday held informal talks to sort out their differences.

Friday's meeting of the 45-member Standing Committee was to decide on Oli's future after talks to strike a new power-sharing deal between him and executive chairman of the NCP Prachanda failed to make any headway on Thursday too.

Prime Minister and party chairman Oli, Prachanda and former premier Madhav Kumar Nepal also held an informal meeting at the PM's official residence at Baluwatar in an effort to end the intra-party strife.

During the meeting, Oli refused to resign or give up his position as chairman of the NCP.

A series of meetings tried to sort out the differences between Oli and the dissident group. But, as the prime minister didn't accept their condition of a one-man-one-post, the talks failed, party sources said.

Top NCP leaders, including 'Prachanda', have been demanding Oli's resignation, saying his recent anti-India remarks were "neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate." They are also against Oli's autocratic style of functioning.

The differences grew further after Oli said that some of the ruling party leaders are aligning with the southern neighbour to remove him from power after his government issued a new political map incorporating three Indian territories.

The Prachanda-Nepal faction rejected the allegations, saying it is them who have asked for resignation, not India.

They asked Oli to show evidence to support his allegation.

Prachanda has said that he will not allow the party to split and any attempt from anywhere to weaken its unity would hurt the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and natural disasters.

Last Friday, the meeting of the Standing Committee was postponed for a fourth time at the last moment, citing floods and landslides in the country.

The differences between the two factions of the NCP, one led by Oli and the other led by Prachanda on the issue of power-sharing, intensified after the prime minister unilaterally decided to prorogue the budget session of Parliament.
The Republican Party of Texas kicked off its suddenly all-virtual statewide convention on Wednesday with many technical glitches and a jab at Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner for blocking its plans for an in-person event at the last minute.

Party chairman James Dickey apologized to convention-goers for glitches in the audio and video feed, and for delays in getting credentials to Republicans trying to attend party events online.

This is not the kickoff that I was expecting for the convention that weve been working for and planning on for three years and that one Democrat mayor worked to unravel, Dickey said, referring to Turner.

The convention was supposed to start at 9 a.m., but started closer to 10 a.m. and then was plagued by long stretches of livestream crashes. When it did work, the audio had an echo that made speakers hard to hear.

Just before 6 p.m., Dickey announced the convention would shut down early for the day.

Due to the extenuating circumstances and technical issues, this body will adjourn and reconvene at noon tomorrow, Dickey said.

Turner ordered Houston First Corp., the city-owned nonprofit that manages the George R. Brown Convention Center, to cancel the GOP event last week, warning that it could further spread the coronavirus in Houston, which has already been hit hard.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

No one wanted to step in and be the heavy and say no, and then run the risk of being accused of being political, Turner said then, adding that as mayor he had to react to the public health threat.

The result has been that convention speeches typically done in person before a packed audience have instead been pushed online through video messages, including one from Gov. Greg Abbott, who defended his actions on COVID-19 as some Republicans Party leaders have voted to censure him for going too far in requiring most Texans to wear masks.

Now I know that many of you all are frustrated  so am I, Abbott said in the message. I know that many of you do not like the mask requirement  I dont either. It is the last thing that I wanted to do  actually the next to the last. The last thing that any of us want is to lock Texas back down again.

Abbott warned them the facts on the ground have gotten worse each day.

Many regions are running out of ICU beds, Abbott said. And deaths have almost quadrupled, reaching more than 100 in one day last week. If we dont slow this disease quickly our hospitals will get overrun and I fear it will even inflict some of the people that Im talking to right now.

Abbott also pushed back at critics in the party who have argued his actions have been unconstitutional. He reminded them that he was once the attorney general of Texas and fought in court for the constitutional rights of Texans.

I will never abandon the constitution, Abbott said. And I havent here.

Beyond speeches to the party faithful, the Republican Party of Texas Convention is also when party leaders will build a party platform and decide who will be chairman of the party for the next two years. Former Florida Congressman Allen West and Waxahachie Republican activist Amy Hedtke are challenging Dickey, who has led the party since 2017.

The convention could also take up a censure of Abbott for his handling of COVID-19. So far, eight county Republican Party executive committees have passed resolutions to censure Abbott for imposing mask rules and other restrictions hes imposed in a bid to slow the spread of the virus. Those county censures can now be taken up at the state convention.
(Natural News) From July 10 to July 12, there were more than two dozen shooting incidents in New York City. At least 34 people were injured during these shootings, and one person died  a one-year-old boy.

The one-year-old, Davell Gardner, was shot in the stomach as gunmen opened fire on a gathering in a park in Brooklyn at around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. He was taken to a local hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. Three other people were treated at hospitals due to gunshot wounds received during the same incident.

On July 12,2020, at approximately 11:00 P.M., in the vicinity of 464 Madison Avenue in the confines of the 79 precinct, two unknown perpetrators discharged numerous rounds striking four victims. One of those victims was 1-year-old Davell Gardner, who later died from his wounds. pic.twitter.com/Fv9h7E6YSN  Chief Rodney Harrison (@NYPDDetectives) July 14, 2020

Officials from the New York Police Department (NYPD) have recorded no less than 28 shooting incidents between Friday and Sunday. In this same period last year, there were only five shootings.

In fact, the number of shootings for all of 2020 has drastically increased. From January 1 to July 5, there were 585 shooting incidents in New York City. In this same period last year, there were only 381. Furthermore, the number of shooting victims in the city has gone up by 63.3 percent compared with the same time last year.

In June alone, the number of shooting incidents in the city rose by 130 percent to 205, compared with just 89 incidents during the same month in 2019. The number of reported murders in June of this year has also risen by 30 percent.

Davell Gardner, Jr. was just starting his life. It was full of possibility. Gun violence is a national tragedy. We cannot allow it to happen on our streets and to our children. https://t.co/mGTFSu5O7B  Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) July 13, 2020

The violence in the city continued as the week progressed. Over 100 people received gunshot wounds due to the recent spike in shooting incidents, and at least 44 more people were shot between Monday and the early morning hours of Thursday.

Listen to this episode of the Health Ranger Report, a podcast by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, as he talks about how, due to the nationwide increase in violent crime perpetrated by the Black Lives Matter movement and their police abolitionist allies, gun stores across America are running out of firearms to sell.

NYPD stretched too thin, working in a toxic environment

Many of the recent shootings in New York City remain unsolved. Due to this, and the recent spike in shooting incidents, both the leadership of the NYPD and elected New York City officials have taken to accusing each other of not doing enough to stop the violence.

Even as the number of shooting incidents has gone up, the NYPDs arrest numbers have gone down. This has led elected officials to allege that police officers are staging a work slowdown in response to increased criticism from the Black Lives Matter movement and other detractors over the supposed presence of police brutality and systemic racism in the department.

However, senior NYPD commanders fired back, saying they simply do not have enough resources to deal with a wave of shooting incidents, civil unrest brought about by a pandemic, riots and demonstrations, and a hostile political climate that has made officers reluctant to carry out arrests because of what they see as unfair scrutiny of their conduct.

Furthermore, NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot F. Shea said in an interview that the departments ability to prevent and solve crime was further diminished by the release of thousands of inmates from Rikers Island due partly to measures implemented to contain the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), but also due to the passage of a new bail law.

Shea also said that the partial shutdown of courts in the state of New York due to the pandemic has delayed action in a lot of gun-related violence cases.

When you put those two factors together and now you add in an anti-police sentiment and new laws that do not help the police, it is a toxic, toxic environment.

The NYPD also said that a lot of the violence may be attributed to an escalating feud between two rival gangs.

In response to the backlog in shooting investigations, Rodney Harrison, NYPDs Chief of Detectives, has shifted 250 people from anti-crime units into detective squads. He said that the officers knowledge of neighborhoods where they used to work at can help the Detective Bureau identify people who may be involved in shootings.

Mayor Bill de Blasio also said that he plans to increase the number of police patrols in several neighborhoods in Brooklyn where many of the recent shootings took place. He will also employ nonprofit organizations that employ former gang members to help mediate disputes that may have arisen.

This is the way forward, said the mayor when he announced his plans on Wednesday.

Other big cities across the United States are experiencing an increase in shooting incidents. These cities include Houston, Denver, Chicago and Atlanta. (Related: Atlantas mayor calls for violence to stop after fatal shooting of 8-year-old girl.)

Learn more about the recent surge in shooting incidents and about the violence brought about by anti-police rioters like Antifa and the Black Lives Matter movement by reading the articles at Shootings.news.

Sources include:

WSJ.com

AMNY.com

NYTimes.com
The 61-year-old became unwell during a weekly cabinet meeting and passed away at a hospital on July 8.

Ivory Coasts Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly was buried in a private ceremony at the end of a week of national mourning triggered by a death that stunned the West African country.

The 61-year-old, who had heart surgery in 2012, became unwell during a weekly cabinet meeting and was taken to a hospital where he passed away on July 8.

He was buried on Friday in the family tomb in his home town of Korhogo, the main city in the countrys north, a source close to his family said.

Funeral prayers were said earlier in the citys main mosque, with several hundred mourners, including 78-year-old President Alassane Ouattara in attendance.

Gon Coulibaly died shortly after returning from France, where he had undergone long treatment for cardiac problems.

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Nicknamed the Lion of Korhogo, he was highly popular in the city of his birth, where he was also a member of Parliament and mayor for a long time.

Gon Coulibaly was a model, said teacher El Hadj Bambadji Bamba, adding: This is the funeral of a chief. We turned out in large numbers today. We had to be here, after everything that this man did for his country.

Locals said infrastructure funds had flowed into Korhogo during his time in office.

He tarmacked the main roads and the neighbourhoods, installed electricity throughout the city and the villages outside, gave us piped water and built schools and health centres, said the local mayor, Lazani Coulibaly, who shares the same family name.

He changed the face of the city  he achieved more in 10 years than people did in the previous 40.

His death creates huge uncertainty over the election in Ivory Coast, the worlds top cocoa grower, which has returned to normalcy after years of political turbulence and a brief civil war that killed 3,000 people.

The ruling RHDP party is now expected to step up deliberations on how to fill the gap for the presidential vote, due on October 31.

In 2011, Ouattara overthrew then-President Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to step down after losing elections.

In March, Ouattara announced he would not seek a third term in office before naming Gon Coulibaly as his desired successor.
Todays workforce may not accept or remain in a position if it is not flexible. An EY study found that more than 70 percent of employees, regardless of generation, identified that working with colleagues who support flexible work is the most vital job attribute, second only to competitive pay and benefits. More than 70 percent of parents  and 65 percent of nonparents  said theyd leave a job based on the lack of workplace flexibility. EY also debunked the myth that millennials prefer start-up culture; rather, they are drawn to established, large corporations. A bureaucratic job with the government may not be such a big leap after all.
A 25-year-old man has been booked for sexually assaulting a 40-year-old homemaker at a Covid-19 quarantine facility in Panvel, where both were admitted. The accused posed as a doctor. The incident took place on Thursday evening and is the first instance of rape reported from a quarantine facility in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

The accused, a resident of Panvel, used to work at a mall but has been unemployed since the lockdown. The homemaker lives in Kharghar with her husband and two children.

The woman was admitted to the Indiabulls quarantine facility in Kongaon on Wednesday and the accused was admitted on Thursday. On Thursday evening, hours after arriving, he [the accused] went to the womans room. During their conversation, she told her she was having leg pain. He claimed he is a doctor and offered to give her a leg massage. He then sexually assaulted her and left, said an officer from Panvel rural police station.

The woman later reported the assault to a staff member and the police was informed.

We have booked the accused under sections 376 (rape) and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman) of the Indian Penal Code. He is currently not under arrest as he has tested positive and is getting treatment for Covid-19, said Ashok Rajput, senior inspector, Panvel rural police station.

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By Medea Benjamin - Zoltan Grossman

Since George Floyd was murdered, we have seen an increasing convergence of the "war at home" against Black and brown people with the "wars abroad" that the U.S. has waged against people in other countries. Army and National Guard troops have been deployed in U.S. cities, as militarized police treat our cities as occupied war zones. In response to this "endless war" at home, the growing and thunderous cries for defunding the police have been echoed by calls for defunding the Pentagon's wars. Instead of seeing these as two separate but related demands, we should see them as intimately linked, since the racialized police violence on our streets and the racialized violence the U.S. has long inflicted on people around the world are mirror reflections of each other.

We can learn more about the war at home by studying the wars abroad, and learn more about the wars abroad by studying the war at home. Here are some of those connections:

Both "defunding the police" and "defunding war," while opposed by most elected Republicans and mainstream Democrats, are gaining public support. Mainstream politicians have long been afraid of being painted as "soft on crime" or as "soft on defense." This self-perpetuating ideology reproduces the idea that the U.S. needs more police on the streets and more troops policing the world, or else chaos will reign. The mainstream media has kept politicians afraid to offer any kind of alternate, less militaristic vision. But the recent uprisings have turned "Defund the Police" from a fringe chant to a national conversation, and some cities are already reallocating millions of dollars from the police to community programs.

Likewise, until recently, calling for cuts to U.S. military expenditure was a great taboo in Washington. Year after year, all but a few Democrats lined up with Republicans to vote for massive increases in military spending. But that is now beginning to change. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., introduced a historic, aspirational resolution proposing a massive $350 billion in cuts, which is more than 40 percent of the Pentagon budget. And Sen. Bernie Sanders, along with other progressives, introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to cut the Pentagon budget by 10 percent.

Just as we want to radically redefine the role of police in our local communities, so we must radically redefine the role of military personnel in the global community. As we chant "Black Lives Matter," we should also remember the lives of people dying every day from U.S. bombs in Yemen and Afghanistan, U.S. sanctions in Venezuela and Iran, and U.S. weapons in Palestine and the Philippines. The killing of Black Americans rightly elicits masses of protesters, which can help open a window of awareness about the hundreds of thousands of non-American lives taken in U.S. military campaigns. As the platform of the Movement for Black Lives platform says: "Our movement must be tied to liberation movements around the world."

Those who are now questioning an increasingly militarized approach to law enforcement should also question a militarized approach to foreign relations. Much as unaccountable police in riot gear are a danger to our communities, so too an unaccountable military, armed to the teeth and functioning largely in secret, is a danger to the world. During his iconic anti-imperialist speech, "Beyond Vietnam," Dr. King famously said: "I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government."

The protests to "Defund the Police" have compelled Americans to see beyond police reform to a radical reconceiving of public safety. So too we need a radical reconceiving of our national security in the slogan "Defund War." If we find indiscriminate state violence in our streets appalling, we should feel similarly about state violence abroad, and call for divesting from both police and the Pentagon, and reinvesting those taxpayer dollars to rebuild communities at home and abroad.
An Accra Circuit Court on Thursday sentenced Sowah Nortey, a car dealer, to a fine of GHC4,800.00 for stealing a Hyundai Tucson vehicle and in default will serve 18 months jail term.

Nortey was also ordered to refund GH70,000.00 being the value of the car to the complainant.

He pleaded not guilty to the offence but was found culpable after trail.

The Court, presided over by Mrs Ruby Naa Aryeetey, a High Court Judge sitting as an additional Circuit Court Judge, did not give Nortey a custodial sentence because he is a first time offender.

Police Chief Inspector William Nyadikor had earlier told the Court that the complainant, a retired Civil Servant, was introduced to Nortey by one Mr Emmanuel Larbi, who works with Vanguard Assurance.

Prosecution said on August 14, 2016, the complainant gave her Huyndai Tucson to Nortey to sell.

The convict later told the complainant that the car had been sold on credit and would be paid in October, same year, thereafter he blocked the complainant's cellular phone line.

Chief Inspector Nyadikor said the complainant then caused the arrest of the convict on November 2, 2016 but Nortey could not lead police to the said buyer.

He said Nortey issued a post-dated cheque, which was dishonoured at the bank when presented.

Prosecution said, the convict later claimed that it was difficult selling the car, which he described as outmoded, and only managed to sell it some illegal miners at Tarkwa on credit.

Nortey also told the police that the complainant directly gave the car to the buyers and that he did not sell the vehicle.

Investigations revealed, however, that the car had been sold and registered in the name of one Frank Kwame Owusu.

The Court found that prosecution had given enough evidence and Nortey was found guilty and convicted accordingly.

---GNA
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Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam (Vietnam Economic Times), a leading business newspaper in the Southeast Asian country, formally suspended its operations on Wednesday after having served readers for nearly three decades.

The papers Hanoi-based management body, the Vietnam Economic Association (VEO), abruptly announced their decision to suspend its press operations on Wednesday.

The decision will impact some 180 administrators and journalists employed by the paper.

The association asked the newspaper to follow the proper dissolution procedures to tie up any loose ends by the end of next month.

On June 20, the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications revoked Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam press license as part of the country's master plan to overhaul local news media.

Under the plan, laid out in detail in an April 2019 prime minister decision with a vision for 2025, associations such as the VEO will no longer be permitted to have their own papers and can only run magazines.

On June 26, the ministry announced that the VEO would manage a new publication  Tap chi Kinh te Viet Nam (Vietnam Economic Magazine)  as a successor to Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam.

The decision by VEO to dissolve its newspaper and lay off its staff, therefore, came as a surprise.

The move has reportedly been met with frustration from staffers and reporters.

A source told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the Ministry of Information and Communications will set up a delegation to inspect the dissolution.

Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam was established in 1991 and has since expanded to include a daily print and online news site in Vietnamese, an English-language monthly newspaper, an English-language news site, and several other business publications in both languages.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister KK Shailaja on Thursday inaugurated the hi-tech Ammathottil at Ernakulam via an online event. The hi-tech Ammathottil was set up by the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare (KSCCW) using the funds allotted by John Fernandez MLA. The Ammathottil was set up at a cost of `5.5 lakh. The Ammathottil enabled with human sensors and hi-tech cameras would facilitate the person to leave the child in the cradle safely without revealing their identity. The facility is being set up to ensure care and protection for babies who are abandoned.

The event conducted adhering to the social distancing norms was presided over by MLA John Fernandez.

Shailaja said the child council was able to save a lot of babies after setting up of the Ammathottil. The first hi-tech Ammathottil was opened in Thiruvananthapuram last year. Efforts are on to set up a similar facility at Pathanamthitta and Kozhikode .
A study carried out by renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass and Sahar Saleem, professor of radiology at Cairo University who specialises in scanning mummies, has solved the mystery of the mummy of the screaming woman from the Royal Cachette in Deir El-Bahari.

Hawass told Ahram Online that the CT study and analysis conducted on the mummy revealed that severe atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries had led to sudden death of the Egyptian princess from a heart attack.

He said that the ancient Egyptian embalming process had preserved the posture of the princess at the moment of death.

Hawass explains that the story began in 1881, when the Royal Cachette of Deir El-Bahari was discovered in Luxor.

The site is where the priests of the 21st and 22nd dynasties hid royal members from previous dynasties, to protect them from grave robbers.

The Royal Cachette contained the "mummy of the screaming man. Recent studies using CT scans and DNA, done by the scientific team of the Egyptian Mummy Project, proved that the mummy is that of Pentawere, son of King Ramses III, who was forced to commit suicide by hanging as a punishment for his involvement in the killing of his father, in what is known as the Harem Conspiracy.

The murderous son was punished by not being embalmed; his body was wrapped in a sheep skin, which indicates that he was considered "unclean" and that his fate was to be punished in the afterlife.

Other mummies were wrapped in white linen and carefully mummified.

The same Royal Cachette in Deir El-Bahari also contained a mummy of a woman showing signs of terror, pain and opened mouth as if screaming, hence known as "the mummy of the screaming woman."

To solve this mystery, Hawass and Saleem carried out a study and examined the mummy with a CT machine located at the Egyptian Museum.

Writings in the ancient hieratic Egyptian language on the linen wraps of the mummy read: The royal daughter, the royal sister of Meret Amon.

However, the mummy was considered unknown and was thus designated the mummy of the unknown woman A as there were many princesses with the same name, for example Meret Amun, daughter of King Seqenenre of the end of the seventeenth dynasty (1558-1553 BC), and also Meret Amun, daughter of King Ramses II (1279-1213 BC) from the nineteenth dynasty.

The results of CT scan indicates that the mummy of the screaming woman is a woman who died in her sixth decade.

Unlike Pentawere, the body of the woman received a good mummification treatment. Consequently, it is obvious that the circumstances of her death are different.

Hawass said that the CT results indicate that the mummy suffered from severe degree of atherosclerosis, which affected many arteries of the body.

He explains that atherosclerosis is a degenerative disease that progressively affects the arterial wall, leading to a narrowing of the cavity and blockage of the vessel.

The CT scan showed that she suffered from atherosclerosis of the right and left coronary arteries, neck arteries, abdominal aorta and iliac arteries, as well as the arteries of the lower extremities.

Cardiac diseases, especially coronary artery disease, are the leading cause of sudden death in adults in the modern period.

It seems that the screaming woman died suddenly while in her current body posture, with flexed crossed legs. Consequent to death, her head was tilted to the right side and her jaw dropped.

We assume that the dead body of the screaming woman might not have been discovered until hours later, enough to develop rigor mortis, said Hawass.

We assume that the embalmers likely mummified the contracted body of the screaming woman before it decomposed or relaxed. The embalmers were thus unable to secure the mouth closed or put the contracted body in the state of lying down, as was usual with the other mummies, thus preserving her facial expression and posture at the time of death, he said.

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Bullish data from the EIA and promises from OPEC+ to eradicate under-compliance boosted oil markets, but fears of a second wave of COVID-19 cases are keeping a cap on oil prices.

For Global Energy Alert members there are now two new free reports available in your dashboard. The first of these reports is on how to interpret stock charts and the second outlines the three biggest mistakes made by traders today. Make sure you become a member to read these reports and many more.

Friday, July 17th, 2020

The big oil market news of the week was the easing of cuts from OPEC+. The markets largely welcomed the move, especially since it included pledges by laggards to temporarily keep some supply off of the market to compensate for past under-compliance. Meanwhile, bullish EIA data also boosted sentiment. However, by the end of the week, concerns about slowing oil demand weighed on prices, keeping them stuck at around $40.

OPEC+ delivers on easing. OPEC+ cut really deep in June, and the cohesion was maintained as the group moved to ease production cuts from 9.7 mb/d to 7.7 mb/d in August. However, the headline number is mitigated by the fact that the so-called laggards are supposed to compensate for overproducing in recent months. So, the effective production cuts may only decline to 8.1 to 8.3 mb/d in August instead of 7.7 mb/d.

Room to increase? Probably. Analysts mostly think that there is room for OPEC+ to increase production without leading to a slide in prices. After all, demand apparently outstrips supply at the moment. Saudi Arabias Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the increase will be barely felt. Still, significant downside risk remains, largely revolving around the potential hit to demand from the coronavirus and renewed closures.

U.S. gasoline demand eases back. U.S. gasoline demand fell 5 percent last week, the second consecutive week of declines. Normally this two-week period would have been the peak demand period and we didnt get it, said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital in New York. The recovery has been unwinding.

Eni to exit oil refineries. Eni (NYSE: E) said that it would pivot away from conventional oil refineries and instead invest in greener biorefineries. Instead of slowing down, we see COVID as a reason to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy, Chief Executive Officer Claudio Descalzi said.

China has $42 billion in clean energy debt. China has built solar and wind so fast that the government owes $42 billion in subsidies for which it has not budgeted.

Chinas oil imports may fall back. China imported a record amount of crude in May, but those oil flows fell back a bit in June, although remained above year-ago levels. The surge in imports filled up inventories, which may presage a slowdown in further imports. Related: Is Commercial Hydrogen Possible Without Fossil Fuels?

New subsidies accelerate EV sales in Germany. New subsidies for EVs in France and Germany have boosted sales. In Germany, an EV fetches a 9,000-euro subsidy. There are a lot of attractive offers right now because of higher subsidies, and thats boosting demand, an analyst with BloombergNEF said. The EU is pushing toward decarbonizing transport, and the coronavirus crisis has allowed them to accelerate that.

More than 200 Pemex workers die of COVID. Pemex has the highest workplace death toll from Covid-19 than any other company in the world (not just among oil companies). An estimated 202 have died from the virus, a total that only the UK National Health Service  which isnt a company  has surpassed.

Total seeks buyer for North Sea gas pipeline. Total (NYSE: TOT) is looking to unload its 25.7 percent stake in the Shearwater Elgin Area Line, which it hopes will generate $200 million.

Exxon and other oil giants set carbon target. ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), Saudi Aramco, CNPC, and other oil giants as part of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) pledged to lower the carbon intensity of their operations. However, the target is not an absolute measurement, so the group in theory could still increase emissions so long as the carbon intensity per barrel declines.

Judge vacates Trump admins methane rule rescission. The Bureau of Land Managements effort at scrapping Obama-era methane regulations was vacated by a federal judge. The rule limits methane from oil and gas operations on federal lands. The Obama-era rule will go back into effect, although the judge agreed to a 90-day stay. Related: Shells Big Bet On Floating LNG May Be A Flop

Sec. of State Pompeo tightens sanctions on Nord Stream 2. The State Department closed a loophole in its sanctions policy on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, subjecting more European companies to the sanctions. Its a clear warning to companies aiding and abetting Russias malign-influence projects it will not be tolerated, Pompeo said. Get out now, or risk the consequences. The pipeline is close to being completed.

EU identifies 1,000 shovel-ready green projects. The EU is eyeing a 750-billion-euro green stimulus, and there are more than 1,000 specific projects ready to go within two years, according to Reuters. For instance, one possibility is a gigafactory for lithium-ion batteries in Poland; another would retrofit buildings in Paris.

California Resources files for bankruptcy. California Resources Corp. (NYSE: CRC) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

$23 billion in clean energy investment at risk. A total of 31 GW and $23 billion worth of investment is at risk of disappearing over the next 18 months due to the pandemic.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Representational Image (Wikimedia)

Scientists at the Central Institute for Buffalo Research, located in Hisar, Haryana, have claimed to have successfully cloned eight buffaloes. Of these, seven clones calves are of the elite M-29 buffalo breed, while one was produced by recloning the calf of an 'earlier cloned buffalo'.

Commenting on the feat, SS Dahiya, Director, CIRB, said: We used M-29 male buffalo to clone seven male buffaloes and recloned another from earlier cloned buffalo Hisar Gaurav.

The cloned buffalos were born between October 2019 and January from different foster mothers, The Times of India reported.

CIBR believes these buffalo calves will be able to contribute 10 to 15 lakh semen doses when they are fully grown. This could help increase milk production in India, Zee News reported.

Dr Prem Singh Yadav, who heads the CIRB cloning team, said the Murra breed of buffalos -- native to Haryana  have no match in the world when it comes to milk production. At present, there are 11 crore Murra breed buffalos in India, comprising more than 56 percent of the elite breeds total population in the world.
Netflix has released its list of most watched movies on the platform for the first time and its a cause for celebration for Randeep Hooda fans. Extraction, an action thriller starring Chris Hemsworth with Randeep and Rudraksh Jaiswal in supporting roles, delivered the biggest audience of any Netflix original movie in its first four weeks with 99 million viewers.

Randeep shared the list on Twitter and wrote, Thank you for all the love for #Extraction Gratitude #SamHargrave @Russo_Brothers@chrishemsworth@AGBOfilms@netflix. The films producers, Russo Brother replied saying, Amazing work.

Amazing work     Russo Brothers (@Russo_Brothers) July 16, 2020

Extraction is followed by Bird Box, Spenser Confidential, and 6 Underground on the list. Other Titles include Murder Mystery, The Irishman and The Platform. The top four most watched films belong to the action or thriller genre with popular Hollywood superstars: Chris Hemsworth, Sandra Bullock, Mark Wahlberg, and Ryan Reynolds. Netflix counts anyone who watched at least two minutes of the movie as a viewer.

Heres the full list:

Extraction 99 million

Bird Box 89 million

Spenser Confidential 85 million

6 Underground 83 million

Murder Mystery 73 million

The Irishman 64 million

Triple Frontier 63 million

The Wrong Missy 59 million

The Platform 56 million

The Perfect Date 48 million

Also read: Rhea Chakraborty replies to troll who gave her death, rape threats after Sushant Singh Rajputs death: Enough is enough

About the films success and Netflix, Joe Russo had said in May, Its interesting, they dont do a lot of projecting. Theyre very guarded with their information, which is a good thing because you dont set expectations up and then not hit them. So Im happy with that as a filmmaker theres not a lot of tracking to either get your hopes up or dash your hopes. It just performs and then you find out how its performing.

A follow-up to the action film has already been confirmed, with Joe returning to write the script, and star Chris Hemsworth and director Sam Hargrave expected to return. Extraction also features Indian actors Pankaj Tripathi and Priyanshu Painyuli, in addition to David Harbour and Golshifteh Farahani.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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After working in a multinational European trading company, a former lawyer apprentice decided to return to Australia and create Stake, Australias first platform for US stock trading.

Less than three years after its launch, Matt Leibowitzs startup reached 100,000 customers this June.

As one of the companies that is thriving during the pandemic, Stakes customer base is expanding fast  it reached a growth rate of 126 per cent of from January 2020 until now.

Stake was born out of Leibowitz frustration to trade US stocks within the Australian market.

I was a trader at a high-frequency trading firm in Sydney and was sent over to the Chicago office, where I was based for over three years. I saw the amazing breadth and depth of opportunity available in the US stock market, Leibowitz said.

He further explained, When I returned home, I realised how difficult accessing those same opportunities were from outside the US.

According to Leibowitz, stock trading, whether it is US or Australian stocks, should be easy and straightforward. However, to do so, many brokers have to fill in the form and pay a rather expensive fee. These create a complexity that makes stock trading challenging to do.

He said, As a partner of a high-frequency trading firm if I couldnt find my way through opening a US brokerage account, how was a retail investor going to be able to do it?

After that realisation, I made it my goal to make buying and selling US shares as seamless and affordable as possible for those who didnt live in the US.

Related: The current economic downturn will create a new wave of entrepreneurship

Leibowitz decided to make Stake a commission-free brokerage. This means, unlike a shared trading platform that charges $20-30 AUD for each trade, Stake wont charge the user for stock trading. Instead, Stake earns money only when users move money between AUD and USD. As Stake accounts hold money in USD this only happens on depositing and withdrawal and never on every trade.

Stake has made it cheaper and easier to invest in these companies and directly trade in the US, easier than it is on the Australian market. Theres a natural demand for savvy investors to have access to more opportunity and pay less, he explained.

US stocks and Australian markets

Although it is an Australia-based company, Stake currently only works within the US stock markets. According to Leibowitz, this is because more Australians developed the tendency to look up to the US market, especially during dire times.

Australians see the opportunities in the US, especially when things are tough, like they have been during the pandemic, and are stepping into this huge market to make the most of them.

Leibowitz said that Australians put their trust in the US market because of technology development.

We focus solely on investing directly in the US stock market, the worlds largest stock market and home to the most well-known and disruptive companies, such as Google, Amazon, Tesla and newer names such as Peloton and Zoom, he said.

Weve seen tremendous transfers into those sorts of names as these companies have been the beneficiary of the structural changes from the pandemic.

Fast forward to present day in 2020, Stake is hitting more and more milestones, expanding itself beyond Australia.

Previously made just for Australian brokers, Stake is now available for the United Kingdom, Brazil and New Zealand.

Our launch in Brazil marks the starting point for further expansion into LATAM and the continuation of our journey in building a company that changes investing on a global scale, said Leibowitz.

LATAM is currently one of the largest airlines in Latin America with subsidiaries in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru.

Trade values are also up significantly, with $300 million USD exchanged in through the platform.

Leibowitz said, Were on a mission to change the way the current and future generation of investors make their mark. Our growth targets for the rest of 2020 are ambitious, hoping to double our customer base in 2020, and tripling from there in 2021. We currently have a foothold in the UK, but we want the rest of Europe to have access to Wall Street so we will be expanding in the near future,

Trading during the pandemic

Even with the current pandemic, Leibowitz said that the company is thriving, as more media outlets are emphasising the trading market during this time. More Australians are developing an interest in stock trading.

Theres more interest in the stock market both at home and abroad  news is centred around global themes around COVID-19, such as the infection numbers and also how it is impacting the economy and the stock market, he said.

Although Leibowitz admits that the current situation makes the market more volatile, it also makes room for opportunities for some. The critical thing for Leibowitz is to managing the risk in stock trading. Especially for up and coming traders, Leibowitz advised them to start small instead of going big.

This means focusing on your downside, not your upside. If you keep losses small, youll be around long enough to learn how to make money, he said.

Keep up to date with our stories LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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: 17 July 2020 Number of Public Shares purchased: 11,877 Shares Highest Price Paid Per Share: 2,005 pence 25.15 USD Lowest Price Paid Per Share: 2,000 pence 25.09 USD Average Price Paid Per Share: 2,003 pence 25.13 USD Trading Venue: Euronext Amsterdam Ticker: PSH Date of Purchase: 17 July 2020 Number of Public Shares purchased: 19,468 Shares Highest Price Paid Per Share: 25.15 USD Lowest Price Paid Per Share: 25.15 USD Average Price Paid Per Share: 25.15 USD

PSH will hold these Public Shares in Treasury. The net asset value per Public Share related to this buyback is 35.14 USD 28.00 GBP which was calculated as of 14 July 2020 (the "Relevant NAV"). After giving effect to the above buyback, PSH has 194,926,750 Public Shares outstanding, or 200,876,291 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 16,030,000 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/20200717005499/en/

Contacts:

Media

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Ed Gascoigne-Pees Hazel Stevenson +44 020 3757 4989, media-pershingsquareholdings@camarco.co.uk
AMSTERDAM  Nine dogs rescued from the South Korean meat trade are now in the care of the Montgomery County SPCA and are a few weeks away from being ready for adoption.

The dogs are among more than 100 rescued from South Korea by the Humane Society International (HSI) and transported to several states  primarily in the Northeast  by the organization's U.S. chapter. In addition to Amsterdam's SPCA and Animal Haven in New York City, other dogs went to shelters in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey.

HSI rescued the dogs as part of its campaign to end the dog meat trade and flew them to the U.S., where the Humane Society of the United States placed them in the regional shelters.

The arrival of the dogs in Amsterdam was first reported by the Amsterdam Recorder and WRGB.

Rescuing animals from suffering and neglect is as important as ever, said Kitty Block, CEO of Humane Society International and president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, in a release. Thanks to the hard work of our staff and partners  both in Korea and the U.S.  these dogs will now have the happy lives they deserve: with families who love them.

The Humane Society reported that 60 of the dogs arriving in the U.S. were rescued from a single dog meat farm in May; the remaining dogs from that farm are scheduled to go to Canada. The group said the facility was the 16th farm the organization has helped to close since 2015.

The Humane Society's release noted that while dog meat is eaten in several countries in Asia, South Korea is the only country that farms dogs  estimated at 2 million a year  for human consumption on a large scale.

A spokeswoman for the group said it works with dog farmers to rescue their dogs and transition the farmers to other livelihoods. This particular process began in February, though the planned closure of the facility and removal of the dogs was postponed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

All dogs removed from the farms are vaccinated against the H3N2 (dog flu) virus, rabies, earlier forms of coronavirus, distemper and more. After a period of quarantine in their nation of origin, they're flown to receiving shelters in the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom.

HSI estimate it has saved more than 2,000 dogs from Korean dog meat farms.
High drama at Manesar after Haryana police stop Rajasthan cops from entering Gurgaon hotel

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, July 17: It was high drama at Manesar after a Rajasthan police team was on Friday evening stopped for some time by the Haryana police from entering a hotel in Gurgaon where some dissident Congress MLAs are said to be holed up.

A Special Operations Group (SOG) team went to Manesar in Gurgaon to question MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, as part of its investigation into two audio clips which allegedly indicate a plot to bring down the Congress government in Haryana.

The Congress had also alleged that senior BJP leader and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also figured in the clips, which surfaced on social media. But the FIR registered by the Special Operations Group does not identify one "Gajendra Singh" as any minister.

Television channels showed a Rajasthan police vehicle being stopped outside the Manesar hotel for nearly an hour by policemen from the BJP-ruled state.

Covid-19: 31.6 Lakh people in quarantine across India, highest in UP | Oneindia News

The police vehicle was later seen entering the hotel compound and then being driven out after several minutes.

Additional Director General (SOG) Ashok Rathore said the team was told at the reception that the MLA was not there. The police then left the second hotel in Manesar where some of the MLAs led by rebel Congress leader Sachin Pilot are said to camping.

"A team was sent to Manesar to ascertain the versions of those whose names have come up in audio clips as there have been statements that these audio clips are fake or morphed," Rathore had said earlier.

The refusal to allow the team, at least initially, to enter the hotel prompted senior Congress leaders to charge that the BJP was part of the plan to "topple" their government in Rajasthan.

"If BJP claims not being involved in Congress' internal fight, then why BJP-led Haryana Government is extending their support and protection to MLAs inside the hotel?" AICC general secretary Avinash Pande tweeted. AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also made the same allegation. "Haryana Police blocking Rajasthan Police from investigating the 'toppling game' is naked proof of this plot," he tweeted.

He claimed that the BJP "collusion" in the "plot" has now been exposed. In separate statements, Union minister Shekhawat and MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma has rejected the charge that they figured in the audio clips.
Public health inspectors in Sri Lanka on Friday announced that they will refrain from COVID-19 related duties to protest Health Minister Pavitra Wanniarachchi's recent remarks against them.

Minister Wanniarachchi recently said that PHI officers engaged in COVID-19 duties were causing inconvenience by revealing details of the latest detections of coronavirus patients to the media.

Public Health Inspectors Union (PHIU) in a statement said they are protesting Wanniarachchi's remarks that PHIs had caused problems in COVID-19 prevention and therefore they would not be provided legal cover for their work.

They said they were withdrawing from all COVID-19 combat work from mid-day Friday.

Health Minister Wanniarachchi's comments came as she took action to gazette the health guidelines after a long delay on holding the August 5 parliamentary elections.

The Election Commission had complained that guidelines that were forwarded to the authorities early June had not been given legal effect by way of a gazette publication even by Thursday.

Election Commission chief Mahinda Deshapriya said it would be extremely difficult to conduct the election on August 5 without the gazette on health guidelines.

The PHIs told the Election Commission that the legal cover for their work was a must as people tend to object to and ignore their work to comply with health guidelines without the legal cover.

It was announced Saturday morning that COVID-19 (Elections) regulations 2020 are to deal only with issues concerning election rallies, canvassing by political parties and maintenance of elections offices by political parties. This excludes the PHI functions in respective areas to enforce health guidelines.

The election which had been twice postponed is due to be held on August 5.

The need for legality to the health guidelines became even more important in the face of what seemed a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

A sudden spike of over 500 cases from the north-central region forced the cancellation of election campaigning and closure of schools. PTI CORR

PMS

.
Beverly Hills, California, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For millions of Americans in dire need of an adventure, a vacation or an escape from the routine, finding alternative solutions to planning a summer getaway in light of the restrictions of COVID19 has become a hot topic;



Star actress and fashion icon Zoey Deutch recently embarked on a road trip bound that took her from the California coast through the national parks of Oregon and Utah with help from Outdoorsy, the largest RV and campervan rental company in the marketplace.



Sharing her journey with her impressive 2.4 million strong Instagram following, Deutch revealed a luxury experience in a brand-new, 19-foot 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter campervan provided by Outdoorsy as she and her friends drove up the coast, making stops in the Redwood Forest, Big Sur, and up to the Oregon coast. Following the guidelines of the social distancing mandate, the 25-year-old enjoyed a different take on vacation this summer as she made her home in Outdoorsys Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van that came complete with a queen sized bed, sink, microwave, refrigerator ventilation system and private shower.

Boasting impressive features like storage space as well as insulated/magnetic blackout curtains, full laminate counter tops, vinyl floors, USB outlets, LED recessed lighting and a built in roof rack for a viewing deck atop the vehicle, Zoeys experience serves as a new benchmark for millennial mobility trends during times of widespread disruption. As the largest RV rentals and outdoor experience in the marketplace, Outdoorsy is completely revolutionizing the concept of outdoor travel, and people are loving it.

Available in over 4800 cities and 14 countries worldwide, Outdoorsy is quickly claiming its place as the new face of outdoor travel. By connecting a community of RV owners with renters, Outdoorsy RV Rentals offers a fleet of vehicles that vary from luxurious and spacious to vintage, charming Airstreams to post-worthy campervans that are decked out with every imaginable amenity. Start planning your next adventure by going to www.outdoorsy.com



Media Details

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The Irish Second-Level Students Union (ISSU) has expressed disappointment that they were not included in discussions around the date for the release of the Leaving Cert results before it was announced.

The ISSUs Rob ODonnell welcomed the fact that there was now a clear timeline but said the importance of effective collaboration and communication has been pivotal since the closure of schools on March 12th.

He said students were sharing their queries and concerns with the ISSU and the union would seek clarity on matters of concern as soon as possible.

Students are understandably frustrated that this information has come completely out of the blue through media sources, without a centralised line of communication, he said.

Read More

Mr ODonnell also expressed concern that the three-week delay in releasing the results will have a negative impact on the ability of some students to prepare for the transition to the next step in their education.

Since the announcement, concerns have been expressed by students on the difficulties this may cause in securing accommodation and the financial implications this delay could have.

We expect the Department to work to address and find remedies to these impacts so students may progress to the next stages of their lives."

He said he hoped that there would be a stronger line of communication and consultation between students and other education stakeholders going forward.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday pressed member states of the United Nations to use the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic to reform the global multilateral system to enhance its relevance and effectiveness to make it the basis for a new type of human-centric globalisation.

The United Nations was born 75 years ago to deal with the furies of the Second World War, the prime minister said addressing a high-level meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council. Today the fury of the pandemic provides the context for its rebirth and reform. Let us not lose this chance.

As an incoming member of the UN Security Council, India will play its role in full support of the UN agenda, with our deep commitment to maintaining global harmony, to improving socio-economic equity, and to preserving natures balance, the prime minister in his virtual speech in English.

This was the first time Modi had addressed UN members after Indias thumping victory in the June 17 election to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for a two-year term starting next January. India will get into the UNSC loop for documents and papers starting August, purely in an observer capacity to prepare it for its upcoming term.

India has called for reforming the global multilateral system to reflect the changed realities of the contemporary world. It has campaigned for the reform of the UN Security Council to expand its permanent membership with a seat for itself. And it has also sought the reform of the IMF and other global bodies to make them more contemporaneous.

Today, while celebrating 75 years of the United Nations, let us pledge to reform the global multilateral system to enhance its relevance, to improve its effectiveness to make it the basis for a new type of human-centric globalisation, Prime Minister Modi said renewing Indias call for reforms with an added emphasis on people, to make them more human-centric.

The theme of the High-Level Segment of the ECOSOC, on the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the UN, was Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary. It was in tune with Indias continued for the reform of the UN system and priorities for the upcoming term at the Security Council: reformed multilateralism in a post-COVID-19 world.

India had held the inaugural Presidency of ECOSOC (Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar, in 1946), and Prime Minister Modi had delivered the keynote address virtually at the 70th anniversary of ECOSOC in January 2016.

In his Friday address, PM Modi recalled Indias support to the ECOSOC and the UNs developmental work, and how they are tied to Indias own domestic agenda. Today, through our domestic efforts, we are again playing a salient role in achieving Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. India is also supporting other developing countries in meeting their Sustainable Development Goals, he said.

The prime minster went on to say, Indias motto of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas resonated, for instance, with the core SDG principle of leaving no one behind. And he spoke at length efforts made in India to expand access to sanitation, bring about gender parity in elementary and higher education, and empowering women through financial inclusion.

Modi said it was India health care system that had helped it fight the Covid-19 epidemic. India had the best recovery rate in the world, as a result, he added.

On fighting climate change, the prime minister spoke of India cutting 38 million tonnes of carbon emission annually and went on to highlight its role in the setting up of the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

Modi also spoke about Indias role in the region as a first responder. India has extended medical and other assistance to over 150 countries in the fight against Covid, and had set up a SAARC Covid emergency fund for the neighbourhood.
Get ready for the big one.

Thats a refrain Californians have heard for years, but this time one scientist is putting a number on it.

Theres a 1% chance a big quake will strike next year on the Southern section of the San Andreas Fault, according to Ross S. Stein, Ph.D., CEO of Temblor Inc., a catastrophe risk modeling company based in Redwood City, Calif.

That may not sound that high, but its a lot higher than previously believed.

Stein and scientist Shinji Toda, Ph.D., with Tohoku University, published a paper that went out to the public this week in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, Long- and Short-Term Stress Interaction of the 2019 Ridgecrest Sequence and Coulomb-Based Earthquake Forecasts.

The crux of the paper is that the 2019 Ridgecrest quakes stressed the Garlock Fault, which if it ruptured in a large shock, would likely trigger a San Andreas earthquake north of Los Angeles.

Whats happened is the Ridgecrest Earthquake took a 1-in-300 (year) event and made it a 1-in-100 event, said Stein, who was formerly with the U.S. Geological Survey. Thats a big change. For Southern California, this means that probabilistic losses are much higher.

The Ridgecrest ruptures could have far-reaching effects because the Garlock Fault links the Ridgecrest faults with the San Andreas Fault, according to the paper.

Stein explained using the letter Z to illustrate the connections between the faults. The Ridgecrest Fault is the top horizontal line, which ruptured in a M7.1 quake last year, is connected to Garlock Fault, which runs northeastsouthwest along the norther margins of the Mojave Desert and is the diagonal of the Z. And the bottom of the Z is San Andreas.

The first one has gone, the second one could go, Stein said.

If the Garlock Fault produces a very large earthquake, then the chances of a quake on the Southern section of the San Andreas rises to 50-50 in the ensuing year, according to him.

The Ridgecrest are Garlock Faults are in areas with sparse populations, but a major quake on the San Andreas near Los Angeles would be costly.

Stein estimates the damages from such an earthquake  a roughly a 7.7M on the Mojave section of the San Andreas Fault  could exceed $40 billion.

Were at least talking about a $40 billion event, he said.

Research in the last 10 years has shown that the shaking in L.A. could last much longer, and be stronger, than previously realized.

The Northridge Quake in 1994 was a M6.7 and lasted roughly 10 to 20 seconds. Stein said in a massive San Andreas quake, buildings in Los Angeles could be shaking for more than 100 seconds. A M7.7 is about 33 times larger than a M6.7.

Duration is a big factor, he said.

Why this matters to insurance professionals is that virtually all California insurance premiums are tied to UCERF3 earthquake rates. UCERF3  Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, Version 3  shows a M7.7 on the Mojave section of the San Andreas Fault has an occurrence rate of 0.35% per year. Thats makes it roughly a one-in-300 year event each year.

Stein and Toda in their paper now estimate the chance of a large San Andreas earthquake in Southern California the next 12 months to be 1.15%.

Now were saying next year its about a one-in-100 event, Stein said. What our goal is, is to enable insurers to understand how has their exposure changed.

Thats the message to the insurance community.

The message that we are sending to the public is the sky is not falling, dont panic, he said. What we are saying that a southern San Andreas has a 1% chance of occurring next year. That also means theres a 99% chance of not occurring.

Then he added: This is a really good time to decide if you need to protect yourself better.

Related:

Topics California Catastrophe Earthquake
California will hold its bar exam online in October for the first time, but in response to the coronavirus will also allow new law school graduates to practice under supervision for nearly two years without passing the exam, the state Supreme Court said Thursday.

After postponing the twice-a-year exam, which had been scheduled to begin July 28, the justices had been urged by some legal educators to suspend the test and instead allow law graduates to practice under the supervision of an experienced attorney, an alternative adopted by several states, including New York.

Thursdays order allows both options. Any of the approximately 8,000 students with California law degrees can take the test online on Oct. 5 and 6. The court, which oversees the State Bar, also ordered a lowering of the minimum test score needed to pass the exam, which had been among the nations highest. The courts executive officer, Jorge Navarrete, has said the bar would monitor the exam remotely to make sure test-takers did not try to look up the answers.

New graduates can also choose to practice specified areas of law under a licensed attorneys supervision until at least June 1, 2022, supervision that will end once they pass the bar exam, the court said. It said the State Bar would announce further details of the program later.

The changing circumstances surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in California, and throughout the country, have had an unprecedented impact on professional licensure testing for graduates seeking admission to many professions, Navarrete said in a letter to the State Bar Board of Trustees. Many law school graduates are being substantially affected by the resulting disruption.

The exam, administered to about 75,000 aspiring lawyers nationwide, has previously been conducted in group settings that are now off-limits because of the coronavirus. The court said 15 other states have moved their bar exams online.

For students who lack internet access at home, or who lack home environments that would allow two days of uninterrupted test-taking, the court urged law schools to make equipment available, as they did during classes this spring.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The courts action was praised by David Faigman, dean of UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, who had urged the bar to allow law practice by graduates of law schools accredited nationally or by the state. Thursdays decision extends to all law school graduates, with supervision and time limits.

The decision takes into account the needs of the candidates for the bar and ensures protection for the public, Faigman said. It is a sensible and fair outcome.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley described his reaction as a sense of relief.

The federal and provincial governments announced an agreement on a $19-billion transfer to help municipalities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with Ontario receiving about $7 billion.

We first heard about it (Thursday), Bradley said. All the indications are this is going to be helpful to the Region and the local area municipalities.

The deal explicitly earmarks some of the money to help with municipal budgets and public transit costs.

The latest financial report estimates the regional governments total gross cost due to the COVID-19 pandemic at $56 million. The figure jumps to $84 million when the expenses borne by the local area municipalities are added.

The Region currently estimates its 2020 deficit as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic at $7.5 million. When the local area municipalities in Niagara are added, the figure is $15.4 million.

Bradley said the money is going to help, and staff will have a better idea how much so after the provincial government releases more details next week.

Municipalities are not allowed to run deficits at year-end, according to the Ontario Municipal Act, which leaves local councillors with difficult choices as the budget process unfolds. Only eight per cent of regional services are discretionary, which equates to about three per cent of the budget.

The consequence is we could see dramatic increases in taxes, which no one wants to see any time, but particularly when people struggle with the ramifications of COVID-19, Bradley said.

The other alternative is drastic cuts to services.

Most services provided by Niagara Region  including everything from water and highway repair to policing and paramedics  are essential, with little leeway to cut.

During a pandemic they are of even more importance, Bradley said

The Toronto Star reports the funding is designated to help in specific areas, many of which are delivered by local government. They include:

Testing and contact tracing and data management;

Health care, including mental health and addictions;

Aiding vulnerable populations, including in nursing homes;

Personal protective equipment;

Early learning and child care;

Paid sick leave.

In the past, Bradley said, the province has matched federal government grants, something he hopes to see this time around.
A Florida father is hospitalized with the coronavirus and was on a ventilator after apparently getting infected by his 21-year-old son who went out with friends, the father's wife says.

John Place, 42, of Plantation, about six miles west of Fort Lauderdale, fell ill the day after Father's Day, his wife, Michelle Zymet, said in a Facebook Live video earlier this month.

Place, who Zymet said is diabetic, was placed on a ventilator after his condition worsened. He has since been taken off the ventilator and has improved slightly, according to an update by his wife on Thursday.

"It's been hard. I'm here at home," Zymet said with emotion in her earlier video. "We can't leave the house; we can't see him; we can't be with him."

Zymet said that the entire family, including a 14-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter, have tested positive for the coronavirus. They were infected after their older son, Zymet's stepson, became ill and learned that a friend he had hung out with was infected with the virus, the mother said.

Image: Michelle Zymet (Michelle Zymet / via AP)

Zymet said in an interview Tuesday on MSNBC that she had pleaded with her son not to go out because she was worried about the family getting sick.

Her husband was at risk of becoming seriously ill with the coronavirus because he has diabetes, she said. Doctors have also said he is obese, which is an additional risk factor.

Zymet has said she wanted to share their story to help young people realize the dangers.

"The younger generation, they just don't get it. They don't care; they don't think. I'm not quite sure what it is they don't get," she said on MSNBC. "Our son, he was cooped up for a while and when the state lifted up and you could get out again and we weren't in quarantine, he decided he wanted to go out and hang out with his friends."

"We are trying to open everyones eyes that by not wearing a mask, washing your hands frequently and by not social distancing you are putting yourself at risk and of those at home that you love ... each and every day," she wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Story continues

Zymet said in her Facebook video that her older son developed symptoms after going out and initially thought he had a cold. He didn't tell the family he was sick. When her 14-year-old son started to feel ill, the older one came forward and told his parents that a friend had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The family all fell ill, but Zymet said her symptoms were minor.

"I had a sore throat, a little cough, but again that was the severity of my symptoms at that moment," she said on her video.

Place was not so lucky. He first developed a fever before his condition quickly worsened, Zymet said.

"He could barely open his eyes," she said in her video. "Very lethargic, so I drove him to a test site and we got him tested. ... A couple days go by and finally at that point after four days of having the fever he could barely get off the couch, move."

Image: John Place (Michelle Zymet / via Facebook)

She said she took her husband to a hospital emergency room, where he was admitted and then moved to the intensive care unit.

"You're not allowed into the room with them because I'm COVID, he's COVID. So, yes all of our family members were positive for COVID when we did get the results back. It's just something that you just never expect to happen and to the severity that it's gotten to," she said.

Zymet could not immediately be reached by NBC News on Friday.

Cases of the coronavirus have been on the rise among younger people in the U.S., including in Ohio since the state loosened its stay-at-home order.

Dr. Stephen Blatt, medical director for infectious disease at TriHealth Hospitals in Cincinnati, told NBC News earlier this month that "the problem is that people are not wearing masks."

He said most new cases in the state are young people who he thinks "just got sick of not going out and seeing their friends."

"I think they saw that things were getting better and just said, OK, lets go out. We have to get the message out that this is not over and its not going to be over for awhile," he said.

In the U.S., Arizona, Florida and Texas in particular have reported an explosion of new cases.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 09:38:49|Editor: huaxia

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SUVA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- More than 60 percent of Fiji's tourism businesses are expected to start new activities if travel does not start by November this year, a survey said here on Friday.

The online survey, which was carried out from April 28 to May 15 this year by the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, and Fiji's Ministry of Commerce, Tourism, Trade and Transport, showed that most businesses in the island nation need financial support with over 500 of the business surveyed facing bankruptcy by November this year.

The survey pointed out that to continue operations, the businesses need health and safety certification, advice on business strategy, new markets and support to increase sales domestically. And the businesses also need transitioning away from tourism activities if travel from source markets do not re-open by November this year.

The survey showed that 71 percent of the businesses surveyed were stable with the ability to save or growing pre-COVID-19 but the impact of the pandemic had left almost 1,200 businesses anticipating a 75 percent decline in revenue.

The businesses have already implemented various measures to address the impact with 24 percent of the businesses surveyed moving to online sales, 69 percent offering promotions and discounts and at least 36 percent moving to new activities, away from their core businesses.

The survey also revealed that 41 percent of staff from all businesses are on reduced working hours or days, 10 percent are on leave without pay and 5 percent have been made redundant.

The survey also recommended a roadmap for the recovery of the tourism industry, training for tourism workers for the "new normal," diversified marketing campaigns and more business support with particular focus on small and micro-businesses.

The Fiji COVID-19 Business Survey, which received responses from over 3,500 businesses, including 620 tourism businesses, aimed to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on businesses with a specific focus on the tourism industry.

The COVID-19 has had a serious impact upon Fiji's tourism, which accounts for about 35 percent of Fiji's GDP and employs about 150,000 people directly and indirectly.

The tourism industry, which has already laid off about 40,000 people, has been at a grinding halt for the past months, and more lay-offs are likely before things improve this year.

The current forecast assumes that inbound travel to Fiji will return to some form of normalcy from the last quarter of 2020 and not revert to 2019 levels at least until 2023. Therefore, the recovery is expected to be gradual but contingent on resumption of international travel. Enditem
NINGHAI, CHINA / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / Recently, Risen Energy Co., Ltd. (300118) announced that it has reached an agreement with AAGES, a global energy solutions company, to provide 26MW of high-efficiency solar photovoltaic modules to AAGES' La Sierpe project.

It is reported that the La Sierpe project is located in Sucre, Colombia, and is developed and constructed by AAGES. It is the second largest project in Colombia and the first to use double-sided, double-glass modules. This time Risen Energy provided Jaeger 144, the half-chip single-crystal and double-sided, double-glass PERC modules, for the project. The modules are expected to finish the deliveries in July 2020.

"We are very pleased to participate in the construction of the La Sierpe project," said staff from Risen Energy. "Because this is the first project using double-sided, double glass PERC modules in Colombia, its successful completion will greatly enhance Risen Energy's competitiveness in the local market. The project will also highly promote the application of double-sided, double glass PERC modules in the Colombian market and the development of the local new energy industry. With the rich lighting resources and excellent policy support, Colombian photovoltaic industry has broad prospects and has become one of the global hottest emerging photovoltaic markets. Colombia is also one of key overseas markets for Risen Energy. In the future, Risen Energy will work diligently on localized operations, further explore the Colombian market, and contribute to the development of local renewable energy."

Based on continuous breakthroughs in high-efficiency technology, production capacity advantages, and increasing response speed of localized services, Risen Energy is broadening overseas market rapidly. At present, Risen Energy has built up a global sales network. The company's products have been exported to more than 50 countries and regions in Europe and the United States, South Africa and Southeast Asia, deeply trusted and recognized by customers worldwide.

About RISEN ENERGY CO., LTD

Risen Energy Co., Ltd. was founded in 1986 and listed as a Chinese public company (Stock Code: 300118) in 2010. Risen Energy is one of the pioneers in solar industry and has committed to this industry as a R&D expert, an integrated manufacturer from wafers to modules, a manufacturer of off-grid systems, and also an investor, a developer and an EPC of PV projects. Aiming to deliver the green energy worldwide, Risen Energy is developing internationally with offices and sales networks in China, Germany, Australia, Mexico, India, Japan, USA and others. After years of efforts, it has reached a module production capacity of 11.1GW. While growing rapidly, Risen Energy keeps a stable pace with an average debt ratio at around 60% from 2011 to 2019.

Media Contact:

Risen Energy CO. LTD.

Min Xiao

Minerva9@126.com

Tel: 0086-574-59953588

https://en.risenenergy.com/

SOURCE: Risen Energy CO. LTD

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597847/26MW-Risen-Energy-Made-a-New-Breakthrough-in-Colombian-Market
The NHRC on Friday directed the Maharashtra state chief secretary and D-G of prisons to submit a report about Varavara Raos health condition within two weeks

The National Human Rights Commission on Friday issued a notice to the Maharashtra government on jailed Telugu poet P Varvara Rao's health, following outrage over the conditions in which he was kept at a state-run hospital in Mumbai, reports said.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, taking cognisance of a complaint filed by its special monitor Maja Daruwala, the NHRC on Friday issued notice to Maharashtra chief secretary Sanjay Kumar and Director-General (DG) of prisons in Maharashtra SN Pandey.

"The commission has directed them to submit a report about Raos health condition within two weeks after the undertrial tested Covid-19 positive a day ago," the report said.

According to BBC, the commission has ordered the state to move Rao to a private facility for treatment and also said that the expenses relating to Rao's treatment would be borne by the state as he was an under trial prisoner and therefore it's their responsibility.

Eighty-year-old Rao, who tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, was found lying in a "urine-soaked bed" and unattended at the state-run JJ Hospital in Mumbai, according to media reports which quoted family members of the jailed activist as saying

Eighty-year-old Rao has been in jail for about 22 months. He and nine other activists have been arrested in relation to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on 31 December, 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial.

Rao has denied all the charges. The case was initially probed by Pune Police and later transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

According to a report in Live Law, the commission's order said: "It is a question of saving a precious human life leaving apart the legal aspects of the matter. It is, therefore, necessary that the State Government should provide Rao the best possible treatment in a reputed specialty private hospital without any further delay."

On Thursday, writers, activists as well as Opposition leaders took to Twitter to express their dismay over Rao's conditions.

Rao, who hails from Telangana, was shifted to the JJ Hospital in south Mumbai on Monday night after he complained of giddiness and was later admitted to its neurology department.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was among the Congress leaders who questioned the State, prison authorities and the police over Rao's condition.

The condition of Rao as described by his family as a matter of grave concern, the former finance minister had said in a series of tweets.

"It is beyond belief that the State, the police and the prison authorities can behave in such an inhuman manner under the watch of the NHRC," he added.

Reiterating the demand to release the poet, that echoed on social media since reports of Rao's conditions and him testing positive for COVID-19 spread, the senior Congress leader too sought the poet's immediate release and urged the authorities to immediately admit him at a super specialty hospital "that will treat him properly".
Brazil's Amazon rainforest is packed with the best beauty ingredients that keep your skin healthy and your skincare routine interesting.

The products from this rainforest can also be used for many other things - from household goods, medicine and others. But it holds a bounty of ingredients for cosmetics and other beauty products in its wildly potent treasures.

Hair and skincare ingredients from Brazil offer natural and organic skincare that pays homage to the forest's ancient beauty secrets. These are the best of Brazil's beauty ingredients that you should look out for during your next skincare shopping spree.

Acai

This isn't just delicious to eat. It is also packed with antioxidants and has the highest oxygen radical absorbance score among other fruits, Maren Harzheim told Organic Spa Magazine.

The vitamin and nutrient contents in acai makes it the perfect addition to your skincare routine if you're looking for anti-again qualities. It protects the skin from pollution and other environmental factors. Its fatty acids can also firm up your skin.

Muru Muru

Muru Muru is a typical Brazilian palm tree. Its seeds sport oleic acid and vitamin A among many others and produces a moisturizing butter.

It's a popular ingredient in lip cosmetics like balms and lipsticks as it can make most chapped lips have a beautiful flush of color.

It also restores the elasticity of the hair and skin, making it an anti-agers. It's no surprise it can also be found in creams, lotions and hair conditioners.

Cupuacu

Cupuacu has properties similar to that of cacao. It is a typical rainforest tree rich in fatty acids and works well as an antioxidant.

It's actually the national fruit of Brazil, but it works well with skins all over the globe. Its oil and butter isn't just for the skin but can also work for the hair, but not as well as acai.

Because this has a low melting temperature, your skin absorbs cupuacu very quickly without leaving a greasy feeling or heavy residue. It is a great plant-based alternative to lanolin, an intense hydrator that is getting more and more common in skincare products.

Buriti

Buriti had become an international hit because of the benefits brought by Buriti oil. It can be found all over South America, in Central Brazil and the Southern Amazon basin. The fruit is shiny and has a chestnut color. Its inside contains a bright yellow pulp.

Yuni Beauty said the nut can help protect various skin types from damage. You only need a few drops of pure buriti oil to take advantage of its effects.

Castanha-do-Para

Castanha-do-Para, better known as the Brazil nut, is a vitamin-rich nut. It contains Vitamin A, B-6, B-12, C and D, as well as magnesium, calcium and iron, said Teadora Beauty.

It is also rich in fatty acids, protein, fiber, copper, thiamine and antioxidants. The Brazil nut gives your skin a healthy glow and prevents premature aging. It removes free radicals from the skin cells, preventing skin cancer.

Skin dryness shouldn't be a problem as well as the Brazil nut has it covered. It is also great for your hair as it is rich in Omega 3s and Vitamin E, making your hair healthy, shiny and less prone to breakage.

Want to read more? Check these out!
Heres a challenge: Can you name 75 countries?

Im not sure of my abilities, but apparently the Rev. Dr. Douglas Pieper could, since his travels and missionary work outpace that number.

But in response to my question about the most memorable trip, he recalled that it began with a flight to London.
The grandson of French film star Catherine Deneuve and the late director Roger Vadim has been arrested following a police swoop on a multi-million pound counterfeit money racket run by the Italian Mafia.

Igor Vadim, 32, was on Friday in custody in a secure police station in Paris, where he grew up in one of the most famous celebrity families in France.

He was arrested on Wednesday in the Charente-Martime department, north of Bordeaux, and now faces extradition to Italy and the possibility of trial and prison for helping to flood Europe with fake 50 notes.

Igor Vadim, the grandson of French film star Catherine Deneuve and the late director Roger Vadim has been arrested following a police swoop on a multi-million pound counterfeit money racket run by the Italian Mafia. Pictured: Deneuve and Vadim at Paris Fashion Week in 2010

'Igor Vadim is one of three people taken into custody in France as part of a police clampdown on the Camorra crime syndicate,' said an investigating source.

'There were 44 arrests in total, with 40 of them taking place in Italy. The one other arrest was in Belgium,' the source added.

Operation Nerone  after the Roman Emperor Nero  saw coordinated raids launched on those suspected of working for Camorra, an ancient secret society originating in the Italian region of Campania, and specifically its capital, Naples.

A Camorra Mafia clan specialising in counterfeiting was targeted by Europol, the EU police agency based in Holland.

It led to the seizure of fake cash worth around 9million  a figure that is thought to be a fraction of what the racket was worth.

Vadim was arrested on Wednesday in the Charente-Martime department, north of Bordeaux, and now faces extradition to Italy and the possibility of trial and prison for helping to flood Europe with fake 50 notes

Real cash with a value of around 7.5million and unspecified goods worth some 9million were also seized by Europol officers.

Beyond Vadim, the others arrested in France were an unidentified Franco-Italian and an Italian national, one of whom is said to be at the top of the Camorra crime syndicate.

Eric Bertand, of France's Central Office for the Suppression of Counterfeiting Currency (OCRFM), said the 40 people arrested in Italy included some from Naples, who were mainly dealing in 50 notes.

'For the past few years, ninety per cent of high-quality counterfeit money has come from Italy and La Camorra has a sort of patent on this market,' said Mr Bertrand.

Other investigating sources said each 50 note cost around 30 cents (27p) to make, and it then sold off for 7 (6.30) a note, ensuring massive mark-ups.

A spokesman for prosecutors and police in Benevento, near Naples, said the investigation started in October 2017 after 'numerous seizures of counterfeit 50 euro notes' in the city, and area.

Vadim is extremely close to his grandmother Deneuve, the 76-year-old star of films such as The Last Metro, Belle de Jour and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Pictured: The actress in September last year

He is the son of French actor Christian Vadim (pictured), who in turn is the 57-year-old son of Catherine Deneuve and her former lover Roger Vadim, who directed classics including And God Created Woman, starring Brigitte Bardot, whom Vadim later married

He said the network produced 'excellent quality notes using extremely sophisticated printing methods.

Paper was not watermarked, but still looked remarkably like the real thing, both in terms of 'sight and feel', said the spokesman.

Vadim is extremely close to his grandmother Deneuve, the 76-year-old star of films such as The Last Metro, Belle de Jour and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.

He is the son of Christian Vadim, who in turn is the 57-year-old son of Catherine Deneuve and her former lover Roger Vadim, who directed classics including And God Created Woman, starring Brigitte Bardot, whom Vadim later married.

Vadim's other wives included the American star Jane Fonda and Danish actress Annette Stryberg.

Igor Vadim's mother is Hortense Divetain, the 51-year-old comedy writer, and he has been known to use her surname too.

There was no initial comment from Vadim's immediate family about his arrest.
The US Army Esports team is guilty of a violation of the First Amendment, according to Vera Eidelman, a staff attorney for the ACLUs Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. As reported by Vice, the US Army Esports team, which regularly does streaming sessions on Twitch, banned several people from its channel for asking questions about US war crimes. While speaking to the publication house, Eidelman said the US government or a government organisation cannot pick and choose what comments it allows on a public forum, which is a clear violation of the First Amendment's free speech protections. The staff attorney also claimed there's a recent history of "case law" to back the accusation.

Calling out the governments war crimes isnt harassment, its speaking truth to power. And banning users who ask important questions isnt "flexing," its unconstitutional. https://t.co/E8N10fM5IR  ACLU (@ACLU) July 10, 2020

Also Read | Hezbollah Protest Over US Army Commander Visit

US Army Esports Twitch, Discord handles ban people for "uncomfortable questions"

Announced in 2018, the US Army Esports team consists of professional gamer who are either active to reserve personnel. The main agenda of the Esports team was generally to increase the appeal of the defence forces in front of the youth in order to boost its annual recruitment. However, since June 2020, the team has repeatedly embroiled itself in numerous controversies surrounding attempts to suppress the uncomfortable questions. It quickly turned into a game for the viewers to see how fast can one get banned from their Twitch or Discord channel by asking edgy questions.

Also Read | SpaceX Signs Three-year Agreement With US Army To Assess Starlink Broadband

From linking the Wikipedia page for war crimes committed by the United States to bombarding the comment section with anti-army jokes or memes, users have used multiple techniques to rile up the US Army Esports into banning them. Activist Jordan Uhl, runs his own Twitch stream, told Vice: "It is interesting that (The Army is) being aggressive with removing any incidences of US war crimes (from their Twitch/Discord channels) in what is essentially a recruiting tool for the military. While Uhl understands its simple trolling by the users, he still feels enraged that the Army is recruiting on Twitch.

Major General Frank Muth, head of Army recruiting & the Army eSports project, openly explains how their sinister strategy of having recruiters on Twitchin a clandestine and subversive mannergroom teens into joining pic.twitter.com/rie8Xafy7l  Eyes Left (@EyesLeftPod) July 16, 2020

Uhl concludes stating if the US Army is looking to exploit "modern tools and platforms" that are widely used by the younger generation today, the kids should at least have the right to what the military is all about and what it has done in the past.

The U.S. Army is always hiring. Join our elite team. Visit https://t.co/iQOkdxAMbe for more information.  U.S. Army Esports (@USArmyesports) June 16, 2020

Also Read | US Army Chief Of Staff Meets Thai PM

Also Read | Hundreds Petition Against The Constitutional Amendment In Russia

(Image Credits: US Army Esports Twitter Handle)
Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

Brazil reaches 'plateau'

Brazil, which on Thursday topped two million coronavirus cases, has "plateaued", according to the World Health Organization, which says: "The rise in Brazil is no longer exponential."

India also passes the one-million-cases mark on Friday, meaning it ranks behind the United States and Brazil as the third worst- hit country.

EU rescue summit

Deeply divided European Union leaders hunker down for two days of tortuous negotiations on a planned 750-billion-euro ($855 billion) post-coronavirus economic rescue plan. Their first face-to-face summit since February is "slow" according to diplomats, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel warns: "The differences are still very, very large."

New restrictions

The regional government in Spain's second city Barcelona urges residents to stay home after a rise in virus cases. It also orders the closure of cinemas, theatres and nightclubs and bans gatherings of more than 10 people.

And Israel's government imposes new restrictions in the hope of avoiding a general lockdown further along the line. They include the closure every weekend of malls, stores and other venues.

Britain normal by Christmas?

Britain could return to normality from the outbreak before Christmas, Prime Minister Boris Johnson says, sketching out a timetable for easing the remaining lockdown measures in England, including lifting homeworking guidance, despite the threat of a second wave.

More than 590,000 deaths

The pandemic has killed at least 590,000 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year and more than 13.8 million have been infected, according to an AFP tally at 1200 GMT on Friday based on official sources.

The United States has the most deaths with 138,360. It is followed by Brazil with 76,688, Britain with 45,119, Mexico with 37,574, and Italy with 35,017.

Dexamethasone: benefits and risks

The full results from a UK trial of the steroid dexamethasone confirm its life-saving benefits for COVID-19 patients on ventilators but suggest it may cause harm if given too early.

Biggest risk to US economy

The dominant risk to the US economic recovery is a resurgence of COVID-19 cases that would force renewed business shutdowns, in a country whose economy has already contracted by 37 percent in the second quarter, the International Monetary Fund warns.

Emirates resumes Iran flights

Dubai-based Emirates airlines resumes flights to Tehran after a five-month break due to shutdowns to curb the spread of coronavirus from Iran, the worst-hit country in the Middle East.

Record rise in Melbourne

Australia's second-biggest city of Melbourne reports a record rise of more than 400 new coronavirus cases despite a week-old lockdown of more than five million residents, with Victoria state's chief health officer saying: "We have not turned the corner here, worse than that."

British fundraiser knighted

A 100-year-old World War II veteran, Captain Tom Moore, who raised nearly 33 million ($41.3 million, 36.1 million euros) for British health charities, is knighted in a special ceremony by Queen Elizabeth II.

Explore further Coronavirus: latest global developments

 2020 AFP
New Delhi:

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar visited a BSF base camp in Jammu on Tuesday to express his gratitude to the troops guarding the International Border and the LoC.A

Terming BSF troops as the "real heroes" of the nation, the Bollywood actor paid tribute to all the jawans, who lost their lives in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

Akshay also paid tributes to the paramilitary soldiers who attained martyrdom in the recent spate of ceasefire violations and encounters by Pakistani forces.

#WATCH: Akshay Kumar pays tribute to soldiers (who lost their lives in ceasefire violations/encounter) at BSF base camp in Jammu pic.twitter.com/IxGoxCFHrD a ANI (@ANI_news) November 8, 2016

J&K: Akshay Kumar at BSF Base camp in Jammu, pays tribute to soldiers who lost their lives in ceasefire violations and encounter pic.twitter.com/NCmR1RzuER a ANI (@ANI_news) November 8, 2016

The Bollywood action star follows matter of national security and defense very closely and has always come out openly in lauding the efforts of the defence forces in guarding the frontiers of the country.

The actor who set Bollywood ablaze and created a mark of his own with his trademark death-defying stunts in action movies has been seen portraying characters in Bollywood movies whose subject revolve around defence and national security. Prominent among them have been Holiday, Baby, Gabbar and Airlift which were critically acclaimed and commercially successful.

J & K you beauty!Just returning from meeting the heroes who are fighting a battle everyday to protect us. @BSF_India thank you for having me pic.twitter.com/TqonAtaF8L a Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) November 8, 2016

Earlier, the actor, whose father was also an army man, had donated Rs 9 lakh to the family of a martyred BSF jawan Gurnaam Singh.

This donation came days after his earlier donation of Rs 80 lakh to the army.A

Terming BSF troops as the "real heroes" of the nation, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar today paid tribute to all the jawans, who lost their lives in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

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One of two men who were arrested for allegedly attacking the New York City Police Department's highest-ranking uniformed officer during a bloody melee on the Brooklyn Bridge has been released from jail without bail.

Quran Campbell, 25, from The Bronx, has been charged with assault, accused of repeatedly punching NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan in the face and striking a lieutenant during what was supposed to be a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest on Wednesday.

Campbell was arraigned on Thursday and granted supervised release.

Scroll down for video

Quran Campbell, one of two people accused of attacking NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan (pictured bandaging his injured fingers after attack), was released without bail

Monahan took to Twitter on Friday to blast the Manhattan judge who granted Campbell supervised release

*The chief praised the Manhattan DA for requesting $75,000 bail for Campbell

The second suspect in the attack, 25-year-old Banks Shaborn, was ordered held on $10,000 bail after his arraignment on counts of assault and criminal possession, reported New York Post.

On Friday, Monahan took to Twitter to blast the judge who ordered Campbell's release without bail, accusing him of putting police officers and the general public at risk.

'Quran Campbell is captured on video for the nation to witness him viciously assault 3 cops in uniform  1 who lost consciousness,' the chief wrote. 'Judge Robert Rosenthals reckless decision to release Mr. Campbell WITHOUT BAIL endangers every NYer and the officers who risk it all to protect them.'

Monahan also praised the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for requesting $75,000 bail.

In an interview with Good Day New York on Thursday, Chief Monahan described his injuries suffered at the hands of the attackers.

'I have some bruises on my body, my hands, fingers got jammed up, nothing broken,' Monahan said.

Two other officers - a lieutenant and a sergeant - sustained more serious injuries in the fracas that broke out during dueling pro- and -anti-police protests on the iconic bridge spanning the East River.

'My sergeant who works with me was hit in the head with a cane,' Monahan said. 'He got eight staples put in his head; one of the lieutenants out on the walkway was attacked by an individual  he had the broken orbital bone in his face.'

Monahan identified the person who attacked Lt Richard Mack as Campbell, and said that as he reached over to grab the suspect, the 25-year-old punched him several times before getting arrested.

The NYPD later released a video of the suspect in the attack who is seen fleeing the scene

Mack was taken to the hospital with broken orbital sockets in both eyes requiring a dozen stitches.

Monahan said Mayor Bill di Blasio called him after the bridge incident and asked about his physical state and the state of his injured officers.

The top cop characterized Campbell and the other attackers as members of an anarchist group that has infiltrated the Black Lives Matter movement.

'It is a legitimate movement, but it is being hijacked by these anarchists, and they are the ones that have been attacking our police officers [and] are out hiding behind the many, many peaceful protesters that are out there,' he said.

On Thursday, a New Jersey woman was charged with assaulting two police officers after allegedly beating them with a cane during the the bridge brawl.

Chanice Reyes, 24, was arrested during an early morning raid near City Hall, a day after footage released by the NYPD showed a suspect clubbing cops.

In a video from the scene a protester - believed to be Reyes - is first seen climbing over the barrier on the bridge holding a cane to club officers. It is not clear which officers she has been charged with assaulting.

Following the assault on officers, police tweeted: 'The New York City Police Department is seeking the publics assistance identifying the following individual in the attached photos and video wanted for questioning in regard to an assault on police officers in the confines of the 5th Precinct.

'On July 15 at approximately 10:10 AM, on the Brooklyn Bridge while attempting to make an arrest an unidentified individual struck multiple police offices with a cane.'

Footage taken by The New York Post shows as Reyes was arrested Thursday morning. Sources told the paper there was 'a strong smell of marijuana coming from a car' where police then recognized Reyes as the person wanted over the attack.

Wearing one sock, a 'Wanted' t-shirt, and flipping the bird at reporters she said: 'I didnt attack nobody.' She is said to have been taken to hospital for a preliminary psychiatric exam.

Protesters have been camped outside City Hall calling for the NYPD to be defunded. Reyes is said to have resisted arrest there Thursday, allegedly hitting a sergeant and biting another officer on the head.

A bicycle officer helping a fellow officer dress a head wound after the clash on the bridge

Other police photos of the aftermath showed a lieutenant with a bloodied face, a detective holding a bandage to his head

In footage of the incident tweeted by the NYPD Wednesday, the protester is seen swinging a long object down at the heads of a group of officers from a pedestrian walkway as they attempt to arrest someone at 10am.

Police photos of the aftermath showed a lieutenant with a bloodied face, a detective holding a bandage to his head, and a bicycle officer helping other officer dress a head wound. Their injuries are all said to be serious.

Chief of Department Monahan, who is seen the video dressed in a white shirt, suffered an injured finger in the scuffle and other minor injuries, officials said.

Monahan told Fox Thursday morale among officers is 'as low as it's been in a long time'. He added: 'I'm feeling fine. You know, I've got a few bruises here and there. Luckily, the fingers weren't broken, just jammed a bit. So I'm doing OK.

'I'm doing a lot better than my sergeant and the lieutenant that was attacked.

'On the street corners, there is a feeling that they don't have to listen to the police and that they're willing to fight the police officers.'

Mayor Bill de Blasio, who earlier this month slashed NYPD funding by $1 billion, said Thursday: 'Peaceful protest is honored in New York City  always has been. There is no acceptable violent protest. Any violent protest will be stopped, and therell be consequences for anyone involved.

'And anyone, anywhere, whether in protest or anything else, who assaults a police officer, its unacceptable, and they will suffer the consequences.'

Several NYPD officers were attacked an injured Wednesday as pro-police and anti-police protesters clashed on the Brooklyn Bridge (Chief of Department Terence Monahan shown in white)

In footage of the incident tweeted by the NYPD Wednesday, a protester is seen swinging a long object down at the heads of a group of officers from a pedestrian walkway

Monahan meanwhile, who is seen the video dressed in a white shirt, suffered a fractured his finger in the scuffle and other minor injuries, officials said

The mayor on Wednesday signed into law a series of police accountability measures inspired by the killings of George Floyd, Eric Garner and other black people.

De Blasio had helped paint a Black Lives Matter mural on a Bronx street before signing police reform measures. They include a ban on chokeholds and other restraints that could restrict a persons breathing.

The NYPD has long barred chokeholds, but that hasnt stopped some officers from using them in recent years  most notably in Garners death on Staten Island just shy of six years ago.

Other reforms include requirements for officers to have their shield numbers visible  and not obscured by things like black mourning bands; for the NYPD to create and publish to its website a schedule of officer disciplinary violations and penalties, and for the department to disclose information about its secret surveillance technology.

Another makes clear that the public has a right to record police activity.

Monahan and the other injured officers were marching with a pro-police group led by local clergy when they were met on the bridge by anti-police activists, some of whom have been camping outside City Hall in recent weeks to demand severe cuts to police funding.

The injured Chief of Department Monahan was one of several NYPD officials lauded last month for taking a knee with demonstrators in the city on June 1.

In a longer clip of the clash obtained by DailyMail.com, an all-out brawl is seen erupting between a dozen protesters and a group of NYPD bike patrol officers.

One protester is seen charging towards an officer, knocking him to the ground and striking him several times as he lay on top of the flattened cop.

A number of other scuffles break out between the demonstrators and cops around them.

As Monahan, who is seen perched on the other side of the fence, attempts to grab one of the protesters, another activist moves in the strike him several times in the face.

The action prompts a cycle unit cop to rush in to his superior's aid, striking the culprit a number of times before attempting to hoist him over a fence into the custody of Monahan and another officer.

As Monahan, who is seen perched on the other side of the fence, attempts to grab one of the protesters, another activist moves in the strike him several times in the face

The action prompts a cycle unit cop to rush in to his superior's aid, striking the culprit several times before attempting to hoist him over a fence into the custody of Monahan and another officer

Chief of Department Monahan was one of several NYPD officials lauded last month for taking a knee with demonstrators in the city on June 1

If the mayor were doing his job properly, we wouldnt have this issue. If the DAs were prosecuting the laws, we wouldnt have these issues. What we are seeing right now is chaos in the city of New York and the victims are minorities, Ed Mullins, the president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, told CBSNY.

Some people in the pro-police group marched with a banner that said, We Support the NYPD.

The leader of that group said they were calling for an end to a recent spate of violence, including the shooting death of a one-year-old boy in Brooklyn.

The protesters near to where the incident took place scattered as more police swarmed in and several people were taken to the ground and arrested.

At one stage, several officers and bicycles gave chase to one fleeing protester and surrounded him. The protester charged into a number of the bicycles, knocking officers to the ground, PIX11 reported.

The demonstrator was then taken into custody, according to the network. The NYPD were seen loading between 15 to 20 protesters into an NYPD van at 10:05am.

An officer is seen pulling the hair of a Black Lives Matter Protester as he pulls her toward the ground on the Brooklyn Bridge

In total 37 people were arrested following the clash on Wednesday morning, police confirmed

A New York City police officer grabs a Black Lives Matter protester during a confrontation near a pro-police rally and prayer vigil near City Hall

One protester is seen being taken into custody on the Brooklyn Bridge Wednesday morning

'They literally arrested about 20 of our folks, as this protest, stop, we're going to arrest Black Lives Matter protesters and then allow this protest to peacefully come by,' said Jonathan Lykes, Black Youth Project 100 to ABC of the arrests.

'They didn't want a counter protest, they didn't want democracy, they didn't want freedom in this moment,' he continued.

Wednesday's demonstrations were the latest in a wave of protest activity across the country since George Floyd was killed May 25 by Minneapolis police.

Those gathered participated in singing after speeches encouraging people to stop the violence.

We've come to turn down the walls of injustice and social inequality. We are here to build walls and build bridges that unite people, one protester told Fox 5.

The first few nights of protests in New York City were marred by looting, unrest and violence inflicted both by and on police officers. Since then, protests have largely been peaceful.
The use of Covid-19 test kits supplied by Northern Ireland firm Randox has been "paused" over concerns that they are not up to standard.

The decision was announced in the House of Commons by Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday.

The Government said all laboratories must pause the use of test kits produced by the Crumlin-based firm "with immediate effect and until further notice".

It said that some Covid-19 tests used as part of the NHS system had been temporarily stopped after they failed to meet safety standards. Mr Hancock told the Commons there had been a problem with swabs, but there was no suggestion test results were affected.

Mr Hancock told MPs: "We've identified some swabs that are not up to the usual high standard that we expect, and we'll be carrying out further testing of this batch as a precautionary measure.

"And while we investigate further, we're requesting that the use of these Randox swab test kits are paused in all settings until further notice.

"Clinical advice is that there is no evidence of any harm, the test results are not affected.

"There is no evidence of issues with any of our other test swabs, and there is no impact on access to testing."

Shadow secretary of state for health John Ashworth asked Mr Hancock what was wrong with the Randox test kits - and how many had been used.

"Is there a health risk to anyone who has been tested with these kits?" the senior Labour MP said.

"And how many people have these unsafe kits been used on and why weren't the certifications checked before these kits were used?

"These kits tend to be used in many care homes.

"We want care home residents to be tested regularly, we want care home staff to be tested regularly - can he guarantee that those care homes will now get alternative kits rapidly?"

Mr Hancock replied: "The reason is that they had a CE stamp and upon investigation of the certification of that stamp, the certification was not forthcoming, and therefore physical checks were done and we found that the swabs weren't up to the standards that we expect.

"This is limited to the Randox element of the testing system, not the broader testing system that we have.

"And I explained the clinical position, which is that there is no evidence of any harm having been done and that there is full access to testing because we have plenty of other test kits available."

A statement on the Randox website said: "As an immediate precautionary measure we have temporarily suspended distribution of home sample collection kits using one particular batch/supplier of swabs.

"This is a temporary measure and does not apply to our private business, which uses a different supplier of swabs.

"Test results from Randox kits are not affected."
Armenia denies the language of threat and advocates a peaceful solution to the issue, said Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan.

Her remarks came at the request of Interfax following the statements of the Azerbaijani leadership on the peace process.

The Karabakh conflict has three parties that have put their signatures on the armistice agreement.

Azerbaijan used to conduct negotiations with both Nagorno-Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia. Then Azerbaijan refused to negotiate with Nagorno-Karabakh. If now Azerbaijan refuses to negotiate with Armenia, it is unclear with whom this country will speak on the Karabakh conflict. Does Azerbaijan intend to resume talks with the Karabakh side or not? We do not know this," she noted.

"Armenia denies the language of threat and comes out from the standpoint of a peaceful solution to the problem."
The fourth Long March-5 rocket, to be used to launch China's first Mars exploration mission, was vertically transported to the launching area at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province on Friday.

The carrier rocket, coded as Long March-5 Y4, is planned to be launched in late July or early August, according to the China National Space Administration.

Space engineers have conducted a general assembly and tests on the rocket, after it was transported to Wenchang at the end of May.

It took about two hours to vertically transport the large rocket to the launching area of the center Friday morning. Final examinations and tests will be conducted on the rocket before the launch.

This is the first time the Long March-5 carrier rocket, currently China's largest launch vehicle, to be put into practical use after three experimental launches. The rocket is expected to send the Mars probe into the Earth-Mars transfer orbit, which is also the first such mission to be carried out by China's carrier rocket.

China's first Mars exploration mission Tianwen-1 aims to complete orbiting, landing and roving in one mission, and to obtain scientific exploration data on Mars.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police crime branch has seized 42 domestic-made weapons and arrested 15 people in an attempt to break a supply chain of weapons to the city, according to Sandeep Bishnoi, commissioner, Pimpri-Chinchwad police.

Along with the weapons, 66 live cartridges and a car have been recovered.

The total recovery is estimated to be worth Rs 19,89,500, according to police.

You can guage the number of future crimes that were prevented due to this action. There is a link to Madhya Pradesh. The team worked consistently from March to July to track one of the makers of the weapons. The arms were brought to Maharashtra and sold further from various places, including Pune, Beed, Usmanabad and rural Pune areas. The weapons were used in various crimes, including one in Khadakwasla and Talegaon Dabhade, said commissioner Bishnoi.

The police team of six also arrested Manisingh Gurmukhsingh Bhatiya, allegedly the main supplier of the weapons from Singhana village in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.

Bhatiya was found with 11 weapons and 22 live cartridges. He worked with an unidentified partner who is currently on the run.

The police recovered various kinds of weapons including pistols and single bore, hand guns. Three groups of men bought 75 weapons from the MP-based manufacturer, according to senior police inspector Mohan Shinde of Unit 4.

They bought weapons in bulk and sold it at double the amount they bought it for. They purchased weapons based on the demand, added API Deshmukh.

The police are in the process of making more arrests and expect to recover at least 19 more weapons in the coming days.

BOXX

Undercover to bust the over-land arms sale

According to the Pimpri-Chinchwad police, the weapons from Manisingh Gurmukhsingh Bhatiya were bought in bulk by five people, identified as Kush Nandkumar Pawar from Talegaon Dabhade; Prasanna Dnyaneshwar Pawar from Godumbe, Shirgaon; Akash alias Bala Jagannath Waghmode from Kurduwadi in Solapur; Yogesh Ivtthal Kamble from Paranda in Usmanabad; and Gotu alias Gyanoba Maruti Gite from Parali in Beed.

Kush and Prasanna Pawar operated as one unit while Waghmode and Kamble operated as another unit, police said.

Gite operated alone and was caught by the Pimpri- Chinchwad police on March 6 with six weapons in his possession. That is when the investigation began, according to Sudhir Hiremath, deputy commissioner of police, crime, Pimpri-Chinchwad.

When we first went there in March, we met with resistance from the Shikalgare community. Then the next time were pretended to be sellers of bedding that we purchased from Solapur. We changed our appearance, said assistant police inspector (API) Ambrish Deshmukh, Unit 4, Pimpri-Chinchwad police.

The Pawar duo had bought 29 weapons and sold them to nine people including Akash Padalghare, a resident of Mulshi who is already in jail in a case under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) registered at Paud police station. All the nine have multiple cases registered against them.

The Waghmode-Kamble duo had purchased 27 weapons from MP and had sold them to 10 people, including Somnath alias Soma Ramesh Chavan, a resident of Kalgaon in Karad who is lodged in Satara jail and has a history of 13 cases. The other nine people who purchased these weapons also have an extensive history of criminal cases against them.
Last spring, legacy Southern Gospel artist The McKameys announced they'd no longer be touring full time, and released The Crown, an album that continued to bring their message of faithfulness and the power of the Gospel to the world. In the fall, the National Quartet Convention paused to honor the group that's released 54 albums over the course of their career and has the most #1 hits in Southern Gospel history.

Thousands of fans and industry peers filled the LeConte Centre in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to celebrate The McKameys' more than 60 years of singing. Now, fans of the group can relive that special afternoon with LIVE Like No Other, a CD and DVD featuring live music as well as behind the scenes interviews with The McKameys, to be released July 17. LIVE Like No Other is now available for pre-order, save and add.

Q: How are you all doing during this season of Covid 19 lockdowns?

We are all doing good. We have all been very careful about getting out much, so we are all doing well!

Q: Last year, you made the decision to no longer tour full-time. How and why did you come to this decision?

"I think age caused us to begin thinking it was time", Peg stated. "The full-time touring schedule was beginning to take it's toil on some of us, and we felt like this is what would be best at this time". Ruben stated, "When it got hard to get on and off the bus, I felt like it was time". We had several discussions about the decision, and we felt this was the right time.

Q: After touring for so many years, can you tell us some of your favorite memories?

We have lots of road memories. Some funny, some sad, but overall we have lots of memories from the road. The best memories are those involving our friends who we have met on this journey. We have been blessed with great songs, a sweet journey traveling as a family, meeting sweet people, going to some great places and seeing some places we never heard of, but our greatest memories are of seeing God use us and the message in our songs, night after night. Seeing how God worked using us for HIS glory!

Q: When and where was this album recorded?

This album/DVD was recorded back in October 2019 at The National Quartet Convention in Pigeon Forge, TN.

Q: With 54 albums, how did you manage to narrow down your songs for this album?

We knew we wanted to do some new songs and some of our most requested songs. We began praying about what songs we felt needed to be sung for this time. What we felt the people would need to hear from The McKameys. This was done every night before our concerts. We tried to follow God's direction.

Q: What are some special features on this DVD?

This DVD not only has an hour-long live concert, but it has interviews with each group member, that allows people to see each of our hearts!

Q: Will you still be releasing new music in the near future?

We don't really know the answer to that. We will see where God directs our path. The Psalmist tells us to "wait on the Lord", and we are praying for God's direction and we will follow Him!

Q: What words of encouragement do you have for our readers during this time of pandemic?

God is still God on the Mountain and God in the Valley. He is still on the throne and still in control. This pandemic did not surprise Him; however, we must determine to continue in what He has called us to do, relying on Him to help us get our message out in spite of the circumstances we are in! Keep looking to HIM!

Tags : The McKameys the mckameys interview The McKameys "LIVE Like No Other" The McKameys touring The McKameys tour The McKameys live album the mckameys new album the mckameys news
Yorkshire residents have been urged to protect themselves and others amid an increase in cases of Covid-19 in Wakefield.

A total of 1,749 people have now tested positive for coronavirus in the west Yorkshire city  up from 1,615 at the start of July, according to the latest data from Public Health England.

Recent outbreaks also found most of the people who tested positive showed no symptoms.

Wakefield Council said it expects the district to be identified as an area of concern following the release of the figures.

Anna Hartley, Wakefields director of public health, said Covid-19 remains a very real threat, and urged people in the area to reduce the risk of infection by wearing masks in enclosed public space, washing their hands, maintaining social distancing and not sharing cars with anyone outside their household.

She also said the council is exploring options for community testing in areas of higher concern for people who do not have symptoms.

There is a growing concern that the number of people testing positive for the virus will continue to rise, and that the risk of more localised outbreaks remains  unless people take more action to reduce the spread of infection, she said.

Ms Hartley added that the rise in cases resulted from two large workplace outbreaks.

Earlier this month, 17 workers at Forza Foods in Normanton and four workers at Deep Sleep Beds in Ossett tested positive for coronavirus. More than 20 people also tested positive at an accommodation centre for asylum seekers and refugees in the city.

Ms Hartley said: We have effective monitoring in place to map relevant data and spot trends, which acts as our early warning system 

It is this early warning system that has identified the need for everyone to increase their efforts to tackle the spread of the virus, especially in areas of our lives where social distancing is not possible.

Now is absolutely not the time to be complacent. We must all work together to take action and follow the simple safety advice to protect ourselves and each other.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

The special quarantine regime was extended in Azerbaijan until August 31 in accordance with the results of analysis of the sanitary-epidemiological situation in connection with the spread of COVID-19, the Operational Headquarters under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers told Trend on July 17.

The strict quarantine regime will not be applied in Azerbaijans Lankaran city and Samukh district from July 20, 2020 given the dynamics of human infection with COVID-19.

The strict quarantine regime will continue in accordance with the current sanitary and epidemiological situation until 06:00 (GMT+4) August 5, 2020, in Baku, Jalilabad, Ganja, Masalli, Mingachevir, Sumgayit and Yevlakh cities, and Absheron, Barda, Goranboy, Goygol, Khachmaz, Siyazan and Sheki districts.

Public transport will not operate in the following periods in cities and districts in which the toughened quarantine regime is applied:

from 00:00 July 25 through 06:00 July 27;

from 00:00 August 1 through 06:00 August 3.

The activity of hairdressers and beauty salons as well as rendering of cosmetic services, except for massage parlors and baths, are allowed from July 20 in the cities in which the tightened quarantine regime has been introduced.

At the same time, the period of permission to leave the place of residence or location is extended from two to three hours.

Proceeding from the current sanitary and epidemiological situation, the Operational Headquarters urges everyone to observe the personal hygiene rules, medical and preventive norms, and safety precautions to maximally protect themselves and their families from coronavirus.
The Philippines now has the highest number of active COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia.

The Philippines government is enforcing partial coronavirus restrictions in the capital Manila for another two weeks.

They are also set to reinstate stricter curbs if a rise in new cases and deaths does not slow down.

The country has recorded Southeast Asias biggest daily jump in coronavirus deaths this week, putting hospitals under strain.

Al Jazeeras Jamela Alindogan joins police forces as they conduct patrols in Manila.
Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang speaks at the regular press conference on July 16th (Photo: VNA)



With regard to several recent remarks on Twitter by her Chinese counterpart Hua Chunying, Hang reiterated that Vietnam has sufficient legal ground and historical evidence testifying to its sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes in line with international law.

Responding to a question about the recent statement by US State Secretary Mike Pompeo and the USs stance on maritime claims in the East Sea, the spokeswoman said peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the East Sea are the common aspirations and goals of countries bordering the East Sea as well as of those in the region and the international community.

Upholding international law, respecting legal order at sea, and fully and responsibly implementing the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) are critical to realising those goals, she went on.

Hang noted Vietnam welcomes countries stances on the East Sea issue that are in conformity with international law and shares the viewpoint that the 1982 UNCLOS is the legal framework regulating all activities in seas and oceans.

We also hope that countries will join us in exerting utmost efforts to contribute to the maintenance of peace, stability, cooperation in the East Sea and to the settlement of disputes via dialogue and other peaceful measures in accordance with international law for common interest and in line with aspirations of countries in the region and the international community, she said, adding that Vietnam always makes active and responsible contributions to common efforts and throughout this process.

The spokeswoman also reaffirmed that maintaining an East Sea region of stability, peace, cooperation, and development is not only the common aspiration but also the common responsibility of countries bordering the East Sea, regional countries, and the international community.

To do that, it is necessary for countries in the region and the international community to make joint efforts on the basis of international law and fully and responsibly implement fundamental principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS. And Vietnam has been actively and responsibly contributing to common efforts towards this goal, Hang said./.
Abuja, Nigeria (PANA)  The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Friday announced that the remains of late Flying Officer, Tolulope Arotile, Nigerias first female combat helicopter pilot, will be buried with full military honours at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja, next week Thursday
Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung talks to reporters in front of the provincial office in Suwon, Thursday, after the Supreme Court acquitted him of violating the Election Law. With the ruling, Lee is expected to gain political momentum to become a strong prospective presidential candidate. Yonhap



Supreme Court's acquittal becomes political turning point for Lee Jae-myung



By Jung Da-min



Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung is expected to strengthen his political clout as a prospective presidential candidate, as Thursday's top court ruling acquitting him on charges of violating the Election Law lets him keep his governorship and concludes years of political uncertainty.



Lee, a member of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has been taking second place in opinion polls on potential presidential contenders following former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, another DPK member. Following the court decision, the governor is forecast to brace himself for a presidential campaign.



On Thursday, the Supreme Court overturned the Suwon High Court's earlier decision that found the governor guilty of violating the law by making a false claim during a televised debate before the local elections in 2018.



The top court ruling not only saved him from the possibility of losing his governorship but also removed political uncertainty stemming from the trial, which had been impeding the public support rate for him as a potential presidential candidate. Now he is expected to strengthen his political influence within and outside of the party and announce his bid for the next presidential election set to be held in March 2022.



Regarding his ambitions following the court ruling, Lee said, "The role of a public official is decided not by the official but by the people. I'll do my best to play my current role, and the people will decide what role I should play later."



So far, former Prime Minister Lee has been leading polls on prospective candidates for nearly a year. A survey of 1,001 adults released by Gallup Korea last week showed 24 percent of respondents picked Lee Nak-yon as their favorite contender while 13 percent supported the Gyeonggi governor. Another poll by Hangil Research showed, July 8, the gap was narrower with Lee Nak-yon gaining 28.8 percent and Lee Jae-myung, 20 percent.



Political watchers say several variables may overturn the current situation. These include the growing popularity of the Gyeonggi governor who has impressed people with his straightforwardness and strong drive in pushing forward policies, especially with his recent efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in the province.



Gyeonggi Province was the first local government here to provide a universal anti-disaster relief fund to all of its residents, later followed by some other local governments and the central government.



Lee has also been quick to take strict measures against organizations and businesses considered likely to cause rapid spread of the virus such as religious groups and clubs.



With such policies and actions, he topped the rank in a July 14 survey by Realmeter evaluating the performances of mayors and governors, gaining an approval rating of 71.2 percent.



Political watchers say Lee Nak-yon's support rate could decrease if he fails to emphasize his own political achievements because a large portion of his popularity is attributable to the popularity of the Moon Jae-in government, as he was the first prime minister for the incumbent President, as well as the longest-serving PM in over 30 years.



Lee Nak-yon led the DPK's special committee dealing with the country's COVID-19 situation but stepped down from the post late last month to declare his bid to run in the party's leadership race. He is competing with former four-term lawmaker Kim Boo-kyum for the party chairmanship to be decided through a nationwide party convention on Aug. 29.


Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday issued a guidance letter to Texas religious private schools saying local public health orders attempting to restrict their reopenings are unconstitutional and unlawful.

In addition to violating the U.S. and Texas constitutions and the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Paxton writes that Gov. Greg Abbott's executive orders bar local governments from closing religious institutions or dictating mitigation strategies to those institutions.

The legally nonbinding letter essentially gives religious schools the green light to disobey local public health orders that would stop them from reopening.

Private schools have been included in several large Texas counties closure orders, including Travis, El Paso, Dallas, Hidalgo and Cameron counties.

In accordance with the protections granted by the First Amendment and Texas law, this guidance allows religious private schools to determine for themselves when to reopen free from any government mandate or interference," Paxton said in a statement Friday.

PUBLIC SCHOOL PLAYBOOK: TEA releases new guidance for Texas schools on online-only classes, start of year

The Texas Education Agency on Wednesday announced that local public health officials could keep Texas schools closed for in-person classes without risking state education funding, reversing an earlier decision that would have penalized schools that did not return to in-person classes within three weeks of re-opening.

In the letter Friday, Paxton pointed to the TEA recommendation that all school leaders do everything feasible to keep students, teachers, staff, and our communities safe as well as CDC research showing that relatively few children with COVID-19 are hospitalized or have severe symptoms.

Paxton said he agreed with the TEA and the American Academy of Pediatrics that COVID-19 risks must be balanced with the need for children to attend school in person, given that lack of physical access to school leads to a number of negative consequences, placing children and adolescents at considerable risk of morbidity, and in some cases, mortality.

In a statement, Laura Colangelo, executive director of the Texas Private Schools Association, said the group was grateful to Abbott for recognizing the independence and autonomy of religious private schools in Texas.

Private schools need to be flexible and responsive to their students, staff, and communities and this ruling allows that to happen, Colangelo said. As always, the health, safety, and education of students in Texas is our highest priority.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com

Jacob Carpenter contributed to this report.
Don't take the bait, business owners. If an individual comes into your business holding a card saying that they're exempt from wearing a face mask, that card is fraudulent, states the Department of Justice.

Nearly 20 states including the state of Texas are now requiring people to wear masks as the COVID-19 surge continues to escalate. Even amid this spike in cases, there are cards circulating online fraudulently stating that a person with disabilities does not have to wear a mask at all.

EXHAUSTED DOCTORS: Houston ICU doc says caregivers are exhausted, describes long-lasting effects of COVID-19

Different versions of the card even attempt to copy the seal of U.S. Department of Justice, which enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act. They purport to carry the authority of the "Freedom to Breathe Agency," which is neither a federal nor state agency.

The FTC confirmed that these cards were not issued nor endorsed by the Department of Justice. To get more information on this fake mask exemption scam, click here to get the real details from ADA.gov.

The fake card states that wearing a mask will incur mental or physical risk for the holder. The card also features a statement that the Americans with Disabilities Act forbids raising questions about the health condition aggravated by the mask usage.

"If found in violation of the ADA you could face steep penalties. Organizations and businesses can be fined up to $75,000 for your first violation and $150,000 for any subsequent violations. Denying access to your business/organization will be also reported to FTBA for further actions," the card falsely claims.

This fake mask exemption card has many weighing in on social media. Some are outraged over the card's incorrect information about Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Department of Justice made this official statement about the cards.

"These postings were not issued by the Department and are not endorsed by the Department," the statement read. "The Department urges the public not to rely on the information contained in these postings and to visit ADA.gov for ADA information issued by the Department."

alison.medley@chron.com
Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu congratulated his newly appointed Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov.



"I congratulate the new Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and wish him success in his post. We will continue to work with one nation, two states understanding," Cavusoglu said on Twitter.



Bayramov, who had been serving as education minister since April 2018, has been appointed to the post in line with the decree of Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev.



The president spoke to Bayramov via videoconference amid his new appointment, Anadolu Agency reported.
India's culturally rich heritage is known all over the world, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday, days after Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's controversial remarks on Ayodhya and Lord Ram.

Under fire for the PM's remarks, the Nepal government on Tuesday had launched a damage control act to clarify that Oli's statements were "not linked to any political subject" and had no intention at all to "hurt" anyone's feelings and sentiments.

Asked about Oli's remarks, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "The deep and culturally rich heritage of our country is known all over the world."

He also noted that the Nepalese foreign ministry had issued a clarification and he did not want to comment any further on the matter.

In its statement, Nepal's foreign ministry had clarified that the remarks made by Oli were "not meant to debasing the significance of Ayodhya and the cultural value it bears".

"As there have been several myths and references about Shri Ram and the places associated with him, the Prime Minister was simply highlighting the importance of further studies and research of the vast cultural geography the Ramayana represents to obtain facts about Shri Ram, Ramayana and the various places linked to this rich civilization," the ministry had said.

To a separate question on Kerala's gold smuggling case, Srivastava said India is in touch with the UAE authorities regarding the investigation in this matter.

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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An insurance company is suing the Indianapolis archdiocese, alleging that it failed to disclose allegations of child sexual abuse by a Catholic priest when it applied for liability insurance.

Underwriters for Lloyds of London contends in a federal lawsuit filed Monday that when the archdiocese applied for excess sexual misconduct liability insurance in June 2019, it failed to disclose abuse allegations against Rev. David J. Marcotte reported months before its application was filed.

The lawsuit asks a judge to rescind the insurance policy and render it void, The Indianapolis Star reported.

Marcotte was arrested in October 2019 on charges that he sexually abused a child 2017 and 2018. Archdiocese officials previously said it learned of the allegations in early February 2019, at which time they suspended the priest.

The lawsuit states that the childs father notified an archdiocese victim assistance coordinator on Feb. 13, 2019, that he intended to sue. Months later, the Archdiocese applied for the insurance policy.

As part of its insurance application, the archdiocese was asked whether it was aware of any facts, circumstances, or allegations that may result in claims being made against you.

The archdiocese answered no, according to the suit.

The underwriters say that answer was untruthful in light of the allegations against Marcotte, and the policy should therefore be voided.

Archdiocese spokesperson Mike Krokos said in an email that the archdiocese hasnt been served with the lawsuit. Therefore, we cannot respond until we have the opportunity to thoroughly examine the lawsuit, he said.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Excess Surplus Underwriting Lloyd's Indiana
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The annual upriver migration of Pacific wild salmonintegral to B.C.'s coastal ecosystemis an important sustenance source for numerous animal species and a vital economic and cultural lifeline for Indigenous and other communities.

But salmon populations are increasingly at risk due to climate change and growing toxicity in ocean and river waters, making it essential to find more effective ways to monitor their population.

Genome BC will fund new research at Simon Fraser University involving the use of Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology as a more efficient way of monitoring salmonids, as they return from the ocean to journey upriver to their natal streams to spawn.

The study is being led by SFU biology professor Vicki Marlatt, together with the Gitanyow Fisheries Authority's head fisheries biologist Mark Cleveland. The researchers will use eDNA samples to quantify upriver migration of the five species of Pacific salmon passing fish fences installed in the Kitwanga River.

Marlatt, who oversees the eDNA Lab at SFU will work with Cleveland's team to design the field sampling regime for water collections and flow. The data gathered from these samples will be used to compare eDNA salmon counts with the more labor-intensive human salmon fish counts to determine which method is more effective.

Counting salmon using eDNA

e-DNAa low-cost and non-invasive optionis increasingly being used by researchers for sample collection and species monitoring.

Varying amounts of eDNA are found in the skin, scales, or waste shed by salmon into their surrounding environment. These samples have a relatively short life span, but can help detect the presence or absence of the salmon through the presence of species specific eDNA, says Marlatt.

Why it matters

Marlatt explains that the human count method for counting salmon works well, but requires labor-intensive human counters and less frequently, sonar, resulting in limited counting across streams in Canada.

"Additionally, to count spawning salmonids one must construct a fence that spans an entire river to prevent passage of salmon, except through single narrow gates, so that a human observer can count and identify the species," she says.

"This is costly to construct and operate, thus alternatives to these labor-intensive, high-cost methods would allow more rivers to be monitored for salmon abundance, and this is where testing eDNA for salmon enumeration comes in."

If successful, the use of eDNA can be expanded for wider commercial use across B.C.'s fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

Explore further Research on environmental DNA in salmon monitoring could have economic benefits
A pared-down Republican National Convention will be held in Jacksonville, Fla., next month in a number of outdoor and indoor settings in order to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and comply with Floridas rules, according to a letter sent by Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to delegates Thursday.

Admittance will be restricted to regular delegates  around 2,500 people  for the first three days of the convention, according to the letter, obtained by the Washington Post. When President Trump attends on the final day, delegates will get a guest, and alternate delegates can also attend. Roughly 6,000 to 7,000 people are expected to attend.

The convention will take place in several venues, both indoor and outdoor, including VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, TIAA Bank Field, Dailys Place Amphitheater, 121 Financial Ballpark and several others to comply with Florida rules.

When we made these changes, we had hoped to be able to plan a traditional convention celebration to which we are all accustomed. However, adjustments must be made to comply with state and local health guidelines, she said.

The convention will spend one day in its original Charlotte, N.C. location before moving to Jacksonville. The move was prompted by North Carolina officials reluctance to ensure that President Trump would be able to accept his nomination in a packed arena. However, Florida has seen case numbers spike recently, causing local officials in the state to consider additional shutdowns to slow the virus spread. It is unclear how potential shutdowns could affect the convention.

Its irresponsible, Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett L. Dennis, a Democrat, told the Post last month of the RNCs decision to hold the convention in the city. It will increase the number of COVID infections and put the locals at risk.

While Democrats have moved to hold an increasingly virtual convention, asking state delegations not to travel to Milwaukee and downsizing its venue, McDaniel and Trump have continued to push for an in-person convention as the Post reported some of the presidents advisors view the convention as critical to regaining lost ground as Trump lags behind the presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in recent polls.

Story continues

McDaniels letter says the convention plans to implement a variety of health protocols in order to ensure a safe event. This plan includes but is not limited to on-site temperature checks, available PPE, aggressive sanitizing protocols, and available COVID-19 testing.

More from National Review
A roundup of state government and Capitol news items of interest from Thursday:

SMOKIN JULY 4 HOLIDAY: Officials with the state Department of Natural Resources say several Iowa monitoring sites recorded exceedances of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for fine particulate matter over the Fourth of July weekend.

DNR officials said air quality levels exceeded government standards on real-time nonregulatory monitors, and multiple news sources reported on the poor air quality over the holiday weekend.

Most Iowa monitors used for regulatory purposes collect a sample over a 24-hour period, and the data is available only after laboratory analysis. Lab results show fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exceeded the national standard, which is 35 micrograms per cubic meter (g/m3) averaged over a 24-hour period.

Exceedances of the standard were recorded in Des Moines, Davenport and Muscatine on July 4, and in Des Moines and Clive on July 5.

If 24-hour fine particulate averages are above the standard, air quality is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. Averages greater than 55 g/m3 fall into the unhealthy category.

The July 4 weekend exceedances are the first measured in Iowa this year.

WINNING LOTTERY TICKET SOLD IN CLINTON: Officials with the Iowa Lottery say a second Powerball ticket worth $500,000 was sold in Iowa this week.

Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in Clinton won a $500,000 prize in Wednesdays drawing  the second prize of that size to hit in Iowa this month.

The latest winning ticket for $500,000 was purchased at the Kwik Star store at 911 S. 14th St. in Clinton. The ticket came within one number of having at least a share of Wednesdays $87.3 million jackpot.

On July 8, Tu Kha Maung, 29, of Waterloo, won a $500,000 prize by purchasing the same type of play in the Powerball drawing.

Wednesdays winning numbers were: 27-47-61-62-69 and Powerball 4. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize will be an estimated $97 million annuity ($78.3 million cash option) for Saturdays drawing.

MILLER SUES OMAHA CENTER: Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said Thursday he is suing a Nebraska-based stem cell therapy center for allegedly targeting older Iowans with claims to reverse aging and treat, cure or prevent a variety of medical conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neuropathy and Alzheimers disease.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in Polk County District Court alleges Regenerative Medicine and Anti-Aging Institutes of Omaha made deceptive and misleading claims in advertisements and more than 90 live events that were held throughout Iowa from April 2018 to September 2019.

Miller alleges the companys salespeople used high-pressure tactics to persuade possibly hundreds of Iowans to buy unproven procedures that cost from $1,400 to more than $27,000 and are not covered by health insurance.

Stem cells hold great potential to treat or even cure diseases, but some providers are exploiting that promise to make misleading and unfounded claims, Miller said. The defendants are an example of the unscrupulous providers that the FDA and others have warned consumers about.

In addition to Regenerative Medicine and Anti-Aging Institutes of Omaha, the defendants in the lawsuit are related entities Omaha Stem Cells LLC and Stem Cell Centers of Anchorage, Alaska; and their owners CEO Travis Autor, Emily Autor and COO Mike Pavey.

Millers office is seeking an injunction against the defendants, consumer restitution and civil penalties of up to $40,000 for each violation of the Consumer Fraud Act and $5,000 for each violation of the Older Iowans Law.

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson filed a similar lawsuit Thursday against the stem cell therapy providers.

Millers lawsuit alleges the defendants used newspaper, television and direct-mail advertisements to promote unproven treatments involving stem cells and exosomes, which are excreted by stem cells.

CONSERVATION FUNDING AVAILABLE: Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced Thursday that farmers and landowners can sign up now for cost-share funds through the states Water Quality Improvement program.

Naig said the state funding helps offset the cost of conservation practices  including cover crops, no-till/strip-till acres or nitrification inhibitors  which have been proven to support soil health, reduce erosion and improve water quality.

Last fall, more than 2,900 farmers participated in the program and invested an estimated $10.2 million in funding to match $6.1 million through the states cost share fund. Participants included 1,200 farmers using a conservation practice for the first time and more than 1,700 farmers continuing their conservation practices.

Naig said cost-share funding through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is limited to 160 acres per farmer or landowner. The ag secretary said farmers can start submitting applications immediately through their local Soil and Water Conservation District offices. Because of COVID-19 social distancing protocols, applicants are encouraged to call ahead to schedule an appointment.

NIACC GETS $1 MILLION GRANT: A $1 million competitive grant has been awarded to North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City through the Career Academy Incentive Fund to prepare more high school students for success in college, postsecondary training and the workforce, according to state officials.

Gov. Kim Reynolds and officials with the Iowa Department of Education said Thursday the proposal will expand access to career academy programs in some of the regions most in-demand fields through a new regional center in Forest City.

Career academies are programs of study in which students benefit from business and industry partnerships, earn high school and college credit, and gain technical and traditional academic skills offered through career and technical education programs. Students from North Iowa, Lake Mills, Forest City and Garner-Hayfield-Ventura school districts will have access to programs in high-demand fields, including health care, advanced manufacturing, construction and information technology via the Forest City location.

A roundup of state government and Capitol news items of interest from Thursday:

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A vaccine for the coronavirus is still months away, but a different type of drug  called monoclonal antibodies  may be reason for optimism, at least among scientists.

"Monoclonals offer a great bridge to a vaccine," Gigi Gronvall, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

A vaccine, which would teach the immune system to mount a defense against the coronavirus on its own, is, of course, the ultimate goal. But monoclonal antibodies can provide the immune system an immediate, albeit short-lived, boost to fight off the virus.

It's not unlike the proverb, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Monoclonal antibodies are like giving the man a fish; the vaccine is teaching him to fish.

Monoclonal antibodies are currently being developed by several drugmakers, including Regeneron and Eli Lilly. Both companies began clinical trials in early June, and results are expected in the coming weeks.

But what exactly are monoclonal antibodies, and how do they work?

When a person is infected with a germ  a coronavirus, for example  the person's immune system creates proteins called antibodies tailor-made for that specific germ. Armed with those antibodies, the immune system can recognize the enemy in case it shows up again and fight it off.

Antibodies have been used in medicine as far back as the 1890s, when they were demonstrated to cure diphtheria, a deadly bacterial infection. This was before widespread use of antibiotics or a vaccine for diphtheria.

Diphtheria antibodies were even transported 674 miles by dogsled to Nome, Alaska, in 1925 to stop an epidemic of the disease that had killed at least five children. That daring medical response is commemorated annually with the Iditarod dogsled race.

Gunnar Kaasen poses with the dog team which he drove through a blinding blizzard to Nome, Alaska, to deliver a diphtheria serum in 1925. (AP file)

Antibodies are now used to treat cancer, rabies, Ebola and some forms of hepatitis.

Scientists hope that COVID-19 will soon be on that list, thanks to two potential applications.

Story continues

The first is convalescent plasma, an antibody-rich blood product from people who have recovered from COVID-19. Donated plasma is infused into patients to give an immediate boost to their immune system. There is anecdotal evidence it works.

But convalescent plasma relies on the altruism of blood donors, and blood donations cannot meet the demands of a pandemic. As of Friday afternoon, the U.S. had reported nearly 3.6 million COVID-19 cases, stretching hospital resources nationwide.

"We need drugs that prevent hospitalization," Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Thursday during an interview with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg. That includes both convalescent plasma and monoclonal antibodies, he added.

Monoclonal antibodies are made in a laboratory, designed to mimic the natural antibodies found in the body.

"Monoclonals are a refinement" of the convalescent plasma process, Gronvall said, "mass producing it as a purified form."

Gronvall said that convalescent plasma contains all of a person's antibodies to a variety of pathogens, not just the coronavirus. But in the lab, scientists can pinpoint specific antibodies and then manufacture them en masse.

In this case, it's antibodies specific to the coronavirus.

These are "the best of the best," Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, said. "When you manufacture it, you have quality control, picking the best and giving the right quantity."

Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Such targeted antibodies "stun the virus," Chin-Hong said, adding it could be used as either a preventative, or for those who are already sick with the coronavirus, as a therapeutic in combination with an anti-inflammatory.

While it's unclear how long the immune boost from the monoclonal antibodies would last, infectious disease experts are hopeful.

Chin-Hong described monoclonal antibodies as a "force field" around the coronavirus. "There is a lot of excitement," he said.

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Brazils nearly two million coronavirus infections are second only to the United States and could be an undercount.

A thousand deaths a day.

Since late May, three months after Brazils first reported case of the coronavirus, it has recorded more than 1,000 daily deaths on average in a gruesome plateau that has yet to tilt downward.

The country hit at least 75,000 confirmed deaths on Wednesday and is expected to report two million confirmed cases of COVID-19 by Thursday evening.

Even as cases wane somewhat in the biggest and hardest-hit Brazilian cities, the virus is peaking in new locations across the largest country in Latin America.

Rows of crosses representing the thousands of deaths due to the new coronavirus are displayed on a lawn during a protest demanding President Jair Bolsonaro be impeached, in front of the National Congress in Brasilia, Brazil [AP Photo/Eraldo Peres]

Experts blame denial of the viruss deadly potential by President Jair Bolsonaro and lack of national coordination combined with scattershot responses by city and state governments, with some reopening earlier than health experts recommended.

An interim health minister untrained in the field is presiding over pandemic response. Bolsonaro himself is sick with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, after repeatedly flouting social distance recommendations and undermining local leaders restrictions on activity.

Brazils roughly 7,000 COVID-19 deaths in each of the last seven weeks are equal to several aerorplanes packed with Brazilians crashing every day, former health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta told The Associated Press news agency.

People have become callous, Mandetta said. When you say, Yesterday there were 1,300 deaths, people say, OK, then it didnt go up. It was 1,300 people the day before, too.'

Brazils nearly two million cases are second only to the US and experts believe the number to be an undercount due to widespread lack of testing. A model created by professors from several Brazilian academic institutions, based on the number of confirmed deaths, estimates Brazil has had 10 million infections.

The virus would have been difficult to stop anyway. But this milestone of 2 million cases, which is very underestimated, shows this could have been different, said Dr Adriano Massuda, a healthcare administration specialist and professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a Sao Paulo university. Theres no national strategy for testing, no measures from the top  too little effort to improve basic care so we find serious cases before they become too serious, no tracking.

The virus has begun reaching cities and states previously spared, offsetting declines elsewhere. The number of deaths has been ebbing in states including Rio de Janeiro and Amazonas, where people were buried in mass graves in the capital, Manaus. In the last two weeks, 10 of Brazils 26 states and its Federal District saw increases, with two southern states average daily death tolls doubling.

Bolsonaro has consistently downplayed COVID-19s severity, saying strict social distancing measures that sacrifice jobs and income will ultimately be more harmful than the virus itself, and calling on supporters to encourage their local leaders to lift restrictions on activity. Many mayors and governors have struggled to hold the line.

In Ribeirao Preto, a city in Sao Paulo state, protesting shopkeepers on Wednesday demanded they be allowed to reopen. They surrounded the mayors car as he left City Hall, punching his windows and cursing at him.

Campinas, a city of 1.2 million people closer to the states capital, adopted quarantine measures early, but succumbed to political pressure and reopened commerce on June 8, said Pedro de Siqueira, a Campinas city councilman. The city centre swarmed with shoppers like an overturned anthill, he said in an interview.

Two weeks later, the number of COVID-19 deaths had roughly tripled to 253, as did the number of confirmed cases, to 6,324. Intensive-care beds refilled with patients, prompting the mayor to reinstate restrictions on commerce on June 22, but allowing offices and churches to continue operating.

Campinas reopened prematurely and erroneously, supported by the state government, Siqueira, who is also a public health physician, said at the time. This reopening was so catastrophic that Campinas had to step back, but did so only partially.

Since then, Campinas number of cases and deaths has doubled once more. On Wednesday, the city extended restrictions until July 30.

A demonstrator holding a Brazilian flag painted with crosses symbolizing the thousands of deaths due to the new coronavirus during a protest demanding President Jair Bolsonaro be impeached [AP Photo/Eraldo Peres]

Daniel Soranz, a researcher at the state-run biology institute Fiocruzs national health school, said Brazils centre-west that includes the agricultural heartland will be the last region to be slammed by the virus. And, looking at deaths from severe respiratory insufficiency, it appears Brazil as a whole has begun turning the corner, he said.

By the end of August, we should be at a much better place than today, Soranz said.

In Sao Paulo, Brazils most populous state with 46 million residents, the number of deaths has stabilised at a level slightly below its peak. At one of the capitals cemeteries on Wednesday, Michelle Caverni buried her 88-year-old aunt, who died of COVID-19 and also suffered from pulmonary emphysema. The same day a friend of Cavernis buried her 57-year-old mother. She also died of COVID-19.

Until it knocks at your door, people are indifferent, said Caverni, 40, a restaurant cook. Yesterday there were 1,300 deaths from COVID-19. Is that supposed to be few? People are saying thats just the media. I hear that every day at work.

Most people show only moderate symptoms from COVID-19 and recover. Some, including the elderly or those with long-standing health problems, are more susceptible to severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.

Modelling by the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projects that Brazils death toll will reach almost 200,000 by November, nearly closing the gap with that of the US The forecast has a wide margin of error.

We will see how this patient known as Brazil will behave until the end of this epidemic, said Mandetta, who Bolsonaro fired as health minister in April for backing state governors quarantine measures.
Urumqi, the capital of China's far western region of Xinjiang, cancelled hundreds of flights on Friday, after the report of its first coronavirus case in about five months fuelled concerns of a potential new outbreak.

Epidemic control measures led to the cancellation of more than 600 scheduled flights at Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, or more than 80% of the day's total, figures from aviation data firm Variflight showed.

Urumqi also suspended subway services from late Thursday.

The National Health Commission reported 10 new confirmed virus infections for the mainland, one a locally transmitted case in Xinjiang and nine involving international travellers from abroad.

On Thursday, health authorities in Urumqi said a 24-year-old woman with symptoms such as a sore throat, fever and headaches, tested positive for the virus. Three people with whom she had close contact tested positive but did not show symptoms.

Also on Thursday, the eastern province of Zhejiang reported an asymptomatic case involving a traveller from Xinjiang.

The tally of mainland China's confirmed infections is 83,622 by the end of Thursday, with deaths unchanged at 4,634. Another 104 asymptomatic patients are under observation.

Beijing, which suffered a fresh outbreak last month, reported no new cases for an 11th consecutive day.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 16, 2020) - Red Light Holland Corp. (CSE: TRIP) (FSE: 4YX) ("Red Light Holland" or the "Company"), an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, is pleased to announce that it has closed the final tranche (the "Final Tranche") of its previously announced and now fully subscribed private placement (the "Private Placement") of units (the "RLH Units").

The Final Tranche was completed on a non-brokered basis, and was comprised of both cash investors and PharmaDrug Inc. (CSE: BUZZ) ("PharmaDrug"), which entered into a securities exchange agreement with the Company dated July 14, 2020 (the "Securities Exchange Agreement"). The transactions contemplated by the Securities Exchange Agreement, and the Company's cash investment of $200,000 into PharmaDrug, each closed in accordance with their terms, as more fully described in the Company's press release of July 15, 2020. In addition, the Company issued a total of 7,147,272 RLH Units to cash investors at a price of $0.165 per RLH Unit. Each RLH Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "RLH Share") and one common share purchase warrant (a "RLH Warrant") of the Company. Each RLH Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional RLH Share at an exercise price of $0.26 at any time until July 16, 2024, subject to an accelerated expiry option. If, following the date that is four months and one day following the date hereof, the volume weighted average trading price of the RLH Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") for any 10 consecutive trading days equals or exceeds $0.50, the Company may, upon providing written notice to the holders of RLH Warrants, accelerate the expiry date of the RLH Warrants to the date that is 30 days following the date of such written notice.

Story continues

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Final Tranche for working capital and general corporate purposes.

All securities issued in the Final Tranche closing are subject to a four-month hold period under applicable securities laws expiring November 17, 2020.

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 the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable state securities laws.

About Red Light Holland Corp.

The Company is an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale (through existing Smart Shops operators and an advanced e-commerce platform) of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, in accordance with the highest standards, in compliance with all applicable laws.

About PharmaDrug Inc.

PharmaDrug Inc. is building an international controlled substance and natural medicine company with a focus on Europe. The Company owns 80% of PharmaDrug GmbH, a German medical cannabis distributor, with a Schedule I European Union narcotics license allowing for the importation and distribution of medical cannabis to pharmacies in Germany and throughout the EU. The Company also owns 100% of Super Smart, an early-stage retail company focused on consolidating the fragmented Dutch smartshop market. Smartshops are retail establishments in The Netherlands that specialize in the sale of psychoactive substances including psychedelic truffles.

For additional information on the Company:

Todd Shapiro

Chief Executive Officer & Director

Tel: 647-204-7129

Email: todd@redlighttruffles.com

Website: https://redlighttruffles.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

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.

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Red Light Holland. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "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. 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. Forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, the anticipated use of proceeds. 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.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States.



Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release publication, 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/59907
17.07.2020 LISTEN

Ghanas fourth Republican Parliament has since its inception in 1993, almost considered solely the Business of the ruling parties(government). This has actually made it impossible for experienced and highly intelligent parliamentarians to bring to bear, their full ingenuity into the process of decision making via law-making or even challenging and pinning down technically incorrect or selfish bills by the ruling governments. This situation has arguably made parliament a poodle of the ruling government.

This morning, 17th of July, 2020, I was overjoyed when the Majority leader of parliament and minister of parliamentary affairs; Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, announced parliaments adoption of proposals for parliament to enact private member bills. When finally adopted, it will be a victory for the current legislature and future ones. But the question is, Will it really see the light of day?.

The above question stems from the fact that, a mere announcement on the floor of parliament is far from the proposal being fully implemented by the august house. Parliament has mostly been characterized by technicalities, complexities and cumbersomeness in its decision making. However, I pray this good news, as spilled by the majority leader on behalf of the house, will not be left hanging on the wall.

I know that there is a key question, running through the minds of my varied readers now. What are private member bills? and Of what benefit will they serve the legislature and the ordinary Ghanaians?. I will attempt to clear your doubt in brief with practical examples.

A private member bill is a bill or proposed law introduced into the legislature by a legislator/member of parliament in his own capacity but not acting on behalf of the government of the day. It is a practice which is popular in parliamentary systems. Although Ghana is not purely a parliamentary system, we have adopted the hybrid of parliamentary and presidential system. Thus it applies in our case too.

As stated above, our parliament has since 1993, considered and passed solely bills brought before it by the ruling governments. Therefore the ruling governments have always had their way because they usually have majority in parliament. That is not to say that a private member bill will solve all of our problems relative to decision making. It will have its own host of challenges.

First of all, due to the high levels of partisanship in our legislature, a private member bill may end up not being passed into laws. This is because the individual MP initiating the bill has to garner votes or support from colleague members across the political divide. Some MPs can still resort to their political differences with the initiating MPs and may shoot out such bills. Also some MPs out of jealousy, may fight against private bills by colleagues out of the fear that the initiating colleagues may become popular and overshadow them in case of the success of those bills.

Secondly, parliament from day to day, are over-burdened by bills from the government, with a host of emergency bills. Since the government is the ruling party, powerful and will want to carry out projects to enhance its ability to retain power in elections, their bills are always going to precede bills initiated by individual MPs. When this happens, the enacting of the private bills, may not get its desired relevance. For instance, only 30 private member bills introduced in the Australian parliament since 1901 have been passed into law; also in the last 70 years, only 15 private bills have become laws in India, and in the U.K., between 1984 and 2008, only 81 private bills were passed.

Notwithstanding, if private member bills are fully enacted and backed by the needed legal powers, they will serve the needs of the ordinary people in a number of ways.

The enactment of a private member bill regime in the legislature, will empower MPs to bring to the fore specialized and pressing needs of their constituent which may ordinarily delay or not considered when left to go through the usual governmental bill proposal procedures. The government per its role, is overburdened with problems that need to be tackled. Therefore, they usually have to look at issues or problems more pressing or relevant, which will boost their electoral victories over others. However, what, may be pressing or critical to the central government may not be to the individual MP, especially those in opposition parties and their constituent. Thus, the issuance of a private member bills will champion such less popular issues.

Furthermore, private member bills, will enable members of parliament to bring to bear, their ingenuity into the process of decision making in the country. Although they take part in the discussion and debates of the governments bills, most of these MPs are not usually heard due to the heavily partisan nature of our legislature. An MP may have good views and ideas that are contrary to the governments bills but due to their political backgrounds or ideologies, they may not be heard. Therefore, private member bills will provide room for such MPs to come out with bills that may be highly technical and support existing issues or facts.

On the contrary, Private member bills are usually difficult to draft and initiate. This is because an MP may have to employ lawyers, experts and private editors to look at those bills before he/she can move it in the house. The individual MP may lack the knowledge of the various areas that the bill may touch on, thus seeking the services of the above experts, which may come at a cost. However, I still believe that the enactment of such bills will be a victory for our representative democracy.

I, therefore, urge CSOs, think tanks, the media, and well-meaning Ghanaians to follow up on this development and ensure that it is fully enacted but not left to be just a word of mouth. I believe that if it is carried through, it will even help the activities of these independent groups because they can also lobby MPs to forward bills in their respective areas of operation, which will heighten the growth of our representative democracy.

NANA OSEI BOATENG

(POLITICAL SCIENTIST, BROADCASTER/COMMUNICATOR AND EDUCATOR)
The syndrome is disproportionately diagnosed among young black men, highlighting the racist undertones of the reported clinical symptoms: having superhuman strength and being impervious to pain. It winds up being a convenient scapegoat cause of death after a violent confrontation. Or it becomes a justification for police aggression that may be unwarranted. There is reason to believe that it increases the risk of police encounters turning fatal. When officers are taught that traditional tactics such as pepper spray, impact batons, joint lock maneuvers, punches and kicks are likely to be less effective against suspects with excited delirium, as the American College of Emergency Physicians paper suggests, they may resort to more aggressive maneuvers, such as knee-to-neck chokeholds or hogtie restraints. According to a 2012 article published by the Force Science Institute, at one police training seminar in Illinois, a police veteran described excited delirium suspects imperviousness to pain and recommended responding with force that is fast and overwhelming, with a vascular neck restraint possibly considered as part of the package. The result can be a tragic paradox: an apparently terminal condition that can be treated only with the escalation of force, inevitably increasing the chances that it will be fatal.
I was a General Sessions Court judge in Hamilton County for eight years.

The role of the Judicial Branch under Article III is to interpret the Constitution. It is not to legislate or make law from the bench, nor is it the job of any judge to consider the politics of any decision. This sounds simple enough, but at a time when politics pervades everything we do, many judges aren't content with their constitutionally prescribed role and want to do the job of the legislative branch as well.

Chief Justice Roberts found a creative way to save President Obamas Affordable Care Act, stating that it wasn't his job to 'undo' what congress had done. More recently, Roberts and the liberal Justices ruled Trump couldn't rescind DACA, an unconstitutional executive order President Obama himself admitted he had no authority to enact. These and many other consequential decisions were driven by political considerations, not a strict interpretation of the Constitution.

President Trump and his Administration have done an outstanding job filling federal court vacancies with constitutionalists. Leader McConnell and the Senate recently confirmed the Trump Administrations 200th judicial nominee. This Administration has shaped the court system for years to come.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Marsha Blackburn is helping lead the way in the Presidents judicial efforts. In this years upcoming election, we have an opportunity to send another conservative to Washington who will stand alongside President Trump, Senator Blackburn and the Republican Senate majority to continue confirming the Presidents strict constitutionalist nominees.

That is why we need my friend Bill Hagerty representing Tennessee in the U.S. Senate. Like me, he is extremely frustrated at the direction of our country and understands the immediate need for strict Constitutionalists on the Court.

Bill is a father of four, who believes wholeheartedly in protecting the lives of the unborn. Bill will fight to defund Planned Parenthood and other big abortion providers once and for all. We must be a voice for the voiceless. And we must protect every human beings constitutional right to life.

Bill Hagerty has the experience to be ready to fight for Tennessee on day one. He has President Trump's endorsement, and he has my complete confidence.

Early voting begins today, Friday, July 17, and ends Aug. 1. Election day is Aug. 6. Lets send a Christian Conservative to Washington who will make nominating Constitutionalists judges a top priority. Please join me and President Trump in fighting for our conservative values and our Constitution by voting for Bill Hagerty. The future of our country depends on it.

Mike Carter represents District 29 of Tennessee, which includes part of Hamilton County. This editorial endorsement is Representative Carters personal opinion.
Presidents and prime ministers from the EU 27 convene for their first face-to-face summit today and tomorrow since the coronavirus crisis began. The session is the first major test of the new leadership in Brussels to get big political deals over the line, yet is also a legacy-building moment for German Chancellor Angela Merkel in particular.

This is because Germany assumed the six-month presidency of the EU on July 1, in what is the twilight of Merkel's long period in power. She views the half-year between now and Christmas as one of the last big moments for her to cap off what has been a remarkable era in office.

And she particularly wants to secure a European recovery fund to respond to the coronavirus crisis, a new EU long-term budget for the 2020s, and a post-Brexit UK-EU trade deal.

There is a huge amount at stake in these agendas for Ireland and the North. As Brexit trade talks move to their 'end game' for instance, with the transition period scheduled to end in December, a stalemate outcome that fails to achieve a trade agreement breakthrough will have huge political implications for Northern Ireland and the future territorial integrity of the United Kingdom.

In this scenario while England, Scotland and Wales would face EU tariffs and other trade barriers Northern Ireland would not as the UK's withdrawal deal guarantees frictionless trade with the Republic - and by extension with the rest of the EU 27. This will by implication mean significant trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

On the coronavirus recovery package, Taoiseach Micheal Martin will press at the summit for the Republic of Ireland to receive a larger slice of the anticipated 750bn funding package. He will argue that the scale of the challenge that Ireland now faces in the post-pandemic period to come necessitates this, as Paschal Donohoe has also asserted to his fellow EU finance ministers already.

All these issues will require political dexterity from Merkel, who has long been the most important national leader in continental Europe.

Merkel has not just a substantial track record of domestic political achievement but also in EU affairs too. Her influence has been critical in helping the continent navigate the tumult of the last decade-and-a-half from the eurozone economic crisis to the migration challenges more recently.

It is in this context that the EU is now at a potential further 'hinge-point' in its history. Merkel, along with new European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Charles Michel, will be pivotal in trying to help the Brussels-based club turn the coronavirus corner. The first leg starts today in trying to get to a breakthrough on the new EU long-term budget and the proposed European recovery fund.

In recent days, Merkel has already started to try to lay the groundwork for success, engaging with French President Emmanuel Macron by video last Friday, meeting Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday. While big obstacles still remain, principally between the wealthier north of Europe (including Netherlands, Sweden and Finland) and the higher-debt south (including Italy and Spain) hit hardest by the pandemic, a deal has been made more likely in recent days by a concession from Michel for a proposed smaller EU budget for 2021-27 than previously envisaged.

What has been pledged is a long-term EU budget of around 1trn, plus the recovery fund of 750bn for pandemic-hammered economies with two-thirds of the latter to be in the form of grants and a third issued as loans. This new proposal has been welcomed by the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland but more work will be needed to get a deal this weekend.

These more fiscally conservative nations are pushing for an even lower overall level of funding in the long-term budget deal and a higher ratio of loans to grants in the recovery fund. Moreover there will be a push for enshrining economic reforms as conditions for accessing the funds, something some southern states want to avoid.

Another dimension of dispute concerns Eastern European states such as Hungary, given Michel's warning that future funding should be conditional on respect for the rule of law. This has already been slammed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who said he could veto the proposals if money comes with such strings attached.

That there is nonetheless a window of opportunity this week to get a breakthrough reflects not just the economic stresses that coronavirus has brought to the continent but also Brexit, given that the United Kingdom would have been sceptical of this federalist agenda. With London, however, no longer a member of the club, its voice is no longer relevant.

While the proposed post-Brexit trade deal is not a large component of this week's summit agenda it will be a topic of discussion. This potential agreement is another key goal of the German presidency of the EU, and Merkel is keen to secure this week an EU long-term budgetary deal, and coronavirus recovery agreement if possible so she can then devote more of her energies to helping secure the broadest possible UK-EU trade deal.

Merkel will argue that ongoing Brexit talks serve as a warning to the EU 27 that it is vital for the continent to come together again in the face of its worst economic shock for decades.

Success (or failure) will affect not just the recovery, but also social solidarity given that support for Brussels in some southern nations has fallen, given the lack of EU support at the beginning of the crisis, underlining the need to regain public trust in states such as Italy and Spain again, not just to rejuvenate growth.

Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics
(JNS)  What, exactly do American Jews think about the possibility of reuniting small parts of Judea and Samaria with the rest of Israel?

Rabbi Eric Yoffie, former president of the Union for Reform Judaism, says he knows. Writing in Haaretz this week, he declared: American Jews are not happy. Note he didnt say some or even many. Rather, American Jews  all of them, apparently  are not happy about any possible annexation.

According to Yoffie, all American Jews are shocked, panicked, puzzled, confused, and above all, angry...
On the occasion of Sea Sunday, which took place on 12 July, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development sent a message of gratitude to chaplains, volunteers, friends and supporters of the Stella Maris, recalling the difficult work that seafarers carry out around the world at this time of the health emergency caused by Covid-19. The following is the English text of the message, signed by the Prefect of the Dicastery, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, and the prayer of the Dicastery inspired by the message.

The celebration of this years Sea Sunday should have been a joyous one in view of the October centenary celebration in Glasgow  Scotland (now postponed to 2021). Rather it is going to be celebrated in an exceptional and challenging time, which Pope Francis has expressed in these words: Like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other. On this boat are all of us (Extraordinary Moment of Prayer, 27 March 2020).

Our heart is going out to the relatives and friends of the countless victims (among them many seafarers) of the coronavirus and we feel distressed and disoriented for the uncertainties about the future.

The Covid-19 pandemic brought many countries to a complete shut down and to enforce an extended lockdown for many businesses in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus. However, the maritime industry continued its operation, adding a multitude of challenges to the already problematic lives of the seafarers, and putting them on the front line in fighting against the coronavirus.

Vessels that are transporting almost 90% of products that are badly needed to carry on our normal lives in these taxing circumstances such as medication and medical equipment, remain at seas. Before it came to a complete stop, the cruise industry struggled to convince governments and port authorities to open their ports where they could safely disembark their guests. At the same time, they frantically tried to find ways to contain the spread of infections among passengers and crew in ships that became incubators for the Covid-19.

Despite the fundamental role that seafarers play for the global economy, a role whose great significance and need organizations and institutions tried to uphold during the Covid-19 crisis, current and prevailing legislations and policies simply glanced over them. That is why Sea Sunday is an opportunity for us to revisit the role of seafarers, and to recall some of the issues that negatively affect the seafarers life and which are aggravated by the suspicion and fear of contamination.

In this unprecedented situation crewmembers, who had already spent between six to ten months on board, had to suffer the great inconvenience of having their employment period extended, with the consequent increase of personal fatigue and prolonged absence from loved ones and the comfort of homes. Estimates suggest that, every month, 100,000 seafarers who finish their contracts and look forward to flying home were prevented from doing so by the outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequent closure of borders and flights. Accordingly, thousands of seafarers who were ready to leave for a new contract were stranded in hotels and dormitories around the globe, reduced to beggarly dependence on charitable institutions for their basic needs such as foods, toiletries, sim cards, etc.

Because of the absence of shore leave, and restricted port entry for ships visiting, seafarers on board the vessels suffer isolation, severe physical and mental stress that brings many crews to the verge of desperation and, unfortunately, committing suicide.

We have reports of many seafarers with serious and potentially life treating medical conditions which are unrelated to Covid-19. These still need emergency medical care in land-based national hospitals, which unfortunately were denied them or delayed until they had to be carried on stretchers. Furthermore, seafarers who return home after a long and dramatic journey have to undergo quarantine or suffer discrimination or stigmatization in their own country, because they are considered as carriers of the corona virus.

Regrettably, we have also to deplore the fact that while seafarers endeavor to keep the supply chains moving with dedication and at the cost of huge personal sacrifices, some unscrupulous ship-owners, crewing agencies and managers use the excuse of the pandemic to dismiss their obligations to guarantee their labour rights, including proper wages and the promotion of safe and secure working environments for all of them.

According to a report the first three months of 2020 have seen a 24% increase in piracy attacks and attempted attacks over the same period in 2019. Apparently, the coronavirus is not stopping armed robberies which continue to be a threat for seafarers, adding further anxiety and apprehension to lives which are already lived under the pressure of uncertainties caused by the corona virus.

To all of the experiences above of the seafarers, which describe a dangerous form of livelihood, we must now consider the real threat of losing even this precarious livelihood, because it will mean for many the total loss of income and inability to assume social and domestic responsibilities, such as payment of utility bills, education of dependants, welfare of family.

In the light of the above, the celebration of Sea Sunday especially by Christians should invite us all to exercising a preferential option for the poor seafarers, a pledge to live in solidarity with them. Pope John Paul II called solidarity a virtue, and defined it as an unfailing commitment to the wellbeing of another. This should be our attitude towards these seafarers; for, people who are not poor, just because they constantly expose their lives to danger, but do so, precisely, to ensure the movements of goods for a healthy global economy, really deserve our esteem and gratitude.

For this reason, we would like to re-launch the message of the IMO General-Secretary Kitack Lim: You are not alone. You are not forgotten.

You are not alone: the Stella Maris Chaplains and volunteers are with you wherever you are, not necessarily at the top of the gang way but with a virtual chaplaincy keeping in touch with you through social media, always ready to answer your call, to lend you a compassionate ear and praying for your wellbeing and the safety of your families.

You are not forgotten: the Stella Maris Chaplains and volunteers will be with you in the next months when your resilience will be put to test and we will try to respond to your material and spiritual needs. We will be always at your side, raising your concerns, upholding your labour and human rights and preventing discrimination.

You are not alone. You are not forgotten: because this coming month of August the universal prayer intention that expresses the great concern for humanity and the mission of the Church of Pope Francis, is dedicated to The Maritime World. All the Catholic communities around the world will be invited to pray for all those who work and live from the sea, among them sailors, fishers and their families.

We entrust to Mary, Star of the Sea, the wellbeing of the people of the sea, the commitment and dedication of the Chaplains and volunteers, and we pray Our Lady to protect us from all dangers, especially from the evil of Covid-19.

Cardinal Peter A. Turkson

Prefect
Over the last six decades, spacefaring nations have slowly, but surely, cluttered up the final frontier. A report on space debris by the European Space Agency estimates that there are currently about 34,000 debris objects larger than 10 centimeters, about the size of a softball, currently in orbit.

Since the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched into Earth's orbit in 1957 thousands of additional satellites have joined it. While the number of satellites in lower Earth orbit--objects at an altitude between 99 to 1200 miles above the Earth's surface--has increased, so has the amount of debris or space junk orbiting above our heads.

The staggering amount of space debris poses a difficult challenge for safely operating spacecrafts in lower Earth orbit without collision. To meet this challenge, a West Virginia University engineer, Piyush Mehta, is working to improve the accuracy of predicting drag on objects in lower Earth orbit.

Mehta explained that drag is a force that acts on a satellite in low Earth orbit due to the air or atmosphere around it, much like the force that you feel when you put your hand out of the window of a moving car.

"With the launch of thousands of satellites planned over the next decade, the problems of collision avoidance and space traffic management will become critical to space environment sustainability and continued exploration of space for the betterment of human society," Mehta said.

With the help of a $125,000 award from NASA's Small Business Innovation Research program, the first phase of the project will make a previously inaccessible density database extracted from the United States Air Force's operational High Accuracy Satellite Drag Model framework publicly available for use in science and operations.

"The space assets and infrastructure, endangered by the debris and our inability to accurately predict their orbits, serve our society on a daily basis, for example, services like navigation and weather," Mehta explained.

Mehta, from the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, will partner with Space Environment Technologies, an advanced space product and services company, to provide a method to rapidly access state-of-art densities through machine learning algorithms, quantify the associated uncertainty and generate more accurate ballistic coefficients for the objects in the space catalogue for improved forecasts.

According to Mehta, changes in ballistic coefficient--an object's ability to overcome air resistance in flight-- is the other major source of error in predicting satellite drag.

The work accomplished by the researchers will ultimately increase the safety of space missions and improve future capabilities of NASA as well as other government agencies and the aerospace industry.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 00:37:37|Editor: huaxia

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DAR ES SALAAM, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's anti-corruption watchdog on Friday warned businessmen in the east African nation against financing politicians seeking elective posts ahead of the October general election.

John Mbungo, director general of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau, said businessmen should neither fund political parties during the electoral process.

"Businessmen financing politicians during elections are with the intention of getting favors from the government when the politicians get leadership positions," Mbungo told a meeting of election stakeholders in the business capital Dar es Salaam to discuss ways of controlling corruption ahead of the polls held .

"There are politicians seeking elective posts that are financed by wealthy people, and after the elections the politicians have to repay by favoring their financiers by offering them hefty business deals," said Mbungo, adding that wealthy politicians bribing voters was also not allowed by laws of the country.

According to the National Electoral Commission, over 29 million Tanzanians have registered to vote in this year's elections, compared to about 23 million voters registered in 2015. Tanzania has a population of about 57 million. Enditem
Mayank Singh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: During his visit to Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that the standoff in eastern Ladakh must get resolved as the talks between India and China have progressed.

The minister was speaking at Lukung near Pangong Lake where the Chinese clashed for the first time with the Indian troops and deployed their Army in standoff positions.

The Defence Minister, while addressing the soldiers, said: "The issue (Ladakh Stanoff) must get resolved with the extent of progress in talks, but I cannot guarantee to what extent it will get resolved."

Adding further, Rajnath Singh said, "But, I want to assure everyone that no power in the world can touch even an inch of land of India:"

There have been military and diplomatic level talks to resolve the ongoing standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. Four times Corps Commanders' of the two countries have met and agreed on phase-wise disengagement of troops.

As per sources, in the first phase, the Indian Army and Chinese PLA have disengaged from Galwan Valley and Hot Springs Sector. There have been partial disengagement at Finger 4 along the northern flank of Pangong Tso. The Chinese troops are still present at a ridge around Finger 4. They have not given any assurance with regards to their troops' deployment at Y-junction in Depsang Bulge.

Indian Army has been talking of complete disengagement but reiterated the need for verification on the ground.

"The two sides remain committed to the objective of complete disengagement. This process is intricate and requires constant verification." said the Defence Minister who is on his first visit to Ladakh after the standoff with China began in May.

Before the minister addressed the troops, the military showcased an exercise depicting an integrated assault in high altitude area.

Describing the drill, a senior Army officer said, "The exercise showcased to the Defence Minister involved the application of integrated combined force in high altitude terrain involving newer generation IAF helicopters and special forces in vertical envelopment and ground forces (mechanized columns) effecting speedy link up."

A special assault drill by Ladakh Scouts was also showcased, added the officer. Ladakh Scouts is the youngest and highly-decorated infantry regiment of the Army raised in 2000. It comprises of the sons of the soil of Ladakh.

The Defence Minister was on a day-long visit to Ladakh. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and the Army Chief General MM Naravane accompanied him.
EDWARDSVILLE  Recently filed felony charges by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Crystal K. Taylor, 37, of Livingston, was charged July 16 with identity theft and forgery, both Class 3 felonies. According to court documents, on Feb. 3 she tried to cash a check for $333.22 at DKs Market, Hamel, supposedly signed by another person. The case was brought by the Bethalto Police Department. Bail was set at $25,000.

 Reginald G. Maye, 49, of Saint Ann, Missouri, was charged July 16 with aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, a Class 4 felony. According to court documents, on March 29 Maye attempted to flee a Bethalto police officer after being instructed to pull over. During the incident, Maye allegedly exceeded the posted speed limit by 21 miles per hour. Bail was set at $40,000.

 Ashley N. Seitzinger, 30, of East Alton, was charged July 16 with unlawful acquisition of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. According to court documents, on March 23 Seitzinger used deception and misrepresentation at Well Creek Pharmacy in Bethalto to obtain Tramadol. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Justin E. Bradac, 33, of Belleville, was charged July 16 with forgery, a Class 3 felony. According to court documents, on April 6 Bradac allegedly attempted to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at Hit N Run in Bethalto. Bail was set at $25,000.

 Dante M. Dixon, 26, of Alton, was charged July 16 with offenses relating to motor vehicles, a Class 2 felony. According to court documents, on June 11 Dixon was in possession of a stolen 2005 Chevrolet Equinox. The case was brought by the Alton Police Department. Bail was set at $5,000.

 Tyrone A. Smith, 27, of Alton, was charged July 16 with retail theft under $300 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. According to court documents, on May 17 Smith attempted to take five bottles of whiskey from the Bethalto Walgreens location. No bail was set.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on a two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir, is the first senior leader to signal that China might not agree to fully resolve the crisis in Ladakh and that, in that event, India would not hesitate to use force. Addressing soldiers at Lukung, on the shore of the scenic Pangong Tso that is at the centre of the ongoing Sino-Indian crisis, Singh warned: Based on the progress of (Sino-Indian) talks so far, the situation should be resolved.

But, to what extent it will be resolved, I cannot guarantee. However, I can assure you that no power on earth ...
By Peter Nurse

Investing.com - European stock markets traded mixed early Friday, amid caution about the likelihood of additional stimulus for the region as new coronavirus case numbers continue to rise globally.

At 3:50 AM ET (0750 GMT), the DAX in Germany traded 0.1% higher, the CAC 40 in France fell 0.5% and the U.K.'s FTSE index was down 0.2%.

European Union leaders meet later Friday to seek agreement over a proposed recovery fund to help the countries hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak to rebuild.

The current 750-billion euro ($850 billion) proposal sees a split of 500 billion in grants and 250 billion in loans, which would mark a major step towards fiscal integration in Europe. This is likely to face opposition from some richer, mainly northern European nations, but has the backing of both Germany and France.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday he was confident but cautious that the European Union would reach an agreement on this recovery plan, while Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte put the chances of a deal this weekend at less than 50%.

We are not confident that an agreement will be reached this weekend, but we expect it to be reached before the European Commission starts its summer holidays in August, said Danske Bank.

The European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde warned Thursday that further "ample stimulus" was needed to counter high uncertainty around efforts to combat the virus and mitigate the economic impact.

In corporate news, Daimler (DE:DAIGn) stock climbed 4% after the German car maker said Friday it saw a gradual recovery in orders in the latter part of the second quarter.

Ericsson (ST:ERICb) stock soared 8.1% after maintaining its full-year guidance. The company stands to benefit from the backlash in the West against its main competitor, Huawei.

Staying in Sweden, Saab (ST:SAABb) stock rose 2.6% after stating its second-quarter net profit rose 20%, as sales exceeded expectations and orders increased sharply.

Story continues

This comes as the U.S. reported in a fresh daily record of new virus cases, of over 77,000, according to a Reuters tally, but there have also been surges in other major economies, such as Brazil and India.

Oil prices dropped Friday, weakening amid worries of what the increase in coronavirus cases in the U.S., the largest consumer of crude in the world, will mean for the recovery in demand for crude.

At 3:50 AM ET, U.S. crude futures traded 0.7% lower at $40.45 a barrel, while the international benchmark Brent contract fell 0.8% to $43.01.

Elsewhere, gold futures were up 0.1% at $1,801.20/oz, while EUR/USD was up 0.1% at 1.1387.

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US Announces Tariffs On French Goods In Response To DST

by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com Washington

17 July 2020

The Office of the US Trade Representative has announced that the US will impose additional duties of 25 percent on imports of certain French products from next year in response to the country's decision to introduce a digital services tax (DST).

The US considers that France's DST "is unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restricts US commerce." The duties will take effect on January 6, 2021, unless France and the United States reaches a compromise on the measure in the meantime.

The products attracting the additional duties mainly include cosmetics, soaps, and handbags.

The French DST is a three percent tax on the revenue of digital companies providing advertising services, selling user data for advertising purposes, or performing certain intermediation services. Companies with global revenues of EUR750m (USD847m) or more and French sales of at least EUR25m are required to pay the tax.

The tax, approved by the French parliament on July 11, 2019, applies to turnover realized in France since January 1, 2019. However, earlier this year, the Government suspended collection of the DST until December 2020, in a bid to stop the US from applying retaliatory tariffs of up to 100 percent on certain French goods.
J5 Group Marks Two Years Of Collaboration On Tackling Fiscal Crime

by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com Washington

17 July 2020

On July 13, 2020, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a progress report on the last two years' work of the J5 group of five advanced countries, who are working collaboratively to tackle cross-border tax fraud.

The J5 group is made up of the tax enforcement authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US, and was formed in mid-2018 in response to the OECD's call to action for countries to do more to tackle the enablers of tax crime.

According to the IRS, the J5's initial focus was on virtual currency and establishing platforms so that each country can share information more efficiently. The group also targeted those engaged in offshore tax evasion.

Since the J5's inception, hundreds of data exchanges between partner agencies have occurred, with more data being exchanged in the past year than the previous 10 years combined, the IRS said.

According to the IRS, tax offenders are embracing more complex methods to commit tax fraud, including by creating multiple mechanisms and structures that are split across jurisdictions.

Key to the J5's work on tackling offshore tax evasion have been events known as "Challenges," which have been hosted by two J5 countries so far. These are aimed at developing operational knowledge, with the first J5 "Challenge," in Utrecht in 2018, bringing together leading data scientists, technology experts, and investigators from all five countries. This event identified, developed, and tested tools, platforms, techniques, and methods to better identify professional enablers of offshore tax fraud.

The following year saw the US host a second "Challenge" in Los Angeles. This event included investigators, cryptocurrency experts, and data scientists, who sought to support efforts to track down individuals perpetrating tax crimes around the world.

The IRS said that one of the J5's first major successes occurred last week when a Romanian individual was arrested in Germany and admitted to conspiring to engage in wire fraud and offering and selling unregistered securities in connection with his role in the BitClub Network, a cryptocurrency mining scheme worth at least USD722m. This plea was the first of its kind under the J5 umbrella and stemmed from collaboration with the Netherlands during the "Challenge" in Los Angeles in 2019.

The J5 began seeing operational results in early 2020 when the group participated in a globally coordinated day of action to tackle a suspected offshore tax evasion scheme. The action was part of a series of investigations in multiple countries into an international financial institution located in Central America, whose products and services are believed to be facilitating money laundering and tax evasion for customers across the globe. Search warrants were issued, interviews undertaken, and subpoenas issued in each country and significant information was obtained and shared as a result, the IRS reported, adding that this investigation remains ongoing.

The IRS said an important development has been the development of electronic platforms to enable each country to share information in a more organized manner. For example, FCInet, a decentralized virtual computer network, has been created to enable the agencies to compare, analyze, and exchange data anonymously.

Reflecting on the group's second anniversary, Don Fort, Chief of IRS Criminal Investigation, said: "To see each country participate in a coordinated enforcement action all over the world at the same time with the same goal in mind was a real watershed moment for this organization. And that was just the beginning. With dozens of cases in our collective pipelines, I'm excited to see what the next year brings in terms of operational results."
By PTI

JAIPUR: The Congress on Friday demanded the arrest of union minister and BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and rebel Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma after two audio clips surfaced pertaining to an alleged conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot government.

AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also demanded the arrest of one Sanjay Jain, whom he described as a BJP leader.

Cracking the whip, the Congress suspended party MLAs Sharma, who is purportedly talking with the minister in the audio clips, and Vishvendra Singh from the primary membership of the party and issued them show cause notices.

Sharma, a Sachin Pilot loyalist, has, however, denied the allegations.

When the audio tapes surfaced on Thursday, he had termed them as fake and said the voice in it was not his.

Surjewala charged that the conspiracy to topple the Congress government was clear in the audio tapes, terming it as a black chapter in the history of democracy.

"Two audio tapes surfaced last night on the so-called conversation of union minister Gajendra Singh, Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma and BJP leader Sanjay Jain. The conspiracy to topple the Congress government is clear through the so-called conversation. This is a black chapter in the history of democracy," he said at a press conference outside a hotel where the Congress MLAs are lodged.

He demanded that the Special Operations Group of the Rajasthan Police register an FIR against Shekhawat, Sharma and Jain and arrest them for the alleged conspiracy to topple the government.

ALSO READ | Rajasthan crisis: Breather for Gehlot as tribal partys MLAs to back Rajasthan CM with conditions

Surjewala said that if there are any chances of influencing the investigation by misusing the post which, he says, appears to be the case, then Shekhawat should be arrested by obtaining a warrant.

Similar action should also be taken against Sharma and Jain, the Congress leader demanded.

He said the alleged involvement of others, who are holding posts in the central government, officers and agencies, in this conspiracy should also be made in the investigation.

Apart from those who have been named in the conversation in the audio tapes, he said, it should also be probed whether any other person or MLA is involved in alleged exchange of money for toppling the government.

Surjewala also demanded that Sachin Pilot, who has already been sacked as deputy CM and PCC president, to make his stand clear publicly about the alleged mention of providing the list of MLAs to BJP' in the audio tapes.

He said that chief whip Mahesh Joshi has given a complaint to the SOG for registration of the FIR in connection with the audio tapes.

In the press briefing, Surjewala read out a transcript of the audio tapes.

Targeting the central government, he charged that the Modi government is busy toppling Congress governments during the coronavirus pandemic.

Surjewala said the country was suffering from coronavirus but Prime Minister Narendra Modi did nothing till the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh was toppled on March 24.

After this, lockdown was imposed.

"The number of coronavirus cases has crossed 10 lakh. China has forcefully encroached India's border but instead of serving the country, Modi government is fulfilling its lust of power," he charged.

Congress MLA Chetan Dudi, whose name was also discussed during the purported conversation in the audio tapes, said he will approach the SOG to record his statements because he was allegedly offered money.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was initially scheduled to brief the media on Friday.

Pilot has been upset since the Congress picked Gehlot as the chief minister after the 2018 assembly polls, while his own supporters insisted that he deserved credit for the party's victory as its state unit president The current crisis erupted last Friday when the Rajasthan Police sent a notice to Pilot, asking him to record his statement over the alleged bid to bring down the government The same notice was sent to the chief minister and some other MLAs, but Pilot's supporters claimed that it was only meant to humiliate him.
OTTAWAPrime Minister Justin Trudeau is earmarking $19 billion to help the provinces and territories with economic reopening and prepare for a second wave of COVID-19.

With Ontario receiving about $7 billion of the federal money, which will also aid struggling municipalities, Premier Doug Ford hailed the rescue package as a great deal.

This funding will support us as we get the economy going over the next six to eight months, Ford told reporters at a Chatham farm he was touring.

During this hour of the greatest need, Canadas premiers stood shoulder-to-shoulder, he said, praising Trudeau and his great friends Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe for the efforts in negotiating the accord.

This historic agreement proves what we can do as a nation when we stand united. This deal will see billions of dollars flow to the provinces to support municipalities, transit systems, health care systems at a time when it is needed most.

While Ford had previously maintained Ontario alone needed $23 billion from Ottawa to recover from the pandemic, he thanked Trudeau for enriching his initial offer of $14 billion.

The prime minister had the final say in this and ... he stepped up. True leadership, the premier said.

Trudeau said the money should help safely restart our economy in the months ahead.

COVID-19 isnt just a health crisis, its an economic crisis, too. So when we talk about the recovery phase its not just about making sure we can detect, control and prevent future outbreaks, he said.

Its also about helping people, businesses and entire communities adjust to our new normal because until we find a vaccine the daily threat of COVID-19 will not disappear.

Acknowledging the hardships faced by Canadas cities, Trudeau said the accord provides municipalities with funding to cover operational costs.

Were also going to give more support to transit specifically, he said.

Cities must remain up and running if our economy is to eventually get back up and running. If cities arent equipped for a safe restart, people will not be safe.

Toronto Mayor John Tory  who Ford said was helpful in bolstering the premiers pitch to Ottawa  said the money is urgently needed.

It will help us with quite a wide range of our problems, said Tory.

But there are strings attached.

Trudeau said the money will be available for provincial programs that fit within seven priorities from the federal government.

Of the $19 billion, $4.5 billion is for national purchasing of personal protective equipment by Ottawa plus $3 billion to support provincial purchasing efforts; $4.28 billion is for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing; $2 billion for municipalities; $1.8 billion for transit that the provinces must match; $1.1 billion for temporary income support for sick leave; $740 million to support vulnerable populations and long-term care; $700 million for health-care capacity plus $500 million for mental health; and $625 million for child care.

We have to make sure that there are enough child-care spaces for (parents) who dont have paid sick leave, said Trudeau, .

Under the agreement, the government said Thursday night that provinces and territories will establish job-protected sick leave, through regulation or legislation, that allows workers to take up to 10 days leave related to COVID-19.

The prime minister said Ottawa was providing money for transit to ensure people can safely make the trip to work as provincial economies reopen.

As part of the deal, operating funding for transit agencies will be split evenly between Ottawa and the provinces.

If we want people to participate in the economy they need to be able to get to work safely. No one should have to turn down a job because they dont want to risk their health during a crowded commute, said Trudeau.

The Canadian Urban Transportation Association has said the countrys transit operators need $400 million a month to keep running.

In Toronto, the city estimates the TTC, which at the height of the pandemic was down to just 15 per cent of its usual ridership, will be facing $700 million in pressure by the end of this year as a result of plunging fare revenue and increased costs.

That makes up the lions share of the $1.35-billion operating shortfall the city of Toronto is projecting this year due to the crisis.

Bill Karsten, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, said cities are obviously eager to learn the details of the funding plan, which will be made public in the days ahead.

Were optimistic this agreement will recognize the financial crisis municipalities face in this pandemic, said Karsten.

With files from Heather Scoffield, Francine Kopun and Ben Spurr

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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Famous French showgirl Zizi Jeanmaire has died in Switzerland at the age of 96. The dancer, renowned for her grace and glamour, leaves behind a legacy of performances in ballets, cabarets, musicals and film.

Jeanmaire peacefully passed away at her home in Tolechenaz, a town bordering Lake Geneva, her family told the AFP news agency.

She became known for her performance in Roland Petits interpretation of Carmen in 1949, and her trademark short-cropped haircut, with the production causing a furore in Paris, London and New York.

Jeanmaire met Petit in 1933, aged nine years old when they were students at the Paris Opera Ballet. In 1954, they married and had a daughter.

She was born in the French capital in 1924, real name Renee Marcelle Jeanmaire, gaining the nickname Zizi supposedly through her childhood pronunciation of Mon zizi for Mon Jesus.

Jeanmaire made her way to Hollywood and starred in Hans Christian Andersen, in 1952 and "Anything Goes", in 1956, alongside Bing Crosby.

Perhaps her biggest triumph was a 1961 performance of "Mon Truc en Plumes" at the Paris Alhambra music hall. Her costume featured large pink ostrich feathers, an outfit that became legendary.

Yves Saint Laurent, who dressed her for 40 years, said that when she took to the stage, things would take life, fire and flames," AFP reported.

A public ceremony is to be held in September in her memory.

Read also:
In a historic shift, Latinos are now the largest group of prospective freshmen accepted into the University of California for fall 2020, part of the most diverse first-year UC class ever admitted, according to preliminary data released Thursday.



Latinos slightly eclipsed Asian Americans for the first time, making up 36 percent of the 79,953 California students offered admission. Asians made up 35 percent, whites 21 percent, and Black students 5 percent. About 44 percent of admitted students were low-income while 45 percent were the first in their families to attend a four-year university.



Overall, the UC system's nine undergraduate campuses offered admission to 119,054 freshmen, up from 108,178 last year. The campuses also admitted 28,074 transfer students, including the largest-ever class from the California Community Colleges system. The admission rate for all campuses rose to 69 percent.



"This has been an incredibly challenging time as many students have been making their college decision in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic," said UC President Janet Napolitano.



"UC continues to see increased admissions of underrepresented students as we seek to educate a diverse student body of future leaders. The incoming class will be one of our most talented and diverse yet, and UC is proud to invite them to join us."



UC Berkeley led all campuses in boosting admission offers to underrepresented minorities, accepting the largest number of Black and Latino students in three decades and a 40 per cent increase over last year.



The increase reflects an intensified push by the one of the nation's premier public research universities to open its doors more widely to students of diverse racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds. Berkeley also admitted more students who are low-income, lack immigration status or are the first in their families to attend college.



"These numbers are an important and gratifying indication that our efforts to advance and expand the diversity of our undergraduate student body are beginning to bear fruit," UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ said in a statement. "But now, more than ever, we must not be complacent, and remain focused on building a campus community that truly represents the state we serve, and allows every student to experience a true sense of belonging."



While the number of Latino admissions systemwide was the highest ever, Asian American students still lead at most campuses.



UCLA admitted more prospective California freshmen this year, rising to 9,208 from 8,352 last year. Asian Americans made up 42 per cent of admitted students, followed by Latinos and whites at 23 per cent each and Black students at 6 per cent.



At Berkeley, Asian Americans also were the largest group offered freshmen seats at 42 per cent, followed by Latinos at 29 per cent, whites at 19 per cent and Black students at 5 per cent.



It is not yet clear how many students will accept the admission offers and enroll this fall as the ongoing pandemic hampers plans to begin restoring the classic college experience with reopened classes and dorms. Campus officials say they will not know their final enrollment numbers for another few months.



At Berkeley, the number of freshmen requests to defer their admission this year doubled to 119 from 60 last year. The deferrals, however, represent just a small fraction of the 15,435 students offered freshmen seats this year. Officials said they expect only a "minor drop" in enrollment.



Most UC campuses have announced plans to offer limited in-person classes and significantly reduce on-campus student housing. UCLA, for instance, has said only about 15 per cent to 20 per cent of courses are likely to be offered on campus or in a hybrid format, including some that involve laboratory work, performing arts and clinical health fields.



The robust increase in admission offers to underrepresented students this year reflects UC's newly aggressive efforts to promote diversity, access and equity.



The Board of Regents voted this year to phase out SAT and ACT tests as admission requirements because they are heavily influenced by race, income and parental education level. Regents also voted to support a proposed constitutional amendment on the statewide November ballot that would repeal Proposition 209, which banned affirmative action in public education and employment. And this month, regents selected Michael V. Drake as the new UC president, the first Black leader in the system's 152-year history.



UC's diversity took a dive after the 1996 passage of Proposition 209 and officials have worked to restore it since. The percentage of American Indian, Black and Latino students fell from about 20 per cent of all admitted freshmen in 1994 to 15.6 per cent in 1998; today, their share has climbed to 29 per cent.



Olufemi "Femi" Ogundele, Berkeley's assistant vice chancellor and director of undergraduate admissions, said he was particularly proud that his campus did not compromise its high academic standards in increasing diversity.



The average unweighted GPA for this year's admitted freshman class remained the same as last year at 3.91. The average ACT score was unchanged at 29 and the average SAT score was 1415 compared to 1419 last year, both scores hitting the 95th percentile.



"We are showing that you can admit a diverse class that is excellent," Ogundele said. "There are stars everywhere. It is just a matter of finding those stars."

Source: GNA









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One of the most common measures is the Test Positivity Rate, which is the percentage of positive results of the total tests conducted. The TPR in Bihar was largely stable and has been relatively low for a long duration.

The Nitish Kumar government has announced the (re)imposition of a strict statewide lockdown in Bihar from Thursday, citing the rising number of cases as the reason for the step. The number of active cases in the state stands at 5791 as on 14th July. The absolute numbers do not seem very high at first, but there has been a very steep rise in the last week.

This piece looks at the data related to COVID-19 to analyse and evaluate the situation in Bihar. The aim is to look at the situation as it is unfolding  while considering the advantages and disadvantages of the state in relation to the outbreak  and suggest optimum non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies. How reasonable is the state-wide lockdown? Is Bihar testing enough? What else can the JD(U)-BJP government do?

Looking at the curve of active cases, we see that the cases grew steadily throughout the lockdown period. A popular perception is that cases have suddenly spiked as a result of unlock. We see that the trend remains almost the same as the lockdown period even after a month of the unlock since 1 June.

Bihar, according to reports, has conducted the lowest number of tests per million in India  2,637. As of 16 July, at least 3,47,457 had been tested, 21,558 people were confirmed COVID-19 positive and 14,101 have recovered so far. As of 15 July, the total number of cases in the state reached 18,853 with a record 1,432 new cases.

It, however, must be noted that the average incubation period for COVID-19 is about a week; it could take as long as 14 days for symptoms to appear. Hence, there is an expected lag between the time the lockdown was relaxed (1 June, 2020) and the rise in the number of cases, as most people get tested only after symptoms. Yet, the lag is roughly a month, suggesting that the infection started spreading weeks after the first unlock was announced (1 June).

Which brings us to an important, but a controversial question  are we testing enough? Bihar, infamously, has been one of the lowest among the states touted as the next hospot, in terms of number of tests; testing in the state is lowest in terms of tests per million of the population. The question of whether we are testing enough does not have a definitive answer because the more we test, the better. However, given the practical constraints of resources and infrastructure, we must have some reasonable metrics to probe how adequate is our level of testing.

One of the most common measures is the Test Positivity Rate (TPR), which is the percentage of positive results of the total tests conducted. The TPR in Bihar was largely stable and has been relatively low for a long duration.

This usually suggests that there is not a dramatically high level of infectiousness which is being missed due to low testing (a TPR higher than 10 percent is usually considered a clear sign of inadequate testing). However, it does not necessarily hold true when the testing is extremely low.

The author has compared the changes in TPR with increasing testing  to check if the TPR increases or decreases as testing goes up. Despite low testing if there is no widespread infection, there should be some reduction in test positivity rate as testing goes up. As evident in the plot below, that does not seem to be the case for most of the period in Bihar; yet TPR is reasonably low for the initial period.

Between, mid-April and late May, the TPR rose from roughly 0.80 percent to 4 percent. It suggests that the infection spread steadily during the period; although a lot cannot be made out it as the number of tests were abysmally low during the period  in the range of 1,000-2,000 tests per day for most of the period.

As testing increased from 1,000-2,000 tests per day to 5,000-6,000 tests per day between late May and mid-June, the TPR continued to rise and reached more than 5 percent. The rise is quite sharp after 25 June, suggesting that the increase in testing was not keeping pace with the increase in spread.

After mid-June, as the number of tests increase sharply from roughly 3,500 tests per day to 7,000-8,000 tests per day by the end of the month, the TPR starts coming down, . However, alarmingly, the trend has reversed from the start of July: the TPR has again started increasing  it is now close to approaching 6 percent  even as the number of tests have continued to increase, except a brief decline in testing between 4-8 July. This raises concerns about inadequate scaling up of testing with increase in spread, and the trend needs to be observed over a longer period of time.

The TPR could also get significantly affected due to change in testing strategy; however, that does not seem to be the case as there does not seem to be any significant changes in the testing strategy (based on information in the public domain).

Following the long nationwide lockdown, we realised the perils of acting on unsubstantiated belief that we can completely break transmission chains and "get rid of the crisis" once for all. The fact is that the virus is here to stay for long  hence, we need a sustainable, long-term mitigation strategy. (The author uses the word mitigation here in the colloquial sense of the word; it has a specific meaning in epidemiology.)

The economic impact of the lockdown eventually forced the Union and State governments to consider a localised and calibrated approach. With the return of a large number of migrant workers, Bihar is particularly in an economically vulnerable situation; being one of the poorest states it is not in a position to offer adequate income support to a large population without generous support from the Union government. Moreover, the state has one of the poorest health infrastructure in the country.

The state, however, also has some advantages to tackle the situation. More than 85 percent of the state population lives in small villages in rural areas. From the point of view of Covid-19 transmission, that means small clusters with relatively low inter-cluster physical interaction; hence, this can slow the spread. Second, even with the cities, the state has a few big cities; except Patna, all important cities in the state  like Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Purnia, etc.  are actually relatively small when compared to main cities of many other states.

These advantages come with obvious caveats. First, a large proportion of population in rural areas typically also means poor reach of healthcare infrastructure. Therefore, unless the government rapidly ramps up testing to cover remotest areas, the spread could go undetected for a long time, rendering the advantages largely useless or even turning it into disadvantage. It is not only the quantum of testing that needs to go up, but an effective targeting is imperative.

Second, the government needs a long-term comprehensive containment strategy to quickly isolate and contain infection in these small clusters before it starts spreading elsewhere rapidly. If done effectively, this could allow the government to avoid statewide lockdowns. Lockdowns in themselves are not the ultimate solution, they must be accompanied with comprehensive measures to test and isolate. Some imaginative thinking  and resisting the tendency to immediately fall back to state-wide lockdowns  is required on the part of policy makers.

The author studies political science at Ashoka University and is currently doing a certificate course on COVID-19 from Imperial College, London.
Comings and Goings: Vonage Makes Board of Directors Appointment

By Maurice Nagle , Web Editor

The current WFH world is spurring a hotbed of cloud communications activity  to say interest is piqued would be a vast understatement. And for a communications provider like Vonage the iron is hot and it is striking. From enabling healthy meal delivery and adding telecom partners, to appointing a new CEO, Vonage has been quite the busy bee.

Today, Vonage announced the appointment of Tien Tzuo to the Board of Directors as an independent director. In adding Tzuo to the board, Vonage is introducing a wealth of SaaS industry knowledge.

Mr. Tzuo noted, "Having seen the growth of the Subscription Economy over the last decade, I believe Vonage has a unique opportunity to revolutionize communications for business and I look forward to providing my guidance as it continues to grow as a SaaS company."

A pioneer in SaaS, Tzuo is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Zuora an enterprise software company that has served as a key enabler of the subscription model, as it assists organizations in rolling out and managing subscription based services.

Rory Read, Vonage CEO explained, "Tien joins the Vonage Board at an exciting time. We are just at the beginning of a huge market-wide communications revolution as the need for businesses to accelerate their digital transformation through communications gains momentum. Tien's extensive experience driving innovation and scaling high-growth SaaS companies will prove invaluable as we continue to advance our communications platform to help businesses through their digital transformation journeys."

Only time will tell whats next for Vonage, but know I have a gut feeling it wont be long before the cloud communications provider ends up in the news again.

Are your communications in the cloud, yet?

Please enable JavaScript to view the

Edited by Maurice Nagle
Couples in long-distance relationships forced to stay separated by the EU's coronavirus travel ban will be allowed to reunite in The Netherlands, if they show a 'love contract' to Dutch border guards.

The 'contract' will have to demonstrate that a couple's relationship has lasted longer than three months for the person that has been abroad outside of the EU to be allowed to enter the country.

However, anyone who is found to have lied on the signed statement could be charged with perjury, and failure to show a return ticket to border guards could result in detainment and deportation.

Couples in long distance relationships, with one partner living outside of the EU, will be able to reunite under The Netherlands' 'love contract' scheme, which will allow long-distance couples who have been together for over three months to spend 90-days in the country together. Above, a couple is reunited on July 1, file photo

The Netherlands is enforcing the EU's ban on non-essential travel into the bloc from non-EU citizens, which was introduced across the region in March.

For those with partners living outside of the EU, the travel ban has meant it has been months since they have been able to see one-another.

Ferd Grapperhaus, the justice and security minister, told the Dutch parliament the visitor's partner must be legally resident in the Netherlands and have seen them regularly before the coronavirus pandemic.

Lovers from outside the EU can only stay for up to 90 days every three months and, if travelling from a higher-risk country, may have to quarantine for two weeks.

The 'love contract' will have to prove to border guards at airports in The Netherlands that the relationship in question has lasted longer than three months for them to be allowed to enter the country. Anyone who is found to have lied on the signed statement, could be charged with perjury. Pictured above, Amsterdam's Schipol airport

'I'm convinced that if people arrive with malicious intentions that authorities will pick up on it,' Mr Grapperhaus told the NOS broadcaster.

Ferd Grapperhaus, pictured, the justice and security minister, told the Dutch parliament the visitor's partner must be legally resident in the Netherlands

He warned that if the Covid-19 crisis worsened, the exemption for long-term, long-distance couples could be reversed.

The loosening of restrictions, which already applies to married couples, will take effect from July 27, the NLTimes website reported.

It was announced after calls from hundreds of lovelorn Dutch residents for a 'sweetheart visa', which has been introduced in Austria and Denmark.

Neighbouring Belgium has not introduced a similar exemption, despite the issue being discussed at this week's meeting of the National Security Council on coronavirus.

'I am angry and frustrated that there still is a lack of urgency and understanding on the side of our government,' Hannah Maes told The Brussels Times.

Ms Maes, 25, has not seen her American girlfriend, who lives in New York, since January.

'The devil is in the details: where do you draw the line, how do you prove you are in love, how do you prevent abuse?' Marc Van Ranst, a prominent virologist, told the De Standaard newspaper.

Non-essential travel within the EU has been allowed since June 15.
According to analysis from Canada Life, there is almost 500bn of equity available for release in UK homes, largely driven by higher house prices in the South of the country.

The data revealed that those in the South East have the highest amount of potential equity available, standing at 102bn - 90,142 per household on average. This is closely followed by London, with 96bn of housing equity (125,883 per household), and the South West, where there is 51bn (66,432 per household) in equity available to homeowners over the age of 55.

In contrast, homeowners in the North and Scotland had the least amount of equity available, with just 37,353 and 39,531 per household respectively.

Alice Watson, Head of Marketing, Insurance, Canada Life said: Over 55s now account for 30% of the UK population and 56% of households - and the concentration of wealth in UK property continues to rise.3 Property wealth has the potential to play a huge role in helping to meet the financial needs of those in later life - covering the cost of care, financing home improvements, or being used to improve quality of life.

"As an industry, its vital that we highlight how equity release can be used to meet these needs, and this is where advisers have a significant role to play. Not only are these professionals well placed to help customers find the best-suited product for their unique circumstances, but they can demonstrate the role that equity release can play as part of any retirement plan.
The setting-out ceremony for the 8th Chinese peacekeeping troops to Mali.

By Liu Haipeng, Wu Xusheng and Yu Shenghang

SHENYANG, July 17 -- The servicemembers of the 8th Chinese peacekeeping troops to Mali attended the setting-out ceremony conducted by troops assigned to the PLA 79th Group Army on July 16, in blue berets and new-style combat camouflage uniforms.

The peacekeeping contingent, consisting of service members from the PLA 79th Group Army and No.967 Hospital under Shenyang Joint Logistics Support Center, were divided into guards, engineering and medical units.

In response to the geographical characteristics and mission requirements of the Mali mission area, the peacekeepers have made comprehensive preparations. For the possible security threats such as terrorist attacks, demonstrations, and car bombs in the preliminary combat training, they organized training and assessments around more than 100 practical subjects to ensure that they can effectively deal with such situations after arriving in the mission area. The medical contingent also managed to take more pandemic prevention materials than normal standard in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mali.

The 8th Chinese peacekeeping contingent will go to Mali in two batches in late July and mid-August seperately. They will take task rotations with the 7th Chinese peacekeeping contingent and start the one-year peacekeeping mission.
Emily Howell Warner, a pilot who was credited with breaking a tropospheric glass ceiling in the 1970s as the first woman hired to command the flight deck of a commercial airliner in the United States, died on July 3 in a nursing home in Littleton, Colo. She was 80.

The cause was complications of Alzheimers disease and an injury from a fall two days earlier, her brother Dennis Hanrahan said.

Industry and professional organizations have hailed Ms. Warner as a trailblazer in the cockpit: as the first woman to be hired permanently to take the pilots seat on a major American airline; as the first woman to achieve the rank of captain on such an airline; as the commander of the first all-women commercial crew; and as the first female member of the Air Line Pilots Association.

After graduating from high school in 1957 and with college unaffordable, she thought she might become a flight attendant, then known as a stewardess. Never having been on a plane, she boarded a regional flight to assess the job firsthand.
2019 WSOP 'Naked Bandit' Avoids Jail; Banned from Vegas Casinos

July 17, 2020 Will Shillibier

Almost a year after his initial arrest, Kenneth Strauss has avoided a lengthy jail sentence for social media threats he made towards a Las Vegas casino.

Strauss, 46, was the talk of the poker community last summer after his disqualification from the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event, after removing his pants, exposing himself and throwing a shoe at an opponent. This caused many in the poker community to dub him 'The Naked Bandit.'

He then went on to carry out a string of bizarre acts - both clothed and unclothed - at various Vegas properties, including the ARIA, Red Rock and the Venetian, before being arrested at the Trump International Hotel on July 27th 2019.

He was subsequently indicted on one count of conspiracy to make a threat or convey false information concerning an act of terrorism. In October last year, Strauss was found incompetent to stand trial and was ordered by a judge to undergo more psychiatric tests.

Sentenced to Probation

Now, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Strauss has been sentenced to probation after a deal with prosecutors. Under the ruling from District Judge Mary Kay Holthus, Strauss must undergo mental health treatment, not visit Clark County or have any contact with Las Vegas casinos for two years.

Appearing via video conference for sentencing, Strauss said, "I'm just very sorry for what happened. And I'm just going to continue focusing on my mental health improving."

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How Did We Get Here?

On July 5th 2019, Strauss was playing in Day 1c of the 2019 WSOP Main Event. Seated in the Pavilion, he moved all-in blind holding and began shouting, removing items of his clothing and exposing himself. After throwing a shoe at a dealer, WSOP officials opted to disqualify him and removed his stack from the tournament.

The Pavilion Room at the World Series of Poker

Later reports and videos on social media purport to show Strauss climbing onto a casino table at the Luxor, and exposing himself once more.

"Act of Terrorism"

As for the source of the terroristic threats charge, Strauss posted a garbled tweet on the day that he was arrested: "Shootings are taking place all over Las Vegas. Please leave me alone @VenetianVegas I have no place to go currently. And all Casinos that have me banned will be destroyed effective immediately. And @Rio, get my belongings together immediately when @POTUS declares safe I'm going."

What Happens Now?

Strauss has been released from custody but as we said, will have to undergo mental health treatment. Having also been banned from Las Vegas casinos for two years, it's unlikely we won't see a return of Strauss to the WSOP until at least 2023.
The event was jointly held by the National Steering Committee on the Settlement of Post-war Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences (Office 701) and the US Stimson Centre.

Ngoc described bilateral collaboration in the field as an important factor to help the two sides put aside the past and look toward the future.

He thanked US friends who have made significant contributions to advancing the normalisation and intensification of Vietnam-US relations over recent years.

The diplomat said he hopes Vietnam and the US will overcome the past to expand towards a wider vision and strive for a bright future.

US Senator Patrick Leahy said that after 25 years of normalisation, the relationship between Vietnam and the US has made great strides forward that few could have imagined.

The two sides have worked together to search for soldiers missing in action, address unexploded ordnance, and clean up dioxin-contaminated areas, he added, expressing his hope that the two sides can continue their cooperation to achieve even better outcomes.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink said achievements in bilateral cooperation in fields such as education, healthcare, security, and energy demonstrate the mutual trust and common orientation of peace, stability and prosperity.
Vietnam reports no COVID-19 infections in community for three months

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control reported on July 15 morning that Vietnam has gone through 90 straight days without any COVID-19 infections in community.

Measuring body temperature

Among 373 total cases, 233 were imported and quarantined upon their arrival.

There are currently 12,337 people under quarantine nationwide.

According to the steering committees Treatment Sub-Committee, 352 patients have recovered and no fatalities have been recorded.

Among the remaining patients, four have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once and two negative at least twice.

COVID-19 continues raging in Southeast Asia

The Philippines recorded 634 new COVID-19 cases on July 14 and six more deaths from the disease, raising the total cases to 57,545 and fatalities to 1,603.

This is the lowest single-day number of new infections for the past two weeks.

The same day, Indonesia announced 1,591 more cases and 54 deaths. The countrys COVID-19 tally is now 78,572 with 3,710 deaths.

A major outbreak was found at the Surabaya branch of the national radio Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) in East Java, with 54 staff members testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.

East Java has emerged as the new epicentre of COVID-19 in Indonesia since late May, with 16,877 infections, nearly half of which were in Surabaya.

Meanwhile in Thailand, the Government has temporarily banned the entry of foreign diplomats and special business representatives after the young daughter of the Sudanese attache was found to be infected with the coronavirus after the family arrived from Khartoum.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, announced the suspension on July 14, adding that it would remain in force while the CCSA addresses loopholes in its disease control measures.

On July 14, Thailand recorded seven new cases of COVID-19, all Thai citizens returning from abroad, bringing the total number of cases to 3,227, with 58 deaths.

The country has gone through 50 consecutive days without any community transmission.

240 passengers from Singapore test negative for COVID-19



All 240 air passengers, mostly Vietnamese citizens, returning from Singapore on July 11 have tested negative for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) according to the Da Nang Center for Diseases Control.

They were on board a VietJet Air plane to repatriate Vietnamese citizens stranded in Singapore due to COVID-19 and bring foreign experts to work in Vietnam.

Upon touching down at Da Nang International Airport, all crew members and passengers underwent medical check-ups and were placed into quarantine in line with regulations.

Their samples were subsequently taken with the results of the tests coming back negative for the COVID-19 three days later.

Among the group were 228 Vietnamese citizens who have now been put into quarantine at a military camp in Quang Nam province, central Vietnam.

A total of six foreign experts have been put into a self-paid isolation area in two hotels in Da Nang.

Elsewhere, two Vietnamese citizens suffering from illness are currently in the Da Nang Lung and Respiratory Diseases Hospital where their health is now in stable condition.

Malaysia, Singapore agree to re-open borders

Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to implement the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) to address the needs of different groups of cross-border travellers.

According to a statement released by Singapores Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 14, the RGL would enable cross-border travel for essential business and official purposes between the two countries.

Eligible travellers will have to abide by the prevailing COVID-19 prevention and public health measures mutually agreed upon by both countries, which include undergoing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab tests.

They will also be expected to submit a controlled itinerary to the relevant authorities of the receiving country and adhere to this controlled itinerary during their visit, said the statement.

Meanwhile, the PCA will allow residents of Singapore and Malaysia who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country to enter that country for work and return.It added that travellers will also have to abide by the prevailing COVID-19 prevention and public health measures mutually agreed by both countries.

The statement said that officials in Malaysia and Singapore aim to implement the RGL and the PCA on August 10, while continuing their consultation to finalise the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of the two initiatives.

Malaysia and Singapore have also concurred to develop other similar measures, including a daily commuting proposal for travellers on work purposes.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 03:19:36|Editor: huaxia

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by Alessandra Cardone

ROME, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Since July 1, when Germany took over the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), it has been under the watchful eye of Italy's leading analysts.

This attention is all the stronger now on the eve of the special summit on Friday and Saturday in Brussels, where the EU heads of state and government are due to discuss the 750-billion-euro (853 billion U.S. dollars) recovery fund scheme, whose aim is to help the member states cope with the economic impact of the COVID-19 emergency.

In order to eventually reach a deal, the member states' leaders will have to find a compromise. For now, their differences remain wide.

The conflict pits the group of countries that support the scheme as it was proposed by the European Commission (among them Italy) against the so-called group of "frugal four" states -- Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark -- which support the provision of loans (rather than grants) that need to be paid back later.

In recent weeks, observers in Italy have analyzed the role German Chancellor Angela Merkel could play in the forthcoming negotiations, and they concluded their analyses on a positive note, citing her uncanny ability to mediate.

"The chancellor has set aside decades of economic orthodoxy and embraced a personal version of 'whatever it takes'," Gianpiero Massolo, president of the Milan-based Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), wrote in a recent analysis published in the daily La Stampa.

This new approach by the German leader would aim at "saving the single market from implosion, showing the way to the frugal countries, and mending ties with some public opinions that have become Eurosceptic," according to the expert.

In an update published on Thursday in its Daily Focus, though, the ISPI warned that the upcoming EU summit was "perhaps one of the most crucial in European history" and that the negotiations promise to be tough.

"With the recovery fund, Europe is being called to take on an unprecedented commitment," noted Antonio Villafranca, co-head of ISPI's Europe and Global Governance Centre.

"Obstacles seen as taboos so far -- such as the creation of a common debt -- have been overcome, and this gives hope; yet, it is equally clear some resistances remain and it is not certain a deal will be reached by Saturday."

In a series of analyses published by various scholars of the Institute of International Affairs (IAI) on the same subject, political analyst Gian Enrico Rusconi also counted on the German leadership to guide the negotiations on recovery in the right direction during the country's six-month EU presidency.

"Europe is in a context of extreme uncertainty under any perspective, and it is a common opinion that Angela Merkel might be the most suitable person to face this situation," wrote Rusconi, who is also professor emeritus of political sciences at the University of Turin.

He recalled the German leader's "surprising" change of stance as she had been close to the so-called "frugal group" even one year ago.

Merkel "has realized that going down that road would have been catastrophic," Rusconi wrote.

"She understood...that Europe has become so integrated that if now, most hypothetically, Italy was to leave it, everything would collapse."

According to Tonia Mastrobuoni, Berlin correspondent of La Repubblica newspaper, the German EU presidency will also represent a key chapter in Merkel's personal political legacy.

For this reason, Mastrobuoni said, Merkel will likely do her very best to make the presidency successful.

"This is a very important semester because it is the last one in which Angela Merkel can really influence Europe," she said.

"These are the last months before the 2021 (German) election campaign that will determine the next chancellor, and Angela Merkel has already said she will not run again. ... Thus, she sees these six months as the last window of her intact power."

During the worst of the COVID-19 crisis this spring -- with much of the continent overwhelmed by the health emergency -- Germany widely accepted that the pandemic was "a natural catastrophe that has changed all parameters," according to the analyst.

This would be the premise for Merkel's actions over the next six months, and this has also shattered some of Berlin's own taboos as well.

"For example," Mastrobuoni noted, "Germany did not even blink when the decision was made to suspend the Stability and Growth Pact."

"The chancellor has realized that -- with the pandemic having asymmetric effects on the bloc -- the real threat is for Europe to emerge from this crisis more split and more uneven than before, leaving countries like Italy and Spain very weak and those like Germany as possible superpowers," she explained.

Finally, Germany would serve its own interests by not letting its EU partners most hit by the pandemic reach the brink of economic collapse.

"Exporting some 50-60 percent towards the EU and the eurozone, Germany cannot let countries such as Spain and Italy be shattered by the crisis, because it would mean damaging the German economy," the La Repubblica correspondent wrote. Enditem
Massachusetts unemployment rate rose eight-tenths of a percentage point at 17.4% in June following a revision to the May rate of 16.6%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Friday.

The state added 83,700 jobs in June. This follows last months revised gain of 55,000 jobs.

May and June represent two consecutive months of job gains after losing 646,700 jobs in April.

But the economy had a lot of ground to gain, Massachusetts lost 529,800 jobs over the last year, according to a news release from the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

In June, the states private sector added 97,300 jobs in June as gains occurred in Leisure and Hospitality; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities; Construction; Professional, Scientific, and Business Services; Education and Health Services; Manufacturing; and Other Services. Losses occurred in Financial Activities and Information.

Those gains were offset by the loss of government lost jobs last month.

Local jobless numbers for June are not available yet. In May the unemployment rate in Greater Springfield was 15.4%, up from 15.1% in April but way up from the 3.6% unemployment rate of year ago before coronavirus.

Jobs numbers often vary from the unemployment rate. Unemployment rates are based on phone surveys of households. Jobs numbers are based on surveys of employers and sometimes lag.

The unemployment rate would also increase as more people without jobs start looking for them, reentering the work force and changing the equation.

The state said Friday that its labor force increased by 130,800 from 3,540,900 in May, as 79,200 more residents were employed and 51,600 more residents were unemployed over the month.

The June unemployment rate was 6.3 percentage points above the national rate of 11.1 percent reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

June 2020 job gains and losses by sector:

June 2020 Employment Overview

Leisure and Hospitality gained 29,500 (+18.8%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Leisure and Hospitality lost 192,100 (-50.8%) jobs.

Trade, Transportation and Utilities added 27,900 (+6.0%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Trade, Transportation and Utilities lost 87,600 (-15.2%) jobs.

Construction gained 19,700 (+16.3%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Construction has lost 21,500 (-13.3%) jobs.

Professional, Scientific and Business Service s added 7,600 (+1.4%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Professional, Scientific and Business Services lost 33,000 (-5.5%) jobs.

Education and Health Services gained 5,900 (+0.8%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Education and Health Services lost 83,300 (-10.3%) jobs.

Manufacturing added 5,500 (+2.4%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Manufacturing lost 13,200 (-5.4%) jobs.

Other Services gained 4,100 (+4.4%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Other Services are down 41,700 (-30.0%) jobs.

Information lost 1,200 (-1.3%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Information lost 2,600 (-2.8%) jobs.

Financial Activities lost 1,600 (-0.7%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Financial Activities lost 4,600 (-2.1%) jobs.

Government lost 13,600 (-3.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Government lost 49,900 (-10.9%) jobs.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 15:34:09|Editor: huaxia

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People spend their Sunday afternoon on the National Mall in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 28, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

- "Waiting around for the president to run the nation's response was hopeless," Maryland state governor said.

- "Government failed in this job ... And they still are not following the science," New York state governor said.

- "I was so frustrated to see the president just sort of pronounce that, 'Well, everybody should open their schools,'" Illinois state governor said.

- "From day one, he has downplayed and distorted and disabled our ability to fight this war," Washington state governor said.

WASHINGTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A number of U.S. state governors have slammed the Trump administration for its inadequate response to the COVID-19 outbreak as cases are spiking again in the country amid rash reopenings.

In an article published in The Washington Post on Thursday, Maryland State Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican, lashed out at President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic as "hopeless."

"This should not have been necessary," Hogan wrote. "I'd watched as the president downplayed the outbreak's severity and as the White House failed to issue public warnings, draw up a 50-state strategy, or dispatch medical gear or lifesaving ventilators from the national stockpile to American hospitals."

"Eventually, it was clear that waiting around for the president to run the nation's response was hopeless; if we delayed any longer, we'd be condemning more of our citizens to suffering and death," he wrote.

People relax at Domino Park in New York, the United States, June 27, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that the federal government's "incompetence" in managing the COVID-19 crisis failed New York, which became the first epicenter of the outbreak in the United States in March.

"It was terrible failing on behalf of the federal government because this was their job," he said while commenting on a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "Government failed in this job ... And they still are not following the science."

The "governmental incompetence" is going to hurt New York a second time "when the virus was allowed to increase in other states and then come back to New York," he said.

People visit the reopened National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York, the United States, July 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Illinois State Governor J.B. Pritzker last week also criticized Trump for the raging pandemic when he testified before a congressional panel.

"In the midst of a global pandemic, states were forced to play some sort of sick Hunger Games game show to save the lives of our people," Pritzker said, referring to the plight where states need to compete for urgently-needed medical supplies.

Citing Trump's recent criticism of the new CDC guidance for reopening schools, which includes temporary school dismissals if there is a substantial spread of COVID-19 in the community, Pritzker said "I was so frustrated to see the president just sort of pronounce that, 'Well, everybody should open their schools.'"

"Please provide us with the kind of guidance that will help us do that," he said, adding that the CDC has been "muzzled" by the president.

Photo taken on July 12, 2020 shows a street scene of Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, California, the United States. (Str/Xinhua)

During an interview with CBS News late last month, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee blamed Trump for failing to urge Americans to wear masks amid resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

"From day one, he has downplayed and distorted and disabled our ability to fight this war," he said in Face the Nation on June 28.

"Instead of tweeting the other day about the importance of masks, he tweeted about the monuments," Inslee said. "We need a president who will care more about living Americans and less about dead Confederates."

The United States has been the hardest hit country by COVID-19 with more than 3.57 million infections and 138,000 fatalities as of Friday. 
We have long been looking forward to reuniting families because we know how hard these last few months have been for residents and families alike, Martha Peck, Bridgeviews administrator, said. Its an emotional moment every time. And its one that comes as well-needed relief to our residents.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) New York, United States  Fri, July 17, 2020 12:31 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406671074e 2 Books White-House,Donald-Trump,memoir,Book,united-states,Mary-Trump Free

A new book on Donald Trump written by his niece sold nearly a million copies on the first day it went on sale in the United States, its publisher said Thursday.

Mary Trump's Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man is billed as the first unflattering portrayal of the US president by a family insider.

Mary, a psychologist whose father was Trump's oldest brother Fred, accuses the president of hubris and ignorance, and says he fits the clinical criteria for being a narcissist.

The 950,000 copies sold Tuesday, including pre-orders as well as audio and digital versions, "is a company record" for the Simon & Schuster publishing house, it said in a statement.

Read also: Judge OK's release of tell-all book by Trump's niece

The White House has dismissed the memoir as a "book of falsehoods".

The president's younger brother Robert Trump went to court to try to block publication, arguing that Mary was violating a non-disclosure agreement signed in 2001 after the settlement of her grandfather's estate, but to no avail.

Simon & Schuster has ordered more copies printed, which will bring the number to 1.15 million for the American market alone. The book also tops Amazon's sales charts in Canada and Australia.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday the countrys troubled economy, foreign policy and neighbourhood had emboldened China to take an aggressive stand against India, prompting external affairs minister S Jaishankar to question the foreign policy decisions of the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

The former Congress president made the remarks in a video released on Twitter on the India-China border standoff, part of his efforts to share his thoughts on national issues through short videos.

The question is why have Chinese chosen this particular time to move? Why have Chinese chosen to violate the LAC [Line of Actual Control] with India at this point in time? What is it about India situation that has made China act in such an aggressive way? What is it about this moment in time that has allowed Chinese to have the confidence they can move against a country like India? he asked.

To understand that you have to go into multiple spaces. Countries are protected not by one particular thing but by a confluence of forces, by a confluence of systems. A country is protected by its foreign relationships, it is protected by its neighbourhood, it is protected by its economy, it is protected by the feeling that its people have, the vision that its people have, Gandhi said.

And what has happened over the last six years is that in all those areas India has been disturbed and disrupted, he added.

Jaishankar responded to Gandhis remarks in a string of 10 tweets, highlighting the foreign policy efforts of the government and its measures to improve Indias standing in the world community and the steps taken to improve infrastructure along the disputed border with China.

The minister also questioned several foreign policy decisions by the Congress-led UPA government, such as the inclusion of the Balochistan issue in a joint statement issued after a summit meeting with Pakistan at Sharm el-Sheikh in 2009, and its handling of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Gandhi has been critical of the governments handling of the standoff with China, and asked it to come clean on alleged intrusions by Chinese forces in Ladakh and the disengagement process.

He attacked the governments foreign policy and the soured relationship with neighbours such as Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, saying ties had become transactional.

Our relationship with the outside world used to be with multiple countries. We had a...strategic partnership with America...That is very important. We had a relationship with Russia. We had a relationship with Europe. And these countries used to help us manoeuvre in the world, he said.

Today our relationship has become transactional. We have a transactional relationship with the US. We have disturbed our relationship with the Russians. We have a transactional relationship with Europe, added Gandhi.

Earlier, other than Pakistan, the entire neighbourhood partnered with India, he said. Today Nepal is angry with us. If you go to Nepal and you speak to the Nepali people they are furious with what has happened. Sri Lankans have given a port to the Chinese. Maldives is disturbed. Bhutan is disturbed. So we have disrupted our foreign partners, weve disrupted our neighbourhood, Gandhi contended.

However, Jaishankar said Indias major partnerships are stronger and its international standing higher, as reflected by regular summits informal meetings with the US, Russia, Europe and Japan. India engages China on more equal terms politically, he said.

We speak our mind more openly now. On #CPEC, on #BRI, on South China Sea, on UN-sanctioned terrorists, etc, he tweeted.

The government has also addressed the border infrastructure imbalance legacy, he said. Compare 2014-20 with 2008-14. Budget up by 280%, road building by 32%, bridges by 99% and tunnels by 6 times, he added.

Turning to the neighbourhood, Jaishankar said the agreement on Hambantota port between Sri Lanka and China was concluded in 2008 and the issue should be taken up with those who dealt with it. Indias difficult ties with the Maldives, after New Delhi had watched President [Mohamed] Nasheed being toppled in 2012, now stand transformed, he added.

The land boundary issue with Bangladesh had been settled in 2015 by the NDA government, opening the way to more development and transit, and terrorists no longer find safe haven there, he said. Nepal, he added, was getting prime ministerial visits after 17 years and a swathe of developmental projects in power, fuel, housing, hospital and roads.

Bhutan finds India a stronger security and development partner and unlike 2013, they dont worry about their cooking gas, Jaishankar said. In Afghanistan, India has completed projects such as Salma dam and the new Parliament building, expanded training and connectivity, he said.

And #Pakistan (that you skipped) surely notes the difference between Balakot & Uri on the one hand, and Sharm-el-Sheikh, Havana & 26/11 on the other. Ask yourself, Jaishankar said in the last of the 10 tweets.

The reference to Balakot and Uri pointed to the 2019 airstrike at a terrorist camp at Balakot in Pakistan after the Pulwama suicide bombing and the 2016 surgical strike at terrorist camps across the Line of Control after an attack on Indian soldiers in Uri. At the 2009 Sharm el-Sheikh summit, the Indian side had agreed to the inclusion of a reference to terrorism in Balochistan, which was later used by Pakistan to imply that India was fomenting unrest in the restive region.

Gandhi also criticised the government on the economy and unemployment.

We have the worst economic growth in 50 years with no end in sight, absolute disaster. Unemployment is the highest in 40-50 years. So, our strengths have suddenly become our weaknesses, he said.

Gandhi said the Congress had repeatedly asked the government to inject money into the economy and announce a financial package for small and medium businesses, but it refused to do so.

We told them listen, for Gods sake inject money into the economy. Fire the economy and do it immediately, protect the small and medium businesses. They refused to do it, he said.

He added, So, today you have a country which is economically in trouble; in trouble as far as foreign policy is concerned; in trouble with its neighbours; and thats why the Chinese have decided that this is possibly the best time to act and that is why they have acted.

Later, Gandhi tweeted: Since 2014, the PMs constant blunders and indiscretions have fundamentally weakened India and left us vulnerable. Empty words dont suffice in the world of geopolitics.
One of the carefully organized stalls that was made to remove from in front of Massy Supermarket, Arnos Vale.

Concerns about threats to sanitation, health and security, and the fact that residents in the area had been complaining about the presence of the vendors for quite some time, were major contributing factors to a decision to remove fruit and vegetable vendors from plying their trade in an area opposite the Trinidad-owned Massy Supermarket in Arnos Vale.





This was advanced by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves in what is now his regular segment in the Sunday morning interactive programme on We FM.





In responding to the removal order handed down on the vendors by the Physical Planning and Development Board, the Prime Minister said, "There are some areas, where persons go and vend. If one or two persons vend there and the place is kept clean and so on, people may shrug their shoulder and say okay, even though theyre not supposed to be there its tolerable but when it becomes really, really problematic for a number of reasons. .





Not for the first time, the Prime Minister laboured the point of wanting to identify alternative space for use by vendors.





As far as the Arnos Vale vendors are concerned, an area in close proximity to the location from which they operated would be preferable, the Prime Minister suggested.





Last year, Minister of Transport and Works, Senator Julian Francis, whose portfolio includes the Kingstown Town Board, said that at least four places were identified as locations to which street vendors could be relocated.





These were named as the former vegetable and meat markets, the current meat market and a section of the Customs warehouse opposite C.K Greaves Supermarket on Bay Street.





The latter is nearing completion and is likely to have its first occupants any time soon.





Meanwhile, there is a move afoot to challenge the removal order in the courts.
In 2002, about 10 years before he would take the helm of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Harlan Kelly partnered with Melanie Lok, a longtime family friend, on an investment property, a house on 11th Avenue in the Inner Sunset.

Kelly and Lok agreed to split all costs for the fixer-upper and owned the property jointly for the next nine years.

Then in 2011, Kelly, at the time the SFPUCs assistant general manager of infrastructure and a year away from taking the agencys highest position, bought out Loks 50% stake in the property. The house would eventually become home for Kelly and his wife, City Administrator Naomi Kelly.

The transaction is now drawing scrutiny in light of the subpoena federal investigators sent to the SFPUC last month that has drawn the agency into the burgeoning City Hall corruption scandal thats unfolded since former Public Works Director Mohammed Nurus arrest in January on fraud charges for allegedly bribing an airport commissioner and lying to the FBI.

The long-standing friendship and previous financial relationship between Kelly and Lok raises questions about a multimillion-dollar contract Loks business, Mlok Consulting, secured with the SFPUC in 2012. Though Kelly wasnt in charge of the SFPUC when the contract was approved, he subsequently signed off on multiple amendments over several years that increased the amount of money Mlok received.

The FBI demanded the SFPUC turn over any records of communications between the agencys employees and Lok and any other representative of her business. Federal investigators are also seeking all documentation related to any contracts the SFPUC had with the firm.

Separate investigations by the FBI and the city attorneys office are focused in large part on how city officials may have improperly steered government contracts to acquaintances or businesses that paid for preferential treatment. In some cases, money appears to have flowed from contractors to nonprofit groups, possibly at the behest of high-ranking city employees, before ending up back at Public Works and other city agencies to pay for things like employee holiday parties and picnics.

Brian Getz, an attorney representing Kelly, said in an email the SFPUC chief has always conducted himself with integrity, and we believe the record will bear that out.

The federal subpoena also sought Kellys complete personnel file. The SFPUC said it is cooperating with the investigation.

Mlok was one of two businesses  the other was Westland Management Solutions  that the SFPUC hired to help integrate disparate software systems used to track and manage capital projects, along with other technical tasks. They were the only two companies that bid for the job, according to the SFPUC.

Perhaps the most important advantage we can offer (the) SFPUC is peace of mind, Lok wrote in her bid for the contract.

Over the course of eight years, ending in 2020, Mlok was paid around $8 million.

Contracts like the one Mlok received are reviewed and approved by the agencys five-member commission and then executed by the general manager, who at the time was Ed Harrington. But after Kelly became general manager he signed four separate amendments to the contract, gradually raising the ceiling on the payments to Mlok and Westland. The original contract included language providing for such increases, and the increases were approved by the five-member commission.

Mlok is a sub-consultant on two additional SFPUC contracts, according to the agency, that paid a little over $305,000 in total. One of those contracts is ongoing, which means the consulting firm may receive more money.

Getz, Kellys attorney, said in an email: Mr. Kelly plays no direct role in the competitive bidding process for city contracts. The SFPUC has a fair and transparent process for the hundreds of contract opportunities that an agency of its size and scale must extend every year.

Getz added that as general manager, Kelly does not sit on the scoring and selection panels that evaluate bids.

Lok did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

In general, city regulations require officials to disclose personal or professional relationships if the other person stands to gain from the outcome of a government decision. For city employees, that includes instances where they enter into contractual agreements on behalf of their department or commission.

City officials and employees have to disclose when they make official decisions involving a person with whom they have a personal, professional, or business relationship, said Pat Ford, a senior policy and legislative affairs counsel at the San Francisco Ethics Commission.

An SFPUC spokesman said the agency could not locate such a disclosure in the agencys records, though the letter, if not the spirit, of the law may provide an avenue for Kelly to argue he was not required to announce his friendship with Lok. Kelly may, for example, contend that since he did not execute the initial contract, which allowed for increases in the payout amount, he did not need to disclose his relationship with Lok.

Ford declined to comment on any specific implication of Kelly and Loks relationship, but he added that the citys rule is meant to shed light on situations where an officials judgment might be compromised because he or she has a preexisting relationship with someone and is simultaneously taking official actions involving that person.

In 2005, before Kelly bought out her stake in the 11th Avenue house that would eventually become his home, Lok registered the property as the principle executive office for Mlok Consulting, according to registration documents filed with New York states Division of Corporations in 2005. Lok said she had done business in New York on her bid for the SFPUC job. In San Francisco, the business is registered at 285 Ocean Ave., a building listed as abandoned in the Department of Building Inspections database.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The Chronicle reported in 2011 that Loks firm had been paid $132,000 since 2009 for work on the SFPUCs online invoicing system. Yet she listed her occupation as a homemaker when she donated $500 to Ed Lees successful mayoral campaign in 2011. The discrepancy raised questions at the time about a possible violation of the citys ban on contributions from city contractors. Its not clear any official inquiry was initiated as a result of that discrepancy.

Kelly also tapped another longtime associate, Walter Wong, for renovation work on the Inner Sunset property.

Mr. Wong was a prominent construction contractor and community leader, and like countless others in this city, Mr. Kelly had known Mr. Wong for nearly three decades, Getz said.

Kelly hired Wong, who ran a residential construction business, for a small portion of the renovation work, Getz said. Mr. Kelly paid fair market value for this work  if anything, he may have been overcharged by Mr. Wongs firm, he added. Kellys affiliation with Wong was initially reported by the Marina Times.

Last month, Wong agreed to plead guilty to charges of conspiring to commit fraud and money laundering and to cooperate with investigators in exchange for a reduced sentence. Wong was also linked to the former head of the Department of Building Inspection, Tom Hui, who was ousted after a city attorneys office investigation found evidence he gave Wong preferential treatment and access. Wong is a longtime permit consultant who needed to conduct business frequently with the department.

The deepening scandal has been held up as an emblem of a long-derided culture of casual corruption in San Francisco City Hall, one where political connections and personal loyalties turn into favors and government contracts. The fallout is growing.

Nurus fraud charge allegedly stems from a failed attempt to bribe an airport commissioner with cash and trips in exchange for help getting restaurateur Nick Bovis a concession at San Francisco International Airport. Bovis was also charged with fraud, but has since agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with investigators.

In recent weeks, several contractors who allegedly provided Nuru with bribes in exchange for favorable treatment and inside information have faced criminal charges. City Attorney Dennis Herrera moved to ban one of them, AzulWorks, from doing business with the city for the next five years.

Along with Hui, San Franciscos former Fix-It Team director, Sandra Zuniga, a confidante and romantic partner of Nurus, has also been toppled. Zuniga was charged in June with conspiring to launder money connected to Nurus alleged schemes.

Mr. Kelly has been in engineering, construction and infrastructure for a long time. As one would expect, he has been a friend and/or colleague to some of the thousands of professionals who have participated on contracting work at the SFPUC, said Getz, Kellys attorney.

Kelly fully supports the inquiry into this matter because he understands how important it is to maintain the publics trust in city government, and because he is confident in his own conduct, Getz said.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
Residents of Gravel Junction near New Gbawe are grieving after a two-year-old boy was found drowned in an abandoned manhole in the area.

The body of little David was recovered from an uncovered manhole in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality of Greater Accra Region.

According to the mother of the deceased, she last saw her son when he came in asking for food.

He went to play with his friends, but after a while, I called him to return, I gave him some food since he said he was hungry. After eating he went back to play with his friends. I stepped out to the salon at about 4pm and I even saw him playing with his friends. At about 5 pm, my husband called me and said my son had gone missing. So we reported to the Gbawe chiefs palace and the Lafa police station for assistance but for two days we couldn't find him.

The assemblyman of the Gbawe Electoral Area, Andy Oppong Amoako, said he got angry when he visited the scene due to the numerous uncovered manholes filled with water around the area.

When I came and saw the manhole, I told them this was a deathtrap because children live in nearby houses and they come out to play here, he stated.

Mr. Oppong tasked the Municipal Assembly to ensure that all deadly manholes in the area are either covered or destroyed.

He also pleaded with parents to be extra vigilant in taking care of their children to prevent such occurrences in the near future.

It is very sad to lose such a child. Somebody's negligence has made someone lose his child but I can assure you that as an assemblyman, we will take all the necessary measures to make sure that all these things are dealt with and people who have decided to cause problems for the community should also prepare for us.

Tina Naa Ayeeley Mensah, MP for the area and deputy Minister of Health who was there to offer her condolences to the bereaved said the assembly will soon charge residents who have dug manholes within the community and failed to cover them up.

There are manholes that have been dug for so many years and have not been covered and so the boy went playing around there and fell inside. We are here to console the mother and also give warning to all those people who have dug manholes that they should cover them up.

I was playing with my younger brother when I visited the washroom. Upon my return I realised that my brother was nowhere to be found, the sister of Kofi Anokye, Akosua said in relation to the disappearance of her two-year-old brother.

She had initially said that her brother was kidnapped.
New Delhi, July 17 : As many as 61 newly elected Rajya Sabha members from 20 states will take oath on July 22. The oath-taking ceremony will be held in the chamber of the House. Members who are unable to take oath on this day will do so during the upcoming Monsoon session.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Mallikarjun Kharge, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Shibu Soren are among the 61 Rajya Sabha MPs.

Between March and June, RS elections were held for 61 seats, of which 42 members were elected unopposed in March. Elections were also held on June 19 for some of the seats. Rajya Sabha elections were held for vacant seats in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur among others.

Forty three of the 61 RS members, comprising 72 per cent, have been elected to the Upper House for the first time. Only 12 of the 61 members who completed their tenure have been re-elected. The BJP fielded most of the new faces this time. Jyotiraditya Scindia, who left the Congress to join the BJP, was successful in winning the election on a BJP ticket from Madhya Pradesh.

At present, the BJP has 86 members in the Rajya Sabha. It won 11 of the 61 seats, taking the BJP's tally in the Upper House from 75 to 86. The BJP-led NDA has 113 members, including nominated and independent MPs. A tally of 123 members is required for a majority in the 245-member Rajya Sabha. The BJP is also supported by parties outside the NDA such as the BJD and the YSR Congress.
Wendy Wang of South Philadelphia, a graduate of Central High School, at Dickinson Square Park. Wang and other students participated in a summer program led by the groundbreaking Studio K.O.S. Read more

Wendy Wang, a recent graduate of Central High School, thumbed through the pages of Ralph Ellisons 1952 novel Invisible Man and stopped at page 575, just a few pages from the end.

The fact is that you carry part of your sickness with you, at least I do as an invisible man, she read out loud to about a dozen high school students on a Zoom call last week during an innovative art workshop. You go along for years knowing something is wrong, then suddenly you discover that youre transparent as air.

In modern art terms, Wang and the others were jamming  a technique associated with New Yorks influential Studio K.O.S. collective  in which one artist reads a groundbreaking text and others respond by literally tearing it apart to make art.

The Zoom call was a part of a weeklong virtual art workshop for high school students organized by Old Citys Wexler Gallery and led by original members of K.O.S. (Kids of Survival), founded in the Bronx in 1982 by Tim Rollins.

Artworks from the collective are now displayed in more than 120 museums and public collections, including New Yorks Museum of Modern Art, Londons Tate Modern, and the Art Institute of Chicago. To make them, Rollins or another member of the group would read selections like W.E.B. Du Bois Darkwater and Franz Kafkas Amerika while others cut or ripped the pages of the text, or drew or painted on them.

We had no idea of the significance of what we were doing but certainly do now, said Angel Abreu, who was an original member of K.O.S. as a teenager and is now an instructor for the program. And this is why we continue the legacy.

 READ MORE: Loss of Philadelphia Cultural Fund would hit arts organizations  and neighborhoods  hard

This years program in Philly adapted the jamming method, now using digital tools. Before and after every meeting, the organizers told us that we were making history, Wang said. The digital format was a first for Studio K.O.S. and for the tradition of jamming.

The workshop was organized into four sessions (one 90-minute session each day) and included 13 students selected by the University Community Collaborative, an organization based at the College of Liberal Arts at Temple University that provides career and technical development for young people.

We had talked about the workshop in the fall, pre-pandemic, said Barbara Ferman, the organizations executive director. Of course, we had to move it online once [the pandemic] hit, but the mission of the workshop aligned with ours so we really wanted to be a part of this.

The workshop was eye-opening, said Samir Ross, a senior at Benjamin Franklin High School. He learned that art could be found in a multitude of places  not only in the vast corridors of the Philadelphia Museum of Art as he had once thought.

The power in listening

Whens the last time you were read to? said Abreu. Theres this power in listening to everyones voice and seeing everyone connect to Ellisons text. After reading and listening to sections from Invisible Man, students designed a color scheme that was then digitally integrated into a template of the books epilogue.

Ross was inspired by the colors of the South African flag for his design. I didnt know what colors I was going to use at first, but I thought, why not go back to my racial origins?

Maryem Bouatlaoui, a junior at Central High, said she created about five images but was most proud of her design that resembled steel bars.

The meaning behind it was to show that being a minority is like being behind bars, figuratively and in real life, Bouatlaoui said. Especially in America, things dont feel like theyre even for everybody.  I think we should be able to get out of those bars and demand social justice and racial equality.

Wang said that she had previously read this book in a senior AP English class, but the workshop was nothing like my class. Hearing my peers read made the book come to life.

A fragmented history of pain

For her design, Wang applied a motif of geometric shapes layered onto the template. My image is supposed to represent the repetition of history, she said.

All the different fragments are supposed to represent the different identities that we learn from, the voices of history, Wang said. Theyre all fragmented and not just one person, and I think theres a lot of pain and hurt that goes behind their stories.

On the second day of the workshop, the K.O.S. instructors showed a prerecorded interview with Jeannine A. Cook, the owner of Harrietts Bookshop in Fishtown. Robert Branch, another K.O.S. instructor, said that Cook represented an alternative approach to activism and entrepreneurship.

In June, Cook handed out free books about Black leaders during marches against police brutality in Philadelphia. Since the coronavirus pandemic, Cook has hosted sidewalk sales in which she moves a portion of her inventory outside of her store to attract customers.

 READ MORE: Harrietts Bookshop in Fishtown: 'A space of peace for people in a chaotic world

Branch called her a role model for community engagement. What a great person to model to our students, he said, given some of the beautiful things shes done with her practice in terms of opening up a dialogue during these very difficult times.

Plans for publicly displaying the students work are still being worked out, according to Mat Tomezsko, associate director of the Wexler Gallery. Abreu said that hed feature the students digital artworks on his website and make physical work from some of them once were all able to get to our studio in Hoboken. He hopes to showcase them in April at EXPO Chicago, an annual art exhibition.

More than lessons from history and important texts, the students said they learned about themselves. For Wang, it was gaining a deeper understanding of the power of her own voice.

One of my takeaways was learning that there will always be people who dont see the point of what youre doing, Wang said. You can use your voice to create art and change the status quo.

Ross said he gained a new respect for the little things and how to value the connections in his life. And Bouatlaoui learned that suppressing her creativity isnt sustainable.

Angel told us that creativity is like a balloon in a pool, Bouatlaoui said. If you try to push it down, it will keep floating back up. And if it keeps floating back up, thats what youre destined for.
CHICAGOChicagos Dreadhead Cowboy has taken on a new cause.

Already a horseback-riding sensation at Chicago-area Black Lives Matters protests, where hes braved tear gas and befriended police, and a favourite in majority Black neighbourhoods, where he rides to promote his dream of a stable in the central city, the cowboy recently got a pitch from the office of Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

They basically said, Were on the same team, so why not help each other? he said.

So starting this week, the Dreadhead Cowboy, otherwise known as Adam Hollingsworth, is riding with a green and black Census 2020 flag, a Census 2020 mask and a message for Chicagoans: If you want better funding for your schools and your community, if you want to have your voice heard, take a few minutes and fill out your census survey.

Hollingsworth, 33, a former boxer and exotic dancer, said he filled out the census survey for the first time this year, and it only took him a few minutes.

It felt like I had a purpose when I filled it out, he said.

During a visit to Garfield Park on Tuesday, he said that many people already know of his new mission.

Theyre basically telling me as soon as they see me: We did our census. You aint gotta worry about it, he said with a chuckle.

People take photos of him and his horse, he said, and as usual, he pauses to give kids a chance to ride. Hollingsworth keeps his horses in the south suburbs and trucks them into Chicago for rides through city streets. Fans have compared him to Batman and lauded him for a June peacekeeping trip into the Latino Little Village neighbourhood to defuse tensions over fears of looting by Black protesters. The cowboy got a very warm reception from Little Village.

The mayors office confirmed the arrangement with Hollingsworth, with a spokesperson saying via email that Hollingsworth will be visiting neighbourhoods where he is a trusted voice, including East and West Garfield Park, Washington Park, Woodlawn, Englewood, West Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, North and South Lawndale, and Back of the Yards.

He will be compensated for his time by World Business Chicago, Chicagos public-private economic development agency, according to the mayors office.

Lightfoot has been pushing hard for Chicagoans in undercounted communities to complete their census surveys before in-person followup starts Aug. 11. A friendly competition among wards is underway this week, with ice cream for kids who live in the winning ward.

Hollingsworth, the father of four young children, said that hes still working on his dream of establishing a stable in the central city; he has his eye on some property south of the University of Chicago.

As for the census gig, he said its going well  so well in fact, that people are greeting him by a new name.

Do me a favour? he said. (Tell people) Im not the Census Cowboy. Im the Dreadhead Cowboy.
A worker has tested positive for coronavirus at an Ikea furniture warehouse, staffed with around 150 people.

The employee was infectious for three days while working at the Ikea Distribution Centre at Marsden Park, in Sydney's north west.

The distribution centre is responsible for handling and packing up furniture orders for delivery across the country.

Facilities are separate to the mega store in the same suburb.

Warehouse workers were told about the worker's diagnosis in a letter from management.

A worker has tested positive for coronavirus at an Ikea warehouse (pictured: a woman is tested for coronavirus at a drive through clinic in Sydney on Friday)

The staff member was infectious at work on the morning shift on July 6, 7, and 8.

An Ikea spokesperson confirmed the worker's diagnosis to Daily Mail Australia, but insisted there was no need to close the warehouse facility

'We were informed that a co-worker who works in the IKEA Australia DC/CDC located in Marsden Park, tested positive for COVID-19 on 13 July 2020,' the spokesperson said.

'They last worked at the DC/CDC on Wednesday 8 July. The source of their infection was not an IKEA unit,' the spokesperson said.

Ikea said they were not instructed to close the facility but conducted a 'proactive and voluntary deep clean' of the unit (stock picture of Ikea)

Ikea said they were not instructed to close the facility but conducted a 'proactive and voluntary deep clean' of the unit.

'The NSW Department of Health has advised that co-workers within the IKEA Distribution Centre, located in Marsden Park are not required to self-isolate,' the spokesperson said.

'The co-worker is in our thoughts and we hope for a swift recovery.'

The Swedish furniture giant has brought in a raft of new health and safety measures as a result of COVID-19.

This includes limiting numbers of customers in stores, closing the outlet's playgrounds in stores and introducing hygiene stations.

Photos of near-empty shelves at Ikea's Tempe store last month also prompted concerns of stock shortages.

The employee was infectious for three days while working at the Ikea Distribution Centre at Marsden Park, in Sydney's north west (pictured)

But the furniture giant has reported being 'busier than Christmas' through the coronavirus pandemic.

'Some of the products are literally flying off the shelves so we're having to replenish super quickly every day,' Ikea country operations fulfilment manager Adrian Pigeon told 9News.

'We are looking at three times the amount of stock we're bringing in  that's 400 pallets per day and 2000 palettes per week.'

This has meant significant numbers of staff working behind the scenes to keep shelves stocked.
Ive lost two family members to COVID, my cousin and my great uncle, so Im frustrated by those who are taking this situation very lightly, because they just dont understand the risks, Marquez said. I have asthma, and one of my sons, whos also a teacher, has diabetes. If were back in the classroom, Ill be exposed to 1,800 students, and could bring COVID home to my own family. This is not time to be getting students back together, as having their lives at risk is just not an option.
As Congress prepares to debate the next economic stimulus package, UBI pilot projects are underway.

Forty-year-old Ramona Ferreyra lives in the south Bronx section of New York City, cohabitating with her grandmother in a public housing building for seniors.

A Harvard University graduate, she worked as a civilian employee for the Pentagon and paid off $200,000 in student loan debt before her career was derailed by a chronic auto-immune disorder.

Today, she makes a living selling baby clothes through her company, Ojala Threads, a social-good enterprise inspired by Hispanic heritage.

But its not enough to make ends meet. I get public assistance of $198 a month, $89 in food stamps, and $215 for housing allowance, Ferreyra told Al Jazeera.

Her financial situation tipped into crisis this March, when the coronavirus sent New York City into lockdown. Ferreyra found herself with only five dollars in her wallet and $90 in the bank. But a one-off cheque for $1,000 from a pilot experiment in direct-cash payments helped pull her back from the brink.

Ferreyra said the stipend changed everything and allowed her to invest in marketing for her baby apparel business.

She is one of 1,000 New Yorkers in her borough to receive a one-off cash grant of $1,000 as part of the Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners and SaverLifes cash relief programme, an experimental approach to putting struggling Americans back on their feet.

The initiative was funded by former United States presidential candidate Andrew Yangs Humanity Forward organisation, as a way to spotlight how universal basic income (UBI) could preserve livelihoods.

Decades of financial policies have excluded the most vulnerable from accumulating wealth. Stacia West, professor at the University of Tennessee

With a guaranteed income floor, UBI would consist of direct, unconditional, and monthly government cash payments available to everyone  irrespective of their wealth or how much money they make.

Several high-profile pilot projects around the country are testing the effect direct cash payments can have on livelihoods. And with millions of Americans receiving temporary emergency federal government pandemic aid, interest in making UBI a permanent feature of the USs social safety net has arguably never been greater.

With the $600 federal top-up to weekly unemployment benefits expiring next week and more than 30 million Americans currently collecting jobless benefits, the inadequacies in the US social safety net have been laid bare [File: Nati Harnik/The Associated Press]

Plugging the holes in the social safety net

The US coronavirus response signed into law on March 27 by President Donald Trump included one-off stimulus cheques, a temporary federal top-up for unemployment insurance and business payroll protection.

UBI combines elements of these CARES Act components but would require massive new legislation to enact.

UBI is not being proposed for the new stimulus package Congress is set to debate when it returns from recess on Monday. But with the $600 federal top-up to weekly unemployment benefits expiring next week and more than 30 million Americans currently collecting jobless benefits, the inadequacies in the nations social safety net have been laid bare.

UBI aims to fill those gaps by doing what it says on the tin  provide a basic income.

Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners in New York City was chosen by Yangs group to distribute the cash relief payments to low and middle-income participants.

The money we disbursed definitely helped them get over the crisis for a couple weeks, Justine Zinkin, CEO of Neighborhood Trust told Al Jazeera.

Zinkin sees the pilot project as an opportunity to make UBI more accepted as a potential alternative to the web of arcane government benefits programmes that often fall short of covering basic needs.

Critics of the current benefits system lambast that services are strewn across multiple agencies and disdain that cultural judgments are often baked into eligibility verification.

A key tenet of purist UBI is that there would be no means-testing to determine who could qualify for regular monthly payments.

David Simpson, another Bronx resident in the SaverLife project filed for bankruptcy after health problems and career obstacles left him vulnerable.

In this particular instance, its a stop-gap and a reaction to millions of people falling behind so drastically, Simpson, 41, said of the $1,000 cash payment he received in April that allowed him to focus on getting back to work and straighten out his finances.

Simpson, who lives with his father and step-mother, got sick with COVID-19, as did the rest of his household at the end of March.

He told Al Jazeera that a federally funded, consistent UBI could alleviate a huge mental and psychological burden. I would have totally been able to develop [professionally].

Folks can take more risk, work on the thing that they value, and turn it into a product.

Proof of concept

UBI has won support on radically polar sides of the USs famously fractured political spectrum.

Progressives embrace its ability to help redress staggering inequality and bolster the social safety net, while some libertarians like UBIs potential to shrink government bureaucracy.

Veronique de Rugy, an economist with George Mason Universitys libertarian Mercatus Center, told Al Jazeera she could support UBI if it led to the abolition of minimum wage and other labour rules that she believes get in the way of low-income earners working or getting jobs.

She does not, however, promote the idea of distributing a basic income universally. With cash payments, it makes no sense to tax people just to give them back the money, she said. Giving to people at all income levels creates a weird baseline [and is] very counterproductive.

No full-throttled fan of UBI, de Rugy believes it creates a disincentive to work. The notion that suddenly people will be productive is not validated by the data, she said. UBI makes people happier, instead of chasing unemployment cheques.

Researchers last year in Finland found that their UBI experiment indeed lifted peoples spirits but kept them jobless. But a 1970s pilot experiment in Manitoba, Canada helped improve the quality of life in the rural community of Dauphin across the board without discouraging residents from continuing to work.

The coronavirus crisis is lending fresh urgency to validate  or invalidate  previous UBI research.

In California, the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) UBI pilot offers a guaranteed monthly income of $500 that is time-limited but unconditional. The test was extended from 18 months to two years because of the pandemic  with project administrators not willing to cut off funds when people are most in need.

Stacia West, a professor at the University of Tennessee, has been researching UBI for many years and serves on the board of SEED.

Decades of financial policies have excluded the most vulnerable from accumulating wealth, she said, adding that re-knitting the social contract could make the typical American family less economically fragile.

At only $500, the Stockton experiments payments are not enough to cover basic needs for a month  which underscores another aspect of the UBI debate: How many existing benefits, such as housing vouchers and food stamps, would be eliminated if cash-payments became permanent.

West told Al Jazeera that the SEED control trial is designed to test the efficacy of UBI as a financial vaccine alongside the existing safety net, arguing that cash payments should be used to smooth out income volatility.

Scott Santens is a UBI advocate and political adviser. He told Al Jazeera that during the course of Yangs presidential campaign bid, national support for UBI grew by six percentage points.

UBI makes people happier, instead of chasing unemployment cheques. Veronique de Rugy, an economist at George Mason University

And according to research at Stanford University, between from 2017 through the end of April, support for UBI increased by 20 more points.

Santens believes the pilot in Stockton, and a similar one in Jackson, Mississippi, build upon evidence from previous basic income studies that showed how people spend money on the same stuff that we all find most important in our own lives.

Back in the Bronx, Ramona Ferreyra sees herself as proof of how transformative UBI can be.

Ive been blessed but very depressed, at times, said Ferreyra. Getting that money was permission to think, she said. Thats what UBI really represents for people like me below the poverty level.
Pilot Michael Bobeck, at the start of his 12-hour night shift, checks Mercy Air helicopter at Imperial County Airport. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

The medical flight crew of Mercy Air was getting ready for bed when they got their first call of the day. A stroke patient had to be transported from El Centro Regional Medical Center to UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest.

Michael Bobeck, an army vet and pilot on duty, began a routine assessment of the flight risks. The twin-engine helicopter had enough fuel for the 174-mile round trip. Oxygen tanks were full. Fog was expected to move over San Diego County but not for another four to five hours.

The risk was low to low medium, he said. So we decided to go for it.

Mercy Air helicopter ambulance pilot Michael Bobeck prepares for a flight at Imperial County Airport. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Less than 13 minutes after taking the call Sunday night, Bobeck and the flight crew  a nurse and paramedic  flew 10 miles south from the Mercy Air base at Imperial County Airport to El Centro.

Up until then, it had been an unusually quiet day for the crew. Even the call was a break from months of transporting COVID-19 patients out of Imperial County, a rural and impoverished region with a largely Latino population of about 180,000 people that has become a hotspot for the disease.

The county has been averaging 900 infections per 100,000 people in the last two weeks, compared with L.A. County's 371. The county also has the highest mortality rate in the state, averaging 28 deaths per 100,000 people. The rate in Los Angeles County is just over five deaths per 100,000 people; in California as a whole it is almost 19 per 100,000.

County health officials link the increase of infection rates to May when the large industrial Mexican border city of Mexicali stopped receiving COVID-19 patients, forcing U.S. citizens living there to cross the border into Imperial County and seek care.

Pilot Michael Bobeck, right, begins his 12-hour work shift by meeting with the on-duty paramedic and nurse for Mercy Air. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

The countys two hospitals  El Centro Regional Medical Center and Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District  were already dealing with an influx of COVID-19 patients that officials say was due to recent holiday gatherings.

On May 19, Dr. Adolphe Edward, chief executive of El Centro Regional Medical Center, said his hospital would stop receiving COVID-19 patients.

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Our numbers skyrocketed overnight, he said. We want to make sure we dont overwhelm either one of the hospitals or the system with COVID-19 patients to the point that we cant take care of you.

Soon afterward, hospitals began stabilizing COVID-19 patients and moving them out of Imperial County. State officials said at least 500 COVID-19 patients were taken to hospitals outside the county.

Michael Bobeck checks the fuel of the Mercy Air ambulance helicopter he will be piloting for the night. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Answering the call that month was Mercy Air, one of two air medical companies serving the area.

The company is owned and operated by Air Methods, one of the largest air medical transport companies in the U.S. It operates 300 bases in 48 states, many of them located in California and Nevada.

For more than two decades, Mercy Air was providing service to Imperial County from its bases in San Diego and Riverside County. But two years ago, it decided to set up a base at Imperial County Airport.

One of our objectives, our focus is to bring our services to underserved communities where theres a big distance between the patient and the level of care they need, Bill Hinton, area manager for Mercy Air and Air Methods, said. Youve heard of the golden hour? You know, if somebody is in a car accident that first hour is the most important time frame.

A nurse and paramedic check supplies and equipment at the start of their work shift with Mercy Air at Imperial County Airport. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Mercy Air was working on completing construction of a new base at the airport when the pandemic brought everything to a halt. For now, the teams of pilots, critical care nurses and paramedics have been working out of a hotel about 300 feet from the airport.

Hinton said aircraft from the surrounding bases have been brought in to help deal with the high volume of transport requests by the two hospitals in Imperial County.

Medic teams with Mercy Air typically respond to car accidents and other emergencies near the border, state parks and the Imperial Sand Dunes, a popular site for off-roading enthusiasts. They get steady work from patients who need to receive advance care from hospitals elsewhere, such as in San Diego.

Then COVID-19 hit, Hinton said.

Mercy Air helicopter pilot Michael Bobeck adjusts his night-vision goggles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Derek Hughes, a paramedic for Mercy Air, said average patient transports were at least two a day. But that slowly began to go up, and by spring it had doubled.

Hinton said finding beds in nearby hospitals started to become increasingly difficult.

We started seeing transports go out to Riverside, Las Vegas and Phoenix, he said. The farthest north weve gone by helicopter was Santa Barbara.

Theyve been all over the place right now, even to hospitals weve never transported patients to before, he added.

Mercy Air officials say since March they have taken nearly 100 Covid-19 patients out of Imperial County.

A Mercy Air helicopter ambulance lands at El Centro Regional Hospital to pick up a patient for transport. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Bobeck said flights out of county average between four to five hours and in some cases up to six. He said the number of patient transports are lower than other bases in the surrounding area because of the long distance they have to fly.

More than two [transports] is almost too much, he said.

Hughes said that although Mercy Air workers wear protective suits and personal protective gear for each call, the long flights present an added risk because they are with the patients for a longer period of time. They said the high altitude poses a health risk for patients as well.

Before a transport request is accepted the crew has to weigh the risks. As a pilot, Bobeck looks at weather, distance and refueling points. Time, too. The FAA has strict rules about how long a pilot can work; the maximum is about 14 hours a day.

Mercy Air crew members talk at the air ambulance base at Imperial County Airport. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

For the medic team, they have to take a patient's medications and oxygen intake into account. COVID-19 patients, Hughes said, require a lot of oxygen.

So when the number of transports jumped in May, the team was working almost nonstop.

I was flying almost every day, Bobeck said.

The Sunday night call about the stroke patient was what the crew members were used to dealing with before the pandemic arrived. They didnt require protection suits, and the round-trip flight would be about four hours total.

It was a little after 10 p.m. when the Mercy Air helicopter flew over the neighborhoods near El Centro Regional Medical Center. Its rotors sounded like a jackhammer in the distance as the chopper approached the facility.

At 10:04., the helicopter sat on the helipad. Bobeck took a walk around the aircraft, making sure everything was OK.

Inside, the medic team waited for paperwork and got the patient ready to go. By 10:32 p.m. the patient was aboard. Then helicopter lifted off and headed for UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest.

It would be around 1 a.m. when the crew would return to the base. Each member, slowly walked back to their hotel rooms.

Another shift had ended. But the COVID-19 pandemic is surging, and there are surely many more flights ahead.
As of 12 p.m. Friday, July 17, 2020, the Pa. Department of Health reports that there are 99,478 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. There are at least 6,992 reported deaths from the virus.

According to Johns Hopkins University, 74,818 of those cases recovered from the virus.

Click the image to see a data page including an interactive map for the state. (Please click the link in the previous sentence if you cant see the image.)

Click here for a ZIP code breakdown of cases provided by the Pa. Department of Health.

The state is also providing detailed hospital and respirator data here for desktop users and here for mobile users.

The state reported 1,032 new cases of the coronavirus. Below is a county-by-county breakdown of the additional positives reported.

Adams

There are 410 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 15 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Allegheny

There are 5990 total cases with 240 new cases reported. 202 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Armstrong

There are 97 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 6 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Beaver

There are 918 total cases with 25 new cases reported. 81 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Bedford

There are 99 total cases with 4 new cases reported. 4 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Berks

There are 4781 total cases with 18 new cases reported. 360 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Blair

There are 126 total cases with 8 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Bradford

There are 61 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 3 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Bucks

There are 6284 total cases with 56 new cases reported. 573 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Butler

There are 465 total cases with 9 new cases reported. 13 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Cambria

There are 163 total cases with 10 new cases reported. 3 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Cameron

There are 5 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Carbon

There are 315 total cases with 6 new cases reported. 28 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Centre

There are 270 total cases with 8 new cases reported. 9 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Chester

There are 4196 total cases with 67 new cases reported. 334 total deaths have been reported in the county with -1 new deaths announced.

Clarion

There are 67 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Clearfield

There are 98 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Clinton

There are 101 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 5 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Columbia

There are 428 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 35 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Crawford

There are 105 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Cumberland

There are 995 total cases with 10 new cases reported. 68 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Dauphin

There are 2366 total cases with 24 new cases reported. 150 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Delaware

There are 7762 total cases with 66 new cases reported. 674 total deaths have been reported in the county with 5 new deaths announced.

Elk

There are 33 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Erie

There are 763 total cases with 7 new cases reported. 13 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Fayette

There are 235 total cases with 12 new cases reported. 4 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Forest

There are 7 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Franklin

There are 1043 total cases with 10 new cases reported. 46 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Fulton

There are 19 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Greene

There are 79 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Huntingdon

There are 266 total cases with 3 new cases reported. 4 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Indiana

There are 176 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 6 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Jefferson

There are 41 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Juniata

There are 117 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 6 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Lackawanna

There are 1788 total cases with 11 new cases reported. 212 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Lancaster

There are 4988 total cases with 37 new cases reported. 390 total deaths have been reported in the county with 2 new deaths announced.

Lawrence

There are 221 total cases with 12 new cases reported. 9 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Lebanon

There are 1484 total cases with 3 new cases reported. 51 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Lehigh

There are 4519 total cases with 24 new cases reported. 331 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Luzerne

There are 3047 total cases with 5 new cases reported. 181 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Lycoming

There are 263 total cases with 4 new cases reported. 20 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

McKean

There are 22 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Mercer

There are 216 total cases with 8 new cases reported. 7 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Mifflin

There are 79 total cases with 3 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Monroe

There are 1488 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 115 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Montgomery

There are 9060 total cases with 61 new cases reported. 836 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Montour

There are 84 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Northampton

There are 3614 total cases with 13 new cases reported. 284 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Northumberland

There are 360 total cases with 5 new cases reported. 10 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Perry

There are 96 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 5 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Philadelphia

There are 23558 total cases with 163 new cases reported. 1653 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Pike

There are 509 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 21 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Potter

There are 19 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Schuylkill

There are 795 total cases with 3 new cases reported. 48 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Snyder

There are 75 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Somerset

There are 91 total cases with 3 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Sullivan

There are 10 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Susquehanna

There are 195 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 26 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Tioga

There are 32 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Union

There are 109 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Venango

There are 52 total cases with 3 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Warren

There are 11 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Washington

There are 535 total cases with 17 new cases reported. 7 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Wayne

There are 148 total cases with 4 new cases reported. 8 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Westmoreland

There are 1117 total cases with 28 new cases reported. 40 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Wyoming

There are 49 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 7 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

York

There are 1963 total cases with 21 new cases reported. 70 total deaths have been reported in the county with 3 new deaths announced.
It has barely been a few months since Samsung launched the Galaxy M31 in India, and now the company is already working on its successor, the Galaxy M31s. According to a new report, this upcoming smartphone is quite close to becoming reality and could be launched before the end of the month.

The new report also goes on to add that the phone will become available for purchase sometime next month. As for the phone, it is expected to sport a mid-range price, which could be close to Rs 20,000. This, however, will be quite a steep rise on the Galaxy M31 which started at Rs 14,999 for the entry-level variant in India.

Talking about the specifications of the phone, the Samsung Galaxy M31s has been previously spotted on certification websites which have hinted at the specifications of the phone. The leaks in the past have shown the phone to carry model number SM-M317F. These leaks, especially a listing on Geekbench has also revealed some key details about the device. It hinted at the presence of the octa-core Exynos 9611 SoC and 6GB of RAM on the phone.

A seperate TUV Rheinland listing has claimed that the phone could come with a 6,000mAh battery. For storage, the device may come with 128GB storage. Other specifications would include the phone flaunting an AMOLED display, and a quad rear camera setup that includes a 64-megapixel primary sensor.

Interestingly, this would be the eighth smartphone in the Galaxy M line-up launched by Samsung this year. To recall, the Galaxy M line-up was one of the best performing ones for Samsung last year, with the Galaxy M30s particularly doing well last year. With the new Galaxy M31s, Samsung will be looking to replicate the success of last year's device.
Unibet Poker Update: Romania Wins European Bounty Cup and More!

July 17 2020 Will Shillibier

It's already been an exciting time over on Unibet Poker, with the Stream Satellites, European Bounty Cup and more besides! Here we take a look at everything that's been happening in a quick and easy round-up!

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Romania Win the European Bounty Cup

After a month-long festival of knockout poker, Romania have won the European Bounty Cup, defeating Great Britain in a tight fight at the top of the leaderboard.

Romania led at the halfway stage, and they kept the lead right up until the end, securing all Romanian players a seat in a 2,000 prizepool freeroll. Meanwhile Great Britain would have to settle for a 1,000 prizepool freeroll. The third-placed team of the Netherlands received a 500 prizepool freeroll.

Here are the top ten countries in the European Bounty Cup:

Rank Country Points 1 Romania 1654 2 Great Britain 1551 3 Netherlands 950 4 Hungary 814 5 Ukraine 804 6 Finland 744 7 Norway 713 8 Poland 682 9 Germany 243 10 Russia 169

In the freerolls, "Galimon" won the Romanian freeroll, topping a field of 197 players to win 421 ahead of "Roxana199993" (301) and "7ygf" (220).

There was further success for Great Britain's "Meimal2005" who won 240 in their country's freeroll. They finished top of a 116 player field and defeated "BestieBoy" (172) heads-up, with "Chillistacks" (124) finishing in third.

Finally, it was "I_beast_u" who did exactly that, taking home 120 for winning the Dutch 114-player freeroll. "SpiritPinda" (86) and "Easter-red" (61) finished second and third respectively.

Golden Boot Winners

PokerNews extends a huge congratulations to Finland's "SpaceOfCakes" who won the European Bounty Cup Golden Boot in the High Events, for eliminating the most players in a single event. They eliminated 17 players to secure themselves 500.

Meanwhile in the Low events, the Golden Boot went to Hungary's "F_at_E" who took home 200. They also finished third on the High Golden Boot for another 200.

Dream Team Winners

The Dream Team leaderboards were hotly contested throughout the European Bounty Cup, and eventually it was a win for "Altcom" in the High Leaderboard. They notched up 61 eliminations, five ahead of the runner-up, to secure 500.

Meanwhile, there was a familiar face at the top of the leaderboard, as Low Golden Boot winner "F_at_E" ran away with the competition, with their 97 eliminations well clear of the 82 of the runner-up. The Hungarian added another 200 for their efforts.

Unibet Ambassador Simpson Hints at Return of Stream Satellites

After the success of Simpson's Stream Satellites, PokerNews caught up with the Unibet Poker Ambassador to hear what he had to say, what his viewers thought about the promotion, and whether there could be another Stream Satellite promotion in the future.

A couple of months ago, I wanted to spice up the rewards I give away on my stream. Unibet are kind enough to help me promote my page with freerolls and I wanted to restructure it to better reward my regular viewers and to give them something fresh.

A lot of my viewers are recreational players who enjoy satellite tournaments. Partially because of the thrill of playing a bigger than normal tournament for their bankrolls and partially because of the unique skill element they entail. Theyve all read my fellow ambassador Dara OKearneys book Poker Satellite Strategy and love applying what he taught them. I decided that changing my freerolls into satellites would be a fun idea. To make the target tournament more exclusive to my viewers I wanted it so that you could only play it if you followed the satellite route. I really wanted a format that would reward them for being a part of our community. Therein however lays a snafu.

READ MORE: Unibet Ambassador Ian Simpson Fostering Twitch Community with Stream Satellites

You see, I pitched this idea to the wonderful, yet formidable, Kat Arnsby, who has recently started working for Unibet Poker. She immediately took a shine to the idea, polished it, but made it clear in no uncertain terms that I would also have to follow the satellite route if I wanted to play my own damn tournament.

We decided to award lots of 1 tickets in freerolls and let people buy into the satellite tree at the 1 step. We also decided to add tickets to every step to make every stage of the satellite tree brimming with value. Embarrassingly for me, despite the fact I class myself as a decent satellite player, I failed to qualify for a tournament with my name on it. Much to the enjoyment of Team Unibet who havent let it drop since.

Despite the awkwardness of not qualifying for my own tournament, it was a really heart-warming moment when two of my community offered to give me one of the extra tickets they had won for it. These are people who normally grind small stakes poker, offering up a 25 ticket that isnt an insignificant % of their bankroll was really touching. It goes to show just how lovely the Unibet Twitch community really is. "Tough shit," said Kat. "If you're not good enough to win your own ticket, then you're not playing it!" Que sera sera.

This first run out of the promotion was a test to see how our community liked the idea. It turns out they loved it. The sweat of qualifying to an exclusive tournament that couldnt be directly bought into and the added value in each of the satellite steps made the whole promo really thrilling. We were all railing the final table, and when we found out that (at least) one of the final tablists had secured their career biggest win we were over the moon for them. That in itself made the whole enterprise worthwhile.

We definitely think theres room to repeat this promotion in the future, maybe even scaling the promotion up and taking more risks with the prizes on offer. If I can twist Kats arm a little well run this promotion regularly. Watch this space.

Words by Unibet Poker Ambassador Ian Simpson

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John Boyega has revealed that he has returned to acting after the film industry was paused due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Star Wars actor shared a photo which showed him wearing a gown and a mask while he appeared to be getting ready to go in front of a camera.

He posted the image on Instagram to his 2.4 million followers alongside a message which read: Back to on set! Have a nice day everyone.

Much of the film and television industry has been on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, however production is slowly beginning to resume.

Earlier this week Tom Holland confirmed filming had begun on Uncharted, which had previously been struck by delays in March.

Other productions such as the latest Mission: Impossible film, which is being shot in Hertfordshire, are also set to be able to continue.

Last month Boyega played a prominent role in the Black Lives Matter protests in London.

The actor made an emotional speech in Hyde Park which referenced the death of George Floyd.
Its worked very effectively in our state, Hogan said of restrictions imposed under the states reopening strategy. Marylanders, he said, are social distancing, they are wearing masks, and thats the way to get the economy back on track. Its like no shirt, no shoes, no mask, no service. And people feel safer, and they feel more able to go out and get back to their normal lives and spend money in the economy, which we desperately need as well.
By James Pearson HANOI (Reuters) - The United States this week hardened its position on the South China Sea, where it has accused China of attempting to build a 'maritime empire' in the potentially energy-rich waters, despite regional concerns. The rivals have accused each other of stoking tension in the strategic waterway at a time of strained relations over everything from the new coronavirus to trade to Hong Kong

By James Pearson

HANOI (Reuters) - The United States this week hardened its position on the South China Sea, where it has accused China of attempting to build a "maritime empire" in the potentially energy-rich waters, despite regional concerns.

The rivals have accused each other of stoking tension in the strategic waterway at a time of strained relations over everything from the new coronavirus to trade to Hong Kong.

A statement from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on July 13 was the first time the United States had called China's claims in the sea unlawful and accused Beijing of a "campaign of bullying".

But heated rhetoric has also been on the rise in the region, where Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam challenge China's claim to about 90% of the sea.

REGIONAL TENSIONS

Vietnam, frequently at loggerheads with China over the issue, is this year chairing the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

At a June 26 summit in Hanoi, Vietnam and the Philippines - China's most vocal challengers over the sea - warned of growing regional insecurity amid concern that Beijing was advancing territorial claims under the cover of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As China held military drills in the South China Sea this month, Vietnam said Beijing's actions were "detrimental" to its relationship with the Southeast Asian bloc. The United States simultaneously deployed two aircraft carriers to the area for what it said were pre-planned exercises.

In a blustery response to the Chinese drills, Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin said China "will be met with the severest response, diplomatic and whatever else is appropriate", if the exercises encroached on Philippine territory.

That followed a surprise move by President Rodrigo Duterte - who had courted Beijing since taking office in 2016 - to suspend his decision to scrap a two-decade-old troop deployment agreement with the United States.

TROUBLED WATERS

China illustrates its claims with a vague, U-shaped "nine-dash line" that includes swathes of Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, as well as the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands. It also overlaps the EEZs of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

A tribunal at The Hague, based on a suit brought by the Philippines, ruled in 2016 that China has no "historic title" over the waters, and that its line was superseded by the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Last year, Chinese and Vietnamese vessels became embroiled in a months-long standoff in Vietnam's EEZ where a Chinese research vessel conducted a sweeping seismic survey of waters overlapping Vietnamese oil blocks.

In May, the same Chinese research vessel was involved in another month-long standoff with Malaysian ships in Malaysia's EEZ, close to where a drillship contracted by Malaysian state oil firm Petronas had been operating.

Chinese incursions happened 89 times between 2016 and 2019, Malaysia's government said on Tuesday.

Indonesia has also begun to take a tougher stance. In January, Jakarta summoned China's ambassador and dispatched air and sea patrols after Chinese vessels entered Indonesia's EEZ around the northern Natuna islands.

The tensions have already affected Vietnamese oil production in the area, including operations controlled by Russia's Rosneft and Spain's Repsol.

"We're already seeing reduced appetite for oil and gas investment in Vietnam," said Andrew Harwood, research director at consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie.

"Escalating tensions will not improve the situation".

(Reporting by James Pearson; Additional reporting by Karen Lema in Manila; Editing by Matthew Tostevin and Nick Macfie)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Russia calls for JCPOA parties' unity to save the deal

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Moscow, July 16, IRNA -- Russian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov in a message said Iran nuclear deal will be preserved if all participants are united in this regard.

"We must do it. Opponents of #IranDeal ask, if it can survive," Ulyanov wrote on his Twitter account on Thursday.

"Despite all problems, the answer is "yes" provided that #JCPOA participants (#China, #France, #Germany, #Iran, #Russia, and #UK) are united in efforts to preserve the deal. #EU as the coordinator has also a vital role," he added.

Ulyanov made the remarks in response to High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles' Twitter message in which he said: "5 years ago the #JCPOA was concluded in Vienna. Today is under great pressure on multiple fronts. If we do manage to preserve the #IranDeal and ensure its full implementation, it can still become a stepping-stone toward addressing other shared concerns."

Earlier in a statement, Borrell said that the EU will do everything possible together with other parties to preserve Iran nuclear deal - the JCPOA.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of signing Iran nuclear deal said the US' contempt for diplomacy threatens the security in the US and the world.

Zarif in a letter to Borrell once again referred to the cases of European countries' non-compliance to the Joint Commission for settlement in accordance with Article 36 of the JCPOA.

Foreign Minister's letter warned that any interference in the ongoing cooperation between Iran and the IAEA would be contrary to the provisions of the JCPOA and could have negative impacts on the existing cooperation under the safeguards agreement, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi earlier said.

Iran and the six world powers- US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany- reached a nuclear agreement, aka Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), on July 14, 2015, after 13 years of intensive diplomatic talks. The US is no longer the participant in the deal as it withdrew unilaterally from the agreement on May 8, 2018.

9376**2050

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While we have been focused on the most obvious and immediate impacts of COVID-19, a seismic shift has occurred beneath the surface offering a radical new hope for the future.

The health crisis has ushered in a mainstream realisation that collectively we can shape and direct the economy in a way that serves our own interests, rather than the other way around.

New research shows that this previously radical idea is now shared by most West Australians. This is evidenced by overwhelming public support for economic stimulus measures that make the state a fairer place to live while delivering action on climate change  a triple benefit to society, the economy and the environment.

We have grown used to thinking about the economy as something that happens to us. Credit:Louise Douvis

For decades we have learnt to believe that our communities, and even governments, are essentially powerless to shape what we call the economy. We have grown used to thinking about the economy as something that happens to us; at best something we can only hope to influence at the margins.
 Flash

Beijing slammed Washington on Thursday for attacking Chinese telecommunications equipment provider Huawei and deciding to impose visa restrictions on certain employees of Huawei and other Chinese tech companies.



"As an outstanding private company, Huawei's only fault is that it's Chinese," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily news conference.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who announced the visa restrictions on Wednesday, has talked repeatedly over the past month about "clean" companies and countries that exclude Huawei from their 5G networks.

Instead of anything to do with "cleanliness", what the United States has done is a "dirty trick" and "dirty play", Hua said on Thursday.

Huawei has offered services to more than 170 countries, none of which has provided any evidence that its products posed a security threat or had back doors that allow interference, Hua said.

Huawei established a cybersecurity evaluation center in the United Kingdom for the UK to assess its products. The company also said it is willing to sign backdoor-free contracts with all countries.

"Can any US company ... do as Huawei did?" Hua asked, adding that the US "has long been carrying out indiscriminate and illegal surveillance on governments, companies and individuals in other countries, including its allies".

The US has been defaming and attacking Huawei out of a strong ideological bias and is rallying its allies in its attempt to besiege the company, she said.

Responding to Pompeo's attack on human rights conditions in China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and his claims that Huawei provides "material support to regimes engaging in human rights abuses", Hua said such accusations constitute "the biggest lie of the century". As many as 56 ethnic groups live in harmony in China, where 850 million people have been lifted out of poverty, she said.

China also became the second-largest economy without resorting to warfare, colonialism or slavery, contributing more than 30 percent of global economic growth for over a decade, she said.

In contrast, the US, which "suffers racial discrimination everywhere", decimated its Native American population and has waged "groundless wars" in countries such as Iraq, Libya, Syria and Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the UK lost its independence in making its own decisions when it chose to ban Huawei from its 5G network, Hua said, adding that the decision will cost the UK more than it will gain.

Huawei has created tens of thousands of jobs in the UK over two decades and contributed to the country's telecommunications infrastructure, she said, adding that London should listen carefully to reasonable voices and make a choice that complies with its long-term and fundamental interests.
Rating Action: Moody's assigns Aa2 to Vermont Municipal Bond Bank's 2020 Series 2 Bonds; stable outlook

Global Credit Research - 16 Jul 2020

New York, July 16, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned a Aa2 rating to the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank's (Vermont Bond Bank, the bank) $15 million 2020 Series 2 Bonds (Local Investment Bonds). We maintain the Aa2 rating on the bank's outstanding debt. The outlook is stable.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The Aa2 rating reflects the satisfactory credit quality of the participating borrowers that is further enhanced by the Vermont State Aid Intercept Program (Aa2 stable). The rating also incorporates the very large and diverse pool of program participants, the bank's strong legal covenants and debt structure, and an experienced management team.

We regard the coronavirus 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 Vermont Municipal Bond Bank. 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 Vermont Municipal Bond bank changes, we will update the rating and/or outlook at that time.

RATING OUTLOOK

The stable outlook reflects our view that the bank continues to manage operations and improve monitoring, and the pool's large size will remain diverse. The outlook also incorporates the adequate reserves that are available to cure potential defaults or delayed participant payments, if necessary. Additionally, we believe that the number of participants who currently receive enhanced ratings based on the state's pre-default intercept program will remain stable over the medium term, thus ensuring no material change in pool credit quality.

Story continues

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OF THE RATING

-Improved credit quality of the borrower pool

-Increase in state aid to borrow pool

-Substantially higher unrestricted reserve levels

-Upgrade to state intercept program

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING

-Further deterioration of the credit quality of the pool participants

-Decline or delays in state aid for borrower pool

-Material reduction in reserve levels

-Downgrade of state intercept program

LEGAL SECURITY

The bonds are a general obligation of the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank, and the full faith and credit pledge of the bank is pledged for the payment of debt service on their municipal bonds. Additionally, the State provides a moral obligation to replenish the reserve fund if there is a draw on the reserve that reduces the amount below the required debt service reserve.

USE OF PROCEEDS

The bond proceeds will be loaned to local governments for various municipal facilities and infrastructure. Twenty-five unique borrowers include municipalities and school districts.

PROFILE

The Vermont Bond Bank was created in 1969 and is authorized to issue bonds in order to provide loans to local governments. The bond bank will have approximately $597 million in outstanding loans and since its inception has provided over $2.5 billion in loans for local infrastructure throughout Vermont. Approximately 98% of the loans are secured by a general obligation of the municipality, school district, or special district receiving the loans.

METHODOLOGY

The principal methodology used in this rating was Public Sector Pool Programs and Financings Methodology published in April 2020 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBM_1171420. An additional methodology used in this rating was State Aid Intercept Programs and Financings published in December 2017 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBM_1067422. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.

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.

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To tackle the slowdown due to COVID-19, the Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Council (AC) which met under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor G.C. Murmu on Friday approved a relief package to revive the Union territory's economy.

"Earlier, the Union government rolled out a Rs 20 lakh crore package under the umbrella of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan', sharply focusing on MSMEs, priority sectors and vulnerable segments. However, the Jammu & Kashmir government felt a need to consider similar handholding measures for sectors/borrowers not covered under the Central Government package", an official statement said.

"In order to clear the backlog of sales tax/VAT arrears under the relief package, the amnesty scheme has been extended upto 31st, October, 2020. Whereas, the date of filing of re-imbursement claims (GST returns/claims) for the period from January to March, 2020 has been extended to 15th October, 2020 and for the period April to June, 2020 to 15th November, 2020.

"In a normal course, the industrial units claiming GST re-imbursement on supply of goods during inter-state movement were required to get the relevant electronic way bills stamped and verified by the consignee."

"However, considering the issues due to COVID-19 pandemic, self attestation of claimants has been enabled and scanned copies of such documents verified by the consignee and attested by the claimants with a post dated cheque shall be accepted for re-imbursement for a period of 6 months.

To enable smooth transition out of the pandemic driven economic shock, under the relief package, the surcharge leviable on the fixed charges of all the industrial/commercial establishments in J&K for the period 31st March, 2020 to 31st October, 2020 shall be borne by the government, it said.

Stamp duty on fresh lending under the GoI's/J&K government's package shall also be waived off under the relief package so that the cost of lending is reduced.

Moreover, the Administrative Council directed Finance Department to come up with a proposal for interest subvention for currently operating establishments, in consultation with Industries & Commerce Department. Industries Department was also directed to implement the policy of preference for local manufacturers in procurement through an appropriate mechanism.
By Gabriela Baczynska (Reuters) - Back in July 2014, an eager journalist sang 'Happy Birthday' to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as she celebrated her 60th at a summit of European Union leaders.

By Gabriela Baczynska

(Reuters) - Back in July 2014, an eager journalist sang "Happy Birthday" to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as she celebrated her 60th at a summit of European Union leaders.

On Friday, turning 66, she was back in Brussels.

This time, however, the head of Europe's most powerful country sounded downbeat as she arrived for talks with other EU leaders, doubting whether they would be able to overcome deep differences to pass a multi-billion-euro plan to pull economies out of their coronavirus-related slump.

"We are all going into the talks with a lot of vigour, but I must say that the differences are still very, very big and so I can't yet say whether we will get a solution," she said.

French President Emmanuel Macron gave her several bottles of white Burgundy wine, and footage showed Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte taking a picture of her with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, also celebrating his birthday on Friday.

Merkel received presents from several other EU leaders, but it was unclear if they would also give her the satisfaction of a deal on the bloc's next budget, worth 1 trillion euros, and a new economic recovery fund of 750 billion.

The summit has also interfered with the private affairs of another EU leader. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had had to bring forward her wedding from Friday to Wednesday to be free for the trip to Brussels.

"Going on 'honeymoon' to EU summit in Brussels," she quipped, tweeting a picture of herself on board a plane headed for the talks.

(Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by John Chalmers and Kevin Liffey)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
OTTAWA (Reuters) - A recent spike in coronavirus cases in Canada is worrying and can be linked to groups of young people gathering in bars and nightclubs and at parties, a top medical official said on Friday.

"When we examine recent trends in case reporting, there is some cause for concern. After a period of steady decline, daily case counts have started to rise," deputy chief public health officer Howard Njoo told a briefing.

Njoo said the daily case count had risen to an average of 350 over the last week up from 300 a day earlier in July. More than 430 cases were reported on Thursday.

"This coincides with increasing reports of individuals contracting COVID-19 at parties, nightclubs and bars as well as increasing rates of transmission among young Canadians," Njoo said.

Canada has reported 109,266 total cases and 8,827 deaths, far fewer than in the United States.

Officials and experts this week said they saw signs of a new spike as the 10 provinces lifted social and economic restrictions imposed in March to fight the outbreak.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell)
Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press/Clay Bennett of the Chattanooga Times Free Press depicts the president flouting Dr. Fauci's advice on masks. MUST CREDIT: Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press, dist. by WPWG.

Bruce Plante is a left-leaning moderate in "the reddest of the red states," he says, so he's none too surprised that his latest commentary on the White House's coronavirus response is stirring up Trump supporters in Oklahoma.

Plante is the political cartoonist for the Tulsa World. Since President Donald Trump held a controversial rally June 20 in Tulsa, the Tulsa County commissioner has tested positive for the coronavirus, as has Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. Tulsa city councilors approved a face mask ordinance Wednesday after state health officials reported a record number of coronavirus cases last week.

Early this week, Plante was reading articles about the Trump administration's chastising of Anthony S. Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, and "wondering why on Earth some folks believe a politician more than a highly respected physician."

"I know if Donald Trump stood at the foot of my hospital bed, I would much prefer the medical advice of Dr. Fauci over any politician who calls himself a 'stable genius,' " Plante said. (A recent New York Times/Siena College poll found that most voters agreed, as 67 percent said they trusted Fauci for information on the coronavirus, compared with 26 percent for Trump.)

So the cartoonist decided to depict Trump as a would-be doctor trying to offer reassurance while holding an upside-down covid-19 chart, as we "hear" the high flat sound of a patient flatlining.

The cartoon, published Wednesday, drew more than 200 comments on the World's Facebook page. Some readers wrote pleas to heed Fauci's advice, while others threatened to cancel their subscriptions over the World's "liberal slant" and called it "biased media" and a "New York Times wannabe."

"I can always count on the usual gang of Trump [supporters] to 'liven up' the conversation," Plante said.

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, Mike Luckovich also satirized Trump's recent criticism of Fauci that mushroomed this week into a larger controversy for the White House, which by Wednesday was distancing itself from the "anti-Fauci effort." Where Luckovich lives, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has just voided mask mandates in more than a dozen cities or counties as cases there surge.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution cartoonist drew Trump wanting to flatten the curve of rising American trust in Fauci.

"I want to remind readers how incompetent, under Trump, our response has been," the left-leaning Luckovich said. "This cartoon does that and shows that in this whole mess, the one person Americans trust is Dr. Fauci."

"Trump trying to smear Fauci -- instead of focusing on the virus -- makes me feel pessimistic that we won't get past this until Trump's gone," he said.

Other cartoonists, such as Clay Bennett from the Chattanooga Times Free Press and the Sacramento Bee's Jack Ohman, are lampooning how Trump and Fauci seem to be delivering different messages.
Greater Noida: The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) of Gautam Budh Nagar on Thursday pulled up the Greater Noida police for detaining a nine-year-old boy in connection with an auto-rickshaw theft.

According to JJB officials, the boy, along with two of his accomplices, was detained by the Knowledge Park police on Wednesday night in connection with the theft.

The kid is nine-year-old, but looks even younger. How would he steal an auto when he cant even drive one? There is absolutely no evidence of his involvement in the incident, said Aneet Baghel, a JJB member.

The board has asked police officials to be careful about detaining a child in the future. Though the boy was released immediately on an interim bail in the care of his family, JJB told the police that as the childs offence warrants a punishment of less than seven years, he should have been granted bail directly from the police station according to the regulations.

Police officials, however, said that the juvenile is a repeat offender.

He has gone to juvenile detention home earlier also from Dadri police station, and that is why he was presented to the board, said Umesh Bahadur Singh, station house officer, Knowledge Park police station.

The police officials said that there is evidence of the boy being involved with a gang who use him to lure victims through sympathy and then rob them of their valuables. However, based on instructions of the board, the child has now been released in the care of his family who lives in Dadri, said the police.

Meanwhile, JJB has also instructed the police department to get all juvenile detainees checked for Covid-19 before they are brought for hearing. So far, 17 children in the juvenile home located in Phase 2 have tested positive for Covid-19, of whom 13 have already recovered.

In case a child is found positive, he/she is taken for treatment, else can be sent for remand custody, said the JJB officials. Efforts are also being made to release as many offenders as possible on interim bail to keep the number of detainees to a minimum, they added.
A 27-year-old Kalyan resident has alleged that the civic body took her along with her two children to a quarantine centre, only to release them the next day citing mix-up with her Covid-19 test report. The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), however, denied the claims of mix-up and said she had tested positive according to the test report.

Akshata Patil, a resident of Ambivli, Kalyan (West), is now worried that she and her children might have contracted the virus while at the quarantine facility.

Last month, my husband had fever and got tested for Covid-19 on June 13. His report came positive on June 17, following which he was taken to Tata Amantra quarantine centre. A day later, I decided to test myself and went to Bai Rukminibai Hospital. The hospital had said I would get the report by June 21, so I sent my children to my uncles place to keep them safe. Eight days after the test, I received a call from the primary health centre of KDMC saying my report was negative.

However, on July 9, I got a call from the primary health care centre saying my test report was positive. They also said they were sending ambulance to take me to the quarantine centre. When I told them I had tested negative according to the civic body, they didnt pay any heed, Patil said.

Patil and her two children, six-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son, were then taken to a quarantine centre in an ambulance, which was also carrying three other positive patients, she claimed. She also said they had to wait for four hours before beds were arranged for them.

The next day she was asked to get her children tested at the centre. However, later she got another call from KDMC saying that her report was negative and that there was a mistake from the civic bodys part, she claimed. The three were then discharged.

However, KDMC epidemic officer Pratibha Panpatil said, The womans name was in the daily list that we receive from the Indian Council of Medical Research, so she was positive as per the report. She got tested in a private laboratory set up at the civic hospital, so they might have delayed updating her report online. The woman was sent home after the concerned medical officer came to know she was tested 21 days ago and that she did not have any symptoms. The claim that she was informed her report was negative is false.

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K anye West has re-affirmed his presidential aspirations on Twitter.

The 43-year-old, who announced he was joining the race to the White House against current President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden, took to social media to share a brand new image of his face on Mount Rushmore.

Sharing the edited photo with his 29.8 million followers, the rappers face sat alongside former early American presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

He simply captioned the photo of the South Dakota landmark: 2020.

West said he was running for President on 4th July, known as Independence Day in the United States.

We must now realise the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future, he wrote. I am running for president of the United States, before adding his campaign slogan #2020Vision.

He added in an interview with Forbes that he was running as 'The Birthday Party' because "when we win, it's everybody's birthday."

While it was previously reported by a member of Wests campaign team that he had since dropped out of the race and given up on his White House bid, West has since pressed ahead with his campaign.

Earlier this week, the Yeezy fashion designer filed a Statement of Candidacy which identifies him as an official candidate.

The Power rapper has even had support from high-profile figures, including former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, although the latter admitted that a 2024 bid may have been more worthwhile for West.

Wife Kim is concerned about the presidential bid / AFP via Getty Images

However, Wests chances of winning the election are thought to be slim, having failed to register in time for key states in the race including North Carolina and New Hampshire, as well as national polls indicating he would only secure around 2 per cent of the vote.

Wife Kim Kardashian-West is also thought to be having doubts behind the campaign, despite initially supporting it.

Kim isnt at all concerned what the public thinks about Kanye, but of course his actions are making her a little stressed though that doesnt mean she wont try to understand and support him, a family insider told Hollywood Life.

She will continue to support him no matter what he ever does or says. She is never one to stray and will always stand by his side. Shes letting him do all of the talking and will just be there to support him whatever he needs.
The suspect was detained at Tallaght Garda Station

A SUSPECTED sex fiend has been arrested for sexual assault after two girls were allegedly attacked in a south Dublin park last weekend.

The middle-aged Argentinian national was arrested by Tallaght gardai on Wednesday evening.

Officers had launched a major investigation after complaints were made by the two female victims.

It is alleged that the suspect, who was not previously known to gardai, attacked the girls and exposed himself in the shocking incident.

It is alleged to have happened in Dodder Valley Park in the Firhouse area of the capital at 8.45pm last Saturday.

The arrested man was still being quizzed by gardai at Tallaght Garda Station yesterday.

Gardai are trying to determine if he is linked to similar crimes.

It is understood that the South American man lives in the west Dublin area and has been resident in Ireland for a number of years.

After Saturdays alleged incident, a member of the public took a photo of the suspect, which was then circulated on social media.

One woman posted an appeal for information about the suspected sex fiend.

Anybody know this man. Hes been seen in the Dominics area of Tallaght and has also been spotted in the square shopping centre, she wrote.

Hes a foreign national Im not sure what nationality. He speaks English.

He was in the Dodder valley park across from Ahearns pub yesterday.

This man is a sexual predator he followed and attacked my daughter and her friend in that park yesterday.

According to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the number of crime incidents in sexual offence categories fell by 4.6pc in the 12 months to the end of March this year.

This was the first year-on year decrease in recorded sexual offences since the third quarter of 2014, the CSO said.

Meanwhile, officers are expected to use a specialised computer system known as Viclasto determine if last Saturdays crime is linked to other similar crimes.

Viclas, the Violent Crime Linkage Analysis System, is a computer system developed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the early 1990s to compare different crimes to search for similarities.

This was a terrifying experience for the injured parties in this case  and specialist gardai were called in as part of the inquiries, a source said yesterday.

A picture, taken by a member of the public, also helped to identify the suspect in this disturbing case.

There is no connection between him and the victims, and it appears to be a completely random incident.

Inquiries are ongoing to establish if this man is linked to other reports received of similar incidents in the south Dublin area.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached the eastern Ladakh region on Friday to review the ground situation of troops at the hostile border areas with China. Singh will also interact with the soldiers and review the operational preparedness of the force. (Image: RMO India)
By Trend

The activities of 125 enterprises were restored in Mazandaran Province (northern Iran) last Iranian year (from March 21, 2019 to March 20, 2020), Chairman of Industry, Mine and Trade Organization of Mazandaran Province Hosseingholi Ghovanloo said, Trend reports, citing the organization.

Ghovanloo noted that with the resumption of activities of these enterprises, 2,388 people were provided with jobs.

The chairman emphasized that in addition, the activities of two enterprises were restored, backed by 151 billion rials (about $3.59 million) during the first two months of the current Iranian year (March 20-May 20, 2020) and 55 people were provided with jobs.

"The activities of 21 enterprises were restored with an investment of more than 370 billion rials (about $8.8 million) during two months, and 207 people were employed," he said.

Ghovanloo said that the licenses were issued for commissioning of 2,579 enterprises in Mazandaran Province by the end of the last Iranian year with an investment of 70.1 trillion rials (about $1.66 billion) and 74,500 people were employed.

According to him, the licenses were issued to establish 130 enterprises, with an investment of 12.9 trillion rials (about $307 million), during two months of current Iranian year and 2,611 people will be employed.

The chairman said that, 3,148 enterprises have been licensed for commissioning with an investment of 256 trillion rials (about $6.09 billion) by the end of the last Iranian year.

Within two months, products worth $29 million were exported from the Mazandaran Province. The exported products were mainly cement, particle board, paper, MDF, raw steel, lamps, factory carpets. The products mainly exported to Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Turkmenistan.

--

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The UK government calls on the Russian authorities to cooperate in the case of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Donetsk region in 2014.

"We support the ongoing trial in the Netherlands to deliver justice for those who died and for their loved ones, and call on Russia to cooperate fully," Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom Dominic Raab posted on Twitter.

Raab also recalled that flight MH17 was shot down six years ago and 298 people tragically lost their lives, including 10 British citizens.

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 (JIT) 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.

Russia does not plead guilty to the deaths of passengers and crew members.

In March this year, the District Court of The Hague began its consideration of the case of the downing of flight MH17 in the sky over Donbas.

On July 10, 2020, the Netherlands filed a lawsuit against Russia with the European Court of Human Rights.

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STOCKHOLM, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Q2 sales and profit growth driven by ZYN in the US

In local currencies, sales increased by 11 percent for the second quarter. Reported sales increased by 11 percent to 4,133 MSEK (3,719).

In local currencies, operating profit from product segments 1) increased by 19 percent for the second quarter. Reported operating profit from product segments increased by 17 percent to 1,704 MSEK (1,456).

Operating profit amounted to 1,666 MSEK (1,434) for the second quarter.

Profit after tax amounted to 1,227 MSEK (1,080) for the second quarter.

Earnings per share increased by 19 percent to 7.60 SEK (6.39) for the second quarter.

The second quarter financial performance was negatively affected by COVID-19 impacts.

ZYN continued to deliver strong volume growth contributing to higher sales and operating profit.

1) Excludes Other operations and larger one-time items.

For the full report: www.swedishmatch.com/Investors/Financial-reports/Interim-reports/

Swedish Match telephone conference

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New Delhi, July 17 : Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday visited east Delhi's Laxmi Market, where the MCD has been carrying out demolition of illegally constructed buildings for the third consecutive day, as per the East Laxmi Market Master Plan.

According to the officials, more than 60 structures, which served as houses for the families in the East Laxmi Market area, have been demolished until now. All the buildings were residential.

Kejriwal, who was accompanied by Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla, and MLAs Kuldeep Kumar, and Ajay Dutt, took stock of the situation, spoke to the residents of the area and assured them of all support.

He also directed the officials to ensure that the temporary housing of the affected people is completed immediately so that people, who are now without shelter, have a roof over their head.

"Many jhuggis have been demolished here on the directions of the Delhi High Court. I have directed the officials to begin an in-depth study of the order of the Delhi High Court, and on how a court order for demolition can be issued in the time of this pandemic," Kejriwal said.

"After the analysis of the court order, we will explore all options and try to find a permanent solution to the issue. We will also arrange temporary shelter for the people here by either erecting tents on nearby land, or providing lodging facilities in schools, where all necessary arrangements such as food, water, lodging, and sanitation will be made." MLAs visiting the area have unanimously said that the demolition should not happen because of the coronavirus pandemic. They said the demolition by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation is making people suffer more at a time when they are already affected.
WHO warns 'too many countries heading in the wrong direction' in COVID-19 fight

WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. (File photo/Xinhua)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that numerous countries are adopting the wrong approach in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

After a daily record of 230,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Sunday, the UN health agency said the pandemic was only going to get worse unless people stuck to the basics of physical distancing, handwashing, wearing masks and staying home if sick.

WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: "I want to be straight with you - there will be no return to the old normal for the foreseeable future."

"Let me blunt - too many countries are headed in the wrong direction. The virus remains public enemy number one, but the actions of many governments and people do not reflect this."

He added that if governments did not act to suppress the transmission, and if people did not follow "the basics" it would result in the pandemic getting "worse and worse and worse."

The WHO boss said four scenarios were now playing out around the world.

They were: Countries that were alert and avoided large outbreaks, those that got a major outbreak under control, those that eased restrictions but were now suffering new infections, and those in an intense transmission phase.

He said the heart of the crisis at the moment remains the Americas - accounting for more than half of infections - but stressed it was never too late to bring "explosive transmission" under control.

On Monday a study led by researchers from King's College London said patients who recovered from coronavirus infections might lose their immunity within months.

WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said it was not yet known whether recovered COVID-19 patients could be infected again, but "with other coronaviruses, that is the case."

The organization has also sent a two-person mission to China to lay the groundwork for a study into the animal origins of the new coronavirus.

Ryan said it was assumed the virus came from a bat, but the intermediate animal host that transmitted it between bats and humans was not yet established, and they would follow the science.
Visitors pass through the entrance to the Ericsson AB pavilion at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013.

Sweden's Ericsson reported quarterly core earnings ahead of market estimates on Friday, buoyed by higher

margins on the sale of telecom equipment, and said it was keeping its financial targets for 2020 and 2022.

Despite the economic uncertainty over the coronavirus outbreak, many telecom companies globally have been moving ahead with plans to upgrade to 5G networks, pushing up Ericsson's commercial contract wins to 99.

Ericsson and Finland's Nokia were also expected to be the beneficiaries of Britain's decision this week to ban Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from next-generation 5G networks.

"Some customers are accelerating their investments while others are temporarily cautious," Chief Executive Officer Borje Ekholm said in a statement. "With current visibility, we maintain the group targets for 2020 and 2022."
Protections against being removed or having equipment seized by police for journalists and legal observers covering the weeks of protests in Portland will remain in place, a judge ruled Thursday.

A preliminary injunction filed by U.S. District Judge Michael Simon, will be in place until Oct. 30. The order bars police from arresting, threatening to arrest, or using physical force directed against journalists or legal observers for not leaving when an unlawful assembly is declared. The injunction, which is an order put in place until a ruling can be made, also bars police from ordering journalists or legal observers to stop photographing, recording or observing a protest or seize any equipment.

This preliminary order was filed awaiting the ruling on a class action lawsuit filed in late June.

Previously, Simon had asked police and journalists to reach a temporary solution before the Fourth of July weekend. He issued an order July 2 after holding two hearings. That order, which only lasted for after 14 days, had the same rules as Thursdays order.

The order listed some indicators that a person is a journalist, including carrying a press pass or badge and wearing distinctive clothing that identifies them as a member of the press. Legal observers can be identified by green National Lawyers Guild hats or blue ACLU of Oregon vests.

The ACLU of Oregon and the San Francisco-based law firm BraunHagey & Borden filed the lawsuit against the City of Portland and police on behalf of journalists and legal observers who were targeted and attacked by the police while working at the protests.

Plaintiffs in the suit include journalist Tuck Woodstock, John Rudoff, Mathieu Lewis-Rolland and Sam Gehrke and legal observers Doug Brown and Kath Mahoney.

The Oregonian/OregonLive is not a party in the lawsuit. The news organization separately filed a complaint through the citys Independent Police Review over police treatment of photographer Beth Nakamura while she was covering a protest, an incident recounted in the lawsuit.

--Alex Hardgrave | ahardgrave@oregonian.com | @a_hardgrave

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories
Universities at risk of going bust and hoping to benefit from cash support from the government must demonstrate their commitment to free speech in order to be considered, Gavin Williamson announced yesterday.

The Education Secretary said that institutions which are struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic will be able to apply for emergency loans as part of the Higher Education Restructuring Regime to keep them afloat.

But in order to qualify for the new package of loans they must 'demonstrate their commitment to academic freedom and free speech'.

In recent years, universities have seen a rise in 'Cancel Culture', including a no-platforming incident involving Amber Rudd at Oxford University in March.

The UN Women Oxford UK society sparked fury after its committee axed the former Home Secretary's talk with just 30 minutes' notice following outcry from students about her role in the Windrush scandal.

In his announcement yesterday the Education Secretary, who has previously spoken out against 'cancel culture' and how Rudd was treated, said money given to the student unions should not be used for 'subsidising niche activism and campaigns' and instead to ensure it caters to the needs of the wider student population.

The Department of Education also warned universities and colleges in England will only be considered if they 'deliver high quality courses with strong graduate outcomes'.

Struggling universities will also have to reduce the level of bureaucracy and vice-chancellors will have to take a pay cut.

Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis after all other possible avenues of income have been exhausted.

While the government is offering this money where applicable, it stated there is no guarantee that no organisations will go into insolvency.

Williamson said: 'We understand the challenges universities are facing, which is why we have already provided a range of support to ease financial pressures. This new scheme will help those who are still facing financial difficulty as a result of COVID-19.

'As the country recovers from the pandemic we must look to the future and our world-leading higher education has an important role to play in our success.

'We need our universities to achieve great value for money  delivering the skills and a workforce that will drive our economy and nation to thrive in the years ahead. My priority is student welfare, not vice-chancellor salaries.'

The latest announcement has led to suggestions the government is exploiting the financial instability of universities to implement their own ideology.

The University and College Union (UCU) general secretary Jo Grady said: 'This third so-called bailout in a matter of months suggests the government has recognised there is a serious crisis but would rather use it to try and impose severe restrictions on universities than ensure their survival.'
Melbourne's first lockdown saw teddy bears and rainbows appear in windows, now lockdown 2.0 has another activity for stir-crazy children as communities full of brightly painted wooden spoon characters pop up across the suburbs.

Originating in the English village of Winnersh, the Spoonville fad has spread across Britain and is finding a toehold in Victoria, where spoon villages are sprouting in parks and nature strips.

Flynn, Rebecca Ellis, Milla and Ashby take their decorated wooden spoons to a Spoonville at the Cardinia Cultural Centre. Credit:Eddie Jim

Characters have included cartoon favourites, monsters, animals and even a Reese Witherspoon.

It follows the global bear hunt and rainbow trail activities, where children put their bears or drawings of rainbows in windows for other children to spot while taking a walk around their neighbourhood.
The American Conservative Union this week released its 2019 state legislative scorecard, ranking Rep. Annette Glenn, R-Midland, among the top dozen most conservative members of the Michigan House of Representatives.

Glenn voted with the over half century old national conservative organization's position 80% of the time, placing her among lawmakers earning the group's Award for Conservative Achievement, according to a news release Glenn's campaign issued Friday.
The Democrat-controlled House wants broad aid to families, including eviction prevention. Republicans want far less.

The United States Congress returns to Washington on Monday with Democratic and Republican leaders agreeing they need to pass something to salve the heavy toll of the coronavirus pandemic but $2 trillion apart on what that something should be.

In the 12 weeks since President Donald Trump signed into law the last of the $3 trillion so far committed to the crisis, COVID-19 has spread aggressively across the US, with the number of confirmed and presumptive cases more than tripling to over 3.5 million people. There have been more than 138,000 US deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.

A politically-charged response to the virus, with some officials rejecting health experts pleas to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, has contributed to the US having the largest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who previously resisted another round of coronavirus relief, has floated the idea of a $1 trillion bill focusing largely on protecting businesses and schools from liability lawsuits as they reopen after suspending operations because of the pandemic.

The Democratic leadership of the House of Representatives is pushing a far more extensive, and expensive, response. House Democrats in May passed a $3 trillion bill that included funds for struggling state and local governments and more direct payments to families, which McConnell rejected.

President Donald Trump wears a mask  which he was previously reluctant to do  as he walks down the hallway during his visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center [Patrick Semansky/AP Photo]

While the differences are huge, McConnell said earlier this week: I do think well get there and do something that needs to be done.

Critical moment

Time is tight. Extended unemployment benefits for the more than 30 million Americans thrown out of work during the crisis are scheduled to expire next week and with the November 3 election looming, the two-week summer session may be legislators last chance to pass a major bill this year.

How many times have we had to say in the course of this pandemic: Were at a critical moment? We really are in an even more critical moment now, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told a news conference this week.

Legislators are in for a bruising fight over an array of initiatives intended to address several of the nations ills, many of which have been magnified by the coronavirus pandemic.

Aid to schools, including those in impoverished neighbourhoods, and other measures to stimulate a staggering economy are all in play.

On Thursday, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer unveiled a $350bn investment plan. It includes money for minority communities to bolster childcare, healthcare, housing and training for coronavirus-related jobs such as contact tracing and administering tests.





Schumers initiative comes partly in response to nationwide protests across the US this summer over police violence against Black Americans and economic disparity.

Republicans have been blocking Democrats call for a $1 trillion aid package to state and local governments.

Both parties appear to be ignoring Trumps desire for a payroll tax cut. There are also arguments over continuing a small-business loan program, and Democrats want to help the poor avoid evictions from their rental homes.

Legislators from both sides have called for another round of direct payment checks to individuals and families.
FILE PHOTO: The headquarter of UBI bank is seen in Brescia

By Valentina Za and Andrea Mandala

MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo <ISP.MI> on Thursday secured antitrust approval for its $4 billion (3 billion pounds) takeover bid for rival UBI Banca <UBI.MI>, overcoming a major hurdle to one of Europe's biggest banking mergers in a decade.

The antitrust body said a pledge by Italy's second biggest bank to sell more than 500 branches was enough to address concerns the acquisition would strengthen Intesa's dominant position in several local markets.

"This is a fundamental milestone," Intesa CEO Carlo Messina said in a note. "UBI shareholders now have all of the essential information needed to evaluate our offer and make their choice."

To win antitrust approval, Intesa agreed to sell 532 branches to BPER Banca <EMII.MI> if the bid goes through, expanding an initial accord to sell 400-500 branches.

It has also promised to sell another 17 branches to a different bank within nine months if necessary.

The regulator did not disclose the deadline for the disposals. It said Intesa had to be ready to sell its own branches if it couldn't sell UBI branches.

Intesa said on Thursday it would comply with all the antitrust demands, and considered fulfilled an antitrust condition it had posed for the bid to be valid.

On July 6 Intesa formally launched an offer to exchange 1.7 newly-issued Intesa shares for each UBI stock, targeting Italy's healthiest second-tier bank in an effort to drive profits through cost cuts.

As of Thursday, take-up stood at 3% of UBI's capital. The offer runs until July 28 and shareholders are expected to wait until the very last few days to decide.

UBI has rejected the bid as inadequate, saying it does not reflect its "fundamental value" and that Intesa's dominance would turn the country's banking landscape into "an anomaly".

UBI has argued Intesa's move is aimed solely at taking out a competitor that could have led long-expected consolidation among mid-sized Italian banks.

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The antitrust authority, however, said UBI's M&A plans were at a very preliminary stage and no board discussion had taken place. Other players, such an enlarged BPER, could now play a similar role to UBI's, the regulator said.

A take-up of 50% of UBI's capital plus one share is necessary for the bid to succeed but acceptance of 66.7% would guarantee Intesa controls extraordinary shareholder resolutions.

Low take-up may complicate Intesa's plan for branch disposals, which would mostly be UBI's, because minority shareholders may challenge the move if Intesa lacked the necessary majority to incorporate UBI.

(Editing by James Mackenzie and Peter Graff)
Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai made a name for herself in Hollywood early on and represented India on an international level. Back in the 2000s, she went on to become a part of a number of Hollywood films including The Mistress of Spices, Bride & Prejudice, Provoked, The Last Legion and The Pink Panther 2. According to reports, she was also supposed to be a part of Brad Pitt-starrer Troy and Will Smith's films like Hitch, Seven Pounds and Tonight He Comes.

A report in Pinkvilla revealed that both the big-time Hollywood actors were regretful about Aishwarya turning down the projects. While promoting Killing Them Softly, Brad told IANS that he was looking forward to working with Aishwarya in Troy. He said, "Given a chance, I would like to work with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, because she's a versatile actor. She is one of the most popular actresses of Bollywood, who has achieved huge acclaim in the west for her style, beauty and acting. I think we missed an opportunity to be cast together for Troy."

Reportedly, Aishwarya was approached to play Briseis, but turned down the role as she was uncomfortable filming certain scenes. The part then went to Rose Byrne and the film eventually went on to make $500 million worldwide. It was also nominated for Oscars in 2005.

Will Smith Also Expressed Regret On Not Being Able To Work With Aishwarya Similarly, Will Smith also revealed in another interview that he "really wanted to work with her". Talking about Rai, he added, "She has this powerful energy where she doesn't have to say anything, do anything, she can just stand there. Anything she's making, I'll be there." Aishwrya Rai On Turning Down Big Hollywood Films While the press in the US stated that Aishwarya turned down the roles because she "preferred to return to Mumbai to starve herself for a religious occasion", the actress revealed that was not the case. "That's completely incorrect. The script reading for The Seven Pounds was just after Diwali when Dadimaa (Teji Bachchan)'s health dipped drastically. So I didn't make that trip out to LA for the reading session with Will. Is that wrong? Not to me. I'd any day put family over career." Aishwrya Rai Is Recovering From COVID-19 She had also talked about turning down a second project with Will Smith and added, "That's true. I had to say no to Will for Tonight He Comes. I feel awful about it, but I've my priorities very straight. Yes, family always comes first." Meanwhile, Aishwarya Rai has tested positive for COVID-19 and is getting treated alongside husband Abhishek Bachchan, daughter Aaradhya and father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan.

JUST IN: Aaradhya And Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Test Positive For COVID-19

I Like That Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Stands Behind: Jaya Bachchan Slammed For Her Regressive Comment
Even as they recommended working to reopen schools in-person, the nation's science academies warned, "It is likely that someone in the school community will contract COVID-19."

Largely missing from the reopening protocols at states and schools around the nation are concrete plans for what administrators will do when coronavirus infections enter a school.

The prospect of reopening school in the fall is looking less likely in much of the nation. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the USA have skyrocketed past 3.7 million, and more than half of states have paused or scaled back efforts to reopen their economies.

A growing number of school districts have decided to start the fall semester online. California's districts with high cases or transmission must begin the academic year with distance learning, the state's governor announced Friday. In other states, districts pushed back their start dates.

A parent's guide to online school: 9 questions to ask to vet your back-to-school choices

Many schools still plan to hold in-person classes. They're releasing plans that include implementing social distancing, closing school buildings to visitors and, in some cases, splitting students into groups that attend school on some days and study from home on others.

How a school would handle multiple coronavirus cases across the building, and how many infected students or teachers would raise alarms, are details often left up to parents to guess. Typical plans include only references to "case-by-case" decisions.

USA TODAY Network reporters reviewed 35 schools' reopening plans. Most plans didn't include specifics on decisions that would lead to closing school buildings and putting learning online for all students.

Instead, most schools echoed some of the basic recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: deep-cleaning the area where an infected person spent time, quarantining the person, and leaving it up to consultation with state or local health officials to make decisions about school closures.

Story continues

The CDC recommends dismissing school for at least two to five days after an infected person is in the building, but most school plans don't reference closing whole buildings.

The vague plans go against advice from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, which said clear thresholds should be established before the school year begins about the conditions that would force schools to close again.

One exception is California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom issued guidance Friday that schools must remain remote until their county has been off the state's "watch list" for 14 days. He laid out in detail when classrooms and schools would have to close if there is an outbreak.

A classroom would have to close and the students and teacher would quarantine for 14 days if any of them tested positive for the virus. If the school reports multiple cases, or 5% of students and staff test positive within this 14-day period, the entire school should revert to distance learning.

In Miami-Dade County, Florida, the fourth-largest school district in the USA, guidelines allow for the closing of schools but don't outline the plan for if that happens, nor what would prompt schools to close.

That's despite the state's record COVID-19 cases this month. The state has surpassed 315,000 confirmed cases. Nevertheless, Florida last week ordered all schools to reopen in person, five days a week.

Amid concerns about the spread of COVID-19, Aiden Trabucco, right, and Anthony Gonzales wear face coverings during a summer STEM camp at Wylie High School on July 14 in Wylie, Texas.

In Volusia County, Florida, the district designated a schools-specific team of epidemiologists and contact tracers to track and manage the spread of coronavirus, Patricia Boswell, administrator of the county's health department, said in a meeting Wednesday.

In Indianapolis, the public schools' plan explicitly notes, "The district must be able to quickly implement e-learning for 100% of students if rolling closures occur," although positive COVID-19 tests will be handled on a "case-by-case basis."

The School District of Philadelphia, the largest in Pennsylvania, takes a similar approach.

"If we have high rates of community spread and we believe the school system is contributing to that, in some important way, that would be our criteria to shut down the entire system," Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley told news channel WPVI-TV.

In Memphis, Tennessee, Shelby County Schools outline a more comprehensive plan. It doesnt indicate a case threshold for closing but says, Depending on the extent of positive cases within a school, a school may need to close for up to two weeks and then stagger student attendance upon restarting.

USA TODAY's findings matched the conclusions of the Center for Reinventing Public Education, a nonprofit group in Washington state that's been reviewing plans.

Few, if any, state-level plans for reopening schools address what schools should do if a student or teacher tests positive for COVID-19, said Bree Dusseault, a practitioner-in-residence at the Center for Reinventing Public Education.

Of the few plans that do address COVID-19 infections among students or teachers, plans range from shutting down the school for 24 to 48 hours for deep cleaning, then resuming classes, to sending all kids home for remote learning for two to four weeks, Dusseault said.

If students are sent home because of a COVID-19 case, "it's going to be critical that districts ensure students have continuity of access to the same curriculum, teachers and socio-emotional support staff," she said.

For districts that do not have a plan, the response to an infected person in school should depend on how high transmission is in the community, said William Hanage, an epidemiology professor at Harvard University.

"If there's one case and it's a single introduction to the school, and there's a low rate of community transmission, it might be sensible to shift just that group to education at home for a period of time," he said.

That's different from if infections show up in multiple classes, multiple times, he said.

"If you can keep community transmission low, it's reasonable to think schools can be reopened and outbreaks within schools can be controlled," Hanage said. "Once community transmission becomes high, you need to think about doing something different."

Contributing: Erin Richards, USA TODAY; Cassidy Alexander, Daytona Beach News-Journal; Arika Herron, The Indianapolis Star; Rebecca Plevin, Palm Springs Desert Sun

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Back to school reopenings: How many COVID-19 cases would close school?
Photo credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez - Getty Images

From Harper's BAZAAR

Viola Davis has again expressed regret over starring in The Help. Yes, she acknowledges that it's entertaining; she expresses love for her director, Tate Taylor, and cast mates, who include Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, and Emma Stone; and, of course, her performance earned her an Oscar nomination, but still, she understands that the film doesn't tell the whole truth about racism.

"There's no one who's not entertained by The Help. But there's a part of me that feels like I betrayed myself, and my people, because I was in a movie that wasn't ready to [tell the whole truth]," the actress told Vanity Fair in an interview that was published yesterday. She added that the film and movies like it were "created in the filter and the cesspool of systemic racism".

In the 2011 flick, adapted from the same-name 2009 novel by Kathryn Stockett, Davis plays Aibileen, a maid working in a white household in 1960s Mississippi who's one of the first of many Black domestic workers to speak out for a story exposing their employers' racist practices. Although the film, in its own way, shows that racism and racist white people are bad, it has garnered backlash in recent weeks for portraying the issue in a way that appeals to white viewers.

"The Help paints racism in very broad strokes, presenting it all in a vacuum, like an old-time disease that has long since been remedied," film critic Candice Frederick wrote on OprahMag.com, explaining that the film doesn't weigh its white viewers with guilt, thus failing to make them realise they're complicit in this problem. "So of course white viewers are going to flock to it, because it doesn't force them to face anything real in the present day in the way that a film like I Am Not Your Negro does."

And flock they did; The Help jumped to number one on the Netflix chart following the recent protests against the unjust deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others. Its newfound popularity sparked a discourse on The Help's place in anti-racist reading and viewing lists.

Story continues

"Not a lot of narratives are also invested in our humanity," Davis also told Vanity Fair, speaking of films portraying Black stories. "They're invested in the idea of what it means to be Black, but it's catering to the white audience. The white audience at the most can sit and get an academic lesson into how we are. Then they leave the movie theatre and they talk about what it meant. They're not moved by who we were."

Davis expressed similar sentiments over The Help back in 2018, when she told The New York Times that she regretted taking the role. "I just felt that at the end of the day that it wasn't the voices of the maids that were heard," she said of the film. "I know Aibileen. I know Minny. They're my grandma. They're my mom [sic]. And I know that if you do a movie where the whole premise is, I want to know what it feels like to work for white people and to bring up children in 1963, I want to hear how you really feel about it. I never heard that in the course of the movie."

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Foreign pilots operate an airplane for a domestic airline in Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Duy.

Nine of 12 Pakistani pilots working in Vietnam have used genuine licenses, Pakistan's aviation authorities have confirmed.

Dinh Viet Thang, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV), said Friday that he had received the confirmation from Pakistans Civil Aviation Authority through diplomatic channels. "The verification process is ongoing for the remaining three."

The confirmation came more than three weeks after the CAAV asked their counterparts in Pakistan to verify records and certificates of 12 Pakistani pilots working in Vietnam over fake qualification concerns. While awaiting responses from Pakistan, Vietnam grounded the 12 pilots.

The 12 are part of 27 Pakistani pilots licensed to work in Vietnam. The other 15 have left the country after finishing their contracts.

Pakistan announced Thursday that 166 of its pilots working abroad used "genuine" licenses, Reuters reported. It had received requests from 10 countries and territories, including Vietnam, for verification of 176 pilots qualifications.

The remaining 10 will have their process completed by next week, Pakistani authorities said.

They had earlier suspended 262 pilots on suspicion of using fraudulent licenses. The fraud came to light during investigations into a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash in May that killed 97 people. The crash was caused by pilot error, it has been said.

Soon after, Vietnams Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The asked the CAAV to ground Pakistani pilots, pending review of their qualifications.

Vietnam's aviation market has six domestic players: Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, Jetstar Pacific, Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO), Bamboo Airways, and newly-licensed Vietstar Airlines, a military-run company.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved order on the bail plea of Shivinder Mohan Singh in a money laundering case of alleged misappropriation of funds at Religare Finvest Ltd.

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani sought certain clarifications from the counsel for Shivinder Singh as well as the Enforcement Directorate and reserved the verdict.

The high court, which conducted the hearing through video conferencing, had on June 22 issued notice and sought response from the ED on the bail plea.

Amit Mahajan, who was representing the Enforcement Directorate, has opposed the bail plea saying that in the present case, money was diverted through a complex web of transactions and finding the trail was not easy.

He argued that releasing Shivinder Singh on bail would hamper further investigation and recently, a trial court had refused to grant him bail after passing a very detailed order.

Shivinder Singh approached the Delhi High Court after the trial court on June 18 dismissed his bail plea on the ground that he utilised the proceeds of crime and various acts attributed to him regarding advancing unsecured loans to different entities have also come to the light during the investigation. The trial court had observed that the amount involved in this case was Rs 2,397 crore.

In the high court, Shivinder Singh's counsel has submitted that since the ED has filed its prosecution complaint/charge sheet in the case, no purpose would be achieved by the continued incarceration of his client. He has contended that all the evidence in the case was documentary in nature and there were no allegations of evidence tampering against him.

The counsel has told the court that co-accused Anil Saxena, who was arrested in the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing case, was already granted bail by the Delhi High Court. Shivinder Singh was arrested in this case for the alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act last year.

The ED had in January this year filed a charge sheet against Singh brothers-Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh, former promoters of Fortis Healthcare Ltd. and Religare Enterprises Ltd.-for misappropriation of funds of Religare Finvest. Sunil Godhwani, former chairman and managing director of the firm, was also booked.

The investigating agency had told the trial court that there was enough evidence to initiate proceedings against the three accused under the PMLA. The accused are undergoing judicial custody in the case.

The trial court had noted that according to ED's reply, Shivinder Singh misused the facility of provision of home-cooked food and to meet his family members for half an hour every day. It had noted that he managed to get a mobile phone inside the jail premises. The court had noted that he used that mobile phone to talk and chat with his known persons and associates in the washroom.

"When the accused can indulge in such nefarious activities while being in custody, it will be reasonable to conclude that the accused, if released on bail, will try to tamper with evidence and influence the witnesses," the court has said in its order.

Delhi Police's EOW registered an FIR in March last year after it received a complaint from Religare Finvest's Manpreet Suri against Shivinder, Godhwani and others, alleging that loans were taken by them while managing the firm but the money was invested in other companies. ED lodged a money laundering case based on this.

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A month after Sushant Singh Rajput's demise, his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty has reached out to Home Minister Amit Shah and asked for a CBI enquiry to be held in the late actor's death case. Now, Bollywood actor Shekhar Suman had lauded Rhea's efforts and said that the process should be hastened before its too late. Fans have also been trending the hashtag #CBIEnquiryForSushant on the microblogging site.

Shekhar Suman took to his Twitter account on Thursday and said that he is happy people are finally stepping up. In one of the tweets, he wrote, "Finally Rhea has also come forward.Finally..slowly but surely ppl are showing http://up.it's a gud sign.#justiceforsushanthforum #hastenCBIenquiryforSushant."

In the second tweet, Shekhar Suman revealed that he believes it is a homicide and not suicide. "It's our conviction "Homicide not Suicide".Hasten up the process for #CBIEnquiryForSushant before it's too late. The voices will not slow down till he gets justice. we shall go on fighting for what we think is right and what we know is our right," read his tweet.

Shekhar Suman On 'Justice For Sushant' Crusade Earlier, Shekhar Suman had decided to take a backseat due to lack of Sushan't family's support. However, soon afterwards the actor took to Twitter and assured Sushant's fans, that he will not be giving up on the case. He added that he could not let down so many people and will hence continue leading the fight from the front. He added in another tweet, "Whether our efforts bear fruit im not sure but we were able to show the world the strength of our collectivity ,unity and togetherness. That we were able to on the sheer dint of our persistence and conviction,shake the system and forced them to pay heed to us." Rhea Chakraborty's Post To Amit Shah Actor Rhea Chakraborty recently took to her social media accounts and called for a CBI enquiry into the case. She wrote, "Respected @amitshahofficial sir, I'm Sushant Singh Rajputs girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, it is now over a month since his sudden demise. I have complete faith in the government, however, in the interest of justice, I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry into this matter. I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step. Yours sincerely Rhea Chakraborty #satyamevajayate." Sushant Will Be Seen In Dil Bechara Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide in his apartment in Bandra on June 14, 2020. Mumbai police revealed that the initial autopsy report said the cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging.

Shekhar Suman Reveals Why He Has Decided To Take A Backseat In 'Justice For Sushant' Crusade

Sapna Bhavnani Calls Out Trolls Bullying Rhea And Ankita: These Women Are Grieving
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Linkedin Gisela Swaragita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 11:30 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066708163 1 Entertainment Cinema-XXI,pandemic,COVID-19,CGV,movie-theater,cinema,coronavirus Free

Jakarta moviegoers itching to return to the cinemas will have to continue their wait as the provincial government has revoked a permit that would have allowed movie theaters to reopen this month.

Previously, cinemas were set to reopen by July 29, but as the pandemic has shown no signs of slowing down, the reopening has been postponed indefinitely.

Yes, it is true [that the reopening has been postponed] as the conditions are not favorable, Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Agency head Cucu Ahmad Kurnia told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. Once the situation improves, we will reopen [theaters].

Separately, head of Indonesian Cinema Association (GPBSI) Djonny Syafruddin said Cinema XXI, CGV Cinemas and Cinepolis  cinema chains affiliated with the association  would comply with the governments decision.

Read also: XXI, CGV Cinemas to practice 'new normal' measures

The health and safety of visitors and the staff of movie theaters are our main concern. The GPBSI will make use of this chance to continue training and preparing the application of health protocols in the cinemas, he said in a statement.

We hope that this pandemic will soon be over so the economy, especially the creative industry, can return to normal.

Cinema chains Cinema XXI and CGV have suspended operations across the country since April to help contain the pandemic.

Prior to the closures, movie theaters were required to provide a one-seat gap between viewers, reduce capacity by 50 percent and reduce the number of screenings each day. (wng)
The gaming regulator has hit Dee Why RSL with a record fine after the 2018 suicide of a problem gambler exposed the club's unlawful practices.

Gary Van Duinen lost almost a quarter of a million dollars in less than two years at Dee Why RSL, where he was wined and dined at special events while his gambling addiction was mostly ignored despite his wife's pleas to the club to stop indulging him.

The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) is pushing for wider reforms to the industry after finding a "general lack" of consideration for gambling harm at the club despite poker machines bringing in $44.4 million revenue in 2017/18.

Joy Van Duinen, centre, holds a photo of her son Gary, who took his own life after a gambling binge at Dee Why RSL. Gary's father Mike is seated left, and his sister, Tracey, right. Credit:Janie Barrett

ILGA issued $200,000 in fines and costs on Friday, plus for the first time in NSW, Dee Why RSL must employ a full-time gambling marshal to monitor and engage with potential problem gamblers across the 494 poker machines at the venue.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

Turkmenistan has good hospital infrastructure, WHO told Trend after having its representatives in the country visit several health facilities.

WHO visited an infectious diseases hospital, a general hospital and hospitals at local, district level.

Based on the hospitals visited, the mission noted that in general there is good hospital infrastructure in place and hospitals are well equipped, WHO said.

In addition, WHO pointed out the representatives did not notice high bed occupancy in any of the facilities nor a significant number of patients with respiratory diseases.

In terms of improvement of countrys health sector, WHO advised Turkmenistan to further strengthen its health system across the entire country, activating contingency plans to enable health infrastructure to cope with any rapid surge in cases.

Continuously training health care workers and protecting them is an essential part of this, said the organization.

As it was reported earlier by Senior Emergency Officer at the WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe), WHO approves and supports all measures taken by Turkmenistan to prevent the coronavirus outbreak into the country.

Earlier, Turkmenistan received medicines from WHO/Europe to prevent the coronavirus spread in the country.

The WHO mission to Turkmenistan has been in Turkmenistan since July 6 to support the country in preparedness and response to COVID-19. To date, Turkmenistan has reported no coronavirus cases.

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.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
The gunman of the United Arab Emirates (UAEs) consular attache, who his family said had been missing since Thursday, was found near his house in Keralas Thiruvananthapuram with cuts on his wrist, police said on Friday.

Jaya Ghoshs family had said they got a call from him two days ago and that he had received some threats around the same time.

Reports have said Swapna Suresh, the second accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, called him several times the day 30kg of gold was seized from a consignment addressed to an official of the consular office in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5.

There was an attempt to smuggle the gold through diplomatic baggage, which according to the Vienna Convention is not checked by customs officials.

Ghosh was rushed to the medical college hospital and doctors said he was out of danger.

A senior police official said preliminary reports suggest it may be a suicide bid and that Ghosh is not in a position to record his statement.

Police started a search after his last call was traced near his house on the outskirts of the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram.

Ghoshs boss, the UAE consulate attache Rashed Khamis Ali Musaiqri Alshemeli, had slipped out of the country three days ago amid reports he was called back by his country.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the gold smuggling case and several other central agencies are also probing it.

NIA filed a first information report (FIR) on July 10 against P Sarith Kumar, who was arrested by customs officials on July 5, and Swapna Suresh, Sandip Nair and Fazil Fareed, an alleged smuggler from Ernakulum but based in the UAE, and charged them under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

It added the name of an alleged gold smuggler KT Ramees to the FIR on July 15.

The Kerala government on Thursday suspended chief minister Pinarayi Vijayans former principal secretary M Sivasankar for violating service rules.

Vijayan said the action was taken on the basis of an inquiry report that pointed to lapses on Sivasankars part. The inquiry was conducted by a two-member panel headed by chief secretary Viswas Mehta.

The senior Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer was removed from the post of the CMs principal secretary last week after allegations that he was close to Suresh, one of the key accused in the gold smuggling case.

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You might not be able to take a vacation now, but you can dream of one and even make plans. To inspire you, were selected a list of the best Oregon getaway ideas, from beaches and rivers to vineyards and mountains.

Before you go, check govstatus.egov.com/or-covid-19 for the most current travel recommendations and best practices to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. Also read 10 things to consider before going back outside during the coronavirus pandemic in Oregon.

The landmark Salishan Resort on 250 forested acres in Gleneden Beach has upscale guest rooms with views and even an aerial adventure course.Salishan Resort

Click here>Wild, romantic honeymoons: Start a marriage off right or rekindle your relationship. Which destination is right for you two? Youll find it on the coast or in the mountains, desert or forest. Or maybe in a lighthouse?

Sahhali Luxury Beach House is in Neskowin.Vacasa

Click here>Zen-like getaways: Oregon offers calm vacation destinations. Are you ready to relax and only hear the sounds of ocean waves, rustling leaves or chirping birds? Safely escape to a peaceful place or if youre looking for home design ideas and serene colors that promote tranquility, youll find inspiration looking at photos in this getaway gallery.

Tomahawk Island houseboat: Linger on the deck while docked at the marina on Hayden Island and take in the Columbia River or use the two kayaks and set out on an adventure.Airbnb

Click here>Oregon getaways for the whole family: Are you ready to plan for fun on the water? When you and your family feel its time to break away from home, Oregons wide open spaces and waterways will beckon. How about boarding a houseboat or yacht?

The GetMyBoat app lets you search for boat rentals, fishing charters or other water experiences in a desired location by price, type of experience and number of guests.

Sunny studio with private deck/Vacasa

Click here>10 ideal rentals in Cannon Beach: For people who dream of having a beach house, an Oregon Coast vacation rental is a sweet substitute.

In addition to hotels and B&B, Cannon Beach visitors can check into a cottage or condo, wrapped in classic cedar shingles and equipped with a kitchenette and patio, thats operated by hospitality professionals as well as homeowners with space to spare.

Airbnbs research found visitors book their Cannon Beach getaway at least two months before their trip. Nightly rentals are restricted and people devoted to special events like the crowd-pleasing Sandcastle Contest and hilarious corgi run race to reserve a place.

Chalet Log Home In The Heart Of Wine Country in CarltonVrbo

Click here>Where to stay in Willamette Valleys Wine Country: Thanksgiving weekend in Oregons wine-growing regions is an action-packed chance for Pinot noir fans to barrel taste this years vintage as flavors mature and to enjoy food pairings with bottles that have been released (and perhaps are on sale). Stay in a tiny house to vineyard villa.

 Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories
Representative image

The construction of the Ram temple is likely to begin next month and an invitation has been sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conduct the bhumi pujan for it, a spokesperson said. A tentative programme for the construction of the temple is likely to be decided in the meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust here on Saturday, he said.

Trust's president Nritya Gopal Das has sent a letter to the Prime Minister, inviting him to conduct the 'Bhumi Pujan' of Ram Mandir on the occasion of its foundation laying ceremony, said Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, the official spokesperson of the Trust president. There is, however, no clarity as of now on Prime Minister's presence on the occasion, he said, adding a clearer picture is likely to emerge after the July 18 meeting.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is also expected to be present during the Bhumi Pujan, he said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi's former principal secretary Nripendra Mishra, also the chairman of the construction committee of the temple trust, visited Ayodhya on Thursday along with BSF's former director-general KK Sharma, the security adviser of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, and met various members of the Ram Temple Trust, set up as per the directions of the apex court.

The meeting was held in the presence of local authorities at the Circuit House here and attended by trust secretary Champat Rai and members Anil Mishra and Bimlendra Mishra among others.

Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and member Mahant Dinendra Das, who live in Ayodhya itself, however, were not present in the meeting. Ayodhya BJP MLA Ved Prakash Gupta said that efforts are on to bring the Prime Minister to Ayodhya to inaugurate the construction of Ram Mandir. If prime minister comes to Ayodhya, its destiny will change and our dream of making Ayodhya like Vatican City will come true, said Gupta.
VIRGINIA  Cass County health officials said the death Wednesday of a 95-year-old woman marks the 11th attributed to COVID-19 in the county.

The woman was among those diagnosed as part of an outbreak at Walker Nursing Home in Virginia, according to Cass County Health Department.

Three new coronavirus cases in the county were confirmed Thursday. The diagnoses  in a man in his 20s, a woman in her 50s and a man in his 40s  bring the countys total case count to 144. Of that number, 123 people have recovered, according to the health department.

Two new positive cases were reported in Morgan County, involving a woman in her 60s and a woman in her 40s. Both are isolated at home, according to a daily briefing by the Morgan County Department of Public Health, Jacksonville/Morgan County Emergency Management, Memorial Health System, Morgan County commissioners and the city of Jacksonville.

The total case count for Morgan County is 139, of which 130 people have been released from restrictions. There have been five deaths in Morgan County. Results are pending for 86 tests and there have been 4,364 negative tests.

In Pike County, a girl in her teens was diagnosed Thursday, bringing the countys total case count to nine, five of which are active. There are 61 people under voluntary quarantine because they came in close contact with someone who tested positive, according to Pike County Health Department.

Total cases in other west-central Illinois counties as of Thursday were: 10 in Brown County; 12 in Greene County; 50 in Jersey County; 76 in Macoupin County; 603 in Sangamon County; 14 in Schuyler County; and one in Scott County, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Statewide, 1,257 new cases of coronavirus disease and 25 deaths were reported Thursday, according to the state health department.

There have been 157,950 cases in Illinois and 7,251 deaths.
KENTWOOD, MI -- Movie lovers can return to their old favorite theaters this summer as Goodrich Quality Theaters has announced it will reopen 12 Michigan locations at the end of the month.

The Kentwood-based movie chain declared bankruptcy in February but was recently purchased by a New York management and realty group.

Mason Asset Management and Namdar Realty Group purchased substantially all of the assets, including the majority of the movie theaters, according to the press release.

There are plans to reopen 22 theaters across the Midwest including 12 in Michigan, seven in Indiana, two in Missouri, and one in Illinois.

Pending COVID-19 restrictions, theaters will open on July 31 at the earliest, according to the press release.

The following locations will reopen:

Ada-Lowell, MI (Ada-Lowell 5)

Ann Arbor, MI (Quality 16)

Battle Creek, MI (West Columbia 7)

Bay City, MI

Cadillac, MI (Cadillac 4)

Hastings, MI (Hastings 4)

Holland, MI (Holland 7)

Jackson, MI (Jackson 10)

Kalamazoo, MI (Kalamazoo 10)

Oxford, MI (Oxford 7)

Port Huron, MI

Three Rivers, MI (Three Rivers 6)

One thing that you can expect right away is a reduction in concession prices, and in most cases, ticket prices. We have built our other theater operations on the promise of value and will continue to make that a hallmark of the New GQT operations, said Jake McSparin, VP of Theater Operations.

Court records from the bankruptcy filing showed Goodrich Quality Theaters owed $30 million to three banks. Company President Robert Goodrich, whose father started the chain in 1930, said he spent a lot of money upgrading theater seats.

I never anticipated this occurring, and yet it has, and Im trying to wrestle with it, he said in an interview with MLive.

For more information about the New GQT, contact Matt McSparin at mattm@gqtmovies.com or Jake McSparin at jakem@gqtmovies.com. The New GQT is searching for new cast members of all ages to fill remaining job openings with the New GQT team. For more information, please contact your local New GQT theater or visit www.gqtmovies.com.

More on MLive:

Michigan movie theater chain files for bankruptcy

I never anticipated this, says owner of Michigan theater chain now in bankruptcy
Adam Montgomery lives for the time he spends with the dead.

It sounds ghoulish, but its not. The Niagara historian and author has been walking, studying and photographing cemeteries in Niagara and southern Ontario for several years.

To him they are a living, breathing part of the community, each with their own personality. And personalities.

Most of my exploration is in Niagara, because Im in Grimsby, but I try to explore everywhere, says Montgomery.

My photo collection is well over 10,000, probably over 20,000 by now, and its cemeteries all over southern Ontario.

You can learn sort of everything about the community from it, right? Theres still sort of a stigma attached to them, people see it as morbid. But they dont realize in a lot of cases that the whole history of the community is here.

You have people of different racial backgrounds, different religious backgrounds, all within this one spot. You can tell oftentimes just by looking at the monuments who were the movers and shakers  you can see the socioeconomics of the community.

His most recent project, just completed, was a two-part video series Symbols in Stone he did for the Niagara Falls History Museum with documentarian Ayodele Adewumi and initiated by Christine Girardi from the museum.

In a walk through Drummond Hill Cemetery in Niagara Falls  one of Canadas most historically significant graveyards  he explains the symbols carved into the old headstones, of which there are approximately 2,500.

Doves. Lambs. Urns. Wheat sheafs. Hands with a finger pointed up (and sometimes down).

I encourage people to come in and have a look, says Montgomery. Because these were meant to be art, even by todays standards.

We have this conception now of cemeteries as sort of morbid places where you dont go, theyre seen as depressing or sad.

But the Victorians saw them as places not only to visit, but sometimes as places of leisure. We have accounts of people at cemeteries across Canada going to picnics on a Sunday.

He continues: We tend to look at these stones, and they have this archaic old look. And because theyre aged, they almost have this inherent  I dont know if depressing is the word  but again, a lot of symbols on them were meant to represent an optimism.

That Christian belief that this is just the beginning, Im going somewhere else.

He grew up like most other kids, a little spooked by graveyards. His attitude changed while he studied history in university, focusing on the lives and deaths of soldiers.

Now he has a Twitter site called Canadian Cemetery History with nearly 4,000 followers. Hes written one book and has another in the works on the cemeteries of Niagara.

He also worked on a book called After The War with Stephane Grenier, who was second in command with Gen. Romeo Dallaire as part of a United Nations force stationed in Rwanda during the genocide of 1994.

Grenier has become an advocate for mental health, after suffering PTSD after his time in the African country.

More than the headstones and history, Montgomery has gotten to know the people buried under the ground where he walks.

He points to one stone at Drummond Hill. Its small, with just a name and dates: Loretta Gee, 1893-1913.

An American, she jumped over the falls over a scorned love, unrequited love I guess, he says.

She was 19, not even 20 when she died, it says on her death record  she was buried here, it must have been friends who had the monument put up for her.

RELATED STORIES Niagara Region Buried history being uncovered in St. Davids

Im always curious about the ones who had a short lifespan, just because there were so many things that killed people at a young age then.

Every death was a life. Every name has a story.

At Drummond Hill Cemetery there are the famous  War of 1812 heroine Laura Secord and ill-fated daredevil Karel Soucek  and theres the poor soul whose horse was spooked by one of the newfangled automobiles, broke into a sprint and threw him into a tree when the wagon took a sharp turn.

And there is Robert Powley, a local man executed in the electric chair in an Auburn, N.Y. prison in 1897 for murdering his wife Alzotta.

I think of these as historic sites, says Montgomery.

Because you think of just how much has happened in that place, in the sense of literally several thousand funerals have taken place there. Every life.

And the stories are just incredible in terms of the people. I could literally go on for days just with some of the stories Ive researched in terms of the lives people lived, and the ways that are sad and tragic  and I cant help but say fascinating  ways that people died that just dont happen today.
New Delhi, July 17 : Opinion is divided on whether Congress is indulging in revenge politics In Rajasthan by arresting BJP leaders after the audio tapes surfaced, or the BJP is getting paid in the same coin since it conspired to topple the state government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, as per the latest IANS CVoter Snap Poll.

Some audio tapes have surfaced amid the Rajasthan political turmoil in which BJP leaders could allegedly be heard indulging in conversations with Congress leaders regarding horse-trading of MLAs.

Te Jaipur Police have arrested BJP leader Sanjay Jain in this matter. The question posed in the snap poll was whether the state government has got this arrest done as part of revenge politics. Or, on the flip side, did it serve the BJP right because it conspired to topple the state government? The poll with a sample size of 1,200 found that 37.4 per cent respondents said that this arrest is wrong and the state government has done this as part of revenge politics.

An almost equal proportion of respondents, 36.2 per cent, said it serves the BJP right because it conspired to topple the government.

A total of 26.4 per cent respondents disagreed and said the BJP has not conspired to topple the government.

As the case went to the court, the Rajasthan High Court deferred till July 20 the hearing in the amended petition filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 rebel Congress MLAs challenging the disqualification notices sent to them by the Assembly Speaker. The court has also directed the Speaker not to take any action in the matter till 5.30 p.m. on July 21.
Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath is set to become the Leader of Opposition (LoP) when the monsoon session of the state Assembly begins from July 20.



"We have sent a letter to the Assembly secretariat stating that our leader in the House is going to be Nath," said Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta on Thursday.



Nath was elected as leader of the Congress Legislative Party after the 2018 elections when the party came to power in the state, Gupta said. Nath had to resign as Chief Minister in March this year after the Congress government lost majority with the exit of 22 MLAs who joined the BJP along with senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.



With 91 MLAs, the Congress would be the main opposition party in the house. Assembly principal secretary A P Singh said he had learnt about the letter sent by the Congress. "I have not received it yet. It might be with our Dak (postal) section right now," he added.
 Flash

Confirmed COVID-19 cases topped 3.5 million on Thursday in the United States, with deaths over 137,000, while debate over mask-wearing, one of the most effective means of curbing the virus spread, persists around the country.



New York state remains the hardest-hit with 404,775 cases. California, Florida and Texas have become the country's new COVID-19 hotspots with rapid increases in daily new cases, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

California has reported 355,046 cases, Florida 315,775 cases and Texas 292,336 cases, the data showed. States with over 100,000 cases also include New Jersey, Illinois, Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

Florida's health department reported 156 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, surpassing a record the state set just days before.

The new deaths brought the state's total to 4,677 deaths related to COVID-19, based on state data.

Thirty-nine states reported an increase in the number of new cases from the week before, said a CNN report on Thursday. Hard-hit counties in Arizona and Texas are preparing for the worst by bringing in refrigerated trucks as morgues fill up.

As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the country, a growing number of states and businesses are mandating mask-wearing but the simple public health option to prevent infections remains divisive in the country.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued orders on Thursday requiring people statewide to wear masks in public.

Thirty states, in addition to the District of Columbia, have issued some form of mask mandate as new infections surge across the country, said a report by news website Axios.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced a similar mask order on Wednesday, citing a 50 percent increase in new COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks.

Major retailers, including Walmart, Best Buy, Apple and grocery store chain Publix, are requiring shoppers to wear face coverings.

However, Georgia's Governor Brian Kemp voided orders on Wednesday that at least 15 local governments across the state had adopted even though Kemp had earlier said cities and counties had no power to order masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

The mayor of Savannah, Van Johnson, who signed a mask mandate for the city, lashed out at Kemp's decision.

"Governor Kemp is overstepping his authority," Johnson said Thursday, while calling his actions "reckless and irresponsible."

Savannah residents, beginning July 1, were required to wear a face covering in public or face a fine of up to 500 U.S. dollars.

Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, a Republican, announced Wednesday that he is the first governor to test positive for the coronavirus. Yet the governor said he is not considering a statewide mask mandate as of now.

So far, more than 20 states have rolled back or paused reopening efforts as COVID-19 cases continue to emerge.

A model from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington is projecting 224,000 people will die of the virus by Nov. 1, an increase of almost 16,000 from a forecast the week before, according to a report by CNN on Wednesday.
Tunisian President Kais Saied has begun new consultations with parties and parliamentary blocs to choose the "best able person" to become the countrys new prime minister, after Elyes Fakhfakh resigned on Wednesday.

The president sent a message to the speaker of parliament, leader of the Islamic Renaissance Movement, Rashid Ghannouchi, on Thursday, asking him to inform the presidency of the list of parties and parliamentary blocs involved in political consultations to choose a new candidate to form a new government, as stipulated in the constitution.

According to Article 89 of the constitution, the president will, within ten days, conduct political consultations to select his candidate, and will assign him to form a government within a maximum period of a month.

The new government must obtain an absolute majority in parliament (109 votes) in a confidence vote.

Ghannouchi has said that he will file a lawsuit in the name of parliament against the Free Constitutional Party bloc led by Abir Moussa, because of the parts disruption of parliament sessions.

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All regional Victorians have been advised to wear masks to prevent similar coronavirus lockdown restrictions in Melbourne after the state recorded its highest daily jump of 428 new COVID-19 cases.

Country towns in the state have managed to avoid strict lockdown after Melbourne and Mitchell Shire were taken back to stage three restrictions last week.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Victoria stands at 4,750, of which 4,310 are from Melbourne and only 311 are from regional towns.

State Premier Daniel Andrews warned residents of small towns to wear a mask to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

All regional Victorians have been advised to wear masks to prevent similar coronavirus lockdown restrictions in Melbourne after the state recorded its highest daily jump of 428 new COVID-19 cases (pictured, a local Portsea cafe worker wearing a face mask)

State Premier Daniel Andrews warned residents of small towns to wear a mask to reduce the risk of spreading the virus

Country towns in the state have managed to avoid strict lockdown after Melbourne and Mitchell Shire were taken back to stage three restrictions last week.

'If you are out and about in regional Victoria and you do not think you can maintain social distancing then we request that you wear a mask,' he said.

'That is a small thing but it can make a really big difference in stopping the spread of this virus and keeping those low numbers in regional Victoria very low, so we do not have to change the settings and the rules for regional areas of our state.'

Melbourne and Mitchell Shire residents are only allowed to leave their homes for four reasons which include: exercise, work, to buy essential items and for medical attention.

In regional towns like Geelong, shops remain open and people are free to catch up for a beer and a coffee.

Though Mr Andrews warned it was necessary for regional Victorians to take personal responsibility and wear a mask to avoid similar lockdown measures.

'That mask can be home-made. That mask can be purchased, it can take the form of simply wearing a scarf.

'All these things, they never eliminate risk but they reduce risk and that is something that all of us should be completely focused on.'

Three more people - a man and woman in their 80s and a man in his 70s - have also died, taking the state's death toll to 32 and the national death toll to 116.

A total of 122 Victorians are in hospital with 31 fighting for their lives. The state conducted 24,409 tests, maintaining one of the highest testing rates in the world.

The new daily figure is Victoria's highest, beating the 317 new cases recorded on Thursday.

Melbourne and Mitchell Shire residents are only allowed to leave their homes for four reasons which include: exercise, work, to buy essential items and for medical attention

Mr Andrews was not yet prepared to move to draconian Stage-4 lockdowns but said Melburnians must be vigilant if that was to be prevented.

'It's well too early for us to be moving to a whole new stage,' he said on Thursday.

'If you want to make that less likely, if you want to get out of these sort of restrictions as fast as as possible, then we all have to play our part.'

Victoria Police issued $107,000 in fines in 24 hours leading up to Thursday's announcement, many to people who were at illegal parties. Gatherings of more than two are banned in Melbourne.
We try to give them a good education and explain how to use it, Tracey Patterson said. Its not like a car where you can just get in and drive it off the lot.

The Pattersons invite first-time campers to come camping with them for their first trip.

Every year, from April to October, they go on a monthly camping trip with their customers.

Well help them set up, John will back the camper in for them, and we bring extra spare parts, Tracey Patterson said.

Their April trip this year was canceled, but the Pattersons led a trip with 19 other families in May and 29 other families in June. Right now, theyre on an 18-day trip that includes stops at campgrounds in Savannah, Ga., and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The Rouze family is already planning camping trips for August, September and October. If their cruise in November gets canceled, too, theyll take another weeklong camping trip.
An Ohio man who died due to complications from COVID-19 has drawn criticism for his staunch refusal to wear a mask earlier in the pandemic.

Richard Rose III, an Army veteran who spent nine years in the United States Army according to his obituary, died on July 4. He was 37.

Roses death gained notoriety on social media after expressing that he was not buying a (expletive) mask less than three months before his death.

Ive made it this far by not buying into that damn hype, he said in a post published April 28.

The post has since garnered more than 800 comments and 19,000 shares, with many using the post to ridicule Rose for his stance on masks. Others defended Rose.

Richard Rose III

Not just for other people: Wearing a mask protects you from COVID-19, and may lessen serious illness

Rose used the social media platform to post about going to one local bar, S&M Bar, three times in June. He also went out of town, to Put-in-Bay, in June.

Rose tested positive on July 1, confirming his illness in a Facebook post in which he explained he would be in quarantine for 14 days.

Earlier that day, he posted that he had gotten a test. I just want to feel good again! he said.

A day later, he updated his Facebook friends with one of his symptoms: difficulty breathing.

Nick Conley, a friend of Rose's, said in a Facebook post his friend was believed to be healthy.

"Rick was like a lot of my friends, and didnt feel the need to wear a mask because he was young and healthy, Conley wrote in the post, shared three days after Rose's death.

He also told WOIO-TV in Cleveland that his late friend deserves compassion despite his refusal to wear a mask earlier in the pandemic.

Rick is getting slaughtered online right now for his decision that he made not to wear a mask and thats not right, Conley said. We should still be compassionate whether we agree with someones beliefs or not. Someone has passed away and we should have some compassion towards that.

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Conley closed his Facebook post with a warning: Please know that this virus is real. Just because you dont personally know someone affected yet doesnt mean its not real.

As of July 16, Ohio has more than 69,000 total cases of COVID-19, with more than 3,000 deaths, according to Ohio Department of Health data. The state does not have a mandate for wearing masks.

Contributing: Craig Shoup, Fremont News-Messenger. Follow Joshua Bote on Twitter: @joshua_bote.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ohio veteran, 37, who refused to wear a mask, died of COVID-19
Being active and connecting with others on social media has had a positive effect on teens mental health

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus explored the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected how teens use and think about social media. Although the pandemic has forced all consumers to be in front of screens more often, the team found that there are healthy ways to be on social media, and not all screen time should be a cause for concern.

I know a lot of parents were very worried about, Oh, my gosh, my kid ha...
"Age is just a number" may sound cliche, but Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is the living proof that age is not a hindrance to continue working and serving the people.

Now in her early 90s, Queen Elizabeth II has been reigning the British monarchy for the past 68 years. However, she is not showing any signs of giving up. In fact, no report indicates her decline in health, inability to perform duties, or any factors that would force her to give up the throne.

When the coronavirus global pandemic hit the United Kingdom, many are convinced that it is the right time for Her Majesty to step down from her duties and spend her retirement years with her husband, Prince Philip.

But while the world thinks Queen Elizabeth II is "too old" for the job, there are many reasons for her to cling on the throne. First of all, women rules, as nothing screams like "girl power" more than having a female head of the royal family. It sends a strong message of stability, calmness, and matriarchal love.

Below are the other reasons why the Queen Elizabeth II abdication should never be allowed.

The British People Adores Queen Elizabeth II

Why retire when the public loves seeing you do your job? If the people of the United Kingdom hate Queen Elizabeth II, there is likely a chance that she would have already abdicated by now. However, her approval rating is soaring high.

One poll showed that 70 percent of U.K. citizens support and will continue supporting the Queen until her last breath.

The people love how she leads the monarchy, how she responds to crises, how she handles the rest of the royal family, and, ultimately, how she interacts with people. So why step down and hide in Windsor Castle when she is very much alive and kicking to rule the world?

No One Likes The Future King And Queen

While the public adores Queen Elizabeth II, they are not so keen on seeing the future King and Queen, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla.

We all know that Prince Charles and Camilla's love story didn't start well, and the people of the U.K. will always see the Duchess as the one who ruined Prince Charles' marriage with his late wife, Princess Diana.

Ever since his disastrous divorce from Princess Diana, the Prince of Wales has received a flunk approval rating no matter what he does. The people don't like the idea of having Camilla as the Queen consort and would rather see Kate Middleton wear the crown.

On top of that, people are also concerned that the 70-year-old heir to the throne might be too old now to perform his duties.

Queen Elizabeth II Vows To Serve Until Death

The abdication of King Edward VII did not only turn Queen Elizabeth II's life upside down, but it also caused a constitutional crisis within the royal family. This led Her Majesty to vow to serve the people until her natural death.

"I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong," Queen Elizabeth II said on her 21st birthday in 1947.

Sure enough, she sticks to that promise until now. She exhibits a great sense of duty, honor, and loyalty to the monarchy and the people. With that, everyone wants the Queen to fulfill his vow.

READ MORE: Jeffrey Epstein Plot Twist: Prince Andrew Could Act As Witness Against Ghislaine Maxwell
In the latest of a series of corporate moves by the growing content producer and distributor, Banijay has confirmed that Francois de Brugada will continue in his role as chief executive officer for France.





Brugada has been with Banijay since its inception in 2008, playing a pivotal role in its international expansion, first as EVP for content and later COO. In 2015, he transitioned into the role of CEO for Banijay France and has led the countrys leading entity ever since. Previously, he was at M6 Group, where he fulfilled the roles of head of commissioning for unscripted shows and art director for channels.Nicolas Coppermann, president of EndemolShine France will step down from his role at the end of July, with de Brugada taking up an interim MD position alongside his responsibilities as CEO.Commenting on his appointment, de Brugada (pictured) said: Banijay France has long been the home of some of the nations best talent and I am honoured to be welcoming a host of new creative entrepreneurs into the fold. Combining the strengths of both groups, I hope that Banijay France will continue to be a renowned home for the top brands in the country and intellectual property, that travels the globe. A special thanks goes to Nicolas who has built a strong operation in EndemolShine France and successfully put the brand on the scripted map in France.As he takes the helm for Banijay France , de Brugada will now have oversight of the combined unscripted and scripted footprint and a host of the countrys creative talent. The French subsidiary will now comprise 10 entities including Adventure Line Productions, Endemol Shine France, Banijay Studios France, H20 Productions, Banijay Production Media, KM Productions and Banijay Productions France amongst others. The expanded offering includes some of the countrys best-loved brands including Koh Lanta, Fort Boyard, Taratata, Miss France, Les 12 Coups de midi, Touche Pas a Mon Poste, 28 minutes, Les enfants de la tele, Les Marseillais and Une saison au zoo.The appoint comes less than two weeks after Banijay completed its acquisition of Endemol Shine Group from The Walt Disney Company and funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc.
Key benchmarks were trading near the day's high in morning trade, mirroring gains in other Asian peers. Weak economic data from China and rising US-Sino tensions capped gains. At 10:25 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 223.17 points or 0.61% at 36,694.85. The Nifty 50 index added 76.55 points or 0.71% at 10,816.50.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 1.08% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 1.13%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 1350 shares rose and 680 shares fell. A total of 101 shares were unchanged.

Earnings Today :

Britannia Industries (up 1.13%), ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company (up 0.90%) will announce their quarterly earnings today.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Auto index rose 1.38% to 7,112.75, extending gains for third day. The index has added 2.84% in three sessions.

Ashok Leyland (up 3.69%), Tata Motors (up 2.77%), TVS Motor Company (up 2.17%), Eicher Motors (up 1.87%), Mahindra & Mahindra (up 1.21%), Maruti Suzuki (up 1.02%), Hero MotoCorp (up 1.08%), and Bajaj Auto (up 0.53%) advanced.

Stocks in Spotlight :

HCL Technologies was up 0.11% to Rs 628.35. The IT company reported a 31.6% jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 2,935 crore in Q1 June 2020 from Rs 2230 crore posted in Q1 June 2019.

On a sequential basis, net profit declined 7.47% from Rs 3172 crore reported in Q4 March 2020. Revenue from operations declined 4% to Rs 17,842 crore in Q1 June 2020 from Rs 18587 crore in Q4 March 2020. The result was announced before market hours today, 17 July 2020.

Consolidated EBITDA stood at Rs 4,566 crore in Q1 June 2020, declining 3.3% from Rs 4,720 crore posted in Q4 March 2020. EBITDA margin marginally improved to 25.6% in Q1 June 2020 from 25.4% in Q4 March 2020.

L&T Technology Services (LTTS) fell 3.11% to Rs 1394.50 after the company's consolidated net profit declined 42.5% to Rs 117.20 crore on a 3.9% fall in net sales to Rs 1294.70 crore in Q1 June 2020 over Q1 June 2019. EBITDA margin stood at 15.9% in Q1 June 2020, lower than 20.2% in Q1 June 2019.

Meanwhile, LTTS has executed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% stake in Orchestra Technology, a specialist technology solutions provider for the telecom industry.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United Nations envoy for Yemen called for a full investigation into airstrikes that killed at least 11 civilians in northern Yemen this week.

We deplore yesterday's air strikes in #AlJawf , UN envoy Martin Griffiths tweeted. A thorough [and] transparent investigation is required.

The UN's humanitarian affairs office said 11 civilians were killed in airstrikes Wednesday in the al-Hazm district of al-Jawf province. The Houthi health ministry put the death toll at 24.

The air raids, which the Houthi rebels blamed on the Saudi-led military coalition, were the third such strikes since June. Days earlier, an airstrike in the northwestern province of Hajjah left seven children and two women dead, the humanitarian affairs office said.

Coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Malki told Reuters the incidents would be investigated.

"We take this report very seriously and it will be fully investigated as all reports of this nature are, using an internationally approved, independent process," Malki said.

The reports come as the coalition said it had intercepted a number of cross-border missiles launched by the Houthis in recent weeks. The Houthis claimed to have struck a large oil facility overnight Sunday in the southern Saudi Arabian city of Jizan.

A civil war pitting the Iran-aligned Houthis against the Saudi coalition has killed thousands of civilians since 2014 and left nearly 80% of the population in need of some form of humanitarian assistance , the UN estimates.

With the coronavirus poised to exacerbate what is already considered the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, the UN has repeatedly warned Yemen cant fight both a war and a pandemic. A unilateral cease-fire designed to stave off the virus expired in late May.
SPRINGFIELD  With many youth summer programs and community activities canceled this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, C3 police units in two cities are finding new ways to help their neighborhoods.

The five C3 units, including Springfields South End, the North End, Mason Square, Forest Park and now Chicopee, have received a total of $50,000 in state funding to support outreach efforts.

Unfortunately a lot of our programs this year have been postponed or canceled due to the virus, but we are planning on using some of those funds towards personal protective equipment for our people who are still out in the community checking on the neighborhood and our young people, said Jose Claudio, of the New North Citizens Council, the nonprofit agency that will distribute the funds equally to each unit.

For more than five years the Springfield Police Department and Massachusetts State Police and the C3 policing units have collaborated with local businesses owners, nonprofit community organizations and neighbors to deter and reduce violence in various sections of the city.

Sen. James Welch, D-West Springfield and state representatives Bud Williams, Jose Tosado, and Carlos Gonzalez secured the funding as part of the fiscal year 2020 budget.

You look at a program that delivers results and has shown to be highly effective in several communities here in Springfield and you want to help it succeed, Welch said. We are very proud of the progress the C3 initiative is making in the North End and in other areas like the Forest Park neighborhood, and we hope this will be something that extends to all of the neighborhoods in Springfield that need it.

Welch said he is also impressed with the initiatives reach, which now extends to the area of Chicopee that borders Springfield.

Not a lot of programs are willing to collaborate and share their expertise with surrounding communities, he said. This program works and this funding is a way to help it move forward.

Richard Johnson, who heads up the Mason Square C-3 Policing unit along with Springfield City Councilor Tracye Whitfield, said the funds will be awarded to local community groups working with children and teens in the neighborhood.

The focus for us is youth engagement and education, he said.

School Committee member Maria Perez said the initiative targets youth especially during the summer months when they are out of school.

These programs help to keep our kids safe and engaged in activities that promote learning and thats very important, she said.

Related content:
Breonna Taylor, 26, was shot and killed at her home in Louisville, Kentucky on March 13. A coroner says she died from gunshot wounds almost instantly, but her boyfriends says she was coughing and gasping for air for five minutes

Breonna Taylor was alive and gasping for air for five minutes after she was shot, her boyfriend says.

Kenneth Walker made the explosive claims in recorded police interview just hours after three white officers conducted the fatal no-knock search warrant on Taylor's apartment in Louisville, Kentucky on March 13.

'Police are yelling like, "Come out, come out," and I'm on the phone with her [mom]. I'm still yelling help because she's over here coughing and, like, I'm just freaking out,' Walker states in the recording, obtained by the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Taylor's family attorneys, Sam Aguiar and Lonita Baker, concur with Walker, writing in a revised lawsuit: 'Breonna was not killed immediately. Rather, she lived for another five to six minutes before ultimately succumbing to her injuries on the floor of her home.'

Taylor, 26, was shot eight times at 12.43am during the botched raid. Her time of death is listed on her autopsy as 12.48am.

However, Jefferson County coroner, Barbara Weakly-Jones, says the listed time of Taylor's death was just 'an estimate'.

She contradicts claims that Taylor lay dying for an extended period of time and could have been saved, telling The New York Times that it was likely she succumbed to injuries within 60 seconds.

Taylor's boyfriend Kenneth Walker (right) was at the home the night of the fatal raid and had fired his licensed gun fearing the cops were intruders. In a recorded interview he says Taylor was alive and gasping for air for minutes after she died

The three officers in the case - from left, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Detectives Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove - have not been charged in the shooting despite protests

'Even if it had happened outside of an ER, we couldn't have saved her,' Weakly-Jones told The New York Times last month.

However, that will not be known for sure, as dispatch logs obtained by the Louisville-Courier Journal reveal no one tended to Taylor for at least 20 minutes after she was shot.

Instead, medical attention was instead paid to Jonathan Mattingly - one of the three officers who conducted the raid and who was left injured after being shot by Walker in an exchange of gunfire.

Police did not radio in about Taylor being shot inside her home until 1.10am.

Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was killed on March 13 after Louisville police officers raided her home and shot her eight times while operating under a search warrant

The timeline pieced together by the Louisville Courier-Journal further complicates an already controversial case that has garnered national attention.

Three white officers - Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly, Detective Myles Cosgrove and Detective Brett Hankison - conducted the no-knock search warrant on Taylor's home in relation to a larger drug investigation.

Jamarcus Glover and Adrian Walker (no relation to Kenneth Walker) were accused of selling controlled substances in another neighborhood. Glover was previously in a relationship with Taylor, prompting police to add her address to their search warrant.

The three cops executed the search warrant on Taylor's home, prompting her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, to believe the police were intruders in the apartment.

He fired his licensed gun at the officers which resulted in a shoot-out.

Walker was charged for attempted murder after striking Mattingly in the leg. The charge was later dropped.

None of the officers have been arrested or charged over Taylor's death, despite the fact they shot their weapons 16 times.

A police interview featuring Sergeant John Mattingly was obtained by NBC News last week and also sheds further light on the case.

In the recording, Mattingly alleges that the officers knocked several times on Taylor's door before making their way inside.

Mattingly confirmed that police knocked because they considered Taylor's home a 'soft target' and anticipated 'no threat.'

The sergeant said the knocking lasted 45 seconds - which he described as enough time for 'the average person, or even a disabled person' to react - before they rammed the door.

Taylor - who had no criminal record and worked for two local hospitals - was killed after police fired at least 20 rounds into the home, according to a lawsuit filed by her family

This is the home where Breonna and her boyfriend Kenneth were watching a movie late at night on March 13, before a team of Louisville Police rammed the door during a raid

In his own police interview, Kenneth Walker explained that he reacted out of fear, as most people would if someone was banging on the door late at night.

'It's the middle of the night. Somebody is beating on the door and not saying who they are ... What are you going to do?' he told investigators.

'I know y'all have guns at home. You're going to grab it and be cautious like, 'Okay, so what's going on?'

'You're creeping towards (the door) ... 'Who is it? Who is it?' You don't know who it is and then the door flies open?'

The attempted murder charge against Walker was later dropped.

Hankison, 44, was later fired after it was found he violated department policies by 'blindly' firing 10 rounds into Taylor's home during the incident. The two other cops have been placed on administrative reassignment.

Unheard police interviews with Breonna Taylor's boyfriend reveal a plainclothed cop told him there had been a 'misunderstanding' after she was shot dead and another said it was 'unfortunate' he hadn't been shot

Kenneth Walker told investigators one of the officers involved in the fatal late-night raid said it was 'unfortunate' he hadn't been struck in the gunfire and claimed another cop told him there had been a 'misunderstanding' after they 'figured out they did something wrong.'

In a recorded interview with police, Walker described exiting the apartment following the deadly shooting, after cops ordered him to come outside.

Walker, who had his arms in the air, said he was met by an officer who threatened to release a dog on him and told him he was going to spend the rest of his life in jail.

He claimed the cop asked him: 'Did you get hit by any bullets?' 'And I'm like, No. He said ,'Oh, that's unfortunate.''

The police conducting the interview at the time called the cop's response 'inappropriate.'

Breonna and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker. Walker was questioned by investigators hours after the fatal shooting, at 4am. Audio recordings reveal police encouraged him to waive his Miranda Rights

Walker also claimed he was later approached by a plainsclothed cop who told him there had been a 'misunderstanding.'

He questioned why the police officer made the statement before telling investigators: 'I'm not an idiot. They figured out something. They did something wrong.'

Police have not confirmed Walker's claims about the cop's comment, however the family's lawsuit reveals police Taylor and her boyfriend were not suspects in the police investigation.

The warrant used to enter Taylor's home just after midnight was secured by police observing an alleged drug dealer, identified in the complaint as 'JG,' at Taylor's home two months earlier.

Taylor and the man had a prior relationship, the family's suit said.

But that man, Jamarcus Glover, was arrested that night more than ten miles away, though two other suspects the police were looking for were not with Glover, the suit said.

It said an EMS unit was cleared because police 'had never actually intended to raid Breonna's home unless (Glover) was there.'

'As such, it does indeed appear that the (police) 'hit the wrong house' when they went to Springfield (Taylor's apartment), rather than actually hitting the house in which the target was actually located,' the 31-page complaint added.

The FBI is also investigating potential civil rights violations by the police.
Iran envoy hails productive talks with counterparts in Vienna

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, July 16, IRNA -- Iran's new ambassador to Austria, Abbas Baqerpour Ardakani, in a message referred to his recent productive meetings with his counterparts in Vienna.

"Very Productive & Rewarding: Separate Bilateral Meetings with Vienna-based Ambassadors of Russia, China, Iraq, Indonesia, Oman, Qatar, Italy, Syria, Australia, Pakistan, Algeria, Afghanistan, South Africa, Hungry &Tajikistan during last days; TBC with others with the same spirit," Baqerpour Ardakani wrote on his Twitter account on Thursday.

Earlier, Baqerpour Ardakani and Austrian deputy minister for economy and digital affairs stressed the need for promoting trade and commercial relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to hold the two countries' joint commission soon.

They decided to form working groups under the important document "Roadmap of Economic Relations", which was signed by the two countries in 2016, to pursue implementation of the agreements.

In the meantime, Bagherpour Ardakani submitted his credentials to the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in a ceremony held at the Austrian Presidential Palace last week.

He conveyed the friendship message of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to his Austrian counterpart and full readiness of the Iranian government for the expansion of relations with Austria in all political, economic, cultural fields based on historical and long-standing relations between the two countries.

The Austrian president also extended his greetings to his Iranian counterpart and voiced his readiness for the expansion of bilateral relations.

Bagherpour is currently the accredited ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Slovakia as well.

9376**2050

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Members of the Rapid Action Battalion, an elite police unit, stand guard in front of the former Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhaka, the site of Bangladeshs deadliest terrorist attack, July 1, 2018.

Dhaka police Friday announced the arrest of an Indian woman who allegedly recruited male and female members for a pro-Islamic State militant faction blamed for the deadliest terrorist attack on Bangladeshi soil, an attack at a local cafe in 2016.

Officers arrested Ayesha Jannat Mohona (also known as Jannatul Tasnim or Pragya Debnath), 25, who tried to pass herself off as a Bangladeshi for her suspected role in Neo-JMB, according to Saiful Islam, a deputy commissioner of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime branch with the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

We arrested her Thursday evening in Dhaka, he told BenarNews. We recovered her Indian passport, a fake Bangladesh birth certificate, a Bangladesh national identity card and two mobile phones.

She has been charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act on suspicion of recruiting militants and being involved in other militant activities, officials said.

Islam said Mohona, who is from West Bengal, an Indian state that borders Bangladesh, told investigators that she had converted from Hinduism to the Islamic faith in 2009 while in the ninth grade. She visited Bangladesh frequently and taught at Muslim boarding schools for girls, madrassas, where she hid her identity, he said.

She was involved in recruiting members  both men and women  and in raising funds, Islam said.

The police commissioner said the counter terrorism unit learned about Mohona in February when members arrested the suspected leader of the Neo-JMBs womens wing, Asmani Khatun (also known as Asma).

After Asmas arrest, Mohona went into hiding. Previously, she married an expatriate Bangladeshi man through a mobile phone call, Islam said, adding she moved to Bangladesh in October 2019 at her husbands suggestion.

We produced her before the court on Friday and the court granted a four-day remand to interrogate her under the Anti-Terrorism Act, he said.

The Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BenarNews. Efforts by BenarNews to reach authorities in West Bengal for more information about Mohana also did not succeed on Friday.

Ayesha Jannat Mohona [Courtesy of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit, Dhaka Metropolitan Police]

In Dhaka, a security analyst described Mohonas arrest as unprecedented.

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first arrest of Indian woman on charges linked to being involved with a Bangladeshi militant outfit. This arrest demonstrates that the militant outfit has been able to establish cross-boundary network, retired Maj. Gen. A.K. Mohammad Ali Shikder, a security analyst and author, told BenarNews.

All of the militant outfits operating in Bangladesh, namely JMB, Neo-JMB, Harkat-ul Jihad, Ansar-al-Islam Bangladesh have cross boundary networks. They have sympathizers, financers, backers both inside Bangladesh and in West Bengal, he said.

Neo-JMB members, who have aligned with Islamic State (IS), were blamed for the July 2016 overnight siege at the Holey Artisan Bakery that killed 20 civilians. The group is an offshoot of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, whose members aligned with al-Qaeda.

Despite those claims, the home minister and other government officials here have insisted since that IS does not have a foothold in Bangladesh.

Counter-terrorism officials reported the arrests of at least 100 female members of the militant outfits since the Holey Artisan attack. In addition, 11 female militants have died.

The IS has mainly introduced the idea of forming female squads. In most of the cases, the women get involved in militancy with the influence of family members, Nur Khan, former executive director of Ain-O-Salish Kendra, a human rights advocacy group, told BenarNews.

Paritosh Kanti Paul contributed to this report from Kolkata, India.
The World Health Organisation has reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 237,743 in just 24 hours.

The biggest increases on Friday were from the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to a daily report. The previous WHO record for new cases was 230,370 on July 12. Deaths have held steady and averaged less than 5000 a day in July.

A healthcare worker uses a grabber to collect a nasal swab sample at a COVID-19 drive-through testing site in California. Credit:AP

Total global coronavirus cases were approaching 14 million on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, marking another milestone in the spread of the disease that has killed more than 590,000 people in seven months.

In the US, teams of military medics were deployed in Texas and California on Friday to help hospitals deluged by coronavirus patients, as Miami area authorities began stepping up enforcement of a mask requirement  echoing efforts in many parts of the world to contain surging infections.
In 1784, Immanuel Kant published Answering the Question: What Is Enlightenment?, a short essay that would become the cornerstone of a world-changing philosophical movement. For Kant, history was an inescapable odyssey from ignorance to reason, from prejudice to universality, from immaturity to liberation. While men thought of themselves as independent agents, they unknowingly followed a guiding thread that drove their common narrative. This guiding thread lay in the perfectibility of human reason, which nature had willed to be Mans sole source of happiness.

Kant dedicated his entire political project to the expansion of Mans intellectual boundaries, a subconscious act that he wanted to turn into a deliberate pursuit. The German philosopher wanted to get the men of his time to Sapere Aude, to dare and explore the limits of their understanding. A resolute optimist, he foresaw the fall of tyrants and the rise of republics. As national boundaries would inescapably vanish, cosmopolitan peace would emerge in a new age of progress. The process would be incremental, but the end result was inevitable: Man would become the rational animal that Nature designed.

The Enlightenment laid down the foundations of the modern world order. From transnational federations such as the EU to an economic system premised on the infallible rationality of homo economicus, we have come to adopt many of the 18th centurys central axioms. For centuries, the confidence of Kants teleological predictions appeared warranted. Globalization was indeed underway, and its ascent seemed unstoppable. The antiquated nation-state struggled to justify its legitimacy in the face of challenges such as climate change and terrorism, which exposed the insufficiencies of a political unit bound to be transcended.

For better or worse, however, the Kantian political project has now come to a halt. Just as the 18th century provided a battalion of reasons to embrace rationality, so our time issues a slew of warnings vis-a-vis its limitations. As mainstream politicians restrain their discourse to technocratic frameworks, demagogues steal the show with bombastic rhetoric, historical hyperbole, and ominous imagery. Politics has become a tragicomic pantomime in which emotional hemophilia, back-to-back scandals, and unexpected turns determine our shared future. Numbers no longer speak louder than words. From the daily columns of respected newspapers to the polished walls of elite universities, illiberal thought has infiltrated all the historical bastions of the Enlightenment.

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The specter of populism lurks as modernity meets its hidden discontents: a mass of workers who repudiate the supposed prosperity of the era. Globalization accelerates almost as fast as its unpopularity grows, and the 1930s, once considered a contingent exception in the great advancement of humankind, now resurface as a palpable possibility for the future. Paradoxically, at a time when the dispossessed are pushed to the margins of real political power, careless politicians endow disorganized mobs with artificial but boundless legitimacy, just as the Jacobins did in 1789. In his renowned work The Psychology of Revolution, the 19th-century polymath Gustave Le Bon depicted the danger of this phenomenon with prophetic caution:

To the Jacobins of this epoch [the French Revolution], as well as to those of our times, this popular entity constitutes a superior personality possessing attributes peculiar to the gods of never having to answer for their actions and never making a mistake. Their wishes must be humbly acceded to. The people may kill, burn, ravage, commit the most frightening cruelties, glorify their hero today and throw him into the gutter tomorrow, it is all the same; the politicians will not cease to vaunt the peoples virtues and to bow to their every decision.

Yet the French Revolution was not merely an incommensurate bloodbath. In its aftermath, the ancien regime, in which lives were entirely circumscribed by inherited privileges, was replaced with the universal category of the citizen. From that point onwards, to paraphrase the poet Charles Baudelaire, France came to embody the ideas of Voltaire, the champion of universalism and Enlightenment ideals. Among such ideals was the conviction that race is  and should be  purely and simply irrelevant in a human beings life. Skin color, religion, origins  all immutable characteristics would be of little interest to the burgeoning French Republic.

Naturally, after the rise of Napoleon and the eventual reestablishment of the monarchy in 1814, the Revolutions universalist project waited in the shadow of centuries-old prejudices. Generations of French children learnt about egalitarian myths whose grand aspirations did not materialize. It took World War II to bring universalism back in full force. During the German occupation, the murderous Vichy regime relied on racialist policies to ostracize  and ultimately deport  Jews. In 1945, when France woke up to the magnitude of the Vichy regimes crimes and cowardice, the very notion of race became instantly intolerable. Theodor Adorno once wrote that to write poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric; for the French to believe in the concept of race after Vichy was just as monstrous.

In 1978, the French government officially banned the use of the word race in public documents; ethnic statistics were no longer allowed, and the study of race disappeared from school curricula. Teachers would still talk about colonialism, but they would approach the topic from the standpoint of Frenchmen invading African countries  in other words, the relevance of racial divisions would be minimized in order to promote a world in which young French citizens grew up without ever hearing about skin color.

To this day, successive French governments have upheld this universalist  at least in theory  status quo. For instance, while Frances elite grandes ecoles have begun to implement affirmative-action policies, these reforms only take into account the socioeconomic background of applicants, not their race or ethnicity. Interestingly, the French Left has historically championed this color-blind mentality. Far from a pack of intersectional activists, French progressives focus almost exclusively on class-based inequalities. Where the French Left views the existing model as a bulwark against racialism, the Right sees it as a preservation of Frances Enlightenment values. For almost a century, this point of agreement stayed virtually untouched.

But as the U.S. cements its position at the center of Western cultural life, the debates raging in American streets are bound to make waves on European shores. Over the past few weeks, the upheavals over the killing of George Floyd have resonated in the old continent, and France is no exception. Growing protests have generated a series of discussions surrounding Frances colonial past and white privilege, a term previously unheard of on French public television. Sibeth Ndiaye, a former government spokesperson born in Senegal, wrote in Le Monde that it was time to break the taboo about collecting statistics on race; for her, voices of color have long been silenced in the name of pseudo-universalism.

Naturally, acknowledging the importance of race relations in one of the most multiethnic societies in the West need not represent an affront to French Republicanism. After all, while the French do not formally recognize the concept of race, debates about discrimination against Muslims and Arab immigrants have played a central role in Frances national conversation for decades.

But the philosophical ramifications of this potential change are more momentous than they may appear. Since its very inception, French Republicanism has refused to accept what we may call hyphenated identities. In France, introducing oneself as, say, Asian-French is purely and simply inacceptable. In the eyes of the Republic, Frenchness is either absolute or non-existent. This tradition carries progressive and conservative implications. On the progressive side, the notion of Frenchness has not historically been associated with racialism as much as Germanness, for instance. While France introduced the right to become French without having French parents in 1851, Germany waited until the 1990s to pass an equivalent law. But this all-absorbing conception of Frenchness also implies that to join Frances national body is to liberate oneself from all kinds of existing attachments; race, origin, and religion all find themselves relegated to secondary relevance. The historian Ernest Renan brilliantly captured the philosophical underpinnings of this tradition in his 1882 essay What Is a Nation:

Man is a slave neither of his race nor his language, nor of his religion, nor of the course of rivers nor of the direction taken by mountain chains. A large aggregate of men, healthy in mind and warm of heart, creates the kind of moral conscience which we call a nation. So long as this moral consciousness gives proof of its strength by the sacrifices which demand the abdication of the individual to the advantage of the community, it is legitimate and has the right to exist. . . . The nation, like the individual, is the culmination of a long past of endeavours, sacrifices, and devotions. Of all cults, that of the ancestors is the most legitimate, for the ancestors have made us what we are. In this sense, a nations existence is . . . a daily plebiscite.

Defending the abdication of the individual to the advantage of the community, Renan does not reject the classical-liberal conception of the sovereign individual. In fact, he championed natural-rights theory and defended civil liberties with tact and elocutionary force. But what he does point to is the necessity to establish a hierarchy of loyalties. For Thomas Aquinas, our duties begin with God and the family, and then extend outwards to reach the state or the nation. Renan presents an alternative paradigm. Real nations require the adoption of collective narratives, myths, and memories. And this shared heritage may well contradict other parts of individuals identities, which will have to yield for the national body to constitute itself. The Greek historian Herodotus, one of Renans beloved sources of inspiration, said it best: Custom is king of all. Among other controversial measures, this attitude towards the supremacy of nationhood explains, at least in part, why the French so vehemently oppose the burka and other Islamic veils. While Islamophobia  and all-around anti-religiosity  is undoubtedly present in the country, the French peoples reluctance also represents a logical continuation of a centuries-old vision of the nation as an all-subsuming entity.

If the French choose to reaffirm the central importance of race in politics, France will effectively do away with a substantial portion of its Republican tradition. This decision will be complicated for both the Right and the Left. In appearance at least, the countrys symbolic universalism has utterly failed to vanquish racism, and providing ethnic statistics may well represent a necessary step to address the issue with due seriousness.

But what will those statistics teach the French that they do not already know? Are the grandes ecoles disproportionally white? A simple series of class photos could tell them as much. Do ethnically Arab Frenchmen represent a large proportion of inmates in French prisons? A short trip to any incarceration facility would suffice to answer that question in the affirmative. While justified in many ways, the argument in favor of racial statistics is partially circular. Because we know that there are structural problems with education / the justice system / . . . , we absolutely need to get statistics on the matter; once we have those statistics, we will have numerical evidence that what we were already convinced of is in fact true. But do precise percentages really change the behavior of policy-makers? After all, as French writer Didier Hallepee put it, statistics are like people; if you torture them long enough, they will tell you exactly what you want to hear.

How would the French government respond differently if, instead of knowing that the grandes ecoles accept an infinitesimal proportion of black people who apply, they knew that the grandes ecoles accept, say, 3 percent of black people? Would this new information generate a sea-change in policy-making? Proponents of racial statistics would respond that, in any case, quantifiable evidence carries more credibility than anecdotal speculation, as it certainly does. In fact, what makes this debate so multifaceted is that both sides defend legitimate and valid positions. French universalism has failed; but for better or for worse, it remains an integral pillar of Frances heritage, one that the French should not tear down without careful consideration.

Ultimately, the impotence of French universalism serves to illustrate the wider malfunctions of our age. As the legacy of the Enlightenment proves incapable of providing apt solutions to contemporary fears, its influence is bound to vanish. Far from being a linear progress towards absolute rationality, history parades its unpredictability, rejoicing in its unyielding refusal to follow grand narratives. Nevertheless, the philosophical vacuum left by the ruins of the 18th century need not become a source of cultural malaise. The chance and duty to reinvent ourselves while upholding the seal of our ancestors approval is a challenge that every era has to face. As Homer put it in the Iliad (Robert Fagless translation):

Like the generation of leaves, the lives of mortal men.

Now the wind scatters the old leaves across the earth,

now the living timber bursts with the new buds

and spring comes round again. And so with men:

as one generation comes to life, another dies away.

More from National Review
US diplomat shares Turkeys criticism Irini is biased, says it fails to stop embargo violations by Egypt, UAE, Russia.

A European Union mission to stop arms shipments to war-torn Libya is not serious, a senior US diplomat has said, accusing the bloc of not doing enough to end violations of a UN arms embargo by countries such as Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

David Schenker, the assistant secretary for Near East Affairs, said on Thursday the EU was biased and criticised only Turkeys involvement in the conflict.

The only interdictions that they [EU] are doing is of Turkish military material that theyre sending to Libya. Nobody is interdicting Russian aircraft, nobody is interdicting Emirati aircraft, nobody is interdicting the Egyptians, Schenker told German Marshall Fund think-tank during a virtual discussion.

They could at least, if they were serious, I think, call them out  call out all parties of the conflict when they violate the arms embargo, he said.

Libya, a major oil producer, has been mired in turmoil since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. The sometimes chaotic war that has drawn in outside powers and a flood of foreign arms and mercenaries.

It is now split between two rival administrations vying for power: the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in the capital, Tripoli, and a parallel eastern-based administration allied to renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar.

Turkey is the major supporter of the GNA, which made major strides in recent weeks to repel a 14-month offensive by forces loyal to Haftar to seize Tripoli. Haftars eastern-based forces are backed by Egypt, the UAE and Russia.





The EU has set up Operation Irini to enforce the UN embargo, which has been repeatedly violated since its introduction in 2011.

Analysts say the fact that the EU mission deals primarily with naval violations of the embargo raises questions about its effectiveness.

There are two entry points to Libya, the western maritime border which Turkey is using to ship in weapons to the Government of National Accord in Tripoli, and the eastern border which Egypt and the United Arab Emirates use to support Haftar, Anas el-Gomati, founder and director of the Sadeq Institute, told Al Jazeera after the launch of the mission in April.

There is no doubt that Egypt and the UAE will emerge as the biggest winners. The Turks have no option but to ship their weapons by sea, and this is the terrain that is now being policed by the EU.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also complained last month that the EU mission did not do anything to stop other powers shipments into Libya, including what he alleged were arms being sent by France to Haftar.

France, which denies supporting Haftar but has long been suspected of favouring him, voiced fury last month after it said that one of its ships was subjected to Turkish frigates radar targeting while inspecting cargo en route to Libya.

Schenker also said the Europeans could take action against the Wagner Group, a shady Russian mercenary unit accused of backing Haftar.

Maybe they are concerned about the backlash from Russia. But if they arent going to take on a more robust role, or a more serious role, then this thing is going to drag on, he said of the Libyan conflict.

Washington has increasingly voiced concern about the heavy involvement of Russian mercenaries as well as other external powers and has called for de-escalation, but fighting has persisted.

A UN report in May said Wagner has up to 1,200 people deployed in Libya, strengthening Haftars forces.
The Haryana-based developer will invest up to $266.9 million to set up a new solar cell and module manufacturing facility.From pv magazine India ReNew Power has announced plans to start manufacturing solar cells and modules in India. The developer will invest INR15 billion ($200.2 million) to INR20 billion to set up a new production facility. The plant will initially have 2 GW of annual manufacturing capacity. However, the location of the factory has yet to be finalized, as the company is still in talks with a number of state authorities. The announcement comes just weeks after Prime Minister ...

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.
Greenpeace activists in Brazil have captured shocking images of fires burning in the Amazon rainforest.

There is currently a government ban on fires in states including Mato Grosso  a large state in western central Brazil  where the photographs were taken between 7 and 10 July.

Despite the ban, there are 4,437 hotspots in Mato Grosso and the state has had the highest number of fires this year  representing almost half (49.5 per cent) of all the fires in the Brazilian Amazon in 2020.

Greenpeace said the illegal destruction has been needlessly exacerbated by right-wing president Jair Bolsonaros anti-environmental agenda.

These images, along with the record deforestation rates this year, are the intended outcome of Bolsonaros long term strategy for the Amazon, claimed Romulo Batista, Greenpeace Brazil Amazon campaigner.

Recommended Satellite images reveal spread of Amazon fires ahead of dry season

His government has been dismantling environmental protection laws and kneecapping the power of the environmental protection agencies since Bolsonaro took office, going as far as using the Covid-19 pandemic as a smokescreen to further enable deforestation, logging and mining in the Amazon.

He added: This administration is doing nothing but putting the climate and more lives at risk, especially those of indigenous peoples.

Fires in the Brazilian Amazon increased by 20 per cent in June, reaching a 13-year-high for the month according to government data, and scientists have warned the region is on track for a repeat of last years devastating blazes.

A fire burns in the rainforest next to a freshly deforested area in Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso state, Brazil (Christian Braga / Greenpeace)

Meanwhile health experts also fear smoke from fires during the dry season is worsening respiratory problems due to air pollution and complicating tackling vast numbers of coronavirus cases. More than 76,000 people have died of Covid-19 in Brazil and the country has seen more than 2 million cases overall.

In June, Brazils government space research agency, INPE, detected 2,248 fires in the Amazon rainforest, up from 1,880 in June 2019.

Greenpeace said large fires in the Amazon rainforest do not occur naturally, but are deliberately set by farmers or land grabbers to expand the land used for cattle ranching and industrial agriculture production.

Mr Bolsonaro has been criticised for dismantling forest protections that had helped a record reduction in deforestation between 2004 and 2012. Deforestation in the Amazon has soared in recent years, reaching an 11-year high in 2019.

Indigenous peoples, already dealing with the risks of Covid-19, are believed to be at considerably higher risk due to the fires, which, as they intensify, mean greater quantities of air pollution are affecting the region.

Mr Bolsonaros response to the fires has been performative and ineffective, Greenpeace said and cited moves such as deploying the army in costly and unsuccessful operations to fight deforestation, as well as the announcement of his insufficient 120-day-long fires moratorium.

Mr Batista said: As Bolsonaros 2019 fire moratorium already showed, banning fires alone doesnt work. Protecting the capacity to monitor and stop environmental destruction and to enforce the law  which Bolsonaro continues to systematically dismantle  is essential. Those calling for action of the Brazilian government cannot fool themselves and think that Bolsonaros sloppy PR moves will have any meaningful impacts.

Hotspot next to a deforested area in Nova Maringa, Mato Grosso state (Christian Braga / Greenpeace)

International demand for goods including soy, timber, paper, beef and leather are among the key drivers of land clearances in the Amazon.

Last week, data from the WWF and the RSPB revealed 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.
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The global Fire Resistant Fabrics Market is anticipated to reach USD 8.5 billion by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2018, the treated Fire Resistant Fabrics segment accounted for the highest market share in terms of revenue. Europe is expected to be the leading contributor to the global Fire Resistant Fabrics market revenue in 2018.

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This column is an opinion. For more information about our commentary section, please read this editor's blog and our FAQ.

How did we get into this mess?

How did Alberta  in the midst of a pandemic  end up with a war between the provincial government and physicians?

And how did the two sides get so far apart they practically need binoculars to see each other?

The government says the main issue is money; the doctors say it's respect.

The government tore up the doctors' master agreement in February; the doctors (via the Alberta Medical Association) launched a $250-million lawsuit against the government in March.

Last week, the AMA said a survey of its members indicated 42 per cent are so unhappy they are considering leaving the province. Shandro ridiculed the survey results but this week took steps to ensure doctors can't leave the province en masse.

This week, the AMA took out full page newspaper ads once again accusing the government of bad faith bargaining but asking for talks to resume; Shandro rejected the ads as a meaningless negotiating tactic.

It'd be tempting to dismiss the conflict as simply contract negotiations run amuck.

Of course, that ignores the fact we're still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and physicians are, to put it mildly, important.

But there are two other reasons why this shouldn't be written off a simple contract dispute: Bill 30, and history.

Last week, the government introduced Bill 30, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, that would among other things, permit more private delivery of health care (still paid for by public dollars), change how doctors can be paid, and allow the government to place more of its appointees on health oversight committees.

CBC

Premier Jason Kenney says the government is simply making the health care system more efficient and accountable while trying to shorten wait times for surgeries and "keeping our commitment for public, universally accessible health care."

Story continues

That's not true, says NDP leader Rachel Notley. As far as she's concerned, Kenney is "opening the floodgates to more private health care. The bill allows for-profit corporations to contract for insured health services even at a demonstrable detriment to the public health system. It's not modernization, it's Americanization."

Notley, though, realizes whatever she says will be dismissed as yet another partisan attack on the government. So, she's been advising journalists to talk to Lorian Hardcastle, an associate professor of law and medicine at the University of Calgary. Hardcastle co-wrote an op-ed in the Edmonton Journal this week warning that Bill 30 opens the way to more private-for-profit health care.

"There are also concerns that quality of care may suffer when medical care is delivered in corporate-owned facilities due to incentives to cut corners to maximize shareholder profits," wrote Hardcastle. "We have already seen this tragically play out in the context of for-profit nursing homes."

Klein's attempted health-care coup

Then there's the issue of history. The debate swirling around health-care today sounds ominously like debates under previous Conservative governments in Alberta, most notably that of Ralph Klein two decades ago.

Klein wanted more "choice" in health care that included private clinics with overnight stays (effectively private hospitals) and doctors allowed to work in both the public system and a separate private system. Klein said major changes would improve health care while saving the province money.

In 2002 he bragged "spectacular" reforms to health care would "create a bit of a firestorm" and "a lot of protests." In 2004, he told his caucus his "unCanadian plans" might "contravene the interpretation of the Canada Health Act and that we ought to be ready for a firestorm."

In the end, Klein's ambitions for massive health care reform were blunted by pushback from the federal government and the Alberta public.

But as the cost of health care continued to rise, the talk of more private healthcare among conservative-minded circles continued apace.

That's why whenever a Conservative government in Alberta muses about changes to the system, critics are reminded of Klein's attempted health-care coup.

But even Klein didn't antagonize the province's physicians to the extent achieved by the Kenney government.

During debate in the legislature, Kenney has tried to undermine the credibility of doctors by referring to them as affluent "members of the one percent club" who should share in the province's economic pain. Shandro has threatened to release the billings of individual doctors, reasoning that because there's a "sunshine list" for civil servants' salaries, there should be one for taxpayer-funded doctors, too.

Except the two groups aren't comparable.

A senior member of Kenney's staff making $200,000, for example, doesn't have to pay office rent, office expenses and office staff. Doctors do.

The AMA says take-home pay for Alberta doctors is on par with other provinces.

But money is a red herring.

The dispute between the doctors and government is arguably less about compensation and more about power and influence in the health care system. Albertans should be asking themselves when it comes to safeguarding the future of health care, who do they trust more: the government or their doctor?
Taiwan's counter-landing drill with PLA in mind a 'naive, meaningless show'

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/16 19:13:40

A counter-landing drill, as part of Taiwan's annual Han Kuang exercises, was held on Thursday. It simulated a joint operation featuring land, naval and air troops against incoming landing forces, which obviously attempted to represent the Chinese mainland's People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The drill failed to acknowledge a potential real combat scenario in which PLA would likely launch intensive missile attacks first, and it also assumed the PLA could not seize air superiority and would not attack while landing, said Chinese military analysts, who called the drill a na?ve and meaningless show.

The drill took place at Jianan Beach in Taichung, a location the Taiwan military believes to be a potential spot for the PLA's landing, on Thursday morning, with Taiwan's regional leader Tsai Ing-wen in attendance, Taiwan media reported.

Designed to simulate PLA tactics, the exercise started with Taiwan military's fighter jets attacking the landing fleet, with a warship as support, after which artillery forces, attack helicopters and tanks fired and eventually "effectively stopped the hostile forces' landing operation," Taiwan media reported.

After watching the drill, military observers soon pointed out that its setting is nearly impossible, because it assumed Taiwan would automatically hold air superiority, Taiwan's weapons and equipment would remain intact prior to the counter-landing operation, and its troops would not suffer losses during the battle.

According to a computer combat simulation published by the Chinese mainland's Naval and Merchant Ships magazine in May, as well as many other military analysts, a reunification-by-force operation by the PLA will very likely start with intensive waves of missile and rocket attacks that would neutralize most of Taiwan's air defense capabilities, and PLA warplanes would then seize air superiority and sweep enemies, with PLA warships, including two aircraft carriers, also engaging in naval battles.

PLA landing operations would take place after this first round of assault, meaning that the scenario Taiwan military simulated on Thursday will not happen, because any weapons and troops they deployed in the drills will be mostly destroyed before their counter-landing operation, observers noted.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese mainland military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Taiwan military's exercises are a meaningless show, as they were set under ideal conditions.

The Tsai Ing-wen authority and Taiwan military know the Taiwan military does not stand a chance against the PLA, but they still wanted to give themselves a false sense of courage, Song said, noting that this mentality is also boosted by the US, which is selling weapons to the island.

In the previous days of this year's Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan launched missiles, torpedoes and carried out fighter jet sorties, Taiwan media reported.

Another Chinese mainland military expert told the Global Times on condition of anonymity that the exercises remained at a level in which only weapons were test-fired, and were far away from real joint drills.

The drills underestimated the PLA's determination and capability to achieve reunification, the expert said.

In the afternoon, a military helicopter participating in Taiwan's Han Kuang exercises crashed at an air force base in Hsinchu, Taiwan media reported

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Raj HC tells Speaker not to act against Pilot, rebels until Tuesday

India

oi-Deepika S

Jaipur, July 17: The Rajasthan High Court on Friday directed the state Assembly Speaker not to take any action on rebel Sachin Pilot's camp till Tuesday 5.30 pm. The court said it would resume hearing on Monday at 10 am. The Speaker was expected to take up the matter at 5 pm today.

The Rajasthan Speaker had issued notices to Sachin Pilot and 18 other rebel Congress MLAs after the party sought their disqualification from the state assembly.

Pilot, who was sacked as deputy chief minister of Rajasthan has said in his petition that dissatisfaction against the party's leadership cannot be a ground to make an MLA amenable for disqualification.

Rajasthan crisis: HC directs Speaker not to take action against Sachin Pilot camp till Tuesday

He also speaks of freedom of speech and expression in his amended petition before the Rajasthan High Court.

Mere expression of dissatisfaction or even disillusionment against the party leadership cannot be treated to be conduct falling within clause 2(1) (a) of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India.

The petition also challenges the validity of the clause under the 10th Schedule, while stating that this provision can be so widely construed that the very same fundamental freedom of speech and expression of a member of the House is jeopardised.

While dealing with this in the past, several Supreme Court judgments have held that indulging in any anti party activity tantamount to voluntarily giving up membership of the party, the petition also read.

Covid-19: 31.6 Lakh people in quarantine across India, highest in UP | Oneindia News

The basis of the disqualification notices by the Speaker was expressions of dissent by some MLAs. It is necessary that the High Court examines the validity of the same under the 10th Schedule.

Further Pilot has also sought for declaring 1(1) (a) of the 10th Schedule as ultra vires since it impinges upon the fundamental right of free speech.

Sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and the other MLAs were asked to respond to the notices by Friday. The notices were issued on Tuesday.

The MLAs had defied a whip and did not attend its legislature party meetings held on Monday and Tuesday.
UPDATED

The U.S. Department of Education has withheld the vast majority of Puerto Ricos emergency coronavirus aid for K-12 schools while the islands government looks for a third-party agent to manage the money, citing concerns about how the U.S. territory has handled federal grants in the past. But the top House lawmaker for education policy has questioned the move.

In mid-June, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Frank Brogan told Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vazquez Garced and Secretary of Education Eligio Hernandez Perez that of the islands nearly $400 million in money for education provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the territory will only be able to draw down $7.3 million for a 60-day budget period after the official grant award. That schedule is based on the timeline provided by Puerto Ricos government for hiring a third-party agent. The rest will remain out of the Puerto Rico Department of Educations control during that time.

The department cannot ignore the longstanding challenges that have been associated with Puerto Rico and PRDEs fiscal management of federal funds and the impact this has on effective Federal education program implementation, Brogan wrote to the governor and education secretary on June 16.

Puerto Rico enrolled 307,000 public school students in the 2019-20 school year, according to federal data, although educators there say that number can fluctuate significantly over the course of an academic year as students move between the island and the U.S. mainland. Officially listed as one school district as of the 2019-20 school year, Puerto Rico as such has had one of the ten largest enrollment levels in public schools of any U.S. system for years.

The long-term problems caused by the 2017 hurricanes and the earthquakes that started around the end of last year made the pandemic especially challenging for Puerto Ricos students and teachers.

Brogans said the department informed Puerto Rico about a federal requirement for the island to find a third-party agent to manage the aid in a May 22 letter. The department and the islands government then negotiated before reaching the agreement described in the June 16 letter.

In addition, Puerto Ricos entire governors fund in the CARES Act that can assist both K-12 and higher education, totaling $47.8 million, will also have to be put under the control of a third party, according to the letter. Brogan said Puerto Ricos government had told him it intends to use the entire governors fund for K-12 education. During this 60-day period, Puerto Rico will have to document how it plans to use CARES relief and prepare cost estimates.

Past investigations into how the islands education department have found significant problems. Just last year, the U.S. Department of Educations inspector general found a lack of oversight over disaster aid provided by the federal government to Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. And the islands former Secretary of Education Julia Keleher was arrested last year on charges of steering contracts to friends during her tenure; she was arrested a second time earlier this year, again for crimes allegedly commited during her time in office.

However, the chairman of the House education committee is criticizing the departments limits on Puerto Ricos CARES K-12 relief.

In a Wednesday letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., along with Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said that while the island had had challenges with federal grants in the past, a recent audit found relatively few problems and still fewer related to education spending. They also suggested that the department could have used different oversight requirements that would have released the money to Puerto Rico much more quickly.

While ensuring recipients have sufficient internal controls to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse is paramount to the successful implementation of any program, delayed funding distribution has undermined the core purpose of this program, Scott and Grijalva continued. To address these competing ends the Department should work collaboratively with all recipients to ensure rapid disbursement.

Scott and Grijalva (the chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, which handles oversight of Puerto Rico) noted that based on the timeline worked out by the department and the islands government, Puerto Rico wont have full access to its CARES education aid untl Aug. 15, shortly after the academic year starts for public schools there.

Photo: Kindergartner Andres Vazquez works at a plastic table under a gazebo where his teacher gives a class at a municipal athletic park in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down school buildings throughout the island, some children in Puerto Rico like Andres had been left out of school for nearly a month after an earthquake forced school closures earlier this year. --AP Photo/Carlos Giusti

Follow us on Twitter @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Politics K-12 reporters @EvieBlad @Daarel and @AndrewUjifusa .
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun political partys Youth Union in London held a protest against Azerbaijans aggression against Armenia, screaming Armenia and Artsakh, and the Azerbaijanis were holding a protest on the other side of the street, holding the Azerbaijani national flag and the photos of Azerbaijani servicemen killed as a result of Azerbaijani aggression in Armenias Tavush Province.

One of the Azerbaijanis crossed the street and tried to steal the poster held by an Armenian demonstrator, and this led to pushing and shoving.
Barb Green loved her family farm, animals and southwest Iowa.

Green, who died in February 2019, left behind gifts that will help students pursue agriculture or veterinary careers.

The Pottawattamie County Community Foundation said Green bequeathed about 900 acres of farmland to the foundation to be used to fund a scholarship to Iowa State University students pursuing degrees in agriculture or animal care.

Foundation President and CEO Donna Dostal and Iowa State University said an estimated $75,000 to $100,000 in scholarships will be offered annually, starting with the class of 2021. The scholarship is open to all Iowans, with preference given to students from Pottawattamie, Mills and Montgomery Counties.

Its a tremendous act of generosity on her part. The land was so important to her. Her horses were so important to her, Dostal said. She wanted to make sure farming stays vibrant in southwest Iowa and Iowa as a whole. This is a gift that will have a tremendous impact on our state for generations to come.

Details, including how many students per year will receive scholarships, are still being worked on.

Anything from ag finance, ag tech, veterinary medicine, theres a myriad of opportunities at Iowa State, Dostal said. Weve been working closely with Iowa State and the Southwest Iowa Education Foundation on scholarship parameters.

This is an amazing gift and one that will encourage and assist students who want to pursue a career in agriculture and attend Iowa State University for years to come, Daniel J. Robison, holder of the Endowed Deans Chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, said in a release from the university.

Greens great-grandparents, Charles and Julia Green, bought a stretch of 250 acres south of Council Bluffs in 1874. They had recently moved to America from Slesvig, Germany.

In 2010, Green told the Nonpareil she remembered walking the grounds of the family farm with her father, Gustave, as a young girl. Theyd check on the poultry and dairy cows, tend to the needs of the beef cattle and make sure everything on the farm was in order. She remembers fishing on lakes and ponds with Dad and her brother, Roger.

The land earned Iowa Century Farm distinction that year.

Barb spent her entire life around agriculture and animals. She was proud of her cats and was an avid member of the quarter horse community. Most of all, she was honored that her familys farm was recognized as a Century Farm in the state of Iowa, said local attorney Eric Hamilton, who served as executor of Greens estate. As a lifelong resident of Pottawattamie County, she wanted to make sure her familys legacy and farm would live on long after her death. The endowment of her farm to PCCF to be used for scholarships at Iowa State in the agriculture and veterinary fields will forever be a reminder of her generosity and caring for this community.

Dostal said the foundation now owns the Green farmland  which the family grew over the years, there are two parcels in the Council Bluffs area, along with a third between Carson and Macedonia. The foundation has created a separate limited liability corporation to run the farm, cash renting it to farmers. Dostal said the governing board of the LLC is made up mostly of area farmers with the expertise to manage the operation. The foundation estimated the land is worth around $6 million.

Proceeds from the cash rental to farmers will fund the scholarships.

There are very few organizations or institutions that will take those gifts of land and keep them and use them. Mostly theyll liquidate them and put into funds, utilize the gift in different ways, Dostal said, noting that Green stipulated in her gift that the land remain a farm. This is a very specific wish.

Additionally, Green sold her personal real estate and property and split the proceeds between the foundation and Midlands Humane Society. That gift totaled $566,580 for the foundation and $141,582 for the humane society.

It was a huge donation that were so thankful for, said Nikki Cruickshank, Midlands executive director. We will work through our board of directors to find where its most appropriate to use the funds. It will have a major impact on the animals that we help.

Dostal said Greens impact will be felt for years to come.

Were excited about this opportunity to fulfill the wishes of Barb Green, Dostal said, and open opportunities for other people in the region who want to see land farmed. This scholarship will create solutions for families just like Barb Greens.

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British Airways, the world's largest operator of Boeing 747s, will retire its entire jumbo jet fleet with immediate effect after the novel coronavirus pandemic sent air travel into freefall. For over 50-years, Boeing's "Queen of the Skies" has been the world's most easily recognised jetliner with its humped fuselage and four engines, but its days had already been numbered before the pandemic struck earlier this year. BA had been planning to retire the aircraft in 2024 but with passenger numbers decimated this year and forecasts that it will be years before ...
Fears of a local lockdown are brewing in Burton upon Trent where 35 new Covid-19 cases have been detected in the past fortnight.

The spike has been centered in two areas of the East Staffordshire town - Anglesey and Shobnall - and has only been spotted since 'Super Saturday' on July 4.

Local health chiefs say restrictions may be tightened if the outbreak can't be 'nipped in the bud'.

They haven't yet imposed any additional measurements on top of the advice given to the rest of England, such as sticking to social distancing and hand washing.

Councillors said they are speaking to faith leaders, shop and business owners, in an effort to control the outbreak.

Most of the cases are among the South Asian population, following the same pattern in Blackburn - another town facing the threat of a local lockdown.

Leicester is still the only place in the UK to have been hit by local Covid-controlling measures. Health Secretary Matt Hancock last night revealed the city's lockdown would be extended for at least another two weeks on the premise that infections had not lowered enough.

The spike has been centered in two areas of the East Staffordshire town - Anglesey and Shobnall - since 'Super Saturday' on July 4

The county council has claimed there are no current plans for Burton to return to a strict lockdown.

However, Dr Richard Harling, Staffordshire County Council's director of health and care, said that a local lockdown 'could happen in Burton, which was no different to anywhere else in the country', if the situation got worse, Derbyshire Live reported.

In a statement posted last night, Staffordshire County Council said: 'There have been 35 positive cases reported in and around the Anglesey and Shobnall areas since lockdown eased on July 4.'

Fourteen of the new cases are reportedly spread over two families and were tracked down by NHS contact tracers.

Wakefield is expecting to be identified as an 'area of concern' Wakefield is expecting to be identified as an 'area of concern' following an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the West Yorkshire district. The local authority area has been hit by localised outbreaks in factories and concern has grown after the resulting testing showed the majority of those found positive were asymptomatic. The council said in a statement: 'Further to the release of government data showing an increase in the number of cases of Covid-19, it is expected that the Wakefield district will be identified as an 'area of concern'.' The city's director of public health, Anna Hartley, said: 'The increase in case numbers has resulted from two large workplace outbreaks, where workforce testing identified large numbers of asymptomatic cases. 'It is this early warning system that has identified the need for everyone to increase their efforts to tackle the spread of the virus, especially in areas of our lives where social distancing is not possible. 'Now is absolutely not the time to be complacent. We must all work together to take action and follow the simple safety advice to protect ourselves and each other.' Ms Hartley said the council was exploring making community testing available in areas of higher concern for people who do not have symptoms. She said: 'Even though more things are starting to return to normal, the threat of Covid-19 remains a very real threat to our health and the health of our family, friends and colleagues.' Ms Hartley urged residents to keep taking precautions including hand-washing and wearing masks in enclosed public places. She said: 'There is a growing concern that the number of people testing positive for the virus will continue to rise, and that the risk of more localised outbreaks remains - unless people take more action to reduce the spread of infection.' Outbreaks in the Wakefield district have included a group of cases at a bed factory in Ossett and a food plant in Normanton. Earlier this week the council confirmed 18 new positive cases at a home for asylum seekers in the city. Advertisement

'Although there is currently no significant concern in the town or plans for any lockdown measures there have been a number of single cases and two family-related clusters,' the statement read.

'Residents in Burton are being called on to stick to the Covid-19 rules and get tested immediately if they have symptoms to help prevent the spread of infection in the community.'

Dr Harling said over the 'last few weeks there were a couple of days when we had quite a lot' of cases in the East Staffordshire area - on average between five and ten cases per day.

Staffordshire generally saw a drop of cases in the week leading up to July 5, according to Public Health England (PHE) data.

But from July 6 to 12, a further 74 cases were diagnosed.

Dr Harling said 25 people had tested positive across Burton upon Trent's area of East Staffordshire specifically in the past 10 days alone - 12 on July 7, 10 on July 9 and one each on July 11, 12 and 13.

Postcode-level information for Burton upon Trent and every other town and village finally became available yesterday after PHE released a new interactive map showing new cases.

Yesterday figures showed there were 14 cases were diagnosed in the parish of Shobnall, where some 5,000 people live, in the week between July 6 and 12.

Burton Central, which partially includes the parish of Anglesey, where some 7,000 people live, recorded 12 cases. Burton Horninglow saw four.

Burton has remained open for business, but one school closed a day ahead of summer break last night in fear of a further spread of infection.

Paget High School announced that it closed its doors early for the summer holidays yesterday, July 16, in response to the news of new cases in the Anglesey and Shobnall areas.

Writing on Facebook, head teacher Ian Brierly said: 'In order to mitigate any possibility of spreading the infection, the governors and I believe it is everyone's best interest and safety to close one day early.'

Local media report most of the new cases are among South Asians, who are at significantly higher risk of severe illness than white people.

Alan White, Staffordshire County Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said: 'We know that people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds (BAME) also face a higher risk from Covid-19 so it is important as ever not to let our guard down.

'As a county council. we are doing everything we can to act swiftly to contain any outbreaks and by acting now we can work together to help prevent the further spread of infection.'

It follows the same concerns in Blackburn with Darwen, the most at risk of a Leicester-style lockdown, saying most new cases in the area were among South Asian people.

Dominic Harrison, the authority's director of public health, said 85 per cent of the 114 new cases were people from South Asian backgrounds. That's despite the South Asian community only accounting for 30 per cent of the council's 150,000 population.

Many other areas of England which have the current highest infection rates of Covid-19, such as Bradford, Rochdale and Oldham, also have large South Asian communities.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said local lockdowns can be used to control Covid-19 moving forward, as he revealed a roadmap out of the country-wide restrictions today.

Speaking at a Downing Street press briefing, he said: 'At the start of the pandemic, we knew far less about the spread of the virus and we had to take blanket national measures.

'National lockdown was undoubtedly the right thing to do and has saved many thousands of lives.

'Now, however, we know more about the virus, we understand the epidemiology better and our intelligence about where it is spreading is vastly improved. That means we can control it through targeted local action instead."
New insights into Ewing sarcoma, an aggressive childhood cancer, were published July 15 in the prestigious journal Nature. Researchers from the Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio contributed to the study.

Ewing sarcoma is a bone and soft tissue cancer that primarily affects children and adolescents. The discovery, made by scientists at the University of Toronto, relates to cell structures called nucleoli and a physical change they undergo called phase separation.

The Toronto team observed that to form normal nucleoli, a structure must be made in the DNA. This is accomplished by the delicate balance of two different, but opposing, genetic code-reading machines. If these systems are not in balance, nucleoli lose their form and break up into smaller entities, the team found.

Study author Alexander Bishop, DPhil, of UT Health San Antonio, with team members at the Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, previously showed that one of the genetic code-reading machines is overactive in Ewing sarcoma. In the newly published study, they confirmed that, in Ewing sarcoma, this overactivity causes the nucleoli to break up into smaller entities.

We are working now to better understand the impacts of this biology in Ewing sarcoma and how we can take advantage of it therapeutically." Alexander Bishop, DPhil, Study Author, of UT Health San Antonio

Dr. Bishop joined UT Health San Antonio in 2005. He is an associate professor in the Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy of the Long School of Medicine, is a researcher in the university's Greehey Institute, and is a member of the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson.

Funding for the UT Health San Antonio investigators is from the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. At night the Azerbaijani side has fired shots not only in the section of Armenias Tavush province where the military operations were underway in recent days, but also along the Tavush border, in the section of Gegharkunik, also in the Nakhijevan part, however, the tension has been reduced significantly, official representative of the Crisis Information Center Artsrun Hovhannisyan said at a briefing today.

At night the adversary carried out nearly 120 shots, violations along the border with Armenia. Mostly firearms were used, including those of large caliber, but artillery and other larger caliber weapons were not used. Shots were fired not only at the direction where the main operations were being carried out recently, but also along the border of Tavush, including also at the direction of Noyemberyan. There have been shots also in the section of Gegharkunik, in the 2nd army corps front, in the Nakhijevan section, he said.

However, Hovhannisyan said that it can be considered that the tension has been greatly eased. In fact, at the moment the situation is calm, there are no shots.

Since July 12th, Azerbaijan has launched a series of cross-border attacks against Armenias northern Tavush province.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
T hree French police officers have been charged with manslaughter over the death of a delivery driver who shouted "I'm suffocating" as he was being arrested.

Footage showed Cedric Chouviat, 42, shouting seven times as officers held him down for about 20 seconds, before his body went limp. He died in hospital two days later.

He was initially stopped by officers near the Eiffel Tower in Paris for looking at his phone while riding his scooter and having a dirty licence plate, Le Monde reported.

A coroner later said the father-of-five had died of asphyxia and a broken larynx.

A fourth police officer is under investigation, but has not been charged, AFP news agency reports.

Mr Chouviat's family say the charges are not severe enough "for the violence and aggressiveness of the police officers". The family said "voluntary blows led to the death of Cedric Chouviat".

It is understood a charge of "voluntary violence" could lead to a harsher sentence than manslaughter.

The family now want the chokehold and restraint techiniques used on Mr Chouviat to be banned in France.

Amid the protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, US, at least 15,000 demonstrators took to the streets in Paris last month.

Black Lives Matter protests across the world - In pictures 1 /28 Black Lives Matter protests across the world - In pictures A banner and a US. flag are placed on the Monument a la Republique in Paris REUTERS Protesters in Perth Australia Getty Images Speakers at the Black Lives Matter Rally at Langley Park in Perth Getty Images Police officers are seen during a protest against police brutality and the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Paris REUTERS Perth protests Getty Images Speakers take to the stage during the Black Lives Matter Rally in Perty Getty Images Protesters show their support during the Black Lives Matter Rally at Langley Park in Perty Getty Images Demonstrators march through the streets in Perth AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators march through the streets in Perth AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators march through the streets in Perth AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators march through the streets in Perth Getty Images Demonstrators march through the streets in Perth Getty Images Thousands of people take part in a demonstration against police brutality and racism in Paris AP French riot police forces detain a protester during a rally as part of the 'Black Lives Matter' AFP via Getty Images French riot police forces detain protesters AFP via Getty Images The crowds in Paris AFP via Getty Images A man wearing a protective face mask and googles walks past a broken store window in Paris REUTERS Assa Traore (C), the sister of Adama Traore, who died in police custody in 2016 in Paris AFP via Getty Images Protesters hold flares as they stand next to a banner reading 'Confronted to police brutality - Self defence' in Paris AFP via Getty Images A house facade with a graffiti against police in Paris. AFP via Getty Images An injured demonstrator is helped away in Paris AFP via Getty Images

Protesters were led by supporters of Adama Traore, a French black man who died in police custody in 2016 in circumstances which remain unclear despite four years of back-and-forth autopsies. No one has been charged in the case.

Similar protests were also held in cities around France, from Rouen in Normandy in the northwest to Marseille on the Mediterranean.

Some demonstrators were encouraged that the French Government responded by banning police chokeholds and launching investigations into racist comments in private Facebook and WhatsApp groups for police.

But the decision to ban chokeholds was reversed just a few days later after a backlash from police unions.
Gentrification in Sydney, New South Wales. Credit: University of Queensland

The innermost suburbs of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne are not seeing a change in gentrification according to new research from The University of Queensland. Instead, the highest levels of urban renewal are occurring within a band located five to 15 kilometers from the cities' central business districts (CBDs).

UQ planning researcher Dr. Dorina Pojani said this contradicted urban geography theories that framed gentrification as an inner-city phenomenon.

"The inner CBD suburbs in all three cities are relatively stable and affluent at this point." Dr. Pojani said.

"There are no noticeable changes, with median house prices surpassing one million dollars, and median incomes substantially higher than average. Gentrifiers are unable to access the housing market in the inner cities and therefore need to relocate outside the CBD bubble."

The researchers looked at common demographic metrics including increasing household incomes, educational attainment, home ownership and white collar occupations as well as decreasing age and growing population density.

These indicators were combined with data from multiple sources, including the Australian census, Google Maps and local council data repositories.

Gentrification in Melbourne, Victoria. Credit: University of Queensland

The findings challenge anti-gentrification sentiments or even protests, which in all three cities originate from inner-city suburbs.

"It is clear that community backlash has not stemmed from poor and vulnerable groups fearing displacement," Dr. Pojani said.

"Rather, it may be considered as a manifestation of the NIMBYNot In My Backyardsyndrome, promulgated by local homeownersonce themselves gentrifiers. It may be the case that inner-city communities react to more visible developments in the urban core, which take the form of high-rise, luxury housing and commerce. Resistance to inner-city redevelopment may also be a reaction to Australia's liberal approaches to city planning, which have enabled private developers to build with minimal community participation."

Dr. Pojani and her co-authors believe a new, broader vision for urban housing is needed.

Gentrification in Brisbane, Queensland. Credit: University of Queensland

"As the state capitals continue to experience a major housing affordability crisis, governments need to introduce an integrated package of housing policies rather than attempt to 'patch' gentrification clusters on an ad hoc basis," she said.

"A dysfunctional housing system, which produces inequalities and gentrification waves, harms Australian society at large. The country risks being divided into two classesthe 'housing haves,' and the 'housing have nots,' and no one wants that."

The research is published in Australian Planner.

Explore further Study examines how gentrifiers' race affects retail development

More information: Claudia Pegler et al. Gentrification in Australia's largest cities: a bird's-eye view, Australian Planner (2020). Claudia Pegler et al. Gentrification in Australia's largest cities: a bird's-eye view,(2020). DOI: 10.1080/07293682.2020.1775666
After two services and a handful of commanders created their own policies banning the Confederate flag on military installations, a new Pentagon memo now blocks its display on Defense Department bases worldwide.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Friday signed a policy specifying the flags that are cleared to be displayed publicly on military installations. The Confederate flag is not on the list of those cleared to fly.

"With this change in policy, we will further improve the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the force in defense of our great Nation," Esper wrote.

Read next: All Fires on the Bonhomme Richard Are Now Out, Navy Says

Military leaders have been pressing Esper to put in place a DoD-wide ban on the Confederate flag, The Associated Press reported Friday. President Donald Trump has expressed support for all Americans' right to fly the flag, which is why the policy doesn't mention the Confederate flag by name, the AP reported.

One official told the outlet that the workaround is a creative way to ban the Confederate flag in a manner that may not raise the president's ire. Trump previously said he would block attempts by the Army to rename bases that honor Confederate leaders.

Flags are powerful symbols, especially for the military community, Esper wrote in the new guidance.

"We must always remain focused on what unifies us: our sworn oath to the Constitution and our shared duty to defend the Nation," he wrote. "I am committed to fielding the most powerful military force the world has known by strengthening the bonds of our most valuable resource -- our people.

"The flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline," Esper added, "treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols."

In addition to the U.S. flag, those cleared to be displayed on military installations include:

Flags for U.S. states, territories and Washington, D.C.;

Military service flags;

General or flag officer flags;

Presidentially-appointed or Senate-confirmed civilian flags;

Senior executive service and military department-specific SES flags;

The Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag;

Flags of other countries, for which the U.S. is an ally or partner, or for official protocol purposes;

Flags of organizations in which the U.S. is a member, such as NATO;

Ceremonial, command, unit or branch flags or guidons.

The guidance applies to any public display or depiction of a flag by service members or Defense Department civilians in workplaces, and public or common-access areas, the memo states. That includes in office buildings, naval vessels, aircraft, government vehicles, hangars, breakrooms, restrooms, open-bay barracks, schoolhouses and outside any government-operated housing.

Unauthorized flags will be allowed in some areas, including in museum exhibits, grave sites, and on state-issued license plates. The Mississippi state flag featured a Confederate emblem for more than 125 years, but lawmakers there recently voted to change it.

Esper's new guidance followed closely the rules the top Marine general put into place in June.

The Marine Corps was the first service to ban the Confederate flag, and the Navy announced last month that it would also be moving toward a similar ban.

Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger told Military.com in March that the Corps, as a combat organization, can't afford any breakdowns in trust or unit cohesion.

"Things that divide us are not good," Berger said.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Related: From Bumper Stickers to T-Shirts, Confederate Flags Now Officially Off-Limits for Marines
Technology for reducing the viscosity of lignin oil from wood wastes with a high potential for industrial applications. Potential for the mass-producing petroleum-replacing fuels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through bio fuel

A Korean research team has developed a key technology for the mass-production of bio-aviation fuels. The team, led by Dr. Jeong-Myeong Ha of the Clean Energy Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), has announced its successful development of a technology that can be used to mass-produce aviation-grade fuels from wood wastes. The ability to produce aviation-grade fuel from oil derived from wood waste--which up until now has been difficult due to the high viscosity of the oil--is expected to help international aviation companies comply with the new strong

*emissions regulations, which are scheduled to go into effect in 2027.

*ICAO (the International Civil Aviation Organization) intends to regulate aviation industry greenhouse gas emissions starting in 2027.

Lignin constitutes 20 to 40 percent of lignocellulose including woods and grass, lignocellulose. Large volumes of lignin are generated as waste in the pulping processes that are used to produce paper. The pyrolysis of lignin produces an oil, which has little industrial utility due to its high viscosity. For this reason, lignin waste is typically used by paper mills as a low-grade boiler fuel, rather than as a high-grade fuel or as a raw material for chemical products.

The research team, led by Dr. Jeong-Myeong Ha of the KIST, used '**hydrocracking' to prepare hydrocracked lignin oil, which was mixed at a ratio of (raw lignin oil:hydrocrackd oil =) 7:3 with raw lignin oil to substantially reduce the viscosity of the oil to 1/7 (from 750 cp to 110 cp; e.g. the viscosity of water is 1 cp, and the viscosity of cooking oil is 80 cp), allowing it to be used for industrial purposes.

** Hydrocracking: Technique used in the petrochemical and refining industry to break down crude oil which is difficult to use as fuel.

The mixed oil prepared in this manner can be recycled to 'hydrocracking' process for the continuous process to mass-produce the bio-aviation fuels. Further, the final fuel product, similar to the contents of jet fuel, has a low freezing point compared to gasoline and diesel, and has a high energy density, being sutiable to bio-aviation fuels.

Dr. Jeong-Myeong Ha of the KIST, who led the research, commented on the team's research, saying, "Despite the digital revolution, a sharp increase in global parcel volumes supports the global paper production. Conventional chemical reaction methods were unable to convert the large volumes of lignin wastes from paper mills into high quality fuels, but our research has opened up the potential for the mass-production of jet fuels from the otherwise useless lignin wastes." He added, "This achievement will allow Korea to proactively meet jet fuel greenhouse emissions regulations, which will go into effect starting from 2027."

###

The research, backed by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), was conducted as an Institutional Research Program of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and as part of the Technology Development Program to Solve Climate Changes of the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The results of the study were published in the latest issue of Energy Conversion and Management (JCR top 1.866%), an international academic journal in the field of energy science.
WISE, Va.  The chancellor of the University of Virginias College at Wise has been named the 2020 Outstanding Woman Leader in Virginia higher education.

The Virginia Network for Women in Higher Education surprised Chancellor Donna Price Henry with the award after conducting a webinar for the Network on Leading with Passion and Perseverance.

Henry has led UVa-Wise since January 2013 and is the first woman chancellor at the college, according to a news release from the organization.

As chancellor, she has played a vital role in establishing new initiatives such as the innovate2elevate iPad project, recruitment expansion into the Appalachian Regional Commission and increasing experiential learning opportunities for students through internships, undergraduate research and study abroad, the release states.

Henry also promotes leadership development within her organization and serves as a mentor and encourager for many women in higher education, the release states. Henry recently served as chairwoman of the Council of Presidents in Virginia, for which she helped lead conversations with peer institutions and other state agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organization established a committee and solicited nominations from across the state. It received 29 nominations advocating for women who serve as role models to women, have a commitment to developing and fostering the empowerment of women leaders and who exemplify leadership, success and service, the release states.

Henry was gifted a piece of art created by Cyndi Gusler, a professor of art at Eastern Mennonite University.

The Virginia Network is one of more than 50 state networks created and supported by the American Council on Educations ACE Womens Network.

***This story has been updated to include a correction due to incorrect information supplied to the Bristol Herald Courier regarding the name of the creator and supporter of the Virginia Network.
Movies which artistically twist reality and offer alternate histories have always been a favourite among fans. There is just something about What Ifs and conspiracy theories that has always intrigued us.

 Universal Pictures

The manner in which certain Hollywood movies have played with official narratives, and presented them in a slightly tweaked or altogether different manner is simply mesmerising. We are talking about films that have won Oscars, and praises from the audience, in equal measure.

 Sony Pictures Releasing

Often times, these films, not only successfully achieve a suspension of disbelief, it makes audiences assume that certain scenarios may just be true, albeit, for a fraction of a second.

 20th Century Fox

Here are a few examples of a few movies, that have twisted histories willy-nilly, but ultimately were able to force their audiences to actually sit back and imagine, what if this actually happened?

Inglourious Basterds, 2009

The manner in which Inglourious Basterds puts forth the idea of Germany losing World War II is pure fiction. However, it would be safe to assume that this would have been more cathartic had it been the case. The movie shows that Hitler was assassinated by Brad Pitt's team. In reality, though, Hitler killed himself, fearing his arrest, or so the official narrative says. Also, there is no official record of an all American-Jewish team, that terrorised Nazis, but there were a number of teams which specialised in covert ops. Still, no doubt, that it is one of the best Hollywood films on war, without showing a scene of combat.

Forrest Gump, 1994

Forrest Gump is one of the best feel-good films ever made. The number of historical events it twists to fit into its story and create Forrest Gump as a character is uncanny. Just to name a few examples, he apparently led to the discovery of the Watergate scandal, the most controversial scandals to hit American Politics, he also led to the invention of the Smiley Face, became the face of American troops withdrawing from the Vietnam War and many other incidents like that. Of course, it wasn't the same man who did all that.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, 2019

Another Tarantino film to make the list, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood has a lot of real historical characters from the 1960s. However, it does play fast and loose with a number of incidents around those characters. Bruce Lee's portrayal is the best example, of how Tarantino twisted history.

The Interview, 2014

Technically, The Interview doesn't exactly fall under alternate history. However, it did provide an alternate reality - how would a covert assassination plan on Kim Jong Un would go. The film was so kitschy, it bordered on absurd. However, it was a fun film to watch.

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, 2011

Although it was just a plot point for the film, we did get to see, what many conspiracy theorists believe. Apparently, the dark side of the moon is hidden from us because of a clandestine plan by the governments of the world, and that the first mission to the moon, was just a ruse to go up there and investigate the secrets of the moon, and of course, aliens. We're not saying this, this is what the film showed.

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, 2012

People would say that Daniel Day Lewis's Lincoln is the best cinematic representation of Abraham Lincoln, the iconic American president. To them, we say, have you seen Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter? Now that's what we call an alternate history. Not only was Abraham Lincoln a resolute and troubled president who steered America through one of the bloodiest and darkest civil wars the world has ever seen, he was also a grade-A martial artist, who hunted vampires.

Special Mention - The Man In The High Castle

Although this is not a movie, we just had to mention this, given how brilliantly made it is. Imagine a world where Hitler's Germany actually won World War II and ruled over the world. What would people with massive hero complex (read Americans) do in such a world, is what the show is all about. Honestly, guys, if you haven't watched this show, you're missing out on some great fictional work.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation has initiated antibody testing for frontline workers. Staff and officials, including sanitary workers, fever survey staff, volunteers and doctors will be tested, Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said.

In the first batch, around 1,000 officials at Ripon building were tested on Thursday. Antibody tests are said to be faster, throwing out results within a few minutes and are done using blood samples. While RT-PCR is the standard method, it is time-consuming, so antibody tests are being done in parallel for quicker results, Prakash said.

If the IgM antibody is detected, they will be initiated into treatment cycle. If the IgG antibody is detected, it shows they have already recovered and are infection-free, but will continue to wear masks and follow precautions. If both of these are negative, it means they have not been infected so far, he said. The Corporation chief also said that 227 people who tested positive have given false or incomplete addresses and wrong phone numbers and are untraceable. Out of 80,000 (positive cases), 227 is a small number but we cant let it go. We are talking to the police everyday, checking everyday, he said.
The New York Citys medical examiner, on Thursday revealed that Fahim Saleh the CEO of Gokada died of multiple stab wounds. CNN re...

The New York Citys medical examiner, on Thursday revealed that Fahim Saleh the CEO of Gokada died of multiple stab wounds.





CNN reports that an autopsy by the citys Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that Saleh died as a result of stab wounds to the neck and torso and found his manner of death to be a homicide.





Its been reported that Authorities are still investigating the matter to find the assassin and the culprits behind Salehs death.





Also, his family in a statement said no words or actions to provide any of us comfort except the capture of the person who exhibited nothing short of evil upon our loved one.

He was such a brilliant and innovative mind.





The headlines talk about a crime we still cannot fathom.





Fahim is more than what you are reading. He is so much more.





His brilliant and innovative mind took everyone who was a part of his world on a journey and he made sure never to leave anyone behind, the statement read.





Recall that the 33-year-old who was also a co-founder of ride-sharing venture Pathao, was found dead in his Manhattans Lower East Side apartment on Tuesday.




Chennai, July 17 : The Covid-19 pandemic has taken out the charm of annual general meetings (AGM) with the one-day Sultans of the corporate world -- retail shareholders -- being confined to their homes.

With listed companies holding their AGMs online owing to the pandemic, the business of various auditoriums, meeting halls, sweet shop chains, logistics providers and others have been impacted.

At the AGMs one can meet different kinds of shareholders-the sincere one raising pertinent questions, the AGM hoppers and the indifferent ones demanding different variety of sweets.

While some genuine shareholders would raise pertinent and uncomfortable questions about the company and employee shareholders would immediately spring up to praise the management.

At times there would be some unforgettable faux pas like a shareholder who instead of asking the management 'when do you plan to restart production' blurts out 'when do you plan to start reproduction'.

The other standard shareholder statements would be to increase dividend, issue of bonus shares.

Many a shareholder would keep mum only to do their morning physical exercises at the hall by raising their hands to pass the resolutions moved by the management.

But once in a decade or more, one will be fortunate enough to witness an interesting shareholders meeting where the one-day Sultans would grill the corporate emperors.

And one such AGM this city saw was that of Best and Crompton's held in 1990s.

At that time the company was part of Vijay Mallya's UB Group and was not doing well.

Disillusioned workers and shareholders of Best and Crompton dubbed their chairman Mallya as an NPA (non-performing asset) and also asked him to resign from the board.

Placards with slogans against Mallya added more colour to the scene.

However, due credit has to be given to Mallya at the way he conducted the meeting.

At one point, a smiling Mallya even told the shareholders to speak one-by-one so that he could hear them all! The historic AGM was adjourned as no business was transacted due to the noisy scenes.

Mallya later sold Best and Crompton to an Indonesian group.

Starting July every year, the AGM season would begin in the city during which many auditoriums and other meeting halls would be bustling with activity.

The sweet shops too would do good business then, as many corporates would be sourcing several kilos of Mysurpa boxes to be distributed to shareholders at the venue here.

One can see sweet box collectors at AGMs. Some shareholders coming to the AGM venue sign in the registers, collect the sweet box and hop on to their vehicles to reach some other AGM to collect yet another sweet box.

There have been instances where shareholders at the AGMs exhorted the management to give them a different sweet as they got bored with Mysurpa.

Some clever sweet box collector shareholders used to transfer a few shares in favour of their family members so that they could collect more sweet boxes.
His family found an old man on a bed soaked through with urine at the J J Hospital.

The man whose name drew thousands to public meetings was requesting anyone who cared to listen to change his bedsheets. But there was no one to do so.

Jyoti Punwani reports.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Professor Varavara Rao, poet and activist.

IMAGE: Photograph:

The worst fears of the family members of the 10 human rights activists arrested for the January 1, 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence, have come true. The eldest among them, 79-year-old poet Varavara Rao, has tested positive for COVID-19.

"It was in their hands to protect him from the virus," said a relative bitterly, "but they didn't."

On May 28, when he was admitted to the J J Hospital after having fainted in the Taloja jail, near Mumbai, Professor Rao didn't have Covid.

"We pleaded in court that he be released on bail, given his health and the danger of getting infected in jail," said the relative. "But the NIA (National Investigation Agency) accused us of using Covid as an excuse to get him out."

"The court sent him back to jail and now he is infected."

That's not the only shocking news about the professor of Telugu literature, editor of the path-breaking literary journal Srujana and co-founder of Virasam, the progressive writers's movement in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

On July 13, a day after his family held a press conference asking that he be given immediate medical treatment, Taloja jail authorities shifted Professor Rao to the J J Hospital in south central Mumbai.

At the press conference, his family told the media that during a phone call made by him on July 11, they had found Professor Rao to be incoherent. His co-accused had told them he could not even brush his teeth on his own.

Like on May 28, this time too, the jail authorities moved him to the J J Hospital without informing his family.

When they finally met him at the J J Hospital on Wednesday, July 15, they found an old man left by himself on a bed soaked through with urine in the transit ward of the J J Hospital. His clothes too were soaked.

The man whose name drew thousands to public meetings was requesting anyone who cared to listen to change his bedsheets. But there was no one to do so.

Luckily, the family had carried some clothes for him. However, they proved insufficient thanks to his prostate problem.

They were told that no treatment or equipment was available in the transit ward.

What was worse than his physical condition was the fact that he could not immediately recognise his wife. It was only after she repeatedly told him her name that it registered.

Professor Rao's coaccused had told the family that he kept hallucinating that he had been granted bail and his family was waiting outside the jail to take him home.

At the J J Hospital too, he was overjoyed that they had come to take him home.

Even after being told that he had not yet got bail, Professor Rao could not contain his happiness at seeing his family. Alas, their joy was shortlived as the nurse on duty threw them out.

When they returned on Thursday, they were told he had tested positive for COVID-19 and they could not meet him.

Professor Rao was shifted to the government-run St George hospital in south Mumbai on Thursday evening.

Now, his family will not be able to meet him till he recovers.

"Had he been his old self, he would have fought Covid even at his age," said the relative. "But now, in this state, totally isolated, not even in his senses some of the time, how will he fight the infection? Will there be someone to help him?"

The worst thing would be Professor Rao's total isolation. Family support, even through phone calls, has been proven to be invaluable in helping Covid patients recover.

As a prisoner, will Professor Rao be allowed to have a phone with him?

These and other questions torment his family.

On July 13, in response to an SOS issued by the Human Rights Defenders Alert, the National Human Rights Commission directed that notices be issued to the chief secretary, Maharashtra, and the director general of prisons calling for a detailed report on Professor Rao, and asked that a medical board be constituted to examine him.

On learning about his condition at the J J Hospital, Henry Tiphagne of the Human Rights Defenders has sent another letter to the NHRC asking it to direct Maharashtra's DG prisons to ensure that Professor Rao is immediately shifted to a super speciality hospital, and that he be treated at government cost.

In 1986, Varavara Rao had written this poem, describing the agony of a prisoner and his beloved:

Distraught

Even as you agitate in agony,

Even as you look on

I am shackled...

Time and I have only two limbs

Day and night

The enemy has four legs

Tele-ear, tele-gaze, radio-mouth

and armed palms...

In what discourse

Can we converse

With the heartless?

His words could well describe the scene that took place 34 years later when he met his family at the J J Hospital.

But in prison, he also wrote this:

My poetry was born

From the pangs of struggle.

Cover it if you must

You will see it escape through

The spaces of your fingers,

Its vibrant, anguished notes

Snapping in anger,

Setting tears on fire

And flowing forth

A river of blood-red syllables.

For his family and his many admirers, these words could give hope.
While Shells ~$17-billion Australian LNG project, Prelude, hasnt produced since February after shipping its first product in June 2019 and no one knows when it will be restored due to the pandemic market, Russian LNG has an entirely different problem--politics.

Homegrown LNG has been threatening to steal European gas market share from Gazproms piped gas, in a situation that has Putin playing his oligarchs off against each other. Three companies are vying for this market--Gazprom, Rosneft and Novatek--and theyre all government-backed.

Last year, and long before the pandemic crushed demand, Novatek managed to supply more LNG to Europe than any of its competitors. This sparked a massive feud that saw Gazprom accuse Novatek of cheating the government on taxes. Today, Gazprom has another LNG threat: Rosneft, which is trying to acquire fields in the Russian Arctic that would add yet more LNG supply to rival Gazproms piped gas.

Now, Rosneft is coming up against a brick wall in its attempt to buy three gas fields that could further upset Gazproms dominance, and the ministries are involved. The three Russian Arctic fields in question are Deryabinskoye, Turkovskoye and Kazantsevskoye, and the end game would be to run Rosneft LNG from these fields through the Northern Sea Route.

But Gazprom, already under threat from Novateks LNG market share in Europe, isnt having it. Gazprom wants
Lenovo is about to release a high-spec gaming phone with a rarely (if ever) seen feature, according to a listing from the Chinese site JD.com (via 91mobiles). The Legion smartphone packs a 20-megapixel pop-up selfie camera located on the side, smack in the middle. That could make it easier to stream yourself while gaming in landscape mode or just be the first on the block with a weird new feature.

Consistent with the phones sporty nature, the camera will pop up in just 0.496 seconds and retract in 0.5 seconds. That would make it the fastest pop-up camera yet, according to Lenovo, and it will have a lifespan of over 400,000 activations.

Apart from the selfie camera gimmick, the Legion phone has an impressive spec sheet. It packs a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ processor with 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and 90 watt fast charging. Youd also get a 64-megapixel main and 16-megapixel wide-angle cameras, along with dual front speakers, RGB lighting and aggressive Legion branding.

According to a Lenovo video in the listing, the phone will be released in China on July 22nd for around RS 50,000, or about $670. Theres no word yet on whether it will come to North America or Europe.
A man has been shot dead 'by one or two gunmen' while looking into a power outage at his Atlanta home.

The shooting took place just after midnight at the residence on Griffin Street, just shortly after the lights had gone out at the home.

Two people renting at the residence are said to have gone out to check on what had happened, with one of the men eventually getting shot.

Scroll down for video

Shooting took place just after midnight at the residence on Griffin Street, just shortly after the lights had gone out at the home

'At some point the power to that house went out,' Atlanta Police Lt. Pete Malecki told Fox 5 Atlanta.

'Two of the residents of that home went outside to investigate and at which point at least one, possibly two suspects had shot our victim.'

The unidentified victim - described as a man in his 30s - was pronounced dead at the scene.

The unidentified victim - described as a man in his 30s - was pronounced dead at the scene

The other man who left the apartment to check the power told authorities that he heard three shots before running inside for help.

Nothing appears to have been stolen from the victims and a motive for the shooting is currently unclear.

Investigators have just described one of the shooters possibly having a dark-colored hoodie as the only description they can offer at the moment.

Police have not detained any suspects and are still interviewing witnesses as the investigation is ongoing.
THE owner of an internet cafe who allowed customers to lodge nearly 9,000 into his bank account has avoided a prison sentence for money laundering, writes David Hurley.

Benneth Ezekannagua, 54, who has an address at Huntsfield Drive, Dooradoyle was before Limerick Circuit Court in relation to offences which occurred during 2015.

Detective Garda Adrian Coffey said an investigation was launched in November 2015 after a woman complained that 8,731 had been transferred out of her savings account without her permission.

It was subsequently established that her post had been intercepted and her PIN number stolen.

While the thief was never identified, the money was traced to an account at Bank of Ireland, OConnell Street which was held in the name of Mr Ezekannagua.

When questioned, he told gardai he had been approached by some Romanians who asked if they could use his bank account to send money back home.

He confirmed he had accompanied the men on a number of occasions when they withdrew money from the account at an ATM.

Detective Garda Coffey told John OSullivan BL, prosecuting, Mr Ezekannagua was unable to provide any details of the men and that there was nothing to verify or discredit his explanation.

He was happy to allow his account to be used by customers, he did not know where the money came from, he said.

Laurence Goucher BL, said his client accepts he was reckless and that it was not a particularly bright thing to do.

He said there was no criminal intent on the part of Mr Ezekannagua and that there was no suggestion that he had been involved in the theft of the post.

Judge Tom ODonnell noted the woman had been reimbursed by the bank and that Mr Ezekannagua  a father-of-four  is working full time.

He commented that what happened was crass stupidity but accepted the defendant was not aware it was criminal behaviour.

He imposed a nine month prison sentence, which he suspended in full.
New Delhi, July 18 : The Bombay High Court has directed Twitter India to file its reply before July 31 on a plea seeking directions for action against it for "anti-national activities".

The order was passed by a bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Anuja Prabhudesai, and the matter will be next heard on August 11.

A PIL was filed against Twitter India Pvt. Ltd. and others by Gopal Jhaveri on May 31, seeking directions to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take action against Twitter in various penal provisions of law, including Section 39 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Sections 107, 121A, 124A, 153A, 153B, 34 of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 66 F of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The petitioner also demanded regulation of social media platforms to tackle various anti-national and unethical activities on Twitter.

The petition says that Twitter has accepted payments from banned terrorist organisations to promote an anti-national agenda, which shows is links with terror organisations.

This PIL was listed for hearing for the first time on June 5. Twitter India marked its appearance through a lawyer and sought time for the reply. The court directed it to file a reply within three weeks. However, Twitter failed to file the reply as per the order dated June 5 and now the court has further directed it to file a reply on or before July 31.
New South Wales will tighten restrictions around dining out after recording eight new coronavirus cases.

From Friday next week all pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants will be limited to a maximum of 300 customers.

The restrictions will also halve group bookings from 20 to ten, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday.

She said the limits were being extended to other businesses to prevent mingling.

The restrictions will also halve group bookings from 20 to ten, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday

From Friday next week all pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants will be limited to a maximum of 300 customers

An investigation was launched into the Golden Sheaf in Double Bay after pictures emerged of a crowded line outside the venue

'The reason for this as we absolutely need everybody seated when they are in a venue,' she said.

'When you have smaller groups, there is less chance of people getting up and mingling.

'We do not want any sort of mingling, that spreads the disease.'

Ms Berejiklian said the new rules were about reducing the risk for transmission, but she said it was important to keep the state open.

Weddings will also be capped at 150 guests, and funerals will be limited to 100.

'For weddings and corporate events, the maximum number is 150, but again, completely seated, no dancing, no singing, no mingling,' Ms Berejiklian said.

Venues must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan, enforce contact tracing, space out tables and have hand sanitiser at all times as part of the current Public Health Order.

Only half of the state's pubs have completed a coronavirus safety plan and registered as 'COVID-safe'.

Some of the areas and venues within Sydney that have been identified as potential coronavirus hotspots. Anyone who has visited these places are urged to get tested

Coronavirus compliance inspections and testing in south-west Sydney (pictured) will be ramped up to fight a growing COVID-19 cluster

Venues that were not registered as 'COVID-safe' by COB on Thursday would be shut down for a week and those still unregistered by July 27 would be closed for a month.

The announcement comes after NSW recorded eight news cases - two of those cases were in hotel quarantine with six coming from community transmission.

The further infection followed three new COVID-19 cases being linked to the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, bringing the total cases associated with the pub cluster to at least 42.

Those people, two men and one woman, all in their 20s, did not attend the hotel.

New South Wales Health is urging anyone who attended the Crossroads Hotel between Friday, July 3 and Friday, July 10 to immediately self-isolate for 14 days.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a fresh plea seeking judicial probe and action against policemen into the alleged lynching of three people, including two seers, in Maharashtra's Palghar district in April.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, S K Kaul and M R Shah said that 'with regard to this incident, this court has already taken cognisance. There is no question of multiplying the petitions one by one'.

Petitioner in-person Jai Krishna Singh said that in his plea he has also raised concern about the recent extra-judicial killings in the country but the trigger for filing of the present petition was the Palghar incident.

Singh has sought direction to register a first information report against the police officials present at the spot at the time of the killings and arrest them, including the one seen in the TV footage shrugging off the hands of the 70-years-old Sadhu.

He also sought direction to set up a judicial inquiry headed by the retired Supreme Court judge or the retired Chief Justice of any High Court in the alleged killing of the three persons under Kasa police station on April 16, when nationwide lockdown was in force.

Besides, the plea sought setting up of a judicial committee to monitor the trial of the accused persons including the police officials on monthly basis so that justice could be administered swiftly in the case.

On June 11, the top court had sought a response from the Maharashtra government on two petitions seeking separate probes by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the National Investigation Agency into the alleged lynching of three people, including two seers, in the state's Palghar district in April.

The top court had agreed to hear the petitions, including the one filed by sadhus of 'Shri Panch Dashban Juna Akhara' and relatives of the deceased seers.

Their plea alleged that the investigation by the state police was being carried out in a biased manner.

The other plea, seeking an NIA probe into the incident, has been filed by Ghanshyam Upadhyay.

Besides the Maharashtra government, one of the petitions has arrayed the Centre, CBI and the director general of police of Maharashtra as respondents in the matter.

The three victims from Kandivali in Mumbai were travelling in a car to attend a funeral at Surat in Gujarat amid the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown when their vehicle was stopped and they were attacked and killed by a mob in Gadchinchile village on the night of April 16 in the presence of police.

The victims were identified as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri, 70, Sushil Giri Maharaj, 35, and Nilesh Telgade, 30, who was driving the vehicle.

While hearing a separate plea seeking a CBI probe in the case, the top court had on May 1 directed the Maharashtra government to submit a status report on the investigation in the matter.

The fresh plea filed by 'sadhus' of 'Shri Panch Dashban Juna Akhara' has sought transfer of the probe to the CBI, claiming that there is 'reasonable apprehension of bias' if Maharashtra police proceeds with the investigation.

'Several video clippings have emerged on social media and news reports which very clearly demonstrate the active involvement of the police present, who can be seen handing over the three persons to the unlawful assembly of persons gathered,' the plea has claimed.

'The entire incident and its handling raise several questions which remain unanswered till date and as the petitioners apprehend, shall never be answered unless they are investigated by an independent, unsullen and reputed arm of the central agencies,' it has said.

It has also sought a direction to the authorities to 'favourably decide' the April 28 representations of the petitioner which has sought allotment of land at the site of the killing for setting up a memorial.

Earlier, the counsel appearing for the Maharashtra government had opposed both the petitions saying that similar pleas are already pending before the Bombay high court.

One of the petitions has also sought a direction to the authorities to pay compensation to the families of the victims.

The police has arrested over 100 people in connection with the case.
Taran said the exercises would include anti-aircraft fire and would be held at the end of September in southern Ukraine

Ukraine said on Friday it would conduct military exercises, which it hoped NATO partners would join, as an answer to planned Russian exercises in the Caucasus, and an insurance against any resulting escalation on its eastern borders.

Defence Minister Andriy Taran told the parliament the exercises would include anti-aircraft fire and would be held at the end of September in southern Ukraine, as reported by Reuters.

Read alsoUkraine's defense minister invites NATO Allies to join national drills this fall

Relations between Moscow and Kyiv have been tense since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and backed an insurgency in eastern Ukraine that remains active.

Clashes between Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed forces have killed more than 13,000 people since 2014, despite a ceasefire agreement struck in 2015.

"This asymmetric response will show the readiness of the armed forces of Ukraine to give a worthy rebuff to any attempts by the Russian Federation to exacerbate the situation or start large-scale hostilities," Taran said.

He said Kyiv would invite NATO countries to join the event.
A couple of days before California churches closed due to urgent COVID-19 cases, there was a massive evangelical Christian gathering at Huntington Beach. Sean Feucht, a Bethel Church worship leader and the founder of several nonprofits spoke with Fox News stating it reminded him of the Jesus People Movement from the late 60s and early 70s.

"It's eerily similar!"

"There were protests, racial, and social strife, and the hippies were getting saved!"

"A movement happened in California and swept across America, and even major news outlets covered it."

Sean Feucht was impressed with the number of people who joined the live worship service. Giving clues on Facebook, Sean, and his bethel group plan on evangelizing in different areas.

Around 30 people were baptized on the beach and about 1,000 people gathered at the Lifeguard stand 20. Many believers were brought together with joy and peace as a family.

"Not only how many people came and just so many incredible testimonies," he added, "but I think the church has been locked away in quarantine for so long that we forgot the power and authority of when we get together."

Churches in the Golden State were ordered to stop singing recently before being closed due to a surge in cases. California has had more than 336,000 confirmed cases, second to New York.

"In the face of the virus and racial unrest, God has an answer of his people moving in radical love and unity,"

"Maybe we can't meet in buildings but we can meet on the beach. We can go to the bridge. We're going to meet in the parks. We're not restricted to the four walls. We can still be the church even if we're not in our buildings."

Facebook updated post by Sean and his bethel group:

THE CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

[BIG Announcement coming tomorrow. HINT: It involves the East Coast]

Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy b are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me." - Matthew 11:4
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited

Global Credit Research - 17 Jul 2020

Hong Kong, July 17, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited 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.

CK Hutchison Holdings Limited's rating reflects its strong business position, diversified exposure by industry and geography, high operating stability, and excellent liquidity. Most of the group's businesses, especially infrastructure, ports and retail, have strong competitive positions in their respective markets, and many are also in defensive industries such as telecommunications and infrastructure. As such, they generate steady cash flow. Such strengths mitigate the group's moderate leverage metrics and its telecommunications segment's moderate market positions. The rating also considers potential acquisitions which can increase leverage and event 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 Investment Holding Companies and Conglomerates published in July 2018. 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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KEY FACTS 1:10 p.m. Masks will be made mandatory on GO Transit.

12:05 p.m. Ontario has taken over management of another long-term-care home after it failed to bring a COVID-19 outbreak under control.

11:15 a.m. Ontario is reporting 111 new cases of COVID-19 and nine new deaths

The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Friday. This file will be updated throughout the day. Web links to longer stories if available.

5:30 p.m. Ontarios regional health units are reporting a total of 39,359 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, including 2,781 deaths, a jump of 174 reported infections in 24 hours, according to the Stars latest count.

The rate of new infections in Ontario has fallen sharply over the last two months and is down so far in July.

Over the last seven days, the provinces 34 health units have reported an average of 127 new infections per day, well down from a sustained peak of nearly 600 cases per day, seen in late April.

Fridays total saw another 53 new cases reported in Toronto, somewhat higher than the citys average of about 37 cases daily over the last seven days.

Five new fatal cases were reported in the last 24 hours, three in Toronto and one each in York and Waterloo regions; during the worst of the provinces epidemic, the health units reported as many as 94 deaths in a single day.

Earlier, the province reported 108 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19, including 30 in an intensive care unit, of whom 21 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. It cautions its latest count of total deaths, 2,746, may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system. 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.

2:46 p.m. Singing and dancing in close quarters is not the way to party this summer, Canadas deputy public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo said Friday.

Njoo urged younger people to stop jamming bars and dance floors, to stop the spread of COVID-19. He offered that view after images of crammed bars in Montreal and a spike in new cases accompanied the reopening of Quebec bars and nightclubs this past week.

Njoo said there is cause for some concern because new COVID-19 cases are starting to rise after a steady period of decline. He said there have been 350 cases per day nationally over the last week compared to an average daily case count of around 300 in early July.

On Thursday, more than 430 cases were reported, he said.

2:45 p.m. Its been three months and five days since people were allowed to sit inside his downtown coffee shop but whos counting besides Chetan Patel?

On the first day of Stage 3 reopening in this part of southwestern Ontario, Patel said its been a long haul since anti-COVID measures forced businesses across Canada to close and brought much of the economy to a grinding halt.

Its been hard, Patel said of the last months as two older women sit at a table, the only mid-morning patrons.

It takes time, he said through his face mask. They come slowly. They start to come.

Stage 3 of Ontarios reopening effort took effect across 24 out of the provinces 34 public health units on Friday.

Parts of the province, where most of the new COVID-19 cases are reported, remained in the more restrictive Stage 2. They include The Toronto and Hamilton areas, Windsor-Essex and the Niagara Region, where the Canadian side of the world famous Niagara Falls tourist attraction remained remarkably uncrowded this week.

Besides restaurants, gyms in Stage 3 areas were also allowed to reopen with physical distancing measures in effect, although several had yet to do so.

Movie theatres also had the go-ahead. However, Cineplex Entertainment, Canadas largest movie-theatre chain, said it would not resume operations immediately.

Downtown Kitchener, too, was still relatively quiet at lunch time on Friday in light of the many offices still closed. But Shawn McCulligh, operations manager at one restaurant, was optimistic.

You cant see me smiling under here, McCulligh said gesturing to his face mask. But Im smiling.

2:44 p.m. Manitoba health officials are reporting five new COVID-19 cases, all on a Hutterite colony.

The government says the new infections are of a man and a woman in their 60s, a man and a woman in their 30s and a woman in her 20s.

The health department did not name the colony but says it is in the Interlake-Eastern health region, which covers a large area north and east of Winnipeg.

It says none of the five people are in hospital but did not provide more details.

There have been other recent cases of COVID-19 on Hutterite colonies in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

2:30 p.m. Premier Doug Ford is warning long-term care home operators not to prevent their staff from accessing personal protective equipment as visitor restrictions loosen.

The premier says there is no need to hoard the equipment because it is now widely available, and the government will crack down on any homes found to be keeping PPE from workers.

The province said earlier this week that with COVID-19 cases dropping, it will loosen pandemic rules that have restricted visits to long-term care homes.

People visiting a resident outside a home will no longer need to attest that theyve taken a COVID-19 test within the previous two weeks.

Indoor visits, which are currently limited to essential workers and families of palliative patients, will be permitted as of July 22, with a two-person limit.

2:15 p.m. The World Health Organizations emergencies chief says it is unrealistic to expect a larger team to arrive in China this month to investigate the animal origins of the coronavirus.

Last week, two WHO staffers flew to Beijing as part of an advance team to plan more studies into how COVID-19 first emerged. Experts believe the virus most likely moved to humans from animals. The investigation aims to prevent future outbreaks.

Dr. Michael Ryan says WHO was trying to put together a bigger team to visit China but doubted it would happen soon. WHOs two experts are quarantined in a Beijing hotel. The U.N. health agency says there are no plans for them to visit Wuhan, where the outbreak was first detected late last year.

Field investigations at the origin of an outbreak are essential to determining an epidemics origins.

2:15 p.m. Republican state Rep. Anthony Sabatini filed a lawsuit against Pinellas County for its mask ordinance.

About 100 people in support of Sabatinis stance rallied in front of the Pinellas County Courthouse when he filed the lawsuit Friday. Many held signs saying, No mask  I have an immune system, and mandatory masks are unconstitutional.

On June 23, the Pinellas County Commissioners voted 6-1 to require people to wear face coverings at indoor establishments to help stop the spread of the virus.

Sabatini, a lawyer who lives in the Orlando area, has sued Hillsborough County over a similar ordinance.

2:15 p.m. The World Health Organizations emergencies chief says Brazil has an opportunity to take control of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Dr. Michael Ryan says officials are no longer recording the explosive growth of cases in April and May and numbers appeared to have plateaued. However, he cautioned that stopping the epidemic would still require major interventions.

Whats not happening yet is that the disease is not heading down the mountain, he said. Brazil is still very much in the middle of this fight. He adds about 11% of all cases involved health workers.

Ryan says the lack of exponential growth offered Brazilian authorities a chance to reverse the trend of previous months.

We need to set the rules for the virus now, he said. That opportunity exists now for Brazil to do that, but it is going to take a very sustained, concerted action for that to happen.

2:15 p.m. A Kentucky judge signalled hell sign an order blocking all of Gov. Andy Beshears emergency orders stemming from the coronavirus outbreak.

Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron says a judge in Boone County indicated hell require the Democratic governor to follow the legal process when taking executive actions.

Cameron says in a social media post that the ruling wouldnt hamper the ability of public health officials to ensure the safety and well-being of Kentuckians.

Beshears office acknowledged Friday it was anticipating a court order that would void all of the orders the governor has issued to keep us safe.

We are awaiting a written order and will be ready to take further action, said Crystal Staley, the governors spokeswoman. The lives of many Kentuckians are on the line.

2:15 p.m. A Seattle-based cruise line sold four ships in its fleet after the coronavirus pandemic halted operations.

Holland America Line made the announcement after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday extended a ban on cruises in U.S. waters until the end of September to limit the spread of COVID-19, KING-TV reported.

Holland America is selling the Amsterdam, Maasdam, Rotterdam and Veendam, which reduces its fleet to 10, the company said. All cruises booked on the ships will be cancelled or changed.

Seattle anticipated a record 1.2 million visitors this year, but the pandemic left countries questioning the safety of allowing potentially contagious passengers to disembark.

The cruise industry brings in an estimated $900 million annually and each vessel brings with it $4.2 million in regional economic activity, the Port of Seattle said.

2 p.m. The Toronto Blue Jays now confirm that theyve received support from Dr. David Williams, the Chief Medical Officer of Health of Ontario, for the club and Major League Baseballs plan for a return to baseball in Toronto. The organization has support from the city and the province. John Tory and Doug Ford have voiced that, reports the Stars Laura Armstrong.

1:48 p.m. Fridays COVID-19 report from Florida shows the state remains mired in a bad spell with some of the highest case and death totals of the pandemic.

Health officials recorded 130 more deaths and 11,548 more people with infections.

Throughout the pandemic, only two other days have had more fatalities reported, and only three other days have had more cases.

For the past seven days, Florida has averaged 100 deaths a day from COVID-19. Thats an unprecedented mark.

For comparison, last month from June 11 to June 17, the state averaged 31 deaths a day.

1:26 p.m. Nova Scotia is easing its COVID-19 restrictions to allow visitors back inside nursing homes.

Premier Stephen McNeil says the restrictions were put in place to protect some of the most vulnerable people in the province, but its time to bring back some normalcy to the lives of those in long-term care.

Starting July 22, three people can be designated for indoor visits, but they can only visit one at a time and must book in advance.

Residents of the homes can receive up to five visitors outdoors, but masks will be required if physical distancing cant be maintained.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang says wearing a mask is an important measure in controlling the spread of COVID-19.

As a result, the province is making masks mandatory for drivers and passengers on public transit as of July 24.

1:20 p.m. The Ford government announced a made-in-Ontario Intellectual Property Action Plan to help ensure taxpayer-funded research and innovation stays in the province. The government unveiled the second round of research projects approved and supported through the $20-million Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund.

1:10 p.m. Masks will be made mandatory on GO Transit.

According to a memo sent by Metrolinx to the union representing GO bus workers on Friday, passengers on the regional transit service as well as UP Express will be required to wear face coverings starting Tuesday.

As passengers begin to return to our services were taking multiple steps to ensure both their safety and yours, reads the memo sent by the transit agency to Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1587, which has not been made public but was obtained by the Star.

The memo states that Metrolinx, which oversees both GO and UP, will initially focus on educating riders about the mask requirement rather than strictly enforcing the rule.

Drivers are not to deny boardings for passengers without a face covering; remember, no one is to be left behind, it states.

GO and UP were left outliers earlier this month after the TTC and City of Toronto implemented mandatory mask rules on transit vehicles and indoor public spaces in order to halt the spread of COVID-19. That left the provincial transit vehicles as one of the few places in the city where people werent required to wear face coverings.

Read the full story from the Stars Ben Spurr

12:48 p.m. Quebecs premier says the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the province is due to private gatherings rather than bar visits.

Francois Legault said today that public health officials have analyzed the data and concluded that bars and nightclubs are not the main drivers behind recent outbreaks.

He urged people to respect the provinces 10-person limit on gatherings as the provinces annual two-week construction holiday begins.

New daily cases of COVID-19 in Quebec have risen back above the 100 mark in recent days, including 141 new cases in the last 24 hours.

Legault said 97 of those new cases originated in the health-care network.

He said the province had considered closing bars after the new cases cropped up but concluded its not necessary at this time.

Quebec also reported one new death from COVID-19, bringing the provinces total number of fatalities linked to the virus to 5,647.

12:05 p.m. Ontario has taken over management of another long-term-care home after it failed to bring a COVID-19 outbreak under control.

The government says Villa Colombo Homes for the Aged in Torontos North York area will now be temporarily run by Humber River Hospital.

Twenty-seven people have died of the virus at the home, while another 16 residents and five staff have tested positive.

The government says the hospital had been working with staff at the home for weeks to contain the virus spread.

In early May, the government issued an emergency order allowing it to appoint temporary managers to long-term-care homes that are unable to contain outbreaks.

Since then, the government has used the order to appoint hospitals as temporary management at a number of homes.

11:56 a.m. As much of Ontario further reopens pandemic-stricken businesses and attractions, the province is reporting 111 new cases of COVID-19.

There were also nine more deaths, bringing the governments official count to 2,746 people.

But a Star tally has determined there have actually been 2,776 coronavirus deaths here since the virus struck in March.

Health Minister Christine Elliott said Friday on twitter that locally, 28 of Ontarios 34 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 18 of them reporting no new cases.

There are 108 people in Ontario hospitals with COVID-19, 30 of whom are in intensive care units. Of those, 21 are on ventilators.

Most of Ontario enters stage three today, tweeted Elliott, referring to the fact that 24 regions will allow indoor restaurants, bars, and gyms to open and outdoor playgrounds. The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and southwestern Ontario will remain in stage two until at least next week.

Read the full story by the Stars Robert Benzie

11:30 a.m. New daily cases of COVID-19 in Quebec continue to top the 100 mark.

The province said today 141 new cases of the disease attributed to the novel coronavirus were reported in the past 24 hours, for a total of 57,142.

Quebec says one death from COVID-19 occurred during the same period, bringing the provinces total number of fatalities linked to the virus to 5,647.

Despite the sustained increase in reported cases over the past several days, hospitalizations continue to drop.

The province is reporting 17 fewer patients in hospital compared with the prior day, for a total of 260, including 16 people who are in intensive care, a drop of four.

Quebec says it conducted 14,952 COVID-19 tests Wednesday, the last day for which data is available.

11 a.m. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp sued the city of Atlanta over its face-mask requirement just after President Donald Trump arrived in the city without wearing a mask, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Friday.

In an interview on CBS This Morning, Bottoms questioned the timing of the lawsuit filed shortly after Trumps Wednesday visit to the city, calling the litigation really odd.

I pointed out that Donald Trump violated that order when he landed at our airport and did not wear a mask, she said.

She said Kemp is a Trump loyalist and he seems to work very hard to please the president of the United States, and that is often at the expense of the people in our state.

Asked whether she thinks Trump encouraged Kemp to file the lawsuit, she said she couldnt speak about whatever conversations they had.

But she added that Trump was violating the rules of our city in just a blatant disregard for the science.

Kemp defended the lawsuit during a press conference Friday morning, accusing Atlanta officials of playing politics and not enforcing state orders already in effect. Kemp said the lawsuit was filed on behalf of business owners, their employees and hardworking Georgians throughout the region who continue to struggle to make ends meet.

Mayor Bottoms mask mandate cannot be enforced, but her decision to shutter businesses and undermine economic growth is devastating, the Republican governor added.

Kemp and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, in a state court suit filed late Thursday, argued that Bottoms has overstepped her authority and must obey Kemps executive orders under state law.

Kemps order has been met with defiance by Bottoms and the mayors of other Georgia cities, who said they would continue enforcing their mandates and were prepared to go to court.

10:35 a.m. Nearly 10,000 health workers in 40 African countries have been infected with the coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization.

More than half of infected workers are in South Africa, which makes up roughly half of the confirmed cases on the African continent as hospitals struggle to cope.

Sub-Saharan Africa already had the worlds greatest shortage of health care workers, with less than three per 1,000 people. Doctors, nurses or other workers have protested or gone on strike in some countries, fearing for their lives amid shortages of personal protective equipment.

10:35 a.m. The leading manufacturer of N95 masks in the U.S. says it has investigated 4,000 reports of fraud, counterfeiting and price gouging in connection with the product and has filed 18 lawsuits.

3M, based in Maplewood, is among the largest global producers of the N95 mask, which has been approved by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

3M says courts have issued six temporary restraining orders and four preliminary injunctions so far to stop N95 sales that it says are unlawful. The company says in some cases, it has led to criminal charges.

The schemes we shut down were not only unlawful, they also endangered lives and wasted precious time and resources by diverting buyers from legitimate sources of much-needed respirators, said Denise Rutherford, 3M senior vice-president of corporate affairs.

In one case filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota, 3M sued Legacy Medical Supplies and four people connected with the company, claiming they were trying to sell 3M brand N95 respirators at a 75% to 267% markup over 3Ms list price, the Star Tribune reported.

10:35 a.m. Miami-Dade County plans to enforce rules designed to combat the rapidly spreading coronavirus with fines.

The countys commission unanimously approved an emergency order gives all code and fire inspectors authority to issue tickets of up to $100 for individuals and $500 for businesses not complying with guidelines to wear masks and practice social distancing. Police already had this enforcement power.

Mayor Carlos Gimenez told commissioners during an online meeting Thursday its time for repercussions for people who choose to disobey the rules. Gimenez says people, especially younger people, havent been following the new normal guidelines.

In Miami-Dade County, Floridas most populous county and the current epicenter of the outbreak, there were more than 3,100 new coronavirus cases reported on Thursday. Statewide, there were 13,965 new coronavirus cases.

There were an additional 156 deaths for a statewide confirmed total of 4,766.

10:35 a.m. Pakistans prime minister claims his policy of sealing off hot spots and avoiding extended lockdowns has brought down trajectory of new coronavirus infections.

Imran Khan says on Twitter that Pakistan  unlike neighbouring India  is among those fortunate countries in the world where COVID-19 deaths and cases have gone down.

He urged his countrymen to continue adhering to social distancing rules during upcoming Eid al-Adha festival to avoid a spike in the virus.

Khans comment came a day after his government reported 40 deaths from coronavirus, the countrys lowest number of daily deaths in about a month compared to the highest single-day toll of 153 on June 19.

On Friday, Pakistan reported 49 more confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 2,085 new cases, increasing its overall cases to 259,999 since February.

Khan has widely been criticized since May when he ended the lockdown, saying it was necessary to revive the countrys economy. Thats when Pakistan witnessed a surge in COVID-19 deaths and infections.

10:35 a.m. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the next tentative steps to reopen society, allowing live indoor performances, the reopening of leisure centres and bowling alleys starting on Aug. 1.

Johnson announced a raft of measures aimed at easing COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, including trying larger gatherings in places like sports stadiums as the country emerges from a lockdown imposed on March 23.

Johnson is trying to persuade Britons that the country is ready for new outbreaks while also encouraging a return to shops, restaurants and workplaces to kick-start a moribund economy that has shrunk by a quarter since March.

He also offered employers more discretion in bringing their employees back to work.

10:35 a.m. Health authorities are asking Barcelonas 5.5 million residents to keep their socialization to a minimum and to stay at home as much as possible.

The measures announced Friday mix mandatory orders like banning social gatherings of more than 10 people and closing nightclubs and gyms, as well as a public call for voluntary compliance with restrictions on mobility, including refraining from travelling to second homes outside of the regional capital.

Nearly 1,300 more people were confirmed or suspected of carrying the virus in Catalonia on Thursday, the highest daily increase in weeks.

The regional governments spokeswoman, Meritxell Budo, has said that stricter measures such as a full lockdown would only be avoided by reducing social activity and venturing out for essential activities such as work.

Mandatory use of masks, even when outdoors, is rapidly spreading across Spain as officials grapple with more than 150 active outbreaks.

10:35 a.m. French authorities are imposing mask requirements and testing in two western regions where virus infections are picking up, amid fears that summer holidays will bring a new wave of illness.

Masks will be required in all indoor public places in France starting next week, but the Finistere region of Brittany and Mayenne region near the Loire Valley are doing so already in select cities and towns, outdoor markets and islands that attract summer tourists.

In Mayenne, several clusters have appeared over the past several days.

The virus reproduction rate in Finistere climbed from below 1 in recent weeks to 2.5, meaning one person with the virus infects 2.5 others. But the regional health agency noted Thursday that rising case numbers are also linked to a 50% increase in testing in the area over the last week, and noted that there are only three people in intensive care with the virus in the region.

France has reported 30,138 deaths related to the virus.

10:35 a.m. The United Nations is increasing to $10.3 billion its appeal for humanitarian aid funding to handle the fallout from the coronavirus crisis around the world.

Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said in Geneva on Friday that the number of people in the world who need humanitarian assistance has more than doubled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of the global lockdown of economies and societies.

At the beginning of the year, humanitarian agencies targeted around 110 million people, he said. They now need to reach 250 million in 63 countries.

Laerke said the U.N. initially asked for $2 billlion in late March for the immediate response. That was increased to $6.7 billion in May.

He said the appeal does cover basic health services but the bulk of it is related to non-health needs, such as food, water, sanitation and shelter. He added that we are seeing a huge increase in the number of starving people, which could reach some 270 million by the end of the year.

So far, the U.N. has received $1.7 billion.

10:35 a.m. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is praising the family of the daughter of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela for disclosing that Zindzi Mandela had tested positive for the coronavirus before she died Monday.

This is a virus that affects us all, and there should never be any stigma around people who become infected, the president said in a statement. In disclosing her status you are helping encourage social acceptance for sufferers.

South Africa how has the worlds sixth largest confirmed virus caseload with nearly 325,000 infections. Mandela, a South African diplomat, was buried Friday. Her family has said they were still awaiting her autopsy for the official cause of death.

10:35 a.m. Irans state-run IRNA news agency is reporting that the United Arab Emirates flag carrier airline has resumed flights to Tehran after five months.

The Friday report said an Emirates Airline flight landed in Tehrans Imam Khomeini international airport. It was the first flight since late February when the airliner stopped its flight after Emirati authorities found two Iranians who were infected with the coronavirus.

Emirates planned to have one flight per day to Tehran-Dubai-Tehran with a Boeing 777 jetliner.

The outbreak in Iran has killed at least 13,400 people amid 264,561 confirmed cases.

10:35 a.m. Two U.S. diplomats are among five new cases of coronavirus in Cambodia announced Friday by health officials.

All five cases involve people who had travelled from the United States. Three are Cambodians who arrived Wednesday via Taiwan, said a Health Ministry statement.

The statement described the two Americans as senior diplomats who had flown from the U.S. via South Korea and also arrived Wednesday.

It said the two are being isolated at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh. An embassy spokesman declined to provide immediate comment or details.

Cambodia banned virtually all new arrivals in March but last month eased the rules, allowing the repatriation of more Cambodians and the tightly restricted entry of foreigners.

Cambodia has had 171 confirmed coronavirus cases with no deaths.

10:35 a.m. Further tightening measures are being imposed on the northwestern Chinese city of Xinjiang following a reported cluster of new coronavirus cases.

Airlines say passengers departing the citys airport are being required to show a negative test for coronavirus and records showing they have a clean bill of health.

The main subway line linking the city to the airport has also been shut and some residential communities closed off and restrictions imposed on use of public transport.

The health department in the surrounding region says five confirmed cases have been reported over the past 24 hours, along with eight cases where people have tested positive but are showing no symptoms.

10:35 a.m. South Korean prosecutors have questioned the leader of a secretive church sect over accusations that they hampered the governments anti-virus response after thousands of COVID-19 infections were detected among its members in February and March.

Lee Man-hee, the 88-year-old chairman of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, was questioned for about four hours Friday at a district prosecutors office in Suwon, south of capital Seoul, before being sent home after he complained about unspecified health problems, prosecution and church officials said.

Lee and other Shincheonji leaders have faced suspicions of hiding some of the churchs membership and under-reporting its worship activities to health authorities to avoid broader quarantines. Prosecutors last week arrested three senior members of the church over the allegations. Lee and Shincheonji have steadfastly denied the accusation, saying that the church has been properly co-operating with health authorities.

More than 5,200 of South Koreas 13,672 COVID-19 cases have been linked to the church so far.

10:35 a.m. Japans capital has recorded a single-day record number of new coronavirus cases for a second straight day, confirming 293 in Tokyo on Friday.

We have asked people and businesses to raise their alert levels, said Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, urging social distancing, regularly disinfecting of hands and other measures to curb the outbreak.

Virus cases in Tokyo were confirmed at 286 Thursday, setting off concerns the economy had reopened too quickly. Tokyo was taken off the area eligible for discounts, set to start next week, under the government Go To Campaign to encourage travel and tourism within Japan.

Japan has never had a total lockdown but asked businesses to close and people to work from home in an emergency, starting in April. That has been gradually lifting.

Japan has so far avoided the massive cases of the hardest hit nations, at fewer than 24,000 confirmed cases and about 1,000 deaths.

10:35 a.m. South Korean health officials are expressing optimism that the countrys COVID-19 outbreak is coming under control despite a spike in infections tied to international arrivals.

Senior Health Ministry official Yoon Tae-ho says the spread of the coronavirus is clearly stabilizing in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area and other major cities, where transmissions had surged since late May.

South Koreas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 60 newly confirmed cases, including 39 linked to people arriving from abroad.

Yoon says imported cases are less threatening than local transmissions because South Korea is enforcing two-week quarantines on all people arriving from abroad and testing them within three days.

9:48 a.m. Cineplex Inc. says it is laying off more than 130 workers as the company continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and a takeover deal that has turned litigious.

The Toronto-based theatre chain says workers in Canada and the U.S. are impacted by cuts, which includes senior executives due to retire.

Cineplex says it is confident its business will recover from the COVID-19 closures but in the short- and medium-term it will focus on a smaller number of projects and priorities.

It is in the process of reopening many of its theatres that closed as the pandemic began to spread and is implementing distanced seating, reservations and additional cleanings.

Cineplex is also suing U.K.-based Cineworld Group PLC, which was due to purchase Cineplex for $2.8-million, but walked away from the deal because of alleged material adverse effects and breaches of contract.

Cineplex has denied the claims and says Cineworld is backing away from the deal because of buyers remorse.

9:25 a.m. A newborn intensive care unit at a Vancouver hospital is the site of the latest COVID-19 outbreak in the city.

Vancouver Coastal Health, which administers health care services for much of Greater Vancouver region and the inner south and central coasts, issued a notice about the outbreak Thursday.

The outbreak covers the neo-natal intensive care unit at St. Pauls hospital in downtown Vancouver.

The agency did not say if the outbreak is related to staff or patients at the unit, or how many cases have been reported.

Officials with the health authority say a satellite unit has been set up to continue treating premature or special needs babies while the primary unit is sanitized.

To date, B.C. has confirmed 3,170 cases of COVID-19, with 21 new cases reported Thursday and no new deaths.

9:22 a.m. Germany tightened travel rules to prevent outbreaks of the coronavirus as the summer vacation season gets underway.

Federal and state officials on Thursday agreed to more stringent restrictions but stopped short of a complete ban on travel to and from domestic hot spots, which was advocated by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The goal is to avoid spreading the disease in vacation areas and prevent infections from returning travelers, the government said in a statement.

9:20 a.m. Six in 10 Americans disapprove of President Donald Trumps handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with more than half of the public saying they disapprove strongly, a Washington Post-ABC News poll found.

Only 38 per cent of Americans approve of Trumps handling of COVID-19. As the pandemic continues, the American public has increasingly shifted away from the president, according to the poll published Friday. In May, the same poll found a 46 per cent approval rate with 53 per cent disapproving, down from March when the numbers were 51 per cent approve to 45 per cent disapprove.

More than half of Americans  52 per cent  said they strongly disapprove of the presidents handling of the health crisis, up from 36 per cent in March.

The poll released Friday was conducted July 12-15 and has a margin of error of +/-3.5 percentage points.

9:17 a.m. 3M has investigated 4,000 reports globally of fraud, counterfeiting and price gouging in connection with its N95 respirators. As a result, it has filed 18 lawsuits in North America.

The Maplewood, Minn.-based company Thursday issued an update of its battle against scams as COVID-19 has greatly increased demand for N95 masks, the gold standard in protection against pathogens and other particulate matter.

3M is the leading U.S. manufacturer of N95 respirators and among the largest globally.

3M said that so far, courts have issued six temporary restraining orders and four preliminary injunctions to stop N95 sales operations alleged to be unlawful. The company said it has provided referrals to law enforcement agencies that have helped lead to criminal charges in some cases.

In addition to litigation, 3M said it has removed more than 7,000 e-commerce listings with fraudulent or counterfeit product offerings and more than 10,000 false or deceptive social media posts.

8:33 a.m. The first vaccine for COVID-19 could be available in the U.S. later this year, Goldman Sachs analysts forecast.

The potential for Moderna Inc. to file interim results with U.S. regulators from a 30,000-patient trial due to start by July 27 is underappreciated, analysts led by Salveen Richter said. The chances of success in 2020 are enhanced further by four other vaccine programs slated to enter into the final research phase of testing sometime this summer, according to Goldman.

Those experimental inoculations expected to start large-scale testing this summer are from Pfizer Inc. in partnership with BioNtech SE; AstraZeneca Plc with University of Oxford; Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Sinovac Biotech Ltd.

How quickly a vaccine could win regulatory approval has been the subject of much debate on Wall Street, especially as analysts weigh the political implications if one were to come before U.S. November elections. Russian attempts to hack into international research centers that are racing to develop a Covid-19 vaccine threaten to further darken that contest.

Moderna and Pfizers RNA-based vaccines may be the first to pass regulatory hurdles while appearing the most promising for broad use in a larger population, Richter wrote in a note to Goldman clients. Shots derived from engineered viruses known as adenoviral vectors, like those from AstraZeneca and CanSino Biologics, are more likely to only work in select groups, she said.

Still with nearly eight billion people across the planet, multiple vaccines against Covid-19 will be required to treat the global population, Goldman says.

7:30 a.m. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday that people will no longer be told to work from home and avoid public transit in a major easing of lockdown restrictions  even as he said the government was preparing for the worst in case of a new coronavirus spike this winter.

Johnson said the governments advice to avoid non-essential use of public transit was being lifted immediately, and that from Aug. 1 workers would no longer be told to do their jobs from home, if possible. He said it will now be up to to businesses to determine whether they can bring employees back to workplaces in a COVID-secure way.

The U.K.s official pandemic death toll, which stood at more than 45,000 as of Friday, has for several weeks been the highest in Europe and the third-highest in the world behind the United States and Brazil.

Johnson is trying to walk a tightrope, avoiding a resurgence of the virus while also encouraging a return to shops, restaurants and workplaces to kick-start a moribund economy that has shrunk by a quarter since March.

While some businesses have seen customers return in previous stages of lockdown easing, those that rely on office workers struggling, and Johnson is keen to see more people go back to city-centre workplaces.

But the prime ministers move to give employers more discretion about whether to ask their staffs to return to regular work locations appears at odds with the views of his chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance,, who said Thursday that there was absolutely no reason to change the work-from-home advice.

6:30 a.m. Despite negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on production and costs, rising prices for gold are expected to buoy results as Canadas precious metals miners begin rolling out second-quarter financial results next week.

In the three months ended June 30, the average gold price was $1,713 (U.S.) per ounce, up eight per cent over the first quarter, said RBC Capital Markets in a report this week.

Q2 may not be that bad after all, said the report. Quarter over quarter, we forecast that North American gold and silver producers will report a seven per cent improvement in total earnings and a doubling of free cash flow.

The banks analysts say they expect mine suspensions and lower productivity due to measures to control the pandemic will result in 11 per cent lower gold and silver production and a four per cent rise in overall costs, but higher gold prices will largely offset those impacts.

In a preliminary report earlier this week, Barrick Gold Corp. said second quarter gold production fell eight per cent mainly due to COVID-19 related disruptions at its Veladero mine in Argentina.

Temporary mine closures, production losses, care and maintenance expenses and costs for new health and safety protocols will weigh heavily on second-quarter results for miners, said Moodys Investor Service in a recent report.

6 a.m.: As the pandemic hit, Jackie Liangs outreach to nail salon workers suddenly pivoted away from concerns about subminimum wage earnings  and toward the looming fear of earning nothing at all.

But as devastating as salon closures were for owners and workers alike, Liang  a nail technician who now works with Torontos Nail Technicians Network  knew the challenge of reopening would be just as complex.

Resuming business amid a pandemic brings into focus a sector with patchy regulation, a population of workers already vulnerable to respiratory illness, and a set of precarious working conditions that made it hard for workers to speak up about safety concerns, Liang says.

For nail technicians, its Im too small. I dont have power to change things,  she said.

Read the full story from the Stars Sara Mojtehedzadeh on why the pandemic is a triple whammy for nail salon workers  and also an opportunity for change.

5:25 a.m.: Australias Victoria state has reported a daily record of 428 new COVID-19 cases as authorities move to increase testing in the state to monitor for any spread of the coronavirus from the Melbourne area.

Most of the new cases and three deaths reported Friday were in Melbourne.

Melbourne and neighbouring semi-rural Mitchell Shire have been locked down since last week and authorities hope the restrictions will soon bring a plateauing of infections.

5:21 a.m.: China is now requiring those arriving on the mainland from Hong Kong show a negative coronavirus test taken within the previous three days and undergo 14 days of supervised quarantine in order to gain entry, following a new outbreak in the semi-autonomous region.

Notable exceptions include students and truck drivers who must cross the border on a daily basis, along with important business people and others recognized under bilateral policies excluding them from quarantine demands, according to the official notice.

5:19 a.m.: Israel announced sweeping new restrictions on Friday in response to a new surge in coronavirus cases, including weekend closures of many businesses and limiting restaurants to takeout and delivery.

The government announced the restrictions after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said interim steps were needed to avoid another general lockdown. Netanyahu has faced widespread criticism and protests in recent days over his governments handling of the pandemic and the economic fallout from an earlier lockdown.

Gyms and exercise studios will be closed except for use by competitive athletes. Restaurants will no longer be allowed to have on-site seating and beaches will be closed on weekends beginning later this month.

5:12 a.m.: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced 3 billion pounds ($3.8 billion) in funding on Friday to help the countrys health service cope with a possible second wave of the coronavirus this winter.

The money will allow the state-funded National Health Service to buy up space in private hospitals and maintain a string of temporary hospitals that were built rapidly around the country as the outbreak accelerated in the spring.

The Nightingale hospitals ended up treating few patients, but the government wants to keep the spare capacity in case a new wave of COVID-19 cases coincides with the winter flu season.

Johnson is trying to walk a tightrope, persuading Britons that the country is ready for new outbreaks while also encouraging a return to shops, restaurants and workplaces to kick-start a moribund economy that has shrunk by a quarter since March.

5:05 a.m.: European Union leaders acknowledged Friday they are about as far apart from reaching a deal on an unprecedented 1.85 trillion euro ($2.1 trillion) EU budget and virus recovery fund as the seating distance imposed upon them for health reasons at their summit centre.

The differences are still very, very big and so I cant predict whether we will achieve a result this time, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel upon arriving at the Europa summit site. So I expect very, very difficult negotiations.

The challenges facing the 27 EU leaders  some of whom arrived masked, some unmasked  are formidable. Their bloc is suffering through the worst recession in its history and member states are fighting over who should pay the most to help other countries and which nations should get the most to turn around their battered economies.

5 a.m.: India crossed 1 million coronavirus cases on Friday, third only to the United States and Brazil, prompting concerns about its readiness to confront an inevitable surge that could overwhelm hospitals and test the countrys feeble health care system.

A surge of 34.956 new cases in the past 24 hours took the national total to 1,003,832.

The Health Ministry also reported a record number of 687 deaths for a total of 25,602. It said 635,757 people have recovered and the recovery rate was continuing to improve at 63%.

The grim milestone comes at a time when several Indian states are imposing focused lockdowns to stem the outbreak amid frantic efforts by local governments to protect the economy.

So far, three states  Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu  have accounted for more than half of total cases. But in Indias vast countryside, which is much less prepared and with weaker health care, the pandemic is clearly growing.

4 a.m.: A large swath of Ontario will be moving on to the next phase of the provincial governments COVID-19 recovery plan today.

Stage 3 of the reopening effort takes effect across 24 out of 34 public health units, though the jurisdictions that will keep operating under Stage 2 rules are among the busiest in the province.

Earlier this week, the government announced Stage 3 rules would allow restaurants to resume indoor service, as well as businesses such as bars, gyms and theatres to start welcoming patrons again.

The rules also raise the limits on the size of indoor gatherings to a maximum of 50 people, while as many as 100 people are allowed to congregate outdoors.

The new rules dont yet apply in the greater Toronto and Hamilton areas, the Niagara region and Windsor-Essex, all of which are still trying to reduce the numbers of local COVID-19 cases.

Thursday 5 p.m. Ontarios regional health units are reporting a total of 39,187 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, including 2,776 deaths, a jump of 125 reported infections, according to the Stars latest count.

The rate of new infections in Ontario has fallen sharply over the last two months and has continued to fall so far in July. Over the last seven days, the provinces 34 health units have reported an average of 119 new infections per day, well down from a sustained peak of nearly 600 cases per day, seen in late April.

Thursdays total once again included a daily tally from Toronto as the city resumed publishing a daily afternoon case count via the Toronto Public Health Twitter account.

The city saw just 28 new infections Thursday, well below the recent average.

Meanwhile, another six new fatal cases were reported in the last 24 hours, four in Toronto and two in Peel Region. During the worst of the provinces outbreak, the health units reported as many as 94 deaths in a single day.

Earlier, the province reported 107 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19, including 26 in an intensive care unit, of whom 20 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. It cautions its latest count of total deaths, 2,737, may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system. 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.

Click here to read more of Thursdays coverage.
Mass tree planting to mitigate climate change is 'not always the best strategy'  with some experimental sites failing to increase carbon stocks, researchers say.

Four locations in Scotland where birch trees were planted onto heather moorland was analysed as part of a new study involving UK scientists.

They found that, over decades, there was no net increase in ecosystem carbon storage.

The team found that any increase to carbon storage in tree biomass was offset by a loss of carbon stored in the soil.

It comes as the government commits to planting trees to mitigate climate change, based on the logic that they remove carbon from the atmosphere and lock it into their biomass.

However, Dr Nina Friggens of the University of Stirling, who led the study, explained that tees also interact with carbon in soil, where 'much more carbon is found than in plants'.

"Our study considered whether planting native trees on heather moorlands, with large soil carbon stores, would result in net carbon sequestration. Significantly, we found that over a period of 39 years, it did not.

The tree-planting experiments  in the Grampians, Cairngorms and Glen Affric  were set up the then Institute of Terrestrial Ecology in 1980, and the James Hutton Institute in 2005.

The research sites enabled the team to assess the impact of tree planting on vegetation and soil carbon stocks, by comparing these experimental plots to adjacent control plots consisting of original heath vegetation.

They measured soil respiration  the amount of carbon dioxide released from the soil to the atmosphere  at regular intervals during 2017 and 2018.

Soil cores were taken by researchers to record soil carbon stocks. They calculated tree carbon stocks by using non-destructive metrics, including tree height and girth.

The study recorded a 58% reduction in soil organic carbon stocks 12 years after the birch trees had been planted on the heather moorland.

Significantly, this decline was not compensated for by the gains in carbon contained in the growing trees.

It also found that, 39 years after planting, the carbon sequestered into tree biomass offset the carbon lost from the soil  but, crucially, there was no overall increase in ecosystem carbon stocks.

Dr Friggens said: When considering the carbon stocks both above and below ground together, planting trees onto heather moorlands did not lead to an increase in net ecosystem carbon stocks 12 or 39 years after planting.

"This is because planting trees also accelerated the rate at which soil organisms work to decompose organic matter in the soil  in turn, releasing carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere."

She added that planting trees was 'not always the best strategy': This work provides evidence that planting trees in some areas of Scotland will not lead to carbon sequestration for at least 40 years.

"Tree planting can lead to carbon sequestration; however, our study highlights the need to understand where, in the landscape, this approach is best deployed in order to achieve climate mitigation gains.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:07:56|Editor: huaxia

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RIGA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- As the coronavirus pandemic continued to rage in the world throughout the first half of 2020, Latvia's airBaltic national carrier saw the number of passengers on its flights drop 64 percent from the 2019 figure for the first six months, the company stated Friday.

airBaltic spokeswoman Alise Briede said that during the first six months of this year, the airline flew 810,317 passengers, while the number of flights operated by the airline fell 58 percent to 12,501 flights.

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit Latvia in the beginning of March, the government declared a national state of emergency, and soon after that banned all international passenger traffic, a measure that grounded most airBaltic flights.

To stay afloat in the sudden crisis, airBaltic furloughed or sacked around 700 employees and sought government support to prop up liquidity.

In order to steady the national aviation sector, the government resolved in May to increase the share capital of airBaltic by 250 million euros. Since May 18, airBaltic has been gradually restarting its flights to various destinations and also rehiring some of its staff.

"It is evident that the demand for flights is returning. Each week we carry a growing number of passengers and receive more new reservations," airBaltic CEO Martin Gauss said recently, commenting on the airline's operations in June when airBaltic flew 60,400 passengers from all three Baltic capital cities -- Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius.

In the first half of 2019, by comparison, airBaltic carried 2.2 million passengers, including more than half a million in June. Enditem
EU leaders met face to face Friday to try to rescue Europe's economy from the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic, as India became the third country to record one million cases, joining Brazil and the United States.

The virus has now killed more than 585,000 people and infected over 13,600,000 as it continues to surge across the globe despite months of unprecedented measures aiming to stop its spread.

The pandemic has also shattered economies worldwide, and the mood was sombre as European Union leaders met in person for the first time in five months hoping to overcome divisions about a planned 750-billion-euro ($855 billion) stimulus package.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are in Brussels to try and thrash out an EU coronavirus rescue package. By STEPHANIE LECOCQ (POOL/AFP)

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that the differences between EU member nations were still very large so she expected "very, very difficult negotiations".

French President Emmanuel Macron described it as a "moment of truth".

"It's our European project which is in play here," Macron warned before meeting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who leads a group of northern European countries holding out against handing cash to southern nations without strict conditions.

'I have to keep fighting'

Elsewhere COVID-19 is spreading at an ominous pace, with India surpassing one million infections just a day after Brazil's number topped two million.

And the United States, which has recorded more cases than both countries combined with over 3,560,000, on Thursday posted yet another record number of new infections in one day with 68,428.

The countries with the highest coronavirus death tolls -- and their respective death rates. By John SAEKI (AFP)

More than 600 people are dying daily in India, where lockdowns have been reimposed on millions of people.

India's main hotspots had previously been the megacities of Mumbai and New Delhi, but smaller cities and rural areas -- where 70 percent of Indians live -- have recently begun to raise the alarm.

The coastal tourist region of Goa is the latest Indian state to go under lockdown, imposing a three-day shutdown and a nightime curfew until August 10.

With per capita spending on health care among the lowest in the world, India's hospitals are reeling.

The coffin of a coronavirus victim is taken for burial in Indonesia, as Asia sees a rise in outbreaks. By CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN (AFP)

"The fear of catching the infection is very real as I am in a high-risk zone almost round the clock," Showkat Nazir Wani, a doctor working at an intensive care unit at Sharda Hospital just outside the capital New Delhi, told AFP.

"It's not going to go away till a vaccine comes... I have to keep fighting and trying to save every single life."

Vaccine hacking

After two studies this week raised hopes for a potential vaccine, the United States, Britain and Canada accused Russian-linked hackers of targeting labs in their countries conducting coronavirus vaccine research.

The US state of Florida has become the country's new epicentre and key battleground in national fight over reopening schools. By CHANDAN KHANNA (AFP)

The three governments pointed the finger at the Kremlin, saying that the hacking group involved was "almost certainly" linked to Russian intelligence.

Moscow rejected the accusations as "groundless".

In the US, the state of Florida has become the country's new epicentre as well as a key battleground in a partisan-tinged national fight over reopening schools.

Florida's governor Ron DeSantis has insisted schools reopen next month despite his state registering 156 COVID-19 deaths and nearly 14,000 new infections on Thursday alone.

Socially distanced, mask-wearing Muslim worshippers pray at a mosque in Morocco's Casablanca. By Fadel SENNA (AFP)

The Republican governor's demand mirrors that of President Donald Trump, who has threatened to cut federal funding for schools that refuse to open their doors.

Authorities in many countries have been reimposing lockdowns in the hopes of heading off a second wave of the virus.

On Thursday Israel imposed weekend restrictions, while Spain's Barcelona urged residents to stay home due to rising infections in the hard-hit country.

Asia, which was largely more successful in suppressing the first wave than many areas of Europe and the Americas, has started recording fresh outbreaks.

In China -- where COVID-19 first emerged late last year -- flights were curtailed and public transport shut down in Urumqi, the capital of the far-western Xinjiang region, after new infections were detected.

Bars and schools have been closed in Hong Kong as infections in the densely populated city started to climb, although the number of new cases -- in the dozens -- is still far lower than other parts of the world.

A record 293 cases were also reported in Tokyo on Friday.

In Melbourne, Australia's second-biggest city, a second wave continues to worsen despite the reimposition of a lockdown. After a daily record of 423 new cases were confirmed on Friday, authorities warned tougher restrictions could be to come.

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A Northwestern University tech startup has received The Spinoff Prize, a new highly competitive, international award from the journal Nature.

Sibel Health  co-founded by Northwesterns John A. Rogers and Steve Xu  was honored for its affordable, wireless sensor system to monitor premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. Based on research from Rogers lab at Northwestern Engineering, the system avoids adhesive patches, which can damage newborns fragile skin, and the tangles of wires that can pose a barrier to physical bonding.

After testing the sensors on babies in the United States, the team deployed the device internationally , starting with hospitals in Ghana, India, Kenya, and Zambia. Sibel Health will use 30,000 (about $34,000) prize to donate monitoring devices to University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia.

In partnership with Merck, Nature established The Spinoff Prize to honor academic entrepreneurs who commercialize their research. After advancing to the competitions final round, Sibel Health contended against three other finalists in a virtual pitching round. The judging panel evaluated spinoffs for their abilities to translate original, high-quality scientific research into products and services that address market problems, as well as their potential to make a positive impact on society. Xu delivered the winning pitch.

The judges were impressed by the potential global impact that Sibel Healths technology has, and their clear plans to scale it up, said Magdalena Skipper, editor-in-chief of Nature and member of the judging panel. It is especially exciting that Sibel Healths technology is intended to be affordable in a wide range of settings and speaks for a patient group that does not itself have a voice.

This work has been a truly collaborative effort, Rogers said. Our team spends a lot of time listening to physicians, nurses, patients, and healthcare workers in order to fully understand the broader landscape, as well as their individual needs. As engineers, we want to develop technologies that are easy-to-use, helpful, and practical. This type of team science has been uniquely enabled by Northwesterns Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, which connects experts from backgrounds in engineering, medicine, and human health to enable translational science across a broad variety of applications.

Were honored and humbled to be the inaugural winner of this prestigious prize, Xu said. Its definitely a motivator for our team to continue pushing forward in our mission.

Rogers is the Louis Simpson and Kimberly Querrey Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Neurology Surgery and director of Northwesterns Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics. He has appointments in the McCormick School of Engineering and Feinberg School of Medicine.

Xu is an assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Feinberg, biomedical engineering in the McCormick School of Engineering, and medical director of the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics.

Rogers and Xu co-founded Sibel Health with former PhD students Ha Uk Chung and Jong Yoon Lee.

Developing wireless sensors for monitoring neonates vital signs was part of my PhD thesis, and it was a life-changing experience, said Chung, who also is a biomedical electronics adviser at the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics. The Spinoff Prize is a testament to the engineering excellence of our team and the starting point to show how Sibels engineering innovations can lead to better health data for all.

It is a privilege to receive such a prestigious award, said Lee, who leads software development and data efforts at Sibel Health. However, we will not stop here. This is our first step in innovating healthcare. We are already taking the next steps to expand measurement capabilities and apply them to a broader population. So we are accumulating data from thousands of patients that we will use to make smarter healthcare decisions.

Another Northwestern spinoff, Temprian Therapeutics , was a finalist for The Spinoff Prize. Based on Feinberg professor Caroline Le Pooles research, Temprian is developing a gene-based treatment to vitiligo, an autoimmune disease that causes skin to lose pigment.

Rogers, Xu, Chung and Lee have financial interests in and affiliations with Sibel Health. Northwestern University has financial interests (equities, royalties) in Sibel Health.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 13:24:20|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia has reported one more COVID-19 case in the last 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 262, according to the National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD).

The latest case is an 18-year-old Mongolian man who returned home from abroad on a chartered flight on Wednesday, the NCCD said Friday in a statement.

In addition, two more patients have recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country to 211, it said.

All the confirmed cases were imported, mostly from Russia, according to the center. No local transmissions or deaths have been reported in the country so far. Enditem
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF on Friday warned of an alarming decline in the number of children receiving life-saving vaccines around the world.

This is due to disruptions in the delivery and uptake of immunization services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the two UN bodies said in a joint press release.

These disruptions threaten to reverse hard-won progress to reach more children and adolescents with a wider range of vaccines, which has already been hampered by a decade of stalling coverage, according to new data by WHO and UNICEF.

The latest data on vaccine coverage estimates from WHO and UNICEF for 2019 show that improvements such as the expansion of the HPV vaccine to 106 countries and greater protection for children against more diseases are in danger of lapsing.

For example, preliminary data for the first four months of 2020 point to a substantial drop in the number of children completing three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP3).

This is the first time in 28 years that the world has seen a reduction in DTP3 coverage  the marker for immunization coverage within and across countries.

Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools in the history of public health, and more children are now being immunized than ever before, said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general.

But the pandemic has put those gains at risk.

"The avoidable suffering and death caused by children missing out on routine immunizations could be far greater than COVID-19 itself.

"But it doesnt have to be that way. Vaccines can be delivered safely even during the pandemic, and we are calling on countries to ensure these essential life-saving programs continue.

COVID-19 disruptions

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at least 30 measles vaccination campaigns were or are at risk of being canceled, which could result in further outbreaks in 2020 and beyond.

According to a new UNICEF, WHO and Gavi pulse survey, conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Sabin Vaccine Institute, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, three quarters of the 82 countries that responded reported COVID-19 related disruptions in their immunization programs as of May 2020.

The reasons for disrupted services vary.

Even when services are offered, people are either unable to access them because of a reluctance to leave home, transport interruptions, economic hardships, restrictions on movement, or fear of being exposed to people with COVID-19.

Many health workers are also unavailable because of restrictions on travel or redeployment to COVID-19 response duties as well as a lack of protective equipment.

COVID-19 has made previously routine vaccination a daunting challenge, said UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore.

We must prevent a further deterioration in vaccine coverage and urgently resume vaccination programs before childrens lives are threatened by other diseases.

"We cannot trade one health crisis for another.

Stagnating global coverage rate

Progress on immunization coverage was stalling before COVID-19 hit, at 85 percent for DTP3 and measles vaccines.

The likelihood that a child born today will be fully vaccinated with all the globally recommended vaccines by the time she reaches the age of five is less than 20 percent.

In 2019, nearly 14 million children missed out on life-saving vaccines such as measles and DTP3.

Most of these children live in Africa and are likely to lack access to other health services.

Two-thirds of them are concentrated in 10 middle- and low-income countries: Angola, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the Philippines.

Children in middle-income countries account for an increasing share of the burden.

Progress and challenges, by country and region

There has been some progress.

Regional coverage for the third dose of DTP in South Asia has increased by 12 percentage points over the last 10 years, notably across India, Nepal and Pakistan.

However, that hard-won progress could be undone by COVID-19 related disruptions.

Countries that have recorded significant progress, such as Ethiopia and Pakistan, are now also at risk of backsliding if immunization services are not restored as soon as feasible.

The situation is especially concerning for Latin America and the Caribbean, where historically high coverage has slipped over the last decade.

In Brazil, Bolivia, Haiti, and Venezuela, immunization coverage has plummeted by at least 14 percentage points since 2010. These countries are now also confronting moderate to severe COVID-19 related disruptions.

As the global health community attempts to recover lost ground due to COVID-19 related disruptions, UNICEF and WHO are supporting countries in their efforts to reimagine immunization and build back better by:

- Restoring services so countries can safely deliver routine immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic, by adhering to hygiene and physical distancing recommendations and providing protective equipment to health workers;

- Helping health workers communicate actively with caregivers to explain how services have been reconfigured to ensure safety;

- Rectifying coverage and immunity gaps;

- Expanding routine services to reach missed communities, where some of the most vulnerable children live.
Yesterday saw a new low in irresponsible media reporting on a briefing by a presidential press secretary. Many media outlets outright lied about what Kayleigh McEnany said by cutting her off mid-sentence in a comment on schools reopening, thereby creating an impression that was opposite of the truth.

Becket Adams of the Washington Examiner explains and presents multiple examples of lies reported by the propaganda media:

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday tried to explain President Trump's position that schools in the United States should re-open sooner rather than later. "The president has said, unmistakably, that he wants schools to open. And I was just in the [Oval Office] talking to him about that. And when he says 'open,' he means, 'open in full'  kids being able to attend each and every day at their school," she told reporters at a White House press briefing.

"The science should not stand in the way of this," McEnany continued. "And as Dr. Scott Atlas, and I thought this was a good quote, [said], 'Of course we can do it. Everyone else in the western world, our peer nations, are doing it. We are the outlier here.' The science is very clear on this that, for instance, you look at the [Journal of the American Medical Association] pediatric study of 46 pediatric hospitals in North America that said the risk of critical illness from COVID is far less for children than that of seasonal flu." The White House press secretary concluded, "The science is on our side here. We encourage for localities and states to just simply follow the science. Open our schools."

Watch a one-minute video:

Here are examples of reporters who excised the statement "The science is on our side here. We encourage for localities and states to just simply follow the science" and simply reported the first part: "The science should not stand in the way of this," as if she were saying to ignore the science.

The White House Press Secretary on Trump's push to reopen schools: 'The science should not stand in the way of this,'" said CNN's Jim Acosta, conveniently omitting some fairly necessary context. CNN's Ana Cabrera claimed, "WH Press Secretary: 'When he (Trump) says open, he means open  in full  kids being able to attend each and every day at their school,' McEnany told reporters at the press briefing. 'The science should not stand in the way of this.'" "From the White House podium: 'Science should not stand in the way' of reopening schools," CBS News White House correspondent Weijia Jiang said elsewhere. Reporter Jim Heath, who brags in his Twitter media profile that he is a Walter Cronkite Award-winner, said, "'The science should not stand in the way of this.' You just can't make this stuff up. 108 days until the election." "'The science should not stand in the way of this,' [McEnany] says of fully re-opening schools," said NBC News's Josh Lederman. The Daily Beast claimed in its headline from the briefing, "Kayleigh McEnany: 'Science Should Not Stand in the Way' of Reopening Schools." Tweeted CBS News, "McEnany: 'The president has said unmistakably that he wants schools to open...When he says open, he means open and full, kids being able to attend each and every day at their school. The science should not stand in the way of this.'" "The White House press secretary says 'science should not stand in the way' of reopening schools," the New York Times claimed in the headline to a live blog post. The Guardian similarly claimed on its live blog, "White House: 'The science should not stand in the way' of reopening schools." "White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on school reopenings: 'The science should not stand in the way of this,'" said the Washington Post's official Twitter account. The Washington Post also published a headline that reads, "'The science should not stand in the way' of schools reopening, White House press secretary says."

Almost the only honest reporter from an MSM outlet on this campaign of lies was Jake Tapper of CNN, who tweeted:

Folks read the ENTIRE McEnany comment about "the science should not stand in the way" of opening schools. She's arguing that the science is on the side of those who want to open them, she cites a JAMA study. I'm not taking a position on the matter but be fair.  Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 16, 2020

Kayleigh McEnany has been devastatingly effective as President Trump's press secretary, holding the media accountable for their lies and letting viewers of her press briefings know what questions the pressies are not asking but should. This campaign of lies is evidence that the MSM knows she is a threat to their ability to fulfill their political function as propagandists and have decided to unite in lies about her.

Photo credit: YouTube screen grab.
AMSTERDAM  Nine dogs rescued from the South Korean meat trade are now in the care of the Montgomery County SPCA and are a few weeks away from being ready for adoption.

The dogs are among more than 100 rescued from South Korea by the Humane Society International (HSI) and transported to several states  primarily in the Northeast  by the organization's U.S. chapter. In addition to Amsterdam's SPCA and Animal Haven in New York City, other dogs went to shelters in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey.

HSI rescued the dogs as part of its campaign to end the dog meat trade and flew them to the U.S., where the Humane Society of the United States placed them in the regional shelters.

The arrival of the dogs in Amsterdam was first reported by the Amsterdam Recorder and WRGB.

Rescuing animals from suffering and neglect is as important as ever, said Kitty Block, CEO of Humane Society International and president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, in a release. Thanks to the hard work of our staff and partners  both in Korea and the U.S.  these dogs will now have the happy lives they deserve: with families who love them.

The Humane Society reported that 60 of the dogs arriving in the U.S. were rescued from a single dog meat farm in May; the remaining dogs from that farm are scheduled to go to Canada. The group said the facility was the 16th farm the organization has helped to close since 2015.

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

The Humane Society's release noted that while dog meat is eaten in several countries in Asia, South Korea is the only country that farms dogs  estimated at 2 million a year  for human consumption on a large scale.

A spokeswoman for the group said it works with dog farmers to rescue their dogs and transition the farmers to other livelihoods. This particular process began in February, though the planned closure of the facility and removal of the dogs was postponed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

All dogs removed from the farms are vaccinated against the H3N2 (dog flu) virus, rabies, earlier forms of coronavirus, distemper and more. After a period of quarantine in their nation of origin, they're flown to receiving shelters in the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom.

HSI estimate it has saved more than 2,000 dogs from Korean dog meat farms.
- Many people wondered why Hipon Girl was not around during the recent episode of Tutok to Win

- Willie Revillame finally explained the real reason why the said woman was absent

- He disclosed that he told his co-host to go home after complaining about not feeling well

- According to Willie, the body of Hipon Girl did not react well after being injected with flu vaccine

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Willie Revillame explained the reason why Herlene Budol, or widely known as Hipon Girl, was not around during the recent episode of Tutok to Win.

KAMI learned that many people wondered why the said woman was absent on the show a few days after she was finally welcomed back.

Willie Revillame with fellow host Joey de Leon (Photo from Flickr)

Source: UGC

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The veteran TV host revealed that he told his gorgeous co-host to go home already after she complained about not feeling well.

Willie stated that Hipon Girl recently received vaccines against flu and pneumonia, but her body did not react well to them.

He clarified that his prominent co-host is okay and she just needs to rest for a few days to fully recover.

While revealing the reason for Hipons absence, the Kapuso superstar jokingly stated that he will let the said girl rest for 3 years.

Wala ho si Hipon. Naghahanap kayo? Alam niyo kung bakit? Kahapon, kaming lahat dito, nagkaroon kami ng injection. Ika nga, protection Itong si Hipon, pumasok, iyak nang iyak he quipped.

Sabi ko, umuwi ka muna kasi nagka-sinat eh. First time daw niyang nabigyan ng ganyan na injection. Sabi niya, Kuya, wag mo kong tatanggalin. Hindi ka tatanggalin. Kaya lang, syempre, magpapahinga muna siya Hipon, wag kang mag-alala, he added.

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Watch the video below:

Willie Revillame is one of the most seasoned showbiz personalities in the Philippines. He decided to transfer to the Kapuso network in 2015.

Several days ago, he gave an honest comment about ABS-CBN amid the heavy issues that it is facing with regards to its franchise.

A video of the male celebrity where he was seen getting emotional while hosting Tutok to Win also went viral in the online world.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 03:54:03|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The National Center for Disease Control of Libya on Thursday reported 73 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 1,652.

The center said in a statement that it received a total of 952 suspected samples, of which 73 were tested positive.

Among the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Libya, there are 379 recoveries and 46 deaths, the center said.

Libyan authorities have taken a series of precautionary measures against the coronavirus, including closing the country's borders, schools and mosques, and banning public gatherings as well as imposing a curfew.

Libya reported the first COVID-19 case in March, and the first death in April.

China has donated medical aid to Libya in June to help the country fight against the pandemic. The aid included 834 test kits, 5,000 medical protective suits, 15,000 N95 masks, 100,000 surgical masks, 5,000 goggles and 5,000 pairs of medical gloves. Enditem


Noosa Mining Virtual Conference Presentation

Ballarat, July 17, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - White Rock Minerals ( ASX:WRM ) wishes to advise that its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Matt Gill is presenting today at the Noosa Mining Conference.In this presentation, Matt Gill discusses the current exploration program at the Company's Last Chance Gold Prospect, located within its 100% owned Red Mountain Project in central Alaska.Matt also discusses the high-grade zinc and precious metals VMS at Red Mountain, as well as the Company's advanced gold and silver project in northern NSW, Australia.To view the presentation, please visit:About White Rock Minerals Ltd

White Rock Minerals Ltd (ASX:WRM) (OTCMKTS:WRMCF) is a diversified explorer and near-stage producer, headquartered in Ballarat, Victoria. The Company's flagship exploration project is Red Mountain in central Alaska. At Red Mountain, there are already two high grade zinc - silver - gold - lead VMS deposits, with an Inferred Mineral Resource of 9.1 million tonnes @ 609g/t AgEq / 13% ZnEq. The Company is also exploring its recently discovered large intrusion related gold anomaly at Last Chance, also located in the Tintina gold belt of Alaska, home to multi-million gold ounce deposits like Pogo, Fort Knox and the Donlin Project. The Company also has the Mt Carrington project, located near Drake, in Northern NSW, which is a near-production precious metals asset with a resource of 341,000 ounces of gold and 23.2 million ounces of silver on an approved mining lease, and with a Gold First PFS and JORC Reserve.
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The World Health Organization is holding a news briefing Friday on the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 13.83 million people worldwide and killed at least 590,600, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

On Monday, WHO officials said the United States and Brazil accounted for half of the new daily coronavirus cases as countries across the globe struggle to contain their outbreaks.

The U.S. and Brazil reported 111,319 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, roughly half of all the new cases disclosed to health authorities worldwide, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"In several countries across the world, we are now seeing dangerous increases in Covid-19 cases and hospital wards filling up again," he said. "It would appear that many countries are losing gains made as proven measures to reduce risk are not implemented or followed."

During Monday's conference, WHO officials also said that patients who recover from Covid-19 may be able to get the coronavirus again, adding that studies suggest their immunity may wane after a few months.

While emphasizing that scientists don't have a complete answer yet, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of the WHO's emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, said patients "do mount some level of an immune response."

"We don't know yet whether it's possible with this particular virus ... We do know with other coronaviruses that is the case, and there is some data out there that may suggest that immunity will wane over time, but that is not fully known at this point," she said.

 CNBC's Berkeley Lovelace Jr. contributed to this report.

Read CNBC's live updates to see the latest news on the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Illinois mother of a 5-year-old boy who was murdered last year was sentenced Friday to 35 years in prison.

JoAnn Cunningham, wearing orange prison clothes and a face mask, appeared in a McHenry County court for the second day of her sentencing hearing. Her son, Andrew Freund, Jr., was killed in April 2019 after he was beaten and left in a cold shower, according to a criminal complaint.

The boy's father, Andrew Freund, Sr., had reported him missing from their suburban Chicago home before the child's body was found buried in a shallow grave about 20 minutes away in Woodstock.

His cause of death was ruled as craniocerebral trauma as a consequence of multiple blunt force injuries.

Judge Robert Wilbrandt said evidence shows that Cunningham repeatedly hit her son in the head with a metal shower sprinkler, took him out of the shower while he was still alive, and then locked him in his room alone.

"AJ tragically died from the after-effects of blunt force trauma," the judge said. "It was a horrible death preceded by a horrible life."

Image: Andrew Freund, Jr., 5, went missing from his home in Crystal Lake, Illinois. (Crystal Lake Police Department)

Following her prison sentence, Cunningham will serve an additional three years of mandatory supervised release.

Cunningham, 37, and Freund, 61, initially pleaded not guilty in their son's death after a grand jury indicted them on 20 charges each, which included three counts of murder and one count of concealing a death.

In December, Cunningham pleaded guilty to first-degree murder as part of a deal that dropped all of the other charges. She faced up to a maximum of 60 years in prison. Freund has not changed his plea and is awaiting trial.

During the sentencing, Cunningham cried as she read a letter to the court.

"I had the privilege of having AJ as a son. When I had him, it was one of the happiest days of my life. I love him. I miss him. There's nothing I wouldn't do to bring him back," she said in a video published by NBC Chicago.

Cunningham went on to say that there is "great sorrow in my heart."

Story continues

"I will never be able to justify anything nor do I ever want to. Through my negligence, my weaknesses and failures created a host of problems for me," she said. "I would give my life to have AJ back. This is something I will never escape from and am impacted forever by my horrendous choices. I cannot change the decisions of my past. I ask you to help me put the million scattered pieces of my heart back together. I need love, not more pain."

Freund led police to his son's body after they confronted him with a video that showed Andrew with bruises on his body, according to court records. In the footage, a woman believed to be Cunningham is seen berating the child for urinating on the bed.

A medical examiner testified during the sentencing hearing that Andrew suffered broken ribs and had severe swelling on his brain prior to his death, NBC Chicago reports. Prosecutors also talked about prior incidents of abuse.

JoEllen Channon, an emergency room doctor, told the courtroom that during a conversation with Andrew months before his death he said that he had been hit with a belt.

I asked him if he had been spanked or hit? He said yes. I asked him with what? He said a belt," she said, according to the outlet. I asked him who did it. He said someone not in my family, but then he offered, maybe mom didnt mean to hurt me.
Muzaffarpur boiler explosion: PM Modi announces ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for kin of deceased

Makes me feel better: 84-year-old Bihar man claims to have taken 11 Covid vaccine shots

FIR against 84-year-old Bihar man who took 11 doses of COVID -19 vaccine

EC to hold virtual hearing on opposition's plea over free, fair polls in Bihar

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, July 17: The Election Commission is likely to hold a virtual meeting on opposition's plea over free, fair polls in Bihar.

Several opposition parties of Bihar on Friday urged the poll body to assure voters that the upcoming assembly polls do not become a "super spreader event" amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The parties submitted a memorandum to the poll panel drawing its attention to the coronavirus situation in the state.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the state badly. In the capital city, Patna, as many as 89 containment zones and over 16 districts have been put under lockdown for another fifteen days with effect from 16th July," the memorandum said.

The opposition parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal, CPI, CPI-M and Hindustan Awam Morcha, wondered how the poll panel will ensure physical distancing of at least two yards in a state with a population of around 13 crore and electorate of 7.5 crore.

Covid-19: 31.6 Lakh people in quarantine across India, highest in UP | Oneindia News

"People need explicit clarity so that wholesome participation of majority of voters is not adversely impacted. People also expect the commission to ensure and satisfy the people that entire poll exercise does not become a super spreader event," the memorandum said.

The term of the Bihar assembly ends on November 29 and a new assembly has to be constituted before that.
George Poikayil By

Express News Service

KASARAGOD: The source tracing of 10 COVID-19 patients from Mangalpady, who belong to the same family, has turned into a real whodunnit in Kasaragod.

District surveillance officer Dr A T Manoj said their source of infection is 32-year-old family member who returned from Kuwait on June 10.

The returnee's initial test had come back negative but him along with his wife and mother tested positive for COVID-19 on July 11.

The health officials are treating the infection of the Kuwait returnee as an imported case. When Express contacted him over the phone, he had a different version to share.

He said he and three of his friends landed at Kannur airport on June 10, and they went straight to a vacant house to stay in quarantine.

On June 14, his samples were collected and on June 16, officials shared the negative result with him.

After staying in quarantine for 14 days in the house, he went home on June 25. "I stayed in quarantine for another seven days in my house," he said.

He came out of his room only on July 1.

"Even then I did not move around too much," he added.

The Kuwait returnee however said he could not be the source adding that his brother's wife, who lives in Meeja panchayat, was likely the one who contracted the infection first as the woman's brother who works in Mangaluru, had tested positive for coronavirus.

"But before the result was known, my sister-in-law came and stayed with us in Mangalpady," the Kuwait-returnee said.

However, the woman's samples returned negative, said Dileep, the junior health inspector of Mangalpady panchayat.

"So we really don't know the source of infection of the family," he told Express.

Hospital patient tests positive

In another case of an unknown source, a 74-year-old woman, who got admitted to the District Hospital with a hip fracture, tested positive for COVID-19.

The woman is a native of Kuniya in Pullur-Periya panchayat.

Sources said the hospital had done an antigen test before surgery. Four health workers of the hospital have gone into quarantine, the sources said.

They said 15 women in the female surgical ward have also been kept under observation.

Other cases due to local transmission

These cases include one person each from Manjeshwar, Madhur, Chemnad, and Panathady panchayat.

Two persons from Kumbla who came in a car from Mangaluru tested positive for the virus as well as another person from Kallar panchayat who returned from Bengaluru.

Four persons who arrived from abroad also tested positive for the infection.

Thursday also saw 23 persons recovering from COVID-19 in the district and Kasaragod presently has 304 active cases of the virus.
The FTSE 100 closed up 0.63 per cent or 39.61 points at 6,290.30 and the pound was at $1.26 against the dollar.

Rio Tinto said Chinese customers are still demanding large amounts of iron ore, but it warned that recovery in Japan and Europe 'is yet to begin meaningfully and is likely to be subdued when it does'.

Chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques said: 'We delivered a strong performance, particularly in iron ore and bauxite, demonstrating the underlying resilience of our business and ability to adapt in difficult conditions.'

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific issued a profit warning today, estimating it will suffer a historic loss of HK$9.9 billion (US$1.3billion) in the first half of 2020. The airline's passenger numbers in June plummeted 99 per cent year-on-year.

London's Southbank Centre says it may have to cut two-thirds of its staff because of the coronavirus crisis. The UK's biggest arts complex has warned that 400 of its 600 positions at the firm's Waterloo-based centre are at risk of going.
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PARIS  Aryballe, a digital olfaction company that combines biochemistry, advanced optics and machine learning to mimic humans sense of smell, has raised 7 million euros in a recent round of international funding.

It involved new investors Samsung Venture Investment Corp. and Seb Alliance, as well as existing investors Innovacom, Cemag Invest, Asahi Kesei and HCVC, the Grenoble, France-based company said in a statement.

Aryballes total funding now stands at 17 million euros.

Digital olfaction is the next wave in smart sensors, Aryballe said in the statement. Organizations across industries, from automotive to food and beverage to consumer applications and personal care and cosmetics, rely on machine-learning-powered digital olfaction to accelerate R&D projects, reduce maintenance costs and provide better customer experiences.

The funding enables Aryballe to build out its manufacturing operations to meet accelerating demand for its newest high-volume, low-cost universal odor sensor as organizations across the globe look to enhance the capabilities of existing smart sensor networks, Aryballe continued.

The quest to quickly evolve the perfume industry comes as category sales are stagnant or down in most mature western markets and the coronavirus pandemic is causing brands and retailers to look for alternate fragrance delivery systems.

In early 2019, IFF collaborated with Aryballe on the development of odor-sensing and quality-control applications with the aim of developing a platform for applications in the food, fragrance and cosmetics industries, among others.

Aryballe collects, displays and analyzes odor data for companies better decision-making, it said.

The new funding will allow the company to double its number of employees in engineering and product positions, and further bolster its technologys industrialization.

Last year, the company grew headcount by 30 percent, enabling it to more than double its intellectual property portfolio.

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Aryballe was established in 2014 and launched the digital nose, NeOse Pro, at the beginning of 2018. That device is billed to be able to detect, record and recognize odors, generally used in research and development, laboratory and quality control, and assurance applications.

Sam Guilaume, Aryballe chief executive officer, explained in the statement that the company focuses on helping its customers and partners solve industry problems through smell.

Our mission has always been to empower brands through the use of reliable, quality data, and today were seeing more companies using digital olfaction to design improvements in the customer experience and generate additional revenue, he said. Now, with the support of our industry partners, were well prepared to continue executing on that mission and take on this next stage of growth.

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If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider BorgWarner (BWA). This company, which is in the Zacks Automotive - Original Equipment industry, shows potential for another earnings beat.

This auto parts supplier has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 30.80%.

For the most recent quarter, BorgWarner was expected to post earnings of $0.49 per share, but it reported $0.77 per share instead, representing a surprise of 57.14%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.12 per share, while it actually produced $1.17 per share, a surprise of 4.46%.

Price and EPS Surprise

With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for BorgWarner. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank.

Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

BorgWarner currently has an Earnings ESP of +6.10%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on August 5, 2020.

Story continues

With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss.

Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.

Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.



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OTTAWA - The House of Commons ethics committee has put off to next week a decision on whether to demand records of the Trudeau familys speaking engagements as part of a probe of how WE Charity was given responsibility for a vast federal volunteer program.

Conservatives on the committee want the documents; Liberals said the committee has no business inserting itself into an investigation the federal ethics commissioner is already conducting.

WE gave up running the $912-million volunteer program amid controversy over hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees the WE organization paid to members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus family for appearances at WE events.

Trudeau has said he should have recused himself from the decision but didnt.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau, one of whose daughters works for an arm of the WE organization, has said the same.

The Tories say the committee needs to understand how well the governments conflict-of-interest regime works and the WE Charity deal presents a case study.

Lets put some sunlight on this, said Ontario Conservative MP Michael Barrett, his partys ethics critic, as the meeting began.

According to WE, most of the fees went to Trudeaus mother Margaret, a mental-health advocate, for events between 2016 and 2020, and Justin Trudeau has never been paid anything.

Quebec Liberal MP Brenda Shanahan argued the ethics committee is not an investigative body. It broadly oversees the work of people such as federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion, she said, but doesnt do probes itself.

Dion is investigating Trudeau and Morneau in the affair, to determine whether they violated the Conflict of Interest Act.

Shanahan said thats the way the probe should be carried out, rather than have a Commons committee nosing through the finances of Trudeaus relatives.

Is that really the way we want to go? Investigate everyone publicly? When there are other tools available? she asked.

Other Liberals on the committee such as Greg Fergus and Elisabeth Briere echoed her, insisting the committee only has a role to play if the ethics commissioner somehow cant act.

Both padded their ideas out with long disquisitions on the history of democracy, back to Greek city-states, and how members of the executive branch are properly held to account.

New Democrat MP Charlie Angus accused them of filibustering, running out the clock on the meeting, and not even doing it particularly well under the rules.

I mean, I love the stuff about ancient Athens, he can talk about ancient Sparta ... but he needs to be introducing new material, Angus said of Fergus.

In the end, Angus proposed a compromise that would see the committee seek the speaking records only so they can be handed over to Dion, and also directly call the prime minister to testify before the group.

He voted with the Liberals to break until next week to consider the idea, a move Fergus promised is not just a delaying tactic to defend Trudeau.

The Conservatives accused the Liberals of seeking to shut the committee down in a coverup.

Thursday, the Commons finance committee heard from Youth Minister Bardish Chagger and senior public servants about how the arrangement with WE came together after Trudeau announced plans in April for a volunteering program for students who couldnt find work this summer because of COVID-19.

That committee heard WE pitched the government on a different but related project days before the announcement, and officials saw the groups connections with young people as vital to making the governments program work.

The Conservatives wrote to the lobbying commissioner Friday, seeking an investigation of whether WEs contacts with the government should have been recorded on the federal lobbying registry.

The Conservatives have also called on the RCMP to investigate whether anything in the affair was criminal. The Mounties said Friday that theyre examining the matter carefully with all available information and will take appropriate actions as required.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2020.
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: Western governments on Thursday accused hackers believed to be part of Russian intelligence of trying to steal valuable private information about a coronavirus vaccine, calling out the Kremlin in an unusually detailed public warning to scientists and medical companies.

The alleged culprit is a familiar foe.

Intelligence agencies in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada say the hacking group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear, is attacking academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in COVID-19 vaccine development. The same group was implicated in the hacking of Democratic email accounts during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

It was unclear whether any useful information was stolen. But British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

He accused Moscow of pursuing selfish interests with reckless behavior.

ALSO READ | Double protection against virus: Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine hopes rise with strong trial results

Sticking to more general language, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, We worked very closely with our allies to ensure that we would take measures to keep that information safe and we continue do so so."

The allegation that hackers linked to a foreign government are attempting to siphon secret research during the pandemic is not entirely new. U.S. officials as recently as Thursday have accused China of similar conduct. But the latest warning was startling for the detail it provided, attributing the targeting by name to a particular hacking group and specifying the software vulnerabilities the hackers have been exploiting.

Also, Russian cyberattacks strike a particular nerve in the U.S. given the Kremlin's sophisticated campaign to influence the 2016 presidential election. And the coordination of the new warning across continents seemed designed to add heft and gravity to the announcement and to prompt the Western targets of the hackers to protect themselves.

I think (the governments) have very specific intelligence that they can provide, said John Hultquist, senior director of analysis at Mandiant Threat Intelligence. The report is full of specific operational information that defenders can use to protect their networks.

Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, rejected the accusations, saying, We dont have information about who may have hacked pharmaceutical companies and research centers in Britain."

We may say one thing: Russia has nothing to do with those attempts, Peskov said, according to the state news agency Tass.

The accusations come at a tenuous time for relations between Russia and both the U.S. and U.K.

Besides political ill will, especially among Democrats, about the 2016 election interference, the Trump administration is under pressure to confront Russia over intelligence information that Moscow offered bounties to Taliban fighters to attack allied fighters.

The Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, said its clear that Russias malign cyber operations and other destabilizing activities  from financial and other material support to non-state actors in Afghanistan to poisoning dissidents in democratic countries  have persisted, even when exposed. He urged President Donald Trump to condemn such activities.

The vaccine assessment came two years to the day after Trump met with Putin in Helsinki and appeared to side with Moscow over U.S. intelligence agencies about the election interference. The U.K. did not say whether Putin knew about the more recent research hacking, but British officials believe such intelligence would be highly prized.

Relations between Russia and the U.K., meanwhile, have plummeted since former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a Soviet-made nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury in 2018, though they later recovered. Britain blamed Moscow for the attack, which triggered a round of retaliatory diplomatic expulsions between Russia and Western countries.

More broadly, Thursday's announcement speaks to the cybersecurity vulnerability created by the pandemic and the global race for a vaccine.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys cybersecurity agency warned in April that cybercriminals and other groups were targeting COVID-19 research, noting at the time that the increase in people teleworking because of the pandemic had created potential avenues for hackers to exploit.

Profit-motivated criminals have exploited the situation, and so have foreign governments who also have their own urgent demands for information about the pandemic and about things like vaccine research," Tonya Ugoretz, a deputy assistant director in the FBI's cyber division, said at a cybersecurity conference last month.

Some of them are using their cyber capabilities to, for example, attempt to break into the networks of those who are conducting this research as well as into nongovernmental organizations to satisfy their own information needs," Ugoretz said.

The alert did not name the targeted organizations themselves or say how many were affected. But it did say the organizations were in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, and said the goal was to steal information and intellectual property related to vaccine development.

Britains NCSC said its assessment was shared by the National Security Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and by the Canadian Communication Security Establishment.

A 16-page advisory prepared by Western agencies and made public Thursday accuses Cozy Bear of using custom malicious software to target a number of organizations globally. The malware, called WellMess and WellMail, has not previously been associated with the group, the advisory said.

In recent attacks targeting COVID-19 vaccine research and development, the group conducted basic vulnerability scanning against specific external IP addresses owned by the organizations. The group then deployed public exploits against the vulnerable services identified, the advisory said.

Cozy Bear is one of two hacking groups suspected of separate break-ins of computer networks of the Democratic National Committee before the 2016 U.S. election. Stolen emails were then published by WikiLeaks in what U.S. intelligence authorities say was an effort to aid Trump's campaign over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

A report on Russian election interference by former special counsel Robert Mueller called out another group, Fancy Bear, in the hack-and-leak operation. Cozy Bear, though, operates "quietly gaining access and gathering intelligence," said Hultquist of the Mandiant cybersecurity firm.

Their goal, he said, is good old-fashioned espionage.

Separately, Thursday, Britain accused Russian actors of trying to interfere in Decembers U.K. national election by circulating leaked or stolen documents online. Unlike in the vaccine report, the U.K. did not allege that the Russian government was involved in the political meddling.
A number of media reports in early July carried the news that the United States would begin to redeploy some combat troops from Europe and the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific region. The reason for the buildup, National Security Advisor Robert OBrien said, was that China has become the most significant geopolitical challenge since the end of the Cold War. Contrary to OBriens fears, a clearheaded analysis of the economic, military, and diplomatic realities involved do not justify actions that risk sparking a military conflict between China and the United States.

Sometimes, pressuring an adversary makes sense. Flexing our considerable military muscles can be just the thing to convince an opponent they should reconsider their actions or face the fury of our power. But the circumstances must warrant such behavior, because the consequences of war are so great. A war with China today -- even one we eventually won -- could cripple our military and devastate our economy for years to come. It is therefore of paramount importance that we examine what is genuinely at stake in the Western Pacific for the United States and consider whether taking actions that could risk a war are warranted.

Spoiler alert: they arent.

Thats not to say, however, that there arent real challenges in our relations with China.

China has been unequivocal since its inception in 1949 that it is willing to use force to "reunify" Taiwan with the mainland -- but Taiwan never "broke away" from China. The losers of the 1949 Chinese Civil War escaped there and have been governing ever since. Taiwan is a de-facto independent nation. It has a pro-Western orientation and the worlds 22nd largest economy. Without question, the United States affirms the inherent right of the people of every land to self-determination. The crucial question we must answer, however, is how far should the United States go in the event Beijing chooses to make good on its threat against Taipei.

In early July Sen. Tom Cotton likened Chinas efforts in the region to Hitlers early conquests before World War II, and earlier warned ominously that the Trump administration should consider all options at its disposal in protest to Beijings oppressive actions towards Hong Kong. What the Senator didnt explain, however, is what direct threat China represents to the United States.

The plain fact is that matters occurring just off Chinas borders will always be of far greater importance to them than to us.

We can and should advocate for freedom in Taiwan and Hong Kong. We should apply considerable diplomatic pressure to demand Beijing adhere to international law and reject the use of force to achieve their political preferences. But absent a direct threat to the United States, our military forces, or our treaty partners, we should not fight a war against China.

If China took Taiwan by force, it would be a dark and ominous development that would require a strong response from the international community, potentially led by the United States. But going to war with China over Taiwan would almost certainly result in losing U.S. ships to the bottom of the sea, having our fighters and bombers knocked out of the skies, and the loss of potentially thousands of our service members. None of this would guarantee we would prevent China from taking the island.

If the U.S. Navys capacity in the Pacific Ocean were severely degraded and the U.S. Air Forces ability to rule the skies gouged, it would reduce our ability to defend the United States. Moreover, entering such a fight could put us in the no-win situation in which we have to choose between escalating into an all-out war with China that could turn nuclear, or conceding the fight to Beijing and withdrawing. Neither of these outcomes is in Americas interest, and both would result in a diminished America.

What we should do is ensure we are able to defend American interests and assure our security first and foremost. Our armed forces are powerful enough to deter China from ever attacking us directly, but Chinas military is powerful enough to win a fight in its own region if we are foolish enough to choose one. We must avoid making a no-win choice in the future by having realistic objectives and strategies now.

Daniel L. Davis is a Senior Fellow for Defense Priorities and a former Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army who retired in 2015 after 21 years, including four combat deployments. Follow him @DanielLDavis1.
With the JIC now gone, it is the NSCS' job to analyse the intelligence inputs and give its report to the National Security Council headed by the prime minister, and also coordinate with the ministries concerned and the state governments to ensure that the plans are properly implemented

A month after the Galwan Valley incident, which saw twenty Indian soldiers killed in a border clash with China, defence experts are questioning whether disbanding the Joint Intelligence Committee was a good idea.

The Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), an autonomous body comprising subject experts was, in 2018, merged with the all-powerful National Security Council Secretariat in an attempt to consolidate the country's security apparatus towards the end of the Modi government's first term.

National security experts are also questioning whether the Galwan Valley incident was a case of intelligence mismanagement at the top rather than an intelligence failure.

A report in The Indian Express on Thursday claimed that the first reports on sighting of Chinese troops near the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh were available since mid-April. More specific inputs were received only days later, indicating that allegations of intelligence failure may not be entirely accurate.

The extent of damage incurred in the clash almost a month later indicates that these intel inputs were either glossed over by decision-makers when assessing Chinese intent, or worse, were never conveyed to the Indian Army, some have argued.

The Indian Express article quoted above contended that the mismanagement of available intelligence data either indicated the "inability to read Chinese actions" from the information available, or it occurred because of the "systemic changes in the way stakeholders share intelligence" following the disbandment of the JIC in 2018.

The newspaper quoted an unnamed senior intelligence official as saying that the process for joint assessment and sharing of information between various stakeholders has indeed changed since JIC was disbanded.

Former NSA MK Narayanan also concurred with the view that disbanding JIC has led to a weakening of the intelligence assessment system. In an opinion article in The Hindu, Narayanan argued that the Galwan incident showed "a weakness in interpretation and analysis" of the available intelligence.

"The principal responsibility for intelligence assessment and analysis concerning China, rests with the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and Indias external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), and to a lesser extent, the Defence Intelligence Agency. It may not, perhaps, be wrong to surmise that the decision of the NSCS to dismantle the Joint Intelligence Committee has contributed to a weakening of the intelligence assessment system," wrote Narayanan.

How India's security apparatus was synergised

The security apparatus earlier roughly had three tiers under the NSCS:

Strategic Policy Group (SPG) with chief of intelligence agencies and the heads of the three armed forces among its members.

National Security Advisory Board, comprising retired officials and non-government persons.

Joint Intelligence Committee.

In 2018, this was collapsed into what was touted as a more synergised approach to the national security apparatus. The National Security Advisor was made the chief of SPG, earlier headed by the defence secretary, the NSAB was truncated to leave out non-government persons and the JIC was disbanded.

The NSA now had three deputy NSAs instead of one.

These changes were made with the idea of ensuring proper collation and consolidation of intelligence.

It is thus the NSCS' job to analyse the intelligence inputs and give its report to the National Security Council, headed by the prime minister, and also coordinate with the ministries concerned and the state governments to ensure that the plans are properly implemented on the ground, according to media reports detailing the effects of the revamp.

Earlier these tasks were divided between the NSCS, SPG, JIC and Defence Intelligence Agency. It was the analysis and threat evaluation part of the task that was entrusted to JIC before the security apparatus revamp.

'NSA has too much on his plate'

Manoj Joshi, distinguished fellow at Observer Research Foundation, had in October 2018 argued that with NSA already in charge of several other offices, piling on crucial responsibilities on a single nodal body directly under his office may water down its efficacy.

"The NSA simply has too much on his plate to devote time to issues of reform and restructuring that are needed in the area of defence. He is the principal security adviser to the prime minister, responsible for managing Indias policies towards Pakistan, China and the US. He manages Indias nuclear deterrent and, because of his background, also supervises the intelligence agencies. True, he has some highly capable people to assist him in carrying out his numerous tasks. But at the end of the day, the buck does stop with him," Joshi argued in an article in The Wire.

Even experts who saw the revamp as a welcome move cautioned against doing away with JIC and opined that such an institution should in fact be empowered.

'Sea of information'

Tara Kartha, a former director of the National Security Council Secretariat, and who also writes for Firstpost, saw the revamp as a long-overdue process, but warned of the dangers of considering JIC dispensable in an article for The Wire.

"With the two major intelligence agencies now at the topmost levels of the hierarchy, there seems to be a perception that the JIC  staffed by subject experts  can be done away with. This is dangerous. Elsewhere, national security agencies are focusing even more on all source intelligence and co-opting universities and academics in an exercise that aims to build the capability of both. The US, for instance, has set up 14 schools that operate Intelligence Community Centres of National Excellence. This is a recognition of the fact that there is a vast sea of information waiting to be converted into intelligence," she stated.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 01:55:57|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Friday announced that it would take part in a mini-African summit slated for July 21 regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

"Sudan has received an invitation from South Africa, the current chair of the African Union, to participate in a mini-summit on the GERD on July 21," said Sudan's Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Yasir Abbas on his Twitter account.

"We are looking forward to participating in the summit to reach a deal regarding filling and operation of the dam," he added.

Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia have recently ended a round of talks on the GERD without reaching an agreement on the filling of the dam.

The three countries sent separate reports to the African Union on progress of the talks, waiting for the mini-summit to issue a decision regarding the Ethiopian dam.

Ethiopia started building the GERD in 2011, while Egypt, a downstream Nile Basin country that relies on the river for its fresh water, is concerned that the dam might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of the water resources. Enditem
FILE PHOTO: The company logo for Johnson & Johnson is displayed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the company's listing at the NYSE in New York

By Carl O'Donnell and Manas Mishra

(Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson <JNJ.N> is in talks with the government of Japan and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation about locking up allocations of its potential COVID-19 vaccine as it prepares to kick off human trials, the company's Chief Financial Officer Joseph Wolk told Reuters in an interview.

More than a hundred vaccines are under development to try and stop the COVID-19 pandemic, and drugmakers including J&J are working to ramp up supply for their vaccines in the face of unprecedented demand.

J&J has already agreed to prioritize an allocation to the United States as part of its funding agreement with the U.S. government's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Wolk said.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation would focus on allocating any vaccine it acquired to developing countries, Wolk added. Reuters previously reported that J&J is also in talks with the European Union.

"Nothing has been finalized yet. We continue to have those discussions," Wolk told Reuters. "People from the countries and the organizations we mentioned want to lock in a certain minimum level of capacity that they would get."

Wolk said that the "general construct" of the discussions is likely to take a form similar to AstraZeneca Plcs <AZN.L> deal with the U.S. government, which provided $1.2 billion in drug development aid to the U.K. drugmaker in exchange for locking in a delivery of around 300 million doses for fall 2020.

AstraZeneca has also signed a contract with France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands for up to 400 million doses of its potential vaccine. It has also partnered with non-profits to ensure distribution to developing countries.

Wolk added that these discussions will help Johnson & Johnson determine pricing for its vaccine, which the U.S. drugmaker intends to sell on a not-for-profit basis during the pandemic.

Story continues

"The more demand we have the better and lower that cost would potentially be, Wolk said.

The company aims to begin manufacturing the vaccine later this year, depending on its success in clinical trials, he added.

In its Thursday earnings call, J&J said it plans to start its first human trials of its COVID-19 vaccine on July 22 and could kick off late-stage studies as soon as September.

(Reporting by Carl O'Donnell in New York and Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Lisa Shumaker)
Kansas City Public Schools Superintendent Says Reopening Will Be 'Lose-Lose Situation' For Students, Teachers Without in-person school next year, the most vulnerable students in the Kansas City Public Schools will fall even further behind their peers. But many of their teachers are afraid to return to aging, poorly ventilated schools during a public health crisis.

The provisionally accredited school district leans toward the illusion of Internets work whilst acknowledging a very real fact of life . . . Many of the buildings for students are old & busted despitein funding over similarly sized districts year after year . . . Read more:
We should have known there was a whole feast being prepared in the kitchen when DJ Khaled popped up posing for photos with an owl. Earlier this week, DJ Khaled and Drake announced that they didn't have just one release dropping soon, but two. Khaled shared that he has been working on his album Khaled Khaled, and to kick things off, he delivers his two Drake collaborations, "Greece" and "Popstar."

"DJ KHALED feat. @Drake SOME BOY DEM MAKE POP CHUNE WE MAKE CHUNE THAT GO POP! POP PON THEY HEAD!!" DJ Khaled penned in a tweet alongside the cover art of "Popstar." The Miami-based mega-producer isn't the only one crafting out a new record; Drake has been steadily creating his next masterpiece, but he's keeping details about the project close to the chest. As we await records from both artists, check out DJ Khaled and Drake come together on "Popstar."

Quotable Lyrics

I want this drink and another one, yeah

And I'm troublesome, yeah

I'm a popstar but this sh*t ain't bubblegum, yeah

You'll prollly think my manager is Scooter Braun, yeah

But my manager with twenty hoes in Buddakan, ayy

Look, Ariana, Selena, my Visa

It can take as many charges as it needs to, my girl

That sh*t platinum, just like all of my releases, my girl

N*ggas come for me, I tear them all to pieces, my girl
[July 17, 2020] SucSEED Invests in 6Degree, a Fashion Commerce & Retail Management Platform HYDERABAD, BENGALURU and MUMBAI, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SucSEED Ventures invests into Protinus Fashion Networking Pvt Ltd, to expand its horizon into Fashion Commerce & Retail Management Platform segment. SucSEED invests in 6Degrees through this Pre-Series A round, whereas Kieretsu Forum had invested seed capital earlier. 6Degree is India's largest fashion network with over 15,000 professionals and home to over 4,000 fashion designers. The company also has long standing partnerships with over 100 multi-brand stores and leading fashion platforms such as IMG Reliance, Lakme Fashion Week, Fashion Design Council of India and several esteemed names, playing host to leading names such as Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Arora and many others. Nikhil Hegde, Co-Founder of 6Degree, said, "6Degree has constantly been working in the affordable luxury market for the emerging fashion designers. With large base of designers & fashion professionals on the 6Degree network, there has been a need to leverage this asset and enable growth to the local talent and engage with customer across the globe. 6Degree has strong existing partnerships and have been able to add business value to over 500 emerging fashion designer brands by giving them access to national and international markets. We have also launched www.6Degree.store to provide the fashion-conscious consuers access to limitless styles from homegrown designers and at affordable prices." Talking about the company's plans to utilize the funds Nikhil Hegde said, "6Degree will now be able to move quicker and bring about a democracy in styles to consumers and support local designer talent in becoming strong national & global brands. Speaking on why SucSEED has invested in 6Degree, Dr.Moti Vyas, an active Investor with SucSEED, said, "6Degree has the vision to transform fashion industry, as it provides an end to end platform for fashion industry participants with a digital technology infrastructure. It works to eliminate overheads, improves efficiency, provides transparency, fair marketplace for new players and above all world class customer experience at an affordable price point. " Vikrant Varshney, Co-founder & Managing Partner, SucSEED , said, "The Indian fashion retail industry is about $100 Bn, with the global market in excess of $3Tn. There are over 700,000 homegrown designer brands in India who seek to retail in over 75,000 single brand & multi-brand store network. In addition, each year, there are over 25,000 fashion students who graduate and a large section of them go on to start their own homegrown brand. Our Investment into 6Degree would help them achieve a dominating position in that space and organise the market." Speaking on this investment further, Dhiraj Sinha, Cofounder & Partner, SucSEED , said, "6Degree aims to democratize the fashion industry for India's middle class. The company is led by the passionate duo - Nikhil Hegde and Amit Bhardwaj with global fashion industry experience and a vision to 'make a difference'. We take pride in our association with 6Degree." About 6Degree 6Degree (http://6degree.co) was started in 2015 by Nikhil Hegde and Amit Bhardwaj, with a vision to bring the unorganised fashion industry to one platform and through this, democratise style for consumers. Today, 6Degree provides every stakeholder in the fashion industry with a opportunity to grow their business - either through service opportunities or product sales. Designers now have access to newer markets, nationally and internatinally through 6Degree Retail Platform (https://www.6degree.store) while fashion service providers can now be discovered by leading brands through India's largest fashion network - 6Degree.

Problem(s) that 6Degree is addressing: Fashion is always perceived to be a consumption for the rich class, however, most people have an aspiration to be fashionable. Bringing customized and affordable luxury-wear to consumers from homegrown fashion brands. Stylish products at affordable prices always seek new markets and consumers from the growing middle class population of India .

. Homegrown fashion designer brands stuggle to establish themselves on a global scale.

Provide business and job opportunities for fashion professionals through India's largest fashion network - 6Degree Network. Fashion service provides can now have access to jobs and opportunities without a middleman and payment guarantees. Solution: 6Degree has launched its propertiary retail management solution that provides designer brands with a single platform to grow and manage their business across all online and offline sales channels. 6Degree manages over 200 designer brands via its unique retail platform and provides access to new markets & consumers. 6Degree Retail Management now allows homegrown brands to go digital-first while still providing them with retail opportunities in physical stores through its large store-partner network.

One of the largest industries of India is built by local fashion designers & homegrown brands and 6Degree now enables the VocalforLocal campaign by scaling these homegrown brands to national and international markets.

is built by local fashion designers & homegrown brands and 6Degree now enables the VocalforLocal campaign by scaling these homegrown brands to national and international markets. 6Degree Network allows fashion and lifestyle brands to tap into the growing fashion talent community to be discovered and find fashion jobs. Leading corporate & lifestyle brands have leveraged the 6Degree Network to take their campaigns viral over the digital domains. About the market Potential in that space The Indian fashion retail industry is about $100 Bn, with the global market being in excess of $3Tn. Having one of the largest youth population in the world, global and homegrown brands see India as a greenfield opportunity in the fashion segment. There are over 700,000 homegrown fashion designer brands in India who seek to retail in over 75,000 single brand and multi-brand store network. In addition, each year, there are over 25,000 fashion students who graduate and a large section of them go on to start their own homegrown brand. Details of Founders: Nikhil Hegde | https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilrhegde/

| https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilrhegde/ Amit Bhardwaj | https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitbhj/

| https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitbhj/ 10 years in risk consulting and telecom industry, worked for companies like Subex, Airtel, Tata Teleservices and KPMG MBA from University of Leeds | University topper for MBA For further information on 6Degree, pls contact: Nikhil Hegde , Co- Founder & CEO of 6Degree, nikhil@6degree.co About SucSEED Ventures SucSEED Ventures, founded in 2016, is one of the fastest growing Angel Network, with a combination of CXO level Corporate Professionals, Technology Angels, Business Leaders and Serial Entrepreneurs, who have come together to fuel the growth of Indian Startup System at early stage, with provision of growth capital, organizing access to market and Business mentoring. SucSEED's Investment Strategy is primarily targeted at Growth stage in post revenue startups involved in "Innovation for Mass" or Use cases with real problem statements using emerging Technology. SucSEED has been investing in diverse domains such as Fintech, Edtech, Real-estate Technology, HR Tech & Expert Network, Enterprise SAAS, Analytics space primarily, but also open to support in other areas. SucSEED facilitates & raise seed funding through Angel investments and provide support towards Venture Capital to such entities and teams. EdTech: lifecycle from K-12, STEM to College and beyond such as OckyPocky, XploraBox, Tinkerly and LetzConnect FinTech & Card Analytics : With two rounds of funding in i2iFunding and other firms such as Paymatrix, Insense, Stockal, they have penetration in Payments, Card Analytics, Wealth Management, P2P and Lending space Enterprise SAAS, Gig Economy & HR Tech: Tapchief, which is rated as Top 3rd Startup by Linkedin & Kenyt RealtyTech & City Solutions: With MML, Kenyt and Paymatrix, they have a good coverage in RealtyTech Solutions Supply Chain, HoReCa Procurement Platform, & X-border Commerce Platform: Eunimart Vdezi, Aducrup Publishing & Media Tech: Leadstart Pencil Sports & Health Hygiene: Sportido & Sanfe Automobile, Logistics & IOT: Sepal Fashion Platform: 6Degree SucSEED network comprises of professionals and entrepreneurs who extensively mentor the investee startups. The investors are senior industry leaders with extensive domain knowledge and peer networks, assist in creating a structure to support start-ups and further enhance the ecosystems. Startups will get to leverage the expertise of individual investors who are part of initiative and share their expertise in Sales & Marketing, Finance, Systems and Technology, Risk, Legal & Compliance, Human Resources & training. For further information on SucSEED or on this Investment, please visit: LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook, website Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1216039/SucSEED_Logo.jpg

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As school districts prepare to release their reopening plans to parents, some New Jersey teachers are reeling at the thought of reentering classrooms and expressing serious concern for their wellbeing and that of their families and students.

A national survey by the countrys second largest teachers union, the American Federation of Teachers, indicates that 3 in 4 teachers said they are comfortable returning to schools if certain safety precautions are met. But whether safety and health precautions can be guaranteed is another question.

I think almost all educators want to go back, if it can be done safely, Steve Baker, New Jersey Education Association Director of Communications, told NJ Advance Media. But thats the big if.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 11:31:50|Editor: huaxia

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SINGAPORE, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) grew by 16 percent year on year in June, after the revised 4.6 percent decline in the previous month, Enterprise Singapore, a government agency, announced on Friday.

On a month-on-month seasonally adjusted basis, the NODX increased by 0.5 percent in June to 14.2 billion Singapore dollars (about 10.2 billion U.S. dollars), compared to the previous month's 4.6 percent decline.

In a breakdown of Singapore's total NODX, the electronic NODX increased by 22.2 percent year on year in June, after the 12.4 percent increase in May. Meanwhile, the non-electronic NODX increased by 14.5 percent year on year, after the revised nine percent decrease in May.

The NODX to Singapore's top ten markets as a whole grew in June, though exports to Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand declined.

Singapore's NODX to Chinese mainland increased by 0.6 percent year on year this June, compared to the previous month's seven percent decrease.

In a breakdown, the electronic NODX to Chinese mainland grew by 37.3 percent year on year in June, while the non-electronic NODX declined by 5.2 percent. Enditem
Australia's COVID-19 lockdown has fueled a significant drop in sexually transmitted infections, research shows.

Chlamydia is at an all-time low, with the latest Australian Government Department of Health data showing figures for January to June are the lowest in a decade.

There were 37,582 positive tests for the STI in this period - down from 54,485 in 2019, 53,965 in 2018 and 60,687 in 2017.

The figure also beats the 37,9237 positive tests from January to June nationwide in 2010.

Chlamydia is at an all-time low, with the latest Australian Government Department of Health data showing figures for January to June are the lowest in a decade

Victoria was the only state to have zero positive tests in June.

The data shows 113 people tested positive to Chlamydia in the Australian Capital Territory, down 31 from same time in 2019, along with 1994 in New South Wales, down 495, and 1852 in Queensland, down 54.

One hundred and forty-nine tested positive in the Northern Territory, down 82, 444 in South Australia, down 64, 117 in Tasmania, down three, and 849 in Western Australia, down 22.

Its figure was down 2037 from the same month the year before.

Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM) clinical advisor Dr Vincent Cornelisse said it was easy to assume the drop in Chlamydia reflected people having less sex with casual partners during lockdown than prior to COVID-19.

'However, this does not mean that everyone has stopped having sex with casual partners, and hence we need to ensure that people continue to have access to sexual health services,' he said.

'It is difficult to interpret these data with certainty.'

It could also reflect a lower number of clients going in for screenings at STI services, Dr Cornelisse said.

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) in Australia for June 2020, according to the Australian Government Department of Health STIs ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA STATE TOTAL YEAR TOTAL Chlamydial infection 113 1994 149 1852 444 117 0 849 5518 37582 Gonococcal infection 14 809 106 582 150 8 238 291 2198 15970 Syphilis < 2 years 0 91 22 81 4 1 51 58 308 2296 Syphilis > 2 years 1 18 4 7 5 2 142 20 199 1417 Syphilis congenital 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 9

'So we don't know to what extent these lower STI rates are due to lower rates of transmission or lower rates of screening, or a combination of these factors,' he said.

'This is particularly difficult for Chlamydia infections, as most Chlamydia infections are not symptomatic, and hence often only detected when people have a routine asymptomatic STI screen.

'Similarly, Syphilis and Gonorrhoea are often detected in people who have no symptoms and who have a routine blood test for Syphilis, or a throat or anal swab for Gonorrhoea.'

For Gonorrhoea and Syphilis (< two years), the department's data shows January to June infections have dropped across the country as well.

ASHM clinical advisor Dr Vincent Cornelisse said 'Syphilis and Gonorrhoea are often detected in people who have no symptoms' so a blood test, or throat or anal swab, is necessary

There were 15,970 Gonorrhoea positive tests this year - down from 17,488 in 2019.

There were 14 positive tests in the ACT, down 16 for the same period in 2019, for the month of June, along with 809 in NSW, down 57, 106 in the NT, down one, 582 in QLD, up 162, 150 in SA, down 27, eight in TAS, up one, 238 in Victoria, down 437, and 291 in WA, down 17.

For Syphilis (< two years), 2,296 cases nationwide were recorded between January to June - down from 2,900 in 2019.

There were zero cases recorded in the ACT in June, down four, 91 in NSW, down 56, 22 in the NT, down six, 81 in QLD, down four, four in SA, down 2, one in TAS, up one, 51 in Victoria, down 92, and 58 in WA, up 10.

ASHM clinical advisor Dr Vincent Cornelisse (pictured) said it was 'difficult to interpret these data with certainty' as the low figures could be a combination of factors

Looking to the future, Dr Cornelisse said STI and HIV rates were being monitored closely.

'Over time we will have a better idea of what is actually happening with STI and HIV rates,' he said.

Dr Cornelisse encouraged Australians with STI symptoms, or who are due for a screening, to seek medical attention.

'Also, anyone who may be at risk of HIV is advised consider starting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce their risk of HIV, and I would encourage them to discuss this with their regular GP or their local sexual health service,' he said.

'It is possible to arrange HIV/STI testing and PrEP using telehealth arrangements.'

ASHM clinical advisor Dr Vincent Cornelisse (not pictured) said it was easy to assume the drop in Chlamydia reflected people having less sex with casual partners during lockdown
Sacked deputy chief minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot has submitted in the Rajasthan High Court that expressions of "dissatisfaction and disillusionment" against the party leadership cannot make a MLA amenable for disqualification.

In the amendments carried out in his original petition, Pilot emphasised on freedom of speech and expression, and the right to dissent.

This petition will be heard in the afternoon on Friday. The Speaker has assured the Rajasthan High Court that the proceedings against Pilot and others shall remain in abeyance till 5pm on Friday in the wake of the prosper hearing.

The petition, filed jointly by Pilot along with 18 other MLAs, has challenged the validity of clause 2(1)(a) of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India.

This provision and the interpretations given to it by a body of judgments by the Supreme Court have held that indulging in any anti-party activity tantamount to voluntarily giving up the membership of the party.

The petition has maintained that this provision cannot be so widely construed that the very same fundamental freedom of speech and expression of a member of the House is jeopardised.

Pilot and others said: "Mere expression of dissatisfaction or even disillusionment against the party leadership cannot be treated to be conduct falling within the clause 2(1)(a) of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India."

The plea added that even if expression of views and opinions, howsoever strongly worded, are treated to be a part of clause 2(1)(a), the said clause would not stand the scrutiny and will have to be declared ultra vires the basic structure of the Constitution of India in general and that of right of free speech under Article 19(1)(a) in particular.

It said that since the basis of the disqualification notices by the Speaker was expressions of dissent by some MLAs, it is necessary that the high court examines the validity of the impugned provision under the 10th Schedule.

The amended petition, apart from annulment of the disqualification notices, has also sought for declaring clause 2(1)(a) of the 10th Schedule ultra vires since it impinges upon the fundamental right of free speech.
Syracuse, N.Y.  David I. Spanagel, historian and author of DeWitt Clinton and Amos Eaton: Geology and Power in Early New York, will present a live online lecture about the era of scientific growth, technological innovation and cultural change that coincided with the Erie Canals construction, Saturday, July 25 at 1 p.m. The program will be streamed on the Erie Canal Museum Facebook page.

Admission is $10 for the general public. Erie Canal Museum members are asked to email director@eriecanalmuseum.org to receive a special discount code. All guests must preregister here to receive access to this secure event.

This presentation is the second installment in the Museums Deeper Dive virtual lecture series. Each online talk is accessible to up to 100 viewers.

Spanagel will discuss how the scientific thinking of early New Yorkers including Governor DeWitt Clinton, landowner and politician Stephen Van Rensselaer, and geologist and educator Amos Eaton influenced and was guided by the Canals excavation and construction.

Construction of the Erie Canal was the centerpiece of a radical transformation of American understanding of the Earths history, and an opportunity for American geologists to do internationally respected work in natural history and learn about geological processes. Spanagel will discuss the connections between the Canal and these men and other thinkers, and the impact that all had on culture and scientific thought during a time of tremendous change in New York State.

David Spanagel earned a bachelors degree in mathematics and American studies from Oberlin College, a masters in education from the University of Rochester, and a Ph.D. in the history of science from Harvard University. His first book, DeWitt Clinton and Amos Eaton: Geology and Power in Early New York, explores the broader cultural history of geological ideas and practices in early 19th century New York State.

Established in 1962, the Erie Canal Museum preserves and showcases the only remaining weighlock building in the United States, and shares the history and lasting impact of the Erie Canal through displays, exhibits, and original artifacts. It is currently closed to the public to protect visitors, volunteers and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. A variety of online programs and resources are available through its website, social media and other online services.

The Erie Canal Museum is partially funded by a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

For more information email director@eriecanalmuseum.org.
President Donald Trump addresses reporters in the Oval Office of the White House after receiving a briefing from law enforcement on "Keeping American Communities Safe: The Takedown of Key MS-13 Criminal Leaders" on July 15, 2020 in Washington. (Anna Moneymaker-Pool/Getty Images)

Trump Supports Benefits for Low-Income Americans in Next Relief Bill: Conway

President Donald Trump supports a stimulus proposal from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to benefit low-income Americas, said White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway on Friday.

The Trump administration is poised to sign a phase four package into law if its reasonable, Conway added in a news conference.

McConnell suggested to reporters earlier this month that 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-rackedhotels, restaurantsand so that could well be a part of it. Some have speculated that the $40,000 could be a cutoff for future stimulus payments, although its not clear.

The Senate is scheduled to return to Washington on Monday, July 20, and the next Congress recess starts on Aug. 10, meaning that lawmakers will most likely intensively debate on the details of the next stimulus package.

Conway added that the White House hopes to have bipartisan support on the next package to benefit low-income Americans and provide relief.

White House officials have been discussing how to come up with another round of economic impact payments that would be deposited in Americans bank accounts or mailed to them via check. They are also weighing in on extending the additional $600 per week in unemployment insurance.

Kellyanne Conway, counselor to President Donald Trump, talks to reporters outside the White House in Washington on July 7, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Democrats have supported the extra unemployment payments, while many top Republicans are against it.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a Congressional hearing on Friday that we are monitoring economic conditions closely.

Certain industries, such as construction, are recovering quickly, while others, such as retail and travel, are facing longer-term impacts and will require additional relief, the secretary said.

Mnuchin also noted that CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus cases in the United States are on the rise, which might limit the United States economic recovery. But in June, the Labor Department broke a record, saying that nearly 5 million jobs were added for the month, meaning that 7.5 million jobs were added in the past two months.

Recent improvements in unemployment insurance claims suggest that the job market has continued to strengthen in July, Mnuchin said. He added: We are also sensitive to the fact that certain areas of the country are experiencing increased numbers of cases of the virus.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters that she believes that Republicans will align with the Democrats proposal.

I have no doubt theyll come around, Pelosi told Bloomberg News. They know theres going to be a bill.  First it was going to be no bill. And then it was going to be some little bill. Now its $1.3 [trillion]. Thats not enough, she told reporters in Washington.
WASHINGTON, D. C. - The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren helped to create and former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray headed should prepare for an onslaught of predatory lenders trying to take advantage of financially strapped consumers during the coronavirus pandemic, the pair said Friday at an Americans for Financial Reform discussion marking the 10-year anniversary of the agencys creation.

Cordray said most of the economic distress from the pandemic has been put off by stimulus payments and extended unemployment benefits that Congress adopted in the the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act whose effects will soon dissipate without further legislation.

Make no mistake, with unemployment in double digits, were going to have a lot of distress, people are going to be in a lot of trouble, said Cordray, who has recommended that the agency he headed until his unsuccessful 2018 Ohio gubernatorial run head off problems in the debt collection, foreclosure, eviction, vehicle repossession, and mortgage servicing areas. Lets remember that people are willing to work and it was only because public safety orders required them to stay home that they have not been working.

At a time when unemployment rates are at levels unseen since the Great Depression, Warren predicted that subprime and payday lenders will try to do end runs around the regulations on home equity lines of credit to strip desperate consumers of the wealth theyve accumulated in their houses, debt collectors will target those who fell behind on their bills. She urged consumers to call the agencys (855) 411-CFPB hotline to report issues theyre experiencing.

It functions as a sort of national heat map for where problems are arising and what those problems look like, said Warren, adding that complaints alert the CFPB and outside watchdogs to analyze parts of the country that are being targeted by bad actors, and identify companies that are the source of complaints.

Warren said Republican President Donald Trumps Trumps appointees to head the agency dont believe in protecting consumers and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden would appoint people to the agency that would work for individual families across this country, and not cater to corporate interests. If Biden is elected, she said the agency should address problems with payday lending and fighting arbitration clauses that block consumers from suing problem companies.

She also said that Congress should act to keep predatory private equity firms from taking over companies, loading them up with debt and then taking their wealth and just being able to walk away scot free, while the workers, the consumers and the communities are left behind with nothing.

The pair said they were pleased with a U.S. Supreme Court decision last month that said the head of the CFPB serves at the presidents pleasure because it upheld the agencys legality. Cordray said the decision allowing CFPB directors to serve at a presidents pleasure gives us a chance to potentially install new leadership within the next six months, which would be badly needed, in my view, to right the course of the agency.

The way I see it, at the end of the day, after 10 years of direct attacks from the Republicans, what we really got out of that Supreme Court decision is that the agency is here to stay and its independence has been guaranteed, Warren agreed.

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A quarter of people have reported their relationships with colleagues and co-workers have worsened over lockdown, and a fifth have said their friendships outside of their household have also got worse, finds UCL's COVID-19 Social Study.

In addition, 18% of respondents reported a worsening of relationships with their spouse/partner, 20% reported a worsening of relationships with other adults they lived with and 17% with children they lived with. Relationships outside of the household have also suffered, with 19% reporting a worsening of relations with children outside of the home, and 16% with parents or other relatives. Conversely, over a third of adults living with children reported improvements in their relationships, most commonly with their partner/spouse, neighbours, or other adults in their household.

Launched in the week before lockdown started, this ongoing study is funded by the Nuffield Foundation with additional support from Wellcome and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). It is the UK's largest study into how adults are feeling about the lockdown, government advice and overall wellbeing and mental health with over 70,000 participants who have been followed across the last 16 weeks.

Worsening relationships were more commonly reported amongst younger adults, with older adults the least likely to report any change. Around 12% of respondents reported the breakdown of a relationship since lockdown began, with adults under 30 reporting this the most and people over 60 the least. More people with a diagnosed mental illness reported the breakdown of a relationship, and the figures were also slightly higher amongst people living alone, people with lower household income, keyworkers, people living with children, and people in urban areas.

Levels of 'complete' compliance with lockdown measures have dropped further across all groups over the last fortnight, especially amongst younger adults, but 'majority' compliance remains at around 90% in adults over 30 and 80% in adults under 30.

Lead author, Dr. Daisy Fancourt (UCL Epidemiology & Health Care) said: "Our study shows that lockdown measures are having a significant toll on people's relationships, both with people locked down together and those who have been unable to see each other over the lockdown period.

"This is especially true of people with diagnosed mental health issues and younger adults, as well as those with lower household incomes, key workers, those living along and those living with children, all of whom may be facing greater financial or mental pressures which have been exacerbated during the lockdown period."

Financially, just under half of people reported being in a similar position now as they were before lockdown, with 29% reporting things had got worse and 27% reporting improvements. A fifth of those living comfortably before the lockdown have reported things getting worse, and just 6% "much worse". This figure rises to 57% reporting things getting worse amongst people finding it very difficult financially before lockdown, and 38% "much worse".

Cheryl Lloyd, Education Programme Head at the Nuffield Foundation said: "This research shows that relationships with neighbours have improved since the COVID-19 crisis, especially for 30-59 year olds. While this suggests a resurgence in community spirit, it is cause for concern that the survey also show that people who are more vulnerablethose on lower household incomes and those with diagnosed mental health issuesare more likely to report worsening friendships and relationships during lockdown."

The study team has also received support from Wellcome to launch an international network of longitudinal studies called the COVID-MINDS Network. Through the network, dozens of scientists and clinicians are coming together internationally to collate results from mental health studies running in countries around the world and compare findings. The initiative will support launching new mental health studies in other countries and show whether actions taken in specific countries are helping to protect mental health.

Explore further Just over half of adults strictly sticking to lockdown guidelines as confidence in government falls

More information: Understanding the psychological and social impact of the pandemic: Understanding the psychological and social impact of the pandemic: www.covidsocialstudy.org/
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said this week he is sorry for failing to recuse himself from a cabinet meeting at which a $19.5-million contract was approved for WE Charity to administer a $900-million federal program.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/7/2020 (551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said this week he is sorry for failing to recuse himself from a cabinet meeting at which a $19.5-million contract was approved for WE Charity to administer a $900-million federal program.

The apology, whether genuine or feigned, is part of what has become a pattern for the prime minister, who has been at the centre of a number of ethics breaches since winning office in 2015: at first, he denies allegations of wrongdoing, arguing his actions were meant to promote some greater good; once his misdeeds are exposed, he attributes them to a lapse of judgment, apologizes and sheepishly vows not to do it again.

Mr. Trudeaus ethics and judgment are under scrutiny once again, this time over a contract given to a charity with ties to his family. The prime ministers mother, brother and wife have all been paid by WE Charity for various speaking engagements over the years. Mr. Trudeau said he "made a mistake" by not recusing himself from the cabinet meeting where that contract was approved. As with past apologies, the prime minister only expressed regret after his wrongdoing was made public.

Does Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have a blind spot when it comes to ethics? (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press files)

Saying "sorry" and asking Canadians (again) for forgiveness is not enough. These lapses occur far too frequently, raising questions about whether the prime minister has a blind spot when it comes to ethics. He behaves as if hes entitled to skirt the law or ignore standards of conduct, as long as he doesnt get caught. Hes now facing his third investigation by the federal ethics commissioner.

The decisions related to the WE Charity contract were not minor lapses of judgment; they appear to violate the federal governments procurement rules, including the bypassing of the normal competitive-bid process, even before the contract reached cabinet for final approval. The agreement to administer a student volunteer grant program was awarded to WE Charity as a sole-sourced contract.

In most cases, federal contracts are awarded through requests for proposals. Sole-sourced contracts can be awarded under certain well-defined circumstances, but they are the exception, not the rule. There appears to have been no legitimate reason for bypassing the bid-solicitation process in this case.

Mr. Trudeau argues it was the public service that recommended the sole-sourced contract  an assertion that most assuredly requires further examination. Canadians deserve to know how that decision was made, by whom and whether there was any political interference.

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The prime ministers apology doesnt address those questions.

The ethics commissioners investigation  which has been expanded to include Finance Minister Bill Morneau, who also has family ties to the charity and who also failed to recuse himself from cabinet discussions  should provide Canadians with some answers. But the matter should also be scrutinized at a parliamentary committee, as has been demanded by opposition parties.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau argues it was the public service that recommended the sole-sourced contract  an assertion that requires further examination. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press files)

All those involved in the decision-making process for the WE Charity contract should be summoned to testify, including senior public servants, relevant ministers and the prime minister.

If Mr. Trudeau has nothing to hide and believes he has adequately addressed his latest lapse in judgment, then he should have no problem testifying at committee. He can explain to Canadians why he felt it acceptable at the time not to recuse himself from the cabinet discussion and why he agreed to a sole-sourced contract. The committee can review federal procurement rules and scrutinize whether bypassing the normal competitive-bid process was appropriate.

Theres far more to this issue that needs to be investigated. Saying "sorry"  again  doesnt end it.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  A Cuyahoga County official says a few county workers have tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, according to an email sent to officials.

The email from Board of Revision administrator Ronald OLeary says the countys Department of Health has begun contact tracing on the workers, who tested positive within the past few weeks. OLeary does not say in what department the employees worked or say exactly how many tested positive, but said they have not returned to the administration building on East Ninth Street.

OLeary says the county is following the recommendations of the Department of Health and that a deep cleaning is performed in the areas where the employees worked.

The health and safety of our employees is a top priority, OLeary says in the email. As we work to move forward with plans to expand the existing services and public access to the HQ building, we want you to know that we are following local developments with case numbers and deploying a number of measures to keep our staff and customers safe.

The news of the positive tests comes as Cuyahoga County and two southwest Ohio counties were taken off the states watch list for the highest coronavirus alert status. The county remains on red alert status, meaning residents and workers at local businesses are required to wear masks in public spaces.

The county is averaging 179 new cases per day  up 49 additional cases per day since June 23.

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Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union minister and Jodhpur Member of Parliament (MP), has categorically denied the allegations made by the Congress that he was colluding with the opposition party rebels to topple the Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan and has demanded a probe to verify the authenticity of the audiotapes that have gone viral on social media.

On Friday, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala while addressing media persons in Jaipur said the party has tapes to prove that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was conspiring to topple the state government. He cited audio clips in which Bhanwar Lal, who belongs to the sacked deputy CM and Gehlot challenger Sachin Pilots camp, is alleged to have conspired with the BJP leaders.

Shekhawat, who has been at the forefront of lashing out at the Gehlot government for blaming the BJP for the Congresss internal power tussle, denied that the purported voice on the tape as his.

The minister also denied that he had a telephonic conversation with an intermediary called Sanjay Jain, whom the Congress alleged that has also been caught speaking on tape.

Surjewala said the Congress has demanded that the SOG (Special Operations Group) of the Rajasthan Police should file an FIR (first information report) against Shekhawat, Lal, and Jain.

The BJP has been vehemently denying that it instigated the bid to ensure the fall of the Gehlot government or engineered defection by colluding with Pilot and a bunch of lawmakers, who are supporting him.

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The head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund has claimed that he and his figure skater wife have already been vaccinated against coronavirus using an 'experimental' shot developed in Moscow.

Kirill Dmitriev, 45-year-old manager of the $10billion Russian Direct Investment Fund, said that he, wife Natalia Popova and their family developed 'double the antibodies' of a typical patient after being injected.

The Kremlin is now preparing to enter Phase III trials of the vaccine and plans to start mass immunisation before the end of the year, he added, potentially making it the first country in the world to do so.

But his announcement came just house after the UK, US and Canada accused Russian hackers of targeting researchers at Oxford University, who are already in Phase III trials of their own vaccine.

That has fueled speculation that the hackers - from a group known as Cozy Bear which has links to the Russian state - managed to steal sensitive information and have used it to advance their own research.

Kirill Dmitriev, 45 (left), claims that he and wife Natalia Popova (right) have been given Moscow's coronavirus vaccine, and now have twice the antibodies of a typical patient

Ms Popova is a part-time model, TV presenter, and director of Innopraktika - a foundation that was founded by Katerina Tikhonova, widely believed to be Putin's eldest daughter

British intelligence refused to reveal whether any information was stolen.

Mr Dmitriev rubbished that speculation in an interview with Times Radio, accusing Western states of being 'scared at the success' of the Russian vaccine and trying to tarnish the good news.

The first human trial of the vaccine, a month-long test on 38 people, ended this week, he said.

Researchers concluded that it is safe for use and induces an immune response, though the strength of that response is as yet unclear.

A larger Phase III trial involving several thousand people is expected to begin in August, Mr Dmitriev added.

'We believe that based on the current results it will be approved in Russia in August and in some other countries in September..., making it possibly the first vaccine to be approved in the world,' he concluded.

As head of Russia's wealth fund, Kirill is a powerful figure in Moscow - even more so since his wife is the director of Innopraktika, a foundation run by Katerina Tikhonova, who is widely believed to be Putin's eldest daughter.

As well as being the fund's director, Popova is a host for state-owned Russian TV channel Rossiya 24 where she presents science programmes and works as a model.

It is not known exactly when Ms Popova married Mr Dmitriev, but they are thought to have wed before 2018. She appears in glamorous pictures on Russian social media (left and right)

Images posted on Russian social media networks show her posing with big cats, fast cars, and in glamorous destinations.

It is not clear when exactly they married, though it is thought to be before 2018. They were pictured together at an event in Sevastopol, in occupied Crimea, last year.

Dmitriev said the Russian Phase III trial will be conducted at home and in two Middle Eastern countries, and will begin after a 100-person Phase II trial wraps up on Aug. 3.

Russia was in talks with Saudi Arabia on being a trial site as well as a manufacturing partner, he told a separate news conference.

Moscow's Gamaleya Institute, which developed the Russian candidate vaccine, is producing doses for clinical trials, while private pharmaceutical firms Alium - part of the Sistema conglomerate- R-Pharm and are handling bottling.

Both are updating their lab setup to be able to take over production within the next couple of months, Dmitriev said.

'There's a general sense that for so-called herd immunity in Russia you need to vaccinate between 40 million and 50 million people,' he told Reuters.

Mr Dmitriev, a close friend of Putin, claims that Russia's vaccine is about to enter Phase III trials and could be approved for use in August, with 200million doses manufactured by September

'So we believe we will be in good shape producing around 30 million (doses domestically) this year and then we can finalise vaccination next year.'

Russia had also struck manufacturing deals with five other countries and could be producing up to 170 million doses abroad this year, Dmitriev said.

He declined to say where or give any details on pricing, but said countries in Latin America, the Middle East and elsewhere had expressed interest in importing the vaccine.

The UK - backed up by the US and Canada - said on Thursday that researchers at Oxford University working on AstraZeneca's vaccine were targeted in the hack.

The vaccine study is widely viewed as the world's most advanced, alongside another study being conducted in China.

Just like the Russian vaccine, Phase II trials have been completed with Phase III testing underway in Brazil.

'Positive news' is expected from the Phase II trials imminently, with ITV reporting that the vaccine is producing an immune response.

Britain's National Cyber Security Centre called out a hacking group called Cozy Bear, also known as ATP29, as being responsible for the hack on Thursday.

The NCSC says it is 95 per cent certain that the group is operated by the Russian intelligence services.

Mr Dmitriev's announcement came just hours after the UK accused Russian hackers of targeting its own coronavirus trials, fuelling speculation that research was stolen (file)

The group was accused of hacking the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 US election and releasing a tranche of emails with the aim of swinging the vote.

In 2015, it was implicated in an attack on the Pentagon that brought down the Joint Staff email system and its internet.

And in 2017 it was accused of targeting the Dutch national election, forcing the government to abandon electronic ballots and count votes by hand.

The move was likely intended as revenge after Dutch security experts managed to hack into a CCTV system in Moscow and watch the hackers at work.

Through the cameras they managed to identify methods the hackers were using, and identify individual members of the group.

Just this week the UK government accused Russian hackers of leaking details of trade negotiations with the US to try and help Labour win the 2019 election.

While the group was not named, Cozy Bear will be top of the list of suspects.

'APT29 has been successfully compromising systems now for over a decade across the globe,' Tony Cole, chief technology officer at Attivo Networks, told The Telegraph.

'The pandemic has given them a new and additional target to steal research.'
SPRINGFIELD  A hearing in downstate Rep. Darren Baileys lawsuit challenging the governors authority to issue consecutive executive orders will not be held Friday as scheduled.

Clay County Circuit Court Judge Michael McHaneys July 2 ruling in the Xenia Republicans case failed to address one issue  whether the COVID-19 pandemic met the definition of a disaster in Gov. JB Pritzkers April 30 state of emergency.

Thoms DeVore, Baileys attorney, requested the judge rule on that question without a trial. McHaney declined, and now will await DeVores written response to the states call for the matter to be dismissed.

In a court document filed July 7, the attorney generals office, which is representing Pritzker, called this last active issue moot because any ruling would not have a practical effect.

The points raised in DeVores arguments that COVID-19 was not a disaster as specified in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act were incorporated into the two complaints Bailey won, the office added.

McHaney nullified all of the governors executive orders related to COVID-19 made after April 8. He also decided that the Illinois Department of Public Health has the supreme authority to close businesses and restrict residents activities in a public health crisis.

Pritzkers office, Bailey and legal experts disagree on the scope of that order  some assert it affects only Clay County while others maintain it applies statewide.

Bailey, in an interview with Capitol News Illinois on Thursday, said the court set a deadline of July 22 for DeVore to file a response to the states request.

The representative said he will be adding a new complaint to his lawsuit on the same day.

Illinois GOP, Right to Life ask to combine lawsuits

The Chicago-based legal aid foundation representing the Illinois Republican Party and Right to Life advocacy group asked a federal court Wednesday for permission to combine the two cases.

Consolidation is logical, Liberty Justice Center Attorney Daniel Suhr wrote in a filing, because the legal issues are nearly identical in both cases.

The Republican Party and Illinois Right to Life organization filed separate lawsuits on June 15 and June 23, respectively, claiming Gov. JB Pritzkers ban on gatherings of more than 50 people is unconstitutional.

That restriction, implemented to combat the COVID-19 spread in the state, included an exception for houses of worship and seemingly did not apply to Black Lives Matter protests, Suhr argued in both cases. Under the U.S. Constitutions equal protection clause, restrictions should apply to all groups uniformly or not at all.

U.S. District Court judges in both lawsuits denied the GOPs and anti-abortion organizations request for an order temporarily suspending enforcement of Pritzkers cap on gathering attendance.

In part, Judge Sara Ellis ruled in the Republican Partys case that its interest in gathering as a political party...does not outweigh the governors interest in protecting the health of Illinois residents during this unprecedented public health crisis.

Judge John Tharp Jr., who presided in the Illinois Right to Life case, called Ellis opinion persuasive and did not add any details to his own.

Lawsuit against Deloitte abandoned

A St. Clair County resident dropped her federal lawsuit against the firm contracted to launch an unemployment claims portal she said was solely responsible for a data breach that made available the personal information of nearly 33,000 Illinoisans.

The web-based system built and maintained by Deloitte Consulting LLP to process some Illinois unemployment claims allowed public access of applicants names, Social Security numbers and street addresses, the Illinois Department of Employment Security announced on May 18. The information was only accessed by one person, according to the state.

According to the lawsuit filed by Briana Julius on June 8, at least three other states  Ohio, Colorado and Arkansas  also contracted Deloitte to construct similar portals. Within five days of notice that Illinois system was compromised, both Colorado and Ohio made announcements their portals had the same flaw.

She was suing on behalf of herself and all other Americans who might have been harmed, and she asked a judge to allow a jury trial.

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By Kate Abnett

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled plans to clamp down on tax regimes seen as unduly beneficial to big corporations in a move it said would aid Europe's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

European Union countries are seeking to shore up public revenues to fund economic recovery at a time of mounting public anger over tax avoidance by corporations - in particular, multinational digital giants - and wealthy individuals.

The Commission - the EU's executive - said it would expand its tax code of conduct to tackle member states' corporate tax regimes that have broadly harmful effects.

The 1997 code is the EU's tool for blacklisting jurisdictions where tax avoidance or evasion is prevalent but currently it can only address regimes that are deemed preferential: for example, if a country has one tax rate for domestic firms and a different rate for international companies.

Previous plans to change EU tax rules have been thwarted by member states' veto powers, which mean it takes only one country to block proposed tax reforms.

But the Commission is exploring options to side-step the veto system, possibly by using an article in the EU constitutional treaty that could allow a majority to authorise tax decisions if fair competition is at stake.

EU economics commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said work is underway to identify cases where the article could be used.

"We're talking about the possibility of deciding on cases of serious distortion to the single market," he said.

EU efforts to retrieve taxes from digital giants suffered a blow on Wednesday when the bloc's second-highest court rejected a Commission order that Apple pay 13 billion euros in back taxes to Ireland.

The Commission in May identified six EU countries - Cyprus, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands - as having tax systems particularly attractive to big corporations.

(Reporting by Kate Abnett; Editing by John Chalmers, Mark Heinrich and Barbara Lewis)
An international team of researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine and Houston Methodist has discovered a strategy that can potentially address a major challenge to the current treatment for choroidal neovascularization (CNV), an aggressive form of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly.

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) has revolutionized the treatment for CNV; however, up to one-fourth of all treated patients are unresponsive to this treatment and about one-third of the responders become resistant to it after repeated administration over time.

Working with a mouse model they developed, the researchers found that combining apolipoprotein A-I binding protein (AIBP) with anti-VEGF overcomes anti-VEGF resistance and effectively suppresses CNV. The findings open the possibility of reducing anti-VEGF resistance in patients in the future. The study appears in the journal Communications Biology.

Addressing resistance to anti-VEGF treatment has been challenging. For instance, developing strategies to overcome the resistance has been limited by a poor understanding of its mechanism and the absence of suitable animal models.

Various combination therapies have been explored in clinical trials. For example, targeting PDGF (Fovista) or the angiopoietin pathway. However, no major breakthrough has been reported. In fact, a phase III trial combining anti-VEGF and PDGF failed to demonstrate improved efficacy." Dr. Yingbin Fu, co-corresponding author, associate professor and Sarah Campbell Blaffer Endowed Chair of Ophthalmology at Baylor

A new approach to combat anti-VEGF resistance

Fu joined forces with Dr. Longhou Fang, associate professor of cardiovascular sciences at Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center and co-corresponding author of this work.

The inspiration for their study came from previous work suggesting that macrophages may play a role in anti-VEGF resistance and that increased cholesterol accumulation in macrophages may promote CNV. Such cholesterol accumulation also has been associated with the formation of abnormal new blood vessels invading the retina. These vessels leak, which promotes inflammation and rapid photoreceptor (light-detecting cells) damage.

In addition, Fu, Fang and their colleagues, as well as other researchers, had reported that AIBP promotes the removal of cholesterol from endothelial cells and macrophages, two cell types that are involved in the development of CNV.

"Together, these observations suggested the possibility that AIBP might help overcome anti-VEGF resistance and effectively suppress CNV," Fu said.

Developing an animal model to assess new approach to overcome anti-VEGF resistance

To test their hypothesis, the researchers developed a model of anti-VEGF resistance by combining advanced age with laser delivery in mice. As they became older, the mice showed increased resistance to anti-VEGF treatment that correlated with increased intracellular cholesterol accumulation in macrophages.

The researchers tested the effect of AIBP and anti-VEGF in disease progression in this mouse model.

In young mice that were about eight weeks old, both AIBP and anti-VEGF were equally effective in controlling disease progression. In intermediate age mice, which were about eight months old or the equivalent of middle-aged people, macrophages showed increased cholesterol accumulation. In this group, anti-VEGF treatment was less effective when compared with younger mice, but the AIBP treatment was as affective controlling the disease.

The oldest group of mice, which was about 18 months old or the equivalent of senior people, showed highest cholesterol accumulation inside macrophages and were resistant to anti-VEGF treatment. Interestingly, AIBP alone also did not inhibit CNV, but the combination of AIBP with anti-VEGF overcame the anti-VEGF resistance and robustly suppressed laser-induced CNV by 47 percent.

This study also has increased our understanding of the mechanism underlying anti-VEG resistance. The researchers provide strong evidence that the accumulation of cholesterol in old macrophages plays a central role in anti-VEGF resistance because the old mice became responsive to anti-VEGF treatment when macrophages were chemically depleted. Fu, Fang and colleagues propose that the beneficial effect of AIBP is likely due to both its ability to enhance cholesterol removal from macrophages and its anti-inflammatory function.

Clinical implications

"Our findings encourage us to test the combination therapy of AIBP and anti-VEGF in clinical trials to determine whether it can help patients with the condition," Fu said. "The projected number of people with age-related macular degeneration is 196 million in 2020 and 288 million in 2040. There is great interest in novel therapies for this devastating condition."

Co-author Dr. James Handa, Chief of the Retina Division at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine said, "Age-related macular degeneration has multiple factors that contribute to its development; therefore, future treatments that target multiple pathways, such as what we describe here, may lead to more effective outcomes."

"As a cardiovascular scientist, my research is centered on cholesterol metabolism and angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels. My team has been collaborating with Dr. Fu for several years in developing AIBP as a potential treatment for age-related macular degeneration," Fang said. "Our studies show that AIBP can be a promising therapy for the treatment of CNV. Compared to the standard anti-VEGF therapy, AIBP targets multiple causes of age-related macular degeneration by correcting the adverse profiles associated with aging. The discovery that the combination therapy can overcome anti-VEGF resistance shows the power of multidisciplinary research."
Across the US, The Sentencing Project says about six million convicted felons cannot vote due to various state laws.

Voter suppression is a contentious issue in the United States, with an estimated six million convicted criminals unable to vote.

Some analysts say the system specifically targets African Americans, who are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system.

They are also four times more likely than any other racial group to be disenfranchised.

Al Jazeeras Natasha Ghoneim reports from Iowa City.
"Designed to be swift, safe, non-invasive, and accurate, GenViro! Saliva Based Swift Kit planned to help send students of all ages back to school"

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2020 / Decision Diagnostics Corp. (OTC PINK:DECN) through its subsidiary Pharma Tech Solutions, Inc., today stated that the country does have the know-how and means to provide, "swift, safe, non-invasive and accurate testing methodology to help send our kids back to school." DECN has been a provider of diabetic testing products for almost two decades. Diabetic glucose test strips are a safe and effective technology used by millions of diabetics around the globe for years. The company's patent pending impedance based technology is used on all of its Covid-19 Swift Kit test kits. DECN's Pharma Tech Solutions subsidiary currently has two applications for FDA EUA authorization of its GenViro! blood testing kits to detect the Covid-19 virus. More recently, DECN announced it is testing and will be filing another EUA for its non-invasive saliva testing kits using the same technology consisting of testing strips and slightly modified meter software as its Covid-19 blood test kits. Both forms of test kits could help all schools, from elementary to the university level, open more safely, as well as offer testing at the point of care for the students and the adults working in these institutions. Recent tests completed on both the whole blood and saliva methodologies show an almost identical testing profile (see below).

The company has been conducting its testing efforts overseas while actively seeking FDA approval for testing protocols in the U.S. DECN's Pharma Tech Solutions subsidiary first submitted its proposed GenViro! professional use device to the FDA on April 3, 2020. The request for a saliva based method came to the company directly from its international distributor. Now DECN believes that there are many other uses for the saliva based kit, "back to school" being a current most important use.

The company plans to provide the new single use saliva testing kit option to its professional and individual use finger stick GenViro! Covid 19 Swift Kit test kits designed to identify Covid-19 viral load. Test reporting for the GenViro! finger stick kits are currently producing results at :10.5 seconds, and initial testing completed on the saliva version of the kit should yield even faster results since the saliva testing will not require any sample correction. The GenViro! Covid-19 Saliva Swift Kit is completely non-invasive.

According to a July 16, 2020 article in The Wall Street Journal entitled Colleges Plan Robust Testing of Students, Faculty for Fall: "Universities, seeking to bring students back to campus this fall are laying out reopening plans that rely heavily on their health departments arranging widespread frequent testing of students, faculty and staffTesting is widely acknowledged as necessary to track the spread of the virus and to suppress clusters once they emerge. But, the nation's ability to conduct and process Covid-19 tests is already straining to complete 600,000 a day  Adding tests for hundreds of thousands of students to the mix, as some say, could cause further backlogs and equipment shortages."

"The country as a whole agrees our children must get back to school and we all want that to happen as safely as possible  for the kids, the teachers, administrators and school workers, and especially the parents. Robust testing at all schools no matter the education level will be critical. Once we have the exact US testing protocols agreed to with the FDA, and we hope they act fast, we will be in a position to immediately test. Based on what we have already experienced in overseas testing, we are confident our testing will produce the desired results at which point we can very quickly move to manufacture and make these tests available to schools across the US," said DECN CEO Keith Berman.

Preliminary testing using saliva from human donors indicated that the saliva exhibits a comparable, and in fact favorable, impedance curve profile when compared to whole blood. In addition, saliva does not contain hematocrit (an abundance of or non-abundance of red blood cells) which on our whole blood based product required adapting our patent pending TBG technology to the GenViro! test strip.

ABOUT DECISION DIAGNOSTICS CORP:

Decision Diagnostics Corp. has been the leading manufacturer and worldwide distributor of diabetic test strips engineered to operate on legacy glucose meters for 18 years. DECN's products are designed to operate efficiently and less expensively on certain glucose meters already in use by almost 7.5 million diabetics worldwide. The company's GenViro! products are designed to test for Covid-19, and applications for Emergency (EUA) Waivers have been submitted to the U.S. FDA. The finger stick test kit is currently being readied for international sales and an agreement for distribution has been signed for sales to commence in multiple countries including India, Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Australia. Registration in those countries where such documentation is required is the responsibility of the distributor.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This release contains the company's forward-looking statements which are based on management's current expectations and assumptions as of July 16, 2020, regarding the company's business and performance, its prospects, current factors, the economy, and other future conditions and forecasts of future events, circumstances, and results.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Decision Diagnostics Corp.

Keith Berman

(805) 446-2973

info@decisiondiagnostics.co

www.genultimate.com

www.genultimatetbg.com

www.pharmatechdirect.com

SOURCE: Decision Diagnostics Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597790/DECN-Says-its-Newest-GenViro-COVID-19-Swift-Kit-Saliva-Testing-Option-Can-Play-an-Extensive-Role-in-the-Re-Opening-of-Schools-as-Company-Awaits-FDA-Authorization
A vaccine additive known as an adjuvant can enhance responses to a vaccine containing the exotic avian flu virus H5N1, so that both rookie and veteran elements of the immune response are strengthened, according to results from an Emory Vaccine Center study.

The findings have implications for the effort to develop vaccines against multiple strains of flu, as well as the current push for vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. The Emory study was a test of what happens when the body sees something new -- in contrast to seasonal flu vaccination, which often re-activates the same memory B cells the immune system relied upon in past years.

The study provides guidance on how adjuvants might become part of a proposed "universal" flu vaccine, aimed at protecting people against a wider variety of influenza strains. In addition, vaccine designers are considering how to optimize immune responses against SARS-Cov-2, which few had encountered before 2020.

The results were published online July 13 by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"We saw that an adjuvant makes it possible to efficiently engage both memory and naive B cells, expanding the repertoire of the antibody immune response to influenza," says first author Ali Ellebedy, PhD, who did the study while he was a postdoctoral fellow in Rafi Ahmed's lab at Emory Vaccine Center.

"For a new pathogen like SARS-CoV-2, nobody has immunity," Ahmed says. "So the important thing is to have the vaccine bring out good responses from naive B cells, whose frequency is low."

"For universal flu, the situation is more complicated. You want to bring out both the cross-reactive memory cells and the naive strain-specific cells," adds Ahmed, whose lab is part of a NIH-funded consortium developing flu vaccine candidates. "Looking ahead, adjuvants are going to be an important element of universal flu vaccine research."

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The particular adjuvant studied in the paper is called AS03, whose manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline is making it available for COVID-19 vaccine trials. The AS03 adjuvant could be relevant for extending the efficacy of limited doses of protein or viral subunit-based vaccines, but less so for newer mRNA-based vaccines, Ahmed says.

The Hope Clinic study recruited 50 healthy young adults, who were (most likely) exposed to other flu viruses and vaccines earlier in their lives. The H5N1 vaccine, with AS03, was approved by the FDA in 2013 and is part of the national stockpile in case of pandemic flu. More information about the AS03-adjuvanted flu vaccine is available from the FDA.

Emory researchers had previously observed that when the immune system encounters an unfamiliar flu virus, which occurred for many during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, the antibodies produced are able to neutralize a broader range of viruses. This came from the skew of the antibodies toward the "stem" (or stalk) region of the viral hemagglutinin protein, versus the "head." The stem region doesn't mutate and change as much as the head from year to year.

A similar phenomenon occurred in the H5N1 study, because the head region of the virus was unfamiliar, but the stem region was not. Without an adjuvant, the immune response to a low dose of the H5N1 flu vaccine was poor, the researchers found.

But with the adjuvant, immune responses changed markedly between the first and second dose. A week after the first adjuvanted vaccine dose, broadly cross-reactive antibodies produced by the immune system were mostly directed against the stem. This first wave came mostly from pre-existing memory B cells. After the second dose, the antibodies were more directed against the head, coming from strain-specific naive B cells.

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The researchers also offered an explanation for the shift in the antibody response after the second dose: essentially, the immune system is getting in its own way. After the second vaccination, the antibodies against the stem region are still in the body and they appear to be covering up those parts of the viral hemagglutinin protein, a phenomenon called "epitope blocking."

"This is something that many flu vaccine studies have observed, but now we have a possible mechanistic explanation and good evidence for it," Ahmed says.

Collaborators from Stanford University and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai contributed to the paper.

The research at Emory was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (U19AI109946, R21AI139813, U01A1141990, AI117891) and the Centers of Excellence in Influenza Research and Surveillance, via Health and Human Services contracts (HHSN2722019, HHSN272201400004C and HHSN272201400008C).
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 16, 2020 | 06:10 PM | FRANKFORT

The 21 months in prison will be followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $150,000. Additionally, the co-defendant, 67-year-old Dale C. Emmons of Richmond, Kentucky, was sentenced to nine months in a halfway house, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay a fine of $50,000.





Lundergan is the father of former Kentucky Secretary of State Allison Lundergan Grimes. He was convicted in September for orchestrating a multi-year scheme to funnel approximately $200,000 in secret, unlawful corporate contributions to Grimes' failed U.S. Senate campaign in 2014.





Lundergan used funds from S.R. Holding Company Inc, a company he owned, to pay for consulting and vendors for Grimes Senate campaign. It is believed that Lundergan also issued a number of payments from S.R. Holding funds for services to benefit the campaign between July 2013 and December 2015.





The contributions also included monthly payments from S.R. Holding to Emmons and his company during the time period. Emmons provided additional services to the campaign and received compensation from Lundergan and S.R. Holding. Emmons also used the funds of his corporation, Emmons & Company Inc., to pay other vendors and a campaign worker for services provided during the campaign.





The evidence established that Lundergan and Emmons concealed the activities from other officials associated with the campaign. The concealments caused the campaign to file false reports with the FEC.





"This case should underscore the fundamental principle that breaking the law has consequences. The defendants circumvented the campaign finance laws, by knowingly making over $200,000 in unlawful corporate campaign contributions and causing false filings to be submitted to the Federal Election Commission. These are important laws that regulate the integrity of our elections. A jury convicted them, and the Court has now sentenced them for their crimes, said Robert M. Duncan Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. "I commend the FBI for their thorough investigation, and the members of the prosecution team for their dedication to enforcing the law and in presenting this important case."



"Kentuckians place a great deal of trust in the political process. Regardless of the perpetrators position or status, when that trust is broken by corrupt individuals, law enforcement has a duty to protect the people's interests. Today's sentence demonstrates that no one is above the law and we will rigorously pursue anyone who tries to undermine the strength of our democracy." said Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown, FBI Louisville Field Office.





A federal judge has sentenced Kentucky businessman and Democratic Party stalwart Jerry Lundergan to 21 months in prison.
On Tuesday, Mondaire Jones was certified as the winner of the Democratic primary in New Yorks 17th Congressional District, taking him one step closer to being among the first Black and openly gay members in Congress  a widely noted marker of social progress. But if Jones wins in November, replacing retiring Rep. Nita Lowey in her Westchester County district, he will also be among a small number of lawmakers steadily breaking down yet another barrier: that of electing Black candidates in suburban, and largely white, districts.

In three New York congressional races this year, Black candidates have won  or look likely to win  the Democratic nomination in heavily suburban districts. Theres Jones, who just beat out a crowded field of contenders in the 17th Congressional District, which is 70% white and covers much of Westchester and Rockland Counties. Theres Jackie Gordon, Democrat on Long Island who this fall will attempt to flip retiring Rep. Pete Kings seat. That Nassau County district is 78% white. And then theres Jamaal Bowman, a progressive challenger in New Yorks 16th Congressional District in the North Bronx and southern Westchester, who leads 16-term incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel by 25 points. The 16th is 34% Black, 24% Latino and 32% white.

Bowman and Jones are likely to wind up in Congress, as both of those districts are heavily Democratic. And while Gordon seeks to replace a Republican, she is running in a swing district that could go blue in what may be a Democratic wave election this November. If those three candidates joined Rep. Antonio Delgado, who is also Black and was elected to a Hudson Valley and Catskills district in 2018, it would represent a dramatic shift in support for Black candidates among suburban and rural white voters.

Historically, majority-minority districts are where Black candidates have typically succeeded. In the past, Black candidates have generally won in these heavily minority, safe Democratic districts, David Lublin, a professor of government at American University told City & State. Research conducted by Lublin and others showed that as of 2015, 88% of African-Americans in the House of Representatives were elected majority-minority districts  a pattern that held steady in state legislatures too.

But that has recently shifted a bit, including in 2018, when Congress gained eight new African-American members who represented majority non-Hispanic white districts. We saw quite a few minorities win in districts that are neither safe nor dominated by minorities, Lublin said. One of those candidates was Delgado, a Democrat who represents New Yorks 19th Congressional District, which, according to the 2018 American Community Survey, is over 80% white.

While Lublin said Bowmans likely success in the primary is less surprising than Jones or Gordons  because Bowmans district, which straddles the urban-suburban boundary, is heavily Black and Latino  its still indicative that Black candidates can succeed in more than one kind of district. What we're seeing is that, in a lot of America, it seems like if you're a Democrat and your party is well-positioned to win, it doesn't necessarily matter what your ethnic or racial origin is, Lublin said.

Jones, too, notes the significance of possibly being elected to represent a majority-white, suburban district. I think generally what we're seeing is that candidates of color, when able to raise the financial resources required to get their message out to the electorate, are thriving, Jones told City & State. What were also seeing right now is that, what The New York Times described as the institutional left, is taking a more vigorous interest in supporting candidates of color who the left recognizes have historically had difficulty winning elections because of their challenges in fundraising, and have really been trying to prop up those candidates, he said, mentioning support for his candidacy from progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Gordon, who handily won the Democratic primary on Long Island, faces a steeper challenge than Jones or Bowman in November, as she aims to flip the 2nd Congressional District seat held by King. But the significance of possibly representing a largely white suburban district doesnt escape her  nor is the concept of breaking barriers a first for her. This won't be the first time I'm the first; I was the first Black woman to serve on the (Babylon) Town Board, and many young people have told me they're inspired by that and interested in going into government, Gordon said in an email statement. Now as I move into the next level of government, Congress, it will give young people another example of who they can be."

As Lublins research demonstrated, its not just in Congress that Black politicians have historically been most successful in majority-minority districts. Jason Richberg, one of just a few Black legislators in the Suffolk County Legislature, said that having more Black elected officials representing the suburbs is a sign of progress.

But, echoing Gordon, Richberg noted that candidates like Gordon are not successful because of their race or ethnicity alone. Im not going to go into the whole its a post-racial society, Richberg told City & State, noting that his predecessor in the county legislature, DuWayne Gregory, is a Black politician who failed to unseat Pete King in 2016 when he was the Democratic nominee, and again in 2018 when he lost the Democratic nomination to Liuba Grechen Shirely. But I think Jackie has a wealth of background. Shes an immigrant, shes a veteran, shes a single mother, shes an educator, shes a community leader, Richberg said. Its not that shes a woman color  shes a woman of color and she knows whats going on.

Richberg happens to be speaking from experience. Gordon was Richbergs guidance counselor while he was in high school, enrolled in the aviation program at Wilson Tech BOCES on Long Island. Nothing ever surprises me about Jackie Gordon, Richberg said, when asked whether he was surprised to see Gordon win the Democratic nomination for the Long Island congressional seat.

Traditionally, Black candidates who have had to rely on the support of white voters to win an election have tended to run deracialized campaigns, said Ernest McGowen, a professor of political science at the University of Richmond, and author of African Americans in White Suburbia: Social Networks & Political Behavior. There's this idea that for an African-American to be palatable to a white audience, they need to run on racial reconciliation, run on an idea that we are post-racial, McGowen said. So therefore, they cannot come out and express views that may be super-palatable to a Black audience or an audience of color, but are not palatable to a white party. Barack Obama is just the clearest example.

But today, that may be changing. Theres a question as to how much deracialization is actually necessary in this current time, McGowen said. Jones, Bowman and Gordon certainly havent painted a rosy-picture of a post-racial Ameican in their campaigns, addressing the ways systemic racism rears its head  especially during the ongoing protests against police brutality. Jones and Bowman in particular have run as part of the partys progressive wing, endorsing policies such as the Green New Deal and Medicare for All.

While Bowman, Gordon and Jones were all mounting strong campaigns before the coronavirus pandemic, the combination of flawed government responses to that, the virus disproportionate impact on communities of color, and the recent weeks of protest against racism following the death of George Floyd, may have helped put some of them over the top. Lessie Branch, an associate professor in the School for Business at Metropolitan College of New York and a senior research fellow at the DuBois Bunche Center for Public Policy at Medgar Evers College, said the perfect storm of recent events is showing voters that the establishment isnt working. Jamaal (Bowman) isnt seen as establishment, and establishment is equated with untrustworthy and broken, Branch told City & State. And it doesn't matter what color you are, you want your government to be trustworthy and to work for you when you need it to.

While Jones said the success of Black candidates running for Congress in suburban and white districts is promising, he notes that their success comes with double the effort. People like myself and Antonio Delgado grew up being told that we had to work twice as hard to be to be taken as seriously as white people, Jones said, mentioning that both he and Delgado  currently New Yorks only Black Congress member in a majority-white district  are graduates of Harvard Law School; Delgado is a Rhodes Scholar and Jones worked in the Obama administration. It is still the case that Black candidates in our society are held to a higher standard.

Still, that doesnt mean Jones wont have a great deal to celebrate if elected in November. I am really encouraged by the progress that we're seeing, he said. Referring to himself, Bowman and Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, Jones added, of the three representatives from Westchester County, two will be Black and two will be gay.

Correction: An earlier version of this story provided an incorrect title for Lessie Branch.
LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Brock Pierce for President on Thursday announced the hiring of Brittany Kaiser, world-renowned data rights activist and whistleblower, as campaign manager a week after Pierce announced his candidacy as an Independent in the 2020 Presidential election.

"Now is the most important time for our country to move past partisan politics and unite behind ideals which we all need to take up as a nation. From innovations in ethical technology to advances in mental health solutions and criminal justice reform - there are some issues that we all should be able to agree on to move our country forward," said Brittany Kaiser.

"It's an honor to be joining Brock Pierce for President as campaign manager where we are promoting a new movement for democracy: a technology-first, unification of progressive, independent and conservative young people craving change in our system. We are engaging people with national virtual town halls, crowdsourcing our policies from our supporters, and implementing a strategy to register more first time voters than ever before by encouraging the next generation to believe in politics again," Kaiser added.

"Brittany has inspired the world in her fight for transparent democracy and I'm proud to have her as my campaign manager as this country seeks redemption from the partisan fights of the past and looks to our generation in the fight for its future," said Brock Pierce, Independent candidate for President of the United States.

ABOUT BRITTANY KAISER

Brittany Kaiser is a data rights activist and founder of the Own Your Data Foundation for digital literacy and the Digital Asset Trade Association (DATA) for legislative lobbying. She is the author of "Targeted" published globally by Harper Collins and was the main subject of Netflix original documentary The Great Hack, recently nominated for a BAFTA and shortlisted for an Academy Award in 2020. Ms Kaiser has lectured at Harvard University, Oxford University, Columbia and USC.

Early in her career Kaiser volunteered for the presidential campaigns of Howard Dean and John Kerry, and for Barack Obama's run for senate while still in high school. In 2007, she worked full-time for a summer in the new media team of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. In 2014 she volunteered for the "Ready for Hillary" SuperPAC before deciding to support Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary in 2015.

Following her work for these political candidates, Kaiser spent several years engaged with human rights projects around the world, including work for Amnesty International, lobbying at the United Nations and European Parliament to stop crimes against humanity, and contributing to human rights research projects in Asia and Africa.

These activities, together with her background in the Democratic party, caught the attention of Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix who recruited Kaiser to SCL Group, the then-parent company of Cambridge Analytica, as a business-development consultant in late 2014. Brittany was quickly promoted to Director of Program Development, and then served as Director of Business Development in 2015 until through 2018, working on clients worldwide including Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Yes on Brexit.

When Kaiser left Cambridge Analytica in 2018 she made international headlines as a key whistleblower in the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, exposing the abuses of data in elections around the world by testifying before the U.K. parliamentary investigation and releasing documents that would expose Cambridge Analytica's activities to the public.

Born in Houston, Texas, Kaiser grew up in Chicago and attended high school at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA. She went on to study at Edinburgh University, before earning post-graduate degrees in international relations at The University of Edinburgh (MA with honors), an LLM in international human rights law at the University of London Birkbeck College, and an Masters in Philosophy in international law and diplomacy at Middlesex University.

ABOUT BROCK PIERCE

Brock Pierce is an entrepreneur, humanitarian and philanthropist with an extensive track record of founding, advising and investing in innovative businesses and foundations. He is global leader and pioneer in technology digital currency and has raised more than $5B for companies he has founded. Born into a middle class home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to a mother who was a preacher and a father who worked in construction, Pierce began his career early as a child-actor, starring in The Mighty Ducks and First Kid. At 16, Pierce's love for technology and its limitless possibilities inspired him to become an entrepreneur and eventually a leader in blockchain technology--a modern vehicle for the American dream.

Upon moving to Puerto Rico in 2017, he immediately prioritized philanthropy after seeing the devastation Hurricane Maria left behind. Developing the Integro Foundation, a Puerto Rico based not-for-profit organization, Pierce provided philanthropic resources to Puerto Rico, the Caribbean Islands, and indigenous people.

With programs designed to revive areas in critical need, the Integro foundation empowers humans, plants, animals and natural resources to thrive. Integro provides urgent relief during times of crisis, working with vetted local charities, organizations and government agencies to deploy resources efficiently, with fully accountable donations. A prolific philanthropist, his personal experience has led Pierce to become an advocate for due process and rule of law with a focus on an efficient, fair, and coherent justice system as the cornerstone of democracy. As founder of the Brock Pierce Foundation, his philanthropy focuses on the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, the Center for Individual Rights, the Brennan Center for Human Rights, as well as, the arts and cutting-edge research in medicine and mental health.



He holds two Honorary Ambassadorships in South Korea related to his international leadership in technology and philanthropy. He is the Honorary President of Gimcheon Blockchain AI center which helps female entrepreneurs advance in the technology industry. In 2019 Pierce was knighted by the Ordine dei Cavalieri di San Martino del Monte delle beatitudini in acknowledgement of his philanthropic work.

Pierce has been a regular lecturer at Singularity University, and has spoken at Milken Global Conference, Mobile World Congress, Wired, INK, Stanford University, USC, and UCLA. His lifework has been featured in numerous publications including The New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, Wired, and Rolling Stone.

Witnessing the decline of the American dream provoked by the widening gap of wealth and social inequality, Pierce decided to run for President to positively transform our nation and planet. Recognizing the polarization that is dividing us, Pierce seeks to heal and reunite our country by harmonizing right and left. In repairing our relationship with nature through the transformed, renewable use of technology and resources, we can generate our collective rebirth as a nation. Pierce is campaigning on a vision for a brighter future for Americans in light of the new challenges we face in 2020. Supporting small businesses and implementing twenty-first century technology solutions, Pierce aims to help American families lead more prosperous lives, from supporting mental health initiatives to advancing cutting edge, grassroots efforts to protect the environment.

SOURCE Brock Pierce for President

Related Links

https://www.brock.vote


Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17)  The Philippines must scale up mass testing as it looks to restore the economy, San Miguel Corporation President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang said, as he called on businessmen to reopen and preserve jobs.

Four months since the country was placed under community quarantine, Ang said it is time for businesses to resume operations.

"We cannot lock down forever because people need to work to pay for their meals. I think no country in the world can afford to lock down today, but we have to strike a balance," Ang told CNN Philippines' The Exchange.

RELATED: PH to begin testing asymptomatic individuals

Back in April, the 65-year-old tycoon said he would choose life over money as the coronavirus began to infect hundreds of Filipinos. Infections have since climbed to more than 63,000, with no signs of slowing down.

"If we want the economy to start growing again, what's most important is testing, quick testing... If you want confidence of the people to start doing business, you must have mass testing," he added, stressing that results must be out quickly.

Ang said the country should strive to test at least 10 million people, a target which authorities have set for 2021. Local tests have surpassed the one-million mark this week.

In San Miguel, all employees were tested and had to get negative results before returning to their offices. Acrylic dividers have been set up between desks, while oximeters  which measure oxygen levels in the blood  are required for entry as an extra layer to detect infection.

The billionaire-businessman also made an appeal to fellow business owners to step up as their decisions play a huge role en route to economic recovery.

"We should convince all the Filipino businessmen to invest and start working because if they are all going to hide in their homes, the investors or the financiers will all be okay but their employees will lose jobs," Ang added. "Later on, those employees  what will happen to their family?"

SMC opened its own COVID-19 testing center, which can process 4,000 swab samples a day. Its capacity can be upgraded to as much as 12,000 tests daily.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) speaks to members of the press at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on May 7, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

States With No Mask Orders Should Not Get COVID-19 Aid, Sen. Feinstein Proposes

The federal government would withhold COVID-19 relief from states which do not require people to wear masks under an amendment proposed by Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.)

Feinstein said in a statement that she plans to formally introduce the amendment to the next COVID-19 stimulus bill in the Senate. She called on fellow lawmakers to support the measure.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said he plans to introduce the next stimulus bill by the end of the month.

At that time, I intend to offer an amendment to prohibit sending funds to states that havent adopted a statewide mask requirement, Feinstein said.

The situation is getting worse daily. Several states including California, Alabama and Montana already require masks in public. This should be universal. My hope has been that other governors would show the leadership to institute their own mask mandates, but so far that hasnt happened, she added. Its time for Congress to step in. This is a matter of life or death, and partisan politics shouldnt play a role.

President Donald Trump left it up to individual governors to decide on the measures mean to stop the spread of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, commonly known as the coronavirus. Some governors, including Californias Gavin Newsom (D) and New Yorks Andrew Cuomo (D) have mandated masks. Others, including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) have resisted doing so. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) recently ordered people in most counties to wear masks after resisting such calls earlier.

Kemp has also taken legal action to block local officials who implement such mandates.

Those governors efforts fly in the face of federal health officials advice, including that from Surgeon General Jerome Adams who said Sunday that the United States could reverse its upward trend of new coronavirus cases were more Americans to do their part, including wearing masks in public.

During the early stages of the pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization advised against masks. Since then, both organizations changed course and now recommend masks.

A review of scientific studies (pdf) released in April found the while there were no randomized control trials showing direct evidence that masks can help stop the spread of the CCP virus, a growing number of studies and case reports showed indirect evidence that masks can help.

The preponderance of evidence indicates that mask wearing reduces the transmissibility per contact by reducing transmission of infected droplets in both laboratory and clinical contexts, the scientists concluded. We recommend that public officials and governments strongly encourage the use of widespread face masks in public, including the use of appropriate regulation.

A similar review published in The Lancet in June likewise found no randomized control trials on the effectiveness of masks, but concluded, based on 44 comparative observational studies, that face mask use could result in a large reduction in risk of infection.

According to University of California San Francisco epidemiologist George Rutherford, people can still catch COVID-19 through the membranes of their eyes, a risk that cannot be mitigated by wearing a face mask.
While my brother and I condemn the death threats that have been made against Amy Cooper, demanding some form of accountability is one of the few ways we can create a deterrent that can lead to real change, she writes. We live in a country where a white person breaking rules feels confident and comfortable calling the police to threaten a Black person doing nothing wrong. This has to stop, whether through more discussion to raise awareness of the issue, or better enforcement of laws against false 911 reports.
The The US Department of Homeland Security is reportedly worried that face coverings will stymie the police's use of facial recognition technology.

According to a report from The Intercept, a bulletin drafted by the DHS discusses the effects of widespread use of face coverings in a correspondence with other federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

'The potential impacts that widespread use of protective masks could have on security operations that incorporate face recognition systems  such as video cameras, image processing hardware and software, and image recognition algorithms  to monitor public spaces during the ongoing Covid-19 public health emergency and in the months after the pandemic subsides,' reads the bulletin according to The Intercept.

Federal Agencies that face coverings used by people trying to help prevent COVID-19 may thwart the effectiveness of facial recognition systems (stock)

The bulletin, which was obtained via a trove of police documents leaked in the 'BlueLeaks' hack on law enforcement agencies, mentions that the masks could be used by extremists to avoid facial recognition technology but says there is no current evidence that any such group is currently doing so.

'[There is] no specific information that violent extremists or other criminals in the United States are using protective face coverings to conduct attacks,' reads the document.

Facial recognition technology has risen to prominence among law enforcement in the US and around the world as a tool to identify and track suspects with the help of companies like Amazon and IBM who design the sophisticated AI software.

In recent months, the technology has also been used to track protesters of police brutality and supporters of Black Lives Matter in cities like San Diego.

Companies have reportedly tried to adapt their algorithms to recognize masked faces according to The Intercept, but there's no evidence that those systems can identify faces accurately.

Some of those efforts have involved photoshopping masks onto people's faces in an effort to familiarize AI with the process.

As noted by The Intercept, Homeland Securitys Customs and Border Protection has claimed that the software the agency uses to scan international travelers has had some success with masks.

Subjects scanned by CBP are directly facing the camera, however, making it much easier to discern specific facial characteristics.
A lmost 100,000 mink at a Spanish farm are to be culled after many of them tested positive for coronavirus, health authorities have said.

The outbreak in Aragon province, 125 miles east of Madrid, was discovered after a farm employee's wife contracted the virus in May. Her husband and six other farm workers have since tested positive for Covid-19.

Authorities initially ordered that the animals should be isolated. But a few weeks later, after several rounds of testing, they decided to cull the mink, which are farmed for their fur.

As many as 80 per cent of a sample of the animals tested positive.

The company will receive financial compensation for the culling, authorities said.

Coronavirus has proven contagious in several types of mammals including cats and dogs.

Cases of mink with Covid-19 were identified in Denmark, the world's largest producer, and the Netherlands.

Even though the animals did not show any symptoms, hundreds of thousands were culled to prevent farmers becoming infected.
In a belligerent address to the National Assembly on July 15, Jean Castex presented the policies decided by French President Emmanuel Macron in talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Union (EU) institutions. Today, French union officials are to meet Castex in his Matignon Palace residence to publicly integrate themselves into the designing and implementation of these policies.

Castex declared that the COVID-19 pandemic has provoked an economic crisis of unequaled severity since the end of World War II. He made clear he would respond by intensifying the policies of austerity and police-state militarism that have defined Macrons unpopular presidency.

This reflects the political bankruptcy and contempt for working people of not only the Macron government, but the entire ruling class. Approved by a 345-vote majority in the 577-seat Assembly, Castexs policy speech is setting into motion a collision between the working class and the banks, the state machine and the union bureaucracies, not only in France but across Europe and internationally.

Castex made clear that his government intends for workers to bear the full brunt of the crisis. While admitting that it was the most vulnerable among us who were more affected by the pandemic, he predicted in a matter-of-fact tone that they will also be the most strongly affected by the economic crisis. He then announced the accelerated implementation of Macrons pension cuts, suspended during the COVID-19 confinement after the December-January transport strikes, and numerous policies to strengthen the police.

The class arrogance of the Macron government and the EU policy agenda is staggering. As multiple massive bailouts are adoptedwith 1.25 trillion of public funds handed to the banks by the European Central Bank, and hundreds of billions spent by the larger euro zone economiesCastex announced a further 100 billion in supplemental spending. After Macron said on Bastille Day that a million workers would lose their jobs this year, the state is reacting by pouring more public funds into the corporations and the pockets of the super-rich.

The plan includes 40 billion in business subsidies beyond the tens of billions in state bailouts for firms including Renault, Air France and Airbus; 20 billion for ecological renovations; and 38 billion to finance unemployment payments and provide orders to idled factories. Beyond this, Castex proposed to pay just 8 billion for raises to health workers salaries, as well as for subsidies to encourage corporations to hire young workers for less than 160 percent of the minimum wage.

Castex stressed that his government would not repeal Macrons tax cuts for the rich nor increase other taxes on top income brackets. These decisions, which will massively increase social inequality and transfer wealth towards the top of society, are to be financed by a vast increase in public debt levels.

Raising EU bailouts negotiated by Merkel and Macron, Castex declared that his policy would be one of massive investment based on exceptional support from the European Union, which was not present in the period after the 2008 economic crisis. He added, To spend money on transformation is to invest in the future. The short-term part of the debt caused by the crisis, will be held separate from the rest of the debt.

This plundering of society will inevitably provoke a counteroffensive in the French and European working class. In the last two years, strikes and protests have unfolded not only in France, with the yellow vests and this years transport strike, but around the world. US teachers and auto strikes last year went hand in hand with mass protests in Lebanon, Iraq, Algeria, Bolivia, Chile and beyond, and 2020 saw a wave of mass wildcat strikes in Italy, America and Brazil to demand social distancing and safety in the factories against COVID-19.

After nearly two years of violent repression of yellow vests by French police, the Castex government is preparing a major escalation of police violence against the population and the social opposition his policies will provoke. When Castex turned to describing his domestic policies, a distinctly fascistic picture emerged.

It is of the greatest urgency to profoundly transform public policy, he declared. The greatest error would be to think we should put the state in question. Because the state is France.

Castex reduced France to the state and, in fact, to the military-police forces on whom his policies of war and domestic repression rely. Demanding a historic upsurge of our military power, Castex also hailed the police: They are the first line of defense of Republican order. I demand that they be given all the material and human resources necessary to conduct their mission, so they can have boots on the ground, and so they can be relieved of administrative paperwork that takes up so much time.

Denouncing in the same breath Islamist terrorists and social protesters, he hailed secularism as a cardinal value to attack Islam and demand stepped-up domestic repression. No religion, no current of ideas can take over public space or oppose itself to the laws of the Republic, he declared.

Castex announced his intention to pass a vaguely-worded law against separatisms and the creation of neighborhood judges specially tasked with repressing day-to-day impoliteness. These judges would issue kangaroo-court rulings of those police charge with a vast number of offenses including petty delinquency, graffiti, trafficking, and disturbing public order.

The various other measures Castex proposed to give a progressive veneer to his policya focus on ecology, cutting payroll taxes to businesses hiring young low-paid workers, one-euro meals in university cafeteriasare designed to avert an explosion of social anger that would swamp the police. However, they do not change anything about the evolution of the French state and of the EU into a distinctly fascistic police-state regime.

Domestic repression is going hand-in-glove with preparation of disastrous imperialist war amid the disintegration of US global hegemony after three decades of Middle East war and the impact of the pandemic in America. This week, as Castex was preparing his speech, the head of the French military general staff, General Francois Lecointre, gave an interview to Le Monde announcing that the French army is preparing for major strategic conflict.

He recalled the confrontation between French and Turkish warships off the Libyan coast and said that a major war would be different from the wars we are currently fightingeven if combat there is at times of high intensity at a tactical level, with important losses. But it would not necessarily be a high-intensity conflict, in the sense of an entire alliance completely reorganizing itself for a great war. Any scenario is possible.

Amid the pandemic and its accelerating resurgence in Europe, against the dangers of war, austerity and repression, it is critical to mobilize the working class independently of the unions. They are meeting Castex today, after he called in his speech for social dialogto fuse France togetherthat is, for the unions to strangle opposition to austerity policies Castex plans to impose based on empty and fraudulent demands for national unity.

By collaborating with Castex, union officials make clear their class hostility to the workers. These corrupt bureaucracies, financed by the state and corporate management since they lost their dues base decades ago, only work to subordinate workers to the state and the banks. With their allies in the middle class left populist parties, they are launching a corporatist collaboration with the financial aristocracy whose violence has no precedent since legal union officials were integrated, via the 1941 Labor Charter, into the state machine of the pro-Nazi Vichy regime.

Since the yellow vest movement began on social media, and as independent action committees are established from the US auto industry to Sri Lankan tea plantations, waging an international political struggle is both possible and essential for workers around the world. The only way to stop a health catastrophe and a massive impoverishment of the working class is to mobilize the working class outside the corrupt, national framework of the unions social dialog in a political struggle against capitalism and war. This demands an international struggle to transfer state power to the independent organs of the working class, overthrowing capitalist relations, and imposing socialist economic planning to overcome the pandemic and social inequality.
The biggest six U.S. banks by assets, Citigroup (NYSE:C), JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM), Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC), Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) and Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), have all reported their second quarter earnings this past week.

Earlier in the week, Jim Cramer suggested the results from these big banks could be one of the biggest sink or swim catalysts for the stock market in the near-term. Across the list, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley posted the best results for the quarter. Here are the highlights:





Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs had revenue of $13.3 billion, for a year over year gain of 41.49%. Revenue beat estimates by $3.54 billion. Earnings per share (EPS) were $6.26, increasing 7.75% from the second quarter of 2019 and beating estimates by $2.25.

Provisions for credit losses were $1.59 billion versus the $1.09 consensus. This is up from the $937 million in credit losses the company reported in Q1. Return on equity (ROE) of 11.1% was unchanged from the comparable second quarter of 2019. Year to date, Goldman Sachs has a stock return of -4.58%.

Analysts were impressed with the company's capital markets revenue, showing the bank as a top investment banking choice among clients in recent months. The bank also reported record consumer deposits growth in the second quarter as it builds out its consumer offering, with help from its consumer lending platform Marcus.

Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley also reported a strong quarter. Revenue of $13.4 billion was up 30.86% from the comparable quarter of 2019. Revenue beat estimates by $3.01 billion.

Earnings per share gains were the best of the big banks group with an increase of 59.35% from the second quarter of 2019. Earnings per share of $1.96 for the quarter beat estimates by 85 cents.

Return on equity for Morgan Stanley was 15.7%, up from 11.2% in the second quarter of 2019. Morgan Stanley leads the pack's stock returns with a gain of 1.82% year to date.

Story continues

Revenues from trading were a highlight for the bank, with institutional securities net revenue of $7.98 billion for the quarter compared to the consensus of $5.39 billion.

JPMorgan

JPMorgan had revenue of $32.98 billion in the second quarter, beating estimates by $2.75 billion. Year over year, revenue was up 14.70%.

Q2 2020 GAAP EPS of $1.38 beat analysts' estimates by $0.24. The company had a year over year EPS growth rate of -51.60%. Return on equity for the quarter was 7%, an improvement from 6% in 2Q 2019. Year to date, JPMorgan stock is down approximately -26.5%.

In the area of lending. JPM's delinquency rates improved. Its provisions for credit losses of $10.47 billion was slightly higher in Q2 versus $8.29 billion in Q1 and the consensus of $8.73 billion.

Citigroup

Citigroup had revenue of $19.77 billion, beating the estimate by $710 million. Year over year, revenue was up 5.4%.

Q2 GAAP EPS of $0.50 beat the estimate by $0.10. Year over year, EPS was down -74%. Return on equity for the quarter was 2.4%, down from 10.10% in the comparable second quarter of 2019. Year to date, Citigroup stock is down approximately -33.8% for the year.

Delinquencies were lower for Citigroup. Its provisions for credit losses were below the consensus of $7.16 billion at $5.6 billion.

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo reported revenue of $17.84 billion, missing the estimate by $460 million. Revenue was down -17% from the second quarter of 2019.

Q2 GAAP EPS of -$0.66 missed the estimate by $0.56 and was down -151% from the second quarter of 2019. Return on equity was negative at -6.63%, down -150% from the second quarter of 2019 when they reported ROE of 13.26%. For the year, Wells Fargo stock is down -51%.

Provisions for credit losses were $9.5 billion versus the consensus of $4.87 billion. Analysts liked Wells Fargo's dividend cut, which helps to improve its reserves and working capital.

Bank of America

Bank of America reported revenue of $22.3 billion, a decrease of -3.38% from the second quarter of 2019. Revenue did beat estimates by $590 million.

Earnings per share for Bank of America were 37 cents, down -50% from the second quarter of 2019 and beating estimates by 8 cents. Return on equity for Bank of America was 5.34% in the second quarter, down -51% from the second quarter of 2019. Year to date, Bank of America's stock has a loss of -29%.

Provisions for credit losses were below consensus at $5.1 billion vs. $5.27 billion. In the consumer segment, consumer banking net income of $71 million was disappointing compared to the Q1 report of $1.79 billion. Average deposit balances were basically unchanged at $1.66 trillion versus $1.44 trillion in Q1. Q2 global wealth and investment management net income of $624 million was down from $866 million in Q1. Average loans and leases of $1.03 trillion were basically in line with the $990.3 billion reported in Q1.

Final thoughts

Year to date, financials are down -21%. This compares to a small gain for the S&P 500 Index at approximately 0.72%. Morgan Stanley is leading the big banks with a gain of 1.82%, also beating the S&P 500.

Credit loss provisions and reserves are rising for the big banks and the banking industry. While this signals the higher risks of defaults, banks have also showed they have control over the lending risks, in my opinion. Dividend cuts and the Fed's new Covid-19 dividend restrictions have some investors worried but will also integrate some cash support, which should help financial management.

Banks will be facing some new stress testing and regulatory reporting requirements from the Fed. This is another aggressive and proactive move which should surface any major issues from the big banks.

Several of the big banks are far into the negative on the share returns for the year. Given the controls in place, I think the substantial losses seem extreme.

Goldman Sachs appears to be a depositor of choice, but has a targeted clientele for the ultra-wealthy. Morgan Stanley is seeing a lot of investor confidence, with strength in trading as well as deposits and wealth management.

While I think it's not likely for the big banks to fall much further, the strong quarter from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley could be a sign that these two banks may emerge as the group's stock leaders amidst the economic downturn.

Disclosure: I do not directly own any shares.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






The Indian Army showcased its T-90 tanks and armoured combat vehicles as defence minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the situation at the border on Friday, over a month after 20 soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakhs Galwan Valley.

Rajnath Singh landed in Leh in the morning during his two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir along with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane.

Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh witnessing para dropping and scoping weapons at Stankna near Leh. pic.twitter.com/2vwvjotI7q    / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 17, 2020

A video tweeted by news agency ANI showed army tanks carrying out military exercises in Singh presence in Stakna, a forward post where the troops also showed him their para dropping skills.

The Indian Army had deployed six T-90 missile-firing tanks and top-of-the-line shoulder-fired anti-tank missile systems in the Galwan Valley sector in June.

The armys decision to deploy the T-90 Bhishma tanks was taken after the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) had strengthened its positions on the river bed with armoured personnel carriers and troop tents.

He also interacted with the personnel of the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in Lukung post near Pangong Lake where Indian and Chinese troops are in the process of disengagement.

Talks are underway to resolve the border dispute but to what extent it can be resolved I cannot guarantee. I can assure you that not one inch of our land can be taken by any power in the world, he said.

If a solution can be found by talks, there is nothing better, he said emphasising on finding a diplomatic solution to the standoff.

Recently what happened between troops of India and China at PP14, how some of our personnel sacrificed their lives protecting our border. I am happy to meet you all but also saddened because of their loss. I pay my tributes to them, he added.

The defence minister will go to Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Singh was scheduled to visit Ladakh on July 3 but his visit was deferred.

Leaving for Leh on a two day visit to Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir. I shall be visiting the forward areas to review the situation at the borders and also interact with the Armed Forces personnel deployed in the region. Looking forward to it, the minister had tweeted in the morning.

On July 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made an unscheduled visit to a forward post in Nimu in Ladakh earlier this month and interacted with the troops.
When Norwegian author Tom Egeland recently posted on Facebook about photographs that had changed the course of warfare, he naturally included Nick Uts Pulitzer Prizewinning shot of a naked Vietnamese girl fleeing a napalm bombing during the Vietnam War. Facebook deleted the photo, however, and suspended Egelands account. Afterposten, Norways largest newspaper, wrote a scathing editorial about this act of censorship and posted the photo on its Facebook page. Facebook removed that, too. Then the prime minister of Norway followed suit, posting the picture, and once again, Facebook deleted that post. After an international media outcry, Facebook finally relented and reinstated the photo. (Facebook cited nudity for its decision, though the image has been reproduced around the world for a generation.)

The episode is just one example among many of censorship on major social-media platforms, which hold near-monopoly status over online life. Google possesses 64 percent of the U.S. search-engine market and collects 82 percent of ad revenues from online searches. Google also owns YouTube, which has almost complete ownership of the video-hosting market. Facebook holds a 42 percent share of all U.S. social-media traffic, but that market includes unrelated services like Twitter. Facebook confronts no real competition in terms of the market for connecting with family and friends. When rivals like WhatsApp or Instagram pop up, Facebook simply buys them. LinkedIn has its own niche for professional networking, and Snapchat is popular among young users, but Facebook remains dominant. Twitter may be a troubled company, but at present it also has no real competitors for what it does (though start-up Gab.ai hopes to change that). And Amazon has 74 percent of the U.S. e-book market. Millions of readers use its Kindle device or software, which dont support the open e-pub standard used by other platforms. If you lose access to the Amazon marketplace, Kindle owners cant read your book.

These platforms generally claim that they dont censor content but only delete it when it violates copyrights, contains nudity, or is abusive. Yet its easy to find cases where the meddling looks subjective. Facebook banned an ad for an event promoting body positivity that used a photo of plus-size model Tess Holliday, for example. Ads may not depict a state of health or body weight as being perfect or extremely undesirable, Facebook said in a statement. Ads like these are not allowed since they make viewers feel bad about themselves. Instead, we recommend using an image of a relevant activity, such as running or riding a bike.

Social-media firms often take political stands as well. With their enormous clout, Facebook and Twitter can manipulate public opinion on a range of issues. Plenty of reason exists to believe that these companies, overwhelmingly run by liberals, have discriminated against conservative users and viewpoints. Twitter has banned conservative journalists Robert Stacy McCain, Charles C. Johnson, and Milo Yiannopoulosprovocateurs, to be surebut not left-wing agitators, such as Black Lives Matter supporters. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey personally participated in Ferguson protests.

To the extent that peoples lives have been harmed by tweets, they have almost always been victims of social-justice warriors on the left. This includes Justine Sacco, who was fired from her job while on a flight to South Africa after an ill-considered tweet, joking about getting AIDS in Africa. Her remark instigated an online attack by Gawker writer Sam Biddle. Biddle, who has also tweeted that nerds should be constantly shamed and degraded into submission and bring back bullying (he claimed to be joking), still has his Twitter account. In May, the technology site Gizmodo revealed that Facebooks trending topics feature was manipulated by a left-leaning staff that routinely suppressed right-of-center stories. Facebook held a meeting with some conservatives to reassure them but ultimately fired its entire trending-topics team and replaced it with an algorithm.

Facebook also rejected blogger John Hinderakers ad for an event exploring the minimum-wage debate and ignored his appeals. After Hinderaker posted about the dispute on his popular conservative site, Power Line, Facebook approved the ad, saying that an algorithm had incorrectly flagged it as violating a policy against financial apps and that a technical glitch prevented his appeal from going to the proper place. The Daily Callers Mark Tapscott experienced something similar when Facebook wouldnt let him post a link to a story about the Clinton Foundation. After public complaints, Facebook explained that the post was removed in error and restored as soon as we were able to investigate.

These sorts of glitches and errors seem overwhelmingly to affect conservative groups. As an experiment, an Israeli NGO called Shurat HaDin (the Israel Law Center) created two nearly identical Facebook pages, one pro-Israel and the other pro-Palestine, and reported them both to Facebook as abusive. The pro-Israel page was removed for violating community standards, but the pro-Palestine one stayed up.

Because they are reflexively anti-regulation and proprivate property, conservatives have often sided with the tech companies in these disputes, saying that as private firms, they are free to allow or disallow, to promote or suppress whatever they wish. The growing power of these firms raises new concerns, however. Conservatives have no difficulty seeing censorship on college campuses as a major problem, even at private universities. But if a conservative speaker gets disinvited from a university, he or she can find other interested schools. By contrast, those who lose access to Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube are effectively exiled from vast tracts of the online public square.

Ironically, many social-media companies themselves advocated for net-neutrality regulation that would prevent Internet service providers from favoring one online site over another. They clearly perceived the threat that potential censorship by ISPs posed to their business, though the broadband market is more competitive than the social-media sphere. Some have proposed treating the social-media monopolies the same way that they want to treat ISPsas utilities. These firms, its worth noting, are already reaping the benefits of utility-like regulation. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act grants them broad immunity from liability for what gets posted on their sites by saying that they are merely platforms, not publishers. But to the extent that they are manipulating content based on point of view, they are clearly acting more like publishers than like, say, the telephone company. At a minimum, these platforms should be forced to choose one or the other model, instead of getting the best of both worlds. Either they are common carriers with an obligation to provide a nondiscriminatory service to all, or they should be liable for what is published on their sites.

Photo: bombuscreative/iStock
The domestic tourism sector is set to receive a significant boost this summer, with a major rise in the number of people searching for holiday homes around the country. This is according to research carried out by MyHome.ie.



Interest in staycations on the MyHome.ie property website soared in recent weeks as lockdown restrictions were eased  with a 112% increase in searches for Irish holiday homes in June 2020 compared with the same period the year before.

However, during March and April  when Covid-19 cases escalated and lockdown restrictions were at their height  there was a marked decline in Irish holiday home searches on the MyHome.ie website. March saw a 48% year-on-year decline, while April saw a 41% decline over the same period.



In May, there was a 28% increase in searches for Irish holiday homes compared with the same period in 2019 as the roadmap for lockdown easing began. The staycation trend looks set to benefit most tourism hotspots around the country, with significant increases in holiday home searches in June 2020 compared with June 2019 in counties including:

Kerry: up 107%

Sligo: up 105%

Galway: up 83%

Clare: up 57%

Donegal: up 45%

It also appears that the west is best for staycations, as searches for holiday homes in Dublin in June 2020 stayed relatively steady, up by just 6% compared with the same period in 2019.



Commenting on the figures, Managing Director of MyHome.ie, Angela Keegan said, "These findings reflect the huge pent-up demand that exists among people after three months of lockdown, which will have a much-needed knock-on effect for a hospitality sector that has suffered badly as a result of Covid-19 restrictions."

He added, "People need a holiday to look forward to after a tough year, and it looks like the domestic economy will benefit from the Governments continued guidance to avoid non-essential foreign travel."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of South African liberation hero Nelson Mandela and anti-apartheid activist Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, has been laid to rest following her death earlier this week.

The 59-year-old was buried on Friday in a private ceremony next to her mother, who died in 2018, at a cemetery in Fourways, in northern Johannesburg.

Zindzi Mandela, who was South Africas ambassador to Denmark, had tested positive for coronavirus before her death in the early hours of Monday at a hospital in Johannesburg, according to her family.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa thanked the Mandela family for the very important gesture of sharing this information with the nation.

In doing so you are helping to encourage social acceptance for sufferers, he said in a eulogy at a virtual memorial on Thursday night.

This is a virus that affects us all, and there should never be any stigma around people who become infected, added Ramaphosa.

South Africa has recorded 324,221 coronavirus cases, the sixth-highest tally globally, including 4,669 related deaths.

Zindzi has departed this life, but her legacy lives on in our minds and in our hearts. History will record her great contribution and her great sacrifices. And, for these, we shall forever be grateful. Lala ngoxolo Madiba. Nqolomsila. Yemyem.

#RIPZindziMandela pic.twitter.com/mFCQV4FQ5I  Cyril Ramaphosa  #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) July 16, 2020

Zindzi Mandela, an active member of the African National Congress (ANC) youth movement, grew up while her father was imprisoned by the apartheid regime for 27 years.

One of her most prominent moments was in 1985 when she read out  in front of a huge crowd of ANC supporters at Sowetos Jabulani stadium  a letter in which her father rejected an offer of release from PW Botha, the then apartheid president.

At the time, Botha had offered to free Mandela from prison on condition he renounced the anti-apartheid violence and protests.

Zindzi has departed this life, but her legacy lives on in our minds and in our hearts. History will record her great contribution and her great sacrifices. And, for these, we shall forever be grateful, Ramaphosa said.

Julius Malema, a left-wing opposition leader, told public broadcaster SABC at the cemetery: She survived the most brutal regime at an early age and we thought that this crisis and invisible enemy [coronavirus] we are confronted with today, she is going to survive it because she has seen worse.

And when people like mama Zindzi succumb to this invisible enemy we all remain hopeless and we are shattered.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation described her as a special soul who will be remembered for a rich and extraordinary life.

Only two of Mandelas six children survive.
The Canadian Federal Government will pump CA$ 19 billion into the countrys provinces and territories as part of Safe Restart Agreement aimed at economic recovery with precautions being exercised to prevent another outbreak of Covid-19.

Many provinces across the nation have accelerated reopening of various sectors of the economy, but Trudeau said that till the time an effective vaccine against the coronavirus was available the daily threat of COVID-19 will not disappear.

The safe restart programme will focus on preventive measures, including enhanced capacity for testing, contact tracing, and data management and information sharing to mitigate future outbreaks, investments in health care to respond to the pandemic, support for those considered most vulnerable like residents of long-term care facilities, and funding to secure a reliable source of personal protective equipment. Also announced was a temporary countrywide sick leave programme covering 10 days for those who did not have access to it.

As we continue to deal with the impacts of the virus, we are committed to working with the provinces and territories to provide the support they need to help Canadians make it through this crisis. Together, our priority is to keep Canadians safe and healthy, while building a stronger, more resilient Canada for everyone, Trudeau said in a statement issued by his office. He made the announcement during a media interaction at Parliament Hill in Ottawa. He was joined by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland who stated that these investments will help ensure a safe restart of the economy over the next six to eight months, pointing out there was no use pretending that anyone could predict what the scenario will be in that time period. Seven priority areas have been outlined under the agreement.

Trudeau said the pandemic had resulted not just in a health crisis but also an economic crisis. When we talk about the recovery phase, its not just about making sure we can detect, control and prevent future outbreaks. Its also about helping people, businesses and entire communities adjust to our new normal, he told reporters, according to the outlet CBC.

Canada has recorded 8827 deaths so far and over 109,000 confirmed cases.

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The death toll in the Assam floods has risen to 76 with five more casualties reported on Friday morning. In the past few weeks, floodwaters of the rain-swollen Brahmaputra and its tributaries have affected nearly 36 lakh people in 28 districts, gulping down roads and villages, animals and farmlands.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), Dhubri, Barpeta, Morigaon, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Golaghat, Goalpara and Bongaigaon are the worst-affected districts: Nearly 9 lakh people affected in Dhubri alone. A total of 3,201 villages under 92 revenue circles have been swamped by overflowing rivers. Images in the media showed houses flooded till roof-level and farm animals confined in sheds unable to move.

We are facing a tough time, and we are all together again. The houses in our village are under water, our cattle and livestock are stranded in submerged homes along with hundreds of people. If the animals are not evacuated, they will drown. This is what happens every year, said a local resident in the flooded Jogighopa town of Bongaigaon district on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra.

We cannot step out of our dwelling as the entire village is inundated. There are about a hundred families living here. We have tied our animals at the relief camp and are staying in our home as there is not enough space at the camp, said 35-year-old Anwar Ali of Chandanpur village in Barpeta district. More than 360 villages in Barpeta have been affected in the second wave of floods this year.

In latest reports, more than 20 lakh big and small farm animals, and 12.85 lakh poultry have been affected by floods in different districts. These include dairy cows, pigs and goats, chickens, ducks and geese.

The ASDMA report on Friday stated over 50,000 people are taking shelter in 304 relief camps across 24 districts - 4,526 children from several villages in Goalpara district are living in temporary relief camps with their parents. As many as 445 relief distribution centres have been stocked with rice, pulses, salt, mustard oil, wheat bran supplies, besides baby food, tarpaulin, cattle feed, sanitary napkins and other essentials for flood-affected people.

We are facing acute shortage of drinking water and no access to basic sanitation. The situation is unbearable and you are talking of following Covid-19 protocols? said a flood victim in Moirabari town of Morigaon district when asked if people were following guidelines on the novel coronavirus outbreak issued by district authorities.

This is not a new scene; we are a cursed village since the past 20 years and our local representative has done nothing to help either. We need ration and proper shelter, said Rimon Brahma, a schoolteacher of Sikarbil village in Kokrajhar district who paid a visit to the relief camp.

We are expected to be cautious regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, but there are so many problems - the children in relief camps venture out after their parents leave for work. They are daily wage earners. The kids cannot stay hungry. We need nutritional food for the little ones, Brahma mentioned, adding that their land was washed away by the raging Gongia River that flows downstream from the Bhutan Hills.

To protect their homes from flood and erosion, villagers living along the banks of Gongia conducted the traditional Bathou Puja by offering prayers to river goddess Ganga.

In Kaziranga National Park, 86 animals have died in floods this monsoon. According to officials, more than 85% of the park remains flooded and 80 of the 233 anti-poaching camps are submerged in water. Though time cards have been issued to regulate speed of vehicles plying along the national highway, 14 hog deer have been killed by speeding vehicles. Four rhinos drowned in floodwaters inside the park while many have been displaced. Three tigers that moved out of the park sought shelter in the fringe villages and were guided back into the forest.

So far, 125 animals including a Royal Bengal tiger and a rhino calf have been rescued by forest officials and the Wildlife Trust of India-Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (WTI-CWRC) members with the help of locals.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) assisted by the civil administration are engaged in rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected areas. Around 130 boats have been deployed for rescue work, and 2,918 people have been evacuated to safety in the past 48 hours. Wearing special PPE suits, the rescue personnel are also distributing masks to the marooned and screening them for Covid-19 symptoms. The rescue boats are sanitised after every mission, and though maintaining social distancing is difficult in relief camps, local authorities are urging people to follow the public health practice to reduce chances of disease transmission.

(With inputs from Haantigiri Narzary)
Amid the political turmoil in Rajasthan, the AAP on Thursday sought to project itself as an alternative, saying the Congress is on "ventilator" and is unlikely to survive while accusing the political parties of playing "dirty politics" at a time when the focus should be on battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing the media, AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha said neither the Congress has any future nor can it give any future to this country and his party, with fresh blood and invigorating force, needs to step up and become the alternative. Hitting back, the Delhi Congress chief Anil Chaudhary tweeted, "Anyway, if you vote for Kejriwal, you get Amit Shah (BJP leader and Home Minister) to rule Delhi, Congress cannot offer such a dual offer."

Mr Chadha said political parties are busy with dirty politics at a time when the focus should be on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. "At this time of crisis when our country is looking for cooperation from all political parties against this pandemic, we have one political party which is selling their MLAs and another political party which is buying MLAs," Mr Chadha said, referring to the ongoing political turmoil in Rajasthan.

"Entire India is witnessing a political drama unfolding in Rajasthan. People of our country are hurt to see this kind of dirty politics. It is a sad spectacle to witness that parties are busy playing dirty politics at a time when this pandemic crisis looms overhead," he told reporters. Mr Chadha further said the AAP is the only alternative left as the Congress party is on "ventilator" and unlikely to survive.

"The voters of India are very much saddened by the state of our democracy because it doesn't matter whom they cast their vote for, because of this new dirty politics of BJP and Congress. Congress neither has any future nor can it give any future to this country. "Today, it is clear that the Congress party is on a ventilator. No plasma therapy, hydroxychloroquine, or Remdesivir can save this political party from the impending death," said Mr Chadha.

People have hopes from the AAP and they see it is as alternative, Mr Chadha claimed. "Time will tell whether or not the Aam Aadmi Party can perform according to the expectations and the hopes of the people of India.

"We understand that the AAP does not have huge organizational strength across the country, but we also understand that the people of India have realized that we are the only alternative in front of them with their hopes and expectations pinned on AAP," he added.

He said the 125-year-old Congress party has become "old and has completely collapsed". "This party (Congress) does not have the ability to win, does not have the enthusiasm to keep their party members together, and cannot control its own MLAs. We have witnessed that state after state, the Congress party is collapsing, we have witnessed that the Congress party gets some MLAs and with time trades those MLAs with the BJP," he added.

Chadha said AAP needs to step up and become the alternative. "Right now the people of India are looking at the Aam Aadmi Party with hope because AAP is the only alternative in front of people.

"People want to know whether the AAP has the capability or the vision to take responsibility for these hopes and to work accordingly. Right now, AAP is the only political party which has fresh blood and invigorating force, the courage to fight and work, honesty, and enthusiasm," said Mr Chadha.

Also read: Rajasthan political crisis: Pilot seeks Chidambaram's advice, Congress says he went too far
Punjab government

Chandigarh: The Punjab Government has launched a campaign to provide online education to the students during the Covid-19 epidemic and has now launched an initiative to educate the children through animation videos.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the school education department said that after the success of imparting the idea of online education, the department has now started its efforts to impart better education to the students through animation videos.

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Punjab government

The aim is to entertain the students as well as draw their better attention to the study so that they do not get bored while studying.

According to the spokesperson, these animation videos are being prepared by the teachers. The largest contribution is being given by the IT teachers in this campaign. They not only entertain the children but also keep them connected with the subject. According to the spokesperson, they are being highly praised by the students and their parents.

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It is also to be mentioned that the teachers were inspired by the Education Secretary through online meetings. This was accepted by the teachers of the Education Department as a challenge and they started working on animation technique.

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This positive result has been due to the encouragement received from the department and the thought of the teachers doing something unique to teach the students from home to make 'Mission Fateh' a success under Covid 19.

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Lots of animated videos are being shared on social media by school principals and teachers, especially to primary school students.
ADDISON, Texas, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PHP Agency Inc. is proud to announce that Matthew Sapaula ("Matt") has been appointed as the Chief Distribution Officer ("CDO") of PHP Agency Inc. ("PHP"). This appointment represents a major milestone in PHP's history, as Matt is the first senior field leader to transition to an executive role at PHP.

CDO Matthew Sapaula

Matt brings a discipline and dedication to PHP that he developed as a decorated member of the United States Marine Corps and from 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. In his last five years with PHP, Matt and his wife Sheena Sapaula have quickly grown their minority-centric Money Smart Movement (MSM) organization into one of the largest and most respected leadership development organizations at PHP while being 100% aligned to PHP's unique culture and vision.

"As a Filipino, I know that most multi-cultural people don't have much of a shot to get ahead without learning about money and business," Matt said. "Large-scale companies don't teach that, but we have offices across the country with entrepreneurial opportunities and world-class agents excited to educate and lead the next wave of PHP entrepreneurs."

This announcement follows PHP's record-setting second quarter ending June 2020, where new recruits and life insurance policies submitted grew 81% and 54%, respectively, over the second quarter of 2019, all during the COVID-19 pandemic. PHP's predominately millennial and minority-based field agents' quick adoption of new technologies required to operate during this pandemic resulted in unprecedented growth.

As CDO, Matt will be responsible for driving PHP's expected future agent and revenue growth, while continuing his track record of developing top field leaders. Matt's unique perspective and personal industry knowledge will aid PHP's Executive team in developing strategies to enhance product distribution and agent experience.

Patrick Bet-David, CEO and Founder of PHP, stated that the following qualities were crucial when choosing the right candidate for CDO. Someone who:

Brings and reinforces the values and principles that PHP stands for

Intends to continue the level of growth that PHP is having in the field

Extremely tech-savvy and understands the social media and technology that will lead the sales force away from the old, archaic way of doing business

A husband-wife team that are building their business together and run their operations like partners

Gets along with, leads, and has the respect of everyone they work with in the field

"Matt is the one person that I am 100% confident meets those five criteria," Bet-David said.

"My life changed because someone thought highly enough of me to give me a chance, because they believed in me even when I had no sales experience," Matt said. "My goal is to express belief in our agents, because Patrick's belief in me is why I'm here today." Matt has worked under the direct mentorship of Patrick since joining PHP in 2015. Matt is actively involved in various Veteran organizations and has made guest appearances on ABC, FOX Good Day Chicago, NBC, and WGN, raising awareness about entrepreneurship opportunities in the life insurance industry for Veterans and minority communities.

About PHP Agency Inc.

PHP Agency Inc. is a national financial services organization founded in 2009 by Patrick Bet-David. PHP partners with leading insurance and annuity carriers and provides a part-time or full-time opportunity to those seeking careers as life insurance agents. PHP has over 15,000 licensed agents, has served more than 200,000 families, and is privately headquartered in Addison, TX.

Contact: Tigran Bekian (Marketing Director) [email protected]

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Haryana agriculture minister Jai Prakash Dalal said that six districts were attacked by locust swarms over the last week

Chandigarh: A meeting with Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and other senior officials will be held on Friday to discuss locust attacks in the state, said Jai Prakash Dalal, state agricultural minister on Thursday.

"Senior government officials will meet today to discuss the situation, and tomorrow we will have a meeting with the chief minister to further decide what steps have to be taken. We have been told by the Centre to expect more attacks in the next few weeks, so we have to stay prepared," Dalal told ANI.

Over the last week, six districts in Haryana were attacked by locust swarms but did little damage owing to the state's preparedness, the state's agricultural minister said.

"We have been able to successfully control the locusts by using drones and tractor-mounted sprayers. Border districts like Sirsa, Charkhi Dadri, Palwal, Fatehabad and all others have been issued an alert to be prepared for the locust attacks.
It is my belief that the city of Atlanta still has appropriate standing to mandate masks, especially as it relates to buildings that we own and operate, Bottoms said at a news conference Thursday before Kemp filed his lawsuit, adding that it was only after it was noted that Trump had not worn a mask during his visit, violating the citys order, that suddenly the governor took a stance.
New York, July 17 : In a new study, the US researchers have revealed that Covid-19 is associated with life-threatening blood clots in the arteries of the legs.

Published in the journal Radiology, the research has shown that Covid-19 patients with symptoms of inadequate blood supply to the lower extremities tend to have larger clots and a significantly higher rate of amputation and death than uninfected people with the same condition.

"We found that arterial thrombosis associated with Covid-19 infection was characterised by dire outcomes, namely strikingly increased rates of amputation and death, which in our series were 25 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively," said study lead author Inessa A Goldman from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the US.

Covid-19's association with blood clots in the pulmonary arteries is well-established.

Less is known about the virus' connection to lower extremity arterial thrombosis, a condition characterised by blood clots in the arteries that impede the flow of oxygenated blood to the lower extremities.

During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in New York City, radiologists observed an increase in patients testing positive for lower extremity arterial thrombosis on CT angiography exams.

The patients had arrived at hospitals with coldness, pain or discolouration of their legs.

Frequently these symptoms of leg ischemia, a condition in which blood flow to the lower extremities is restricted, were accompanied by respiratory distress, cough, fever and altered mental status.

The alarming trend prompted the researchers to look more closely at a possible connection between Covid-19 and lower extremity arterial thrombosis and whether people with the virus had a worse prognosis.

In March and April 2020, they identified 16 Covid-19-positive patients, average age 70, who underwent CT angiography of the lower extremities for symptoms of leg ischemia.

These patients were compared with 32 Covid-19-negative patients, average age 71, who underwent CT angiography with similar symptoms in previous years and who were well matched with Covid-19 cohort for demographic and clinical characteristics.

The findings showed that all patients with Covid-19 infection undergoing lower extremity CT angiography had at least one clot in the leg, compared with only 69 per cent of controls.

The clots in the Covid-19 patients were significantly larger and affected arteries higher up in the leg with greater frequency than those in controls. Death or limb amputation was more common in Covid-19 patients.

"For comparison, the rate of both amputation and death was only three per cent among controls," Goldman said.

The research team noted that with infection rates rising in many parts of the country, it is important that physicians be mindful of the connection between Covid-19 and lower extremity arterial thrombosis.
BIG RAPIDS -- Two Ferris State University student leaders, whose short-term prospects were dimmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, have been afforded internship opportunities, as 2020 National Fellows in "Operation Helping Hands."

The Association of Latino Professionals for America has organized the program.

Center for Latin@ Studies Executive Director Kaylee Burke notified Veronica Mascorro, a junior from Middleville in the journalism/technical communication program, and Leonardo Almanza, of Fennville, who begins his fourth year in criminal justice with a focus on public advocacy, that they would begin ALPFA Fellowship activities on Wednesday, June 24.

"I had been collaborating with the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to find an internship. That provided me a number of contacts and several interviews, which included an opportunity at a television station," Mascorro said. "Each of those situations failed to develop, due to the pandemic. Chamber leaders suggested that I pursue this fellowship, so I applied and am grateful to have been accepted."

Mascorro was named a Rising Star by Ferris' Center for Leadership, Activities and Career during the 2019 Torchbearer Awards ceremony.

She is the immediate past president of the Hispanic Student Organization and has been recognized by the CLS as a Promesa Scholar each of the last two years. Mascorro and Almanza served on the planning committee for the 2019 Latinx Heritage Month activities.

Almanza is the incoming president of the United Greek Council, the past president of the Upsilon Epsilon chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta, and is a founding participant and staff assistant with Ferris' Anti-Violence Alliance.

"When I applied, I had concerns that my academic credentials might not allow me to participate," Almanza said. "I am glad that my campus involvements were well received, as this is a great chance to gain more experience and information on serving in leadership roles. I intend to make good use of the skill development this fellowship will provide, as I continue my service on campus."

The Association of Latino Professionals for America have partner organizations including Ally, Accenture, KMPG and Bank of America, who have arranged for an eight-week program where the fellows work in teams to address real-life business or societal issues, as determined by those partners.

"Our meetings are virtual, totaling around 12 to 15 hours each week, Monday through Friday," Mascorro said. "I look forward to collaborating with other students from across the country and working to solve real problems. It is an honor to be in the cohort for the inaugural ALPFA Fellowship. I have been looking forward to my first internship since I came to Ferris, and it appears this will provide me all that I was seeking from the opportunity.

"I love to learn new things, and this virtual fellowship will be a unique experience that will call for focus and adaptation on my part," Almanza said. "I have had a diverse background of experiences each summer since I started college, and believe this will serve as a highlight on my resume and make me a better leader."
Kannan Raajamanickam, a Malaysia-based makeup artist, is transforming young female models into stunning celebrity lookalikes. It started with Shriya Saran's look from Azhagiya Tamizh Magan (2007). However, it was Nayanthara's look from Viswasam (2019) that went viral on the internet. Talking about the same to an online portal, Kannan exclaimed that the project, which he titled Styles of Kollywood Queens, was his 'escape from the lockdown monotony'.

Also Read | Nayanthara Reveals The Real Reason Behind Refraining From Giving Interviews

Kannan Raajamanickam on replicating celebrity looks

Further in the interview, Kannan Raajamanickam revealed that early last month he invited his friend and model Marie Dashani Matthews and decided to replicate Shriya Saran's look from Thalapathy Vijay starrer Azhagiya Tamizh Magan. He added that he was 'mind-blown' by the response. However, it was Nayanthara's look from Viswasam that took him by surprise.

Kannan Raajamanickam, who is famous for his stunning wedding looks, seemed to be in awe of Nayanthara. He said that Nayanthara has unique features and makeup style that is tough to replicate. However, the netizens disagree with Kannan, and they are going gaga over the looks put together by him.

Kannan Raajamanickam recreates Nayanthara's looks from Viswasam and Kashmora:

Also Read | Nayanthara And Vignesh Shivan Quash Rumours Of Being Corona-positive; Watch

Also Read | Can Nagarjuna & Nayanthara Essay Grant & Sattler If 'Jurassic Park' Gets Telugu Remake?

Nayanthara, who is one of the most celebrated female actors of South India, has a massive fan following. She was last seen in AR Murugadoss' Darbar with Rajinikanth. The movie released during Pongal 2020 failed at the box-office due to its massive production cost. The Nayanthara and Rajinikanth starrer reportedly earned Rs 200 crores at the box-office.

What's next for Nayanthara?

Nayanthara will be next seen in a Vignesh Shivan-directorial. The movie, starring Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, and Samantha Akkineni in the lead, revolves around the rib-tickling tale of love and friendship. The movie will hit the silver screen soon. Besides the upcoming film, Nayanthara also has Molond Rau's Netrikkan and Siva's Annaatthe, which will bring back Rajnikanth and Nayanthara to screen after Darbar. Meanwhile, the forthcoming movie also features National-Award winning actor Keerthy Suresh, Meena, and Khushbu in pivotal roles.

Also Read | Vignesh Shivan Shares Loved-up Photo With Girlfriend To Defy COVID-19 Rumours

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.
Over 1,800 north Wales businesses receive share of 34m support from the Economic Resilience Fund

This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 17th, 2020

More than 1,800 north Wales businesses have received support from the Welsh Governments Economic Resilience Fund (ERF).

Businesses in the region have received a share of 34m of funding, helping them to protect more than 14,000 jobs.

The ERF is part of the Welsh Governments 1.7 billion package of support for businesses. It also includes over 65,000 awards worth 750m of business rate relief to help them respond to financial challenges due to the pandemic.

The fund has seen 150m worth of crucial grants provided to businesses, helping them deal with the impacts of coronavirus.

Across Wales 9,000 businesses have received funding from the scheme  protecting around 75,000 jobs.

Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said the fund has been designed specifically to provide vital support for businesses.

He said: We wanted to get the funding out to businesses as quickly as possible and so far in North Wales tens of millions of pounds has gone out, helping protect more than 14,000 jobs.

The ERF was set up to plug the gaps left in the UK Governments support and Im pleased that the fund is supporting businesses which otherwise would have been left behind.

In North Wales we are working closely with all our partners including local authorities, North Wales Economic Ambition Board and Mersey Dee Alliance as we face these challenging times together.

The second phase of the ERF, which closed on Friday 10 July, extended support to non-VAT registered limited companies and businesses that started after March 2019.

A separate 5m fund established to specifically to support start-up firms not helped by the UK Governments Self Employment income support scheme remains open for applications. The grant scheme will support up to 2,000 start-ups in Wales with a grant of 2,500 each.
A Mt. Pleasant man was killed Thursday evening and four other people injured in a four-car accident east of Mt. Pleasant that remains under investigation.

Charles Reaume Sr., 56, was killed in an accident that took place at approximately 5 p.m. Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Summerton Road and Broadway, said a press release from the Michigan State Police.

The accident actually involved an initial two-car crash and then secondary accidents, the press release said. In total, four vehicles were involved.

It provided no details about which vehicle Reaume was in or whether he was in the original crash or one of the secondary accidents.

Four other people involved who were injured during both the primary crash and secondary accident. They were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, the press release said.

The accident remains under investigation.

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Exporters look to sell more to US

Shipping containers are stacked at a port in Hai Phong, northern Vietnam. Photo by Reuters/Kham.

Vietnamese manufacturers are seeking to increase their exports to the U.S. by improving product quality and meeting the demands of consumers there.

Royal Crystal Jsc in June exported the first batch of stone plastic composite to the U.S. after building a plant capable of producing 8.7 million square meters a year.

To enter the U.S. market, the company bought the rights for a tile locking system from a U.S. company, acquired and merged two distributors of construction materials in the U.S., and employed locals there.

"Exporting to the U.S. requires a Vietnamese exporter to ensure a large supply of products."

It plans to export a new eco-friendly product next month.

Vietnams 10 years of export growth ended in the first half of this year when the coronavirus caused exports to contract by 2.1 percent year-on-year to $238.4 billion.

Yet exports to the U.S. rose 10.3 percent to $30.3 billion. The U.S. remained Vietnams largest market, buying $10 billion more than the next largest, China.

The top export items to the U.S. included computers and electronics, textile and garment, machinery and equipment, agriculture produce, footwear, wood, and seafood, according to Vietnam Customs.

Nguyen Ngo Vi Tam, CEO of seafood exporter Vinh Hoan Corp., said the company expects shipments to the U.S. to rise in July as some states there have eased their lockdown and allowed economic activities to resume.

Restaurants and hotels, not individuals, are the main buyers of Vinh Hoan products there, and therefore the lifting of restrictions means rising consumption, she said.

Experts said entering the U.S. market is a challenging task. Bui Kim Thuy of the USASEAN Business Council said the U.S. is a difficult market with high quality requirements, but Vietnamese exporters meeting them would be able to access a large and growing market.

Vietnamese companies need to ensure high quality and traceability of their products to go there, she said.

Diep Thanh Kiet, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association, said most U.S. buyers order from original design manufacturers, but only around 20 percent of Vietnamese footwear makers design their own products.

Designing products requires deep pockets, which most small and medium-sized Vietnamese companies lack, he pointed out.

"The U.S. market also has high requirements in terms of environment and social responsibility. Companies that do not meet these criteria will not be able to enter."
Published on 2018/01/24 | Source

"A drug addict may seem cute, but using the drug can't be glorified. It was a good ending".

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Actor Lee Kyu-hyung played the character 'Hae-rong' Yoo Han-yang in the tvN drama "Prison Playbook". Han-yang was arrested for abusing drugs as soon as he was released from prison and the actor claims it was shocking for him, too.

"I knew Han-yang was getting out at one point and doing drugs again, but I didn't know the process then, so all I could do was speculate. I thought 'I guess he's going to wait until Ji-won is out of prison and he's going to do drugs again in America'. I made up a story in my head. However, he just put his hands on drugs right away. It was a good lesson on the awareness of drugs".

Hae-rong was a favorite character throughout "Prison Playbook". He was rude, but cute enough to be adorable and his trademark was his pouty face.

Lee Kyu-hyung said, "I played four characters in a theater play once, and one of them was drunk all the time and causing trouble. The director saw that and thought that could be Hae-rong with a slight change.

After the casting, he used his experience as a government policeman to do some studying on narcotics and learned that heroine users have certain tics.

"When I meet my friends or practice the musical I'm working on, I make Hae-rong's face without realizing it and everyone around me laughs".

Han-yang is also a gay character.

"This is a sensitive matter and it was easy to use as subject matter on TV, so I worked hard on portraying it as possible. Hae-rong is in charge of the atmosphere in Room 6, but if I botched the part about being gay, it could have changed the effect of Ha-rong's cute behavior".

Hae-rong's specialty is making perfect balance with anyone.

Lee Kyu-hyung said, "I had many people to work with including the Moonrae-dong Kaist, Park Ho-san, and there were many opportunities for us to give and take ad-libs. I didn't mind as long as the viewers were enjoying themselves".

Lee Kyu-hyung debuted in 2001 with a movie. He then starred in many plays and musicals and then dramas "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" and "Secret Forest". The characters he played in "Secret Forest" and "Prison Playbook" were quite different.

"Yoon was the criminal in "Secret Forest" and it was a tremendous spoiler, so I had to hide it until the end. However, in "Prison Playbook" I just went straight at it. I believed in director Sin Won-ho, so I did as he asked me to and I knew this drama was going to be well-made. In the end, the viewer rating helped us, too".

He was attracted to acting when he saw Han Suk-kyu in the movie "Shiri". "I've watched Choi Min-sik, Han Suk-kyu, Seol Gyung-koo, and others growing up. I've seen them polish and shine in theater and plays and then move onto movies and dramas, so that's exactly what I'm doing. I want to be in more dramas now".

He claims he's met a lot of good people through dramas.

"I was stabbed by Gong Yoo in "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" last year. Then I met Cho Seung-woo and Bae Doona in "Secret Forest" and they gave me a lot of support. Doona is a mad fan of "Prison Playbook"".

Lee Kyu-hyung says he loves his job even more when people say his acting blows away their stress.
A useful CDC tool: Excess deaths analysis

The week ending May 16

The last week for which the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has reported deaths data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is May 16.We are the absolute last in the nation in reporting these data. It's not even close. North Carolina is a month and a half behind most other states and territories. Our closest competitor in lax reporting is West Virginia, which is still three weeks ahead of us.These data are very important, especially during a pandemic, so it's baffling why DHHS is withholding them.The CDC has an interesting tool for helping pinpoint an unusual outbreak of deaths in a part of the country, regardless of the reason, at a particular moment in time. It's called " Excess Deaths ." It tracks a state's average amount of deaths at that moment in time, estimated over a number a years, and predicts what the "expected deaths" will be for that time period in the future.Actual deaths will differ, of course, from expected deaths. As long as the actual deaths are below a 95 percent confidence interval for expected deaths, the CDC reckons there are no unusual causes of deaths in that time period (e.g., a flu). If actual deaths exceed that threshold, however, those "excess deaths" alert the CDC that there is an unusual cause of death in that jurisdiction.A pandemic like COVID-19 or a particularly bad outbreak of influenza could push a state into "excess deaths" territory. What makes this method so useful is that it doesn't worry about judgment calls over the actual causes of deaths. It compares total deaths in a state during a period of time with the past history of deaths in that state at that same time of the year. It isn't affected by uncertainties over classification of deaths from a pandemic like COVID-19 or the flu. (For more discussion, see Dr. Donald R. van der Vaart's discussion of the potential mixup in determining cause of death from COVID-19, flu, or pneumonia.)Given such reporting uncertainty , which is greater when there's a pandemic in the mix, it's very useful in general to know whether a society is witnessing more deaths than normal. All the more so when the fear of hospital overruns and widespread death are the basis for severe, government-imposed economic and personal restrictions.Back on May 16, North Carolina was one of only nine states whose high estimate for percent of excess deaths was zero. The others were Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.It's reasonable to infer that North Carolina hasn't witnessed excess deaths in the weeks following May 16. The state already was below the excess deaths threshold then, and COVID deaths were already declining  a decline that accelerated in subsequent weeks.What if, by reporting deaths like other states have been doing, DHHS would also be showing that North Carolina isn't experiencing excess deaths due to COVID? Would such data disclosure undermine justifications for the Cooper administration's harsh and protracted business shutdowns, half-shutdowns, and severe economic and personal restrictions?
D avid Dimblebys son has faced an onslaught of online abuse after he was apparently filmed questioning Jeremy Corbyn over Russia on his doorstep.

A journalist, who is said to be ITVs Fred Dimbleby, was videoed questioning Mr Corbyn outside his Islington home over claims of Russian interference at the December 2019 general election.

The reporter appears to be asking the former Labour leader if he had anything to say about Russian disruption and whether he helped those attacking the UK election. During a series of questions, Mr Corbyn appears to respond only with a goodbye.

It came after the government claimed the Russians tried to influence the election by amplifying a leaked document on UK-US trade that was used by Mr Corbyn during the campaign.

ITV shared a video of the exchange with the caption: "Jeremy Corbyn refuses to answer questions about Russian involvement in last year's general election."

Mr Corbyns wife Laura Alvarez then shared a video that appeared to show the reporter, along with the comment: Why this journalists are harassing us and not asking the government about the suppressed #RussiaReport?

Social media users then identified Mr Dimbleby, son of the veteran BBC Question Time host, as the reporter.

Mr Dimbleby has since been bombarded with abuse, sworn at and threatened online.

High profile Twitter users also commented, but did not attack the journalist directly.

Columnist Owen Jones shared a video of the exchange saying: This isn't journalism. It's someone heckling an opposition politician with government attack lines.

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner commented: What a state our politics is in, we have No10 trying to impose a failed ex minister into a vital Cttee as Chair.

"We have Jeremy Corbyn door stepped as he enters his own house with bogus/fake journalism and we have Matt Hancock re writing history on lockdown dates on #coronavirus.

Fred Dimbleby has faced an onslaught of abuse / PA

Mr Corbyn has issued a statement about the documents which said: The documents we revealed during the general election about the danger of a Trump trade deal for our NHS were genuine - as is the threat of a 500 million a week higher drugs bill.

The Tories want to distract from the damage a Trump trade deal would do to our NHS by continuing to push the bogus claim Labour received Russian support.

He went on to claim the governments accusations were an attempt to divert attention from the threat to the NHS and the long-buried parliamentary Russia report.

ITV declined to comment. The Standard has approached Mr Dimbleby for comment.
In reaction to the court ruling ordering the return of his two houses, former Senate President Bukola Saraki says the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) will now leave him to enjoy his life.

The Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, Thursday, ordered the return of the two houses which were previously forfeited to the anti-graft agency.

Justice Rilwan Aikawa said there was no sufficient basis in the EFCC application for the permanent forfeiture of Mr Sarakis houses.

Recall that he had, in December 2019, granted an interim forfeiture of the houses located at Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State, through an ex parte motion filed by the EFCC.

The EFCC told the court that Mr Saraki acquired the properties through proceeds of unlawful activities during his administration as the governor of Kwara State.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Friday, Mr Saraki said he was happy because the court specifically ruled that there was no evidence that the property was built with any illicit or stolen funds from the Kwara State Government or any other institution or quarter, whatsoever.

He said the last five years have been very challenging for him and his family.

I have endured and defeated one false allegation and malicious litigation after another, in an ill-motivated persecution, intimidation and harassment, through which some vested interests sought to damage my name and label me with charges of corruption but with the grace of Allah, I have always been victorious.

Also, he alleged that the EFCC leadership under its erstwhile acting chair, Ibrahim Mustapha Magu, decided to take the issue of his non-confirmation by the 8th Senate, personal.

I know that the Senate under my leadership only followed the due and normal procedure during the confirmation process and we never executed any personal agenda against Magu. The records of the Senate are there for the perusal of all Nigerians interested in the truth.

I hope that with the outcome of todays case, EFCC learns that a serious issue like the fight against corruption should not be reduced to a forum-shopping means to execute a personal vendetta or prosecute a parochial agenda.

With the decision of the Court, it is my expectation that EFCC, which has played significant roles in the various court cases against me from the CCT to the Supreme Court and back at the Federal High Court with the consequent media trial and malicious campaigns will now leave me alone to live my life, and enjoy my unfettered rights to freedom of thought, expression, association, occupation and dignity, as a private citizen and focus on serious issues of national development, the statement read.
New Delhi: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday (July 17) arrived in Ladakh to take stock of India's military preparedness and review the overall situation. He will take stock of the situation at both the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Line of Control (LOC).

The Defence Minister is also expected to visit forward areas in Kashmir and hold interactions with field commanders to assess the ground situation.

Rajnath was accompanied by Army chief MM Naravane and Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat as he arrived in Ladakh on Friday morning.

Taking to Twitter, Rajnath said, "Leaving for Leh on a two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir. I shall be visiting the forward areas to review the situation at the borders and also interact with the Armed Forces personnel deployed in the region. Looking forward to it."

The development comes at a time as India and China move to finalise a framework for a complete disengagement at friction points along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. On July 15, a 15-hour-long Corps Commander-level talks, which was the fourth to be held between the two neighbouring countries aimed at de-escalation, took place. The first round of disengagement in all friction areas was done as armies moved back by almost 1-1.5 km in Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra areas.

While Pakistan constantly violates ceasefire from across the LoC, China has continued to intrude into Indian territory in Ladakh region in recent past, escalating tensions between India and its eastern neighbour.

During his visit to Ladakh on July 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the soldiers where he said, "From Leh, Ladakh to Siachen and Kargil and Galwan's icy waters, every mountain, every peak has seen the valour of Indian Army. The age of expansion is over. This is the age of development. History has seen that expansionist forces have either lost or were forced to turn back."

On June 15, at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed during combat with Chinese forces in Galwan valley, leading to tensions between both nations. Chinese soldiers subsequently started moving back following dialogues between two countries through the military and diplomatic level.
* PNG PM Marape urges Barrick to withdraw court case

* Barrick says willing to negotiate with PNG

* Barrick has submitted generous new plan to state

MELBOURNE, July 17 (Reuters) - Barrick Gold Corp said on Friday it would be willing to talk to Papua New Guinea (PNG) about reopening the Porgera gold mine but only without preconditions, after Prime Minister James Marape urged it to withdraw court action against the state.

Barrick Niugini Ltd (BNL) was responding to a statement from Marape on his Facebook page on Thursday saying PNG would be willing to partner with Barrick to reopen Porgera, but only after withdrawing its legal action.

The world second-biggest gold miner said it would take years for Porgera to reopen if the country turned to a new operator.

"The court has encouraged us to find a solution through direct negotiations, but BNL's attempts to engage constructively have been met with only hostility and pressure by the SNT (state negotiating team)," Barrick said in a statement released on the Porgera Joint Venture's Facebook page.

Barrick, in partnership with Porgera landowners, on April 14 submitted a plan it said would deliver $4.7 billion in economic benefits over 20 years "representing the best agreement by far that PNG has ever negotiated with a foreign investor".

Barrick stopped production at Porgera and sued the Papua New Guinea (PNG) government after it refused to extend the mine's expired lease in April because of community unrest and pollution concerns.

"If they (Barrick) withdraw the court cases, we can talk commercial with them," Marape said.

The Porgera Joint Venture is owned by Barrick and China's Zijin Mining Group , each with 47.5%, with the remainder owned by local landowners and the Enga provincial government. Barrick last week approached the World Bank's International Centre to settle the dispute, while moving ahead with the judicial review.

The dispute over the mine lease comes at the same time as Marape is holding up other mining and gas projects to get better terms from foreign investors, even as the country suffers a major economic slump.
Australian Senator, former Prime Minister of New South Wales Kristina Keneally took to her Twitter to share her concern over the aggravation at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

"Im deeply concerned by reports of violence along the Armenian-Azerbaijan border in recent days. I express my solidarity with the Armenian people during this troubling time, and mourn their losses," she tweeted.

"I also echo the sentiment of the UN Secretary-General who is calling for an immediate end to the fighting. There is no excuse for war at the best of times, but even less so when our world is dealing with COVID-19."
An outbreak has been declared at a supportive housing facility for people with developmental delays in Hamilton.

The outbreak was declared Tuesday at the Community Living Hamilton (CLH) Mountain group living residence after a symptomatic staff member tested positive for COVID-19. CLH is a not-for-profit organization that supports people with developmental delays, such as Down syndrome and autism.

Hamilton public health said the staff member was tested July 13, and received their results the next day. The last day the staff member had contact with residents of the facility was July 12.

This is likely a true positive given the positive lab result along with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 infection, Hamilton public health spokesperson Jacqueline Durlov said in an email.

The case has not been retested.

As of Thursday, four residents and three staff at the residence have been tested for the virus. Results are pending.

The facility is following all screening requirements as recommended by public health, including screening residents and staff twice daily for COVID-19 signs and symptoms, she said.

CLH said it is taking all available measures to ensure the health and safety of our employees and the people we support, including requiring employees to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), isolating residents and additional cleaning.

While Hamilton Public Health has indicated that exposure risk is low and only minor additional precautions are needed, we are opting to be extra cautious, a July 16 statement from executive director Sylvia DIntino reads.

CLH said it has arranged on-site testing for all residents.

Public health has informed us that ... this is considered a casual contact situation and that the exposure risk to other employees and clients is extremely low, the statement reads.

The organization does not anticipate any impacts on other agencies. As of April 6, CLH has mandated employees work in a single location in order to prevent virus spread.

This is the only ongoing institutional outbreak reported in Hamilton.

There were no new cases of COVID-19 reported in Hamilton on Thursday. The total number of confirmed and probable cases in the city is 869, which includes the positive case associated with the recent outbreak. No new deaths have been reported.
US President Donald Trumps tech war on Huawei could push the firm even farther ahead in all things 5G, Asia Times writes in the article World splitting into pro and anti-Huawei camps. The United States, Japan, Australia and now Britain have banned Huawei from their 5G wireless telecom networks. Canada seems likely to follow, New Zealand is moving in the same direction and Singapores two largest network operators have chosen to use equipment from Ericsson and Nokia rather than the Chinese tech giant.

The Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network, comprised of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and two of their key Asian allies are moving into alignment on the issue. Meanwhile, after the skirmish between Chinese and Indian troops in the Himalayas in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed, India banned WeChat, TikTok and 57 other Chinese internet applications on national security grounds. Huaweis 5G equipment seems likely to meet the same fate in India.

Vietnam and Taiwan, which have their own particular issues with China, do not use Huawei equipment. Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines do. Indonesia is not yet prepared to adopt 5G. Cambodia, not surprisingly, is going with Huawei and ZTE.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir, speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan last year, said Huawei can spy as much as they like, because we have no secrets.

South Korea  which both leads the world in the roll-out of 5G services and has its own telecom equipment maker, Samsung Electronics  is a special case. Huawei supplies less than 10% of the 5G equipment used in South Korea, and that equipment goes to LG U+ (Uplus), the countrys smallest carrier.

Samsung Electronics supplies the nations two dominant carriers, SK Telecom and KT, and has shipped 5G equipment to KDDI in Japan, ATT, Verizon and Sprint in the US and other customers overseas. Samsung also operates in the Chinese city of Xian with two fabs making NAND (short for not and) Boolean operator and logic gate flash memories, which it supplies to Huawei.

Samsung Electronics and South Korea have no economic interest in confronting Huawei. The US, on the other hand, has been badgering South Korea to get rid of Huawei equipment altogether.

That would almost certainly lead to retaliation from China and therefore might not happen. With Ericsson and Nokia also in the market, Huawei appears to have no further growth potential in South Korea.

Russia has welcomed Huawei 5G, as have Turkey, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil and several other countries, but not exclusively. Huawei is active in Ukraine, but that country seems ripe for an American-led campaign of disassociation.

The European Union, which has Ericsson and Nokia to protect, has not banned Huawei but is unlikely to let it dominate its 5G networks.

In 2019, Huaweis regional sales including network equipment, cell phones and other products were distributed as such: China 59%; EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) 24%; Asia-Pacific 8%; and the Americas 6%.

Five years earlier, in 2014, the breakdown was: China 38%; EMEA 35%; Asia-Pacific 15%; and the Americas 11%.

Over the five-year period, Huaweis overseas sales almost doubled while its domestic sales increased 4.6 times. With the loss of the UK market, the probable loss of the Indian market and increasingly severe attitudes toward China in Western Europe, Huaweis multi-year overseas expansion could go into reverse.

China is the worlds largest and  aside from South Korea  most rapidly advancing 5G market. By the end of 2020, industry sources expect China to account for more than 50% of worldwide 5G base station installations and more than 70% of total 5G subscribers.

A majority of those base stations will be supplied by Huawei and most of the remainder by ZTE.

To add further perspective, as Asia Timess Spengler (David P. Goldman) put it recently: Ericsson appears to have a 10% share in Chinas 5G buildout  In terms of sales, thats roughly equal to 100% of the US 5G equipment market.

China reportedly has more than 250,000 5G base stations in operation now and is targeting 500,000 by the end of the year, which should bring 5G services to every major city. The next big target is five million.

GSMA, the global mobile communications industry association, estimates that China will invest approximately US$180 billion in mobile networks by 2025, with 90% of that spent on 5G. By then, the number of Chinese 5G subscribers is expected to exceed 800 million.

In addition to the upgrade of ordinary mobile communications and smartphone applications, widespread access to 5G should enable significant advances in public and private-sector online services, transport system monitoring and control, and industrial automation.

In addition to the upgrade of ordinary mobile communications and smartphone applications, widespread access to 5G should enable significant advances in public and private-sector online services, transport system monitoring and control, and industrial automation.

This is true in Japan as well, where NEC and Panasonic are introducing customized, closed (presumably secure) 5G wireless networks designed for use in the production control systems of so-called smart factories.

The increasing industrial sophistication of China, which is also the worlds largest and fastest-growing user of industrial robots, should offset its loss to lower-wage countries of hand assembly work.

It is fashionable in the West to say that this will make humans obsolete and exacerbate an already serious unemployment problem, but that is not necessarily the case. Japan has both the worlds top industrial robot and factory automation equipment industry and the lowest unemployment rate among large industrial nations. For Japan, automation is a creator of higher quality jobs and a solution to the problem of a shrinking labor force  a demographic problem shared by China. Taking a 10-year view, it would be prudent to consider a world in which China becomes more and more like Japan in this regard, only much bigger.

The US is trying to put a stop to this by cutting off Huaweis and Chinas access to components and equipment produced using American technology. This may have an impact in the short run, but it is already providing an incentive for China to diversify away from dependence on its rival and develop its own capabilities. It would therefore also be prudent to consider a world in which European, Japanese, Korean  and Chinese  products and technologies have replaced those that Huawei previously bought from America.
In South Korea, at the end of May, THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile transporters were seen delivering missiles to the base where the South Korean THAAD battery is stationed. At first, it was thought that South Korea was finally accepting delivery of more THAAD missiles. It wasnt, and with the replacement missiles came replacements for the fire control system and other electronic items. The delivery of new THAAD components and subsequent removal of the items replaced was unannounced. This was to avoid a political confrontation over the replacement operation. South Korean politics supports factions that are extremely suspicious of anything U.S. forces do and will call out followers to protest and often block or delay movements of troops or equipment.

After the initial arrival of the South Korea THAAD battery in early 2017, there were political disputes in South Korea about bringing in all six THAAD TEL launcher vehicles. Initially, only two TEL vehicles, and 16 THAAD missiles, were in South Korea. China was very upset about the presence of THAAD and put an enormous amount of diplomatic and economic pressure on South Korea to keep THAAD out of South Korea. The reason is simple; THAAD limits the effectiveness of Chinese missile threats against South Korea, Japan and U.S. forces in the region. The protests can be so large and sustained that movements of new troops and equipment to a base have to be carried out via helicopter. The THAAD components were too heavy for that, so secrecy and surprise were the best alternative and it worked.

The most recent missile movement in South Korea was described as the delivery of new missiles to replace existing ones that had reached the end of their shelf-life. Many South Korea continue to believe it was the delivery of additional THAAD missiles. But the new missiles were not delivered via a TEL vehicle, but on a transport vehicle that could also carry out the older THAAD missiles, still in their original storage/launch containers.

Missiles like THAAD are stored in and fired from sealed containers. The status of the missile can be monitored externally via sensors and missile system self-checks. Plug in a cable connected to test equipment and you get a status report on missile within the sealed container. Complex missile systems like THAAD, AEGIS, Patriot and many smaller missiles carried on aircraft, ships and land vehicles operate under similar conditions and each has a shelf-life that varies between ten and twenty years. THAAD missiles are said to have a self-life of fifteen years so some South Koreans wondered how the THAADs in South Korea could be due for replacement when the first THAAD units did not become operational until 2008. The answer was that new features were available, but there may have been other reasons as well.

The electronic monitoring systems confirm the ability of a missile to still perform but the monitoring system also confirms when it is time for missile replacement is approaching. The retired missiles are either refurbished to like new condition and returned to service or scrapped with explosive elements safely disposed of and classified components thoroughly destroyed. Sometimes classified components are not completely destroyed, but thats another story. Its possible something in the South Korean THAAD missiles had shortened shelf-life but there has been no official comment on that. Because THAAD is a new weapon its shelf like is only estimated and it is not unusual for a new missile to be around for quite a while before its actual shelf life is confirmed. Since missile shelf lives have been used for over half a century it is possible to use all that experience to make a good estimate of new missile shelf life.

Meanwhile, a new version of THADD is in development as well as new features for current THAAD missiles. The THAAD ER (Extended Range) is not yet in service. The ER version has a small second stage that would extend the intercept range of THAAD and enable the interception of faster (longer range) incoming missile warheads. ER is not expected to enter service, if at all, until the late 2020s.

Each THAAD battery usually has 48 missiles carried and launched from six TEL (transporter erector launcher) vehicles. In addition to the launcher vehicles, there is a fire control and communications system carried in several vehicles. This includes an X-Band radar. The gear for each six TEL battery costs $800 million. There are currently seven THAAD batteries in service.

The 6.2 meter (18 foot long) THAAD missiles are 340mm in diameter and weigh 900 kg (1,980 pounds). This is about the same size as the Patriot anti-aircraft missile, but twice the weight of the anti-missile version of the Patriot. THAAD is currently a single stage missile. The range of THAAD is over 200 kilometers, max altitude is 150 kilometers, and it moves at a speed of 2.8 kilometers a second. THAAD is intended for short (like SCUD) or medium range (up to 2,000 kilometer) IRBM (Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles).

THAAD began development during the late 1980s and entered service in 2008. Originally the army planned to buy at least 18 launchers, 1,400 missiles, and 18 radars. That goal has been adjusted as the number of export customers increases. THAAD is a step up from the Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile, which is an anti-aircraft missile system adapted to take out incoming missiles. The PAC-3 works, but it has a limited (35 kilometers) range.

The latest testing firings of THAAD were in July 2017. These two interception tests were successful as were the other six such tests conducted since 2010. There have been 28 test firings of THAAD since 1995 and 22 were successful. Many of the tests before 2005 did not involve attempting to actually intercept an incoming missile warhead. Many of the tests since 2008 were to verify that new features, like the ability to hit targets closer to sea level, and to share data with Patriot anti-missile systems, as well as verifying that the overall system worked.

THAAD entered when the first THAAD anti-ballistic missile (ABM) battery was deployed. This followed a 2006 firing test that used regular army personnel instead of manufacturer technicians. In 2009 the second battery was formed. By 2012 there were five batteries with more on order by a growing list of export customers. THAAD batteries are deployed in Guam, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Romania, and South Korea.

The most newsworthy foreign customer for THAAD is South Korea, which received a THAAD battery in 2017. While THAAD cannot intercept an ICBM warhead near its target, THAAD can intercept the ballistic missiles North Korea had been testing that could, in theory, be used as ICBMs. North Korean tests of their Hwasong 14 system had the missile landing less than a thousand kilometers distant and that flight profile is one THAAD could handle. The U.S., South Korea and Japan are discussing the usefulness of using current anti-missile systems (mainly Aegis and THAAD) available in or near South Korea to intercept further North Korean ballistic missile tests which are illegal and meant to be threatening. South Korea had the final say on this because North Korea had been threatening to invade again, as it did in 1950, as ordered by the Soviet Union. While North Korea would probably fail once more, any new invasion would put much of South Koreas population and GDP at risk because the capital, Seoul, is within artillery range of North Korea. This has always been a factor when considering how to deal with North Korean threats and North Korea knows it. But North Korea seems determined to develop nuclear weapons carried by ballistic missiles it can use against the United States, Japan and South Korea. The arrival of THAAD in South Korea coincided with a new government in the United States which put more pressure on North Korea to scrap its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons program in exchange for economic aid. North Korea participated in negotiations more than it ever had before. But while foreign media was told by North Korea that negotiations were continuing, leaked internal documents showed North Korean officials were being told that North Korea would not, under any circumstances, give up its nukes and ballistic missiles.

Neither of the missiles or nukes are reliable enough to be considered operational, but North Korea is still working on them. That effort has been slowed down by harsher economic sanctions implemented since 2017. On top of that there was the economic damage done by the late 2019 covid19 virus that started in China and soon spread to Korea. By January 2020 North Korea was closing its Chinese border, something it had never done before. North Korea was desperate to keep covid19 out of North Korea because North Korea had the worst national health system in East Asia and believed initially, it would suffer catastrophic losses if the virus spread. Covid19 was not as lethal as first thought while the poor state of North Korean transportation systems (roads and rail) prevented spread of the virus from some border areas and the national capital. Despite all the virus fear, work continued, more slowly, in missiles and nukes.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy has modified its AEGIS software and Standard anti-aircraft missile system to operate like the PAC-3. This system, the RIM-161A, also known as the Standard Missile 3 (or SM-3), has a longer range than THAAD (over 500 kilometers) and max altitude of 160 kilometers. The Standard 3 is based on the Standard 2, and costs over three million dollars each. The Standard 3 has four stages. The first two stages boost the interceptor out of the atmosphere. The third stage fires twice to boost the interceptor farther beyond the earth's atmosphere. Prior to each motor firing it takes a GPS reading to correct course for approaching the target. The fourth stage is the nine kg (20 pound) LEAP kill vehicle, which uses infrared sensors to close on the target and ram it. There is a new member of the SM series, SM-6 which will complement and eventually replace SM-3 and also has anti-missile capabilities.

Thus the U.S. has three anti-missile systems available in and around Korea, although one of them currently only operates from cruisers and destroyers that have been equipped with the special software that enables the AEGIS radar system to detect and track incoming ballistic missiles. AEGIS can also be operated from land bases, and the manufacturer is offering such a system to export customers and already has several orders. In addition, there is GBI, a system specifically designed for ICBMs and only stationed in North America.
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Weather

Today sets the stage for a very warm weekend. Highs will be in the upper 80s with mostly sunny skies. Temps will reach the mid-90s both Saturday and Sunday, and there is a solid chance of showers and thunderstorms Sunday. Read more.

The headlines

Red alert: Cuyahoga County and two southwest Ohio counties have been taken off the states watch list for the highest coronavirus alert status, Jeremy Pelzer reports. Ohio has 19 counties total now on red-alert for coronavirus, meaning that about 60% of Ohio residents are now required to wear masks in indoor public places and when riding public transportation.

New bishop: Most Rev. Edward Malesic will soon be installed as the 12th bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. Julie Washington reports Malesic, currently the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, believes the church must reach out to young people.

Subtext: Cleveland.com has started a new, free Subtext account to send coronavirus updates. Every day, well send updates about the virus -- confirmed cases, major cancellations, relevant scientific information and more. You can even text us back. Go to https://joinsubtext.com/ohiocoronavirus and enter your phone number. Or send a text to 216-279-7784. Did we mention its free?

This Week in the CLE: Has Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine lost his way? Cleveland.com editors are talking about his Wednesday speech, and the disappointment many Ohioans felt, on This Week in the CLE.

A Cleveland police officer fires tear gas into the crowd of protesters during a rally for justice in the death of George Floyd on May 30. (Photo by John Kuntz, cleveland.com)

Downtown protests: The citys community police commission on Thursday formally asked the Justice Department to open a civil rights investigation into the way law-enforcement agencies handled the May 30 demonstration against police brutality in downtown Cleveland, Cory Shaffer reports. The commission released a letter on Thursday addressed to Justice Department officials in Cleveland and Washington D.C. asking for a probe into multiple incidents of excessive force, unconstitutional policing and other civil rights violations carried out by the Cleveland police department, Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Department and the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority police.

New numbers: The number of confirmed and probable coronavirus cases increased 1,290 on Thursday, up to 70,601. Laura Hancock reports the number of reported deaths increased between Tuesday and Wednesday by 28 to 3,103.

Cleveland numbers: Coronavirus cases in Cleveland passed the 4,000 mark on Thursday. Robert Higgs reports that 88 more cases of COVID-19 coronavirus have been confirmed in the city. No new deaths were reported.

College campuses: Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday that the next four weeks before colleges start will tell the tale on whether campuses will open. Emily Bamforth reports DeWine said Ohioans actions will govern the future of the state, and if trends continue, students wont want to return.

Coronavirus travel: Several central Ohio counties are seeing increases in coronavirus infections that appear to be linked to people traveling from other states, reports Evan MacDonald. Delaware and Union counties, just north of Columbus, each have reported COVID-19 infections that officials believe to be the result of travel, including to Arizona, Florida and North Carolina.

Ohio Liquor Control Commission will hold hearings Aug. 3-7 as part of a statewide effort to pinpoint bars that are not following safety guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic. Getty Images/iStockphoto

Bar safety: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says the Ohio Liquor Control Commission will hold hearings Aug. 3-7 as part of a statewide effort to pinpoint bars that are not following safety guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic, particularly those relating to wearing masks and social distancing, Anne Nickoloff reports.

RNC: Gov. Mike DeWine, a delegate for President Donald Trump, hasnt made up his mind about whether hell attend the Republican National Convention next month in Jacksonville, Florida. Laura Hancock reports the convention will be a scaled-back event from usual conventions, with about 7,000 people total allowed.

Grant program: A $20 million grant program from the state of Ohio will allow 68 manufacturers to buy equipment and expand existing facilities to produce personal protective equipment, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announced Thursday. Emily Bamforth reports the program gives out amounts of up to $500,000, and will create 829 new jobs and maintain 1,133 jobs.

Hotels: Hotels are hurting for business because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, many people who have tested positive for the potentially fatal virus have trouble isolating themselves at home, particularly if they live in close quarters with a multi-generational family group. A trio of Northeast Ohio Congress members are proposing legislation that would address both issues by establishing a federal program that would give states money to lease hotels to house people with coronavirus, Sabrina Eaton reports.

A statue of Christopher Columbus outside the Ohio Statehouse. A state board preliminarily approved a process for the removal of statues, after some have said they'd like it removed. The process would take five years, the same time length to erect a monument.

Suffrage statue: Members of the Ohio Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, a group that manages the grounds of the Statehouse, gave a preliminary approval Thursday for a monument that will honor those who fought for womens right to vote, Laura Hancock reports. There are no statues of women on the grounds of Ohio Capitol Square -- although a womans face is depicted in an angel for a Civil War monument.

Cuyahoga complaints: More than 2,500 complaints have been filed with Cuyahoga County since it rolled out its mask-violation hotline on Friday, Courtney Astolfi reports. The county declined to say how many of those phone and web complaints it has responded to, though the county says eventually it will respond to all of them.

Jail officer charged: A Cuyahoga County Jail officer is charged in connection with an incident in which he is accused of repeatedly stomping and kicking an inmates arm through a food chute in the inmates cell door for no reason. Adam Ferrise reports that officer Jermaine Clements, 39, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree misdemeanor assault.

Contraband: The Cuyahoga County Sheriff is investigating accusations of contraband smuggling into the county jail, possibly involving food service workers, Adam Ferrise reports.

Jail officers: Cuyahoga County officials recalled seven county jail officers who were laid off because of coronavirus-related budget issues on the same day an inmate died at the jail. Adam Ferrise reports the county refused say why the officers were summoned back to their jobs.

Sentencing database: Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen OConnor said that creating a statewide sentencing database will be the priority of her remaining years as the states top judge. Peter Krouse reports that OConnor wants statewide sentencing information collected in a form that can be researched by the criminal justice system.

Unemployment: Ohio reported a small increase in continued unemployment claims this week after 10 straight weeks of decline during the coronavirus pandemic, Evan MacDonald reports. The state reported Ohio reported 429,638 continued unemployment claims for the week ending July 11, 938 more than it reported last week.

Medications: Ohios foster care system does not adequately track psychotropic and opioid medication prescriptions for children. Sabrina Eaton reports on an inspector generals report that found more than 30% of the children in foster care in the state were prescribed one or more such medications, and Ohios Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System often lacked accurate details about their prescriptions.

Shopping masks: Target and CVS are the latest retailers that will require customers to wear masks while shopping in their stores, Brenda Cain reports. Locally, Marcs stores will also require them, reports Kaylee Remington.

Giving Tree Project: The Giving Tree Project, established to provide free masks to people to help slow spread of the coronavirus, will set up its first Cleveland distribution point today. The effort will offer masks at at 17325 Lorain Ave. in Kamms Corners, Robert Higgs reports.

Shaker Heights schools: Shaker Heights would push back its start date by three school days, require students to wear face coverings and guide its reopening strategy by county alert level under a plan released Thursday, Emily Bamforth reports.

PPP loan: The chairman of the Democratic National Committee on Thursday praised Floridas Democratic Party for returning a Paycheck Protection Program loan it accepted and told reporters he believes the Ohio Democratic Party plans to return a $333,867 loan it received under the federal job protection program, Sabrina Eaton reports.

Last gasp: President Donald Trump is doubling down on the cynical and divisive strategy that got him elected in 2016. Only this time, its not likely to work, Troy Smith writes in a column. More and more, it feels like the last gasp of a presidency built on paranoia and prejudice.

Rabbit disease: Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2 is killing rabbits across the United States. Mary Kilpatrick reports that RHDV2 could devastate not only wild rabbits, but animals up the food chain, including coyotes, foxes, eagles and raptors.

Coronavirus relief: Leaders from Cleveland, Ohios three other largest cities and one of its smaller towns on Thursday called on Sen. Rob Portman to fight for Senate passage of a $3 trillion coronavirus relief package, Robert Higgs reports. Cleveland Councilman Blaine Griffin was among the leaders  all Democrats  who urged the Republican senator to support the HEROES Act.

Art museum: The few visitors who showed up Thursday morning for the reopening of the Akron Art Museum were greeted by the highly unusual spectacle of a picket line in front of a major Northeast Ohio cultural institution, Steven Litt reports. More than a dozen members of the self-proclaimed Akron Art Museum Accountability lined up at the driveway entrance to the museum.

Kelleys Island: Kelleys Island is the largest U.S. island in Lake Erie, nearly twice as big as neighboring Put-in-Bay and considerably quieter. Susan Glaser spent the night in a yurt at the state park campground, with 129 sites spread across a gorgeous lakefront, wooded property. If there is a prettier campground in Ohio, she hasnt seen it.

What to do: The list of things to do and places that have reopened is growing by the day. Joey Morona has 15 ways to spend your weekend in Greater Cleveland, including comics and the Asian Lantern Festival at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

Fish and chips: Cleveland.coms sister site, Epicurious, challenged chefs of three different skill levels to fry up some fish and chips. Once each chef had presented his or her dish, food scientist Rose explained their choices in this video.

Betts Restaurant: Betts Restaurant is scheduled to open next month on the ground floor of the Kimpton Schofield Hotel, replacing Parkers Downtown. Marc Bona reports the menus emphasis will be on American dishes and the restaurant will include a custom penny tile wall, where coffee and cocktails are served to go.

Other headlines

Coronavirus restrictions, regulations in Northeast Ohio for Friday, July 17, 2020 Read more

Cuyahoga County workers test positive for coronavirus Read more

Solon Schools to start school year Aug. 26, with all-in and virtual models Read more

University Heights residents named to citys new Citizen Advisory Committee on Policing Policies Read more

Shots fired at Ravenna police officers during traffic stop; police looking for shooter Read more

12-year-old Cleveland girl shot when someone opened fire on aunts friend, police say Read more

Man killed, another hurt in shooting in Clevelands Central neighborhood Read more

Shooting in Bedford leaves 1 male dead, police say Read more

Akron police searching for driver who fatally struck motorcyclist Read more

Ashtabula man charged in Geneva-on-the-Lake fatal stabbing, prosecutors say Read more

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan to hold annual citizens institute virtually due to coronavirus concerns Read more

Akron-based SummaCare health insurance names new president Read more
The Congress on Friday demanded that a case be lodged against BJP leader and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, accusing him of being involved in horse trading of Rajasthan MLAs.

The party also suspended rebel MLAs Bhanwarlal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh from the party for allegedly being involved in the conspiracy to topple the government.

AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that two audio recordings have surfaced in which the MLA Sharma, union minister Shekhawat and a BJP leader Sanjay Jain are purportedly talking about the "conspiracy" to topple the government.

He demanded an FIR against the three and their arrest.

Surjewala said chief whip Mahesh Joshi has given a complaint to the Special Operation Group for registration of FIR in the matter.

Sharma has, however, denied the allegations. When the audio tapes surfaced on Thursday, he had termed them as fake and said the voice in it was not his.
CYBERGHANA, an award-winning non-profit organization, with the support of Royal Academy of Engineering (RAENG) and Lloyds Register Foundation, United Kingdom, are set to launch a four hundred thousand dollars ( $400,000.00) skilled development project, NICESTEP, to train hundreds of cybersecurity engineers in Ghana.



NICESTEP is one of the projects under Engineering X programme, an initiative sponsored globally by the RAENG and Lloyd Register Foundation. The project, which is designed to fulfill United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, 5, 8,9 and 10, will see thousands of youths who desire to develop a career in cybersecurity, data science, software engineering, and information technology. Interested students will be required to enroll in at least one unique program module at their ultra-modern cyber security engineering labs across the country.



NICESTEP, a project designed to bridge the gap between the fast-technological advancement and the rising cases of cyber fraud, cyber bullying and targeted hacking. Students in the programme will be able to develop cutting edge technologies to help protect highly classified data of corporate organizations in the country.



Cyber related fraud and targeted hacking have become a trend which has robbed institutions of returns running into billions of dollars due to cyberattacks. Youth unemployment rate in Ghana is very high. It is in the light of these challenges that CYBERGHANA in collaboration with Royal Academy of Engineering (RAENG) and Lloyd Register Foundation, UK, seeks to offer tenable solutions to corporate institutions and industries while grooming youths to equip them with up to date engineering and IT skills to mitigate the high rates of unemployment in the country and to protect critical infrastructure in the country.



The programme will primarily be launched in September, 2020 at four Ghanaian technical universities: Institute of Cybersecurity (Accra), Cape Coast Technical University (Central region), Sunyani Technical University (Bono region), and Bolgatanga Technical University (Upper East region). The programme, more importantly, seeks to create a long-term social and economic change for the unemployed youths, who are capable of learning cyber engineering, technology, cybersecurity, and software engineering related skills in Ghana and beyond.



Fortunately, Ghana is fast embracing e-commerce, internet banking and other online transactions, hence creating vast opportunities for young people to explore this area of computer engineering. CYBERGHANA invites students and graduates seeking to develop a career in Information Technology to contact them for orientation and subsequently registration to kick-start their dream in cybersecurity engineering and other related disciplines.



CYBERGHANA is a non-profit organization in Ghana which is currently running free and affordable but advanced courses in technology and cybersecurity.



CYBERGHANA seeks to create long-term social and economic change for the unemployed and underprivileged youths who are capable of learning technology, cybersecurity, and software engineering related skills in Ghana and beyond. The programme helps the disadvantaged youths and adults to acquire employable skills in cyber-engineering, software engineering, and artificial intelligence.

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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Joe Biden on Friday called on President Trump and Congress to pass a $30 billion emergency package to give public schools the resources they need to safely adapt in order to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Why it matters: The move, part of a broader five-point plan for reopening schools, is another contrast Biden is trying to draw between himself and Trump, who he says has made schools' situation "much worse" by failing to act.

He's also calling on Senate Republicans to pass Democrats' HEROES Act, which already passed the House and would provide roughly $58 billion for local school districts.

In the outline of his plan, Biden cites school officials who have estimated it would require $30 billion for districts to have the necessary resources to safely reopen.

He also calls for the emergency package to provide an additional $4 billion for schools to upgrade their technology and broadband capabilities.

"This year, going back to school is going to look very, very different. And we know how hard it's going to be for families all across the country," Biden says in a video he filmed with his wife, Jill, that the campaign released along with the plan.

"If I'm elected president, our students and educators are going to have all the tools and resources they need to succeed," he added.

Biden's wider plan also includes:

Controlling the coronavirus by implementing nationwide testing and strengthening supply chains.

Establishing national safety guidelines for reopening that empower local leaders, as set by the CDC and other federal agencies.

Promoting high-quality remote learning, creating a joint effort between the Department of Education and practitioners to create, implement and share best practices for remote learning, safer schools and resources for caregivers and parents to better navigate the new normal.

Closing the "COVID-19 educational equity gap" by proposing a White House initiative to come up with policy solutions for the racial and socioeconomic disparities in education.

Biden's full school reopening plan.
By Laman Ismayilova

Majestic Beshbarmag (Five Finger Mountain) has emerged as one of Azerbaijan's most desirable tourist destinations.

Travelers flock here by the millions to bear witness to awe-inspiring mountain which rises to 382 m above the sea level.

Known for its mythical stories, the mountain is a sacred place for regular visitation by pilgrims.

Legend has it that sometime in the ancient past prophet called Khidr traveled here in search of a life potion. Now locals come here to pray for strength and good fortune.

There is a mosque at the foothill of the mountain where people donate money. There is also another holly place on the way to the top: a small donation pilgrims receive, a personal blessing usually performed by whispering prayers and having their shoulders touched a few times with a stone.

Here you can also see colorful stripes of cloth tied to its branches signifying prayers or wishes of the pilgrims.

As a tourist attraction, its well worth climbing to witness a fascinating view on the Caspian Sea.

In June, President Ilham Aliyev signed an order about the establishment of Beshbarmag Mountain State History, Culture and Nature Reserve.

The territory of the Beshmarmag mountain (Five Fingers) located in Siyazan's Galashikhi village was declared as Beshbarmag mountain State History and Culture and Nature Reserve.

According to the order, the State Tourism Agency will ensure management of the reserve.

The Cabinet of Ministers is entrusted to determine border and protection zone of Beshbarmag Mountain State History, Culture and Nature Reserve within two months in cooperation with the State Tourism Agency, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and Siyazan Regional Executive Power.

A special regime should be established on the territory of the Reserve within three months.

The Cabinet of Ministers is entrusted to inform the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev about the work carried out in this direction and solve other issues arising from this order.

The relevant expenses will be allocated from the funds provided for the State Agency for Tourism in the state budget of Azerbaijan for 2020.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday.

The Liberal government is seeking to recall the House of Commons to pass another round of measures to deal with COVID-19.

Opposition parties were notified Thursday of the new legislation and the potential for the Commons to deal with it early next week.

Among the items hanging on the government's agenda is a promise to provide one-time payments to some Canadians with disabilities to help cover additional costs incurred during the pandemic.

The Liberals tried to pass a bill last month that would set up the payment but the opposition refused to support the legislation as it contained other measures they found objectionable.

A spokesman for Liberal House Leader Pablo Rodriguez would not divulge the contents of the latest bill; it has not been officially tabled in the House of Commons.

But Simon Ross says legislation has been drafted and shared with the opposition so that Canadians can get more help.

"We will continue to collaborate with the opposition, because that's what Canadians expect from all of us," he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also promised to provide details this week of how the government intends to extend the federal wage subsidy program to the end of the year.

When it was first announced, the program was to expire the first week of June, and was then extended into early fall.

The program pays up to 75 per cent of salaries for certain companies whose revenues have declined a specific amount.

There have been calls for it to be restructured to take into account the slow recovery of the economy.

The government's fiscal and economic "snapshot'' last week boosted the expected cost of the program from $45 billion to $82.3 billion, taken as a sign of impending changes to the thresholds.

The House of Commons is adjourned until fall, though a special committee continues to meet in its stead over the summer months to debate COVID-19 issues.

While that committee is scheduled to sit next week, to pass legislation the government must formally recall Parliament.

The Liberals have done so several times in the past, with MPs gathered in person in the minimum number required to allow for votes to be cast on bills.
SIERRA VISTA, Ariz., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- U-Haul Moving & Storage of Sierra Vista, a self-move store at 700 E. Fry Blvd., is permanently closing its doors on July 20.

Plans call for U-Haul to maintain ownership of the property and lease the facility to a new tenant. The facility has been serving DIY movers in Cochise County since 1984.

Customers of the Sierra Vista location can find U-Haul products just 1.2 miles away at U-Haul Moving & Storage of Veterans Park at 2011 E. Fry Blvd. The facility, site of a former Kmart store that U-Haul acquired in 2018, offers truck and trailer sharing, self-storage units, U-Box portable moving and storage containers, moving supplies and boxes, towing equipment and hitch accessories, bike racks and more.

Acquisition of the Veterans Park store was driven by U-Haul Corporate Sustainability initiatives: U-Haul supports infill developments to help local communities lower their carbon footprint. The adaptive reuse of existing buildings reduces the amount of energy and resources required for new-building materials and helps cities reduce their unwanted inventory of unused buildings.

Local U-Haul Companies are always exploring opportunities for growth as they pursue means to better serve the needs of customers, but sometimes find it necessary to close or relocate stores. Reasons for closures can include: long-term strategic plans; physical plant limitations, including insufficient square footage; shifts in demographics; trends in migration; expansion of the U-Haul neighborhood dealer network; and proximity to other new or existing U-Haul stores.

As a result of the Sierra Vista store closing, three U-Haul Team Members will be let go.

As an essential service provider, U-Haul has remained open throughout the COVID-19 outbreak while offering contactless programs and enhanced cleaning protocols, including added steps for sanitizing equipment between customer transactions. U-Haul products are used daily by First Responders; delivery companies bringing needed supplies to people's homes; small businesses trying to remain afloat; college students; and countless other dependent groups, in addition to the household mover.

Please visit uhaul.com/announcement for more information on how U-Haul is keeping its Team Members and customers safe during the summer moving season.

About U-Haul

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of 22,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 167,000 trucks, 120,000 trailers and 43,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers nearly 697,000 rooms and 60.7 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry, and is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S.

Contact:

Andrea Batchelor

Jeff Lockridge

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 602-263-6981

Website: uhaul.com

SOURCE U-Haul

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French supermajor Total has secured as much as $16 billion in funding for its LNG project in Mozambique despite the supply glut and demand decline in the LNG market.

Among the participants in the financing are the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, which will provide as much as $3 billion for the project, and the African Development Bank, which will provide $400 million, Bloomberg reported, citing company statements.

Totals Mozambique LNG project is the first one in the country to get a final investment decision. It will cost a total of between $20 billion and $23 billion, and will produce some 13 million tons of liquefied Natural Gas annually.

Finding sources of funding for new energy projects, both in oil and gas, has become quite challenging amid the pandemic, but the Total news suggests the long-term, if not the short-term, prospects for LNG remain bright, despite the current oversupply that has pushed LNG and gas prices so low some planned projects no longer make economic sense.

Some have been delayed, such as Exxons Rovuma project, which is a neighbor to Totals Mozambique LNG. The supermajor postponed the FID on the Rovuma project in March as part of wider measures to combat the effects of the oil price crash, which spread to gas markets as well. Now, the company expects to make the final decision on the project in 2021.

Mozambique is turning into the latest hotspot for liquefied Natural Gas thanks to its abundant reserves: the Rovuma deposit alone has some 85 trillion cu ft of Natural Gas in place. The pandemic and the price rout has made the exploitation of these resources more difficult, at least for the time being, but as the worlds demand for the bridge fuel continue to rise over the long term, Mozambique may establish itself as one of the large LNG suppliers globally.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
New Delhi, July 17 : The Uttar Pradesh government has informed the Supreme Court that the UP Police fired back at gangster Vikas Dubey in self defence after he tried to escape and that this case is diametrically different from the Hyderabad encounter case.

In an affidavit, the UP government said "The facts of the present case are completely and diametrically different from facts emerging in an incident which took place in Hyderabad." The state government through a four-point chart chalked out the difference between the Hyderabad encounter case and the shootout that killed Dubey.

On July 15, the Supreme Court hinted that it could appoint a committee to inquire into the killing of Dubey and his associates. "We will tell you what we are going to do. This is something we have already done in the Hyderabad matter," said the Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, heading a three-judge bench. The top court had sought a response from the UP government.

The affidavit said the Telangana government has not responded by appointing a judicial commission, but in the Kanpur incident the UP government has constituted a judicial enquiry commission suo moto within days of the incident. "In Kanpur incident the state of UP has also constituted Special Investigation Team to find out the facts regarding the criminals behind the incident and their nexus with other persons", said the affidavit.

The apex court in December 2019, had constituted a three-member commission headed by its former judge Justice V S Sirpurkar, to inquire into "circumstances in which" four men accused of raping and killing a veterinary surgeon in Hyderabad were killed in an "encounter" with police.

According to the UP government, the motive of Dubey was not only to flee but also kill the policemen to create terror in the minds of the people as well as police. "Vikas Dubey and his gang members also brutally cut the Circle Officer's leg after shooting him dead. All the bullets were fired on the police party from point-blank range", said the affidavit.

Justifying the use of JCB, the UP government said, "the police team raided his (Dubey) house and it found large number of deadly weapons, cartridges, bombs, explosives etc were embedded inside the walls, floors, gaps in ceiling of the house and plastered with light mud. In the process of excavating the weapons and explosives from hollow walls of the house, the load bearing capacity of the walls reduced. Building became insecure for further recovery. Hence JCB machine was used for further recovery. In the process of recovery some part of the building collapsed." The UP government informed the apex court that Dubey brutally massacred 8 policemen using 90 criminals of his gang and then mutilated the bodies. Dubey was serving a life sentence and he was out on parole when this massacre happened on July 2.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Guns. Some people must have them, and others hate them. Guns in the US make mass shootings come to mind, hunting, and defensive ranchers attempting to keep coyotes from attacking their cattle. Cowboy life and the settling of the West reign for some in the mythology surrounding guns. For others, it is the brutal street life of gang wars taking place before our very eyes.

Today, there is estimated to be more than one gun for every person in the US. Not everyone necessarily wants to own one however, and peoples views on weapons change considerably from state to state.

According to Gallup.com, only between 35% and 45% of Americans actually have a gun in their home. About 60% of people who own a gun have it for personal safety, and the rest generally have one for hunting (40%).

Guns And US History

Why are guns so important to Americans? History has given these weapons a significant role in American identity. When Europeans first spread across the country to settle the land, the west was truly wild. People had guns to protect themselves from dangerous wildlife, like bears. They also used guns to ward off bandits and thieves, as well as Native peoples who did not want Europeans on their land. A gun in the west was a wise thing to have.

When the American Revolution erupted in 1775, soldiers from the colonies used their guns to gain people independence from Britain. Guns became associated with ideas of freedom. And when the Civil War erupted about 100 years later in 1886, many people felt they needed a gun to protect themselves from their neighbors, who might not agree with them politically, and could be ready to pull the trigger. Soon-to-become-Americans worked together during this time, but some also began the mantra of trust no one.

Some of these feelings about the necessity of guns have trickled down to people today in the US. Many believe that guns are not something only law enforcement officers should have but also regular people, and that the right to bear arms keeps them safe.

Past Rules

Guns are sold publicly and legally in Monroe, LA, USA. Image credit: WKAnadpon/Shutterstock.com

According to SmithsonianMag.com, our modern day visions of the American West are not true to history, however. Places like Tombstone, immortalized in Western movies, had much more restrictive laws around carrying guns in public in the 1880s than they actually have today. Laws around gun control were passed at a local level, not by Congress. People were not allowed to carry any kind of weapon around town. You could only carry these items outside the town borders, or inside your own home. The streets were off limits for guns and knives.

Historians retell how, when you entered a town, you had to check your weapons with a law enforcement officer. You would then be given a token. It was like a coat check. You kept track of this token, and traded it in for your weapons when you decided to leave town. Can you imagine doing this today?

There are now different laws in each state regarding the types of guns you can own, and how you can handle them. Here is a look at some, and how they work.

Open Carry States

Caption

Today in the US, some states allow you to carry a gun, but it must be easily visible. This is called open carry. There is no federal law that deals with open-carry or concealed weapon permits, and so this is left up to each state to decide.

As of 2019, you can open carry a gun in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana (long guns only), Iowa (handgun with a valid license), Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana (done responsibly), Maine, Maryland (with a permit), Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina (long guns only), South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The carrying of guns in public is complicated. Each state has different laws around how a gun can be carried openly. Some require a permit or license to do so and others do not. In some states you can openly carry a gun but only certain types of guns, and in others only if the gun isnt loaded. Some states have laws about how you can show your gun, ie, you cannot hold it in a menacing way and point it at someone.

If you are curious about what is permitted in a certain state, you should look up that state specifically.

Concealed Carry States

Shooters practicing tactical shooting in a modern indoor gun range. Image credit: B Brown/Shutterstock.com

Basically, every state in the US allows you to carry a gun in a concealed, or hidden, way, in some form or fashion. As many as 35 states require you to get a state-issued permit in order to carry your gun in public. Only about 15 states let you carry a gun in public without any permit. These include Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

In some states, authorities granting permits can decide to deny someone a permit, based on their character, or some other factor. Some areas like Missouri also require you to provide a good reason for needing a gun. Almost every state has restrictions on where you can carry a gun in public. You cannot lawfully carry one into a hospital or a school, for example, even though people do it.

For a complete list of rules around concealed carry in the US, click here.

Gun Control

Teenagers stage a lie-in at the White House to protest gun laws on February 19, 2018 in Washington DC. Image credit: Rena Schild/Shutterstock.com

The number of people killed by guns in the US now is lower than it was in the 1970s. This being said, mass shootings in schools, churches, and at other public gatherings has made many Americans feel there should be more control over the violence. A recent Gallup poll showed that many people polled in the US (64%) want stricter laws to govern firearms. A majority of people want the laws that govern the sale of guns to be stricter. The majority (61%) also want a ban on the possession, manufacturing and sale of assault rifles. People say that extremist views online, and easy access to guns have contributed to the gun violence in the country.

Almost 80% of people want to increase the government spending for mental health programs for young people, as well as for training police officers. They also want increased criminal penalties for those who buy a gun for someone who didnt pass an initial background check.

Guns will continue to be a part of American culture going into the future, but exactly how that will be, may change.
Fans of the late actress Naya Rivera are planning to remember her next month with a candlelight vigil memorial at Lake Piru, California where her body was recovered from on Monday after she drowned at 33.

A Twitter fan page called The Naya Rivera Army, which has more than 19,700 followers under the handle @NAYAarmy, has advertised an event for Saturday, August 1 at 5 p.m. PT at 4780 Piru Canyon Road in Piru, Calif.

'Its a little far away mostly to give people that are traveling, time to take off work and be able to be a part of this,' a tweet from the account read. 'Time is at 5 since it gets hot but doesnt mean you cant be there before. I hope many of you can make it! Share it to those you think might want to go!'

The latest: Fans of the late actress Naya Rivera are planning to remember her next month with a candlelight vigil memorial at Lake Piru, California where her body was recovered from Monday after she drowned at 33

The vigil is slated to be held less than a month after the Glee star's tragic death at 33. She had gone missing July 8 while she took her son Josey, four, out on a boat ride.

Josey was found safe and sleeping on the boat in the hours following his mom's disappearance.

Rivera's body was subsequently discovered July 13, as authorities with Ventura County Medical Examiners Office said Rivera had died due to accidental drowning. Officials said they used dental records to use the actress, and that nothing indicated drugs or alcohol were linked to the tragic incident.

The actress is survived by Josey, parents Yolanda and George Rivera, brother Mychal and sister Nickayla.

Sad: The vigil is slated to be held less than a month after the Glee star's tragic death at 33

Tragic time: Naya's Glee castmates gathered at Lake Piru on Monday

Rivera had gone missing July 8 while she took her son Josey, four, out on a boat ride

In a statement, Riveras relatives called her 'an amazing talent, but was an even greater person, mother, daughter and sister,' adding that 'Heaven gained our sassy angel.'

The family said it was 'so grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers for Naya, Josey and our family over the past week. 'While we grieve the loss of our beautiful legend, we are blessed to honor her everlasting legacy and magnetic spirit.'

The family sent their gratitude toward 'the men and women of the Ventura, Tulare, and San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Departments for [their] commitment and unwavering effort to find Naya.'
Italys anti-Mafia investigators issued a warning Friday that mobsters will try to get some of hundreds of billions of euros in European Union recovery aid after the pandemic.

As EU country leaders were huddling in Brussels about the amount and conditions for aid, the paramilitary general heading Italys anti-Mafia investigative agency DIA said mobsters are surely already scheming how to tap into some of that money, including through corruption or exploiting the countrys notorious slow, inefficient bureaucracy.

Carabinieri Gen. Giuseppe Governale in an interview with RAI state TV likened the expected windfall of aid after COVID-19 devastated much of Europes economy to mammoth reconstruction following World War II.

Hundreds of billions (of euros) will pour into Europe and Italy, and at this point, the Mafia won't stand around and watch,'' Governale said. The Mafia will dive into this sea" of money.

In past decades, Italy's several crime syndicates have often used intimidation or connivance or kickbacks to win public works contracts in the country.

As a measure of how mobsters often influence local authorities who award such lucrative contracts, DIA's nearly 900-page, semi-annual report on the state of the country's crime syndicates noted that more than 50 municipal governments in Italy  mostly in the south, mobsters' traditional power bases, but also as far north as the Alps  are currently being run by local prefects, after investigators determined that crime bosses had conditioned elected town officials.

The report reviewed investigations against organized crime in the last six months of 2019. But with much of Europe struggling to regain its economic footing after months of coronavirus lockdown, the DIA decided to sound an alarm that EU funds will be seen as manna for Italy's mobsters, who in the last few decades have already heavily infiltrated the country's legitimate businesses.

With Italy's economy stagnant for years even before the pandemic, the nation's mobsters have used many of their billions of euros in cocaine and other drug trafficking revenues to buy up struggling hotels, pharmacies, restaurants, car dealerships and clothing shops. In particular the ndrangheta, considered Italys most powerful crime syndicate and a major criminal organization in much of Europe, is well positioned to go on a buying spree.

The international economy will need liquidity, and in this, the ('ndrangheta) clans will go compete with the markets, needing substantial financial infusions, DIA's report said.
In Pennsylvania, most people entering a retail establishment are required by the state to wear a face mask due to COVID-19.

But that isnt the case in every state. However, in an attempt to remain consistent, a number of retailers are now requiring that customers wear a face mask in their stores even if it isnt required by that state.

Here are some of the retailers that are now requiring a face mask:

American Eagle/Aerie

Tanger Outlets Hershey

Colonial Park Mall

Capital City Mall

In an effort to help keep our associates and customers safe, we require masks or facial coverings at all times when shopping in our AE and Aerie stores, the company said on its website. Face masks are available to any customer that may need one.

Apple stores

Park City Center

Face coverings will be required for all of our teams and customers while in an Apple Store, and we will provide them to customers who dont bring their own, the company said on its website.

Best Buy

Silver Spring Square

5000 Jonestown Road, Lower Paxton Township

The safety of our customers and employees is a priority, the company said on its website. Everyone is required to wear a face covering so we can help protect each other. We will supply a face covering if you dont have one. Small children and those unable to wear one for health reasons may enter without one.

Costco

Paxton Towne Center

To help protect our employees and members, effective May 4, 2020, all Costco members and guests must wear a face covering that covers the mouth and nose, at all times while at Costco, Craig Jelinek, president and CEO, Costco Wholesale said in a previous statement. This requirement does not apply to children under the age of 2 or to individuals who are unable to wear a face covering due to a medical condition.

Starbucks

Multiple locations

In its continued effort in prioritizing the health and well-being of partners (employees) and customers, Starbucks today announced that beginning on July 15, it will be requiring customers to wear facial coverings while visiting all company-owned cafe locations in the US, the company said in a statement on July 9.

Verizon stores

Multiple locations

The company requires customers and employees to wear face coverings in its stores.

Whole Foods

Shoppes at Belmont

Whole Foods required that customers wear masks in its stores, according to The Morning Call.

These retailers will soon require that customers wear face masks.

BJs Wholesale

3805 Hartzdale Drive, Lower Allen Township

The health and safety of our members, team members and communities continues to be our top priority, the company said on its website. Effective Monday, July 20, 2020, anyone entering a BJs location will be required to wear a facial covering that covers both the mouth and nose at all times while shopping in our Clubs. Children under the age of 2 are not required to wear a facial covering.

CVS

Multiple locations

With the recent spike in COVID-19 infections, were joining others in taking the next step and requiring all customers to wear face coverings when entering any of our stores throughout the country effective Monday, July 20, Chief Operating Officer Jon Roberts said in a statement.

Kohls

Carlisle Crossing

Paxton Towne Center

6444 Carlisle Pike, Silver Spring Township

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, face covering mandates have grown to apply to approximately 70% of our store base, therefore weve made the decision to take a consistent approach across our entire store fleet, the company said in a statement. Beginning Monday, July 20, we will require all customers to wear a face covering while shopping in our stores. This mask requirement does not apply to individuals unable to wear a mask for medical reasons.

Sams Club

Silver Spring Commons

6781 Grayson Road, Swatara Township

The requirement will begin on Monday.

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our focus and priority has been and continues to be on the health and safety of our associates, members and customers, the company said in statement on its blog on Wednesday. While were certainly not the first business to require face coverings, we know this is a simple step everyone can take for their safety and the safety of others in our facilities.

Target

Paxton Towne Center

High Pointe Commons

Silver Spring Square

Carlisle Crossing

The retailer will require that customers wear masks in its stores beginning Aug. 1, according to USA Today.

Walgreens

Multiple locations

Walgreens will require that customers wear masks in its stores beginning Monday, according to USA Today.

Walmart

Multiple locations

The requirement will begin on Monday.

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our focus and priority has been and continues to be on the health and safety of our associates, members and customers, the company said in statement on its blog on Wednesday. While were certainly not the first business to require face coverings, we know this is a simple step everyone can take for their safety and the safety of others in our facilities.

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(We) are encouraged that the ZBA was clear about the adequacy and scope of virtual hearings for cannabis businesses going forward, Unruh said. At the same time, the alderman indicated an appetite to work with us to find a yes.
By James North

July 16, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - There is no issue in American life about which the mainstream media ignores or distorts the truth more than Israel/Palestine, and censors or cancels the people who could tell it.

So far, the growing debate over cancel culture has understandably focused on individual cases. Certainly, Israel/Palestine has many examples of courageous thinkers who have suffered for their views: Steven Salaita and Norman Finkelstein come immediately to mind. But the blackout has been so far-reaching for so long that we can say that an entire subject has been ignored or distorted in the mainstream almost beyond recognition.

Right now, Israel is conducting a violent sabotage campaign against Iran, in an effort to provoke America into war  and there is a nearly complete news blackout in the United States.

Maybe the 153 celebrated signatories to that now famous letter to Harpers magazine that warned about cancel culture could draft another epistle, one that appeals for an end to suppressing free discussion about Israel and Palestine.

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On July 10, another explosion hit near near Tehran, the latest in a string that have struck at, among other targets, Irans nuclear energy program at Natanz. The New York Times, to its credit, is reporting on the sabotage campaign, and the paper even said that one of the attacks was apparently engineered by Israel. But beyond the basic facts, nothing: no editorials, no opinion pieces warning about the risk of war, no reminder that Benjamin Netanyahu has been trying to instigate the U.S. against Iran for at least a decade. There was no effort to explain that Israels attacks are meant to goad Iran into retaliating, which will draw in the U.S., and possibly help Donald Trumps sinking reelection campaign.

At least the Times is doing the bare minimum. So far in the Washington Post, not a word from its own reporters or commenters; you would think that the paper could find sources in the D.C. intelligence community to explain the danger of war. On National Public Radio, one short, confused report that provided no context at all. Foreign coverage on the U.S. cable networks continues to be an insignificant joke.

U.S. soldiers, sailors and pilots could soon find themselves in a shooting war that would stun our citizens with its suddenness.

The mainstream U.S. medias failure to report Israels effort to provoke fighting with Iran is happening at the same time as American journalistic malpractice continues over Netanyahus plan to illegally annex up to 30 percent of occupied West Bank Palestine. There has been very little news coverage of annexation, and Palestinian voices continue to be ignored. Three members of the New York Times editorial board have extensive experience with Israel/Palestine: Thomas Friedman, Bret Stephens and Bari Weiss. None of them has yet written a single word about annexation.

Here is a final paradox. Cancel culture means that the New York Times and the rest of the mainstream are nearly closed to the truth about both Israels instigation over Iran, and its probable illegal annexation in the West Bank. But Friedman, the most influential foreign affairs columnist in America, has to, along with his editorial page colleagues, self cancel  because he, like them, cant write anything without sharply criticizing Israel.

James North is a Mondoweiss Editor-at-Large, and has reported from Africa, Latin America, and Asia for four decades. He lives in New York City. - " Source " -

Post your comment below

See also Exclusive: Secret Trump order gives CIA more powers to launch cyberattacks : The Central Intelligence Agency has conducted a series of covert cyber attacks against Iran. The China-Iran Deal to Undermine US Geopolitics and Sanctions: Their partnership will encourage the use of digital currencies and further weaken the U.S. dollar.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
Riverdale star Cole Sprouse was pictured in the early hours of Thursday morning involved in a late-night brawl on a street in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, where he was seen holding back a male friend from a fight.

In video footage obtained by DailyMail.com, Sprouse, 27, is seen trying to calm his friend down who is overheard accusing a man of making a racist remark outside a restaurant.

The incident took place around midnight, and Sprouse's male friend is at one point heard telling another man on the street 'You're a racist!' as tensions between two separate groups start to escalate.

Street fight: Riverdale's Cole Sprouse holds his friend back from a late-night brawl outside a restaurant in LA on Thursday... after they accuse someone of allegedly making a racist remark

DailyMail.com has reached out to the actor's reps for comment.

Sprouse is seen trying to dissipate the row between the two men, who are both wearing white shirts and khaki trousers.

The actor's friend who has a his long hair in a ponytail is overheard alleging that another man made a racist remark, who then pushes back on the man appearing to deny the accusation.

On-lookers dining outside of the restaurant looked on at the brawl, and as it went on, more passers-by got involved.

Physical: Sprouse's friend (left) is seen fighting with a man (right) after an altercation between the two men broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning

Bust-up: Two men were seen arguing outside the restaurant in Silver Lake, LA, and it quickly turned physical with two groups of friends defending each other

Peace maker: Actor Cole is seen trying to calm the situation after his friend made some accusatory remarks

Later in the video, a blonde woman starts telling Cole and his friends to leave the situation saying: 'You guys need to go!' as she appeared to be trying to move everyone on from the restaurant.

Earlier this week, California governor Gavin Newsom ordered restaurants to close back up after spikes of cases of coronavirus have risen dramatically, however, this only applies to indoor dining.

Last month, Sprouse revealed that he was arrested during a Black Lives Matter protest, despite the event being peaceful.

Busted: As the altercation appeared to get out of control two other men swung for each other as separate groups got involved

Masked up: Cole Sprouse was seen with a facial covering as he was pictured outside the restaurant where the fight broke out

Trying to calm the situation down: Sprouse is seen talking to a blonde woman who later tells the group to go home in a bid to break up the fight

'A group of peaceful protesters, myself included, were arrested yesterday in Santa Monica,' he wrote on Instagram, June 1.

'So before the voracious horde of media sensationalism decides to somehow turn it about me, there's a clear need to speak about the circumstances: Black Lives Matter.'

The actor added: 'I was detained when standing in solidarity, as were many of the final vanguard within Santa Monica. We were given the option to leave, and were informed that if we did not retreat, we would be arrested.'

'When many did turn to leave, we found another line of police officers blocking our route, at which point, they started zip tying us.'

He concluded the post: 'It needs to be stated that as a straight white man, and a public figure, the institutional consequences of my detainment are nothing in comparison to others within the movement.'

Escalating: Others crowded around as the fight appeared to get heated
Mumbai: At least five people were killed and more than two dozen injured in two incidents of building collapse after heavy rainfall in Fort area of Mumbai. The incident had taken place at around 8:30 pm on July 16.

14 fire tenders, teams of personnel from the Mumbai police and NDRF were at the spot and rescue operation was underway despite the continuous downpours. So far, 23 people have been evacuated from the site.

On Thursday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also visited the spot to take stock of the rescue operations.

Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban district, Aaditya Thackeray had yesterday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of those who died after a house collapsed at Malvani in Malad area of Mumbai.

In the first instance, two people were killed and 13 others were dug out of the debris of a 3-storied tenement which crashed due to heavy rains in Plot No 8B, at Malvani in Malad west, with 4-5 people believed to be buried in the rubble.

In the second crash in south Mumbai's Fort area, the rear portion of a five-storey, 80-year-old dilapidated structure, Bhanushali Building collapsed claiming 2 lives.

The BMC said state government authorities had evacuated the building which was undergoing repairs.
BOCA RATON, Fla.  In December 2016, law enforcement agents seized computers and hard drives from the home of Tay Christopher Cooper, a retired high school history teacher, in Carlsbad, California. On the devices, digital forensic experts found more than 11,600 photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse, according to court documents.

Among the videos was one showing a man raping a toddler girl, according to a criminal complaint.

"The audio associated with this video is that of a baby crying," the complaint states.

Police were led to Cooper's door by a forensic tool called Child Protection System, which scans file-sharing networks and chatrooms to find computers that are downloading photos and videos depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. The software, developed by the Child Rescue Coalition, a Florida-based nonprofit, can help establish the probable cause needed to get a search warrant.

Cooper had used one of the file-sharing programs monitored by the Child Protection System to search for more than 200 terms linked to child sexual abuse, according to the complaint.

Cooper was arrested in April 2018 and pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. He expressed remorse, according to his attorney, and in December 2018 he was sentenced to a year behind bars.

Cooper is one of more than 12,000 people arrested in cases flagged by the Child Protection System software over the past 10 years, according to the Child Rescue Coalition.

The tool, which was shown to NBC News earlier this year, is designed to help police triage child pornography cases so they can focus on the most persistent offenders at a time when they are inundated with reports. It offers a way to quickly crack down on an illegal industry that has proved resilient against years of efforts to stop the flow of illegal images and videos. The problem has intensified since the coronavirus lockdown, law enforcement officials say, as people spend more time online viewing and distributing illegal material.

Story continues

The Child Protection System, which lets officers search by country, state, city or county, displays a ranked list of the internet addresses downloading the most problematic files. The tool looks for images that have been reported to or seized by police and categorized as depicting children under age 12.

The Child Protection System "has had a bigger effect for us than any tool anyone has ever created. It's been huge," said Dennis Nicewander, assistant state attorney in Broward County, Florida, who has used the software to prosecute about 200 cases over the last decade. "They have made it so automated and simple that the guys are just sitting there waiting to be arrested."

The Child Rescue Coalition gives its technology for free to law enforcement agencies, and it is used by about 8,500 investigators in all 50 states. It's used in 95 other countries, including Canada, the U.K. and Brazil. Since 2010, the nonprofit has trained about 12,000 law enforcement investigators globally.

Still, it's a drop in the ocean of online child sexual abuse material in circulation. In 2019 alone, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received 16.9 million reports related to suspected child sexual exploitation material online.

Now, the Child Rescue Coalition is seeking partnerships with consumer-focused online platforms, including Facebook, school districts and a babysitter booking site, to determine whether people who are downloading illegal images are also trying to make contact with or work with minors.

"Many of these platforms have a big problem of users engaging in suspicious activity that doesn't rise to criminal behavior," said Carly Yoost, CEO of the Child Rescue Coalition. "If they matched their user data with ours, it could alert their security teams to take a closer look at some of their users."

But some civil liberties experts have raised concerns about the mass surveillance enabled by the technology  even before it's connected with social platforms. They say tools like the Child Protection System should be subject to more independent oversight and testing.

"There's a danger that the visceral awfulness of the child abuse blinds us to the civil liberties concerns," said Sarah St.Vincent, a lawyer who specializes in digital rights. "Tools like this hand a great deal of power and discretion to the government. There need to be really strong checks and safeguards."

'You feel like you are going to get justice'

Rohnie Williams had waited 30 years for the news she received in November 2015: Her brother, Marshall Lugo, had been arrested on charges of possession of child pornography.

"It was exhilarating in a 'Twilight Zone' way," said Williams, 41, a New York-based nurse manager. "Your heart starts palpitating. Your mouth gets dry. You feel like you are going to get justice."

Williams got in touch with Megan Brooks, the investigator on the case in Will County, Illinois, and told her that Lugo, then a teenager, had sexually abused her from the ages of 5 to 7  allegations that are documented in a police report reviewed by NBC News.

Williams had told her mother about her allegations when she was 11 on the way to a doctor's visit after she got her first period.

"I was afraid the doctor was going to tell her I wasn't a virgin. So I told her that," she said.

Image: Rohnie Williams as a young child. (Courtesy of Rohnie Williams)

Her mother didn't report the allegation to the police and, according to Williams, told her daughter that if she told anybody else it would destroy the family. So Williams, like so many victims of child sexual abuse, kept quiet. (Williams' mother confirmed her daughter's account to NBC News.)

Police were led to Lugo's mobile home by the Child Rescue Coalition's technology, which detected the household IP address' downloading dozens of videos and images depicting the abuse and rape of babies and children under age 12. When police searched the home, where Lugo lived with his wife and two young children, they found external hard drives storing child sexual abuse material, according to the police report.

Although too much time had passed to investigate Williams' allegation as a separate crime, her testimony provided aggravating circumstances in Lugo's sentencing to three years in prison following a guilty plea, according to Brooks, chief investigator for the Will County High Technology Crimes Unit, who led the case.

"Some days I feel like crap doing this job, but sometimes I have full-circle moments where it all feels worth it," Brooks said. "This was one of those cases."

While Williams has thrived professionally, she has struggled to forgive her brother. She spends her weekends working as a sexual assault nurse examiner, providing specialist care and forensic exams to rape victims.

"I chose to go into forensics because of what happened to me as a child, to make sure these victims had somebody taking care of them who was really invested in it," she said.

Lugo didn't respond to a request for comment.

'The underbelly of the internet'

The Child Rescue Coalition is based in a low-rise, leafy business park here in Boca Raton. During a tour in February, before the coronavirus pandemic forced the staff to work from home, 10 people sat in the small office with walnut desks and striped beige carpet tiles. A framed collage of police patches hung on one side of the far wall. Next to it: a screen showing clusters of red dots, concentrated over Europe, where it was already late in the day.

Each of the red dots represented an IP address that had, according to the Child Rescue Coalition's software, recently downloaded an image or a video depicting child sexual abuse. The dots tracked activity on peer-to-peer networks, groups of thousands of individual computers that share files with one another.

The networks, connected by software, provide an efficient and simple way to share files for free. They're similar to the networks people use to illegally download movies. They typically come under none of the oversight of social media companies like Facebook and Twitter or file-hosting services like Dropbox and iCloud Drive. There are no central servers, no corporate headquarters, no security staff and no content moderators.

"It's the underbelly of the internet. There's no one to hold responsible and no security team to report it to," said Yoost, the Child Rescue Coalition's CEO.

Image: Carly Yoost, CEO of the Child Rescue Coalition, shows the Child Protection System software. (NBC News)

The lack of corporate oversight creates the illusion of safety for people sharing illegal images.

"People who use these networks think they are anonymous," said Nicewander, the assistant state attorney. "You don't have to pay or give your email address to a website. You just put in your search terms, and off it goes."

The Child Protection System was created more than a decade ago by Yoost's father, Hank Asher. He was an entrepreneur and founder of several companies that developed tools to aggregate data about people and businesses, including a program called Accurint, for use by law enforcement.

Asher had what Yoost describes as a "rough childhood" in Indiana involving physical and verbal abuse by his father, which motivated him to "rid the world of bullies and people who picked on women and children," Yoost said. In the early 1990s, Asher became friends with John Walsh, the co-founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and for the next two decades he donated his data products and millions of dollars to the nonprofit.

In 2009, Asher invited a handful of law enforcement investigators to Florida to work alongside a team of software developers at his company, TLO. Together they built the Child Protection System.

When Asher died in 2013, his daughters, Carly and Desiree, sold TLO to TransUnion on the condition that they could spin the Child Protection System into a new nonprofit, the Child Rescue Coalition.

Tracking illegal files

During the tour in February, Carly Yoost demonstrated the system, starting with a dashboard that showed a list of the "worst IPs" in the United States, ranked by the number of illegal files they had downloaded in the last year from nine peer-to-peer networks. No. 1 was an IP address associated with West Jordan, Utah, which had downloaded 6,896 "notable" images and videos.

"Notables" are images and videos that have been reviewed by law enforcement officials and determined to depict children under age 12. The material typically comes from the seized devices of suspects or reports from technology companies. That, police say, rules out some material that either isn't illegal in every jurisdiction or isn't a priority for prosecution.

"It's not a teenage boy sending a picture of his girlfriend," said Glen Pounder, a British law enforcement veteran who is the Child Rescue Coalition's chief operating officer. "Every single one of the files we track is illegal worldwide."

Once the images have been reviewed by authorities, they are turned into a digital fingerprint called a "hash," and the hashes  not the images themselves  are shared with the Child Protection System. The tool has a growing database of more than a million hashed images and videos, which it uses to find computers that have downloaded them. The software is able to track IP addresses  which are shared by people connected to the same Wi-Fi network  as well as individual devices. The system can follow devices even if the owners move or use virtual private networks, or VPNs, to mask the IP addresses, according to the Child Rescue Coalition.

The system also flags some material that is legal to possess but is suspicious when downloaded alongside illegal images. That includes guides to grooming and molesting children, text-based stories about incest and pornographic cartoons that predators show to potential victims to try to normalize sexual assaults.

Image: Earlier this year, the Child Protection System technology was used to coordinate a five-country bust run out of an operations room in Brazil. (NBC News)

Clicking on an IP address flagged by the system lets police view a list of the address' most recent downloads. The demonstration revealed files containing references to a child's age and graphic descriptions of sexual acts.

On top of scanning peer-to-peer networks, the Child Protection System also monitors chatrooms that people use to exchange illegal material and tips to avoid getting caught.

The information exposed by the software isn't enough to make an arrest. It's used to help establish probable cause for a search warrant. Before getting a warrant, police typically subpoena the internet service provider to find out who holds the account and whether anyone at the address has a criminal history, has children or has access to children through work.

With a warrant, officers can seize and analyze devices to see whether they store illegal images. Police typically find far larger collections stored on computers and hard drives than had appeared in the searches tracked by the Child Protection System, Pounder and other forensic experts said.

"What we see in CPS is the absolute minimum the bad guy has done," Pounder said, referring to the Child Protection System. "We can only see the file-sharing and chat networks."

Police also look for evidence of whether their targets may be hurting children. Studies have shown a strong correlation between those downloading such material and those who are abusive. Canadian forensic psychologist Michael Seto, one of the world's leading researchers of pedophilia, found that 50 percent to 60 percent of those who consume child sexual abuse material admit to abusing children.

Yoost said: "Ultimately the goal is identifying who the hands-on abusers are by what they are viewing on the internet. The fact that they are interested in videos of abuse and rape of children under 12 is a huge indicator they are likely to conduct hands-on abuse of children."

Over time, the children depicted in the material circulating online have become younger and younger, law enforcement officials say.

"When I first started, the people depicted in images were teenagers," said Nicewander, the assistant state attorney in Broward County, who has been a prosecutor for more than three decades. "Now the teenage pictures aren't even on the radar anymore," he added. "So many of the kids are under 5 or 6 years old."

Debate over the technology

While law enforcement agencies are enthusiastic about the capabilities of tools like the Child Protection System, some civil liberties experts have questioned their accuracy and raised concerns about a lack of oversight.

In a 2019 open letter to the Justice Department, Human Rights Watch called for more independent testing of the technology and highlighted how some prosecutors had dropped cases rather than reveal details of their use of the Child Protection System.

"My view is that mass surveillance is always a problem," said St.Vincent, the lawyer who wrote the letter. "Because these crimes are so odious, we accept aspects of searches, data collection and potential privacy intrusions we wouldn't accept otherwise."

Forensic expert Josh Moulin, who spent 11 years in law enforcement specializing in cybercrime, agreed.

"If you are taking someone's liberties away in a criminal investigation, there has to be some sort of confidence that these tools are being used properly and their capabilities fall within the Constitution," he said.

The Child Rescue Coalition said it has offered its technology, including the source code, for testing by third parties at the request of federal and state courts.

Related: With tech companies' moderation efforts constrained by the pandemic, distributors of child sexual exploitation material are growing bolder, using major platforms to try to draw audiences.

Sometimes, images flagged by the software turn out not to be on a device once police obtain a search warrant. Critics of the software say that indicates that it could be searching parts of the computer that aren't public, which would be a potential Fourth Amendment violation.

But the Child Rescue Coalition and its defenders say the files could have been deleted or moved to an encrypted drive after they were downloaded. Every Fourth Amendment challenge of the use of the technology has failed in federal court.

Forensic experts say images in the software's dataset could also have been miscategorized or downloaded in error as part of a larger cache of legal adult pornography.

Investigators need to be "extremely careful" to review a person's full collection of images and pattern of behavior to see whether they were looking for illegal material or downloaded it in error, Moulin said.

Bill Wiltse, a former computer forensic examiner who is president of the Child Rescue Coalition, said: "Our system is not open-and-shut evidence of a case. It's for probable cause."

A growing footprint

To expand its impact, the Child Rescue Coalition has started offering its lists of suspicious IP addresses to the commercial sector, charging a subscription fee depending on the size of the company. The organization believes that if social media companies and other online platforms cross-reference the list with their own user data, they can improve their ability to detect child predators.

One of the first test cases has been a babysitting app, the developers of which did not wish to be named for fear of being associated with this type of crime. In the early days of the data matching experiment, the company found that someone had tried to sign up as a babysitter using an IP address that the Child Protection System flagged for entering a chat room with the username "rape babies," according to the Child Rescue Coalition.

Wiltse stressed that the IP connection isn't enough for companies to reject users altogether, particularly if it means denying them employment, as many people could be using the same Wi-Fi network.

"It's just an indicator  something to augment your existing trust and safety procedures and practices," he said.

Jeremy Gottschalk, founder of Marketplace Risk, a consultancy that focuses on risk management for marketplaces for goods and services, said, "If something looks suspicious, you can run that person through additional screening."

Additional screening on a babysitting app could include checking an account for "abnormal" characteristics, such as logging in much more frequently than a typical user, or checking whether it is attached to a profile indicating that the person is willing to travel long distances for a job or is offering a rate that is well below the average.

"If you find a warning sign, you can reach out to law enforcement to give them an opportunity to investigate," he said.

The Child Rescue Coalition believes that could help identify potential predators.

"We need people to be less scared of what would happen if they found this type of material on their platforms," Yoost said, "and more proactive in wanting to protect children."
In this Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019 file photo, a Mars lander is lifted during a test for its hovering, obstacle avoidance and deceleration capabilities at a facility at Huailai in China's Hebei province. The site outside Beijing simulated conditions on the red planet, where the pull of gravity is about one-third that of Earth. China will launch their Mars rover and an orbiter sometime around July 23, 2020, in a mission named Tianwen, or Questions for Heaven. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

China has moved a rocket into position to launch a rover to Mars in one of three upcoming missions to the red planet, one from the U.S. and another by the United Arab Emirates.

The Long March-5 carrier rocket is China's heaviest-lift launch vehicle and has been used experimentally three times, but never with a payload. Dubbed Tianwen-1, China's mission to Mars aims to land a rover to gather scientific data.

The rocket is due to blast off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in the southern island province of Hainan in late July or early August, according to state media reports Friday that quoted the China National Space Administration.

The mission is one of the most ambitious yet for China's space program, which has advanced rapidly since launching its first crewed mission in 2003. Since then, it has sent astronauts to an experimental space station, begun work on a larger, more permanent facility and landed a probe on the less-explored far side of the moon.

This summer's trio of missions in the most sweeping effort yet to seek signs of ancient microscopic life while scouting out Mars for future astronauts.

The timelines for such missions are daunting and the countries involved are striving to take best advantage of a one-month window in which Mars and Earth are in ideal alignment on the same side of the sun, minimizing travel time and fuel use. Such a window opens only once every 26 months.

In this Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019 file photo, the Mars lander's hovering, obstacle avoidance and deceleration capabilities are tested at a facility at Huailai in China's Hebei province. China will launch their Mars rover and an orbiter sometime around July 23, 2020, in a mission named Tianwen, or Questions for Heaven. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Preparations have continued amid the coronavirus outbreak, which in part prompted Europe and Russia to drop their plans to send a life-seeking rover to Mars this summer.

Each spacecraft will travel more than 480 million kilometers (300 million miles) before reaching Mars next February. In the process, they will loop out beyond Earth's orbit and sync up with Mars' more distant orbit around the sun.

The U.S. is sending over a car-sized six-wheeled rover named Perseverance to collect rock samples to be returned to Earth for analysis in about a decade. It's launch date has been set for between July 30 and Aug. 15.

The UAE spacecraft, named Amal, or "Hope" in Arabic, is an orbiter built in partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder and is now scheduled to launch from Japan on Monday. It will be the Arab world's first interplanetary mission.

Scientists want to know what Mars was like billions of years ago, back when it had water sources that may have supported tiny life forms before turning into the frozen world it is today.

So far, the U.S. has been the only country to successfully put a spacecraft on Mars, doing it eight times. Two NASA landers are operating there, InSight and Curiosity. Six other spacecraft are exploring the planet from orbit: three U.S., two European and one from India.

China's last attempt at a Mars mission in collaboration with Russia ended in failure in 2011. The Chinese space program's close military connections and the relative secrecy within it operates has limited its opportunities for cooperation with those of the U.S. and other countries.

Explore further China eyes July 20-25 launch for Mars rover

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 18:30:47|Editor: huaxia

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KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade pact, once in effect, will provide a much-needed boost to participating countries working to reverse the current economic downturn caused by COVID-19 outbreak, said the head of Malaysia's major manufacturers' association.

Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) President Soh Thian Lai told Xinhua in a recent interview that it was important for countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) such as Malaysia to commit itself to the agreement in the interest of future economic development, especially in facing the economic aftermath caused by COVID-19.

"FMM believes the signing of such a mega FTA like RCEP will greatly contribute to the region's post-pandemic recovery and in creating resilient supply chains," he said, adding that it is also important to ensure ratification by all its signatories by early 2021 so that the RCEP is able to come into force at the earliest date.

On June 23, ministers of the 10 member states of ASEAN, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand reaffirmed their commitment to signing the RCEP by the year's end.

The agreement will serve as a clear sign of the members' unwavering support for the multilateral trading system, regional integration as well as economic development across the region, they said in a media statement from the virtual 10th RCEP Inter-sessional Ministerial Meeting.

The ministers also agreed that the importance of the RCEP continues to grow in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which constitutes an unprecedented challenge for trade, investment and global supply chains, one that requires a coordinated global response.

Pointing at the huge toll the COVID-19 outbreak has taken on countries across the region, Soh said the commitment should be welcomed.

He explained the current situation demanded efforts at stabilizing manufacturing and production while sustaining and diversifying supply chain connectivity within the region. The RCEP would provide the means of achieving this goal.

According to Malaysia's Department of Statistics, the manufacturing sector has been one of the key drivers of Malaysia's economy with its share of GDP standing at 22.3 percent in 2019.

The FMM, as the largest private-sector economic organization in Malaysia representing over 3,000 manufacturing and industrial service companies of varying sizes and sectors, had long been convinced on the benefits of the RCEP, Soh said.

"The FMM has been a strong advocate of the RCEP agreement ever since it was initiated," he said. "The RCEP will contribute significantly to Malaysian companies to improve market access, participate in new value chains, increase economic activities and strengthen supply chain links across Asia."

The RCEP could streamline ASEAN's existing free trade agreements with China, Japan, South Korea, providing greater market access while reducing gaps in the existing agreements to create a highly competitive economic area, he said.

"For Malaysian companies, beyond lowering trade barriers, the RCEP is expected to attract foreign companies keen on entering into more integrated markets in ASEAN as the agreement will enhance transparency in trade and investment," he said.

Echoing Soh's sentiments, Azmi Hassan from the University of Technology Malaysia said the RCEP would help drive trade between participating countries, besides helping overcome supply chain problems that emerged in the wake of COVID-19.

"Malaysia depends heavily on exports such as manufacturing and the electrical sector and RCEP will surely help open up new markets. And not to forget our commodity exports such as palm oil will also be the beneficiary of RCEP," he said.

Yeah Kim Leng, professor of economics at the business school of Malaysia's Sunway University, said the RCEP would bring many benefits including larger markets, more efficient trade and investment facilitation within the enlarged grouping.

"This would offset the short-term decline in global demand caused by the outbreak and invigorate the grouping's long-term economic prospects and the agreement would serve to counter deglobalization, anti-trade tendencies and including rising trade frictions," Yeah said.

For Soh, the RCEP will further strengthen China's economic ties with ASEAN, including with Malaysia, which would provide fresh opportunities.

According to data from China's General Administration of Customs, China's trade with ASEAN stood at 2.09 trillion yuan (about 299 billion U.S. dollars) in the first six months, up 5.6 percent year on year, pushing ASEAN to become China's biggest trading partner in the first half of this year, and accounting for 14.7 percent of its total foreign trade volume, amid an upgraded free trade area protocol and supply chain cooperation.

Meanwhile, China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for the past 11 consecutive years.

Given that Malaysia's electrical and electronics sectors have the most links with the global value chain that includes China and the sectors take up a significant portion of the country's total exports to China, the signing of the RCEP will bring great benefit to the Malaysian industry, Soh said.

Other sub-manufacturing sectors are looking for greater cooperation with China, including the establishment of greater trade integration and diversifying of production networks with China, he said. Enditem
Pennsylvanias health and education departments released additional guidance Thursday for school re-openings, with guidelines that are broadly consistent with what some Cumberland County school districts have already been planning regarding COVID-19 mitigation.

Those guidelines, most critically, include protocols for all students, faculty and staff who are able to wear masks, Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said.

Masking orders to apply to schools, Levine said Thursday. I understand this is going to be challenging, but it is very, very important.

School guidelines The best practice recommendations for schools outlined by the departments of Health and Education include: Masks must be worn by students and staff at school and on the bus as required by the order signed by Sec. of Health Dr. Levine on July 1, with some exceptions. Masks can be removed to eat or drink.

Students or caregivers should do a daily symptom screening before leaving for school.

Students, teachers and other staff are strongly encouraged to follow social distancing throughout the day with 6 feet of separation between desks and other seating.

If possible, hold classes in gyms, auditoriums, other large spaces or outdoors, where physical distancing can be maintained.

Student seating should be facing in the same direction.

Limit student interactions by staggering class times, creating one-way walking patterns in hallways, and, when feasible, keeping students in a classroom and rotating teachers instead.

For breakfast and lunch, consider serving individually packaged meals in classrooms and avoid across-the-table seating. If meals are served in a cafeteria, sit students at least 6 feet apart.

Limit the number of students on playgrounds at one time and encourage social distancing.

Encourage the use of virtual gatherings, events, and extracurricular activities.

Levine also declined to go into detail about if, or under what circumstances, the administration of Gov. Tom Wolf may order a shutdown of in-person schooling if the COVID-19 pandemic worsens in the fall.

Hopefully were not in that position, and schools can safely reopen in the fall, Levine said.

In a letter sent to Wolfs administration on Thursday, Pennsylvania State Education Association President Rich Askey posed that exact scenario, asking Wolf to require that schools develop online instruction plans if they havent done so.

It is also extremely important for Pennsylvanias public schools to plan for the distinct possibility that further increases in COVID-19 cases will make it impossible to safely reopen Pennsylvanias schools for in-person instruction, Askey wrote.

Levine said the best course of action now is for every Pennsylvanian to strictly obey masking and social distancing rules, so that case counts do not rise to the point where the administration would need to force a school shutdown.

In addition to these guidelines being released today, the mitigation efforts that the governor and I announced yesterday are very important now, Levine said, referencing Wolfs emergency order yesterday further limiting restaurants in the state to 25% of posted capacity for indoor dining, and banning alcohol-only bar service.

There are things people can do right now to actually help our kids get back to the classroom, Levine said, mainly wearing a mask and avoiding places where masking is not observed.

The guidelines for schools released Thursday stress physical distance between students, including in the classroom, the cafeteria, on buses and elsewhere.

Schools should consider holding classes in larger areas, such as gyms or auditoriums, to maximize physical distance between students; creating one-way walking patterns in hallways; and serving packaged meals in classrooms, according to the department of health

The state also recommends that symptom screenings be conducted, which could include temperature checks depending on the schools situation, Education Secretary Pedro Rivera said.

The guidelines are intended to allow a hybrid model, in which students get a mix of in-school and remote learning. Rivera said Thursday that is likely the best approach because it provides flexibility amid uncertainty on how the pandemic will progress.

It absolutely can and will vary, between districts, Rivera said.

His department requires all school entities in the state to submit plans prior to the beginning of instruction in late August.

Several Cumberland County districts have already approved instruction plans that broadly mirror the hybrid approach.

Carlisle Area School District administrators outlined a plan to the school board last week that would in involve four tiers of instruction, from fully remote to fully in-person. The second tier would involve students rotating days of in-classroom and online learning to limit the number of children in district buildings.

This week, Cumberland Valley School District outlined a similar plan, with students split into two groups with staggered schedules, each group receiving two days of face-to-face instruction per week.

Email Zack at zhoopes@cumberlink.com.

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Hanoi: This AP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump (4th from R) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (4th from L) at a dinner meeting at a Hanoi hotel on Feb. 27, 2019. Two American officials -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (back, R) and acting Image Source: IANS News

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Kabul on Monday on a surprise visit amid a stalemate in the intra-Afghan talks between the government and the Taliban as it was agreed in the peace deal signed by the militats with Washington. (Xinhua/Liu Image Source: IANS News

Washington/Seoul, July 17 : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he hopes to see another Washington-Pyongyang summit this year, but remains sceptical it will happen, the media reported on Friday.

Yonhap News Agency quoted Pompeo as saying in a Fox News interview on Thursday that he was yet to see evidence that the two sides could make progress by bringing US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un together for what would be their fourth meeting.

"We're not going to have a summit, we're not going to bring Chairman Kim and President Trump together unless there's something they can accomplish," he said, stating Washington's position on the possibility of another summit to discuss North Korea's denuclearization.

"If that were the case, if we got to a place where we could get a good outcome, a significant step along the way towards the world's objective of denuclearizing North Korea, we'd find a way to bring the leaders together," Pompeo said.

"But we've just got a matter of months between here and the election, and I haven't seen evidence yet that we're going to reach the point where we can bring those leaders together. I hope I'm wrong. I hope we get the chance to do that, but I don't expect that we will," he added.

Trump and Kim agreed at their first summit in Singapore in June 2018 to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for US security guarantees, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Efforts to implement the deal stalled after the second summit in Vietnam in February 2019, which collapsed due to differences over the scope of North Korea's denuclearization and sanctions relief from the US.

The third and last time the two met was inside the Demilitarized Zone on the inter-Korean border in June 2019.
The St. Helena Police Department has eliminated carotid control holds from its handbook, effectively banning a tactic thats come under heavy scrutiny across the U.S.

The departments handbook, a legally binding code of conduct, had stated that officers trained in the technique could use it to restrain a combative subject under very specific circumstances. None of the departments officers have undergone such training, so in effect the hold was already not allowed.

Police Chief Chris Hartley announced the decision at a special City Council meeting on Thursday following a review of the departments policies that Vice Mayor Paul Dohring requested in March, months before the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police triggered a passionate nationwide discussion of law enforcement tactics.

In June, the Napa Police Department restricted the use of the carotid control hold except during a deadly force scenario.

Hartley said the departments training regimen covers areas like firearms, the use of less lethal weapons, the use of force, racial bias and defensive tactics.

In some cases, St. Helena officers are trained more frequently than required by state law. For example, officers undergo training in firearms four times a year instead of the one required by the state.

St. Helena officers also undergo training in topics that are not legally mandated at all, such as de-escalation, dealing with mentally disabled people in crisis and  starting next year  LGBTQ issues.

Hartley, who issued a statement strongly condemning the killing of Floyd, invited public comments about the departments policies and pledged to participate in an ongoing review of the department that could include a community survey. He encouraged people to email shpd@cityofsthelena.org, an address accessible only to Hartley and members of the council.

Since 2005, there has been only one use-of-force complaint lodged against a St. Helena officer, Hartley said. That complaint, lodged by a fellow officer in 2006, was investigated and determined to be unfounded by Hartley himself.

Dohring said he wants to delve into policies concerning topics like body cameras, tasers, and the return of personal property to subjects whove been detained by police.

I want this dialogue to continue, Dohring said.

At a subsequent meeting, the council will discuss racial equity, social equity and how it ties into our policies and procedures, said Mayor Geoff Ellsworth.

Watch now: St. Helena police, firefighters wish Raymond Monroy a happy 108th birthday

You can reach Jesse Duarte at 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

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Although ivory trade is banned in Vietnam, the country remains a top market for ivory products. Photo by AFP/Christophe Archambault.

A court in Hanoi on Thursday sentenced three men to between 10-11 years in jail for trading 204 kg of African elephant tusks.

Nguyen Van Nam, 38, considered a "kingpin" in a sophisticated criminal network responsible for transporting and trading ivory and rhino horn between Africa and Vietnam, and his 40-year-old accomplice Duong Van Phong were jailed for 11 years while Nguyen Van Hung, 29, received a 10 year sentence.

Phong admitted a Chinese man and Vietnamese interpreter had told him they wanted to buy a large amount of ivory and would pay him VND12.5 million ($541) per kilo, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Phong told Nam about the deal, and the latter agreed to supply the tusks.

On September 30, Phong and Nam met the buyers at Ninh Hiep Market in Gia Lam District. Nam asked his cousin Hung to drive a car carrying the elephant tusks hidden in bags to the drop off location.

The trio was caught by police as the transaction was taking place, but the unnamed Chinese man and interpreter fled.

Nam confessed to police he had bought the tusks from a person in Hanoi's Hoang Mai District, currently under investigation.

The global trade in ivory has been widely outlawed since 1989 after populations of the African giants dropped from millions in the mid-20th century to around 600,000 by the end of the 1980s, AFP reported.

Over 20,000 African elephants are killed each year to meet the demand for ivory trinkets and ornamental objects, according to a 2018 World Wildlife Fund report.

Vietnam first outlawed the ivory trade in 1992, but it remains a top market for ivory products prized locally for decorative purposes or traditional medicine, despite there being no proof of its medicinal qualities.

Weak law enforcement across the country has allowed a black market to flourish, with Vietnam a busy thoroughfare for tusks trafficked from Africa to mainly China.
RACINE  The Racine County Sheriffs Office and Racine County Medical Examiners Office are investigating the Thursday afternoon discovery of a dead male at Pritchard Park, 2800 Ohio St. in Racine.

The 79-acre park facility is owned and operated by Racine County.

Racine paramedics were dispatched to the scene at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. First responders requested the Medical Examiners Office respond to the scene.

Racine County Public Works employee Owen Young found the body while mowing near the playground area by the Wieczorek Pavilion at Pritchard Park, near the pond at the corner of Ohio Street and 21st Street.

I was mowing the area near the playground and I looked forward and seen a guy with a black sweatshirt on and a bag and bike, Young told The Journal Times. I called my boss after that. My supervisor called 911 and rescue showed up and came over here and then the deputies showed up.

The discovery was a jarring experience for Young.

With the whole scene with the guy and stuff it kinda made my heart drop, tears in my eyes, because Ive never seen that stuff before Young said.

Lt. James Evans, public information officer for the Sheriffs Office, confirmed to The Journal Times at 4:51 p.m. that a deceased man was found at the park.

We are investigating the incident  any death is suspicious and thats how we proceed until proven otherwise, Evans said, noting there is no threat to the community in connection with the death.

Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne told The Journal Times that the victim was a middle-aged male who had been deceased some time.

We had the rain last night and the body was soaked with water, he noted. It wasnt like he went there this afternoon or even this morning. He has been out there at least 24 hours.

The identity of the victim is known to the Sheriffs Office and Medical Examiner.

He carried identification with him so its not a mystery as far as who he is, Payne said.

The name of the victim had not been released as of Thursday afternoon, pending notification of next-of-kin.

Payne said the victims body has been sent to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiners Office for an autopsy and toxicology screen.

The case is pending at this time until we find out what happened, he said, noting autopsy and toxicology results are expected in around eight weeks. Because he was found outside and had been there more than 24 hours, there was concern what had happened so we sent him for an autopsy to find out what had occurred here.
The Council of Governors has expressed concern over the soaring number of COVID-19 infections since President Uhuru Kenyatta lifted the cessation of movement order.

In the 10 days since then, 3,588 new infections have been recorded which has been attributed to the movement into and out of the Nairobi metropolitan area which is now a notable epicenter with more than 55 percent of the total 11,252 cases nationwide.

COG Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya noted that the statistics are worrying and warned that county bosses will not hesitate to lockdown their devolved units if the situation deteriorates.

In the event that the situation gets dire, individual County Governments will have no choice but to in consultation with President Uhuru Kenyatta seek to lock down the affected County to contain the rapid spread and protect lives, said the Kakamega governor.

Oparanya further condemned the ignorance and reckless behavior portrayed by some Kenyans especially those partying in bars.

At the same time, Oparanya said counties are fully prepared with a total of 271 isolation centers and 12,034 beds that have been set up. There are also 447 ICU beds as well as 437 ventilators.

Counties have cumulatively trained a total of 23,280 healthcare workers as well as 64,283 community health volunteers.
And we are supposed to accept an edict that all novel coronavirus reporting is to go to them from now on? Seems to me that the button that sends daily information to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can still be used, adding cc to the Department of Health and Human Services. That way, the CDC wont be sidelined or dismantled, and we can watch what happens when whatever agency finally gets that information. Theres not any of this that Id ever have confidence in, by any stretch of the imagination.
Reconnaissance plane crashes in eastern Turkey, 7 killed

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 5:45 AM

A Turkish reconnaissance aircraft has crashed in a mountain in eastern Turkey for unknown reasons, killing seven people.

"Our teams have informed us that we have lost seven heroes, two of them are the pilots," Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu announced in a press conference in the eastern province of Van, where the incident occurred, early on Thursday.

According to the minister, whose comments were carried by Turkey's official Anadolu news agency, the plane crashed at an altitude of 2,200 meters on Mount Artos.

The aircraft had been missioned for surveillance in Van and Hakkari provinces since Monday.

The aircraft last made contact when it was in the vicinity of Baskale district. Thirteen minutes later, it disappeared from the radar, according to Soylu.

Broadcaster NTV said that investigators were working to determine the cause of the incident.

Turkish security forces have been fighting members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the largely-Kurdish southeastern Turkey. The conflict has so far killed more than 40,000 people.

The PKK, which Turkey has designated as a terrorist group, has been seeking to create an autonomous Kurdish region in Turkey since 1984.

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We are still waiting to hear what the Americans official position on annexation is, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. If it is going to happen, when it is going to happen, how is it going to happen? Berkowitz left two weeks ago. We told him what we would like, and now were waiting.
US President Donald Trump has said that he wants to do everything possible to keep peace for the people of India and China, according to his spokesperson.

Over the past several weeks, the Trump administration has come out in support of India against China. He (Trump) said I love the people of India and I love the people of China and I want to do everything possible to keep the peace for the people, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters at a news conference here on Thursday.

She was responding to a question on Trump's message to India, which recently had a standoff with China in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control.

Earlier in the day, White House Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow described India as a great ally, saying President Trump is a great friend of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that India has been a great partner of the US. India has been a great partner; they are an important partner of ours. I have a great relationship with my foreign minister counterpart. We talked frequently about a broad range of issues. We talked about the conflict they had along the border with China. We've talked about the risk that emanates from the Chinese telecommunication infrastructure there, Pompeo told reporters in response to a question.

Travelling in Europe, US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien told reporters that China has been very aggressive with India. O'Brien said that India is a democracy and is a great friend of the United States. Prime Minister Modi and President Trump have a super relationship, he said.

In fact, it was the last foreign trip that I took with the president before the COVID-19 crisis hit, was to India, and we had a great reception of the Indian people there. We have a lot in common with them, we speak English, we're democracies. We've got a growing, very strong relationship with India, O'Brien said.

Welcoming the White House statement, Al Mason, co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian American Finance Committee, said that unlike his predecessor, President Trump has come out openly in support of India.

Most of the Indian-Americans have observed that every earlier president - be it a Democrat or Republican, like Clinton or Bush Senior or Bush Jr or Obama have been very scared to side with India openly, for fear of hurting China.

Only President Trump has had the courage to say that I love India, America respects India US stands with India - and that also, to over one billion Indians in India at the Namaste Trump rally held in India and that too near India's neighbour China, Mason said in a statement.

And he is consistent in his love for India and Indian-Americans, he added.

(With PTI inputs)
According to prosecutors in North Korea, there will be an investigation concerning the order of Kim Yo Jong over the destruction of the liaison office.

Further information revealed Seoul Central District prosecutors have gotten a case that names Kim Yo Jong as the defendant. The complainant is a Seoul based lawyer who is intent on a probe for her culpability in the destruction of the structure from a spokeswoman.

Sources say that the case will make Pyongyang mad at the case against Kim Jong Un's who has been forceful of late. In the past months, she has been vocal about South Korea, which includes personal attacks directed to President Moon Jae-in, reported New York Post.

The Terminator sister orders demolition of the office and cessation of talks

Before the destruction of the office, Kim Jong Un's sister told the South to stop sending leaflets to the north side. There were no concrete actions taken by the South Koreans who let the protestor do their thing.

The border office was destroyed after the warning of the sister was not heeded. It was televised and the whole world saw the determination of the North Korean leader's sister who was extremely decisive too. The decision took everyone by surprise as well.

She called the office useless and with her brother's blessing, it was destroyed and demolished. It is a sign to Seoul on what to expect from the Terminator Princess.

After the demolition order was carried out, there was another fiasco with the South Koreans.

Propagandists resorted to low blows and attack the wife of the North Korean leader. It was in ill-taste which drove him livid with anger over the leaflets scattered by North Korean defectors in the south, noted Girl Sun.

Also read: Kim Yo Jong Authorizes Using Nuclear Weapons Against the US With Kim Jong-Un's Support

His sister called these defectors mongrel dogs who were worthy of utmost derision.

Details about the case

According to the South Korean lawyer Lee Kyung-Jae, it was South Korean property not North Korea's.All the money used to renovate came from the South.

He added that explosives were used to destroy the quasi-diplomatic mission building that was a conduit between the two Koreas. Its loss meant problems for talks between the two, which made the building very vital to both.

Included in the complaint is against Pak Jong Chon, chief of the general staff of the North Korean military who was part of the destruction of the office, confirmed the Korea Herald.

Lee mentioned that charges of damaging property or using explosives can land someone at least a prison term of seven years, or death based on the criminal code of South Korea.

The Emergence of Kim Yo Jong on the scene

Before she came into the picture, Kim Jong Un was the most visible and she was kept to the background. She was emerging slowly on the scene after the rumored death of her brothera. She was asp there in events that mattered most to North Korean politics.

Related article: Tension Builds Up as North Korea Blows up Border Liaison Office, Will South Korea Retaliate?

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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It's long been known as a favourite party spot for both ordinary Britons alongside glamorous celebrities - and the world's influencers are returning to the island in force with their Instagram accounts at the ready.

But since the coronavirus pandemic set in, the Spanish island of Ibiza has been largely free of tourists and sun-seekers.

Even though lockdown measures were partially eased across Spain last month, Ibiza's clubs, including famous names such as Amnesia and Privilege, are set to remain shut for at least the rest of the year.

Lockdown measures have also been reimposed in parts of neighbouring island Majorca, the home of party resort Magaluf.

The resort's famous Punta Ballena strip has been shut down after riotous scenes emerged of British tourists jumping on cars. Two other party strips in Playa de Palma, south-east of the Majorcan capital Palma, have also been closed.

But despite the closures and an absence of bustling night spots which would ordinarily draw thousands of Britons this summer, celebrities and reality TV stars have still flocked to Spain.

In glamorous snaps which make it appear as though the summer of 2020 is just like any other, they are seen posing with ice cold drinks by the pool at luxury hotels, wearing figure-hugging dresses in front of a blue sea backdrop, or getting ready for an expensive meal out.

The likes of Love Island couple Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury are in Ibiza, along with other stars including I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here winner Jacqueline Jossa and Geordie Shore's Holly Hagan.

But with the clubs closed they are restricted to socially-distanced dinners, trips to the beach and there are precious few other guests at visible at the luxury hotels they are staying at.

Despite coronavirus lockdown measures which have meant that all night clubs in Ibiza remaining closed, glamorous celebrities have still flocked to the island to take advantage of a quieter atmosphere. The likes of Love Island's Molly-Mae Hague (left), Geordie Shore's Holly Hagan (middle) and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here winner Jacqueline Jossa are among the stars currently on the island

Even though lockdown measures were partially eased across Spain last month, Ibiza's clubs, including famous names such as Amnesia and Privilege, are set to remain shut for at least the rest of the year. Pictured: A deserted Amnesia pictured earlier this week

Molly-Mae and her partner Tommy were seen taking advantage of a much quieter Ibiza in care-free photos on each other's Instagram accounts.

In various snaps, Molly-Mae, who is staying at Ibiza's exclusive Hotel Nobu, showed off her toned figure as she relaxed outside or dressed up to go out for dinner.

Tommy was also seen in a beach snap, which he captioned 'Summers back on track'.

Former Eastenders' actress Jacqueline Jossa is also in Ibiza to show off a new fashion range and also to make the most of the incredible summer weather.

She was seen showing off her summer dresses and also having fun with The Only Way Is Essex star Billie Faiers and Charlotte Crosby.

Molly-Mae and her partner Tommy Fury were seen taking advantage of a much quieter Ibiza in care-free photos on each other's Instagram accounts

The areas in front of Ushuaia and Hi Ibiza clubs were also free from tourists despite the incredible sunny weather

Jacqueline (right) was seen showing off her summer dresses and also having fun with The Only Way Is Essex star Billie Faiers and Charlotte Crosby (left)

Fun in the sun: Love Island pals Elma and Francesca Allen headed to Ibiza's famous Ocean Club for a day of drinks and fun

Sunny outlook: Holly Hagan shared a snap of herself in a bikini as she continued to enjoy her sun-soaked getaway in Ibiza

Cheeky: Model Demi Rose is also in Ibiza and posed for this Instagram snap on Thursday

The trio were also seen enjoying a drink at Ibiza's O Beach outdoor club, which has been able to remain open.

Geordie Shore's Holly Hagan was also seen posing with what appeared to be a glass of gin and tonic by the pool at the Aguas de Ibiza luxury hotel.

She wrote on Instagram that she 'highly' recommends the hotel for 'a bit of luxury' and to 'experience the quieter side of Ibiza'.

Other celebrities on the island include model Demi Rose, Love Island's Elma Pazar and Francesca Allen.

But despite the luxury shots, Ibiza's famous night spots are still shut as part of lockdown measures.

The famous Amnesia club, along with Privilege, Ushuaia and Hi Ibiza, were all seen closed.

The island's streets were also seen free of people and with shops shuttered. They would usually be serving thousands of tourists flocking through the streets each and every day of the summer season.

Ibiza's Privilege night club was also seen totally deserted as it remains closed by order of the regional government

Ibiza's normally-bustling streets were extremely quiet in photos taken earlier this week

Clubs in Magaluf's Punta Ballena strip were also seen with their shutters down after local authorities took the decision to close them following scenes of bad behaviour by British tourists.

Tourists who did not know about the impending ban and had still gone to the island were seen walking past the closed establishments.

Along with Punta Ballena, two other party strips in Playa de Palma, south-east of the Majorcan capital Palma, have also been shut down, known locally as Ham Street and Beer Street - or calle del Jamon and calle de la Cerveza in Spanish.

The closures came after images and a video emerged of revellers jumping on cars and ignoring the island's coronavirus social distancing regulations .

Even though the summer season has technically kicked off, Ibiza's streets remain very quiet. Pictured: A shuttered cafe on the island

This street on Ibiza was similarly quiet and free of tourists and even locals when it was pictured earlier this week

On Magaluf's famous Punta Ballena strip of bars and clubs, all of which were forced to close earlier this week, two tourists were seeen walking past deserted establishments

Along with Punta Ballena, two other party strips in Playa de Palma, south-east of the Majorcan capital Palma, have also been shut down, known locally as Ham Street and Beer Street - or Calle del Jamon and Calle de la Cerveza in Spanish. Pictured: Elderly tourists walk down Calle de la Cerveza

Balearic Islands Tourism Minister said as he announced the three street closures: 'The businesses in those three streets have been closed.

'I think it's a sufficiently clear message to those practicing the type of tourism of excesses we don't want here that they shouldn't come because those types of establishments are not going to be able to open.

'If those holidaymakers go to other areas, and if there are businesses that promote that type of clientele, they will also be closed and they will also be prohibited.

'We will not hesitate a single second when it comes to doing everything we need to to guarantee the health security of our citizens and our economic reactivation.

This woman was seen walking past another shuttered club on Magaluf's Punta Ballena strip on Thursday

Calle de Jamon on Majorca was also largely deserted, bar a few tourists who will have come to the island hoping for its usual bustling night life

Another shot of Calle del Jamon showed a closed bar as tourists dressed for summer walked past

'We are a safe destination. The vast majority of our citizens, business leaders and holidaymakers who are making a great effort do not deserve the sort of images we have seen over the past few days and they do not deserve those types of holidaymakers and those types of businessmen.'

To heap further misery on ordinary Britons, those on holiday in the Balearic Islands also face being fined 22, 45 or 90 from Monday if they are not wearing a mask.

The new rule came into place in Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera on July 13th and applies to virtually all pubic places, with the exception of the beach, swimming pool, countryside or whilst eating or drinking in a restaurant.

The level of the fine (25, 50 or the maximum of 100 in euros) will depend on the circumstance and 'the severity of the breach'.
United Airlines will open its counters on July 17, for booking on its flights from Newark to Delhi. Sources from the industry said the airline will start selling the tickets from Friday night.

"The airline will start selling for flights starting from July 23 to July 28," a senior executive said.

The executive added that the airline is in the process of getting approvals for flights in August. The tickets, he added, will be available on the airline's site and its travel partners.

The development comes a day after Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said United has got approval to operate 18 flights. While Puri had mentioned that these flights will be between Delhi-Newark and Delhi-San Francisco, the bookings will right now open for the first route.

Apart from United, Air France and airlines from the UAE - Emirates and Etihad among others - have also got the go-ahead to operate these flights under what is being called as Air Bubbles.

Also read: What are Air Bubbles flights and how are they different from those operated under Vande Bharat

The government has indicated that talks with Germany and the UK are also on, and announcements are expected soon.

The United flights, like the repatriation service under Vande Bharat Mission, will be restricted and only Indian citizens and those with OCI cardholders will be allowed to travel.

Earlier, United flights were coming empty into India. And only Air India was flying in passengers from the US.
Jailed former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm has consented to a judgment against him for 7.5m in favour of his former employers.

The debt relates to loans Drumm got from Anglo to buy shares in the bank prior to its collapse in 2009.

Drumm is currently serving a six year sentence for his role in a 7.2bn fraud perpetrated at the peak of the banking crisis in 2008.

He resigned from the bank in December 2008, a month before it was nationalised.

In late 2009 Anglo began legal proceedings against him seeking to recover loans of around 8.3m and to stop him from transferring a house in Malahide, Co Dublin into his wifes name.

Drumm filed a counterclaim for 2.6m against the bank over termination of his employment and lost bonuses.

But the proceedings stalled after Drumm filed for bankruptcy in October 2010 in Massachusetts, where he had moved with his family. This meant there was an automatic worldwide stay on enforcement proceedings.

The bankruptcy process only concluded in 2018 and the matter returned to the big money Commercial Court in Dublin today.

Solicitor Karyn Harty of McCann Fitzgerald, representing Anglos successor IBRC, applied for the title of the proceedings to be amended to substitute IBRC in special liquidation as the plaintiff.

She briefly took Mr Justice David Barniville through the history of the case.

Although the US bankruptcy proceedings concluded in August 2018 with a Boston court approving the trustees final report, there was a slightly unusual application by IBRC to bar Drumms discharge from bankruptcy, Ms Harty said.

This application was successful and, as a result, he remained indebted to the bank after the bankruptcy, she said.

Ms Harty said the orders being sought with the consent of Drumm were to deal with the remaining indebtedness.

She sought orders entering judgment in the amount of 7,520,140 against Drumm in favour of IBRC, striking out the proceedings and the counterclaim, and the vacating of all costs and other orders.

She also asked for a stay to be placed on the execution and registration of the judgment, with the parties being given liberty to apply to the court in the event something comes to light in relation to the agreement reached.

Solicitor Michael Staines, for Drumm, confirmed the orders could be made on consent and they were granted by Mr Justice Barniville.

The likelihood of IBRC seeking to enforce the judgment any time soon would appear slim given Drumms bankruptcy.

A US trustee recovered just 6.25m from the sale of assets Drumm owned or co-owned. The former Anglo chief executive had overall debts of 12.75m.

He was extradited from the US to Ireland in 2016 to face charges related to events at Anglo in the run up to the banks collapse.

In 2018 he was jailed for six year for conspiracy to defraud and false accounting in relation to transactions of 7.2bn.

The same year he was given a suspended sentence of 15 months for giving illegal loans to ten developers to prop up Anglo's share price in 2008.

Drumm ran Anglo for four years prior to his resignation.

He earned 12.15m during that time, making him Ireland's best-paid banker.
#Ahora | El Ministerio Publico y la Policia Nacional realizan un megaoperativo simultaneo, en el marco de la investigacion preliminar abierta por presuntas irregularidades en la adquisicion de alimentos y material de proteccion contra el COVID-19 para la Policia Nacional. pic.twitter.com/q5s5MKxplQ
When Santosh Kumar developed a cough and mild fever on July 6, he knew what to do. His village of Chakai, a collection of 200-odd residents in Bihars impoverished Araria district, was buzzing with news of the coronavirus and the 35-year-old shopkeeper suspected he contracted the infection.

But when he reached the local hospital in Jokihat, he was told there were no facilities to test for the virus. The next day, he took a bus to Araria, and spent five hours at the district hospital before a nurse came to take his swab. It was not easy for me to undergo a test as there was no one in the district hospital to take notice, said Kumar, who runs a small hardware shop.

On July 9, a phone call from the administration told him the test was positive, and he was admitted to an isolation centre at Forbesganj the next morning. At the centre, he met Mithu Kumar, Rinki Devi and Suraj Kumar  all residents of Araria district  who narrated similar tales of difficulty in getting tested. When you are infected with the coronavirus, you better rely on god, said Mithu Kumar.

Across the largely rural district where manual and agricultural labour are the main sources of employment, quacks  who have long capitalised on the poor health care system in the region  have come up with corona cures overnight. We dont know where to go for a test if I catch a cold or I am sick with fever, said Munna, 40, who goes by one name. We still take medicines from quacks.

The district has 213 infections but even in villages with patients, there is little awareness of distancing protocols or the need to wear masks. The 100-bed district hospital has 11 regular doctors on roster against a sanctioned strength is 46. There are 15 nurses out of sanctioned 60.

The government says it has ramped up facilities to battle the infection. We are doing our best for the patients infected with coronavirus, said Araria civil surgeon Madan Mohan Prasad Singh. Officer in charge of Araria, Shambhu Kumar, said the administration will start testing at the block level in two days. We are just waiting for kits, he said.

Araria is not alone. Four months into the pandemic in India, the virus has travelled from urban centres into the hinterland, where a fractured health care system, low awareness and abject poverty are emerging as major impediments in the battle against Covid. Of Indias over one million cases, nearly a third are from 658 districts where the share of rural population is more than 40%, and a quarter of the cases is in the 584 districts that have more than 60% rural population. This means that while the majority of the infections are being reported from urban centres rural India is dealing with a significant caseload.

This is a heavy burden because some of the states with the largest rural populations such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, also have the lowest per capita hospital bed or doctor availability. In Bihar, which has the largest share of rural population  only 0.11 beds and 0.39 doctors are available per thousand people  as opposed to 0.46 and 1.54 for Maharashtra, the worst-hit state.

Of course, there is an increase in cases in rural areas and that was to be expected. After the lockdown lifted, and jobs remained elusive, millions travelled home without facilities for testing, contact tracing and isolation, said Dr Vivekananda Jha, executive director of The George Institute for Global Health, Delhi.

Testing is another problem. Compared to 38,188 tests per million in Delhi and a national average of 9,908 tests per million, Bihar conducted 2,907 tests, Uttar Pradesh, 5,891 tests and Odisha 8,287 tests per million.

In cities, however crowded, migrants live and work with others who are relatively young, but when they go back to their multi-generational families and communities, they infect the old and vulnerable who have very often poor or no access to health systems, said Dr Ambarish Dutta, associate professor, Indian Institute of Public Health, Bhubaneswar.

Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which are the two biggest sources of migrants, also have daunting health care challenges. The health infrastructure of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, for example, is 2.5 times lower than Keralas, according to Niti Aayogs State Health Index 2019.

In many of these regions, decades of chronic underfunding of health care has brought the crisis to a head. For people living in rural areas, where private facilities are usually few, the government allopathic doctor-patient ratio is 1:10,926, shows the National Health Profile 2019 data. In the past two months, states have attempted to scale up facilities.

In Bihar, for example, health minister Mangal Pandey said there are now 441 Covid Care Centres. All six medical college and hospitals have been asked to arrange 100 beds for Covid patients and 40,000 rapid testing kits have been sent to districts, he added.

Experts agree there has been a degree of improvement over the years. Some progress has certainly been made in improving service delivery in rural areas, but the focus has been largely on maternal and child care, with some good work in malaria and TB control. But by and large, the infrastructure capacity to cope with infectious diseases in terms of trained personnel, laboratory support and good district and sub district level hospitals continue to be poor. A lot more focus and investment is needed, said K Sujatha Rao, former Union health secretary. A survey done by the National Health Authority, which runs the governments flagship Ayushman Bharat health assurance programme, found 22 of 101 accredited private hospitals had remained inactive and 81 declined to provide Covid-19 treatment.

The bigger fear than rising cases in rural India, experts said, is the possibility of infections going unrecorded.

Its clear that testing is low in these states, and transmission will remain high as people are not tested. We have experience, not from coronavirus infection but other disease, which people get ill and die in rural areas without going to a hospital and the cause of death is not recorded, said Jha. Unless we test, isolate and treat and strengthen primary health care more widely, coronavirus in rural areas will remain unrecorded, he said.

(additional reporting by Vijdan Mohammad Kawoosa)
Senior US general reveals: Taliban not honoring deal

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 July 2020 9:40 AM

A top US general says the Taliban militant group in Afghanistan has so far failed to honor its commitments under a deal with the United States, contrasting other US officials who have indicated the agreement is moving ahead smoothly.

Marine General Frank McKenzie, the commander of the US Central Command, made the comment in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) a day after a meeting to discuss the Afghan peace process with President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul on Tuesday.

"We expected to see a reduction in violence," McKenzie said. "While the Taliban have been scrupulous about not attacking US or coalition forces, in fact, the violence against the Afghans is higher than it's been in quite a while. It's one of the highest, most violent periods of the war that we see to date."

The US signed the deal with the Taliban in February. Under the agreement, the US is supposed to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan, and the Taliban are supposed to refrain from attacking international occupying forces. The militants did not make a pledge to avoid attacking Afghan forces and civilians.

Official data shows Taliban bombings and other assaults have increased 70 percent since then. The United Nations (UN) has also warned of an alarming rise in violence against civilians in Afghanistan.

The Afghan government, which was not a party to the deal, has had reservations implementing a provision of the agreement that calls on Kabul to release Taliban prisoners in exchange for its security personnel taken captive by the militants. The government is required to increase many more prisoners than the Taliban, and Kabul does not wish to free some of those inmates who have been involved in highly violent attacks.

The comments by McKenzie, the US general, came only days after the US's chief negotiator with the Taliban, Zalmay Khalilzad, said the deal was entering the "next phase," indicating that implementation had been smooth.

Stressing that intra-Afghan dialog should start soon, McKenzie said, "That's really the next critical thing that needs to happen in order to move forward because what's going to happen is that the Afghans have got to talk to each to determine how they're going to formulate a plan forward."

McKenzie also said Washington needed to ensure that the Taliban would not host al-Qaida and Daesh terrorist groups in Afghanistan, which would potentially allow them to carry out attacks on the United States.

"Right now, it is simply unclear to me that the Taliban has taken any positive steps in that in those areas," he said.

The US and a number of its allies invaded Afghanistan to topple a Taliban regime in 2001, accusing it of harboring the al-Qaeda terrorist group. The militants now control or hold influence over more Afghan territory than at any point since that time.

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Linkedin Enrique Anarte and Rachel Savage (Thomson Reuters Foundation) Berlin, Germany  Fri, July 17, 2020 08:30 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666f5cb6 2 World Austria,intersex,transgender,sexual-identity Free

Austria issued its first intersex birth certificate on Thursday, after a four-year battle, as a growing number of countries offer identity documents with options other than male and female.

Alex Juergen, who is intersex, a term for people who are born with atypical chromosomes or sex characteristics, is waiting to receive the new birth certificate - with the sex listed as "inter" - or intersex in German - in the post.

"I am very happy that the law and the government have finally recognized this," Juergen, 43, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation from Steyr, some 160km west of the capital Vienna.

"Many people don't accept that there can be something else," said Juergen, who does not identify as either male or female.

A growing number of US states, as well as countries including Germany, Pakistan and Nepal, now allow people to choose a third sex option on official documents, with most opting for the letter "X". India has "T" for transgender.

Juergen's quest for a new birth certificate began in 2016, leading to a constitutional court ruling in 2018 that Austria's laws allowed for the inclusion of more than two sex options on identity documents.

In 2019, Juergen was given a passport with "X" on instead of "M" or "F", and a birth certificate with "divers", roughly meaning "other", but continued to demand "inter" as a category for the latter.

Regulations issued by Austria's interior ministry after the 2018 court ruling state that a child whose sex cannot be determined should have "open" on their birth certificate until a decision can be made by them or their legal representative.

The United Nations estimates 1.7% of people are intersex, although the condition is often not immediately obvious.

Some intersex babies undergo surgery to bring the appearance and function of their genitalia into line with that expected of males or females, which research suggests can lead to psychological damage later in life.

Juergen said that the requirement that an intersex person needs a medical assessment of their sex characteristics to qualify for legal recognition as neither male nor female should be scrapped.

"A lot of people are traumatized and you cannot demand for them to do that," Juergen said.

Austria's interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Tobias Humer, an activist with the Austrian Association of Intersex People, said intersex people should be allowed to choose what sex marker to put on their documents, without involving doctors.

"The medical assessment ... leads to a pathologisation of intersexuality," said Humer.

The Netherlands is considering removing gender from ID cards by 2025, as part of a plan to "limit unnecessary sex registration where possible", which advocates welcomed as making life easier for transgender, intersex and non-binary people.
Pavitra Rishta actor Sushant Singh Rajput's untimely death has affected his friends, including Beyhadh actor Kushal Tandon, who had also lost another close friend Kushal Punjabi to suicide, last year (December 29, 2019). When HT asked him as to how he is dealing with the loss, the actor said that he is getting out of Sushant's news.

The actor was quoted by the leading daily as saying, "I am just getting out of Sushant's news. It's very sad and disheartening, there is a void in your gut. I don't know what was going in his mind, may he rest in peace. You just don't know what's going on in a person's mind. I want to tell people that there's nothing more than your life. You free yourself from pain but you are giving pain to people who are left behind."



Post Sushant's death, the insider-outsider debate has been one of the most talked about topics on social media. When asked if he ever felt that it was tough for him as an outsider in the television industry, he said that he hasn't faced an issue for being an outsider.

Kushal said, "I won Mr India in 2005 and then I was modelling for 3-4 years. I went to New York for an acting course and when I came back, I got my first show Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai and since then, things just happened. I did reality shows like Bigg Boss, Nach Baliye, Fear Factor and everything else is in front of you. I haven't faced an issue for being an outsider. I am doing Bebaakee right now for Ekta Kapoor and got the film Unlock as well. I don't do too much work and am comfortable in my space. I try to take less but nice work."

When asked as to how lockdown has been treating him, he said that it hasn't affected him as he doesn't go out much. Also, he doesn't party. The actor, who was seen in ZEE5's Unlock alongside Hina Khan, said that only thing that was different for him during this situation was that he couldn't go out at all and meet his people. But he added that as soon as flights started, he flew to his hometown Lucknow to be with his family.

Also Read: Ekta Kapoor Announces Pavitra Rishta Fund In Memory Of Manav Aka Sushant Singh Rajput

Also Read: Anil Deshmukh On Sushant's Death Case: Don't Think CBI Probe Is Required, We Don't See Any Foul Play
New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said he wanted feedback from the public when he launched an effort last month to rewrite police use of force regulations for the first time in two decades.

Thats just what he received Thursday in a virtual town hall hosted by Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill Mayer.

The afternoon forum included over 200 questions and comments typed into a chat queue over two hours. Mayer touched on a number of topics including:

Which tactics, including chokeholds, neck restraints, punches and the use of police dogs, should be permitted.

Whether limitations should be placed on the level of force used during arrests for nonviolent offenses.

The duty of police officers to intervene when they witness excessive force by other officers.

What is most important to me is that we walk away from this discussion with actual suggestions for change, Mayer said.

After two hours and as many as 110 participants, it was not immediately clear if thats what happened.

Mayer was flanked by the police chief of Cherry Hill, a veteran police sergeant from Camden County police; a local NAACP president and a veteran prosecutor from her office.

Mayer said she wanted to stay away from current cases in her office. But that proved hard to do.

A discussion ensued about the case of a police officer charged by her office with two counts of simple assault for using pepper spray without provocation on two teens.

Camden police Sgt. Raphael Thornton, who was part of a panel flanking Mayer, addressed that incident, noting the officer had worked for the Camden County department before working in Woodlynne. (In fact, Woodlynne was the 31-year-old officers ninth police department.)

Part of the community concern is transparency. If you want to build that trust with the community, we have to find a way of not letting these particular issues and people fall through the cracks,Thornton said.

The Woodlynne officer, Ryan Dubiel, was suspended with intent to be fired after he was charged last month.

I cant talk about the Woodlynne case because its an open investigation but know one of the changes the attorney general made is a more open sharing of files between departments, Mayer said.

Another open case in Woodlynne involves a councilman from the tiny quarter-mile borough who was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer after an incident in February.

Police were called to Councilman Clyde Cooks house by his teenage daughter, who called 911 when her father took her phone away for discipline. Cook said he had a long-standing dispute with one of the officers who is married to another council member. Cooks 18-year-old son and fiance were also charged in the incident.

Cook said he agreed for one of the officers who responded whose camera was working to enter his home to speak with his daughter about why she called police. But a melee broke out when the other officer also entered. Cook said three of his family members were sprayed with pepper spray before being arrested.

William Bud Monaghan, the police chief in Cherry Hill, said his department uses a system that will automatically turn on bodycams if two or more officers are at a location and they are not already on. He and Thornton also spoke about training in which an officer can deescalate a situation by requesting another officer respond.

But Monaghans department was also singled out.

If a town uses force 1,180% more often against Black citizens and 86 times more often based on arrestswhat should that town do? Mayer said, reading a question.

Im assuming that statistic came from the Force Report, Monaghan said, referring to the the award-winning NJ.com report on the frequency of the use of force by every police department in the state, published in 2018.

It took the percentages and then applied it to our census data which I think is 6% to 8% African American. Were in essence a resort type town because we have this population surge that comes in every day based on our heavy retail base, he said.

The Force Report concluded a Black person was 464% more likely to have forced used on them by a township cop than a white person. It also determined Cherry Hill police used force half as often as the state average for police.

The Attorney Generals Office has said it eventually plans to create a public use of force database similar to The Force Report but has not yet released any of its data.

Kevin Barfield, who currently serves as president of Camden County NAACP, said he thinks some segment of the public might benefit from training on how to react when encountering police.

Mayer promised to forward every comment and question from the forum to Grewal.

- Staff Writer S.P. Sullivan contributed to this report. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
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Linkedin Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 09:17 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666f9689 1 National COVID-19,health,guideline,Indonesia,standards Free

The Health Ministry has recently issued a set of new protocols on COVID-19 management and mitigation based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), but experts have questioned whether the government would translate them into better containment policies.

The fifth version of COVID-19 health protocols notably scraps the local terms person under observation (ODP) and patient under surveillance (PDP) in favor of the international designations suspect and probable. It also expands the definition of COVID-19 deaths to include deaths among probable cases for the purpose of epidemiological surveillance.

Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto claimed that Indonesia was the "most obedient" country as regards the WHO guidelines, and that it had changed its terminology to fit the agency's recommendations.

"That way, our data will be acknowledged [as] good data. The trust of the international community [in Indonesia] will also grow," he said on Tuesday, as quoted by Tempo.co.

The two terms introduced in the latest revision to Indonesia's health protocols were in common use internationally, said Indonesian Epidemiologists Association (PAEI) chairman Hariadi Wibisono.

The WHO updated its case definitions for global surveillance purposes in the March 20 situation report , and expanded its definition of "COVID-19 deaths" in the April 11 report to include deaths among probable cases.

The current definitions of suspect case are:

A patient with acute respiratory illness with no other etiology that fully explains the clinical presentation and a history of travel to or residence in a location reporting community transmission during the 14 days prior to symptom onset; or A patient with any acute respiratory illness who has been in contact with a confirmed or probable case in the last 14 days prior to symptom onset; or A patient with severe acute respiratory illness requiring hospitalization with no alternative diagnosis that fully explains the clinical presentation.

A probable case, meanwhile, is defined as a suspect case "for whom testing for the COVID-19 virus":

is inconclusive; or could not be performed for any reason.

Hariadi believes, however, that simply updating the jargon will not automatically lead to an improvement in surveillance.

"The principle is to do as many tests as possible, because we don't want suspect and probable cases swinging between yes and no. We want immediate certainty and that means improving our testing [capacity]," he said.

On Thursday, Indonesia recorded 81,668 confirmed cases, of which 41,323 are currently active. The official COVID-19 dashboard now lists 47,859 suspect cases. The country reported 76 deaths, bringing the total to 3,873 fatalities  which still only accounts for deaths among confirmed cases, in accordance with older guidelines.

Biostatistician Iwan Ariawan of the University of Indonesia public health school urged the government to revise its previous data for recorded deaths to include the toll among probable cases.

Meanwhile, the data compiled by volunteer group KawalCOVID-19 showed that more than 8,000 deaths in the country were attributable to the former government classifications ODP and PDP.

Iwan said that comparing the two datasets would help calculate the disparity between current and past data on recorded deaths, as the government's updated definition was expected to result in a higher figure for COVID-19 deaths.

Other areas that have previously revised their death toll include Wuhan in China and New York City in the United States.

Iwan also urged the government to be consistent in applying the new guidelines to its COVID-19 management strategy, including the criteria for determining whether a region has brought the local transmission under control.

The criteria emphasizes keeping a region's effective reproduction number (Rt) below 1 for a duration of 14 days.

Other supporting criteria in the case of inadequate data to estimate the local Rt includes achieving a minimum 50 percent decline in new cases for three weeks since the last recorded surge. The region must have also maintained a below 5 percent positivity rate (percentage of positive results from all tests) for two weeks, which requires optimal surveillance and a weekly testing capacity of 1 test per 1,000 population.

WHO Indonesia's situation report dated July 15 states that Jakarta is the only province in Java to have achieved this "minimum case detection benchmark" for "comprehensive surveillance and testing of suspected cases".

"This means that the government must be honest [when] telling the public that there are regions where the epidemic hasn't been brought under control yet, but that we have to [ease restrictions] for economic and other reasons," Iwan said.

That [also] means telling the public that the risk [of infection] is still high, that they must be cautious, wear their masks and not step out of their homes unless necessary  and certainly not out of euphoria, he stressed.

PAEI's Hariadi insisted that a region must retreat from a decision to ease restrictions once it notices a negative trend as per the WHOs recommendations, such as a daily increase in new cases. Regions should reimpose restrictions when this happens, he said.

Critics have acknowledged persisting issues with Indonesias testing capacity, but have pressed their stance that ensuring adequate testing before relaxing restrictions was nonnegotiable.

Iwan said the government should start considering the pool testing method  as West Sumatra had been doing, followed by other regions  to overcome insufficient testing, instead of relying on rapid diagnostic tests for antibodies.

The pool testing method tests samples collected from multiple individuals as a single batch. If the batch test returns a positive result, each person in the pool must then be tested individually. If the batch test produces a negative, however, the entire group can be cleared of infection.

The changes made to the criteria for discharging patients in accordance with WHO guidelines issued in May are expected to also help narrow the gap between the number of specimens and suspected cases tested.

The new rules stipulate that follow-up PCR tests are no longer necessary in asymptomatic patients and in cases with mild to moderate symptoms, although there is a required period of isolation to account for the onset of symptoms. Previously, confirmed cases had to test negative twice before the patient is cleared for discharge.

The WHO noted on July 10 that only 58.8 percent of all PCR tests Indonesia conducted had been used on people who had not been tested, based on the previous criteria for discharging patients.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 17, 2020 - 23:43 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Japan's travel subsidy campaign was thrown into deeper confusion Friday when officials had to quickly clarify a recommendation by the tourism minister regarding the contentious program, with his stance on covering cancellation fees facing opposition from a senior member of the ruling coalition.

Tourism minister Kazuyoshi Akaba urged young people and seniors in large group tours not to use the campaign, citing the risk they may spread the coronavirus and, in the case of the elderly, develop severe symptoms.

He said specific age groups and size of tours subject to the advisory were under consideration. But an official at the Japan Tourism Agency said later it would ultimately leave it to the discretion of travel agencies as "it would be difficult to draw a line due to the diverse nature of travel."

The agency is affiliated with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism headed by Akaba.

On Thursday, the government revised the travel initiative shortly before its start on Wednesday, excluding Tokyo from the program after the capital reported a record number of new coronavirus cases, remaining the area hardest hit by the virus.

The abrupt decision prompted cancellations by people living in Tokyo or planning to visit the capital under the Go To Travel Campaign, which is designed to encourage domestic trips to help revive the virus-hit economy.

Akaba said the government had no plan to make up for fees incurred by such people. But Noritoshi Ishida, policy chief of the Komeito party, called on the government to "consider (compensating for) cancellation fees" following the exclusion of Tokyo from the campaign. The party is the junior ruling coalition partner of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Under the 1.35 trillion yen ($12.59 billion) tourism push, the campaign will eventually subsidize up to half of travel expenses, including accommodation and transport fees, with the government initially providing discounts worth 35 percent of total costs.

The remaining 15 percent will be covered by coupons to be issued after September for food, shopping and other travel activities offered at destinations, according to the tourism ministry.

The government decided to exclude trips to and from Tokyo from the controversial initiative amid concern that the planned nationwide campaign would contribute to a resurgence in virus infections.

Akaba said it was a "gut-wrenching" decision to remove Tokyo but that the capital has become "a center of the viral spread."

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also offered an apology over the decision, adding that Tokyo will be restored when the number of infections in the capital goes down.

Despite the decision to exclude Tokyo, concerns remain that some travelers will stay in hotels outside the capital but visit sightseeing spots and restaurants within it, undermining virus containment measures.

Tourists who use train stations in Tokyo and the capital's Haneda airport, meanwhile, will likely be eligible for the government's subsidy campaign as long as they stay at accommodation facilities outside of the capital.

The campaign will offer discounts for those who have already booked trips planned from Wednesday onward if they apply to the campaign operators after returning.

Akaba also said the government will oblige accommodation facilities in the remaining 46 prefectures to take anti-virus measures such as checking the temperature of guests and confirming their identities for them to be eligible for the campaign.

The subsidy scheme was initially slated to begin in August before Japan's Bon holidays around the middle of the month, when many people living in major cities return to their hometowns. But it was moved forward in time for a four-day long weekend from Thursday.

Local government leaders had voiced concern about the initiative, as they feared that the campaign could bring the virus to their regions from the metropolis.

Tokyo, which reported a record of 293 infections on Friday, has raised its alert level to the highest of four amid a recent resurgence of infections.

On Thursday, three prefectures surrounding Tokyo -- Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama -- as well as Osaka Prefecture also saw their largest numbers of daily cases since the state of emergency was lifted in late May, bringing the nationwide total to 622.

Japan's nationwide infection total reached around 24,200 as of Friday, excluding some 700 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined near Tokyo in February.

Related coverage:

Japan to launch travel campaign without Tokyo amid virus resurgence
A majority of Wyomingites surveyed earlier this week by University of Wyoming researchers say they would support a mask ordinance for indoor settings, while overall anxiety about the coronavirus has climbed over the past month.

The survey, conducted by the university's survey and analysis center, drew responses from 504 Wyoming residents over a 24-hour period. It found that while more Wyomingites are anxious about the virus's spread in Wyoming and the United States, fewer and fewer residents are taking measures to prevent the spread, and there continues to be dropping support for closures and other public health orders intended to blunt the pandemic.

The survey is the latest in a wave of such reports by UW researchers gauging the effects of the virus and the support  or lack thereof  of various measures intended to slow the disease's spread. The survey has showed a majority of respondents have either experienced or know someone who's lost their job or had their hours cut. The results have also showed, broadly, less support for restrictions on public life as the virus's spread slowed in May, although there hasn't been a corresponding rise over the past month as the caseload has bloomed again.
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A monument honoring the relationship between NASA Johnson Space Center and the city of Nassau Bay was unveiled July 16.

The structure, which curves into the sky is at the intersection of NASA Parkway and Space Center Boulevard, was created to celebrate the city's origins as a home for professionals  including some of the countrys first astronauts  drawn from across the county to work at NASA.
Coronavirus: In a first, Kerala confirms community transmission in coastal areas

India

oi-Deepika S

Thiruvananthapuram, July 18: In a first, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday admitted that community transmission of Covid-19 has occurred in two coastal hamlets of capital Thiruvananthapuram and asked people to be extra vigilant.

"The situation is very serious in some parts of coastal Thiruvananthapuram, where the spread has been fast. Community spread is happening in areas like Pullivula, Poonthura," Vijayan said.

"In 97 samples tested in Pulluvila in Karinkulam panchayat, 51 are positive. In 50 samples tested at Poonthura Ayush centre, 26 are positive. In Puthukurissery, 20 out of 75 samples are positive. In Anchuthengu, 15 out of 83 samples came back positive. These are signs that the spread of the disease is extreme," Vijayan added.

Rahul Gandhi rings another warning bell to Centre over increase number of Coronavirus cases in India

In the wake of the pandemic spread, Thiruvananthapuram's coastal regions will be divided into three zones will continue to remain under lockdown.

However, the Chief Minister as ruled out enforcing a complete lockdown.

"There will be only cluster-based lockdown now and we are not thinking of full lockdown. I can assure you that the situation is as expected and we are prepared to handle it. We were able to contain the spread till now," he added.

Covid vaccine: India begins first stage Covaxin human trials | Oneindia News

Kerala's total confirmed cases reached 11,066 on Friday, and 6,029 of them are active cases. There are 791 new covid-19 cases on Friday, the highest daily hike so far, 532 of them through local transmission. The source of infection in 42 cases are still unknown.

Community transmission means that the disease is in its third stage and the source of its origin is not known. It is now present in the community and can infect people with no history - either of travel to or contact with infected people and areas. At this point, everyone is susceptible to catching it.

India has reported over a million cases so far including over 25,000 deaths. The country is on the third spot on the list of worst coronavirus-hit nations. The centre, however, has not declared that the nation has entered the community transmission stage.
The Journal Times Editorial Board

In an usual and very welcome reversal, the Trump administration this week walked back plans that could have forced international students to switch universities in mid-semester or risk deportation if their current university was forced to go to all-online classes by a fall surge in the coronavirus,

The rule change by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was met with outrage from universities across the country  including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which quickly sued to stop the new rule, arguing it compromised students safety and would force schools to reconsider fall enrollment plans they have spent months preparing.

Plus, there was the issue of money  big money.

Before the advent of the coronavirus last spring, international students were barred from taking classes entirely online at American colleges and universities. That went out the window when COVID-19 outbreaks forced campuses across the country to close their classrooms and dorms and sent students packing for home as they shifted to remote learning on the fly.

ICE suspended enforcement because of the pandemic and on March 13 issued guidance to universities that would be continued. A week ago, ICE said it would reinstate enforcement, triggering the brouhaha.

International students suddenly faced a quandary of unsettling risk in deciding whether to return to campus. If they signed a campus lease and committed to attend classes in person, that could go out the window if a coronavirus resurgence forced a campus closure like it did in the spring. Under the ICE rule, the student would then either have to transfer to an in-person university that wasnt shuttered or risk being deported.

For foreign students at schools like Harvard and MIT, which have committed to remote learning this fall, it would have meant a loss of all of their foreign students.

For UW-Madison, it posed a threat to the $162 million the university collected in tuition and fees last year and another $19 million in housing. Additionally, the rule change threatened teaching since more than 26 percent of course sections at UW are taught by international teaching assistants.

That profile is echoed in universities across Wisconsin  UW-Milwaukee collects $21 million in tuition from foreign students; UW-Stevens Point, $2.2 million; UW-Stout, $3.7 million.

Small wonder then that hundreds of universities marched off to court to seek to block the ICE rule and eight federal lawsuits  including UW-Madisons  were filed. ICE quickly relented and a U.S. District judge said the federal agency had agreed to pull its July 6 directive and return to the status quo.

While the federal agencys quick change of heart was welcomed as great news on campuses, it unfortunately may leave the impression that the welcome mat for foreign students attending U.S. institutions is a very thin one and could be pulled at a moments notice.

That may make foreign students think twice about committing to an education here  and to the benefits the U.S. receives by having campuses populated by different ideas with people from different cultures and perspectives that enrich and expand the college learning experience.

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After a tense overnight standoff between protesters and federal law enforcement, several community groups rallied Friday against police violence and the federal forces embedded in downtown Portland.

About 200 people gathered at 1 p.m. in front of the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse. Several religious leaders called for non-violent protests and greater accountability from local and federal officials. Other speakers called for an end to racial injustice.

Rabbi Ariel Stone began the rally by blowing a shofar, a horn instrument used in Jewish religious occasions.

Justice must be justice for all, or it is not justice, Stone said.

The protesters gathered in the street near Southwest Third Avenue and Salmon Street after initially attempting to gather at the fenced-off Terry Schrunk Plaza across from the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building.

Teressa Raiford, executive director of Dont Shoot Portland, and her daughter Tai Carpenter, the president of the group, spoke at the rally.

Theres no such thing as a peaceful protest, Carpenter said. This violence has been happening since before George Floyd.

Protesters chanted Black lives matter while confronting counter protesters, including one who claimed to be on a mission from God.

Another counterprotester, a known white supremacist, was removed from the rally by a de-escalation team. When an altercation began between the woman and a member of the crowd, people began to chant hands up, dont shoot with their hands in the air as they escorted the woman away.

Portland Police officers were in the area, but stayed several blocks away. Activist and organizer Lilith Sinclair told the crowd not to bring attention to plain-clothes officers who were at the rally unless they have hard evidence theyre real officers.

This is not a game, they said.

At the same time in Pioneer Courthouse Square a few blocks away, people gathered for a PDX Black Futures Protest, calling for an end to white supremacy in Oregon.

Fridays protests came hours after an early-morning sweep by federal officers who used gas, smoke and impact munitions to press hundreds of protesters away from two federal buildings.

Beth Nakamura of The Oregonian/OregonLive and Piper McDaniel for The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report, which will be updated.

-- Ty Vinson

tvinson@oregonian.com

503-221-4315; @ty_vinson_

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
A federal appeals court will soon rule whether or not to exonerate a black man who has spent 44 years in prison after being convicted of raping a white woman.

An all-white jury initially sentenced Ronnie Long to life behind bars over the rape and robbery of Sarah Bost in Concord, North Carolina back in 1976.

Long, now 64, has always maintained his innocence, despite having his appeals repeatedly denied.

In January, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia upheld his conviction in a 2-1 vote, despite conceding that police 'corrupted' the initial investigation.

However, Long's attorneys asked for the case to be heard by the full Fourth Circuit of 15 judges - who are now deliberating on the case.

Long now hopes the current reckoning on racial injustice will help set him free.

'You got a young black man in 1976 in front of a white jury  for a sexual assault of a rich, wealthy, white female. I mean, what kind of justice is that?" Long told CBS' 48 Hours program.

A federal appeals court will soon rule whether or not to exonerate Ronnie Long, who has spent 44 years in prison after being convicted of raping a white woman. He is pictured at right at the time of his arrest in 1976. He is pictured left in prison in 2007

Long was just 20 years old at the time of his conviction.

Bost, 54, was the wealthy widow of a local textile executive and a prominent figure in Concord - which was still largely segregated at the time of the trial.

Bost identified Long as the man who raped her - and died believing her attacker was behind bars.

However, Long's current attorney, Jamie Lau, believes she was mistaken.

'There's very clear examples of people believing with high levels of confidence that they have identified the right attacker only to later be proven wrong,' he told 48 Hours.

Lau says police deliberately concealed evidence that would have had Long walk free.

Investigators collected 43 fingerprints and a hair from the rape scene, but that information was never shared with jurors or Long's lawyers at the time.

The prints and the hair did not match Long's.

'Not only did they hide evidence, but then they took the stand while under oath and lied about the evidence, 'Lau stated.

Crime scene photos are pictured. Investigators collected 43 fingerprints and a hair from the rape scene. None of the evidence was match with Long

Long's current attorney, Jamie Lau (pictured), told 48 Hours that police lied to jurors about evidence they obtained at the crime scene

Detectives pointed to the fact that was busted with a black jacket in his vehicle - an item of clothing that Bost said her attacker was wearing.

However, Long's attorney, Jamie Lau, told 48 Hours: 'It was a ubiquitous piece of clothing for black males at the time, in part because the movie 'Shaft' had come out a few years prior.'

Long's family say they are holding out hope that the 15 jurors will exonerate him.

However, the damage has already been done.

Long's son, Carlos Spears, was just three years old when he dad was convicted. He is now 47.

'I want the world to know that Cabarrus County locked up an innocent man and they need to go ahead and give him justice,' Spears told 48 Hours.

The decision is pending.
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Linkedin Ganug Nugroho Adi (The Jakarta Post) Surakarta, Central Java  Fri, July 17, 2020 12:34 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40667114d8 1 Politics Gibran-Rakabuming-Raka,Jokowi,Surakarta-mayor,Surakarta-mayoral-election,PDI-P Free

The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has recommended President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and Teguh Prakosa, the secretary of the party's branch in Surakarta, to run as a pair in the upcoming mayoral race in the Central Java city.

Surakarta Mayor FX Hadi Rudyatmo, who confirmed news of the pairing, said Gibran and Teguh's nomination would be officially announced by the PDI-P through an online meeting Friday afternoon.

Rudy said he would attend the meeting together with executives from the Surakarta PDI-P office, including Teguh himself, as well as the President's son.

"As of now, we still don't know who will take the position of mayoral candidate and deputy mayor candidate [between Gibran and Teguh]," Rudy said.

The recommendation came following tensions in the one of the nationalist party's strongholds, which initially decided to nominate Achmad Purnomo, the current deputy mayor, and Teguh to the top of the ticket of the mayoral race. Their nomination seemed to have been backed by Rudy, who himself is the chairman of the PDI-P's Surakarta chapter.

Gibran, meanwhile, entered the race at the last minute, registering through the PDI-P's Central Java provincial chapter after learning that the partys Surakarta chapter had wrapped up its candidate selection process.

Rudy said the final decision on the candidates for the Surakarta mayoral election lied with the PDI-P central board and therefore the party members in the city would support whoever was picked by party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Read also: Surakarta mayor stands in way of Jokowi's son's coronation

"The central board must take their own considerations in issuing a recommendation, so we must support any candidate that is recommended," he added.

Teguh and Gibran separately confirmed that they had received on Thursday invitations from the central board in connection to their candidacies.

Gibran said he would depart for the PDI-P Central Java office in the provincial capital of Semarang to be present during the announcement of the nomination through a virtual meeting on Friday.

Contacted separately, Achmad said he was not surprised the central board would recommend Gibran and Teguh for the ticket, adding that he had predicted from the start that he would not be nominated in the race.

Achmad previously made public statements about dropping out of the race since April this year but Rudy subsequently insisted on rejecting his withdrawal on the grounds that members of PDI-P in the city wanted him to be on the ticket.

"I learned about [Gibran's nomination] from Pak Jokowi himself when I was summoned to the State Palace," Achmad said, "There's no problem."

He also asserted that he would not switch sides and choose other parties as his political vehicle to run in the race. "Im 71 years old, I just want to enjoy my retirement." (afr)
Syracuse, N.Y.  A Syracuse police officer, who activists say symbolizes why reform is needed, will soon face his third brutality lawsuit in as many years.

Lawyers for Mark Johnston, 64, of Syracuse, are preparing to file a federal lawsuit claiming Officer Vallon Smith punched and tackled Johnston during an argument over traffic during last years Mountain Goat road race.

Johnston, a retired doctor who spent 10 years as the medical administrator at the county jail, suffered two broken ribs, a head injury and cuts and bruises on his face and scalp, he said in an interview Thursday.

Police reports show that Smith did tackle and punch Johnston. But Smith claimed Johnston was the aggressor and other officers said he was blocking traffic, acting erratically, harassing a community service officer and disregarding officers orders.

Sgt. Matthew Malinowski, a police department spokesman, said the department conducted two separate investigations on the incident and found Smiths use of force was reasonable and necessary. He also noted the Citizen Review Board declined to hold a hearing on the event.

For Smith, a 16-year Syracuse Police Department veteran, its the latest in a string of complaints claiming hes needlessly escalated interactions that didnt call for violence. Police reform groups and city activists have been publicly calling for his resignation or removal for years. Those calls have intensified in the wake of massive city protests against police brutality.

Protesters singled out Smith in a series of demands to the mayor last month, saying they wanted him off the force. One activist started a petition in 2018 demanding Smith be removed from his role as a school resource officer. More than 1,000 people have signed.

Syracuse police Officer Vallon Smith, pictured during an arrest of Maurice Crawley in 2016.From video provided by Maurice Crawley

The most recent claim from Johnston stems from an arrest that turned violent last spring.

Johnstons daughter was running in the Mountain Goat on May 5, 2019. He hoped to watch her cross the finish line in downtown Syracuse. As he circled downtown looking for parking, he encountered a community service officer, Latisha Ferguson, directing traffic at Warren and Harrison streets.

He said hed rolled down his window to ask the traffic officer for help. He was frustrated, unable to find parking. He got out and argued with her, he said.

In a written police report, Ferguson said Johnston had stopped his car in the middle of the road, gotten out and challenged her. He then sat on his hood to tie his shoe. A valet driver at the Hotel Syracuse backed up Fergusons account in a sworn statement.

Ferguson directed Johnston to pull onto Warren Street and park. Johnston said she had been directing cars the wrong way down a one-way street and he was confused about what he was supposed to do.

With his car partially on the sidewalk, he got out again to talk with Ferguson, he said. He said an argument began over why she had directed him the wrong way down a one-way road. Ferguson wrote that he seemed angry so she radioed for help.

Officer Smith was a block away and he responded. In his report, Smith said Johnston was yelling at Ferguson and refused his commands to get out of the street when he arrived.

Smith and Johnston offer conflicting accounts of what happened next.

According to his police report, Smith told Johnston he was under arrest, after Johnston repeatedly refused orders to calm down and get out of the street. Smith said Johnston claimed to be disabled and that he had a right to be there.

Johnston turned to walk away, so Smith grabbed Johnstons arm, according to Smiths report. He said Johnston then grabbed him in a bear hug around his shoulders, at which point Smith took him to the ground and punched him in the face during a struggle.

Johnston, however, says he never touched Smith. He said Smith punched him then tackled him after a very short encounter. Johnston said he doesnt remember some details of the verbal exchange because he briefly lost consciousness after being hit in the head.

He was in no mood to do anything other than arrest me, Johnston said. He said, youre under arrest. I said, what?' Then he punched me. Then he bum-rushed me and knocked me to the ground.

The traffic officer, Ferguson, wrote that Smith made an effort to deescalate the situation. But she doesnt detail the tackle or the punches. She said she saw Smith trying to handcuff Johnston while Johnston was struggling. The hotel valet said he went back to work before Smith got involved and doesnt give a version of what happened.

Johnston could not provide witnesses or video of the incident. His lawyer said Smith was not wearing a body camera.

Four more officers quickly responded and helped Smith pin down Johnston, according to police reports.

One officer put his knee on Johnstons back while he laid face-down on the pavement, Johnston said. He said he later learned two of his ribs had been cracked. Another put his knee on Johnstons arm and shoulder. His Apple Watch was destroyed from being grinded into the pavement.

In reports, the officers said Johnston was struggling against them and making incoherent statements.

A cut on the top of Mark Johnston's head following a forceful arrest last year. Johnston claims officer Vallon Smith used excessive force when arresting him for disorderly conduct and menacing.

Sgt. Malinowski, the department spokesman, described Smiths actions as low-level compliance techniques needed to subdue an unruly Johnston.

The force that was used on Mr. Johnson did not involve the use of any chemical weapons, taser, or impact weapons, Malinowski said. Rather, it was low level physical compliance techniques appropriate for an actively resisting subject.

Officers charged Johnston with menacing, disorderly conduct, harassment and resisting arrest, all misdemeanors.

Johnston said it was the first time hed ever been arrested.

When he got to the justice center, the booking nurse said he needed to go to the hospital before he could be booked, according to a police report.

He was taken to Upstate University Hospital where he got a CT scan and a chest X-ray. Doctors treated the cuts on his face and head.

He spent the night in jail and was arraigned the following morning. He said the police lost his clothing at some point, so he was still in an orange jumpsuit when his wife picked him up Monday morning.

It was humiliating, he said.

Mark Johnston says he suffered cuts on his face and head, as well as two broken ribs after a forceful arrest last year. He plans to sue the Syracuse Police Department and Officer Vallon Smith.

Johnston had a public defender represent him in his defense. He avoided a fine or jail time on the condition that he keep out of trouble for six months, after which point the charges would be removed from his record  something called an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal.

Johnston later filed a complaint with the Citizen Review Board. The CRB did not hold a hearing in his case, according to Johnstons attorney and the police department.

Sgt. Malinowski said the department conducted an investigation through its chain of command and a separate investigation through internal affairs. Both found the use of force proportional, necessary, and reasonable under the circumstances.

Malinowski said the CRB determined Johnston presented a safety concern to the traffic officer and Mountain Goat attendees. He noted the CRB decided not to hold a hearing on the complaint.

CRB Administrator Ranette Releford said she could not comment on individual investigations. Malinowski could not provide a copy of the CRB decision.

Johnston hired Charles Bonner, of San Francisco, and Jesse Ryder, of Syracuse, to file a civil lawsuit against the department and Smith.

Currently, Bonner and Ryder have two pending cases against Officer Smith alone, in which theyve accused him of using excessive force.

In 2017, Smith broke the elbow of a 14-year-old boy, Jabari Boykins, while attempting to remove Boykins from Nottingham High School following a suspension.

The district attorney cleared Smith of wrongdoing in that case. But Superintendent Jaime Alicea had Smith removed from his role as a resource officer at Nottingham, prompting a backlash from the police union.

Smith also tackled and arrested an anti-violence activist, Maurice Crawley, in 2016. Crawley was filming Smith with a cell phone while Smith and another officer made an arrest during an apparent traffic stop. Crawley made several remarks about Smith from across the street.

Smith told Crawley if he said one more thing, he would be arrested. Crawley replied and claimed he hadnt heard Smith. Smith crossed the street, tackled Crawley and arrested him for obstructing government administration and resisting arrest.

The DAs office said Smith overreacted during the arrest and dropped those charges. But the DA then charged Crawley with harassment for repeated interactions with Smith. A judge found Crawley guilty and he was ordered to pay a $120 fine.

In both of those cases, Bonner and Ryder have filed federal lawsuits against Smith and the department.

Smith has been with the department since 2004. He was previously a member of the high-profile Crime Reduction Team, an aggressive unit tasked with removing guns and drugs from the streets. That team was disbanded by Chief Kenton Buckner.

Bonner and Ryder previously represented Alonzo Grant in a similar suit against the police department. Grant claimed officers brutalized him after hed called them for help settling a dispute with his daughter.

A jury sided with Grant and awarded him $1.5 million. The city is appealing that verdict.

Smith could not be reached for comment. Malinowski declined to make him available for an interview.
(HealthDay)It's the Holy Grail for containing the spread of coronavirus, but contact tracing only works if it is done quickly, researchers report.

The modeling study showed that even if all contacts are successfully traced, a delay of three days or more between the start of symptoms and testing will not reduce transmission of the virus sufficiently to control further spread.

The news couldn't come at a worse time, as surging coronavirus cases are swamping labs across the country and triggering delays in test results.

To be successful, contact tracing must keep the rate of transmission of the virus below 1, which means the average number of people who will be infected by a single infected person must be less than 1.

The researchers compared the effectiveness of conventional and app-based contact tracing strategies.

The best case scenariono delays and at least 80% of contacts tracedwould reduce the rate of transmission from 1.2 to around 0.8, and 80% of onward transmission by a diagnosed person could be prevented.

But for conventional contact tracing to be effective, test results need to be delivered within a day of a person developing symptoms, according to the new study, published July 16 in The Lancet Public Health journal.

In the United States, a 24-hour turnaround has become nearly impossible. As cases soar, labs across the nation are falling behind in processing and delivering test results, two of the country's biggest lab companies told CNBC. Even though more testing is available now, it is not enough.

"Despite that dramatic increase [in testing capacity], demand for testing is increasing even faster," Quest Diagnostics told CNBC. "As a result, our average turnaround time for reporting test results is slightly more than one day for our priority 1 patients [hospital patients and health care workers fall in this group]. However, our average turnaround time for all other populations is seven or more days."

LabCorp, another coronavirus test manufacturer, expressed the same concerns, saying that demand for testing is outpacing capacity. The company said it is processing more than 130,000 tests per day and plans to increase that to 150,000 per day by the end of the month, CNBC reported.

"Until recently, we have been able to deliver test results back to patients on average between one to two days from the date of specimen pickup," a LabCorp spokeswoman said in a statement. "But with significant increases in testing demand and constraints in the availability of supplies and equipment, the average time to deliver results may now be four to six days from specimen pickup."

One emergency room doctor noted that if test results continue to be delayed, things look bleak.

"This article points out that while social distancing and mask wearing are effective at decreasing the spread of this novel virus, contact tracing will be necessary to decrease it further," said Dr. Teresa Murray Amato, chair of emergency medicine at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, in Queens, N.Y. "However, unless the time from testing until results are complete in under 24 hours, contact tracing may be futile."

One thing that might help speed things up is mobile apps: They can accelerate contact tracing and keep the rate of transmission below 1, even if only 20% of the population uses them, according to the new study.

Improved access to testing, combined with apps that minimize tracing delays, will be crucial to the success of contact tracing, the researchers concluded.

"This study reinforces findings from other modeling studies, showing that contact tracing can be an effective intervention to prevent spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but only if the proportion of contacts traced is high and the process is fast," said study co-author Mirjam Kretzschmar, from University of Utrecht in the Netherlands.

"Our study builds on this to show, in detail, what role each step in the process plays in making this approach successful," she said in a journal news release. "This will help policymakers understand where best to prioritize resources to maximize the chances of success.

"For example, we found that mobile apps can speed up the process of tracking down people who are potentially infected, but if testing is delayed by three days or more even these technologies can't stop transmission of the virus," Kretzschmar noted.

Further research is needed to assess how effective apps are and how best to incorporate them into contact tracing, an accompanying editorial said.

"As contact tracing remains a crucial component of the COVID-19 response, mobile apps offer promise, especially when considering the speed and scale required for tracing to be effective," wrote Dr. Louise Ivers, from Harvard Medical School, and Daniel Weitzner, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"However, understanding the potential impact of apps as part of a comprehensive integrated approach requires more evaluation of their use in real life and multidisciplinary engagement of technologists, epidemiologists, public health experts and the public," they added.

Explore further Speed of testing is most critical factor in the success of contact tracing strategies to slow COVID-19 transmission

More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on Journal information: The Lancet Public Health The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on COVID-19

Copyright  2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Brands across the world are innovating and reinventing themselves to not only cater to the new normal but also figure out new revenue streams in the tough economic scenario created by the pandemic. Which is you're seeing a surge in the variety masks available; everyone from top designers to fast fashion brands want to capitalise on the demand.

Outdoor essentials and lifestyle brand Wildcraft, has pivoted it's business to life essentials. The brand has a two-decade history being "a born in India, by India and for India brand" establishing itself as a pioneer in the outdoor and tactical gear category.

It now changes its focus from the outdoors to a new category - protective gear including masks, shields and hazmat suits, with the aim to equip and enable consumers to stay safe and step out with confidence.

IANSlife caught up with Mr Gaurav Dublish and Mr Siddharth Sood, founders, Wildcraft India Pvt Ltd, to find out details.

Read Excerpts:

With the Covid-19 crisis the focus has shifted to sustainability, slow fashion and eco-consciousness. In this environment how does Wildcraft plan to limit its wastage and pollutants in manufacturing and packaging process?

Dublish: Wildcraft India has the philosophy 'Leave No Trace' embedded into its DNA and has followed on this path for the past 22 years. As the company subscribed to the view that nature should not be tampered with, it has always been a big believer of reusability and has encouraged its consumers to use their products for as long as they last - which can be a lifetime.

In the current context, we already are in the middle of a health and economic crisis and the next one will soon be an environmental crisis. Considering if all of us consume disposable masks every day and throw it out then this would become a huge burden on the environment, with red flags around garbage collection and increasing impact of the virus. In such a scenario a mask such as the one offered by our brand with 95 percent filtration levels is reusable for up to 30 days; this would facilitate in reducing environmental impact significantly.

Pivoting the business to making masks / PPE/ HYPASHIELD is a financial decision in order to capitalise on the current demand. Comment

Sood: Corona has brought forth a new normal. This new world has compelled people to relook at their ways, their beliefs, and attitude. Wildcraft India is a brand that uses its passion as a fuel to propel itself to embrace the uncertain. Our foray into the PPE category was not a business pivoting decision but rather an extension of our tactical gear category. The brand's core philosophy has always been driven by functionality and performance.

It is positioned not as a fashion brand but as a brand that offers functionality with style. Our portfolio already includes tents, sleeping bags, rainwear and rucksacks in the tactical gear category and with the on-set of the pandemic a versatile, functionally engineered, head-to-toe product line of personal protective gear was an ideal extension of the category.

There is a shift from glocal to local, do you think consumers should support high-street brands like yours which are Indian instead of the international brands?

Dublish: As part of our commitment to enable people to rekindle the explorer within, we are an Indian-born head to toe outfitter, that pursues Make in India truly in spirit, is equipping Atma-Nirbhar Bharat to set the tone for the world.

It took all of two weeks to shift your focus from engineered for outdoors to engineered for life. Is it business over the environment at Wildcraft?

Sood: As mentioned earlier it is a natural extension of our tactical gear category without shifting our core ethos.

Tell us more about your collaboration with Ministry of Textile, Ministry of Health

Dublish: With the advent of the virus into India, there was a huge surge in demand for respirators and hazmat suits, especially for medical professionals who stood at the frontlines, battling the pandemic day in and day out. It was at this time that we were approached by the Ministry of Textiles with an urgent requirement to assist medical professionals and provide them with the necessary gear as they combat Covid-19.

This motivated and encouraged us to take the baton and produce a product that comes with 95 percent particulate filtration efficiency at 0.3 microns and is reusable for up to 30 washes, differentiating the Wildcraft SUPERMASKTM different from any other reusable mask.

Lastly, there are winners and losers in every situation, your advice for those who manage businesses to get on the winning side of this crisis?

Sood: The pandemic has had a dramatic impact on all our lives and has compelled us to relook at our beliefs, our ways and attitudes. With a new normal in front of us, there are a lot of challenges and uncertainties that would come our way, however, Wildcraft has always believed in the philosophy of embracing the uncertain.

This is the time when one needs to step out with confidence and get ready to face this new world equipped and enabled to explore any uncertainty that might come their way. And that would be our advice to every entrepreneur out there, to not let these adversities bog them down and to embrace any challenge that might come their way.
Assa Traore has been fighting for justice ever since her brother Adama died in the custody of French police on his 24th birthday four years ago.

And she's determined to keep fighting until "the end," she says: until someone is convicted for his death.

But recently, her goal has grown larger.

She's now at the forefront of a new movement for Black rights, to wipe out systemic racism in policing and to challenge France's official vision of itself as a colorblind society.

"We became soldiers in spite of ourselves," Assa, whose family is of Malian origin, told The Associated Press this week.

The 35-year-old woman, who gave up her job as a special education teacher in a small Paris suburb to lead a movement demanding justice for her brother, has renewed purpose since George Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police.

"George Floyd is our brother here in France, too," Traore said in an interview ahead of a demonstration Saturday marking the anniversary of Adama's death  her speech determined, her energy palpable.

"When you see George Floyd's death, you imagine the death of my brother Adama Traore."

It is not the first time that France has reckoned with its colonial history and relationship with its Black and North African citizens.

Deaths involving police often lead to protests, most memorably in the form of nationwide unrest in 2005 sparked by the deaths of two boys who were electrocuted while hiding in an electric substation after fleeing police.

But now France is seeing a growing pushback against police violence, and against racism that many activists say is exacerbated by the country's official doctrine of colorblindness, which encourages immigrants to integrate and bans the government from collecting census data on race.

While four officers involved in Floyd's arrest have been charged  including one with murder who is behind bars  no one has been charged in Adama's death.

It wasn't filmed, and the cause of death is still the subject of fierce debate.

On July 19, 2016, police approached Adama and his brother for an identity check in the town of Beaumont-sur-Oise north of Paris, where the large family grew up.

Adama fled on a bike because he didn't have his ID.

Gendarmes caught up with him and arrested him, and within hours he was declared dead.

One gendarme initially said three officers jumped on Adama to pin him down, according to early police reports.

The gendarme later denied any of them pinned him down.

The exact cause of death is not even clear.

A dozen court-ordered medical reports found various cardiac diseases were responsible.

The Traore family countered those with an independent autopsy and medical reports pointing to asphyxiation instead.

The case is still under investigation, and lawyers for the officers deny police were at fault.

In her quest for justice for her brother, Assa has met with families of those who died at the hands of police, toured struggling French suburbs where most of the population is immigrant or non-white, and organized activists across racial, geographical and economic lines.

In June, as France was reopening from virus lockdown and videos of Floyd's killing circulated around the world, she rallied tens of thousands of protesters to call attention to French racial minorities' own problems with police.

"We have to change everything, this systemic racism, we need to break it," Traore said.

She called for banning dangerous techniques that police use to immobilize people that overwhelmingly kill Black, Arabs and non-whites.

She also thinks France needs to scrap the police oversight agencies, which are currently composed of police themselves, in favor of independent bodies.

In 2016, France's top official for defending citizens' rights reported that Black and Arab French people were 20 times more likely to be stopped by police than others were.

In 2020, Jacques Toubon published a study detailing systemic racism in the Paris police.

The government has pledged to root out racism in police forces but blames the problem on a few bad apples.

Traore has built bridges with other social movements  like the yellow vest one against economic injustice and the climate crisis movement.

This Saturday's march was organized with climate activists under the slogan: "We want to breathe."
British Airways has retired its fleet of Boeing 747s with immediate effect.

The airline was the worlds biggest operator of the 747-400 model.

It was planning to ground its fleet of 31 jumbo jets in 2024 but the end has been hastened by coronavirus.

The company said: It is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747 fleet with immediate effect.

It is unlikely our magnificent queen of the skies will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic.

While the aircraft will always have a special place in our heart, as we head into the future we will be operating more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as our new A350s and 787s, to help us achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

British Airways 747-400s have a capacity of 345 passengers and can reach a top speed of 614mph.

It used them for flights to destinations in China, the US, Canada and Africa.

Aviation consultant John Strickland told the PA news agency that the lack of demand for transatlantic travel has hastened the demise of the 747.

He said: The US market doesnt really exist at the moment. Thats where BA substantially deploys its 747 fleet.

Without the US peak summer programme operating and with winter being leaner, it was already looking like this fleet was going to be on the ground for quite some time.

The economics of this larger plane meant it was possible to offer lower fares to customers. It really expanded the ability of the general public worldwide to travel John Strickland, aviation consultant

Mr Strickland said industry forecasts indicate passenger demand may not return to pre-pandemic levels until between 2023 and 2025.

That was the timescale the 747s were going to be gone anyway, he added.

British Airways predecessor BOAC first used the jumbo jets in 1971.

The 747 was the worlds first wide-bodied jet.

More than 1,500 have been produced by Boeing, and it has historically been a commercial success for the manufacturer and the airlines.

But Bloomberg reported earlier this month that, after more than 50 years of service, Boeing plans to end production of the jumbo jets in around two years due to airlines turning to smaller planes that burn less fuel for long-haul flights.

Just 30 of the planes were in service as of Tuesday with a further 132 in storage, according to aviation data firm Cirium.

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The USs presidential aircraft fleet includes two identical jets which are modified versions of the 747.

The planes  known as Air Force One when the president is flying on them  are being replaced by two new aircraft, which will also be variants of the jumbo jet.

Mr Strickland said: The economics of this larger plane meant it was possible to offer lower fares to customers.

It really expanded the ability of the general public worldwide to travel.

UK airlines have struggled to cope with the collapse in demand caused by the coronavirus crisis, with British Airways, easyJet and Virgin Atlantic all announcing job cuts and reduced operations.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is among more than 100 MPs supporting a campaign by union Unite for British Airways to lose some of its lucrative slots at Heathrow due to the treatment of its workforce.

Unite has accused the company of planning a fire and rehire system which will involve remaining employees having their terms and conditions downgraded.

The airline has insisted its proposals have been put forward with a view to consultation, adding that no decisions have been taken with regard to actual redundancies.
(Fixes spelling of 'whether' in paragraph 2) By Valerie Volcovici July 16 (Reuters) - In southeast Utah, nerves are frayed over a pile of radioactive material parked 5,000 miles (8,000 km) away in Estonia. Regulators are weighing whether a local uranium company can import the material for processing at a mill near the border of a Native American reservation.

Utah officials have no deadline for making their decision on the license approval, and will do so after "thoroughly reviewing" the high volume of public comments, said Jared Mendenhall, spokesman for the state's Department of Environmental Quality. For Energy Fuels Inc , the shipment represents an economic lifeline, after the company posted an operating loss of $7.8 million for the first quarter. Its president in March described the U.S. uranium industry as being on the cusp of complete collapse.

But for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe living near the facility - the only operational uranium mill in the United States - the proposal has stoked fears that tribal land will become a dumping ground for global radioactive waste.

Both the White Mesa mill and the tribal reservation are in San Juan County, Utahs poorest. The tribe along with environmentalists argue that processing the radioactive byproduct would mark a dangerous extension of the mills operations. The mill, built in 1979, was only meant to process conventional uranium ores from the Colorado Plateau for up to 20 years, the tribe says. The Navajo Utah Commission and Navajo Nation have also that the companys application be rejected.

"The state of Utah must recognize and acknowledge the reality that the mill is far past its design life and no longer a conventional uranium mill, but, instead, a radioactive waste dump seeking to operate for decades, if not a millennium," the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe said in a document submitted to the state on Friday, the deadline for public comments. The 660 tons of powdered material in question, now sitting in 2,000 drums at a plant on the Estonian coast near the Russian border, would be Energy Fuels' first-ever radioactive import from outside North America. The powder is a byproduct from tantalum and niobium mining by Estonian company Silmet, which contains uranium. But it cannot stay within Estonia, where there is no licensed facility for reprocessing radioactive material.

Energy Fuels says there is enough uranium in that byproduct that it is worth processing. Opponents say Energy Fuels is simply taking in waste, which would be stored on site. "These feeds are important to the continued economic viability of the mill, particularly given the current state of the uranium market," Paul Goranson, chief operating officer of Energy Fuels, said in an email. He said business from the shipment would help the company keep its 70 workers employed.

WORLD'S DUMPING GROUND

Energy Fuels anticipates demand for domestic uranium could rise, after the Trump administration in April proposed a $1.5 billion federal uranium reserve that would purchase uranium from domestic producers. Such a reserve, however, would need Congressional approval  a major hurdle.

The reserve was one of the main proposals to come from a federal Nuclear Fuel Working Group aimed at reviving the U.S. uranium and nuclear industry. The United States currently imports over 90% of its uranium from abroad for its reactors. The company has also asked to expand its capacity from 5,000 to 10,000 cubic yards per site per year, so it can accept more alternate feed that is of significant value beyond the Estonian shipment.

In the meantime, the San Juan County commission has joined in resisting the license approval. In comments to regulators this month, it said it "respects" Energy Fuels as a local employer, but is concerned about the long-term impact of future imports of radioactive waste without new regulation or oversight  especially as residents are still dealing with the legacy of other unfinished mine cleanups and water contamination from existing operations.

"It's time the state of Utah treat areas near Native American communities ... with equal consideration as you would a metropolitan area, and deny the amendments and modifications to the permit proposal," said San Juan County Commission Chairman Kenneth Maryboy, a member of the Navajo Nation. "The residents of San Juan County deserve nothing less, and certainly do not need to continue to be the world's dumping ground for hazardous materials." (Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Katy Daigle and Marguerita Choy)




Ramsey Mgbeahuru Aka

The enduring and touching story of a Nigerian man, Ramsey Mgbeahuru Aka told during his final year clearance that his admission at Abia State University was invalid after spending 4 years to study Mass Communication has served as a source of hope for those passing through challenges in life.

After he was given the heartbreaking news that his admission was fake, he mustered up courage to repeat 4 years, making it 8 years of study when his mates have already graduated and looking for to serving the country.

Well, it seems like God was preparing to wipe away his tears as after four years in the university, he emerged the Best Graduating Student of his department (2017/2018) a second time.

He was made to pay school fees again, attend same lectures all again for another four years. This happened in 2014 and finally he graduated in 2018.

He has since served and is currently working with a reputable broadcast media organization at Abuja.

According to GistReel, Ramsey confirmed the truthfulness of the story after it was shared on a popular group on Facebook  Igbo Rant.

But funny enough, the school (Abia State University) never replied him till he graduated again in 2018.

Maximus Ann-Kio Briggs shared the story on Igbo Rant and it has gotten over a thousand likes and more than 600 comments.

This is Ramsey Aka.

After 4 years of studying Mass Communication in Abia State University, he was told during final year clearance that his admission was invalid  not authentic.

He could have sued the admissions unit or the entire school; he could have drank a small bottle of Sniper and ended it all; he could have taken out this disappointment in any negative direction.

But he said no

He asked to repeat all over again.

He paid the fees of each semester again, same tests, sat through lectures all over again, new project topic with same stress.

This time around, he graduated at the top of his class as the best in his department. Did his final clearance and now serving as a youth corper.

What if he had allowed the devil to convince him towards suicide?

Yes, it might take a longer route at times, but we shall surely get what we pursue fervently.

Nothing, absolutely nothing is beyond us.

May this message get to the soul it was intended for.
Juanid Shah, Ranbir Kapoor's doppelganger from Kashmir, passed away after a massive heart attack at his residence in Ellahi Bagh area of Srinagar on Friday morning. Junaid had grabbed eyeballs after photographs of him with a stark resemblance to Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor surfaced on social media a few years.

His resemblance to Ranbir had even surprised Rishi Kapoor.

"OMG. My own son has a double!!! Promise cannot make out. A good double," Rishi Kapoor had tweeted then after being surprised by his son's doppelganger.

OMG. My own son has a double!!! Promise cannot make out. A good double pic.twitter.com/iqF7uNyyIi Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) April 16, 2015

His resemblance to Ranbir Kapoor had helped him get some modelling assignments in Mumbai. According to reports, 28-year-old Junaid had recently returned to Valley to take care of his ailing father.

Several people took to social media to express shock over his sudden death.

"Our old neighbor Nissar Ahmed Shah's son Junaid passed away due to massive cardiac arrest overnight. People say he was a lookalike of Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor.I say he was a big hope, strength & salvation of his ailing father and his mother & that of whole Kashmir. Magfirah!" wrote senior Kashmiri journalist Yousuf Jameel.
YEREVAN, Armenia Armenia and Azerbaijan forces fought Tuesday with heavy artillery and drones, leaving at least 16 people killed on both sides, including an Azerbaijani general, in the worst outbreak of hostilities in years.

Skirmishes on the volatile border between the two South Caucasus nations began Sunday. Azerbaijan said it has lost 11 servicemen and one civilian in three days of fighting, and Armenia said four of its troops were killed Tuesday.

The two neighbors in the South Caucasus have been locked in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of Azerbaijan that has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war there ended in 1994. International efforts to settle the conflict have stalled.

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have frequently engaged in clashes. The current skirmishes appear to mark the most serious spike in hostilities since 2016 when scores were killed in four days of fighting.

The latest incident began Sunday when Armenian and Azerbaijani troops exchanged fire in the northern section of their border. Officials in both countries blamed each other for starting the fighting and said that sporadic shelling has continued.

Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said two senior officers, Maj. Gen. Polad Hashimov and Col. Ilgar Mirzayev, were killed in fighting Tuesday along with five other servicemen.

Armenian officials claimed that Azerbaijani drones launched an attack on the Tavush province town of Berd, targeting civilian infrastructure. Defense Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan said that one of Azerbaijani drones was downed.

Stepanyan also charged that the Azerbaijani military used civilians as shields, placing artillery close to the village of Dondar Gushchu in the Tovuz district about 10 kilometers (six miles) from the border.

The Azerbaijani side has surrounded its own population with artillery batteries, making them a target, and then complained that the Armenian forces fired in that direction, she said on Facebook where she posted images of the Azerbaijani artillery around the village.

The Azerbaijani military denied losing a drone and in turn claimed that its forces shot down an Armenian drone and destroyed an Armenian artillery system along with its crew.

As hostilities continued, Armenia also accused Azerbaijan of launching cyberattacks on Armenian government websites.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday accused Azerbaijan of provoking the clashes and warned that it would bear responsibility for the unpredictable consequences. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev denounced what he described as another provocation of Armenia and vowed to protect Azerbaijans national territory.

Turkey, which has close ethnic and cultural ties with Azerbaijan, has voiced strong support to Baku in the conflict.

The United States and Russia, which co-chair the Minsk group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that has tried to negotiate a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, have condemned the violence and called for restraint.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had separate calls with his counterparts in Armenia and Azerbaijan on Monday to call for an immediate ceasefire.

Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Tuesday that Moscow was deeply worried about the fighting and stands ready to play mediator.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed worry. His spokesman, Stphane Dujarric, said in a statement that the U.N. chief urges an immediate end to the fighting and calls on all involved to take immediate steps to deescalate the situation and refrain from provocative rhetoric.

___

This story was first published on July 14, 2020. It was updated on July 15, 2020 to correct the transliterated name of the province where Armenia accused Azerbaijans military of launching a drone attack. It is Tavush province, not Tuvush. It was updated again on July 17, 2020 to correct the first name of Azerbaijans president. He is Ilham Aliyev, not Ilhan Aliyev.

___

Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, contributed to this report.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size As student room-mates in a foreign country, you soon learn what pushes other peoples buttons. In Tamara Rosenbergs case, it seemed, not a lot. She did not sweat the small stuff  a valuable trait for coping with Israels intense vibe. Do you want to have this for dinner? Tamaras flatmate, Carolyn Rubinstein, would ask of her roomie. Yeah, sure, Tamara would reply. Which movie shall we go see? You choose. Carolyn, then 22, and Tamara, 20, had known each other for only three or four weeks before the morning of August 21, 1995  the day that would bond them forever. The pair shared a room at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem after Tamara, who had grown up in Paris, and Carolyn, from Sydney, travelled to Israel to study Hebrew and immerse themselves in a culture that was, and still is, a magnet for so many young Jewish people around the world. Tamara wanted to get her skills in the language up to speed ahead of her upcoming arts degree; Carolyn was on a scholarship to learn about Israeli life and Jewish history. Tamara was a very chilled personality; we used to joke that she seemed zoned out, says Carolyn, now a 47-year-old primary school teacher in Sydney and mother of daughters aged 20, 18 and 14. We meet in my lounge room on Sydneys north shore to give Carolyns middle daughter a calm space to study. Like a teacher you immediately trust, Carolyns manner is calm and measured as she takes out folders of press clippings and photos she has brought to help illustrate the events of that terrible August morning. Carolyn has been preparing for this interview after a year of correspondence following our meeting at a family dinner with my wifes cousins. (You should ask her about her story, they told me.) Our dorm was about 45 minutes away from the main campus of the Hebrew University, and the three of us [including their French-Swiss room-mate, Magali] would catch the same bus, number 26, each morning at about 7.30am, she recalls. We would always sit at the back together, the three of us. That morning, Magali said she had a sore throat and was going to the clinic. So the two of us are sitting up the back of the bus; its full of people, normal morning traffic, nothing out of the ordinary. Suddenly, Tamara says, Lets move to the front. I told her I couldnt be bothered. And she says again, slowly, with an unmistakable conviction, We are moving  now. I was so taken back by her reaction because she just never talked like that. I got up and followed her to the front. Life can change forever on such a decision. At 7.45am, five seconds after Carolyn and Tamara took their new places, their bus exploded when a Palestinian suicide bomber, sitting at the back, detonated a pipe bomb concealed in his clothing.

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The explosion sent a fireball high into the air, ripped apart the rear section and was so powerful it shattered another bus the womens vehicle was overtaking as it passed through Ramat Eshkol, a neighbourhood popular with young ultra-Orthodox families. Four passengers were killed at the time and more than 100 wounded in the vicinity, including passengers in the second bus. The explosion ripped apart the rear section of the bus the two women were travelling in and shattered another bus nearby. Credit: The militant Palestinian Islamist organisation Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, as it had for a spate of bombings in the years beforehand. (The device was made by its chief bombmaker, Yahya Ayyash, who had built similar devices that killed 59 people and left hundreds injured in various attacks in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in the mid-1990s. Israeli security services assassinated the 29-year-old in early 1996 by booby-trapping his mobile phone.) Amid the chaos, neither woman could comprehend what had happened. There was a huge jolt forward and the seat buckled, Carolyn remembers. There was screaming and smoke everywhere; as soon as it dissipated, I saw the driver lying on his steering wheel, and then he moved slightly. Thank god hes alive, I thought. Tamara was sitting diagonally opposite me and, once the smoke cleared, I could see her blood-smeared face with small metal and glass shrapnel sticking out of it. I was covered with blood from the shrapnel cuts at the back of my neck and scalp and my hair was singed. Thats when I realised there had been an explosion. There were limbs, there were body parts, there were pieces of people everywhere. It was horrific. At the time, Israel stood at a precarious crossroads between hope and dread. The Oslo Peace Accords of 1993 and 1995, between the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Israeli government, had opened a window of optimism about an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by offering the Palestinians limited self-governance in parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

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Although terrorist attacks by Hamas had not reached the catastrophic level of the early 2000s, the sporadic carnage of the previous few years had seeped into the national psyche. As the survivors recovered from their initial shock, they began rushing to get out: Israelis knew that bombers often deployed a second, delayed device to finish the job off. Tamara looked around to see Carolyn standing in front of the doors, which had buckled from the explosion. I pushed the doors open; I dont even remember if I pulled Tamara out, recalls Carolyn. Your adrenalin kicks in and this burst of energy just takes over. They saw the shells of the two buses, blackened and contorted, and the full gravity of the situation sunk in. There were limbs, there were body parts, there were pieces of people everywhere, says Carolyn. It was horrific. It was a while before they could take stock of their bodies. Apart from the shrapnel in her face, Tamara, who was wearing sandals, realised her left foot was slivered by shattered glass, which hampered her ability to run. Carolyn was covered in blood; she checked her arms and legs to make sure they were all intact. But neither was badly wounded, and given what had happened, they were both incredibly lucky. Loading Carolyns first instinct was to run, and she dragged Tamara with her. But after going about 100 metres, it dawned on her that other victims might need help. I looked back and said to Tamara, We have to go help people. So we started running back, but at that moment the soldiers arrived and cordoned off the area. The women sat down on the side of the road and watched as the ambulances ferried more seriously injured people to hospital. All around, people were screaming. When Carolyn and Tamara finally climbed into an ambulance, they shared it with another very badly hurt victim, who was lying on a stretcher. At the hospital they were allowed to make calls to family and friends; following that, the young women were treated. Carolyn had the shrapnel removed from the back of her head by a doctor; Tamara had it extracted from her face. Both were told they had pierced eardrums.

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Within a few hours, Carolyn was taken back to her dormitory by a friend. The president of the university visited, as did Tamara, and she was moved to the main campus, to save her from needing to catch the bus. Her new neighbouring students showered her with support, leaving offers of hot meals or invitations to family dinners outside her door. She also visited Tamara at a nearby kibbutz to which shed moved, and where her Israeli boyfriend lived. All of this reassured her about staying in Israel, until four days after the explosion, when she saw two young male psychologists, trained in dealing with victims of terror, and assigned by the university. At the end of an otherwise caring session, they told Carolyn, We are going to take you arm in arm, to get back onto a bus, as part of a get back up on the horse approach to trauma management. As the bus approached, I freaked out and started running down the road. I just could not get on the bus. The bus driver had already been made to drive the route again by his counsellors, the same day of the bombing, after he had been cleaned up in hospital. As the bus approached [the stop], I freaked out and started running down the road, Carolyn recalls. These two counsellors were running after me; I just could not get on the bus. She went back to her room, collapsed on the floor in a foetal position and started sobbing hysterically. I remember going to sleep one night a few days after that and waking up in a pool of sweat, with all these images in my head. I couldnt breathe. Her parents urged her to use the return ticket of the round-trip airfare she had booked. There was no one there [in Israel] for me, no close family, she recalls. Forty-eight hours later, Carolyn touched down in Sydney, without having said a proper goodbye to Tamara, but flooded with relief. Her boyfriend picked her up at the airport and asked her to marry him on the drive home to St Ives, where her parents had settled a decade earlier after emigrating from South Africa with their three children. My boyfriend claimed he didnt want to get married before 30, she says, but when he nearly lost me, he decided to propose. They married early the following year, and Carolyn embarked on her career as a teacher at a Jewish primary school in Sydneys eastern suburbs. It would be more than 20 years before she would see Tamara again.

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Tamara and I are sitting in a quiet cafe on Manhattans Lower West Side, a couple of blocks over from the Hudson River, nestled between SoHo and Chelsea. The sun splinters through the windows as we drink tea together. Tamara is easy, engaging company, disarmingly candid but also guarded. She has checked up on my professional background. She initially didnt want to talk to me, to again rake over the traumatic events of that day after all this time. Whats the moral? she asks, adding matter-of-factly, I cant see why anyone would be interested in what happened, all these years later. It was only after some gentle but persistent cajoling from Carolyn that Tamara agreed to meet me here in New York, where she has lived for 20 years, now with a partner and young son. Over this period, she has forged a successful career as a documentary filmmaker, a highlight of which was working as a producer on the miniseries OJ: Made in America, which won the 2016 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. I do not want my life defined by one event. It happened, I got over it and got on with my life, she explains. After several months of silence, Tamara now explains why she changed her mind. I felt that this exercise could help put these events in their proper place. I dont want to use the word closure because that makes it sound like [the memory] was very raw after all these years and thats not how it felt. But I felt like its worth doing, both for me and for her. The explosion killed four passengers and injured more than 100 people in the vicinity. Credit:Digital illustration by Tara Axford Tamara recounts that day with vivid clarity. I knew bombers would blow themselves up as far away as possible from the driver. I dont remember seeing this in the news, I dont remember discussing it. I kind of took it as fact. You become streetwise. I must have felt, in the back of my mind, that the back of the bus was more dangerous than the front. I just felt uncomfortable sitting there almost from the moment I sat down, but I didnt know why. I made us move and I remember Carolyn thinking that I was being silly, because five minutes later [Carolyn thought] we would arrive at our destination. When the bomb exploded, Tamara could not immediately grasp what had happened. I thought people were throwing stones at us because the window next to me was broken. It was an insane thought, because the noise was massive. All I really remember is that very strange silence of the aftermath. Everything goes silent and there is this ringing thing in your ears before everyone thinks, What the f... happened, and how do we get out of here? 

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Half a million coronavirus tests used by thousands of Britons were recalled after spot checks revealed they were not sterile, it was claimed today.

The Department of Health yesterday instructed care homes and the public to stop using the kits produced by Randox Laboratories.

It pulled more than 500,000 of the swab kits amid fears they could give Britons who fear they have the disease unreliable results.

Health bosses have refused to reveal how many Britons used them before they were recalled but the Northern Irish firm is one of the UK's main suppliers of tests.

Early in the crisis, Randox won a 133million contract to carry out at-home Covid-19 tests and ones administered at drive-through centres and care homes.

As part of the deal, swabs are posted to people's houses, care homes and testing facilities and sent back to Randox to be processed in its labs and give a diagnosis.

So tests made by the manufacturer likely account for a huge chunk of the 150,000 swabs being carried out every day in Britain.

Concerns about the safety of the tests were raised on Wednesday when it emerged a Chinese firm which supplies the swabs to Randox had not provided safety assurance documents. This prompted the UK to carry out physical inspections of the kits.

Coronavirus tests made by Randox Laboratories have been retracted over fears they are not safe, it emerged today

A health source told the Sun: 'Spot checks found that swabs in the kit were not sterile. It means samples taken from patients could be contaminated, affecting results.

'Although there is low risk to the public, half a million have been withdrawn as precautionary measure.'

Antibody test manufacturer that made kit back in March STILL hasn't had it approved by Public Health England A manufacturer of a high-performing Covid-19 antibody test has still not managed to get it approved by officials for use in England  despite submitting proof months ago that it works better than others on the market. Derby-based SureScreen Diagnostics first created its rapid antibody test, which tests blood to see whether someone has had Covid-19 already and gives results in just 10 minutes, since March. Despite repeated attempts to get the test, which looks like a pregnancy test, approved by Public Health England so it could be used in NHS hospitals, the company has still had no success. But while SureScreen has been waiting, giant pharmaceutical firms from Switzerland and the US have had their tests  which the company claims don't perform as well  approved by PHE and bought in the millions by the Department of Health. The rapid tests rely on finger-prick blood and are of a type ministers appeared to go cold on after the government wasted in the region of 20million on ones from China that turned out to be no good. None of the tests  including SureScreen's  have made it through PHE's approval process, with officials focusing instead on lab-based ELISA tests that use blood taken from veins. Meanwhile the Department of Health has spent millions of pounds on seven different types of lab tests, which most evaluations have shown to be less accurate than SureScreen's test. David Campbell, director of SureScreen, told MailOnline the company isn't after a major government contract but simply PHE's authorisation to sell its tests, which can be bought privately for 18, to hospitals. In comparison, tests by US company Abbott cost upwards of 45 each online. Advertisement

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons last night that care homes and testing centres which have stocked up on Randox tests have been told to discard them and they will be sent replacements.

Mr Hancock reiterated that retracting the tests was 'a precautionary step' and that there was 'no evidence' the swabs can cause harm.

He also claimed thousands of Britons who have already taken a Randox test should not worry because it does not affect their results.

The Health Secretary said: 'We've identified some swabs that are not up to the usual high standard that we expect, and we'll be carrying out further testing of this batch as a precautionary measure.

'And while we investigate further, we're requesting that the use of these Randox swab test kits are paused in all settings until further notice.

'Clinical advice is that there is no evidence of any harm, the test results are not affected.

'There is no evidence of issues with any of our other test swabs, and there is no impact on access to testing.'

A Randox spokesperson said: 'As an immediate precautionary measure we have temporarily suspended distribution of home sample collection kits using one particular batch / supplier of swabs.

'This is a temporary measure and does not apply to our private business which uses a different supplier of swabs. Test results from Randox kits are not affected.'

Randox won the second biggest contract for testing in the UK, behind only US-firm Hologic, which secured a 151 million deal.

Randox was awarded the contract by the Department of Health to help make testing kits that the government could use to ramp up its capacity to carry out 100,000 swabs each day back in April.

The Government was criticised for the Randox deal after it came to light that Tory MP Owen Paterson receives a six-figure salary from the firm to act as a consultant.

Randox's tests can produce results in a matter of hours and machines that analyse the swabs can process 54 samples at once.

The Telegraph reports that this is not the first time there have been problems with Randox tests during the UK's fight against Covid-19.

In May, a machine at the firm's lab in County Antrim stopped working and the UK was forced to send tens of thousands of samples to a lab in the US.

But nearly 30,000 of the swabs had to be discarded because they took to long to arrive.

Samples have to be tested within 72 hours of the test being taken, which means that any delay in their processing could leave people with symptoms unsure if they have the virus.
Audi Korea plans to launch more all-electric vehicles. Korea Times file



Audi Korea said it plans to launch more all-electric vehicles to fill 35 percent of its lineup with the emission-free models by 2030 amid rising demand for environment friendly cars.



Early this month, the German carmaker launched the e-tron 55 quattro sport utility vehicle, its first fully electric model, in South Korea following rollouts in Germany, the United States and China last year.



"The switch from combustion engines to electric vehicles is coming worldwide, not just in Korea. I believe that emission-free driving is a part of sustainability, like a focus of automotive companies," Audi Executive Director Jeff Mannering in charge of South Korean operations told reporters after a media test drive event held Monday.



In the coming months, a lot of companies will start to introduce more electric vehicles in global markets, and Audi will do so as well, he said.



Audi currently sells the e-tron Sportback SUV in the U.S. and unveiled the Q4 e-tron SUV concept this month with an aim to mass-produce the model next year. It also unveiled the prototype of the e-tron S high-performance SUV in February.



The company said it is considering introducing the new e-tron models in the Korean market to take advantage of growing local appetite for EVs and improvements in the charging infrastructure.



Mannering said the rapidly increasing number of charging stations will enable the carmaker to launch more pure electric cars here.



"One of the biggest challenges for EVs in every country in the world is how do I charge my EV," said Mannering. "Korea is probably world leader in public charging infrastructure and that's probably why now is the right time for us to introduce the car because you only have to drive 30 kilometers to the next charging station."



Audi Korea's aggressive EV push is in line with Audi AG's long-term business plan to increase its proportion of electrified vehicles, including plug-in hybrid models, to 33 percent by 2025. Audi AG aims to launch more than 20 kinds of electrified models globally by 2025 to sell over 800,000 units a year.



The current global situation reinforces the importance of sustainability economically, socially and environmentally. And emission-free drive systems have their part to play, Mannering said.



The e-tron 55 quattro SUV comes with a higher-capacity 95-kWh battery pack, and its two electric motors fitted to each axle on the front and rear can generate a combined 360 horsepower.



The company said it will deliver a three-year warranty for the e-tron, with the guarantee period for the battery reaching eight years.



It can travel up to 307 kilometers on a single charge and accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.6 seconds. The zero-emission SUV is available for 117 million won (US$98,000).



Audi Volkswagen Korea sells four brands  Audi, Volkswagen, Lamborghini and Bentley  in Asia's fourth-biggest economy.



Its overall sales from January to June more than quadrupled to 17,751 vehicles of the four brands from 4,442 units in the year-ago period, according to data from the Korean Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (KAIDA).



Sales of Audi badge vehicles jumped nearly fourfold to 10,071 units from 2,560 during the same period, KAIDA said.



Audi Volkswagen Group resumed sales in South Korea in early 2018 after suspending normal operations in 2016 following an emissions cheating scandal that hurt consumer confidence in the brand. (Yonhap)


Qatar Airways Cargo and Menzies Aviation team up. Image: Qatar Airways Cargo

The move is part of a joint approach to develop Qatar Airways Cargos global network handling partnership programme. Menzies will be enhancing its delivery and collection process for the forwarding and trucking community as part of the agreement. They also plan to invest in special product handling capabilities with a key focus on pharmaceutical and temperature-controlled commodities.

Qatar Airways Cargo will also benefit from a dedicated reception area and operations office as well as bespoke office accommodation and gym for all employees. Warehouse capacity for the handling of passenger and freighter cargo will exceed 7000 square meters, the largest dedicated warehouse capacity solution ever provided by Menzies at Heathrow.

Qatar Airways Cargo will move into Menzies cargo facilities from 1st September 2020.

Robert Fordree, Menzies Aviation Executive Vice President, Cargo, said: This award is the result of a close working relationship in a number of global locations which has enabled us to develop a deep understanding of the cargo carriers requirements. It shows our renewed focus on our global cargo business and a clear strategy to partner with global carriers at multiple locations is beginning to deliver results.

With Qatar Airways Cargo moving back to an on-airport facility at London Heathrow, we see longer term benefits in working closely with the airport to firstly, enhance the Shoreham Road cargo access point and ultimately, to move into their proposed new purpose built, on-airport, cargo infrastructure.
Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko have discussed Eurasian Union issues, BelTA reported.

According to Lukashenko, there are many issues in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) which are primarily because 'we have failed to fulfill the agreements reached earlier.'

There's no concealing the fact that there are a lot of problems in the EAEU. We have not fulfilled what we have agreed on. We still have many barriers. Business often complains about them and even suggests setting the borders between the states to make it be easier for them. We do no have borders, but the tension at the border is excessive. You feel it as well as I do. So there is something to work on. But I would very much like to see the meeting of the prime ministers [the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting in Minsk] give an impetus to the efforts to solve these problems, Lukashenko noted.

He noted that the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council was a certain step towards the deepening of relations in the Eurasian Union. The exchange of views was very serious. As far as I was told, you were very active during the meeting," he said.

According to him, Belarus and Armenia have similar issues in the Eurasian Economic Union, similar economies.

We rely on the real economic sector. We are not so rich in resources as our neighbors. Maybe Kyrgyzstan is also in the same situation, although it may have it better. We have no such resources of hydrocarbons. Even with lower prices Kazakhstan and Russia have better opportunities. We have no such opportunities, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

According to Armenian PM Pashinyan, "issues in the development of the Eurasian Economic Union can be solved if there is a political will of the leadership of the participating countries."

The PM expressed confidence that in the future the Eurasian Union member states will continue the process of convergence and removing obstacles at various levels.

I think if we manage to keep the political will at the current level, all issues will be resolved. We just need to work on it, Nikol Pashinyan noted.
Those who see China as 'systemic rival' have got it all wrong: China's UK ambassador

Global Times

Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/16 10:44:44

Those who see China as a "systemic rival" or a "potentially hostile state" have got it all wrong: they have chosen the wrong target and they are heading in the wrong direction, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming said on Wednesday.

Between China and Europe, there is no geopolitical discord or conflict in fundamental interests; there is more cooperation than rivalry, and more consensus than differences, Liu said at a webinar with UK think tanks on Wednesday.

China aspires for a peaceful and stable world. China's development creates opportunities rather than challenges, still less threats, to Europe, Liu said.

China does not copy the development model of other countries, and does not export its model to other countries, the ambassador said.

On Hong Kong affairs, Liu said some European politicians have made irresponsible remarks regarding the national security law for Hong Kong to interfere in Hong Kong affairs, which are the internal affairs of China.

I want to emphasize that Hong Kong is part of China; Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs and brook no external interference, he said.

Liu said China and Europe have the same questions before them, which are what kind of relationship they want post-pandemic, and what they should do to preserve the overall interests of China-Europe relations.

He proposed that China and Europe respect each other and reject interference in other countries' internal affairs, see each other as partners and abandon the "Cold War" mentality, seize the opportunities provided by each other's development, reject zero-sum games and learn from each other and promote the progress of different civilizations side-by-side.

Liu's remarks were made after the UK banned Huawei from its 5G network. Liu called the UK's decision "very disheartening" in a tweet on Wednesday and said Huawei has made important contributions to employment and growth in the UK since it came to the country nearly 20 years ago, and the way UK treats Huawei will be followed very closely by other Chinese businesses and influence their confidence.

Britain can only be Great Britain and exert a global influence when it has an independent foreign policy, otherwise it is just a junior partner of the US. The decisions regarding Huawei are not about security risk, but political pressure, Liu said in his tweet.

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Jeffrey Epsteins private jet has been listed for sale for $16.9 million in Florida, with new pictures showing its luxury interior, DailyMail.com can disclose.

Photographs of the late multi-millionaire pedophiles 2008 Gulfstream G550 were posted by aircraft sales firm Equus, showing the beige and cream leather seats, mahogany-finished surfaces and plush royal blue carpet.

Selling the jet could raise millions for Epstein's estate, which is currently being sued by several women for alleged sexual abuse both on his jets and his New York and Virgin Islands homes.

In one picture, the tail number of the plane which includes Epsteins initials, N212JE, can be seen embroidered on a towel.

Epstein has owned at least three private jets: a large Boeing 727, known infamously as the Lolita Express, a Gulfstream IV, and the G550 now listed for sale.

Jeffrey Epsteins private jet has been listed for sale in Florida, with new pictures showing its luxury interior, DailyMail.com can disclose

Photographs of the late multi-millionaire pedophiles 2008 Gulfstream G550 were posted by aircraft sales firm Equus, showing the beige and cream leather seats, mahogany-finished surfaces and plush royal blue carpet

Selling the jet could raise millions for Epstein's estate, which is currently being sued by several women for alleged sexual abuse both on his jets and his New York and Virgin Islands homes

In one picture, the tail number of the plane which includes Epsteins initials, N212JE, can be seen embroidered on a towel

Epstein has owned at least three private jets: a large Boeing 727, known infamously as the Lolita Express, a Gulfstream IV, and the G550 now listed for sale

Coral Springs, Florida-based Equus said the jet had flown 5,747 hours and made 1,348 landings, describing it as having a stunning 16 passenger interchangeable configuration and twin Rolls-Royce engines

Coral Springs, Florida-based Equus said the jet had flown 5,747 hours and made 1,348 landings, describing it as having a stunning 16 passenger interchangeable configuration and twin Rolls-Royce engines.

Apart from disclosing the asking price of $16.9 million, the broker for the aircraft declined to comment to DailyMail.com.

The G550 was refitted with a new interior in 2017 and was repainted elite blue with white and grey accents in 2018, the sale listing said.

Before he died the 66-year-old pleaded guilty after prosecutors charged him with abusing girls as young as 14 in a 'vast network of underage victims'. His jets have always been considered a venue for some of the abuse

The aircraft was first declared airworthy in March 2008. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records show it was registered to Epsteins company, JEGE LLC, in August 2013.

It was transferred to another of his companies, Plan D LLC, in January 2018.

Plan D was incorporated just before taking ownership of the plane, and is registered in Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.

The company, registered as an aircraft leasing firm, has declared two employees and annual sales of $58,806.

Plan Ds business phone number is that of New York attorney Darren Indyke, Epsteins former lawyer of 25 years and who the sex offender appointed as co-executor of his estate two days before his death, which a coroner ruled as suicide.

According to flight data collected by aviation database ADSBExchange, the Gulfstream jet flew 107 flights between January 2018 and June 2019.

Most of the flights were between airports near Epstein's homes in Palm Beach, Manhattan, Paris, and the US Virgin Islands.

But on one mysterious trip in November 2018, the G550 flew from Paris to Bratislava, Slovakia, and returned just five hours later.

Other quick turnarounds include a flight to from Paris to Vienna, Austria, on March 22, 2019 which flew back five hours later, and another trip from the French capital to Nice five days later which returned after just four hours.

On April 25, 2019, the jet made a nine-hour round from Paris to Rabat, Morocco, and returned 9 hours later. Passenger lists recording whether Epstein or others were on board the flights are not public

The aircraft was first declared airworthy in March 2008. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records show it was registered to Epsteins company, JEGE LLC, in August 2013

The G550 was refitted with a new interior in 2017 and was repainted elite blue with white and grey accents in 2018, the sale listing said

The company, registered as an aircraft leasing firm, has declared two employees and annual sales of $58,806

On April 25, 2019, the jet made a nine-hour round from Paris to Rabat, Morocco, and returned 9 hours later.

Passenger lists recording whether Epstein or others were on board the flights are not public.

DailyMail.com exclusively revealed pictures of Epsteins chief pilot, Larry Visoski, showing off his former ultra wealthy boss' expensive toys on his personal social media page.

Visoski ran Epstein's $80 million fleet of private jets and helicopters and has flown the hedge fund mogul around the world for 20 years.

Notably Visoski flew Epstein's larger 727 jet - the infamous Lolita Express - which carried prominent passengers, including President Bill Clinton, British royal Prince Andrew as well as Hollywood stars Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker and supermodel Naomi Campbell.

Visoski has not been accused of any role in Epsteins crimes.

The 727-31 aircraft, tag number N908JE, was repainted on the outside from its early silver and black color. In 2019 it was flying all white with thin stripes.

DailyMail.com exclusively revealed pictures of Epsteins chief pilot, Larry Visoski, showing off his former ultra wealthy boss' expensive toys on his personal social media page. Pictured: Visoski in the cockpit of Epstein's Gulfstream G550

Visoski ran Epstein's $80 million fleet of private jets and helicopters and has flown the hedge fund mogul around the world for 20 years. Pictured: Visoski showing off Epstein's Gulfstream G550

Before he died the 66-year-old pleaded guilty after prosecutors charged him with abusing girls as young as 14 in a 'vast network of underage victims'. His jets have always been considered a venue for some of the abuse.

The FBI has identified dozens of alleged young abuse victims over the years and one claimed she was abused in 'international airspace on Epstein's private planes'.

It's alleged Epstein used the 727 to shuttle underage girls between his residences in New York and Palm Beach.

Victims have since claimed Epstein had a large bed installed on the jet where guests had group sex with young girls, fulfilling their warped fantasies.

In 2015, victim Virginia Giuffre Roberts filed a lawsuit against the billionaire, claiming he recruited her as a 'sex slave' at the age of 15, sexually abusing her for years on his private jet as well as his various homes in New York, New Mexico, Florida, and the US Virgin Islands.

A 2019 report claimed court filings showed that Epstein sold the Lolita Express weeks before his arrest on July 6 that year.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 02:37:41|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Salem Ben Mohamed Al-Malik, director general of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and Mao Jun, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Morocco, have explored ways to promote cooperation between ICESCO and China.

They held a meeting on Thursday at the headquarters of the Islamic organization in Morocco's capital Rabat, according to a press communique of ICESCO released on Friday.

During the meeting, Al-Malik said ICESCO developed a new charter which allows ICESCO's observer states to take part in conferences, activities and programs and to establish partnership with ICESCO, calling on China to join the organization as an observer.

The meeting also touched on ICESCO Prize for Fighting against the Coronavirus with a reward worth 200,000 U.S. dollars to anyone who discovers an efficient treatment or preventive vaccine for the virus.

For his part, Mao welcomed the development of cooperation between ICESCO and China, calling for effective communication to enhance their relationship in the fields of culture, science and education. Enditem
In Sachin Pilots plea against disqualification notice, answers on 10th Schedule sought

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 17: Sachin Pilot, who was sacked as deputy chief minister of Rajasthan has said in his petition that dissatisfaction against the party's leadership cannot be a ground to make an MLA amenable for disqualification.

He also speaks of freedom of speech and expression in his amended petition before the Rajasthan High Court. The hearing will place later today and the Speaker too has assured the High Court that the proceedings against Pilot and others shall remain in abeyance until 5 pm today.

Disqualification notice to Sachin Pilot, 18 MLAs brings issue of Speaker's power to fore

Mere expression of dissatisfaction or even disillusionment against the party leadership cannot be treated to be conduct falling within clause 2(1) (a) of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India. The petition also challenges the validity of the clause under the 10th Schedule, while stating that this provision can be so widely construed that the very same fundamental freedom of speech and expression of a member of the House is jeopardised.

Rajnath Singh speech at Ladakh: Not an inch of our land can be taken | Oneindia News

While dealing with this in the past, several Supreme Court judgments have held that indulging in any anti party activity tantamount to voluntarily giving up membership of the party.

The basis of the disqualification notices by the Speaker was expressions of dissent by some MLAs. It is necessary that the High Court examines the validity of the same under the 10th Schedule. Further Pilot has also sought for declaring 1(1) (a) of the 10th Schedule as ultra vires since it impinges upon the fundamental right of free speech.
As the International Monetary Fund recently underlined in sharply revising down global growth prospects, recovering from the biggest peacetime shock to the global economy since the Great Depression will be a long haul.

There is a global imperative to put in place the strongest, most durable economic recovery. This is not a time for governments to retreat. Recovery will require massive and sustained support.

Beijing is approving plans for new coal-fired power plants at the fastest rate since 2015. Credit:Getty

At the same time, spending decisions by governments now will shape our economic future for decades to come. In other words, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity and cant blow it.

But its looking like we might. This is because too few stimulus packages globally are reaping the double-dividend of both investing in growth and jobs, and in the transition to low emissions, more climate-resilient economies. And in Australia, this means we risk lagging even further behind the rest of the world as a result.
The pandemic has impacted everyone and now more than ever, people need to step up and provide for those in need. The only way that the world is going to make it out of this situation is if everyone comes together to support one another. That is where donation fundraising is critical. It is important for everyone to understand what donations are needed, where they are supposed to go, and the impact they might have on the success of society as a whole. That is where heading to a donation website can be helpful.

One of the most important donations that people can make during this time comes in the form of PPE. For those who might not know, PPE stands for personal protective equipment. This is equipment that is used to protect healthcare workers from the virus, allowing them to protect not only themselves but other patients. Some of the most common examples of PPE include masks, gloves, and gowns. The reality is that there is a severe shortage of these items right now because of the pace at which we are going through them. Therefore, anyone who is able to provide supplies that can be used by frontline workers must consider donating to those in need.

Some of the most common donation items that are needed but overlooked include food and water. Right now, there are parts of the United States as well as the rest of the world that are lacking food and water. This is because many of the facilities that produce these goods have been forced to shut down as the virus has spread. This means that not only are people getting sick but some are even starving in the streets. Right now, people need to donate food and water to those in need.

Finally, another donation that is sorely needed is money. There are parts of the world that simply need more funding to help their citizens. Without money, they might not have the funds to purchase ventilators that are needed to help those in the ICU. For this reason, anyone who can spare even a few dollars right now should take the opportunity to donate to those in need. Even a small amount of money might be enough to save the life of someone in need.

These are only a few examples of the donations that are needed right now. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage all around us and the guidelines do not show any sign of relaxing any time soon. As a result, people need to stick together and help one another. If we care about other people, follow the guidelines, and donate supplies that are sorely needed, then we have a great chance of coming out of this on the other side with our society intact.
Stakeholders in South Africa's alcohol industry are requesting the research data that informed the recent reinstatement of the ban on sales and distribution of alcohol during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Image credit: Valeria Boltneva via Pexels

Designing sustainable, targeted interventions

Based on the South African Medical Research Council's (SAMRC) recommendations, the Government came to the sudden decision to stop all business operations across the alcohol industry. Sibani Mngadi, spokesperson for the South African alcohol industry, said the decision undermines the overall supply chain logistics and puts at risk almost a million jobs supported by the industry.In a statement on behalf of the industry  including manufacturers, the National Liquor Traders Council, South African Liquor Brandowners Association (SALBA), the Beer Association of South Africa (BASA), Vinpro and the Liquor Traders Association of South Africa (LTASA)  Mngadi said that Professor Charles Parry, head of the SAMRC's Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drug Research Unit made several claims about the benefit of the new ban in preserving a certain number of hospital beds as well as providing financial savings to the public health sector.The alcohol industry has written to the Medical Research Council (MRC) requesting the data used to decide to prohibit the formal sale and distribution of alcohol with immediate effect, as of midnight on Sunday, 12 July. Mngadi said that access to the data will enable the industry and any other interested parties to understand better how these indicated conclusions and assumptions were arrived at."We agree with SAMRC President Dr Glenda Gray that there should be a national alcohol policy and an endeavour to promote responsible drinking," the statement said.Mngadi continued, "We have offered to help set up a national multi-stakeholder forum with Government and civil society focusing on identifying and prioritising problem areas  based on research and credible current data  and jointly designing interventions targeting these key areas with enhanced current programmes and new measurable and evidence-based initiatives."More importantly, the suggested SAMRC data may assist us in designing and implementing the sustainable, targeted interventions to reduce alcohol harm that we are currently working on."
Logo of Anglo American is seen on a jacket of an employee at the Los Bronces copper mine, in the outskirts of Santiago

By Zandi Shabalala

LONDON (Reuters) - Global miner Anglo American is ramping up metals and diamond production to hit full-year targets it set in spring, it said on Thursday, as it reported a sharp slump in second quarter output caused by the coronavirus.

The firm said the targets were dependent on the course taken by the pandemic, which is spreading fast in South Africa where it make around half of its profits, while a drought in Chile affecting its largest copper mine shows little sign of ending.

In the three months to June, overall production fell 18%, with diamonds, platinum, palladium, iron ore, coal and manganese all falling, while copper and nickel rose.

Anglo said it was ramping up production and operating at about 90% total capacity by the end of June from around 60% in April, and maintained its 2020 outlook for all products apart from coal.

It had cut capital expenditure and trimmed many of its full year output targets in April.

Anglo said government lockdowns in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa hit second quarter output of diamonds, platinum group metals, iron ore and coal.

Activity has since picked up in South Africa, where the government exempted mines during the quarter from curbs implemented to contain an outbreak that crossed the threshold of 300,000 cases on Wednesday.

In addition to coronavirus-related shutdowns, Anglo American Platinum was hurt by repairs and ramp-up of a converter plant.

Second quarter copper output rose 5% to 167,000 tonnes year on year, driven by a 38% rise at the Collahuasi mine in Chile.

But output at Anglo's largest mine in Chile, Los Bronces, fell 12% and continues to be impacted by severe drought.

A gas explosion at the Grosvenor metallurgical coal mine in Australia hit coal output, Anglo said. Australia launched an inquiry into the blast, which injured five workers.

"With expectations relatively low heading into the quarter, this result will likely be taken relatively positively," said RBC Capital Markets analyst Tyler Broda.

Anglo's shares were down 1% at 1130 GMT, compared to a 0.3% fall of an index of its mining peers

(Reporting by Zandi Shabalala; Editing by Edmund Blair and John Stonestreet)
Can't get this tune out of my head...

I refer to "A Fine Romance." Maybe it's because I'm a professional vocalist? Maybe it's because I'm a proud Jew and have the privilege of writing this column for Jewish readers? I love to acknowledge talented Jewish composers and lyricists who wrote fabulous songs that are now considered part of the Great American Songbook. Recently I watched on TV, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as they performed "A Fine Romance." (Not Rap Crap!) I love that song ("A fine romance with no kisses, a fine romance my friend this is.")

You guessed it! The song was composed...
New York: The killer, dressed entirely in black and wearing a black mask, followed the young technology entrepreneur from the elevator of his luxury Manhattan building into his apartment.

Then he used an electrical stun gun to immobilise the entrepreneur, Fahim Saleh, detectives believe.

Fahim Saleh, who founded Gokada, was found decapitated and dismembered in a luxury New York apartment. Credit:Instagram/@fahims

Some time after, the assailant killed Saleh, decapitated him and dismembered his body with an electric saw.

The 33-year-old's body parts were found on Tuesday in plastic garbage bags in his apartment on Manhattan's Lower East Side.
Many survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attack still battle health complications to this day. Unfortunately, their health condition makes them particularly vulnerable to the current coronavirus pandemic.

Because of this, 9/11 survivors must take extra precautions to avoid contracting COVID-19. Their bodies are simply not equipped to handle the vicious virus due to the damage dealt by toxins released during 9/11.

The severe medical consequences of coronavirus now make life increasingly difficult for 9/11 survivors. If you are a 9/11 survivor or know somebody who is, you should understand why coronavirus poses such a large risk so you can respect the need to take the proper precautions.

To help you stay safe, we'll outline why 9/11 survivors are currently at great risk.

Existing Health Problems

The first issue is that most 9/11 survivors deal with existing health problems.

This primarily includes aerodigestive conditions like asthma, rhinosinusitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It also includes several different types of cancer and mental health struggles.

Concerning COVID-19, the aerodigestive conditions are of the greatest importance. Coronavirus is a respiratory virus, which affects the same body systems that many aerodigestive conditions impact.

With this in mind, 9/11 survivors with any form of respiratory illness are at the greatest risk. Their respiratory tract will be in no state to defend off malicious compounds entering the body.

This means that having an existing 9/11 related illness makes a survivor more likely to contract and succumb to COVID-19.

Compromised Immune Systems

9/11 survivors also have compromised immune systems due to their inhalation of toxic fumes.

This means that their immune system is unable to effectively fight off disease. This can be a result of low white blood cell count, lack of antibodies, or a poorly functioning system.

The carcinogens inhaled during 9/11 did serious damage to the immune systems of survivors. This is important because the immune system plays a large role in how likely you are to get sick or contract a virus.

With a weak immune system, your body offers no defense. Any contact with the virus will almost ensure that you are infected. On the other hand, a strong immune system will provide protection and you may not always be infected from exposure.

9/11 victims do not have this luxury and any exposure to COVID-19 will mean infection.

Unclear Symptoms

Another complication is that the symptoms of COVID-19 aren't obvious.

This creates issues in two distinct ways.

First, it means that those that have coronavirus may not always know about it. This is one of the largest issues with the current pandemic because it is causing the virus to rapidly spread.

For 9/11 survivors, this means that they have no idea who may be sick. As a result, there's a risk every time they leave their house.

The other problem with unclear symptoms is that it can cause a 9/11 victim to confuse the symptoms of coronavirus for the symptoms of a 9/11 related illness.

Because of this, they may not realize they have COVID-19. This is extremely challenging because 9/11 victims have a better chance of surviving the novel coronavirus the earlier it is detected.

Putting this together, the obscurity of coronavirus infections puts 9/11 survivors at greater risk.

Loosened Restrictions

Making matters worse, many states have loosened restrictions and this has caused a major surge in new coronavirus cases.

It should be noted that loosened restrictions speak to the greater picture. Many Americans fail to respect the severity of coronavirus and don't take pandemic safety guidelines seriously.

Good examples of this include gathering, refusing to wear a mask and failing to social distance. These safety guidelines are effective at reducing the spread of COVID-19, but only when they are properly practiced.

Loosened restrictions make this behavior more prevalent. This gives the impression that COVID-19 is not as dangerous as it seems and that it's okay to do what you'd like.

The most obvious sign that this is inaccurate is the increase in COVID-19 cases in the US after restrictions were lifted. This directly affects 9/11 victims because it means that the general public is not taking appropriate measures to ensure their safety.

The prime example of this is wearing a mask. Masks are primarily meant to prevent you from infecting others, although they do help protect you as well. When other people do not wear their masks, it puts 9/11 victims at great risk because they may be unknowingly sick.

From here, it's easy to see that the way society approaches coronavirus is endangering the victims of 9/11.

Fear of Treatment

A final challenge for 9/11 survivors amidst the current pandemic is their fear of seeking treatment.

Most 9/11 survivors are intelligent and have a good understanding of the healthcare system. Before coronavirus, it was already fairly difficult to seek treatment for 9/11 related illnesses.

Now, it is near impossible. The focus for medical professionals is on treating coronavirus patients. Monitoring for potential 9-11 related illnesses has ceased and ongoing treatment is highly strained.

Furthermore, most 9-11 victims realize they are vulnerable to the virus. Considering that hospitals are guaranteed to be a source of COVID-19 because of the patients treated there, this poses a great risk to a 9-11 victim just by being in the vicinity.

With this in mind, 9-11 victims are fearful of seeking treatment right now. Whether it's for 9-11 related illnesses or coronavirus, their vulnerability causes them to avoid medical treatment that could save their life.

This is yet another unfortunate burden placed on 9/11 victims as a result of COVID-19.

Closing Thoughts

Of all people at risk of contracting coronavirus, 9-11 survivors face some of the highest risks. The catastrophe of 9/11 caused irreversible damage that is making the survivors more likely to get COVID-19 and be seriously affected by it.

A few reasons why 9-11 victims are at high risk include their existing medical conditions and compromised immune systems, the symptoms of coronavirus aren't obvious, many states have loosened pandemic restrictions, and many 9-11 survivors fear seeking treatment right now.

The current pandemic is terrifying, but it may feel eerily similar to 9/11 survivors. They face yet another health crisis that must be properly addressed to ensure their survival.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-18 01:00:40|Editor: huaxia

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People visit the booth of China's telecoms company Huawei during the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World 2019 held in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 10, 2019. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China has urged the United States to stop suppressing specific Chinese enterprises unreasonably, stop abusing the concept of national security, and stop smearing China maliciously, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.

Hua's remarks came as the U.S. government is reportedly set to implement regulations on Aug. 13 that will prohibit its agencies from purchasing equipment and services from any company that uses products made by Huawei and four other Chinese firms.

Huawei's biggest fault in the eyes of the United States is that it's a Chinese company which is more advanced in the 5G field, Hua told a press briefing.

"It seems that the United States cannot tolerate other countries having something better, so it abuses its state power to suppress Chinese enterprises, such as Huawei, under flimsy excuses," Hua said, stressing that it is an act of economic bullying and blatant denial of market economy principles that the United States has always boasted it upheld.

"All countries in the world are clearly aware of this," she said, urging the U.S. side to provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese enterprises to conduct business. 
Truecaller today has grown to 230 million monthly active users globally, out of which 170 million are from India. The brand is quite popular and people have by and large understood the application and its usage. With the Indian Government banning 59 Chinese apps, an opportunity has opened up for other players to engage with their audience.

Truecaller, in a bid to leverage the current situation, has been upping their game to help brands reach their audience through their platform. It is a win-win as brands are also looking for the most cost effective medium to engage with their audiences on a continuous basis. While helping brands reach their audiences is the key objective, at the same time Truecaller also wants to build trust by making the communication safe and efficient.

In conversation with Adgully, Tejinder Gill, VP, Global Ad Sales, Truecaller, speaks at length about the companys growth in India, how it has been delivering ROI for brands, focus on three core pillars  Community, Communication and being Contextually, the road ahead and much more.

What is Truecallers long term strategy in India?

India is the heart of Truecaller. We are a globally 230 million strong community, with 170 million active users in India. We are of Swedish origin, but we are India-focussed. In fact, we are India-first and scaled to other geographies later. In India, we identified and blocked 8.5 billion spam SMS and blocked 29.7 billion spam calls in 2019 alone. From a long term perspective, India will continue to remain the largest market for us to roll out new products, features and services. We will focus on three core pillars  Community, Communication and being Contextually relevant to all our consumers and businesses.

While the downloads are increasing, how many users really use this mobile technology effectively? Are these downloads coming from smaller towns?

Truecaller strives to be the central app of communication that is safe and efficient. The reason we have 120 million daily active users and 170 million monthly active users in India is because these users are using Truecaller for much more than just Caller ID. They are using SMS, Chat, Group Chat, Payments, VoIP calls, Flash Messaging, phone book backup and restoring or even applying for instant digital personal loans. Our DAUs open the app several times a day. Reach is pan-India  anyone who has a smartphone and data. Thanks to democratisation of data costs, this means India onboards hundreds and thousands of new smartphone users every day and we are amongst the top 3 apps which get downloaded on a new phone from the Play Store. 60 per cent of our users are from Tier 2 & 3 towns, because calling is still the primary usage of a phone and Truecaller is the breath of Bharat.

How do you plan to address the safety and security aspect of the platform as there is still a fear when some external party is monitoring your calls?

There are two aspects to this  first is safety and privacy of user data. As a Swedish company, we have a strong lineage here because of GDPR compliance. Even in India, we were amongst the first companies to localise all data, far ahead of data localisation requirements. All our data for Indian users is stored on servers in India using the highest levels of security.

As for the second aspect  monitoring of calls  we are not a telecom service provider, so we do not control the security or encryption of the call itself. What we can ensure is that our user data remains secure.

With as many as 59 Chinese apps banned by the India Government, suddenly there is a huge window opened up for advertising opportunities. How is Truecaller leveraging this opportunity and what is your strategy to attract more brands to use your platform?

As a company, we always focus on our strengths and the unique value proposition which we bring to the advertisers. Brands love to leverage the unbelievable reach of Truecaller in a single day, while also being able to contextually target audiences. Our association with advertisers exists since the last 4 years and these brands continue to find strong value in our platform which delivers amazing efficiencies and results across the marketing funnel.

In Truecaller, there seems to be a very limited and a small time span available to look at the advertisement. How are you planning to ensure that it catches the eyes of the person making or receiving the calls?

When it comes to advertising, weve always thought about the interests of both the user and the advertiser. A quick example: we dont carry any political, suggestive or objectionable advertisements  we never have, since day 1. At the same time, we dont have intrusive advertising either, which means ads on Truecaller will not take over your entire screen, auto-play or be unskippable. So, the advertising is discreet and it wont come in the way of a user trying to use Truecaller. We help brands to capture scalable micro-moments with consumers at the right time, multiple times a day, with the right message.

With Truecaller reaching a sizable audience, can the messaging be targeted based on various demographics? How, when and at what frequency can an advertisement be served?

We were the first in-app mobile platform which went 100 per cent programmatic, offering our advertisers a brand-safe environment and transparency. We launched a new model early this year, where brands can choose the targeting, reach and frequency as per their budgets. This has been a great hit for us since day 1. We are almost getting booked for August 2020 now, because brands are realising that we can deliver a cost per reach for less than 10 paise. We can help brands deliver contextual messaging as per the persona  targeting a user in a Tier 2 city, for instance.

What are the various options available for advertisers to promote their brands? Is it purely static or do advertisers have other options available to make it more engaging for the end consumer?

Our full-funnel marketing solutions help advertisers to target 120 million users every single day, and that too multiple times, to build a top-of-mind recall. The highly impactful After Call Screen impact property has a new flavour, where you can deliver a micro-moment/ story using a 6-second video ad. On the After Call Screen, we feature only one brand, giving the exclusivity to the advertisers and simultaneously delivering a great consumer experience. Due to this, our CTRs are multiplying YoY. Do note that in the interests of consumers, even these video ads are fairly small. They dont take over the entire screen. And while they do auto play, they play without any sound in a small banner window.

Could you elaborate on your pricing strategy and the overall reach that your platform is offering?

As I said earlier, our platform can help a brand reach a 120 million premium audience in a single day. You can choose to target users through a 24-hour impact or choose a reach-frequency model in an efficient way. We are currently delivering reach for less than 10 paise. There are not many places you can head to for that kind of reach, that fast, and at that low a cost.

These days, many users install ad-blockers to block advertisements on their phones. Will this prove to be a hindrance as people get irritated with advertisements?

Ad-blockers typically apply to mobile browsers. While we understand the motivation behind this move by users, there needs to be a balance. Truecaller provides a very valuable service to millions of users in India and all core features are completely free and unlimited  they always will be! In return, we sell advertising and it forms the primary revenue stream for us. Roughly 70 per cent of our revenues come from advertising. The remainder comes from Premium & Gold subscriptions (we had 1 million paying customers as of October 2019  that number is likely up by 50 per cent now). For the bulk of our loyal users who use the app for free, we deliver unobtrusive but relevant advertising. Unlike some other free apps you may have seen, we wont have ads that take over the entire screen or ads that the user cant skip/close. Finally, you should also know that Truecaller has never carried suggestive, provocative or political advertising since day 1.

How do you promote your offerings to advertisers? Are you planning any campaign to create awareness and push for brands to leverage the Truecaller platform?

We have multiple channels through which you can advertise on Truecaller. Firstly, we have a direct sales team across India which can help you solve business problems and provide relevant brand solutions. From Day 1, our strength has been to deliver scalable reach and depth at the most efficient cost. This has been our mantra to success. We also get a lot of users through word of mouth. Some of our larger advertisers continue to be our partners and believe in the platform while we are also getting a lot of traction from newer verticals like Gaming, OTT and Edu Tech. Secondly, you can also run an online marketing campaign using our self-serve platform.

Today, everything is about RoI and being performance-driven. Are you implementing any processes or tools to evaluate performance? How can clients monitor the campaign running on your platform?

Advertising has existed for several decades and the core of marketing remains the same. Brands that have not invested in themselves are seeing the biggest hit in tough times. The brands that have been with us for the last four years and have invested in the Top of the funnel are also seeing great results down the funnel through quality of clicks, better engagement and Click-to-visit ratios.
A White House advisor says he expects TikTok to operate as an independent company in the US to skirt the proposed ban.

TikTok could separate itself from Chinese company ByteDance to operate as an independent American firm to avoid being banned by the US government.

TikTok has 40 million users in the US and after recently being banned in another large market, India, after border clashes between troops of Delhi and Beijing, the short-video sharing social media company has a hard choice to make.

White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said severing the umbilical cord with its parent company would be the better option for TikTok than a ban on the app threatened by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Reuters reported.

We havent made final decisions but...I think TikTok is going to pull out of the holding company which is China-run and operate as an independent American company, Kudlow was quoted as saying by Reuters.

It is unclear how this change would be made, how the ownership would change and whether US companies had proposed to buy out the US operations of the app.

Security concerns are the reason ascribed to the ban by India and the proposed ban in the US, as Chinese companies have been accused of sharing user data with the Chinese Communist Party which runs the government in Beijing. By Chinese law, any digital company that has its server in China are to allow scrutiny of its contents by authorities there. This makes the data of users in other countries accessible to China, which constitutes a national security risk, the US argues.

The US has been relentlessly pressing its allies to beware of Chinese telecommunications and technology companies and recently got Britain to ban Huawei from all its networks. The US had already restricted Huawei from major American telecom networks and is even set to impose sanctions on Huawei staff.

In this context, and with the United States pointing towards human rights abuses by the Chinese government allegedly using technology and social media companies to spy on dissidents, TikTok had pulled out of Hong Kong recently after China introduced its national security law on the island to tighten its hold on the former British colony. The move was made to distance TikTok from the Chinese administration.

Similarly, a breaking of ties with ByteDance would be a strategic move to continue TikToks business in the US. However, TikTok has not confirmed any such move yet. When asked about Kudlows remarks, a TikTok spokesman was quoted as saying by Reuters that the company would not engage with speculation in the market, and referred to a statement last week noting that ByteDance was evaluating changes to the corporate structure of its TikTok business and was fully committed to protecting users privacy and security.
Military members and veterans can get up to four free months of Apple Music through the Apple Music military discount -- but...
A couple who robbed a bank with a fake pistol while 'fried on ice' wanted to live a 'simple life', a court has heard.

Darren Michael Baxter, 31, and Shayde Hodgson-Gulson, 23 - dubbed 'Dazza and Shazza' - pleaded guilty to one count each of armed robbery at Southport District Court on Thursday.

The verdict came after the pair robbed and threatened Burleigh Waters Suncorp Bank staff in an attack on September 26.

Footage released by Queensland Police showed the couple storming the Gold Coast building dressed in motorcycle helmets, gloves and black jackets after visiting the day before.

Baxter wielded a fake pistol during the attack while unarmed Hodgson-Gulson kept lookout.

She did however hold a black bag as if she was holding a rifle upon entering the building as seen in the footage.

The court heard Baxter then pointed the fake pistol at a worker, ordering them to fill up a laptop bag with money before fleeing with $5925 on a motorbike.

The Gold Coast Bulletin reported the engaged couple, who were linked to the crime with Baxter's fingerprint, were arrested three days later at Peppers Broadbeach.

Darren Michael Baxter (pictured, right), 31, and Shayde Hodgson-Gulson (pictured, left), 23, pleaded guilty to one count each of armed robbery at Southport District Court on Thursday

Southport District Court heard Darren Michael Baxter (pictured, right), 31, and Shayde Hodgson-Gulson (pictured, left), 23, had troubled upbringings

That is where the fake pistol and ice was found, and $1200 of the money was recovered.

Judge Catherine Muir described the pair's actions as 'reprehensible behaviour'.

'It was premeditated  you had gone there the day before and you still had the forethought to disguise yourself with helmets and to cover up items that you were pretending to be weapons,' she said, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

The court heard Baxter and Hodgson-Gulson wanted to have a 'simple life' with kids, a job and mortgage.

It also heard Baxter, who wanted to break his cycle of drug use, was previously jailed for armed robbery.

He was addicted to ice at the time of the attack and had used 15g of ice in 10 days, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

Barrister James Mcnab told the court: 'I'm further instructed those drugs he had were purchased on credit, or 'tick' from an outlaw motorcycle gang. And indeed the robbery was committed in essence to satisfy that debt.'

Their actions follow troubled upbringings and the couple befriending a homeless man named Sonny in 2019, just hours after the robbery.

The court heard he was unaware of their involvement and stayed with them in hotels for three days, where they ordered room service.

Footage released by Queensland Police shows the couple storming the Gold Coast building dressed in motorcycle helmets, gloves and black jackets after visiting the day before

Shayde Hodgson-Gulson (pictured), 23, held a black bag as if she was holding a rifle upon entering the building in the footage released by Queensland Police

They also took him out clothes shopping, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

Hodgson-Gulson was sentenced to four and a half years, with parole on December 29. Earlier parole was given for her to spend time in a rehabilitation facility.

Baxter pleaded guilty to 18 summary offences and was given a head sentence of six years in jail. He will be eligible for parole on June 29, 2021.

The Gold Coast Bulletin reported the couple spent 291 days in custody, which was deemed time already served.
If we reflect back on what you can do about it, that women in this country have always been looking for because of under-representation of home, where activities are particularly important, high-paid, or science and technologienah, then it may be at least an interesting Inspiration, look to the Middle East to wander  added, no Region, you would be in search of impulses to the achievement of equality as a First think.

The United Arab Emirates, but to advertise these days, given the upcoming launches of their "Hope"Mars mission to take the offensive with an amazing quota of women: 34 percent of those Involved in the project are women, the science of the Mission of learning it are even eighty percent. Just in the traditionally male-dominated space travel business, such Figures are anything other than of course. The Hope-a probe to orbit by 2021 to our neighboring planet and the prevailing atmospheric conditions at different times of the day to explore.

Only the best minds

Who questioned the scientific head of Mission Sarah Al-Amiri to the high proportion of women in the Mission, a thirty-three year old computer scientist with experience in the construction of the satellite and since of 2017, Minister of science of the Emirates, with further unexpected Numbers supplied. Seventy percent of all University degrees received in the UAE to women, and at least 56 percent of all degrees in the mathematical-natural scientific-technical stem subjects. The high proportion of women in the Mars Team is only natural. You've seen technical occupations never as a male domain. With this point of view, she had been for the first time at the age of seventeen years, faced by an Australian friend of the family.

another factor for the high proportion of women could be, according to Al Amiri, the in your country only in 2006, launched in aerospace sector is not new enough to have not retracted, men prefer structures developed. As a result, the necessary openness exist, people, on the basis of their Talent, regardless of their gender set. This is exactly the approach of the Hope Mission have been: you could have just the best and brightest among the University graduates from the natural and engineering Sciences are recruited. It sounds like none of the wrong strategy. If such a prejudice-free, only qualification, selection-based to an eighty percent share of women on the part of the mission, scientists can cause, then the men should be re-the advantages of a ratio may yet think through.

Updated Date: 17 July 2020, 00:20
B.C. Premier John Horgan praised what he called "unprecedented" cooperation between his fellow premiers and the federal government on the "safe restart" agreement aimed at speeding economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the deal Thursday, which will see the feds kick in $19 billion for economic restart efforts in Canada.

Horgan said on Twitter that B.C. would be receiving nearly $2 billion from the deal.

"We all came to the table with a basket full of problems and we all decided we would work collectively on those problems," Horgan told reporters. "I think this is unprecedented, quite frankly."

Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

The $19 billion will help pay for enhanced COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, the purchase of personal protective equipment for front-line workers and businesses, funding for municipalities for transit, a national sick leave plan and child care so that parents can get back to work, Trudeau and Freeland said.

Horgan spent time Thursday talking up the sick leave and transit pieces of the deal.

He said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry advised him early in the crisis that one of the biggest areas of risk was sick employees passing the virus to their co-workers.

He welcomed what he said was $1.1 billion Thursday to encourage sick workers to stay home.

"I'm very proud of that," Horgan said. "I'm grateful a Canada-wide approach to a Canadian problem has been met."

Horgan has been vocal about the need for a national paid sick leave program in Canada, going as far as to say B.C. could develop its own program if the feds failed to act. "So these are dollars that we will not need to find," he said Thursday.

Horgan was asked for details about how the national program would operate but said he would leave those questions to the federal government. He did say the provinces would need to update their employment laws.

Story continues

The premier also spoke to how revenues for TransLink and BC Transit have "fallen off a cliff" during the pandemic, making the transit aspect announced Thursday important to provinces and cities.

Under the agreement, Horgan said the province will match every dollar the federal government spends on transit and he estimates B.C. will need about $600 million to get decimated transit budgets back on track for this year alone.

"This is for this year," he said of the figure. "We're going to have challenges going forward."

The deal comes after weeks of at-times testy negotiations between the federal government and the provinces and territories.

Trudeau previously pledged $14 billion but many premiers said that amount was not nearly enough to cover their needs.
Egypt demolished over 4,000 illegal buildings in the period from 8 to 14 July, according to a cabinet statement on Friday, part of a nationwide crackdown on illegal construction.

The authorities removed around 2,793 building violations that were built on a total area of around 800,000 square metres, according to a report on the construction violation removals campaign sent to Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

Another 1,380 agricultural violations were built over a total area of 60,000 feddans, the statement added.

Madbouly stressed the state's adherence to its right to decisively counter all forms of transgression on public and private properties and prevent them from happening again.

There will be "no retreat on reclaiming the state's right and enforcing the law," the prime minister was quoted as saying.

The previous wave, implemented from 25 March to 7 July, saw the removal of around 35,000 encroachments. Some 6,000 cases were referred to the military prosecution in this period as well.

The nationwide crackdown comes in reaction to a significant rise Egypt has seen in illegal building amid the security vacuum that followed the 2011 uprising.

The government announced earlier this month that future construction in some high-density districts in Cairo, Giza and other in cities countrywide will be completely banned.

Last month, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said building violations are more dangerous than terrorism, calling on authorities to toughen penalties against violators.

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Medics have described a young Derry woman who survived an horrific motorbike crash as a 'walking miracle'.

Katie Keys was seriously injured in the crash at Burt in County Donegal on July 13 last year.

The 28-year-old Waterside woman, who was a passenger on the motorbike, spent two weeks in a coma in a hospital in Dublin.

She was later transferred to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry where she received further treatment, before spending months recovering at Spruce House rehabilitation unit at the hospital.

Katie was only allowed to go home in October last year.

However, she still receives the care and support of the Community Brain Injury Team which is based at the Foyle Disability Centre at Glen Road.

In thanks for the care that Katie has received, her sister, Lizzie, organised a fundraising initiative.

Since January 1 this year, Lizzie has run one mile every day.

The fundraiser ended last Monday, July 13, to mark the first anniversary of Katie's accident.

In total, Lizzie's efforts raised 3,465 which she yesterday handed over to representatives of the Community Brain Injury Team. Lizzie said it was her way of saying thank you to 'amazing' care that the team and others had shown towards Katie.

On October 11, after a meeting with the consultant, who said that Katie is a 'walking miracle', she was discharged from Spruce House Rehabilitation Centre, she said.

Following Katie's discharge from the rehabilitation centre, the Community Brain Injury Team in Derry has been working with Katie and they will continue to do so for as long as necessary.

Through the help of the team's occupational therapists, ophthalmologists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, as well as social workers and a clinical psychologist, Katie is getting used to normal life again.

The clinical psychologist has also been crucial in providing support for Katie's boyfriend, our parents and myself.

Katie returned to work as office manager at Drumahoe Vets shortly before the lockdown as part of her ongoing rehabilitation.

Lizzie said she wanted to give something back to the caring team.

I set myself a challenge of running one mile per day from January 1 until July 13 as that marked one year since the accident.

The money I raised is in aid of the Community Brain Injury Team in Derry which has been vital in Katie's return to normal life.

They also helped her get back to work and adapted her workplace so that it suits her current needs.

They also helped her get back driving and return to independent living.

I am hoping the money raised can provide resources and equipment for the Community Brain Injury Team so that other families can also benefit for their fantastic provision, in the same way as we are still benefiting from their incredible support, she added.
As everyone knows, the 2019-20 school year was like no other. Faced with a dangerous pandemic, schools nationwide abruptly closed in March. Teachers and students found themselves sequestered at home.

As a veteran teacher who is also a boomer, I was suddenly expected to teach solely via my home computer. This was a definite learning curve for me. I may have over 40 years of successful experience in education under my belt, but ever-changing technology has never been my strong suit.

I admit that I have depended upon the expertise of my younger counterparts. When I had a computer question at school, I could just poke my head out my classroom door and call, Young person! and a willing (and youthful) colleague would appear.

I could also count on my 9- and 10-year-olds for technical assistance. They know so much more than I do and are not the least bit intimidated by new technology.

One day I asked a tech-savvy child for help when my computer froze. She knew what to do but could tell I wasnt processing her troubleshooting tips. Sighing gently, she said, Mrs. James, if you will scoot over please, Ill do it for you. Less than a minute later, I was back in business. To this day I have no idea how she fixed my frozen computer.
The Kashish Film Festival row has brought to the fore differing opinions about whether Pride overlaps with political issues, as well as the discrimination that trans individuals face within the Indian queer community

On 6 July, queer activist Pallav Patankar featured in a video posted by a prominent Mumbai-based LGBTQ+ film festival, as its director of Marketing. On 8 July, the festival  Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival  announced that Patankar had stepped down from his role in light of recent concerns to keep the festival going without any encumbrance.

What transpired in those 48 hours was backlash against Patankar on social media, connected to an event from early 2020: Following this years edition of Mumbai Pride, Patankar posted a statement which condemned an anti-CAA/NRC protest by Kris Chudawala, a trans non-binary media student.

Amid the backlash on social media, two organisations  One Future India and Nazariya  which were previously associated with Kashish, distanced themselves from the festival over this issue. When actress Celina Jaitly, an ambassador of the film festival, was tagged in a tweet that asked her to look into Patankars appointment, the actress expressed shock and stated that she would ask for an investigation. On 7 July, Kashish posted an update on their social media channels that it had begun this investigation.

News of the resignation came the next day. Ever since, Patankar has offered his version of the events, Celina Jaitly has dissociated from the festival, and Patankars supporters have accused the Left faction of the Indian queer community of robbing him of an opportunity.

What the Kashish row exposes is a rift that many members of Mumbais queer community feel has opened up within it.

***

In the statement posted after Mumbai Pride that he has been criticised for, Patankar commented unfavourably on Chudawalas demeanour and objected to the slogans they raised at the event. They are ill-behaved, entitled posers who do glib talk but do precious little on the ground The content of their sloganeering give me good reason to believe the reasons for the QAM Pride March permissions being denied by the police, he wrote. He also alleged that they misbehaved and undermined the efforts of Mumbai Prides organisers.

For the first time in its history, Mumbais annual Pride march, which is organised by Queer Azaadi Mumbai (QAM), took the form of a gathering, after permission to march was denied by the city police. This was at a time when a number of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) were taking place across the city.

An additional condition was that attendees would not use placards/banners/posters/displays that may offend the sentiments of any person or community  an aspect that QAM was criticised for. How could Pride not be political, critics asked. In the aftermath of the gathering, QAM posted a statement which said the organising bodies and permissions team of Mumbai Pride completely dissociate ourselves from and strongly condemn the abrupt radical slogans.

Chudawala was charged with sedition by the police a month after Pride in February. They were given interim relief by the Bombay High Court after a sessions court previously rejected their application for anticipatory bail. Patankar received flak for dead-naming Chudawala in his statement (he used their given name instead of the name they prefer using, which is Kris) and allegedly tipping off the police by naming them in the first place, which some individuals claim led to Chudawalas arrest.

***

Patankar has been a part of Kashish in different capacities since the festivals inception a decade ago. He said that the decision to step down was not solely his; Kashishs core team asked him to do so. I refused to sit like an accused party and defend myself because this incident is related to the Pride march and has nothing to do with Kashish. I feel I have explained myself enough I told Kashish they should decide, because these are voluntary positions, youre doing it for the community. If its not helping the community or festival, then I didnt want to be a liability.

Though Kashish did express that they would like to have Patankar back, they decided it was best he step down to prevent further backlash, Patankar said.

In an interview with Firstpost, Patankar said that the police had taken note of Chudawalas presence at prior protests in the city. He said that neither he nor QAM had complained to the police, and further, that he and others who had sought permission for the Pride gathering were summoned by the authorities. The police said Chudawala was already mentioned in their records  by their dead-name  because they had attended protests across the city. The police had taken their name from their college, because a lot of students from the college were participating in protests I asked the police if it was my post that led them to arrest Chudawala  they looked at me as though I was an idiot. Once Kirit Somaiya and other political leaders raised an issue about the slogans and the videos came into focus, Chudawala was easily identified by the police, Patankar said.

Responding to the allegation that he dead-named Chudawala, Patankar said he referred to them so because the name on their Facebook account and in legal matters is their dead-name. These are new, fancy terminologies. I dont know what dead-naming is. Im also learning, Patankar said.

(Chudawala countered parts of this narrative in a conversation with Firstpost. They said they had met Patankar before Pride, at an event in January. My photograph was there, my name was presented as Kris, we interacted with each other, he knew my name, the fact that I am trans non-binary and that my pronouns are they/them. Following this, if he uses my dead-name and gives excuses for doing so, it is not fair, Chudawala said. A member of the queer community who Firstpost reached out to for this report also noted that while Kirit Somaiya may have asked the police to take action against Kris and shared their video, the BJP leader also included Patankar's statement in his complaint.)

Patankar opined that there were other people at Pride who felt their voices were being stifled because the gathering became all about CAA and NRC. Youre endangering people who came, not for a protest against CAA-NRC, but for a Pride event, he said.

Patankar also posted a personal statement about alleged hostility against him within Kashish spaces because of what transpired at Mumbai Pride. He wrote that the core committee of the film festival featured people who were close and sympathetic to Kris and went on to state that Chudawala was supposedly deadnamed  after mentioning Chudawalas dead-name in the statement.

He further alleged that there was a systematic orchestrated campaign to attack him by questioning his involvement as director of Marketing by people within the film festival who are Chudawalas friends/fellow trolls. He added that he was attacked for his views regarding the curation of panel discussions by the same individuals who campaigned against him.

They felt it was their personal victory to get me thrown out. It all became about how trans men and non-binary women are going to show the gay men how they can be thrown out. Things got ugly within the core committee itself. I think there was a lot of sabotage in the team itself, because of an incident which took place in February. It was festering for long, so I thought it was better to be out, he said to Firstpost.

The issue is not about identity, it is about misusing community platforms  and misusing platforms can be done by cis, trans, gay, or lesbian people. Someone cannot get away with misbehaviour merely because theyre trans, Patankar said, and later in the conversation, asked if Chudawala was misusing their identity and transgender privilege.

If Im being credited with outing them, give the credit to me, I dont mind being the villain in this story as I have thus far. If youre going to shout slogans in front of a crowd, you should be ready to face the consequences, he said.

For their part, Chudawala said they have no opinions about everything that has transpired at Kashish. Ive been focusing on my work and case. I genuinely dont care about what has been happening, I wasnt even aware of what was happening till I began getting tagged in posts, they said.

In response to Firstposts questions about Pallav Patankars decision to step down, Sridhar Rangayan, director of Kashish, said, We have said whatever we have to say in the statement KASHISH MIQFF Core Committee has put out on our social media handles, and attached a copy of the statement. There was no response to a question asking for Kashishs comment on Patankars statement which named Chudawala.

As of 9 July, Celina Jaitly announced that she has decided to dissociate from her role at Kashish. As a war heroes daughter, a Special Forces officers sister and my 4th generation army lineage, I am unable to be part of anything which garners allegations that are DIRECTLY or INDIRECTLY unfavourably associated with our nations integrity, Jaitly wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.

QAM issued a fresh statement on 9 July about the timeline of this years Pride gathering; among other things, it stated that the Thane Queer Collective, which Kris is associated with, allegedly did not participate in any of the organising efforts. The statement notes that permission was granted only after one member volunteered to sign a legal bond and affidavit, and other members gave their credentials to the police, assuring the authorities that the gathering would adhere to all the law and order restrictions pertaining to Azad Maidan.

The statement contains a number of allegations against Chudwala: That Kris exceeded the stage time allotted to them, intimidated senior attendees, threatened a member of QAM with physical violence, and raised slogans about Sharjeel Imam. According to QAMs statement, it was the police who identified Chudawala themselves, without any information from QAMs members, when QAM was summoned to the Azad Maidan Police station after videos of the sloganeering went viral on social media. It mentions that Chudawala used their dead-name on social media, in the attendance record of QAMs meetings and for their legal submissions. (It is not uncommon for queer people whose names have not been officially changed to use their given names/dead-names for official purposes).

***

Beyond the calls for Patankar to step down from Kashish, and the blame-game that the Pride event was swept up in, there are long-festering issues within the community.

For instance, on social media platforms, some members of the queer community accused Leftist mobs of cancelling Patankar because his ideology did not align with theirs. An individual who has long been a voice of the Indian queer community, tweeted that a lesbian mafia has managed to infiltrate Kashish and subverted a very successful LGBT event that has helped thousands to come out.

However, Siddhant Talwar, an artist, says that those labelling others as being the Leftist mob are the ones wielding power within the community, and who others are, therefore, apprehensive of challenging. They are unwilling to have a conversation If these people run the structures within which we exist, do trans people have a space to exist in, without being attacked? Do young queers, who are just discovering themselves and might not fall in line with the ideology that [those with power] believe in, do they have a right to exist in the community? he asks.

Dipannita, a 30-year-old Gender Studies scholar, says that this issue is also a portrayal of how trans and gender non-conforming persons are often treated by cis-gay men in the Indian queer community. When others in the community object to this treatment, they are subjected to the same transphobic vitriol, she said.

Talwar says this difference in attitudes towards trans people and others with differing opinions stems partly from a caste and class privilege and the privilege that comes with being a cis-gendered person.

He also sees it as a matter of creating truly safe safes and being inclusive. What I find sad is that since they have contributed to the queer movement in the past, they seem to think they can make no mistake. They say, Let my work speak for itself. Yeah, it does, but you too should speak for yourself. Right now, youre saying extremely transphobic stuff, and for all I care, you are putting people from the queer community in danger, so Im not going to see you as the queer icon you brand yourself to be You dont get to select who belongs in the community. There are going to be different people in the community, and you dont get to de-value someones identity You can hold someone accountable, but being accountable should be the individuals own prerogative first, and this person thinks they can do no wrong.

Vivek Dsouza, a 25-year-old researcher, recounts the existence of an unofficial QAM group where there was a visible imbalance in power. This group, which featured mainly gay men, was allegedly toxic towards trans people and queer women: The trans people in question were frequently shut down, something Dsouza highlights as happening even before Pride. The split in approach began to take shape during the anti-CAA and NRC protests in the country, he said.

When some trans people left the group, they were mocked. Gay individuals accuse others of not attending meetings and not being involved and not doing real activism, but theyve done nothing to reflect on the spaces theyve created From my own experience of queer activism and involvement in QAM, I found that a lot of women were not given opportunities to speak. Pallav Patankar was among those who spoke over others while making his points. Some women gave up and said they didnt want to come for any further meetings, Dsouza said.

Dsouza added that as a cis person he can affirm that solidarity within the queer community is often brittle and fake. What I also fear is that solidarity coming from cis-heterosexual people, in the sense that it co-opts the politics of gay people, is rewriting queer politics in a way that looks down at trans communities and those who are most marginalised.

A young activist who has worked in queer spaces, who requested anonymity, outlines two episodes which further illustrate the lack of inclusivity and mindfulness in the community. The first concerns a pre-Pride March discussion. "Cis men from the community who largely lead these discussions in Mumbai wanted the Pride march theme to be 'welcome change', signifying how the community is grateful for and celebrating the Section 377 verdict. This was, of course, shot down when people from the "Left" group attended one such meeting and dismantled this argument entirely," she said.

The second episode involves the response to the Trans Act 2019 and the protests that followed. "None of the bigger organisations in the city stood up against the Act. In fact, it was smaller groups who made the protests in Mumbai happen. They were poorly attended, but led entirely by young trans people. The cis gay 'old guard' were nowhere to be seen," she adds.

However, Ankit Bhuptani, a member of QAM, offered an alternate version of the events that took place, in a series of tweets responding to this report. Bhuptani states that QAM had discussed the Trans Act as early as December 2018, that its statement criticising the Act was shared as a handout during the 2019 edition of Mumbai Pride and that in December of that year, multiple requests were made by a QAM moderator for inputs to a draft statement critiquing the Act. He says that there was no response from individuals who are now criticising QAM for inaction.

A committee was later created to draft a statement, but Bhuptani alleges that Chudawala, Thane Queer Collective and TISS Queer Collective, who were part of this committee, did not contribute to the first draft. The statement was ultimately drafted by a cis gay man.

***

The need for an intersectional approach to queer politics cannot be stressed enough.

As Dipannita notes: The Trans Act 2019, if looked at from the lens of disenfranchisement that the CAA, NRC and NPR will lead to, will show us that as it is already difficult for trans persons to have legacy documents and even documents that show the name and gender they are, and not the ones that were assigned to them. Thus, it cannot be seen as a "left agenda" as it has been termed. Queer identities are not monolithic, and it is important to recognise that.

On their part, Chudawala points to the diversity within the Indian queer community: There are people of different sexual orientations, people who are asexual, people who are trans and non-binary, there are socio-cultural identities which are trans. Though we are referred to by one word  queer  we are far from being homogeneous. Then what the community bases itself on is solidarity  you stand for me, and I stand for you, they said.

They said they have observed a gradual breaking down of solidarity after the reading down of Section 377, which until then acted as a unifying factor. Since the 377 judgment, the community has fragmented a lot, because that solidarity isnt there. For example, with the Trans Act 2019, which concerns those who are trans, non-binary and intersex, in an ideal scenario, everyone in the queer community should have come together to fight it, irrespective of whether they are cis or trans. We did not see this Within a heterogeneous community, there are bound to be varying degrees of marginalisation. Queer-ness is also not our only identity; we live intersectional lives, and these composite identities add to the levels of marginalisation. Its very simple: No one is free until all of us are free.

This report was amended on 18 July 2020 to incorporate QAM member Ankit Bhuptani's response.
The alleged bribery scheme was orchestrated to influence and reward the officials efforts to assist ComEd with respect to legislation concerning ComEd and its business," prosecutors said. That included arranging jobs and vendor contracts for Madigan allies and workers, including for people from his political operation, who performed little or no work, appointing a person to the company's board at Madigan's request and giving internships to students from his Chicago ward.

The Chicago Tribune reported in December that Madigan was the subject of inquiries in the federal corruption investigation involving ComEd that had already entangled several top Illinois Democrats. In October, WBEZ reported that Anne Pramaggiore, CEO of ComEd parent company Exelon, had abruptly left her job as the company's ties to the investigation seemed to be deepening.

More than half a dozen Illinois Democrats  including some former Madigan confidants and allies  have been charged with crimes or had agents raid their offices and homes.

The one-count criminal information filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges ComEd with bribery. Madigan, who is also chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, is not criminally charged.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a division of the Department of the Treasury of the United States of America, has chosen DocBridge software from Compart to more efficiently deliver taxpayer notices. Compart, North America, in partnership with PrimeEdge Technology, Inc., and Westwind Computer Products, Inc., was awarded the Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Notice Conversion contract to deliver taxpayer notices as part the IRS IT Modernization Plan focused on making 
A Tibetan protester named Trinley Choeden, also called Samdrub, died in a hospital in Tibets regional capital Lhasa earlier this year after suffering years of bad health following two terms in prison, RFA has learned.



News of Samdrubs death in February was delayed in reaching outside contacts due to information clampdowns imposed by Chinese authorities in politically sensitive Tibetan areas of China, another former prisoner now living in exile said.



Samdrub died on Feb. 17, 15 days after being admitted to the Lhasa Peoples Hospital, Ngawang Woebar told RFAs Tibetan Service, adding that he had learned the news of Samdrubs death only recently.



This shows how its getting more and more difficult for many of us to receive communications from inside Tibet, Woebar said, citing sources in the region.



Samdrub, aged 50 at the time of his death, had served seven years in prison for participating in a series of protests, and was present at a 1987 protest in Lhasa in which a Chinese police station was burned.



He was finally arrested and sentenced to three years in prison for taking part in a peaceful demonstration with 16 other monks on May 12, 1992 in Lhasa, Woebar said.



After he had served his full term, Samdrub, who was a monk at Lhasas Drepung monastery, was not allowed to return there, and he found temporary work in Lhasa printing and copying religious scriptures of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.



But he continued to distribute political pamphlets and literature, and as a result he was arrested at his place of work and was sentenced to another four years in prison, Woebar said.



And after his release, he was found to have developed certain health conditions, including diabetes, he said.



Samdrub is the fourth former political prisoner known to have died in Tibetan areas of China in just the last six months, with the others being Gendun Sherab from Rongpo Rabten monastery in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), Tsering Bakdro from Gyama village in the TAR's Maldro Gongkar county, and a monk named Choegyi from Phugu township in Sichuan's Serthar county.

Torture and harsh conditions in Chinese prisons often cause permanent damage to the physical and mental health of Tibetan prisoners held there, leaving many in chronic ill health or even paralyzed after their release, and many die shortly after their release or after many years of suffering at home, sources say.



According to the he bipartisan U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China advisory panel, which keeps a political prisoner database, there were more than 500 Tibetan political or religious prisoners in detention in 2018.



Reported by Nyima Namseling for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney.
SAGINAW, MI  The city of Saginaw has condemned the White Deer Apartment complex and issued an order to vacate after a lengthy period of poor conditions, according to officials. The complex was home to about 30 residents, where some have lived for nearly 20 years.

On Thursday, July 16, hours before city officials completed their last inspection of the complex, U-Haul trucks and trailers hitched to pickup trucks rumbled through the grounds of the site as some were in the process of moving and others seemed to stay put.

Related: Saginaw on the brink of condemning apartments, residents fear homelessness

Rose Glass, 74, has lived at White Deer,1800 Beacon Drive, for 15 years. When she first moved in she remembers management and the apartments being what she describes as nice.

It was so nice when I moved out here, Glass said. Everything was being taken care of - the apartment, I mean it was just really, really nice out here then. If you had something broken in your apartment, they fixed it.

But since then, theres been a decline in maintenance, a claim the residents make, and the reason the buildings were condemned by City Chief Inspector John Stemple. Officers with the Saginaw Code Enforcement Neighborhood Improvement did a final inspection on Thursday afternoon.

Glass recounted some of her issues shes experienced over the years such as a broken stove and refrigerator, her storage unit getting broken into and broken fixtures.

Smoke alarms on several of the floors of the apartment building loudly warned Glass and other tenants that the batteries would soon die.

The code enforcement team identified several extreme hazards and various safety issues at the property. This included construction and electrical problems, water damage, and significant fire hazards, according to the City of Saginaw.

Residents at the complex havent been allowed to use their balconies at the complex because they were in the process of being reinforced, according to apartment management.

Multiple violation notices were sent that clearly indicated the necessary repairs, the timeline for completion, as well as the consequences if the repairs are not made, stated officials with the city of Saginaw.

SCENIC officers posted red signs on the doors of the buildings of the complex that read CONDEMNED.

The apartment manager who has asked to not be named has said there has been communication between the city and the apartment owner for over a year in regard to maintenance issues. They also stated, the owner hasnt given them adequate funds to address the issues.

The White Deer Apartments owner, Vanessa Ganna, lives in Argentina, according to apartment management.

The hallways leading to Glass unit were dark due to missing light bulbs, trash was overflowing in the laundry area and the carpet was encrusted with dirt, but her apartment was just the opposite: neat, clean and well-decorated.

Boxes full of Glass belongings began to accumulate on Thursday morning as she was in the process of finding her new place to live.

Im just glad Im not working and have to do this, Glass said of the move.

Glass is a paraprofessional at Saginaw High school and has the summer off while school is out. The longtime tenant is planning on getting help from her brothers to help her move out.

Whenever I get done with this, Im going to take myself a hot bath, scream, cry and drink, Glass said.

Jeremy Robinon, Glasss upstairs neighbor, hadnt made much more progress on moving since hes had to work 15-hour shifts since finding out about the citys plans to condemn his home.

Three days just wasnt enough time, he said.

We realize that this is a difficult time to relocate; however, for the health and well-being of these residents, they must vacate as soon as possible before a tragedy occurs. The residents and their families are at serious risk by staying here, Stemple said. Safe and affordable housing in our city is important, but the conditions in this case are unacceptable. Our code enforcement standards are in place to protect our residents, and we expect all rental properties to meet that standard.

Residents from the White Deer Apartments have been instructed to contact 2-1-1 to receive Rapid Rehousing Assistance or assistance from the Homeless Prevention Services Program. Funds for security deposits, utility deposits and rent may be available for families who are at risk of becoming or have just become homeless. The United Way of Saginaw County is working with other community partners to develop alternative solutions for those who do not qualify or need additional assistance, according to city officials.

Thomas McKinstry was fully moved out of his apartment on Thursday. His last task was to clean up before he officially left. Hes moved into a hotel for the time being.

I cant find another apartment right now, said McKinstry. I put in an application but they havent called me back yet.

McKinstry, a resident since 2009, said he was planning to move out sometime this year because he hasnt been able to use his balcony for years and apartment management failed to fix his air conditioning.

They knew it was coming. Why didnt they give us more warning? McKinstry asked. Its heartbreaking, but life goes on.

Related news:

Saginaw on the brink of condemning apartments, residents fear homelessness

Community cleans up condemned Saginaw apartments, some tenants return
With her ice blonde hair, huge blue eyes and winning capacity for violence, Emilia Clarke cut quite a dash as Daenerys Targaryen in Game Of Thrones. Not surprisingly, it's a role she's since struggled to shake.

She can act though and, in recent years, has convincingly played action heroes (Terminator Genisys, Solo: A Star Wars Story), a saintly carer (Me Before You) and a bumbling comic foil (Last Christmas) on the big screen. Above Suspicion, though, may be Clarke's most daring outing to date.

This gloomy thriller, finished several years back but only now getting a release, is directed by Phillip Noyce and based on a true story. And it opens with a cheeky nod to Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard: because like that classic, this film is narrated by a dead person.

Namely Susan Smith (Clarke), who, judging by the tone of her voice, seems perfectly okay with being deceased, and with the life she's had, who can blame her. It's 1989, she's just been murdered by someone she knew and as she reflects on it all, Susan seems almost amused by her sorry, sordid fate.

"You know what the worst thing is about being dead?" she asks no one in particular. Oh I don't know, nothingness, the void, endless silence? No - "you get too much time to think".

The real Susan Smith was born in 1961 into a dirt-poor Kentucky mining community. Married in her late teens to a thoroughly nasty local drug dealer called Cash (Johnny Knoxville), Susan has become addicted herself. She's been abused by men throughout her life and is desperate to escape her awful circumstances, so when she meets the quietly spoken and courteous FBI agent Mark Putnam (Jack Huston), Susan is smitten. He's cute: more importantly, he may be a way out.

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When Mark asks her to snitch on the gang Cash is connected to, Susan agrees. But Putnam is attracted to Susan's rawness and desperation, and the two soon begin an affair. Mark's wife Kathy (Sophie Lowe) seems to be turning a blind eye to it all, but as the stakes rise, the agent's smooth demeanour begins to slip and the scene is set for tragedy.

The interesting - and rather depressing - thing about all this is that it actually happened. And Clarke is to be commended for bravely taking on the part of a blue collar southern drug addict (her Kentucky accent sounds okay to me, but what do I know). Her fine, gritty performance is the lynch-pin of a decent film that, with a little imagination, could have been a good deal better.

First off, there's that voiceover, and a rather jarring dissonance between its tone and the real Susan's desperate but steely character. "You catch bad guys for a living, you're a good guy, right?" the dead Susan tells us, as we watch Putnam heroically running down a suspect.

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We don't need her interjections, they add nothing to the story: the acting of Huston, who's well cast as the seemingly upright but hungry and ambitious FBI agent, has already told us all we need to know. Huston looks forgettably handsome, but his smile too easily becomes a sneer. Clarke's Susan is a very believable creation. "The first time I saw Mark Putnam," she says, "I thought he looked like a person in a magazine." She thinks he's so clean and upright, but in a way, she's the pure one, a trapped woman given no other possible course in life other than the one she's taken. Clarke holds her own in an overwritten film that lays on the moody backwoods atmosphere a little too thick.

Thora Birch is great fun as Susan's hairdressing sister. "What ya doin' here sis'," she says at one point, "you come in for your annual perm?" We don't see half enough of her, and humorous asides like that are thin on the ground.

Above Suspicion is grim going and action specialist Phillip Noyce does little to lighten the load.





Arkansas (Prime Video) **

There's a bang of the late 90s off Arkansas, the directorial debut of Clark Duke, an actor who cut his teeth in comedies like Superbad, Kick-Ass and Hot Tub Time Machine. In a mumbling voiceover by Kyle Ribb (Liam Hemsworth), we're given the story of a pair of not-so-bright cogs in a minor southern drug gang.

When Kyle and his slightly dimmer associate Swin (Duke) are transporting a stash of narcotics to Corpus Christi, Arkansas, a ranger called Bright (John Malkovich) stops them. The cover on their trailer has come loose, revealing the fact that they're carrying a very large quantity of drugs.

The jig is up, they think, but Bright announces that he too works for their shadowy boss, Frog, and that from now on, they'll report to him. Thereafter, as the pair drift ever closer to catastrophe, we go back and forth in time to discover the identity of Frog, and the story of his criminal rise.

Duke may be a Tarantino fan, for the director's shadow hangs heavy over this production, from the voiceover to the chapter credits and glib, showy dialogue. Arkansas is competently done and perfectly watchable - it's just not very original. And charismatic turns from Malkovich and Vince Vaughn are not enough to counter its intermittent troughs.





The Vigil (Amazon, iTunes etc) ***

I like a ghost story and things get good and creepy in this atmospheric low-budget horror from first-time writer/director Keith Thomas. And while The Vigil's plot - a demonic possession - isn't exactly groundbreaking, its cultural context makes it very absorbing.

Yakov (Dave Davis) is a nervous young man, traumatised by the death of his younger brother and all at sea socially after leaving the strict Hasidic community in which he was raised. Money is tight and when an old Hasidic friend (Menashe Lustig) offers him $400 to sit with the body of a local man called Lustig while his exhausted wife (Lynn Cohen) sleeps, Yakov accepts.

Expand Close The Vigil is a clever film, moody and tight and dimly lit, and doesnt need to lean as much as it sometimes does on jump scares and clunky music / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Vigil is a clever film, moody and tight and dimly lit, and doesnt need to lean as much as it sometimes does on jump scares and clunky music

In Jewish culture, a shomer is someone who sits with the deceased around the clock, reciting psalms to ward off unseen evil. Plenty of that in the Lustig household because the old man was a Holocaust survivor who got possessed by an evil spirit in Buchenwald. Now it's in search of a new host, and Yakov's psychological vulnerability may make him the ideal target.

The Vigil is a clever film, moody and tight and dimly lit, and doesn't need to lean as much as it sometimes does on jump scares and clunky music. Thomas has grasped that what you don't see is always worse than what you do.
The government said that far from targeting any US entity, the purpose was to ensure fairness, healthy competition, and to exercise the ability of governments to tax businesses having a nexus with the Indian market through digital operations.

India has jumped to defend the imposition of Google Tax - a 2 per cent equalisation levy on e-commerce operators - calling it non-discriminatory in nature.

In its comment on the Section 301 probe launched by the US last month, the government said it was fully consistent with World Trade Organization norms and international taxation agreements.

It emphasised that the levy was applicable prospectively, and could not be said to have extra-territorial application.

The equalisation levy does not discriminate against non-resident e-commerce operators.

"The underlying policy objective and application of Indias equalisation levy is to ensure a neutral and equitable taxation is applicable to e-commerce operators that are resident in India, or have physical presence in India, and those not resident in India, New Delhi said in its public comment.

Further, it said that far from targeting any US entity, the purpose was to ensure fairness, healthy competition, and to exercise the ability of governments to tax businesses having a nexus with the Indian market through digital operations.

It does not discriminate against firms based in the US, as it applies equally to all non-resident e-commerce operators not having a permanent establishment in India, irrespective of the origin, it added.

New Delhi highlighted that the threshold application for the levy - which is annual revenues in excess of Rs 20 million (which the USTR has noted to be approximately $267,000) - is low, aimed at exempting very small e-commerce operators globally.

The deadline for filing the equalisation levy, for the first quarter, was July 7.

India highlighted the lack of consensus in the multilateral consultations under the aegis of the G20-OECD framework.

The Google Tax is seen as an additional safeguard against base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) and loss of revenue due to activity of such e-commerce firms operating in India.

BEPS refers to the exploitation of gaps and mismatches in tax rules by MNCs to shift their profits to low-tax regimes.

Internet firms operate in low-tax jurisdictions but do business in other countries without physical presence, to avoid taxes.

Maintaining that the measure is WTO-compliant, it has urged Washington DC to raise the issue at the WTO rather than opting for a unilateral approach, inconsistent with multilateral trade rules.

The GOI understands that should the US have specific concerns or clarifications, it may raise these issues at the appropriate forum, in accordance with provisions for dispute settlement as agreed under specific international agreements, it added.

It added: The Government of India would be happy to provide clarifications as may be required by the USTR in these proceedings, or in bilateral discussions under Section 303(a) of the United States Trade Act, 1974.

It noted that the US Supreme Court had, in a recent ruling, held that physical presence was not required for the levy of sales tax by a state where online seller had no physical presence but made online sales.

The principle under the US legal framework is on the same lines as that of India, which is that in a digitalised world a seller may engage in transactions without physical presence, it said.
The Mexican state-owned oil company PEMEX has reported the highest COVID-19 death toll for any company in the world. According to the latest official count, 202 active workers and 5 contractors have been killed by the virus.

Bloomberg News confirmed that only the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York comes close, with 131 deaths, while the entire US meat and poultry industry, which has four times as many workers as PEMEX, has recorded 132 deaths.

PEMEX administers its own network of hospitals for its 125,745 active employees, their families and retirees, covering a total of 750,000 people. This has led PEMEX to also report that 234 family members and 310 retirees have died from COVID-19.

Pemex workers at the area of a oil pipeline explosion in Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo state, Mexico, Saturday, last year. (AP Photo/Claudio Cruz)

As governments all over the world impose reckless return to work orders amid the worsening pandemic, the data from PEMEX provides damning evidence of the magnified toll that unsafe conditions at workplaces exacts among working class families.

However, these numbers are still a vast undercount. The company has tested only 7,192 people, or less than 1 percent of its employees, retirees and their families. Nearly 60 percent of the tests, or 4,204, have come out positive, while more than 7,000 people diagnosed by PEMEX with respiratory symptoms were never tested.

Moreover, PEMEX medical workers are excluded from the COVID-19 data, while data nationally suggests that medical staff compose over one-fifth of all infections. PEMEX nurses are among the thousands of medical staff across Mexico and internationally who have struck to protest the lack of personal protective equipment.

At the same time, from a medical standpoint, the data provided by PEMEX is virtually useless since it does not include the workplaces, hospitals and medical details of the COVID-19 patients.

In response to the growing outrage, the corporation claimed in its latest press release that its integral prevention strategy against COVID-19 has successfully contained the spread of infections among workers.

A veteran PEMEX engineer spoke to the World Socialist Web Site from the southeastern town of Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, where an outbreak among 84 workers at offshore oil rigs, including 7 deaths, was first reported on April 13, compelling the company to begin providing daily COVID-19 reports. Far from containing the virus, he argued that no effective measures have been taken.

He explained: Each shift goes up there [to the rigs] every 14 days, with hundreds of workers from across different states of the Mexican Republic. There are no health controls, and they are practically forced to go there to work even if they vulnerable.

They lack adequate protective equipment and four workers share each bunk bed. Sometimes they do hot beds, where one worker rests while the other one works. Most infections occur through the bunk beds. When the workers end their shift, they then return to their home towns, spreading the virus.

Workers with chronic medical conditions have taken to social media to denounce PEMEX and the trade union, STPRM, for forcing them to work during the pandemic. Well, if they threaten to take away your wage, how could you refuse? one wrote.

Others on social media have protested that conditions at oil rigs, ships and storage facilities are too overcrowded. A PEMEX worker told Indigo recently that many truck drivers have contracted coronavirus from interacting with clients at oil stations. Another declared, They had never placed us under so much danger as now, and since these gentlemen arrived with their austerity, they dont care about our befallen comrades. That is what makes me angry.

The worker in Campeche confirmed to the WSWS that he knew some of the deceased workers and explained, The widows and/or families are not getting their compensation. The union has not wanted to pay their postmortem [insurance]. They usually delay it by months, years and sometimes never pay.

Regarding the high death toll among retirees, he added, They are vulnerable, suffer high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity. They have not received proper preventive care. Some active and retired co-workers have gotten sick and are not given care, so they seek care at their own expense in other hospitals and have died. The hospitals are saturated and have lacked medicines and medical specialists for many years.

He concluded: The trade union leaders shine from their absence. They are locked up in their farmhouses or beach houses. They dont show their face or support their members. Meanwhile, the government is not paying any special attention to the case of PEMEX workers.

The government of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (known as AMLO) sought to diffuse criticisms by holding a press conference on Wednesday with PEMEX Director Octavio Romero Oropeza. He congratulated Romero for combatting guachicolerosgroups that steal oiland ramping up production at refineries, but entirely ignored the reports of massive casualties from COVID-19.

Despite the drop in oil consumption and prices due to the pandemic crisis, he argued that production at PEMEX, and particularly its refining capacity, must be increased to have national development and self-sufficiency by depending less on foreign capital and imports.

The fact is that given its extremely high private debts, as explained by El Pais recently, the Mexican oil corporation is practically operated through the permission of international credit agencies [which allows] investors to maximize their profits.

The Mexican ruling class, moreover, seeks to exploit the pandemic to further privatize the oil sector and funnel the proceeds from PEMEX to private investors. For this purpose, the AMLO administration and the Morena party have already doubled down on austerity measures, which leave no room for providing safe conditions for workers.

During a conference in mid-April, Jose Friedrich, sub-secretary of development under the Morena government in the leading oil-producing state of Tabasco, told American investors: In order to come out of the economic debacle that Mexico will certainly suffer if we need to make agreements, alliances, contracts, partnerships with private firms to foment these investments, we must have those ready at the right time. I think it will be a very strategic issue.

AMLOs ostensible defense of Mexicos state-owned oil production has been a core item in his left credentials in the last decade. He claims to have left the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD), which he led, because it was planning to support the 2012 Pact for Mexico, a set of regressive policies centered around the effective privatization of the oil industry. A surge in gasoline prices resulting from this privatization led to mass demonstrations in 2017 across Mexico, which the trade unions and AMLOs Morena party channeled behind AMLOs 2018 election.

Now, hundreds of workers and their loved ones are being sacrificed at PEMEX at the behest of the financial speculators profiting from Mexicos oil sector, as AMLO continues the cost-cutting and privatization policies of his predecessors.

Workers at PEMEX and all across Mexico can confront the subordination of their safety and lives to the interests of Wall Street and its Mexican partners only by taking the response to the pandemic into their own hands and in opposition to all the pro-capitalist and nationalist trade unions and parties, including Morena.

This means forming rank-and-file safety committees in every workplace and neighborhood to organize the necessary steps to protect their lives and those of their families. These efforts must immediately be coordinated with workers internationally, including the rank-and-file safety committees formed by Fiat Chrysler workers in Michigan and Ohio.
This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

If you were looking for insight into the future in the 1980s, you probably wouldnt want to pay $75 for a Creative Palm Reading.

In that recurring sketch on the late-night show Fridays, a chain-smoking, sometimes deranged psychic played by Brandis Kemp was sure to take one look at your palm and announce: Things dont look good, man. Not at all. Man, am I bummed!

Ms. Kemp was the fashionably frizzy redhead in the sketch-comedy ensemble of Fridays (1980-82), ABCs answer to Saturday Night Live, which also included Larry David, Michael Richards, Melanie Chartoff and Ms. Kemps husband, Mark Blankfield.
Niles Police Cmdr. Anthony Scipione said the investigation has not yet determined if speed was a contributing factor. No citations have been issued to the driver at this time, and the investigation could take up to one month before it is completed, he said.
A n 80-year-old pilot is "lucky to be alive" after he mistook tramlines made by a tractor for a runway and crashed his plane near Marlborough.

Former Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot Barry Conway was planning to land his replica German Luftwaffe WW2 Focke Wulf at an airstrip near Ogbourne St George on Sunday.

Mr Conway's friend, Dudley Pattison, told the Wiltshire Times the RAF veteran crashed his plane when he mistakenly thought tramlines made by a tractor in a crop field was a runway.

"The ruts made by the tractor wheels made the plane flip over on its back," said Mr Pattison.

"He is very lucky to be with us. He could easily have broken his neck and there was always a concern about the fuel igniting."

Firefighters use foam to stem the flow of the potentially-hazardous aviation fuel from the crashed plane (Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service) / Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Firefighters rushed to the scene and used hydraulic cutting equipment to free Mr Conway out of the plane.

He was taken to Great Western Hospital while crews from the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service worked on stopping fuel from leaking into the field of crops.

Station manager Wayne Presley explained that managing the fuel and preventing a fire was the main concern for the firefighters.

The aircraft was in a field of standing crop, so with a day like [Sunday] fire can spread," he said.

Mr Conway from Carterton, Oxfordshire is currently being treated for cracked vertebrae in his back and neck.

His flying colleague Mr Dudley said: "His two sons have been in to see him. He is in good spirits but will certainly be in a neck brace for a while."

Mr Dudley told the Wiltshire Times that Mr Conway, who is a former RAF Phantom pilot is an accomplished pilot and engineer who previously flew for a commercial airline.

The two friends were the winning team of the 2000 Schneider Trophy Air Race, which is known for its fast speeds and intricate manoeuvring.

An Air Accidents Investigation Branch spokesperson said: The AAIB was informed of an accident involving a light aircraft at an airstrip south of Swindon and will be conducting an investigation.

Mr Conway's plane is a self-made replica of a Focke Wulf FW 190. The plane was used by the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War.
The Indian pharmaceutical industry which is racing against time to produce COVID-19 vaccines has earned support from Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates.

Reuters

Bill Gates has placed his confidence in the Indian pharmaceutical companies to produce COVID-19 vaccines for the whole world, not just for India.



Gates spoke highly of the capacity of the Indian pharma industry and said that India is the manufacturing hub of vaccines as more vaccines have been manufactured in India than in the rest of the world.



A lot of very important things have been done in India and its pharma industry is doing work to help make the coronavirus vaccine building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases, said the Co-Chair and Trustee of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Image For Representation/PTI

Speaking in the documentary COVID-19: Indias War Against The Virus, Gates said India also faces a huge challenge due to the health crisis because of its size and urban centres with a lot of population density.









He also pointed out the role of Serum Institute for being the largest supplier of vaccines for healthcare systems across the world as well as Bio E and Bharat Biotech for their efforts in developing coronavirus vaccines.



Also Read: Bill Gates On COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy: It's So Stupid And Strange



Commenting on the strength of Indias pharma industry, he said, India has a lot of capacity there -- with the drug and vaccine companies that are huge suppliers to the entire world. You know, more vaccines are made in India than anywhere-- starting with Serum Institute, thats the largest. He further said, But (there are) also Bio E, Bharat (Biotech), many others. They are doing work to help make the coronavirus vaccine, building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases.



YouTube/Discovery Channel

Stating that India joined the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a group working worldwide to build vaccines platforms, Gates said, "I am excited that the pharmaceutical industry there will be able to produce not just for India but also for the entire world. (This is) what we need to reduce the deaths and make sure we are immune, which is how we end the epidemic."



Also Read: Bill Gates COVID-19 Vaccine Will Have Location Tracking Chip, Say 44% US Survey Respondents

All Inputs PTI
Mediation led by former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan to help resolve the political crisis in Mali continues, with an opposition protest movement demanding the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Experts forming part of the Ecowas mediation mission are targeting two elements  the political nature of the crisis and elections, with the aim of fixing the problem concerning MPs who were previously dismissed by the constitutional court.

Specialists in constitutional law from the regional West African bloc have judged it unnecessary to hear from the lawmakers dismissed by the Mali highest court.

Were already immersed in the subject, one of the mediation experts told Bamako correspondent Serge Daniel.

One of the solutions is finding a way to try to restore the rights of the 30 MPs dismissed by the now-defunct court.

The court overturned election results of 30 MPs, awarding some of those constituencies to the ruling party. An opposition protest movement formed shortly afterwards to demonstrate against the decision, calling itself the 5 June Movement, or M5, comprising opposition politicians, civil society and religious leaders.

Several demonstrations led to Keita, or IBK as he is known, to order the dissolution of the constitutional court. However that was not enough for M5 and the most recent demonstrations ended in violence, with the deployment of the anti-terrorist special forces and at least 11 people killed.

More demonstrations were expected Friday, but the opposition movement called them off, urging its supporters to go to mosques and offer prayers for those killed in the violence.

Shuttle diplomacy

The team focusing on the political element to the crisis are working relentlessly, Daniel reports for RFI's service Afrique. Ecowas mediators are shuttling back and forth between the government and opposition.

With the cooperation and the good people of Mali who will want to solve the problems, not about individuals, but about the collective interests of the country, I think we'll have a way of resolving the issues, former Nigerian president Jonathan told journalists on Wednesday. I believe we will be able to get something done, he added.

Story continues

Several subjects are on the table, including the countrys institutions, notably the presidency, with some still demanding the resignation of President Keita, according to a source close to the dossier. Also up for discussion is the future of the prime minister, the possibility of a unity government and problems with insecurity.

France supports the Ecowas mediation mission, according to Franck Riester, junior minister for foreign affairs.

France encourages President Keita to put into action the commitments he has already made, Riester told a senate hearing, noting questions hanging over Malis constitutional court and a government of consensus that Prime Minister Boubou Cisse has been tasked with forming.
In a shocking incident, a 40-year-old woman was raped at a coronavirus COVID-19 quarantine centre in Navi Mumbai on July 16 (Thursday) night. A case has been registered at Panvel Taluka Police Station and the accused arrested. He has tested COVID-19 positive.

The woman is a COVID-19 suspect and has tested negative as of now. The quarantine centre is a kind of residential flats handed over to the municipal corporation for quarantine facility. Each patient has been allotted a room.

The accused and the woman were seeing each other for some time. During a meet, the accused tried to take advantage of her on the pretext of extending some help.

The accused's brother was at this quarantine centre earlier and the accused used to visit the facility. There he met this lady and asked if she wanted anything. He then developed some sort of intimacy and tried to take advantage of her. He had visited her on July 16 evening and committed the heinous act.

Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar said, "The accused is arrested and he has tested positive today. We are keeping him under guard."
The Financial Supervisory Authority of the Central Bank of Iceland (FME) has decided to impose an administrative fine on Arion Bank of ISK 87.7 million due to the Bank's breach of obligation to disclose insider information in a timely manner. The decision has been published on FME's website. Arion Bank intends to refer FME's decision to the courts and demand an invalidation.

The background of the matter is that early in September 2019 Arion Bank announced to the FME that insider information were in place within the Bank and the Bank would use the permission in the law to postpone public disclosure. The information pertained to expected financial impact of organizational changes within the Bank. One of the conditions for postponement is that the Bank can secure the confidentiality of the information.

On 22 September 2019, an article was publish on a small online media stating that organizational changes would soon take place within Arion Bank. At that point, Arion Bank was obliged to assess whether there had been a leak of confidential information from the Bank. The Bank concluded that this could not be the case as the article substantially deviated from the information in place within the Bank and no reference was made to the potential financial impact of the organizational changes. The Bank believed the article to be no more than speculations based on information that had already been made public by frequent news reports in the previous weeks regarding upcoming organizational changes within Arion bank and streamlining of the Bank's operations. As a result of the above the conditions to postpone disclosure of insider information continued to be fulfilled in the Bank's opinion.

FME disagrees with the conclusion of the Bank and has decided to impose an administrative fine on the Bank due to the Bank's breach of obligation to disclose insider information in a timely manner. The Bank denied a settlement offering from the FME in the case as the Bank firmly believes it was fully compliant with all legal and regulatory requirement applicable. In the decision, FME states that previous fines on Arion Bank were taken into account when the amount of the fine was determined even though the Bank has never been fined for breach of disclosure requirements.

As stated above, Arion Bank intends to refer FME's decision to the courts and demand an invalidation. Authorization for issuers of shares listed on stock exchange to postpone disclosure of insider information is a subjective legal matter which has never been addressed by Icelandic courts.
IAEA Chief Gives Iran Until End Of Month To Grant Access To Suspected Sites

Radio Farda July 16, 2020

The Chief of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday warned Iran of "bad" consequences if access is not granted by the end of July to two sites where undeclared nuclear activities may have taken place in the past.

"I keep insisting on the absolute necessity for us to resolve this issue very soon," Rafael Mariano Grossi was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as saying. He also pointed out that the issue was not going to just go away and urged Iran again to provide IAEA investigators access to the disputed sites.

In a June report IAEA said Iran had not provided access to the two sites for four months. Subsequently, on June 19 the IAEA passed a resolution proposed by the European sides of the 2015 nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) against Iran.

IAEA says undeclared nuclear activities may have taken place at the two sites in early 2000s but on June 19 Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman of Iran's Atomic Energy Agency said the allegations were based on evidence "fabricated" by Israeli agents.

IAEA reports, according to Reuters, say the two sites were demolished in 2003 and 2004, possibly for eliminating traces of enriched uranium. One of the two sites is a factory near the village of Turquzabad in the south of the capital Tehran where IAEA inspectors found uranium particles in environmental samples taken in 2019.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2018 alleged that Iran had a "secret atomic warehouse" at Turquzabad. He even claimed that the site housed 15 kg (33 lb) of unspecified radioactive material that had since been removed and called on the IAEA to visit the site immediately.

The U.S. intelligence believes Iran had a nuclear weapons program that it ended more than a decade before the deal although Iran claims its nuclear ambitions have always been peaceful.

In retaliation for the withdrawal of the United States from JCPOA in 2018 and reintroduction of crippling U.S. sanctions Iran has taken some reverse steps including adding to its stockpile of enriched uranium. In March the stockpile had increased by more than five times the 300 kg limit set under the agreement.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iaea-chief -gives-iran-until-end-of-month-to-grant- access-to-suspected-sites/30729868.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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On July 16, in Vienna, upon initiative of the Armenian Delegation to the OSCE, a current issue entitled Military offensive of Azerbaijan on north-eastern part of the state border of Armenia was included in the agenda and discussed at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting.



In his statement Armenias Permanent Representative to the OSCE, Ambassador Armen Papikyan briefed the participating States on the chronologie of the armed offensive by Azerbaijan on the north-eastern part of Armenias state border, as well as preceding political and military build up, all of which clearly attest that the armed offensive launched on July 12 has been a pre-planned, premeditated operation.



Azerbaijani leader, who is notorious for making constant territorial claims towards Armenia, in particular capital city of Yerevan, as well as Armenias southern region of Zangezur, who constantly laments that modern Armenia is built on Azerbaijani lands, and so on and so forth, in his public statements and speeches in recent months once again reverted to war-mongering and bellicose rhetoric, assuring countrys population of the ability of Azerbaijan to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict militarily.



This Delegation has constantly drawn the attention of the Permanent Council towards anti-Armenian hate propaganda promoted by the Azerbaijani leadership, which we consider a tool used in order to consolidate the society against the external enemy and divert its attention from the internal problems, such as dictatorial nature of authority, endemic corruption, abysmal human rights record of violations of almost all the fundamental rights and freedoms.



Ambassador Armen Papikyan further noted, that the level of anti-Armenian hatred has reached such a dangerous level, that even a slight manipulation by the Azerbaijani politico-military leadership can spill it over into a military flare up or even large-scale aggression either on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, or on the Line of Contact.



Armenias Permanent Representative informed the participating States of the shellings of civilian settlements of the Tavush province - city of Berd, and villages of Aygepar, Movses, Chinari, Verin Karmiraghbyur - with the use of mortars, Grad multiple rocket launcher systems and combat UAVs.



Ambassador specifically pointed to the fact of shelling of the kindergarten in the Aygepar village. Deliberate targeting of the civilian population and infrastructure is not a new tactic employed by the Azerbaijani side. We have seen it for years, we have seen it during the April war of 2016, when Azerbaijani armys actions amounted to gross violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws. It is yet another manifestation of hatred, xenophobia and intolerance against the Armenian people. A policy that is officially promoted at the highest level in Azerbaijan. These actions, this stance of Azerbaijani authorities should be condemned in no uncertain terms and the Azerbaijani political and military leadership shall bear full responsibility for it.



Ambassador Papikyan further noted that it was not for the first time that Azerbaijan positioned its artillery units either within or in close proximity to civilian settlements, thus making those settlements vulnerable. This deplorable tactics is not something new and has been used by the Azerbaijani side during the April war of 2016, and is yet another evidence of total disregard of Azerbaijani political and military leadership towards safety and security of their own population, let alone the peoples of Armenia and Artsakh.



Armenias Ambassador also expressed appreciation to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office for his balanced statement, as well as to Armenias partners and friends for their swift reactions.



In the context of international reactions, Ambassador Papikyan specifically referred to the statements made by Turkey saying that we consider them as a direct encouragement for the actions of Azerbaijan, which in the current volatile situation is absolutely irresponsible and unacceptable behaviour.



In conclusion, Ambassador Papikyan noted that this escalation on Armenias border once again comes to prove that in order to create an environment conducive to peace and prepare populations for peace we should first and foremost considerably reduce risks of resumption of military hostilities by Azerbaijan, as well as enhance the monitoring capacities of the office of Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, which is the only international presence on the ground. Ambassador Papikyan underscored that initiatives aimed at building trust between the peoples, creating an environment conducive to peace and preparing populations to peace are the only way to ensure stability in the region.
WASHINGTON--Weather forecasts have become less accurate during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the reduction in commercial flights, according to new research.

A new study in AGU's journal Geophysical Research Letters finds the world lost 50-75% of its aircraft weather observations between March and May of this year, when many flights were grounded due to the pandemic.

Aircraft typically inform weather forecasts by recording information about air temperature, relative humidity, air pressure and wind along their flight path. With significantly fewer planes in the sky this spring, forecasts of these meteorological conditions have become less accurate and the impact is more pronounced as forecasts extend further out in time, according to the study, which is part of an ongoing special collection of research in AGU journals related to the current pandemic.

Weather forecasts are an essential part of daily life, but inaccurate forecasts can also impact the economy, according to Ying Chen, a senior research associate at the Lancaster Environment Centre in Lancaster, United Kingdom and lead author of the new study. The accuracy of weather forecasts can impact agriculture as well as the energy sector and stability of the electrical grid. Wind turbines rely on accurate forecasts of windspeed and energy companies depend on temperature forecasts to predict what the energy load will be each day as people crank up their air conditioning.

"If this uncertainty goes over a threshold, it will introduce unstable voltage for the electrical grid," Chen said. "That could lead to a blackout, and I think this is the last thing we want to see in this pandemic."

The regions most impacted by the reduction in weather forecasts have been those with normally heavy air traffic, like the United States, southeast China and Australia, as well as isolated regions like the Sahara Desert, Greenland and Antarctica. Western Europe is a notable exception: its weather forecasts have been relatively unaffected despite the number of aircraft over the region dropping by 80-90%.

This was surprising, Chen said. Chen suspects the region has been able to avoid inaccuracies because it has a densely-packed network of ground-based weather stations and balloon measurements to compensate for the lack of aircraft.

"It's a good lesson which tells us we should introduce more observation sites, especially in the regions with sparse data observations," Chen said. "This will help us to buffer the impacts of this kind of global emergency in the future."

Chen also found precipitation forecasts around the world have not been significantly affected, because rainfall forecasts have been able to rely on satellite observations. But March, April and May have been relatively dry this year in most of the world, so Chen cautions that precipitation forecasts could potentially suffer as the hurricane and monsoon seasons arrive.

Comparing forecasts

Forecast models are more accurate when a greater number of meteorological observations are taken into account, and the number of observations is greatly diminished when fewer planes are in the air, as was the case in March-May of this year. The Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay program is comprised of over 3,500 aircraft and 40 commercial airlines, which typically provide over 700,000 meteorological reports a day.

When Chen compared the accuracy of weather forecasts from March-May 2020 to the same periods in 2017, 2018 and 2019, he found the 2020 forecasts were less accurate for temperature, relative humidity, windspeed and air pressure. This is despite the fact that in February, before flights were significantly impacted, weather forecasts were more accurate than in previous years.

He found surface pressure and wind speed forecasts were unaffected in the short term (1-3 days) but were less accurate for the longer-term (4-8 days) forecasts included in the study. In February, before the number of flights dropped off, forecast accuracy in several regions that rely on aircraft observations had actually improved by up to 1.5 degrees Celsius (35 degrees Fahrenheit) over previous years. But in March-May 2020, when flights were reduced by 50-75% compared to February, that improvement in accuracy vanished.

Chen found western Europe was the only region with normally high flight traffic that did not suffer remarkably reduced accuracy in temperature forecasts. He attributed this to over 1,500 meteorological stations that form a dense data collection network in the area.

However, European weather was particularly unvarying over the March-May 2020 time period, making it easier to forecast with less data, according to Jim Haywood, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, who was not involved with the new study. Haywood suspects this played a role in the persisting accuracy of western European forecasts in addition to the network of ground observation points.

The longer forecasters lack aircraft data, the more weather forecasts will be impacted, according to the study. While precipitation forecasts have so far been unaffected, scientists' ability to catch early warning signs of extreme weather events this summer could suffer. In the long term, the study results suggest sources of weather data should be diversified, especially in observation-sparse areas and areas that rely heavily on commercial flights, according to Chen.

###

AGU is an international association of more than 60,000 advocates and experts in Earth and space science. Through our initiatives, such as mentoring, professional development and awards, AGU members uphold and foster an inclusive and diverse scientific community. AGU also hosts numerous conferences, including the largest international Earth and space science meeting as well as serving as the leading publisher of the highest quality journals. Fundamental to our mission since our founding in 1919 is to live our values, which we do through our net zero energy building in Washington, D.C. and making the scientific discoveries and research accessible and engaging to all to help protect society and prepare global citizens for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Notes for Journalists

This paper is freely available through August 15. Download a PDF copy of the article here.

Journalists may also request a copy of the final paper by emailing Lauren Lipuma at news@agu.org. Please provide your name, the name of your publication, and your phone number.

Neither the paper nor this press release is under embargo.

Paper title:

"COVID-19 Pandemic Imperils Weather Forecast"

Authors:

Ying Chen: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom.

AGU press contact:

Lauren Lipuma

+1 (202) 777-7396

news@agu.org

Contact information for the researchers:

Ying Chen, Lancaster Environment Centre, United Kingdom

y.chen65@lancaster.ac.uk
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, chair of the National Governors Association and a Republican, said in a tweet Thursday that the "sudden changes impose undue burdens on state health departments and hospital systems, which are already working at full capacity."

"The National Governors Association, on behalf of the governors in all 55 states and territories, urges the Trump administration to delay the changes to hospital reporting requirements announced on Monday for 30 days," the group said in a statement late Thursday. "In addition, governors urge the administration to make this information publicly available."

The move raised questions about the integrity of the data and drew public outcry. Some researchers and former health officials say they worry that the CDC is being sidelined for political reasons and that HHS could withhold data from the public.

The CDC pulled the data Tuesday night, drawing sharp criticism Thursday and prompting the agency to restore most of the data later that day. The agency, however, hasn't updated the information since Tuesday and said it has no plans to keep it current on the website going forward.

The pushback comes after the administration quietly directed hospitals to send data on Covid-19 patients, available medical equipment and other information directly to the Department of Health and Human Services' data portal, instead of the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network. HHS officials said the CDC's data reporting infrastructure was outdated, leading to a week-long delay in compiling the information and hampering the U.S. response to the pandemic.

The nation's governors late Thursday urged the Trump administration to delay its decision to shift control of U.S. coronavirus hospital data away from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while Democratic senators Friday pushed the Trump administration to reverse the change.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said the state is moving to a move to a Stage 2 opening starting this Friday at 5pm, during a press conference at the State House in Baltimore, Maryland on June 03, 2020.

On Friday, 46 Democratic senators, including former presidential candidates Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders, sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx urging the administration to reverse the policy change.

"We write today to urge you to withdraw your confusing and harmful changes to hospital reporting requirements for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)," the senators wrote. "The Trump Administration's mismanagement of the COVID-19 response and refusal to heed public health expertise continue to put the country in a dangerous position."

The senators added that the policy change increases the burden on hospitals, compromises data for states and reduces transparency to the public.

"The American people deserve to know the true scope of the pandemic, and that can only happen if public health experts lead in collecting and reporting data accurately and transparently," the senators wrote. "By abruptly changing the reporting process by requiring hospitals to report to HHS and circumventing CDC, we are concerned there will be a disruption in the data collected and questions about the accuracy of that data."

HHS officials have repeatedly said that the agency "is committed to being transparent" and CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said earlier this week that the agency still has access to the data. However, the CDC said it will no longer be updating the portion of its website that displays some of the data, disrupting the flow of information for the public and third-party researchers. It remains unclear when and how much data will be made available going forward and where that data will be published.

"Through HHS Protect, we will publish data from all reporting hospitals, whether they report directly through TeleTracking or through their states or state hospital associations," an HHS spokeswoman told CNBC, adding that the agency is working with the CDC to generate new dashboards that are expected go live "in a few days." "Because of this change, the data will not be hosted on the same web page, but will still be available at CDC.gov."

Despite the policy change, the Pennsylvania Department of Health directed hospitals to continue to report data directly to the state's department of health in addition to HHS, spokesman Nate Wardle told CNBC.

"Hospitals will need to continue to report data to the department, as they have been done for several months now, and we hope that any further reporting requirements asked of them by the federal government does not detract from their ability to provide health care services to those in need, or require further changes and modifications to the data collection that the department is doing," he said in a statement.

On Thursday, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare spokeswoman Niki Forbing-Orr said the "directive was issued abruptly" and that it presents "significant challenges" for the state when it comes to data-tracking.

"We're in the process of reviewing the details of the new process to determine exactly how it will impact our ability to view and report the information on coronavirus.idaho.gov for the public to view, but it will certainly have a short-term impact on our awareness of the number of people in hospitals, in the ICU and on ventilators," she told CNBC.
The novel coronavirus crisis isn't just affecting people but gods' abodes as well. Due to the lockdown, the renowned Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai's Prabhadevi area has been closed since the past three and a half months. In such a situation, the temple trust is facing major financial problems, sources say. According to a report, on an average one lakh rupees was collected daily through the temple's donation box and other religious activities. So, based on some estimates, the temple has lost about Rs 18 crore in this lockdown period.

The Siddhivinayak temple administration has refused to comment on the issue, saying the matter is entirely with the accounts department. Sources say that the average annual income of the temple is around Rs 96 crore. In the first 15 days of June, as soon as it starts to rain in Mumbai, the crowd of devotees at the temple grows smaller than on other days. So, observers say if only April, May, the last 15 days of June and the first fortnight of July are taken into consideration, then the money lost comes up to around Rs 18 crore. The Siddhivinayak temple collects about Rs 3 crore a month from the donation box and Rs 3 crore from the rest of the religious activities including prasad.

At present, online darshan and aarti are free for devotees. But one has to pay for the puja. The closure of the temple has naturally affected the revenue. But this is not the time to look at income, the trust says. According to the administration, they are helping many people during this coronavirus pandemic as well as providing medical help if needed. The Siddhivinayak temple trust has given Rs 5 crore to Hiware village. According to the trust, they have donated money in the CM Relief Fund and other social work.
 Flash

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ARJ21 (Advanced Regional Jet for 21st Century), a new generation of regional jet in the 21st century, has been developed by China in accordance with international standards with independent intellectual property rights. It is mainly to meet the requirements of radial routes from central cities to surrounding small and medium-sized cities.




SPRINGFIELD  Joseph Sniadach was an 84-year-old Korean War veteran with a touch of dementia and an affinity for cigars, food, socializing and casinos when he moved to the Holyoke Soldiers Home in January.

Four months later he died in a hospital bed  one of 76 lives claimed by a COVID-19 outbreak at the venerated facility many say had coveted beds and a long waiting list.

On Friday, a family member filed a $176 million lawsuit in U.S. District Court. The suit seeks class action status on behalf of all veterans families who lost loved ones in the crisis. An additional 84 veterans fell ill, but survived the virus. More than 80 staffers also contracted the disease.

The lawsuit was leveled against ousted Soldiers Home Superintendent Bennett Walsh, former state Secretary of Veterans Services Francisco Urena, and three former Soldiers Home employees: medical director Dr. David Clinton, chief nursing officer Vanessa Lauziere and assistant nursing director Celeste Surreira.

The complaint argues the staff violated the veterans Fourteenth Amendment rights through their failure to contain the virus.

Instead of providing the veterans the appropriate care to which they were entitled, the five defendants in this lawsuit showed deliberate indifference to the veterans basic needs, plaintiffs attorney Thomas Lesser said during a press conference outside the federal courthouse Friday morning, arguing the outbreak was preventable.

Walshs attorney and uncle William Bennett declined to comment on the lawsuit but has previously argued Walsh has been unfairly scapegoated by state officials. It is unclear whether the other defendants have attorneys yet. The phone number listed for Clintons private medical practice was not in service Friday afternoon.

The lawsuit relies heavily on a 174-page report by Boston attorney Mark Pearlstein made public on June 24, offering a grim picture of a facility in chaos when the virus took over  with dementia patients crammed in a room shoulder-to-shoulder, and body bags and a refrigerator truck waiting outside to receive the dead.

They knew this was going to happen, Lesser said.

There also are pending investigations into the Soldiers Home crisis by the state Attorney Generals Office and U.S. Attorneys Office.

Walsh, placed on paid leave on March 30 when the state dispatched an emergency response team and the National Guard, was fired by Baker and Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders on the day the report was issued.

Walsh has challenged his firing as improper in a lawsuit filed in Hampden Superior Court, first suing the trustees to block a meeting about his job status and later amending it to include the state. A job listing for the superintendent position has nonetheless been posted on the states website. Val Liptak, CEO of Western Massachusetts Hospital, was appointed to serve as superintendent on an interim basis.

The Sniadach lawsuit contends Soldiers Home staff ignored state and federal directives on how to stem the spread of COVID-19 and flouted epidemiology 101.

It specifically homes in on the staffs failure to use two isolation rooms when they were set up as the virus began sweeping the nation and nursing homes in particular. The lawsuit also notes that an infectious disease nurse on staff told a state employee she would rather be dead than return to the Soldiers Home.

In terms of Urena, the lawsuit argues he admittedly believed Walsh was not qualified for the job but did nothing to address those concerns.

Here  for good reason  the Department of Veterans Services leaders did not believe Mr. Walsh was the right person for the job, but they did not take action to assure that there was competent leadership in place at the Soldiers Home, the lawsuit reads.

State officials on Friday declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The events that took place at the Holyoke Soldiers Home are tragic and Attorney Mark Pearlstein was hired to conduct a thorough, independent investigation of what occurred, a spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services said. The Baker-Polito Administration has announced a series of reforms to strengthen the oversight and operations of the Home and does not comment on pending litigation.

At a press conference, Gov. Charlie Baker said he would not comment on pending litigation.

Having talked to many of the families myself personally over the course of many hours, Im more than aware of the pain and the sadness and the loss that they feel, he said.

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The Indian Army said on Friday there are inputs that terrorists are planning to target the Amarnath Yatra, but the Army has its systems in place to ensure that the annual pilgrimage goes on peacefully.

Speaking to reporters, 9 Rashtriya Rifles sector Commander Brigadier VS Thakur said the inputs suggest that terrorists are planning to target the Yatra somewhere on National Highway 44.

"We have inputs that terrorists would try their best to target the Yatra, but we have got our systems and resources in place to ensure that it goes on unhindered and peacefully," he said.

Tkahur added that Friday's encounter in South Kashmir's Kulgam district, in which three terrorists, including a Pakistani named Waleed, were killed ahead of the commencement of the pilgrimage, was a big success for the security forces.

"It is only befitting that this operation has been conducted successfully, which has led to the elimination of one Pakistani terrorist also, just four days before the Amarnath Yatra commences on August 21," he said.

Thakur said the message to local people is that the Army will remain committed to the peaceful conduct of the Amarnath Yatra without any hindrance of any sort.
Sweden, whose softer approach to fighting the novel coronavirus drew global attention, has one of the EU's highest rates of new cases but authorities say the spread is slowing. In the last two weeks, Sweden was only second to Luxembourg in the EU in terms of new cases per capita with new infections more than six times the European Union average. Unlike most European nations, Sweden never imposed a lockdown and made headlines for its high death toll. It has kept schools for under-16s open and has not shuttered cafes, bars, restaurants and most businesses. Masks have been recommended only for healthcare personnel. Over the past 60 days, Sweden has seen a drastic increase in the number of new cases, but authorities stress that serious COVID-19 cases and associated deaths have declined. "If you increase testing you will find more cases," deputy state epidemiologist Anders Wallensten told AFP. "But the more serious cases, those who become sick and need hospital care have rather decreased," Wallensten added. In May, Sweden was testing roughly 30,000 people a week but throughout June that was scaled up and in July the figure had more than doubled. On May 31, the country had recorded a total of 39,160 cases. On July 16, the number had almost doubled at 76,877, but deaths had only increased by just over 20 percent to 5,593. - Row with WHO - In late June, the rising number of cases led the World Health Organization's European branch to put Sweden on a list of 11 countries witnessing an "accelerated transmission." But Sweden's state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell lashed out, calling it a "total misinterpretation" of data. Sweden's Public Health Agency instead has repeatedly stressed that the large increase is mostly made up of milder cases, which would have gone unnoticed previously. US President Donald Trump has similarly said that the surges in cases around the US are related to increased testing. But unlike the US, the rise in cases in Sweden has not been accompanied by an increase in intensive care unit admissions. Karin Tegmark Wisell, head of microbiology at the Public Health Agency, told AFP that the decline in serious cases is also likely a product of barrier gestures. "People have learnt how to relate to the disease, to keep distance. We have become better at protecting the risk groups," Tegmark Wisell said. Sweden's high mortality has often been traced to the disease hitting retirement homes. Nearly half of all Swedish COVID-19 deaths are from care homes. - Missing component - Peaking at over 600 deaths a week at retirement homes alone in early April, the numbers have progressively gone down. Emma Spak, head of healthcare at the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, said healthcare has improved after many health workers were caught off guard when the virus first struck. "It's not only elderly care that's got better at handling COVID-19 during these months, but all healthcare," Spak said. Swedish officials have argued that lockdowns only work temporarily and that drastic short-term measures are too ineffective to justify their impact. Antoine Flahault, a professor of public health at the University of Geneva, said Sweden's mistake was not the no-lockdown policy but late mass testing. "What is really sad for Sweden is that it did not combine the ambitious policy with massive testing," Flahault told AFP. Flahault, while stressing that the current number of deaths was still significant, said the high mortality rate was more due to shortfalls in testing than not shuttering schools, bars or restaurants. Testing milder cases, he said, allows these people to self-isolate for fear of "contaminating their families," he said.
A Hankook Tire & Technology employee cooks during the tiremaker's event to express its gratitude to its employees at the firm's plant in Daejeon, Friday. Courtesy of Hankook Tire & Technology
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:13:36|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said Friday that it regrets the action of the United States to revoke Hong Kong's special trade status, which will hurt U.S. businesses in Hong Kong.

The special trade treatment had supported Hong Kong's crucial role in the global economy and protected U.S. commercial interests in the region, the chamber said in a statement, adding that at present there are more than 1,300 U.S. firms and 85,000 U.S. citizens in Hong Kong.

U.S. businesses in Hong Kong have stressed the significance of enhancing regional stability through exchanges between the United States and Hong Kong, the chamber said.

Hong Kong has been a strong market for U.S. goods and in 2019 alone, the United States has enjoyed a merchandise trade surplus of over 26 billion U.S. dollars with Hong Kong, the highest among its trading partners, the chamber said, noting that the figure included a substantial volume of agricultural and manufacturing exports crucial to many communities across the United States.

The chamber said it hopes to see a return to a strong, open and constructive dialogue between the governments of the United States and China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the mutual benefit of the people, communities and economies. Enditem
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Karnataka and its capital Bengaluru broke several records in a single day, sending the State Government scurrying to salvage the Covid-19 situation from spinning out of control. The state witnessed the highest-ever daily spike of a whopping 4,169 positive cases, with Bengaluru alone accounting for 2,344 of these on Thursday. The state now ranks No. 4 in the country having the highest number of Covid-19 cases, and at No. 3 with the highest number of active cases after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

In one big leap, the state crossed the 50,000-mark to reach 51,422 from its overnight tally of 47,253. Bengaluru, on its own crossed the 25,000-mark with a tally of 25,288 cases while recording the death toll at 507. Karnatakas toll on Thursday crossed the 1,000-mark with a total 1,032 deaths, although the mortality rate is at 2 per cent. The state, also for the first time, recorded over a hundred deaths in a single day at 104, of which Bengaluru recorded the highest at 70.

The worrisome trend in the states Covid management strategy is the consistently dropping recovery rate  from 41.94 per cent on July 5 to 38.36 per cent on July 16  and the steadily rising positivity rate (3.32 per cent to 5.55 per cent in the same period). With this scenario staring them in the face, ministers in charge of the Covid fight in the state capital got cracking on Thursday, ahead of their meeting with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday, to review measures taken to contain the virus and ensure proper treatment to patients.

In what appeared to be a coordinated effort to identify and address shortcomings in the system, the ministers visited Covid Care Centres (CCC), designated hospitals, and held a series of meetings with officials and private hospital managements. While Deputy CM Dr C N Ashwath Narayan pulled up officials at the largest CCC on the Agricultural University GKVK Campus for overall mismanagement, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar was furious at officials at the C V Raman Nagar hospital for not following guidelines. Ministers R Ashok, V Somanna and S T Somashekar too were in the thick of action, holding meetings with officials.more

A WORRYING SCENARIO

Thirty of the 70 people who died in Bengaluru on Thursday had no comorbidities, although most of the casualties were SARI, ILI cases with fever, cough and breathlessness. Dakshina Kannada saw the second highest number of new patients with 238 cases, followed by Dharwad with 176, Vijayapura with 144, Mysuru with 130, Kalaburagi with 123, Udupi with 113 and Raichur with 101 cases. Dakshina Kannada also saw the second highest number of deaths at seven.
Canadas largest lingerie and swimwear retailer, la Vie en Rose, has told workers its bonus program will be scrapped despite the dangerous working conditions they confront amid a raging pandemic. The company, which operates some 360 outlets in over 15 countries, including about 270 stores in Canada, owes its success in recent years to a low-paid workforce with virtually no job security.

La Vie en Rose pays the vast majority of its store-level employees the minimum wage. Hiring contracts only require employees to work a minimum of eight hours weekly to maintain their positions, and even then, that rule is often broken. Workers can go weeks without shifts despite pleading for work hours.

In spite of this, staff are expected to be fully available to work on all weekends and holidays and at least three weekdays, leading many to struggle immensely while trying to make ends meet by juggling multiple jobs.

La Vie en Rose storefront (Credit: shopavalonmall.com)

Workers have relied heavily on the bonuses, to provide them with a little extra over and above their appallingly insufficient wages. These bonuses were only paid out when productivity goals and difficult financial targets were achieved, with the company acting as a master tempting a dog with a treat. Now workers say they have been informed by management that the bonuses have been cancelled with no given date of reinstatement.

When the boutique closed its Canadian stores on March 17 due to the pandemic, it issued temporary lay-off notices to the vast majority of its employees without warning. The retail workers were left to claim the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which pays out a mere C$2,000 per month to each recipient.

In a statement to employees issued on March 17, CEO Francois Roberge cynically claimed that the company was acting to protect the health of its employees. This new challenge will help us grow stronger together, he wrote.

The only thing that has grown stronger since then is company profits. The companys e-commerce operations continued during the lockdown. According to several sources from within the company, online sales have boomed.

La Vie en Rose achieves more than C$400 million in annual sales, and is aiming to surpass C$500 million per year by 2022. The earnings of CEO Francois Roberge are unknown, but a 2017 profile in the Quebec City-based daily Le Soleil reported that he had removed a whopping C$14 million from his stock portfolio the year prior.

As the reckless back-to-work campaign greenlighted by the Trudeau Liberal government and enforced by its provincial counterparts gathered pace, La Vie en Rose moved swiftly to reopen its stores in May. Initially, only key staff were brought back to run the stores.

Its as busy as it usually is around Christmas, sales associate Becky,* who has worked for the company for several years, told the World Socialist Web Site. I guess people are just really excited to come and shop again.

According to workers who spoke to the WSWS, smaller locations that normally struggle to meet quarterly sales goals are suddenly on track to make over a million dollars in annual revenue, in spite of the lost sales during the pandemic closures.

Workers safety is being sacrificed to ensure maximum productivity. No professional cleaning service has been brought in to sanitize the stores. Prior to the pandemic, employees would complete a paid-out transaction, taking money from the cash register and purchasing whatever cleaning supplies they deemed necessary for store maintenance. They were and continue to be responsible for cleaning the store themselves.

As the dangers of the COVID-19 outbreak grew in February and March, employees began to bring in their own hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies to share with one another. The company sent some Lysol wipes to stores for employees to wipe down surfaces and door handles with, as well as hand sanitizer for staff and customers.

Upon reopening its doors, the company supplied a totally inadequate number of single-use disposable masks to store employees25 to a store with 10 employees, in one instance. When employees had used those masks, they had to bring in their own from home for themselves and for co-workers. The company has since supplied a batch of washable masks, which workers have been told to wash at home.

Workers also told the WSWS that since stores reopened, they have experienced pressure from their superiors to show up for work when sick. Workplace rules regarding sick leave and shift coverage vary from province to province, with individual managers usually given discretion to decide.

In practice, management enforces rules that have no legal basis. For example, sick employees must contact their co-workers in their own time if unwell in order to find someone to cover their shiftno easy task when understaffed workplaces are filled with minimum wage employees with commitments to other jobs. Sick employees are additionally required to supply eight hours notice if they cant attend a shift, regardless of what state their health may be in.

All I can say is management as a whole cares a lot more about sales than employees, especially when it comes to safety or comfort. Even though we are the ones who have to make those sales, says Tanya,* a worker who has never received more than minimum wage in her position, just C$12.65 an hour, since being hired in 2019. She was recently criticized by her boss for taking time off for being sick. Her symptoms were so strong that she was tested for COVID-19, and the result came back negative.

In early March, the company issued a statement in response to growing employee concern that the packages of incoming products that they were handlingoften having come straight from China, the global epicentre of the pandemic at the timemight be contaminated with the novel coronavirus.

La Vie en Roses e-mailed statement to its workers falsely assured them that the virus cannot live outside of a biological host. This dangerous misinformation was clearly disseminated in an attempt to keep employees working as productively as usual, with little regard for their safety and well-being.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, conducted by researchers from UCLA, the National Institutes of Healths National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Princeton University, discovered that the virus is detectable for up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic. Cardboard and plastic are the primary materials used in all of the companys stock packaging.

This virus is quite transmissible through relatively casual contact, making this pathogen very hard to contain, said James Lloyd-Smith, a co-author of the study and a UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. If youre touching items that someone else has recently handled, be aware they could be contaminated and wash your hands.

The contempt and disregard for workers lives shown by the company is in keeping with its business model, which is to pressure low-paid, precariously employed workers to bring in bumper profits. La Vie en Rose outsources its product manufacturing to countriesusually Bangladesh and Chinathat notoriously place workers in horrific and often fatal working conditions.

Aurelie Daoust-Lalande, vice-president of strategy and development at La Vie en Rose, stated in a 2019 interview, We have the ambitious goal of doubling the size and profitability of the company by 2022, and our expansion outside of Canada will definitely play a major role in achieving this objective.

Apparently, the only way to continue on a path to meet these targets is to continuously exploit overseas garment workers and further cut the already meagre earnings of its working-class staff in Canada.

The fate of La Vie en Rose employees is common to workers across the retail sector. Grocery store workers, many of whom also earn the minimum wage, were given a C$2 per hour bonus by the major grocery store chains at the beginning of the pandemic. While this was presented in the media as a kind employer gesture, it was in reality motivated by management fears that if they didnt provide a temporary pay increase, workers might conclude they would be better off staying home and claiming the meagre CERB than risking their lives for a minimum wage job. Having seen their profits jump during the pandemic as sales increased, the grocery store chains scrapped the C$2 bonus once the Liberal-led back-to-work campaign gathered pace (See: Canadas grocery chains slash wages as pandemic continues to rage).

* Workers names have been changed to protect them from company reprisals.
A digest of recent news from the EBRD

Algeria set to join the EBRD

EBRD shareholders approved the application by Algeria to become a member of the Bank this week. The government in Algiers made a request for membership in March with a view to becoming a recipient of EBRD finance and advisory services in the future.

Learn more

The news was reported on Middle East Confidential and Aawsat.

Remote working is here to stay

In a live interview with the BBC Radio 4 The World at One show, EBRD Chief Economist Beata Javorcik set out the changes the coronavirus pandemic will bring to the way we live and work. Remote working is here to stay, she said. This will also fundamentally reshape our cities: We will see the rise of new pockets of prosperity. Smaller locations will be seen as more attractive.

Listen here

Beata Javorcik also spoke at the World Economic Forum's latest Global Economic Outlook briefing, warning that the world must not sleepwalk into protectionism.

Learn more

Meanwhile, another outlook into the future was provided by EBRD economist Cevat Giray Aksoy. The Independent reported on his latest research paper which finds that robots are increasing the gender pay gap because women are more vulnerable to adverse effects of automation.

Read more here

As the coronavirus threatens supplies, one bank helps

This was the headline chosen by the highly respected Austrian daily Salzburger Nachrichten for an interview with the Head of the EBRD Trade Facilitation Programme. Rudolf Putz set out the Banks response to the increased demand for trade finance. In the current global crisis, sometimes we are the only one to take on certain risks, he said. In order to support the continuation of vital trade the EBRD Board earlier this month approved an increase of the Banks trade finance limit from 2 billion to 3 billion.

Stepping up private sector lending in Georgia

In Georgia, the EBRD is providing loan of up to US$ 100 million to Bank of Georgia for on-lending to local private businesses to address the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Bank of Georgia has been financing businesses in all sectors for almost 30 years and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Learn more

Supporting development of sustainable industrial real estate in Romania

The industrial real estate sector in Romania was boosted by the EBRD with a 150 million loan thanks to Warehouses De Pauw (WDP). The Belgian developer will invest in new logistic hubs, enhancing Romanias infrastructure and creating jobs.

Learn more

First risk participation in the SEMED region

For the first time since the start of operations in the SEMED region, the EBRD has launched a project under its Risk Sharing Framework. Bank Al Etihad will receive an unfunded guarantee of US$ 5 million in support of one of the leading garment manufacturers and exporters in Jordan.

Learn more

Supporting first solar plant in Armenia

Armenia will be able to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels thanks to the countrys first solar plant, which will also be the first in the Caucasus. The EBRD is joining forces with the IFC and the European Union to finance the 55 MW power plant facility located in the Mets Masrik municipality.

Learn more

Connecting Moldova

Moldovas state-owned railway company Calea Ferata din Moldova acquired twelve modern diesel locomotives with joint financing from the EBRD, the European Investment Bank and the European Union. The new engines will improve transport links for goods as well as for people and thus contribute to the countrys international integration.

Learn more

 and Croatia

Croatia is taking a major step to deepening its European integration with the completion of its part of the Pan-European Corridor Vc motorway. The EBRD is providing a 55 million loan alongside the Croatian development bank HBOR to co-finance the remaining sections.

Learn more

Small business support in North Macedonia

In North Macedonia, the EBRD provided a 20 million loan to Sparkasse Bank Macedonia for on-lending to local private businesses and corporates affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Learn more

Montenegro must diversify

The EBRDs Head of Montenegro, Jaap Sprey, was interviewed by the business portal Bankar.me on the impact of Covid-19 on Montenegros economic forecasts and the need to diversify the economy, especially tourism.

Read more here

IJGlobal award

The EBRD received an award from IJGlobal for the landmark Vinca project in Serbia, which was named as the IJ Global European Waste Deal of the Year.

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Social media

The EBRD, with the support of the World Banks Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF) and DFID  UK, created an online toolkit of training materials and resources for drivers and fleet managers. A new video on road safety was posted across all social media platforms.

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The EBRD hosted a webinar on "Climate-resilient infrastructure systems in emerging economies" to discuss the increased co-operation between countries, international partners, the EBRD and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in building resilience to climate change.

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The EBRD launched the third module of its Know How Academy.

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New projects

The EBRD also approved or signed the following new projects this week:

In Ukraine, a 27 million loan to the agricultural producer Nibulon for securing the companys working capital.

a 27 million loan to the agricultural producer Nibulon for securing the companys working capital. In Romania, a 150 million loan to Warehouses de Pauw NV for industrial logistic hubs.

a 150 million loan to Warehouses de Pauw NV for industrial logistic hubs. In Bulgaria, a 40 million unfunded risk sharing limit with Raiffeisenbank Bulgaria.

Newly approved projects week 14-17 July Date Country Client Project description Sector Status 14-Jul Ukraine Nibulon US$27 million working capital Agribusiness Approved 16-Jul Romania Compagnie Internationale de leasing 5.0 million for onlending to MSMEs Financial Institutions Approved 16-Jul Romania Warehouses de Pauw NV 150 million loan for industrial logistics hub Property and Tourism Signed 17-Jul Bulgaria Raiffeisenbank Bulgaria 40 million unfunded risk sharing limit Financial Institutions Approved

Subscribe to instant email updates on EBRD news about topics such as coronavirus and climate finance

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The known timeline of the Aboriginal occupation of South Australia's Riverland region has been vastly extended by new research led by Flinders University in collaboration with the River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation (RMMAC).

Radiocarbon dating of shell middens -- remnants of meals eaten long ago -- capture a record of Aboriginal occupation that extends to around 29,000 years, confirming the location as one of the oldest sites along the 2500km river to become the oldest River Murray Indigenous site in South Australia.

In the first comprehensive survey of the region, one of the oldest Indigenous sites along Australia's longest river system has been discovered. The results, published in Australian Archaeology, used radiocarbon dating methods to analyse river mussel shells from a midden site overlooking the Pike River floodplain downstream of Renmark.

"These results include the first pre-Last Glacial Maximum ages returned on the River Murray in South Australia and extend the known Aboriginal occupation of the Riverland by approximately 22,000 years," says Flinders University archaeologist and PhD candidate Craig Westell.

More than 30 additional radiocarbon dates were collected in the region, spanning the period from 15,000 years ago to the recent present. Together, the results relate Aboriginal people to an ever-changing river landscape, and provide deeper insights into how they responded to these challenges.

The period represented by the radiocarbon results brackets the Last Glacial Maximum (commonly known as the last Ice Age) when climatic conditions were colder and drier and when the arid zone extended over much of the Murray-Darling Basin. The river and lake systems of the basin were under stress during this time.

In the Riverland, dunes were advancing into the Murray floodplains, river flows were unpredictable, and salt was accumulating in the valley.

The ecological impacts witnessed during one of the worst droughts on record, the so-called Millennium Drought (from late 1996 extending to mid-2010), provides an idea of the challenges Aboriginal people may have faced along the river during the Last Glacial Maximum, and other periods of climate stress, researchers conclude.

"These studies show how our ancestors have lived over many thousands of years in the Riverland region and how they managed to survive during times of hardship and plenty," says RMMAC spokesperson Fiona Giles.

"This new research, published in Australian Archaeology, fills in a significant geographic gap in our understanding of the Aboriginal occupation chronologies for the Murray-Darling Basin," adds co-author Associate Professor Amy Roberts.

The dating, which was undertaken at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and Waikato University, forms part of a much larger and ongoing research program led by Associate Professor Amy Roberts which is undertaking a broad-ranging investigation of past and contemporary Aboriginal connections to the Riverland region.
Texas set yet another record for coronavirus deaths Thursday with 154  the third day in a row above 100.

The previous record was July 8 when 112 deaths were logged, according to a data analysis by Hearst Newspapers that shows the state reported 105 deaths on Wednesday and 104 on Tuesday.

The streak in deaths comes two weeks after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered most of the states 30 million residents to wear masks. Despite pressure from local authorities that he give back their ability to mandate stay-at-home orders, Abbott has insisted increased mask-wearing is the key.

Abbott told Houstons Fox 26 on Thursday that the last step that would ever be taken is to lock Texans back down and said other measures would be taken before resorting to that.

It seems like I get this question a thousand times a day, and there seem to be rumors out there about a looming shutdown, Abbott said in the interview. Let me tell you: There is no shutdown coming.

It will take about three weeks, Abbott said, to see the effects of his mask mandate and his closure of bars in late June. Abbott claimed cases were flattening out in Harris County, though Hearst Newspapers analysis shows the countys rolling average for new cases is more than three times higher than a month ago.

We are certainly not out of the woods yet, but this could be a glimmer of hope coming if people will continue to practice wearing face masks wherever possible, Abbott said. The only way we can avoid a shutdown is if we do get everyone buying in to this process of wearing face masks.

Abbott also said he was encouraged as hospitalizations in most of the state are starting to plateau, with the exception of some areas.

Lab-confirmed hospitalizations from the virus dipped to 10,457 on Thursday from 10,471 the previous day  that number has stabilized over the past five days, ranging from 10,405 to 10,569. However, they were still up about 8 percent from a week ago, state data shows.

If all of those numbers spike once again, we will have to find additional measures to take, Abbott said.

On the other hand, a top medical adviser to Abbott said earlier this week that the coronavirus surge in Texas is already rampant enough to warrant lockdowns in at least the hardest hit regions. Its clear that the state has not been on a sustainable course and its worth considering a regional approach, said Dr. Mark McClellan, a a physician and economist at Duke University and a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, in a Tuesday interview with Hearst Newspapers.

Report: No relief in store for Texas

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been consistent in recommending people cover their mouth and nose when around others to help reduce the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. On Tuesday, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said if all Americans wore a mask, it could bring the pandemic under control within four to eight weeks.

But mask mandates have been highly politicized by President Donald Trump and many of his ardent supporters. Some Texas sheriffs have said they wont enforce Abbotts orders.

NURSING HOME RESURGENCE: Texas nursing home COVID-19 cases jumped 60 percent since July 1

There are now 306,490 COVID-19 cases statewide, and 3,637 have died; Thursday, the state recorded 14,430 new confirmed cases, the third day of cases above the 10,000 mark.

The state has 10,759 hospital beds available, including 865 ICU beds.

A new report from Kinsa, a company that uses internet-connected thermometers to predict the spread of diseases, showed that Texas rate of illness is spreading faster than those of other states. The company in the past few years has successfully anticipated outbreaks of the flu weeks ahead of the federal government.

The Kinsa data, which tracks whether an uncontrolled outbreak is likely using fever trends and other information, showed that the state is hitting above the threshold for the entirety of the past 30 days.

This level of sustained, rampant disease transmission suggests that there is likely a lot more illness in the community than what has been reflected in the case numbers to date, the company said in a press release Thursday. In other words, there is no relief in store for Texas over the next few weeks, and we fear that the situation there may get much worse in the near-term.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com

Stephanie Lamm and Jeremy Wallace contributed to this report, which contains material from The Associated Press.
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As Los Angeles County contends with a surge in coronavirus cases, public health data indicates one group continues to die at a higher rate from the disease than any other group: Pacific Islanders.

The Los Angeles County Public Health Department reports that the death rate for Pacific Islanders is 91 per 100,000 people, compared to the lowest rate: 22 per 100,000 for white residents.

Put another way, Pacific Islanders are dying at four times the rate of white people.

Pacific Islanders also have the highest case rate of any group: 2,350 per 100,000. For white residents it is 351 per 100,000.

Community leaders say that's no surprise given that many Pacific Islanders face a heightened chance of viral exposure because of their work in the service sector and a communal culture with multi-generational households and emphasis on group gatherings. Some in-person funerals reportedly continue, despite the pandemic.

"Pacific Islanders revere their family members that have passed," said Dr. Raynauld Samoa, an endocrinologist at the City of Hope who is leading national efforts to combat COVID-19 among Pacific Islanders. "So, I absolutely get the drive to want to show up for your deceased family members. But it's at what cost now, you know?"

At the same time, Samoa breathed a tiny sigh of relief that the death rate is not as high as the data indicated a few months ago. In April, it appeared that Pacific Islanders were dying at a rate 12 times higher than white residents.

The discrepancy can be attributed to data misclassification problems, said Paul Simon, chief science officer at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

The state found that the county had wrongly identified 14 people as Pacific Islanders when, in fact, a dozen of them were Filipino, one was Korean and one was Hispanic, Simon said.

It's not clear how the mistakes were made but Simon said there are a couple of junctures where that could have happened:

Hospital personnel could have incorrectly filled out the death certificate

The person inputting the information into the computer may have gotten it wrong

"These are often hospital staff filling these death certificates out," Simon said. "It could be the middle of the night. People are busy. There's all kinds of ways that error gets introduced."

Mistakes are usually not so pronounced in large data sets but in a population as small as the Pacific Islander community -- roughly 19,000 in Los Angeles County -- mistakes are magnified, Simon said.

Simon said his department has not had the bandwidth to investigate what happened with the Pacific Islander data because it's been overwhelmed by the rising tide of COVID-19 cases.

But even with the data errors, and the caveat that epidemologists consider the data for Pacific Islanders "unstable" because of the small data set, the disturbing trend still stands: coronavirus is attacking Pacific Islanders in a deeply disproportionate way.

"I would say the disparity is not getting worse, but it's still very significant," Simon said.

Dr. Raynald Samoa, an endocrinologist at City of Hope, heads a team of Pacific Islander leaders from around the country who are responding to the pandemic. (Courtesy of Nicholaus Arnzen)

Samoa said he has witnessed the pandemic spreading in his community.

He said he used to get one to two calls a week from a community member asking about the disease for themselves or for a family member. Lately, it's been five to seven.

He said that when the higher death rate for Pacific Islanders in L.A. County was reported as 12 times higher than white residents, it was alarming. But he said it also helped crystallize a call to action for the community.

The national task force he is leading is addressing high infection rates emerging in large Pacific Islander communities not only in California but also Illinois, Washington and Arkansas.

"The numbers (for Pacific Islanders in L.A. County) may not have been accurate but it still showed a disparity and it was consistent with what was going on in the rest of the country," Samoa said.
(Newser)  Senate and House Democrats are being urged not to attend next month's Democratic National Convention in Wisconsin, where Joe Biden will be officially named as nominee. Senior adviser for Congressional affairs Chasseny Lewis sent an email to congressional chiefs of staff Thursday, saying members "should not plan to travel to Milwaukee" for Aug. 17-20 as "no delegates will travel to Milwaukee and Caucus and Council meetings will take place virtually," per NBC News. The convention's communications director, Katie Peters, reiterated that "all members of state delegationsincluding elected leadersshould plan to conduct their official business remotely" amid a surge of US cases of COVID-19. "Ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone involved  drives every decision we make," Peters said in a statement.

story continues below

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel also wrote to members Thursday, saying attendance at the convention in Jacksonville, Fla., would be limited "to comply with state and local health guidelines," per Politico. Delegates can attend events over the first three days and bring a guest to the final day, Aug. 27, when President Trump speaks. Alternate delegates may also attend the final day. The RNC plans to use both indoor and outdoor venues, per NBC. Jacksonville has made masks mandatory in public and indoor locations. On-site temperature checks and coronavirus testing will also be available. "We can gather and put on a top-notch event that celebrates the incredible accomplishments of President Trumps administration and his re-nomination for a second termwhile also doing so in a safe and responsible manner," McDaniel wrote. (Read more Democratic National Convention stories.)
An Istanbul-based court Thursday sentenced German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel to two years and nine months in prison in absentia for spreading propaganda for PKK that Ankara considers terror group, reports say.

Yucel who lives in Germany and works for several media outlets including Die Welt was arrested on Feb. 14, 2017, one year after the failed coup against President Erdogan blamed on US-based Turkish Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Turkish authorities also accused him for his connections to RedHack, a band of hackers known for their terror links including spread of propaganda on behalf of the PKK.

The RedHack according to the 46-year old journalist hacked the phone the email account of the then energy minister, Berat Albayrak, had been hacked. Albayrak, now the finance minister is also son-in-law of the Turkish leader.

Yucel was freed in February 2018 and returned to Germany.

The prosecution requested a sentence of up to 16 years in prison against Yucel for spreading PKK propaganda and inciting hate crimes but the court on Thursday however acquitted him.

Turkey has refused to connect the case to journalism adding that the dual German-Turkish reporter is a terror suspect.

Ankara has blacked listed the Kurdish PKK movement that it blames for for thousands of atrocities in Turkey since the 1980s.
Angela Lindon planned to work as a respiratory therapist until she was ready to retire. That is, until the novel coronavirus overwhelmed her hospital, her body and her mind.

Lindon, 41, was exposed to the virus in March as she worked closely with patients who required ventilators and breathing treatments at a critical access hospital in St. Mary Parish.

She would later test positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Hospitals, including her own employer, Franklin Foundation, would be too full to admit her for treatment until she'd developed pneumonia in both lungs. Shed go without a portion of her pay after quickly using up her allotted paid-time off. And after recovering physically, she would attempt to return to work only to break down immediately as post-traumatic stress disorder consumed her.

Lindon said she's fought every day since then to regain a piece of herself she lost to the virus.

"Nobody would help me. Nobody would help me. Nobody would help me," Lindon said. "I spend my days helping other people, and when I needed it most, nobody would help me."

'You have to be almost dead to get care'

Halfway through a shift at Franklin Foundation Hospital near the end of March, Lindon said she developed a nagging cough.

She decided to get her vitals checked, just to be on the safe side. Her temperature had risen from just under 98 degrees that morning to 99.7 degrees that afternoon. Lindon said she was given Tylenol and sent back on the hospital floor.

The next morning, she had a temperature of 100.4 when she arrived at work. She was tested for the virus and sent home to quarantine while waiting for her result.

She received news two days later, on March 30, of the positive test.

Guilt overwhelmed Lindon that day, and it continues to weigh on her more than three months later. She cared for vulnerable patients the day her symptoms began.

"If you know your workers are being exposed, don't just give them Tylenol and put them back on the floor," Lindon said. "I saw my patients. You know how that made me feel? What if I gave that to those people?"

Lindon initially had been more fearful for her patients than herself because public health guidelines at the time didn't put her at high-risk for complications of the virus. More recent guidelines would identify Lindon, a Black woman who suffers from obesity and high blood pressure, at a greater risk.

Even so, Lindon quickly realized how serious her situation was when she became short of breath.

Lindon had spent her career helping patients with breathing problems, and she expected to receive the same top-notch care when she needed it.

Instead, she suffered alone at home for days.

"You have to be almost dead. Do you understand me?" Lindon said. "You have to be almost dead to get care. That's the problem."

'It doesn't matter that you're a front line worker facing this every day'

Lindon said her own employer, Franklin Foundation Hospital, wouldn't admit her because her symptoms weren't severe enough.

She said a Lafayette hospital also turned her away, even though she was short of breath with a high fever of about 104 degrees and a blood pressure reading of 177 over 111, just below the hypertensive crisis level.

Lindon said at that point she wanted to give up.

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She lived alone and could hardly care for herself. Every time she closed her eyes, she said she feared she'd never wake up again.

"I was so beat down, I was ready to just die in my house," Lindon said. "People don't understand the bondage COVID puts you in mentally and emotionally."

+2 Doctors of rural Louisiana hospital question CEO's use of federal coronavirus funding Doctors at Franklin Foundation Hospital are questioning how the hospital s using $9 million in federal and state coronavirus funds, which they

It was a phone call with her 68-year-old mother in early April that pushed her to try again.

Lindon had witnessed years earlier the toll her brother's death had taken on her mother. Lindon couldn't bear the thought of her mom burying another child, so Lindon drove herself to the closest hospital, Iberia Medical Center.

"The last strength in my body I used to get to IMC," she said. "And I parked in handicapped, and I just like hung my head out of the door because I could no longer breathe."

Lindon was immediately admitted to the hospital's COVID-19 unit, where she was treated for pneumonia in both lungs, severe dehydration, a urinary tract infection and a stomach infection.

She was discharged a few days later to finish recovering at home with help from oxygen treatments and medications.

"It was the most traumatic thing I've ever been through in my entire life," Lindon said. "They wait until you absolutely can no longer breathe until they admit you. It doesn't matter that you're a front line worker facing this every day."

In the midst of her health crisis, Lindon said she received a call from her employer: She had quickly used up her allotted 60 hours of paid time off and would need to fill out paperwork to receive up to 60% of her usual pay going forward.

Her coworkers would donate their own paid-time off to Lindon and other hospital employees who tested positive for the virus, including a nurse who had no paid-time off because she'd just returned from maternity leave.

'You just feel like the whole health care system has failed you'

By mid-May, about six weeks after testing positive for the virus, Lindon thought the worst was over.

She'd suffered pain, but she had survived the virus. She'd dipped into her savings, but she was still able to pay her bills. But she had underestimated the mental and emotional toll COVID-19 had taken on her.

Within an hour of returning to work at Franklin Foundation, Lindon broke down sobbing and shaking in fear.

"I don't know if the mental was worse than the physical," she said. "When you've been where that patient has been  When you understand, truly, what it is to feel helpless in that bed  When you mentally can't convince yourself to fight because physically you can't, you just feel like the whole health care system has failed you."

A doctor at the hospital put her on leave for a month so she could seek mental health treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Again, Lindon dipped into her savings to make ends meet as she worked through the mental and emotional trauma.

Armed with coping strategies, she has since returned to work at Franklin Foundation. She said her experience has given her a new perspective and greater compassion.

"If a patient tells me they're short of breath, I believe it," Lindon said. "It doesn't matter what the monitor says. We rely too much on those machines. Too much. If they say they're short of breath, they're short of breath. Help them. Period."

Lindon recently started a personal stylist business that she hopes to grow into a full-time operation so she can one day leave the medical profession.

She's spent too many days helping others breathe to be left gasping for air when she needed it most.

"You don't know how long I've just wanted to tell the world that this is not right, what they do to us. It's not right," Lindon said. "As health care professionals, we take oaths to take care of other people, and when we become a patient, they don't take care of us."
Photo credit: Amanda Lindroth x Julia Berolzheimer

From Veranda

What do you get when you cross a renowned Bahamas-based interior designer and tastemaker with a wildly popular Charleston-based blogger and designer, known for her ultra-feminine silhouettes? This charming new tableware collection, which debuts online today at Amanda Lindroth.

Vintage-inspired floral linens, island-wrapped drinkware, and rattan placemats are just a few of the Bahamian chic pieces that are sure to add some coastal flair to your party closet. This 15-piece collection will be sold exclusively on Lindroths site and are sure to go fast, so be sure to snag your favorite items before they are gone.

Photo credit: Amanda Lindroth x Julia Berolzheimer

Amanda exudes effortless hospitality and provides the perfect pieces to replicate her island-inspired living, says Berolzheimer. We took some of my most-loved AL pieces, like the island-wrapped glasses and cotton linens, and combined our aesthetics to bring a delightful mix of the two.

The pair celebrated the launch at Lindroths Hope Hill home in Lyford Cay this February, amongst family, friends, and coworkers, at a time when the world seemed vastly different than just a few weeks later. However, this beautiful collection is sure to inspire Sunday brunches and supper clubs at home year-round, while offering a taste of the tropics that we are so jonesing for.

Photo credit: Amanda Lindroth x Julia Berolzheimer

Get the look of Lindroths Bahamian veranda dinner party with these beautiful pieces, some vibrant crepe myrtle blossoms, and some fabulous company to throw your own paradisal party on your patio or in the backyard. We must never lose the joy of celebrating togetherno matter how strange it may lookand this new collection comes just at the right time for sprucing up your socially distanced gatherings this year. Shop the collection now at amandalindroth.com.

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COALINGA, Calif.  More than 900 firefighters aided by helicopters and air tankers battled a wildfire in a rural area of Central California on Thursday.

The fire in the Diablo Range west of the Fresno County city of Coalinga grew to nearly 26 square miles (66.7 square kilometers) and was 20% contained, a fire command statement said.

One structure was destroyed, 60 were threatened and some evacuation orders were in place. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters have been dealing with steep and rugged topography and temperatures in the 90s since the fire erupted Monday afternoon near Mineral Springs Road and State Route 198.

Our crews are also adjusting to additional in-camp safety modifications which have been implemented due to COVID-19, the statement said.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District warned of potential smoke impacts on health for residents of Fresno, Kings and Kern counties, and possibly the entire valley until the Mineral fire is extinguished.

To the north, a fire in a rural area of San Benito County near Panoche was 50% contained after scorching more than 2 square miles (5.6 square kilometers. The wildfire burned two buildings and threatened others Wednesday night, fire officials said.

The blaze erupted Wednesday afternoon near high-tension power lines near unincorporated Panoche in southern San Benito County.

It was 20% contained Wednesday night after burning 1,400 acres, state fire officials said.

The county Sheriffs Office issued evacuation orders for an area in the sparsely-populated grassy and hilly region.

Two buildings had burned but it was unclear whether they were homes, barns or other structures, authorities said.

As many as 50 buildings were threatened, KSBW-TV reported.

No injuries were reported.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
New figures reveal that almost half of Northern Ireland's dog owners worry about leaving them when they return to work after lockdown. Linda Stewart hears how four people are tackling the dilemma.

I lost my job, now Im going to start a dog walking business

Sinead McGuckian (29), who lives in Killyleagh with her partner, was on furlough but has just learned that her job in sales and advertising no longer exists. She is launching new dog walking business Walk and Roll NI, which will allow her to spend more time with her one-year-old Jack Russell terriers Benni and Simba.

"I grew up on a farm and there's always been dogs around," she says. "Last year, after I came back from my holidays, I got a wee dog, Benni."

A few weeks later she took in Benni's litter mate Simba, after learning that his owner couldn't keep him any more for medical reasons.

"I thought he would be great company for Benni, especially when I was at work," she says.

"I was at work during the day and there was a lot of mess when I'd come home in the evening; they were only puppies as well."

Sinead says she has learned much more about her dogs' personalities since the start of lockdown.

"Simba did break his leg at the start of lockdown, which has been a hassle. He fell off the sofa when he was looking out of the window," she explains.

"To other people Benni would come across as quiet, shy and introverted. Simba is more nervous around new people, but once he settles and gets to know them he's 100%. He loves to explore and run, whereas Benni would be more of a wee lap dog.

"When Simba broke his leg you could tell Benni knew. He was able to go slower for him."

Sinead says she did notice a difference in the dogs after she was able to spend more of the day with them.

"Definitely, Simba has been a lot calmer, although whenever you leave the house without him he is very anxious. It's something I was worried about when I was going to be going back to work," she says.

"It's a matter of getting them a wee set routine and it's easier doing that when you're not at work - dogs just love routine."

Sinead had been furloughed from her work in sales and advertising at a media company, but now won't be returning to her old job.

"Basically, at lockdown I was furloughed for weeks, but last week I got a letter to say my job is no longer there, so I've decided to start my own business," she says.

"The idea of a dog walking business has always been in the back of my mind. I felt that for myself it would be really good, and it would be really good for the dogs. There's going to be a huge demand after this lockdown for dog walkers and pet visits."

Sinead says it's going to be good for her dogs to be able to spend much more time with them.

"When I was working it was hard to retain a set routine for them," she adds.

"Now they're getting constant stimulation, so when you're taking them out for walks they don't get as excited and I can train them better. They are a lot happier. Simba is a lot less anxious now that I am around."

Expand Close Melanie Harrison and French bulldog Blue / Facebook

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When my hotel opens, Blue will be at reception greeting customers

Melanie Harrison (48), from Armagh, has two children, Ben (14) and Jake (11). She is opening her new hotel, The Harrison, in Belfast in September, and had always dismissed having a dog. But her French bulldog Blue, aka Percy French, has become a fixture at the hotel and will be greeting the customers at reception once it's operational.

"I grew up on a farm with lots of dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, budgies - like a menagerie," she says. "We didn't make lots of fuss for them, but this dog is just the centre of attention.

"The kids had been asking me for a dog for years but I said no, because I knew it was going to be me looking after him."

However, during lockdown they found they had more time for a dog.

"The children have really loved the dog and it's prompted us to get out and walk and spend more family time together," she says.

"The good thing with the business is that there is always somebody around. We have to be there nearly 24/7 and if I am out the kids at least are there, so there is always going to be someone around.

"The main prerequisite for getting him was that he had to be friendly to people, and he really is. A friend came round for coffee the other day and he fell asleep over his legs."

Melanie says the dog has been going everywhere with her while she prepares to open the hotel.

"He's in with me as I am sweeping the floor and dealing with things and he's coming round in the car with me when I am getting paint. He's a bit of a well-known character already," she adds.

"When the hotel opens he'll be in reception greeting the customers. I've no choice, he's like a sticking plaster. Luckily he's very friendly and will enjoy all the attention."

Expand Close Caroline Finlay with her springer Rufus / Facebook

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Ive trained Rufus as a red squirrel conservation dog

Before lockdown Caroline Finlay (31), who is married to Neil (31), was leaving her six-year-old springer Rufus with her mum and dad every day while commuting to the north west from her home in Bangor for her work at the Loughs Agency.

Now working from home indefinitely, she has trained Rufus as Northern Ireland's first red squirrel conservation dog and is hoping to train him in more conservation work.

She had previously worked for Ulster Wildlife as a red squirrel officer and is now continuing to do red squirrel conservation work as an Ulster Wildlife volunteer.

"My work is based in Derry and before lockdown I was driving up to work every week and staying with my parents and then every weekend I would come home to north Down," she says.

"Rufus has been very happy with the lockdown. I've been working from home since March and have been self-isolating from the start because I was ill at the start of the lockdown. I didn't leave the house for a good month and the dog loved it.

"I've had him since he was two. He's a rescue dog; we think he was a gun dog at one stage but the owner became very ill and couldn't look after him any more.

"He was very, very nervous when he first got him and was terrified of everything. He was terrified of cars, he was terrified of other dogs, and every time he met a new person he was scared - springers are nervous wrecks.

"We did everything to build up his confidence, including dog agility, caddy cross, and then he did really well doing nose games and scent work."

Caroline had heard about a dog that Lancashire Wildlife Trust used to search for squirrels killed by squirrel pox and was keen to train Rufus.

"We have a couple of areas in Northern Ireland where squirrel pox has killed a massive proportion of the population very, very quickly - within two weeks it can kill 90% of the red squirrel population," she says.

"We'd started training before lockdown, but because I was working full-time and travelling up and down we never got to the stage where he was going to be properly ready."

After lockdown began Caroline began training Rufus during her lunch break and soon found that the extra time accelerated his development as a conservation dog.

She trained him using special balls and pieces of rubber scented with samples from a squirrel that was found frozen to death a few winters ago and is kept in the bottom of the freezer.

"Once he's trained with those, you can put them with any smell. It's squirrel at the moment, but it could be bat caracases at wind turbines, or scat searches for pine marten. Eventually, he could help with a whole range of conservation projects," Caroline says.

Rufus is the first dog to have been trained by Caroline's group, Conservation Detection Dogs NI, but several others are now undergoing training and will become an emergency team to detect squirrel pox outbreaks.

"He has absolutely loved it. He loves getting the mental stimulation that he's getting now during the day and he's sleeping like a log, which is absolutely great," Caroline explains.

"Springers like having work to do and he's really enjoying having a purpose.

"I'm now hoping that every weekend we can start monitoring woodlands that have had squirrel pox before, starting with Moss Glen in the north west, then the Glens of Antrim and the Mournes.

"It looks like I'll be working from home for the foreseeable future so he'll be a lot happier."

Expand Close Taryn Bailie with Elsa and Abby / Facebook

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Ive asked if I can work from home to be with Abby while she has surgery on her knee

Taryn Bailie (49), from Bangor, has requested to work from home while her dog undergoes knee surgery. She lives with her children Chloe (16) and Jack (14), and two chocolate lab sisters, Elsa and Abby.

She is currently on furlough from her role at an estate agent, but is keen to return part-time.

"I've always had dogs. Elsa is nearly three and Abby is her sister, she was one in May," she says.

"I knew something wasn't right with Abby (right). She was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia in January and was on pain relief and having hydrotherapy, but I knew there was something else. She wasn't responding as she should be."

Taryn took Abby back to the vet in April for further X-rays and she was diagnosed with bilateral patellar luxation, while both the kneecaps in her hind legs kept popping out.

"She was quite lame and you could actually see the kneecap coming out and in. She's on a lot of medication for it and is still in a lot of pain," she says.

The plan was for Abby to undergo surgery on her left leg on June 25 and to have further surgery on her right leg once she recovered.

"She's still quite lame in the leg and not responding as well as she should. As well as that, she doesn't have the support of her right leg because the knee is constantly popping out and in," Taryn adds.

"She should be using the leg more and I just don't know what I'm going to do next with her, but either way I need to be here.

"I'm sleeping downstairs with her, she can't be left alone. We're doing our best for her but it's really hard to watch." Despite the pain Abby is in, Taryn says it's clear that the dogs have enjoyed having everyone at home during lockdown.

"They're both loving it," she says. "The first week or two they found it a bit strange because they weren't sleeping for half the day any more. But they got over it and now they're like shadows, following us everywhere.

"We enjoyed being with them too, but I wish it had been under happier circumstances so Abby could have enjoyed us being here."

Taryn says she has asked if she can work from home for a while.

"The kids are great, but it's a big responsibility and it would be a lot for them to manage. There's quite a lot of running back and forward to the vet with her, so she really needs me there," she says.

Survey highlights owners separation fears

A survey of 2,000 dog owners by raw pet food brand Natural Instinct found:
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa says there are currently over 663,000 confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Africa.

The UN health agency gave the update on its regional official Twitter account @WHOAFRO on Friday.

There are over 663,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent  with more than 343,000 recoveries and 14,000 deaths, it stated on its dashboard.

The regional office stated that South Africa had 324,221 cases and 4,669 deaths, followed by Nigeria with 34,854 confirmed cases and 769 deaths, while Ghana had 26,125 confirmed cases and 139 deaths.

It added that Gambia, Seychelles and Eritrea were countries currently with the lowest confirmed cases in the region.

Gambia, the office said, had 78 confirmed cases with three deaths, Seychelles had 108 reported cases and zero death, while Eritrea had 251 reported cases with no death.

Meanwhile, the data posted on the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) dashboard was 1,051 cases higher than that of WHO.

According to Africa CDC, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent reached 664,051 as of Friday.

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The Africa CDC said that the death toll from the pandemic surged from 14,044 on Thursday to 14,399 as of Friday.

It further said that 345,320 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have so far recovered from the infectious virus.

It said the highly affected African countries in terms of positive cases included South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Ghana.

The Africa CDC also said that the Southern Africa region is the most affected area across the continent in terms of positive COVID-19 cases, followed by the North Africa region.

(NAN)
Education technology start-up Vedantu has raised $100 million from US-based Coatue Management as part of its Series D round of funding.

Coatue Management has been added of the list of Vedantu investors which include Tiger Global, GGV Capital, Omidyar and Westbridge Capital. With this latest investment, the value of the online tutoring start-up has been raised to over $600 million. It has now become the second-highest valued ed-tech company in India after Byju's.

The latest trend of foreign investors putting big bucks in Indian ed-tech startups continues with this deal. Earlier, Silicon Valley investor and analyst Mary Meeker's Bond Capital had invested heavily in Byju's. Byju's is currently valued at around $10.5 billion making it one of the biggest tech-based companies in India.

Vedantu told The Economic Times that they had registered a 220% growth in users in the last three months. Over 2 million unique students had attended the company's online live classes in the past three months.

"Strong growth and category leadership of Vedantu in live online tutoring - these were the main reasons for us to gain investor interest," said Vamsi Krishna, CEO of Vedantu. Taking about the investment, Krishna said, "It was a good opportunity to raise more money and create a war chest."

Rahul Kishore, the managing director of Coatue Management will be joining Vendantu's board of directors. "Online learning adoption in India is at an all-time high, setting a new benchmark for the rest of the world," Kishore said in a statement.

Vedantu is planning to invest in its brand and also in new categories for students of Grade 1 to Garde 5. In the last funding round the company had raised $24 million from GGV Capital and before that $42 million from Tiger Capital.

Also Read: How Roshni Nadar, the new HCL Chairman, stepped into her father's shoes

Also Read: HCL revenue declines 7.4% QoQ; Roshni Nadar first woman to chair Indian IT services firm
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China urges U.S. to reduce nuclear risks, boost global security - Xinhua | English.news.cn

The United States must take concrete steps to promote global strategic security, particularly in the field of nuclear weapons, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press conference Thursday.

The spokesperson's comments follow media reports of a nuclear accident at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States involving the potential exposure of its employees to plutonium. The United States was reportedly seeking to rapidly improve the laboratory's nuclear-weapons production capacity, to ensure it can produce 30 nuclear-weapon cores per year by 2030.

In response to a question on the issue, Hua said that, as a country with the world's largest nuclear arsenal, the United States still vigorously promotes the modernization of nuclear weapons and develops new types of nuclear weapons to seek absolute strategic security advantages.

She said the United States has spared no effort to boost its nuclear-weapons capability, which not only undermines global strategic stability but also increases the hidden risks to nuclear security, an issue on which experts from the Union of Concerned Scientists have expressed concern.

The United States should earnestly fulfill its special and primary responsibilities regarding nuclear disarmament, and promote global strategic security through concrete actions, Hua said.
Looking for more beauty tips, trends and editor-approved tricks and recommendations? Sign up for Yahoo Lifestyle Canadas newsletter!

We've rounded up 13 of our favourite Canadian Black-owned beauty brands.

Yahoo Lifestyle Canada is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

If you told me years ago as a teenager growing up in Toronto that in several years the beauty industry would receive a major inclusivity overhaul with black owned brands such as FENTY, UOMA Beauty and Pat McGrath leading the charge, I would have shaken my head in disbelief. When you grow up without seeing images of yourself reflected in the glossy beauty spreads in magazines, or even in beauty havens like Sephora, its easy to scoff at the idea of Black owned beauty brands that cater specifically to Black people.

This is largely due to the fact that we have been neglected in the beauty category for so long. From the lack of shade ranges to the erasure of images of Black people in beauty campaigns, as well as ill-informed brands buying into the stereotype that the Black buying power is weak. According to a 2018 Reuters article, Black buying power grew to $1.3 trillion in the Unites States alone. But despite these numbers, brands continued to exclude us from the narrative.

Beauty companies have done the bare minimum for years, so its no surprise that countless Black-owned beauty companies started popping up across Canada to provide what the market is missing. They may not be on the shelves of prominent beauty hubs like Sephora and The Bay but theyre making waves in the industry with high quality products.

Put your money where your mouth is and join us in supporting Black owned Canadian beauty brands. Weve rounded up some of our favourites below.

This Toronto based self-care line is rooted in authenticity and using simple ingredients we can all pronounce. Raw ingredients are mixed by hand for all your #SelfCareSunday needs. The brand carries everything from toners, masks, dark-spot correctors and even a product called Beard Juice, an oil that will do away with patchy beards during the winter season.

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Plant based seemed to be the lifestyle choice for a lot of people in 2019, and Apprenti Orjanik is right on trend. The brand boasts 100% natural ingredients, plant-based food grade oils and certified organic ingredients all whipped up in founder Alexes home. Expect body butters, soaps and oils galore from the Montreal brand.

Blumseed provides women of colour with paraben- and toxin-free products for their hair care regimen. The brand hopes to support women on their journey back to loving their curls with natural products like their Chamomile + Calendula (Rhassoul Clay Hair Wash).

Skin Drama uses natural ingredients to fight hyperpigmentation  discolouration in skin tone due to excess melanin  and acne scarring. The brand produces organic, cruelty free and anti-oxidant rich skin care to combat acne and dehydrated skin.

Beauty subscription boxes have become all the rage the last couple of years and they arent going away anytime soon. Curls and Confidence has joined the party with their own quarterly boxes dedicated to natural hair care products. The brand wants to help others find confidence in rocking their curls, one subscription box at a time.

Founder Temi started this organic brand due to her long history working in beauty and seeing first-hand the damaging ingredients found in some of our cult favourites. Expect skincare essentials stylishly packaged in recyclable jars and pure ingredients.

Say goodbye to synthetic ingredients and harsh chemicals, Lala Skin Essentials is 100% natural and dedicated to making good skincare products. All products are handmade and cruelty-free.

Luxury skincare is Okoko Cosmetiques business, they have garnered a following with products backed by scientific research and nature. Artfully designed to make glowing skin a reality with products targeting moisture, nutrition, protection, renewal and radiance.

Soothe dry scalp during harsh winters with the Mel Golds oils and butters. The Montreal-based line is handmade and utilizes the best natural ingredients in its product range.

Lisa Keizer founded the now popular Up North Naturals to provide cruelty-free products for her friends and family. The brand is vegan friendly and does not test on animals.

Earthtones Naturals was born from the rocky journey founder Susan Walker had with her natural hair. A certified trichologist (dermatology concerning the scalp and health of the hair) Susan set out to make premium products for curly and kinky hair textures like her own.

This beauty brand is tapping into the gender-neutral market with their vibrant cosmetics. The brand also caters to all skin types.

A girl can never have too many lip glosses, so why not add one of Atelier Sirahs creamy nudes to your collection. The brand produces premium body care and skincare products but is widely known for their vegan friendly glosses.

Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and sign up for our newsletter.
When Avbero in Professor Hope Eghaghas play, Death, Not A Redeemer, proverbially told Chief Karia (her renegade husband, that When a masquerade is disrobed, and his nakedness becomes communal embarrassment, then it is time for handlers to drag the masquerade from the arena, she unarguably never had Senator Godswill Akpabio in mind as the play which was first published in 1988, and premiered within the same decade is a paradox of the historical anecdote of the Kings horseman who reneged on his long contract with sacrificial death back in the days of our ancestors.

However, with the somewhat distractive banter Akpabio employed in his bid to respond to the damning corruption allegations Joi Nunieh made against him, not few people are asking in hush tones, How does the womans marriage to 4 husbands in her marital life addressed the allegations on corruption leveled against the minister ? To those with logical mindsets, the minister merely resorted to ad hominem argument which is a personal attack on Nunien's character rather than address the main issue raised by Nunei. In a similar vein, it reminds those in the Christendom of the allusion to an utterance of Jesus in John chapter 8 verse 7 where he charged those that accused a certain woman of practicing adultery to cast the first stone if they think they are holier than the woman being accused. He said, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Since the allegations against the minister became a public issue, public opinion has been that he should respond to the allegations made against him rather than impugning the womans character by alluding that she is temperamental and not marriageable. Going by comments on social media space, not few Nigerians want the minister to be punished if found guilty. Avberos insightful proverb as quoted in Eghaghas Death, Not A Redeemer clearly describes the kind of punishment angry Nigerians wished the minister should be punished with when found guilty ostensibly to serve as a deterrent to other appointed politicians in the ilk of the minister, particularly in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which has no doubt become a cesspool of corruption.

Since the controversial relationship between Akpabio and Nunei became a public issue, many Nigerians, particularly women are questioning the propriety of frequently inviting the woman to locations that are far away from prying eyes, particularly to hotels. As it is at the moment, one may not be wrong to say that Akpabio is not in any way experiencing a joyous moment with the former acting managing director of the NDDC as it used to be.

In as much as this piece is not set to literarily increase the decibel of sound that is calling for the head of the minister, it suffices to say that the act of misogynism which was exhibited by him against the woman will make anyone to shudder on how short-sighted some politicians could be. Little wonder the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike rescued Nunieh from her house after armed policemen laid siege to her house in the morning on Thursday.

Still in the same nexus, an African proverb says If pounded yam appears not be well pounded for swallowing, it should be eaten for the sake of the well prepared soup that smells delicious. Interpretatively put, Akpabio ought to have accorded the hapless woman due respect by responding to the issue rather than resorting to maligning her character, and his frolics seems to be what many commentators have been hammering on in their argument over the issue rather than looking at the main issue.

In as much as Akpabio remains the supervising minister of the NDDC, does that justify his frequent involvement in the day-to-day activities in the company to the extent that he was accused of overbearingly making frivolous demands from the company? According to Nunieh, she was even intimidated by the minister as she was told to take oath so as to make every transaction with him a secret. In her words, He told me to take an oath. He told me three times until we had a reconciliation meeting at the Villa in the office of Mr. Abba who is the SSA to the President on Domestics. In that meeting was Alhaji Maikano and he (Akpabio) said the only condition is when I take the oath and I didnt take the oath and will never take it.

As a writer that is wont to comment and make analysis on issues of national concern, I find it difficult to ignore the one that is being analyzed in this context, particularly as it relates to corruption, sexual harassment and misogynism. Leaving the foregoing tripartite misdemeanor to thrive together with corporate governance would no doubt be very dangerous to the democratic process that has unarguably gone beyond its nascent stage. To be precise in my analysis, it is dangerous to sweep the issue that revolves around corruption under the carpet.

Gladly enough, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja ordered a speedy and effective coordination among security and investigating agencies along with the National Assembly into the allegations and counter allegations of corruption rocking the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Be that as it may, Akpabio should convince Nigerians that he did not order contracts awarded to people who could not execute such contracts. More so, Nigerians deserve to know how the N40 million NDDC rip-offs happened within the period he took up the supervisory responsibility of the development company. Again, why is the minister so interested in Nuneis failed marriages? Without exonerating himself from the sundry allegations it would be difficult for anyone not to conclude that he is not in a Joyous moment as Joi Nunieh has bursts his bubble. What a pity!
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Linkedin Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 13:10 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40667137f5 1 Entertainment Galeri-Indonesia-Kaya,Indonesia-Kaya,Musikal-Di-Rumah-Aja,musical,theater,theater-performance,online-event Free

#MusikalDiRumahAja, a virtual performance series that puts a modern twist on Indonesian folk tales, will air on the YouTube channel of Indonesia Kaya at 8 p.m. on Thursdays from July 23 to Aug. 27

The six folk tales that will be featured in the series are Malin Kundang, Timun Mas, Rara J (from Rara Jonggrang), Sangkuriang, Bawang Merah Bawang Putih and Lutung Kasarung. Each performance will run around 14 to 18 minutes with recordings to be available for one week until a new performance is aired.

The production involved a crew of 200, including six theater directors, six film directors, six cinematographers, seven music arrangers and 44 actors and dancers.

The actors included Dea Panendra, Karina Salim, Lilli Latisha, Naura, Zack Lee, Daniel Ongko, Kikan Namara, Sha Ine Febriyanti and Olivia Zalianty.

Scripwriter Titien Wattimena said a modern twist was put on the tales by adding various contemporary elements. It depends on the story, Titien said during a press conference on Thursday. We could add [a twist] in the dialogue, characters or the storyline. Rara J, for instance, is set in the present day.

Initially, Titien and executive producer Bayu Pontiagust selected more than six folk tales. We chose stories that are familiar to give me room for creativity, Titien said, adding that they later narrowed their selection down to six folk tales to match the numbers of directors involved and assigned each story to one director.

Award-winning film director Nia Dinata, who helmed Lutung Kasarung, recalled her experience working with theater director and choreographer Rusdy Rukmarata. The theater director handled the theatrical part, while the film director managed it in such a way so people at home can feel like theyre watching a movie, she said.

Production began in April and was mostly conducted via video-conference app Zoom. Songs and lyrics were written especially for the musicals, and actors recorded the songs in a studio prior to shooting.

A collaboration between Indonesian culture information portal Indonesia Kaya and event organizer BOOW LIVE, #MusikalDiRumahAja encourages the public to support Indonesian artists amid the COVID-19 pandemic by making donations via online crowdfunding platform Kitabisa.com.

Amid the pandemic, Indonesia Kaya has organized several virtual activities, including broadcasting past theater performances and poetry readings. (wng)
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday reversed its order forfeiting to the Federal Government two houses in Ilorin belonging to a ...

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday reversed its order forfeiting to the Federal Government two houses in Ilorin belonging to a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.





The court, in a judgment by Justice Rilwan Aikawa, released the houses back to Saraki, while delivering judgment on an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, seeking to permanently forfeit the houses to the Federal Government.





The EFCC had in December last year secured a court order for the interim forfeiture of the houses  Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State  after telling the court that they were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011.





But attempts by the EFCC to convert the temporary forfeiture order to a permanent forfeiture order was vehemently resisted by Saraki, leading eventually to the discharge of the temporary forfeiture order on Thursday by Justice Aikawa.





The judge said he found no sufficient basis in the EFCC application and he could not find my way through to grant the permanent forfeiture order.





In its application, the EFCC had told the court how it received and investigated a damning intelligence report, showing monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011, when Saraki was the governor of the state.





An operative of the EFCC, Olamide Sadiq said, Whilst investigation was ongoing several fraudulent transactions were discovered.





I know for a fact and verily believe that our investigation has revealed the following mind-boggling findings, among others:

That between 2003 and 2011, Dr Olubukola Abubakar Saraki was the Executive Governor of Kwara State.





That whilst he held the aforementioned position, the common pattern was that after payment of monthly allocation by the Federal Government to the Kwara State Government, a cumulative sum of not less than N100m will be deposited into the Kwara Government House account.





That upon the payment of the said N100m, same will, in turn, be withdrawn in cash by one Mr Afeez Yusuf from the Kwara State Government House, Ilorins account in bits and brought to the Government House.





But Saraki had, through his lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), described the EFCC suit as an abuse of court process and an attempt to scandalise him.




BOSTON  Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is asking for a court ruling recognizing Uber and Lyft drivers as employees under the states wage and hour laws.

The lawsuit, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, challenges the designation of drivers as independent contractors by the ride hailing companies.

The new designation would give drivers access to what Healey described as critical labor rights and benefits  including minimum wage, overtime, and earned sick time.

Uber and Lyft have built their billion-dollar businesses while denying their drivers basic employee protections and benefits for years, Healey, a Democrat, said in a written statement Tuesday. This business model is unfair and exploitative. We are seeking this determination from the court because these drivers have a right to be treated fairly.

Representatives from the companies said drivers appreciate the flexibility, and designating them as employees could threaten jobs at a time of high unemployment due to the pandemic.

Healey said that in Massachusetts, a worker who provides any service for another party is presumed to be an employee unless that party can prove: the worker is free from their direction and control; the services the worker performs are outside the usual course of their business; and the worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation or business of the same nature as the service performed for the party.

Uber and Lyft both fail to meet the three-part test that would allow them to classify drivers as independent contractors, Healey said.

Healey said many drivers arent even guaranteed the state minimum wage or overtime because the companies dont pay them for time spent between rides or reimburse them for necessary business expenses such as fuel, vehicle maintenance, and insurance.

The lawsuit argues that the drivers provide a service that is essential to the companies core business, and without their drivers, these companies would cease to exist.

The companies disagree with Healey.

Uber spokeswoman Alix Anfang said given the current unemployment rate in Massachusetts, state leaders should be making it easier, not harder for people to earn a living.

We will contest this action in court, as it flies in the face of what the vast majority of drivers want: to work independently, Anfang said in a written statement. We stand ready to work with the state to modernize our laws, so that independent workers receive new protections while maintaining the flexibility they prefer.

Uber representative C.J. Macklin said a change in designation would threaten to eliminate work for more than 50,000 people in Massachusetts at the worst possible time.

Macklin said in a written statement that the vast majority of Lyft drivers drive fewer than 20 hours a week and choose to drive rideshare precisely because of the independence it gives them to make money in their spare time.

Healeys lawsuit argues that the companies closely monitor the activities of drivers through their apps and can penalize drivers for not accepting enough rides, cancelling too many rides, failing to maintain customer satisfaction ratings, or engaging in any conduct the companies determine to be grounds for suspension or termination.

Uber and Lyft also unilaterally determine their drivers pay structure, which is calculated using complicated formulas that change frequently, the lawsuit argues.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Chittenango, N.Y.  The North Pole ice cream shop in Chittenango has felt a boost of support from customers and strangers since a customer harassed two teenage employees who told the woman she needed to wear a mask.

New and returning customers alike have come to get a scoop and leave generous tips.

People from out of town have sent donations via Venmo.

A handwritten card of support  and a cash tip for the employees  arrived from a person in Tompkins County.

Local school children put up posters with messages about self-control.

And Tuesday Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul visited the stand to offer her support, get an ice cream and leave a tip.

The outpouring comes after a customer lashed out at two employee on July 7 when a man and woman were told they needed masks to get service.

The man left and went back to a pickup truck, but the woman stayed and yelled at the employees, telling them  incorrectly  that only employees need to wear masks and customers didnt. The woman also shouted that she doubted the advice from the World Health Organization and other authorities, the workers said.

The workers closed the counter window, which appeared to further provoke the woman.

The woman, who had been several feet away from the window, ran toward the stand, yanked open the window and began yelling again and said she was going to talk to their manager, the workers said. The woman splattered spit while she was yelling. She then left.

While theres been an outpouring of support for the workers, another incident happened two days later on July 9, said owner Alexandria Ciotti, who also owns the adjoining Hamlet Diner.

A customer came to the stand and yelled at an employee over the mask requirement, the owner said.

The customer, who Ciotti said told her that they hadnt been to the North Pole in five years, saw what happened two days earlier and decided to come back to voice their opinion.

The positive has definitely outweighed the negative, but the negative has really impacted the girls, she said.

The ice cream stand at 620 Genesee Turnpike has three employees, some of whom have worked there since they were 14.

Their future means everything to them and everything to us, Ciotti said.

On Thursday afternoon, a class of fifth graders from Chittenango Middle School visited to hang signs in support of the workers and business.

The signs were part of a poster contest organized by Wisdom Thinkers Network, a nonprofit that creates training workshops for schools, religious educators and corporations to use stories in developing a more compassionate, inclusive and ethical culture.

Ralph Singh is chair of Wisdom Thinkers Network and co-founder of Gobind Sadan USA, a Sikh religious center in Oswego County that was burned to the ground two months after the Sept. 11 attacks. Three teens falsely believed the center supported Osama Bin Laden.

The posters made by the Chittenango students depict a cartoon turtle named Snappy and are centered around teaching lessons of self-control.

The poster contest was ongoing when the incidents at North Pole happened but the school, North Pole and Wisdom Thinkers Network quickly connected to bring the messages to the public.

We want to change the narrative from one of conflict to one of community, Singh said.

For Ciotti, the message is simple.

I just want people to be nice, she said.

Jacob Pucci writes on food, restaurants and all things gastronomic across Central New York. Contact him by email at jpucci@syracuse.com.
Niamey, Niger (PANA) - The cancellation of this year's hajj because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has dealt a big blow to the finances of Niger travel agencies, the Niger Press Agency (ANP) reported on Friday
MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon television program, Copyright MMXX, all rights reserved. MoneyTV does not provide an analysis of companies' financial positions and is not soliciting to purchase or sell securities of the companies, nor are we offering a recommendation of featured companies or their stocks. Information discussed herein has been provided by the companies and should be verified independently with the companies and a securities analyst. MoneyTV provides companies a 3 to 4 month corporate profile with multiple appearances for a cash fee of $6,950.00 to $11,995.00, does not accept company stock as payment for services, does not hold any positions, options or warrants in featured companies. The information herein is not an endorsement by Donald Baillargeon, the producer, publisher or parent company of MoneyTV.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
The European Council has updated the list of countries for which member states should gradually lift travel restrictions at the external borders. The new list includes 12 countries instead of 14. Serbia and Montenegro have been removed from the list, Trend reports citing 1tv.ge.

In the updated list, the Council of the European Union recommends that member states open their borders with Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.

The list of safe countries also includes China, but traffic with China will resume only after the country opens its borders to the EU.

On 30 June the Council adopted a recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, including an initial list of countries for which member states should start lifting the travel restrictions at the external borders. Georgia was on the list.

At the same time, on July 8, Georgia opened its borders with several EU countries, including Germany, France, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Statewide Mask Order

Effective: Midnight Thursday

Where: In all public places, including stores, gyms and places where people congregate, such as airports and bus stations.

Duration: At least 30 days, but some areas could see a loosening within two weeks if adequate safety precautions are in place and infection rates diminish.

Exemptions:

 Individuals who cannot medically tolerate wearing a mask;

 Individuals who are hearing impaired or otherwise disabled or who are communicating with someone who is hearing impaired or otherwise disabled and where the ability to see the mouth is essential to communication;

 Individuals who are seated at a food service establishment;

 Individuals who are exercising alone or with others from the individuals household and a face covering would interfere with the activity;

 Individuals who are receiving a personal service where the temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service;

 Individuals who enter a business or receive services and are asked to temporarily remove a face covering for identification purposes;

 Individuals who are actively engaged in a public safety role such as law enforcement, firefighters or emergency medical personnel;

 Individuals who are officiating at a religious service; or

 Individuals who are giving a speech for broadcast or an audience.
Zoom last month released an enhanced and encrypted version of the application in order to ensure protection and privacy of personal information. (Photo | Pixabay - Antonbe)

New Delhi: A vulnerability has been noticed in the Zoom video conferencing application for Windows 7 and earlier versions that could allow an attacker to remotely execute arbitrary code on the targeted system, a national cyber security agency said on Friday.

The Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) said the severity rating of this vulnerability is high and advised users to update the app and its security by visiting the Zoom support service website.

The vulnerability has been reported in the Zoom video conferencing application running on Windows 7 and earlier Windows versions which could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the targeted system, the advisory said.

It said a remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability by enticing the user to execute a specially crafted file.

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target system, said the CERT-In, the national technology arm to combat cyber attacks and guard the Indian cyber space.

The popular video conferencing platform had last month released an enhanced and encrypted version of the application in order to ensure protection and privacy of personal information.

The application had seen a mega jump in downloads after work from home become a norm for numerous office goers and professionals due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the resulting nationwide lockdown.

In April, the Union home ministry had said that the Zoom meeting platform was not safe and it was not to be used for official purposes by government officials.

Such a warning was also issued by the CERT-In and was reiterated by the Cyber Coordination Centre (CyCord) of the home ministry.

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With global economic uncertainties triggering a 95% slump in equity net sales, according to key data released by the Association of Mutual Fund in India (AMFI), ETMONEY - Indias largest online wealth management app continued to generate higher value by driving 28% of equity net sales of the industry in June 20, thus reaffirming its position as the countrys go-to wealth management app.

As per the latest data released by the Association of Mutual Fund in India (AMFI), net inflows in equity mutual funds in the month of June 2020 fell by almost 95% to Rs. 240 Cr from Rs.5,256 Cr in May. Amidst the chaos, ETMONEY surged ahead by contributing a major chunk of net sales while ensuring that capital was invested in categories aimed at long-term wealth creation.

Out of the industrys equity mutual fund net sales, ETMONEY accounted for Rs. 68.7 Cr in investment i.e. 28% of net sales of the whole industry. At a time when large-cap and multi-cap funds posted a combined negative net sale of close to Rs. 1,000 Cr, ETMONEY saw net sales in excess of Rs. 25 Cr in these two categories. ETMONEY also accounted for nearly 14% of total net sales in the Mid Cap category in the month of June. As compared to the industry-wide net sales of Rs 36.70 Cr for the category, ETMONEY contributed a net sales of Rs 4.9 Cr. Besides equity funds, the platform also saw net positive sales in hybrid funds while the industry had over Rs. 3,000 Cr negative net sales excluding arbitrage funds.

Speaking on the platforms success in helping Indian investors make smarter financial choices, ETMONEY Founder-CEO Mukesh Kalra said, We have undertaken various initiatives to help Indian investors make the right investment decisions during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. From offering valuable investment advice by CEOs of top AMCs via videos to smart interventions at key investment decision-making points on our platform, ETMONEYs strategy to stay with the investor at every step of the journey has worked exceptionally well. Our earnest effort in handholding investors has resulted in a significant new investment on the platform. In fact, many of the categories where ETMONEY investors did well are the ones that are primarily suited for long-term wealth creation, compared to some industry inflows coming on the back of potentially not-so-sustainable returns.

During this period, ETMONEY also witnessed growing SIP Book and reduced SIP Cancellations. The net inflow in SIPs across the entire industry has been falling month-on-month in the last three months, i.e. April, May, and June. In contrast, ETMONEY has registered a 1 percent month-on-month growth in the same period.
Pakistan Bows To Islamic Hard-Liners To Halt Hindu Temple Construction

By Daud Khattak, Frud Bezhan July 16, 2020

The construction of the first Hindu temple complex in Islamabad was intended to be a powerful symbol of tolerance towards Pakistan's largest non-Muslim religious minority.

Instead, it has become yet another example of persistent discrimination faced by the beleaguered Hindu community in Pakistan, a Muslim-majority South Asian nation of 220 million people.

Weeks after the first foundation stones were laid, the government capitulated to pressure from Islamic hard-liners to halt work on the temple complex. Days after the government's decision, it was torn down by a Muslim mob.

"Those who oppose the construction of the temple are extremists," says Om Parhar, the head of the Pakistan Hindu Ithad, an Islamabad-based organization that defends the rights of Hindus. "I want to tell them that Hindus are also Pakistanis."

Religious discrimination and violence have increased in Pakistan, a mainly Sunni-Muslim country, with attacks against Shi'a, Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs in recent years.

Numbering an estimated 8 million, Pakistan's Hindu community has become the target of the rising violence. Hindu burial grounds, temples, and homes have all come under attack.

The community says authorities have done little to stem the assaults.

'Equal Citizens'

In June, Prime Minister Imran Khan approved the disbursement of about $1.3 million in government funds for the construction of the temple complex, a long-standing demand of Islamabad's estimated 3,000-strong Hindu community.

The complex was to include a crematorium, accommodation for visitors, a community hall, and a large area for parking.

Khan, who came to power in 2018, had vowed to protect freedom of religion for the country's religious minorities.

"I want to warn our people that anyone in Pakistan targeting our non-Muslim citizens or their places of worship will be dealt with strictly," Khan said in February. "Our minorities are equal citizens of the country."

Khan announced his government was hoping to restore some 400 Hindu temples across the country as part of its plan to showcase the heritage of minorities, particularly Hindus and Sikhs.

The plan to build the Islamabad temple complex was approved in 2017 under former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. But construction has been delayed until this year by administrative barriers.

The first foundation stones of the Shri Krishna Mandir, or Krishna temple, were laid during a ceremony on June 23. The development was welcomed by rights activists and Hindus.

'Against The Spirit Of Islam'

But the move provoked a severe backlash from hard-line Islamic clerics, politicians, and even media outlets that launched a public campaign to scupper the project.

Critics said a Hindu temple should not be built in the Islamic country and should not be funded by taxpayer money.

The Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e Azam (PLM-Q), a small centrist political party in Khan's ruling coalition, said the temple project should be cancelled, claiming it was "against the spirit of Islam."

The Jamia Ashrafia, an Islamic institution based in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, issued a fatwa, or Islamic decree, against the temple's construction, stating it was "non-permissible" under Islam.

Facing growing pressure, the government on July 3 reversed its pledge to fund the project.

The government then halted work on a wall that was being built around the temple's plot of land. Days later, on July 5, an angry mob tore down the wall.

But an Islamabad court on July 7 dismissed a set of petitions that sought to stop the construction of the temple.

The government has referred the issue to the Council of Islamic Ideology, the country's top Islamic guidance body. The council is expected to announce its recommendations in September -- including whether the temple can be constructed and if public funds can be used.

Religious Affairs Minister Pir Noorul Haq Qadri claimed that the Capital Development Authority, responsible for providing municipal services in Islamabad, halted work on the temple because it had yet to approve the blueprints.

He told lawmakers that the government would "fully safeguard the rights of the religious minorities."

But Islamic hard-liners have continued to push for the project to be scrapped.

"Islam does not permit the construction of a new place of worship by religious minorities in a Muslim country," claimed Maulana Amir Zaman, a member of a faction of the Jamiat-e Ulema Islam party led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a puritanical Islamist.

"And when it comes to the taxpayers' money, it is absolutely not allowed," Zaman, a former minister and lawmaker, told RFE/RL. "Only Muslim places of worship can be constructed with that money."

Parhar, the head of a Hindu organization in Islamabad, said he could not "talk openly" about the issue because of fear of retaliation.

"My question is -- is it only Muslims who pay taxes in Pakistan?" he said.

'Act Of Bigotry'

Mehdi Hassan, the head of Pakistan's Human Rights Commission, told RFE/RL it was the "government's responsibility to ensure the minorities' rights."

"The majority of Pakistanis do not oppose the construction of the Hindu temple in Islamabad," Hassan said. "Those who do not accept minority rights or oppose the construction of non-Muslim places of worship are in the minority."

Amnesty International said on July 7 that the government's decision to halt the construction was "an unconscionable act of bigotry that must be reversed immediately."

"Everyone has a right to freedom of religion or belief, a right that is guaranteed in Pakistan's constitution and its international obligations," it said.

In a landmark speech on religious freedom, Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah said in 1947: "You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or any other place of worship in the state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed -- that has nothing to do with the business of the state."

But for the past four decades, Pakistan's political and military elite have promoted a conservative Islamic identity in the country.

Religious minorities have become increasingly marginalized as the spread of Islamic Shari'a law has resulted in discriminatory legislation and excluded non-Muslims from the mainstream.

'Forced Conversion'

Human rights groups say the Hindu community faces increasing marginalization.

They say Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws make it dangerous for non-Muslim religious minorities to express themselves freely or engage openly in religious activities.

Blasphemy is a highly serious and sensitive charge, and even unproven allegations can lead to vigilante justice and violence by lynch mobs.

The blasphemy laws prescribe the death penalty for insulting the Islamic Prophet Muhammad or Islam's Holy Koran.

But rights groups say the blasphemy laws have been consistently misused by Muslims in order to settle a dispute or vendetta with a member of a religious minority.

"In recent years, they have faced increasing marginalization, with individuals facing false accusations of 'blasphemy' -- a crime that carries a mandatory death penalty in Pakistan -- attacks on temples and shops, and the horrific abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriage of hundreds of young Hindu women," Amnesty International says.

In two separate incidents during 2019, Muslim mobs attacked Hindu properties and places of worship in the southern province of Sindh, where the vast majority of the country's Hindus live.

The mob violence occurred after allegations of blasphemy were raised against a Hindu school principal and a Hindu veterinarian.

Unable to practice their faith freely or to live without fear, a growing number of Hindus are migrating to the neighboring Hindu-majority country of India, Pakistan's archrival.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-bows- to-islamic-hard-liners-to-halt-hindu- temple-construction/30731832.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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A fact-finding report on the north-east Delhi riots released on Thursday by the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) pointed fingers at BJP leaders for allegedly "inciting" people through speeches during the Assembly elections. Rubbishing the report, Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana accused the minorities panel of levelling baseless allegations against the saffron party.

The 130-page report, already submitted to Lt Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in its findings also alleged "inaction" on the part of Delhi Police. Delhi Police Additional PRO Anil Mittal said, "We have not received any report from the Delhi Minorities Commission so far."

The police said they have a robust public grievance redressal system. They had also launched helpline numbers in this regard for those who want to lodge their complaints or to address their issues of concern. Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana denounced the report.

"This is a political report. Does it mention councillor Tahir Hussain who is in jail in connection with the riots?" he asked.

Stressing that the police has said that BJP leaders had no role in the riots, Khurana accused the minorities commission of levelling baseless allegations against the saffron party. "They should respect the law and let it take its own course," Khurana said.

The report was released at the DMC office by chairman of the Commission, Zafarul Islam Khan, and MR Shamshad who headed the 10-member fact-finding committee. The key findings of the report noted: "repeated incitement" to violence.

"Throughout the Delhi Assembly elections campaign from December 2019 to February 2020, there were a number of speeches by Delhi BJP leaders inciting people to violence against anti-CAA protesters," a DMC statement said.

"Violence broke out in different pockets in North East Delhi almost immediately after instigating speech of Kapil Mishra on February 23 at Maujpur, in which he openly called for forcefully removing the (anti-CAA) protesters at Jafarabad," it said.

Mishra, a BJP leader from north-east Delhi's Karawal Nagar could not be contacted for his comment.

The report stated that testimonies of affected people revealed that the violence was not spontaneous like a "riot", it was "planned, organised and targeted". "In several areas of North East Delhi, properties owned by Muslims were looted, burnt and completely destroyed. Armed mobs chanting slogans selectively attacked Muslim individuals, houses, shops, vehicles, mosques and other properties," the statement said.

The violence claimed over 50 lives besides injuries to scores of people.

"Multiple testimonies collected by the fact-finding committee recount reports of police inaction even as the violence unfolded, or of police not reaching despite repeated calls on emergency call number," it said.

Police claimed that the majority of the cases were registered on the complaint of people from the minority community.

"Delhi Police maintains that all cases are being investigated in a fair and professional manner," said Mittal, the Delhi Police PRO.

The testimonies of victims also alleged delayed FIRs, police "complicity" in "abetting" attacks including on women, the report stated.

Mittal said Delhi Police has rather encouraged people to come forward and lodge their complaints. Wide advertisements were also issued in newspapers in this regard, he said.

The police officer said three Special Investigation Teams were also formed to investigate the cases of murder. A special court and special prosecutor have also been appointed to look into the cases, he said.

Besides, a claim commissioner has also been appointed look into damage estimate and recovery, he said.

In total, 752 cases were registered in connection with February's riots, the highest so far in any riots, Delhi Police claimed.

As many as 1,470 accused have been arrested in connection with the riots and chargesheets have been filed in around 200 cases so far. Out of the total cases registered, 372 cases have been worked out so far, the Delhi Police PRO added.

The report also noted that even after four months of the violence, verification process for compensation to the riot victims has not been completed in many cases.

"In many cases, after verification very small amount of interim compensation has been paid," claimed the report.

The committee was open to testimonies of all affected people, including those from the majority community, but they did not approach it, said Shamshad.

The report recommended that the government form a five-member committee, headed by a retired High Court judge, to ensure proper registration of FIRs, recording of statements of victims, chargesheet review, the probe of Delhi Police role, compensation to all the victims.

It also recommended deputing trial court advocates to render legal aid to the victims.
It had been raining for much of the day here in Pennsylvania. After spending the last six years in Colorado, the East Coasts weather has been nothing short of entertaining. Sure, I grew up with it, but six years away takes its toll. Not that Im complaining, as Ive actually been enjoying the heat and humidity. Its a good training stimulusor at least thats what I tell myself. But really, it feels good to sweat. And the rain? Ive always loved running in the rain.

Still, its different. In Colorado, rain lasts for about 15 minutes. It dumps rain and hail one minute, and is sunny the next. Here on the East Coast of the U.S. and where Ive recently moved back to, it actually rains. Some rains, like this one, go pretty much all day. The man on the radio said today wasnt a good day to go outside. Im not sure Ill ever understand that kind of thought process, I thought to myself as I drove my truck to the trailhead. Its not that I am totally clueless about what hes trying to say, but there is still good out there. Why be so quick to dismiss it?

By the time I got to the trail, the rain had all but stopped. What remained didnt warrant a jacket. Then again, the harder stuff probably hadnt either. Its just too hot and humid here to necessitate staying dry or warm. Rain or no rain, you get soaked. I laced up my shoes and hit the trail.

My plan was to explore the Turkey Hill Trail. Though a local trail, it would be my first time on it. Atop the first climb there was a turnoff for an overlook. I skipped it and continued south toward the Susquehanna Rivers Safe Harbor Dam. The trail ducked in and out of the woods as it skirted the hilltop and traversed some open, grassy fields. Just north of Fishermans Run, the trail turned sharply into the woods and descended to the Enola Low Grade Trail, a rail trail.

My pre-run research told me that there was another section of the Turkey Hill Trail just a little farther south at Frys Run. I ran south on the rail trail, and then dove back into the woods at Frys Run. Sure enough, there was a trail, but not much of one. Here and there it felt like I was following a path and I would notice an old trail blaze, but for the most part, it was a bushwhack. Still, it was fun. I couldnt help but notice the potential for an awesome trail network. Eventually I found my way to the trailhead at the end of Observation Road.

Here, the blue Turkey Hill Trail blazes picked up again. They followed the paved roadway past an old cemetery. I stopped to check out the headstones. They were tricky to read. Im not even sure if they were in English, but they had dates on them from the 1800s. A short while later the trail dove into the woods and once again descended to the rail trail below. I followed the rail trail to its dead end at an old railroad bridge, then looped around and headed back.

On the return trip, I opted to skip the bushwhack and stuck to the rail trail instead. With the Susquehanna River on my left, the steep hillside on my right, and the sky clearing overhead, I found a bit of rhythm as I cruised my way back past Frys Run, across Fishermans Run, and onto the last miles of the Turkey Hill Trail. This time, when I got to the top of the final descent, what was the top of my initial climb, I took the side trail to the overlook. What lay before me was magnificent. The cloud-filled, rainy day had given way to a beautiful sunset. The river below, dotted with islands and banked by rolling farmland, was in full view. It stretched north toward the Veterans Memorial Bridge. The sky danced with color as the sun sank west. I stood there and took it in. A bad day to be outside? Yeah, right.

The sunset before me stood in sharp contrast to the rest of the day. The pieces were there all along, its just that they simply werent aligned quite the same. Even in this moment of beauty, if I spun in a circle, the contrast continued. Directly behind me lay a landfill, and to my right, two gigantic wind turbines. The wind turbines are pretty cool and they do good work, providing 25% of the electrical needs for the Turkey Hill Dairy. But the landfill, well, thats just a pile of trash.

And yet, it persists. Could we come up with a better solution? Probably. And yet, for the time being, its a real and present thing. Life is much the same way. Good times or bad, there are always at least a few trash dumps lying around. Some are quite visible, difficult to ignore. Others are more covert, but threatening nonetheless.

But you know what worsens the situation? When we choose to stand with our backs to the sunset and our eyes fixed solely on the trash heap. This is not to say that we should ignore the garbage, or pretend that it doesnt exist. Thats how we end up with big problems. It is, however, to express that in life, the good and bad often coexist: the garbage atop the hill, the river stretching north, the sun sinking west, and the rainy day giving way to a starry night. There is a place for each.

We can stand atop the heap of negativity as we lift our eyes to the beauty surrounding it. We bushwhack through the weeds with a smile because we can see the potential of the place in which we struggle to move. We gasp in the thin alpine air of the mountains and wring the sweat from our shirt after a (hu)midsummer nights run. In a way, the act of moving through the muck feels good for it means we are getting somewhere.

Life will never be perfect in the sense that most wish it were. To quote G. Michael Hopf, Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times. We all have moments of strength and weakness, so Im fairly certain that this cycle will always exist. Even so, lets continue to be the strong people that we can be, recognizing the good that is, and lending a helping hand to the weak soul that we will inevitably be. Lets get to work on the future.

Call for Comments

How do you deal with the idea that that which is good and bad accompany each other in most aspects of life?

Do you find it possible to both accept and work on the bad aspects of life?
The Pentagon is considering plans to remove 'divisive' symbols from US military bases and the Confederate flag is among those which may be banned, the Army Secretary says.

Ryan McCarthy said 'anything that is a divisive symbol' could be put on a 'no-fly list' - despite Donald Trump's insistence that displaying the Confederate flag is 'freedom of speech' and that bases honoring Southern generals should not be renamed.

McCarthy said the Pentagon was close to agreeing a standardized policy among the different services, after the Marine Corps banned the Confederate flag last month.

One proposal is that the Confederate flag should be quietly dropped by excluding it from a list of approved symbols without banning it by name.

The Pentagon (pictured) is considering a plan to remove 'divisive' symbols from military bases and the Confederate flag is among those which may be banned, the Army Secretary says

One proposal is that the Confederate flag (pictured) should be quietly dropped by excluding it from a list of approved symbols without banning it by name, it is believed

'Anything that is a divisive symbol, we do want to take those of our installations and that sort of thing out of our formation,' Army Secretary McCarthy told reporters.

Asked if that would include specifically identifying Confederate flags as divisive symbols, McCarthy said: 'We would have any divisive symbols on a no-fly list, if you will.'

A spokeswoman for McCarthy said he was not specifically referring to the Confederate flag and would defer to the Pentagon on any specific guidance.

Last week top general Mark Milley said the military had to take a 'hard look' at symbols of the Confederacy, including base names.

The Marine Corps has already banned the Confederate flag, saying it can inflame division and weaken unit cohesion.

Military commands in South Korea and Japan quickly followed suit, but Defense Secretary Mark Esper is believed to be seeking a unified policy across the forces.

Esper discussed the plan to ease out the Confederate flag with senior leaders this week.

The proposal lists the types of flags that may be displayed at military installations, quietly omitting the Confederate flag.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy (pictured left on a visit to Poland earlier this week) said 'anything that is a divisive symbol' could be put on a 'no-fly list

Donald Trump (pictured) says that flying the Confederate flag is 'freedom of speech' and that bases honoring Confederate generals should not be renamed

Acceptable flags would include the US and state banners and the widely displayed POW/MIA flag. Official military division and unit flags are also likely to be allowed.

Officials said on Thursday that there was no guarantee that this latest version would be approved.

The long-divisive issue of the Confederate flag has come rushing back into the spotlight amid the unprecedented global reckoning on racism which was unleashed by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.

Statues of Confederate figures are seen by many as symbols of slavery and racial oppression and several of them have been torn down in recent weeks.

Supporters of the flag and statues say they represent the South's heritage and serve as a memorial to the Confederate dead during the Civil War.

Last month, Trump rejected renaming 10 military bases named after Confederate generals, slapping down Pentagon officials who had floated the idea.

The United States Marine Corps (file photo) has already ordered a ban on all public displays of the Confederate flag

Trump rejected calls to rename the bases on June 10, saying they were 'hallowed grounds' and 'magnificent and fabled military installations' where soldiers have been trained for great American victories.

'Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military!' he said.

Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren is seeking to legislate to remove the names, saying it was time to relegate the generals to 'footnotes' in history books.

In a speech on the Senate floor she highlighted the sinister past of honored generals such as John Brown Gordon, a suspected KKK leader; Henry Benning, a fierce secessionist who feared a 'land in possession of the blacks', and Braxton Bragg, a slaveowner with a poor reputation even on the Confederate side.

Many of the 10 men had previously fought for the US Army but defected to join the Confederacy when the 11 southern states seceded in 1861.

The 10 bases are all located in the South, most of them in states which voted for Trump in the 2016 election.

Warren also attacked Trump for his opposition to renaming the bases, saying the president had 'chosen a well-worn path of hatred and division'.


Roger Stone says an Upstate New York congresswoman warned President Donald Trump not to grant him clemency before the 2020 election. She denies it.

Politico reports Stone told conservative podcast host Charlie Kirk that Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) advised Trump not to commute Stones sentence before November because it could hurt Republicans in the election.

Congressman Matt Gaetz from my home state of Florida, who I know was out there when Kevin McCarthy and Elise Stefanik were arguing against any clemency for Roger Stone because it might cost the Republicans seats, Stone said. I know that Matt Gaetz was standing tall, both privately and in public, on my behalf.

Politico reported an anonymous source confirmed Stefanik and McCarthy discussed a possible pardon or commutation for Stone when they flew with Trump to Florida for the SpaceX launch in May.

Kevin McCarthy and Elise Stefanik were lobbying the president against any act of clemency, Stone similarly told Fox News Radio. They, I guess, wanted me to die in a fetid, squalid hellhole in Georgia of coronavirus.

However, a spokesperson for Stefanik told the Times Union on Thursday that she did not speak with Trump about any potential pardons or other clemency.

Congresswoman Stefanik has never advocated on any pardoning matters with the president, Stephanie McBath told the Albany newspaper. Stefanik believes that all pardoning issues are the presidents decisions to make.

Stefanik, a third-term congresswoman whose 21st Congressional District includes most of the North Country, has long been a Trump ally, serving on his impeachment defense team and appearing at his campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last month. She also serves as Trumps New York campaign co-chair and has praised his response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Stone was sentenced in February to serve to more than three years in federal prison after being convicted of lying to Congress, witness tampering, and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election.

Stone was scheduled to begin the prison sentence in Georgia this month, but Trump commuted his sentence on July 10. The commutation left Stone free with his convictions standing, but Trump can still pardon him fully at a later date.

According to Politico, the discussion may be significant as few elected Republicans have spoken publicly about Stones commutation. Democrats have largely criticized the move as corrupt, an abuse of power and offensive to the rule of law and principles of justice.
TORONTO, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anconia Resources Corp. (TSXV:ARA) (the "Company") is pleased to announce material updates in connection with a proposed reverse take-over of Avalon Investment Holdings Ltd. (Avalon) (the "Proposed Transaction") subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") to list the shares of the resulting entity (the "Resulting Issuer") on the Exchange. The Resulting Issuer will continue to carry on base and precious metals exploration and development, focused primarily on the exploration of Avalons Omai Gold Mine project in Guyana.



Proposed Transaction

The Company and Avalon have entered into an acquisition agreement (the "Definitive Agreement") dated October 9, 2019.

The Proposed Transaction will be carried out by way of a three-cornered amalgamation which will result in Avalon combining its corporate existence with a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The Proposed Transaction will constitute a reverse takeover under Policy 5.2  Changes of Business and Reverse Takeovers. Subject to regulatory and other required approvals, and the satisfaction of other conditions contained in the Definitive Agreement, the Company will acquire all the issued and outstanding Avalon common shares. Immediately preceding the Proposed Transaction, Anconia will consolidate all of the issued and outstanding Anconia Shares (the Consolidation) on the basis of one post-Consolidation Anconia Share for every fifteen (15) pre-Consolidation Anconia Shares. Following the Consolidation, there will be approximately 7,839,294 Anconia Shares issued and outstanding.

Pursuant to the Transaction, Anconia will issue common shares (Anconia Shares) to the holders of common shares in the capital of Avalon (Avalon Shares) on the basis of approximately one post-Consolidation Anconia Share for each one Avalon Share outstanding. Anconia and Avalon anticipate that approximately 159,869,799 post-Consolidation Anconia Shares will be issued pursuant to the Transaction, based on the current capital structure of Avalon. In addition, all securities convertible into Avalon Shares that are outstanding and unexercised immediately prior to closing are expected to be exchanged for economically equivalent and otherwise substantially similar securities convertible into Anconia post-Consolidation Shares. The parties anticipate that, upon completion of the Transaction, the Avalon shareholders will hold approximately 159,869,799 Anconia post-Consolidation Shares, representing approximately 95.33% of the issued and outstanding Anconia post-Consolidation Shares on an undiluted basis, and 205,539,240 Anconia post-Consolidation Shares, representing approximately 96.33% of the issued and outstanding Anconia post-Consolidation Shares on a fully diluted basis.

Story continues

The Proposed Transaction will be an Arm's Length Transaction as defined by Policy 1.1 of the Exchange. Mr. Denis Clement, a director of the Company, holds securities in Avalon representing 2.6% of the Avalon Shares on an undiluted basis, and 2.1% of the Avalon Shares on a fully diluted basis. Mr. Jason Brewster holds 1,000,000 options to purchase common shares in Avalon, which if exercised would represent 0.46% of the Avalon Shares on a partially diluted basis and Mr. Harvey McKenzie holds 500,000 options to purchase common shares in Avalon, which if exercised would represent 0.23% of the Avalon Shares on a partially diluted basis.

The Transaction is subject to a number of terms and conditions, including, but not limited to, the parties fulfilling their obligations pursuant to the Definitive Agreement; the completion of a consolidation of the Companys shares on a 15:1 basis; and the approval of the Exchange and other applicable regulatory authorities.

Trading in the Anconia Shares will remain halted pending the satisfaction of all applicable requirements of Policy 5.2 of the Exchange. There can be no assurance that trading of Anconia Shares will resume prior to the completion of the Transaction. Anconia will hold a meeting of its shareholders to vote on the Transaction and will require that a majority of the votes of its shareholders vote in favour of the Transaction in order to proceed with it.

The Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions including the completion of the consolidation of the Companys shares (described above), receipt of all required regulatory approvals including the approval of the Exchange, completion of satisfactory due diligence reviews, satisfaction of the initial listing requirements of the Exchange, and all requirements under the policies of the Exchange relating to the completion of the Proposed Transaction and the execution of an amalgamation agreement as contemplated in the Definitive Agreement.

Capitalization of the Resulting Issuer

As of todays date, the Company has 117,589,409 common shares, issued and outstanding and no warrants or options issued and outstanding. On close of the Proposed Transaction, the Resulting Issuer is expected to have 167,709,093 common shares issued and outstanding, 8,741,676 stock options, and 36,927,765 common share purchase warrants. All securities held by principals of the Resulting Issuer (6,045,017 common shares and 5,000,008 stock options) will be subject to Exchange surplus or value escrow requirements unless a waiver is provided by the Exchange. Additional securities issued to the former shareholders of Avalon will be subject to the Exchange's seed share resale restrictions in accordance with section 10.9 of Policy 5.4 of the Exchange.

On close of the Proposed Transaction, the directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer, as a group, will beneficially own - directly or indirectly - or exercise control or direction over an aggregate of 6,045,017 common shares, representing 3.6% of the issued and outstanding common shares on an undiluted basis. One other former shareholder of Avalon, Sandstorm Gold Ltd. will hold 11.92% of the Resulting Issuer on an undiluted basis.

Proposed Board of Directors and Officers and Insiders of Resulting Issuer

At the close of the Proposed Transaction, the board of directors of the Company will be Denis Clement, Mario Stifano, Adam Spencer, Nadine Miller, and Paul Fornazzari. The officers of the Company will be: Mr. Mario Stifano, President and Chief Executive Officer; Mr. Harvey McKenzie, Chief Financial Officer; Mr. Jason Brewster, Vice-President of Operations; and Dr. Dennis LaPoint, Vice-President of Exploration.

The following represents an overview of the experience of the proposed board members of the Resulting Issuer:

Denis A. Clement, B.Comm., LLB, LLM.

Mr. Clement is a highly experienced international business executive with over 35 years of experience in finance, M&A, banking and management, primarily in the finance, oil and gas, mining and technology industries. Mr. Clement has been in management and on the Board of Directors of various public and private companies throughout his career. Mr. Clement has extensive experience in the corporate finance business having raised over $1 billion in debt and equity in various industries including the resource business.

Mr. Clement has over 25 years of experience in the resource business in Guyana. Mr. Clement was instrumental in launching the offshore oil and gas industry in Guyana. As founding President of CGX Energy Inc. Mr. Clement negotiated and co-signed the first offshore oil and gas licenses in Guyana in 1998. Mr. Clement is a member of the Law Society of Ontario.

Nadine Miller, MBA, M.Eng, P.Eng.

Ms. Miller is an Independent Non-Executive Director for Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. and a Strategic Advisor at Awz Ventures Inc. Awz Ventures is a Canadian-based venture capital fund, with a primary focus on investing in leading-edge homeland security (HLS) technologies and services from Israel, a global leader in this space with added focus on technologies that employ sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) elements.

Ms. Miller is a professional engineer (geotechnical) with over 18 years of experience in engineering design and project management in the mining and transportation industries, and has worked on mining projects in Australia, Europe, North and South America; specializing in tailings management and design. She has undertaken mandates for projects ranging in size from less than $100k to projects greater than $1B. She led the Business Development departments for two of the worlds largest engineering consulting firms Toronto Offices: (1) Bantrel providing EPC/EPCM services to the mining and metals, oil, gas and chemicals and infrastructure sectors with the backing of Bantrels parent company, Bechtel; and (2) SNC-Lavalins Mining and Metallurgy providing EPC/EPCM services.

Paul Fornazzari, LL.B., LL.M.

Mr. Fornazzari is a partner at the law firm Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, where he is head of Latin America for the Global Mining Group. He was a former Chairperson of Lithium Americas Corp. and has been a director of various public companies for most of his career. Previously, Mr. Fornazzari was a partner at another international law firm where he was head of its Corporate Finance, Securities and Public M&A National Practice Group and of its Mining Group. Mr. Fornazzari has broad experience advising boards, executive teams and investment dealers and acts for domestic and foreign clients in various industries including mining, petroleum, technology, life sciences and financial services. As a fluent Spanish speaker from Latin America, he has transactional experience and a strong network in almost all of the jurisdictions in that region. Mr. Fornazzari holds a Masters of Law from Osgoode Hall Law School in Securities Law and a Bachelor of Law from the University of Windsor. Paul is a member of the TSX Venture Exchanges National Advisory Committee.

Mario Stifano, CPA - CA

Mario Stifano is a driven and strategic senior executive and finance professional with over 25 years of corporate, management and finance experience.

Mr. Stifano has strong capital markets experience having raised approximately $700 million in equity and debt to fund the development of assets with strong operational background and experience in strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions including integration, financial controls and investor relations with broad industry experience including resources, information technology and the financial sector, senior executive roles within technology, finance and resource companies.

Mr. Stifano has is currently Chairman of Dore Copper Mining Corp., and is a consultant to Kirkland Lake Gold. Previously Mr. Stifano has held positions such as CEO of Cordoba minerals, Chairman of Mega Precious Metals, CFO of Lakeshore Gold, CFO Ivernia Inc.as well a working with Noranda Inc.

Adam Spencer, B.Comm, CFA

As a former Director at Cormark Securities Inc., Adam Spencer spent six years in investment banking, providing coverage to a variety of mining companies operating in the base metals, precious metals, and bulk commodity sectors. His experience directing merger and acquisition advisory mandates and equity financings have made him a valuable asset at Sandstorm Gold Ltd., where his primary focus is to grow the companys royalty portfolio. He holds the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst and received a Bachelor of Commerce degree, with honours, from Dalhousie University.

Jason Brewster, B.A., M.Sc.

Mr. Brewster is President and CEO of Anconia Resources Corp., as well as serving as Partner of Billiken Management Services, a full service exploration management consulting company. Mr. Brewster received his M.Sc. in mining engineering from the Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall, England and his B.A. from the University of Western Ontario. For over 20 years, Mr. Brewster has been active in all facets of the mining industry from grass roots prospecting to being instrumental in bringing the Aguas Tenidas mine in southern Spain out of care and maintenance and back into production.

Harvey McKenzie, CPA-CA

Mr. McKenzie is a (life member) Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA-CA), granted by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, Canada. Mr. McKenzie's current principal occupation is the provision of consulting services primarily in financial reporting areas. Since June 2011, he has been the CFO and Corporate Secretary of Anconia Resources Corp., from November 2015 to April 30, 2017, he has been the CFO and Corporate Secretary of Ellipsiz Communications Ltd. a technology company (TSXV: ECL). From June 2011 to November 2015, he was a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Li3 Energy (listed on the OTC); Chair of the Audit Committee of Latin American Minerals Inc. from September 2006 to June 2010 as well as directorships of some small shells listed (or pending listing) on the TSX. Prior thereto, Mr. McKenzie served as the CFO of several Canadian publicly listed exploration, development and producing mining companies.

Dennis LaPoint, BA, M.Sc., Ph.D

Dr. Dennis LaPoint is an experienced exploration geologist and project manager with more than 40 years experience in project generation, exploration, management and mining, including 18 years working in the Guiana Shield. He was then exploration manager for Suriname at Cambior Inc. and later Iamgold Corporation and was instrumental in new discoveries and resources for the Rosebel Gold Mine and supervised the Omai geologists after Omai closed. He initiated, managed and discovered the Merian Gold Mine for Alcoa Corporation in Suriname, South America.

Principal Security Holders

The following persons will own of record or beneficially (directly or indirectly) or exercise control or direction over the common shares carrying more than 10% of all of voting rights attaching to the outstanding common shares of the Resulting Issuer:

Name and Municipality of Residence Nature of

Ownership Number of Resulting Issuer

Common Shares Owned Percentage of

Common shares (1) Sandstorm Gold Ltd.

Vancouver, BC Direct 20,000,000 11.92%

Notes: (1) Based on 167,709,093 Common Shares issued and outstanding on close of the Proposed Transaction.

More information about each principal security holder of the Resulting Issuer is available under the heading Proposed Board of Directors and Officers and Insiders of Resulting Issuer in this news release.

Sponsorship

The Company intends to apply for a waiver of the sponsorship requirement. There is no assurance that a waiver from this requirement can or will be obtained.

Shareholder Approval

Matters to be approved by Anconias shareholders in connection with the Proposed Transaction, including the proposed name change and consolidation of Anconias common shares will be sought from Anconias shareholders at its annual and special meeting to be held on a date to be announced by Anconia and intended to be described in further detail in a management information circular relating to such meeting. Avalon has entered into voting agreements with holders of 24,131,452 Anconia Shares (or 20.5% of the current number of issued and outstanding Anconia Shares) to vote in favour of the Transaction.

Anconias shareholders will also vote on the Divestment (as defined below) wherein Anconias Grenfell property will be transferred to certain related and unrelated third parties to repay outstanding debts of Anconia.

Divestment of Grenfell Property

In addition to the reverse takeover transaction, the directors of Anconia have proposed to transfer a portion of the Grenfell property in the Kirkland Lake area of Ontario, Canada to related and unrelated third parties in order to repay outstanding debts of Anconia (the Divestment). This is considered a related party transaction pursuant to the rules of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 (MI 61-101), however, pursuant to section 5.7(a) of MI 61-101 the proposed Divestment does not require that a majority of the minority shareholders of Anconia vote in favour of the Divestment as the Divestment represents a fair market value of less than 25% of Anconias market capitalization. Despite this exemption from requiring shareholder approval of the Divestment, the directors of Anconia have chosen not to proceed with the Divestment unless a majority of the shareholders of Anconia unrelated to the Divestment vote in favour of the Divestment.

Trading Halt

Trading will remain halted until the Proposed Transaction is accepted by (or satisfactory documentation has been filed with) the Exchange pursuant to Section 2.5 of Exchange Policy 5.2.

About Avalon Investment Holdings Ltd.

Avalon is an exploration and development focused company specializing in the highly prospective but under prospected Guiana Shield. Avalon is a privately held Barbados corporation, based in Christ Church, Barbados, with a wholly owned operating subsidiary, Avalon Gold, which is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and potential development of precious metal mineral properties in Guyana. Avalon was incorporated on February 22, 2018.

Avalon Gold holds a 100% interest in a newly issued prospecting license in Guyana, which covers 4,590 acres of licensed area, including the site of the past producing Omai gold mine (Omai Gold Mine), and provides for an exclusive right to use certain existing infrastructure at the Omai Gold Mine for any future mining operations, subject to entering into specific lease agreements therefor (the Omai Gold Project). In addition, Avalon holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in a prospecting license known as Kaburi South, covering approximately 5,235 acres, located adjacent to Troy Resources Limiteds Karouni mine in Guyana.

Selected Consolidated Financial Information of Avalon Investment Holdings Ltd.

The following selected consolidated financial information of Avalon has been supplied to Anconia by Avalon for purposes of inclusion herein in accordance with Exchange requirements:

Income Statement Year ended December 31, 2019

(audited)

US$ Year ended December 31, 2018

(audited)

US$ Revenue - - Total Expenses 627,291 1,658,310 Net Income (Loss) (627,291) (1,658,310) Balance Sheet Current Assets 42,208 13,480 Total Assets 6,341,058 4,973,418 Current Liabilities 2,238,899 1,466,937 Total Liabilities 3,363,617 2,528,937 Shareholders' Equity (Deficiency) 3,033,864 2,444,481

About Anconia

Anconia is a base and precious metals exploration and development company, with an exploration property in Ontario, Canada. The Grenfell property, which consists of 16 patented claims and 2 staked claims, hosts a gold occurrence in Kirkland Lake approximately 4 kilometres west of the Macassa Mine along the trend of the main Kirkland Lake mineralization. The Grenfell property is 100% owned by Anconia.

Additional Information

The common shares of the Company are currently halted from trading pending completion of the Proposed Transaction.

Cautionary Note

Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions including but not limited to Exchange acceptance and shareholder approval. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Anconia Resources Corp. should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

The common shares of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. 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 the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the timing and completion of the proposed Transaction, the share capital of the Resulting Issuer, the future operations of Anconia, Avalon, and the Resulting Issuer, the proposed directors, officers and advisors of the Resulting Issuer and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as will, may, should, anticipate, expects and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the proposed Transaction and the future plans and objectives of Anconia, Avalon, and the Resulting Issuer are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Anconias, Avalons, and the Resulting Issuers expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions to completion of the proposed Transaction set forth above and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by Anconia, Avalon, and the Resulting Issuer with securities regulators.

The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Anconia, Avalon, and the Resulting Issuer. As a result, Anconia, Avalon, and the Resulting Issuer cannot guarantee that the proposed Transaction will be completed on the terms and within the time disclosed herein or at all. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Anconia, Avalon, and the Resulting Issuer will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by Canadian securities law.

For further information please contact:

Jason Brewster

Anconia Resources Corp.

President and CEO

Tel: (416) 815-9777

Michael Smith

Avalon Investment Holdings Ltd.

CEO

Tel: (239)-404-8593
NEW YORK, July 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The world renowned Peace Starts with Me Rally is going virtual August 1st, 2020. The rally experience is coming to you online, with all the excitement and grandeur of a stadium show. Join us on August 1st at 6:00 p.m. EST for "Peace Starts with Me Virtual Rally: The Reconciliation of All People".

Peace can't wait! Reconciliation of all people is possible if we love God and look out for one another, especially during these challenging times. Black health matters, and every one of us has the capacity to affect positive change in our community.

Scheduled to appear as the keynote speaker will be Bishop Noel Jones of City of Refuge megachurch in Los Angeles, CA, along with Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump. The event will be hosted by Rev. Demian Dunkley of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

The August 1st virtual event will feature never-before-seen live performances of Grammy award-winning Gospel star Hezekiah Walker and more big names to come.

Join us for the reconciliation of all people on August 1, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. EST online @peacestartswithme Instagram and Facebook. Join the fastest growing peace movement in the world by registering at peacestartswithme.com .

#peacestartswithme #reconciliationofallpeople #blackhealthmatters

ATTORNEY BEN CRUMP

Ben Crump is the most recognized civil rights attorney of our time. He most notably is the attorney for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery "Like Thurgood Marshall, who was my personal hero, I take cases that don't just impact one entity, but those that impact all of society," says Crump. A civil rights legend, he is also an activist, writer, TV host, movie producer, and philanthropist.

BISHOP HEZEKIAH WALKER

Bishop Hezekiah Walker has two Grammy Awards, as well as numerous Stellar, Dove, Vision, Soul Train, and Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) Awards. Hezekiah was recently inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, continuing to uplift the masses from far and wide with inspirational songs that focus on maintaining faith and overcoming life's daunting moments. Hezekiah actively pastors the thriving Love Fellowship Church, which he founded in his native Brooklyn, New York.

BISHOP NOEL JONES

For nearly 40 years, Bishop Noel Jones has challenged us through his messages. A theologian and scholar who has been labeled "eclectic, a maverick, and a preacher's preacher," he is known for thinking outside the box and forcing us to think beyond traditional views of God and spirituality. Never being one to shy away from controversy, his propensity to be transparent has often forced us to confront the trepidations and apprehensions of our own lives. He pastors The City of Refuge megachurch in Los Angeles with a membership of 20,000, and has integrated programs that speak to the needs of people in all walks of life. Bishop Jones can currently be seen on The Word Channel on Sunday evenings.

REV. DEMIAN DUNKLEY

Rev. Demian Dunkley is the President of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification USA and is executive producer of the Peace Starts With Me Virtual Rally. A creative thinker, Rev. Dunkley has committed his life to mainstreaming God. From grassroots efforts in local communities to big stadium shows, Rev. Dunkley has been responsible for activating thousands as one heavenly family.

Family Fed USA

Sungmi Orr

212-997-0057

[email protected]

Irving Street Rep

Ron Lucas

973-643-6262

[email protected]

SOURCE Family Federation for World Peace and Unification

Related Links

http://familyfed.org/


In this July 10, 2020, file photo Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks during a briefing on counternarcotics operations at U.S. Southern Command in Doral, Fla. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

Pentagon Bans Confederate Flag From Military Bases

The Department of Defense has banned the display of Confederate flags from military bases and other installations.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said in a memo issued to members of the military on Friday that only certain flags are allowed to be flown.

The Confederate flag was not among them.

We must always remain focused on what unifies us, our sworn oath to the Constitution and our shared duty to defend the nation, Esper wrote. The flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols.

The flags that are allowed include any state flags, military service flags, and the prisoner of war/missing in action flag.

Flags of countries the United States is an ally or partner of or flags for official purposes, are also allowed, as are flags of groups the United States is a member of like NATO.

The other flags listed include general officer flags, president-appointed and Senate-confirmed civilian flags, and senior executive service and military department-specific service flags.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters on Thursday that the Department of Defense was looking at how to remove divisive symbols.

Anything that is a divisive symbol, we do want to take those [off] our installations and that sort of thing out of our formation, he said, reported Reuters.

Asked if that would include Confederate flags, he added: We would have any divisive symbols on a no-fly list, if you will.

Activists with Confederate flags gather at the Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, Pa., on July 1, 2017. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Both Esper and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, the nations top military official, told lawmakers in Washington earlier in July that they were open to renaming the 10 U.S. military bases named after Confederates.

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, Milley 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.

Esper told members of Congress at the time that a review of Confederate flags was underway.

President Donald Trump, a Republican, has opposed both the renaming of bases and some rules against flying the Confederate flag.

Trump said this week that he believes displaying the flag is a free speech matter.

The push comes as military officials enact a wide range of reforms.

Esper on Tuesday ordered officials to stop including photographs when weighing who to promote and select, along with other measures like reviewing hairstyle policies he said were meant to root out prejudice and bias.

According to training materials obtained by watchdog Judicial Watch, guides for the Pentagons Equal Opportunity Management agency criticize people who believe that human similarities are more important than differences; advise people to acknowledge their so-called privilege when it is pointed out to them; claim that heterosexuals have sexual orientation privilege; and that religious privilege exists.

These documents show that the Department of Defense has been indoctrinating our troops with anti-American and racially inflammatory training, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement.
Social distancing norms were violated as students and their parents gathered outside a Kerala Engineering Architecture Medical (KEAM) examination centre in Pattom of Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.

The government had on Thursday conducted KEAM entrance examination across the State.

Parents and students crowded outside St.Marys higher secondary school, Pattom soon after the examination was over in the evening violating all Covid-19 guidelines. The photos and videos of the crowd surfaced on social media.

Thiruvananthapuram city is under lockdown and authorities had ensured security measures in conducting entrance examinations.

Kerala recorded its highest single-day spike of 722 new active Covid-19 cases on Thursday, with the total cases reaching 10,275 of which 5,372 are active cases.
Hong Kong police arrested on Friday pro-democracy politician Tam Tak-chi, who is expected to run for a seat in the legislature in September's election, on charges including incitement to participate in unlawful assembly.

Tam, 47, the vice-president of the People Power party and a former radio host, won an unofficial primary poll organised by the opposition to select candidates for the Legislative Council vote.

The arrest comes days after Beijing officials and Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the primaries were illegal and may violate a new national security law.

After hearing the charges, Tam told reporters they were unrelated to the new law.

Police said the incitement to take part in an unlawful assembly charge was related to a January protest. It did not say what the charges for seditious intention and disorder in public places were related to.

Tam said they were for swearing at the police and shouting "Liberate Hong Kong! Revolution of our times," in January, a slogan the government declared illegal earlier this month under the new law, which is not retroactive. Sedition is covered by British colonial era legislation.

When addressing reporters, Tam shouted the slogan again.

The Beijing-drafted law introduced last month punishes what China broadly defines as subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

Critics of the law fear it will crush the wide-ranging freedoms promised to the territory when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Supporters say it will bring stability after last year's often-violent anti-government and anti-China unrest.

Soon after Beijing said the weekend primaries vote was illegal, former Hong Kong lawmaker Au Nok-hin said he was pulling out as an organiser of the poll due to the accusations.

On Thursday, another organiser, Andrew Chiu of the Democratic Party, said his work was done and he would no longer help coordinate the Legislative Council election campaign.

Veteran democrat Benny Tai, who was singled out in Beijing statements about the vote, also posted on Facebook there was "not much left to do" and he would now focus on academic work.

A younger, more defiant generation, including prominent activist Joshua Wong, overshadowed the old-school Hong Kong democrats in the primaries.

The registration for candidates in the September elections begins on Saturday.

Wong was disqualified from running in lower-level district council elections last year, where the democrats nevertheless won more than 80% of the seats.
Kitted out: Mr Dixon and Koda on the famous beach at Blackpool

When Wayne Dixon set out on a mission to walk the coast of Britain collecting litter with his dog, he was regarded as a bit of an oddball.

But four years and 4,500 miles later, Mr Dixon and his four-legged companion Koda are warmly welcomed as they make stops along their journey.

The pair have collected more than 20,000 bin bags of rubbish to date on their mission from the most northern tip of Scotland down to Lizard Point in Cornwall.

But just as importantly, they have inspired coastal communities to take action and wage war on the waves of litter threatening the environment.

Mr Dixon, 48, said: Ive seen with my own eyes how the worlds litter washes up on our shores and I can see quite clearly how we are contributing to that problem ourselves.

We have become so detached from nature and the big outdoors. Theres a blanket of rubbish covering our entire country. Its disgusting. A generation have grown up so used to seeing litter everywhere, they dont even see it any more. Theyve become litter blind.

What started a plan for a walk in memory of his father, who died unexpectedly in 2012, became a personal pledge to pick up litter.

As he meanders the coast he picks up every piece of rubbish he passes  litter picker in one hand, bag in the other and Kodas lead attached to his belt.

Mission: Wayne Dixon with Elizabeth Gadsdon, eight, on the Wirral. Mr Dixon has also given talks on the scourge of rubbish to more than 100 schools and is keen to stress that this is not just a problem for coastal communities

With a tent, sleeping bag and basic supplies on his back, he pitches up camp each night along his journey.

He started off in January 2016 from his home in Darwen, near Blackburn, and walked the length of the west coast before heading along the southern beaches.

He reached Walton-on-the-Naze, in Essex, before lockdown struck and he was forced home.

At the beginning, Mr Dixon often tackled the mess alone with his northern Inuit Koda  a crossbreed husky.

But ever since his journey went viral on Facebook, he has become a well-known figure on the litter-picking circuit.

Thanks to his celebrity status, he is rarely short of offers of food and a real bed for the night.

He was once greeted by 250 people wielding litter pickers in Southend-on-Sea to help clean up the beach.

And even during lockdown he has continued to collect rubbish and has been busy galvanising his local community.

We were told we could go outside for exercise so I took Koda for a litter picking walk every single day, he said.

In the last few months Ive managed to absolutely blitz this town. These days when I go out, I only need to take a small bag and mostly what I pick up is discarded PPE.

He plans to resume his journey in September, in time for the Great British September Clean.

Clean-up: On duty in Cornwall. Thanks to his celebrity status, he is rarely short of offers of food and a real bed for the night

He will make his way up the east coast, around the top of Scotland and finish his journey at Glen Coe.

Mr Dixon has also given talks on the scourge of rubbish to more than 100 schools and is keen to stress that this is not just a problem for coastal communities.

How did we acquire this terrible culture of trashing our most beautiful beaches? he asked. Its a cultural embarrassment.

But now, its our job to clear it all up, which is why I support the Great British September Clean.

He added: Get out there and help because, believe me, our country needs it.
Protesters calling to defund the police marched down East Market Street near Eighth Street in Center City Philadelphia on June 13. Rank and file union members have joined these protests, but many labor officials do not support protesters' calls to defund the police. Read more

In June, the King County Labor Council voted to oust the Seattle Police Officers Guild from its ranks, saying the union was no longer welcomed as it had failed to dismantle racism in their institution and society at large.

Earlier that month, 11 Minneapolis labor unions and organizations, including the AFL-CIO, the symbolic center of the citys labor movement, joined protesters calls for the resignation of police union president Bob Kroll.

And around the country, some unions and a growing chorus of rank-and-file members have called on the national AFL-CIO to expel the International Union of Police Associations.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, most labor leaders are standing by the police.

Although many issued statements decrying systemic racism and expressing their outrage at the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, most local leaders bristled at the suggestion that police unions dont belong in the labor movement. Echoing the beliefs of top national labor officials, they said that these unions need to be part of the solution and that kicking them out of the labor movement wont fix problems with policing.

They were hesitant in interviews to back proposed police accountability measures, much less defund the police  even as their own members take to the streets, sharing stories of experiences with police violence and calling for the city to invest in services such as libraries and schools instead of policing.

Labor, state and local leaders agreed, has a role to play in police reform.

But what role? And at what cost?

The answers to these questions  facing unions across the U.S.  reveal rifts in a community often understood as a monolith. These are divides that could make or break proposed police reforms, as labor has proven to be a powerful force in city and state politics  that is, when unions are aligned. And observers say labors response to this moment will shape the future of the labor movement as a whole.

 READ MORE: Philadelphia set to be first U.S. city to protect workers against retaliation for calling out coronavirus conditions

Low-wage workers, immigrants, and people of color are the future of the labor movement, said Eric Rosso, who runs a watchdog organization that monitors anti-union groups. Theyre often going to be the ones experiencing police violence firsthand.

If were going to build a labor movement thats going to lift all of us, Rosso said, the role of police unions in labor is something that has to be addressed.

Theyre an island

Police unions such as Phillys Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 have long had a tenuous relationship with the rest of labor.

The FOP is not a dues-paying member of the Philly AFL-CIO  Whether they would join or not, I dont know because theyre strong enough on their own, said Philly AFL-CIO president Pat Eiding. Public sector union leaders, such as Bob Coyle, AFSCME District Council 47 Local 2187 president, say that uniformed workers have always won better contracts than other city workers. And an early function of the police was to break strikes by other unions.

I always considered police unions to be little more than organized scabs, said Jed Dodd, national vice president of BMWED-Teamsters, a rail workers union.

The Pennsylvania FOP has used its clout to fight for other unions, as in 2017 when it declined to be carved out of an anti-union Paycheck Protection bill that ultimately did not pass. But in Philly, observers say the FOP sees itself as apart from the local labor movement.

Theyre an island, said Tony Wigglesworth, who runs the Philadelphia Area Labor Management Committee and serves on the executive board of the AFL-CIO.

Still, in interviews with more than a dozen local labor leaders, several aligned themselves with the FOP.

Yes, there were problems with individual police officers, they said, but that was on management. Governments had not done a good enough job bringing disciplinary cases against officers, they said. The union was merely fulfilling its legal duty by defending its members.

You cant blame the system for fighting for somebody, Eiding said.

A few grappled with the nuances of a unions obligation to represent all its members.

As a labor union, you always want to make sure your members get a fair shake, said Richard Hooker, leader of the UPS workers Teamsters Local 623. But in situations like this, whats a fair shake? ... If I see one of my members commit murder on TV, then I cant defend murder. As a leader, I cant defend that.

Many said they could not support any police reform measures that would undermine collective bargaining, such as proposed changes to Act 111, the state statute that governs how police and firefighters bargain contracts. With anti-union organizations ready to jump at the chance to bust public-sector unions  as they did with the Janus Supreme Court case, which sought to hamper union operations by making member fees optional  its too dangerous to go down that road, they said.

The right wing is saying, Man, I can take advantage and undermine peoples rights, said Rick Bloomingdale, president of PA AFL-CIO.

 READ MORE: Here's how the Supreme Courts Janus decision has affected Pa. and N.J. unions

32BJ SEIU, whose membership is majority Black and brown, was one of the few unions to address the FOPs role in police violence.

As a labor union we know best that union rights are already under attack ... yet it is impossible to ignore the reality of how police unions have helped officers escape disciplinary action when they have engaged in misconduct or criminal behavior, 32BJ SEIU president Kyle Bragg said in a statement.

32BJ, which has clashed in the past with other unions over legislation in Harrisburg, said it supports a proposal from State Rep. Donna Bullock (D., Phila.) to change police disciplinary proceedings through Act 111.

 READ MORE: New Pa. law requiring immigration checks on construction workers shows labors identity crisis

Several Philly labor groups declined to comment for this article, including nurses union PASNAP; Unite Here, a union that represents low-wage Black and immigrant workers; and the Philadelphia Building Trades Council, a politically powerful coalition of trade unions led by electricians union IBEW Local 98 head John Dougherty. The FOP Lodge 5 also declined to comment.

Union family ties to police

Why are police unions such a sticky subject for labor leaders?

For one, unions have historically built power through solidarity. An injury to one is an injury to all, the union adage goes, and many understand it as never calling out your own, especially when labor is already under attack.

Some unions represent workers engaged in a form of policing, such as correctional officers and TSA screeners. Civilian police department workers are one of the biggest units of DC 47 Local 2187, which is why president Coyle says he has to be extremely careful when dealing with issues of police reform because any changes would affect his members.

 READ MORE: Why Johnny Docs indictment is a problem for all Philly unions

And many Philly unions represent workers whose spouses, parents, or children are police officers. For those labor leaders, to take a hard-line stance on police reform  without internal discussion  would be to risk losing their next election.

After food and commercial workers union UFCW Local 1776 put out a statement about Floyd, some members  those that have family in the force  reached out to president Wendell Young IV. They wanted to know where he stood on police.

We have to support police, said Young, president of Local 1776, and I do. And our union does.

A rank and file uprising?

Out of more than a dozen surveyed, just one Philadelphia local said it had supported calls to defund the police and to expel police unions from the labor movement: AFT Local 2026, representing 1,300 faculty and staff at the Community College of Philadelphia.

We dont see [the police] as serving and protecting working people, union co-president Junior Brainard said. Theyre serving and protecting the 1%.

Those who did not reject these calls outright said they first had to discuss the issues with their members.

And many of those members, a new generation of labor activists, are agitating for change: Theyre speaking at defund the police protests, organizing across unions as Labor United for Justice for George Floyd, proposing internal resolutions that call for funding city services, not the police.

It speaks to a vision of a labor movement that has, as BMWED-Teamsters Local 3012 president Keon Liberato put it, a class struggle culture  where unions are not just service providers who deliver higher wages and better benefits or more work for individual members, but also fight for the rights of all working people, especially those who are most oppressed.

We understand that the boss isnt just the employer at the workplace, Liberato said. Theres a collective boss.
MUMBAI: With the single-day spike of 8,308 new COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, the total tally of coronavirus-infected patients in the state mounted to 2,92,589 on Friday. According to the states health department, 258 more deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours taking the total tally to 11,452.

This is the third time that the number of single-day cases has breached the 8,000-mark in the state. In Maharashtra today, 2217 patients were discharged after recovery. So far, 160357 patients have been recovered and discharged in Maharashtra.

The number of coronavirus positive patients in Mumbai has increased to 99164. There have been 62 deaths from COVID-19 in Mumbai during the last 24 hours. There has been a total of 5585 deaths from COVID-19 in Mumbai so far.

During the last 24 hours, 233 new corona patients have been found in the Vasai Virar metropolitan area near Mumbai. With this, the number of COVID-19 positive patients in the Vasai Virar metropolitan area has been 9284.

So far 184 people have died from COVID-19 infection in the Vasai Virar metropolitan area. 240 new cases of corona have been reported in the last 24 hours in the new Mumbai metropolitan area.

With these, the number of corona positive patients in the Navi Mumbai metropolitan area is 10786. Eight patients died today from COVID-19 in the Navi Mumbai metropolitan area. With this, the death toll from COVID-19 has increased to 330.

In the Kalyan Dombivali metropolitan area near Mumbai, 407 COVID-19 cases have been reported during the last 24 hours. The number of COVID-19 positive patients in the Kalyan Dombivali metropolitan area has increased to 15005.

The death toll from Corona in the Kalyan Dombivali region has risen to 231. On Thursday, the state had recorded the highest one- day growth of 8,641 new cases, while on July 11, as many as 8,139 patients had tested positive.

As the virus claimed 258 lives on Friday alone, the state's death toll increased to 11,452, a statement from the health department said. A total of 2,217 patients recovered and discharged from hospitals following their recovery during the day. With this, the number of recovered people grew to 1,60,357, it said.

Currently, there are 1,20,780 active cases in the state. So far, 14,84,630 people have been tested.
Rajasthan: Cops arrest Sanjay Jain in MLAs' poaching case after Congress leaks audio clips

India

oi-Deepika S

Jaipur, July 17: The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police on Friday arrested Sanjay Jain whose name had surfaced in a viral audio recording about horse trading of legislators to topple the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan.

'Jain has been arrested following interrogation into the FIR lodged on the basis of audio recording that had gone viral on social media,' Additional Director General (ATS and SOG) Ashok Rathore said.

Jain was interrogated on Thursday and Friday following which the arrest has been made, officials said.

Congress Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi had lodged a complaint demanding a probe and registration of an FIR under sedition charges against three persons Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, Gajendra Singh and Sanjay Jain, who were allegedly discussing a conspiracy to topple the state government in one of the three audio recordings that went viral on social media on Thursday.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala had referred to Jain as a BJP leader, a charge denied by that party.

Covid-19: 31.6 Lakh people in quarantine across India, highest in UP | Oneindia News

The SOG had earlier on Friday registered two FIRs under IPC sections 124-A (sedition) and 120-B (conspiracy) to probe into the complaint related to horse trading of MLAs and the alleged audio recordings.
Many Democrats, along with some in the press and a few Republicans, have expressed outrage at President Trumps commutation of political operative Roger Stones jail sentence for lying to Congress and witness tampering. GOP Sen. Mitt Romney, the only senator ever to vote to remove a president of his own party, was particularly outraged.

Unprecedented, historic corruption, Romney tweeted. An American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president.

But Romneys claims aside, the commutation is simply not unprecedented. To look at one example, in 2007, President George W. Bush commuted the sentence of top White House aide Lewis Libby, convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in the CIA leak affair. Back in those days, Romney defended the commutation as reasonable.

But perhaps Romney wasnt counting that. So is the Stone commutation unprecedented because Stone was, in Romneys words, lying to shield the president? Perhaps Romney has forgotten the way-back time of 2001, when President Bill Clinton, on his last day in office, pardoned his old Arkansas business partner Susan McDougal.

In 1996, McDougal was convicted of fraud and other felonies in connection with the Whitewater business enterprise that she and her husband entered into with Bill and Hillary Clinton. President Clinton testified in the trial.

The Whitewater independent counsel, Kenneth Starr, raised the possibility of a reduced sentence for McDougal if she testified against the Clintons. Specifically, Starrs prosecutors asked McDougal, To your knowledge, did William Jefferson Clinton testify truthfully during the course of your trial?

McDougal refused to answer. She demanded that Starr resign. And then she lapsed into total, determined silence. A federal judge jailed her for 18 months for contempt of court. Starr later charged her with criminal contempt, a case which ended with a hung jury. Through it all, McDougal steadfastly refused to say whether Clinton had testified truthfully at her trial.

Then, on Jan. 20, 2001, the day he left the White House, Clinton pardoned McDougal. By the next year, she had written a memoir, The Woman Who Wouldnt Talk: Why I Refused to Testify Against the Clintons and What I Learned in Jail. And then, in 2004, Hollywood made her a star of the documentary film The Hunting of the President: The Ten-Year Campaign to Destroy Bill Clinton.

The former president attended the films premiere in New York, where he told the audience of his deep admiration for the woman who refused to testify about him.

He [Clinton] said, theres an American hero in the audience, and Id like to recognize them, McDougal recalled of the evening. And then he said, Susan McDougal. And I ... I couldnt believe it. Bill Clinton did a lot to recognize and reward the woman who refused to tell a grand jury whether he, Clinton, testified truthfully.

Of course, Clinton pardoned others, too. As the former prosecutor Andrew McCarthy has noted, Clinton pardoned his own brother for felony distribution of cocaine. ... And three others convicted in independent counsel Ken Starrs probe. And Marc Rich, in what was a straight-up political payoff. And his CIA director. And his HUD secretary. And eight people convicted in an investigation of his Agriculture Department.

Clinton acted in large part because he believed the investigations into his administration and White House had been unfair. Does that sound familiar? Rather than being unprecedented, President Trumps commutation of the Stone sentence fits into a pattern of presidents granting clemency to those caught up in investigations targeting their administrations.

And it wasnt just Clinton. His predecessor, George H.W. Bush, did it too. In late 1992, Bush pardoned six figures who had been convicted or pleaded guilty in the Iran-Contra affair.

None of that makes what Trump did right or wrong. Voters can judge that for themselves. But people around Washington should stop acting like its something theyve never seen before.

Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 05:27:10|Editor: huaxia

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People line up to enter a department store in Brooklyn Borough of New York, the United States, on July 16, 2020. Confirmed COVID-19 cases topped 3.5 million on Thursday in the United States, with deaths over 137,000, while debate over mask-wearing, one of the most effective means of curbing the virus spread, persists around the country. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

WASHINGTON, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Confirmed COVID-19 cases topped 3.5 million on Thursday in the United States, with deaths over 137,000, while debate over mask-wearing, one of the most effective means of curbing the virus spread, persists around the country.

New York state remains the hardest-hit with 404,775 cases. California, Florida and Texas have become the country's new COVID-19 hotspots with rapid increases in daily new cases, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

California has reported 355,046 cases, Florida 315,775 cases and Texas 292,336 cases, the data showed. States with over 100,000 cases also include New Jersey, Illinois, Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

Florida's health department reported 156 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, surpassing a record the state set just days before.

The new deaths brought the state's total to 4,677 deaths related to COVID-19, based on state data.

Thirty-nine states reported an increase in the number of new cases from the week before, said a CNN report on Thursday. Hard-hit counties in Arizona and Texas are preparing for the worst by bringing in refrigerated trucks as morgues fill up.

As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the country, a growing number of states and businesses are mandating mask-wearing but the simple public health option to prevent infections remains divisive in the country.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued orders on Thursday requiring people statewide to wear masks in public.

Thirty states, in addition to the District of Columbia, have issued some form of mask mandate as new infections surge across the country, said a report by news website Axios.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced a similar mask order on Wednesday, citing a 50 percent increase in new COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks.

Major retailers, including Walmart, Best Buy, Apple and grocery store chain Publix, are requiring shoppers to wear face coverings.

However, Georgia's Governor Brian Kemp voided orders on Wednesday that at least 15 local governments across the state had adopted even though Kemp had earlier said cities and counties had no power to order masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

The mayor of Savannah, Van Johnson, who signed a mask mandate for the city, lashed out at Kemp's decision.

"Governor Kemp is overstepping his authority," Johnson said Thursday, while calling his actions "reckless and irresponsible."

Savannah residents, beginning July 1, were required to wear a face covering in public or face a fine of up to 500 U.S. dollars.

Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, a Republican, announced Wednesday that he is the first governor to test positive for the coronavirus. Yet the governor said he is not considering a statewide mask mandate as of now.

So far, more than 20 states have rolled back or paused reopening efforts as COVID-19 cases continue to emerge.

A model from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington is projecting 224,000 people will die of the virus by Nov. 1, an increase of almost 16,000 from a forecast the week before, according to a report by CNN on Wednesday.
Ankara reiterates its support for Azerbaijan's aggression against Armenia.

This time, Ismail Demir, President of Defence Industries, promised Azerbaijan to help both with its experience and weapons.

The Turkish defense industry is always at the disposal of Azerbaijan with all its experience, technologies, and capabilities, from UAVs to ammunition and missiles, as well as electronic warfare systems, he tweeted.

A delegation from the Azerbaijani defense ministry arrived in Turkey Thursday to meet with the country's defense minister, who also expressed his support for Baku.
Seoul, July 17 : Fourteen more American service members affiliated with the US Forces Korea (USFK) have tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea, the military said, amid growing concerns over a surge in imported infections.

The USFK has seen a marked increase in the number of COVID-19 patients among newly assigned service members and related personnel in recent weeks along with the fast spread of the virus in the US, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The latest cases reported on Thursday brought the total number of USFK-related infections to 88. Of them, 52 were reported in July.

Of the 14 new patients, 12 were service members and two were dependents, and they tested positive after arriving here between July 9 and 15, according to USFK.

Nine soldiers and two family members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 km south of Seoul, on a US government-chartered flight.

The remaining three arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on commercial flights,according to the USFK.

On Thursday, South Korea added 47 imported COVID-19 cases, which is the highest since March 25 when the figure stood at 51, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The local infections were 14, and the country's total caseload came to 13,612.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death by suicide allegedly has opened a can of worms in Bollywood. Nepotism and favouritism are back to the centre as topics of hot debate online. Almost after a month to Sushant's demise, actress Richa Chadha has penned a long blog describing her thoughts.

Richa Chadha has written a powerful note which hits out at nepotism in the industry amongst various other issues as well. She tweeted the link to her blog:  ...

Please read only if you are serious about change... with malice to none and love to all!

 ...

Please read only if you are serious about change... with malice to none and love to all ! https://t.co/dTWBlyjpin.  TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) July 16, 2020

In the blog, she starts off from quoting renowned poet Sahir Ludhianvi and ended on Guru Dutt's classic lines 'Jala Do'.

An excerpt from her blog reads: As for nepotism, it just makes me laugh out loud in real life. I dont hate star kids. Why are we expected to? If someones father is a star, they are born into that household the same as we are to our folks. Are you ashamed of your parents? Is it right to expect someone else to be ashamed of their parents/families/legacy? This is a hateful and nonsense argument. I am a self-made person in this business. Will you tell my children to be ashamed of my struggle to reach where I have, for instance? Star-kids have to deal with rivalry within their own clans. Often this is an inter-generational, unforgiving and all encompassing contest. There exist hierarchies within the clan too, wherein say the grandson of a legendary singer or the son of an ace stuntman maybe thought of as lesser than that of a director or actor. Knowing how deeply rooted caste is in our country, why does this unstated ranking system surprise anyone? We may never know what someone else may be dealing with here. I empathise but I wont know that pain, unless I am standing in their shoes.

Similarly, theres just NO WAY someone born within the industry will have the same experience as someone who wasnt. This takes me back a decade or so. Sushant and I started out by workshopping together in a theatre group. I was sharing a 700 sq ft apartment in Andheri West with a friend from Delhi. Sushant would pick me up on his bike and we would head to the rehearsal, for which I was grateful. I wasnt poor or broke. But I cant say money was not a consideration when I had to head out to do an ad audition for a skin brand. I would worry about my make up melting in the auto rickshaw before I even arrived. This was would NEVER happen with a star-kid, and if it does, they will be lauded for being humble enough to take the rickshaw in the first place. But I dont resent their privilege.

Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found hanging at his Bandra residence on June 14, 2020. The Mumbai police is currently investigating the case but his fans have been pressing for a CBI enquiry to ensure a fair probe.
Despite a lull in fighting overnight, tensions remain high on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan after days of skirmishes and a threat from Baku that it is capable of targeting nuclear power stations.



Armenia's Defense Ministry said on July 17 that the situation along the northeastern part of the border was "relatively calm" through the night, and that Armenian Armed Forces were "firmly in control of the situation along the entire border."



The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry says that tensions boiled over after the Armenian military attempted an artillery attack on Azerbaijans positions along the border on July 12. According to the ministry, 11 military servicemen have been killed.



The Armenian Defense Ministry, in turn, has blamed a breakthrough attempt by the Azerbaijani army on the border. According to Armenia, four of its troops have been killed and ten suffered wounds.

Nuclear Warning



Despite the relative calm over the past 24 hours, Azerbaijan on July 16 issued a statement that reflected the potential for the conflict's escalation, warning it could strike Armenia's nuclear power plant if Armenian forces launched an attack on a strategic water reservoir in Azerbaijan.



The Armenian side must not forget that the state-of-the-art missile systems our army has are capable of launching a precision strike on the Metsamor nuclear power plant, and that would be a huge tragedy for Armenia, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman Vagif Dargyakhly said in the statement.



Armenia's Soviet-built nuclear power plant is located close to the border with Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan.

Armenian military spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan said Armenia had brought the Azerbaijani statement to the attention of its international partners and expects them to strongly condemn it.



He added that Armenian officials have never made threats to strike civilian facilities in Azerbaijan.



Armenia's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, denounced the Azerbaijani threat as genocidal.



Earlier on July 16, the Armenian military claimed to have thwarted a pre-dawn Azerbaijani raid on one of its border posts in the northeastern Tavush district.



After a fierce gun battle the enemy was repelled, suffering casualties, Stepanian said, adding that Azerbaijani forces then began shelling two Armenian border villages with mortars and howitzers.



Stepanian also claimed that Armenian forces destroyed an Azerbaijani tank and struck artillery and mortar positions that were shelling our settlements and positions.



Stepanian also said that Armenian Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan talked to Andrzej Kasprzyk, the head of an OSCE mission monitoring the cease-fire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, briefing him on the latest escalation.



The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on July 16 accused Armenian forces of attacking its frontline troops and shelling Azerbaijani villages in the Tovuz district bordering Tavush. It gave no details.

The two neighbors fought a war in 1988-1994 over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.



Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts of Azerbaijan were seized by Armenian-backed separatists who declared independence amid a 1988-1994 conflict that killed at least 30,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.



Since a fragile, Russian-brokered truce in 1994, the region has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces that Azerbaijan says include troops supplied by Armenia. The region's claim to independence has not been recognized by any country.



Since then, periodic skirmishes have taken place in the region.



Russia, the United States, and France are the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which acts as a mediator in resolving the crisis. The group has been struggling for years to mediate a solution.



On July 15, the Minsk Group urged the parties to make every effort to continue de-escalation.



"The Co-Chairs welcomed the confirmation of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan to hold substantive negotiations on crucial aspects of a Nagorno-Karabakh settlement as soon as possible and emphasized the importance of returning OSCE monitors to the region as soon as circumstances allow," said the statement issued late on July 15.

In a joint statement on July 17, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (Democrat-New Jersey), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Cory Booker (Democrat-New Jersey), urged "a stop to the fighting" along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and an "immediate resumption of peace talks."

The two senators also accused Azerbaijan of having chosen "a path of violence instead of the peaceful, negotiated process spearheaded by the OSCE Minsk Group," and called on the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to "immediately halt" U.S. military assistance to the Azerbaijani government.

"Providing nearly $120 million in security assistance to a regime that flouts a peace process cochaired by the U.S. is absurd," according to Menendez and Booker.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Armenian and Azerbaijani services and AFP
Recently we received a ballot applicaiton from the Connecticut Elections Administration Division addressed to someone who has not lived at our address for at least a decade.

That suggests possibilities of widespread fraudulent use of absentee ballots during the COVID-19 era. Voting in person would preclude such errors.
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung participating in a discussion with Tampines Secondary School students in commemorating Racial Harmony Day. (PHOTO: Ong Ye Kung/Facebook)

SINGAPORE  The Ministry of Education (MOE) will train a team of specialist teachers to facilitate and guide discussions on race, language and religion, said Education Minister Ong Ye Kung.

In a post put up on his Facebook page on Thursday (16 July), Ong said that an important part of the journey to racial harmony is learning how to have such conversations openly, knowledgeably and respectfully.

Perspectives of race, language and religion change with each generation. When I was young, my friends and I would probably feel awkward talking about such sensitive topics. Racial harmony meant a friendly silence, he wrote in his Facebook post.

Now, young people want to talk about race, debate it, understand it. In schools, we do this through CCE (Character and Citizenship Education). MOE will train a team of specialist teachers to facilitate and guide such discussions.

Context key in discussions on race, religion

On Thursday, Ong joined Tampines Secondary School students in an early commemoration of Racial Harmony Day, which will fall during school term break on 21 July.

Speaking to media after his visit, he said that context is important in discussing race and religion. For example, race and religion issues in Singapore would be different from those in the United States, and Ong feels that it is important to differentiate the issues.

"The starting point has got to be our own conversations and dialogues, he told reporters.

You are bound to discover that students are reading things on the Internet, getting ideas that are more Americanised, for example, and when you bring it up, then you can have a contestation of ideas respectfully, and then thats how students get to internalise them.

Just telling students, sending them reading material is not going to help. You need that engagement.

During the Parliamentary debate on the ministries' budgets earlier in March this year, it was announced that schools would engage secondary school students fortnightly on contemporary issues such as bullying, using social media, and race and religion.

Story continues

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Australian diplomacy 'lacks backbone' and 'is dependent on the US', Chinese state media has claimed.

An editorial in the Chinese tabloid Global Times on Thursday said Australia has 'cosied up' to Washington and joined America's 'anti-China campaign'.

The article warned that tensions between Canberra and Beijing would get worse unless Australian politicians 'show a positive stance' towards China.

Australian diplomacy 'lacks backbone' and 'is dependent on the US', Chinese state media has claimed. Pictured: Scott and Jenny Morrison with Donald and Melania Trump in 2019

'The current state of China-Australia ties is, to a great extent, the result of Aussie leadership's cozying up to the US' anti-China campaign. Canberra lacks backbone in its diplomacy,' the article read.

'Australia has its own interests, which are different from those of the US. It should maintain its diplomatic independence.'

Chinese media has been claiming that Australia is 'sucking up to the US' since Scott Morrison called for an inquiry into the origins of coronavirus in March as President Trump asked his spies to investigate if the virus spawned in a lab in Wuhan.

The Global Times article was written in response to Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick's calls this week for at least 100 Chinese diplomats and consular staff to be kicked out of Australia to stop them spying.

'Remarks like Patrick's will only further poison the two countries' relationship. This will probably result in a downhill trend - which will be hard to reverse,' the article warned.

Chinese media has been claiming that Australia is 'sucking up to the US' since Scott Morrison called for an inquiry into the origins of coronavirus in March. Pictured: Chinese soldiers

Senator Patrick argued the number of Chinese representatives must be radically reduced on national security grounds.

'The Australian government should bite the bullet and take long overdue action,' he said on Wednesday.

The aggressive move would undoubtedly spark immediate retaliation from Beijing, but Senator Patrick believes it would be worthwhile.

He argues Australian ministers and diplomats are already routinely ignored by their Chinese counterparts.

China has close to 150 diplomatic staff in Australia and Senator Patrick wants two-thirds of them expelled.

He argues the Chinese diplomatic presence is 'somewhat bloated' given the country has significantly more staff in Australia than the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand.

Senator Patrick also claims there is 'no question' Chinese embassy and consular staff are engaging in espionage and political interference, which China has denied.

Senator Patrick argued the number of Chinese representatives in Australia must be radically reduced on national security grounds. Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping in March

'It's an open secret that Chinese intelligence activities in Australia have expanded massively over the past two decades,' he said.

'While there has been much public focus on cyber espionage, China's clandestine efforts continue to rely heavily on traditional human intelligence operations, much of it under the cover of diplomatic and consular activity.'

Relations with China are already under heavy strain after Australia led international calls for a coronavirus inquiry.

Beijing has told students and tourists to stay away from Australia, and penalised beef and barley exports.

Australia's response to new national security laws in Hong Kong by extending visa for Hongkongers has also enraged Beijing.

Senator Patrick said Australia must reset its relationship with China and adopt a much firmer footing.

Could more tariffs be on the way? China threatens to 'take action' after Australia extended visas for Hongkongers

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, 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.
Maharashtra minister and Congress leader Yashomati Thakur on Friday claimed that some of the 105 Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs in the state were in touch with her party and there would an 'earthquake' if their names were made public.

Hitting out at the opposition BJP over its 'lust for power' and 'dirty politics', Thakur said that Maharashtra has given a new formula to the country.

She also said that the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was stable.

In a video statement posted on Twitter, Thakur hit out BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying that he was surrounded by the people who are outsiders.

She was referring to the leaders, who had quit the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party and joined the BJP ahead of the state Assembly polls held last year.

"This shows how weak they are. How many out of the 105 MLAs of the BJP have come from other parties? Do you have guarantee that they will always remain with the BJP? If the names of those from the 105 MLAs, who are in touch with the Congress, are revealed, there will be an earthquake!" she said.

Thakur criticised the BJP saying that despite having a majority government at the Centre, it was trying to destablise the governments led by other parties in the states.

"BJP's lust for power and dirty politics was seen in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and now Rajasthan," the minister for women and child welfare said.

"The Maharashtra government is stable. The state has given a new formula to the country and I feel it will be a success," she said.

The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress had joined hands to form the government in Maharashtra in November last year after the Uddhav Thackeray-led party parted ways with the BJP over sharing of the chief minister's post.

No 'Operation Lotus' in Maha, says Fadnavis after meeting Shah

Meanwhile, Fadnavis on Friday said no 'Operation Lotus' was happening in Maharashtra as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will

collapse on its own due to its 'internal contradictions'.

Fadnavis made this statement while speaking to reporters in New Delhi, after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The former Maharashtra chief minister claimed that his meeting with Shah was 'non-political' as it was aimed at seeking financial assistance for the sugar industry in the state.

He said he also briefed Shah about the coronavirus scenario in the state and sought time from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him of the situation.

Talking about the meeting, Fadnavis said, "There was no political discussion. We are not interested in destabilising the state government... Time is now to fight coronavirus."

"There is no 'Operation Lotus' in Maharashtra...We have already said that the government is full of internal contradictions and when it falls because of it, we will see," he said.

'Operation Lotus' refers to the alleged attempts by the BJP to engineer defections from other parties.

The Leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly also rejected the speculation that he was tipped to get a role in national politics.

When asked about leaders from western Maharashtra accompanying him to Delhi, he said they are associated with the sugar industry.

BJP leaders Harshvardhan Patil, Dhananjay Mahadik, Ranjit Sinh Mohite, MLA Jaykumar Gore, MP Ranjit Nimbalkar, and Vinay Kore of Jansurajya Shakti Party, an ally of BJP, accompanied Fadnavis during the meeting with Shah.
COVID-19 vaccine trials are being conducted around the country and two locations in the Houston area are in search of participants for tests that are expected to start by the end of the month.

Dr. Vicki Miller of the Texas Center for Drug Development said a lot of people have been in contact to inquire about the program, which is a joint initiative between TCDD and DM Clinical Research. But, she said the program still needs a few hundred to be involved in trials. Miller is an investigator and, on some trials, the principal investigator.

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These studies will start in July, we think, Miller said. There might be one that starts in August, but we should have a couple of the studies starting in July.

The Texas Center for Drug Development in Bellaire and DM Clinical Research at HCA Houston Healthcare Tomball are part of the same community-based research firm. The pair are two of the biggest non-institutional clinical research networks in Houston and are recognized by pharmaceuticals in the community for performing work with vaccine trials and other types of drug studies in the past.

Dr. Frederic Santiago is a clinical informaticist and internal medicine specialist at TCDD and is an investigator on the COVID-19 vaccine trials. Hes working on a phase 3 study of the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, which has been approved for phase 2 and phase 3 trials by the FDA. Moderna, the company who created the vaccine, is the sponsor for the phase 3 trials that will be conducted at both sites.

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Santiago said phase 1 is when the vaccine is first given to a human. During that trial, the primary goal is determining whether or not its safe and at what doses.

He said phase 2 expands upon information regarding safety but also take a closer look at efficacy in humans, which usually involves a larger group. Phase 3 extends the trials by recruiting a lot more people, generally thousands, which helps to build upon the safety and efficacy information on the vaccine.

Theyre all connected, and the information is designed to help reinforce the information we already know or change our direction in regard to what were doing, Santiago said.

With no deadline set for participants to sign up because there may be other studies, Santiago said right now theyre screening potential participants with the hopes of starting in the next couple of weeks. He urges people in the Houston area to step up to reach the number of participants they need to quickly develop a vaccine.

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Itll be first come first serve and when we reach the numbers that we need well announce the cut off, Santiago said.

Collaborators in the trials feature U.S. pharmaceutical companies and the National Institutes of Health as part of Operation Warp Speed, according to a Houston Fights COVID press release. The release states that OWS is a public-private partnership, initiated by the Federal Government of the United States, to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. It aims to deliver 300 million doses of a safe, effective vaccine for COVID-19 to Americans by January 2021.

Attacking the virus

Miller said the studies TCDD and DM Clinical Research have now are phase 2 or 3, meaning the trial vaccines have gone through early safety studies and were found to be safe and looked effective. Miller said TCDD and DM Clinical Research have a few studies with different companies testing different vaccines.

Miller said there are various ways in which vaccines can be developed for viruses and that a person cant get the coronavirus from any of the vaccines that are being developed. She added that the vaccine shows the body what part of the virus looks like and then the immune system creates immune reactions such as antibodies and other T cell reactions to attack the protein that was in the vaccine.

So, if somebody gets exposed to SARS-CoV-2, which is the new coronavirus, then the body remembers that and the antibodies can attack the virus, Miller said. It kind of prepares your body in case youre exposed.

Miller said the trials have been shown to be safe and that the side effects theyve seen are similar to those of other vaccines out there.

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Those are very mild and last maybe a day or two, but most people dont have any side effects, Miller said. But the most common side effect would be something like pain or tenderness at the injection site of the vaccine.

Santiago said some of the side effects have been dose-dependent.

In other words, the higher dose you give them, the more likely they were to get cold-like symptoms, Santiago said. That usually went away within 24 hours and that was mostly at the higher doses.

Comparing two populations

Santiago said the work in Bellaire is currently identical to the work done in Tomball, with the same vaccine, protocol and steps. Miller said that both sites could have different studies.

It could be that they have the option to go either place or if theres a trial in Bellaire that we dont have in Tomball that they qualify (for) or vice versa, Miller said. But we do the same process of clinical trials at both places.

After people first get a vaccine, theyll receive a diary to mark at home if they had local reactions at the injection site like pain or redness. They will also be given a thermometer to record their temperature every day and asked if they had any potential systemic symptoms like fever or muscle aches.

Sometimes with vaccines when your body is reacting to something youll have an elevation in your temperature, but this is not super common, Miller said.

People should visit the Houston Fights COVID website if interested in signing up. Potential participants will be contacted for additional information. If it seems like someone qualifies, they will be brought in to one of the research sites to discuss the study in further detail.

Those who give their consent will proceed with the study by talking with the investigators and doing a physical exam, and an EKG in some studies.

They get their blood drawn and if everything is good, theyll get the vaccine and then we observe them for 30 minutes, Miller said. If theyre feeling fine, they get their diary and they can go home. Then theyll have a few follow-up visits. Some of the studies have a booster vaccine about 3-8 weeks later.

Regarding booster vaccines, she said some of the studies will have one, but others will have a vaccination on one day and get the same exact one again to make the immunity better. For up to 1-2 years depending on the study and person, visits will follow weeks apart at the beginning, then further apart at every six months to test for how long the immunity to COVID lasts.

Data is compared between those who got the vaccine and those who didnt to see that antibodies produced more immunity in people with the vaccine.

So, that has to be statistically significant to a high enough level to make it were doing a vaccine, Miller said. Not only do you check the antibody, you have to make sure the people that are vaccinated are going to have less COVID-19 than people who werent vaccinated. So, its comparing the two populations.

Miller said participants will be screened during the study for COVID-19 and receive calls from a study coordinator asking how theyre doing. Those with symptoms then proceed with testing to see if have the infection and are followed closely.

Part of the solution

Miller thinks things are looking great right now as far as trials being effective. She feels hopeful and confident that effective vaccines against COVID-19 will be found  a benefit for all, she said, so people can get back to life as usual.

Most people think well have one early next year, Miller said. Some people in the industry are saying that well have something by the end of this year. I would say definitely we should have some by the beginning of next year.

There will be monetary compensation based on participation, Miller said. If somebody completes the trial and comes to all visits, theyll get about $1,000, which is broken down by individual visits.

Houston Fights COVID is the website that people can go to on behalf of TCDD and DM Clinical Research which helps explain the trials and answers questions for people interested in getting involved.

It feels really good to be part of the solution to this pandemic; I feel lucky to be involved because I get to do something to help everyone, Miller said. They will be helping everybody and in fact it may even be a beneficial thing for Houston itself because were a hot spot right now, we have a lot cases, so I believe that having these studies here is a really good thing for the greater Houston and Tomball areas.

alvaro.montano@chron.com
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Linkedin Ban Barkawi and Rachel Savage (Thomson Reuters Foundation) Amman, Jordan/London, United Kingdom  Fri, July 17, 2020 09:00 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666f8914 2 World Sudan,law,legal-reform,gay-rights,same-sex-partners,Islamic-conservatism,LGBT-rights,LGBTQ Free

Sudan's decision to lift the death penalty and flogging as punishment for gay sex was hailed by LGBT+ activists on Thursday as a promising sign after almost four decades of Islamist rule, with calls for prison sentences to be abolished as well.

Others criticized the relaxation of the law in conservative Sudan, where a transitional government has promised to lead the country to democracy after the toppling last year of autocrat Omar al-Bashir, who had been in power since 1989.

"These amendments are still not enough but they're a great first step for the transitional government that's trying to implement changes," Noor Sultan, founder of Bedayaa, an LGBT+ group in Egypt and Sudan, said on Thursday.

"We see this as a positive change on the path to reform."

Same-sex relations are criminalized in most of Africa and the Middle East. Sudan was one of six countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Nigeria and Somalia, that imposed the death penalty for gay sex, according to the LGBT+ rights group ILGA.

Under Sudan's old sodomy law, gay men faced 100 lashes for the first offence, five years in jail for the second and the death penalty the third time around. The punishments have been reduced to prison terms, ranging from five years to life.

The legal amendment was part of several reforms announced by the justice minister on Saturday, including plans to decriminalize apostasy - the abandonment of a religion - and to permit non-Muslims to consume alcohol.

Sudan will also ban female genital mutilation, which typically involves the partial or total removal of the external genitalia of girls and women, and allow women to travel with their children without a permit from a male relative, he said.

Sultan said the government was discreet about dropping the death penalty for gay sex and its amendment document did not detail what Article 148 - the sodomy law - was about.

"I think society is still reluctant to accept such changes but I hope that the government will continue in its path toward reform," she said.

Others criticized the justice ministry's reform agenda.

"Congrats to the immoral people who achieved their misguided demands over female genital mutilation, legitimizing sodomy, drinking alcohol, and opening bars and night clubs," said one Twitter user with the handle @marwanbsas1980.

Fabo Elbaradei, an LGBT+ activist based in the capital Khartoum, welcomed the surprise move to lift the death penalty but said it would not change life much for gay people in Sudan.

"We are subjected to social discrimination and we face a prison sentence ... for simply being who we are," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in emailed comments.

"We are still deprived [of] our right to live like any other members of society."

Government officials did not respond to requests for comment.
KAMPALA  All across Uganda, people depend on a number of different sources of income to survive however, growing and selling crops is the main source of income for almost half of rural households a report has revealed.

These findings were released by the Food Rights Alliance and Twaweza in a factsheet entitled livelihoods under COVID-19: #1 Agricultural Practices.

The factsheet is the second? in a three-part series of impact assessments based on data from Sauti za Wananchi, Africas first nationally representative high-frequency mobile phone survey. The findings are based on data collected from 1,600 respondents across Uganda in May and June 2020.

According to the report, in urban areas, 1 out of 4 citizens (25%) rely on casual labour as their main source of income, the same share as rely on growing and selling crops.

At the same time 1 out of 5 (22%) depend on casual labour for income, similar to urban areas.

One of the bigger differences between rural and urban households is the reliance on formal employment or a salaried job: twice as many urban Ugandans (13%) rely on this as rural Ugandans (7%). However rural households (16%) are more likely than urban households (9%) to generate income from animals and animal products, reads an excerpt.

Although urban households are more likely to be engaged in different types of businesses, the findings indicate that the differences between rural and urban areas is not very large as 14% of rural households and 17% of urban households rely on retail or manufacturing businesses while 13% of rural households and 18% of urban homes rely on non-agricultural services businesses.

Interestingly, 1 out of 10 urban households (8%) depend on remittances compared to 1 out of 20 (6%) rural homes, reads an excerpt.

Looking at agricultural activities more generally, half of rural Ugandan households (54%) grow food crops compared to 1 out of 3 urban households (32%).

The findings further reveal that livestock rearing is also more common among rural homes (20%) than urban ones (12%), as are commercial crops (15% in rural areas, 9% in urban areas).

But poultry rearing is similar across both groups (14% of rural households compare to 12% of urban homes).

In terms of what crops people grow, the report shows that four crops are cultivated by more than 10% of people: maize (31%), beans (28%), cassava (16%), groundnuts (12%).

Despite this distribution of crops grown, maize dominates in terms of acres with on average 15 acres dedicated to maize cultivation compared to one acre or less for all of the other individual crops.

According to the report, this planting season seems to have generated some challenges as 4 out of 10 farming households (38%) planted less compared to the last season.

A further 4 out of 10 (38%) planted the same as the previous season and 2 out of 10 households (24%) planted more.

Among households that do grow crops, 2 out of 3 grow enough to store crops after the harvest.

For most of them, this lasts until the next harvest, but for a significant minority the crop do not last until the next harvest. Among those who grow but do not store crops, almost half say it is because they consume everything they harvest, the report reads.

In regards to livestock, goats are the most commonly reared animal (7% of households herd goats).

However, 1 out of 10 citizens (10%) rear different types of chickens. People also tend to own, on average, more chickens than other types of livestock. Households own, on average, 6 indigenous chickens, 4 broiler chickens and 4 layers, and 3 goats.

Marie Nanyanzi of Sauti za Wananchi at Twaweza, said Ugandans often have more than one source of income to ensure they can meet their household needs.

Even urban households rely significantly on agriculture for their income and food security, suggesting that urban agriculture is a vital area for support, she added.

According to Nanyanzi, cultivation in urban areas can help to increase resilience to shocks for poor households and can help to regulate the supply of food in urban areas.

In her remarks, Agnes Kirabo the Executive Director Food Rights Alliance said agricultural production is the bedrock of peoples livelihoods and survival, in both rural and urban settings.

Although the report shows high levels of dependence on agriculture among Ugandans, Kirabo says the sector has not received appropriate consideration in terms of planning, governance and budget allocations.

The Covid-19 pandemic she continued, is a stark reminder to the government to restore the agricultural sector to primacy given its role in macro-economic stability, human security and national stability. Appropriate interventions in planning, financing and governance are required as a matter of urgency, Kirabo added.

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The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) which first emerged in Wuhan, China in 2019 has evolved to become the pandemic that is still plaguing parts of the world until now. Thus, when people hear "coronavirus" what comes into mind is immediately the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19.

However, what many do not know is before COVID-19, there have other several coronaviruses that scared the world.

SARS

In November of 2002, the cases of a mysterious pneumonia-like disease first emerged in Guangdong province, China, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It was, later on, found that the disease was caused by a coronavirus that came from horseshoe bats.

Due to its severe effect on the respiratory system, the disease was called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS which was caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Not unlike COVID-19, it was also suspected that SARS spread in animal wet markets particularly in civets which caused it to crossover to humans.

According to Medical News Today, on February 10, 2003, the WHO was first notified about the then-emerging infectious disease that has killed more than 100 people. The following month, a global alert was issued by the organization which warned about an atypical pneumonia infection that was spreading among the staff of hospitals.

Three days after that, an emergency travel advisory was put out especially to those who have exhibited symptoms, that was when WHO proposed that the disease may be spreading globally through air travel. In the duration of the outbreak, all essential travel to affected areas of SARS has been warned against by WHO. These included Toronto, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and areas in mainland China.

SARS was officially declared as under control on July 5 of 2003.

Here are some facts about SARS:

Causative Agent: SARS-CoV

Total number of cases: 8,439

Total number of deaths: 812

More of transmission: Respiratory droplets. ( Spread through coughs and/or sneezes)

Symptoms: Flu-like, fever, cough, and diarrhea

Vaccine: No vaccine

Read also: Boy from Saudi Died After a Swab Test Stick Broke Inside his Nose

MERS

After the 2002-03 SARS outbreak, the next coronavirus epidemic emerged in 2012. The said coronavirus was first reported by the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases on September 22, 2012, after it was first isolated from the sputum of a 60-year-old man from Saudi Arabia. The man has died three months before the discovery of the virus.

Since it first emerged in the Middle East, the disease caused by the coronavirus was called Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The virus that causes the disease was then coined as MERS-CoV.

MERS was also zoonotic in nature, which means that it was passed from animals to humans as well. WHO reported that most of the cases had direct and indirect contact with camels.

MERS cases, however, was relatively small compared to SARS and COVID-19 cases but has a higher mortality rate than the others.

Here are some facts about SARS:

Causative Agent: MERS-CoV

Total number of cases: 2,519

Total number of deaths: 866

More of transmission: Respiratory droplets from human to human, transmission from camels to humans still unclear

Symptoms: Flu-like, fever, cough, and shortness of breath

Vaccine: No vaccine



Related article: Moderna Leads the COVID-19 Vaccine Race, Set to Begin Final Phase of Trials by End of July

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The presidency of the Eurogroup - a body made up of EU members that use the single currency - has been given to a politician who most people have probably never heard of: Paschal Donohoe. Despite being the favourite for the position, Spain's Economy minister Nadia Calvino lost out last week to her Irish counterpart; the Spaniard had been promised the necessary ten votes but secured only nine, meaning someone changed their mind at the last minute.

It's certainly a political blow for Spain, coming as it does just ahead of an EU summit this weekend on the distribution of Covid-19 recovery funds. But the election of a new president to this obscure post should make us look closer at the Eurogroup itself and consider the criticisms it faces, many of which come from elsewhere within the EU. In a speech he gave in 2017, Pierre Moscovici, one of Brussels' leading bureaucrats, described it as a "pale imitation of a democratic body".

One of the Eurogroup's main problems is that it's almost guaranteed to present its president, who must represent their home government as well as the body as a whole, with a conflict of interest. This is especially true in post-Covid Europe: Spain is among the worst-hit countries in the world by the pandemic, so one can certainly see how Calvino's loyalty to Spaniards might have affected her ability to think clearly and dispassionately as leader of the Eurogroup. This will be the case for Donohoe in his new position, too.

The most damaging and effective charges against the Eurogroup, though, concern its lack of transparency and informality. The former is evident even in the secretive voting process, which this time around has resulted in a somewhat surprising choice. As the EU's former Budget Director, Calvino is vastly more experienced than Donohoe when it comes to dealing with Brussels, so who knows why the Irishman won out. Rumours are that Austria and some Eastern European countries voted for Donohoe, but exactly which members backed him over Spain's candidate, and why, remains a mystery.

To further deepen the darkness surrounding the Eurogroup, no minutes or agendas for its meetings are published, so what's discussed and decided by members is often unknown. The body is also largely unaccountable to the EU parliament or the Commission. Greece's former finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, once said that its activities were characterised by an "outrageous opacity": not without good reason, it seems.

Before the Lisbon Treaty of 2009, the Eurogroup had no legal basis, and even now that foundation is provided by just two vague articles, one specifying that its members "meet informally... when necessary" and the other that they elect a president every two-and-a-half years. For Brussels outsiders, it's hard to know exactly what Calvino has just missed out on.
OTTAWA - Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the Liberals are easing eligibility rules for the governments emergency wage subsidy and changing the amounts businesses can receive.

The government had been under pressure to make the subsidy more accessible, specifically by loosening the requirement of a 30 per cent drop in revenues, so more companies under that cut-off can qualify.

Speaking in Toronto, Morneau says the rules will be changed so amounts paid out will be proportional to revenue declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program is the heart of the Liberals promise to help Canadians get back to work, even if has to be at a slower pace, as the pandemic wanes.

Morneaus fiscal update last week boosted the budget for the program to $82.3 billion from $45 billion in a sign of impending changes and an extension beyond this summer.

Morneau says the program will now end Dec. 19.

Hes hoping the extension will give companies confidence to rehire workers, knowing what the rules are and that the program will be around for longer.

The most recent federal figures for the program show the government has given almost $20.4 billion in payroll help to about 262,200 companies.

The governments proposed changes to the wage subsidy are part of a bill that will be debated next week when the House of Commons sits, including a one-time disability payment and extensions to some court deadlines that were both in a bill that failed to pass the Commons in June.

Speaking in Ottawa on Friday afternoon, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said the bill will widen the number of recipients from those receiving a disability tax credit to include those receiving Canada Pension Plan disability payments or supports from Veterans Affairs Canada.

Each would receive a $600 one-time, tax-free payment, she said.

The legislation proposes offering the payment to anyone who applies for the disability tax credit within 60 days of Parliament approving the bill.

This financial support matters. Canadians with disabilities can have confidence that we will bring this project past the finish line, said Qualtrough, who has responsibility for disability issues.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2020.
A Strabane woman's simple act of kindness has helped ensure a couple can have their dream wedding day.

Danielle Boyle donated her wedding dress to a charity shop in the hope it could be passed on free of charge to another bride.

The stunning dress was not suitable for an average bride - Danielle is just 5ft and size 8 - but it was snapped up in just two hours.

She explained how she wanted to donate the dress as a way of returning the kindness shown to her and her husband Brian when they got married last August.

Initially Danielle was going to sell the dress online and donate the money to charity. But she quickly changed her mind when fraudsters tried to cash in.

It was taken by a woman whose wedding day has had to be delayed because they are short of cash - her husband-to-be had also recently lost his job.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Danielle said she was over the moon her dress will help create another bride's special day.

She said: "I loved my wedding dress so much but I didn't want it going to waste.

"A lot of people keep their dresses but they never do anything with them.

"There was a lot of kindness shown to me when I was getting married and I wanted to return that kindness so I decided to sell it online and give the money to charity.

"That didn't work out very well at all because when I put it on a lot of people tried to defraud me out of money. It was shocking so that's when we decided to give it to a charity shop.

"I live in Belfast now and the dress was in my mother's house in Strabane so my sister contacted the Kindness of Strangers charity and explained to them that we wanted to donate the dress to someone who deserved it."

Danielle was keen that her act of kindness would bring joy to another bride.

She continued: "When I bought the dress it was a lot longer and bigger than I am, but I had an incredible dressmaker who made the dress fit me perfectly.

"She could have charged me thousands of pounds because of all the work she had to do but she didn't and I appreciated that so much.

"She also came to my rescue two days before the wedding when it was clear that the veil I was going to wear didn't match the dress at all.

"She conjured up a veil that was perfect. So many people did such kind things for Brian and I when we were getting married.

"I thought it was important to return that kindness and I am delighted it has turned out that way, thanks to the Kindness of Strangers charity shop in Strabane."

The Kindness of Strangers shops, which raise money for Kinship Care Northern Ireland, posted photographs of Danielle's dress explaining that it would only fit a bride who was around 5ft tall and a size eight who was getting married within the next 12 months.

They even suggested that now was a good time for someone to hint at a proposal.

Within two hours a heartfelt message was sent to the charity from an anonymous would-be bride who explained that although she and her fiance desperately wanted to get married, they had to keep putting the date off because of their finances - which had been made worse recently because her fiance had just been made redundant.

Jacqueline Wilson from the charity, Danielle and her sister all agreed this was someone who would appreciate and love the dress.

Ms Wilson said: "Danielle's sister contacted us and sent a photograph of the dress which we put on our Facebook page along with a message explaining what Danielle wanted but that the dress wouldn't fit the average bride.

"There was a great reaction to it and so many people wrote about how beautiful the dress was and suggested a few candidates who might like to hint at a proposal.

"The lady who has the dress sent a beautiful message explaining her situation and how much she wanted to get married, but they just couldn't afford it.

"She is the same height and build that would suit the dress, and maybe now she has the dress she will be able to go ahead and get married."

Ms Wilson said running a series of Kindness of Strangers shops across Northern Ireland allows her to witness people's generosity at first hand.

She said: "We have a number of these Kindness of Strangers shops now and hope to open ones in the future and we are constantly amazed at how caring people are and at the things they donate which has included a car.

"The Strabane shop has only been opened four weeks so we were delighted to be part of this story and delighted that it turned out so well."
Attorney General William Barr on Thursday criticized corporate America's relationship with the Chinese Communist Party  while singling out Apple once again as an example of a "double standard" in how tech companies treat the U.S. government versus Beijing.

He also hinted at the possibility that American business leaders who advocate for the partys political interests at its behest could face prosecution under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, a U.S. law that requires people to disclose lobbying for foreign governments.

And he said American businesses take great risks when they do business in China.

The ultimate ambition of Chinas rulers isnt to trade with the United States; it is to raid the United States, he said in a speech in Michigan. If you are an American business leader, appeasing the [Peoples Republic of China] may bring short-term rewards. But in the end, the PRCs goal is to replace you.

Barr zeroed in on major American tech companies relationships with the Chinese government.

Over the years, corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Apple have shown themselves all too willing to collaborate with the CCP, he said.

Then he focused on Apple  which relies heavily on manufacturing partners based in China  and criticized it for what he described as acquiescence to the Chinese Communists. Barr noted that the company removed privacy apps from its Apple store in China, yanked the Quartz news app after the Chinese government complained about its coverage of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, and announced it will move some iCloud data to servers located in China.

Barr then paused, lowered his voice, and broke from his prepared remarks to bring up the Justice Departments recent success getting into the cell phone of a terrorist who shot eight people at a Pensacola naval base. Apple didnt assist DOJs efforts to access the communications, he said, which revealed the shooter had been in touch with Al Qaeda operatives the day before the attack.

Story continues

Apple has long refused to give U.S. law enforcement backdoor access circumventing its devices encryption, citing privacy concerns.

Do you think when Apple sells phones in China that Apple phones in China are impervious to penetration by Chinese authorities? Barr continued. They wouldnt be sold if they were impervious to Chinese authorities. What weve asked for is when we have a warrant from a court, that we should be able to get into those cell phones. Thats the double standard that has been emerging among American tech companies.

Barr has repeatedly invoked the Pensacola case  using it to lambaste the company during public appearances in January and May  but has yet to follow the Obama-era Justice Department's example of suing Apple in an attempt to force its cooperation in a terrorist probe. (That case ended inconclusively after the DOJ revealed that it had found another way to break into a deceased shooting suspect's iPhone.)

Barr also hinted Thursday that the Chinese government has pushed American business leaders to support specific China-friendly candidates and policies. And he said such advocacy could be illegal.

You should be alert to how you might be used, and how your efforts on behalf of a foreign company or government could implicate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, he said. FARA does not prohibit any speech or conduct. But it does require those who are acting as the agents of foreign principals to publicly disclose that relationship and their political or other similar activities by registering with the Justice Department, allowing the audience to take into account the origin of the speech when evaluating its credibility.

Barrs speech, delivered at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Mich., was the latest in a series of addresses on China from senior Trump administration officials. Barr said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will soon speak on the topic.

And he seemed to relish likely pushback from Chinese officials. After FBI Director Chris Wray spoke on China last week, Barr said the director told him a CCP leader called his speech particularly disgusting.

I told him I was going to aim today to be despicable, Barr said, to chuckles. But Ill settle for especially disgusting.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 07:26 551 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40666ee76d 1 National COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,Indonesian-Red-Cross,PMI,sudirman-said,coronavirus,school-reopening,schools,students,school-children Free

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has urged regional administrations to set up preventive measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in schools as students start to return to their classrooms.

"Although school reopening is only allowed in green zone areas, we still need to think about the risks. As long as there are new [COVID-19] cases, there is a risk of transmission," PMI secretary-general Sudirman Said said in a written statement on Thursday as quoted by tempo.co.

On June 16, the Education and Culture Ministry announced the country would allow phased reopening of schools located in COVID-19 low-risk areas, or green zones.

Students in several parts of the archipelago returned to school on Monday, after months of studying from home, in accordance with the so-called new normal protocols in their respective communities.

National COVID-19 task force chief Doni Monardo also said recently that the government was considering allowing schools in yellow zones to reopen because of high public demand.

We are reviewing several public requests to allow [students] in yellow zones to go back to school, Doni said after a meeting with President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Monday.

Read also: Indonesia starts school year with caution during pandemic

Last week, authorities discovered a new cluster at the Armys Officer Candidate School (Secapa) in Bandung, West Java. A total of 1,262 new cases were found at the academy, 991 of which were students.

After the findings, West Java recorded the highest spike with 962 new cases on July 9, accounting for most of Indonesias latest single day record high of 2,657 new cases.

Sudirman also expressed concern that even though the risks of COVID-19 transmission were increasing, public alertness to COVID-19 had been decreasing.

"We need to improve the public's solidarity to keep each other safe. There's a saying that an outbreak anywhere is an outbreak everywhere. It means that if there are cases in Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang, there are risks of transmission in other places," he said.

Surdirman said the PMI had been actively informing the public about health protocols that could help curb the transmission of COVID-19, but added that reopening schools was inherently risky even with such mitigation efforts.

"Starting from April, PMI volunteers along with the Indonesian Military and the National Police have regularly sprayed disinfectant in public places including schools, Islamic schools and boarding schools. But the best way to minimize [transmission] risk is to avoid crowds," he said. (nal)
By Nazish Hussain, TwoCircles.net

JHARKHAND: Thirty-four-year old Mohammed Sajid Hussain, was working at the prestigious National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) in Bangalore but something was amiss for the young man.

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I felt a void and wanted to give back to my community, he told TwoCircles.net.

Sajid, who hails from Ramgarh district in Jharkhand, studied metallurgical engineering and later went to Europe to get a PhD. On returning to India in 2012, he got a job at NAL. He left his Phd in between and came back. On returning to India in 2012, he got a job at NAL.

After working at NAL for three years, Sajid quit his job in 2016 and resolved to work for improving education in his home district in Jharkhand.

Recalling his days as a school going kid in the village, he said, When I was a student at the government school, there were 110 students in my class. Among those, only 2 to 3 students were able to do something good with their career. Rest of them are in low skilled jobs.

Sajid has lived through the experience of the school system in rural areas, which has now motivated him to take up social entrepreneurship leaving behind his lucrative job as a researcher in the National Aerospace Laboratory.

Sajid was excelling in his career. He bagged Marie Curie fellowship for his PhD in Germany. I was going good. I had all the facilities. I was doing my PhD in Germany and meanwhile, I was also roaming around Europe. It was all fun but then I constantly felt a void. I had this feeling that something is lacking. One day while sitting on the stairs of one of the libraries in France, I made up my mind that I want to do something for the place where I came from.

It was during his work at NAL when thoughts of giving something back to the community would run through his head.

Leaving behind his job, Sajid finally returned to Jharkhand to work on his dream.

I had started working on establishing a school in Chitarpur, Ramgarh while still working at NAL but finally it was after I quit my job in 2016 that I gave my full attention to the school, Sajid told TwoCircles.net.

Sajid said that he did not really want to establish a school. The idea was to open a research centre which would act as a school for all the schools in Jharkhand. Like a resource centre, from where we can give resources to the schools around Jharkhand, he said.

Sajid said that schools should be like a gymnasium. He developed a concept of school plus gymnasium to impart practical based learning to students. Sajid wants to make his school a laboratory.

I believe we learn more and get in-depth understanding by practically engaging with the subject, and thats what makes us a good engineer or scientist, he says.

Explaining the idea of a laboratory and school Sajid said, The pattern of education is changing. In todays time fixed information has been taken over by Artificial Intelligence. How we are teaching children, the old pedagogy should be revamped. In the next 10 years, the nature of the job will be very different from now. So I want to play a role in this shift. If you come to my school you will find many bottles, trash materials. My whole campus is like a laboratory.

Sajid said that he wants to play a role in the reformation of the rural education system. I dont want to claim that I am here to reform the system which is too early to say anything now. I am just playing a role and if change happens in that process that would be a good thing, he adds.

It has now been six years since Sajid started the school Chitarpur.

On being asked what change it has brought so far, he says, We have done a lot of work in Ramgarh district, for which people can be the judge and they can say how much change it has brought. I dont want to claim anything now. We are just giving our best.

Explaining his work, Sajid talks about his new project of developing a school innovation lab which he calls as SCHOOLASIUM innovation lab.

Under SCHOOLASIUM we have a laboratory school called Mount Everest Public, he said.

He is also working in the District innovation lab in Gumla district of Jharkhand. During the COVID-19 lockdown, they also started open online free school.

Sajid said he is also working on a project called to become a scientist. Sharing details of the project, he says, The idea is to raise critical thinking in children, inculcating design thinking and research temperament in children.

Sajid said that Kothari commission, which was there in 1964, has not been implemented yet. Now, I want to initiate the concept of neighbourhood schooling. Even the Kothari commission recommended this. It is democratic participation in the schooling system, and added that there are many such concepts to be implemented but I am not able to take it forward due to lack of funding.

For a successful project to be run in rural areas, funding is an important element and Sajid said that lack of finance is a big obstacle in front of him.

I have been working on this idea since 2014. To work on education in any rural area you need finance and education. These two things are very important. I tried crowdfunding through milaap but it was not successful, he said.

Sajid said that social entrepreneurship is a dry area. Teachers dont want to change. They want to remain fixed in their own style. The journey that I have started is very tough. I have a lot of challenges. However, when I look at the fruits of my hardship, it gives me satisfaction. I have this intuition that where I am and what I am doing is good.
Mike Pompeo last night tore into 'rioters' for tearing down statues of 'those who fought for our unalienable rights'.

Declaring that 'the American way of life itself is under attack', the US Secretary of State raged at the media for spreading 'Marxist ideology' about American history which he said would make the Chinese Communist Party 'gleeful'.

In a speech at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pompeo singled out the New York Times and its slavery-themed 1619 Project for criticism, saying it promoted a 'dark vision of America's birth' and a 'disturbed reading of history'.

The phrase 'unalienable rights' was used in the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson, and Pompeo has adopted the name for a commission which yesterday issued a report criticized by other human rights groups.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (pictured in Philadelphia last night) gave a speech about 'unalienable rights' in which he criticized protesters and the media

Pompeo acknowledged in his speech that 'at our nation's founding, our country fell far short of securing the rights of all', condemning the 'evil institution' of slavery.

However, he said that America's 'founding principles' had helped it to realize the wrongs of slavery and given it a 'political framework' to tackle racism.

'You don't always hear these ground truths today. Nor do you hear about the greatest strides our nation has made to realize the promise of our founding and a more perfect union,' Pompeo said.

He continued: 'Today, the very core of what it means to be an American, indeed the American way of life itself, is under attack.

'Instead of seeking to improve America, too many leading voices promulgate hatred of our founding principles.'

Highlighting the NYT's 1619 Project about slavery, he said the paper 'wants you to believe that our country was founded for human bondage'.

'They want you to believe that America's institutions continue to reflect the country's acceptance of slavery at our founding,' Pompeo said.

'They want you to believe that Marxist ideology that America is only the oppressors and the oppressed. The Chinese Communist Party must be gleeful when they see the New York Times spout this ideology.

'Some people have taken these false doctrines to heart. The rioters pulling down statues thus see nothing wrong with desecrating monuments to those who fought for our unalienable rights  from our founding to the present day.

'This is a dark vision of America's birth. I reject it. It's a disturbed reading of history. It is a slander on our great people.'

Statues of founding fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson have been among those vandalized in recent weeks amid the wave of anti-racism protests after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

But some monuments which have come under attack have nothing to do with the founding fathers, including those of Confederate generals in the Civil War.

A statue of George Washington after it was vandalized with red paint in Washington Square Park in New York City last month

Pompeo also took aim at the 'incurious' media and 'partisan' human rights groups for promoting 'moral equivalency' between the US and countries such as China.

He specifically criticized a Washington Post column last year in which writer Max Boot asked whether there was 'any reason to believe that China is a less moral place than the United States'.

The Secretary of State said 'the mere asking of that question is so deeply troubling', saying that Americans have 'infinitely more freedom' than that granted by the CCP.

Pompeo was speaking to mark the publication of a new report by the the Commission on Unalienable Rights which he launched last year.

In his speech he warned that 'more rights does not necessarily mean more justice', rejecting some 'rights' as merely a 'narrower partisan or ideological interest'.

The Commission's report adopted a similar tone, suggesting that some issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage were merely 'divisive social and political controversies' rather than issues of 'basic rights'.

'The increase in rights claims, in some ways overdue and just, has given rise to excesses of its own,' the report says.

'The temptation to cloak a contestable political preference in the mantle of human rights, which are held to be objectively and universally true, and seek a final and binding judgment from a court, tends to choke off democratic debate, which is itself critical to self-government and therefore to the protection of unalienable rights.'

Amnesty International has criticized the 'deeply flawed' report, saying the US was trying to 'redefine its obligations under international human rights treaties'.

The report 'shows the contempt this administration has for human rights and its desire to excise certain rights for political gain', Amnesty spokeswoman Erika Guevara-Rosas said.

Another group, Human Rights First, said the report was an 'unnecessary political exercise' intended to 'recast American foreign policy' to suit Pompeo's agenda.

Pompeo's 'insistence on bashing major American news organizations during a speech about America's foundational principles is cynical, if in keeping with the views of President Trump,' said spokesman Rob Berschinksi.

'While couched in cautious language, the commission's report makes clear that its authors view some rights, including reproductive rights and the rights of LGBTQ people, as merely divisive social and political controversies.'
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump shook up his campaign staff Wednesday amid sinking poll numbers less than four months before the election, replacing campaign manager Brad Parscale with veteran GOP operative Bill Stepien.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/7/2020 (552 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 15, 2020, after stepping off Marine One. Trump is returning from Atlanta. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump shook up his campaign staff Wednesday amid sinking poll numbers less than four months before the election, replacing campaign manager Brad Parscale with veteran GOP operative Bill Stepien.

"I am pleased to announce that Bill Stepien has been promoted to the role of Trump Campaign Manager," Trump said on Facebook. "Brad Parscale, who has been with me for a very long time and has led our tremendous digital and data strategies, will remain in that role, while being a Senior Advisor to the campaign."

Trump and Parscales relationship had been increasingly strained, with the president annoyed by the publicity Parscale had garnered in the role. But the final straw appeared to be a Tulsa, Oklahoma, rally last month that drew an unexpectedly low crowd of about 6,200 people after Parscale had bragged that more than a million people had requested tickets. The president was furious.

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2019, file photo, Brad Parscale, campaign manager for President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Target Center in Minneapolis. A half-dozen senior advisers to President Donald Trump have repeatedly voted by mail, according to election records obtained by The Associated Press, undercutting the presidentAos argument that the practice will lead to widespread fraud this November. The aides include Betsy DeVos, the education secretary who has permanent absentee voting status in her home state of Michigan. Parscale voted absentee in Texas in 2018 and didn't vote in the general election two years earlier when Trump's name was on the ballot. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

The shakeup injected familiar turmoil to Trumps 2020 campaign, which had so far largely avoided the regular staff churn that dominated the presidents 2016 campaign and his White House. It comes as Trump has been struggling in his reelection campaign against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, with the nation facing health and economic crises during a pandemic that has killed more than 135,000 Americans.

The staff change was not expected to alter the day-to-day running of the campaign. News of the shuffle was delivered to Parscale on Wednesday afternoon by White House adviser and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Parscale, a political novice, ran Trumps digital advertising in 2016 and was credited with helping bring about his surprise victory that year. Stepien has been in politics for years, working for former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and serving as Trumps national field director in 2016.

Parscale had been increasingly sidelined in the weeks since the Tulsa rally and as the president's public and private poll numbers have taken a hit amid the pandemic. Speculation had been rampant about who might be promoted to lead the operation, with names like former Trump strategist Steve Bannon floated.

FILE - In this June 9, 2014, file photo Bill Stepien leaves the New Jersey State House, in Trenton, N.J. President Donald Trump is shaking up his campaign amid sinking poll numbers less than four months before the election, replacing campaign manager Brad Parscale with veteran GOP operative Stepien. (Amy Newman/The Record via AP, File)

Parscale is a close ally of Kushner, who wields ultimate control over the campaign. A Florida resident, he had not been a regular presence of late in the campaign's Arlington, Virginia, headquarters, sparking some resentments among staffers.

Rather than parting ways completely, Parscale was retained in part because of the difficulty the campaign would have faced in rebuilding its digital advertising operation so close to the Nov. 3 general election. While the Republican National Committee owned most of the campaign's data, voter modeling and outreach tools, Parscale ran most of the microtargeted online advertising that Trump aides believed were key in 2016.

Parscales digital advertising firm was among the campaigns most significant vendors, and some in Trumps orbit have alleged that the former campaign manager was profiting off the presidents reelection. Parscale has repeatedly denied the claims.

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Trump has been pressed by allies in recent months to expand his political circle and more forcefully define his run against Biden. Last month, Trump announced a promotion for Stepien and returned former communications chief Jason Miller to his campaign, taking away some of Parscale's clout and influence.

Biden also shuffled his campaign team, albeit much earlier in the cycle, amid a disastrous stretch in his primary run. For Biden, the moves marked genuine shakeups that expanded and changed how his campaign operated.

Biden elevated Anita Dunn, effectively displacing his first campaign manager, Greg Schultz, after a fourth-place Iowa finish and as he was already headed for a second embarrassing finish in New Hampshire. Dunn had joined Biden at the outset of his campaign after having served President Barack Obama as a top communications adviser.

With Dunns urging, Biden hired his current campaign manager, Jen OMalley Dillon, in March after Dunn and others helped resurrect Biden in Nevada and South Carolina and put him on the path to the nomination. Schultz is now at the Democratic National Committee, helping lead the joint battleground strategy among the national party, the Biden campaign and state parties.

___

Associated Press writer Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.
As millions of Americans saw their jobs disappear over the past few months, in some cases forever, there was one consolation. They were being taken care of by an impromptu safety net, created by Congress in the early days of the pandemic, that paid an extra $600 a week in unemployment benefits on top of the often-meager weekly benefits they would normally have received.

But absent federal action, that program expires July 31, and many Americans desperate situations are about to become bleaker. In Arkansas, people could go from receiving $681 a week to $81 a week; in Florida and Tennessee, even the highest-paying worker will receive a maximum of $275 a week in unemployment benefits, down from the $875 they received before, if Congress does not pass an extension of Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), the enhanced employment benefits that were originally part of the CARES Act. Even if lawmakers approve an extension, it will be only a temporary reprieve for the jobless, who face possibly months or years of limbo as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the country and the economy.

Megan K. Rocks, a 38-year-old single mother in Athens, Georgia, is about to see her weekly income go from $725 a week to $125. The events company where Rocks worked as a graphic designer had to cancel all of its events for the year, and Rockss income dried up in mid-March. The extra $600 has helped her cover her rent, car insurance and other bills, and pay her cellphone. It has meant that she can take care of her 11-year-old son in the absence of childcare instead of having to find another job immediately.

The looming expiration of these benefits has left Rocks with few options. Shes been looking for jobs she can do at home while she watches her son but hasnt found any and is terrified about what may happen in a few weeks. At this point, I have no idea what Im going to do, she says. $125 a week isnt enough to cover her $650 rent, much less take care of things like car registration fees and school supplies for her son.

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Millions of people losing their safety net at the same time will deal a major blow to an already shaky economy. Around 25 million Americans will continue to be unemployed in July, August, and September of 2020, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. Until now, the extra unemployment benefits essentially helped bring these Americans earnings up to the average U.S. weekly wage, so millions could still buy food, pay rent, and maybe even spend on extras like school supplies or entertainment. That consumer spending helped support as many as 2.8 million jobs, reducing the unemployment rate by as much as 1.8%, according to the Joint Economic Committee. On Thursday, the U.S. Census Bureau said that retail sales were up 7.5% in June from the previous month, which many economists attribute to the generosity of unemployment benefits.

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Much of the spending happening in the economy right now can be attributed to lower-income individuals, who are more likely to immediately buy food and other essentials with the money they receive, according to Harvard researchers; they recently found that people at the bottom of the income ladder are spending nearly as much as they did before the pandemic, while high income households have dramatically curtailed spending.

Without the additional unemployment benefits, low-earner expenditures will plummet, costing the economy jobs and growth. GDP will fall by about 2.5% for the second half of the yearmore than a years worth of economic growth, according to Congressional testimony from Jason Furman, a Harvard economist.

The human toll will be dramatic. A moratorium on evictions from rental properties that have federally backed mortgages, or that take part in federal assistance programs, expires July 25. It covered slightly more than one in four rental units in the U.S. Families are poised to lose their homes; those who were able to pay credit card debt and student loans will begin to fall behind.

Already, the effect of state and local eviction moratoriums being lifted is becoming clear. Evictions resumed June 1 in Arizona, and courts are processing 52 cases a day on average, up from the 10 to 30 a day they processed during normal times. After Wisconsins eviction moratorium ended, evictions shot up 17% in Milwaukee. Michigans eviction ban ended July 15, and the state estimates that more than 75,000 eviction cases will now be filed.

Megan K. Rocks and her son Liam at the zoo. Photo courtesy of Megan K. Rocks

Annette Alcala, 30, quickly fell behind on her bills after the restaurant where she worked in New York Citys Time Square closed in March. She says the state took three months to process her unemployment claim, during which time she struggled to pay her share of the $2,150 monthly rent on the apartment she shares with a roommate. When her benefits finally began, they included back pay she was owed, but by then, Alcala was behind on the bills. She has yet to regain her financial footing; shes still three months behind on rent and is staring down the end of the extra $600 a week. When it ends, shell receive $300 a week, barely enough to cover rent, much less her student loans or credit card debt. The government says it wants her to find a new job, but there arent jobs available, she says.

The end of the extra unemployment benefits will fall hardest on people of color like Alcala, who is Latina, further widening Americas wealth gap. In June the unemployment rate for Black Americans was 15.4%, and the unemployment for Hispanics was 14.5%, compared to 10.1% for white Americans, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many of the service-sector jobs affected by the pandemic, including in restaurants, hotels, and retail stores, were held by Black Americans and Latinos. As states slow reopening plans and companies keep workers remote, demand for these jobs will remain low.

Legal advocates worry that the end of the $600 benefits will thrust families into a cycle of poverty that will be difficult to escape. Families may feel they have no choice but to take out high interest loans, which become increasingly difficult to pay back the longer that borrowers have no income. On July 7, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rescinded Obama-era provisions aimed at limiting payday and high-cost loans. Already, many people are struggling because of long delays processing unemployment benefits; Jocelyn J. Armand, advocacy director of Legal Services of Miami, says that only about 2% of her clients are receiving the unemployment benefits that theyre due. Out of Nevadas 300,000 applications for unemployment benefits, only 100,000 have been paid, says Rhea Gertken, the directing attorney of Nevada Legal Services.

Even during the best of times, people have a hard time making ends meet, says Kevin De Liban, an attorney at Legal Aid Arkansas, which is dealing with an upswell of clients concerned about meeting their bills after July 31. You take that steady job away and you take away temp supports, and theyre not going to be able to pay rent, pay utilities, or buy stuff needed to educate kids, and the usual inequities that already exist for low-income folks are going to intensify.

While the HEROES Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in May, would have extended the enhanced unemployment benefits until the end of the year, Republicans have raised objections. They point to research showing that two-thirds of recipients are making more on unemployment than they did while they were working and say that unemployed workers will fail to return to work if benefits remain generous. (A June study found no evidence that higher unemployment benefits were preventing people from returning to work.)

Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow has expressed interest in a return-to-work bonus of $450 a week to incentivize people to find jobs, rather than an extension of unemployment benefits. Other proposals include gradually tapering the amount of extra unemployment benefits available, reducing the amount to $200 a week and sending another round of stimulus checks, or letting states cap the extra benefits to ensure they dont exceed workers past wages. One thing is for sure: Republicans are unlikely to keep the $600 per week in extra benefits as its current level; Stephen Moore, a Trump economic adviser, told Yahoo that the single most important thing we have to do going forward is stop the $600 a week.

The surge of coronavirus infections may help Democrats win the argument that Congress must extend benefits, since so many states have had to scale back reopening plans. Though Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia told Senate Finance Committee in June that it was too early to extend benefits because were seeing that things have the capacity to change quickly for the better, it would be difficult to make that argument now. The U.S. reported a record 75,600 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday.

Because of the way states process benefits, the last round of additional unemployment benefits will go out the week of July 25. States are already starting to program FPUC out of their computer systems, says Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project. Unless Congress acts in the next few days, there will almost certainly be a gap when people do not receive additional benefits, even if they are renewed.There will be individual catastrophespeoples lives will be ruined, she says.

A car participates in a July 16, 2020 caravan protest headed for the Coral Gables, Florida, office of Sen. Rick Scott. Caravan participants asked Scott and other Senators to support extension of unemployment benefits for laid-off Americans. | Joe RaedleGetty Images

The sudden disappearance in benefits highlights the lackluster state of unemployment insurance in the country, where payouts vary drastically from state to state. In the wake of the Great Recession, many states reduced the amount of unemployment benefits available and changed how they calculated payouts, to save themselves money. States can be as stingy as they want, Evermore says.

Unemployed workers can receive as little as $37 a week in unemployment compensation in Indiana, and $15 a week in North Carolina, according to Department of Labor data from 2019. Americans ability to survive may soon be dependent on the generosity of their states; in places like Florida and Tennessee, even people who had been making top salaries are only entitled to a maximum of $275 a week, while the same person could get $823 a week in unemployment benefits in Massachusetts. Ironically, some of the states hardest hit by the pandemic like Florida and Nevada, which both saw tourism dry up, will see some of the biggest drop-offs in money coming in once the FPUC expires, since their state-level benefits are so low.

For many unemployed workers, the looming expiration of extra benefits is causing a reckoning; they hoped the economy would go back to normal, but now, they need a new plan. With an unemployment rate of 11.1%, they have few choices and are competing with other unemployed workers for any open job. My hands are tiedI am scrambling to find freelance work, but everything is slow to come back, says John Jennings, a 35-year-old bartender in Minneapolis who has worked in restaurants, film and TV production, and special events, but has yet to find a job work in any of those fields. Places keep downsizing, which makes me wonder, what does bartending even look like after this?

Like Jennings, many people are seeking jobs in multiple fields and chafe at the idea that they havent been looking for work because unemployment benefits are so generous. Sam Nelsen, a single father living in the Orlando area, had two jobs before the pandemic, as a bartender at an Italian restaurant near Disney World and as a theme park concierge and tour guide Since work dried up in March, he has applied for jobs in construction and in hospitality. But even though Disney World has partially opened, it needs fewer workers because it is keeping patrons and employees socially-distanced; just 20,000 of its 43,000 workers have been called back.

Nelsens rent is $1600 a month, and he doesnt know how he will pay it or feed his kids on the $275 a week hell be receiving if the additional unemployment benefits expire. The extra benefits are literally vital to survival, he told me. Its tough to even think about what happens once July ends. Were living in the center of the hospitality world, and we are not being taken care of.
It was late in Wednesday afternoon when Twitter accounts of several famous people in America all asked followers to give back to the community.

The message from Tesla founder Elon Musks Twitter account said, You send $1,000, I send back $2,000. Only doing this for the next 30 minutes. The message provided a link of letters and numbers for followers to donate their bitcoins. Bitcoin is a form of digital money not supported by any government but exchanged by many people online.

Soon the Twitter accounts of Microsofts Bill Gates, Amazons Jeff Bezos, and company accounts for Apple joined the appeal. Former U.S. President Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, also joined in. Billionaires Michael Bloomberg and Warren Buffett wanted people on Twitter to do the same. Entertainers Kayne West and Kim Kardashian and boxer Floyd Mayweather all asked their followers to give back.

Over $100,000 in bitcoins were sent to the appeal before Twitter could disable the accounts and removed the posts. The social media company said it was a coordinated social engineering attack. It said someone targeted some of our employees with access to internal systems and tools to take control of the accounts.

Jack Dorsey, the companys founder, called it a tough day for us at Twitter. But the attack was not the first incident of this kind at the social media company.

In 2017, President Donald Trumps account disappeared from the pages of his millions of followers. The company brought it back online after 11 minutes. An investigation found it was removed by a Twitter employee on his last day of work.

Cybersecurity experts warn that attacks on accounts with millions of followers could have serious effects around the world.

Michael Gazeley is managing director of the internet security company Network Box. He told the Associated Press, If you receive a tweet from a verified account, belonging to a well-known and therefore trusted person, you can no longer assume its really from them.

Twitter says its verified accounts are proven to be real by the company.

U.S. Senator Ed Markey has another worry. He said in a statement: ...imagine if these bad actors had a different intent to use powerful voices to spread disinformation to potentially interfere with our elections, disrupt the stock market, or upset our international relations.

Senator Josh Hawley noted that millions of users depended on Twitter not just to send tweets but also to communicate privately by direct messaging. He called on Twitter to work with the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI, to secure the site.

A successful attack on your systems servers represents a threat to all of your users privacy and data security, said Hawley.

The Reuters news agency reported Thursday that the FBI is now investigating the attack.

Im John Russell.

Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English with additional information from the associated Press and Reuters. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

coordinated adj. acting together in an organized way with others

verified adj. proven to be correct or true

assume - v. to think that something is true

intent - n. an aim or purpose
A large number of young people in Offaly are still receiving the Covid Pandemic Unemployment Payment and this had led to calls for the Government to bring forward a package of measures.

Out of a total of 5,587 people receiving the payment in Offaly, 1,250 are under 25. Nationally 89,544 under 25s are receiving the payment.

The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) - which represents organisations working with over 380,000 young people nationwide  has called on the Government to bring forward a package of measures to support young jobseekers with a 191m* investment to address the high levels of youth unemployment in the July Jobs Initiative to be announced next week.

At a time when we have 45.4% youth unemployment and over 140,000 young people out of work, it is vital that the July Jobs Initiative focuses heavily on the needs of young jobseekers, commented James Doorley, NYCI Deputy Director.

NYCI in its submission to Government is calling for an immediate 191m package of measures to support young people to access education, training, apprenticeships and also to incentivise employers to take on young workers.

NYCI is calling for investment in programmes such as the Back to Education Allowance, SOLAS training programmes, the Youth Employment Support Scheme, a national Access to Apprenticeship Programme and Jobsplus Youth that will support up to 28,000 young people.

Further investment and actions will be required later this year, in light of the scale of the challenge, but we need to make a start now and give young people some hope and support, explained Mr Doorley.

The latest numbers available are stark. 89,544 young people under 25 are currently in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), which is 22% of all of those receiving the payment.

It is also important to note that before the pandemic hit, despite job growth in the Irish economy and the welcome decline since the last crisis, youth unemployment in December 2019 stood at 12.6%. This was three times the overall unemployment rate.

In addition to the young people on the pandemic unemployment payment, there are 29,579 young people under 25 on the Live Register and 20,413 young people under 25 on the Disability Allowance, added Mr Doorley.

The number of young people on the PUP since the peak in early May has declined by over 32,000. This is very welcome, and we hope it continues to decline further. However, the reality is that even if half the current number on the payment exit, that would still leave 45,000 young people out of work.

As a society and an economy, we cannot afford to make the mistakes of the past, where young people were left to linger on the dole queues for years on end and the Governmental response was slow and inadequate.

That is why NYCI is calling for actions and investment now and 191m investment. We acknowledge that this may appear a large sum, but the cost of leaving 28,000 young people on the dole for a year would be 164m, so the net cost of the measures we are proposing would be just 27m. This of course does not take into account the social and financial benefit of the proposed measures for young people, their families, communities and Irish society as a whole. Just last week our neighbours in the UK, announced a 2bn fund to tackle youth unemployment, continued Mr Doorley.

It is recognised that the new Government will have to borrow to fund a stimulus package in the next few years. While the current costs of borrowing money are low, these funds will have to be paid back overtime. Young people as taxpayers will end up paying back the highest proportion of this investment, so it is only fair and in the interests of intergenerational solidarity, that they should also benefit proportionately from these funds to restart the economy.

It also makes social and economic sense to invest in measures to support young people back into work, because their participation and contribution in the labour market will further drive the recovery, concluded Mr Doorley.
M obile users of Facebook and Instagram will now see personalised alerts at the top of their news feed reminding them of the importance of wearing a face mask to help combat the transmission of Covid-19.

The company said the move was aimed to help reduce the spread of this virus by ensuring those logging on via smartphone apps know when to wear a mask covering their mouth and nose.

The mask alerts will start appearing on the feeds of UK app users of both social networks from today, as well as links to factual data from the World Health Organisation in a bid to combat misinformation.

Facebook will also launch a myth-busting section for desktop users in its Covid-19 resource pages after criticism it allowed conspiracy theories to flourish, such as falsehoods about the pandemics spurious link to 5G.

The alert that Facebook mobile users will see at the top of their news feed after logging on / Facebook

The influential social media giant has been criticised for being the number one source of Covid-19 misinformation online.

A study by Press Gazette published last month found 4,094 of 7,295 misleading claims about coronavirus started on Facebook, compared to 1,066 false claims originating on Twitter, 999 traced to WhatsApp, 265 on YouTube and 90 on Instagram.

In a streamed conversation with US infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci yesterday, a member of the White House's Coronavirus Task Force, the social networks founder Mark Zuckerberg spoke of his frustrations with the Trump administrations mishandling of the pandemic.

Both social networks will offer links to information from the WHO to help fight misinformation / Facebook

Zuckerberg said: I personally think we need to take this a lot more seriously...our understanding of the disease, of course, is evolving, and our response needs to be guided by science and our latest scientific understanding.

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He added: Its really disappointing that we still dont have adequate testing, that the credibility of our top scientists like yourself and the (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) are being undermined, and that until recently, that parts of the administration were calling into question whether people should even follow basic best practices like wearing masks."
FILE PHOTO: A woman wears a face mask as she exits one of the terminals at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York

By David Shepardson and Tracy Rucinski

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - Key U.S. House Democrats are backing a push by airline unions for a new round of government bailouts to keep workers employed in the face of tens of thousands of possible layoffs this fall, according to a letter encouraging other colleagues to sign on.

In March, Congress approved $32 billion for the aviation industry to keep workers on payroll through Sept. 30, but as air travel demand remains depressed in the pandemic, airlines have warned of furloughs in October, prompting union calls for a six-month extension of aid.

Airlines for America (A4A), a trade group representing major U.S. airlines, said Thursday it is not actively seeking new government assistance but would accept new bailout funds as long as no new strings were attached.

Under the first package, airlines agreed to limits on share buybacks and executive compensation, and issued warrants on a portion of the funds that the government can exchange for shares.

If Congress enacts labor's proposal, "we would support our workforces decision to pursue a simple and clean extension of the grants as long as no additional or extraneous conditions are required," an A4A spokeswoman said.

Airlines also agreed not to force any job cuts before October, giving them time to assess the pace of a recovery.

Now over 60,000 airline workers at American Airlines and United Airlines alone are facing furlough warnings.

Delta Air Lines is hoping to avoid furloughs after about 17,000 employees volunteered for buyouts, though Chief Executive Ed Bastian said in a memo on Friday that the airline is still overstaffed in some areas based on its network and demand projections.

The lawmakers' letter, signed by House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio and other Democrats, said "with the current resurgence of COVID-19 in several states across the country and a vaccine for the virus yet to be developed, passenger demand for air travel will not recover before" Sept. 30 and "hundreds of thousands of airline workers may be fired or furloughed starting October 1."

Airline unions on Wednesday asked lawmakers to sign on to the letter.

Story continues

After boosting summer flying following some signs of pent-up leisure demand in May and June, some airlines are now scaling back their schedules due to a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country and new quarantines in some states.

Southwest Airlines, which has never had any layoffs, has also warned job losses will be hard to avoid.

(Reporting by David Shepardson and Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Steve Orlofsky and Jonathan Oatis)
PEI holds 2 PNP draws in July Prince Edward Island invited Express Entry, Labour Impact, and Business Impact immigration candidates this month.

PEI holds 2 PNP draws in July Prince Edward Island invited Express Entry, Labour Impact, and Business Impact immigration candidates this month.

PEI holds 2 PNP draws in July Prince Edward Island invited Express Entry, Labour Impact, and Business Impact immigration candidates this month. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canadas island province invited 194 immigration candidates to take one step closer to permanent residence.

The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) held two invitation rounds so far in July.

The first draw was held on July 10, when the province invited eight Labour Impact and Express Entry candidates to apply for a provincial nomination. The PEI PNP did not provide a breakdown of how many candidates were invited from each immigration category.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

The draw on July 16 was considerably larger. There were 157 candidates invited from the Labour Impact and the Express Entry category. The PEI PNP also invited 29 Business Impact candidates that day.

Normally the PEI PNP follows a predetermined schedule for holding invitation rounds. This year, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown a wrench into the provinces plans. PEI has held two draws on schedule since March, on June 18 and July 16.

The next draw is scheduled for August 20.

PEI Express Entry Category

The PEI PNPs Express Entry Category is aligned with the Canadian governments Express Entry system.

Express Entry manages the applications for three economic-class immigration categories: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class.

Eligible candidates are given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for their age, work experience, education, and language proficiency in English and French.

Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination are given an additional 600 points toward their CRS score, and are effectively guaranteed an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

In order to be considered for a provincial nomination from PEI, Express Entry candidates need to create an Expression of Interest (EOI) profile with the PEI PNP.

EOI profiles are given points based on the provinces unique points grid. The highest-scoring candidates are then invited to apply through monthly draws.

The PEI PNP did not provide a breakdown of how many Express Entry and Labour Impact candidates were invited, nor the minimum EOI score required for each category.

Labour Impact Category

Candidates in the Labour Impact Category were invited in both rounds this month.

This immigration category is for foreign nationals who have a valid job offer in PEI, and have support from their employer. It is divided into three streams: Skilled Worker, Critical Worker, and International Graduate.

Candidates in this category must also submit an EOI profile in order to be considered for a provincial nomination through the Labour Impact Category.

Business Impact Category

The PEI PNP issued invitations to 29 candidates with an EOI profile in the Business Impact: Work Permit Stream on July 16.

Those invited needed to have a minimum EOI score of 117, the same as the previous Business Impact draw on June 23.

The Work Permit Stream is for entrepreneurs who wish to own and operate a business in PEI.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pensmore Reinforcement Technologies, dba Helix Steel is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Micro Fibras de Acero CR S.A. Through this partnership, Helix Steel will be supplying Helix Micro Rebar to the Costa Rican construction industry.

Alberto Apestegui and Enrique Blair are the partners in Apestegui + Blair Consultores, and partners in MicroFibras de Acero CR S.A.

Headquartered in San Jose, Costa Rica, Micro Fibras CR S.A. includes business partners Alberto Apestegui, ME, Enrique Blair, M.Sc., Ricardo Jimenez, and Campion Platt. Each partner is involved in different aspects of architecture, construction, design, and engineering. Alberto Apestegui and Enrique Blair are the partners in Apestegui + Blair Consultores who specialize in structural and seismic engineering. Ricardo Jimenez is a partner in Compania Constructora Van der Laat y Jimenez that focuses on building industrial plants, buildings, hotels and resorts, shopping centers, and road infrastructure. Finally, Campion Platt, a world-renowned architect, and designer, who creates holistic architecture and interiors that focus on eco-friendly green homes, furniture, and textiles.

Van der Laat y Jimenez has constructed many buildings on the beaches of Costa Rica so using a product that has zinc coating is important to prevent corrosion. "Helix Micro Rebar is the only structural product in Costa Rica that is not only anti-corroding but can be applied vertically. It is also the only fiber approved for use when building concrete pumps," Enrique Blair commented.

"Helix Micro Rebar is a wonderful product because it makes concrete more durable and less expensive than traditional rebar," Blair added. "We are very excited to be using an innovative product that helps us drop construction costs without sacrificing the quality of the final product."

Luke Pinkerton stated, "We are pleased to welcome Micro Fibras to the Helix family, a company that shares our technical and customer service-oriented culture. We look forward to growing the market in Costa Rica together."

About Helix Steel:

Headquartered in Ann Arbor and celebrating seventeen years in the steel industry, Helix Steel provides unparalleled resistance to cracking and shrinkage. It is the only product with an ISO 17065 evaluation report that complies with the International Builders and International Residential codes to replace traditional reinforcing steel.

Contact:

Luke Pinkerton, President

Voice: (734) 322-2114

Fax: (734) 786-1633

( http://www.helixsteel.com/ )

SOURCE Helix Steel
The Akwa Ibom State Government has suspended Emmanuel Nicholas, an aide to Governor Udom Emmanuel, with immediate effect over allegations of fraud.

The suspension was announced in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Emmanuel Ekuwem, in Uyo on Friday.

The official did not provide details of the allegations.

Mr Ekuwem said the special assistant to the governor on media would remain suspended until investigations were completed by the security agencies to clear him of the allegations.

I am directed to announce the immediate suspension of Mr Emmanuel Nicholas from his duties as a Special Assistant to the Governor.

This is as a result of allegations of fraudulent activities levelled against him.

Mr Nicholas will remain suspended until investigations are completed by security agencies and he is cleared of the allegations.

The Akwa Ibom State Government, led by Mr Udom Emmanuel, will continue to uphold transparency, integrity and accountability as its core values, Mr Ekuwem said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that Mr Nicolas was arrested for alleged fraudulent activities including collection of money from a contractor.

(NAN)
Mumbai, July 17 : In a freak incident, an 8-year-old boy accidentally swallowed a Rs 1 coin which got lodged in his food pipe causing him great pain, but doctors successfully retrieved it in an emergency surgery, a hospital official said here on Friday.

The Andheri boy was rushed by his parents to the Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital after an x-ray revealed the problem.

He had accidentally swallowed the coin which got wedged in the oesophagus or food pipe, causing him immense pain and making him vomit every time he tried to eat or drink anything.

Initially, the desperate family spent over six hours running to different clinics for help, and finally landed at Nanavati Hospital where ENT specialist and senior consultant Dr. Amol Patil attended to the boy.

"The boy was in extreme discomfort due to the coin. Any further delay to extract the object (coin) could lead to possible life-threatening conditions from infection or rupture of the oesophagus," explained Patil.

After taking all precautions, the surgical team performed a complex esophagoscopy - an endoscopic procedure through the boy's mouth - and with the help of forceps, safely concealed in a metal rod, extracted the coin quickly.

Later, the child was kept under observation for some time after the operation, and after he showed no discomfort while eating, he was discharged, said Patil.

Hospital COO and Director Manpreet Singh Sohal said that in the ongoing Covid pandemic, the hospital has taken a series of infection control measures to perform even non-Covid critical procedures.
The United Nations is warning that 265 million people could be pushed to the point of starvation by the end of 2020 with the first increase in global poverty since 1990 unless urgent action is taken.

Humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock made the single largest appeal in U.N. history Thursday, seeking $10.3 billion to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic and its deadly second-order effects, especially the global recession and the diversion of health resources.

"My message to the G-20 is step up now or pay the price later. For a relatively modest investment, we can prevent the worst, including the exportation of the worst problems from the most fragile countries," Lowcock told reporters, referencing the group of the world's largest economies.

The U.N. launched its Global Humanitarian Response Plan in March, but has fallen short of its funding goals since then, generating $1.7 billion so far. The initiative targets 63 countries already facing humanitarian crises where COVID-19 and associated lockdowns are just starting to have a profound impact.

PHOTO: A health worker takes a blood sample for a quick COVID-19 test from man who works selling cookies at the Coche food market in Caracas, Venezuela, June 23, 2020. (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

"Failure to act now will leave the virus free to circle the globe, undo decades of development and create a generation's worth of tragic and exportable problems," said Lowcock, who serves as the U.N. Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

That staggering figure -- 265 million people on the brink of starvation -- was reached by the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and an Oxford University researcher in the first detailed assessment of its kind.

Lowcock told ABC News he's hoping the U.S. will provide roughly 30% of that $10.3 billion figure. So far, the U.S. has announced $1.5 billion for international assistance, although not all of that has gone to the aid groups and international agencies Lowcock is raising funds for.

MORE: As COVID-19 financial crisis wages on, some economists warn of a divergent 'K-shaped' economic recovery

Story continues

Despite the worsening outbreak in America, which is already leading the world in COVID-19 deaths and cases, Lowcock told ABC News the U.S. "remains the indispensable nation."

"[It's] only when there is U.S. leadership and mobilization of others that there's a really effective global response," he said, adding a warning, "Nobody, including no one in the U.S., will be safe from this virus until everybody's safe from it."

But with shortages of personal protective equipment and insufficient testing, some have said the U.S. needs to focus on its own outbreak.

So far, only 0.1% of all U.S. emergency funding has gone to international assistance, but now there is growing momentum in Congress to do more.

PHOTO: A volunteer doctor measures the blood pressure of a woman during a health check-up for the poor families amid the spread of coronavirus, July 8, 20202, at a school in Sanaa, Yemen. (Hani Al-Ansi/DPA via Getty Images)

A bipartisan group of senators wrote to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urging them to prioritize "significant U.S. investment in the international response" in the next emergency funding package. In the House, at least 125 members have signed on to a similar letter to House leadership, warning, "We cannot afford to under-resource global foreign assistance as it is an essential component of a COVID-19 response."

While more U.S. assistance may help mitigate the effects worldwide, Lowcock said the world's richest economies were slow to act and "waited too long to grip this."

In unusually critical tones, Lowcock has pleaded for greater assistance.

"I don't have a magic money tree," he told reporters Thursday, "but the donors do and they've used it to protect, I think wisely, their own economies and their own countries, and what I'm saying is it would be a very good idea to use just 1% of that money in your own interests as well as an act of human empathy and generosity to protect the poorer countries."

MORE: Pandemic could cause famines of 'biblical proportions'

In particular, the World Food Program warned earlier this week that 10 countries already face deep food crises -- Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Syria, the Sudan, Nigeria and Haiti -- totaling 135 million people.

But that could almost double to 265 million people if this urgent appeal isn't met, the agency estimated.

Over 588,000 people have died globally from the coronavirus, which has infected 13.6 million people in 216 countries, areas or territories.

UN makes largest single appeal amid warnings of unprecedented hunger due to pandemic originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
US-based journalist, Azuka Jebose Molokwu has been dragged to court by actress Regina Daniels' husband, billionaire Ned Nwoko, whom he accused of being a cultist.



Azuka made the allegation after Ned Nwoko revealed that he got married to Regina Daniels and his other wives as virgins.



According to Azuka, Ned Nwoko must be appeasing some deities by his desire to always get married to virgins.



She has now been slammed with a N2 billion suit as seen in a writ of summons obtained from Effurun High Court, Delta State.



The suit also asked the court to tell the defendant to tender a public apology to be published by the defendants in at least two national daily newspapers circulating in Nigeria and social media platforms.

Source: mynigeria.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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A Toms River councilwoman who says she was bombarded with hostile messages after suggesting that the predominantly white Ocean County community should embrace diversity and inclusiveness said she believes most residents are kind and decent people not represented by the reaction of an angry, vocal minority.

Id like to hope its an over-representation and that most people in town are not interested in that kind of behavior, and theyre actually interested in having a community thats full of diverse cultures and living together peacefully, Councilwoman Laurie Huryk told NJ Advance Media in an interview Thursday. I think most of the people in Toms River are kind and generous people.

Huryk said she attracted a flurry of hostile phone and Facebook messages, as well as an anonymous, hate-filled letter mailed to her home, after she said during a June 23 Township Council meeting that Toms River should be, more inviting to a diversity of individuals, to better reflect the diversity of the state and these United States.

The meeting was recorded and posted on the township web site. Huryk revealed the letter during a council meeting Tuesday night. The letter was reported on Thursday by the Asbury Park Press.

Toms Rivers 2019 population of 91,239 was 81.9% white, 9.4% Latinx, 4.2% Asian and 3.1% Black, according to Census estimates. In comparison, New Jerseys estimated 8.8 million residents in 2019 were 54.6% white, 20.9% Latinx, 15.1% Black, 10% Asian, and 0.6% Native American. The 328 million U.S. residents, by comparison, were 60.1% white, 18.5% Latinx, 13.4% Black, and 5.9% Asian, according to 2019 Census estimates.

What Huryk meant by last months remarks, she told NJ Advance Media, was not that Toms River was insufficiently diverse and therefore needed to recruit more non-white residents. But rather, she meant, local government and institutions needed to make a conscious effort to let people of color know that they are welcome members of the community.

The demographics are what they are, Huryk said. Theres a difference between our demographics in Toms River and in the state and the United States, and that somehow we need to reflect on that when we are making the policies and planning the events in our town to make sure that everyone is actively included.

Huryk said she turned the anonymous, hand-written letter over to Chief Mitch Little of the Toms River Police Department. The letter told Huryk to STOP THE LIBERAL BULLS---, and that, Nobody wants to attract African Americans to Toms River.

DONT F--- WITH OUR TOWN, it concluded.

A spokesperson for the Toms River Police did not respond to requests for comment on the incident Thursday. Mayor Maurice Hill also did not respond.

Huryk said Little was doing just the kind of outreach she wanted to see in town. The chief had helped form an organization in 2018 known as United Neighbors in Towns Every Day, or UNITED, which Huryk had worked with last year on the creation of the townships first Around the World festival highlighting different cultures.

It was in the context of praising the police departments outreach efforts amid the nationwide calls for racial justice following George Floyds death in Minneapolis that Huryk said she made her original comments last month embracing diversity and sparking the backlash against her.

Huryk, 51, is a registered nurse who grew up in Bergen County and has lived in Toms River for 24 years. One of two Democrats on the 7-member council, she was elected to a 4-year term in 2017 that expires at the end of next year. When I did campaigning, I knocked on 1,000 doors and I made contact with over 600 people, she said. And everyone was lovely.

Still, she said she was a little concerned for her safety and the safety of her children amid the recent controversy, after realizing, the fact that someone took the time to find out my address in order to send me that letter.

Comments were mixed on an Asbury Park Press Facebook page, while Huryks own township council Facebook page is dominated by comments in support of her.

Two of the more memorable phone messages she received were from women who berated her on her answering machine for what they thought she had been suggesting.

They actually asked me to call them back and talk, Huryk said. And once we are able to have a conversation, they realized it wasnt what I said and they were much less upset.

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

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com.
Representative image

UC Web, a subsidiary of Chinese giant Alibaba Group and one of the 59 mobile apps banned by the Indian government, has suspended its operations in the country and reportedly laid off most local employees.

Close of 90 percent of UC Webs 350 employee base including those in associate, managerial and entry-level positions were given pink slips and minimum 30 days notice period via video conference, sources told Mint.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

The company declined to confirm the development to Mint, but on July 16 told the paper it has "complied with the governments recent directive concerning 59 apps and stopped the service."

In India since 2009, UC Web has operated two services  UC Browser and UC News. UC Browser has 430 million active global users, a 130 million chunk of which are in India. It was the second leading browser in the country after Google Chrome with 10 percent market share, as per StatCounter.

Prior to the ban UC Web had plans to launch its own e-commerce and online movie ticketing platforms in India.

This is the latest in a string of lay-offs in Alibaba subsidiaries in India. Reports emerged on July 15 that Vmate  another Alibaba-owned company had fired employees via an internal email.

The Centre banned 59 Chinese owned apps from India citing security concerns after Indian army personnel clashed with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley, Ladakh near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in June. Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in the scuffle.
Two families have appeared before an Accra Circuit Court charged with disturbing public peace.

The throwing of a stone at a dog sparked the fight between them.

The accused persons are Emmanuel Taylor, 40, Record Keeper, Kennedy Taylor, 24, Cleaner, and Ebenezer Taylor, 40, Teacher belonging to one family while Samuel Kojo Tetteh, 25, Trader, and Elijah Tetteh, 17, student, were from the other family.

Ebenezer Taylor is additionally facing a charge of causing harm after biting the right ear of Samuel Kojo Tetteh.

The accused persons have pleaded not guilty.

The court, presided over by Mrs Helen Ofie Ayeh, admitted Emmanuel, Kennedy, Ebenezer, and Samuel to bail in the sum GH10,000.00 each with two sureties each. One of the sureties should be a public servant.

Elijah was, however, admitted to bail in the sum of GH60,000.00 with one surety.

The court restrained the accused persons from getting 50 meters close to each other's house.

Prosecution was also ordered by the court to make their disclosures and file their witness statements within 21 days.

The matter has been adjourned to October 21.

Prosecuting General Sergeant Thomas Sarfo said the accused persons are siblings residing at Kuku Hill in Osu.

On June 9, this year, at about 2030 hours, Emmanuel reported that Samuel and Elijah had assaulted him.

The same day, at about 2045 hours, Samuel also reported that Emmanuel, Kennedy and Ebenezer had assaulted him and during the scuffle, Ebenezer bit his ear.

Prosecution said despite reporting each other at the Police Station, the accused persons went and sat in front of a shop adjacent to Chateau Towers, a Chinese Block of flats, and were accessing internet for free.

While there, Prosecution said Kennedy's dog emerged and it stood in front of his house.

Samuel who felt threatened threw a stone at the dog and that resulted in hot exchanges between Emmanuel and Samuel.

The other accused persons also joined in the fight. Later the two sets of siblings took turns to lodge complaints with the Police.

---GNA
Stephanie Keith/Getty ImagesBY: JAMES HILL, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK)  An attorney for a woman who claims to be the first known child sex-abuse victim of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell is accusing the legal team representing Epsteins estate of withholding evidence and attempting to prevent the testimony of a key witness, according to a letter sent to the judge overseeing her lawsuit on Wednesday.

This behavior flies in the face of fairness, professionalism and much needed justice, wrote Robert Glassman, the lawyer for the accuser, who filed the suit under the pseudonym Jane Doe.

According to the letter, attorneys for the estate have failed to turn over a single page of evidence in the three months since being served with pre-trial requests. The estate missed a previously agreed-upon deadline to begin producing documents in the possession of the estate that contained Does name and information, Glassman wrote, and he claimed they abruptly called off a scheduled deposition of Darren Indyke, one of the estates co-executors and a long-time lawyer for Epstein and his affiliated companies.

The estate is engaging in obstructionist litigation tactics intended to stonewall and deprive Jane Doe of plainly relevant discovery, Glassman wrote, in asking for a conference with the court. It is clear that absent court intervention, the Epstein Estate will not comply with its basic discovery obligations.

Doe has already turned over more than 190 pages of documents to the estate earlier this month, according to the letter, but balked at the estates request for what Glassman called largely irrelevant and, quite frankly, outrageous information from Doe. Glassman claimed that among the requests were documents referencing any and all medical procedures and consultations she has ever had throughout her lifetime, including while she was a minor, even if such medical care was unrelated to Jeffrey Epsteins alleged abuse of her.

Bennet Moskowitz, a lawyer for Indyke and Richard Kahn, the estates co-executors, declined to comment on the allegations raised by Glassman's when reached Wednesday by ABC News.

But in a response filed in court Thursday, an estate attorney called Glassman's letter "very premature" and a misrepresentation of what had occurred.

The estate claims that Indyke's deposition was taken off the calendar to allow time for Maxwell's lawyer, who had just entered the case, to confer with all parties about setting new schedules, and contended that production of documents in their possession was being held up only because Doe's lawyers had yet to agree to a confidentiality order "which must occur before we produce documents that refer to [Doe], who filed this case anonymously, by her real name.

That is for [Doe's] benefit," wrote estate lawyer Mary Grace Metcalfe.

Glassman told ABC News Thursday that he hadn't agreed to delaying Indyke's deposition and that he sees no need to for a confidentiality agreement to protect the identity of his client because there is a prior court order which deals with that.

"We're interested in taking this case to trial and getting the evidence that we need in order to prepare the case for that time," Glassman said, "And it appears that they're more interested in sitting in their offices writing letters and objecting to everything that we're trying to do."

Lawyers for the estate have previously asked the court to dismiss some of Does claims as beyond the statute of limitations. The lawyers for the co-executors have also encouraged Doe to participate in an alternative resolution program established by the Epstein estate, which launched last month after protracted delays.

The details in Does lawsuit, which was filed in January against the Epstein estate and Maxwell, are substantially similar to the allegations pertaining to one of the three minor victims included in the federal charges against Maxwell, who is accused in a six-count indictment of assisting, facilitating and contributing to Epsteins alleged abuse of three minor girls between 1994 and 1997.

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 said.

Maxwell pleaded not guilty to the charges at a hearing earlier this week and was ordered held without bail pending trial in July 2021. A week after Maxwells July 2 arrest in New Hampshire, her attorney filed an answer to Does lawsuit, denying the claims while also noting the overlap between the lawsuit and the criminal case against Maxwell in New York.

"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, wrote Laura Menninger, a lawyer who has represented Maxwell in civil litigation for five years.

According to Does civil complaint, she first met Maxwell and Epstein in 1994 as a 13-year-old student at a music camp in Michigan. A months-long grooming process continued, she alleges, after she returned home to Florida, where Epstein had a seaside estate on Palm Beach Island.

Does father had recently passed away, the complaint said, creating an opportunity for Epstein and Maxwell to fill the void.

Epstein gave himself the name of Does godfather while Maxwell acted like an older sister to her, her complaint said. They took her to movies, went shopping with her and lounged around Epsteins estate with her.

Doe, now 39, alleges the abuse escalated over the next few years as Epstein and Maxwell asserted more and more control over her life and aspirations. Epstein paid for voice lessons, private high school tuition and even co-signed a lease on a New York City apartment for Doe and her mother, according to her complaint.

She claims the abuse occurred at Epsteins homes in Florida, New York and his ranch in New Mexico, and that she would often travel to those locations with Epstein and Maxwell on one of Epsteins private jets.

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, the complaint said, many of whom were fatherless, like Jane Doe, and came from struggling families.

Does case is one of just a few civil actions against the Epstein estate that are being actively litigated. Most of the pending lawsuits have been put on hold by alleged victims while they submit their claims to the alternative resolution program.

Epsteins estate is valued at more than $655 million, according to a May 5 filing in probate court in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned a private island compound that served as his primary residence since 2010.

The criminal indictment against Maxwell is likely to further complicate Does efforts to obtain evidence and testimony necessary to pursue her civil claims. It is expected that Maxwell will eventually seek to pause the case, at least as it pertains to her, while the criminal case against her is pending.

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
- Polygiene and TK-Domashniy Tekstyl, a home textile company in the Ukraine, has signed an exclusive distributors agreement for the Ukrainian market

STOCKHOLM, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TK-Domashniy Tekstyl is a major player in home textiles, working on all levels in their field, from raw materials, lego production and over 5000 consumer articles, exporting to many countries beyond the Ukraine. They are also the leading supplier of textile products to the Ukrainian government and the only company with production of medical suits in Ukraine.

It is here the partnership starts, with an initial batch of 1 million ViralOff treated face masks and 100 000 protective suits. But Polygiene and TK-Domashniy Tekstyl see many more opportunities, both in terms of a wider range of products, as well as cooperation with third party customers in the region.

"Adding TK-Domashniy Tekstyl to our distributor network gives us a good representation in the area", says Ulrika Bjork, CEO of Polygiene. "Being vertically integrated and with access to markets both governmental and private, they are a great gateway for us."

"We see a lot of interest and have a ready strategy for distributing ViralOff treated textiles", says Volodomyr Martsenyuk, Managing partner for TK-Domashniy Tekstyl. "We serve both the Ukrainian public through government programs, as well as commercial partners and direct to consumers and see the relevance on all levels."

Subscribe here to get reports, press releases and News:

http://ir.polygiene.com/en/press/subscribe/

For press images and more information, visit ir.polygiene.com or contact:

Mats Georgson

CMO

mats@polygiene.com

+46-70-656-48-90

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/polygiene-ab/r/polygiene-and-tk-domashniy-tekstyl-sign-distributor-agreement---starting-with-a-million-facemasks-an,c3155992

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(Natural News) When police officers do something questionable, the mainstream media and social media are quick to pile on the heat, but when they save peoples lives, the silence is deafening. The mainstream media devotes a lot of coverage to rehashing the same stories of people who were killed by officers but refuses to report on the constant stream of new incidents where lives were saved by the police.

For example, in Northwest Houston last week, you might not have heard about how police saved two women from a burning home. The police officers noticed a house on fire while they were out patrolling by car. They contacted the Houston Fire Department, but the firefighters were delayed due to vehicles blocking the narrow road.

Police had trouble entering the home because the windows and doors had theft deterrent bars on them. In addition, the front door had a locked deadbolt on it that the women inside did not have a key for. However, the officers did not give up on the women, forcing their way into the burning building to bring them to safety. They ultimately managed to save the lives of the two women and three dogs who were trapped inside; one of the women was in her 90s. Although no one was injured, one woman was brought to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

There are countless other similar stories that you wont hear much about in the mainstream media, either. In late June, for example, a Missouri girl got stuck in muddy water and nearly drowned. Luckily for her, a corporal from the Johnson County Sheriffs Office saw her struggling in the water and went in to save the two-year-old. The girl, who had water up to her neck at that point, ended up only suffering a few bruises and scratches. The officer who rescued her, Corporal Nicole Collins, was a field training officer who has been with the Sheriffs Office for four years.

Of course, the mainstream media did not give this story much coverage, although it was reported on by some local affiliates. This is exactly the type of good news story that we need right now, but the media prefers to stoke racial tensions and get people fired up by focusing on  and inflating  the negative.

Police save lives every day, often in ways we might never realize

The truth is that police officers save far more people than the few bad actors kill each year. Its impossible to say for sure just how many lives are saved  after all, an officers mere presence on a street at a certain time and place may have stopped someone from doing something dangerous that well thankfully never know about  but the idea that the country would be better off without police is a pretty ridiculous one.

The two Houston women in the burning home and countless others like them who were saved by the police probably arent leading any calls to abolish the police, nor is the mother of the 4-year-old girl who was saved from an attempted kidnapping by off-duty Palm Beach County Sheriffs Deputy Corey Reece at a hotel last month  yes, some police officers even save people while theyre on vacation.

Its doubtful that the mother of the three-week-old newborn girl in Michigan whose life was saved by Officer Cameron Maciejewski when he cleared her airway with back thrusts while she was choking would like to see the police defunded. Police shootings are pretty awful, but there is good and bad in every line of work. Some doctors kill people in the pursuit of profit, but people arent taking to the streets demanding that we abolish doctors. Police can and do protect and save people, and the mainstream media is damaging society by only presenting the bad side of policing.

Sources for this article include:

KIRO7.com

NBCMiami.com
She has spent the last three months quarantining in Idaho with her Hollywood royalty family.

And Scout Willis has been back enjoying the Los Angeles life as she popped out for groceries while wearing a brown lace-trimmed camisole dress on Thursday.

The actress, 28, radiated boho chic in the sleeveless dress which she twinned with classic blue converse over white sport socks and wore a face mask.

Brunette beauty: Scout Willis, 28, radiated boho chic in a brown lace-trimmed camisole dress with lace detailing which she twinned with blue Converse over white socks on Thursday

Scout has inherited her mother Demi Moore's luscious chestnut locks which she wore in a centre parting.

The Moonrise Kingdom star wore a simple silver chain around her slender neck and carried a colourful tasselled purse and a red shopping bag from the Museum Of Art.

Putting safety first, Scout donned a face mask for her trip to FedEx before stocking up on essentials at WholeFoods in Los Feliz.

Safety First: Scout donned a face mask for her trip to FedEx before stocking up on essentials at WholeFoods in the hillside LA region of Los Feliz

Scout, who was named after the lead character in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is the second child from Demi's 13 year marriage to Bruce Willis.

The showbiz couple share two other daughters called Rumer, 31, and Tallulah, 26, and have been divorced since 2000.

However they have stayed friendly and in fact even turned heads by going into self-isolation together in Idaho with their daughters amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Blended happy family: Bruce Willis's wife Emma Heming celebrated her 42nd birthday last month, and marked the special occasion with photos and video on her Instagram which included Bruce's first wife Demi Moore

They were later joined by Bruce's current wife Emma Heming with whom he shares his daughters Mabel, eight, and Evelyn, six.

Scout marked Father's Day by posting an Instagram album showing Bruce posing with her, Rumer and Tallulah when they were children.

'My papa doesnt even really understand what social media is so i wont address this to him, but damn I love and appreciate this man!!' she wrote.

So sweet: Scout marked Father's Day by posting an Instagram album showing Bruce posing with her, Rumer and Tallulah when they were children

Meanwhile Demi posted an Instagram picture showing herself in Idaho with a group of loved ones including Bruce, Emma, Rumer, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn.

Scout appeared on the Dopey self-help podcast and late April and revealed why Emma had waited to join the rest of the group in Idaho.

'My stepmom was going to come up here too with my little sisters. [But] my younger sister [who has] never gotten a talk about not f***ing with hypodermic needles. she found [needles at a park and] she actually tried to poke her shoe with it and poked her foot,' Scout revealed.

Family matters: 'My papa doesnt even really understand what social media is so i wont address this to him, but damn I love and appreciate this man!!' she wrote

'So my stepmom had to be in LA waiting to, like, get the results for taking her to the doctor. My dad came up here early and then travel got crazy and my stepmom stayed in LA with my little sisters.'

She said during that podcast episode, according to Us Weekly: 'Its been really funny having both my parents at the this house where they, like, raised us,.'

Scout, who like her parents and sisters is sober, shared: 'Its kind of divine time to just hang out with them.  Im very grateful to be with my family.'
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has again threatened to withdraw from further negotiations with Armenia, accusing it of obstructing a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict sought by Azerbaijan.

Aliyev also renewed his criticism of the U.S., Russian and French mediators co-heading the OSCE Minsk Group, saying that they should strive to not only maintain the ceasefire in the conflict zone but also make Armenian-Azerbaijani talks substantive.

We are not going to hold negotiations and meaningless video conferences for the sake of imitation, he told his newly appointed Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, on Thursday. There has to be a meaning.

Aliyev went on to accuse Yerevan of undermining the negotiating process. If we see that negotiations are meaningless we will act and come up with statements accordingly, he warned.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry scoffed at the comments on Friday. If Azerbaijan is now refusing to negotiate with Armenia it is not clear with whom it is going to negotiate on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said the ministry spokeswoman, Anna Naghdalian.

Naghdalian denounced war threats which she said have emanated from Baku lately. If the threat to pull out of negotiations is part of the same effort then we are neither surprised nor impressed with that, she said in written comments.

Aliyev already threatened to withdraw from the talks and lambasted the mediators on July 7. [The mediators] main point is that the problem cannot be solved militarily. Who said that? he told Azerbaijani television.

Five days later, heavy fighting involving artillery fire and drone attacks broke out on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in disputed circumstances. At least twelve Azerbaijani servicemen and four Armenian soldiers were killed in the clashes that prompted serious concern from the international community.

The fighting appeared to have largely ground to a halt by Thursday evening. The conflicting parties reported no major truce violations overnight and the following morning.

In a statement issued late on Wednesday, the mediators said the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers have pledged to hold substantive negotiations on crucial aspects of a Nagorno-Karabakh settlement as soon as possible. The Azerbaijani minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, was sacked and replaced by Bayramov on Thursday.
Wall Street expects a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when Verizon Communications (VZ) reports results for the quarter ended June 2020. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 24, 2020, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus Estimate

This largest U.S. cellphone carrier is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.15 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -6.5%.

Revenues are expected to be $29.91 billion, down 6.7% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions Trend

The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.53% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings Whisper

Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Story continues

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Verizon?

For Verizon, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +0.17%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination indicates that Verizon will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?

Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Verizon would post earnings of $1.22 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.26, delivering a surprise of +3.28%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.

Bottom Line

An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Verizon appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Britain could already have herd immunity against Covid-19 because so many people have had similar illnesses in the past, a study claims.

Experts have noticed the infection looks extremely similar to other, milder strains of coronaviruses which cause coughs and colds and circulate regularly.

Brits who have had these in the past may have some level of 'cross-protection', they suggest, which means they aren't seriously harmed by Covid-19.

While it remains unlikely that people will be totally protected from any infection at all, 'background' immunity could make their illness less severe and death less likely.

Theories that even exposure to common colds may protect people from the coronavirus have been floating around for months and raise hopes for a milder second wave.

Combined with the fact millions of people have been infected in the pandemic's first wave, it may mean the UK is already protected against another deadly surge.

The concept of herd immunity - in which so many people are immune to a virus that it cannot spread - is controversial because there is no scientific proof that people who have had Covid-19 once can't get it again.

Scientists have claimed, however, that if immunity does develop, the proportion of people who need to have had it could be as low as 20 or even 10 per cent.

And Britain may already be reaching this level, the Oxford University paper said, adding: '[Immunity] measures of 10-20 per cent are entirely compatible with local levels of immunity having approached or even exceeded the [herd immunity threshold], in which case the risk and scale of resurgence is lower than currently perceived.'

Scientists say if a vaccine was developed it would need 60-70 per cent coverage to work  but this threshold could be significantly lower for natural immunity because the most at-risk people will always be the first to get exposed to the virus and, if it can't infect them, it can't spread through them to the less at-risk groups

A study by Oxford University said the threshold needed to achieve herd immunity could be lower than expected - scientists had thought it would be around 60 per cent if a vaccine was used - because coronaviruses are common.

There are four other types of coronavirus known to infect humans regularly, which are named NL63, 229E, OC43, and HKU1.

The fifth, known as SARS-CoV-2, is the one that causes Covid-19.

If people have had these in the past, their bodies may have developed some immunity to coronaviruses, the Oxford researchers suggest.

Professor Suneptra Gupta and colleagues wrote: 'It is widely believed that the herd immunity threshold (HIT) required to prevent a resurgence of SARS-CoV-2 is in excess of 50 per cent.

'Here, we demonstrate HIT may be greatly reduced if a fraction of the population is unable to transmit the virus due to innate resistance or cross-protection from exposure to seasonal coronaviruses...

'Significant reductions in expected mortality can also be observed in settings where a fraction of the population is resistant to infection.

'These results help to explain the large degree of regional variation observed in seroprevalence [how many people have signs of immunity] and cumulative deaths and suggest that sufficient herd-immunity may already be in place to substantially mitigate a potential second wave.'

The way cross-protection might develop lies in the fact that coronaviruses all have similar structures - that is, they have spike-shaped proteins on the outside.

These spikes may look similar to the body's immune system and be recognised as a threat even if someone has not been infected with that particular one before.

When the body recognises a protein as a danger it can stoke the immune system into life and immediately send white blood cells and antibodies to destroy the viruses, thereby either preventing illness or making it less severe.

The body stores memories of how to fight viruses it has seen in the past and, if it encounters one that looks a lot like another one it has attacked, it may attack that more quickly than usual, too.

WHAT IS HERD IMMUNITY? Herd immunity is a situation in which a population of people is protected from a disease because so many of them are unaffected by it - because they've already had it or have been vaccinated - that it cannot spread. To cause an outbreak a disease-causing bacteria or virus must have a continuous supply of potential victims who are not immune to it. Immunity is when your body knows exactly how to fight off a certain type of infection because it has encountered it before, either by having the illness in the past or through a vaccine. When a virus or bacteria enters the body the immune system creates substances called antibodies, which are designed to destroy one specific type of bug. When these have been created once, some of them remain in the body and the body also remembers how to make them again. This provides long-term protection, or immunity, against an illness. If nobody is immune to an illness  as was the case at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak  it can spread like wildfire. However, if, for example, half of people have developed immunity  from a past infection or a vaccine  there are only half as many people the illness can spread to. As more and more people become immune the bug finds it harder and harder to spread until its pool of victims becomes so small it can no longer spread at all. The threshold for herd immunity is different for various illnesses, depending on how contagious they are  for measles, around 95 per cent of people must be vaccinated to it spreading. For polio, which is less contagious, the threshold is about 80-85 per cent, according to the Oxford Vaccine Group. Advertisement

Immune cells are highly specific and only attack the bugs they are designed to, but if coronaviruses are extremely similar there is a chance that immunity developed to one virus may be compatible with another.

While this might not stop infection completely, the fast immune response could make the illness less severe and make it more likely that people will survive.

Research from scientists in Germany last month found that 81 per cent of people who had never even had the coronavirus produced some kind of immune response to it - which they put down to infection with common colds.

Researchers at the University Hospital Tubingen, who studied the immune reactions of 365 people, wrote: 'Similarity to common cold human coronaviruses provided a functional basis for... immunity in SARS-CoV-2 infection'.

And Professor John Bell, another researcher at Oxford, recently said a significant number of people may have 'background immunity' to Covid-19.

He explained to MPs on the Science and Technology Committee that people were showing signs of a type of immunity called T cell immunity - T cells are ones that trigger the production of antibodies, which fight viruses.

Professor Bell said: 'What seems clear is you do have cross-reaction from T-cells that are activated by standard endemic coronaviruses,' The Telegraph reported.

'I think they are present in quite a significant number of people.

'So there is probably background T-cell immunity in people before they see the coronavirus, and that may be relevant that many people get a pretty asymptomatic disease.'

The Oxford team's latest study - which did not involve Professor Bell - has not been published in a journal but on the website medRxiv without being reviewed by independent scientists.

In Britain's first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, there have been almost 300,000 confirmed infections and 45,000 deaths.

Separate data suggests there have likely been more than 3.5million infections - most of them untested - and more than 60,000 fatalities.

Britain as a whole is not close to a high level of herd immunity, with Government testing surveys suggesting between five and six per cent of the population have had Covid-19 so far - about three million people.

London, however, has a much higher past infection rate at an estimated 17.5 per cent, so could be approaching a low level of protection.

The NHS is now preparing for a second wave of the disease but experts say they do not expect another one to be quite as devastating.

Future outbreaks will likely be confined to local areas and be able to be controlled with local lockdowns, they suggest.

While scientists around the world are racing to try and create a vaccine for the coronavirus, herd immunity may be vital as a long-term solution to the disease.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, said yesterday: 'Its important to recognise that the chances of having a totally sterilising vaccine, i.e. one that 100 per cent protects you from this, I think, are low.

'Much more likely that you have a vaccine that reduces the severity of illness and reduces spread a bit. I think thats the more likely outcome on vaccines.'

Natural herd immunity - if lasting immunity develops from infection - can arise from the virus spreading through a large part of the population.

Immunity from a vaccine was expected to have to include at least 60 per cent of the population to effectively stop the virus from spreading.

CHILDREN 'MAY BE PROTECTED FROM COVID-19 BECAUSE THEY GET SO MANY COLDS' Children may be better protected against coronavirus because they get so many colds, some scientists believe. There are four coronaviruses known to cause coughs and colds, with adults averaging between two to four colds a year. But children are believed to attract up to 12 colds a year, and scientists say this could provide youngsters with a resistance to the virus that adults lack. Professor Sir John Bell, a medicine professor at Oxford University, told the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Commitee: 'How you respond may be due to the state of your existing immunity coronaviruses generally. 'There is an interesting speculation at the moment, that many people in young or middle age groups may have T-cells that can already see coronaviruses. 'It may well be able to provide some protection against this pathogen when it arrives.' Professor Adrian Hayday added: 'All adults past a certain age - 30 to 35 - eventually have no thymus so their T-cells work by looking at whether they have seen something before, whereas children are very good at seeing things that are unknown. 'The issue may be that children are able to see this as something fresh.' Coronaviruses are thought to cause up to 30 per cent of all colds but it is not known specifically how many are caused by the betacoronavirus types, which also cause severe chest infections in the oldest and youngest patients. Advertisement

But developing it through natural infection, meaning that the people most likely to spread the disease would get it first, may dramatically reduce that threshold.

A recent study claimed it could work to some extent if only one or two out of 10 people have been infected naturally and become immune to the disease.

They said higher estimates worked on the basis that immunity is given to everyone by a vaccine, but in reality the people who first get infected are likely to continue to be the ones most at risk, so if they develop immunity, the less-at-risk will also benefit.

These could include health workers, people who live in cities and those in people facing jobs like drivers, shop workers and schoolchildren and teachers, for example.

Immunity among the most socially active people, scientists say, could protect those who come into contact with fewer others.

The study led by Dr Gabriela Gomes, a mathematician at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the University of Strathclyde, said: 'In idealized scenarios of vaccines delivered at random and individuals mixing at random, herd immunity thresholds are given by a simple formula which, in the case of SARS-CoV-2, suggests that 60-70 per cent of the population would need be immunized to halt spread considering estimates of R0 between 2.5 and 3.

'A crucial caveat in exporting these calculations to immunization by natural infection is that natural infection does not occur at random.

'Individuals who are more susceptible or more exposed are more prone to be infected and become immune, which lowers the threshold.

'In our model, the herd immunity threshold declines sharply... and remains below 20 per cent for more variable populations.'

Another study has taken a similar line and suggested herd immunity could develop at around 43 per cent of the population getting infected.

Professor Frank Ball, Professor Tom Britton and Professor Pieter Trapman  three authors of the study from the universities of Nottingham and Stockholm  wrote in the journal Science: 'Our application to Covid-19 indicates a reduction of herd immunity from 60 per cent... immunization down to 43 per cent in a structured population, but this should be interpreted as an illustration, rather than an exact value or even a best estimate.'

They said that immunity would be stronger in cities, large households and big workplaces.
The president expressed gratitude to Merkel for the comprehensive support of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has congratulated German Chancellor Angela Merkel on her 66th birthday.

Read alsoMerkel says new Russia sanctions not ruled out

"Happy Birthday, Frau Angela Merkel! Wish you good health and fortitude to withstand all the hardships of the pandemic," he wrote on Twitter on July 17.

"Thanks for the comprehensive support of Ukraine in the international arena. Relations between Germany and Ukraine will only become stronger over the years," he added.

In late May, Merkel said that the policy of sanctions against Russia should be maintained.
The Trump administration announced visa sanctions Wednesday on members of Guyana's ruling government and called for President David Granger to "step aside" so the country could begin its transition four months after its disputed March 2 elections.



"The Granger government must respect the results of democratic elections and step aside," US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said during a morning press briefing.



Pompeo said the US would be placing "visa restrictions on individuals responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Guyana."



Granger and his A Partnership for National Unity coalition have refused to accept the findings of a 33-day recount performed by the Guyana Elections Commission and observed by the Caribbean Community, or CARICOM, found the opposition People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) had won the vote.



Instead, the ruling government has called for the vote to be annulled, arguing there were irregularities and anomalies in the election. Guyana's chief elections officer, Keith Lowenfield, made the same argument, and ruled out more than 100,000 votes in a June 23 report that he said were tainted by fraud and were invalid.



The matter went to court, and last week the Caribbean Court of Justice, the final court of appeal for Guyana, invalidated Lowenfield's June 23 election report. Under its decision, the 33-day recount would stand, making the PPP/C the new governing party.



The case heads back to court on Friday after a new challenge was filed, and the chief justice is expected to rule Sunday.



The ongoing election dispute is already having ramifications on the country's economic fortunes, which were expected to see substantial growth this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic due to discovery of oil off Guyana'sAtlantic coast. The find is expected to transform the largely underdeveloped English-speaking nation from one of South America's most polarized and poorest into possibly one of its richest.



A report issued Wednesday by Rystad Energy said political delays in getting approval for projects are removing millions of barrels of oil from production that could have been achieved by 2030. Such delays could reduce Guyana's revenue substantially over the next few years.



"Our analysis shows that Guyana may lose around 10 million barrels of oil that could be produced from the project by 2030 presuming just a three-month delay, a number which climbs to around 75 million barrels assuming a 24-month delay," analysts said in the report.



Despite the recent Caribbean court ruling and building international pressure, including from CARICOM, for the recount and court ruling to be respected, the chief elections officer continues to defy orders to submit a report reflecting the recount figures.



After he filed a final elections report on Saturday, which included numbers compiled prior to the national recount and deemed questionable, the Organization of American States issued a blistering statement accusing Lowenfield of acting in bad faith and not in the interest of Guyana's voters.



Lowenfield's actions, the statement said, were in direct opposition to the instructions of the chair of the Guyana Elections Commission, adding "there can be no justification for this action."



"This confirms that the Chief Elections Officer is acting in bad faith and contrary to the interest of democracy in Guyana," the OAS said.



"Let us be very clear - the only democratic solution for Guyana at this time is respect for the results of the national recount. No other figures - neither those prepared prior to the recount, nor those recently invalidated by the Caribbean Court of Justice, nor any others that may be unilaterally devised by the Chief Elections Officer - can have any place in the final determination of results. A new electoral process is also an unacceptable solution," the OAS said.



In a virtual press conference on his Facebook page, PPP/C presidential candidate Irfaan Ali called Lowenfield's latest report "an insult."



"What Mr. Lowenfield presented to GECOM today as his report is an insult to all Guyanese. It's an insult to all observers of the March 2020 elections. It is an insult to all political parties that contested those elections. It is an insult to the international community," Ali said.



On Tuesday, the ruling government's members appointed to the seven-member Guyana Elections Commission walked out of the group's meeting after Chairwoman Claudette Singh again ordered Lowenfield to submit his elections report as requested.



The meeting was adjourned until 2 p.m. Wednesday, and it's unclear if Lowenfield will finally comply. Singh has said if Lowenfield does not submit the correct report, she will ask the deputy chief elections officer, Roxanne Myers, to do so.



In the coming days, the OAS General Secretariat is expected to address the ongoing election dispute with the group's Permanent Council.

Source: GNA









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The University of Edinburgh today confirmed it is considering renaming the David Hume Tower due to the philosopher's links to slavery.

A spokesman for the Scottish university told MailOnline that it is working with staff and students to 'thoughtfully explore how we address these matters' after a former Edinburgh lecturer called Hume 'an unashamed racist'.

Dr Felix Waldmann, now at Cambridge University, urged Edinburgh to 'consider carefully' its links with Hume after discovering a previously unknown letter the philosopher wrote encouraging his patron to buy a plantation.

His intervention comes after a petition to rename the Tower attracted over 1,750 signatures and the backing of Edinburgh University Students' Association.

It follows weeks of anti-racism protests over the UK's past involvement in the slave trade after Black Lives Matter demonstrators tore down a statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston and threw it in Bristol Harbour in June.

An Edinburgh University spokesman told MailOnline: 'The University takes issues around acknowledging its past very seriously.

The University of Edinburgh today confirmed it is considering renaming the David Hume Tower due to the philosopher's links to slavery. A spokesman for the Scottish university told MailOnline it was working with staff and students to 'thoughtfully explore how we address these matters' after a former David Hume fellow called Hume 'an unashamed racist'

Dr Felix Waldmann urged Edinburgh to 'consider carefully' its links with Hume after discovering a previously unknown letter the philosopher wrote encouraging his patron to buy a plantation. His intervention comes after a petition to rename the Tower attracted over 1,750 signatures and the backing of Edinburgh University Students' Association

'We are working with our students, staff and members of the community to thoughtfully explore how we address these matters.

'As this process continues, we will continue to encourage dialogue to ensure we are fit for purpose in the 21st century.'

Dr Waldmann, a lecturer and fellow in history at Christ's College, discovered a letter Hume wrote in 1766 encouraging Lord Hertford to buy a plantation in Grenada.

He said that he would expect the university to 'ask whether Hume's views and conduct - considered comprehensively - are consistent with their values.'

'Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions': The philosophy of David Hume, who rejected religion and wrote 'racist epithets' David Hume (1711-1776) was a UK philosopher (pictured, statue in Edinburgh) David Hume (1711-1776) is one of the most important UK philosophers, best known for his work on scepticism and philosophical empiricism. In A Treatise of Human Nature (1739-40), Hume argued against the existence of innate ideas, and concluded that no theory of reality is possible and there can be knowledge of anything beyond experience. Hume believed that passions rather than reason govern human behaviour, proclaiming that 'reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions'. His views on philosophy of religion, including his rejection of miracles and the argument from design for God's existence, were also especially controversial for their time. Though Hume's views on slavery were ambiguous, he infamously claimed there were human races and that non-whites were inferior to whites. The passage, from Essays, Moral, Political and Literary, reads: 'I am apt to suspect the Negroes to be naturally inferior to the Whites. 'There never was a civilized nation of any other complexion than white, nor even any individual eminent either in action or speculation. 'No ingenious manufacturer amongst them, no arts, no sciences. 'On the other hand, the most rude and barbarous of the Whites, such as the ancient German, the present Tartars, still have something eminent about them, in their valor, form of government, or some other particular. 'Such a uniform and constant difference could not happen in so many countries and ages, if nature had not made an original distinction betwixt these breeds of men. 'Not to mention our colonies, there are Negro slaves dispersed all over Europe, of whom none ever discovered any symptoms of ingenuity; though low people, without education, will start up amongst us, and distinguish themselves in every profession. 'In Jamaica, indeed, they talk of one Negro as a man of parts and learning; but it is likely he is admired for slender accomplishments, like a parrot who speaks a few words plainly.' Advertisement

Writing in today's Scotsman, Dr Waldmann said: 'There can be no doubt that Hume was a genius, a luminary among the university's alumni.

'But there is a difference between venerating Hume and remembering him.'

Dr Waldmann, an academic specialist on Hume, said it was 'absurd' to suggest that Hume did not appreciate that what he was doing was wrong.

He wrote: 'Some may attribute Hume's conduct in this affair to the social conventions of his time. Eighteenth-century Scotland was a racist society.

'Many of its most prominent figures were direct beneficiaries of the slave trade. Scotland in general reaped the advantages of slavery in Britain's colonies.

'It could be argued that holding Hume to the standard of a later age would be unfair. We should acknowledge, instead, that Hume could not criticise racism and slavery without upsetting social conventions.

'But this argument is absurd. Hume was a genius by the standards of the 18th century. He was not deferential to convention.

'In fact, he was the antonym of convention. He was sufficiently wealthy in 1766 not to assist in this scheme. And he was aware of the widespread denunciation of slavery by his contemporaries, including in books by his friends and correspondents.'

Dr Waldmann continued: 'His views served without doubt to fortify the institution of racialised slavery in the later eighteenth and early nineteenth century.

'More importantly, the fact that he was involved in the slave trade is now a matter of record. He was not deferential to social convention and he was aware of the widespread denunciation of slavery by his contemporaries.

'Anyone possessed of Hume's talents would recognise the obvious enormity of slavery. But Hume endorsed slavery; indeed, he justified it.'

Hume also wrote to Victor-Therese Charpentier, the French governor of Martinique, on behalf of his friend, John Stewart, a wine merchant involved in the purchase of several plantations. He also lent Stewart 400 in early 1766.

Dr Waldmann believes it is 'not inconceivable' the money was invested in the slave trade.

The indentures of one plantation owned by Stewart, held in the National Library of Jamaica, show that by November 1767, it had 42 slaves.

Hume's correspondence, uncovered at Princeton University Library, remains the only surviving evidence of his involvement in the slave trade.

An online petition backed by the students' union is calling for the renaming of the Tower on grounds that Hume 'wrote racist epithets not worth repeating here'.

A statement on Change.org says: 'Nobody is demanding we erase David Hume from history.

'However, we should not be promoting a man who championed white supremacy. That is mutually exclusive with the goal of reducing the harm caused by racism at Edinburgh University to students of colour.

We can take Hume's writings and learn about them in context, but there is no reason the tallest building on campus should be named after him.'

Ellen MacRae, Students' Association President, said: 'We welcome our members facilitating these important discussions. We believe that the University of Edinburgh has a duty to lead the conversation on racial inequalities.

'In order to achieve this the University must acknowledge its own historic complicity in racial injustice, which continues today through the naming of its buildings after the likes of David Hume, and thus their honouring of these figures.'

A statue dedicated to Hume on the Royal Mile has been targeted by anti-racism demonstrators following the killing of black American George Floyd in Minneapolis.

It is understood that Edinburgh City Council is reviewing a number of features which commemorate those with links to slavery and colonialism, including public statues and monuments, street and building names.

A spokesman for the Council said is in consultation with the wider BAME community about such matters, but would not confirm if Hume's statue is up for review.
Former chief minister (CM) and leader of Opposition (LoP) Devendra Fadnavis led a party delegation to meet Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday in Delhi, to discuss various issues of the states sugar sector, including a better fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane farmers and a package for the sugar industry.

Fadnavis was accompanied by six to seven party leaders  all sugar barons exported to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) prior to the 2019 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls. These included Harshvardhan Patil, Ranjeetsinha Naik-Nimbalkar, Dhananjay Mahadik, Vinay Kore (BJP ally), and Jay Kumar Gore.

These leaders all come from Western Maharashtra, which is seen as the NCPs bastion. NCP chief Sharad Pawar is considered the undisputed leader of the states co-operative and sugar lobby.

Fadnavis meeting assumes importance as it is viewed as a bid to woo the sugar lobby and keep his promises to these former Congress-NCP leaders.

We met Union home minister Amit Shahji to discuss the various issues facing the sugar sector. There is likely to be bumper crop in Maharashtra and as such, farmers should get higher FRP and factories also should run. We also sought a package for the factories that are not doing well and an expansion of the Centres ethanol policy, said Fadnavis, while speaking to reporters in Delhi after the meeting.

The state delegation sought restructuring of existing loans from the National Co-operative Development Corporation (NCDC) and soft loans to sugar industry. The delegation also submitted detailed proposals regarding the same to Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union food and public distribution minister Ram Vilas Paswan after the meeting with Shah.

This year there will be excess production of sugar in Maharashtra as we had a very good monsoon so far. If all 225 sugar factories have to run, then they will need assistance. Many of the factories need their loans to be restructured with lower interest. We also proposed adding the sugar industry under the Centres atmanirbhar policy, as the sugar sector is central to the state economy. This can help us get soft loans worth 12,000 crore-1,5000 crore, said Patil.

Ahead of the assembly polls in 2019, the Fadnavis government had taken a cabinet decision to provide a conditional government guarantee to the states co-operative sugar mills seeking to raise loans from NCDC. Many of the beneficiaries of this decision were leaders who had recently joined the BJP.

The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, however, revoked the decision when it came to power in December 2019.

The states sugar industry, led by political heavyweights, is in trouble, with several factories in the red due to mismanagement. Many of its leaders, including those who were poached from Congress and NCP to join BJP, chose to switch parties in the hope of keeping their factories afloat by getting loans from the government or NCDC. The sugar factories in several constituencies help political leaders to shore up their vote base.

No Operation Lotus in Maharashtra, says Fadnavis

Fadnavis reiterated that BJP did not have any political agenda in Maharashtra, and the party was focused on addressing the Covid-19 pandemic.

We are not making any attempt to bring this government down. There is no Operation Lotus or anything from our end. I have said earlier, too, that this government contradicts itself and will fall on its own, said Fadnavis.

He also said that besides the sugar industrys issues, he also discussed the overall Covid-19 scenario in Maharashtra with the Union home minister.

Fadnavis briefs PM on Covid-19 ground reality in Maharashtra

Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday evening in Delhi and briefed him about the Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra. Fadnavis said that he presented the ground reality of the outbreak in the state to the PM, based on his travel across Maharashtra.

He said that the meeting was not to make a state specific demand but to present the PM about his assessment.

PM asked me about the specific situation in Mumbai, Pune, Vidarbha and Marathwada. He also asked if I had any suggestions on the situation, which I shared with him. This was not a political meeting.

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The follow-on public offer (FPO) has so far received bids for 496 crore equity shares.

Yes Bank's FPO to raise Rs 15,000 crore was subscribed 55% till 12:15 IST on Friday (17 July). The FPO opened on 15 July 2020 and will close today, 17 July 2020. A discount of Re 1 per equity share will be given to the eligible employees of the bank bidding in employee reservation portion. In the FPO, shares can be bid in lots of 1,000 equity shares.

The private sector bank is offering 909.98 crore shares under the public offer at a price band of Rs 12-13 per share. Yes Bank plans to utilise the proceeds from issue to meet its capital requirements to support growth and expansion.

On Tuesday (14 July), the private lender allotted 3,41,53,84,614 equity shares to a total of 14 anchor investors at Rs 12 per share.

More than half of the anchor book was subscribed by Bay Tree India Holdings. Other investors include HDFC Life Insurance Co, Amansa Holdings, Jupiter India Fund, Jupiter South Asia Access Fund, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Co, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co, RBL Bank, Reliance General Insurance Co, Edelweiss Crossover Opportunities Funds, Elara India Opportunities Fund, Hinduja Leyland Finance and ECL Finance.

State Bank of India (SBI) had earlier informed that it would invest upto Rs 1,760 crore in the FPO.

Shares of Yes Bank were up 0.52% at Rs 19.35 on BSE.

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.)
Criticism of the graphic took off this week. On social media, conservative author Ben Shapiro described the chart as crazy and evil and said it suggests all pathways to success  hard work, stable family structure, individual decision-making  represent complicity in white supremacy. President Trumps son Donald Trump Jr. tweeted the graphic on Wednesday and tied to it the presidential campaign, writing, These arent white values. Theyre American values that built the worlds greatest civilization. They help you succeed here, no matter your color. So make no mistake, Bidens radicals arent coming for whites, theyre coming for the entire American way of life.
JAKARTA, Indonesia  An anticorruption investigator, Novel Baswedan, was walking home from his neighborhood mosque in Jakarta three years ago when two men approached by motorbike and threw acid in his face. The attack left him blind in one eye and half-blind in the other.

On Thursday evening, a court found two police officers, Rahmat Kadir Mahulette and Ronny Bugis, guilty of carrying out the April 2017 attack. But Mr. Novel, 43, a senior investigator for Indonesias respected Corruption Eradication Commission, believes the attack was ordered by someone more powerful, someone he investigated  but he doesnt know who.

Mr. Novel is widely seen by the public as a hero for his willingness to investigate leading politicians and police officials, including several who have gone to prison, in a campaign to root out the high-level corruption that has plagued Indonesia for decades.

He and his supporters contend that the two low-ranking officers were merely lackeys or scapegoats, and that their arrest and prosecution was aimed at relieving pressure on the police to find whoever ordered the assault. Before the attack, the officers had no apparent connection to Mr. Novel or interest in the activities of the anti-corruption commission.




President Moon Jae-in pledged Friday to expand Korea's offshore wind power capacity hundredfold by 2030 as a key engine for the nation's transition to renewable energy and environmentally-friendly growth.







Moon visited a wind power plant and a turbine research center on the southwestern coast in his first field inspection since unveiling a "New Deal" policy Tuesday to recover from the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus crisis.







"The government's goal is clear and is to become one of the world's top five offshore wind energy powerhouses by 2030, taking advantage of our geographical advantage of being surrounded by water on three sides," Moon said at the wind farm in Buan, about 280 kilometers southwest of Seoul.







The government aims to expand the nation's offshore wind power capacity to 12 gigawatts by 2030 from the current 124 megawatts, he noted.







During his visit, central and local governments, businesses and local residents signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the plant located in two counties of Buan and Gochang, North Jeolla Province.







The governments seek to draw 14 trillion won ($11.61 billion) in private investment in the project to increase capacity from the current 60MW to 2.46GW by 2028.







The plant operating since July 2019 is the largest among the nation's three offshore wind farms. Two others are located in South Jeolla Province and Jeju Island.







He projected the offshore wind energy industry would create up to ten times more quality jobs than other electricity generation sectors, and create new demand for the shipbuilding, steel and construction industries.







"The government will create initial demand through large-scale projects and continue to invest in technology development so that domestic companies can have competitive edge in both price and technology," he pledged.







On Tuesday, the president laid out his New Deal plan, under which the government will invest 160 trillion won by 2025 in promoting green, digital and smart technology industries, which he projected to create 1.9 million new jobs. (Yonhap)


Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Check My Symptoms (Comprobar Mis Sintomas), a public website that allows people to enter their symptoms to determine if they should consider getting tested for COVID-19. If a test is recommended, they will receive a link to a list of nearby testing sites via email or text.

Find My Testing Place, a public website that allows people to enter their county or ZIP code and access a list of nearby testing site locations online. To view in Spanish, users can select Spanish in the yellow box.

COVID-19 Community Team Outreach (CCTO) Tool, a password-protected online software that helps people track their own symptoms if they have been advised to do so by the COVID-19 Community Team.

Contact: Ford Porter

Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) launched new online tools to help Spanish-speaking North Carolinians to determine if they should consider being tested for COVID-19 and help individuals monitor their symptoms if they have tested positive for or been exposed to COVID-19.said Governor Cooper.said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, M.D.North Carolina's Latinx/Hispanic population is being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. As of mid-July, our Latinx/Hispanic population represent 44 percent of cases where ethnicity is known, although they make-up 9 percent of the state's population. Many in the Latinx/Hispanic community work in essential industries that North Carolina relies upon, such as construction, child care and food processing. Often, this work is in environments where social distancing can be challenging, health insurance is not provided and for a sick person, staying home could create a significant financial burden.The new online tools are intended to help people know if they may need a test, how to get a test and how to monitor their own symptoms if advised to do so. These tools include:Through contact tracing, local health department staff and other COVID-19 Community Team members reach out to people who may have recently come into close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 and connect them with the information and support needed to protect themselves and their loved ones. Half of all new hires to the Community Team are bilingual.said Secretary Cohen.All information provided to the Community Team is confidential, and personal information or names will not be released to anyone. Any information that is shared with the COVID-19 Community Team is a private health record and is strictly confidential. Personal information will not be shared with other government agencies, and the names of individuals and contacts will not be released or shared. The Community Team will work to connect anyone who needs additional help as they monitor their symptoms or stay at home with the resources they need. Their name might be shared in this case, with their permission.The Community Team will never ask for someone's Social Security Number, bank or credit card numbers, or any other financial information. If you are asked for this information, please hang up and call your local health department to report the incident.
International student graduates and skilled workers both in Manitoba and abroad were invited to apply for a provincial nomination

New Manitoba PNP draw issues 174 invitations International student graduates and skilled workers both in Manitoba and abroad were invited to apply for a provincial nomination

New Manitoba PNP draw issues 174 invitations International student graduates and skilled workers both in Manitoba and abroad were invited to apply for a provincial nomination

New Manitoba PNP draw issues 174 invitations International student graduates and skilled workers both in Manitoba and abroad were invited to apply for a provincial nomination Alexandra Miekus Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Manitoba held its 94th Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on July 16, 2020.

It issued a total of 174 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) to immigration candidates.

The purpose of LAAs is to invite candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence in Canada. LAAs were issued to Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) candidates under the following streams:

18 of the 174 invited candidates had profiles in the federal Express Entry system.

Manitoba has issued LAAs to 2,634 candidates in 2020.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

Manitobas EOI system

Immigration candidates need to register an Expression of Interest (EOI) with the MPNP to receive an LAA through the Skilled Workers in Manitoba and Skilled Workers Overseas categories.

Under Manitobas system, such candidates are ranked out of 1,000 points for human capital characteristics such as their English or French language skills, education, work experience, Manitoba connections, and other factors.

In todays draw, successful candidates needed a score of at least 430 points to obtain an LAA under the Skilled Workers in Manitoba stream. Skilled Workers Overseas candidates needed a minimum score of 811 points.

About the Streams

The Skilled Workers Overseas Category and Skilled Workers in Manitoba categories allow the province to nominate skilled workers who can support Manitobas labour market needs.

Those overseas need to have an established connection to Manitoba. This can be demonstrated through close family ties or friends in Manitoba, previous experience in the province, or an invitation under one of the MPNPs Strategic Recruitment Initiatives.

They do not need to be physically present in Manitoba at the time of the application to be eligible.

Successful candidates in the Skilled Workers in Manitoba category must meet certain criteria, such as having a full-time permanent job offer from an employer in Manitoba.

Finally, international students that graduated from an educational institution in Manitoba may receive an LAA under the International Education Stream if they have in-demand skills.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
China's Mars probe arrives at launch site - Xinhua | English.news.cn

China's Mars probe has been sent to the Wenchang Space Launch Center in the southern island province of Hainan, and preparations for its upcoming launch are underway, said sources with its developer, the China Academy of Space Technology.

Every 26 months, Mars reaches the closest point to Earth in its orbit, and the nearest launch window to Mars is this year, at which time launching a spacecraft will use the least amount of fuel.

The country announced in April that its first Mars exploration mission was named Tianwen-1. As scheduled, it plans to send a probe to orbit, land, and deploy a rover on the red planet.

The probe will be launched by a Long March-5 carrier rocket.
Random acts of kindness still exist: One 94-year-old street vendor in Santa Ana, Calif. was brought to tears by the generosity of a good Samaritan.

Jose Villa Ochoa, also known as "Don Joel," was clearly emotional, as shown in a FOX11 video, as a result of the kindness shown by 28-year-old Kenia Barragan who took time out to listen to Ochoa's story.

DOCTORS WARN OF CAREGIVER EXHAUSTION: Houston ICU doc says caregivers are exhausted, describes long-lasting effects of COVID-19

The down-on-his-luck street vendor shared with Barragan how he has to work selling tamales because no one would hire him due to his age.

"He can barely afford to buy his coffee and bread in the morning to eat and doesnt have money to pay for a phone, let alone his medication. I found all this out, just by taking a few minutes out of my day to acknowledge a stranger," said Barragan through her Instagram post.

Barragan took to social media asking if anyone wanted to help Ochoa.

"We raised over $84k in just a week!!! My heart is touched. Thank you to everyone that donated, supported, and reached out," said Barragan in a Facebook post.

In addition to the money raised, "Barragan also purchased Don Joel a new wheelchair and got him a new pair of shiny black shoes," said Fox7 news.

Barragan said in the video that she felt for Ochoa, having older parents herself and that she would hate to see her dad out selling tamales and barely making ends meet.

"I hope people take care of our community. We need to take care of each other. Even if you cant give money  donate a prayer, give something back, take the time to get to know someone," said Barragan to Fox11 news.

In a time where the country seems so divided, its stories like this that remind us of the goodness that still exists in this world, and how communities can come together to rally behind each other during these tough times and how your random acts of kindness can inspire a nation.

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The Mi Notebook 14 and Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition laptops were launched in India earlier last month, and since then, the two have emerged as fan favourites. However, because of the company continuing with flash sales for the laptops, it was proving difficult for users to get their hands on the device.

However, this may be about to change as the company has now announced that these laptops will now go on open sale in India and will be available 247 via the Mi Online Store (Mi.com) and Amazon India. For the uninitiated, the Mi Notebook 14 and Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition are the first laptops launched by the company in India. These are powered by up to Intel 10th Gen processors. 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.

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.
The youth have been asked to show keen interest in the countrys electoral process and ensure that it was transparent enough to guarantee free and fair elections in December.



Additionally, they must avoid political entrepreneurs who would use them to cause political violence for their parochial interest and eschew all forms of violence and champion the course of peace and harmony before, during and after the December 7 polls.



Dr Kenneth Aikins, a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Peace Studies at the School for Development Studies , University of Cape Coast (UCC) who gave the advice urged them to abide by the principles and values that had sustained the peace in the country over the years.



He made the appeal at a days dialogue with youth leaders and other stakeholders on "ensuring a violent free Ghana, before, during and after 2020 election in Ghana: The role of the youth," in Cape Coast on Thursday.



The meeting, organized by the Central Regional office of the National Youth Authority (NYA) brought together key stakeholders including; traditional and religious leaders, political parties and selected youth leaders from across the Region.



It was to discuss ways to prevent violence through vigilantism ahead of this year's general election.



Dr Aikins charged the youth to be focused, exert their energies into productive ventures and shun acts of political vigilantism in the run-up to this years Presidential and Parliamentary elections.



They must preach peace in their various communities and impart the knowledge they had acquired to others to engender national development.



To achieve that,Dr Aikins asked them to be tolerant of varied political opinions, uphold the spirit of discernment, national unity, peace, cohesion and patriotisms.



That way, they must promote inter-party dialogue and disseminate the outcomes with membership of the political parties to understand and act on them.



We need to live in peaceful co-existence with all irrespective of religion or tribal background to consolidate the unity and love the country had enjoyed over the years, he added.



Outlining some factors that guaranteed free and fair elections, Dr Aikins stressed the need to prioritise freedom of speech for candidates, media and associations, free of fear of impairments to electoral campaigns and universal adult suffrage.



Mr Emmanuel Marley, the Regional Director of NYA underscored the need for the youth to resolve to do everything possible and necessary to lend support, sustain peace and avoid using violence to settle issues.



He told the youth to step up peace sensitisation in their various communities and educate others in their communities to uphold peace for national development.

Source: GNA









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

Featured Video
New military units join annual wargames for first time

ROC Central News Agency

07/16/2020 02:12 PM

Taipei, July 16 (CNA) Taiwan's new combined arms battalions on Thursday participated in the annual live-fire Han Kuang military exercises for the first time, to demonstrate their combat readiness and the battle leadership qualities of their commanders.

The 22 combined arms battalions, capable of operating independently in the battlefield, were formed in September 2019 and are made up of soldiers and officers from different branches of the military, along with snipers, unmanned aerial vehicles and missile operators.

As part of an anti-landing drill, members of the combined units fired multiple rockets at simulated targets set up along the coastline of Jianan Beach in Taichung.

Taiwan's Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDF) and F-16V fighter jets, alongside the Army's CM-33/CM-34 indigenous "Clouded Leopard" armored vehicles, as well as other land-based artillery, were also involved in the action.

Meanwhile, squadrons of AH-64E Apache and AH-1 Super Cobra attack helicopters, also fired hellfire missiles at their targets, in conjunction with the simultaneous movement of ground forces to repel invading forces.

Also at the annual wargames, Taiwan's reserve forces were recalled to operational duty, for the first time firing 105mm M101A1 howitzers, artillery used by the military to support frontline infantry units.

The Jianan drill saw the participation of about 8,000 personnel from all three branches of the military.

It also saw the active participation of about 800 reservists this year, 400 of whom are retired professional soldiers, according to the military.

Although reserve personnel have taken part in the Han Kuang exercises in the past, usually firing the 81mm and 120mm mortars, this time they trained on bigger and more precise artillery weapons, a military official who asked not to be named told CNA.

President Tsai Ing-wen (), who observed the exercise on Thursday, said national security does not rely on humility, but rather on the commitment of the Armed Forces, which represent the core of national defense.

Also that day, members of Taiwan's Military Police Command led a joint simulated drill to repel enemy airborne troops from attempting to capture Taipei Songshan Airport, according to the Military News Agency.

The anti-airborne operation included the participation of units from the Air Force and Army, the agency said.

(By Chen Yun-yu, Matt Yu and Ko Lin)

Enditem/AW

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Delegations of Azerbaijani and Hungarian ministries of foreign affairs are having a meeting in an expanded format, Trend reports with reference to Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Azerbaijan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto are heading their respective delegations.

Prior to the expanded meeting Azerbaijani and Hungarian ministers met one-on-one.
- Kofi Antubam was a famous state artist and designer

- He was appointed as Ghana's official state artist in 1957 by Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah

- Antubam was born in 1922

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Ghanaian artist and designer, Kofi Antubam, was famous for his works that featured less highlighted aspects of community life in Ghana.

Antubams stunning designs include state regalia such as the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Kwame Nkrumah.

The trailblazer who was appointed by Ghanas first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, as the state artist, used the iconic Adinkra symbol in Ghanaian art.

Kofi Antubam/Photo credit: UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Humble boss: Ghanaian man boldly storms town carrying mom's smoked fish in pan

He played a major role in Ghanas modern art with his influence as a pioneering artist.

Antubams narrative scenes of idealised African life was showcased in wall paintings and mosaics. These designs truly impacted and influenced the works of many artists.

Not long after Ghanas independence in 1957, President Kwame Nkrumah named him as an official state artist.

Antubam believed in the role of artists in national pride and development. He was a staunch believer in the role of culture and arts in the progressive growth of the country.

RAD ALSO: Moses McCormick: Meet the Black man who speaks over 20 languages

He received his education in art at Achimota School in Accra and later at Goldsmiths in London.

According to a report by ghanaianmuseum.com, he exhibited his work in Ghana and other prestigious events in London, Paris, Rome, New York, and other places.

As an artist, his works challenged contemporary African artists to use the skills acquired from their European based art training as tools in painting cultural portraits of traditional African culture.

The acclaimed artist also posited that representation art style was only a way to express what one has within.

He relied on the concept of assimilation in the development of a national and African identity.

Kofi Antubam was born in 1922 and died in 1964.

In another story, Ghanaian businessman, Sulley Amin Abubakar, has recounted how he quit law school to start his thriving company which has become the biggest charcoal factory in Ghana.

The young entrepreneur and founder of Zaacoal produces affordable and quality charcoal for households and industry. Zaacoal produces stainless charcoal to prevent air pollution.

Sulley Amin Abubakar recently sat for an interview and recounted how he took the bold step of quitting law school to start his charcoal business.

READ ALSO: Humble boss: Ghanaian man boldly storms town carrying mom's smoked fish in pan

Faces of Ghana: 21-year-old female boxer's dream of becoming a world champion:

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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
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A man now is charged with open murder after a daytime shooting in Southeast Grand Rapids that killed another man now identified as 23-year-old Martell Deon-Daajon Phillips.

The homicide is the 19th killing so far this year.

The deadly violence in just seven months already has surpassed the total number of homicides recorded in 2019 for Grand Rapids. That year, the city had 18 homicides.

In 2018, the total was just nine.

Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Payne, who came to the scene of the latest shooting, said its unclear whats causing this years spike in killings.

Its hard to say. What I know is there has been a lot of gun violence and this has to end, he said.

Payne said he was admittedly disturbed by the violence.

If you sense Im a little upset about this, I am, and everyone should be, he said.

He called for the community to work together to provide tips and information about crime, illegal guns and violence that might help curb the situation.

The latest fatal shooting happened about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, July 15 outside Wealthy Market at Diamond Avenue and Wealthy Street SE. Phillips was found dead in the markets parking lot.

The alleged shooter, also a 23-year-old man, called 911 from a location across the street from the market and he surrendered to police peacefully.

It wasnt immediately clear if he had been arraigned.

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Mining giant Rio Tinto has been putting experts on the ground at one of its sites by using virtual reality headsets during the coronavirus pandemic, as the disease cut into production.

Staying far away from the companys copper mines in Mongolia and the US, experts have been able to weigh in remotely.

It has allowed them to get past travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, Rio said.

At our Oyu Tolgoi underground project in Mongolia, the use of virtual reality glasses has helped gain access to global experts to support project progression during construction and commissioning stages, the company said in an update to investors on Friday morning.

We delivered a strong performance, particularly in iron ore and bauxite, demonstrating the underlying resilience of our business and ability to adapt in difficult conditions. J-S Jacques, chief executive $RIO https://t.co/dqYl5rBE2L pic.twitter.com/J0YZgzDWAk  Rio Tinto (@RioTinto) July 16, 2020

The business reported a 3% drop in the amount of copper it managed to dig out of the ground in the second quarter of the financial year.

Meanwhile, restrictions in Quebec and South Africa have meant that titanium dioxide slag production dropped 13% compared with the same period a year earlier.

Rio said Chinese customers are still demanding large amounts of iron ore, but it warned that recovery in Japan and Europe is yet to begin meaningfully and is likely to be subdued when it does.

Chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques said: We delivered a strong performance, particularly in iron ore and bauxite, demonstrating the underlying resilience of our business and ability to adapt in difficult conditions.

Our iron ore assets are performing well in a strong pricing environment and we are on track to meet our 2020 iron ore guidance.

Despite various Covid-19-related challenges, all our assets have continued to operate, with our first priority to protect the health and safety of all our employees and communities.

Expand Close Chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques said Rio Tinto is trying to get on with business as usual (Dominic Lipinski/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques said Rio Tinto is trying to get on with business as usual (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Our focus is to maintain a business-as-usual approach with many safeguards at a very unusual time.

Our operational teams are continuing to run our assets safely so we can continue to contribute to local and national economies and serve our customers.

The news comes amid a controversy surrounding the destruction by Rios miners of a 46,000-year-old indigenous cultural site at Juukan Gorge in Western Australia.

Addressing the issue, Mr Jacques said: We remain even more committed to our relationship with communities, following the Juukan Gorge events in the Pilbara, and we are engaging extensively with traditional owners around our operations and across Australia.
The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested Adjei Boye, a landlord at Manhean for allegedly murdering his tenant by butchering him with a cutlass.



Boye reportedly also hacked the wife of Kweku Abu, 38, the deceased with the same cutlass causing injuries to her head.



Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tengeh, Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Command, who briefed the Ghana News Agency in Accra said, Police received a complaint about the incident on Thursday, July 16, 2020, at about 1935 hours.



She said the complainant told the police that at about 1650 hours while he was working at his site in the neighbourhood, he heard shouts for help.



DSP Tenge said the complainant then rushed to the compound of Boye and found that he had butchered his tenant Abu, and so with the assistance of other neighbours they rushed Abu to the Amasaman Government Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.



DSP Tengeh said Police proceeded to Amasaman Government Hospital and found the body of the deceased in the boot of a taxi cab parked in front of the emergency ward in a pair of jeans trousers.



She said There were deep cutlass wounds on the right jaw, both arms with the right wrist almost chopped off and some of his left fingers chopped off.



She said there were also multiple cutlass wounds on the upper part of the body and that police removed the body and deposited it at the Police Hospital Morgue for preservation and autopsy.



DSP Tengeh said on same day at about 2100 hours, the wife of deceased on contact came to the station with a cut on her head and blood oozing from it reported that at about 1630 hours, her landlord Boye slashed her with a cutlass and also butchered her husband for no apparent reason.



She said a Police medical report form was issued to her to seek hospital treatment.

Source: GNA









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As the number of new coronavirus cases in Texas continues to rise and hospitals get more crowded, Governor Greg Abbott on Thursday said there will be no statewide shutdown.



Abbott noted that the next measure will have to be a lockdown. The Texas governor stressed that a shutdown will not be needed if the face mask mandate is being followed.

Other measures he implemented was shutting down bars. But he said it will take a few weeks to see any effects after the measures were applied.

"The conversation this past week focused on this one concept, and that is, 'Did the face mask requirement that I've imposed in the state of Texas will achieve the results that the CDC director announced yesterday?' And if everyone will adopt the face mask requirement and wear a face mask, we will be able to get control of COVID-19," Abott was quoted in a report.

He repeatedly said that if people follow the mask mandate, there will be no need for a state lockdown. Abbott said people are panicking that Texas will shut down again and he said the answer is clearly no.

"And that is a lockdown is the last thing that we need in the state of Texas if everyone will adopt the best practice of wearing a face mask," Abott noted.

Texas coronavirus cases

There were 10,457 people in Texas hospitals due to the coronavirus, as of Thursday. This was a decrease from 10,569 from Tuesday. The state has reported 3,561 deaths from the disease.

Abbott said this could be a glimmer of hope, but this does not mean that they are "out of the woods yet."

Texas Schools Reopening

The state's largest district, Houston, is planning to start the fall semester later than usual and expects students to learn virtually.

The state made clear that they won't financially penalize districts that decided not to open for face-to-face classes within three weeks of starting their school year if a local health agency orders that classrooms remain closed. Some parents are planning to opt out in-person teaching for the school year.

According to a recent poll by University of Texas and Texas Politics Project, around 65 percent of Texans said it was unsafe for children to go back to school. Teachers also said the state's decision to require an in-person learning puts their health and safety in line.

State guidance allows parents to choose their children to not participate in face-to-face classes, but says little about how school districts should protect their teachers and staff. Some teachers protested, while observing social distancing, at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Wednesday, demanding for schools to open safely.

Middle school math teacher in Austin ISD, Jenny Pena, said they are protesting to advocate the safety of everyone in a school community.

"If you've never seen a child in a casket, I don't recommend it," Pena was quoted in a report. She noted that she cannot recommend burying a student for something that can be prevented.

Check these out!
By Trend

Coordination Council of Azerbaijanis of France made a statement in protest against provocations made by Armenian armed forces on the state border with Azerbaijan in the direction of Tovuz district, Trend reports.

According to the statement, starting from noon on July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, opened artillery fire at Azerbaijani positions.

Azerbaijan's armed response forced the Armenian army to retreat suffering losses. The strong will of our Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the professionalism of our officers, the high spirit of the soldiers and the level of material and technical support of our military units once again pre-determined the superiority of Azerbaijani army and state over Armenian armed forces, the statement said.

May Allah rest the souls of our dead servicemen. We wish the wounded soldiers and officers a speedy recovery! said the statement.

As one of the largest organizations of the Azerbaijanis Diaspora, the Coordination Council of Azerbaijanis of France stated the following:

1. Instead of eliminating the consequences of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, withdrawing the occupying forces from the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, the Armenian government, continuing its aggressive policy, makes provocations in order to seize new positions and raise tension. We urge the international community to objectively assess such provocations, which impede the settlement of the conflict and create new threats, make decisions that force Armenia to abandon its aggressive policy.

2. We express support and solidarity with our army, which defends our lands and is always ready to fight for the restoration of our territorial integrity.

3. We stress again that the policy of military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, which has been going on for many years, is the greatest threat to peace, stability and development in the region. We urge members of the diaspora to be active in social networks and share publications under #KarabakhestAzerbaidjan #Arretezagressionarmenienne hashtags to bring the fact of the occupation to the attention of international organizations, heads of states, international public figures, brain trusts of foreign countries, advanced universities.

As the Coordinating Council of Azerbaijanis in France, we urge members of the Azerbaijani Diaspora around the world to support this activity," the statement concluded.

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.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Bengaluru: As the numbers of COVID-19 surge in Bengaluru city, Karnataka Chief Minister Mr B.S. Yediyurappa ignored the BBMP on Friday by not inviting both Mayor and BBMP Commissioner for a crucial meeting to discuss COVID-19 situation in the city.

Though BBMP Commissioner Mr Anil Kumar said that he could not attend the meeting as his personal staff had tested positive for COVID-19, Mayor Mr Goutham was also not invited for monitoring and management of COVID-19 meeting.

As of now, the Chief Minister has made senior IAS officer Mr Kumar Naik as nodal officer for COVID-19 management in Bengaluru city and made seven ministers from the City  Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwathnarayan, Mr R Ashok, Gopalaiah, S T Somashekhar, Byrathi Basavaraj, V Somanna and Suresh Kumar along with Chief Minister's political secretary Vishwanath as in charge of eight divisions of Bengaluru. However, even after ten days of re-allocation, Bengaluru is witnessing a surge in the cases, which has angered the CM.

Angry over not being able to curb the growth of Covid-19 cases in Bengaluru, Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa took seven Covid in-charge ministers of the city to task. Mr. Yediyurappa warned that all seven ministers will be held responsible for any increase in Covid mortality rate in the IT city.

On Friday, Mr Yediyurappa is said to have come down heavily on the ministers too for not containing the spread of COVID-19 and said that the respective ministers would be held accountable for the spread of pandemic in their respective divisions. He also wanted the ministers to examine pandemic spreading patterns ward wise.

During the meeting, the ministers asked the Chief Minister to consider extending the lockdown beyond July 24, as most of the experts feel that 14 days lockdown would be needed to control further spread of COVID-19. However, the chief minister was reluctant and told the ministers that he would take a decision in a couple of days later, after the expert committee submits its next report.

Those privy to the meeting said that the Chief Minister was particularly worried about the financial situation of the state and extending lockdown for one more week would put more pressure on the state exchequer. Besides, the Expert Committee would be submitting its next status report on Sunday to the chief minister BS Yediyurappa and he is likely to take a decision on Monday, based on the recommendation of the Expert Committee report, they said.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka CM also categorically stated that extension of lockdown in Bengaluru was not a solution to contain spreading of Covid cases. Effective management of providing beds, ambulances and increase in tests were important too. BSY also instructed the Bengaluru police chief to strictly implement lockdown in the city.

He asked the nodal officers to keep a vigil on private hospitals and asked them to identify private hospitals that have refused to treat Covid patients. Newly appointed volunteers and nodal officers must identify the beds in private and government hospitals, the CM said.

Yediyurappa also directed the eight Covid in-charge ministers in Bengaluru to identify marriage halls and convention centres in each wards for institutional quarantine to shelter homeless asymptomatic patients.
After a gap of nearly four months limited international flights from Friday, under 'air bubbles' arrangements with several countries.

Limited flight operations from US and France under the 'Air Bubble' arrangements made with these countries. Accordingly, these flight services will be operated under certain pre-conditions.

Reuters

In aviation parlance, 'Air Bubble' travel arrangements are established between two countries under a certain set of safety and travelling conditions such as high demand, legal entry and exit norms and airlines' willingness to operate on these sectors.

Under the agreement, Air France will operate 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Paris from July 18 to August 1, while United Airlines, an American airline, will resume 18 flights between India and the US.

BCCL

Besides these, operations of Lufthansa flights to India under the arrangement with Germany will commence.

At present, the civil aviation authorities of India and the UAE have agreed to allow operations of special repatriation flights between the two countries during July 12-26.

As per the arrangement, chartered flights operated by UAE carriers to fly out 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.

AFP

Currently, the suspension on scheduled commercial international flight operations to and from India have been extended till July 31.

Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After nearly two months of suspension to combat the coronavirus outbreak, the government resumed scheduled domestic passenger flights on May 25.

However, it had then allowed the airlines to operate maximum 33 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) increased the limits on June 26 from 33 per cent to 45 per cent.

"We are assuming that by the time Diwali comes this year, we would have 55-60 per cent of pre-COVID domestic flights operating in India," Puri said at the press conference.

He said once the domestic capacity reaches 50-55 per cent of its pre-COVID capacity, the government will get the confidence about opening international air travel further.

BCCL/ FILE

The fact of the matter is that international flights will take place between bigger metros in India and outside locations, the minister mentioned.

Giving the example of the Mumbai airport, he said if more international flights are allowed to Mumbai, those passengers will need forward flights to go to other places in India but that will be a constraint as the airport handles only 50 flights per day.
Halton police say the defacing of what some are calling a Nazi monument in an Oakville cemetery is no longer being investigated as a hate-motivated offence.

In a press release issued Friday, July 17, Det. Sgt. Barrett Gabriel of the Oakville Criminal Investigations Bureau said that, when police began investigating a June 22 incident, which saw a memorial within the St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Cemetery, vandalized with graffiti, it was deemed hate-motivated in that they believed it was targeting Ukrainians in general or Ukrainian members of the nearby cultural centre.

The target of the graffiti turned out to be a memorial to the 1st Ukrainian Division, which was created following the reformation of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, a paramilitary force under Hitler and the Nazis, responsible for terror in Germany and its occupied territories.

The division fought with the Germans against the Soviet Red Army during the Second World War.

It has also been accused of war crimes against civilians, but such charges were never proven.

The memorial has been in the privately-owned cemetery since the late 1980s.

It does not feature Nazi symbols or refer to the SS.

Halton police faced a significant social media backlash over the perception vandalism to a Nazi monument was being investigated as a hate-motivated offence.

At no time did the Halton Regional Police Service consider that the identifiable group targeted by the graffiti was Nazis, said Gabriel.

We regret any hurt caused by misinformation that suggests the service in any way supports Nazism.

Mayor Rob Burton of Oakville issued a statement pointing out that the municipality has no say over the statue.

Unfortunately, municipalities have no role in regulating the contents of private cemeteries. Its personally repugnant to me, I have family who died fighting Nazis.

If Ontario laws permitted me to have it removed, it would have been gone 14 years ago.

Gabriel said the incident is now being investigated as mischief to property.

No arrests have been made at this time and no suspect descriptions are available.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Halton police at 905-825-4747 ext. 2215 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

With a file from the Star
BERLIN (Reuters) - The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 583 to 200,843, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday.

The reported death toll rose by 4 to 9,082, the tally showed.

(Reporting by Berlin Newsroom; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
America under the Trump the administration will be soon following China



s and North Korea



s tactics in which data will be concealed and the public will be kept in the dark. Soon, Americans will no longer be able to get the real data about the number of COVID-19 infected and COVID-19 deaths as President Trump signed a new order in which all hospitals and states will no longer report these figures and other critical data to the US CDC or media, but rather to a private company that is controlled by the White House, and only the White House will, in turn, disseminate this data. Other data that will also be controlled includes the numbers of daily COVID-19 tests, the availability of ventilators and hospital beds.

As

the Trump campaign comes closer to the election date, he needs to suppress the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in America and let his ignorant followers and Republicans think that he is doing a great job while they and their families [and others]

die slowly
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 17:41:53|Editor: huaxia

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Pupils in a tourists van enjoy safari during a game drive in Kidepo Valley National Park in Kaabong district in northeast Uganda, July 29, 2020. Uganda has announced incentives to kick-start tourism recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic that heavily impacted on the sector. The state conservation agency, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), announced price cuts to catalyze the resumption of tourism in protected areas like national parks. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua)

KAMPALA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has announced incentives to kick-start tourism recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic that heavily impacted on the sector that earns the country over 1.6 billion U.S. dollars annually in normal times.

The state conservation agency, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), on Thursday announced price cuts to catalyze the resumption of tourism in protected areas like national parks.

The agency said for every 30 gorilla permits bought, the tour operator gets two permits for free, one for the company and the other for the Association of Uganda Tour Operators, an umbrella organization that brings tour operators together.

Mountain gorillas are Uganda's prized tourist attraction, contributing a large share of tourism earnings.

Uganda hosts over 50 percent of the global population of mountain gorillas, according to UWA figures.

The UWA said for every gorilla permit bought, the tourist receives free entry to Mount Elgon National Park or Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve, where there is vast flora and fauna.

The conservation agency said it will continue offering promotional permits to enable destination marketing and bring in agents and public relations firms from outside the country.

Filming fees in the national parks have also been reduced to enable creation of material for marketing.

These incentives come after the government on June 4 announced a stimulus package for sectors that have been drastically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism is one of the sectors that the ministry of finance highlighted as the most affected, especially by restrictive lockdown measures like a halt to international arrivals.

Tourism firms, according to the finance ministry, qualify for deferred payment of corporation tax or presumptive tax due between April and June 2020. The payment was deferred until September 2020. Payment of Pay-As-You Earn tax was also deferred to September 2020.

DOMESTIC TOURISM

While the country is still closed to international arrivals to stop the importation of the virus, tour operators have resorted to promoting domestic tourism, with packages at reduced prices.

Taddeo Rusoke, founder of Inside Africa Safaris-Uganda, told Xinhua in a recent interview that his firm has resorted to online campaigns to attract domestic tourists.

"We recommend visitors to go to all savanna parks in Uganda such as Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley," he said.

"For quick tours around central and eastern Uganda, visitors can think of the several tourism spots in Jinja such as rafting on the Nile and other cultural establishments that are open," Rusoke said.

Tourism minister Tom Butime recently talked about a sighting of 600 Elands in Lopolokocho, in Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve, in eastern Uganda.

"The recovery of wildlife in Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve is very impressive and amazing," the minister said. "I do not know how many Ugandans who have ever seen a herd of 600 Elands grazing. This is a rare spectacle."

"Immediately after the lockdown is lifted, I will invite fellow Ugandans to rush to Pian-Upe to see Elands in a herd of 600.

"Anybody outside Uganda, on reading this, should catch the first plane to Uganda to see this spectacle before the herd disappears to another grazing area," Butime said.

The minister said there is also boom at other conservation areas. In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, two new births of mountain gorillas were reported; a new giraffe calf was received at Lake Mburo National Park.

"This country now must prepare for a surge, an avalanche of tourists as soon as the lockdown is lifted," he said. "This time, tourists should not only come from outside Uganda."

Christopher Wanda, the proprietor of Primate Expeditions, told Xinhua in a recent interview that his tour agency has been preparing for the post-COVID-19 era.

"We are using this 'quiet' period to prepare for the 'new normal,' training our staff, putting in place quality assurance measures, with a keen eye on the directives by the World Health Organization," Wanda said.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 17 : Stepping up pressure on the already beleaguered Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala that is presently passing through its worst-ever crisis with even the office of the Chief Minister under a cloud in the gold smuggling case, the Congress-led-opposition on Friday gave a notice to move a no-confidence motion, when the assembly meets on July 27 to pass the Finance Bill.

Speaking to the media here, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the things have reached such a stage where Kerala is being shamed on account of the gold smuggling case, and Vijayan has to resign.

"Technically with the numbers in the assembly favouring Vijayan, the motion will be defeated, but Vijayan has a moral obligation to the people of Kerala, as he is morally liable to what has happened in his office.

"Two top officials by now have been booted out. Nothing short of the resignation of Vijayan will be acceptable to us," said Chennithala.

In the assembly, 139 members can vote, while two seats are lying vacant and the treasury bench has a strength of 91.

"Vijayan is playing games. When we first raised this issue, he said none in his office is involved, but then things his principal secretary M.Sivasankar and his IT fellow Arun Balachandran had to be removed.

"He has always abused us when we raised allegation of corruption. Now it's clear that the IT department (led by Vijayan) has been turned into a den of all sorts of mafia activities," said Chennithala.

"We demand that Vijayan should resign and a CBI probe be launched into all the activities of the IT department which includes, signing of contracts, appointments done and consultancies entered into," added Chennithala.

The gold smuggling case which has large scale ramifications first surfaced when P.S. Sarith, a former employee of the UAE Consulate, here was arrested by the Customs on July 5. He was facilitating the smuggling of 30 kg gold in diplomatic baggage to Thiruvananthapuram from Dubai.

It turned murkier when the name of Swapna Suresh, a former employee of the UAE Consulate here and now employed with the state IT Department, surfaced. The case snowballed when their links with the second most powerful person in Vijayan's office -- his principal secretary M. Sivasankar, got revealed.

After dilly dallying, despite the Congress and the BJP's agitation demanding Vijayan to suspend Sivasankar, on Thursday the Chief Minister finally made the move.

Also to fall was his IT man -- Arun Balachandran - a popular face in all the IT related events in the state.

Both of them were removed by Vijayan, after several visuals and telephone call records surfaced which showed that Swapna was in frequent touch with the two.
Mrs Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission has expressed the Commissions appreciation to Ghanaians, especially the stakeholders for their support and cooperation during the ongoing Voters Registration Exercise.



She said the EC could not do it alone without the support of its stakeholders, saying that the Commissions engagement with the media to explain its activities to the public has been a worthwhile endeavour.



Speaking to journalists at the fourth edition of the Let the Citizen Know initiative in Accra, she said the Commission was committed to living up to its values of transparency, fairness, and integrity in the discharge of its mandate.



She reiterated the essence of the Let the Citizen Know initiative saying that the EC was determined to use the platform to communicate the truth to the public at all times.



Mrs Mensa reminded the media, that as one of the Commissions key stakeholders for the compilation of a credible voters register and the conduct of a free and fair election, they must make it a duty to report the truth and be factual in the spirit of transparency and justice.



She appealed to Ghanaians to disabuse their minds of the notion that figures put out by the Commission are bloated, saying, it cannot be so.



She explained that at the end of the day, the statistics at the registration centres are given to all stakeholders including the political party agents, which helps them to do their collation.



The EC, he said, has no intention to put out bloated figures, saying, that there could be human errors but since the process makes room for due diligence when the Commissions attention is drawn to the mistakes, we admit and correct them.

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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